Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "casey kirk"

Steve Miller Band draws fans of all ages to Raley Field

2010-07-21T19:45:58Z

Raley Field was packed with around 6,000 Steven Miller Band fans Saturday night. Some lifelong fans, some who’ve adopted their penchants for classic rock from their parents, and all ready to rock.

"[Steve] put on a good show. I did not start listening to his music until I was in college, which was not too long ago, and it just goes to show how music (and the national debt) can span across generations,” said Ron Rosenberg, who frequents many a concert at Raley Field.

Young, old, and everything in between gathered to welcome Steve Miller Band to Sacramento on its first visit to the region since 2000.

While expectations of the band’ return to Sactown were high, the energy was pretty underwhelming, and the crowd got off to a slow start despite opening with classics like “Jet Airliner” and ”Take the Money and Run.”

Fans were mellow still when songs from their newly-released blues album “Bingo” were sampled, and the cheers and applause seemed like more of a courtesy from the ho-hum crowd.

Fortunately, by the end of the night Miller, and his men picked the energy up a couple notches and classic rock concert antics were in full effect. This might have had something to do with “Space Cowboy,” “Abracadabra,” and, of course, “Joker.”

The unexpected star of the evening was high school freshman and extremely talented Dillon Brown from Corona, Calif., who jammed alongside Miller and his crew for “Fly Like an Eagle” and (after much begging from the crowd) an encore of “Jungle Love.” The crowd went crazy for the talented Brown, who who had no problem keeping up with the band.

Brown is a participant in the “Kids Rock Free” program, establish by the Fender Center.

Miller took the opportunity in between sets to promote the program, which provides free and low-cost musical education to children ages 7 up to 17 and also tell stories about lost guitars and other anecdotes that left the crowd a little lost.

In the end, it seemed like the only thing that drove the crowd mad and made them crazy was the lack of consistent enthusiasm from the band. Better luck next decade?

Photo credit: Michael Althouse, http://overflowstuff.blogspot.com/ and http://25yearplan.blogspot.com

Why did you Run to Feed the Hungry this year?

2009-11-28T21:59:47Z

The Sacramento Press at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services' 2009 Run to Feed the Hungry we and had the pleasure of meeting thousands of run participants that morning. Whether it was to support SFBFS, get exercise, spend time with loved ones, or a combination of all of those reasons, here are some of them. We asked visitors that stopped by our booth to let us know, why did you Run to Feed the Hungry?

Nikki Carlson, Sacramento
"We participated as a way to feel like we gave something back to those who go without during the holidays in our community. It's a small gesture, but it ends up making a big difference! And It made us feel great the whole day!"

Darcy Smith, Sacramento
"To run for a good cause"

Laura Smith, Sacramento
"I did the Run to Feed the Hungry this year because of all of the hardships that people have gone through this year, many people lost their jobs and their homes. It was so great to see how energized and motivated people were to run. It was so much fun!"

Keith Rau, Sacramento
"To be part of a good cause"

Veronica Wogec, Sacramento
"I wanted to contribute to people that have much less than we have. I wanted to also support and encourage my family to continue to support charities and events similar to the 'feed the hungry' run."

Ronald Bariios, Lodi
"Wanted to be with family and had an outrageous fun time!"

Tony Prakash, a member of the CENTURY21 Select Real Estate Inc. California team
"...To do whatever I can to give back to the community. 'Give much gather often." There are many people who have had the worst years of their lives in the recent years. Those of us who can make it a better holiday season for them and their family should do whatever they can to help those in need, that's the ultimate gift of human being; to lend a hand, run for a cause, donate to feed the less fortunate."

Ryan Smith, Roseville
"I did run to feed the hungry to give something back to the community. I have never run for a charity and being Thanksgiving I felt like giving something back. I try and do atleast one good deed on Thanksgiving and what better way then to give back. Plus it was nice to get up early and run, seeing all the people out on the streets cheering was perfect. You couldn't ask for a better race. Being with friends and seeing friends while racing was perfect. Knowing that everyone there contributed something back was a good feeling."

Tonja Field, Rocklin
"I am participating this year because it has become a tradition on Thanksgiving morning to me. This will be my eighth year participating and it goes beyond getting some activity before I stuff myself full of food. I also like the fact that each year it is growing and raising more and more money to feed people who wonder what and when their next meal will be. I am so thankful for knowing I'll never go without food and I hope my small contribution will help someone else be on their way to feeling the same way! I hope to continue this tradition when I have my own family!"

