Mike Klan
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –
High School Boys Volleyball:
Bishop Diego 3, Del Sol 1
Santa Ynez 3, Oxnard 2
Dos Pueblos 3, Oak Park 0
Carpinteria 3, Pacifica 0
Ventura 3, Nordhoff 0
High School Girls Beach Volleyball:
Santa Barbara 5, Oxnard 0
Dos Pueblos 5, Buena 0
High School Softball:
Simi Valley 6, Dos Pueblos 3
San Marcos 18, Del Sol 0
Camarillo 11, Oxnard 4
Mike Klan
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KEYT) – Five UCSB pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts as the Gauchos outlasted Loyola Marymount 5-3 in 11 innings for their fourth straight win.
Despite the solid work on the mound, the Gauchos trailed 2-1 heading into the 9th inning but Noah Karliner took care of that with one swing of the bat. He led off with a home run to right and this game would go to extra innings tied at 2.
Each team plated a run in the tenth inning and UCSB took the lead in the 11th inning on a wild throw to first base on a bunt by Corey Nunez. The error allowed Nick Husovsky to score and the Gauchos added another run on a sacrifice fly by Cole Kosciusko.
UCSB pitching did not allow a hit to the Lions until the eighth inning and LMU only totaled 3 hits all game.
Gauchos starter Josh Jannicelli pitched 3 2/3 innings allowing a run without the aid of hit and he struck out seven.
Reliever Donovann Jackson pitched three innings of shutout ball without allowing a hit and he struck out 5.
Raymond Olivas, Chase Hoover and AJ Krodel followed on the mound and held the Lions in check.
Krodel pitched the final two innings to get the win, giving up just one hit and striking out two.
UCSB is now 5-2 on the year and play their next 8 games at home starting Friday against Utah with first pitch at 4:05 p.m.
Mike Klan
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –
CIF SoCal Water Polo Championships Division 1: San Marcos 7, Bishop’s 6: Junior Shea Estabrook snapped a 6-6 tie by scoring a goal with just :34 seconds to play to give the Royals a road win over San Diego’s top team. Harvard-bound goalie Bethany King made 11 blocks for San Marcos who improved to 27-7 on the season.
USC-bound Charlotte Raisin and sophomore Ella Grube each scored 2 goals for the Royals.
Oaks Christian 16, Beckman 13: The Lions, who won the CIF-Southern Section Open Division championship last weekend, will host San Marcos in a CIF-Regional semifinal on Thursday at 5 p.m.
Division 2: Carlsbad 10, Santa Barbara 9: Standout sophomore Jules Horton scored a game-high 6 goals for the Dons who finish their season at 26-10. Madison Thomas scored the final two goals for the visiting Lancers, the game winner coming with :56 seconds left to snap a 9-9 tie.
(Rose Nelley scored the first three goals for the Dons. Entenza Design).
The game was tied at 2 after one quarter and Rose Nelley’s third goal of the game put the Dons up 3-2 early in the second quarter.
Horton scored back-to-back goals to push the lead to 5-2. Her third goal in the second quarter helped the Dons to a 6-4 halftime lead.
Horton scored one a goal in the third quarter but the Dons were down 8-7 after three quarters.
The star Horton tied the game at 8 early in the fourth quarter and her highlight-reel backhanded goal with 4:15 remaining put Santa Barbara up 9-8.
But the offense dried up from there with Horton just missing some contested outside shots as time was winding down.
(Jules Horton put on an offensive show for the Dons scoring her team’s final 6 goals. Entenza Design).
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A proposed ordinance that would adjust the tax rates on cannabis businesses in the city of Santa Barbara is under consideration.
The topic was on the agenda at a special Finance Committee meeting on Tuesday.
“The city council directed staff to look at potentially raising the cannabis rate from what it is right now at 6 percent as a way of generating more revenue to pay for essential services that the city provides to this community,” said Finance Director, Keith DeMartini.
The topic comes at a time when recreational cannabis shops are offering deep discounts.
