Author: KEYT

John Palminteri

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY, Calif. (KEYT) – The traditional fall maze of corn stalks has some competition from a sunflower maze in the Santa Ynez Valley.

The flowers bursting with yellow colors on green stalks are at eye level, but grow to at least six to eight feet tall in some areas of the maze at the Summerset Farm.   

Sally Maher greets you at the counter with a pair of clippers and says when you return you can leave with sunflowers you have picked. They charge by the stem.

The real fun for families and especially kids, is the cutbacks, twists and turns as they walk through.

Some are going on the trail in small wagons.

Mayer says, “they are smiling. They are happy, they can’t believe it. It is an original idea. It’s not a standard corn maze.” Along the way some of Mother Nature’s hardest workers are on the job.

“People go in there and see bees pollinating the flowers. It is a bonus. It is just a surprise. They wanted to see the flowers but we stood there watching the bees.”

The Summerset Farm also has more than 20 varietals of pumpkins around the property from the largest ones a person can carry to some smaller decorative ones.

The farm stand also has local honey, pickled vegetables, garlic, BBQ sauce and eggs.

The spot is off Highway 154 at Baseline near the new roundabout.

For more information go to: Summerset Farm.

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties are sending out alerts for the first major storm of the season. 

“This is our first real storm of the year that we’re looking at that’s going to drop a substantial amount of rain,” says Anita Konopa, SLO County Emergency Services Coordinator. “So it’s a good opportunity for people to just get prepared now.”

Officials say their top concerns are the areas in or near burn scars.

San Luis Obispo county officials are issuing a shelter in place order for the Gifford and Madre burn scar areas and below those areas.

“Both the Gifford and the lake fires burn scars could see some additional potential for mudflows or flooding,” says Kelly Hubbard, Santa Barbara County Emergency Management Director.

The Madre Fire and Gifford Fire are the largest California wildfires in 2025, both burning along Highway 166 this summer.

Combined with the burn scar from the 2024 Lake Fire near the Santa Ynez Valley, there are increased risks of rain water run-off and mudslides in or near 251-thousand acres of burned land.

“With the burn scar, what we have concerns with are really the consideration that the soil now is hydrophobic,” says Hubbard. “Basically what it means is more water will come downhill when it rains. And so there’s this potential for increased flooding increased debris flows, rockfalls as well.”

There are no current plans to close Highway 166 during the storm, but officials from both counties urge caution and preparedness, should you need to drive near any burn scar areas.

“What we’re really looking at is something that’s a little bit more erratic and that there’s going to be cells of strong wind and rain that comes through,” says Konopa. “And that’s kind of going to be the risk here, is that if a cell happens to come into that area, that dumps a lot of rain in a very short period of time, that’s when we could be looking at potential issues.”

Aside from signing up for your county’s emergency alert services, officials recommend having your emergency kit ready, plan for potential power outages, and remain vigilant for flash flooding and mudslides.

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John Palminteri

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY, Calif. (KEYT) – The 41st Santa Barbara County Vintners Festival will be a time for visitors to go in-depth on the wine industry and come away with an education they’ll remember for years.

While it is a fun event with like-minded wine lovers, there are always trends you can get ahead of and the industry welcomes interaction at all levels.

This year’s event will be at Vega Vineyards in Buellton on Saturday with an early VIP entry starting from 12:00pm – 4:00pm, and general admission from 1:00pm – 4:00pm.

Many of the region’s wineries and restaurants are hosting dinners and special events throughout the weekend.

At the event there will be 80+ wineries, a chance to meet winemakers, owners, and enjoy both food and music. More than 25 restaurants will be serving samples and chefs will be attending.

Sparkling wine will be served in The Bubble Lounge. 

Santa Barbara Vintners CEO Alison Laslett said, “if you go, to this particular  festival, you  are likely to meet the wine maker or the owner.” Some of the owners may have been up for hours. “They will be picking the night before because it is harvest and then they prep and will come in and pour the wine for the  consumer.  That is what makes it such an unusual festival.” 

