Author: KEYT

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. –  The last big weekend of the summer season makes report card time for the travel industry. Hotel bookings, the number of people on airport flights, destination popularity or a change in trends are all getting a look.

In Santa Barbara just after Old Spanish Days, the first week in August, several restaurants and travel locations said they saw a dip in foot traffic for at least a week. They are hoping it rebounds now with the hot weather and Labor Day crowds on the move.

In part, those who have been in the business for years said, they were surprised to see the school year start as soon as it did in mid-August and believe that was a factor.

Financial concerns are also leading people to look at closer trips, staycations, and travel deals.

Uncertainty over employment or their job status in the next six months has also been an ongoing concern with recent layoffs, consolidations, and AI influences on the work place.

Summer travel spending does not have to be lavish on the Central Coast with many opportunities to explore the outdoors from the beaches to the many hiking trails, along with art galleries and numerous free events. Those include live concerts in the park and movies in the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Gardens.

Rich Branning is a driver and co-owner of the free Loop shuttle service and rentals in Santa Barbara.  On a drive up State Street he said, “when you’re providing a free golf cart shuttle up and down, one of America’s,  if not the world ‘s, nicest locations, it’s hard for them to have a bad time. So I think we’ve enjoyed playing a part in that. “

He has seen a trend this year. “There’s definitely a sentiment that has switched pretty abruptly over the last six months to a year in terms of, what they’re looking to spend on, and I think really what their future outlook is. I think purchasing power has decreased for sure.”

He sees some day trippers coming in regularly, mainly from Los Angeles. “I definitely think people have utilized the train a lot more than previously. I’d say we get a lot of people from the LA area, take it up the train for the day, rather than maybe staying the weekend.”

The Loop has had three golf cart style shuttles moving throughout downtown with about 14 seats.    Often though not a lot of extra shopping bags have been part of the ride. He worries that some of the economic trends to him are cool right now. Definitely not

Near Stearns wharf  visitors were asked where they have been spending their time and money and if there have been new factors affecting their travel.

Olivia Damato said, “for a lot of my friends, at least, people are skipping out on traveling this year because of economic hardship. And I think for us to be able to do, we really needed to prioritize it. I think that everybody’s feeling the economy in this moment. “

Some were in and around Santa Barbara was not just for recreation, but also for family.

Kris Egan sat with her husband and said, “we’ve been up to Boise, Idaho to see the grandkids and we are back to Pennsylvania to see his relatives and we are here to see my son.”

Getting set for UC Santa Barbara next month and walking with her parents, Isabella Christman said, I’m moving  down here the fall.”  She says that has kept the trips close to home and within the state. 

A Long Beach resident said trips within a few hours have worked out the best for now.

Juan  Jimenez said, “I’ve been here before. But I wanted to bring her (his wife) and the kids and, we’re actually going to go to, Solvang after.”

For a couple  from Texas this was the right spot, at the right time since they are building a home right now.

Reece Struzick said if was affordable and  “everything is just so clean of well established.   Not very crowded like we thought it was going to be. Just awesome. “

Back on the road with the Loop shuttle we also found out the drivers will be rolling through the end of November on this trial service.  They have also become a visitor center on wheels,  with information and suggestions for the riders on where to go,  what to do,   what to eat and  where to find some memorable moments.

The Santa Barbara Airport has been reporting strong passenger counts and is expected to exceed $1.4-million for the year.

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – The Santa Maria Valley YMCA has a new playhouse for its preschool programs thanks to a generous donation made by two well known local philanthropists.

Mike and Marla Gibson, who have been involved in numerous Santa Maria Valley non-profit organizations, charities and events for many years, recently won the playhouse during a fundraiser for CALM, a community-based mental health agency serving Santa Barbara County.

“The high school students over at the vocational training center (The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Mark Richardson Career Technical Education Center) built this playhouse house for a construction competition,” said Mike Gibson. “After it was done, they donated to CALM. CALM had a fundraiser a few weeks ago and they auctioned it off. I was lucky enough to be the high bidder. And I donated it to the Y because I knew that the preschool could use the playhouse.”

