Author: KEYT

John Palminteri

ISLA VISTA, Calif. – The end of the school year at UC Santa Barbara means one of the largest move outs of a student population on and off-campus in California.

An estimated 15-20,000 residents are leaving for the summer months. With that, items they can not take usually end up going to a donation site or left on the roadside.

The extra items, trash and household belongings, are not what the Isla Vista Community Services District (IVCSD) wants to see left strewn around. The company, Hauling-4-U, has been brought on to pick up discarded items during the move out period and help to clean the streets. It is a locally owned and family owned business.

“We are here, to pick up all the trash, gather all the trash and put in bags, so Marborg can come and pick them up,” said owner Ivan Padilla. “This is the beginning of the move out. So we are getting all the big spots, and after that, we just kind of pick up some small stuff.”

The work is on every street, and comes in all sizes and shapes. It ranges from clothing to furniture to every household item that just can’t fit into cars and trucks going away with students to their next stop.

There will be a drop off spot at Embarcadero Hall for a parking lot sale, happening next Saturday, June 21st. It is known as the ‘GIVE’ sale, with proceeds going to the Isla Vista non-profits.

There is also a coordinated effort with Junk Luggers to assist in moving large items from the apartments and homes to the GIVE sorting location. This work will continue through the weekend.

This year, an additional collection site is set up at Rottapel Park on Del Playa Drive.UCSB and the IVCSD have collaborated in recent years to help those moving out do so in a smooth and environmentally friendly process, compared to massive piles of leftover in the past.

One of the residents says the leftover items and trash stacks up very fast.Brock Camp said,  “most people will finish their finals around like Tuesday, Wednesday and then everything will just be on the street, just crazy. Everything piled up.”In addition to the trash there will be an e-waste and large item pick up.  

Padilla says his crew of three is making a difference.  “Oh, yes. We are happy to help.”

A student who was around last year at this time Ethan Mofarah said,  “honestly it’s cleaner this year than last year. Also it’s I think still a bit early.  I’d say in a couple more days Saturday, Sunday when graduations are happening I think it’s going to get worse.”

 Some of the items are sold on line quickly through sites like Facebook marketplace.

Mofarah said, “I sold my couch. You know, I got like $50 and I sold some Timberlands and I got like $20, and I made some money off it.”

 Tenants trying to get any kind of a deposit back are clearing their room of all items. “Everything moved out. Like the floor has to be completely open. Like we’ve got to get the table out today. All the couches, everything, sweep, mopped,” said Camp.

Many of the efforts to clean the streets and repurpose some of the leftovers is coordinated by the Community Services District and the UC Santa Barbara office of Civic and Community Engagement.

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – There’s quite a bit of construction taking place along Bradley Road in Santa Maria at the site of the old Costco building, as well as next door where two restaurants used to be many years ago.

In the near future, the two sites will be the new home for a furniture store, as well as well-known national coffee shop and car wash.

Located directly off of Highway 101 between Stowell Road and Betteravia Road, the shopping area has suffered over the past several years due to the long-vacant properties.

The old Costco building has been closed since 2017 when the businesses moved a few blocks south down Bradley Road.

Nearby, the former Original Roadhouse Grill and Hometown Buffet both closed in 2020.

In addition, the former Edwards Cinemas theater next to the site of the former restaurants, also shut down in 2022.

All together, the closed businesses have help create an almost “ghost town” feel to the shopping area, but that is about to change with new businesses on the way.

At the old Costco building, a new furniture store called “Furniture Land,” is now in the process of transforming the large 70,000 building into a new showroom.

Furniture Land is a large-scale furniture business that currently has locations in three other cities, Fresno, Visalia, and Bakersfield.

On the property where Roadhouse and Hometown Buffet once occupied, a new Starbucks and car wash are in the process of being built.

According to the Santa Maria Valley Chamber, the addition of the three businesses will breath new life into the area and potentially drive additional sales to other restaurants and stores in the immediate area.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A mask, a lion, a squid, oh my!

The clock is ticking for artists at the Solstice Workshop in Santa Barbara.

