EcoFarm bus tour rolling through Pajaro Valley
WATSONVILLE—Three organic Pajaro Valley farms will be featured in the 2020 EcoFarm Conference bus tour Wednesday—and a handful of seats are still available. Participants will visit Lakeside Organic Gardens, JSM Organics and Coastal Sun Cannabis/Moon Berry Farm during the tour, which kicks off the...
Following 2019 fire, The Hideout reopens
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...
Survey predicts Santa Cruz County tourism will return
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY—The county’s tourist hotspots—along with its restaurants and hotels—can expect a slight uptick in business this summer from Californians seeking to hit the road for short road trips, according to a survey released Wednesday by Visit Santa Cruz County (VSCC).
This prediction is...
Hampton Inn & Suites begins taking shape
The 112-room business, being built by Elite Development Inc. between Beach Road and Riverside Drive, has now reached the insulation, electrical and plumbing phase, said co-owner Juggy Tut. Barring any unexpected hurdles, Tut said he hopes to see the place up and running by the end of the year or in early January. Roof work is slated to be completed in December.
City budget buoyed by sales tax revenue ‘bubble’
WATSONVILLE—Despite the economic shutdowns resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, the city of Watsonville’s overall sales tax revenues have held steady thanks to a myriad of reasons, including a sharp rise in online and local shopping.
That’s according to Administrative Services Director Cindy Czerwin who at...
New bill would provide $500M to agricultural fairs
SACRAMENTO—Earlier this month, Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley), Representatives Billy Long (R-MO), Mike Levin (D-CA), and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced bipartisan legislation aiming to help preserve agricultural fairs across the country and offset the devastating financial losses they have experienced due to Covid-19.
The Agricultural...
Spicing up his life: Former tech engineer launches new food venture
APTOS—As a young man, Bapcha Murty moved from his native Chennai, India to attend UC Los Angeles and become an engineer. He went on to a career in the Silicon Valley tech industry that spanned more than two decades in several companies.
But when Murty...
Sambrailo sees major growth in sustainable packaging line
WATSONVILLE—When Santa Cruz-based natural foods store Staff of Life opened its second location in Watsonville in March, employees from Sambrailo were pleased to see their products featured front and center.
Fresh, organic vegetables and fruit in the store’s produce aisle were nestled inside Sambrailo’s sustainable...
East Lake Village hosts annual car show benefit
The sound of engines roared across East Lake Village’s parking lot Sunday morning as classic cars and trucks arrived in droves.
Watsonville, Aptos advance to CCS championship matches | High school soccer
It was a special, and historical, Wednesday night for four local high school soccer teams that kept their Central Coast Section postseason runs alive...





















