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Reign of Administrative (T)error

1 month ago | independent.com | Ryan Cruz |Callie Fausey |Tyler Hayden |Margaux Lovely |Christina McDermott |Nick Welsh | +1 more

Reign of Administrative (T)error How Trump’s First 100 Days in Office Have Shaken Out in Santa Barbara Reign of Administrative (T)errorHow Trump’s First 100 Days in Office Have Shaken Out in Santa BarbaraBy Ryan P. Cruz, Callie Fausey, Tyler Hayden, Margaux Lovely, Christina McDermott, Nick Welsh, and Jean YamamuraMay 1, 2025Credit: Ben CiccatiOne hundred days. Already, it seems like forever.
California Coastal Commission Makes Waves in Santa Barbara

1 month ago | independent.com | Nick Welsh |Margaux Lovely |Ryan Cruz |Christina McDermott |Tyler Hayden

Everything, in our new hyper-charged political reality, is now “unprecedented.” The term — once used to denote an occurrence of anomalous singularity — has been left in the dust by the events taking place with each passing new day. Clearly, we need new words. But for the time being, “unprecedented” will have to do until the real thing comes along.
Santa Barbara City Administrator Addresses Fire Concerns

Jan 15, 2025 | independent.com | Ryan Cruz

Santa Barbara City Administrator Addresses Fire Concerns As City Fire Crews Assist in L.A. Fires, Leadership Ensures City Is Prepared for Future Santa Barbara City Firefighters have joined county strike teams to assist in the Palisades Fire.
Thousands of L.A. Wildfire Evacuees Find Shelter, Support in Santa Barbara

Jan 13, 2025 | independent.com | Ryan Cruz

Nearly a hundred thousand Los Angeles County residents are still under evacuation orders as of Monday, January 13, and with more than 10,000 homes, schools, or other structures completely destroyed by fires from Pacific Palisades to Altadena to Sylmar, many are seeking refuge just up the coast in Santa Barbara. Personal accounts posted on social media show frantic families packing their cherished belongings into cars and looking for anywhere safe.
Carpinteria Man Arrested After Allegedly Hitting Elderly Neighbor, Threatening Deputies

Jan 10, 2025 | independent.com | Ryan Cruz

Carpinteria Man Arrested After Allegedly Hitting Elderly Neighbor, Threatening Deputies Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team Recovers Loaded Weapons, Ballistic Vest in Arrest Sheriff's Deputies recovered a loaded handgun, loaded shotgun, and a ballistic vest during the arrest of 52-year-old Phillip Cummings following an altercation at Sandpiper Mobile Homes in Carpinteria. | Credit: Courtesy Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office An altercation between a Carpinteria man and his neighbors at Sandpiper...
Santa Barbara Fire Crews Continue to Assist in Los Angeles Wildfires

Jan 9, 2025 | independent.com | Ryan Cruz

Santa Barbara Fire Crews Continue to Assist in Los Angeles Wildfires More Than 29,000 Acres Burned, Five People Killed, and Thousands of Structures Destroyed Santa Barbara County Fire engines are currently on scene at the Palisades Fire, the largest of the five active fires in Los Angeles County as of Thursday, January 9, 2025.| Credit: CalFire Fire crews are now working on their third day straight without rest in what has become the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history, with at least...
Santa Barbara City Council Honors Outgoing Member, Welcomes New Face

Jan 8, 2025 | independent.com | Ryan Cruz

Outgoing Councilmember Alejandra Gutierrez received a fond farewell from colleagues and community members during the last official day of her five-year term. Gutierrez was the first Latina councilmember to be elected to office in District 1.
Santa Barbara Swimmers Start 2025 with (Unofficial) Polar Dip Tradition

Jan 2, 2025 | independent.com | Ryan Cruz

When the organizers of Santa Barbara’s annual New Year’s Day Polar Dip — artist Hugh Margerum and his friend Julie DeAngelis — announced that the 2025 event would be forced to cancel due to city requirements for large gatherings, it seemed as if it might have been the end of the eight-year tradition of people braving the cold winter waters to break in the New Year.
Heavy Winds Cause Power Outages, Downed Trees on Christmas Eve

Dec 24, 2024 | independent.com | Ryan Cruz

Swirling winds knocked down trees and power lines across Santa Barbara and Goleta on Christmas Eve, causing multiple reports of heavy traffic and power outages throughout the county. The weather event followed a morning rain, and around 10 a.m. the gusty winds suddenly picked up and sent branches falling off trees, causing traffic while people were busy finishing their last-minute holiday shopping.
Live Oak Unitarian Helps Community Stay Warm with ‘Chase the Chill’

Dec 20, 2024 | independent.com | Ryan Cruz

Winter nights can get cold — even here on the sunny Central Coast — so for the second year in a row, the folks at Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Congregation are helping the community stay warm with the “Chase the Chill” holiday project, distributing hundreds of scarves, hats, socks, and gloves at locations across Goleta and Isla Vista.