Acclaimed novelist and University of California, Davis professor Yiyun Li creates emotionally compelling literary portraits set in both China and the United States. Li was one of a select few recently chosen to receive a 2010 MacArthur Fellowship, a program also known as the genius award that grants a $500,000 stipend to individuals showing extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits.

John Pardi navigates the twists and turns of the Rubicon Trail in his modified four-wheel drive . Last year, state water quality officials said off-highway vehicles were damaging the rugged stretch of High Sierra wildnerness by accelerating runoff into streams and contaminating soils and water. Earlier this month, the county won a couple of grants that will help deal with some of the problems.