On Friday, the Santa Maria YMCA, the Gibsons, along with other local stakeholders held a ribbon cutting to officially open up the playhouse for the kids.

“It’s great all these kids are going to get so much enjoyment out of playing in that playhouse,” said Gibson. “They can play house inside and there’s a little stove and all kinds of fun stuff for them to do in there.”

The playhouse needed to be carefully hoisted over the YMCA building into an outdoor play area.

Now that it’s in place and open to the kids, the YMCA has big plans for its future usage.

“It’s just a huge enhancement to our outdoor classroom,” said Diana Borjas, Santa Maria V Preschool and Aquatic Director. “We haven’t had a preschool playhouse here to this caliber ever. We just have such a vision for it. For each season, we’re going to bring it to life. We’re going to be able to use it for their imagination and dramatic play, making it into a library, making it into a bakery, letting their imagination go wild. Each season we can cater to that season fall, spring, winter, having Santa’s workshop out here, trick or treating around the Halloween season. We just can’t wait to bring it to life and make the children just enjoy our outdoor space even more.”

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The YMCA’s Livestrong program for cancer patients is experiencing record growth in Santa Barbara, with participation nearly doubling over the past year.

Kiki Wells of Santa Barbara is battling stage four cancer.

But she isn’t backing down.

“My third goal was to say the word cancer ten times a day … the more you use it the more power you take away from it … and I think for a lot of people with cancer … that’s about the hardest, they’re fearful of it,” said Wells.

The YMCA Livestrong program in Santa Barbara has given her hope and strength during treatment.

“It gave me a sense of companionship and fun … and an easy way to make a positive experience when you’ve got cancer … You’ve gotta create your positive experiences,” said Wells.

The YMCA team has seen participation nearly double over the past year.

“Some of the branches had to drop the program when Covid happened due to losing staff … and so as we’ve been building our staff back, we gained more instructors … and so we’ve been able to offer the program. Each branch has a goal of offering it twice per year,” said associate executive director Andrew Aleman of YMCA.

The program provides free exercise and support classes, along with a family membership so loved ones can participate.

“It’s really getting them connected with a group where they have enjoyment out of the day, not just focusing on maybe doctors appointments,” said Aleman.

“So anything you do that either you enjoy or you do with people you love is gonna give you that boost,” said Wells.

For Wells, the program is a lifeline, helping her stay strong through cancer.

Organizers say the surge reflects a rising demand for exercise, emotional support, and a sense of community in the years following the pandemic.

Funded entirely by donations, the program provides free access to tailored fitness classes designed for cancer survivors at any stage of treatment or recovery.

Each participant also receives a complimentary family membership, allowing loved ones to join them in the gym for added encouragement.

YMCA leaders note that the expansion includes more staff and activities to keep pace with demand.

It costs about $250 to sponsor a single participant, and community fundraising ensures no one is turned away.

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Jarrod Zinn

BUELLTON, Calif. – The ballot count in the special election for the District 4 City Council seat in Buellton has been updated.

Friday’s ballot update solidified candidate Carla Mead’s advantage over former mayor dave king.

Carla Mead, a community volunteer, has 60 percent of the vote, while King has 39 percent.

Voter turnout is now at 51 percent.

“You never really know what voter turnout is going to be. So I’m really impressed,” says Buellton’s mayor David Silva.

The results will continue to be tabulated, and the official declaration won’t occur until September 12th, and things can certainly change as more ballots are counted.

“One of the best things about door knocking and canvasing and campaigning and now that the election has come to a conclusion is obviously even though I’ve tried to meet a number of people and it’s been wonderful to meet so many people, there’s obviously a large contingency of people that I still haven’t met yet,” says leading candidate Carla Mead.

Mayor David Silva, who previously held the district 4 seat, says the winner will represent a growing district, adding to their workload.

“District four has a lot going on,” says Silva. “We have three new housing complexes coming into the district. And so one thing that’s going to be difficult for whoever ends up winning the seat is helping to integrate and engage with these new people coming into our community.”

“I’m really hopeful that I’m going to be able to get a lot of work done in this next year, and I’m ready to get to it, especially because I know I have the backing of so many incredible people here in Buellton,” says Mead.

