Santa Barbara Independent

Santa Barbara Independent Delivering fresh news, arts, and entertainment from the Santa Barbara area all day, every day.

Our weekly newspaper is published every Thursday morning, with Santa Barbara County's largest circulation of 40,000 audited copies. Since 1986, The Santa Barbara Independent has been required reading for the South Coast's active and sophisticated population. The Independent reaches more than 135,000 readers in Santa Barbara County each Thursday with in-depth news reporting, the most extensive cale

ndar of local events, and the best arts and entertainment coverage in the region. Although we have had a website since 1998, it wasn't until April, 2007 that we began our community news, arts, and entertainment portal, independent.com. Providing a thorough and up to date site for all things Santa Barbara, independent.com immediately became the area's most visited community website. Santa Barbara has a daily news site, and a place for the community to connect. In 2008 we were recognized as the Best Weekly Newspaper website in the United States, in a national contest sponsored by Editor & Publisher magazine. In the meantime, our online audience has grown to be the largest in Santa Barbara county, twice as large as our nearest news competitor. But don't take our word for it -- here's a link to current online traffic rating services. Our newspaper also was singled out in 2008 as one of "10 That Do It Right," of newspapers leading in innovation and adaptation, in another Editor & Publisher recognition. The Independent was created from the merger of the Santa Barbara News & Review, a weekly paper consisting of politics and commentary founded in 1973, and The Weekly, an arts and entertainment publication with extensive listings. The merger created a unique voice for independent writers, critics, and involved citizens, and Santa Barbara go-to community resource for what-to-do. The Santa Barbara Independent is a true community newspaper with a market pe*******on higher than almost every other "alternative" weekly in the country. Our audited circulation of 40,000 copies exceeds the daily paper and any other publication in Santa Barbara County. Copies are picked up at more than 600 locations stretching from surf points at Rincon to the flower fields of Lompoc. We are very proud of our support of community events, nonprofit charities, and public service advertisers. The Santa Barbara Independent is a major sponsor of the largest community events, including the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Old Spanish Days, the Summer Solstice, and the Downtown Holiday Parade. Our underwriting covers the breath of Santa Barbara activity -- from support of the UCSB Economic Forecast Project to the Downtown Organization to outreach in the public school system. The paper is a major sponsor of UCSB intercollegiate sports, high school athletics and events, and the major theater companies in the region. From its world-class art museum to its state-of-the-art zoological garden, Santa Barbara is a community committed to a rich and culturally diverse quality of life. Since its inception, The Santa Barbara Independent, has been here to celebrate and support that commitment.

In this letter, Lucas Nadolskis, S.B. writes:⁠⁠For me, as a blind person, concerts are a uniquely accessible form of ent...
09/26/2025

In this letter, Lucas Nadolskis, S.B. writes:⁠
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For me, as a blind person, concerts are a uniquely accessible form of entertainment. The sound and energy of a live show are experiences that don’t depend on sight. So, I was excited when I heard Paul McCartney was coming to the Santa Barbara Bowl. Unfortunately, that excitement turned to frustration when I tried to buy tickets on the AXS website.⁠
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An inaccessible website doesn’t feel fair, and it effectively excludes visually impaired customers. As a customer trying to spend $600 on a ticket, the experience was disheartening.⁠
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The internet should be accessible to everyone, but this experience highlights how digital barriers can still prevent people with disabilities from participating fully. Companies that provide public services, like ticket vendors, have a responsibility to make their websites accessible. This is a matter of equal access and inclusion.⁠
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Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/25/at-a-loss-for-a-mccartney-ticket/

📸: Jimmy Baikovicius

President Donald Trump advised pregnant women against taking Tylenol during a press briefing on Monday, warning of an un...
09/26/2025