Loverage family, Sacramento
"We came to do a good thing for the people in our community and to run as a family."

Other responses given to us on race day:

"My husband, son and daughter are running and we thought it was a good way to help people"

"I'm a volunteer [for SFBFS] and want to keep doing this until I'm old and fragile."

"To support the food bank. I've been here for 10 to 12 years. I want to support all the good work they do."

"I'm on the cross-country team for Capital Christian and we ran as a team."

"The run was hard but fun. It's a good cause and I'm getting in a great workout before I enjoy Thanksgiving tonight."

"To compete and try to beat my brother!"

"To support a really good local charity and to be part of my community"

"[I] Sporadically came from Hawaii to support Father [Dan] Madigan and his cause."

"I did the run because Thanksgiving has become commercial and about taking and I wanted to give something back."

"I wanted to support a local charity and for my own health and fitness."

"I did cross country and I want to help my time."

"[The run is] something for me to do with my family on Thanksgiving."

"[The run is] a fun thing to do for Thanksgiving and to help the cause."

"It's my first official run and it's a great way to help the community."

"To get involved in the community and give back."

"Biggest motivator was for the cause, a fantastic way to go about it. It's a great event [and] I'm really impressed."

"This is my motivator to get back in shape after the birth of my baby and I might as well do it for a good cause."

"To feed the hungry and I want to start doing more racing, getting in shape and getting a good time..."

"Because I can't race but I'm here to help the food bank. I donate every month. Every dollar I spend counts as $10."

"It's personal to me. My family came from poverty and I have sixteen brothers and sisters. Today we are renting but not in the streets. We donated two turkeys this year."

"To support the community. It's a great cause and a great way to start the day."

"Several reasons; to be in shape, something different on Thanksgiving, and help feed the hungry."

"I like this event so much I am home from [Washington] D.C. just to do the race. Great community feel."

"It's the only way to get my daughter to come visit."

"To share love to all of those I can give back to and for Father Madigan."

"This race goes with thanking like stuffing goes with Turkey."

"I'm here doing something special with my granddaughter that she will always remember."

"A healthy thing to do on Thanksgiving. It's inspiring to see so many people for this cause."

"To help feed the hungry is a great cause and I love doing it."

"To help the Run to Feed the Hungry. It's an annual thing we do together."

"To show my kids some community service."

"We are here today to support the SFBFS."

"i'm here for Dave Kilmer who passed from Lymphoma. We want his family to know we haven't forgotten still."

"It's been a rough year for everybody and it's a great way to help."

"It's my first time and it's a beautiful day. I want to start Thanksgiving off with a good thing."

"It's my first time and it's a great way to give back to the community and SFBFS."

"To give back and be part of something special."

"To help benefit the community and help those who are struggling..."

"To support the SFBFS and do the run with my family."

"To set an example for my children."

"I'm here to give my thanks to God by helping others."

"I used to volunteer and decided to run this year to continue giving."

"For Honors English and because it's Thanksgiving and everyone should have food."

"To help those that are hungry and representing my family to support those in need."

"I love giving to people less fortunate."

"Charity and to burn calories."

Why did you participate in the run? Leave your comments below!

Photos: Ben Ilfeld, COO and co-founder of The Sacramento Press talks to SFBFS on race day, The Sacramento Press RTFTH booth, and team Sacramento Press

2009 Run to Feed the Hungry photos- Part II

2009-11-27T23:51:17Z

Continued from Part 1

As participants near the finish, bystanders cheer them on and hold signs of support and thanks

Kevin Johnson hangs out on the sidelines as participants complete the race

5K runners and walkers finish the final stretch of Run to Feed the Hungry

Supportive onlookers wait for runners to cross the finish line, taken by George Raya

Participants pour Into the end zone of RTFTH, taken by Laura Smith

View from above the sidelines as racers finish, taken by George Raya

10K run participants, taken by Michael Fitzgerald

Voyage Home Loans Team Goodness at the Finish Line (left to right): Bus. Dev. Manager Ryan Lucia, Dir. of Customer Relations Nicholas Lucia, Loan Officers Joe Bria and CEO Josh Harmatz, submitted by Ryan Lucia

Crowds gather and cheer on participants

Thank you to everyone who participated and made the 2009 Run to Feed the Hungry a huge success! Also, a big thank you to everyone who submitted their photos to The Sacramento Press.

2009 Run to Feed the Hungry photos- Part I

2009-11-27T23:28:34Z

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services welcomed around 29,000 participants in their sixteenth annual Run to Feed the Hungry on Thanksgiving Day. Here are a collection of photos taken by The Sacramento Press along with participants' photos from the run submitted to us.

As the sun comes up Thanksgiving morning, trucks set up the time marks along the race route on the CSU, Sacramento campus

SFBFS volunteers prepare the after-party area to re-fuel runners and walkers

Corporate teams/sponsors gather in the crowded VIP tent to have group photos taken

Corporate teams have their team photos taken

Teams fuel up with doughnuts, bananas, coffee, and energy bars provided by SFBFS

A RTFTH supporter had his own unique way of fundraising without running

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and SFBFS President Blake Young welcome runners to the 2009 race from above

Families and friends visit while they wait for the run to begin, taken by Tonja Field

Two of Voyage Home Loans team members: Loan Officer Paul Thomas gives the Run to Feed the Hungry a big thumbs up! Business Manager Ryan Lucia is getting pumped up with pre-race AC/DC, taken by Ryan Lucia

5K participants wait for the race to begin, taken by George Raya

and they're off! The 5K run/walk begins

Men, women and children start on their 5K walk, taken by George Raya

A band provides entertainment for runners and walkers, taken by Tonja Field

The sun was shining as runners ran or walked their way through the scenic route, taken by Rachael Field

A runner gets into the Thanksgiving spirit, taken by Rachael Field

See comment below for link to Part II of the photo series or click on the "Run to Feed the Hungry" storyline at the top of the page

Fashion awards show brings glitz and glamour to Sac

2009-10-05T05:23:41Z

Sacramentans were given a taste of glamor and high fashion rarely seen in our city on Friday night.

The 2009 Capital Fashion Awards were held at The Park Ultra Lounge, where the nightclub was transformed into a runway showing off fall collections for Sacramento's top designers.

"There are so many other events for different genres but not any for fashion ... so we decided to do something different," said Richard Hallmarq, a local designer who coordinated the event along with six others from the local beauty and fashion industries.

The group got together and chose 13 judges that work in the local fashion, beauty and media industries. The judges were given paper ballots with each category and the nominees, and were encouraged to do their own research to make their decisions.

The public knew little about the show in the days leading up to the event, except that there was an awards show. Hallmarq's main goal for the evening was to bring the community together and shine a much-needed spotlight on the immense talent in Sacramento.

"I don't care if I win or lose, I'm just happy to be a part of it," Hallmarq, who was nominated for an award himself, said. "It's a way to recognize people in the community."

The evening was star-studded, with presenters like Jonathan Waud ("Make Me a Supermodel"), Merlin Castell ("The Fashion Show"), decorator Bobby Trendy, and Naima Mora and Caridee English ("America's Next Top Model") popping in throughout the show.

"I am elated to be in the state capital!" Trendy gushed before the show. "It's kind of like an Emmy award but without the Emmy!"

Local "stars" also made appearances and presented awards. Rachel and Sarah Campbell of TwinSoup.com, Sactown Magazine's Elyssa Lee, Marci Landgraf of Muse Salon and Hair Boutique, and The Sacramento Bee's Leigh Grogan all took the stage.

Sacramento's more well-known designers, Lauren Oto, Mercedes Ben, Dee Aguilar, Alexandria von Bromssen and Monte Christo all showed off their new fall and winter lines to the packed audience, who barely had standing room.

Dee Aguilar's line ran wild with everything from chiffon, shimmers and fur hoods going down the runway.

Mercedes Ben, of Benzo Couture, showed off spandex leggings, sequins, and fun takes on the classic, body-hugging "little black dress." Ben also got a head start on holiday party dresses, with wine-colored chiffon and creatively-silhouetted neutral-colored dresses.

Judging from the oohing and aahing, the audience was more than pleased with what they saw.

Mora, winner of the fourth season of America's Next Top Model, hosted the show and was more than happy to be involved. "Richard and I have been friends for a long time so when he asked me [to host] I of course said yes," she said.

When asked how Sacramento compares to other cities in terms of fashion, Mora said, "I like to look at each place individually. Every place I've been has something individual to offer and all of the designers [involved in the show] are gracious, endearing and wonderful. They have an extreme amount of talent."

