‘Reign of Terror’ or Law Enforcement? Debate Over Immigration Raids in Carpinteria and Camarillo

KEYT on July 19, 2025

Ryder Christ

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. — A series of federal immigration raids at cannabis farms in Carpinteria and Camarillo has ignited intense public reaction and political debate across the Central Coast.

On July 10, 2025, federal law enforcement officers executed criminal warrant operations at grow sites owned by Glasshouse Brands Inc. in both communities. According to the Department of Homeland Security, at least 361 undocumented individuals were arrested, and 14 migrant children were rescued from what officials described as potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking.

“Unfortunately, California has flouted federal immigration law for decades,” said former Santa Barbara City Councilman Dale Francisco. “Federal law is supreme in the area of immigration. ICE is a law enforcement agency, and we now have a president who is in favor of enforcing immigration law… That’s one of the reasons he was elected.”

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem called the July 10 operations “one of the largest operations since President Trump took office.”

Former State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, representing the Democratic viewpoint, condemned the raids in stark terms.

“This was a reign of terror… something right out of the Nazi playbook of the ’30s,” she said. “These were people who were working hard in the fields. Many of them have lived here for up to 30 years. These folks are the foundation of our community.”

Jackson also criticized the use of military-style force and questioned the transparency of the federal operation.

“This is an effort that’s targeting brown people,” she said. “There’s no habeas corpus, no due process. Lawyers are unable to access their clients. ICE agents are operating with anonymity… This is truly a reckless act that is undermining the very fabric of our society.”

Homeland Security reported that more than 500 individuals attempted to disrupt the enforcement action, describing them as “rioters.” Four U.S. citizens were arrested for allegedly assaulting or resisting officers, and federal vehicles were damaged during the confrontation. One suspect reportedly fired a gun at agents. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to that individual’s arrest.

One worker, Jaime Garcia, died during the raid in Camarillo.

The fallout has been swift and widespread. Protests, emergency town halls, and packed public meetings have taken place across the region. Officials noted a sharp drop in attendance at community events, including the Saint Joseph’s Festival in Carpinteria and the Santa Barbara County Fair in Santa Maria. A Fiesta carnival was canceled, and some local community leaders have called for Fiesta to be scaled back or even canceled altogether due to ICE fears.

Francisco acknowledged the emotional toll on the community but emphasized the legality of the operation, citing ICE data indicating that some individuals arrested had serious criminal histories.

“Thirteen of the people who were arrested in Camarillo have crimes such as rape, DUI, hit and run, battery,” he said. “We should be providing a legal solution to that problem—something that is lawful—and not tolerate this unending situation with people here illegally and being exploited as cheap labor.”

ICE data from earlier this summer supports concerns about broader targeting: Between June 1 and June 26, 68% of individuals arrested by ICE had no criminal convictions, and 57% had never been charged with a crime.

Jackson also defended U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal, who sought information on the raids and was turned away by federal officers. Francisco, however, criticized the congressman’s involvement, suggesting his efforts would be better spent pushing for immigration reform.

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Old Fisherman’s Wharf vendors upset over discussions of new sidewalk ordinances coming from City of Monterey

KION on July 19, 2025

Madison Wilber

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV) — Street vendors in Monterey are pushing back against proposed ordinances that bring tighter restrictions to their trade.

The proposed changes impact vendor spacing, display height, operating hours and vending area dimensions; limiting the amount of merchandise they can display. 

“All of a sudden they’re going to cut my booth. You can look at the length of my booth, and they’ve never complained about my length, and they want to cut it down,” said Jesse Chisler, a vendor at the market. “How in the world is anybody going to be able to pay their bills in Monterey County with one table of merchandise?”

The city of Monterey said in their latest agenda that they are considering amendments to the sidewalk vending ordinance to align with state legislature and address local concerns, like citing safety and congestion.

“These new regulations will create a better spacing between vendors as well as define the space they can use for vending. These are new regulations which help the City to better enforce safe distances from the populated trails,” City Manager Hans Uslar said in a statement to KION News. “We have enforced our existing rules. These additional rules will be improving the overall sidewalk vending in this particular place.”

The vendors say they are confused because they claim there have never been any cited issues before now and disagrees with the city that they are enforcing the restrictions that are already in place.

‘Last summer was out of control in the summertime and they’ve never moderated, not you know, they come twice a year, the code enforcement guy,” Scott Powning, another vendor, said. “We need more involvement from the city then twice a year.”

James Burns, a vendor that has spoken up at multiple city council meetings, said there the city has no proof that the vendors have done anything wrong.

“We have not had any injuries. No insurance claims, no police action, no ticketing and no blocking of any emergency vehicle,” Burns said. “There is no reason for the city to they have no proof that we have caused any problems being here.”

What brings these vendors together is their desire to stay within the community and stay connected to their customers.

