Category: keyt-local-news

Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – The Santa Maria Airport made a big announcement this morning.

The airport is launching a new service that’s been years in the making.

They’re proud to announce a collaboration with a leading airline to launch twice-daily flights to phoenix sky harbor, starting October 15th.

A new route from the Santa Maria Airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor—a hub in the southwest—opens up more pathways for flights from Santa Maria to the east coast and beyond.

This service will be available on a daily basis once it gets going in mid-October.

“While I was running for this position about four years ago, the number one ask the community had was consistent air service,” says Ignacio “Nash” Moreno, board president at the Santa Maria Public Airport. “So this is the fulfillment.”

Instead of just twice-weekly flights to Las Vegas, multiple local agencies have worked together to make this happen, including airport staff, Chamber of Commerce, Vandenberg Space Force Base, and business leaders.

“Phoenix is a major hub,” says Moreno. “You can access just about the entire world through there, including flights to Mexico, flights to the East coast Canada, etc.”

Hub service was in the works back in 2019. But like so many other things, the program was put into a holding pattern during the COVID 19 pandemic.

“There will be greater business opportunities,” says Dane Drefke, director of launch operations at Firefly Aerospace. “And of course, competition is always a good thing. So having the Santa Maria Airport now be a competitive force in the region will help drive down costs for everyone, and that can only help grow business.”

Firefly Aerospace is one business that can take advantage of the Santa Maria-Phoenix connection. 

They send employees to the central coast for launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base.

“Every single launch we bring out 40 or 50 people and they stay here two or three weeks,” says Drefke. “We send people back and forth. We have customers that come to support as well.”

The new flights to Phoenix are through American Airlines.

Airport personnel are encouraging local residents to ‘fly local’ for the holidays this year.

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Ryder Christ

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — The bells of Old Mission Santa Barbara rang out Sunday morning to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1925 earthquake that devastated the city and killed at least 11 people.

A multi-faith ceremony brought together religious leaders, city officials and community members to honor the lives lost and reflect on the disaster that reshaped Santa Barbara’s architecture and identity.

“On behalf of Mayor Randy Rouse, by virtue of the authority vested in me, I do hereby proclaim June 29, 2025, as the Great Quake Remembrance Day in Santa Barbara,” said City Councilmember Kristen Sneddon during the ceremony.

The interfaith gathering also included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque honoring the victims. The plaque is set to be installed downtown.

The earthquake, estimated at magnitude 6.2, struck just after 6 a.m. on June 29, 1925, collapsing buildings throughout downtown and damaging landmarks including the Old Mission and the original county courthouse.

Local historian Neal Graffy, a key voice in the centennial commemoration, has spent years researching the disaster’s death toll — which has long been the subject of conflicting reports.

“Most sources say 13 people died in the quake, but that’s not quite accurate,” Graffy said. “One death was from 1812, 11 were from the 1925 earthquake, and one was a child killed in a 1926 aftershock on the same date. So there are 13 deaths tied to earthquakes, but only 11 from the 1925 event.”

Graffy said he started with a list of nearly 60 names and narrowed it down by checking funeral home records, coroner inquests, immigration documents and World War I draft registrations. He also wrote obituaries for each of the victims and helped install headstones for four previously unmarked graves.

The destruction in 1925 was widespread. The front towers of the Old Mission collapsed during Mass, and two people were killed when the San Marcos Building at State and Anapamu streets crumbled.

“The electricity and gas had all been turned off,” said Rick Closson, a member of the EQ25 centennial steering committee. “People had to do things for themselves and each other. It was a huge community outpouring.”

The original courthouse was so badly damaged it had to be torn down. Architect Brian Cearnal said the current Santa Barbara County Courthouse, completed in 1929, stands as a monument to the city’s rebirth.

“It’s not your typical courthouse,” Graffy said. “It’s a mansion for the people. Beautiful, flowing, well-designed — it’s unlike anything else.”

The rebuilding effort that followed the quake led to the adoption of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, now synonymous with Santa Barbara.

“This is what gave Santa Barbara its look,” Graffy said. “If the earthquake hadn’t happened, the city would look very different today.”

Events commemorating the centennial have taken place throughout the month of June, including public lectures, walking tours and a community festival on State Street.

Organizers say they hope the 100th anniversary inspires not just remembrance, but renewed awareness of the importance of disaster preparedness — and the strength of community in times of crisis.

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Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif-Grey Law of Ventura County, which provides free legal advice to seniors, is mourning a longtime volunteer.

Attorney Deborah Sutherland-Hocamp dedicated her legal career to helping older people.

