Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "downtown sacramento"

Doom Bird Performs The Crocker Art Museum's Thursdays 'Til 9 Series

2012-01-25T22:27:09Z

Saturday: Verge Ahead into 2012

2012-01-19T20:28:22Z

Verge Center for the Arts has remained a consistent hub of creativity for Sacramento since they first opened their doors as a private art gallery in 2009. In 2010 they expanded into their current space—a 22,000 square foot warehouse in Downtown Sacramento—and organized as a nonprofit. Now home to 30 resident studio artists, plus extensive gallery and event space, Verge continues their mission of exposing Sacramento to the contemporary art and artists of the region.

2011 was a particularly big year for Verge. Among many other achievements, they had a more-than-successful Kickstarter campaign ($9,165 raised on a $7,500 goal!), won the First Place award of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s Arts Innovation Fund, and Executive Director Liv Moe was named Arts Executive of the Year at the Arts & Business Council’s “Prelude to the Season” event.

This Saturday, celebrate Verge’s 2011 successes and help them “Verge Ahead” into 2012 at the “Verge Ahead Success Party” (6pm-Midnight at Verge, 625 S Street, Sacramento). If you have yet to check out this innovative local arts spot, there’s no better time than this!

In addition to exploring the studios of resident artists, you’ll be able to play “Art Golf” (each hole is specially designed by a Verge artist, and be sure to try for a hole-in-one at the Sac365 hole!), get your photo taken at the photobooth for instant sharing of the fun on your social media networks, see live performances by a multitude of bands (Mom, Christine Shields, Fine Steps, Gentleman Surfer, and Ganglians), and dance the night away to tunes spun by DJ Scott Soriano and DJ Hailey. If that’s not enough, arts collective Future Art Notables will take over the temporary gallery with their installation “Assorted Spaces”, which allows viewers to walk among the pieces, fully immersing themselves in the art.

And, don’t worry, tasty beer is provided for the evening by local brewers Ruhstaller, as well as coffee from Insight Coffee Roasters (each $15 ticket includes two refreshments!). Plus, receive free giveaways throughout the night, and a little something extra if you're among the first 50 to arrive.

Come enjoy this soiree and celebrate Sacramento’s burgeoning arts community.

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Find more detail on this event along with many more at Sacramento365.com, the year-round source for Sacramento events.

Disclosure: Written by Sacramento365.com Assistant Editor, Alison Kranz

Christmas celebrations, Sacramento-style

2011-12-22T00:43:49Z

As always, Sacramento steps up to the plate with holiday events of all sorts. At Sacramento365.com, we see a lot of events come through the site every day. Though there are myriad options in our Holiday Event section, we've narrowed down the list to 10 to get help you pick your Christmas Eve & Christmas Day festivities.

Christmas Eve Events:
Sure, the night before Christmas should be spent snuggled in bed waiting for Santa Claus, but why not get out and about during the day. Here are some options to keep you entertained around town:

1. Free Admission at Fairytale Town & Sacramento Zoo:
FTT 10am-2pm; Zoo 10am-1:30pm
Treat the kiddies to a day out while both Fairytale Town & the Sacramento Zoo offer free admission to all guests. The Zoo encourages participating in their pajama party, so you needn’t even change

2. Downtown Holiday Ice Rink:
St. Rose of Lima Park, 10am-6pm
Located outdoors near Westfield Downtown Plaza, the Downtown Holiday Ice Rink is the perfect holiday experience for the young and young at heart.

3. It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play:
Capital Stage, 11am
Inspired by the classic American film of the same title, It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is performed as a 1940s live radio broadcast in front of a studio audience.

4. Holiday Film Screenings: It’s a Wonderful Life:
Crest Theatre, 1:30pm, 4:30pm, & 7:30pm
If you can’t make it to Cap Stage’s live performance (see above), you can still catch the original film rendition live on the big screen at the historic Crest Theatre.

5. Theatre of Lights:
Old Sacramento, 6pm & 7:30pm
A symphony of lights, sounds, and visual effects will take the audience back to a time when the beloved poem "The Night Before Christmas" was first introduced in Sacramento in 1857.

Christmas Day Events:
Looking to entertain friends & family in town after your regular traditions are over? Or just looking to get out of the house after so much family time? Sacramento doesn’t disappoint. Here are a few options for

1. Christmas Brunch:
Hyatt Regency, 10am-3pm
Enjoy this holiday season with all of the trimmings. Join for a bountiful buffet brunch featuring breakfast items and traditional holiday favorites.

2. Christmas Day Supper Cruise:
Empress Hornblower, 3:30pm-6:30pm
Join Hornblower for Christmas Day with your family and celebrate the season with a delicious meal, relax and enjoy the holiday. The Cruise includes traditional holiday dishes, festive music, and beautiful views of the Sacramento River.

3. Bah Humbug!:
MiX Downtown, 8:30pm-2am
Get out from under your tree and continue the holiday partying at this special Sunday Circus night. Spend the evening with your "other" family at Mix Downtown!

4. Christmas with Arden Park Roots:
Harlow’s, 9pm
Join reggae/rock/punk band Arden Park Roots for a festive Christmas show.

5. Asylum:
Barcode Nightclub, 9pm-1:30am
Featuring resident DJ Bryan Hawk, Asylum is a night of the best cutting edge goth, industrial, nu-darkwave, EBM dance music.

Find more detail on these events along with many more at Sacramento365.com, the year-round source for Sacramento events.

Disclosure: Rachael Lankford is the Managing Calendar Editor for Sacramento365.com, the year-round source for Sacramento events.

A look inside Broadacre, what goes into making your coffee

2011-10-13T04:43:17Z

Since opening its doors two weeks ago, Broadacre Coffee has been serving up freshly brewed, personalized and made-to-order cups of coffee to the customers downtown.

The four owners – Andrew Lopez, Justin Kerr, Lucas Elia and Jacob Elia – offer eight to 10 various artisan coffee beans sourced from at least four different roasters at any given time. They are currently serving coffee from Intelligentsia, Ritual, Coava and Verve Coffee Roasters.

They offer four distinct brewing methods: Chemex, Aeropress, French press, and V60.

The Sacramento Press visited Broadacre Coffee to meet with co-owner Andrew Lopez, who explained the process of ordering a cup of coffee and the intricacies of the V60 brewing method.

Broadacre Coffee will celebrate its grand opening in November during Second Saturday.

Broadacre Coffee is located at 1014 10th St. Its hours are 6 a.m. - 11 p.m every day.
For more information on Broadacre Coffee, visit its website.

Restaurants compost kitchen scraps to nourish future produce

2011-09-03T02:39:15Z

Restaurants accumulate anywhere between 250 and 500 pounds of organic kitchen scraps each week, according to Green Restaurant Alliance of Sacramento co-founder David S. Baker. These hundreds of pounds of scraps, instead of filling landfills, can be used for compost to fertilize the very soil that will produce the next crop of fruits and vegetables.

Since March 2010, GRAS, in partnership with Atlas Disposal, has worked toward creating a more sustainable food industry in the city through the use of a “closed-loop” system.

“These are valuable resources that would be just going straight to a landfill and serving no use,” Baker said.

GRAS is made up of Hot Italian, Mulvaney's B&L, Selland’s Market-Cafe, Crocker Cafe, OneSpeed, Grange, Ella, Tuli Bistro, The Waterboy, The Kitchen and Magpie Caterers.

The process both begins and ends with the restaurants.

Fresh produce is delivered daily to the restaurants each morning. Most of the produce comes from Del Rio Botanical – an organic farm in West Sacramento – where most of the food scraps are also delivered for composting.

At Mulvaney’s B&L, co-owner Bobbin Mulvaney said that more than 60 percent of the produce used comes from Del Rio Botanical.

Salad greens, braising greens, flower petals, squash, herbs, spices, chilies, gypsy peppers and quail eggs are some of the products Mulvaney’s receives.

