Author: KEYT

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Cal Poly and UCSB had several players honored as the Big West announced their season awards.

UCSB Volleyball:

After a standout debut season, Gabi Martinez has been named the 2025 Big West Freshman of the Year, the conference announced Tuesday. Three additional Gauchos – Layanna Green, Eva Travis, and Jordyn Johnson – have also earned all-conference honors after leading the Gauchos to a dominant regular season on the court.

Martinez made an immediate impact in her first collegiate season, also securing All-Big West First Team honors and a spot on the All-Big West Freshman Team. The outside hitter from Katy, Texas, earned Big West Freshman of the Week three times this season and is the second consecutive Big West Freshman of the Year from UC Santa Barbara.

Martinez has repeatedly led the Gaucho offense, averaging 15.4 kills per match in the last ten outings and registering a career-high of 19 kills against CSUN. She also got it done on defense, scoring a career-best five blocks versus UC San Diego and scooping double-digit digs on four occasions. With her growth, consistency, and competitive edge, she is sure to remain a major asset for the Gauchos in the seasons ahead.

Middle blocker Layanna Green also received All-Big West First Team Honors. She has spent the season being the most efficient hitter in the league, ranking first in the Big West and 13th in the nation in hitting percentage, at .425. This season, she posted a season-high 14 kills, 17 points, and a .700 hit percentage against Cal Poly, a career-high of nine block assists against UC San Diego, and earned a spot on the Dayton Flyer Invitational All-Tournament Team. Green ended the regular season with an average of 3.6 blocks per match.

Outside hitter and 2024 Big West Freshman of the Year Eva Travis continued to shine this season, earning All-Big West Second Team honors. She was selected to the All-Big West Preseason Team and named to the Trojan Invitational All-Tournament Team, reinforcing her status as one of Santa Barbara’s key offensive players. She was named the Big West Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 25, after delivering 30 kills over UC Irvine, a career-high and the highest kill count of any Big West player this season. She has sat atop the Big West kill and point rankings for the entirety of the season and has averaged 14 kills per match.

Freshman middle blocker Jordyn Johnson made a strong impression with her debut season, earning an All-Big West Honorable Mention recognition and a spot on the All-Freshman Team. Johnson leads the Big West in solo blocks at 21 and is tenth in blocks per set with 0.99. The Minnesotan also posted a .389 hitting percentage. She recorded a career-high 11 kills against Cal Poly, a career-high 7 blocks against UC Irvine, and 10.5 points at Hawai’i. With her athleticism and timing at the net, Johnson has quickly become a dominant presence on the court for the Gauchos.

POSTSEASON

On November 26th, Women’s Volleyball will head down to Long Beach to compete in the 2025 Outrigger Big West Women’s Volleyball Championship, presented by the Hawaiian Islands. Over the three-day tournament, the top six Big West teams will battle inside the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid for a spot in the championship match on Saturday, November 29th.

Santa Barbara will act as the No. 4 seed and take on No. 5 CSUN at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26. The Gauchos have defeated the Matadors twice this season, going 3-1 and 3-0, and lead in the all-time series 44-9.

Cal Poly Volleyball:

Six total Mustangs earned Big West honors led by Emme Bullis and Kendall Beshear earning first team nods.

Emme Bullis / All-Big West First TeamBullis, a redshirt senior from Whitewater, Wis., received her fourth career all-conference nod after a pair of honorable mentions in 2022-23 and a second-team placement last season. She broke through to the first team this year in a milestone season, cementing her status as one of the most legendary setters in the program’s Division I era.

Bullis not only eclipsed 1,000 assists for the third time in her career but also became just the fourth Mustang in the program’s Division I history to reach the coveted 4,000-assist milestone. Her career tally of 4,159 ranks fourth in Cal Poly’s record book, just 86 behind third-place Carly O’Halloran (1999-02) and 121 from second-place Taylor Nelson (2014-17).

Arguably Cal Poly’s most versatile player this season, Bullis bolstered her case as one of the Big West’s premier players. She set career highs in kills (56), total attempts (150), hitting percentage (.273), and points per set (1.00), while also tallying a team-best 11 double-doubles and ranking third on the team in digs (249).

Kendall Beshear / All-Big West First TeamThe sophomore was a dominant and versatile six-rotation player for Cal Poly, serving as a primary offensive weapon and a key defender. After a standout freshman campaign, Beshear elevated her game significantly this season.

Beshear ranks second on the team with 322 kills, averaging 3.16 per set with a .272 hitting percentage. She was the team’s most dangerous server, deploying a lethal jump serve that produced a squad-leading 40 service aces (0.39 per set), which ranked second in the Big West.

