Category: keyt-local-news

Andrew Gillies

GOLETA, Calif. — Firefighters responded to a mobile home fire in western Goleta Thursday morning, prompting a large emergency response and drawing concern from nearby residents.

According to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, the fire broke out around 10:33 a.m. in the 7400 block of Hollister Avenue, near Ellwood Mesa. Neighbors were the first to report the flames, and responding crews quickly upgraded the incident to a second alarm to bring in additional resources.

Captain Scott Safechuck said the first fire units launched an immediate attack upon arrival. “Our first arriving units made an initial attack. We bumped it up to a second alarm so we could get more firefighters here,” he said.

Fortunately, all occupants safely exited, and the father and son who live there were not home at the time. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters worked aggressively to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby structures. “We were fortunate that it didn’t spread to the adjacent mobile homes. Mobile homes burn with a rapid intensity,” said Safechuck.

By mid-morning, crews remained on scene, extinguishing hot spots. The fire drew attention from community members, prompting fire officials to urge the public to keep a safe distance during operations.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Fire officials also emphasized the importance of smoke detectors in mobile homes for early detection and safety.

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Alissa Orozco

LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Calif. – Wednesday afternoon, a Los Angeles County judge pushed back Mario Edgardo Garcia-Aquino’s court date, who will now have to wait until June to enter his plea.

43-year-old Garcia-Aquino is accused of killing 13-year-old Oscar Omar Hernandez of Sun Valley. Hernandez’s body was found in Oxnard on April 2nd, just five days after he left his family home to visit Garcia-Aquino in Lancaster, Ca.

The Los Angeles Times reports authorities searched cellphone data, cellphone towers, and other tracking devices and discovered that Garcia Aquino had visited Oxnard area around the time of the boy’s disappearance.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman charged Garcia-Aquino, Hernandez’s former soccer coach, with murder including special circumstances for lewd acts with a child.

This week’s postponement is now the second time his arraignment has been delayed. Garcia-Aquino appeared in court on April 8th and entered no plea – arraignment was pushed to April 30th.

Garcia-Aquino will being held without bail and now expected back in court on June 18th.

The former youth soccer couch is facing additional felony charges for a unrelated sexual assault case of a 16-year-old, also coached by Garcia Aquino, at his home in the Antelope Valley in February 2024 and a 2022 sexual assault of another minor at his former Sylmar residence.

Hochman says he could serve additional years if convicted of the 2022 and 2024 sexual assault charges, and face the death penalty if found eligible.

Additional victims or anyone with information is urged to contact either the LAPD Abused Child Unit at 818-374-5415, or the LASD Special Victims Bureau at 877-710-5273.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, California – The National Association of Women Business Owners, Santa Barbara chapter (NAWBO-SB), presented the 11th Annual BRAVO Awards.

The focus of the awards is to celebrate the achievements of outstanding women in the Santa Barbara community. 

President Kara Pearson and President-Elect Mary Jean Vignone will be co-hosting the luncheon to honor nine winners.

The event took place on May 1, 2025, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn in Goleta. 

This year’s theme, “Elevating Women, Elevating Impact,” highlights the profound influence of women leaders in Santa Barbara.​

Anne Pazier, owner of Santa Barbara Gift Baskets, served as Madame of Ceremony.

The keynote speaker was Elizabeth Cholawsky, angel investor, and former CEO of technology company HG Insights.

The BRAVO Awards was established to recognize local women leaders who have enriched Santa Barbara economically, politically, philanthropically and socially. 

Award recipients have demonstrated initiative, introduced innovative ideas to their industries, and inspired others to excel.​

The 2025 award winners are:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Carola Nicholson​

Woman Business Owner of the Year: Tina Takaya​

Entrepreneur to Watch: Polly Moharram​

Philanthropic Champion: Dr. Cynder Sinclair​

Public Policy Leader of the Year: Lizzie Rodriguez​

Education Advocate of the Year: Janice Brown​

Rising Star of the Year: Amelia Vander May and Sienna Valentine​

Kim Clark Leadership Award: Sherry Villanueva​

For more information about the 2025 BRAVO Awards, visit https://nawbo-sb.com/upcoming-events/2025-bravo/. 

To learn more about NAWBO-SB and membership opportunities, visit https://nawbo-sb.com.​

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Ryder Christ

FRESNO, Calif. — After retiring from the Valley Caregiver Resource Center, Michelle DiBuduo never expected her name would be used in an online scam. But when friends began calling to congratulate her on launching a cryptocurrency business, she knew something was wrong.

“There was a post that wasn’t from me, asking people to use one word to identify how they knew me,” DiBuduo said. “I had about 160 responses. Now I have several hundred people on Facebook, but I’ve never gotten 160 responses for posting.”

