title https://www.pacbiztimes.com Proudly serving Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties Fri, 23 Feb 2024 20:06:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.2 Street smarts: Ventura County YMCA launches annual fundraiser https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2024/02/23/street-smarts-ventura-county-ymca-launches-annual-fundraiser/ Fri, 23 Feb 2024 20:05:59 +0000 https://www.pacbiztimes.com/?p=92479 The Southeast Ventura County YMCA has launched its 2024 annual fundraising campaign, the nonprofit announced Feb. 14.  Until March 15, the Y’s goal is to raise $200,000 so it can continue to offer its programs to all community members, regardless of an ability to pay, it said in a press release. This year’s annual fundraiser Read More →

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The Southeast Ventura County YMCA has launched its 2024 annual fundraising campaign, the nonprofit announced Feb. 14. 

Until March 15, the Y’s goal is to raise $200,000 so it can continue to offer its programs to all community members, regardless of an ability to pay, it said in a press release.

This year’s annual fundraiser is particularly special as the Southeast Ventura County YMCA is also celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024.

The YMCA‘s two no-cost signature programs are supported solely by donations.

One of the programs, Find My Genius, closes the learning gap that often occurs during summer, especially for children in low- to middle-income households. 

In 2023, Find My Genius enrolled 575 young scholars in its summer program and 287 took part in its year-round afterschool program.

The other program, Safety Around Water, is a no-cost program that teaches the basics of water safety and how to be safer near and around water. 

Last year, 720 children participated. The Y also provided $200,000 in financial assistance in 2023 to those in childcare, summer camp and teen and membership programs who could not otherwise afford to take part.

 “For 60 years, the Y has focused on giving back to our neighbors. We’re committed to providing enriching programs for children, improving the overall health of community members and being at the forefront to help people in need. Each donation made during the month-long campaign can be life-changing,” Ronnie Stone, president and CEO of the Y, said in a press release.  

Other YMCA programs include after school childcare in the Conejo Valley, Las Virgenes, Moorpark and Simi Valley school districts, summer camps, and Model United Nations and Youth & Government for middle and high schoolers.

To learn more about the fundraising campaign or to donate go to sevymca.org/annual-campaign.

GIVING PEOPLE A HOME

El Camino Homeless Organization, a SLO County-based nonprofit aimed at providing supportive services to homeless people, announced that it has helped 31 individuals and families find housing in the community so far this year. “This milestone exemplifies the impact that can be achieved when a community comes together to support our mission,” Wendy Lewis, CEO of ECHO, said in a press release. 

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

• Santa Barbara-based CIO Solutions was named to the annual CRN Managed Service Provider 500 list. The MSP 500 list aims to showcase and celebrate MSPs that are driving growth and innovation in the industry. Congrats on the honor!

• Mission Wealth announced it received the 2024 Women’s Choice Award for Best Place to Work for Women and Millennials, a testament to the firm’s ongoing commitment to creating an empowering and inclusive workplace. Congrats on the honor!

PRIDE MOVIE NIGHT
The Pacific Pride Foundation, in partnership with House Of Pride and Equality, hosted the second Pride Movie Night in Santa Maria on Feb. 21. The goal of the event was to highlight the importance of change and expanding one’s horizons. Keep an eye out for more events in the future!

BIKING FOR CANCER

The 16th Annual Tour of Paso bike ride is set to kick off on March 24, offering enthusiasts a chance to pedal through Paso Robles wine country while supporting a noble cause. Organized by the Cancer Support Community – California Central Coast, this event aims to raise funds to aid local cancer patients, survivors, and their families. Learn more at tourofpaso.org.

PLANE PULL 

The Santa Barbara Airport, along with Alaska Airlines and Atlantic Aviation, will host the Alpha Resource Center’s third  annual Plane Pull fundraiser on March 2, where teams will compete to pull a nearly 100,000-pound Alaska Airlines Embraer 175 aircraft with a rope for a distance of 20-feet in the fastest time possible. Learn more at: alphasb.org/plane-pull. 

FINAL SCENES

SCHOOL FAIR: The Santa Barbara County Education Office is hosting its second job fair on Feb. 24 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. to help schools and district offices attract more workers.

