Sustainable Futures

Amador County program fosters environmental stewardship while putting the focus back on students

Under sunny skies at Argonaut High School in Jackson, representatives from the Amador County Public Schools system and OpTerra Energy Services recently celebrated the official groundbreaking of the Amador GOLD program. The public-private partnership combines school infrastructure improvement and energy-efficiency projects with STEM education for students.

Jun 14, 2017 Jennifer Newman

Catching a Wave

FourthWave Cofounder Cheryl Beninga on Sacramento as an emerging tech hub

FourthWave, a nonprofit accelerator program for women-led tech companies, expanded from its Los Angeles pilot to Sacramento in March and is already working with its first seven entrepreneurs. We sat down with Cheryl Beninga, who is the managing director of Beninga Advisors and who cofounded FourthWave Sacramento with Tracy Saville, CEO of Sofia Al., to talk about women in technology and the regional tech scene.

Jun 8, 2017 Joan Cusick

Back and Forward: Jonathan Palmer on the Shift to Mobile Platforms

Jonathan Palmer, chief technology of Autometrix in Grass Valley, provides insight into how software development has shifted away from PCs and to mobile platforms. His company manufactures automated cutting equipment for textile markets and develops the computer software needed to control the equipment.

Jun 5, 2017

An Open Book

The open-source movement has taken on patient health — and one local woman is in the vanguard

In the Sacramento region, at least one major medical provider is already on the same page with the benefits of OpenNotes. Across the country, an estimated 13 million patients can now access their notes. This open-source movement, proponents say, represents a shift away from a paternalistic model of medical care and toward a model of fully-engaged and informed patients. And that, they argue, is better for everyone.

May 16, 2017 Sena Christian

Birth Control

Even with advanced family planning methods more readily available, working moms still struggle to have it all

While reproductive technologies have given women and families more control and additional tools, having it all still seems a far leap. Treatments are expensive (most insurance plans won’t cover much), time-consuming and not always effective. Meanwhile, workplace politics have been slow to shift and accommodate a growing number of working moms.

Apr 25, 2017 Amy Westervelt