THE Kings Sacramento loves its NBA team, even during hard times. But the Kings are making it difficult with the revolving door in the coach's office. Look for yet another head coach to be hired this spring to replace Reggie Theus, who lasted a season and a half after replacing Eric Musselman, who lasted a year.

THE ARENA No matter whom the Kings hire to turn the team around, they're going to want a new place to play to replace aging Arco Arena. The NBA is studying whether an arena could be built at Cal Expo, and officials say we should know in a couple of months whether the site is feasible. How to pay for it remains a key question.

THE MAYOR New Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, below, is wasting no time making changes. He is pushing to amend the city charter to make himself a "strong mayor" with power to draft the city budget, hire department heads and veto council decisions. The issue could go to voters in June.

THE RAILYARD Construction in Sacramento's massive former railyard site is set to begin in February and employ 3,000 people throughout 2009. That's as long as the state budget crisis doesn't delay issuance of $85 million in bond funds.

PROPOSITION 8 In 2009, Proposition 8 moves from the ballot box to the courts. Opponents are challenging the validity of the measure that states marriage can only be between a man and a woman. Attorney General Jerry Brown is urging the state Supreme Court to void the measure, while its supporters want to nullify 18,000 gay marriages performed while such unions were legal. The court could hear arguments as early as March and would issue a decision within 90 days.

THE BRIDGE More than 26,000 motorists will see their daily commute improve dramatically when the $134 million Folsom Lake Crossing bridge opens this spring. The 970-foot-long span over the American River below Folsom Dam replaces the dam road closed in 2003 because of concerns about security.

THE DROUGHT You may not have noticed with the recent wet weather, but California is in a two-year drought. Voluntary water conservation efforts were announced last year in some areas, and state officials say mandatory conservation could be ordered if dry conditions persist.

FLOOD PROTECTION Even with a drought, Sacramento faces danger from flooding, and construction is expected to begin this spring on the Sacramento region's biggest-ever levee project: the strengthening of nearly 26 miles of levees surrounding the Natomas basin.

THE FRAME: Check out the best photography from 2008 in our photo blog. sacbee.com/theframe