Category: keyt-local-news

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – For many working on the South Coast, their morning commute will no longer involve their personal car anymore. A new train service is offering another set of wheels.

The AMTRAK Pacific Surfliner has started a new morning line from Ventura County cities including Simi Valley, Oxnard and Ventura and the goal is to have the train arrive in Santa Barbara just before 8 a.m. and in Goleta shortly after 8 a.m.

It was on time Monday morning.

Passengers who needed a ride to their business or somewhere close by, were offered a free Metropolitan Transit District (MTD) shuttle.

There were stops to help those working at UC Santa Barbara, the Hollister tech-corridor, Cottage hospital and downtown Santa Barbara government offices.

Many of those workers would normally be driving, and in congestion between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. daily and it is not uncommon for the commute to last more than an hour.

Cottage Hospital employee Rachel Gomez said the ride worked for her on many levels. “First of all it is the green initiative so we are saving the planet. Second of all it is great for my pocketbook and third of all everyone I met was fantastic and what a beautiful way to go to work.”

There are individual passes, weekly passes and a monthly pass which brings the cost down significantly to what Gomez said was, “five dollars from Ventura.”

Another passenger, Ashley Lopez works for the City of Santa Barbara. She says, “I can start my workday on the train, open my laptop, start going through emails as soon as I get on the train.”

It was less stress than driving in unpredictable traffic. Lopez said, “this was good for my mental health. I didn’t have to sit in traffic, it made coming to work way more enjoyable. Then I will take the train back home to Ventura.”

The new train service is part of a bigger picture plan to add the train and also finish with the freeway work to add a lane in each direction.

The train and lane concept has been a long-time goal for transportation officials with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG). It has taken a collaboration with AMTRAK, Union Pacific, MTD, Ventura County Transit Commission and Lossan rail corridor agency.

Recently there was a special seminar for employers in Goleta and Santa Barbara to learn about the service, the benefits and to make suggestions that will help encourage ridership.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A University of California, Santa Barbara physicist was awarded one of the most prestigious awards in science, shining a global spotlight on the incredible work happening right here on the Central Coast.

David Gross has been named a recipient of a special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics — often referred to as the “Oscars of Science.” The award recognizes groundbreaking achievements in fields like physics, mathematics, and life sciences.

Gross, who previously won the Nobel Prize in Physics, is being honored for decades of research that helped shape modern understanding of the universe. His work in particle physics and string theory has influenced generations of scientists and continues to guide research today.

The recognition comes with a multi-million-dollar prize and highlights the importance of investing in fundamental science — work that often begins with big questions about how the universe operates.

For students and researchers at UCSB, the moment feels personal. It’s not just a global achievement — it’s happening in their classrooms and labs, offering a close-up look at the kind of curiosity and persistence that drives scientific discovery.

This story will highlight how one physicist’s legacy is inspiring the next generation to keep asking the biggest questions about our universe.

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Dave Alley

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – Official tourism data released Monday morning showed a record number of visitors spent time in San Luis Obispo County last year.

According to a Visit California economic impact report, visitation in San Luis Obispo County totaled 7.7 million in 2025, a record-breaking amount with a 3.5% year-over-year (YoY) increase.

“2025 was a breakthrough year for tourism in SLO CAL,” said Cathy Cartier, President and CEO, Visit SLO CAL. “Across the region, our visitors, partners and communities came together to build something stronger than what came before the pandemic. These results speak to the power of consistency, collaboration and shared momentum.”

The information was part of an annual tourism summery released annually each May by Visit SLO CAL, the official destination marketing and management organization for San Luis Obispo County.

Several other tourism related metrics were also part of the report, including:

$2.37 billion in direct travel spending (up 3.8% YoY)

24,580 tourism-supported jobs (up 430 jobs YoY)

$1.01 billion in direct earnings (up 5.3% YoY)

$215.5 million in total state and local tax revenue, including $112.5 million in local taxes

Tourism accounts for 9.7% of countywide GDP

7.7 million visitors (up 3.5% YoY)

As those in the travel industry celebrate the accomplishments of 2025, they are also dealing with economic challenges, such as record high fuel costs, that currently happening now as the peak summer travel season is set to start in only a matter of weeks.

Visit SLO CAL said numbers so far this year are maintaining the strong momentum from 2025 and is expecting demand to continue.

In addition, with the recent reopening of scenic Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide south of Big Sur, already visitation numbers are increasing on the North Coast and throughout the entire county.

“We know there’s economic headwinds underway, but being the proximity and location where we’re at,” said Ashlee Akers, Visit SLO CAL Marketing and Communications Vice President. “We are in a great spot for road trip destinations where you can come and explore really close to home, especially within our California drive markets.”

