Reform Prop. 13
Is a discussion possible?
After all these years since California voters passed Proposition 13, what will it take to have a rational discussion about amending the way commercial property is assessed?
Healthy Options
Farmers markets and urban growers combat local food deserts
Despite living near some of the most productive farmland on earth, many Sacramentans are unable to find produce that’s both fresh and affordable in their own neighborhoods.
In Support of Measure L
Why a strong mayor will make for a stronger Sacramento
I’ve watched, listened and learned as the debate over Sacramento’s “strong mayor” initiative has progressed over the past several years. Like many people, I was surprised and a little disappointed when Kevin Johnson started advocating for the strong mayor form of government within months of election to his first term.
But this time it’s different.
Rolling on the River
What’s up with West Sac
West Sacramento’s transportation infrastructure will be a key part of the rapidly growing city. Here’s a look at what’s happening, with a few projects already underway or recently announced.
Bridging the Divide
West Sacramento’s massive transportation shift is redefining its identity
Long regarded as the region’s industrial bastion relegated to the other side of the river, today’s West Sacramento is barreling out of the past.
Restraining the Titans
California's insurance commissioner on the importance of veto power over rate hikes
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has spent much of the past decade looking to enact rate regulations on the health insurance industry, first as an Assemblymember and now as the state’s top insurance regulator. We sat down with him recently to talk about Proposition 45, a November ballot measure he supports that would give him the power to reject health insurance rate hikes.
Underhanded Dealings
The dark side of the “shadow economy”
Unscrupulous vendors are a small part of the so-called shadow economy – the unlicensed contractor for sure, but also a vast black market of businesses, often cash-only, working out of homes or garages, that don’t pay the taxes or licensing fees their competitors do. While profitable for the person getting away with it, this underground economy hits all of us right where it hurts – in the pocketbook.
Green Grids
Transportation reforms throughout the region are changing the ways people live and travel in Yolo County
It’s been a year since Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation that created the Active Transportation Program to boost non-motorized transportation across the state, where one in four Californians are obese and more than 3.9 million are diabetic. And as California emerges as a national leader in transportation reform, Yolo County is finding itself at the forefront of the movement.
Winters Brew
Berryessa Brewing Co. reaps the benefits of committed regulars but may soon face growing pains
On hot summer weekends, a 20-barrel brewery west of Winters overflows with patrons. They flood the taproom and crowd around shaded picnic tables, sipping beer while soaking in live music. A few kids play baseball in the gravel lot. Others pull wooden blocks from an oversized Jenga set by the food truck. Some are locals, but many come from Davis, Sacramento and beyond to get a taste of whatever Berryessa Brewing Co. has on tap for the week.
Vote on a Halloween costume for our editor in chief
Our editor in chief, Christine Calvin, can’t decide what to be for Halloween. We need some help from our readers…