Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "cal expo"

For a good scare- haunted house round-up

2011-10-19T07:18:13Z

The Halloween season is upon us and besides it being a time for Jack O’ Lanterns and spiderwebs, it’s a time to get the candy scared out of us. When you’ve exhausted your stack of scary movies, it might be time to wander through a haunted house or two for a scream-filled, skin-crawling kind of fun.

The Sacramento Press put together a list of several haunted houses in the area that are sure to make one’s hair stand straight.

Maines Haunted Mansion

Location: 2501 I St., Sacramento
Hours: Oct. 21-31 (except 24th and 26th)
7 - 11 p.m.
Admission: free - suggested donation

This traditional Midtown classic is now moving into its sixth year with a completely new show every year. This year brings a funeral parlour theme to Midtown as attendees play the role of a crowd that has come to see a funeral. Visitors will take part in a classic interactive melodrama, advertised by the family as Maines’ Funeral Emporium, as the attendees become a part of the plot. The story unfolds as visitors tour through the century-old Victorian house and attend a funeral at the end. Visitors will solve a mystery as they become enveloped in the action.

100 percent of the proceeds will go to Sunburst Projects, a nonprofit organization devoted to children with HIV/Aids and their families.

For the website, click here.

Fright Planet

Location: Cal Expo (formerly Raging Waters) 1600 Exposition Blvd.
Hours: Oct. 19-10, 23, 25-26, Nov. 1-2 open 7 - 10 p.m.
Oct. 21-22, 27, 30-31 open 7 - 11 p.m.
Oct. 28-29 open 7 - midnight
Admission: $19.95 general admission to all five haunts, $26.95 general admission plus one 3-D haunted movie,
For VIP prices, click here)

This theme park features five different haunts run by a total of 150 actors each night, all of whom had to undergo an intensive training session, for over 100 hours, which organizer Krystie Bolton said prepared actors to take on multiple roles such as walking and talking like a zombie.

Dead Man’s Lagoon- a new haunt in the style of “Pirates of the Caribbean”
Death row – not all of the cells are locked in this haunt
Psycho Midway – a “4-dimensional” carnival theme, which includes the classic scents (fourth dimension) reminiscent of your general carnival, with clowns
Blackout – playing off of the classic phobia, this haunt is completely pitch black
Pirates of Scurvy Island – this year’s newest haunt, which Bolton said is more theatrical than the others as actors play out a script and put on a show for visitors

For the website click here.

Haunted Hagan Screampark

Location: 2197 Chase Drive drive, Rancho Cordova at Hagan Community Park
Hours: Oct. 21-22, 28-29 open 7 - 11 p.m.
Oct. 23, 26-27, 30-31 open 7 - 10 p.m.
Admission: For one train ride and one entry into each haunt- $20 adults, $15 children 12 years and under
For train ride only- $8 adults, $5 children 12 years and under

Joel Watson, director of the former Heartstoppers Haunted House, brings his haunt to this premiere theme park. The park features several attractions, including Heartstopper’s Haunted House – an 1867 western town inundated by zombies with three different buildings to explore – and the former ScaryU Haunted House transformed into the all-new Hangtown Sideshow – a take on the classic traveling freak show, complete with the bearded lady, a juggler, a bed of nails and more.

In addition to the haunts, this theme park also features a spooky train ride to and from the haunts and a corn maze filled with scarecrows. An open courtyard holds all sorts of attractions for families with children in a non-scare zone.

For the website click here.

Cemetarium

Location: 5415 Kenneth Ave., Fair Oaks at U Pick Pumpkins
Hours: Oct. 21-22, 28-29 open 7 - 11 p.m.
Oct. 23-27, 30-31 open 7 - 10 p.m.
Family-friendly hours (low-scare) 7 - 7:30 p.m.
Admission: $8, children 12 and under accompanied by an adult

Spawning from what began in 2002 as a fundraiser for his son’s school, Fair Oaks native Frank Babcock and joins with partner Troy Clapham to bring their haunt to the pumpkin patch this year with several unconventional scares sure to catch one off guard, multiple times.

In its first year as a professional haunt, this house has more than 20 actors playing multiple roles and producing scares from multiple rooms on a given night, and organizers still welcome more to participate.

Attendees will have to fight their way through this 600-foot-long house, which features several sections, each with different characters and fears to overcome, including The Parlor, which captures visitors in the cobwebs of antiquity as the furniture takes on a mind of its own, The Crypt, The Torture Room and the Industrial Room, among others, and according to organizers, the scares might not stop once you pass the threshold.

For the website click here.

Corbett’s House of Horror

Location: 1120 Galleria Blvd. across from the Roseville Galleria
Hours: Oct. 20, 23, 25-27 open 7 - 10 p.m.
Oct. 21-22 open 7 - 11 p.m.
Oct. 28-31 open 7 p.m. - midnight
Admission: $10 for one haunt, $20 for all four haunts

Corbett’s House of Horror is a premiere haunt in the former Expo Design Center and is open rain or shine. After 15 years worth of experience with home haunts, Steve Baker decided to partner with friends Jim Corbett and Jim Carey to bring the home haunt to a larger setting.

With more than 40 actors on any given night, Corbett’s House of Horrors offers four haunts:

The Hollywood Experience – an homage to several time-honored horror movies and their monsters such as Elvira and Freddy Krueger
Medical Center – playing off of classic phobias such as mad dentists, crazy doctors and insane asylums
Haunted “Carn-Evil” – A haunted carnival with clowns and tricks around every corner, including drop floors and
House of Horror – a take on the classic Halloween theme of haunted graveyards and the living dead

The idea for all four haunts spawned from four rooms that were featured in Baker’s home haunts.

With any mention of Sacramento Habitat for Humanity this Thursday, as a special event fundraiser, $5 of the ticket purchase will be donated to the charity.

For the website, click here.

Callson Manor

Location: 800 All America City Blvd., Roseville at Placer County Fairgrounds
Hours: Oct. 7-9, 13-16, 20-23, and 26-31 open 7:30 - 10 p.m.
Admission: $10 per haunt, $7 for all four mini attractions, and $23 for all eight attractions (see website for VIP tickets and combo pack)

Back for its fourth year in Sacramento, Bryan Patterson’s pro haunt features four haunted houses, each with a different theme and level of scare. From greatest level to least:

Panic – a combination of several classic phobias, including claustrophobia
Vampire’s Crypt – described as one of the more popular of the year, this haunt includes a vampire bar and dance room
Miner’s Revenge – explore the mine shaft without getting stuck
Callson Manor Funeral Home – using real caskets as props, infested with zombies

A scare-free courtyard, described as the “safe zone,” is available to children and families with multiple photo opportunities with cast members and a Living Dead Stage featuring the Obsidian Butterfly fire dancers on some nights, and punk rock bands on others. The park features four mini attractions as well, including Senses (all senses will be tested if one dares), Maze Craze, Zombie Crawl and the Oddities Exhibit, with voodoo dolls and many other pieces to the collection.

For the website click here.

Forest of Lost Souls

Location: 485 Platt Circle, El Dorado Hills
Hours: Oct. 29 5 - 6:30 p.m for young trick-or-treaters, 6:30 - 8 p.m. for adults and teens
Oct. 30-31 6 - 9 p.m. for adults and teens
Admission: $5 per person without canned food item, or $4 with one canned food donation, and $3 with two canned food items.

What organizer Joe De Celle described as a “pro haunt out of the garage,” this attraction is featured right out of his three-car garage for its second year in El Dorado Hills, but De Celle’s seventh year putting on the home haunt. With 600 square feet to work with, this haunt features a maze intertwining five thematically different rooms with scares coming from any direction and builds a reputation on surpassing visitors’ expectations.

The maze starts with a mild scare, a classic phobia, and those who continue further enter "the Forest of Lost Souls."

De Celle uses security cameras throughout the haunt to keep surveillance on the guests. To view videos of the haunt from past years, click here.

A “scare-free” window is set early in the evening on the first night for younger children and families to go through the haunt without actors jumping out at them.

This is the first year admission is being charged. The haunt has partnered with Food Bank of El Dorado County and is trying to raise up to 300 pounds of non-perishable canned food items to donate by the end of the month.

For the website, click here.

Rockin’ it at the State Fair

2011-07-16T00:45:34Z

I had the opportunity to meet with Troy Carlson, CEO of Stage Nine Entertainment Store and Exhibit Design, the creators of probably the most impressive exhibit at the California State Fair this year. “Rock U: The Institute of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” is located in building 5. This custom designed exhibit is an interactive adventure into one of America’s greatest institutions - Rock ‘n’ Roll. Admission is free with your entrance to the fair.

According to Carlson, “This really is a mix between a museum and an Exploratorium.”

The exhibit provides attendees museum style displays such as vintage posters and photos, while also providing plenty of hands-on exhibits.

The exhibit features interactive stations covering the different origins of rock ‘n’ roll. Attendees are greeted by a “media tower” infused with memorabilia, rock instruments and gold records that tower over the exhibit. It’s quite a sight to see when first entering the exhibit.

The design focuses on three distinct ways that people have experienced Rock ’n’ Roll over the years. First up is the “The Studio Experience,” displaying highlights of the early days of the recording process. This area will feature costumed characters on the weekends.

Second is the “The Concert Experience,” an interactive multimedia display celebrating the live performance aspects of Rock ’n’ Roll, incorporating an extensive collection of rock posters, vintage wardrobes and listening stations that focus on live performances of the world’s favorite bands. I'm betting Tesla will be in there somewhere.

The third area, “The Playing Experience,” allows the audience to wander through and experience different interactive stations that allow them to play and explore the basic instruments in a rock band. The really nice part about the hands-on instrument section is the ability to play onstage or off with your own personal headphones, sparing other attendees from having to listen to the guitar- or drum- challenged.

Hands-on exhibits include:

Can you feel it?
You hear a musical instrument being played and must guess which instrument it is. You then stick your hand into a box and feel the instrument. You don’t get to see it, only feel it.

One hit wonders
A song is played and you must guess who the artist is. Trust me, when you hear the song, the name of the artist will be on the tip of your tongue, but you never quite get it.
Rainbow Records, one of the few remaining manufacturers of vinyl records, has a display of records in various stages of being manufactured. Go check out their site to see a video and learn about the record making process.
A display of all the different ways we have listened to music, including a Walkman and a working 8-track player. Carlson stated that they have a number of 8-track players as backup and they had already had to replace one. I just hope he has a two year supply!
Once you’ve completed the circuit, step into one of Sacramento’s most famous record stores, Dimple Records. Carlson said they wanted people to experience the totality of the music experience of Sacramento. To do that, he invited Dimple Records to set up a store within the exhibit. The store is complete with vinyl records and a wall filled with the history of rock ‘n’ roll.

Throughout the fair, the exhibit will feature Elvis, Buddy Holly and other impersonators. YouTube sensation Brodie Cumming is scheduled to appear July 15-17 & 29-31. Cumming will be playing the top 100 rock riffs in one take.

The California State Fair runs from July 14 through July 31.

Fourth of July roundup

2011-06-30T20:32:12Z

Sacramento

Cal Expo Sacramento Independence Day Celebration
Monday – Gates open at 6 p.m. and fireworks begin around 9:30 p.m.
1600 Exposition Blvd. – Fireworks in the Miller Lite Grandstand
Price: Free
Parking: $10 in the Cal Expo parking lot
Age: All ages

Cal Expo will present its famed fireworks display for guests. Guests can enjoy preshow music provided by 107.9 The End and the United States Air Force Band of the Golden West.

Raley Field Independence Day Weekend Celebration
Saturday and Sunday. Games start at 7:05 p.m. Sat and 6:35 p.m. Sun
Raley Field, 400 Ballpark Drive
Price: $7-$42
Age: All ages

Family and friends can enjoy Raley Field’s annual Fourth of July celebration with two games against the Tucson Padres. There will be a fireworks show after each game to celebrate. In addition to the festivities, there is an American flag giveaway presented by the Army to the first 2,500 fans.

2011 Sacramento Firecracker 5K/10K Run & Walk Sacramento CA
Saturday at 9 a.m.
William Land Park, 3800 West Land Park Drive
Price: Adult entrance costs $35 until Thursday and is $40 on race day
Children (15 and under) are $20
Age: All ages

It’s time to don the running shoes for the Firecracker 5K/10K run. The course will follow the paths and nearby roads of William Land Park and is divided into 5K and 10K divisions.

There will be post-race refreshments at the finish line and an award ceremony and raffle giveaways after the event.

“We’re expecting a few thousand people,” said Robert Mathis, race director. That’s 50 percent more than last year.

“We encourage people to wear red, white and blue,” Mathis added.

Fourth of July Fun at the Discovery Museum Science & Space Center
Saturday and Sunday from 12:30- 4p.m.
3615 Auburn Blvd.
Price: Children (3 and younger) are Free, Children (4 - 12) are $4, Teens (13 - 17) are $5, Adults (18 and older) are $6, Senior Citizens (60 and older) are $5
Age: All ages

The Discovery Museum Science & Space Center presents an inexpensive, fun and educational family weekend to celebrate the Fourth of July. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the Space Quest exhibit, and kids finish with free craft activities for children ages 4 - 12. Families can also choose to attend the Planetarium shows (at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.) that are included with ticket purchases.

The Science & Space Center will also be selling fireworks at the museum for those on the more adventurous side. Proceeds will benefit the museum.

40 Palooza
Saturday, 6 p.m. - 2 a.m. Sunday
7440 Auburn Blvd.
Price: $8
Age: 21 and older

For those looking for a little extra excitement for the Fourth of July, Rocky’s 7440 will spice the night up with drink specials and music from DJs Victorious, Snoope and D-Rock. The 40 Palooza will be hosted by ILL Fam and MySacNightLife.

Old Sacramento Fourth of July Champagne Brunch Cruise
Monday, 11 a.m. - 1p.m.
A cruise along the Sacramento River departing from the L Street Dock, 1206 Front St.
Price: $25.80 - $43
Age: All ages

The Hornblower Cruise will provide a unique way of celebrating the Fourth of July. With a two-hour cruise, guests can dress up and enjoy a brunch buffet, drinks, and a live soloist entertainer. Formal wear is not required, but guests are asked to dressy-casual clothing.

Folsom

Folsom Pro Rodeo
Friday - Sunday
Dan Russell Rodeo Arena in Folsom, at Stafford Street and Leidesdorff Street
Price: Reserved seating is $24.50, and general admission ranges from $15 - $19.50
Age: All ages

The Folsom Pro Rodeo will have daily events including rodeo competitions, a carnival, kids activities, country music and dancing, and nightly fireworks shows over the arena.

Each night of the event, renowned skydiver Kent Lane will free-fall from 4,500 feet trailing a 2,000-square-foot American flag behind him.

El Dorado Hills

Second Annual Fireworks Jubilee
Sunday 4 p.m. - Monday at midnight
El Dorado Hills Town Center
Price: Free
Age: All ages

El Dorado Hills will present a day of fun for all ages. From live music on three stages to a chili cook-off to a fireworks show, there will be plenty to do throughout the town center.

Following the fireworks show is a performance by band Mother Mayhem in the Steven Young Amphitheater until 11:30 p.m.

Rancho Cordova Third and Fourth of July Carnival and Parade
Sunday and Monday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. (Parade Monday at 10 a.m.)
Hagan Park, 2197 Chase Drive
Price: Free for kids 5 and under, $2 general admission, 10.00 parking.
Age: All ages

For those looking for an all-day, activity-filled event, Rancho Cordova’s July Carnival and Parade offers just that.

“It is the largest local event,” said Shelly Blanchard, executive director of the Cordova Community Council and main organizer of the event. “There will be the parade, concerts and, of course, our highlight is hosting the All-American barbecue showdown. People come with their own decorated barbecue sets, funny aprons, and guests come to taste it all.

“It’s a lot of fun and should be fantastic,” Blanchard added.

Carmichael

Carmichael's Fouth of July Parade and Fireworks
A pancake breakfast starts Monday’s events from 7:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
Parade begins at 10:30 a.m.
Fireworks begin around 9:30 p.m.
Carmichael Park, 5750 Grant Avenue
Fireworks can be seen from the La Sierra Community Center, 5325 Engle Road
Price: Free ($5 for unlimited access to the Kid Zone inflatables)
Age: All ages

Folks can enjoy a pancake breakfast at Carmichael Park to start their day and then head over to the La Sierra Community Center to watch the annual Fourth of July parade at 10:30 a.m.The route begins at the intersection of Marconi Square and Fair Oaks Boulevard and heads to the intersection of Cypress Avenue and Manzanita Avenue. The parade will feature community floats, marching bands, equestrian entries, military units, antique cars and more. For front-row seating, head to the front of the park on Fair Oaks Boulevard or watch from the grandstand located at 5757 Grant Avenue across the street from Carmichael Park.

Following the events of the morning, La Sierra Community Center will provide activities for children ranging from puppet shows to Kid Zone inflatables. Food and drinks will be provided by the Carmichael Little League snack bar. Once it is dark, the fireworks will begin.

Elk Grove

Elk Grove Fourth of July Fireworks
The event Begins Monday at 6p.m., and fireworks at 9:30 p.m.
Elk Grove Regional Park
Price: Free admission, $10 parking
Age: All ages

For an easygoing Fourth of July, Elk Grove will present music, food and fireworks. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. Live music from Latin and R&B band Solsa will be provided, and people are encouraged to bring a blanket and have a picnic or barbecue before the fireworks show at 9:30 p.m.

Roseville

Roseville Fouth of July Parade
Mondayfrom 10 a.m. - noon
Vernon/Douglas/Riverside intersection to Royer Park, 190 Park Drive
Price: Free
Age: All ages

The City of Roseville will have its annual Fourth of July parade. For anyone who wants to go and grab a seat, the parade route will follow Vernon/Douglas/Riverside intersections, continue down Vernon, take a right on Lincoln Street and a right on Park Drive, ending at Royer Park.

The Music in the Park series will have the Capitol Pops Concert Band, playing the kind of music enjoyed since 1997, perform at Royer Park from noon -2 p.m. following the parade. There will be games for kids and food for everyone.

Roseville Fireworks
Monday. Gates open at 7 p.m. Fireworks show begins around 9:30 p.m.
Placer County Fairgrounds, 800 All America City Blvd.
Price: Free
Age: All ages

Roseville’s fireworks show will be held in the Placer County Fairgrounds. Guests can bring their friends and families to a traditional setting for the fireworks show.

Roseville Fourth of July Cosmos Crime Run
Monday at 8 a.m.
Sculpture Park, 350 N Sunrise Ave
Price: $20 Age 17 and under, $30 pre-registered runners/walkers, #35 race-day registration, $100 pre-registered team of 4 - 7
Age: All ages

For a healthy start to the day, Roseville will host the 17th annual Cosmos Crime Run, which will benefit the Roseville Community Crime Stoppers. The route will follow the Miner’s Ravine Bike Trail.

“It is a popular event. There were 400 people last year,” said Bob Smith, one of the organizers of the event. “There will also be police and fire service demonstrations this year for anyone who wants to go.”

Citrus Heights

Fourth of July Weekend Carnival and Fireworks
The carnival runs Thursday through Monday, and fireworks will be held Monday.
Sunrise Mall, 6196 Sunrise Mall
Thursday and Friday from 4 - 11 p.m.
Saturday through Monday from noon - 11 p.m.
Price: Single Tickets are $0.95, a 20-pack costs $18 and an all-day pass costs. $20.
Age: All ages

For a day of fun, the Sunrise Mall will host a Fourth of July carnival. Carnival rides and activities will be provided, and the event will be concluded with a fireworks show at about 9 p.m. with an additional hour of the carnival after.

