••• Ty Warner released a statement to the Independent that he’s not selling the Biltmore, despite a rumor to the contrary: “I have no intention of selling any of my Santa Barbara properties, not now or ever. And I will continue to improve them for the benefit and enjoyment of their customers.” But he said nothing about why the property hasn’t reopened, and he could still be changing management companies, which would involve the property getting rebranded.
••• “Just a few days after Santa Barbara County health officials made the stunning announcement they had accidentally underreported regional Covid deaths by a count of 28, they admitted on Tuesday to yet another major data error. This time, technological issues with the state’s coronavirus database has led to a ‘significant’ underreporting of new local cases over the past 10 days [….] The recent rosy statistics showing a drop in Santa Barbara cases were inaccurate.” —Independent
••• “Santa Barbara is seeing rising Covid case numbers coupled with limited testing availability. With a strained test supply chain and overwhelmed laboratories, medical facilities have had to limit whom they test, prioritizing essential workers, symptomatic individuals, and at-risk groups over others. Even for Sansum Clinic, one Santa Barbara’s largest groups of medical-care providers, test materials have been hard to get.” —Independent
••• “The re-imagined Fiesta Caravan Parade has been canceled. Old Spanish Days made the announcement Wednesday morning after Santa Barbara County and the City of Santa Barbara told organizers the parade could potentially cause people to gather. Which would be a violation of the public health orders.” —KEYT
••• “To the great dismay of some Goleta Old Town business owners, the city agreed to send a letter of support to turn the three-story Super 8 motel at the corner of Fairview and Hollister into housing for homeless people.” —Independent UPDATE 8/6: “Hot tip,” says a reader. “The Super 8 went with a different offer but if it falls through it still might accept the city’s offer!”
••• “Alaska Airlines is adding a daily flight to San Diego this fall. The new flights had been planned earlier this year, but were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.” —Noozhawk
••• The Santa Barbara News-Press has an update on the big residential building proposed for the 400 block of State Street (at Gutierrez): “This new development involves retaining and modifying the approximately 17,150 square-foot building at 410 State St. and retaining the approximately 6,800 square-foot building at 409 Anacapa St., a voluntary lot merger to combine the three parcels, and construction of a new 84-unit, four-story Priority Housing project over the east parking lot.” The latter is said to be what’s in the rendering below, which I don’t think we’ve seen before.
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