Where: The Crest Theater, 1013 K Street, Sacramento When: Tuesday, March 13, 2012 Time: 6:00 p.m. Tickets: $10.00 General Admission                  $5.00 for AIACV / ULI Members and Students buy tickets now Advance tickets may also be purchased at The Crest Theater. This American independent documentary frames a global discussion on the future of cities. Who is allowed to shape our cities? How do they do it? And how does the design of our cities affect our lives? The movie explores a diverse range of urban design projects in dozens of cities around the world, from massive infrastructure to temporary interventions. Featuring some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policy

David Barton’s opinion piece, “The view from downtown on BDS”, unfortunately relies on considerable misinformation, fact twisting, and ultimately resorts to the weakness of name calling. Mr. Barton says “the Co-op would like to leave politics out” of its choice of products. However, the Co-op makes political decisions all the time about products based on sustainability, supporting local farms, supporting fair trade, etc. Mr. Barton acknowledges that the Co-op is political: "The co-op … is subversive of the whole factory farming, corporate, pesticide-dependent, nonlocal, unsustainable farming and grocery model that many of us grew up with.” This is not an issue about keeping “politics” ou

This weekend, the sidewalk in front of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op was defaced with graffiti that included attacks on three individual members of the Co-op, two of whom are Board candidates and one is the sponsor of the Human Rights Initiative. One of the several graffiti statements read “Cody Potter and Susan Bush are bad news.” Potter and Bush are running for two open seats on the Board along with Phyllis Ehlert and two incumbents, Alicia Dienst and Ann Richardson. When asked whether employees were responsible for the graffiti, on-duty store manager Dan Shearer declined to answer on Saturday. Incumbent Board member Alicia Dienst was campaigning in front of the store on Sunday wh

The ongoing controversy about members’ democratic rights continues with a new twist at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. This week the Co-op Board placed a ballot argument on its website that many of its members are calling a fake. Charles Steven Arevalo is listed as its author. The ballot argument addresses a Board-proposed Bylaws amendment, which would prohibit the Co-op from using criteria related to “political opinion” or “national origin” in making purchasing or any other decisions. The Board's amendment was drafted in apparent response to members, who were trying to put a proposed human rights-based boycott initiative on the Co-op's ballot. “After refusing to allow Sacramento Nat

Before a packed room of Co-op Members, shoppers and others at its June 7 meeting, the Board of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op considered three items for the upcoming September ballot. A Bylaws amendment, proposed by Board President Steve Maviglio, would prevent the Co-op from making purchasing decisions on the basis of “political opinion” or “national origin.” Some members voiced support and several raised objections. One concern was that the proposed amendment could be used to prevent the Co-op from making purchasing decisions related to environmental or social concerns, since these are a matter of “political opinion.” For example, distributors of non-organic produce, Coco-Cola, or

Over 50 members of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op serenaded Co-op shoppers on the public sidewalk next to the Co-op on Friday afternoon, June 3, with back-up guitar, base, and tambourines. Holding colorful balloons and signs, members sang, “This is my coop; This is your Co-op” to the tune of “This Land is Your Land”. Several shoppers stopped and joined in: “We’re member owners, Our voices m-a-t-t-er, This co-op belongs to you and me.” The group also sang “Co-op Democracy” to the tune of “Personality”. Both songs are expected to be posted on YouTube soon (check www.coopdemocracy.org for an update.) Rally organizers, part of Sacramento Co-op Owners for Democracy and Free Speech, chose

Co-op General Manager Paul Cultrera reportedly allowed the "Save Our Co-op" group to present the Israel lobby's perspective on Israel/Palestine in front of the Co-op again today, May 23. However, Cultrera is continuing his ban against any groups tabling with a different viewpoint on this issue, including Co-op Members supporting the Human Rights initiative. The Initiative would allow Members of the Co-op to vote on whether they want the store to support Palestinian human rights by not carrying Israeli products until Israel stops violating those rights. Cultrera banned Save Our Co-op co-founder Barry Broad from tabling after a woman reported to the Co-op and the police that Broad forcefull

