LATEST NEWS

At around 9 PM on Wednesday night, a call came in over the scanner about an actively occurring burglary on Consuelo Drive in Santa Barbara. The owner of a residence received a surveillance notice and a live video feed showing someone was inside their home. The victims witnessed assailants disabling her cameras by changing the cameras vantage point of view.

Santa Barbara County firefighters are responding to a crash that happened in Santa Maria Thursday afternoon.

Santa Barbara Police Chief Kelly Gordon informed members of the city’s Fire & Police Commission last week that she’s decidedly interested in expanding her department’s powers in dealing with people experiencing especially severe mental health crises. Santa Barbara County is currently the only county in California in...

A new summer series brought by the Santa Barbara Land Trust, “Discover Outside,” is bringing the great outdoors to the community through 11 days of hikes, learning, and activities. The Land Trust has worked to protect and restore the county’s land since 1985, and the nonprofit is ready to bring the public in on conservation. From June 1-11, they’ll be hosting ways for individuals and families to thoughtfully engage with the environment.

Retired pro skateboarder Sammy Baptista "Drops In" on the Morning News to preview a local skateboarding camp he's hosting this summer. The post Retired professional Skateboarder Sammy Baptista “drops in” on the Morning News appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Scanner traffic on 5/30/23. One Fentanyl call no details. Separately, and unrelated 2 gunshots fired then 4 more right after, Downtown Santa Barbara near Haley Street. Female teen self inflicted wound with a knife on the Westside. When knife was taken away the female attempted to grab another knife. In support and hope she will turn it around. Teens sometimes go through a tough emotional metamorphosis. Most, eventually turn it around "just-great." They just need the support. Teens are learning to have their own choices and their very own self-empowerment, and can be very emotionaly-motivated.

Construction of Vera Cruz Village, the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara (HACSB) newest affordable housing project for special needs and unhoused people, is expected to be completed by late summer of 2023, but the opportunity to help furnish those future homes is available now! The post Vera Cruz Village seeks community help in furnishing hope appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

The Ca' Dario restaurant parklet is now for sale after it was ruled in violation by the City of Santa Barbara. It will come out on or before June 6. The post Italian restaurant owner says ‘Make me an offer’ he can’t refuse to take away his parklet appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Fresco Cafe closes after 28 years in Santa Barbara. The restaurant had just moved to a new location last fall. The post Fresco closes after 28 years, and abruptly leaves new location in downtown Santa Barbara appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

The Central Coast of California has an almost even number of Hispanic people and white people, according to data the U.S. Census Bureau released last week. The data also includes information on income, housing and nation of origin. Of the four counties that comprise the Central Coast – Santa Barbara,...

The grand public unveiling of the long-term future of State Street — or at least three proposed options thereof — got off to a bumpy start last Wednesday afternoon’s gathering of the State Street Advisory Committee and stayed that way for the better part of three hours.

Kyle Dodge, a former Santa Barbara firearms supplier, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to dealing methamphetamine while in possession of illegally modified assault weapons. Previous convictions for domestic violence, harassment, stalking, and other gun offenses were factors in his sentencing, said prosecutor Kevin Weichbrod....

Ninety-two formerly incarcerated individuals will participate in graduation ceremonies on Thursday, June 1, to celebrate their accomplishments from the Day Reporting Centers (DRC) in Santa Barbara at the Mar Monte Hotel and in Santa Maria at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge. The commencement exercises will honor the clients who have...

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-Santa Barbara County Animal Services has taken in 450 stray pets in the month of May and 100 more than usual each month. Instead of wondering who let the dogs out, as the song says, they are doing something about it. During the month of June pet owners may get their pets microchipped The post Free pet microchips in June follows jump in strays appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Wildfire season is fast approaching and, with the verdant undergrowth from the winter’s heavy rains starting to fade, many of us are dreading the hot, dry months ahead. I have been evacuated from my home outside Buellton twice. Now, each time the afternoon winds kick up, I’m reminded of frantically trying to round up my animals and other treasures as the flames crested the hilltop and furiously bore down on my neighborhood.

As a proud Italian American, I was both truly saddened and gravely disappointed to see that “Italian” was removed this year from the local event that has always been entitled “I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival.”. I really tried to think outside-of-the-box in an attempt to find...

This edition of Full Belly Files was originally emailed to subscribers on May 26, 2023. To receive Matt Kettmann’s food newsletter in your inbox each Friday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters. There are so many variables that go into journalism awards that I never put too much stake in them,...

The Sheriff’s Office has provided the inmate's name and additional regarding his death. Notification to the decedent’s next-of-kin has been completed and he is identified as 57-year-old David Lee Ligon from Santa Maria. He was booked on May 27, 2023, by the Sheriff’s Office for possession of narcotics for sale (felony), transportation of a controlled substance (felony), possession of narcotics (misdemeanor), and possession of paraphernalia (misdemeanor). He was being held on $30,000 bail.

Spaces for Black students’ healing and affirmation in Santa Barbara Unified high schools are to become as accessible as school lunch in the next school year. Counseling services to address racial trauma will be supplemented with healthy coping strategies and prevention, all provided through collaboration with the Healing Space clinic at UC Santa Barbara.

The Central Coast is celebrating Pride Month with events in SLO and Santa Barbara counties throughout June. Trans Pride Weekend honors trans individuals on the Central Coast. Central Coast LGBTQ-plus organizations host Pride events throughout June. BY TAYLOR O'CONNER. Family fun. We Are Family photos celebrate LGBTQ-plus families across the...