Could You Pass The US Citizenship Test?

Lately in the broadcast and cable news channels, there is all this "birther" controversy challenging President Obama's birth status and therefore his eligibility to be qualified to hold the highest office in the land. Was Barack Obama born in the USA?

Is the president's birth certificate authentic? All questions about it have been proven false and it's been totally debunked as early as October, 2008, in the Chicago Tribune.

In any event, every US citizen knows the "birth" qualification for the office: “No Person except a natural born citizen, or a Citizen of the United States … shall be eligible to the Office of President.” Acts of Congress in 1790 and 1795 clarify that “the children of citizens of the United States … shall be considered as natural born citizens.”

All Americans are assumed to know the basics of their government and how it works. My question: could you pass the test for US Citizenship?

Go ahead, take the test. You'll be glad you did!

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Remembering Dick DeWees

Here's a tribute to the late Mayor, created by Inga McCullough.

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Paying My Respects to Mr. DeWees

The passing of our Lompoc mayor, Dick Dewees, late last Thursday came as a shock to me. He was 61 and had recent heart problems. I met him at a Lompoc Rotary meeting when he was a guest speaker.

The news spread far and wide throughout the state all day Friday. The Lompoc paper Friday edition had already gone to press, so Saturday featured a full front page memorial and condolences.

I did not know the man very well, but I respected his ability to handle the top job and campaign for it as often as he did: six times. He was a jovial man with a warm laugh and will be missed.

At the moment, city leadership continues with the City council which has 30 days to decide how to fill the now vacant mayor's seat. The council can either 1) appoint a new mayor, or 2) vote to spend $120,000 for a special election.

Councilwoman Ann Ruhge was quoted in the Lompoc Record issue dated July 19, saying that she "is seriously considering making a run for mayor." (At the moment, KSBY is the only news organization calling Mrs. Ruhge, Lompoc's "mayor pro-tem.")

Ruhge also stated she would not oppose Mayor DeWees if he should decide to run again. The 2010 city election is 16 months from now.

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Central Coast Bank Bailout Picture

Since we looked (last January) at the California and central coast banks on the receiving end of taxpayer bailout money, the list has expanded to 75 institutions.

Is your bank on this list? You might like to "work with them" on a new car loan or home down payment, knowing they have the money to lend.

They are lending, aren't they?

Atascadero: Santa Lucia Bancorp, $4 million

Goleta: Community West Bancshares, $15.6 million
Ojai: Ojai Community Bank, $2.1 million
Paso Robles: Heritage Oaks Bancorp, $21 million
San Luis Obispo: Mission Community Bancorp, $5.1 million
Santa Barbara: Pacific Capital Bancorp, $180.6 million
Simi Valley: Bank of America, NA, Mortgage servicer, $804.4 million
Simi Valley: Countrywide Home Loan Servicing, $5.2 billion
Thousand Oaks: California Oaks State Bank, $3.3 million

The total bailout committed to California-based institutions is $33.7 billion, which is 5.9% of the total bailout so far committed.

In January we counted five central coast banks accepting federal help.

Now, two California banks which accepted bailout money last December and January, have already returned it to the taxpayers.

Bank of Marin Bancorp got their $28 million bailout check last December, 2008; they returned it March 31, 2009. First ULB Corp received $4.9 million on January 23 and refunded it to the US Treasury April 22 of this year.

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State Of Labor On Central Coast

It's always good to start the New Year with a firm grasp of last year's economic facts for the state of California.

Unemployment and Labor statistics, for example. How bad or how good is the jobless rate? What's the change since last year? The US Bureau of Labor provides a handy reference in their website. The data is fresh from their October, 2008 tabulations.

Here's the info for the Central Coast. To make easier for you, I've set the following three links:

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria, San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura.

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The 100 Mile Per Gallon California Car

The American auto industry may be in the throes of its reinvention, over the next painful transition years. But here's my bit to help us all through it.

Look on the bright side--there's an entrepreneurial, start-up car company that makes today what Detroit may not manage ever to do.

Build the 100 mpg car! It is the Aptera and is priced in the mid-$20,000 range; it's a winner.

One of Detroit's Big three could buy this company and make the car for the national market.

On second thought, Aptera would be better to stay away from the old mindset of Detroit. This is a complete reinvention of the automobile, from top to bottom, complete with a new company culture.

The inventors are headquartered in Vista, California and produce the composite body parts in Carlsbad, California. What fun and only from the west coast!

(I don't drive one of these yet, but would not turn down the opportunity to represent the manufacturer if asked.)

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2009: Newest Bank Bailout News

Happy New Year's Day! And an even happier new year for some bankers on the central coast.

Curious to know which central coast banks are getting federal "bailout" money? Here's a list, courtesy ProPublica.org:

>> Santa Lucia Bancorp, Atascadero: $4 million.
>> Pacific Capital Bank Santa Barbara, operating First Bank of San Luis Obispo: $188 million.
>> Community West Bancshares, Goleta: $15.6 million.
>> California Oaks State Bank, Thousand Oaks: $3.3 million.
>> Mission Community Bancorp, San Luis Obispo: $5.1 million.

Source material also from: US Department of the Treasury; Bloomberg; Dow Jones; and the companies.

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