Author: KEYT

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The annual Kite Festival at Santa Barbara City College is on hold until the rain passes through this weekend.

The 40th anniversary of this high flying event was set for Sunday but it is being moved to April 19th.

It will take place in the “Great Meadow” on the west campus lawn.

The hours will be the same 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the new date.

This years theme is “You and Me” in celebration of the cooperation, love and laughter that comes with flying a kite.

April is also Kite Month in the city of Santa Barbara.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is celebrating a major milestone, marking a century of preserving California’s native plants while advancing urgent conservation efforts.

From redwood groves to flowing streams, the garden has welcomed generations of visitors over the past 100 years, offering a living showcase of the state’s natural beauty. Guests say each visit brings something new – with spring blooms, shaded trails, and sweeping landscapes creating an experience that feels both vibrant and ever-changing.

This year’s centennial celebration highlights the garden’s long-standing role as a leader in native plant conservation. Scientists and educators say protecting these plants is essential to sustaining the wildlife and ecosystems that depend on them.

A key focus now carries added urgency: saving the rare Torrey pine. Found naturally in only two locations — near San Diego and on Santa Rosa Island — the species faces unique challenges, including the inability to preserve its seeds through traditional seed banking methods.

To help safeguard its future, the garden has established a dedicated conservation grove. Seeds carefully collected from Santa Rosa Island are being cultivated into young trees, creating a living collection that researchers say is critical to the species’ survival.

The effort is drawing attention from visitors, many of whom say the conservation work adds deeper meaning to their experience. Garden leaders note that more than 100,000 people are expected to take part in the centennial celebration, connecting the public directly with the mission of preservation.

As the garden honors its past, it continues to look ahead — inspiring exploration, education, and action to ensure California’s native landscapes endure for generations to come.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Ten schools and more than 160 swimmers converged on the pool deck at San Marcos High School for the Tri County Invite.

The Royals were the host with the most winning both the overall girls and boys team competition.

San Marcos girls beat second place Dos Pueblos 522-439.50 and San Marcos boys defeated second place Cate 466.50 -333.50.

In combined scores San Marcos beat Dos Pueblos 988.50 -764.50 with Cate third at 646.50.

Race results can be found here: file:///Users/news.user/Downloads/Tri%20County%20Invite%202026%20Results%20(1).pdf

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The rain might wreak havoc across the Central Coast this weekend, but the best ticket in town just might be a place where you don’t have to dodge raindrops, but instead watch it raining threes.

The Oakland Soldiers basketball organization — which launched a Central Coast chapter in 2025 — returns to Santa Barbara on Sunday for its annual Soldier Showcase, which will include the jersey retirement of projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick AJ Dybantsa.

The All-American at BYU played for the Soldiers in 2024, the latest in elite players that have come through the organization, including LeBron James, Aaron Gordon, Gabe Vincent, Kendrick Perkins and dozens of other professional players.

On Sunday, AJ will share the spotlight with a high-flying dunk contest that will feature legendary Southern California dunker Christon Staples; a 3-point contest with former UCSB star Aidan Mahaney; and the spectacle that is playing 1-on-1 against Jerome Randle in a King of the Court competition.

Local families wanting to learn more about grassroots basketball; how the Soldiers address the complex world of youth athletics through their non-profit, the FAM Foundation; and how the organization sets families up for success on and off the court, this event will cater to those looking to be inspired, educated and empowered to take the next step.

Tickets are still available, and you can find them at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/soldiers-showcase

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The countdown to the 83rd Annual Santa Maria Elks Rodeo and Parade is now officially underway with the recent announcement of this year’s Queen Contest candidates.

During the annual Queen Kickoff and Auction Dinner held at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge, the candidates and their sponsoring non-profit organizations that were revealed included, Reiyna Sarin (Allan Hancock College Athletic Boosters) Savannah Salcido (Kiwanis Club of Guadalupe), Annabella Williams (Los Alamos Valley Men’s Club), and Morgan Fasse (St. Joseph High School).

“The Queen Kickoff is when they start raising funds for their organizations,” said Elks Recreation President Peter Sterling. “Each one of them has the opportunity to raise as much money as they can and the one that raises the most money is the one that wins the Queen crown.”

Over the next seven weeks, the candidates and sponsoring organizations will raise money through a variety of different fundraisers and events.

“Typically, there’s a couple of auctions going on,” said Sterling. “That’s a lot of the main fundraisers. I have one organization that is raffling off a brand new Corvette. You can buy some tickets for that and at the end of the campaign, they have a drawing and you can be the winner. There’s a lot of fun events that you can go to and a lot of creative ways that they raise money. Check out their Facebook websites and I’ll bet you’ll find something that’ll really interests you.”

