Santa Barbara CA

Santa Claus Lane was once a quaint beach village, a family roadside attraction, where an 18-foot-tall, white-bearded Santa Claus statue stood on a roof and overlooked the people. The half-mile strip also was home to a little zoo, until the monkeys escaped and took refuge in the hills of Carpinteria.

“Santa Barbara is now completely modernized. No more will the tramp of horses’ feet resound within the city barns at Santa Barbara and Ortega streets [about where La Cuesta High School is today], no more will drivers pat their faithful charges before hitching up of mornings to prepare for the labor of the day.

A Carpinteria couple filed a lawsuit last Friday against the City of Carpinteria and Island Brewing Company over noise from the brewery’s outdoor live music. Supporters of the brewery have started an online fundraiser to support legal fees for the local business. Stephen and Mary Eileen Marcussen, Carpinteria...

Mountain communities received dangerous thunderstorms on Thursday, which caused flooding and mudslides.

The Santa Barbara Surf Film Festival (SBSFF) returns for its fifth year, taking over the historic Lobero Theatre on September 26 and 27. Founded in 2019 to honor Southern California’s surfing history, celebrate surf culture, and raise awareness and funds for ocean conservation, the annual festival centers around...

Rusty’s Pizza will serve as the Presenting Sponsor of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Lemon Festival, scheduled for September 27–28 at Girsh Park in Goleta. The annual festival is one of the South Coast’s largest community events, celebrating Goleta’s lemon-growing heritage with live...

Press releases are posted on Independent.com as a free community service. (SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) – Amid evolving federal and state changes, County Health is working with local health partners to ensure a smooth transition of care for impacted patients. A recent federal change is intended to designate Federally...

A deadly collision on Highway 246 west of Buellton earlier this month has led to the arrest of. Los Angeles area resident Jesus Moises Martinez Chavira, 46 on charges of murder and DUI. The crash took place just before 7 p.m. on Sept. 5, 2025, when a Tesla Model S,...

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. (KEYT) - The new Art Labbé gallery in the Santa Barbara Funk Zone hosted a grand opening celebration Thursday night with a special exhibition. Liberté showcases pieces from a neurodivergent art and poetry contest. The theme is 'This is Me,' celebrating the individuality of artists with...

The Bomb Squad is investigating a suspicious package at Chabad UC Santa Barbara on Friday evening, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office. The call was received at 5:03 p.m. and Deputies are on the scene in the 700 block of Camino Pescadero in Isla Vista. As a...