Category: keyt-local-news

Patricia Martellotti

CARPINTERIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The play yards at Carpinteria Children’s Project are getting a new purpose.

The spaces are being rebuilt into outdoor classrooms, giving children more ways to learn through nature and play.

“We wanted to encourage the kids and the staff to spend more time outside. We have been doing a lot of professional development to teach our staff the importance of learning while being outdoors,” said executive director Teresa Alvarez of the Carpinteria Children’s Project.

The new spaces will take lessons beyond the traditional classroom.

Children will be able to explore, create and learn through hands-on activities built into the outdoor environment.

“We also want a space that feels comfortable and beautiful and is full of nature experiences for the kids that come to school here,” said Alvarez.

The project is designed around the way young children learn through movement, curiosity and interaction.

“Really fostering that creativity in the natural way that really develops their imagination,” said director of early learning Guadalupe Perez of the Carpinteria Children’s Project.

“Research shows that kids do a lot better when they’re out in nature, exploring, and playing and moving their bodies in different ways than they would inside of the classroom. For several years, it’s been a dream and now we’re super excited that it’s coming true,” said Alvarez.

Construction is expected to be finished by the end of the year, turning what was once a traditional play yard into a new part of the school day.

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ivania Montes

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Carmelinda and David Valencia’s love story lasted nearly four decades, but the history that connected them stretches back hundreds of years.

The couple first met as students at Bishop Diego High School. After graduating, they went their separate ways, never expecting their paths would cross again.

Years later, a chance encounter at the post office changed everything.

“Then one day, I was in the post office and he was waiting on me, and we sort of just connected right there,” Carmelinda Valencia recalled.

As they spent more time together, conversations about their families uncovered something unexpected… a shared connection to Santa Barbara’s earliest history.

“As we started seeing each other more, we started talking about our families and the history of them, and it seemed to fascinate us both with each other’s history,” Carmelinda Valencia said.

David’s family traces its ancestry to the Barbareño Chumash, while Carmelinda’s family descends from some of the region’s earliest Spanish settlers.

“He goes back centuries and centuries,” Carmelinda said. “His grandmother, Mary, was very involved in helping to preserve the Barbareño Chumash culture, where my husband was a part of that culture.”

Through the work of David’s grandmother, Mary Yee, and later his aunt, Ernestine Ygnacio De Soto, the Barbareño Chumash language, traditions and history were preserved for future generations.

Carmelinda’s family history is equally intertwined with Santa Barbara’s beginnings.

“Captain Jose Francisco Ortega helped establish the Presidio in Santa Barbara. He was my grandmother’s ancestor. My grandfather was related to Corporal Jose Ignacio Rodriguez, who served during that same time,” she said.

Together, their family histories tell the story of Santa Barbara’s earliest communities, dating back to the establishment of the Presidio in the late 1700s.

“My grandmother was related to Ortega, and my grandfather was related to Corporal Rodriguez. Later, our families came together. So yes, we go back that far to the 1700s, when the Presidio was established in Santa Barbara.”

Today, the influence of both families can still be found throughout Santa Barbara, from historic landmarks and street names to cultural traditions that continue to shape the community.

“Celebrating any culture or history is positive because you’re trying to keep that history alive,” Carmelinda said. “I think it all has value because it’s a way of carrying forward the legacy of all that history that occurred and that we need to remember.”

David died in November 2025, but Carmelinda says his presence remains with her every day.

“I feel like he’s with me all the time. When I’m home, he’s everywhere. He’s in every room, every bookshelf he built, every room that he painted,” she said.

Reflecting on their 37-year marriage, Carmelinda says the secret was simple.

“My husband always used to say we’ve been married 37 years, and it felt like yesterday. We just enjoyed each other’s company. If we had differences, we worked through them. It was good.”

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

News Channel 3-12

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – For the 103rd year, hundreds of horses, floats, clubs, organizations, and carriages all honoring Santa Barbarian culture and history will make its way down Cabrillo Blvd for the annual Desfile Histórico.

News Channel’s very own John Palminteri will lead the parade as this year’s Grand Marshal!

The parade will kick off at 12:00pm, and you can watch it LIVE below or on the KEYT Youtube Channel.

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The bells rang out at the Santa Barbara Old Mission Thursday morning to signal the congregation to come in for La Misa del Presidente.

It was a special mass for El Presidente Colin Hayward who heads up Old Spanish Days 2026.

Hayward and his wife Monica led a processional into the church and took his seat in the front row for the mass that filled every pew.

