Category: keyt-local-news

Mike Klan

GOLETA, Calif. – Pending board approval by the Santa Barbara Unified School District on Tuesday, May 6, Sienna van Alphen will be the next athletic director at Dos Pueblos High School.

Sienna van Alphen is a 2009 DP graduate and a former water polo standout that helped the Chargers win two CIF-Southern Section titles.

She played water polo at UCSB and internationally.

She also coached water polo for Santa Barbara 805 as well as Dos Pueblos.

Sienna van Alphen takes over for Dan Feldhaus who after 17 years as athletic director, is returning to coaching and teaching.

“After Dan announced his decision to step down, we created a committee made up of Chargercoaches, administrators, parents, and students and began the process to find our next athleticdirector,” said Dos Pueblos Principal Bill Woodard. “After a thorough process, we realized ourtop candidate was already on our staff, and we are thrilled that Sienna will lead us into the nextera of Charger athletics.”

Feldhaus expressed confidence in the transition. “I am extremely proud of all that we haveaccomplished during my tenure as Athletic Director and I am confident that the future of DPAthletics is in great hands under Sienna Van Alphen,” he said. “She knows our school and isdeeply committed to our student-athletes and coaches. Sienna brings a passion to elevate all ofour teams and programs and I know DP Charger Athletics will continue to grow and thrive underher leadership.”

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Dave Alley

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Tourism numbers released Monday by Visit SLO CAL show a slight increase in key metrics for 2024 compared to 2023, even as California braces for a statewide slowdown in 2025.

Visit SLO CAL, San Luis Obispo County’s official destination marketing and management organization, released its annual industry report to coincide with the U.S. Travel Association’s National Travel and Tourism Week and California Tourism Month.

According to the report, direct travel spending in San Luis Obispo County reached $2.4 billion in 2024, contributing to a 2.6% increase in countywide travel spending.

Tourism also generated $105.6 million in local tax revenue and accounted for 10.39% of the county’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to data compiled by Visit California, a nonprofit that markets the state’s travel industry.

Another key economic metric — tourism industry earnings, which include after-tax income such as wages and salaries — reached $953.1 million in 2024, reflecting a 4.3% year-over-year increase.

“Tourism is vital to SLO CAL, driving economic prosperity, creating jobs, and enhancing the vibrancy of our region,” said Cathy Cartier, Visit SLO CAL President and CEO. “As the region’s second-largest economic driver, tourism strengthens our local economy, supports thousands of jobs, and helps preserve the communities that make SLO CAL so special.”

The Visit SLO CAL report was released the same day as Visit California’s statewide tourism outlook and a May forecast by Tourism Economics, which projects California will see a slight decline in overall visitor volume in 2025 — a 0.7% drop to 267.8 million visits. Despite that, statewide tourism spending is expected to grow 0.5%, reaching $158.1 billion.

Domestic travel is forecast to remain strong, with 252.5 million visits and a 1.4% increase in spending. However, the growth may be dampened by a weaker U.S. economy and inflation driven by tariffs. Meanwhile, international visitation is projected to decline by 9.2% in 2025 due to higher tariffs and negative sentiment toward U.S. trade policies, resulting in a 4.3% drop in international tourism spending.

The 2025 outlook marks the first projected year-over-year decline in statewide visitation since the pandemic.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. –  Miles of asphalt have been spread in many locations around Santa Barbara to start the year and some of the funds for those projects will be shifting soon as the city begins building a new police headquarters.

The funds come from a 2017 voter approved Measure C sales tax that generates an estimated $22-million annually. That has smoothed out some concerns about funding key projects. The road work was overdue in several locations with broken roads, potholes, and faded crosswalks.

The work in recent months has brought a fresh look to streets including San Andres, Haley, Victoria, State and Anacapa. In 2023 the city paved 126 blocks.

