Category: keyt-local-news

Dave Alley

GROVER BEACH, Calif. (KEYT) – The City of Grover Beach recently received a letter from the California Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) that warns a ballot measure on the upcoming November election may be voided if passed.

A citizen initiative to limit building heights in Grover Beach is scheduled to appear on the ballot as Measure F-26 during the General Election on Nov. 3, 2026.

The Grover Beach City Council voted in June to place the initiative on the ballot after a community group gathered the required amount of signatures for the measure to move forward.

If approved, the initiative measure will limit building heights and establish a minimum commercial component of 33% in mixed-used developments.

Currently, Grover Beach Municipal Code allows for building heights up to 55 feet in certain commercial zones and 40 feet in industrial zones.

The initiative would limit heights to three stories and 40 feet in commercial zones and 33 feet in industrial zones.

In addition, the measure would require a minimum commercial component for mixed-use developments, which the city currently does not require.

In the letter, the HCD said, “If Measure F-26 passes and results in a reduction in capacity relative to what existed January 1, 2018, and does not include a commensurate increase in capacity, then themeasure is void pursuant to Government Code.”

The HCD went on to state, “In addition, the resulting modifications to the objective development standard may trigger HCD reminds the City that HCD has enforcement authority over the HCA and Housing Element Law.26 As such, HCD may review local government actions and inactions to determine consistency with these laws. If HCD finds that a city’s actions do not comply with state law, HCD may notify the California Office of the Attorney General that the local government is in violation of state law.”

In the letter, HCD indicated it will “continue to monitor the City’s progress towards meeting all requirements and ensure the City meets its RHNA obligations in accordance with the housing element thatwas approved on March 2, 2021.”

Should Grover Beach be found to be noncompliant with the State housing requirements in the future, the HCD also detailed potential consequences that may occur, including including ineligibility or delay in receiving certain state funds, referral to the California Office of the Attorney General (AGO), court imposed financial penalties, the loss of local land use authority to a court-appointed agent, and the application of the “builder’s remedy,” a minimum fine of $10,000 per month and associated attorney costs.

According to the City, The Council has acknowledged HCD’s position/opinion and directed staff to pause the current Request for Qualifications process for consultants to address the measure and instead consider potential policy changes regarding building heights, commercial spaces, and other development standards as part of developing the upcoming 7th Cycle Housing Element Update beginning in 2027.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Even though it will be days of work, Santa Barbara crews were up and out before dawn Monday to clean up from the 2026 Old Spanish Days.

The event brought thousands of people to the city for each of the five days of festivities at multiple locations.

“This year we had a ton of people out.   People were excited and happy. We had a great, successful and very safe Fiesta,” said El Presidente Colin Hayward who was back in the area looking over the scene.

Confetti eggs, that were cracked over heads as part of the Fiesta fun, will leave a lasting memory. It will take precision work to get the sidewalks, drains, landscaping and doorways to businesses cleaned out.

Blowers used by the crews and private cleaning companies, were blasting debris into piles on many of the downtown blocks where they were collected and removed.

The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association (DSBIA) uses a power washer for the walkways, trash cans, signal lights and common areas to help speed up the sweeping and dumping of the leftovers.

De la Guerra Plaza, the scene of the central mercado was cleaned up Sunday. The main stage was taken down by the operator Darvik Productions. The individual booths were removed by the food vendors and the tables and chairs were folded up and loaded into trucks. The plaza was cleaned out by Sunday afternoon and returned to the city for normal operations to start the week Monday morning.

Vendors who were set up on State Street for two blocks in the expanded mercado area. That was also cleaned up Saturday night. Some sellers who were not part of the event took over the space Sunday where crowds continued to spend time.

Those vendors who often set up in that area, moved to the 600 block nearby during the event one block away. Combined with confetti egg sellers it created a packed side-by-side row of sellers all days and into the late night hours.

During the peak of the weekend during night time hours, many roaming street bands attracted hundreds of people around their performances on several blocks. 

The waterfront crews were also very active cleaning Chase Palm Park and the West Beach area where the main parades took place. El Desfile Historico on Friday drew a crowd of thousands from Castillo Street to Calle Puerto Vallarta. The area came alive the next day with the Children’s Parade Saturday which was separately hosted by the City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department. That had more viewing areas and filled parking lots.

