Freedom McDonald’s celebrates reopening
WATSONVILLE—More than 100 people gathered in front of the newly rebuilt McDonald’s restaurant on Freedom Boulevard Tuesday for a grand reopening celebration.
The business, located at 1598 Freedom Blvd., replaces the one originally built in 1974, which had remained at the same location until demolition...
Cafe Ella to be renamed ‘Strawberry Patch Cafe’
WATSONVILLE—Cafe Ella, 734 E Lake Ave., will soon be rebranding itself with a new name and design.
Owners Jennifer DeVault and Erika Conrad will rename the business “Strawberry Patch Cafe” this month. The twin sister team bought the popular cafe in 2019 from founder and...
Sweet Earth Foods plant to close, 104 to lose jobs
MOSS LANDING—A Moss Landing company that has produced a variety of vegan foods since its inception in 2017 will close by May 6, laying off 104 employees.
In a March 4 Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice to employees, Sweet Earth Foods said it...
Fresh start
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.
Watsonville electronic repair shop takes projects big and small
WATSONVILLE—You have probably walked or driven past the sliver of a shop on East Lake Avenue scores of times and not spotted Alltronics TV Repair.
And you might not guess that the one-man operation, in business for close to four years, is a quick and...
Local Christmas tree farm celebrates 60 years
ROYAL OAKS—It was the early 1920s when Glenn Church’s great-grandfather, Clinton King, purchased a piece of land in a heavily-wooded area of North Monterey County.
Nearly 70 years old at the time, King cleared out the plot—chock full of oak trees—by hand.
“Whenever I’m out here...
The Slough Brewing Collective opens for to-go orders
WATSONVILLE—For the owners of The Slough Brewing Collective in Watsonville, beer is much more than just a drink, or a lucrative business—it’s a community.
The brewery, formerly Elkhorn Slough Brewing Company, even reflects this in its motto: “Beer is people.”
“Beer is a way of bringing...
Wine event reignites vacant downtown location
WATSONVILLE—The long-vacant Gottschalks building in downtown Watsonville will come to life on Oct. 17 for Uncorked in Downtown, an evening of wine, food and fun put on by Pacific Coast Development.
The event, spearhead by Neva Hansen, will feature wines from Anatum Winery, Wargin Wines,...
Local care, local pride: Tony’s Auto a Watsonville staple since 1994
WATSONVILLE—Tony’s Auto Service, nestled in a crunch of busy shops and the ebb and flow of Freedom Boulevard traffic, has been a staple auto repair spot in Watsonville for the past 26 years.
If it’s new wiper blades, a smog check or full-blown valve job...
Prep Athletes of the Week: St. Francis’ Joseph Dayritt, Maya Calfee
The Pajaronian’s Prep Athletes of the Week were selected based on their performances during the week of Sept. 1-7. Coaches and athletic directors are...
