Sometimes it’s not a bad idea for an entire region to get in touch with itself — and for that, I turn to a favorite quote from the late educator and writer Stephen Covey, whose simple but direct point for businesses and individuals was to focus on “the main thing.”

This year, Comstock’s readers revealed an interest in the kind of hyperlocal news only regional media can provide, from profiles of rising leaders to behind-the-scenes explorations of the developments and investments that impact the cities where we live and work.

Companies in the Capital Region are vying to become the replacement for internal combustion in markets far beyond consumer vehicles.

Surveys show record numbers of Americans saying the country is off track, and the future feels bleak. And yet, beneath it, the impulse to kindness keeps flickering.