Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: What’s next for La Casa de la Raza’s future in escrow?
Be sure to catch Lunch With An Author on the Santa Barbara Patch calendar

Good morning Santa Barbara! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- What's next for La Casa de la Raza's future in escrow?
- How Santa Barbara will honor 9/11's 25th anniversary this month
- What will State Street's six-year transformation actually look like for you?
Also on today's calendar: Lunch With An Author and 8 more events.
Today's riddle: What did the bartender say to the jumper cables when they walked in? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny and beautiful, with a high of 79 and low of 59 degrees.
- Thursday: Sunny and delightful, temps: high: 76, low: 58.
- Friday: Mostly sunny and delightful, with a high of 74 and low of 59 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Historic La Casa de la Raza building in Santa Barbara is in escrow as community members push for preservation (keyt.com) — La Casa de la Raza, a longtime cultural hub on East Montecito Street, is now in escrow as it moves through bankruptcy court, raising questions about its future. Community members are urging the City of Santa Barbara to consider buying the red-tagged building to preserve its role as a Latino gathering space and protect it from speculative resale.
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2. 25th anniversary of 9/11 to be marked with local tributes, remembrances (santamariatimes.com) — Santa Barbara residents will have a major 9/11 remembrance ceremony at the County Courthouse Sunken Gardens on the morning of Sept. 11, hosted by local law enforcement and fire agencies. Additional tributes will take place at Santa Maria fire stations and Vandenberg Space Force Base, honoring victims, first responders, and military personnel on the attacks' 25th anniversary.
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3. After Years of Debate, Santa Barbara Adopts Final State Street Master Plan (noozhawk.com) — Santa Barbara's City Council has officially adopted the long-debated State Street Master Plan, setting a six-year, multi-phase overhaul of downtown's 400–1300 blocks with wider sidewalks, flexible vehicle access, and new public spaces. Funding sources, construction impacts on struggling businesses, and interim plans for the next 18 months remain unresolved, but supporters say a clear vision will attract investment and reshape how residents experience their downtown.
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4. Santa Barbara Zoo welcomes new white-handed gibbon (ksby.com) — The Santa Barbara Zoo just welcomed a new endangered white-handed gibbon, born to parents Chanee and Mel as surprised visitors watched the birth in real time. Zoo staff say mother and baby are doing well, and locals may spot the newborn clinging to Chanee in the gibbon habitat as part of the zoo's broader conservation work.
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5. Diana Ross is Still a Superstar in Santa Barbara (independent.com) — Diana Ross recently brought her classic hits and new material to a packed crowd at the Santa Barbara Bowl, turning a hot August night into a high-energy singalong. Local fans enjoyed a career-spanning set, playful jokes about her age, and touching moments with her grandchildren onstage, all wrapped in the Bowl's intimate, hometown atmosphere.
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📸 Around Santa Barbara
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Santa Barbara
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Lunch With An Author →
Magic Hour, 217 E Matilija St, Ojai
12:00 pm
Wednesday September 9
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- College and Career Counselors Meeting
Santa Barbara Unified District Santa Barbara, CA 93101
2:30 pm - Back to School Night
Hope Elementary Santa Barbara, CA 93110
6:00 pm - Stadium: Flag Football vs. Santa Barbara - Var 6:00pm, JV 7:30pm
San Marcos High School Santa Barbara, CA 93110
6:00 pm - 6th Gr. CIMI presentation - Room 17
Hope Elementary Santa Barbara, CA 93110
7:30 pm - 5th Gr. Parent Info Night for Rancho Alegre
Hope Elementary Santa Barbara, CA 93110
7:30 pm - Crafternoons for Kids
Explore Ecology EE Makerspace, 302 East Cota St, Santa Barbara, 93101, United States
10:00 am - Labor Day - Holiday
Santa Barbara Unified District Santa Barbara, CA 93101
8:00 am - JH Minimum Day
Santa Barbara Unified District Santa Barbara, CA 93101 - Candlelight: Tribute to Michael Jackson →
Arctic Club Hotel, 700 3rd Ave, Seattle
6:15 pm - Candlelight: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac →
Music Academy of the West, 1070 Fairway Rd, Santa Barbara
8:00 pm
Thursday September 3
Saturday September 5
Monday September 7
Tuesday September 8
Friday September 11
📣 Santa Barbara Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- Visit with Purdue University
Dos Pueblos High School Goleta, CA 93117
5:00 pm - Back to School Night!
Cold Spring School District Santa Barbara, CA 93108
5:00 pm - PA monthly meeting
Santa Barbara Charter Goleta, CA 93117
6:00 pm - Visit with Lewis & Clark College
Dos Pueblos High School Goleta, CA 93117
7:10 pm
Wednesday September 2
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:
- Firewood Guys- Santa Barbara — (805) 795-7111
- RowCal - Ventura — (310) 776-5409
- Wicks Roofing and Solar — (805) 965-5122
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
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💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Missing Cat Alta Mesa near Roberto and Dolores.
Our all black cat named Goji went missing today and we are hoping someone may have seen him in the area of Roberto Ave and Dolores. He is very… (Nextdoor Alta Mesa Neighborhoods) - Hi neighbors!
My husband is having his hip replaced on Sept 8. He's excited as it's been a source of pain for years. He's also nervous! Any advice on handling the… (Nextdoor West Mesa)
- Premium Retail Services, Inc. posted a job opening for Seasonal Merchandiser in Santa Barbara. Apply here.
- Government Jobs posted a job opening for Public Safety Dispatcher - Lateral 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: Don't you 2 start anything (Thank you Mary L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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