Daniel Arnendariz, a vendor that sells rocks and handmade jewelry said he has people from across the country make it a point to come to his stand once a year.

 “People that come here, they like to visit with me. A lot of people know me by name,” Arnendariz said.

Phillip Lindsey, another vendor, echoed Arnendariz and confirmed that the community makes a big difference,

“Locals that we know that come back all the time. They want it,” Lindsey said. “Someone will stand here for 45 minutes to an hour and just talk.”

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WATCH: Show-Me State Games Opening Ceremony at Mizzou Arena

KMIZ on July 19, 2025

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The opening ceremony of the Show-Me State Games was held Friday night at Mizzou Arena.

The games bring thousands of amateur athletes of varying ages from across the state to Columbia each year.

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Old Mill Classic Cruz starts new tradition

KTVZ on July 19, 2025

Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — There’s a brand new classic car show happening this weekend in Bend. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, the west side of the Old Mill will be filled with classic cars.

If you’re a classic car owner who’s just hearing about this, you’re in luck. Registration is still open. If the weather holds out, this might be a perfect way to start a weekend along the river.

One of the organizers, Ken Lucas, suggested, “If they feel like it, they could go across the street and rent a bike and go pedal around. They can go down to Bend Parks and Rec, get a kayak or float tube and float the river down to town.”

There’s no fee to swing by and see some cars and judging. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The award event kicks off at noon and trophies will be handed out by 1 p.m. You can find more details on the Old Mill Classic Cruz website.

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Missing Cabazon man confirmed dead; cause and circumstances under investigation

KESQ on July 19, 2025

Luis Avila

Update 7/23/25 – The Riverside Coroner’s Office has confirmed the identity of a man found dead this weekend as Benjamin Cole, a 42-year-old who had been missing since July 9. Officials say the exact date and time of his death remain unknown. Investigators also have not determined where the injury that led to his death occurred.

Update 7/22/25

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to News Channel 3 a dead person was found matching the description of Benjamin Cole; however, as of Monday afternoon, their identity has not been confirmed. The investigation remains ongoing.

Statement from Riverside County Sheriff’s Office:

“Cabazon Sheriff’s Station detectives are currently investigating the missing person case involving Benjamin Cole. On July 19, 2025, at 12:36 p.m., the search and rescue teams located a deceased subject matching the description of Benjamin Cole. The Riverside Sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau has not confirmed the identity of the deceased subject who was located. Therefore, this is still an active and ongoing investigation. Unfortunately, the social media post was inadvertently updated before confirmation was received.”

Original Report

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – Benjamin Cole, a missing 42-year-old man last seen in Cabazon, was located Saturday evening according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

Authorities posted to X shortly after 6 p.m. Saturday that Cole had been located.

However, Riverside Sheriff’s confirming the investigation into the disappearance is ongoing. At this time, the condition Cole was found in is still unknown.

Prior to his disappearance, Cole had been missing since July 9. He was last seen at his residence, according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. But his wife, Tara Cole, says new information was captured on camera Friday evening.

“He was seen on the ring camera here at a distance getting out of his truck and going up on the hills and that was the last he was seen.”

Tara Cole, wife

News Channel 3 was unable to obtain a copy of the video but his wife sharing photos found on Benjamin’s Google account, believed to have been taken the night he went missing.

Tara sharing a possible explanation for his whereabouts.

“He came out here to prospect, he’s a new prospector looking at rocks and trying to find gems… He kind of just does things on a whim. He’s like ‘oh I’m just going out here.’ He’s an adventurer. He’s from Montana so he’s not afraid to get out there and go and be a little bit under prepared so that’s what we’re worried about the most right now.”

Tara Cole, wife

A search party was called off Friday because of weather conditions but patrols were present. Officials conducting a search Saturday morning.

Stick with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage on this story.

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“What in the world was that?” Fireworks launched at Briargate home, 3rd case this month

KRDO on July 19, 2025

Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — For the third time this month, KRDO13 has received video of fireworks being launched directly at homes in the middle of the night, not for celebration.

We are told at KRDO13 that the new fireworks explosion was so loud that it woke neighbors who were sleeping seven houses away. The family whose house was involved says the explosion has caused hundreds of dollars worth of damage.

“It was so loud, it woke me up out of my dead sleep. And I was like, what in the world was that?”

Rosa Cabrera says this explosion shook the windows of her home, and at first, she thought it had caught her family’s house on fire.

“My daughter came running in the room, and she was like, Mom, Mom, the house is on fire,” Cabrera said she ran to her daughter’s room and looked out the window. “You could just see a huge cloud of smoke. I really thought my house was on fire.”

The incident was caught on a slew of home security cameras along Wilmington Drive. In one video, you see two people lighting a fuse and throwing it at the home from a neighbor’s yard. Then another catches them as they run away, with the explosion in the background.

