Author: KEYT

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –

San Marcos 73 Buena 35:

(Koji Hefner scored a team-high 16 points for the Royals who improved to 4-2 in the Channel League. Entenza Design).

(11 Royals players scored in the lopsided victory including Aidan Conlan who had 14 points. Entenza Design).

Santa Barbara 64, Ventura 37: Dons 6-0 in Channel League.

Pacifica 73, Dos Pueblos 70 (OT): Will Jones Jr. scored 26 points for the Tritons. Evan Pinsker tallied 21 points for the Chargers.

Oxnard 60, Rio Mesa 50: Mikey Duran-Morales scored 15 points for the Yellowjackets.

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Patricia Martellotti

Santa Barbara, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara, Calif. (KEYT) – After months of uncertainty, wondering if she and her child would ever have a safe home, Sophia Mendez found a new beginning through St. Vincent’s Family Strengthening Program.

“Feeling like you were born into a world where you just keep taking punches — I didn’t think I was ever going to make it or that I was smart enough,” Mendez shared.

That changed when she joined the program, which provides housing assistance, parenting classes, and financial training to help women gain independence.

Today, she’s earning her diploma and preparing to take college courses at Santa Barbara City College.

At the heart of the initiative are peer support specialists — women who’ve faced similar challenges and now mentor others on their journeys.

“When I was here, I wish I had a peer support specialist,” said Alicia Visueta, now on staff at St. Vincent’s. “When I first arrived, I didn’t think I could do it — I didn’t know how I’d find a job or child care.”

Thanks to the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, which granted $100,000 to the program, more families are getting the tools — and the encouragement — to start fresh.

Mendez gained more than just life skills. “I’ve got a job, my daughter’s in daycare, and I passed my driver’s test — and driving was my biggest fear,” she said with a smile.

Seeing moms like Mendez succeed is what makes Visueta’s work so meaningful. “The best part about my job is getting to say, ‘You can do it.’”

For Mendez, that support has done more than change her address — it’s changed her life.

Since joining the program, Mendez says she’s gained more than practical skills — she’s learned self-confidence and hope for the future.

Fueled by a $100,000 Women’s Fund grant, St. Vincent’s continues to change lives across the community, empowering women to turn struggle into strength.

For Mendez, it didn’t just change her address — it changed her life.

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Caleb Nguyen

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – San Luis Obispo Police arrested a 20-year-old on Thursday after 9:30 p.m. for a felony hit and run at the 100 block of Crandall Way.

The driver didn’t stop after hitting two 20-year-old women who crossed the street, leaving both with major, but non-life-threatening injuries, according to the SLOPD.

Both women received medical care at a local hospital and SLOPD investigators later closed the road for further details into the crash.

Eyewitnesses described the suspect car as a dark gray Tesla Model 3 and SLOPD found the vehicle at the 3000 block of McCollum.

SLOPD officers then arrested the 20-year-old driver on two counts of felony hit and run and booked him into the SLO County Jail.

The crash remains under investigation, and those with more information are asked to contact Crime Stoppers at the following number.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Former Vice President Kamala Harris made an unexpected appearance in Santa Barbara to help mark a historic milestone for California politics.

State Senator Monique Limón was sworn in as Senate President pro Tempore during a district ceremony at the Marjorie Luke Theatre—becoming the first mother and the first Latina to lead the California State Senate.

The ceremony drew a packed crowd, along with local leaders and performers celebrating Limón’s achievement. But the room erupted when Harris took the stage as a surprise guest, praising Limón’s leadership and calling her rise a defining moment for the state.

Limón, who represents Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, said her new role is focused on lifting up working families and expanding opportunity across California.

Elected by her colleagues last month, Limón now steps into one of the most powerful positions in state government.

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Dave Alley

ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. (KEYT) – A pair of Highway 101 ramps in Arroyo Grande will close this weekend due to a construction project that will last one week.

The Grande Avenue onramp and Fair Oaks Avenue off-ramp will shutdown to all traffic beginning on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m.

The two ramps are heavily used each day, especially due to their close proximity to the city’s historic Village and Arroyo Grande High School.

The closure is expected to create a significant traffic impact in the vicinity of the project and through the surrounding area.

Those who are driving into the area are asked to plan alternate routes and allow extra travel time.

Caltrans is suggesting travelers needing to access the areas near the ramps while traveling southbound on Highway 101 should use either the Halcyon Road or Grand Avenue exits to reach Fair Oaks Avenue.

The ramp closures are part of a $32 million in infrastructure improvement project on Highway 101 through the Pismo Beach-Nipomo corridor.

According to Caltrans, work is being done to rehabilitate pavement and drainage systems, designate bikeways with pavement delineation, and enhance highway worker safety.

The two ramps are scheduled to reopen to the public on Monday, Jan. 19 at 6 a.m.

