Veterans with an entrepreneurial bent can now get a lending hand with the American Hometown Heroes program which provides free business advice to returning warriors along with complimentary advertising space from independent yellow pages publishers. Service in the Lompoc, Santa Barbara, and Santa Ynez markets will be provided by the Santa Barbara Community Phone Book. Unemployment among veterans is twice that of the general population. Area sponsors of the program include veteran and Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce president and veteran Steve Cushman, actress Bo Derek, and State Senator Tony Strickland. Information about the program can be found at AmericanHometownHeroes.com.
