Author: KEYT

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – New concerns in Santa Barbara County after yesterday’s 911 outage left thousands without access to emergency services.

For many Spanish-speaking families, the crisis was compounded by confusion and a lack of multilingual support.

When 911 lines went down across parts of California, panic set in, especially for those who didn’t understand the emergency alert.

In Santa Barbara, executive director Jennifer Rojas of Casa de la Raza says the organization became an unexpected hub for help.

The non-profit received calls every one to two minutes, mostly from Spanish-speaking families unsure of what was happening or where to turn.

Staff at Casa de la Raza stepped in – answering phones, offering support, and redirecting people to the Santa Barbara Police Department for assistance.

Rojas is now urging county and state officials to create more inclusive emergency alert systems, ones that account for Santa Barbara’s diverse population.

She says language shouldn’t be a barrier to safety.

Casa de la Raza is continuing to collect feedback from families impacted by the outage.

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Caleb Nguyen

SANTA PAULA, Calif. – A minor died in Santa Paula after shots were fired at a residence at the 400 block of Sycamore Street, just after 12:30 p.m., according to the Santa Paula Police Department.

The 16-year-old victim had a gunshot wound to his upper body before police officers tried life-saving measures on the teenager, according to the SPPD.

Ventura County Fire Department firefighters then took the teen to a nearby hospital, where he unfortunately passed from his injuries, detailed the SPPD.

The investigation is ongoing and is being handled as a homicide where detectives think the wound could have been self-inflicted, according to the SPPD.

SPPD officers are also investigating how the minor could have accessed the loaded gun, and those with any information on the case are asked to contact the following number.

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Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – At 6’8, 230 pounds UCSB freshman Michael Simcoe should be more than ready for the physical rigors of NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball.

“He is built ready to play as a freshman,” stated UCSB head coach Joe Pasternack.

Simcoe is a tough, highly-skilled left-handed player that was a standout at Sandra Day O’Connor High School in Phoenix, Arizona.

“I have worked really hard to get my game as a whole more complete, more sharp,” said Simcoe before a recent summer practice at UCSB.

“He can shoot from the perimeter, drive it and score in the post, he plays really hard,” said Pasternack.

Simcoe along with guards CJ Shaw and Luke Zuffelato are the three freshman recruits on the Gauchos.

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – The proposed six-story Perlman Apartment building that is being planned for the busy corner of Broadway and Main Street in Santa Maria continues to approval process.

The Vernon Group has been working on the project for more than a year, the latest in a handful of developments the Santa Barbara-based company has proposed in the downtown area.

The Perlman Apartments was recently discussed at the Santa Maria Planning Commission and was given an approval for a Downtown Permit by the planning commissioners.

Now, the project will move on to Santa Maria City Council, which will review the project early next month and vote on final approval.

“We’re taking this project in front of City Council August 5th,” said Brett Vernon, The Vernon Group President. “We’re really excited to present this project to the council and hopefully get it approved and move forward on the next steps to get that much closer to breaking ground on this project.”

The project is planned for what is currently Perlman Park, a lightly-used 1.12-acre site that is located in the northeast corner of Broadway and Main Street.

“It’s 150 units,” said Vernon. “It’s affordable housing and six stories tall. The ground floor is going to be all parking and all residential above that and we’re going to have a private kind of central outdoor area on the second floor.”

The overall size of the complex will be 197,000 square-feet, and according to city documents, will include 15 studio units with average area of 411 square feet, 53 one-bedroom units with average area of 583 square feet, 38 two-bedroom units with average area of 778 square feet, and 44 three-bedroomunits with average area of 1,105 square feet.

The developer and city also state the rental units would be 100 percent affordable (except for a market-rate manager’s unit), with an overall affordability of 60-percent Area Median Income (AMI).

“Once we get it approved, we have to then take that project and try to get financing for the affordable housing development,” said Vernon. “Once we once we do get financing, from state and federal agencies, we’re then going to move forward on construction documents, which will take about a year, and then at that point in time, we know we have the funds lined up. We have construction drawings and permits ready and we will then break ground.”

