Author: KEYT

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The debut of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) Film Center is on track to completion by the beginning of the year.

Crews have been tearing out the inside of the building in the 900 block of State Street and creating what Executive Director Roger Durling has said would be one-of-a-kind ‘movie palace.’

The goal was to have it finished by the 2026 International Film Festival where it will serve as the main site for the 200 films. The Arlington Theatre up the street will remain the location for the tributes than can draw 2000 movie fans.

The former Fiesta Five theatre will still have its five screens and seating will remain in line with what was there before. Three theatres will have more than 200 seats and two will have 100 seats.

The theater, which opened in November of 2024, is in an existing building for a Santa Barbara parking lot.

The festival staff ran it until May then work began on a brand new state-of-the-art five-screen theatre in the heart of Downtown Santa Barbara.

It was previously run by Metropolitan Theatres.

The new theatre will have a new entrance with a “red carpet” feel from the tile design. It will also have a fully accessible inside ramp for those who are mobility challenged.

The lobby will have state of the art ticketing in person or with phone apps.

The bathrooms will have more stalls and multiple entrances and exits.

One of the changes will be a substantial increase in insulation. That will keep the sound from each theatre from getting into another film showing. It will also help muffle and sound from the parking structure above the ceiling.

The work is being done by Consolidated Contractors.

The project costs is $20-million dollars. Fundraising is ongoing but more than half of it has been secured.

(More details, video and photos will be added later today)

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News Channel 3-12

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – On Monday it was announced the Jimmy Kimmel late-night show would be returning after a temporary suspension by ABC amid criticism of the host’s comments on the assassination of the late Charlie Kirk.

Broadcasting companies Sinclair and Nexstar have decided to keep Jimmy Kimmel off the air at their ABC affiliated stations across the country, “to avoid further inflaming a tense situation at an emotional moment for our country.”

Your News Channel 3-12 (KEYT) is owned by News-Press & Gazette Company, and as an ABC affiliated station, Jimmy Kimmel will run tonight on News Channel 3.

Kimmel is planning to address the controversy in his monologue on Tuesday night, a source familiar with Kimmel’s plans told CNN. His show airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m.

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Jarrod Zinn

ORCUTT, Calif. (KEYT) – A Righetti High School student was arrested Monday afternoon in possession of marijuana vapes and a loaded handgun.

Local parents are expressing their concerns largely on social media.

The arrest is reported to have taken place at 1:30pm Monday, after the student was uncooperative and a school resource deputy had to get involved.

Some local parents took to social media to express their alarm.

“The school resource deputy for Righetti High School was alerted by school administrators that they were contacting somebody that was using a vape in a restroom,” says Raquel Zick, spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. “When the deputy responded, which took him less than a minute because he was already on campus, he attempted to contact the student. The student failed to comply and the deputy had to physically take him into custody.”

Some of the online comments are concerned the school’s announcement in response did not make it clear the weapon that was found was a loaded firearm.

The sheriff’s office says right now this appears to be an isolated incident.

“We do want people to know that there’s no additional charge that goes with that possession of the revolver,” says Zick. “There’s no indication that this was furtherance of an additional crime. So right now it’s just the possession of the revolver, the vape on campus, and the resisting arrest charge.”

The school deputy sustained minor injuries but is already back on the job.

A few parents say they have let their kids stay home from school following the arrest.

On Monday, the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District released the following statement.

“Earlier this afternoon, members of the RHS admin and security team initiated a search of a student based on concerns regarding possible drug activity. The student did not cooperate, prompting the involvement of the School Resource Deputy (SRD). During the search, a weapon was discovered and immediately secured. The student was taken into custody by the SRD without incident.

The RHS Administration would like to reassure our school community that the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. The Administration is treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and is working closely with law enforcement to ensure appropriate action is taken.”

On Tuesday, Santa Maria Joint Union High School District spokesman Kenny Klein told us quote,

“We are continuing to cooperate with an active law enforcement investigation so there’s not much I can say at this time. counseling services have been made available for those that request it. lastly, I’d like to re-emphasize that the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority.’’

Some folks online say incidents like these are why some parents are opting for home-schooling.

According to the pew research center, a post-pandemic surge in homeschooling is fueled by the recent rise in violence-related incidents at public schools.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The sound of laughter, music, and painting fills the room offering comfort for those living with dementia.

“I’m happy … yeah .. I like get away and I like the idea of making new friends … yeah … it’s better than just being stuck at home,” said client Dorothy Kuhn of the Friendship Center.

Families caring for loved ones with dementia know how valuable every hour of support can be.