HELP WANTED: The American Red Cross Pacific Coast Chapter is seeking volunteers to help install more than 180 free smoke alarms for local families during a Sound the Alarm home fire safety event in Santa Maria on Feb. 24. Learn more at SoundTheAlarm.org/CCR.

SBMA CONCERT: The Santa Barbara Museum of Art is hosting the acclaimed Ying Quartet for a chamber music concert on Feb. 27 starting at 7:30 p.m.

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Street smarts: Paso Robles winery receives industry’s award of excellence https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2023/07/17/street-smarts-paso-robles-winery-receives-industrys-award-of-excellence/ Mon, 17 Jul 2023 17:40:40 +0000 https://www.pacbiztimes.com/?p=89926 This article is only available to Business Times subscribers Subscribers: LOG IN or REGISTER for complete digital access. Not a Subscriber? SUBSCRIBE for full access to our weekly newspaper, online edition and Book of Lists. Check the STATUS of your Subscription Account.

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Street smarts: Ronald Reagan Foundation hands out 11 GE scholarships https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2023/07/07/street-smarts-ronald-reagan-foundation-hands-out-11-ge-scholarships/ Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:29:00 +0000 https://www.pacbiztimes.com/?p=89782 This article is only available to Business Times subscribers Subscribers: LOG IN or REGISTER for complete digital access. Not a Subscriber? SUBSCRIBE for full access to our weekly newspaper, online edition and Book of Lists. Check the STATUS of your Subscription Account.

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Alaska Airlines to offer daily non-stop flights to Las Vegas from SLO Airport https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2023/06/19/alaska-airlines-to-offer-daily-non-stop-flights-to-las-vegas/ Mon, 19 Jun 2023 22:36:18 +0000 https://www.pacbiztimes.com/?p=89543 Alaska Airlines will begin daily nonstop flights from San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Dec. 15, the airline announced June 15. “Alaska launched service between Seattle and San Luis Obispo in 2017,” Neil Thwaites, the airline’s regional vice president of California, said in a press release. Read More →

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Passenger traffic grew nearly 15 percent in the first quarter of the calendar year at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.

Alaska Airlines will begin daily nonstop flights from San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Dec. 15, the airline announced June 15.

“Alaska launched service between Seattle and San Luis Obispo in 2017,” Neil Thwaites, the airline’s regional vice president of California, said in a press release.

“Since then, we’ve been excited to grow our San Luis Obispo service by adding flights to San Diego, and Portland, and now with the support of the community, we’re adding flights to Las Vegas, one of the most popular destinations without nonstop service,” he said.

Courtney Johnson, San Luis Obispo County’s airport’s director, said the growing demand for travel between San Luis Obispo and Las Vegas drove the decision to introduce the new service.

“We anticipate that the LAS-SBP route will contribute to increased passenger traffic, benefiting our airport and the region as a whole,” Johnson said.

Chuck Davison, president/CEO of Visit SLO CAL, which promotes tourism to San Luis Obispo, said the region has been in great demand by Las Vegas travelers.

“This continued growth in air service is critical to supporting local business development and creating access to additional one-stop markets,” he said.

At its current pace, 2023 is projected to be the busiest year in the history of San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, according to the release.

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Street smarts: Community Memorial welcomes new board chair https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2023/03/23/street-smarts-community-memorial-welcomes-new-board-chair/ Fri, 24 Mar 2023 00:22:00 +0000 https://www.pacbiztimes.com/?p=83525 This article is only available to Business Times subscribers Subscribers: LOG IN or REGISTER for complete digital access. Not a Subscriber? SUBSCRIBE for full access to our weekly newspaper, online edition and Book of Lists. Check the STATUS of your Subscription Account.

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Santa Barbara powers tourism rebound on the coast https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2023/02/02/santa-barbara-powers-tourism-rebound-on-the-coast/ Thu, 02 Feb 2023 23:10:13 +0000 https://www.pacbiztimes.com/?p=76867 Despite potential headwinds going into 2023, Santa Barbara had a lot to celebrate in in the past year with regards to the success in the tourism sector. For the second year in a row, Santa Barbara saw growth, even reaching pre-pandemic levels, Kathy Janega-Dykes, Visit Santa Barbara’s president and CEO said during the Tourism Summit Read More →

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Kathy Janega-Dykes, preisdent and CEO of Visit Santa Barbara, speaking during the tourism summit. (Courtesy Photo)

Despite potential headwinds going into 2023, Santa Barbara had a lot to celebrate in in the past year with regards to the success in the tourism sector.

