Author: KEYT

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT). – Dos Pueblos High School took home both the boys and girls Athlete of the Week Awards at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheon inside Harry’s Plaza Cafe.

Junior water polo player Grant Nelson was honored on the boy’s side after he led the Chargers to a thrilling 14-13 triple-overtime win against Buena that gave DP the Channel League regular season title.

Nelson scored two goals in the extra sessions. He totaled 4 goals overall.

The girls winner is Dos Pueblos golfer Celeste Alcaraz who led the Chargers past Santa Barbara to win the Channel League championship and finish off an undefeated regular season.

Alcaraz shot a 40 to earn medalist honors.

(Alcaraz was medalist for DP in all of their league wins. Courtesy photo).

She did not attend the luncheon as she was competing in Oxnard.

At the Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table in Orcutt, Tavin Wilding was named the Athlete of the Week on the boy’s side.

The Valley Christian Academy running back rushed for 123 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 56-27 win against Coast Union.

No girls athlete was selected.

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Caleb Nguyen

ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. (KEYT) – San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a 64-year-old Arroyo Grande man at a traffic stop after finding firearms, narcotics and an explosive device Friday.

SLOCSO deputies stopped the man’s car around 3:00 a.m. Friday at the 600 block of Mesa View Drive and found drug paraphernalia, narcotics and a firearm in the car.

SLOCSO deputies then obtained a search warrant at the 600 block of Ralcoa Way in Arroyo Grande where they found more firearms, more narcotics and an explosive device.

SLOCSO Bomb Task Force deputies then safely removed and disposed of the explosive device on-site.

SLOCSO deputies seized 6.3 ounces of suspected methamphetamine, the explosive device and three guns before taking the 64-year-old Arroyo Grande man into custody.

The 64-year-old now faces the following charges:

PC 29800(a)(1) – Felon in Possession of a Firearm

PC 30305(a)(1) – Prohibited Person in Possession of Ammunition

PC 18710 – Possession of a Destructive Device

HS 11378 – Possession of a Controlled Substance for Sale

PC 12022(c) – Armed with a Firearm During Commission of a Felony

HS 11364(a) – Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

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Caleb Nguyen

GOLETA, Calif. – The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an incident which started as an assault with a deadly weapon that turned into an officer involved shooting.

The incident began at 2:39 p.m. at the Ralph’s grocery store at the 5100 block of Hollister Ave. in Goleta, according to the SBCSO.

SBCSO deputies tried contacting the adult male suspect inside the store after hearing word of an active assault with a deadly weapon.

SBCSO deputies are now trying to determine the sequence of events that led to the officer invovled shooting.

SBCSO deputies say the suspect died after being shot following an attempt to apprehend him and an altercation.

“What is immediately clear is that deputies contacted the adult male suspect and attempted to apprehend him although there was an altercation and the suspect was shot and deputies were not physically harmed the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene, the identity of the suspect is pending and we’ll provide further updates as they become available,” said Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Raquel Zick.

Witnesses told Your News Channel the ordeal began when a shopper with a dog went outside and was confronted by a another customer.

They appeared to be struggling with a large kitchen knife.

The dog was on his back legs trying to protect his owner.

That fight moved inside as people called 911.

Shoppers left their carts and headed for the door. Employees evacuated, too.

That is when they heard the gunfire.

One of the men was shot, the other is being treated for injuries.

The name of the deceased has not yet been released.

Some workers waited patiently to be allowed back into the store to retrieve car keys, phones and other belongings before heading home.

A California Department of Justice vehicle arrived to take on the investigation.

Customers were repeatedly turned away. It appears they did not see the yellow tape cordoning off the parking lot area in front of Ralph’s.

Other businesses in the Magnolia Shopping center remained open.

Employees will be able to speak to counselors when they return to work in the morning.

Your News Channel will have more updates on this emergency situation that began at 2:39 p.m. as they become available.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A major construction project along De La Vina Street is shaking up Santa Barbara’s local business scene, forcing shops and restaurants to adapt as daily operations take a hit.

The two-year bridge widening project, designed to improve safety and traffic flow, has instead slowed traffic and limited customer access, leaving some business owners worried about staying afloat.

