Author: KEYT

Jarrod Zinn

LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) – The Lompoc Food Pantry is experiencing critical shortages of its supply, while the needs of local families are only increasing.

The community is coming together to fight the shortage.

There’s a sense of determination that no one in this community will be going without food this November, especially for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

With the federal government shutdown set to affect those on benefits programs, the approaching Thanksgiving holiday has many feeling on edge.

“In the past, we were able to order and supplement items, complete a Thanksgiving package for families to take home to go with a turkey or ham that other small businesses or donors will come and donate,” says Monique Luna, the Lompoc Food Pantry’s coordinator. “This year, there’s no budget for that.”

But some Lompoc residents are taking action.

“We know that there’s a large aid that’s about to vanish and the need for this type of thing is growing,” says Jose Montes, a Real estate broker in Lompoc. “The demand is growing, but the supply, it’s not showing up at a fast enough pace.”

Learning about the increase in need has local community members coming together to fight the shortage, such as local real estate broker Jose Montes, who has set up a donation drive through his office.

“If you have the ability to donate perishable, nonperishable, please bring it to our office,” says Montes. “Everything and anything is welcome. We will make sure we get it to the program. We will make sure we get it to the people that need these things.”

He’s also spearheading other donations from local farmers to increase the amount of fresh produce flowing through the donation center. 

“The biggest part of what we need help with is the non-perishables,” says Luna. “So that’s how we stock our shelves and that’s how we’re able to maintain items for families to be able to get through the month.”

Montes is looking to spread the word to anyone who can donate any food items to fill in critical gaps and make sure all of Lompoc’s families can celebrate Thanksgiving.

Donations can be dropped off daily at the Lompoc Food Pantry from 10am to 2pm, or at the office of Jose Montes at 514 North H Street from 9am to 1pm.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A new kind of training is taking shape in Santa Barbara.

It starts with a pair of boxing gloves.

“I really feel the movement in icing and boxing itself is a good outlet for the kids,” said coach John Sandoval of Paragon Academy.

The Santa Barbara Police Activities League has partnered with Paragon Goleta Boxing to offer free classes for local teens.

The goal?

Give young people a positive outlet, and the tools to face life’s challenges.

“I’m pretty excited about it, especially because I’ve been wanting to box a pretty long time … and so I feel like this has been giving me the opportunity to go ahead and box,” said student Oakley Salas of SB PAL.

“You give them an opportunity and you give them a goal. they will rise to it and we have a great instructors that are gonna ensure that they can get to the level that they want to be,” said executive director Judie Lugo of SB PAL.

The SB PAL team hopes to continue this new partnership indefinitely.

“Just as like a student in general it can get pretty stressful … but boxing helps me take that stress out in a healthy way,” said Salas.

“My hope is to get the kids interested in being able to spend more time inside learning a skill versus outside in the street,” said Sandoval.

“I want to continue forever … I want to be like a champion,” said student Beau Rainbolt of SB PAL.

For the teens, boxing isn’t just exercise.

It’s a path forward.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – There will not be a cultural street festival around the Museum of Contemporary Art in Santa Barbara for Día de los Muertos this year.

It would have taken place Saturday, Nov. 1.

The event, also known as a calenda, has been postponed. The museum has expressed concerns over immigration issues and public safety. A statement said, “the threat to undocumented families remains very real.”

Last year hundreds of people attended in downtown in what was a colorful community gathering.

In announcing the cancellation, Executive Director Dalia Garcia said, “we do not take this decision lightly. But we take it with conviction. Because to honor Día de los Muertos fully means honoring the dignity, safety, and humanity of those who live its truth every day not just in November, but all year long.”

The Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara (MCASB) statement:

As Executive Director of MCASB and the creator of Calenda Día de los Muertos, I write on behalf of our institution to share a difficult but necessary decision: this year, we will pause our annual Dia de los Muertos Calenda celebration.

This decision emerged from deep reflection and ongoing conversations with artists, community members, and immigrant rights advocates. Many have reminded us that although ICE raids may no longer dominate daily headlines, the threat to undocumented families remains very real. Policies that criminalize migration, restrict access to essential services, and sow fear continue to endanger lives.

To hold a public celebration without naming this reality risks turning ancestral practices into mere aesthetic décor and commodifying Indigenous identities stripping them of their meaning and dignity. Such a gesture would be disconnected from the very communities it claims to honor.

Calenda was never intended as spectacle. It was born from relationship, ancestral reverence, and a commitment to justice. Its power lies not in its scale, but in its intention. And intention requires honesty: not everyone has the privilege to celebrate openly. For many in our community, visibility carries risk.

At MCASB, we believe cultural expression must be rooted in integrity not commodification. Día de los Muertos is not a theme; it is a living practice of remembrance, resistance, and love. When traditions are stripped of their context and offered as entertainment, they lose their soul. We refuse to contribute to that erasure.

