A Good Turn for Irene and Her Children
When Irene’s husband shot her in front of their three young children, “I thought all of our lives had ended,” she said.
Barney Brantingham
Recent Stories
Thou Shalt Not Steal From Nuns
Barney Brantingham provides updates on the Sisters of Bethany saga, the News-Press, and the S.B. Writers Conference.
A Lompoc Minister Pities Us
A Lompoc minister is telling townspeople that “it’s time to stop feeling so sorry for those folks down in Santa Barbara and so all-fired smug about ourselves.”
Get Outta Here
I was dunking a shrimp in a bowl of hot sauce on Cannery Row last weekend when a woman across the table asked, “How do you compare Monterey with Santa Barbara?”
Sex Is Not a Sport
Tennis seems like such a clean, nonviolent sport. You watch your 16-year-old daughter or granddaughter pick up a racket, knowing that no one is going to tackle her, knock her flat when she goes up for a rebound, or aim a fastball at her head.
Surprise: A Penthouse on State Street
Imagine yourself living in a penthouse high above downtown State Street, with views forever and just an elevator ride down to Santa Barbara’s theaters, shops, and restaurants.
103-Year-Old Woman of Mystery
A wealthy woman of mystery owns Santa Barbara’s most coveted hilltop-but hasn’t set foot in its mansion for something like 40 to 50 years.
Justice Crawls, Fired Reporters Wait
A Teamsters Web site article by former News-Press reporter Dawn Hobbs updates the saga.
S.B. Bank & Trust’s Rocky Year
The bank’s parent company, Pacific Capital, loses more than $411 million in first nine months of the year.
Travis Armstrong Is Outta There
Travis Armstrong, Santa Barbara News-Press editorial page editor and arguably the most hated man in town, is gone from the powerful post he abused for so long. Thousands cheer.
