Category: keyt-local-news

Patricia Martellotti

GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) – Urgent relief is reaching flood-hit communities in Hawaii.

Local emergency teams from Direct Relief are on the ground delivering critical supplies to people forced from their homes.

Aid includes medicines, vaccines, clean water support, and basic essentials for families in crisis.

Crews are working quickly as communities face unsafe water and difficult conditions.

“Because of the large amount of water the area has received… the extra, also an influx of bugs right now… so yeah just here making sure community has what they need,” said emergency response communications, Brea Burkholz of Direct Relief.

Relief efforts are expected to continue as communities begin the recovery process.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – In a morning ceremony at the Michael Towbes Plaza, the Santa Barbara Public Library announced the arrival of its second “Library on the Go” mobile outreach vehicle.

They’re calling this addition, “Library on the Go 2.0.”

It’s part of the library’s continued outreach to community areas and residents without immediate access to the library and its services.

The staff reminded the community, that even decades ago, the library was bringing books to workers building Gibraltar dam, delivered on a wagon to Cuyama.

“Library on the Go” was introduced during the COVID pandemic in 2021. It also picked up more interest during the main library construction in 2023 when there were many days with limited access. That’s when the library sent the van out more often to meet the community needs.

Supervising Librarian Lisa Gonzalez said, “life is so busy and we really want to make it easier by bringing the library right to you. So we’ve been dreaming of this increased access to libraries and books for years now.”

In 2025, there were 709 hours of public service logged at 373 “Library on the Go” van stops, “including participation in 13 major community events. During that time, we circulated 6783 items and created 513 new library cards, ” said Santa Barbara Librarian Brandon Beaudette. “So we’re literally just bringing you the same service you get here.”

Gonzalez said, “libraries are all about access access to books, access to information, access to ways to connect with each other.”Funding for “Library on the Go 1.0” was made possible by the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara.

Funding for “Library on the Go 2.0” came from the California State Library and a donation from the James M. Cox Foundation. Cox Market Vice President Kirsten McLaughlin said, “last year, we celebrated with the city with one of those big checks when we granted them $250,000 for this incredible vehicle. “

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Mike Klan

MORAGA, Calif. (KEYT) – Ian Armstrong slugged two 2-run homers as Saint Mary’s walloped UCSB 10-4 as the two teams split their pair of games this year.

UCSB has now dropped five out of their last six games to fall to 15-7 on the year.

Cole Tryba made his first start of the season and he gave up an opposite field 2-run blast in the first inning to Armstrong.

Tryba struck out 4 in his two innings on the mound allowing three runs but only one was earned.

The Gauchos made three errors in the game.

Armstrong made it 10-2 with his second home run in the sixth inning.

UCSB got two RBI from Cole Kosciusko and a solo home run by Noah Karliner.

The Gauchos host #20 Oregon for a three-game series beginning Friday with first pitch scheduled at 4:35 p.m.

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Mike Klan

GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) – San Marcos trailed 5-0 after two innings at Dos Pueblos but the Royals fought back for a thrilling 6-5 eight inning rivalry win.

The comeback allows San Marcos to share a 3-way tie for first place in the Channel League with DP and Pacifica with all three teams 5-2.

Grant Hoover delivered the game-winning hit, an RBI double to plate Mason Crang in the top of the eighth inning.

(Hoover completes comeback with clutch run-scoring double in 8th. Entenza Design).

Miles Herbert got the rally started for San Marcos with a 2-run homer in the fourth inning. The Royals also scored 3 runs in the sixth inning to tie it at 5.

(Besides this home run, Herbert pitched 4 scoreless innings to pick up the win. Entenza Design).

DP started strong with a 4-run first inning highlighted by Nick Salcido driving in a pair of runs with a single up the middle. Evan Bean also had an RBI single.

Freshman Matti Di Maggio went 3-for-4 for DP with three stolen bases and two runs scored.

The teams will meet again on Friday at San Marcos.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – It’s going to be an evening of artwork and entertainment this Thursday in Santa Barbara.

Businesses on Coast Village Road will be hosting shoppers and those who are out strolling for the evening.

