Refugio oil spill raises important questions for South Coast
The estimated 105,000-gallon oil spill that will ruin Memorial Day for thousands of visitors to Refugio State Beach in Santa Barbara County is a reminder of how much environmental issues have become economic stories. Santa Barbara County is so heavily dependent on hotel-related taxes that it literally can’t afford the kind of environmental disaster that Read More →
Virtual currency is finding global niches
By Lisa Spiwak This month, there has been a major event in the world of American finance. On May 7, itBit became America’s first national regulatory-compliant Bitcoin exchange. This is a very big deal because it paves the way for customers to now feel more comfortable with virtual currency, which appears to be one of Read More →
UCSB alone can’t fix Isla Vista safety woes
Just about a year ago, Elliott Rodger went on a violent rampage, killing six people and himself in Isla Vista. Memories of that tragic Memorial Day weekend flooded back into the headlines on May 12 as reports surfaced of another shooting, this time two suspects shot and severely injured two students in another grisly incident Read More →
Baltimore takes meaningful step back after night of chaos
Tragedy and redemption is a theme that runs through American history. A new chapter has just been written in Baltimore, the place that is home to our national anthem, itself a story of survival in the face of war and invasion. The scene of race riots in the civil war and an industrial decline that Read More →
State of region report pinpoints dwindling middle class
As any regular reader of the Pacific Coast Business Times knows, there is no shortage of experts and organizations churning out reports and studies and economic forecasts for our region. Why, then, did the Ventura County Civic Alliance decide to add to this plenitude by turning its State of the Region Report from an every-five-years Read More →
Why opportunity matters
By Adam Hill I recently had the privilege of honoring MindBody at the opening of their campus in San Luis Obispo. As I gazed out at a sea of people — most in commemorative T-shirts identifying them as employees — my throat swelled with excitement. Why was I overcome in that moment, and why have Read More →
A message for Mother’s Day
By Lisa Spiwak All of us mothers fiercely love our children. We would do anything to help them. Unfortunately many of our American mothers have chosen ways to help their children that may be counterproductive. This is a fairly recent phenomenon in our history termed, “the helicopter mom syndrome.” Helicopter moms are so named because, Read More →
