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Today’s edition · Wed., Nov. 4

Invasive 'ankle biter' mosquitoes turn up in the city of Santa Barbara

Plus, how Santa Barbara County counted ballots on Election Day and UCSB's 101-26 opener.

The Daily Santa Barbara team2 stories14 sources5 min read

HealthTop story

Invasive 'ankle biter' mosquitoes were found in the city of Santa Barbara on Oct. 30

Four Aedes aegypti were found in two city areas on Oct. 30

AreaNearDetections
EastsideN. Voluntario and E. Cota streets2
Northeast of downtownLaguna and E. Carrillo streets1
Northeast of downtownE. Victoria and Olive streets1

Sources: The Santa Barbara Independent, Noozhawk

If you live in the city of Santa Barbara, check your yard for standing water. Four invasive mosquitoes, nicknamed "ankle biters," were found in the city on Oct. 30, the of Santa Barbara County reports.

General manager Brian Cabrera said "we are at a critical turning point," because recent rain and warm temperatures create "ideal breeding conditions." Eggs can stay viable for months, even dry, and hatch in water as small as a bottlecap.

  • Report daytime biters: (805) 969-5050 or mvmdistrict.org
  • Dump standing water and scrub the sides to remove clinging eggs
  • Fix holes in window and door screens
  • Aedes notoscriptus also found: Westside in March, Mesa in June

Aedes aegypti has been detected in Carpinteria, near Goleta and in the city since July

  1. July detected in downtown Carpinteria, the county's first since 2021
  2. Oct. 16Adults and larvae collected near North Turnpike Road and Calle Real
  3. Oct. 30Four detections in the city of Santa Barbara

Sources: The Santa Barbara Independent, Noozhawk

Aedes aegypti can spread dengue: Los Angeles County had 20 confirmed locally transmitted cases in 2024 and 2025. Zika, chikungunya and yellow fever are not known to be present in California.

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Elections

About 90,000 Santa Barbara County ballots were in before Election Day

Santa Barbara County voters headed to the polls Tuesday with about 90,000 ballots already cast, out of 248,945 registered voters. Elections Division Supervisor Hector Gonzalez said, "We're definitely gonna go over 100,000."

About 90,000 ballots were in before Election Day

90,000ballots cast before Election Day, of 248,945 registered voters

Source: The Santa Barbara Independent

View as table
Value
ballots cast before Election Day, of 248,945 registered voters90,000

If you're waiting on results, plan for a later night than usual. A new state law bars counties from releasing results until every polling place in California has closed, so one county staying open past 8 p.m. holds up all of them.

  • Results: due after the 8 p.m. close, possibly later than usual
  • Challenged signatures: voter gets a letter, an email and a call
  • Joe Holland retires Dec. 31 after 24 years overseeing elections

The county ran 67 polling places and 18 extra drop boxes

10,200
ballots received Monday, a record
67
polling places across the county
18
extra drop box locations this election

Source: The Santa Barbara Independent

Members of the toured the Elections Office on Calle Real. Foreperson Gwen Rigby said the tour "gave me confidence that our ballots are well taken care of."

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News Notes

Hope Ranch fire

Crews from the county and city responded shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday to a vegetation fire near the 4100 block of Creciente Drive. Santa Barbara County Fire says the geologic event started along the coastal bluffs, in an area locals call the , and it blackened about half an acre. A county helicopter was sent in, and the Independent's headline says the fire posed a potential threat to nearby structures. The Santa Barbara IndependentNoozhawkNews Channel 3-12

UCSB hoops

UCSB opened its season with a 101-26 win over NCAA Division III UC Santa Cruz at the Thunderdome. The Gauchos shot 61.7% and made 14-of-25 three-pointers. Freshman guard Sarah Heyn scored a game-high 17 points, and freshman Karisma Flores' late basket pushed UCSB past 100. NoozhawkNews Channel 3-12

UCSB opened its season with a 101-⁠26 win

  • UC Santa Cruz26
    UC Santa Barbara101
    FinalThe Gauchos shot 61.7% and out-rebounded UC Santa Cruz 49-17.

