Category: keyt-local-news

Patricia Martellotti

MONTECITO, Calif. (KEYT) – A beloved South Coast tradition brought smiles and holiday spirit to Montecito this morning.

Members, families, and caregivers gathered at the Friendship Center for its annual Jolly Holiday Breakfast.

The event transformed the center into a festive space filled with music, decorations, and shared meals.

Organizers say the breakfast is about more than food — it’s about connection and feeling at home during the holidays.

For many, the celebration offers a reminder that community and togetherness are at the heart of the season.

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) Attorney John Thyne and his wife Olesya didn’t mean to get into the restaurant business, but Thyne said to step in an partner with The Harbor Restaurant when the owners Gene and Carolina Sanchez asked them to help.

Thyne said the owners had been contemplating filing for bankruptcy.

For the past two years they have spruced things up in The Harbor Restaurant and the adjoining Longboards Grill and they also plan to add a coffee and gelato shop with a view.

They have also added things to do.

“Tuesdays we do a lobster special, we have one dollar chicken wings up here at Longboards, we have live jazz every Wednesday night at The Harbor we are going to be doing a New Years Eve ball drop.”

But at the same time the attorney has filed a lawsuit against the City of Santa Barbara over rent he calls “unconscionable.”

They are supposed to pay more than $61,400 a month for the Stearns Wharf property owned by city and they also owe back rent.

They said there used to be a minimum base rent decades ago. of 10 percent of sales.

But as rent rose Thyne said sales dropped for a myriad of reasons.

He said they now pay more than 20 percent of gross sales.

The employ more than 90 people and the can seat 445 in both space.

He said the city helped for a bit but not enough for the business to thrive in the current economic conditions.

“We didn’t want to bring a lawsuits we were really trying to work things out with them and i am hopeful that this isn’t perceived as some time of adversarial situation it is really more askingh the court to help us get the partiess back to the place that they originally were that was a commercially reasonable lease,” said Thyne.

He is hoping for a settlement or judgement to benefit all businesses.

“I think if they tie the minimum based rent to gross sales that would work,” said Thyne, “if there is a correlation that doesn’t exceed market rents that could work.”

Mayor Randy Rowse know the restaurants business.

Rowse owned the Paradise Café on Anacapa St. in Santa Barbara for more than 30 years. It is currenlty called La Paloma Cafe.

Rowse said the city doesn’t generally talk about pending litigation but he was aware that the City Administrator Kelly McAdoo issued a statement.

Santa Barbara City Administrator McAdoo wrote the following in response the lawsuit: The city of Santa Barbara has reviewed the complaint and believes the allegations are without merit. The city intends to defend this matter vigorously. 

The city has not received required rent payments for several months and is pursuing its own legal remedies.

This property is a public asset, and the city has an affirmative obligation to manage it in a manner that serves the public interest, not solely the interests of any single tenant.”

Thyne isn’t a complete stranger to the business.

“I did own a bar in law school with some of my friends,” said Thyne.

He is hoping for a win win resolution.

“I hope it works out best for the community,” said Thyne.

Your News Channel will have more on this lawsuit tonight on the news.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Some of Santa Barbara’s top musicians have come out for a special event and to raise money for the Unity Shoppe.

The show was at the Red Piano in Santa Barbara Sunday.

It was the annual John Lennon Tribute with three hours full of songs by Lennon and the Beatles.

Jason Libs from the Red Piano led the musical tribute and those attending joined in with their favorite songs.

The tip jar was over flowing with donations that will be brought to the Unity Shoppe.

Performers included Jason Libs, Jackson Gillies, Bobby Montanes, Steve Puailoa, Maitland Ward, Will Bremon, Michael Andrews and many others.

The event is held around the time of the anniversary of the death of Lennon on December 8, 1980.

News Channel 3 will air the annual Unity telethon this Friday live from 5 to 8 p.m. All of proceeds will help those in need in the community with food, clothing, toys and many other essential needs.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Chuckie Roth is a tough act to follow but Jamie Neushul certainly has the respect and the resume to make it a seamless head coaching transition at San Marcos High School.