Cory Cameron lives on Anapamu St. on the Westside and was out front watching the work turn his broken up street into something that was brand new. “I think they are doing their  due diligence all around the town. It is just a matter of  when they get to certain projects. “

He said they had one vehicle out of the area and one was at home. “They sent all the notifications that they were going to be doing this. We knew it was coming.”

Councilmember Oscar Gutierrez says the voter approved tax for these specific projects is paying off. “I am really grateful that the voters back in the day passed Measure C because otherwise doing improvements like these would be almost impossible to find the funding to make it happen.”

He’s found some residents will be unhappy when the roads are in disrepair and some will be inconvenienced when they are being paved. “People are complaining about how they want to see the work and then when it’s getting done they comment on how disruptive  it is to their lives a little bit but it long run it is for the best.”

The city is in the development mode for the new police headquarters on Cota St. at Santa Barbara St.  Some of the funds from the same source, Measure C will be shifted towards that project which is expected to exceed $100-million. Work is underway with the tree removal completed, and other site work now taking place.

There will still be funding within Measure C for infrastructure projects based on a priority list.

Measure C also comes with a citizen oversight committee to annually review how much money is coming in and how it is spent.

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Jarrod Zinn

ORCUTT, Calif. – An Orcutt intersection is getting increased attention from CHP in response to complaints about reckless driving and excessive speeding.

Officers are honing in on Rice Ranch Road and Graciosa Street—continuing from Orcutt Road, just east of Highway 135.

This was in response to multiple complaints.

The intersection may look quiet, especially prior to 7 in the morning, but officials say drivers shouldn’t stop obeying driving rules.

Within the last week alone, CHP has made a surprising number of stops for speed violations and running the stop signs at this intersection in Orcutt.

“About a week ago, a concerned citizen came up to me and advised that he walks Rice Ranch, every day, a little bit before 7:00 and multiple times throughout the week, he sees vehicles traveling at high speeds of over 70 plus miles per hour,” says Sean Kelly, Santa Maria CHP sergeant.

One driver was stopped two separate times on subsequent days for different offenses.

“Thursday morning we stopped one driver for driving through the stop sign, probably close to about 30 or 30 plus miles per hour. And then the following day we deployed again and we were actually doing speed enforcement that day on Rice Ranch. And one of our officers stopped that same driver a second time,” says Sgt. Kelly.

Officers say most of the violations they encountered at Rice Ranch Road and Graciosa Street were in excess of 60 miles per hour in this 45-mph zone.

“The first day that we deployed was Wednesday, and I was a little surprised sitting at the stop sign how many people actually were violating the stop sign the rules and regulations of the road and driving through it 15, 20 plus miles per hour,” says Sgt. Kelly.

While an initial speeding violation comes with a fine, repeated or severe violations can increase those fines, raise your insurance rates, and suspend or even revoke your driver’s license.

“I know in the mornings it can seem like there’s not a whole lot going on out here. But there’s a lot of pedestrian traffic. So I just want to reiterate that it is very important to stop completely at the stop signs,” says Sgt. Kelly.

Drivers are advised to follow safe driving practices no matter what time it is.

Pedestrians are advised to look both ways when crossing the street, use crosswalks, and maintain good peripheral awareness.

CHP says they’ve seen more than enough to make this intersection a top concern from now on.

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Allison Winslow

CAMARILLO, Calif. — Saturday protests continue outside Tesla dealerships, including a regular demonstration in front of the Tesla showroom in Camarillo, visible from U.S. Highway 101.

The protests are part of the growing “Tesla Takedown” movement, which has gained momentum worldwide with coordinated demonstrations at Tesla dealerships and facilities. Protesters are voicing opposition to Elon Musk’s leadership of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has implemented mass federal layoffs.

The movement has sparked protests in more than 200 locations across the United States, Canada and Europe.

Demonstrators in Camarillo said they are also frustrated with the Trump administration and Musk’s support for far-right political movements. Many of the participants also took part in May Day rallies earlier in the week and say they plan to return next weekend.