President Donald Trump advised pregnant women against taking Tylenol during a press briefing on Monday, warning of an unproven link between the pain relief drug and autism. ⁠
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In lieu of taking Tylenol, and its active ingredient, acetaminophen, the president suggested that women instead “tough it out.” ⁠
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Dr. Ty Vernon, the director of UC Santa Barbara’s Koegel Autism Center, cautioned against going back to the “Dark Ages” of mothers constantly blamed for any sort of difference that emerges in their child. ⁠
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Higher-quality studies comparing siblings born to the same mothers found no additional likelihood of having a child with autism when taking Tylenol versus not — pointing instead to a genetic argument.⁠
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“Then we also know that maternal health during pregnancy can influence the emergence of neurodevelopmental conditions like autism,” Vernon said. “And so we have to look at why the mother was taking Tylenol — likely there was a fever or an infection or something else going on. ⁠
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“So unless we can kind of separate out the contribution of those kinds of illnesses on fetal development, versus Tylenol by itself, we can’t jump to a false conclusion that there’s this link,” he continued. “Because correlation doesn’t necessarily equate causation there.”⁠
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Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/25/trump-warns-pregnant-women-that-taking-tylenol-could-cause-autism/
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📸: C-SPAN; Koegel Autism Center

Treasured jazz singer Samara Joy’s trajectory into the public ear and limelight began gently but quickly exploded. A few...
09/26/2025

Treasured jazz singer Samara Joy’s trajectory into the public ear and limelight began gently but quickly exploded. A few years ago, Joy was winning high praises from critics and listeners within the jazz world as a bold, warm, and sophisticated new voice — steeped in tradition but eager to extend upward and outward. But a much broader public caught wind of her wondrous gift, when, in 2023, she was a surprise winner of the coveted Best New Artist Grammy along with the Best Jazz Vocal Album award for her album 'Linger Awhile.'

Suddenly, Joy’s star rose dramatically, and widely, beyond the jazz world enclave. Three more Grammys were lavished on her in the past two years. Her latest album is last year’s 'Portrait' (listen here), a fine place to start taking in the complexities and suppleness of her voice, in the specific and larger sense.

Santa Barbara caught Joy in holiday garb for her local debut at The Granada Theatre two years back, with members of her musical family in tow. She returns to help kick off the UCSB Arts & Lectures season on October 2 at the Granada.
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Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/24/fall-arts-preview-new-incarnation-of-a-songbird/
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📸: AB+DM

A domestic violence investigation in Goleta led to the arrest of a 41-year-old man and the seizure of a stockpile of fi*...
09/26/2025

A domestic violence investigation in Goleta led to the arrest of a 41-year-old man and the seizure of a stockpile of fi****ms on Monday.⁠
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Around 5:48 a.m., sheriff’s deputies responded to a 9-1-1 call from a woman who said her partner, Patrick Kennedy, had threatened to kill her. She fled their home on the 6200 block of Avenida Gorrion before calling law enforcement.⁠
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Deputies attempted to contact Kennedy, who refused to answer the door and instead communicated through a Ring doorbell camera. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Kennedy had reportedly spent the night handling fi****ms and was later seen walking around the neighborhood wearing a ski mask. He had also recently threatened a neighbor with what appeared to be a replica hand gr***de, the Sheriff’s Office said.⁠
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Deputies say Kennedy kept loaded fi****ms both in his home and in the glovebox of his vehicle. He was taken into custody just after 1 p.m. following a standoff, though officials described him as uncooperative.⁠
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Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/24/goleta-man-arrested-in-domestic-violence-case-fi****ms-seized/
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📸: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office

The allegations are shocking. Stanford Kerr, the beloved principal of Montecito Union School from 1954 to 1979, is accus...
09/26/2025

The allegations are shocking. Stanford Kerr, the beloved principal of Montecito Union School from 1954 to 1979, is accused of molesting two young brothers. School staff are said to have known about the abuse but did nothing to stop it. Kerr, who had also previously taught at Gaviota and Carpinteria elementary schools, was never charged with a crime and died in 2013.⁠
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The stakes are high. When the trial in the civil case against the Montecito school district begins later this week, attorneys for the brothers ― identified in court documents as John Doe 1 and John Doe 2 ― will argue the school failed to protect them and seek millions of dollars in damages. Montecito Union roundly denies the accusations though has already paid part of a $1 million settlement to a third alleged victim of Kerr. A large jury award could wipe out the district’s remaining $13 million in reserves, given its lack of records of liability insurance from the era.⁠
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And the ramifications reach beyond Montecito. ⁠
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Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/24/sins-of-the-father-montecito-union-on-trial-for-decades-old-sex-abuse-claims/

📸: Courtesy

In this 'My Life' piece, Wayne Ranney writes: ⁠⁠It’s 12:39 a.m., and I can’t sleep. It hasn’t even been three weeks sinc...
09/25/2025

