Sacramento seniors facing economic hardship will have one less place to relax and meet friends. Catholic Charities of Sacramento, Inc., has closed down its Cathedral Neighborhood Senior Center downtown because of a funding shortage, said Beth White, associate director of the nonprofit organization. The center, which is located at 711 J St., had provided a social atmosphere for seniors since 1975, according to White. It shut down March 1. Elderly residents of single-resident-occupancy motels as well as homeless seniors would gather at the center, White said. They would watch television or enjoy a coffee, she said. For example, a group of seniors would come to the center in the morning b

In a win for Mayor Kevin Johnson and his arena task force, the City Council agreed to start talks with Sacramento developer Gerry Kamilos on a plan to build a new sports and entertainment center in the downtown railyards and develop two other sites. The City Council’s approval to begin talks with the Kamilos Group was unanimous. While an agreement between the city and Kamilos was not completed Tuesday, the council moved closer to a decision to work with Kamilos. In Kamilos’ multi-layered plan, the downtown railyards would be the location of a new sports and entertainment center. The plan also calls for the creation of a new state fairgrounds at Arco Arena and nearby property. Kamilos’ t

 Last night something happened that no one thought possible. Ok, maybe a couple of people thought there was a chance. While not as long lasting as the Curse of the Billy Goat or the Curse of the Bambino, the Curse of Giovanni Crotti was starting to cause nightmares. Giovanni Crotti has been playing adult league dodgeball longer than most in Sacramento, having participated in leagues in Portland, Oregon prior to XOSO's beginning in Sacramento. As XOSO has grown from 50 dodgeballers to hundreds, Giovanni has maintained his hold as one of the top players in the league, yet a championship title remained illusive. Giovanni was rivaling Jim Kelly with a streak of playing in five championship

Sacramentans should be enjoying a sigh of relief today, and a swell of pride. After months, years, even a decade of back and forth, conflict and aimlessness, there is finally some movement forward on a sports and entertainment complex. Yes, forward. Thursday morning's decision by the Sacramento First Task Force to recommend - if just recommend - the complicated but far-reaching "land swap" proposed by Gerry Kamilos' and David Taylor's organizations, and supported by the NBA and other crucial organizations, means that we are moving forward. Finally. There will be a lot of arguing about this for some time. As an assistant to Mayor Kevin Johnson, who is to be praised for making progress on

Sacramento, CA - Last night featured some epic showdowns to decide the Winter 2010 Wednesday night dodgeball champion. From the start of the season, Money Shot and DUI almost seemed destined to meet in the championship round. In the end, that's what happened. The night began with DUI squaring up against More Balls than Brains, one of the best #8 seeds XOSO has had to date. The first few games traded off, with DUI taking a 2-1 edge. Then, with each game coming down to a couple players, DUI found a way to win each one, prevailing 7-1 in the match. D3: The Mighty Drunks faced off against Beans and Rice, and took a commanding lead before relaxing, saving their arms for the #1 seed, DUI. Mo

This Tuesday the City Council will recommend the preservation and restoration of the Fred Mayes Jewelers' Street Clock at the corner of 10th and J Street. With the efforts of both Greig Best (an interested citizen), the City's Historic Places Grant Program, Council Member Tretheway's office, and the Redevelopment Agency, designated funds will be used to restore this City designated Landmark. Its ownership will also be formally transferred to the City through the Department of Transportation since the street clock is located within the public right-of-way. The clock will be restored to the style as modified while at its' original K Street location by Tom Monk (the neon ring addition) befor

 Last night wrapped up another fun XOSO coed volleyball season! Thanks to everyone who played and made it so successful. We had two championship match ups last night. In the Bumper division, Serves You Right squared off against Block Party to settle, once and for all, who was the better team. Earlier in the season, Serves You Right won two out of three matches against the second seed Block Party. Last night, Block Party raced to early leads in the first two games but Serves You Right battled back to win them both in thrilling fashion. The second game was as close as you can get with Serves You Right clinching the championship. In the Spiker division, Spiked Punch was going for a repeat

K Street Mall is getting some activity after work began again on a mermaid bar and two other nightlife venues. San Francisco nightclub owner George Karpaty originally hoped to open Dive Bar, a dance club named District 30 and a gourmet pizza restaurant, Pizza Rock, near 10th and K streets by late 2009. The $6 million-plus project was delayed at least in part by opposition, including a lawsuit to stop it that was thrown out of court last summer. Saying he wanted to move forward, Karpaty declined to discuss the reasons the project on the blighted mall was thrown off schedule. But, he said, he now expects to open all three sites by late summer. "We had some delays. But we're coming," he sa

Sacramento's restaurants are a clear reflection of the times, with high-end establishments taking a beating and fast food expected to continue to rise in 2010. As the recession continues, top-tier central city restaurants such as 55 Degrees and Masons have closed or begun transforming into more affordable dining. Similarly high-end chains, such as Ruth's Chris Steak House, just outside the central city, and Morton's The Steakhouse, and celebrated local establishments are reported to be in trouble. Casual restaurants have also been seriously hurt by the economy. But fast-food restaurants like McDonald's are expanding and the demand for "fast-casual" restaurant concepts is exploding. "Eve

Two thirty-somethings who grew up in Sacramento's restaurant scene are teaming up to open a French-influenced restaurant next month. Simon's Bar & Cafe co-owner Alan Chan is opening his second restaurant, Bistro Michel, at 1501 14th St. The bistro will be managed by Richard Macias, who's worked in restaurants all over Sacramento. The two became friends after Macias got a job bartending at Simon's. Chan, 36 and Macias, 35, plan to open a restaurant that is "simple and classy and not overbearing," offering primarily American food cooked with French techniques and priced for most people, Macias said. They got fired up about French food while in France a few years ago to celebrate a friend'