Yellow bins are provided by Atlas Disposal, one of the largest waste and recycling service providers in Sacramento.

Yellow buckets are used to collect all pre-consumer green waste. This includes kitchen prep material such as the tops of vegetables, corn husks and any other green scraps. No product that has been plated and served to customers can be added to the yellow bins, Mulvaney said.

Food that has been served and eaten from contains bacteria that cannot be used in the compost, Suzanne Ashworth, owner of Del Rio Botanical, explained.

Once the yellow pre-consumer waste buckets are filled, they are emptied out into large 75-gallon bins, called toters, provided by Atlas Disposal.

There is no cost to the restaurant to be a part of GRAS, which is a nonprofit organization, Baker said. There is only a $75 service fee for the pickup and delivery of the pre-consumer green waste by Atlas Disposal.

“It’s kind of a break-even situation,” said Nick Sikich, chief operating officer of Atlas Disposal. “What this allows us to do is reduce (restaurants’) trash rates. They used to be paying to dispose of this heavy material at the landfill. Now, we’re able to dispose of it at a different facility at a cheaper price.”

Every Friday, Atlas Disposal takes a separate route to pick up filled toters and replace them with empty ones.

This Friday, the truck was loaded with 17 empty toters, and Atlas Disposal Operations Supervisor Robert Taylor said they planned to pick up 16 from 10 restaurants. There are more than 100 toters available.

The entire route, Taylor said, is about 30 miles and concludes at Del Rio Botanical. An average daily trash route, he said, is about 130 miles.

Once all the filled toters from the restaurants have been picked up, they are brought to Del Rio Botanical and are dumped onto one of two plots of land for composting and added on top of the rotting vegetables from previous deliveries.

The pre-consumer waste is mixed with rotten alfalfa and wood chips to facilitate the composting process. It is rototilled together with a back of a tractor, Ashworth explained.

Friday, Taylor and Atlas Disposal driver Ben Evans picked up and dropped off about one and a half tons of pre-consumer green waste. The average amount of compost material collected is about one ton – 2,000 pounds – each week.

The amount of product delivered, Ashworth said, would make about 3 inches of compost.

The compost produced by these processes is used on top of the soil to fertilize all of the produce on the farm. There are 68 acres worth of produce on Del Rio Botanical delivered to restaurants, Ashworth said.

In addition to delivering the pre-consumer waste to Del Rio Botanical, deliveries are also made to local elementary school gardens or to the on-site composting receptacle, Earth Tub, located behind Hot Italian.

Food scraps are put into the Earth Tub along with leaves, wood chips or sawdust to control the moisture. There is an auger in the center and, when turned on, individuals rotate the top to mix and shred the contents. This process can be done every other day, Baker said.

The final result of this process is what ends up on the plates of diners at the restaurants. This pizza from Hot Italian is topped with zucchini, eggplant and heirloom tomatoes from Del Rio Botanical, Baker said.

Shopping secondhand, thrift store roundup

2011-08-25T06:49:09Z

With trends and fashions changing week by week, going shopping and staying in style can be a difficult, time consuming and expensive task. Low cost options are on the rise in the form of thrift stores offering low-cost secondhand clothes, unique vintage apparel and other knick-knacks and accessories.

With more than 50 different thrift stores in the greater Sacramento area, figuring out where to go for such thrifty finds can become a overwhelming scavenger hunt throughout the capital city.

The Sacramento Press hit the streets of downtown and Midtown to round up a few of the local stores making their marks in the thrift shop scene.

This ‘n’ That Thrift and Gift

2590 21st St.
457-1877

Hours:
Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday noon - 4 p.m.

This ‘n’ That Thrift and Gift is a Midtown not-for-profit store affiliated with People Reaching Out, a prevention organization geared towards keeping teens away from drugs, alcohol and violence. Net proceeds from the store go towards People Reaching Out and its cause.

The store relocated from East Sacramento last year after 11 years at its location on Folsom Boulevard.

Aside from carrying typical thrift store finds, TNT provides other unique items and services.

Incense, jewelry filled with real insects, gift-wrapping, gift baskets and $1 mystery packages are just a few of the items offered.

TNT specializes in higher-end clothing, collectibles and designer labels. There is a large women’s section and a single rack of high-quality men’s clothing, owner Lynda Tyler said.

The average prices range anywhere from $3.50 to $40, depending on the item. Tyler said that one could easily purchase a new fall outfit – complete with shoes, a handbag, top, pants, belt or a dress – for less than $20.

Tyler stocks up the best of donated items throughout the year and holds special themed events to sell the set-aside finds. A recent sales event held at TNT was the Mother’s Day hats and handbags day where she sold 500 hats and handbags during the four-hour event.

“I stash in a theme,” Tyler said. She is currently collecting barwares such as bottles, glasses and bottle openers.

Bikes are also stocked up and repaired by Archer Bicycle Service through out the year and are sold from the end of April through the end of September. Bikes range from $75 to $100.

Sacramento SPCA Thrift Store

1517 E St.
442-8118

Hours:
Sunday and Monday noon - 5 p.m.
Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

SSPCA Thrift Store carries a large selection of women’s and men’s clothing as well as antiques, collectibles, furniture, toys, musical instruments, bedding and quilts. There are rooms in the store dedicated to books, vintage and retro items as well as music and records. The items vary day to day, depending on the donations received.

Prices depend on the brand, condition and age of the items. Store manager Michael West said that the prices are comparable with other thrift stores.

Shopping at the SSPCA Thrift store benefits the dogs, cats, birds and other homeless animals at the Sacramento Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. One hundred percent of profits go directly to the SSPCA to provide care for homeless animals housed in the shelter. About $500,000 is raised each year, West said.

Goodwill

1621 L St.
441-4407

Hours:
Monday through Saturday 10 a.m - 6 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m - 6 p.m.
Every second Saturday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

The Goodwill boutique thrift store opened in June at its downtown location.

The 5,000-square-foot store carries almost 1,000 pairs of shoes, 3,000 to 4,000 books, some glassware, housewares and a large selection of ladies’ and men’s apparel. The boutique sells only adult clothing and carries only name brands, trendy and in-season items, Retail Operations Director Mark Klinger said.

Some brands carried at the store include Banana Republic, Ralph Lauren, Polo and Armani. Ninety-five percent of the stock is donated product selected from the Goodwill donations. The best items and brands are taken from the supply of donations to go into the boutique.

Clothing items – such as dyed shorts, sundresses and tops – are ordered from various vendors, many Los Angeles-based, and are available in various sizes. Jeans embellished by a local designer are also carried, Klinger said.

The store opened to fit the lively, energetic feel of the downtown area with its many shops and galleries, Klinger said. The store is meant to be chic and upscale.

Average prices are higher than other thrift stores and vary depending on the product and the brand, Klinger said. CDs and DVDs are $4 to $5 and clothing ranges anywhere between $3.99 to $29.99.

Freestyle Clothing Exchange

2101 L St.
441-3733

Hours:
Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Citrus Heights location:
6412 Tupelo Dr.
725-3733

Hours:
Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Freestyle Clothing Exchange is a buy/sell/trade clothing store.

“You can basically shop for free,” said co-owner, Elizabeth Kelley. Customers can bring in gently-used clothing and the associates will go through the items to determine its price. Based on the determined prices, they will offer either 35 percent cash or 50 percent store credit that can be used to trade for other items in the store.

Kelley and daughter Vanessa Kelley co-own Freestyle Clothing Exchange. The store specializes in particularly high-quality items: name brands, designer labels and vintage pieces. Shoes, purses, jewelry, sunglasses and hats are available.

Elizabeth Kelley described the selection as reflective of current styles and trends – such as the current trend of ‘90s grunge and floral prints. They also carry pieces from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s.

Items from purchased from vendors, such as jewelry and clothing, are also sold at the store and come in multiple sizes.

