The North San Joaquin Valley — made up of San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced counties —  may be the most misunderstood and overlooked region in California. Historically, these three counties have been lumped together with larger San Joaquin Valley or Central Valley in a variety of policy, planning and economic development circles.

In 2016, during the early days of Birdies Slippers, the two-person company based in San Francisco worked with a small public-relations firm to identify their ideal brand ambassador for what they hoped would become the go-to slippers for women seeking comfort and fashion. Their selection: Meghan Markle.

For victims of domestic violence, planning to escape an abusive situation can be made much more difficult if there is a pet involved.

Dark beers have developed a serious sweet tooth.

Do you find yourself unable to get ahead of your deadlines? Can’t shake the feeling that you do your best work under pressure? Turns out, you might be addicted to procrastination-induced adrenaline.

Hitting the books: Placer County Office of Education’s Gayle Garbolino-Mojica on the county’s public school system.

Time-management tips geared toward living a healthier lifestyle for the time-crunched leader.

Creative networking groups like The Blog Bloc are helping creative entrepreneurs turn their crafts into business. Good Inc., also based in Sacramento, gives photographers and models opportunities to collaborate, workshop and learn.

What are employers expected to do for employees when the air quality is dangerous? Are we legally obligated to close when the air quality is so bad?

Eric Sweet used to be a pilot, hauling cargo and flying corporate jets. Then he tried his hand at real estate. Now, through his Sacramento-based startup, Robotics Evolution, he’s focused on educating youth on robotics by offering special arenas where their robots can compete in various competitions.