For the second year in a row, Santa Barbara saw growth, even reaching pre-pandemic levels, Kathy Janega-Dykes, Visit Santa Barbara’s president and CEO said during the Tourism Summit at the Cabrillo Pavilion on Jan. 26.

The Tourism Summit is hosted by Visit Santa Barbara yearly and serves as the tourism industry association for Santa Barbara, Goleta, Montecito and Summerland. Janega-Dykes provided tourism businesses an update on the state of the industry.

“(Last year) was the year we rebuilt hotel occupancy levels and brought leisure industry jobs back to pre-pandemic levels,” said Janega-Dykes. “It’s also the year when our guests were willing to pay 10% more for the Santa Barbara experience than any year on record.”

These highlights translates to Santa Barbara’s first year with hotel room revenue topping a half a billion dollars. Additionally, the Santa Barbara airport was able to report a 20% increase in passenger capacity over the last year.

Despite more recent figurative and literal stormy conditions, Janega-Dykes has a sunny outlook headed into 2023. Visit Santa Barbara has dozens of ads across various different platforms in order to promote Santa Barbara and the South Coast as not only a seasonal destination but a good getaway for road trip commuters as well.

Visit Santa Barbara has also been partnering with local businesses to advocate for the connection between workforce development and recruitment.

“This is the sort of level that our visitors expect. They want businesses open and at capacity,” said Janega-Dykes.

Clayton Reid, CEO of MMGY Global and a board member for the U.S. Travel Association, was the keynote speaker and gave his take on the recession facing the U.S.

While the International Monetary Fund has declared that two-thirds of the world will be in a recession by the end of the year, the U.S. has been in a technical recession since last year, following the two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, Reid said.

As such, the travel industry could see some pullback.

“American household savings were at historic highs in 2020, 33% of American households were saving the most they’ve ever had in their lives. Now we’re down to Americans saving just 2%,” said Reid. “Americans have more revolving credit debt than they’ve had in two decades… The good news is, when people take on that debt, they tend to use it for travel.”

During the pandemic, airlines offered smaller travel routs between more niche locales — places like Santa Barbara.

But with traditional pricing, travel routes and passenger capacity reaching normal levels, those smaller destination trips are becoming priced out again, Reid said.

He also discussed some positives for Santa Barbara, such as the potential influx of families, especially affluent families, in the leisure travel market.

Business travel recovery is also not too far behind, with 83% of workers saying they want to take a trip in the next three months.

Reid also said generational wealth as a driver for the travel industry.

He stated that while millennials were set to become one of the most affluent cohorts ever, they are currently valued at half of their parents’ net worth.

Whereas their parents spent two weeks in Buenos Aires, millennials take road trips two hours away for three days. Not necessarily a bad thing for a place like Santa Barbara.

Meanwhile Gen Z is set to inherit $68 trillion as a generation, making them the wealthiest on record. They may be living at home, but they are saving on rent and building portfolios at the same time, he said.

Overall, Reid was adamant that the tourism industry needs to fit their marketing needs to specific demographics of generations coming up or face the consequences of losing out on said markets.

Baby boomers, currently the wealthiest generation, also report a high disability rate. Adjusting the market to the 1 in 4 who identify as having a disability will draw more visitors, and Santa Barbara does a relatively stellar job with its accessibility features already.

“There’s a growing pool of disabled travelers who will travel if you make it easy for them,” said Reid.

Modern travel looks a lot different these days, with the average person mostly booking online. Reid said the average person visits about 34 different travels per day before settling on a final deal.

This phenomenon will likely only continue in the coming years, whether it’s because of the large influence of Google or the TikTok culture that has romanticized traveling to the younger generation, Reid said.

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Ritz-Carlton Bacara sold as part of $3.8B deal https://www.pacbiztimes.com/2022/05/16/ritz-carlton-bacara-sold-as-part-of-3-8b-deal/ Mon, 16 May 2022 21:22:50 +0000 https://www.pacbiztimes.com/?p=72095 This article is only available to Business Times subscribers Subscribers: LOG IN or REGISTER for complete digital access. Not a Subscriber? SUBSCRIBE for full access to our weekly newspaper, online edition and Book of Lists. Check the STATUS of your Subscription Account.

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