Guest commentary: What Central Coast businesses should reassess in 2026
By Starr Hall As the new year begins, many businesses across Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties are carrying AI tools into 2026 the same way they carried gym memberships into January- full of intention, but not always clarity. Over the past year, artificial intelligence moved quickly from novelty to necessity. Companies experimented with Read More →
Our view: Film production value far exceeds dollars spent
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Our view: Budget report spotlights need for spending curbs
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Guest commentary: The tariff rollercoaster of 2025
By Gerhard Apfelthaler On Dec. 16, David Bahnsen, money manager, conservative commentator, and keynote speaker at the California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting’s Annual Ventura County Economic Forecast event in 2024, recently released a podcast titled “Making America Crony Again”. While I don’t agree with everything Bahnsen says, his commentary on the Read More →
Our view: Limon’s rise to Senate leader reflects hard work
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Guest commentary: New employment laws for 2026
By Jonathan Fraser Light It’s time to look at some of the new employment laws that will impact businesses in 2026. The state’s mandatory minimum wage is going up from $16.50 an hour in 2025 to $16.90 in 2026. If a local jurisdiction has a higher rate, that’s the one to follow. Note that the Read More →
Guest commentary: How small and mid-sized businesses can grow in 2026
By Jason Bietz The latest Bank of America Business Owner Report confirms what we see every day from entrepreneurs across our communities: cautious yet determined optimism. Nearly three in four business owners expect revenue gains in the next 12 months, and many plan to expand (59%), hire (43%) and secure financing (83%) in the new year. Here Read More →
