Small plane crashes
UncategorizedJust after noon on Nov. 10 the Santa Barbara City Fire Department responded to a report of a light aircraft down at the Santa Barbara Airport. Upon arrival, airport fire station personnel found a single-engine aircraft on the southeast side of the airport in the grassy area adjacent to the runway. Initial reports revealed that Read More →
Social Venture Partners debuts as nonprofit, business collaboration
NonprofitsSome of the most prominent members of Santa Barbara’s business community are banding together to make an investment in the area’s nonprofit sector through a new Santa Barbara initiative called Social Venture Partners. Members of the area’s nonprofit and business sectors spoke about their new collaboration at a press conference at the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Read More →
Study sees green in Santa Barbara County
UncategorizedA recently commissioned Santa Barbara County workforce study reveals that jobs in the green sector may play a leading role in the county’s employment outlook. The study, completed in September by BW Research Partnership for the Santa Barbara County Workforce Investment Board, took a broad look at the county’s workforce, economic impacts and future employment Read More →
Ex-Amgen workers file whistleblower suits
UncategorizedAs Thousand Oaks-based Amgen prepares to square off in court against 15 states over an alleged Medicaid kickback scheme, it’s facing two whistleblower lawsuits in Ventura County Superior Court. The complaints, which don’t appear related to the fraud alleged by the group of states, were brought by former employees who said they uncovered wrongdoing at Read More →
Sizing up the health of your insurance firm
UncategorizedInvesting oracle Warren Buffet once said that an insurance policy is just a promise on a piece of paper, and businesses have been banking on that understanding for decades. But as losses rise and carriers go bankrupt, that business foundation could disintegrate. Since the federal government stepped in with $85 billion to prop up failing Read More →
Regulators force banks to play defense
ColumnsLargely innocent bystanders in the financial meltdown that gripped Wall Street a year ago, community banks have been walking around with targets on their backs. A severe crackdown by regulators, including threats to get capital ratios up, shrink loan portfolios or face seizure, has put bank executives on the defensive. “We’re getting speeding tickets for Read More →