In this 'My Life' piece, Wayne Ranney writes: ⁠
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It’s 12:39 a.m., and I can’t sleep. It hasn’t even been three weeks since my father passed away in Santa Barbara. But I’m thinking of him and the “gift” he gave me in his passing that I cannot ignore.⁠
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Don Ranney died at almost 93 years old on August 30. He was diagnosed exactly one month earlier with AML (acute myeloid leukemia). Given his age and comorbidities, his oncologist and primary physician told him there was nothing that could be done to stop the progression and that he should get his affairs in order. They said his red blood cells would diminish, and it would happen fairly quickly. My sister sent a text message that we, his four children, needed to rally and come to the aid of our father in his final days. The first thing he said after hearing his diagnosis was: “I’m gonna have ice cream every day!” And he did!⁠
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I made three trips to Santa Barbara from my home in Arizona to spend the best quality time I ever had with my father. We weren’t always close, and as a teenager and a young adult, I gave him plenty of reasons to be suspicious of me. He returned the favor, giving me plenty of reasons to be suspicious of him. (We “played” on different teams politically.) But his good health kept him alive into his nineties, and through the years, I was able to be more than just a son to him. I was also able to be his friend and, in some ways, one of his confidantes. We never let our differences in politics affect our own personal relationship, especially at the end.⁠

Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/23/leaving-this-world-with-grace-and-dignity/
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📸: Adobe Stock

Just outside Lompoc, a nearly 200-year-old working cattle ranch is stretched across thousands of acres. Still stewarded ...
09/25/2025

Just outside Lompoc, a nearly 200-year-old working cattle ranch is stretched across thousands of acres. Still stewarded by the same family that founded it in 1837, Rancho San Julián is one of the most historic landscapes along California’s Central Coast. ⁠
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Rolling hills, cattle pastures, and vast oak woodlands offer a perfect backdrop for seventh-generation rancher, author, and Magnolia Network host Elizabeth Poett to lead her Ranch Table events. ⁠
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“The ranch has been in my family for seven generations,” Poett said. “I do a lot of these events because people should know more about where their food is coming from. Instead of just a tour, I wanted to bring people to the ranch so they can see the work it takes to get food on the table.” ⁠
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During the summer months, Poett — who is also the daughter of this newspaper’s editor-in-chief, Marianne Partridge — welcomes guests to the gatherings where visitors can taste farm-to-table meals and get a feel for ranch life. This fall, she’s expanding that tradition with a special evening on Saturday, October 11, where all proceeds will benefit the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County. ⁠
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Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/22/live-like-a-rancher-to-support-santa-barbara-county-foodbank-farmers/
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📸: Courtesy

A Righetti High School student was arrested Monday afternoon after a loaded revolver was found in his backpack, accordin...
09/25/2025

A Righetti High School student was arrested Monday afternoon after a loaded revolver was found in his backpack, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.⁠
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At around 1:30 p.m., a staff member alerted School Resource Deputy Reynoso that the student might be smoking ma*****na in a bathroom at the Santa Maria school, the Sheriff’s Office stated. When Reynoso tried to stop him, the student reportedly resisted. In the struggle, Reynoso sustained minor injuries — a cut on his finger and an abrasion on his elbow.⁠
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Deputies later discovered multiple ma*****na vapes and a loaded .22 caliber handgun hidden in the student’s bag. The student was transported to a local hospital for medical clearance before being booked into Santa Maria Juvenile Hall on charges that include possession of a firearm on school grounds, resisting arrest, and possession of ma*****na on campus while under 18.⁠

Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/23/student-found-with-loaded-handgun-at-righetti-high-school-in-santa-maria/
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📸: Google Maps

When it comes to the arts scene, Santa Barbara punches way above its weight for a city this size. In the next few weeks ...
09/25/2025

