200 people arrested by federal agents following Glass House raid
By Jorge Mercado / Friday, July 11th, 2025 / Agribusiness, Latest news, Santa Barbara County, Top Stories, Top Story, Ventura County / Comments Off on 200 people arrested by federal agents following Glass House raid

The fallout from the federal agent’s raid of Glass House Farms’ operations in both Carpinteria and Camarillo is still being felt, with approximately 200 people across both sites being arrested, the Department of Homeland Security announced on July 11. Federal agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security agents stormed both Glass House Read More →
Santa Barbara’s El Encanto Hotel sells for $82.2M to Tinder co-founder
By Jorge Mercado / Wednesday, July 9th, 2025 / Latest news, Real Estate, Santa Barbara County, Top Stories, Top Story, Tourism / Comments Off on Santa Barbara’s El Encanto Hotel sells for $82.2M to Tinder co-founder

Santa Barbara’s five-star gem El Encanto Hotel is under new ownership after Justin Mateen, Tyler Mateen and the Cayton family combined to purchase the historic estate for $82.2 million. Announced July 8, the Mateen’s and Culver Capital, which is represented by principal Garrett Cayton, purchased El Encanto from Belmond, a luxury hospitality brand owned by LVMH. LVMH Read More →
Central Coast agriculture gross value up in 2024
By Mike Harris / Thursday, July 3rd, 2025 / Agribusiness, Central Coast, Latest news, Santa Barbara County, Top Stories, Top Story, Tri-County Economy, Ventura County / Comments Off on Central Coast agriculture gross value up in 2024

The gross value of agriculture in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties increased by 7% in 2024 over 2023, according to their recently released annual crop and livestock reports. In 2024, Ventura County’s estimated gross value was $2.3 billion, its findings, made public June 24, said. Santa Barbara County’s was $2 billion, its report, released July Read More →
Santa Maria Airport reintroduces flights to Phoenix
By Jorge Mercado / Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 / Latest news, Santa Barbara County, Tourism, Tri-County Economy / Comments Off on Santa Maria Airport reintroduces flights to Phoenix
The Covid-19 pandemic ruined Santa Maria Airport’s plans to have more commercial flights. But five years later, those plans are starting to come back into the fold. American Airlines will be launching a nonstop service flight to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport beginning Oct. 15, restoring direct access to a major hub for the first time since 2020. The route was first announced by American Airlines on Read More →
Dubroff: UCSB names engineering school for former dean
By Jorge Mercado / Thursday, June 26th, 2025 / Higher Education, Latest news, middle, Santa Barbara County, Technology / Comments Off on Dubroff: UCSB names engineering school for former dean

When I met Teledyne executive chairman Robert Mehrabian at his office in Thousand Oaks earlier this year, I came away thinking I had just been introduced to a multi-talented scientist-entrepreneur. So, it was not entirely surprising to learn that UC Santa Barbara’s world-class engineering school will now be called the Robert Mehrabian College of Engineering, Read More →
Umbra launches new manufacturing facility in Goleta
By Jorge Mercado / Wednesday, June 25th, 2025 / Latest news, Santa Barbara County, Technology, Top Stories, Top Story / Comments Off on Umbra launches new manufacturing facility in Goleta

Santa Barbara-based Umbra is furthering its investment in the region with the opening of its new 50,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Goleta. Umbra is a space technology company that came out of stealth mode in 2021. The company provides access to satellite images and offers dedicated satellite missions. Announced June 25, the new space will boost Read More →
BofA appoints new market executive for Ventura/Santa Barbara region
By Jorge Mercado / Monday, June 16th, 2025 / Banking & Finance, Banking Industry, Latest news, left, Santa Barbara County, Ventura County / Comments Off on BofA appoints new market executive for Ventura/Santa Barbara region

Jacky Holler, a woman with more than 30 years of financial industry experience, has been named as the new market executive for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties by Bank of America. Announced June 13, Holler will work closely with the bank’s local market leaders across its eight lines of business and market president Midge Campbell-Thomas Read More →