The lesson learned from BuenaVentura
OpinionOne of the things we are learning about the current financial crisis is that banks operate best when they really operate as banks. When it was launched a year ago, Banco Buenaventura looked like a great idea for serving the Hispanic community. And we gave the brains behind the institution the benefit of the doubt Read More →
Tuning in profits
Personal FinanceThe raucous public debate over health care reform has given shares of Camarillo-based Salem Communications a healthy 375 percent boost. Salem owns a nationwide network of Christian and conservative talk radio stations. Opponents of health care reform have spent millions to get their message out to just such an audience, and investors seem to think Salem Read More →
Region loses reputation as safe haven for jobs
UncategorizedThe Tri-Counties have historically faired well in bad times, but the latest unemployment figures released by the U.S. Labor Department show that California’s budget woes and the nationwide recession may have finally begun to catch up to the region. While the highest unemployment rate in the Tri-Counties is in Ventura County, Santa Barbara and San Read More →
Riding it out
Small BusinessTri-county surf shops have taken quite a beating during the past year’s storm of changing retail trends, poor surfing conditions and a down economy. Now they’re looking for new ways to ride it out. Doug Yartz, owner and manager of Goleta-based surf shop Surf Country, could only sum up his store’s sales performance in one Read More →
