Author: KEYT

Tracy Lehr

OXNARD, Calif. – More and more people are donating their old cars to a variety of charities.

Vehicle donation programs arrange for free pickups. Donated cars are either sold to recycling centers or auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the nonprofit of the owner’s choice.

Anacapa Towing recently picked up an SUV with 319,000 miles on the odometer. It’s being donated to National Public Radio’s KCLU station, which serves the Central Coast.

Anacapa Towing’s Daniel Mejia said it’s easier for owners to say goodbye to an old car when they know it’s going to a good cause.

“It feels good because we are helping people out. We help people out, and that is the point of the job right here,” said Mejia. “Sometimes people don’t want to let go of their cars, but sometimes they’ve got to go.”

Cars, motorcycles, and RVs can be donated whether they run or not. Donations are also eligible for a tax deduction.

For more information visit https://kclu.careasy.org/home

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Mike Klan

FULLERTON, Calif. – For the first time in program history, the UC Santa Babara Softball team (34-24, 17-10 Big West) is coming back to Isla Vista with some hardware. The Gauchos staved off elimination six times to claim their first and The Big West’s first Postseason Championship.

GAME ONE: GAUCHOS 8, MATADORS 2Like they had in three of their previous five games of the Big West Championship tournament, the Gauchos scored in the first inning. Not only that, but they scored three on Elicia Acosta’s opposite-field homer, taking a 3-0 lead before CSUN even came to bat.

For the next three full innings, the teams combined for just two hits, a walk, and a hit by pitch. The Matadors led off with two singles in the bottom of the fourth before a line out double play erased the threat.

In the next half inning, Santa Barbara fully flipped the momentum in their favor. For the second time of the day, Acosta drilled a three-run homer to increase the Gaucho lead to six. Two batters later, Bella Fuentes added another run with a solo shot. When the inning finally ended, it was 7-0 Gauchos.

Fuentes then made it 8-0 with a two-out RBI double in the top of the seventh. With CSUN down to their last out, an error, walk and two-run single prevented Malaya Johnson from pitching a shutout, but she settled with a zero-earned-run complete game win. More importantly, the comfortable 8-2 victory—the team’s fifth consecutive in elimination games—pushed the Gauchos one win away from their first conference championship in program history.

GAME TWO: GAUCHOS 7, MATADORS 5To start the winner take all Championship Final, UC Santa Barbara opened the game with a single run in the first inning continuing their momentum from the first game. Giselle Mejia doubled and advanced to third on a sacrifice before scoring unearned on an error by Northridge. The Matadors were unable to respond, leaving the Gauchos leading 1-0 after the first.

In the second inning, Northridge took control with a three-run frame. An RBI-double followed by two RBI-singles drove in the three runs. The Gauchos did not go away quietly. The Blue and Gold responded in the third inning. Tehya Banks and Bella Fuentes scored, the latter on a double by Delaina Ma’ae, evening the score at 3-3.

The fourth inning saw the Gauchos regain the lead. Elicia Acosta’s RBI single, her seventh RBI of the day, and Sams’ two-RBI double contributed to a three-run inning, putting UC Santa Barbara ahead 6-4.

The Gauchos added another run in the sixth inning. Sams scored on a triple by Bella Fuentes, extending their lead to 7-4.

Northridge managed to score once more in the seventh inning, but UC Santa Barbara maintained their advantage. The game concluded with a 7-5 win for the Gauchos, securing the victory with 13 hits and taking advantage of two Matadors errors to claim the first ever Big West Championship for the Gaucho softball program.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS

The Gauchos won six straight elimination games to claim their first ever Big West Championship. The six straight wins ties their season long winning streak.With the Championship the Gauchos will play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in since 2007.The 34 overall wins are tied for the most ever in a single season by the program. The most recent occurrence was during the 2014 season.Giselle Mejia is now the single-season doubles record holder with 20 doubles on the season. Mejia also raised her team-leading batting average by 37 points to 0.391.The Gauchos have now scored the most runs, ever in a single season.UP NEXTThe Gauchos will await their destination for the NCAA Tournament as it will be known tomorrow during the selection show that starts at 4 p.m. Pacific time and will be shown on ESPN2.

(Article courtesy of UCSB Athletics).

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Tracy Lehr

MONTECITO, Calif. – Mothers’ Helpers held a Mother’s Day weekend collection event.

Community members dropped off essential baby items at Montecito Fire Station 91 on San Ysidro Road in Montecito.

The nonprofit collects infant car seats, strollers, baby carriers, diaper bags, diapers, and more.

“We are so grateful to the Montecito and Santa Barbara communities. They understand that parenting is hard under the best of circumstances, let alone if you are struggling to meet your family’s basic needs,” said Mothers’ Helpers Executive Director Michelle Erickson. “We are proud to have been here for 15 years, helping take things that people have and give them to people in need, because every baby deserves to thrive.”

The Mother’s Day weekend drive also set a goal of raising $5,000 to support local families.

For more information visit https://mothershelpers.org/donate

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Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA, Calif. – Jonathan Martinez, a 37-year-old Chino man, pleaded guilty to felony identity fraud after stealing over $84,000 from a Thousand Oaks family who lost their home in foreclosure, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

Martinez pleaded guilty on May 8 after the law firm he worked for offered services in a wrongful potential foreclosure sale against the family in the 2021 sale, according to the VCDAO.

A VCSO investigation found that Martinez intercepted, forged signatures and deposited funds into his personal account from a check worth over $84,000 made payable to the family, according to the VCDAO.

Martinez then used the check on personal expenses while the victims requested several updates on their surplus funds from June 2021 until April 2022, of which Martinez didn’t respond or made excuses for, according to the VCDAO.

