Daily
Santa Barbara
Saturday, May 24th, 2025
Good morning, Santa Barbara. Here's your local news at a glance for Saturday, the 24th of May.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ On May 20, the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara awarded 11 local nonprofits a record $1.25 million in grants during its annual Ceremony of Grants. The funds will help groups like Channel Islands YMCA and Mothers’ Helpers support vulnerable community members as they launch new programs over the coming year. Santa Barbara Independent
- ➤ At Bucket Brigade Farm, 17,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables have come from one acre near Hope Ranch and are picked mainly by teenagers for local food pantries—community leaders Steve Hanson, Tom Shepherd, and Abe Powell turned unused land into a place for youth to learn farming and disaster readiness—helping neighbors get fresh food. Santa Barbara Independent
ACCIDENTS NEWS
- ➤ On May 22, more than a thousand community members gathered at Dos Pueblos High School’s Greek Theater to honor three students—18-year-old Jake Curtis, 17-year-old Michael Ochsner, and 15-year-old Alexander Wood—who died in a multi-vehicle crash on May 18. Santa Barbara Independent
CRIME NEWS
- ➤ Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s units responded on May 22 when a Nevada man broke into Ty Warner’s Montecito home and beat a 60-year-old financial services executive into a coma; the suspect—Russell Maxwell Phay, a 42-year-old ex-military man—faces first-degree attempted murder and other charges while being held on $1 million bail. Santa Barbara Independent
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ SBCC’s Fashion Club held its Spring Fashion Show “A Look Through Time” at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, using secondhand clothing to trace American fashion trends from the 1960s to modern styles—co-presidents Kassie Tui and Hayes Phillips stressed the event’s focus on sustainability and community. The club aimed to inspire a future of inclusive fashion and encourage creative expression among local students. Santa Barbara Independent
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ Oak Valley Elementary School now has new play areas for young students — a project that follows expanded state eligibility — and the district will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. May 29 at 595 Second St. in Buellton to support learning for its 533 students across two school sites. Noozhawk
- ➤ Hundreds of Santa Barbara City College graduates celebrated their 76th commencement on Friday evening at La Playa Stadium, where 1,535 students earned 4,100 degrees and certificates. Anthony Colin, a computer science major transferring to USC, delivered a speech urging his classmates to embrace their unique challenges—he explained that overcoming struggles like failing calculus helped him succeed. Noozhawk
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Planned Parenthood California Central Coast is monitoring federal and state budget proposals that threaten to cut funding for its services, which serve 30,000 patients across six health centers. The proposals have already reduced Title X funds and may end Medicaid support for the center—putting essential sexual and reproductive health care at risk. Santa Barbara Independent
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ San Marcos’ Austin Downing and Dos Pueblos’ Teddy Vigna advanced to the SCGA Boys Golf State Qualifier after finishing among the top 28 of 60 golfers at the CIF-SS Individual Championship last Thursday—Downing shot a one-under-par 70 while Vigna recorded a two-over-par 73 by two strokes—and the qualifier is scheduled for next Thursday. Noozhawk
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2025 Nite Moves Summer Sunset Series
6 p.m. — Leadbetter Beach — Registration fees apply — Experience swimming, running, and biathlon events against the stunning Santa Barbara coastline.
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UCSB Wind Ensemble & UCSB Choirs Concert
7:30-10:30 p.m. — Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall — General ($10), Senior/Military/Non-UCSB Students ($7), UCSB Students/Children under 12 (FREE) — Experience a vibrant collaboration of wind and choral music featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning compositions.
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Mitch Kashmar Live Performance in Santa Barbara
7-10:30 p.m. — Carrillo Recreation Center — $35 general/$45 VIP — Experience the soulful sounds of blues legend Mitch Kashmar along with local favorites Tom Ball and Kenny Sultan.
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UCSB Gamelan Ensemble
5-8 p.m. — Karl Geiringer Hall — Free entry — Experience the enchanting sounds of traditional Indonesian gamelan music performed by talented UCSB musicians.
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2025 Nite Moves Summer Sunset Series
6 p.m. — Leadbetter Beach — Entry fee applies — Experience a thrilling evening of swimming, running, and biathlon events in scenic Santa Barbara.
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Home & Garden Lifestyle Expo
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. — Earl Warren Showgrounds — Various show discounts — Explore hundreds of sustainable home and garden products and services under one roof.
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Art KIT: Grant Writing, Funding, and Residencies Workshop
1-3:30 p.m. — Paseo Nuevo Conference Room — Cost info not provided — Explore the essentials of securing grants and funding for creative projects.
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HOWL: Strawberry Moon
5-10 p.m. — Hotel Californian — Free entry — Experience inventive cocktails and personalized readings under the full Strawberry Moon.
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Ryan Bingham Live in Concert
7:00 – 8:30 PM — Santa Barbara Bowl — Ticket prices vary — Experience Grammy and Oscar-winning artist Ryan Bingham alongside The Texas Gentlemen for an unforgettable night of music.
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Brandy Clark Concert
7-8:30 p.m. — Lobero Theatre — Ticket prices vary — Experience the renowned Brandy Clark and the legendary Mary Chapin Carpenter in an intimate live performance.
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TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Most people will choose unhappiness over uncertainty.
~ Tim Ferriss
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