“My reaction was terrifying. I couldn’t believe that something like that was happening to my home,” Cabrera said.

This is now the third incident since July 4th that KRDO13 Investigates has covered where fireworks were lit by an unknown person at someone’s home. One of which happened just a few hours earlier near Monument in El Paso County, and the other, which led to a fire that completely destroyed a home. 

PREVIOUS REPORTING: Family devastated, Colorado Springs home uninhabitable after illegal fireworks cause fire

PREVIOUS REPORTING: KNOCK, KNOCK, BOOM: Family awoken to loud sounds, smoke after ‘Ding-Dong Ditch’

According to officials, there’s currently no evidence to suggest that the three events are connected. 

“We’re definitely going to be upgrading our system over the weekend. That’s something that we’ve been wanting to do anyway, but now this is just, like, basically forcing us to do it.”

The family says they have filed a police report, alleging the incident caused $500 worth of damage.

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Two men sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Cathedral City store owner during botched robbery

KESQ on July 19, 2025

Jesus Reyes

Two men were each sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a Cathedral City store owner during a botched robbery in 2021.

Charles Lamar Campbell, 23, of Beaumont, and Joel Ortiz Hidalgo, 23, of Desert Hot Springs, were convicted in May for the killing of Chris Sgouromitis, 61, of Cathedral City, at the Outpost Market on Feb. 21, 2021.

Chris Sgouromitis

Campbell is eligible for parole, but Hidalgo is not, according to court records.

According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney’s Office, on the night of Feb. 21, 2021, Campbell and Hidalgo were driving around the Coachella Valley in the latter’s Acura sedan, seeking to purchase a “plug” of marijuana. When a transaction fell through in Palm Springs, the men headed into Cathedral City, where Campbell directed Hidalgo onto Shifting Sands Trail and, ultimately, the Outpost Market at the intersection of Shifting Sands and Ramon Road, according to court papers.

While Hidalgo sat behind the wheel of his car, Campbell entered the convenience store, long owned and operated by Sgouromitis and his family, prosecutors said.

Although no one else was in the outlet, security surveillance video cameras inside were operating, capturing almost all of the ensuing encounter between the victim and defendant, according to the brief.

The gunfire evidently frightened Hidalgo, who sped away from the location as Campbell exited the store, the prosecution said. Campbell was forced to flee on foot through residences lining Shifting Sands, and during his getaway, he accidentally fired his 9mm pistol into a yard, where the homeowner was watching, according to court papers.   

Sgouromitis’ brother, who had been resting in a room at the back of the store when the shots rang out, initiated CPR on his sibling until Cathedral City Police Department officers arrived and took over, followed by paramedics moments later. However, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

He was a beloved member of the community, and CCPD released a statement within a few days of his murder, saying he was a “father of four with strong local ties, who was not involved in criminal activity and died in his longtime place of business.”

Hidalgo’s Acura was soon identified as the vehicle that had parked outside the convenience store, and the license plate was confirmed via Flock law enforcement camera recordings in Palm Springs, leading to his being tracked down and detained for questioning less than a week later.

The defendant provided details regarding what allegedly had transpired, insisting that he was only giving Campbell a ride to get some marijuana and had no foreknowledge of the planned robbery, according to the brief. He was formally arrested at the police station.

Campbell was located staying in a Beaumont motel, where detectives went to serve an arrest warrant, listening through the door as he conversed via speaker phone with his mother, allegedly telling her, “The driver was arrested, and all he has to do is give me up,” according to the prosecution.   

Officers ordered him out of the room, at which point the defendant was taken into custody without incident.   

Neither man has documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.

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Problem Solvers: Missed mail, illegal signs, fed-up residents: Why one Bend neighborhood may be a warning sign for others

KTVZ on July 19, 2025

Harley Coldiron

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As one westside Bend neighborhood near Galveston and Century Drive grows with new construction and tourists, the Problem Solvers counted at least 25 illegal signs that neighbors have put up, warning people not to park in front of their mailboxes. However, they say it’s not because they want a convenient place to park, it’s about avoiding missed mail deliveries.

The Problem Solvers spoke with Julie, who’s lived in the neighborhood for a decade, and says finding a place to park has always been a problem: “They park here all the time. We live really close to Parilla and Taco Salsa, and it’s a hot lunch spot.”

The United States Postal Service confirmed these signs are not legal, and the use of their logo has not been permitted.

However, Julie and other neighbors, the Problem Solvers talked to stressed that the variety of no-parking signs people put up in front of their mailboxes, telling people they can’t park there, is so they don’t miss any mail deliveries.

“For some of our neighbors, which are our good friends, when someone parks in front of their house, they don’t get their mail. And we know our mailman – he’s been ours, the same guy for quite a number of years. And he gets very frustrated,” Julie said in an interview outside her home.

