Author: KEYT

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – As you stroll through downtown Santa Barbara, you might spot rows of empty storefront windows.

“It’s pretty empty … if an artist came and decorated it … brighten it up a little bit,” said student Joe Brama of UCSB.

But a new program it’s about to turn these vacant windows into works of art.

“We have a new vacant window beautification program in downtown Santa Barbara and we are doing a call for Art to showcase the talented artist in our area,” said executive director Robin Elander of the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association.

Artists, photographers, and designers are invited to submit original pieces.

“We’re encouraging our local artist to submit scanned or digital copies of their work to be enlarged and put in local windows and vacant storefronts,” said executive director Sarah York Rubin of the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture.

Organizers of the program hope the blank windows will soon been filled with color and creativity.

“My hope is to have this be part by a long time effort to ultimately support and elevate the conditions for businesses downtown,” said Elander.

Selected artists will get $250 and their name credited on each display.

The project is part of a broader revitalization effort led by the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association, aiming to make unused spaces more welcoming for residents and visitors alike.

More details and guidelines are available at www.downtownsb.org/discover/windows.

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John Palminteri

MONTECITO, Calif. – A 27-foot sailboat did not have a second chance it had hope for after crashing on Butterfly Beach Tuesday in Montecito.

It crashed Sunday with no one on board. The vessel broke loose from the anchorage on the eastern side of Stearns wharf off Santa Barbara’s waterfront.

The drifting vessel was intercepted by some people in the water who may have made a difference to keep it off the rocks where it could have been damaged on its arrival.

Then came a plan by the owner Luke Wallace who said he boat would be recovered at high tide around noon Tuesday and it looked to be undamaged.

That changed when the waves started moving it around and it is unclear exactly what happened but by morning, it was in pieces all over the beach in the ocean.

An investigation is underway to see how the destruction of the vessel could have been avoided.

Wallace said Monday on the beach, “it is looking pretty good. Minus the outboard that is missing. I think it is in pretty good shape.”

The next hours were catastrophic.

That left behind a debris field that was shocking to the first people to walk the beach.

Some immediately tried to keep the pieces from getting back  into the water.

Montecito resident Helene Folkart looked around after going back and forth several times and said, “I got a pile there.  A second one here, and then we started on a third one here .”  

A family from Germany was also on site and helping out. 

“It looked like it exploded,” said Harry Rabin with the non-profit environmental group Heal the Ocean.  “We’ll maybe try to figure out what happened but I am really shocked to see it came apart like that.”

Some of the debris was dangerous to touch.

Summer Wilson from Summerland said, “this is terrible. That is a gas tank that’s in the water.  I don’t understand why someone isn’t here to clean it up and we are doing it.”

Debris was carried by the currents down the coast more than 100 yards.

Wilson said, “there’s paint thinner, cans of paint thinners all kinds of toxic material and it is coming this way because all the trash is all the way down,” she said pointing east. “We walked down there, it’s coastal and there’s nails (in the wood.)”

Those who have seen this before and have been part of salvaging broken boats say the county’s plan to respond to these incidents is inadequate.  

“It’s definitely going to head to Miramar at this point probably and beyond and that is the worst  nightmare,” said Rabin.

“Everything we moved to the rocks is going to go to the ocean so someone needs to come down here and clean up all the piles that we made,” said Wilson.

Heal the Ocean is currently covering the costs and working with Marborg Industries on a full clean up on the beach.

Recently another sailboat also crashed there and was abandoned for more than a week before an emergency cleanup effort took place to crush it and remove the remains in a Marborg coordinated effort, again with funds by Heal the Ocean.

A more defined response policy by the county is being developed for these incidents with Santa Barbara County Supervisor Roy Lee.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Bishop Diego Cardinals soar into a new school year by sweeping Athlete of the Week honors at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheon at Harry’s.

The Female Athlete of the Week is senior volleyball player Sophie Otte and the Male Athlete of the Week is senior quarterback Tua Rojas.

Otte led the Cardinals to a rare win over Santa Barbara High School and the Cardinals finished off the week by taking second place in the Silver Division in their own Cardinal Classic tournament.

The Cardinals beat the Dons for the first time since 1975 as Otte had 16 kills, three blocks and three digs in a four-set victory.

Rojas threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score in the Cardinals wild 42-40 season-opening win at Lancaster.

He completed 15-of-21 passes for 258 yards.

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Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – Two people died after a two-car crash at the intersection of Central and Santa Clara Ave. near Oxnard just after 6:00 a.m. Sunday morning, according to the Ventura CHP.

A 19-year-old from Santa Paula drove his BMW west on Central Ave. and failed to stop at the intersection on a red light.

