Category: keyt-local-news

Jarrod Zinn

SOLVANG, Calif. – The Fund for Santa Barbara held a milestone grant awards ceremony in Solvang this evening.

A cocktail hour in the outdoor reception area of the Corque Hotel in Solvang Wednesday evening was followed by a presentation of various stories reflecting The Fund for Santa Barbara’s mission.

“The Fund for Santa Barbara is a community foundation providing Movement Building Grants to organizations within Santa Barbara County, those organizations working at the grassroots level, seeking to make social justice change within the county,” says Eder Gaona-Macedo, The Fund for Santa Barbara’s executive director.

Representatives of the Fund for Santa Barbara say that though this event happens every year, this one is a significant milestone because it’s their largest grant cycle in their 45 years of operation.

“I think it’s essential that we all act together as a community,” says Ian Paige, on behalf of Indivisible of Santa Barbara. “What’s happened in the past historically, is one third of the population will be involved, one third of all the community will pull in the other direction. And that last third, the third that we’re trying to reach out to kind of sit by the sidelines and we’re trying to I think all of us are trying to get the people, not just the ones who are active, but the ones who are sitting on the sidelines.”

Some attribute the swell in grassroots support to the Trump administration’s federal funding cuts.

“This year has been really difficult for a lot of people given the immigration raids, federal cuts and just the ongoing change,” says Gaona-Macedo.

Recipients are awarded The Fund’s ‘Movement Building Grants,’ ‘Racial Equity Grants,’ and more.

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Ryder Christ

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — On Wednesday, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) rescinded all designated federal Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, rolling back more than 3.5 million acres previously set aside for offshore wind development, including areas off the California coast.

Despite the sweeping rollback, the decision will not impact existing leases, including those tied to California’s offshore wind projects like the one near Morro Bay.

“This order, which the administration previewed through its action in January to end leasing of offshore wind in federal waters, does not affect existing leases, including those off California’s coast,” said American Clean Power-California spokesperson Wes Venteicher.

“The proposed federal interference with private economic activity is unprecedented and creates a troubling challenge for critical energy infrastructure investment of any kind — especially at a time of increasing energy demand. Offshore wind energy promises stable electricity pricing, good-paying jobs and grid reliability for California.”

Three global companies—Equinor (Atlas Offshore Wind), Golden State Wind, and Invenergy California Offshore—invested $425 million to develop floating wind farms across 376 square miles off the San Luis Obispo County coast. They also pledged an additional $27 million in community benefits and $66 million toward workforce training.

The region underwent extensive review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), culminating in a Final Environmental Assessment and a “Finding of No Significant Impact” in October 2022. In December 2022, BOEM held its first-ever offshore wind lease auction on the West Coast, awarding three leases within the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area—along with others off Humboldt Bay—covering roughly 373,000 acres with an estimated generation capacity of 3 to 4.5 gigawatts.

The Morro Bay wind project and the newly established Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary were designed to coexist through a carefully negotiated compromise. In October 2024, NOAA finalized the sanctuary’s boundaries, intentionally excluding the federally leased wind energy zones off Morro Bay to allow for the installation of subsea transmission cables.

Earlier that year, the Northern Chumash Tribal Council reached an agreement with the offshore wind developers expressing support for the sanctuary’s creation while allowing necessary infrastructure for floating wind energy. The adjusted boundary ensures that both cultural and environmental protections, as well as renewable energy development, can proceed without conflict.

When asked whether Trump’s latest rollback on offshore wind farms will disrupt development of the Morro Bay Wind Farm project, Venteich declined to comment.

The revocation does not affect existing leases, but it ensures that already suspended lease sales will not go forward according to The Maritime Executive.

The CADEMO Floating Wind Demonstration Project remains unaffected. Located 2.5 to 2.8 nautical miles offshore from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, the project lies entirely within California jurisdiction.

CADEMO plans to install four floating wind turbines, each capable of generating 12 to 15 megawatts, for a total output of around 60 megawatts. Developers have finalized a mitigation agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense to ensure compatibility with Space Force operations. The project is expected to begin delivering power by late 2027.

Because CADEMO bypasses BOEM’s leasing process and is regulated under California’s permitting framework through the California State Lands Commission and CEQA, it is not impacted by the federal WEA rollback.

Meanwhile, actor Samuel L. Jackson is voicing support for offshore wind in a cheeky new marketing campaign by European energy company Vattenfall.

“Motherf—ing wind farms: Loud, ugly, harmful to nature. Who says that?” Jackson asks in the video.

The campaign promotes snacks made with seaweed grown near offshore wind installations.

Former President Donald Trump has long criticized wind energy.

“We’re not going to let windmills get built because we’re not going to destroy our country any further than it’s already been destroyed,” Trump said last month.

Rep. Salud Carbajal said the decision will hurt the nation’s wind energy sector and threaten thousands of jobs tied to the industry.

“Wind power is no longer theoretical—it’s vital to our economy and energy security. Undermining renewables not only hurts American workers and businesses, it hands the future of clean energy to global competitors like China. This is an America Last policy approach.”

