Education · Santa Barbara, CA
Students, parents, and community advocates packed a Santa Barbara Unified School District board meeting Tuesday night to criticize the district's handling of a viral blackface photo taken by San Marcos High School female students in a History of Africans in America class. Speakers including Black Student Union president Nahsia Darcus, Healing Justice Santa Barbara co-executive director Leticia Forney Resch, and teacher Abel Gonzalez demanded stricter consequences and faster parent notification, noting it took two weeks for the principal to alert families. Superintendent Hilda Maldonado condemned the post before public comment but acknowledged deeper issues of racism in schools. The board is scheduled to revisit the matter at its Oct. 27 meeting.
Community News · Santa Barbara, CA
The Music Academy of the West held a Thursday groundbreaking for its new downtown Santa Barbara location, The Muse, at 901 State St., a $55 million redevelopment. The venue will house the Lehrer Vocal Institute and include a performance hall for up to 200 people convertible to a rehearsal space for a 90-person orchestra, plus recording studios, practice rooms, teaching studios, and a rooftop event space. A new tower facing Canon Perdido Street will be added while the existing building footprint largely remains unchanged. The Muse is set to open in 2028; the academy's Montecito campus at 1070 Fairway Road will continue operating.
Community News · Santa Barbara County
Santa Barbara County Elections officials report approximately 2,700 ballots received as of Monday, Oct. 12, ahead of the November midterm election, with more expected as mail delivery resumes. The county's voter registration deadline is Oct. 19, and officials encourage eligible residents to register or update their information before that date. Residents can check registration status and find ballot drop-off locations through the California Secretary of State's website or the Santa Barbara County Elections Office website.
Local Politics · Santa Barbara, CA
Jason Carlton, Gabe Escobedo, Anabella Lehne, and Alexander Stoeber are competing to replace term-limited Councilwoman Meagan Harmon in the Nov. 3 election for Santa Barbara City Council's District 6 seat, which covers most of downtown, Oak Park, and parts of the lower Westside. The candidates outlined positions on the State Street Master Plan, small-business permitting, ICE enforcement activity, and rent stabilization. Carlton, a 25-year resident and electrician running his second council campaign, emphasized fiscal caution regarding the plan's nearly $100 million cost. Escobedo, a Santa Barbara Unified School District board member, advocated for business revitalization paired with the master plan and stronger support for mixed-status immigrant families.
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Public Safety · Santa Barbara County
The Santa Barbara County Sidewalk Vending Pilot Program, running April through October 2026 following a March 3 Board of Supervisors ordinance, yielded enforcement results in unincorporated areas including Santa Maria and the Santa Ynez Valley. Environmental Health Services, Public Works, and the Sheriff's Office removed 1,156 pounds of contaminated food, seized 13 cooking equipment sets, and issued 13 violation notices, while CHP issued 66 warnings and citations on Highways 154 and 246 in June and July. Since July, very few unpermitted roadside vendors have been observed. The county also launched a bilingual awareness campaign directing residents to verify vendor permits and providing reporting contacts for suspected illegal vending.
Local Politics · Santa Barbara County
Ballots have been mailed to registered voters in Santa Barbara County ahead of the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The county offers 18 ballot drop boxes, plus in-person return at elections offices in Santa Barbara (4440-A Calle Real) and Santa Maria (511 Lakeside Pkwy., Suite 134). Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by Nov. 10; officials recommend submitting five days early after the county rejected 2,600 late ballots in November 2025. Voters who make errors can mark corrections with an "X" and write "yes" beside the correct choice, or request a replacement ballot by calling 800.722.8683.
Public Safety · Santa Barbara, CA
A 3-year-old girl was seriously injured Sunday just before 10 a.m. when struck by a vehicle while walking in a marked crosswalk with her family near the intersection of State Street and Calle Palo Colorado in Santa Barbara. The child received emergency treatment on scene and was transported by AMR ambulance to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, according to Lt. Ryan DeJohn of the Santa Barbara Police Department. Southbound lanes in the 3000 block of State Street were closed during the response but reopened just before 3 p.m. The vehicle remained at the scene, and the collision remains under investigation with no additional information released.
Community News · Santa Barbara, CA
The Skin Cancer Foundation's Destination Healthy Skin RV will offer free full-body skin cancer screenings on Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 36 Hitchcock Way in Santa Barbara. Patients are accepted first-come, first-served and will receive education materials and sun protection samples alongside their screening. Two local dermatologists, Dr. Alexis Dougherty and Dr. Charlotte Read, are featured for the stop. The Foundation encourages annual professional skin exams and monthly self-exams for all ages.
