The Burning Ember opens this week in downtown Santa Cruz, stocking romance and romantasy. Trailside Books is set to follow next month in Aptos Village, with shelves built around adventure, children’s books and local history.
Jessica M. Pasko
Jessica M. Pasko has been writing professionally for more than two decades. She cut her teeth in journalism as a reporter for the Associated Press in her native Albany, New York, where she covered everything from plane crashes and arts & culture to state politics, including assisting with the coverage of former New York State Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s resignation. After getting her master’s degree at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, she moved to the West Coast and covered crime and breaking news for the Santa Cruz Sentinel. She has also worked for KION and written for a variety of local, regional and national publications on both coasts, including Evanston Patch, The Good Times, Santa Cruz Waves and many others.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Santa Cruz County business: Downtown Pops! seeks tenants; two new bookstores slated to open
In her weekly dispatch on Santa Cruz County business, Jessica M. Pasko reports on pop-up opportunities at a pair of Pacific Avenue spots, notes local participants in the ongoing indie bookstore renaissance and highlights names, dates and numbers to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Cruz Foam had a promising idea. Why couldn’t it make its sustainable packaging business work?
Cruz Foam’s biodegradable packing material made from shrimp shells and food waste attracted wide attention and big-name investors, but the Santa Cruz-based company has closed up shop after what one former exec says were struggles to solve the full range of problems its customers needed packaging to address.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Cruz Foam ceases operations; West Coast Community Bank celebrates Nasdaq listing
Santa Cruz-based Cruz Foam, which developed a biodegradable packaging made from shrimp shells and other natural materials, has closed and sold off its intellectual property, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly look at local business. Meanwhile, Santa Cruz-based West Coast Community Bancorp has moved its stock listing to the Nasdaq Stock Market, a milestone executives say is more than two decades in the making.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Visit Santa Cruz County adds AI trip planner; La Bahia earns Michelin Key
In this week’s look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko notes an artificial intelligence-powered addition to Santa Cruz County’s tourism website, a big distinction for the luxury beachfront La Bahia Hotel & Spa, a new downtown listening lounge and much more.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Mixed courtroom results for Joby Aviation; digging into summer tourism numbers
In her weekly look at Santa Cruz County business, Jessica M. Pasko relays how Joby Aviation has fared in the courtroom lately, crunches local summer tourism data and spotlights more names, numbers and dates to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Two more local Starbucks stores close; looking at the toll of ongoing closure of Watsonville Community Hospital’s NICU
Starbucks locations in Soquel and Watsonville are among the 250 nationwide affected by another wave of closures at the coffee giant, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly look at Santa Cruz County business.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Summit on economic opportunities for local arts; Verve workers reach tentative contract; voting underway for Lookout List
A Monterey Bay Economic Partnership summit focused on improving the economic health and quality of life of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties, a union deal for local Verve Coffee Roasters employees and how to show your favorite local businesses some love – it’s all part of Jessica M. Pasko’s weekly column.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: New executive director of Volunteer Center sets out his goals; Joby embarks on national tour
In her weekly look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko reports on Shawn Peterson’s focus as he takes over the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County from Karen Delaney, Joby Aviation’s electric aircraft taking to the skies in Texas and more.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Karen Delaney helped build Santa Cruz County’s Volunteer Center. Now she’s handing it off
Karen Delaney has passed the torch to Shawn Peterson as leader of the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County, leaving a legacy of impact and big shoes to fill. Peterson is already launched on his own plans for carving out new goals and moving the organization forward.
