Rest in paper: Staples to close - Santa Barbara News-Press

Good morning, Santa Barbara ☀️

Here’s what we have for you today:

News-Press reporter Kaitlin Sweeney explains that Santa Barbara County was California’s top cannabis producer in 2025.
Homelessness is up among young adults and seniors, Tom Schultz reports.
And shoutout to reader Darin Garard, who correctly guessed “Roman-style pizza,” as the answer to Wednesday’s news quiz. Good job, Darin! And keep reading!

Joshua Molina

News-Press Editor

What else we’re reading

🧑🏼‍🎨 San Marcos High School students unveil a new mural. (Voice Magazine)

⚽️ Lionel Messi stuns the world again in the World Cup. (LA Times)

👀 Santa Barbara City Council candidate Gabe Escobedo surprises absolutely no one (Newsmakers with JR Substack)

Fresh picks

🍕 What’s the best boba spot in Santa Barbara County? Let us know and we’ll shoutout you and your recommendations next week.

What to do this weekend

Need weekend plans? We’ve got you.

😸 Make Good Trouble: Celebrate the spirit of John Lewis at the dolphin statue at Stearns Wharf. Peaceful rally put on by Indivisible Santa Barbara. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday.
🦞 Lobster Jo’s Beach Camp Family Day: A special one-day beach experience featuring a variety of beach games at East Beach. 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Sunday.
🥁Arts in the Open: Delta by the Beach performs in the historic Plaza del Mar Band Shell, Pershing Park. 2 to 3 p.m., Sunday.

In case you missed it

We know you’re busy, so you can be forgiven for missing a few stories now and then. But I’m here to remind you of some of the good reads you might have missed:
🌷 News obituary on Sheila Lodge
⭐️ Devon Wardlow running for City Council
🤖 AI tracks fires before they get big
📰 Melinda Burns remembers the meltdown

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