Santa Cruz nonprofit Homeless Garden Project gets recognition, and a financial boost, a new Lookout series examines the changes in downtown Santa Cruz, plus names, numbers and dates to know – Jessica M. Pasko covers it all in her weekly look at local business.
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 inLatest News
Homeless Garden Project gets small business honor, welcome funding boost from Intuit
An annual honor that recognizes small businesses for their work and commitment to their respective communities brought in $20,000 for Santa Cruz nonprofit Homeless Garden Project, which aims to use the award from financial giant Intuit to help fund a program that provides organic produce to underserved individuals.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Pajaro Valley chamber’s 2025 honorees, Paystand’s new tariff features, downtown changes afoot
Jess Brown of the Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau and Laura Owen of Santa Cruz Community Credit Union are among those being honored by the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly survey of local business, which also includes a tech company helping navigate tariffs and downtown Santa Cruz development.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Expanding broadband access in county’s rural areas; imagining a downtown without cars
In her weekly look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko spotlights upcoming events with a focus on improving high-speed internet access across Santa Cruz County, notes a push make downtown more pedestrian-friendly and compiles names, numbers and dates to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Santa Cruz County Bank rebrands, Joby hits 40,000 miles and a new Encompass CEO
In her weekly look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko has an update on Santa Cruz County Bank’s rebranding, a Driscoll’s court battle, and Joby’s latest milestone.
Posted inWatsonville / Pajaro
Driscoll’s patent battle over strawberry varieties stalls in federal court
A federal court has effectively ended a Driscoll’s lawsuit against a rival strawberry breeder, rejecting the Watsonville giant’s claims that California Berry Cultivars infringed on its proprietary fruit varieties.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: New Toadal Fitness opens downtown as Lincoln Ave. location shutters; uncertain times for day laborers
In her weekly look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko has an update on Toadal Fitness’ moves, what Santa Cruz County day laborers are seeing and names, numbers and dates to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Santa Cruz County agriculture industry faces uncertainty over Trump’s looming tariffs
With President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Mexico and Canada set to go into effect next month, Santa Cruz County agricultural leaders are struggling to predict the consequences for the region’s farming sector.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Local agriculture mulls impact of proposed tariffs; cannabis lounges’ future in county
It’s still unclear exactly how President Donald Trump’s promised tariffs – and retaliatory measures from Mexico and Canada – will affect Santa Cruz County agriculture and particularly the all-important berry crop, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly look at local business.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Capstan’s first heart valve replacements in humans; gazing at the future of downtown Santa Cruz
A milestone for Santa Cruz medtech firm Capstan leads Jessica M. Pasko’s weekly survey of local business. She’s also got news on downtown development, coming events to put in your calendar and more.