Freestyle clothing started five years ago in Citrus Heights and opened a new “little sister” store last August in Midtown. The Midtown store is smaller and more boutique-like, Elizabeth Kelley said.

Prices range from $6 to $60, and the average price is $10.

Vintage YSJ

924 12th St. between I and J streets
442–4882

Hours:
Monday through Friday 11 a.m - 6 p.m.
Saturday noon - 6 p.m.

For four years, Vintage YSJ has offered a wide selection of classic chic, modern-looking vintage clothing fit for current styles. There are several sections of clothing around the store: dresses, skirts, pants, shirts, coats and sweaters are separated and then organized as either contemporary or vintage. There is a small men’s section and a plus-size section.

Mother and daughter co-owners Maggie Kasati and Mimi Saba hand-select every item sold in the store. The items reflect their personal styles and preferences: Twenty-year-old Saba said she likes classic, chic, eclectic, vintage and brightly colored pieces while her mother prefers striped long sleeves and fitted denim.

The selection is half contemporary and half vintage, Saba said. She described Vintage YSJ as “a gateway into vintage clothing.”

Prices range from $7 to $30. Designer jeans range between $26 and $27 and vintage evening dresses or designer bags, such as Coach purses, range from $30 to $40.

Customers may bring items in to trade.

Lost Treasures Thrift Shop

1400 E St.
447-3793

Hours:
Daily 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Lost Treasures Thrift Shop opened last October by Jodette Johnson, a well-known humanitarian belly dancer with a passion for helping the homeless.

The store carries all the typical thrift store finds: household goods; clothing for men, women and children; shoes; pictures; frames; jewelry; furniture and electronics. The items come from donations to the store from community members. Johnson also goes to yard sales and looks for items to sell, she said.

Prices range from $1 to $10, with a few larger items around $20.

All the profits made at the store go directly toward helping Sacramento’s homeless.

Every day, Johnson uses the money she makes to buy food and clothes. She also buys bags of groceries to give to families that may not be able to afford them. Johnson said she receives donations from the food bank, and she personally delivers what she has out to the people on the streets, under bridges and behind buildings, she said.

“With the money I make, I buy food,” Johnson said. “I’ve been doing (this) since 1969.”

French Cuff Consignment

2527 J St.
442-3724

Hours:
Daily 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

After a death of her step-father, Corey DeRoo and her mother Darcy McNie found themselves at a crossroads, ready for a new direction in their lives.

DeRoo, who at the time worked as a trilingual teacher, and her mother who worked at a local radio station, decided to follow their dreams and open French Cuff Consignment, DeRoo said.

“It was something we always wanted to do,” DeRoo said. “It was sort of like a bucket list kind of thing. His death reminded us that life is really short and because of that it reminded us to follow our dreams.

The store opened in 2005. It specializes in women’s designer clothing and accessories. DeRoo described the store as a “chic secondhand boutique.”

“It’s a secondhand store,” she said, “but it’s not a junk store. Everything has been picked for you, so it’s different from a garage sale.”

Ninety-five percent of the items in stock are consigned from members in the community. Accessories such as hats, scarves and jewelry from various retailers are carried, depending on current styles.

Average prices range from $14 to $30 and vary depending on the brand and its popularity in current trends.

Which local thrift stores are your favorites? Share your experiences and suggestions in the comment box below.

Editorial Note: This story has been updated after it was published.

Larger than life collection at Westfield Downtown Plaza Mall

2011-08-12T02:59:58Z

Paces slow down, heads turn and curious shoppers peer through storefront windows to marvel at – not one elephant in the room – but rather 2,772 assorted elephant trinkets, and counting.

Sixty-year-old Andy Swan, clown and CEO of the Swan Brothers Circus from North Highlands, has been collecting all things elephant-related for 40 years. He is currently attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the largest elephant collection as a tribute to his late brother, who passed away last December.

Swan created a store-sized display case at the Westfield Downtown Plaza Mall for his growing elephant collection. Stuffed animals, statues, models, clothing, pictures, books, greeting cards, posters and other elephant paraphernalia line the walls, floors and tables in the store.

Swan – known as “Zippy” when performing – and his brother, Mike “Hi-Tops” Swan, co-owned the two-man Swan Brothers Circus. The brothers specialized in juggling acts, comedic performances and comedy magic shows.

“We had 37 great years (running the circus) together, and I wanted to celebrate his life,” Swan said. “We’ve always talked about getting into the ‘Guinness Book of World Records.’ ”

The current record is 5,775, held by a woman named Jan Briley – known as Elephant Lady – who has been collecting since 1972. Swan said it took Briley a year to count her collection.

Swan is in the process of counting each item in his collection. He labels each piece with a numbered sticker. In two weeks, Swan counted 2,772 elephants.

Most pieces in Swan’s collection are “secondhand elephants,” he said. He finds them at thrift stores and Salvation Army stores. Others are donated from people interested in helping his cause. Swan said he likes to think he is giving discarded elephants a second chance.

He estimates having well over 6,000 elephants – enough to beat Briley’s record – though he doesn’t plan on officially submitting his collection until he reaches 10,000.

What’s visible through his store window, Swan said, is only about half of his collection. He has many more elephants behind curtains in the back of the store, in his garage and in a large storage unit.

“I was collecting these elephants in my house and just putting them in boxes,” Swan said. “You don’t realize how many you have while you’re collecting them.”

Swan’s love for elephants began in 1970 while he was working as a juggler for the DeWayne Brothers Circus in Oregon.

“We had an elephant there – Bimbo the elephant,” Swan said. “I helped take care of him a lot. I really grew to love Bimbo, so that’s kind of why I started collecting.

“They say ‘collect what you love,’ ” Swan added. “And that’s what I’m doing.”

Swan got the idea to display his collection at the mall in February after seeing signs that management was looking for creative ideas to bring in tenants and customers.

He proposed his idea to the officials at Westfield Downtown Plaza and told them about his plan to beat the Guinness World Record. Since then, he has been in the ongoing process of packing and moving his collection into the store.

“I’m like a little ant getting ready for winter,” he said. “It’s a big chore.”

Large, colorful posters and signs decorate the front windows of the display. They read, “Andy Swan – Guinness World Record for most elephants?” and “The elephants are here!”

While Swan is working in the store, he said he sees shoppers look in and wonder what’s going on in the elephant-filled room.

Maria DeLeon, 30, food service and janitorial worker at Westfield Downtown Plaza, said she passes by Swan’s display often.

“Every time I walk by, I look in,” she said. “It’s the most elephants I’ve ever seen. Pretty much everyone always stops and looks in and wonders what’s going on in there.”

Woodland resident Tracy Jordan and her two daughters Taylor Sneed, 13, and Troi Sneed, 17, passed by the display for the first time on Aug. 5.

“Wow,” was all they could say to describe the display at first. They said they were in disbelief at the sight of all the elephants.

“You could tell there is some history behind them,” Jordan said. “Just by looking, you can see these are not elephants from 2011. It’s like they just go way back in time.”

The first elephant pieces that started the collection, Swan said, were five photographs he took with Bimbo forty years ago. His favorite piece is a 20-year-old elephant made of peanut shells and hot glue by his brother Mike. The peanut-sculpted elephant, he said, is right by the front door of the store.

Swan occasionally allows curious passers-by to step inside the first few feet of the store to take a quick look at the collection without the glass windows in between. He said he likes giving people a chance to have a closer look and a better appreciation for the collection.

“I’m inspired by all the people walking by and looking through the window,” Swan said. “I love letting other people enjoy it. I really enjoy watching people’s faces when they’re looking at these elephants. I think anybody that has a collection wants other people to be able to enjoy it too.”

To see the elephant collection for yourself, visit the upper level of Westfield Downtown Plaza at 547 L St.

To keep track of Andy Swan’s progress, check out his website.

Proposed plans revealed at intermodal community town hall

2011-08-09T08:24:48Z

Conceptual plans were revealed to the public Monday night for the intermodal transportation facility and the entertainment and sports complex proposed for the Railyards site.