“It’s a chance for members to come and be with the community that we all feel together like a family … a time of friendship and fun and it gives the families also a time of respite,” said activity program coordinator Maria Porter of the Friendship Center.

The Friendship Center is adding that extra hour starting October 13 to give caregivers more flexibility.

Leaders say every extra hour of care will help families juggling work and caregiving.

“I love it people here are great and I’m meeting people close to my own age,” said Kuhn.

The expansion is possible thanks to a national grant from the Center for Dementia Respite Innovation.

For nearly 50 years, the non-profit has offered affordable adult day programs in Montecito and Carpinteria, supporting both participants and their families in maintaining health, social connection, and independence.

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Mike Klan

ORCUTT, Calif. (KEYT). – Cabrillo High School running back Andre Brisco was named Male Athlete of the Week at the Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table luncheon at Giovanni’s in Orcutt.

Brisco rushed for 235 yards with 4 touchdowns as Cabrillo routed Taft 62-7.

Cabrillo is at Pioneer Valley on Friday.

The Female Athlete of the Week goes to Orcutt Academy golfer Emalie Galaites who was not in attendance due to a match.

She fired a 44 to claim medalist in a win over Santa Maria.

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Caleb Nguyen

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – A Righetti High School student was arrested for having a loaded handgun and marijuana possession on school grounds at 1:30 p.m. Monday, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

A school staff member notified a School Resource Deputy of a male student possibly smoking marijuana in a school bathroom, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

The student refused to stop when asked and resisted the SRD, leading to a struggle between the two, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

The SRD had minor injuries from the struggle and the student’s belongings were searched, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies found marijuana vapes and a loaded handgun in the student’s backpack before taking him to a local hospital for medical attention, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

Once the student received medical clearance, he was booked into the Santa Maria Juvenile Hall for firearm possession on school grounds, resisting arrest, and marijuana possession for a person under 18 on school grounds, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

Santa Maria Joint Union School District Public Information Officer Kenny Klein thanked the following people in a statement on the incident:

The RHS Administration would like to reassure our school community that the safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. The Administration is treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and is working closely with law enforcement to ensure appropriate action is taken.

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – When the Trump Administration cited Mount Sinai and Harvard researchers who found associations between acetaminophen exposure in early pregnancy, over long periods, and neurodevelopment disorders, President Trump said, “Taking Tylenol is not good.”

But one of scientists in that very study said the administration may be “jumping the gun.”

The director of the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Koegel Autism Center Dr. Ty Vernon said the announcement Monday was not based on scientific consensus.

“Current Scientific evidence does not support direct link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism. While some studies show some association between the two, higher quality studies show no evidence of causal link,” said Vernon.

He calls the comments by the administration dangerous.

“There is serious concern about selectively focusing on results that fit the predetermined narrative that Tylenol causes autism and ignoring other studies that don’t support that narrative. It’s dangerous and harmful to both current and future mother to make claims that aren’t supported by current evidence.” said Vernon.

People may be alarmed.

“There’s a lot of folks out there who may be disheartened by the news recently and I would say there’s a lot of folks on your side, that autism again is a form of neurodiversity, is a human difference and we are all about embracing those differences because that rich diversity is what makes our country so amazing and what makes our world so great,” said Vernon.

Vernon got his doctorate studying children with autism at UC Santa Barbara.

Students at the center work with people of all ages on the spectrum.

“Our main message is that autism research should be focused on support, the individual support, the family support and that is where Federal research dollars should be going,” said Vernon.

Vernon also commented on vaccines.

“The science out there definitively shows that autism is not caused by vaccines, there is a strong genetic component to it, but it is also very complex, we have done a lot of the research that shows there is not, kind of, this one cause of autism and nor should funding be going just to search for causes when really the pressing need out there is to provide support for individuals on the spectrum, their families and the broader community in general.”

Dr. Vernon calls the center’s approach a neurodiversity affirming approach.

“We want to think about what are you excited about, what are you passionate about and how do we help you reach those goals,” said Vernon.

Other researchers were quick to say the rates of Tylenol use in pregnancy have gone down in recent years, even as autism rates have risen.

Vernon quotes a study saying one in 32 children, eight-years-of-age, are on the spectrum.

While current research does not show a definitive cause for autism Vernon is concerned about loss of government funding.

The center is raising awareness and has a number of autism community groups and an art show coming up December.

For more information visit https://education.ucsb.edu

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT). – Santa Barbara High School sophomore quarterback Griffin Arnold had his hands full at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheon.

He received both the Male Athlete of the Week Award and the Gary Blades MVP of the 65th Annual Big Game between the Dons and rival San Marcos.

Arnold threw five touchdown passes to lead the Dons to a 60-0 rout of the Royals.