The special election was held after city council members could not come to an agreement on filling the seat vacated by Silva, who beat King for mayor in the November election.

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Joey Vergilis

NIPOMO, Calif. – On this week of “The Walkthrough with Joey,” we learned that actions speak louder than words for Nipomo Titans senior tailback Nicky Evans.

Evans – one of the team captains – leads by example through effort, dedication, and a willingness to do whatever it takes to move the chains for his team.

The no nonsense hometown kid punishes opposing defenses with a blend of patience and power.

His signature game came in late in 2024 when Evans carved up the Morro Bay Pirates for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 41-35 Nipomo Titan road victory. 

Evans erupted as a junior, averaging well over 100 rushing yards per game and finishing with 1,146 yards and 13 trips to the end zone.

Those numbers, paired with Nipomo’s undefeated Ocean League run, earned him 2024 Ocean League Offensive Player of the Year and Santa Maria Times All-Area MVP honors.

“Me being able to catch also like the receivers, I think it just puts more threats out there out on the field. They don’t know what’s coming at them,” Evans says.

Nipomo head coach Russ Edwards praised his senior standout, saying: “Nicky is one of the kindest, most caring teammates I’ve ever been around — he’s always there for his guys.”

“It’s better for me to be a quiet leader and who I am, but still be a leader. We need to focus on the connections we build throughout each other because we’re a team, and also just how we treat each other. And I feel like going about it and how I approach it, I feel like that’s the best way to do it cause it brings us together more and helps us,” Evans says.

Now, Evans and the Titans look to punch in their first win of the season as they hit the road to face Righetti tonight. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Catch highlights of Nipomo at Righetti and all the other local action tonight at 11:10pm with Mike Klan on News Channel’s Friday Football Focus.

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Christer Schmidt

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A new study published in ‘Frontiers in Public Health’ finds people with overwhelming grief symptoms face a significantly higher chance of dying within 10 years of losing a loved one.

Trauma coach and author Hertha Lund, who specializes in grief work and equine-assisted healing, says early intervention and compassionate support can make the difference between getting stuck in trauma and finding a path forward.

Lund described how some mourners enter “a deep shock response” immediately after a loss, sometimes unable to function for days. “They lose time and space,” she explained. That’s when it’s critical for family and friends to help re-establish structure; regular sleep, meals, and daily routines. “The body speaks first,” Lund said. “If someone stays stuck in that trauma response, it deregulates the whole system”.

Grief often comes in waves, she added, disrupting daily life at first but easing with time. “The waves of grief really disrupt us at first, and then they get farther and farther apart. It won’t last forever,” she said. Supporters, she emphasized, should “be kind, compassionate, listen, [and] let them know that they’re not alone.” Lund recommends staying away from alcohol and caffeine, which can heighten anxiety and depression.

Lund also draws from her training as an equine Gestalt coach, a form of therapy that combines traditional Gestalt psychology, which focuses on awareness, presence, and processing emotions in the moment, with the intuitive responses of horses. In practice, the animal becomes a partner in healing, often mirroring human emotions and providing a grounding presence. Lund has seen horses offer comfort in the raw, immediate stages of grief.

“Oftentimes a horse will come in and literally provide contact and support. I’ve seen horses wrap their heads around somebody and hug them,” she said.

She explained that while horses can provide solace right after a loss, equine Gestalt work can also help people address unresolved grief over time. “A year or two after the loss is when the big shifts come,” Lund noted. “I helped one woman who lost her husband of 38 years, and after working with the horse she was able to live differently afterwards.”

For those without horses, Lund notes that dogs and other animals can provide a similar sense of grounding and connection. What matters most, she said, is finding ways to stay anchored in the body, connected to others, and patient with the healing process.

Her closing message for anyone mourning: “Slow down, allow yourself to feel; get back to your normal routine, eating, sleeping, and be so kind to yourself. We really need to know that we’re not alone and that people are there that love us and support us. That’s what helps us get through grief with the least amount of damage”.

