Editorial: Big banks commit to local communities
Editorials, OpinionRabobank announced an investment of $1 million into a small-business loan fund run by the Economic Development Collaborative of Ventura County and Union Bank unveiled a multimillion-dollar investment that allowed the Channel Islands YMCA to return the nonprofit’s regional headquarters to downtown Santa Barbara.
Editorial: Gorell-Brownley fight could top $10M if race tightens
Editorials, OpinionThe implications of the Gorell vs. Brownley race for California’s 26th Congressional District will be felt up and down the ticket on the November 2014 ballot in Ventura County, according to California Lutheran University’s veteran political watcher Herb Gooch.
Editorial: 26th District race raises Naval Base’s profile
Editorials, OpinionThe race could turn on a single issue: The future of the district’s largest employer, Naval Base Ventura County. In remarks to the Ventura County Economic Development Association on Dec. 3, State Assemblyman Jeff Gorell said that the area faces “no greater challenge” than retaining the roughly 20,000 civilian and military jobs at the base, which sprawls across two complexes along the county shoreline.
Editorial: Highway 101 innovation corridor needs public-private partners
Editorials, OpinionThe idea of creating a Highway 101 innovation corridor got a jump start on Nov. 21 when a group of entrepreneurs and supporters of entrepreneurship gathered at UC Santa Barbara. The meeting was the result of considerable spadework by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, and her staff, who have visited with many of the organizations promoting entrepreneurship in the Tri-Counties. Dubbed the “SLO to T.O.” corridor at the meeting, the group included representatives from UCSB, California Lutheran University, Santa Barbara City College and CSU Channel Islands.
Editorial: Lawsuits could derail Paso water fix
Editorials, OpinionDepending on whether and how the county government elects to fight back against the suits, the legal actions could lead to what’s known as adjudication, in which courts oversee how water rights are allocated in the basin. This happened in Santa Maria, with proceedings dragging out over a decade and costs topping $11 million.
