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Featured Stories

We Keep Us Safe: The People Fighting to Keep ICE Out of Santa Barbara

We Keep Us Safe: The People Fighting to Keep ICE Out of Santa Barbara

Cover Story By Ryan P. Cruz

How Rapid Response Network volunteers work to protect their neighbors and stand up for immigrants.

Pacific Surfliner Service Suspended Through Santa Barbara March 7-8 for Corridorwide Track Work

Pacific Surfliner Service Suspended Through Santa Barbara March 7-8 for Corridorwide Track Work

Transportation By Ella Heydenfeldt

Several rail agencies are coordinating infrastructure work along the tracks between San Diego and San Luis Obispo.

Ashlee Buzzard Doesn’t Appear in Lompoc Court for Second Time in Murder Case

Ashlee Buzzard Doesn’t Appear in Lompoc Court for Second Time in Murder Case

Courts & Crime By Christina McDermott

The Vandenberg Village woman accused of murdering her child has her next court appearance on March 18.

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Report Shows Big Bucks in Santa Barbara Arts and Culture

Report Shows Big Bucks in Santa Barbara Arts and Culture

Business By Nick Welsh

Republican Steve Hilton Campaigns for Governor in Santa Barbara, Promotes ‘Califordable’ Agenda

Republican Steve Hilton Campaigns for Governor in Santa Barbara, Promotes ‘Califordable’ Agenda

Election 2026 By Nestor Manzanares

State Route 192 Full Closure this Monday Night for Power Pole Repairs

Announcement By Caltrans

Shelby Builder’s Remedy Project Clears Goleta Planning Commission

Shelby Builder’s Remedy Project Clears Goleta Planning Commission

Housing By Jean Yamamura

Santa Barbara Rental Property Association to Legally Challenge Rent Freeze

Santa Barbara Rental Property Association to Legally Challenge Rent Freeze

Courts & Crime By Ryan P. Cruz

Santa Barbara County Supes Face Budget Bloodbath

Santa Barbara County Supes Face Budget Bloodbath

Politics By Nick Welsh

Santa Barbara City Council Considers Tax Measures for November Ballot

Santa Barbara City Council Considers Tax Measures for November Ballot

Election 2026 By Ryan P. Cruz

Million-Dollar Penalty Finalized for Million-Gallon Sewage Spill in Goleta Slough

Million-Dollar Penalty Finalized for Million-Gallon Sewage Spill in Goleta Slough

Environment By Jean Yamamura

Some Health Care Improvements at the Santa Barbara County Jails

Some Health Care Improvements at the Santa Barbara County Jails

Health By Nick Welsh

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Immigration

We Keep Us Safe: The People Fighting to Keep ICE Out of Santa Barbara

We Keep Us Safe: The People Fighting to Keep ICE Out of Santa Barbara

Cover Story By Ryan P. Cruz

Goleta Punk Show Raises Money for Undocumented Families

Goleta Punk Show Raises Money for Undocumented Families

Video By Larry Nimmer

Shaping S.B. Response to Regime’s Deportation Raids: ‘Fear by Design: ICE Tactics, Impact, and What We Can Do About It”

Shaping S.B. Response to Regime’s Deportation Raids: ‘Fear by Design: ICE Tactics, Impact, and What We Can Do About It”

Video By Jerry Roberts, S.B. Newsmakers

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Housing

Shelby Builder’s Remedy Project Clears Goleta Planning Commission

Shelby Builder’s Remedy Project Clears Goleta Planning Commission

Housing By Jean Yamamura

Santa Barbara Rental Property Association to Legally Challenge Rent Freeze

Santa Barbara Rental Property Association to Legally Challenge Rent Freeze

Courts & Crime By Ryan P. Cruz

Habitat for Humanity Cranes In ADU on Santa Barbara’s Cota Street

Habitat for Humanity Cranes In ADU on Santa Barbara’s Cota Street

Housing By Elaine Sanders

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Energy

California Judge Rejects Sable’s Motion to Lift Injunction

California Judge Rejects Sable’s Motion to Lift Injunction

Energy By Nick Welsh

The Cloud Has a Power Bill — and State Officials Say Ratepayers Shouldn’t Foot It

The Cloud Has a Power Bill — and State Officials Say Ratepayers Shouldn’t Foot It

Energy By Ella Heydenfeldt

$9.5 Million in Energy Incentives Now Available — Here’s What It Means for Santa Barbara Homes

$9.5 Million in Energy Incentives Now Available — Here’s What It Means for Santa Barbara Homes

