DUI Checkpoint in Santa Maria leads to arrest of six allegedly intoxicated drivers

Christer Schmidt

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – The Santa Maria Police Department (SMPD) conducted a DUI checkpoint Saturday night from 6:00 pm to 2:00 am and arrested six drivers on suspicion of driving under the influence.

The checkpoint was held on northbound Broadway, just north of Main Street.

The SMPD says they arrested six drivers who they believed were under the influence of alcohol. They stated that they cited thirteen drivers for driving without a license and two drivers for driving on suspended licenses.

They report that 765 vehicles passed through the checkpoint and 130 drivers were screened.

A first-time DUI conviction can result in an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties and a suspended license.

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Man arrested for assault with a handgun

Christer Schmidt

VENTURA, Calif. – A man was arrested Friday afternoon for assault with a deadly weapon.

At around 1:30 pm, the City of Ventura Police Department received a report of a 29-year-old man with a gun outside a residence on McFarlane Drive, east of Ventura Avenue. The caller said that the suspect had confronted another person with the firearm.

Patrol officers said they responded and identified the suspect, who is a resident of the area.

They say their investigation revealed that a neighbor had a relative visiting who parked near the suspect’s home. The suspect reportedly exited his residence to confront the visitor about loud music from the vehicle.

During the encounter, they say the suspect pulled out a handgun and pointed it at the visitor. Police say he aggressively poked the victim in the chest with the weapon.

The suspect was found with a loaded firearm. He was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and booked into Ventura County Jail.

No injuries were reported during the incident.

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Fundraiser helps Fiesta dancers

Tracy Lehr

GOLETA, Calif.-A fiesta-themed show raised money to help the Old Spanish Days Spirit and Junior Spirit pay for their dresses.

Drew Wakefield hosted a fundraiser again this year on his DrewWakefield 805 radio show.

It took place at the Glen Annie Golf Club, where the dancers performed.

Thanks to generous donations the program raised enough to give them $500 each as well as some gift cards.

Wakefield calls it a tremendous blessing and said the show sows a positive seed.

For more information visit https://wakefield805.com

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Classic yachts compete in 48th McNish Classic

Tracy Lehr

OXNARD, Calif.-The McNish Classic Yacht Race set sail for the 48th time.

Relatives of the race’s namesake Dick McNish crewed on his yacht name Cheerio II.

The yacht was once owned by actor Errol Flynn.

More than half a dozen all-wooden yachts raced off the coast of the Channel Islands Harbor on final Saturday in July.

McNish, 98, used to sail and organize each race at the Pacific Corinthian Yacht Club. (PCYC)

“Oh, grandpa has been at it for awhile, years ago he wanted to race old wooden boats and there weren’t that many races for wooden boats so he decided to start the Pacific Corinthian Yacht Race,” said his son-in-law, Sugar Flanagan.

The club changed the name decades ago in his honor.

McNish created a Cheerio II wine to celebrate, but the winners will be toasting champagne.

The overall winner’s skipper wins their weight in champagne.

For more information visit https://pcyc.org

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Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders return to Oxnard’s Fan Night

Tracy Lehr

OXNARD, Calif.-Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders performed for fans on Fan Night.

Fan Night at The Collection in Oxnard started at 4 p.m.

Local staff, dj’s and the Dallas Cowboy’s mascot Rowdy threw t-shirts, quizzed folks on trivia, and line danced as fans waited patiently for the cheerleaders to arrive.

They filled the stage at 5 p.m.

It’s the third season for cheerleader Sophy Laufer from Simi Valley.

Some of the young cheerleaders in the crowd, including Harper Hunter of Camarillo, hope to become cheerleaders like Sophy, someday.

“I love how they are always so supportive, ” said Hunter.

Mark Petrasso of Port Hueneme came to the event with his wife and watched from lawn chairs.

“I’m here because my wife has been watching the show for years, ” said Petrasso, ” and I got sucked in and we come when they are here and we love it.”

The cheerleaders will be putting on a camp for up and coming cheerleaders at Channel Islands High School on Sunday starting at 2 p.m.