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Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Men’s Soccer team pressed and pressed and pressed their way to a big win on Thursday night, downing the reigning Atlantic Sun Conference Champion North Florida Ospreys, 3-0. Ramses Martinez opened the scoring, Zac Siebenlist found the back of the net for the second time in as many matches and Mateos Carvalho scored his first collegiate goal, while Jacob Blach yet again proved a vital addition to Santa Barbara’s back line, anchoring the defense in their first shutout of the season.

FROM HEAD COACH TIM VOM STEEG”Whenever you get a chance to beat a team that, like I said, I think is a quality team, it’s a good one,” head coach Tim Vom Steeg said. “The pressing part happens when everybody knows what’s behind them and they’re comfortable with the players around them so you trust people … Tonight, I thought the guys trusted each other, they were committed, and when one guy went, the second guy went behind them, and that made all the difference for us.”

HOW IT HAPPENEDVom Steeg’s squad was all over the Ospreys early on Thursday night, keeping North Florida penned in their own half for essentially the entire first 20 minutes. Thanks to their aggressive high press, the Gauchos created plenty of opportunities, with Martinez forcing a save inside the first five minutes. Nicolas Willumsen went close in the early stages too. The Dane was on the receiving end of a delightful sequence of one-touch passes at the top of the penalty area, but he thumped his volleyed effort narrowly to the wrong side of the goalpost.

With Santa Barbara controlling early possession, North Florida’s only threats in the early stages came from counterattacks, but, perhaps too eager to escape the Gauchos’ throttling defense, the Ospreys were caught offside three times in six minutes, shutting down any chances for the visitors to steal a goal. They did start to get the ball at their feet a bit more as the clock ticked toward 30 minutes, but right as North Florida started to crack the door open, Martinez and Santa Barbara slammed it back in their faces.

With the ball on the left wing in the 34th minute, Kaden Standish played a pass in behind the defense, which Steinar Bjornsson was all too eager to chase. The Icelander got to the end line and chipped a cross back into the penalty area. Martinez was in the right place, completely un-marked at the penalty spot, and volleyed the ball into the top right corner to put the Gauchos on top.

Santa Barbara’s press did soften for the rest of the first half, though they still managed to deny North Florida any shots on goal between Martinez opening the scoring and the halftime whistle. In fact, the Gauchos nearly doubled their lead in the 44th minute, when a cross got past the Ospreys’ goalkeeper and Haruki Utsumi was able to direct it goalward. The ball would have gone into the un-guarded net, had it not been blocked by a North Florida defender. The Gauchos would have to settle for a one-goal lead at halftime.

Immediately after halftime, Santa Barbara had to weather a 15-minute storm as the play became staccato and physical, which the Ospreys used to create a sequence of chances. The visitors appealed for a penalty kick in the 54th minute, and the referee went to video review, but he was unmoved and did not award a spot kick.

Shortly afterwards, the Gauchos nearly doubled their lead as Siebenlist got on the end of another flowing passing move down the left wing, but his shot fizzed just wide of the post. A minute later, as the clock reached the hour mark, Santa Barbara found themselves both up a goal and up a man. A hard, late challenge resulted in an Osprey defender seeing a red card, swinging the momentum back into the Gauchos’ favor. It took 14 minutes for Santa Barbara to capitalize on their numerical advantage, but when they did it was Siebenlist finding himself in the right place at the right time for a second game running.

After Drew Kamienski made a great block against North Florida’s leading scorer, he was able to get Santa Barbara going on a counterattack. At the other end of it, Thomas Noordegraaf did well to thread a pass between two defenders and find Siebenlist in acres of space in the penalty area, but the sophomore’s strike was pushed onto the post. However, the Ospreys failed to clear the ball and it fell right back to Siebenlist, who made the most of his second chance, finding the bottom right corner. That essentially put the game to bed, with North Florida only attempting two more shots between Siebenlist’s score and the final whistle, one of which went high and the other of which was easily saved by Luke Skinner in the Gaucho goal.

However, Santa Barbara was not done having fun. Willumsen got a wide-open shot 12 yards from goal in the 82nd minute but was denied by a great save, and Eddie Villeda had a long-range effort blocked in the 85th. In the 89th minute, the Gauchos finally punched through again for their third goal. Isaiah Barber made a great tackle to win the ball back 30 yards from goal, popped to his feet and played a pass to split two defenders and find Noordegraaf running through. One-on-one with the goalkeeper, the Dutchman selflessly passed to Carvalho, giving the freshman a simple tap-in for his first collegiate score.

