Local news
Santa Barbara County, California
Santa Barbara author Elizabeth Foscue will discuss her new novel, “New Year’s Grieve,” at Chaucer’s Books on Monday, November 16, at 6 p.m. The country-house mystery follows Jojo, whose grandfather is found dead during…
Pearl Social Cocktail Club has reopened its annual Miracle Christmas pop-up bar in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone for a sixth year. The venue will serve holiday-themed cocktails amid festive decorations daily through…
Santa Barbara High swept Steele Canyon 25-18, 26-24, 25-19 on Thursday night to advance to the CIF State Division III girls’ volleyball semifinals. The top-seeded Dons were led by Blake Saunders’ 11 kills and strong net…
A Santa Barbara resident says an e-bike rider nearly struck her while she was walking on the sidewalk along Chapala Street. She argues that riders should not use sidewalks or trails, and calls for better enforcement of…
Anna Goldreich’s debut novel, “The Leveret,” follows Clare and Phoebe as they grieve the loss of their baby and retreat to Phoebe’s family farm. The story shifts between Clare’s prose and Phoebe’s verse as they struggle…
BREAKINGThe FAA grounded departing flights nationwide shortly before 1 p.m. Friday after a communications issue affected all Air Route Traffic Control Centers. The emergency alert included flights from Santa Barbara Airport…
The FAA grounded flights at Santa Barbara Airport as part of a nationwide stoppage Friday, citing safety concerns and a communications issue affecting all air route traffic control centers. Four aircraft at the airport…
El Dorado County Auditor-Controller Joe Harn received the Award for County Financial Transactions Reporting from California State Controller Malia M. Cohen at the State Controller’s Annual Conference for County Auditors…
According to SB Newsmakers, Kristen Sneddon has secured victory in the Santa Barbara mayoral race following a surge in late-counted ballots. The result reflects a broader trend of Democratic success in local government…
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced last week that he would commute the death sentences of all 548 people on the state’s death row. The decision means those inmates will not be executed, and the column notes that…
Rain began in Santa Barbara County Thursday night as a storm system brings cooler temperatures and showers expected on and off through the weekend and into next week. The National Weather Service forecasts a west swell…
Santa Barbara swept Steele Canyon 3-0 in a Division 3 CIF-State girls volleyball quarterfinal on November 12. Blake Saunders led the Dons with 11 kills, while Kira Elliott added seven and Jules Horton recorded 34…
Kristen Sneddon has won Santa Barbara’s mayoral race after her lead over fellow City Council member Eric Friedman became statistically insurmountable. Friedman conceded on Thursday, saying the remaining ballots could…
Santa Barbara is reviewing its parks, beaches and open spaces for the first time in 40 years through a new Parks and Recreation Master Plan. The city is asking residents to share priorities for improvements and possible…
Dos Pueblos defeated Laguna Beach 14-11 in the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals Thursday, earning a place in Saturday’s championship match against top-seeded Mira Costa. The Chargers recovered from an early 4-1 deficit and…
Santa Barbara apartment owner David Barton opposes extending the city’s temporary rent freeze, arguing that making rent stabilization permanent would hurt small property owners without addressing affordability. He says…
A letter from the Indivisible Santa Barbara Steering Committee argues that Chuck Schumer should not lead Senate Democrats after the midterm elections. The writers say his first announcements suggest a return to…
Kristen Sneddon was elected mayor of Santa Barbara, leading Eric Friedman by 579 votes with 98% of ballots tallied Thursday. Sneddon received 46.23% of the vote, compared with Friedman’s 44.58%, according to the Santa…
UC Santa Barbara defeated Nevada 76-63 at the Thunderdome on Wednesday night, improving to 3-0 this season. Sophomore guard CJ Shaw led the Gauchos with 20 points as they built a 16-point halftime lead. Nevada mounted a…
Veterans and community members gathered at Santa Barbara Cemetery on Wednesday morning for a Veterans Day ceremony honoring those who served in the U.S. military. The event, presented by the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans…
Santa Barbara City Council approved new permitting rules for massage therapists on Tuesday, Nov. 10, as part of a police-led effort to combat human trafficking and sexual assault-related crimes. Therapists generally…
Santa Barbara County supervisors voted Tuesday to amend the county’s inclusionary housing ordinance after Habitat for Humanity raised concerns that its rules could hinder affordable housing partnerships. The changes…
Santa Barbara residents submitted about 8,700 signatures on a petition challenging the City Council’s State Street ordinance, with verification still pending. At a council discussion on November 10, the debate focused…
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation paid off the mortgage on Julia Fraas’s Santa Barbara home on Veterans Day, honoring her late husband, Air Force Master Sergeant Steven Fraas. He died in 2014 after an illness attributed…
The American Cancer Society will hold a free cancer-care event and panel discussion at Cabrillo Pavilion in Santa Barbara on November 19, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Healthcare professionals, civic leaders and community…
A woman who accused Santa Barbara attorney Andrew Alire of rape testified at a preliminary hearing, describing how she became severely impaired, asked to go home and later awoke to him sexually abusing her. Alire…
A pilot project led by scientists and commercial fishermen has restored kelp at a one-acre site near San Miguel Island in the Santa Barbara Channel. Divers removed purple urchins, whose overgrazing had helped create…
Santa Barbara City Council voted 5-1-1 to extend the current arrangement keeping most of State Street closed to cars while a possible referendum is considered. The measure preserves the downtown configuration as…
New data from 19 California counties suggests Senate Bill 43 has had limited effect on long-term mental health conservatorships. The 2023 law expanded eligibility for court-ordered care, but 12 counties reported either…
Santa Barbara police arrested five suspects—one adult and four minors—on Tuesday in connection with a gang-related shooting at Bohnett Park on June 17. The shooting injured one man, who later sought treatment at a…
