Month: December 2025

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Attorney John Thyne and his wife Olesya didn’t mean to get into the restaurant business, but Thyne decided to step in and partner with The Harbor Restaurant when the owners Gene and Carolina Sanchez asked them to help.

Thyne said the owners had been contemplating filing for bankruptcy.

For the past two years they have spruced things up in The Harbor Restaurant and the adjoining Longboards Grill, with future plans and they also plan to add a coffee and gelato shop with a view.

They have also added things to do.

“Tuesdays we do a lobster special, we have one dollar chicken wings up here at Longboards, we have live jazz every Wednesday night at The Harbor we are going to be doing a New Years Eve ball drop.”

But at the same time the attorney has filed a lawsuit against the City of Santa Barbara over rent he calls “unconscionable.”

They are supposed to pay more than $61,400 a month for the Stearns Wharf property owned by city and they also owe back rent.

They said there used to be a minimum base rent decades ago. of 10 percent of sales.

But as rent rose Thyne said sales dropped for a myriad of reasons.

He said they now pay more than 20 percent of gross sales.

The employ more than 90 people and the can seat 445 in both space.

He said the city helped for a bit, but not enough for the business to thrive in the current economic conditions.

“We didn’t want to bring a lawsuits, we were really trying to work things out with them and I am hopeful that this isn’t perceived as some time of adversarial situation, it is really more asking the court to help us get the parties back to the place that they originally were that was a commercially reasonable lease,” said Thyne.

He is hoping for a settlement or judgement to benefit all businesses.

“I think if they tie the minimum based rent to gross sales that would work,” said Thyne, “if there is a correlation that doesn’t exceed market rents that could work.”

Mayor Randy Rowse knows the restaurant business.

Rowse owned the Paradise Café on Anacapa St. in Santa Barbara for more than 30 years. It is currently called La Paloma Cafe.

Rowse said the city doesn’t generally talk about pending litigation but he was aware that the City Administrator Kelly McAdoo issued a statement.

Santa Barbara City Administrator McAdoo wrote the following in response the lawsuit:

“The city of Santa Barbara has reviewed the complaint and believes the allegations are without merit. The city intends to defend this matter vigorously. 

The city has not received required rent payments for several months and is pursuing its own legal remedies.

This property is a public asset, and the city has an affirmative obligation to manage it in a manner that serves the public interest, not solely the interests of any single tenant.”

Thyne isn’t a complete stranger to the business.

“I did own a bar in law school with some of my friends,” said Thyne.

He is hoping for a win win resolution.

“I hope it works out best for the community,” said Thyne.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Some of Santa Barbara’s top musicians have come out for a special event and to raise money for the Unity Shoppe.

The show was at the Red Piano in Santa Barbara Sunday.

It was the annual John Lennon Tribute with three hours full of songs by Lennon and the Beatles.

Jason Libs from the Red Piano led the musical tribute and those attending joined in with their favorite songs.

The tip jar was over flowing with donations that will be brought to the Unity Shoppe.

Performers included Jason Libs, Jackson Gillies, Bobby Montanes, Steve Puailoa, Maitland Ward, Will Bremon, Michael Andrews and many others.

The event is held around the time of the anniversary of the death of Lennon on December 8, 1980.

News Channel 3 will air the annual Unity telethon this Friday live from 5 to 8 p.m. All of proceeds will help those in need in the community with food, clothing, toys and many other essential needs.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Chuckie Roth is a tough act to follow but Jamie Neushul certainly has the respect and the resume to make it a seamless head coaching transition at San Marcos High School.

KEYT Sports has learned that 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist Jamie Neushul will be the next head coach of the San Marcos Royals highly successful girls water polo program after Roth steps down following this season.

“I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to lead the San Marcos Girls Water Polo program,” said Neushul in a press release. “Chuckie Roth is truly one of a kind — a pillar of our aquatics community whose competitive spirit and deep knowledge of the sport have shaped countless young women, including me. There is no replacing him, and I’m grateful for his support during this transition. I know he’ll continue to be one of the program’s biggest cheerleaders.

Santa Barbara water polo has always been close to my heart and has opened so many doors in my life. After moving back to town with my fiancé, it feels natural to stay involved in a community that raised me — from my years competing at Dos Pueblos, to coaching at Santa Barbara High, to my ongoing work with Santa Barbara Water Polo Club. With long-standing coaches like Chris Parrish, Mark Walsh, and Chuckie, this community has set an incredible standard, and I see this role as a chance to give back to the place that shaped me as both a player and a person.

San Marcos has an exceptionally motivated group of girls who love this sport and understand the work it takes to grow. But we’re teaching more than water polo. Above all else, I hope to help them build confidence, resilience, and the skills to take on challenges well beyond high school — in or out of the pool.”

(Neushul and San Marcos alum Paige Hauschild show off gold medal).

Neushul has been a standout player at every level of water polo from Santa Barbara Water Polo Club, to Dos Pueblos High School, at Stanford and for Team USA.

She helped lead the DP Chargers to two CIF-Southern Section Division 1 titles in 2010 and 2011.

Neushul is a 3-time NCAA National Champion and a 4-time All-American at Stanford.

(Jamie helped the Cardinal to NCAA titles in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Courtesy Stanford Athletics).

Jamie Neushul spent last season coaching for the Santa Barbara Water Polo Club that her mom Cathy Neushul has built into a nationally recognized elite training program.

(Jamie celebrating with her 14B Santa Barbara Water Polo Club team at 2025 Junior Olympics)

Jamie Neushul has already coached several of the current Royals players at the club level.

Chuckie Roth announced to his team at the beginning of the school year that he needed to step away from the girls program as he was spread too thin with all of his other coaching (SBCC Water Polo, San Marcos boys and girls swim team, assistant boys coach and club) and teaching duties.

Aaron Solis(Athletic Director) Quote – “While understanding and agreeing with Coach Roth’s decision, there is still a sadness in him stepping down. He has created one of the best programs in the country, instilling a team culture that is not only successful in the pool, but also in the classroom and in creating outstanding young adults. He is such a valuable asset to the Athletic program and school as a whole and I am happy he is continuing to help with the Boys team and lead our swimming teams and be able to coach his sons. “

We are so excited to have Coach Neushul join the Royal family for next season. Her experience as a player and a coach is invaluable and will be necessary to continue the success that Coach Roth has started. I look forward to seeing her establish her own team culture. Once she expressed interest in the position, we knew she was the one.”

Principal Dare Holdren quote – “Coach Roth is an amazing mentor and coach, and I am so happy that he will continue to lead our swim programs. I’m especially appreciative that he’ll have the opportunity to work with his sons as they move through the boys program. Nobody can ever replace Chuckie. That said, I am beyond thrilled that Jaime will be taking over the program. Her values and character align with ours, her experience is unmatched, and I can’t even imagine how great an experience it would be to play for a gold medalist.”

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