This year, rather than host a public procession, we will redirect our energy and resources toward supporting community-led efforts that protect, heal, and advocate for those most impacted by systemic injustice. We remain steadfast in our belief that art and justice are inseparable and that a museum’s highest calling is to stand with its community, especially when doing so requires sacrifice.

Looking ahead, we are already working to ensure that next year’s Calenda should conditions allow, can be a truly safe, inclusive, and a co-created gathering. We are actively deepening partnerships with institutions and organizations whose values align with ours, so that when we come together again, it is with shared purpose, mutual care, and collective strength.

We do not take this decision lightly. But we take it with conviction. Because to honor Día de los Muertos fully means honoring the dignity, safety, and humanity of those who live its truth every day not just in November, but all year long.

With gratitude and solidarity,

Dalia Garcia, Executive Director, & the MCASB Team

Una declaración del Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Santa Bárbara (MCASB):

Como directora ejecutiva del MCASB y creadora de la Calenda Día de los Muertos, escribo en nombre de nuestra institución para compartir una decisión difícil pero necesaria: este año, suspendemos nuestra celebración anual del Día de los Muertos Calenda.  

Esta decisión surgió tras una profunda reflexión y conversaciones continuas con artistas, miembros de la comunidad y defensores de los derechos de las personas migrantes. Muchos nos han recordado que, aunque las redadas de ICE ya no estén en los titulares todos los días, la amenaza para las familias indocumentadas sigue siendo muy real. Las políticas que criminalizan la migración, restringen el acceso a servicios básicos y siembran miedo continúan poniendo en peligro vidas. 

Sin nombrar esta realidad, cualquier celebración pública se arriesga a transformar prácticas ancestrales en decorado estético y a convertir identidades indígenas en productos de consumo, lejos de su significado y dignidad: un gesto desconectado de las comunidades a las que pretende honrar.  

El Día de los Muertos Calenda nunca fue concebida como espectáculo. Nació de la relación, la memoria ancestral y un compromiso con la justicia. Su fuerza no radica en su escala, sino en su intención. Y la intención exige honestidad: no todas las personas tienen el privilegio de celebrar abiertamente. Para muchas en nuestra comunidad, la visibilidad conlleva riesgos.  

En el MCASB creemos que la expresión cultural debe estar arraigada en la integridad, no en la mercantilización. El Día de los Muertos no es un “tema”; es una práctica viva de recuerdo, resistencia y amor. Cuando se despoja a las tradiciones de su contexto y se ofrecen como entretenimiento, pierden su alma. Nos negamos a contribuir a esa pérdida.  

Este año, en lugar de organizar una procesión pública, redirigiremos nuestra energía y recursos hacia iniciativas comunitarias que protejan, sanen y defiendan a quienes más sufren las injusticias sistémicas. Mantenemos firme nuestra convicción de que el arte y la justicia son inseparables, y que la misión más alta de un museo es estar al lado de su comunidad, especialmente cuando eso requiere sacrificio.  

Mirando al futuro, ya estamos trabajando para garantizar que la Calenda del próximo año, si las condiciones lo permiten, pueda ser un espacio verdaderamente seguro, inclusivo y co-creado. Estamos fortaleciendo alianzas con instituciones y organizaciones cuyos valores coinciden con los nuestros, para que, cuando volvamos a reunirnos, lo hagamos con propósito compartido, cuidado mutuo y fuerza colectiva.  

No tomamos esta decisión a la ligera. Pero la tomamos con convicción. Porque honrar plenamente el Día de los Muertos significa honrar la dignidad, la seguridad y la humanidad de quienes viven su verdad todos los días, no solo en noviembre, sino durante todo el año.  

Con gratitud y solidaridad,

Dalia Garcia, Directora Ejecutiva, y el equipo de MCASB

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Dave Alley

TEMPLETON, Calif. (KEYT) – San Luis Obispo County celebrated the grand opening of its long-planned new public safety communications center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Monday morning.

Located in Templeton just off Highway 101, the 20,193 square foot two-story building will bring together emergency dispatch services for the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and San Luis Obispo County Fire Department for the first time ever.

County officials point out that having both agencies in one building will greatly enhance and streamline emergency responses, particularly during times of significant incidents.

The new building replaces two separate dispatch facilities used by both agencies that were outdated, undersized and inefficient for the modern needs of both departments.

“This new communications center represents the next generation of public safety for San Luis ObispoCounty,” said San Luis Obispo County Fire Department Chief John Owens said in a statement. “By bringing our fire and law enforcement dispatchers together under one roof, we’re improving how quickly and effectively we can respond when our community needs us most.”

According to a release, the new center features a 140-foot communications tower, advanced dispatch technology, and expanded capacity for future growth. Key statistics for the project include over 140 tons of steel, 150,000 feet of network cabling, more than 315,000 feet of electrical wiring, and 2,000 cubic yards of concrete.

San Luis Obispo County broke ground on the $40 million project two years ago in October 2023.

The dispatch center is now fully operational and its first official transmission was broadcast at the conclusion of the ceremony.