A complete player, Beshear also finished fourth on the team in digs with 233 (2.28 per set) and added 50 total blocks (0.49 per set).

Chloe Leluge / All-Big West Second TeamA Big West All-Freshman honoree in her debut season, Leluge was an efficient and formidable presence at the net. She excelled defensively while also establishing herself as one of the nation’s top offensive middle blockers.

Leluge posted a remarkable team-leading .374 hitting percentage, a testament to her smart shot selection and ability to terminate attacks with minimal errors (only 50 on 486 attempts). Her hitting efficiency ranked second in the conference and 52nd nationally, helping the Mustangs remain in the top 25 for team hitting percentage for most of the season.

She also leads the team in blocking, with 109 total blocks for an average of 1.04 per set. This includes 10 solo blocks and 99 block assists, as well as a career-high of 10 total blocks in a single match against Arkansas.

Annabelle Thalken and Emma Fredrick / All-Big West Honorable MentionsThalken recorded 249 kills with a strong .299 hitting percentage and became a key part of the team’s blocking scheme, amassing 72 total blocks for a 0.69 per-set average.

Fredrick, who took on the largest offensive role of her career, led the team in nearly every major offensive category. She racked up a team-high 352 kills, averaging 3.35 per set. While taking the most swings on the team by a wide margin (930 total attacks), she also contributed 30 service aces (0.29 per set) and ranked second on the team in digs with 290 (2.76 per set).

Charlotte Kelly / Big West All-Freshman TeamFor the second consecutive season, Cal Poly is represented on the All-Freshman Team. Kelly was a defensive stalwart at the net, forming a formidable blocking duo with Chloe Leluge and providing a dependable offensive option in the middle.

Stepping into the role vacated by last season’s All-Big West First Team selection Breklyn Pulling, Kelly rose to the challenge. She ranks second on the team with 107 total blocks, averaging 1.02 per set. She also made the most of her offensive opportunities, scoring 149 kills with an excellent .315 hitting percentage, one of the highest on the team.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dave Alley

NIPOMO, Calif. (KEYT) – Holloway’s Christmas Trees is once again open for business, but this year it’s anything but business as usual at the longtime farm.

Located along Highway 101 just south of Tefft Street in Nipomo, Holloway’s has been a favorite holiday destination for generations ever since it was opened by Del Holloway in 1962.

This past September, current owners Carl Holloway (Del Holloway’s son) and his wife Debbie, who took over operations in the late-1990’s, announced they were retiring from the business and listed the farm on the real estate market.

“The farm is for sale,” said Carl Holloway. “We’ve had seven different families come and look at it. Five of them were very viable candidates, and two of them I just knew were going to buy it, but they didn’t come up with an offer. It’s too bad, but you know, it’s got to fit their needs.”

Ever since the news spread the property was being sold, many people throughout the Central Coast have been worried about the unknown future of the 12-acre site.

The Holloways are hoping who ever purchases the property will maintain the land and the business as it currently exists.

“The idea is to sell the entire farm turnkey for somebody to come in and keep growing Christmas trees,” said Carl Holloway. “It’s actually more beneficial to us to do it the other way, sell the trees off the property, but we’re committed to trying to do what we’ve been doing for 65 years. We want that to continue because we love it.”

Since the tree farm was opened by his father more than 60 years ago in 1962, along with the fact it’s been a beloved holiday tradition for thousands of families through the many decades, Holloway is emphasizing to the community just how important it is for him and Debbie to try and keep the farm in operation.

“We’re doing everything we can to do that,” said Holloway. “We have an assets list of over $200,000 that is going to go with the sale of the farm, so somebody coming in can just step in here and turnkey it and continue operations either as we have it, or hopefully being with a younger, brighter, sharper mind, they come in, and make some great changes for the community that will allow them to maybe make more money, and give the community a nice outlet for their Christmas trees.”

With no currently offer in place, whatever eventually happens to the property is still to be determined in the many weeks or even months that lay ahead.

Holloway indicated if the farm doesn’t sell by this time next year, he would reopen for business in 2026, but it would look and feel much different from the past.

“We could possibly be here,” said Holloway. “It probably won’t be in the same capacity as this, but you never know. We have a lot of money in the inventory on the farm and we would be running a big sale next year on trees. A lot of the playground stuff and all that kind of stuff would go away and we would try to reduce payroll and just clear off the trees.”