San Marcos High School girls flag football sophomore quarterback Victoria Aldana claimed Female of the Week honors.

(Victoria Aladana led the Royals to a pair of lopsided victories last week).

Aldana threw four touchdown passes and had an interception on defense in a 32-0 home win against Ventura.

The lefty qb threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores in a 40-0 win against Pacifica.

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Michael Yu

OXNARD, Calif. (KEYT) – A structure fire broke out early Monday morning at Rose Avenue Elementary School in Oxnard.

The Ventura County Fire Department reported the fire started around 3:13 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find the older section of the campus — which had been rebuilt or remodeled — fully engulfed in flames.

Crews remained on scene through the morning, keeping portions of nearby Disco Avenue closed as they investigated the cause of the fire and monitored for hot spots. The flames drew neighbors from nearby homes, who came outside as smoke drifted across the area. At one point, the smoke was visible from main streets in Oxnard.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

“The damage, fortunately, is happening in the old part of the school, which was in the process of being torn down. So we were in demolition stages. The new school at this time appears to be undamaged,” said Dr. Ana DeGenna, Oxnard School District Superintendent.

The full extent of the damage has not yet been determined.

Classes were canceled for the day, and parents were notified before the start of school. District officials said classes will resume Tuesday morning

No injuries have been reported.

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Ryder Christ

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) — The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has highlighted the nation’s deep political divide and renewed attention on efforts to reduce polarization.

The House recently passed a resolution honoring Kirk and condemning political violence. The measure passed 310-58, with all Republicans and 95 Democrats voting yes. Another 58 Democrats voted no and 38 voted present. Kirk, 31, co-founded Turning Point USA and was killed while engaging with students at Utah Valley University. Police charged 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson of Washington, Utah, with aggravated murder, saying the attack was planned in advance.

The incident comes as polls show most Americans believe the country is in a political crisis. A Pew Research study found fewer than half of Americans say there is common ground between Republicans and Democrats in Washington, down 12 points since 2023. A Quinnipiac University poll found 79 percent of voters believe the U.S. is in crisis, 58 percent say lowering the political temperature is not possible, and more than half expect political violence to get worse in the years ahead.

Amid the tension, students in groups like BridgeUSA are working to create space for dialogue across the political spectrum. The nonprofit has nearly 100 chapters on college campuses nationwide. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo once had a chapter, but it disbanded earlier this year amid student turnover.

Students at a BridgeUSA event on Cal Poly’s campus in May 2024 told the Wall Street Journal that they had noticed politics had become increasingly polarized and that they found it a “relief” to talk about politics without feeling like they would be “ostracized” by a group.

At UCLA, BridgeUSA president Nicholas Chew said the goal is not to change minds but to normalize disagreement. “The point of our discussions is not to change people’s perspectives, but to give them an opportunity to voice their own perspective,” Chew said. “Our goal is just to bring people together to practice these discussions and this healthy dialog.”

Chew contrasted BridgeUSA’s mission with advocacy groups like Turning Point USA. “The goal of BridgeUSA is to bring people of a variety across the political spectrum to talk about those topics that might be harder to discuss,” he said.

That contrast played out at Cal Poly when Kirk visited Cal Poly on March 7, 2024, for a “Prove Me Wrong” event hosted by the TPUSA chapter. The student newspaper, Mustang News, reported the event drew a large crowd of both supporters and protesters on Dexter Lawn, where Kirk spoke and took questions from students. Some students welcomed the chance to engage with Kirk’s conservative viewpoints, while others organized counter-protests, underscoring the polarized atmosphere.

Chew said social media has made division worse. “We grew up with internet, social media, and we find ourselves in these little speech bubbles. The things that gain the most engagement are those that are the most controversial. At Bridge, we try to show that disagreement is completely normal.”

That point was echoed by former State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson, who noted that young people have been shaped by an online culture that rewards outrage. “They value clicks. That’s how they make money. The way you make money on the internet is by having extreme positions,” Jackson said. Former Santa Barbara City Councilman Dale Francisco agreed, saying BridgeUSA is trying to restore some of the skills of fair debate that earlier generations learned in school.

Political leaders from both sides of the aisle said groups like BridgeUSA can play an important role. Jackson added, “We really need to sit down and try to find those things that unite us rather than the things that divide us. It has to be possible in a democracy for it to survive and flourish.” Francisco praised the group’s peer-to-peer approach, “It sounds to me as if BridgeUSA is trying to recreate some of that learning, which I think is great.”

Even as polls show many Americans see little chance of bridging the divide, Chew said the effort remains vital. “Even though you still might have the same disagreements, it really helps personalize that experience,” he said. “It really brings the humanity out of it.”

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