Honestly, if you've lived in Santa Barbara for more than a minute, the News-Press was basically the town square. It’s where you found out who won the local election, which restaurant was closing, and, most importantly, who we lost. But finding Santa Barbara News Press death notices today isn't as simple as walking to the driveway and picking up the paper.
The paper is gone.
On July 21, 2023, the Santa Barbara News-Press filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. It wasn't just a restructuring; it was a total shutdown. Owner Wendy McCaw's Ampersand Publishing ran out of money, and after 150 years, the "death knell" finally rang for the publication itself. For families trying to honor their loved ones or researchers digging through history, this created a massive, confusing void.
Where the Death Notices Went
When a 150-year-old institution vanishes, the records don't just disappear into thin air, but they do get scattered. You can't just call an "obits desk" anymore. There is no desk.
If you are looking for Santa Barbara News Press death notices from the past couple of years, you’ve likely noticed the website is a ghost town. Because the bankruptcy was a Chapter 7 liquidation, there was no staff left to keep the digital lights on. However, for a long time, the paper used Legacy.com to host its digital memorials. Even now, you can often find older notices there by searching for the News-Press specifically within their database.
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But what about new notices? People still pass away. Life goes on, sadly.
Most locals have migrated to two main spots:
- The Santa Barbara Independent: They’ve really stepped up their obituary section (often called "Obits"). They’ve become the de facto paper of record for the South Coast.
- Noozhawk: This digital-only outlet has a very robust, searchable obituary section that many families now prefer because of the immediate reach.
The Struggle for Historical Records
It's kinda heartbreaking to think about a century of history sitting in a dark room. For a while, the archives were in limbo. There was a lot of legal drama—typical for the News-Press saga—regarding who actually owned the physical clippings and the bound volumes.
Good news, though. In late 2024, the Santa Barbara Historical Museum purchased the paper’s physical archives. We’re talking about 150 years of bound volumes, photo files, and the "morgue" (the industry term for old clippings). If you’re looking for a death notice from 1950 or 1980, the museum is your best bet, though they are still in the process of organizing this massive haul.
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Digital Shortcuts for Researchers
If you don't want to drive downtown and wear white gloves to flip through old papers, you've got a few digital lifelines. The Santa Barbara Public Library is a powerhouse here. They’ve partnered with Newspapers.com to digitize a huge chunk of the archive up to 1966.
If the person you're looking for passed away between 1967 and 2023, things get trickier. You might need to use GenealogyBank or the library’s microfilm collection. The library actually offers a service where, for a small fee (usually around $25), they’ll do the digging for you if you have a specific name and date.
The Legal Mess of 2026
Wait, is the News-Press coming back?
It’s complicated. In early 2025, a nonprofit called NEWSWELL, which is linked to Arizona State University, announced they bought the rights to the Santa Barbara News-Press name. They wanted to start an online-only version. As of early 2026, the bankruptcy case is still dragging through the courts. There's even a weird legal fight over the building itself because Wendy McCaw actually owns the building where the bankruptcy court sits. Talk about awkward.
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Because the brand is in this weird "zombie state," you might see new "Santa Barbara News-Press" sites popping up. Be careful. If you need to publish a legal death notice for an estate, make sure it’s going into a publication that meets the California Government Code requirements for a "newspaper of general circulation." Currently, the Independent and the Daily Sound (for some legalities) are the safer bets.
Practical Steps for Finding a Notice Today
Don't waste hours clicking on dead links. If you need to find a notice right now, follow this path:
- Check Legacy.com first. Use their "browse by newspaper" tool and select Santa Barbara News-Press. This covers the gap from about 2001 to 2023.
- Search the Independent and Noozhawk. If the death occurred after July 2023, it won't be in the News-Press. Search these two sites instead.
- Visit the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society. They are amazing. They maintain a local index that is often more updated than the official archives.
- Contact local mortuaries. Places like Welch-Ryce-Haider or McDermott-Crockett usually keep copies of the obituaries they submitted to the papers on their own websites. Often, the "official" notice is just a copy of what's already on the funeral home's tribute page.
The loss of the paper changed how Santa Barbara grieves. It’s more digital now. It’s more fragmented. But the information is still out there; you just have to know which door to knock on.
For historical research, contact the Santa Barbara Historical Museum to see the status of their "News-Press Collection" digitization. If you are handling an estate and need to publish a notice, consult with your attorney to ensure you’re using a court-approved "newspaper of general circulation," as the News-Press no longer holds that status. For daily updates, bookmark the Noozhawk Obituaries page to stay connected with the community.