Jury convicts pipeline company in 2015 spill that put tar balls on South Bay beaches

In this May 21, 2015, file photo, workers prepare an oil containment boom at Refugio State Beach, north of Goleta, Calif. The shutdown of a pipeline that spilled up to 101,000 gallons of crude on the Santa Barbara coast forced Exxon Mobil Corp. to halt operations at three offshore platforms because it couldn't deliver oil to refineries, the company said Tuesday, June 23. A jury has convicted a pipeline company of nine criminal charges, finding it responsible for crude oil washing up on South Bay beaches in record numbers more than three years ago.

Illegal Alien Protected by Sanctuary Policies Convicted in Savage Murder of Air Force Veteran

This week a Santa Barbara County jury found Victor Martinez, an illegal alien who had been previously convicted of sexual assault, guilty of first degree murder in the brutal 2015 sexual assault, torture, and murder of 64-year-old Air Force Veteran Marilyn Pharis. Though Pharis was murdered just weeks after Kate Steinle was shot and killed on a pier in San Francisco, and sanctuary policies also directly led to her murder, Pharis's case has never attracted the publicity Steinle's case did - and that's a shame.

Search for California mudslide survivors goes on

The search for survivors of the deadly mudslides in parts of California's scenic Santa Barbara County continued Sunday even as hopes dwindled to find anyone else alive, officials said. "We're still in rescue mode and we still hope to find someone alive, although the chances of that are becoming slim," said Justin Cooper, a spokesperson for the multi-agency response team.

Wild swings occur in numbers of California mudslide missing

The number of missing after a California mudslide has fluctuated wildly, due to shifting definitions, the inherent uncertainty that follows a natural disaster, and just plain human error. On Thursday, the number provided by authorities went from 48, down to eight, then back up to 43. Officials say a clerical mistake led to the figure of eight being released.

The Latest: 3 quakes magnitude 5 hit Iran-Iraq border area

APNewsBreak: U.S. immigration agents descended on dozens of 7-Eleven stores before dawn Wednesday to open employment audits and interview workers in what officials described as the largest operation against an... APNewsBreak: U.S. immigration agents descended on dozens of 7-Eleven stores before dawn Wednesday to open employment audits and interview workers in what officials described as the largest operation against an employer under Donald Trump's presidency. New York City is halting a $9.6 million incentive package offered to Aetna to move its headquarters to the city.

Trump says administration taking look at current libel laws

APNewsBreak: U.S. immigration agents descended on dozens of 7-Eleven stores before dawn Wednesday to open employment audits and interview workers in what officials described as the largest operation against an... APNewsBreak: U.S. immigration agents descended on dozens of 7-Eleven stores before dawn Wednesday to open employment audits and interview workers in what officials described as the largest operation against an employer under Donald Trump's presidency.

Coast Guard rescues family from roof in muddy California

One by one, a family of five trapped by rivers of mud in Southern California climbed to the roof of their home as rescuers swooped in to help them. An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew with the U.S. Coast Guard in San Diego was deployed Tuesday to Carpinteria after first responders in Santa Barbara County couldn't get through the muddy floodwaters surrounding the house.

Malaysia to pay firm up to $70M if it finds missing plane

Malaysian Minister of Transport, Liow Tiong Lai, center, speaks during the signing ceremony of the MH370 missing plane search operations between Malaysian government and Ocean Infinity Limited in Putrajaya, Malaysia, Wednesday,... . Malaysian Minister of Transport Liow Tiong Lai, center, speaks at a press conference during MH370 missing plane search operations signing ceremony between the government of Malaysia and the Ocean Infinity Limited in Putrajaya, ... .

On the lines, Double proposal; KCRA 3 Morning News Brief 12/18

Thousands of firefighters tried Sunday to shield coastal communities from one of the biggest wildfires in California history while a funeral procession rolled past burn-scarred hillsides in honor of one of their colleagues who was killed battling the flames. Crews cleared brush and dug containment lines above hillside neighborhoods in Santa Barbara County, taking advantage of slightly calmer winds a day after gusts fanned a flare-up that prompted more evacuations.

Santa Barbara Post Office Building Renamed for Navy SEAL

A fallen United States Navy SEAL and Santa Barbara native was honored at a ceremony Thursday at the United States Postal Service office in Victoria Court, after legislation was passed to rename the facility in his honor. The office at 1221 State St., Suite 12, will be renamed the Special Warfare Operator Master Chief Petty Officer Louis "Lou" J. Langlais Post Office Building.

California flood sweeps cabins, cars down coastal canyon

More than 20 people escaped injury when a flood swept cabins and vehicles down a coastal canyon as the second in a trio of storms drenched California with heavy rain and brought more snow to the mountains. The dramatic scene about 115 miles northwest of Los Angeles came during a day of pounding rain in Southern California that caused flooding, rockslides and an avalanche warning.

Wildfire spreading fast near Santa Barbara

California fire crews are battling a rapidly growing wildfire that has already burned 4,000 acres near Santa Barbara, fire officials said Friday. The situation may get worse, with temperatures pushing into the high 90s this weekend, an abundance of dry grass because of an ongoing drought and offshore northerly "sundowner winds" that could spread the fire.

Legislators, Environmental Groups Call for Better Pipeline Safety a Year After Refugio Oil Spill

One year to the day after one of the worst oil spills in Santa Barbara County history, elected officials and environmental organizations held a press conference Thursday at Refugio State Beach , calling for closer regulation of the oil industry, greater protection of the environment, and harsh penalties for Plains All American Pipeline . "You could almost not think of a more beautiful place that could be destroyed - however temporarily - by an oil spill," Assemblyman Das Williams said, pointing out the spot nearby where he learned to surf.