Santa Barbara County’s economy relies heavily on its billion-dollar tourism and agricultural industries, two of the fastest-growing sectors of California’s economy by number of jobs. But those are also industries with highly seasonal workforces and generally low-paying wages.
The cruise ship industry had an estimated $2.4 million economic impact on Santa Barbara last year, with more than 50,000 passengers visiting the city, according to a recently released survey.
Construction on a 17,000-square-foot Children’s Museum in Santa Barbara kicks off this summer. Area general contractor Armstrong Associates has been tapped to build the new museum at 125 State St., adjacent to the train station.
With so much attention focused lately on water issues in Paso Robles, I was curious about the vintners who direct a kind of tough love to their vines known as dry farming.
Toy magnate and Santa Barbara hotelier Ty Warner has avoided prison time, instead landing probation and community service at a Jan. 14 court hearing in Chicago.
Tourism numbers for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties have topped pre-recession figures in recent years and that upward climb is expected to continue in 2014.
After several false starts over the years, the Fess Parker family is moving forward with revised plans for its second waterfront hotel in Santa Barbara, one of a few hotel developments in the city that could see progress in the New Year.
