Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) An interfaith vigil marked the longest night of the year.
Santa Barbara County workers invited people to come together to remember lives lost while experiencing homelessness.
They gathered for the annual Longest Night Memorial at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse arch.
The event offered space for reflection, remembrance, and community.
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) The Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory host another successful Kids Day on Sunday.
It’s a day when the popular local business gives children in need free glasses, following free eye exams.
“We’ve been doing for, more than 30 years now and, and it’s all about the community,” said Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory President Gregg Feldman.
He has worked alongside his father Rick for years and together the Feldman family has been giving back for decades.
Optometrist Dr. Joshua Pe said Sunday was his first Kids Day.
“It’s a great way to give back to the community and, you know, really be active as a part of, the Santa Barbara community,” said Pe.
Feldman said they served about 100 kids.
Some of the children had never had an eye exam.
“We’re able to help the community. Help support the community in a special way. The kids really appreciate, sometimes for the first time, they get glasses that they didn’t know they needed,” said Feldman.
They had help on Sunday from a special Santa Claus who shared his own story.
“When I was a young man, my family was very poor. And there was an elderly gentleman in our neighborhood that used to bring gift, one year I asked him what he would like from me in return for his kindness and he told me when I got older, I d like you to pay this forward,” said Santa.
Kids Day helps children see clearly in school and life.
“There’s a real need for, for the, the kids and families. Some of which just can’t afford glasses. And, when when kids can’t see, they can’t achieve their potential,” said Feldman.
Mike Klan
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT). –
Tournament of Champions:
JSerra defeated Camarillo 52-35 to win the championship in the Gold Division.
Earlier in the day in the semifinals JSerra routed Oaks Christian 82-41 while Camarillo knocked off Orcutt Academy 56-39.
In the third place game Orcutt Academy beat Oaks Christian 57-50 while Thousand Oaks edged St. Joseph 52-51 in the consolation final.
Arroyo Grande took home the Green Division title with a 39-35 victory over Paramount.
AG had beaten Mission Prep 35-30 and Paramount knocked off San Luis Obispo 51-41 in semifinal action.
Westlake won the consolation final with a 61-35 victory over Pacifica.
Dos Pueblos lost to St. Joseph 72-45 but beat Mission Prep 59-30 later in the day.
Senior Carly Letendre scored 22 points versus Mission Prep and became the Chargers all-time leading scorer. The guard now has 1,148 points and counting.
DP is now 7-7 on the season.
San Marcos defeated San Luis Obispo 54-35 and lost to Thousand Oaks 51-29.
Santa Barbara lost a pair of game, 48-31 to Westlake and 41-19 to Buena.
Jim Bashore Holiday Cage Classic in Carpinteria:
Dos Pueblos defeated Santa Ynez 56-53 and will play Pasadena Poly in Monday’s final at 7pm. Poly beat Foothill Tech of Ventura 59-37.
The DP Chargers were led Wyatt Gardiner who scored 22 points and had 11 rebounds for his second straight double-double in the tournament.
Coulter Jay also put up double-figures in points and rebounds with 14 and 12 respectively.
Santa Ynez got 17 points from Jude Pritchard and will play in the third place game against Foothill Tech on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
Host Carpinteria will play at 2:30 p.m. against Channel Islands in the 7th place game while Cabrillo meets Arroyo Grande at 4 p.m. in the consolation final.
Girls Water Polo Bill Barnett Invitational:
San Marcos beat Foothill 7-4 and Corona del Mar 20-11 to finish in fifth place.
Mater Dei won the tournament with a 10-9 victory over Newport in the championship game.
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) A journalist known for covering Ronald Reagan for decades has died .
Lou Cannon called Summerland in. Santa Barbara County home.
His journalist son Carl Cannon said his father died Dec. 19th in hospice care, following a stroke.
Cannon served as White House correspondent and wrote a number of book about President Reagan.
Cannon was also friend to KEYT-TV.
The respected journalist always welcomed reporters into his home to video his comments on complex and timely issues.
He kept writing about politics with columns online.
Cannon is survived by his wife Mary and a number of children and grandchildren.
Lou Cannon was 92.
Tracy Lehr
VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) A Roper Romp took place in the Ventura Harbor.
A Roper Romp involves fans of the 1970’s sitcom “Three’s Company” dressed up as the iconic Mrs. Helen Roper.
Its has turned into a nationwide phenomenon.
Some groups raise money for local charities.
The Mrs. Ropers walked around Ventura Harbor Village that also had a number of free holiday events going on.
Tracy Lehr
OXNARD, Calif. (KEYT) The Kidz Matter Toy Giveaway took place at Legacy Martial Arts in Oxnard.
Co-founders said every child deserves the magic of Christmas.
They also said when they asked people to help Merry Christmas they delivered.
It turned out to be a heartwarming day of joy.