Think Big Sacramento committee members presented the proposal to about 100 community members. The town hall meeting was hosted by City Councilman Rob Fong and the discussion was led by Assistant City Manager John Dangberg.

Attendees had mixed responses to the proposed facility, some questioning the economic viability and some expressing support.

Dangberg emphasized that the project would be an economic driver for the region. Fong, whose district the Railyards is in, said the plans are still in the early stages but that the Think Big Sacramento committee is fully committed to building the intermodal facility.

During his presentation, Dangberg explained that the proposed intermodal facility will be spread out, dispersed and scaled down in a grid form. Plans for the arena involve moving the location as far west as possible – close to the freeway onramp – an area, he said, that is not currently the most desirable.

The arena will also be pushed below grade, Dangberg said – normally arenas are 30 to 40 feet below grade, however, the proposed arena will be pushed even lower. With ground water and ground contamination issues, he said the proposal would have a number of preventive design challenges.

Different modes of transit will be separated by streets and sidewalks so travelers are made to walk from one location to the next – getting more people on the streets. Dangberg said they made this decision based on the advice of the Urban Land Institute to not build a major facility that would act as a barrier to the other side of the tracks.

Another benefit of spreading out the intermodal facility is that it would allow for more development between transit options, including restaurants, stores and office buildings, Dangberg said. These businesses would get a lot of foot traffic from transit users because of the site’s layout.

He added that historic buildings would not be overshadowed by large facilities.

“(This facility will be a) major driver for economic development in the city and the region,” Dangberg said.

At build-out, it is expected to bring as many as 10 millions passengers through per year – equivalent to the current number of passengers at the Sacramento International Airport, he said.

Some community members raised questions regarding the walking distance between the Westfield Downtown Plaza and the transportation sites.

Dangberg estimated the distance between Downtown Plaza to any transportation site to be roughly about 660 feet with an additional 300 feet to reach the arena.

The community members involved in the discussion showed split opinions after the presentation.

Many said they liked the concept of creating the need to walk around the city, however, at the same time, members said that a nice train station would do no good if the city is not doing well economically.

Chuck Robuck, an Auburn resident who uses transit daily, said that he likes the proposed plans for the facilities.

“I like the new concept of where they’ve opened (the intermodal facility) up in front of the arena and lowered the arena,” he said. “To me, it’s not going to be as imposing of a building and you can walk out to the view of historic buildings.”

Robuck said he is still waiting to find out what is actually going to be put into the intermodal facility in comparison to what is actually needed.

John Burton, bike advisor for Dry Creek Parkway, said that he was unhappy with the information given at the meeting.

“The meeting was a failure for me,” he said. “For the amount of time we spent sitting here, there was little information given (about the intermodal facility) so that we could have a rational discussion.”

Sacramento Metro Chamber Interim President and CEO Martha Clark Lofgren said that the Think Big Sacramento town hall provided a good opportunity for public input.

“The city has stressed the importance of the transit component including pedestrian access,” she said. “All of that will promote economic development around the arena site. That’s what we need downtown.”

Fong concluded the event by saying that the intermodal facility is the project he and Think Big Sacramento is most committed to.

“We are absolutely committed to making the intermodal work,” Fong said. “And we’re trying to see how we can make the arena work with it.”

He added that all the plans discussed are still “very conceptual.”

“The funding we have in place is great,” Fong said. “We’ve got a lot more to secure to make it happen and it really is a long-range process and so if we don’t have a lot of details, there is a reason for that.”

Fong wrapped up the discussion by letting the community know that their comments would be taken into consideration during the next steps of the planning. He also invited those interested to become “citizen architects” to share their feedback and contribute to the planning process.

To become a citizen architect or to learn more about Think Big Sacramento, visit their website.

Man on the Street: Borders stores closing – what does this mean?

2011-07-22T03:12:14Z

Floppy discs, VCRs, phonebooks and payphones – what were once considered staples of everyday life have slowly faded into the background as new technologies flourished. Are books – tangible, printed and bound pages of text – next to be added to the list of obsolete and fading trends?

After hearing the news of the Borders bookstore chain selling to a liquidator, which means the closure of all its 399 stores, The Sacramento Press went out to the streets of downtown Sacramento to ask people how they felt about this decision.

Robin Louie, 62, a retired homemaker from Roseville, said she thinks that the situation is terrible.

“We had a really big Borders and a Barnes and Noble across from the Galleria,” Louie said. “But that Borders was great. It was used for lectures and all kinds of other stuff for different groups. It’s just a bummer – it’s a shame.”

Carrying her copy of “The Accidental Bestseller” while waiting for her train at the Amtrak station, Louie faithfully remains a devotee of the paper book.

“I like books,” she said. “Real books. At Borders, there used to be a huge selection of CDs, but now there are few and fewer. And now, even if you go to stores like Target or Walmart, there are fewer and fewer books on the shelves. It’s just like newspapers.”

Louie, who just returned from a cruise to Alaska, said she noticed many people there with Kindles and other electronic books. “Too many people now use Kindles and things,” she said. “And I have to admit, they could be very handy. I read three books on the cruise, but with the Kindle, they would all be in just the one thing.”

Jonathan Su, 18, an incoming freshman at UC Davis, said that he was bummed to see the stores close but he expected it to happen. For Su, Borders was a place to hang out with friends and drink coffee at the in-store cafe.

“It was pretty expensive,” Su said. “I usually read books there, but I didn’t buy the books there. It was like a library – you just look at the books. People usually just order off of Amazon.”

Su said he doesn’t think that the books themselves will become obsolete, however.

“I think there are some things about holding an actual book,” he said. “It’s not the same when you’re reading off of the Kindle or something.”

Justin Wolf, a 25-year-old photographer from Sacramento, has been a frequent shopper at Borders.

“It’s a little disappointing,” Wolf said. “I shopped there often. I bought most of my books there, pretty much. I had the membership card and would always get emails about discounts, so I’d go there a lot.”

Wolf said he has never tried using e-readers or other devices to read his books. He added that he doesn’t think that e-readers will ever take the place of paper books.

“It’ll be like the vinyl,” he said. “They’ll always be around.”

Niki Williams, 32, an environmental consultant living in Davis, said she felt sad to hear of Borders stores closing despite being a supporter of smaller, local bookstores.

“Borders was a big-box company,” Williams said. “And even though I like to support local bookstores, it’s still really sad. It’s like removing another level of variety for consumers. And Borders wasn’t just a place where you could buy books. There’s a sort of a culture around bookstores of people who are interested in different things and in learning and expanding their horizons.”

While she said she understands the easy and convenient qualities of e-readers, Williams continues to read her books in paper form.

“I’m definitely old-fashioned,” she said. “I also like to loan people books I think they’d be interested in, and it’s hard to do that with e-readers. I think there will always be a niche market for books. They’ll be like classic cars – a select group will always follow them while everyone else is on e-readers.”

Leman Woods, a 38-year-old barber visiting from Oakland, had not yet heard about Borders closing before speaking to The Sacramento Press.

“I don’t know what to think,” Woods said. “I don’t read books – I go online to read, so I just use my computer. It’s more convenient because there are thousands of books in one place right there.”

Though Woods supports the use of electronic forms of books, he said he does not feel that they will ever fully replace the printed book.

“I don’t think everyone will start reading online or electronically,” Woods said. ”Not everybody is computer-literate.”

Christopher Ogawa, a 23-year-old cheer camp instructor from Elk Grove, said that he feels books and bookstores are very important and is sad to see Borders stores close.

“Where will people go now?” Ogawa said. “Borders was an alternative for college students to buy textbooks that were usually expensive on campus. And now it’s one less place to study. It’s disheartening because text has been there since – a long time – but now bookmakers will be out of jobs and bookstores are closing.

