Deckers treads lightly: New sustainability czar fits in at shoe firm
UncategorizedDeckers Outdoor Corp., maker of the Ugg boot, Teva sandal and Simple branwd of shoes, has spent the past few years making sure its footwear and factories are good for workers and the environment. It won’t put up with suppliers who don’t follow wage, health and safety laws, and its newest BIO.D sneaker soles biodegrade Read More →
Ventura burnishes its green credentials
UncategorizedCities across the region are talking about how to attract green jobs. On May 17, the city of Ventura will have a green business developer working the case full time. Joey Briglio worked for Ventura for about six years in a range of planning and environmental jobs and is returning to fill the newly created Read More →
PXP drilling project in trouble
UncategorizedPlains Exploration & Production Co.’s plans to drill for oil off the Santa Barbara coast could be dead in the water after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger withdrew his support for the plan. Schwarzenegger’s change of heart was promoted by the spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Bloomberg News reported. Schwarzenegger appointees or allies make up two-thirds Read More →
Investing in Santa Barbara: As stock market rebounds, financial firms target region
UncategorizedThe finance world is still holding its head as it recovers from near-collapse, but you wouldn’t think so in Santa Barbara. Two financial firms — Crowell Weedon & Co. and Partnervest — are expanding their reach and services in the city, with one opening a local branch and another launching a nationwide investment platform. Here’s Read More →
Editorial: CEOs wanted here
OpinionThere’s nothing wrong with Santa Barbara County’s economy that a few corporate headquarters wouldn’t cure. That’s one conclusion that can be drawn from a close examination of the data behind the recent UCSB Economic Forecast Project report. Local government employment, the largest sector in the county, is pretty much flat at about 23,000. Given the Read More →
Editorial: Building sale smells like another state fiasco
OpinionFor more proof that the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is living in a world of illusion, look no farther than some serious number crunching on his proposed sale of state office buildings. Once touted as a way to close the state’s budget gap, the plan to sell and lease back 11 flagship office properties Read More →
Keeping the seats full: Arts organizations battle the recession
NonprofitsA recession is never a pretty picture, especially for arts and culture nonprofits, which rely heavily on private donations and visitor attendance. Arts organizations around the country laid off workers last year, adopted hiring freezes or cut other expenses in response to a falloff in private donations and government grants. In California, the Santa Read More →