New development concept for Cal Expo unveiled

2011-06-25T02:53:20Z

A new concept for the redevelopment of the California Exposition & and State Fairgrounds was unveiled Friday, which includes adding 120,000 square feet to the exhibition space and building a new 10,000 seat amphitheatre.

A consulting team led by Andy Plescia of A. Plescia & Co. outlined the concept at a meeting of the Cal Expo Board of Directors and focused on ways to breathe new life into the fairgrounds which have been in use for nearly 50 years.

The consultant group, which included Plescia, Gruen Gruen + Associates and RCH Group, formed the redevelopment concept based on a year-long feasibility study covering site conditions, property values and real estate market conditions.

Cal Expo board members requested the study after they received an initial proposal to move the fairgrounds to Arco Arena to allow the existing Cal Expo site to be privately developed to help finance an arena downtown.

“Our whole focus has to be how we take Cal Expo into the 21st century,” said Norbert Bartosik, California Exposition and State Fairgrounds general manager.

In addition to the increased exhibition space and plans for a new amphitheater, key components of the renewal concept for Cal Expo include development of 125 acres of the site for sale to investors for residential, commercial, and retail use and increasing space for parking by 35 percent.

Consultants estimate the net value of the property to be between $55 million and $60 million, after deductions for infrastructure and resolving potential flooding issues.

Financing for the project is still being discussed, but would include proceeds from the sale of the property to investors and securing funds from a variety of public and private sources.

“What we saw today was just concept,” Bartosik said, “but it’s a vision for the future and we’re going to need everybody’s help to make it happen.”

The consultant team will return to the Board in August with additional details on projected costs and revenue for the development concept. Board members said that they will consider whether or not to move forward with the proposal after that meeting.

Man on the Street: Where in Sacramento would you never want to take your parents?

2011-04-11T21:37:32Z

We all have parents. But while many may love and appreciate their mothers and fathers, there are just some things not meant to be shared between parents and children.

The Sacramento Press recently posed the question, “Where in Sacramento would you never want to take your parents,” to individuals at Westfield Downtown Plaza. After speaking to some fellow Sacramentans, the most common response was nightlife activities.

Kevin Watson, 29, lives downtown and works as a graphic designer. He said he thought taking his dad to a club could get pretty weird. “I wouldn’t want to take my dad to Faces (Nightclub). That place is pretty crazy, and it would just be really awkward if he got hit on while I was there.”

A number of people felt a club was a good place not to take their parents. A couple of individuals even specified strip clubs. Joe Morales, 21, who works as a gold buyer for Gold Rush at the mall, said, “I would never take my parents to a strip club. That’s just uncomfortable and real awkward!”

Whitney Phillips, 23, head cashier at Forever 21 who lives in Sacramento, also said she wouldn’t want to take her mom to a club, adding “She’s just kinda old and it would be embarrassing.”

Malwina Wnorowska, 23, a third-year student majoring in managerial economics at UC Davis, had a very specific answer.

“I would never want to take my parents to Cal Expo during Halloween. They host the Exotic Erotic Zone Ball. I don’t think my parents would want to see that, and I don’t want to give them a heart attack. But then again, maybe they’d like it...”

Despite a number of responses keeping parents away from potentially risque scenes or just away from their social lives in general, a few people noted they don’t go anywhere they wouldn’t take their parents.

Actress Bridggett Bess, who lives Midtown, said, “My parents are pretty open-minded. I think I could take them anywhere and be OK.”

Tell us where in Sacramento you would never take your parents in the comment section below.

Festival de la Familia 2011

2011-04-05T20:46:17Z

Twenty years, Twenty Families was this year’s theme at the Festival de la Familia. Sunday’s attendance at the Festival’s 20th Anniversary Celebration exceeded expectation. Families began to line up at the entrance before the gates opened.

I met Veronica Delgado, Steering Committee Vice Chair of Festival de la Familia, at the entrance. She gave me an overview of the event. Veronica spent a lot of effort and energy helping to put the event together and had been at Cal Expo hours before the gates opened. Many of the Steering and Committee members have been preparing for the event for months and seemed to still be full of energy and pride as they raced around Cal Expo making sure things went according to plan. Their efforts were greatly appreciated by those in attendance.

Cal Expo hosted the event where multiple stages and stations were set up for art, music and dance. Arts and crafts stations were set up at the Arts and Culture Pavilion and a children’s station was set up outside the pavilion as well.

Children’s art activities and entertainment took place at various areas. Vendors and sponsors also had many booths around for guests to sample and pick up information regarding goods and services available from many businesses around Sacramento.

Family traditions are many in our home and attending Festival de la Familia has become a tradition for the Alvarez household. In the past 20 years we’ve missed one or two but have made an effort to attend every year. I met Eleanor and Matt Sanchez who have attended each and every Festival since they moved to Sacramento from Phoenix.

Matt and Eleanor have three children but only one of them, 22 year old Rosa, was with them Sunday. Rosa was pushing a stroller and said this was the first time she’s attended with her husband Adam and 10 month old Mark. “I don’t remember why we missed last year’s Festival but when I found out that we missed it I thought about it the whole day. I hate to admit but it bothered me.” said Rosa. Her father Matt followed, “You know when they’re old enough to be on their own you don’t want to pester them. I called her and reminder Rosa about it but she must have forgotten. Besides she was very pregnant at the time.”

Rosa continued, “I think we’ll make it a point to either volunteer or buy tickets before hand and hopefully we don’t forget. Our son, Mark, enjoyed the music and the food. We love everything, the music, dancing, food and entertainment. I think this exposure is very valuable for ourselves and our children and will try to attend this and similar events.”

The weather was beautiful and perfect for being outdoors. This year’s Festival recognized 20 families whose support and involvement have been instrumental in the event’s legacy and longevity.

Children’s activities for the event focused on fitness and healthy eating. A bicycle was raffled off which also helped to promote healthy activities.

This year’s keynote speaker was Teddy Herrera. Teddy is currently riding his bicycle across the country to promote childhood obesity awareness. His 11,000-mile bike ride began last June. He spoke at the Cove Stage. Teddy enthusiastically spoke to the audience directing his comments to the young kids on hand. He relayed a story going back to a year ago in March. As his cousins played video games he encouraged them to go outdoors and enjoy the weather and physical activity.

Teddy went on to create an organization called Across America for Childhood Obesity. Teddy said his organization was created to “inspire kids of all sizes to get up get out and actively chase their dreams.” As he addressed the audience he continued, “You can be anything you decide to be, as long as you step outside your door and actively do it!”

Teddy shared his story as how he started his trek across America. “I got on my bike and started off with $36 in my pocket. I left with $36 because nobody believed in me. I got zero sponsorships. I heard ‘no’ a thousand times because sometimes when your dream is really big you’re going to hear ‘no’ because people aren’t going to believe in you but as long as you believe in yourself it’s possible.”

As Teddy continued with his inspirational story he indicated that he carried some Tupperware and went to restaurants/buffets after they closed and asked for food they may throw away at the end of the night and continued on his trek. He bicycled 100 miles each day eating what he was given and slept where he could. He traveled from Sacramento to Boston then Miami and to San Diego.

He indicated that he finished his 11,000 mile trip last week. His mom, grandmother and some of his cousins were on hand and he recognized them. “I did it for them too, to show us that we as a people are strong especially in this community of Sacramento. Our voices are so powerful they can be heard around the world and that’s what I wanted to show you guys. Anything is possible.” Teddy said as he continued to inspire those in attendance.

As Teddy began to end his address "No matter how big your dream is" Teddy said, "it’s going to get done when you make the decision to do it. Get outside and actually do it.” Teddy can be followed via facebook. He is also writing a children’s book this summer and going on tour once again in September. This time he’ll be riding 22,000 miles to show kids that anything is possible.

At the Cove Stage a presentation of a Scholarship Award to a Chico State student studying Latino Culture was presented. Elizabeth Vasquez was the recipient of the award. She is majoring in Business Marketing with a minor in Chicano Studies.

Hundreds of volunteers (450-500) were on hand to facilitate children’s activities, to provide event staff, help with dance and musical performances. Many were on hand serving as guides for the art exhibits.

Building A had an area reserved for dance lessons. Lessons for Bachata, Salsa, Rueda, Punta, Vallentano and Tango took place. Also in Building A many art exhibits were available for viewing and many artists were on hand to show off their work. Olmec, Aztec, Mayan and Inca civilizations were highlighted via history, cultural and art exhibits.

The Arts & Culture Pavilion also recognized many top artists, photographers and sculptors in various exhibits. The Literary Arts Performance allowed students to read poetry or re-enact literature scenes from favorite Latin American authors.

The Tower Stage hosted several bands and included a dance area that was quite popular throughout the day. Music from many Latin American countries was played and the audience could either sit and enjoy the music or take to the floor and dance.

I sat down with Nicole Zamora, Steering Committee Chair, who was also a member of one of the 20 families that was recognized at the Festival. Nicole went on to relay, “This is our 20th year and we thought what a better way to highlight out 20 years of service to the Sacramento Community than to highlight 20 families that have played an integral role in helping this event to go on. We chose the families based on the fact that it wasn’t just one person that volunteered it was essentially a family whether that was a mom and a dad or their kids, or brothers or cousins."

Nicole is the 2011 Festival Chair and serves on the Board of Directors. Her husband, Art, is also a board member. I asked if this year’s event was larger or the same as last year’s and Nicole seemed to think that it was bigger. She noted that they began to run out of seats at some of the stages and indeed it did appear there were more people not only at the stages but at the food and drink lines as well.

I asked Nicole about what she thought were some of the highlights of the event. “I really can’t pinpoint one of the music groups because every time I looked out there it seemed there was a good size crowd. Soccer did fairly well I saw a lot of kids out there. The Sacramento Gold did great in bringing their players out. The parade always draws a crowd.” Crowds were everywhere and those in attendance included children, parents and grandparents walking or sitting together. Many were also with friends or other couples and all were having a good time creating a great family atmosphere.

Nicole went on to say that there were over 450 volunteers who signed up this year to work the festival. She went on to say that there is no limit to the number of volunteers. There is however a cut-off date when they can register by.

“My kids were here just in time for the 20 family celebration, so my two little boys were able to join me on stage so that was nice. They’re only two and four years old.” Nicole said. As we concluded our talk Nicole ended up by saying, “This is great because you can walk through the different areas. It flows very well and you can go outside and dance a little bit and also be educated. One of the biggest things that we as ‘Festival’ want to do is make sure the community at large understands our goal. It’s great to see people from all walks of life and cultures come together and celebrate our family with us.”

The Festival de la Familia Board of Directors and Committee Chairs put together a successful family celebration. In a few months next year’s event will begin to be discussed by coordinators. Come experience next year’s celebration if you have not attended before and enjoy delicious food, wonderful art and culture, great music and enjoy dancing to some wonderful Latin rhythms. Festival de la Familia continues to enhance awareness, understanding and appreciation of Latino cultures, customs and traditions.

Food, Music and Fun at Festival de la Familia

2011-04-01T04:17:01Z

Sacramento, are you ready for a fun-filled day of delicious tacos and carne asada, exciting bachata dancers and beautiful ancient art? The 20th annual Festival de la Familia promises all that and more this Sunday at Cal Expo.

The Festival de la Familia is a cultural extravaganza that pays tribute to the people and cultures of Latin American countries by celebrating their customs and traditions and highlighting the variety of Latin influences within our local community.

“It’s really a celebration where we appreciate other cultures in a safe and family-oriented environment,” said Veronica Delgado, chairwoman for the festival’s Arts and Culture Pavilion.

One of the things the festival is known for is plenty of music, and this year the organizers are going all-out with multiple stages open throughout the day featuring live bands representing a variety of Latin styles and sounds, dance performances, a puppet theater and even salsa lessons from professional dance instructors for anyone who wants to give it a try.

In addition to the many singers, dancers and live bands performing throughout the day, the headliner act of the event will be Sonora Santanera, an iconic musical group from Mexico playing their recognizable topical sound.

“We’re really going to put on a show,” said Susie Cano-Guzman, festival president and food vendor coordinator. “It’s a very fun event.”

The festival will also showcase foods from more than 20 Latin countries, Cano-Guzman said. Food vendors will be set up in booths and walking around with carts offering such treats as paletas (fruit bars), raspados (snowcones) and gazpacho – a specialty from the Michoacan region of Mexico – and much more.

Cano-Guzman said she suggests attendees come hungry, because the food is going to be “phenomenal.”

“There will be fresh, authentic foods from Mexico, El Salvador and Peru,” Cano-Guzman said. “And, new this year, we’ll have Cuban food, too.”

Many local restaurants that have provided food to the festival in past years will be returning this year, including Carmen Taqueria, Baqueros, and Frank Levya’s Xochimilco Mexican Restaurant and Grill.

Not only will there be opportunity to eat plenty of food, but parents and kids will be able to make food, too. Margaret Gomes, chef and nutritional instructor with the Live Food Academy will be on-hand throughout the day teaching how to make healthy food for the family with a simple, fun, hands-on approach.

One of the highlights of this year’s festival will be the “Latin Culture Walk” exhibit in the Arts & Culture Pavilion.

“We’ve really enhanced the arts and culture exhibits this year,” Delgado said. “It will focus on a variety of media, from photography to sculpture to mixed media. It’s just incredible what these artists have put together.”

The pavilion will feature a host of ancient artwork and literary works from Latin people through the ages along with a variety of contemporary art displays and more than 40 local artists will be on-hand to discuss their work and answer questions in this interactive exhibit.

Delgado said local artist, illustrator and photographer Felipe Davalos worked with the artists on the new arts exhibit to direct them in fine-tuning their projects and “helped them create something great for the community.”

Nicole Zamora, festival events chairwoman says the all-day event will also include many activities for children, including arts and crafts activities and a chance to meet the players of Sacramento Gold semi-pro soccer team.

“The players will be out there to show off some drills, play with the kids and take pictures with fans,” Zamora said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun for everyone who comes.”

Teddy Herrera, the bicyclist from Elk Grove who just returned from cycling over 11,000 miles across the United States will be on hand at one of the kids’ stations in the Children’s Activities section of the festival talking to kids about health and fitness, and leading kids in games like jumprope and hopscotch.

At one of the many crafts tables available on Sunday, kids will be able to make traditional “papel picado,” bright colorful tissue flags with cut-out designs that are hung on strings to wave in the wind.

“The papel picado are used in many Latin countries for all sorts of festivities,” said Cano-Guzman. “The bright colors add to the environment of celebration.”

Zamora said attendees won’t want to miss the parade featuring dancers, musicians, and performers, which begins at 1:30 p.m. and is a festival highlight for families and children of all ages.

“It’s like a traveling cultural exhibit right before your eyes making its way from one end of the festival to the other,” Zamora said.

Delgado said volunteers, committee organizers and sponsors have all worked closely over the past year in a community effort to get everyone involved in making the event interesting and fun.

“Volunteers are the legs we stand on,” Delgado said.

The all-volunteer event makes use of 400-500 volunteers to help with children’s events, watch the stages and guide people through exhibits. Volunteers are still needed for the day of the event, and anyone interested in helping can sign up online here.

The day’s events start with a Catholic mass at 9 a.m., and then entertainment kicks off at 10 a.m. and continues until the gates close at 6 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $10 for adults, and $7 for seniors 65 and over. Kids 12 and under are free. Discount tickets are also available online here.

For more information, visit the festival’s website at www.festivaldelafamilia.org .

Culminating with the Capital Beerfest

2011-03-08T03:20:05Z

Sacramento Beer Week culminated with The Capital Beerfest, held at Cal Expo on Saturday. Upon entering the exposition hall, there were professional brewers, organizations of home brewers and several distributing companies present, with volunteers buzzing around with a camaraderie that can only develop while working a beer festival.

Beer drinkers and enthusiasts of all ages were there enjoying the event to the fullest. The only downfall was the weather. It was so nice outside that everyone was wishing they could be sipping outside rather than inside a hall.

The VIP session began at noon and was terrific in the fact that the brewers pulled out all the stops and brought out their best from behind the table. During the premiere hour from noon to 1 p.m., the two buildings seemed vast with the limited number of people who were present. Beer enthusiasts were more or less running from table to table tasting, always keeping in mind those who were presenting a special something for the first hour or until they ran out, whatever came first. Visitors got a chance to chat with brewers, distributors, pub and brewery representatives, owners, and other beer enthusiasts.

At 1 p.m., the floodgates opened, and the hall began to fill with cheerful beer drinkers. More than 60 breweries were present, some pouring up to six or seven different beers from bottles, taps and growlers. Brewers included large-volume breweries that distribute throughout the country to small micro- or nano-breweries that are just beginning to make their way, some only borrowing the brewing facilities of more established breweries. This in itself is an attribute to the local and regional brewing scene: breweries, micro-breweries, nano-breweries, brew pubs and beer cafes all working together to create a no-holds-barred craft brew industry.

All in all, “bourbon barrel aged” was the catchphrase of the day. Nearly all brewers with direct representation had a glint in their eyes as if they knew a secret, and that secret was always something delicious they had hidden behind the table. All day Saturday, drinkers were able to experience ales aged in bourbon barrels, beers aged with oak chips soaked in bourbon, and beers so rich and full that you almost wonder if they weren't just poured right in with the bourbon.

The best of show had to go to the North Coast Brewing Company's Old Stock Ale Cellar Reserve 2009. During the first hour, North Coast poured several bottles of its bourbon barrel aged Old Stock Ale.

North Coast Brewing Company made a similar beer in 2005 that was aged in brandy barrels. It was a delight to talk with North Coast’s Ken Kelley during the sipping. Kelley described the 2009 Cellar Reserve as a beer great for sipping, although you will probably want a pint. North Coast Brewing also had its dessert-like favorite, Old Rasputin, on tap as well as Belgian Style Abbey Ale Brother Thelonious.

In my humble and dark beer-loving opinion, The Bruery's Three French Hens ran a close second for the best beer at the Capital Beerfest. Three French Hens, created by Famille Rue's The Bruery, was a rich and delicious blend, 75 percent Belgian dark ale and 25 percent oak aged ale. The ale weighed in at 10 percent ABV and drank like a French country ale on a fresh spring day. The beer is part of a string of the 12 beers of Christmas. I can only hope to get my hands on the other 11 as soon as possible.

The Bruery's Cuádruple was terrific as well, and a good impersonation of a Belgian quadruple. It had more life to it than some of the Belgian-style abbey ales made in the region, though it is admittedly quite difficult to replicate an art that Belgian monks have spent centuries perfecting.

Throughout the day, random polling demonstrated a love for local brews as well. El Dorado's Trailblazer Stout got a number of votes, as did the Stony Bar Scotch Ale, made by Folsom's Lockdown Brewing Company. The Sac Piper should also be on the list. The smooth, malty Scottish Ale could be found at the Sudwerk table and held its own in terms of taste and balance. The ale was collaboratively brewed specially for Sacramento Beer Week.

Besides its stout, El Dorado Brewing Company has another interesting beer available, the rarely found or heard-of style, Braggot. Allan Camillo, owner and brewer for El Dorado, explained the Real Mountain Ale Braggot as an Old-World brew that they would love to bring back. The style could be described as a kind of half-mead, half-malty ale, a style that is found in only a couple of other breweries in the country. The El Dorado Real Mountain Ale Braggot is on tap at The Boxing Donkey in Roseville and at Samuel Horne's Tavern in Folsom.

