Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "community"

Soul of the City!

2012-02-10T02:55:57Z

New for 2012!! Soul of the City is an engaging dialogue series between the public and the design profession on issues of importance to the community and the region with focus on improving communication, understanding and collaboration (formerly known as the 4th Wednesday Design Dialogue series). Organized by the AIA Central Valley Chapter and the ASLA California Sierra Chapter, the dialogues are listed below for the year and the topics have come directly from the public and the profession from one of our dialogues last year. We look forward to seeing everyone again this year for some engaging conversation! See you at the first dialogue on February 29th, where we will kick-off the series talking about what the Soul of Sacramento is...

FREE ADMISSION!

5:45PM – 7:30PM at the AIACV Gallery: 1400 S Street, Sacramento 95811

Soul of the City Dates and Topics:
February 29th ~ The Soul of Sacramento
What is it? Where is it? Let’s find it and celebrate it! Join us for an introduction to Soul of the City!
Facilitators: Kim Alexander of the California Voter Foundation, Saxon Sigerson, AIA and Jason Silva, AIA

April 25th ~ Urban Open Space
What makes a good place to visit in the urban environment? Where are the best places in our region? Join us for this lively discussion about where it is and where to find it.
Facilitators: Peter Larimer, ASLA and Marq Truscott, FASLA

June 27th ~ Street Food in the City
Appetite on the Run! A discussion on street food and its impact on Sacramento.
Facilitators: Costa Apostolos of Sacto MoFO and writes on, Living in Urban Sac and Catherine Enfield, a food truck advocate who’s written many articles on the subject, founding member of Sacto MoFo, and now has http://www.sacfoodtrucks.net
Food trucks will be present for you to enjoy!

October (Dates to be posted on Facebook):
Urban Agriculture
The best restaurants in town have long preferred local source food, and the public appetite for it has increased steadily. Come to discuss the spectrum of urban agriculture, from edible front yards and urban farming community gardens.
Facilitators: Bill Maynard, City of Sacramento Community Garden Program Coordinator, Claire Napawan, Assistant Professor, Landscape Architecture at UC Davis and Marq Truscott, FASLA

Infill: How to balance the old with the new
A discussion of creating the new in traditonal neighborhoods; balancing respect, sustainably design opportunity and individuality
Facilitators: Bruce Monighan, AIA and Craig Hausman, AIA

Click for flyer
Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SacSoul2012
or for more info email Chris Brown at cbrown@dlrgroup.com

Disclosure: Chris Brown, Associate AIA, Co-chair of the Soul of the City Dialogues with the AIA Central Valley Chapter

U.S. Transportation Secretary checks out intermodal facility

2012-02-10T01:44:17Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson toured the downtown railyards with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Thursday, showing off the site of the future intermodal facility and – if all goes well for Johnson and the Think Big Committee – the site of a new entertainment and sports complex.

LaHood stopped in Sacramento on a tour of California to discuss investments being made in job-creating infrastructure projects in Sacramento and around the country, according to a press release Tuesday.

LaHood spoke to a crowd of more than 50, discussing the importance of high-speed rail in California, as well as job potential from the future intermodal facility.

“This facility is what I believe is a national model for a transit-oriented development opportunity,” LaHood said. “(It will) not only create jobs for people in Sacramento, but create an opportunity to be a magnet – to draw people to a part of the city that many people never thought would be usable.”

Johnson said Thursday that the 245-acre downtown railyards will be home to “two crucial hubs” in one location: the intermodal facility and the entertainment and sports complex.

“We believe this will be one of the busiest intermodal hubs in the country,” Johnson said. “It gets at two things at once: transportation and economic development.”

The intermodal facility will be a transit center that will provide connections between nearly all modes of transportation: bicycle, pedestrian, bus, light rail, taxi and train, according to the city website.

Work on the first phase of the transit project began in May and is expected to be complete by the end of 2013.

The entertainment and sports complex is expected to generate more than $7 billion in economic activity over 30 years and nearly 4,000 jobs to the region, according to the Think Big Sacramento website.

“We believe the entertainment and sports complex is a game-changer for this community,” Johnson said.

“We’re talking about a project that will bring 3 million people to downtown. (We’re talking about) a project that will double the size of downtown and will bring $154 million in additional revenue to our region,” he added.

If a financing plan is worked out before the March 1 relocation deadline and the project comes to fruition, it will be a 700,000-square-foot complex in the southern section of the railyards.

Representatives from the Think Big Committee planned to unveil the newest artist renderings of the entertainment and sports complex at Thursday’s event, but the plan changed at the last minute.

“(The renderings) just weren’t as perfect as we’d wanted them to be,” said Kunal Merchant, Johnson’s chief of staff.

“Really, though, people aren’t as interested in what it will look like right now,” Merchant added, “they just want to know how we’re going to pay for it. That’s the priority.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Del Paso Boulevard is not Del Paso Heights

2012-02-09T03:51:47Z

There are many places in Sacramento city and county where a long roadway travels through numerous neighborhoods: Fair Oaks Boulevard, Watt Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard, for starters.

When the street name is very close to the neighborhood name – such as Del Paso Boulevard and Del Paso Heights – people unfamiliar with the area often confuse the road and the neighborhood.

Sacramentans take pride in their neighborhoods and, since the reputation of one neighborhood is not always carried on the roadway to the next, that confusion can get on a resident’s nerves pretty fast.

For example, a commenter on a recent Sacramento Press article about road improvements along Del Paso Boulevard had this to say after seeing a reference to Del Paso Heights in the article:

“The neighborhood that is affected by these changes is Woodlake, not Del Paso Heights. Why do journalists at Sac Press and the Bee constantly think that anything on Del Paso Blvd = Del Paso Heights? Del Paso Heights does not begin until much farther North,” Natalie Kuffel said Monday.

The ire is understandable – Del Paso Heights isn’t located on or adjacent to Del Paso Boulevard, and the nuances of Woodlake and Del Paso Heights are significantly different.

“It’s very confusing, and a lot of people think that they are the same,” said Jerry Kinglsey, president of the Woodlake Neighborhood Association.

Woodlake, as described by Kingsley, is a “nice, quiet community, secluded with lots of old trees.”

The community was established in 1924, and most of the Woodlake community was built in the early ‘30s, Kingsley said Wednesday. Some of the newer homes were built in the 1950s.

“There are people in Woodlake that were born there and raised their children and grandchildren there,” Kingsley said.

The neighborhood is known for its large, older homes and tree-lined streets, Kingsley said.

Woodlake is bound by Arden Way to the north, Hwy 160 to the south, Royal Oaks Drive to the east and Del Paso Boulevard to the west.

Del Paso Heights, on the other hand, is located about four miles north of Woodlake – and the neighborhood begins well past the point on Del Paso Boulevard where the road splits off to become Marysville Boulevard, Kingsley said.

Del Paso Heights is bound by Interstate 80 to the north, the Arcade Creek levee to the south, Marysville Boulevard to the east and Norwood Avenue to the west.

“It all started as part of the Rancho Del Paso land grant,” said Sondra Betancourt, lifelong resident and president of the Ben Ali Neighborhood Association.

Del Paso Heights is also an older neighborhood, and it was predominately a blue-collar/white-collar neighborhood, that "typified the hopes and desires and values of middle-class America of the 1950’s," added Brent Scott, a former Del Paso Heights resident.

“Over time, with use, the familiarity with the first two words become an all-encompassing term,” Betancourt said. “People have a common misconception that anything near Del Paso Heights is Del Paso Heights, but they don’t have any idea of what the map really looks like.”

Del Paso Boulevard travels through multiple neighborhoods after Woodlake – including Old North Sacramento, South Hagginwood and Hagginwood – before ultimately arriving in East Del Paso Heights.

“What most people think of as Del Paso Boulevard – with the art galleries and the finer restaurants – that is Old North Sacramento, which is close to Woodlake,” Betancourt said.

One of the key landmarks in “true Del Paso Heights,” according to Betancourt, is the Urban League building on Marysville Boulevard.

Del Paso Boulevard – the roadway – has been undergoing some transformations lately with streetscape improvements and business development along the corridor.

Meanwhile, Del Paso Heights – the neighborhood – could use some similar improvements, said Fran Barker, president of the Del Paso Heights Improvement Association Monday.

“The streets need lights for safety,” Barker said. “With crime the way it is, the city needs to consider safety projects first.”

Del Paso Boulevard is not Del Paso Heights – it's much more, and residents in the communities along that roadway would likely agree.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Major League Baseball returns to Sacramento in March

2012-02-09T01:10:39Z

Before the Sacramento River Cats begin the 2012 season in defense of their 10th division title in 12 years, one of the most successful American professional sports franchises will host one of Major League Baseball's most storied champions.

For the first time in half a decade Major League Baseball will be played in Sacramento as the River Cats host their parent affiliate Oakland Athletics on March 31, 2012. Following a successful 2011 season, in which Sacramento won its 10th Pacific Coast League South Division title, the River Cats kick off the 2012 season against some familiar faces who have found success at the Major League level.

The River Cats will host the four-time World Series champion Oakland A's for a fifth time – the first four were sellouts – at Raley Field in West Sacramento.

Since moving to Sacramento in 2000, the River Cats have been one of Minor League Baseball's most successful franchises – winning two Triple-A Championships (2007, 2008), four PCL Championships (2003, 2004, 2007, 2008) and drawing more fans than any other Minor League team over the past 12 seasons.

The roster of former Sacramento River Cats who had successful careers with the A's and the rest of Major League Baseball is an elite one.

Sacramento has graduated more than 200 players to the Majors, including 2002 Cy Young Award Winner Barry Zito, 2002 American League Rookie of the Year Eric Hinske and Dallas Braden, who famously pitched the 19th perfect game in MLB history for the A's on May 9, 2010.Braden, pitcher Brett Anderson, shortstop Cliff Pennington, catcher Kurt Suzuki and second baseman Jemile Weeks are among current A’s players who passed through Raley Field.

The March 31 exhibition game will be the first time a Major League team has played in Sacramento since the River Cats last hosted the A's in 2007. In 12 years, Raley Field has hosted eight Major League games – four between the River Cats and A's (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007), twice against the San Diego Padres in 2001 and the Colorado Rockies in 2004.

The A's will hit the bags at Raley Field against the River Cats just two days after a five-game tour through Japan.

For more information visit www.RiverCats.com/Oakland

Disclosure: Brett Ransford is a Media Relations intern with the Sacramento River Cats.

Trash Film Orgy fundraising event

2012-02-08T07:30:37Z

Sacramento’s Trash Film Orgy Productions (TFO) is preparing to make a new feature film this spring. In an effort to bring the film to the big screen, TFO will hold a kickoff fundraising event this Friday, February 10 at Sacramento’s On the Y.

TFO is a Sacramento-based film production company that specializes in creating high quality, low budget horror films. TFP also produces the annual Trash Film Orgy Midnight Movie Film Festival. The Crest Theatre has been home to the event since 2001.

Friday’s Super-Special Fundraiser Show will feature a special screening of TFO’s hit, “Monster from Bikini Beach.” The film, shot in Sacramento, includes clips of several Sacramento landmarks.

The 2008 film is an entertaining carnage and mayhem B-movie meant for an over 21 crowd. The movie combines B-movie elements of other beach party films such as “Beach Blanket Bingo,” 1950’s monster movies, slasher type elements and some awesome humor to bring a truly amusing local indie film to the screen.

The monster lives in the river banks and caves of Camaroville and comes out in search of bikini-clad beauties. Elsewhere in Camaroville, a nightclub go-go contest takes place, a crooked cop and mobsters try to fix a drug deal gone wrong while a local news team looks into the current crime wave.

TFO Productions continues to bring fun events to various Sacramento sites giving audiences a chance to participate in different contests and entertainment. The TFO team of Darin Wood, Christy Savage and Amy Slockbower understand what local fans want and strive to bring that type of entertainment to town. TFO is also commonly credited with inventing the ever-growing Zombie Walk in 2001.

The Pyronauts were featured in the movie and will be playing live music on Friday night. A go-go dance-a-thon will be part of the evening’s fun events as well. As usual, when a TFO event is brought to the Sacramento stage, audience participation will be encouraged.

The go-go dance-a-thon will give participants a chance to win some exciting prizes and a go-go queen will be crowned.

Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show begins at 9. Tickets are $10 and the event is for the 21 and over crowd. Monster drink specials will be featured and will include live drinking games and Bikini Beach Bingo. Proceeds from the event will go towards TFO’s new movie production.

Come to On the Y, located at 670 Fulton Avenue, and partake in the screening of Monster from Bikini Beach. Enjoy an evening of fun, dance, live music and entertainment while supporting TFO’s next film.

The Sacramento Press is hiring: Reporter interns

2012-02-06T20:24:20Z

We are currently seeking highly motivated reporter interns to cover local stories in our community.

Your Role:
As an intern at the Sacramento Press, you will be a huge part of our day-to-day success. Function as a writer and cover local beats. Explore a variety of story types – profiles, sports and event coverage, reviews, press conferences and more. Meet story deadlines and generate story ideas. Be a resource for our other writers, encourage and recruit. Form and cultivate relationships with local businesses, clubs, and resource providers (PIOs, librarians, ombudsmen, historians). You will be armed with the resources (digital cameras, voice recorders, professional photographers) to do on-the-scene reporting and really fine-tune your journalism skills. Most of all, this is an opportunity to be creative and find new stories to tell and identify the people who can best follow those stories.

In addition to writing and editing, build skills to:

Create videos that tell stories
Learn how journalists use Twitter
Better understand your audience
Dialogue directly with your audience

These are the skills you will need to be successful in a changing media climate.

Hours
This position is 15-20 hours per week for 15 weeks. If you are a CSUS student you can earn 3 units of credit, per the guidelines for approved CSUS internships. UC students can also earn units for completing the internship. This is an unpaid position.

Location:

Downtown Sacramento

How to Apply:
To apply for this position, send your resume, cover letter and up to three relevant writing samples to colleen@sacramentopress.com.

The Sacramento Press is hiring: Sales, Marketing and Advertising intern

2012-02-06T20:22:44Z

We are seeking a highly motivated Sales, Marketing and Advertising Intern. The successful candidate will assist the Department with various projects and tasks that will give them a well-rounded understanding of business operations.

Your Role:

Distribute marketing materials for Sacramento Press and clients
Coordinate advertising efforts and help design email campaigns for prospective clients
Research thoroughly via the internet for information to create effective marketing plans for clients’ businesses
Compile leads from online and other listings and add them in a database
Assist with client management by making sure our clients receive the highest level of sales and operational customer service
Attend local events to build accounts, including weekend and evening events on occasion
Assist with the creation of persuasive sales presentations using market trends, creative ideas and The Sacramento Press analytics
Assist with the development of cutting edge marketing and advertising campaigns for clients
Perform various administrative tasks for the department as needed

Job Requirements:

Strong interpersonal skills, excellent writing skills, ability to prioritize assignments and multi-task, attention to details, and the ability to work independently. Graphic Design skills a huge bonus (Creative Suite Mac).

Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Business Administration and other related majors are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply:

Send a cover letter and resume to: dina.neils@sacramentopress.com

The Sacramento Press is hiring: Social Media intern

2012-02-06T20:22:03Z

We are currently seeking a highly motivated social media intern for Agency M at The Sacramento Press.

About the position:

The Social Media Intern will have a large role in maintaining and updating our clients' social media accounts, gathering data for regular reports, and helping with strategy. You will be expected to understand the in's and out's of every social media platform we use, and be able to think strategically and apply that understanding.

You are the ideal candidate if you can work independently and as a team member, if you have the drive to go above and beyond what you've been asked, you are creative and love to write, you are "social", you are constantly exploring new possibilities, you are an excellent researcher and you are very responsible.

Your responsibilities will include:

Maintaining and updating client social media accounts
Crafting original content for distribution on client's social media platforms
Live streaming video, tweeting and posting photos at local events
Promoting events on all event sites and across all social media platforms
Gathering data and creating monthly reports for each client
Working with clients to meet their expectations
Photo and video editing

This is a 16-week internship. We want to see you in the office 10 hours a week plus occasional events.

Please apply with the materials listed below:

i. A brief cover letter explaining why you would like this position.
ii. Your resume or the link to your LinkedIn profile.
iii. Links to the social media sites you use.
iv. Anything else that's creative and shows a bit about who you are.

Send to chris.brune@sacramentopress.com.

The Sacramento Press is hiring: Graphics intern

2012-02-06T20:20:46Z

We are seeking a highly motivated Graphics Intern for immediate hire. The successful candidate will assist with various projects that will help them gain real world professional graphic design experience in a fast-paced and deadline driven environment.

Job Description:

The successful candidate will assist with various web and print projects from concept to completion. Our Graphics Intern will work on a wide range of projects including, but not limited too, web banners, club cards, posters and pamphlets. Will support various departments at Sacramento Press including Sales, Marketing, Advertising and Operations.

Requirements:

Must be currently studying Graphic Design at an advanced level or have a Graphic Design degree.
Must have an advanced knowledge of current graphic design principles and practices.
Proficiency with CS3 Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign) is required.
Strong project management skills.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Must enjoy collaborating, learning from others and working as part of a team.
Proficiency with Macs is preferred.

Location:
Downtown Sacramento

Hours:
The position is 12 hours a week for 4 months. Flexible schedule available. This position is unpaid but eligible for school credit.

How to Apply:
Send a cover letter, resume and samples of your work to: dina.neils@sacramentopress.com

The Sacramento Press is hiring: Editor-in-Chief

2012-02-06T20:18:34Z

The Sacramento Press is seeking a dynamic editor-in-chief to oversee the day-to-day operations of the newsroom. This position will play a key role in expanding the presence and reach of The Sacramento Press into the surrounding media market.

We’re looking for someone who is ambitious, confident in their ability to learn quickly, and focused on creating compelling content for the local communities. Excellent writing and reporting skills and good editorial judgment are essential.

The ideal candidate will bring lots of ideas for new ways to present stories online, through text, photos, or videos.

Experience in using a content management system is a plus, as is experience in podcasts, editing video, conducting and moderating panels. Experience working with technology teams is also preferred. Ability to edit HTML and other light coding would be outstanding.

Ideal candidates will have:

Passion for journalism and an understanding of how it can transform a community

At least three years previous newspaper and/or other publication experience

A bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university

At least two years editing experience

Experience with online publications

A deep understanding of the demands of 24/7 websites

Experience leading a team

Ability to edit copy quickly and always improve stories

Understanding of how to promote stories via social media

Ability to speak confidently when appearing on TV and radio

Enthusiasm to create and sustain relationships with stakeholders and neighborhood leaders

Excellent news and editorial judgment

Strong diplomatic skills and ability to interact with journalists at all levels of the newsroom

Excellent organizational skills and ability to work under pressure

Proven ability to break news and generate outstanding story ideas

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Enthusiasm for working with a technology team to envision the future of news

Light coding skills and competence at HTML manipulation

Your job responsibilities will include (but are not limited to):

Make Sacramento a better place to live
Maintain engaging and relevant splash pages that are refreshed daily
Seek out ways to incorporate graphics such as surveys, charts, video, etc. in content
Write editorials
Will help maintain site and produce weekly electronic newsletters
Track daily and weekly deadlines
Compile monthly analytics and reports
Adapt to changing organizational forms and help other department heads meet goals
Supervise, train and develop a staff of two reporters, an intern coordinator and up to six unpaid interns
Plan scope and content of all editorial content and assign stories
Ensure content is factually accurate, and does not violate copyright laws or contain libel
Identify and pursue ways the Sacramento Press can increase editorial outreach into local communities
Responsible for quality of online content and layouts
Curates journalism workshops

The Sacramento Press offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including medical, dental and vision plans.

This is a fast-paced role in a high potential growing company. This is a unique opportunity to be a critical piece of our growth. This position is located in Sacramento, CA.

Compensation:
This is a full-time contract-to-hire position.
Upon hire, it is a full-time salaried position.

Ready to apply? Submit your resume, portfolio or clips and any other helpful information to colleen[at]sacramentopress.com.

The Sacramento Press is hiring: Advertising Coordinator

2012-02-06T20:16:29Z

We are currently seeking a highly motivated Advertising Coordinator to join our growing company. This position will be in the the sales department. This role will ensure that our customers receive the highest level of sales and operational service. The Advertising Coordinator will also be responsible for driving new business revenue.

This fast-paced role is a unique opportunity to be a critical piece of our growth. This position is located in Sacramento, CA.

Your Role:

Generate revenue from a broad range of products including online banner advertising, social media engagement, online advertising bundles and daily deal offers.

Create persuasive sales presentations using market trends, creative ideas and company’s analytics; participate on calls and face-to-face meetings to pitch.

Analyze campaign performance statistics and recommend optimized media solutions.

Foster relationships with with decision makers, salespeople and mavens in the Sacramento market.

Attend regular local events to build accounts, including weekend and evening events on occasion.

Serve as internal contact for clients for all Sacramento Press, SacMix and Deal Ticket products.

Phone coverage and various administrative tasks as needed.

Job Requirements:

- At least 2 years of experience in sales and/or customer service.
- Experience with online and/or interactive advertising and media a plus.
- You are a self-starter who is comfortable working in a start-up environment that changes rapidly, and you have a strong desire to learn.
- BA/BS degree preferred with strong computer skills.
- An amazing personality and the ability to close sales.
- Ability to sell multiple products and juggle tasks efficiently.
- An excellent attention to detail.

Compensation:
This is a full-time position with a base salary
Commissions on all sales
Health, Dental, Vision Benefits, 100% covered in 90 days
Travel & Entertainment Account

How to Apply:

Email resume and cover letter to emily.griggs@sacramentopress.com.

Love means never having to say your sorry, but just in case...

2012-02-06T18:23:51Z

When it comes to the most romantic day of the year, traditional gifts of roses and heart shaped boxes of candy still dominate the market, but for those ladies and gentlemen looking for a more unique way to show their affection, consider the gift of food and fun by giving your special someone tickets to the Sacramento Chef Challenge.

Tickets are only $25 each and include:
• Chef Challenge competition
• Gourmet food sampling
• Wine and Beer tasting
• Cake War presented by Cakegrrl.com
• Live Music
• Raffle and Silent Auction Prizes

“When you’ve celebrated 30 Valentine’s Days together it can be difficult to find a really special gift,” says Rancho Cordova resident Linda Allen, “I was truly surprised when I received tickets to the Chef Challenge from my husband last year for Valentine’s Day– it was such a unique gift. It was actually like getting two gifts, because I got to attend the event and spend time with him!”

Valentine’s Day is a chance for everyone to spread the love, which includes friends and co-workers. Even business owners can show their employees and VIP customers how much they care by giving the gift of culinary excellence. Sacramento Chef Challenge tickets make it simple to express appreciation for customer loyalty or employees’ hard work, and there is the added benefit of community support, because 100% of proceeds from the event go to benefit programs for people with developmental disabilities.

For tickets and more visit www.chefevent.com or call 916-381-1300 x170.

Chocolate melts and roses wither, but memories remain. So, make some great ones at the 1oth Annual Sacramento Chef Challenge!

The Sacramento Chef Challenge is the annual benefit for INALLIANCE, a nonprofit organization that provides support to people with developmental disabilities. This event would not be possible without the support of our sponsors: AtMyTable.com, Cakegrrl.com, CC Myers Inc. Charitable Foundation, Cuisine Noir Magazine, Downtown Grid, EarthSmart, GFBB Benefits, Preferred Meats, Yelp, and 101.9 The Wolf.

Disclosure: Jessica Bean is an employee of INALLIANCE.

Sacramento Ballet's Cinderella

2012-02-04T04:06:51Z

Sacramento Ballet’s in-studio previews for “Cinderella” sold out, and these performances created a delightful show for children and adults. The in-studio performances were held at the Sacramento Ballet Studios on Thursday and Friday.

The preview shows gave guests an opportunity to see an up-close and personal view of the wonderful talent the Sacramento Ballet has to offer. This unique perspective allows viewers to appreciate the effort that goes into each movement.

On Thursday afternoon, artistic director Ron Cunningham welcomed ballet enthusiasts to the event held at their studio at 1631 K St. Cunningham introduced several of the dancers performing in “Cinderella.”

Richard Smith and Rex Wheeler are cast in the roles of Cinderella’s ugly stepsisters, giving them a comic role. Their dance moves brought laughter from the audience at various points. They were also dressed in costume for the performance, while most of the rest of the cast wore casual ballet outfits.

Cunningham noted that his version of “Cinderella,” originally created in 1976 for the Boston Ballet, has been seen by audiences around the world. A Chinese national TV station also televised the ballet to over 30 million viewers.

“Cinderella” is divided into three acts. Act 1 begins with Cinderella, played by Alexandra Cunningham, working hard performing unending chores. The ungraceful stepsisters try outfits for the royal ball, and later a dance master attempts to teach them dance moves and social graces.

As the stepsisters attempt to dance, a viewer cannot help but notice how much effort it takes to move and dance like someone who does not know how to dance. The stepsisters’ moves are made to look clumsy and funny, and their whimsical facial expressions are very comical and are sure to delight the audience at the Sacramento Community Center.

Act 2 takes place at the royal ball as guests await the arrival of the prince. The court jester, played by Christopher B. Nachtrab, entertains the royal guests. Dancers gracefully waltz around which again shows their classically trained adagio moves and balance. Their fluid movements hypnotize the audience.

When Cinderella arrives at the royal ball, guests are impressed by her natural grace and beauty. Once the prince, played by Stefan Calka, arrives and sees Cinderella, the two instantly fall in love.

Calka’s performance is physically demanding, and his moves are classic and elegant. During one of his solo dances, Calka’s glissade movements used the whole studio floor, as he danced to impress Cinderella, but the whole audience was impressed by his fluid dancing.

Cinderella continues to dance with her new love as time seems to have stood still. The beauty of ballet transcends on the ballet studio, making this fairytale come to life in front of the audience.

Soon the clock strikes midnight. As Cinderella races home, the second intermission arrives.

We all know the story of “Cinderella,” but the Sacramento Ballet brings music, dance and love to the studio and will do the same at the Community Center. Cunningham’s choreography is a joy to watch. This will be a love story for ballet enthusiasts of all ages.

“Cinderella” will play at the Sacramento Community Center Theater from Feb. 9 to 12, with two shows on Feb. 11.

Del Paso Boulevard to get a makeover this summer

2012-02-04T02:52:45Z

The Del Paso Boulevard corridor between Globe and Baxter avenues will be getting a makeover this summer in a $1.5 million dollar streetscape project set to begin in May.

The project will include safety improvements at intersections and new on-street parking to the 1000-block of Del Paso Boulevard, according to city Department of Transportation Assistant Engineer Matthew Johns.

The city received federal community development grant funds in 2009 to construct streetscape improvements between Arden Way and State Route 160.

Before construction could begin, the project had to go through various stages of planning, design and environmental review. The project got the final go-ahead from the City Council Tuesday.

Johns said the project includes removing and replacing sections of curb and sidewalk, enlarging the wells surrounding trees along the boulevard and adding an irrigation system to promote growth of the trees.

“One day it’ll have something of a shade canopy from those trees, similar to what you see in Midtown,” Johns said Friday.

The street improvements will also address safety needs along that corridor, Johns said.

There will be a new traffic signal system at the intersection of Southgate Road, Colfax Street and Del Paso Boulevard, on the corner in front of the Sacramento News & Review building at 1124 Del Paso Boulevard.

Currently, there are stop signs at the side streets (Southgate and Colfax) and a marked crosswalk, but Johns said the improvements will include a traffic light and pedestrian controls at the crosswalk.

“Pedestrians will be able to cross when traffic is completely stopped instead of trying to judge when it’s clear,” Johns said. “It will make the intersection safer and hopefully will prevent accidents.”

Fran Barker, a member of the Del Paso Heights Improvement Association and a longtime community advocate, said that the planned improvement project will be a benefit to the area.

“We definitely appreciate whatever improvements can be made to our environment,” Barker said Friday. “Especially safety improvements.”

Barker said that, over her more than 50 years of advocating for her Del Paso Heights neighbors, she has watched many improvement projects go in – but not the ones she feels are most important.

“Beautification seems to come before safety,” Barker said.

One concern for Barker is the lack of lights on the smaller residential streets that tend to get very dark, making it difficult for people to navigate the streets at night.

“With the crime rate where it is, safety is so important,” Barker said. “We should have streetlights. That’s elementary, Dr. Watson.”

Additional streetlights are part of the upcoming project, Johns said, although they will not be installed on the smaller residential streets. They will be put in along the southern end of the corridor, nearing State Route 160.

The project is expected to take nearly four months to complete, Johns said.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

McKinley Park Rose Garden: Getting closer to completion

2012-02-02T02:35:21Z

The long-awaited renovations at the McKinley Park Rose Garden are nearing completion, and the garden is expected to be open by April – just in time for spring weddings in the park.

“The process feels like it’s taken forever,” University of California Master Gardner Ellie Longanecker said Wednesday.

The rose garden was scheduled to be closed from September to mid-February for renovations, including a new irrigation system, accessible walkways, planter curbs, new signs and handicap-accessible parking spaces near the garden entrance.

The work has been extended until the end of March or early April, Longanecker said, because of problems with the new irrigation system that created delays in completing other work, including more plantings.

Longanecker, a rose specialist and one of the many volunteer coordinators responsible for much of the recent work on the garden, said the project has been on the neighborhood’s radar for a long time.

“We initially brought a proposal to the city for this work to get stared in 2009,” Longanecker said. “For three years it’s been one step forward, two steps back.”

Once the work got under way in September, however, it’s been full steam ahead for city workers and volunteers, she said.

Since 2009, more than 400 new rose bushes have been planted in the garden on the southeast side of McKinley Park.

Thanks to a generous donor, Longanecker said, an additional 465 new rose bushes were recently given to add to the garden.

A “plant-a-thon” to get those additional bushes in the ground was originally planned for Saturday, but it has been postponed. A new date has not been set yet.

Longanecker said the planting day was postponed because the city needs to put in new sod around the planting beds, and it would be easier to get that job out of the way first.

It is also important to make sure the new water system is fully up and running before putting in new plants, she added.

“I’m glad it’s finally coming together,” Longanecker said. “It has taken a very strong volunteer effort.”

Longanecker said volunteer workers – including groups of Americorps volunteers, a Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department work crew and many neighbors and residents – put in about 1,500 hours of labor working on the garden in the last four weeks alone.

“That’s spading, weeding, pruning and wheelbarrowing in 100 yards of topsoil to spread throughout the garden,” Longanecker said. “(It’s) not easy work at all.”

The effort to refurbish the McKinley Park Rose Garden has been supported by donations including money, gifts of roses and numerous donations of tools and materials.

“It seems to be going well,” East Sacramento resident and garden volunteer Lisa Schmidt said Tuesday. “There’s a lot more to putting in roses than people think.”

Schmidt said that, despite the long wait and all the work that has been necessary, it will be worth it to see the result when the first roses bloom.

“It’ll be like brand new – irrigation, beds, plants, everything,” City Councilman Steve Cohn said Wednesday.

The garden’s new irrigation system will use water more efficiently, Cohn said, and the planter curbs will make the beds easier to maintain.

“The beautiful thing is, we’ve kept the original design (of the garden),” Cohn said. “It’ll really ‘pop’ once spring hits.”

Cohn said that the city didn’t put in the investment it should have in the rose garden over the years.

“Over time, the roses started to lose their vibrancy,” Cohn said. “They were looking sad, really.”

Now, Cohn said, the rose garden will have “new life” and will be more enjoyable for visitors – especially the many couples who have their weddings in the garden each year.

“I’m excited about it,” Cohn said. “We want to save it for future generations and enhance the appearance for everyone who comes to see it for years to come.”

Cohn said a ribbon-cutting and grand opening will be planned when the rose garden is finished, but a specific date has not been set.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Body Fit Challenge Offers People a Chance to Shed Pounds

2012-02-01T19:14:15Z

California Family Fitness (CFF) today announced that its’ next Body Fit Challenge (BFC) will begin Saturday, February 25, and interested individuals are encouraged to sign-up. The BFC is an eight-week long group training program, in which the participants are coached by a trainer through twice weekly group workout sessions, and educated on exercise habits, nutrition and lifestyle changes.

“The Body Fit Challenge has been a great success for our members since it first started three years ago,” said Randy Karr, president of California Family Fitness. “Throughout the duration of the BFC, participants have shed more than 35,000 pounds. We are very proud of the BFC, and are thrilled to be a part of such a life-changing program for so many people.”

At the end of the eight week program, prizes are awarded to the participants who lose the highest percentage of body weight at each CFF club, as well as the top male and female participants company-wide.

“I was hesitant at first to try the Body Fit Challenge because I was insecure about my ability to life weights. But, I decided to give it a try and I’m so glad I did,” said Liz Ramirez, CFF member and BFC participant. “My experience was amazing, and my trainer was phenomenal. She was positive, encouraging and motivated me to try harder every day. In eight short weeks I lost 36 pounds, and I feel better than I have ever felt before in my life.”

To find out more about California Family Fitness’ upcoming Body Fit Challenge, please click here. Both members and non-members are welcome to participate in this program.

Disclosure: Justin Dyke is a public relations professional representing California Family Fitness.

American Heart Association's Start Training 2012

2012-02-01T07:04:33Z

The American Heart Association (AHA) held its 2012 Start Training Team Kickoff on Saturday at the California Family Fitness Center in Folsom. The event included health screenings, nutritional and health information as well as a series of mentor and inspirational speeches.

This year’s run/walk half marathon will be held at the American River Parkway on April 28. Participants are required to raise a minimum of $500 through writing letters, email campaigns and personal fundraising websites.

The goal for this campaign is $100,000. By the kickoff meeting, a little over $6,000 had already been pledged.

Start Training is a team training program for AHA half marathon participants of all levels and abilities. The meeting gave people who attended a chance to meet the AHA, mentors and coaches, and culminated in a one-mile walk/run with the AHA team.

The team takes walkers and runners from the first step to the finish line of a marathon or half marathon event. Weekly group training meetings are scheduled to help participants raise funds for the AHA and the American Stroke Association. Mentor meet-ups are scheduled to be held at McKinley Park on Tuesdays. Practices are also conducted and led by experienced mentors.

Justin Carlino talks about his involvement as AHA mentor.

Team mentor Justin Carlino shared his story of living in a house with a long, steep driveway, which he and his wife walked every day. One day, he had to stop because of a shortness of breath. His doctor referred him to a local cardiologist, who diagnosed him with dilated cardiomyopathy, meaning his heart had continued to grow without subsequent growth of heart muscle.

“There were three possible causes: pregnancy, alcoholism, or poison,” Carlino said. “I’m a male who hardly drank alcohol except for an occasional glass of wine.”

After a few years, Carlino was referred to a Stanford Hospital cardiologist for further treatment. Treatment continued for 13 years.

Carlino had a pacemaker installed and was then put on the heart transplant list. Feeling horrible during a holiday, he called the cardiologist and was advised to come in the next day. His blood pressure at the time was 70 over 50, and he was immediately sent to the hospital. Two days later, a heart was available. After five hours of surgery, Carlino had a new heart.

At the time, the hospital had a transplant age cut-off at 70 but made an exception for this case. Carlino, at 73, became the oldest heart transplant recipient in Stanford’s history. Today there is no age limit for transplants at Stanford.

Carlino soon became a volunteer for the California Transplant Donor Network. It wasn’t until recently, at a presentation at the EMT training facility in Stockton, that he learned his pre-transplant condition was classified 1-A, which meant that at the time he had approximately two weeks to live without the transplant.

He now has a patch installed in his chest to correct a venal hernia, eye lenses after laser surgery for cataract removal, has had laser surgery to correct a prostate problem, surgery on his left hand to correct carpel tunnel syndrome, two lower back surgeries and surgery on his right elbow. He says the only original body parts he has are his legs and feet.

Seven and a half years after transplant, Carlino walks rapidly every day. His goal in supporting the AHA was to walk a half marathon.

“I got to the point of walking five miles a day, every day, and I’ve been doing that as soon as I was able to after the heart transplant,” he said. “So that put me in shape for this half marathon. I’ve never done something like that before.”

His strategy for that half marathon was to intentionally start last, at 567th place, to see how many walkers he could pass. He easily passed the first walker who was on crutches, and at the end of the race he had improved his standing by 318 places. His pace of 16.5 minutes per mile was a new record. This year’s goal is to beat that record.

“At the finish line, somebody tapped me on the shoulder,” he said. “I turned, and they gave me a medal. They also gave me a bottle of water, and I turned forward again and the legs said, ‘OK, are you happy we did it,’ then – boom! – I fell forward on my face.”

“I think the real reason I did it is because I had it in my mind,” he said. “I set my mind to it, and I didn’t veer. No rest stops, fluids were given to me during the walk. No potty stops. I just kept going.”

Pam Clements shares her inspirational story.

Stroke survivor Pam Clements also shared her story at the kickoff.

