Category: keyt-local-news

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The new year comes with fresh energy and goals from the Santa Barbara Young Professionals Club. The club ended 2025 with a few special honors.

The group has several areas of focus including collaboration, mentorships, community outreach and help with non-profits. 

Recently at its annual gala at the MOXI, the non-profit of the year award of $5,000 was given to Mission Scholars, which assists young people on their opportunities in higher education, financial aid expertise, college mentorship, and career development training primarily to underrepresented students in South Santa Barbara County.

The funding will be going right to work.

Katie Kinsella with Mission Scholars received the honor and said “93 percent of our students are enrolled in a four-year college and over 95 percent of their cost of attendance is covered by scholarships.”  She says that puts them in position for a successful life ahead. 

“The best part is they’re returning to the community that raised them to launch meaningful careers to sustain them so they’re becoming Santa Barbara’s future work force.”

Another honoree was the Young Professional of the Year Garret Gustason.

He is the Chief Operating Officer and family partner of Furniture Gallery by Mattress Mike at the La Cumbre Plaza.

We found him talking about his work with the community and customers on this display floor surrounded by hundreds of beds, lamps, couches, and some home theatre concepts.

Gustason said, “I have been able to expand my family business between me and my father we have been here for 30 years now going from a small location to a large location here at the Sears building.”

He says the move to a much larger location was challenging, but the future is bright.

 And with this experience comes mentoring for other young professionals in their careers.    

“There’s always someone asking questions someone who wants to partner up for certain reasons or find out how we have grown so much.”

 In receiving the high honor he was credited for success and his future potential..    

Santa Barbara Young Professionals President Lauren Dulcich said, “he’s taken over a thriving business and built it to the next level, and he not only has the connections, but the leadership to thrive in Santa Barbara as a young professional.”

 The Santa Barbara Young Professionals meet monthly, and that includes hearing a presentation from  non-profit groups each time, networking, and  scheduling community outreach projects.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.  (KEYT) – The rock wall built in 2024 following storms at the Santa Barbara harbor has proven its worth by surviving the recent storms and King Tide impacts.

While the sand wall may have lost most of the battle with erosion, the rock wall protected key areas.

That includes the Yacht Club parking lot, boat yard, and businesses in the harbor area.

There is also a pathway to the U.S. Coast Guard building and adjacent parking lots.

In past storms a portion of the parking lot went into the ocean, k-rail concrete barriers were necessary to shore up the area and there were other impacts to utilities the west end of the property.

The rock revetment was approved by the California Coastal Commission.

It was originally built as an emergency response to the 2023 storms, which caused widespread damage to the protections in place and opened the door for further damage if this work was not done.

“It saved this whole area. It would have tore up  and undermined this whole parking lot again so this rock has really saved us right now,” said Waterfront Director Mike Wiltshire who looked over the area Monday to see how it held up. “In the 2023 storms we built this 400 foot long rock revetment.  It was just a sand berm, it held for a decade or more.”

Five tons of rocks were brought in and then covered up with sand.  However, the recent storms have wiped the sand out revealing where the rocks were stacked and they remain a firm protection.

The Harbor Commission and Waterfront Department are also working on long rang plans to deal with the next 30 years and issues including sea level rise. The plan stretches from East Beach to Leadbetter Beach.

There will also be a Civil Engineer keeping an eye on the rock wall to see how it holds up in storms and to provide input for the study.

The Waterfront Department is an Enterprise Fund and paid for the emergency work out of its budget. The cost was $2.8 million. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) relief funds were requested as a reimbursement. The department received $2.2 million leaving it with local costs of $600,000 for the project.

The Coastal Commission approval will be in place until 2034.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – San Marcos girls water polo went 2-0 on the final day of the prestigious Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions to finish in fifth place.

San Marcos 9, JSerra 3: USC-bound Charlotte Raisin scored 4 goals and standout sophomore Jade Pattison added 3 goals for the Royals.