Another local brewer, Peter Hoey, could be found around the event throughout the day, usually hovering near the Sutter Buttes Brewing Oatmeal Stout, a nice stout with so much oatmeal taste, it just might work in a bowl of oatmeal on a rainy winter evening. Black Diamond Brewing Company had a nice stout on tap as well, more specifically, the chocolate and vanilla bean Peak XV had five kinds of vanilla beans as well as cacao nibs.

The most interesting and innovative beers at Capital Beerfest were produced by Schmaltz Brewing Company's He'Brew. The 14-year-old company was genuine in its desire for new and interesting beers. The He'Brew slogan: “The Chosen Beer: Great for Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings, and Circumcisions,” was a slogan that I heard many people chuckle at throughout the day.

I might go as far as awarding Mr. Congeniality to Zak Davis, the representative for He'Brew. He went out of his way to pour their unique brews of various vintages. One such example was their 2009 13th anniversary ale. The He’Brew Jewbelation Bar Mitzvah Thirteenth Anniversary Ale had 13 kinds of hops and 13 types of malts; it drank as thick and rich as a celebration liqueur, just as it was intended.

He'Brew's sour beer, Geektoberfest, was strong and interesting, taking the cake for the most bizarre beer. Most notably, the Geektoberfest comes packed in a cardboard container filled with duck feathers in homage to the etymology of the word geek.

While He'Brew's sour beer had the geuze edge that many beer drinkers aren't able to appreciate, Deschutes Brewery threw in a bone with The Dissident, its wild-yeast sour brown ale, probably the best modern-day take on a geuze I have tasted. Deschutes also poured its decennial beer, Jubel 2010. The Jubel 2010 has its own interesting story. The original recipe was created back in 2000 when someone tried to steal a keg of Jubelale, but got only about 20 feet before they decided it was just too heavy and too cold to carry out their plan. The beer stayed out overnight and got so cold that ice formed in the keg, which, when removed, left the remaining beer in a condensed form, thereby creating a richer and thicker flavor. The brewers at Deschutes decided to give it a try anyway, and Jubel 2000 was born. This eisbock-like beer is now brewed every 10 years.

Of all the breweries that poured at Capital Beerfest, the brewery most worth a visit might just be Mammoth Brewing Company of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., and not just because its upcoming Blues & Brews festival, Bluesapalooza, is right up my alley, what with Blues Traveler and Matt Schofield on the docket. Their location near Yosemite National Park is certainly appealing, as is getting another taste of that double nut brown. Just the smell was alluringly nutty and sweet.

By 3 p.m., the noise level in the main hall was almost unbearable, with spontaneous bursts of collective yelling, glasses raised, that could only be equated to a hearty 'cheers' to Sacramento Beer Week and the Capital Beerfest. As at every beer festival, the line for the women's bathroom was stunningly short, and the men's traumatizingly long. One man in particular felt this especially as I watched him walk, head down, into the women's restroom with a look in his eyes that made me glad he didn't wait until his turn in line.

Sierra Nevada had the nicest booth around, complete with that SN green tent. Their 2 x 4 was a dream. A mix of Belgian quadruple and brandy barrel-aged Belgian dubbel, you could really taste the rich flavor of liquor. Sierra Nevada kept going strong all day with four different beers on draught.

On a cheesier note, Nugget Markets was set up in building C, giving out samples of great artisan cheeses and sausages that you could smell grilling out back behind the building. Who knew you could get that great Old Amsterdammer cheese at the Nugget?

I was disappointed that Lagunitas didn't pull out any stops, but then again, they were such a presence throughout beer week that I can hardly blame them. Sacramentans will never forget Tony Magee's musical talents and ambitions, or Sacramento Fusion, the Black IPA brewed specially for Sacramento Beer Week. The Lagunitas owner and brewer must have been camped out in McKinley Park all week, considering the number of bars and cafes that he visited during Sacramento Beer Week.

Hoppy Brewing represented Sacramento brewing at Capital Beerfest as well, with a number of beers on tap including its Hoppy Face Amber Ale and Stony Face Red Ale, both, you guessed it – hoppy.

The Gold Country Brewers Association tapped homebrew after homebrew, serving so many different beers that they truly proved that homebrewing deserved its own stall right next to Sierra Nevada. The group has approximately 75 members in the area and has monthly meetings and brewing events of all kinds. Greenbelt Brewers Association was also represented and poured a number of taps throughout the day.

At one particular booth, I found myself speaking with one of the baby blue-shirted volunteers. The volunteers were part of an organization called Runnin' for Rhett, a nonprofit that was created in memory of Rhett Seevers, a boy who was born with cerebral palsy and lived just seven years.

Through a strange twist of fate, I found that the volunteer with whom I was speaking was in fact Rhett's grandmother. The words that I heard from his grandmother were inspiring and courageous, and I only hoped that more people took the time to chat with a volunteer about their cause. Lyle Gramling was sweet, honest and truly represented the cause in every way.

Each year, the members of Runnin’ for Rhett, a group now 650 strong, run, walk and volunteer in the Shamrock’n Half Marathon. Participating in the half-marathon is a tradition that was started by Rhett’s mother, Beth Seevers, in 2005; exactly a year after the day of Rhett’s passing. Now, each year, the organization works to support its slogan, “Move into Life” by encouraging healthy movement. In addition, each year, two $5,000 scholarships are given to teachers or students getting accredited to work in special education in the Sacramento area.

The success of Capital Beerfest was phenomenal for more than one reason – friends, local and nationwide brewers, homebrewers and many others on the Sacramento Beer Week and Capital Beerfest committee came together to spread the word on the art and possibilities of craft brewing. Beer was talked about in terms of moods, meals and seasons. Add to this the overall camaraderie, plus donating to a good cause, and I can be absolutely positive that it was highly enjoyable for everyone involved.

From the last call, drinkers began to trickle to the white school buses that would take them back to Midtown. It was hard to imagine a more jovial and friendly atmosphere of adults on a school bus. I only hope that the man with the Beeriodic Table T-shirt was sitting tall in the front seat.

Cal Expo considers development

2011-02-17T02:10:21Z

California Exposition and State Fairgrounds officials may get a closer look next month at the feasibility of redeveloping the fairgrounds.

Consultants have spent the last two months gathering more extensive information on what it would take to redevelop the site.

A team led by Andy Plescia of A. Plescia & Co. has been meeting with city and county officials, utility providers, developers and real estate brokers to determine what development might be possible, plus costs and changes needed to support that, according to an update released late Tuesday afternoon.

"This is really drilling down in a deeper level of detail into the feasibility of a redevelopment project," Cal Expo Deputy General Manager Brian May said.

The consultants – A. Plescia & Co., Gruen Gruen + Associates and RCH Group – are building on a preliminary development plan analysis released in September.

Cal Expo board members requested the analysis in response to a development team's proposal to move the fairgrounds to Arco Arena so the existing Cal Expo site could be privately developed to help finance an arena downtown. The Cal Expo board voted against the proposa l from developers Gerry Kamilos and David Taylor.

The consultants recommended Cal Expo officials sell part of the fairgrounds land to finance new or updated fair facilities at the site.

They're scheduled to present updated information for the "Cal Expo Renewal Project" at the next Cal Expo board meeting, which will be held in March or April. The board is expected to decide whether and how to move forward with redeveloping the fairgrounds over the next two or three months. The consultants are also working on ways to finance redevelopment.

If the board decides to push ahead with redevelopment, the next steps would include marketing the land and soliciting offers on a national level, conducting environmental reviews and entering a sales agreement with the buyer, May said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Sacramento Autorama

2011-02-15T07:34:12Z

Nothing like a beautiful sunny day in Sacramento and nothing like the Sacramento Autorama to make use of such a wonderful day. The Annual Sacramento Autorama turned 61 this year and the show continues to enjoy great popularity.

The title sponsor for the event was O’Reilly Auto Parts. Co-sponsors were Les Schwab Tires and Vintage Ford. Other sponsors were Meguiar’s, ARC Audio, Car Kulture Deluxe Magazine, Ol’ Skool Rodz, Hot Rod Hotline, Traditional Rod and Kulture, radio stations 98 Rock,96.9 Eagle and ESPN 1320. These sponsored helped the Sacramento Autorama hold another successful Autorama show.

This year’s theme for the show was Route 66, the route is also known as the “Mother Road” or the “Main Street of America”. Autorama had exhibits not only for autos but also for bicycles, motorcycles and boats at the Cal Expo event. This was an event for people of all ages and had something for everybody.

The Sacramento Autorama boasts being home to the longest running indoor car show in the world. The show began this Friday February 11 and ended on Sunday February 13. I attended the final show on Sunday.

Actors from American Graffiti were also on hand to sign autographs and talk to fans. Bo Hopkins, Candy Clarke and Paul LeMat were available to meet with visitors. Other entertainment during the weekend was provided by Lee Reherman “Hawk” from the American Gladiators, Deejay Carlos, the Sterling Silver Band, The Royal Deuces, Lil’ Mo and the Dynaflos, The Mighty Mojo Prophets and the Booze Bombs.

Many awards are given out in various categories. The best pinstripers from around the country worked on an assortment of projects brought to them from customers. Demos by well known artists including Mike Clines, Real Ralph, T-Bonez and TJ Pagano were conducted. Much of their work was done for donations that went towards a charity auction. Many art pieces that were auctioned off went to benefit the UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

There were over 450 vehicles on display that competed for awards. The 2011 Builder of the year, Robbie Azevedo, of Pacific Coast Customs had an area that showcased his work.

On Saturday another 400 vehicles participated in the 5th Annual Autorama Drive-In. Radical custom and exotic car showcased vehicles were scattered in many of the Cal Expo buildings. Chopped, channeled, sectioned and chromed cars along with hot rods, pickups, motorcycles, street machines and muscle cars drew fans to this event from around California and the U.S.

Thousands of auto enthusiasts show up to this event every year and the show continues to expand. The event has been held at its current location since 1970. Cash prizes and magnificent trophies are up for grabs and were handed out in various automobile classifications. The show has been instrumental and giving Sacramento the title of the “Custom Capital of the World”. Today car customizing is a multibillion-dollar industry in the United States. The event has also been described as the Super Bowl of customizing.

Many of the vendors and customizing shops are located in Sacramento. Two building areas had audio and video customization vendors on hand to show off their gear. Some of the vehicles were equipped with audio gear that can rival small clubs in the area.

Food, drink and merchandize members you see during the State Fair were also on hand to give the event the State Fair feel. Most of the buildings at Cal Expo were used to showcase these beautiful machines.

The Sacramento Autorama continues to draw bigger audiences and recognition needs to go to the people that put the show together. A lot of work is needed to put this event together and make it as successful as it has become. Kudos to the Sacramento Autorama Show Staff that kept things moving smoothly throughout the weekend.

1,600 Local Families Receiving Food Assistance at Distribution

2011-01-19T23:50:36Z

“This helps me a lot.”

Charmar Randle was grateful for the assistance she just received. She was one of 1,600 families to receive food and other essentials from the January 18 Feed The Children distribution at Cal Expo.

“The economy is so bad and that’s why you see so many families out here,” said Randle, a Sacramento resident. “It’s good that they are having this (distribution) right now in order to help those who are in need.”

Feed The Children, an international relief organization, delivered four semi tractor-trailers full of food and other products to the event. The distribution was part of Feed The Children’s Americans Feeding Americans Caravan, which has helped more than 200,000 families across the country since it began in 2009.

“We got to see a lot of families getting blessed today,” said Aaron Wynn, Feed The Children event coordinator. “What we’re trying to do is show them that someone cares and that someone understands the hard times they are going through.”

Feed The Children agency partner, The Salvation Army-Sacramento, identified the recipient families. Each family received a 25-pound box of food, a 10-pound box of personal care items and a box of Avon products. The boxes are designed to help a family for up to one week.

“With the toiletries I got,” Randle said, “it means that I’m saving some cash. The extra money you have left can go for gas or bills or whatever else.”

Nearly 50 volunteers helped out with the distribution, including several members of the Sacramento Kings. DeMarcus Cousins, Hassan Whiteside, Pooh Jeter and Carl Landry assisted with delivering the donated items to each recipient.

“When I heard about this event,” Kings forward Landry said, “I said count me in (to volunteer). It’s all about giving back to the community and giving back to those who support you. These folks (recipient families) are so sweet, so humble and so grateful for the little things. It just makes me happy to be around them.”

This was the second consecutive year in which Feed The Children and The Salvation Army partnered together for a food distribution.

“We were very pleased to be part of this event again,” said David Bentley, Salvation Army Sacramento County coordinator. “This was a tremendous partnership we had with Feed The Children and the Sacramento Kings. I hope we were able to provide some joy and hope to all of the families we served today.”

Syd Fong is the public relations director for The Salvation Army-Sacramento. For more information about The Salvation Army, log onto www.salarmysacto.org

Kings to collect toy donations as part of CHiPS for Kids Toy Drive at Cal Expo

2010-12-10T20:02:11Z

As part of Maloof Sports & Entertainment's ninth annual "Season of Giving," Kings players Donté Greene and Samuel Dalembert and members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team will be at Cal Expo today to help collect toy donations as part of the CHiPS for Kids Toy Drive. The public is invited to bring new, unwrapped toys or cash donations and meet Donté, Samuel and Kings Dance Team members at the Cal Expo Main Gate, (1600 Expo Blvd., Sacramento) from 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Maloof Sports & Entertainment’s ninth annual “Season of Giving” consists of a series of charitable events and projects as part of an ongoing effort to make a positive and meaningful difference in the lives of children and families in need. Kings players, members of the Sacramento Kings Dance Team, Slamson and volunteers from Maloof Sports & Entertainment and proud Kings partner Wells Fargo will participate in three weeks of charitable giving and holiday fun benefiting children and families throughout the Sacramento region.

Additional “Season of Giving” events this holiday season include a surprise visit by Kings players to the Shriners Hospital for Children, the donation of a “Holiday in a Box” from Maloof Sports & Entertainment and Wells Fargo to 200 deserving families, a surprise donation of 100 bikes and helmets to local children from Tyreke Evans and Wells Fargo, Francisco Garcia’s donation of a “Holiday in a Box” to local deserving Latino families in need and a surprise visit by DeMarcus Cousins to the UC Davis Children’s Hospital.

Disclosure: Alexander Sigua is the Public Relations Coordinator for Maloof Sports & Entertainment.

Hmong New Year brings thousands to Cal Expo

2010-11-29T07:32:11Z

The smoky scent of fresh-cooked food and blaring sound of Hmong music filled the air at Cal Expo Thursday through Sunday for the annual Hmong New Year celebration.

Over the four-day period, more than 35,000 people swarmed the state fairgrounds to ring in the unofficial Hmong New Year, according to Sacramento Hmong New Year treasurer Mark Ching.

In addition to the rows of music, food and clothing vendors, some activities of the celebration included a dance competition, Miss Hmong beauty pageant and the Hmong Idol singing competition.

“This is part of my tradition, part of my culture, and also an identity of myself, so in a way it’s a part of me,” Hmong New Year enthusiast Ying Lo said.

He comes out every year for at least one day of the celebration to take part in the ceremonies, but his favorite part is the parade on opening day.

“During the parade, all the bad stuff and back luck that we had from the past year gets thrown away and we renew ourselves and embrace the upcoming year,” he said.

Krystilla Cha has come every year for the last 20 years and enjoys every year as much as the last.

She came out to see old friends, get some new movies, buy some new outfits, look around and see new Hmong jewelry to wear next year.

“You meet old relatives from your childhood and everyone comes together,” Cha said. “I have a lot of old relatives from places like Seattle, France, sometimes even South America.... A lot of people come to the Sacramento New Year because it’s a pretty big event, so you get people from everywhere.”

Shop-owner Mou proudly shared his tasty “cocktail fruit,” a tangy hybrid of the mandarin orange and pomelo, which seemed to be a popular buy.

Jeanne Lemkuil is very close friends with a Hmong family and comes with them to explore and buy Hmong handicrafts, fruit and other food.

She picked up three bags of the cocktail fruit, persimmons, green papaya salad, purple sticky rice and barbecued chicken, along with some gloves for her 9-year-old friend Sunshine Vang.

“My favorite part is coming here to buy stuff that I like,” Vang said. “Like gloves, fruit and vegetables and DVDs and movies for us to watch.”

And Sunshine wasn’t the only kid who came out for a good time. Hundreds of children, usually dressed in traditional Hmong clothes, accompanied their parents and grandparents to partake in this exquisite display of Hmong culture and welcome the year to come.

International Auto Show rolls into Cal Expo for the weekend

2010-11-15T04:51:43Z

The Sacramento International Auto Show kicked off its three-day run at Cal Expo on Friday with tons of vehicles from the past, present and future. With exhibits spread across the entire fairgrounds, there was something for car enthusiasts of all ages.

All of the major manufacturers at the show were featuring some or all of their 2011 models, and visitors were free to sit inside many of the cars to get a feel for what’s to come.

Among the exhibits looking back to the past, the Expo Center featured antique motorcycles such as a 1912 Excelsior and a 1914 Harley-Davidson.

There was also an exhibit of pre-1916 cars, including a 1908 Reo Runabout and a 1915 Ford Model T.

Ford’s main exhibit area featured a glimpse into the future where the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 was on display.

The pavilion that houses livestock during the California State Fair was cleaned up and sparkling with vehicles from Hyundai, Nissan and General Motors, who also appeared to have the largest display of vehicles with its makeup of Buick, Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac.

The centerpiece of Chevrolet’s exhibit was the car known as Sideswipe, one of the Autobots in the blockbuster movie “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.”

The environment continues to be a major focus for automakers as Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Nissan and Toyota each featured a hybrid.

Shortly after the auto show opened Friday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger gave a brief talk on alternative-fuel vehicles and praised the manufacturers for having their hybrids on display.

Schwarzenegger commented on the growth of alternative-fuel vehicles, noting there were just two when he first took office in 2003, and that there will be 50 at an upcoming car show in Los Angeles.

“Even when I am finished with this job being governor, I just want you to know I will stay involved in this very important issue” Schwarzenegger said while talking about working with Congress to create an energy policy for the United States.

This year’s show featured three driving courses that allowed guests to test drive 2011 cars from Toyota, Ford and General Motors. Drivers were encouraged to accelerate from the starting line, slam on the brake and maneuver over makeshift potholes or bumps to experience the improvements in the new line of vehicles.

Want to Start a Few Projects Around the House?

2010-11-06T07:13:24Z

Woodworkers and DIY enthusiasts will be in heaven this weekend. The 28th season of The Woodworking Shows will be at Cal Expo. The show feaures several seminars, a book store, and nearly 60 vendor booths. Many of the booths feature demonstrations and seminars of their own. There are also boths for local woodworking clubs.

The seminars cover several topics.

Two of the local woodworking clubs present are Nor-Cal Woodturners and Sacramento Area Woodworkers (SAW). Both meet once a month at the Hart Senior Center 915 27th Street, Sacramento. Woodturners the fourth Tuesday each month 7-9 Pm (except Nov. and Dec.) Saw the first Tuesday each month 7-9 PM

Nor-Cal Woodturners

Sacramento Area Woodworkers

The vendor booths come in all sizes.

Some are fairly small such as Jevons tools.

Some are very large including a truck load of hardwoods from Cook Woods.

Sacramento Machinery Co.'s booth exhibited equipment from several manufactures they represent.

