Amgen profts blaze past expectations
Thousand Oaks-based Amgen on Oct. 22 posted third-quarter profits of $1.16 billion, or $1.09 a share, beating analyst expectations. Revenue also beat expectations, rising to $3.8 billion, or 7 percent, compared to last year’s $3.6 billion. In after-hours trading, shares of Amgen, the world’s largest biotech firm by market capitalization, rose to the $54 range, Read More →
College to build 2 structures
Groundbreaking ceremonies are planned for 10 a.m. Oct. 23 for the Adams Center for the Visual Arts and Winter Hall for Science and Mathematics at Westmont College. The college board Oct. 9 approved groundbreaking for both buildings. The ceremony will be at Porter College on the Montecito campus.
SB median prices decline
Median home prices in the city of Santa Barbara fell below $800,000 for the first time in five years, a report by Equity Title and Keith Berry Real Estate showed. The report for September said median prices in Santa Barbara were $790,000 based on 63 transactions. In September 2003 the median price was $750,000 and Read More →
Paso lodging BID advances
The Paso Robles City Council on Oct. 7 unanimously voted to allow the Lodging Business Improvement District, or BID, advisory board to be formed. The city’s hotel owners are now being asked to approve a plan to form the BID, which could raise about half a million dollars annually to promote tourism in the area. Read More →
Settlements coming soon
Victims of 1031 exchange scammers Southwest Exchange and Qualified Exchange Services, or QES, soon could be recovering portions of the estimated $98 million swindled from 130 clients, according to Santa Barbara law firm Hollister & Brace, which is representing the class of victims. A 1031 exchange allows investors to defer capital gains taxes when Read More →
Ventura County emergency declared
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles and Ventura counties Oct. 14 after two wildfires burned more than 18,100 acres of land and killed two people. The fires in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles were fed by heavy winds and have forced hundreds of people to flee, Read More →
Airport in holding pattern
The frozen bond market claimed another potential victim in mid-October when the city of Santa Barbara said it might shelve plans for a bond issue to pay for major improvements to the biggest airport in the Tri-Counties. It makes sense not to overpay for financing costs for big capital projects like the $60 million Read More →
