Author: KEYT

Ivania Montes

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – When most people think about slowing down in their 90s, Gordon Azevedo is shifting gears—literally.

The 96-year-old and his longtime friend, Mike Lopez, spent over a decade building a fully drivable, handcrafted Sherman tank replica. And yes—it actually moves.

Their creation is a 40-percent scale model of the iconic World War II Sherman M4A3E8, also known as the “Easy Eight.” Nearly 85 percent of the tank was made by hand. Mike welded the hull, while Gordon machined and assembled the rest from his own garage workshop.

Complete with a motorized turret—minus any working weaponry for safety—the tank is drivable from inside and built true to the original design.

This isn’t Gordon’s first engineering feat. Over the years, his garage has produced a custom teardrop trailer that made it all the way to Alaska, an off-road race truck, and even a few radio-controlled aircrafts. One still hangs from the ceiling.

Behind the building of the tank, was the growth of a friendship. Mike Lopez, Long-time Friend

It’s just been able to it’s been a dream. It’s absolutely wonderful. “It’s just been able to it’s been a dream. It’s absolutely wonderful,” said Lopez. “He’s my hero…and and the stuff that he’s forgotten more than I’ll ever know. It’s astounding. So that, that’s been the privilege and the fun part of the whole deal.”

So, what’s next for the duo? They’re tossing around ideas for a submarine, a helicopter—or maybe even a hydroplane boat.

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KESQ

BIG BEAR, Calif. (KESQ) – We have first flight! The moment so many people have been waiting for finally happened Monday morning.

Sunny, one of the two eaglets at the Big Bear nest, flew for the first time. The moment happened at around 10:46 a.m.

You can watch a livestream here

Sunny has been building up to her first flight for a few weeks, hovering for a few seconds but never taking that big leap.

It’s already been a big couple of days for Sunny and Gizmo, after officials found out that both are sisters.

For more on the eaglets and their nest, visit friendsofbigbearvalley.org

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – A workers strike in Santa Maria will soon enter its third week.

This dispute boils down to cost of living concerns.

The strike began on May 20th, and employees of Santa Maria’s Okonite company plant are holding firm in their demands.

With the support of Teamsters Local 986, about 160 employees at the Okonite plant in Santa Maria are on strike.

“You know, going into this, I wasn’t exactly sure how much support we’ve had. It’s exceeded all my expectations. Every expectation has been exceeded by the support of Local 986,” says Nicholas Chaycomas, Okonite company union shop steward.

Okonite manufactures heavy duty cabling that delivers power payload to residences and businesses across the country.

“The cable that we manufacture in here is made from the ground up. We build the strand, you know, the insulator, the shielding. We jacket it, we make a lot of cables that are bigger than what you would expect. Some of them get pretty big. About three and a half inches,” says Chaycomas.

One of Okonite’s biggest customers is PG&E, and Okonite cabling has been used to keep the Statue of Liberty’s torch lit up at night.

“We have not had any substantive dialog. And, you know, that’s probably to be expected this early on in the dispute. So right now, we’re still in the midst of this labor dispute. And our intent is to stay out here as long as we need to to get some sort of additional increase or some movement from the company on their wage proposal,” says Cliff Reynolds, with Teamsters Local 986.

Workers here say Okonite’s employees at the flagship plant in Richmond, Kentucky recently received a wage increase.

The increase made a difference there, but the cost of living in California is much higher.

Employees say they do similar work as the Kentucky employees and deserve an adequate boost in pay.

“We continue to get support from local groups and we’ve had a lot of folks come by beeping their horns, waving, stopping and dropping off, you know, supplies, beverages and food,” says Reynolds.

Union representatives also say they were disappointed by Okonite’s decision to cut the striking employees’ health benefits the day before they walked out.

“I have really good feelings about how things are proceeding. I don’t know what Okonite’s thinking, but I don’t think they can wait us out. We’re pretty, we’re pretty set,” says Chaycomas.

We’ve reached out to Okonite multiple times since the strike began and have not received a response.

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KRDO

WASHINGTON (KRDO) — The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed federal charges against Mohammed Sabry Soliman, the 45-year-old man accused of setting people on fire in Boulder on Sunday.

The FBI called it a targeted terror attack, as he allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at people gathered for a demonstration in support of the Israeli hostages. Soliman’s criminal complaint alleges he yelled “Free Palestine” during the attack.

The DOJ is seeking federal hate crime charges, according to court records.

pic.twitter.com/GmmP5VddGr

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 2, 2025

“(Soliman) stated that he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead,” the criminal complaint read. “Soliman stated he would do it (conduct an attack) again.”

According to the complaint, Soliman had allegedly been planning the attack for a year and waited until his daughter graduated to carry it out.

