In Santa Cruz County business news this week, Jessica M. Pasko reports on a key step being taken ahead of Joby Aviation’s plans to operate an air taxi service in New York next year, along with New Leaf Community Markets opening a new store in Capitola and Santa Cruz Works seeking nominees for local business leadership awards.
Jessica M. Pasko
Jessica M. Pasko has been writing professionally for almost 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
This week in Santa Cruz County business: An El Pajaro CDC milestone and Harts Fabric on the move
In Santa Cruz County business news this week, Jessica M. Pasko reports on the legacy of successful food and other small businesses that have been developed in El Pajaro Community Development Corporation’s 45 years. Harts Fabric is moving to a new Seabright location, and Terra & Self is closing its Santa Cruz store to go online-only.
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Harts Fabric relocating to Midtown Surf Shop space
Harts Fabric on Seabright Avenue in Santa Cruz will soon take over the former Midtown Surf Shop at 1126 Soquel Ave., potentially as soon as this week.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Santa Cruz skin care shop Terra & Self to close Oct. 29
Specialty skin care and beauty product shop Terra & Self will shutter its brick-and-mortar store on Soquel Avenue in Santa Cruz on Oct. 29. The business, started by Kenne Johnson in 2020, will continue online sales.
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This week in Santa Cruz County business: Tourism’s hot summer; Joby’s air taxi gets $500M more from Toyota
In Santa Cruz County business news this week, Jessica M. Pasko reports on a strong summer for local tourism, thanks in part to high temperatures inland. Toyota is investing big in Joby Aviation’s air taxi, and local firm Parallel Flight Technologies has landed a Department of Defense program grant.
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High temps drove strong summer Santa Cruz tourism season
High temperatures drove growth in tourism for Santa Cruz County this summer, as inland California residents fled to the coast.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Santa Cruz-based credit union expanding south
In this week’s roundup of Santa Cruz County business news, Jessica M. Pasko reports on Bay Federal Credit Union’s expansion to the south with a new branch in Monterey County. She also notes accolades for Santa Cruz County Bank’s CEO and the hiring of eight new humanities professors at UC Santa Cruz.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Ambient Photonics’ vision to replace batteries, English Ales for sale, local bank rebrand
In this week’s roundup of Santa Cruz County business news, Jessica M. Pasko reports on Scotts Valley-based Ambient Photonics’ bid to replace small batteries with low-light solar cells, owners of English Ales putting the brewery up for sale, and Santa Cruz County Bank rebranding as West Coast Community Bank.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Ambient Photonics takes on the battery with its low-light solar tech
Headquartered in Scotts Valley, Ambient Photonics has a mission to reduce consumer dependency on single-use, disposable batteries. The replacement? Small solar cells that can harvest and store energy under low-light conditions, making them well-suited for small appliances such as computer mice or keyboards.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Local broadband gets more state cash
Expanded broadband access in Santa Cruz and adjacent counties got another boost with a new round of funding from the California Public Utilities Commission. The new funding comes on the heels of $45 million granted earlier this year to help fund 10 projects aimed at increasing internet connectivity in underserved areas around the Central Coast. It’s part of the state’s goal of ensuring broadband access to 98% of state households by 2032.