“Take your time to shine!” encouraged the band evaluator. The shy saxophone player nodded and jumped back into her jazz solo. Constructive feedback and encouragement were the focus of Saturday’s Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival held at California State University, Sacramento. The event brought elementary school through college level jazz players together for a day of performances, evaluation by professional musicians and educators, clinics and opportunities to jam with the pros. Approximately 200 youth musicians in 30 bands filled the music building with the lively sounds of traditional jazz. Band names were as improvisational and free as the jazz form they play. “Stinky Cheese Hobo

The Sacramento Area Regional Technology Association (SARTA), as part of its Clean Start initiative, held the 2011 Sacramento Clean Tech Showcase last Monday, October 24, 2011. The showcase, entitled, “Green Innovation: Engine of Growth,” was the fifth annual showcase and was held in the California State University Sacramento Union. SARTA CEO Meg Arnold welcomed everyone to the Union Ballroom and acknowledged the governmental leaders present. Mayor Kevin Johnson, a strong supporter of bringing clean tech companies to Sacramento; Dr. Joseph F. Sheley, Sacramento State Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Congresswoman Doris Matsui, a strong supporter of clean tech in Congr

California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) put on its game face this Thursday as it went up against undefeated, 11 win, Northern Arizona. CSUS’ current ranking was 5-8. Thursday’s match also marked CSUS’ opener game into the Big Sky conference; Arizona arrived with an already 2-0 Big Sky lead. The match started promptly at 7pm with the national anthem and a half-filled stadium. Low attendance did nothing to impede the noise factor in the gym. Though they were few, loud fans filled the stadium with hoots and whistles as the volleyball match started. Sac State’s cheerleaders and dance team were in full force with green and gold pompons, while nearby parents applauded and stomped their f

The Green Capital Alliance presented “Road Map to 3,000 Jobs” at the Sacramento State University Alumni Center Thursday June 9th. The Green Capital Alliance describes itself as “a broad partnership of people and organizations aiming to make the clean technology sector a defining feature of Sacramento’s economy.” The centerpiece of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) and the Californis State University Sacramento (CSUS).  The MOA formally regonies work started last year between the two institutions.  The MOA basically ties together the smart meter progran at SMUD and he California Smart Grid Center work at Sac

Student fashion designers and stylists showcased their talent at the Styles of Paradise Charity Fashion Show on Friday night. Several hundred guests attended the event held at the University Union Ballroom at Sacramento State University. The Student Fashion Association (SFA) event benefitted the Autism Center for Excellence (A.C.E.) in honor of April’s National Autism Awareness Month. Some last minute rehearsals took place on and around the runway. Several models practiced their walk and looked for places to stand, pose, pivot and turn as DJ Elliot Estes played in the background. Maria Serquen, SFA Events Coordinator, helped on the runway, backstage and other places as needed. Final pract

As we ease on down the road of life, the little things are what keep us going. Spending time with family, enjoying great entertainment and having a few laughs are great ways to have such an experience. From April 8 through April 24, California State University, Sacramento’s Department of Theatre and Dance presented William F. Brown’s “The Wiz” for the entire Sacramento community to enjoy. The play was directed by Melinda Wilson Ramey and choreographed by Linda S. Goodrich and featured the original songs by Charlie Smalls. “The Wiz” is of course the 1978 movie rendition of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and Sac State’s students pulled off the show in a very impressive way. P

The Sacramento State Hornets opened a four-game Western Athletic Conference (WAC) series against the Fresno Bulldogs on Thursday. On this beautiful spring day Sac State (12-25, 0-4 WAC) hosted game one of four against 12th ranked Fresno State (25-5, 5-2 WAC) for the first time this year. A Thursday and Friday afternoon game will be followed by a doubleheader on Saturday. Both teams met last season where the Fresno State Bulldogs took 3 out of four games from the Hornets. This is the Hornets’ first home series of the season at John Smith Field . This was my first game at John Smith Field and as I sat down and looked out towards left field I could see a parking garage where I saw a couple

Despite a cold, rainy, windy Saturday night, CSUS’s Capistrano Music Recital Hall was at near capacity for the debut of the 17th annual CSUS Piano Series. Founder and host of the event, Professor Richard Cionco, explained that Yu Kosuge was selected to kick off the Piano Series because she represents the youngest generation of professional pianists enjoying a sky-rocketing success world-wide. The evening’s event was graciously sponsored by Richard Graves, M.D. Ms. Kosuge entered Tokyo University of the Art at the ripe old age of 4, after she was selected for a program aimed at providing specialized education to gifted children. At the age of nine, she made her orchestral debut playing wit

The good news is more and more people at Sacramento State are using alternative transportation and parking as they should. The bad news is revenue from parking citations has been down, and that may lead to changes to the university’s Hornet Shuttle program. The University of Transportation and Parking Services, or UTAPS, held an open forum this afternoon regarding proposed Hornet Shuttle route changes for Spring and Fall 2011. The Hornet Shuttle program began in 1989 with shuttle routes running off campus Monday – Friday from 7am to 7pm during the Fall and Spring semesters. The current fleet of six buses, all running on compressed natural gas, make 18 to 24 runs combined among three rout

The Sacramento Mountain Lions are looking to avenge their loss in this season’s opening game with a victory over the Hartford Colonials Saturday night. “We’ve got to try to see if we can get that win back from Hartford, and with three games to go, I think we’ve just got to get out and play very well in the second half of the season,” Head Coach Dennis Green said after the team’s practice Wednesday. The Colonials (1-4) beat the Mountain Lions (2-3) in the Sept. 18 opener. The teams are part of the United Football League, a professional league in its second season. Last year’s season was six games, but this year’s season has been expanded to eight games. “You play everybody twice, and the