Despite the big names, Hallmarq intentionally kept the ticket prices at a low $10 in advance so that everyone in the community could afford to come if they wanted to.

The show got a huge amount of support, with makeup by MAC cosmetics, models from Cast Images Talent Agency and hair by Strands Salon and Spa.

"It was hard in the beginning to get buy-in and support but once it got rolling not one person said 'No,'" Hallmarq said.

He says that he plans to make the awards show an annual event and hopes to bring in even more names and include even more of the community at a larger venue next year.

Capital Air Show honors and excites

2009-09-15T03:17:52Z

As part of Air Force Week, the California Capital Air Show invaded Mather Airport over the weekend for two days of power and patriotism.

"It is an exclusive honor to be selected to host Air Force Week and we are one of the only civilian airshows in the country to do so with our partners Travis Air Force Base and Beale," said Abby Lacheur, the "air-tern" (intern) to California Capital Air Show executive director.

When the air show first began five years ago, it consisted of only static displays of aircraft. Throughout the past few years, organizers added actual air demonstrations and it has since grown to the massive event it is today.

The audience of around 100,000 people per day was treated to demonstrations by two jet teams, the United States Air Force Thunderbirds and The Patriots. Attendees were also treated to aerobatic performer Gene "Mr. Airshow" Soucy, wing-walker stuntwoman Teresa Stokes, and demos by the prestigious and rarely seen F-22 Raptor.

The Raptor, known for its precise maneuvering skills and war-fighting abilities, is a component of the Global Strike Task Force and gave the audience an eyeful of sharp turns and unbelievable rolls that made the 43,340-pound jet look almost weightless.

While the majority of jets performing throughout the weekend were part of service flight teams, the Jelly Belly plane and the GEICO Extra 300, were navigated by civilian pilots.

The highly anticipated Patriots, three of whom used to be Thunderbirds, flew their team of four L-39 jets midway through the show. In true American spirit, the jets had colored red, white and blue smoke billowing from them. On Saturday, the flight team took a prospective addition to their crew up in the air to test his flying skills.

One of the main highlights of this year's show and a more somber moment in the midst of the performances was the "Heritage" tribute flight by the F-22 Raptor, P-51 Mustang and F-86. Performed in honor of the Air Force's 50th birthday in 1997, the flight was dedicated in appreciation of the soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines serving our country as well as the many veterans who were in the audience throughout the weekend.

"On top of the airshow being a fun event for the family, it is also a chance for us to show appreciation to the military and armed forces that ensure freedom that we sometimes take for granted," Lacheur said.

Continuing the theme of patriotism, the Thunderbirds dedicated their performance to the nation's deployed airmen.

The final team to perform, The Thunderbirds gave a jaw-dropping performance with impressive maneuvers like the "Delta Formation," where six jets rolled simultaneously through the air with their wings mere feet from each other.

The elite Thunderbirds team is world reknowned for their precision, reflected both on the ground and in the air. Every minute detail is performed in sync with one another, from removing the chock blocks from the planes' wheels to navigating the planes through the skies. Pilot of Thunderbird 8, Major Tony Mulhare, narrated the carefully choreographed flight demos as the crowd watched in awe as the jets stole the show.

In addition to the show in the sky, attendees were invited to tour the interiors of Air Force C-17A, Coast Guard C-130 and U-2 Dragon Lady Spyplane. Flight simulators were set up so that people could realistically feel what it's like to navigate the skies in a jet, and pilots were on hand at each display to visit with their fans and sign autographs.

Lacheur said this year's show was bigger and better than any of the previous years' shows. "The most exciting thing is having eight decades of aviation on a single runway for people to touch and feel..." she said.

Air Show is big business by Suzanne Hurt

Capital Air Show gearing up for you by Ed Fogle

To see the complete album of the Capital Air Show photos, click here. Check back for more.

Photos taken by Maverick Photographers: Kirk Davies, Fred Jennings, George Murray, Dottie Cashero, Ed Fogle

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 .

Krazy Mary's will combine fashion, awareness

2009-07-29T04:46:31Z

Krazy Mary's Boutique is bringing fashion and philanthropy together this weekend.

This Saturday, Aug. 1, from 3 until 8 p.m. the ladies of the trendy boutique and its sister store Sugar Shack will be hosting an awareness and pre-sale event to help bring attention to the popular eco-friendly shoe line's charitable efforts.