Not all is about woodworking. Bath Fitter

Some projects can be quite large. Wood-Mizer

One of the most impressive booths was that of Chadwick School of Fine Woodworking.

Andy Chadwick. One of Chadwick's free seminars at the show is "Introduction to Artistic Woodworking."

The Woodworking Shows, Cal Expo Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM Sunday 10 AM - 4 PM

photos Bill Burgua

January update on arena plans

2010-10-27T05:15:58Z

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson asked city staff Tuesday night to present new ideas on a sports and entertainment complex in mid-January.

Johnson also said he would reconvene his Sacramento First task force, which has analyzed several arena plans in recent months.

At their weekly meeting, council members briefly discussed pitfalls with efforts to build a new sports and entertainment center. A complex plan for a new downtown arena spearheaded by developers Gerry Kamilos and David Taylor recently failed. The plan called on Cal Expo to be a major partner, but Cal Expo decided not to join the effort.

Marni Leger, speaking on behalf of the Natomas Chamber of Commerce, urged the council to consider Natomas as the site for a new entertainment and sports center.

The infrastructure for a new arena in Natomas is in place, she said. “Kings fans support the Natomas site,” she added.

Later in the meeting, Johnson said he didn’t want the city “to sit on its hands” with the arena issue in the next few months.

Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said after the meeting that city staff will be talking to stakeholders in the next few months. Staffers are not likely to evaluate proposals in the next couple months and make recommendations on proposals in January, he said. Instead, he said city staff are likely to “report back to council on what we learned” in January and suggest a process to move forward on the arena issue.

Photo by Brandon Darnell.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Arena stalled

2010-10-23T01:13:19Z

Arena plans submitted to the city last December will get a second chance after developers behind a complicated land swap didn't produce a viable proposal on schedule, a city official said Friday.

At least one of the teams behind the other six proposals is still interested.

The exclusive negotiating period granted to the Sacramento Convergence Team, led by developers Gerry Kamilos and David Taylor, ends Monday. At Tuesday's City Council meeting, city staff will propose spending the next few months determining whether any of the other proposals seem possible.

"It's now time to regroup and touch base with our stakeholders – the NBA, for the most part, and Maloof Sports and Entertainment – and determine how to move forward from here," Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said.

On Sept. 28, the Sacramento City Council voted against Mayor Kevin Johnson's suggestion to end the exclusive period early. Johnson made that proposal after the developers couldn't sell Cal Expo officials on their idea to move the state fairgrounds to Arco Arena and allow private development of the existing fairgrounds in a deal to build an arena downtown.

The council also gave the group a chance to submit an alternative proposal.

But the group failed to present any additional information to city staff by a deadline two weeks ago and notified the city that it would not present an updated plan before the negotiating period expires.

"We have to admit up front that we have yet to find a solution that works for all the key stakeholders," Kamilos wrote in a letter dated Oct. 20.

"We know now what each of these stakeholders, what their needs and limitations are," he added later. "The real challenge is how do we mesh all those wants and needs and limitations together into a plan."

The group will continue to work on an alternative, which could involve a request for a bigger chunk of city railyards land to develop downtown. The group hopes to submit another proposal in January, according to the letter.

NBA Commissioner David Stern said he's lost hope that the Sacramento Kings will get a new arena.

"My optimism on there being a new building has faded completely," he said during a media conference call Friday. "We really tried hard. The Maloof family has spent an enormous sum of money. People of goodwill – from Senator Steinberg to the governor to Mayor Johnson – have joined in, and frankly it wasn't – I guess – to be, because we were missing an essential party."

However, Stern said he'll watch to see what other ideas may come forward.

Jeff Baize of Brookhurst Corp. said his team, Natomas Entertainment Sports Center Partners, welcomes another opportunity to plan to build a new entertainment complex on 100 acres of city-owned land just north of Arco Arena. The team includes Citibank, which would structure the plan's financing.

The group chose that location because it has existing infrastructure, traffic wouldn't be a problem as it could be downtown, and funding would be more attainable. But they're not sure a plan involving the Natomas site would be considered, he said.

"It's our team's firm belief that the city is not interested in looking at any other sites outside of the downtown area," he said. "This would present a challenge for anybody interested in a site other than the downtown location."

Johnson believes the railyards are the best location for a new arena, Johnson's special assistant, R.E. Graswich, said Friday.

The city won't give up until a new arena gets built, Dangberg said.

"The city remains as committed as ever to finding a solution to bring an entertainment and sports venue to Sacramento that is befitting of this region," he said. "It is not easy to do in this economic climate – especially with a real-estate based solution, as the convergence recommendation was."

Graphic provided by Thomas Enterprises in its proposal to build a downtown arena.

Arena team gets more time

2010-09-29T04:00:07Z

The developers behind a proposed downtown arena will get another month to present an alternative plan after state fair officials pulled out of the deal, the Sacramento City Council decided Tuesday.

Cal Expo board members on Friday voted against being part of a three-way land swap to move the state fairgrounds to Natomas and allow private developers to sell the fair's current site in a deal to build an arena downtown.

The Sacramento Convergence team, led by Gerry Kamilos and David Taylor, is now scheduled to present a new proposal at the Oct. 26 council meeting — a day after an already-extended exclusive negotiating period between the team and the city technically ends.

"The only way we get things to happen is we stay at the table and make things happen," said Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell.

In a nearly two-hour workshop, the council had options to terminate the exclusive negotiating agreement Tuesday or at council meetings on Oct. 12 or 19.

Mayor Kevin Johnson argued for an earlier decision. Johnson said he was reluctant to let another month pass without reopening the process to other developers who submitted ideas in January and without discussing Arco Arena’s possible renovation with the Sacramento Kings’ owners and the NBA. A new proposal shouldn't be considered in the period set aside for their first plan, he said.

Arguing for a motion to reconsider the agreement in two to three weeks, Johnson said he thought it would weaken the city's position on any possible deal to "keep all our eggs in one basket." Johnson was also concerned Kamilos and his team won't deliver a full proposal in a month, after being unable to make their original proposal work in the agreed-upon time frame.

"What I'm saying is we have to acknowledge this team did not accomplish what they committed to earlier," Johnson said. "This is not what we originally voted on."

That motion failed 5-4. Councilman Steve Cohn, who will be visiting sister cities in China on those dates, made the original motion to hear the Kamilos team's new proposal and determine whether to end or extend the exclusive negotiating agreement on Oct. 26.

"I would ask we consider having us come back (in a month) to give staff a chance to get reports and options laid out and the Convergence team to flesh out the proposal," he said.

That motion was supported 8-1, with only Johnson voting against it.

Four weeks isn't likely enough time for the Kamilos team to submit an updated plan based on only two sites — Arco Arena, which the city owns, and 15 acres in the downtown railyards the city also owns, said Betty Masuoka, a former assistant city manager now working as project consultant for the city.

At the workshop, the developers laid out their most recent proposal to Cal Expo. Dan Martinez, president of VisionMaker Worldwide, discussed his company's existing plan for a 211-acre Arco Arena site under the three-way land swap.

The vision includes an event center in a park-like setting with retail and restaurants, similar to the Grove in Los Angeles, with a permanent midway and kids' amusement park. Arco Arena would be torn down. The site would not need exhibition space or as much livestock space as it would have if the fairgrounds were involved, and it would not include a theme park, said Martinez, one of the former Disney executives who started VisionMaker.

The team will bring back a new proposal "making it very clear" what they're asking the city for, Taylor said.

Local entrepreneur Ali Mackani, another developer who proposed an arena project early this year, said after the vote that he and the CORE group will resubmit their idea involving Westfield Downtown Plaza with more details in two or three weeks. The Convergence group hasn’t delivered on schedule, he said.

"Now you're allowing a plan to keep changing," he said. "It loses the authenticity of the original plan."

Cal Expo: No arena deal

2010-09-25T00:56:10Z

California Exposition and State Fair officials said no Friday to being part of an arena land swap deal.

At the end of a four-hour meeting, the board voted 7-2 against further study of a proposal by developer Gerry Kamilos and the Sacramento Convergence team to relocate the state fairgrounds to Arco Arena in Natomas and to develop the 350-acre Cal Expo site to help finance a new arena downtown.

Board members said they want proceeds from Cal Expo's development to benefit the state fairgrounds and the state, rather than a private company and an arena. The Cal Expo board has already spent too much time studying ideas to modernize the fairgrounds by helping to get an arena built, they said.

"We've got to finally come to our senses and get rid of this arena deal," said board member Steve Beneto.

The latest proposal would have turned ownership and operation of the fairgrounds and the annual state fair over to a private company, VisionMaker Worldwide. The company was founded by former Disney and Universal Studios executives. But a private equity firm, Makan Capital Group based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, bought the company in 2007, according to the company's website.

Under the plan, Cal Expo officials and staff would have had creative control of the fair and ownership of the land. VisionMaker would have returned ownership of the facilities to the state after 30 years.

The board had been willing to consider a proposal to move the fairgrounds if the site was better and brought more revenue to Cal Expo than the existing one, board members said.

"We've been working on this for three years. We have explored one alternative after another," said board member Marko Mlikotin. "Our best interests are served by staying put."

Cal Expo staff have told the developers repeatedly that Arco Arena wouldn't work for the fairgrounds and asked them to propose other locations, Cal Expo General Manager Norb Bartosik said.

The 184-acre Arco site is too small and loses Cal Expo's visibility because it can't be seen from highways. Existing neighbors have also expressed opposition to the fairgrounds relocating there, said consultant Andy Plescia.

But the $400 million arena project is not dead, Kamilos said.

He and Sacramento developer David Taylor and the other stakeholders, which include the city, VisionMaker and the Maloof family, will come up with another strategy that could involve developing the Arco Arena site to help finance building a new arena in downtown's railyards. The Convergence team is considering "a number of options" and will discuss alternatives at a workshop with the Sacramento City Council Tuesday.

The Maloofs, who own the Sacramento Kings, will now work on alternatives to get an arena built.

“We must continue to work hard to find a solution," co-owner Joe Maloof said in a prepared statement late Friday afternoon. "We look forward to hearing what are the next steps and options."

Cal Expo officials must focus on developing or selling some of the existing land to rebuild the fairgrounds at its current location, said board member Paul “Rick” Stacey.

"Maybe that is a public-private partnership," he said. "But on our terms."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Fair officials say no to arena deal

2010-09-24T20:59:51Z

The California Exposition and State Fair Board on Friday opted out of being part of an arena land swap deal. After a four-hour meeting, the board voted 7-2 to not continue studying the proposal by developer Gerry Kamilos and the Sacramento Convergence Team.

Kamilos said the arena project is not dead, but that he will try to find a replacement for Cal Expo.

Reporting by Sacramento Press reporter Suzanne Hurt.

Arena, Railyards projects teetering

2010-09-24T01:35:28Z

Following several setbacks, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said Thursday things aren't looking good for downtown's two biggest development projects, the Railyards and the arena.

A downtown arena proposal involving a complicated land swap and the state fairgrounds has only an outside chance of happening. At the same time, it would be in the city's best interest if a suburban Chicago real estate investment company forecloses on Thomas Enterprises and its 244-acre Railyards project, he said in a press conference at City Hall.

Johnson said he hopes California Exposition and State Fair officials will postpone a decision at a Friday board meeting and spend another month evaluating a deal for a new fairgrounds and arena that was recently reworked by developer Gerry Kamilos and the Sacramento Convergence team.

If the deal falls apart, the city would consider other developers' ideas to build Sacramento a new arena and take another look at renovating Arco Arena so the Kings could continue playing there.

"We always felt it was a long shot," Johnson said. "As a city, we didn't want to be hanging on too long to an idea that couldn't come to fruition."

The mayor said he hopes Inland American Real Estate Trust will initiate a "friendly foreclosure" on Georgia-based Thomas Enterprises next month. The developer has been meeting with its primary investor for months in an attempt to renegotiate $187 million in defaulted loans.

If they take over the project, Inland officials have promised to meet financial obligations to protect federal and state funding and jobs. But Inland may create a new plan to develop the historic railyards, he said.

Inland officials and Thomas Enterprises Vice President Suheil Totah could not be reached for comment.

The Sacramento City Council previously agreed to exclusively negotiate on an arena project with Kamilos until the end of October. That should be enough time to determine the plan's financial feasibility and to see if Cal Expo officials are interested, Johnson added.

Railyards photo by Eric Whalen. Photo of Mayor Kevin Johnson by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Cal Expo's future, arena deal considered Friday

2010-09-23T02:17:18Z

A potentially pivotal meeting on an arena land swap proposal and the state fairgrounds' future is set for Friday, when California Exposition and State Fair officials may decide on the project's fate.

The agency's board of directors is expected to either vote on selling Cal Expo and swapping that fairground site for one in Natomas or postpone a decision to allow time to consider developer Gerry Kamilos' latest proposal, which includes privatizing operation of the new site.

Cal Expo's board of 10 volunteer directors must decide how to upgrade the aging facilities for the state fair and events held by trade groups and others on the grounds. Richard Cuneo, Operations and Planning Committee chair, said his decision will be guided by the need to protect taxpayers' investment while improving the 42-year-old fairgrounds.

"My intention is to get the best arrangement for the taxpayers of the state of California, and secondly, to support, enhance and expand the state fair on an annual basis," said Cuneo, a Sonoma resident and longtime board chairman for Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery. "In order to increase the viability and basic economic life of the fair, we need to continue to focus on the year-round acceptance of this property."

The Cal Expo board will hold a joint public hearing at 9:30 a.m. with the State Fair Leasing Authority prior to an 11:30 a.m. board meeting.

Consultant Andy Plescia will present his team's analysis of the original proposal. After determining the deal was not in the state fairgrounds' best interests, Plescia is recommending that Cal Expo stay put and sell part of the land to help finance the site's modernization.

Previously, Plescia served as the city of Sacramento's economic development director and as deputy director for the Capitol Area Development Authority. As a consultant, he's worked on a development project with the Madera District Fair in the Fresno area and with the state of California on the Cow Palace Project in Daly City, where he recommended how to develop some of the property, said Brian May, Cal Expo’s deputy general manager.

Following Plescia's presentation, Kamilos will formally present a modified proposal submitted earlier this month and ask the board to extend a negotiating period set to expire Saturday.

If the board decides to approve the land swap or remain in place but sell part of the land, the matter would be passed on to the governor's office. The State Fair Leasing Authority and state agencies such as the Department of General Services, Department of Finance and the Department of Food and Agriculture would have to sign off on the plan.

Cal Expo officials can't sell property without legislative authorization and the governor's approval. State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento has agreed to introduce such legislation. The legislation would be reviewed in at least one legislative hearing and must be approved by the Senate and Assembly, before going on to the governor.

In May, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger included Cal Expo on a list of state properties to be sold to help solve the state's financial problems. Schwarzenegger has said he wants to see the land swap process completed before moving forward on selling Cal Expo, said Cal Expo's General Manager Norb Bartosik.

Cal Expo's board has 11 seats. All but one are filled. Nine are appointed by the governor with the consent of the state Senate. One is appointed by the Assembly speaker and another by the Senate Rules Committee.

Board members include Chairman Gil Albiani, an Elk Grove real estate broker; Vice Chairman Corny Gallagher of Fair Oaks, senior vice president of agribusiness for Bank of America; Cuneo; Rex Hime of Loomis, president and chief executive officer of the California Business Properties Association; and Amparo Pérez-Lemus of Davis, who has been a vice president with Bustos Media, according to Cal Expo’s website.

Other board members are River City Communications President Marko Mlikotin of Folsom; Orange County Farm Bureau executive director Kathleen Nakase of Huntington Beach; Sacramentan Steve Beneto, owner of Beneto Inc., which sells and leases jets worldwide from a West Sacramento base and former owner of Beneto Bulk Transport, which transported bulk petroleum nationwide; Bert Johnson of Los Gatos, who founded Good Samaritan Hospital; and Paul Stacey of Visalia, vice president of finance and administration and chief financial officer for Visalia Citrus Packing Group.

Albiani could not be reached for comment.

Representatives of Steinberg and Assemblyman Dave Jones of Sacramento — both nonvoting, ex-officio board members — are expected to attend Friday's meeting.

The board's decision will consider what "makes the most sense" for the state fair and allows Cal Expo to continue to be a "good neighbor," Hime said.

"We are on 42-year-old grounds that are showing their age. We are faced with ADA and seismic-safety issues," he said. "I think we're just looking for what's good for the state, the fair and the people of the region."

California State Fair photos by Kati Garner.

Fair officials give arena proposal time

2010-08-18T01:05:50Z

Developer Jerry Kamilos has asked state fair board officials to give him 30 more days to develop elements of an arena land swap proposal that would relocate the fairgrounds to Natomas, a state fair official said Tuesday.

Kamilos, who is proposing to build a downtown arena, asked the California Exposition and State Fair board late last week to postpone releasing a consultant's report on his proposal to sell Cal Expo and swap that fairground site for the Arco Arena site until Sept. 17, said Cal Expo Deputy General Manager Brian May.

Cal Expo officials had planned to release the report Tuesday. Kamilos is requesting that they consider additional information before finalizing the report.

The developers need more time to provide a more detailed cost estimate and information on how the state fairgrounds would fit in Natomas, as well as on transportation and circulation plans, minimizing impacts on neighbors, public forums and other needs, Kamilos said.

"It made more sense to make sure the concepts are fully defined and analyzed, so the board and public has the most up-to-date and accurate information," he said.

Photos by Kati Garner.

Going to the Fair?

2010-07-27T00:39:39Z

If you've been thinking you'd like to go to the State Fair at Cal Expo, best mark your calendar for sometime this week because Sun., Aug. 1 is the last day.

I've been four times since it opened and still haven't seen it all. If I start out in a not so good mood, I lighten up as I travel around the rides and booths and see all the people.

Cattlemen's Day pulled me back yesterday in the late afternoon.

The Bullfest Ride show started off with a scramble to see who could be the first to saddle a horse. Of course, the horses were not agreeable.The cowboys took it seriously. One evades a bull (below).

Standing on top of his horse, this cowboy from Mexico plays "jump rope" with his lasso.

None of the bullriders hung on for very long.

Two cowboys raced their harnessed horse wagons around the arena quickly. I could've touch the horses as they sped by.

This boy thought he was going to bungee jump but decided after 10 minutes that he really didn't want to.

The "Euro Bubble" is harder than it looks and is funny to watch.

"Street Beat" is Parkour Percussion, Urban Drum & Dance.

Young girls ride trained rescued thoroughbreds in the Calvacade of Horses arena beginning at 5pm most days.

These three kids await a judge's decision on their sheep.

The midway after sunset is a great way to experience the fair - it's cooler and the multi-colors and sound creates great fair moments. And even food tastes better, especially since it is 25% less in price throughout the fairgrounds!

Rides take on a different feel at night.

Water pours from the Windsurf ride while visitors are upside down.

Big Slides are a lot cooler at night.

For more info about California's State Fair go to: bigfun.org before Sunday, August 1.

State Fair welcomes lots of little ones

2010-07-21T05:41:46Z

There were brand new arrivals at the Fair today - new baby piglets and a calf. Perfect timing for Kids Day today (all kids 12 and under receive FREE admission all day each Tuesday). And the human kids were entranced looking at the brand spanking new critters.

This 300 pound momma hog gave birth to six little ones early today. Their eyes were open and they were walking around the pen.

This was a typical scene of how the kids were looking at the mom and new arrivals.

Momma cow licks her new offspring as it tries to take its first steps. It got up on its hind legs several times and then had to rest.