She once commented on actor Mickey Rooney’s elder abuse case by telling Ventura County Star reporter Colleen Cason that getting the elderly to report abuse is complicated because abusers are almost always in their circle of trust.

Sutherland-Hocamp also spoke to local high schools about her career path.

She died this month from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD.

Sutherland-Hocamp was 75 year old.

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Tracy Lehr

OXNARD, Calif.-Sailing camps are underway.

Weekly camps are taking place in the Channel Islands Harbor.

The Pacific Corinthian Youth Foundation has been hosting camps since the 1990s.

The nonprofit was created by members of the Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club and uses the club’s dock.

Another camp, sailing in RS Zests, is hosted by the Channel Islands Boating Center.

The center is also home to Cal State University sailors.

Both camps teach kids basic sailing skills, and boating safety.

Campers learn skills needed to qualify for their Small Boat Certification 

They can also start filling out logbooks to track their future sails.

PCYF programs that run through Aug. 15 offer scholarships.

The programs welcome beginners and students with no prior sailing experience.

For more information visit https://www.pcyfsailing.org and https://ciboating.org

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Caleb Nguyen

GOLETA, Calif. – A woman died as a pedestrian in a fatal car crash just before 1:00 a.m. on Calle Real in Goleta Sunday morning, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

A 68-year-old Goleta woman reported looking away from her path due to bright headlights from an oncoming vehicle when she veered right and came to rest in a nearby field, according to the SBCSO.

SBCSO deputies arrived to see the pedestrian off the road about 300 feet from where the car came to rest.

Emergency crews tried to revive the pedestrian but she was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the SBCSO.

Preliminary investigations indicate the drive was unaware she struck a pedestiran until deputies told her at the scene, according to the SBCSO.

The pedestrian’s identity is being withheld pending notification to next of kin and drugs nor alcohol are suspected factors in this fatal crash, according to the SBCSO.

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Caleb Nguyen

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – A 54-year-old Santa Maria man died Saturday night just before 11:00 p.m. while in custody at the Northern Branch Jail, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

The 54-year-old was unresponsive in his cell during a routine security and welfare check after being booked by the Santa Maria Police Department for various charges on June 26, according to the SBCSO.

His charges included felony methamphetamine possession with two prior convictions, misdemeanor charges of narcotics possession, paraphernalia possession and being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to the SBCSO.

Custody deputies tried using Narcan and a defibrillator during life-saving measures but could not resuscitate the man, who was pronounced dead by paramedics, according to the SBCSO.

The Santa Maria man was seen by medical staff during booking and was being held on $20,000 bail, according to the SBCSO.

SBCSO detectives continue an investigation into this death, including one from the Coroner, and more information will be provided from them as it becomes available.

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Christer Schmidt

PASO ROBLES, Calif. – A 1.7 acre vegetation fire started in a grass field in Paso Robles Sunday afternoon.

The fire started around 1:58 pm on Remington Court near Circle B Road.

CAL FIRE SLO and SLO County Fire stopped forward progress on the fire with the assistance of Paso Robles City Fire, Templeton Fire and San Miguel Fire.

No injuries were reported.

Firefighters currently ask people to avoid the area to allow emergency personnel to work safely.

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Christer Schmidt

An earthquake commemoration ceremony brought people together Saturday to remember a deadly 6.3 earthquake that rocked Santa Barbara 100 years ago.

The historic disaster was marked on State Street with a ceremony.

Historian Neal Graffy says that at least 11 people died in the earthquake and 74 buildings were demolished.

Much of the rebuilding efforts shaped the current look of Santa Barbara.

The street fair included music from the Roaring Twenties, disaster preparedness booths, a vintage car show and an earthquake simulator.

Archival footage, photographs and newspaper clippings from the era were also available to be viewed.

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Christer Schmidt

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Safe and Sane Fireworks are allowed to be sold in Santa Maria for one week leading up to the Fourth of July.

Nonprofit booths are selling fireworks this year, including the Orcutt Academy High School Robotics Team.

Sales have strict rules and regulations, and the seller and buyer must adhere to these to prevent injuries and fires.

Sales are also permitted in Fillmore. Booths will be set up along Highway 126, but fireworks are not supposed to leave the city limits.

The sale and usage will be legal in both cities through July 5th at noon.

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Tracy Lehr

CAMARILLO, Calif. – Despite Elon Musk’s changing role in the Trump administration, protests continue.

They are continuing outside Tesla dealerships across the country, including one visible from Hwy 101 in Camarillo.

The protests continue every weekend, including the one this Saturday, June 28th – the same day as Elon Musk’s birthday.

Participants are upset about a number of administration actions including DOGE cuts and ICE raids.

They also hope the President’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act fails to pass through Congress by the Fourth of July holiday.

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