Man struck, killed by train
SANTA BARBARA — A man was struck and killed by a train Wednesday night near the Amtrak station in Santa Barbara.
The incident was reported around 7:05 p.m. in the area of the 200 block of West Montecito Street. An adult male entered the train track area walking south, and a short time later a southbound traveling train struck and killed the person, said Anthony Wagner, spokesman for the Santa Barbara Police Department.
Amtrak police were notified, as was the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau.
Police said they were in the preliminary stages of their investigation Wednesday night, though the incident was believed to be accidental in nature.
— Mitchell White
Bank robbery suspect sought
LOMPOC — The Lompoc Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a man suspected of robbing the Coast Hills Federal Credit Union on Tuesday.
At approximately 9:05 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to the bank for a report of a robbery. The suspect allegedly entered the business and presented a note demanding money before leaving the area. No weapon was displayed and no injuries were reported, according to a department news release.
The suspect is described as a black man who was wearing a white hat with L.A. on it, white face mask, white T-shirt with a gray long sleeve shirt underneath, black pants and black sandals, police said.
Anyone who was in the parking lot with a personal dashboard camera, or anyone who has information about the whereabouts of the suspect, is asked to contact the department’s Detective Bureau.
— Mitchell White
Traffic safety grants awarded
SANTA BARBARA — The Santa Barbara Police Department and Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department have been awarded grant funds from the California Office of Traffic Safety.
The police department received a $210,000 grant that will be used towards the department’s Vision Zero strategy, while the Sheriff’s Office, which is contracted to provide police services for the city of Goleta, received a $78,000 grant that will be used to reduce deaths and injuries on Goleta roads.
The grants are for the 2021 federal fiscal year, which runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2021, according to authorities.
The funds will be used for several traffic safety programs, such as: alcohol and drug-impaired driving prevention; awareness and education on the state’s hands-free cell phone law; education of traffic rights for bicyclists and pedestrians; awareness of primary causes of crashes, including excess speed, failure to yield or stop, improper turning and lane changes; and officer training or recertification for field sobriety tests, roadside impaired driving enforcement and drug recognition expert.
Funding for the programs was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
— Mitchell White
Two-way traffic to resume Friday
LOMPOC — Two-way traffic will resume Friday on the Salsipuedes Creek Bridge following a reconstruction project.
The bridge was reconstructed on State Route 1 between Highway 101 in Las Cruces and State Route 246 near Lompoc. The traffic signal and one-way reversing traffic control which has been in effect for the past several months will conclude upon the full opening of the traffic lanes, according to Caltrans officials.
This project also includes a retaining wall and fish passage. The remaining work for this project will include vegetation and erosion control, the installation of rumble strips and final striping.
The contractor for the $5 million project is CalPortland Construction of Santa Maria. This project is expected to be complete in early 2021.
Motorists are reminded to move over and slow down when driving through construction zones.
— Mitchell White
ShakeOut event scheduled today
MONTECITO — Montecito Emergency Response & Recovery Action Group and the Montecito Fire Protection District will participate in The Great California ShakeOut event this morning.
The annual event is an opportunity to practice how to be safe during a big earthquake by practicing the “Drop, Cover and Hold On” technique. A major earthquake response scenario will be simulated, with volunteers offsite, using MERRAG’S two-way radio network to and from MERRAG radio carriers, according to a news release.
Montecito Fire Chief Kevin Taylor encourages community members to prepare for earthquakes so that we “don’t get caught off guard.”
Those interested in volunteering for MERRAG can learn more at www.merrag.org.
To learn more about earthquake warning tools and resources, visit https://earthquake.ca.gov.
— Mitchell White
Welding sparked Tuesday’s wildfire
CUYAMA — Investigators with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department have determined that the Tuesday morning brush fire that broke out in the Cuyama Valley was caused by an unpermitted welding operation.
The fire was reported around 9:25 a.m. in the 1600 block of Santa Barbara Canyon Road. The blaze, dubbed the Foothill Fire, burned in light fuel up a slope before forward progress was halted, according to fire officials.
The fire department reminds the public that a permit is required for all mobile welding or hot work operations in the county. Along with considering weather conditions and fuel moistures, a 46-inch round tip shovel, a water extinguisher and a 10-foot fire break are required.
To learn more about the permits, visit https://www.sbcfire.com/fire-investigation-law-enforcement-unit.
— Mitchell White
Temporary traffic control on Modoc
SANTA BARBARA — C.A. Rasmussen has installed temporary traffic control along Modoc Road to provide enough buffer for the multi-use path construction activities.
The lanes have been shifted to the north, and the middle turning lane has been temporarily removed along Modoc Road. The temporary lane configuration will last approximately until mid-February of 2021. Vehicular speeds have been reduced to 35 mph within the construction zone, and drivers are advised to be alert and proceed cautiously within the corridor, according to a news release.
Demolition and vegetation removal will be conducted over the next several weeks, starting at Calle De Los Amigos and moving east towards Las Positas Road. Work will include grinding of pavement, removal of hardscape, grading, excavation for retaining walls and tree removals, officials said.
Intermittent intersection closures began Wednesday at the following locations: Calle De Los Amigos; Ferrara Way; Palermo Drive; and Veronica Springs Road.
— Mitchell White