The Problem Solvers counted at least 25 signs in the neighborhood, which the U.S. Postal Service and the city of Bend say are not legitimate. The use of their official logo is illegal, and USPS confirmed they have not authorized its use for any signs in the neighborhood or in Bend.

KTVZ News asked the Postal Service several times what residents should do about people blocking their mailboxes.

The only solutions they gave were to leave a handwritten note on the person blocking their mailbox or to have a face-to-face conversation.

Neighbors said they did not see these options as a long-term solution, and pointed out that they can’t police their mailboxes 24/7. Others worried it could create potentially hostile and confrontational situations.

Another neighbor, Dana, says the parking issues are partly to blame on high-density housing, and new local and state laws that forbid minimum parking requirements for some developments.

Dana, like his fellow neighbors, supports new homes, but the issues that have arisen should be addressed: “It’s helpful to have, you know, high-density housing. But what’s the overall plan?” 

The laws from both the city and state aim to cut down on red tape and spur more badly needed housing.

“You know, per the state, onsite parking is considered valuable housing right now. So how do you find a balance where you still have affordable housing?”

Russ Grayson, who oversees operations for the city, says they’re aware of the issues in this and other neighborhoods: “A lot of that has to do with the redevelopment that is occurring in there. All the kind of, you can say attractions and draws on Galveston (Avenue), we’re seeing density increase”. 

Whether it’s adding a permit system or a time limit, it’s nearly impossible to make everyone happy.

“There’s always this push-pull relationship between parking strategies that we need to try to manage and balance,” Grayson said in an interview with the Problem Solvers.

No matter what happens, Carmen says she’ll always love the neighborhood: “I think the changes have all been good. You know, with parking, there’s always going to be growing issues.”

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Guests can have Direct Contact with 50 Wineries at the California Wine Festival in Santa Barbara

KEYT on July 19, 2025

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The California Wine Festival is set to put some of the state’s finest wines and newest wines on display for hundreds of people this week.

The festival comes as more people look to understand the industry and learn about the latest trends. In Santa Barbara County the production of wine grapes normally very high, has dropped in the last year.

The festival’s Executive Director Emily Kaufmann says it is a good place to talk to the winery owners the winemakers and their staffs and even do side by side comparisons.

“Not just the wineries in your own backyard, being able to taste kind of the expansive, wine regions throughout California and beyond. That’s what sets our event apart from a lot of other events,” she said.

About 50 wineries will be pouring at the Saturday event that will have live music and some retail vendors.

Friday night will have a special rare and reserve tasting at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Hotel.

For those who seek festivals that can bring multiple regions together, this annual event can be a one-stop shop. Kaufmann says there will be many options, “to find a wine they like.”

That will include tasting from the Central Coast, Napa, Sonoma, Temecula, Mendocino and other regions both north and south of Santa Barbara.

Some of the established wineries still want to “introduce their brand to new patrons and visitors of the wine festival and even some really smaller boutique wineries, that are direct to consumer. They really do need to get out in front and let them taste their wines,” said Kaufmann.

A silent auction is planned as part of the weekend events. That benefits the Food Bank of Santa Barbara County. We’ve been working with them for years. It’s a great relationship and partnership and we’re happy to give back,” said Kaufmann.

There will also be nine restaurants taking part in a tri-tip competition. “This is the only one of the four events that we do throughout California where we actually have a barbecue competition,” she said.

The winner is chosen by those attending who are tasting the samples.

For more information go to : California Wine Festival.

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Jobless rate jumps in Riverside County during June

KESQ on July 19, 2025

Cynthia White

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (CNS) – A mix of losses and gains weighed on the regional economy last month, pushing Riverside County’s unemployment rate up more than a percentage point, according to figures released on Friday by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate in June, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 6%, compared to 4.9% in May.

According to figures, the June rate was half a percentage point higher than the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment then stood at 5.5%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties — the Inland Empire — was 5.9%, up from 4.8% in May, the EDD said.

Data showed Cherry Valley had the highest unemployment rate countywide in June at 12.4%, followed by Rancho Mirage at 9.6%, Coachella at 9.2%, Valle Vista at 8.7% and Blythe at 7.9%.

Bi-county data indicated that payrolls declined by the widest margin last month in the professional business services sector, which shed 2,400 positions.

Further losses were recorded in the trade, transportation and utilities, as well as the health services, sectors, reflecting an aggregate drop of 1,500 jobs.

The construction sector had the greatest gains in June, adding an estimated 1,700 positions, while additional increases were documented in the agricultural, hospitality, manufacturing and public sectors, which altogether swelled by 2,700 jobs, according to figures. Miscellaneous unclassified industries, along with the financial and information technology sectors, were unchanged.

The statewide non-seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate in June was 5.7%.

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