Language Service Cutbacks Raise Fear of Medical Errors, Misdiagnoses, Deaths
KFF Health News: Health nonprofits and medical interpreters warn that federal cuts have eliminated dozens of positions in California for community workers who help non-English speakers sign up for insurance coverage and navigate the health care system.
Trump Trade War Has Already Had Huge Effect on CA Ports
CalMatters: California’s port traffic is beginning to look worse now, under the effects of President Donald Trump’s fickle tariff policy, than it did at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Winning the Fire Insurance Lottery Is Harder Than Ever
Getting a good homeowners policy was like hitting the lucky number. Then came the L.A. fires
Keeping a decent insurance plan has only gotten tougher. The re-insurers that backstop companies like State Farm and Farmers are remapping the Capital Region after L.A., say area insurance agents.
A Quarter Century of Startups: Big Bang! Finalists Share $100K in Milestone Year
Checking in with past honorees of the UC Davis competition — some who’ve gone public, others who’ve pivoted careers
Today, the UC Davis Big Bang! awards ceremony honors 19 finalist teams with $100,000 in grants. For every founder that participates in the Big Bang, several of which have been spotlighted in Comstock’s Startup of the Month column and other stories, no path forward looks the same.
How Is California Fire-Proofing for the Future?
From flame-resistant building materials to increased defensible space, our future homes and neighborhoods may look vastly different
In an era of escalating fire disasters, with insurers fleeing large parts of the state and with builders desperate to find ways to construct houses that would better resist the flames, what can we do to defend our neighborhoods?
Google’s $125 Million Deal With California For Local News Is Already Shrinking
CalMatters: A controversial $125 million deal California struck with Google last year to prop up the state’s struggling journalism industry is already on track to shrink — before any of the money has been delivered to news outlets.
Stockton Mom Breathes New Life Into Literary Landmark
Mr. Otto's Bookstore is one of the last remaining children's bookstores in the San Joaquin Valley
Mr. Otto’s Bookstore is Stockton is one of the last independent children’s bookstores in San Joaquin County. Its new owner, Alex Long, wants the store to be a resource to children, parents and writers throughout the region.
Inside California’s Retro Video Game Modding Scene
Modchips and fan games can cross legal lines—but for some, it's a passion worth the risk
Selling modified video games and consoles is illegal but typically unenforced. The fear of a lawsuit from a big tech company is enough to scare away established retailers. A few side-hustlers in the Capital Region take that chance and operate in a gray market.
Beyond Fusion: Minh Phan’s Radical Hospitality Reimagines the Food Narrative
Marking 50 years since the Fall of Saigon, Phan’s performance at UC Davis transforms food into a sensory ritual of grief, healing and transcultural remembrance
At the UC Davis Manetti Shrem Museum, spring rolls, Meyer lemons and sculptural altars become vessels for stories of migration, loss and radical care.
The Industry Is Struggling, but Regional Vintners Think Wine Can Still Win
How lower demand, generational shifts in alcohol and potential Trump tariffs are affecting winemakers
After three decades of growth, the industry has seen three years of negative sales. Grape farmers are being severely undercut by cheaper bulk wine from abroad. Sudden, unpredictable tariff shock is knocking exports and profit margins off kilter. And there’s been studies of late suggesting that Gen Z, those born between 1997 to 2012, is abandoning the wine life and maybe even alcohol altogether. But local growers are optimistic nevertheless.