(Raisin scored 3 first half goals to give San Marcos a 4-1 lead at the break. Entenza Design).

(McKenna Stuart and the Royals defense stifled JSerra’s attack. Entenza Design).

(Harvard-bound Bethany King had 8 blocks and also played in the field for the Royals. Entenza Design).

San Marcos 14, Long Beach Wilson 8: Charlotte Raisin was an offensive force scoring 6 goals and adding 4 assists to lead the Royals to a win in this fifth place game. Shea Estabrook scored 3 goals and goalie Bethany King had 8 blocks.

(Charlotte Raisin named to All-Tournament team. Entenza Design).

Dos Pueblos 11, Beckman 10: Dev Wigo scored late to put the Chargers up 2 goals as DP held on for the win. Wigo and Talia Marshall each scored 4 goals. Goalie Reagan Mack finished with 6 blocks, 2 steals and an assist.

Corona del Mar 14, Dos Pueblos 7: Dev Wigo led the Chargers attack with 4 goals in the loss. DP finished in tenth place in the TOC.

Mater Dei 10, Oaks Christian 7: Monarchs win the championship. Sienna Sorensen named TOC MVP.

Newport Harbor 14, Orange Lutheran 11: Sailors claim third place.

Laguna 13, Santa Barbara 10:

Santa Barbara 16, Temple City 12

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Charlotte Raisin scored all 4 of her goals in the first half as San Marcos defeated San Clemente on Day 2 of the Tournament of Champions in high school girls water polo.

Later in the day the Royals lost to #1 ranked Oaks Christian 12-6.

San Marcos will play JSerra on Saturday at 11:45 a.m. at Santa Barbara High School.

Dos Pueblos went 1-1 on Friday. The Chargers lost to powerhouse Mater Dei 14-4 but they scored an impressive 8-0 shutout over Foothill later in the day. Reagan Mack had 12 saves for DP who hosts Beckman on Saturday at 8:30 a.m.

Host Santa Barbara finished Friday 1-1 losing to Rancho Cucamonga 14-7 but beating Mira Costa 12-10.

Luna Morancey totaled 7 goals in the two games.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –

San Marcos 73 Buena 35:

(Koji Hefner scored a team-high 16 points for the Royals who improved to 4-2 in the Channel League. Entenza Design).

(11 Royals players scored in the lopsided victory including Aidan Conlan who had 14 points. Entenza Design).

Santa Barbara 64, Ventura 37: Dons 6-0 in Channel League.

Pacifica 73, Dos Pueblos 70 (OT): Will Jones Jr. scored 26 points for the Tritons. Evan Pinsker tallied 21 points for the Chargers.

Oxnard 60, Rio Mesa 50: Mikey Duran-Morales scored 15 points for the Yellowjackets.

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Patricia Martellotti

Santa Barbara, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara, Calif. (KEYT) – After months of uncertainty, wondering if she and her child would ever have a safe home, Sophia Mendez found a new beginning through St. Vincent’s Family Strengthening Program.

“Feeling like you were born into a world where you just keep taking punches — I didn’t think I was ever going to make it or that I was smart enough,” Mendez shared.

That changed when she joined the program, which provides housing assistance, parenting classes, and financial training to help women gain independence.

Today, she’s earning her diploma and preparing to take college courses at Santa Barbara City College.

At the heart of the initiative are peer support specialists — women who’ve faced similar challenges and now mentor others on their journeys.

“When I was here, I wish I had a peer support specialist,” said Alicia Visueta, now on staff at St. Vincent’s. “When I first arrived, I didn’t think I could do it — I didn’t know how I’d find a job or child care.”

Thanks to the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara, which granted $100,000 to the program, more families are getting the tools — and the encouragement — to start fresh.

Mendez gained more than just life skills. “I’ve got a job, my daughter’s in daycare, and I passed my driver’s test — and driving was my biggest fear,” she said with a smile.

