Local News
By Iris Heckes Some elections have been called, but many votes are still being counted. These numbers are accurate as of 1:12 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4. View Santa Barbara County election results here. Instagram and news outlets have been flooded by the blue wave, with Democrats parading
Politics
By Anja Firestone With the Nov. 3 election days away, four candidates are competing for Santa Barbara City Council District 6 in the Nov. 3 midterm election, hoping to replace the outgoing council member Meagan Harmon. District 6 encompasses much of Santa Barbara’s downtown core, including State Street, the
Local News
By Iris Heckes On Nov. 3, the tide will turn for District 5, leaving residents of Upper State Street, Hidden Valley, Samarkand, Hitchcock and parts of San Roque with a new representative on the City Council. With Eric Friedman stepping up to run for mayor of Santa Barbara, Cevin Cathell,
Local News
By Caroline Wang The Nov. 3 Midterm Elections determine who writes our laws, allocates public funding, and decides which issues receive attention—from the highest levels of government to our local officials. Federal environmental policies will shape coastal protection and wildfire prevention; state housing initiatives can affect affordability; and education
Local News
By Iris Heckes On Saturday, Oct. 17, at 12:00 p.m., more than 1,000 Santa Barbarans gathered at Alameda Park to protest what they believe is unchecked executive power in the United States. “America belongs to its people, not to a king, not to a dictator, and not
Politics
By Iris Heckes Ballots are going out nationwide for the Nov. 3 midterm elections, and local races are picking up. Two of the five seats on the Santa Barbara Unified School District (SBUSD) board are up for election. SBUSD’s Student Board Member Victoria Martinez Penaranda and Future Leaders of
Local News
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
Politics
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
Local News
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
Local News
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
Local News
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: