Car Thief Injures Cop Trying to Escape
A Santa Barbara Police Department Officer who approached a suspiciously parked car on the. evening of October18 found himself the target of a vehicular assault that sent him to the. hospital. According to SBPD spokesman Sgt. Jarrod Foote, officers on patrol discovered what appeared. to be a stolen car parked...
Meet Lola the one-eyed heart stealer
Meet Lola, a nine-month-old, one-eyed social Pit Bull Terrier who loves to play. Lola is looking for her forever home through Santa Barbara County Animal Services (SBCAS). SBCAS volunteers said Lola is very social, walks great on a leash, and gets in and out of the car well. “She spent the majority of the last day of...
County Firefighters Extinguish Spot Fire Near Power Lines in Santa Ynez
Santa Barbara County firefighters extinguished a small spot fire near power lines in Santa Ynez on Tuesday evening. At 10:18 p.m., crews responded to the 1100 block of Dove Meadow Road for a report of smoke. Crews discovered a 30 x 30 foot spot fire near power lines, according to...
Santa Barbara Tops US Luxury Housing Market With Record-Setting Prices, New Ranking Shows
Santa Barbara continues its high ranking in California’s luxury real estate market, with sky-high home prices. The city is one of the most expensive housing markets in the U.S., and the priciest in California, according to the Fall 2025 Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Luxury Housing Market Ranking released on October...
HUD Seeks to Ban Mixed-Status Households, Cut Funding for Emergency Housing Vouchers
This article was underwritten in part by the Mickey Flacks Journalism Fund for Social Justice, a proud, innovative supporter of local news. To make a contribution go to sbcan.org/journalism_fund. Proposed changes to federal housing benefits could leave hundreds of people in Santa Barbara County homeless. The...
Aperitivo’s New Sister Restaurant Is as Good as It Looks
When Biltmore/Coral Casino vets Andrea Girardello and Brian Dodero partnered up to open Aperitivo in 2020, their ambitions were modest—a wine bar with a limited menu in a fairly minimalist setting. With warm, polished service and delicious food, it evolved into more of a restaurant as patrons settled in for a full...
Undocumented Santa Barbara Patients Get Reprieve from Forced Health Provider Transfer
Last Wednesday evening at a small public gathering in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County Public Health chief Dr. Mouhanad Hammami quietly announced a major policy about-face and how 7,000 undocumented patients now receiving care at one of the county’s five Public Health clinics would not have to be transferred to...
Barge Parked Off Santa Barbara Coast Is Doing Pump Repairs for Desal Plant
Santa Barbara beachgoers have recently taken note of a new, 270-foot barge along the coastline. Named Ocean Protector, the giant vessel is taking up temporary residence near Stearns Wharf to complete necessary repairs for Santa Barbara’s desalination plant. Over four weeks, it will reinforce the intake pumps that...
Santa Barbara mom shares the story of her daughter Grace, who has Down syndrome
Tammy Gerenser is showing me phone photos of her 18-year-old daughter, Grace. She swipes through a series of images showing a beautiful young woman smiling, participating in school cheerleading, taking a surf lesson, and dressed up for homecoming. She said when she first welcomed her daughter into the world, she...
Isla Vista Sees Rise In Medical Calls, Arrests, Citations on Weekend Before Halloween
Isla Vista saw a rise in arrests, citations, and medical calls the weekend before Halloween with Lt. Joe Schmidt of the Isla Vista Foot Patrol calling it the most active weekend since the Santa Barbara City College academic year started in August. As Halloween approaches, law enforcement and community organizers...