KEYT Sports has learned that 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist Jamie Neushul will be the next head coach of the San Marcos Royals highly successful girls water polo program after Roth steps down following this season.

(Neushul and San Marcos alum Paige Hauschild show off gold medal).

Neushul has been a standout player at every level of water polo from Santa Barbara Water Polo Club, to Dos Pueblos High School, at Stanford and for Team USA.

She helped lead the DP Chargers to two CIF-Southern Section Division 1 titles in 2010 and 2011.

Neushul is a 3-time NCAA National Champion and a 4-time All-American at Stanford.

(Jamie helped the Cardinal to NCAA titles in 2014, 2015 and 2017. Courtesy Stanford Athletics).

Jamie Neushul spent last season coaching for the Santa Barbara Water Polo Club that her mom Cathy Neushul has built into a nationally recognized elite training program.

(Jamie celebrating with her 14B Santa Barbara Water Polo Club team at 2025 Junior Olympics)

Jamie Neushul has already coached several of the current Royals players at the club level.

Chuckie Roth announced to his team at the beginning of the school year that he needed to step away from the girls program as he was spread too thin with all of his other coaching (SBCC Water Polo, club) and teaching duties.

San Marcos is expected to make an official announcement in the near future.

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C.J. Ward

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – We would love to hear what you think. President Trump wants to open the Pacific Coast to more offshore oil drilling and he’s lowering fuel standards for automakers. Former State Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson offers the Democrat viewpoint and former Santa Barbara City Councilman Dale Francisco gives us the conservative opinion. Watch their discussion and tell us what you think.

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.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Bands that would have been in the Milpas Street Holiday Parade will still get the chance to perform this weekend.

The parade was canceled last week.

In the past they took part in the multi-block event in front of thousands of people. That’s no longer taking place for 2025.

Instead a Holiday Band Expo will be held from 5:30 to 6:30p.m. in Peabody Stadium at Santa Barbara High School.

The featured bands will be from Santa Barbara High, La Colina Junior High, La Cumbre Junior High and the Bravo! elementary program.

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.

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News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from the City of Atascadero regarding submissions for their 2026 Summer Concert Series!

ATASCADERO, Calif. – The City of Atascadero’s Community Services Department is now accepting band applications for the upcoming 2026 “Saturday in the Park” Summer Concert Series.

We’re excited to announce that it’s time to get our bands in place for the 23rd annual Summer Concert Series. This series will consist of seven (7) concerts from June 20th through August 15th (except July 4th & 19th) and will be held at the Atascadero Lake Bandstand from 6:30-8:30 pm. The concert dates are June 20th & 27th, July 11th & 25th, August 1st, 8th, and the 15th. Concerts are free to the public and draw an average attendance of 500 people. We look forward to another fantastic season in 2026!  Band submissions will also be considered for our Signature Events for year of 2026.

The concert series is promoted through a variety of media including radio and digital advertising, social media, City websites, and printed materials. Each selected band is paid a one-time stipend of $500. In addition, the City of Atascadero will provide an audio technician for each concert.

All applications are due no later than Friday, January 30, 2026, at 5pm.  Late applications will not be accepted. Applications can be submitted via email, mailed in or dropped off to 5599 Traffic Way. 

If you have any questions, please contact Larisse “Reese” Lopez, Recreation Supervisor, at (805) 470-3360 or recreation@atascadero.org.

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John Palminteri

SOLVANG, Calif. (KEYT) – A fun holiday search is underway throughout Solvang for the next few weeks.

As part of the ongoing Julefest event there is a city-wide hunt for the Solvang Nisser, which is the Danish name for “gnome.”

A group of Nissers have been placed around downtown in public spaces. 

The Solvang visitor center has a list of clues to the various hiding spots for those who are on the quest to find the Nissers.

Susan Lee at the Solvang Visitor Center said, “we’ve got people coming from all over Solvang, from all over the world even. People from other countries and doing it and it’s fantastic. We love it. We love sharing all of Solvang fun.”

Those who get all ten locations will be given a special Julefest keepsake.

You are asked to take pictures of the Nisser locations and show them to a visitors center staff member to get the prize.

The event runs through the first week in June.

(More details, video and photos will be added here later today.)

