Way Back When in 1925 – A Luxury Hotel on the Mesa?
A $3.5-million Biltmore Hotel with 400 rooms was planned for Leadbetter Point in October 1925 – about where Shoreline Park and Santa Barbara City College are today. The local paper wrote: “For years, Santa Barbara has dreamed of a great, new oceanfront hotel – ever since the [1921] burning of the Ambassador (the old...
Holy Guacamole! 39th Avocado festival is ripe for the pickin’
CARPINTERIA, Calif.—It’s time to celebrate Carpinteria’s beloved fruit— the avocado. It comes in every form you can think of. “We do have our rice krispies, we have our banana bread where we add avocado oil. and we do have brownies,” said Carp Moon Cafe Owner Laura Samepario.
Suicide Awareness walk held in Goleta
GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) A Suicide Awareness walk took place at Goleta Beach Park. The 2025 Out of the Darkness Suicide Awareness Walk hopes to let people know they are far from alone. Suzanne Grimmesey of the County Department of Behavioral Wellness took part. "It takes a lot of strength for...
Community Raises 21,419 Diapers for Local Diaper Bank
Press releases are posted on Independent.com as a free community service. Goleta, Calif., October 3, 2025 – Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria and Lompoc communities raised 21,419 diapers for LEAP’s Diaper Bank. LEAP: Learn. Engage. Advocate. Partner. is a prominent child care agency that has been supporting families...
Ventura County Fairgrounds hosts Octoberfest
VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) The Ventura County Fairgrounds is hosting its first Octoberfest. Local breweries are serving up steins of beer. And there are fresh baked pretzels big enough to share. The Octoberfest in Munich started in September. Garrett Mathiewson wore lederhosen to the weekend event. He said he went to...
The Case of the Missing Turtle – Hook & Press’ Beloved Pet Returned
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Leo, the tiny yellow-belly slider turtle, who usually greets Hook & Press customers and passerbys in a nearby fountain went missing for a brief period of time on Sunday afternoon, but he has since been returned to his rightful spot. Hook & Press owner, John Burnett, tells your News...
Photos of Hispanic Culture Starting in 1960s Focus of Historical Museum Exhibit
You might see yourself or someone you know at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum’s newest pop-up exhibit. Until Oct. 19, the museum is showcasing digitized archive photographs of the Hispanic and Latino culture in Santa Barbara from the 1960s to late 1990s. Some of the pictures include workers at...
This No-Frills Restaurant In California Has A Breakfast Burrito So Good, It’s Worth A...
In a world of Instagram-worthy food trends and restaurants designed primarily for selfies, there exists a humble blue-and-white shack in Carpinteria that’s been quietly perfecting the art of deliciousness while everyone else was busy being fancy. The Spot, perched at 389 Linden Avenue just steps from the Pacific...
Head Start Expands Nutrition Nationwide — but Not to Santa Barbara
Nationally, Head Start programs recently got a $61.9 million shot in the arm for kitchen upgrades, gardens, and nutrition classes meant to set kids “on a path to lifelong health,” as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. put it. But here in Santa Barbara County, where 20 Head Start centers serve...
Leo the Turtle Safely Returned After Woman Caught on Camera Stealing Him from La...
Hook and Press donut shop has announced that Leonardough (Leo) the turtle has been safely returned. The downtown Santa Barbara business stated that the tiny turtle was safely returned less than 24 hours after they posted their plea on social media with photos and videos of a woman pocketing Leo from the La Arcada...