The Livestock Nursery will continue to be busy as more animal moms are expecting any day.

And today was also First Responders Day, saluting current heroes and veterans in all branches of the Armed Forces, law enforcement and first responders. FREE Fair Admission was given to those individuals in or out of uniform with proper ID. There were special exhibits/ interactive activities staffed by representatives from these affiliations.

A girl checks out a police car from the inside.

Sergeant C. Khan, a U.S. Marine Corps Recruiter, encourages a little boy as he tries to do some pull-ups.

Volunteer Jacqueline Ball hands a visitor a carry-all bag with the American Red Cross logo on it.The American Red Cross Sacramento Sierra Chapter had some little rubber duckies dressed in military fatigues to remind folks about the service that it provides to the military members and their families, as well as Disaster Services.

This little guy performed Michael Jackson's Billie Jean in front of a huge audience.

This tall fellow caught everyone's attention.

The jungle adventure features a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles, including colonies of alligators and large tortoises.

The mechanical bull starts out slow but by the end of the ride hardly anyone can hang on!

Turbo Jump had young ones jumping up and down and turning somersaults in the air.

The "Days of the Dinosaur" Adventure is a must see at the Fair.

California's diverse counties compete for accolades by creating original and elaborate displays showing off the incredible and unique beauty of California. The scene

above is at the Butte County exhibit. A Garden of MAGnificent Proportions gives a rural look in this scene with tall corn on the right and big sunflowers on the right.

Fair visitors enjoy a reprieve from the heat under misters in the Save Mart wine tasting pavillion.

This ball-capped guy digs in to his big slushie to cool off.

Pirate in training blast each other with water cannons in the big lagoon.

His new-found friends at the fair just can't stop burying him under kernels of corn.

These girls were part of a kid talent show.

These two are hungry and happy that food at the fair costs 25% less than last year.

The California State Fun at the Cal Expo runs through August 1. For complete information visit www.bigfun.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

California State Fair opens Wednesday, runs through Aug. 1

2010-07-14T03:18:42Z

From dinosaurs to wiener dogs, lawnmower races to Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch rides, corndogs to chocolate covered bacon, the 157-year-old California State Fair has something for everyone.

With roughly 40,000 people per day running through the fair, and numerous attractions to see, Norbert Bartosik, CEO and general manager of the State Fair, promises a “Passport to Adventure.”

“It’s a new adventure every year,” Bartosik said. “The State Fair showcases what California is all about: its people. People showing off their talents, education, entertainment…It’s something you won’t find in a theme park.”

Although the fair won’t be a theme park, the Cal Expo grounds were in fact designed by Disney people—at the request of then-Governor Pat Brown. The State Fair had hopes to become “The Disneyland of the West,” said Bartosik, although budget cuts even in 1968 when it moved to Cal Expo, deterred it.

This year, the fair has made changes to accommodate the everyday family visitors. All vendor prices are 25 percent less than last year—a response to the patrons’ concerns of high prices, Bartosik said. Dates for this year’s fair have also changed in order to make sure they do not conflict with school dates.

One of this year’s must-see and brand-new events is the “Days of the Dinosaur” — an exhibit showcasing life-size animatronic models of prehistoric beasts in front of the California building. Each animal has motion sensors and moves or makes a noise when you get close enough.

Another must-see is the “Get Animated!” pop culture exhibit by Stage Nine Entertainment. Animation studios including Walt Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, Sony Pictures and others will be present to showcase items from various films. Guests will also be able to draw an animated character and participate with hands-on displays.

“Grasscar”—a two-day lawn-mowing competition—will make its debut at the fair this year in the rodeo area Saturday, continuing through Sunday.

“Imagine 60-mile-per-hour lawnmowers racing, without the blades of course,” Bartosik said.

Andrea Owen, marketing director of Butler Amusements, said there will be 64 amusement rides this year, with 17 new family rides.

Family rides are rides that accommodate both adults and children at the same time. If your children can’t meet the minimum height requirement, then an adult can ride with them. Such rides this year are the Tilt-a-Whirl, Disney Dragon (much like the Teacups at Disneyland, but a dragon) and the Chopper Hopper.

Owen’s recommendation for those looking for a thrill: The Fireball.

“It’s a thrill ride,” she said. “You get to swing high into the air and spin slowly, while you’re swinging. It feels like you’re flying.”

With all these attractions, it’s hard to squeeze it all into one day.

“You can’t see it all in one day — there’s no question about that,” Bartosik said. “We would recommend that they buy a Poppy Pack so that they can come more than once.”

A Poppy Pack includes four admissions, four rides and a parking pass for $39.95. General admission is $12 per person, with discounts for seniors and children. Amusement rides are separate. A wristband for unlimited rides costs $30 Monday through Friday. Subway restaurants have coupons for cheaper wristbands.

The fair is located at 1600 Exposition Blvd. For more information and a list of all attractions, free concerts and vendor details, visit bigfun.org.

Photos courtesy of the California State Fair.

Sacramento Kings Dance Team to Host 2010-11 Auditions July 18 at California State Fair

2010-07-13T16:51:53Z

The Sacramento Kings will host auditions for the 2010-11 Sacramento Kings Dance Team on July 18 at the California State Fair at Cal Expo.

Auditions will be open to the public and will take place on the Cal Expo Main Stage. Registration will begin at 4 p.m. and auditions will begin at approximately 5 p.m. All candidates are encouraged to visit Kings.com for additional information.

All eligible audition candidates must be 18 years of age or older by November 1, 2010 and should wear a two-piece dance ensemble with nude nylons or tights and non-marking soled shoes. Applicants should also bring a copy of their resume and a current headshot to the auditions (photos will not be returned) and enter through the main gate. Access to watch the auditions will be available for fans who purchase a ticket for admission to the California State Fair on July 18.

Arena plan moving forward

2010-07-09T02:56:13Z

A few more details have emerged as part of an arena and land-swap plan currently being considered by city and state fair officials.

A plan laid out by developers Gerry Kamilos and David Taylor calls for mixed-use private development of city-owned railyards land and the current state fairgrounds site. That development would help finance a $400 million sports and entertainment complex downtown and new fairgrounds in North Natomas, according to documents the city released late last week.

The "Sacramento Convergence" development team, which includes Macquarie Capital, would invest $600 to $700 million in private equity and debt in the project. The developers also propose other funding mechanisms, Kamilos said Thursday.

"The city and the state are not in a position to invest anything into these properties," he said. "The idea is to have the private sector come in and provide the capital to increase the value of those properties that both the city and state would benefit from."

Financing is proposed to come from land sales, parking fees, lease revenue, special districts to collect sales and property taxes from the properties, and bond proceeds generated by setting up tax increment districts, refinance districts and bond districts, Kamilos said.

"All the elements have been done before," he said. "It's just been in different configurations."

The team proposes to build a new Sacramento Kings arena that would anchor a railyards complex containing 500,000 to 600,000 square feet of retail, office and hotel space; 100 to 150 residential units; at least one parking garage with 2,200 to 3,000 spaces; and possibly an urban entertainment facility designed by former Disney executives.

As proposed, the 19,000-seat arena would measure roughly 375 feet by 475 feet and be 140 feet high, encompassing 750,000 to 800,000 square feet. The Kings or another professional basketball team would be the lead tenant. The plan is being worked out with the National Basketball Association and the Kings' owners, the Maloof family, who would sign a 30-year lease for the new arena.

"The updated numbers reflect quite a bit of analysis that's been done to date," Kamilos said. "But we still have quite a bit of technical work to do to solidify all the numbers."

The building would be equipped to host concerts, circuses and other events, including professional hockey games.

The Kamilos group is asking the city to donate 9.5 acres of railyards land for the project. The arena and parking structure, which would be shared with a future regional transportation center, would be built on city land in a public-private partnership with the city. But the remainder of the development at the site would be private.

The land is located between the Sacramento Valley Station and Thomas Enterprises' Railyards development. The historic train depot would be linked to the arena with an outdoor plaza serving as a gateway to the arena.

The plan also calls for the sale of 350-acre Cal Expo and swapping that site for one at the Arco Arena site, along with private, mixed-use development of the current state fairgrounds, which would need the approval of the California Exposition and State Fair board.

The developers are proposing to sell or auction the Cal Expo land. That land would be expected to be developed concurrently with an arena and new fairgrounds. However, the state fair would be held at the current site until new facilities were operational, developers said.

One possible concept for the Cal Expo site's development would include 4,900 residential units on 260 acres, a mixed-use retail and residential area containing 210 units and 340,000 square feet of retail on 35 acres. The concept includes 1 million square feet of office space in buildings averaging three stories on another 35 acres, and 20 acres for recreation and elementary school needs, according to the plan.

Money generated by land sales would be used to help pay off debt.

State legislation would be needed to approve the sale of the state fairgrounds for private development. Draft legislation is being created by a team including representatives from the developers, NBA, Maloofs, city, state and Cal Expo and would be presented to the state legislature before Aug. 31, Kamilos said.

The project would benefit the city and state by using private investment for the costly entitlement process that would enable the two sites to be developed, Kamilos said.

"By partnering with the private sector, the public sector entities will actually gain more than if they disposed of the properties as they are in today's market,” he said.

The information provided in the developer's official proposal and the complex plan has just enough detail to help the city and developers make sure the concept works and see if the primary stakeholders, the NBA and Cal Expo officials, are also on board, said Betty Masuoka, a former assistant city manager temporarily managing the project for the city.

A project parameters agreement is now being created for the next phase of work, where the developers and city staff nail down revenue sources, site plans and environmental and technical concerns.

"I think it's important people understand we're moving forward and we're making progress," she said. "It's not being put on a back burner."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter covering business and development for The Sacramento Press.

Wine Enthusiasts Spend their Wednesday at Grape & Gourmet

2010-07-09T01:45:27Z

Cal Expo and the State Fair hosted the 15th annual Grape & Gourmet wine event at the Sacramento Convention Center Wednesday. The convention center was a perfect venue for the largest showcase of award-winning California wines in the world.

There were over 700 California wines from more than 200 wineries. Those who attended enjoyed unlimited food, wine, micro-brewed beer and music. Prior to entering the event, each “wino” received a free commemorative wineglass and wine tote to encourage sampling and purchasing.

There were approximately 3,000 guests who attended, and, surprisingly, it was not overcrowded. There were booths and booths of wineries, many with gold, silver and bronze ribbons covering their prized bottles.

A quarter of the booths at the event were Northern California award-winning restaurants handing out samples to complement the taste buds of the wine enthusiasts. Some hungry guests formed long lines for the popular red velvet mini cupcakes with sweet cream cheese frosting from Babycakes Bakery, and for the large helpings of tender rib-tip and pesto pasta from Sandra Dee’s BBQ. Many went back for seconds, and others were not ashamed to stack multiple cupcakes on their plate. Hey, they paid for it.

Some guests paid the big bucks for the $100 VIP ticket and were able to enter before the public to taste and view the State Fair Commercial Wine Competition. At 5 p.m. the doors were open to the public. Some guests were so anxious they didn’t bother to change out of their work attire.

Sacramentan Bryan Imai purchased the VIP ticket and was at the event early. He waited in the long line for Sandra Dee’s while raving about Macchia, his personal favorite winery. He never stopped smiling throughout our conversation. “I’m having a great time!”

There was not much sitting area besides a few standing tables and a couple of larger tables near the entrance. This encouraged guests to keep sampling. Once the band warmed up, the guests were not shy to hit the dance floor and dance to cover songs like “Sweet Caroline,” “Love Shack” or “Tik Tok.”

The California State Fair held a booth for guests to turn in their Grape & Gourmet admittance ticket in exchange for a free fair ticket.

It was a great turnout, and by the end of the event couples and friends were leaning on each other with wine-stained lips and smiles.

Sacramento Fourth of July roundup

2010-06-30T03:23:02Z

Looking for an explosive way to spend your Fourth of July? Well, look no further. We’ve compiled a list of some of the best Fourth of July events in the Sacramento area.

Sacramento

Cal Expo will once again host an Independence Day Celebration sponsored by Coca-Cola and Miller Lite at the Miller Lite Grandstand near the East Gate entrance. The festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a performance from Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers. State Fair mascot Poppy will also be there to entertain the crowds. Cal Expo’s media partner, radio station 107.9 The End, will provide music to the spectacular fireworks show, starting at 9:30 p.m. Parking for the event is $10, and general admission to the show is free. You can also buy reserved seating for $10 at tickets.com, or at the East Gate box office beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday. Cal Expo is located on 1600 Exposition Blvd.

The Sacramento River Cats will be having their own celebration at Raley Field on Friday and Saturday as they host the Fresno Grizzlies. On Friday, the team will honor Sacramento firefighters with a firefighters' night. Fire engine displays will be set up, and firefighters in attendance will be recognized on the field. Stick around after the game for the fireworks, a kick-off to their weekend celebrations. And as the Cats close out their three-game series with the Grizzlies on Saturday, the U.S. Army will present the Sutter Health Fireworks Extravaganza and start the Fourth of July with a bang. Tickets to the games can be purchased online at rivercats.com, or at the Raley Field box office. Raley Field is located at 400 Ballpark Drive in West Sacramento.

If you want to watch the Raley Field fireworks in a classier setting, you can climb aboard the Hornblower yacht in Old Sacramento. Departing from Front Street, the cruise will begin at 7 p.m. and will include the fireworks show, dinner, and dancing. Tickets for the Hornblower are $109 and can be reserved at the Hornblower website.

Old Sacramento’s newest street theater program, “Time Travel Weekends," will put an Independence Day twist on its historical re-enactments for the Fourth of July weekend. Guests can take part in square dancing, croquet, pie-eating contests and picnics while enjoying military parades and cannon firings. The weekend will also feature a reading of the Declaration of Independence.

The Grange Restaurant and Bar on 926 J Street will host its inaugural All American barbecue. The three-course menu will include all the barbecue fixings you love on the Fourth of July. The meal starts with a salad with ranch dressing. The second course provides a slow-cooked Riverdog Farm hog with Carolina barbecue sauce, corn on the cob and potato salad. For dessert, the restaurant offers a berry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. The all-American meal is $35 per person.

The Sacramento Firecracker 5K/10K will be held at McKinley Park at 8 a.m. Saturday. Participants will be given a free short-sleeve T-shirt at the event. Adults and children can take part in a 5K or a 10K run or walk. Registration is $35 until Wednesday for adults, and $40 on race day. Children 15 and under can participate for $20. Proceeds will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, a group that aims to help injured men and women in the service.

If you prefer to run for free, the Buffalo Chips Running Club will host its 35th annual Fourth of July five mile run, starting at Glen Hall Park on the corner of Sandburg and Carlson Drives in River Park at 8 a.m. Arrive by 7:45 a.m. to sign in. The kid’s half-mile race begins at 7:45 for ages 10 and younger, and the five mile race begins at 8 a.m.

On Saturday, the Sacramento Pocket area will host its annual Spirit of the Pocket Parade. The parade, featuring about 60 floats, will start at 10 a.m. at Lisbon Elementary School, located at 7775 S. Land Park Drive, and will end at Garcia Bend Park on 7654 Pocket Road. The Grand Marshall of this year’s parade will be Bandit, the German shepherd police dog that was recently shot in the line of duty. Other notables at the parade will be Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg and Councilman Robbie Waters. At the end of the parade, a community fair will be held at Garcia Bend Park, where different area businesses will show off some of their wares.

Carmichael

Enjoy a pancake breakfast on the Fourth of July at the Carmichael Park Elks Club Lodge, located at 5631 Cypress Ave. After breakfast, the Carmichael Elks will hold their 52nd annual Fourth of July parade, beginning at 11 a.m. on Marconi and Fair Oaks and ending at the Elks Club Lodge. A celebration will follow at the La Sierra Community Center on 5325 Engle Rd., which will include an outdoor barbecue, live music and dancing, free swimming and games for the kids. The fireworks show will begin at 9:30 p.m. at the La Sierra Community Center.

Citrus Heights

In Citrus Heights, Sunrise Mall, located at 6196 Sunrise Mall, will host a free celebration from noon to 9 p.m. Thursday through July 6. The festivities will include live music beginning at 7:30 p.m., a kid’s carnival and a 3D fireworks show. On Independence Day, the mall will present a fireworks show in the parking lot at 9:30 p.m. Special 3D glasses will be distributed for the show, and radio station 98 Rock will provide synchronized music for the festivities.

Rancho Cordova

Rancho Cordova will begin its two-day celebration of Independence Day at 10 a.m. Saturday with a parade on Coloma Road and Cordova Lane. Activities for the children will be provided from 1-6 p.m. at Hagan Park, located on 2197 Chase Drive, including a carnival, water show, tae kwon do, train rides, petting zoo, pony rides and pedal boats. A beer garden will be open from noon until 11 p.m. At 8:30 p.m., former Bad Company singer Brian Howe will perform live. A fireworks show will begin at 9:45 p.m., and on July 4th, Carmichael will provide more food, music and fun. Along with the kids' zone and beer garden, party band Busta-Groove will perform at 8:30 p.m., followed by the grand finale fireworks at 9:45 p.m. Parking is $10 at the park.

Folsom

Presented by the Folsom Chamber of Commerce, the Folsom Pro Rodeo is offering a new laser light show for fans along with nightly fireworks displays. The rodeo begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday with a Bullipede, where brightly-dressed teams of five runners gallop in a western-style race. Also at 6:30 is the cattle drive. Cowboys will parade steers down Sutter Street in the true fashion of the Old West. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the rodeo gates will open at 6 p.m., with roping events starting at 7 p.m. and riding events at 8:15 p.m. After dusk, enjoy the laser and fireworks show while enjoying live music from the Dave Russell Band and a drink in Mike's Golden Spike Saloon. The rodeo is held at the Dan Russell arena, located at 401 Stafford St. in Folsom. Reserved tickets are $22.50 in advance. General admission is $19 for adults, $15 for children 12 and under, and $15 for seniors. Visitors can park at the nearby Wal-Mart on 1018 Riley St. and ride a free shuttle to the arena.

Horse and Dog Expo at Cal Expo This Weekend

2010-06-12T05:05:46Z

The quadrupeds have taken over Cal Expo this weekend.

The 12th annual Western States Horse Expo began Friday and will run through Sunday. This year features a new event, the Dog Expo.
The expos are made up of demonstrations and shopping areas for a wide range of equine and canine concerns.

Seven venues in Cal Expo are holding events throughout the weekend. Friday's demonstrations included equestrian training, nutrition discussions, cowboy poetry, music and first-aid training. Numerous guidance demonstrations included proper equine dentistry, choosing the right horse, train and ride like an athlete and desensitizing pack animals.

More than 500 vendors and sponsors have filled Cal Expo's buildings A, B, C and D. Barn, tractor and horse trailer manufacturers are scattered in the outdoor areas between arenas and exhibition buildings.

"Anything you can possibly hope to find about or for a horse is here, all in one place," Laura Strombom of Acampo said. "It's a great place to learn how to care for horses and compare products, no matter what your discipline is."

This is the fifth year Strombom has brought horses to the expo. Antar, her 15-year-old gelding (a fixed male) kisses visitors for treats.

Visitor Jennifer Fish came to Friday's expo to see demonstrations and hear trainers' advice.

"I really liked the demonstration on introducing your horse to rails and jumping," Fish said. "It's nice that they have so many arenas going at once with so many demonstrations."

The horse expo is also hosting their 10th annual Western States Expo Horse Sale.

The east entrance to the Dogs Pavilion holds a large above-ground pool with a dock for the Splash Dogs to feature the four-legged performers' dock-jumping skills.

