Hollywood strikes
The Screen Actors Guild is proving once again why the dysfunctional state of organized labor is not particularly good for the Southern California economy. SAG can’t get its act together on a unified stance in negotiations on a new contract, threatening a repeat of last year’s disastrous 100-day writers’ strike. Mega-stars such as Tom Hanks Read More →
Wanted: a way to stop the hemorrhage of jobs
Jobs are becoming the No. 1 economic issue in the Tri-Counties. As Stephen Nellis reports in the current issue of Pacific Coast Business Times, bigger employers have eliminated at least 1,700 jobs in recent months. Add to that any number of jobs cut at government agencies and nonprofits and you have the ingredients for an Read More →
Zaragoza in the middle
With the seating of John Zaragoza as its newest supervisor, Ventura County is launching into a new era. Gone is the contentious and uncooperative John Flynn, whose last term was marked by infighting and a mean-spirited effort to derail progress on a number of fronts. The region’s largest county — and its most fiscally sound Read More →
Entrepreneurs remembered
During 2008 we marked the passing of some remarkable entrepreneurs. Two that stand out are Herb Peterson and George Bliss. Peterson was a Chicago native and ad executive who worked on the McDonald’s account and helped create the persona of Ronald McDonald. Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, he moved to Santa Barbara and created the Read More →
Oprah a role model for neighborhood celebrities
Until just a few days before Christmas, Oprah Winfrey’s presence in the Tri-Counties was much like any of the other dozen or so members of the entertainment and business elite. Her semi-secluded life included social events held in tents on a lawn adjacent to her Montecito estate. Her purchases put smiles on the faces of Read More →
Granada needs your help
Michael Towbes and his family have generously offered $5 million in matching grants to close the funding gap on the restoration of Santa Barbara’s Granada theater. This is a project that has elevated the performing arts game across the Tri-Counties, creating a Broadway-class performance venue that’s right in the heart of the region. We encourage Read More →
California suffering from internal injuries
Just as the 1990s ended with global problems looking smaller and smaller, the first decade of the 21st century is ending with mega-problems looming everywhere. These are big things that really demand more than Band-Aids and quick fixes. Here is a closer look at four of them: • California’s budget mess. All of the parties Read More →
