A Slow-Growth Splash
Authenticity proves key in the growth of Amador County — California’s most approachable wine scene
Many wish their favorite places in California were deeply-held secrets. But there’s the hope that, given a little perspective, our current secrets can develop in a way that maintains the original character we fell in love with, without succumbing to the broad appeal forced by faceless investment. Right now, in Amador County, the Shenandoah Valley is at that postcard moment.
Chanowk Yisrael Talks About Changing the ‘Hood for Good
Founder of Yisrael Family Urban Farm wants more urban farming
Chanowk Yisrael wants to change the ‘hood for good. That’s his motto. But what does it take to truly transform a community through gardening?
Area 52 to Launch Local Startups
New business incubator in Davis to help entrepreneurs turn ideas into products
Tim Keller started in the basement. His startup, VinPerfect, won the UC Davis Big Bang! Business Competition in 2008. But he had nowhere to work, so his employer, Sierra Energy, let him use a room below their offices in Davis.
Meet California’s New ‘Pot Czar’
We talk to the chief of the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation
Two decades after California voters approved medical marijuana use, state lawmakers finally endorsed the idea of creating a statewide framework regulating the product last year.
The Waiting Game
Sacramento City Unified’s central kitchen slow to progress
In Sacramento, school cafeterias don’t have the equipment or capacity to store and prepare fresh, local food. They’re designed mainly to warm frozen, processed food, some of which is full of additives and preservatives.
What is California’s Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation?
Tasked with developing rules for medical marijuana production and sales
One of the biggest challenges facing California “pot czar” Lori Ajax in developing the first statewide regulations for medical marijuana might simply be getting folks to grasp what she and her team are and are not doing.
Infographic: California’s Wine Industry
The Capital Region’s wine industry remains strong with Amador county as one of the most approachable wine scenes in the state. As you’ll read in one of our June features, “A Slow-Growth Splash,” staying authentic has been key in Amador county’s growth, but what will the future of California’s wine industry have in store?
PG&E Summer Jobs Program Helps Teens Gain Experience
Company partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento
PG&E piloted the Summer Jobs Program in Fresno in 2012, then expanded it to Sacramento and Bakersfield in 2013. Since the program’s inception, PG&E has invested nearly $4 million to help 900 high school students find summer jobs.
Updated: Quicklegal
Need legal advice? Comprehensive app gives support with attorneys-on-demand
Update (4/2021): Quicklegal CEO Derek Bluford was sentenced to seven years in prison for wire fraud, money laundering and other charges, according to the Sacramento Business Journal.
Update (2/2018): Quicklegal was named our Startup of the Month in June of 2016. Shortly after, we became aware of legal proceedings against Quicklegal. You can read more about the settlement judgement and the original complaint. In a statement to Comstock’s, CEO Derek Bluford said, “I had an employee who impersonated me. He defrauded me, our company and one of our clients.” In January of 2018, Derek Bluford was convicted of fraud.
Derek Bluford was in eighth grade when his single mom got into legal trouble. She had gotten injured at her prison job and couldn’t work full-time. Disability assistance wasn’t enough to cover utilities, food and rent, and they were about to get evicted from their duplex rental in Elk Grove.
Gone Cray
Northern California has been overrun by an invasive predatory crustacean that is fundamentally changing our environment — the good news is, they’re delicious
How many generations does it take to belong somewhere? For the people born on U.S. soil, the law is pretty clear: only one. A pity then is the plight of the humble signal crayfish, pacifastacus leniusculus, who despite getting on more comfortably than even humans in the gentle climes of Northern California, is, and will seemingly always be, invasive.