“One Saturday, six years ago, I was very happy,” she said. “I had saved my money and I was going shoe shopping. While I was shopping, and I had some shoes in my hand, something happened. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, I got this severe, sudden headache. I got really dizzy, and when I got dizzy I got scared, but I did not know what was happening to me.”

She sat down and believed she was going to die.

“I did not know the warning signs to a stroke,” she said, listing sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arms, or legs, confusion, trouble speaking or understanding, trouble seeing from one or both eyes, trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, and severe headaches with no known cause. “If you’re having a stroke, you do not need to have all five of those symptoms. I did not have all five of them. I did not get confused, because I never put those shoes down.”

Two months later, a similar thing happened.

“I remember this day so vividly because I was so happy that day,” she said. “I was so happy, and I looked over at my husband and my little yorkie, and I said, ‘God, thank you for giving me such an awesome husband.’ And then moments later that same thing happened again.”

Clements’ husband took her to the emergency room immediately. At the time of the stroke, she was 48 years old, but she said there’s no age limit for a stroke.

“Just imagine waking up one day feeling good and then seconds later your whole life changes,” she said. “When this happened to me, I couldn’t get out of bed by myself, I couldn’t go to the bathroom, I couldn’t walk. I had to learn everything all over again.”

Mentors in AHA half marathon volunteer to help with training and encoruagement.

Each mentor had encouraging words for participants and was a good example of different ages and abilities and how the AHA had become part of their lives.

Participants and guests were then told what donations can do for the community.

“The reason we raise money for AHA is threefold; educate, spread the message you need to be aware of and tell friends and family,” said Erin Harris. Raising awareness and money for research are primary goals. Harris noted that the University of California, Davis had received $900,000 from AHA for research.

“The AHA has funded 12 Nobel Prize Winners for their work directly related to heart and strokes. This is huge and our passion is to make sure that this enthusiasm continues, to make sure we as a community not only know that we need to get health care but that we also have the tools to do that,” said Harris.

Harris said that $50,000 can fund a doctoral student for an entire year and reaching the goal of $100,000, “We can fund two of those just through this fundraising program, so that’s our goal.”

The presentation also included a game where questions were asked and someone in the crowd received a prize for answering correctly. The question of how to reach their goal was discussed during the game. Celia Cortez held a board with the top “5 Ways to Fundraise.” These five ways to raise funding included letter writing, online fundraising, matching gifts, social media and rummage sales.

Coach Raymond Martinez stated that participants were doing something fantastic not only for themselves but were also raising awareness and motivating others.

“We’re all in this together building to participate in that first half marathon,” said Martinez. “We’re going to make it fun for you. We can all go out and run a half marathon today but it just might take us forever. This program will allow us to participate safely and take our time building up to it so that when that day comes it’s more fun, it’s safer, we’re reducing our risk of injury and we’re going to have a good time on that day.”

Martinez said that as participants train it’s important to know that you do your best and stick to it. Participants were encouraged to have fun. He also introduced Daryl Parker, a professor of Exercise Physiology at California State University, Sacramento.

Parker is an exercise physiologist who works at Mercy General Hospital and is also a professor at CSUS. Parker indicated that he loves to come to this type of meeting and listen to speakers and mentors. Parker shared that their speeches motivate him as well. He spoke about the kinds of things people should expect during their training period.

Not all expectations are good, noted Parker. His presentation covered several key items participants of the half marathon should expect.

Parker explained that realistic expectations should be set in order to succeed.

“I have to bring research data otherwise people won’t believe me when I talk. Exercise is good, right? That’s what we came. Chronic exercise is good for you and research backs this. Regular exercise is good for the body. Don’t expect too much too fast as this takes time,” he said. “Keep showing up and success will follow, don’t expect too much too fast.”

Good and bad things follow exercise. Parker suggested setting a threshold and doing exercise. He compared it to a prescription and taking certain doses. A minimum dose should be taken to burn calories and suggested that it could be achieved by taking four to six hourly walks four to six times a week. Another dose could be done by running. You can burn more calories by running three times a week for 20 to 30 minutes. Parker indicated that these doses also serve as disease management.

The training introduction covered many topics and all of the speakers were inspirational. Volunteers at the event helped things go smoothly and they were all more than willing to answer any questions. Mercy General was thanked for their participation and for being a big supporter of the program.

After all the speeches were done, participants were able to do a one mile run/walk to complete the team kickoff meeting. Several runners completed the run quickly, and walkers were able to chat about their experience at the kickoff and talk about their training programs and goals for the April 28 half marathon.

Mayor: Responses to parking lessee search ‘promising’

2012-01-31T22:58:21Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson said 13 companies have expressed interest in leasing the city’s parking system for the next 50 years – a move he described as “promising” as the city looks to bring in $240 million to finance an arena through the process.

“(The responses) show a lot of interest. That is consistent with what we expected,” Mayor Kevin Johnson said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “It is really encouraging.”

The 13 “letters of intent” arrived after the city sent more than 100 letters to parking operators across the nation in early January. The deadline for interested parties to respond was Monday.

The names of the interested companies will be released Thursday, Johnson said.

Although there is yet to be a completed term sheet outlining the conditions of a potential lease, Johnson said suggestions of parking rate increases could be a deal-breaker for the city.

“Some other cities (that leased their parking) have seen their parking rates go sky high, and that is just not acceptable for us,” he said.

Johnson wouldn’t speculate about how much a final contract might bring the city, but he said he believes the responses create a competitive environment where bidding will be pushed to the higher end of the estimated $180 million - $240 million range.

City staff and parking representatives will review the responses to verify qualifications and shorten the list of potential bidders, Johnson said. That “short list” should be ready for the City Council to consider by Feb. 14, he added.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

No thanks, but maybe a hiss.

2012-01-31T17:34:27Z

It’s early Sunday morning in January. Cars pull into the lot in an industrial section of South Sacramento. What would possess people to get up this early on a cold, dark winter’s day? It’s not a swap meet, big sale, concert tickets, or church. These people have come to the Sacramento SPCA feral cat clinic to get the cats they’ve trapped spayed or neutered and vaccinated as part of a program called TNR: trap neuter return.

Why do they do this? It’s a problem that has to be dealt with.

“When feral overpopulation causes a problem, people get annoyed with all cats – ferals and pets. They don’t discriminate,” trapper Mary said, summarizing a common sentiment. “Cats get run over, poisoned, abused and killed. Getting feral cats fixed and vaccinated gives them a chance at living a long and happy life and reduces suffering for all cats.”

Mary and other feral caregivers asked to be identified only by their first name, to prevent people from dumping or killing cats in their area.

Trap Neuter Return, or TNR, is the process of trapping free-roaming un-owned cats, vaccinating and fixing them, marking them by removing the tip of the left ear, and returning them to where they were trapped. It saves money and cats’ lives, and best of all, it works.

At the Sacramento SPCA feral cat clinics, cats are fixed, vaccinated, given flea drops, and "ear tipped" for a total cost of $15. Clinics on the first Sunday of the month are sponsored by the Coalition for Community Cats. The Sacramento SPCA sponsors a clinic on the 3rd Sunday, and a recent ASPCA grant sponsors a clinic on an additional Sunday. Clinics are by appointment only, each takes up to 125 cats. Even so they fill up quickly. Appointments are often scheduled a month in advance.

According to Dr. Laurie Siperstein-Cook, chief of shelter medicine at the SSPCA, nearly 7500 cats have been TNR'ed via these clinics over the past four years, and clinic capacity continues to increase. At some clinics 90 percent of the female cats have been pregnant.

Inside the clinic, feral cat caregivers wait patiently with their caged charges. “if (euthanizing feral cats) was going to work, it would have worked already.” veteran trapper John said. John has spent considerable time and expense combating cat overpopulation in Sacramento County, designing a special trailer for transporting and recovering 50 cats at a time. His business card lists him as a “Cat Transporter.” He has TNR’ed over 1,200 cats, with the expenses coming out of pocket.

John has brought 15 trapped cats to this clinic. Some people have brought one or two, others eight or more. There’s a mix of first-time trappers and seasoned veterans.

Each cat gets registered and a traveler tag attached to its trap. Sex and identifying markings are noted. Traps are covered to help the cat inside remain calm. Shrouded traps fill the waiting rooms and line the hallways. At today’s clinic, 90 cats will be altered and vaccinated.

You would think the noise would be tremendous, with 90 cooped-up cats yowling to be let out. The only sound is soft conversation and the rustling of paperwork. These are true feral cats, untouchable and unaccustomed to humans, not pampered and demanding pets. They are in survival mode: terrified, silent, motionless, invisible inside their covered cages.

This is the first and last time these cats will see a veterinarian. Each cat is given a thorough examination. The veterinarians and technicians volunteer their time, for training or to keep sharp on spay and neuter procedures. They run their hands over each animal, palpating to look for tumors, broken bones, or other internal issues. Matted fur is clipped away. Ears, eyes and teeth inspected. The majority of cats are in reasonably good health, as most feral cats are.

After surgery the cats are returned to their trap or a recovery carrier and placed in a quiet area until their caregiver picks them up. They will hold the cat overnight and release it the next day. The trauma of being caged is higher for a feral than is worth the risk of infection or ripped stitches after release.

The program is already seeing results. "At a defined area where we did concentrated mass trapping until almost all the cats were TNR'ed, we saw a drastic decrease in kitten litters." Dr. Laurie said "They used to find a dozen litters per year. After we mass TNR'ed, there have been zero to one litter per year. The caregivers are on the alert and round up any new litters and the mom for TNR and adoption. Since it's a rare occurence, they find it managable to take care of. We fixed about 200 cats, plus many kittens that were rehomed."

She has these suggestions for how you can help cats in your neighborhood:

Visit alleycat.org or coalition4cats.org to learn more about feral cats, and how to tell a feral from a stray.
If you’re feeding free-roaming cats, make sure they’re all fixed and vaccinated. Free and low cost programs are available.
Don’t let your pet cat become part of the feral population. Get your cat fixed and micro-chipped. Call (916) 808-SPAY or visit sacanimal.org for a list of low cost spay and neuter resources in your area.
If you’re unable to care for your pet cat, surrender it to the SSPCA or other adoption program.

Dr. Laurie had this to add "None of (our TNR clinics) would be possible without the feral cat caregivers and the many many hours of exhausting work they put in, with no recompense except the knowledge that they are doing their part to help the cats have a better life...and maybe a thankful hiss or two."

Disclosure: Lisa Farr is a volunteer for the Sacramento SPCA, working for the feral cat program.

Read this or the kitten gets it.

2012-01-31T03:48:23Z

There’s a war being waged in Sacramento. The dead are strewn in street gutters like dirty rags, or wind up in dumpsters and garbage cans. Even though the casualties are all on the other side, the humans are losing.

The battle is to control our stray and feral cat population, currently estimated to be 350,000 cats in the Sacramento region. The cats are losing, too. There are no winners in this war.

Recent news stories about a pet cat shot with a crossbow, teens killing cats for "fun" and a cat mauled by neighborhood dogs underscore the tragic results of a lack of respect for free-roaming cats. An out-of-control feral cat population contributes to the perception of cats as a nuisance and an easy target.

Most of us have experienced jolting awake from the loud yowling of cats fighting or mating. Noise, spraying, feces and litters of kittens make feral cats unwelcome neighbors. What can we do when a pet becomes a pest?

The answer, up to now, has been to trap and euthanize abandoned and un-owned cats.

Part of the problem is telling the difference between a feral and a scared stray. Feral cats are unaccustomed to humans and can’t be touched. They will run or freeze when a person is near and avoid eye contact. A scared stray may stay in the area and even approach with a raised tail. Strays and young feral kittens can be adopted as pets. Adult ferals are best left to live outdoors.

Because they can’t be adopted and have no owner to claim them, feral cats entering local shelters have a 100 percent euthanasia rate. Determining if a cat is feral or stray takes time, space and resources away from lost pets and community services.

Local shelters and rescue organizations are adopting a new feral cat management method called TNR: trap, neuter, return. TNR is the process of trapping free-roaming un-owned cats, vaccinating and altering them, marking them as a feral by removing the tip of the left ear, and returning them to where they were trapped. Instead of a multiple-day stay at the shelter ending in euthanasia, a feral is TNR’ed and released the next day, resulting in significant cost savings and freeing up shelter space for lost pets.

Rome, Italy, has had a well-documented TNR program in place for more than 10 years. The program significantly reduced the cat population within the city, even with additional abandoned and lost pet cats joining the feral population.

"Trapping and euthanizing feral cats is not a proven method to effectively control the feral population,” says David Dickinson, interim director of the Sacramento Department of Animal Care and Regulation. “TNR has been proven over time to reduce the population in a given area if the efforts are there to follow it through.”

Sacramento Animal Care and Regulation along with the Sacramento Area Animal Coalition provide free spay, neuter and vaccinations for feral cats via a voucher program, available by calling (916) 808-SPAY or visiting sacanimal.org.

"There have been shelters that have seen 60 percent drops (in feral intake) after just two years,” Dickinson said. “I hope we can come close to those stats in a year or two. We will continue the programs as long as we can fund them from the fines we collect from owners with loose strays, unaltered and unlicensed pets, along with grant money we apply for."

Dr. Laurie Siperstein-Cook, chief of shelter medicine at the Sacramento SPCA, agrees.

"TNR is the most effective and humane method of controlling the cat overpopulation problem and decreasing euthanasia in our shelters,” she said.

The SSPCA hosts feral cat clinics on the first and third Sunday of the month. Cats are fixed, vaccinated, given flea drops and ear tipped for $15. A recent grant from the ASPCA sponsors an additional feral clinic each month. Reservations are required, and even with 125 cats per clinic, they often fill up more than a month in advance. To make a reservation, call (916) 540-2818 and leave a message or email feralcats@sspca.org.

The SSPCA takes walk-ins Monday through Saturday from 7:15 to 8 a.m., one cat per trap and one cat per day. The cost is $45 for spay and $30 for a neuter and includes vaccinations, flea drops and ear tipping. Coalition for Community Cats issues vouchers via their website that brings the walk-in price down to $15.

Kittens can be spayed or neutered at two months old or if they weigh two pounds. Female cats can be spayed even if pregnant, or nursing as long as the kittens are 6 weeks old.

Most feral programs require that the cats be brought in a humane trap and that the cat must be ear tipped to mark it as a fixed feral. Veterinary technicians use a special tool to hold the cat against the side of the trap, giving it a shot to knock it out without having to remove the cat from the trap. This reduces the stress on the animal, prevents escapes and protects the techs from injury. Mandatory ear tipping discourages owners of pet cats from taking advantage of funds earmarked for homeless cats.

Traps can be rented from Western Feed and Supply or Bradshaw Feed and Supply. Trapping instructions can be found online at alleycat.org. For help with trapping, visit alleycat.org/response and request a list of Feral Friends in your area, or join the C4CC or SAAC email lists.

After TNR, true ferals live out the rest of their lives without human intervention. Because they don’t spray, fight, mate, have kittens, or spread disease, they aren’t the nuisance they used to be and can again peacefully coexist among their neighbors.

Each cat TNR’ed is a placeholder, keeping other unaltered and un-vaccinated cats from entering its territory. It takes up resources that non-TNR’ed ferals would use to create more nuisance cats.

By taking care of feral cats, we reduce suffering for all cats and eliminate the sad casualties in the war on cat overpopulation.

Disclosure: Lisa Farr is a volunteer for the Sacramento SPCA working with their feral cat program.

Arena, green tech, education: State of the City highlights

2012-01-31T02:20:44Z

A new program to raise $10 million for arena financing and turning Sacramento into an “Emerald Valley” were two key points in Mayor Kevin Johnson’s State of the City address Monday.

Johnson’s speech focused on boosting the local economy in three areas: building an entertainment and sports complex, green-sector jobs and reforming public schools to create a more competitive workforce.

“The economy is bad everywhere, but it’s worse here,” Johnson told the nearly 1,000 people in the audience.

“We have to take bold actions,” Johnson said. “We have to make the impossible possible.”

The mayor delivered the 20th annual speech at the Sacramento Convention Center in an event hosted by the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Johnson introduced a new program aimed at raising $10 million toward the cost of building the entertainment and sports complex.

The “Brick-by-Brick” program will allow individual supporters to buy bricks with their names engraved on them to be placed in the entryway of the new complex.

Johnson said after the event that the program is in the early stages and costs for the bricks have not yet been determined.

The first three honorary bricks were given to City Councilman Steve Cohn and two young Kings fans, Jack O’Brien, 11 and Gil Vechner, 12. The two boys caught Johnson’s attention when they started a lemonade stand last year to raise money for the arena.

“It’s time to finish what we started. It’s crunch time,” Johnson said, referring to the March 1 financing plan deadline to prevent the Kings from relocating.

Johnson turned the discussion to employment concerns, saying he believes one of the biggest problems Sacramento faces is a dependence on state government and real estate for jobs and revenue.

“This sets us up to be the hardest hit in a financial crisis,” Johnson said.

Bringing green technology and green industry jobs to the region is one solution to that problem, Johnson said.

Among the goals Johnson outlined for 2012 are plans to raise $100 million to retrofit schools to make them more energy-efficient and “green,” and joining the Edible Schoolyard Program to bring school gardens, cooking classes and healthy eating to local schools.

“Becoming the Emerald Valley is within our grasp,” Johnson said.

Although he doesn’t have a direct relationship to local schools as the mayor, Johnson said improving education has long been a focus for him – and it should be a focus for the city, he said.

As a way to keep schools accountable to parents – and to make it easier for parents to decide which schools are best for their kids based on performance – Johnson said he is working to establish “report cards” for local schools.

The new rating system will assign a letter grade to every school in the county based on a range of performance criteria including student test scores and whether the schools are meeting academic standards.

Johnson said his office will not be responsible for consequences to a school for getting a low grade – the consequences will come from parents who withdraw their students or choose not to enroll them in low-grade schools.

Some business and civic leaders at the event had a positive reaction to the mayor’s address – former State Assemblyman and current president of the Sacramento Metro Chamber Roger Niello said it was “completely on point,” and County Supervisor Don Nottoli said it was “very well-delivered.”

“I think (Johnson) was absolutely right about the region needing to diversify its economic base,” County Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan said after the event.

“I think that’s the most important point he made,” she added.

Michael Ault, Executive Director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, said the mayor did a good job of breaking down what needs to be done for the city into smaller, achievable goals.

“You just can’t have 30 priorities for the coming year. We have to narrow it to a few legitimately reachable goals,” Ault said.

“The sports and entertainment complex is clearly something we think needs to be accomplished in the short term and I think the mayor really highlighted that,” he added.

The current city charter does not require the mayor to give a state of the city address. Johnson has delivered the speech each year he’s been in office – four times.

If the mayor’s charter reform proposal gets on the ballot and is passed by voters, an annual state of the city address would become a requirement for future Sacramento mayors.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Ancient olive trees create the 'heart' of Bridge District park

2012-01-28T04:24:21Z

Four massive Seville olive trees were installed in The Bridge District’s Garden Park earlier this month setting the stage for a welcoming community space in West Sacramento’s newest development area.

Garden Park is a three-quarter-acre public park billed as the “centerpiece” to the first stage of development of The Bridge District, according to Stephen Jaycox, senior vice president of design for The Bridge District’s designer/developer, Fulcrum Property.

Jaycox said the design and planning of The Bridge District is unusual compared to typical new development plans.

“We are starting with the green space and then moving on to building townhomes and apartments around it,” Jaycox said. “This is a different sort of planning from the days when parks were an afterthought.”

The newly-replanted olive trees averaged 21,000 pounds each and are each well over 100 years old, according to Jaycox.

The olive trees were working trees on a farm near Fresno before the move to the park in West Sacramento. They were selected because of their sculptural trunks, character and beauty, Jaycox said.

“Having a fruit-bearing tree is a reminder of the importance of agriculture to our communities,” Jaycox said Thursday.

The trees will frame a seating area in the center of the park featuring a 16-foot-long granite table that Fulcrum Property President Mark Friedman described as “an invitation” to get together with neighbors.

“The trees give the park instant character, creating a sense of age and permanence that you wouldn’t normally get in a new park,” Friedman said.

Jaycox said Garden Park is designed in what is called a “circus plan” – a long oval – similar to South Park in San Francisco.

“It’s long and narrow, and the buildings will go up around it,” he said. “It will feel like being in an outdoor room.”

Garden Park is expected to be the “heart of the neighborhood,” according to Friedman.

“We’ve built it like a jewel box for the district,” he said.

The West Sacramento park will cost nearly $2 million and is being paid for with a variety of public funds including grants and general fund dollars, Katy Jacobson, project manager for the city of West Sacramento, said Friday.

“(The olive trees) give us an instant sense of history as we transform the area from industrial to mixed-use,” Jacobson said.

Additional improvements to The Bridge District will include final construction of an off-ramp at Fifth Street this fall, followed by the start of construction on the first housing units before the end of the year, Jacobson said.

As Garden Park nears completion, the final addition will be a yet-to-be-selected sculpture set in a prominent place as a counterpoint to the ancient trees.

“It will offset something natural – the ancient Seville olive trees – with something manmade,” Friedman said.

Construction on Garden Park began in November and is expected to open in spring, although no specific date has been set.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Oak Park to get new middle school

2012-01-27T01:38:34Z

A new middle school will open in Oak Park in the fall – the neighborhood’s first stand-alone middle school since 1963.

Oak Park Preparatory Academy (Oak Park Prep) is a St. Hope Public School and will open to seventh graders in August.

Oak Park’s previous middle school – Stanford Junior High – was burned down by two teenagers in 1963.

There are three middle schools in the district that serve Oak Park students – California, Will C. Wood and Kit Carson – but none are located within Oak Park.

The Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education trustees voted to approve Oak Park Prep’s charter Oct. 6, and the new school will serve 60 students the first year.

The school’s attendance will increase to 180 students over the next four years, according to Paul Schwinn, Oak Park Prep founding principal, allowing time for the new school to “fine tune” its programs as it grows.

Michael Boyd, president of Oak Park Neighborhood Association, said there has been a positive response from the neighborhood about the new middle school.

“People get excited anytime a quality school comes to the community,” Boyd said Thursday. “There are some controversies around charter schools, but overall we want to see kids get the best education.”

The St. Hope Public Schools organization runs three schools in the Oak Park area: PS7, a K-8 program, Sacramento Charter High School and Triumph Center for Early Childhood Education, a public preschool. There are about 1,500 students attending the three schools.

Faye Lawrence, a parent of two Sacramento Charter High graduates and two students who currently attend PS7, said Thursday that the new middle school will provide more educational opportunities to Oak Park families.

“(The new middle school) will be modeled after PS7,” Lawrence said, “and the PS7 kids generally enter high school ahead of other students coming from other schools.

“Being able to get kids on a good learning track earlier will really make a difference in their education,” she added.

At the moment, the new middle school doesn’t have a set location. Schwinn said the school applied in November to SCUSD for space in a wing of the Sacramento High School campus that, until December, housed The Met High School.

Schwinn said he expects to have final approval for the location by spring.

City Councilman Jay Schenirer, who represents Oak Park and District 5 on the City Council, said he’s glad to see Oak Park get another school.

“It’s being operated by an organization with a great track record of providing an excellent education, and of sending kids on to be successful in college,” Schenirer said. “They are filling a need in the community.”

Schwinn attributed the success of the schools to their focus on the core subjects of literacy and math.

“We spend 3.5 hours each day on literacy and two hours on math,” Schwinn said. “We’re trying to get our students to a place where they are ready to take calculus in their senior year of high school and take honors classes throughout high school.”

Oak Park Prep students will largely come from the neighborhood's seven elementary schools – Ethel Phillips, Oak Ridge, David Lubin, Father Keith B. Kenny, Fruitridge, Tahoe and Bret Harte.

As a charter school, however, enrollment is open to any student in any district, Schwinn said.

The school is accepting applications until March 15 for 60 openings for the 2012-13 school year. If the school receives more than 60 applications, Schwinn said, there will be a random-drawing enrollment lottery to fill the openings.

Remaining applicants will be placed on a waiting list.

St. Hope Public Schools will host an information session for interested families Feb. 9 at the PS7 site on the Sacramento High campus.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

The Art of Fashion

2012-01-26T09:41:55Z

The fashion industry continues to grow in Sacramento. Trunk shows, boutique openings, fashion shows, fashion students exhibiting their designs from San Francisco to Sacramento continue to wet the appetite of fashionistas in northern California. Next month will also bring Sacramento Fashion Week to the Elks Tower Ballroom. These events will make an impact in our local economy.

This past Friday night "The Art of Fashion" was hosted by Lounge ON20. The event included a fashion show and was also a mixer benefit event for Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of the greater Sacramento area.

A new campaign was launched by BBBS “100 Men, $100,000, 100 Days” that seeks to raise critically needed funds. The campaign is looking to put males in the lives of 107 young men waiting for a big brother. BBBS hopes to match a big brother to a kid that can benefit from a relationship with their mentor and create awareness of how BBBS improves our community. Ticket sales and donations during the event went to BBBS. A table was also set up for guests to view more information about becoming a big brother or big sister.

Donations for this worthwhile cause can still be made at their 100 Heroes Wanted donation page.

The Art of Fashion featured three local designers who continue to make an impact on the Sacramento fashion scene. Designs from Electrik Trice, Samuel Parkinson and Faatui Toele were showcased on a red carpet runway.

Electrik Trice was the first designer of the evening and presented her Romance in Paris Collection. The collection showcased the great talent of the designer and the passion and beauty of her impressive designs. Her elaborate designs included several exciting evening dresses. Electrik's designs also included elegant pant suits as well as one and two piece outfits for an evening out on the town.

Several of her outfits solicited shouts of approval and applause from the audience. Part of the Romance in Paris Collection featured glamorous form fitting outfits. Electrik’s designs were accentuated by exquisite accessories.

Electrik’s new 2012 collection was a big hit with the crowd. One member of the audience was very excited about a red outfit saying, “I want that one!” and as she turned to her companion said, “Honey, please get that one for me.” I don’t know if they bought the dress but several of Electrik’s outfits evoked similar comments.

Samuel Parkinson’s Woodsy Scholar line was showcased next. Parkinson’s KingsTribe Clothing has become a popular brand in Sacramento and his talent has been showcased at several fashion shows in the area including last year’s Designing Dreams.

The Woodsy Scholar line was inspired by letterman jackets and were accented with wool and leather. KingsTribe Clothing continues to bring men’s fashion to the runway and the Art of Fashion event showcased the designer’s versatility and sense of fashion.

KingsTribe Clothing continues to emerge in the Sacramento scene and Parkinson’s outfits continue to live up to their motto: “Made with pride to be worn in pride.” Parkinson’s designs will eventually bring Sacramento fashion pride to our area.

A lively performance by singer and songwriter Tia Ferrera was included as part of the show. During this intermission performance Ferrera, along with dancers Divina and Talissa, entertained the crowd and kept things moving. This was the first time I’ve seen or heard Ferrera and her energetic performance impressed the audience.

The last designer of the evening was Faatui Toele whose 2WEE designs have graced many fashion shows in Sacramento. Toele’s Fall in Love 2012 Spring/Summer Collection included various trendy and sexy outfits. The fashions showcased were eye-popping and included some amazing trends for evening wear.

The Fall in Love line showcased several red and black outfits that received loud applause from the audience. Several outfits were very ornate and detailed and were well complemented by accessories worn. Models also wore some very exotic hairdos.

These three designers have collaborated together in other fashion shows and all have attended Sacramento’s Academy of Design and Technology. Their exquisite designs are available for sale and they continue to grace the fashion scene in Sacramento. Don’t be surprised when one or all of them become well known designers in the larger fashion markets of California and the nation.

These types of fashion shows not only help local designers receive recognition and exposure but designers in turn work to give back to the community by partnering with charities and the Sacramento community. These events also showcase the talents of photographers, models, entertainers, clubs, hair and makeup artists and help foster economic growth in the local economy.

Mutual Housing chosen as finalist for Inspired Giving

2012-01-25T19:07:22Z

Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association recently was chosen as a finalist for the Inspire Giving award, a program of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce that encourages civic-minded leadership, volunteerism and philanthropic giving.

The other finalists are Raft, Roseville Home Start, Seniors First and Soil Born Farms.

Mutual Housing develops and operates permanently affordable housing in Sacramento and Yolo county that builds strong and stable communities through resident participation and leadership development. With more than 900 homes, it serves some 2,700 low- to moderate-income residents, half of whom are children.

Raft helps educators transform the learning experience through "hands-on" education that inspires the joy and discovery of learning.

Roseville Home Start transitions homeless families into affordable, sustainable permanent housing and self- sufficiency, through a system of housing and support services that is comprehensive, flexible, accessible and accountable.

Seniors first strives to keep Placer County senior citizens living independently and comfortably in their own homes as long as possible.

Soil Born Farms is an urban agriculture and education project that connects food, health and the environment.

Winners will be announced at the 117th annual dinner and business awards of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce on January 27.

Inspire Giving is the endowment fund of Project Inspire, a program of the Sacramento Metro Chamber of Commerce. Inspire Giving was established in 2009 in partnership with the Sacramento Region Community Foundation and the Leadership Sacramento Class of 2009. Project Inspire offers businesses turnkey activities that encourage their employees to lead, volunteer and give. For more information about Project Inspire, visit: http://www.metro-inspire.org/.

For more information about mutual housing, visit www.mutualhousing.com.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

Sacramento Raks!

2012-01-25T06:00:37Z

Stunning dance skills were exhibited by 15 belly dance performances on Sunday night. Dancers in gorgeous and very colorful outfits took the stage and delighted a full house at the Fair Oaks Community Clubhouse.

The Sacramento Raks! Belly Dance Gala Show returned to the Clubhouse for a delightful evening of alluring dance performances. Live, authentic Middle Eastern music was provided by Flowers of the Nile. Middle Eastern cuisine was also available for guests to purchase during the show.

Dancers Ayre Briar and J.R. performed an inaugural performance as Shupa Da. The music of Pink Floyd’s “Goodbye Blue Sky” accompanied their first dance. The Shupa Da dancers wore similar outfits and a purple veil covered their face. Their rhythmic dance was captivating from the start. As they finished the first part of their dance, they removed their veils and started to dance to the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” and received loud applause.

Shupa Da’s choreography was created by Briar. Their fusion belly dance performance mixed elements of modern and belly dance along with vintage flair that gave elegance to their act.

Once the dancing started one belly dance troupe after another took their place on stage. Tasha from El Dorado Hills was the second dancer to display her marvelous dancing skills.

Tasha danced to a song that told the story of two lovers who are sad and lost without each other. Wearing all white, Tasha’s flair and dance allowed her to use the whole stage as she performed.

Tatheer was the third performer of the evening. The Auburn based dancer performed two pieces. The first performance was done to the Bollywood dance, “Jai Ho,” from the “Slumdog Millionaire” soundtrack. Tatheer’s second performance encompassed Rachel Brice choreography.

Ayre Briar also came back to the stage to perform a solo act. Briar’s performance was inspired by 1960’s belly dance as portrayed in popular cinema. Briar, dressed in gold attire, performed fluid movements to songs that were reminiscent of James Bond movies of the same era. Indeed it incorporated some music from “Goldfinger” and “You Only Live Twice.”

Sacramento based Badia performed next. Dressed in all black, Badia took the stage. She came to centerstage wearing a black veil covering her face. The only part of her face that could be seen behind her costume was her alluring eyes.

Captivated by her dark mysterious eyes, Badia hypnotized the audience as she began to dance. As she danced, she reminded me of a cobra moving out of a basket, and as she moved around the stage she reminded me of a twister moving in the sands of the Sahara.

Kaira Haneem is from nearby Chico. As she came on stage it was announced that she would perform to an Arabic pop song and then a drum solo that utilized her ballet and jazz influenced style of American cabaret belly dance.

Wearing a red outfit that almost matched her hair, Haneem’s performance was well-received. As with the dancers before her, the audience was able to participate by rhythmically clapping along with the music.

The special guest star of the evening was Aubre Hill, who hails from Los Angeles. Hill has performed internationally and is a much sought after master teacher and choreographer. She has a background in ballet, dance, hip hop, musical theatre, folk dance and other dance styles. Hill has also won several international awards and has hosted her own belly dance fitness show on Fit TV.

Hill is currently the Artistic Director of the Lumina Bellydance Company. Her extensive background was brought to the stage as Koop’s “Strange Love” played. Hill’s exquisite movements were fine tuned to the drums of “Strange Love,” and allowed her to show her unique style.

The Henna and Kohl Bellydance Company of Sacramento performed next. The Sacramento based dance troupe is directed by Adriane and they performed a debut dance.

As the company came on stage they each came up with a tray of lit candles atop of their head. The maneuvers for this dance were deliberate and at times exotic as they danced. They were able to maneuver themselves into sitting and lying down positions on stage while the trays remained on their heads restricting their movements. This allowed them to show their balance and dance skills.

The Henna and Kohl Bellydance performance was divided into two or three different dances and as the first set ended, the audience once again clapped in rhythm as the dancers sped up the tempo of music and dance.

Intermission gave the audience time to stretch and get something to eat or drink from the food court in the back of the community clubhouse. The Flowers of the Nile musicians set up their instruments on stage and from this point forward, live music would accompany the dancers.

Several of the dancers during the second half of the Gala Show returned from last year’s Sacramento Raks event. First to perform after intermission was Edemia from Sacramento, who interacted with the musicians on stage. The addition of Flowers of the Nile on stage, in my opinion, was a welcome addition.

Sacramento’s Janene followed, performing a traditional Egyptian style dance to a traditional Egyptian love song. Besides Janene’s fluid dancing, the audience was able to enjoy Philip Gabriel’s voice as Flowers of the Nile played on.

Another Sacramento native now residing in the Chico area, Mychelle Crown combined her love of Egyptian cabaret belly dance with her American jazz and ballet background to create her unique representation of this art. Sunday night she performed to a classic Egyptian song.

Davis’ Nyla Crystal, who was also at last year’s Sacramento Raks event, brought her precision Egyptian style dance to the stage. Her long red hair waved as she danced wearing a red outfit. To top it off, she used a long red veil to accompany her movements. Her fiery performance was well choreographed and executed.

Crystal will be conducting a workshop on April 29 at the Brazilian Center of Sacramento. The workshop is called Beauty and the Sword, and Crystal will cover balancing techniques and sword choreography.

The next performer was Maria, who hails from Santa Clara. Maria wore a lovely white outfit adorned with colorful flower patterns. The flow of the outfit during her alluring dance moves created the illusion of ballroom dancing. Maria’s exotic moves and choreography, along with the live music, once again had the audience clapping as she performed certain moves.

Maria will also be conducting a workshop on April 29, where participants will learn a solo fun drum choreographed dance as well as little tricks to keep the audience surprised and engaged.

Adriane, producer of the Sacramento Raks Belly Dance Gala Show, took the stage for a solo performance. As soon as Flowers of the Nile began playing, the audience clapped to the rhythm of the percussion and Adriane used the whole stage to dance and charm the audience.

Adriane’s fluid dance movements generated audience participation during several parts of her performance. Her charismatic enthusiasm for dance, performance and teaching are evident on stage and off. Adriane’s performance was quite entertaining from beginning to end.

Hill was the last performer of the evening. The special guest did not disappoint and brought the end to a wonderful evening of belly dancing.

The audience that gathered for this Gala Show seemed to have enjoyed it quite a bit. The show brought beautiful music, dance and culture to Sacramento, allowing people of many ethnicities to enjoy an entertaining evening.

One member of the audience, Edwin Hakimi, summed up the evening saying, “I heard about this event a few months ago from one of my friends who was here in May at the last performance. He’s been talking about this for a long time and everything he said was true. There was great food, great dancers and very beautiful, I have to say. I loved it, I will bring my whole family next time; it brings back memories of home.”

Beautiful costumes, choreography and music made this a very enjoyable show. The producers of the show are to be commended for their hard work and wonderful lineup of entertainers.

City Council begins 2012-13 budget process with workshop

2012-01-25T05:13:57Z

As Sacramento gears up to face a $16.5 million budget gap in the next fiscal year, consultants from Colorado met with City Council members to outline a new approach to budgeting that focuses less on dollar amounts and more on top city priorities.

The council budget workshop held Tuesday at the main branch of the Sacramento Public Library was designed to help council members refine fiscal priorities for the city and discuss ways to reshape the budget process.

Significant cuts to resolve a $39 million budget gap last year resulted in layoffs from the police force and rolling brownouts at city fire stations – actions that brought weeks of public outcry at City Council meetings.

The city charter requires the city manager to present a proposed budget to the City Council by May 1 for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1. The deadline for a finalized budget is June 30.

Budget consultants Jon Johnson and Chris Fabian were brought in by the city’s Finance Department to introduce details of “priority-based budgeting” – a method that focuses on matching funding decisions to predetermined city priorities, instead of on prior years’ spending patterns.

