The post New Year Events Happening in Downtown Santa Barbara appeared first on edhat.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - Santa Barbara is facing another round of rain as storms continue after Christmas week.

With repeated downpours falling during the holiday season, questions are emerging about how wet weather could influence downtown shopping activity.

A store owner at Crafters Library says rainy conditions may discourage visitors, particularly tourists who drive much of downtown foot traffic, while indoor, experience-based shops could be less affected.

The impact of back-to-back storms on retail remains to be seen as the rain continues.

The post Back-to-Back Rains Raise Questions for Santa Barbara Retail appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Small Plane Crashes Near Highway 101 in Goleta, Two Seriously Injured

A small plane crash along Highway 101 north of the Storke Road offramp left a shocking scene for those traveling through the Goleta area back in January. Two professional pilots employed by filmmaker Robert Zemeckis were seriously injured in the fiery scene.

Flight data shows the Cirrus SR22 departed Santa Barbara Airport at 1:51 p.m. The crash occurred a short time later around 2:15pm.

Videos captured by witnesses, including Steve Epstein, shows the aircraft engulfed in flames, burning while bystanders and California Highway Patrol officer Ricardo Ayala rushed over a fence to assist the pilots. Click here to read more.

UCSB Student Dies Following a Fall from Campus Residence Hall, Family Confirms

The death of UC Santa Barbara freshman Elizabeth Hamel broke hearts amongst students and community members when news broke the 18-year-old had died of injuries sustained after a fall from an on-campus residence hall in February.

On the night of February 14th, Hamel was found unconscious outside San Rafael Hall following what seemed to be a night out with friends. Elizabeth was pronounced dead on February 20th. With little transparency from the university, questions arose around the young girl's death – How did Elizabeth gain access to a building she didn't live in? And who is the young man she was last seen with?

Just recently, UC Police officially ruled Hamel's death as an “accidental fall.” However, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office confirmed to Your News Channel that "the case is under review."

Her father Alain describes her as "talented, beautiful, glamorous, intelligent, and funny — all of those things." She was incredibly kind, and "cared so deeply about her friends, always thinking about how to make them happy, how to help them, and how to show up for them." Click here to read more.

Family Members confirm Body found near McGrath State Beach in Oxnard to be Missing Teen

The body of San Fernando Valley teen, Oscar Omar Hernandez, was discovered in Oxnard in April just a few days after his family had reported him miss

Por CNN en Español

Los líderes opositores de Venezuela María Corina Machado y Edmundo González Urrutia dijeron este miércoles que en 2026 se “consolidará la libertad” de su país, mientras el canciller de Venezuela, Yván Gil, destacó la capacidad de “resistencia” de su país en medio de las crecientes tensiones con Estados Unidos.

Machado y González Urrutia afirmaron que mantienen su compromiso con la “lucha” iniciada tras denunciar fraude en las elecciones presidenciales de 2024, en las que las autoridades electorales declararon ganador a Nicolás Maduro, aunque no han hecho públicas las actas de votación detalladas para verificar el resultado.

“El 2026 será el año de la consolidación de la Libertad de nuestra nación”, escribió Machado en la red social X, junto a un video en el que aparece González Urrutia, quien asegura ser el “presidente electo”. En el mensaje, la opositora señaló que durante 2025 se dieron “pasos decisivos” y “logros enormes”, pese a los retos diarios.

González Urrutia sostuvo que el país “tiene un camino posible, realista y democrático” que requiere “orden, constancia y compromiso colectivo”, y afirmó que “cuando una nación decide avanzar no hay marcha atrás”.

Ambos dirigentes se encuentran fuera de Venezuela. Machado salió del país a mediados de diciembre para recibir el Premio Nobel de la Paz 2025, tras permanecer once meses en la clandestinidad, mientras que González Urrutia se exilió en España en septiembre pasado, al denunciar persecución política. Machado anunció el 24 de diciembre su intención de regresar a Venezuela y prometió informar sobre “nuevos pasos” para concretar una “victoria”.

Mientras tanto, el Gobierno de Maduro destacó este miércoles la capacidad de resistencia de su país frente a lo que califica de presiones externas. El canciller Yván Gil afirmó que Venezuela ha sabido sostener “la unidad y la dignidad” ante las adversidades y aseguró que 2025 dejó “enseñanzas y fortalezas” que refuerzan la capacidad del país para resistir la presión internacional.

“En este cierre de año, la Cancillería de Venezuela dirige un saludo de gratitud y esperanza a todo el pueblo, que con tenacidad y determinación ha sabido sostener la unidad y la dignidad frente a las adversidades y las amenazas de todo tipo”, dijo Gil en un mensaje en Telegram de fin de año.

Gil auguró un 2026 “cargado de oportunidades”, en un contexto de tensiones con Estados Unidos por el despliegue de activos militares estadounidenses en el mar Caribe. Los funcionarios estadounidenses insisten en que el objetivo es combatir al narcotráfico, pero la jefa de gabinete de la Casa Blanca de Trump, Susie Wiles, afirmó recientemente en una entrevista con Vanity Fair que los ataques a embarcaciones buscaban forzar a Maduro a “rendirse”. Caracas, por su parte, denuncia que se trata de una amenaza.

Las fricciones aumentaron tras el anuncio del presidente Donald Trump de un bloqueo a petroleros sancionados que transporten crudo venezolano y la confiscación de dos buques en días recientes. Trump también afirmó que Estados Unidos atacó una “gran instalación” portuaria vinculada al narcotráfico, sin precisar el lugar.

CNN reportó que la CIA ejecutó un ataque con drones en diciembre contra una instalación portuaria en la costa venezolana, que el Gobierno de EE.UU. creía que estaba siendo utilizado por la banda venezolana Tren de Aragua para almacenar drogas y trasladarlas a embarcaciones para su posterior envío, según las fuentes.

By Hannah Rabinowitz, Tierney Sneed, Casey Gannon, CNN

(CNN) — The House Judiciary Committee on New Year’s Eve released a transcript and video of its closed-door hearing with Jack Smith, the former special counsel who led the two failed prosecutions of President Donald Trump.

The deposition conducted earlier this month lasted more than eight hours, during which Smith was grilled by lawmakers over the twin criminal investigations into Trump – one probing the mishandling and retention of classified documents and a second inquiry into his role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election.

“The decision to bring charges against President Trump was mine, but the basis for nine of those charges rests entirely with President Trump and his actions, as alleged in the 10 indictments returned by grand juries in two different districts,” Smith told the committee.

Republican lawmakers have lambasted the investigations as alleged “weaponization” of the justice system against the president and his allies, particularly criticizing Smith for subpoenaing the phone records of lawmakers who spoke with Trump about the election scheme.

Smith vehemently denied his work was politically motivated.

Giving testimony was a significant risk for Smith as Trump has called for him to be prosecuted.

CNN has reached out to Smith for comment.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

The-CNN-Wire
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