Community Causes

Fairytale Town celebrates 50 years in retro style

2009-08-28T03:16:20Z

This Saturday, come celebrate a Sacramento institution's 50th anniversary with Fairytale Town's Crystal Rockin' Royal 50th Anniversary Bash.

The park's annual fundraising celebration got a vintage makeover to celebrate its 50 year landmark, said Fairytale Town's Theatre Arts Educator and Community Relations Coordinator John Lee.

"Traditionally it has been called A Midsummer Night's Dream. Crystal has been sponsoring it for several years and has always supplied all-you-can-eat ice cream," Lee said. "What we have done this year, because it was our 50th anniversary and we opened in 1959, is make it '50s-themed."

According to Fairytale Town's website, the park was dedicated as a gift to the children of the central valley of Sacramento by community and business leaders as well as the Junior League of Sacramento on Aug. 29, 1959. In 1997, after more than 35 years of city management, Fairytale Town became the operation it remains today, a nonprofit board-run organization.

The celebration will get a '50s-style start as an Elvis impersonator is set to begin the night at 5:15 p.m. He will perform a 15-minute set, Lee said, and be available for a brief meet and greet after.

After Elvis leaves the building, the Tune Ups will take the stage to play classic rock and oldie favorites. There will be an open area for dancing, and representatives from the Arthur Murray dance studio will be stepping up to demonstrate some dance moves, Lee said.

Aside from live music, the event will feature a Hula Hoop competition, Silly Putty station and a vintage car display courtesy of the California Auto Museum. Participants are encouraged to come in their best '50s gear, as there will be a costume parade.

The event sponsor, Crystal, will be serving seven different flavors of ice cream at different stations. The frozen dessert is all you can eat, Lee said, so "get ready to eat some ice cream."

The fundraising event, Lee said, is for the entire family. Beer and wine will be available for adults, and there will also be an opportunity to win a necklace and earring set from Tiffany & Co, valued at $400. A $20 donation will enter event-goers into a drawing that will be announced toward the end of the evening.

Fairytale Town is an invaluable tradition for Sacramento children and their families Lee said. In an increasingly technological world, the fact that its interactive hands-on nature is still relevant is definite cause for celebration.

"We are the Land Park landmark! We've been here for 50 years and represent a retro traditional family amusement park," Lee said. "We also consider ourselves a literacy museum. We are keeping all the old play-sets alive as well as all the old connections to the original literary source material."

"This is old-school stuff. No video games, no TV and no rides. It's full-on just climbing and running and sliding and nursery rhymes," Lee said.

WHAT: Fairytale Town's 50th Anniversary Bash
WHERE: Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Drive
WHO: all ages
WHEN: 5-9 p.m., Aug. 29

Tickets purchased before tomorrow are $19.59 for adults and $5 for kids (3-12).
At the door, tickets will be $25 for adults and $5 for kids.

Tickets can be purchased at Fairytale Town's website

Photo Credit to John Lee.

Lincoln exhibit's hours extended

2009-08-12T03:04:00Z

Due to the immense popularity of The California Museum's With Malice Toward None: Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibit, visiting hours will be extended to 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from the original 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The extended hours apply to the last 10 days of the exhibit, from Aug. 13 to Aug. 23.

When museum staff observed the high turnout, they wanted to give potential visitors more opportunity, so the extended hours and the extra day of Aug. 23 were added.

"No one's complained about lines or overcrowding—we just noticed that crowds were gathering at 9:30 a.m. to get in, and people have stayed in the museum right up until we close the door at 5 p.m," said California Museum Communication Manager, Ashley S. Robinson.

The exhibit has seen an influx of 27,000 guests in the past six weeks, said Robinson. She said it has averaged to about 600 people per day, which is an extraordinary number for the museum. The Lincoln exhibit's popularity has been beneficial to both the museum and its visitors.

"If it's too crowded, [visitors] might have checked out the rest of the museum," Robinson said. "A lot of the people who are coming to the exhibit have never even been to the museum before. So this has been a great opportunity for them to check out what other kinds of programs and exhibits they can see here."

Pieces of the exhibit that have generated interest among those visiting have been the inaugural Bible, which President Barack Obama used during his initiation ceremony, as well as the contents of Lincoln's pockets the night he was assassinated. An artifact that has been surprisingly well-received, Robinson said, is First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln's jewelery.