City Manager John Shirey said Sacramento, like many local governments throughout the nation, typically rely on such “spending-based budgeting” – that is, making spending and cutting decisions based on how much was spent last year with last year’s revenue levels.

The result, Shirey said, is recurring budget gaps and employee layoffs.

Fabian said the key to priority-based budgeting is having clearly defined priorities.

“Across the board reductions is egalitarian – there is a sense of fairness about it,” Fabian told council members, “but it doesn’t reflect priorities.”

In one budget exercise at the workshop, council members ranked providing a safe community, economic vitality and youth and education as top priorities.

In a detailed staff report presented to council members, 16 city departments – including Community Development, Parks and Recreation, Transportation, Utilities and others – were reviewed to sort programs and services into “mandated,” “essential” and “existing” categories.

As council moves through the budget process, Shirey said, the reviews will be part of the criteria to determine how city resources should be distributed across city programs.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Shirey told council members. “You’ve given us some direction on the focus areas that are important to you. Now we need to go back and apply it.”

The workshop was designed as a starting point for discussion for City Council members as they approach the 2012/13 budget year.

“We definitely need more time to dig into this information,” City Councilman Darrell Fong said Tuesday. “I get it – now I want to look at it closer.”

City spokeswoman Amy Williams said the City Council generally holds one workshop prior to developing the budget, but more could be scheduled if the council feels it’s needed.

Although the council does not make final budget decisions at workshops, the meetings are an opportunity for council members to work with and give direction to staff and the city manager as he begins to prepare the annual budget.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter with The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

NAG meeting tackles big issues

2012-01-24T21:44:11Z

Area 1 Neighborhood Advisory Group members cautiously welcomed the new leader of the Midtown Business Association Monday evening at their monthly meeting and took the opportunity to express their frustrations with the organization.

About 40 residents, business leaders and presenters attended the meeting – a high turnout, according to Bill Burgua, attendee.

Elizabeth Studebaker, the new executive director of the Midtown Business Association, said her first focus is on trash removal, and that aggressive changes will be made. She also addressed concerns about the growing number of bars and restaurants in Midtown.

“There’s a very strong perception that the neighborhood has been taken over by the hospitality industry,” said Burgua. “You are up against a really dim view from the people in the neighborhood.”

Studebaker said she’ll work hard to repair the relationship between residents and the MBA, but she asked for time and assistance from the community.

She also announced the search for a maintenance manager to oversee the removal of trash, graffiti and the overall appearance of the business district.

In regard to the proliferation of liquor providers in the area, Studebaker said she’s in search of a healthy balance of businesses, with a focus on small businesses.

“MBA can’t decide who opens a business here, but we can be a communication tool,” Studebaker said.

David Brent, interim director of the city’s Department of Utilities, presented proposed increases to water and waste water rates. The increases would fund a program to replace or rehabilitate the aging infrastructure.

The water treatment plant on the Sacramento river is operating with the original pumps from 1920. Many miles of pipeline are more than 100 years old and are in danger of failure, Brent said. He added that it’s a necessary investment to avoid the risk of flooded houses, closed businesses and sewage backups.

“All our lives, we’ve turned on the water or flushed the toilet without any thought as to how it gets there or where it goes,” Brent said.

The proposal included a 10 percent increase for each of the next three years to unmetered water rates, and an average 15 percent increase to waste water rates. The total increase would add approximately $20 to the average customer’s bill each month by the final increase in 2014, according to Brent’s proposal.

The proposal goes to the City Council on Feb. 21.

Sacramento Police Department Lt. Bill Champion and Norm Colby with the Department of Transportation addressed the growing incidences of copper theft around Sacramento. Some of the hardest-hit targets have been street lights, traffic signals and parks.

“For every foot we put in, they pull out three,” Colby said.

Champion and Colby asked residents to be vigilant and to contact police if people are seen in electrical boxes that don’t seem like they belong. Also, the public should note any missing access covers, as they likely indicate a theft has occurred.

Colby said he’s working to replace the current electrical access covers with locking lids. So far, 400-500 have been purchased, but with 80,000 lids in Sacramento, it is a long, expensive project.

The cost to replace the missing copper is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Champion said cameras have been set up to catch thieves, but a better way to tackle the problem is with recyclers and scrap metal dealers.

“If they have nowhere to take it to sell, it becomes worthless,” Champion said, adding that dealers should be required to check identifications and take thumbprints from sellers.

Central city parking was addressed by Greg Sandlund, associate planner with the city of Sacramento. Sandlund said efforts are being made to modernize parking requirements for new businesses and housing developments. He said his office is looking to provide alternative, smarter ways to provide more parking in the neighborhood, such as scooter or bike parking.

Residents voiced frustrations about the current parking situation and said the city needs to incentivize business owners to share private parking, particularly at night when many lots sit empty.

“Old neighborhoods are dense, and this creates an issue where residents at night can’t get anywhere near our houses,” said Karen Jacques, member of NAG. “It’s a convenience issue and a safety issue.”

Teresa Jackson, with the Department of Parks and Recreation, presented proposed changes to the ordinances that govern special events. Jackson said current codes haven’t been updated since 1995, and the Special Event Ordinance Committee was formed to streamline the process.

The committee is a collection of business owners, event planners and neighborhood representatives.

The proposed updates will make it easier for event planners to understand the “do’s and don’ts” in Sacramento.

Among the changes is a proposal to increase the time needed to file an application from 20 days before the event to 60 days, a process that will allow for better community notification, Jackson said.

The decibel level of special events was also addressed. The acceptable levels would be increased, but the Special Event Ordinance Committee wants to require event planners to pay for an event attendant to monitor sound, Jackson said. She added that police officers now carry decibel meters, and planners will be fined if city resources are used to close down an event.

The next agenda committee meeting will take place on Feb. 6, and the next general NAG meeting will be Feb. 21. Meetings are usually held at the Hart Senior Center, located at 915 27th St.

Financial literacy program expands with United Way

2012-01-24T02:01:59Z

The City Council approved an agreement Tuesday merging a local financial literacy program with the United Way in an effort to expand the program and offer the services region-wide.

Bank on Sacramento is a collaboration between local nonprofit organizations, banks and credit unions to help residents who don’t have bank accounts – or historically have not used mainstream banking services – to get access to low-cost accounts and financial advice so they can begin saving money and building credit history.

According to a city staff report, the merge allows the United Way California Capital Region to administer the program and expand the services to residents of Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties.

“It makes sense to have one organization (administering the program) for the whole region,” Steve Heath, president of United Way California Capital Region said Monday. “It’s been a success in the city (of Sacramento), and we want to build on that.”

Heath said there are an estimated 30,000 households in the region that do not use mainstream banking – basic savings or checking accounts – and instead rely on check-cashing businesses for “payday loans,” or use cash for every transaction.

But cash transactions and those types of loans don’t help a consumer build credit or assets or save money, Heath said – or learn to wisely manage finances, a necessary skill in today’s complex financial world.

Payday loans – also called cash advance loans or check advance loans – are common, and the average annual percentage rate on a typical short-term loan can be steep, Heath said.

According to the Center for Responsible Lending, payday loans are usually made to people who need money right away and plan to pay it back with their next paycheck. Lenders offer amounts up to $500 for short periods of time – one to four weeks – and loan fees range between $15 and $70, depending on the loan amount.

“Some people spend in excess of $1,000 a year on fees at check-cashing places,” Heath said, “versus about $15 per month at a bank. That’s money wasted.”

Heath said the Bank on Sacramento program is designed not only to offer financial literacy education and access to low-cost banking services, but also to find people who need more intensive financial services and refer them into other, more detailed programs.

“The goals of Bank on Sacramento are well-matched with our goal of teaching financial stability here at United Way,” Heath said.

Sacramento has a significant number of check cashing and payday lending businesses strategically placed in economically challenged areas that provide a significantly more expensive alternative to traditional financial institutions, according to the staff report.

Fees from payday lenders total more than $16 million per year. Without a bank account, the average person will spend 5 percent of his or her income on money orders and in payday lender fees each year.

“Right now, where we are in recovery from financial troubles in the nation,” said Jim Allen, a representative of Safe Credit Union in Sacramento, “there are a lot of people out there who need to improve their financial literacy.”

Safe Credit Union is one of nearly 20 organizations involved locally in the Bank on Sacramento program.

Allen said the program is intended to help people who might otherwise not be able to get a bank account, are skeptical of banks or traditionally don’t use banking systems.

“We want to help set aside preconceptions and help people learn how to use a bank and how to manage their finances to actually build something for themselves,” Allen said.

The Bank on Sacramento program operates on grant funds transferred from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research to the City of Sacramento, according to the staff report.

Through the program merge, all remaining grant funds will be administered by the United Way. There is no commitment to spend city funds other than staff time, the report states, and city staff will not engage in fund raising for Bank on Sacramento.

According to the report, the Bank on Sacramento program assisted more than 45,000 residents to establish bank accounts – substantially surpassing the one-year program goal of 10,001 residents.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter with The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Sheedy won't run for re-election in council district 2

2012-01-24T01:29:29Z

On the eve of discussion about her goal of putting arena financing to a public vote, City Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy announced that she will not be running for re-election to her District 2 council seat in June.

“After careful consideration, I have decided not to seek another term on the Sacramento City Council,” Sheedy said in a prepared statement Monday.

Sheedy cited 28 years of public service between herself and her husband, Ted, a former county supervisor, adding, “We feel it’s time to call it a day so we can spend more time with our family.”

Sheedy would have faced at least four other candidates for her council seat in the upcoming election, including former Obama campaign organizer Kim Mack, former human resources manager Sondra Betancourt, developer Allen Wayne Warren and former Midtown Business Association Executive Director Rob Kerth.

“I think anyone who serves the public deserves a thumbs up,” Mack said Monday after hearing the announcement, “but it doesn’t change my campaign at all.”

Betancourt said she understands Sheedy’s desire to spend time with her family, and that it is time for a change in the way District 2 is being managed.

“I see a serious need for the type of leadership that I will bring (to the district),” Betancourt said Monday.

"It’s 'full steam ahead' to the election," she added.

Sheedy thanked city staff and the community in her statement, saying they have made her job easier and more rewarding.

“Now it’s time for someone else to take a turn at the wheel,” Sheedy said.

At the Jan. 3 council meeting, Sheedy asked staff to prepare information about a potential public vote on arena financing. The City Council will take up the item Tuesday.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter with The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Sacramento Fashion Week Press Party

2012-01-23T00:19:17Z

Mayahuel Tequila Museo hosted an elegant evening of fashion on Thursday night. Designers scheduled to participate in the Designer Showcase were on hand to celebrate a Sacramento Fashion Week Press Party.

This year’s Sacramento Fashion Week will take place the week of February 21. Several events are planned for the event including two Designer Showcases with the final show on February 25.

Several Sacramento Fashion Week staff members were on hand to meet and greet guests at the event. Producer and Executive Director, Duane Ram, introduced the event and other staff members. Creative Director, Will Rodriguez, also said a few words to start the sixth year of production for Sacramento Fashion Week.

Designers arrived at Mayahuel and mingled with guests. Models arrived later aboard a stretch limo and posed for photos in front of the Tequila Museo before making a grand entrance.

There are 13 designers scheduled for this year’s runway fashion show. Two nights have been set aside to showcase their creativity in fashion and share their designs with the ever growing Sacramento fashion scene.

The International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT) will host a training workshop at their campus during the second day of Sacramento Fashion Week. The workshop, Model Boot Camp, will be open to the public and will be helpful for aspiring models.

Sacramento State Student Fashion Association (SFA) will host a Fashion Forum on February 23. The forum will be held at the Hinde Auditorium at Sacramento State University. This event will feature industry professionals who will bring their perspective and knowledge in their profession. Different career fields within the fashion industry will be shared with students and others in attendance.

Representatives from Make-A-Wish Foundation of Sacramento and Northeastern California were also on hand. Make-A-Wish will be the beneficiary organization of Sacramento Fashion Week for the second straight year.

Guests were offered delicious appetizers from Mayahuel’s kitchen and a multi media presentation played in the background creating a lively atmosphere.

I was able to talk to two of the designers and their models to ask them about the upcoming fashion show. The designers I spoke to, Julian Gutierrez and Vasily Vein will be featured in the Designer Showcase on February 25.

Julian Gutierrez is originally from Sacramento but now lives in San Francisco attending the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM).

The Sacramento Press: How did you hear about Sacramento Fashion Week?

Julian Gutierrez: Well I’ve been an intern for Caren Templet for about two years. Sacramento is a tight niche community and word gets around. I did a collection in high school that was well received. I just started college at FIDM this year and this will be my third quarter so I’m really excited that I can participate in this show.

SP: Do you know any of the other designers here from FIDM?

JG: Actually many designers are close and they know and help each other and we’re all trying to help Sacramento perhaps become the fashion capital of California.

SP: When will your fashion line be showcased?

JG: I will be showcasing on Saturday night.

SP: Do you have family in Sacramento?

JG: Yeah my family is here. I have some family in Texas but my immediate family is in Sacramento, I grew up here.

SP: What advice, if you had any, would you give someone who may be trying to get into design?

JG: You need to take every opportunity that’s offered no matter how small. Try to find someone in the industry and network with them and really show your interest and your enthusiasm. Tell them you really want to be where they’re at in the industry. That’s what I did at Templet and I went beyond things I would ever be able to learn in school. As I’m getting older I’m starting to see things that are happening to me that I never thought would happen. I’m very impatient so I thought that this would never happen but it does. I know people that have motivation and really want to do something but at this point they don’t have the skills and are impatient like I was. I would give them advice to follow anything in their life they really want and dedicate themselves to it and follow through to really achieve what they want.

SP: How old where you when you realized you wanted to be a designer?

JG: Maybe when I was in junior high when I was about 13. When I moved to my apartment my mom gave me this mural where I did a fashion sketch when I was about four and I had no idea that I even did it. I used to go in front of the TV and pause it and draw whatever interested me. So in my mind I’ve been designing forever. I find fashion to be beautiful and necessary in my life.

SP: How would you describe your style?

JG: At this point in my life I just really want to make things that are simple, silhouette and basic and that are comfortable but have beautiful detail. I’m inspired by Alexander McQueen and Chanel and the beauty of it is that their clothing is so simple and silhouette and so form fitting in the right places and yet not being vulgar. I find it a lot sexier when a girl or anybody is actually covered up kind of modest and has the sense of formability but still not letting anybody take advantage. I really want to make clothes for people who want change and are always trying to change their life for the better.

Model Danielle Birum wore a Julian Gutierrez design and I asked her a couple of questions to get a model’s perspective on the event and to find out a little more about her.

SP: How long have you been a model?

Danielle Birum: I’ve been a model for a total of five years now in the Sacramento area.

SP: How did you become involved with Sacramento Fashion Week?

DB: I emailed my friend Maria when I heard about Sacramento Fashion Week and asked if I could be in it and at the last minute I was able to get in. I had done a show with Maria before.

SP: Have you done any other runway shows before?

DB: Nothing really big.

SP: Are you from the Sacramento area?

DB: Yes, I’m from Sacramento and right now I go to American River College. I’m transferring in the fall and I will be going to Monterrey Bay to study Marine Biology.

SP: Do you think you’ll also continue to pursue a modeling career?

DB: It just depends, I really would love to have a career in modeling but school comes first. I should mention that Julian’s fabric choices are amazing they feel awesome they’re amazing and gorgeous.

SP: Who is your favorite model?

DB: I like Heidi Klum and Marisa Miller.

A designer who was part of the last Designing Dreams fashion show Vasily Vein was also present and I was able to ask him and his model some questions. We spoke through a Russian interpreter in order to make sure we understood each other.

SP: I notice you do most of your work in San Francisco but how did you become involved with Sacramento Fashion Week?

Vasily Vein: I love their organization system and the Sacramento Fashion Week team. I had a part in the Designing Dreams fashion show last year and I think they’re one of the best fashion teams in the area.

SP: How long have you been a designer?

VV: All my life, since I was 12 years old.

SP: What or who inspired you to get into fashion?

VV: I’ve always wanted to be involved in fashion. As I thought about what career I wanted to pursue I realized that I wanted to be involved in fashion. Fashion has always been my passion.

SP: I read somewhere that you designed for several Russian rock stars can you tell me who?

VV: I was involved in designing outfits for Russian entertainers. I was a designer for Russian pop and rock stars. I worked with Russian singer Linda for about 10 years. Linda is very famous in Russia and Greece.

SP: When did you come to America and why?

VV: I came to the U.S. three years ago. I like risk and love to experiment and America offered a great challenge.

SP: Have you been to Sacramento before for any shows?

VV: I was in Designing Dreams in August of last year.

SP: Do you have any parting words for Sacramentans coming to the show?

VV: Please come and see my designs. I will try to have a fun presentation for the public.

SP: How would you describe your style?

VV: I try to make beautiful outfits and try to make them for everyone. My creations are not just for the runway but are also made for casual and formal wear.

Maria Kondrakhanova wore a gorgeous red dress designed by Vein. Their interpreter indicated that Kondrakhanova is a top model in Russia and hailed from the Russian city of Nizhniy Novgorod.

SP: How long have you been modeling?

Maria Kondrakhanova: I’ve been a model since I was 16 years old. I’ve been a model in Russia but not in U.S.

SP: What inspired you to become a model?
MK: I love beautiful things, outfits, people and other things and fashion makes me like it’s a dream. I enjoy showcasing beautiful designs.

SP: When did you come to America?

MK: I came to America three years ago for the first time

SP: Who is your favorite model and designer?

MK: I love the beautiful designs of Vasily. My favorite model is Natalia Vodianova because we’re both from the same hometown.

The evening provided a great setting for fashion designers, models, advertising and modeling agencies, photographers, make up artists, hair stylists, media and other fashion industry people to enjoy the beginning of this year’s fashion extravaganza. Tickets for Sacramento Fashion Week are now on sale and this year they’re expecting to sell out.

Round-up: Recent changes in local news outlets

2012-01-21T02:05:23Z

In a world where nearly everyone has a smartphone or an iPod and news flashes are delivered in 140 characters or less, the landscape of news media is rapidly changing. Here is a quick roundup of recent changes in the local news outlets:

Sacramento News & Review: Looking for a new editor

The Sacramento News & Review has been a print publication since 1989, and Melinda Welsh has been the editor for most of that time. About a week ago, she decided to step down, and now the News & Review is conducting a nationwide search for her replacement.

“I love the job, it’s the coolest job,” Welsh said Friday. “But it’s been long enough. Eighteen years as an editor? It’s time to do something different.”

Welsh said the nationwide search began as soon as she announced her plans to leave, and ads for the position have been appearing in local outlets and across the nation.

Welsh said, so far, there have been some responses to the ads, but the hiring office at News & Review is not yet to the point of conducting interviews.

“We’re targeting other alt(ernative) weeklies and looking for someone with experience in what we do,” Welsh said.

Although the search for an editor is open nationwide, Welsh said the News & Review would prefer someone with ties to Sacramento – especially since the paper focuses on local stories.

Welsh said the News & Review has gone through a number of changes over the years – but that’s the nature of media.

“It’s a time of change,” Welsh said. “I don’t think we’re behind the eight ball. The News and Review is thinner than it’s been, but our readership has increased. It’s just the ever-changing landscape of media.”

Capitol Weekly: Leaving print behind, going to online-only

Jan. 12 saw the print edition of Capitol Weekly – a newspaper devoted solely to politics and governance in Sacramento – delivered to offices in the state Capitol for the last time.

According to the Jan. 17 announcement in Capitol Weekly, the newspaper suspended its print edition in favor of an online-only presence.

Calling it “an essential element of the reorganization of our company,” Editor John Howard said in the announcement that the move was prompted by “challenging economic times coupled with the need for new technologies” to expand the company’s capabilities.

The switch to online-only came with employee layoffs at the newspaper – something
Lilly Fuentes-Joy, former photo editor with Capitol Weekly, said many people hoped would never happen.

“Financially the paper was going through hard times,” Fuentes-Joy said Friday, “but we all thought the paper would pull through.”

Fuentes-Joy said about 10 people were let go from the paper when it halted its print edition.

Howard said in the announcement that “the economy, changing readership habits and increasing demand for speed and access” spurred the change, and the company wants to focus on how to meet the needs of its readers and advertisers.

“I’ve seen Capitol Weekly go through so many changes,” Fuentes-Joy said Friday, “but not keep up with the changing times.”

The social media aspect of journalism has been key to the struggles of Capitol Weekly, Fuentes-Joy said.

“People still like print media,” she said, “but they want quick fixes – immediate news – but there’s no real depth.”

Capitol Weekly will continue to produce a conference series, special events and its television show, “Politics On Tap,” according to Capitol Weekly Publisher Arnold York.

Capital Public Radio: Moving jazz to sister station, focusing on news

Jazz and music lovers will no longer find their favorite music on KXJZ 90.9, because Capital Public Radio is making some changes to its format.

“Over the last several years, our research has shown a growing demand for news information,” Capital Public Radio General Manager Rick Eytcheson said Friday.

“The way people consume music has been evolving, and that rate of change is accelerating. People have so many options, and a lot of radio stations are struggling,” Eytcheson said.

In response to listeners’ requests and research that the organization did, Eytcheson said, the station moved its popular "Excellence In Jazz" program and several other music programs from KXJZ 90.9 to its sister station at 88.9 KXPR to allow more airtime at 90.9 for news and information programming.

“The news side continues to grow on public radio,” Eytcheson said, “and we’ve seen robust ratings growth. We want to build on that.”

Eytcheson said about two years ago, the station started to stream jazz music online, and managers were pleasantly surprised to see the number of people tuning in. Soon, the station began to simultaneously stream classical music to reach a larger audience.

With the newest format changes, Eytcheson said, he hopes no one loses out: Fans of news and information will get full-time programming on one station, and music lovers will get full-time programming on another station.

“Jazz isn’t going away,” Eytcheson said. “It’s just moving down the dial.”

In addition to the format changes, Eytcheson said, the news station will add new shows including, “The Splendid Table,” “Q” from Canadian Broadcasting Company, “Marketplace Money” and others.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Editorial Note: Spelling corrections were made to this article after it was posted.

Will leasing city garages ruin parking validation?

2012-01-20T18:50:13Z

As the city pursues a potential lessee for the city’s parking inventory, there is an important question to ask: Could the city parking validation program end? If it does, is there a risk of damaging existing businesses – some of which have struggled in the downtown area for years?

According to city parking services manager Howard Chan, Sacramento currently validates parking at city-owned garages for many local businesses and venues, providing an incentive to business owners: They buy the parking at a discount, and they have something to offer patrons as a courtesy.

Merchants buy discounted parking tickets worth $5 of parking for 50 cents each, and the validation is good in any of nine city-owned downtown and Old Sacramento parking garages.

Depending on which garage a shopper uses, that comes out to about two hours of free parking.

In the downtown area, 116 businesses took part in the parking validation program in 2011, according to Chan, bringing in roughly $100,000 in revenue to the city.

Tony Sheppard, co-director of the annual Sacramento Film and Music Festival, said several arts and cultural events that are hosted at venues like the Crest Theatre might be threatened if patrons were not offered validated parking.

“It’s difficult with some arts and cultural events to get people to come from long distances,” Sheppard said Thursday.

“Depending on the time of day, or day of the week, the cost of parking changes,” Sheppard said. “If parking rates go up, validation becomes even more important.”

In an economy where businesses struggle and many come and go, parking validation can be an important incentive for shoppers to go downtown.

If downtown loses the benefit of parking validation, are we championing the cause of one business – an arena for the Kings – at the expense of others downtown?

Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said it’s premature to ask that question.

“In a parking monetization, you go through a lengthy discussion period on the concession agreement,” Dangberg said. “It deals with everything from rates to special events to non-competition – all those get wrapped up in the agreement.”

Once the city gets into those discussions, Dangberg said, then details such as parking validation programs are considered.

Dangberg said, however, that it’s important to remember that any concession agreement is subject to existing agreements – such as parking validation contracts some businesses have with the city already.

“Those are legally binding contracts,” Dangberg said. “They don’t just go away.”

Lisa Martinez, spokeswoman for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, said Thursday that the DSP is concerned with maintaining strong customer service for the businesses in the downtown core.

“Parking validation is something that supports the businesses and provides a perk for customers,” Martinez said.

Martinez agreed with Dangberg that it’s too early in the process to know what impact – if any – a parking lessee might have on parking validation programs in the city, but it’s a good idea for business owners to stay aware of the situation.

“There will be opportunity for businesses to weigh in on the process,” Martinez said, “and we encourage them to do that. We’ve also been advocating for (city officials) to consider all the impacts on a private business owner.”

Raelene Trumm, general manager for Westfield Downtown Plaza, said that if the city leases its parking inventory – which would include the parking garage at Downtown Plaza – it would have no real impact on the mall.

“It doesn’t affect us at all,” Trumm said. “We’re covered under contract with the city (for parking validation) until about 2055.”

Trumm said that any change in parking operations at the city level would need to incorporate the plaza’s legally binding contract.

Not all plaza businesses have parking validation as part of their lease, Trumm said, but most permanent tenants in the mall do participate in the validation program.

Other local business owners who take advantage of the city’s validation program say losing it might make a difference in their business.

Nathan Sorgenfrie, a staff member at Chef's Mercantile in Old Sacramento, said that roughly half of the people who come into the store want parking validation – although not all customers knows it is available until it’s offered to them.

“We ask everyone,” Sorgenfrie said Thursday, “and some are surprised by it. But only the first time. When they come back, they usually ask right away.”

Sorgenfrie said that he doesn’t think parking validation is really what drives people to visit Old Sacramento – but it could be the reason they return for a future visit.

Connie Carlson, manager at G. Willikers Toy Emporium in Old Sacramento said her store gives out at least 100 validations a month during busy months – but not every month is that busy, and not every customer needs parking validation.

“I think losing (validation) would make some difference,” Carlson said, “but over time it would be forgotten. It’s a small percentage of our customers.”

While the city is going through the “request for qualifications” process, Dangberg said his office is compiling questions received from interested parties about the city’s parking inventory.

Interestingly, none of the questions received to date address parking validation programs.

It may be too soon to tell what the city’s parking validation program will look like if the city finds a lessee parking operator.

“The question should still be asked,” Sheppard said. “It should at least be on the radar.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Celebration to honor youth and adult mentors in Sacramento

2012-01-20T16:19:12Z

In recognition of National Mentoring Month, the Sacramento City Unified School District and the South Sacramento Coalition for Future Leaders are welcoming members of the community to attend the Sacramento Mentoring Month Celebration & Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, January 25, at 4:00 pm at the Charles A. Jones Skill Center. Outstanding youth and adult mentors who are making a positive difference in Sacramento will be recognized for their efforts during this event.

On December 28th of last year, President Barack Obama declared this January to be National Mentoring Month in order to highlight the movement across the country, guiding young Americans through the challenges they face as they enter adulthood. Through an official proclamation, President Obama said;

“At school and at home, in the library and on the field, mentors lift our youth toward their goals and ambitions. As a teacher, a relative, or a trusted friend, a mentor's steady and dependable support can inspire a child to strive for success and instill in them the confidence to achieve their full potential. Mentorship strengthens our American family, and by teaching enduring values like diligence and self-discipline, we make a powerful and lasting investment in our youth, our communities, and our Nation.”

This event intends to spotlight the achievements and success stories of several mentors from right here in Sacramento. Sacramento Councilmember Kevin McCarty is scheduled to attend as well.

The Sacramento Mentoring Month Celebration & Award Ceremony

Date: January 25, 2012

Time: 4:00pm-6:30pm

Location: Charles A. Jones Skill Center , 5451 Lemon Hill Ave.

Disclosure: Isaac Gonzalez is a social media consultant working of behalf of The California Endowment and their Building Healthy Communities campaign in South Sacramento

Second Saturday art and events

2012-01-18T20:49:33Z

Midtown’s first Second Saturday event of 2012 saw smaller crowds this weekend. The smaller crowds however made it easier to talk to artists who exhibited their work.

A number of establishments also appeared to have closed down or moved from Midtown's J Street and surrounding area since last month. This situation has created a new environment where several businesses are collaborating to bring events to a storefront during Second Saturday.

This Saturday, Dragatomi, Metro PCS, tokidoki and Unseen Heroes teamed up for a Metro PCS and tokidoki Phone Release Party.

Unseen Heroes Events Coordinator, Maritza Davis, described the event saying, “This is a tokidoki and Metro PCS release collaboration that brings new phone technology to Sacramento. These events are typically done in Los Angeles and larger cities but because we have an established vinyl toy store here in Sacramento, Dragatomi, they were willing to let us link up with them so that we could feature the phone and introduce it to the public.”

The event ran from 5 to 9 p.m. and a line formed to receive free swag bags that included a tokidoki t-shirt and other goodies. Customers were also given the chance to buy the exclusive phones and sign up for a prize drawing. Several yet to be released phone cases were also available for purchase.

Roshaun Davis, creative alchemist, at Unseen Heroes highlighted the fact that only three launches have been done for the tokidoki phone release and they chose Sacramento as one of the sites. The first release was in New York, the second in L.A. and then Sacramento.

When Metro PCS and tokidoki first partnered they celebrated the partnership by introducing the phone at the New York Comic-Con which is the largest POP culture event on the East Coast. The launch on Saturday night coincided with the SacAnime Convention in town and several visitors who passed by Dragatomi had the SacAnime badges still hanging from their neck.

Inside Dragatomi an art exhibit by Martin Hsu had several of his “Dragon Boy” series art work. The Hsu exhibit will run until February 4.

Down the street at the corner of K and 22nd Street artist Conrad Lawrence had a street art exhibit of bikes and metal art work. Lawrence also created a bicycle powered art mechanism that allowed people who passed by to create a “swirl” art piece that Lawrence hopes to soon have on display. Other finished pieces lay on the ground.

Intrigued by his bicycle art idea I asked how he came up with the concept. “It was inspired by Burning Man. I did a show with tall bikes. In June I had 20 of them and I asked myself how else can I make the bikes interactive? So this idea came up and I built it. Then I thought of the shrink stand over there making everything interactive art.”

Another piece was created by Lawrence’s mother and people could pass by and fill in the unfinished piece. Lawrence said, “The project here is just to fill it in with whatever in order to finish this unique piece of art."

A separate area had a Peanuts comic strip style psychiatry booth called Lucy’s Shrink Shop. The station would allow people passing by to take either the psychiatrist or patient role and initiate conversation between two people. I thought this to be a clever idea and probably one that many corporations could install in a break room or something similar. Street art at times seems to offer more but January’s Second Saturday offered both.

Gallery 2110 and the Sacramento Art Complex had their gallery open for a showing of James Mullen’s work and several resident artists were on hand at their studios. Clare Bailey, Gallery 2110 owner, introduced me to Mullen and showed me some of his work.

Mullen is a Grass Valley artist whose work will be featured at the gallery that runs through February 3.

His artwork was truly fascinating and when I asked him how long he’s been an artist I got an answer that I was expecting after walking around the main hall admiring his work. Mullen said, “For as long as I can remember. Before I went to kindergarten I knew I was going to be an artist.” I’ve talked to other artists who have said similar things indicating they knew they wanted to be an artist going back to grade school. I often wondered if that’s the case only with artists or if extends beyond that. To me it’s astonishing to know someone that young can have that drive. It’s especially amazing since as I’ve become older I still don’t know what I want to be.

Mullen operates a studio out of his home in Grass Valley. His exhibit opened on Thursday and will run for approximately a month. He indicated that much of his work on exhibit goes back to 2005 and more recent work was also on display.

His work, on a smaller scale, reminded me of the Watts Towers that were close to where I lived growing up in Los Angeles. Mullen’s artwork is made up of materials found around where he lives. When asked how he gathered his materials for his artwork Mullen said, “I stop by places near home that I know. I like fencing and I like rusted sheet metal and copper so when I ride my bicycle and I see someone has a bunch of rolled up fencing in their pasture I knock on the door and say, hey you want to get rid of this? A lot of times they say yeah, so I haul it away and take it home.” Mullen said he works with those materials and stretches them out, cuts it up and reshapes it to make his brand of art.

Mullen is always looking for pieces and his friends know that and they too gather up these items and give them to him. He’s been primarily involved in this form of art for the past four to five years and before that he worked with clay for many years. He hears from friends and friends of friends who see his work and they approach him saying, “Hey I have a box of junk you’re going to like and they bring him a box of stuff.” It just goes to show that art is everywhere and discarded items or “junk” with the right imagination can be turned into great pieces of art.

Mullen’s creative art pieces occupy the main hall at the 2110 Gallery and can be great inspiration to students and established artists. The materials he uses come not only from the Grass Valley area but he’s also acquired items from a Navajo reservation in New Mexico and when he has a concept in mind he may search eBay for items in other places.

Live music at the 2110 Gallery was provided by Sean Paul Mee and his music was great ambiance for the event.

Eateries and "Drinkeries" wanted for Sacramento Chef Challenge

2012-01-18T19:00:41Z

2012 marks the tenth anniversary of our region’s premier culinary competition the Sacramento Chef Challenge, and organizers are inviting local restaurants, wineries, breweries and specialty shops to showcase their fare at the June 23rd event.

The Sacramento Chef Challenge is a culinary extravaganza featuring two live cooking competitions, lavish food, wine and beer sampling, live music, raffle prizes and more. The event is expected to draw a crowd of over 1000 guests in celebration of INALLIANCE, a local nonprofit that has provided support to people with developmental disabilities for 60 years.

“Our vendors draw a huge crowd each year by providing a variety of samples to our guests,” says INALLIANCE Executive Director Diana DeRodeff, "It is a great way for both fledgling and established companies to connect with community members, while supporting the organization.” Most event booths are free of charge, and vendors have the opportunity to win prizes.

The Sacramento Chef Challenge will see some exciting changes for 2012, including live entertainment and a new venue. The event will be held outdoors at INALLIANCE, where both vendors and guests will have a little more room to move. “We have just outgrown our old venue,” says DeRodeff, “And, we are eager to share our beautiful campus with the community.”

INALLIANCE has been in the Sacramento area since 1952, but few people know about the nonprofit’s work, because they tend stay in the background promoting the abilities of their participants. The programs INALLIANCE provides to people in the community focus on independence, quality of life and choice. “People with developmental disabilities are very capable. When given the opportunity they flourish, and that makes for a happier and a healthier community,” says DeRodeff.

The Sacramento Chef Challenge will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2012 beginning at 4:30pm, and tickets are only $25. If you are interested in becoming a vendor or purchasing tickets, visit www.chefevent.com or call 916-381-1300 x 170.

Disclosure: Jessica Bean is an employee of INALLIANCE

Winter 2012 SacAnime

2012-01-18T07:44:55Z

The Woodlake Hotel, located on 500 Leisure Lane in Sacramento, hosted this weekend’s Winter 2012 SacAnime convention. Formerly known as the Radisson Hotel, the Woodlake Hotel opened its doors to over 5,000 visitors who came to see several of their favorite voice actors and celebrity panels, enjoy Café Hoshi, play games, and attend how-to workshops, music video contests, and live concerts. Most important of all was the time spent enjoying each other’s company.

The event began on Friday morning and had many well organized activities for the thousands of fans that attended.

The multi-talented Vic Mignogna was the first guest to participate in a question-and-answer (Q&A) session with polite fans who waited in anticipation of their voice actor heroes. Mignogna is well-known for his roles as Vega in Street Fighter II, Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemists, Dark in DN Angel, Kurz in Full Metal Panic, Broly in Dragonball Z, Hikaru in Macross, Takanaga in Wallflower and many other roles.

Presently, Mignogna is involved with the new Iron Man and Wolverine series on G4. His impressive résumé in the anime world is well-known. Mignogna is also a music composer, singer and producer. As the SacAnime Concert Series opened on Friday night he was the opening act and sang a few songs to commence the concert.

During his Q&A, a fan gave Mignogna a phaser from Star Trek II and a hand written script modeled from the Real Fans of Genius web series.

In describing the Real Fans of Genius Mignogna said, “Steve Blum and I decided that we were going to make a bunch of parodies about Real Men of Genius similar to the Bud Light commercials. We made a whole bunch of them that were based on the kind of people you would meet at an anime convention. Steve Blum did the narration and I did the singing parts and I even created the music track underneath it. It sounds exactly like the originals, they’re all on YouTube.” Mignogna noted that the fan had written him an email that he had written another parody. After they finished Mignogna said, “That was awesome. Thank you!” and hugged the fan.

Mignogna’s interaction with his fans was quite remarkable and made his fans feel appreciated. Fans asked for suggestions on voice acting, asked questions about his other live and anime works, and other personal questions. He answered them all in kind, patient and encouraging words.

