The show producer opens his laptop, and with a touch of the keyboard the magic begins. Music swells, and a spectacular vision of multicolor sparkling flowers explodes in the night sky, along with golden starbursts and shiny cascading waterfalls. 

Coffee is a $225 billion industry in the U.S., providing 1.6 million jobs. But are we growing, roasting and making the best cup possible? That’s what an innovative program at the UC Davis School of Chemical Engineering has been working on for the past 10 years.

While the leaders of the Lake Tahoe region deal with the impact of millions of visitors each year and the trash they leave behind, the lake itself is currently the clearest it has been since the 1980s.

A record 76,810 fans turned out to watch the star-studded tournament.

Julie Phillips had a good idea early on where her interests lie. After growing up in Roseville, she attended UC Davis as a political science major and got strongly involved with the Greek community there. She wasn’t interested in pursuing politics; public policy fascinated her instead. 

Choosing a wedding dress has become a big production for some, with the bride-to-be bringing along her mother, future mother-in-law and a group of friends to help her select in a luxurious salon while sipping champagne and mimosas.

Sometimes when things don’t work out the way you wanted, you’re disappointed — but you’ve still achieved far beyond what was expected of you. It has to be acknowledged that the 2022-2023 NBA season for the Sacramento Kings was a success.

If you wanted to know what it was like to be at the Sacramento Kings first playoff game in 17 years Saturday night, Comstock’s Editor Judy Farah can tell you the fans were so loud you couldn’t hear the player introductions.

When the Kings play and the Beam is lit, it means both the Kings and businesses in Downtown Commons and surrounding region are all prospering.

Sacramento sports and entertainment managers are trying to reach sports fans who travel for Bay Area games to keep their money here. So what are they doing to compensate for all those sports dollars being lost?

Risa Omega is president and general manager of ABC10, currently the most-awarded newsroom in the Capital Region. 

It really wasn’t so long ago that women had to fight to enter businesses that were dominated by men, reflects Comstock’s Editor Judy Farah. In her March letter, she celebrates the women who have broken barriers in the Capital Region along with the fresh perspectives they’re bringing to their work. 

Fake pills loaded with deadly fentanyl are leading to fatal overdoses among adults and kids in our region and our nation. How is the drug being illegally manufactured, and what should parents and teens know?

The Youth Employment Services, or YES! program, will help young people with disabilities, trafficking survivors and those who have spent time in the foster care or juvenile justice systems.

The olive oil produced by Seka Hills is used by more than 300 restaurants, from the famed Chez Panisse in Berkeley to Mulvaney’s Building & Loan in Sacramento, and sold in 700 specialty markets.

November’s cover star, Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, isn’t the only one changing the city’s reputation. Many trends —  big events, world-class sports and food — are contributing to Sacramento’s promising future. Comstock’s Editor Judy Farah considers just how close the region is to overcoming its stereotypes. 

The Sobon family, owners of Sobon Estate and Shenandoah Vineyards, are continuing a 166-year legacy of winemaking in Amador County. Their land has been a vineyard since 1856, making it one of the oldest in the state.

Fall is open enrollment season, so take time to find a plan that best suits you.

Dustin Vicari is executive vice president for Elevate Sports Ventures and holds a dual role as Sacramento Republic FC’s chief revenue officer.

In the past decade, there’s been an earthquake of distrust in the news media. Comstock’s Editor Judy Farah considers how we got here and why we need credible, unbiased reporting more than ever. 

Firebird Russian Restaurant recently reopened as Noroc with a fresh new look.

As president and owner of a large aerospace company, Sonia Susac appreciates each step of machinery and craft behind its ambitious NASA projects. 

Capital Region researchers, veterinarians and advocates are finding innovative ways to rehabilitate wildlife burned by California’s raging wildfires. 

“The Nutcracker,” the much-loved ballet about a young girl’s fantastical dream at Christmastime, is returning to the Sacramento Ballet after a one-year absence due to COVID-19.

PODCAST: A dedication to the past allows some family restaurants in the Capital Region to survive through the decades.

A dedication to the past allows some family restaurants in the Capital Region to survive through the decades.

Auburn-based Flyers Energy is expanding on its history of supplying fuel to trucking fleets.

During her tenure as Sacramento councilwoman and mayor pro tempore, Angelique Ashby has played a role in some major developments for the city.

Comstock’s managing editor looks back on moments in history that have demonstrated the resiliency of the region and the country.

Olive farmers in California are determined to become known as producers of high-quality olive oil, and much of that olive oil is being produced in the Mediterranean climate of the Sacramento Valley.

During normal times, McClellan Park is busy with 18,000 employees working for the 220 businesses on campus, which has 9 million square feet of building space. But due to the coronavirus, only the warehouses and a few offices remain open.

As president and CEO of Golden Pacific Bank in Sacramento, Virginia Varela is among just 4 percent of women who hold the top C-suite title in the field of banking.

Wendy Saunders is executive director of the Capitol Area Development Authority, whose mission is to make housing in the area around the Capitol more affordable and manage and develop residential and commercial properties.

Catherine Reheis-Boyd, president of Western States Petroleum Association, is attempting to rebrand the petroleum industry.

Allison Otto, executive vice president of Otto Construction, was a lobbyist at the Capitol before her father called her to join the company her grandfather started in 1947.

Erica Manuel has incorporated giving back in her position as executive director and CEO of Institute for Local Government, a statewide nonprofit that advises city and county governments in California how to succeed.

Losing a job can be one of the most traumatic events a person can go through in their lifetime. It ranks among the top five, right up there with the death of a loved one, divorce, catastrophic illness and moving.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is preparing the U.S. military for the next evolution in combat by building high-tech, state-of-the-art aerial target drones.

The famed Buckhorn empire stretches across the country, with 12 restaurants from the Bay Area and Capital Region to New York City.

Built by the U.S. Air Force in 1986 for $20 million, the McClellan Nuclear Research Center is now owned and operated by UC Davis. Inside, scientists conduct high-tech experiments that affect the future of space exploration.

Colonized in the late 1800s, Fair Oaks Village is the quaint, charming center of town. It is currently experiencing a renaissance, largely driven by a burgeoning dining scene.

Half of the rice grown in California goes to the U.S. and Canada; the other half is exported to Japan and 30 other countries, including South Korea, Taiwan and Jordan. Now China, the largest consumer of rice in the world, joins that group.

Thirty years ago, muscle gyms like Gold’s Gym were the norm and the aerobics craze started by Jane Fonda and Richard Simmons was in full swing. Now, the trend has turned full circle, back to boutique centers. 

McClellan Air Force Base was a critical asset for the United States during World War II. Today, it serves as a home base for 230 businesses and organizations as McClellan Park.

Operated by two brothers and their father, Franklin Pictures is one of the premiere video production companies in the region. The company pays such attention to detail that its promotional videos not only capture an image, but tell a story and evoke an emotion.