Friday's Dog Expo demonstrations included obedience lessons, disc training, a canine chiropractic discussion and a frisbee demonstration by Rocket's K-9 Comets.

Vendors for the Dog Expo included obedience schools, dog food booths, a K-9 armor booth, dog clothing booths and hygiene booths.

Saturday's hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday's hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are $18 for adult. Tickets for children 7 to 13 are $6. Children under 7 get in free. For more information on the expos' schedules, visit their website.

Young riders prepare for a performance.

Vendors and visitors at the Dog Expo.

A horse grazes outside its stall.

Horses for sale at the 10th annual Western States Expo Horse Sale.

An equestrian and horse perform during Sabine Rijssenbeek's demonstration, "Transitions and lateral work - long lasting results."

A horse for sale at the horse sale.

A horse peeking out from its stall.

A Splash Dogs performer and trainer.

A horse grazes behind the Dogs Pavilion.

A young equestrian waits for the cue.

A horse is bathed behind the Dogs Pavilion.

Jonathan Field leads the demonstration, "Learn how to develop a great riding horse from the ground."

Laura Strombon and Antar.

Young equestrians wait for their performance to begin.

Agnus-Dei Farrant is an intern for The Sacramento Press.

Sacramento County Fair provides a wild time

2010-05-29T02:24:11Z

Visitors to Cal Expo smell greasy food and fresh manure, which can mean one thing: The Sacramento County Fair is back.

Fair manager T.J. Plew said that this year’s fair features some fun, new and exciting entertainment.

“We have the safari theme and with that we’ve booked a camel show, an urban jungle bird show, an actual safari exhibit with some fun creatures from around the world, and a monkey show," she said. All the shows provide fairgoers with interesting animal facts and let them see unusual tricks.

The camel show featured a demonstration on how to milk a camel. Observers learned that camels give milk for only 90 seconds at a time. Once it started flowing, the fun began. Children watched the camel-milking action in awe.

In the breezeway between the usual community exhibits and shoppers expo, was Safari Adventure Live, with animals ranging from the cute and cuddly kangaroo to the creepy hissing cockroach.

Kids were put through their paces on a National Guard-sponsored obstacle course, crawling under a cloth net, riding small bicycles through bales of hay, and running through tires.

Behind the scenes, employees work around the clock to make sure everything goes smoothly. Plew and her crew are asked one question after another about parking permits and admission credentials for the various food vendors. The team coordinates locations, schedules entertainment, and plans around school schedules for youth exhibitors.

The fair employs about 25 official volunteers, along with parents associated with some of the youth exhibits. Volunteers set up displays and help in the competitions and livestock barn. “We’re always looking for fun, energetic people that want to lend a hand and provide input as to what it means to have fun, affordable entertainment,” Plew said.

About 13,500 guests visit the fair per day, she said. With 25 food booths and 120 vendors showcasing their products, there’s plenty to eat and buy. On the carnival side, Plew said that the fair works with one carnival operator. “He has 32 rides, five food booths, and 12 games,” she said.

Work on the county fair starts in September and ends in May, just in time for opening day. The usual Ferris wheel, bumper cars and carousel can be found in the midway, along with a two-story slide; the Big Dipper, which takes riders on an up-and-down twirling adventure; a fun house; and a jungle-themed adventure walk through, where kids can climb and run across wooden bridges. The Graviton, a spaceship lookalike, provides riders with a weightless experience with its spinning, tilting and shifting platforms. For the wee ones, there are a few small roller coasters, tea cups and a bee-themed aerial ride. Game players can win giant stuffed animals or goldfish by testing their aim with a water gun, or showing off their skills at darts and basketball.

The Sacramento County Fair wasn’t always in Sacramento. “The fair originally was in Galt and at one point was kind of moved around,” Plew said. “It sold its property in Galt so that Cal Expo could have the funds to be built.” Since the construction of Cal Expo, the county and state fairs shared the fairgrounds. “We’re the only fair that doesn’t have its own fairgrounds in California,” Plew said. “Every other county fair has its own facility.”

“Our mission here is to provide fun, affordable family entertainment,” Plew said. “With only a three-dollar gate, and with all the entertainment that’s new, plus the stuff that’s always been here, I think we’ve accomplished that.”

The Sacramento County Fair runs through Memorial Day at Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd. Parking is $10 and admission is $3. Ages 62 and older and children younger than 12 are admitted free. Saturday and Sunday the fair will be open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. On Memorial Day, the fair will open at 10 a.m., wrapping up at 6 p.m. The carnival will stay open an hour after the fair closes.

Photos:

1. Entrance to the midway

2. Fairgoers wait in line for the Ferris wheel

3. The caterpillar roller coaster zipping around the corner

4. A train takes visitors on tour of the fair

5. Camels relax in between milkings

6. The Big Dipper takes guests on a wild ride

7. Fairgoers smash into each other on the bumper cars

8. Mad Scientist Dr. Proton gets slimed in their Be Tobacco Free show

9. Children flock to the Mad Science booth to get some slime of their own

10. The kangaroo in the Animal Safari Live exhibit

11. Two teens examine a porcupine quill in the safari exhibit

12. Two sheeps being sheared in the livestock pavilion

13. A girl reaches for the top of the rock climbing wall

Summer Safari at Sac County Fair!

2010-05-28T18:25:46Z

The thrill of the rides is fun for everyone!

Safari Adventure Live: Featuring reptile touch tanks, birds, mammals and invertebrates from around the world, it’s a fast paced show with lots of audience participation and hands on opportunities.
and MORE!

Livestock are on display and auctioned during the fair.

An exhibitor demonstrates how turkeys are carried.

A goat is "prettied up".Pigs are herded towards the door.

Kids get a taste of Boot Camp, thanks to the Army National Guard.

The folks in the Walgreen's booth were ready for rain or shine.

The fair continues through Monday, May 31. Here's some upcoming fair activities:

“The entertainment lineup is one of the best ever with dancers, singers, variety acts and a whole lot more.”

You name it …the Fair’s got it! With two stages, the Main Stage and the Ford Community Stage, along with exhibits throughout the fairgrounds, there’s no shortage of spectacular amusement.

Friday, May 28- Party like it’s 1999 with 90’s rock by One Headlight.
Saturday, May 29- If you’re a little more country than you are rock ‘n roll, the Colgate Country Showdown will have you tapping your foot as performers compete against one another. Country singer Chris Gardner will also take to the stage.
Sunday, May 30- Courtney Lynn blends rock and country for a unique sound you’re sure to enjoy.
Monday, May 31- Performing for 22 years, Frankie Soul & No Control brings the blues and classic rock to Northern California.

The fun isn’t limited to just what’s on stage. Other acts and attractions will connect with your inner animal, including:
Wild About Monkeys: “Lights, Camera, Animal!” will enrich your knowledge about the relationships and bonds that exist between animal and man.

Oasis Camel Dairy: As seen on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, America’s first camel dairy blends the animal’s colorful, ancient history with today’s new discoveries. Plus, a live milking demonstration!
Urban Jungle Bird Show: The birds are helping to build the new set at the Sacramento County Fair. The show includes lots of amazing tricks, hilarious talking segments and fun surprises.
Safari Adventure Live: Featuring reptile touch tanks, birds, mammals and invertebrates from around the world, it’s a fast paced show with lots of audience participation and hands on opportunities.
and MORE!

Singers get the chance to become a star during the all NEW Sacramento County Fair Karaoke Contest on Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29. Each contest will award a $100 prize for the best karaoke performance per night.

Plus, kids can compete for cash and prizes in the State Fair’s fifth annual Kids Talent Show. Preliminary auditions will be held on Saturday, May 29 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Auditions will be conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Participants or their parents can reserve an audition space in advance by calling (916) 274-6180 or email: Poppy@calexpo.com.

Raking out a Healthy Future The Sacramento County Fair’s “Garden in a Wheelbarrow” Plants Awareness in Children

The Sacramento County Fair gives children an opportunity to get a hands-on experience designed to plant the seeds of knowledge about California’s agriculture industry. With hundreds of 4-H and FFA livestock exhibits, a petting zoo and the 14,000 square foot “Sunflower Saddle Ranch” dedicated to activities based on ranch life, kids also get to dig into their agricultural appetites with gardens in wheelbarrows.

High-Flying Action Arrives at 2010 Sacramento County Fair
Lucha Libre Pro Wrestling Amps up the Excitement

Come watch this high adrenaline rush as Lucha Libre faces off with American Style Pro Wrestling in six intense matches. These athletes will go head-to-head to determine who is the best.
   Sunday, May 30
        Doors Open: 4 p.m.
        Event Begins: 5 p.m.

    Cal Expo
        Rodeo Arena
        1600 Exposition Blvd.
        Sacramento, CA 95815

   General admission tickets for the Lucha Libre Pro Wrestling event are $15 a piece (children 6 and under are free) and are separate from the tickets to get into the Fair.

   The Wrestling Card in order of appearance is as follows:
Bryan Cage vs. El Chupacabra
Rix Luxury & Vincenzo Massaro vs. The Polyester Express
Derek Sanders vs. Mr. Wrestling IV
NWA World Minis Title
Pequeno Pierroth vs. Octagoncito
NWA Heritage Match
El Amante vs. “El Patron” Oliver John
Main Event
Vaquero Fantasma & Pcisocis vs. Mascara Sagrada & Kafu

Discounts & Deals

Each year the Sacramento County Fair provides a number of opportunities for fairgoers, especially families, to get more bang for their buck by purchasing special ticket packages in advance.

Available at 30 Sacramento area Walgreens stores, the Fair ValuePass includes general admission and unlimited ride wristbands for visitors 13-61 years old for only $15.

Seniors over 62 and children 12 and under can get in on the deal with a pass for $12!

Costco and the Sacramento County Fair are teaming up to help you Take a Walk on the Wild Side.

Get 2 general admissions, 2 coupons valid for unlimited ride wristbands and ten-dollars worth of food vouchers for just $26.99. That’s a savings of 40 percent!

Save $3 on Demolition Derby and Lucha Libre Pro Wrestling when you buy tickets at the fair office or online before Saturday, May 30th! Plus, special offers are available to Farm Bureau members and VSP employees.

The deals can also be found on the very first day of the Fair on Thursday, May 27, when Fairgoers have the opportunity to buy one unlimited ride wristband and get another one for FREE! Parents get a reward for a job well done by getting in Free Before Three on Friday, May 28. Coupons can be redeemed at www.momslikeme.com .

Regular priced admission to the Sacramento County Fair is still extremely affordable at just $3 for general admission, and 95 cents for each carnival ticket. With these deals, even the most frugal families can enjoy a summer safari in the city.

For more information about the Fair and discounts, go to www.sacfair.com or call 916-263-2975.

You can also visit www.facebook/saccofair.com.

Information courtesy of Sac County Fair.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sac County Fair takes a Walk on the Wild Side

2010-05-25T16:12:29Z

Free Fair Fun!
The Best Deal in Town for Exciting Entertainment is at
The 2010 Sacramento County Fair

SACRAMENTO (May 10, 2010) – Spending time with the family is priceless, but during these tough economic times, everyone is searching for ways to cut back on expenses without sacrificing family fun.

The Sacramento County Fair provides an affordable alternative for the entire family to enjoy.
Fairgoers can go on a summer safari right in their own backyard. “Take a walk on the wild side and be amazed by what the Fair has to offer,” said T.J. Plew, Manager of the Sacramento County Fair. “The entertainment lineup is one of the best ever with dancers, singers, variety acts and a whole lot more.”

You name it …the Fair’s got it! With two stages, the Main Stage and the Ford Community Stage, along with exhibits throughout the fairgrounds, there’s no shortage of spectacular amusement.
Thursday, May 27- A-Train will perform classic rock, alternative and top 40 favorites.
Friday, May 28- Party like it’s 1999 with 90’s rock by One Headlight.
Saturday, May 29- If you’re a little more country than you are rock ‘n roll, the Colgate Country Showdown will have you tapping your foot as performers compete against one another. Country singer Chris Gardner will also take to the stage.
Sunday, May 30- Courtney Lynn blends rock and country for a unique sound you’re sure to enjoy.
Monday, May 31- Performing for 22 years, Frankie Soul & No Control brings the blues and classic rock to Northern California.

The fun isn’t limited to just what’s on stage. Other acts and attractions will connect with your inner animal, including:
Wild About Monkeys: “Lights, Camera, Animal!” will enrich your knowledge about the relationships and bonds that exist between animal and man.
Oasis Camel Dairy: As seen on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, America’s first camel dairy blends the animal’s colorful, ancient history with today’s new discoveries. Plus, a live milking demonstration!
Urban Jungle Bird Show: The birds are helping to build the new set at the Sacramento County Fair. The show includes lots of amazing tricks, hilarious talking segments and fun surprises.
Safari Adventure Live: Featuring reptile touch tanks, birds, mammals and invertebrates from around the world, it’s a fast paced show with lots of audience participation and hands on opportunities.
and MORE!

Singers get the chance to become a star during the all NEW Sacramento County Fair Karaoke Contest on Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29. Each contest will award a $100 prize for the best karaoke performance per night.

Plus, kids can compete for cash and prizes in the State Fair’s fifth annual Kids Talent Show. Preliminary auditions will be held on Saturday, May 29 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Auditions will be conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Participants or their parents can reserve an audition space in advance by calling (916) 274-6180 or email: Poppy@calexpo.com.

General admission is only $3 at the Sacramento County Fair! Kids 12 and under and seniors over 62 are free everyday! For more information about the Sacramento County Fair, visit www.SacFair.com or call (916) 263-2975. Media inquiries should be directed to T.J Plew at (916) 826-0167 or email: tjplew@sacfair.com .

Information and photos courtesy Sacramento County Fair

Tentative arena timeline

2010-04-30T03:11:49Z

Sacramento Convergence LLC Arena Proposal
Tentative Timeline

Arena developers, led by Gerry Kamilos of the Kamilos Companies and David Taylor of David S. Taylor Interests, have presented city and state officials with a preliminary schedule for their plan. Key dates include:

• Arena Proposal, May 27, 2010
Developers must turn in the formal sports and entertainment complex proposal to city. The plan calls for developers and Australia-based investor Macquarie Capital to form a special-purpose entity to partner with city and state on performance-based infrastructure project.

• State Exclusive Negotiating Agreement, June 15, 2010
Developers hope to start negotiating to buy the 350-acre state fairgrounds from the California Exposition and State Fair board and to help arrange the fairgrounds' move to the Arco Arena site in Natomas.

• Legislation, Aug. 31, 2010
State legislation would need to be passed to allow the sale of Cal Expo for private redevelopment and to set up funding for new, relocated fairgrounds. Special state legislation may be needed for other parts of the proposal, including creation of one or more tax increment financing districts or other funding mechanisms so the city could help fund other public facilities or infrastructure to support arena.

• Arena Complex Construction, March 31, 2012
Developers hope to begin construction on the arena, which would be integrated with a new regional transportation facility.

• Cal Expo Phase I Construction, March 31, 2012
New fairgrounds construction could begin once the city provides a construction easement for its 184- to 185-acre Arco Arena site. Only 163 acres are available for development due to existing roads.

• Land Exchange, June 2, 2014
Sacramento Convergence LLC would take title of the Cal Expo property. The city would donate railyards land for the arena and sell Arco Arena site to the state at less than fair market value, in exchange for 75 percent of Cal Expo redevelopment profit going to the arena complex. Developers would pay off the Maloofs' $68.5 million city loan or offer collateral.

• Arena Operational, June 2, 2014
Developers expect Sacramento Kings to vacate Arco Arena and the new arena to open, ahead of the NBA season starting in the fall.

• Cal Expo Phase II Construction, June 2, 2014
The second phase of fairground construction could begin after additional funding is secured. The state fair would held at Cal Expo on Exposition Blvd. until a new facility opens.

• Cal Expo Operational, June 2, 2015
New grounds projected to be ready to open for the 2015 California State Fair.

Information provided by Sacramento Convergence LLC and city of Sacramento.

Cal Expo not yet part of the deal

2010-04-28T04:38:43Z

The sale of Cal Expo and the swapping of that fairground site for one in Natomas — proposed in a plan to build a new Sacramento arena downtown — are far from a done deal.

While the Sacramento City Council agreed at its meeting Tuesday to enter an exclusive negotiating agreement with the developer, a detailed look at the feasibility and economics of such a move has just started for Cal Expo.

On Friday, consultants will present the California Exposition and State Fair board with the first report in an analysis encompassing the arena proposal from developer Gerry Kamilos and the Sacramento Convergence LLC. The consultants will also come up with alternatives for upgrading and expanding the current state fair site.

But Cal Expo officials and their consultants — Andy Plescia of A. Plescia and Co., Gruen Gruen & Associates, and RCH Group — don't necessarily agree with some of the projections provided by the developers.

For starters, there's the value of the land that Cal Expo sits on. The arena developers indicate they believe the value of Cal Expo to be nearly $200 million, or $570,260 per acre, if all 350 acres are sold and privately developed, according to the consultants' report.

Land values will be vital for negotiations in such a complex proposal, which calls for the Kamilos group to buy and develop the Cal Expo site and for the fairgrounds to move to the Arco Arena site after that North Natomas property is donated to the state. Agreeing on what these sizable properties are worth, or on the costs of relocation or renovation, may be especially difficult with the current state of the real estate market.

The land value estimates included in the Convergence proposal rely on comparable real estate sales data, which Cal Expo officials and consultants say is not enough to forecast the value of the land.

That data doesn't take into account the unique features at Cal Expo or the value of the land after it has been redeveloped. Whether parcels are sold for a hotel, office buildings, retail or housing helps determine its value, said Cal Expo Deputy General Manager Brian May.

"You can't appraise property without a plan," he said. For that reason, Cal Expo officials have never had the state fair site appraised.

However, the arena proposal also offers to give Cal Expo 25 percent of the difference between what Cal Expo sells the land for and what it sells for after the fairgrounds property goes through the entitlement process and is resold in parcels.

The consultants working for the state fair board are now evaluating the arena proposal, the practicality of moving the fairgrounds, the viability of using the Arco Arena site, and the possibility of staying put but selling or leasing some land for private development to finance state fair improvements.

The Convergence group also estimates that expanding and improving the existing fairgrounds site would cost $207 million. Cal Expo officials have not previously studied such a cost, May said. That is now part of the consultants' work.

Over the next month, the consultants plan to identify two or three alternatives for expanding the fairgrounds at the present site. The full analysis is expected to be finished this summer. The Cal Expo board will then consider what would be in the state fair's — and taxpayers' — best interest, May said.

The Convergence group has set August as the target date for state legislation related to the proposal for the $400 million, 19,000-seat arena.

California State Fair photos by Kati Garner.

Photo Essay: Sacramento Kennel Club Dog Show April 17

2010-04-24T06:54:14Z

A Cairn Terrier almost done with primping.

Dalmation adoration.

A Mastiff takes a break.

A Doberman Pinscher awaits commands before competing in the Working Group competition.

A Great Pyrenees competing in the Working Group.

Welsh Terriers competing for Best-in-Breed.

A Cardigan Welsh Corgi takes a cool break.

A Great Dane and his handler speak with audience members before competing in the Working Group competition.

Owners take their Schnauzer for a quick walk behind the Pavilion building.

A black Standard Poodle almost ready for show.

A Pembroke Welsh Corgi pup learns the ropes.

More photos are available here in the original article's slideshow.

Agnus-Dei Farrant is an intern for The Sacramento Press.