There, the 19-year-old crashed into a Chevrolet with a 75-year-old Piru man driving and a 58-year-old Piru woman as a passenger in the car, detailed the CHP.

Both people in the Chevrolet died from their injuries at the scene, and the 19-year-old, who had moderate injuries from the crash, was later arrested on suspicion of DUI, according to the CHP.

The crash shut down traffic at the intersection for about eight hours before reopening at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, detailed the CHP.

This investigation remains ongoing and those with more information on the incident are asked to call the Ventura CHP.

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Jarrod Zinn

BUELLTON, Calif. – A rare summer election is taking place on the Central Coast.

Some Buellton residents are voting to fill the District 4 seat on Buellton’s city council, which was left vacant last November when David Silva was elected mayor.

Retired California Highway Patrol officer Dave King served as Buellton’s mayor for two years.

In last November’s election, he was unseated by former District 4 council member David Silva, who had been serving as Vice Mayor.

“As much experience as I’ve had as a highway patrol officer being in government, my experience on city council, both as a council member and the mayor, is that I’m somebody that gets things done and I have done things for this community,” says Dave King.

Councilmembers could not come to an agreement on filling the seat, so voters will decide in an election that is being held by mail only.

King is running against the Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society’s board chairperson, Carla Mead.

“I’ve done a lot of work in the community, like this communication board you’ll see behind me,” says Carla Mead. “One of the big goals that I have for this area is to keep improving accessibility and inclusivity and building out amenities for families.”

Local residents have already received their mail-in ballots, and the deadline to have them postmarked or dropped in a drop box is tomorrow by 8:00 p.m.

“My big concern for this community is public safety and traffic safety,” says King. “We have an issue with speeding on the 246. People treat it like it’s a freeway and we have a lot of kids and moms and families across the street to go to the elementary and the middle school.”

“I’m always interested in learning more about, how can we build this city for people with young families all the way through, our seniors,” says Mead.

Results will be tabulated and posted to the City of Buellton’s website Tuesday evening shortly after the ballot deadline.

Both candidates say that whether they win or lose this election, they are committed to working with constituents to improve the city for everyone.

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Ryder Christ

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Thousands gathered at Chase Palm Park on Saturday for the annual Pacific Pride Festival, a day filled with music, food, performances and a strong message of community and inclusion. This year’s celebration also honored the Pacific Pride Foundation, which is marking its 50th anniversary of serving the Central Coast LGBTQ+ community.

The festival featured live entertainment across multiple stages, including Santa Barbara’s own DJ Darla Bea, drag performer Vivian Storm, and a headline performance by Jessica Wild from “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” The Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus performed a set that included “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” a nod to LGBTQ+ history and culture.

Despite humid weather along the waterfront, attendees were in high spirits, many describing the event as a much-needed moment of joy. “It means everything to me to see this community come together,” Storm said. “After all of the devastation that is happening around the world, I think we can use a little joy, and seeing our community come together today has been just that.”

Beyond the entertainment, the day emphasized unity across differences. “We have people with different political backgrounds, agree to disagree and just love one another, regardless of what side you’re on,” said event volunteer Amadeus DeVinus. “Left wing, right wing — it flies the same bird, you know?”

This year’s theme, Rooted in Pride: Embracing Our Past – Empowering Our Future, reflected on the foundation’s five decades of advocacy, support services and community building.

For many, the day was about more than music and celebration. “I get this overwhelming feeling of being full for the first time in a long time,” Storm added. “Full in terms of joy, in terms of happiness, in terms of being seen and being heard. I also feel the love that many of us do not feel on a daily basis. It is all right here in this space in Santa Barbara.”

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Dave Alley

ORCUTT, Calif. – The Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table held its first weekly awards luncheon of the new 2025-26 school year on Monday afternoon.

Created 35 years ago, the weekly luncheon takes place on Mondays during the academic year and is intended to honor and recognize the top prep and collegiate student-athletes from the Northern Santa Barbara County region.

“We’re back,” said Round Table President Steve Lavagnino. “Here we are again, at Giavanni’s Pizza and we’re back to highlight some of Santa Barbara County’s greatest athletes. Not only are we highlighting what kids do on the field, and not just what they’re doing on the field, but the combination of putting together the student-athlete. We want the person that’s crushing in the classroom and also doing well on athletic field.”

Each week, different sports are featured during the program. This week, student-athletes from football, flag football and golf attended the luncheon.

“I think it’s just a great opportunity for all the local schools to come together,” said St. Joseph Athletic Director Tom Mott. “You get to hear stories about some of the kids that you read about in the newspapers or see on the highlights and it’s just great camaraderie for all the kids, and obviously, athletic directors like coming every Monday and seeing each other as well.”

