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By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, March 29th, 2010 / Opinion / Comments Off on Can the government make health care work?
With speed that seemed amazing for a Congress that never seems in a hurry to do anything, nearly $1 trillion in new spending on health care has become the law of the land. While most pundits are focused on the upcoming political season and what it might mean for the Democrats and control of Congress, Read More →
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By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, March 29th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Limoneira readies for Wall Street
Santa Paula-based Limoneira is ready to put a sour year behind it as it gears up to become a fully publicly traded company in coming months. In mid-February, the citrus and avocado giant filed papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission to begin trading its shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The move to Wall Read More →
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By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, March 29th, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Dining dilemma
Fine dining is a tough business in downtown Santa Barbara. Even a helping hand from a Hollywood star sometimes isn’t enough to pull a family business through. Consider Epiphany Restaurant & Bar. After eight and a half years in business and backing from onetime co-owner Kevin Costner, the Academy Award-winning actor who maintains a villa Read More →
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By Staff Report / Wednesday, March 24th, 2010 / Latest news / Comments Off on First California nets $39 million in stock sale
Westlake Village-based First California Financial Group, parent of First California Bank, closed a public stock offering March 24 that netted it about $39 million. The bank, which has about $1.5 billion in assets and seven branches in the Tri-Counties, sold 16.56 million shares at $2.50 each for a total of about $41.4 million. Chief Executive Read More →
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By Staff Report / Monday, March 22nd, 2010 / Latest news / Comments Off on The Walking Co. to exit Ch. 11 in April
Santa Barbara-based shoe retailer The Walking Co. said March 22 that it could emerge from its $68.5 million Chapter 11 bankruptcy by the end of April. In December, the company took on mall landlords by filing to reorganize, citing untenable leases it signed during what company leaders called a “high water mark for retail space.” Read More →
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By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, March 22nd, 2010 / Opinion / Comments Off on A new Santa Barbara can lead rebound
Among the region’s larger cities, Camarillo probably has the strongest retail environment — and a much better-than-average fiscal position. Oxnard, Santa Maria and Paso Robles probably have some of the best long-term growth prospects, thanks to affordable housing and a pro-business attitude. San Luis Obispo has a dynamic new city manager with a laser-like focus Read More →
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By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff / Monday, March 22nd, 2010 / Top Stories / Comments Off on Products power Semtech growth
Camarillo chipmaker Semtech Corp.’s $180 million, all-cash acquisition of an Orange County firm is paying off with profits and a new product mix analysts say sets the semiconductor company up for steady, high-margin growth in coming years. In December, Semtech, which has a market capitalization of about $1.1 billion and makes chips for consumer products Read More →