Author: KEYT

Patricia Martellotti

GOLETA, Calif. – Federal cuts are hitting home and hard for those in need of food here in Santa Barbara County.

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is taking a major hit as a result of the federal budget known as the Big Beautiful Bill.

“That was included nearly $200 billion in cuts to SNAP,” said grants manager Hannah Ryckman of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County.

As the nation’s largest hunger support program, these cuts has managers at the foodbank on edge.

“We are nervous for our neighbors … that this is going to deeply impact them,” said Ryckman.

In addition to SNAP, the cuts are impacting the USDA Food Distributions.

This means fewer dollars for struggling families, and fewer food deliveries for local food banks.

“My main concern is neighbors will not get the support they need and they’re going to have to decided between utilities and food or medicine and food and make some hard and possible choices,” said Ryckman.

Right now the foodbank is turning to key partners to help address the rising demands of their services.

“Really strengthen those relationships we serve over 2,000 nonprofits in the county so there are key partnerships that we want to strengthen,” said director of development Greg Mora of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County.

“My hope is we will be able to raise awareness and advocate for our neighbors and programs and policies that help them because they do impact us,” said Rickman.

According to the USDA, the cuts are part of broader federal belt-tightening.

But for people on the ground here in Santa Barbara, it’s a matter of hunger and health.

The foodbank encourages the community to learn more and help support these programs.

From the Santa Barbara County Foodbank:

Drastic Cuts to SNAP and USDA Support Will Deepen Food Insecurity in Santa Barbara County Foodbank of Santa Barbara County braces for a surge in need as a local safety net is stretched thin. Santa Barbara County, CA — On July 3, 2025, the “Big Beautiful Bill” was signed into law, enacting deep federal funding reductions—including approximately $295 billion in cuts to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and $863 billion from Medicaid over the next decade. These programs help stabilize low-income households and protect long-term community health. The legislation follows drastic cuts to USDA commodity food support, which had previously provided substantial food resources to food banks nationwide. 

In Santa Barbara County, more than 55,000 residents, including over 22,000 children, currently rely on SNAP benefits. With these changes, thousands of households stand to lose access to this essential food assistance. The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County saw a drastic increase in need when pandemic-era SNAP allotments were eliminated in Fiscal Year 2023; the number of neighbors served by the Foodbank increased by more than 40% that year. 

Pairing cuts from SNAP and Medicaid with a record-high cost of living and USDA food cuts in Santa Barbara County, which holds second place in California poverty rates, means that hunger and food insecurity rates locally will skyrocket. 

 “Together, these cuts represent over $ 1 Trillion of cuts to services for the poorest members of our communities and will lead directly to pushing even more families and older adults into food insecurity,” said Erik Talkin, CEO. 

Despite the challenges, the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is not backing down. The organization is responding by strengthening its core programs, streamlining internal resources, and leveraging trusted partnerships to meet rising demand without sacrificing impact.

Programs like Farm to Foodbank are helping to close the gap. This innovative new program sources produce directly from local, small-scale farms and puts it in the hands of those who need it most. This keeps fresh food in the region, supports local farmers, and ensures access to nutritious food. 

The Foodbank also collaborates with more than 200 partner agencies to ensure food reaches every part of the county. Mobile distributions, community-based pickups, and nutrition education initiatives are strategically aligned to serve neighbors more efficiently.

These efforts already support more than 215,000 people annually, and with the anticipated rise in need, the Foodbank is focused on doing more with its resources.

“We have the relationships, the infrastructure, and the will to meet this challenge,” said  Laurel Alcantar, Director of Marketing. “But we need the continued support of our community to sustain this work.”

The Foodbank encourages all community members to learn more and help support these programs.  Support through donations makes it possible to source and deliver fresh, healthy food throughout the county. Volunteers also play a vital role in ensuring food is packed, sorted, and distributed efficiently. Spreading awareness is another key way to help ensure everyone understands the reality of rising needs.To learn more or get involved, visitwww.foodbanksbc.org (https://url.us.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/zlzhC5yXGQcwAqp3COhZik_fYp?domain=foodbanksbc.org/)

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John Palminteri

CARPINTERIA, Calif. –  A suspicious fire over the weekend was very close to occupied homes in Carpinteria.

It broke out in the dry grass and vegetation at the Carpinteria Salt Marsh adjacent to the railroad tracks about 8:30 Saturday night.  This is behind Alisos School on Carpinteria Avenue and next to condos and manufactured homes where flying sparks could be an immediate risk.

The Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Department and the Los Padres National Forest had crews in the area quickly to keep the flames from spreading.

The cause is under investigation but witnesses in the area reported hearing illegal fireworks prior to this vegetation fire.