“Electronic books won’t replace real books,” Ogawa said. “There are so many people in the education system that support and use books. And not everyone has access or money (for electronic readers), so books will always stay around.”

What do you think? Will electronic readers and other digital forms of text replace the printed book, or are books here to stay? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Local businesses 'Like' Advanced Facebook for Business workshop

2011-06-21T07:29:15Z

93% of all American ~~adults~~ adult internet users are now on Facebook. While this is not a surprising statistic for anyone that has fielded a friend request from their mom, aunt or even grandpa, it does make it harder for small businesses to ignore Facebook as a platform to engage their target demographic. The argument that a business targets an older or less tech savvy demo than Facebook users just doesn’t hold water any longer.

Businesses without a Facebook presence are not just passing up a valuable opportunity to engage their customers, provide customer service, and gain new consumers; they're falling behind. But just being on Facebook and setting up a business page isn’t enough. A Facebook presence must be maintained and used strategically to add real value to your brand.

Enter Josh Unfried speaker at The Social Media Club of Sacramento's recent workshop, “Advanced Facebook for Business”. Unfried, the CEO of WindFarm Online Marketing, spent almost two hours teaching SMCSac members, many of whom run or work for local businesses, how to take their Facebook presence to the next level. In addition to the obvious benefits of improving customer connections, staying top of mind, driving sales through promotions and increasing visibility, Unfried asserts that Facebook is now allowing businesses to "transform customer service into marketing".

"Everyone is now able to watch how you handle a complaint, or answer a question," points out Unfried. "For those that give great customer service this is a tremendous opportunity. For those that don't, the consequences can be equally negative."

Once Unfried covered the benefits and FAQs of using Facebook, the advanced tips started to fly. Even those in the room who had seemed relatively smug about their Facebook skills were soon scrawling notes and asking in depth questions. Unfried walked through the steps of setting up a business page, not because most hadn't already done it, but because, he wagered, not all of them had done it as well as they could have. A few lesser known gems:

Facebook Business Account: Facebook generally requires users to have a personal profile in order to create a Facebook Business page. However, if you have no desire to ever have a personal Facebook profile and would like to manage a Facebook Business page only, it IS possible to create a Facebook Business Account, which does not require a personal Facebook profile.
'Tell Your Fans' feature: If you've created a new Facebook business page and are ready to start accruing 'likes' you can make sure all your current and loyal customers know about your page. Simply use the Tell Your Fans feature to upload a .csv file of your email database. From there you can do an email blast to your current contacts making them aware of your Facebook page and asking them to 'Like' your business.
Launch your page with a variety of content: before you 'Tell your fans' or share the page with your friends, make sure they don't see a blank or boring page when they get there. Videos and photos are the most engaging pieces of content a page can have. Make sure before you market the page you've already posted a mix of text, links, videos, and photos to make your page interesting when new users arrive.

Once the page is set up and ready to go, its time for the most important tool your Facebook page offers: engagement with your fans. Unfried spent a fair amount of time reiterating that engagement is key to successful Facebook marketing efforts. Increased engagement with your fans not only endears your brand to those you're engaging with, it keeps your posts higher in their news feed. The 'Top News' feed posts are ranked by which posts users are interacting with most. An engaged discussion with many comments and likes will keep your brand at the top of your 'fans' news feeds for much longer than it might otherwise.

"Does this inform? Does it inspire? Does it entertain? Does it connect?" he asks. "Ask yourself this before you post from your page."

And don't discount the "magic of randomness". Unfried shared an example of a client that is family dentist in Roseville. The most popular post shared on their wall was simply, "What color is your toothbrush?" Something about the question proved to be irresistible to the dentist's fans. The dentist was able to stay top of mind for each of their Facebook fans as they read and debated toothbrush colors. That single post allowed the dentist to remain at the top of the Top News feed for several days.

Tidbits such as these just scratch the surface of the (over) 90 minute presentation. Workshop attendees were so engaged, that as
Unfried noticed his time running low with some great content still to cover, the audience urged him to continue past his allotted time in order to glean more Facebook wisdom. When one member asked how to convert a personal profile to a business page, Unfried directed those interested to his detailed blog post on the subject, as it was more than time allowed.

Other topics covered in the workshop included growing your Facebook presence, Facebook ads, engaging other businesses, connecting Facebook to your website and more. To see Josh Unfried's Advanced Facebook for Business presentation in its entirety watch the archived UStream.

This 80 person event, which included food provided by Ten 22, beverages by Chic-fil-a, and prizes from the Sacramento Business Journal, was open to members of the SMCS and the general public. SMCSac simply requested a $10 donation to help the club continue to organize events and workshops about various social media topics. For more information about upcoming Social Media Club, Sacramento events, follow @SMCSac on Twitter. To attend the July 12th SMCSac event, register for Social Media & Motherhood on Eventbrite.com.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is a member of Social Media Club of Sacramento

District 30 brings life to K Street Mall

2011-06-06T06:06:04Z

In an attempt to bring vitality to the once desolate K Street Mall in downtown Sacramento, District 30, one of the newest night clubs, is still thriving after four months of business.

You can’t miss the bright lights of District 30. The glowing LED projected sign they have at their entrance is enticing. If it wasn’t your friends who lured you there, or what you’ve heard, it was the sign.

There appeared to be a hustle and bustle about the area which wasn’t too crazy for a Friday night, but it was still early – 11 p.m.

You’re greeted by multiple doormen who guard the black velvet ropes to enter the club.

The cover is $15 unless you sign up on the e-mail guest list days in advance on their website. That’s not a lot for a “premier nightclub and special event venue,” as they describe on their website.

For a club that is relatively new, it has been amping up the downtown scene by bringing in big-name DJ acts like Steve Aoki, The Crystal Method, Benny Benassi and Los Angeles’ LMFAO.

When they aren’t having an event, it’s just another night at the club that is open Wednesday through Saturday.

The District 30 experience is all in the eye of the beholder. It could be hit or miss depending on the crowd, who you’re dancing with, or in this case, the day of the week.

You walk in and everything is plush from the tall ceilings to the carpeting design that mimics hardwood floor. From the art on the walls and the brown and gold glass-blown light fixtures above the bar to the granite bar top and white leather booths lining the walls, it screams modern class.

People were dressed to impress. And they were dressed to attract in their heels, collared shirts and cologne. It was “Flirty Friday” according to their website. There seemed to be more women than men that night.

DJ Cams, the regular Friday night DJ, was spinning new hip-hop, pop and dance music mixed with classic oldies. He went from 50 Cent to Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” to Ke$ha.

District 30 attracts an older crowd mixed with younger adults who enjoy the scene. Jhamey Jones, 30, was leaning against the wall on the disco ball-adorned dance floor scoping out the scene.

“I’ve been here one time before,” he said. “There’s good music variety and different cultures,” he said. He liked it enough to come back, which seems to be the consensus for District 30 club-goers.

Perhaps it’s the music. I could feel the bass vibrating through my body, not surprisingly because of their state-of-the-art sound system with special tri-axial speakers generate sound at various frequencies, creating a fuller sound.

Perhaps it’s the flat-screens, or “one-of-a-kind glowing LED puzzle art” as they describe on their website, on the walls surrounding the dance floor that project visuals and artsy clips, or the colorful array of visual light designs shifting on the dance floor.

It could also be the VIP treatment. That’s what keeps Stephen Northrop, 27, coming all the way from Roseville every weekend.

“I come with a bunch of people, so for $400 bucks my friends and I can get a booth and a bottle for like $50 each,” Northrop said.

If you aren’t VIP, the bar drinks are relatively inexpensive. It’s about $4 to $5 for a bottled beer (they don’t carry any on tap), and cocktails start around $6.

“It’s fun, but for a Friday it’s different,” Northrop said. “Saturday is a better night to come. Usually the line is around the block,” Northrop added.

Doorman and VIP manager Alex Enriquez said there were about 200 people there, which he said is slow considering Wednesdays and Saturdays are the club’s busiest nights, which can be “packed” with up to 600 people.

