A Central Japan Railway Co. Shinkansen bullet train passes through Odawara Station, in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, on Monday, Jan. 25, 2010. Central Japan Railway Co., the owner of the nation's largest bullet-train maker, aims to sell high-speed trains in U.S. states including California and Texas as it strives to boost overseas sales. 

(Photographer: Toshiyuki Aizawa/Bloomberg)

Banks May Balk at Financing $68 Billion California Bullet Train

California is counting on private companies to kick in as much as $35.5 billion toward the most expensive public-works project in U.S. history, a proposed high-speed rail line linking San Francisco with Los Angeles. Banks and other contractors who’ve studied the plan say not so fast.

Oct 20, 2015 James Nash

Industrial Titan

Titan Gilroy is on a mission to eliminate offshore outsourcing and boost manufacturing back home

When Zinola Manufacturing owner Kevin Zinola took a chance and offered convicted felon Titan Gilroy an entry-level job in his small Sunnyvale machine shop, he had no idea where the relationship would go. In the years to follow, Gilroy reformed his life, worked his way up through several companies and finally, established Titan America Manufacturing.

Oct 13, 2015 Laurie Lauletta-Boshart
Shelves at Oto’s Market off Freeport Boulevard in Sacramento brim with Japanese imports and local produce

Global Flavors Next Door

The rising popularity of ethnic grocers is impacting everyday dining

Where in your local supermarket do you find the curry leaves? How about dumplings filled with red bean paste, or maybe smoked duck. Does your local grocer have fresh menudo, warm tortillas right out of the oven, or miso broth prepared that morning on-site? Independent grocery stores focused on specific ethnic cuisines are thriving in Sacramento, enjoying a boom in customers from beyond their base cultural markets.

Oct 12, 2015 Andy Galloway