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’
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
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
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
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 →
California Coastal Commission fires executive
The California Coastal Commission voted 7-5 on Feb. 10 to fire Executive Director Charles Lester. Hundreds of people filled the Morro Bay Community Center and gave several hours of public comment in support of Lester before commissioners deliberated in a closed session and then announced their decision. Lester, who defended his leadership, said he was Read More →
Mindbody revenue up but so are losses
Yoga software developer MindBody reported that revenues increased, subscribers increased and net losses increased once again when the company released fourth quarter and year-end earnings Feb. 10. San Luis Obispo-based MindBody sells products and merchant processing to yoga and fitness centers worldwide. Fourth quarter revenue increased 40 percent from $20.12 million in 2014 to $28.27 Read More →
