Sacramento County Business, Economy & Jobs Digest

Not filling open positions in state government, cutting a school facilities program and several climate initiatives, delaying funding for public transit — these are some of the first steps that California officials plan to take to deal with a looming multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

Captains of fishing boats on the California coast are bracing for salmon fishing to be severely restricted — or possibly canceled for a second year.

According to emails obtained by CalMatters Capitol reporter Jeanne Kuang in response to a public records request, a range of employers have been trying to figure out if they must pay $20 ever since the law was signed late last September.

Experts and community members convened at Touchstone Brewing Company for Solving Sacramento’s “Suds & Solutions” talk on revitalizing downtown Sacramento in a post-pandemic economy, on Wednesday evening, March 27.

Legislators may be off for spring recess, but debates about their bills are still happening outside committee rooms. One spicy intra-party exchange between Democratic Assemblymembers focuses on a measure about retail theft.

A new Local Kitchens "takeout-first micro food hall" is opening at 2610 Arena Boulevard in North Natomas and will feature cuisine from six local restaurateurs.

The former council member and owner of the Viva Supermarket chain had charges of filing false tax documents and wage theft added to his December indictment.

The Sacramento Bee is asking residents to share input on the best longstanding business in the area.

Dao Distillery plans to open to the public this summer at 11460 Sunrise Gold Circle, Suite C, in Rancho Cordova. Currently, only one company produces Vietnamese rice liquor, known as rượu đế, in the United States: SuTi Craft Distillery, based in Kennedale, Texas.

By Helen Harlan | Solving Sacramento

Passion, policy and opportunity intersected on the evening of March 13 when Atrium 916 and Black Artist Foundry held a creative economy meeting.

Over the weekend the Sacramento Sheriff's Department conducted an operation to combat retail theft in the Sacramento area. 96 people were arrested, with 10 people booked into the county jail. The ages of those arrested ranged from 11 to 62 years old.

Alchemist Community Development Corporation is planning an incubator for food entrepreneurs in the River District at 341 North 10th Street to open to the public by early 2026.

The United Farm Workers is facing allegations of fraudulent conduct from one of the largest agricultural companies in the world, days after the historic union successfully organized a small part of the multibillion-dollar business.

New report ranked metro areas based on electric vehicle charging infrastructure and found improvement over the last year using data from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Alternative Fuels Data Center.

Making way for the construction of a new hotel, the Florin Farmers Market has moved to a new location at the Florin Light Rail Station at 6117 Florin Road and is open every Thursday from 8AM to noon.

According to the Greater Economic Council and Downtown Sacramento Partnership, Golden 1 Center brings in hundreds of millions of dollars annually in economic benefits to the Sacramento region.

The consumer price index shows services are mostly responsible for persistent inflation, but prices for food and other goods in California remain high.

Republicans want to scrap the law, accusing Gov. Gavin Newsom of corruption in dealings with a Panera Bread franchisee who is a major campaign donor. McDonald’s franchisees are funding a committee that is attacking Democrats who supported the law and are seeking local office in the primary.

On March 1, the California Public Utilities Commission gave approval for driverless taxi company Waymo to expand service into Los Angeles and San Mateo counties.

Sacramento voters in the March 2024 primary election will decide whether to pass increases to the city’s business operations tax.

Logistics has been an economic lifeline for the Inland Empire for decades. Now that the industry is hitting a downturn, the region is feeling the pain.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office projects the 2024-25 shortfall at $73 billion, putting more pressure on legislators and the governor to find savings.

California’s latest Master Plan for Aging underscores the need for policies to address the challenges aging populations face. But it fails to portray the realities for older adults in rural areas, who are at greater risk of poverty.

Members of the California Faculty Association approve a two-year agreement that the union and administration hammered out after a strike last month that lasted one day.

After years of controversy, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors unanimously struck down a Grass Valley gold mining project. “It’s clear that this community wants to move forward to a cleaner economic future,” said Supervisor Heidi Hall.

The Citrus Heights City Council is seeking feedback from residents as it moves forward with consideration of allowing and taxing cannabis dispensaries within the city.

When and if California legalizes sports gambling, the policy should honor the laws established in partnership with tribes decades ago, says Assemblyman James Ramos.

For the first time in decades, California is tightening its rules on workplace exposure to lead, a poisonous metal that can wreak havoc throughout the body.

Coalitions on opposite sides put out competing studies on the little-known Private Attorneys General Act, which allows employees to file class-action lawsuits over some labor law violations.

The San Pedro ports had a busy January as they rebounded from last year’s labor troubles and picked up cargo redirected because of Suez and Panama canal troubles.

The Sacramento Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners will host its 28th Annual Outstanding Women Leaders Awards Gala on March 8.