“I never even planned to be a voice actor. I have been acting ever since I can remember and I was involved doing church plays, school plays, Community Theater, drama camps and anything I could do to build up that skill because I loved doing it. I never even thought about voice acting. What’s funny to me, now that I look back on my life, is when I was 15 or 16 years old my friend and I were running around all the time imitating characters from Speed Racer. How surreal that many decades later I would be a voice actor sitting in a chair beside the guy that voiced Speed Racer and be working in the same industry that created Speed Racer and Kimba the White Lion and the things that I loved as a kid. I never planned to be a voice actor that was never my intent. “

Mignogna shared how he became involve in voice acting saying, “I’ll tell you exactly how it happened. I had done all this theater work, my minor in college was theater and I was always acting in something or another and then I was working for a video production in Houston, Texas and a friend of mine that I was working with said, ‘You’ve done a lot of acting haven’t you?’ I said, ‘Yes, a lot.’ ‘You have to go to this place and audition. There’s this company in Houston called ADV films and they buy these Japanese animated shows and they dub them into English and they need actors.’ ‘I was like, you’re kidding, that sounds fun.’ I didn’t ask how much it paid; I didn’t ask anything about that it just sounded like fun. It was another opportunity to act. Voice acting required a different set of skills but it sounded like acting to me. I auditioned and I got cast as Vega in Street Fighter II and that was the first thing I ever did.”

As Mignogna continued to share his voice acting training he said, “For those of you interested in voice acting, acting has 30 percent to do with your voice and 70 percent with acting. Every one of the people you’re going to meet this weekend and 99 percent of the voice actors that I know have huge backgrounds in theater; in acting they’re all actors who got an opportunity to voice act so if you’re interested in voice acting get into acting, drama and theater classes and audition at your schools, universities, community colleges, churches, any place that you can develop those skills.”

Mignogna shared that the markets for voice acting are in Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Vancouver and New York. He also shared that voice over opportunities done mostly for commercials can be found anywhere.

Mignogna does not have an agent and shared that everyone else at the convention has one.

“My understanding is that when an agency takes you as a client they want you to make them money. They’ll send you scripts, radio, commercials, voice over as well as video games, animation. I don’t want to do commercials. I’m afraid, and I know this for a fact, you do what they tell you. Your job is to make money for both.”

Pixar, Simpsons and Family Guy roles are spots Mignogna says he probably won’t get without an agent. Without an agent he knows he’s limiting himself in getting certain roles.

“God has been so good to me that I can hardly stand it.” Mignogna said and continued, “I’m so thankful, I am so profoundly grateful for the opportunities in my life. If nothing else happens I have been more than blessed. I am so grateful for the things I get to do and yeah, I would love to do bigger things but it doesn’t drive me, I’m not obsessed with it.”

According to Mignogna, being rich is overrated.

“I know people who are multi-millionaires who jump out of windows. I know people that hate their lives and they have yachts and houses all over the place; that is not the answer. It’s a lie. It’s cool to have money but at the end of the day when you put your head on your pillow and you’re alone with yourself there is a sense of satisfaction you have and no amount of money can change that.”

Following Mignogna’s Q&A the Gaia Online Variety Hour ensued. Chris Castagnetto, also known as DJ Helsing, hosted the event. During the Variety Hour fans participated in interactive games and it allowed everyone in the audience to participate in at least one event. One of the things that makes SacAnime such a popular event and that keeps fans coming back is the feedback that’s solicited from the audience. In the Gaia Online the host made a point to ask the audience which games they liked in order to bring them back, and which ones to replace.

SacAnime brings people of all ages to the convention. The devotion of fans is tremendous, not only to the characters they dress up as, but also to the celebrities that attend. Many fans stand in line an hour or longer to get autographs. The actors that attend and sit in Q&A sessions and panels are just as devoted to their fans and show their appreciation as they interact with guests.

One of the most apparent things about SacAnime Winter 2012 was the amount of people who attended the panels, Q&A sessions, gaming, workshops, Artist Alley, Sac Café, Sac Club Raves, the Vendor Hall and other gatherings around the hotel. People on hand made up a large all-ages crowd. Many of the attendees were dropped off by parents and I was pleasantly surprised and somewhat astonished as to how well they got along. I think that parents who may worry about dropping off their kids can rest assured that their kids are well behaved and are in good hands with the SacAnime staff.

SacAnime’s Director of Programming, Jodon Bellofatto, hosted the opening ceremonies that were held after several Q&A events in which Vic Mignogna, Quinton Flynn and Tara Strong participated. Bellofatto went over the weekend program and encouraged the audience to visit the gaming rooms and check out the tournaments, attend and participate in the art contest, and view the arts and crafts created by artists.

Bellofatto answered questions and shortly thereafter the AMV contest took place with three categories open for voting: drama, romance and comedy. He noted that winners would be announced on Sunday. One fan asked if they would post the entries online and Bellofatto indicated that they would like to do that if it’s possible.

Friday night’s Sac Anime Concert Series had three acts on hand. Vic Mignogna opened the concert series by singing on the floor with the audience. He never set foot on stage. Mignogna played a couple of songs and introduced Kazha and Lemon Drop Kick.

Kazha is a Japanese band and its spokesperson is Kazuha Oda, who has a history of working with different performers. Earlier in the day I spoke with Oda and asked her a few questions. I learned they are from Tokyo, Japan and it appeared she was the only member of the band who had a command of the English language. Her personality was very pleasant. The other members happily signed autographs and tried to answer questions but relied on Oda to translate.

When asked if they were going to be playing both concerts (Friday and Saturday) she said, “We’re going to be here for the full convention but we’re going to perform tonight and tomorrow night.”

Kazha is made up of four members and has been performing for two years. They have previously performed in the U.S. and have played at other anime conventions but this was their first performance in Sacramento.

With guest drummer Mike Kim, Hideki Matsushige, Shintaro Kasahara and Kazuha Oda took the stage to bring their brand of rock to the concert. They began their set with a melodic pop tune, “Close to You,” that was brought to life by Oda’s smooth vocals. One thing that’s quite noticeable is how well the music moves to the rhythm of Oda’s singing.

Fans were delighted by the Kazha set. After their first song, Oda addressed the audience.

“It’s our first time being in Sacramento and we are so happy. Thank you very much. We are from Tokyo, Japan. Are you guys having fun at SacAnime?”

Fan reaction made Oda smile and she thanked them.

The last act of the night was Lemon Drop Kick. They are based out of Los Angeles and are described as a Japanese rock band influenced by different musical influences and cultures. They energized the crowd and invited several audience members to the stage as they performed.

Lemon Drop Kick had the audience jumping up and down and moving. Their beat included several genres of music including rock, pop, metal and others. They were a great choice to end the evening’s concert series.

A swap meet, a club rave, open gaming and karaoke contests kept the evening alive for guests, who gathered at different spots throughout the hotel to chat about their experiences and share stories.

A designer that I have met before known as Carlyfornia had a station set up to showcase her designs and new items. When asked what new items she was showing at the convention she said, “I brought a lot more steampunk stuff. I brought a lot of fun stuff including furry ears like little kitty stuff, doll clothes and more dolls.”

Carlyfornia will be exhibiting more of her work at the upcoming Animation on Display (AOD) in San Francisco February 18-19. When asked if she had a store front Miss Carlyfornia noted that she doesn’t have one because, as she put it, “I don’t have a storefront because I can’t keep up merchandise because I sell, sell, sell so fast and I’m at a different city almost every weekend. “

One of the last panel events I attended at the convention was “From Fan Art to Creator: How to Make and Publish Your Own Comic.” The panel was hosted by Heather Jaeger and Melissa McCommon.

McCommon and Jaeger were quite enthusiastic about hosting the panel and offered numerous pointers to help the comic publisher want-to-be’s. They covered the various common drawing programs used to create comics as well as the various tablets used to illustrate.

Their passion for comic book creation was quite evident and their knowledge was quite immense, giving audience members a wealth of information to get started and insights into what can make comic publishing a good experience.

Low budget tools, programs and tips were also discussed and they mentioned several programs that are free.

The tips and information passed on by McCommon and Jaeger also included a section called the Language of Panels and what it takes to be successful at sketching, coloring and making story bubbles as well as printing and publishing. The advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing were also discussed and their valuable insight was well received.

The passion for anime comic drawing and illustration as well as passing on their knowledge was priceless. Jaeger and McCommon emphasized the need to draw on a regular basis, motivate yourself, not give up, write, and practice as much as possible.

There is always a lot to do and see at the SacAnime conventions and the staff is to be commended for the topics they choose, the guests they bring in, the panels they put together and the feedback they solicit from attendees. Organization continues to make SacAnime a great event year after year. Fans are the best ambassadors for conventions such as this, and if they continue to follow and attend SacAnime it helps the community grow and flourish.

Bellofatto hosted the closing ceremonies where the AMV winners were announced. Third place went to Yosef Ghiassy for Manly Tears, second place was Erinn Thompson for Say Good-bye to Yesterday and first place went to Shelby Nickles for Oran I’m Sexy and I Know It.
Volunteer positions for the next convention were discussed. Bellofatto also solicited comments from the audience as to what worked and what did not work during the convention and he made note of the comments on a laptop set up on the stage.

One of the final announcements was that because of the large crowds that came to the convention (breaking the 5,000 mark) it was decided that a larger venue was necessary to accommodate the growing crowds and that the 2013 Summer SacAnime was going to be held at the Sacramento Convention Center.

More photos from the SacAnime Winter 2012 convention can be found here.

Local Comic Creator of 'No Apparent Reason'

2012-01-17T19:35:49Z

'No Apparent Reason' is a book created and written by Frankie Vanity and the WNG. It’s a wonderful creation of an original world from the mind of Frankie Vanity and her creative team the WNG who help with editing, layouts and story ideas. It's about an eclectic group of misfits in college and their misadventures along the way. It is set in New Orleans and has Paranormal Investigators, a bit of supernatural and pop culture references. The book draws on life experiences and relays those experiences through humorous, fun and crazy characters.

Frankie Vanity, tell the readers a little about who you are?
I am a costume designer, event coordinator, public relations, artist and writer to name a few. I am a single mother who has had an eclectic life. I started writing when I was in high school with poetry and journals. I still love to write the old fashion way with a book and pen, mostly in my journal or one of my poetry books. I am a geek at heart and hopeless romantic.

Who or what inspired you to write you own comic book?
I have been writing in a journal for years and have several books of poetry. A few years back I was writing movie reviews for a website and it got me thinking about writing a novel. I started creating a character bible and writing story ideas down. Last year it popped into my head that maybe I should make this story and characters into a comic book. I present my idea to one of my best friends, Scott Armstrong, and he loved it! He then had me write down my ideas and characters and 3 months later, here we are!

Have you always been a fan of the comic book world? If so, how did you get involved?
I have attended my first convention in the early 90’s, TimeCon. I love Sci-Fi and comics. My first comic introduction was Batman and then Watchmen and V for Vendetta. About 10 years ago I dated someone who was a vendor at comic and anime conventions. And my love was renewed for comics. I love Lenore, Batman, Gotham City Sirens and various vampire comics.

In your own comic book, where did the idea for your characters?
Many of the main characters are pieces of me and loosely based on people I know. There are some characters that my team help created and they helped me fine tune others. But Raven, Kat, Austen and Vlad have been up in my head for years. It is amazing to see it come to life!

'No Apparent Reason' was written and created by you and WNG. How did you get involved with WNG? What is it?

The WNG is a group of friends who are now my creative team. We have been meeting up once a week to talk comic books, movies, music and whatever else comes up. They are my anchor.

I read that you have many popular artists in Hollywood and throughout the comic world create the art for your cover. Can you name some of those people? How did you get them to create your cover(s)?
After spending many years in the comic world through the conventions, you make a lot of friends. When I started talking to them about the idea, they actually jumped at the chance. I can’t release too much of what the future holds, but I will say that Paul Allen, who is the artist for “Brains” has agreed to do our second cover. We have artists lined up for at least the next 4 covers as of this time.

When is your book coming out and how many books do you have lined up for release?
We are debuting the comic in February 2012 at Gallifrey One. We are doing a run of 100 issues with a one of a kind lithograph created for the release only at the convention. Then we will have the general release to the comic stores. It should be hitting the comic stores about the week of February 22. We will have a list of the local shops that will be carrying it on our website http://www.fornoapparentreason.net We aren’t resting on our laurels though. We are going straight into creation and production of issue #2 as we speak. The goal is to have it debut at a convention in May.

Were do you get the funding to distribute the books?
We are getting the funding through Kickstarter. It is a website where you can announce your project, and people will donate money to your project. They receive awards for their pledges, such as t-shirts and autographed books.

Although this book is based in New Orleans is there references to Sacramento?
New Orleans is the perfect setting because of the mystique around it, but we are grounded here in Sacramento. The house they live in is based on a very popular “haunted house” here in Sacramento. A lot of our fan base is here, and we are glad to be a part of the Sacramento culture. We are planning to attend one of the Sac-Con’s later this year! Also, most of the readers will recognize the names of our artist & colorist as they have been staples of the local conventions for years, all local.

Do you have another projects besides the comic book?
I currently have several other projects. I work for Callson Manor as costume designer, it is a local haunted house. I just recently acted in an local upcoming independent film called -" Rikki...the Vampire of Sacramento" segment of "Mondo Sacramento" by Desperate Visions. I play Rikki’s mother and the film releases in early Spring 2012. I am also head of Randori Productions wardrobe department , which is also local . We will be filming “Rocket Patrol in spring. I am also doing some bit acting for them as well

Where can we get in contact with you?

We can be reached at our Facebook page, or directly at noapparentreasoncomic@gmail.com
Kickstarter : http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/278064209/no-apparent-reason-comic-book

Website : http://www.fornoapparentreason.net/ contact: noapparentreasoncomic@gmail.com

Anything else you would like to add...

We can’t wait for the comic book to come out so that everyone here can experience it. The Sacramento arts community has fully embraced us and for that we are grateful. We hope that everyone will check it out, and that everyone enjoys it. This has been a labor of love from everyone involved. Thank you.

Johnson campaigns gave over $35,000 to create “Strong Mayor” friendly conversation

2012-01-17T16:21:57Z

Tonight, inside the Sacramento City Hall, supporters of Kevin Johnson’s latest “Strong Mayor” plan, this time called “Checks and Balances”, will ask council members to place their measure on the June 2012 ballot. If enacted, the proposal would drastically change the way local government functions in Sacramento, and it vaguely lays out a path towards a citizens ethical advisory committee and separate redistricting committee. Johnson has argued that it is the people of Sacramento need this change to foster a new era of accountability and transparency at city hall, so with that in mind let’s take a look at some of the groups who are promoting the plan in the local media-sphere, and who is funding them.

In June of this year, “Open Sacramento, The Coalition for Accountable, Efficient and Transparent Government” received over $35,000 from Johnson and his reelection campaign. You can read the entire public filling here.

Before they were “Open Sacramento”, the same group was known as “Sacramentans for Accountable Government.” While “Open” hasn’t updated their website in quite some time, “Sacramento2020.org” has borrowed their rhetoric nearly verbatim.

“Sacramento2020.org” is run by Chris Tapio, the president of a company called “Legislative Strategies”. Tapio’s company has the same address and phone number as “The Sacramento Public Policy Foundation”, a non-profit that has worked on five of the mayor’s largest projects; Think BIG Sacramento, Greenwise Sacramento, Sacramento Steps Forward, For Arts’ Sake Sacramento, and Sacramento First. Tapio even lists himself as SPPF’s Executive Director.

If you think that I’m stretching to make the connection between Tapio, the mayor, and Sacramento2020.org, consider this; Tapio was the mayor’s appointee to the Sacramento Charter Review Committee the first time the Strong Mayor plan was presented back in 2009. Plus every single press release that I’ve received from Sacramento2020.org came for Chris Tapio himself.

Tapio was even a featured contributor to the Sacramento Bee’s “Issue of the Week” that covered the Strong Mayor proposal. The Bee, for whatever reason, didn’t feel that it needed to disclose that Tapio works for the mayor.

-----------------------------------------------

Perhaps if this new proposal wasn't so heavily promising to rein in a new era of accountability and transparency WHILE AT THE SAME TIME using all the worst tricks that have caused voters to distrust nearly everything that comes from politicians, observers such as myself would have so much distrust in the motives behind its supporters.

If you would like to see more information visit ranSACkedmedia.com where we have larger pictures and more links to the websites mentioned in this article.

Disclosure: Gonzalez owns ranSACkedmedia.com

Traffic signals: Long waiting list for city intersections

2012-01-14T02:30:01Z

On a sunny afternoon in August, a group of kids made their way to Valley Hi Park to play. As they crossed the intersection of Arroyo Vista and Center Parkway, a vehicle driving through the intersection clipped the leg of a 4-year-old walking in the group.

The little girl was left with a fractured leg, and neighbors were left wondering if the accident could have been prevented if there had been a traffic signal in place.

What does it take to get traffic signals installed in Sacramento – especially if residents are seeing safety issues in neighborhood intersections?

Sacramento currently has approximately 800 signals in intersections, including nearly 50 flashing beacons, according to Shad Bennett, a technician in the signal operations division of the city Department of Transportation.

The cost of installing a traffic signal – including equipment, labor and materials – varies depending on the complexity of the project, Bennett said.

“They can be anywhere from $500,000 to a couple million dollars,” Bennett said. “Even the smallest signal is in the range of $200,000 to $400,000.”

Linda Tucker, spokeswoman for the city Department of Transportation, said traffic signals are prioritized according to several criteria, and the city can afford to install typically only one per year.

“If a citizen believes a traffic signal is warranted,” Tucker said in an email Friday, “they can contact 311 and request an investigation, and a traffic investigator will look into it and then determine if it does or doesn’t make the list.”

Some of the criteria needed to install a traffic signal include the impact of school crossings on the intersection, the amount of pedestrian activity and the number of vehicle crashes – fatal and injury-only – at the location.

City transportation engineers evaluate approximately 10-15 new intersections each year for traffic signals. Potential signal locations are suggested through a variety of ways, including traffic investigations, resident requests and council member requests.

Bennett said that, once an intersection is determined to qualify for a traffic signal the location is added to a waiting list.

There are more than 100 potential locations on the list of city intersections currently waiting for some form of traffic-calming measure – and it’s growing.

“Things change, circumstances change,” Bennett said, “so the list changes a bit, too. They try to narrow the list to the top 10 most qualified when it’s time to put in a new signal somewhere.”

The waiting list doesn’t apply to new developments, however, Bennett said.

New development projects that drastically change traffic patterns may require a signal installation, but each new development project typically has funding for the signals included, so those signals are not competing with the signals on the city waiting list.

In 2010, according to the program guide, only one new project was added to the city’s traffic signal list: 29th Street at R Street. Ten other intersections were evaluated, but not included in the list.

According to the Transportation Programming Guide – the document prioritizing the city’s transportation projects, the city first looks at an intersection to determine whether there might be ways, other than a traffic signal, which would improve safety at the intersection.

There are three lead traffic investigators in Sacramento who respond to requests for traffic-calming measures, and each investigator is assigned a territory covering roughly one-third of the city.

Investigation may take two to four weeks to complete, depending on complexity.

What can residents do to speed up the process of getting a traffic signal in a neighborhood intersection where they feel there are safety issues?

Tucker said that, for residential streets, the city offers a neighborhood traffic management program that allows neighbors to collect petitions and start the process of adding any number of traffic-calming measures to their neighborhood.

Speed bumps, new traffic markings or adjusting speed limits may be other ways to make an intersection safer, Tucker said.

Once an intersection is selected for a new signal and funding for the signal is in place, the installation – from groundbreaking to up-and-running, Bennett said – takes about six to eight months.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Editorial Note: A correction was made to this article after it was published.

Photo essay: Payphones – A thing of the past ...almost

2012-01-13T07:14:09Z

Once upon a time, you could find a payphone on nearly every street corner. Since the advent of the cellphone, however, payphones have gone the way of the dinosaur – but the evidence of a once-abundant service remains in the graffiti-laden shells of former phone booths scattered throughout the city.

Sacramento is no stranger to abandoned, vandalized or otherwise dysfunctional payphones, which raised the question – who maintains the city’s payphones and is the number dwindling? The Sacramento Press sought to answer that question with a bit of history and photos from around the city.

Historically, payphones were owned and maintained largely by telephone service provider companies, such as AT&T or Western Telecom.

As cellphone use increased over the years, phone companies started taking payphones out of service because they were not as profitable.

Now, the majority of payphones are owned by independent vendors who contract with service providers for the phone service and then pass the cost – along with a profit margin – along to business owners who want to provide payphones as a service to customers.

According to Maurice Chaney, Economic Development Department spokesman, the city of Sacramento does not own or maintain any public payphones.

Terrie Prosper, spokeswoman for the California Public Utilities Commission, said Thursday there is no legal requirement in the state for a city to own or maintain payphones for its residents.

Since there is no ownership reporting requirement either, Prosper said, short of physically counting each one – it is nearly impossible to estimate the number of payphones in Sacramento today.

The total cost of installing a phone and booth is approximately $1,000 each, according to Interstate Telecommunication owner Sandy Clay.

Clay said Thursday that her company spends roughly 5 percent of monthly revenue on repair and maintenance costs of the 60 or so phones her company owns in Sacramento.

“The vandalism is the worst,” Clay said. “Well, that and stealing the whole phone. And it happens all the time.”

Payphones are typically placed at mini-marts or gas stations and at “mom-and-pop businesses” in areas where low-income residents don’t have home phone service or can’t afford cellphones, she added.

“A good (earning) payphone in a good location will bring about $200 a month from the coin box,” Clay said, “and maybe $50 a month from our portion of long distance charges.”

Revenue from payphones comes from the coin box on the phone itself and from surcharges on long-distance and 1-800 phone calls, Clay said.

Vendors seek out business sites that will get a lot of foot traffic and pay the business owner a percentage of their revenue as commission for installing a payphone on their property.

The vendor is responsible for installing the phone booth or stand, Clay explained, and for maintaining or repairing the phones and equipment.

If a payphone isn’t making enough money, or if the business owner no longer wants the phone on the property, the vendor is responsible for removing the phone and equipment.

Clay said that the payphone industry was booming a few years ago – then, along came cellphones, and everything changed.

“It was not a surprise,” Clay said. “We could see the writing on the wall when cellphones started becoming more popular.”

Clay said that, initially, cellphones were not much competition for payphones because cellphones were expensive, and not many people could afford them.

Over the last few decades, however, as cellphones gained in popularity and became less expensive to own, the need for payphones declined dramatically.

“We expected business to slow down,” Clay said, “but the technology really took off. We didn’t expect business to slow so fast.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The SacramentoPress. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Funding 'swap' jumpstarts long-awaited south area project

2012-01-11T06:31:05Z

The plan to construct a new I-5 interchange at Cosumnes River Boulevard – a key component to the 75,000-acre Delta Shores development project – got a financial jumpstart Tuesday.

The City Council voted unanimously to swap funds between two long-term construction programs to get the new interchange started – a project that the city has had in the works for more than a decade.

“I’ve been bugging people about getting this project started for 13 years,” City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell said Tuesday. “I’m just so happy it’s going to happen.”

The Cosumnes River Boulevard project will extend Cosumnes River Boulevard from Franklin Boulevard to an intersection with Freeport Boulevard – essentially creating a “punch-through,” according to Pannell – and will add a new interchange for I-5.

The project is located within District 7, but the nearest neighborhood that would benefit is Meadowview, which is in Pannell’s District 8.

The interchange will be a gateway to the long-awaited Delta Shores project, a development project with a combination of retail, commercial and housing, planned for the Meadowview area in South Sacramento.

The punch-through project, including the I-5 interchange, is estimated to cost $95 million. According to the Delta Shores financing plan approved by the city in 2009, the developer is committed to $52 million of that cost, and the city’s portion is about $43 million.

The city has a combination of state, federal and local transportation funds allocated to the project, according to a city staff report, but the funds are not immediately available – and the current economy prevents the city from getting the usual bond financing for up-front cash needed to begin construction.

The solution? Swap funds between two construction projects – one that has more funding than it needs right now, for the promise of future funding that is slated for the other.

The Richards Boulevard/I-5 project currently has a set-aside budget of $13,363,000 – but only $4,265,000 is needed between now and 2015 to complete the environmental, planning, design and approval processes for that project.

“We recommend moving the remaining $9,098,000 to the Cosumnes River Boulevard project to allow the project to advance to construction,” Sheri Smith, project manager for the Economic Development Department, told council members Tuesday.

The move would allow the Cosumnes River Boulevard project to move forward, Smith said, and a construction contract could be awarded as early as summer.

The other side of the funding swap includes moving the remaining amount currently allocated for the Cosumnes River Boulevard project – an estimated $20 million in future State Transportation Authority funds – to the Richards Boulevard/I-5 project.

That move will reduce the construction funding gap for the Richards Boulevard/I-5 project from a $50 million gap to a $30 million gap, Smith said.

“I want to make sure people know this is a two-win situation,” City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby said Tuesday. “It’s good for the Cosumnes River project area, but it is also good for the River District project. They both win here.”

Ashby was the council representative for the River District – formerly in District 1, where the Richards Boulevard/I-5 project is located – until redistricting moved the project boundaries into District 5.

According to the city staff report, the funding swap “jump-starts” the Delta Shores project, which is estimated to generate $3.8 million in sales tax and $5.3 million in property tax annually when completed.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Journalism Open Workshop Jan. 17

2012-01-11T01:13:59Z

Need a push getting started on your article for The Sacramento Press Journalism Open 2012? We've got a workshop for that.

Bring your story ideas and questions about the writing contest to our Journalism Open workshop Tuesday, Jan. 17.

We will go over how to enter photos: standalone or accompanying, judging criteria, past winners and how to develop your stories by including sources and doing research.

The workshop will be from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. at The Sacramento Press office.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Sacramento Valley Station station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges, and we cannot cover the cost of parking.

To RSVP, email workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an email to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you here!

Darrell Fong gets surprise ‘thank you’ from residents

2012-01-07T04:10:05Z

City Councilman Darrell Fong was recognized by District 7 residents Thursday for his part in establishing an event that brought more than 500 neighbors together for a common cause: the safety of their children.

Valley-Hi residents James Shabazz, Donald Johnson and Joseph Sillands surprised Fong at the City Council meeting with a scrapbook of photos and letters from event attendees commemorating the Valley-Hi Safety Day fair organized by Fong and his staff in July.

“It was important for us to find time to thank (Councilman) Fong for the work he did to put on the safety fair,” Shabazz, an apartment manager at Ridgestone Apartments in Valley-Hi said after the presentation.

“We appreciate his hard work and his interest in the community,” Shabazz said.

The idea for a safety fair came in response to a traffic accident at the corner of Arroyo Vista and Center Parkway that resulted in a 5-year-old girl being injured, Shabazz said.

According to Noah Painter, assistant to Councilman Fong, that intersection is in need of a traffic signal to better regulate traffic and make it safer – but it is 18th on a city list for receiving traffic signals.

“Traffic signals cost about $100,000 each,” Painter said, “and the city installs about one a year. Do the math – you can see when this light might finally get put in.”

The fair – the first of its kind organized in that community, according to Shabazz – offered information from a variety of organizations, food and entertainment for the people who came out for the day-long event.

Sillands said the event and others like it are important because they teach people to be prepared to help others and to keep each other safe.

“When we are prepared to do right and serve correctly, then we are ready to respond to where the need is,” Sillands said Thursday. “What is needed in every area of our community is to make sure people are respected and served very well. That’s why we want to launch the Safety Day program every year.”

Fong was clearly taken aback by the unexpected recognition, saying the credit for the fair and the work that went into it should go instead to the community that participated.

“It wasn’t really me – they did all the work,” Fong said after the presentation. “I was just happy to step in and help where I could.”

Painter said that the initial push for the safety fair came from Shabazz, Johnson and Sillands, and Fong and his staff worked with numerous groups to help make it happen.

“They wanted some way of bringing people together and raise awareness of the safety issues that they were seeing,” Painter said. “The result was a lot of people energized and ready to be more engaged in their community.”

Fong said he appreciated the recognition, but the work in that part of the district is not done yet.

“We promised we would go out and work with the community, but they have done a lot of work themselves,” Fong said. “I think we have honored our commitment to the area – but there is still work to do. I think (the fair) really empowered (the community) and we know we can do more.”

Shabazz said he and Johnson and Sillands are working with Fong’s office to host another safety fair in June with the theme, “Be Prepared.”

“Prepared for what? For anything,” Shabazz said. “For flood or for earthquake or any emergency. It’s all about education – educating our kids on what to do to be safe.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

A thank you to our talented community contributors

2012-01-01T02:19:45Z

Another year has passed and it’s time for reflection. The Sacramento Press has been lucky to form new relationships with some very talented contributing writers and photographers while strengthening our relationships with contributors who have been with us all along.

Our region had many notable events that will forever ingrain 2011 in Sacramentans’ minds.

When the “99 percent” occupied Cesar Chavez park and when Gus Vina left his post as City Manager, our community contributors were there to report. When the first cars inched their way down K Stree t and when the Sacramento City School Board considered relocating campuses, our community contributors were ready with notepads and cameras.

Our community contributors live and breathe the issues that impact our region and are truly the essence of The Sacramento Press.

This year, we reached a milestone that we are very proud of. In September, the 10,000th article was posted on our site. It would not be possible to reach that accomplishment if it weren’t for our dedicated community contributors.

Earlier in the year, some of our best contributors were recognized in short videos.

As one more small token of appreciation, we have put together digital showcases of articles and photographs posted by our Top Contributors.

Below are the community contributors who have gone above and beyond, working closely with us and submitting high-quality content that we are proud to recognize.

We hope you’ll take a moment to see what they have accomplished throughout the year! Click on the names below to see individual splash pages.

Aaron Davis played a significant role in helping us reach 10,000 articles this year. Aaron briefly worked in the Community Outreach department, supporting our contributors while continuing to contribute himself. He is a man of many talents, writing about everything from Osama Bin Laden’s death and the infamous Kings relocation debacle (yes, in the same article) to playing April Fool’s jokes on our readers. We can’t wait to see what he will write about next.

Alejandra Gonzalez is a woman about town who has embraced the essence of Sacramento. This
year she captured everything from wine-swirling at Grape Escape to tutu-twirling of the Sacramento Ballet. Whether it’s tea parties, fundraisers or concerts, Alejandra is our go-to gal for all things culture.

Amabelle Ocampo delves deep into important issues affecting our region, such as the Occupy movement. She isn’t afraid to explore delicate subjects like foster care or cancer and manages to write about them eloquently.
She balanced the seriousness by perfectly capturing the playful spirit of events like Wanderlust and Fashion’s Night Out.

Barry Wisdom has an eye for theater photography, which is almost guaranteed to come with a list of shooting restrictions. However, given a few minutes or only a dress rehearsal to work with, Barry always manages to capture the heart and emotion of every performances, putting the viewer right in the moment. His photo essays tell stories better than any article can.

Bill Burgua has truly honed his skills as a theater reviewer this year, and his passion for theater is simply contagious. He has a standing invitation to review performances at the many theaters he frequents, where we are proud to send him on our behalf. His reviews are often
boasted proudly on theaters’ websites.

David Alvarez’ talents run the gamut. Whether it’s a somber parade honoring our soldiers, a lively cultural festival or sporting event, David knows how to capture the perfect shot to convey the energy of the moments he shoots. He often serves as both the writer and photographer at the events he covers, which can be a difficult feat, but he manages to do it well.

Elaine Johnson’s feisty MidLife GridLife article series has given us an exclusive and intimate peek into her personal life. This year her readers have been privy to her first date mishaps, her relationship highs and lows and her thoughts on being called a “cougar.” We never know if we’ll laugh or cry while reading Elaine’s work and are always left wanting more.

It is almost impossible to describe the enthusiasm Kati Garner has for photography with just a couple of sentences. Her passion for the subjects she shoots run deeps and her photos speak to our readers. She kicked off the year with a stunning image of the Wells Fargo Center and ended it by lighting up our site with images of local holiday displays. In between, she treated us to the shots of the zoo and Fairytale Town’s newest critters, moving tributes on 9/11 and frame-worthy images of local scenery. Kati is unstoppable!

Much to our delight, Mary Nares has become our go-to writer if there is a choral performance in town; we know we can count on her. She often teams up with Kati Garner to review choral performances and together they make a dynamic duo. A member of a local choir herself, Mary has been welcomed with open arms to local groups’ performances who enjoy her writing as much as we do.

Mark Needham is an expert on all things black and purple. His devotion to the Kings is infectious, and we know we can always rely on Mark to go where the action is happening. This year, he took that enthusiasm to Raley Field, where we proved to be an equally fantastic River Cats writer. We’re grateful that he has chosen The Sacramento Press to express his enthusiasm for local sports.

If you’ve ever driven by the scene of a crime or an accident and wondered what’s happening, it’s almost guaranteed that the Maverick Photography team, made up of Ed Fogle and his team of photographers can tell you. The talented team live and breathe breaking news and are always at the forefront of the action. The Maverick team has filled an important gap on our site.

Patricia Willers’ passion for two topics became apparent this year: She loves beer and music. She reviewed notable concerts like Cake and American Idol Live! and sipped brews at Oktoberfest and the California Brewers Festival. This year, we were lucky enough to have Patricia become a copy editor for our community contributors. Her talents have helped developed the skills of our contributors’ and we’re happy to have her as part of our team.

Randy Miramontez was on fire covering big-name acts this year. While photography is his area of expertise, he collaborated with himself (writing and shooting) on close to 20 concerts at Thunder Valley Casino and Resort and a
handful of others at Power Balance Pavilion. Despite his packed concert schedule, Randy somehow finds the time to operate a local blog, Sac and Beyond (http://sacandbeyond.com/). He has grown his impressive portfolio immensely as both a writer and photog since we first met him.

Rik Keller's photos are a treat for the eyes. He has a knack for turning ordinary shots into exquisite pieces of art that make you stop and stare. Whether it’s a mobile food truck festival or a subdued protest rally, Rik has a knack for finding the beauty in every scene. He has given us a whole new appreciation for local surroundings.

Ron Nabity started out the year by impressing us with his drool-worthy shots of Dine Downtown menu items. Ron spent the rest of 2011 exciting us with his action shots of our local sports teams, the Capital Airshow and the Amgen Tour of California. He conveys the exhilaration of the moments he captures through his still shots, putting our readers right at the sidelines with him.

Rorie Oliver built an impressive archive of articles this year, covering everything from the legendary Beach Boys at Thunder Valley Casino and Resort to the community events like Picnic Day and the Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. Rorie gives every story, no mater how small or large, the same amount of dedication and enthusiasm.

Sandy Thomas is new to our pool of Top Contributors and we are lucky that she found us. She often collaborates with writer Trina Drotar and the pair have proved to be a very gifted duo. Together they have tackled powerful stories like poetry readings and a holiday blues concert fundraiser benefiting children in need.

To say Steven Chea’s photos are stunning is an understatement and, in fact, it might be impossible to find an adjective that appropriately describes his work. While he produces top-notch photos every time, his concert photos are the true gems in his portfolio. Steven is on his way up to big things in the photography world.

Trina Drotar’s words have helped delivered the impactful messages of the local poets and artists she has covered. While writing is not her full-time job, she gives every story her all as if it were. We are looking forward to seeing what the pair will collaborate on next year.

Last but certainly not least, we can’t forget about our weekly columnists. They have continued to educate us and give us something to look forward to on a weekly basis.

The “Pet of the Week” series, written by the Sacramento SPCA’s Julianne Byer, has helped place the local animals featured in loving homes.

“Real Relationships” is an article series dreamt up by contributor Janna Haynes, has helped solve readers’ relationship dilemmas and has weighed in on important issues many are dealing with but are hesitant to talk about.

The Sacramento Public Law Library’s weekly article series, “Ask the Law Librarian”, has proven to be a valuable resource for readers facing legal dilemmas.

Officer Michelle Lazark has put a friendly and welcoming face to law enforcement, inviting readers to ask her questions in her weekly “Ask Officer Michelle” series.

We would also like to give a shoutout to Ann Freeman Clement. It didn’t make sense to lay out a page with events that already passed, but we want to thank you for never missing a week of posting your thorough local guide to all things music.

Thanks to every single contributor who has posted an article in 2011. You are the very foundation of The Sacramento Press, and we can’t thank you enough for all that you do.

Happy new year to everyone from all of us at The Sacramento Press!

Local families need food and toys for children

2011-12-19T20:16:25Z

For families barely making ends meet, holidays are a difficult time. Many parents at Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing communities are having a hard time providing gifts for their children this year.

“This time of year can be especially trying for parents in our communities,” said Rachel Iskow, Executive Director of Mutual Housing. "In fact, half of Mutual Housing's 2600 residents are children."

People can help by dropping off non-perishable food and new, unwrapped children’s gifts at the Mutual Housing office, 8001 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento 95820 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, until Thursday, December 22nd.

“We will make sure your donation gets to a family right away,” said Iskow.

