Category: keyt-local-news

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – It was a game to fill up the box score as Santa Barbara routed the overmatched Philippines Baseball Group 18-0.

The Foresters led 6-0 after the second inning and it was 14-0 after five innings were completed.

They had 16 hits and walked 11 times.

Addison Klepsch and Joseph Sandusky each drove in four runs.

Cole Chamberlain knocked in three runs and had the lone home run in the game.

Hunter Vincent pitched five innings of 2-hit shutout ball with 11 strikeouts. He did walk six batters.

Five pitchers in all combined for a 4-ht shutout and they totaled 19 strikeouts.

Santa Barbara has won 5 straight games to move to 9-1.

They host the San Luis Blues on Thursday at 4:30 p.m. from Santa Barbara High School.

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John Palminteri

SANTA YNEZ, Calif. (KEYT) – The rich traditions of the Santa Ynez Valley will be highlighted this weekend with multiple events, including a parade Saturday morning and a major two-day rodeo event.

The Old Santa Ynez Days 7th annual rodeo will be held off Highway 246 on the Santa Ynez Chumash San Carlos Property.

It is put on by the Santa Ynez Valley Western Heritage Foundation. The event will feature some of the best riders in the country with one of the top prize packages in the state.

Kevin Murphy is the foundation president and says, “we are number six in California for prize money which is big. We are one of the fastest growing rodeos right now. All the top cowboys and cowgirls really look forward to coming and we have heard them say this is one of the better rodeos in California we are proud of that.”

He says riders performing at other events often pivot to come to Santa Ynez if they are not reaching the finals elsewhere or specifically plan to be here as they go on to other events.

It means so much to his son, Cody Murphy to see this event taking place annually. “The legacy of the rodeo in the valley and the western way of life it is important it is up to us to carry the torch and ensure the younger generation experience, it is up to us for us to live it and feel it even if they don’t live on a ranch. This rodeo is one of the ways to bring that to you.”

The event raises money for the agricultural programs at Santa Ynez High School, along with programs that serve kids with cancer and their families.

The events take place Saturday and Sunday.

More information can be found at Old Santa Ynez Days.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – One of the most unique parks you will ever see is becoming a reality in Santa Barbara.

As part of a larger 10-acre Dwight Murphy Field Park Project, the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation collaborated with the city on the all inclusive new Gwendolyn’s Playground area. It will be for all ages and all abilities.The site is named after Gwendolyn Strong who had her life cut short by Muscular Atrophy Disease, but her parents have been committed to this fully inclusive park in Santa Barbara.It will have whimsical and playful features on the same site as the athletic fields.

Justin Van Mullem is the Capital Projects Supervisor and says some of the creations have become visible. “When you turn off of Cabrillo and you see this unusual tree with this tree house in the center you’re going to stop and take a look.”

Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Director Jill Zachary says the project ideas, concepts and collaboration with the Strong Family began in 2016. “The playground itself will largely serve children and children of all abilities, but the whole park will serve different abilities. We also we will finally have sidewalks in the park which we didn’t have before. “The playground will have features including a 35-foot tall tree house with views to the ocean. The ground surface with be synthetic and available for use year round. The project is half way done and the city parks and recreation department says a ribbon cutting on the $32 million dollar project is set for next summer.

The City of Santa Barbara’s funding has been bolstered by community donations coordinated by the Strong family and Beanie Babies Founder Ty Warner.

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Alissa Orozco

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – In a special open house presentation, the City of Santa Barbara’s Parks and Recreation Department will be giving the public a closer look at the design plans to transform Ambassador Park alongside the waterfront.

Home to the historic state landmark, the Burton Mound, plans to redesign the half-acre park has been roughly six years in the making. Through collaboration with Chumash community members and the California State Coastal Conservancy, the city hopes the project will pay respect to the native landscape that has supported Chumash life for thousands of years.

The land was once home to the historic Syuxtun village – once the largest Chumash community on the west coast. In 2009, the city installed the Syuxtun Story Circle, a 24-foot mosaic circle on Cabrillo Blvd right across the street from Ambassador Park, depicting the key elements of Chumash traditions and stories.

Now nearly 17 years later, the city is continuing to pay tribute with the Chumash Cultural Project.

City of Santa Barbara

The design features native and ethnobotanical landscaping, a walking path, interpretive elements, and a gathering area, aiming “to create a welcoming experience for all visitors while honoring the living traditions, stories, and knowledge of the Chumash people.”

The public is invited to view the project designs and speak with staff on the project’s next step during a special open house on Wednesday, June 17th from 5:30pm–7:00pm.

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Alissa Orozco

SOLVANG, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara County Fire crews responded to a vegetation fire happening just feet away from Mission Santa Inés in the 1600 block of Mission Drive in Solvang.

The fire was reported around 10:46am Wednesday morning, according to a PIO with Santa Barbara County Fire.

@SBCFireInfo Crews are on scene of a vegetation fire in the 1600 block of Mission Drive, Solvang. The incident was reported at 10:46 AM. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available. Motorists and members of the public are advised to avoid the area to ensure… pic.twitter.com/ReFLyZwOCe

— Santa Barbara County Fire Department (@SBCFireInfo) June 17, 2026

The size of the fire was revised to 1.59 acres according to Watch Duty, and emergency response has been pulled back since the initial report.