“Oh my gosh, we got a week to go and I’m nowhere near ready,” said artist EJ Huerta of the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade and Festival.

The countdown to Santa Barbara County’s largest art event, the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade and Festival is on.

“Everybody gets in a panic over getting their stuff ready for the last day,” said artist Jim Sun Bear of the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade and Festival. “That’s the tree of life … it’ll have Tarzan and Jane on it. Jane‘s already on the swing.”

The Solstice team says the parade is more than just a bunch floats.

Its an entire performance put on by artists.

“We have about 18 to 20 floats but we have maybe 24 to 25 what I call images meaning there could be the World Dance for humanity for example but it doesn’t have a float but they’re like a big image,” said artistic director Ricardo Morrison of the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade and Festival.

The event is projected to draw thousands of excited spectators.

Some are more excited than others.

“I’m sitting at a freaking desk all morning doing all the things that I have to do … as an admin person you know … that’s how I get excited … I think about all the cool stuff that happens,” said executive director Penny Little of the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade and Festival.

“So you shake them and they fall down and then we have a bit where it’s interactive theater if we can pull this off,” said artist Jonathan Smith of the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade and Festival.

If they can pull this off, it will have to be soon.

The 51st Summer Solstice Celebration will take place June 20th – 22nd in Santa Barbara, California. ​

The celebration will start at Alameda Park on Friday, June 20th, at 4:00 p.m., with the Opening Ceremony from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

The festivities will include music from local bands, food, beverages, dancing, and vendors to celebrate the longest day of the year. 

The parade will happen on Saturday June 21st, at 12:00 p.m., at the intersection of Santa Barbara and Ortega Streets.

The parade will travel to Santa Barbara Street ending at the Summer Solstice Festival at Alameda Park on Sola Street.

The festival is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit: https://www.solsticeparade.com/.

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Mike Klan

EUGENE, Oregon. – UC Santa Barbara senior Brad Thomas turned in an outstanding two-day performance to claim runner-up in the decathlon at the 2025 NCAA Track & Field Championships,. Thomas finished the event with a total of 7,888 points and will earn All-America First Team status.

He is the first All-American athlete to wear a Gaucho uniform since 2012.  Thomas came into the day in second place with 4,192 points and it was a wild ride to remain in second when the decathlon ended.

He fell off the leaderboard down to 12th place with two events to go, the javelin and the 1500m.

The javelin saw Thomas gain some of the momentum he had brewing at the end of the first day, as he threw for a staggering 63.47m to take second in the event and move up eight spots to claim fourth before the final event. In order to earn a podium spot, Thomas needed to do something special and that is what he did.

In the 1500m, Thomas defied all odds by recording his only personal record on the week to take third place in the competition, timing in at a blazing 4:23.24. The performance was just enough to give Thomas a second-place finish by 29 points

Thomas scored 3696 points on the second day with 773 points (15.65, 18th) in the 110m hurdles, 723 points (42.86m, 5th) in the discus throw, 620 points (4.01m, 19th) in the pole vault, 790 points (63.47m, 2nd) in the javelin and 790 points (4:23.24, 3rd) in the 1500m. 

Peyton Bair of Mississippi State won the decathlon with 8,323 points, the 10th highest in NCAA Championship history.

(UCSB Athletics and the Big West contributed to this article)

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Caleb Nguyen

PASO ROBLES, Calif. – Paso Robles Fire and Emergency Services crews stopped a fire in the Salinas Riverbed at three acres just before 5:00 p.m. Thursday.

PRFES crews went north of Niblick Bridge after initial reports of the fire reached half an acre.

Crews put out the fire and protected important buildings from the flames, part of a response that included several agencies and an attack plane from CAL FIRE SLO, according to the PRFES.

A total of 65 firefighters put the fire out in under an hour, though traffic and road closures still persisted as of 8:00 p.m. Thursday.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, and the Paso Robles Police Department is assisting with traffic control.

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Andie Lopez Bornet

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – It was a day of celebration for Santa Barbara Unified School District seniors as the Class of 2025 graduated Thursday evening from San Marcos, Santa Barbara, and Dos Pueblos high schools.

