FROM THE PUBLISHER: I’m an optimist by nature — and these days, an optimist who realizes that when this country wants change, all we have to do is demand nothing less.

For agencies that provide emergency medical services, every single drug must be accounted for. But during Clive Savacool’s time as a firefighter in the Bay Area, drugs went missing from a fire station.

The apocalyptic tenor of the recent election made it seem disaster was inevitable no matter who won. But at least on the economy, the first half of 2025 should be a sigh of relief, letting most businesses stick to small ball. 

I am considering stepping back from a managerial role to an individual contributor role. I am burned out… When I think hard, I just want to return to an individual contributor role and stop being responsible for other people. Will I destroy my career if I do this?

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.

With economic pressures, a deeper awareness of mental health issues and trends like Dry January and Sober October, Millennials and Gen Z are driving the “sober curious” movement, rethinking their relationship with alcohol to make healthier, more intentional choices. 

The hotel’s popular downstairs bar and restaurant remained mostly closed for the past three years, but after major updates, including those to many of the hotel’s distinctive Victorian-style rooms, they will open again in the new year.

He’s sometimes crunching numbers in Excel, sometimes lugging sacks of potatoes and sometimes feeding hay to his cows. These are all wildly different tasks, but they’re all united by the same principle — giving.

People don’t know where they’re going or what’s on the menu, just that there will be a variety of quality meals within walking distance. A food tour is a novel way to experience a place through an activity that appeals to and is accessible by all.

With less funding in the current budget, the management of public lands is likely to change substantially, and this may have massive and unforeseen consequences for Californians. 

“It’s a pretty spectacular home that emulates the juxtaposition of modern and traditional design in a Northern California style,” Brian Whitmore describes his house located in the Sierra de Montserrat development in Loomis.

PODCAST EPISODE: Predicting the future is hard, but we still like to try. Comstock’s contributor Steven Yoder breaks down his cover story “New Year, New Administration. What Can We Expect?” in which economists offer their insight on the next few years in the Capital Region. Which areas will see the most growth? Is it time to make the big moves or to play it safe? Find out in our latest episode. 

The influx of immigrants and refugees from a multitude of different countries has created an opportunity and a challenge for Capital Region architects to design educational spaces with greater cultural sensitivity that provide a sense of belonging for new students and families.

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.