SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Your poetic words or story about Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara could win you a cash prize.

Old Spanish Days is now hosting a poetry contest.

The month of May has been designated as the "Fiesta Poetry Month" by 2026 El Presidente Colin Hayward.

El Presidente Hayward has selected a distinguished panel to judge this year’s inaugural Fiesta
Poetry Contest. The judges include current Santa Barbara Poet Laureate George Yatchisin as
well as former Santa Barbara Poets Laureate Perie Longo, David Starkey, and Melinda Palacio.
The group will be joined by Father Larry Gosselin.

There will be several age groups for this competition. Cash prizes of $100, $200, and $300 will be awarded after the deadline which is May 31.

For more information go to: Fiesta Poetry Contest.

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The post Fiesta Poetry Contest Begins in the Month of May appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

CNN

By Em Steck, Andrew Kaczynski, Casey Tolan, Rob Kuznia, CNN

(CNN) — The suspect charged in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting shared posts comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler and encouraged others critical of his presidency to purchase guns, according to a CNN review of two social media accounts that appear to belong to him.

The accounts linked to 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, who appeared in court today on charges of attempting to assassinate Trump, shifted in recent years from posts about video games to angrier political messages.

The postings also echo arguments in a message Allen allegedly sent family members before the attack that laid out a plan to target Trump administration officials and expressed anger at their actions.

Investigators believe that the posts, as well as information taken from multiple electronic devices seized over the past few days, show Allen’s animosity towards Trump and his administration, sources familiar with the investigation told CNN.

A senior Justice Department official confirmed to CNN that Allen used the X account handle “CForce3000.” The account has been taken offline, but CNN reviewed more than 4,000 posts that are saved on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.

CNN also reviewed more than 700 archived posts from the now-offline @coldforce.bsky.social account on the social media network Bluesky. That account also appears to belong to Allen based on biographical details it posted that matched Allen’s life, as well as the similar username and content posted on the X account. In the message Allen allegedly sent family members, he signed off with the nickname “coldForce.”

On X, Allen appeared to post largely about video games in 2022, encouraging users to check out his YouTube channel, which featured dozens of short videos about the popular Nintendo game Super Smash Bros. before the account was taken down.

By 2024, archived tweets show him resharing political content from other users. Allen repeatedly retweeted posts on X comparing Trump to Hitler, as well as a post advocating for nullifying that year’s election results. In the wake of the attempted assassination of Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, Allen retweeted posts baselessly speculating that the attack could have been staged.

Trump is “quite capable of having staged a fake assassination attempt on himself to trick the American public,” argued one user in a message that Allen retweeted.

Allen appears to have started posting on the Bluesky social media platform in February 2025, a few weeks into Trump’s second term. That account frequently criticized the Trump administration’s policies and lamented that more powerful figures weren’t taking action against the president.

“Everyone already knows trump is a f**king awful person in multiple dimensions and no one has done sh*t,” the “coldforce” account wrote in April 2025.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a press conference with other Justice Department officials Monday that investigators are probing any connection

By Kaanita Iyer, Jack Clifton, CNN

(CNN) — Seven candidates have qualified to participate in CNN’s California gubernatorial primary debate on May 5.

Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton, along with Democrats Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer and Antonio Villaraigosa, are eligible to take part in the debate, which will take place at 6 p.m. PT (9 p.m. ET) in the Los Angeles area. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and Elex Michaelson will moderate.

The state’s nonpartisan primary is set for June 2. The top two candidates, regardless of party, will advance to the general election.

CNN will unveil the May 5 stage, including podium placements, on Wednesday evening.

California Democrats are worried that the long list of Democratic candidates could split the vote on the left, making room for one or both major Republicans to make the November ballot. The race was scrambled after Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race and resigned from Congress following sexual misconduct allegations that Swalwell has denied and described as “flat false.”

To qualify for the debate, candidates had to receive at least 3% support among likely primary voters in two California gubernatorial polls or an average of 3% support in two California gubernatorial polls conducted by polling organizations whose methodology meets CNN’s standards for reporting.

In addition, candidates must have raised, contributed, or loaned at least $1 million for this specific gubernatorial campaign.

