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President’s Day Storm Brings Heavy Rain, Downed Trees to Santa Barbara County

President’s Day Storm Brings Heavy Rain, Downed Trees to Santa Barbara County

Public Safety By Ryan P. Cruz

Highway 101 was forced to close after a eucalyptus tree fell near Fairview Avenue on Monday.

Major Storm Forecast for Santa Barbara County, February 15-20, 2026

Major Storm Forecast for Santa Barbara County, February 15-20, 2026

Announcement By Ready SBC

The National Weather Service is forecasting a significant storm for Santa Barbara County expected to occur February 15-20, 2026. The

Facing ‘Extinction Vortex,’ California Grants New Protections To Some Mountain Lions

Facing ‘Extinction Vortex,’ California Grants New Protections To Some Mountain Lions

Environment By Rachel Becker, CalMatters

State fish and game officials declared mountain lions in the Central Coast and Southern California threatened under the state’s endangered species act.

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California Sues as Trump Cuts $600M in Public Health Grants to Four States

California Sues as Trump Cuts $600M in Public Health Grants to Four States

Health By Ana B. Ibarra, CalMatters

One Year Later, Elizabeth Hamel’s Friends Remember Her in Life, While Questions Surrounding Her Death Remain

One Year Later, Elizabeth Hamel’s Friends Remember Her in Life, While Questions Surrounding Her Death Remain

Community By Christina McDermott

California to Weigh In on Fate of Platform Holly off Goleta’s Coast

California to Weigh In on Fate of Platform Holly off Goleta’s Coast

Environment By Ella Heydenfeldt

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

Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens Nominated for National Register of Historic Places

Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens Nominated for National Register of Historic Places

History By Ryan P. Cruz

Adams Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Nominated as ‘LifeChanger of the Year’

Adams Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Nominated as ‘LifeChanger of the Year’

Education By Emily Vesper

Trump Scraps Cornerstone Climate Finding, as California Prepares for Court

Trump Scraps Cornerstone Climate Finding, as California Prepares for Court

Environment By Alejandro Lazo, CalMatters

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'

Santa Barbara Unified Teachers Pack School Board Meeting in Push to Bring Seventh Period Back to Junior Highs

Santa Barbara Unified Teachers Pack School Board Meeting in Push to Bring Seventh Period Back to Junior Highs

Education By Callie Fausey

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Immigration

Faith Leaders Sing and Pray in Goleta Target Store to Urge a Stand over ICE

Faith Leaders Sing and Pray in Goleta Target Store to Urge a Stand over ICE

Politics By Nestor Manzanares

Hundreds of Students Walk Out of San Marcos, Santa Barbara High Schools to Protest ICE

Hundreds of Students Walk Out of San Marcos, Santa Barbara High Schools to Protest ICE

Politics By Callie Fausey

Solvang Stands with Minnesota

Solvang Stands with Minnesota

Photo By Photos and text by Cynthia Carbone Ward

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Housing

Shelby Builder’s Remedy Project in Goleta Undergoes Design and Environmental Review

Shelby Builder’s Remedy Project in Goleta Undergoes Design and Environmental Review

Housing By Jean Yamamura

Naples Housing Project Approved, Despite Vote for Voles and Kite Concerns

Naples Housing Project Approved, Despite Vote for Voles and Kite Concerns

Housing By Callie Fausey

Santa Barbara County Supervisors Pass Ordinances to Streamline Permitting Process

Santa Barbara County Supervisors Pass Ordinances to Streamline Permitting Process

Housing By Christina McDermott

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Energy

Feds Subpoena Sable Offshore over Insider Information

Feds Subpoena Sable Offshore over Insider Information

Courts & Crime By Nick Welsh

Santa Barbara Judge Keeps Sable Injunction in Place as Company Confirms No Oil in Pipelines

Santa Barbara Judge Keeps Sable Injunction in Place as Company Confirms No Oil in Pipelines

