Recycle Cycle

East Sacramento's electric bike shop

An unemployed engineer and an e-waste recycler walk into a bar. The engineer takes the recycler’s electric bike for a spin. And, a year later, The Electric Bike Shop opens its doors in East Sacramento.

Feb 1, 2011 Stephanie Flores
Photo by Aero Union Corp.

Fire Stomper

Aero Union Corp. moves headquarters to McClellan

Last year the nation watched as images of weary firefighters battling a massive inferno in the Angeles National Forest blazed across their TV screens. After starting on Aug. 26, 2009, the Station Fire went on to burn 160,577 acres, injure 22 people and kill two firefighters before it was fully contained nearly two months later.

Jan 1, 2011 Linda DuBois

Ranching’s Bright Idea

Finding cash in solar power

Raising cattle on the Van Vleck farm near Rancho Murieta is a legacy that has passed from father to son for more than 150 years. Now struggling to keep the family ranch, Stan Van Vleck came up with an electrifying idea: Install solar panels to boost income.

Dec 1, 2010 Carol Crenshaw

Green Teach

Preparing workers for tomorrow's jobs

When Californians went to the polls on Nov. 2, they did more than just select a slate of new Capitol denizens. With the eyes of the world upon them, voters emphatically rejected Proposition 23, the oil industry-backed initiative to block Assembly Bill 32, the state’s groundbreaking effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Dec 1, 2010 Rich Ehisen
Fred Sconberg, Upbeat Workouts Apps

Nonprofit Revenue

Charities raise money through social enterprise

A Sacramento software startup has launched an iPhone application for runners that picks music to go with a workout and can add customized coaching instructions along with the beat. When users pay to download the coaching data, a donation goes to a nonprofit of the coach’s choice.

Dec 1, 2010 Adam Weintraub
Peter Brundage, executive officer, Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission

Civil Union

Rancho Cordova welcomes annexed land

Rancho Cordova recently celebrated the annexation of a finger of land — Folsom Boulevard east of Sunrise Boulevard and south of Highway 50 — with the rest of the incorporated city.

Sep 1, 2010 JT Long