SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Dense housing plans, aging stations and the need for more personnel was all out on the table in a presentation to Santa Barbara City Councilmembers recently.

That led to an allocation of funds to begin planning for specific future actions for the Santa Barbara City Fire. The council unanimously agreed to $100,000 for an immediate station location and facilities master plan. 

There are many concerns or needs for upgrades.

That includes changes to fire station 7 on Stanwood Drive, which is aging and can not be replaced at its current site due to earthquake faults.

Also the historic fire station 3 on Sola Street built in 1929.   

Fire Chief Chris Mailes says the engine in that station has a clearance of "an inch and a half." He said any new fire engine would not fit.

Males is also concerned about the city's development plans now and in the future that could increase the size and capacity of buildings that house people.

He pointed out there is a lateral spread and a vertical spread they plan for and it relates to the "life safety risk."

The department is also looking at adding a quick response team for medical calls. Right now there are about 8,100 calls a year.

Overall, the department is responding to 12,000 calls a year. In 1993, that number was 5,500.

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

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VENTURA, Calif. — As colder temperatures settle into the region, the Ventura Foul Weather Service is stepping in to provide critical support for people experiencing homelessness. The program is offering overnight shelter and warm meals to help individuals stay safe during potentially dangerous weather conditions.

The foul weather shelter opens when temperatures drop and conditions become unsafe, creating a temporary but vital refuge for those with nowhere else to go. Inside, guests are given a warm place to sleep, a hot meal, and access to basic services aimed at meeting immediate needs.

Organizers say the service plays a key role in protecting the community’s most vulnerable residents during winter storms and cold snaps. By opening its doors during severe weather, the program helps reduce the risk of cold-related illnesses and injuries among people living outdoors.

Community partners and volunteers support the effort, ensuring the shelter can operate during periods of high demand. Officials encourage anyone in need of shelter to seek out the service when foul weather is forecast.

The post Ventura Foul Weather Shelter Opens Doors as Cold Weather Moves In appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) — As colder temperatures settle into the region, the Ventura Foul Weather Service is stepping in to provide critical support for people experiencing homelessness. The program is offering overnight shelter and warm meals to help individuals stay safe during potentially dangerous weather conditions.

The foul weather shelter opens when temperatures drop and conditions become unsafe, creating a temporary but vital refuge for those with nowhere else to go. Inside, guests are given a warm place to sleep, a hot meal, and access to basic services aimed at meeting immediate needs.

Organizers say the service plays a key role in protecting the community’s most vulnerable residents during winter storms and cold snaps. By opening its doors during severe weather, the program helps reduce the risk of cold-related illnesses and injuries among people living outdoors.

Community partners and volunteers support the effort, ensuring the shelter can operate during periods of high demand. Officials encourage anyone in need of shelter to seek out the service when foul weather is forecast.

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The post Ventura Foul Weather Shelter Opens Doors as Cold Weather Moves In appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

CNN Editorial Research

(CNN) — Here is a look back at the events of 2025.

Notable US Events

January 1 – Fourteen people are killed and dozens are injured when a driver rams his pickup truck into a crowd during New Year’s celebrations on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. The FBI describe the event as “an act of terrorism.” The driver, who is killed in a shootout with police, is identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas who had an ISIS flag in his truck.

January 1 – A driver explodes a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. The driver, Matthew Alan Livelsberger, an active-duty US Army Green Beret, shot himself in the head prior to initiating the blast that injured seven people.

January 7 – Wildfires sweep through Los Angeles. Dozens are killed and more than 16,000 structures are damaged and over 30,000 acres are burned in the Eaton and Palisades Fires. The Eaton and Palisades Fires rank as the second and third-most destructive wildfires in Southern California history.

January 7 – Mark Zuckerberg announces Meta will adjust its content review policies on Facebook and Instagram, getting rid of fact checkers and replacing them with user-generated “community notes,” similar to Elon Musk’s X.

January 10 - Former President Donald Trump is sentenced to unconditional discharge for his conviction last year on 34 charges of business fraud related to a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. This means he will not be imprisoned, fined or face probation, but his conviction still stands, and he will enter office as a convicted felon.

January 20 – Before leaving office, President Joe Biden issues a slate of preemptive pardons for prominent critics of President-elect Trump. Later, he also issues pardons for members of his family.

January 20 – Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States by Chief Justice John Roberts.

January 23 – A federal judge says that President Trump’s executive order ending birthright citizenship is “blatantly unconstitutional” and issues a temporary restraining order to block it. On July 10, US District Judge Joseph Laplante agrees to issue a new nationwide block against the executive order.

January 29 – Read more