Regardless of how many people were there, people appeared to be having fun. They were dancing, they were laughing, they were drinking their cocktails and they were on the prowl or on the wall taking it all in.

Beth Q., 34, came with her boyfriend and had been there once before.

“It could be a better crowd, but you have room and your own space to do what you want to do,” she said. “I like to people watch. The vibe is good,” she added.

It’s the kind of place where you can unwind after a long work week if you’re a young professional, or a person just looking for a good time, a new scene and a new experience, or if your friends happened to drag you there. Chances are you’ll have a good time.

Race for the Ring fundraiser brings adventure to Sacramento

2011-05-23T07:29:24Z

About 600 people wearing blue T-shirts walked and rode bicycles, searching for clues in downtown Sacramento at the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ third annual Race for the Ring event Saturday.

Food Bank communications director Kelly Siefkin said the money raised will help support all eight programs, from providing food and clothing to education and women’s resources.

“I think it’s a way to involve part of the Sacramento community and people who don’t really know about the programs,” Siefkin said. “We make it a fun day. They want to come back with their families, volunteer and be motivated about the programs.”

The event provides a fun way for people to get an “Amazing Race” experience locally.

The race kicked off with a countdown from Mayor Kevin Johnson, and participants made their way from Raley Field to downtown.

Partners Hope and Rena Richards said it was their first time doing any type of race.

“I’m a little concerned – it’s a lot of riding,” Hope Richards said. “But you’ll never know until you try.”

Individuals or pairs received clues via text message about where to find answers to trivia questions. Each team traveled on bike or on foot to specific destinations and could not use any vehicles or outside help.

Teams traveled to places like Old Sacramento, the Tower Bridge and around the Capitol to search for the answer. Every team had a different path to follow and received a different set of text messages.

If the team answered correctly, they earned points. If a team made three incorrect attempts to a question, they had to move on. Teams with the most total points won prizes.

Several teams were in high spirits during the race.

San Tsan and Brian Herman of the Magic Sticks team dressed in matching shirts with their team name.

“Magic Sticks is going to win!” Tsan said.

Husband and wife team Jessica and Steve Donaldson parked their bicycles to look for a historic landmark sign.

“(The race is) easy, because we live here,” Jessica Donaldson said.

Calvin Curtin, the marketing director for Rogers Jewelry, said the store donated prizes for the event for the top 10 teams.

“There are prizes for early entry, best team name and best costume,” Curtin said.

The big prizes for the top three places included a $3,200] Hearts on Fire pendant called Beloved for third place, a $5,700 Hearts on Fire double halo solitaire ring called Transcend for second, and a $8,600 Hearts on Fire diamond ring, for first.

Why did I get a parking ticket? New photo ticketing technology has the answer.

2011-05-20T23:38:08Z

Parking enforcement officers will now be taking pictures of parking infractions to answer the common question, “why did I get a ticket?” according to the city’s Department of Transportation spokeswoman Linda Tucker.

“We get a lot of calls every day and inquiries in our office, as well as people coming down to City Hall asking about why they got a ticket and wondering how they can contest the ticket,” Tucker said.

“We wanted to address those questions and concerns and be able to put that information online.”

The handheld ticketing device that the 50 state-employed parking enforcement officers currently use are also capable of taking pictures. With the help of a third party vendor in charge of the database of citations and internal IT support, the Department of Transportation was able to implement this new technology, and it won’t cost the city a penny.

“Putting a new computer service online is going to be a win-win for the city which is financially strapped right now and has fewer people to answer phone calls and inquiries,” Tucker said.

“Basically this allows those citizens and the revenue staff to make better use of everyone’s time by being able to access these options online,” she added.

Tucker said the officers will simply take a picture of the vehicle and license plate. If the ticket is for an expired meter, they will take a picture of the car in violation next to the expired meter. If the violation was for a pay-and-display sticker, the officer will take a picture of the car with the expired sticker and a timestamp will appear on the picture taken by a parking enforcement officer.

Mike Moore, 54, said he hasn’t had a parking ticket in years. His past tickets have been because expired time or not having paid a parking meter.

“I don’t have to park downtown very often, so I don’t have to deal with it that much.” Moore said. “I think it may be a little bit of an infringement on your privacy, but it’s definitely a deterrent for parking tickets though.”

The photos will be uploaded to www.sacpark.org by a staff member within 24 - 36 hours of when the ticket was issued. Those ticketed will be asked to enter their citation number and vehicle identification number. All necessary forms for payment options and ticket contesting can also be found on the website. No one else will be able to access the photo except the driver ticketed.

Twelve percent of the 225,000 tickets that are issued each year are contested, which equates to over 20,000 tickets, according to Tucker. And over 20,000 phone calls.

“We’ve always gone by the rule of thumb that we give the driver the benefit of the doubt, especially if the driver has not had a parking ticket ever in the city of Sacramento,” Tucker said.

“I would expect that if people see the picture that they would choose to go ahead, pay it, and be done with it.”

Xiong Her, 34, said he has never had a parking ticket, and he often relies on his monthly parking pass to insure that he does not get a ticket. He feels that the new ticketing policy is a good idea for the city.

“I think that’s a fine idea because there’s a lot of people that know they’re guilty and try to fight the charges just because.” Her said. “I think there’s going to be a lot more tickets. You can’t really disprove the photos.”

Tucker said she hopes that this will not only lower the amount of phone calls, ticket contesting, and time, but also lower the amount of tickets in general. Sacramento is one of 10 California cities to implement this new ticketing technology.

“I think it’s important for people to know that it’s not going to cost the city anything to implement this,” Tucker said. “It’s practically, with the exception of staff time, a no-cost upgrade to a service that I think will prove to be valuable for drivers to have, and convenient.”

Parking enforcement officers began using the new photo ticketing technology May 17th, according to Tucker. For more information about parking and the new ticketing procedure visit www.sacpark.org.

Amgen - Stage 2: Swift sprint takes victory

2011-05-17T04:10:07Z

The second stage of the Amgen Tour of California ended with Ben Swift winning a wild sprinting contest to the finish line in front of the State Capitol building. Swift, from Team Sky Procycling, raised his arms in victory after crossing a rain-soaked finish line on L Street.

Weather delays left Amgen racers longing for a contest after race officials cancelled the first stage in Lake Tahoe yesterday. Today's start was moved from Squaw Valley to Nevada City to avoid snowy conditions. Ironically, the event was moved from February to May last year to take advantage of better weather conditions.

Thousands of race fans lined the downtown streets to get a close look at the racers. The cyclists took three laps on a downtown circuit after entering the city from the north. A quick downpour drenched the race circuit as the riders were completing their second lap.

Photos by Ron Nabity.

More Amgen Tour of California photos are available here.

Friday Night Concerts in the Park launches SCVNGR Trek and Concert Deals

2011-05-13T21:46:40Z

Tonight, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) is adding a new twist to the Friday Night Concerts in the Park. Concertgoers can now compete for prizes in a series of challenges and receive special Concert Deals at local businesses on their mobile phones via the SCVNGR app.

Participants start by downloading the free SCVNGR app for iPhone or Android. To play, look for the “Friday Night Concerts” trek and complete a series of quick concert-themed challenges to earn points. Challenges consist of snapping pictures, answering trivia questions, and social check-ins by bumping phones with friends. Challenges will rotate each week throughout the concert series giving players more chances to win.

Downtown businesses are also offering special Concert Deals for event goers with concert wristbands every Friday night via SCVNGR. Participating businesses include 4th Street Grille, Ambrosia Café, Blue Prynt, Dive Bar, Marilyn's on K, Pyramid, and Torch Club.

“It’s our 20th season this year and while we’re sticking to our roots of live local music, SVNGR is a great new addition to the Concerts. It’s a fun platform that will allow people to interact, compete with each other, and win prizes from local businesses,” said Michael Ault, DSP Executive Director. “It’s all the fun of an old-school scavenger hunt with the bells and whistles of Facebook and Foursquare.”

