The reality was far worse than he’d imagined. Now that he’s back in Santa Barbara, he can’t wait to leave again.

California districts have not received Congressionally appropriated money for after school programs, academic enrichment, English-learner services, teacher professional development and migrant ...

California’s excise tax on legal weed is increasing, despite efforts to keep it lower to help the struggling industry. Lawmakers left it out of the state budget they passed Monday.

California sent incarcerated firefighters to battle blazes in Los Angeles this year. It’s moving toward paying them minimum wage for their work in emergencies.

[Update: Thu., July 3, 5:36pm] The Madre Fire has expanded to 52,593 acres as of 5:17 p.m. on Thursday, still with only 5 ...

The young and dogmatically dressed act known as the 502s opened the evening with their friendly “lesser Lumineers” sound.

Join the Pierre Claeyssens Veterans Foundation for a festive concert featuring Santa Barbara’s beloved 80-member Prime Time Band on Friday, July 4th at 5:00 PM, located at the Santa Barbara County ...

Friday, July 4, 2025 Parade starts at 10am. Experience the charm of Solvang, California, at the annual Fourth of July Festival and Fireworks Show, hosted by the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club. Held at ...

After a brief hiatus to get her degree, Callie Fausey returned to her hometown in 2022 to work for the Santa Barbara Independent and now covers the two big E’s: education and environment. Although her ...

Reporter Christina McDermott joins The Santa Barbara Independent’s news team as a Mickey Flack Fellow, focusing on housing equity. Christina comes from the world of public radio, having interned and ...

According to a GoFundMe post from Medina’s family, “He was a man full of life, laughter, and love known for his big smile, contagious energy, and golden heart. He was sarcastic and funny, but also ...

5:30 p.m. Food trucks located directly outside of the stadium will be open. You can bring food inside the stadium but no large coolers or ice chests are allowed. Food Trucks at the event include ...