Community
Gay Bars Come and Go, But the Party Continues
A brief history of LGBT nightlife in Santa Barbara over the last six decades.
Courts & Crime
Man Faces Charges After Injuring Officer with BB Gun in Santa Barbara
A chaotic scene near La Cumbre Plaza led to the arrest of 30-year-old Mitchell Grant Grote.
Film
Documentary ‘The Man Who Saves the World?’ Profiles a Character Unlike Any We’ve Seen Before
Filmmaker Gabe Polsky joins SBIFF’s Roger Durling for a post-screening conversation.
Courts & Crime
Update: Santa Barbara Police Officer Injured in Shooting Near La Cumbre Plaza
The alleged shooter is in custody and the officer was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition following an "officer-involved shooting" on Friday morning.
Energy
Santa Barbara Gas Prices Spike as Iran Conflict Continues
Gas prices reached as high as $6.70 per gallon during the first week of May.
Community
Santa Barbara’s Mesa Harmony Garden Is a ‘Food Forest’
A group of volunteers tend to a local sustainable garden that provides 1,200 pounds of food per year.
Election 2026
Tom Steyer, Billionaire Candidate for California Governor, Draws Hundreds to Santa Barbara Town Hall
The Democratic candidate receives a warm welcome and some pointed questions at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.
Books
Show Your Library Some Love at National Library Week
April 19-26 brings special events and celebrations to Santa Barbara and Goleta branches.
Spring Gardening Festival Returns to Marjorie Luke Theatre
A marketplace, film screenings, and an expert panel will highlight native plants and Santa Barbara sustainability efforts.
Education
Adelante Charter School Teacher from Santa Barbara Earns Statewide Recognition
Erika Ruiz Santillán was named as the California Association for Bilingual Education’s Teacher of the Year.
Education
Six Stellar Santa Barbara Spellers
“Etiquette,” “Subtrahend,” and “Fricassee” send students to the podium.
Business
The Rack Is a Santa Barbara Pool Hall for All
Players of all stripes are welcome at the new downtown space.
Education
Dos Pueblos Mock Trial Claims Fifth Straight Santa Barbara County Championship
After winning the County Championship, the team will advance to compete at the State Finals in Oakland.
Community
Keeping the Zine Scene Buzzing in Santa Barbara
Artist Dez Alaniz of honey boy press spreads the “good gospel” of creating.
Energy
Santa Barbara Gas Prices Soar as Iran Conflict Impacts Global Supply
Analysts described “unprecedented” volatility as local prices went up by more than 60 cents in a week.
Community
Fundraiser Set Up for Santa Barbara County Fire Captain Who Suffered Stroke
The funds raised through the GoFundMe page for Captain James Mellor will support his medical costs and rehabilitation.
Education
Santa Barbara City College Makes Plans for Remaining $13M of MacKenzie Scott Gift
The Board of Trustees did not comment on the investigation into the unauthorized use of a portion of the funding.
Education
Adams Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Nominated as 'LifeChanger of the Year'
Audra “Nikki” Mitchum earned recognition as a potential winner in National Life Group’s annual award.
Public Safety
Santa Barbara Supervisors Look to Put Pin in Ballooning Overtime Costs at Sheriff’s Office and Beyond
The board voted 4-0 to audit the county’s top five overtime-incurring departments and to increase oversight of the Sheriff’s Office, including looking into creating a new Inspector General position that would function “like a circuit breaker on a runaway system.”
Community
Dos Pueblos Student Athlete Levels the Playing Field
High school junior Johnny Duffy collects sports gear to distribute to youth in need.
Community
Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office Surprises Arizona Family with Gift, Donation
How a running office gag turned into a gift of goodwill for a family fighting cancer.
Community
Santa Barbara Community Celebrates Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Hundreds gathered to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with speeches and a march up State Street on January 19.
Politics
Thousands Show up in Santa Barbara to Protest ICE, Trump Administration
Demonstrators lined upper State Street on January 10 in response to recent military action in Venezuela and the fatal ICE shooting in Minnesota.
Politics
Protest on Saturday Against Venezuela and Minnesota Violence
Indivisible Santa Barbara organizes protest along upper State Street for January 10 at 10 a.m.
Community
Forgotten Time Capsule Brings Santa Barbara Church Back to 1999
First Presbyterian Church staff found a trove of artifacts hidden more than 25 years ago.
Housing
Heritage Ridge Affordable Housing Development Breaks Ground in Goleta
The Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara partners to build the largest affordable project in Goleta history.
Community
Historic Ortega Park Murals Vandalized in Early December
Graffiti was found scrawled over culturally significant artwork in Santa Barbara’s Eastside neighborhood.
Public Safety
Santa Barbara County Unveils New Regional Fire Communications Center
County officials hosted a ribbon cutting for the new countywide dispatch center on Cathedral Oaks Road on December 9.
Courts & Crime
Virgin Mary Mosaic Defaced at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish in Santa Barbara
Police arrested a man for vandalizing a church days before the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe.