Speak softly and carry a big stick: Little Lompoc is busier than ever
Described as a “small, Midwestern town on the California coast,” by its economic development director, Kate Griffith, the city of Lompoc has been undergoing efforts to build on its signature Californian characteristics and strengthen its economic vitality, all while maintaining its quaint, small-town appeal. As California has long been a leader in sustainability and Read More →
Nonprofits becoming more nimble, results oriented
Philanthropy is changing. With entrepreneurs like Eli Broad, Ted Turner and Venoco’s Tim Marquez calling the shots, nonprofits are becoming more nimble and results oriented But there is a catch – in the new environment for philanthropy, star power matters, and there’s a tendency for issues of the day like global warming to grab big Read More →
Green building council lists LEED certification bodies
On July 29, the U.S. Green Building Council, or USGBC, announced the certification bodies for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, Green Building Rating System, as follows: • ABS Quality Evaluations, www.abs-qe.com • BSI Management Systems America, www.bsi-global.com • Bureau Veritas North America, www.us.bureauveritas.com • DNV Certification, www.dnvcert.com • Intertek, www.intertek-sc.com • Read More →
A few months from now, Sung Won Sohn will be handing out grades to students as the newly named Martin V. Smith professor of economics at California State University, Channel Islands. But the straight-talking former Wells Fargo economist, and former bank president, wasn’t afraid to give California’s economy a C-minus at best during a chat Read More →
Wine and nonprofits: the best pairing on the Central Coast
The era of charity golf tournaments and awkward hotel dinner fundraisers are as out of style as knee-high argyle socks. Today’s Central Coast nonprofits have tapped into a resource overflowing with classy products, unique facilities and people with time to donate: local wineries. With vineyards flushed with budding grapes, many tri-county wineries are pairing up Read More →
Caruso
With his recent threats to walk away from the project, Rick Caruso risks becoming the third in a string of successful and powerful developers who tried and failed to rebuild Montecito’s historic Miramar Hotel. Which raises an interesting question: Who would buy it then? Matt Middlebrook, vice president of Caruso Affiliated, laughed heartily in response Read More →
Let
For the past seven years, our federal government has been on a debt-and-deficit binge. What has financed this binge is an ill-conceived policy of offering massive incentives to big businesses, which in turn have done little to create shareholder wealth or good-paying jobs. We have handed out lucrative contracts to defense firms, massive subsidies Read More →
