| 8:30 a.m.
Well, I had hoped that the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers would have re-signed free-agent third baseman Justin Turner by now. Maybe today.
In other personnel moves, congratulations to my friend, Kirsten McLaughlin, Cox Communications’ market vice president and the new board chairwoman of the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce.
Kirsten McLaughlin, Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce chairwoman. (Santa Barbara Partners in Education photo)
I was privileged to twice serve as chairman of the old Goleta chamber, the first time during the Great Recession and the second time during the coronavirus crisis and the simultaneous intentional economic shutdown. I’ve already written myself a note reminding me to say no if I’m ever invited back for a third time.
Housing and Development Newsletter
In Santa Barbara, natural gas is four to six times cheaper than electricity. The California Building Industry Association estimates that swapping out natural gas appliances for all-electric alternatives costs the average Southern California household more than $877 a year in higher energy bills.
Those costs are higher for commercial and industrial properties, especially those that rely on natural gas for their core operations like hotels, restaurants, spas and breweries/wineries.
This type of policy increases the risk of driving businesses to other cities or regions, which would further hurt our economy and the city’s tax base.
| 8:30 a.m.
Thanks in large part to the internet, news is transmitted at lightning speed these days. If only the technology and back-end work needed to move it were so simple and efficient.
In the fall of 2019, Noozhawk was recruited to join Newspack, a project of WordPress.com in partnership with the Google News Initiative, The Lenfest Institute, the Knight Foundation and ConsenSys, among other journalism and high-tech heavy hitters.
The concept is concise, with Newspack providing small news media operations like ours with a cost-efficient website accompanied by key technology and business solutions.
The aim is to lessen the burden from web development and maintenance expenses one of our biggest financial commitments after our employees so that we can stay focused on our professional journalism, business growth and revenue generation.
Restaurants Rebel Against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Outdoor Dining Ban
Owners cite lack of evidence that practice causes spread of COVID-19, seek help from local political leaders as financial losses mount
Tre Lune Ristorante-Bar, at 1151 Coast Village Road in Montecito, is among the local restaurants pushing back against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ban on outdoor dining. (Joshua Molina / Noozhawk photo) By Joshua Molina, Noozhawk Staff Writer | @JECMolina
January 10, 2021
| 11:30 p.m.
Restaurants and the hard-hit hospitality industry are turning up the heat on local political officials in an attempt to gain support to reopen outdoor dining before it’s too late.
If you’re reading this, congratulations! You made it through 2020. Happy new year!
With literally 2020 hindsight, there are so many things we wish could have been different about last year.
In spite of the challenges, though, there were innumerable blessings and accomplishments.
On a personal level, my son, Will, married the love of his life, Colleen Bannon, and the Los Angeles Dodgers finally won the World Series.
From a community standpoint, a large team of us pulled off the merger of the Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria Valley chambers of commerce, creating the new Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce to be a unified and more assertive voice for business.