News
The South Coast's top stories: the county, the coast, and the Channel, reported daily.
Extreme Heat Warning Covers Santa Barbara County Coast Through Oct. 8
The National Weather Service warns of dangerously hot conditions, with temperatures up to 85 at the coast and 100 in the mountains and the Cuyama Valley.
SpaceX Targets 11:18 a.m. Launch from Vandenberg for Transporter-18 Rideshare
The Falcon 9 would carry 130 payloads to orbit on what would be the 66th launch of the year from the Santa Barbara County base. The booster is flying for the 25th time.
More Than 2,000 Left Without Power in County Safety Shutoff
Southern California Edison de-energized lines across parts of Santa Barbara County on Tuesday amid heightened wildfire risk. Outage tracking showed no remaining SCE outages shortly after midnight Wednesday.
Hundreds Join Hands Across the Sand at West Beach in Protest of Offshore Drilling
Saturday's human chain marked the 50th anniversary of the California Coastal Act and joined a coordinated day of demonstrations against new offshore oil drilling.
Solvang Farmers Market Named Second-Best in the Nation
Reviewed's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards put the Wednesday market behind Boston's Copley Square Farmers Market and ahead of Charleston and Seattle's Pike Place.
Santa Barbara County Opposes Federal Amendment Targeting Sable Pipeline Route
Supervisors voted 3-1 to send the Senate a letter opposing a House provision that would let the Pentagon acquire land along the Santa Ynez Pipeline System.
Santa Barbara Postpones Short-Term Rental Hearing to Oct. 6
The City Council was set to consider new licensing rules for vacation rentals on Sept. 15. The hearing is now scheduled for Oct. 6.
County Votes 3-2 to Ban New Onshore Oil and Gas Wells
The Sept. 15 vote prohibits new drilling and re-entering abandoned wells. A study of phasing out existing operations comes next.
County Adopts Utility-Scale Solar Framework With 16,000-Acre Cap
The Sept. 1 vote sets a 15-acre fast track for farm solar and a 16,000-acre cap for larger commercial projects.