Downtown businesses paint the town purple to support the Kings

2011-04-22T01:12:06Z

Downtown businesses are getting in on the underground social media campaign #HereWePurple. They’re supporting the Sacramento Kings while the NBA is in town through displays, specials, deals, freebies and more.

The social media campaign #HereWePurple has encouraged Sacramento to show support for the Kings by “painting the town purple” today while the NBA is in town meeting with local business leaders. The facebook event encourages residents to wear purple, sport a Kings jersey, put sign in your windows and cars, put up flags, wear your purple jewelry or whatever you've got all day long.

“We've been watching the campaign on Twitter and wanted to get our downtown businesses to encourage Sacramentans to get involved” said Lisa Martinez, DSP Director of Marketing and Outreach. "We've been overwhelmed by how many downtown businesses were willing to support the team and offer specials to residents to do the same.”

A number of downtown businesses have answered the call, most offering specials, deals or freebies. Additionally, many of businesses have created outward displays of support as well through lighting, uniforms, napkins, balloons; even logos and websites are turning purple.

Offers from downtown businesses include:

Mayahuel / Special: Purple Margaritas / Display: Purple balloons outside for support
Esquire Imax / Special: Free Popcorn to patrons in purple
Grange & The Citizen Hotel / Special: Kings Preservation Cocktail featuring local 209 gin, preserved grape jam, Dolin Blanc, and lemon / Display: Purple lighting in the windows
Ten22 / Special: Purple Reign Cocktail: Gin, cranberry juice, blue curacao, sweet & sour and lemon-lime soda / Display: logo with a purple border, and Ten22 Power Point presentation
3 Fires Lounge & The Residence Inn / Free scoop of purple ice cream for patrons in purple / Display: Employees dressed in Purple
Ella Dining Room & Bar / Happy Hour all day for patrons in purple – ½ price cocktails, $5 wines
Sheraton Grand Hotel/ Special: $1 Purple Sangria with Purchase of an Entrée / Display: Windows lit with purple lights, Purple napkins in Morgans Restaurant.
de Vere’s Irish Pub / Special: $4 “Kings Hooters” (purple hooter shooters) til close
The Melting Pot / Special: $5 “Kingsberry” Margaritas (Blackberry Margaritas)
Strings Express / Special: Free Cheesy Garlic Bread for patrons in purple
Chocolate Fish Coffee / Special: Free Slam Dunk Freespro (double shot of Espresso) to patrons in purple

In addition, the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership have created window displays to support Sacramento’s team. The US Bank Building, Memorial Auditorium, Ziggurat Building will join the Sheraton and Citizen Hotel in displaying purple lighting on their buildings. To stay abreast of new downtown deals and updates for the "Here We Purple" campaign, follow Downtown Sacramento Partnership on Twitter: @DowntownSac.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is Marketing Manager for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

Man on the street: "there ought to be a law..."

2011-04-21T21:22:44Z

Everyone has thoughts and opinions about the laws we abide by. The Sacramento Press hit the streets recently and asked random people what law they thought should exist in Sacramento.

Edward Nelson, 22, who is a musician and writer, said he thought there should be a law for stricter education standards.

“There ought to be a law for standards in education that states that teachers who aren’t turning out students at a specific level at the end of each year have to go retest for their teacher’s license again,” Nelson said.

“I hear so many stories about teachers trying to go on strike and form new unions to get them more money. My initial response to that is after seeing so many students that are in college and higher education who can’t even put an essay together, maybe you should turn out more students that can actually read, or spell the name of the college they’re applying to correctly on their application before we decide to give them more money.”

Matías Antonio Bombal, 43, master of ceremonies in stage/screen/radio/television, said he would create a law that required people to act more humanely.

“There ought to be a law that requires a certain amount of humanity in people’s daily lives so that they consider other people that they encounter with the consideration in which they would like to also be considered,” Bombal said.

“We are all people, and as people, we need to consider each other as people and not part of a group or someone who’s like a type or a thing... We need to have the philosophy, the patience and the tolerance to enjoy each other instead of hate each other.”

Chaez Boswell, 29, entertainment and event consultant, said he thinks parents should be required by law to take parenting classes.

“There ought to be a law for mandatory parenting classes. I think it’s just necessary to give people the skills to raise children in this world. There’s a lot of young people who are watching “16 and Pregnant” and “Teen Mom” and think it’s the cool thing to do, and they have no idea what they’re really getting into.”

Theresa Montaño, 58, a professor at California State University, Northridge, said she wanted to create a law for public education funding.

“There ought to be a law for funding public education without having to go to the Legislature and beg for it. I think our schools need it. Our schools, our colleges, our universities are our future, and the fact that every year having to fire teachers and beg for money is just unconscionable.”

Amanda Sanders, 24, who is a graphic designer, had a similar answer to Bombal.

“There ought to be a law that when you pass someone, you have to say hello. I think that’s the first step to peace in the world.”

How would you complete the statement, “There ought to be a law in Sacramento that …”? Let us know in the comment section below.

3 Comedians, 1 Live Band to Bring Cheers and Raise Hope for Blood Cancer Survival

2011-04-20T08:15:04Z

On Saturday, April 30th, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Woman of the Year candidate Vickie Lee from Sacramento launhes the first event of her campaign to raise awareness and raise funds for cancer research. The funds raised from this event will offer hope and support for those impacted by blood cancers such as for the local children honorees Kylie(9) from Roseville and Jackson(5) from Folsom. Both children are going through treatment for Leukemia.

With 2 young children, a full time job as an insurance and financial professional, along with the familial duty of taking her parents to doctors' appointments, many would ask why Vickie is willing to subject herself and her family to the 10 week campaign. It all stems from her hope to find the cure and improve the quality of care for her mother, who was diagnosed with Lymphoma in 2009.

Join her on Vickie's birthday Saturday, April 30th to help make her wish come true and also gain a research grant in honor of the children honorees and her mother.

Event: Laugh Out Loud - Comedy & Music Show featuring comedians Bob Hernandez, Rick Pulido & Del Van Dyke(Voted Best Comic in Sac). and Live Band: Not for Profit
Location: Palare Lounge 1009 10th Street(corner of 10th & J), Sacramento, CA
Tickets: $45/person

For more information call 916-606-8877 or visit online at http://sacr.mwoy.llsevent.org/vickie
All proceeds go towards the efforts of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

UC Davis Professor to give 'Social Media & Social Uprising' lecture at The California Museum

2011-04-15T05:17:03Z

In the past several years, social media has played an ever growing role in calling for, organizing, and executing social uprisings and upheaval around the globe. Increasingly, these uprisings are bringing about significant social change in not only their country of origin but amongst those involved via social media channels. In contrast, some countries are dealing with unrest and the threat of uprisings by locking down Internet access and jailing citizens for sharing certain information online.

The Social Media Club of Sacramento (SMCSac) makes a monthly habit of examining the various ways social media is impacting our everyday interactions, culture, and society at large. The club has partnered with the California Museum to explore the fascinating topic of the role of Twitter, Facebook, Google, and other social media channels in bringing about global social change. Their upcoming event, Social Media and Social Uprising, will be held Tuesday, April 19th at the California Museum on 10th & O streets. Featuring keynote speaker Professor Anupam Chander, a leading scholar in the law of globalization and digitization at the UC Davis School of Law, SMCSac will explore how social media paves the way for citizens to shift from 'friends' to revolutionaries.

In his keynote address, Professor Chander plans to touch on topics that range from the role social media plays in unfree societies, to the corporate social responsibility of companies like Google and Facebook. After the talk, the discussion will be opened to the audience for a Q&A with Professor Chander. Audience members can discuss these topics further, or explore how these insights can be applied to their lives, community, and understanding of global social issues.

