Measure P rekindles north-south feud in Santa Barbara County
Large energy companies, most of the North County’s elected officials and chambers of commerce and many others are firmly opposed to this November ballot measure, which would bar “high-intensity” energy production in the county.
Dubroff: Santa Barbara County’s Economic Vitality Team gets ready for its closeup
Santa Barbara County is about to fill what some people have taken to calling the region’s doughnut hole when it comes to economic development efforts. Thanks to a $150,000 grant in the recently approved county budget, the Santa Barbara Region Chamber of Commerce will soon begin development of an Economic Vitality Team. What Chamber President Read More →
GoBiz director calls on communities to invest in workforce development
California’s sometimes inward-looking cities need to make economic and business development a key part of their plans. And they will probably have more success if they can think regionally about workforce and business issues. That was the message that Kish Rajan, director of the Governor’s Office of Business & Economic Development, or GoBiz, brought to Read More →
Santa Maria, remixed: City looks for winning formula
A year after Santa Maria got a new theater complex and a Fallas Discount Store moved into the space formerly occupied by a Mervyn’s department store, city leaders are still scratching their heads over how best to revitalize its struggling retail core.
Dubroff: The role of a 21st Century chamber is economic development
Zoe Taylor had literally packed her bags the night before in Paso Robles when I caught up with her on her way home to Ventura. She had just wrapped up her fifth assignment as an interim chamber of commerce CEO, including a stint in Santa Barbara, Huntington Beach, Manhattan Beach and Kingman, Arizona. Before that, Read More →
San Luis Obispo groups tackle workforce housing shortage
San Luis Obispo County has a problem with workforce housing. It doesn’t exist, and nobody wants to build it.
