Short-Term Memories

Carpinteria-based Balance Bar Company, which makes nutrition
bars and powdered and pre-made health drinks, was purchased last
week for $268 million by Kraft, a subsidiary of Phillip Morris
Company. The unlikely pairing has already produced a windfall for
Balance Bar’s stock price, which rose to $19.12 per share last
Friday, nearing Kraft’s offer of $19.40. The well-known Balance Bar
Company, which has a strong foothold in the competitive health-food
market, chose to sell after a majority of its stockholders agreed
to the purchase. Balance Bar contracts out some of its production,
but the fate of its roughly 90 area employees is not yet known.
 — from “Smokin’ Deal for Local Company” by Keith
Hamm

Despite striking photos and an iron title — they’re neither
sisters nor have they changed their names for publicity purposes …
Antara and Delilah. With fresh voices that complement each other as
much as their names do, their debut CD Dua, coproduced with Jack
Lee of Jack’s Trax in Santa Barbara, offers a surprising collection
of songs that range in subject from relationships to racism to
spirituality and self-awareness. The duo even made up a new word,
preterfolk, to describe their music style. “It’s a little bit
beyond folk with songs from the heart that aren’t superficial,”
Delilah explained.  — from “The Dynamic Dua,” by
Rachel Thurston