Sacramento County Local News: Business, Economy & Jobs


All Local Business, Economy & Jobs News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: Long-duration energy storage, such as this thermal energy storage facility, allows renewable energy sources to operate at full capacity without overloading the power grid.
How California Leads the Race For Long Duration Energy Storage

Long-duration energy storage is essential if renewables are to become the basis for a future, carbon-neutral power grid. Here's how California is leading the race to store energy from solar, wind, and other clean sources for use whenever it's needed.

Image caption: How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland

California has used reclamation districts to turn millions of acres of unusable swamps into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush. Here’s how it happened.

Image caption: Zoning laws tell you what you can and can't build on the property you own. How does government get away with that?
How Zoning Laws Shape California and Society

Zoning laws determine what can be built and where. These laws have shaped California, but are they really just tools for social engineering? The history of zoning is closely tied to racial segregation, as well as the state's shortage of …

Image caption: They help feed the whole country, but life for California’s farm workers remains a struggle.
How California Feeds the Country

California stands as America’s agricultural powerhouse, growing half of its fruits and vegetables. Here’s how California farming has shaped the state, from the early missions to today’s “factories in the field.”

Image caption: Though life expectancy has declined in recent years, Californians still live longer than most Americans.
Want to Live a Long, Healthy Life? Move to California

Life expectancy in California exceeds all but three other states, but how long you live depends on which county you live in. They're not all equal. Why? The answer may lie in political policies.

Image caption: Owning homes is the primary way the middle class builds wealth, and an option no longer available to most Californians.
Is California’s Housing Crisis Making Inequality Worse?

California has some of the worst economic inequality in the United States. Is the housing crisis a cause?

Image caption: Moss Landing in Monterey Bay is the world’s largest battery storage facility for solar and other renewable energy.
Solar Power and California’s Clean Energy Goals

Solar power, and a network of giant battery storage facilities, are playing an essential role in moving California toward its goal of exclusive reliance on renewable energy sources.

Image caption: Thousands of homeowners have been kicked off their fire insurance policies.
California Fire Insurance Crisis: How the State Helps Homeowners

As California insurance companies have revoked the fire policies of thousands of homeowners, the state has taken steps to get them covered again.

Image caption: The cycle of crime and homelessness is escalating, but it doesn't have to be that way.
Homelessness and Crime in California: Even More Complex Than You Think

The links between homelessness and crime are complex, and the idea that unhoused individuals present a danger to their community seems to be exaggerated.

Image caption: Water is a human right under California law, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
Agriculture and Water Shortages in the State’s Breadbasket, Explained

Residential wells are drying up in the state’s main agricultural region at the same time that agricultural businesses consume almost 90 percent of the water there.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

01/16/2025
From left: Homeowners Christine Meinders and Sohrab Nafici return to their fire-ravaged neighborhood in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire in Altadena on Jan. 10, 2025. Photo by Jae C. Hong, AP Photo

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

01/16/2025
The LA fires have left domestic workers and day laborers jobless. They may soon be hired for wildfire cleanup work, where they can be exposed to ash and other toxins.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

01/15/2025
Three days after immensely destructive and deadly wildfires broke out in and around Los Angeles, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a $322.3 billion state budget with a positive revenue forecast “based on an assumption of continued but slowing economic growth.”

California Local Pin Marker From The Sacramento Bee...

01/15/2025
Sacramento area law enforcement and business leaders held a press conference on January 15 to announce a regional collaboration to enforce the recently passed Proposition 36. Read on for details.

Folsom Times logo From Folsom Times...

01/14/2025
Image for display with article titled Folsom Chamber CEO Talks New Ventures for the New Year

The new year is always a time for reflecting and for looking ahead. There’s no shortage of reasons to be grateful to live, work, and play in Folsom, but I’m more excited about what’s on the horizon for 2025.

Carmichael Times logo From Carmichael Times...

01/14/2025
Image for display with article titled Shape Sac County's Economic Future Together

Sacramento County’s Office of Economic Development invites residents, business owners and stakeholders to participate in shaping the county’s updated Economic Development Strategic Plan​.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

01/08/2025
Nearly a half-century ago, during Jerry Brown’s first stint as governor, he and state legislators became embroiled in an extremely complex political squabble over taxing the incomes of multinational corporations.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

01/07/2025
The legislative analyst has a plan to fix the “structural insolvency” of the unemployment benefits fund — but businesses aren’t happy and it’s unclear if lawmakers will get on board.

California Local Pin Marker From Local News Matters...

01/03/2025
Those in California who’d like a latte with a side of weed have gotten their wish now that a new law goes into effect that permits licensed cannabis dispensaries to add sit-in cafes to their sites.  

California Local Pin Marker From The Sacramento Bee...

01/02/2025
Read on to learn about efforts underway by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership to revitalize and district, which is slowly rebounding from the downturn caused by of the COVID pandemic.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

01/02/2025
After winning a costly legislative battle last year, California’s casino-owning tribes have sued their rivals in the gambling business. Cities could lose money if the tribes prevail in court.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/26/2024
Despite a budget deficit and continued high costs, there was good news and bad news for the California economy in 2024. The next year will depend in part on what the Trump administration does.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/26/2024
Californians accused of certain drug and retail theft crimes may already be facing stiffer penalties under an initiative voters passed this year, alongside related bills Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law. 

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/26/2024
The increase in lobbyists means there’s now at least one lobbyist for every legislative staff member.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/25/2024
A new state law will keep medical debt off your credit report, sparing a hit to your all-important credit score. This is a big deal for California where millions struggle with unpaid medical bills. It takes effect Jan. 1, 2025.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/23/2024
A new California law will prohibit state-chartered banks from charging fees for withdrawals that are instantaneously declined.

California Local Pin Marker From Citrus Heights Sentinel...

12/21/2024
Fewer than 30% of short term rentals in Citrus Heights are following licensing and tax rules. Learn more about how the city will be increasing enforcement and collecting the 12% tax revenue it is due.

California Local Pin Marker From The Sacramento Bee...

12/21/2024
Agreement has been reached between a union representing non-educational staff and the Sacramento Unified School District. Read on to learn more about what's included in the new contract.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

12/19/2024
For California nurses seeking help with alcohol or drug abuse, the road to recovery through a program managed by their licensing board can be fraught, writes CalMatters health reporter Kristen Hwang.