Students took their final walk through stadiums across the district as high schoolers and turned their tassels as graduates, marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Parents cheered from the bleachers as names were called and Pomp and Circumstance played.

“Today I feel a weird mix of unknowing, but I do know that we will look back someday on these years, on this moment, wishing we could relive the simplicity of being a teenager,” said one student during the ceremony.

Vanesa Ortiz, a former Santa Barbara High School staff member and alumna, reflected on the milestone.

“I’ve seen them grow up working with them for a lot of years,” Ortiz said. “This is like the excitement of it all, seeing them walk down the hill, and it’s sad to see them go.”

Dare Holdren, principal of San Marcos High School, said it was a special moment for the school community.

“You know, I love the kids, and they did a great job this year,” Holdren said. “And so it’s such a wonderful opportunity to celebrate them.”

Arianna Escamilla, a San Marcos graduate headed to UC San Diego, said the moment felt surreal.

“I’m excited, it doesn’t feel real,” Escamilla said. “It almost feels like it’s all a joke and it’s going to be back to normal on Monday.”

“It feels crazy, I’m still trying to process that it’s happening, but it’s awesome. It feels great,” said Maya Ruvalcaba Rubio, who is Army-bound.

Ruvalcaba Rubio also offered encouragement to other students.

“If you think you can’t do it, you definitely can,” she said. “I never thought I’d be able to graduate a year early. I wasn’t in the best place to graduate early, but find a way and you’re going to make it.”

In total, 1,455 students graduated this week from the Santa Barbara Unified School District. About 788 of them plan to attend Santa Barbara City College in the fall.

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Alissa Orozco

Congratulations to the Grads and Happy Father’s Day to the Dads! Whether you’re celebrating the dad in your life or your most recent graduate, there is plenty to do to make them feel loved. Here’s what’s going on this weekend near and far:

SANTA BARBARA – SOUTH COUNTY

Mosaic Maker’s Market ~ Saturday, June 14th in Santa Barbara

📍Mosaic Locale Courtyard

⏰ 10:00am – 3:00pm

🪩 This vendor’s market has everything: 20+ local vendors showcasing unique gifts and goods, live music, coffee and melts from Goodland Waffles and Melts, and craft beer from Draughtsmen! Learn more here.

Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen ~ Saturday, June 14th in Santa Barbara

📍Santa Barbara Bowl

⏰ 7:00pm

🪩From a Southwest drifter and professional bull rider to now an award-winning musician and star of a record-breaking hit television series, Ryan Bingham is bringing his talents to the Santa Barbara Bowl. Bingham’s music is the perfect mix of folk, blues, country, and rock ‘n roll all in one. Learn more here.

Circus Vargas ~ June 13th – 23rd in Santa Barbara

📍Earl Warren Showgrounds

⏰ Check for Showtimes

🪩 Join Circus Vargas for their “Hollywood Dreams” tour, featuring breathtaking stunts, dazzling aerialists, and world-class performer. Named one of the best circuses in the state, you won’t want to miss out this weekend. Learn more here.

Santa Ynez Valley Pride Festival ~ Saturday, June 14th in Solvang

📍Alisal Rd. and Oak St.

⏰ 11:00am

🪩 This Pride event kicks off with a parade where everyone is welcome to skip, float, walk, skate, and march down the charming center of Solvang! The family-friendly festival will follow with food trucks, bounce houses, vendor booths, face painting, beer & wine garden, and more! Learn more here.

Star Party ~ Saturday, June 14th in Santa Barbara

📍Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

⏰ 8:30pm

🪩 Visit the Palmer Observatory as it opens its door and its roof for a night of star gazing! Astronomy experts and members of the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit will be on-site to help, along with their state-of-the-art 20-inch telescope. Learn more here.

SANTA MARIA – NORTH COUNTY

Photo: Allan Hancock College

West Coast College & University Wine Festival ~ Saturday, June 14th in Santa Maria

📍Between Buildings A & B | Santa Maria campus

⏰ 1:00pm – 4:00pm

🪩 This wine event provides a space for local colleges and wineries to show off their work! You can look forward to wine tastings from local wineries and small bites by local restaurants. Learn more here.