Seeing moms like Mendez succeed is what makes Visueta’s work so meaningful. “The best part about my job is getting to say, ‘You can do it.’”

For Mendez, that support has done more than change her address — it’s changed her life.

Since joining the program, Mendez says she’s gained more than practical skills — she’s learned self-confidence and hope for the future.

Fueled by a $100,000 Women’s Fund grant, St. Vincent’s continues to change lives across the community, empowering women to turn struggle into strength.

For Mendez, it didn’t just change her address — it changed her life.

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Caleb Nguyen

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – San Luis Obispo Police arrested a 20-year-old on Thursday after 9:30 p.m. for a felony hit and run at the 100 block of Crandall Way.

The driver didn’t stop after hitting two 20-year-old women who crossed the street, leaving both with major, but non-life-threatening injuries, according to the SLOPD.

Both women received medical care at a local hospital and SLOPD investigators later closed the road for further details into the crash.

Eyewitnesses described the suspect car as a dark gray Tesla Model 3 and SLOPD found the vehicle at the 3000 block of McCollum.

SLOPD officers then arrested the 20-year-old driver on two counts of felony hit and run and booked him into the SLO County Jail.

The crash remains under investigation, and those with more information are asked to contact Crime Stoppers at the following number.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Former Vice President Kamala Harris made an unexpected appearance in Santa Barbara to help mark a historic milestone for California politics.

State Senator Monique Limón was sworn in as Senate President pro Tempore during a district ceremony at the Marjorie Luke Theatre—becoming the first mother and the first Latina to lead the California State Senate.

The ceremony drew a packed crowd, along with local leaders and performers celebrating Limón’s achievement. But the room erupted when Harris took the stage as a surprise guest, praising Limón’s leadership and calling her rise a defining moment for the state.

Limón, who represents Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, said her new role is focused on lifting up working families and expanding opportunity across California.

Elected by her colleagues last month, Limón now steps into one of the most powerful positions in state government.

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Dave Alley

ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. (KEYT) – A pair of Highway 101 ramps in Arroyo Grande will close this weekend due to a construction project that will last one week.

The Grande Avenue onramp and Fair Oaks Avenue off-ramp will shutdown to all traffic beginning on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m.

The two ramps are heavily used each day, especially due to their close proximity to the city’s historic Village and Arroyo Grande High School.

The closure is expected to create a significant traffic impact in the vicinity of the project and through the surrounding area.

Those who are driving into the area are asked to plan alternate routes and allow extra travel time.

Caltrans is suggesting travelers needing to access the areas near the ramps while traveling southbound on Highway 101 should use either the Halcyon Road or Grand Avenue exits to reach Fair Oaks Avenue.

The ramp closures are part of a $32 million in infrastructure improvement project on Highway 101 through the Pismo Beach-Nipomo corridor.

According to Caltrans, work is being done to rehabilitate pavement and drainage systems, designate bikeways with pavement delineation, and enhance highway worker safety.

The two ramps are scheduled to reopen to the public on Monday, Jan. 19 at 6 a.m.

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John Palminteri

MONTECITO, Calif. (KEYT) – Eight years after the deadly Montecito debris flow residents are remembering that shocking morning but also the community’s ability to come back.

23 lives were lost in the tragedy.

Many others were injured by the violence of the cascading waters full of boulders, tree and, everything else that had broken away from the nearby foothills to the ocean.

The debris flow was preceded by the Thomas Fire which wiped out vegetation on the hills for miles.

Then, the pounding and intense rains produced erosion that send destruction down several creeks.

Residents in the area recall either being caught up in the tragedy or knowing someone who died.

As part of a ceremonial remembrance, candles will be brought out, one for each victim, and their names will be read and a bell will be rung.

A searchlight will illuminated the sky with a blue beam in their remembrance.

The Raise our Light ceremony takes place at 6 p.m. at Montecito Union School. It is open to the public.

It will also be streaming on KEYT.com.

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