Philanthropist Fred Kavli dies at 86
Fred Kavli, a Norwegian-born entrepreneur, scientist and philanthropist who created thousands of jobs and gave millions for the study of theoretical physics, died at his home in Santa Barbara on Nov. 21. He founded KavliCo Corp., a Moorpark-based maker of advanced sensors for cars and aircraft. He also invested in real estate for more than 50 years.
Central Coast leads the way as solar, tourism boost SLO County recovery
In remarks prepared for the 2014 SLO County Economic Forecast Breakfast on Nov. 22, Jordan Levine of Beacon Economics said only San Luis Obispo, San Jose, San Francisco and Bakersfield have gone positive when it comes to the pre-recession jobs peak.
Apollo cashes in on CKE with $1.6B sale
CKE will join Roark affiliated companies, which include Arby’s, Cinnabon, Carvel, Wingstop, Corner Bakery and a number of others. “The cultural match is very positive, and we look forward to taking full advantage of their experience and expertise in the restaurant segment,” CKE chief executive Andy Puzder told the Business Times.
Defense leaders say industry faces skilled worker shortage
Some of the nation’s top defense industry executives said at a forum at the Reagan Presidential Library on Nov. 16 that they have grave concerns about the nation’s ability to supply the workers needed to maintain the nation’s technological superiority.
Shaky job security at defense firms, competition for talent from non-defense companies and a shortage of science and math graduates are making it hard to hire and retain the kind of skilled people who have made the United States a world leader in technology for decades, panelists said.
Dry spell: Ventura County struggles to refill from Santa Clara River
Farms, industries and municipalities in Ventura County could see a severe reduction in the amount of water they receive from the Santa Clara River watershed and sharply higher prices if a pair of environmental challenges are successful, a top groundwater manager said Nov. 16.
Tony Morgan, groundwater department manager for the United Water Conservation District, said at a symposium in Santa Paula that the district is unlikely to be able to supply anywhere near the water this year that it has in the past because of prolonged dry weather.
Emissions cap prompts oil firm backlash
Santa Barbara County’s decision to impose a strict cap on carbon emissions from a proposed oil project puts the county at a competitive disadvantage in California and likely will cut into the money energy firms pump into the regional economy.
The Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 on Nov. 12 to require Santa Maria Energy to cap its carbon emissions at 10,000 tons per year. Santa Maria Energy had proposed 136 wells for a site near Orcutt.
Santa Barbara County’s oil is thick and viscous. In order to extract it, companies inject steam into wells to soften the oil. Burning natural gas to create the steam is what generates the bulk of carbon emissions.
With funds and new CEO, Neighborhood Clinics turn the corner
The struggling Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics nonprofit is narrowing its funding gap and has a strategic plan and new permanent CEO in place, putting it on track to become financially sustainable at a time when it looks to expand service to Goleta.
“Six months ago, we were in danger of closing our doors,” said Mark Palmer, president of the board.