It’s the Coast Village “Beyond the Canvas” Spring Art Walk from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

With the clocks changing recently and the weather more welcoming, the businesses will keep their doors open later and offer live entertainment, sips, and bites.

Some artists and photographers will be on hand in-person to showcase their work.

There will also be a raffle for prizes including a one-night stay at the Rosewood Miramar Beach.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – With a list of concerns that comes with an ongoing debate about what’s being done in downtown Santa Barbara, a business owner has a petition out seeking signatures.

Dylan Mancuso who owns Cuso’s Creamery is reaching out to the public.

Signatures are being collected at the Farmers Market.

Cuso’s is in the eye of the downtown evolution in Santa Barbara with a bike and creamery business on the 600 block between Cota Street and Ortega Street.

Three years into life in this prime downtown spot, multiple concerns have come up, leading to the petition.

It is written by “Concerned Residents, Business Owners, and Community Members” followed by MancusoforSB.com. A letter about the effort says in part, “State Street is the heart of downtown Santa Barbara and an essential part of the city’s economy, culture, and tourism. Families, visitors, and local residents rely on this area being safe and welcoming. In recent months, however, many in our community have observed an increase in safety concerns including aggressive or disruptive behavior, theft, vandalism, harassment of customers and staff, and drug-related activity.”The petition lists key concerns as:

Aggressive or disruptive behavior

Theft and vandalism

Harassment of customers and staff

Drug-related activity

Groups of minors riding high-speed electric bicycles recklessly through pedestrian areas

It goes on to ask the City of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Police Department to:

Increase uniformed patrol presence along State Street

Implement consistent foot patrols in pedestrian areas

Enforce safety regulations related to electric bicycles

Increase visibility during peak business and evening hours

regulate unlicensed street vendors

The goal is 250 signatures.

As of Tuesday morning the site has received 96 signatures.

In recent weeks the Santa Barbara Police Department has increased its enforcement of vehicle and municipal code violations in the area including the crack down on reckless bike riders. That includes impounding e-motorcycle-type bikes that are illegal on the street. Fines for bike violations start at $100. Teens can clear their tickets by passing an in person two hours safety class.

The Chief of Police Kelly Gordon and her staff report regularly to the council on the analytics of their efforts which are up over 2024 and often rely on adequate staffing.

The Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association has been in the forefront of cleaning up the core downtown area, adding security cameras and looking into more safety features. That also includes a rapid response to graffiti, trash and vandalism issues. Workers are out seven days a week.

The city also has an ambassador foot patrol team to document health and safety concerns, contact police when necessary and interact with business owners.

(More details, photos and video will be added here later today)

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Dave Alley

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – The building that once housed the iconic F. McLintocks Saloon and Dining House in Shell Beach has new ownership after a foreclosure auction was held Tuesday morning.

The legal proceeding took place in the breezeway at the Katcho Achadjian San Luis Obispo County Government Center where it attracted a couple dozen people in a gathering was said to be much larger in size for a real estate auction.

Shortly after 11 a.m., auctioneer Mike Bixler announced an opening bid amount of $2,430,525.26, which officially opened the process for anyone to make an offer.

However, after just a few moments, no bidder came forward, so Bixler announced the property would be awarded to the holder of the first deed of trust.

“The property was foreclosed upon by the the group that had the first loan on the property,” Pat Palangi, Principal with Pacifica Commercial Realty Principal, who marked the property with McLintocks owner Toney Breault. “They were unpaid and they exercised their rights to foreclose on the property.”

The foreclosure comes about two months after its Breault was found dead in his place of residence in downtown San Luis Obispo.

Following his death, the foreclosure process began on the iconic property that was once the home of was arguably the most famous restaurant in San Luis Obispo County.

For more than 50 years, McLintocks was renowned for its lively atmosphere, extensive collection of cowboy memorabilia, and legendary oak pit barbecue steaks and seafood.

At one time during its heyday, McLintocks ranked as one of the most profitable restaurants in the United States and later helped create a chain of smaller similar restaurants in Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles.