The 4th of July in Carpinteria also had many fireworks reported in unapproved areas. The city has a fireworks ban and added extra security around the waterfront to reduce the use of illegal fireworks.

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Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA, Calif. – A pedestrian lost her arm after being hit by a train at a railroad crossing east of Seaward Avenue just before 5:30 p.m. Monday, according to the Ventura Police Department

The woman tried carrying her bike while crossing the tracks when an Amtrak train going south hit the bike in the woman’s arms, detailed the VPD.

The 24-year-old woman, along with her detached arm, went to a hospital for treatment, where she is in stable condition as of 7:02 p.m. Monday, according to the VPD.

The bike appeared to be stuck on the tracks before the crash occurred, detailed the VPD.

Those with more information on the incident are asked to call the VPD.

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Andrew Gillies

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – A 28-year-old Santa Maria man was arrested during a traffic stop after almost two pounds of methamphetamine and about 1.5 ounces of fentanyl were recovered from the vehicle Sunday.

On July 6, around 6:30 p.m., officers pulled a vehicle over in the area of Smith and Morrison for a traffic law violation stated a press release Monday from the Santa Maria Police Department.

During the stop, officers learned that the driver, a 28-year-old Santa Maria man, had an outstanding warrant for his arrest shared the Santa Maria Police Department.

According to Santa Maria Police, a search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of about two pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 1.5 ounces of fentanyl and as a result, the Santa Maria man was arrested on charges related to the transportation and sale of narcotics.

The image below, courtesy of the Santa Maria Police Department, shows the seized narcotics from the Sunday traffic stop.

The 28-year-old was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail where he remains in custody added the Santa Maria Police Department.

Anyone with information about narcotics activity is asked to contact the Santa Maria Police Department at 805-928-3781 ext. 2277.

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Tracy Lehr

CARPINTERIA, Calif. – Residents in Carpinteria said they were surprised to see an apparent ICE raid in their town being shared on social media Monday morning, following the Fourth of July weekend.

The incident unfolded around 6:30 a.m. in the Smart & Final parking lot off Linden Avenue. Witnesses said both masked and unmasked men arrived in the lot, wearing tactical vests labeled “POLICE” and “ERO,” short for Enforcement and Removal Operations.

People immediately pulled out their phones and began recording the scene.

“I usually wake up and check my social media. I follow some Instagram accounts—that’s how I knew there was a raid here in the parking lot of Smart & Final,” said Guillermo G., a Carpinteria resident. “Seeing Latinos shopping in there… and then seeing ICE waiting for them after paying—it makes me a little nervous sometimes. I know my family is personally affected by this, so it’s very personal to me. This has been really hard on my family.”

Despite the visible federal presence, shoppers continued entering the store.

Witnesses said two individuals were taken into custody during the operation.

Some community members, reluctant to speak on camera, said the people detained “didn’t belong here.” Others expressed concern about the impact such raids could have on local businesses and the workforce.

Michael Mantalos, a Carpinteria resident, voiced his disappointment: “It’s disappointing because we were told that it was going to serve a purpose, and it seems like the purpose is just, you know, eliminate a presence that they are not comfortable with.”

Santa Barbara County Undersheriff Craig Bonner told Your News Channel that the Sheriff’s Office was not made aware of any federal agency activity in Carpinteria on Monday.

“Generally, federal agencies provide prior notice to local law enforcement to prevent operational conflicts, but that did not happen in this case,” Bonner said.

The budget bill signed into law by President Trump—dubbed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill”—includes funding for more ICE agents and bonuses, potentially signaling an increase in immigration raids along the Central Coast and across the country.

Local advocacy organizations, including La Casa de la Raza and the 805 Immigrant Coalition, are working to organize against these arrests.

“We stand firmly against the targeted arrests and the fear they bring to our neighborhoods,” said Jennifer Sanchez of La Casa de la Raza.

While some quietly support the raids, others fear their long-term impact. One thing most people seem to agree on: immigration enforcement remains one of the most divisive issues in the country this summer.

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Alissa Orozco

MONTECITO, Calif. – Construction on Highway 101 continues, and starting July 12th, construction work between the Montecito and Santa Barbara segments will shift southbound and new northbound lanes will opened up.

Funding for continuation of the project was just approved by the California Transportation Commission back in June, which secured the final push for the massive project to add an extra lane in both directions from Carpinteria to Santa Barbara.

On Saturday night, July 12th, southbound traffic from Olive Mill Road to Posilipo Lane will be moved to the median and divided by safety barriers. The southbound off-ramps at Olive Mill Road and San Ysidro Road will be closed down that night as well.

“The southbound on-ramp at Olive Mill Road will be closed for nine months for construction, and drivers can use a detour along North Jameson Lane to access the southbound on-ramp at Sheffield Drive. The southbound off-ramp at San Ysidro Road will close for three months, and drivers can use the southbound off-ramp at Sheffield Drive as a detour.”

