Author: KEYT

Mike Klan

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – Sophomore guard Cayden Ward (above) finished with a team leading 25 points Tuesday evening, but the Cal Poly men’s basketball program – after trailing Montana State by 14 with four-and-a-half minutes to play – fell to the Bobcats inside Mott Athletics Center, 83-80.

Sophomore guards Hamad Mousa and Peter Bandelj added 16 and 14 points, respectively, for Cal Poly (5-7), which faced a 77-63 deficit before a Mousa three-pointer sparked a 13-2 run that dropped Montana State’s lead to 79-76 with 56 seconds remaining.

A Bandelj layup following a missed Mousa free throw then cut the gap to one with 35 seconds left, but Montana State (5-7) twice escaped Cal Poly’s inbounds defense with dunks at the other end of the floor from guard Patrick McMahon. At the buzzer, a potential game-tying three-pointer from Mousa fell short.

Ward grabbed a game high eight boards for Cal Poly, which outrebounded Montana State, 47-39.

Cal Poly knocked down four of its initial five attempts from the floor Tuesday, taking a 9-2 lead after two minutes before the Bobcats hit back with a 10-1 run. With Montana State leading by as much as 33-27 late in the first half, Cal Poly thrice tied the matchup before a free throw from freshman guard Austin Goode with a second to go handed the Mustangs a 41-40 halftime lead.

Montana State, however, surged ahead for good three minutes into the second half after a three-pointer from guard Jed Miller handed the visitors a 49-46 lead.

Cal Poly Noteworthy (versus Montana State Dec. 16)

Up Next: Cal Poly plays its final scheduled non-conference road matchup of the season when visiting UCLA on Friday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. The Mustangs make their eighth all-time visit to Westwood and first since an 88-83 setback on Nov. 15, 2015.With his 11th double-digit scoring game in as many outings this season, Hamad Mousa maintained the Big West’s scoring lead at 20.1 points per game.Cayden Ward’s 25-point effort – three points shy of his career high – improved his scoring average to 15.2 points per game (10th among Big West players).

(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics).

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT). –

High School Boys Basketball:

Dos Pueblos 67, Rio Mesa 53: Wyatt Gardiner scored 31 points and had 13 rebounds for DP.

High School Girls Basketball:

Dos Pueblos 60, Rio Mesa 38: Carly Letendre scored 20 pts, Kindah Ahmad-Reda added 14pts, 13 reb, 9 steals for DP.

Oxnard 46, San Marcos 30: Gia Angell scored 16 points for the Yellowjackets

Buena 62, Santa Barbara 20: Aralynn Hess scored 34 pts for Bulldogs.

Ventura 80, Pacifica 21: Kai Staniland scored 30 pts for Cougars who collected 1,000th career program win.

High School Boys Soccer:

Ventura 4, Dos Pueblos 1

Rio Mesa 2, Buena 0: Miguel Leon and Aiden Gonzalez with the goals for Spartans

High School Girls Soccer:

Dos Pueblos 1, Ventura 0: Paige Ferro scores lone goal.

Buena 4, Rio Mesa 1: Tatiana Padilla with 2 goals and 2 assists for Bulldogs.

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John Palminteri

GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) – This holiday season you can get some impressive deals on unique gifts while helping out many charities at the same time.

The seventh annual holiday bazaar is underway in the lobby at the Santa Barbara Elks #613 in Goleta.The event began earlier this month, but there are many items left and many new gifts coming out to the tables as sales are made.

They include jewelry, crafts, cards, one of a kind treasures, decorations, and collectibles. Some items you won’t find anywhere else.

Bunny Delorie, who is coordinating the bazaar with the Elks, says, “everything in this room is donated by lodge members and or made by our lodge members and we raised a lot of money for our lodge and for charities.”

Those stopping by can also buy raffle tickets for gift baskets at a special table and the funds will go to several charities including Teddy Bear Cancer non-profit, local veterans and children with disabilities.

There are also several trees full of over $200-dollars in gifts or cash you can win with a raffle ticket you drop in the box under your favorite tree.

You don’t have to be an Elks member to visit the bazaar at 150 N. Kellogg.

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John Palminteri

SOLVANG, Calif. (KEYT) – The Danish town of Solvang is getting a taste of coffee from Yemen now.

The unique coffee is brewing up at Cafe Dolce in the heart of the small town. This is a rare find for coffee lovers.

Many have been coming in for a closer look, to watch in process and a get a taste as part of the coffee varieties served daily.

Cafe Dolce owner, Wissam Hamad, said from the region there are many coffees, “Armenian, Lebanese, Turkish coffee and the coffee we use is from Yemen and prepare it as people order it. It’s the same amount of espresso, it’s just how we make it and people – they come back and drink it twice a day!”

The restaurant is also known for its Mediterranean and Middle Eastern menu items. This includes multiple flavors of Lebanese baklava, and baklava towers, often ordered for events. The bakers also make gluten free baklava.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The driver in a fatal hit and run on the Santa Barbara Mesa in 2024 is going to prison for two years.

Brock Hoffman entered a plea of no contest in Santa Barbara Superior Court, equivalent to a guilty plea. He left the scene of the fatal accident on June 29, 2024 and faced a felony charge.

Hoffman turned himself in on July 4, 2024.

Police used nearby cameras and other information to place Hoffman at the scene, then contact him leading to his surrender.

His vehicle had damage to the front right fender and headlight area.

The crash took the life of Juan Lopez, who worked in a grocery store nearby. It is unknown why Lopez was in the traffic lane on Cliff Drive near Loma Alta when the crash took place about 11:30 p.m.

His longtime partner and mother of his three children spoke in court during the sentencing hearing and played a short video of Lopez.

Christina Godinez said it was 535 days since the family saw Lopez.

The sentence of two years was an option and the range went up to four years. Probation was denied.

Hoffman was handcuffed in court and he will be sent to state prison immediately.

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara City Council gave staff feedback on Tuesday night on what they would like to see in a future rent stabilization program.

After discussing everything from a rental registry to an appeals process, the council voted 4-to-3 to consider a rent hike moratorium in January while city staff works on a rent stabilization ordinance.

Mayor Randy Rowse, Mike Jordan, and Eric Friedman voted no, but Friedman said he is in favor of some form of rent stabilization.

Rowse and Jordan both voiced concerns about the cost of a rent stabilization program down the road.

Rowse said it will be a burden on staff and he shared concerns about over regulation and rentals never turning over in markets with rent control such as Santa Monica.

He said the City of Santa Monica spends about $6 million a year on its rent control program.

But in October, Councilmembers Kristen Sneddon and Wendy Santamaria presented a memo with a proposal and a request for action on a rent stabilization.

That is when City Administrator Kelly McAdoo proposed getting feedback instead on a working plan.

Councilwoman SantaMaria posed for photos with supporters of rent stabilization at the end of the four and half hour discussion that included public comments and a motion and vote for action down the road.

“So we just voted to bring back a rent increase moratorium in January that will help to prevent the displacement of local families as we are developing the rent stabilization program,” said Santamaria, “and we also provided staff to make amendments to our just cause ordinance to make sure that we are closing any loopholes and protecting as many families as we can.”

The issue has led to rallies and packed council meetings that pit renters against landlords.

Speakers thanked the council for taking up the item at 5 p.m. to allow 9-5 workers to attend.

It was standing room only, with dozens of people in an overflow room watching the meeting on television.

The non-profit CAUSE even bought in pizza as the meeting went well past dinnertime.

Before the meeting CAUSE Associate Police Director Jennifer Hernandez said they wanted action.

“We are asking the council act on immediate interim measures; a rent freeze, and eviction moratorium that will last until the ordinance is completed and is ready to be implemented,” said Hernandez.

Trish Ainsworth said she has lived in Santa Barbara since the 1950s.

She said a grown child of her first landlord is now in control and has been raising her rent each year.

Like many renters she said she pays about $1,750 in rent, but only receives $2200 in social security.

“I am having trouble coming up with the money for my rent because my rent goes up every year five percent and I’m on Social Security, so, it is killing me,” said Ainsworth.

Rick Lang is a landlord with several units but he is considering selling them.

“They think you are getting rich – 60 percent of the rent goes to the mortgage company, after that 15 percent goes to property taxes and you have to put money away for replacing roofs, driveways, replacing landscaping,” said Lang. “All that money has to be put into reserves the value is in the building but there is no money in the rent.”

Lang noticed the unintended consequences of prices going up as soon as the city started talking about rent stabilization.

Some supporters said the goal is to solve the affordability crisis.

Some critics spoke out against having a renters registry and the formula discussed that could be linked to rent stabilization plan.

With input from the meeting, city staff intend to have an ordinance presented to the council for consideration in July 2026.

For more information visit https://santabarbaraca.gov

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Caleb Nguyen

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Maria police are investigating vandalism and theft at the Knights of Columbus Hall, which held toys for the city’s Catholic Charities Christmas Toy distribution on Thursday.

One eyewitness said she noticed bikes knocked over, toy bags ripped open, kitchen and refrigerator doors open, a broken window and window bars pulled out, according to the CCSM.

The eyewitness later said she heard rustling near the offices before returning to her car to call a coworker and then the police on recommendation, according to the CCSM.

