Good morning, Santa Barbara.

On March 5, Cox employees raised $100,000 for local nonprofits during Cox Charities’ 30th anniversary.

Girls Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara and the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County each received $50,000 to support vital community programs.

The Santa Barbara Police Department will host Buckle Up with First Responders on Saturday, March 14 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Westside Neighborhood Center (423 W.

Victoria St.), where families can receive free car seat inspections, enjoy a pancake breakfast, and explore emergency vehicles.

Veggie Rescue will host Sweet 16: Celebrating 16 Years & 5 Million Pounds Rescued on May 21 at Bernat Vineyard & Cafe Farm in Santa Ynez.

The fundraising gala will include live music, food & wine, and auctions to support local food rescue operations.

SpaceX plans a Falcon 9 launch today from Vandenberg Space Force Base’s Space Launch Complex-4, aiming for liftoff at 6:31 a.m. to deploy 25 Starlink satellites.

Backup opportunities are set for Sunday, and the first-stage booster will land on the (Of Course I Still Love You) droneship in the Pacific.

Home Plate Grill, a well-loved neighborhood restaurant in Goleta, announced its permanent closure effective March 31 due to losing its lease at the Padre Shopping Center (7398 Calle Real, Suite C).

The restaurant, which has served the community nearly 10 years since opening in 2016, thanked its patrons for their support.

Governor Newsom announced on March 5 that CalOSBA is awarding over $2 million in innovation grants to 37 startups statewide, including Santa Barbara companies in health tech and clean energy.

The grants, from $25,000 to $100,000, aim to boost small business growth.

Santa Barbara Unified and its local partners are hosting a free Family Literacy Festival today at the Public Library (40 E.

Anapamu St.) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., offering PK-12 families interactive author sessions, arts and crafts, and other literacy activities.

The Scholarship Foundation honored 20 student artists as winners of its 2026 Art Scholarship Competition on Tuesday, March 3 at Art & Soul Gallery in Santa Barbara.

Each winner received a scholarship of $3,000 or $3,500, with one top artist earning an extra $1,000.

On Feb. 27, SBCC hosted 170 local eighth grade students for an AVID Discovery Day event that introduced them to college and career pathways.

They toured the Cliff Campus, learned about Dual Enrollment opportunities, and participated in interactive sessions (including tours of both east and west campuses).

San Marcos High School’s Health Careers Academy offers students a guaranteed path to Westmont College with at least $15,000 in aid if they meet GPA and course requirements.

The partnership, approved on Nov. 18, 2025, runs until May 31, 2029 (students need a 3.3 GPA and to complete A-G courses).

On March 3, the Air Force tested its unarmed Minuteman III missile at Vandenberg Space Force Base with two reentry vehicles headed to Kwajalein Atoll.

The test confirmed system performance and helped guide future force development.

Carpinteria High track & field swept its double dual meet on Thursday in Carpinteria by beating Malibu 108-23 and Del Sol 120-3 on the girls side, while the boys won 97-33 over Malibu and 82-49 against Del Sol.

Bishop Diego student-athletes shined this winter as the girls basketball team won the CIF-SS Division 5 championship and the boys squad, led by MVP Crew Sjovold, went undefeated in the Tri-Valley League.

Both basketball and soccer teams received multiple All-League honors.

Westmont Women’s Basketball beat Dominican 64-61 on Thursday night in a tight PacWest quarterfinal and advanced to the semifinals to play top-seeded Vanguard — the team used strong rebounding and team play to secure their 21st win of the season.

March 2026 Area Meeting

6-8 p.m. — The Community Arts Workshop — Free entry — Engage in an open forum of critiques and insights from local artists while enjoying a keynote from ceramicist Erin Smith.

St. Patrick's Day in Ireland

7:30-9 p.m. — Lobero Theatre — Ticket information not provided — Celebrate Irish culture with music, dance, and high-energy performances from champion dancers.

California Agave Symposium

8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. — Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort — $125-$350 — Network with industry leaders and explore the future of California's agave industry.

Live Concert by Booker T. Jones

7:30-9:00 p.m. — Lobero Theatre — Tickets required — Enjoy an evening of soulful music by the legendary Booker T. Jones.

Los Inquietos Del Norte Concert

11 PM - 3 AM — Earl Warren Showgrounds — Ticket prices vary — Experience an unforgettable night with Los Inquietos Del Norte and Los Caimanes de Sinaloa.

Richard Thompson Concert with Zara Phillips

7-9 p.m. — Lobero Theatre — Tickets available — Enjoy an evening of captivating music with the legendary Richard Thompson and the talented Zara Phillips.