Comstock's Talks

In September, UC Davis was awarded the first federal funding given to a university to research cultivated meat, positioning the Capital Region to serve as a hub of the advancing technology. Efforts to advance the emerging food market using science and technology have ignited worldwide to address the global challenge of food access and proper nutrition for a growing population and the unsustainable...

Q: This has been a terrible year. Unfortunately, as a business, we're just scraping by — and that's despite the Paycheck Protection Program loan from the Small Business Administration. There's no money for a lavish holiday party, year-end bonuses or even anything more than a $5 gift. What can we do to show our employees how much we appreciate their hard work at year-end? This Evil HR Lady column r...

Ranchers and those in the conservation industry know there's an inherent value to working lands, such as cattle ranches. But how does one monetize that value? Written by Jennifer Junghans  Read and produced by Robin Epley Read more here:  https://www.comstocksmag.com/longreads/protecting-open-land

Q: I have a problem with employees calling in to say they are not coming into work once they've reached 40 hours. We have a lot of overtime available, so it's easy to have worked 40 hours by Thursday. People then call to say they are not coming in on Friday and don't want to use their paid time off to cover the time, since they're already getting paid for 40 hours (plus more, because of California...

Q: I'm launching my own company this year, with about 12 employees, and I'm thinking about the importance of human resources services. Should I hire someone for that position, or can I use an outside service or an online site? And what are the most important things I should do before I launch? This Evil HR Lady column ran in the July 2020 issue of Comstock's magazine.  Written by: Suzanne Lucas Re...

Family businesses are the heart and soul of Little Saigon in south Sacramento. These businesses and their customers are banding together to keep everyone afloat during the pandemic.  Written and read by Lien Hoang Produced by Robin Epley Read more here: https://www.comstocksmag.com/longreads/lineage-success

West Sacramento's Washington District has transformed in the past decade, due to efforts by the City of West Sacramento, developers and food entrepreneurs. This story originally appeared in the September 2020 issue of Comstock's magazine. Read it here: https://www.comstocksmag.com/article/back-business-not-usual Written by Graham Womack Read and produced by Robin Epley

Companies can expect to see COVID-19-related employment lawsuits from nearly any corner, including wage and hour issues and disability discrimination. These four strategies can help mitigate risk. This story originally appeared in the August 2020 issue of Comstock's magazine. Read it here: https://www.comstocksmag.com/article/back-business-not-usual Written by Jennifer Duggan Read and produced by...

Q: I'm a small-business owner with fewer than a dozen full-time employees. I cannot afford to have a full-time human relations person, but I know I need guidance, including for onboarding new hires. What can I do? This Evil HR Lady column ran in the February 2020 issue of Comstock's magazine.  Written by: Suzanne Lucas Read by: Shoka Produced by: Robin Epley Read more here: https://www.comstocksma...

We're considering making the temporary measures for people to work from home caused by the coronavirus lockdown more formal to keep our business going. What are our obligations as employers? Do we have to pay for the internet? How do we make sure our time cards are correct? How do we keep people engaged? This Evil HR Lady column ran in the June 2020 issue of Comstock's magazine.  Written by: Suzan...

There are more than 3,000 influencers in Sacramento, who make their living by building an audience, establishing a brand and creating compelling content online. We asked a few of the most prominent how they learned to turn their lives into art -- and commodify it. Written by Vanessa Labi Read and produced by Robin Epley

Q: An employee who has been here only three months just quit. In his exit interview, he said there wasn't enough work to do within his department, and he was bored, so he looked to move on. I asked why he hadn't applied for any number of open positions we have. He said he didn't because his manager said he couldn't change jobs when he'd been here less than a year. This is true. Is this a policy we...

We are planning to make a job offer to a very strong candidate. Of course, salary is negotiable, but what about other things that a candidate wants to negotiate? This Evil HR Lady column ran in the December 2019 issue of Comstock's magazine.  Written by: Suzanne Lucas Read by: Shoka Produced by: Robin Epley Read more here: https://www.comstocksmag.com/qa/dilemma-month-are-perks-and-benefits-negoti...

I just found out a coworker is making more than I am, even though I have been here longer. How can I bring this up to my manager without giving away how I found out? Can I use this as leverage for a raise? Written by Suzanne Lucas Read by Shoka This column appeared in the November 2019 edition of Comstock's magazine. 

Comstock's Talks features audio versions of some of our top stories, including our popular Evil HR Lady series by Suzanne Lucas, print features on topics such as the effects of COVID-19 on the arts industry and the fight over water rights in the Central Valley, and other news that will help you stay up to date on the state of business in the region.  Reader: Shoka, associate editor Producer: Robin...

Last year had been a strong year for the performing arts in the region, and 2020 was building on that success, which has led to hope from some local arts leaders that this progress will continue despite the unprecedented shutdown. Read more at https://www.comstocksmag.com/longreads/out-spotlight .

If employees are scheduled to begin working at 6 a.m., but no one from management shows up until 7 a.m. to unlock the doors, can the workers be penalized and docked an hour of pay?

Jennifer Siebel Newsom is passionate about several issues, but perhaps none more than the gender wage gap. And she's using her clout as California's first partner and a celebrated documentary filmmaker — whose work and advocacy primarily focus on cultural issues and empowering women — to raise awareness.

Only a handful of breweries in the Capital Region focus on these classic styles, yet some area brewers believe the balance is starting to shift back from ales to lagers. As the Sacramento craft beer scene continues to mature, will local drinkers abandon their ales and learn to love the lager?

The Capital Region offers a mix of destinations within an hour's drive of Sacramento. We profile four of them. (Read by Robin Epley; original story by Graham Womack)

A growing movement of farmers is focused on agricultural practices that can mitigate or adapt to an uncertain future brought by climate change.

The way we're getting around is rapidly evolving, and more change is coming. Original story by Eric Johnson, narration by Robin Epley. 

Our October 2019 cover story. Comstock's had unprecedented access to John, Dilyn and Andrew Radakovitz, the family behind Dimple Records during the final weeks of the business. Listen as Comstock's unfurls the history of Dimple, its connection to Record Store Day, why the owners chose to close and what comes next. Story by Matthew Keys; Editing by Sena Christian and Tom Couzens; Audio version narr...

In this miniseries of Action Items, Comstock's tackles the implication of Senate Bill 826, which requires publicly traded for-profit companies headquartered in California to ensure gender diversity on the boards as well as how to go about positioning yourself for a board of directors seat. Here, we talk to  Diane Miller, a corporate governance expert and President & CEO of Wilcox, Miller & Nelson....

In this miniseries of Action Items, Comstock's tackles the implication of Senate Bill 826, which requires publicly traded for-profit companies headquartered in California to ensure gender diversity on the boards as well as how to go about positioning yourself for a board of directors seat. Here, we talk to  Barbara O'Connor, a nationally recognized expert in the fields of political communication a...