One of the many advantages to living in the forward-focused state of California is all the great incentives we receive for installing solar panels on our homes. Compared to many other states around the country, California has some of the most generous incentive programs available, making it seem almost irresponsible not…
It’s still pretty nice outside in Lathrop, even though the calendar says it’s fall. In fact, the climate here tends to be pretty mild and comfortable year round, which makes it easy for families to enjoy all our many parks have to offer. But, just because we don’t have some…
If you live in some of the more mountainous communities in our area, you know summers are scorching, but winters can get chilly—cold enough that you probably have two separate wardrobes. This time of year, most folks have their summer clothes tucked away in the back of their closet because,…
Granite Bay residents are no strangers to water conservation. Thankfully, the Stage 4 restrictions were moved back to Stage 2 last April thanks to improved amounts of precipitation—and the efforts of local citizens. While this is great news for Granite Bay, it doesn’t mean we should all go out and…
When I’m in Davis, it seems like every building is using clean energy. There are solar panels everywhere in that town, especially once you start getting closer to the UC Davis campus—from the Jess Jackson Sustainable Winery to the Segundo and Tercero Dining Commons, as well as throughout the UC…
There’s a lot of new construction in Sacramento lately, and I’m not just talking about the new downtown arena, Golden 1 Center. There are new houses galore, and I’ve noticed one style, in particular, has really come back into fashion—the three-story row house. Now, three-story row houses are no stranger…
One of my favorite stories about Placerville is the history of the Bell Tower. After a series of fires in 1856, the citizens realized they needed an emergency warning system for the town’s protection. A bell was ordered from England, and, when it arrived, it was hung in a wooden…
Last year about this time, I drove north to Yuba City to install new windows. It was early, right around sunrise, and I was headed up Route 99, passing the Lake of the Woods State Wildlife Area. All of a sudden, I was inside thick fog—so thick I had to…
A good friend is a local history buff, and he’s always telling me about how important the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers are to our area. For a lot of us—myself included—the rivers are good for a swim or some kayaking during the summer, but he always reminds me that…
I have a friend who’s a real estate agent, and he talks about housing prices like my other buddies talk about basketball scores. This city is up, this city is down. This city will get more expensive in the next few years. For a while now, he’s said Sacramento is…
