Author: KEYT

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -(KEYT) –

CIF-SS Girls Volleyball First Round Playoffs

D2: San Marcos 3, Murrieta Valley 0 (Royals host Rancho Christian on Thursday 6pm)

D2: Thousand Oaks 3, Sage Hill 1 (T.O. hosts JSerra on Thursday 6pm)

D4: Ventura 3, Rancho Cucamonga 0 (Ventura at Yucaipa on Thursday 6pm)

(Sophie Otte had 13 kills and 4 blocks for Bishop Diego. Entenza Design).

D6: Bishop Diego 3, Indio 0 (BD will host Wiseburn DaVinci on Thursday 6pm)

D6: Wiseburn DaVinci 3, Oxnard 0

D8: Foothill Tech 3, University 1 (FT is at Rancho Alamitos on Thursday 6pm)

D8: Wildwood 3, Valley Christian Academy 0

D10: Thacher 3, Lucerne Valley 0 (Thacher is at Edgewood on Thursday 6pm)

D10: San Luis Obispo Classical 3, Desert Chapel 0 (SLO hosts Desert Hot Springs Thursday 6pm)

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT)  The University of California, Santa Barbara is now home to KEYT archives that everyone can see for free.

UCSB hosted a panel discussion entitled, “From Airwaves to Archives: Celebrating the Legacy of Santa Barbara’s Local Television Station.”

Organizers honored longtime videographer Herb Tuyay, who was instrumental in sharing 30,000 hours of footage dating back decades.

Tuyay made a call to UCSB Professor Emeritus Dan Driskel who got the transfer underway prior to the pandemic and his retirement.

“We ended up with everything ’60s, ’70s early ’80s when it went to videotape, this was video tape I think tonight, but there is so much more that goes on in the 16 mm years and we started putting it together in 2016,” said Driskel, referring to a 3 minutes sizzle reel shown to the audience.

News Channel 3-12 General Manager Jim Lemon moderated a panel discussion with former KEYT and CNN anchor/ reporter Paul Vercammen, Senior Reporter John Palminteri and weekend anchor and nightside reporter Tracy Lehr.

Former colleagues in the audience also took part including Paula Lopez, and Michael Bolton.

Numerous local journalists including Jerry Roberts and Lisa Osborne were on hand as well.

University Librarian Todd Grappone helped welcome the guests.

Film and TV Curator Laura Treat Liebhabor talked about the painstaking task of transferring every minute of broadcasting from old tapes.

“So all of the material that we digitize from KEYT archives is available for free to anyone who wants to view them on streaming media,” said Liebhabor.

Jessica Law, the Associate Director of Development at UCSB Library said they are hoping to raise money to keep going as they have a lot of years to cover.

“We’ve already sunk a lot of our own resources into making sure we get at least 20 percent of the archive digitized, so that’s where we are moving from out here and how we can continue to help all the different formats that you have available at KEYT to digitize those,” said Law.

People who have been interviewed or played sports that KEYT covered can look for themselves in many of the clips.

For a link to the video dating back decades search KEYT Television News Tape Library by visiting https://library.ucsb.edu

 

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) When La Casa de la Raza noticed an increase in health care hurdles for members of the community it teamed up Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.

The Medical and Behavioral Health Mobile unit parked right by the entrance.

Then volunteers spread the word on social media and people started showing up for all kinds of caRE.

Mobile clinic workers said they can help people with Social Security numbers sign up for Medi-Cal and Covered California.

The Chief Medical Officer Ali Javanbakht, M.D. will see anyone regardless of their documentation.

“So with a clinic like this we can do just about anything we normally do in a primary care setting so if there is acute need an acute injury an acute illness we can access that, if someone has a chronic condition and needs someone to access and give guidance we can certainly so that if someone hasn’t seen a provider in years they need a place to begin we can start that conversation so yeah it is pretty broad that conversation we offer,” said Dr. Javanbakht.

Clinic Manager Eva Bretado said sometimes offices are too far to get to without a car.

“We understand that it is hard at this time, a lot of people might not have transportation, that is pretty much the goal of the mobile clinic to be reachable and nearby for the community,” said Botella Banuelos.

Some patients haven’t seen a doctor in  awhile.

Martha Rodriguez said she hadn’t seen a doctor in six months.

Wellness Navigator Ana Botella Banuelos helped interpret the rest of what Rodriguez said in Spanish.

“She comes for the community they don’t have documentation they are happy we accept them they have our services for free she is  very thankful she can see a primary care provider,” said Botello Banuelos.

The mobile unit plans to visit on a regular basis 

Mario Guerrero serves as the Health Promotion Services Manager.

Guerrero said it feels good to help people in need get and stay healthy.

He said the entire team knows they are appreciated by the people they serve.

For more information visit https://sbclinics.org

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Caleb Nguyen

CAMARILLO, Calif. (KEYT) – Camarillo Police deputies are investigating a stabbing that took place during a youth football game at Camarillo High School just before 6:00 p.m. Friday, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.

The stabbing sent a 27-year-old Oxnard man to the hospital for medical care after Camarillo Police helped the victim for his injuries, according to the VCSO.

