
The Bright Side: Shelter From the Firestorm
Wag Hotels, a chain of companion-animal boarding facilities, decided to offer a free week of board for cats and dogs at its nine locations across Northern and Southern California in response to the LNU Lightning Complex fire that began in August.

Photos: Drive-In Events Fill the Void
Capital Region businesses and nonprofits shift movie screenings, concerts and other happenings outdoors during the pandemic
Pop-up drive-ins appeared during the coronavirus summer of 2020, prompting many families in the Capital Region to turn their vehicles into personal entertainment bubbles.

Art Exposed: Aliyah Sidqe
How one Sacramento artist wants to help fellow artists understand their worth
Aliyah Sidqe, a mentee of the artist and activist Milton Bowens, uses her paintings to uplift the community.

Photos: Organized Baseball Returns to the Capital Region
The Lincoln Potters play in historic McBean Stadium in downtown Lincoln, and the wood-bat California Collegiate League team averaged almost 1,000 fans per game during the 2019 season. This year, the Potters are just happy to be playing, even if fans aren’t allowed.

Art Exposed: Laurelin Gilmore
The Sacramento artist’s paintings show a reverence to nature, as she recognizes environmental issues are social issues
Laurelin Gilmore weaves zodiac and earthy elements to show the connectivity humans have to nature.

Growing During a Pandemic
Renewed interest in gardening helps The Plant Foundry take root
Angela Pratt was ready to close her gardening shop during the COVID-19 crisis until The Plant Foundry was deemed an essential business by state and county guidelines. Pratt turned a negative into a positive by changing business practices to better serve customers.

Out of the Spotlight
The coronavirus pandemic has closed the curtain on the Capital Region’s performing arts, but leaders are hopeful about the future
Last year was a strong one for the performing arts in the region, and 2020 was building on that success, which has led to hope from some local arts leaders that this progress will continue despite the unprecedented shutdown.

More Out the Door
Small breweries that once thrived on beer sales from on-site consumption pivot their business model
While the shelter-in-place measures have helped slow the spread of COVID-19, they have taken a huge economic toll and have been devastating for breweries, especially small breweries that once relied on sales for consumption in their taprooms.

A One-Woman Urban Farm
The owner of Corn Poppy Produce in Stockton talks about building her urban farm business
Jessica Bryant, a former personal trainer who was raised on a cattle ranch, started Corn Poppy Produce in 2019 to promote healthier living in the Stockton community.

Main Street: A New Chapter
Family-owned bookstore adjusts to limitations of state’s coronavirus order
Crawford’s Books owner Sue Richards now offers curbside pickup at her store on Freeport Boulevard in the Hollywood Park neighborhood of Sacramento.