Your News Channel will bring you more information as it becomes available.

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – With school now out for the next two months, the Santa Maria-Bonita School District (SMBSD) started its 2026 Summer Meal Program this week.

From June 15 through Aug. 7, the program offers a free breakfast and lunch for all children and teens ages 1–to-18-years-old living in the Santa Maria community.

“The Seamless Summer meal Program is a program that’s sponsored by the USDA,” said Laurel Goins SMBSD Food Services Director. “It allows us to help support our community by providing full nutritious meals throughout summer for breakfast and lunch for kids in our community.” 

Meals will be available weekdays only from Monday through Friday and will be distributed at five different locations in the city, including school sites, non-profits, and faith-based organizations.

“It’s a really great thing to be able to provide,” said Goins “It’s a support to our community because when the kiddos are in school with us, they have four meals a day they can access to, and to lose that in the summer can be a big extra burden on families budgets.”

Breakfast is scheduled to be served from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., while lunch runs from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Distributions will be held at the Boys & Girls Club, Santa Maria Valley YMCA, Allan Hancock College, Santa Maria Foursquare Church and Fesler Junior High School.

“The kids really enjoy it,” said Elizabeth Garcia, Santa Maria Valley YMCA Program Specialist. “It’s food that they’re already used to, something a little along the lines that they have had during school, so it’s not like anything they’re not used to, but it’s obviously a really good opportunity for them just to grab their food and have a meal.”

SMBSD said no paperwork, proof of income, or pre-registration is required for a child to receive a meal and families may simply bring their children to any participating open community site.

The 2026 Summer Meal Program schedule differs slightly at the various locations on dates. SMBSD listed the operational schedule as:

Boys & Girls Club (901 N. Railroad Ave.)

Active: June 15 – August 7 (Closed Friday, June 19)

Santa Maria Valley YMCA (3400 Skyway Dr.)

Active: June 15 – August 7

Fesler Jr. High School (1100 E. Fesler St.)

Active: June 16 – July 31 (Closed Friday, June 19 and Friday, July 3)

Allan Hancock College (800 S. College Dr.)

Active: June 22 – July 22 (Closed Friday, July 3)

Santa Maria Foursquare Church (709 N. Curryer St.)

Active: June 29 – July 31

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Andie Lopez Bornet

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Join the Santa Barbara Vintners Foundation for an unforgettable summer celebration under the stars in the heart of Los Olivos at the Summer Soiree!

The celebration will be held to raise important funds to support the health and wellness of the Central Coast vineyards and winery workers.

There will be exclusive tastings from Santa Barbara county premier wineries, a silent auction and even a soulful live performance from Doublewide Kings.

Margerum Wine Co. and Santa Barbara Vintner’s foundation board member Doug Margerum joins your Morning News to talk about the upcoming up.

The Summer Soiree will take place Friday, June 19 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos.

Tickets are still available for purchase.

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Mike Klan

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara Foresters beat the Conejo Oaks for the third time in as many games this year.

Kurt Ippolito tripled in Jake DeSpain in the top of the 8th inning to give the Foresters a 3-2 road win as they improved to 8-1 on the year.

Sawyer Farr and Nick Salmon also had RBI’s for Santa Barbara.

Luke Cornelison pitched three innings in relief and was credited with the win while Lucien Wechsberg notched his second save on the year as he struck out the side in the bottom of the 9th in his only inning of work.

The Foresters host the Philippines Baseball Group on Wednesday, June 17th at 4:30 p.m. at Santa Barbara High School.

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Paseo Nuevo redevelopment project got the green light at the Santa Barbara City Council meeting where yes votes light up in green.

The city council authorized the city administrator and attorney to move forward with escrow. 

The plan calls for turning the former Nordstrom into rental housing and the old Macy’s into corporate offices for Yardi.

Yardi is a property management company.

Santa Barbara City Councilmembers said they believe it will bring jobs and homes including moderate income units to the downtown area.

For more information about the project visit https://santabarbaraca.gov

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Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) The city of Santa Barbara County is getting closer to approving a budget and has not given up on trying to protect depleted reserves.

The council clashed over reserves and their next $257 million plus general fund budget .

The Santa Barbara city council took some actions on Tuesday night.

The city will not hire or fill certain positions and intends to re-appropriate $1 million of HOME funds to the Local Housing Trust Fund.

Then the city administrator asked them to hold a special meeting next Tuesday at 10 a.m and the council agreed.

“We are very lucky that our budget is precariously balanced, but we have not met our reserve obligations, that delta between what we are supposed to have in reserves and what we actually have in reserves,” said Meagan Harmon who is finishing out her time on the council this year.

Finance Director Keith DeMartini told the council where things stand during countless questions.

‘We have been using our reserves over the last couple of years, as it is getting more and more expensive with inflation and some of our revenues have not been performing as well as they historically have, so we are below our disaster reserve requirement by approximately $6 million to help us balance our budget.”

Next week they’ll be discussing the reserves and whether to freeze 3 unfilled Santa Barbara Police Department positions that could save the budget $576,000.

Police Chief Kelly Gordon said staffing was the same 20 years ago.

City staff said when work is complete on the new police station some sales tax measure funding will be able to be used for other things including future fire station improvements.

The council intends to vote on a final budget on June 30the before the the council takes a July break.

For more information about the budget visit, https://santabarbaraca.gov

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