"It's from Tiffany's and they are pearls," Robinson said. "I think people were expecting a lot of documents, and here is this beautiful jewelry. At one point she spent $2,000 on a gown; we converted [the monetary amount] and it's the equivalent of $46,000 today. People don't know that much about Mary Todd, so it is cool for them to see that little bit of her."

This Saturday the California Museum will hold a free admission day for Wells Fargo members. Visitors should bring their Wells Fargo ATM cards to receive a free day of exhibit-combing.

Robinson said on average the exhibit takes about two hours to view. The largest crowds are in the mornings, she said, and recommended anytime after noon as a less congested time.

For more information and for future California Museum exhibits click here.
The California Museum is located at 1020 O Street.

All images courtesy of the Library of Congress.

3rd Annual Kitty Palooza

2009-07-30T06:02:29Z

Needing to fill a void in your life? With two-for-one cat adoption specials, Sacramento County Animal Care and Regulation's Kitty Palooza could be the event to help you do that.

This Saturday and Sunday will be an opportunity for Sacramento cat-lovers to find one, or two, new friends.

The third annual Kitty Palooza will be held at the Sacramento County Shelters on Bradshaw Road August 2. Sacramento County Animal Care and Regulation Communication and Media Officer Annie Parker said the two-for-one cat adoption option is the main draw.

"We like to extol the benefits of having two cats; they keep each other company, they take care of each other, they don't get too bored and ruin your furniture," Parker said. "And when people find out that they get two for the same price that they can get one, we have gotten a lot of takers on it."

According to Parker, there are at least 100 adult cats and kittens up for adoption. They come with a bag of food, kitty litter, and toys. If they are not spayed or neutered upon the time of adoption, said Parker, they will be within the week.

Cats can have multiple litters a year, Parker said. Shelters like Sacramento County can receive a daunting influx of kittens in spring and early summer; Kitty Palooza is a way to help find them homes.

"Cat populations can explode and generally cats come in groups, and that could be six cats that have to be spayed or neutered," Parker said. "We have so many cats, so we do these two for ones and special adoption events because we overwhelmingly get more cats than dogs, always."

The event will also offer activities like face-painting, prize drawings, and free pet care information. The process of adopting a cat should be a personal and enjoyable one, said Parker, and the festival-like atmosphere will help to induce that experience.

"It's not like you just point at a cat, and it's like, 'Okay there you go.' They want you to sit down and get to know the cat. A lot of that stuff is here to put people at ease, so they can relax a little bit and take their time looking around. So we are offering little entertainment, carnival things like that," Parker said.

If you already have a cat, said Parker, adding another one to your home through Kitty Palooza involves "minimal issue." The event, a kitten mecca, has huge draw for children; the array of irresistible cats will usually result in a new addition to a home

"I ended up adopting a cat last year," Parker said. "You come, and it's kind of inevitable."

WHAT: Kitty Palooza
WHEN: Aug. 1, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; Aug. 2, 11:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Sacramento County Shelter 4290 Bradshaw Road
COST: Free

For more information about Kitty Palooza, click here.
Photos Courtesy of Annie Parker

Sac Film-maker Fights Obesity

2009-07-28T02:35:05Z

Sacramento resident Robert Lee Grant will screen his documentary Nourishing the Kids of Katrina Wednesday at the Shepard Garden & Arts Center in McKinley Park.

The film focuses on Alice Waters' Edible Schoolyard program in two New Orleans schools: Green Charter and Arthur Ashe Charter Schools. It will feature commentary from First Lady Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama regarding the installment of the White House's own organic garden and concerns about America's obesity epidemic.

In 1995, The Edible Schoolyard was established at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School In Berkeley, Calif. by the Chez Panisse Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Waters. In an article in NRTA Live & Learn, an online educational journal, Waters described the benefit of using the cycle of food growth and consumption as a tool to enrich the lives of children.

"Through gardening and cooking and eating meals together you can learn empathy and compassion and sharing," Waters said. "It's very powerful to witness. Food is about care. These kids are hungry."

"Food is about care, and the Edible Schoolyard has proven that when the children feel cared for, it keeps them coming back and eating," Waters wrote. "We find that when they grow food and cook it, they all eat it. They like this kind of experiential education. And they like and need to be cared for and nourished."

According to a study by Harvard Medical School cited in The New York Times Magazine, “After one year, students at King, compared with a control group at a similar middle school, showed improvement in behavior and had fewer emotional problems. They were savvier about ecology, and their overall grade point averages improved.”