Many of those attending were in their Fiesta attire for a mass that goes very deep for them during the annual event that dates back to 1924.

A special reception took place after the mass with El Presidente, the Old Spanish Days members, the spirits and those attending.

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dave Alley

PASO ROBLES, Calif. (KEYT) – The California Mid-State Fair (CMSF) has reported its 80th anniversary was a rousing success, showing an impressive jump from the past year in both the amount of people who attended the fair and grandstand entertainment.

According to the CMSF, 433,208 fairgoers attended the 12-day event, which ran from July 15 through July 26.

This year’s attendance marked a 12% increase from last year’s amount, which drew 366,216 guests.

In addition, CMSF said grandstand entertainment drew 90,527 concertgoers, marking a 9% increase from 2025.

The amount does not include the sold out performance of Chris Stapleton, who appeared during a special pre-fair show on Tuesday, July 14, the night before the fair officially opened.

Stapleton drew more than 14,000 spectators to the Chumash Arena, pushing the overall total this year for grandstand entertainment to 105,011, a 26.5% increase over last year.

Musical acts this year who performed in the Chumash Arena was Old Dominion, Ice Cube with Warren G, Lainey Wilson Eric Church, Megadeth, Howard Jones with Wang Chung, Willie Nelson, Treaty Oak Revival and Three Dog Night.

Other metrics included a 3% increase in food and beverage concessions, which the CSMF indicated may be due in part to the success of the new Happy Hour promotion, a pilot program that included every food and beverage vendor offering a $5 menu item at the start of each day.

The Junior Livestock Auction enjoyed immense success, generating a record-breaking $4.02 million in sales.

Nearly half that amount, $2.4 million went towards Market Steers, Hogs, Lambs and Goats, while $1.1 million was raised for 117 Replacement Heifers.

The Industrial Arts Auction brought in $203,150 for 59 projects.

The CMSF said majority of sales generated by the live auctions go directly back to local students with a small portion going back to the Fair to help fund operations.

While most fair numbers were up from 2025, the carnival did report a small dip.

The Helm & Sons Carnival generated $1,621,93, a slight decrease of 4% from last year.

However, fair officials said the “free carnival rides on Opening Day” promotion continued to be very well attended, and Carnival Wristbands hit an all-time high with 15,036 wristbands sold by local non-profits.

“This year’s Fair had a special kind of magic,” said Colleen Bojorquez, CMSF Chief Executive Officer. “Between celebrating our 80th anniversary and an ‘80s theme, an incredible entertainment lineup and a community that showed up in a big way, it felt like people were excited to be here. That’s what the California Mid-State Fair is all about – holding on to the traditions that define the Fair while continuing to add fun new twists year after year. We have to thank everyone who made it happen – our Board of Directors, the Heritage Foundation, our staff, volunteers, sponsors, vendors, exhibitors, auction buyers, competitors, entertainers and most of all our attendees. I have to say it was a blast.”

While the 2026 CMSF is now completed, officials said planning is already underway for the 2027 California Mid-State Fair, which is scheduled for July 14-25, 2027.

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

Evan Vega

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Fiesta Pequeña took over the Old Mission Santa Barbara Wednesday night.

“I love to see everyone that’s still dancing. I used to dance with them when I was a kid but it’s amazing to see them as adults still up there,” said Anna McNeil, a former Pequeña dancer who was watching the show with family and friends from the Mission lawn.

McNeil said she danced flamenco, tango, salsa and samba at Pequeña for over 10 years.

Spectators told Your News Channel they arrived as early as 6:00 a.m. to secure spots for the show.

Spirit of Fiesta Jenna Ramriez opened the show this year followed by Junior Spirit Penny Hernandez.

This marks the 103rd Old Spanish Days.

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Dozens of students from Northern Santa Barbara County attended a brand new educational event that was designed to build valuable career and life skills.

Held inside the Hancock College’s Fine Arts Complex, the first first-ever “Level Up Youth Summit” was put on through a collaboration of several community partners, including the Workforce Development Board of Santa Barbara County, Goodwill Industries of Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, CoastHills Credit Union and many others.

“We’re really excited to have invited youth freshman in high school all the way to sophomore in college,” said Alyssa Stovall, Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board Operations Manager. “They are here to learn about some of the priority industries here in Santa Barbara County, as well as participate in workshops that are designed to help them build some of the skills that are going to help them be successful as they transition into a career.”

About 70 students took part in the four-hour event, which was focues primarily on career exploration, workforce development and personal growth.

