In our thoughts
It’s once again time to recognize a couple of folks whose recent passings remind us that life is indeed fleeting. Leo Trujillo was a good-natured Santa Maria resident, former city councilman and believer in the future of the North Santa Barbara County economy. He was a friend to the Business Times literally from the moment Read More →
Area Republicans set example for the GOP
At first blush, there doesn’t seem to be too much connection between Nao Takasugi and Abel Maldonado. They are generations and miles apart in their backgrounds. But Takasugi, who passed away Nov. 19 at age 87, and Maldonado, who was nominated to the lofty post of lieutenant governor shortly before Thanksgiving, do share plenty of Read More →
Montecito Bank & Trust shares the wealth
It’s nice to see traditions get established — especially when it comes to philanthropy. That’s why we once again recognized Montecito Bank & Trust for its seventh annual Community Dividends program, where some 150 area nonprofits shared in $1 million in grants at a luncheon on Nov. 23. The privately held bank, which has nine Read More →
Mixed signals from the top ruin strong economic foundations
As an awful year for business heads for the history books, we’re going to sound a couple of warning notes about 2010. What troubles us more than anything else are what economists like to call “externalities” — events clearly beyond control of those of us who operate in the Tri-Counties. Here’s a look at two Read More →
Santa Barbara
Since the earliest days of the region as a Mecca for wealthy families, philanthropy has been part of the social scene. Some efforts, notably Direct Relief International, have grown from informal ideas into world-class social organizations. But lately, philanthropic efforts often seem to be single-cause focused, reflecting the special interests of donors. From the Santa Read More →
Tea fire not forgotten a year later
A year ago, the Tea Fire devastated parts of Santa Barbara and Montecito, destroying more than 200 homes and ravaging the landscape. Twelve months later, homeowners are still regouping and many have not yet decided whether or not to rebuild. Fire remains a threat, one underscored by the Jesusita Fire, which struck the Santa Barbara Read More →
Area elections show voters back business
Reading the minds of voters is always difficult. But in elections in Santa Barbara and Ventura there are stirrings of an electoral backlash against the extreme regulation of business in the Highway 101 corridor. By substantial margins, voters turned back height-limit measures in both Santa Barbara and Ventura. In Ventura they also turned back an Read More →