The cheerleaders don’t stay in town for the the training camp, but fans can watch their TV show about making the team on Netflix.

As for the players, they will be practicing at River Ridge playing fields off Vineyard Ave, for the next couple of weeks as the new season gets underway.

For more information visit https://visitoxnard.com

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Grateful fans enjoy Summer Dead Fest in Ventura

Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif.-The first Summer Dead Fest brought four days of music to Ventura.

Grahame Lesh, the son of the late Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, performed with Cubensis.

The musicians headlined the show on Friday night in the Crown Plaza’s top floor ballroom.

The ballroom that had a floor that used to spin, was filled with spinning people taking in every tune,

Some of the fans remember the historic Grateful Dead shows at the nearby Ventura County fairgrounds.

“The Grateful Dead used to play at the Ventura fairgrounds in the 1980s, ’82, ’84, and ’87 and it was amazing,” said Dandy Productions co-founder Dan Stein, “They would have weekends at the fairgrounds and every night after the show all the heads, spinning kids would come over here, they would walk back to their hotels and their campsites, they’d come up to the Holiday Inn at the time, they would walk up, go up the elevator, Top of the Harbor, look at the menu, scoff at the prices, get back in the elevators, go back down in the lobby with their dogs, their tents and they would hang out and wait for the next show to start, waves crashing on the shore, it was a blessed time to be alive and we are just still spinning in that energy, still doing the same thing, honoring the Grateful Dead’s music here in Ventura, now it is the Crown Plaza and we are still connected to all of that and we are going to keep the music alive as long as we can.”

Stein, who joined on the final set on guitar, noticed plenty of young people getting into the music, too.

“This is the first annual Summer Dead Fest and this is going to be the first of many. We plan to do this every year. We also do New Year’s Eve up in the ballroom, we did that this past New Year’s Eve and that’s actually when, right before we opened the doors for that the hotel asked us if we wanted to do a summer music festival, ” said Stein.

The festival also included oceanfront sets, a  Shakedown Street and music workshops.

Some people who attended the Summer Dead Fest will be heading to San Francisco next weekend to see Dead & Company.

They can’t get enough of the music they love.

For more information visit https://summerdeadfest.com

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Two injured in rollover crash in Orcutt

Caleb Nguyen

ORCUTT, Calif. – The Santa Barbara County Fire Department took two people to Marian Regional Medical Center after a rollover crash in Orcutt, just before 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Both patients were the only people in their cars and suffered moderate injuries after one car landed on its roof, according to the SBCFD.

The crash happened on Clark at Orcutt Road and the rollover required extrication for one patient detailed the SBCFD.

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Two Santa Maria juveniles arrested for weapons violation

Christer Schmidt

SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Santa Maria Police Department arrested two juveniles in Santa Maria after responding to a possible firearm incident in the area of Pine Street and Cook Street.

Witnesses reported seeing what they believed to be a juvenile pulling a firearm from his waistband before concealing it again around 7:20 pm.

Officers arrived at the scene and began searching the area. Two juveniles were found who they say matched the description.

Both subjects fled on foot, prompting a brief pursuit.

Officers say both juveniles were apprehended without incident.

Santa Maria Police Department say that one was found in possession of a handgun and the other in possession of loaded magazines.

They were both booked into Santa Maria Juvenile Hall.

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Vandenberg Falcon 9 Launch Planned

Christer Schmidt

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. – SpaceX is set to launch its Falcon 9 rocket carrying 24 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East on Saturday night.

The launch is targeted at 8:55 pm, with additional opportunities available until 10:00 pm.

Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship in the Pacific Ocean.

People in Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura County may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch.

You can view it on their website live.

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Santa Barbara to King Harbor racers hoping for some good wind for their annual event

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – With just a light breeze blowing the Santa Barbara to King Harbor race began in the waters off of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club Friday afternoon.

It is a tradition that is celebrating its 53rd year.

The impressive lineup of dozens of vessels caught the eye of many onlookers at noon when the race took off towards the Channel Islands.

Some of the boats will finish in Redondo Beach tonight. Some on Saturday.

The Yacht Club had events leading up to this race including a pre-party and concert Thursday night.

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