This construction update comes just a little over a week after a new northbound lane was opened between Sheffield Drive and Hermosillo Road, along with a new northbound auxiliary lane between San Ysidro and Olive Mill Roads, and upgraded northbound on-ramps at San Ysidro Road and at Hermosillo Road.

Construction in the Montecito and Santa Barbara South segments is anticipated through 2026.

Work will continue in the Highway 101: Carpinteria to Santa Barbara project between Montecito and Santa Barbara segments to construct carpool lanes, improve on- and off-ramps, add new sound walls, update drainage improvements, and widen bridges over Romero, San Ysidro, and Oak Creeks. 

The community can stay updated on the project and sign up for biweekly construction updates on the project’s website, or by calling (805)-845-5112, or emailing info@SBROADS.com.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif – While the newly-released Jurassic World movie roared to the top of the box office, a real life discovery of a giant fossil happened along the Gaviota Coast.

He’s like a modern day Indiana Jones.

“I was super charging it a little bit,” said fossil enthusiast Chris Driesbach.

He was walking along the beach near Santa Barbara after the January storms in 2024 looking for petrified wood.

“I was seeing if any of that was along the beach .. didn’t have any luck … but I found something else,” said Driesbach.

He certainly did. 

To his amazement, Driesbach discovered the preserved skull of a whale that once lived over 13 million years ago.

“I was stunned … I was just sitting on a rock taking a break. I looked over and there was literally a whole whale just exposed,” said Driesbach.

When researchers at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History learned about Driesbach’s discovery, they were astonished.

“That’s pretty rare. It is very common to find just little bits and pieces … and even bits and pieces of skulls … but to find what looks like a complete skull … is really special,” said Dibblee Curator of Earth Science Jonathan Hoffman, Ph.D. of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

“So we’re looking at the front of the skull you can see the lower jaws on either side here and then the nose in the center … which still needs to be uncovered,” said Driesbach.

Recovery of the 5-foot long skull involved removing half a ton of rock in large blocks.

Then it was transported by helicopter to the museum for further study.

“What we’re doing here is starting the process of fossil preparation … which is the process removing rock that’s incased in the fossil bone … while also protecting and conserving the bone,” said Hoffman.

Now, Driesbach visits the Museum’s newly developed fossil prep lab to help cut away the rock surrounding the fossils.

“Slowly moving it away! It’s tough stuff! Really tough stuff! Yeah it is,” said Driesbach to Hoffman.

This painstaking process is expected to take hundreds of hours to complete.

“Maybe 300 or 400 hours of very tedious air scribe work … with these little handheld jackhammer’s … that just slowly chips away the rock,” said Driesbach.

The fossil is currently not on display, as researchers are working to identify the species.

“It’s an inconceivable amount of time … we have life spans on average 75 years … so to think in terms of millions of years … it’s just hard to think about,” said Driesbach.

As Driesbach drills away, researchers hope to one day shed more light on what once roamed California’s coast millions of years ago. 

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Hundreds of local agriculture students from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties helped kick off the Santa Barbara County Fair with the start of the Junior Livestock Show on Monday morning.

While the fair doesn’t officially open to the public until Wednesday, July 9, the event is now essentially underway with the beginning of this longtime tradition.

“Today and yesterday, we started moving all the animals in,” said Katie Tanksley, Santa Barbara County Fair Livestock Office Manager. “Today is the craziness. All the trailers are coming in and then we start weighing the animals this afternoon. The show will start tomorrow and we’ll start doing all of the classes for market and showmanship.”

The livestock show has long served as the backbone of the county fair, an event where local agricultural students show and auction a variety of animals they have raised over the past several months.

“These kids have been working for months on end,” said Russell Zimmerman, Nipomo High School agricultural teacher. “They’ve been working towards making these projects something that is going to be sold, and something that’s quality. The product these kids are producing here is something far beyond that of what the average person seen in the grocery store. They’re spending hours and hours every single day making sure these animals are getting treated well.”

The Junior Livestock Show helps educate students on the value and importance of the agricultural industry, which is vital to the economic vitality of the Santa Maria Valley and surrounding areas.

“It’s such a fulfilling experience,” said Abigail Danley, Nipomo High School FFA President. “It’s crazy because animal that you get so close with you, you get to show off to all the judges. You learn so much from it. More than just learning how to care for think. It’s like caring for a human being. We stay at our school farm and we have to learn communication and responsibility, and taking care of an animal. It’s just fulfilling and it’s exciting.”

On Monday, all students who are showing large size livestock are scheduled to have their animals weighed.

Tuesday will mark the beginning of the marketplace show for swine, sheep, goats and other small animals, while the beef showmanship will start later in the week.

