Dubroff: Race for Lois Capps’ House seat mirrors national politics
Once a gerrymandered district known as the “ribbon of shame” for wrapping up Democratic strongholds, the safe House seat held for two decades by Democrat Lois Capps is looking more and more like national politics in microcosm. Capps’ decision not to run in California’s 24th Congressional District created a wide open field that was narrowed Read More →
Fraud charges cap sad demise of Melchiori
It was an iconic company among general contractors and its rise marked a pivot point in Santa Barbara’s emergence as a hub for tourism and technology in the 1990s. Ugo Melchiori, an immigrant from Northern Italy, turned skills as a craftsman into a business that, beginning in the late 1980s, was nearly as powerful as Read More →
Policy normalization must continue
By Dan E. Hamilton Since 2008, the Federal Reserve has been engaged in an unprecedented experiment, one without any economic theory to recommend it. Its policies are internally inconsistent. Some work to restrict credit. Others ease credit. The 2007 failure of New Century Financial, a leading subprime lender, did not derail the economy. However, when Read More →
Strawberry crop insurance changes topic of meetings
Western Growers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency announced June 8 that they will host two meetings to discuss changes to the Strawberry Crop Insurance Program. The program has provided federally subsidized insurance for strawberry growers since it was created in 2012. It protects growers in Santa Barbara, Ventura and several other Read More →
Plains’ request to seal oil spill transcripts opposed
Prosecutors have filed opposing motions to Plains All American Pipeline’s request to seal the transcripts of its indictment from the Refugio oil spill. The motion claims that Plains did not give the public sufficient time — at least 10 days before the June 2 hearing date — for the public to process the request. Grand Read More →
Lois Capps’ Pipeline Safety Act passes House
The Pipeline Safety Act, a bill that aims to improve federal oil and gas pipeline safety regulation, passed the House, U.S. Rep. Lois Capps’ office announced on June 8. Capps, D-Santa Barbara, authored the bill after last year’s Refugio oil spill, the consequences of which are still playing out throughout the Tri-Counties. This bill aims Read More →
Amgen’s new drug for migraines shows promise
Thousand Oaks-based Amgen said a drug being developed in collaboration with Novartis showed promising results in providing relief for patients suffering from chronic migraines. The Phase 2 clinical trial met benchmarks for migraine reduction at two levels of dosage and with limited side effects. “Migraine is the sixth-leading cause of disability worldwide. Three to seven Read More →