Edible School Yard New Orleans (ESY NOLA) started in fall 2006 at two public charter schools. Students from kindergarten through eighth grade participate in gardening and cooking lessons that enforce academic curriculum in areas like math, social studies and science. According to ESY NOLA's website, the program serves a student body of 320, 98 percent of which are African American, 75 percent are from single parent homes and 95 percent qualify for federal or reduced-fee breakfast and lunch programs. Students participate in hands-on learning experiences through weekly classes, where they learn skills such as how to work as a team or correctly set a table, and seasonal events that utilize local foods.

Grant has only produced one other short film in his career. After Hurricane Katrina, Grant enrolled in a five-week course at the San Francisco School for Digital Film-making (SFSDF). The eight-minute film about Waters' Berkeley institution was used to help raise $1.3 million to build ESY NOLA.

"Hurricane Katrina was the defining moment because I wanted to do something special for NOLA, and it coincided with my longtime desire to become an artist/filmmaker," Grant said.

Grant said that being one of the first 10,000 supporters of Obama's campaign influenced the film's direction. His film educates about the Obama administration's efforts in battling the obesity epidemic through the support of organic foods and healthy eating.

"The film is intended to be seen in schools around the country to support President Obama's and First Lady Obama's efforts to bring awareness to the issues of obesity and good nutrition among kids and teachers and health care professionals," Grant said. "Those of us who volunteered for the Obama Campaign have to continue to support presidential initiatives with whatever talents that we possess. Change happens from the bottom up!"

Grant lived in NOLA from November 2004 to January 2009 when he made the permanent move to Sacramento. He cites his favorite part of the film-making process as the interview with two young female ESY NOLA participants, through whom he hopes to show viewers how programs like ESY NOLA have positively benefited American youth, from better nutrition habits to a greater appreciation of nature.

The obesity epidemic is a great challenge for the Obama administration and American society at large, but Nourishing the Kids of Katrina's message is ultimately one of hope.

"[People should take away] a sense of possibility to do something about the childhood obesity epidemic in our country, which is currently on track to make today's generation of kids the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents," Grant said. "If a program like the 'edible schoolyard' can be developed in poor black schools in NOLA, then other programs like it can be successfully developed in every school in the U.S.A."

Following the film's end will be a question-and-answer portion with Grant and Bill Maynard, city of Sacramento community gardens developer. Grant will be fielding questions about the film while Maynard will give advice and instruction on creating community gardens or how to attain a plot within a community garden. Proceeds from the screening will benefit Sacramento American Community Gardening Association; suggested donations range from $5-10.

WHAT: Robert Grant Lee's Nourishing the Kids of Katrina Screening, with discussion to follow
WHERE: Shepard Garden & Arts Center McKinley Park. 3330 McKinley Blvd
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. (Doors open). Film to start 7-7:30 p.m.

*Volunteers are needed for setup and cleanup, e-mail karenhansen108@comcast.com if interested.
*May want to bring cushion to sit on, as seating is metal folding chairs.

D.I.Y. Is Alive

2009-07-13T06:24:32Z

The first annual Sacramento Zine Symposium delivered what it promised in the program: it breathed new life into the Sacto D.I.Y. & alternative press scene.

A fluctuating 100 zinesters, collectors, authors, writers and people without titles gathered in the Brickhouse Gallery for a day of workshops, networking, and discussion. Tables lined the main room of the gallery and came alive with colorful displays of zines, literature, pamphlets and fliers. Event-goers perused the selection of alternative publications and, in most cases, were able to discuss their purchases with the authors.

Outside, a D.J. spun live music all day. Adjacent was a food table that served free lunch and dinner. Event-goers milled around the grassy area to talk, eat and read.

The day's events kicked off with a how-to workshop on screenprinting in which event-goers could screen a logo onto a donated T-shirt for a wearable souvenir.

The second workshop featured a Distro-the middle man between zinesters and their buyers-panel with San Francisco-based Mae Undead of Gimme Brains Distro. Undead fielded questions from workshop attendees about her role as a distributor, or distro, of zines. She explained the process of a creator sending her a letter about their zine and why they'd like to have it distributed. Distros provide access to a multitude of different zines, Undead said, which helps foster and promote the community.

