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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara stories: 18 news summaries

(Newser) - Thanks to cooler, more humid weather and a drop-off in damaging winds, thousands of Santa Barbara wildfire evacuees are being allowed back home, the Los Angeles Times reports. Firefighters fought back the fire significantly last night, containing the 8,700-acre Jesusita blaze in Santa Barbara by 30%. Most of... More »

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California • Southern California • firefighters • humidity • Santa Barbara • California wildfires • high winds • Jesusita fire • sundowner • containment

 Oprah's House Evacuated 
 as Wildfires Rage 

Calif. fires come within a few miles of host's $50m home

May 9, 09 2:46 AM CDT
(Newser) - Oprah Winfrey's mansion in Montecito has been evacuated as wildfires rage a few miles away in Santa Barbara, a source tells Us Weekly. Movers have been seen shifting the talk show host's belongings from the $50 million home. The fires have forced more than 30,500 people from their homes... More »

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California • Oprah Winfrey • evacuation • wildfires • Santa Barbara • California wildfires • mansion • Montecito

(Newser) - Poor firefighting conditions today—following a windy night—have allowed the Santa Barbara, Calif., wildfire to grow, and it has now consumed 3,500 acres and 75 homes, KNBC-TV reports. The fire, which has forced 30,000 people to flee their homes, is just 10% contained. Winds today are expected... More »

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firefighters • fuel • evacuation • natural disaster • Santa Barbara • California wildfires • high winds • sundowner • NBC Local

 Morning Winds 
 Stoke Raging 
 Calif. Wildfires 

Firefighters unable to get blaze under control as 30,000 evacuate

May 8, 09 9:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Early-morning winds kicked up the uncontrolled Jesusita fire in the hills of Santa Barbara, causing the evacuation of thousands more residents, reports the Los Angeles Times. The fire has now burned more than 2,800 acres, destroyed dozens of homes, and forced 30,000 people to evacuate. Gov. Schwarzenegger has... More »

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firefighters • evacuation • wildfires • Santa Barbara • California wildfires • Santa Barbara County • Jesusita fire

(Newser) - 13,575 people have fled their homes as a wildfire that has consumed 1,300 acres rages in Santa Barbara, Calif., the Los Angeles Times reports. Another 13,000 are on alert, Bloomberg adds. Officials are unsure how many homes have been destroyed, but it’s in the “dozens.... More »

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California • firefighters • evacuation • wildfires • natural disaster • Santa Barbara • homeowners

 Calif. Fires Destroy 
 Dozens of Homes 

Santa Barbara under state of emergency as wildfires scorch hillsides

May 7, 09 2:21 AM CDT
(Newser) - Raging wildfires in the hills above Santa Barbara have destroyed at least 20 homes and are threatening many more, reports the Los Angeles Times. Some 900 firefighters are battling the wind-driven fires, but are hampered by poor access to the area. Three were hospitalized with burns after flames engulfed their... More »

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California • firefighters • evacuation • wildfires • Santa Barbara • California wildfires

 1,200 Homes Evacuated 
 as Calif. Wildfire Slows 

Wind could pick up later today

May 6, 09 1:09 PM CDT
(AP) - Helicopters dropping water during the night and calmer wind this morning are helping crews hold back a wildfire that has forced the evacuation of 1,200 California homes. An early start to the state's annual wildfire siege, the fire has burned 196 acres of brush and threatened some 2,000... More »

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California • firefighters • evacuation • Santa Barbara • California wildfires

(Newser) - Heather Locklear copped a plea in her DUI case today and won't serve jail time, People reports. The actress was arrested in September for driving erratically in Santa Barbara. In exchange for the dismissal of the DUI charges, Locklear pleaded no contest to reckless driving; she will pay a... More »

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DUI • drunk driving • probation • Santa Barbara • reckless driving • Heather Locklear

(AP) - Tennis great Jimmy Connors got himself into a little scrape with the law last night. Details are sketchy, but police arrested the eight-time Grand Slam champ after some kind of confrontation outside the arena of his beloved UC Santa Barbara basketball team. Cops says Connors, 56, refused to leave the... More »

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California • basketball • tennis • arrest • Santa Barbara • Jimmy Connors

Locklear Indicted
on DUI Charge


Nov 17, 08 5:17 PM CST
(Newser) - Prosecutors today charged Heather Locklear with driving under the influence of drugs, People reports. Filed by the district attorney in Santa Barbara, Calif., 2 months after Locklear's DUI arrest, the misdemeanor charge blames her intoxication on "prescription medications." A conviction could force the actress, 47, to pay... More »