If you look closely she said, “often you have the person who is pouring the wine has their name on the bottle.”

Ryan Carr is the Carr Winery owner with a working tasting room in Santa Barbara where the grapes are arriving and processed.   “Today was all Italian varietals so I have been at it since about midnight.”

Freshly picked grapes were in special bins.  “All the sugar has been converted into alcohol.   You can smell that aroma out there you can smell the alcohol and  those incredible flavors  that have been developed during fermentation.”

Whether you go to a tasting room or a wine festival. the winemaker is generally around.to talk to you about their wines.   It doesn’t really matter whether you are a novice or an expert on wines.

Carr says, “they get to ask a lot of questions and they get a great opportunity to try a whole bunch of wines from our area.  So many different wineries are involved in this festival.  It is a phenominal festival. “

The region produces wines that many consumers love from an area with rare microclimates and unique soil.

Carr said, “at an event like this you get to taste so many different  things that  are outrageously good.  It is all coming from a small area .  It is pretty special.”

There will also be a first ever Wine Camp with special sessions at the festival.

 Laslett  said, “one is a sabering demo. That is where you take a knife and  cut the top off of a glass bottle.  We will have the  Santa Rita Hills  wine makers speaking  about their wines specifically,   The Rhone Rangers will talk about their wines.” There will also be prizes for blind tasting events.

The wine industry is an economic driver in the county with a far reaching impact.

“It’s about a $1.7 billion dollars by the time you add in the restaurants and the hotel stays from the wine visitor who comes up,” said Laslett.

The yields may vary but this year , “the quality of the fruit hasn’t been any better so things  are still good and  we’re going to be making some great stuff going forward,” said Carr. His tasting room has processing going on in addition to regular hours of operation.

Friday evenings there’s live music outside and sometimes inside next to the barrels of wine.

The wine makers at the festival are also known for bringing in some special bottles or new brands just for this annual gathering in the valley

Last year’s event sold out. (There is a special price for a designated driver or non wine drinker.)

For tickets and more information go to: Santa Barbara Vintners Festival

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Caleb Nguyen

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KEYT) – San Luis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County officials both issued warnings in their burn scar areas due to potential flooding and debris flow.

San Luis Obispo County officials mentioned a shelter-in-place order, while Santa Barbara County officials issued an evacuation warning due to weather trends.

The shelter in place for SLO County begins at 8:00 p.m. Oct. 13 and will remain until the storm is over.

For evacuation maps in SLO County and in Santa Barbara County respectively, visit both of their websites.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT). – Five student-athletes were honored at Athletic Round Table gatherings in Santa Barbara and Orcutt.

At Harry’s Plaza Cafe in Santa Barbara San Marcos High School seniors Peyton Sperling and Lila Westmacott were co-Female Athlete of the Week winners.

Sperling totaled six touchdowns and 2 interceptions to help the Royals flag football team go 3-0 last week.

Westmacott dished out over 30 assists in each of the Royals sweeps over Santa Barbara and Ventura as San Marcos won the girls volleyball Channel League title.

The Male Athlete of the Week was awarded to Santa Barbara High School junior running back Aaron Baizan who was unable to attend the luncheon. He rushed for 96 yards on just 9 carries including a 35-yard touchdown run as the Dons beat Rio Mesa 45-13.

At the Northern Santa Barbara County Athletic Round Table luncheon at Giovanni’s in Orcutt, Lompoc High School tennis player Mia Jansen and Righetti High School quarterback Nick Matautia.

Jansen won the singles title at the Firebaugh Tournament to improve to 41-1 on the year. She also teamed up with partner Jasmine Sanchez to win the doubles championship at that same tournament.

Matautia threw four touchdowns passes in a 31-21 win at San Luis Obispo. He was 10-for-15 with 261 yards with no interceptions.

(Matautia and Jansen shows off their winning certificates).

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Storm preparations sometimes include getting outside for fresh air before rain.

Some parents took their children to Tuckers Grove despite the dark clouds on Monday.

