Month: July 2026

ORCUTT, Calif. (KEYT) – A non-profit called ‘Braver Angels’ hosted a roundtable discussion at the oasis center in Orcutt this evening.

The non-profit is aimed at bridging the partisan divide and strengthening the democratic republic.

This event is part of ‘Braver Angels’ efforts as the largest nationwide, grassroots organization of volunteers dedicated to depolarizing political conversations.

“In 2016, two people came together, a conservative and a liberal,” says Kate Christensen, event organizer with Braver Angels. “And they decided we have to do something. What if we brought people together?”

Tuesday evening’s workshop was designed to teach skills for constructive dialogue and finding accurate disagreement among individuals with differing views.

“I liked how they talked about acknowledging where someone’s coming from, their motivation for how they feel, because there’s always a reason,” says Cindy Orr, who lives in Nipomo.

The workshop demonstrated practical skills for depolarizing discussions.

“I like that they started with a little bit of self-reflection, to get an idea of our own feelings and thoughts, and how they might interfere with our communicating,” says Orr.

Since its founding in 2016, Braver Angels has grown to more than 15,000 members, making it the nation’s largest cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement working to bridge political divides.

“It started with that first workshop where they brought people together and people became fast friends, and they started forming a team,” says Christensen.

Event organizers say it is possible to disagree on the facts surrounding a given situation, and still shake hands at the end of the conversation remaining friends or family.

“I remember when people didn’t talk about politics until it was time for a big presidential election,” says Christensen. “It wasn’t a thing.”

The Braver Angels board of directors and advisory council include state governors, representatives from congress and leadership from several universities and national organizations, all advocating for a revival of civil discourse.

“It really does depend on the citizens, not the people who are in Washington,” says Orr. “It really depends on us. And if we don’t get active, nothing’s going to change.”

Further information about the organization and its initiatives is available at braverangels.org.

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SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD) was one of several local law enforcement agencies to be awarded grant funding by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to help fight impaired driving.

According to the CHP, it awarded grants to 160 law enforcement agencies to help support enforcement operations and training, as well as conduct public education campaigns through community events and presentations.

CHP added the funding comes through the voter-approved Proposition 64, which directs the department to administer grants for impaired driving education, prevention, and enforcement programs.

“The substantial increase in grant funding this year will help even more communities keep California’s roadways safe,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “These grants support education, strengthen enforcement efforts to remove impaired drivers from our roads, and expand research and forensic testing to improve traffic safety across the state.”

Santa Maria Police are just one of many on the Central Coast to receive the grant funding, which Traffic Supervisor Sgt. Shane Armstrong said would be put to good use.

 “We were fortunate to receive approval for the grant,” said Armstrong. “We received notification last month. The the grant will help both on the education, enforcement and training side of combating impaired driving within the City of Santa Maria. It allows us to do these extra patrols without any additional funding from the city of Santa Maria, from the taxpayers. The money that we get from this grant just allows us to get out there and combat this issue.”

According to the Armstrong, the SMPD made 642 DUI arrests in 2025 and over the 12 months, there were 260 crashes involving impaired drivers. 

“Driving impaired driving has been an issue here within the City of Santa Maria for quite some time,” said Armstrong. “Our goal is to keep the City of Santa Maria as safe as possible and knowing that impaired driving is an issue in this town. The funding is going to help with the education components and specifically targeted enforcement. This grant will allow us to do six additional DUI or impairment saturations in addition to the 27 that we’re already doing, with the help of the Office of Traffic Safety grant.”

Santa Maria knows all too well about the potential consequences of driving while impaired.

The grant award comes just over a month ago that five teenagers died in a high speed one-car crash at intersection of Highway 135 and Miller Street.

The deadly crash sent shockwaves throughout the city and surrounding area. It remains under infestation, but according to the police, alcohol is suspectd to have been involved.  

“It is our feeling that that alcohol was involved at some at some point during that traffic collision,” said Armstrong. “Unfortunately, it involved young teenage teenagers, so I think it’s just an important opportunity for parents to speak to their kids about the dangers of drinking and driving and what the result can be, and in this case, unfortunately, we lost five individuals within our community because of it.”

Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley Executive Director Edwin Weaver is at the forefront of combating the use of drugs and alcohol in the area believes the grant money is badly needed.

