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Dick Martin, beloved Santa Barbara photographer and longtime Dons supporter, passed away after a life devoted to capturing the spirit of high school sports. For over 40 years, he documented games for Santa Barbara High School, delivering heartfelt photo boards that became cherished keepsakes. A former Bergen Brunswig executive, he moved to California for photography school, met his wife Kathy, and...

Meet Leonor Reyes, the new Programs Manager at the Santa Barbara Education Foundation, a local with deep roots in the district who’s ready to supercharge student learning and engagement. With decades of experience in youth programs at the Channel Islands YMCA and The Starfish Connection, she brings a proven track record of empowering young people and expanding educational access. Her hands-on comm...

Rooted in Hope: The Community Environmental Council’s annual Green Gala returns this Saturday, September 19th, with a vibrant, community-driven celebration of climate action. This year’s theme spotlights collaboration as the key to a sustainable Central Coast, featuring a new interactive Green Gala Market where local artisans showcase eco-friendly products and experiences — each paired with a sile...

Santa Barbara’s arts scene just got a major boost with nearly $250K in annual Cultural Arts Grants open for applications—deadline August 17, 2026. Three grant tracks are available: Community Arts ($6K max for youth/underserved groups), Organizational Development ($15K max for arts groups), and Community Events/Festivals ($15K max to celebrate local culture). Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status or fis...

Don’t miss the one-night-only exhibit “Beyond the Landscape” at Art & Soul in Santa Barbara, spotlighting the abstract roots of beloved local painter Chris Potter—before he became famous for his coastal masterpieces. Featuring rare, never-before-seen works from before 2004, alongside his iconic landscapes, this intimate show traces his artistic evolution and pays tribute to a visionary who shaped...

Gina Hollywood, beloved matriarch and community pillar, passed away leaving behind a legacy of love, creativity, and unwavering dedication to children. A former esthetician turned cake decorating artist, she poured her heart into teaching, leading Girl Scout Troop 427, and directing pre-K programs at Cliff Drive Care Center. Guided by her faith at the Free Methodist Church, she volunteered with se...

Join Goleta this Saturday, July 18th, for Plastic Free July’s “Beautify Goleta” event — a two-part cleanup and drop-off day designed to keep the city clean and green. Drop off bulky items like furniture and mattresses (9 AM–1 PM) at the Goleta Community Center, then join a community litter cleanup (9 AM–noon) for free eco-swag and reusable goodies. Wear closed-toe shoes, bring sun protection and a...

After heavy rains flooded Santa Barbara’s East Side, the Sierra Club uncovered alarming pollution—E. coli and other contaminants—draining directly into East Beach and the ocean. Triggered by this crisis, they turned to the Clean Water Act and secured a landmark agreement with three major polluters: MarBorg, Lash, and Kenney. The companies now commit to upgraded stormwater controls, site cleanups,...

Woods Humane Society is rallying for National Kitten Day with a massive foster drive—35 kittens ready for adoption at shelters and 53 already in foster homes. Join their “Foster the Love” campaign during peak kitten season, featuring a two-for-one adoption deal July 10–12. Foster for free: Woods covers all supplies, training, and vet care. Stop by their booths at Lemos Feed & Pet Supply in Morro B...

Highway 166 Reopens After Nighttime Fire | Santa Barbara News

Santa Barbara students are getting automatic library access starting this fall—no more trips or cards needed. Just check a box during school enrollment, and your kid gets a digital Student Success Card that lets them borrow up to three books and unlock all the library’s online learning tools. Activated by mid-September, it’s simple: the card number combines their lunch ID with a base number, and t...

Santa Barbara Zoo Welcomes Red Panda Cubs | Santa Barbara News

After 18 months off the grid, El Capitán State Beach campground is back — and it’s bigger, safer, and ready for the future. A $5.5 million overhaul included a new bridge, widened roads, an accessible entrance booth, and upgraded storm drains. Longtime campers like Bob and Toni Saucedo, who’ve been coming for 40 years, are thrilled to return — though Toni notes some facilities, like restrooms, stil...

A 50-year-old man, Kyle Snyder, was arrested in Santa Barbara after allegedly meeting a 17-year-old girl online, bringing her to his home, and injecting her with methamphetamine. Authorities are also investigating sexual assault claims. Snyder, who already has felony drug charges and a probation violation warrant, was taken into custody on June 30 while exiting a ride-share. He’s now jailed with a...

Water Scam Alert in Santa Maria | Santa Barbara News

UC Santa Barbara’s women’s volleyball team just unveiled their fiery 2026 schedule—12 home games at The Thunderdome, four major tournaments, and a brand-new coaching staff led by Michael Henchy and Associate Head Coach Charlie Condron, setting the stage for an electrifying season. Listen in comfort: Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN: advertise@th...

A teen’s social media obsession is wrecking her sleep, mood, and self-esteem—she’s addicted to likes and terrified of being left out. When her parents tried taking the phone away, she panicked, saying it’d isolate her. Deleting accounts? Too extreme—she’d just sneak around. The solution? Start small: no phones in bedrooms or during meals, set daily limits, unfollow toxic accounts. The goal isn’t t...

Santa Barbara mourns the loss of Sheila Lodge, the city’s first female mayor and longest-serving leader, who died at 97 after a 36-year public service career. A blunt, pragmatic force, she championed quality of life, historic preservation, and fiscal responsibility while mentoring generations of women in leadership. Her legacy lives on in the city’s enduring tradition of female mayors and her unwa...

Santa Barbara Foresters pull off a jaw-dropping 14-10 comeback win over the MLB Academy Barons, erupting for six runs in the top of the ninth to steal the game. Cole Chamberlain was the star, going 4-for-5 with two homers, a triple, five RBIs, and three runs scored. Chris Newstrom added four RBIs with a key two-run double. The Foresters, now 20-4, show relentless grit as they head to Orange County...

California’s ballot box is turning into a chaotic battleground as groups deploy “countermeasures” to block or dilute proposed laws — a tactic that’s turned the ballot into the state’s de facto legislature. From Proposition 13’s early days to the 2022 sports betting showdown, voters are stuck choosing between competing measures, often causing both to fail. Lawmakers tried to rein in the chaos in 20...

Highway 166 reopened Wednesday morning after overnight closures due to small grass fires along the Santa Maria to New Cuyama stretch, but crews remained on scene to extinguish lingering hot spots. With a heat advisory in effect, temperatures could soar to 104°F in New Cuyama and reach the 80s to low 90s even along the coast—making this a dangerous time to travel through the Cuyama Valley. Stay ale...

Goleta’s coastal future is being rewritten — the city just unveiled its draft Local Coastal Program, a game-changing blueprint for land use, development, and environmental protection along the coast. This isn’t just another update — it’s a major overhaul of how the city manages its coastal zone, split into two key parts: a new Coastal Land Use Plan that reshapes the General Plan, and a set of enfo...

Santa Barbara Unified just slashed its budget deficit by more than half—down from over $20 million to under $10 million—by cutting unnecessary costs, boosting local revenue, and reorganizing for efficiency. They trimmed contracts, merged leadership roles, and realigned all 18 school plans with their accountability goals, ensuring every dollar supports student success. Despite rising costs for sala...

Santa Barbara Airport just rolled out a cutting-edge Tower Simulation System — the first of its kind fully funded by federal legislation — revolutionizing how air traffic controllers train. This high-tech setup lets controllers practice real-world scenarios, from foggy mornings to busy airspace, using AI or remote pilots to mimic actual flight calls. Designed for both rookies and veterans, the sys...

Goleta’s draft Local Coastal Program is here — your chance to shape the future of coastal land use, protection, and development. Split into a big-picture strategy and detailed zoning rules, this plan blends existing policies with new updates to meet state Coastal Act requirements. The city has listened to the Coastal Commission and community feedback, and now you’ve got until August 6 to weigh in....