Category: keyt-local-news

Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -(KEYT) – UC Santa Barbara has called a Monday press conference to announce that the Gauchos are accepting an invitation to join the West Coast Conference.

UCSB will play one more season in the Big West and begin competition in the WCC beginning in the 2027-’28 season.

“UC Santa Barbara is recognized as one of the nation’s leading public research universities, delivering an academically rigorous and socially rewarding experience, and committed to excellence,” said Chancellor Dennis Assanis. “We are thrilled to join the West Coast Conference, creating broader exposure and visibility for our athletics and academic programs. Sharing our story of success with new audiences will provide expanded opportunities for world-class academic and athletics experiences for our Gaucho community.”

West Coast Conference Commissioner Stu Jackson, UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Dennis Assanis and UC Santa Barbara Arnhold Director of Athletics Kelly Barsky will be at the press conference at 11 a.m. inside the ICA Building.

“This is a transformative moment for UC Santa Barbara Athletics, one that will bring together and excite our campus and community,” said Kelly Barsky, The Arnhold Director of Athletics. ” We are appreciative of the invitation from the West Coast Conference, and believe this is the right time to join with their expanded West Coast Regional profile and demonstrated academic and athletic excellence. We are grateful for our longstanding history with The Big West Conference, and as we enter into this new chapter both celebrate the history of our Gaucho programs as well as look forward to elevating our exposure, growing our programs and deepening our service to our student-athletes and community.”

“We are delighted and honored to welcome UC Santa Barbara into the West Coast Conference,” said Christopher Callahan, President of University of the Pacific and Chair of the West Coast Conference Presidents’ Council. “UC Santa Barbara brings to the conference athletic excellence and superb academics while preserving our geographic profile, enabling our schools to stay true to the mission of providing superior student-athlete experiences in all of our sports.”

“This is a monumental moment for the West Coast Conference as we grow our membership to 12 institutions for the first time in our history and enhance our national profile with the addition of UC Santa Barbara, ” said West Coast Conference Commissioner Stu Jackson. “We have been energized to expand our full membership to 12, a stated goal of the West Coast Conference Presidents’ Council, while bringing in a valued pattern that aligns with the conference mission. Our regional expansion has been guided by strengthening our competitive excellence and national exposure, with a continued focus on providing an enriching student-athlete experience. UC Santa Barbara Chancellor Dennis Assanis and Director of Athletics Kelly Barsky have demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting athletics and positioning their programs for success in today’s NCAA environment. UC Santa Barbara augments the West Coast Conference as an esteemed partner as We Rise in the West.”

(UCSB Athletics provided quotes for this story).

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Jarrod Zinn

OCEANO, Calif. (KEYT) – Off-roading at the Oceano Dunes is prohibited for now, after a federal court ruled those vehicles violated the Endangered Species Act.

The beach will be closed to vehicles starting next week.

A federal court ruling states that off-road vehicles are contributing to snowy plover deaths, a protected species of shorebird.

“There’s a new aspect to the ruling,” says Zeynep Graves, senior attorney at the Center For Biological Diversity. “And that’s the court’s injunction. The court’s injunction will ensure that harm to these imperiled birds stops unless and until state parks complies with federal law.”

A permanent injunction was issued against future permits for off-road vehicles on the beach south of Arroyo Grande Creek without proper certification known as an incidental “take” permit.

“‘Take’ under the Endangered Species Act is very broadly defined as anything that will harass, harm or kill, amongst other things, or any attempt to engage in such conduct,” says Graves.

Starting April 14th, the beach will be temporarily closed to vehicles until May 22nd, while State Parks completes the Habitat Conservation Plan and obtains the Incidental Take Permit from Fish And Wildlife.

“If State Parks is correct and they get through all this and get the incidental take permit by the end of May, then the park will reopen,” says Jim Suty, spokesman for Friends of Oceano Dunes.

Off-roading in some capacity would then be allowed to return.

“The problem with that is that if they then open it up to vehicles after two months, there’s going to be nests out there,” says Charles Varni, Surfrider Foundation’s SLO Chapter president.

Friends Of Oceano Dunes spokesman Jim Suty says conservation efforts from State Parks and OHV users have been successful in reducing incidents in the last decade.

“There is no program in the entire state that matches what goes on at Oceano Dunes,” says Suty. “See, that’s the part that these environmentalists forget. You close the park, you lose the OHV dollars.”

California State Parks issued the following statement:

California State Parks disagrees with the court ruling to suspend off-highway vehicle recreation at Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA). State Parks operates one of the most successful western snowy plover conservation programs on the West Coast at Oceano Dunes SVRA. This lawsuit does nothing to improve the program and will result in thousands of families losing their camping reservations and coastal recreational access, while cutting operational revenue that funds environmental conservation. We are reviewing our options to continue to effectively maintain both important environmental protections and coastal access for all Californians.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara Bowl had a double dose of Disclosure to open the season this week.

