Tag: Watsonville

– Martinelli’s no-contract: crisis for SC County apple farmers and their trees

Santa Cruz County is famous for its apple orchards, including heirloom species. Some of these orchards are 100+ years old. The land is fertile, and the water isn’t contaminated with industrial waste such as in other areas. County residents are well aware of the rich and long agricultural legacy of this community, and much of it is organic.

Martinelli’s is a well-known family-owned company selling apple juice and cider. Who hasn’t seen its sparkling apple cider at parties? And it’s based right here in the Monterey Bay area. It is a monopoly, however, which has reportedly been an issue for many years in pricing and contracts, limiting the options of local farmers.

But now, Martinelli’s has refused to renew contracts with local apple farmers, transferring focus to out-of-the area farms with “cheaper” apples. The company and its family have become distant from the farmers and trees that built its brand, and disconnected from the well-being of this community, its land, and its economy.

Faced with no market for their premium apples and no income, farmers have an emergency and are scrambling for solutions. Some have done the drastic, horrifying measure of cutting down their apple trees, and leasing the land to berry farmers. Others are investigating options, including Pick-Your-Own, and farmers markets.

The battery storage facility proposed on Minto Road would be on an apple orchard. Are urban sprawl, data storage centers, and lithium ion battery facilities the destructive future for this paradise?

Support your local farmers and support these beautiful, life-giving trees. Eat local apples. Contact the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors and the Farm Bureau. Ask what you can do to help. Don’t buy Martinelli’s. Make your voice heard. Preserve your community.

Also see “As Martinelli’s cancels contracts, Watsonville apple farmers lose their biggest buyer – and a way of life”, Lookout Santa Cruz, June 1, 2026
https://lookout.co/as-martinellis-cancels-contracts-watsonville-apple-farmers-lose-their-biggest-buyer-and-a-way-of-life/story

Interview with farmer Freddy Menge, Community Matters, KSCO, July 17, 2026
http://shows.zbsradio.com/20260717/404e7a78316823e.mp3

Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors
BoardOfSupervisors@santacruzcountyca.gov

Santa Cruz County Farm Bureau
sccfb@sbcglobal.net

EcoFarm Alliance
info@eco-farm.org

– Interview with PG&E on electrical substation upgrades in Watsonville – 7/10/26, “Community Matters” on KSCO

See https://pajaronian.com/pge-begins-major-power-system-upgrade-in-south-santa-cruz-county/
and the Watsonville link below for more information on the project

From Becky Steinbruner, Host of Community Matters

This Friday’s Guest on “Community Matters” (2pm Pacific Time) is Mr. Michael Medeiros, VP of Project Development for PG&E.  He will discuss the upgrades PG&E is planning for the Green Valley Substation on Minto Road in Watsonville, and also a project at the Metcalf Substation in Santa Clara County.
https://www.watsonville.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28422/PGE-Watsonville-Capacity-Project-Phase-1-NR

  • Why is this work necessary? 
  • What physical changes will the public see? 
  • How will it improve service?

LISTEN IN!   

Mr. Medeiros has requested no calls from the listeners.

That is AM 1080 on your radio or streaming live here:  KSCO – KSCO 1080 AM News Talk Radio In Santa Cruz

– June 26: Two Moss Landing and Watsonville battery storage discussions on KSCO AM 1080

Friday 2-3 PM: KSCO Radio’s “Community Matters” guest Ms. Phoenix Artemesia, organizer of the public meeting this Sunday (2:30pm) in Pinto Lake City Park to inform people about the large Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project proposed for 90 Minto Road in Watsonville.  Join the conversation tomorrow as Phoenix discusses the event and BESS issues. 
Phoenix and others have worked hard to arrange for many informed speakers, including the Executive Director of the California Energy Commission (CEC), Mr. Drew Bohan, to attend this public meeting, organized by a grassroots group to inform people about the status of the Project.    The Project developers, New Leaf Energy / Sequoia Energy LLC  applied in May for Opt-In Certification with the CEC.  
Although the County will not be making the decision about whether to permit the Project or not, local opinion will carry great weight with the CEC staff in their deliberation.  

Attend  Sunday’s June 28  free event at Pinto Lake City Park at 2:30pm in the large gazebo near the Green Valley Road entrance.  Spanish translation will be available. 

Friday 6 PM: “Bratton on KSCO” Radio program will feature Guests Dr. Don Smith, UCSC Environmental Toxicologist, and Mr. Brian Roeder, representing “Never Again Moss Landing”

On January 16, 2025, the large Vistra Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility at Moss Landing had a thermal runaway problem that led to a massive fire lasting for days, erupting again in February. 
 What was in that smoke plume that traveled around the area?  Did the air that people breathed in the plume area include heavy metal contaminants?
Dr. Don Smith conducted a hair analysis study with more than 60 volunteers living in the Moss Landing area. He and Mr. Roeder discuss the investigation results.

AM 1080 on your radio or streaming live here:  http://www.ksco.com/

In related action, during their June 30 meeting, the County Board of Supervisors will again review the County’s Draft BESS Ordinance that outlines permitting requirements for large BESS projects like that proposed for 90 Minto Road, and includes a site near Aptos High School.

– PG&E to start major kV increase to electric grid corridors – south Santa Cruz County

Update 7/2/26:
Last week, one Santa Cruz County Supervisor’s office repeatedly reached out to PG&E for information on the project, but to date, PG&E has not responded to this county official.

– – – – – – – – – – – –

In a PG&E press release dated May 29, 2026, the company announced a “major power system upgrade” to south Santa Cruz County. PG&E will increase electrical capacity from 4 kV to 21 kV, and install higher capacity electrical cables above and below ground, transformers, and other equipment.

But in a notice to customers June 10, 2026 (p. 1, p. 2), PG&E gave no information on the planned changes, saying only that the company was replacing utility poles.

These upgrades appear to be linked to new battery energy storage (BESS) facilities planned near Watsonville on farmland and near a bird refuge, and another one next to Aptos High School, despite public objections.

All of this will come at an environmental price. And those who live near this equipment will be exposed to higher levels of EMF, which can cause health problems including leukemia.

The hazards of BESS and lack of public protections have been in sharp focus since the fires at the Moss Landing BESS in January and February 2024.

For information on health effects:
The Health Effects of EMF, ELF and Magnetic Fields from Power Lines and Electricity