Councilman Ray Tretheway’s key goals for 2010 are in response to problems caused by the poor economy. He said he plans to concentrate on public safety, jobs and foreclosure. Tretheway’s priorities are listed here as part of a series of stories on council members’ top three goals for 2010. Links to the stories are at the end of this article. The Sacramento Press made repeated requests to interview Councilman Rob Fong, but he was unavailable. Tretheway represents District 1, which includes North and South Natomas and Alkali Flat. He is running for re-election in June against Efren Guttierrez, a real estate broker, and Angelique Ashby, a partner in a consulting firm that contracts with gov

Get ready for the 22nd Annual Winter Wine & Food Fest benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation® on Saturday, January 30, 2010 at the Sacramento Convention Center. This premiere food & wine event will once again showcase over 60 exceptional local restaurants and food purveyors and 60 of the finest wineries and top area microbreweries. The general admission tasting and extensive silent auction begins at 5:00 p.m. and continues until 7:30 p.m. Live music will be provided by the Over The Edge Band. For an additional cost, the evening continues on with a special VIP Program that also includes an exclusive live wine auction and runs from 7:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The event is attended by more than

It is with excitement that I am here to announce that the biggest St. Patrick's Day celebration in Sacramento is going to happen again. That's right folks, last year we did the undoable. We closed L Street between 16th & 15th for a St. Patrick's day block party like no other. Nearly 7000 people showed up, but it remained a festive and safe community event. We had no incidents, thanks to great security and great people who came to have a good time. This year, we're projecting attendance at 8,000 and I want to get everyone involved. We are working with The Sacramento Press to get the community involved and I'm going to keep everyone posted on the event as it develops right here. So join the

Hello, My name is Keith and I was wondering where I would put in a complaint about police, highway, and sheriff officers that are violating protocol? This came to me when I was driving on Folsom Blvd and saw a Folsom Police officer sitting under the Metro light rail bridge with his lights off his bike and he was checking peoples speeds. Now the problem is not him checking speeds, but under the bridge was very dark and a driver could not see him until the last minute and this would be very harmful if a driver was in an accident and needed to utilize the shoulder at last possible second. Thank You, Keith Dear Keith, If you have a concern or complaint about an enforcement procedure or “pr

Ok. So tonight is the big night. If you still haven’t made your plans to say good bye to 2009, here’s a quick and dirty guide to the best low key local spots to check out. Part four: Low key and local Start out at Brew it Up, at 14th and H streets. Here you’ll find a reasonably priced prix-fixe menu at only $30 per person. Stick around after dinner for the Brewery Bash, which begins at 9 p.m. Pre-paid reservations score you a reserved table, party favors, canapé appetizers and sparkling wine at midnight. Call 441-3000 for more information. Or, check out de Vere’s Irish Pub for a hearty, home-style meal with a glass of bubbly for only $45 per person. Menu items marry contemporary Califor

Now that we’ve covered both family-friendly options and have supplied partygoers with a variety of exciting nightclub options this New Year’s Eve, we shift our focus to those who may prefer a more sophisticated, grown-up celebration. Several exciting dining options await you this New Year’s Eve. Part three of this four part series highlights Downtown’s finest haute cuisine, with specific information on each establishment’s New Year’s Eve options. Part Three: Wine and dine your way into the new year! For romance, nothing can beat The Firehouse Restaurant in Old Sacramento. This well-respected eatery is extending its dining hours and opening its heated outdoor patio to accommodate the New

I was out and about the day before Christmas Eve and as usual looking for something to eat when I came across Sweetwater Restaurant and Bar. The restaurant stands on a decent piece of midtown real estate with a good amount of foot traffic through the neighborhood. Upon walking in you are immediately facing the bar. Since there is no podium or hostess we sat ourselves and our server Jo Beth promptly came by with menus. One of the first things I noticed was the extremely bright lights which took so much away from what would have otherwise been a very welcoming room. I’ve been in emergency rooms more dimly lit. The crowd was quiet and average at the bar most likely due to the fact it was s

This four-part series features very different itineraries to celebrate 2010 downtown. Whether your idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve involves funky beats, bottles of bubbly, a caravan of kids, or haute cuisine, the Central City is the place to be! Downtown is home to some of Sacramento’s coolest bars and clubs, with many venues offering VIP services that can take your night ‘to the next level.’ Part two showcases these hotspots and their VIP amenities like private booths, bottle service, dedicated staff and complimentary champagne.  Part Two: Party like a rock star! Over at 10th and K, Cosmo Café, Cosmopolitan Cabaret and Social Nightclub are partnering to offer something for all ages th

So, you survived Christmas. Now the big question isn’t whether or not you’ve finished your holiday shopping, it’s all about what to do this New Year’s Eve. This four-part series aims to take the mystery and anxiety out of what to do in Sacrmento to ring in the New Year. Each day, we’ll feature very different downtown ways to celebrate 2010. Whether your idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve involves funky beats, bottles of bubbly, a caravan of kids, or haute cuisine, the Central City is the place to be! Part One: Family style Got kids? Start your evening early with a visit to the California Museum’s Out of this World exhibit, an exhibition of famous television and movie costumes sure to deligh

On Tuesday night The Capitol Creative Collective in partnership with the Downtown Sacramento Partnership hosted their first Idea Fair. The event, which was hosted at The Mix at 16th and L streets, provided a forum for local architects to showcase their vision for future downtown development. Several dozen architects and interested individuals attended the intimate event which was held on The Mix's second-floor patio. “We wanted to give people an opportunity to get excited about their city,” said Lisa Martinez of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. “The projects are more of a show and tell. This forum is a great place for people to learn and get inspired.” Projects ranging from the