This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page A Carpinteria man was arrested on Friday morning after allegedly carrying out a series of robberies in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria The Santa Barbara Police Department (SBPD) and Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office (SBSO) reportedly began investigating the robberies in January Authorities say the first robbery occurred at City Market in Carpinteria on Jan and the second at Mechanics Bank in Santa Barbara on Jan A third related robbery took place at El Corte Perfecto in Carpinteria on March 3 officials report that they identified the suspect in the robbery series as 47-year-old Carpinteria resident Hipolito Francisco Hernandez SBPD says detectives from multiple local agencies tracked Hernandez down in Port Hueneme A subsequent search of the suspect reportedly revealed evidence of the crimes in Hernandez’s possession Hernandez was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail with a bail set at $1 million Navy officer and Senior Engineering Fellow at a Washington D.C.-based defense contractor Bob Smith announced his candidacy for the 24th Congressional District According to Smith, he will be meeting with the Central Committee of the Santa Barbara County Republican Party during their General Meeting on Wednesday, April 16 to secure a potential endorsement of his candidacy and his son Joaquin have lived in Carpinteria for over a decade and Smith cited an interest in continuing to serve his country plans to heal the nation's partisan divide and restore the middle class as reasons for his run in a press release Monday who is a Senior at an out-of-state college "All constituents of the 24th District deserve representation," stated Smith in a press release announcing his candidacy "I will strive for genuine bipartisan solutions Our incumbent representative has a 100% voting record aligned with Democratic leadership yet he continuously speaks about bipartisanship I have yet to hear Representative Carbajal make any substantial statements He is in his fifth term and leads no committees in Congress He has only authored one piece of legislation that has become law: changing the name of a post office in Santa Maria He might be the most ineffective leader to ever serve in Congress." "Our elected officials here in coastal California almost exclusively serve the interests of the far-left wealthy elites," added Smith "They pay lip service to blue-collar workers and Latino immigrants while upholding the status quo for the rich elites and speculators who are buying up all the available properties in the area sending their children to expensive private institutions affordable housing that could devalue their coastal mansions preferring only high-priced electric vehicles while they travel in private jets These towns were built by middle-class workers and Mexican immigrants seeking a better life for their families If we fail to improve conditions for the middle class we risk losing the American Dream and exacerbating the partisan divide." Smith mentioned his 26 years of service in the U.S. Navy in Monday's announcement -from a junior enlisted sailor to a senior officer- thanks to the Navy's Seaman to Admiral program and is originally from the Philadelphia area noted his campaign website's 'About Bob' section Smith dropped out of high school to support himself by working full-time as a laborer at a construction company detailed Smith's campaign website Smith's campaign website's 'Issues' section highlighted jobs and diplomacy with adversarial states as areas of focus for his campaign "The 24th District is one of the worst environments for the middle class in America The middle class is the fabric of our society," argued Smith in his candidacy announcement "The 24th District now has the second-highest poverty rate in California The median family income in Santa Barbara County is $107,000 yet the living wage for a family of four here is rated at $151,000 Middle-class families can no longer own a home save the recommended amount each month for retirement These things are supposed to be the baseline Navy in 1998 and enrolled in night school to complete his school diploma before joining the Seaman to Admiral program and earning a B.S in General Engineering Technology from Old Dominion University shared Smith's campaign website he was commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer in the U.S in Systems Engineering form the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey Smith earned two meritorious service medals Navy's Best Engineer of the Year award in 2023 stated Smith's campaign website "It’s time to reclaim our district for the middle class," concluded Smith's announcement Monday and develop a future tech job market in the 24th District while preserving our agriculture and tourism industries." issued the following statement: "Congressman Carbajal is focused on doing the job he was elected to do and delivering results for the Central Coast While the Trump Administration attempts to dismantle vital services for families Congressman Carbajal is actively defending these programs and working to lower costs for Central Coast residents." Andrew is a Digital Content Producer and Assignment Desk Assistant for News Channel 3-12. For more about Andrew, click here. News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service Privacy Policy Community Guidelines FCC Public File EEO Public File Report FCC Applications Do Not Sell My Personal Information A Santa Barbara ribbon-cutting ceremony today marked the completion of two Highway 101 projects