By Iris Heckes After finishing up the first portion of Salsa instruction, Ruiz announced through her miniature mic, “I love salsa, but my heart belongs to bachata.” Throughout the evening, Ruiz offered insightful tips. She declared, “How do you move your hips? You use the floor.” On Sept. 30, a
By Hadleigh Bolton On Sept. 15, over 30 Solvang city workers went on strike—the first of its kind in the city’s history—to protest the preceding month’s negotiations. After two weeks, the protesters have gained traction but no resolution. The workers, represented by Teamsters 986, demanded a
By Iris Heckes On Sept. 28, four candidates representing the neighborhoods of the Riviera, Upper Eastside, Mission Canyon, Eucalyptus Hill, and parts of Foothill and San Roque gathered to discuss the future of Santa Barbara District 4. Around 50 people observed the debate hosted by the Santa Barbara Independent. The
By Jordan Volz Hundreds of Santa Barbara residents, climate groups, and youth organizations joined hands at West Beach on Saturday, Sept. 26, for Hands Across the Sand, a community protest to fight offshore drilling. Over 300 protesters joined organizers Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Center, Fearless Grandmothers, 805 Action, and many
By Lilly Trautwein Carpinteria has avocados. Oxnard has strawberries. Goleta has lemons. Over the weekend of Sept. 26 to 27, citrus fans gathered in Goleta’s expansive Girsh Park for The Lemon Festival to feast on lemon themed desserts, buy jewelry and clothing from local vendors, and celebrate the city’
By Iris Heckes On Sept. 18 at 7:00 p.m., crosstown rivals, the Santa Barbara High School (SBHS) Dons and the San Marcos High School (SMHS) Royals, battled at the Warkentin Stadium. While both teams and schools brought energy and spirit, it was the Dons who ultimately brought home
By Andrew Sheshunoff The meeting began at 6:08 p.m on Tuesday September 15th. A mosaic with SB Unified’s mission statement: “We prepare students for a world that is yet to be created,” sat inlaid in the wall behind the board members. Board President William Banning thanked the
By Natalie MacFarlane Santa Barbara High School girls' volleyball earned a four-set victory over crosstown rival San Marcos on Tuesday night, defeating the Royals 3-1 in a Channel League matchup at San Marcos. The win moved the Dons to a 10-6 season record, while San Marcos
By Caroline Wang A handmade piece of ocean art and a $2 used book may seem worlds apart, but both drew Santa Barbara residents to the Earl Warren Showgrounds this week. The Sea Glass & Ocean Arts Festival and Mary Jane McCord Planned Parenthood Book Sale offered two very different
By Jordan Volz Sustainable fashion and thrifting are on the rise. Rising temperatures, waste, pollution, and overconsumption are many concerns pushing our planet to the brink. But environmentalism aside, rising costs and inflation are encouraging many to buy second-hand. Everyone can become sustainable… starting by shopping for sustainable clothes.
By Natalie MacFarlane Santa Barbara’s three leading mayoral candidates faced questions and disputed opposing views about the city’s finances, housing, and rent stabilization at the first mayoral debate of the 2026 election season on Sept. 3, hosted by Santa Barbara News-Press Editor Josh Molina and Jerry Roberts
By Ethan Maday In a marathon city council meeting, residents, business owners, and community members voiced opinions about the City of Santa Barbara’s State Street Master Plan: a heated topic of conversation since the central street’s closure in 2020. On Tuesday, Sept. 1, the city council voted 6: