Transitions noted
Sometimes the owner is the company. Such was apparently the case with the Wine Cask, a popular Santa Barbara watering hole and wine shop that closed abruptly in mid-February. Owner Doug Margerum sold the operation a year or so ago and the new owners tried hard. But with the down economy and without Doug’s magic, Read More →
Tri-county innovation can rebrand the region
In a dramatic speech on Feb. 24, President Barack Obama vowed to lead America’s economy back to health and prosperity. In doing so, he laid down a considerable challenge to local elected officials, community and business leaders in the tri-county region. That challenge boils down to this: creating a new brand for the Highway 101 Read More →
Mr. Maldonado goes to Sacramento
[Editor’s note: Just as the Business Times was coming off the presses, state legislators approved a budget compromise. Click here to read more about the deal.] State Sen. Abel Maldonado is taking plenty of heat from the Los Angeles Times and elsewhere for standing his ground on the budget issue. But we think the former Read More →
Grassroots deserve some credit
Let’s give credit where credit is due. It was not just the pressure from local politicians that led Federal Receiver Clark Kelso to shelve, at least temporarily, his plan to build a 1,000-bed state prison hospital near Camarillo. A community group, known as the Prison Hospital Action Committee, was instrumental in gathering support from citizens Read More →
Esmay paved way for leaders
We’re going to say a few words about James L. Esmay, the first dean of California Lutheran University’s School of Business. Esmay, who passed away Feb. 10 at age 79, came to CLU in 1965. After a stint at Cal State Northridge, he rejoined the campus in 1979. He was named dean of the school Read More →
California
Now is the time to blow up California’s government and start over again. That’s the general idea behind the proposed constitutional convention, an idea making its way up and down the political food chain in the Golden State. Given the government gridlock that’s led the state to the brink of insolvency — and perhaps over Read More →
Region
Now that the realities of recession have hit hard, it’s time for Santa Barbara County to launch a targeted and effective economic development initiative. All around us are examples of people doing a good job with limited resources. The Economic Vitality Corp. in San Luis Obispo, the EDA activities that are taking place under the Read More →
