Category: keyt-local-news

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Family, friends and passersby stopped at a memorial for Anthony Michael Bisquera Hartley on Monday.

The 30-year-old was fatally stabbed along the 500 block of State Street in Santa Barbara around 12:30 a.m. as crowds of people celebrated Old Spanish Days.

Friends who knew him and the two other victims said the survivors are recovering from stab wounds at Cottage Hospital.

Bisquerra Hartley leaves behind a five-year-old daughter and 8-years-old and 10-years-old sons.

Their aunt, Kat Barradas, placed a poster full of family photos among the flowers, candles, confetti-filled cascarones and his favorite beers.

“Just be careful out there, please, and you know, hug your kids, love your kids, be close to your family, don’t be mad because you never know when it is going to be the last day,” said Barradas.

She recalled how his youngest talked about celebrating her dad’s life.

“She goes ‘you know what tia, we are going to make him a party. Are you coming? Because my daddy needs a party, because everyone was at the party except for him, because he went to heaven early,'” Barradas.

Their uncle Raul Botello described him as a car-detailer who went to San Marcos High School.

“He was there for his kids to provide for them and for the family, he was for 15 years since my sister and he have been together, he was always there for us,” said Botello.

Others stopped to pay their respects, too.

Alma Rios of Santa Barbara said it was tragic, especially during the local fiesta celebration.

Witness said they heard a fist fight before the bloodshed.

Police have arrested three men, 29-year-old Luis Gerardo Terrazas, 28-year-old Juan Fernando Rios, and  30-year-old Sergio Rivas.

Relatives wonder if something could have been done to save him along the closure called the promenade.

“I have videos,” said Barradas.

A GoFundMe has raised thousands of dollars to help his mother with the funeral expenses and more.

But they say more will be needed to take care of his kids in the years to come.

For more information or to donate visit the GoFundMe here.

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Michael Yu

PASO ROBLES, Calif.- Firefighters battled a structure fire at Heritage Ranch in Paso Robles.

The incident happened around 1 a.m. overnight at 2554 Pinto Lane.

The fire was knocked down around 2 a.m.

A single structure was on fire as well as three vehicles.

There were no injuries reported.

This is a developing story, more information will be added as it becomes available.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The City of Santa Barbara has been benefiting by some of its upgraded rules and enforcement on short-term rentals but more changes could be coming.

Annually the city is collecting thousands of new dollars in taxes that had previously gone without payments when these rentals began to gain popularity.

Not all property owners have complied with the rules and legal action has been taken.

The city is also looking at areas where the rentals may possibly have more regulations including in specific locations.

The city council is discussing this Tuesday after 2 p.m. as part of its weekly meeting.

There is likely going to be a discussion on whether a short-term rental is considered a dwelling unit or a commercial business.

More information on the Santa Barbara City Council Agenda can be found here.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – For those who were concerned about immigration raids during Old Spanish Days it appears as if the Santa Barbara annual event went on without a major issue.

Thousands came out for a long list of festive events that began last Wednesday and took place in many parts of the city.

Many of the venues and the two parades were packed with spectators. No turnout estimates were given but long-time participants said it looked full and the public was enjoying the celebration.

State Senator Monique Limon took part in several activities, and even rode on the Santa Barbara High School float at El Desfile Histórico.

At the children’s parade, she said she was happy to see familiar faces and families instead of people staying away because of fear. “Our Santa Barbara and Ventura, Central Coast areas showed up and I think we come together and we are resilient. We don’t let all these bad things that are happening around us be the end of our community, as a matter of fact, it brings us all together so we can build better and healthier communities.”

Limon joined many people both locals and visitors sharing in the annual events.

She will be the State Senate Pro Tempore in January, the highest position she has obtained in her political career.

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Caleb Nguyen

FILLMORE, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol of Moorpark is investigating a two-car crash that killed a 71-year-old man on Highway 126 near Fillmore just before 8:00 p.m. Sunday.

The 71-year-old who died drove a 2010 Volkswagen Passat, and a 53-year-old suffered major injuries in his 2019 Honda Odyssey as the second driver in the crash, according to the CHP.

The 53-year-old driver drove west on Highway 126 at approximately 60 miles per hour and eventually entered the eastbound lane before crashing head-on with the Volkswagen, according to the CHP.

The 53-year-old required hospital transport for his injuries, but drugs and alcohol are still unknown as potential factors in the crash, according to the CHP.

Highway 126 was closed for approximately 45 minutes during an initial investigation that concluded at approximately 8:30 p.m., according to the CHP.

The Ventura County Fire Department, AMR, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and CalTrans helped with the incident alongside the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office, according to the CHP.

For more information on the deceased, please contact the VCMEO. For more information on the crash, contact the CHP.

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News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release the Santa Barbara County Public Works Department regarding the WaterWise Garden Recognition Contest

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – The 2025 WaterWise Garden Recognition Contest is an annual floral celebration in the County that highlights remarkable water-saving home gardens. The Santa Barbara County Water Agency and participating local water purveyors encouraged residents to partake in the garden competition, offering both regional and county-wide awards. This year’s competitors included the Montecito Water District, Carpinteria Valley Water District, and the City of Santa Barbara.