Courts & Crime By Ella Heydenfeldt

Santa Barbara County Supervisors Weigh Legal Options to Stop or Slow Down Restart of Sable Offshore’s Oil Pipeline

Santa Barbara County Supervisors Weigh Legal Options to Stop or Slow Down Restart of Sable Offshore’s Oil Pipeline

Energy By Nick Welsh

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Community

One Year Later, Elizabeth Hamel’s Friends Remember Her in Life, While Questions Surrounding Her Death Remain

One Year Later, Elizabeth Hamel’s Friends Remember Her in Life, While Questions Surrounding Her Death Remain

Community By Christina McDermott

Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens Nominated for National Register of Historic Places

Jimmy’s Oriental Gardens Nominated for National Register of Historic Places

History By Ryan P. Cruz

Goleta Farming Visionaries Jay and Kristen Ruskey Die in ‘Tragic Accident’

Goleta Farming Visionaries Jay and Kristen Ruskey Die in ‘Tragic Accident’

Community By Matt Kettmann

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Health

California Sues as Trump Cuts $600M in Public Health Grants to Four States

California Sues as Trump Cuts $600M in Public Health Grants to Four States

Health By Ana B. Ibarra, CalMatters

California Moves to Plug Planned Parenthood Funding Hole with $90 Million

California Moves to Plug Planned Parenthood Funding Hole with $90 Million

Health By Ella Heydenfeldt

Santa Barbara Paramedic Flips Traditional Patient Assessment on Its Head

Santa Barbara Paramedic Flips Traditional Patient Assessment on Its Head

Health By Ella Heydenfeldt

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Politics

Faith Leaders Sing and Pray in Goleta Target Store to Urge a Stand over ICE

Faith Leaders Sing and Pray in Goleta Target Store to Urge a Stand over ICE

Politics By Nestor Manzanares

Hundreds of Students Walk Out of San Marcos, Santa Barbara High Schools to Protest ICE

Hundreds of Students Walk Out of San Marcos, Santa Barbara High Schools to Protest ICE

Politics By Callie Fausey

Les Ballets Africains Performance in Santa Barbara Canceled Amid Visa Suspension

Les Ballets Africains Performance in Santa Barbara Canceled Amid Visa Suspension

Politics By Nestor Manzanares

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Public Safety

President’s Day Storm Brings Heavy Rain, Downed Trees to Santa Barbara County

President’s Day Storm Brings Heavy Rain, Downed Trees to Santa Barbara County

Public Safety By Ryan P. Cruz

Major Storm Forecast for Santa Barbara County, February 15-20, 2026

Major Storm Forecast for Santa Barbara County, February 15-20, 2026

Announcement By Ready SBC

Santa Barbara Supervisors Look to Put Pin in Ballooning Overtime Costs at Sheriff’s Office and Beyond

Santa Barbara Supervisors Look to Put Pin in Ballooning Overtime Costs at Sheriff’s Office and Beyond

Public Safety By Emily Vesper

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Infrastructure

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

Federal Budget Cut Leaves Santa Barbara Harbor $4 Million Short on Dredging

Federal Budget Cut Leaves Santa Barbara Harbor $4 Million Short on Dredging

Infrastructure By Ella Heydenfeldt

Isla Vista’s Park District Celebrates Newly Renovated ‘Peaceful’ Pardall Gardens

Isla Vista’s Park District Celebrates Newly Renovated ‘Peaceful’ Pardall Gardens

Community By Christina McDermott

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Environment

Facing ‘Extinction Vortex,’ California Grants New Protections To Some Mountain Lions

Facing ‘Extinction Vortex,’ California Grants New Protections To Some Mountain Lions

