Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Why Santa Barbara just hit pause on new license plate cameras

Also, don't miss Dead Set 805 on the Santa Barbara Patch calendar

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Thursday September 17th Patch AM
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Hi Santa Barbara! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Why Santa Barbara just hit pause on new license plate cameras
  • Where you can pitch in for Coastal Cleanup Day Saturday
  • How Santa Barbara High stayed undefeated with a dominant home sweep

Also on today's calendar: GLORIA'S OLD HAUNT - West Coast Premiere and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: When geese fly, one side is longer than the other. do you know why that is ? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Areas of low clouds, then sun, with a high of 77 and low of 58 degrees.
  • Friday: Areas of low clouds, then sun, temps: high: 76, low: 58.
  • Saturday: Mostly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 77 and low of 61 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Santa Barbara delays new ALPR contract amid surveillance concerns, City Council Meeting gets heated (keyt.com) — Santa Barbara's City Council has put a new automatic license plate reader contract on hold while it rethinks how the technology and collected data should be used locally. After a heated meeting featuring sharp privacy concerns and police arguments for investigative benefits, councilmembers voted 5–2 to delay any new system until they review rules on data access, retention, and sharing.
   

2. Local Volunteers Ready to Bag the Trash on Coastal Cleanup Day (keyt.com) — Local volunteers in and around Santa Barbara can join Coastal Cleanup Day this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at one of 37 sites across Santa Barbara County. Organizers say even small buckets of trash from beaches, parks, creeks, and waterways add up to tons of waste kept out of the ocean and away from marine life, and details are available through Explore Ecology.
   

3. Santa Barbara High Girls Volleyball Dominates in League Sweep of Buena (noozhawk.com) — Santa Barbara High's girls volleyball team stayed perfect in Channel League play with a dominant three-set sweep of Buena at J.R. Richards Gym. The Dons, now 3–0 in league, spread the offense across multiple hitters and next head to Clovis this weekend for the Hard Driven Tournament, opening against Clovis West on Friday afternoon.
   

4. Selby's Circles Exhibit Opens to the Public (independent.com) — Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will open a new exhibit, "Selby's Circles: Art & Nature in Romantic Britain," showcasing detailed 19th-century bird etchings from October 9, 2026 through January 4, 2027. Local visitors can explore Selby's vivid, life-size bird portraits with regular museum admission, and members get in free.
   

5. Wild Work: Adventures of Women Field Biologists (independent.com) — Santa Barbara residents can hear wildlife biologist and author Sophie Osborn share stories of women field biologists working with birds and wildlife worldwide, including California condors here in Santa Barbara. The illustrated talk, hosted by Santa Barbara Audubon Society and the Museum of Natural History, features readings from her books, a Q&A, and on-site book sales and signings.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Bob's Vacuums… I stopped in today to see what's going on in light of recent negative posts.
    The penultimate owner, Gil, passed away in the past year and the shop has now been taken over by his son, Jason, who admits that his dad prior to his… (Nextdoor San Roque)
  • Someone named Shannon was looking for an update on a kitten she fostered.
    I cannot reply to specific post anymore but the kitten we adopted looks so much like the one she asked about. If so as you can see, a happy boy with… (Nextdoor Rancho San Antonio)
  • Cottage Health System posted a job opening for Children's Center Substitute Teacher PD in Santa Barbara. Apply here.
  • City of Santa Barbara California posted a job opening for Special Events Coordinator (Recreation Coordinator) 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: because there are more geese on that side (Thank you jo L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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