December 12, 2025
News Roundup
December 4, 2025
November 28, 2025
The Argument Against the Paseo Nuevo Deal
Other recent news: The land under the former Nordstrom store is now excluded from the proposal; SBIFF's downtown multiplex got named; Zoe Bikini to close; new fees and requirements possible for Santa Barbara massage therapists; adaptive reuse of an old airport hangar and two Quonset huts; an update from Edhat. 6
November 20, 2025
Delta Is Ending Flights Between Santa Barbara and Atlanta
Other recent news: Birnam Wood's plan to remove the 77 eucalyptus trees along East Valley Road; city council member Kristen Sneddon is running for mayor; an option for fewer affordable-housing units at Paseo Nuevo; more citations issued to e-bike riders; the University of California bought a Hope Ranch house for UCSB's chancellor; Summer Solstice Celebration's 2026 theme. 24
November 13, 2025
The Trump Administration Plans to Reopen the Santa Barbara County Coast to Drilling
Other recent news: The contentious proposal to redevelop Paseo Nuevo; 18-story Builder's Remedy project submitted to Carpinteria; objections to the design of Sears lot at La Cumbre Plaza; Gold’s Gym locations bought by Eos Fitness; the renovation of Dwight Murphy Field. 17
November 6, 2025
The Push for Public Access to Hollister Ranch Beaches
Other recent news: Changes coming to Cacique Street homeless shelter; a long look at California's insurance problem; county supervisors deny Sable Offshore permit transfer; improvements to Franklin Creek trail in Carpinteria; the tree of the month. 1
October 23, 2025
Santa Barbara Has Hired a New State Street Consultant
Other recent news: The number of international visitors is down; addressing the city's budget shortfall; an update on the Electrify America vehicle-charging station; Santa Barbara County looks to phase out all onshore oil operations; Sable Offshore loses in court; first steps toward a new trail linking Buellton, Solvang and Santa Ynez. 20
October 16, 2025
Paseo Nuevo Redevelopment Hits a Roadblock
Other recent news: Update on the apartment complex behind the Mission; SpaceX launches likely to increase; cannabis taxes continue to disappoint; converting downtown commercial buildings to residential got easier; new Santa Barbara Police Department headquarters delayed; rent stabilization ordinance faulted for lack of transparency; Lower Tunnel Trail reopened. 9
October 9, 2025
October 2, 2025
A Better Look at the Redevelopment of Paseo Nuevo
Other recent news: The county may make it possible to build bigger; Sable Offshore wants to install a facility in federal waters and transport oil by barge; remembering writer Ashleigh Brilliant; estimate for reopening Highway 1 in Big Sur; the tree of the month is the African tulip tree. 14
Burning Questions
- What Are Those Old Buildings at the Corner of Castillo and Montecito Streets?
- When Will the Coast Village Road Medians Be Completed?
- What’s This Scaffold Structure on Las Positas Road?
- Why Does Street Striping Take So Long to Happen?
- Why Do Rocket Launches Look the Way They Do?
- How Is the San Ysidro Debris Basin Designed to Work?
- What’s This Building on Helena Avenue?
Recent Comments
The post office renaming will cost roughly $500,000 paid for by the USPS internal funds from stamps and fees. — Derek
Thank you, Erik, for reminding your readers to support local businesses; it is one of the critical ways to help our communities thrive. (I laughed… — Pat
I agree about the skimpy wine pour. However, we loved the shared entrees (chicken and salmon) with their special rice. Yes there were leftovers but… — ElizabethW
That 5% would go to all employees proportionate to their hours I would presume compared to tips where more skilled staff take a higher percentage,… — Don
Geo , you know absolutely nothing about the restaurant business. — Roy
What if, and bear with me here because this is complicated, restaurants just paid their staff normally and charged prices that reflected those expenses, i.e.… — Rich
Little Mountain just isn’t organized. Everyone is very nice and the atmosphere stylish, but there is something wrong with it. The food is weird, portions… — Joan
I intensely to test Sur charges for the cost of doing business. Will they give back 5% profits to the patrons when they do extremely… — Geo
Just call it "The Copper" — Bob
The lack of generosity above is truly astonishing. Santa Barbara is an extraordinarily expensive place to live, as we all know. The 5% toward team… — OJ