Some members of the committee don’t want medicinal cannabis sales to be impacted if a hike is approved.
Cannabis taxes are in the 29 percent range when you include state and other taxes.
Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill that rolled back a statewide cannabis tax hike to help the legal market grow.
The move kept the state rate at 15 percent.
“The Industry itself is not doing very strong, we can see it from our own cannabis tax revenue,” said DeMartini. “It peaked at about $1.9 million, about five years ago, and ever since then for us it has been declining.”
Even so, the city is considering a two percent increase.
“Staff recommended raising the rate from six to eight percent,” said DeMartini.
He said voters approved a tax rate that gives the city the authority to raise is as high as 20 percent.
But that is not likely to happen.
“We evaluated a number of economic factors, we think there is a high risk of cannabis businesses going out of business and we obviously don’t want that to occur.”
Cannabis Industry workers at three shops declines to comment.
Numerous customers declined to comment on camera as well, but many said they believe tax hikes drive people to the black market.
The cannabis tax adjustment is going to go before the full Santa Barbara City Council in March.
For more information visit https://santabarbaraca.gov
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.
Patricia Martellotti
MONTECITO, Calif. – (KEYT) Scissors snip. Glue sticks roll across tables. Students lean over bright sheets of construction paper, building their latest classroom project.
Artificial intelligence is part of the lesson, too.
Inside Cold Spring School in Montecito, educators are embracing AI — but with clear guardrails.
The goal isn’t to replace teachers or fast-track assignments.
It’s to support instruction and deepen student thinking.
Teachers use secure tools like Khanmigo through Khan Academy to customize materials and guide projects.
The technology helps create structure and prompts tailored to individual needs, while students remain in charge of the final work.
“It really helps teachers custom-make materials to meet students where they are,” said teacher Ryan Francisco.
Lessons stay rooted in California academic standards through project-based learning.
In one assignment, students built detailed California maps.
AI helped organize the framework, but every creative decision came from the students themselves.
Principal Amy Alzina says the purpose is balance.
“Our goal is to utilize AI to amplify the voice of teachers and students. It’s not to replace them — it’s to be a thought partner,” Alzina said.
From math concepts like surface area and ratios integrated into STEAM projects, to personalized learning supports, school leaders say they are preparing students for an AI-driven world — without letting technology do the thinking for them.
Scissors in hand. Standards in focus. The future of learning taking shape in Montecito.
Caleb Nguyen
VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) – CHP officers arrested a drunk driver for DUI after he gave major injuries to a 27-year-old from Ventura at the Telephone Road on-ramp on Friday just before 11:00 p.m.
The 36-year-old drunk driver travelled through the intersection of Telephone Road and Main Street before hitting the pedestrian who crossed the street, according to the CHP.
Neither the drunk driver nor his 29-year-old passenger suffered injuries from the crash and first responders took the 27-year-old man to Ventura County Medical Center, according to the CHP.
Police then arrested the 36-year-old for DUI and those with more information on the case are asked to contact the Ventura CHP.
Jarrod Zinn
GUADALUPE, Calif. (KEYT) – The city of Guadalupe took a step toward modernizing its transit hub this morning by removing an historic train caboose from the parking lot.
The whole operation took less than two hours.
The J.F. Will Company got started at 8:00 in the morning, punctuating the skyline with a crane, and the crew worked fast.
Guadalupe Station has been serving the century-old Santa Maria Valley Railroad in its current form since 1998.
But this caboose has been on the grounds since 1993.
“The Santa Maria Valley Railroad has been crucial in coordinating this effort and allowing this a spot in the yard to proceed with preservation efforts,” says Kevin O’roark, speaking for Friends Of The Santa Maria Valley Railroad.
First built in 1959, Santa Maria Valley Railroad’s Caboose 210 went into service in 1962 and had a thirty-year track record before arriving here for a stop that lasted another thirty years.
“Cabooses act as, like, an office, break room, restroom facility for the railroad crewmen, when they’re out switching,” says O’Roark.
