Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: What’s driving Santa Barbara’s surprisingly strong summer tourism revenues?

Be sure to catch Powerhouse Ladies Play Peake Ranch Winery! on the Santa Barbara Patch calendar

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Hello Santa Barbara! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • What's driving Santa Barbara's surprisingly strong summer tourism revenues?
  • How will new county rules change where gun shops can open?
  • Interested in marine science? UCSB is hiring a gray whale postdoc

Also on today's calendar: Powerhouse Ladies Play Peake Ranch Winery! and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What happened to the pregnant cat that ate yarn? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Variable cloudiness, with a high of 84 and low of 69 degrees.
  • Wednesday: Partly sunny and very warm, temps: high: 89, low: 68. 🌶 Hot!
  • Thursday: Sunny and very warm, with a high of 87 and low of 67 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Summer Travel Showed Strong Signs But Weather Impacts Detoured Some Plans (keyt.com) — Santa Barbara saw strong summer visitor numbers, especially from Los Angeles day-trippers and riders on packed Pacific Surfliner trains, even as some travelers stayed cautious due to costs. That influx helped the city collect $4.7 million in hotel and short-term rental taxes in July, putting Santa Barbara's tourism revenue nearly 10 percent ahead of budget heading into fall.
   

2. County bans locating firearms retailers near places of worship, child-serving facilities (santamariatimes.com) — Santa Barbara County supervisors have temporarily halted new or expanded gun shops near schools, childcare centers, parks, and places of worship while they craft permanent rules for firearms retailers. Prompted by a Goleta gun store opening next to a preschool, the move invites Santa Barbara and Goleta to tighten their own zoning, aiming to add buffers and public review without restricting lawful gun ownership.
   

3. Postdoctoral Researcher in Gray Whale Ecology and Biology, Marine Science Institute, UC Santa Barbara (ucsb.edu) — UC Santa Barbara's Marine Science Institute is hiring a full-time postdoctoral researcher to study gray whale ecology, with fieldwork in San Francisco Bay and the rest of the year based in Santa Barbara. The two-year position offers a competitive salary, fall 2026 start, and the chance to lead field plans, data analysis, and publications with regional collaborators.
   

4. UCSB professor to lead IPCC methodology report on carbon capture, storage and utilization - Santa Barbara News-Press (newspress.com) — UC Santa Barbara environmental studies professor Iris Holzer, based in Santa Barbara, has been chosen as a lead author for a major Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report updating global rules for counting carbon capture and storage. Her work on soil carbon and enhanced rock weathering will help shape how countries track emissions and removals, influencing future climate policy and research priorities worldwide.
   

5. Santa Barbara County Democrats Rally Support for Candidates at Labor Day Barbecue (noozhawk.com) — Local Democrats from across Santa Barbara County gathered at Goleta Beach to rally support for city, county, and state candidates, including several running for Santa Barbara mayor and council seats. Speakers focused on housing affordability, wages, climate resilience, and statewide bond measures for education and housing, framing the fall election as a chance for Santa Barbara–area voters to shape local leadership and long-term investments.
   

📸 Around Santa Barbara

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I have a seven year-old tuxedo cat named Gus.
    I moved from my house in Samarkand to a much smaller place and I was not able to take Gus with me. I relinquished him back to ASAP cats, but have… (Nextdoor Samarkand)
  • MISSING KITTEN:
    our little black kitten is missing. it didn't come home last night and was last seen on Friday evening. hoping someone took it in to take care of it… (Nextdoor Hitchcock)
  • Anderson Merchandisers, LLC posted a job opening for Retail Merchandiser - Santa Barbara, CA in Santa Barbara. Apply here.
  • SPECTRUM posted a job opening for Retail Sales Specialist in Santa Barbara. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Santa Barbara here.

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: She had mittens! (Thank you April M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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