Daily
Santa Barbara
Wednesday, January 21st, 2026
Good morning, Santa Barbara. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 21st of January.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Santa Barbara County Animal Services and BUNS are offering fee-free adoptions for rabbits and guinea pigs until Sunday, Feb. 15. Meet-and-greet hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at shelters in Santa Barbara and Lompoc (plus Santa Maria) for community members to welcome a new companion. Santa Barbara Independent
- ➤ At Santa Barbara’s Arlington Theatre on Monday, Leah Weber King urged the crowd to choose love over fear during the MLK Day event, stressing that continuing Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy means building community and challenging systems of injustice while local leaders called for unity. Noozhawk
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ On Saturday, Feb. 1, the Santa Barbara Zoo will host its annual Snow Leopard Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 500 Ninos Drive, featuring Layan — a 9-year-old snow leopard who arrived in December 2025 — with snow-based enrichment, sledding, and a snow play area for children. Edhat
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ On Thursday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m., Reuven Bank will speak at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum's Maritime Distinguished Speaker Series about restoring the sunflower sea star to aid kelp recovery; tickets cost $10 for SBMM members, $20 for the public, and students receive discounts with calls to 8054568750 for tickets. Noozhawk
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Los Padres ForestWatch launches a community science project to help protect wildlife along local roads by having residents report sightings and roadkill using a free mobile app. The project supports land-use plans under the Room to Roam Act and includes free Zoom webinars (Wed, Jan. 28, 6:00 p.m. and Sat, Jan. 31, 1:00 p.m.). Edhat
- ➤ The U.S. Forest Service and Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District started planned burns on approximately 57 acres in Camino Cielo Ridge near Painted Cave Road and Highway 154 on Tuesday, Jan. 20. The burns—part of fuel reduction efforts—will continue for two weeks if weather and air quality allow. KEYT
- ➤ The Bureau of Land Management announced on Jan. 13 a study that could open 400,000 acres of Santa Barbara County public lands to oil and gas drilling if approved later this year (public comments are open until March 6). Noozhawk
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved a three-year contract to raise wages for in-home care providers, with rates increasing from $19 now to $20 in March and reaching at least $20.07 by July — a change after a 15-year push by local advocates. KEYT
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Santa Barbara Cottage Health’s Grotenhuis Pediatric Clinic is now operating on the second floor at 2401 Bath St. following its relocation from Goleta and offers 15 pediatric specialists along with dedicated spaces for behavioral care near the hospital (modern design enhances the patient experience). Noozhawk
LIFESTYLE NEWS
- ➤ Manifattura, a new Italian restaurant by co-owners Andrea Girardello and chef Brian Dodero, is now open at 413 State St. It serves handmade pasta and focaccia in three seatings per night from Tuesday to Saturday between 5 and 9 p.m., and its menu emphasizes quality and a home like dining experience. Noozhawk
REAL ESTATE NEWS
- ➤ Mark Baird offers tips for preventing crawl space flooding on Santa Barbara’s Mesa during wet winters by installing continuous aluminum gutters, properly spaced downspouts, sump pumps, and French drains. He stresses ensuring the correct slope and legal discharge points to protect older homes + foundations. Noozhawk
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Goleta will host an international World Cup team this summer. The team will stay at the Ritz-Carlton Bacara and practice at Harder Stadium at UCSB while city officials arrange safe escort and support for upcoming community events. Santa Barbara Independent
- ➤ Last weekend, the Santa Barbara Volleyball Club Boys 17U Molten team won a gold medal at the SoCal Cup Open Championship in Salt Lake City. Matteo Burdick earned MVP honors as the team beat top clubs to claim its first national win in years. Noozhawk
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Reading Skills 101 Workshop
2-4 p.m. — Santa Barbara Public Library — Free entry — A community workshop designed to empower families with essential reading skills and understanding for children across all grades.
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Outstanding Performer of the Year Award for Michael B. Jordan
8 PM – 2 AM — Arlington Theatre — $35 General Admission, $100 Priority Seating — Celebrate the incredible achievements of Michael B. Jordan at this prestigious film festival event.
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Sunday Yin Chill
7-8 p.m. — Yoga Soup — Entry fee not specified — Experience a restorative yoga class focused on connecting breath and body in a slow-paced environment.
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Candlelight: Tribute to Taylor Swift
6:15-7:14 p.m. — Music Academy of the West — Ticketed event — Experience Taylor Swift's hits performed by Vapour String Quartet in a magical candlelight setting.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
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Reveal the authorAbout Daily Santa Barbara
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