News - The Santa Barbara Independent

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Man Found Guilty of Murdering Santa Barbara Homeless Woman

Man Found Guilty of Murdering Santa Barbara Homeless Woman

Courts & Crime By Tyler Hayden

Theresa Ann Carina, 51, was described as “quiet, polite, and someone who kept to herself.”

Rollback of the Endangered Species Act Pulled from House at the Last Minute

Rollback of the Endangered Species Act Pulled from House at the Last Minute

Environment By Callie Fausey

Protections for endangered species on the Central Coast and across the country will remain in place, for now.

Immigration Enforcement Increases Presence at Santa Barbara County Jail

Immigration Enforcement Increases Presence at Santa Barbara County Jail

Immigration By Ryan P. Cruz

ICE officers have continued to conduct arrests at the Main Jail, often occupying the parking lots, main entrance, and lobby areas.

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California Billionaire Tax Heading Toward November Ballot

California Billionaire Tax Heading Toward November Ballot

Election 2026 By Ella Heydenfeldt

Candidates for California Governor to Appear in Second Debate on Tuesday

Candidates for California Governor to Appear in Second Debate on Tuesday

Election 2026 By Jean Yamamura

UC Santa Barbara Lagoon, West Campus in the Dark Again

UC Santa Barbara Lagoon, West Campus in the Dark Again

Public Safety By Christina McDermott

Hundreds of Thousands of By-the-Wind Sailors Float off Coast in Santa Barbara Channel

Hundreds of Thousands of By-the-Wind Sailors Float off Coast in Santa Barbara Channel

Environment By Elaine Sanders

Santa Barbara Education Foundation Giving Funds to Students

Santa Barbara Education Foundation Giving Funds to Students

Education By Callie Fausey

Sunny Attendees Celebrate Earth Day in Santa Barbara

Sunny Attendees Celebrate Earth Day in Santa Barbara

Community By Callie Fausey

Two Undergrads Roll Out New Tire Recycling Program

Two Undergrads Roll Out New Tire Recycling Program

Environment By Lauren Solway

Get Oil Out! Announces Public Access to its Archive Collection at UCSB

Announcement By Get Oil Out!

Hit-and-Run on Santa Barbara’s Milpas Street Ends in DUI Arrest After Short Pursuit

Hit-and-Run on Santa Barbara’s Milpas Street Ends in DUI Arrest After Short Pursuit

Courts & Crime By Ella Heydenfeldt

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Immigration

Immigration Enforcement Increases Presence at Santa Barbara County Jail

Immigration Enforcement Increases Presence at Santa Barbara County Jail

Immigration By Ryan P. Cruz

9th Circuit Blocks California Limits on Anonymous Immigration Agents

9th Circuit Blocks California Limits on Anonymous Immigration Agents

Immigration By Nigel Duara, CalMatters

Santa Barbara City Council Reaffirms Stance on Federal Immigration Enforcement

Santa Barbara City Council Reaffirms Stance on Federal Immigration Enforcement

Immigration By Ryan P. Cruz

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Energy

Sable Offshore’s Federal Defense Falls Flat in Santa Barbara Court

Sable Offshore’s Federal Defense Falls Flat in Santa Barbara Court

Energy By Ella Heydenfeldt

Are Ratepayers Overpaying to Keep Diablo Canyon Running?

Are Ratepayers Overpaying to Keep Diablo Canyon Running?

Energy By Callie Fausey

Santa Barbara County Planning Commission Approves Onshore Oil Ban and Phase-Out Plan

Santa Barbara County Planning Commission Approves Onshore Oil Ban and Phase-Out Plan

Energy By Callie Fausey

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Science & Tech

UC Santa Barbara’s David Gross Wins Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics

UC Santa Barbara’s David Gross Wins Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics

Science & Tech By Shelly Leachman, UCSB’s ‘The Current’

Researchers Uncover ‘Treasure Trove’ of Bioactive Molecules in Coral Reefs

Researchers Uncover ‘Treasure Trove’ of Bioactive Molecules in Coral Reefs

Science & Tech By Sonia Fernandez, UCSB’s ‘The Current’

Sonic Booms from Artemis II’s Return to Earth May Reach Santa Barbara County

Sonic Booms from Artemis II’s Return to Earth May Reach Santa Barbara County

Science & Tech By Jackson Friedman

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Election 2026

California Billionaire Tax Heading Toward November Ballot

California Billionaire Tax Heading Toward November Ballot

Election 2026 By Ella Heydenfeldt

Candidates for California Governor to Appear in Second Debate on Tuesday

Candidates for California Governor to Appear in Second Debate on Tuesday

Election 2026 By Jean Yamamura

All Five Supes Endorse Melinda Greene over Incumbent Joe Holland for Clerk-Recorder, Assessor, and Elections Seat

