During the first week of November every year, like clockwork, the gates to the fish ladder open at Nimbus Fish Hatchery on the American River, and the Chinook salmon — crucial to California’s commercial and recreational fishing industry — climb 22 steps to complete their final journey home.

Real vacations are rare for Sacramento Republic FC public address announcer Jaime Coffee.

Juggling a full-time state job with side gigs in and outside Sacramento, the barrier-breaking Coffee works as a female announcer in a field dominated by men. Coffee’s crazy schedule comes at a cost: Vacations are usually of the working variety. 

After Thursday night’s 10-2 victory over Reno, Sacramento clinched the team’s first Pacific Coast League’s Pacific Northern Division title since 2012.

There’s a nice payoff for music fans willing to explore outside the city of Sacramento — and it doesn’t have to be a long trek. Photojournalist Steve Martarano takes us inside suburban entertainment gems in the Capital Region.

It’s a summer ritual for the nation’s car culture since the 1930s: catching a flick at the drive-in movie theater. Opening in 1973 just off Bradshaw Road and Highway 50, West Wind, a family-owned business operated by Syufy Enterprises, just finished major parking lot and building renovations as its 46th summer kicks off.

Nonprofit groups and businesses have launched programs to help inmates better prepare for life and a career outside the walls of a prison with the goal of nurturing productive citizens and reducing recidivism rates.

Rancho Cordova was always a natural location for a multi-city California bike race. This year, the city of 75,000 was finally tapped to host a stage of the race. 

Seeking a much-needed youth infusion, the Sacramento Blues Society looks to local schools for inspiration. The group’s 15-year-old Blues in the Schools program helps keep an aging local blues scene alive with a youthful and passionate presence, assisting young artists while they gain a foothold in the industry.

It has been a head-spinning past two weeks for Sacramento and its five-year bid to become the next Major League Soccer expansion team.

It’s a busy Friday afternoon at Razor Sharp Kutz in Elk Grove’s Stonelake Landing shopping center, and owner Steav Jordan finishes up with a customer at his business that, in all likelihood, he will soon be losing.

Five years after the first homes were built in the 72-acre Crocker Village infill development in the Curtis Park neighborhood, the long-anticipated retail portion will soon open to customers.

When the Sacramento Kings swapped their development league affiliate from Reno to Stockton earlier this year, it meant Stockton claimed its third minor league team, adding a key tenant to the city’s revitalizing downtown waterfront.

The Amtrak Capitol Corridor train originates in Auburn and goes as far as San Jose. It has been a long-time popular way to the games, especially beginning in 2001 when service increased and Amtrak began offering a 25 percent discount to riders destined for Raiders games.

Bill Wagman greets 25 guests at the front door of his Davis house, then sits quietly at a dining room table while his featured musician of the mid-September evening, Florida’s Grant Peeples, entertains in the living room with folk songs and reciting his offbeat poetry.

Sacramento Republic FC has been in a celebratory mood all season honoring its five years as a United Soccer League franchise, and Klimenta has been part of the team since the start. He began this year with Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy before being released in June and returning to Sacramento.

Sacramento has struggled to compile wins since switching from the Oakland A’s to the Giants’ affiliate.

Sacramento’s Aaron Jilg is one of the lucky attendees at the biggest drone speed race in California history, featuring competitors from around the globe. He’s still buzzing after the winners are crowned inside the Golden 1 Center, overlooking the futuristic course.

This gallery started with a peek into the Torch Club’s “green” room, located down a few stairs back behind the stage and hidden from public view. Between sets at a Ray Copeland Band show, I caught singer Marilyn Woods on a piano bench looking at some video and I snapped a couple of photos before going back out to the bar area.

Follow Randy Brink around Papa Murphy’s Park before a Sacramento Republic FC match and you’ll start counting how many different ways fans can say hi.

As a Midtown renaissance has morphed into a downtown building boom around the Golden 1 Center, Cool Projects Bike Tour riders have enjoyed a front row bicycle seat to it three to four times a year.

The smell of spring and anticipation of a new season is palpable on a Saturday afternoon at Raley Field in West Sacramento, as fans file in for the River Cats-Giants exhibition on March 24.

For 16 consecutive years, first at Arco/Sleep Train Arena and now the Golden 1 Center, Sacramento fans have made it a ritual of grabbing their cowboy hats and heading to the home of the Kings to welcome the best talent the bull riding world has to offer.

As a teenager dominating on the basketball court almost a decade ago, Ryan Sypkens seemed in control.

A prep standout at Elk Grove’s Franklin High School, Sypkens earned accolades as one of the top players in the Sacramento area. Then it was on to UC Davis, where he became a starter at point guard as a freshman.

When you’ve landed your dream job, you show up early.

It’s more than 90 minutes before game time on a cool, breezy late May evening and Mike Marando, the Sacramento River Cats’ public address announcer, sits hunched over a table in the press box at Raley Field and begins his fastidious pre-game preparation.

Steven Rapadas has been close before.

With 64 amateur bouts under his belt, Rapadas has faced his share of adversity as he’s battled his way through a sport that has consumed his life since his early teens.

One of the area’s biggest annual multi-act festivals, City of Trees, is set to draw up to 12,000 fans to Bonney Field on Sept. 10 when bands such as Weezer, and Panic! at the Disco take the stage.

Standing at the base of the Capitol Towers apartment complex, I couldn’t help but notice a sign posted on an outside window last week that simply said, “Goodbye.” I’m sad to note that A&A Grocery, a 37-year presence in downtown Sacramento, will soon be closing its doors.

Everyone has an opinion about the Golden 1 Center, the new home of the Sacramento Kings. But everyone also agrees on one thing: the new facility is transforming downtown Sacramento.

The narrative of Andrew Susac’s 2014 season did more than just further his promising baseball career. The Roseville native’s sudden ascent in late July from minor leaguer to eventual World Series champion opened up a breadth of new financial opportunities, too.

Following a big win last Saturday, Sacramento will host the championship match against the Harrisburg City Islanders this weekend.