CalMatters: The cuts unveiled in the first draft of his new budget triggered criticism from environmental groups.

Sramek, 36, is founder and CEO of California Forever, which seeks to build a large new community in Solano County. While cities or large unincorporated communities have been built from scratch before in California and elsewhere, what makes this potential metropolis unusual — and has stirred public controversy — are the people behind it and its backstory.

The Auburn Dam could well be the most talked about water storage and flood control facility in the country that simply doesn’t exist — no matter how much it’s been argued about, advocated for and against, legislatively proposed and architecturally rendered.

As California grew into a vast agricultural region during the early 20th century, native grasslands, forests and riparian habitats were gradually replaced by farmlands and orchards. Though green things thrive on farms as a matter of business, there’s very little biodiversity on a traditional farm — and not much room for pollen specialists.

Will it rain this weekend? For over 30 years, the man Sacramento trusts for that answer is Mark Finan, chief meteorologist at KCRA. 

“When you talk about business, ours has allowed us to bring our culture back,” Tayaba notes. “Building our dance arbor, having our ceremonies — obtaining eagle feathers, abalone, clam shells, pine nuts, items that aren’t easily foraged today — it all costs money. Now we hold workshops, classes, dance practices. We’re trying to rebirth weavers, because our grandmothers were weavers.”

CalMatters: Hundreds of scientists working for the state of California to protect water supplies, respond to oil spills, study wildlife and track foodborne outbreaks marched in Sacramento Nov. 15 in what’s being called the first-ever strike by state civil servants.