A select group of student-athletes attend the event from each member school including: Santa Ynez High School, Lompoc High School, Cabrillo High School, Righetti High School, St. Joseph High School, Santa Maria High School, Pioneer Valley High School, Orcutt Academy High School, Valley Christian Academy, and Allan Hancock College.

“It’s nice to see faces that I recognize from all the sports,” said Lompoc multi-sport standout Tara Terrones. “Being able to meet other athletes and being able to enjoy everybody’s company, it’s very special.”

As lunch is being served, coaches and athletic directors from each school will speak and provide an update on the achievements and accomplishment of the teams and student-athletes that are in attendance.

“I like coming to eat pizza and I like coming and seeing all the faces, seeing my competition, seeing who I’m up against and who I can be friends with,” said Santa Maria flag football quarterback Sophie Juarez. “It’s just it’s a fun experience to come and meet everybody and it’s an honor to be here. Like, I got picked by my school to come and represent the sport, so it’s an honor to come.”

At the conclusion, a Male Athlete of the Week and Female Athlete of the Week are named, with both asked to provide a short speech to the audience.

On Monday, only one award was handed out and was given to Greyson Foy, who helped lead the Santa Ynez football team to an opening night win over Dos Pueblos last Friday night.

Created in 1990, the Round Table has been a staple on the local sports scene through generous community support, particularly from financial contributions from area businesses.

“What we do is we go out and we ask people for money, a lot of these things cost money,” said Lavagnino. “We do this here, plus, at the end of the year in May, we have a big banquet. We give out $1,500 scholarships. One scholarship is $2,000, so we give out about almost $15,000 at our May dinner. It’s all made possible by local businesses and a few people that used to be sitting in these seats that have now done well for themselves and they are writing us checks.”  

Giavanni’s Pizza in Orcutt has been the long-running traditional home of the Round Table and continues to serve as the primary host site.

However, beginning four years ago, Hancock College now also serves as a host site, welcoming the Round Table on the final Monday of each month.

The Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table will meet each Monday, except on holidays and vacation periods through May 4, 2026.

On Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the Round Table will holds its season-ending Hall of Fame and Scholarship Dinner at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge.

During the event, the Round Table will induct new members into its Hall of Fame, as well as name the Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table provides frequent updates and other information on its Facebook page, which can be accessed by clicking here.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Some of the basic jobs of the future may not be as certain as once thought and Santa Barbara City College students are making plans and adjusting plans based on the ever-changing conditions.

This is the first week for the fall semester at SBCC. Thousands of students have arrived on campus. Enrollment is slightly lower than 2024.

Santa Barbara City College President Erika Endrijonas said, “we are about five percent down relative to where we were from last year however those numbers do not include our dual enrollment students.”  Those are high school students who are also taking college classes and those numbers will be added  in the weeks ahead.

Fewer international students are on the campus and the school says those who are enrolled had an important blend with the other students.

Endrijonas said, “more international students means we have a broader more diverse community and we expose our students our Santa Barbara county students to all these cultures from around the world. We also have a dual enrollment program with UCSB so some of their international students come here to take classes.”

She also said the campus also gets a solid financial boost from the fees paid by an international student.

Students in the Community College District from Gaviota to Carpinteria are assited with the Santa Barbara Foundation Promise program which covers two years (including Summer school) of the books and tuition costs.

Having a plan and a roadmap to a career has always been the key component for a college education. Some of the careers, for example, finance, manufacturing, writing and marketing may be changing due to the growth of artificial intelligence (AI).

More secure jobs could be in more direct work such as one-on-one health care, including mental health and teaching.

A student in his first year, Esteban Turcios said, “I feel super lucky we have everything we have gas cards too, laptops, to free textbooks everything’s great.”

Jonathan Santamaria is majoring in automotive and “hopefully I can transfer somewhere and graduate there too and start my own business.”

In addition to the normal transition of high school students to city college for those who are well on their way to a career and want to pivot the school says SBCC  is the place where that can happen. 

“Opportunities for working professionals displaced homemakers going back to the work place.    anybody,” said Endrijonas. “I think what we have todauy is make sure we stay focused on what are students actually interested in doing because it is about it’s really about what do you want to do the rest of your life. We are here to help them.”

At the start of the new school year, there’s still room to make a plan or change a plan.

Nathan Egan was between classes on campus and said, “I was doing business administration but not too sure about that I was looking into the nursing program. I have some friends who are nurses and they say I should look into that.”

