Long before Martinelli’s canceled contracts with some local growers this year, the Pajaro Valley’s apple industry had been in steady decline, squeezed by competition from Washington state, shifting consumer preferences and the lure of more profitable crops. Now, as orchards are ripped out across the region, farmers and industry leaders are searching for new ways to preserve one of Santa Cruz County’s oldest agricultural traditions.
Local Business
Posted inFood & Drink
Why former mayor Don Lane set out to visit 100 ice cream parlors in July
Former Santa Cruz mayor Don Lane is spending July visiting 100 ice cream parlors across California to celebrate National Ice Cream Month and fulfill a longtime dream. Along the way, he’s discovering inventive flavors and raising money for immigrant-focused nonprofits, and returned to Santa Cruz for a National Ice Cream Day crawl.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Homeless Garden Project milestone, Bookie’s move downtown, culinary greats at Bookshop
A big next step for Homeless Garden Project, a move downtown for Bookie’s Pizza, renowned culinary minds joining forces at Bookshop Santa Cruz – find all that and plenty more in Lily Belli’s Tuesday newsletter.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Bookie’s Pizza claims first retail spot at downtown’s Anton Pacific complex
Bookie’s Pizza, an acclaimed Detroit-style pizzeria founded by chef Todd Parker, will relocate to a larger restaurant at Anton Pacific on Pacific Avenue, becoming the first retail tenant in the mixed-use downtown Santa Cruz development. The move marks an early milestone for Anton Pacific’s commercial leasing as developers work to fill new ground-floor retail spaces.
Posted inFood & Drink
The best things I ate and drank in Santa Cruz County in June
A monthly roundup of Santa Cruz County dining highlights celebrates the start of summer with four finds: a barley and kale salad in Davenport, a smash burger at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and a blue corn cookie and poke bowl in Santa Cruz.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Hanloh delivery collab, Pleasure Point butcher moves, and summer neighborhood bounty
The latest in Santa Cruz County food & drink from Lookout correspondent Lily Belli.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Santa Cruz County business filings: Week of July 7
Businesses operating in Santa Cruz County must register with the county clerk. Lookout Santa Cruz reviews the public filings from local businesses to report on new businesses starting in the area.
Posted inLatest News
After 44 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters Monterey Bay closes — but some matches say their bonds will last a lifetime
After 44 years serving Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monterey Bay is shutting down its mentoring program, leaving many mentors and mentees shocked and searching for answers. For longtime pairs like Santa Cruz’s Amé Yeager and Brenda Canizal, the closure marks the end of a local program but not the deep bonds it helped create.
Posted inFood & Drink
Lily Belli on Food: Village Foods opens East Cliff storefront, Sante Arcangeli’s Aptos Village music series and a garden milestone
In her Tuesday newsletter, Lily Belli has updates on a brick-and-mortar for a food delivery service, summer tunes from a local winery, news on Grey Bears’ fundraising efforts and her family’s produce-filled season.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
Santa Cruz County business filings: Week of June 30
Businesses operating in Santa Cruz County must register with the county clerk. Lookout Santa Cruz reviews the public filings from local businesses to report on new businesses starting in the area.