Started in 2006, the TOMS footwear line began when founder Blake Mycoskie visited Argentina and was struck by the amount of people who didn't have something that many people take for granted: shoes. He decided to redesign the "alpargatas," the flat moccasin-like shoes typically worn by locals, and started his "One for One" program that donates one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased.

Since the program began, TOMS has donated more than 140,000 shoes to children in countries like Argentina and Africa during their shoes drop tours. Sacramentans will have a chance to contribute to the next one in Argentina, scheduled for September.

Debbie Millanova, a sales associate at Krazy Mary's and the main coordinator for the event, said that the event is important to the boutique not only to meet the recent high-demand of the shoes but because it is for such a good cause.

The shoes normally range from $40 to $70 and are available in a variety of colors and fabrics. Rope, canvas, rubber, hemp are just some of the materials used to design the shoes.

The boutiques began carrying the footwear since fall of last year but experienced dismal sales until TOMS began receiving more public recognition. The shoes have recently been splashed across the pages of fashion magazines, and Mycoskie is currently featured in an AT&T commerical praising the company for their service that helps him do his job.

Seven new styles of the footwear will be brought in for Saturday's event and shoppers will be able to pre-order styles from the not-yet-seen fall collection. While the boutique normally only carries the women's lines, they will be pre-selling and showing men's designs for the first time, after receiving many calls from customers searching for them in the past few months.

A fashion show, with makeup and hair done by Sacramento's Moxy Hair salon, will incorporate the shoes, and DJ Roger will be spinning indi-pop beats throughout the evening. As a reminder that the event is about more than just fancy footwear, a TOMS promotional video explaining the company will be played during the event.

A TOMS rep will be on hand to answer questions about the shoes and the company, and after the fashion show a raffle will be held to giveaway TOMS t-shirts.To beat the heat, ice cold lemonade and fresh fruit will be served to shoppers.

TOMS shoes are also carried at Madame Butterfly in the Pavilions shopping center in Sacramento. Whole Foods Markets sells an exclusive line of TOMS, which are made of hemp and other non-leather materials. The TOMS line also offers childrens shoes, called Tiny TOMS, which can purchased on their website at www.tomsshoes.com.

To learn more about the company and find out how to get involved, watch the TOMS story

Krazy Mary's is located at 2527 J St.

Image of Krazy Mary's current TOMS window display, courtesy of Krazy Mary's

Sirens sizzle at anniversary cabaret show

2009-07-28T04:08:00Z

Sacramento’s Sizzling Sirens heated up Shady Lady Saloon Sunday night.

For their one-year anniversary show, the six-person burlesque troupe took the stage for an hour and a half of flirtatious numbers and plenty of naughtiness.

Attendees, who were encouraged to dress in '20s-themed attire, were decked out in suspenders, fedoras, sequined flapper dresses, pearls and pin curl. The bar's authentic saloon decor was more than fitting for
a Cabaret show.

The celebration started at 9 p.m., and a sexy jazz performance by The Harley White Jr. Orchestra set the sultry mood for the evening, further set by the Saloon's dim lighting. The spotlight went to the corner stage, where the sirens took turns tantalizing the audience.

As soon as the girls began writhing and wiggling their bodies to tunes of jazz and blues hits, the bar quickly filled to maximum capacity, with many of the male clientele positioning themselves feet away from the stage.

The dancers took turns putting on both solo and duet performances, using props like chairs and feather boas while they tantalized the audience.

Their scanty clothing became props as well, as the girls used their corsets, pearls, elbow-high gloves, garters and lingerie decorated with lace and bows as yet another way to tease the audience while they peeled away layers of clothing and accessories.

In between the ten sets, emcee duo The Freebadge Serenaders, a jazz duo, entertained the audience with wisecracks pertaining to the evening and revved the crowd up for the next striptease. Not much revving up was needed however, as the audience gladly whistled and hollered appreciatively with every unbuttoning of a corset and removal of a fishnet stocking.

The siren team for the evening was made up of Lorelai Love, Ava Aurore, Alex Digitalis, Shauni Fatale, Jay Siren (instructor of the group) and Lucinda Buttons.

Love serenaded the audience with velvety blues hits from previous decades like “W.O.M.A.N.” by Etta James and “Love me Like a Man” by Bonnie Rait.

A halftime show performance by the Serenaders included what they called “the least sexiest instruments alive: the banjo and the washboard.”

