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Article Features By Jackie Krentzman

‘Heat is going to be the great un-equalizer,’ warn experts and city officials in the Inland Empire

Extreme heat doesn’t just stress the human body. It puts a greater demand on the electrical grid, causing more frequent blackouts, buckles asphalt roads, and evaporates water supplies. But many of its most harmful impacts are cumulative and delayed.

Article Local Works By Caleb Zimmerschied Valadez

Ojai restoration project helps its most vulnerable residents

“It falls very much in the spirit of what most of our city tends towards — a combination of deep humanitarianism, ecology, and culture,” said Ojai Mayor Andy Gilman. “This whole space is becoming alive with purpose, and I feel really lucky to be a part of it.”

Article Features By Ali Gaylord

A practical playbook for getting permanent supportive housing approved by your community

Community leaders gather for ribbon cutting

Community pushback is often the greatest risk to building new permanent supportive housing. But it doesn’t have to be. The difference between a stalled project and a successful one often comes down to a small set of repeatable risk reduction strategies. 

Article Local Works By Jackie Krentzman

No such thing as too many cooks. Clovis Culinary Center launches over a hundred small businesses

“It’s like we became a family,” says Auzzie Lewis, who turned her passion into a catering business. “You are working long hours, and everyone becomes friendly and is eager to help each other. Starting your own business is scary, and that mutual support made all the difference.”

Article Features By Jackie Krentzman

Too much of a good thing? As e-bike usage soars, cities scramble to keep commutes safe

“It can be easy to give e-bikes a bad rap when you see underage kids speeding or doing wheelies down the street, but e-bikes are a fantastic resource for residents and tourists alike,” says Dale Leda, Half Moon Bay’s interim city engineer. “If the infrastructure and policy can catch up, they will be such an asset for our city.”

Article Local Works By Ria Pavia and Jordan Villwock

How Ontario is building big projects and public trust at the same time

When Ontario city leaders asked voters to support major investments in infrastructure, they believed residents should be able to see how those dollars are being used and what progress is being made — whether on regional destination projects or smaller neighborhood upgrades.