“The Department of Justice has swiftly charged the illegal alien perpetrator of this heinous attack with a federal hate crime and will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our prayers are with the victims and our Jewish community across the world,” read a statement from Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This vile anti-Semitic violence comes just weeks after the horrific murder of two young Jewish Americans in Washington DC. We will never tolerate this kind of hatred. We refuse to accept a world in which Jewish Americans are targeted for who they are and what they believe.” 

He reportedly traveled from his Colorado Springs home, where he lived with his wife and five kids, to Boulder.

Editor’s note: Previous information from the FBI spelled the suspect’s name as “Mohamed.” The criminal complaint spells his name “Mohammed.” Because a criminal complaint is a legal document, KRDO13 is currently reporting that spelling unless other information comes to light.

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Andie Lopez Bornet

VENTURA, Calif. – Its a sight that has left people shocked.

“This should not happen, I mean, this development right here went through the same thing no issues whatsoever,” said Ventura local, Michael Hurst. “So it’s just interesting to hear about it and actually see it, is pretty catastrophic.”

And people stopped by through the day Friday to see the sight, left in shock.

The City of Ventura says the ground gave way Thursday morning due to a temporary shoring failure. 

Videos of the collapse went viral on social media immediately after, thankfully, no one was hurt during the incident.

But, Friday cars are still in the same spot from Thursdays incident and a residential and commercial property next to the construction site are still red-tagged.

The construction site is for an 88-unit luxury apartment complex right near Downtown Ventura and across the street from The Wharf.

“Somebody definitely failed in their duties as a contractor,” said Hurst.

“I was I will say surprised that there wasn’t a type of shoring or wood that’s up against the sides to hold back the ground that’s already there,” said local resident Nathan Griffin.

Your Newschannel reached out to Mikey Taylor, who is co-president of Commune Capital, one of the companies behind the project. Taylor responded with a statement saying:

“On May 29, during site work at our Ventura project located at 935 East Front Street, a localized ground movement was identified along the southwest perimeter of the construction area. our team responded immediately, and we are working with the City of Ventura and third-party engineers to review the matter and ensure appropriate next steps.”

Your Newschannel reached out again to Aldersgate Investment, another company involved in the project, and they did not provide comment.

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Allan Hancock College and California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) announced a partnership on Monday morning to create a new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program that will be held in Santa Maria beginning next year.

The new program is intended for students who are nearing completion of an associate degree in nursing, or those who are have already earned an associate degree and are now working in the nursing industry, and wish to pursue a higher level of education.

“We are super excited,” said Kevin Walthers, Allan Hancock College Superintendent/President. “We’re going to be able to offer space for Channel Islands to come offer a nursing degree here in Santa Maria, so a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is a great way for our local health care professionals to advance their careers.”

According to the two schools, students enrolled in the new program will meet face-to-face with CSUCI faculty on the Hancock College Santa Maria campus during the start, midpoint and end of each course, and will have access to local academic and student support services throughout their enrollment in the program.

“The BSN falls on us at CSU Channel Islands,” said Richard Yao, CSUCI President. “The beauty of it, it is a hybrid model. Some folks call hybrids a low residency, but it’s primarily online education, and then that key points during the educational journey, they will be meeting here on the Hancock College campus as a cohort, and really, it’s not just about instruction, it’s more about community building sense of belonging because as you know, a nursing degree is very challenging and you need that cohort based support and academic support, so we’re very excited about that component as well.”

The new nursing program is expected to include an initial cohort of 15 to 20 students for the launch in fall 2026.

“It’s very important for us because one of our core missions is to serve regional needs,” said Yao. “While our immediate service region includes Ventura County and Southern Santa Barbara County, we know that there’s a huge need here in Northern Santa Barbara County, and so we’re very excited to be very intentional and data informed about how we partner, and who we partner with and how we do so, and to be able to meet the needs of this region, which we know are significant, and in a way that allows them to do it in very efficient and effective ways while scaling up accordingly, is very exciting.”  

The announcement of the new partnership with CSUCI comes on the heels of a similar announcement in March when Hancock joined with Cal Poly to create a historic partnership that will provide students with the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in Santa Maria.

Beginning in Fall 2026, Cal Poly will begin to offer classes on Hancock’s Santa Maria campus which will allow students to earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Hancock College and Cal Poly also announced in March two additional bachelor’s degree programs will be offered starting in 2028 and 2030.

In fall 2024, Cal Poly and Hancock started its first collaboration beginning a bachelor’s degree program for sociology students.

“In fall of 2026, we will have, a bachelors degree in sociology, a bachelors degree in business from Cal Poly, and then this (BSN) from CSU Channel Islands,” said Walthers. “Then two years after that, we will add another degree from Cal Poly and that’s really going to serve our community. We’re going to see probably about 400 students a year that are going to get served out of those programs.”  