Raffle tickets, sold for $5, gave audience members the chance to win gift certificates to Shady Lady, Isabella Corsetry, Muse Salon and dance lessons at The Firehouse 5.

The cabaret-themed party continued until around 2 a.m. while guests listened to jazz, sipped on handmade cocktails from the bar and checked out the sexy Sirens while they mingled.

In the past year the Sirens have graced the stages of many Sacramento venues, including Press Club, Badlands, Parlare and The Park Ultra Lounge for the annual Hair Wars competition. Next up for the girls is the “We wash. You watch.” fundraiser car wash Aug. 8 at Suzie Burger. They will give an eyeful while they give scrub-downs to bikes, cars and mopeds.

The Sizzling Sirens host burlesque fusion dance classes at Midtown’s The Firehouse 5 every Sunday and also offer private and group lessons. For more information, visit The Sizzling Siren's website.

All images taken by Anthony Bento

UDA Design Dialogue: Community garden challenges

2009-07-24T03:17:18Z

On Wednesday night around 40 urban agriculture advocates, gardeners and Sacramento residents gathered at the Sacramento chapter of the American Institute of Architects to discuss a subject that has been on many Sacramentans' minds lately.

This month's topic for the 4th Wednesday Urban Design Alliance (UDA) Design Dialogue was "Design Challenges in Urban Agriculture." Those who attended were divided into groups for an interactive workshop that involved designing a faux-garden despite a list of challenges given to them. While mulling over the different scenarios and solutions, participants snacked on fresh fruits provided by Soil Born farm, appropriate fare given the night's theme.

Bill Maynard, of the Sacramento Area Community Garden Coalition, opened the lecture with his own thoughts about urban agriculture and discussed several community gardens he believes are good models. He reminded the attendees that two goals of community gardens are edibility/sustainability and visual appeal. A facilitator sat in on each table to guide the 20 minutes they were given to discuss and sketch their designs.

The group that I sat in on was given the task of creating a vegetable garden in a 20-foot by 330-foot alley along a residential and commercial block. Some of the challenges they faced were the alley being paved with concrete, the need for automobile and garbage collection access throughout the alley and a possible need for topsoil in raised beds for sunlight. They were reminded to use sustainable gardening practices such as using rain runoff, selecting appropriate plants and food crops and pest management while also focusing on the visual aspects of the garden.

In response to the various challenges, the team came up with several ideas that would work in an actual community garden given the same scenario. Members decided to make the garden a communal one so that everyone could share in the vegetables. Containers would be placed along the edges at different points so that they would be raised enough to receive sunlight and would stay clear of any cars or service vehicles that might need access. Seasonal vegetables would be planted as well as trees to provide shade. Trellises would be positioned across the top for even more planting opportunities, and vacant lots along the edges of the alley would be used for tool storage and sitting areas. To ensure visual appeal, flowers would be included throughout the garden, and artwork would be placed at both ends. Lastly, water containers would catch rain runoff and double as both a water source and decorative art atop roofs.

After 20 minutes, variations of those solutions were reflected in the other groups' presentations. Other garden types that were designed during the workshop included a temporary community garden, a Fab-40s front yard garden, a vacant lot used by a chef, a lawn with a giant tree in the center, a school garden and rooftop garden. Solutions to design challenges included raised ponds for drainage, drought-tolerant herbs, turning a large industrial building wall into an art mural and installing water sources for easy relocation, among many others.

Maynard commended the groups, most of them made up of team members who have never been involved in community gardening and noted that many of the ideas the participants came up with are actually used in community gardens across the nation.

Before the gathering came to a close, the UDA leaders reviewed results of surveys that were handed out at the beginning of the meeting, which doubled as a lesson in California's urban agriculture. Survey takers were asked how many farms are in the state (75,000), if growing veggies in front yards is illegal (it's not) and if water use for gardening is regulated in Sacramento (only the hours are). In addition, they were asked to guess the second and third states in the United States that produce the most agriculture, with California being the first. Some were surprised to learn that Iowa came in third, after Texas.

In closing, Maynard encouraged the audience to think outside the box when it comes to designing urban agriculture spaces and pointed out that the Sacramento region requires considerations such as a lack of rain in the summer months.

Of special importance, he also reminded attendees that August is National Community Garden Awareness Month. To help out on several community garden projects Maynard has planned for the month, contact him at saccg@ulink.net.

For more information about community gardening, visit the Sacramento Area Community Garden Coalition