Skies won’t be friendly in Santa Maria anymore
Santa Maria’s relationship with United Airlines was set up for a breakup a year ago when the Chicago-based carrier stopped flying to Los Angeles and shifted its connecting flights to San Francisco. The final blow came Aug. 1 when United announced a suspension of the SFO flights this fall. The Santa Maria-San Francisco service was Read More →
CSU Channel Islands finds solution to housing shortage
Our universities are leading the way toward providing private sector solutions to the region’s chronic housing deficit. It will take courage, but civic leaders and elected officials should take note. The latest solution comes from CSU Channel Islands, where a donation of land for housing has enabled private developers to build quickly and nearly complete Read More →
Nonprofit boards should focus on what matters
By Charles Watson It is often said that nonprofits should be more businesslike. Although I usually take umbrage at such a sweeping generalization, the point that many a nonprofit fails because it loses sight of good financial and operational management practices is worth taking to heart. Nonprofit Quarterly, a leading publication of the sector, suggests Read More →
Life is precious takeaway from terror attack in Nice
Westlake Village financial planner John C. Lindsey had just arrived in Nice for a family vacation when his ordeal began. After an “awesome Bastille Day fireworks show,” the July 14 terror attack started with a crowd running toward him and his son-in-law as he enjoyed a celebratory cigar. They immediately “ducked back into their hotel,” Read More →
Soft skills key to successful managers
By Vlad Vaiman Executives often promote outstanding employees to supervisory or managerial positions as part of their strategy to retain the best ones. There is nothing wrong with promoting the best people to management ranks, but the problem is that most of them lack managerial skills. A promotion can start out well but turn into Read More →
Coastal housing advocate Lynn Jacobs left a legacy
First it was providing housing for farmworkers. Later is was building homes for working families up and down the Central Coast. Later still, it was serving in former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s cabinet and pushing through a landmark deal to create billions of dollars in home financing. Developing affordable housing remains the No. 1 issue confronting Read More →
Ocean exploration vital to Tri-Counties
By Melissa Baffa As I write this, the exploration vessel Nautilus is “mowing the lawn,” proceeding back and forth in an orderly march around the Channel Islands, mapping the sea floor. Owned by the Ocean Exploration Trust, an organization founded by Robert Ballard in 2008, the Nautilus is taking a journey through our collective back Read More →