Energy By Ella Heydenfeldt

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Community

‘Forward Ever, Backward Never’ Honors Elroy Pinks and Celebrates Black Culture in Isla Vista

‘Forward Ever, Backward Never’ Honors Elroy Pinks and Celebrates Black Culture in Isla Vista

Community By Nestor Manzanares

After Decades, Isla Vista Gets a New Welcome Sign

After Decades, Isla Vista Gets a New Welcome Sign

Community By Christina McDermott

Angels Foster Care Has New Halo at Its Head

Angels Foster Care Has New Halo at Its Head

Community By Callie Fausey

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Health

Some Health Care Improvements at the Santa Barbara County Jails

Some Health Care Improvements at the Santa Barbara County Jails

Health By Nick Welsh

Bonta Says Nursing Is a Profession, Opposes Federal Loan Caps

Bonta Says Nursing Is a Profession, Opposes Federal Loan Caps

Health By Ella Heydenfeldt

Santa Barbara Supes Ramp Up Health Inspections of Pop-Up Food Vendors

Santa Barbara Supes Ramp Up Health Inspections of Pop-Up Food Vendors

Health By Nick Welsh

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Politics

Santa Barbara County Supes Face Budget Bloodbath

Santa Barbara County Supes Face Budget Bloodbath

Politics By Nick Welsh

Carbajal Statement on Trump Administration Strikes in Iran

Carbajal Statement on Trump Administration Strikes in Iran

Announcement By Office of Congressmember Salud Carbajal

Santa Ynez Ranch Owner and Trump Insider Called Jeffrey Epstein a ‘First Class Human Being’

Santa Ynez Ranch Owner and Trump Insider Called Jeffrey Epstein a ‘First Class Human Being’

Politics By Tyler Hayden

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Public Safety

California Highway Patrol to Distribute Free Bike Lights in Isla Vista

California Highway Patrol to Distribute Free Bike Lights in Isla Vista

Transportation By Nestor Manzanares

Body Recovered from Beach Below Santa Barbara’s Mesa Cliffs Identified as Isla Vista Man

Body Recovered from Beach Below Santa Barbara’s Mesa Cliffs Identified as Isla Vista Man

Public Safety By Ella Heydenfeldt

How Many Jail Beds Does Santa Barbara County Really Need?

How Many Jail Beds Does Santa Barbara County Really Need?

Public Safety By Ella Heydenfeldt

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Infrastructure

Can Santa Barbara Airport Weather Its Flood-Prone Future?

Can Santa Barbara Airport Weather Its Flood-Prone Future?

Infrastructure By Callie Fausey

Upgrading Santa Barbara’s Electric Infrastructure by Helicopter

Upgrading Santa Barbara’s Electric Infrastructure by Helicopter

Infrastructure By Ryan P. Cruz

Proposed Additions to Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara Will Go Forward

Proposed Additions to Lobero Theatre in Santa Barbara Will Go Forward

Infrastructure By Ryan P. Cruz

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Environment

Million-Dollar Penalty Finalized for Million-Gallon Sewage Spill in Goleta Slough

Million-Dollar Penalty Finalized for Million-Gallon Sewage Spill in Goleta Slough

Environment By Jean Yamamura

Carrizo Plain in Superbloom as BLM Leadership Change Looms

Carrizo Plain in Superbloom as BLM Leadership Change Looms

Environment By Ella Heydenfeldt

Can Santa Barbara Researchers Bring Rockweed Back from the Brink?

Can Santa Barbara Researchers Bring Rockweed Back from the Brink?

Environment By Callie Fausey

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Business

Report Shows Big Bucks in Santa Barbara Arts and Culture

Report Shows Big Bucks in Santa Barbara Arts and Culture

Business By Nick Welsh

Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore Reopening in Downtown Santa Barbara

Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore Reopening in Downtown Santa Barbara

Business By Jean Yamamura

Goldwater Institute Attacks Santa Barbara County’s One Percent Wine Fee

Goldwater Institute Attacks Santa Barbara County’s One Percent Wine Fee

Drink By Matt Kettmann

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Science & Tech

Blood Moon Rising: Total Lunar Eclipse Visible in Santa Barbara

Blood Moon Rising: Total Lunar Eclipse Visible in Santa Barbara

Science & Tech By Christina McDermott

UC Santa Barbara Startup Builds Software to Speed Drug Discovery

UC Santa Barbara Startup Builds Software to Speed Drug Discovery

Science & Tech By Cameron Walker, UCSB's 'The Current'

