Tyler Hayden

Santa Barbara

News Editor at Santa Barbara Independent

Dreamer, lover, whiner. Senior editor at @SBIndyNews.

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Articles

Untangling Whales

1 week ago | independent.com | Tyler Hayden

This story originally appeared in the Santa Barbara Green Guide 2025/26, a collaboration publication between ‘Santa Barbara Independent’ and ‘Bluedot Living‘. Dave Beezer, captain of the whale-watching vessel the Condor Express, spends six days a week on the water introducing excited passengers to the mighty cetacean inhabitants of the Santa Barbara Channel.
Reign of Administrative (T)error

2 weeks 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.
The Effects of Trump and DOGE on the People of Santa Barbara

2 weeks ago | independent.com | Tyler Hayden

The Effects of Trump and DOGE on the People of Santa BarbaraOngoing Survey Results Reveal Wide-Ranging Impacts on Jobs and LivesBy Tyler Hayden | May 1, 2025April’s Hands Off rally in Santa Barbara | Credit: Ingrid BostromIn the blink of an eye, Donald Trump and his friends at DOGE have dramatically reshaped our federal government through mass layoffs and scorched-earth funding cuts.
The Montecito Man Who Built a Monument to Trump

2 weeks ago | independent.com | Tyler Hayden

Montecito’s Steven Barber poses with his nine-foot bronze statue of President Trump, which was delivered to the president’s south Florida golf club earlier this month. | Credit: Steven BarberThe Donald Trump you see on TV is not the Donald Trump that Steven Barber met when he delivered a nine-foot bronze statue of the president to his south Florida golf club earlier this month. “When the camera is on, he’s a showman,” Barber said.
Walkin' & Rollin' in Santa Barbara - The Santa Barbara Independent

2 weeks ago | independent.com | Tyler Hayden |Callie Fausey |Nick Welsh |Emma Eckert

Celebrate this Earth Day on two Legs, two Wheels, or in EVs that aren’t Teslas.
The Best Tesla Alternatives You Can Buy at Santa Barbara County Dealerships

3 weeks ago | independent.com | Tyler Hayden

The Best Tesla Alternatives You Can Buy at Santa Barbara County DealershipsPolitics Aside, These EVs are Simply Better than Those Offered by the Once-Dominant BrandBy Tyler Hayden | April 24, 2025Ford Mustang Mach-E | Credit: CourtesyEven before Elon Musk went full-blown MAGA — alienating many of his customers and tanking Tesla’s stock in the process — the tide already was turning against the electric car maker.
Overjoyed About the New Undercrossing

3 weeks ago | independent.com | Tyler Hayden

Overjoyed About the New UndercrossingThe Unofficial Gateway to Santa Barbara Is Now Safer, Brighter, and Far More BeautifulBy Tyler Hayden | Photos by Macduff EvertonApril 24, 2025The State Street undercrossing, once a dim, grim, and dangerous corridor, is now a pleasant bridge between downtown Santa Barbara and the waterfront. | Credit: Macduff EvertonBack in ancient times — in 1991, to be exact— a traffic light stood at the intersection of State Street and Highway 101.
California Coastal Commission Makes Waves in Santa Barbara

4 weeks 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.
Make Good Moments Great with GLŌAM

1 month ago | independent.com | Tyler Hayden

Santa Barbara artist and candle-maker Sigal Friedmann starts her mornings early by brewing a cup of coffee and flipping on the boilers in her small backyard studio. As she waits for the beeswax to melt, she mixes the colors she’ll be using that day, usually with a visit from her chickens. The wax is pure, made by South Coast bees, and the dyes are natural, derived from plant pigments. Then Sigal gets to hand-dipping, up to 35 times per batch, depending on the style of candle she’s making.
The Woodworker Who Found His Way

1 month ago | independent.com | Tyler Hayden

The Woodworker Who Found His Way Carved Coast Offers Hand-Built Furniture at Regular-People Prices The Woodworker Who Found His WayMiles Curran custom builds affordable furniture with locally sourced wood, much of it salvaged.