Recommended For You
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Let’s Twist Again
Banks struggle with large debt and minimal borrowers
The Federal Reserve calls it Operation Twist, named after the 1961 Chubby Checker hit that sparked gyrating hips in dance halls across America. That was also the first year the Fed embarked on a mission to purchase long-term Treasury notes in an effort to drive down interest rates on long-term loans.
The Real Business of the City
Leadership talent is getting lost in translation
When newly elected mayor Kevin Johnson proposed in 2008 a strong-mayor form of city government, the City Council soundly rejected the plan.
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Golden State
A Folsom company thrives on SoCal sun
It didn’t take German immigrant Martin Hermann long to see California as the land of sunshine. And within that bounteous golden glow, he imagined opportunity.
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Taking the Temp of our Economic Climate
Acuity with Sanjay Varshney
Sanjay Varshney, 44, is dean of College Administration at Sacramento State. Last month, in conjunction with the Chartered Financial Analyst Society of Sacramento, he published the seventh issue of the Sacramento Business Review. It offers a look at emerging economic trends and forecasts for 2012 in the Sacramento region, comprised of Sacramento, El Dorado, Placer and Yolo counties.
Redistrict Remix
New district lines mark big opportunities
This year, for the first time in a decade, California is likely to see seriously contested races for Congress. That is because the new Citizens Redistricting Commission dismantled the 2001 congressional gerrymander that kept almost all districts safe for incumbent parties.
A Bright Future
Local tech companies are changing the trajectory of energy consumption
In response to global warming, foreign oil reliance and overstressing the nation’s current energy system, policy makers and citizens are backing efforts to produce more safe, clean, renewable energy. But with numerous limitations, implementing green energy has been difficult.
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Friends With Benefits
Why your brain needs meaningful relationships
Pity friendship: it just doesn’t get enough respect. Romantic love takes center stage in our relationships every time — and in our songs, stories, films and myths — and especially in the Valentine’s Day time of year.
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Contract Killer
Local businesses struggle with dwindling government deals
Companies in the Sacramento region have long counted on government contracts to smooth out the gyrations of economic cycles. Local, state and federal governments had deep pockets and a seemingly unending appetite for goods and services.
Companies in the Sacramento region have long counted on government contracts to smooth out the gyrations of economic cycles. Local, state and federal governments had deep pockets and a seemingly unending appetite for goods and services.
![](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/staffing_0726.jpg?1577874531)
Employee Pro Tempore
Temp staffing fills recessionary employment gaps
Northern California’s economy hasn’t edged far enough into recovery to encourage strong hiring. The bouncing stock market, shaky European economies and an upcoming presidential election have many managers wondering what kind of business climate they’ll be dealing with a year from now.
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No More Classes, No More Books
Community colleges strain under financial distress
Andrew Nelson was raised in the horse-dotted hinterlands of Sacramento, served in the U.S. Air Force in Afghanistan and Iraq, attended community college in Rocklin and is set to attend a prestigious four-year university in hopes of becoming a teacher and education administrator.
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Room For Improvement
Tenant improvement projects stagnate despite office shuffling
The Capital Region’s tenant improvement market is trudging along, mired by a deep air of malaise following years of construction decline.
Tenant Tactics
How to plan for tenant improvements
Tightening belts may be the overall theme in commercial real
estate these days, but a little planning can turn into big
savings. Business owners looking for a home and landlords seeking
tenant upgrades can trim expenses without shredding the wish
list.
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West Cap Renaissance
A fresh downtown on a road less traveled
West Capitol Avenue is looking pretty snazzy these days. Modern buildings with shiny, chrome lettering line clean, wide sidewalks. Newly planted trees lead to bright bus stops stylized with sculptured ‘W’s nearly 10 feet tall.
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Gateway to Growth
Redevelopment milestones in the Bridge District
On a breezy, blue-sky day in late November, West Sacramento city and regional planning officials gathered near Raley Field to celebrate the opening of Tower Bridge Gateway, a reconstructed boulevard connecting Highway 50 to Tower Bridge.
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Greasy Spoon Favorite
A West Sac icon keeps it classic
Emile “Whitey” Boisclair was 47 years old in 1963 when he quit
his job as a sheet-metal worker and bought a struggling West
Sacramento burger joint called Jolly Kone.
He had no experience in the restaurant business, and friends
worried he’d fail.
Emile “Whitey” Boisclair was 47 years old in 1963 when he quit his job as a sheet-metal worker and bought a struggling West Sacramento burger joint called Jolly Kone.
He had no experience in the restaurant business, and friends worried he’d fail.
![](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/_en35896---2012-01-11-at-16-10-43.jpg?1577874530)
Charitable Vetting
Determining whether an organization is worth your money
Charities come in all sizes, dedicated to myriad causes, and generous donations to a small, do-good organization sometimes will make a big difference.
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Wishful Thinking
Making dreams come true in the golden years
Doris Hobbs threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Sacramento River Cats game. Harriet Antonides at last became a Girl Scout at age 100. And Mino Ohye, who hadn’t seen his beloved brother in 60 years, in January would fly to Japan for a reunion.
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Out of Darkness
A bright future for the blind
Shane Snyder has been fighting his whole life. He is 46 years old and has Usher syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting hearing and vision.