Santa Barbara County News and Events

Spring Semester Begins at Hancock College, Enrollment Continuing to Climb to Pre-Pandemic Numbers

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Hancock College Students
Dave Alley/KEYT

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Thousands of students returned back to class on Tuesday to mark the beginning of a new spring semester at Allan Hancock College.

According to the school, more than 10,800 students are enrolled in both credit and non-credit courses between the college's two campuses, its main site in Santa Maria and its Lompoc Valley Center.

"It's going great," said Chris McGuinness, Hancock College Public Affairs and Communications Analyst. "We're really excited to have students come back to campus. The students are excited to be back and we're just really excited to be able to welcome them back."

To help welcome the students back to the campus, the school provided a number of information tables today to help them find classes, answer questions and offer free refreshments.

"We just really want to make sure we're here to make their experience coming back, whether they're returning or even if it's their first time on campus, just to make it a memorable and really welcoming experience for them," said McGuinness.

The number of students enrolled this semester continues a steady climb for Hancock to reach pre-pandemic numbers.

Since enrollment plunged during the height of the Covid-19 era a few years ago, students have been returning in increasing numbers during each semester.

"There were a lot of challenges with Covid," said McGuinness. "Obviously, enrollment was one of them, but we have been seeing those numbers go back up."

McGuinness also pointed out the school continues to provide students with a wide array of resources and support students with assistance offered on both campuses.

"There's academic counseling, there's financial aid, there's tutoring," said McGuinness. "We've got our clothing closet, our food bank. They can get help with transportation. We really try to have a lot of programs and support and services that remove obstacles for students so they can come here and feel prepared and feel ready to learn and really focus on their educational goals. We really encourage students to take advantage of all the resources and support they have here at the college and that'll help them get off to a really good start here during the spring semester."

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Un final de película para el año soñado de la Universidad de Indiana

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Por Juan Alvarado, CNN en Español

Todo alumno y exalumno de la Universidad de Indiana conoce la icónica frase “Esto es Indiana”.

Es casi una tradición en esta universidad que en la primera semana de clases los estudiantes de mayor grado le enseñan a los más jóvenes la letra de la canción “This is IU”, la cual fue escrita por dos exalumnos del centro educativo con el objetivo de promover la comunidad y el compañerismo dentro de la universidad. Esto utilizando a sus equipos deportivos como herramienta.

Hasta hace unos días, los Hoosiers entonábamos este tema para destacar las grandes hazañas de la universidad dentro del mundo del baloncesto. IU tiene 5 campeonatos nacionales de la NCAA y es uno de los equipos más tradicionales del país en el deporte ráfaga.

IU también destaca en otras disciplinas como el fútbol, en donde tiene 8 campeonatos nacionales. Además, tiene una larga lista de graduados que formaron parte en unos Juegos Olímpicos, en donde incluso se llevaron medallas. Por ejemplo, los legendarios nadadores Mark Spitz y Lilly King asistieron a IU.

Pero lo que ningún Hoosier imaginó es que un día íbamos a poder cantar nuestras canciones e himnos por motivo de celebración por la obtención de un título nacional de fútbol americano universitario.

Fue la noche soñada en Miami: los Hoosiers llegaron desde Indiana y con ellos una brisa fría más propia del medio oeste de Estados Unidos que de las costas del sur de la Florida.

Las camisetas de color rojo y blanco eran mayoría en las tribunas del Hard Rock y aunque en el papel se esperaba un resultado más cómodo, Indiana le dio la alegría de la vida a su comunidad.

Los Hoosiers se hicieron escuchar tanto dentro del campo como en los asientos de como del Estadio Hard Rock y vencieron por 27 – 21 a su similar de Miami para así conseguir el primer título nacional de su historia.

Lo que hace unos años parecía imposible, ahora es una realidad para los seguidores de los Hoosiers que tras asegurar el título se dirigieron a distintos locales comerciales para celebrar su histórico triunfo hasta altas horas de la madrugada en Miami o en cualquiera de las ciudades en donde vieron la gran final.

Las emociones, aclaro, son una mezcla de sorpresa y felicidad: Indiana nunca destacó en el fútbol americano universitario y prácticamente de la noche a la mañana se convirtió en el programa más fuerte de Estados Unidos.

Sin embargo, el sentimiento principal es igual para todos los seguidores de los Hoosiers y este es uno de gratitud por tener la oportunidad de presenciar en vida un momento de tanta magnitud para todo lo que significa Indiana.

Los Hoosiers arrancaron la temporada 2025 como el equipo con el mayor número de derrotas en toda la historia de la primera división con un total de 175.

