Oct 28, 2025
Returning to Sacramento a few years ago, Rich Bayquen needed a project. The creation of a new home was the answer.
Bayquen and his wife Kathy always loved sharing the design experience. But now Kathy was gone—she died after a brief illness in 2021. Suddenly alone, Bayquen decided to sell their home a few miles south of Reno.
“We had a wonderful experience building and furnishing our retirement home,” he says. “I had a fairly large home there and was very comfortable, but it was time to be close to family and friends in Northern California.”
Oct 28, 2025
Look close at any neighborhood and you’ll see it. A neighbor delivers a meal to a friend recovering from surgery. A teenager rakes leaves for an elderly couple. Volunteers stack crates at the food bank or help with park cleanups.
We know these acts strengthen our community fabric. What’s new—and encouraging—is evidence that they strengthen our minds too.
A recent study by the University of Texas and University of Massachusetts in the journal Social Science & Medicine finds frequent helping—whether through volunteering or support to neighbors, friends or family—slows cognitive decline by as much as 20%.
Sep 28, 2025
Homelessness continues to escalate with 187,000 people living on California streets or in shelters in January 2024, a 55% surge since 2016.
Despite $24 billion spent from 2019 to 2023, the state accounts for 24% of U.S. homeless and 45% of unsheltered individuals, far exceeding its 11.6% population share.
Within this crisis sits Sacramento. Dangerous encampments, junk-filled streets, violence and public drug use are daily experiences for people living in desperation.
Sep 28, 2025
Gwenna and Dan Howard didn’t plan to move. They lived in a lovely, updated home Gwenna bought more than four decades ago. Dan moved in when they married more than 20 years ago.
The couple made many improvements over the years, even during the pandemic. “Dan owned a family steel company, and he kept his crews busy with the work on our home during the lockdowns,” Gwenna says.
But Gwenna liked to check Zillow for trends. When she saw the listing for a stylish Carmichael home on a bluff overlooking the American River, she was smitten. They went to the open house and realized the place was a hot property.
Aug 28, 2025
Midtown is alive with creativity and wonder with Midtown Association’s newest, most ambitious initiative yet, the Urban Dreams Art Experience.
The immersive art installation features 16 remarkable large-scale sculptures and art pieces. They transform rooftops, patios and public spaces into an open-air gallery.
Running through Sept. 14, the exhibition celebrates local talent with an eye toward whimsy and surprise. The project is monumental, with artworks ranging from 6 to 20 feet in height.
Aug 28, 2025
As a resident of Livermore, Kathy Nolan liked to visit Sacramento. When her daughter and family settled in North Natomas, Nolan felt the gentle pull to move closer to them.
Widowed and retired, she wasn’t in a rush. “My timeline was maybe five years out,” Nolan says.
But when a midcentury modern house in South Land Park hit the market, urgency struck. “I found it on Zillow and fell in love with it. There were multiple offers and luckily, I was the top bidder,” she says.