The title for the grand prize county-wide winner went to Teri and Pat Guillies of the Montecito Water District for their beautiful native-dominated garden.

Teri and Pat call their garden a “pollinators’ dream,” but wonderland or paradise would be even more accurate. While sweeping ocean views may initially captivate visitors, the landscape’s vibrant mix of color and texture quickly steals the show. Built along a descending flagstone path, the first peek of the garden offers a showcase of shifting green hues that belie the colorful spectacle below. Thoughtfully designed for beauty and resilience, it’s an eco-friendly masterpiece bursting with blooms from over 65%California native plants, such as artemisia, sagebrush, yarrow, blue-eyed grass, island buckwheat, California lilac, an abundance of salvias, and more. Teri, a certified Master Gardener, designed, built, and maintains the entire garden, utilizing hand-watering and drip irrigation techniques. The recirculating fountain, rain barrel, and an array of fruit trees, including olive, avocado, and pineapple guava, provide the garden with a final polish that doesn’t neglect functionality. And why does Teri go through all this effort? She’d rather not pay for a gym when she can get a great workout tending the garden while also welcoming a buzzing pollinator brigade of birds, butterflies, and bees! With its coastal, colorful landscape, this year’s grand prize winner is clearly a Santa Barbara County classic.

Other finalists included Jeanette and Robert Munoz from the Carpinteria Valley Water District, and Fred and Janice Maggiore from the City of Santa Barbara, each showcasing their own dazzling water-wise creations. You can view the winning gardens at www.WaterWiseSB.org/4707/_2025.

This year’s prizes were more enticing than ever—beyond the traditional engraved sandstone boulder trophy, winners received native wildflower seed samples from S&S Seeds, and an array of equipment from landscaping and irrigation kits to shears provided by Aqua-Flo Supply, SiteOne Landscape Supply, Arbor Services, Inc. The regional champions were awarded a $100 gift card for SB Natives Nursery, while the county-wide winner received an impressive $250 gift card from Lotusland!

These exceptional gardens demonstrate that water-efficient, sustainable landscapes can be lush, colorful, and wildlife-friendly. The choice is economical, too – many winners replaced their original lawns and now enjoy the added benefit of a lower water bill. With lower-than-average rainfall this year, smart water usage remains crucial—rain or shine—to make Conservation a Way of Life in Santa Barbara County.

Visit www.WaterWiseSB.org to discover more about this year’s garden champions and to acquire tips on low-maintenance gardening, rainwater harvesting, and more!

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Jarrod Zinn

BUELLTON, Calif. – With the Gifford Fire churning through the Los Padres National Forest, air quality has become a top concern for people throughout Santa Barbara county.

There’s an opportunity for folks to get n-95 masks.

The Hitching Post 2 in Buellton is one of two places Direct Relief is handing out masks, as smoke from the wildfire is spreading across the county.

The Gifford Fire started near highway 166 and is now pushing south and to the east, releasing plenty of smoke and particulates into the air.

“We have an air quality alert that is in effect for the Cuyama area and an air quality watch that is in effect for the rest of Santa Barbara County,” says Lyz Bantilan, spokesperson for the Air Pollution Control District of Santa Barbara county.

In Santa Maria and further north, the air may not look as bad as it has during other wildfires, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any smoke drifting in that direction.

“Air quality, even miles away from the fire, can really affect community members, particularly elderly, children, people with respiratory issues like asthma, as well as workers who are outside,” says Alexandra Kelleher, senior program manager of emergency response for Direct Relief.

A dark trail of smoke has been seen amid the clouds before it concentrates into the valleys, and residents in the Santa Barbara area have been dealing with smoke and ash.

“I did notice over the weekend, the plume at various points over the weekend did seem to be sort of wrapping around the county,” says Bantilan.

Those who are sensitive to unhealthy air quality may benefit from using n-95 respirator masks, and these are being handed out for free today and tomorrow by Direct Relief.

“As we have had a lot of experience with masks from COVID all the way until now, we chose these N95 respirator masks because they have the full seal around and they’re really able to protect from the irritants that are in the air,” says Kelleher.

Distributions for the free n-95 respirator masks are located at Direct Relief’s main office on Wallace Becknell Road in Santa Barbara and at The Hitching Post 2 on Highway 246 in Buellton.

If you missed them Monday, they’ll be handed out from noon to five pm on Tuesday.

In addition to these sites, Direct Relief has hand delivered masks and air purifiers to various evacuation centers and emergency facilities.

Air quality is expected to remain in the yellow zone for Cuyama and surrounding areas for the next few days.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara has lived up to its reputation as the biggest event of the year, even with concerns about more enforcement both locally and possibly with federal immigration agents.

The crowds came out. The events took place and were still very full.

There was no shortage of food, drink, and flying confetti.

Now, there is no shortage of clean up duties.