The lawn at Chase Palm Park was also the spot for kids to get ice cream at the end and cool down on the grass.

Many businesses that had Fiesta crowds anywhere in the city saw impacts beyond a normal weekend. They were intense at restaurants and bars where lines of customers were seen throughout the event, often for hours longer than a normal schedule.

One business owner who served refreshing beverages, sandwiches and scoops of ice cream all weekend, said he was in the right place for the hot weather and festive crowd.

Dylan Mancuso at Cuso’s Creamery said, “it attracted more people downtown, it was ridiculous. The volume of people outside in the street, it helped us, it was unbelievable.”

He stayed open extra hours and “it reached a point where we had to ask people to stop coming in. Our staff is tired and needs to go home and I am tired and need to go home and get ready for the next morning!”

One unexpected surge of people came when pop up street bands came out. “There was a banda right there. They blasted to our doors and its ok. I just turned my music off and enjoyed theirs!”

Looking ahead, “I would love to be back on the north side because it was such a great place.  It was such a great place to have fiesta and get that part of the community involved, and it was disappointing that we lost that,” said Hayward.

Old Spanish Days looks to have many people with ideas and energy going forward. Hayward said, “look at how many new kids you see every year, plus the dancers from all the studios each year, they’re just blossoming.”

With the newer mercado area filled with street vendors, some of the business owners in the area said they were shielded from the public and saw a drop in customer foot traffic and sales.

There was also a review from many owners that suggests the city should have activities of different types more often because of the positive turnout from locals and visitors along with the economic benefits that have been sought in recent years.

Along with the official Old Spanish Days venues, the city also saw increased foot traffic and business in areas such as the Santa Barbara Eastside where the annual festival took place at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. It featured traditional food and live music along with numerous dance groups.

At The Club on Canon Perdido Street a multi-day carnival took place along with a Saturday morning pancake breakfast.

The American Legion supported Fiesta activities with another pancake breakfast and musical groups at the Veterans Memorial building on both Saturday and Sunday. The funds raised will go to students studying politics and field trips to the state capital in Sacramento.

A beach cleanup took place Sunday by the non profit group Tidy Seas where the focus was on items like trash and micro plastics that could get into the ocean.

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Jarrod Zinn

BUELLTON, Calif. (KEYT) – Members of Team Chumash and Veggie Rescue are calling for volunteers to join them at Shepherd Giving Farm located west of Buellton.

The teams were out this morning and will return on Thursday.

Volunteers planted new crops and harvested fresh produce.

“And then we’ve harvested, I think, close to 1,500 pounds of tomatoes and, and ambrosia melons,” says Tom Shepherd, a Santa Barbara County Organic Farmer. “Which are the best melon you’ve ever eaten.”

Shepherd Giving Farm is the newest program launched by Veggie Rescue, a nonprofit founded in 2010 to rescue surplus fresh food and deliver it free of charge across Santa Barbara County.

“The Chumash Foundation partners with a variety of nonprofits within the county, and Veggie Rescue is one of those,” says Mayra Terrazas, spokesperson for Team Chumash Santa Ynez. “And with Veggie Rescue, we’ve partnered through Team Chumash and the Shepherd Giving Farm.”

The teams want to expand to include weekends so more volunteers can participate, including families.

“People often are on their computers all day long inside, and that gives them a chance to get outside and have this therapeutic moment with nature and get their hands in the dirt,” says Shepherd.

All produce harvested at these events will go immediately and directly to local nonprofit partners, who serve individuals and families experiencing food insecurity.

“If you go back two, three, four generations, there’s always a farmer in the family,” says Shepherd. “And so it gives you that genetic memory of that experience that your ancestors had, which I think is really valuable.”

Over their 16-year partnership, support from the Chumash Foundation has included providing operational grants, sponsoring fundraising events and donating and serving food at Veggie Rescue events.

“We think this is going to be a great way to sort of get us to that next level of food, to be able to get more food to more people in the county,” says David Roberts, Veggie Rescue’s program director.

Volunteers can sign up by clicking here to visit Veggie Rescue’s website.

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Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) – Ventura Police arrested a felon for possessing a loaded firearm just past midnight Sunday morning.

