A trio of lawsuits for a Watsonville berry giant, compounding woes for apple farmers in South County and beyond and numbers, names and dates to know – Jessica M. Pasko has it covered in her weekly survey of the Santa Cruz County business scene.
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
Driscoll’s faces growing legal storm over pesticide safety, ‘forever chemicals’ and social media claims
Berry giant Driscoll’s is facing multiple legal challenges, including consumer lawsuits alleging “forever chemicals” and pesticide cover-ups, while simultaneously suing a mobile app startup for spreading false claims. The Watsonville-based company denies the allegations of misconduct, affirming its commitment to food safety and regulatory standards.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Diving into the 2026 county workforce report; downtown development signs first retail client
Jessica M. Pasko crunches the latest county jobs numbers, notes Bookie’s Pizza’s impending move to a new Pacific Avenue development and highlights other local comings and goings in her latest business roundup.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Joby and Toyota to partner on manufacturing, Driscoll’s faces pesticide backlash, economic woes drive slowdown on local granny units
Jessica M. Pasko gives you the latest in local business news, including Joby Aviation and Toyota expanding their partnership, Driscoll’s facing a new class action lawsuit over pesticide use, and upcoming events.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Capitola Wharf business faces uncertain future; Aptos Village business owners and RTC head to court
A proposed new policy regarding leases of city-owned property has the owner of Capitola Boat & Bait worried her business could be priced off the wharf, Jessica M. Pasko reports in her weekly column.
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This week in Santa Cruz County business: Santa Cruz-based crowdfunding site, Sea Dubs mark milestones; next steps for Pajaro Valley apple growers
In her weekly look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko notes highlights for Climatize and the Santa Cruz Warriors, what South County farmers are hearing in the wake of bad news from Martinelli’s and plenty more comings, goings and dates to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Events aim to boost visitors to Seabright amid latest Murray Street Bridge closure; air corridor project underway; Joby-Archer lawsuit developments
With the Murray Street Bridge set to be closed through September, business owners and community leaders have plans to bring visitors to the neighborhoods around the Santa Cruz Harbor this summer. Jessica M. Pasko’s weekly look at local business also includes updates on a project to connect four regional airports, including Watsonville’s; legal jabs between air mobility rivals; and plenty more names, numbers and dates to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Planning commission weighs next steps for Front & Laurel project; apple farmers face shift as Martinelli’s cancels contracts
This week in local business, Jessica M. Pasko has the latest on a proposed mixed-use development in downtown Santa Cruz, a seismic development for South County apple growers and names, numbers and dates to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Downtown Vibrancy Ordinance turns 1; city population drop attributed to high housing costs and low-wage jobs
In her weekly look at local business, Jessica M. Pasko examines the effects of downtown Santa Cruz’s vibrancy ordinance, notes a continued population decline in the city and passes along numbers, names and dates to know.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
This week in Santa Cruz County business: Tourism officials focusing on regional visitors amid rising fuel costs; Diversity Center unionizes
Jessica M. Pasko takes the pulse of Santa Cruz County tourism ahead of the crucial summer visitor season, notes another local unionization effort and relays names, dates and numbers to know from the county business scene.
