It’s been a year since Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation that created the Active Transportation Program to boost non-motorized transportation across the state, where one in four Californians are obese and more than 3.9 million are diabetic. And as California emerges as a national leader in transportation reform, Yolo County is finding itself at the forefront of the movement.

On hot summer weekends, a 20-barrel brewery west of Winters overflows with patrons. They flood the taproom and crowd around shaded picnic tables, sipping beer while soaking in live music. A few kids play baseball in the gravel lot. Others pull wooden blocks from an oversized Jenga set by the food truck. Some are locals, but many come from Davis, Sacramento and beyond to get a taste of whatever Berryessa Brewing Co. has on tap for the week.

Construction guru C.C. Myers has, for more than two decades, been California’s go-to guy when roads are ravaged by acts of God (like the ’94 Northridge earthquake) or the toll of time (Folsom’s Lake Natoma Crossing, Interstate 5 in Sacramento, Route 99 in Turlock, the Walnut Creek Interchange, and the list goes on). The New York Times once called him the “Miracle Worker Highway Man.”

When it comes to over-hyped marketing and workplace topics, the millennials win hands down. But they are going to change everything, probably for the better, and the rest of us should stop fighting it and get on board. Here’s why:

We are excited to announce a collaboration with Kamere, a local media start-up, to identify and recognize the Capital Region’s 10 most inspiring stories from the region’s nonprofits. The winning stories will be included in our 2015 edition of Capital Region Cares.

Recently our publisher, Winnie Comstock-Carlson, was interviewed by the Western Publishing Association on her work in media and the business community in the Capital Region. Here’s some of what she had to say:

One of the hottest items on the ballot this Nov. 4 is Measure L, or the “Strong Mayor Initiative.” The legislation would alter Sacramento’s government structure by essentially taking power away from the non-elected city manager and giving it to the mayor. Which side are you on? 

If National Estate Planning Awareness Week, which started yesterday,  snuck up on you this year, you are not alone. In fact, if you don’t have an estate plan, you have lots of company. Fifty percent of Americans lack a will and other vital estate planning documents, and their absence is a sure path to probate court and often lengthy, costly legal proceedings before an estate is settled.

In a world with automated bill paying, direct deposits and DVR, you may be thinking “what will they automate next?” If you’re a business owner looking for seasonal help or another employee, then I have good news for you. Automating your hiring process can not only save time and headaches, but it can also help identify the best applicants easier than ever.