Traffic, Crime and Fire Blotter

Parole denied for Louis Calvin

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced Friday that Louis Arthur Calvin was denied parole after a hearing at San Quentin State Prison.

Mr. Calvin, now 61, was convicted by a jury for the shooting death of Wayne Shaw that occurred in Buellton on March 16, 2005. After trial, the court sentenced Mr. Calvin to serve 32 years to life in prison.

In June, Gov. Gavin Newsom granted Mr. Calvin a commutation of his sentence, entitling Mr. Calvin to Friday’s parole hearing after serving roughly half of his original sentence.

In the fatal incident, Mr. Calvin, then 45, and Mr. Shaw, 49, were driving on State Route 246 between Solvang and Buellton and had an altercation. According to News-Press archives, Mr. Calvin pulled into the Buellton Town Center and Mr. Shaw arrived shortly after and yelled at Mr. Calvin to exit his vehicle. Mr. Shaw, who authorities said was intoxicated, reached into Mr. Calvin’s vehicle and took a swing at Mr. Calvin, who then shot him.

Friday’s hearing was conducted by video and included opposition statements from Mr. Shaw’s family members and Supervising Deputy District Attorney Scott Donahue. The Parole Board denied Mr. Calvin’s release for at least another three years.

— Mitchell White

Controlled burn planned next week

LOS OLIVOS — The Santa Barbara County Fire Department will be conducting a state-sanctioned prescribed burn next week on the Spaulding Ranch in the area between Tims Road and Midland School approximately three miles north of Los Olivos.

The burn, scheduled Monday through Wednesday, is aimed at decreasing fuel loads within the burn area. Fire department personnel from the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo operational areas, as well as Cal Fire and the Los Padres National Forest, will participate in the burn, said Capt. Daniel Bertucelli, fire spokesman.

The burn will include approximately 500 acres of chaparral, sage scrub and Oak Woodland with grass understory. The burn will occur over three to four days, though operations may not occur on consecutive days depending on weather conditions.

The operation is expected to start each day at 7 a.m. and will be visible throughout the area, authorities said.

Fire officials will work closely with the National Weather Service to monitor weather conditions.

— Mitchell White

Closures planned for Highway 101 project

CARPINTERIA — Several lane closures are planned this week as work continues on the Linden and Casitas Pass Highway 101 widening project in Carpinteria.

From 6 a.m. to noon today, the northbound offramp at Evans Avenue will be closed.

From 9 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday, one northbound lane will be closed from North Padaro Lane to Sheffield Drive. The closure will also include the onramps and offramps at Evans Avenue, Ortega Hill Road and Sheffield Drive. Similar intermittent overnight closures are planned Monday through Thursday, according to Caltrans officials.

From 9 p.m. Sunday to 5 a.m. Monday, one northbound lane will also be closed between Casitas Pass Road and Santa Claus Lane, as well as the onramps and offramps at Linden Avenue and Santa Monica Road.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, the northbound onramp at Linden Avenue will be closed as work crews transplant palm trees.

From 10 p.m. Sunday to 7 a.m. Monday, one southbound lane will be closed from Sheffield Drive to North Padaro Lane, as well as from Santa Claus Lane to Casitas Pass Road. The closure will also include the offramp at Evans Avenue and the onramp at Wallace Avenue.

A similar closure will be enforced during overnight hours Monday to Thursday.

The southbound onramp at Sheffield Drive will be closed for the duration of the project, with an anticipated reopening date set for 2023. The offramp at Sheffield Drive will be closed for up to 16 months and could reopen by the end of 2021.

Flaggers will be in place to direct traffic at the San Ysidro Road and North Jameson Lane intersection during morning peak periods, from 7:30 to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday. New stop signs will be installed to create a four-way, stop-controlled intersection at the southbound 101 offramp and San Ysidro Road. Flaggers will assist in this area as needed.

The combination of new stop signs and flaggers will enable a better flow of traffic during the detour that uses the southbound 101 offramp at San Ysidro Road.

The southbound onramp and offramp at Reynolds Avenue remains closed for up to 16 weeks, and the offramp at Casitas Pass Road will be closed for at least six weeks.

Crews will also continue excavating near the Sheffield Drive interchange and installing shoring piles to support the construction zone. In addition, work on the side support for the new southbound bridge and retaining walls will continue.

Work is also ongoing for the Evans Avenue undercrossing and the North Padaro Lane interchange.

Crews are working on drainage improvements on southbound 101 between Carpinteria and Reynolds avenues, as well as the highway ramps at Reynolds Avenue. Electrical work is also being done on the Reynolds freeway ramps.

The landscaping contractor is working on new irrigation lines and will then move over near Casitas Pass and Carpinteria Creek to install plants.

— Mitchell White

Unlicensed cannabis grower arrested

SANTA MARIA — A Santa Maria man was arrested on several felony charges on Thursday and is accused of operating an illegal cannabis delivery service, authorities said.

At approximately 7 a.m. Thursday, detectives from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department’s Narcotics and Cannabis Compliance Team, along with a Sheriff’s K9 team, served warrants in the 100 block of East Sunset Avenue and East Hermosa Street. The search warrants were the result of a month-long investigation into illegal cannabis sales and delivery service operating in the areas of Lompoc, Santa Maria, and unincorporated areas of the county, said Raquel Zick, sheriff’s spokeswoman.

The operation did not have any state or county licenses, and included the sales of untested and unverified products, such as cannabis flower, vapes, pre-rolls, wax and edibles, Ms. Zick said.

As a result of the warrants, 42-year-old Gilbert Montoya was allegedly found to be a felon in possession of a stolen firearm, ammo and illegal and untested cannabis products for sales. Detectives found a small and unlicensed commercial cannabis grow in a room that was protected “by false walls” and used to conceal its location, she said.

The illegal products, cannabis, firearms and cash were seized.

Mr. Montoya was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of stolen property, and unlawful possession of ammunition — all felonies. He was also charged with possessing marijuana for sales, a misdemeanor.

He was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail and is being held on $35,000 bail.

— Mitchell White