This year, Holloway’s opened for business last week on it’s customary annual Nov. 17 opening day.

While heavy rain poured throughout most of the morning hours, the farm opened its doors in the afternoon with eager customers braving the wet conditions.

“I think we sold about 20 to 30 trees,” said Holloway, “Not a lot, but after Thanksgiving, sales just turn and go straight up like a jet. We go from selling 50, 60 trees a day to selling 600 trees a day, and that’s a different, different world.”

Holloway and his employees are expecting this coming weekend will attract heavy crowds, perhaps as many as several thousand people each day.

“It’s going to be really, really busy,” said Jack Krauk, who has worked at Holloway’s for the past five years. “After Thanksgiving is our busiest time. Definitely this farm, it’s going to be hard to walk around. It gets crazy. We’re going to sell tons of trees. My guess is we’ll have 20 guys, maybe 25 guys working at a time, so it’s going to get crazy.” 

Krauk is one of about 60 seasonal employees at Holloway’s, many of them past or present Nipomo High School students.

For Krauk, who grew up in Nipomo, he points out just how important the longtime farm is to the community, both for the town and surrounding area.

“I definitely think it’s like a staple for the Central Coast,” said Krauk. “Everyone talks about it all year long. You pass it here on Highway 101, and, I just I just think it’s a great, great location for it and it brings Nipomo a little life too.  It’s an amazing experience, seeing everyone come in with their families and pick out their tree. It’s not like going to a parking lot and getting in your tree. You get to come here and experience the farm, maybe cut it down yourself and you just see it in the smiles. It’s really awesome.”

No matter exactly when the property sells, Holloway knows the his time at the farm will eventually come to an end at some point in the near future, so he’s feeling nostalgic and grateful for his many years owning the business as he and Debbie enter this season.

“I’m going to miss the kids,” said Holloway. “I’ll miss the kids that are excited about coming to the farm. I won’t miss pruning trees, you know, and pulling weeds and doing some of the, some of the menial jobs in out to be done to keep the farm going, but at the same time, I’ll really miss the families and the friendships. I have people coming here tell me they’ve been coming for 40 years. I don’t remember everybody’s name, but it’s great seeing seeing them, seeing them enjoy the farm. It’s like you know you’ve done something good.”

Holloway’s Christmas Trees is open daily, starting at noon weekdays and 10 a.m. on weekends.

The business closes each night at 8 p.m.

For more information, visit www.hollowaysfarms.com, and for those interested in the property, call realtor Byron Grant of Century 21 Masters at (805) 441-2560.

Click here to follow the original article.

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) Trains are just part of the holiday travel experience for many.

Those who choose it can save on gas and luggage, too.

“We are doing free checked baggage for southern stations from now until December fourth, you can check in 2 bags per person for free. We will put them on the train for you as soon as you arrive to your destination we will be taking them off as well,” said Ignacio Sanchez.

Sanchez, who usually works at the Oxnard Station is working in Santa Barbara on what experts call the busiest travel day before Thanksgiving.

His top tip is to arrive early.

Travel experts monitor trains, planes and rental car bookings to make their estimate and this year they expect a record 82 million to travel at least 50 miles to their Turkey day destination.

Airports and freeways are likely to be jammed at times.

Experts recommend planning for extra time.

Travelers may want to avoid hitting the road home on Sunday when it is expected to be the busiest after the holiday.

Eating too much won’t get you into trouble, but drinking and driving will.

Designate a driver, if you hit the road before or after the holiday.

Travelers may use what you learned this week to plan for the next holidays.

Click here to follow the original article.

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) -A Santa Barbara business that closed earlier this year has moved and will reopen Saturday in a new downtown location.

With a message “Let the Games Begin!” and a ribbon cutting, the Game Seeker has plans to officially open on Saturday.The previous location was on State Street by Cota Street in the 500 block.The new location is at 920 State Street just up from Canon Perdido Street.It is next to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival Film Center.

The address is part of the parking structure owned by city and the lease was negotiated and approved by the City Council earlier this year.

The owner says she encourages customers to shop locally not just for the holidays but year-round.

Ingrid Estrella, her husband and child were all smiles at keeping the local vibe going. She said, “these are our neighbors, our friends our community. Every dollar that gets spent comes back into our community whether it is taxes or going to a local restaurant or going to another shop employing local youth, for a lot of local youth, these retail jobs are a stepping stone to stepping into a career for later in their life.”

The Game Seeker will have classic games, the newest games and many puzzles.

There will also be games in Spanish and games for theme parties.All traditionally are very popular for get togethers with family and friends at home.There will also be an area to play some games in the store in the future.