Local Business · Santa Barbara County
Casitas Cleaners at 5402 Carpinteria Ave., operated by Sunny and Jun Han since 1989, will close permanently on Oct. 30 after nearly four decades, citing rising rent and aging dry-cleaning equipment costs; customers may still retrieve items through that date, with unclaimed clothes donated afterward. In Santa Barbara, the State Street Trading Post at 1105 State St. is open with a Nov. 7 grand opening planned, while Zaca Coffee's Funk Zone trailer relocates as of Saturday. Montecito Country Mart hosts its first pie baking contest Saturday at 1016 Coast Village Road, with drop-off at 11 a.m. and winners announced at 12:30 p.m. Loquita in the Funk Zone celebrates its 10th anniversary through end of October, and the historic Ravenscroft Estate designed by George Washington Smith is listed for $29,950,000 at 779 Ayala Lane.
Community News · Santa Barbara County
Unity Shoppe has launched its "Give Food. Give Hope. Give $1 Million." campaign, aiming to raise $1 million by year's end to purchase food and nutritious proteins for vulnerable seniors and families across Santa Barbara County. The organization will host a benefit concert on November 24 at Granada theater and an annual telethon on December 11. Unity Shoppe cites high living expenses, grocery costs, and recent CalFresh benefit changes as drivers of local food insecurity. Donations can be made online at unityshoppe.org/sponsor or mailed to 1209 State Street in Santa Barbara.
Social Events · Santa Barbara County
One805, a nonprofit founded after the 2018 Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flow, held its One805LIVE! benefit concert on September 25-26 at Kevin Costner's coastal estate to raise funds for Santa Barbara County first responders' mental health. The two-night event featured performers including The Temptations, The Four Tops, Pat Benatar, Slightly Stoopid, and Costner with his band Modern West, all donating their time. One805 has launched a $10 million Mental Wellness Endowment Fund to provide confidential counseling for county firefighters, law enforcement personnel, and 911 dispatchers. Fire service leaders, including retired Montecito Fire Protection District Chief Chip Hickman, spoke at the event about the emotional demands of emergency response.
Social Events · Santa Barbara, CA
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) will screen all five Toy Story films for free on five consecutive Saturdays from October 17 through November 14 at the McHurley Film Center downtown. The screenings begin at 10 a.m., are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, and include complimentary popcorn and refreshments. This marks the first time SBIFF's AppleBox Free Family Films initiative, running since 2007, is held at the McHurley Film Center and in the fall season. The series is presented with support from U.S. Bank and the John C. Mithun Foundation.
Social Events · Santa Barbara, CA
Santa Barbara City College Athletics will host its eighth annual free Trunk or Treat event on Thursday, Oct. 29, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Great Meadow on West Campus. The event is open to children under age 13 in the local Santa Barbara community and features activities including face painting, a photo booth, decorated classic cars, a Kona Ice truck, and a live band. Costume and best-trunk contests will also be held. Sponsors include Pegasus Transit, The SBCC Foundation, and Bryant & Sons.
Education · Santa Barbara, CA
YouthWell will host its 2nd Annual Stronger Together for Neurodiverse Youth conference on Monday, Nov. 2, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Direct Relief in Santa Barbara. The event, sponsored by Fusion Academy Santa Barbara, targets parents, caregivers, providers and educators seeking practical neuro-affirming strategies for home and classroom use. Featured presenters include representatives from the UCSB Koegel Autism Center, UCSB Counseling & Psychological Services, and Fusion Academy. Registration is required and space is limited; sign up at YouthWell.org/workshops or call 805-770-1239.
Local Politics · Santa Barbara, CA
The city of Santa Barbara is conducting a special recruitment for its seven-member Rent Stabilization Board, requiring at least four tenant members including one aged 65 or older. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Dec. 2. City Council interviews are scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 8, at City Hall, 735 Anacapa St., with final appointments made on Tuesday, Dec. 15.
Community News · Santa Barbara, CA
Dr. William Cutter, a Philadelphia-native and longtime Bostonian conductor and educator, has been Artistic Director of the Santa Barbara Master Chorale for just over a month, succeeding Dr. David Lozano Torres, whose final concerts were June 13-14, 2026. Cutter's first concert features music by Henry Purcell on October 24 at 3 p.m. at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (909 N. La Cumbre Rd.), followed by "A Classic Christmas" and a planned all-American-composers concert for the country's 250th anniversary. He plans collaborations with Dance Hub, Opera Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Symphony, and State Street Ballet, and will feature high school singers in an upcoming performance.
Social Events · Santa Barbara, CA
The Santa Barbara County Education Office hosts its 74th annual Breakfast with the Authors on Saturday, Nov. 14, from 8:45 a.m. to noon at the SBCEO auditorium, 4400 Cathedral Oaks Road, Santa Barbara. Attendees meet local authors, poets, and illustrators for creative conversation under this year's theme, "The Power of Paradox." Featured speakers include Maryam Kia, Rebecca Langston-George, Melinda Palacio, Alan Salazar, and Erik Talkin. Tickets are $15 and include breakfast and a book; sponsored tickets cover admission for a limited number of attendees. Registration closes Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, at www.sbceo.org/breakfast.