For after-hours or alternative drop-off locations, call Trish Nguyen, Mutual Housing community organizer, at 916-595-9431.

Founded in 1988, Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association develops and operates well-designed rental housing for the diversity of the region’s households.

Through Mutual Housing’s focus on leadership, the nonprofit also provides training and mentoring as well as educational programs, community-building activities and services for residents and neighbors. For more information, visit http://www.mutualhousing.com.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

A Unique Gift that Supports the Community

2011-12-19T19:12:40Z

For anyone who is still looking for unique holiday gift ideas, the Northern California nonprofit INALLIANCE may have just the solution- tickets to the "Sacramento Chef Challenge" at 4:00 p.m. Saturday ~~Friday~~ , June 23, 2012.

The well known culinary extravaganza features two live culinary competitions, food sampling, wine and beer tasting, live music, raffle prizes and more! But, the best part is-100% of proceeds go to programs that support people with developmental disabilities!

"2012 marks the 10th anniversary of the Sacramento Chef Challenge, which means we will be pulling out all the stops and slashing ticket prices,” says INALLIANCE Executive Director Diana DeRodeff.

INALLIANCE provides work and life skills training, supported employment services and assistive communication for people with developmental disabilities. “Our mission supports the belief that people with developmental disabilities have an absolute right and responsibility to be fully participating members of the community, and the Sacramento Chef Challenge is a way for us to raise vital funds for our programs while connecting with the community in a fun and positive way,” continues DeRodeff.

Rancho Cordova resident Anthony Paradiso has attended the event for the past four years and says, “I look forward to the Chef Challenge every year. It is exciting and offers a huge variety of food, wine and beer! I love a good competition and the chefs put on a great show.” Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased online at www.chefevent.com or by calling INALLIANCE at 916-381-1300 x170.

“There are many food events out there, but I support the Sacramento Chef Challenge because it is a quality event that benefits a great cause,” adds Paradiso. To learn more about the Sacramento Chef Challenge, purchase tickets and see photos from past years visit www.chefevent.com today!

Disclosure: Jessica Bean is an employee of INALLIANCE

Local Boys & Girls Club hosts celebration of 50,000 at-risk youth receiving gift of sight

2011-12-17T22:38:59Z

In recognition of the VSP Eye Pledge campaign reaching its goal to provide more than $19.2 million worth of free eye exams and glasses to 50,000 at-risk youth across America, the Boys & Girls Clubs Teichert Branch in Sacramento and VSP Vision Care (VSP) hosted a fun-filled celebration Friday.

Karolina Maluga, development manager of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento was on-hand to receive a giant gift certificate for 50,000 free eye exams and glasses on behalf of Boys & Girls Clubs across the country. Local Boys & Girls Club members also enjoyed an eye-opening tour inside one of VSP's state-of-the-art, 45-foot mobile eyecare clinics.

In the online campaign that kicked off in mid-August, Rancho Cordova-based VSP Vision Care, the nation's largest not-for-profit vision insurance company, and Boys & Girls Clubs of America partnered to encourage people across the country to visit www.SeeMuchMore.com and take the free VSP Eye Pledge. For each pledge made, a gift certificate for a free eye exam and glasses was directed to a local Club child in need.

Nearly 900 local children throughout the Sacramento region are receiving free eye exams and glasses courtesy of the VSP Eye Pledge campaign.

VSP Vision Care and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America launched the free campaign to encourage consumers to take care of their vision and reinforce the message that eye health is an important part of overall health.

"Each eye exam and pair of glasses that a club member receives represents a new opportunity for that child to achieve his or her goals," said Sharon Hemphill, senior director of health and life skills at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "With the generosity of partners such as VSP, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is able to fill the void of critical services, such as eyecare, that many of our members simply do not have access to."

"The success of the VSP Eye Pledge campaign speaks to the generosity of local communities," said Kate Renwick-Espinosa, chief marketing officer of VSP Global. "Fifty thousand people across the country took a pledge to not only care for themselves and their families, but to help direct care to a child in need. Witnessing the positive impact that this campaign has made in the lives of so many children is extremely fulfilling for all of us at VSP and we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of America who helped make this a reality."

Disclosure: Alex Sigua is a Public Relations Specialist with VSP Vision Care

Key development and growth in the south area in 2011

2011-12-17T01:37:40Z

This has been a big year for Sacramento and especially for South Sacramento, where development projects flourished and neighborhoods saw improvements on nearly every corner.

“No one hears about South Sacramento unless there’s been a murder or a shooting,” said City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell, who represents south area neighborhoods in District 8. “We have so much more going on, though.”

Pannell has represented one of the two southern-most districts of the city since 1998, and in those 12 years she has been behind projects ranging from neighborhood beautification to housing to commercial development.

“There was nothing at Freeport and Meadowview when I came on (to council),” Pannell said. “Now there’s the Home Depot, IHOP, Wendy’s and the new Walgreens right there.”

There will soon be a new veterinary hospital, too, Pannell said, and more new retail to come in the next year.

At the beginning of 2011, Pannell’s goals for her district included installing decorative fencing along Mack Road at Center Parkway to increase pedestrian safety, developing a regional sports complex at Luther Burbank High School and work with the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency to build or refurbish housing in the area.

All of that has been accomplished, Pannell said – and always with strong community involvement.

“My communities are excited about all of the work,” Pannell said. “They are involved in all projects, from beginning to end.”

Jesse Reese, president of the Meadowview Neighborhood Association, said Friday that Pannell and her staff have been receptive to the association’s input over the years.

“We try to get things built around the types of design that we want to see,” he said. “If we need a restaurant or a grocery story, we put it out there (to Pannell).”

In addition to regular contact with Pannell, Reese said his and other associations in the district meet once a year with Pannell and developers and show them land and areas for potential development.

“We are looking for anything that will enhance the area,” Reese said.

Two things that the area needs are coming very soon: a grocery store and light rail.

A new Fresh & Easy grocery store will soon be under construction at the corner of Mack Road and Franklin Boulevard, Reese said. The South Line extension of light rail is almost completely funded, and ground has been broken for the garage that will mark the end of the line at Cosumnes River College.

Having light rail access to the south area will be an important improvement for the community, Reese said.

“(Light rail) will allow a way (for people) to get to some of the places that are being developed,” Reese said. “If you want to talk about minimizing your carbon footprint, it helps to get people out of cars.”

For a district that has seen the second-highest growth in the city over the last decade in terms of population – Natomas takes first place – the changes in the area haven’t seen much fanfare outside the district, Pannell said.

But that is going to change in 2012, Pannell said – especially when the 960-acre Delta Shores development gets under way.

This housing, retail and commercial center has been in the works for a few years, and the key to getting the first brick laid, Pannell said, is getting the Cosumnes River Boulevard-to-Interstate 5 interchange approved.

The item is expected to be on the City Council agenda in early January and, once approved, it will be a tremendous step in the right direction for a very large project in the south area, Pannell said.

“If we can get the interchange started,” Pannell said, “the developer will start the construction of 1.4 million square feet of commercial property.”

“And when it’s open for business, that means jobs, jobs, jobs,” Pannell said.

Delta Shores could break ground as early as March, and the South Line RT project is expected to be started early in 2012 as well, Pannell said.

“We’ve gotten things done and we’ve involved the community,” Pannell said, “But there’s always more work to do so we’re just going to keep plugging along.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Second Saturday events

2011-12-13T22:30:02Z

Sacramento art galleries hosted small crowds of visitors during the last Second Saturday of the year. Many visitors took advantage of the smaller crowds to do Christmas shopping. Galleries and other businesses sold art, crafts, gift certificates and other items to Christmas shoppers.

Festivities in Sacramento began earlier in the day with the annual Santa Parade. Thousands of children, along with their parents, lined the parade route. The parade started at the corner of 9th and I Streets and an anticipated crowd of over 25 thousand watched.

The annual parade began at 10 a.m. and participants included marching bands, cheer squads, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, several floats, car clubs, horses, community organizations, beauty queens, dancers, actors and other performers. Santa and Mrs. Claus were the most anticipated and popular members of the parade.

Another holiday event also took place later in the day during Second Saturday festivities. La Raza Galería Posada staged a community posada “Las Posaditas” on Saturday and will bring the event to Midtown again on Saturday, December 17.

The posada (lodging) is a re-enactment of the story of Joseph and Mary searching for lodging. Volunteers played the parts of an angel, Joseph and Mary.

The posada started with Galería Posada’s Program Coordinator Roberto Lopez welcoming guests and giving a little history about the posada and where the procession was going to take place.

Posada participants caroled the Midtown area with several songs that included “Jingle Bells,” “El Niño del Tambor,” “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and other songs.

Following the biblical story of Mary and Joseph seeking lodging and going from inn to inn the posada made a couple of stops. The first destination was Casa de Español located at 2115 J Street.

The number of carolers was around 65 when they began and each of them entered Casa de Español for some chocolate and drink treats after singing several songs.

The second stop of the evening for the posada procession was Gallery 2110 and the Sacramento Art Complex. Several visitors to the Sacramento Art Complex enjoyed the carolers who ended their singing with “Feliz Navidad.”

The procession made one final stop at the MARRS Building on 20th Street. By this time the carolers had grown in size as others joined in. A piñata awaited the carolers where they sang several more holiday songs.

Children took turns as they tried to break a piñata and afterwards tamales were provided for the posada carolers.

The posadas will take place once again at the Galería Posada on Saturday, December 17. I’m not sure if they will follow the same route but visit their website to find more information.

Sacramento Organizations Receive $470,000 in Grants from the Walmart Foundation

2011-12-12T22:34:38Z

Walmart announced a $470,000 commitment to the Sacramento community through local and statewide organizations focused on preventing hunger, cultivating workforce development, advocating for children, and improving educational opportunities.

“During these challenging times, it is crucial that members of our community step up and lend a hand in helping address the issues that we all face together, and Walmart has risen to the occasion,” said Mayor Kevin Johnson. “These generous and vital grants from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will help Sacramentans get back to work and will help our local organizations continue serving those most in need.”

“At Walmart, we are honored to work with Sacramento organizations that are truly making a difference in the lives of many,” said Debbie Rood, Regional General Manager for Walmart. “These non-profits have found real solutions that will help those in need, those without opportunities, and those with optimism to live a better life.”

Child Advocacy and Education: Walmart associates across the state, which total over 73,000, voted in a ten-week online campaign to award its $100,000 Associate Choice Award grant to the California Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association. This donation will provide California CASA core support and funding for new initiatives, such as education and wellness programming, for the 6,500 CASA volunteers who work to make each child count.

“In times like these, we can all use a helping hand, and thanks to the hardworking men and women at Walmart stores across California, we are able to continue our work: advocating one-on-one to improve the lives of abused and neglected children,” said Robin Allen, the Executive Director of California CASA. “It is important that each child has access to a safe home, caring adults, and true well-being, and we thank Walmart associates for supporting that mission.”

To help mitigate diminished funding for educational programming, Walmart rewarded two educational programs to City Year and the Fortune School of Education, grants totaling $125,000. In addition, the California PTA, based in Sacramento, received an Associate Choice Award for $10,000.

Hunger Prevention: Multiple organizations dedicated to hunger prevention also received grants from Walmart, totaling $130,000. Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services received $75,000 to move forward on an innovative program that increases food accessibility to an additional 1,000 people per month. The program provides fresh produce and health education to families in need, a population which has grown by 25 percent in response to the economic downturn.

“Due to the increased rate of health concerns in our community, we found it necessary to be innovative in our effort to reach the greatest number of people in need and serve them in the most effective and dignified manner,” said Blake Young, President/CEO of Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. “With funding from the Walmart Foundation, our Food program will be able to reach more people and provide healthier choices for families.”

Continuing their support for local families in need of food assistance, the Walmart Foundation granted $30,000 to the Placer Food Bank and $25,000 to the Emergency Food Bank. Both organizations serve as hubs that not only directly deliver food to families and individuals, but work with local organizations to broadly distribute food and services.

Workforce Development: In response to the economic downturn leaving many people without jobs, the Walmart Foundation concentrated several grants, totaling $105,000, on local organizations with programs focused on workforce development to help the unemployed improve upon employable skills and small businesses improve stability.

The Greater Sacramento Urban League (GSUL) plans to use their $25,000 grant to fund an information technology training program for 90 lower-income residents. The GSUL expects that 88 percent of those in the program will receive job placement in unsubsidized employment and continue to retain such employment after six months. With program participants coming from lower-income areas and facing instabilities in housing as well as employment, GSUL is offering a technical program that teaches skills and has a proven 96 percent completion rate.

“We want to offer people the chance to develop a skillset that will open doors to job opportunities and increased financial stability,” said David DeLuz, Greater Sacramento Urban League Executive Director. “This grant from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will allow us to provide the ability to take the first step in improving their situation.”

Similarly, the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Gifts to Share/WayUp Sacramento and Sacramento Cottage Housing Inc., will use their various grants to create a sustainable community with strong small businesses and improved workforce with various training programs.

About the California State Giving Council: The various contributions to the Sacramento community were made possible through the Walmart Foundation’s California State Giving Program. Through this program, the Walmart Foundation supports organizations that create opportunities so people can live better. The Walmart Foundation State Giving Program strives to award grants that have a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the U.S.

In 2010, Walmart stores, Sam's Club locations and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $29.1 million in cash and in-kind donations to local organizations in the communities they serve in the state of California. Through additional funds donated by customers, and Walmart and Sam’s Club associates throughout the state, the retailer’s contributions in California totaled more than $32.5 million.

To be considered for support, perspective grantee organizations must submit applications through the Walmart Foundation State Giving Program’s online grant application. Applicants must have a current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in order to meet the program’s minimum eligibility criteria. Additional information about the program’s funding guidelines and application process are available online at www.walmartfoundation.org/stategiving.

Disclosure: Amelia McLear is a Senior Manager for Walmart.

Aerojet announces sponsorship of simulated space program at Powerhouse Science Center

2011-12-12T19:22:17Z

The Powerhouse Science Center and Aerojet today announced a $1.5 million gift from Aerojet, that will launch the new science complex’s cutting-edge simulated NASA space mission program, to be named the Aerojet Challenger Learning Center.

The current heavily-used 17-year-old Challenger Learning Center is in full operation at the Discovery Museum Science & Space Center, which will relocate and become the Powerhouse Science Center when the new facility opens in 2014. Recently honored as one of the nation’s most successful Challenger Centers, Sacramento’s Challenger adventure inspires future astronauts with suspension-of-disbelief scenarios and problems, challenging students to apply the math, science and communication skills learned in the classroom to “real-life” situations.

Aerojet strives to influence and attract this nation’s next generation of rocket scientists, astronauts, doctors and teachers, and has partnered with Powerhouse to encourage students to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This major contribution highlights the company’s commitment to enriching the Sacramento region and championing STEM education for the future workforce.

“America’s many successes in space exploration have always benefited from the tremendous sources of technical talent graduating from our educational institutions,” Aerojet president Scott Seymour said. “Continued successes will require the same from future generations and our partnership with the Powerhouse Science Center and Challenger Learning Center will serve to inspire today’s youth toward that end.”

“Since 1997, Aerojet and the GenCorp Foundation have committed approximately $500,000 in support for our highly successful Challenger Learning Center at the Discovery Museum,” Powerhouse interim executive director Michele Wong said. “Now, as Discovery grows and expands into the Powerhouse Science Center, we are honored that Aerojet has stepped up to be our first title sponsor. The new Aerojet Challenger Learning Center at the Powerhouse will be the most advanced of the 54 Challenger Centers worldwide.”

The new Aerojet Challenger Center will be located on the Powerhouse Science Center campus in the Earth & Space Sciences Center, which will also include a 150-seat full-dome planetarium theater and interactive exhibits that focus on the relationship of the four spheres: air/atmosphere, water/hydrosphere, earth/lithosphere/ and life/biosphere. Exterior experiences will include water conservation, green energy and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse Science Center is situated in the River District at 400 Jibboom Street. In addition to the Earth & Space Sciences Center, the Powerhouse campus will also include innovative, hands-on exhibit halls, science laboratories and classrooms, robotics programs, an artificial wetlands, outdoor stage and screen, a restaurant with riverfront views and more. The center has nearly completed its pre-construction phase and will begin breaking ground in 2012.

For more information on the Powerhouse Science Center, including how to become a Founding Partner, visitpowerhousesciencecenter.org, email info@PowerhouseScienceCenter.org, or call (916) 853-0343. Visit the center on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

A selection of Powerhouse Science Center images can be viewed at dreyfussblackford.com/powerhouse.

Disclosure: Jeffrey Weidel is a Vice President of Halldin Public Relations in Roseville.

Mutual Housing celebrates opening of the Highlands

2011-12-09T15:37:09Z

Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association celebrated the grand opening of the Highlands yesterday. The celebration included tours of the 90-apartment community and a ceremony honoring Darrell Steinberg, State Senate President Pro Tem and author of the California Mental health Services Act (Proposition 63) that provides partial operating support for the development.

Located on a 3.5-acre parcel in the McClellan Redevelopment Area, the Highlands has 66 efficiency apartments for formerly homeless people and 12 studio apartments and 12 three-bedroom ones for people of modest means.

The complex has a community room and kitchen, a computer lab and conference room as well as offices for staff. The community room will be used for educational workshops in energy conservation, leadership training, financial management and youth programs. Resident councils also will use the room for meetings.

Six courtyards with deciduous trees, tables, benches and planter boxes connect the buildings. One courtyard boasts a recycled metal sculpture, named "Gertie", by Sacramento artist Steve Cook.

All units have tankless water heaters with ductless heating in the smaller units and evaporative coolers in the larger as well as energy-efficient appliances. Solar panels also were installed. Mutual Housing staff expect the project to be certified green by Building It Green later this year.

Mutual Housing's first foray into homeless housing, a medical clinic and social services, provided by the nonprofits Turning Point, The Effort and Lutheran Social Services of Northern California, are on site. Funding for Turning Point services comes from the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services.

Development costs were $5 million. Construction costs were $14 million. Long-term operating costs are supported by substantial capitalized operating revenues. Wells Fargo Bank was the construction lender.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act partially funded the development. Operating support comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency and the California Mental Health Services Act Housing Program.

The Highlands is the 15th multifamily development of the local nonprofit in the two-county region.

Sacramento-based Cynthia Easton Architects and Chico-based Sunseri Construction, Inc. were the architects and general contractor, respectively.

Founded in 1988, Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association develops and operates well-designed rental housing for modest-income households. The communities have 2,600 residents, half of whom are children.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

Bicyclette: Helping women bicyclists learn bicycle repair and maintenance

2011-12-09T04:01:26Z

Bridging the gap between male and female bicycle enthusiasts, female mechanics at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen are helping women learn the technical skills needed to maintain and repair their own bicycles.

Bicyclette is an after-hours session hosted by Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen, located at 1915 I St., that is exclusive to women, transgender and female-identified people, according to Andrea Havelaar, 37, outreach coordinator for the shop.

The free session is held from 6 - 9 p.m. every third Monday of the month.

"In our society, there is the tendency for guys to do things for a woman instead of thinking that she has to do it for herself," mechanic Robin Evans said. The Midtown resident has been working as a bicycle mechanic for three years at Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen.

Through Bicyclette, Havelaar said, women will gain the bicycle mechanic skills and the confidence to make them more comfortable coming to the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen's regular hours.

During the three-hour session, the first hour is usually dedicated to a mini class on a specific bicycle repair or maintenance skill such as fixing a flat tire or brake adjustments, and the remaining two hours are devoted to hands-on work.

Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen is a nonprofit bicycle shop that offers low-cost bicycle maintenance and training to members. As a community-run organization, all workers and mechanics are volunteers. They are funded through $5 daily shop fees or $50 yearly memberships, according to the shop's website.

Havelaar said that the patrons will do the same activities as they would during normal hours at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen – the mechanics will show them how to do maintenance and repairs on their bicycles. Tools are provided at the shop.

"We get college-aged women, middle-aged women with their nieces and even older women in their 60s," Havelaar said.

Bicyclette was created to encourage more women and female-identified bicyclists to come to the shop and learn bicycle maintenance and repair who might be otherwise apprehensive because of a male-dominated bicycling and bicycle mechanic scene, Havelaar said.

"I don't want to make it sound like our normal shop hours are not ideal for female or transgender to come to, because we do get women all the time, it's just not as many as men," Havelaar said. "Some women tend to learn better from other women, and I found that with myself. That was one reason why I wanted to do this and to get this started."

Evans explained that since women in general have longer legs and shorter torsos, a shorter handlebar or a shorter bicycle stem might be some of the parts women need to change on their bicycles for a better fit.

"A lot of times, bicycles were originally made to fit men," Evans said. "In order to have a comfortable ride, you might need to change things up a little bit."

On Sept. 19, the first Bicyclette, 12 patrons attended, which is a lot considering there are only two female mechanics who offer technical assistance: Robin Evans, 29, and Shannon Southwood, 34, both Midtown residents. The last two meetings had only three to four who attended, Havelaar said.

“Our male staff is also very supportive of Bicyclette as they would also like to see more female mechanics and more females getting into cycling in general,” Havelaar said.

For more information on Bicyclette, visit www.sacbikekitchen.org.

Free Holiday Hay Rides Return to Jackson Rancheria

2011-12-07T17:51:04Z

It’s time again for free Holiday Hay Rides at Jackson Rancheria. Now through Dec. 15, guests are welcomed to enjoy a festive hay ride around the Rancheria –decorated in over 2.5 million lights – followed by a visit with Santa and complimentary refreshments for all.

“The Holiday Hays Rides at Jackson Rancheria are one of the most popular local holiday traditions,” said Rich Hoffman, CEO of Jackson Rancheria. “Each year the Rancheria comes alive with millions of holiday lights and decorations and this year is no exception. The hay rides are a perfect holiday activity that they whole family will enjoy.”

The Holiday Hay Rides are offered at the Jackson Rancheria Fire Station on Dalton Road and run Monday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., now through Dec. 15.

The Rancheria will also be collecting toys for the annual Jackson Rancheria/Amador Sheriff’s Office Christmas Toy Drive.

For more information on the Holiday Hay Rides and additional holiday promotions and events offered at Jackson Rancheria, visit us online at http://www.jacksoncasino.com.

Sacramento Central Library hosts holiday concert

2011-12-07T04:40:30Z

The Sacramento Youth Symphony and Academy of Music enchanted an audience of approximately 350 guests at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria. The free holiday concert was hosted by the Central Library on Sunday afternoon.

The Sacramento Public Library invited the public to celebrate music performed by the 85-member ensemble. Musicians played to a full house which has been common for many of the events held at the Central Library.

Sacramento Youth Symphony and Academy of Music’s Artistic Director, Michael Neumann, presented the Academic Orchestra and the concert also featured the Saltarello Flute Ensemble and the Clarion Clarinet Ensemble.

Neumann addressed the audience by welcoming and thanking them for attending the event.

“I’m very happy that you’re here today and I’d like to start you right off the bat with our first group, the Saltarello Flute Ensemble conducted by Alice Lenagham.”

The group, consisting of nine flutists, performed from the second floor of the Tsakopoulos Galleria and entertained guests with “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" by P.I. Tchaikovsky, Mykola Leontovych’s composition, "Carol of the Bells" and two other compositions.

Before the next group took the stage Neumann asked the audience if anyone played the flute. Less than five people raised their hand. He asked the same question about clarinet players and this time a few more raised their hand.

The Clarion Clarinet Ensemble, conducted by Sandra McPherson, walked up to a sitting area in front of the Academic Orchestra. The four clarinet players pleased the audience with four pieces that included “Over the Rainbow” and “Jingle Bells.”

Neumann once again came to the microphone to point out a couple of table in the back that had information on the Youth Symphony and volunteer opportunities. He also asked who had and who had not heard the Sacramento Youth Symphony play before. Most of the audience raised their hand, indicating that most of the audience had previously heard them play. I was one of the few who had not heard them perform before, but I soon became an avid fan.

The last group of the evening to perform had been sitting down since the beginning. Neumann introduced Angelo Moreno who was to conduct the Academic Orchestra. The Orchestra began by giving fans a great rendition of Girolamo Frescobaldi’s “Toccata.”

The audience showed their appreciation and responded with great applause as the orchestra ended their first piece.

Moreno continued to conduct with great enthusiasm as the Youth Symphony played their second performance, Jerry Lehmeier’s arrangement of Gioachino Rossini’s “William Tell Overture,” showcasing the young musicians’ talents.

Violins appeared to have the most number of musicians and they were accompanied by several violas and cellos. Flutes, oboes, basses, clarinets, horns, trumpets, trombones, percussion and a harp player completed the orchestra ensemble.

The Academic Orchestra continued their performance with Claude T. Smith’s Prelude on an Early American Folk Hymn, “My Shepherd Will Supply my Need,” which showcased the only harp in the orchestra. The last piece performed was “March Slav” by P.I. Tchaikovsky.

As the music program was about to conclude, Neumann addressed the audience, saying that what the audience saw was only about 50 percent of what the Sacramento Youth Symphony is all about. He noted that other ensembles that did not attend also existed and more information on those groups can be found on their website. Neumann concluded by inviting guests to talk to him and ask questions and he would answer them at the back tables after the show.

A Christmas sing-along concluded the event with the audience joining in and singing “Oh Christmas Tree,” “The First Noel” and “Jingle Bells.”

The Central Library once again hosted a great event that continues to make this a great venue for music, art and community events.

The concert was very well put together and the kids did a terrific job performing in front of friends, family and other guests. After all the performances were over I spoke with Neumann.

When asked how the kids are selected to play in the symphony, Neumann said, “The kids are selected by going through an audition process and every year we go through this audition process not just for the new kids that want to join but for everyone. At the end of the year every seat is vacant and everyone has to re-audition.”

Neumann also mentioned that there are different levels of orchestras, saying that the group who performed is the middle level. There’s a level above and one below.

Describing the selection process, Neumann noted that there is one audition process and afterward each musician is placed in the level best suited for them. Again, Neumann said that if they want to continue they have to re-audition and be placed according to their level.

The number of spots open for each of the orchestra levels is fairly open but there are some limits on some positions and those limits are up to the Artistic Director (Neumann).

The Sacramento Youth Symphony has been around for 55 years and Neumann noted that this is his 33rd year with the organization. Neumann also shared that they have grown since he took over in 1979 from having only one orchestra and having 65 members to 400 people.

Neumann’s passion and dedication to the organization has put the orchestra in a position where future growth continues. He attributes the growth of the program to many factors but one in particular.

“We continue to grow because we have something of great quality,” said Neumann. “We have good teachers and we have great quality and I believe people want to be involved with quality and that’s why we continue to do well.”

A quality performance was given by the Sacramento Youth Symphony and Academy of Music. Their exquisite performance was greatly appreciated by those who were able to witness the program. Their collaboration with the Sacramento Central Library was like an early Christmas present to the Sacramento community.

The partnership highlights two organizations that continue to offer their resources to the Sacramento community and the performance on Sunday showed how well it can work. The Sacramento Central Library and Sacramento Youth Symphony show themselves to be a great cultural destination for the community. Both also offer the resources that help transform young people.

Reunion Tour comes back and wins the Indoor Kickball Championship

2011-12-06T16:07:41Z

In the Xoso Sport & Social League final Indoor Kickball season of the year, and a championship game that featured the regular season's top two teams, #2 Reunion Tour pulled away from #1 Turn Your Head and Cough to win the 2011 Late Fall Indoor Kickball title 18-9.

Playoff night (last night) kicked off with the play-in matchup of #4 Balls to the Wall versus #5 The A-Team. Balls to the Wall (4-4) built a 19-6 lead after four innings but The A-Team (3-5) rallied with three runs in the fifth and eight more in the sixth before coming up short 19-17.

#4 Balls to the Wall advanced to the first semifinal where they faced #1 Turn Your Head and Cough (6-2). After holding Balls to the Wall scoreless for the first three innings, Turn Your Head and Cough steadily built a 16-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. Balls to the Wall was able to put six runs on the board before being shut down for a final score of 16-7.

The other playoff semifinal pitted #2 Reunion Tour (6-2) against #3 Gryffindor (5-3). Reunion Tour jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning before running away with the game 18-4 to set up a title showdown with #1 Turn Your Head and Cough.

This season's final presented an opportunity for Turn Your Head and Cough to avenge their only two losses of the season, both at the hands of Reunion Tour, 10-9 and 21-12. With excellent defense played by both sides and a scoreless tie after two innings, the game seemed headed for a low scoring finish. The Reunion Tour offense woke up with four runs in the third inning and tacked on eight more in the fourth with the help of "double damage" to lead 12-5 after four innings. Reunion Tour pushed the score to 18-6 in the top half of the sixth inning before putting away Turn Your Head and Cough by the final score of 18-9.

Cheers to the 2011 Late Fall Champions, Reunion Tour, and to all the teams for a great season! Many of the teams will now be moving over to coed dodgeball or volleyball during the winter months, so we'll see who comes out on top next time...

Disclosure: Nick is the founder of Xoso.

Musical Charis releases a new music video

2011-12-05T22:39:51Z

Musical Charis has released their first official music video. The video was produced and directed by Ryan Todd and Patrick Egan. The song chosen for the video is the very catchy “East West.”

Musical Charis released their CD Ace of Space this past August which included “East West” and to keep things local they shot the video at Beatnik Studios. I sat down with Musical Charis’ Blake Abbey, Jessie Brune and Shawn King to discuss the video release.

Abbey indicated the video was being released first on the UK music blog "For Folk's Sake" a few hours before it was released here.

Todd and Egan, who were also at Beatnik, have been producing and directing videos for six years and have worked together for the past three years. Abbey stated that he saw Todd's work at a Sacramento Film Festival a few years back and had been trying to get him to do a video for Musical Charis. Brune added that their video work can be seen on YouTube’s popular Smosh channel.

Referring to Todd, Abbey said, "He's probably the best local film guy, so we asked him if he could do a video for us, we asked him for a couple of years and we finally got together. Persistence pays.”

The concept for the video came from Todd and Egan and they did the shoot in one day. “Fun” is a word that describes the video. It looks like Musical Charis had a lot of fun making the video and its fun to watch. The concept worked great and the collaboration of Musical Charis with Todd and Egan may inspire other local bands to do similar projects.

When asked as to why “East West” was chosen Brune said, “They chose it,” pointing to Todd and Egan. Brune continued, “We left it up to them. They listed to the album and decided on the concept and chose the song.”

Abbey noted that it came down to two songs saying, “I think they came up with ‘Pop Culture’ and then they changed it, a last minute idea. We left the project pretty open for them.” Both songs are popular fan choices and it will be interesting to read fan comments as the video gets more hits.

As you watch the video look for the white gold fish in the shots and although there is not a disclaimer, no fish were harmed in the making of the video. The white gold fish was named Waldo and viewers are challenged to play “Where’s Waldo” as they watch the video.

Musical Charis has all their songs available on iTunes and CDs can be purchased by visiting their website. Musical Charis will be on a 60 day U.S. tour during March and April of 2012 and will be joined by Zuhg.

The music video is family friendly and in Abbey's words, "Support your local artists and go watch Musical Charis' new music video."

Sacramento Ballet's The Nutcracker

2011-12-05T08:38:03Z

There are many holiday traditions that we all have and share. A tradition held by many around the world is listening to, participating in or performing “The Nutcracker.”

Friday night the Sacramento Ballet hosted “Inside the Director’s Studio, Through the Dancer's Eye: The Nutcracker,” where dancers talked about “The Nutcracker” and shared their personal points of view.

Artistic director Ron Cunningham welcomed guests to the event, saying the dancers would talk about their experiences and how they prepare for shows.

Cunningham also called the audience’s attention to a Sacramento Ballet calendar featuring the photography of resident photographer Keith Sutter. Cunningham noted that the calendar would make a wonderful Christmas gift and several of them were later sold at the lobby. Dancers available after the show were happy to autograph calendars purchased.

Dancers sat on the floor of the Sacramento Ballet Studios facing the audience. The setting was very casual, and approximately 25 dancers participated. Christopher Brian Nachtrab and Alexandra Cunningham served as moderators of the event.

“The event is entitled ‘Inside the Director’s Studio,’ but tonight it’s ‘Inside the Dancers’ Studio,’” Nachtrab said. “It’s a perspective of how we deal with ‘The Nutcracker,’ year after year after year after year…” Nachtrab continued drawing laughter.

Nachtrab’s insight to their performances was very intriguing, and events such as this allow guests to learn more about the dancers. It also gives the audience an idea of what goes on behind the curtain.

“The Nutcracker” has a large cast of members and dancers who may have to perform as more than one character. How do the dancers spend their time backstage when not performing? What’s the hardest part about performing? Who does hair, makeup and costumes? Those were some questions answered as dancers talked about their experiences.

Nachtrab shared that since this is so close to Christmas many of the dancers have to skip holiday parties they’re invited to because of rehearsals and performances. Their last performance is the day before Christmas Eve and if they have to travel it becomes a little burdensome.

Nachtrab said, “Since I live across the country I don’t get home until Christmas Eve and I really can’t tell my family I have to go out and buy presents so I have to be well prepared. Another thing that the dancers have to cope with is makeup". Nachtrab stated, “The ladies have to put on lots of makeup and it becomes very demanding on them.”

Other dancers noted that they get into character mode with the help of other dancers and try to keep limber. One of the dancers noted that there’s a lot of bouncing, jumping and stretching backstage. If dancers are not on stage they’re busy doing their own hair and makeup, changing into different costumes and preparing for their performance.

“The Nutcracker” has been performed around the world for over 100 years, and generations of fans continue to follow ballet performances. The dancers at the Sacramento event shared some of their experiences when they saw their first “Nutcracker” performance.

Nachtrab said he saw his first performance when he was 5 years old.

“I sat on my mom’s lap because there was a gentleman who was way too tall sitting in front of me,” he said. “I enjoyed the whole thing, and after I walked out of the theater, I said that I just loved it. “

Dancer Lauren Breen shared that her mom had taken her to watch “The Nutcracker” when she was 3 years old, but she did not remember it.

It was interesting to note that several of the dancers are originally from other countries, and it was interesting to hear about their exposure to the production.

Dancer Rick Porter, an Australian native, said his first introduction only happened four years ago since he did not experience it back home, but he’s found that it’s, as he put it, “a fun ballet.”

Nicole Haskins told a story about a video of her at 18 months old choreographing her own Sugar Plum Fairy dance, running to her dad. She has been performing as one character or another from the age of 9 to 18. Now, she says, there’s always something different at every role and every performance that keeps her performances fresh.

It was also a great experience to have dancers share their enthusiasm for dance, performing and their view on life. The dancers are very close to each other and their friendship is quite evident.

The audience learned that the dancers usually practice several hours a day until the day of the performance, and then they have to adjust as they practice later in the day for the evening performances.

Besides rehearsals, the dancers have to apply stage makeup, make wardrobe changes and other adjustments in between dances. In essence, there are many things going on backstage that the dancers need to make allowances for and they all show camaraderie by helping other dancers when they can.

The audience was asked to look for the performance of the maids, as this was described as a fun role. The experiences of wearing the mouse or nutcracker heads and costumes were fascinating to listen to as well. Almost every aspect of what goes on backstage was discussed, and it’s remarkable how much goes on that the audience just doesn’t know about.

As I listened to the dancers share their stories, I remembered my introduction to “The Nutcracker” when I was 7, when I danced in a school production, and that memory has remained. Do you remember the first time you saw or participated in “The Nutcracker”?

Ron Cunningham’s “The Nutcracker,” with live score performed by the Sacramento Philharmonic, opens on Friday and runs through Dec. 23 at the Sacramento Community Center. Tickets can be purchased online or by calling 808-5181.

The Sacramento Press Journalism Open 2012 begins Jan. 1

2011-12-05T07:22:58Z

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to publish your first article, consider the rewards of doing it on The Sacramento Press.

Last year we gave out thousands in cash prizes to winners of The Sacramento Press Journalism Open, and we’re ready to do it again.

This is the third year that we’ve hosted The Sacramento Press Journalism Open. The contest is pro-am, meaning writers of all skill levels are welcome to enter.

If you aren’t familiar with The Sacramento Press, we’re a hyperlocal online newspaper that focuses on community news. We aim to be the best source for local news and we would like you to help us achieve that by sharing your stories. No reporter knows more than you when it comes to issues affecting your neighborhood, your stance on why your daughter’s school should stay open, or an event you witnessed firsthand.

More than 1,700 people have written articles on The Sacramento Press since the site launched in October 2008. We look forward to seeing many new bylines – including yours – as the contest heats up.

We awarded prizes to 12 individuals last year, and this year we have $2,000 in prizes to give away.

The winning article for the Journalism Open 2011 was about the state of Sacramento’s bridges and was written by Isaac Gonzalez.

To see the list of last year’s winners, click here.

Before you publish your story, we highly recommend submitting your story for copy editing. We offer free copy editing to catch spelling errors and/or grammatical mistakes in your articles. To submit your story for copy editing, email the story to journalism@sacramentopress.com. Your edited story will be returned to you within 24-48 hours.*

*Depending on the volume of submissions being sent in for copy editing, it might take longer than the normal 24-hour turnaround time.

If you have questions about the copy editing process, email support@sacramentopress.com.

Publishing an article on The Sacramento Press is easier than you might think. To start writing, simply go to the top of this page and click the "Sign Up" button and follow the prompts. You will be asked for information and to accept our terms of use agreement. After you are signed up, click the "Write" button at the top of the page, create a Storyline and start writing.

We suggest that you write your story in a separate writing application (i.e. Word) and then, when you've finished and had it copy edited, cut and paste it into our site.

Important: Every story you enter/post on the site must be tagged "Open2012" in the tag section. Just write those words in the space provided under tags. You should also add tags to you story, especially choosing one of our “section” tags – Culture, Business, Politics and Sports – depending on which ones fits the story best.

Hit "Publish," and you have posted your first story on The Sacramento Press. You've also been entered in The Sacramento Press Journalism Open!

To enter a photo that is accompanying someone else's story, tag the story with the following: open2012yourname (example: open2012JoshRamsey).

Remember, no story is too small. Are you concerned about the safety of your neighborhood park? Do you have insight into the upcoming City Council election? Have a favorite landmark that you’d like to share? Write about it on The Sacramento Press and you could be walking away with the $600 grand prize.

So, what are you waiting for? Commit acts of journalism and be a part of the growing community of citizen journalists.

CATEGORIES & CRITERIA FOR JUDGING

Entries will be judged by our editorial staff, and that judgment will be subjective. But we will be using criteria for what we think good journalism is. Among those criteria are:

Accuracy: Facts, spelling and quotes should be correct. Double-check everything and use your computer’s spell check.
Writing style: Writing should be clear, concise and enjoyable.
Local focus: Stories should be set in Sacramento, Yolo, Placer or El Dorado counties.
Sourcing: Include a minimum of two living, breathing sources in your story. Quotes from people who know what you’re writing about will always enliven and improve your story. Aim to include different perspectives. Wikipedia, About.com, press releases and book or newspaper excerpts are not acceptable sources.
Impact: Your story will also be judged on how readers react in the conversation on The Sacramento Press, as well as how it is received in the real world.
Mostly though, we’ll judge entries based on how interesting they are, if they’re news or a new approach to an old story, how well-researched they are, the quality of the writing and the quotes.

Stories can be any length, but they must be original nonfiction about the Sacramento area.

Stories may not be re-posts from blogs or other publications, print or online.

Finally, we will give extra weight to high-quality photographs, either accompanying stories or standing on their own with explanatory captions.

RULES

To be eligible, stories must be posted on the site, by you (using your real name), between 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2012 and 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 31, 2012. We will be able to help you post either over the phone or in our office.*

*Appointments must be made for in-office help. Contact support@sacramentopress.com to arrange an appointment.

You must live or work in one of our four home counties listed above, and be at least 18 years of age. High school students under the age of 18 can enter if they have a parental consent form.*

*Parental consent forms must be signed in person by a parent or legal guardian of the minor entering an article. To arrange for this, please email support@sacramentopress.com.

You may enter as many different stories as you like, but please enter/post each story only once! Make sure to tag it "Open2012" in the tag section or it will not be counted as a submission. There is no charge to enter.

Be sure to reread and double check what you've written; once it is published on the site, it cannot be modified.

PRIZES

First Prize $600
Second Prize $400
Third Prize $200
Three $100 prizes for honorable mentions
$500 in prizes awarded to best photos

Entries will be judged by The Sacramento Press editorial and community outreach departments. All decisions will be final. Limit one prize per entrant. Winners will be announced on the site, Feb. 13, 2012.

Addendum: You must be 14 years of age or older to publish an article on The Sacramento Press and to enter the Journalism Open.

California International Marathon draws huge crowds in 28th year

2011-12-05T04:16:27Z

Early Sunday morning, over 4,000 runners from around the world participated in the California International Marathon, a 26.2-mile race from Folsom to downtown Sacramento. As the runners scaled the greater Sacramento area into the afternoon, hundreds of supporters lined the route carrying signs of support and yelling words of encouragement.

Meadow Bailey, a 34-year-old homemaker from Rancho Cordova, was one of the many who came out to show their support. She said that although this was her first time coming, she had an enjoyable experience.

“Everybody is cheering, and there’s a great sense of unity,” she said.

Starting near Folsom Lake, participants headed east down Oak Avenue. Passing through Orangevale, Citrus Heights and Fair Oaks, runners gradually traveled downhill, a signature element of the CIM that makes it one of the fastest races in the country. Taking Fair Oaks Boulevard all the way into Midtown, runners eventually turned onto L Street, where they raced to the finish line located on the west side of the Capitol. A full map can be found here.

Several events were held concurrently to the marathon. A shorter relay was held where participants worked in teams. Another event, the MaraFUNrun, was a 2.62-mile run for children and families.

The winners of the marathon were recognized at an award ceremony that started at 3 p.m. For the men, Erick Monyene, a 24-year-old from Keller, Texas, came in first place with a total time of 2:11:50. He was followed by 30-year-old Ryan Bak from Bend, Ore., in second place and Joseph Mutinda, 37, from Santa Fe, N.M., in third place. Their times were 2:14:17 and 2:14:53, respectively.

For the women, Abrha Serkalem, a 24-year-old from Eth, took first place with a time of 2:33:40. In second was Atalelech Asfaw, 20, from Albuquerque, N.M., with a time of 2:33:56. In third place was Nuta Olaru, a 41-year-old from Antioch with a time of 2:37:13. A complete list of finishing times can be found here.

As the runners raced toward the Capitol, the streets were lined with many people who came out to show support. Many bands played at several points throughout the race, including folk singer Willie Ames, hip-hop artist Crazy Ballhead and various high school marching bands. As the runners passed, musicians and supporters alike cheered out in their support.

Sara Nylin, a 29-year-old teacher from Rancho Cordova, participated in the marathon for the first time this year. She said if it weren’t for the people who came out in support, she wouldn’t have been able to pull through.

“It’s a big marathon, and there’s a lot of people,” she said. “I had people supporting me, and now I’m supporting my friends as they finish.”

Other people participated in the relay and later stood on the sidelines supporting the marathon runners. Faith Caplan, a 30-year-old teacher from East Sacramento, was one of them.

“The course is nice and the weather is usually beautiful,” Caplan said, adding that this was why she has participated for the last five years.

Tammy Cortopassi, 48, is a medical assistant who lives in Midtown. Having come to watch the race and support the runners for the first time, she said she believes the runners who come in last place deserve the same respect and recognition as those who come in first.

“No one waits for the last person,” she said after most of the runners had passed her spot along Alhambra Boulevard. “The last is just as important as the first.”

Cortopassi’s compassion for all racers was evident all throughout the day. Phrases such as “You can do it!” and “To the finish line!” were yelled by people who were watching the race and others who were simply walking by it.

When the runners reached the finish line, they were greeted with more cheers, lots of water and massages. Sweat darted down many of their foreheads, and others laid down in the grass surrounding the Capitol, catching their breath.

“The race was a lot of fun to watch,” Bailey said. “I’m just glad I wasn’t doing it.”

New 'To Catch an Error' contest starts today!

2011-12-01T17:02:28Z

The Sacramento Press’ “To Catch an Error” contest has ended for the month of November. We are excited to announce our winner, Marion Millin !

Millin received a total of 54 points for catching minor spelling and grammar errors in stories by community contributors and one of our staff reporters.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

If you missed last month’s contest, it’s time to start hunting again. Beginning today, we will wipe the slate clean and start our December contest. December’s winner will receive a complimentary lunch for two at Zocalo.

Due to the New Year’s Eve holiday, the deadline for entries will be midnight on Dec. 30.

See below for complete rules. If you have any feedback or questions about the contest, please email support@sacramentopress.com.

What is the contest all about?

"To Catch an Error” is a monthly contest that we hope will improve the quality of content on our site. We know mistakes are inevitable, but we want to do our best to eliminate as many as possible.

That’s why we're asking for your help to catch errors in articles on The Sacramento Press! Each month, we want you to submit any spelling, grammar or factual errors you catch to contest@sacramentopress.com.

Errors will be accepted until midnight on the last day of each month (unless stated otherwise). Throughout the month, errors will be evaluated and corrections made to articles at our discretion.

At the beginning of each month, we will announce the winner from the previous round along with the errors he or she caught, wipe the slate clean and start all over!

Errors will be assigned different values, using the following point system:

* Minor grammar and spelling error = 1 point
* Misspelling name of person = 3 points
* Factual error = 5 points
* Error in editorial intern story = 3 bonus points
* Error in staff reporter story = 5 bonus points

Note: The Sacramento Press follows Associated Press style for most spelling and word usage.

Each month, the person with the most points will receive a prize, a merit badge on his or her profile and a little bit of social media love. Prizes will vary from month to month.

Official contest rules

Eligibility: To be eligible, contestants must be registered as a user on The Sacramento Press.

Note: The same person cannot win two months in a row.

Deadline: All errors must be submitted by midnight on the last day of each month, unless otherwise stated.

How to enter: You can enter as many times as you like each month, and multiple entries can be submitted at the same time. Entries must be submitted by e-mail and will not be accepted through social media or as comments on articles.

To submit an error, send an email to contest@sacramentopress.com with the following:

* Your first and last name, along with your Sacramento Press user name
* A link to the story where you found the error
* Copy and paste the entire sentence or paragraph as it appears in the article, along with the error

If clarification is needed, a Sacramento Press staff member will follow up with you. When an error is submitted to us, a reply will be sent, verifying the number of points earned within 24 hours.

Submit errors as soon as you catch them! If an error has already been caught and a correction issued, points will not be given for the error.

Corrections: Errors will be verified by the Editorial and Community Outreach departments, and normal editorial correction policies will be applied. We will edit minor spelling or grammatical errors. More serious errors, such as factual inaccuracies, will be investigated on a case-by-case basis. Please note, we are under no obligation to issue a correction for every error submitted.

Note: The Sacramento Press has the final say in all errors being submitted.

Prizes: Prizes will change every month, and we reserve the right to change a prize at any time without notifying contestants.

Good luck!

Editor's Note: The official contest rules have been revised. Beginning this month, contest winners cannot win two months in a row.

Sacramento City College politics go Green

2011-12-01T03:07:46Z

As Earth welcomed its 7 billionth child Nov. 1, international concern for diminishing world resources and mounting pollution are on the rise. This concern not only stems from the number of people on the planet, but how those people consume and dispose of their resources. However, depending upon how the international community prepares for that challenge, it could serve as an opportunity for positive change.

The Sacramento City College’s Student Associated Council has recognized the international concern for its impact on the planet by creating a new position to help facilitate the campus’ desire to reduce its waste by welcoming plant biology major Michael Viscuso to the newly created position of secretary of Sustainability.

“When we created the new constitution, we put in the secretary of Sustainability so that someone can always be available for that position,” says Vice President of the Student Associated Council, EloHim Cofield. “Hopefully this one [constitution] will stay in place the next 10, 15, 20 years and hopefully by that time the school will be completely green.”

Before Viscuso had considered running unopposed for the position, Cofield had to convince the Connecticut-backwood native he was the right student for the job.

“We need someone that’s green and he has knowledge about being green. He’s already done this kind of work outside the school, so he would be a perfect candidate,” says Cofield, an administration of justice and political science major.

Viscuso, who intends to transfer to UC Davis, would not strike you as the type of candidate to run for a student government position. His calm, deep voice and demeanor is accented by his dark beard and curly hair that sands on end.

When Viscuso realized that his many years of experience working on sustainability projects would work to his benefit as secretary of Sustainability, potentially having far-reaching effects with other schools in the Los Rios District, he knew he had to run for the position.

“I realized I could actually do something good throughout the whole district,” says Viscuso who moved to Sacramento in January.

“Burning Man is one of the things that definitely got me into the [sustainability] scene,” says Viscuso who has attended or volunteered at Burning Man almost every year since 2000. “That’s where I met a lot of people that are deep in the scene in California.”

Viscuso, a 40-year-old vegan, assisted with coordinating solar projects at Burning Man that allowed patrons to charge their phones and cameras at the event despite being isolated in the Nevadan desert. Later the solar structure was dismantled and installed on public structures in Gerlach and Lovelock, Nev., reducing their energy usage.

“I was really blessed and stoked we helped facilitate all that in a way,” says Viscuso with his laid-back tone.

Viscuso is also a member of Freedom Farms, a community garden in Oak Park that has proposed a garden next to Jedediah Smith Elementary School.

“Hopefully it will come to fruition,” says Viscuso. “There is a 6-acre plot right next to it that is owned by the Sacramento School District and we’ve proposed in a two year span to turn that area into a community garden for the whole community as well as to produce food for the school. It’s a great plot too! It will be like a little eco-village. The principal and vice principal are really into it too.”

Viscuso is also a volunteer at City Farm, Sacramento City College’s organic urban-gardening pilot-project on campus.

“Michael's energy around sustainable agriculture goes well beyond City Farm,” says Robyn Waxman, Sacramento City College graphic communication professor and faculty coordinator of City Farm. “Most of his contributions to City Farm have been directly related to our garden parties every other Friday at noon.”

“He donated seeds, trained students in how to transplant seedlings, he offered advice regarding irrigation, and he keeps ideas about compost and how to be most sustainable at the front of everyone's minds,” says Waxman. “He's truly a gift.”

Since the beginning of fall semester, Viscuso has been collecting signatures for two petitions he has written. As San Francisco has done, he has proposed the composting of organic waste from the campus cafeteria to divert waste from landfills and create usable soil for future use.

“It is a commodity,” says Viscuso with conviction. “It’s the one way to revitalize the soil that we need.”

Viscuso’s second petition proposes that the campus cafeteria take steps to become more sustainable: offering healthier snack and meal alternatives produced by local, environmentally sustainable farms that practice fair labor and the humane treatment of animals.

“It would encompass safe farming practices—all the way from how you take care of your soil, to your workers, to the end result of it ending up on your plate,” Viscuso says.

Faculty at Sacramento City College are supportive of Viscuso’s vision of generating less waste on campus.

“What we are doing on the planet, where we are going with this kind of stuff, with the population and with all the things that come into food security, how can it hurt to maybe create a system that is a little more holistic or sustainable versus one that is not?” says Craig Davis, geography professor at Sacramento City College who was involved with coordinating the current recycling program on campus 10 years ago.

“Maybe it isn’t just about composting, it’s also about the front end of the food service; the materials we use in the cafeteria as a whole,” says Davis, a City Farm supporter.

One of Viscuso’s first priorities as secretary of Sustainability will be to form a sustainability committee think-tank to come up with different ideas on how to create a sustainable campus and minimize the waste created.

With the rewriting of the constitution to include a secretary of Sustainability, the Associated Student Council is an example of how world governments could restructure themselves to include the interests of future generations—having Viscuso’s vision and experience is just an added perk for the student government.

Disclosure: This article was featured in the Sac City Express Nov. 22, 2011. Matthew Blackburn is a journalism student and City Farm volunteer at Sacramento City College.

Sac State University Union Gift Drive to Benefit children & families with HIV/ AIDS

2011-11-30T23:47:49Z

The Sacramento State University Union is working toward making children’s wishes come true this Holiday season through the “Wish Upon A Star” gift drive. Economic hardships have affected us all and the spirit of giving is more important than ever. To help make a wish come true, come to the “Wish Upon a Star” display in the University Union main lobby during building hours, choose a star, purchase the wish listed on the star, and then share the very special holiday gift with a child. The donated gifts benefit the Sunburst Projects, serving children and families with HIV/AIDS.

The gift drive runs now through December 9. Unwrapped gifts should be delivered with the star wish to the University Union Admin Office on the 3rd floor of the Union between 8 am- 5 pm.

For more info, visit www.union.csus.edu or (916) 278-6997.

Disclosure: Zenia Diokno is the Programs Advisor for UNIQUE

Light Up Midtown 2011

2011-11-24T20:12:18Z

The Midtown Business Association is inviting businesses to light up Midtown by transforming their store windows into a winter wonderland this season with an opportunity to win a $1,000 advertising grant from the MBA.

This is the second year the MBA has hosted “Light Up Midtown” in the hope of opening the doors of local businesses to more customers this holiday season.

“We wanted to find a way to dress up the district and be festive and let people feel very involved in it,” said Heather Philpott, MBA communications and events coordinator.

“Businesses can take ownership of the project and get an opportunity to be a part of making the district look great,” Philpott said Wednesday, “and besides, who doesn’t like a little competition?”

The prizes – advertising grants of $250, $500 and $1,000 – will be awarded to the top three vote-getters. The grants are coming from the MBA events/marketing budget, Philpott said.

“Instead of us spending $1,000 to put lights up and do a little decorating Midtown,” Philpott said, “we let the businesses decorate and win something that is valuable for them in the long run.”

Midtown business owners and their elves have until Tuesday to register for the competition. Businesses must be located within Midtown Property Business Improvement District boundaries to apply, according to the competition rules.

Then, they can deck the halls – and storefronts and windows and anything else that will hold garland and sparkle – to transform their businesses into festive displays.

Visitors and shoppers will vote online for their favorite starting Dec. 1.

Voting continues through Dec. 12, Philpott said, and winners will be announced live Dec. 14 on the morning newscast of Good Day Sacramento.

More than 50 Midtown businesses participated in the competition last year. The top three winners of 2010 were Trés Chic Boutique, Mulvaney's B&L and Cyber Electronik.

Mulvaney’s and Trés Chic Boutique have already registered to compete again this year, Philpott said Wednesday.

Summer Hairabedian, lead stylist at last year’s big winner, Trés Chic Boutique, said that she and the other Trés Chic employees are already planning this year’s decorating scheme.

“I can’t disclose that information,” Hairabedian, 28, said when asked what this year’s theme would be. “It’s top secret.”

Trés Chic Boutique, 2228 J St., a clothing store specializing in prom, pageant and special occasion dresses, won Light Up Midtown 2010 with a glimmering “white wonderland” theme, Hairabedian said.

“We had a white crystal ball gown in the window,” Hairabedian said, “with white reindeer and snowflakes and lights and gold presents to accent it.”

Trés Chic used its 2010 prize to advertise in local school newspapers and Midtown Monthly magazine. Hairabedian said she is unsure what they would spend the prize on this year if they were to win again.

Other businesses already getting their icicles and ornaments ready for the fun include Relles Florist, Mr. Pickle’s Sandwich Shop and Mosaic Salon.

“We mostly decorate the windows and add light to it,” said Jim Relles, 64, owner of Relles Florist at 2400 J St. “This year we might do some exterior (decorations), but either way, we will have very festive Christmas windows.”

Relles said if his business wins one of the advertising grants, he would like to put it toward radio advertising just before Valentine’s Day.

“We had 18,000 lights in our window last year,” said Todd Buckley, 34, co-owner of Mosaic Salon at 2700 J St. “We’ll do a little twist on the decorations this time, but the lights will be included.”

Although most of Mosaic’s advertising is word-of-mouth, Buckley said he’d probably try to do some radio advertising if his business wins a prize this year.

Philpott said there are some new competitors this year, too: Faces Nightclub, Felicia Strati, City Suds and J 27 Gallery are just a few.

Felicia Strata is a clothing boutique at 1901 Capitol Ave., and City Suds is a neighborhood laundromat at 1830 L St.

The initial idea for Light Up Midtown came from Amber Schmaeling, MBA marketing and outreach director, and Philpott and other MBA staff helped make the idea a reality in time for the 2010 winter holidays.

“People enjoy the way the malls dress up for the holidays,” Philpott said. “Hopefully this gives the same warm, fuzzy feeling and gets people to shop at smaller local businesses.”

For more information and to cast your vote, visit www.exploremidtown.org. Only one vote per person is allowed.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Man on the street: Thanksgiving edition

2011-11-23T03:03:50Z

The short, brisk days and the warm, fall colors in the trees remind us that the holidays are fast approaching. With Thanksgiving upon us, The Sacramento Press went to the streets to ask, “What should Sacramento be thankful for?”

“All of the trees,” said Debbie Isley, 59, a retired real estate agent from Placerville. “And the water.”

Isley, originally from Southern California, said she appreciates how green the area is, especially after living in the desert for many years.

For those native to the area, the answers change a bit. Carolyn Gamble, a retired state employee from Carmichael, has lived in the Sacramento area her entire life.

“Sacramento supports everything here,” said Gamble, 65. “It’s a very supportive town."

For Lisa Larimore, a teacher from Davis, it’s all about the food.

“Sacramento should be thankful for all of the really good restaurants,” said Larimore, 48. She listed Elephant Bar and The Cheesecake Factory among her favorites.

Randy Boyle, 59, is originally from Oklahoma, but moved here many years ago for work. Although he has lived in Hawaii, the Midwest and all over California, he said this part of the world is his favorite.

“The great weather and the proximity to all things outdoors,” said Boyle, a manager at UPS from Vacaville. “There are not many places where you can water ski and snow ski on the same day.”

Boyle also said the importance of being the state capital is a reason for Sacramento to be thankful.

For Ericka Landero, 20, a retail associate from Antelope, Sacramento is a place for possibilities.

“I think Sacramento should be thankful for the many opportunities we have in life,” said Landero.

What do you think Sacramento should be thankful for? Please let us know in the comment section below.

Ciraulo hired by Mutual Housing

2011-11-21T17:48:15Z

Rich Ciraulo has been hired as the Director of Asset Management by Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association. In this role, he is responsible for planning and monitoring the operations and financial performance of Mutual Housing’s 15 regional communities. Ciraulo will handle acquisitions, refinancing and rehabilitation to preserve the portfolio as well as develop and maintain investor and lender relationships. He also will implement long-term strategies to improve performance that meets the nonprofit’s goals.

Prior to joining Mutual Housing, Ciraulo was a Senior Project Manager at Mercy Housing California. At Mercy, he oversaw the planning, financing, design and construction of their mixed-use, multi-and single-family developments. He also secured financing, negotiated contracts and leases, managed contractors and carried out community outreach.

Ciraulo has been in the housing and construction field for more than 17 years. He has a Master’s degree in civil engineering from Stanford University.

Founded in 1988, Mutual Housing develops and operates well-designed rental housing for modest-income households. The communities have 2,600 residents, half of whom are children.

Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

Sacramento Family Keeps Daughter's Memory Alive through Toy Drive

2011-11-18T18:20:35Z

When Rosie Carollo was hospitalized at the Sutter Children’s Center, Sacramento due to a rare form of childhood epilepsy at just 6 months old, she took great delight in the toys, movies and activities in the hospital’s Child Life Program.

After Rosie’s passing in 2004, just shy of her second birthday, her parents, Nicole and George Carollo, were determined to keep her memory alive by giving back to the Sutter Children’s Center – a children’s hospital located inside Sutter Memorial Hospital in East Sacramento – after they provided such great care for their young daughter.

“Rosie was our first child and the light of our lives,” said Nicole Carollo. “When she passed I was almost desperate to find a way to help other children like her. I cannot take care of my baby anymore, but I can help others. We chose Sutter because of the wonderful experience we had with the Child Life Team and we want to give back to them and help brighten up the lives of other babies and children there.”

While strolling through their neighborhood admiring holiday decorations and looking to get a few ideas for their own house, the Carollos noticed barrels in front of homes for people to donate food as they, too, strolled down the street appreciating the decorations. It was at this moment that the Carollos had the idea to host a toy drive in Rosie’s honor.

After observing how much joy that toys brought Rosie while she was in the hospital, the family decided the best way to honor Rosie and give back to the hospital was by donating toys to the Sutter Children’s Center in hopes of creating joy for other kids during their time in the program.

The Carollos began their charitable toy drive in 2007. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Rosie Carollo Christmas Lights Toy Drive, which will be held from 5-9 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11, and is part of the Carollos’ intricate Christmas display at their home at 3961 Fair Oaks Blvd. in the Arden-Arcade area of Sacramento. New, unwrapped toy donations, as well as any cash or check donations, will be collected to give to the brave children at the Sutter Children’s Center.

In the four previous years, this event has made quite a splash in donations. During the inaugural event in 2007, the Carollos collected 741 items and $236 in cash. Last year, this special event collected more than 1,600 items, up 50 percent from the previous year, and had more than 400 people in attendance the night of the toy drive.

This year, the Carollos and the Child Life Program are requesting Pillow Pets, crib-side soothers, toy doctor kits, infant rattles and toys, Lego sets, teen crafts and DVDs for children and teens. Monetary donations are accepted the night of the toy drive as well as gift cards to stores such as Target, Toys “R” Us and Walmart.

“The first year we did it, we had no idea it would become this big,” said Nicole. “We just thought it would be a little toy drive.”

Four years later, the Carollos look forward to the company of hundreds of Sacramento residents who gather in celebration of little Rosie’s life and the life of every child cared for at the Sutter Children’s Center. The family strives to create awareness about infantile spasms which Rosie endured.

“This is easily the happiest night of the year for me,” said Nicole.

Guests and their families enjoy the elaborate display of 15,000 Christmas lights, a gingerbread village, flying reindeer and a life-size nativity scene along with cookies, hot chocolate and even a special visit from Santa Claus. The Carollo family has made it their lifelong goal to spread little Rosie’s story and increase the awareness of infantile spasms. In the future, they hope to set up a foundation in Rosie’s name to raise funds for infantile spasm research.

If you would like to be a part of this event but cannot make it out on Dec. 11, the family is gladly accepting donations through the entire month of December at their driveway drop box located at 3961 Fair Oaks Blvd., at the corner of San Ramon Way and Fair Oaks Boulevard. For further information on how you can help, e-mail Nicole Carollo at N_Carollo@yahoo.com, or visit the “Rosie Carollo 5th Annual Christmas Lights Toy Drive” page at www.facebook.com.

The Child Life Program is an important part of each child's hospital experience at the Sutter Children’s Center. Child Life specialists work with the child, parents and hospital staff to make life as normal as possible and to minimize the emotional trauma to the infant, child or adolescent and his or her family. As a member of the health care team in both outpatient and inpatient settings, Child Life specialists provide essential life experiences for gaining a sense of mastery, for play, for learning, for self-expression, for family involvement and for peer interaction. The program also “employs” three full-time canine therapists as part of its Pet Therapy Program. The Sutter Children’s Center is a comprehensive “children’s hospital within a hospital” that offers on-site 24-hour pediatric and neonatal care physicians. It provides a patient- and family-oriented approach of more than 50 board-certified subspecialists and a full medical transport team. The Sutter Children’s Center is nationally recognized as a center for excellence by the National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions for its outstanding care for children. Additionally, the Sutter Children’s Center is approved by California Children’s Services and is the only non-university facility in Northern California granted associate membership with the California Children's Hospital Association. For more information, visit http://checksutterfirst.org/children/.

Disclosure: Help the Carollo family by giving back this Holiday Season and gain awareness about the danger of childhood epilepsy and infantile spasms.

VSP Eye Pledge campaign reaches goal of providing 50,000 at-risk kids the gift of sight

2011-11-18T00:32:11Z

Rancho Cordova-based VSP® Vision Care and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) announced they have reached the VSP Eye Pledge campaign goal to provide more than $19.2 million worth of free eye exams and glasses to 50,000 at-risk youth.

In the online campaign that kicked off in mid-August, VSP and BGCA partnered to encourage everyone to visit www.SeeMuchMore.com and take the free VSP Eye Pledge. For each pledge made, a gift certificate for a free eye exam and glasses was directed to a local Club child in need.

One in four children have an undetected vision problem that can interfere with their ability to learn. Manashe, age 13, from Plainfield, N.J., was struggling in school because he couldn’t see the board. Just a few weeks ago, he received a free exam and glasses from the VSP Eye Pledge campaign and is already improving in class and on the football field.

"Without the VSP Eye Pledge campaign, our kids wouldn't have an opportunity to get this health check up which is greatly needed, " stated Kenya Mutyanda, Unit Director of the Plainfield Club of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Union. "Sometimes kids start to act out in school and you may think they are just having behavioral issues. But actually it stems from being frustrated because they can't see. The Union County Plainfield Club is thankful for the VSP Eye Pledge campaign and helping our kids see their best."

VSP Vision Care, the nation’s largest not-for-profit vision insurance company, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America launched the free campaign to encourage consumers to take care of their vision and reinforce the message that eye health is an important part of overall health.

People who took the VSP Eye Pledge were able to direct a free eye exam/glasses to either the Club in the most need, or to their local Club. More than half of those who pledged opted to direct to a Club most in need. Additionally, the following locations received the most pledges:

• California
• Illinois
• North Carolina
• Georgia
• Texas
• Indiana
• Florida
• New York
• Missouri

“Each eye exam and pair of glasses that a club member receives represents a new opportunity for that child to achieve his or her goals,” said Sharon Hemphill, senior director of health and life skills at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “With the generosity of partners such as VSP, Boys & Girls Clubs of America is able to fill the void of critical services, such as eyecare, that many of our members simply to do not have access to.”

“The success of the VSP Eye Pledge campaign speaks to the generosity of local communities. Fifty thousand people across the country took a pledge to not only care for themselves and their families, but to help direct care to a child in need,” said Kate Renwick-Espinosa, chief marketing officer of VSP GlobalTM. “Witnessing the positive impact that this campaign has made in the lives of so many children is extremely fulfilling for all of us at VSP and we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of America who helped make this a reality.”

For more information about the VSP Eye Pledge campaign, please visit www.SeeMuchMore.com. The site also includes an interactive savings calculator to discover the savings with VSP vision benefits, allows users to browse the latest eyewear styles, and provides helpful information about healthy vision.

Disclosure: Alex Sigua is a Public Relations Specialist with VSP Vision Care

Skates, trains and automobiles

2011-11-16T23:47:35Z

November’s Second Saturday attendance appeared to have decreased this month. Two hot spots however thrived and attracted visitors to the monthly Second Saturday Art Walk. Art galleries and other establishments on 20th Street as well as businesses on K Street attracted large crowds.

Downtown Sacramento’s K Street, in another effort to jump start the commercial area, opened for vehicle traffic on Saturday.

A stage was set up on 12th and K Streets to accommodate an opening ceremony, a car parade, and other entertainment to celebrate the event.

Classic cars paraded down K Street for the first time in over 42 years. Reminiscent of cruising down the boulevards of San Francisco or Los Angeles several dozen cruisers delighted onlookers who gathered for the event.

After the parade Butoh Dancers, courtesy of Rowena & Takashi, took the stage to showcase their hair and makeup talent.

Mariachi Latino, courtesy of Mayahuel, played their brand of music as patrons of the restaurant and guests enjoyed being serenaded.

The Smirkers, courtesy of Marilyn’s on K, also performed for fans and friends.

The Spazmatics were the last act to take the stage at 12th and K and they thoroughly delighted the audience. They started their performance singing “Cars” by Gary Numan. Their performances of 80s rock are very whimsical, energetic, popular choices for dancing, great to listen to and a lot of fun to watch.

The Spazmatics’ performance was a great official ending to the Cars on K event. As the 12th and K Street stage closed down, so did many of the venues and art galleries that participate in the monthly Second Saturday Art Walk events.

Just down the street on K and 11th a skateboard course was set up and several people skated. The course was provided to coincide with Omar Salazar’s Nike SB shoe launch celebration. The shoe launch included a red carpet event hosted by District 30.

As I stopped to watch kids skateboarding on the made up course a skateboard piece of art was being created by Eddie Stein.

Stein’s piece was created using a metal loop and skateboards were attached to it creating art. Stein used skateboards he’s collected over the years. A plaque attached to the artwork indicated that another local artist, Ianna Frisby, helped create the concept.

Mehrad Saidi had been at the skating course early in the day and was on hand to show me around, as we discussed the significance of K Street and skateboarding and how appropriate it was to be there to have an Omar Salazar shoe launch event.

Saidi said, “K Street was a popular spot for skaters back in the 80s” and as he said this, Stein - who was working on his art piece -interjected, saying “I skated it.”

Discussing skating in the 80s, Stein said, “I’m not really an expert but I know they changed K Street Mall and they built all these concrete structures which we called tape barriers because that’s what they looked like. There were also all these fountains and different embankments that we used when we came to skate at night.”

Stein indicated they skated at night because they did not want to get in trouble with the authorities. He indicated it was considered a skate friendly place in the sense that they could meet other skaters and was a place to hang out and learn from others.

As Stein continued to work on his structure, he noted that it was an untitled piece and was going to be using 23 skateboards to complete the work. He noted that a Hobie skateboard used in the display was from the time period we were discussing. Stein also noted that his piece had been exhibited at the California Auto Museum. Stein noted, “In fact it was the very first installation art piece ever allowed in the California Auto Museum.”

People passing by stopped to look at the art piece and asked Stein questions. In the meantime skaters of various generations and ethnicities continued to skate the course. The love of skating was a common link.

District 30 was hosting the Salazar shoe launch later that evening and at their entrance Alma Campos of Forum Boutique had a table of her boutique designs on display. Joaquin Razo, the event planner for the Salazar event took me inside District 30 to reveal the set up for the evening’s red carpet event.

Luke Shawver of District 30 conveyed that several things were going to transpire during the evening in the club and surrounding establishments. He mentioned that DJ Chris Harnett would provide music for the evening and that drink specials were being offered at District 30, Pizza Rock and the Dive Bar.

District 30, along with other surrounding clubs, theaters and eateries on K Street look forward to increased traffic and hopefully increased business.

Legendary skateboarder Curtis Franklin was on hand to help the Salazar crew with the event. Franklin talked about skating in the 80s in Sacramento and said, “We used to come down to Sacramento and that’s how many of us met as kids.” Franklin noted that he skated with Stein saying, “He was a big guy back then and it’s still cool seeing him. Some of those boards are what I was doing when I was a kid.”

Franklin continues to skate and noted he has a skating set up in his back yard. I relayed that a neighbor of some friends had built a ramp in his backyard in Folsom and to my surprise Franklin knew who I was talking about.

Rekindling memories, Franklin stated with much enthusiasm, “Yeah, my buddy Roger, we all know each other. His last name is actually Folsom. When I was a kid, Roger and my buddy Randy Katen and others hung out with each other. Some of the guys you lose track of but everyone just keeps skating, or they stop and start skating as their kids begin.”

When asked why he was at the event, Franklin noted that he was there to support Salazar. Franklin’s passion for skating is quite evident and he noted the skating community is very tight. Franklin said, “Omar has the ability to bring people together, he’s really connected with the kids and he's a down to earth kid as well.”

In regards to the skateboarding community, Franklin explained that he was glad to see Salazar and others giving back to Sacramento. Franklin ended by saying, “It’s good that he’s giving back. If you don’t give back to this community you get kind of excommunicated. You have to know where you came from. I remember Omar skating with me when he was a little kid. He has a good family, good friends and a great foundation. He’s a positive and genuine kid.”

Pablo Salazar and Saidi later presented Franklin with a display board that read, “Their Perseverance Paved the Way for This Generation's Acceptance” and included the names of Sacramento skaters who continue to give back to the community. Names on the board included Matt Rodriguez, John Cardiel, Omar Salazar, Ricky Windsor, Brandon Biebel, Curtis Franklin, Stefan Janoski, Matt Palles and Mako Urabe.

Skaters enjoyed the ramps created by Casey Lindstrom. The Livermore native has lived in Sacramento for the past 14 years. When asked how long it took to build the ramps Lindstrom said, “It took about three days to put together the ramps and course. I build a lot of ramps for 28th and B (Skate Park).”

Lindstrom has been skating for over 25 years and also runs Casey’s Restoration, a construction business. He noted that lately he’s had a lot of free time and donates wood and other materials he may have during times of slow business. His commitment to skateboarding runs deep. “If I’m not working I’m doing something for the B,” Lindstrom said. Skaters keep him going and he explained, “Business has been slow and it’s a dog-eat-dog world. Skateboarding keeps me going and keeps people happy and that’s what it’s all about.”

District 30 celebrated the Cars on K Street after party that included the Nike SB shoe release and birthday party for Omar Salazar. Salazar celebrated with fans, friends and family.

Folsom Veterans Day Parade

2011-11-15T21:56:43Z

Folsom residents saluted its 11th annual Folsom Veterans Day Parade this past Friday. Parade participants gathered at the Target parking lot on Blue Ravine Road and made their way towards City Lions Park.

The theme for this year’s celebration was “Saluting our Newest Generation of Warriors: Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.”

Thousands watched the parade as representatives from the armed forces, the City of Folsom, scout groups, community organizations and residents participated in honoring those who have served our country.

Over 2,000 participants were involved in the parade. Representatives from various JROTC, ROTC, beauty pageants, youth sports and high school marching bands were also included.

People along the route were given small flags and some brought their own to watch the parade. Many large bags of candy and other items were given out to the many spectators along the route.

