Santa Barbara CA

Alleged criminal threats led to the evacuation on Thursday of a 49,900 gross-square-foot building on the UC Santa Barbara campus. [KEYT]. While investigating the threats, authorities ordered the evacuation of Henley Hall, which houses UCSB’s Institute for Energy Efficiency. University officials sent out two warnings...

SANTA MARIA – The Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) recently welcomed three new Bye Bye Mattress sites in Santa Barbara County. These locations now offer no-cost drop off of mattresses and box springs (including futon mattresses) for state residents and businesses. Marborg Santa Maria, located at 1850 West Betteravia...

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is back in town, bringing thousands of vibrant and rare orchids to the Central Coast and drawing visitors from across the country to Santa Barbara. The event will be held at the Earl Warren Showgrounds from March 20 through March 22, 2026, with doors...

A 5,650-acre cattle ranch in the Cuyama Valley has gained permanent protection, according to the California Rangeland Trust. El Rancho Español de Cuyama, commonly referred to as Spanish Ranch, is located about 35 miles east of Santa Maria and spans both Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. The...

Santa Barbara County is moving forward with a Santa Maria behavioral health project that would expand treatment capacity for people living with serious mental illness. The California Department of Health Care Services plans to give the county $20 million to help the Department of Behavioral Wellness build two new,...

Eighteen people were evacuated from a Westside Santa Barbara neighborhood Saturday morning after a report of a gas leak outside, according to Santa Barbara City Fire Battalion Chief Jon Turner. Emergency personnel first responded to a report of a gas leak on the 500 block of W. Sola St. at...

Emergency after-hours care for pets in Santa Barbara has been cut in half. One of South County’s only two 24/7 pet hospitals is now permanently closed. The Veterinary Centers of America (VCA) Care Specialty and Emergency Animal Hospital at 301 East Haley Street temporarily closed its doors in June for construction,...

The Ventura Police Department has officially closed the 2016 murder case of Arnold Ikeda "by exception" on the 10-year anniversary of his death. A cold case review identified Johnny Caro, who was killed in an unrelated 2021 homicide, as the sole individual responsible for the shooting. Investigators concluded that...

Thousands of rallies are planned across the United States on March 28 as part of the third “No Kings” national day of nonviolent action organized by the Indivisible coalition, with events scheduled in Santa Barbara and Lompoc. The national Indivisible group describes the “No Kings” effort as a...

Environmental activists gathered near Santa Barbara’s Stearns Wharf on Thursday evening to rally against the news that Sable Offshore Corp. received orders to restart oil production at Platform Harmony. A group made up of hundreds of people gathered near the dolphin statue near the entrance to the wharf, wearing...