Even pessimistic forecasts see bright spots on the horizon
California Lutheran University economist Bill Watkins is not going to win any prince of light awards this year. But the normally pessimistic forecaster has a few glimmers of daylight in his latest state and national prediction. For the first time, Watkins sees a turnaround in California’s economy — but it’s weak and it will only Read More →
Investors wait for answers
Now that Don Lukens has been arrested in Chicago, maybe Ventura and Santa Barbara county investors will learn what happened to their money. Millions of dollars are still missing from failed investment programs run by Lukens, who disappeared amid a flurry of law enforcement activity. Much of the reporting on the Lukens affair was reported Read More →
In our thoughts
We’ll take a few sentences to recognize Ugo Melchiori, founder of Melchiori Construction Co., and Roger Heroux, the retired head of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. Just before press time, we learned that Melchiori, patriarch of a construction company that’s been highly successful on the South Coast, passed away after a long illness. Read More →
Paso Robles: growing between the vines
Paso Robles touts itself as the wine capital of the Central Coast, and area wineries have done everything they can to uphold that image in the past year, adding thousands of square feet in expansions and remodels. In fact, construction at the wineries surrounding Paso Robles may soon outpace growth in the city itself. A Read More →
No restaurant blues at EP Koberl
The restaurant business is a notoriously tough one to succeed in, but Erich and Patricia Koberl must have had a secret recipe when they struck out on their own almost five years ago. EP Koberl at Blue, a stylish little restaurant nestled in the corner of the historic J.P. Andrews Building in downtown San Luis Read More →
