At the height of its popularity, the pleasurable pastime reaches a crossroads When Will Shortz took over as its editor in 1993, The New York Times crossword puzzle was widely viewed as moribund (clue: lacking vitality). At the time, the crossword was the stodgy province of literary types where straightforward dictionary definitions passed as clues. […]
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to suggest that to many folks in our community, everyone who works at AHA! could be called a hero. After all, the Santa Barbara nonprofit equips teenagers – and often their teachers and parents – with social and emotional intelligence, using the five pillars of mindfulness, awareness, connection, empathy, and […]
Recently Trending
More Local News
Annual Promo Takes on Extra Significance in 2021 Restaurant Weeks is a yearly promotion by the Santa Ynez Valley dining scene. It’s weeks, plural – two full weeks of prix-fixe menus and value pricing that highlight the remarkable food and wine options to be found in the six charming towns that define Santa Barbara’s wine […]
Saturday night, many of us gathered electronically to commemorate the third anniversary of the Debris Flow that claimed 23 of our community members, destroyed hundreds of homes, and shook us to our core. It’s a day we’ll never forget. As with all major disasters, the entire community experienced a collective trauma: shock, loss, grief, and […]
Earlier this week, Jeannine’s Bakery owner Alison Hardey announced the closure of her downtown store; the latest local casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing stay-at-home order that has shuttered most California restaurants, allowing them to be open solely for takeout orders. “It wasn’t an easy decision, it’s kind of like ‘which child do […]
Three years after Montecito’s devastating debris flows, some memories just won’t fade away Although the mud is gone, and most of the rocks have been either carted away or stacked in piles nearby, the intersection of Hot Springs Road and Olive Mill Road still bears witness to the work that remains to be done before […]
December 29, 2020 started out as just another regular day for the cat-rescue volunteers at Santa Barbara’s Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP), a private nonprofit group that helps the county’s animal control agency find homes for abandoned cats. “We were operating on a very limited scale because of COVID,” said Becky Morrill, ASAP’s shelter operations […]
Santa Barbara County Long Range Planning Staff is once again hard at work updating local ordinances pertaining to Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) that comply with state laws. We’ve been reporting on ADU laws since 2017, when Assembly Bill 2299 and Senate Bill 1069 reduced barriers, streamlined the approval process, and expanded the capacity to accommodate […]
A new gourmet food boutique is slated to open for business this weekend, in the new commercial space next to Folded Hills Wine Tasting Room in developer John Price’s mixed-use building at Olive Mill. Jules Coast Caviar is an emporium for the finest foodstuffs from the West Coast and beyond, carefully curated by owners and […]
Read more...
On December 31, the Montecito Trails Foundation (MTF) held its inaugural New Year’s Eve trash pickup event on local trails, with dozens of members fanning out along some 90 miles of trails in the front country above town as well as community trails within Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria. Because of COVID-19 concerns, the group encouraged […]
As our community approaches the third anniversary of the 1/9 Thomas Fire Debris Flow, we find ourselves in the third consecutive disaster we’ve faced as a community, and this time it’s a global pandemic. This Saturday, we’d love to gather everyone, come together as a community, and remember those we lost in the early morning […]
Yes, it’s time to think about that 97 year-old-fun fest, Old Spanish Days (OSD). To start the Fiesta year off La Presidenta 2021 was just announced, Stephanie Petlow. She has lived here for many years and served on the OSD board for 20 years. Her leadership team is primer Alex Castellanos, vice presidente; David Bolton, […]
Persona Pizzeria on State Street has reopened under new ownership, despite statewide stay-at-home orders that have shut down indoor and outdoor dining in the majority of counties in California. “We know it’s not the optimal time to open a new business, but we are super COVID-safe and looking forward to offering the same delicious, freshly […]
An earthquake a century ago shook Santa Barbara but united the city. Can today’s housing and economic crises coalesce to effect similar change? The retail closures of State Street and local housing crisis are familiar topics in the area and have been discussed for years. In 2017 the Santa Barbara chapter of the American Institute […]
