
Dilemma of the Month: An Employee Accidentally Shared an Email With Sensitive Data. How Can We Know It Won’t Happen Again?
The Evil HR Lady addresses apologies and how to take them
If you’re looking for groveling — well, that’s a problem on your side too. Let’s break this down.

To Halve or Not to Halve, That Is the Question | Opinion
FROM THE PUBLISHER: Reflections on the perennial question of dividing California
For 175 years, from California’s admission into the U.S. until now, it sits as the fourth largest economy in the world. More than 220 attempts have been made to divide our state into two, three and even six states. The various reasons have included its sheer size and its presumed ungovernability.

What a Government Shutdown Will Mean for Californians, From Social Security to National Parks
CalMatters: Social Security and Medicare benefits will keep flowing in a government shutdown, but federal employees will be working without pay and delays likely will occur across many services.

The Capital Region Is Not Alone in Its Challenges | Opinion
FROM THE EDITOR: Cities across the U.S. also have housing, crime, immigration and tariff concerns
I just spent a week in Washington, D.C., attending a National Press Foundation fellowship on local small business reporting. What I learned is that the Capital Region’s problems are not unique; small and mid-size cities around the U.S. are experiencing much of the same challenges and problems that we have here.

Star Power and Flashy Hires Are Kicking Off Sacramento State’s Sports Season
Lakers great Shaquille O’Neal and Sac Kings star Mike Bibby are among the personalities drawing attention to the sports program
Sacramento State’s sports teams have endured many lean
years. But the institution, which debuted its original sports —
basketball, baseball and tennis — in 1948, has embraced a
controversial change.

The Big Commitment: On Friendships, Aging and the Sacred Silliness
For our Last Word essay column, Comstock's former associate editor reflects on friendship
Following an uncomfortable pause after the officiant asked if
anyone knew a reason why these two shouldn’t be joined in
matrimony, Monty, a comedian, stood up and loudly objected. Once
the giggling started, the entire crowd realized we were in for
another performance.

California’s Marijuana Industry Gets a Break Under New Law Suspending Tax Hike
CalMatters: Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday signed a bill to roll back taxes on recreational weed in an effort to give some relief to an industry that has struggled to supersede its illicit counterpart since voters legalized marijuana almost 10 years ago.

How the National Weather Service Helps California Through Fire Season
Local offices in Sacramento and Hanford were critically understaffed, but pending legislation aims to prevent this from happening again
As California headed into fire season, two National Weather Service offices covering much of the Central Valley struggled with unprecedented vacancies — forcing service cutbacks and backup support from neighboring stations. What does this mean for the future of weather safety in California?

With Slow Food Festival, Sacramento Hopes to Enter New Era as a Food Destination City
Terra Madre Americas may help put Sacramento on the culinary tourism map
A big international food festival inspired by the slow food movement debuts in downtown Sacramento this month. The event may help make the city a culinary destination — as it did for a relatively sleepy city in Italy three decades ago.

Health Care Cuts Threaten Homegrown Solutions to Rural Doctor Shortages
KFF Health News: California’s far northern region is a collection of sparsely populated counties stretching from just north of Sacramento all the way up to Oregon and from the Pacific coast to the Nevada border. The shortages are so pervasive that support for one of the costliest solutions — a proposed $200 million health care training campus — transcends partisanship.