Guest commentary: A case study in smart growth on the Central Coast
Latest news, Op/Eds, OpinionBy Jocelyn Brennan Drive down West Grand Avenue in Grover Beach today, and it is hard to remember that this corridor once sat quiet and overlooked. For decades, the “West End” of Grover Beach was an area locals passed through on their way to Pismo or the dunes. Few lingered, and fewer still imagined that Read More →
Guest commentary: How commercial credit cards can improve cash flow, efficiency and security for your business
Latest news, Op/Eds, OpinionBy Joey Heinrich In the business-to-business (B2B) world, checks have long been the preferred method of payment, but the rise of electronic options is changing the payables landscape. According to the Association for Financial Professionals’ (AFP) 2025 Digital Payments Survey, 76% of organizations plan to update their payments strategy within the next three years. Exploring Read More →
Guest commentary: Santa Barbara County doesn’t have a revenue problem — It has a spending problem
Latest news, Op/Eds, OpinionBy Mike Stoker Santa Barbara County is at a crossroads, and once again, local officials are looking to the pockets of hardworking residents to solve a crisis of their own making. The proposal to hike the local sales tax from 7.75% to 8.75% is not just a minor adjustment; it is a profound betrayal of Read More →
Guest commentary: 2026 Economic outlook: The K factors
Latest news, Op/Eds, OpinionBy Eric Kelley Economic growth was surprisingly robust in2025, despite the numerous fireworks in Washington, D.C., and some challenging periods for the financial markets. We experienced a painful market sell-off in April following the initiation of the new tariff campaign, but that trend reversed quickly as it became clear that the tariffs may not be Read More →
Guest commentary: How AI agents and robots are rewriting the future of work
Latest news, Op/Eds, OpinionBy Vlad Vaiman Artificial intelligence may be the most significant workforce revolution since the advent of electricity. But whereas earlier automation displaced human muscle with machines, today’s digital transformation involves learning to work alongside intelligent systems. AI agents that can do more and more sophisticated cognitive tasks, robots that can navigate physical spaces with more Read More →
Guest commentary: Do you see what I see? Why preparation trumps prediction
Latest news, Op/Eds, OpinionBy John Grace Learning from history is priceless — yet investors seem determined to relearn the same lessons the hard way. You’ve probably never heard of Jesse Livermore. He ran away from home with just $5, became one of the most legendary traders of all time, and made (and lost) several fortunes. Livermore was famous Read More →
Guest commentary: What Central Coast businesses should reassess in 2026
Op/Eds, OpinionBy Starr Hall As the new year begins, many businesses across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties are carrying AI tools into 2026 the same way they carried gym memberships into January- full of intention, but not always clarity. Over the past year, artificial intelligence moved quickly from novelty to necessity. Companies experimented with Read More →
