Quick Take:

In her latest business column, Jessica M. Pasko highlights a tricounty nonprofit aiming to give veterans more career opportunities, along with dates to keep in mind and more.

Each week, we’re taking a closer look at the movers and shakers, the growth of industries, and what’s really driving the Santa Cruz County economy. I’ll be spotlighting some of the biggest areas for opportunity, updates on local development and all things underpinning the regional business scene each Wednesday.

Got ideas? Send them my way to news@lookoutlocal.com with “Business News” in the subject line.

Nonprofit focused on advanced aviation works to extend career opportunities for military veterans

Monterey Bay Drone Aviation and Robotics Technology (DART), a tricounty nonprofit organization focused on advancing drone technology and what’s known as the advanced air mobility sector, has formed a new partnership to help military veterans.

DART works to expand job opportunities and training for emerging technologies like electric helicopters (such as those being built by Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation) in Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. 

Now, the organization will also work with Vets to Drones, a North Carolina-based nonprofit that helps service members transitioning out of the military gain access to new training, mentorship and job placement support with a focus on drones and other unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Founded in 2023, Vets to Drones helps veterans with training for certain types of Federal Aviation Administration certifications, offers hands-on flight scenarios and job placement support.

The partnership will combine DART’s workforce development experience with the specialized training programs Vets to Drone provides, to give veterans a new pathway to high-wage, high-growth careers after their military service is done. Participants will gain access to drone pilot certification, other training and connections to employers through the combined networks of both companies.

Advanced air mobility and drone technologies are part of a rapidly emerging technology sector that the federal government has indicated is a priority, through a new strategy introduced last year. As part of those efforts, the U.S. government has launched a federal pilot program focused on ushering electric helicopters from testing to deployment more quickly. Santa Cruz-based Joby Aviation is among the companies selected to participate in those pilot programs, which aim to have the aircraft flying in certain U.S. states as soon as this year. As part of those efforts, federal officials told Reuters last week that they are also working to address issues with certifications and regulations.

ICYMI: The unwanted top spot: Santa Cruz County remains most expensive rental market

Downtown Santa Cruz. Credit: Kevin Painchaud / Lookout Santa Cruz

The Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area remains the most expensive rental market in the nation for a fourth year in a row. That’s according to the latest “Out of Reach” report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

A full-time worker in Santa Cruz County now needs to earn $81.04 an hour to afford a decent, non-luxury rental home without spending more than 30% of their income on housing, according to the report. Using that calculation, a county resident making the state’s minimum wage – $16.90 – would need to work five jobs to meet that amount. 

Read more from Max Chun here.

Ch-ch-changes

  • Watsonville-based mushroom company to lay off 253 workers in Morgan Hill: Monterey Mushrooms is transitioning its Morgan Hill facility from a mushroom farm and packing facility into just a packing facility. As part of these efforts, the company will lay off 253 employees at the facility in September, according to filings with the state. The Watsonville company, started in 1971, is one of the biggest mushroom producers in the U.S., with operations throughout the country.
  • Pleasure Point gallery’s new spot now open on the site of the former Chill Out Cafe: And Friends, an art gallery and shop, which opened in Pleasure Point in 2024, is now officially in its new location at 860 41st Ave. Owner Sydney Pfaff moved the business from 3627 Portola Dr. to the location formerly occupied by the Chill Out Cafe, which closed in late 2022.
  • Joby Aviation and Virgin Atlantic partner for electric helicopter service in the UK: Santa Cruz-based Joby Aviation has finalized a deal with airline company Virgin Atlantic to bring commercial passenger service to the UK. The multiyear agreement builds on an existing arrangement Joby has with Delta Airlines. Virgin Atlantic will integrate Joby’s UK services into its booking channels and support rollout through its customer base and airport relationships once commercial passenger service is launched. London’s Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport will likely be the first two airports in the UK that Joby will fly to and from, with plans to extend service over time.
  • Santa Cruz biotech company hires new finance leader: Unnatural Products has appointed Neera Ravindran as the company’s new chief finance officer. She brings over two decades of experience in public and private companies to her new role, where she will lead financial strategy and operations. Earlier this year, the company, headquartered on the Westside, netted $45 million in new funding to advance its efforts to develop treatments for certain types of rare cancers and other diseases. Founded in 2017 by two UC Santa Cruz alumni, Unnatural Products has developed an artificial intelligence-based platform to help with development and discovery of new drugs and works with companies like Merck and Novartis, among others.
  • Long-time Ben Lomond restaurant moving to Scotts Valley: La Placa Family Bakery will close its San Lorenzo Valley restaurant after this weekend in preparation of a move to Scotts Valley. The business, which opened in 2017, will be re-opening as La Placa Italian Cuisine in Graham Plaza at 219 Mount Hermon Road in Scotts Valley. No opening date for the new restaurant has been announced yet. Sunday, Aug. 2 will be the bakery’s last day in Ben Lomond.

Got hires, promotions or departures to report? Send them to news@lookoutlocal.com with the subject line “Career changes.”

What’s new on the Lookout Job Board

What’s new on the Lookout Job Board

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Save the date

  • Wednesday, July 29: The Santa Cruz Holistic Chamber will hold its networking meeting at Woodhouse Blending & Brewing from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Details and registration here.
  • Thursday, July 30: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its next Women in Business luncheon at Joby Aviation’s Santa Cruz headquarters. Joby executives will join Chamber Executive Director Kristen Brown for a roundtable. The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 377 Encinal St., Santa Cruz. Register here.
  • Thursday, July 30: The Santa Cruz Area Chamber of Commerce, Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce will host a business after-hours event at K&D Landscaping in Watsonville, recognizing the business’ 40th anniversary. Networking and a ribbon-cutting will take place between 5 and 7 p.m. at 62C Hangar Way in Watsonville. Register here.
  • Thursday, July 30: The Capitola Soquel Chamber of Commerce will host a grand opening and ribbon-cutting celebration for Nashville Fire Chicken, now open in the Capitola Mall food court from 3 to 7 p.m.; ribbon cutting takes place at 3 p.m.
  • Thursday, Aug. 6: Aptos Chamber of Commerce representatives will join a ribbon-cutting and grand opening event for Offshore Pilates, a new studio located at 105 Post Office Drive, Suite A2 in Aptos. The event takes place from 5 to 7 p.m.
  • Thursday, Aug. 13: RVS Technology and the Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce are hosting a cybersecurity lunch seminar starting at 11:30 a.m. at the Hampton Inn, 75 Lee Road, Watsonville. Registration and additional details available here.
  • Thursday, Aug. 20: BetterGolf, a golf simulator and indoor practice facility, will celebrate its first anniversary at its Capitola Mall location (Suite J05) from 5 to 7 p.m. Capitola Soquel Chamber of Commerce representatives will hold an official ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m.

Add your business or networking events to Lookout’s free public calendar, BOLO. Click here to add your event.

Business news worth reading

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Max Chun is the general-assignment correspondent at Lookout Santa Cruz. Max’s position has pulled him in many different directions, seeing him cover development, COVID, the opioid crisis, labor, courts...