Category: keyt-local-news

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Every day, meals are prepared inside the kitchen at Hedges House of Hope, where workers cook together and share a few laughs along the way.

For Jessica Sanders, the kitchen is more than a place to work. It is a place to start over.

“I’m at Good Samaritan working in the kitchen. I have a job here. I’m in the culinary arts program and I just like it. It gives me something to do during the day. I stay away from the outside and just stay positive and productive.”

Getting there was not easy.

“Yeah, it had been really tough before I got here. I was on the street because I really didn’t know much about Santa Barbara.”

Sanders is one of many rebuilding their lives through programs offered by Good Samaritan Shelter.

Juan Carbajal found a similar opportunity through Good Samwich.

“It was pretty tough with no job … no income.”

The challenges Sanders and Carbajal faced are familiar to Good Samaritan Shelter Founder and CEO Sylvia Barnard.

“It was difficult to be a single mom on welfare. I know I didn’t have anyone really guiding me through where I was gonna get to.”

Those struggles inspired Barnard to help others facing difficult circumstances.

“So I decided that I wanted to not only get an education, but I wanted to give back to others.”

Today, Good Samaritan Shelter is the largest provider of homeless services and substance use treatment programs in Santa Barbara County.

“We provide everything from sobering centers to detox to residential treatment to outpatient. We provide everything from warming centers to emergency shelter to transitional housing to permanent housing.”

One of the organization’s newest programs is Good Samwich, a food truck that serves customers while creating employment opportunities for people working to move forward.

For Carbajal, the job has provided stability and a sense of purpose.

“I was really happy getting a job. I got money coming in. I can pay the bills. It keeps me busy, out of trouble. I like it. I love this job.”

Food Truck Lead Angela Brooks described the program as a pathway into the restaurant industry.

“They’re getting jobs. We’re giving food and these guys are able to get their foot in the door to restaurant experience, which is such a great career.”

Both Sanders and Carbajal have their sights set on becoming chefs.

“I love to cook. I would like to become a chef.”

“Yeah, that’s my hope. To be a chef and get my own place … my own restaurant.”

For Barnard, those goals are a reminder of why the work continues.

“To see more people housed. To see less people struggle. Maybe one day I’ll be out of a job and that would be a celebration.”

Sanders hopes others facing hardship keep moving forward.

“Don’t give up because even during hard times, it’s always gonna get better.”

Good Samaritan Shelter leaders hope programs like Good Samwich will create even more opportunities for those seeking a second chance and a path toward long-term stability.

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.

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) Soccer fans went wild watching the United States men’s national soccer team vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bars and pubs including the Santa Barbara Public Market, The Press Room, Dargan’s Irish Pub, Baja Sharkeez, Institution Ale Co. and many more filled up fast and added screens inside and out.

A former Bosnian Olympic long distance runner proudly cheered on Bosnia and Herzegovina in a room packed with fans cheering on the red, white, and blue.

“I was on first Bosnia Olympic team, we came out of the war zone to compete,” said Mirsada Burić.

“We are very prideful people we’ve been through a lot, so to be here with our family and friends, and I think about every Bosnian between SLO and Oxnard is here tonight, ” said Rebeca Adam.

“We are cheering for them we are hoping we are going to win, but even if we don’t, we will be happy that the better players win tonight,” said Burić.

They ordered their jerseys off Tik Tok.

“I can’t say I am too conflicted, I am really excited for Bosnia. We are American, though, so it is a win-win,” said Iskra Volić.

“Obviously, we are small country, we’re are just excited to be here,” Innes Volić.

Some families brought their young AYSO players.

“It’s amazing, just a great opportunity to get collective, get behind the U.S. and see how far they can go,” said Jaques Habra .

Things got even rowdier when it was clear the United States would win 2-0.

“I am with my family and friends in my home I flew from Florida just this experience,” said former soccer player and sports reporter Faith Busby.

“It was a huge win, down to 10 men the last 30 minutes or something, to pull that off, it is huge going onto the round of 16,” said Luke Holroyd, who watched from one of the tables covered with American flags.

Bartenders said the matches have been great for business.

And with prices at the stadiums soaring, it’s a bargain to watch on big screen TVs.

The next big watch party at these local bars and pubs will be England vs. Mexico.

For more information about the schedule visit https://www.fifa.com

Click here to follow the original article.

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A special fundraiser in Santa Barbara will help support the work of Sarah House, a local non-profit providing hospice care and support services.

The organization will host a staged reading on July 3rd featuring community members and performers.

Proceeds from ticket sales and donations will help fund care for residents and support for their families.

Sarah House provides a home-like setting for people facing the final stages of life.

Organizers hope the event will raise both awareness and financial support for compassionate end-of-life care in the community.

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.

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Fourth of July holiday can be one of the busiest times of the year for lost pets as fireworks often frighten dogs and cats.