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) Actor and author Mariel Hemingway led a panel discussion on the final day of the first Santa Barbara Literary Festival.

The panel entitled “Women’s Health, Wealth and Happiness” got personal.

Hemingway’s panel featured ” A Boob’s Life” author Leslie Lehr and “What’s Up with Women and Money” author Alison Kosik.

Hemingway looks forward to its continuing success.

“Just the brilliance of bringing like-minds together, but slightly different and different perspectives on the world, I think it is always going to be a positive and wonderful thing, I think it absolutely has to happen every single year,” said Hemingway.

Other panels on Sunday included the Art of the script at the Karpeles Museum and a CrimeTime panel at the Alhecama Theatre and the Bespoke Print Faire at the Pico Adobe.

Readers had a chance to buy books and get autographs after each discussion.

SBLF founders Leslie Zemeckis and Larissa Rinehart plan to make it an annual event.

For more information visit http://www.santabarbaraliteraryfestival.org

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) The State Street closure on weekends nights is sparking controversy.

It had pop up vendors between between Cota and Ortega after midnight.

Some hotels have received noise complaints.

But people who like it said the restaurants are already closed, so it gives them somewhere to get something to eat.

Mayor Randy Rowse said he still questions the closure plan and configuration.

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Tracy Lehr

PORT HUENEME, Calif. (KEYT) A popular former mayor of Port Hueneme has died.

Anthony “Tony” Volante celebrated his 90th birthday last year.

He died in April, shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Volante is being remembered for fighting to save Naval Base Ventura County during a string of base closures in the 1990s.

He will also be remembered for helping the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme.

The Knights of Columbus honored Volante has his rosary in Oxnard.

Tony Volante is survived by his wife Barbara and their children and grandchildren.

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Tracy Lehr

SOLVANG, Calif. (KEYT) A Danish artist’s work of art had a birthday.

Thomas Dambo’s troll Lulu Hyddelig turned one on Sunday

She is the first of his trolls to be indoors and permanent.

Lulu is located inside the California Nature Art Museum on Mission Dr. in Solvang.

That is where they held a birthday party with visitors.

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Mike Klan

IRVINE, Calif. (KEYT) – Tied 6-6 in the ninth inning, Cal Poly took advantage of three UC Irvine errors for a pair of unearned runs and defeated the Anteaters 8-6 in the rubber game of their Big West baseball series Sunday afternoon on Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark.

The three miscues all occurred in the infield and allowed pinch runner Antonio Castro and left fielder Dante Vachini to score the go-ahead runs for the Mustangs, who maintained their one-game lead over UC Santa Barbara in the conference standings.

The win, head coach Larry Lee’s 1,200th in 40 seasons of coaching, 740 victories in 24 years at Cal Poly and 460 in 16 campaigns at nearby Cuesta College, elevated the Mustangs’ overall mark to 27-19, the first time Cal Poly has been eight games above the .500 mark this season.

The Mustangs are 17-7 in Big West games, one game ahead of UC Santa Barbara (16-8), a 19-9 winner at Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday for a series sweep. UC San Diego (14-10) remains in third place after the Tritons were swept at Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton, swept at home by UC Davis, fell into fourth place at 13-11. Hawai’i (12-11) could move into a tie with the Titans with a win over UC Riverside as the Rainbow Warriors moved into the final qualifying spot for the May 20-24 Big West Tournament.

Cal Poly bounced back from an 11-4 loss Friday with 11-2 and 8-6 triumphs to claim its seventh Big West series in eight tries this season.

“My message after Friday’s loss was it is just one game,” said Lee. “Learn from what you did and what you didn’t do well. Win on Saturday and your odds are in your favor for Sunday.”

Cal Poly jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a three-run home run to right field by Vachini, his second of the year. The advantage was short-lived, however, as designated hitter Rowan Felsch duplicated Vachini’s feat in the bottom of the second. It was Felsch, a .148 hitter entering the series, who also homered to drive in three runs and shatter a 4-4 tie in the sixth inning Friday night.

Right fielder Dylan Kordic smashed his seventh home run of the year, a solo blast to left-center field, in the third for a 4-3 Mustang lead. All seven home runs by Kordic have come in the last six weeks.

UC Irvine took its first lead with two runs in the fourth on a Cal Poly throwing error and a sacrifice fly before the Mustangs tied the game up at 5-5 in the sixth. Catcher Ryan Tayman was hit by a pitch with one out and scored on Casey Murray Jr.’s RBI double to right-center field.

Both teams scored a run in the seventh to keep the game tied at 6-6. Shortstop Nate Castellon belted his fifth home run of the year down the left-field line in the top of the frame while UC Irvine scored on a walk, sacrifice bunt and two singles, Efren Ortega collecting the RBI.

