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Santa Cruz County Business, Economy & Jobs Articles



Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Mission Street Updates: La Reina Market, Food Bin, Arrow Surf Shop, 1815 Mission

An apartment complex on the Food Bin site approved by the Santa Cruz City Council in May has been stalled by a lawsuit over 11 in-law units. (Workbench)
SANTA CRUZ >> Four projects on Mission Street in Santa Cruz moved …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Supervisors Green-Light Dispensary Smoking Lounges

The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a plan to allow customers in marijuana dispensaries to smoke onsite in so-called cannabis lounges.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Capitola City Council Aims for Capitola Mall Redevelopment

The Capitola City Council recently discussed potential incentives for developers to build new housing and shops at the Capitola Mall. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local file)
CAPITOLA >> A mix of tax breaks, fee waivers and other incentives could …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Picnic Honors Labor in Watsonville

The Monterey Bay Central Labor Council held their Labor Day gathering at Romo Park in Watsonville on Sept. 2.

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Scotts Valley Seeks Voter Approval for Biz Tax Change

You almost detect a hint of jealousy listening to City of Scotts Valley officials compare the revenue makeup of different local jurisdictions—for example looking longingly at the sales taxes Capitola is able to collect.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Attorney General, Local Law Enforcement Officials Arrest 22 in Statewide Pot Shop Burglaries

California Attorney General Rob Bonta was in Santa Cruz County on Thursday to announce the arrest of 22 people who are facing a total of 32 felony charges stemming from multiple burglaries of marijuana dispensaries throughout the Bay Area.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
In-Home Caregivers Rally for Higher Pay in Santa Cruz County

Workers represented by SEIU Local 2015 and other unions wave their hands in support of speakers at a Santa Cruz County supervisors meeting Aug. 13. Caregivers employed through the county’s In-Home Supportive Services program have demanded higher pay. (Jesse Kathan …

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Google and Santa Cruz SBDC Host Digital Skills Workshop for Local Small Businesses

Google and the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) of Santa Cruz hosted an in-person training to help small businesses in Santa Cruz County and the surrounding region learn new skills to grow their businesses online.

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Soda Tax Heads to Santa Cruz City Ballot

Soda prices could rise in the City of Santa Cruz in 2025 if voters approve a new city tax. (Tyler Maldonado — Santa Cruz Local)
SANTA CRUZ >> Santa Cruz city voters in November will decide whether to tax the …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Better Jobs, Affordable Housing on the Minds of Aptos Voters

Aptos residents gather at a Santa Cruz Local listening session at Aptos Branch Library in June to discuss local problems and potential solutions. (Kara Meyberg Guzman — Santa Cruz Local)
APTOS >> Affordable housing, better job opportunities for young people …

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
County to Mull Ban on Filtered Cigarettes

In the decade between 2013-23, volunteers and nonprofits picked up 439,358 cigarette butts from Santa Cruz County’s beaches and natural areas, accounting for a quarter of all litter found here.

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
The Wages of Aging

Santa Cruz County’s economy saw a rebound in the last few years, but an aging workforce and the lack of high-paying jobs might spell trouble for the economy in coming years. These are some of the findings highlighted in the …

Santa Cruz Local logo LOCAL NEWS
Santa Cruz County Jobs Rebound, but Housing Costs, Aging Population Remain Challenges

Santa Cruz County’s population has declined since 2017, and industries like health care are growing in part because of an aging population. (BW Research Partnership)
SANTA CRUZ >> Santa Cruz County’s job growth has rebounded from the pandemic slower than …

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Boulder Creek Businesses Face Financial Strain Amid SLVWD’s Water Shutoffs

Residents of Boulder Creek have been through hell and high water over the past several years, but the San Lorenzo Valley Water District (SLVWD) is adding to the dismay of neighborhoods and small businesses in town with a decisive lack …

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Surfnet Awarded $10M State Grant to Deliver Fiber Broadband to Rural Region

Surfnet Communications Inc., a leading internet service provider for underserved Central Coast communities, has been awarded $10 million by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for its new initiative to extend high-speed, fiber broadband services to rural communities in Santa …

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
New City Looms in South of Laurel Area Plan

A bustling neighborhood and a new 3,200-seat arena for the Santa Cruz Warriors are part of a plan to transform Downtown Santa Cruz in the coming years.

The Pajaronian logo LOCAL NEWS
Organic Farming in Focus

Local organic farming and the healthy foods that come from them took center stage June 16 at the first ever Día de Esperanza Community Festival.

Good Times logo LOCAL NEWS
One Decade of Onewheel

The magic moment for one of Santa Cruz’s most innovative companies came when its founder rolled the dice and bet big at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics trade show.

Featured

Water is a human right under California law, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
Agriculture and Water Shortages in the State’s Breadbasket, Explained
There are many causes contributing to this crisis. And as you may already know, this situation really is nuts.
The cycle of crime and homelessness is escalating, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Homelessness and Crime in California: Even More Complex Than You Think
What causes the cycle of homelessness and crime, and how to stop it.
Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners
The state tries persuading insurance companies to cover homes in fire zones.
Moss Landing in Monterey Bay is the world’s largest battery storage facility for solar and other renewable energy.
Solar Power and California’s Clean Energy Goals
How the sun is helping push the state toward 100 percent renewable energy.
Owning homes is the primary way the middle class builds wealth, and an option no longer available to most Californians.
Is California’s Housing Crisis Making Inequality Worse?
California has some of the worst economic inequality in the United States. Is housing a cause? Could it be a cure?
Though life expectancy has declined in recent years, Californians still live longer than most Americans.
Want to Live a Long, Healthy Life? Move to California
Californians live longer than people in all but three states, but not all counties are equal.
They help feed the whole country, but life for California’s farm workers remains a struggle.
How California Feeds the Country
California, a state known for high-tech and show business glitz, is also America’s farming powerhouse.
Zoning laws tell you what you can and can't build on the property you own. How does government get away with that?
How Zoning Laws Shape California and Society
Zoning is everywhere, but is it a way to regulate development or a tool for social engineering?
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Long-duration energy storage, such as this thermal energy storage facility, allows renewable energy sources to operate at full capacity without overloading the power grid.
How California Leads the Race For Long Duration Energy Storage
For renewable energy sources such as solar and wind to be viable, ways to store the power they create are essential.
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