Hey hey Santa Barbara! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: The Ocean Hates You! with Forrest Shaw and 8 more events.
Today's riddle: What do evil hens lay? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. $3 million in special education funding coming to Santa Barbara Unified School District - Santa Barbara News-Press (newspress.com) — Santa Barbara Unified will receive an ongoing $3 million boost for special education, helping offset federal cuts and support nearly 14% of students who receive these services. Additional state grants totaling over $12 million will fund professional development, student support, and COVID learning recovery, while also pushing the district to confront steep enrollment declines by 2032 deadlines.
2. Santa Barbara MTD service changes could mean longer commutes for riders (ksby.com) — Santa Barbara MTD has cut overall bus service by 3.6%, meaning longer waits on key lines, fewer Saturday trips, and some early-morning and late-day runs eliminated. Riders are already feeling the strain, as the agency grapples with losing about $3 million a year in federal funding and warns that deeper cuts may come next August without new revenue.
3. Santa Barbara County's CEO Leaves Her Post with a Heartfelt Farewell (keyt.com) — Santa Barbara County's longtime Chief Executive Officer, Mona Miyasato, has retired after guiding the county through major budget challenges, emergencies, and the COVID era since 2013. She leaves saying the county is stronger and will now coach public-sector leaders while a new administrative chapter begins locally.
4. Yardi's Plans to Revive Macy's Building in Santa Barbara Get Early Praise (independent.com) — Downtown Santa Barbara's long-vacant Macy's at Paseo Nuevo is on track to become Yardi Systems' new headquarters, drawing hundreds of office workers and new ground-floor retail and event space. Historic Landmarks Commissioners praised the adaptive reuse design as a "major improvement," while suggesting tweaks to windows and detailing as the project moves through further city review.
5. Climate Progress Report Well Received (keyt.com) — Santa Barbara's City Council just reviewed a two-year climate progress report outlining steps toward the city's 2035 carbon-neutral goal, including more EV charging, building electrification, and solar storage. Residents can soon see one result firsthand at an EV charging station ribbon-cutting at the Eastside Library on August 26.
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Santa Barbara PatchAM possible:
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
Ok Santa Barbara! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Deviled eggs (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Santa Barbara Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.