The Hope of a New Year

FROM THE PUBLISHER: I’m an optimist by nature — and these days, an optimist who realizes that when this country wants change, all we have to do is demand nothing less.

Jan 2, 2025 Winnie Comstock-Carlson

The Power and Potential of Seaweed

From keeping oceans healthy to being used as an alternative to plastics, researchers believe seaweed has a multitude of uses

Nearly 2,000 miles northwest of Sacramento, Matthew Perkins rode a boat out into the Gulf of Alaska and saw nothing but endless potential for growth. “It’s kind of overwhelming how much opportunity there is,” he says. “You’re on the water, snow-capped mountains in the backdrop, you look down and see this incredible biomass growing. It’s literally the bounty of nature.”

Dec 30, 2024 Russell Nichols

How a Musical Passion Led to a Whole New Chapter of Life

It may seem unlikely that a middle-aged woman would sprout an all-out obsession with a famous dead guitarist, leading to a love affair with a city some 2,000 miles away. But this “Austin thing” has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my six decades on the planet — and it ain’t over yet.

Dec 23, 2024 Cathy Cassinos

‘No Way, Not Possible’

California has a plan for new water rules. Will it save salmon from extinction?

CalMatters: The Newsom administration is refining a contentious set of proposed rules, years in the making, that would reshape how farms and cities draw water from the Central Valley’s Delta and its rivers. Backed by more than $1 billion in state funds, the rules, if adopted, would require water users to help restore rivers and rebuild depleted Chinook salmon runs.  

Dec 20, 2024 Alastair Bland, CalMatters

Theater Food: Not Just a Stage

Capital Region theaters offer more than popcorn

Crest Theatre (formerly Empress Theatre) and Empress Tavern, which have been open since 1912 and 2015, respectively, is just one theater-restaurant pairing where you can have a full night out in Sacramento. From downtown Sacramento to Oak Park, legacy theaters around the region are serving up both dinner and a show. 

Dec 19, 2024 Sarah Bun