
Opinion: We Overcame Disabilities, Addictions and Trauma. Now We’re Fighting to Save Our Jobs
CalMatters: I’m one of 60 people who clean the California Medical Facility in Vacaville. Our jobs, which we got through PRIDE Industries, have given us purpose, dignity and steady paychecks that help us pay rent, buy groceries and care for our loved ones. Now all of that is a risk.

A California County May Lose Its Only Hospital. How a Dispute Over Roads Is Endangering It
CalMatters: Glenn Medical Center, a 25-bed hospital in the rural agricultural town of Willows, north of Sacramento, is about to lose its “critical access” title. Without it, administrators say the hospital couldn’t afford to stay open because it would lose its increased Medicare reimbursements and regulatory flexibilities.

Pokéinvesting: Gotta Buy ‘Em All
A surge in demand for a children’s trading card game has frustrated players and collectors
Pokémon has earned an estimated $147 billion in revenue, making it the highest-grossing media franchise of all time. There’s money to be made in Pokémon cards even on the local level across the Capital Region, but profits aren’t guaranteed.

Off the Beaten Track: All Aboard for Amador
Railbiking the historic tracks of Gold Country
Not quite two years old, the Amador line of Rail Explorers in Ione is a unique, self-motorized way to experience the countryside of Amador County’s historic Mother Lode region.

Going Back Is Hard to Do
How to navigate contentious WFH takebacks
Certainly, many employers are recognizing the business benefits of people working together in an office at least a few days per week, but widespread employee protests have shown that implementing that return is going to be an uphill battle. So what do you do as an employer who’s ready to make that call? And what rights do you have if your boss wants you back in a cubicle?

Aggie Square Becomes a Reality for the Capital Region
A grand opening celebration was held for the $1.1 billion UC Davis innovation center
A festive grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting was held
May 2 for Aggie Square, the $1.1 billion innovation center for UC
Davis that has been eight years in the making.

The Capital Region Is in the Vanguard of Autism Research and Treatment
Researchers, educators and students help unlock the mystery of autism
Autism is neither a disease nor a sickness. But for the increasing population of those diagnosed — one in 31 children is the current count in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — it’s quite real. What might surprise you is that when it comes to learning about and managing autism, the Capital Region is very much in the forefront.

Startup of the Month: InnerPlant
Detecting crop diseases before symptoms show
InnerPlant develops seed technology that turns crops into living sensors that detect stress (such as fungus, pathogens and nitrogen deficiency) at the molecular level before visible symptoms appear. The startup’s initial focus is a soybean engineered to emit a fluorescent optical signal within 48 hours of fungal infection.

Opinion: Donating Funds is Critical, Donating Time is Priceless
While dollar donations are mission critical and help to keep the
figurative lights on at many nonprofits, hands-on volunteers are
also valuable — and the most in-demand type of volunteer role
needed is board service.

Will AI Replace Architects?
As artificial intelligence evolves, architects and designers grapple with how the technology can enhance, but not replace, creativity
Architects are recognizing the advantages of using highly accessible generative AI apps like Midjourney, Claude.ai and Microsoft Copilot to test their design limits for the built environment, but they’re also taking a measured approach on integration and adoption into existing processes.