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Side Effects
Right-to-try laws could give patients access to experimental drugs, but the risks are extreme
Many of us are familiar with Woodroof’s plight — it was the subject of the critically acclaimed movie “The Dallas Buyers Club.” But while Hollywood took many liberties in telling his story, Woodroof’s real-life dilemma is one still being shared by many terminally ill people today. That struggle is also at the heart of a movement to allow those patients access to drugs the FDA has not authorized.
![(Shutterstock) (Shutterstock)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/0915_dept_opinion_ss.jpg?1577874530)
Minimum Wage Increase: Bad Medicine for a Recovering Economy
Increases in large metropolitan cities are not comparable to the regional economy that is growing in Sacramento
Trends in politics take hold as quickly as those in fashion, and minimum wage increases are definitely “in” this political season. But unlike in the past when Capitol Hill and state legislatures served as battlegrounds for minimum wage debates, cities are now the epicenter. Buoyed by increases enacted in a handful of megacities, American municipalities of all sizes have started asking whether they should follow suit, and if so, to what degree.
Solar vs. Utilities: Round Two
PG&E asks California Public Utilities Commission to boost charges for solar customers
The battle between rooftop solar and utilities is moving into California’s statehouse.
![Developers Allan Davis and his late wife Nancy Emerson-Davis
(Susan Maxwell Skinner, Carmichael Archive) Developers Allan Davis and his late wife Nancy Emerson-Davis
(Susan Maxwell Skinner, Carmichael Archive)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/0915_dept_update_susanskinner.jpg?1577874530)
Status Check: Milagro Centre Nears Completion
Carmichael’s culinary center is about to get cookin’
The construction of downtown Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center, the revitalization of The Kay District, development at the railyards and across the river on the banks of West Sacramento … there’s a lot growing in the area, but one of the most interesting projects is actually in sleepy Carmichael.
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Plight Of the Novice Nurse
Nurses are in high demand, but only if they’re seasoned
A nursing shortage has been looming like a storm cloud, warning the country’s health care industry of impending change. The health care and education industries prepared for it by training novice graduates, advocating for advanced degrees and expanding the roles of nurses. The question now is whether the newbies will be ready in time.
![(Shutterstock) (Shutterstock)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/0815_dept_opinion_elementsfromss.jpg?1577874530)
Out-of-State Students Provide Valuable Diversity
Expanding nonresident enrollment is not an option that can be rejected without careful consideration
Given the importance of a degree or certificate from a publicly supported California college — a community college, a California State University or the University of California — some taxpayers may ask why California colleges should serve any student who isn’t a state resident.
![(Shutterstock) (Shutterstock)](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/0815_blog_trees_ss.jpg?1577874530)
A Tall Order
Tree maintenance is a must for property owners
The sickening, wooden crack of a falling tree can strike fear into the hearts of property owners. Maybe that’s true for anyone within a certain radius of the falling tree, but property owners have a more specific concern: They could be liable for thousands of dollars in damage to cars, or even lives.
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The Incredible Lightness of Shrinking
The tiny-house movement wants to change the way you think about housing
In the past five years, 57-year-old Elaine Walker has lived in four cities: Washington D.C., two in Northern California and now Orlando, Fla. And in all four, she lived in the same house.That’s because it’s a farmhouse on wheels.
![Chris Silva's tiny home during construction. The siding and roof are completely done. Chris Silva's tiny home during construction. The siding and roof are completely done.](https://www.comstocksmag.com/sites/main/files/imagecache/tile/main-images/0815_realestate_chrissilva6.jpg?1577874530)
Ready to Start Small?
A behind-the-scenes look at the construction of a tiny home
The tiny-house movement is growing fast. According to those who espouse the tiny-house lifestyle, stripping down to the essentials can lead to quite a bit of clarity. Here is a look at how Chris Silva built his.