Good morning, Santa Barbara.

Local youth at the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade Academy completed wildfire prevention training at Elings Park last month and will soon clear flammable vegetation from homes on the Mesa amid rising Super El Niño risks.

The program builds practical skills & leadership for community safety.

Santa Barbara Public Library invites community members to join one of three workshops on Monday, Aug.

17 at Central Library, Tuesday, Aug. 18 at Eastside Library, or Thursday, Aug. 20 at Montecito Library to share ideas for its next chapter. Those unable to attend may complete an online survey.

Maker House invites community members to visit its ceramics exhibit in Goleta until Aug.

20, with free admission (gallery hours are 9 am to 5 pm). A reception honoring over 30 studio members will be held Sunday, Aug. 16 at 11 a.m. with live music and light bites.

Longtime Westmont theater professor Mitchell Thomas has edited a new anthology called The Future is Short featuring 20 plays developed over a 13-year process.

Westmont will celebrate the release in October with six staged performances at campus venues.

UCSB’s PaCE program has introduced a professional certificate in sports management for students and young professionals in Santa Barbara.

The fall session will offer courses in sports law and game day operations to build practical career skills.

Apples to Zucchini Cooking School received a $50,000 grant from an anonymous donor to boost staff wages, bonuses, health care benefits, training, & conference attendance.

Executive director Jill Barton said the gift supports staff and enhances community programs in cooking classes.

The City of Santa Barbara lowered the monthly commuter permit fee for Lote 2 (Garaje Chapala) from $165 to $95 effective July 1, 2026, providing an affordable downtown parking option for employees and visitors.

Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District urges residents to plan ahead for wildfire smoke and protect their health; officials advise using a box fan + MERV 13 filter to create a safe DIY air cleaner for vulnerable groups.

The emergency departments at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital received the 2026 ENA Lantern Award on Aug.

10 for their innovative, collaborative patient care. The honor will be featured at Emergency Nursing 2026 in Phoenix, running Sept. 28 through Oct. 1.

Sutter Health opened the Hollister Care Center, a state-of-the-art dermatology facility at 5383 Hollister Ave., Ste.

140 in Goleta, to provide advanced skin and cancer care. The 10,000-sqft center contains 21 exam rooms, dedicated Mohs surgery spaces, and areas for laser treatments.

Santa Barbara-based Direct Relief is mobilizing emergency medical aid after a 7.4 quake struck western Colombia — working with local health partners to assess damage and dispatch supplies.

The county confirmed its first measles case since 2019 on Monday night; local health officials say the case is linked to international travel and recommend residents check vaccination records and contact providers if feeling sick (especially those unvaccinated and high-risk).

15-year-old Hudson Chossek, a standout at San Marcos High, runs Red Mamba Tennis Academy offering clinics to raise funds for childhood cancer research and school supplies.

He plans to continue hosting events in Santa Barbara and invites families and nonprofits to join his efforts.

A new 10-school sports league is set to begin this week for local high schools as the 2026-27 season starts with girls volleyball and flag football.

The Channel-Pacific View Association will place teams in separate leagues based on ranking (Channel for top teams and Pacific View for the rest).