The contest will culminate with the announcement of the winner and the coronation of the new Queen on Friday, May 29.

Since it was created more than 80 years ago, the Queen Contest has raised more than $18 million with all the money directly supporting local youth recreation and activities.

“Nothing goes outside of this community,” said Sterling. “The City of Santa Maria and its outlying areas have all benefited from that obviously and we really appreciate it. We’re one of the unique programs that I’ve heard of like this. I haven’t heard of any other organizations in the rodeo, world, that have really tried this kind of a contest.”

The 83rd Annual Santa Maria Elks Rodeo and Parade will be held May 27 through May 31.

Opening night for the second straight year will be the performance of Xtreme Bulls, followed by four consecutive days of the traditional schedule of Elk Rodeo events.

For more information, click here to visit the official Elk Rodeo website at elksrec.com.

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Jarrod Zinn

BUELLTON / SOLVANG, Calif. (KEYT) – The City Of Buellton’s Arts Council is helping a local couple adopt with their first community theatre production, ‘Annie: The Musical.’

The ensemble cast is from several communities in and near the Santa Ynez Valley.

‘Annie: The Musical’ will feature cast members of all ages from all over the Santa Ynez Valley and beyond.

It’s the first performing arts initiative coming from the Buellton Arts Council, opening for only two nights on April 17-18 at the Solvang Festival Theater.

“Tickets are going fast,” says 9-year-old Lily Anne Wolfe, who lives in Buellton and is playing the title character Annie. “You don’t want to wait. You don’t want to wait.”

The company quickly evolved into the Santa Ynez Valley Community Theatre, with cast members from several surrounding communities.

“I really wanted, an intergenerational thing,” says the show’s director, Allison Firey. “So they’re learning from community members who have done this, and then they’re also gaining the really wonderful opportunity to work with professional actors as well.”

Including an appearance from ‘Yours Truly’ as New York City’s famous radio announcer Bert Healy, reminding listeners, “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile.”

“Allison and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet in 2001,” says Lloyd Alexander-Holt, a professional actor from Missouri who is playing Warbucks. “She reached out when the idea first just kind of came to light, and it was just on the drawing board And of course, we were all in.”

The theme of adoption in the show runs close to the heart for many who are involved.

“It makes sense to me,” says Lily Wolfe. “I had the same problem when I found out that I wasn’t with my real parents. But I didn’t go on a big adventure, though. I was just figuring out who it was, like, Annie, trying to find out who it was.”

The director, who lives in Buellton and works for the city, has initiated a fundraising effort in direct connection to the show for a Los Alamos couple who are adopting fraternal twins.

“Cassie’s sister is in a tough position and found out she was pregnant with fraternal twins,” says Nick Conforti. “And she asked us to step in and take them.”

The twins are due next month.

QR codes in the program will lead attendees to the SpotFund page to donate to Nicholas and Cassandra Conforti.

“The adoption piece is very special to me as well,” says Fiery. “My oldest is adopted, and, she made everything whole for us.”

Rehearsing at the Solvang Theater and Jonata Middle School’s multipurpose room in Buellton, the cast is putting the final pieces together, overcoming challenges such as this weekend’s weather.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The sands of time were starting to run out for the Santa Barbara Waterfront Department as tons of sand began clogging the entrance, but help is on the way.

The federal government through the Army Corps of Engineers is sending about $6.1 million to City of Santa Barbara to pay for dredging possibly twice a year.

A dredge is in the harbor now removing sand, but it was delayed for months to wait until the last possible time when the sand was starting to have an impact of vessels going in and out.

The money for this dredging operation was the last in the budget and new funds had not been promised for the first time in years.

Waterfront officials were on high alert. They were both looking for other money and timing the last use of the current funds.

If more sand were to arrive, the harbor entrance would be impassable for some vessels.

At low tide last month the depth already was only about ten feet.

Boat owner and former Waterfront Commissioner Steve Byrd said, “the fishing fleet, it denies them of their whole livelihood and the Coast Guard boat for emergencies.”

Commercial Fisherman Gary Burke said it has had the lake effect in the past , ” when nobody could go out and that would create a lot of lawsuits which we don’t need.”

He says the fishing fleet is very valuable to the area. “II tell people Santa Barbara Harbor has one of the strongest commercial fleets on the coast. My boat was built in Crescent City. There are only one or two rows of commercial boats and there used to be eight or nine. If you go to Morro Bay at the byback there’s nothing left and commercial fishing unfortunately it is a dying industry and this is one of the strong holds. “

The funds were announced by Rep. Salud Carbajal (D)-California from Santa Barbara County.