The victims learned of the frauded check in April 2022 and filed a crime report before being interviewed by Chase Bank two months later to notify them of the money’s whereabouts, according to the VCDAO.

Chase Bank then recovered $30,000 of the stolen funds with Martinez still owing over $50,000 in victim restitution, according to the VCDAO.

Martinez faces up to four years and four months in jail, and his scheduled sentencing is June 6.

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Caleb Nguyen

FILLMORE, Calif. – Several law agencies across Ventura County arrested a 23-year-old Fillmore gang member for drug and firearm-related offenses Friday at 8:00 a.m., according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigations started in March when detectives looked into the 23-year-old man for unlawful firearm activity before obtaining a search warrant for his car, home and himself, according to the VCSO.

Detectives then contacted the gang member at his place of employment at Eastman Ave. in Ventura and found a controlled substance, graffiti tools and a loaded semi-automatic handgun in his possession after serving the search warrant, according to the VCSO.

The 23-year-old was later arrested for the following violations and booked into the Pre-Trial Detention Facility:

Health & Safety Code § 11370.1(a) – [Possession of a Controlled Substance While Armed with a Firearm]

Penal Code § 487(d)(2) – [Grand Theft Firearm]

Penal Code § 25850(a) – [Carrying a Loaded Firearm in Vehicle]

Penal Code § – [Carrying a Concealed Firearm in Vehicle]

Penal Code § 27545 – [Unlawful Firearm Transfer]

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Visiting Nurses Association has honored two special women in the annual VNA Mother’s Day lunch.

The honorees were champions of the health and well being of our community.

This year the late Rosa Pace was chosen for her philanthrophy in the Santa Ynez Valley.

She is a founding member of the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic, the first clinic on the Chumash Reservation.

Also awarded was Renee Grubb the owner of Village Properties.

Annually they provide funds for teachers and educational support.

Her team of realtors also helps 30 different charities.

“Today is really for VNA and I just hope that  we can continue to support them in the way that they should, more money every single year because they deserve it because they do such good with it,” said Grubb.

VNA Health is a non profit that began 117 years ago.

100% of the luncheon’s proceeds support VNA Healthy’s charitable community care programs.

Those services bring hope, health and comfort to families throughout our community regardless of adequate insurance or resources.

The lunch was held at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.

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Caleb Nguyen

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – The SLO County Air Pollution Control District announced a series of prescribed burns at Camp Roberts later this month to reduce fire hazards.

The proposed burn dates are scheduled for May 12-16, May 19-23 and May 27-28 with a majority of the 8,700 acres of proposed burns happening on the final day, according to the press release from the SLO ACPD.

Training burns and hazard reduction are scheduled throughout the month to help reduce wildfire risk and improve potential air quality locally, according to the press release from the SLO ACPD.

Smoke will be present on burn days and up-to-date information will be provided to help those affected, including children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions, according to the SLO ACPD press release.

Burns depend on weather and air quality and could be rescheduled. Updates on when burns will happen in the area will be provided on the ACPD website.

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Andie Lopez Bornet

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Mother’s Day is one of the busiest times of the year for florists and flower shops.

“It’s been huge. Yesterday was so busy, and today—along with Mother’s Day—it’s actually Mexican Mother’s Day, so we’re extra busy. It’s our busiest day of the year,” said Westerlay Orchids showroom manager Virginia Hayes.

Family-owned flower shop Lily’s Flowers and Fruity Florets said they’ve been seeing a surge in orders since the middle of the week.

“Since Wednesday, we’ve been doing about 80 to 90 orders every day, so yeah, the influx for Mother’s Day gets a lot bigger,” said Ismael Contreras, manager at Lily’s Flowers and Fruity Florets.

Flower shoppers may face higher prices this Mother’s Day due to ongoing tariffs enacted during the Trump administration.

According to Money Talks News, 80% of flowers purchased in the U.S. are grown outside the country.

“Peonies, orchids, and stuff that get imported from somewhere more tropical,” said Contreras.

At Westerlay Orchids, however, tariffs haven’t impacted prices.

“We’re very lucky—not at all,” said Hayes. “Actually, all of our orchids are raised here. We grow everything in our greenhouses in Carpinteria; we have three facilities here, so the tariffs don’t affect anything. We are not raising prices—we’ve held our prices for a few years now.”

While flower prices have risen at some shops, that hasn’t stopped shoppers from buying blooms this Mother’s Day.

“The roses that we usually get are from Ecuador, so those have gone up,” said Contreras. “They’ve noticed—especially the customers who come more often. They’re like, ‘Oh, my dozen roses used to be $55, now they’re $65.’”

Lily’s Flowers and Fruity Florets will be open on Sunday for Mother’s Day.

Westerlay Orchids will be closed for the holiday.

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Caleb Nguyen

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – The Santa Maria Police Department is investigating a fatal stabbing that happened Friday morning just before 11:00 a.m. at the 1700 block of Rio Vista.

SMPD officers found a 63-year-old man and took him into custody as a suspect. This came after finding a 44-year-old woman with multiple injuries at the scene.

The woman was later helped to Marian Regional Medical Center, where she unfortunately died from her injuries.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Caleb Nguyen

LOMPOC, Calif. – Santa Barbara County Fire personnel found a car that went over the side of Highway 1 near Lompoc that turned into a brush fire just after 2:30 a.m. Saturday.

SBCFD members knocked down the fire at a quarter acre at 3:15 a.m. and began searching for potential victims within the thick brush.

The sedan went 50 feet off the side of the road and closed one lane of Highway 1 after the search, during which SBCFD crews were unable to find any potential victims from the crash.

SBCFD members helped extinguish hot spots until 6:00 a.m. and the California Highway Patrol is investigating any potential owners of the car.

The cause of the crash and subsequent fire are under investigation.

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