Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina

Joshua Molina is a journalist who previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News. In this podcast he talks about the loss of journalists in Gaza and what that means for the truth and storytelling. Please hit subscribe on YouTube and visit santabarbaratalks.com

Mina Wahab is a journalist in Santa Barbara who works as a multimedia reporter and anchor for KEYT 3. In this podcast, Wahab reveals what motivates her to find stories and why it is important to tell stories through a diverse lens. She also shares about her past at TMZ, TYT, and her work in entertainment journalism. She also discusses her love for movies. Wahab offers a glistening portrait off her...

Santa Barbara Talks host Josh Molina talks the recent immigration raids and their impact on families. Regardless of your views on immigration, illegal immigration or whatever you want to call it, I am comfortable saying, even in my role as a journalist, that I find it despicable that children are separated from their families in these raids. I find it horrific that some people overlook this fact w...

Santa Barbara Teen Star Naomi Jane performs six songs, Lightning, Tacobell, Passenger Princess, Like Like, Love You, Press Send and Mr. Incognito in this exclusive podcast with Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina. Naomi Jane explains the stories behind her songs and why she was inspired to write them. Josh Molina and Naomi Jane are also joined by Michele Voigt, Naomi Jane's mother, who talks abou...

Joshua Molina is a journalist, community college instructor and podcaster who creates dynamic conversations on the most important issues of the day. In this episode Josh talks about the downsides of elected officials suing the news media when they disagree or don't like coverage. He makes a case for fierce defense of the First Amendment. Follow Josh on Instagram @motownjoshnews. Visit www.santabar...

The City of Santa Barbara has launched a beach club. Brian Jones joins Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina to talk about "The Barbara," and what it means for Santa Barbara. The program offers a chance for people to pay a fee to enjoy the beach with a variety of amenities, including towels, seating area, umbrellas games and food. It is a new concept for Santa Barbara and Jones is here to explain t...

Architect Greg Rech and writer and author Betsy J. Green join Josh Molina for a fascinating discussion about the 1925 Santa Barbara earthquake and how the community built its way out of. Also visit https://eq25.org/ for the story of the quake and learn more at the Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara.

Sunstone President Teddy Cabugos and Splash Nano Co-Founder Kalon Baird talk with Journalist Josh Molina about the effort to legalize hemp beverages. Cabugos and Baird have developed a hemp beverage and are working to educate the public and lawmakers about hemp. Learn all about hemp beverages and their efforts to make it as ubiquitous as other drinks. Josh Molina is an award-winning journalist who...

Santa Barbara City Planning Commissioner John Baucke talks about two La Cumbre Plaza housing projects with journalist Josh Molina, in the latest episode of Santa Barbara Talks. Baucke explains his concerns about a 443-unit project for the Sears side of the plaza. He also offers his views on the Macy's project on the other side of the mall. The conversation also shifts to affordable housing and Bau...

Brittany Zagic and Gareth Kelly join Josh Molina on the latest episode of Santa Barbara Talks to talk about their effort to preserve Santa Barbara's Funk Zone. They are fighting against a 250-room hotel proposed for 101 Garden Street. The want the hotel reduced in size or turned into housing to help preserve the charm and culture of the Funk Zone. Check out their points and perspective in this epi...

Rob Fredericks, executive director of the Santa Barbara Housing Authority, explains why he is halting new section 8 housing vouchers, the reasoning and who it affects. He also gives an update on the latest Housing Authority developments, including Bella Vista and Jacaranda Court, among others. Joshua Molina is an award-winning journalist, podcaster, and college instructor who creates compelling co...

Santa Barbara Teen Star Naomi Jane Voigt, Chloe Voigt, founder of YouthClusive and Kian Strenn, San Marcos High School ASB President, open up about their views on the Santa Barbara Unified School District attempt to cut teacher positions instead of administration. The three talk about the epic 8-hour meeting that ended about 3 a.m. and how they felt disrespected and unheard by some board members,...

He's only 24, but already, Sullivan Israel is one of Santa Barbara's most influential people. He founded the local Strong Towns SB and has been advocated for safer streets for all types of transportation. Sullivan wants Santa Barbara to move away from planning with a car as the main focus and instead make all ways of transportation an equal option. He wants to bring more housing to the downtown Sa...

