Christer Schmidt
TEMPLETON, Calif. – A vegetation fire near Vineyard and Hidden Valley Road in Templeton has had forward progress stopped.
CAL FIRE SLO reports that a tree fell on a power line and caused a small fire.
The fire only hit about a quarter acre around 12:18 pm and was quickly contained.
Christer Schmidt
VENTURA, Calif. – A Ventura Patrol officer arrested a suspect wanted in connection with a prior Grand Theft investigation.
The Ventura Patrol (VP) officer says they recognized the 45-year-old man from the Grand Theft investigation and attempted to initiate a traffic stop near Sherwin Avenue and Ventura Boulevard.
VP says the suspect failed to yield and fled quickly and recklessly on their motorcycle. Officers say they did not pursue the suspect initially due to the danger posed.
A VP motor officer says they later observed him continuing to drive recklessly in the area of Seaward Avenue and Thompson Boulevard. Moments later, the officer says they saw a collision between his motorcycle and a truck, which caused the suspect to be ejected from the motorcycle.
The motor officer says they attempted to detain him, but the suspect fled on foot.
A coordinated search ensued. During the search, officers say the suspect entered several private yards and temporarily hid in one until being discovered by the homeowner, prompting him to flee again.
After an hour, officers say they located and apprehended the suspect.
Officers say the motor officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to a local hospital, and has since recovered fully.
The suspect was arrested for the prior Grand Theft and faces additional felony and misdemeanor charges, including felony evading, resisting arrest causing injury, hit and run, and prowling. He is currently booked at the Ventura County Jail.
A review of previous records showed that the suspect had prior convictions for burglary, carrying a concealed weapon, and Grand Theft of a vehicle.
Christer Schmidt
PORT HUENEME, Calif. – A 56-year-old Oxnard resident was arrested Thursday night regarding a road rage incident.
Officers were dispatched to Fifth Street and Rice Avenue after a motorist reported that a suspect pointed a semi-automatic firearm at them while they were stopped near the intersection. The caller stated that when the light turned green, the suspect fled in his vehicle.
Oxnard Special Enforcement Unit (OSEU) says they located the vehicle in the 200 block of East Hueneme Road in the city of Port Hueneme. Officers say they spoke with the suspect, seated in the driver’s seat, and the passenger in the seat next to him.
OSEU says the pair were removed from the vehicle. They said the passenger was found to have narcotics and was under the influence.
During a search of the vehicle, they say they found a loaded 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun registered to the suspect.
OSEU says the suspect was arrested for brandishing and illegal firearm possession. They also noted that the suspect showed signs of being under the influence of narcotics.
Caleb Nguyen
SAN LUIS OBISPO AND SANTA BARBARA COUNTIES, Calif. – The Gifford Fire has grown to 131,605 acres, larger than July’s Madre Fire, making it the largest wildfire this year in California. It is near Gifford Trailhead on Highway 166 near the eastern edges of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
As of Monday, Aug. 17, the fire is 97 percent contained with some Evacuation Orders and Warnings being downgraded or removed for the response that began on the first day of August. Information for each county impacted is detailed below.
Heavy smoke has been seen across the Central Coast and air quality alerts and warnings were issued for parts of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
For the latest on air quality across Santa Barbra County, visit here and for current air quality information for San Luis Obispo County, click here.
La Panza 2 camera at the northern edge of the fire captured at 4:52 p.m. on Aug. 5, 2025.
Nine people have been injured during the fire response shared the Los Padres National Forest.
Santa Barbara County Evacuation Information
Evacuation orders and warnings in Santa Barbara County have been issued for areas south of Highway 166 which forms the northern boundary on the county including:
East of the Willow Springs trailhead and West of Cottonwood Canyon Road
East of School House Road and West of Aliso Canyon Road
East of Cottonwood Canyon Road and West of School House Road
Upper Tepusquet Canyon
Those evacuations are shown in the image below with the fire boundary shown in bright red, Evacuation Orders highlighted in light red, and Evacuation Warnings highlighted in yellow. The dotted black line surrounded by yellow is the county border which roughly matches the path of now-closed Highway 166.
A temporary evacuation point have been established at the Cuyama Valley Family Resource Center at 4689 Highway 166 in New Cuyama that is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Residents can visit the center to incident information, get relief from the smoke, N95 masks, and water.
San Luis Obispo County Evacuation Information
San Luis Obispo County has also issued evacuation orders and warnings that are shown in the image below with Evacuation Orders shaded in red and Evacuation Warnings shaded in yellow.
For those in need of help finding shelter after being displaced by the evacuations or would like more information about the response, call the American Red Cross at 805-678-3073 or visit the temporary evacuation point at the Santa Margarita Community Hall at 22501 I Street.