Those with additional information on the incident are asked to contact Detective Christopher Vorzimer or Detective Nicole Grover.

Anonymous tips can be sent to the Ventura County Crime Stoppers at the following number.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – By the looks of it, sales have been slower in parts of Santa Barbara for months, and the real numbers are backing that up.

Three members of the city council siting as the finance committee presented a graphic Tuesday showing city expenses are going up, while revenues are projected to go down.

One of the impacts has been in the area of sales taxes which have been described as ‘softening.’

Strong sales equals a solid flow of funds from taxes into the city’s budget.

The process now is to find either new funds, sometimes through increased fees or make cuts in staffing and services.

One area could be in with cannabis, where the city could potential gain an increased 20 percent tax.

Santa Barbara City Councilmember Meagan Harmon who sits on the committee said, “I fell strongly that  we need to increase that to the maximum rate allowable our cannabis tax rate. To me that is the lowest of the low hanging fruit.”

Other tax increases would have to go on the 2026 ballot but that is a long process with a deadline of roughly next June to have the ballot wording and analysis done.

Santa Barbara City Administrator Kelly McAdoo said, “if the council wants to put something on the ballot we would recommend getting started as soon as possible, because there would be some voter education, some polling.  If that is the choice of the council or finance committee we would want to get started on that right away.”

Another area where revenues fall flat is from the hotel transient occupancy or bed tax, which is also not providing much help.

A concern was raised about increasing those taxes, potentially affecting bookings.

Councilmember Wendy Santamaria said. “I don’t think we need more hotels, we don’t need more but the ones that are here should be able to have that revenue generated right?”

The group Friends of the Santa Barbara Library strongly urged the city not to cut library funds or the hours of operation.

Barbara Hershberg, the group’s President, said, “they can be lifelines for marginalized populations offering both immediate support and long-term opportunities for growth.”

The Santa Barbara waterfront is being eyed to generate some new money. A suggestion was made to open up some of the parking spaces for overnight and RV camping.

“It has been done in other areas of California and it is very popular.”

Councilmember Eric Friedman said, “that turned out to be one that makes a lot sense and is worth exploring for a lot of reasons. So I want to thank our staff for getting ahead of this. The longer we wait the bigger the hole will be at the end and this is a way to right the ship.”         

In the long-term another warning sign was the reserve fund. It’s going down, a trend the city says it will not allow.

The finance committee is sending all of this information and recommendations to the full city council for immediate action.

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News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from the City of Atascadero regarding the development announcement of a new Chick-fil-A location

ATASCADERO, Calif. (KEYT) – The City of Atascadero is excited to announce that a concept plan has been submitted for review for a proposed new Chick-fil-A restaurant. The planned site is located near the north end of the city within the Home Depot shopping center.

The proposed location sits near the corner of El Camino Real and San Ramon Road, adjacent to the SpringHill Suites Hotel, providing convenient access for both residents and travelers along the Highway 101 corridor. While the project is currently in the early stages of the City’s development review process, the proposal reflects continued interest from nationally recognized businesses in bringing new dining options and economic investment to Atascadero.

“Atascadero continues to attract strong interest from quality businesses, and we’re excited about the potential addition of Chick-fil-A to our community,” said City Manager Jim Lewis. “A project like this not only enhances local dining options but also supports continued economic growth and job creation in our City.”

Updates on the project’s progress and opportunities for community input will be shared as the review process moves forward. For more information on current and upcoming projects in Atascadero, visit www.atascadero.org or contact the City’s Community Development Department at (805) 461-5035.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The new Santa Barbara Police Station and parking project has been set back due to the discovery of contaminated soil.

It was recently removed, but there is a project delay. The city says the planned opening in Spring of 2027 will instead likely be pushed to September 2027.

The site is on the corner of Cota St. and Santa Barbara St. It was known for years as the site of the weekly Farmers Market and also a parking lot used by downtown workers. Before that it was an elementary school.

The work crews found contaminated soil and the footprint was determined with 60 samples.

The dirt has been taken to special sites for this kind of waste in Kettleman City and San Luis Obispo County.

In a presentation to the Santa Barbara City Finance Committee, Construction Manager Derek Troya said 40 percent of the contingency fund for the project went to this cleanup.

The city is preparing to backfill with more money from the voter approved Measure C funds which are being used for the overall project.

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Dave Alley

PISMO BEACH, Calif. (KEYT) – A much-discussed new parking fee at the popular Pismo Preserve hiking trail is now in effort.

Visitors to the 888-acre coastal trail located along Highway 101 are now required to pay a daily fee for parking.

Parking on site will now cost daily visitors a fee of $5, while an annual pass is also available for $50.

Last Friday, the The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County, which owns the property, started the new parking fee program.

According to the non-profit organization, the new policy has gone smoothly over the first few days and reaction from visitors so far has mostly been positive.

For many of the visitors on Tuesday, they said they understand the need for the fee and agree there is a need for the new policy.

“I think parking fee is great,” said Bob Armstrong of Nipomo. “I think it’s, long overdue. I think people need to support the Land Conservancy. “I think paying for these kinds of things to make lives people’s lives better. I think you’d be hard pressed to find a place where you can walk and hike or mountain bike ride, where you can see the ocean on your left, and you can see the mountains behind you on your right, and you’re on top of the hill. It’s a fantastic place.”

The Land Conservancy also acknowledged the new fee has been a hot topic since it was first announced two weeks ago, but said the money raised will allow the organization to help cover operational costs.

The organization pointed out does not receive any tax revenue for either local, state or federal agencies to support the Pismo Preserve, which costs $200,000 to operate annually.

Yearly donations to the Pismo Preserve add up to $50,000, so the Land Conservancy is hoping the new parking fee will cover the remaining $150,000 needed over the overall costs.

So far, the Land Conservancy reports it has sold 300 annual passes for total of $15,000.

“I come here two to three times a week,” said Howard Ingle of Grover Beach. “So $50 for a year doesn’t seem like anything. The $50 pass seems like a bargain.”

Visitors are able to purchase parking passes through a mobile app or with cash or credit card at a pay station located by the restrooms and kiosk.

“It was a really easy to,” said Kirsten Hatfield, visiting from Yucca Valley. “You scan the QR and you’re good to go. Super easy. It took us less than five minutes to get it all done.” 

The Pismo Preserve opened to the public in 2020 and provides hikers, mountain bikers and equestrian riders 11 miles of trails that travel through oak woodland and coastal ridgeways, which offer some of the most picturesque views in the entire state.

“I really like the views of the ocean,” said Ingle. “I like to get to the very top up there because that’s a good vertical challenge for me.  On certain times of year, you’ll see whales from up there. You can check out the surf at the Pismo Pier. There’s just some really cool things to look over at Shell Beach, all the way down to Avila and see all those views.”

Depending on weather conditions, visitors are able to look out to the Pacific Ocean and view panoramic scenery from the Irish Hills to the north to the Point Sal to the south.

For more information, click here to visit the Pismo Preserve webpage on the official website for The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County.

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA / LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) – We are learning more about the extended family of the 9-year-old girl from Vandenberg Village who was reported missing a week ago today.

Law enforcement first made contact with Melodee’s paternal grandmother last Thursday to inform her the 9-year-old girl was missing, when her grandmother hadn’t seen her in years.

When she was six months old, Melodee’s father died in a motorcycle accident.

His name was Rolando Rubiell “Pinoy” Meza. 

His mother, Melodee’s paternal grandmother Lilly Denes, is a sales executive for KEYT and Telemundo.

“He was a really good dad, very good son,” says Lilly. “We used to argue a little bit like every mother, but he was a very good son. Loved his daughter.”

With a candlelight vigil this Friday, Melodee’s family on her father Rubiell’s side seeks to keep attention on the case until Melodee is found.

“I think everybody’s looking and they’ll find her,” she says. “I just hope in the Lord that they find her soon, because this is a lot of a lot of pain for us.”

She also has requested that from now on her missing granddaughter be referred to as Melodee Buzzard-Meza.

(UPDATED 10/22) She clarifies to us that some time after Rubiell died, Melodee had been placed in Lilly’s custody, but that Ashlee took Melodee from the school she had been attending at the time and left Santa Barbara county. Lilly hasn’t seen her granddaughter since.

“I didn’t even know she lived there,” she says. “She’s been hiding from us, especially from me, because I’m the grandma and they gave it to us. So she’s always been scared that I’m going to go and just grab her and take her and get a lawyer and fight with her. I don’t want to fight.”

She is welcoming the whole community to Friday’s vigil.

“We’re going to do a vigil, candle light for prayers for my baby to come home. Please, if you’re watching this come and join us. I really appreciate it, my family will, we’re all going to be there and we have family coming from out of town for to pray for our baby. So please join us if you can. Thank you.”

Santa Barbara County Sheriffs and the FBI continue to ask the public’s help in locating Melodee, who may have been driven by her mother Ashlee as far away as Nebraska.

If you have seen Melodee or have any information, you can call he Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division (805) 681-4150. Those wishing to remain anonymous can provide information through the tip line at (805) 681-4171 or online at https://www.sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip/.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT). – Dos Pueblos High School took home both the boys and girls Athlete of the Week Awards at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheon inside Harry’s Plaza Cafe.

Junior water polo player Grant Nelson was honored on the boy’s side after he led the Chargers to a thrilling 14-13 triple-overtime win against Buena that gave DP the Channel League regular season title.

Nelson scored two goals in the extra sessions. He totaled 4 goals overall.

The girls winner is Dos Pueblos golfer Celeste Alcaraz who led the Chargers past Santa Barbara to win the Channel League championship and finish off an undefeated regular season.

Alcaraz shot a 40 to earn medalist honors.

(Alcaraz was medalist for DP in all of their league wins. Courtesy photo).

She did not attend the luncheon as she was competing in Oxnard.

At the Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table in Orcutt, Tavin Wilding was named the Athlete of the Week on the boy’s side.

The Valley Christian Academy running back rushed for 123 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 56-27 win against Coast Union.

No girls athlete was selected.

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