Karena Straight looked around downtown and said, “there’s going to be confetti for days.  It was really. bad are they going to clean it up?   We need some tooth brushes.Santa Barbara is beautiful, we gotta keep it clean.”

It was tedious work. “It looks like it was quite a party and there is going to be quite a clean up on the other end,” said Ellen Shank. Her advice was, “maybe grab a friend  maybe from both sides would be the best approach,” she said while watching a worker with a blower clearing the sidewalk off towards the landscaping and street areas.

At the Antique Alley Arnold Buckner laughed at himself while using a basic broom to take on the constant confetti cleanup challenge. Instead of using a vacuum or a blower he said, “We’re not that smart!” He did say daily efforts made a big difference and that’s why it looked much better than it could have. “I would have waited but there is no way of waiting because it would have piled up  like this.” He said that while holding up about a three inch measurement with his fingers.

The next few days will be especially busy. Already, De la Guerra Plaza has been cleaned up in an agreement that required it to be finished by Sunday afternoon. That included the removal of all the booths for food and retail, along with the entertainment stage.

The Big Green company on a contracted job cleaned up the plaza and power washed the streets.

The next phase of work will be essentially that same tasks throughout downtown, the Funk Zone, and waterfront for either private companies, the city crews or the business owners.

Some businesses will be saving their bunting and signs for next year’s Fiesta.

Public works crews started out early Monday morning with sweepers and hand tools. They also picked up all the cones, barricades and signage left behind.

Some business owners were out front with brooms and blowers and will be for days.

The hardest part will be the confetti in the landscaping and that will take days of work. There will also be some new ground covering that will be placed in the landscaping.

Some of the healthy intersection plants were flattened out and smashed due to vendors who were setting up street food stands and using the planters for their supplies.

Sunday the non-profit, Tidy Seas did a beach area cleanup with volunteers and picked up numerous bags and buckets full of left over trash. That included plastic cups, food scraps, boxes from beverages and leftover items brought to the parade route and never taken away. The group also did a clean up after the 4th of July in the most impacted areas. Annually it will do several cleanups each month along the immediate coast and on the Channel Islands.

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Patricia Martellotti

VENTURA, Calif. – The Ventura County Fair is officially underway, drawing large crowds and heavy traffic to the area.

In response, Ventura police are stepping up patrols and increasing traffic enforcement near the fairgrounds to ensure public safety.

Officers are urging drivers and pedestrians to stay alert and follow all posted signs and traffic signals. Police are also working closely with fair organizers to help manage the flow of both vehicles and people entering and exiting the fairgrounds.

“Fair’s location is in arguably one of the worst places in town with the ability to get in and get out of it,” said Ventura Police Officer Davis Curtis. “The cones you’re sitting around direct traffic in the safest way possible that we’ve developed — just making sure everybody’s moving with traffic and staying attentive while coming to the fair.”

The fair runs through Sunday, August 10th, and police say safety will remain a top priority throughout the week.

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Mina Wahab

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — It’s a tradition that’s been around for more than a century.

“It’s really the spirit of love. The spirit of God. You know? What is it? I don’t think you can put words on it, but you know it when you feel it. You know it’s real,” said Father Larry Gosselin.

But this year, Old Spanish Days feels a little different.

In light of recent ICE raids up and down the Central Coast, many have been staying home out of fear of deportation — casting a shadow over Santa Barbara’s annual Fiesta tradition.

“I’m grateful our business has been busy, but I feel that it’s different than what it was before. There’s a lot of fear that gets spread, and then it affects everybody negatively. And then there are a lot of really bad things happening that justify the fear,” said Relaxation Tea owner Vanessa Fayad.

The owners of Relaxation Tea say they cope with these tense political times by staying busy and focused.

“I’m blessed enough to be able to be out here without being scared. So I try to take advantage of those moments,” Fayad added.

“The way I cope with it is by staying very busy. I stay motivated with my business and just kind of focus on that,” said Juan Vega, co-owner of Relaxation Tea.

Others — like Veronica Plascencia — turn to their faith.

“Jesus will always be with us. Just pray from the heart and everything will be fine.” said Plascencia in Spanish.

She incorporated this message of reassurance into her handmade cascarónes — one featuring an enthusiastic Jesus by a palm tree, and another honoring her niece — the Junior Spirit of Fiesta.

“I don’t know what to say,” her niece said, reacting to the colorful creation.

The Junior Spirit of Fiesta, Victoria Plascencia, says representing her community has been a dream come true.

“It feels so fun because I get to be with my friends at the studio. We get to hang out. And being on stage is fun because you love doing it — and they love you doing it,” said Victoria.

The Spirit of Fiesta, Natalia Trevino, says she overcomes the heaviness of the moment through her passion for dance.

“You know, there are challenges, but I just want to dance for my community. Fiesta brings people together, and that’s what’s so special about Santa Barbara,” said Trevino.

Old Spanish Days has now completed its 101st year — and locals say it’s here to stay.

“We want to celebrate that love and that unity. And we need that so much in our world today,” said Father Larry Gosselin.

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