Representative of the non-profit ‘Friends Of The Santa Maria Valley Railroad’ Kevin O’roark says the initial intent back in the nineties was to use it as an office space for the Chamber Of Commerce, but that plan never took shape and the caboose became an attraction.
“In the past, the Friends of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad have held several open house events here so people could have access to it,” says O’Roark. “And we had docents available.”
By 9:30 Tuesday morning, the caboose was gone from the parking lot, on the road to its next stop.
“Knowing that it’s going back to Santa Maria Valley Railroad, I think it’s just the caboose is just going for a full circle,” says Guadalupe’s interim city administrator David Trujillo.
City leaders say that while some may see this as the loss of an historic landmark, construction can now begin on some critical modernization upgrades to Guadalupe Station.
“This here has been our only delay, actually getting the caboose on our truck and getting it getting gone,” says Trujillo. “So hopefully the next couple weeks, we’ll start construction and everything here will look totally different.”
The caboose was transported to the Santa Maria train yard where it will await refurbishment, possibly back to serviceable condition.
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.
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – The proliferation of illegal food vendors in Santa Barbara County has been a challenge for government leaders for several years, but new plans could bring the situation under control.
The county is discussing more enforcement combined with an outreach to the public. In that communication the county will have public service announcements explaining that street kitchens have food that is transported without appropriate refrigeration or warming storage equipment.
Restaurants near the pop-up street kitchens have also complained about unfair business operations. Those owners claim the street operators do not have approved permits, health inspections, or fire prevention equipment.
The county has been frustrated by some state laws that allow for certain types of vendors with mobile carts to set up. The main target is larger cooking operations under pop ups that can be seen on roadside locations including around county sites in the Santa Maria valley, Highway 246 in the Santa Ynez Valley or near Santa Ynez High School. Those without proper refrigeration or fire safety pose a health and safety risk. Photos show some food in buckets on the ground before it is served.
There’s also no sign of bathrooms or hand washing stations. One complaint has included cooking impacts or grease left in the area.
They also say there is an economic impact on local businesses who are paying annual fees and going through inspections required by law.
Jason Aguilar and his family operate a restaurant in Northern Santa Barbara County. “Legitimate food businesses have to go through rigorous inspections by the fire department and health department,” he told the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. He said in addition to the street kitchens, some people are running food establishments out of their yards and garages, similar to a restaurant with food and alcohol. “This not only violates state and local alcohol regulations but also creates a high risk of unknowingly serving minors.”
Several longtime restaurant owners in the Santa Maria area explained how street kitchens with no authorization have directly impacted local businesses and some have closed. One restaurant owner, speaking to the board in Spanish through an interpreter said, he was thinking of just closing and going out to the streets like others because he wouldn’t have the overhead costs. The message also pointed out the gap in enforcement.
County Supervisor Joan Hartmann said, “it is heart wrenching to hear that businesses that have been serving this community for decades and playing by the rules has to be threatened by people who aren’t. It is a complicated problem.” She also said it is a statewide problem but there are local ways to control some aspects of it.
Hartmann was also particularly concerned about where these stands are set up near, for example, Santa Ynez High. Attracting a crowd in and around a street location is a safety concern. Hartmann has been working with the county in general to improve pedestrian trails and safety around the school after a fatality involving a child in a 2015 traffic accident.
County Environmental Health officials have said they are doing inspections, writing citations and at times confiscating equipment. They have had issues with storing the cooking supplies and food which is required until the legal process is completed. The report indicated only one operator has asked for their equipment back.
The county plans to increase its space to hold these item as part of the upgraded outreach and enforcement during the scheduled future actions.
County Supervisor Bob Nelson said he expects more night time enforcement when the kitchens are set up, and suggested that get done without overtime costs for the staff, just an adjustment in their work schedule.
“We don’t have to pay overtime. It seems like we are already employing them to do the work that needs to be done. We should have the regulatory staff meet the regulatory job that needs to be done not the 9 to 5 job,” said Nelson.
