Business

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—Though some rural counties are allowing restaurants to open for dine-in service, Santa Cruz County officials are still several days away from giving their restaurateurs the green light. That’s according to county spokesman Jason Hoppin, who on Tuesday said testing and contact tracing...

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture recently announced the recipients of the 2020 Pajaro Valley Chamber Foundation Scholarship. Local high school students Antonio Hueso-Fernandez and Jessica Rodriguez-Reyes were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship. Hueso-Fernandez is a graduating senior at Aptos High School and will...

The Hiccuping Dragon is a small hot dog stand nestled in Rio Del Mar Esplanade. With a beachside real estate, ocean views and a steady crowd of hungry beachgoers, Hammond couldn’t have picked a better spot for his four-month-old stand.

WATSONVILLE—The historic Derpich Building in downtown Watsonville is coming alive once again after being acquired by two sisters with a big vision.   Jennifer Santillana and Tabitha Stroup found the property for rent when strolling down Main Street. Stroup, owner of Friend in Cheeses Jam Co....

Work continues on a new business complex on the 1000 block of Main Street under the direction of the Santa Cruz Seaside Co. Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of the year, with businesses Chipotle, The Habit Burger Grill, Charter Spectrum,...

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,...

WATSONVILLE—In November Uriel Mendoza of Watsonville will mark 21 years of being a bus driver for Santa Cruz METRO. When asked what he liked about his job, he plainly responded, “My job.”  His preferred bus route? “I like all of them,” he said. He said his customers are...

Ahn and his wife, Soon Ja, recently opened Kong’s Burgers & Café at El Pájaro Community Development Corporation’s Plaza Vigil business incubator in downtown Watsonville.