Now, the Shell Beach property is owned by the trust holder, who will now decide on the next steps for the high-profile two-acre site that includes the 14,000 square foot commercial building.

“The new owners will decide how to market the property or likely put it back on the market,” said Palangi. “I expect that the property will be back advertised on the market in the short term.”

Palangi expressed surprise that one no one put in a bid on the property, but speculated several complexities likely raised too many question marks.

“There were indications that some people would (bid),” said Palangi. “But there’s risk in buying something completely as is on the courthouse steps. You don’t have the normal protections of a normal transaction with title insurance and ability to fully investigate the property and look at the condition and do all of your buyer assessments.”

At the time of his death, Breault also owned three other San Luis Obispo businesses, the smaller McLintocks Saloon and Grill and Buffalo Pub and Grills on Higuera Street and Frank’s Famous Hot Dogs on Monterey Street.

Tuesday’s auction was only for the Shell Beach property and does not include the other three San Luis Obispo businesses.

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Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA / ORCUTT, Calif. (KEYT) – A trauma surgeon in Santa Maria says brain injuries resulting from incidents with electric bikes are on the rise.

Wearing a helmet is the primary safety recommendation, but experts say there’s more to it.

Several new laws went into effect this year, but the rise in e-bike popularity is outpacing the adaptation of legislation.

At Marian Regional Medical Center’s Level II Trauma Center, Dr. Claire Collison says the increase of these injuries is tangible here on the central coast.

“Nationally, it’s almost 50 fold increase in the last like five years,” says Dr. Collison.

There was a surge in holiday purchases of e-bikes and electric motorcycles (e-motos) last year, right before the new laws went into effect.

“What started as a small percentage of our business is now a pretty, commanding portion of our business,” says Scott Clark, owner of Main Street Cycles in Santa Maria.

Some are concerned parents may have purchased what they thought were e-bikes when they were in fact e-motos.

“You can get on the CHP website and look at the e-bike sites,” says Joshua Thomas, a motorcycle officer for Santa Maria CHP. “We have tons of information for riders safety wise, as well as the requirements for an electric bike and what’s not an electric bike, and is considered an electric motorcycle or motor vehicle.”

To determine an e-bike’s legal classification, the key differences to be aware of are the presence of pedals, as well as the bike’s speed capabilities and power capacity.

“They aren’t just bikes,” says Dr. Collison. “They are almost like motorcycles. And when I see kids out there, as a trauma surgeon, I just worry for them and I, I don’t want to see them at my hospital.”

E-bikes have pedals and they max out between 25-30 miles per hour, while e-motos have no pedals and can reach highway speeds.

E-motos are strictly banned from sidewalks.

“Anything without operable pedals and a motor more than 750 is an electric motorcycle and requires that the rider be licensed, the vehicle be registered, insured, and all the proper lighting,” says officer Thomas.

Wearing helmets is required by law for kids under 18, but experts recommend wearing them for all ages when operating an e-bike or e-moto.

According to the new California laws, parents can be held liable and fined for their children’s infractions, such as using unlawful models or riding without a helmet.

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John Palminteri

CARPINTERIA, Calif. (KEYT) – An aging oil facility is coming down in Carpinteria and some residents nearby are hearing all about it.

The demolition going on behind city hall has a booming sound when the metal tank is worked on.

The oil tank dates back several decades when it was part of the oil processing taking place on the Carpinteria coastline.The work underway now is to decommission the facilities.

It’s a site once owned by Venoco but taken back by Chevron during Venoco’s bankruptcy. Chevron is removing the entire oil and gas plant.

It is still to be determined how the ocean front land will be used by the city going forward.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – It was a good day to be a Royal.

San Marcos High School student-athletes Lucy Dessert and Andy Keenan received Athlete of the Week honors at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheon at Harry’s.

Dessert pitched two complete-games as the junior led the Royals softball team to two Channel League wins over Ventura.

In 14 innings Dessert only allowed 3 earned runs, striking out 13 batters and did not issue any walks.

Keenan led San Marcos boys golf to wins over Buena and Valencia as he fired back-to-back rounds of four-under- par.

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