Sources: Noozhawk, News Channel 3-12

Gratitude Canyon

Katy Perry's proposed overnight youth summer camp, Gratitude Canyon, on 110 acres on Winchester Canyon Road has drawn a petition from 380 neighbors asking the county to stop it. They cite noise, traffic and fire evacuation. The Santa Barbara Independent

Goleta station

The City of Goleta and the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments invite you to the Goleta Train Station ribbon-cutting. It's set for 10 a.m. Dec. 16 at 27 S. La Patera Lane. The Santa Barbara Independent

Half Marathon

The sixth Santa Barbara Half Marathon presented by HOKA & 5K runs Sun., Nov. 8, with 7,500+ registrations. The 5K is sold out, and limited spots remain in the half. Noozhawk

Home

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Asked

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Asked

How did you cast your ballot this year?

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Today’s puzzles

A new puzzle in each one every morning, played right here.

All 13 games

Quoted

You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

— Jack London

Things to Do

Things to Do

Santa Barbara, CA

Wednesday, Nov. 4

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Jobs

Jobs

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Around the Block

Around the Block

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Neighbors

New ….

“neighborhood free library on Bath St….900 block.”

— A neighbor, West Downtown
Photo from the neighbor’s post

269 likes · 40 comments

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The Wrap

After a six-year hiatus, the 68th Annual Downtown Santa Barbara Holiday Parade is rolling back onto State Street on Friday, Dec. 4. Tens of thousands of residents are expected to fill the heart of downtown for the comeback. Santa Barbara, the lights are coming back on.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Election Day: Santa Barbara County polls close at 8 p.m.

Read yesterday’s edition

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Every source in this edition14 links · 5 outlets
  1. The Weather Channelweather.com
  2. The Santa Barbara Independentindependent.com
  3. Noozhawknoozhawk.com
  4. The Santa Barbara Independentindependent.com
  5. Noozhawknoozhawk.com
  6. The Santa Barbara Independentindependent.com
  7. Noozhawknoozhawk.com
  8. News Channel 3-12keyt.com
  9. Noozhawknoozhawk.com
  10. News Channel 3-12keyt.com
  11. The Santa Barbara Independentindependent.com
  12. The Santa Barbara Independentindependent.com
  13. Noozhawknoozhawk.com
  14. Santa Barbara events calendardailysantabarbaranews.com

Past issues

  1. Tues., Nov. 3Election Day: Santa Barbara County polls close at 8 p.m.
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Daily Santa Barbarato me · Wed., Nov. 46:00 a.m.

Invasive 'ankle biter' mosquitoes turn up in the city of Santa Barbara

Plus, how Santa Barbara County counted ballots on Election Day and UCSB's 101-26 opener.

The TLDR

  1. Invasive ankle-biter mosquitoes found in the city
  2. About 90,000 ballots were in before Election Day
  3. Hope Ranch bluff fire reached about half an acre
Read this edition

More stories this week

From Daily Santa Barbara’s other editions

All the news
Election DayPolls close at 8 p.m. today, and 35% of county voters have already returned ballotsIf you haven't voted yet, today's the day. About 88,000 ballots had been returned by Monday, 35% of the registered voters in Santa Barbara County, and more than 10,000 came in that day alone. Martin Cobos, the deputy registrar of voters, urges anyone still deciding to vote soon, given the ballot's length and possible wait times.Tuesday’s editionRead CoastSanta Barbara's sea level hit a record last week, and El Niño could bring more coastal floodingIf you spend time near the water, take note: sea levels hit all-time records last week in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego Bay and La Jolla. At the San Pedro gauge in L.A., the water reached 8.19 feet on Oct. 27, topping the 7.93-foot record from Jan. 10, 2005.Tuesday’s editionRead

Around Santa Barbara

From Los Angeles Times, News Channel 3-12 and 2 more newsrooms, gathered by 6AM News, 6AM City’s local news service.

More local news

  1. Los Angeles Times3 hours ago

    California’s plastic law will cut far less single-use plastic than expected

    CalRecycle issued its final baseline number for plastic reduction in the state. It's even lower than the lowball the industry suggested this summer: 1/3 of the state's preliminary estimate.

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    Also reported byNoozhawk

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    As election night polls closed, unofficial results from the Santa Barbara County Elections Division have positioned Dominique Lujan as the winner of the City College Board of Trustees Area 5 seat. Lujan is predicted to win as he leads the vote by 75.20% with a total of 4,494 votes so far, while E. Howard Green...

  6. Noozhawk6 hours ago

    Santa Barbara County Election Results Roundup

    Some candidates had strong leads in early results for city council races across Santa Barbara County Tuesday night, while other contests were too close to