Charles Crumpley

Publisher & Editor

Charles weighs in each week with his opinion - his "Comment" - about local business. While he pats the heads of those who make prescient or brave decisions, he's not afraid to kick the shins of businesses that make dunderheaded moves or governments that interfere with free markets. It can be newsy, it can be opinionated, or it can be funny, but the Comment column is always about business in Los Angeles County.

Charles Crumpley has been a reporter, writer or editor for 30 years, mostly with daily newspapers. He was born and raised in Kansas City, MO, and worked for years for the Kansas City Star, mainly as a senior financial writer. He was the editor of the business news section for two daily newspapers, including the New Orleans Times-Picayune. He has won four national journalism awards and studied Japanese banking and business practices in Tokyo as a senior Fulbright scholar. He has been editor of the Los Angeles Business Journal since January 2006.

He can be reached at (323) 549-5225, ext. 208, or by email: ccrumpley@labusinessjournal.com.

Email: ccrumpley@sfvbj.com
Phone: 818-316-3133 Extension: 127

Recent Stories

In the Dumps Over New Trash System

Winners and losers in L.A.’s new trash hauling system.

Fernando Award Given to Insurance Agent

Paul Davis, a civically involved small-business owner, on Saturday won the Fernando Award, considered the top honor for volunteerism in the San Fernando Valley and one of the top such awards in the country.

Desalination’s Slipping Resistance

ONE MORE THING: Desalination may be on its way.

Housing Shortage to End Soon. Maybe.

ONE MORE THING: Newhall development could end L.A.’s housing crisis.

Political Leader Gets Earful About PAGA

Businesspeople irate about California’s so-called PAGA law got a sympathetic hearing Wednesday from Assemblyman Adrin Nazarian during a breakfast meeting organized by the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.

Storage Firm’s Fate Packed With ‘Ifs’

Public Storage stock: to buy or not to buy?

Let’s Party Till (Almost) Dawn

The business behind keeping bars open longer.

Why State Tax Deduction Will Stand

A likely future of the state tax deduction.

PAGA: Funny Name, Dire Results

The onerous consequences to employers of PAGA lawsuits.

ESPN Has Fallen and Can’t Get Up

ONE MORE THING: Disney doesn’t have a game plan for ESPN, but ABC has a new star.

VNY: Now Ready for Takeoff

Van Nuys Airport takes off with the business world’s increasing use of private jets.

The New Assault on Part-Time Jobs

Newly proposed AB 5 is no friend to businesses dependent on part-time workers.

Nestle’s Move Hard to Swallow

Nestle’s relocation could say a lot about the state; California needs to spend more on infrastructure.

A Prescription for Prosperity?

Amgen’s surging stock price.

Don’t Unplug That Self-Checker!

Supermarkets should reconsider scrapping self-checkouts.

The Scourge of Compact Parking

More compact parking spaces equals fewer cars.

Cherokee’s Pattern of Self-Renewal

Cherokee’s strategy; public pensions bury Californians.

Where’s Giant Leap for MannKind?

MannKind Corp.’s sales effort fails to deliver, so far; California’s secession threats show divisions between right and left.

Not Getting High on This Vote

Possible costs of legalizing marijuana; lower-cost neighborhoods should attract businesses from L.A.’s costliest areas.

Interim CEO Named for New Horizons

Directors of New Horizons on Wednesday announced the appointment of Roschell Ashley as its interim chief executive officer effective Jan. 1.

Business-Friendly Voter Choices

Charlie Crumpley’s take on ballot measures and candidates.

Easy Choice for State Senate: Fazio

Charlie Crumpley’s business-friendly endorsements.

VICA Speaker Says Valley Could Host Olympic Events

Three Olympic events will be held in the San Fernando Valley if Los Angeles hosts the 2024 Olympics, the chief of the game-luring committee said Friday.

There is Integrity in That Initiative

Finding the integrity in L.A.’s Neighborhood Integrity Initiative.

Valley Businesses Fear ‘Anti-Development’ Measure

The November ballot is crammed with issues, but businesspeople already are fretting about the following election. At least, the so-called Neighborhood Integrity Initiative, which is to be on the March 7 ballot in Los Angeles, got a big share of the attention – and opposition to it got the most applause – at a chamber luncheon Thursday.

Traffic Is Not Like the Weather

L.A. needs to get mad about traffic congestion; why businesses like Proposition 54.

Undereducated at the Cash Register

Two recent developments in education should worry employers.

Saving Private Canyons

If the group Save the Canyon cancels a proposed hotel, it could result in more development.

City Attorney Fails to Make Case

VICA lunch with L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer falls short on substance; locally-based restaurant chains serve up opposite stories.

DineEquity Serves Up Hard-to-Digest Earnings

DineEquity, the Glendale-based operator of Applebee’s and IHOP restaurants, on Wednesday reported a worse-than-expected dip in revenue in the second quarter amid disappointing same-restaurant sales.

In Midst of Buyout, ReachLocal Improves

In what may be its final earnings report as a stand-alone company, ReachLocal on Friday announced a second-quarter net loss that was much narrower than a year ago.

Frustration Boils Up at Minimum Wage Workshop

Frustration, or perhaps desperation, broke into the open Tuesday afternoon when city and county officials tried to explain new minimum wage ordinances to Valley-area business operators who said they were exasperated with the suddenness, complications and expense of the new rules.