Chrysler struggles in E. Ventura County
As reports surface that Chrysler may cut a quarter of its franchises across the nation, nervous Ventura County auto dealerships are struggling to stand out in an industry that has been crushed by higher fuel prices, the economy and shifting customer tastes. [Editor’s note: Read a related story about Chrysler dealerships in the Tri-Counties here.] Read More →
Jesusita tests region
Santa Barbara is the kind of place that in normal times wraps visitors in a warm, soft, fuzzy cocoon. Even on the hottest days of summer, there’s a coolness in the air that cuts through the sunshine. But the cocoon that wrapped its arms around the city for 96 hours starting May 5 was not Read More →
Veterans to soon get new home in Saticoy after 16-year wait
After 16 years of planning, negotiations and compromise, Ventura County will get the veterans’ home it has been waiting for. At 60 beds, the $26.5 million Saticoy facility is much smaller than originally envisioned, but construction is on track and the site is supposed to open late this summer, said a representative from the California Read More →
SLO Chamber takes labor bill fight to D.C.
In early June, a small delegation from the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce will head to Washington, D.C., on a mission of great importance to businesses across our region. Chamber President Dave Garth and several area business leaders will speak to a number of representatives, notably Sen. Dianne Feinstein, about the Employee Free Choice Read More →
UCSB gets last word on oil seeps
Scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, have documented something we’ve suspected for years. Those nasty seeps off the Channel coast are worse polluters than the Exxon Valdez — by a factor of 10 or more. Preliminary research from UCSB and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has determined that the oil seeps have leaked Read More →
Earthquake rattles Ojai
An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale shook Ventura County at 1:27 p.m. May 8. The quake was centered 4 miles east of Ojai, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of damage from the quake, which was located at a depth of 4.1, according to the USGS. Are you Read More →
Occam lays off workers
Santa Barbara-based Occam Networks on May 7 shed 22 employees or about 10 percent of its workforce, the company said in a press release. Occam had 215 full-time employees at the end of 2008, the company said in regulatory filings in March. Occam said it would incur about $200,000 in termination costs because of the Read More →
