AltWeeklies Wire
Unicyclist's Affair with the Foothills: Man Drives 200 Miles to Ride Santa Barbara Trailsnew
Santa Barbara County is also a hub for mountain unicyclists, also known as MUni. One of these is the energetic and passionate Terry Peterson, a 54-year-old extreme unicyclist who frequents Santa Barbara trails even though he lives in Redondo Beach.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Jordan Lerum |
03-01-2010 |
Sports
Jean-Michel Cousteau Speaks About the Risks of Keeping Cetaceans in Captivitynew

Jean-Michel Cousteau of Santa Barbara’s Ocean Futures Society sat down with The Independent on Friday to discuss this week's death of Florida SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau. He explained why freeing “jailed” marine mammals is not as easy as it may sound.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Tyler Hayden |
03-01-2010 |
Animal Issues
Vicente Fox Speaks to Santa Barbaranew
A wave of silent respect swept over the crowd at Fess Parker’s Grand Ballroom on Friday morning as former President of Mexico Vicente Fox took the podium and gave his views on topics ranging from legalizing drugs to the future of North America.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Jordan Miller |
02-22-2010 |
Politics
Lobster Loot: Chinese New Year and Weather Contribute to Record Pricesnew
Even as the specter of new and improved Marine Protected Areas threatens to impact their way of life, Santa Barbara-based lobstermen are enjoying one of their most economically successful seasons in memory.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Ethan Stewart |
02-08-2010 |
Business & Labor
Look Closer at 'Environmentalism' and Economic Healthnew
Every January since 1969, speakers, writers and aged witnesses are asked to recall the offshore oil well blowouts. They’re always asked, "What was it like?” By now, shouldn’t the question be, “Is it still relevant?”
Santa Barbara Independent |
Robert Sollen |
02-08-2010 |
Environment
UCSB Scholar Advocates Humane Treatment of Detained Immigrantsnew

Professor Manuel Casas traveled from UCSB to Washington in early November to speak on behalf of illegal immigrants. At a Congressional hearing, he supported two bills in the House of Representatives that promoted what Casas refers to as “common sense.”
Santa Barbara Independent |
Rebecca Bachman |
12-22-2009 |
Civil Liberties
Irish Music, Dance Hit Santa Barbara for the Holidaysnew
Last Wednesday, Tomáseen Foley and his troupe of four transformed the Granada into an Irish “rambling house,” sharing stories, traditional music, and dance. Throughout the show, Foley shared traditions that went back before “the quills inked history,” as his grandmother put it, creating an intimate ambiance.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Michelle Drown |
12-22-2009 |
Performance
The Ancient Origins of Pet Ratsnew
Only becoming popular as pets over the last century, rats have actually lived with humans for thousands of years. While historically rats were viewed as disease-ridden, it was black rats that were involved in spreading bubonic plague; modern pet rats normally pose no health risk to their owners.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Teisha Rowland |
12-07-2009 |
History
Viggo Mortensen Helps Bring Cormac McCarthy's Post-Apocalyptic Book to Lifenew
Faithful to the novel that inspired it, the post-apocalyptic film is bleak but hauntingly beautiful, anchored by Mortensen's best performance to date.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Roger Durling |
11-30-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Journo Ann Louise Bardach Publishes Exposé on Castro While Feds Seek Her Testimonynew

Without Fidel cements Bardac's stature as America's best-informed and most insightful writer about Castro's 50-year reign and the fervid passions, plots, and politics of Washington and South Florida aimed at destroying it.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Jerry Roberts |
10-26-2009 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
Why We Need a Public Optionnew
I'm not so naive as to think any government bureaucracy will get it all right. But a public option will change the playing field so that the patients -- the American citizens -- get a fair break.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Dr. James Kahn |
09-28-2009 |
Commentary
What Made the World Trade Center Fall?new

One of the crucial technical disputes in American history is underway. It pits government technicians who say the WTC buildings were brought down by airplane impact against architects and building engineers who insist that the Twin Towers could never have collapsed solely due to the planes and are calling for a new independent investigation.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Jay Levin and Tom McKenzie |
09-21-2009 |
Science
The Health Care Status Quo is Hardly Working, but Will We Get Something Better?new
If Congress fails to pass meaningful healthcare reform, it can only be attributed to mass stupidity, not to mention a lobbying juggernaut that spends $1.4 million a day bending Congress' ear.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Nick Welsh |
09-14-2009 |
Commentary
Pacific Pride Foundation is One of Many California Orgs Reeling from $52M in AIDS Funding Cutsnew
With a stroke of his pen, Governor Schwarzenegger slashed $52 million from critical AIDS services funding through the state's Office of AIDS. That shoves California back to pre-1985 levels of funding, essentially the dark ages of HIV/AIDS awareness and treatment.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Penny Patterson |
08-10-2009 |
Politics
No Doubt Searches for Its Musenew
It was over dinner sometime last November that the seeds for No Doubt’s current comeback tour were first planted.
Santa Barbara Independent |
Aly Comingore |
08-03-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews