Business

WATSONVILLE—A familiar face has stepped in as the new operator of Pinto Lake City Park. Jesus Madrigal, the president of the Watsonville Farmers Market, was recently named concessionaire for the city’s share of Pinto Lake. His company’s vision for the 78-acre park—70 of which are...

Limited rides at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk reopened April 1 following state public health guidelines. Boardwalk rides have been closed since March 2020 due to Covid-19, although they operated for a brief time in November. Ride reservations, which have been selling out daily,...

Scores of fishers took to the sea out of the Santa Cruz Harbor Sunday to test their skills in snaring a few salmon. The salmon season began April 3 in the Monterey Bay area and down south to the U.S.-Mexico border. The length of...

Staff of Life natural food store opened its second location Tuesday, a little more than two years after announcing it would make the move to the East Lake Village Shopping Center in Watsonville. Dozens of local leaders showed to the ribbon cutting ceremony Monday,...

APTOS—Almost two years after a fire, The Hideout restaurant in Aptos is back up to speed with a slightly expanded building, modern upgrades and nearly a full menu. The popular eatery reopened March 22. It underwent a major demolition and rebuild following the May 2019...

In 2019, a new kind of restaurant settled into The Hangar complex near Watsonville Municipal Airport. Mr. Z’s Crepes and Teas, created by owner Rocky Patel, offers a wide selection of offerings: Fresh savory and sweet crepes, bubble teas, waffles, acai bowls, coffee drinks...

AROMAS—The community of Aromas is home to about 2,650 residents. The rural area is nestled in the juncture between Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties, and attracts a variety of people, including many retirees, artists, farmers, nature lovers and activists.  But is also home...

WATSONVILLE—California Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) has announced the launch of a new business center in Watsonville for women entrepreneurs. El Pájaro Women’s Business Center (WBC) will be formed through El Pájaro Community Development Corporation (CDC), a local nonprofit organization aiming to promote equal access...

WATSONVILLE—Meridian, a Walnut Creek-based real estate developer, operator, and owner of medical properties, announced Monday that it has closed escrow on the sale of its new construction, a 11,424-square-foot outpatient dialysis clinic in Watsonville. The purchase price for the project was $6.7 million.  The outpatient clinic...

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—For the past few years, local real estate agents have seen a drastic dip in inventory of homes in Santa Cruz County. And with the ongoing pandemic and recent wildfires that destroyed close to 1,000 homes in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the...