Costume Bingo ~ Friday, June 13th in Lompoc

📍Lompoc Public Library

⏰ 4:00pm – 5:30pm

🪩 Start the weekend off right with a nice game of Family Bingo! Costumes are not required, but heavily encouraged! There will be plenty of opportunities to win some prizes so get there early! Learn more here.

Father’s Day Brunch ~ Sunday, June 15th in Santa Maria

📍Santa Maria Elks Lodge

⏰ 9:00am – 11:00am

🪩 Avoid making a mess in your kitchen, and join the Santa Maria Elks Lodge for a Father’s Day brunch! They’ll be serving up New York Steak & Eggs, Country Fried Potatoes, Elks Beans, Biscuits & Gravy, and so much more! Celebrate the dad in your life with a good meal. Learn more here.

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY

Photo: Live Oak Music Festival

Live Oak Music Festival ~ June 13th -15th in San Luis Obispo

📍El Chorro Regional Campground

⏰ Check for set times

🪩 The Live Oak Festival is held every year to benefit KCBX Public Radio and brings together musicians from all kind of genres, like funk, soul, folk, gospel, roots rock, Americana, jazz, bluegrass, blues, world music and more. Whether you’re camping out for the weekend or just coming for the day, you’ll have a blast at this local festival. Learn more here.

Atascadero Pride ~ Saturday, June 14th in Atascadero

📍Atascadero Lake Park

⏰ 11:00am – 5:00pm

🪩 The theme for this year’s Atascadero Pride is “Love Changes Everything.” Come celebrate that with music, dancing, roller skating, food, and more. Couples can even get married at this event with their marriage license! Learn more here.

Father’s Day Celebration ~ Sunday, June 15th in San Miguel

📍California Lavender Honey Farm

⏰ 10:00am

🪩 This is a more peaceful Father’s Day celebration for dads and their families. This local honey farm tour is free to all dads, and includes a visit to the garden/greenhouse and veggie tastings, Bee museum tour, and a tasting of freshly gathered delicious spring honey. Learn more here.

Movies in the Park ~ Friday, June 13th in Atascadero

📍Colony Park

⏰ 8:00pm – 10:00pm

🪩 Enjoy a free movie night with the Atascadero community! Before the movies, beginning at 7 pm, there will be a variety of fun games and activities for the whole family to enjoy! Chalk drawing, frisbee tossing, mini-soccer games, and sack races! They’ll be showing Moana 2! Learn more here.

VENTURA COUNTY

Photo: Conejo Recreation and Park District

Father’s Day Car Show ~ Sunday, June 15th in Oxnard

📍Channel Islands Harbor

⏰ 10:00am – 3:00pm

🪩 The Channel Islands Harbor is putting on a Classic Car Show this weekend for dads to enjoy a nice car viewing, live music, art, and more! Enter your dad in the annual Aloha Shirt Contest! Learn more here.

805 Night Market ~ June 13th – 15th in Thousand Oaks

📍Conejo Creek South Park

⏰ 12:00pm

🪩 The 805 Market is back on the Central Coast and you don’t want to miss out! It’s a cultural experience that brings people together through incredible flavors, live entertainment, and a vibrant marketplace. Learn more here.

Touch-a-Truck ~ Saturday, June 14th in Thousand Oaks

📍Thousand Oaks Community Park

⏰ 10:00am – 2:00pm

🪩 Families will get the opportunity to explore emergency vehicles and trucks up close and personal! Kids can climb inside and see inside these impressive vehicles. This event is free and open to the public. Learn more here.

Aquapalooza ~ Saturday, June 14th in Simi Valley

📍Rancho Simi Community Pool

⏰ 1:00pm – 4:00pm

🪩 The community pool in Simi Valley is hosting fun activities and events all summer long! Aquapalooza will have water slides, water wheels, diving boards, AquaTrack obstacle course, water basketball, beachballs, inner tubes and more! This is pretty popular event so make sure to pre-register your family. Learn more here.