Floats were created and shown off by several local businesses, schools and military groups.

Many of the scout groups also handed out thank you cards and came up to veterans along the route shaking their hand and thanking them for their service. This gesture made this Veterans Day parade a little bit more personal.

The City Lions Park hosted a reception at the Community Center and served hot dogs and soda after the parade.

Marshalls of the parade, city officials, veterans, military representatives and community members gathered at the Folsom Veterans Memorial for a special service.

Folsom Veterans Day Memorial honors those who have lost their lives serving their country. A plaque on the Veterans Memorial is simple and reads:

In remembrance of all who have served...
especially of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The Folsom Veterans Day Parade honors those whose name is inscribed on the memorial and all those who have made an ultimate sacrifice.

Alchemist CDC’s EBT/CalFresh Project supports local farmers

2011-11-15T15:19:09Z

Editor's Note: Edits have been made to this article after publication.

The crisp morning air fills with the aroma of California grown fruits and vegetables as farmers unload trucks filled with their freshly picked bounty.

Locally produced meat, egg and cheese vendors join the seasonal varieties of colorful produce.

Alongside local farmers, the Alchemist Community Development Corporation (CDC), sets up shop to bridge two communities—an EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer)/CalFresh (formerly known as Food Stamps) project for qualifying low-income individuals.

Since early autumn, the Alchemist CDC’s EBT/CalFresh project has enabled recipients of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to access healthy, locally produced food and support local farmers with the swipe of an EBT card at Sacramento area farmers’ markets.

Over 40 vendors have chosen to accept SNAP payments at three area farmers’ markets—over 260 EBT transactions have already taken place.

“The Florin Market is exceeding our expectations,” says Davida Douglas, Executive Director of Alchemist CDC.

The Florin Sears Store Farmers’ Market at Florin Road and 65th Street has completed its sixth week averaging about 30-60 transactions per week.

The State Parking Lot Farmers’ Market on Eighth and W streets downtown completed its second week averaging a dozen transactions per week.

With assistance from Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture and Education Project, promotional postcards were distributed to SNAP recipients who reside within the neighborhoods of local farmers’ markets.

Douglas expects the popularity of the program to grow as more outreach is implemented within the local community.

The Alchemist CDC program is easy for SNAP recipients to use. At the Alchemist CDC booth, credit from EBT Cards is exchanged for paper scrip. Dollar for dollar, patrons exchange their scrip for purchases with participating vendors.

“Some farmers are really excited about the program and have been waiting for it,” says Douglas, the only full-time employee of the nonprofit organization.

After the farmers’ market has closed, the farm vendors return their earned scrip to Alchemist CDC and are reimbursed later for their sales at a 10 percent fee to cover administrative costs.

~~Douglas recognizes the challenge for small growers to receive payment for their produce late due to the program’s current reliance on grant funds.~~

"By reducing the frequency of the administrative work, check writing and accounting, Alchemist CDC is attempting to make the program financially self-sustaining."

Rather than relying on funding which delays payment to the vendors, the goal of the program is to become financially self-sustaining—having more SNAP recipients attend the farmers’ market to cover the administrative expenses.

Douglas says that Alchemist CDC is open to adjustment, and may lower farmer’s fees as the program gains popularity and proves to be financially sustainable.

With the growing interest in community health and strengthening local economies by supporting farmers, demand for Alchemist CDC’s EBT/CalFresh project continues to grow.

EBT processing is also planned for the Laguna Farmers' Market in Elk Grove and the Sunrise Farmers' Market in Rancho Cordova once more EBT machines arrive.

Disclosure: Matthew Blackburn is a student journalist at Sacramento City College.

"We Will Rock You!"

2011-11-09T04:44:55Z

The Sac State Geology Club is shaking things up on November 18th by auctioning off hundreds of rocks, minerals, fossils and more at the 8th annual Rock Auction. This celebration of the natural world is free to the public, begins at 6pm at the CSUS Alumni Center and will include live and silent auctions, catered food and beverages, and children's activities.

The room will be abuzz with the chatter of rock hounds, educators, students and gem connoisseurs perusing samples of highly polished petrified wood, purple cubic fluorite, and stunning fossilized coral. “But, you don’t need to be a professional to enjoy the festivities,” says Club President Chris Hughes, “many of our guests are new to the rock world-- looking for garden pieces or a unique holiday gift. Others are there to support the next generation of scientists.”

Since its inception in 2004, the Rock Auction has raised thousands of dollars to support the study of geology by subsidizing field costs for Sac State Geology Students and through the creation of Rock Boxes for underfunded schools. According to Club Vice President Bryan Bergkamp, “Each spring, the Geology Club constructs boxes full of rock and mineral samples to donate to local schools. It is our opportunity to educate future geologists.”

Some of the unique items up for grabs in the live auction include a crystal ball of calcite, a two foot tall tower of orthoceras fossils from Morocco, and a valuable “Green and Gold” pair of quartz samples-- one a large quartz point containing fine crystals of green chlorite and the other a piece of quartz containing a significant amount of crystalline gold. “You can’t beat the thrill of a Live Auction,” say department chair and event auctioneer Dave Evans, “The atmosphere can get a little frantic as bidding escalates, and with such exceptional items up for auction, this year should be very exciting.”

Volunteers have been working for months to collect specimens from local businesses, alumni, faculty and collectors. “It is a tremendous amount of work, but it's worthwhile.” Says Hughes, “Because of the support of our donors and volunteers, we are able to share our love of geology with the entire region!”

For more information about the Rock Auction or to donate a specimen please contact the Geology Club at sacstategeologyclub@gmail.com or call Chris Hughes at (831) 595-336.

Disclosure: Jessica Bean is a member of the Sac State Geology Club.

Local Artists Join Together to Benefit Sacramento’s Safe Ground Nov. 12

2011-11-08T15:13:02Z

Art does many things. It gives us a history of culture. It decorates our homes. It helps the homeless.

This 2nd Saturday, Vox Sacramento art studio is giving back to the community, as well as providing a unique art show called “Home.” The studio is asking locals to bring camping equipment, blankets and coats to the exhibit. Items will be used by Safe Ground Sacramento, a homeless advocacy organization supported by a coalition of local non-profits trying to provide a safe, dry and warm solution for local residents without homes. SafeGround supports a self-governed, alcohol, drug and violence free homeless community alternative.

The exhibit features several local artists, including:

B. Shearer
Andy Brooks
Jill Allyn Stafford
Robert Couse-Baker
Kelly O'Neill
Tomas Overbai
Lisa Oullette

Art is available for purchase and some artists will be on hand at the event. The studio is located at 1818 11th St. and the showing is from 5 to 9 pm.

Every day, more than 1,450 homeless men, women, children and families are struggling to make it on Sacramento County’s streets, while the current ailing economy has resulted in more people on the streets, but fewer private and government dollars to help them.
The next few months will be particularly difficult for Sacramento’s homeless community. There is a tremendous need for warm coats, blankets, sleeping bags and other camping items. Contributions, along with financial donations, will go far toward helping Sacramento’s growing homeless population.

Safe Ground currently needs churches, synagogues, congregations, union halls and business owners in the midtown area to permit up to 100 homeless to stay overnight on their property, from 6pm to 7am the next day. Safe Ground provides its own staffing and cleanup. For more information, contact SafeGround at 916-448-2448 or Steve at 916-769-8877.

Disclosure: I'm a volunteer for Safe Ground.

Uptown Fashion Night in East Sacramento

2011-11-07T06:20:52Z

What is chic? A long list of customers found out firsthand Thursday night at “Uptown Fashion Night: Celebrating a Piece of East Sac.”

The event was hosted by Sandra Gonzalez, owner of Sparkle Bridal Couture; Mary Kawano, owner of Krazy Mary’s Fashion Boutique; and Peggy Orr, owner of The Pink House Shoe Boutique. All three shops opened their doors to customers, offering special sales during the evening.

The three shops occupy Folsom Boulevard at 33rd Street, and on Thursday night the area was alive with music, shoppers, friends and neighbors. Pure Entertainment provided DJ services. Delicious food and drinks were also served as guests enjoyed an exclusive shopping experience.

Sparkle Bridal specializes in wedding and special occasion gowns for sizes 14-30. The boutique had many elegant, stylish and sophisticated gowns to fit many tastes.

“We opened this year, but our family has been in the bridal business for 20 years, so we know our stuff,” Gonzalez said. “I wanted to open up something new, something different.”

Gonzalez, Kawano and Orr joined forces to put Uptown Fashion Night together and, as Gonzalez put it, “to remind people that we have boutiques on this side of Sacramento.”

“We’re trying to highlight that there’s downtown, Midtown, and here we are in East Sac, which we’re now calling it Uptown,” said Gonzalez, pointing out nearby coffee shops, eateries and other businesses in the area.

For the fashion show, Sparkle Bridal provided cocktail dresses and bridal gowns. Gonzales pointed out Erica Felton of Haus of Mirth, an in-house designer with exclusive lines and several bridal accessories.

“I used to be the head crafter for the opera in San Jose and other theaters, and I’ve done a couple of Disney productions,”Felton said. “I do a lot of crafting, belts, masks and hats for other people, and then I decided to do my own line.”

The models for the show were all local, and some were even clients and friends. Strands Salon and Spa did the hair and makeup. Strands incorporated their spring 2012 look so people could get an idea of what’s coming up from the salon.

Gonzalez’s enthusiasm for her shop and customers manifested itself as she pointed out a couple of young women who came to support Sparkle Bridal.

The two brides-to-be were Faye Bowles, who has a May 5 wedding date, and Naomi Rubenstein, who will be getting married on May 26. They said their wedding gown selections were already done. They seemed like longtime friends, but they had only met each other half an hour before.

At another station, stylist Robyn Groves from Stella & Dot showcased her fashionable accessories. Customers flocked to her tables and as guests sipped on their Sparkletinis and hors d’oeuvres.

“This is like the perfect venue for this,” Groves said. “The lights are right on it, and customers have a lot to choose from.”

The fashion show included 10 looks from Krazy Mary’s Boutique, and Kawano was busy greeting customers at their booth.

“I love it,” Kawano said. “This is the first time I’ve had to talk to people and mingle. We worked so hard for this event. When you do a group event, you can’t slack even if you want to.”

Kawano, who has been in business for 11 years, is quite an enthusiastic person, driven to make sure her customers are taken care of. She seemed to know most customers by name and was always jovial and caring as she talked to them.

“Coming home to East Sac has been enjoyable,” she said. “I feel my customers are getting older and I’m getting older, and so I have to change with my customers. You have to in this economy.”

Her passionate commitment to her boutique and keeping up with current fashion trends keeps her customers coming back. She feels that in her boutique you’ll find something that you might find in a fashion magazine.

“In fashion you have to get excited and bring great things to our customers,” she said. “I ordered winter stuff five months ago. I want my customers to be excited to see what’s going on for fall and the holidays before they’re here.”

Food and drinks were also available at Krazy Mary’s, with a DJ station manned by Roger Carpio.

Peggy Orr purchased The Pink House last September, but the store has been there four years. She said she used to be a customer, which in itself is a great endorsement.

“I was born and raised in East Sacramento,” she said. “ I just think it’s the best place in Sacramento. It’s a unique place to live.”

Elegant, classy and chic shoes, handbags and accessories were displayed throughout the store, which strives to carry merchandise for all ages. In the fashion show, they showcased handbags, scarves and jewelry.

The fashion show capped the night and showcased things available from each of the three shops. Visiting each of these businesses gave new customers a small peek as to what is available in East Sacramento, or Uptown as it may begin to be called.

The three boutiques continued to entertain guests after the fashion show.

Krazy Mary’s, The Pink House and Sparkle Bridal are great representations of businesses in the area, and Uptown Fashion Night appeared to be a great success.

Alleyways of Sacramento receive names, part four

2011-11-05T04:31:15Z

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, The Sacramento Press profiled the alleys in the central city that were formally named on Oct. 11 by an ordinance approved by the City Council. Below is the final installment of the new alley names.

Rice Alley

Curt Pow, the 36-year-old owner of Elixir Bar and Grill, has his business situated on the corner of Rice Alley and 10th Street.

“I’m okay with Rice Alley,” he said, adding that the Asian theme fits into much of the area’s culture.

While Pow said that he believes the names won’t directly help his business, he doesn’t think they will hurt it, either.

“What our area needs right now is retail business,” he said. “The city should allocate more effort for helping businesses rather than naming the alleys.”

Solons Alley

Jeff Standley, a 28-year-old sales associate at the Constantly Growing speciality hydroponic shop located along Solons Alley, said that the naming may help out with bringing more foot traffic into the alleys and then into the stores.

“Generally, people are looking for a main street,” he said. “If you can designate (the alleys) a little better, I assume it will be better for directions.”

Standley said that a name like “Sutter’s Alley” would have been more recognizable and memorable to local residents and that maybe the city should have named it that instead of Solons.

Tomato Alley

Uptown Alley

Dana Nolan, 56, was walking through her neighborhood on the south side of downtown Sacramento near Uptown Alley. She said she wondered why they named the alley “Uptown” since it is so far south.

She added that the names should have been more historically relevant.

“I think it would sort of get a sense of the neighborhood character,” she said. "I can go over to the cemetery and pick seven names just off the top of my head.”

Nolan also said that it adds too many names to a city that has streets with more than one name, like Capitol Avenue and Power Inn Road.

“It’s bad enough that you have to remember that there are three names for M Street,” she said, referring to Capitol Avenue, which becomes Folsom Boulevard.

Victorian Alley

Victoria Grant, 32, and her husband, George, 31, live along Victorian Alley. Victoria Grant is a nurse, and George Grant is in the military on active duty.

Victoria Grant said that naming the alleys would make it easier for people to identify where they are.

But George Grant said that he was less than enthusiastic about the naming.

“It’s just an alley,” he said.

Victoria Grant said that she liked that her name was very similar to the alley’s.

What do you think of the city's names for the alleys? Leave your thoughts in the conversation below.

John G. Hernandez contributed to this story.

Gym, Tan, Dodgeball win first title, and Team AP completes first 3-peat!

2011-11-05T00:00:32Z

Last night featured 150 local young professionals, competing for the right to claim Xoso Dodgeball Champion on their athletic resumes. Another 100 playoff hopefuls had already had their dreams of dodgeball glory fade into the distance. The Xoso Sport & Social League offers two divisions on Thursday evenings, separating veteran "A" league teams from newer "B" league teams.

On the B League side of the gym last night, Gym Tan Dodgeball proved that it doesn't always matter where you're seeded.

The Fall Season of Xoso dodgeball wrapped up last night with an epic night of playoffs and championship matchups. Coming into the night Drinkin' Team (6-2) and Titsburg Feelers (6-2) arrived with the top 2 seeds, while Gym Tan Dodgeball (5-3) and Hookers and Bacon (4-4) had earned the lowest seeds - 5th and 6th respectively.

In the opening round the first matchup contained little drama as Sexual Chocolate and Gym Tan Dodgeball(GTD) were set to square off in a battle of 4-seed vs 5-seed. Sexual Chocolate unfortunately didn't have the minimum number of players and so GTD was awarded a victory by forfeit and advanced to the semifinal round. The other quarterfinal matchup was a different story as the 3-seed, Ball Thugs & Harmony, went to battle against the 6-seed Hookers & Bacon. It was a close fight the entire game as the game progressed: 1-1, 2-1, and finally 3-1 with Hookers & Bacon finally able to distance themselves from Ball Thugs. Ball Thugs were not done however, as they whittled their competition down in the next game. This 5th and deciding game determined the match as time ran out on Ball Thugs, even though they had more players left as time expired, this additional point brought them a 3-2 loss and allowed Hookers & Bacon to complete the upset and move on to face Titsburg Feelers in the semifinals.

The Titsburg Feelers took advantage of their 1st round bye and used their rested arms to welcome Hookers & Bacon to the semifinal round. Hookers & Bacon put up a tough fight by winning 3 games, however the #2 seed proved to be too much and won convincingly 6-3. With their victory Titsburg earned a spot in the Championship game versus the winner of #5-seed Gym Tan and #1-seed Drinking Team. In this other semifinal match the top-seeded Drinking Team had a strong advantage as they battled GTD late into the match with a 3-2 lead, and time winding down at approximately the 4 minute mark. Gym Tan would not give up. GTD successfully tied the match up at 3-3 with just over 2 minutes remaining. With little time on the clock these two teams battled in one final game to determine who would move onto the Championship match. In an exciting and heated contest Gym Tan gutted it out and was able to secure a win in the final game for a 4-3 match victory.

The intensity and stakes only got higher as the Championship Match featured Gym Tan Dodgeball squaring off against the second-seeded Titsburg Feelers. The games in this final match were long and extremely hard-fought as each side knew what was at stake. They battled toe-to-toe for four exhausting matches and in the end were tied at 2-2, due to the Titsburg Feelers having more players on the court as time expired and Gym Tan missing a half-court basket as the whistle blew. The Championship was settled with one final sudden death game. The score was finally settled when the team that seemed to have the most fight in them, Gym Tan Dodgeball, was able to oust the final Titsburg Feeler and claim Xoso Dodgeball Championship status. Gym Tan was able to knock off the #1 AND #2 seeds to truly prove that, in the playoffs, it's anyones game.

Congrats to Gym Tan Dodgeball on their first championship!

On the "A" league side, Team AP survived to win their 3rd straight A League title.

In one of the most tightly contested dodgeball playoffs in recent memory, Team AP was able to secure their 3rd consecutive Thursday dodgeball crown. Usually seeded 1st or 2nd, AP (6-2) finished the regular season in 3rd place and faced the unusual challenge of not having a 1st round playoff bye and instead having to win three matches to clinch the championship. In round 1, AP struggled early against 6th seeded Bat S*** Crazy (2-1-5) before pulling away late to win 5-2. The other round 1 matchup saw 4th seed (o)(o) (4-4) knock off 5th seed Dirty Smurfs (4-4) also by the score of 5-2 to advance.

In the evening's first semifinal, top-seeded and undefeated D3: The Mighty Drunks (8-0) battled (o)(o) in a closer than anticipated match but emerged a 4-2 winner. Semifinal #2 was a tense affair that saw Team AP jump out to a 3-1 lead on a 2nd seeded Kendall's Bridesmaids (7-1) before Kendall's Bridemaids closed the gap to 3-2 and then evened the match at 3-3 by winning a 3-on-3 sudden death round after regulation time had expired. The squads then faced off in an untimed, winner-take-all 8-on-8 game won by AP to set up a championship showdown with longtime rivals D3.

This season's title match between AP and D3 marked the 4th time these rivals have squared off in the playoffs over the last few seasons. A determined D3 played hard to end AP's post-season dominance but was unable to slow down AP as they established a 4-1 lead in the first 20 minutes of the match. Energized by their earlier round scares, AP was in classic form for the championship round marked by their athleticism and unmatched throwing ability. D3 clawed back late to narrow the lead to 4-2 but ran out of time as AP closed out the match 5-2 and celebrated the first three-peat in Xoso history.

Congrats to Team AP!

Disclosure: Nick is the founder of Xoso.

Search for Missing Teen - Volunteers Need Sat. Nov. 5th, 2011

2011-11-04T23:49:46Z

Sergio Jimenez last seen at about 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2. He is a 17 year old student at the Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep (NP3) campus on Del Paso Road. He is 5'4", weighing 145 pounds and wears glasses.

Join in the search for this missing teen tomorrow morning 11/05/11 at 9am at the NP3 Gymnasium: 3700 Del Paso Road Sacramento. It will be a walking search, please wear warm clothes and comfortable walking shoes.

Anyone with information about Sergio Jimenez please contact Rutten (916) 826-5966

Sacramento Police Department (916) 264-5471.

Disclosure: Story shared by: Michelle Buller, concerned citizen. Information confirmed with Natomas Buzz & KCRA

Day of the Dead

2011-11-04T21:55:13Z

La Raza Galería Posada (LRGP) once again gathered 50 organizations, artists and community members at their annual Panteón de Sacramento (Sacramento’s Cemetery). The event is in commemoration of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

La Raza Galería Posada is located at 1022-1024 22nd Street. This year the event moved down the street to 1015 20th Street at J Street.

The event was held on the last Saturday and Sunday of October and had many more hands on activities for visitors. The two day and evening festivities displayed altars dedicated to family members and loved ones who have passed away.

Local not for profit organizations, area artists, families and individuals built colorful altars that were on display and the event attracted several thousand guests.

Roberto Lopez, from LRGP, served as emcee and conducted tours during the event to give more information about the meaning of altars and Día de los Muertos. For readers not familiar with the event Día de los Muertos is a traditional Meso-American holiday dedicated to ancestors honoring both death and life.

In Mexico, and now other parts of the world, neighbors and families gather at graveyards to share food, music, have fun and remember those who have died.

LRGP is also hosting an exhibition honoring Día de los Muertos. The exhibition, funded by the James Irvine Foundation has been on display since October 7 and will close on Saturday November 12.

The gallery exhibit features Danny Correa’s "New Year's Eve at the Rancho Correa." The exhibit celebrates his great grandparents’ ranch near Elk Grove. Personal family heirlooms of the Correa family are part of the exhibit including candelabras, pottery, Correa’s grandfather’s acoustic guitar and life size skeletons dressed in their best New Year’s Eve clothing, jewelry and accessories.

The LRGP’s smaller gallery is hosting an exhibit by Southern California artist Martha Rameriz-Oropez. Original illustrations from the book “The Toltec I-Ching” are featured.

Hands on activities were available at the Panteón de Sacramento for those who attended .Sugar skull decorating workshops, paper marigold flower making, Día de los Muertos mask decoration and face painting were available.

Thirty volunteers from the AmeriCorps were on hand to help with the event. The National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) division of AmeriCorps volunteers spent time helping wherever they could and also enjoyed participating in some of the events.

Assigned spots were given to altar creators who registered up to months in advance. Work started very early as people began constructing their altars beginning at 6 in the morning and NCCC volunteers were there at 7 on Saturday morning.

The Panteón opened for the public at 11:00 a.m. and I noticed that several people who created altars last year returned.

Danza Azteca-Xantotl also returned from last year and conducted the opening ceremony. After several dances they invited the public to perform the Friendship Dance making this a much more delightful experience for those who participated.

Most of the altars were created using the traditional flower of the dead cempazuchitl (marigolds), papel picado, candles, photos of the loved one who have passed away, pan de muerto (Mexican sweet bread), religious artifacts and other items portraying the dead.

There was also a small stage were DJ Larry Rodriguez and DJ Albert Garnica played background music. The stage was also used for a poetry reading by Escritores Del Nuevo Sol. An open mic was also available where other original poetry was read.

The stage was also graced by the presence of Eduardo López Martínez who had flown up from Mexico a couple of days before. Martínez delighted the audience with his stories delivered via song and dramatic performance. His stories touched on many topics as he sang, in Spanish, songs about life, death, politics, family, dance and humor.

Martínez indicated that he had to put his performances together in a hurry. He put a wonderful selection of songs, sayings and stories that would fit the Day of the Dead celebration.

Martínez came up a couple of days before the event at the request of LRGP’s Marie Acosta. He flew in from Cuernavaca Mexico a couple of days before the event. He was planning on spending a week in the area.

As we spoke Martínez said he had not been in the Sacramento area in 15 years. He also noted the altars were very artistic in detail but noted that tradition has been lost on several of the exhibitions. He said, “I believe tradition makes things much simpler. The altars here give the feeling of being more urban and the tradition is more agricultural.” This made me realize that as the tradition moves to the States and other countries that it will change depending on past and present culture.

Martínez also noted that items placed on the altar, he believed, should include food and water for the traveling dead so that they can pass to their next destination and enjoy their brief stay with the living. Photographs, flowers, food, water and things that the deceased enjoyed while living ought to be included while creating altars. He also noted that the marigold flowers or pedals should be put down in a manner that it leads a path to the altar. Candles are also used to light the way to the altars.

Listening to Martinez speak it brought back memories of my childhood. I remember celebrating Día de los Muertos when I was growing up and more distinctively I remember one of my grandmothers had an altar in the corner of a room that remained up all year. Photographs and small memorabilia along with a candle and a fresh flower honored family members who had passed away.

The Panteón also included an altar for the public to place offerings. This altar had many notes to loved ones who had passed away and offered visitors a way to participate.

Marco Ferrero, author/artist/photographer, presented part of his book Hidden Truth - La Viuda de Don Marcos (Don Marcos’ widow).

The story was inspired by factual moments and people in Ferrero’s life. The book will eventually be put to film and his book is only the beginning of a larger project.

Ferrero made a dramatic entrance as he walked around the Panteón with folklorico dancer Julia Wolfe and Trisha Pickerel.

Later their performance began with the magnificent voice of Veronica Esparza P singing several “Ranchera” songs in Spanish. Veronica wore a beautiful golden mariachi style outfit and her face was painted to fit the Día de los Muertos décor.

After a few songs which included Tomas Mendez’ “Una Blanca Palomita” (A Little White Dove) Marco Ferrero took the stage to read a short story included at the end of his book Hidden Truth. The folklore story is included as part of the book he’s been working on for the past 15 years. Ferrero also had an altar devoted to people he’s loved, who have had a great impact in his life and who are no longer with us.

Before Ferrero embarked on his story and in the voice and persona of Don Marco he said, “I was fortunate to run into someone 3 days ago who passed away and she asked me that if my daughter happens to be at the Panteón will you deliver a message to her?”

Ferrero continued to speak as Don Marco, “Even though I’m dead, I still have feelings. My grandmother’s name was Flora and her favorite flower was a lily and the lady that I ran into, her name was Lily and she said can you please deliver a message to my daughter? Tell her I’m okay, I’m at peace now. Now that I can finally move on it’s time for you to move on and it’s okay, it’s time to take care of yourself because you have been taking care of me for many years."

With a compassionate voice Don Marco continued, “I brought with me a lily to give to… I believe her name is Pat Taylor. Is there a Pat Taylor here?” Don Marco gave the flower to the daughter of a dear friend Candice Bima who had passed away.

As Taylor came to the stage to receive the lily tears rolled down her cheeks obviously moved by the offering. Others in the audience felt her emotion and also shed tears as Taylor returned to her seat.

Ferrero went on to read Viuda de Don Marco which told the story of a peasant girl by the name of Esperanza (Hope). As the story continued it told of the girl’s love for a young nobleman by the name of Marco. Esperanza and Marco fell in love and they planned to elope and marry.

Death fell upon Don Marco and no-one knew what caused his death. Ferrero stopped his story at this time and invited Veronica Esparza P to come back to the stage to sing a couple of more songs and he would continue his story after that.

After a couple of songs Ferrero informed the audience that because time had run out he would be unable to continue the story but said the story has a very happy ending.

Ferrero and Wolfe danced on stage as Veronica Esparza P sang "La Llorona."

Close to the stage a young woman dressed as a bride in Día de los Muertos makeup stood by an altar she and her mother had built. Katie said, “My altar is for my dad. I did not have the time to say goodbye to him, this is my way of saying goodbye.”

Bev is a single mother and shared that Leo, Katie’s dad, had passed away on May 25 from advanced liver cancer. Bev said that Leo kept in contact with Katie.

Neighbor Armando Flores told them about the Panteón and Katie said, “This was like the first major loss to me. With the altar we celebrate him and who he was so this way I can still hold on to him even though he’s not here.”

Katie shared that a Sierra Mist and Skittles on the altar was something special for her. She said, “Whenever he came to visit, when he could, he brought Skittles and because my mom said I couldn’t have caffeinated drinks he would bring Sierra Mist or Sprite. That was like our hang out drink and candy.”

The Brown’s touching story was similar to others who had built altars to loved ones. Each altar has a special meaning to those who created them and their stories are in many cases quite emotional and at the same time they seem to bring closure to personal relationships that were cut short.

Alleyways of Sacramento receive names, part three

2011-11-04T05:17:27Z

On Oct. 11, the City Council approved an ordinance that officially named the alleys of the central city. On Tuesday and Wednesday, The Sacramento Press highlighted many of these alleys, including their new names and what residents and business owners think of them. More alleyways are included below.

Leistal Alley

Cohn said Leistal Alley is an alley that the city has put resources into renovating.

With a lighted walkway and an upscale pavement job, co-owner of Old Soul Coffee Jason Griest said he hopes that all of the other alleys will soon be similarly renovated.

“We see a lot more foot traffic in the alley now that they’ve renovated it,” the 36-year-old Midtown resident said.

Griest said that he thought a better name for the alley would have been “Old Soul Alley” as an homage to the coffee shop that gives the alley its character and charm.

Matsui Alley

Bombay Bar and Grill is located on Matsui Alley and 21st Street, and Manager Amit Kumar, 35, said that the naming will make it easier for customers to find restaurants located along the alleys.

Kumar also said that naming the alley after someone prominent will help it stand out from some of the other alleys.

Neighbors Alley

Opera Alley

The 17th Street. Commons housing complex is located on Opera Alley.

Louise and David Thompson, two seniors who live near Opera Alley, run the Interfaith Experience, a community outreach group that seeks to unite different churches in the area.

Louise Thompson said that she thinks naming the alleys is a great idea that was long overdue.

But Louise Thompson said that she believes that the city should have looked more into the history and character of the alleys to find the most suitable names for each one.

“There are all kinds of dramas that happen within these alleys,” she said. “If we were to really concentrate on the particular landscapes that create these alleys, then we could be recording history and giving (the alleys) a sense of place.”

David Thompson said that he agreed with his wife.

“There is always history that gets eroded and lost, and naming (the alleys) accordingly would keep that history alive,” he said.

He added that he thinks it would be a good idea to call Opera Alley “Commons Alley,” because of the housing complex.

Powerhouse Alley

Powerhouse Alley runs south of P Street and next to the Fremont Community Garden.

Brandon Louie, a 30-year-old community organizer who lives in Boulevard Park, said that naming the alleys is a good first step in utilizing the space that the alleys provide.

“I think giving the alleys an identity gives us more of an incentive to clean them up,” he said.

But Louie said that he doesn’t want the naming to be just a symbolic gesture and that it is important that Sacramentans take action to redevelop them soon.

Louie said that it would be hard to come up with a better name than “Powerhouse.”

“Maybe The People’s Alley,” he said. “Something a bit more communal.”

Quill Alley

Quill Alley is perhaps one of the busiest alleys in Sacramento, as it is home to the 16th Street light rail station, where many people come into Sacramento from the suburbs.

Ray Thompson, a state worker from Land Park, said that his main concern was that the names be in order alphabetically.

When asked about the name “Quill,” the 48-year-old said that he would have tried another name that better kept up with the history of Sacramento.

“Quill is more like pens or writing,” he said. “I probably would have named it something to do with rail or industry.”

What do you think of the city's names for the alleys? Leave your thoughts in the conversation below.

John G. Hernandez contributed to this story.

New teen lounge for South Sacramento youth

2011-11-03T18:35:44Z

This Friday marks the beginning of a new program in South Sacramento which is designed to provide a safe place for teens to have fun in a supervised environment.

It’s called The D6 Hot Spot at the George Sim Community Center, and it’s the result a new public/private partnership created by a collaboration between Councilmember Kevin McCarty, local non-profit groups, churches, private businesses, and labor unions.

From now through at least the remainder of the school year, every Friday night from 7 p.m. to midnight, young people between the ages of 13 to 19 are encouraged to come to the Sim Center for a wide range of activities including basketball, volleyball, movies, games and more.

Councilmember McCarty hopes that this new program will offer a safe alternative for kids in the surrounding community.

“In the area surrounding the Sim Center, there were 32 juvenile arrests on Friday nights over the past two years.” says McCarty.

“Given our City's budget situation, I hope this can serve as a model public-private partnership to increase needed options for our youth.

We need to help keep teens out of trouble by giving them positive and safe places to go on Friday nights.”

The George Sim Community Center is located at 6207 Logan Street, Sacramento. Anyone who needs more information can call Neighborhood Services at 916-808-6789.

Central city alleys receive names, part two

2011-11-03T03:41:34Z

On Oct. 11, Steve Cohn’s 5-year-old idea to give the alleys of Sacramento their own formal names was finalized, giving them what many residents describe as a new sense of character.

In a continuation of Tuesday’s article, The Sacramento Press has highlighted many local businesses along the alleys and spoke to residents regarding their thoughts on the alleys’ new names.

Fat Alley

Khalid Khan’s liquor store, called Don’s Bottle Shop, is located on Fat Alley and 16th Street. Khan, 60, said that naming the alleys won’t do his business any good.

“I don’t have control over what (the city) wants to do,” he said.

He emphasized that the city should be more focused on finding more direct ways to promote local businesses, and that naming the alleys is a distraction from more important issues.

Government Alley

Sacramento is the capital city of California, and Cohn said that Government Alley’s name is an acknowledgement of the city’s importance in state politics.

Midtown attorney Jan Kaworsky said that while he believes that the effort to name the alleys is worthwhile, he would have chosen different names.

“I probably would have named Government Alley ‘Anti-Government Alley,’ ” he said.

Historic Alley

As the alleys progress further south into Midtown, businesses begin becoming more prevalent on their corners. Old Soul at Weatherstone, one of Sacramento’s popular coffee bars, is located on the corner of Historic Alley along 21st Street.

Jeramy Robinson, 25, is a manager at the coffee bar and lives right by Historic Alley.

“There’s a lot of activity that would benefit from having a name for this alleyway,” he said, referring to the many homes and businesses within the vicinity.

He said that the name “Historic” is very fitting for the alley, especially since Old Soul at Weatherstone is located in the building that housed Sacramento’s first cafe.

Although supportive of the idea, Robinson voiced some concerns about the alley naming.

“It’s a new idea on the grid system,” he said. “It might confuse people that aren’t necessarily familiar with (it).”

When asked what he would have named the alley, Robinson said that he would have given it a name that relates even more closely to Old Soul at Weatherstone.

Improv Alley

Jazz Alley

Jazz Alley spans several busy areas in Sacramento, cutting through the hearts of Downtown and Midtown. Off of 10th Street is Broadacre Coffee, a new coffee bar owned by Justin Kerr, Jacob Elia, Lucas Elia and Andrew Lopez.

Kerr and Elia, 21 and 23, said they think that while the idea to name the alleys had good motives, the names that were chosen are lackluster and uninteresting.

“I think they could have come up with a better name than Jazz Alley,” Kerr said. “I know the process took a long time, but the names are kind of generic.”

Kerr said jokingly that a more appropriate name for Jazz Alley would have been “Java Alley” because of their store’s location.

Elia said that he can see how naming the alleys would aid police in responding to emergencies more quickly.

“If you can say, ‘I’m on Jazz Alley and 10th St.,’ now they know you’re not just somewhere (in between) Ninth and 10th (streets),” he said.

Kayak Alley

Bernice Gamino works at Harv’s Carwash, located on 19th Street and Kayak Alley. The 28-year-old resident of Natomas said that she isn’t confident that naming the alleys will produce positive results.

“I think it might confuse people,” she said. “A lot of people don’t even know that they (named) them, and the names are weird.”

She suggested that naming the alleys after things all Sacramentans would recognize would have been better.

“I would have named it Kings Alley,” she said. “It’s the first thing I think of when I think of ‘K’ and Sacramento.”

Watch for tomorrow’s story that will include more of the alleys.

What do you think of the city's names for the alleys? Leave your thoughts in the conversation below.

John G. Hernandez contributed to this story.

Central city alleys receive names

2011-11-02T06:04:54Z

After initially being proposed five years ago, City Councilman Steve Cohn’s idea to name Sacramento alleys has finally been put into action. On Oct.11, the City Council approved a list of new names for the alleys.

Cohn said that the alleys need names to help residents identify them more easily.

“Instead of saying ‘the alley between L and Capitol,’ you could just say the name of the alley,” he said.

The process for naming the alleys took so long, Cohn said, because it is very complicated.

“It took a while because we had to do a lot of outreach,” he said. "It's part of the rules and regulations for naming streets."

Cohn said that approval was needed from various administrative agencies like the Department of Transportation, the Sacramento Police Department and the U.S. Postal Service. Permission from these agencies was needed to coordinate and integrate the new names without creating duplication or confusion.

All of the alley names begin with the letter of the street they are directly south of. However, there was often disagreement on what words should be used for the naming.

“My original proposal was names of international cities, and some (residents) liked that, but others didn’t,” Cohn said.

To reconcile the differences, he said that city staff asked local neighborhood and business associations, such as the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, what kind of names they would like to see by holding public events throughout 2008 and 2009. Names relating to Sacramento's history and culture were often popular, like Democracy and Jazz.

The proposal was also delayed several times during the past five years.

"It was put on the shelf from time to time," Cohn said. "There wasn't a lot of people working full-time on it."

Cohn said that street signs will not be put up on the alleys anytime soon, especially with their $300 price tag.

“Little by little, as the economy improves and our budget improves, we may go back and appropriate the money,” he said.

