Since 1986, the Santa Barbara Independent has been required reading for the South Coast’s active and sophisticated population. Between breaking national news and reporting on-the-ground updates, our staff has had quite a year. We decided to mine the troves of 2021 to present a slice of the stories that resonated the most with our readers this year. According to Google Analytics, these were the posts that got the keyboards a-clacking. Thanks for caring, and have a Happy New Year.
1. Architect Resigns in Protest over UCSB Mega Dorm | October 28 | Tyler Hayden
A consulting architect on UCSB’s Design Review Committee quit his post in protest over the university’s proposed Munger Hall project, calling the mostly windowless dorm plan “unsupportable from my perspective as an architect, a parent, and a human being.” For the sake of avoiding repetition, we cut this Dormzilla story from the list.
2. Instagram Travel Influencer Lee MacMillan, 28, Killed by Train in Noleta | March 29 | Nick Welsh
In the wake of MacMillan’s death, friends expressed shock at her loss while praising her work as a mental health advocate.