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Santa Barbara firefighters say a New Year’s Eve blaze in an apartment led to several residents being displaced due to fire damage.

The fire happened just after 2 p.m. Saturday, on the 500 block of West Canon Perdido Street.  A cooking fire in the kitchen of a second story unit quickly spread out of control.  Firefighters were able to contain the fire before it spread throughout the building.  No one was hurt.  The Red Cross was on hand to help people displaced by the fire.

Damage is estimated at around $75,00o.

A Ventura woman is dead, after she apparently lost control of her vehicle on a two lane road in Ventura, and veered into an oncoming pickup truck.

It happened just after 9:30 Friday morning (12/30), on East Harbor Boulevard, near San Pedro Street.  Ventura Police say a car driven southbound by 19 year old Julia Rivas crossed over the center line, and hit an oncoming vehicle.  The Ventura woman was pronounced dead at the scene.  The driver of the pickup suffered what are being described as moderate injuries, while a passenger had minor injuries.

Santa Barbara County’s “Avoid The 12″ campaign to keep DUI drivers off the road during the holidays has led to 105 arrests as of Friday, 12/30.  The campaign includes 12 agencies in the county ranging from the CHP, to Santa Barbara Police working together to try to keep roads, and highways safe.

The arrests also include a driver involved in a court sting in Santa Barbara.  The man pled guilty to a DUI charge, and he was told by a judge he could no longer drive, because his license was suspended after his arrest.  Deputies then saw him driving out of a nearby parking garage, and he was stopped, and arrested.

The State Supreme Court ruled that the state government can dissolve local redevelopment agencies, clearing the way for billions in property tax revenue to be redirected to other uses.

The governor’s plan to get money withheld by the local agencies for redevelopment projects had been fought by a number of local jurisdictions, which noted that the money provided an important revenue stream to rebuild blighted areas.

The court also struck down a compromise plan which called for the redevelopment agencies to give a percentage of their funding for the state, in order to continue to operate.

The governor says dissolving the agencies will provide more than a billion dollars in additional funding for education, and public safety.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department is now saying that it arrested a man in connection with an incident where someone on the ground pointed a laser at a department helicopter called to the scene to help search for suspects in a shooting.

It happened Tuesday night (12/27) in Fillmore.  Deputies called to the area around First Street, and Central Avenue just after 8:30 p.m. found a man with a gunshot wound in the arm.  As a department helicopter hovered over the scene, someone on the ground hit it with a laser light.   The chopper flew to the area where it thought the light was coming from, and the light disappeared.  When the helicopter returned to the shooting zone, the laser light appeared again, prompting the craft to leave the area.

A laser light can temporarily blind a pilot wearing night vision goggles, and potentially lead to a crash. 

Authorities didn’t release any information about arrests at the time, but on Thursday said they arrested 20 year old Torrey Phillips of Fillmore at his Fernglen Circle home on an outstanding felony warrant, and at the time of the arrest, found he had a green laser pointer.  In addition to the warrant, he’s facing a charge of discharging a laser at an aircraft.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department is looking into an incident where someone on the ground pointed a laser at a department helicopter called to the scene to help search for suspects in a shooting.

It happened Tuesday night (12/27) in Fillmore.  Deputies called to the area around First Street, and Central Avenue just after 8:30 p.m. found a man with a gunshot wound in the arm.  As a department helicopter hovered over the scene, someone on the ground hit it with a laser light.   The chopper flew to the area where it thought the light was coming from, and the light disappeared.  When the helicopter returned to the shooting zone, the laser light appeared again, prompting the craft to leave the area.

A laser light can temporarily blind a pilot wearing night vision goggles, and potentially lead to a crash.  Deputies questioned some people on the ground, but didn’t make any arrests.

A man Ventura County prosecutors call a member of a Moorpark street gang has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison for the September, 2010 shooting of a man at a party.

Richard Corralejo was convicted of attempted murder, street terrorism, assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a felon.  Prosecutors say he shot Fernando Lira in the arm during a part at a warehouse on the 2000 block of Easy Street, in Simi Valley.  Authorities say the 20 year old gunman was a part of the Moorpark Locos street gang.

An anonymous donor has contributed a $500,000 donation to a Santa Barbara County based relief agency which supplies medicine, and medical supplies to people in need around the world.

Direct Relief International received the contribution from a supporter the agency says has made significant contributions to it in the past.  DRI is active in supplying medicine, and medical supplies to 70 nations, as well as to clinics throughout the U.S.  DRI is especially known for providing emergency shipments to those in need following major disasters like earthquakes, fires, and floods.

Governor Jerry Brown has appointed a Ventura attorney, and mediator to a Ventura County Superior Court Judge post.

Matthew Guasco will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge David Long.  Guasco has been an attorney for more than a quarter of a century, and has worked as a mediator, and arbitrator in the county.  He’ll serve a six year term, and then will face re-election if he wants to continue at the post.

A section of Highway 192, also known as Foothill Road in Santa Barbara has been closed due to a sinkhole.  The closure occured Tuesday afternoon (12/27), after road crews became concerned about the safety of motorists.  The closure is between Northridge Road, and Morada Lane in the San Roque section of Santa Barbara, and is expected to last about a week.