Homepage

Former Santa Barbara City Councilman Gil Garcia, others stranded in Mexico amid unrest

Former Santa Barbara City Councilman Gil Garcia, others stranded in Mexico amid unrest

Former Santa Barbara City Councilman Gil Garcia and his wife, Marti Correa de Garcia, are among a group of Santa Barbara tourists stuck in Mexico.

by Joshua Molina • Santa Barbara News-Press February 22, 2026February 23, 2026

Latest news

Santa Barbara attorney pepper sprayed, thrown to ground outside probation department, video shows

Santa Barbara attorney pepper sprayed, thrown to ground outside probation department, video shows

Santa Barbara police investigate shooting death at Westside’s Bohnett Park

Santa Barbara police investigate shooting death at Westside’s Bohnett Park

Santa Barbara High School students kept in classroom amid presence of ICE agents nearby

Santa Barbara High School students kept in classroom amid presence of ICE agents nearby

Lynn Montgomery: My 172 Days in a Kyiv Airbnb

Voices

Lynn Montgomery: My 172 Days in a Kyiv Airbnb

In-depth

Feel the boom: More and bigger SpaceX launches are coming to Santa Barbara County

Feel the boom: More and bigger SpaceX launches are coming to Santa Barbara County

by Tom Schultz • Special for the Santa Barbara News-Press February 8, 2026February 9, 2026

Santa Barbara emerges as tech titan thanks to UCSB and Google Quantum AI

Santa Barbara emerges as tech titan thanks to UCSB and Google Quantum AI

by Chris Woodyard • Santa Barbara News-Press February 18, 2026February 18, 2026

New Santa Barbara County commuter train service on track for early May start

New Santa Barbara County commuter train service on track for early May start

by Tom Schultz • Special for the Santa Barbara News-Press February 19, 2026February 19, 2026

Economy

The Dish: Bluewater Grill weighs options for Santa Barbara restaurant

The Dish: Bluewater Grill weighs options for Santa Barbara restaurant

by Joy Martin • Special for the News-Press February 20, 2026February 20, 2026

Crunch time for cannabis growers in the Carpinteria Valley

Crunch time for cannabis growers in the Carpinteria Valley

by Melinda Burns • Special for the Santa Barbara News-Press February 18, 2026February 19, 2026

The ultra rich say they’ll leave California if a wealth tax passes. History shows otherwise

The ultra rich say they’ll leave California if a wealth tax passes. History shows otherwise

by Mark Kreidler • Capital & Main February 8, 2026

Watch the latest

Swipe or scroll →

Follow on YouTube | Instagram

Environment

New analysis warns Trump’s offshore drilling plan could trigger thousands of oil spills

New analysis warns Trump’s offshore drilling plan could trigger thousands of oil spills

by Teresa Tomassoni • Inside Climate News February 15, 2026

Opinion: California needs to choose between clean energy or oil chaos

Opinion: California needs to choose between clean energy or oil chaos

by Mary Creasman • Special for Capitol Weekly January 29, 2026January 30, 2026

A California climate expert is working to restore climate risk scores deleted by Zillow

A California climate expert is working to restore climate risk scores deleted by Zillow

by Claire Barber • Inside Climate News January 26, 2026January 30, 2026

VOICES

SB County now paying the price after rush to support cannabis

SB County now paying the price after rush to support cannabis

by Brooks Firestone February 21, 2026February 21, 2026

Robert Sulnick: Sable Oil drags Santa Barbara County backwards

Robert Sulnick: Sable Oil drags Santa Barbara County backwards

by Robert Sulnick February 20, 2026February 20, 2026

Gina Rodarte Quiroz: deportation is not a public safety Plan

Gina Rodarte Quiroz: deportation is not a public safety Plan

by Gina Rodarte Quiroz February 16, 2026February 21, 2026

Business

Tourism summit spotlights Santa Barbara’s strength as a tourism destination

Tourism summit spotlights Santa Barbara’s strength as a tourism destination

by Joy Martin • Special for the News-Press January 28, 2026February 3, 2026

Bitar Group acquires The Nook at Lama Dog in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone

Bitar Group acquires The Nook at Lama Dog in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone

by Joy Martin • Special for the News-Press February 13, 2026February 13, 2026

With Fat Tuesday near, the good times roll at Palace Grill in downtown Santa Barbara

With Fat Tuesday near, the good times roll at Palace Grill in downtown Santa Barbara

by Joy Martin • Special for the News-Press February 11, 2026February 12, 2026

Community announcements

Central Coast Impact Scholarship opens March 1 for Central Coast students

Central Coast Impact Scholarship opens March 1 for Central Coast students

by California Legislative Central Coast Caucus Foundation February 23, 2026February 23, 2026

12th annual “Spirits in the Air: Potent Potable Poetry” brings verse to The Good Lion, Apr. 15

12th annual “Spirits in the Air: Potent Potable Poetry” brings verse to The Good Lion, Apr. 15

by George Yatchisin February 23, 2026February 23, 2026

Buenaventura Art Association announces 37th annual Open Competition at Ojai Art Center

Buenaventura Art Association announces 37th annual Open Competition at Ojai Art Center

by Buenaventura Art Association February 22, 2026February 23, 2026

MORE stories

Man watched UCSB student Liz Hamel climb over railing, fall to her death, report shows

Man watched UCSB student Liz Hamel climb over railing, fall to her death, report shows

by Chris Woodyard • Santa Barbara News-Press February 5, 2026February 5, 2026

Help is on the way for Cuyama Valley’s embattled small farmers

Economy

Help is on the way for Cuyama Valley’s embattled small farmers

by Melinda Burns • Special for the Santa Barbara News-Press February 10, 2026February 10, 2026

Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro walk the red carpet at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Arts and Culture

Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro walk the red carpet at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival

by Joshua Molina • Santa Barbara News-Press February 10, 2026February 11, 2026

Ethan Hawke shines Friday night at Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Arts and Culture

Ethan Hawke shines Friday night at Santa Barbara International Film Festival

by Joshua Molina • Santa Barbara News-Press February 7, 2026February 7, 2026

Filming ICE is legal but exposes you to digital tracking. Here’s how to minimize the risk

Filming ICE is legal but exposes you to digital tracking. Here’s how to minimize the risk

by Nicole M. Bennett • The Conversation February 8, 2026February 19, 2026