Este número quedó intacto durante toda la campaña, debido a que tras 16 partidos Indiana se consagró como el campeón nacional sin perder un solo encuentro.

Los Hoosiers derrotaron por 27 – 21 a la Universidad de Miami en el Estadio Hard Rock en el partido por el campeonato y levantaron así la primera corona nacional de su historia con un récord de 16-0.

Se igualó así el registró de la Universidad de Yale que en 1894 también terminó su temporada invicta tras 16 encuentros.

Podría decirse que todo cambió para los Hoosiers el 30 de noviembre de 2023. La llegada del entrenador Curt Cignetti al banquillo de Indiana marcó un antes y un después. En solo dos campañas los Hoosiers pasaron de ser uno de los peores equipos de la división al campeonato nacional.

El impacto de Cignetti fue inmediato, en su primera temporada Indiana alcanzó por primera vez la postemporada del fútbol universitario y en su segunda ganó todo lo que jugó.

Además del título nacional los Hoosiers levantaron el Campeonato de la Conferencia Big Ten, el título del Rose Bowl y e

Spain rocked by second rail tragedy in days: Barcelona passenger train derails after dozens killed in southern collision

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By Pau Mosquera and Rocío Muñoz-Ledo, CNN

Córdoba, Spain (CNN) — At least one person has died and 37 were injured on Tuesday after a passenger train derailed in Gelida, near the Spanish city of Barcelona, a spokesperson for the regional government of Catalonia told CNN.

The incident occurred just two ⁠days after another deadly rail crash in Spain, in which two high-speed trains collided near Adamuz in the southern Córdoba province, killing 41 people.

Tuesday’s accident involved a commuter service on the R4 line — used by thousands of passengers daily –- as the train was traveling between the municipalities of Gelida and Sant Sadurní d’Anoia in the northeast of the country.

The derailment was caused when a retaining wall fell onto the tracks following heavy rains, according to the Civil Protection of Catalonia’s regional government.

The incident occurred around 10:00 p.m. local time (4:00 p.m. ET), according to a statement from the train operator.

Emergency services received 28 calls related to the incident. Twenty ambulances from the Medical Emergency System (SEM) and 38 units from the regional fire department were dispatched to the scene.

The regional fire department of Catalonia reported that they established a security zone and proceeded to shore up both the retaining wall and the train to stabilize the scene. They also evacuated the injured outside of the so-called “hot zone” so they could be treated by local emergency services. Authorities said it was necessary to “extricate” one person who remained trapped inside the train.

Several people were treated for injuries of varying severity, including the train driver, who was assisted by the first responders.

The Minister of Interior and Security, Nuria Parlón, and the Minister of Territory, Silvia Paneque, are traveling to the scene of the accident.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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Measles elimination status ‘not really’ a concern, CDC official says

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By Sarah Owermohle, Deidre McPhillips, Meg Tirrell, CNN

(CNN) — Ongoing measles outbreaks in multiple parts of the country are threatening the United States’ status as a nation that has eliminated the virus’ spread, but a CDC leader said Tuesday that the potential change is not a big concern.

Tuesday’s briefing was federal officials’ first on a continuing South Carolina outbreak that has totaled at least 646 cases, according to the state’s health department. There were roughly 760 cases in the West Texas outbreak last year, making it one of the largest and deadliest measles outbreaks that the US has seen in decades.

US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Principal Deputy Director Dr. Ralph Abraham, a former Louisiana surgeon general who ended some vaccine promotion in his state, argued at the briefing Tuesday that transmission between these states, as well as other outbreaks, has not been proved. But he also said that the US losing elimination status would not be a grave concern.

“Losing elimination status … does not mean that the measles would be widespread, nor would it alter any key measles elimination strategies,” said Abraham, who joined CDC this month. He added that “vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles” but that he supports personal freedom.

The US recorded 2,242 measles cases in 2025, according to CDC data, the most since 1991. The disease was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, and the Pan American Health Organization could decide to revoke that status when it meets in April.

Asked during the briefing whether he would see that as a significant loss, Abraham said, “not really.”

“It’s just the cost of doing business with our borders,” Abraham said. “We have these communities that choose to be unvaccinated. That’s their personal freedom.”

He added that the CDC’s role is to support those communities and help minimize effects of measles.

“The message that I certainly want to send as the deputy director here is, we’re open for business. We’re here to help, we understand concerns that those communities may have, and we’re willing to listen to alternatives” for treatment and prevention, he said.

Ninety-three percent of cases recorded in the US last year, and 95% so far in 2026, had not received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the CDC.<

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