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.
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: 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.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Sustainable surfboards: SwellCycle turns plastic hospital waste into unique boards
The health care industry is one of the largest waste-producing sectors in the nation, accounting for an estimated 14,000 tons of waste – daily. Now, three Santa Cruz entrepreneurs have found a way, using 3D printing tech, to use some of that waste and create flexible, more sustainable, surfboards, soon selling for $1,000-$2,000. Demoed by Santa Cruz surfer Tyler Fox and South Africa’s Grant “Twiggy” Baker, a champion big wave surfer, SwellCycle will take preorders soon.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Pescavore’s jerky, Neatleaf partnership, rental prices and new state laws
In this week’s local business roundup, Jessica M. Pasko covers plans by Pescavore, a Live Oak sustainable ahi tuna jerky company, to go national, Scotts Valley cannabis cultivation firm Neatleaf’s Canadian partnership and changes at Watsonville’s Slough Brewing Collective, along with other news, notes and numbers to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Pescavore, Live Oak-based sustainable fish jerky company, prepares to go national
Pescavore products are now in more than 1,300 stores, including The Point Market in Pleasure Point, Seabright Deli in Santa Cruz, and starting this month, New Leaf. Later this year, the company plans to launch with one of the largest specialty retailers of fresh, natural and organic food in the U.S.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Joby’s next steps, win for local broadband, permanent outdoor dining permit process inches toward approval
In this week’s local business roundup, Jessica M. Pasko covers the latest milestone for Santa Cruz-headquartered Joby Aviation and good news for internet connectivity in rural areas of the county, plus an update on outdoor dining and other news, notes and numbers to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Target 2025: Joby marks another milestone in journey to launch air taxis
Santa Cruz-headquartered Joby Aviation says it remains on track to make electric air taxi service a reality in 2025, with federal approval of its operating system the latest hurdle the company has cleared.
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Fast internet? New funding promises it to hundreds in rural Santa Cruz County
Some $45 million in state funding will help with infrastructure upgrades in the Santa Cruz Mountains, South County and elsewhere as California aims to get 98% of households broadband internet access by 2032.
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This week in Santa Cruz County business: Outdoor dining back for review with city commission, local ex-Googler’s new book, accolades for local execs
The latest chapter in efforts to solidify outdoor dining on private property in Santa Cruz happens Thursday at city hall. Elsewhere, Jessica M. Pasko checks out Frederik Pferdt’s take on being “future ready,” notes an honor for Santa Cruz County Bank’s CEO and runs down numbers and dates to know from the local business scene.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Joby’s latest acquisition, Vallarta Supermarket opens in Watsonville and Colligan Theater’s future
Xwing, which develops autonomous flight systems for aviation and defense, is now under the Joby Aviation umbrella as the company eyes its 2025 goal for launching its electric air taxi. Elsewhere on the local business scene, Watsonville has a new supermarket, the City of Santa Cruz looks for a new tenant for the Colligan Theater and happenings, names and dates to know from Jessica M. Pasko.