Festival de la Familia 2010

2010-04-22T04:49:05Z

Looking for delicious food and nonstop entertainment this weekend? The 19th annual Festival de la Familia will be taking place Sunday at Cal Expo. The day-long event is a celebration of family and all aspects of Latin culture, representing more than 20 cultures.

There will be live music and performances throughout the day as well as many beautiful exhibits to observe. Also, there will be an open-air mercado where numerous vendors will be offering unique goods like handcrafted musical instruments to original pieces of turquoise and silver jewelry.

New to this year's agenda will be two parades taking place at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The parades will include performances by the Charro Association of Woodland, Danzantes da Alma, Agua de Beber and Samba de Terra. All types of Latin dances will be demonstrated from tango to merengue, from rumba to cha-cha-cha. Free dance lessons will be available for those interested in boogieing down.

Festival Art Exhibit Chair Veronica Delgado has been involved as coordinator for the past three years and has attended the annual celebration since she was a little girl.

"It's a day for all cultures to come celebrate what the local Latino community has to offer," Delgado said. This year's art exhibit will be completely revamped in comparison to years prior. Delgado said she is excited about the new additions.

"This year we have a focus on contemporary artwork in California," she stated. "Also, we are incorporating more interactive and educational experiences."

Workshops will be conducted throughout the day by different groups of the community ranging from watercolor painting with the staff from the Crocker Art Museum to a lecture on higher education from the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, an organization based at California State University, Sacramento.

One of the featured visual artists will be Delgado's older brother and Sacramento native Raphael Delgado. He is a painter and sculptor who is linked to abstract-expressionism and abstract-impressionism while maintaining cubist qualities. His art focuses on common subjects and puts them in a powerful light, altering the perspective and filling the canvas with emotion.

"I get inspiration from my family, my culture and my upbringing as a Mexican-American," he said. Raphael and his artwork have been involved with the festival for the past five years, but every year he offers new pieces to exhibit.

"A great thing about the festival is that it's different every year," he said. "It's always evolving while staying authentic." He also said he is looking forward to Sunday because "(the event) brings out all the good things about Latin-American culture." For more information about Raphael Delgado and his work, visit artbyraphael.org.

The event kicks off at 9 a.m. on Sunday with a mass officiated by Reverend Monsignor James T. Murphy. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors. Children under age 12 are free. For discounted tickets and more information about this event, visit festivaldelafamilia.org.

Photographs by Angela Cassagrande and Scott Zentner. Artwork by Raphael Delgado.

Council unanimously agrees to begin arena talks with Kamilos

2010-03-17T05:18:54Z

In a win for Mayor Kevin Johnson and his arena task force, the City Council agreed to start talks with Sacramento developer Gerry Kamilos on a plan to build a new sports and entertainment center in the downtown railyards and develop two other sites.

The City Council’s approval to begin talks with the Kamilos Group was unanimous. While an agreement between the city and Kamilos was not completed Tuesday, the council moved closer to a decision to work with Kamilos.

In Kamilos’ multi-layered plan, the downtown railyards would be the location of a new sports and entertainment center. The plan also calls for the creation of a new state fairgrounds at Arco Arena and nearby property.

Kamilos’ team, which includes developer David Taylor, further plans to purchase the state-owned Cal Expo State Fairgrounds. The development team will would then build a mixed-use development at that location.

The NBA and the Maloofs family, which owns the Sacramento Kings, support Kamilos’ proposal.

Johnson said he would like to see the project to focus on environmentally sound elements so that it could be a “world-class showcase” for a green development.

Meanwhile, Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy said that consultants who work with the city on this project should be paid by the developers, not the city. The city needs to be “very, very careful” if it puts any public funds or public land toward the project, she said.

While Councilman Ray Tretheway voted in favor of starting work with Kamilos, he raised concerns about Natomas. He said he wanted to know how the arena’s move to downtown from Natomas would affect Natomas’ businesses.

The City Council tasked staffers with several assignments Tuesday night. Council members decided that city staffers should start working with the Kamilos group and create benchmarks for the negotiations. The City Council also asked staff to study the financial aspects of linking the Kamilos downtown arena project to a downtown intermodal center.

Council members agreed that Johnson could appoint members of a City Council ad hoc committee to work on the effort.

Staff was also asked to inform the council of progress on creating a six-month agreement with Kamilos, as well as the project’s scope, benchmarks and funding sources. The council asked for that information to be presented within 30 days.

Further, staffers will work on a plan to gain feedback from stakeholders and community groups, Johnson said.

The Kamilos plan will need state legislation to advance. Staff will work on that issue with the development team, the council’s ad hoc committee and additional involved parties, according to the council’s decision.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Race for the cure

2010-03-03T05:23:00Z

Dust off your walking shoes, collect donations and prepare to Race for the Cure.

The annual 5K run/walk and one-mile fun run takes place Saturday, May 8, at Cal Expo.

Breast cancer is a major killer in the United States, and 5 percent of all disease diagnoses are men. The Susan G. Komen foundation is a leader in breast cancer research and awareness.

The foundation holds different fundraising events throughout the year, but the Race for the Cure is the main one. This year, the Sacramento Komen Foundation's goal is to raise more than $1.8 million. Seventy-five percent of all donations collected stay in the Sacramento region with the money going toward public education and awareness. The other 25 percent goes to the national organizations to assist in research for a cure.

"People want to do something to stop this disease," said Executive Director Donna Sanderson. "Some don't know what they could do, and that's where we come in. This is the chance for every person who has been affected to make a difference."

The economy has caused some state programs that would normally offer free screening to people who are at risk to close. Every Woman Counts, a state-run program, shut down in January after funding was lost. Donations make it possible for the Komen Foundation to offer, in corroboration with other organizations, free or low-cost screenings for those who show symptoms or are at risk for breast cancer.

Registration has already begun online. Individuals can participate or start a team and recruit their friends and coworkers. There is also an option to collect donations and still sleep in on race day. Sleep In for the Cure allows participants to register, collect donations and get an official T-shirt and sleep in on race day.

The Race is also looking for volunteers to assist organizers in a variety of positions. More than 1,000 volunteers are needed for water stations, sign holding and cheering.

"This is a situation that isn't going to go away," Sanderson added. "One day the stigma attached to being diagnosed will disappear, and with help from all, we can eradicate breast cancer forever."

The Susan G. Komen Foundation was started in 1982 when Nancy Komen promised her sister Susan that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer and educate the public. After Susan passed, Nancy started on her quest and is still going strong. The foundation has raised more than $1 billion so far in support of research and education.

In honor of Kay Lynn, my aunt, April 26, 1937 - Jan. 21, 2009. I miss you.

Photo #2: Our team from last year, All the Way for Kay

Kragen O'Reilly Sacramento Autorama Celebrates 60 Years

2010-02-21T20:45:52Z

Cloudy weather did not keep more than 80 sponsors, 600 beautiful cars and 35,000 guests from this weekend's Kragen O'Reilly Sacramento Autorama at Cal Expo. This year marks 60 years of appreciation for customized, classic American muscle cars.

The rods, which rolled in Wednesday for registration and early judging, still can be viewed Sunday, the last chance to catch the three-day show. This year's theme, Mardi Gras, lends a special flavor to the event with decoration and awards for cars that best depict the theme.

The anniversary makes this a special year for event producer John Buck. Pictures of show winners all the way back to the first Autorama in 1950 are on display.

The Capital Auto Club, known as "the Thunderbolts," started the show as a friendly competition to see who had the hottest of the hot rods. The carscould win several awards and a tradition was born.

Every year since 1950, attendance has grown.

"In customization, this is where the people are," said Jim Matus, owner of Jim's Chevy Parts in Rancho Cordova. This is Matus' sixth year as a vendor at Autorama. "We do a number of shows every year and this is by far the best audience."

Buck said he believes that family values are the backbone of Autorama. Discount family packages are available, with Hot Wheels toys for the kids. The music and entertainment at the show is always family friendly. "Even the pin-up show is focused on the fashion and not the skin," Buck said.

Buck said Autorama's main sponsors -- Kragen O'Reilly, Les Schwab Tire Centers and Sacramento Vintage Ford -- emphasize family values.

Family fun, amazing cars, and hundreds of musicians and entertainers make the Kragen O'Reilly Autorama a great way to enjoy a piece of classic American history.

For information on the event, a list of prize winners and plans for next year, visit www.rodshows.com

Local effort to support the troops

2010-02-16T21:31:06Z

Under a slew of military flags, banners and pictures of troops, volunteers at Cal Expo collected care package donations Friday. They were members of the Defenders of Freedom a local nonprofit organization that assists servicemembers and their families.

Toiletries, games and DVD's were among the most requested items by troops serving around the country and overseas. The items were being assembled into care packages for troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"Both my sons serve in the Army," said Maria Elena Szlachciuk, founder of Defenders of Freedom. "These items, combined with letters and cards, can lift a soldier's morale."

The California chapter was founded in 2007 after a similar chapter started in Dallas in 2004. Szlachiuk runs the foundation with the help of her family and other volunteers.

Carol Bostick's son is a sergeant in the Marine Corps. She has seen him off twice, as he boarded a plane bound for Iraq.

"What we do here makes an impact," said Bostick. "Letters and care packages are a huge encouragement for the troops."

The foundation's nonpolitical tasks don't stop at care packages. Szlachciuk and her group welcome returning troops at Sacramento International Airport, spend time with wounded soldiers and educate the public on about the military.

"The American people need to be reminded that troops are still overseas," she said.

After watching an early morning newscast on about the Defenders of Freedom, Mike Petrillo loaded 150 T-shirts from a car show into his truck and drove from Vacaville.

"It turned out to be a nice day for the drive and the shirts can go to soldiers overseas. Perfect day," he said.

The Defenders of Freedom accept cash and donations. For information and to learn about requests from troops, visit their website.

Outdoors meets the indoors this weekend at Cal Expo

2010-01-24T10:47:01Z

Outdoors enthusiasts rejoice: The 23rd Annual International Sportsmen's Expo is happening at Cal Expo this weekend.

A highlight of the Expo, is the Adventure Base 100, a celebration of the 100-year anniversary of Scouting. The base spans 9,000 square feet and contains a 360-degree movie dome, rope course, interactive museum and a store for everything Scout related. Local Scouts and adult leaders are there, ready to answer questions. This is the only Northern California stop for the Adventure Base.

Friday night, the base was bustling with people watching the charity Pinewood Derby. Assemblymen Roger Niello and Ted Gaines joined "The Capitol Hour" host Eric Hogue and local Boy Scout leaders in the race. Three to four cars raced in each heat down the 15-foot track. A local Cub Scout won the event, Ryan Scotch, withHogue coming in at a close second. Niello beat Assemblymen Gaines in a grudge match.

"Pinewood Derbies are everyone's favorite," said local Boy Scout and Expo volunteer Aaron Rush. "Scouting is a lot of fun. I've been active my entire life and it's made me a better person."

Another building held the fly-fishing area. Local and national vendors sold everything from guided trips to fly-tying classes. Attendees could cast under the supervision of trained anglers.

Boats and ATV's also were for sale. Those not looking to buy could rent or lease the equipment.

Very few "Keep Off" or "Don't Touch" signs are found at the Expo. People are encouraged to touch and use gear before buying.

"I came here looking for all the new equipment," said Travis Smith, who came to the show with his wife and three children. "We love to hunt and this is a good way to spend time with the family."

The economy hasn't seemed to impact attendance. Throngs of people wandered the aisles, looking from booth to booth.

"My booth hasn't been affected that much," said exhibitor Steve Dirgo of Seattle. "I sell quality knives that aren't very expensive. It's the expensive trips that are taking a big hit."

The California Department of Fish and Game was on hand to answer questions and educate the public.

"We answer complex questions people have concerning the laws and regulations," said Fish and Game officer Steven Stiehr. "Laws have changed since some people last fished or went hunting. We are here as the source giving correct information."

Expo attendees came from all over the region, and some called Sacramento residents lucky. Its location and good weather makes for the West Coast version of asportsmen's paradise, they said.

"I love coming to Sacramento," Dirgo said. "The fishing here is some of the best in the West."

The International Sportsmen's Expo runs through today. Tickets are $15, ages 15 and younger free.

Photos courtesy of Matthew Ceccato

Enjoy the outdoors at the sportsmen's expo

2010-01-20T05:33:26Z

Fishing, hunting, camping, hiking or hang-gliding, the International Sportsmen's Exposition will have it all this weekend at Cal Expo. Exhibits and demonstrations will stretch four buildings, as hands-on activities cover outside.

Casting competitions and fishing tournaments will be available. Casting tarps stretched 100 feet across the floor of building C, will provide the forum for fellow anglers. A large fish-filledaquarium will be featured for live demonstrations. Prizes include new fishing equipment. Clinics with professional anglers and hunters will be held for the home amateur to learn tricks of the trade. Classes include camouflage, duck calls and hunting laws.

DockDogs will perform daily outside the exhibit halls. Dogs will compete in a long distance jumping competition. Dogs of all breeds will compete in distance, height and endurance competitions. The top two dog winners will earn a spot to compete in theDockDogs World Championship in June 2010.

Fishing poles and reels, bait and boats will all be on sale. Adventure-seeking fishermen will also have the opportunity to sign up for a variety of classes and tours around the world. Hunting safari packages will be available in places such as Congo and Canada.

Hunters with proper identification can purchase a gun from the show, as long as they pass a background check. Fish and game authorities and the Sheriff's department will be on hand to supervise all transactions.

The International Sportsmen's Expo happens Thursday through Sunday at Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd. Starting at 11 a.m. during the week and 10 a.m. on the weekends, the show runs until 8 p.m. each night, 5 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $15, children 15 and younger are free.

Tickets still available at the box office or on the website.

Editor's Note: Per John Kirk, Director of Communications for the International Sportsmen's Exposition, absolutely no guns will be for sale at the event at Cal Expo.

Private sector delivers seven new arena proposals

2009-12-30T05:58:50Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson’s “Sacramento First” task force announced Tuesday it received seven new proposals from the private sector for a new sports and entertainment center.

Prospective developers were required to turn in their proposals to the 12-member task force by Dec. 24. Johnson announced Nov. 10 that the task force would consider proposals. Members of the task force are not paid.

The proposed locations for the sports complex from the private sector include the Railyards, Westfield Downtown Plaza, the Docks area, Cal Expo and the site of Arco Arena in Natomas. Descriptions of the proposals are posted at the end of this article.

The seven private sector proposals will be analyzed along with two other plans: the idea of remodeling Arco Arena and the ongoing plan to build an arena at Cal Expo, according to the task force. This means the task force will study nine proposals.

“I was blown away when we ended up getting seven new proposals,” Johnson said Tuesday at his weekly press conference, noting that he had not yet read them.

Johnson said he expected at least two new proposals from the private sector, along with plans to study the Cal Expo idea and a remodel of the Natomas arena. He also pointed out that the applicants were working on a tight deadline.

“It takes a lot of time and energy to put a proposal together, especially in 45 days or less,” Johnson said. "To be able to see seven of those (prospective developers) answer the call, I think just says a lot about our community. So I was very pleased in terms of the private sector’s interest in pursuing a public/private partnership.”

Johnson said the task force plans to make recommendations to the City Council on an arena and entertainment center in March.

A Dec. 29 news release from the task force said the public can read the complete proposals Jan. 14.

Task force project coordinator Matt Massari wrote the following descriptions of the seven new proposals. The names of the developers are listed in bold text and the locations for the proposed projects are italicized.

Thomas Enterprises, Inc. and Team, Sacramento Railyards

The offering proposes to build on years of planning by the city of Sacramento and combines regional mass transit, large-scale community events, arts and entertainment venues in the city's downtown and region.

The Kamilos Company and Team, Sacramento Railyards

The proposed entertainment and sports complex will be located on the city-owned property, south of the newly aligned railroad tracks, within the Railyards Specific Plan.

Tripp Development and Team, Westfield Downtown Plaza

The development location is at the northeast corner of the intersection of Third and L streets, on the site currently owned by the city and developed as a multi-level parking facility.

M&M Group, led by Matt Haines and Team, Sacramento Docks Area

The Docks Area is located in Downtown Sacramento, adjacent to the central business district defined on the north by Capitol Mall, on the east by the I-5 freeway, on the south by Broadway and on the west by the Sacramento River. Immediately north is the Historic Old Sacramento District.

Doug Tatara, Cal Expo

This proposal includes a theme park and arena at the Cal Expo Fairgrounds location.

Natomas ESC Partners and Team, Natomas

The site proposed is the city-owned 100-acre property adjacent to and north of the existing Arco Arena and just south of Del Paso Road, minutes from Downtown Sacramento and five miles from Sacramento International Airport.

Ali Mackani and Team, Westfield Downtown Plaza

(The proposal is) centrally located in the heart of Sacramento’s downtown on the current site of Westfield Plaza’s east end. The plan proposes an extensive retail experience, dining options and a public park.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Sacramento Harvest Festival celebrates its 35th year

2009-11-19T05:33:24Z

This weekend, more than 250 artisans from throughout the country will display more than 24,000 arts and crafts at Cal Expo.

From Nov. 20 - 22, the Sacramento Harvest Festival will offer the community shopping and entertainment.

"We have people that come specifically for a vendor," said Liz Stigge, festival communications officer. "It's great to have that community interaction."

The Sacramento Harvest Festival began 37 years ago in San Francisco. According to Stigge, individual artists, who were part of a national crafting movement in the 1970s, created the festival as forum to collectively display their work and interact with the community.

Since then, the festival has expanded to eight locations in California and one in Las Vegas, Nev. This year marks the 35th anniversary of the Sacramento festival. Organizers have attempted to remain true to the festival's roots, however.

"We only allow American arts and crafts [in the current festival] to honor that tradition," Stigge said.

The festival has also evolved to include an eclectic group of musicians and performers.

"We have a stilt-walker, strolling performers and many bands," Stigge said.

This year the festival is partnering with the Elk Grove Food Bank. Anyone who brings canned food to the event will receive $2 off admission.

Additionally, the event benefits Big Brothers and Sisters of Greater Sacramento, a non-profit organization that mentors children. Attendees may support Big Brothers and Sisters by purchasing a $1 festival shopping bag or through donations.

Tickets cost $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and $4 for teens. Children 12 and under are free and groups of 10 or more may purchase tickets for $5.

For more information, visit: www.harvestfestival.com.

Photographs courtesy of Liz Stigge.

Sac Auto Show called "Wildly Successful"

2009-11-16T07:44:31Z

"Wildly Successful!" said Stacey Castle, president of Castle Communications and producer for the international show, when I spoke with her moments after the gates closed, in response to what may have been the most successful auto shows in Sacramento history. The weekend-long Sacramento International Automotive Show had something to offer for every level of car enthusiast.

With the auto market climate as it is, the changing economy and a need for good family entertainment, the event's coordinator, Castle Communications set out to make great strides with this year's Sacramento International Automotive Show in spite of odds that seemed to be stacked against them. Though numbers are not yet available, Stacey, indicated that the event was a huge success and far exceeded their expectations. See previous article by Kassandra Perlongo.

With more than 30 manufacturers and cars from vintage to tomorrow, Cal Expo was transformed into one enormous automotive showroom. Said to be second only to the state fair, cars and displays could be found in nearly every nook and cranny of the exposition park. If that’s not enough, goers were able to take their turn behind the wheel on one of three test tracks on the grounds. Wheels screeched and engines roared as attendees slid into the seat of the all new Camaro, while others tried out the new Corvette. Ford brought its line of hybrids to its track and successfully displayed that hybrids do have pep.