One youngster wore a shirt that read “How Does Your Garden Grow.”

She knows the importance of rain for plants, and said she is actually looking forward to having recess inside for a change.

Michelle Berkowitz and her daughter Ora Holt also came to the park.

They are excited for the rain.

“We decided because it is going to be so rainy tomorrow we needed to come to park today to get out all our wiggles,” said Berkowitz. “Tomorrow we actually get to wear rain boots so we are going to get out our rain boots and rain jacket. Living in Santa Barbara we don’t get rain all that often, so with a kid it is especially exciting so we are looking forward to it.”

The Santa Barbara Office of Emergency Management did sent out messages about being prepared for possible flooding in low lying areas.

And as always OEM leaders are urging people to sign up for https://wwwreadysbc.org alerts.

People are also welcome to follow Santa Barbara County OEM on social media

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Some members of the Jewish community watched the celebration in Israel until 1 a.m. at Congregation B’nai B’rith in Santa Barbara County.

Thanks to Rabbi Belle Michael, who is from Israel, they have been in touch with the families of hostages.

Many worried something might delay the release overnight.

They broke out in applause a number of times as they learned the 20 survivors held captive for 2 years were coming home and being reunited with their families.

Senior Rabbi Daniel Brenner said they have been waiting for this special moment.

“This has been such a journey – we don’t lose hope, we don’t give up, we cherish life and we celebrate that they are with us again,” said Brenner. “We don’t want to return to war and the hope is that this continues on and that these intractable parties come less intractable, that there is future that is positive for Israelis and positive for Palestinians and positive for everyone and that is the real hope here.”

Brenner also talked about the meaning of peace.

“In our tradition the opposite of war is not peace, the opposite of war is not fighting. Peace is something you have to work for, peace takes much more than not fighting and when we pray for peace we are not just praying for an end to war we are praying for a beautiful and enriched future.”

Now he said is the time for healing and privacy for those families.

“These are people who didn’t ask for fame but unfortunately got it because of their situation.”

For more information visit https://cbbsb.org

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News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from County of Santa Barbara Health Department regarding a General Rain Advisory for local beaches.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Due to the recent rainfall, Santa Barbara County Environmental Health Services wants to remind residents about potential health risks associated with storm water runoff at countywide beaches. Storm water is untreated rainwater that flows through the drain system into creeks, the ocean, and other waterways. Contact with storm water while swimming or surfing may increase the risk for certain types of illnesses such as rashes, fever, chills, ear infections, vomiting, and diarrhea. Also, due to increased creek flows, debris such as logs may be present in the ocean and other waterways posing an increased risk of injury to anyone entering these waters.

To minimize potential health and safety risks, it is recommended that people do not swim, play or surf in the ocean and creeks during and for at least three days following a rain event. Beachgoers should also avoid areas near the outfall from drainpipes and creeks that enter the ocean following a rain event as storm water runoff may carry high levels of bacteria and pollutants.

Due to the annual sport-harvested mussel quarantine (normally May 1 – October 31), recreational/sport-harvesting of mussels should not occur. Recreational/sport-harvesters should wait at least 10 days after significant rain to harvest other shellfish. High bacterial levels, pesticide, herbicide and motor oil grease flushed into the ocean with the storm runoff may impact shellfish beds. Adequate cooking of shellfish will destroy harmful bacteria but may not be effective in killing viruses. In addition, cooking does not eliminate chemical and metal pollutants in shellfish.

Traducción al Español:

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Debido a las recientes lluvias, Servicios de Salud Ambiental del Condado de Santa Bárbara quiere recordar a los residentes sobre los riesgos potenciales para la salud asociados con la escorrentía de aguas pluviales en las playas del condado. Las aguas pluviales son aguas de lluvia no tratadas que fluyen a través del sistema de drenaje hacia los arroyos, el océano y otras vías fluviales. El contacto con las aguas pluviales mientras nada o surfea puede aumentar el riesgo de ciertos tipos de enfermedades como ronchas, fiebre, escalofríos, infecciones de oído, vómitos y diarrea. Además, debido al aumento de los caudales de los arroyos, los escombros, como los troncos, pueden estar presentes en el océano y otras vías fluviales, lo que presenta un mayor riesgo de lesiones para cualquier persona que entre en estas aguas.

