Unemployment drops in state and region
Unemployment in the tri-county region dropped to near pre-pandemic levels in November, at a combined rate of 4.1% for Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, according to data released Dec. 17 by the California Employment Development Department. All three counties had significantly lower unemployment rates than the state as a whole, which reported Read More →
Edison faces $550M bill for Thomas, Woolsey, other fires
Southern California Edison is facing more than $500 million in state penalties and disallowances for its role in five Southern California wildfires in the company’s territory in 2017 and 2018, including the massive Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. On Dec. 16, the California Public Utilities Commission announced it approved penalties and permanent Read More →
Region’s airports get $8.4M in federal funds
The first installments of federal funding from President Joe Biden’s $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law are headed to the Tri-Counties, in the form of grants to upgrade the region’s airports. Following Biden’s signing of the infrastructure bill last month, the initial round of funds will deliver more than $8.4 million to airports on the Central Read More →
Glass House secures loan of up to $100M to retrofit Camarillo greenhouses for cannabis
A few months after purchasing the Houweling’s Tomatoes property in Camarillo, cannabis grower Glass House Group has secured the funding necessary to upgrade the greenhouse facility. Glass House announced Dec. 13 it has acquired a senior secured term loan agreement with a U.S.-based private credit investment fund for up to $100 million, with an initial Read More →
Final member of Inogen’s founding team to leave company
Ali Bauerlein, one of Inogen’s co-founders, has stepped down from her post as the company’s CFO, effective immediately on Dec. 13. According to a company news release, Mike Sergesketter has been appointed interim CFO while Inogen look to fill the position. Bauerlein will stay at Inogen in a transitional finance role through the first quarter Read More →
Habit founders to sell remaining restaurants, including original Goleta spot
After 45 years as legendary Santa Barbara restaurateurs, the Reichard brothers are kicking The Habit. Their wildly successful chain, The Habit Burger Grill, was sold years ago and is now under the Yum Brands umbrella, along with Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell. But Brent and Bruce Reichard kept eight Habit restaurants in Santa Barbara Read More →
Dubroff: Region starts to build a culture of corporate giving
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