Editorial: Gorell-Brownley fight could top $10M if race tightens
The implications of the Gorell vs. Brownley race for California’s 26th Congressional District will be felt up and down the ticket on the November 2014 ballot in Ventura County, according to California Lutheran University’s veteran political watcher Herb Gooch.
Editorial: 26th District race raises Naval Base’s profile
The race could turn on a single issue: The future of the district’s largest employer, Naval Base Ventura County. In remarks to the Ventura County Economic Development Association on Dec. 3, State Assemblyman Jeff Gorell said that the area faces “no greater challenge” than retaining the roughly 20,000 civilian and military jobs at the base, which sprawls across two complexes along the county shoreline.
Editorial: Highway 101 innovation corridor needs public-private partners
The idea of creating a Highway 101 innovation corridor got a jump start on Nov. 21 when a group of entrepreneurs and supporters of entrepreneurship gathered at UC Santa Barbara. The meeting was the result of considerable spadework by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, and her staff, who have visited with many of the organizations promoting entrepreneurship in the Tri-Counties. Dubbed the “SLO to T.O.” corridor at the meeting, the group included representatives from UCSB, California Lutheran University, Santa Barbara City College and CSU Channel Islands.
Editorial: Lawsuits could derail Paso water fix
Depending on whether and how the county government elects to fight back against the suits, the legal actions could lead to what’s known as adjudication, in which courts oversee how water rights are allocated in the basin. This happened in Santa Maria, with proceedings dragging out over a decade and costs topping $11 million.
Editorial: Find local solutions first for Paso Robles water problems
North San Luis Obispo County has become ground zero for a debate over groundwater use and storage that’s spreading across the Highway 101 corridor.
A large area that includes portions of northeastern Paso Robles and inches toward the Monterey County line has been the subject of a heated debate about future water supplies and groundwater management. These days, two groups — the Paso Robles Agricultural Alliance for Groundwater Solutions, which seeks the creation of a California Water District to add new supplies, and PRO Water Equity, which opposes the ag group — are vying for public support.
