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The latest unemployment figures show that unemployment dipped slightly in Ventura County, while remaining unchanged in Santa Barbara County.
The latest state statistics show that the jobless rate in Ventura County dropped from 8.7% in October, to 8.6% in November. In Santa Barbara County, the month to month percentage remained unchanged, at 7.3%.
Statewide, unemployment dropped three tenths of a percent from October, to November, going from 10.1% to 9.8%.
Law enforcement agencies in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties say they’ve geared up for the four day holiday weekend with extra DUI patrols.
Local police, and Sheriff’s departments in the region have additional officers on the streets. The CHP is kicking off its maximum enforcement patrol tonight, and will have extra officers on the state’s highways, and freeways until midnight on Christmas.
14 people died statewide in traffic accidents during the Christmas holiday period last year.
A newspaper in Santa barbara County has folded, with it’s publisher saying it wasn’t working financially. KCLU’s john Palminteri has the story.
Click on link to listen to/download story: Santa Ynez Valley Newspaper Folds
Oxnard Police are investigating the death of an 84 year old man, who was driving a pickup truck which crashed into a parked car.
Donald Dent was driving north on Beaumont Avenue, near Langley Street just before 1 p.m. yesterday, when his pickup ran into a vehicle parked on the side of the street. He was pronounced dead a short time later at a hospital. Au autopsy is being conducted today to see if he might have had a heart attack leading to the crash, or died as the result of injuries suffered in the accident.
A little know non profit group created by some local educators, and community leaders, and based in Santa Barbara is helping thousands of refugees halfway around the world.
The Chad Relief Foundation is only about five years old, but has supported some 16 programs in the war torn Central African region.
KCLU’s Lance Orozco talks with some of the founders of the organization, which is helping to get everything from drinking water, to wheelchairs to people who desperately need the support.
Link to Chad Relief Foundation.
Ventura firefighters say a runaway fire from a homeless campsite spread to some nearby trees, and threatened a home before it was contained last night.
The fire started near Front and Ash Streets just after 5:30 last night, jumping to some palm and eucalyptus trees. Firefighters were quickly able to get a handle on the blaze. No one was hurt, and no structures were damaged.
Santa Barbara Police say they’re looking for a real holiday grinch this morning.
Someone has been stealing packages left on the doorsteps of homes on the City’s Westside by FedEx, and UPS.
Police are saying that if you are expecting a package, you should use its tracking number to monitor its whereabouts, so you can retrieve it before it sit on your doorstep where it might be picked up by thieves.
A second day of searching has failed to turn up any sign of a light plane which disappeared while en route to Mammoth Lakes from Santa Barbara County.
Pilot Nicol Wilson left just after noon on Monday, but never arrived at his destination.
The plane disappeared from radar as it was flying through Yosemite National Park.
Bad weather restricted search activities Tuesday, but better weather allowed the use of aircraft yesterday and today. The 600 square mile search area is a rugged, isolated part of the park which is inaccessible by vehicle due to snow this time of the year. A CHP helicopter, and Civil Air Patrol aircraft have been taking part in the search, with about 60 people involved in the effort.
Crews hope to continue the search tomorrow, but a major storm is expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon, which could shut down airborne search efforts.
A woman accused of stabbing to death her aunt in Ventura more than four years ago has entered a not guilty plea to the killing.
Gina Drake is charged with the June, 2009 slaying of Wendy DiRodeo in a bedroom of the victim’s parents home.
At the time, the killing sent shock waves throughout the community, because it occurred in the relatively crime free area of the Ventura keys, and happened just weeks after Faria Beach couple had been stabbed to death in their home.
However, investigators later determined that the crimes were unrelated.
Prosecutors haven’t talked about what they consider to be a possible motive for the killing. Ventura Police detectives worked on the case for nearly three years before arresting Drake this last May.
Three high school students have been arrested in Ventura County, after County Sheriff’s detectives say the Camarillo High School students found a list of combinations for school issued locks, and used it to burglarize student lockers.
Investigators say a 17 year old boy, and two 16 year olds teamed up to use the combinations to get into lockers while the victims were in gym classes. They say the teens stole smartphones, and other expensive electronics over a three month period, with at least 17 victims reported.
Most of the stolen items have been recovered. The teens were arrested on conspiracy, and burglary charges.
