Dubroff: Small business owners not as optimistic as they should be
Despite the growing hype around Small Business Saturday, the promotion developed by American Express that’s gotten some traction in the past few years, the nation’s small business owners aren’t really that happy a bunch. Writing in a Nov. 13 report, Scott Anderson, the chief economist for Bank of the West, notes that one recent indicator Read More →
Santa Barbara scrambles to regulate pot dispensaries
Ryan Howe left a stable gig in the entertainment industry to vie for a coveted spot in Santa Barbara’s medical marijuana dispensary market. The former president of the Los Angeles-based production company Thunder Bay Pictures now aims to start one of three allowable dispensaries within city limits. “It was a philosophical change in my life,” Read More →
Dignity Health investment in Central Coast paying off
During the past five years, Dignity Health has made methodical moves to bolster the healthcare system in North Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. That strategy has paid off in improved patient care and better facilities. Now health care is emerging as an industry that attracts talent and capital. It’s an industry that has Read More →
Santa Barbara faces enforcement nightmare over short-term rentals
The city of Santa Barbara had it good. It had been controversially collecting taxes on short-term rentals since 2008 even though most were illegally operating in certain residential zones. The city earned extra revenue and only had to crack down on a handful that neighbors deemed intolerable. But the inherent conflict caught up with policy Read More →
’Tis the season to stock up on tri-county wines
It’s the most wonderful time of year for wine sales. Wineries I contacted in the region reported that November and December and the last quarter of the year are typically their strongest sales months as consumers stock up for holiday gatherings and select gifts. Customers will often spend more on a bottle this time of Read More →
Dubroff: UCSB grad school will help tech managers innovate in digital age
The Central Coast has a growing reputation as a cool place for startups. But amid dozens of new ventures and talk of a tech-centric future looms the reality of growing a fully functional technology company. Listening to the earnings calls for AppFolio and MindBody, which recently had successful IPOs, you begin to realize just how Read More →
Affordable housing projects move ahead in Santa Barbara
The region cannot build enough housing fast enough to keep up with increasing demand, economists have said at forecasts over the past two weeks. The Tri-Counties are so short on available units that it could rein in the economic expansion. But the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara is trying to make a Read More →