The Executive Director of the Solvang Chamber of Commerce, Tracy Beard said the problem has been ongoing and the impacts are directly felt. She said she has spoken not just to the Board of Supervisors but the regional Santa Barbara County Association of Governments. “We have had KEYT out there to show that these things are happening. Open flames every weekend. This is a catastrophe happening continuously. Supervisor Nelson and Hartmann are correct this must stop.”
Beard has gone out to take pictures as evidence of the problem she was speaking of. The county has many photos that back up their claims of health violations.
The county plans include:
Alert the public to health risks of consuming food from unlawfulvendors (e.g., foodborne illness and pest contamination)
County PIO will conduct six-month multifaceted media campaign
Digital and social media
Earned media (e.g., press releases in local newspapers)
Example Public Service Announcement (PSA)
The county says Compact Mobile Food operations are generally not the issue that is immediately before the board. Those include smaller fruit vending or ice cream carts.
Supervisor Steve Lavagnino said he was also concerned about other vendors. He pointed out a florist where he buys flowers in Santa Maria has closed and noted, nearby there were several street locations with free lance style sellers.
One of the speakers, a restaurant owner, said she has been doing research. In San Diego, where a similar problems exists, multiple business closures have taken place. Some vendors have sued the city, alleging that restrictions conflict with state laws.
Some of the restaurant owners said they were concerned about the reaction in the community by their comments and said, many will not come forward for fear of retaliation. It is not known if that has been taking place but Supervisor Roy Lee told one owner, he personally will be coming to her restaurant the next time he is in Santa Maria.
Lee and is family are Carpinteria restaurant owners and he has personal experience in the cost of the operations.
He also said in Carpinteria they were very strict on enforcements even though vendors would move between city, county and state sites to avoid citations.
Supervisor Lavagnino also agreed a very aggressive enforcement would make a difference and said he would support it, even if it cost additional county funds during a time of budget tightening.
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.
Dave Alley
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Maria Valley Chamber, along with the Santa Barbara County Education Office, will hold the region’s annual “State of Education” event at Allan Hancock College on Tuesday afternoon.
Scheduled to take place from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the yearly gathering will bring educators from around Northern Santa Barbara County to discuss a number of academic-related topics, issues and updates.
The program will feature remarks from Hancock College Superintendent/President Kevin Walthers, as well as a moderated panel that includes superintendents from all of the schools districts in Santa Maria Valley.
During the panel discussions, school leaders will explore student success, workforce readiness, technology, mental health, and cross-sector collaboration efforts across the Santa Maria Valley.
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.
Mina Wahab
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) — Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Yolanda Yturralde is excited for students to get the help they need.
“This is an opportunity for older adults to finally receive services and not have to worry about insurance,” said Yturralde, who is the Mental Health Cancer at Santa Barbara City College’s Wake Center.
On both the Schott and Wake campuses students will be able to access free one-on-one sessions.
“The students who have come to see me, are just in shock that it’s free. They’re grateful and some have said that they’ve done some deep work that they hadn’t done in 25 years,” said Yturralde.
“If students don’t have insurance, particularly, an hour of, your counseling session could cost more than $100. And that is out of reach for many of our students,” saidthe School of Extended Learning’s Vice President and Assistant Superintendent Carola Smith.
Smith says the new services will help students identify roadblocks toward academic, career, relationship, and personal success.
“Oftentimes we see that our adult learners are kind of juggling many different responsibilities. They may have family responsibilities. They may oftentimes have different more than one job. so it’s really important to create a welcoming and nurturing environment so that they can succeed,” said Smith.
The services help with stress management skills, emotional support, and general life management skills.
“Therapy is for everyone. And I always tell people if they come in because of specific trauma and they resolve that, they usually go on to start to dream about how they want to make their life better. And we end up doing a few sessions just to expand on what’s already good. And sometimes people end up going in a totally different direction with their work or recreational or social and emotional issues,” said Yturralde.
Students can make an appointment by calling the school of extended learning mental health counseling.
“It’s just a way to expand your life and have more of what you want,” said Yturralde.
