SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - More than 200 representatives from non-profits in Santa Barbara County have come together with many looking at collaborations in the future.

This comes at a time when federal funds are being cut back on many levels, and the impacts are being felt in local communities.

In a special gathering called "State of Non-Profits," the Santa Barbara Foundation brought leaders with ideas and plans together in one room. It took place Tuesday morning at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort.

Those attending were especially concerned about funding cuts, future needs, expectations, trends and working with similar groups.

Among those sharing an example was Steve Windhager the CEO of the Santa Barbara Botanic Gardens. Windhager says they have a botanist who will be working with the National Park Service on the recovery efforts involving sensitive species at the 18,000 acre Santa Rosa Island fire. This comes as that government position is not currently filled and the non profit has the resources locally.

Another collaboration involved groups working together to get a special school bond passed in Lompoc to upgrade facilities. It had previously failed.

Leaders said they are frustrated with the impacts of housing costs and pay limitations (with rising inflation) when it comes to hiring the staff they need.

Several leaders said working together is "absolutely" critical right now.

(More details, photos and video will be added later today.)

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

The post Local Non-Profits Combine Forces as Many Face Dwindling Funds appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

By Daniel Dale, CNN

(CNN) — Another softball interview. Another series of obvious lies from the president.

President Donald Trump’s conversation with conservative New York Post columnist and podcaster Miranda Devine, released on Wednesday morning, featured some of Trump’s longest-debunked false claims about elections, the economy and immigration. As with his inaccurate comments in a Fox News interview that aired on Saturday, which was conducted by his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, these assertions went unchallenged.

Here is a fact check of some of his remarks in the Post interview. This is not intended as a comprehensive list.

Elections

Mail-in ballots: Trump falsely claimed, as he has on numerous previous occasions, “We’re the only country in the world that has mail-in ballots. No other country does it anymore.”

In fact, dozens of countries  — including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany and Switzerland  — allow some or all voters to vote by mail, though the specifics of their policies vary.

The 2020 election: Trump repeatedly uttered his familiar lie that the 2020 election was “rigged,” this time adding that “it’s been proven to be rigged.” Trump lost fair and square to Joe Biden, the election wasn’t “rigged,” and – five-and-a-half years later — there is no proof for Trump’s assertion.

Trump also said of Biden: “Should have never been president. He lost the election in a landslide.” Biden actually won the election 306 to 232 in the Electoral College, and he earned more than 7 million more votes than Trump did.

Trump’s election performance: Trump lied of his election performance: “I won it three times.” Trump won the 2016 and 2024 elections and lost the 2020 election.

The 2024 election: Trump described the 2024 election he won as “a great election,” but then said, “They had a lot of rigging going on there too,” adding, “There were areas that were just rigged. I could see it. In other words, rigged against me.” There is no basis for these claims, either; Trump won the election legitimately but lost some communities and states legitimately.

Democrats and elections: Trump repeated his lie that Democrats “couldn’t win” without cheating, also saying, “If they didn’t cheat, they could not win because their policies are so bad” and that “if they didn’t cheat you wouldn’t have them in.” This is simply baseless; Democrats, like Republicans, win elections legitimately.

Ballots in California: Reprising a false claim he made in May, Trump said, “You know, in California, they mail out 38 — I think 38 million ballots.” He added, “And some people get three, four, five ballots. Republicans get, oftentimes, none.” Both of these claims are incorrect. California had about 22.6 million voters registered as of about two weeks prior to the last presidential election and about 23.2 million voters registered Read more

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - During Tuesday's meeting, the City Council of Santa Maria began to consider a possible annual winter closure of the Paul Nelson Aquatics Center.

City leaders say they were surprised at the amount of public interest that continues to flood in.

As the issue is embedded within the much bigger discussions about the city’s budget challenges, city leaders say the exact course of action is less than pool-water clear.

In light of how much it costs to keep the facility running, the low revenue stream from its use has placed it on a list of budgetary considerations.

City leaders say a large crowd formed at Tuesday night’s council meeting, reinforcing a continuous flood of emails urging the council to keep the pool open year-round.

During public comment, retired Allan Hancock College professor Nancy Jo Ward said closing the pool would have even more of an adverse affect on the community than its current low revenue stream.

Ward said that, in addition to schools’ use of the pool for teaching the lifesaving skill of swimming to kids who live close to the ocean being vital to public safety, local seniors use the pool for crucial exercise and health practices — not to mention the high recreational summer use.

In light of the various concerns, the City Council has decided to keep the pool open for the time being, delaying their ultimate decision as they consider alternative options.

The city will be speaking with the stakeholders, and the discussion will be revisited at the city council’s next meeting on June 16th.

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With The Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

The post Community Rallies Against City Council To Close Paul Nelson Aquatic Center appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Por Mauricio Torres, CNN en Español

La presidenta encargada de Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, llegó este miércoles a India para una visita de cinco días en la que buscará estrechar la cooperación bilateral en economía, comercio, cultura, tecnología, industria y salud, informó el Gobierno venezolano en un comunicado.

Rodríguez aterrizó en el Aeropuerto Palam de Nueva Delhi, donde la recibió el secretario adjunto y jefe de División para América del Sur del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de India, Aman Puri, dijo el Gobierno.

A la presidenta encargada la acompañan los embajadoras de ambos países y un grupo de altos funcionarios de Venezuela, entre quienes están el canciller Yván Gil; la ministra de Transporte, Jacqueline Faría, y la ministra para Ciencia y Tecnología, Gabriela Jiménez.

En su canal de Telegram, Rodríguez dijo que busca llevar a India un mensaje “de paz, amistad y cooperación”.

“En este país valeroso, espiritual y gran potencia económica, cumpliremos una fructífera agenda de trabajo orientada a fortalecer áreas de cooperación en beneficio de nuestro pueblo; avanzando en el camino de la complementariedad y el desarrollo compartido entre nuestras naciones”, señaló.

La visita de la presidenta encargada concluirá el 7 de junio, según el comunicado oficial.

Rodríguez realiza esta gira tras haber cumplido este mes cinco meses al frente del Gobierno de Venezuela, luego de que el presidente Nicolás Maduro fuera capturado en un operativo militar de Estados Unidos en Caracas y otras ciudades venezolanas. Estados Unidos acusa a Maduro de delitos de narcoterrorismo, narcotráfico y armas, cargos que él rechaza.

Desde la captura de Maduro, quien permanece detenido en Nueva York, Rodríguez ha condenado la operación estadounidense, pero al mismo tiempo se ha declarado dispuesta a establecer una nueva relación de cooperación y respeto con el Gobierno de Donald Trump.

En los cinco meses que tiene como presidenta encargada, Rodríguez también salió de Venezuela para viajar a La Haya, donde, ante la Corte Internacional de Justicia (CIJ), defendió los argumentos de su país en la disputa legal que mantiene con Guyana por el territorio del Esequibo.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

The post Delcy Rodríguez continúa con su diplomacia de apertura y llega a India con mensaje de “paz, amistad y cooperación” appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

By Alayna Treene, Kevin Liptak, CNN

(CNN) — One of the key sticking points remaining in negotiations between the US and Iran centers on monetary compensation, as President Donald Trump is eager to strike a deal that will be viewed as superior to a prior agreement inked during the Obama administration, a US official familiar with the talks told CNN.

Iran has communicated to mediators that they want some form of financial compensation to be released as soon as the two sides agree on an initial memorandum of understanding, the official said, and not withheld for a future date.

But Trump administration officials are concerned that any unfreezing of funds at such an early stage could lessen the economic pain the US has inflicted on Iran throughout the course of the war — potentially eliminating, or at least weakening, a key leverage point Washington holds over Tehran.

That leverage will be fundamental to the US entering the second phase of negotiations — or “highly technical talks,” as Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to them — on the specifics of Iran’s nuclear program.

Trump has made clear to his team that he wants any agreement to appear far stronger than the deal struck in 2015, and to avoid anything that could be construed as handing over “pallets of cash,” a phrase Trump has invoked to criticize then-President Barack Obama’s decision to give Iran financial compensation.

The president has told advisers he will not sign any deal where the US directly provides money to Iran, according to sources familiar with the matter, mindful of the comparisons to the Obama deal. The 2015 agreement unfroze $1.7 billion for Iran, a figure dwarfed by the $12 billion Iran has sought as part of the current negotiations.

Given Iran is unlikely to agree to any deal that has no compensation, officials acknowledge the issue is as much about public messaging as it is financial logistics. Advisers have worked to develop options that would involve other countries, including Qatar, releasing funds to Iran while the US avoids direct payments to the regime.

Another option would involve unfreezing Iranian assets but restricting them for humanitarian use only – dispersing the money to approved vendors for medicine, food and agricultural goods rather than giving them to the regime itself.

There have also been discussions around an investment fund for Iran that would provide billions of dollars for reconstruction once the two sides reach a final deal, sources have said. The US would not invest in the fund, and the bulk of the money would come from Gulf nations.

The White House has insisted Iran won’t see any financial relief until it relinquishes its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, invoking the refrain “no dust, no dollars” as shorthand for the red line.

“We have control of money that they claim is theirs,” Trump said at a Cabinet meeting last week. “We’ll keep control of that money. When they behave properly, and when they do what’s right, we