The fake post claimed she was now a certified “Expert Crypto Trader” and included falsified certificates. DiBuduo was able to comment from another account and alert others that the post was fraudulent, but she worries some may have been duped.

“I don’t know how many people responded to the Facebook ad, responded to those people, those hackers, and gave them money,” she said.

Her case is far from isolated. From January 2022 to February 2025, the California Department of Social Services received more than 190,000 reports of alleged financial abuse. Experts say older adults are among the most frequent targets of scams, often falling victim through digital platforms.

“It’s been prevalent and it’s been an uptick, mostly in California, specifically in Fresno and Madera,” said Hillaree Bennett, program director at the Fresno-Madera Area Agency on Aging.

The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation lists a wide range of scams that prey on seniors, including phishing emails, fake sweepstakes, home repair fraud, and romance scams. Grandparent and government impersonator scams—where fraudsters claim to be a relative in distress or pose as officials from Medicare or the IRS—are also common.

“Victims, whether they are older adults or individuals in general, feel embarrassed about becoming a victim of a fraud or scam,” said Kue Lee with the DFPI. “That’s why many cases go unreported.”

Lee said the rise of artificial intelligence and evolving technology has made scams more sophisticated, and seniors—who tend to be more trusting—are particularly vulnerable.

Still, there are steps people can take to protect themselves and their loved ones:

Don’t send money to someone you don’t know.

Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails or text messages.

Research suspicious claims or offers through official sources.

Talk to someone you trust before making financial decisions.

“Do not answer or respond to messages from individuals you don’t know,” Lee said. “The next layer of protection is to do your own research and check credentials.”

Anyone who suspects fraud should report it immediately to the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation at (866) 275-2677 or online at dfpi.ca.gov.

More resources for protecting older adults from scams are available at aging.ca.gov.

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Patricia Martellotti

GOLETA, Calif. – Harvest is going well director for Juan Osorio of Osorio Family Farms in Carpinteria.

“It’s looking good … it’s getting there maybe another three to four weeks and we’ll have some red round Mexican Kabasa,” said farmer Juan Osorio of Osorio Family Farms.

But in three to four weeks, President Trump’s new directive will force the Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program – known as LFPA to shut down leaving farmers like Osorio hanging. 

The new program was run by the USDA to support local, underserved farmers. 

Now, those farmers are going to have to change course.

“As right now it is affecting us a good amount …  in the future we don’t know what I will provide for my family … work for my family,” said Osorio.

“It was really dramatic because you know this is 50% of our business as an aggregator … it is providing local organic produce to food banks through this project. It’s really heartbreaking for me to have to tell all of my farmers that their season was done,” said owner Jason Lesh of Farm Cart Organics.

“Down over there, we had our onions and cabbages and this is all just zucchini … beans,” said Osorio.

“It’s a new program it’s been a wonderful program that’s been a lifeline for our local farmers in our community. So it’s really a blow to us and a blow to our community members who need help,” said director of marketing Laurel Alcantar of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara.

The foodbank received over $500,000 a year to make local food purchases from the LFPA.

As a result of president Trump’s new directive, that money will be gone.

From the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County:

Federal and state cuts of food and funding are occurring at an unprecedented level.

The Foodbank of Santa Barbara County is tracking developments in legislation closely, and we are prepared to respond to better serve our community. 

Commodity Credit Corporation Program (CCC)

Total Annual Loss for the Foodbank: 1,511,691 pounds of food – approximately $2,630,342 

→ The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC)was a USDA program that moved nutritious food from farms to food banks to our neighbors in need. The CCC was critical for working families – nearly half of all people experiencing food insecurity do not qualify for SNAP, and many SNAP recipients run out of benefits before their next month’s benefits arrive. These families come to the Foodbank network and receive food from programs like CCC. On March 27, 2025, the USDA confirmed the cancelation of CCC.

Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA)

Total Annual Funding the Foodbank Will Lose:$552,900 

→ The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) was a program run by the USDA that provided funding to purchase food produced in-state in order to support local, underserved farmers. Our LFPA cooperative agreement enabled the Foodbank to connect with farmers to source fresh produce that was bulk-packed and delivered to our facilities weekly – approximately 30,000 pounds per month. LFPA25 (the program’s third phase) has been canceled, effectively ending the program.

The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP)

Potential Annual Loss for the Foodbank:$24,015 

→ The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) was a FEMA-funded program administered through United Way that has been around since 1987. The program supplements and expands the ongoing work of local nonprofit organizations to provide shelter, food, and supportive services to individuals and families who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, hunger and/or homelessness. We have received notice that EFSP funds are paused indefinitely.

