Santa Maria Residents React To Further Hike In Gas Prices

KEYT on April 27, 2026

Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Gas prices keep going up in Santa Maria, and residents say it’s pushing their budget to the limit.

Experts say it’s in response to the tensions with Iran.

Commuters are paying an average of $5.75 per gallon, and some stations in town are above $6.

According to GasBuddy, a downloadable smartphone app that tracks gas prices and connects drivers to locations with lower prices, Santa Barbara County has seen a 10.9 cents-per-gallon increase in the last week.

“It’s like two years ago, I would fill up my tank, only 30 bucks,” says Logan Sebern, a resident of Arroyo Grande. “You know what I mean? Now I’m filling it up 55. It’s almost doubled.”

The app’s researchers say gas was 13 cents-per-gallon cheaper last month, and more than a dollar less per gallon a year ago.

“I am seeing the gas increase drastically,” says Angel Rodriguez, a fuel industry employee.

While the price of diesel dipped for most of the nation last week, experts say it won’t last long, and that geopolitical tensions will lead to further increase.

“Back in the day, there was a percentage rise on taxes for tea, and people weren’t even having that,” says Sebern. “And I don’t know how they can almost double the prices and we just sit there and don’t care.”

Locals say these are the highest prices they’ve ever seen, and that affects everything from the number of stops they make on their way to and from work, to bigger decisions such as what to do with vacation time.

“Not that long ago I saw gas prices at like $3.80,” says Rodriguez. “So it’s since the war started. These are just going to be temporary. And I’m pretty sure that prices will go back down.”

President Trump has said these price hikes will only be in place for a little while, hinting at possible reductions in the near future.

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With The Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

Click here to follow the original article.

AZ schools superintendent urges lawmakers to approve legislation for school safety program

KYMA on April 27, 2026

Dillon Fuhrman

PHOENIX (KYMA) – Tom Horne, Superintendent of Public Instruction, is urging state lawmakers to approve a legislation for the current school safety program.

According to a press release, Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-Ariz.) vetoed a legislation that would give parents access to a federal school tax credit.

Superintendent Horne said, “I am disappointed that this legislation was vetoed. It benefits the state at federal expense and helps all schools, whether public or private.”

Those eligible would have received a tax credit of up to $1,700 with contributions to certain scholarship granting organizations.

To learn more about this, click here.

Click here to follow the original article.

Yuma man found guilty of second-degree murder

KYMA on April 27, 2026

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A jury in the trial of a Yuma man accused of murder has found the suspect guilty Monday.

40-year-old Nicholas Harder has been found guilty of second-degree murder as well as being found guilty on all four counts of aggravated assault.

The victim, 57-year-old Anthony Jordinelli, was found dead on the shower floor of a home east of Somerton.

The verdict comes less than a week after closing arguments took place following a weeks long trial, where several people, including Harder, gave testimonies providing details about the crime.

Harder will be back in court on May 21 to be sentenced.

Click here to follow the original article.

Downtown Santa Barbara is Changing – But What Will Be The Future Look of State Street?

KEYT on April 27, 2026

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – After a roughly three-year process, the document that could reshape downtown Santa Barbara on the State Street corridor has been prepared.

At 153 pages along with many drawings, simulated pictures, and input from the community – the Create State – State Street Draft Master Plan is now in the hands of the Santa Barbara City Council.

It covers the entire downtown area from Gutierrez Street to Sola Street.

The project in part calls for a community-focused balance between pedestrian and vehicle access, including narrow travel lanes and a suggested speed for any type of vehicle of 20 miles per hour or less. The main road users will be transit, service vehicles, cyclists and emergency responders.

It does not clearly call for cars to return to State Street for normal commuter patterns or to see the storefronts while driving by. The main corridors remain the cross streets along with Chapala St. and Anacapa St.

The sidewalks would be extended out creating more room for dining tables, outside retail and pedestrians along with some vending carts.

Analysts say to make these changes would cost the city millions of dollars per block.

The city currently has a financial deficit of about $4-million.

A city council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 2:00 pm. After the staff presentation, the council will ask questions and take public comments in person and the phone.

The council will then decide if it wants to advance the plan or have changes made before any future steps take place.

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

Click here to follow the original article.

McCabe Road closed due to road damage

KYMA on April 27, 2026

Dillon Fuhrman

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Imperial County Department of Public Works has issued a public service announcement (PSA) regarding McCabe Road.

According to the PSA, McCabe Road, between Anderholt and Mets Road, is closed from Monday, April 27, 2026 to Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

The PSA says McCabe Road is closed due to road damage, and is asking drivers to find alternate routes.

For more information about the closure, call 442-265-1818.

PSA – McCabe Rd CLOSUREDownload

Click here to follow the original article.

CHP to conduct 24-hour maximum enforcement period this week

KEYT on April 27, 2026

Dave Alley

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will conduct a special 24-hour maximum enforcement period this week in an effort to help reduce speeding.

