March 24, 2026

		

Jorge Mercado

Jorge Mercado is a staff writer with the Business Times. His beats include technology, agriculture, cannabis, energy and the environment, and higher education.


| Wednesday, March 18th, 2026

Avocado pricing hurts Mission Produce sales, stock

Agribusiness, Earnings, Latest news, middle, Tri-County Public Companies

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| Wednesday, March 18th, 2026

UCSB Chancellor wants to extend reach into downtown

Central Coast, Higher Education, Latest news, left, Subscriber content, Technology

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| Wednesday, March 18th, 2026

Majestic sells Tech Park porfolio for South Coast record $235M, according to public records

Columns, Latest news, Real Estate, Santa Barbara County, South Coast, Subscriber content, Top Stories, Top Story

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| Monday, March 16th, 2026

Community West Bank receives regulatory approval for merger

Banking & Finance, Central Coast, Latest news

Community West Bancshares, the parent company of Community West Bank, announced March 16 that the required regulatory approvals for its merger with United Security Bank from federal and state entities have been granted, paving the way for the deal to go through. The deal, first announced in December, is expected to close by the second Read More →

| Monday, March 16th, 2026

AeroVironment purchases SLO-based ES Aero for $200M

Latest news, San Luis Obispo County, Technology, Top Stories, Top Story, Ventura County

San Luis Obispo-based Empirical Systems Aerospace, a producer of unmanned aircraft systems, has been purchased by a fellow Central Coast company. Announced March 16, AeroVironment, which is based in Virginia, but houses major operations in its former headquarters of Simi Valley, purchased ES Aero in a deal worth approximately $200 million.  According to details of Read More →

| Friday, March 13th, 2026

CRE: National CRE firm expands into Santa Barbara

Central Coast, Columns, Latest news, Real Estate, Subscriber content

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| Friday, March 13th, 2026

Indoor pickleball court opening soon in Santa Barbara

Latest news, Santa Barbara County, Subscriber content, Top Stories, Top Story

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