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Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) Generations of people visit McGrath Brothers Great Pacific Pumpkin Patch before Halloween.

Some adults remember visiting as a kid and bring their friends.

They won’t buy their pumpkins anywhere else.

In addition to hayrides Great Pacific Pumpkins has a a maze made out of hay.

There are also farm animals to see and Topa Topa Flywheelers showing people how farm equipment works.

Most of the pumpkins are between $2-$20.

Every year there appears to be new colors.

This year visitors may see grey pumpkins among the orange ones.

Some people fill wheel barrows with their finds.

Families are welcome to come in costumes and bring their four legged friends.

CONNOR CASAVAN  MCGRATH GREAT PACIFIC PUMPKINS 

“We’ve got a great season this is when we have our community come interact with us on the farm a lot of pumpkins going out through wholesale and families it is one of our favorite times of year,” said Connor Casavan, who feels like a McGrath.

He said he has been working with the family for years.

He recommends putting smaller ones in the fridge to preserve them once they are carved.

Then people can put them out in the evening.

He said there is no need to be a master carver to get creative.

Great Pacific Pumpkins is located on Olivas Park Drive and open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Caleb Nguyen

PISMO BEACH, Calif. (KEYT) – CAL FIRE SLO crews helped rescue a person in the water near Price Street in Pismo Beach around 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Crews found the person and conducted a full surf rescue, including swimmers, before pulling them up at Port St. Luis, according to CAL FIRE SLO.

Crews then began CPR procedures before helping the person via ambulance following recovery efforts, according to CAL FIRE SLO.

CAL FIRE SLO crews received help from a CHP helicopter, Port San Luis Harbor Patrol, Pismo Beach Fire and the SLO County USAR Team.

CAL FIRE SLO also reminds people that high surf and unsafe conditions can always be dangerous. CAL FIRE SLO also reminds people to keep a safe distance from the shoreline and always watch the surf.

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) The State Street Ballet is celebrating a proposal.

Ryan Lenkey got down on one knee and proposed to Saori Yamashita during the final bow at the end of Romeo and Juliet at the last at The Granada Theatre.

It took place during the season opener for The State Street Ballet and The Santa Barbara Symphony .

Yamashita nodded her head before they embraced.

They shared their thoughts afterwards.

“Two dreams came true in one weekend and I still feel like I am dreaming,” said Yamashita.

“We are so over-the-moon and haven’t been able to stop smiling all week and now we are going to New York to celebrate,” said Lenkey.

The dancers live in Santa Barbara and said they plan to elope in the area next month.

For more information visit https://statestreetballet.com and https://thesymphony.org

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – It is a thrilling time of year.

World Dance for Humanity hosted a Thriller event at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden.

The free dance party is part of ‘Thrill The World.’

It happens at the same time of a global event on the Saturday before Halloween.

People know the famous dance thanks to Michael Jackson’s video.

Others learned it at World Dance for Humanity practices.

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Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) Little Bo Peep took the Best of Show blue ribbon at the Howl-O-Ween Dog Costume Contest in the Ventura Harbor.

Other winners and runners up included Swift and Kelce,” Nonviolent Protesters , Jane Goodall, The Headless Horseman and The Invisible Man.

About 60 dogs from up and down the coast took part and they all got along, especially dogs dress as Taylor and Travis.

Judges appeared to like entrees with homemade costumes worn by dogs and their handlers.

“We enjoy coming out every year  and try something different and we like planning and you know the excitement of being here,” said Best of Show winner Heather and her Sheepadoodle named Hadley.

John and Allie Fragile dressed their winning dog Jet as the Headless Horseman from The Legend of Sleepy Hallow.

“It is really great i  put a lot of effort into this costume and it prevailed,” John of Port Hueneme.

The Invisible Man and dog had people doing double takes.

Samantha Gonzalez of Oxnard made their costumes.

” My dog’s name is Bubbles. She is a 2 year old rescue from the Camarillo Animal Shelter. yeah and we just love her so much, we are happy to have her in our lives because we get to do fun things like this,” said Gonzalez.

Catherine Cox who has won three years in a row was a runner up this time.

Cox and her dog Betty Rose paid tribute to Jane Goodall.

The dogs took home ribbons, and treats from the Ventura Pet Barn and had a chance to enjoy special pup cream from Coastal Cone.

There is more fun to be had at the harbor on Sunday including Seaside Trick or Treating from noon to 3 p.m.

For more information visit https://venturaharborvillage.com

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Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) – A popular pumpkin patch in Ventura invited  Plein Air artists to their property.

“Plein Air” is French for the act of painting outdoors.

They set up their easels and worked for several hours on the Saturday before Halloween at McGrath Brothers Great Pacific Pumpkins.

While selecting their Halloween pumpkins, folks watched artists paint what they saw around them.

McGrath Brothers Great Pacific Pumpkins is located at 5100 Olivas Park Dr. in Ventura.

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