"It's really just about doing something that feels good," Undead said. "It [making zines] allows you to feel OK about trusting yourself and advocating for yourself."

The third and final workshop was an alternative press panel with founders and Editor-At-Large Kaelan Smith, Elijah Jenkins and Andy Jones of Flatmancrooked, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to "identifying, recording and disseminating good stories." The panel discussed the difficulties and exciting potentials of D.I.Y. publishing in the current era of print uncertainty, using their experiences at Flatmancrooked as examples.

Smith explained his belief that the wavering reputation of print's sustainability is not because it faces total annihilation; it is in a transitional period. A modernization of literature is taking place, he said, one in which the art may be consumed but one where the company producing said art will make enough money to pay the writers.

Jenkins and Jones spoke on the freedoms that a D.I.Y. publication like Flatmancrooked have.

"What if you wanted to do anything creative, how hard would it be?" Jones asked. "With a working computer, and some start-up money for equipment, you really can do anything. It's very exciting, but it also comes with responsibilities."

The event was sponsored by KDVS 90.3FM, Raja's Indian Cuisine, Woodstock's Pizza, the Yolo County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Queen Sheba, The Brickhouse Gallery and organized by UC Davis student Sharmi Basu. Basu is a fourth-year political science major, was inspired by Portland's Zine Symposium and believed that the Sacramento area should have one of its own. She researched Livejournal zine communities and started posting, asking about holding a symposium in Sacramento.

"I work with an educational reform research group, and I would help organize symposiums," Basu said. "I thought I could probably do something like that for my friends, for people like this. I just took my experiences with different conferences and conventions and put a D.I.Y. twist on it."

With help from friends, Basu organized a fundrasier when one of her sponsors dropped out. Planning began in January, and around April, Basu described the subsequent months as "troubleshooting."

"Basically everything that could have went wrong did," Basu said. "Luckily, I received a lot of help from my friends."

"It's [zine culture] all awesome. There is no format, and it's a nice form of expression," Basu said. "Problem is, it needs to be available, a resource to have access to."

Sacramento's Zine Symposium provided the spaces for challenges such as availability and print uncertainty to be negotiated and discussed. The work displayed, however, spoke for itself.

"There is a great array of creativity and accomplishment," Jones said. "It's really the crucible of D.I.Y. culture."

Click here for Mae Undead's website

Click here for Flatmancrooked's website

To learn how you can help for next year's Symposium click here

Supporters of Ling and Lee Plead for Amnesty

2009-07-10T08:51:14Z

The goal of the vigil held to protest Laura Ling’s and Euna Lee’s 12-year labor reform sentence was clear: bring them home.

The vigil commenced at 6:30 p.m. where approximately 400 of Ling's and Lee’s friends, family and community members banded together on the Capitol West Steps in support of the two American journalists who are charged by North Korea's high court for illegal entry and engaging in "hostile acts."

Supporters donned “Free Lisa and Euna” buttons and pinned yellow ribbons to their shirts. Many held signs with pictures of the women’s faces and pleas that said “Free Laura and Euna” and “Amnesty Now.”

The vigil was opened with a prayer by Laura Ling’s cousin, Brandon Yip. Following the prayer, Yip played an acoustic guitar and sang the song “Amazing Grace.”

News 10’s Sharon Ito introduced each speaker before they approached the podium. Amoung the speakers was California State President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg.

"They are two professional American journalists. They had good intentions. It is essential that we ask our federal governemnet to ask for anmesty and mercy," said Steinberg. "Let us gather here again, on the west steps of the capitol, very soon, and in addition to all of us, let's celebrate with Laura and Euna standing right next to us!"

Other speeches were made by Linda Ng of Orgaization of Chinese-Americans, Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, friends and classmates of Ling, Ling's husband Ian Clayton and sister Lisa Ling.

Ling told the crowd that she and Clayton had recieved a phone call from her sister on Tuesday. Laura told them that she had violated the law in North Korea, and the only hope for her and Lee's return is if the government asks North Korea for amnesty.

"That's why we are out here tonight; to ask for amnesty, but to also ask for forgivness," said Ling. "The notion of forgiveness is something that we could all use a little bit more of in our lives."

A journalist from Sactown magazine offered brief anecdotes about Lee as told to her by Lee's husband. She reminded the crowd that this situation is not just a global one, but a personal one as well.

Joan Burke, Director of Advocacy for Loaves and Fishes, also commented on the personalized aspect of Ling's and Lee's detainment in North Korea.

