Best of Santa Barbara® 2024
By Tyler Hayden
Photos by Ingrid Bostrom
October 17, 2024
Find more Best of Santa Barbara® 2024 winners here.
S.B.-Based Website
Independent.com
“While our staff works hard to create a fantastic print issue each week, we also put in tireless hours to ensure that our digital presence is always up to date,” said Don Brubaker, the Indy’s web content manager. To illustrate his point: Last month, Brubaker and others here published more than 1,600 articles, reviews, announcements, and other pieces of community news to Independent.com. That’s around 400 posts a week, or about 50 a day. That doesn’t happen by itself. “This is what makes Independent.com the de facto source of news for Santa Barbara County: exceptional coverage delivered as instantly as possible,” said Brubaker. “And we don’t just cover hard news, but a plethora of arts and entertainment, community, and sports content as well!”
Runner-Up: Noozhawk.com
S.B. Celebrity
S.B. Instagram Follow
John Palminteri
After so many years as a one-man band of Santa Barbara news who manages to be everywhere at once — on camera, over the radio, and across the interwebs — what keeps The Palm tickin’? The basic but all-important purpose of journalism, he said: to inform the public. “I take it as a daily assignment to include in my conversations something that is in the local news or has been covered by the local news,” he said. “It’s a subtle way of reminding the public there’s so many interesting issues they might want to know about and follow.” These days, the top issue is the future of State Street. “As soon as I bring up what the latest plan is, that triggers a reply from nearly everyone, either in person or online,” he said. Palminteri maintains his ever-present persona by hosting events and fundraisers all over town, and just added yet another side hustle that suits his exuberant energy and that big, mustachioed smile. “Lately, I have also been performing weddings,” he said.
Runner-Up (S.B. Celebrity): Jeff Bridges
Runner-Up (S.B. Instagram Follow): @DowntownSantaBarbara
S.B. Columnist
Nick Welsh
Santa Barbara Independent, Independent.com
The Angry Poodle origin story, straight from the man-dog’s mouth: “Here’s the deal: When the Angry Poodle Barbecue first started, I despised the column. Back then, there were two weekly papers in town. I worked for one, and the Poodle ran in the other. When I was first informed the two papers were merging to form the Independent, my immediate reaction was, ‘Kill the Poodle.’ And I meant it. God may or may not have a sense of humor, but Marianne Partridge, the editor-in-chief, clearly did. She gave me the column to do. Every Wednesday morning ever since — at 6 a.m. sharp — I begin pounding my keyboard. Two hours later — for 40 years, almost — I better have something done. Objectively speaking, that makes me the luckiest man in journalism. Let’s see Cal Ripken top that. And to answer the question you didn’t ask: I have no idea where that name came from.”
Runner-Up: Starshine Roshell
S.B. Radio Station
99.9 KTYD
Practically glued as a pre-set to Santa Barbara radios, KTYD has shaken, rattled, and rolled our coast with classic rock since 1973. “Been listening since the beginning,” said Michael B. “Still great music and personalities.” If you’re like Clair M. and don’t have a working radio in your car, download their app. “Love it,” she said. “No lag, great sound.” Longtime host Lin Aubuchon thanked listeners for so many on-air memories, and she insisted it’s the station’s staff who deserve the honor of being called the best. “Somebody once said, ‘It’s not where you work, but who you work with that makes a job worth going to every day.’ That sums it up for all of us here,” she said. “We love our tribe. THEY are the heart and soul of KTYD.”
Runner-Up: 92.9 KJEE
Bill Pesso and Lin Aubuchon for KTYD | Credit: Ingrid Bostrom
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