At the celebration of the new site, Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez said the city is supporting this new business location and other local businesses. He offered his support to make the move a success.

Click here to follow the original article.

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A symbol of the holiday season has arrived in Santa Barbara in the form of a 39-foot White Fir tree.

State Street was closed off for the special event, with city crews using chain saws to trim up some limbs off the 30-year-old tree.

Then the Big Red Crane company gave it a lift into a special metal sleeve in a delicate operation with City of Santa Barbara crews.

It will be covered with lights and have a special new top on it this year where it stands near the Arlington Theatre on Victoria Street.

The tree has been sponsored by a local company, Consumer Fire Products since 2014.

It was grown in a sustainable farm in Oregon.

Irene Rhodes, the CEO of Consumer Fire Products, says, “for every tree they cut, they plant ten more on their farm, so they bring in a helicopter, and they cut them and load them with the helicopter over the back of the truck and bring them down. And here we are, our company is very much interested in getting back to Santa Barbara.” The Rhodes family also donates annually to the Unity Shoppe fundraising efforts to help families in need.

Chief of Staff at Consumer Fire Products Kristin Rhodes said she has seen the tree come in with her family’s donation for the last 11 years. It’s a special time each year.

“The tree lighting ceremony, the fact that, even though we don’t do the parade as of yet anymore, we can still have people come down here”. She says families gather with friends and many pictures will be taken that will show the tree to others via social media.

The Santa Barbara Downtown Improvement Association says the tree will be lit up in a special ceremony on Friday evening, December 5th at 6 p.m.

That night, the street will be closed off and there will be live performances, choirs, dancers and DJ Darla Bea.

Children will make holiday wreaths from some of the tree limbs that were cut off to make sure the tree fit into its spot securely through the holidays.

For more information go to: Santa Barbara Downtown Improvement Association

NOTE: This story has two videos. Click each dot at the bottom of the picture.

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.

Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) – {UPDATE} The City of Ventura lifted its water advisory notice for the Pierpont neighborhood on Wednesday, Nov. 26 just after noon. The original article covering the notice is below.

The City of Ventura and its Water Department issued a water advisory for the Pierpont neighborhood just after 2:00 p.m. Tuesday.

The City’s water could be contaminated with gasoline close to Harbor Boulevard and Monmouth Way, according to the City’s official Instagram page.

In the post, the City asked people to avoid tap water for drinking, cooking, handwashing, and bathing as use could cause illness.

The City also advised using bottled water for drinking (including baby formula and juice), brushing teeth, washing dishes, ice-making, food prep and bathing.

The City’s post also mentioned not trying to treat the water yourself via boiling, freezing, filtering or adding disinfectants, as these methods will not make the water safe.

Portable water will be available at Marina Park or the City Maintenance Yard limited to five gallons per family per day from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., according to the City’s post.

For updates, visit the city’s website or call the following number.

Click here to follow the original article.

Alissa Orozco

OXNARD, Calif. (KEYT) – The community is asked to be on the look out for a missing teen last seen in the city of Oxnard on November 21st.

13-year-old Emiliana “Emi” Casarez was last seen wearing a black jacket, black tank top, blue jeans, and black Vans brand shoes in the River Park area of Oxnard around 7:21am on Nov. 21st.

The California Department of Justice describes Emiliana as a hispanic female, weighing roughly 100-110 lbs, 5’1, with brown eyes and pink hair.

The teen has one stud nose piercing, and may have been carrying a Jansport brand backpack, unknown color blanket, and stuffed animal when she was last seen.

Anyone with information Emiliana’s whereabouts can contact the Oxnard Police Department at (805) 385-7600.

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.

Jarrod Zinn

OCEANO, Calif. (KEYT) – A U.S. district court judge in Los Angeles issued a ruling that adds another chapter to the battle over off-road vehicles at the Oceano Dunes.

Off-roading at Oceano Dunes goes back decades.

And some local businesses benefit from those riders, people like Anthony Malmo from Fresno.

“We can go four wheeling closer to our house,” he says. “There’s a place 45 minutes away that we drive trails in the mountains. But on the beach, it’s a lot more fun.”

In 1993, a shorebird called the Snowy plover was added to the endangered species list. Since then, environmentalists and nonprofits have been on a mission to reduce off-roading at Oceano Dunes, a natural habitat for the snowy plover and other shorebirds.