All Five Supes Endorse Melinda Greene over Incumbent Joe Holland for Clerk-Recorder, Assessor, and Elections Seat

Election 2026 By Nick Welsh

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Housing

Judge Dismisses Mission LLC’s Lawsuit Against City of Santa Barbara

Judge Dismisses Mission LLC’s Lawsuit Against City of Santa Barbara

Courts & Crime By Christina McDermott

Affordable Housing Project Underway Near La Cumbre Plaza in Santa Barbara

Affordable Housing Project Underway Near La Cumbre Plaza in Santa Barbara

Housing By Christina McDermott

Santa Barbara County Pushes for Locals-First Housing

Santa Barbara County Pushes for Locals-First Housing

Housing By Christina McDermott

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Community

Sunny Attendees Celebrate Earth Day in Santa Barbara

Sunny Attendees Celebrate Earth Day in Santa Barbara

Community By Callie Fausey

Chumash Earth Day Draws Hundreds to Santa Ynez Reservation for 18th Annual Event

Chumash Earth Day Draws Hundreds to Santa Ynez Reservation for 18th Annual Event

Community By Elaine Sanders

Jugglers Catch Fire at 50th Annual Isla Vista Juggling Festival

Jugglers Catch Fire at 50th Annual Isla Vista Juggling Festival

Photo By Elaine Sanders

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Public Safety

UC Santa Barbara Lagoon, West Campus in the Dark Again

UC Santa Barbara Lagoon, West Campus in the Dark Again

Public Safety By Christina McDermott

Smoke from ‘Hope Ranch Volcano’ Prompts Response — but It’s No Volcano

Smoke from ‘Hope Ranch Volcano’ Prompts Response — but It’s No Volcano

Public Safety By Ella Heydenfeldt

Changing of the Guard Across Santa Barbara County’s Fire Departments

Changing of the Guard Across Santa Barbara County’s Fire Departments

Public Safety By Ella Heydenfeldt

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Courts & Crime

Man Found Guilty of Murdering Santa Barbara Homeless Woman

Man Found Guilty of Murdering Santa Barbara Homeless Woman

Courts & Crime By Tyler Hayden

Hit-and-Run on Santa Barbara’s Milpas Street Ends in DUI Arrest After Short Pursuit

Hit-and-Run on Santa Barbara’s Milpas Street Ends in DUI Arrest After Short Pursuit

Courts & Crime By Ella Heydenfeldt

Judge Dismisses Mission LLC’s Lawsuit Against City of Santa Barbara

Judge Dismisses Mission LLC’s Lawsuit Against City of Santa Barbara

Courts & Crime By Christina McDermott

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Politics

California Billionaire Tax Heading Toward November Ballot

California Billionaire Tax Heading Toward November Ballot

Election 2026 By Ella Heydenfeldt

Candidates for California Governor to Appear in Second Debate on Tuesday

Candidates for California Governor to Appear in Second Debate on Tuesday

Election 2026 By Jean Yamamura

Politics of the Past, Politics of the Future

Politics of the Past, Politics of the Future

Books By Elaine Sanders

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Environment

Rollback of the Endangered Species Act Pulled from House at the Last Minute

Rollback of the Endangered Species Act Pulled from House at the Last Minute

Environment By Callie Fausey

Hundreds of Thousands of By-the-Wind Sailors Float off Coast in Santa Barbara Channel

Hundreds of Thousands of By-the-Wind Sailors Float off Coast in Santa Barbara Channel

Environment By Elaine Sanders

Two Undergrads Roll Out New Tire Recycling Program

Two Undergrads Roll Out New Tire Recycling Program

Environment By Lauren Solway

View More Environment

Education

Santa Barbara Education Foundation Giving Funds to Students

Santa Barbara Education Foundation Giving Funds to Students

Education By Callie Fausey

Goleta’s Octobots Robotics Advance to World Championship

Goleta’s Octobots Robotics Advance to World Championship

Education By Ella Heydenfeldt

Thousands of UC Service, Patient Care Workers Threaten First Open-Ended Strike

Thousands of UC Service, Patient Care Workers Threaten First Open-Ended Strike

Labor By Ella Heydenfeldt

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Business

Renovation of Fairview Gardens Historic Farmhouse Receives Approval

Renovation of Fairview Gardens Historic Farmhouse Receives Approval

Business By Lauren Solway

A Balancing Act: City of Santa Barbara Begins Budget Season

A Balancing Act: City of Santa Barbara Begins Budget Season

Business By Ryan P. Cruz

Is Santa Barbara County Ready for Its Closeup?