Brandy Beesley said they are focused fighting poverty and the future of the children.
“In the future in 2026 we are looking to just kind of touch families get into the youth give them leadership mentorship and a lot of things that a lot of them don’t have and sometimes they just need one person who believes in them and shows them a different path of life so that they believe in themselves,” said Beesley.
The giveaway was open to children of all ages and children had a chance to choose their own gifts.
Families including those with newborns posed for photos with Santa, Mrs. Claus and The Grinch.
For more information visit https://oxnardmartialarts.com
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The 2026 annual waterfront permits are now on sale in Santa Barbara.
The artwork features a Great White Shark chosen by the public through a social media survey.
The sea lion was favored by 20 percent of those responding and the shark was 22 percent making it the majority.
The permits are valid from the day of purchase. Those who have purchased the passes this month have had an added savings for the coming year. In some cases 13 months.
The cost is $145.00 each.
They are available on line or in person at the Waterfront Department office in the harbor.
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Parents will be able to give the gift of sight for the holidays in Santa Barbara.
This Sunday for the 31st year, the Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory is hosting its Kids Day.All children 18 and under with their parent or guardian will be able to get a free eye exam along with a free pair of glasses.The store has stocked up on special frames and styles the children will be able to choose from.They include some of the trendy and fashionable looks the kids like. For the owners this is a commitment to make sure all kids can see well for school, home and leisure activities.
Gregg Feldman is the The Eyeglass Factory President and gives credit to his dad Rick who started the program more than three decades ago.
He enjoys describing the reaction from children when they get their glasses. “The ones that get the most satisfaction when they put on glasses and they literally don’t know what they have been missing and they needed glasses. Their face brightens up and they see the difference literally. “
He says they have enjoyed their relationship with the customers and neighbors where they have stores. “We love to give back and give the kids what they really need.”
The kids day will take place only at the Eyeglass Factory store on Milpas Street in Santa Barbara..It will take place from 9 a.m. To 2 p.m. Extra staff will be on hand to process all the orders for the children. Parents can also check out the many choices of glasses for themselves, but this holiday special is just for the kids.
Mike Klan
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT). –
High School Boys Basketball: Jim Bashore Holiday Cage Classic Day 1 at Carpinteria High School:
Dos Pueblos 62, Arroyo Grande 51: Wyatt Gardiner 25 pts. 10 reb. for DP; AG vs CI Saturday 2:30 p.m.
Santa Ynez 69, Channel Islands 39 Santa Ynez vs DP Saturday 5:30 p.m.
Foothill Tech 67, Carpinteria 50 Carp vs Cabrillo Saturday 7 p.m.
Polytechnic 58, Cabrillo 37 Poly vs Foothill Tech Saturday 4 p.m.
High School Girls Basketball: Tournament of Champions Day 1 at Santa Barbara & San Marcos HS:
Gold Division:
JSerra 66, Dos Pueblos 57: Kindah Ahmad-Reda 21 pts for DP.
(Entenza Design)
Camarillo 54, San Marcos 52: Daniela Rocha 30 points for Scorpions
Oaks Christian 58, St. Joseph 55
Orcutt Academy 52, Thousand Oaks 49
Green Division:
Arroyo Grande 57, Santa Barbara 20
San Luis Obispo 43, Buena 31
Paramount 55, Pacifica 39
Mission Prep 42, Westlake 35
Saturday Schedule at SBHS
Dos Pueblos vs St. Joseph 9 a.m.
Westlake at Santa Barbara 10:30 a.m.
JSerra vs Oaks Christian 12 p.m.
Camarillo vs Orcutt Academy 1:30 p.m
Saturday Schedule at San Marcos HS
Pacifica vs Buena 9 a.m.
Thousand Oaks vs San Marcos 10:30 a.m.
Paramount vs San Luis Obispo 12:00 p.m.
Mission Prep vs Arroyo Grande 1:30 p.m.
High School Girls Water Polo:
Bill Barnett Invitational:
San Marcos 15, Beckman 13
Newport Harbor 19, San Marcos 10
Mike Klan
WESTWOOD, Calif. (KEYT) – Cal Poly knocked down 9 first-half three-pointers and led UCLA 45-43 at halftime before the Bruins offense erupted in the second half to avoid the upset.
UCLA scored 65 second half points, the most by a Bruins team since 2000, and beat the Mustangs 108-87 to move to 9-3 on the year.
Skyy Clark scored a game-high 30 points for the Bruins who improved to 8-0 at home.
Cayden Ward scored 21 points to lead Cal Poly who fell to 5-8 on the season.
This was the 8th all-time meeting between the two teams but first since 2015. UCLA now leads 7-1 with the Mustangs lone win coming in 2012 when they upset the 11th ranked Bruins.
Cal Poly hosts Idaho on Sunday, December 21st at 4 p.m. in the Mustangs final game of 2025.