For Walthers, who has been working on bringing opportunities for students to earn four-year degrees to the Hancock Santa Maria campus, the new CSUCI partnership is another major victory for higher education for the city and region.

“I think it’s important that policymakers throughout the state start to understand what the geography is in this region,” said Walthers. “You can’t just drive ten miles or 20 miles to a university. There’s just not that opportunity here, so we need to be able to bring the components that will serve our community here to Hancock. Our trustees have been great about making sure that we’re providing the kind of space and access we need to make that successful for everybody.” 

For many nursing students, having the opportunity to earn a BSN is a huge game changer and provides them with the ability to continue their education at home in the Santa Maria area.

“It’s life changing and it encourages us nursing students to pursue a higher level of education,” said Hancock College nursing student Rachael Belunza. “It’s meaningful that we don’t have to commute. We don’t have to take that long commute every day to achieve our education. It gives us more time for our families, more time for studying, and enables us to work while we continue to go to school.”

The new program is begin financially backed by a $1.15 million grant from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – The transition to high fire season has begun and it will be like turning on a power switch for fire agencies.

With the first sign of smoke, a full response goes out and it will be adjusted depending on what the fire source is and its potential growth.

This includes extra engines, water tenders, aircraft, bulldozers, mutual aid and command teams.

“We are going to dispatch the most resources  that we possible can to each vegetation fire reported vegetation fire within the county,” said Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig in a briefing at the County Fire headquarters.

He was flanked by area fire leaders and front line firefighters. That included cities within the county, CalFire and the U.S. Forest Service which is dealing with lightening-sparked fire right now from the monsoonal style weekend storm in the back country.

Some of the engines that will be used to fight the fires were on display including engines used for structure fires and wildland fires.

Fire officials are also requiring property owners to clear back brush away from their homes and remove flammable items stacked near their structures.

Santa Barbara County Supervisor Joan Hartmann said she even dug up some plants. “Zone zero the area within five feet of your home.  Remove anything flammable, wood piles, dry vegetation you are not even supposed to have plants. I took all of my foundation plantings that I was very proud of.”

There will also be an education outreach about the potential for intense weather, including winds similar to what was devastating to the Palisades and Alta Dena communities. Montecito Fire Chief David Neels said, during that specific fire, conditions in Montecito were very close to the same wind and fuel moisture levels, which created a serious watch locally for several hours.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said fires can sometimes move faster than the alerts can come out. “If at any time you do not feel safe, leave immediately. Furthermore deputies may use a high low siren to signal the need for rapid evacuation.”

And in crowded areas with tight roads. “it is very possible that you will be out on the road with all of your neighbors. At that point and as we found down south you could be stuck in gridlock and not to be able to get out at all,” said Hartwig.

The Montecito community has been tested many times over including during the 2017Thomas Fire which came with some advance mobilization to clear residents out and bring in fire hoses and engines. Chief David Neels says “our preparedness and the things we were able to do way before the fire came into our community helped our resiliency. ” He also says, there’s weather equipment at different slope levels for real-time data and the differences between what is felt close to the beach in Montecito compared to what is likely moving aggressively in the upper hills. Sometimes the winds can jump up in the area above what is forecasted and get to over 70 miles an hour which moves a fire into populated areas quickly.

Supervisor Laura Capps said the alerts in English and Spanish come out to those who sign up at ReadySBC.org. You can add multiple numbers including family members or your workplace. She also suggested residents meet their neighbors or at least leave them a note with your phone number in case help is needed in a crisis.

Through the ‘Ready! Set! Go! Program,’ there is also information, resources, contact numbers and diagrams linked to fire safety for all.

For information on the ‘Ready! Set! Go! Program,’ please log on to www.sbcfire.com

Ventura County Fire is expected to declare High Fire Season on June 22.

Restrictions on fires in the Los Padres National Forest for campers will be put out soon.

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Patricia Martellotti

GOLETA, Calif. – Finding childcare in Goleta hasn’t been easy for Brenda Rodriguez.

“There aren’t many options and all the options that we do have a really expensive so as a single mom, myself, I went through the whole venture of finding a daycare for my son,” said Rodriguez.

The City of Goleta wants to do something to help ease the pressure of finding affordable childcare for mothers like Rodriguez.

For the first time, the City of Goleta is joining forces with Santa Barbara Foundation in a new childcare grant program.

“And that program will provide resources to childcare providers really with a goal of increasing capacity and making our local childcare infrastructure more resilient,” said councilman James Kyriaco of Goleta.