FROM THE STUDENT ATHLETES”It’s important to finish our chances against teams like North Florida,” Martinez said. They’re a really good team, they broke our press multiple times, so getting a goal in in the first half is very important, and once we got the goal it gave us momentum, we were able to establish possession and create more chances.”

“Every time the ball goes out wide, coach wants people back stick, first post and then top of the 18, and I knew the ball was coming,” Martinez said of his goal. “I knew, so it’s just instinct for goal, I saw it, took the opportunity and I scored.”

BY THE NUMBERSMartinez’s goal was the fourth of his Gaucho career. Three of them, including Thursday night’s, have been the game-winning strike. The only one that does not hold that distinction was the go-ahead goal in Santa Barbara’s 2021 NCAA Tournament match at UCLA.After being held to just eight shots on opening day at Oregon State, the Gauchos have now tallied 15 or more shots in back-to-back matches, registering 17 on Thursday night.Along with Carvalho recording his first collegiate goal on Thursday, Bjornsson registered his first collegiate assist and Skinner picked up his first collegiate shutout.

UP NEXTUC Santa Barbara will be back at Harder Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30 to host the 62nd Community Shield match against Westmont. Though the match will be an exhibition and not count towards either side’s records, there are bragging rights on the line. The teams played to a 2-2 draw in 2024’s edition of the fixture. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and tickets are on sale now at ucsbgauchos.com/tickets. Fans can also catch all the action from anywhere by watching live on ESPN+ or with live stats at ucsbgauchos.com/MSOC_Stats.

(Courtesy UCSB Athletics)

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Jarrod Zinn

BUELLTON, Calif. – The Housing Authority of Santa Barbara County, or HASBARCO, cut the ribbon this afternoon on its latest affordable housing complex in Buellton.

Polo Village has been housing people since May, but today it was officially recognized.

City leaders, builders, and designers – as well as state and county representatives – attended.

Several people remarked on the sophisticated design of Polo Village, that it was not just functional, but beautiful.

With spacious, air conditioned interiors, a community center, and full support staff, many who called themselves unhoused just months ago can now say they are home.

“I have a foundation and I can start a new life and a new chapter,” says Polo Village resident Frederick Villa. “I’m very grateful for the community. I’m able to interact with people, the staff and, of course, all the ordinary and put it together and let me live another day.”

HASBARCO is one of several organizations building affordable housing complexes on the Central Coast.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Santa Barbara County has launched a new digital equity website to help families with back-to-school needs.

The site offers affordable internet options, free or low-cost devices, and digital literacy resources.

The year-round hub is designed to keep families connected and ready for the academic year.

It was developed through the Santa Barbara County Digital Equity Coalition with local partners.

Leaders say access to reliable internet is essential for student success.

For more information, visit: http://www.SBCDEC.org

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Ryder Christ

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Senior Nutrition Programs across California are serving more than food, they are building health and community.

“Meals are very important. A lot of times people don’t realize how important a meal is, but it could be that one thing that brings a smile to your day,” said Connie Nakano, Assistant Director of the California Department of Aging.

Last year alone, 22 million meals were served through the Department’s flagship program. “It’s not just the nutritional value of the meals, which is critically important. It’s the connection that food brings as people gather together and share meals,” said Susan DeMarois, Director of the California Department of Aging.

In San Francisco, Self-Help for the Elderly serves 50,000 seniors a year. President and CEO Anni Chung said meals are tailored to the city’s diversity: “If a senior center could serve rice, sometimes noodles, have hot soup, and then the ethnically balanced, nutritiously balanced meals are catered to their taste, then they’ll come back every day.”

For participants, the program is about friendship as much as nutrition. “We always meet and mingle and develop relationship on the table while you’re eating. That’s how you make friends,” said Tyrone Yip, a volunteer and participant.

Nakano added that meal programs often connect older adults to other services, from transportation to caregiver support. “These meal programs are kind of the doorway to understand what other supports are there to help older Californians really live independently and thrive in their communities.”

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