The livestock show and auction culminates with the auction, which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday. Some students will take home several hundred dollars, while others may actually take home several thousands in profit.

The Santa Barbara County Fair runs July 9-13 For more information, click here.

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John Palminteri

CARPINTERIA, Calif. – Buckets and bags of trash and other items have been retrieved on Central Coast beaches since the 4th of July weekend in focused cleanups.

Thousands of people came out at many popular seaside locations including Carpinteria City Beach, Butterfly Beach in Montecito, West Beach in Santa Barbara and Shoreline Park.

Although city and county officials saw less widespread trash, there were overflowing trash cans and many areas that had discarded items without an attempt to clean up.

Some efforts were led by the City of Santa Barbara and the non-profit groups, Channel Keeper and Tidy Seas.

At each location, hundreds of pounds of trash was collected either during organized clean ups, or over the three-day weekend by both volunteers and community members in the area.

Both Carpinteria and Santa Barbara have a designated group for volunteers to clean up specific sites. . They are “Carpinteria Beautiful” and “Santa Barbara Beautiful.”

The city of Santa Barbara also has a forward planning Sustainability Department that works with its staff, volunteers, and other departments on these types of projects at the beach, nearby streets and creeks. Extra trash cans and boxes were added in areas expected to have large crowds over the weekend.

Preplanning was done weeks in advance by the Waterfront, Public Works and the Parks and Recreation Departments.

Monday morning, 150 Junior Lifeguards in Carpinteria who are taking part in seven weeks of activities, learned about environmental responsibilities and joined in on a clean up. They marched from their starting point in search of leftover bottles, cans, paper and microplastics. The kids came back with their discoveries and took part in a prize raffle for their efforts. The effort was supported by Mountain Air Sports and the Santa Barbara Landing with staff and many giveaway gifts.

City Councilman Wade Nomura visited the program to see what the Junior Lifeguards were learning. “Seeing the youth getting involved in this especially at our beach and oceans is outstanding. We try to train them but then we get programs like this,  it makes a huge difference,” he said.

Ryan Wong with Tidy Seas came with pop-ups, buckets and special trash pickers donated by the City of Santa Barbara and Sherwin Williams paint.  As he filled up large bags he said, “we got cigarette butts,  we have candy wrappers. beer bottles,  beer cans a lot of fireworks shrapnel and a kids chair found on the bike path.”      

Sunday morning The Tidy Seas non profit was out between the harbor and the wharf with a solid load of larger items and all the way down to micro plastics. “Staying busy this weekend, cleaning up the beach and educating from the young to the old,” said Wong.

Lexi Persoon is with the City of Carpinteria Aquatics and Junior Lifeguards program. She says, “I think once you teach children when they are young  how to take care of the earth they will do that into their adulthood. I think a lot of them already have those values now but to reenforce those behaviors is something we want to do in our program.”

Members of the Carpinteria Rotary were out Sunday evening on the city beach for a cleanup effort followed by a pizza party on the sand as the sun set.

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Jarrod Zinn

TEMPLETON, Calif. – A piece of Templeton’s history was destroyed in a fire over the 4th of July weekend.

It was started by an illegal firework, and investigators are now looking for the people responsible.

For more than a century, Templeton Feed & Grain has been a community staple, and a visual icon – making its mark even on the city’s emergency service vehicles, which display an image of the structure.

“It’s been here 121 years and someone decided that this year they were going to burn it down, which is terrible,” says Nick Perez, who grew up in Templeton and now lives in Atascadero.

On Friday night, an illegal firework was thrown at the historic building, sparking a massive fire.

Residents were advised to conserve water while firefighters battled the blaze.

“My crews arrived on scene, and they actually saw active smoke and fire,” says Tom Peterson, chief of the Templeton Fire Department. “They upgraded it to a commercial response. When I arrived on scene, I asked for a what was called a second alarm because we had fire actually coming out through the roof of the Feed and Grain itself.”

Three days later, firefighters are still trying to put out hotspots while a full demolition is taking place simultaneously.

“Unfortunately, due to the amount of damage, it became unsafe,” says chief Peterson. “So, yeah, it has to be completely taken down.”

A group of 4 to 6 individuals dressed in dark clothing, one carrying a backpack, are of interest to authorities, as well as a group of people who may have spoken to them just before the fire broke out.

“It’s the—kind of the icon of our, our community. Yeah, it’s a hit,” says chief Peterson. “It was a firework. Yeah, an illegal firework. I want to make that really clear. it was an illegal firework.

Authorities are asking for anyone with additional information, images or video footage to contact the Templeton Fire Department or SLO County Sheriff’s Office.

“You don’t just accidentally burn a place like this down, you know,” says Perez. “There has to be intent behind it. There’s no—it’s no mystery here.”

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