For Disclosure, it’s now off to the desert for the Coachella multi-band annual music festival where they will perform.

The local audience was able to get a preview without having to travel three hours to see the bigger show.

Coming out fans had energetic reviews for the Santa Barbara Bowl as a venue and for what they just saw.

Rikki Kusy saw her first show at the bowl ever. She said, “I love that you can see the stage from wherever you were and the light show was amazing the workers here are the friendliest people.”

Much different than other venues, Alejandro Navarro said, “It’s so easy, getting in, we got here early, we got right to our seats, workers were helping us the whole time.”

Michaela Purcilly has been following the performers for years. “We grew up hearing this music and it’s amazing to hear it, 10-13 years later it’s better than ever.”

For residents living near the Santa Barbara Bowl , 29 shows were on the calendar for this year, with room for a few more.

The artists all end by 10 p.m.

The bowl is a non-profit and a portion of the ticket sales are return to the community for arts education.

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – This weekend you can get the feel of Italy without leaving downtown Santa Barbara.

The first ever La Piazza festival is celebrating Italian culture and the European lifestyle.

It will be held in the Michael Towbes plaza at the Santa Barbara Library.

Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. there will be an open air concert titled “Amore Italiano: Rome, Cinema, and the Music of the Heart,” featuring the combined talents of Jacopo Giacopuzzi and Alvise Pascucci on piano, Camille Miller on violin, and Tommaso Benciolini on flute.

It will be followed by a full day on Saturday and Sunday with food, discussions and more music between noon and 4:30 p.m.

The organizer worked with the library on the use of this new space, and also received a grant to help put on the show.

Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation, Lauren Trujillo, says the promoter is offering music, art, culture, food, and kind of a little bit of everything and a taste of Italy here in Santa Barbara. He wants to bring to life the plaza feeling you get in Italy.

Vendors will have a marketplace as part of the festive day.

This is a free event.

For more information go to : La Piazza

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John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The annual Kite Festival at Santa Barbara City College is on hold until the rain passes through this weekend.

The 40th anniversary of this high flying event was set for Sunday but it is being moved to April 19th.

It will take place in the “Great Meadow” on the west campus lawn.

The hours will be the same 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the new date.

This years theme is “You and Me” in celebration of the cooperation, love and laughter that comes with flying a kite.

April is also Kite Month in the city of Santa Barbara.

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Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is celebrating a major milestone, marking a century of preserving California’s native plants while advancing urgent conservation efforts.

From redwood groves to flowing streams, the garden has welcomed generations of visitors over the past 100 years, offering a living showcase of the state’s natural beauty. Guests say each visit brings something new – with spring blooms, shaded trails, and sweeping landscapes creating an experience that feels both vibrant and ever-changing.

This year’s centennial celebration highlights the garden’s long-standing role as a leader in native plant conservation. Scientists and educators say protecting these plants is essential to sustaining the wildlife and ecosystems that depend on them.

A key focus now carries added urgency: saving the rare Torrey pine. Found naturally in only two locations — near San Diego and on Santa Rosa Island — the species faces unique challenges, including the inability to preserve its seeds through traditional seed banking methods.

To help safeguard its future, the garden has established a dedicated conservation grove. Seeds carefully collected from Santa Rosa Island are being cultivated into young trees, creating a living collection that researchers say is critical to the species’ survival.

The effort is drawing attention from visitors, many of whom say the conservation work adds deeper meaning to their experience. Garden leaders note that more than 100,000 people are expected to take part in the centennial celebration, connecting the public directly with the mission of preservation.

As the garden honors its past, it continues to look ahead — inspiring exploration, education, and action to ensure California’s native landscapes endure for generations to come.

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Ten schools and more than 160 swimmers converged on the pool deck at San Marcos High School for the Tri County Invite.

The Royals were the host with the most winning both the overall girls and boys team competition.

San Marcos girls beat second place Dos Pueblos 522-439.50 and San Marcos boys defeated second place Cate 466.50 -333.50.

In combined scores San Marcos beat Dos Pueblos 988.50 -764.50 with Cate third at 646.50.

Race results can be found here: file:///Users/news.user/Downloads/Tri%20County%20Invite%202026%20Results%20(1).pdf

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Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The rain might wreak havoc across the Central Coast this weekend, but the best ticket in town just might be a place where you don’t have to dodge raindrops, but instead watch it raining threes.

The Oakland Soldiers basketball organization — which launched a Central Coast chapter in 2025 — returns to Santa Barbara on Sunday for its annual Soldier Showcase, which will include the jersey retirement of projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick AJ Dybantsa.

The All-American at BYU played for the Soldiers in 2024, the latest in elite players that have come through the organization, including LeBron James, Aaron Gordon, Gabe Vincent, Kendrick Perkins and dozens of other professional players.