Beginning at 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning through 5:59 a.m. on April 29, CHP said its officers will monitor roadways and take enforcement action against drivers who exceed posted speed limits or travel at unsafe speeds for the conditions.

“Speeding continues to be one of the leading causes of serious and fatal crashes on California’s roadways,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “When drivers choose to exceed safe speeds, they reduce their ability to react and increase the risk for everyone on the road. Slowing down is one of the simplest steps that drivers can take to protect themselves and others.”

According to a CHP release, officers issued over 491,000 citations for speed-related violations last year.

In addition, the department reported over 110,000 crashes resulted from unsafe speeds, which led to more than 400 deaths and injured over 68,000 people.

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

Click here to follow the original article.

New Program Opens Door for Santa Barbara’s Smallest Non-Profits

KEYT on April 27, 2026

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A new funding opportunity is expanding access to flexible support for small non-profit organizations across Santa Barbara County.

The Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara is launching a Small Grants pilot program aimed at organizations with annual budgets under $500,000. Beginning June 1, 2026, eligible non-profits can apply for unrestricted grants of $10,000 or $25,000.

The application window runs through June 30, 2026, with grant recipients expected to be announced in November.

The funding is designed to be flexible, allowing organizations to use the money for programming, operations, capacity-building, or capital needs. Program leaders emphasize the goal is to reduce administrative barriers and allow smaller nonprofits to focus more directly on service delivery.

The initiative was shaped by feedback from Women’s Fund members and is part of a broader effort to align grant making with community needs. While the organization continues its larger grant program for established nonprofits with higher budgets, this new pilot specifically targets smaller agencies that often face challenges accessing competitive funding streams.

Additional details and the application portal will be available beginning June 1 at http://www.womensfundsb.org.

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

Click here to follow the original article.

DOJ to Provide Update on White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting

KIFI on April 27, 2026

News Team

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KIFI) — The U.S. Department of Justice will hold a public briefing today, April 27, regarding this past weekend’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.

This event has now ended. Watch the recording of the DOJ briefing below:

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro are expected to address the American people, providing an update on the ongoing investigation, detailing the evidence collected thus far, and addressing potential motives behind the attack.

The Incident: How the Shooting Unfolded

The chaos unfolded at the Washington Hilton as the annual gala was underway. The suspect, identified by authorities as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, reportedly sprinted through a security checkpoint with a shotgun in a violent attempt to reach the ballroom.

According to reports from CNN, Allen was captured on security footage as he exchanged gunfire with Secret Service agents in hot pursuit.

Within seconds, Secret Service agents subdued the gunman before he could enter the main ballroom—a room that held the President, high-ranking Trump administration officials, members of Congress, and the nation’s leading journalists.

A new report by CNN details how the would-be assassin allegedly wrote several notes to family, saying he intended to target Trump administration officials, calling himself the “Friendly Federal Assassin.”

RELATED: ‘I don’t expect forgiveness’: Authorities review writings of California teacher suspected of shooting

Click here to follow the original article.

YFD responds to two separate river-related calls

KYMA on April 27, 2026

Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) responded to two separate river-related calls over the weekend.

According to a press release, the calls happened Saturday at around 2:30 p.m. near the West Wetlands area, and it involved people “who were unable to safely exit the Colorado River.”

YFD says during the first call, Station 1 crews responded after receiving reports of people stuck in vegetation.

While additional crews deployed a YFD watercraft, YFD says Station 1 found and brought them safely to shore, and while one person required medical attention, YFD says the person declined to be taken to the hospital.

As crews were leaving, YFD says they were alerted to a second call, this time involving a group of teens, floating on inner tubes, “who had missing their intended exit point.”

As a result, YFD says members of the group became stranded in the river and held onto vegetation, but were unable to safely exit the river.

This prompted YFD crews to return to the river and helped the four teens to safety, with one person being treated for a minor hand injury, but the person declined to be taken to the hospital.

While the remaining teens were not injured, everyone was safely removed from the river, and crews then cleared the area without further incident.

012 Two River IncidentsDownload

Click here to follow the original article.

Border Patrol Yuma Sector arrests man for smuggling undocumented migrants

KYMA on April 27, 2026

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Border Patrol agents in the Yuma Sector arrested a man for smuggling undocumented migrants.

According to a post on Facebook, the arrest happened last month after Border Patrol agents attempted to conduct a vehicle stop due to suspected smuggling.

Yuma Sector says the driver, William Jovanni Radillo-Verdin failed to stop while 12 undocumented migrants bailed out of the vehicle at the same time.

Following a brief chase, Yuma Sector says Radillo-Verdin, who is a U.S. citizen with a prior felony conviction for assault with a deadly weapon, stopped his vehicle, leading to his arrest.

Yuma Sector also says Radillo-Verdin will be charged with smuggling undocumented migrants while all 12 migrants were apprehended.

Click here to follow the original article.