“The tragedy that happened weeks ago brought to light the fact that we do have a problem here in the Santa Maria Valley around vehicle accidents, distracted driving, drunk driving,” said Weaver. “We have one of the highest rates in the State of California and so I was really glad to hear that the state is going to start funding efforts to help reduce that and that our police force is going to be involved.”

While speaking at the site of last month’s deadly crash, Weaver pointed out how the crash is a good opportunity itself to help educate the community, especially young adults about the inherent dangers of driving while impaired.

“When when five lives are lost so quickly in one accident, it takes the breath out of all of us,” said Weaver. “We mourn and we try to understand what was going on, but at the end of the day, we want to take the mantle and say, never again. We do that by educating and talking to our young people, to enforcing the laws, and to really decide if we want to be a culture where alcohol is the driving force in our community, or do we want to take a step back and start taking a hard look at how we celebrate events. Does alcohol always have to be front and center of everything that we do as adults? I’d like us to consider maybe thinking about how we model behaviors that we want our young people to follow us and live their lives doing the the fun things in life maybe without alcohol.”

SMPD was the only Santa Barbara County law enforcement agency to receive CHP funding, while several in San Luis Obispo were awarded including, the SLO County Sheriff’s Office, Paso Robles Police Department, Atascadero Police Department, Morro Bay Police Department, San Luis Obispo Police Department, and Grover Beach Police Department.

Ventura County agencies that were awarded grant funding are Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Ventura County Forensic Services Bureau and Oxnard Police Department.

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – When life takes an unexpected turn, no one should have to lose a beloved pet.

Santa Barbara-based C.A.R.E.4Paws is expanding its foster program and looking for more families willing to provide temporary homes for pets while their owners face a crisis.

For pet owner Sam Macmurdo, the bond is part of everyday life.

“One hundred percent… you wake up in the morning and you go to bed at night and there she is,” Macmurdo said.

The nonprofit helps people escaping domestic violence, being hospitalized, transitioning into housing or facing another unexpected hardship.

“They need us. They don’t have a choice… finding people to care for pets that need help is just as important as finding help for people,” Macmurdo said.

Julia Black, executive assistant for C.A.R.E.4Paws, sees the need firsthand.

“Lots of clients are reaching out to us who are escaping domestic violence, being hospitalized, transitioning into housing, or facing another life crisis,” Black said.

Former foster Dylan Devre knows how much a temporary home can mean.

“There are so many pets in need. Good owners who are going through tough times can keep their pets out of shelters,” Devre said.

The nonprofit’s Pet Refuge also provides emergency boarding when needed.

Most foster placements last one to three months before pets reunite with their owners.

C.A.R.E.4Paws provides food, veterinary care, supplies and ongoing support throughout the process.

“If we’ve committed to them, we have to take care of them,” Macmurdo said.

The organization hopes to welcome at least a dozen new foster families, giving more pets a safe place to stay until they can return home.

Leaders hope more families will step forward to keep pets safe and make reunions possible.

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – With a tight budget year ahead, the Carpinteria economy is getting a boost from a marketing campaign.

It’s called ‘Shop Carp,’ a community-wide focus to promote and support locally owned businesses.

Mayor Natalia Alarcon is going door-to-door in the business zone to meet with owners and post specially made stickers tht say “Show your love. Shop Carp.”

She is getting assistance from former TV News reporter Regina Ruiz who owns Joyful Media. They plan to use marketing materials and social media videos to bring an awareness to the retail and restaurants the city has to offer along with some of the scenic and cultural beauty.

Mayor Natalia Alarcon says it is an effort to  “keep business going throughout  the  entire year so that our locals, our business owners don’t have to hold on to the summer business for the entire year. “

This comes at a time when the city is trying to generate revenues and meet its financial needs for service and public works projects.

Voters will be asked to approve or reject a .25% sales tax increase on the November ballot. That was sent to the ballot earlier this year by the city council.

The latest outreach effort is not a city funded promotional drive. The Mayor is encouraging businesses to collaborate with each other and the marketing suggestions ahead. “We want to help each other and we want to celebrate what we have to offer,” said Alarcon.

