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 →
Grit still best predictor of success
By Renee Rock One good old-fashioned job skill is still the key to success. As the middle child in a large 1950s-era family, I had to work hard to earn the attention of my hardworking blue-collar father. Like many in single-income families, my father worked long hours, often putting in overtime to make ends meet. Read More →
Minimum wage and salary increases — a ripple effect or a tsunami?
By Jon Light You may have heard that California will have a minimum wage of $15 by 2022. But there are ramifications beyond that gradual increase that employers may not have considered. In April, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a minimum wage increase to $15 per hour, phased in over five years between 2017 Read More →
Protect elderly from information scammers
By Paul D. Witman “Knowledge (information) is power.” — Francis Bacon, 1597 Edward, 82, bought long-term-care insurance 25 years ago. But when circumstances conspired to force him to make claims against it, his provider delivered a perfect storm of information problems — confusing deadlines, conflicting bills and poor customer service. What should have been a Read More →
Skies won’t be friendly in Santa Maria anymore
Santa Maria’s relationship with United Airlines was set up for a breakup a year ago when the Chicago-based carrier stopped flying to Los Angeles and shifted its connecting flights to San Francisco. The final blow came Aug. 1 when United announced a suspension of the SFO flights this fall. The Santa Maria-San Francisco service was Read More →