September is Amtrak California’s rail safety month. Board members, Caltrans employees, and Senator Carol Liu spoke Thursday at the California State Railroad Museum about California’s rail safety statistics and the future of rail safety. California has the most railroad fatalities annually in the nation, and has the second most incidents of trespassing. “Since 2008, 300 people have been killed in railroad accidents just in California,” said Caltrans Chief Deputy Director Richard Land. “Our belief is that tragic incidents like these can be stopped.” September was dedicated rail safety month in 2009 when California passed resolution No. 10, a bill promoting education of railroad hazards i

Midtown Deli is expected to open next week at the Alexan Midtown complex. Subcontractor Butch Plank came up with the idea to open an upscale deli when working at the apartment complex while it was under construction in 2009 at the northeast corner of Alhambra Boulevard and S Street. He plans to have a soft opening Monday and Tuesday, followed by a grand opening Wednesday. Plank had a hard time finding sit-down restaurants nearby as he installed all the doors on 275 apartments at the site, which sits across from the California Department of Transportation. The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, which is kitty-corner from the apartment complex, also has a deli with a dining area. But Plank

The R Street improvements currently under construction from 10th to 13th streets are getting a few more amenities, as construction left extra funds in an approximately $1 million $1.5 million federal grant allocated to the project. The City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to approve 13 more pedestrian benches, 13 banners affixed to streetlights and a decorative arch that spans R Street at 10th Street and a pedestrian arch over the sidewalk on 12th Street and R Street, to be constructed by Teichert Construction, the main contractor for the project. “This will be the icing on the cake to R street and will make the area more pedestrian-friendly,” Sacramento Department of Transportation sp

Bridge maintenance difficulties abundant in Sacramento It’s no secret to the daily drivers in the Sacramento region that our local roads, freeways and even bridges have some less-than-perfect driving conditions. Any observant motorist can attest to this fact with their own experiences of avoiding potholes, deciphering sometimes illegible road markings, and bracing for strong bumps when crossing gaps between roadway segments. What may surprise you, however, is the staggering amount of data freely available to the public which, when drawn together, paints a dire portrait for the future of Sacramento roads. In a nutshell: There are many existing problems we know about, not enough money to p

One of Sacramento’s iconic landmarks, Tower Bridge, celebrates its 75th anniversary Wednesday. At its inauguration on Dec. 15, 1935, the opening was heralded with the release of about 100 homing pigeons, who carried the news throughout the state. Although it’s now a lot easier to spread news, Caltrans spokesman Mike Dinger said the bridge operates with the same basic equipment it has for the past three quarters of a century. “We’ve made some upgrades for safety, but it’s almost all the original equipment,” he said. Bridge construction began in July of 1934, using some of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal funds for the project, which was estimated to cost $700,000. The final price

Monday, Sept. 26 5:30 - 9 p.m The California State Library will be holding a reception at the Fragrance Garden in celebration of adding original manuscripts from Miguel Hildalgo y Costilla to the library collection. About 300 people are expected. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Caltrans will be filming a video for Disability Diversity Awareness Month around Capitol Park. At least 49 people are expected. Tuesday, Sept. 27 9-9:30 a.m. The Latino Partnership begins its statewide bus campaign tour from the West Steps of the Capitol. About 35 people are expected.

11 a.m. - 3p.m. Caltrans is hosting its annual Workers Memorial on the west steps of the Capitol. The memorial will honor workers who died in the line of duty while fixing signs and potholes, working on highways and other transportation-related jobs. Business, Transportation and Housing Secretary Dale E. Bonner will be at the memorial along with people from Caltrans and the Office of Traffic Safety. It is expected to be an emotional and moving event. About 800 people are expected to attend. 2-3 p.m. The California State PTA (California Congress of Parents, Teachers, and Students, Inc.) is holding a Rally for the Children on the north steps of the Capitol. The rally is part of the PTA's

 9-11 a.m. Caltrans is hosting the Annual Litter Day on the south steps of the Capitol. The event is part of the statewide Don't Trash California campaign, and the main part of the event starts at 10 a.m. There will be speakers from Caltrans and the CHP to raise awareness of the problem of littering. Afterward, officials from Caltrans will be going to Interstate 5 to pick up litter. About 200 people are expected to attend.    

As someone who enjoys fun and festive community events, I am more than happy to report on one of the best events in the area that took place over the weekend, the Black Expo. This was my second visit to the annual expo, which is held during Black History Month and provides a means of networking and showcasing the best of black business and culture. I was eager to see what had changed between last year and this. I heard from some who can remember the expo's past, and it is heartening to learn that it has come a long way since it began 14 years ago. No longer an obscure event with little fanfare or sponsorship, the Black Expo welcomed thousands of people over the weekend. More than 100 spo

 A greener locomotive will make its official California debut in Sacramento Wednesday. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will present the locomotive during a press conference at the Sacramento Valley Rail Station, which holds a prestigious spot in railroad history as the western starting point for the Transcontinental Railroad. Caltrans and Amtrak are partners operating "Amtrak California." Caltrans owns this locomotive, plus 16 others and 88 train cars. Amtrak operates the trains and stations. The first in the Amtrak California passenger fleet, the locomotive has been upgraded to operate using the cleanest diesel technology available for train engines. “This is r

Tony Pineea and his four sons got a big shock when a deer landed in their windshield. Tony Pineea was traveling North on Highway 160 out of downtown Sacramento Tuesday morning with his four sons when a deer emerged from the light rail area adjacent to the highway and jumped in front of their pickup truck at the Del Paso exit. The deer hit so hard in the windshield area that the windshield broke through and collapsed in. The driver only sustained very minor injuries and refused transport to the hospital. Per Pineea, his sons were seatbelted and uninjured. The deer did attempt to run off, however it was too severely injured. An on scene CHP officer had to euthanize the deer on site to end

On Thursday night, Sacramento's Preservation Commission held a special meeting to review plans to expand and refurbish Sacramento's historic passenger depot. The depot's environmental impact report includes two alternatives: a "move the depot" option that would involve rolling the historic building 400 feet north to meet the new track alignment, or a "don't move the depot" option that would build an expanded station between the current depot and the new track alignment. The commission was asked to provide their recommendation to City Council as to whether the city should move the station or not. Union Pacific's railroad tracks adjacent to the depot currently form a sharp S-curve that limi

 On Wednesday, May 14, Hot Italian gave out free slices of pizza. On Sunday, May 17, Chipotle gave out free burritos during a four-hour period. And through the end of the month, Lucca Restaurant and Bar is giving out dessert with a purchase of any entree and Morgan's Bar & Grill will be selling Pabst Blue Ribbon for only a buck and pitchers for $5. But wait...there's a catch. All of these offers are only valid if you arrive at the eatery or bar via bicycle. As part of Bike Month, local businesses have come together to encourage riding on two wheels instead of driving on four. The month is about to end but cyclists still have a chance to don their helmets and partake in the festivities; o