“Oceano Dunes started becoming an important breeding area and almost immediately, you know, conflicts,” says Jeff Miller, spokesperson for the Center For Biological Diversity. “Turns out off road vehicles and cryptically colored nesting shorebirds in the dunes don’t really mix that well.”

This month, a federal judge found California parks violated the Endangered Species Act by allowing off-roaders to stay on the dunes, and cited instances where some of the birds were killed.

But this spring a state appeals court ruled in favor of off-roaders, saying the coastal commission did not have the authority to ban off-road vehicles.

“There is places that are set up for the endangered species that, nobody bothers with and nobody messes with,” says Malmo. “And we’re still able to do our thing.”

The federal judge ruled that state parks and environmental groups must work together to find a solution.

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.

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara Farmers Market annually anticipates one of its busiest days of the year on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and this year it is slightly more challenging after historic rains recently.

Many growers have spent extra time washing and prepping their produce including lettuce, spinach, kale, broccoli, carrots  and cauliflower.

The demand is high for the ingredients that make up holiday side dishes and stuffing recipes.

On Saturday, the crowds were loading up in downtown Santa Barbara, and adding bunches of fresh flowers that were selling briskly.

The Tuesday market covers several blocks and many farmers added extra boxes of produce from their farms.

Tom Sheppard with Sheppard Farms says he hit the mark by bringing 300 pounds of green beans for sale on Saturday and Tuesday. He saked them and strung them up this month to keep them from falling in the mud during the rain.

Onr shopper, Emma Cantu who is also a personal chef said, “everything at the Farmer’s Market is fresh. Everything. Yeah, everything. You buy it at the store. You don’t know how long it’s been there. “

One farmers made it through the rainy weather and harvested several hundred pounds of green beans. The owner of Sheppard Farms, Tom Sheppard said, “they talk casseroles. They talk steaming. Yeah.  It’s got to be on the table , you have to have green beans.”

 As for the powerful weather that came through recently he said, “the rain was beautiful, actually. And I was really smart this year. I staked and strung the beans. And there’s so many beams on the plants that the rain or the rain would have knocked the beams over into the mud. But because there’s stacked and strong, they’re beautiful. “

One shopper knew exactly the ingredients she needed for the holiday stuffing. Emma Cantu said, “the stuffing is onions, celery, butter. Chicken broth or, you know, turkey broth. You can get any nuts, you know, you can use pecans, walnuts, chestnuts are beautiful right now. And we have chestnuts here in Santa Barbara. It’s rare.”

Mike Iniguez at Mike’s Organic Produce said, he had a freshly washed and pick lineup. “Kale for salad, persimmons, squash, cabbage and  beets. “

Surrounded by avocados, lemons, cheramoyas and popular plant cuttings, Mikayla Marquez said, “you should be bringing your Carpinteria locally grown avocados. You can never go wrong with a little side of guac or a little slice of avocado with your turkey, with your mashed potatoes. You can’t go wrong. Guacamole is year round around here.”

She also had freshly made wreaths hanging around the booths.

Erik Van Wingerden with Myriad Flowers was surrounded by fresh cut stems. “Flowers are great. Put them on the table, people love to have fresh flowers in the house.   I always love the multi colored spray roses as a nice gift for people.” He suggested flowers if you are having a get together and you don’t make a dish. Some of the buckets had lillies, marigolds and sunflowers.

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.

Alissa Orozco

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A tentative agreement has been reached between Santa Cruz Markets and its employees, preventing an unfair labor strike just ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday.

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 770 announced the agreement Tuesday morning and says this will deliver better work conditions and benefits by providing higher wages, improvements in sick and bereavement leave, protection of health and welfare benefits, and more.

Market employees at both the Santa Barbara and Goleta locations threatened to strike last week, claiming unfair labor practices including “coercion, surveillance, unilateral changes, and bad faith that have prevented essential grocery workers from getting the fair contract they deserve.”

Both parties met at the bargaining table that resulted in success for employees.

“This new contract delivers $3 an hour top rate increases over three years, improved sick and bereavement leave, increased scheduling notice, protection of hourly guarantee in the event of force majeure, and protection of health and welfare benefits. And by sticking together in solidarity, we defeated the company’s attempt to roll back the time-and-a-half Sunday premium.”

Local 770 emphasizes the agreement does not finalize anything, a vote still needs to be held to accept it.

“This victory was only possible because of our hard work and solidarity with our co-workers. Every action we took, from signing petitions, to engaging with our customers, wearing our t-shirts, to speaking out publicly about our issues, helped get us to this point. Our victory sends a powerful message to workers everywhere – when we band together in solidarity, we win.” 

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.