“We’ve definitely seen fewer customers coming in,” said Maria Ortiz, manager at Cris Market. “Tighter parking makes it harder for people to stop by, and it’s been a challenge to adjust.”

From restaurants to coffee shops, business owners along De La Vina Street are finding creative ways to adapt, but uncertainty remains as the construction continues.

As the noise of jackhammers and heavy machinery fills the street, Santa Barbara’s local businesses are learning to navigate a new, disrupted rhythm of daily life.

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.

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The News Channel 12 Turkey Drive kicks off on Monday, starting a four-week campaign to help support thousands of Central Coast families and community members in need.

The annual fundraiser is scheduled to run through Tuesday, Nov. 20 and will once again benefit clients with Good Samaritan Shelter and the SLO Food Bank.

“We are so excited to kick off another season,” said Kirsten Cahoon, Good Samaritan Shelter Homeless Services Director. “It’s our favorite time of the year around Good Samaritan to just really see our community and see how much our community supports us and the people that we serve every day.”

The Turkey Drive has been an important outreach campaign for News Channel 12 for more than 20 years and has helped provide a traditional holiday meal for thousands of families and individuals over the past two decades.

“Giving out turkeys is yes about nutrition, but mainly it’s about dignity and the ability for people to celebrate during a time when people have time loved traditions, that they want to participate in with their families,” said Savannah Colevans, SLO Food Bank Communications Senior Manager. “By donating a turkey, by donating money, that allows us to buy turkeys and you’re really helping people be able to participate, instead of having an empty table.”

Online contributions can be made now through Nov. 20 with donors able to select which non-profit organization they would like to support financially.

“We always encourage folks to donate online,” said. Colevans. “The SLO Food Bank has a lot of purchasing power through food rescue, through buying in bulk through, deals that we get through various connections, and so with your funds, we’re able to multiply them to buy multiple meals with each dollar provided.”

The fundraiser culminates with an all-day collection on Thursday, Nov. 20 with several in-person drop-off locations, including at the News Channel 3-12 Santa Maria station, Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Lompoc and SLO Food Bank warehouse in San Luis Obispo.

“These donations are so important,” said Cahoon. “Every year the need just grows and the amount of people that are asking us for assistance grows, so we’re really excited to see the community come out like they always do. I am so incredibly grateful every year to see the community and so many familiar faces that have really made this their tradition with their families or their businesses. It’s really beautiful and really shows the season of giving for us. It just really makes me grateful to be part of this amazing community.”

Another way to contribute is through the purchase of a “Turkey Buck” at participating area markets, including California Fresh Market in San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach, and Grocery Outlet Bargain Market in Arroyo Grande and San Luis Obispo.”

Turkey Bucks purchased in San Luis Obispo County will be directed to the SLO Food Bank, while those in Santa Barbara County will go to Good Samaritan Shelter.

For more information about the NewsChannel 12 Turkey Drive or to donate, click here.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A temporary water intake line will be going through repairs for about four weeks in the coastal waters off Santa Barbara where it starts the flow into the Charles E. Meyer Desalination Plant.

The Offshore Desal Pump Platform Stabilization Project is a vital link to two offshore intake pump structures.

The pump structures are located about half a mile offshore in approximately 35 feet of water just east of Stearns Wharf.

Pacific Maritime has a 270-foot-long barge named Ocean Protector loaded with necessary equipment and materials.  The barge will be to the East of Stearns Wharf for about a month.  That includes the rocks, the crane and the crew which will be on board 24 hours a day.    There are also divers.    It will be a 50-year strengthening plan.

The plant was constructed in 1991 as part of the original plan to add a new water source. After some use, the plant went quiet.

In 2016-2017 the plant was reactivated. City of Santa Barbara Director of Water Resources, Joshua Haggmark said desal is,  “behind the scenes, quietly providing about 30 percent of the city’s water so it’s playing a really important part of that.”

It was then discovered that one of the screen platforms were suspended about 18 inches above the sea floor, leaving space beneath the structure. They are not braced properly for the strongest storms. 

The project will implement a permanent repair in part using the large rocks around the pipeline at the precise location where sea water is brought in.

