🌱 Patch AM: Historic CA Restaurant Sues Landlord Over 'Unconscionable' Rent: Report

Coffee in hand, Santa Barbara? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Harbor Restaurant clashes with Santa Barbara over soaring rent and back payments
• Why this rare December cruise stop just got special health clearance
• Will Santa Barbara’s new massage rules price out longtime local therapists?

Also on today's calendar: Longest NIght Memorial and 4 more events.

And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Gregory P.!

Today's riddle: What did one astronaut stranded on the moon say to another? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high of 68 and low of 49 degrees.
• Saturday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 67, low: 53.
• Sunday: Sun through high clouds, with a high of 66 and low of 53 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Historic CA Restaurant Sues Landlord Over 'Unconscionable' Rent: Report (patch.com) — Santa Barbara readers will recognize the Harbor Restaurant, whose owners are suing the city over what they call an unconscionable lease that now tops $61,000 a month plus back-rent payments. The city disputes the claims and says it is pursuing its own legal remedies after missed rent, while county officials previously seized unpaid property taxes, setting up a high-stakes local showdown.
   

2. Final Cruise Ship of 2025 Arrives in Santa Barbara With Special Health Clearance (keyt.com) — A cruise ship recently hit by a Norovirus outbreak has been fully cleaned, cleared by health officials, and is anchored off Santa Barbara’s Stearns Wharf today, with passengers allowed ashore. The AIDAdiva’s visit is unusual for December and is one of 11 cruise ship stops on the city’s 2025 schedule, bringing over 2,600 passengers and crew into town for the day.
   

3. Massage Therapists Speak Out Against Santa Barbara's Proposed Rules, Fee Increases (noozhawk.com) — Santa Barbara massage therapists are pushing back against a proposed city ordinance that would sharply raise permit fees, add surprise inspections, and require 500 hours of state-certified training. Police and city leaders say the changes are needed to fight criminal activity in some parlors, while many longtime practitioners warn the costs and schooling could drive them out of work in an already expensive city.
   

4. Finding fugitives: Santa Barbara County tackles arrest warrants with focus on most violent felonies (santamariasun.com) — Santa Barbara County is stepping up efforts to track down people wanted for violent felonies, highlighted by a recent armed standoff arrest in Santa Maria. Supervisors shifted resources from cannabis enforcement to a new felony fugitive detective and are also moving to dismiss thousands of low-level misdemeanor warrants so courts and deputies can focus more on serious offenders.
   

5. Wonderfully Made Nonprofit Works to Prevent Suicide in Teen Girls (noozhawk.com) — A faith-based nonprofit is launching a suicide-prevention fundraising push specifically targeting teen girls in Santa Barbara County, estimating more than 3,000 local girls are seriously contemplating suicide. Founder Allie Marie Smith is running the Catalina Island Marathon to raise $260,000 from county businesses and residents, funding digital outreach, school partnerships, and community programs aimed at helping young women reset their relationship with social media and reclaim their mental health.
   

📸 Around Santa Barbara

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Santa Barbara

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Sunday December 21

• Longest NIght Memorial
  Superior Court Of California County Of Santa Barbara, 1100 Anacapa St, Santa Barbara
  5:15 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday December 20

• HOLIDAY MARKET @ PASEO NUEVO
  Paseo Nuevo , 651 , Santa Barbara
  11:00 am
• A Christmas Carol Cocktail Experience - Santa Barbara
  The Narrative Loft , 1117 State St , Santa Barbara
  2:00 pm
• A Very Sinatra Christmas Special at Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort
  Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort , 633 E Cabrillo Blvd , Santa Barbara
  7:00 pm
• Wasted Potential Comedy at Java Station
  Java Station , 4447 Hollister Ave , Santa Barbara
  7:30 pm
• Santa Barbara - M. Special Brewing (State St)
  M Special Brewing Company - Downtown , 634 State St , Santa Barbara
  8:00 pm

Wednesday December 24

• Art From Scrap Closed for the Holidays
  Art From Scrap , 302 E Cota St. , Santa Barbara

🗓 Events Nearby

Friday December 19

• Awards Assembly
  Aliso Quad
  8:15 am
• 3rd Friday’s Lunch Hang
  The Cruisery , 501 State St , Santa Barbara
  12:00 pm
• The Holiday Tea Blending Bar: Curate, Sip, Savor
  The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara , 8301 Hollister Ave , Santa Barbara
  3:00 pm
• ABC After Hours - December
  Au Bon Climat , 813 Anacapa St #5b , Santa Barbara
  5:30 pm

Saturday December 20

• Intermediate Spanish Conversation Class
  Eastside Branch Library , 1102 E Montecito St , Santa Barbara
  9:30 am
• Winter Solstice Sound Bath in The Montecito Orchard
  770 Coyote Rd , Montecito
  10:30 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Santa Barbara PatchAM possible:

• Better Business Bureau of the Tricounties — (805) 963-8657
  Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker: More than 3,600

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Lost kitty FOUND
  If you’re like us, you have been thinking about this little kitty and have been sending good thoughts out that he would be found. I just got… (Nextdoor Hope)
• SCAM ALERT BEWARE
  Just received a phone call from somebody claiming to be from the California Department of Health, a 213 number. When I did not take the bait, they… (Nextdoor Hope)

• Williams-Sonoma, Inc. posted a job opening for Stock Associate, Part Time Flex, Santa Barbara - Pottery Barn in Santa Barbara. Apply here.
• Molly Maid posted a job opening for Quality Control, Training, and Field Manager 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: I don’t think you know the gravity of this situation.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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