In the Mustang ninth, designated hitter Cam Hoiland reached on a throwing error with one out. Vachini singled to right field and first baseman Gavin Spiridonoff loaded the bases as his grounder to second base was mishandled for another Anteater error.

Castellon’s grounder to third was misplayed for the third UC Irvine error of the inning, allowing Castro to score. Third baseman Alejandro Garza’s sacrifice fly to left field scored Vachini for an 8-6 Mustang lead.

UC Irvine entered the series No. 1 in the Big West in fielding, averaging just 0.8 errors per contest.

“As for in-game action, we try to take the emotion out of the equation when things are not going well,” said Lee. “We try to deal in reality. It doesn’t matter how you got there. After each inning, it becomes so many innings to play and you are up, even, or down in the scoring column.”

Senior closer Nick Bonn (1-4) earned his first win of 2026 by scattering four hits over three scoreless innings with two walks and three strikeouts. Starter Corden Pettey tossed the first 3 2/3 innings for Cal Poly and Brady Estes allowed just one run and two hits over 2 1/3 frames.

The loss was charged to Anteater reliever Danny Suarez (2-2), who gave up three runs in 2 2/3 innings. Starter Hunter Manning allowed four runs over 2 2/3 frames and Ricky Ojeda was charged with a run in 3 2/3 innings.

Cal Poly’s nine hits included two each by Vachini and Murray. UC Irvine outhit the Mustangs 12-9, paced by first baseman Alonso Reyes with three singles and Ortega, Felsch and Lucas Schermer, each with a pair of hits.

Tayman threw out his 13th would-be base stealer in the first inning for Cal Poly.

Murray was 6-for-11 in the series while Castellon was 6-for-14 with three RBIs and Tayman 5-for-11. Kordic knocked in six runs in a 4-for-12 series with two doubles and a pair of home runs.

Cal Poly visits Santa Clara on Tuesday before returning to Orange County next weekend for a three-game Big West set at Cal State Fullerton.

(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics).

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Mike Klan

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara City College Baseball team punched their ticket to the 3C2A Super Regionals by winning the Riverside Regional on Sunday, beating San Diego Mesa 15-6 in a winner-take-all final game.

Similar to Friday’s win, the Vaqueros took advantage of Mesa’s freebies in a seven-run fifth inning to blow the game open. Max Collins pitched seven relief innings to earn the win.

To get here, the Vaqueros came back to beat the hosts, Riverside, 8-7 after trailing 7-3 in the first game on Saturday. That ended Riverside’s season and, still unbeaten, allowed the Vaqueros two chances to beat Mesa to advance. Mesa won 11-4 on Saturday afternoon to trigger the “if necessary” Sunday game.

Opener Cooper Tinkey started the game with two quick outs. However, three walks and two singles followed, allowing two runs to score and forcing Collins to enter earlier than expected—and with the bases loaded. He got the first batter he faced to fly out, ending the threat.

Western State Conference (WSC) North Player of the Year William Matuszak immediately answered in the bottom half with a leadoff homer. Later in the inning, Bradley Cekada’s two-strike, two-out RBI single tied the game at 2-2.

The next three innings went scoreless. The Vaqueros broke the tie in the fifth with a massive seven runs, though, taking a 9-2 lead. Somehow, they did it with only two hits in the inning—one of which being a bunt. Five walks, two sacrifice flies, two stolen bases, two wild pitches, an error, and a hit-by-pitch did most of the damage to tilt the game heavily in Santa Barbara’s favor.

Mesa got a run in the top of the sixth, but the Vaqueros countered with four more. Cole Ide’s two-run double, a balk, and Elijah Garcia’s RBI single made it 13-3 Santa Barbara.

The result all but clinched, Mesa scored in the seventh with a solo homer. Another RBI hit from Ide and Sean Asperger’s single scored two for the Vaqueros, who now led 15-4.

Two more consolation runs for Mesa eventually chased Collins in the eighth, who scattered seven hits and allowed just one walk and four unimportant runs. Drew Cappel got the final four outs to solidify the 15-6 win, sending Santa Barbara to the Super Regionals.

Perhaps the most emblematic stat of the game is that all four of Mesa’s errors directly contributed to Vaquero runs. The Vaqueros did not commit an error on the day.

Cekada led the team with three of their 13 hits and three RBIs. Ide had two hits, two walks, three RBIs, and scored three runs. Matuszak had two hits (including the leadoff homer), three walks, and a stolen base.