Audrey Kaobayashi is a student who went to high school in Northern California and said at SBCC she wants to learn, “architecture but you know I am trying to figure out what is transferable to go to the college I want to go to. Probably math and I am trying to get into physics right now, working that out.”

A student who came from Huntington Beach, Illeana Horany, said she likes physics and is also interested in the underwater welding program the school is offering.

There’s still an option in many classes to attend in person or online.

Naya Schaefer said, “I feel like the quarantine and on line learning that was a struggle for everyone especially  when you are bad at focusing.  For me I need to be  physical learning.  Learning in an environment with other people and a teacher teaching.”

At SBCC, a wide variety of on-campus and online classes are available for those who have a career path,  those that are getting their basic courses completed while looking at a major and also classes to retrain workers for the jobs of the future.

While many students do not feel like they have the skills they need for their first job, SBCC and other schools are regularly offering counseling and job fairs to help them meet employers and shape a plan.

The City of Santa Barbara has also held job fairs right in the heart of downtown with employers ranging from banks to the medical industry and law enforcement.

The campus athletics department is also going through a change this year with the new $105 million physical education complex construction underway. Voters approved a bond to help with the funding and $71 million will be coming through that fund source known as Measure P.

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News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from Santa Barbara Unified School District regarding the appointment of its new Student Board Member for the 2025-2026 school year, Carlos Vasquez

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Santa Barbara Unified is pleased to announce the appointment of Carlos Vazquez, a senior at San Marcos High School, as its new Student Board Member for the 2025-2026 school year. 

Carlos will succeed Erick Gonzalez Ramirez, a recent graduate of Santa Barbara High School, who served with distinction during his term.

Carlos Vazquez brings a wealth of leadership experience and a strong commitment to student advocacy to his new role. As an active leader in his community, Carlos currently serves as a member of the Santa Barbara Youth Council, has been President of his AAPLE Academy class for the past three years, and is Co-President of the San Marcos MEChA chapter, an organization dedicated to celebrating and promoting Latino culture on campus.

Passionate about amplifying youth voices both in schools and across the broader community, Carlos is especially committed to fostering diverse and inclusive school environments where every student feels represented and supported. He hopes to focus on students and educators working collaboratively to build a culture of belonging, ultimately leading to academic success.

“It is an incredible honor to serve as the Student Board Member and represent the voices of students across our district,” said Carlos Vazquez. “I believe our students thrive when they feel genuinely seen, heard, and valued. I look forward to working with the School Board to promote inclusive, collaborative school communities where every student is supported and empowered to succeed.”

Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado extended a warm welcome to Carlos and expressed gratitude to the outgoing member. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Carlos Vazquez to the Santa Barbara Unified School Board. His dedication to student voice and his impressive leadership experience will be invaluable as we continue to work towards creating supportive and equitable learning environments for all our students,” said Dr. Maldonado. 

Carlos Vazquez’s term as Student Board Member will run throughout the 2025-2026 school year.

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Ryder Christ

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Thousands of students in the Santa Barbara Unified School District returned to class Monday as district leaders pledged to prioritize both safety and learning in the new school year.

Superintendent Hilda Maldonado said the district is addressing concerns from families, including fears about the potential presence of federal immigration agents on school campuses. She emphasized that staff members have been trained on safety protocols designed to protect students.

“We will use our safety protocols to ensure we validate who’s here, what is their business, and do they really have a real reason to be here,” Maldonado said. “If not, we will not allow them to take any student or family from our campus. We know that fear is real. For us, having the students participate in a free public education is our main mission.”

District officials said they have also strengthened partnerships with community groups to provide additional resources for families. Leaders stressed that fear should not prevent students from accessing an education or feeling supported.

The Santa Barbara Teachers Association (SBTA) said educators share the district’s concerns about safety but want more specific guidance. “SBTA wants to see more leadership and guidance from Santa Barbara Unified so that educators and staff are better able to support our students and families,” said SBTA President York Shingle. “While we agree that we can’t predict every scenario, we need more specific training from our district leaders so we know what we can and can’t legally do if ICE tried to enter our campuses.”

Shingle said teachers are worried current protocols could inadvertently reveal student information. “For example, saying ‘I’m not sure if that student is here today’ actually communicates that the person named is a student at the campus,” he said. The association wants training on neutral responses such as, “I cannot confirm if anyone is a student at this site.” Teachers are also seeking clarification on what actions are legally acceptable if ICE agents do not follow district protocol, including whether shutting a classroom door is allowed.

For families choosing not to send children to campus, Santa Barbara Unified will continue offering online learning options, similar to the virtual classes provided during the COVID-19 pandemic.

District leaders said their focus this year remains clear: keeping students safe and supported while delivering a strong academic experience.

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