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DUI • prescription drugs • Santa Barbara • Heather Locklear

 Arson Suspected 
 in Montecito Blaze 

"All accidental causes" eliminated in Santa Barbara wildfire

Nov 17, 08 6:26 AM CST
(Newser) - Officials suspect arson in one of the three major fires currently blazing in California, CNN reports. Investigators have eliminated “all accidental causes” of the fire that has charred 1,940 acres and 210 homes in the Montecito area of Santa Barbara since Thursday, which officials now believe was sparked... More »

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arson • Santa Barbara • California fires

 30,000 Flee Raging Fires 

Hundreds of homes destroyed by California blazes fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds


Nov 16, 08 6:05 AM CST
(Newser) - Nearly 30,000 people have fled three massive fires scorching thousands of acres from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, reports the Los Angeles Times. Hundreds of homes have been gutted in three days of blazes fueled by raging Santa Ana winds that firefighters are struggling mightily to contain. Major freeways... More »

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California • Los Angeles • firefighters • evacuation • Santa Barbara • Santa Ana • Santa Ana winds • California wildfires • fire

 80 Homes Burn 
 in Hills Over 
 Santa Barbara 

Blaze overwhelms firefighters in enclave of the rich and famous

Nov 14, 08 3:19 AM CST
(Newser) - A wildfire ripped through the wealthy enclave of Montecito in Santa Barbara County last night, destroying some 80 homes, the Los Angeles Times reports. Firefighters were overwhelmed as the wind-driven brushfire spread out of control. Much of the area, home to dozens of celebrities, was evacuated as the blazes spread... More »

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California • wildfires • Santa Barbara • California fires • California wildfires • Santa Barbara County

 Locklear Nabbed for SoCal DUI 

Police still determining whether actress was on drugs

Sep 28, 08 5:18 PM CDT
(Newser) - California cops arrested Heather Locklear yesterday for driving under the influence of something—they're just not sure what, TMZ reports. No booze was involved and Locklear was released without bail, say police in Santa Barbara, Calif., who are still conducting drug tests. Her custody battle with ex-hubbie Richie Sambora may... More »

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DUI • Santa Barbara • Richie Sambora • Heather Locklear

 Calif. Firefighters Battle
 2 Huge Blazes 

Predicted heat wave will magnify 1,700 fires in Calif.

Jul 6, 08 3:03 PM CDT
(Newser) - Thousands of California firefighters battled a huge blaze today that threatened homes in Santa Barbara County, but lost ground to another fire near Big Sur, the Los Angeles Times reports. And weather likely will not help: Winds, lightning strikes, and fierce heat are expected to hit the state this week.... More »

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California • Arnold Schwarzenegger • firefighters • heat wave • wildfires • Santa Barbara • California wildfires • Big Sur

 McMuffin Man Dead at 89 

Herb Peterson invented fast-food breakfast in a sandwich

Mar 27, 08 2:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - The inventor of the Egg McMuffin has died in his Southern California home at the age of 89,  AP reports. Herb Peterson began working with McDonald's in the advertising department, and later switched to the hands-on side of the business, owning six restaurants in the Santa Barbara area. Peterson,... More »

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McDonald's • obituary • fast food • Santa Barbara • breakfast • invention • breakfast sandwiches

Cash-Strapped Jacko Could Lose Neverland

King of Pop defaults
on $23M loan and has 90 days to pay—or else

Oct 26, 07 2:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Jackson has defaulted on a $23 million loan against his storied Neverland Ranch, and he’ll lose the Santa Barbara fortress if he doesn’t pay in 90 days. The King of Pop is in his worst financial situation ever, says Fox News, and speculation is mounting that he’... More »

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Sony • Santa Barbara • Michael Jackson • Bahrain • Elvis • Neverland • loan • default

Nuns' Home Will Fund Priest Sex Abuse Payment

LA archdiocese, facing $660M settlement, issues eviction notice

Sep 7, 07 10:32 AM CDT
(Newser) - The LA Archdiocese has notified three nuns that their Santa Barbara convent will be sold to help pay the $660 million settlement with victims of sexual abuse by priests. They received only a letter requesting they vacate by year's end, the Los Angeles Times reports. “We're not even worth... More »

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Los Angeles • sexual abuse • nuns • priest • archdiocese • Santa Barbara • settlement • eviction

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