A VPD officer noticed several people using inhalants illegally in an apartment complex parking lot at the 10000 block of Del Norte Street.

One person at the scene tried hiding his gun near a parked car as a VPD officer approached.

More VPD officers arrived and found out that a 32-year-old Ventura man had a loaded firearm and tried hiding it from the police.

The 32-year-old already had an active felony probation for firearms offenses and VPD officers arrested him on the following felony charges:

felon in possession of firearm felon in possession of ammunition carrying a loaded firearm in public

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Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) – Ventura Police are investigating a fatal shooting that killed a man on August 4 as a homicide.

The shooting happened just after 1:00 a.m. on August 4th near West Ramona and Riverside Streets, according to Ventura Police.

VPD officers did not find a suspect but later found and helped a man who had life-threatening injuries from the shooting to the Ventura County Medical Center.

The victim sadly passed from his injuries on the night of August 8 and no arrests have been made at this time, according to VPD officers.

VPD detectives believe the shooting is an isolated incident and there does not appear to be a community threat.

The investigation remains ongoing, but those with information on the shooting are asked to contact the following number.

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Alissa Orozco

GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) – August 8th is National Pickleball Day, and lovers of the paddle game joined in on the fun, including right here on the Central Coast.

The Picklr just recently opened a location in Goleta, and it is the region’s first indoor pickleball facility. On Saturday, the Picklr hosted a ‘Courtside Bash,” offering free pickleball play all day. It gave newbies the chance to step foot on the court or for regulars to enjoy a free day of open play.

All day the game was in constant rotation, playing in teams of two, players put their paddles to the test against friends or even complete strangers. 

Club members say it was great to see how popular the sport has become. 

“Its very fun day. There’s so many different levels, and I think it’s so cool how everybody can come together, and I think it’s just gonna be a great day today. Lots of pickleball, lots of food and energy. It’ll be really fun,” said 14-year-old Madalena Flores.

Flores is a Santa Barbara native and Junior Pickleball State Champion, plus a partnered athlete with The Picklr.

“At first, when I heard pickleball I was like ‘I don’t wanna do this! I’m a big tennis player’ but once I did, it’s addicting. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover!” said Flores.

While every day can’t be free pickleball day, you can join The Pickler any time to join in on the fun.

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Caleb Nguyen

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – A two-motorcycle crash killed one person and injured another person just before 3:30 p.m. at the Highway 135 northbound on-ramp to Highway 1.

Santa Barbara County Fire Department crews declared one patient dead at the scene while the other person, a 60-year-old Huntington Beach man, needed a ground ambulance for major injuries.

The Santa Barbara Coroner’s Office released the identity of the deceased on Monday as Timothy Greene, a 64-year-old man from Corona.

Both highways remained open, but drivers are advised to use alternate routes due to heavy traffic and the presence of first responders at the scene, according to the SBCFD.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation, according to the SBCFD.

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Caleb Nguyen

SHANDON, Calif. (KEYT) – CAL FIRE SLO crews are battling a 2410-acre grass fire near the eastbound Highway 46 and Antelope Road.

The fire first broke out around 4:15 p.m. and reached two to three acres around 30 minutes later, according to CAL FIRE SLO.

The fire grew to 2410 acres Sunday afternoon and reached 70% containment as of Monday night.

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Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Fire crews are battling a 167-acre fire in Piru that first broke out just after 1:00 p.m. Saturday, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.

The fire first reached 95 acres two hours after its initial burn, then jumped to 167 acres just before 4:30 p.m., according to CAL FIRE.

VCFD crews alongside several other agencies are performing helicopter air drops and ground work in efforts to contain the fire.

Forward progress of the fire stopped just before 5:30 p.m., according to the VCFD.

Evacuation orders were in place for several sections of the Piru area but have since been lifted.

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Caleb Nguyen

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara Police officers helped a pedestrian to the hospital after a car crash just before 1:00 a.m. early Saturday.

The crash happened at 600 Chapala Street, and SBPD officers, alongside paramedics, helped the person to Cottage Hospital for further medical treatment.

SBPD officers closed down the 600 and 700 blocks of Chapala Street during their investigation after finding the driver and the involved car in the crash.

As of 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning, the pedestrian remains in stable condition, though the investigation remains ongoing, according to the SBPD.

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