The alleys are located in between B and W streets, and many stretch between Third and 30th streets. The first letter in each alley’s name is the same as the street that it is directly south of.

The Sacramento Press high-lighted some of the alleys below.

Blues Alley

Blues Alley is located in the northern part of the city that lies near many industrial buildings and residences.

Saleh Tyebjee, 26, is an engineer who lives in the downtown area. He said that although naming the alleys gives them some much-needed character, the names will ultimately make it more difficult for people to navigate on the grid system.

“It’s one of the nice things about living on the grid,” he said. “You always know where you are. (Naming the alleys) makes it a little more difficult to find your way around.”

Tyebjee said that if he could have named the alley, he would have called it “Grant Alley” because the alley runs right up to Grant Park.

Chinatown Alley

South of Blues Alley is Chinatown Alley, which runs through some of Sacramento’s oldest neighborhoods.

Jeff Laible lives off of Chinatown Alley. The 52-year-old installation mechanic said that he believes naming the alleys will actually help people navigate better throughout the central city.

“It’s not just the alley between C and D,” he said. “If you say ‘Chinatown Alley,’ you know which one it is.”

Laible said that he has no preference when it comes to names for the alleys, as long as everyone actually knows the alleys’ names.

Democracy Alley

Eggplant Alley

Forty-seven-year-old promoter and resident of Eggplant Alley Jerry Perry said that he had trouble understanding how the name “Eggplant” was decided on.

“I cannot believe that they couldn’t find something more relevant historically than the word ‘eggplant,’ ” he said. “(It) sounds like some 1920s cartoon character lives here.”

Perry said that he has lots of ideas for the alley that he thinks would have been more suitable, like “Excellent Alley.”

“I think it would have been more exciting if they had found more historical Sacramento characters,” he said. “A lot of the names they chose are weak.”

The rest of the alleys will be showcased throughout the course of this week.

What do you think of the city's names for the alleys? Leave your thoughts in the conversation below.

John G. Hernandez contributed to this story and created the video.

Non-Profit Agency The Effort Announces Grand Opening of State-of-the-Science Health Center in North Highlands

2011-11-01T20:13:02Z

On November 10th, at 10:30am, The Effort will celebrate the Grand Opening of their expanded The Effort North Highlands Community Health Center, (6015 Watt Avenue) ushering in a new era in affordable, state-of-the-science child and family primary health and children’s dental care, services largely non-existent for the underserved residents of North Highlands and surrounding areas.

Following opening remarks from Dr. Jonathan Porteus, CEO/The Effort, these local dignitaries will speak.

Congresswoman Doris Matsui
Charlene Taylor of Kaiser Permanente
Assemblyman Richard Pan, M.D.
County Supervisor & First5 Commissioner Phil Serna
Assemblyman Roger Dickinson

(Media facility tours will immediately follow the program)

“We’ve been serving North Highlands for over a decade now – it’s great that we can keep adding on layers of service and, as in our 3 other regional healthcare centers, bring high quality affordable health care to our community”

“Our North Highlands Community Health Center represents a mosaic of support, with base funding from federal stimulus money, matching First5 Sacramento funds for the children’s dental clinic, and Kaiser Permanente funding to support staffing expansion. Wrap all of that around the core services we’ve been offering in this community and we’re coming very close to serving the ‘whole person’ and their family.”

--A. Jonathan Porteus, PhD. CEO/The Effort, Inc.

Component 1- Child and Adult Primary Care. The Center, featuring all-digital exam rooms, will deliver The Effort’s high quality, culturally appropriate health and behavioral health services to children and adults.

Component 2- Children’s Dental Services. The state-of-the-science children’s dental clinic is designed to put young clients at ease with a jet plane motif (recalling McClellan Air Base), X-box and DVD movies in the lobby, and flat screen TVs above the 5 kids’ dental chairs.

Component 3 - ‘The Synergy.’ In keeping with The Effort’s multi-service format in each of its regional health centers, the North Highlands Community Health Center will continue its decade of service to the North Highlands community with our vital Birth & Beyond program, Family Resource Center, Home Visitation service and Mental Health Counseling for children, adolescents, and families.

The inauguration of the North Highlands Community Health Center is made possible through funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Kaiser Permanente (via a grant to East Bay Community Foundation), and First5 Sacramento.

Currently, The Effort also operates Community Health Centers at their J Street location, Oak Park, and South Valley sites, and additional satellite clinics and programs at various other locations.

916/737-5555 http://www.theeffort.org

Disclosure: Steve LaRosa is the Media Director for The Effort

Omar Salazar releases new Nike SB Pro Model shoe

2011-11-01T07:05:04Z

An outer space experience took place in Folsom as PLA Skateboarding hosted Omar Salazar’s newest shoe release. The Friday night event brought over 150 fans to celebrate the release of the new Omar Salazar Pro model shoe.

The free event hosted by PLA, located at 330 E. Bidwell Street, also included a photo show with photography by Greg Hunt, Joe Brook and Jeff Landi.

Visitors to the event were treated to free pizza from Pizzeria Classico of Folsom. Several of their delicious specialty pizzas were brought to PLA and the delivery driver made another trip to the pizzeria to bring back more food.

Ben Lutes and his crew at PLA did a great job showcasing Salazar’s Nike SB shoes and the photo exhibit as well as materials from other sponsors including Alien Workshop, Independent and Spitfire.

PLA has been providing professional skateboarding wear and other items for several years and their specialized gear brings many customers from Sacramento. Their knowledgeable staff is always helpful and courteous.

The event was scheduled to start at 8 p.m., but Salazar and PLA fans came early to socialize and talk skateboarding. PLA’s newest location hosted fans inside and outside.

The atmosphere was very relaxed and almost seemed more like a family reunion. Guests talked to friends and introduced themselves to others. Many of the younger guests arrived on skateboards, while others parked in front of the store.

Mehrad Saidi was on hand to introduce me to Pablo Salazar, Omar’s older brother, who provided some background on the Salazar family.

Omar Salazar calls Sacramento his home and has lived here for more than half his life. Salazar will turn 28 in just over a week and has already traveled to many parts of the world. His parents are from Chile ~~Peru~~ and Omar has two other brothers and a sister. With a brother and sister at hand, the event really began to look like a family reunion.

Nike Skateboarding released Salazar’s Nike SB last year and the new Nike Omar Salazar LR shoe incorporates even more of Salazar’s input. The new shoe is scheduled to be available worldwide next week at SB dealers and will, I’m sure, be a great birthday gift for Salazar.

Salazar has an easygoing personality and was readily available to fans and guests, posing for pictures and signing autographs. His fans greatly appreciated his demeanor. When asked what brought them to the event, one young fan by the name of Jacob was enthusiastic.

“Omar is the sickest skateboarder out there. He’s super nice and does some amazing stuff!”

The young fan said he frequently shops at PLA.

“I’m cool with Ben (Lutes) and I respect him… I’ve bought all my boards from them.”

Another fan identified himself as Robbie.

“I think he’s pretty sick,” said Robbie, referring to Salazar, “The owner of PLA said Omar was going to be here. I heard that and here I am.”

Jacob, Robbie and their other friends have been faithful PLA shoppers and were now being rewarded by PLA and Salazar. They were able to get signatures and pose for some photos with one of their heroes.

I caught up with Salazar later in the evening and asked him about the photo exhibition. Some of the photos were of a very young Sanchez and others were taken recently. Some of the photos were taken in Sacramento while others were taken in Mallorca, Spain and other sites.

“Spain is made for skating,” said Salazar.

One of the photos shows Salazar skating off a sculpture that I’m sure was not made for skating. The artwork illustrated Salazar’s need to skate places others dare not to. Another photo on the same wall showed Salazar doing a hippy jump in Sacramento.

I found out more about the idol as I continued through the photo exhibit. A silhouette photo showed Salazar and a street lamp.

“My nickname is outer space,” said Salazar. “I like space stuff and the photo shows a light and as I stood in front of it the shadow looked like a space helmet.”

Some shots were taken at an old waterpark somewhere in middle America that has since been torn down.

Another photo was of Salazar’s first trip to Australia when he became involved with Alien Workshop. His stunt resulted in him breaking bones in both hands. This happened on his first trip and first week with the company while filming a video.

A Thrasher magazine cover shot shows Salazar doing a jump on the corner of Vulcan and D Streets that took him three or four tries.

Salazar’s skating prowess has taken him to international locations including Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Spain, China and Australia. Salazar says he’s now been to almost every continent.

The festivities continued through the evening and people came and went in waves. Several of the younger guests were picked up by their parents. Businesses in the area that were still open enjoyed some brisk sales activity surrounding the event.

Before leaving the event, I was able to talk to Salazar for a few more minutes and took the opportunity to ask him where he might want to go that he has not gone before.

“Let me think about that,” said Salazar, “I think I would love to go to Africa. The last Maloof contest was in South Africa.”

Salazar noted that the contest had a $200,000 first prize award.

“I always wanted to go there just because I feel it’s kind of like the last frontier of the safari or the real true wilderness. It’s a sort of the true wild, wild world. We’re lucky it’s still there.”

When asked what was next on his schedule Salazar said he had a few upcoming projects.

“... I have some interviews; one of them is with Thrasher Magazine, one of the most respected magazines out of San Francisco. I’m working with a TransWorld video part with Alien Workshop and then my next big film that will be a full blown project will be the Nike Skateboard film. I think I’m going to be in the third film of three.”

Since there were many kids that came to the event, I asked him what advice he would give them should they want to pursue skating as a profession of lifestyle.

“One of the most important things that I’ve learned through my struggles is that every failure that’s happened to me really isn’t a failure; it’s just a learning experience. So whenever you encounter failure or a setback, don’t let it get to you. It’s just like a test… The rewards are limitless and you can always get what you want, you just have to have faith in yourself and don’t give up.”

Salazar is a young man with a bright future. The support he gets from his family is tremendous and he is always surrounding himself with good friends who are helping him achieve his dreams.

Fans are a big part of his success and he shows his appreciation by attending events such as these to show how much he values their support.

Sacramento makes an impact on many young professionals like Salazar, and they in turn are proud to call Sacramento their home. It’s always great to see Sacramento fans show their support, and Friday night they were at PLA to enjoy the company of one of their shining stars.

Gang violence drops due to city’s new efforts, officials say

2011-11-01T03:30:52Z

Gang violence took what officials described as a drastic drop since July 2010, attributing the drop to Mayor Kevin Johnson’s gang-prevention programs initiated in June of 2010 and again after last December’s fatal barbershop shooting.

Since implementing some of the measures, Lt. Bill Champion of the Sacramento Police Department said that the results have been effective. The number of gang-related firearm assaults has dropped by 60 percent, and the overall rate fell by 39 percent. In addition, there has been a 75 percent drop in homicide rates, and a 100 percent drop in non-fatal shootings.

Community leaders gathered at City Hall Monday morning to discuss the mayor’s plan. Speakers, including Johnson and Khaalid Muttaqi, the head of the mayor’s gang-prevention task force, updated citizens on the new plan, explaining the problems they seek to solve, the methodology of their approach, and the results thus far.

“We asked the community what needs to happen,” Muttaqi said. “The community is obviously engaged.”

Champion spoke about the Sacramento Safe Community Partnership, known more commonly as Ceasefire, a program started by the Police Department to combat gang and gun violence in ways that are different and more effective than in the past.

“A traditional law enforcement response … has been to send a lot of officers into an area with gun violence or gang violence, and you have zero tolerance,” Champion said, adding that this kind of police crackdown not only stops the gangs, but builds distrust between the local community and the police.

“You end up enforcing the rules on the people that are crying out for help,” he said.

He said that Ceasefire is changing the the traditional methods by concentrating its efforts on finding out specifically who is causing the violence. The two primary gangs of the Mack Road commercial corridor, one of the worst areas in Sacramento for gang activity, were found to responsible for a majority of gun violence in the area.

Instead of waiting for a crime to occur, Champion said, the police identify prime suspects and have their probation officers reach out to them, asking them to attend community meetings. Faith-based organizations, health groups and community members are present, asking the gang member to not resort to violence. Champion said that this process is called an intervention, as labled in the graph.

“We have the community tell (the gang members), ‘The violence needs to stop,’ and now it’s very personal because we’re sitting there looking at them,” Champion said.

Muttaqi said that another important element of the task force is to provide alternatives to the gang members, such as educational opportunities, work training programs and other positive and productive options.

Leading the way for community-based efforts is the newly-planned Men’s Leadership Academy being put in place by the Sacramento City Unified School District and the Sacramento Violence Intervention Program, which is run by The Effort, a Sacramento-based health care provider that reaches out to lower income neighborhoods.

Adrian Williams of SCUSD said that the Men’s Leadership Academy is a 4-year program for high school students that is similar to programs such as AVID, a program for advanced high school students that has a class during the school day and additional responsibilities for the students to complete.

He said that a small number of students will be admitted to the program, where they will be closely mentored by teachers who are popular among the students. They will be taken on field trips to top colleges and be given opportunities that will move them away from gang life, such as being required to dress nicely on occasion. The program will begin in the spring.

SVIP is bringing services to struggling communities that were previously unavailable, said Melisa Bayne, who is in charge of the program. By providing services like counseling, addiction help and other medical services, Bayne said that the SVIP has seen drastic improvements in former gang members whom they reached out to.

Berry Accius, a 34-year-old teen mentor who lives in Natomas, attended the meeting and said that while he thought the effort was great, it was very important that people continue to come up with new ideas to combat gang violence.

“We need leaders who really identify with the kids,” he said. “You really need to engage them so they understand that people care about them.”

Muttaqi said that this is only the beginning of the mayor’s push for gang prevention, and that these ideas will continue to be implemented.

“We’re optimistic, and we hope it will continue,” Champion said.

"Chocolate Salty Balls" Come Out of Nowhere to Win Recess Championship

2011-10-31T18:39:08Z

In a surprising turn of events, Chocolate Salty Balls emerged as Xoso Sport & Social League's Fall 2011 Recess League champions with a tense 2-1 volleyball victory over previously undefeated Green Dogs and Spam. CSB entered week 8 of the regular season in 4th place but was able to leapfrog over UR FIRED and Drexel Dragons into 2nd place by winning their final week matchup while the other playoff contenders lost.

For the two team playoff, CSB (3-3-2) chose to square off against #1 seed Green Dogs and Spam (8-0) in volleyball as opposed to the other Recess sports (Indoor Kickball and Dodgeball). Despite volleyball being CSB's strength and Green Dogs' weakness, it was Green Dogs that seized game one 21-17. On the verge of elimination, CSB came out strong in game two, winning handily 21-9, and set the stage for winner take all game three. CSB rode their game two momentum to a 15-10 lead and seemed in complete control before Green Dogs rallied to narrow the score to 16-14. Their efforts fell short, however, as CSB was able to rely on great serving to win points late to clinch the championship with a 21-17 game three win.

Disclosure: Written by a member of Xoso Sport & Social League

The Honey Badgers win Xoso's First Softball Championship!

2011-10-28T18:38:07Z

On Sunday, Xoso Sport & Social League concluded the inaugural season of Xoso Coed Softball.

As we've all heard when it comes to the playoffs... anything can happen. On Sunday, "anything" did.

The #1 seeded "We Got The Runs" had rolled through the regular season schedule, ending with an undefeated 8-0 record. In game one, they matched up against the #4 seeded, "Foul Balls and Dirty Bunts" who came in with a 3-5 record. FBaDB were playing shorthanded, but managed to hang in there against a full #1 team. "We Got the Runs" put up the maximum number of runs in the first inning, and lead 9-2 after one. FBaDB managed to get within five runs at the end of the second inning, and battled back to close to within six at games end.

In the other semi-final matchup, #2 "Just the Tip" (6-1-1) faced off against #3 "Honey Badgers" (5-3). The Honey Badgers put up two runs in the first, another four in both the 2nd and 3rd, and added two more in the fourth, to take a 12-4 lead into the final two inning. "Just the Tip" tried to rally back, but ended up falling, 12-6.

The Honey Badgers picked up where they left off in the championship game, putting up seven runs in the first inning. "We Got the Runs" rallied back, and trailed 14-8 after four innings but they just couldn't make up for the first inning outburst. The Honey Badgers came away with the first Xoso Softball Championship with a final score of 14-11.

Disclosure: Nick Berruezo is the founder of Xoso Sport & Social League

See what stories we're working on at The Sacramento Press

2011-10-27T20:03:11Z

After seeing that The Guardian newspaper had made its list of stories public to its readership for a two-week trial and invited them to participate by contacting its reporters, we thought it would be a good idea to do the same at The Sacramento Press.

Often, our editorial team learns about important facts and sources after our stories have been published. We value the knowledge and contributions that our readers and commenters add to the conversation thread, and we’d love to incorporate that into our stories as we are reporting.

We would also like to encourage more people to get involved as community contributors. Casey Kirk, director of community outreach, works closely with a group of community writers to coordinate press passes and interviews for concerts, arts events and other shows happening in the Sacramento region.

A live list of stories has been published on The Sacramento Press site. By going to the footer, where it says “Assignment List,” you can view stories our reporters and editorial interns are working on, as well as upcoming assignments that will be covered by our community contributors.

On that same page, there is also a list of assignments that have not been claimed yet. We reserve the privilege of arranging press passes for only our top community contributors. To learn about how to become a top community contributor, please contact support@sacramentopress.com.

Above or beside each story assignment, there will be a name of the reporter/contributor who will be doing that story. If you click on the name of the writer, you can email him or her tips, suggestions for sources or other information you feel is pertinent to that story.

For unclaimed stories that you are interested in covering, please email support@sacramentopress.com.

The lists will appear like this:

With your help, we can further develop stories and report on a broader range of hyperlocal news that is important to our readers.

To access the list of stories, please click here or visit this URL: www.sacramentopress.com/site/assignmentlist

Not all of our stories will be published to the web, as we want to keep some of our breaking stories private until they are posted online. Additionally, some of the assignments on the community contributor list will not be made public, so that our top community contributors are given precedence to the bigger-name events.

Please note that there is a lot of switching around on the reporters’ stories. Sometimes sources don’t get back to us in a timely manner or the story doesn’t turn out how we thought it would, so we assign a different story in its place and either push back the date or abandon the story altogether. We will keep the assignment list as up to date as possible.

We look forward to your input and suggestions in our reporters’ and interns’ stories. It is our hope that more of you will be encouraged to sign up to cover assignments when you see the list published online.

Big Party 2011

2011-10-26T03:43:07Z

A “Big Party” was celebrated this past Thursday in Midtown Sacramento. The Big Party was Artober's red carpet event held at The Next Door B&L Mulvaney's located at 1215 19th Street.

Approximately 150 people attended the event. The Big Party was put together to celebrate the 2011 Transformational Leader Awards party and was hosted by Tracy Saville and T2 Performance Solutions. The event featured writers, photographers, performers, leaders in the Sacramento community and artists.

Art, culture and business, civic leadership, music and community members joined in honoring and celebrating the work done by many in the Sacramento community. Guests were also photographed by Nicholas Wray, one of Sacramento’s best photographers.

KCRA’s Kristin Marshall started off the evening addressing honorees and guests to the event. Marshall welcomed everyone to the event and spoke about the Transformational Leader Awards and the recipients that were being honored.

Marshall welcomed guests by saying, “Thank you all and thanks to all our honorees, their families and friends.” She also spoke about those being honored and thanked them for sharing their dreams, excelling in the arts and for trying to create a better life for themselves by traveling roads less taken.

Marshall encouraged guests to mingle with the special guests through the evening and to, as she said, “Take from the experience and become motivated to do the same and make a difference if you can in your own way. Celebrating with us this evening are artists from all walks of life including Lonn Friend and Raphael Delgado, named artist of the year and creator of Millennium Scepter.”

Marshall introduced Brian Diamond who told her what to say when he was introduced. Marshall said, “He’s an actor, comedian, speaker, he likes soup, his favorite sport is hacky sack, he’s been a 3-time world champ and one day he aspires to be Rosie O'Donnell. So please welcome Brian Diamond.”

Diamond spent a few minutes doing his standup routine and was quite funny. He thanked the movers and shakers of Sacramento and then told short stories to entertain the audience. I especially liked when he told the audience, “This is actually going to be my last week in the arts and entertainment industry. I came into an awful lot of money. Next week I will have $2.6 million. I’ve been getting these emails from Nigeria and I think I’m really, really close to getting the money because they’re asking for my social security number.” Not only that but he also shared, “I just signed a great deal with HBO,” as guests applauded he said, it’s $14.95 a month and they’re installing it next week.”

Diamond noted he’s from Sacramento but had lived in Los Angeles for 11 or so years and told several funny anecdotes about his experiences down there and then got serious when he talked about the transformation he’s noticed in Sacramento.

Diamond also relayed a story about a gentleman in Sacramento who at the age of 15 witnessed another man address some field workers who were being arrested. This man told the lettuce field workers and the police officers about the freedom to assemble in a peaceful way and their right to exercise the freedom of speech. That man turned out to be Cesar Chavez. The young 15 year old who witnessed this later went on to Cal Berkeley to pursue a law degree as a result of the incident that changed his life.

According to Diamond witnessing certain events, works or deeds can have unintended consequences that can last a lifetime. He then went on and read a poem he called “Risk It” it’s a poem (slightly changed) by an unknown poet and it goes like this:

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out to another is to risk involvement
To express feelings is to risk exposing yourself
To place your dreams before a crowd is to risk ridicule
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure
But risk must be taken in life
Because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing
He may avoid suffering and sorrow but he simply cannot learn, grow, feel, change, love and live
Only a person who risks is truly free

Diamond concluded by saying, “and so for those of you who took risks you have made the changes that Sacramento needs and I thank you for that.”

Tracy Saville followed and thanked her guests and showed her usual charisma and enthusiasm as she welcomed guests saying, “This is a very meaningful evening for me but it isn’t about me. This is an evening that I and my family and our company wanted. To begin to do something that would set a different standard and set a new bar for the kinds of things that we saw as quality. We acknowledged characteristics that we admired, respected and helped develop in the leaders that lead our city and our region.”

Saville talked about the transformational leaders in the Sacramento community and in regards to those being honored at the event she said, “We wanted to shine a light on 30 human beings that we thought would be honored for stepping outside the box and for doing extraordinary innovative work.” Saville noted that many of them do these things fairly quietly and humbly and all of them excel in a discipline of perseverance and who perform powerful things even though nobody talks about it.

Saville later introduced rock and roll journalist Lonn Friend who was signing his newest book Sweet Demotion. Friend flew up from Southern California for the event and met many of the guests who talked to him about his experiences as a rock journalist. Friend mentioned a previous visit to Sacramento saying, “I think the last time I was in Sacramento was when I interviewed Tesla in 1991 so that shows you what a journey this is. I’m glad to be here. The last book that I wrote Sweet Demotion, the subtitle says it all How an Almost Famous Rock Journalist Lost Everything and Found Himself (almost) is really written for people who have been through a rough mid life.”

Friend said a few words about his experience as a journalist and mentioned how glad he was to be at the event. Friend also had on hand another book he wrote Life on Planet Rock: From Guns N' Roses to Nirvana, a Backstage Journey through Rock's Most Debauched Decade.

Raphael Delgado also addressed guests and said it was a privilege to be honored and thanked everyone. His work Millennium Scepter was the emblem or icon for the Transformational Leader Awards event. Talking about his works he said, “Thank you for all your support. Show me an artist who’s made it without support, ” and gave everyone time to reflect. Delgado’s work was all around, on the projected screen behind the stage, on the program’s front and back cover and on a table where a large piece of his Millennium Scepter was later unveiled. His recognition was well deserved and received.

Photographer Nicholas Wray talked a little about his photographic project saying, “I’m here because of this project I’m working on called the Sacramento 100. It’s a book that I’m developing. It’s basically about the 100 most culturally influential people in Sacramento that I’m photographing. It will be all in black and white and it’s going to be a coffee table book.” More information about this project and photos of guests during the evening can be seen at his facebook page.

As the program continued Saville returned to address guests and thanked her family for being at the event. Saville spoke about T2 Performance Solutions a private company that Tracy and Tim Saville founded in early January. Saville said, “We’re a traditional personal and professional leadership development company so we do all that, also team building, management staff work and H.R. presentations that your employers make you go to but we do that sort of like in a rock and roll style. What we really do is focus on this idea of personal leadership.”

Recognition and awards were then bestowed upon many honorees and after that the celebration continued.

Clemon Charles provided musical entertainment and Saville’s son Michael Wilson played drums. Wilson and Christopher Karne Frost along with T2 also produced a Clemon Charles video that made its premier and was projected on a screen.

The Big Party continued after the 2011 Transformational Leaders were recognized and who in turn will nominate someone to take their place for next year’s celebration.

Second Annual Masquerade Gala

2011-10-25T06:02:27Z

The 2nd Annual Masquerade Gala was held at the Gallery 2110 and Sacramento Art Complex this past Saturday night.

The event brought art aficionados to a masquerade gala evening where guests enjoyed a wonderful evening of fine food, beer, wine and friends. Live fire dancing featuring Gina Rossi and an art gallery auction were also featured. Proceeds from the auction are split between the artists and the Sacramento Artists Council who, among other things, provides scholarships and grants to young artists.

In contrast to the rain that fell during last year’s masquerade, this year’s event was held under sunny skies. The Sacramento Artists Council (S.A.C.) presented the masquerade gala and many of its board members were at the event.

The S.A.C. supports local artists, musicians, photographers, filmmakers and other artisans. It also helps cultivate and inspire high school students while partnering with local business for a greater sense of art community throughout the Sacramento area with an emphasis in the Midtown and Downtown areas.

The 2nd Annual Masquerade was also sponsored by the Midtown Business Association.

A no host cocktail reception was held at the Gallery 2110 sculpture garden and complimentary appetizers were available. Both floors of the art complex were open for viewing and a few resident artists were on hand to greet visitors. The hosts for the evening were Susan and Mark Rabinovitz.

Out in the sculpture garden, a performance featuring a Creative Spirit Fire Dance by Rossi thoroughly entertained guests. Rossi has art in the garden and also donated an art piece for the evening’s art auction.

Rossi addressed the audience during the performance.

“I want to thank you all for being a part of this evening and supporting the arts. It’s amazing to have all of us here together for something that is positive for our community.”

Rossi talked about her role at the gallery and introduced her dance. She indicated that most of her performances are basically improv performances and the reason is because, as she said in a true artistic spirit, “I like to do what comes instinctively since we all move through life with our heart and minds and sometimes there is no rhyme or reason for what we do. Life just carries us on and wonderful things come out of that.”

An impressive performance was given by Rossi, paired with Nick Rosenthal. After the fire dance, performance guests were ushered into the main gallery where several dozen pieces of art, all up for auction, hung on the walls or served as center pieces for the dining tables.

A delicious vegan or poultry dinner was provided and served by Classique Catering with Carvalho wines. Classique Catering also provides services for weddings, corporate parties, balls, galas, events, festival and holiday parties in the Sacramento area.

Mark Rabinovitz took the opportunity to thank guests as they enjoyed their dinner.

“This is our 2nd Annual Masquerade. The first one was a huge success and I think it’s safe to say that this will be too. Thanks to the people who are here. Thanks also to the board, the Sacramento Artists Council and all the artists whose work you see hanging on the walls.”

He noted the partnerships that are being developed through this and other events in the area.

“I think we have years to develop this partnership and there’s more to come, this is just the beginning.”

Rabinovitz mentioned that he noticed a lot of familiar faces at the event, including members from the Sacramento Artists Council. He mentioned the mission of S.A.C., which is to create venues for local artists and to provide grants and scholarships. He thanked all the artists for donating pieces of their work.

A portion of the proceeds from each art piece will be given to S.A.C., who will then give back to artists and help young artists follow their passion.

“It’s one thing to have a community donate money to support artists, but seeing artists support other artists is something incredible and that’s exactly what the S.A.C. hopes to accomplish here,” said Rabinovitz.

“Thank you for coming out as a community. Enjoy the night and enjoy sitting with the people you’re sitting with. Have a cocktail or two, make sure you bid on some art later and enjoy your meal.”

To top off the sit down dinner, Music a Dué serenaded guests as they enjoyed their meal and each other’s company. Guests enjoyed several pieces from the harp and flute duo.

As guests ate dinner they were able to chat with old friends and mingle with several of the artists who had donated art.

Each piece of art had a starting price along with its actual value. Any piece could also be bought before it went up for live auction. Each artist specified an amount that would be donated to S.A.C. and the donations ranged from 20 to 100 percent of the final bid price.

As dinner wound down, Mark Rabinovitz once again addressed the audience to introduce the S.A.C. board and say a few words.

“I want to introduce our Founder and Executive Director, Susan Rabinovitz; our President, Scott Mitchell; I am Vice President, Mark Rabinovitz; Secretary, Wendy Mitchell; our Treasurer, Dylan Swann, could not make it… Thanks also to our board members Jodie Kerhlikar and Karen Dukes. Karen Dukes is also a resident artist in this building and is kind enough to donate 100 percent of her auction proceeds. Our newest member is Denise Coleman, she joined our crew in the last couple of months and she’s been a huge asset. She’s a great vocal person and has a lot of connections as far as art, music and community.”

Rabinovitz also mentioned some of the council’s 2011 accomplishments, which gave guests an idea as to where the money goes. Art Happens, an event held earlier this year, included approximately 10 bands that showcased their talents in front of Sacramento community guests. Nevada Union High School held an art exhibit at Gallery 2110 and Sacramento Art Complex was able to raise $250 that went back to their school art program. Sutter Middle School also had an exhibit there that lasted for about a month and they raised $1,200. Rabinovitz mentioned they were able to help raise about $2,300 with the Art Happens event. As a side note, one of the items for bid was a piece by Sutter Middle School art teacher, Kelly O’Neill.

Following dinner, Music a Dué continued to play for a short while longer and guests were encouraged to take a break and view the art that would be auctioned.

During the break, I took a little time to chat with S.A.C.’s newest member, Denise Coleman. Coleman had worked for the Sacramento Press and indicated that she brought some of the art that was up for auction.

“These four pieces are part of my uncle’s estate. He was an artist and he left 50 years worth of art.”

Coleman’s uncle was Dr. Robert Coleman and Denise explained that she’s trying to put together shows to sell and donate his work. The four pieces from the Coleman Family Estate gave 80 percent back to the Sacramento Artists Council. The Coleman Family Estate art goes back to the 1950’s and Denise is hoping to put together chronological shows in the near future. Her uncle was a prolific artist and the four pieces of art were a great value. A couple of the pieces were later bought by artist Mark Lifvendahl and his partner Marcus Cayson.

Susan Rabinovitz ushered guests back to the main gallery after the break. To encourage competitive bidding, Rabinovitz joked, “I hope everyone has a cocktail or a beverage of their choice on hand.” She also noted that some silent auction items were available.

Rabinovitz noted that money was being raised for “art scholarships, art grants and also helping artists put art in public places. Funds are also put aside to work with some of our children in the city that don’t necessarily get a chance to have an art experience. It’s really good art therapy and gives them a sense of community. It also makes them feel included and helps happy hearts.”

Rabinovitz’ sense and desire to help Sacramento’s art community is very commendable. It is easy to see how she’s able to attract artists and others to become involved in art, family and community.

The first item for auction was a Gina Rossi recycled steel piece called “Absolutely Delicate.” Other work for auction during the first segment included works by Clare Bailey, Karen Dukes, Susan Rabinovitz, Molly Brown, two pieces by Robert Coleman and ceramics from Elizabeth Wocasek.

The first round went by smoothly and brought some entertaining moments when bidding increased on several pieces. Others did not make it to its perceived value.

After a short break, the works of Monica Lunardi, resident artist Marbo Barnard, Kristen Hoard, Christine Conklin, Michelle Brunmier, John Huerta, Paul Oester and Michelle Mackenzie were auctioned off. Several of these pieces did not receive bids.

As the evening went on, pieces by Mark Lifvendahl, David Arnold, Laura Caron, Paul Oester (his piece sold before the auction) and two more acrylic paintings by Robert Coleman went up for bid. Robert Coleman’s “Vacation” brought the most bidding action of the evening and Mark Lifvendahl won the bidding war. Susan Rabinovitz’ enthusiasm during the bidding could not be hidden and although husband Mark did not win the bid, she was happy to watch the bid go up from $75 to $155.

The last set of auction pieces were works by Kelly O’Neill, Cherys Jenkins, Angela Ridgway, Margaret Arnold, Michael Shane, Judith Monroe and a photo package by Carrie See.

The conclusion of the auction came and guests who remained socialized or started packing their new items. Susan thanked all those who attended.

“You guys are awesome! Thanks for bearing with us and we enjoyed seeing everyone here. Thank goodness it was not a rainy day. Hopefully we’ll see you again next year. Thank you for participating and have a good night.”

After the auction I talked with Mark Rabinovitz to get his impression of the event. Rabinovitz shared that the event this year seemed much more relaxed.

“This year’s event was very nice and easy going. There were about 20 less people bidding and I think the auction was well received.”

Rabinovitz continued, “The food was exceptional. For some reason everyone was very pleasant, I was very relaxed speaking. I felt like I was speaking to family and friends and since this was our second annual masquerade, a lot of the people knew what to expect. The harp and flute musicians seemed to fit right in.”

As he reflected on the evening, Rabinovitz said, “I think experiencing the fire show gave some excitement to the mellow classical music and the auction and I think that was great. Everybody had a good time; everyone was smiling and laughing. Everyone seemed to be having a good conversation. It worked out nice.”

Mark and Susan Rabinovitz are great ambassadors for the art community and the artists S.A.C. promotes. They also appear to be very involved in the Sacramento art community.

The S.A.C. and those individuals and organizations that it partners with are making a difference in the community and are helping to build the future.

The inspiration and cultivation of the Sacramento art community is encouraged by the S.A.C and similar organizations. They arouse interest in art and inspire many to become involved and support local artists.

Crocker Art Museum $100 million expansion: one year later

2011-10-22T00:08:00Z

The Crocker Art Museum opened the doors to a new 125,000-square foot expansion of the original museum on Oct. 10, 2010. One year later, the museum has seen record numbers in attendance and successfully brought the past and the present together in one work of architectural art.

The original Victorian building that Margaret E. Crocker presented to the city of Sacramento in May 1885 has undergone numerous changes over the years, but none so dramatic as the $100 million, three-year project that visitors see now.

“The original building was the high style contemporary architecture of the day when it was built,” said Lial A. Jones, executive director for the Crocker Art Museum. “So is the new addition.”

Jones said the project architects, Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, did a “fabulous job” with the design that connects a 19th-century structure with a new-millennium stricture without losing continuity.

“They found ways of honoring the old with the new,” Jones said. “They used the rooflines and porches on the new building to echo the old building – but it doesn’t stand out (from the old section), it complements it.”

According to a recent press release, in the year since the museum expansion was open to the public, more than a quarter million visitors have come through the door.

In the year since the museum launched its Studio Art Program, 701 students have enrolled, including 213 children and 488 adults, the release also states.

Sacramento resident and Crocker member Mary Anderson and a friend visiting from St. Paul, Minn., Jean Wolf, went to the museum Friday to have lunch in the new cafe before exploring the vast expansion.

“We are members of the Crocker, but this is the first visit to the new part,” Anderson said. “We didn’t know what to expect.”

Anderson said she was dubious about an addition to the original museum structure.

“It’s more museum-like now,” Anderson said. “The lighting and the openness of the space – there’s more room for art. They were so confined for space before.”

Jones said such a reaction has been common among visitors to the Crocker over the past year.

“Times have changed, and so have people’s expectations,” Jones said. “The Crocker was built in the 19th century, and it was very much in the English gallery style of the time.”

Today’s Crocker, Jones said, is much more a “museum of today.”

The size and layout of exhibits allows for the traffic flow of larger groups of people, Jones said, and a variety of pathways have been created through the exhibits allowing people to choose their experience: Start with modern works and work toward the older pieces, or explore continent to continent.

The expansion more than tripled the museum's size, which is a good thing considering the total collection of artwork numbers a little over 15,000 pieces – and not all of that is on view at the same time.

“Perhaps 10 to 12 percent is on view at any given time,” Jones said.

In July, the Crocker Art Museum was awarded a federal Museums of America grant of $148,441 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The grant money can be used for a variety of projects at the museum, including research, planning and new programs that support efforts to integrate new technologies, according to a press release from Congresswoman Doris Matsui.

“We’ve tried to make the best use of the new space and integrate it with the previous space in a way that makes sense,” Jones said. “Programs and activities are also an important part of what we do here at the Crocker.”

Admission to the Crocker Art Museum is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and college students, $5 for youths 7-17, children 6 and under and Crocker members get in free.

Memberships to the museum start at $65 for individuals and $85 for a family. Other membership levels are available – contact the museum for more information.

The Crocker Art Museum is located at 216 O St. in downtown Sacramento.

Melissa Corker is a Staff Reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.