The Federal Government provided 75 percent of the project  cost of just over $5-million dollars, plus there’s financial help from a partner, the Montecito Water District. 

Now was the time to do the work, not during an emergency or a break.

Haggmark said, “and that could really compromise our ability to operate our plan and take a long time to coordinate and get out there  we have to do a lot to protect the environment when we are out there and it is  much better to do it in a planned situation.”   

From the facility on Yanonali Street the desal water is not blended with existing water. “it goes right into the system and pretty much anyone in the downtown area is primarily getting desal water right now,”   said Haggmark. The desal plant process had sophisticated filters used worldwide. Some minerals are added back into the water.

The actual screens at the intake were carefully designed and are regularly cleaned to make sure they are efficient and sea life is protected.

Haggmark said, “it’s a tight weave but it really keeps anything out from being pulled into the system.”

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. 

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Jarrod Zinn

LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) – Residents in Vandenberg Village are becoming increasingly concerned about the welfare of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard.

Now the FBI is involved, and the search radius has grown significantly.

We’ve learned Melodee’s father passed away when she was a baby, and posts on social media indicate her mother Ashlee is known to struggle with her mental health.

The young girl was reported missing on October 14th by administrators at Lompoc Unified School District, after observing an unusually long extended absence.

Law enforcement officers say Ashlee Buzzard, mother of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard is being uncooperative with the investigation, and her family says she won’t even speak to them, despite their efforts to check on Melodee.

“Throughout the investigation and up to this point, Ashlee has not been cooperative with the investigation, has not been able to provide us a reasonable explanation or evidence of Melodee’s well-being or location for that matter,” says Raquel Zick, spokesperson for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

In cooperation with the FBI, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office has determined through investigation that Melodee was last seen in a rental car with her mother Ashlee on October 7th.

“We’ve been able to confirm a sighting as recent as October 7th, so we’re now looking from October 7th to when she was reported as missing to law enforcement on October 14th,” says Zick.

Detectives have determined that Ashlee may have driven Melodee in a white Chevrolet Malibu outside of Santa Barbara county, possibly as far away as the state of Nebraska.

The rented Chevy Malibu is no longer in Ashlee’s possession.

“That’s the thing,” says Kandice Valrie, who lives In Lompoc. “If she’s out of state, she has to be with, hopefully somebody that’s a family and there’s no known relatives for the mother. Other than her mother. And we don’t know where she’s at. I haven’t heard anything from her.”

Despite the community’s high level of interest, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s office is asking them to stand down from their own search efforts to allow investigators to do their jobs.

“Our job is not to interfere with the investigation,” says Valerie. “We’re just trying to find Melodee. We don’t want to cause any harm or mess up anything.”

The most recent known photograph is reported to be approximately two years old, and neighbors say her hair may be shorter and she may be thinner than in the photo.

If any members of the public have seen Melodee or if they have any information at all, they are encouraged to contact the sheriff’s criminal investigations division. 

Those wishing to remain anonymous can provide information through the tip line at (805) 681-4171 or online by clicking here.

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.

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Tracy Lehr

MONTECITO, Calif. (KEYT) The Crane Country Day Fair took place on Sunday.

Crane School in Montecito has been hosting the event for decades.

It is a Fall favorite of families, especially those with young children.

It included face painting, a petting zoo and cupcake walk and more.

“All the families from crane come out also community members and friends all gather together and really celerate fall there’s games there’ delicious food and really it is just all about brining community together. With a big senses of fun it is kind of like a big old fashioned fair and everybody is out here to have a great time,” said parent and teacher Alexa Hughes.

After playing plenty of games kids and parents didn’t leave empty handed.

Volunteers stocked a Country Kitchen with homemade goods and treats that people to purchase.

They also had a chance to pick up Crane clothing and hats and more.

For more information visit https://craneschool.org

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The community-favorite ‘Boo at the Zoo’ is back!

It gives families a jump start on Halloween fun.

The Santa Barbara Zoo kicked off the event on Friday and it will be back next Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

People are encouraged to come in costumes and perhaps get their faces painted.

Then they can trick-or-treat and participate in a fun story. 