Front line of the Gifford Fire response from the air on Aug. 6, 2025. Image courtesy of the Los Padres National Forest
Lopez Lake is under an evacuation order in connection with the Gifford Fire. All visitors must leave the area and public access is closed until further notice. All reservations until Aug. 21, 2025 have been cancelled with refunds granted automatically shared San Luis Obispo County Parks and Recreation.
Direct Relief is managing multiple free mask distribution centers that you can find here.
Smoke from the Gifford Fire rising above the marine layer on Aug. 12, 2025. Shot from the Lopez Hill Camera part of the ALERTCalifornia Camera System.
The Gifford Fire first broke out before 2:00 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 1, 2025, and resulted from a series of spot fires along Highway 166 according to Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) officials, but an official cause remains under investigation.
Highway 166 to State Route 33, between Santa Maria and New Cuyama, was closed due to the fire, but was reopened under one-lane traffic control on Wednesday, Aug. 13 detailed the California Department of Transportation, District 5.
Over 4,900 fire personnel have been assigned to the fire which has destroyed at least five structures and resulted in the evacuation of over 780 homes detailed the Los Padres National Forest.
More information on this fire response will be added to this article and on Your News Channel broadcasts as it becomes available.
Christer Schmidt
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – As more Generation X workers prepare to remain in the workforce well into their 80s, a growing number are choosing to change careers altogether—sometimes dramatically—according to recent research and career experts.
Psychotherapist Dr. Robby Ludwig says more people are changing careers later in life, driven by longevity, financial needs and evolving passions.
“People want to feel relevant. They want to use their talents and skills. They want to be impactful,” Ludwig said. “And they like the idea of earning money because very often we need to earn more if we’re going to be living longer.”
Many Gen Xers, defined as those born between 1965 and 1980, are reconsidering their professional paths after decades in traditional careers. Some are doing so out of necessity, while others are driven by newly discovered passions or values.
“As we get older, we change,” Ludwig noted. “In some cases, our jobs make those decisions for us.”
Career transitions in midlife can be mentally and financially challenging, Ludwig acknowledged. But she emphasized the value of strategic planning and networking. “I love the idea of having a plan B,” she said. “You know a lot of people, so you’re networking.”
Her YouTube series, The Pivot with Dr. Robby Ludwig, features high-profile guests like former news anchor Gretchen Carlson and actor Dean Cain, both of whom made notable midlife shifts into advocacy and independent filmmaking, respectively.
Among the most common transition strategies, Ludwig cited building parallel careers and returning to school—often through affordable online programs. “I see people doing that in order to create a whole new career for themselves either in the law or as therapists or artists or teachers,” she said.
With longer lifespans and evolving priorities, Gen X appears poised to redefine what a “career” looks like in later life—not just as a means of survival, but as a pathway to purpose.
Alissa Orozco
OXNARD, Calif. – Oxnard Police is searching for a missing adult who may have been traveling to the Santa Barbara area.
The missing man is 57-year-old Louis Hernandez, who was last seen at the 2500 block of Apple Lane in Oxnard. A press release from the Oxnard Police Department says he may be driving a white ’20 Toyota Tacoma with CA license 79897X2.
They say Hernandez may have been driving to the Santa Barbara area.
Hernandez is 5’8′ tall and approximately 160 pounds, with grey hair and brown eyes. His clothing is unknown.
Anyone with information about Louis Hernandez and his whereabouts should contact the Oxnard Police Department dispatch immediately at (805) 385-7740.
The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.
Jarrod Zinn
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Protesters marched in Santa Maria down Broadway this afternoon, and they were headed for the local Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.
A gathering in front of Santa Maria City Hall started small and grew to a large swell at noon, as local residents joined Indivisible’s “La Marcha de la Puebla: Heroes Not Villains” protest.
A youth-lead organization called ‘La Cultura Del Mundo’ organized the gathering, and they reminded people to keep it peaceful.
“We have at least 150 individuals coming on busses for an event that they call the Freedom Rides,” says Cesar Vasquez, La Cultura Del Mundo’s founder.
According to the Pew Research Center, roughly one third of U.S. adults believe anyone residing in the U.S. illegally should be deported. About 16% believe no one should be deported. And the remaining 50% land somewhere on a wide spectrum between the two extremes.
“Our goal is to bring people together,” says Vasquez. “Conservatives are saying they don’t agree with how people are being taken. Our stance is that no one should be taken.”
Once buses arrived from Paso Robles, Atascadero, and San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria residents joined them for a rally in front of the Civic Center along Broadway.
Organizers say they had strict regulations for their protesters’ signs for this rally.
“We had fliers that said that ICE agents were Nazis and fascists, and we decided to not bring those out today because the second that we lead a movement with hate, we are the oppressors,” says Vasquez. “We have to live in a world where no one is oppressed, where everyone really bleeds red and where everyone feels the same.”
After the rally at city hall, they marched down Broadway headed for Santa Maria’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, but it was closed for the day.
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Dave Alley
SANTA MARIA, Calif. – After many years of waiting, the City of Santa Maria finally has a brand new Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office.
At 8 a.m. Friday morning, the spacious 13,500 square foot building located at 2850 Santa Maria Way opened its doors for the first time.
Waiting outside was a long line of people who were eager to come inside and see the modern facility that has replaced a much smaller and antiquated building that has been in operation since 1969.
“This is amazing,” said Lori Martinez of Santa Maria who among the first customers inside the new office. “I really love this new DMV. It’s much bigger. The wait time, I was here less than five minutes. I’m really happy and excited. I live close by, so it’s really convenient for me.”
In addition to its state-of-the-art operations inside, as well as greater parking capacity outside, DMV noted the new building also includes solar panels and is Zero Net Energy, meaning it will produce as much energy as it uses, and meets all current California building and green energy codes to help reduce the department’s carbon footprint.
The former DMV building was located in the heart of the downtown area at 523 South McClelland Street and was just 4,387 square feet in size.
The new building is three times the size of the old site and was built specifically to serve the growing needs of the Santa Maria and nearby communities.
“It’s beautiful,” said Edward Gonzales of Santa Maria. “The old DMV was a little bit too small for the population of Santa Maria, so this is a a big improvement. I think it should have came years earlier, but still, I think we’re patient here, so this is beautiful for the first day.”
According to the DMV, funding for the acquisition phase of the new office was approved in the 2015-16 fiscal year and the land acquisition was completed in October 2017.
DMV Public Information Officer Ronald Ongtoaboc added that various issues, including COVID-19, delayed planning and construction for some time.
Construction started in September 2023 and just finished up allowing for Friday’s grand opening.
As for the old site, Ongtoaboc said the DMV plans to add the old office property to the real estate surplus property list managed by the California Department of General Services (DGS).
Santa Maria Public Information Manager Mark van de Kamp said the City of Santa Maria may be potentially interested in acquiring the property, but did not elaborate further.
The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.
Andrew Gillies
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – A semi-truck driver was transported with minor injuries after the semi-truck he was driving rolled over on Highway 101, just north of the Nojoqui Summit Thursday.
According to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, the call time for the rollover was at 6:44 a.m. and the driver was able to climb out of the rolled vehicle on his own before being taken to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
The Peterbuilt truck tractor was hauling an unloaded bottom dump semi-trailer when it traveled onto the right shoulder and collided with the metal guardrail before turning over onto the right side detailed the California Highway Patrol Buellton Area (CHP).
The right side gas tank of the vehicle was punctured as a result of the crash and diesel fuel leaked from the tank and onto the roadway and into a nearby water covert drain before being contained by responders explained the CHP.
One lane of Highway 101 was closed from one mile south of Old Coast Highway to Nojoqui Creek Bridge as part of the response but northbound traffic could still use the remaining open lane and the center median shared the CHP.
The investigation into the collision is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Buellton Area CHP at 805-691-6160.
For the latest road conditions, visit here.
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – La Fiesta Pequeña, or “Little Fiesta,” brought generations together Wednesday night at the steps of the Old Mission.
Thousands of people gathered with blankets and lawn chairs to celebrate the rich cultural traditions tied to Santa Barbara and the Central Coast.
El Presidente Fritz Olenberger sat in the front row, surrounded by out-of-town family. For the first time in more than a decade, the former Old Spanish Days photographer experienced the evening without his cameras.
“It’s one of my favorites. I love the dancing—as a photographer for 15 years, the dancing was everything—and I absolutely love it,” said Olenberger.
Thanks to the work of talented seamstresses, dancers dazzled in unique, hand-crafted costumes. Behind each routine were proud dance instructors, including flamenco sensation Timo Nuñez of Timo Nuñez Arte Flamenco.
“To have both the Junior Spirit and Junior Spirit Runner-Up this year has been huge for us,” said Nuñez. “But I have to give credit where it’s due—I inherited a beautiful studio that began with Linda Vega and continued with Maria Bermudez.”
“It’s such an honor,” said Junior Spirit Victoria Plascencia. “I’m so happy I got to be his first junior. I love Timo so much.”
But La Fiesta Pequeña isn’t a competition.
On this night, everyone shines—on stage, in the crowd, and behind the scenes, including our own News Channel team broadcasting it live.
La Fiesta Pequeña marks the first of many Old Spanish Days events that Fiesta fans won’t want to miss.
You will find a link to all the information at https://www.sbfiesta.org
The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.
