Lance Orozco

News Director

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, developing the station's local news coverage as it transitioned to a news/talk format. He has provided award-winning local coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, from brush fires and mudslides to Ronald Reagan's funeral. 

Lance has won more than 200 journalism awards for KCLU, including more than 90 Golden Mikes, 20-plus regional Edward R. Murrow awards, a national Edward R. Murrow Award (an honor which came to David Letterman’s attention on “The Late Show.”), and a national Society Of Professional Journalists Award  He has been AP's small market reporter of the year in the western U.S. nine times. 

Lance is a familiar face in the region, having worked nearly two decades as a television reporter and weathercaster in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. His adventures included an unexpected guest appearance on "Late Night With David Letterman."

You can reach Lance here.

Elephant Which Once Lived At Michael Jackson's Santa Barbara County Ranch Makes Brief Escape At Zoo

By • 15 hours ago
Jacksonville Zoo Facebook Photo

He wasn’t moonwalking like Michael Jackson, but an elephant which once lived at the late pop singer’s ranch in Santa Barbara County was definitely putting on some moves over the weekend.

“Ali” the bull elephant took advantage of a gate which was accidently left open in his enclosure at the Jacksonville, Florida zoo Sunday.

Santa Barbara County Looking At Growing False Burglar Alarm Issue

By • 17 hours ago

Santa Barbara County is considering taking action over a growing number of false burglar alarm responses.

County officials say 911 dispatchers and Sheriff’s deputies are spending an increasing amount of time dealing with false calls.

South Coast Based Non-Profit Which Helps With Medical Aid Around The World Gets Huge New Home

By • 18 hours ago

Imagine you suddenly find out you have a house full of people coming over for dinner, but in order to get what you need to feed everyone, you have to go to three different stores. It’s not very efficient. But, a non-profit based on the South Coast which provides medicine and medical supplies to those in need around the world has been in that situation for decades.

Deputies Say They Found Drug Lab In Ventura County Apartment Complex

By • Jun 18, 2018
(Ventura County Sheriff's Office photo)

Ventura County Sheriff’s deputies called to an apartment complex for a disturbance say they turned up something much more unexpected, in the form of a drug lab.

It happened on the 100 block of Avenida de Los Arboles in Thousand Oaks. Deputies found what appeared to be a fentanyl manufacturing lab.

Fire Closes Highway In Ventura County For Hours

By • Jun 15, 2018
(Ventura County Fire Department photo)

A highway in Ventura County was shut down for hours by a tractor-trailer rig fire, causing some big traffic tieups.

A big rig carrying roofing materials caught fire on Highway 118 near Somis just before one Friday afternoon. The highway had to be closed near Mesa School Road. Firefighters knocked down the fire in about a half hour.

No one was hurt. There’s no word yet on the cause of the fire. It led to some big traffic backups in the area. The highway finally reopened at about 5 p.m.

Four Arrested For String Of Robberies On South Coast

By • Jun 15, 2018

Detectives with three South Coast police departments and the FBI think they’ve broken up a gang related crime ring responsible for nearly a dozen robberies in Ventura County since the first of the year.

Oxnard Police detectives say the investigation linked four men they’ve arrested to crimes in Oxnard, Ventura, Camarillo, and Santa Paula. The crimes include the armed robberies of some fast food restaurants.

Investigators got a break in March, when they arrested two men following the robbery of a Ventura fast food restaurant.

Unemployment Continues To Remain At Record Low Levels On Central, South Coasts

By • Jun 15, 2018

The latest statistics show unemployment statewide, and on the Central and South Coasts is at its lowest levels in decades.

California’s unemployment remained at 4.2% on May, unchanged from April. But, it continued to drop on the Central and South Coasts.

Man Arrested In Connection With Overdose Death In Ventura County

By • Jun 14, 2018

There’s been an arrest in Ventura County in connection with the overdose death of a woman.

Family members found Lyndsay Binkowski unconscious at her Thousand Oaks home in April. The 26 year old woman was taken to a hospital, where she died a day later. Ventura County Sheriff’s detectives say she had fentanyl patches on her body.

Key Post-Thomas Fire Cleanup Effort Completed In Ventura County

By • Jun 14, 2018

Officials with a state program say they’ve completed cleanup of debris from more than 600 properties in Ventura County impacted by the Thomas Fire.

CalRecycle officials say they’ve removed more than 270,000 tons of debris from just over 670 properties.

Breast Cancer Not Just Women's Disease; Local Male Survivor Tells His Story

By • Jun 14, 2018

The numbers are frightening: One in eight women in America will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. It’s expected 266,000 women will be newly diagnosed in 2018. But, it’s not just women who are at risk.

10,000 Year Old Remains Of Native American Man Returned To Channel Islands

By • Jun 13, 2018
(National Park Service photo)

The remains of a man who died some 10,000 years ago have been returned home to the South Coast island which was his home.

A man researchers call “Tuqan Man” died, and was buried on San Miguel Island. In 2005, some archaeologists surveying a historic site in the islands found the remains exposed in a gully.

Army Corps Of Engineers Planning Major Repairs At Central Coast Harbor

By • Jun 13, 2018
(Port San Luis photo)

The Army Corps of Engineers has made a major new financial commitment to repairing a badly damaged breakwater at a Central Coast port.

More than 600 feet of breakwater at Port San Luis, in San Luis Obispo County is failing. Officials say the damaged port infrastructure puts Avila Beach, boats, and the port facility itself at risk from major storms.

Brush Fire Causes Scare For Some Ventura County Homeowners

By • Jun 12, 2018

Firefighters quickly knocked down a small brush fire in eastern Ventura County which burned close to some homes.

The fire was discovered just after 4:30 Tuesday afternoon in a rugged canyon behind Arroyo Vista Street, north of Highway 101 in Newbury Park.

Commercial Marijuana Growing Facility On South Coast Hit By Armed Robbers

By • Jun 12, 2018

Detectives are being very tight lipped about an armed robbery which targeted a marijuana growing facility in Santa Barbara County.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s investigators say four armed men confronted a security guard at the Carpinteria area facility early Saturday morning, and held him at gunpoint.

Non-Profit Awards More Than $1.1 Million Dollars In Scholarships In Ventura County

By • Jun 12, 2018

A South Coast scholarship program celebrating its 25th anniversary handed out more than $1.1 million dollars in awards this month.

The Ventura County Community Foundation presented 352 scholarships to graduating high school students in the county this month.

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