When it comes to the arts scene, Santa Barbara punches way above its weight for a city this size. In the next few weeks alone, we’ll have Sir Paul McCartney onstage at the Santa Barbara Bowl and two landmark exhibitions of impressionist and 19th-century artworks by Monet, van Gogh, Matisse, Gauguin, and Mondrian, among others, at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. In fact, our harvest of arts offerings is so vibrant this season, that this week’s cover story is the first of three Fall Arts Preview issues headed your way. ⁠
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Read on for a look at what we’ve got on tap from UCSB Arts & Lectures, and in the classical music and dance worlds, as well as interviews with Grammy-winning jazz artist Samara Joy and Grammy-winning American Roots artist Aoife O’Donovan, of the acclaimed trio I’m with Her. And keep an eye out for more, as there’s certainly no shortage of fall bounty to be found in Santa Barbara. In the upcoming weeks, we’ll cover fall’s hottest happenings in theater, museum exhibitions, and visual arts, so stay tuned. ⁠
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Read the full cover story here: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/24/fall-arts-preview-mark-your-calendars-for-an-awesome-autumn/
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🎨: Xavier Pereyra⁠
📸: AB+DM

With Paul McCartney’s highly anticipated tour kickoff this Friday at the Santa Barbara Bowl fast approaching, venue offi...
09/25/2025

With Paul McCartney’s highly anticipated tour kickoff this Friday at the Santa Barbara Bowl fast approaching, venue officials warn that tickets purchased through third-party resale sites will not be honored for the sold-out show. ⁠
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S.B. Bowl Chief Executive Officer Rick Boller explained that all tickets for the September 26 show were distributed through a verified registration system, managed in partnership with the Bowl’s ticketing provider, AXS. ⁠
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The lottery system was enacted to ensure that tickets went directly into the hands of genuine fans. Each buyer was limited to two tickets, tied to their name and ID, and ticket transfers were disabled to make sure tickets stayed with the original purchaser.⁠
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Despite the official announcements from both McCartney’s team on Instagram and the Bowl’s website, reseller sites like StubHub have listed resale seats for up to $10,000. Boller stressed that these sites are misleading and there is nothing the Bowl can do to honor tickets purchased outside the official system. ⁠
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Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/24/resale-tickets-to-paul-mccartney-show-wont-be-honored-warns-santa-barbara-bowl-ceo/
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📸: Jimmy Baikovicius

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the “No Secret Police Act” over the weekend, officially passing the state bill b...
09/25/2025

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the “No Secret Police Act” over the weekend, officially passing the state bill barring local and federal law enforcement from covering their faces — a bill drafted in response to the aggressive increase in masked federal agents making immigration-related arrests throughout California in recent months. ⁠
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But questions remain over the enforcement of the new law, as the federal government has announced its intention to continue to allow ICE officers to wear masks, leading to a likely legal standoff between California and the Trump administration when the law goes into effect in January 2026.⁠
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When Governor Newsom signed the bill on September 20, he said the impact of the Trump administration’s policy of allowing immigration enforcement with unidentified agents was “terrifying.” ⁠
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“It’s like a dystopian sci-fi movie,” Newsom said. “Unmarked cars, people in masks, people quite literally disappearing. No due process, no rights in a democracy where we have rights. Immigrants have rights, and we have the right to stand up and push back, and that’s what we’re doing here today.”⁠
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Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/23/who-will-enforce-californias-ban-on-masks-for-law-enforcement/

📸: Ingrid Bostrom/Santa Barbara Independent

There is no way around it: AI is everywhere. The question now is whether to embrace it, or run. Peter Brill has decided ...
09/25/2025

There is no way around it: AI is everywhere. The question now is whether to embrace it, or run. Peter Brill has decided to do a little bit of both; or rather, he’s running — just toward this new technology. “AI is both a threat and opportunity,” says Brill, who serves as the Brill Family Foundation founder. ⁠
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That dichotomy is the question asked of guests at the Brill Family Foundation’s newest activation, 'Symbiosis or Schism? The AI-Human Odyssey.' An AI art exhibit hosted at the Community Arts Workshop (CAW), the event has both artists and guests pondering whether AI should be embraced or rejected.⁠
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This exploration of how humanity and technology can work together may be new for Santa Barbara, but it’s an age-old conundrum. ⁠
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The number of submissions for the exhibit, which were collected in August, astounded the committee. “It was really fascinating to see all the ways AI was being used,” says Oriana Sanders, executive director of the Brill Family Foundation.⁠
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Read more: https://www.independent.com/2025/09/19/symbiosis-or-schism-the-ai-human-odyssey-opens-at-community-arts-workshop/
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📸: Courtesy

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