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Alissa Orozco

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The start of Old Spanish Days 2025 officially kicks off tonight with Fiesta Pequeña!

Hosted from 8:00pm – 10:00pm, the “Little Fiesta” will mark the official opening of Old Spanish Days with traditional dances and songs from Californios Spirit. All are welcome to attend.

News Channel’s Beth Farnsworth, CJ Ward, and Ivania Montes will be LIVE from the “Queen of the Missions” starting at 8pm.

News Channel reporter and anchor Tracy Lehr will have more coverage on tonights festivities later on today.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – In the center of all the citywide festivities for Old Spanish Days is Santa Barbara’s downtown De la Guerra Plaza, which becomes the very popular Fiesta mercado.

It is the place for food, entertainment, and retail vendors.

The mercado opened with a ribbon cutting and a cheer at 11 a.m. Wednesday, led by this year’s El Presidente Fritz Olenberger and Mayor Randy Rowse.

The ribbon cutting was followed by dancers, including this year’s Spirit of Fiesta and Junior Spirit of Fiesta.

For those coming in with an appetite, there are many food choices in all directions.  It’s all prepared on the spot in mini kitchens.

The mercado is often visited more than once by local residents and guests in Santa Barbara looking for a vibrant gathering space.

The mercado will be open until Saturday evening and cleaned up on Sunday.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.- The traditional fiesta downtown mercado opens for four days today in downtown Santa Barbara as part of Old Spanish Days.

Thousands of people are expected to come and go for food, entertainment and shopping.

This mercado is in the heart of town and at least 15 vendors are set up with food that will be prepared on site.

This includes tortas, tacos, taquitos, churros, papusas, hot dogs and corn on the cob.

There will be a large stage of entertainment over the run of Fiesta. It will feature performers from local dance studios and at night, bands until 10 p.m.

Non profit groups running some of the booths say it is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year to bolster their budgets.

Local businessman Guy Riviera says, “this is the locals day. This is when our community finds its unity. And we are just gathered here. I was born and raised here and this is what we do.”

So many choices were in front of the hungry visitors.

Mike Haynes held up a tri tip sandwich and said, “It was really good. Look at all the other stuff. You have to try that later.”

It’s all prepared on the spot in mini kitchens that will be operating for the next four days.

Tom Kelstrump said, “I always choose the burrito. Usually pork tastes great. Price is not too bad. “

 For some of the visitors to the plaza, the bites are something they have waited for since last year.

Former Radio host, Baron Ron Heron  ate a taquito and said, “that is pretty damn good.” 

Don Risdon from Carpinteria said,  “we have some, tacos. Some street tacos. Carne asada, carnitas. And then I’m going to finish with a couple of corn on the cobs. Beautiful. Viva la fiesta! “

One of the new additions to downtown  is across from the De la Guerra mercado in the Casa de la Guerra.  It has its own stage and a number of retail vendors as well.

“I was really worried that there wouldn’t be a crowd here today. It’s good. There is a crowd bigger than usual.,” said Heron.

Dana Mensies did a food review and said after trying her dish,  “I thought the meat was really moist. I got the plate combo with the beans and the rice. I highly recommend getting both the green and the red salsa. It just was the perfect place.”

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Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Brian Shaw is the best basketball player to ever come out of UCSB.

Freshman C.J. Shaw is not related to the former NBA player but he certainly has the talent to make a nice impact for the Gauchos as a true freshman.

The 6’4 guard was named the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year in Nevada after another terrific season at Mojave High School in Las Vegas.

He averaged 21.6 points with more than 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

Shaw is a two-way player as he averaged almost 4 steals per game on defense.

But all of that is in the past according to Shaw.

“Obviously high school stuff is left in high school, so college starting a new career,” stated Shaw.

“For a college athlete you have to be able to shoot the ball, play defense and be able to push the ball up any position you are playing. Hard work and defense, defense is a big thing in college.”

UCSB head coach Joe Pasternack likes what he sees so far from his top 100 ESPN recruit.

“C.J. was the Gatorade Player of the Year,” began Pasternack. “I mean he is one of the big surprises for us, he has been doing an unbelievable job.”

The Gauchos are just about at the midway point of their eight-week summer practice session.

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Mike Klan

WICHITA, Kansas. – The record-setting 10-time National Baseball Congress World Series champion Santa Barbara Foresters steamrolled their way into the 2025 quarterfinals with another dominant pitching performance.

Six pitchers (Noah Waldeck, Jaden Barfield, J.D. Goodcase, Tag Andrews, Andrew Guardino and Steele Eaves) combined on a 3-hit shutout over Lone Star Collegiate of Texas.

The Foresters went 3-0 in pool play and outscored their three opponents 26-1.

Santa Barbara will play in the elimination round starting Thursday at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.

The hitting star against Lone Star was Sawyer Farr.

The Texas A&M outfielder hit his first home run of the season, added two doubles and had 2 RBI.

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Caleb Nguyen

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. — All tsunami advisories have been canceled for coastal zones of California’s Central Coast, covering Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Officials had lifted alerts for most of the West Coast, including the Bay Area and Southern California, after wave activity triggered by a powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula was downgraded as conditions eased

While initial surges arrived overnight, forecasters warn that dangerous rip currents and unpredictable wave patterns will likely remain a threat throughout the next couple of days.

