Quality guru weighs in on Toyota
With pundits, politicians and even Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak piling on Toyota Motor Co. over acceleration problems with U.S. and European models, I turned to one of the experts in quality and consumer preferences. Jamey Power is former vice president of international operations at Thousand Oaks-based J.D. Power & Associates and co-author of “Satisfaction: How Read More →
All aboard for new district
Construction has almost wrapped on the first phase of a historic project that could breathe new life into one of San Luis Obispo’s oldest districts. A nearly 100-year-old brick building is at the heart of the Railroad Square development that local store owners are counting on to bring more businesses and customers to the area. Read More →
Fatal citrus threat approaches county line
Ventura County citrus growers are bracing themselves for what could be the most dire threat their crops have ever faced. The Asian citrus psyllid, an invasive insect that can transmit an incurable, fatal disease to citrus trees, has been steadily making its way north from Mexico for months and was most recently discovered just 20 Read More →
PCBC buys time to survive
Though Pacific Capital Bancorp announced narrower losses and an intent to sell branches, the drama surrounding the fate of the struggling parent of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust is likely to continue for months. On Feb. 1, Pacific Capital, which has been under pressure from regulators to boost its capital ratios, announced a $20 million Read More →
Firm sees China in its future
Santa Barbara-based medical equipment maker TrueVision Systems plans to enter a joint venture with one of the biggest health care technology firms in China. TrueVision makes a 3-D heads-up display system that attaches to microscopes used in brain, spine and eye surgery, along with software that helps guide the surgeon’s cuts. Think “Avatar” meets neurosurgery. Read More →
Weyrich properties hit the auction block
San Luis Obispo County businessman David Weyrich gave up several large properties, including the winery named after him, at a public auction Feb. 2, the Tribune reported. Aegon, an insurance and financial services firm and one of Weyrich’s creditors, now owns the Martin and Weyrich Winery and Villa Toscana, a bed-and-breakfast near Paso Robles, as Read More →
Cuesta cuts classes
Cuesta College, a community college outside San Luis Obispo, announced Feb. 2 that its summer class offerings will be all but eliminated this year because of budget issues. The school said that the only classes to be offered this summer will be classes that support its health curriculum and classes that support the San Luis Read More →