Santa Barbara Humane is urging pet owners to take steps now to help keep animals safe and prevent them from running away.

The organization recommends making sure microchip information is current and ID tags are easy to read.

Pet owners are also encouraged to keep animals indoors during fireworks displays and holiday celebrations.

Shelter staff hope a little preparation can help families avoid the stress of a missing pet during the holiday weekend.

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.

Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Maria is updating its regulations for vendors who operate food trucks within city limits.

Small business owners may benefit.

The Santa Maria City Council unanimously approved the updated regulations for food truck operation last month at the ordinance’s first reading.

One significant change is an almost complete elimination of time limits imposed by the previous municipal codes from 2008.

“Recognizing that the game has changed dramatically since this was initially written decades ago, we wanted to make sure that our regulations were up to date,” says Chenin Dow, community development director for the City of Santa Maria.

Until now, vendors had a time limit of thirty minutes on public property, and just over an hour on private lots.

“Having to move every 70 minutes when we have hot oil and we have our propane tanks on, it’s kind of a safety hazard to us,” says Jennifer Perez, who works with her mother-in-law’s El Habanero Food Truck. “And then customers don’t want to have to move spots when we move spots.”

The newly approved codes officially extend operating hours to a standard work day, which city leaders say will accommodate made-to-order food preparation, rather than only permitting pre-packaged items.

“Going forward, there will not be a specific time restriction,” says Dow. “It will instead be hours of operation for the day.”

But with restrictions including: operators are prohibited from setting up shade structures, seating, amplifiers and loudspeakers.

Plus, they’re not allowed to connect to city utilities without approval.

“We’re also looking at distance requirements to ensure that you don’t have somebody that offers the exact same food you do park right in front of your restaurant,” says Dow.

Other rules include, visible trash receptacles, keeping a radius of 100 feet litter-free, and removing debris.

“Definitely have to thank the city,” says Perez. “It’s going to be easier for us small businesses to get the permits. And hopefully it brings more business without having to move separate places.”

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

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Coastal Cowgirl Festival is a free country lifestyle festival that blends beach vibes with western culture. Whether you’re a country music fan, love supporting small businesses, or are just looking for something fun to do, there’s something for everyone.

It’s the kind of event where you come for an hour and end up staying all day. The event is free and family-friendly. It’s summer in California with a little country twist.

Coastal Cowgirl Festival will be held July 11th at Santa Barbara City College (Use West Campus entrance) from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. but if you miss the Santa Barbara event don’t worry! They will head to Promenade Park in Ventura on Saturday, August 22nd from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Over 60 vendors will be onsite with a beer garden and a special performance by Chanel West Coast.

Click here to follow the original article.

Caleb Nguyen

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – San Luis Obispo Police officers arrested a 60-year-old man after he robbed an elderly victim just before 6:30 p.m. Monday at the 400 block of Prado Road.

The 60-year-old suspect approached the elderly man from behind before putting his hands on his shoulders and telling him not to turn around, according to the SLOPD.

The suspect then stole the elderly man’s phone before fleeing the area without causing any injury, according to the SLOPD.

SLOPD officers found the suspect near Higuera Street and Granada Drive before quickly recovering the victim’s cell phone.

The suspect is currently on California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation parole for burglary.

The suspect was arrested and booked into the SLO County Jail on the following charges:

felonty robbery

felony elder abuse

felony parole violation

Click here to follow the original article.

Caleb Nguyen

LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara County Fire and Lompoc Fire helped put out a car fire after three vehicles were involved in a crash 11 miles north of Highway 101 just after 6:00 p.m. Tuesday.

Two people suffered major injuries, two people suffered moderate injuries and one person needed a helicopter airlift to Cottage Hospital after the crash, according to the SBCFD.

Highway 1 remains closed in both directions without an estimation of reopening and the cause of the crash remains under investigation, according to the SBCFD.

No other injuries were reported, and drivers are advised to avoid the area or use alternate routes if possible, according to the SBCFD.

More information on the crash will be provided once available to Your News Channel.

Click here to follow the original article.

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) The Santa Barbara City Council unanimously passed its next fiscal budget.

“So the budget that the city council passed today is a balanced budget, we are living within our means, we are implementing priority projects that are important to this community, but we still have financial challenges, so what we are doing over the next couple of months, we are identifying ways to replenish those reserves to get us into a place where we are even more financial stable,” said City of Santa Barbara Finance Director Keith DeMartini.

The city’s Finance Director said if they delay passing the budget it would have hurt the credit rating and put capitol projects on hold.

“The city’s General Fund total budget is about $260 million and the total amount that we are below our reserve policy target of around $30 million, but about $6 million of that is the amount that we dipped into our emergency reserves, so that is what the city council talked about today is the priority to replenish those disaster reserves and what they talked about today and gave decisive action was to direct staff and the finance committee is to work towards identifying specific solutions to replenishing those disaster reserves,” said DeMartini.