The backlash is also taking a toll on Tesla’s global business. In April 2025, Tesla reported sharp year-over-year sales declines across several European markets — down 81% in Sweden, 74% in the Netherlands, 59% in France, and 36% in Spain, despite a surge in overall EV sales in that country. Analysts attribute the drop to growing political criticism and rising competition from Chinese automakers such as BYD.

Amid mounting pressure, Musk has announced plans to scale back his involvement with DOGE to refocus on Tesla. Still, despite reports suggesting the company’s board may be seeking a successor, both Musk and Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm have denied those claims.

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Allison Winslow

VENTURA, Calif. — Kentucky Derby fans packed The Derby Room in Ventura on Saturday.

The venue is located inside the Derby Club at the Ventura County Fairgrounds and is especially popular during Triple Crown season.

Guests had the chance to place bets on all the races and watched Sovereign win on a muddy track, followed closely by Journalism.

Many patrons said they plan to return for the Preakness Stakes on May 17 and the Belmont Stakes on June 7.

“They need to come and enjoy it because it is fun,” said Derby Club manager Eva Mora. “A lot of my regular customers are here every year. This is my 28th Kentucky Derby.”

The Derby Club is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

For more information, visit www.thederbyroom.com.

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Allison Winslow

VENTURA, Calif. — The West Coast Outdoors & Sportfishing Expo is reeling in visitors to the Ventura County Fairgrounds this weekend.

Billed as “where adventure meets opportunity,” the expo offers activities for the whole family.

Children can practice casting in an outdoor fly-fishing area or try their luck catching rainbow trout in a well-stocked fishing pool.

Fred Morales, owner of SoCal Jerky, said an osprey swooped in and snatched a trout from the pool while crews were setting up the area. He even captured the moment on video.

New boats, RVs, and cars are also on display, and the Ventura Auto Center’s bear mascot made an appearance. The bear is still nameless, but visitors can vote on potential names at www.nameourbear.com.

The expo continues Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Veterans receive free admission.

More information is available at www.sportfishingexpo.com.

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Allison Winslow

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Three days of competition at the Kenny Loggins Pickleball in the Danger Zone tournament wrapped up Sunday.

Celebrity competitors included Loggins himself, Martin Gore of Depeche Mode, and actor Duane Henry, among others.

The tournament took place at the Santa Barbara Municipal Tennis and Pickleball Courts, which is a favorite playing spot for Loggins.

The celebrity exhibition was held in conjunction with the American Riviera Classic Tournament and served as a fundraiser for The Unity Shoppe and families displaced by the Los Angeles fires.

Actor Duane Henry downplayed his talent on the court.

“This is a great event because we’re connecting community wealth with a love of pickleball and, most importantly, Unity Shoppe, courtesy of Kenny Loggins,” said Henry. “We’re here to basically celebrate that through pickleball, something we all love to do. It’s a no-brainer, and it’s so much fun. It brings the community out, and you get to see how terrible my shot is.”

Participants received Joola paddles.

For more information visit https://www.unityshoppe.org

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Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif. — Island Packers has reported continued whale sightings this spring.

Whale watching season typically runs from December through mid-April, but this year it appears to be lasting a bit longer.

Although sightings are not guaranteed, the crew is always on the lookout.

Now is a great time to check it out.

Island Packers posts daily sighting updates on Instagram.

Anyone interested in whale watching or island trips can book half-day and full-day excursions at www.islandpackers.com.

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Allison Winslow

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. — Drivers can’t miss the La Conchita yard sale sign along U.S. Highway 101.

The community tradition takes place the first weekend in May and is known for its wide selection of surfboards and boogie boards.

This year’s sale also features plants, artwork, clothing, and jewelry. One neighbor even put out a door for free.

Residents also contribute items to a special sale that raises money for the La Conchita organization. In the past, the fundraiser has helped pay for speed bumps not funded by the state or county.

The La Conchita yard sale continues Sunday. Hours vary by seller.

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