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News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from the City of Goleta regarding the winners of their annual Window Decorating Contest!

GOLETA, Calif. – Drumroll please…the City of Goleta is excited to announce the winners of our Third Annual Window Decorating Contest! A big thank you to the businesses and community volunteers who helped make the Old Town Goleta Holiday Parade route this past Saturday, December 6, 2025, merry and bright.

It was a tough decision again this year, but the panel of three judges selected the following winners:

Best Overall Window – Classic Collision

Most Creative Theme – Larry’s 8 Day Auto Parts

Most Festive Display – The Edge Salon & Barbershop

Honorable Mention – Goleta Bakery

People’s Choice Award – Classic Collision

Classic Collision

Goleta Bakery

Larry’s 8 Day Auto Parts

The Edge Salon & Barbershop

Community members voted for the People’s Choice Award by viewing photos of the participating businesses on the City’s social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram and X) or through an online photo album and letting the City know their top choice by leaving a comment or sending an email.

Thank you to Fuel Depot for providing prizes for the winners.

A big shout out to three amazing community volunteers — Peichi Waite, Matt Martins, and Arielle Goodson — for leading the effort to paint and decorate a vacant Old Town window storefront ahead of the holiday parade.

See for yourself photos of the participating businesses online here. Or you can head over to Hollister Avenue in Old Town from Orange to Kinman and check them out for yourself. The displays will be up throughout the rest of the holiday season.

Happy holidays!

Traducción al español:

GOLETA, Calif. – Redoble de tambores, por favor… ¡la Ciudad de Goleta se complace en anunciar a los ganadores de nuestro Tercer Concurso Anual de Decoración de Vitrinas! Un enorme agradecimiento a los negocios y a los voluntarios de la comunidad que ayudaron a que la ruta del Desfile Navideño de Old Town Goleta, que tuvo lugar el pasado sábado 6 de diciembre de 2025, brillara con alegría festiva.

La decisión fue difícil una vez más este año, pero el panel de tres jueces seleccionó a los siguientes ganadores:

Mejor General – Classic Collision

Más Creativo – Larry’s 8 Day Auto Parts

Más Festiva – The Edge Salon & Barbershop

Mención Honorífica – Goleta Bakery

Premio del Público – Classic Collision

Classic Collision

Goleta Bakery

Larry’s 8 Day Auto Parts

The Edge Salon & Barbershop

Los miembros de la comunidad votaron por el Premio del Público al ver fotos de los negocios participantes en las cuentas de redes sociales de la Ciudad (Facebook, Instagram y X), o a través de un álbum de fotos en línea, y enviaron su elección dejando un comentario o enviando un correo electrónico.

Gracias a Fuel Depot por proporcionar los premios para los ganadores.

Un gran agradecimiento a tres increíbles voluntarios de la comunidad — Peichi Waite, Matt Martins y Arielle Goodson — por liderar el esfuerzo para pintar y decorar una vitrina vacía en Old Town antes del desfile festivo.

Vea usted mismo las fotos de los negocios participantes en línea aquí. O puede dirigirse a Hollister Avenue en Old Town, desde Orange hasta Kinman, y verlas en persona. Las exhibiciones permanecerán durante el resto de la temporada navideña.

¡Felices fiestas!

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Andrew Gillies

CENTRAL COAST REGION, Calif. (KEYT) – Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is deploying drones to identify maintenance needs and encroaching vegetation along power lines over the next few weeks.

The drone-based observations in hard-to-reach areas are intended to help the utility company prepare for winter storms PG&E shared in a press release Wednesday.

The inspections will use several drones during daylight hours to conduct aerial photography for about 10 to 45 minutes for each location.

Once problematic equipment is identified, inspectors will issue a work tag for local teams to respond to and the work is not expected to impact power supply to any customers stated the utility giant.

Drone flights are expected to be conducted over the next three weeks in Monterey, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara counties.

In San Luis Obispo County, PG&E will focus their drone flights in the Nipomo area and for Santa Barbara County, drones will be conducting their flights near Lompoc, West Santa Maria, and Orcutt.

If you have any questions, you can call 1-877-295-4949 for more information.

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