Is Santa Barbara County Ready for Its Closeup?

Business By Jean Yamamura

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Health

A Brain-Infecting Parasite Has Come to California. Should Santa Barbara Worry?

A Brain-Infecting Parasite Has Come to California. Should Santa Barbara Worry?

Health By Ella Heydenfeldt

IVF Lawsuit Sends Patients to Santa Barbara Clinics

IVF Lawsuit Sends Patients to Santa Barbara Clinics

Health By Ella Heydenfeldt

Moving Forward with Hope: Breast Cancer Resource Center Announces New Location and a 3-Year Funding Partnership

Moving Forward with Hope: Breast Cancer Resource Center Announces New Location and a 3-Year Funding Partnership

Announcement By Breast Cancer Resource Center of Santa Barbara

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Homeless

After Six-Year Hiatus, Annual Foot-Washing Event Returns to Santa Barbara

After Six-Year Hiatus, Annual Foot-Washing Event Returns to Santa Barbara

Homeless By Elaine Sanders

The Santa Barbara Woman Who’s Chosen to Live Outside for 57 Years

The Santa Barbara Woman Who’s Chosen to Live Outside for 57 Years

Community By Ella Heydenfeldt

Housing Authority of City of Santa Barbara Asks If You’ll Help ‘Adopt a Home’

Housing Authority of City of Santa Barbara Asks If You’ll Help ‘Adopt a Home’

Housing By Christina McDermott

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Transportation

A New Commuter Train Is Entering Santa Barbara’s Station. Now How Do I Get There?

A New Commuter Train Is Entering Santa Barbara’s Station. Now How Do I Get There?

Transportation By Elaine Sanders

Flights Take Off: Santa Barbara Airport Launches New Nonstop Routes to Chicago and San Diego

Flights Take Off: Santa Barbara Airport Launches New Nonstop Routes to Chicago and San Diego

Transportation By Ella Heydenfeldt

Lane Reduction on Highway 101 Through Buellton set to Begin Week of Monday, April 27

Lane Reduction on Highway 101 Through Buellton set to Begin Week of Monday, April 27

Announcement By Caltrans

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Infrastructure

Proyecto de sustitución de la tubería de impulsión de aguas residuales en Via Lucero mejora la infraestructura comunitaria de aguas residuales

Proyecto de sustitución de la tubería de impulsión de aguas residuales en Via Lucero mejora la infraestructura comunitaria de aguas residuales

Anuncios By City of Santa Barbara

City of Santa Barbara Releases Latest Version of State Street Master Plan

City of Santa Barbara Releases Latest Version of State Street Master Plan

Infrastructure By Ryan P. Cruz

Santa Barbara Harbor Dredging Funds Restored After Federal Cut

Santa Barbara Harbor Dredging Funds Restored After Federal Cut

Infrastructure By Ella Heydenfeldt

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Cannabis

Santa Barbara Increases Cannabis Sales Tax Rate by 2 Percent

Santa Barbara Increases Cannabis Sales Tax Rate by 2 Percent

Cannabis By Ryan P. Cruz

No Time Extensions on Cannabis Odor Scrubbers in Carpinteria Greenhouses

No Time Extensions on Cannabis Odor Scrubbers in Carpinteria Greenhouses

Cannabis By Nick Welsh

Santa Barbara Finance Committee Considers Increase on Cannabis Tax

Santa Barbara Finance Committee Considers Increase on Cannabis Tax

Cannabis By Ryan P. Cruz

View More Cannabis

Labor

Thousands of UC Service, Patient Care Workers Threaten First Open-Ended Strike

Thousands of UC Service, Patient Care Workers Threaten First Open-Ended Strike

Labor By Ella Heydenfeldt

Santa Barbara County’s Hire-Local Program Shows Lack of Local Hires

Santa Barbara County’s Hire-Local Program Shows Lack of Local Hires

Labor By Nick Welsh

40,000 UC Workers Ratify Contracts After Statewide Organizing Campaign

40,000 UC Workers Ratify Contracts After Statewide Organizing Campaign

Labor By Ella Heydenfeldt

View More Labor

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