The Goleta Child Care Grant Program will offer awards of up to $15,000 for each recipient.

“Times are tough and families are struggling with all the changes occurring right now it is a difficult economy … cost of living is high and many families struggle to find the care they need for their families for their children,” said director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Beatriz Garcia of Santa Barbara Foundation.

The City of Goleta hopes to receive several grant applications to help all families in need of childcare.

“It is high-quality that is affordable and will help prepare their children for school,” said Kyriaco.

The application period is June 2nd through June 30th.

Applicants must be a licensed nonprofit child care provider and be based in the City of Goleta.Santa Barbara Foundation and the City of Goleta are partnering in a new grant program for child care providers.

The focus is to open more child care spaces for children in Goleta.

This grant program is made possible through Measure B, City of Goleta’s one-cent sales tax, approved by voters in 2022.

From Santa Barbara Foundation:

GOLETA, CA, May 16, 2025 – The Santa Barbara Foundation (SBF), in partnership with the City of Goleta, is proud to announce the launch of the Goleta Child Care Grant Program.

The intent is to strengthen the child care sector and support the workforce that serves Goleta’s youngest residents.

Applicants must be a licensed nonprofit child care provider and be based in the City of Goleta.

Go to the Santa Barbara Foundation’s website to learn more and apply.  The link will go live on June 2nd and will remain open until the June 30th deadline.

“At the Santa Barbara Foundation, we believe every child deserves access to safe, affordable, and high-quality care,” said Beatriz Garcia, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Santa Barbara Foundation. “That’s why we are so excited to partner with the City of Goleta on this program.”

City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said, “These grants are an important step toward building a more resilient and equitable childcare system in Goleta — one that supports our workforce, uplifts families, and helps children succeed.”

The Goleta Child Care Grant Program will offer awards of up to $15,000 each, focused on the following priority areas:

• Child Care Workforce Development – Increasing the number of qualified child care professionals and promoting ongoing skill-building.• Sustainable Business Models – Strengthening organizational operations and financial sustainability.• Family Engagement – Supporting culturally responsive and inclusive family partnerships.• Leadership in Child Care – Advancing equity, inclusion, and strategic responses to local needs.For more information, contact Beatriz Garcia at BGarcia@SBFoundation.org.

Background:The Council last December 2024 approved $250,000 in childcare funds thanks to revenue from Measure B, a one cent sales tax approved by voters in 2022. The funding was awarded to several child care initiatives to bring more options to residents, help support local families and enhance community well-being. The Santa Barbara Foundation received $50,000 to launch this childcare grant opportunity.According to the 2024 Santa Barbara County Child Care Facilities Needs Assessment, there is a shortage of 9,371 licensed spaces for children ages 0-5 in the county. Goleta families and providers continue to face rising costs and limited availability, impacting both child development and working parents’ ability to thrive.

About Santa Barbara FoundationThe Santa Barbara Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life throughout Santa Barbara County for all who live, work, play and visit here. Working in partnership with individuals, community organizations, nonprofits, businesses, education and government, the Foundation strives to address our local communities’ most challenging needs. Recognizing that its work depends on the strength of the social sector, the Foundation is committed to the health and vitality of local nonprofits. Nearly every Santa Barbara County nonprofit organization and essential community project has been supported by the Foundation during its 96-year history. The Foundation connects philanthropists, subject matter experts, and our community members facing challenges – all who dream of stronger communities in Santa Barbara County. To learn more, please visit https://sbfoundation.org/.

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Mike Klan

EUGENE, Oregon. – Aaron Walton blasted three home runs to lead Arizona to a 14-0 rout of Cal Poly to send the Mustangs home for the season.

The Wildcats hit six home runs against a tired Cal Poly pitching staff that had just survived two elimination games including an 11-inning win over Utah Valley less than an hour before playing Arizona.

Cal Poly finished the year 43-19, the second-highest victory total in program history, along with its second Big West Conference championship and its fourth trip to the postseason.

Arizona went 3-0 to win the Eugene Regional and they advance to their first Super Regionals since 2021.

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Mike Klan

EUGENE, Oregon. – Zach Daudet led off the bottom of the eleventh inning with a home run to lift Cal Poly past Utah Valley 7-6 in an elimination game at the Eugene Regional.

The Mustangs advance to the regional championship where they face Arizona.

Cal Poly needs to beat the Wildcats twice to advance, Arizona needs just one win.

The Mustangs scored five runs in the fourth inning to turn a 4-1 deficit into a 6-4 lead.

Cam Hoiland homered in that inning and Nate Castellon delivered a two-run double to help the Mustangs overcome a grand slam in the third inning by Landon Frei.

Going back to the Big West Championship, Cal Poly has now won five consecutive elimination games.

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