“We’re encouraging our guests to help our Lt. Mariposa and Detective Rosa Cruz find Miss Micro Trash who has been polluting our habitats with her trash,” said the Santa Barbara Zoo’s Head Coordinator Belle Gillium.

By helping they can collect trading card to get an extra special prize.

For Boo at the Zoo ticket information visit http://sbzoo.org

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Mike Klan

Montecito, Calif. (KEYT). – The Oakland Soldiers marched into Santa Barbara announcing a new basketball team plus they unveiled plans for a spring event that will bring thousands of hoop fans to the area.

The Soldiers are adding a Santa Barbara squad to its growing franchises throughout California.

President and executive director of the Oakland Soldiers Mark Olivier was on hand for this groundbreaking announcement.

“For 35 years, the Oakland Soldiers AAU Program has been elevating basketball participation and development in communities throughout California. Basketball on the Central Coast has been underserved for many years now but we know the talent, resources and the local support is very much here,” said Olivier. “We couldn’t be more excited to bring the Soldiers Basketball program to Santa Barbara and the entire Central Coast and look forward to making further announcements of just how involved we plan to be in this community for many years to come.”

Established in 1990, the Soldiers organization has helped produce nearly 70 NBA players, such as LeBron James, Aaron Gordon, Chauncey Billups and Kendrick Perkins. The organization has also supported the development of hundreds of international professional players and Division 1 student-athletes, including a number of former UCSB men’s basketball players.

The new spotlight on Santa Barbara is one of the many reasons why Darnell Campbell — the director of the Central Coast Soldiers (and its local-circuit counterpart, Pro/spects), founder of LevelUp, and the newly minted boys basketball coach at Laguna Blanca School — is so excited for this overdue investment in the Central Coast community.

“(The Soldiers) resume speaks for itself with some of the alumni that they have played professionally and in college,” Campbell said. “This program has really changed lives for families and communities. Now, we will get the maximum exposure for our guys and girls through platforms like the Nike EYBL — now they can showcase themselves.”

The coaching backbone of the Central Coast Soldiers is in part why the area was chosen for the expansion, with Campbell (Laguna Blanca, LevelUp, Pro/spects), Cassandra Gordon (Santa Barbara High legend, star at Georgetown and Loyola Marymount universities, and European professional basketball player), Eric Lee (coach and co-owner of The Void on State Street and in Ventura) and Taylor Adnan (coach and CEO of Rad Sourcing, a U.S.-based boutique manufacturing firm) all providing both elite coaching, as well as support for players and families off the court.

For Gordon, she remembers well being that elite-level athlete trying to balance her aspirations of competing at the highest of levels with the grueling commitment it took to do so.

“Being a kid playing basketball, growing up Santa Barbara and the 805 in general, has always had talented athletes, but we’ve never had a platform like this, or like an EYBL-level club team here in the city that can give kids exposure in the competition that they deserve,” Gordon explained. “Especially if they have aspirations of playing at the next level, this is huge. (Before) if kids wanted to play at the next level or play on a circuit like this, they would have to travel outside of Santa Barbara to join a program.

​​”Firsthand, I know growing up, I had to travel to deep L.A., specifically Lynwood, three or four times a week. It took three to four hours to get down to practice, coming home at midnight, still trying to do my homework in the car on the way down, and waking up the next morning for early practices. This is amazing, what we’re doing now and putting together and just, you know, giving the kids a chance and an opportunity to play at this level, and not having to leave Santa Barbara.”

Darnell Campbell has used the past nearly decade to help countless number of youth athletes hone their skills through the LevelUp program he founded locally.

With that now comes a new, local-circuit venture in the Pro/spects, which was created to send teams to local and regional/non AAU competitions. These teams would be considered the “G League” to the Soldiers’ “NBA” status.

The team will begin practicing and playing this week, with future tournaments and opportunities for Central Coast players to participate in the near future.

‘Soldier Day’ will come to Santa Barbara on April 18, 2026, at UCSB’s Thunderdome. The event will bring every Soldier team in the organization — nearly 100 — to Santa Barbara, with each team featuring 8-10 athletes. The event will bring an estimated 6,000 people to the Central Coast from across California, including teams from as far as Sacramento.

(The Oakland Soldiers franchise contributed to this article).

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