At the May 18, 2011 Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op Board Policy Committee meeting, the Committee considered and rejected the Restore Co-op Democracy Initiative which members had qualified for the upcoming annual September ballot.  The Co-op's Bylaws do not give the Policy Committee any control over initiatives. The initiative includes provisions to ensure that Members are informed about and have input into policy and other decision made by the Board. The initiative also directs the Board to follow its Bylaws and not interfere with member initiatives and calls for an end to management’s discrimination and censorship in issuing tabling permits. The initiative would help bring the Co-op int

The sun was still shining on the State Capitol at 5:30 p.m. Monday, at the start of the Sacramento Central Labor Council's Candlelight Vigil for Wisconsin Workers. The crowd grew to an estimated 2,000 people, in solidarity with labor and human rights movements in Wisconsin and beyond. The supply of signs for "We Stand With Wisconsin Workers" and flameless vigil candles didn't meet the demand. There were handmade signs, such as: "Labor Rights. Human Rights. Women's Rights. We Are One" and "Serf's Unite."  "We Are One," "It's About Freedom" and other signs from dozens of labor organizations, represented nurses, state workers, educators, fire fighters, law enforcement and skilled trade unio

As part of its Black History Month speaker series, the Sol Collective is sponsoring “Roots of Democracy: Islam, Black Nationalism to Hip Hop culture. Guest speaker Rashad Baadqir will address the early roots of Black Nationalism and Afro-Islam to the impact of Hip Hop music and culture. Baadqir is a Multicultural Competency Consultant, author, and speaker The program starts at 7pm at the Sol Collective located at 2574 21st/near Broadway in Sacramento. For more information you can contact the Sol Collective via Facebook.  

On Aug. 17, the City Council members voted 5-3 in favor of holding public comments until the end of its meetings. For the last three weeks, matters not found on the agenda have been addressed at the end of meetings for the last three weeks. However, the council’s rules of procedure were reversed last night after a number of advocacy groups publicly opposed the council’s decision. Council members passed the motion under the condition that commenting would not exceed 30 minutes and would allow each speaker a maximum of two minutes on the floor. If the allotted 30 minutes expire before a person is able to share, their comments are to be held until the end of the meeting. Prior to Tuesday’s

Sierra II in Curtis Park was the location for the ninth and final Town Hall Meeting of the City of Sacramento Charter Review Committee. The crowd of approximately 45 people was on the Baby Boom-plus end of the generational scale. It included members of the public, neighborhood representatives and former, current and candidate public officials, from the Central City, Curtis/Land Park, Oak Park and the South Area. The City Charter legally and procedurally defines the City of Sacramento and its operations. Kevin Johnson's Strong Mayor Initiative, which would dramatically change the City Charter, will be on the June 2010 ballot. Sacramento was founded with a City Charter in 1858. In 1921, d

Clad in green clothing and ribbons, hundreds gathered at the west steps of the Capitol Friday, to bring awareness to the current unrest in Iran. Their signs called for freedom, nonviolent resistance and a plea, “Obama Please Help Us.” Speakers detailed the series of events over the past week in Iran, highlighting violence and the concern of Iranian voters. An enthusiastic speaker read a numbered manifesto in Farsi, listing desires for the future of Iran. Included in this list was the wish for a leader elected by the people. Many people voiced their concerns over the alleged unfair election. Others began a series of chants that called for “Freedom from Dictatorship,” that soon evolved int

Come join your fellow neighbors, entrepreneurs, activist and (you fill in the blank) to see Democracy in action. The 100 Minds group, an Oak Park based Think Tank, is hosting  "City Council Meet-up Party: Democracy 101" at tomorrow's Council meeting.   Participants are encouraged to wear your Bikeramento shirt, LJ Urban shirt, Sacramento Park(ing) Day shirt or whatever cause you're passionate and a laptop for live twittering, blogging or transcribing of the evenings discussion. You'll have the opportunity to see how democracy works on a local level and the steps necessary to take action.  We'd like to show the City Council that we mean business with a large turnout of local leaders. Thi