“They definitely packed a lot,” said student Rayonna Patterson-Lee, who recently moved to the Central Coast from Maryland. “But I brought my notebook and I took notes on what I should use moving forward in life and I think the qualities that they’ve provided us are pretty good and substantial.” 

After an opening keynote address, participants moved into a series of classrooms, where they had the opportunity to connect with industry professionals, learn about career pathways, participate in interactive workshops, and explore internship and employment opportunities.

“I just hope that with this I learned something,” said Hancock College student Daniel Limon. “I hope everyone learned something because nothing can stop you. Any excuse that you put in yourself is just in your mind and you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone and be the best you can be.”

In addition to providing students with education on career and personal development, this event also included the awarding for four scholarships and four laptops from Goodwill Industries and CoastHills Credit Union.

“Our goal at the end of the day is to eliminate barriers,” said Celest Mendoza, Goodwill Industries Mission Services Manager. “Scholarships to any student I think is very beneficial, especially in the times we’re in nowadays. Any help that we can provide students to our community, our goal is to eliminate barriers to education in any career development, so that was the goal behind this with the donation from Coast Hills.”

Other community partners that participated in the summit included Allan Hancock College, CommUnify, Lompoc Valley Medical Center, the California Department of Rehabilitation, Future Lompoc and Creciendo Raíces.

The Santa Barbara County Workforce Development Board indicated a “Level Up Youth Summit” is in the works for the South County area sometime next year in 2027.

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jarrod Zinn

ORCUTT, California. (KEYT) – Orcutt Union School District is banning e-bikes for elementary and junior high students and restricting their use for high schoolers.

Doctors at Marian Medical Center think that will cut down on E.R. visits.

The popularity of e-bikes is accelerating.

But injuries from e-bike incidents are rising in tandem.

“Not only are we seeing a rise in the increase in injuries from the e-bikes, but also the percentage of those injuries is higher in the 16 and under category in the last couple of years, which is pretty significant,” says Bette Jenkins B.S.N., Trauma Program director at Marian Regional Medical Center.

Doctors at Marian Regional Medical Center say injuries caused by e-bikes and e-motos are now one of the leading causes of trauma cases.

“On top of that, recently, we’re seeing many of those that are severely injured are not wearing helmets,” says Jenkins.

Experts say in comparison to standard bicycle accidents, injuries tend to be significantly more severe with e-bikes due to the high speeds they can reach.

“They’re also very heavy, the e-bikes,” says Jenkins. “So they do cause more significant injuries.”

The risks have led Orcutt Union School District to fully ban what are called powered mobility devices for elementary and junior high school students.

“We call them powered mobility devices because there are several different devices within that,” says Sandra Knight, Assistant Superintendent at Orcutt Union School District. “Any type of motor, electric engine, anything like that, that is not allowed.”

High school students must now take training courses and get approval to ride an e-bike to and from school.

“For the high school kids, the only thing that are allowed are e-bikes,” says Knight. “No scooters, anything like that. Our overall concern is just the general health and safety of our students, our seventh graders are going to be on campus tomorrow. All of our other students start on Monday.”

And high school students have to walk their e-bikes on campus, not ride them.

“Now is the time to be more aware of bikes on the road, kids on the road, pedestrians on the road,” says Jenkins. “And I can’t say it enough times. If you’re going to ride these, you need to wear a helmet. No one is ever too old to wear a helmet.”

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Direct Relief is sending emergency medical aid to help healthcare providers and communities impacted by the Spokane wildfire.

The nonprofit is coordinating with local partners to deliver essential medical supplies and other emergency resources to areas affected by the fast-moving fire.

The response is designed to help hospitals, clinics and first responders continue caring for patients as wildfire conditions strain local healthcare services.

Direct Relief regularly mobilizes during disasters, providing medical assistance to communities facing emergencies across the United States and around the world.

As firefighting efforts continue, the organization plans to adapt its response based on conditions and the needs identified by healthcare partners on the ground.

Click here to follow the original article.

Nate Loop

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Viva La Fiesta! Old Spanish Days 2026 officially begins Wednesday night with La Fiesta Pequeña on the steps of Old Mission Santa Barbara.The show begins at 8 p.m. PT and is expected to end before 10 p.m. PT. Dozens of dancers, musicians and more will perform traditional songs and dances in the Californios Spirit. All are welcome to attend.The event is hosted by News Channel’s Beth Farnsworth and will include pieces highlighting the history of Santa Barbara and Old Spanish Days festivities. You can watch below, on Youtube or live on News Channel 3.

Click here to follow the original article.