Op/ed: Sometimes you need a fire to set off sparks at your company
By Scott Harris Although it’s a controversial notion to some, most of those who manage our parklands have accepted the idea that forest fires can be good. This idea has even moved beyond letting natural fires continue to burn. We actually have a policy, Hazard Reduction Burning, of starting controlled fires. The theory — and Read More →
Op/ed: No easy answers in affirmative action debate
Last month, a federal appeals court revived the longstanding debate over affirmative action when it ruled that a race-conscious admissions policy at the University of Texas at Austin was constitutional.
Op/ed: Collaboration is the key to ending hunger in the Tri-Counties
During the past five years, Ventura County FOOD Share has gone from serving 33,000 people per month to more than 74,500 today.
Op/ed: Obamacare, and where we go from here
By Jim Wisdom The early results are in for the Affordable Care Act. What are the results and who are the early winners and losers? More importantly, what should we expect in 2015 and beyond? In California, 3.1 million people enrolled in a health-insurance plan through either Covered California, the state’s new health care exchange, Read More →
Dubroff: The role of a 21st Century chamber is economic development
Zoe Taylor had literally packed her bags the night before in Paso Robles when I caught up with her on her way home to Ventura. She had just wrapped up her fifth assignment as an interim chamber of commerce CEO, including a stint in Santa Barbara, Huntington Beach, Manhattan Beach and Kingman, Arizona. Before that, Read More →
Op/ed: Scholarships are investments that pay dividends for generations
Higher education remains transformative for many students and their families. It is truly an investment that will pay dividends for generations.
Op/ed: The Bob Hatch legacy, and lessons learned from a great mentor
By Gina Keough I joined the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce team in 1999. As staff, we saw President and CEO Bob Hatch’s business side, his military side, his funny side, his serious side, his angry side and his human side. Perhaps a better title than president and CEO would be “mentor.” What makes Read More →