UC Santa Barbara Scientists Bottle the Sun with Liquid Battery

UC Santa Barbara Scientists Bottle the Sun with Liquid Battery

Science & Tech By Seren Snow, UCSB's 'The Current'

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Courts & Crime

Ashlee Buzzard Doesn’t Appear in Lompoc Court for Second Time in Murder Case

Ashlee Buzzard Doesn’t Appear in Lompoc Court for Second Time in Murder Case

Courts & Crime By Christina McDermott

Santa Barbara Rental Property Association to Legally Challenge Rent Freeze

Santa Barbara Rental Property Association to Legally Challenge Rent Freeze

Courts & Crime By Ryan P. Cruz

Federal Lawsuit Charges Santa Barbara County Authorities with ‘Deliberate Indifference’ in Jailhouse Suicide

Federal Lawsuit Charges Santa Barbara County Authorities with ‘Deliberate Indifference’ in Jailhouse Suicide

Courts & Crime By Nick Welsh

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News Commentary

Bill Brown Chides ICE for “Excesses” – But Says Sheriff Must Stay “Neutral” Amid Anti-Immigrant Crusade

Bill Brown Chides ICE for “Excesses” – But Says Sheriff Must Stay “Neutral” Amid Anti-Immigrant Crusade

By Jerry Roberts, SB Newsmakers

365 Days of Chaos, Corruption and Incompetence: Our Analysts Assess Year One of the Trump Regime

365 Days of Chaos, Corruption and Incompetence: Our Analysts Assess Year One of the Trump Regime

Video By Jerry Roberts, S.B. Newsmakers

Journalist Lou Cannon, Who Covered Ronald Reagan for Decades, Dies at 92

Journalist Lou Cannon, Who Covered Ronald Reagan for Decades, Dies at 92

News Commentary By Nick Welsh

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Wildfire

Santa Barbara County Fire Department Awarded Grant Funding for the Santa Barbara Vegetation Management Program (VMP) and Ignition Prevention Project

Santa Barbara County Fire Department Awarded Grant Funding for the Santa Barbara Vegetation Management Program (VMP) and Ignition Prevention Project

Announcement By Santa Barbara County Fire Department

Talk on California’s Wildfire Crisis Kicks off IHC Public Series at UC Santa Barbara

Talk on California’s Wildfire Crisis Kicks off IHC Public Series at UC Santa Barbara

Wildfire By Keith Hamm, UCSB's 'The Current'

Gifford Fire Containment Grows to 97 Percent

Gifford Fire Containment Grows to 97 Percent

Wildfire By Jean Yamamura

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Education

Santa Barbara City College Makes Plans for Remaining $13M of MacKenzie Scott Gift

Santa Barbara City College Makes Plans for Remaining $13M of MacKenzie Scott Gift

Education By Emily Vesper

Youth Making Change Awards $15,000 to Teen-Led Projects in South County

Youth Making Change Awards $15,000 to Teen-Led Projects in South County

Education By Ella Heydenfeldt

Seven-Period Day Returning to Santa Barbara Junior Highs — in Two Years

Seven-Period Day Returning to Santa Barbara Junior Highs — in Two Years

Education By Callie Fausey

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Homeless

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

Goleta Officials Address Rise in People Living in Vehicles at Public Meeting

Goleta Officials Address Rise in People Living in Vehicles at Public Meeting

Homeless By Ella Heydenfeldt

City of Santa Barbara Welcomes New Housing and Homeless Services Manager

City of Santa Barbara Welcomes New Housing and Homeless Services Manager

Announcement By City of Santa Barbara

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Transportation

Pacific Surfliner Service Suspended Through Santa Barbara March 7-8 for Corridorwide Track Work

Pacific Surfliner Service Suspended Through Santa Barbara March 7-8 for Corridorwide Track Work

Transportation By Ella Heydenfeldt

State Route 192 Full Closure this Monday Night for Power Pole Repairs

Announcement By Caltrans

Hollister Avenue & HWY 217 Roundabouts Are Now Open

Hollister Avenue & HWY 217 Roundabouts Are Now Open

Announcement By City of Goleta

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Cannabis

Santa Barbara Finance Committee Considers Increase on Cannabis Tax

Santa Barbara Finance Committee Considers Increase on Cannabis Tax

Cannabis By Ryan P. Cruz

Santa Barbara County’s Cannabis Revenues Continue Long, Slow Slide

Santa Barbara County’s Cannabis Revenues Continue Long, Slow Slide

Cannabis By Nick Welsh

California’s Marijuana Industry Gets a Break Under New Law Suspending Tax Hike

Cannabis By Nadia Lathan, CalMatters

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