Para minimizar los posibles riesgos para la salud y la seguridad, se recomienda que las personas no naden, jueguen, ni surfeen en el océano y los arroyos durante y por al menos tres días después de un evento de lluvia. Los bañistas también deben evitar las áreas cercanas al desagüe de las tuberías de drenaje y los arroyos que ingresan al océano después de un evento de lluvia, ya que la escorrentía de aguas pluviales puede transportar altos niveles de bacterias y contaminantes.

Debido a la cuarentena anual de los mejillones de pesca deportiva (normalmente del 1 de mayo al 31 de octubre), la pesca recreativa/deportiva de mejillones no debe ocurrir. Los pescadores deportivos/recreativos deben esperar al menos 10 días después de una lluvia significativa para cosechar mariscos. Los altos niveles de bacterias, pesticidas, herbicidas y grasas de aceite de motor que se vierten en el océano con la escorrentía de las tormentas pueden afectar los lechos de mariscos. La cocción adecuada de los mariscos destruirá las bacterias dañinas, pero puede no ser eficaz para matar los virus. Además, la cocción no elimina los contaminantes químicos y metálicos de los mariscos.

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Andrew Gillies

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Four Nevada teens were arrested in connection with a robbery at Clark’s Liquor and booked on felony evasion after a vehicle chase Monday.

On Oct. 13, around 12:39 p.m., officers were dispatched to Clark’s Liquor on North Ventura Avenue for a reported armed robbery involving three juveniles stated a press release from the Ventura Police Department Tuesday.

According to Ventura Police, three juveniles came into the store and took several bottles of alcohol before an employee confronted the trio as they attempted to leave the store.

One of the suspects pointed what appeared to be a handgun at the employee who backed into the store and all three juveniles fled the area in a vehicle that was later found to be associated with a missing persons case out of Las Vegas detailed the Ventura Police Department.

A police officer later located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to yield and a vehicle chase ensued shared the Ventura Police Department.

Ventura Police shared that because of the high speeds and reckless driving involved, the pursuit was called off for public safety reasons.

The vehicle was spotted afterwards heading southbound on Highway 101 and this time Sheriff’s deputies attempted a traffic stop, but the driver fled into Camarillo before pursuing deputies lost sight of it near Los Posas Road explained the Ventura Police Department.

On Monday evening, the vehicle was spotted and stopped by Sheriff’s deputies who detained seven juveniles at the scene stated the Ventura Police Department.

According to Ventura Police, detectives responded to the scene and identified three of the detained juveniles as participants in the earlier robbery including the suspect who brandished a weapon.

A BB gun matching the description of the brandished weapon was recovered from the vehicle as well as items stolen during the robbery added the Ventura Police Department.

The three identified robbery suspects, two 14-year-olds and a 16-year-old, as well as the 16-year-old driver of the vehicle were arrested and booked at Juvenile Hall on charges of robbery, conspiracy, and felony evading shared the Ventura Police Department.

All four young men are Nevada residents noted the Ventura Police Department.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Ventura Police Department at 805-650-8010.

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Andie Lopez Bornet

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.- It is expected to be mostly clear for the weekend of the 41st Annual Vintners Festival this weekend.

Wine loves can Fall in love with local wineries and restaurants from the region and meet the faces behind the tasty drinks and food. Over 70 wineries, chefs and restaurants will be in attendance. The event begins at 1 p.m. at Vega Vineyard in Buellton and will conclude at 4 p.m.

The Morning News sat down with Vega Vineyard owner, Jimmy Loizides to talk about the exciting weekend.

So, grab a friend, your taste buds and your wine tasting outfit and head to Buellton!

You can find tickets at sbvintnersweekend.com.

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