On Thursday, October 21st, the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) and California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) will unveil a new self-guided walking tour of Central Oak Park. The brochure highlights the community’s architectural and historical significance. The evening will include an address by the brochure’s author, Dr. Robin Datel, a professor in CSUS’ Geography Department. The lecture will be held at the historic Guild Theater in Oak Park (2828 35th Street at Broadway); doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation begins at 7:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The 32-page walking tour brochure includes historic photographs of nearly forty selected locations with

As Sacramento’s bicycle scene continues to grow, be it among fixed-gear aficionados in Midtown or hardcore racing fans, a decades-old indoor cycling sport is gaining popularity – Gold Sprints. “It started out 50, 60, 70 years ago,” said Dean “Dino” Alleger, a mechanic at Rex Cycles, 1811 E St. “It had two fixed bikes and a big clock with wires, but now it’s all digitized.” Alleger said the basic premise of Gold Sprints is that racers use fixed-gear bicycles mounted without their front wheels while the rear wheels rest on rollers. When the race starts, racers “pedal like crazy” for 500 meters or one kilometer, and the computer keeps track of who wins. “Gold Sprints are all indoors, and t

Bass rocked the hallways of Sacramento State Wednesday night as Minneapolis-based hip-hop label Rhymesayers Entertainment showcased some of its best artists. DJ Budo and rapper Grieves opened the show and were followed by Blueprint and DJ Rare Groove before headlining rap group Atmosphere took the stage. Sacramento State's University Union UNIQUE Program put on the show. The show sold out at 1,500 tickets Monday, September 20th, according to UNIQUE program advisor, Zenia LaPorte From beginning to end, the show offered something unique, unexpected and personal to each member of the audience. As the line formed to the University Union Ballroom more than an hour before the doors were open

On Friday August 20, the UFL's Sacramento Mountain Lions held a special Meet & Greet event for season ticket holders and fans at the team's facilities on the campus of the California State University, Sacramento. Information provided by the Mountain Lions Ticket Sales staff indicated the event was scheduled to take place from 6-9pm. Initial pictures and autographs for fans were followed by player introductions by Head Coach Dennis Green, and performances by the Mountain Lions cheer and dance squad. Thereafter, players and fans reconvened for more pictures and autographs. By about 7:30pm, a few players needed t leave in order to tend to other commitments. Wide receiver Fred Otis Amey, who

  The UFL's Sacramento Mountain Lions Wide Receiver Fred Otis Amey hosted an official signing party last night at the California State University, Sacramento Alumni Center. The event featured an appearance by members of the Mountain Lions cheer and dance squad, catered food, a video segment, the unveiling of a unique FOA logo, a raffle with prize giveaways, a benediction, and music - featuring a live performance by FOA himself. The Mountain Lions had staff on site, as did Team Dynamix - the event organizer. Representatives from My Athletic Resume, a local enterprise focused on building personal resume websites for athletes, were also present. Several members of the CSUS Athletic Departme

With 151,000 square feet of floor space, self-shading sky lights, recycled sunflower seed walls, and a host of Big Ass Fans, Sacramento State's new recreation center is sure to be the main attraction when the fall semester begins. The name of the building is the WELL. It's an acronym for: wellness, education, leisure, lifestyle. Inspiration for the name came from the perspective that the university didn't want just an athletic center, but a place that encouraged wellness in all aspects of a student's life. The WELL will house a primary and urgent care clinic, pharmacy, psychological services and laboratory services in addition to four basketball courts, four racquetball courts, an indoor

A student Democratic group at California State University, Sacramento, is more than just a club of like-minded young people — it’s a major political player that attracts thousands of dollars in campaign contributions. The College Democrats group at Sacramento State both receives financial contributions from various interests and contributes to political candidates. A few months ago, the student club received a hefty sum: Pacific Gas and Electric Corporation contributed $10,000 to the group Dec. 22, according to campaign records. The student group is also a political player in advance of the upcoming June 8 primary: Just a few days after receiving the $10,000, the College Democrats contr

Students and faculty discussed the state of Sacramento's local governance today at the Sacramento State University Union. The event was a panel discussion led by three Sacramento State professors: Communications Professor Barbara O’Connor, Professor Tim Hodson from the Center for California Studies, and Public Policy Professor Ted Lascher. The discussion focused on the historical context and rationale for updating the city charter, which dates back 80 years. Professors O’Connor and Hodson opened the discussion by explaining Sacramento’s roots as a progressive city that emphasized a “collegial” form of government. But as the city grows, O’Connor explained, this system becomes harder. “In

CSUS students collected 509 pints of blood in the Unite to Save Lives blood drive for BloodSource, held on May 3rd and 4th. ASI hosted the event and the Public Relations Planning and Management Class (COMS 158), taught by Dr. Jing Zhang, promoted the event. The PR class ran a full-scale campaign to spread awareness about blood donation and Be the Match bone marrow registry. The class The class set a goal of 450 pints of blood over the two-day drive. and were able to accomplish that through the support of students, faculty and staff, and local organizations. CSUS has worked with BloodSource for over twenty years and will host another blood drive, the Causeway Classic in the fall. If you a

Riding a unicycle, California State University, Sacramento, student Kaori Matsuzawa performed to music, circling the room with fluid dances and movements. A student audience applauded as she rode forward and backward, spun rapidly, and stood on the fork above the wheel. Approximately 75 students lined the walls of Sac State's Redwood Room at noon Thursday and watched as Matsuzawa showcased her award-winning unicycle talents during a recreation, parks and tourism class. Matsuzawa performed for the 9 a.m. and noon classes. Before she began, students volunteered to attempt unicycling with the help of other students acting as spotters. No one was successful at balancing alone, including the