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Caleb Nguyen

ISLA VISTA, Calif. – Santa Barbara County Fire crews helped with a water rescue near Sands Beach on Slough Road just before 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Three kayakers nearly two miles off Coal Oil Point in Goleta called for help after their boats took on water, according to the SBCFD.

None of the kayakers wore lifejackets but were not injured after being rescued by the SBCFD.

Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol helped all three kayakers to Santa Barbara Harbor after firefighters and paramedics reached them, according to the SBCFD.

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ was the song of the day on Thursday throughout the Santa Maria Valley.

All three large public high schools in the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District (SMJUHSD) held graduation ceremonies during the day.

Pioneer Valley High School was the first to hand out diplomas, starting its commencement ceremony at 9 a.m.

Under ideal weather conditions, more than 3,500 people filled Panthers Stadium to cheer on a class numbering 669 graduates.

“We worked really hard to be here today,” said valedictorian Dayanna Soto. “I’m really excited. I think we are all really amazing students. I had the pleasure to work with them for four years. They’ve supported me through many battles that we’ve had together, through walking in the hallways with our masks on because of Covid to being here today. They were also very helpful and so I’m happy it was this class.”

Santa Maria High School held its graduation ceremony in Ralph Baldiviez Stadium for 715 students later in the morning at 11:30 a.m.

“It’s a special day,” said Kacey Van Horn, who served as president on Santa Maria’s award winning FFA program. “All of our hard work is paying off, and we get to celebrate each other. We’ve been together for the last four years and being able to come together and celebrate each other one last time before we go on to our future endeavors is super exciting.”

At 2 p.m., Righetti High School celebrated its Class of 2025 with a festive ceremony inside Warrior Stadium, where 550 purple-clad graduates received their diplomas.

“It really means a lot for me,” said valedictorian Dan Bishop. “Walking across with all of my fellow classmates, my friends. It’s really been a community that we’ve built here. Everyone in our class is really close. It’s really exciting to be here with everyone and experience this not just alone, but with the whole community.”

A day earlier, Delta High School, the continuation school for SMJUHSD, celebrated 550 graduates during a ceremony at Righetti’s Warrior Stadium.

In total, more than 2,000 students in the school district are receiving diplomas this year.

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – A coalition of immigrant-advocacy groups gathered in Santa Maria this morning to denounce recent immigration raids.

Several organizations including: CAUSE, MICOP, FLA, The FUND for Santa Barbara, the 805 Immigrant Coalition, and other community partners gathered at the Joseph Centeno Government building in Santa Maria on Thursday.

The small, peaceful rally aimed to raise awareness about the impacts of recent ice raids.

“We are urging our elected officials at the city level, at the county level, calling our governor to take action and protect our community,” says Fernando Martinez, community organizing manager for MICOP.

At least 40 farmworkers from Santa Maria down to Oxnard were detained two days ago, and it could have been more if the employers hadn’t denied ice’s entry.

“I think it’s an issue that it’s affecting us one way or another,” says Martinez. “If there’s no farmworkers, most likely the cost of produce, it’s going to go up.”

Speakers brought up that some immigrant workers are dealing with errors, delays and miscommunications from immigration offices.

In some cases, the logjam dates back to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think the narrative that they’re only pursuing criminals or people with criminal histories is completely false,” says Maria Salguero, Immigrant Legal Defense Center senior attorney. “And I see it with the people that I’m consulting with that are being detained in our community.”

Salguero says a significant number of immigrants have been unaware they missed a hearing, hence the surprise when ICE comes to detain them.

“Under immigration law, if you don’t go to your hearing, you’re ordered deported in absentia, in your absence,” says Salguero. “And I want to emphasize that immigration enforcement is not criminal enforcement. Immigration proceedings are not criminal in nature. They’re civil in nature.”

In a social media post the same day, President Trump acknowledged his aggressive immigration policies are taking workers from the farming and hospitality industries, who are difficult to replace.

He wrote, in part, “we must protect our farmers, but get the criminals out of the USA.”

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