The debate will air live on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español. It will also be available to stream for subscribers.

Here’s what to know about the candidates.

Xavier Becerra

The former health and human services secretary under Joe Biden, Becerra is positioning himself as vying to be “California’s health care governor.”

His policy proposals include working toward a single-payer healthcare system and immediately implementing “cost-containment strategies” to make healthcare more affordable.

Becerra is trying to differentiate himself from Steyer, a billionaire investor who just launched an ad attacking his HHS record, by pointing to his middle-class background . He previously told CNN’s Dana Bash, “This race will come down to those who’ve earned it versus those who are trying to buy it.”

Chad Bianco

Bianco, the sheriff of Riverside County, has made public safety the centerpiece of his campaign, promising to provide more resources to law enforcement agencies and calling for harsher penalties for “repeat violent offenders.” Bianco has also focused on affordability, attacking California Democrats for raising taxes.

He is currently facing lawsuits after he seized more than 650,000 ballots from the special election in November that enacted new, Democratic-friendly US House maps. Bianco has said his probe was legal and approved by a Riverside County judge.

Steve Hilton

A former Fox News host who once worked in British politics, Hilton has received the endorsement of President Donald Trump. He has blamed Democrats for high housing costs and gas prices in California and said he believes voters in the state want change.

His campaign’s priority has been reducing taxes. He has vowed to impose no taxes on incomes under $100,000 and a 7.5% flat tax rate on anything above that.

Hilton, a British immigrant who moved to California in 2012, worked for the UK’s Conservative Party during Margaret Thatcher’s tenure and served as a senior adviser to former Prime Minister David Cameron.

Matt Mahan

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) California voters may be surprised to see the long list of candidates named printed in the Voter Information Guides and Sample Ballot this election season.

Chief Deputy Registrar of Voters Martin Cobos said now it the time to study the information inside the guide.

"As you can see there are 61 candidates for Governor, which is a lot, and there are 16 for Lieutenant Governor and it takes the entire front side of the ballot. We urge you and hope that you will make your choice early and cast your vote early and not wait until Election Day, because it you haven't decided among those 61 people it may take awhile," said Cobos.

Although a some candidates including Eric Swallwell and Betty Yee have dropped out of the Primary Election there names are still on the ballot.

The names do not start alphabetically with A.

"The state of California has a rotation, so, they randomly select the alphabet and within that selection is how they determine which name comes first and which name comes second or third or in this case 61st," said Cabos.

All the names are capitalized.

The first name on the ballot is Lukasz Adam Filinski and the last is Max Fomin.

Both have no party preference.

A chaplain on the ballot who goes by the name LivingForGod AndCountry Demott also has no party preference.

Since this is an Open Primary there are people of all parties on the ballot.

Voters are only allowed to cast a vote for one candidate for Governor and one for Lt. Gov.

"It is overwhelming when you look at that page and see 61 candidates and 16 for Lt. Gov take your time you can only vote for one choose the candidate you would like to vote for and vote for one, most importantly vote, second vote early," said Cobos.

Elections Divisions Manager Christina Valenzuela said some people may get more than one guide in the mail if they have more than one voter living at the same address.

"County voter info guide it is voted to every voter however if you would like to receive yours via email you can opt out of receiving this guide or at least one person in your family can opt out and receive it electronically that will save taxpayers money, save on the usage of more paper so just signing up it is on our website we have an opt out program just sign up and we will send your voter information guide electronically," said Valenzuela.

Ballots will be sent, out on Monday May 4.

There are 61 polling locations in Santa Barbara County if you include the Elections Office.

There are 18 drop boxes in Santa Barbara County. Ballots may be dropped off at any time of day or night.

People may also mail them at the post office.

As long as they are postmarked by Election Day and received at the Election Office within 7 days they will be counted.

Election Day is Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

The top two vote-getters will be on the ballot Nov. 3.

For more information visit your county's election website.

The website in Santa Barbara County is https:[email protected] or call 1-800-722-8683.

Your News Channel will have more on the Voter Information Guide tonight on the news.

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The post Candidates for California Governor to Appear in Second Debate on Tuesday appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.