Mayor Randy Rowse has also been back in Washington D.C. for several reasons, but also to lobby for the funds.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – San Marcos High School is city champions in both boys and girls track and field.

The Royals boys cruised to victory beating Dos Pueblos 89-38 and Santa Barbara 88-39.

The San Marcos girls edged DP 65-62 and knocked off the Dons 86-41.

San Marcos Highlights:

Senior Logan Patterson Deakyne won all four of the events that he ran for the Royals.

He captured the 100 meter hurdles (15.86), 400 meter (49.76), 300 meter hurdles (39.32) and he was on the Royals winning 4×400 relay team.

Senior TJ Deakyne won the long jump (21-8.00), triple jump (43-03.00) and the high jump along with Dos Pueblos sophomore Zaden Battle, each clearing 6-02.00.

Other San Marcos highlights include: Sofia Hernandez winning both the girls 1600m (5:20.63) and the 3200m (11:43.63); Elsie Tuttle wins the girls 400m (1:01.10), Wyatt Degnar captures the boys 1600m (4:35.55), Drew Vogel wins the boys 3200m (10:09.34), Myles Gonzalez takes the top spot in the boys pole vault 12-00.00.

The Royals won both the boys and girls 4×100 relay.

Dos Pueblos Highlights:

Yana Martin wins the girls 100m hurdles (17.59), Hazel Burgess wins the 100m (12.91), Kellan Cotter takes the double in the boys sprints, winning the 100m (11.15), and 200m (22.26), Iyla Herrick captures the girls 800m (2:25.59), the Chargers also won the girls 4x400m relay. Luna Gnagy is tops in the girls high jump at 5-00.00, Zaden Battle tops the boys high jump at 6-02.00, Alix Hollingsworth wins the girls discus at 114-05, Ty Perkins takes the boys discus crown at 138-06.

Santa Barbara Highlights:

Elina Stump wins the girls long jump (17-09.50), the triple jump (37-07.50), and the 200m (26.10).

(Stump won 3 individual events for the Dons. Entenza Design).

Kik Van Engelen claims the boys 800m (2:06.25), Olivia Arevalo won the girls 300m hurdles (51.38), Nonia Brown wins the girls shot put (30-03.50) while Malachi Johnston is the boys champion (51-10.00).

(Cal Poly-bound Malachi Johnson wins the shotput by almost ten feet. Entenza Design).

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John Palminteri

GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) – The eighth location for Rori’s Creamery may be one of the sweetest for ice cream lovers and owner Rori Trovato.

It is on Storke Road across from Target. But it is also in a tasty location for a blend of business.

The location ran a line all day Friday when free scoops of ice cream were given out during a Grand Opening special.

Some guests had been familiar with Rori’s. Others gave it a try for the first time to taste the organic creamery recipes that come out of a Carpinteria production facility.

Trovato says Rori’s Goleta site is going to be popular with area residents in a very populated section of the city along with students from UC Santa Barbara or Isla Vista and with sports teams at Girsch Park across the street.

The location has ample parking because it is part of a large shopping center.

It is the first Rori’s in Goleta. Other nearby locations include two in Santa Barbara (Public Market and Coast Village Road) and one in Carpinteria (Linden Ave).

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The first two cruise ships of the season could bring more than 6,000 passengers to Santa Barbara Wednesday and Thursday.

The overall cruise ship business has been reworked in Santa Barbara after city meetings with concerned groups who raised environmental concerns.

In the past as many as 30 cruise ships were visiting per year.

Now the city policy is for a maximum of 20 per year, with no cruise ship stops in the summer. There are also no cruise ship stops on weekends.

Ships do not dock and use tenders or small boats to bring passengers to the Santa Barbara Landing.

Strict environmental guidelines are followed and routinely checked by the Waterfront staff and oversight groups concerned about water quality and waste disposal.

The Waterfront Department collects a fee of $15 per passenger whether they disembark or not.

Each passenger can stop by a hospitality team on Cabrillo Boulevard and get information on local sights, shops, restaurants, and the downtown area.

Shuttle and tour vehicles also pick up there.

The first ship is the Royal Princess which arrived at 7:00 a.m. It will depart at 4:30 p.m. It has a capacity of 3,560.

The second ship Brilliant Lady (Thursday) will arrive at 8:00 a.m. and depart at 6 p.m. with a capacity of 2,770.

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