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors want to increase their pay by $58,000 annually. They are set to vote on the matter Tuesday, Feb. 25. Conservative Andy Caldwell has been vocal about the proposed raise, calling it "obscene." In this podcast he talks with Josh Molina about the pay raise, why he objects to it, and why he believes it is a part-time job. Caldwell also discusses the controv...

Storyteller Leslie Zemeckis talks with Josh Molina about her award-winning, women-centered films that tell the lost stories of powerful women in history. Her most recent documentary Grandes Horizontales tells the story of mid-1805s courtesans who accumulated wealth, power and property by breaking the rules, when women could now marry or work outside of their class. From her website lesliezemeckis....

Developer Peter Lewis pulls back the curtain and talks about the blockbuster deal to sell the 81-unit Soltara Apartments in downtown Santa Barbara to UCSB. Lewis explains how the deal went down and why it was necessary to do so. He also talks about State Street housing, downtown, commercial conversions, and the Cost Plus World Market. Joshua Molina is a journalist, college professor and podcaster...

Newsmakers with JR editor Jerry Roberts talks about his switch to Substack as a distribution platform in the latest episode of Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina. Roberts explains what the change means, and his vision for the site, created in 2014 with Hap Freund, which provides analysis, commentary and enterprise journalism about Santa Barbara public affairs. Roberts also discusses the broader...

This is part 2 of a 3-part series with Das Williams, outing Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor. Williams is the longest-serving elected official in the county. He was first elected to the Santa Barbara City Council in 2003. After an unsuccessful bid at re-election in 2024, Williams is looking at his next move, which likely will involve working in an environmental field, to focus on cli...

John Davies is Santa Barbara's premiere conservative political mind. He sits down with Josh Molina for an in-depth discussion on conservative politics across the nation and locally and discusses why he believes Trump defeated Kamala Harris in November. Davies, the founder and CEO of Davies Public Affairs and Blaze PR, also has deep knowledge of Santa Barbara County politics. Davies talks about wha...

Das Williams joins Josh Molina to talk about the early part of his life and career in the latest episode of Santa Barbara Talks. Williams explains how his early work for CAUSE, field representative for Hannah-Beth Jackson and campaign manager for the No on Recall campaign against Gail Marshall led to a successful run for Santa Barbara City Council. He shares about his "troubled" childhood, growing...

Rev. David Moore sits down with Josh Molina to talk about Trump's victory in the presidential contest, why and how it happened, and what it means for the country. He also shares his thoughts on Democrats, whether they turned their backs on working people, and how the situation in Gaza affected the presidential outcome. Moore also shares his views on local political issues, including rent control a...

Dr. Eliot Jacobson, professor of mathematics and computer science returns to Santa Barbara Talks with Josh Molina to talk about the major weather storm currently hitting California. Jacobson explains why it is happening, and why we should expect more extreme weather events. Jacobson also talks about what it means to be an environmental doomer (it's not what you think), and expresses his frustratio...

Journalist Josh Molina breaks down the contest between incumbent Oscar Gutierrez and challenger Tony Becerra in the battle for seat on the Santa Barbara City Council in District 3. Please consider a financial contribution to support these podcasts by visiting santabarbaratalks.com. Joshua Molina is a journalist and college instructor who creates dynamic conversations on the topics of housing, poli...

They call him the mayor of the Westside. Tony Becerra, a karate trainer, enters the political arena to challenge his former student Oscar Gutierrez for a seat on the Santa Barbara City Council in District 3. In this podcast, Becerra opens up about the reasons why he is running for office and his views on issues such as rent control, State Street and the sales tax increase. Becerra also talks about...

Jennifer Smith is running for Goleta City Council in District 3. In this podcast conversation with journalist Josh Molina, Smith talks about the housing proposal at the Glen Annie Golf Club, the county's Housing Element process, Old Town Goleta's re-striping efforts, traffic in Goleta, plans to close the Goleta library for two years, and variety of issues and challenges facing Goleta. Smith also t...