Five officers came to the scene and found no intruder despite a drone insertion. Thieves stole seven bikes, toys, clothes, shoes and new bags of blankets, according to the CCSM.

The community donated the items through Toys for Tots and a member of the non-profit said the yearly event is for families and children in need, according to the CCSM.

The CCSM reminds those who are able that donations will be accepted until Thursday at 1:00 p.m. when the distribution will still be held.

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Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) – A county jury convicted Leonardo Palofax from Ventura, 37, for killing two dogs and injuring a driver after a crash on Feb. 6, 2025, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

Palofax drove a blue truck on Thompson Boulevard in Ventura when he ran a red light at the intersection of Thompson and McMillan Ave, according to the VCDAO.

Palofax missed a pedestrian at a crosswalk, but killed their two dogs and injured a driver inside a stopped car at the red light in the opposite lane, according to the VCDAO.

Palofax fled the scene before officers later found his truck abandoned without license plates and dog hair on the damaged front of the car, according to the VCDAO.

Forensic analysis later matched DNA from the steering wheel of the truck, registered to his cousin, to Palofax at the time of the accident, according to the VCDAO.

Palofax remains in custody and is being held without bail, facing a maximum of four years and four months in state prison for the following charges, according to the VCDAO:

VC 20001(a) – Leaving the scene of an accident

(2 counts) PC 597(b) – Cruelty to an animal

PC 135 – Destroying/concealing evidence

(2 counts) VC 20002(a) – Hit-run drivin

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Alissa Orozco

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) celebrated the official groundbreaking of a new housing development, designed to serve the community’s workforce and moderate income residents.

Jacaranda Court, set to transform a city-owned commuter parking lot located at 400 W. Carrillo St., will be a new 63-unit affordable rental community comprised of three-to-four-story buildings to include 21 studios, 37 one-bedroom units, and 5 two-bedroom units.

The Housing Authority was joined by city officials, project partners, and community members Monday to celebrate the construction of the $44.8 million development.

“There are commuters that are coming in here on a daily basis, traveling over an hour each way, coming in and out of Santa Barbara because they can’t afford to live where they work,” said HACSB CEO Rob Fredricks.

Jacaranda Court is a collaboration between HACSB and the City of Santa Barbara to tackle the region’s housing crisis. The agency says a total of seven apartments will be reserved for low-income households with Section-8 project-based vouchers. The remaining units will be prioritized for the “missing middle” – residents who earn too much to qualify for traditional low-income housing yet are priced out of market-rate rentals.

The project is expected to take roughly 20 months to complete.

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara County Board Of Supervisors received a budget forecast for the next five fiscal years at this morning’s meeting in Santa Maria.

As one supervisor said during the meeting this morning, this is a sobering picture of the county’s future, but they expressed appreciation that this was brought to their attention as early as it was.

A projected five-year deficit of more than $66 million affects some of the revenue that supports key safety net services such as Medi-Cal and CalFresh, making coverage reductions necessary while increasing costs.

“We see the $23 million deficit starting next year, more than doubling in 2728 and then growing incrementally, incrementally from there to the total $66.4 million cumulative deficit by the end,” says Paul Clementi, Santa Barbara County Budget Director.

The strain is the result of impacts from federal changes as well as state budget cuts in response.

“We’re really in a situation where we have to make some very difficult choices,” says Joan Hartmann, Santa Barbara County Supervisor.

To address the challenges, a new budget balancing framework has been proposed, which looks to reduce some budgetary items, increase efficiency, develop new options for generating revenue, and implement strategic use of reserves.

“There’s going to be cuts somewhere, and I think that’s probably the message that people need to understand here,” says Bob Nelson, Santa Barbara County Supervisor.

A figure of $50 million is earmarked for the expansion of the northern branch jail.

“And as well, we have continuing state mandates, jail settlement that is requiring us to add more beds at the Northern branch jail,” says Mona Miyasato, County Executive Officer.

Some locals say data shows the jail’s expansion constitutes overbuilding, and that those funds could be used to offset the projected deficit.

“We can reduce the jail daily population by up to a potential 128 people or more, eliminating the need for the extra half jail housing unit,” says Maureen Earls, representing CLUE Santa Barbara. “That would save 44 million and construction costs and reduce long term debt and operating costs by millions each year.”

Moving forward, critical safety net services are to be prioritized and additional savings measures will be introduced in the coming months.

“There’ll be a lot of things on the chopping block for me before it comes to child welfare,” says Steve Lavagnino, Santa Barbara County Supervisor.

The board will be making budget decisions for the fiscal year of 2026 to 27 in April.

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