On Sunday, AJ will share the spotlight with a high-flying dunk contest that will feature legendary Southern California dunker Christon Staples; a 3-point contest with former UCSB star Aidan Mahaney; and the spectacle that is playing 1-on-1 against Jerome Randle in a King of the Court competition.

Local families wanting to learn more about grassroots basketball; how the Soldiers address the complex world of youth athletics through their non-profit, the FAM Foundation; and how the organization sets families up for success on and off the court, this event will cater to those looking to be inspired, educated and empowered to take the next step.

Tickets are still available, and you can find them at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/soldiers-showcase

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Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The countdown to the 83rd Annual Santa Maria Elks Rodeo and Parade is now officially underway with the recent announcement of this year’s Queen Contest candidates.

During the annual Queen Kickoff and Auction Dinner held at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge, the candidates and their sponsoring non-profit organizations that were revealed included, Reiyna Sarin (Allan Hancock College Athletic Boosters) Savannah Salcido (Kiwanis Club of Guadalupe), Annabella Williams (Los Alamos Valley Men’s Club), and Morgan Fasse (St. Joseph High School).

“The Queen Kickoff is when they start raising funds for their organizations,” said Elks Recreation President Peter Sterling. “Each one of them has the opportunity to raise as much money as they can and the one that raises the most money is the one that wins the Queen crown.”

Over the next seven weeks, the candidates and sponsoring organizations will raise money through a variety of different fundraisers and events.

“Typically, there’s a couple of auctions going on,” said Sterling. “That’s a lot of the main fundraisers. I have one organization that is raffling off a brand new Corvette. You can buy some tickets for that and at the end of the campaign, they have a drawing and you can be the winner. There’s a lot of fun events that you can go to and a lot of creative ways that they raise money. Check out their Facebook websites and I’ll bet you’ll find something that’ll really interests you.”

The contest will culminate with the announcement of the winner and the coronation of the new Queen on Friday, May 29.

Since it was created more than 80 years ago, the Queen Contest has raised more than $18 million with all the money directly supporting local youth recreation and activities.

“Nothing goes outside of this community,” said Sterling. “The City of Santa Maria and its outlying areas have all benefited from that obviously and we really appreciate it. We’re one of the unique programs that I’ve heard of like this. I haven’t heard of any other organizations in the rodeo, world, that have really tried this kind of a contest.”

The 83rd Annual Santa Maria Elks Rodeo and Parade will be held May 27 through May 31.

Opening night for the second straight year will be the performance of Xtreme Bulls, followed by four consecutive days of the traditional schedule of Elk Rodeo events.

For more information, click here to visit the official Elk Rodeo website at elksrec.com.

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Jarrod Zinn

BUELLTON / SOLVANG, Calif. (KEYT) – The City Of Buellton’s Arts Council is helping a local couple adopt with their first community theatre production, ‘Annie: The Musical.’

The ensemble cast is from several communities in and near the Santa Ynez Valley.

‘Annie: The Musical’ will feature cast members of all ages from all over the Santa Ynez Valley and beyond.

It’s the first performing arts initiative coming from the Buellton Arts Council, opening for only two nights on April 17-18 at the Solvang Festival Theater.

“Tickets are going fast,” says 9-year-old Lily Anne Wolfe, who lives in Buellton and is playing the title character Annie. “You don’t want to wait. You don’t want to wait.”

The company quickly evolved into the Santa Ynez Valley Community Theatre, with cast members from several surrounding communities.

“I really wanted, an intergenerational thing,” says the show’s director, Allison Firey. “So they’re learning from community members who have done this, and then they’re also gaining the really wonderful opportunity to work with professional actors as well.”

Including an appearance from ‘Yours Truly’ as New York City’s famous radio announcer Bert Healy, reminding listeners, “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile.”

“Allison and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet in 2001,” says Lloyd Alexander-Holt, a professional actor from Missouri who is playing Warbucks. “She reached out when the idea first just kind of came to light, and it was just on the drawing board And of course, we were all in.”

The theme of adoption in the show runs close to the heart for many who are involved.

“It makes sense to me,” says Lily Wolfe. “I had the same problem when I found out that I wasn’t with my real parents. But I didn’t go on a big adventure, though. I was just figuring out who it was, like, Annie, trying to find out who it was.”

The director, who lives in Buellton and works for the city, has initiated a fundraising effort in direct connection to the show for a Los Alamos couple who are adopting fraternal twins.

“Cassie’s sister is in a tough position and found out she was pregnant with fraternal twins,” says Nick Conforti. “And she asked us to step in and take them.”

The twins are due next month.

QR codes in the program will lead attendees to the SpotFund page to donate to Nicholas and Cassandra Conforti.

“The adoption piece is very special to me as well,” says Fiery. “My oldest is adopted, and, she made everything whole for us.”

Rehearsing at the Solvang Theater and Jonata Middle School’s multipurpose room in Buellton, the cast is putting the final pieces together, overcoming challenges such as this weekend’s weather.

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