Drug lord crackdown may be Oxnard
Ventura County District Attorney Greg Totten made a splash in the newspapers on March 30 when he announced plans to extradite a jailed Mexican drug lord known as “Don Pepe” for trial on charges related to drug trafficking. If the extradition proceeds as planned, Jose Antonio Medina, 36, will face numerous charges in a Ventura Read More →
A green future
The green economy holds great promise for the tri-county region. With thousands of jobs at stake, some interesting new players are emerging on the economic development scene. Sen. Tony Strickland, the Republican who won the narrowest of victories in a contested district, scored points when he backed a bill to exempt green manufacturing equipment from Read More →
Can the government make health care work?
With speed that seemed amazing for a Congress that never seems in a hurry to do anything, nearly $1 trillion in new spending on health care has become the law of the land. While most pundits are focused on the upcoming political season and what it might mean for the Democrats and control of Congress, Read More →
A new Santa Barbara can lead rebound
Among the region’s larger cities, Camarillo probably has the strongest retail environment — and a much better-than-average fiscal position. Oxnard, Santa Maria and Paso Robles probably have some of the best long-term growth prospects, thanks to affordable housing and a pro-business attitude. San Luis Obispo has a dynamic new city manager with a laser-like focus Read More →
Special Comment: Remembering Fess Parker
[Editor’s note: Business Times Editor and Chairman Henry Dubroff takes a moment to remember Fess Parker business owner to business owner.] I’ve always felt there was a special bond between Fess Parker, the Pacific Coast Business Times and the pioneering spirit of entrepreneurship that’s a hallmark of this region. The man who played Davy Crockett Read More →
Santa Barbara needs its Silicon Valley link
Word that the Santa Barbara airport is about to lose its daily service to San Jose is a troubling development that threatens the 101 Technology Corridor’s link to the Silicon Valley. But examples from San Luis Obispo show that a strong lobbying effort by business interests can keep service going. We think that a coalition Read More →
Hollywood
Perhaps it was the moment that Montecito resident Jeff Bridges stepped on stage to accept his well-deserved Oscar for Best Actor on March 7. Perhaps it was the evening that music industry maven Mark Hartley turned on the lights at the Watermark restaurant in downtown Ventura. Or the moment when property titan Triliad Developers and Read More →