Stores taking part in the fresh outreach effort say there is a lot to see beyond just strolling past the windows. Social media, videos and interviews with the staff will give better insights. Karen Clark owns Whimsy Antiques. “It sure helps, reaching everywhere,” she said. It can also bring people in for a close up look. “In these times when people are shopping on line,  shopping in person is extremely important for these mom and pops.”

Her husband Alan was wearing a t-shirt made with an image from a vintage Carpinteria freeway billboard that no longer exists. It has a cartoon-style child enjoyng the Carpinteria beach. They also have stickers and posters with the same image that reminds people of the small town roots.

One of the trends in the vintage store business world has been apparel sales. Classic clothing has seen a come back. Items that were eye-catching included letterman jackets, Fiesta-style outfits, embroidered jeans, a few classic lunch boxes, scrabble letters, and an accordian.

In the doorway is a sign that says, “the fun starts here.”

The Mayor and many business owners say, they are hoping more people from the nearby area venture in to Carpinteria. There are also thousands of travelers that pass through on Highway 101 both for daily commutes and for statewide trips. “We have Santa Barbara and Ventura right next to us and we want them to come out and spend the day in Carpinteria, have lunch, have  a bite to eat,  walk to the beach and visit the  unique shops,” said Alarcon.

In addition to the window sticker campaign one of the economic drivers is Linden Square, a new shopping and dining location that covers the length of a city block. In addition to the restaurants and shops, visitors are coming out and seeing sites they have never seen before.  That includes longtime stores and some of the newest offerings from the city. It is also just a few blocks to the beach.

Alan Clark said, “it’s hip. There’s a lot of great restaurants, (new) restaurants coming in, coffee shops, there’s a lot to offer.” His store is just steps away from the intersection of Carpinteria Ave. which has another long stretch of businesses, that adds to the strolling nature of the cozy downtown.

The marketing will have a lot of creative options from showcasing a classic vinyl store to places that are hard to find anywhere else. This supports what they hope will be thriving businesses for years.

“In the last year, there’s been such a  lot of   growth  in the community for businesses and enjoying the beautiful atmosphere we have here in Carpinteria,” said Kevin Murphy of Murphy’s vinyl. He has a store full of records, movie posters and collectables. The new sticker was placed in the window between cardboard cutouts of classic stars Dean Martin and Elvis Presley.

The big picture footprint for business success starts on Carpinteria Avenue coming from the west with businesses that have homemade chocolate, wine, and a popular restaurant Delgados. Several small stores also have a food counter inside including the Reyes Market which opened in 1956.

On the other end of the town, at Casitas Pass Road, there are several restaurant choices and more small business owners that are not found at the well known “T” intersection back at Linden Ave.

Locally there have been “shop local” campaigns for years from the hometown paper, the Coastal View News, which often has business features, specially placed ad clusters and features seasonal promotions. The twice a year Carpinteria magazine is known for its local expanded features and larger ads that showcase what the area offers along with stories about the personalities in the city.

The social media videos in the latest campaign will be a newer way to add close up story telling and aerial shots of the community, described as one-of-a-kind in Southern California. It has gained attention for years with the “World’s Safest Beach.” The moniker was first used 1912 by local promoters and the Chamber of Commerce to attract tourism.

In recent months, there’s been a buzz about what will replace the now vacant Robitaille’s candy store location in the heart of town along with the closed Rite Aid. A recently owned store, Shopkeepers was vacated this year as well.

A well known surf shop Rincon Designs which closed in 2025, reopened this year bringing back the Carpinteria’s surf culture that’s been part of the town for decades.

There’s also anticipation for the remodeling of the Palms Restaurant building which will have a new concept and a rooftop bar.

The town has the restored 198-seat historic 1928 Alcazar Theatre which has made a name with its classic movies, film festivals, live music shows, monthly comedy, improve classes, plays and special events. Among those on the stage in recent years include, legendary musicians Kenny Loggins and Alan Parsons.

The city also has two downtown parades, the Independence Day parade and the Holiday parade. Both are on Linden Ave. which has been a boost to the local businesses. Just recently the Rods and Roses car show filled several blocks with classics and muscle cars.

The town also benefits in a large way when thousands return in the first week in October for the 40th annual Avocado Festival, featuring more than 60 bands and “Three-days of Peace, Love and Guacamole.”

The new marketing effort has a lot to show off in this small town.

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