Direct Relief International rooted in Santa Barbara
In a region that takes pride in its philanthropic organizations, nothing stands out like Direct Relief International. Founded as a humanitarian organization by immigrants who fled the horrors of World War II, DRI is the nation’s ninth largest U.S. charity, according to Forbes, and by most measures one of the most cost-effective organizations of its Read More →
Mayors deserve a say in Diablo Canyon closure
Cities that form the heart of the San Luis Obispo County economy should not become collateral damage as PG&E works out a plan to shutter the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant. On Sept. 15, the mayors of San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Paso Robles and Pismo Beach took what they called an “unprecedented Read More →
Geringer had a lock on hardware devices
When the Business Times handed out its Family Business Awards in 2012, we recognized Art Geringer, an entrepreneur who was happily showing up at the office every day at age 89. Geringer was a pioneer in building safety who devised a fail-safe lock that allows people to exit high rise buildings in case of an Read More →
Ventura tax measure key to revitalizing the city
This November is shaping up to be a pivotal election year — especially when it comes to the future of Ventura County. Already on the ballot are a countywide measure to provide transportation improvements on the Highway 101 corridor and far beyond. And there will be dueling ballot measures to chart the future of SOAR, Read More →
Brown should not sign farmworker overtime bill
With the farmworker overtime pay bill headed to Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk, we’re writing to warn that many of the quick fixes to contemporary problems are not what they appear to be. In a year where Bernie Sanders ignited the Democratic Party with his appeal to the issue of social injustice, the impulse to seize Read More →
Scary fires fact of life in the Tri-Counties
The fires raging up and down the Central Coast remind us of the vulnerability we all face and the historical importance of the environment we pay taxes to protect. The Chimney Fire that briefly threatened the Hearst Castle and the Rey Fire, which appeared to envelope the Santa Ynez Valley in smoke and flame when Read More →
Area code overlay better than breaking up the 805
With the California Public Utilities Commission ready to hold hearings on the future of the 805 area code, the easy call for this newspaper is to urge the CPUC to adopt a so-called “overlay” solution. With an overlay, the existing area code remains intact and a new set of three numbers introduces a new area Read More →