Vernon believes a realistic goal to break ground on the project should everything line up is approximately 18 months.

Another project with a much sooner timeline is the long-planned Heritage Walk Lofts that are being planned in the old building that was the former longtime home of Mervyn’s, and most recently, Fallas.

“We are hoping to break ground in the next month,” said Vernon. “I’m really excited. We’ve been working on this for about five years, and so to finally break ground and finally see something coming out of the ground, that to me is really exciting. I mean, this is what we work for. We’re going to start to build our community there. We’re going to reactivate downtown.”

Another six-story housing development being planned by The Vernon Group is the Alvin Newton Apartments that are proposed for the southeast corner of Broadway and Main Street, adjacent to Bank of America and the Santa Maria Town Center mall north parking structure.

“We are pretty much permit ready on the Newton Apartments,” said Vernon. “We’re securing financing for that. We’re kind of working through that. Hopefully within six months we’re breaking ground on Alvin Newton Apartments.”

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Caleb Nguyen

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – CAL FIRE SLO crews put out a 3.71-acre fire along Highway 101 in San Luis Obispo near Reservoir Canyon Road.

The fire threatened two structures and first broke out just after 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, according to CAL FIRE SLO.

Forward progress of the fire stopped just before 7:00 p.m., and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Mike Klan

IRVINE, Calif. – The Channel Islands United Water Polo Club did exactly what they set out to do, win the 14u Boys Platinum Division championship at the Junior Olympics.

CIU defeated Greenwich Aquatics of Connecticut 13-7 in the finals.

Channing Wigo and Ren Fugikake were named Co-MVPs of the tournament.

The CIU boys 14u captured the gold, going undefeated in the tournament including a thrilling 13-12 semifinal victory over Patriot of Irvine who claimed the bronze.

The team is coached by Wolf Wigo.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – A building dating back to the early 1960s is coming down at Santa Barbara City College.

Demolition has begun at the outdated Physical Education Building near the football stadium.

It will be replaced with a four-story structure with a gymnasium, fitness center, dance studios and offices.

The building will also serve as a community emergency recovery center.

The $105-million project was funding in part with state finances and a local voter approved bond (Measure P). Measure P unlocked $71 millions dollars that will go toward the project’s overall cost.

The project will be finished in Spring of 2028.

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Alissa Orozco

GOLETA, Calif. – Authorities identified the body found in the Goleta Slough area Tuesday as the elderly woman reported missing since July 11th.

A large police presence was spotted earlier today, happening on Sandspit Road in Goleta between Santa Barbara Airport and Goleta Beach.

Video shared with your News Channel showed several units from Santa Barbara County Sheriff, Santa Barbara County Fire, and Santa Barbara Airport responded, including patrol cars, fire trucks, and vans could be seen along the side of the road and the underpass on Sandspit Road.

Raquel Zick, the Public Information Officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office announced the body has been identified as 85-year-old Sonia Lang Crestfield. Crestfield was last seen at Friendship Manor in Isla Vista on July 11 at 11:30 am.

In their pleas for public assistance, the Sheriff’s office said Crestfield did suffer from dementia that could lead to confusion or disorientation.

Authorites say her death does not appear suspicious in nature at this time.

Cause and manner of death are pending investigation.

This article will be updated with new information as it becomes available.

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News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from One805 regarding their upcoming benefit concert, One805Live!

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – One805 is excited to announce the iconic band Good Charlotte has been added to the star-studded lineup for One805LIVE! – joining country music legend Trisha Yearwood, and surf-rocker Donavon Frankenreiter for an unforgettable benefit concert at Kevin Costner’s estate on September 20th.

Known for their multi-platinum anthemic hits and electrifying sets, Good Charlotte is taking time away from the summer tour to promote their new album, Motel De Cap, to perform at One805LIVE! The band will bring their signature sound and powerful stage presence to Montecito for a night of music with meaning, all in support of Santa Barbara County’s first responders.