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John Palminteri

MONTECITO, Calif. (KEYT) – Eight years after the deadly Montecito debris flow residents are remembering that shocking morning but also the community’s ability to come back.

23 lives were lost in the tragedy.

Many others were injured by the violence of the cascading waters full of boulders, tree and, everything else that had broken away from the nearby foothills to the ocean.

The debris flow was preceded by the Thomas Fire which wiped out vegetation on the hills for miles.

Then, the pounding and intense rains produced erosion that send destruction down several creeks.

Residents in the area recall either being caught up in the tragedy or knowing someone who died.

As part of a ceremonial remembrance, candles will be brought out, one for each victim, and their names will be read and a bell will be rung.

A searchlight will illuminated the sky with a blue beam in their remembrance.

The Raise our Light ceremony takes place at 6 p.m. at Montecito Union School. It is open to the public.

It will also be streaming on KEYT.com.

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Applications are being accepted for the spring course of Santa Maria’s Community Police Academy.

This is a class for civilians.

It’s been running for three decades now, and it’s open to all community members.

Every Thursday evening at 6:30 for 8 weeks starting February 19th, Santa Maria police officers engage with community members at the station on Betteravia, giving them an inside perspective on their job.

“It’s a non formal interaction that we get to just kind of be ourselves, talk,” says Sgt. Oscar Corral of Santa Maria Police Department. “That’s what makes it really rewarding is we get to hear their perspective, and teach them what we do, and hear from them. Concerns, questions or just, you know, something they’ve learned throughout the academy.”

Active duty instructors say a wide range of subjects is covered in the class, including law enforcement philosophy, various methods and procedures, as well as how the department is structured.

“What we’ve done in the past, and that’s also received good feedback is we’ll do scenarios,” says Sgt. Corral. “So we’ll have actors act out what a typical like crime would be here in the city and we have our participants basically be in the shoes of the officers and go through the steps that need to be done after learning what an officer does.”

The academy scenarios provide insight into criminal law, traffic, patrol routines, investigation protocols, in addition to the nuances of narcotic and gang enforcement.

“It has made me more aware of my surroundings,” says Connie Kruse, who lives in Santa Maria and has taken the course. “My eyes have been opened to when you’re out and about and things that are happening, I can look back and think, I think I know what they’re doing now.”

Community members who have taken the course say

that, even if there was a sign-up fee, it would be worth paying for.

“I think one of my favorite ones was standing right out here and using the radar gun, able to see how fast people were flying by,” says Kruse. “Also, you were able to see what a person who’s intoxicated—they’d have you walk on the line and you would wear the goggles, which showed just how you know how bad it can be.”

The course is free, and you can sign up for the class by scanning the QR code you see on their flyers and social media pages.

Graduates of the class say they gained a greater understanding of police work, and better relationships with the men and women in uniform.

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News Channel 3-12

MONTECITO, Calif. (KEYT) – On Friday evening, the community is invited to “raise their light” as we recognize eight years since the January 9th Debris Flow to took the lives of 23 people in 2018.

The commemorative event will take place on Friday at 6:00pm at Montecito Union School. The event will consist of speakers, reading of the names of the 23 people lost, and a bell ringing.

A searchlight will be illuminated as a beacon of community support and solidarity from Montecito Union School.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –

High School Boys Soccer:

San Marcos 2, Dos Pueblos 0

(Luis Campos scores on PK in 16th minute. Entenza Design). Yael Solano also scored in the first half for San Marcos who lead the Channel League at 4-1-1.

Ventura 2, Santa Barbara 1

Oxnard 1, Rio Mesa 0

High School Girls Soccer:

Dos Pueblos 2, San Marcos 0

Paige Ferro and Taylor Offner scored as the Chargers improve to 5-1 in the Channel League.

Ventura 1, Santa Barbara 0

Coast Union 3, Bishop Diego 0

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Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Miro Little is back but UCSB did not return to the win column.

The slumping Gauchos lost at home to UC Davis 93-86 as their Big West losing streak reaches three games.

UCSB is 2-3 in league and just 9-7 overall after losing for the fifth time in the past six games.

Starting point guard Miro Little returned after missing six games due to a foot injury. He scored a game-high 20 points but offense is not the problem with UCSB.

“We have an issue with defense and a bunch of guys that just like to think about offense,” said Gauchos head coach Joe Pasternack. “When you give up 93 points, you won’t beat anyone. We are going through a rough stretch and battling some adversity. During this time, you really figure out who is in your corner.”

UCSB jumped out to a 25-7 lead on the strength of sizzling three-point shooting.

The Gauchos made 9 first half three-pointers on 14 attempts but led just 47-43.

UCSB cooled off in the second half making just 3 of their 10 attempts from beyond the arc.

UC Davis shot 51.7% from the floor and outrebounded the Gauchos 33-26.

The Aggies (2-2 in the Big West) had six players score in double-figures led by Nils Cooper who had 19 points.

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