Santa Cruz officials are mulling the establishment of a business improvement district, which funds projects via fees or assessments on area businesses, in Midtown, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly roundup. Meanwhile, Scotts Valley-based Paystand is expanding into Canada, the Big Lots in South County is closing, and Adorable French Bakery has opened at the former Malone’s Grille on Scotts Valley Drive.
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: Local hotel industry finishes July strong
In her weekly roundup, Jessica M. Pasko reports on an occupancy uptick for Santa Cruz County hotels – with a slight dip in room rates – plus comings and goings, numbers to know and events for your calendar.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Joby Aviation the ‘coolest thing made in California’?
This week in Santa Cruz County business news, Santa Cruz-based Joby Aviation is competing for the title of “coolest thing made in California,” a competition won last year by Tesla’s Model Y.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Driscoll’s climate change-resistant berries, proposed settlement in Plantronics suit, housing forum takeaways
Jessica M. Pasko gets a look at what Driscoll’s is working on from new CEO Soren Bjorn to lead this week’s local business roundup. She also has an update on a class action brought by investors in former Santa Cruz company Plantronics and other news, notes and numbers.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Driscoll’s new CEO is on a quest for berries that can resist climate change
Eight months into his new role, Driscoll’s CEO Soren Bjorn is helping lead the company’s technological advancement as it seeks to create sturdier berries amid a changing climate. The $3 billion Watsonville-based corporation now operates in more than 20 countries globally.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Hot summer for tourism, new Santa Cruz Accelerates cohort, Universal Audio hires
In this week’s local business roundup, Jessica M. Pasko reports on a second summer of growth for Santa Cruz County’s tourism industry; eight local startups being picked to compete for seed funding; new executive hires at Universal Audio and changes at other local businesses.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
At summer’s halfway point, Santa Cruz tourism sees promising gains
Last year was a banner year for Santa Cruz County tourism, marking a return to pre-pandemic rates. With summer in full swing, the local hospitality industry is keeping busy, with hotel occupancy up and visitors flocking to the area to beat the heat, check out the sites and maybe, catch a glimpse of a great white shark.
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This week in Santa Cruz County business: Tech sector loans for local affordable housing, cannabis struggles and latest unemployment numbers
In this week’s local business roundup, Jessica M. Pasko reports on $800,000 from the Monterey Bay Housing Trust for the downtown Santa Cruz library/affordable housing project, plus the sad state of the local cannabis industry, comings and goings and numbers to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Joby Aviation Academy gets Watsonville OK, big win for Climatize, county housing market stays hot
A Joby Aviation school offering aviation career courses for high school, college and professional-level students is coming to Watsonville Airport, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly local business roundup. Elsewhere, a Santa Cruz-based startup that helps renewable energy projects takes home a big honor, plus more news, names, notes and numbers to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: SwellCycle’s sustainable surfboards, Wienerschnitzel lot and high-wage job growth
In this week’s local business roundup, Jessica M. Pasko dives into sustainable surfboard company SwellCycle, the latest Santa Cruz County job-growth figures and a slew of changes and updates from the business community.