The goal is to have 25 percent of the fiscal budget in reserves for emergencies such as a weather-related disaster.

The city also passed a motion to direct the finance committee to find a source to fund the local housing trust fund to help with the housing crisis.

The finance director said they are also about to get funding from a streaming lawsuit that allows the city to recoup streaming service taxes to the tune of $2 million that should reduce the use of emergency reserved by a third.

“The city has been successful with some recent litigation where our existing utility users tax is applicable on streaming services like Netflix, like Disney Plus, those services and we have been very successful with that litigation so we are going to see some one time revenue going back 3 years and then we will see some ongoing revenue going forward,” said DeMartini.

During the lengthy meeting the City of Santa Barbara Fire Department started counting about 2200 votes to create a Coastal Wildfire Suppression Assessment District.

Fire Marshall Ryan DiGuilio said it passed by 52 percent.

“Tonight our ballots were returned, we mailed a little over 2,000 ballot to the coastal and coastal interior high fire hazard areas and those parcel owners had a chance to vote on a benefit assessment district which would include things like roadside clearance, chipping programs, defensible space inspections throughout these neighborhoods,” said DiGuilio.

The council passed a resolution to adopt the program after learning the district passed.

That means the owners of parcels will be assessed about $100 a year, starting next year.

A similar program is in the foothill areas for the last two decades.

“We are starting this same kind of program in the coastal and coastal interior high fire hazard areas and it will be a really big benefit to the community for wildland fire prevention,” said DiGuilio.

The interim implementation of the State Street Master Plan was the last item on the agenda and many people at the meeting wore “Open State Street” stickers spoke.

But others spoke in favor of continuing the closure.

“This tug of war needs to stop,” said Robin Elander, the Executive Director of the Downtown Santa Barbara Improvement Association.

Around 9:30 p.m. the council voted 5-to-2 to reauthorize Title 31, that like a bridge, allows the city to maintain the promenade for now.

Mayor Randy Rowse and Councilmember Eric Friedman voted no.

Both would like to see cars return in some fashion under the master plan.

City staff said the alternative to reopen State Street to cars in the interim would cost approximately $700,000.

Mayor Rowse said he got a message during the lengthy meeting from someone willing to cover the cost to allow cars to return to the business district along State Street.

State Street Master Planner Tess Harris said the vote won’t let municipal code Title 31 expire as it relates to the car-free, pedestrian and bicycle zone.

“So council voted to maintain the promenade in its current configuration until the master plan is implemented so we will be coming back with an ordinance that maintains that,” said Harris.

When the staff does come back councilmembers asked them to address ways to prevent electric bikes from causing problems and to consider one way traffic in the future and ways to perhaps limit the number of blocks closed to traffic.

The council also appeared confidant that parades could return in the future by creating a flexible State Street Master Plan.

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.

Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA / GUADALUPE, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara County’s Public Works Department presented a draft Environmental Impact Report (eir) on the proposed River Levee Trail Project in Santa Maria today.

The inception of this project goes back twenty-five years.

In 2022 the board of supervisors directed public works to conduct a study on a set of informal trails along the top of the levee at the edge of the Santa Maria riverbed.

“There was a feasibility study prepared back, dating back to the 1990s that looked at the feasibility of a levee trail that led to the creation of the Tom Urbanske Trail in 2000,” says Mark Friedlander, Santa Barbara County Public Works Mobility Manager.

The River Levee Trail Project seeks to expand and upgrade designs for a trail that would connect the northwest end of Santa Maria at Blosser Road and Atlantic Place with the northeast side of Guadalupe at the end of Peralta street.

“Our young people have been advocating for more green spaces,” says Ricardo Valencia, candidate for District 5 County Supervisor. “We know that in working class communities of color, we’re often not. We don’t have the same access that more affluent communities do to levy trails like this.”

Initial design proposals have included the construction of amenities at certain points along the trail.

“I’m excited that there was so much community support because of the health benefits, right?” says Valencia. “We know that when we have open trails that more people spend more time outdoors.”

Officials say the draft of the EIR presented Tuesday addressed several environmental impact concerns, and any proposed mitigation efforts.

“The EIR identified fencing as a primary strategy as well as limiting hours of operation of the trail,” says Friedlander.

Alternative plans are also being considered, including no project at all, a project with minimal design, and multiple full-design possibilities, along with estimated costs for each.

“This is a right to grow county,” says Friedlander. “And we don’t want to impact growers along the levy. We want them to continue to grow produce that feeds residents in Santa Barbara County and beyond.”

Public review of the draft eir and input is open until July 14th.

You can find where to send your public comment by visiting the project page on the county’s website by clicking here.

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.