Saturday’s rainy day kept many people indoors. Several hundred people however gathered at Southside Park in Sacramento to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day. Marchers braved the rain as they marched from Southside Park’s to Cesar Chavez Plaza and back. On Saturday, March 31 marchers of all ages commemorated Cesar Chavez Day a state recognized holiday. The 12th annual march continues to be held in Sacramento rain or shine. The march began at 10 in the morning with several speakers, entertainers and live music performers on hand to keep the spectators’ spirits alive as rain poured down at Southside Park. Aztec dancers led the procession and their enthusiasm was not dampened as many marched an

A federal funding program allowing foreign investors to provide low-interest loans in return for green cards was one potential arena funding source highlighted in the long-awaited Think Big Sacramento Committee report, which was revealed to the public at a Sacramento Press Club luncheon Thursday. The program, while not a solution in its own right, could buy time, allowing publicly owned land to increase in value for sale at a higher rate, according to officials. Both of those options are parts of the “menu of options” the Think Big Sacramento group was tasked with providing earlier this year. More than 120 business leaders, a few Kings fans and most of Sacramento’s media gathered for the

Anyone who's been following the Save Sunny's Market campaign, might wonder how we got to this point.  In short, state law allows the negligent actions of a previous business owner to impact the potential success of a new owner.  After researching the legislative history, the answer to why this is the case is somewhat mysterious. The legislation in question is AB 1042 (Chapter 538, Statutes of 1996), authored by Assemblywoman Dede Alpert, and came about to "reduce the number of applications for liquor licenses by premises who have continually been denied a license and thus reducing the impact that these 'unwarranted' applications have on communities." Specifically, residents of the Linda

Thanks to the support of so many Marshall School/New Era Park (MSNEP) residents, the Save Sunny's Market campaign was able to deliver eleven pages of petition signatures to the offices of Assemblymember Roger Dickinson and Senator Darrell Steinberg yesterday. The 165 signatures demonstrate broad-based neighborhood support for the new operators of Sunny’s Market to acquire a beer and wine license. If you are just hearing about this issue for the first time, Josh and Monica Patel – the new owners of Sunny’s, are at risk of closing their doors due to the negligent actions of the previous owner who violated the law several times by selling alcoholic beverages to underage decoys. Under curren

Before guests could hit the dance floor and mingle with friends at a non-profit organization’s 10th Anniversary celebration, local community leaders gave a “Celebrity Show” posing to be celebrities of the last decade to say a few words. The emcee introduced the first celebrity – Hillary Clinton. Walking and gracefully waving to “Stand by Your Man” by Tammy Wynette from the back of the ballroom to the podium is Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg’s (D-Sacramento) District Director Susan McKee. Guests stood up from their seats to take videos and photos while others clapped and laughed. “I told the President that C.C. Yin has always been my man and all of you know I stand by my man,

A regional campaign to finance a new arena officially launched Tuesday. A coalition called "Here We Build" will work within a tight, 100-day deadline to evaluate what kind of financing mechanisms, fees or taxes might be used. While the list of 60 leaders is still being finalized this week, the coalition is expected to meet for the first time within about two weeks. The group will be co-chaired by state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, a Democrat from Sacramento, and State Sen. Ted Gaines, a Republican from Roseville. Steinberg called on the region to unite behind the campaign to boost jobs, economic development and pride in the greater Sacramento area. "It's time for everyone

I attended the Kings victory rally at Cesar Chavez Plaza last night, but I did so reluctantly. I am on record as being somewhat immune to Kings fever, to say the least. I appreciate them for what they do for the town, and I am sensitive to what their departure would mean for us as a city. It wouldn’t be good. But I’m not a fan. So I went grudgingly, mostly because I live nearby and it was on my way somewhere else. It was a news event regarding a crucial current concern. Why not? I left, if not a believer, then certainly more engaged than I had been, and even a little moved. I don’t love the Sacramento Kings, but I have loved the Giants of old, the A’s in their heyday and the 49ers when

The owners of the Sacramento Kings announced Monday the team will stay put for at least one more season – giving the region and the National Basketball Association time for one final push to build a new arena. NBA officials quickly announced a commitment to make one last effort over the next 10 months to pave the way to replace Power Balance Pavilion. The league is sending nine people to Sacramento Tuesday to provide expert support in the regional effort to construct a new arena and to help the Kings' owners, the Maloofs, lead the team to a successful next season, NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a teleconference Monday afternoon. Kings fans, elected officials and business leaders re

Sacramento leaders asked National Basketball Association officials visiting Thursday to keep the Kings in Sacramento for at least another year while the region proves a new arena can be built – and an answer is expected May 2. In a closed-door meeting at the state Capitol Thursday morning, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and other elected officials from the city and state asked the NBA to give the region a year to show they will be able to replace Power Balance Pavilion with a new home for the Kings. Kings supporters also did their best to paint the town purple – waving purple-lettered signs outside City Hall, hanging Kings banners on buildings and dressing in the team's color

