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Santa Ynez Marriott paves way for future hotel green certifications

By   /  Monday, November 30th, 2009  /  Columns  /  Comments Off on Santa Ynez Marriott paves way for future hotel green certifications

The Santa Ynez Valley Marriott just became the first hotel certified by Santa Barbara County’s Green Business Program. And it all started when General Manager Mike Hendrick heard Bill Hayward of Hayward Lumber speak at a green business luncheon. “We were already listed as a participating business, but we hadn’t done the big thing — Read More →

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Ten things to be thankful for this year

By   /  Monday, November 30th, 2009  /  Columns  /  Comments Off on Ten things to be thankful for this year

Face facts. This has been a horrible year to have to navigate a business through the tri-county economy. Between the meltdown in commercial real estate, California budget woes, softness in tourism, the foreclosure mess and the ongoing travails of community banking, this has been one for the books. But hey, kvetching only makes things worse. Read More →

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Historic Wineman Hotel lights up San Luis Obispo streets again

By   /  Monday, November 23rd, 2009  /  Columns  /  Comments Off on Historic Wineman Hotel lights up San Luis Obispo streets again

The intersection of Chorro and Higuera streets was lit up Nov. 18 with neon from the historic Wineman Hotel in San Luis Obispo. Again. The 100-year-old building first opened as the Wineman Hotel in 1930. Since then, it’s housed Riley’s Department Store, Carpenter’s Rexall, Copelands Sports and the Sports Authority, but even native daughters like Read More →

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These towns are not afraid of big chances

By   /  Monday, November 23rd, 2009  /  Columns  /  Comments Off on These towns are not afraid of big chances

Throw deep. That’s not always the best economic development strategy. But in the case of North Santa Barbara County, there are two large-scale projects in the very earliest of stages that could become the job-generating engines for the next economic cycle in the Tri-Counties. Before you put down your newspaper and wonder out loud what Read More →

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River Oaks Center hopes to lead the way on sustainable certification

By   /  Monday, November 16th, 2009  /  Columns  /  Comments Off on River Oaks Center hopes to lead the way on sustainable certification

Paso Robles-based Estrella Associates, the developer that brought you the River Oaks Golf Course and the River Oaks Hot Springs Spa, received a gold LEED rating on its new office and retail center in Paso Robles.   Or it will, anyway. Before breaking ground in March 2008, Estrella jumped through the hoops of precertifying its Read More →

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Why SLO may lead the recovery

By   /  Monday, November 16th, 2009  /  Columns  /  Comments Off on Why SLO may lead the recovery

The Tri-Counties version of The Great Recession began in San Luis Obispo County late in 2006 when house prices started to falter. After three grueling years, what likely will amount to the worst of times for those of us too young to remember the 1930s, likely will end just about now as SLO County sheds Read More →

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Regulators force banks to play defense

By   /  Monday, November 9th, 2009  /  Columns  /  Comments Off on Regulators force banks to play defense

Largely innocent bystanders in the financial meltdown that gripped Wall Street a year ago, community banks have been walking around with targets on their backs. A severe crackdown by regulators, including threats to get capital ratios up, shrink loan portfolios or face seizure, has put bank executives on the defensive. “We’re getting speeding tickets for Read More →

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