Author: KEYT

Andrew Gillies

GOLETA, Calif. — A Goleta pastor who also coached high school students has been arrested on felony sex crime charges involving minors.

Shaun Donald Hertlein, 42, was taken into custody Friday, May 9, after Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s detectives served him with a warrant. Detectives began investigating Hertlein in April.

He faces charges including sending sexual images to a minor, communicating with a minor with the intent to commit specific crimes, and possession of obscene images of a child. His bail is set at $500,000.

Sheriff’s officials said Hertlein worked with children at a church in the 5800 block of Cathedral Oaks Road. Online videos list him as a pastor at South Coast Church at that same address. Social media posts also show his affiliation with the Santa Barbara Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Superintendent Hilda Maldonado confirmed Hertlein is an assistant coach at Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta on Monday.

Detectives believe there may be additional survivors and are asking anyone with information to contact Detective F. Arnoldi at 805-681-4150. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 805-681-4171 or visiting the Sheriff’s Office website.

This is at least the third arrest in Goleta this year by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office involving alleged sex crimes against minors. In March, 51-year-old Martin Efrain Barajas was arrested on charges related to lewd acts with a child under the age of 10 dating back to 2002. That same month, 34-year-old Adam Escarcega, affiliated with Adams Elementary School in Santa Barbara, was detained after a vigilante group posing as a juvenile online arranged a meeting with him.

Support services for survivors are available through the Santa Barbara County Victim-Witness Assistance Program at 805-568-2400 or toll-free at 805-840-3232. Additional confidential resources, including a 24-hour hotline, legal and medical advocacy, and counseling, are available through Standing Together to End Sexual Assault at 805-564-3696.

The Sheriff’s Office is urging parents and guardians to stay involved in their children’s online activity, use parental controls, maintain open communication about digital safety, and report any suspicious behavior to law enforcement.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. –

All first round games are scheduled for Thursday, May 15.

Division 1

Camarillo at Oaks Christian

Division 2 First Round

Capistrano Valley at Thousand Oaks

Ganesha at Agoura

Millikan at Moorpark

Simi Valley at Murrieta Valley

Division 3 First Round

Oxnard at San Clemente

Royal at Citrus Valley

Rio Mesa at Aquinas

Schurr at Westlake

Division 4:

Dos Pueblos at Viewpoint

Quartz Hill at Ventura

Division 5:

Riverside Prep at St. Bonaventure

University Prep at Grace

Division 6:

Santa Clara at San Jacinto

Santa Paula at Katella

Division 7:

Santa Ana at Fillmore

Division 8:

Valley Christian Santa Maria at Lennox Academy

Pomona Catholic at Hueneme

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Caleb Nguyen

SOLVANG, Calif. – Fire crews helped a woman via helicopter and two others via ambulance to Cottage Hospital after a two-car crash on Highway 246 in Santa Ynez just before 1:00 p.m. Monday.

The woman needed extrication for her major injuries and was airlifted as the solo driver in one car to Cottage for treatment, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

The second car involved had two adults, a man and a woman, with moderate injuries and an ambulance helped the pair to Cottage for their treatment, according to the SBCFD.

Highway 246 remained open after the crash and the accident’s cause is under investigation.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) has turned off the lights at its downtown Film Center for now and upgrades are underway.

SBIFF brought the former Fiesta Five theatre alive after Metropolitan Theatres vacated the property last year. The theatre complex reopened with a variety of movies, from international films to family favorites, while a bigger plan was being pulled together.

Now it is renovating with state-of-the-art equipment and a fresh look.

The drawings shown on Newschannel 3-12 last week feature a bright new look to the marquee and a red carpet designed tile entrance into the complex in the 900 block of State Street.

The box office will move to the left side and a ADA ramp will be on the right side. New technology for online or preordered tickets will also be in place.

The theatre will have top of the line projectors and sound, and news seats.

The opening will take place by the holiday movie season later this year.

Next year the Film Center will also the main hub of activity for the 2026 SBIFF showcase event in February.

Executive Director Roger Durling says the Film Center will have a classic “movie palace” look when it is done.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival has been voted one of the top ten festivals of its kind in the country.

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Business owners, industry leaders, and students cut their work and school days short to attend the 2025 South County Economic Summit at the Granada Theatre on State Street in Santa Barbara.

Ticket holders received an Economic Outlook Publication, a program, and access to a reception featuring California wine, specifically, wine not impacted by tariffs.

This year’s summit featured a lineup of experts speaking on the economic and policy outlook for California and Santa Barbara County.