"I think all of us can identify with just how frightened and powerless the families of these two young women must feel to have loved ones imprisoned, incommunicado and serving 12 years at hard labor on the other side of the world," said Burke. "By our presence at the vigil, we hope to surround these families with a caring community that has not forgotten its own in their time of need."

The vigil reached its close with a final prayer, and Yip, together with Ling's and Lee's 400-plus supporters, singing "One Love."

12 Year Sentence Spurs Sacramento Vigil

2009-07-08T04:11:18Z

On June 8, American Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee were sentenced to 12-years of "labor reform" by North Korea. This Thursday a candlelight vigil will be held on the Capitol west steps in peaceful protest.

On April 27 a vigil was held for Laura Ling and Euna Lee to raise awareness for the two journalists' detainment in North Korea. This time it is in support of the two women who face the notoriously harsh conditions of North Korea's labor camps.

The two American journalists were on assignment for Current TV, a cable and web network co-founded by Al Gore, when they were detained on March 17 and convicted of illegal entry and engaging in "hostile acts" after a four-day trial North Korea's high court.

In a letter invitation to the vigil, Ling's sister, a CNN correspondent and Sacramento native, Lisa Ling, voices her concerns about the women's condition in North Korea.

"What Laura and Euna were trying to do was give a voice to those who have none," writes Ling. "Now their voices have also been silenced. Since their detention, their health has deteriorated quite a bit, we are extremely concerned. We are making a plea for mercy with the hope that they may be released on humanitarian grounds."

Community figures such as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California State President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Mayor Kevin Johnson, "Good Day Sacramento" host Mark S. Allen as well as many other organizations and media are expected to be in attendance. Lee and Ling's sentence has the United States in nationwide protest and vigils will be held in other cities such as Phoenix, San Francisco, Birmingham and Washington, D.C.

Support the Ling family on Thursday evening at the Capitol's West Steps.

WHO: Lisa Ling, the Ling Family, friends and community of Sacramento

WHAT: A community gathering in support of Laura Ling and Euna Lee

TIME: 6:30 to 8 p.m.

WHERE: California State Capitol west steps (10th St. between L and N streets

SEIU Rally Brings Thousands to Capitol

2009-07-02T06:06:58Z

On Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., approximately 2,000 members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) gathered on the west steps of the Capitol in a powerful end to Tuesday's outcry rally over the state’s budget decisions, which would cut the salaries of state workers by 15 percent.

A giant screen was set up to project the image of the speakers. Tents were scattered providing first aid, food and information on how to contact the governor. Participants sat on the grass and milled around, but once Local 1000 President Yvonne Walker took the stage, most remained standing to listen intently to her words.

Walker addressed SEIU's grievances with the state legislature's handling of the budget. She spoke about the issues that have not been taken into consideration by the state, such as SEIU's proposed contract that would have saved $340 million, or their identification of the 34.7 million dollars allocated for private vendor contracts. She reminded the crowd that all departments have been cut by 10 percent, yet people continue to return to work and provide the same services. She also reminded the crowd, to loud cries of indignation, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's announcement of a third furlough day.

"The only thing I have to say is, 'Governor, you were elected to do a job, you have failed, you are not providing leadership to California and today Local 1000 is putting you on notice, and we're not going to take it anymore,'" Walker said.

Speeches finished, members of SEIU took to circling the west steps in a slow march, chanting various slogans of empowerment such as, "We've had enough, we won’t take it no more," "Union power" and the Bob Marley lyric, "Get up, stand up. Stand up for your rights."

The sizable turnout featured SEIU members from all over California including Fresno, Redding, Rancho Cucamonga and Oakland.

Lesley Wong, a writer for Caltrans and Oakland resident, noted that the sheer number of bodies the event drew contributed to its success.

"I've been to past rallies, ridden the bus up from Oakland," Wong said. "This one, by far, has been the biggest one we've had that I've been to."

She also expressed that the governor's announcement of the implementation of a third furlough day was a deal-breaker for many state workers.

"It's the final 5 percent extra that pushed everyone over," Wong said. "It's an absolute breaking point. I've got people working with me who are making less money than they were 15 years ago."

In Walker's final address to the members of SEUI, she looked toward the future.

"The next time we come out, I hope to see 20,000 state workers," she said.

The response of the crowd could be heard a block away on L Street.