CalFood Funding

Potential Annual Loss for the Foodbank:$1,200,000 

→ CalFood provides state dollars to food banks to purchase California-grown and produced foods. This fiscal year, the Foodbank received $1.3MM from CalFood, which was used to purchase food from in-state farmers. With next year’s proposed budget, the Foodbank will receive approximately $100,000 in CalFood Funding – a $1.2MM loss.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) / CalFresh (in California)

In addition to direct food and funding cuts, the Foodbank is preparing for major SNAP cuts. As part of budget reconciliation, the Senate passed a $340 billion Budget Resolution that is expected to include cuts to food and nutrition programs. The House followed with its own reconciliation proposal, which includes $2 trillion in spending cuts alongside $4.5 trillion in tax cuts.

The future of SNAP funding is influenced by both the Farm Bill and the budget reconciliation process. The Farm Bill, which governs SNAP and other agricultural programs, is up for reauthorization in September.

More than 55,000 people in Santa Barbara County utilized SNAP in 2024 to feed themselves and their families. Federal cuts to SNAP would leave these families without essential food assistance, increasing community reliance on the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County.

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Andrew Gillies

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. – Residents of the Five Cities region -Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach, Oceano, Pismo Beach, and Avila Beach- and customers across Zone 3 of the San Miguelito Water Company are instructed to boil their water before drinking it and the notice is expected to last through the weekend.

According to the County of San Luis Obispo, higher than normal amounts of bacteria were detected in the drinking water distribution system during routine testing and staff are working to assess the involved equipment and identify the exact cause.

Water samples collected on April 28 and April 29 indicated elevated levels of bacteria and a resolution of the boil advisory is expected by Sunday, May 4 or sooner shared the County of San Luis Obispo.

The positive samples qualified as a Tier 1 violation under California State Water Resources Control Board regulations and required notification of the public under state law noted the County of San Luis Obispo.

An advisory is available for the public in both English and Spanish.

In the image below, courtesy of the County of San Luis Obispo’s Department of Public Works, Zone 3 of the county water system is shown below as the light green highlighted region.

If you live in any of the above cities or are a customer in Zone 3, you are advised to do the following before drinking any water:

Bring all water to a rolling boil for one minute

Let the boiled water cool before drinking

Use boiled or bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice

The County of San Luis Obispo explained that boiling water kills bacteria and other organisms that can make people sick.

If you can not boil your water, you are advised to use unscented household liquid bleach in the following amounts:

For clear water, use 8 drops (1/8 of a teaspoon) of bleach for one gallon of water

For cloudy water, filter through a clean cloth and use 16 drops (1/4 of a teaspoon) of bleach for one gallon of water

Mix well and allow to stand for 30 minutes before using

Water may smell or taste like chlorine

For more information, visit here.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Here are more interviews from the San Marcos High School signing celebration for spring student-athletes.

Ben Callanan, Cross Country, Cal St. San Marcos

Wendy Guarneros Barraza , Soccer, Willamette University

Lucy Haaland-Ford, Water Polo ,Stanford

Kenzie Hessell, Soccer, University of St. Andrew’s (Scotland)

Maddie Kelly, Lacrosse, Lewis and Clark

Molly McCarter Molly, Lacrosse, Whitworth University

Nicolly Oh, Soccer, Lander University (South Carolina)

Seamus Russell, Lacrosse, Columbia College (Missouri)

Himmat Singh, Golf, University of Redlands

Hattie Valdez Lindgren, Soccer Lewis and Clark

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Ten San Marcos High School student-athletes were celebrated for committing to play their chosen sport at the next level.

Ben Callanan, Cross Country, Cal St. San Marcos

Wendy Guarneros Barraza , Soccer, Willamette University

Lucy Haaland-Ford, Water Polo ,Stanford

Kenzie Hessell, Soccer, University of St. Andrew’s (Scotland)

Maddie Kelly, Lacrosse, Lewis and Clark

Molly McCarter Molly, Lacrosse, Whitworth University

Nicolly Oh, Soccer, Lander University (South Carolina)

Seamus Russell, Lacrosse, Columbia College (Missouri)

Himmat Singh, Golf, University of Redlands

Hattie Valdez Lindgren, Soccer Lewis and Clark

For more interviews https://youtu.be/LFdGWefoyZ4

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Mina Wahab

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — It’s a slam dunk for the future of Santa Barbara. That’s according to a handful of student athletes we spoke with.

“There’s not a lot of indoor basketball courts here in Santa Barbara. I try to find them all the time and I just can’t. A lot of them you need like a membership. So hopefully this will be open for everybody,” said SBCC Student Joe Ursich.

This new facility will house more than just sports.

“We can have large scale events. We can open it up to the community for whatever they need and go from there,” said SBCC Spokesman Jordan Killebrew.

