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A college in Ventura County has received a more than three million dollar grant for construction of a new classroom building.

Thomas Aquinas College was awarded $3.2 million dollars from the Fritz Burns Foundation. The money will allow the construction of what will be the 13th building at the four year, Catholic college which is located in the mountains northwest of Santa Paula. Work on the new building is expected to start next spring, with plans calling for the it to be ready for use about a year later.

Some prime oceanfront mesa property in Santa Barbara which developers have unsuccessfully tried to build on for decades has been sold to a Saudi real estate investor, for more than $25 million dollars. KCLU’s John Palminteri has the story.

Click on link to listen to/download story: More Mesa Sale

A search is continuing this morning for a small plane which disappeared en route to Mammoth Lakes from Santa Barbara County.

Pilot Nicol Wilson left just after noon on Monday, and 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 yesterday allowed the use of aircraft. Search teams were unable to find any sign of the plane, which may have gone down outside of the park’s boundaries.

Hundreds of Santa Barbara County kids in need are going to get early Christmas presents this weekend, when they receive free eye checkups, and glasses through an event in Santa Barbara.

It’s one of a series of efforts by some local doctors, educators, some non-profit groups, and a local eyeglass company to help children who need glasses.

The eyeglass company is hoping to take part of the local effort national, by offering to make a free pair of glasses for a child in need for each pair it sells to someone through its website.

KCLU’s Lance Orozco reports this morning from Santa Barbara’s Eastside: Santa Barbara Kids Eyeglasses Programs

Link To Santa Barbara Eyeglass Factory: https://eyeglassfactory.com/t-kids-right-to-sight.aspx

A Ventura County man has been arrested on multiple charges, after County Sheriff’s detectives say they discovered he was operating an unlicensed dental practice out of his apartment.

Investigators say William Escobar had an elaborate office, complete with dental chairs, anesthetic drugs, and an array of equipment in a converted bathroom of his apartment, on the 600 block of Spring Road in Moorpark.

They found out about the operation when a person who received dental care from Escobar got into a financial dispute with him, and called authorities after he said he was threatened by the Moorpark man.

After a month long investigation which also involved the California Dental Board, the 40 year old man was arrested on several charges, including practicing dentistry without a license, and furnishing dangerous drugs. The detectives are looking for more possible victims, especially families with children.

A New York judge today accepted a guilty plea by a biotech giant based in Ventura County over charges it illegally introduced a misbranded drug into interstate commerce, and will pay a total of $150 million dollars in penalties and fines.

The issue was Amgen’s marketing of the anemia drug Aranesp.

The Thousand Oaks company will also pay more than $600 million dollars to settle civil litigation involved with Aranesp, and some other drugs. The total payout by Amgen is $762 million dollars.

The company also admitted it made mistakes, and has realigned its compliance efforts to insure something similar doesn’t happen in the future.

A man who played a key role in the incorporation of two Santa Barbara County communities as cities is leaving the agency that made the moves possible.

Bob Braitman has been with the Santa Barbara Local Agency Formation Commission for 20 years.

The commission, commonly known as LAFCO, is a state created agency which deal with jurisdictional issues in the county.

Braitman says he’ll step down as Executive Director in June, which will give the agency time to find a replacement.

One of LAFCO’s biggest projects in recent years was the 2002 incorporation of Goleta as a city.

A search is underway for a small plane, with one person on board which disappeared en route to Mammoth Lakes from Santa Barbara County.

Nicol Wilson left just after noon on Monday, and never arrived at his destination.

The plane disappeared from radar as it was flying through Yosemite National Park.

Bad weather restricted search activities yesterday, but better weather today is allowing the use of aircraft to look for the missing pilot, and plane.

An investigation into online advertisements for illicit sexual services in Eastern Ventura County has led to a string of arrests.

Simi Valley Police say a number of complaints prompted them to start monitoring several websites offering illegal services, and over the last few months a number of arrests of women soliciting men for prostitution.

In order to try to address the issue of supply and demand, the department’s Special Enforcement Unit set up a sting operation this week, with a phony website offering escort services. Detectives say less than five minutes after posting it, they received their first call. Six suspects made arrangements to meet women at a predetermined location, where they were arrested for soliciting an undercover female officer for sexual acts in exchange for money. The charge is a misdemeanor, but those arrested could face jail, fines, and mandatory counseling.

The governor has appointed a Ventura County judge to a state commission on juvenile justice.

Ventura County Superior Court Judge Brian Back is joining the State Advisory Commission on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency. Back has been a superior court judge since 1998.

The commission is required by the federal government as a condition of receiving certain grant funding, and looks at issues including strategy, advocacy, and compliance surrounding efforts to keep juveniles from become repeat offenders.