Category: keyt-local-news

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jarrod Zinn

NIPOMO, Calif. (KEYT) – Nipomo residents attended a public hearing today, to voice their opposition to significant water rate increases over the next three years.

The vote passed.

The Nipomo Community Services District says water rate increases are needed to pay for system maintenance, technological upgrades and inflation.

“I have a son who goes to high school in Nipomo,” says resident Angel Ramirez. “And he’s come to me asking, hey, this person is asking if they can come to our house, if it’s okay if they could shower, because their water is so expensive that they can’t even pay their bills right now and that it’s shut off.”

Residents logged nearly 500 protests in writing and public comment.

“This hits me really hard,” says Kitt Jenae, who lives in Nipomo. “I mean, if I spend $500 extra in a year for something, I think hard about spending that kind of money. And this is like, I don’t even have a choice.”

Locals addressed the Nipomo Community Services District Board Of Directors saying an increase of 41% is an unreasonable burden on their already-strained budgets.

They also criticized a lack of transparency from the board to the community they represent.

“I am looking at not being able to stay here because it’s just getting—and I don’t, you know, my Social Security is not that high either.”

One local blames years of bad decisions for the current situation.

“The piping evidently was offered to come down and they didn’t take it at that time,” says Jenae. “The pipe, the state water, went down to Santa Maria. Now they’re having to pipe it back here. I totally feel gut punched.”

Residents tried but failed to get enough signatures to stop the vote.

The rate increase passed in a 3-to-2 vote.

“We have to be better on communicating with each other, to taking care of each other so we can have a tomorrow,” says Ramirez.

The yearly 13% increase is expected to start in February.

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.

NPG Content Share

Cynthia White

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – California is officially the most generous state in America according to GoFundMe’s 2025 Year in Help report.

GoFundMe released the report celebrating the generosity of individuals and nonprofits worldwide who helped each other throughout the year.

This is the first time California has topped the list for the most generous state in the U.S. In addition, California is home to 5 of the top 10 most generous communities in the U.S. this year, with Los Angeles, Marin, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and Ventura all making the list.

Locally, Coachella Valley communities came together in 2025 on GoFundMe. Notable fundraisers in valley were Restoring The Velvet Rope, a business that sustained heavy damages when a powerful explosion rocked downtown Palm Springs, and Save Oscar’s Palm Springs, a downtown restaurant that needed support to keep its doors open.

California had more repeat donors than any other state across the country. The outpouring of support was evident after wildfires swept through Altadena and Pacific Palisades at the beginning of the year – resulting in the most generous day of the year globally on Jan. 10, 2025, amid those wildfires.

An average of one in every five California households donated to a GoFundMe this year.

Click here to follow the original article.

Click here to follow the original article.

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –  Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church is set for a procession Thursday evening as part of the traditional Feast Day events in Santa Barbara.

This comes after recent vandalism with to a mosaic shrine on the church property badly damaged by a man police arrested who was allegedly hitting it with a large hammer.

The violent attack damaged the face and hands of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Virgin Mary, in a location that is often surrounded by flowers and candles throughout the year. It is accessible to the public at all hours.

There was also damage to church doors and some interior areas of the church.

The processional will be at Ortega Park on Ortega St. at Salsipuedes Street next to Santa Barbara Junior High. It begins with a Rosary at 6 p.m. followed by the procession at 6:30 p.m. It will proceed over to the church.

Hundreds are expected to take part.

Friday, the official Feast Day, there will be a day of special masses all day starting at 4 a.m.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Pastor  Father Pedro Lopez said, the community should come together and understand “what causes the anger and hurt that people are carrying to pushes someone to do something like this. That what needs attention and healing.” He says others may also have emotions that are harmful and efforts to help them with outreach are important at this time.

He urged the community to unite “and not let people face that alone. “

Anthony Rodríguez a parishioner at Our Lady of Guadalupe and community leader said, “we want people to see, yes we were hurt,  but you know what,  we want to do  what she (Our Lady of Guadalupe) has taught us and that is to be strong. hold each other and be together and unity.”

Wednesday a resident and Westmont College student Lesly Ricardez came by with flowers. It was her first time seeing the damage to the mosaic shrine. “She didn’t desrve this,” said Ricardez. “Just very sad to see that someone would go out of their way to damage her image when so many of us come to pay our respects and especially during this time which is so important to us Catholics.”

The procession will travel down Cota St. to Nopal to the church with police assisting for safety.

Going forward the church is seeking funds for additional security, lighting and cameras.

“The most immediate concern is to repair the image.  Beyond that  we want to do something that  will to make the space even better,” said Father Lopez.

Many community members, Catholics and non Catholics have offered to help in any way. “we have great  support here at the church,  and we have a good leader,” said Rodriguez about the efforts ahead to make improvements and beautify the location.

The Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated annually on December 12th, commemorating the Virgin Mary’s apparitions to Saint Juan Diego in Mexico in 1531, with large celebrations including Masses, processions, and cultural festivals, especially by Mexican communities and Catholics worldwide. This day honors her as the “Queen of Mexico and Patroness of the Americas,” marked by traditions like presenting roses and displaying her image. 

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.

Andie Lopez Bornet

CARPINTERIA, Calif. –  Miri Mara Ceramics in Carpinteria is celebrating 12 years of business on Friday

“Ceramics is a passion of mine that has fulfilled half of my life,” says Miri, “Inspiration comes from everything around me – it can be looking at a bridge, hardware, a door handle, it is truly everywhere. Every piece is unique to my personal style, at once an original and a part of the bigger concept.” 

Mara’s work is a testament to his life of resilience and how changing career paths can persevere at any age or time in one’s life. Mara’s work pushed through the global pandemic as well as through the devastation of losing all of his work in the Thomas Fire in 2018. Mara shares how anyone can start a new chapter no matter where they are in life, just as he did at Santa Barbara City College.

“Before doing ceramics, I was a fashion designer in Italy, in Milano, and I worked in fashion for 20 years. then I decided to close that kind of business, and I moved to California, and I never thought even about ceramics.” said Mara, owner of Miri Mara Ceramics in Carpinteria. “It was something I had never contemplated doing when I moved here, I started taking some classes. The (Santa Barbara) city college of ceramics, and, I just loved it immediately. It was a big passion.”

Guests can celebrate on Friday with Miri Mara at his Ceramics studio in Caprinteria at 5292 B Carpinteria Avenue. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with refreshments, a celebratory toast and 20% off ceramic items.

Find out more at Miri Mara Ceramics.

Click here to follow the original article.

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –

Boys Soccer:

San Marcos 3, Santa Barbara 2: Luis Campos scored the game-winning goal in the closing minutes of the Channel League opener for both teams.

Pacifica 3, Dos Pueblos 0

Laguna Blanca 7, Grace 0: Baylor Wilson scored 4 goals

Girls Soccer:

San Marcos 0, Santa Barbara 0

Bishop Diego 2, Laguna Blanca 1: First Cardinals win in almost 2 years

Girls Basketball:

San Marcos 65, Santa Barbara 19: Jada Ahmad scored game-high 22 points

(Lily Ruvalcaba scored 11 points for the Royals. Entenza Design).

Dos Pueblos 50, Oxnard 41: Carly Letendre scored a game-high 25 points

Girls Water Polo:

San Marcos 18, Oxnard 6: Josie Drabik scored 8 goals

Santa Barbara 17, Newbury Park 4: Jules Horton tallied 5 goals

Click here to follow the original article.

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Some of the best girls flag football in the state is played in the 805 area so it’s not surprising to see several local star players on the All-CIF teams.

In Division 1, San Marcos senior Rio Chesluk, Dos Pueblos Senior Kacey Hurley, Dos Pueblos junior Brooklyn Hedricks and Camarillo senior Mya Rei Smith were all honored.

In Division 2, Ventura senior Ava Ortman and Ventura junior Mya Rodriguez are All-CIF.

Santa Paula senior Angie Aguilera is All-CIF in Division 3.

Click here to follow the original article.

Caleb Nguyen

PASO ROBLES, Calif. (KEYT) – Paso Robles police arrested a man Tuesday morning for felony vandalism and arson after he set fire to an upstairs balcony and broke windows in a room at the 1400 block of Vine Street.

Downstairs tenants reported broken windows, yelling and flooding the building before PRPD officers and a crisis negotiator tried to speak with the 55-year-old suspect.

PRPD officers did not succeed in talking to the man before he broke more windows, threw items outside of another window and started a small fire.

Officers watched over the area from midnight until 9:30 a.m., when the 55-year-old again threw items from his window and refused to speak with anybody, according to the PRPD.

The 55-year-old refused to speak to family, mental health specialists and PRPD officers during the incident and continued vandalizing the property, according to the PRPD.

PRPD detectives later obtained an arrest and search warrant for the man before they used chemical agents to try and prompt his surrender.

PRPD officers received help from the Paso Robles Fire Department when they entered into the home at 1:00 p.m. before the 55-year-old jumped from the roof and injured himself.

PRPD officers took the man for medical treatment before booking him into the San Luis Obispo County Jail for felony vandalism, arson, and resisting a police officer with violence.

Click here to follow the original article.

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Crews have been working until dark to convert the First Christian Church of Santa Barbara into a 37 room boutique hotel.

Years ago Adams Angels used to bag items for the unhoused at the Church on Monday.

Rev. Dr. Tim Burnette, who has a doctorate from the Claremont School of Theology, served as the Minister at the First Christian Church of Santa Barbara when the church building at 1915 Chapala sold.

Burnette lives right around the corner and can see the work on the roof.

He said the money made has allowed the congregation to move forward with other plans.

Some neighbors had hoped to see it turned into housing, but they aren’t complaining.

Robert Palmer said it will be pretty high tech.

“It is going to be one of those key card things, no on sight staff and we are actually hoping that there will be less noise because there is no place to hang out inside,” said Palmer.

Robert McDermott said the construction hasn’t been, too bad.

“Seems like there’s a lot of hotels but I live just down the street next to  these lovely people and it is nice to have the idea that if someone wants to come visit me they can stay right up the block,” said McDermott.

People parked nearby including William Konrad noticed the construction.

It’s opening date has been pushed back to February.

The work has gone to local businesses including the Santa Barbara Lighting Company.

A worker there said they are thrilled to part of a project especially one that involved a local landmark being turned into a hotel.

The official name and pricing for the hotel have yet to be announced.

Click here to follow the original article.