Well, what can I say? Like many of my fellow Santa Barbarians, I am an Angry Poodle junkie. Every time I pick up a paper off the Indy stands, first, I smile seeing my name in print (What can I say? Many journalists have a narcissistic edge), then I immediately flip to the Angry Poodle.
My favorite one this year? When Mr. Nick Welsh — who is not exactly Gen Z — stripped many in my generation bare and dug into our subconscious to unpack how so many of us look at politics: Charlie Kirk Went into the Lion’s Den of Woke to Defend Freedom of Speech
Another piece I loved — because who doesn’t love as many plays on words as possible, and no one does it quite like the great Callie Fausey — is: ‘Murder’ Mystery on Santa Barbara’s Milpas Street
As for some incredible, heavy-hitting, and, truth be told, daunting reporting, Ryan’s coverage of the ICE raids stands out. He handled a chaotic, panic-fueled situation with such grace and poise. Despite the confusion surrounding the story, he managed (and continues to) provide deeply comprehensive reporting on ICE activity in our community, which I can really only applaud and look up to: Federal Show of Force Prompts Real Community Response.
Lastly, on that narcissistic note, my favorite piece (written by yours truly) is the one I think actually got me hired at the Indy: On the Mesa, One Acre Feeds Many.
Honestly, I just loved writing it — going out to see the farm, tasting their delicious strawberries. It was one of those pieces, as they say, that truly wrote itself.