The Santa Barbara County Economic Report was delivered by Peter Rupert, Director of the UCSB Economic Forecast Project.

Former Federal Reserve President Jim Bullard shared insights from the perspective of a central banker, while UCLA economics professor Lee Ohanian addressed housing issues and potential strategies to reduce homelessness.

University of Rochester economics professor George Alessandria delivered a presentation titled “Trade Policy and the Economy: Past, Present and Future.”

UCSB students volunteered at the event, and some received discounted admission.

Rupert, who quipped that he had “dressed up” for the summit, made a point with his casual attire: Hoka shoes, Ace Rivington jeans, and a Nomad watch—all purchased from local companies.

“These local companies get their products from overseas,” Rupert said, emphasizing how tariffs can impact regional businesses.

Rupert, a critic of tariffs, noted he woke up to news of a temporary deal between the United States and China that boosted the stock market.

“Most economists would say the best tariffs are zero,” he said.

Speakers addressed a record turnout, discussing trade policy, housing, and artificial intelligence. To connect with the audience, they referenced the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, Forrest Gump, Jerry Maguire, and the Laffer Curve as mentioned in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

“I think being able to put it in common terms and circumstances we understand puts it into a better light,” said UCSB student and Radius Commercial realtor Jack Gilbert.

Kristen Miller, CEO of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, said she gained valuable insight.

“We have been watching tariffs very closely because they do affect local businesses,” said Miller. “So I did learn a lot today about how to maybe try to predict this evening out over time.”

Miller also sits on the board that helped organize the event at the Granada.

Students who volunteered said they were excited to be studying economics.

“I think it’s really important to learn economics and be well-informed,” said UCSB senior Kendall Warner.

“I feel like things are changing so fast, at such a quick pace, that I’m able to learn more,” said UCSB student and intern Aakash Sriram.

Rupert closed his presentation with what he called “the most beautiful picture of all time”—a graph of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

“This is our real GDP, our real income, our real purchasing power—the amount of stuff we’re able to buy,” he said.

The chart, which resembled a straight line, showed long-term growth.

“This growth number is about 2 percent, something like that,” said Rupert. “Every year, on average, we get 2 percent richer. And what I tell people is, look for what stands out: the Great Depression and World War II—that’s what stands out.”

He said the “little wiggles” in the graph represent different presidential terms and mentioned the recent fluctuations in tariff rates.

“As you can see, they’ve already backed down on a lot of them because we understand what happened during the Great Depression.”

He closed on an encouraging note.

“The beautiful thing is, if we’re left alone, we are a very productive country. We’ve done really well over history. We’re growing faster than Europe right now. So when it comes to tariffs—we’ll be drinking California wine.”

For more information visit https://efp.ucsb.edu

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Closing time for the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheon at Harry’s for the 2024-’25 school year.

Three awards were handed out to student-athletes.

The UCSB Scholar of the Year went to UCSB senior guard Cole Anderson.

He carried over a 3.5 GPA in the classroom and he shot almost 48 percent from three-point distance this past season for UCSB.

The Female Athlete of the week is San Marcos High School lacrosse player Linnea Clapinski while the Male Athlete of the Week is Laguna Blanca swimmer Bennett Sullivan.

Clapinski scored 5 goals including the game-winner in overtime as Dos Pueblos won a CIF-SS Division 3 quarterfinal game. She added 6 more goals in a semifinal loss.

Sullivan and three teammates helped Laguna Blanca place third out of 52 schools in the CIF-Division 3 finals.

(Bennett Sullivan accounted for 121 of the 170.5 team points for Laguna Blanca).

They won the 50 and 100 freestyle relays and Sullivan turned in top 5 individual finishes in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. –

CIF-SS Boys Tennis Quarterfinals

Division 3:

San Marcos 13, St. Francis 5 (SM at La Canada on Wed, May 14).

Cate 13, Sunny Hills 5 (Cate hosts LB Poly on Wed, May 14).

Division 4:

San Gabriel 10, Dos Pueblos 8

Division 5:

Culver City 12, Laguna Blanca 6

Thacher 11, Cerritos 7 (Thacher at Capistrano Valley on Wed, May 14).

Division 6:

Carpinteria 10, YULA (Yeshiva) 8

Bolsa Grande 9, Ventura 9 (BG advances on games).

(Carp at Bolsa Grande on Wed, May 14).

Division 7:

Hueneme 14, Santiago/GG 4 (Hueneme hosts Katella on Wed, May 14).

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Jarrod Zinn

LOMPOC, Calif. – Governor Newsom announced this morning an escalation to the state’s efforts in combating homelessness, especially in visible public spaces.

Governor Gavin Newsom is urging cities and counties across the state to clear encampments. 

He is releasing over $3 billion in voter-approved funds to help with enforcement and services.

“We stepped up a while ago to put these ordinances to play the urban camping ordinance, as well as the resolution in the city, in the riverbed,” says Lompoc mayor James Mosby.

Mayor Mosby says his city is ahead of the curve after passing an ordinance making urban camping illegal back in March.

“I guess we were a little ahead of Newsom in this matter. I think if you look at the north end of town, you’ll see most of those camps are cleaned up, and it’s happening. It’s happening fast,” says Mayor Mosby.

Ordinances like these were typically struck down as unconstitutional, until a Supreme Court ruling paved the way for stricter enforcement, even in places that lack shelter space and housing for homeless people. 

“We share the governor’s concern that we can’t allow people just to migrate into encampments. It presents a danger to the community. There have been, you know, fires started because of people trying to warm themselves in encampments,” says John Polanskey, director of development at HASBARCO (Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County).

Lompoc is also incentivizing the development of more assistive housing facilities.

The council approved an ordinance at its last meeting to reduce the impact fees associated with land development.

“It’s just not a bunch of meanies out there, we’re trying to get em the help they need,” says Mayor Mosby.

Newsom also has a template ordinance he hopes local leaders adopt, emphasizing prohibitions on such things as persistent camping in one location and anything that blocks sidewalks, as well as urging law enforcement to offer shelter and services before cleaning camps out.

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News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from Santa Barbara MTD regarding the return of their Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle service to Santa Barbara’s Downtown and Waterfront areas starting again this summer.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Santa Barbara MTD is announcing the return of the all-electric Downtown Waterfront Shuttle service to Santa Barbara’s Downtown and Waterfront areas once again for summer 2025. After a 4-year hiatus, the service returned temporarily last summer to provide zero-emission access to important Downtown and Waterfront destinations.

The return of this service will once again provide transit connections among the harbor and waterfront, Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara Train Depot, the historic County Courthouse, countless hotels, and Downtown shopping and dining destinations, just to name a few.

Service will operate on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. between May 30, 2025 and September 1, 2025, with a final day of service on Labor Day Monday.

The Shuttle will operate as a circulator route with 20-minute headways, offering frequent service for residents and visitors to enjoy the iconic beauty of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront and Downtown. Riders can catch the shuttle at any MTD stop along the route.

MTD is working with the City of Santa Barbara to reestablish a partnership to fund the Shuttle, after the City Council recently allocated funds for this summer’s service. “We’re excited by the opportunity to partner once again with the City of Santa Barbara to provide public transit service to these vital destinations,” said Jerry Estrada, General Manager.

Due to a large portion of State Street downtown being closed to motor vehicles and open to pedestrians, the Downtown portion of the route will operate on Chapala and Anacapa Streets. There is a slight modification in this year’s route near the Santa Barbara Zoo due to upcoming construction at Dwight Murphy Park, but all shuttle stops remain the same.

Fares will be $0.50 (standard one-way) and $0.25 for seniors and people with disabilities. The popular $1 day pass will also be available and provides for unlimited rides on the Shuttle in one calendar day. Additionally, riders with a valid Amtrak ticket ride free on the Shuttle or any MTD bus service by showing their train ticket for that day.

Map of Downtown-Waterfront Shuttle route

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Mike Klan

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana. – Ryann Neushul ends her collegiate water polo career at Stanford University as the Cardinal only 4-time national champion.

Top-ranked Stanford beat #3 USC 11-7 to win the program’s 10th overall national title.

The 2018 Dos Pueblos High School graduate Neushul won her first national championship at Stanford in 2019 as a freshman.

She trained on the U.S. National Team for the next two seasons and did not compete in the college seasons.

She returned to Palo Alto to help Stanford win back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.

Ryann took the college season off in 2024 as she played in the 2024 Olympics.

She scored a goal in Sunday’s win over the Trojans and was named First Team All-Tournament.

Her older sisters Kiley and Jamie each won 3 national titles at Stanford.

Ryann was one of many players with local ties to play in Sunday’s title game.

San Marcos alums Makenna Stretz and Reagan McEachen are on Stanford while San Marcos alums Ava Stryker and Madison Haaland-Ford play for USC. Stryker scored a goal for USC.

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