New app helps travelers reduce carbon footprint
By Philip Joens / Friday, February 12th, 2016 / Columns, Latest news, Tourism / Comments Off on New app helps travelers reduce carbon footprint
A new app created by a Santa Barbara travel shop owner caught my eye when I walked into Vita Travel on Feb. 5 because it seems like the perfect app for eco-conscious Millennial travelers. Greg Bellowe created VitaExplorer as a way to force people to think about their impact on the environment when they travel. Read More →
Central banks losing ability to steer global economies
By Henry Dubroff / Friday, February 12th, 2016 / Banking & Finance, Banking Industry, Columns, Latest news / Comments Off on Central banks losing ability to steer global economies
Upheaval in the global markets in recent months may be signaling that the era of the all-powerful central bank may be coming to an end. Evidence is mounting that central bank moves are having less and less of the desired impact on regional economies. For Exhibit A we turn to the People’s Bank of China, Read More →
Oxnard food processor closing, tri-county farm workers laid off
By pacbiztimes / Friday, February 12th, 2016 / Agribusiness, Latest news, Real Estate, West Ventura County / Comments Off on Oxnard food processor closing, tri-county farm workers laid off
Oxnard-based food processing company Coastal Green Vegetable Co. is closing after 27 years in business. Coastal Green contracts with growers of cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, kale, spinach and other produce, freezes the food and sends it to repackagers. Increasing costs have slimmed margins, President and General Manager James Pickworth said. About 34 full-time employees and 100 Read More →
Compass manager sued by Coldwell Banker over ‘secrets’
By pacbiztimes / Friday, February 12th, 2016 / Columns, Latest news, Law & Goverment / Comments Off on Compass manager sued by Coldwell Banker over ‘secrets’
Coldwell Banker is suing a former employee for allegedly stealing the company’s trade secrets. The residential real estate brokerage company is going after John Nisbet, who left Coldwell Banker’s Santa Barbara office to work for the rapidly expanding residential real estate firm Compass. Coldwell Banker is accusing Nisbet of stealing confidential data, including market data, Read More →
SOAR revisions needed for agribusiness to grow
By Henry Dubroff / Friday, February 12th, 2016 / Editorials, Latest news, Opinion / Comments Off on SOAR revisions needed for agribusiness to grow
SOAR, short for Save Open Space and Agricultural Resources, has had a big impact on land use in Ventura County. Up for renewal after two decades, a revised SOAR should go before voters this fall. Among other things, SOAR needs revisions that carve out exceptions for food processing facilities. It needs to recognize the growing Read More →
Business, wilderness a successful mix
By Guest commentary / Friday, February 12th, 2016 / Latest news, Op/Eds, Opinion / Comments Off on Business, wilderness a successful mix
With the introduction of the Central Coast Heritage Protection Act by U.S. Rep. Lois Capps and Sen. Barbara Boxer, we have an opportunity to protect 250,000 acres of our incredible local landscape as wilderness — a common sense measure that will drive growth in our local recreation economy and enhance the quality of life that Read More →
OCB Bancorp income up 142 percent in 2015
By Staff Report / Thursday, February 11th, 2016 / Banking & Finance, Banking Industry, Earnings, Latest news / Comments Off on OCB Bancorp income up 142 percent in 2015
OCB Bancorp, the parent company of Ojai Community Bank, increased its year-over-year net income by 142 percent in 2015. OCB Bancorp’s net income grew from $380,000 in 2014 to $921,000 in 2015, or 40 cents in earnings per share. Total loans increased $48.2 million or 37.5 percent to $176.5 million in 2015. Total assets rose Read More →