Already headlining this event is country music superstar Trisha Yearwood. With three Grammy Awards, multiple CMA and ACM honors, and over 15 million albums sold worldwide, Trisha is a true icon. From her breakout hit “She’s in Love with the Boy” to her highly anticipated upcoming album “The Mirror” – the first for which she co-wrote every song – Trisha has been delivering heartfelt, chart-topping music for decades. Now she’s bringing that magic to Santa Barbara.

“I’m excited to be part of One805LIVE! – an event that truly celebrates the heroes who keep out communities safe,” said Yearwood. “It’s an honor to help raise funds for the critical resources these First Responders need to keep doing what they do best: saving lives.”

Fresh from rocking a huge crowd at Bottlerock in Napa, where he was described as “One of the hottest sets of the weekend” and “a revelation of groovy goodness,” we’re excited to announce that Donavon Frankenreiter is also joining the lineup for One805Live! A Southern California native, Donavon began chasing waves at a young age, turning pro as a surfer by 16. For nearly two decades, he’s been traveling the globe as a musician, entertaining audience with his unique blend of laid-back grooves, philosophical lyrics, and soulful delivery – a sound that reflects his free-spirited roots and deep connection to the ocean.

One805LIVE! 2025 takes place on Saturday, September 20th, from 4 PM to 10 PM. Proceeds from the event will directly benefit First Responders across Santa Barbara County. In addition, a portion of the proceeds will support musicians from Alta Dena who lost everything in recent wildfires.

“One805LIVE! isn’t just a concert – it’s a powerful act of community,” said Kirsten Cavendish Weston-Smith, CEO of One805. “Together, we’re making a difference – one song, one first responder, one unforgettable night at a time.”

Past artists have included music royalty such as Pink, Katy Perry, David Crosby, Maroon 5, John Fogerty, Kevin Costner, Kenny Loggins, and Joe Bonamassa – with past attendees including The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Oprah Winfrey, Rob Lowe, Jeff Bridges, Zoe Saldaña, Cameron Diaz and Michael Keaton. One805LIVE! is widely recognized as one of the most impactful and star-studded benefit events in California.

The full 2025 lineup of performers will be revealed soon, promising yet another unforgettable night of music, meaning, and magic under the stars.

Tickets are on sale now for General Admission, VIP, and Cabanas at www.one805.org. (One805 is a 501 (c)(3), and all tickets have a tax-deductible component.

About One805

One805 supports First Responders throughout Santa Barbara County by funding vital equipment, training, and mental health resources. Born from the devastating debris flow of 2018, One805 is a unified nonprofit driven by community resilience and built to stand behind those who serve – every day, in every emergency.

For tickets, sponsorships, or more information, visit www.One805.org.

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Mina Wahab

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Anne Berry was evicted from her graduate student housing at UC Santa Barbara two months ago.

This is the first time she has experienced homelessness.

“They wouldn’t accept the student aid, I have documents of all of this and they wouldn’t even accept my scholarship as well,” said Berry.

She says she’s feeling more hopeful after sitting down with attorney Joseph Doherty.

Doherty says he’s seen every form of injustice imaginable — from wage theft and unlawful detainers to eviction and civil liability issues.  

He sees roughly 8 people in a 3 hour period, but within those sessions he makes a lot of headway connecting his clients with the appropriate services.

He also helps those with criminal histories get their records expunged.  

“People are telling us that they are now able to get a job, and they’re able to find the housing that they have been prevented from finding because of their criminal record. And that’s success. That’s helping somebody, you know, clear those barriers to housing and employment that often results in,” said Doherty.

The city is requiring the FARO center to switch to a referral-based or appointment-only model because of complaints from neighboring businesses.

But community members say this will ultimately impact who receives legal aid and help with housing.

“I don’t think that’s going to work at all. How in the world is an unhoused person going to make an appointment? I mean, do they have cell phones? Do they have computers? No,” said Mary Arnoult, who lives in Goleta.

Doherty says a lot of the people that he sees at the center are already dealing with several barriers to not only making appointments, but also keeping appointments.

“Whether it be their own mental health, transportation issues, their emergency crisis situation that requires speaking with an attorney today and not at some other other point. And so it’s really all about increasing access to try to help as many community members as possible,” said Doherty.

The FARO Center will be switching to an appointment only model on August 1st.

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