“The whole Pacific Ocean’s been stirred up,” said Andrew Rourke, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “There’s a lot of sneaky energy out there that could really, really impact you.”

All Tsunami Advisories for #SoCal have been cancelled.

However, strong rip currents will likely continue across the #SoCal beaches for the next couple of days. So, if you go to the beach, check with the lifeguards about the water conditions. #CAwx

— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) July 30, 2025

Beach Closures and Evacuation Alerts

In Santa Barbara County, most beaches will reopen today, while others will remain closed. The County Office of Emergency Management continues to urge the public to stay away from the water, beaches, and waterways.

State and County beaches and Goleta Pier are now open.

Cities of Santa Barbara and Carpinteria beaches are now open.

Vandenberg Space Force Base beaches will remain closed for the rest of the day (Wednesday 7/30).

In San Luis Obispo County, wave heights between 4 and 5 feet have been reported — significantly above normal. Port San Luis, near Avila Beach, is experiencing some of the highest activity.

An evacuation warning has been lifted for neighborhoods in Los Osos near the Morro Bay Natural Preserve, including:

Biscarth Street

Pine Avenue

Broaderton Street

Ramona Avenue

3rd and 4th Streets

Residents in these areas are urged to seek higher ground and monitor real-time updates at EmergencySLO.org.

“Dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents are possible,” said First Alert Chief Meteorologist Mackenzie Lake. “Some northern communities may reach tsunami warning thresholds. It’s critical to follow local evacuation guidance and remain alert to updates.”

Monitoring and Preparedness

Emergency crews, including the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol, have cleared waterfront parking lots and are monitoring conditions. Officials are also watching ocean buoys and current patterns to assess any further wave activity.

Santa Barbara’s historic Stearns Wharf was closed overnight due to the advisory but reopened to the public early Wednesday morning.

“We encourage residents and visitors of our beautiful coastlines to take time this week to identify tsunami hazard zones and how they would evacuate the beach on foot,” said Kelly Hubbard, Director of the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management. “A few minutes of preparation now can lead to life-saving actions later.”

“We have plans for the waterfront, the harbor, and throughout the city,” added Santa Barbara City Administrator Kelly McAdoo. “We’re in close contact with the county and state emergency offices.”

So far, no significant damage has been reported in either Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo counties, but the advisory is expected to remain in place through the day.

“I would just say wait a day and then enjoy the surf,” said Rourke.

What the Alert Levels Mean

“A tsunami watch means be prepared,” Rourke explained. “An advisory or warning means we’re now confident that a tsunami will strike the area.”

Here’s how tsunami alert levels break down:

Tsunami Watch: A tsunami is possible. Stay alert and monitor official updates.

Tsunami Advisory: Strong currents or waves are expected. Avoid the shoreline.

Tsunami Warning: Inundation is imminent or occurring. Take immediate action.

Hawaii Also Felt the Impact

In Hawaii, alerts were issued and some residents evacuated low-lying areas. Percy Sallis, a wedding planner from Buellton visiting Waikiki, shared his experience.

“I was actually out shopping when our phones started going off,” Sallis said. “It was a little surreal, but people stayed calm. Stores closed quickly, and people near the beach evacuated to higher ground.”

Hotel guests were instructed to stay on the fifth floor or higher.

“Luckily, I was on the 15th. We just stayed in place and waited for more information,” Sallis said.

By Wednesday morning, conditions in Hawaii had stabilized, though the advisory remained in effect.

“It’s quiet now. People are just settling in and trying to get some rest,” he added.

Historical Context and Local Preparedness

The last significant tsunami advisory for California’s Central Coast occurred in 2011, following the Japan earthquake, which caused localized surges and minor harbor damage.

Stephen Williams, with the Montecito Sanitary District, said his team is taking precautions.

“We’ve been through debris flows, fires—caution is key. Be alert, be prepared. Better safe than sorry.”

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Santa Barbara is actively working on its response to community requests for assistance and future planning regarding the impacts of immigration enforcement actions.

The recent incidents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions have raised concerns and in some cases, caused fear in the community.

Some families have lost a member to an arrest and relocation, creating financial hardships and housing instability.

A recent town hall meeting drew a standing room only crowd for hours on the Santa Barbara Eastside. 

When it ended, the decision was made to have a focused session that could include results to gain more information about ICE raids, immigration rights, assistance for those impacted and information about the economic repercussions.

That meeting is set for Santa Barbara City Hall at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Public comments will be taken.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Efforts are underway to keep the festive confetti during Old Spanish Days from getting into the ocean.

On the storm drains throughout downtown Santa Barbara, black tarps have been secured with tape.

This will prevent the mounds of confetti during the Fiesta celebration from making it through the system and into the nearshore waters.

The city is also working to keep the plastic mylar forms of confetti from being sold or used in any way.

It is the most harmful to marine life.

The covers have been used for several years and have been proven to be effective.

The cascarones eggs, which are full of confetti, are sold and smashed on people’s heads by the thousands during the city’s historic celebration.

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