The Santa Barbara Independent

ICE Detains Special Needs Student, U.S. Citizen Near Santa Maria High School

Immigration By Ryan P. Cruz

Rapid Response volunteers witnessed the student being tackled and left with injuries requiring surgery.

Santa Barbara Public Library Expands Its Library of Things

Community By Elaine Sanders

Power tools, kitchen appliances, and gardening implements are now available for checkout.

Congressmembers Carbajal, Padilla Introduce Bill to Investigate Toxic Waste Dumping off California Coast

Politics By Callie Fausey

UC Santa Barbara researcher David Valentine, who discovered the DDT dumping grounds, calls the legislation an “important next step.” Valentine and Carbajal will be on hand for a screening of the documentary “Out of Plain Sight” on Sunday at Marjorie Luke Theatre.

Santa Barbara Unified Test Scores Improve, but Achievement Gap Remains

Education By Callie Fausey

California School Dashboard shows English and math proficiency up districtwide, while some schools see declines amid students’ struggles to meet grade-level expectations.

A Cozy Santa Barbara Evening with Ingrid Michaelson, Allie Moss and Hannah Winkler

Music By Samantha Eve

MOPOP’s exterior

Santa Barbara Revels Present Annual Harbor Sing on Sunday

Music By Taylor Cusimano

Featuring an afternoon of music, laughter, and good company, Santa Barbara Revels comes to the Deep Sea Tasting Room on the Wharf.

Review | The Future Is Short, but Promising, at Westmont College

Theater By Maggie Yates

Six short plays were presented at various campus locations.

Japanese Sacred Architecture: Shinto and Buddhism

Sat, Oct 24 2:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Picnic in the Cemetery: A Live Historical Event

Sat, Oct 24 10:30 AM

Santa Barbara

2nd Annual Charger Cup to Benefit DP High Golfers

Sat, Oct 24 11:00 AM

Goleta

Makers Hive Market

Sat, Oct 24 12:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Japanese Sacred Architecture: Shinto and Buddhism

Sat, Oct 24 2:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Thriller 2026 – Get Scary for Charity!

Sat, Oct 24 2:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Downtown Santa Barbara Trick-or-Treat

Sat, Oct 24 3:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Solvang Haunted House and Street Fair

Sat, Oct 24 5:30 PM

Solvang

Anima: Theater of the Feminine Underground

Sat, Oct 24 7:00 PM

Santa Barbara

Free Family Day: Día de los Muertos

Sun, Oct 25 11:00 AM

Santa Barbara

multimedia Stories

Music Academy Breaks Grounds on ‘The Muse’ in Downtown Santa Barbara

Photo

Former Forever 21 at 901 State Street starts its transformation into a music hall and education center at Thursday’s groundbreaking.

Dos Pueblos and Rio Mesa Get Down in Post-Game Dance Battle

Video

The two teams broke out into an impromptu dance battle in a show of sportsmanship after Dos Pueblos won the game 48-6.

Santa Barbara Students and Community Members Speak out Against Recent Blackface Incident

Video

Community members call for consequences for students involved in San Marcos blackface incident at October 13th school board meeting.

Larry Nimmer Throws a Dart at the Santa Barbara Studio Artists Tour

Video

Santa Barbara filmmaker’s new snstallment of D’Art series surveys a variety of artists in their studios.

‘Scream If You Love Raising Canes’

Video

Community members and protesters show up for the grand opening of Raising Cane’s in Goleta.

‘LA Times’ Star Mark Barabak Breaks Down Midterms State of Play: Dems Look Solid to Win House, Puncher’s Chance to Take Senate

Video

California’s top political columnist returns to “Newsmakers TV” for in-depth and detailed analysis of how Iran war and Trump’s unpopularity triggered a “red undertow” that may lead to “blue wave.”