Exports of region
With a population of 1.3 billion, China is undoubtedly the world’s manufacturing powerhouse. But as Chinese families rise to the middle class at unprecedented rates, the country is starting to be viewed as something different: a relatively untapped market for wine and other “Western” goods. According to export experts, serious wine sales to China have Read More →
Half-baked Apple store takes shape behind walls on State St.
Ask anyone what the worst-kept secret in town is, and they’ll tell you: the new Apple building in downtown Santa Barbara, which is undergoing an extensive renovation. The computer giant is spending a small fortune – and making a large racket – demolishing and rebuilding the 9,594-square-foot retail space at 928 State St., which housed Read More →
SLO pays a hefty price for curbing free enterprise
The toll of bankruptcy, foreclosure and financial mayhem in San Luis Obispo County is adding up to more than $120 million. That’s a tremendous amount of money for a county of just 250,000 residents, and the total seems destined to climb higher before things turn around. Reporting by staff writer Stephen Nellis in the current Read More →
Mr. Maldonado goes to Sacramento
[Editor’s note: Just as the Business Times was coming off the presses, state legislators approved a budget compromise. Click here to read more about the deal.] State Sen. Abel Maldonado is taking plenty of heat from the Los Angeles Times and elsewhere for standing his ground on the budget issue. But we think the former Read More →
Grassroots deserve some credit
Let’s give credit where credit is due. It was not just the pressure from local politicians that led Federal Receiver Clark Kelso to shelve, at least temporarily, his plan to build a 1,000-bed state prison hospital near Camarillo. A community group, known as the Prison Hospital Action Committee, was instrumental in gathering support from citizens Read More →
Esmay paved way for leaders
We’re going to say a few words about James L. Esmay, the first dean of California Lutheran University’s School of Business. Esmay, who passed away Feb. 10 at age 79, came to CLU in 1965. After a stint at Cal State Northridge, he rejoined the campus in 1979. He was named dean of the school Read More →
Venoco project hits snag
Oil and gas developer Venoco hit a setback in its attempt to drill for offshore oil from a site in Carpinteria. Carpinteria’s city attorney filed a complaint alleging that a proposed ballot initiative that would step around city and county approval and go straight to state regulators violates state law. The city attorney must approve Read More →