Castle rolled out the red carpet for all of its guests. From building to building, all goers had to do was follow the red carpet to the next exhibit hall. If they wanted to hop around, everywhere they turned were large "you are here" signs with a venue directory to easily navigate their way.

For those in the market for a vintage automobile, Castle had that covered as well with the "Classic Car & Rod Sale". One building was filled with some of the finest classics ready for one to sign the line and take home. From horseless carriages, to vintage VW Bugs, Super Sports, Mustangs and more all in cherry condition and ripe for the pick'in for the person with the right price.

Be it RV's, motorcycles, vintage Porsches, small and economical, large and rugged, it was all there. Castle made sure food vendors with reasonable pricing were on site, along with musical entertainment, kids play areas and more to make sure the event catered well to the whole family.

In the final hours Sunday evening, there was still energy and excitement in the air. Now with over 25 years of successful international auto show events under its belt, Sacramento is one of the major venues in the United States for this type of auto show. On their web site, Sac Auto Show states "many of the large manufacturers' displays have been under construction since early this year. The making of auto shows is big business. From the granddaddy of all the American shows, The Detroit Auto Show, to auto shows in much smaller markets – the preparation for putting all the pieces together takes well over a year. "

While this year's show is over, auto enthusiasts have reason to get revved up again. Preparations for next year's show are already scheduled to begin Monday for next year's show. Be sure to fit it into your calendar for next year- if you have a fancy for cars that is.

Mayor Kevin Johnson introduces "Rules of the Game" for new arena

2009-10-30T03:14:16Z

At a news conference Thursday, Mayor Kevin Johnson introduced his "Rules of the Game" plan to build an arena and entertainment complex in Sacramento. It was held on the 25th floor of the US Bank building downtown, featuring panoramic views of the skyline with Cal Expo and the Sacramento Railyards in the background.

Johnson's "rules" include coming up with a plan that doesn't depend on taxes, making sure the city is not a "stalking horse" for a deal elsewhere and utilizing experienced community members. He also announced that a task force will be established and that there will be an open call for proposals, with guidelines coming in the next few days.

"I think it's time to reinvigorate an arena discussion," Johnson said. "If you look out over Sacramento, it's clear that rebuilding Cal Expo cannot be the only option. We need a new sports and entertainment center."

Two weeks ago, after the NCAA deemed ARCO Arena outdated for an NCAA tournament, Johnson declared finding a new arena a "front-burner issue." He also has called a new arena part of a larger plan to revitalize Sacramento's economy.

Johnson said Thursday that the arena, host to more than 190 events last year, was not about the Maloofs or even the Kings.

"We've got to prove that we can build major projects here in Sacramento," he said. "I'm talking about an entertainment complex that lights up the next six blocks right outside of its boundaries, something that works hand in hand with transit, smart growth and green ambitions."

When asked about the Railyards as a potential site, Johnson said, "I have said all along that I would have loved to see an arena downtown and my favorite site was the Railyards. At the end of the day, it all boils down to 'How are you going to pay for it?' "

Johnson said he wants public input, adding that there will be a monthly events to discuss the complex.

"I challenge everyone to think big, and think about what great cities have done over the last 3,000 years," the mayor said. "Think about how we can join that list of great cities."

Please view a transcript of the speech here.

Mayor Kevin Johnson: New arena is a "front-burner" issue

2009-09-30T04:53:15Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson brought up the possibility of a new sports arena in Sacramento at a press conference Tuesday.

Johnson announced his top-three priorities are public safety, education and economic development, the latter of which a new sports arena could positively impact.

Johnson reiterated that a new arena would be crucial not only in keeping the Kings in Sacramento, but also in terms of creating a "world-class" downtown. Currently, Arco Arena holds more than 200 spectator events each year.

"We got a wake up call with the NCAA when they said we are no longer going to hold big-time college basketball in Sacramento because [we] have an outdated arena," Johnson said.

Last week, after learning about the NCAA's decision, Johnson said he became worried that Sacramento might lose the Kings and wanted to see a new proposal for an arena at Cal Expo.

The National Basketball Association is now leading the effort to build a new arena at Cal Expo, according to a recent Sacramento Bee article. However, it has been difficult in the current economic climate to find a developer for the plan, said a Bee editorial.

Johnson, however, seems willing to change turn the conversation away from Cal Expo, still not ruling out downtown as a location for a possible arena.

"Before I was the mayor, I would have always liked to see an arena downtown; and now that I am mayor, I would still like to see an arena downtown," he said.

One possible location would be the Sacramento Railyards, one of the largest infill projects in the country, Johnson said. Though technically not downtown, the city is buying about 33 acres of the 244-acre site, enough room to fit both a planned transportation corridor as well as a new arena.

Johnson said it fits into a larger plan to revitalize Sacramento.

"Part of our overall strategy, [which includes] Westfield Plaza and the J, K and L corridors, is how we revitalize the mall, retail, offices and housing," he said.

Johnson also pointed to his time as an NBA player, which he said he doesn't talk about a whole lot.

"I lived in Phoenix when there was no arena downtown, and I was also part of a team that helped bring an arena downtown," Johnson said. "Phoenix was a ghost town, much worse than Sacramento. If you go to downtown Phoenix now, it's a whole new town because of the catalytic impact that the arena had [on] downtown. I think the year was 1993; if you look at what has transpired over the last 16 years, [it proves] that [an arena] can galvanize a downtown community."

Downtown arenas have a "multiplier effect" in boosting local economies, he added. However, Johnson said a downtown arena could just be "wishful thinking," and still has not mentioned how the project might be financed.

Maloof Sports and Entertainment was contacted for this article but declined to comment.

A day in the boots of Sacramento's heroes: Oak Park's Station 6

2009-08-24T02:17:53Z

To call them simply “firefighters” is an understatement. The men of Station 6 of the Sacramento Fire Department in Oak Park do more than put out fires.

Out of more than 20 stations within the Sacramento Fire Department, the station is the busiest. Year after year, the station has also been ranked as one of the busiest in the nation.

During their time at the house, firefighters are on-call to respond to a wide range of calls. Many are legitimate life-threatening emergencies, but a number of them don’t necessarily warrant a 9-1-1 response. A faked seizure, a man unconscious in the bushes covered with ants and foaming at the mouth, a woman who claimed she had been assaulted by six men and a man in cardiac arrest while his young children looked on: These are the types of calls that I saw as I rode along for 24 hours with the firefighters from Station 6.

A typical day at the firehouse begins around 8 a.m. The firefighters must arrive ready to work, since the first call can come in at any time. The men (there are no women currently at Station 6) prepare for their shifts by checking out the rigs, making sure tools are running properly and discussing the types of calls that came in during the previous shift. Also, because of recent budget cuts and the resulting “brownouts,” the firefighters must know which engines might be out of service at nearby stations, which can result in additional calls for them to pick up.

The station works in three different groups (A, B and C) with each shift lasting 48 hours, with four days off in between. They work with the same crew each rotation, which creates a strong camaraderie among them.

The firehouse serves as a sort of home away from home for the firefighters. A dormitory room has mattresses and storage cabinets lining the walls and is generally only used when sleeping. The day room houses recliners and a TV and is located directly near the kitchen, where the firefighters take turns cooking each shift - and they certainly know their way around the kitchen. They are given set a budget for grocery shopping at the beginning of each shift and also contribute out of their own pockets.

"When we go to the store, people will joke and ask what they are buying us today, but people don't realize that we will actually put in money from our own pockets as well...," said firefighter Jeff Switkowski.

On the day of our visit, the firefighters dined on homemade bacon cheeseburgers and fruit for lunch, and carnitas, rice and beans for dinner. At any given moment, a call can come into the station and the firefighters have to leave their meals half-eaten.

In between calls, the members of the crew stay busy watching movies, reading, exercising or fine-tuning their job skills with drills. Typically, they will practice one drill a day to stay efficient for situations they might not regularly encounter. On my visit, the crew demonstrated their rescue skills with an elaborate ropes and pulley system while Switkowski, the youngest of the firefighters, played the “victim” and was “rescued” from the roof of the station and lowered to the ground in a metal gurney.

Station 6 is home to Truck 6, Engine 6 and Medic 6, as well as Battalion Chief Niko King‘s red SUV. Depending on the type of emergency, either one or a combination of the vehicles will respond to the call. There are six different panels located around the house with four differently colored lights that give information as to the type of call and who needs to respond. White signals King, blue signals the medic, green signals the engine and red signals the truck.

Both the truck and engine hold rescue equipment and tools, but the main difference between the two rigs is that the engine holds 500 gallons of water and the truck has a ladder.

When someone calls 9-1-1, the dispatcher will determine which station should answer the call, and an alarm is sounded at that particular house. A printer automatically feeds out information about the call and location and more information about the call is provided on the computer screen in each rig.

Two engineers, Eric Munson and Robert Knaggs on this particular shift, are responsible for navigating the truck and engine through the narrow streets of Oak Park. Unfortunately, many drivers give little regard to the blaring sirens and fail to pull aside as required by law. The engineers often have to drive down the center of the road or weave in and out of traffic because of uncooperative drivers.

Of around 20 calls (not including canceled calls) that came in throughout the 24 hours, only two were actual fires. The first, at around 9:30 a.m., was a grass fire on 65th Street and Folsom Boulevard that had to spread to several storage units. The second fire, also a grass fire, came at around 10 p.m. and was behind Cal Expo near the levee.

The response to fires is organized chaos. To the untrained eye, it might seem like a lot of men running around spraying hoses, but there is actually a precise chain of command and specific protocol during each call. Upon arrival, the battalion chief surveys the situation and the best way to go about putting out the fire. Each firefighter has someone to report to. The battalion chiefs are responsible for two captains, who are each responsible for several firefighters.

Rather than fire, most calls are from people who require medical attention because of either accidents or illnesses. Upon arriving to a call for a medical emergency, each firefighter is responsible for a specific duty. Vital signs are checked and medical history and health insurance information is gathered while the firefighters wait for the medics to arrive. If the patient or victim can't communicate, medical history is taken from family members or anyone else present. Information is then transferred to a computer and then input to yet another computer system at the hospital.

The computers, which were installed in medic vehicles around a year ago, are supposed to streamline the emergency room process, but seems to instead slow things down as medics have to wait in line to check their patient in.

On some calls, the firefighters provide more medical attention than the medics might. This was the case Saturday morning, when a woman was unresponsive due to low blood sugar. After administering IV dextrose, the firefighters transported her to the hospital for further treatment. The firefighters saved her life, as she could have slipped into unconsciousness were it not for their quick actions.

Many people often wonder why so many firefighters are required to respond to certain calls. The importance of manpower was clearly demonstrated by a call that came Friday evening for a man in cardiac arrest. There were six different medics and firefighters attempting to revive him, and it was necessary for multiple people to administer CPR, monitor his heart and lift him onto the stretcher for transport.

While many of the calls that come into the department are from people who actually need emergency medical attention, many others abuse the 9-1-1 system and use the ambulances as a sort of Golden Ticket into the emergency room in hopes of being seen sooner.

"Many people are trained to think that if they see blood, they should call 9-1-1," said one firefighter.

Calls such as the woman who was dehydrated at a Church’s Chicken, the man who had back pain from his sciatic nerve or the woman who was intoxicated and fell from her front porch can seem like a waste of the firefighters’ valuable time when there are actual emergencies to be attended to. Still, the firefighters treat all of their patients with the utmost decency and respect. They talk to victims and patients as if they are friends, genuinely concerned with their well-being.

A call early Saturday morning brought them to an unconscious man laying in bushes, covered in ants, and paramedics tried to coax him awake. "Hey buddy, can you open your eyes for me? There are ants all over you, you don't want to lay out here," a paramedic said. He had most likely overdosed on drugs and was incoherent, yet they spoke to him politely, as if he could hear and understand.

Stories are often exchanged, whether around the firehouse dinner table or riding to or from a call, and it’s clear that the firefighters have seen more than their fair share of disturbing and gruesome scenes. Over dessert, Capt. Michael Wolfe recalled a gunshot wound that went in through a man’s groin and came out the other side. Firefighter Jeff Klein recalled a time he entered a car after the driver shot his passenger, who was also his brother. Upon pulling his hooded sweatshirt down from his head, the man’s brain fell from his skull.

Calls like these are shocking to hear discussed at the dining room table casually as if they are discussing weekend plans. However, such disturbing calls are a daily occurrence for the crew. To be able to continue with the job, they have to be able to downplay the shock and use coping mechanisms like humor after witnessing horrific accidents.

"We are exposed to some pretty awful things at times. There are definitely some triggers that will require a supervisor to put together a critical incident stress debriefing, such as an infant death or traumatic injuries," King said. "Most firefighters will joke about the things that stress us out as a way to not just keep it bottled up inside...We deal with the stresses of the job along with our successes as ups and downs within the team."

Another challenge the firefighters face is sleep. Getting quality sleep in a firehouse is almost impossible, and a night's sleep becomes a series a short naps. When a call comes in, the lights in the dorm immediately turn on, and the firefighters must load into the rigs just as if they had been awake. On Friday night, there were a total of 10 calls after midnight, which is more than the average of six for the weekend.

False alarms are common, and two came during our stay. The firefighters got out of bed, dressed and loaded into the rigs only to make a U-turn minutes after pulling out of the station driveway. Even more frustrating was when, on returning from a call, the battalion truck was flagged down by a man claiming to have been held up at knife point. After determining that they could return to the firehouse and return to sleep, a call came in around an hour later, only for the firefighters to arrive and realize the same man had called again and did not actually need any sort of medical attention.

While the crew is used to the constant waking and sleeping routine, it is a huge adjustment for someone used to uninterrupted sleep. As King explained it, to cope with the constant interruptions, it is common to only fall into shallow sleep patterns. Subconsciously they know that on a minute’s notice they could be fighting a fire or saving a life, which requires their alertness, so it is perhaps imperative that they don't sleep deeply.

At the end of an exhausting 24 hours, the firefighters are revving up for the next 24, never knowing what the day will bring. Their lives could be threatened in a massive structure fire, they could save numerous lives or they could be roused from their sleep to answer a call for someone with a simple earache.

But they are ready to go wherever needed and so they wait, with smiles on their faces, for the alarm to sound.

To see the rest of the photos from our 24-hour ride along, click here

For more information about Station 6, visit the station's website.

All photos taken by Ed Fogle of Maverick Photography

Editor's Note: The Sacramento Press editorial department made corrections to this story after it was published .

Four survive dramatic crash

2009-05-31T08:52:11Z

Smoke, flying debris and a rolled over vehicle is what Jerry Cook saw in front of him as he traveled south on Business 80.

Four occupants are very fortunate to be alive today. At approximately 10:30 p.m. Saturday night, their Buick Lacrosse slammed into the barriers at the interchange of West Business 80 and Highway 160. The vehicle smashed through all the sand filled barriers then flip over coming to rest on it's roof. Jerry Cook was driving down 80 when all he saw in front of him was a cloud of smoke, flying debris and other cars dodging around the debris as the Buick came to rest.

"No one was doing anything to help when myself and a lady officer helped two people get out of the car and moved some of the debris out of the road way" said Cook. Per Cook, the officer who arrived first on scene broke the windows out of the vehicle with her flashlight then her and cook helped the two remaining occupants hold still to prevent further injuries until paramedics arrived.

"The guy…was being trapped by the steering wheel who flew across; I thought he was driver but he said he wasn't driving…and said his back hurt and couldn't feel his legs. The other lady had lacerations that you could literally see to the bone…and they were just mangled inside there." said cook as he stood on the road side replaying the surreal event in his mind.

One person from the incident was taken into custody by CHP on scene. Open alcohol bottles were found in the vehicle. Officers were still on scene investigating when called for further details. CHP dispatcher stated that an officer would call us back with more info. Those details will be posted in an update when they become available.

Johnson: city still sees Cal Expo as "option" for Kings

2009-05-19T22:27:25Z

The city continues to view Cal Expo as an option for a new arena for the Sacramento Kings even though the governor said last week that the state may sell the property.

Mayor Kevin Johnson said Tuesday that the city wants to ensure "that we are in a position to make sure we're continuing to go forward with the arena."

Cal Expo is "one option" for the city, he said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said last week the state could address its deficit by selling Cal Expo and other state-owned properties.

Johnson said it was likely that he and other city staffers will meet with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in the next couple of weeks.

The city faces a $50 million deficit. The state is grappling with a deficit of a minimum of $15.4 billion.

The NEW Cal Expo

2009-02-28T06:39:01Z

Today plans were submitted by the NBA to totally redo CalExpo and turn it into a mixed use, pedestrian-friendly, and transit oriented regional destination. The plan is to raze all 350 acres and over the next 27 years transform the CalExpo facilities into successful mixed –use development. No source of funding has been found to construct the new CalExpo and make infrastructure improvements for the entire site. There was also no cost given by the NBA as to how much the proposal will cost if the plans are well received and funding can found. Proposed changes to the Cal Expo programs would be ending live horse racing in 2012 and the water park would close in 2016.

http://www.calexpo.com/PDFs/nba/CalExpo%20Presentation.pdf

Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "cal expo"

For a good scare- haunted house round-up

Rockin’ it at the State Fair

Fourth of July roundup

New development concept for Cal Expo unveiled

Man on the Street: Where in Sacramento would you never want to take your parents?

Festival de la Familia 2011

Food, Music and Fun at Festival de la Familia

Culminating with the Capital Beerfest

Cal Expo considers development

Sacramento Autorama

1,600 Local Families Receiving Food Assistance at Distribution

Kings to collect toy donations as part of CHiPS for Kids Toy Drive at Cal Expo

Hmong New Year brings thousands to Cal Expo

International Auto Show rolls into Cal Expo for the weekend

Want to Start a Few Projects Around the House?

January update on arena plans

Arena stalled

Arena team gets more time

Cal Expo: No arena deal

Fair officials say no to arena deal

Arena, Railyards projects teetering

Cal Expo's future, arena deal considered Friday

Fair officials give arena proposal time

Going to the Fair?

State Fair welcomes lots of little ones

California State Fair opens Wednesday, runs through Aug. 1

Sacramento Kings Dance Team to Host 2010-11 Auditions July 18 at California State Fair

Arena plan moving forward

Wine Enthusiasts Spend their Wednesday at Grape & Gourmet

Sacramento Fourth of July roundup

Horse and Dog Expo at Cal Expo This Weekend

Sacramento County Fair provides a wild time

Summer Safari at Sac County Fair!

Sac County Fair takes a Walk on the Wild Side

Tentative arena timeline

Cal Expo not yet part of the deal

Photo Essay: Sacramento Kennel Club Dog Show April 17

Festival de la Familia 2010

Council unanimously agrees to begin arena talks with Kamilos

Race for the cure

Kragen O'Reilly Sacramento Autorama Celebrates 60 Years

Local effort to support the troops

Outdoors meets the indoors this weekend at Cal Expo

Enjoy the outdoors at the sportsmen's expo

Private sector delivers seven new arena proposals

Sacramento Harvest Festival celebrates its 35th year

Sac Auto Show called "Wildly Successful"

Mayor Kevin Johnson introduces "Rules of the Game" for new arena

Mayor Kevin Johnson: New arena is a "front-burner" issue

A day in the boots of Sacramento's heroes: Oak Park's Station 6

Four survive dramatic crash

Johnson: city still sees Cal Expo as "option" for Kings

The NEW Cal Expo

Top ten Sacramento environmental stories for 2008