Regular readers of this newsletter may have observed California Local’s tendency to either wonk out on policy issues or hone in on existential threats to California in particular, or humankind in general. This week we’re taking a break for some less weighty fare. You’ll find that we’re fully focused on the people and places that make the Golden State shine a little brighter.
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By Sharan Street
Published Sep 11, 2023
The Sacramento region may be the center of state politics, but it’s also a world-class destination for serious athletes. Find out more in our guide to running in the Capital region.
Image credit: James Pintar
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The Lighter Side of … California Local
On Your Marks…
Yesterday, Sac Running Week got off the starting block. This weeklong event culminates on 9/16 with a celebration of the 916 running community at Bike Dog Brewing in West Sacramento. But no worries if you don’t have time to unleash your inner sprinter right away. California Local’s Tamara Warta has a rundown of events, clubs, trails and specialty stores of interest to runners in the Capital region, stretching from the Yolo Bypass to Lake Tahoe.
To further inspire feats of athletic prowess, check out Graham Womack’s list of ten top California athletes. Because even if you don’t include legends like Willie Mays or Magic Johnson, who were born elsewhere but became stars here, many of the greats grew up in our state.
Running Around California’s Capital Region
From marathoners to casual joggers, enthusiasts can take advantage of the Sacramento region’s diverse trails, terrain, and competitive events.
Make ’Em Laugh
California breeds superstars in many fields of human endeavor, including, of course, show business. Writer Libby Molyneaux takes a closer look at one specific corner of the entertainment industry and finds that California isn’t just the state that launched a thousand quips. We also nurture our own home-grown comedians, from San Francisco’s Margaret Cho to San Diego’s Gabriel Iglesias.
Plenty of East Coast comedians make California the butt of their jokes. Here are some locals who’ve earned the right to make fun of this place.
Anatomy of an Arts Enclave
In addition to writing about our state’s cultural strengths, we also celebrate the accomplishments of local communities. In a recent piece, writer Richard von Busack compiled a short but wide-ranging list of arts institutions in Monterey County. It’s a history that goes back decades, nurtured by natural beauty. “The visual drama of this peninsula, on the brink of the vast blue depths of the bay, has attracted the artist and the artsy alike,” he writes.
Performing arts centers, galleries, theater troupes, music festivals—here are 20 reasons why the Monterey Bay is a haven for arts lovers.
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San Benito County Historical Society |
Since 1957, the Historical Society has devoted itself to collecting and preserving materials pertaining to the San Benito County of yesteryear.
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From Our Media Allies |
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Hollister School Logs Big Improvements in Test Scores |
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Hollister School District’s Accelerated Achievement Academy has shown double-digit improvements in its 2023 scores in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress exam. |
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County services Make Temporary Move After Sept. 6 Fire |
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A San Benito County government building is uninhabitable after a fire, and services housed within the structure have been temporarily moved. |
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Gilroy Outlines Goals of Certified Housing Plan |
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With state officials approving Gilroy’s eight-year housing plan, the city can start implementing the programs that were adopted by the City Council in May. |
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Center Opens at St. Louise Hospital for Sexual Assault Victims |
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Santa Clara County health officials marked the opening of the Sexual Assault Forensic Exam center at a time when sexual assault and domestic violence cases are on the rise. |
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Help Available for Local Storm Cleanup, Preparation |
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San Benito County held a town hall meeting about an executive order that grants emergency permissions to accelerate debris removal from the atmospheric river storms. |
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Hollister High School Named One of Nation’s Best |
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For the fifth year in a row, Hollister High has been ranked as a “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report. |
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New Maze Leaders Aim to Bolster Attendance, Engagement |
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Principal Christian Woods began her first year at Maze Middle School with the message that school leaders want to make students feel like they belong. |
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Recent Local News |
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• Community Vision San Benito County Talk Focuses on Recreation
The third in a series of Community Vision San Benito County meetings planned by BenitoLink covered recreation, tourism and arts. Attendees said more recreational activities would improve quality of life in the county and help residents feel more connected.
(09/07/2023) → Benito Link• SBC Historical Society Completes Palmtag Shed Project
Concrete flooring in the Palmtag Shed at the Historical Village has been completed, thanks to the San Benito County Historical Society. The venue will be a welcome improvement at the upcoming Hope Harvest Festival on Sept. 23-24.
(09/06/2023) → Benito Link• San Benito High School District Holds Forums on Second Site
The first set of town hall meetings discussed the planning and preparation for the district’s second high school. The meetings drew more than 70 community members.
(09/06/2023) → Benito Link• Sentinel Chickens Test Positive for West Nile Virus in San Benito County
The California Department of Health said three sentinel chickens tested positive for West Nile virus in August—the first indication of the virus in the county in 2023.
(09/06/2023) → Benito Link• Call of the Wild
Daniel Laggner, founder of Santa Cruz-based Wildstag Provisions, is on a mission to protect American wildlife by selling free range game meat.
(09/05/2023) → Edible Monterey Bay• Short Road, Long Journey to a Michelin Star
This summer’s Michelin star recognition for Chez Noir in Carmel, granted within 10 months of its opening, might seem sudden. It’s not.
(09/05/2023) → Edible Monterey Bay• Feds Searching for Person Who Shot an Endangered California Condor
Less than 400 of the majestic birds live and fly in the wild.
(09/05/2023) → Monterey Herald|
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Recent Statewide News |
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• No Classes? No Lectures? Still Get Your Degree? Yes, Under an Experimental New System at California Community Colleges
Eight community colleges in California are testing out a new education model, one that defines success by the skills a student learns, not the time they spend in a classroom. But changing the traditional education system isn’t easy.
(09/11/2023) → CalMatters• New Bill Comes to Rescue When California Public Records Requests Are Denied
A bipartisan bill would create a state ombudsperson to intervene when public records requests are denied. But an advocacy group is concerned that it will encourage state agencies to go to court.
(09/11/2023) → CalMatters• Sign? Or Veto? What Will Gov. Newsom do With These Controversial Bills?
The Legislature is approving lots of significant bills in the final days of the session. But the final call is up to the governor, and he isn’t shy about using his veto pen.
(09/10/2023) → CalMatters• Why Aren’t Kids Going to School? After Pandemic, Chronic Absenteeism Hitting Crisis Levels
Nearly a third of K-12 students statewide were chronically absent in 2020-21, more than three times the pre-pandemic rate. Some school officials fear that pattern is becoming the new normal.
(09/06/2023) → CalMatters• California’s Wildfire Smoke and Climate Change: 4 Things You Need to Know
California wildfires every year emit as much carbon as almost 2 million cars, posing a threat to efforts to battle climate change.
(09/04/2023) → CalMatters