Hello Santa Barbara! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: NatureTrack Film Festival presents The Art of Trees - Free Film Screening and 9 more events.
And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Penny C.!
Today's riddle: What do you call somebody who crosses the ocean twice and doesn't take a bath? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Screening of 'Unseen' A Documentary and Q&A with Director Set Hernandez and Subject Pedro (independent.com) — Santa Barbara residents are invited to a free screening of the documentary "Unseen" at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, including a Q&A with the director and film subject. Hosted by State of Mind Cafe and Blind Fitness, the event honors White Cane Awareness Day and highlights disability, immigration, and accessibility, with accommodations like wheelchair access and audio loop technology available.
2. Japanese Sacred Architecture: Shinto and Buddhism (independent.com) — A talk on Japanese sacred architecture is coming to Concord Hall on Chapala Street in Santa Barbara on October 24, with both in-person seating and a local livestream. Architect Kirk Gradin, a longtime Santa Barbara practitioner, will join Jonathan Taube to explore how Shinto and Buddhist traditions shape temples, shrines, and gardens, offering residents a deep dive into design, spirituality, and place.
3. County to Address Increasing Numbers of Abandoned, Wrecked Boats (noozhawk.com) — Santa Barbara County supervisors are exploring tougher rules and funding options to tackle a growing problem of abandoned and wrecked boats along local beaches, especially near Montecito and Summerland. With cleanup costs often falling on taxpayers and nonprofits like Heal the Ocean, officials are weighing enforcement, cost recovery, and ideas such as mandatory insurance and inspections to prevent derelict vessels from becoming expensive, polluting hazards.
4. Environmentalists celebrate Naples Property (keyt.com) — Local environmental groups in Santa Barbara are celebrating a major step toward preserving the historic Naples property along the Gaviota Coast, but they still need to raise at least $16 million to finalize the purchase. The Land Trust for Santa Barbara County now has a purchase agreement for about 1,000 acres once slated for luxury mansions, and residents are being urged to donate and stay involved in the long-running conservation effort.
5. Gauchos Dominate Cal Poly 3-1 in Front of Massive Crowd at Harder Stadium (independent.com) — UC Santa Barbara men's soccer thrilled a packed Harder Stadium, drawing over 11,000 fans as the Gauchos beat rival Cal Poly 3–1 in one of the nation's biggest college crowds this season. With crisp teamwork and standout goals from Steinar Bjornnson, Zack Siebenlist, and Kaden Standish, UCSB now heads on the road before returning home to host California Baptist on Oct. 21.
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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: "What do you call somebody who crosses the ocean twice and doesn't take a bath?" — A dirty double crosser ! (Thank you Theresia F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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