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A Zoo Too Far? Maybe Not
FROM THE PUBLISHER: The on-again/off-again saga of relocating the Sacramento Zoo from its longtime William Land Park location to the city of Elk Grove, a little under 13 miles away, had seemed like an idea whose time, available acreage, freeway access and enthusiastic support had come. Then it seemed like it hadn’t, and the project was unceremoniously killed. What happened?

Will AI Replace Architects?
As artificial intelligence evolves, architects and designers grapple with how the technology can enhance, but not replace, creativity
Architects are recognizing the advantages of using highly accessible generative AI apps like Midjourney, Claude.ai and Microsoft Copilot to test their design limits for the built environment, but they’re also taking a measured approach on integration and adoption into existing processes.

Dilemma of the Month: How Do I Deal With Imposter Syndrome?
I have always had a bit of imposter syndrome, but now it is at an
all-time high after changing industries. My strengths are not
what this organization needs, but finding another job is very
difficult. What should I do?

The Capital Region Is in the Vanguard of Autism Research and Treatment
Researchers, educators and students help unlock the mystery of autism
Autism is neither a disease nor a sickness. But for the increasing population of those diagnosed — one in 31 children is the current count in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — it’s quite real. What might surprise you is that when it comes to learning about and managing autism, the Capital Region is very much in the forefront.

Startup of the Month: InnerPlant
Detecting crop diseases before symptoms show
InnerPlant develops seed technology that turns crops into living sensors that detect stress (such as fungus, pathogens and nitrogen deficiency) at the molecular level before visible symptoms appear. The startup’s initial focus is a soybean engineered to emit a fluorescent optical signal within 48 hours of fungal infection.

Aggie Square Becomes a Reality for the Capital Region
A grand opening celebration was held for the $1.1 billion UC Davis innovation center
A festive grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting was held
May 2 for Aggie Square, the $1.1 billion innovation center for UC
Davis that has been eight years in the making.

Off the Beaten Track: All Aboard for Amador
Railbiking the historic tracks of Gold Country
Not quite two years old, the Amador line of Rail Explorers in Ione is a unique, self-motorized way to experience the countryside of Amador County’s historic Mother Lode region.

Going Back Is Hard to Do
How to navigate contentious WFH takebacks
Certainly, many employers are recognizing the business benefits of people working together in an office at least a few days per week, but widespread employee protests have shown that implementing that return is going to be an uphill battle. So what do you do as an employer who’s ready to make that call? And what rights do you have if your boss wants you back in a cubicle?

How Japanese Sweets Are Enduring and Evolving in Sacramento
A century-old sweet shop, a cult-status bakery and a homegrown pop-up bring Japanese flavors to the Capital Region
Today, Osaka-Ya is the only dedicated Japanese mochi and manju shop in Sacramento, but you can find other Japanese and Japanese-inspired sweets around the city.

AI Supercharges Talent Acquisition for Recruiters
How interview chatbots and other tools help employers find the right candidate
The job search is tedious on both ends. Depending on the size of the company, employers might sift through thousands of resumes to narrow down the field and find a single hire. It was a matter of time before technology came to the rescue.

Hunting Near the Farm-to-Fork Capital
Driven by a desire to eat ethically and connect with nature, more people are discovering the Capital Region’s wealth of hunting opportunities
Alongside deer, upland game like turkeys and pheasants, and invasive wild pigs, Sacramento offers some of the best wildfowl hunting anywhere in the U.S., and hunters come from across the state and country to enjoy it.

Off the Beaten Track Takes Another Path
Department coming to an end after five-year run spotlighting little-known destinations
When Off the Beaten Track debuted in early 2021, the Capital Region was tenuously crawling back from the worst pandemic in more than a hundred years. As we poked our heads outside, we wondered which businesses made it out OK, and how did they do it? Their compelling tales were the overriding storylines of those early post-pandemic days, while impacts from COVID-19 stretched throughout OTBT’s run.

My Father’s Legacy: Untamed Joy
Contributor Marie-Elena Schembri shares memories of her father for our monthly personal essay column
As a young girl, I thought my dad was the funniest, smartest, most handsome man in the world. He had many wonderful and endearing qualities, but he was a complicated man. He was an alcoholic and carried a depth of grief, shame and anger that often made him hide the best parts of himself.