The Vaqueros set themselves up for an eye-catching all-WSC North Super Regional matchup at Hancock, who won three close games over Cuesta and Grossmont to win their Regional. The top two teams in the conference, Hancock finished two games above Santa Barbara to end the latter’s streak of three consecutive conference championships. After splitting the four games between them in the regular season, they will begin their playoff series on Thursday at 2 p.m. Game two is scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m. and, if necessary, a winner-take-all game three would be on Saturday.

(Article courtesy of SBCC Athletics)

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Mike Klan

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KEYT) – After grinding out a narrow win on Saturday night, the UC Santa Barbara Baseball team (30-15, 16-8 Big West) made sure there was no doubt about Sunday’s result, pouring on 14 runs over the final five innings at Cal State Bakersfield (20-28, 9-15 Big West) to run away with a 19-9 victory and a series sweep.

The Gauchos’ 19 runs are a season high and the most they have scored in one game since hanging 20 on UC Riverside in May of 2024. Their seven doubles are also a season high and the most since 2024, when Santa Barbara tallied eight two-baggers in a March meeting with Cal Poly. Five different Gauchos had multi-hit games, all of them tallying three or more, but the three hottest bats belonged to Noah Karliner, Corey Nunez and Rowan Kelly, each of whom matched or exceeded their career-best hit totals. The three of them are the first Santa Barbara trio to all have four or more hits in the same game in the Andrew Checketts era.

Nunez’s four matched his career best, Kelly set a new high-water mark in his young career with four more, while Karliner smacked five to beat his previous career best. The slugging right fielder finished a triple shy of the cycle and drove in seven runs, also a career high for him. The last Gaucho to tally seven RBIs in one game was their previous slugger, Jack Holman, who did it against the Roadrunners last May.

HOW IT HAPPENEDThe game did not start as a rout, at least not one in the Gauchos’ favor. The Roadrunners got out of the top of the first unscathed for the first time all weekend, then hung four runs on the board in the bottom of the inning. Instead, the game started as a back-and-forth slugfest, as Santa Barbara answered with a three-run second inning. With runners on the corners and two outs, Cade Goldstein’s decoy steal of second drew a throw which allowed William Vasseur to steal home, with Goldstein safely taking second on the play. That not only got the Gauchos on the board but also extended the inning for Karliner, who drove his third home run of the week out to straightaway center field, bringing Santa Barbara back within one.

After Nathan Aceves took over on the mound in the second and delivered a perfect inning, the Gauchos took their first lead of the afternoon in the third, with doubles from Nate Vargas and Kelly tying the game, then Vasseur’s single plating Kelly to put Santa Barbara in front. That lead lasted just one out into the bottom of the third before a double tied the game for Bakersfield then another gave the hosts the lead back.

The Gauchos struck the next blow, in the top of the fifth, with three two-out walks loading the bases for Karliner, who just missed his second home run of the game and had to settle for a three-RBI double off the top of the right-field wall, giving Santa Barbara an 8-6 lead. This time, the Gauchos held their advantage. Nunez led off the top of the sixth with a double and scored on Kelly’s second two-bagger of the day, then Nick Husovsky’s single into center field brought home Kelly and put Santa Barbara into double digits. Goldstein smacked the third double of the inning to right center, and Husovsky came home with Santa Barbara’s 11th run.

Bakersfield responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth, but the Gauchos just kept on scoring to prevent any threat of a comeback. Karliner led off the seventh with a single and scored on Nunez’s RBI base hit, then Vargas kept himself within touching distance of Karliner in Santa Barbara’s home run leaderboard, driving a two-run shot out to left field. That homer brought up seven homers for Vargas on the year and 14 runs for the Gauchos on the day.

The Roadrunners scored for the final time with a triple and a double to start the bottom of the seventh, but Chase Hoover was summoned from the bullpen and he put an end to that. A pair of strikeouts put out the fire in the seventh, then two more got him out of a two-on, no-outs jam in the eighth.

In the Gauchos’ half of the eighth, another hit from Karliner had scored Husovsky, but Santa Barbara had its best offense saved for the last inning, scoring four runs in the ninth. Vargas plated Nunez with a double to make it 16, Kelly singled home Vargas for run number 17, Husovsky’s single drove in Kelly with the 18th, and who else but Karliner put the cap on things with a single to score Husovsky.

AJ Krodel took the mound for the bottom of the ninth and wrapped up the sweep with a zero on the board.

UP NEXTThe Gauchos return home on Tuesday, May 5 to host Pepperdine at 4:35 p.m. at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. Santa Barbara remains a game behind Cal Poly for first place in The Big West standings, with a road trip to CSUN on the Gauchos’ calendar for next weekend.

(Article courtesy of UCSB Athletics)

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