which are now open for use and already relieving traffic congestion Officials say the two projects include seven miles of new carpool lanes a rebuilt freeway with updated drainage improvements 16 rebuilt on and off ramps that help with merging “The Padaro and Summerland segments showcase a strong collaboration between local state and federal partners to bring transportation improvements to our region,” said SBCAG Executive Director Marjie Kirn “I am grateful that the state has invested $560 million to make these improvements along the corridor to relieve traffic congestion and help residents and commuters travel safely," added Senator Monique Limón Commuters from Ventura to Santa Barbara have already noticed this difference community leaders gathered in Summerland to officially celebrate the completion of the latest two segments of a five part project to widen Highway 101 from Carpinteria to Santa Barbara and then our last piece will be in the City of Santa Barbara We need to secure the funding that we need but we're getting close to finalizing that final piece," said Scott Eades The newly completed work includes seven miles of new carpool lanes — A Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge has certified a class-action lawsuit against a Carpinteria-based cannabis grower allowing local homeowners to proceed to trial The ruling marks a significant shift in the legal grounds available for class-action lawsuits against cannabis growers and could have statewide implications “This ruling will send shockwaves throughout California’s cannabis industry particularly in Carpinteria,” said Robert A lead trial attorney and partner at Foley Bezek Behle & Curtis LLP cannabis growers have profited from marijuana cultivation while ignoring their obligation to control the foul odors their operations produce This case is about holding them accountable and ensuring that impacted neighborhoods have a voice.” Lionel Neff, a board member of the Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis, compared the ruling to “a rainbow at the end of a storm” in a report by local investigative journalist Melinda Burns. “It’s a realization that we have real progress filed by residential property owners living within one mile of cannabis growing operations along Casitas Pass Road seeks damages for “the persistent and pervasive cannabis odors” emitted from the nearby farms An image included in the lawsuit illustrates the proximity of some plaintiffs’ homes to large-scale cannabis grows The image depicts a thin yellow line measuring approximately 0.08 miles indicating the distance between the plaintiffs' residences and the cultivation sites according to the law firm representing the plaintiffs Attorneys for the Carpinteria homeowners said the initial hearing for the case is scheduled for March 5 that the people of Carpinteria should no longer suffer under the stench of cannabis invading their homes and devaluing their properties,” Curtis said and reclaiming the right to live in a clean and odor-free community.” Members of the coalition said the ruling benefits everyone living within a mile of the cannabis businesses “I believe this is a win for Carpinteria and all its citizens,” said Jules Nau “We have put in a lot of work as an organization to support this community and make sure the growers are doing the right thing by their neighbors.” Nau clarified that the coalition is not opposed to the cannabis industry but wants to eliminate the odor which is also noticeable at Carpinteria High School and Cate School but it’s mostly because they vent their grows in the morning when people wake up and at night when families are preparing dinner Your News Channel reached out to attorneys representing the listed defendants including Fresno-based Valley Crest Farms LLC—one of the companies named in the lawsuit according to the California Secretary of State’s business registry the attorneys had not responded to requests for comment Valley Crest’s attorneys called the plaintiffs’ arguments for class-action status “wildly overbroad.” In Burns’ investigative report said he did not know whether his client would appeal Anderle’s ruling Curtis said the case is likely to go to trial next March unless a settlement is reached before then Tracy Lehr is a reporter and the weekend anchor for News Channel 3-12. To learn more about Tracy, click here Juliet is your community news reporter covering the South Coast of Santa Barbara County a retired veterinarian and seal watcher for the Channel Islands Marine Wildlife Institute says harbor seal numbers in Carpinteria are declining There should be 200 to 300 right now," Mailheau said Between December 1 and May 31, a 1,500-foot section of beach along Carpinteria’s coast is closed for pupping season a time when harbor seals birth and raise their young "This area is frequented by harbor seals their entire lives They were born here and they established this rookery over 100 years ago She shared data from Carpinteria Seal Watch showing the number of seals in 2004 being around 365 "If somebody comes onto the beach or a person with a dog the entire colony will disband and go out to water They'll come back when the event has ended but studies have shown that less than half will come back," Mailheau said Birder John Callender tells me closing portions of the beach is important to all the local species "Human uses of these environments being so intense in Southern California the birds really take advantage of any place they can find that isn't like that," Callender said Mailheau suggests doing so from the overlook on the bluffs or feeding harbor seals is illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and carries criminal penalties of up to $100,000 and imprisonment - The landmark Palms restaurant in Carpinteria may be coming back after closing during the COVID pandemic The Palms has been around since 1912 when it initially opened as a hotel For most of its operating years it was a "make your own steak" restaurant with reduced prices The Carpinteria City Planning Commission is reviewing some proposed changes by a new owner of the site on Linden Ave and retail area along with a second floor banquet and event space The roof top would have a covered bar and uncovered dining area John Palminteri is senior reporter for KEYT News Channel 3-12. To learn more about John, click here. – Santa Barbara Police Department officers arrested a 47-year-old Carpinteria man Friday morning in Port Hueneme after multiple robberies in both Santa Barbara and Carpinteria The first robbery happened at City Market in Carpinteria on Jan 13 and the third at El Corte Perfecto on March 3 Paired with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office the SBPD investigated and identified the man in Port Hueneme where he was taken into custody for the robberies above Police found a gun in the man's possession as well as other evidence connected to the series of crimes before he was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail with a bail set at $1 million — Santa Barbara County officials are considering a mandate requiring cannabis greenhouse growers to install advanced odor-control technology as complaints over the industry’s “skunky” smell intensify The Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on March 18 on whether to require all indoor cannabis growers to install carbon scrubbers or equivalent clean-air technology within 12 months growers facing supply chain delays or power upgrade issues could apply for hardship extensions The move follows a February recommendation by the county Planning Commission which called the proposed changes to the county’s cannabis ordinance the most consequential to date The commission stated that the odor must stop at the property line of cannabis farms 27 cannabis greenhouse operations are permitted in the Carpinteria Valley home to the majority of the county’s cannabis farms has 138 acres—about 100 football fields’ worth—of permitted cannabis cultivation The odor issue has also led to legal action In a case that could have broad implications for cannabis growers Superior Court Judge Thomas Anderle has ruled that neighbors within a one-mile radius of Valley Crest Farms a greenhouse operation in the Carpinteria Valley can collectively seek damages for the pervasive cannabis smell filed in 2023 at the Santa Barbara Courthouse includes the Santa Barbara Coalition for Responsible Cannabis commercial rosebush farm owners William Hahn and Danielle Dall’Armi At a special Board of Supervisors meeting Friday some residents argued the odor must be completely eliminated citing health issues such as headaches and severe allergies A lot of people have terrible sinus problems,” said one Carpinteria resident who wished to remain anonymous “We’ve just been gaslighted right and left by the people who grow it.” others warned that excessive regulations could drive growers out of business “If we move forward with an odor threshold that’s not conducive to both the neighborhoods and the growers then that’s going to put our growers out of business,” said a speaker at the meeting “Carpinteria is primarily a minority migrant population who work in these farms and who need jobs.” Growers argue that installing carbon scrubbers is a costly burden for an industry already facing financial challenges “Making a push toward carbon scrubbers is a huge change and is drastically expensive,” said Glass House Farms President Graham Farrar It’s technology that we pioneered and helped develop Others believe scrubbers are a necessary investment especially considering the legal costs growers have faced “Rather than fight litigation with neighbors Put money into solutions,” said Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps “There’s a lot of consensus around requiring the best kind of technology to reduce odor dramatically—by 80 to 90%.” The Board of Supervisors unanimously voted in January to explore a mandate for odor-reducing technology Capps said she is hopeful the board will take final action next Tuesday Arab-American producer & reporter with a mission to dig deep in interviews A Santa Barbara stabbing suspect is now facing attempted murder charges Santa Barbara police say an arrest warrant was served on the 1300 block of Dahlia Court in Carpinteria Saturday afternoon was taken into custody on suspicion of attempted murder Detectives also reportedly arrested Alexis Garcia on suspicion of accessory to attempted murder for “aiding and harboring” the suspect according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s office Zermano-Arzate’s arrest was linked to an April 6 investigation where sheriff’s officials say a person arrived at Cottage Hospital in critical condition with multiple stab wounds Sheriff’s officials say it was determined the stabbing had happened that afternoon on the 3100 block of State Street during a fight with multiple people Zermano-Arzate is believed to have been the one to stab the victim and then walk away according to a press release from the sheriff’s office he’s also reportedly facing charges of assault with intent to commit mayhem He was booked into the Santa Barbara County Jail and was being held without bail Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.