Elings named top philanthropist
A colon cancer diagnosis at age 67 prompted retired UC Santa Barbara Physics Professor Virgil Elings to underwrite the cost of free colonoscopies for residents of the South Coast who cannot afford them or don’t have insurance coverage. And that spontaneous gift to the community was honored Nov. 14 as Elings was named Philanthropist of Read More →
Clean Diesel’s Pirelli deal scuttled
Clean Diesel said Nov. 12 that it and the Italian auto parts firm had decided to cancel a project launched earlier this year that brought Clean Diesel’s catalytic converter coatings to Europe.
McGraths honored at conservation awards
Ventura County’s McGrath family took home top honors at the fourth annual Resource Conservation District awards, in a program that was bittersweet for one of the region’s top farming families. Phil McGrath, a farmer who embraced organics and the farm-to-table movement when others still focused on conventionally-grown crops and global markets, was the winner of Read More →
Paso Robles named Wine Region of the Year
Paso Robles wine country has been named Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine, beating out long-established players.
Startup Weekend returns to Santa Barbara
Startup Weekend is gearing up for its return to Santa Barbara on Nov. 15-17. The event is a three-day creative sprint that brings together technical experts, designers and business minds to create a company idea over a weekend. The idea took off with support from the Kauffman Foundation, Microsoft and Google, with local groups organizing Read More →
Murdock completes buyout of Dole Food Co.

Dole Food Co. CEO and Chairman David Murdock has completed a buyout of the company, a deal that takes the Westlake Village-based produce giant private and values it at $1.6 billion.
The merger was approved by shareholders on Oct. 31, the company said. Dole shares will cease trading on the New York Stock Exchange at the close of business on Nov. 1.