Environment By Rachel Becker, CalMatters

California to Weigh In on Fate of Platform Holly off Goleta’s Coast

California to Weigh In on Fate of Platform Holly off Goleta’s Coast

Environment By Ella Heydenfeldt

Trump Scraps Cornerstone Climate Finding, as California Prepares for Court

Trump Scraps Cornerstone Climate Finding, as California Prepares for Court

Environment By Alejandro Lazo, CalMatters

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Business

City of Santa Barbara Tightens Rules on Single-Use Materials

City of Santa Barbara Tightens Rules on Single-Use Materials

Environment By Ryan P. Cruz

Open Air Bicycles Set to Close Its Doors in March

Open Air Bicycles Set to Close Its Doors in March

Business By Callie Fausey

UC Santa Barbara Freshman Talks Tariffs in Trending New Series — with a Little Help from Peter Griffin

UC Santa Barbara Freshman Talks Tariffs in Trending New Series — with a Little Help from Peter Griffin

Business By Ella Heydenfeldt

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Science & Tech

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'

California Investigates Elon Musk’s AI Company After ‘Avalanche’ of Complaints About Sexual Content

California Investigates Elon Musk’s AI Company After ‘Avalanche’ of Complaints About Sexual Content

Science & Tech By Khari Johnson, CalMatters

Vandenberg Announces Plan for New ‘Super-Heavy’ Launch Site

Vandenberg Announces Plan for New ‘Super-Heavy’ Launch Site

Science & Tech By Tyler Hayden

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Courts & Crime

Bankrupt California Friars Agree to $20 Million Settlement with Survivors

Bankrupt California Friars Agree to $20 Million Settlement with Survivors

Courts & Crime By Tyler Hayden

Family of Goleta Mother Found Dead in Ventura County River Raising Money for Funeral and Memorial Expenses

Family of Goleta Mother Found Dead in Ventura County River Raising Money for Funeral and Memorial Expenses

Community By Callie Fausey

Additional Survivors Come Forward in Goleta Care Home Sexual Abuse Case

Additional Survivors Come Forward in Goleta Care Home Sexual Abuse Case

Courts & Crime By Ella Heydenfeldt

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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

Adams Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Nominated as ‘LifeChanger of the Year’

Adams Elementary Kindergarten Teacher Nominated as ‘LifeChanger of the Year’

Education By Emily Vesper

Santa Barbara Unified Teachers Pack School Board Meeting in Push to Bring Seventh Period Back to Junior Highs

Santa Barbara Unified Teachers Pack School Board Meeting in Push to Bring Seventh Period Back to Junior Highs

Education By Callie Fausey

Santa Barbara City College Foundation Clarifies Use of MacKenzie Scott Gift Funds

Santa Barbara City College Foundation Clarifies Use of MacKenzie Scott Gift Funds

Education By Ryan P. Cruz

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Homeless

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

California Counties Must Jump Through New Hoops to Get Homelessness Funds

California Counties Must Jump Through New Hoops to Get Homelessness Funds

Homeless By Marisa Kendall and Ben Christopher, CalMatters

Santa Barbara High Sophomore Paddles from Santa Cruz Island to Ventura to Raise Thousands for Unhoused Neighbors

Santa Barbara High Sophomore Paddles from Santa Cruz Island to Ventura to Raise Thousands for Unhoused Neighbors

Community By Ella Heydenfeldt

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Transportation

U.S. Highway 101 Lane Closures in Gaviota for Rock Scaling/Removal Operation

U.S. Highway 101 Lane Closures in Gaviota for Rock Scaling/Removal Operation

Announcement By Caltrans

Construction on State Route 154 to Continue with Intermittent Closures for Debris Removal and Rock Fence Repairs

Construction on State Route 154 to Continue with Intermittent Closures for Debris Removal and Rock Fence Repairs

Announcement By Caltrans

State Route 154 Set for Intermittent Closures for Emergency Maintenance Efforts

State Route 154 Set for Intermittent Closures for Emergency Maintenance Efforts

Announcement By Caltrans

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Cannabis

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

Santa Barbara County Caps Cannabis Acreage; Responds to Grand Jury

Santa Barbara County Caps Cannabis Acreage; Responds to Grand Jury

Cannabis By Ryan P. Cruz

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