Greka Energy laid off 30 employees this week, citing the decreased cost in oil and additional costs in “increased regulatory scrutiny,” President Andrew deVegvar said. The cuts represent an 18-percent cut decrease in the number of Greka employees; currently, 138 are on staff. The company, notorious for a spate of spills at its oil-pumping facilities, is currently in the process of appealing fines from the county.
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Captain Video, which for 25 years occupied a space at 1187 Coast Village Road, is closing. Longtime owner Joe Lombardo cited a perfect storm of problems that led to the closure, including a falling economy, the dominance of Netflix and other online subscription-based services, and the displacement of many of his customers after the Tea Fire. (/captvideo326)