Good morning, Santa Barbara.

At 1700 Sitin Road, the Santa Maria Asphalt Refinery passed a key step when the county Planning Commission approved the permit transfer to CAP Resolution Partners LLC on Aug.

12, moving the restart plan forward. The facility still needs fire department & Air Pollution Control District approvals before opening.

Grammy-winning trumpeter Terell Stafford will perform a Miles Davis tribute at The Grand on State on Sept.

9 from 7 to 9:20 p.m. – He will join pianist Tamir Hendelman to honor the jazz icon's centennial at 1218 State St.

The Music Academy of the West held its annual gala at Bella Vista Estate (Summerland) last week, featuring famed soprano Audra McDonald and honoree Cheryl Goldberg.

The event raised $1.2 million for music education and paved the way for a new downtown center, The Muse, set to open in 2028.

Santa Barbara County led the state in expanding publicly funded childcare with a 160% enrollment jump from 2021 to 2024, driven by $2 million in ARPA funds and partnerships (Santa Barbara Foundation, United Way, and Children’s Resource and Referral Agency).

The county plans to add 3,000 spots by 2030.

80 aspiring teachers from UCSB Teacher Education Program are assisting over 2,000 K-12 students in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria schools as classes resume this week.

Funded by a $6.4 million TRIP grant, the program covers full tuition for half the candidates while they complete fieldwork.

Santa Barbara Unified School District announced changes today that will offer free lunch & breakfast at select schools including Adams Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, and Dos Pueblos High.

The new meal policy will apply for all students during the 2026-27 school year.

The new six-site campground at Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island will open on Aug.

27—offering a quiet camping option in an oak woodland below Eagle Ridge with sites at $15 per night; reservations have been available since Aug. 18.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s and Fire and City Police and Fire agencies will hold a 25th anniversary 9/11 remembrance ceremony on Friday, Sept.

11 at 9:00 a.m. at the County Courthouse Sunken Gardens—1100 Anacapa Street to honor nearly 3,000 lives lost and the service of first responders.

NYU and Harvard-trained spine surgeon Dr. Rivka Lomedico launched OsteoCore — a mobile health platform that uses its Fracture IQ tool to assess bone loss risk and deliver movement coaching, education and supplementation advice for osteoporosis care, protecting the local aging community.

Early designs for the adaptive reuse of the former Macy's building received praise during a concept review on Aug.

12. The project will transform the building into Yardi Systems' corporate headquarters with office and public event spaces downtown, and it will proceed through further review (comments focused on window details).

Santa Barbara High girls volleyball secured their first season win yesterday at J.R.

Richards Gym when they defeated Valencia High in a four-set match—23-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-22. Coach Kristin Hempy noted standout plays as the team prepares to face Newbury Park on Thursday.

Bishop Diego football is set for fall as new players fill gaps after five starters graduated, with sophomore quarterback Kaleo Satale (from Tafuna High) taking over; head coach Tom Crawford said the team will use its strong offensive line at La Playa Stadium before facing Marmonte League teams.