Call it the tale of two turfs. In summer 2014, 27-year-old Benjamin Triffo wanted to do something about his dry, unattractive yard. He owns a four-bedroom, four-bath duplex in Elk Grove that he’d bought in 2011, and his sprinkler lines were broken. But with the state passing rules last July that would allow fines for overwatering, Triffo quickly figured out that replacing his system and re-sodding would be like attaching a drain line to his checkbook.

Some may say that fashion isn’t important to Sacramento. The city is America’s Farm-to-Fork Capitol after all, not to mention the coveted place sports holds in hearts, minds and headlines. However, talented local stylists, designers and retailers are working to establish fashion as a viable industry. To that end, designers Karisa Gold and Kimberly Eanes new operation, The Workspace: Fashion Incubator, opened a little over a month ago in downtown Sacramento.

Last summer, Magpie Café in midtown Sacramento added a line on their customers’ checks. It gave them the option to tip the cooks separately from the servers. It gave diners what they universally say they want: more control.

Saint John’s Program for Real Change is part of a growing national movement of nonprofits designing programs that include new ways to monitor outcomes and quantify success for those they serve.