FROM THE PUBLISHER: The old expression, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” has a quaintness to it but, in fact, if people hadn’t taken a closer look at their not-broke but not-exactly humming-along ways of doing business, they’d have never modernized their work flow, automated some time-swallowing paperwork practices and kept their competitive edge with rival businesses that weren’t afraid to do some regular “spring cleaning.”

There’s something special about female friendships. For me, my two friends are the sisters I never had. They knew me as a shy little girl, an awkward teenager, a young adult with career dreams, a new Mom and middle-aged woman. My parents and brother have passed, yet Brenda and Sue remain, sharing with each other all the details of our lives.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are buzzwords that swim all around us. But how we define and put these principles into action comes from somewhere deep inside. For me, it’s my parents’ legacy that inspires me to enact policies that empower constituents, like scheduling town halls in every district in West Sacramento. 

FROM THE PUBLISHER: I always look forward to our annual Women in Leadership issue, where we’re able to shine a spotlight on the best and brightest women in our region. … What makes women leaders special?

Stepping through the Oriental Saloon in Tombstone, Arizona, there’s a sense of history colliding with the American imagination that is as heavy as its oak bar columns. It’s possible to drink here and wonder if the whole story of Western settlement can be crystallized by 17 violent months that happened in the still-dusty streets outside the door. 

In my 30-plus years providing financial advice, I’ve worked with many people who have reframed retirement in order to make it work for them. Here’s what I’ve learned.

CalMatters: One of California’s starkest — and most important — letdowns is the consistent failure to help elementary and middle school students achieve higher national test scores in basic educational skills, such as reading and math. Moreover, California schools have not yet recovered from the educational losses suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: As it is with all catastrophes, there’s plenty of blame to go around. I guess this can be a useful exercise at some point, but it won’t rebuild people’s homes, restore their most valued possessions or, most importantly, stop this from becoming an annual, recurring heartbreak. We need to ask and answer some obvious questions.

This past summer, my daughter graduated from UC Berkeley and my son from high school. Before she entered the job market and he went off to university, I decided to take them on one more epic adventure.

My relationship to finances is like many people are with visiting the dentist: I turn into a ball of stress and dread that is, at minimum, embarrassing, and can actually be self-sabotaging. Here’s what helped.