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) introduced a bill Monday that would require professional sports teams to pay off all debt involving taxpayer dollars to the municipality in which they are located before signing an agreement to move to another California city or county. bar one California city from issuing bonds to lure a professional sports team from another city in which existing bonds had not been paid. It would effectively require that the Sacramento Kings repay the city $77 million before the bonds approved by the Anaheim City Council could be issued. “It’s all about public dollars involved not just in the situation currently pending with regards to the (Sac

Close to 150 people braved the rain Saturday afternoon and came to the Hagginwood Community Center for the dedication of the Grantland Johnson Soccer Field. “It’s quite an honor, I must tell you,” said Grantland Johnson to the crowd crammed inside the lobby of the community center. A native resident of Sacramento’s Del Paso Heights neighborhood, Johnson graduated from Grant High School where he played for the Pacers football team. He received his B.A. Degree from Sacramento State in Government and later received honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from both Sacramento State and Golden Gate University. “I would not be the person I am today, had I not grown up in this great community of

Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposal to slash redevelopment agencies spurred a protest and press conference at the Convention Center Friday, bringing together Sacramento leaders and about 100 officials from cities throughout the state. Chris McKenzie, executive director of the League of California Cities, said that cities may consider suing the state if it disbands redevelopment agencies. Brown’s office contends that local services, such as schools and public safety, could receive the funding currently used by redevelopment agencies if the agencies shut down. But city leaders in Sacramento and throughout the state argue that ending redevelopment agencies would seriously harm jobs and local develo

The Sacramento City Council underwent a makeover Tuesday night when two new council members were officially sworn into office. The swearing in of Jay Schenirer and Darrell Fong is the last step in the City Council’s changing of the guard. Schenirer’s ceremony had an element of star quality because state Senate President Darrell Steinberg administered the oath of office for the new councilman. Angelique Ashby, the other new council member, was sworn into office Nov. 23 to represent District 1.  Schenirer replaced Lauren Hammond as the District 5 council member, while Fong took the District 7 reins from Robbie Waters. Also on Tuesday night, Steve Cohn was sworn in for a fifth term as t

Since 1958, Robbie Waters has served Sacramento as an officer with the Sacramento Police Department, as Sacramento Sheriff, and as Councilmember for District 7 for the last 15 years. A uplifting seal of closure was given to his years of service at Saturday morning’s opening of the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library. “The library is an accomplishment for the entire community,” said Waters to a crowd of approximately 500 people. “I have no doubt it will be well used.” The $15-million library consists of 45 public access computers, a 72-seat capacity community meeting room, a teen room, a quiet room, two study rooms, and a Ready to Read room for kids. The library is designed for 67,00

Sacramento’s homeless are still searching for safe ground after the tent city was taken down in April 2009. On Tuesday, homeless camper and SafeGround movement leader John Kraintz, Sacramento civil rights lawyer Mark Merin, State Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg and activists from nonprofit organizations around Sacarmento marched from Friendship Park to Cesar Chavez Park in celebration of the SafeGround Movement. They were joined by homeless men and women as they marched, sang, danced and spoke on behalf of the homeless. Using a microphone, which echoed through speakers around the stage, musicians and speakers were heard loud and clear by the crowd of more than 100. “People c

Close to 60 people converged on a home in the River Park neighborhood of East Sacramento Tuesday evening to mourn the reductions in the public education budget in the Sacramento area and to discuss what can be done to prevent further cuts. Educators, students, parents, political figures and concerned members of the public were all in attendance to listen to speakers, hear poetry and voice their concerns and opinions on the state of education in the community. The wake was hosted by Jim Harper, a teacher of American government and history at Laguna Creek High School and an occasional instructor at California State University, Sacramento. Harper has been teaching for 23 years and was invol

In a statement Tuesday on his blog, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson made his endorsements for candidates competing in the June 8 primary election.  A KCRA reporter asked Johnson at a Monday press conference if Johnson would endorse candidates who oppose a “strong mayor” form of government. Johnson is leading an effort to bring more authority to the mayor’s office. In response to the reporter’s question, Johnson said: “I think that’s not really the issue before people. I don’t think that people have had to make a decision on that. So, there’s not a litmus, in general, for that right now.” Johnson said the candidates he is supporting are not content with the status quo. He explained that h

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

(Sacramento, CA)--The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region will commemorate May as National Jewish American Heritage Month by hosting the 2010 Jewish Heritage Festival. The Festival will celebrate the centennial founding of the Kibbutz movement and Israel's 62nd anniversary. It will include an expanded kid’s zone, an eco-friendly fashion show, and an acclaimed Israeli dance troupe from Los Angeles. This event is the largest Jewish celebration in Sacramento, is open to the public and is free. "It is wonderful that so many people throughout our region attend this event and demonstrate their support for Israel,” says Skip Rosenbloom, President of the Jewish Federation, "you won't want

Sharon Gerber has been planning nonprofit fundraising events in Sacramento for more than five years. And she's never experienced such a challenging climate for giving. She started her business, Six Degreez, after working as a community development manager for Wells Fargo. Gerber knew she could make more money if she arranged events for corporations. But she chose to work with local charitable organizations after becoming aware of the great need there. "My passion, my heart, goes out to the nonprofit sector," she said. "That's where I feel like I can have the most impact on this community. And it makes me feel good at the end of the day." Since then, Gerber has developed signature event