The rebuild will create state-of-the-art classrooms and a gym that is up to code with title 9 requirements.

It will also function as an emergency evacuation center for the community at large.

SBCC spokesman Jordan Killebrew says they are using funding from Measure P and state matching dollars. The Measure P bond extension passed with 66 percent of the vote in the November election. That unlocked $71 million dollars that will go toward the project’s estimated $105 million dollar cost.

Physical Education Department Chair Kathleen O’connor says the facility, which was built in 1963, has several issues related to its dated infrastructure. “We just have a lot of issues. I mean, if you just look at the patio, we’re patching everything. We have leaks everywhere. This building is a big challenge for our facilities people. We have the plumbing people here probably at least once a week to clear out the drains to fix things,” said O’Connor. Marsha Croninger was the only member of the board of trustees to vote against the project.  She expressed concerns about costs ballooning in the future.

But others hope the pavilion will help reverse the trend of declining enrollment.

“New buildings and particularly P.E. and athletic buildings really draw people to your campus. We have over 400 full time student athletes on our campus. I mean, we want to keep those people. We want to draw those people to us. And you’re not going to do that when the facility is really awful,” said O’Connor.

“Santa Barbara kind of sells itself a little bit. But, you know, having one more thing that looks kind of, you know, pleasing to the eye, I think is going to help a lot,” said SBCC Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Trey Putnam. The building is set to be completed in the Spring of 2028.  

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — On her way to a wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley Saturday afternoon, Tina Ballue saw a man in need of help near a bus stop on Calle Real.

Ballue pulled over and offered assistance.

“When I got out of the car and asked, ‘What do you need?’ the gentleman beside the man who was unconscious said, ‘I don’t know—CPR. I need help with CPR,’” Ballue said.

Ballue had recently completed a CPR course with her coworkers at Safety Matters in Santa Barbara.

“I’m not sure I would have felt comfortable even stopping the car to help if I didn’t have that training,” she said.

She checked the man’s vital signs and airways between chest compressions, keeping rhythm by singing the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” as she had been taught in class.

“We could see as I was doing compressions, he didn’t react the first two times,” Ballue said.

Duane Henry recorded video of the scene, which has since been viewed thousands of times online.

“The idea is to keep the heart moving, blood pumping and the brain getting oxygen,” Ballue said. “CPR doesn’t always require mouth-to-mouth. I closed the nostrils to open the airway and checked the mouth to make sure it was clear.”

The man regained consciousness after the third round of compressions.

At least one viewer of the video questioned whether the man may have needed Narcan. Ballue said she didn’t know.

“I’m not educated enough to say, but I can tell you he needed the support of the people around him once he was conscious,” she said.

Ballue is trained in Narcan use but didn’t have the nasal spray with her at the time.

“I took the course at Unity Shoppe with my Rotary,” she said. “We’re on a mission to make sure everyone is trained in Narcan use, CPR and first aid.”

Ballue said she noticed pill bottles among the man’s belongings and asked if there were any drugs first responders should know about. The man said no.

Her CPR instructor, Justin Haagen of Safety Matters, said it doesn’t matter why someone is unresponsive—what matters is helping them.

“Whenever I hear about something like this, I create a Good Samaritan award,” Haagen said. “I have one for Tina, and I’ll give it to her when the time is right at her workplace.”

Santa Barbara City firefighter Jason Faanes emphasized the importance of calling 911 immediately or asking someone else to do so.

“Early chest compressions and CPR can increase the survival rate by two to three times,” Faanes said.

Both firefighters and an AMR ambulance responded to the emergency.

Faanes said the American Heart Association has an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival guide, which includes six steps—among them, early CPR with a focus on chest compressions.

He said chest compressions should continue until first responders arrive.

Ballue, who works at Domestic Violence Solutions in Santa Barbara, said she wanted to treat the man with compassion and dignity.

“We really poured words of encouragement and love into him,” she said. “I told him, ‘We’re so glad you’re still with us today. You are loved, you are cherished.’ He started to cry and looked at me and said, ‘Can I have a hug?’”

They hugged but didn’t exchange names or contact information.

If the video encourages just one person to learn CPR, Ballue said, it was worth sharing.

“I want people to be inspired to get trained so they feel empowered in an emergency,” she said. “One day you might be at the store or get out of your car and know what to do.”

Safety Matters offers CPR courses that can be completed in a single day. A hands-only class is free, and a full certification course costs about $80 and takes four hours. The certification is valid for two years.

“You can learn CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator, or AED,” Haagen said.

The training, he added, builds the confidence needed to save the life of a loved one—or even a complete stranger.

For more information about CPR classes visit CPRtrainingsb.com.

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