The museum gallery will open at 5:30pm, and the evening will commence at 6pm with a wine and appetizer reception hosted by Grace Patriot Wines and the new downtown restaurant Blue Prynt. Professor Chander will begin his keynote address around 7pm, with discussion and networking to follow.

Advance tickets are recommended and can be purchased online. If available, tickets may also be purchased at the door on Tuesday. For more information on the Social Media and Social Uprising event, Professor Anupam Chander, the California Museum, or SMCSac, visit the event website or call (916) 653-7524.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is a member of the Social Media Club, Sacramento

Social Media Club's Sacramento chapter hosts "Blogging for Business" workshop

2011-03-28T23:20:30Z

So, your business has a website. Then you heard that blogs are the thing that every website needs to helps your business connect with customers. So, now your website has a blog... and you have no idea what to do with it. Enter Jennifer Bourn, owner of Bourn Creative and the guest speaker at the Social Media Club, Sacramento (SMCS) workshop, "Blogging for Business". The workshop, held at Drexel University in Downtown Sacramento on March 24th, aimed to help small business owners and other business bloggers ensure the rewards reaped through their blog is worthy of the time spent.

There is no question that blogging, whether for business or pleasure, requires a significant investment of time to be done right. Time alone however, does not a successful blog make. How do you know which platform to use? What are plugins and why are there so many of them? How can you tell which tools are adding to your blog and which are detracting... or worse, distracting your customers from making purchases or connecting with your message? And once you get your blog all set up, what do you write about?

In an intensive 90 minute workshop Bourn spelled out the how-tos, recommendations, and best practices to make a business blog successful. She began by clarifying the goal of business blogs, because many business owners launch blogs without being clear on what they're using the blog to accomplish. The goals of any business blog should be to posisition your company and brand, communicate with your customers, educate your market and showcase your expertise in your field, and to make a personal connection with your readers.

"People don't want to connect with a cold brand," explained Bourn, "they want to connect with the people at the company."

Its the humanity shown through your posts that encourage readers to return or subscribe to your blog. Finding ways to make your posts personal, memorable, and emotional will allow customers and readers to not only connect with your brand, but with you as a blogger. When you connect to customers on a personal, human level trust and loyalty can be gained.

In addition to compelling, personalized content, Bourn stressed the importance of paying attention to the design elements of your blog. "Look at your sidebar [and think], 'How does this bring value to my users?'" Bourn points out that a date based archive system in the sidebar, while often used, is practically useless to your readers, "What does this tell them other than you posted content at some point that month? Delete it."

Other items to remove from your sidebar? Any links that may distract your potential customer from spending money on your site, or lead them away from your blog, including Twitter or Facebook scolls, avatars, and boxes. Bourn points out that we spend so much energy on our social media sites trying to get people to our blog for more content and the chance to convert to a sale. Why, once they get there, would we try to send them away from your focused content back to the world of social media?

These tips were just a tip of the iceberg of expertise shared during the interactive workshop. Attendees were encouraged to bring their laptops to follow along and live tweet the event. The 50 person event, which included food provided by Paesano's, was open to members of the SMCS and the general public. SMCS simply requested a $10 donation to help the club continue to organize events and workshops about various social meda topics.

For more tips on blogging and business, visit the Bourn Creative blog on their website. For more information about upcoming Social Media Club, Sacramento events, follow @SMCSac on Twitter.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is a member of the Social Media Club, Sacramento.

A reveler's guide to the de Vere's St. Patricks Day Party in the Park

2011-03-16T19:00:30Z

The weather forecast for Thursday is clear and sunny and Sacramento is counting down the hours to this year's biggest St. Patrick’s Day party.

The de Vere’s Party in the Park kicks off at 10 a.m. on Thursday March 17th at Cesar Chavez Plaza in Downtown Sacramento for 12 hours of St. Patrick’s Day festivities, music, pipes, dancers, food, and drinks. 9th street between I and J streets will be closed to traffic beginning at 5 am to make room for all of the St. Patrick's Day festivities happening in the park. The street will reopen to traffic after midnight.

Advance ticket sales for the Party in the Park available at deveresderules.com end at 11:30 a.m. on March 16, but tickets are available for purchase at the door on Thursday. Party proceeds will benefit Maryhouse, a daytime women and children’s homeless shelter at Loaves and Fishes. You can also purchase raffle tickets to win a trip for two to Ireland for $1 either online via the "Tickets" link at deveresderules.com or on site during the Party in the Park.

Good Eats
Stop by the Party in the Park during your lunch to purchase your ticket to the event and pick up some good eats. Downtown restaurants including de Vere’s Irish Pub, Grange, Café Soliel, Tuli Bistro, and Shady Lady will be serving up great food with menus ranging from pizza, pulled pork sliders, corned beef, and beer brats. Ins and outs are allowed up until 2:00pm, allowing downtown workers the opportunity to take a long lunch at the park, have some wonderful food, and catch Nine 8ths Irish at 11:30am, and Irish Dancers at 1:30pm. Just make sure you leave the park before 2:00pm if you want to gain re-entry later in the afternoon or after work!

Live Entertainment
Live entertainment will rock the park throughout the day featuring traditional Irish entertainment from the Kennelly School Irish Dancers and Sacramento Firefighters Pipes and Drums. 106.5 The Buzz and Radio 94.7 will be on site all day, with appearances by Andy Hawk of Jaime White Mornings on The Buzz, and Casey & Alicia from Radio 94.7. Live musical performances begin at 11:30 am with Nine 8ths Irish, and continue through the day with Whiskey & Stitches at 2:30 pm and the Black-Eyed Dempseys at 4:30 pm. Headliner and San Francisco U2 tribute band, Zoo Station takes the stage at 7:30 pm.

Getting around
If you’re planning to party in the park, make sure you plan ahead to get home safe by having a designated driver, taking public transit, or spending the night Downtown.

Party-goers have a variety of transit options available for the event. The DSP has partnered with Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA) to provide complimentary bike valet service at the Party in the Park. For those driving to the event, a discounted parking rate of $5 after 5 p.m. is available at the City Hall Garage located at 10th and I streets.

Last Call Sacramento will also be onsite to prevent buzzed and drink drivers from getting on the road. The local company will provide complimentary safe rides for event attendees and their cars courtesy of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

Local hotels are also offering special discounts on St. Patrick’s Day for party goers. The Hyatt Regency Sacramento is offering a $99 rate on March 17 with promo code “BFFE Rate Plan.” The Citizen Hotel is offering rooms for $109/night online using promo code “CLOVER” for stays March 16-20.

Keep the Party Going
If your evening isn't over at 10pm when the de Vere's St. Patrick's Day Party in the Park comes to a close, there are a variety of St. Patrick's parties continuing into the wee hours. The de Vere's Pub Party will continue til last call, and is within walking distance. Buy your tickets in advance at sacstpats.com to make sure you can get in after the Party in the Park. Events at Brew it Up!, Gallaghers, Dive Bar, Vive!, Parlare, and District 30 are also very close by. If you're ready for fourth meal, de Vere's has got you covered for amazing Irish food, and Wayside Noodles, Ambrosia Cafe, Pizza Rock, and Cafeteria 15L are all close by and open late with delicious grub to fill your belly.

For more event details, visit deveresderules.com. or sacstpats.com Don’t forget, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership (@DowntownSac) be tweeting live from the park all day on Thursday. Follow the conversation on Twitter by searching the hashtag #SacStPats.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is the Marketing Manger for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

Dave's racing for a reason - Race for the Ring 2011

2011-03-15T17:36:33Z

The thrid annual Race for the Ring is coming to Sacrament on May 21, 2011. This text messaged based treasure hunt on bike through downtown Sacramento is sponsored by Rogers Jewelry Co and directly benefits programs at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. Teams of two will pedal, scoot and wheel their way through downtown Sacramento guided by text message clues in search of over $35,000 in prizes. Each week leading up to the event, we will interview someone who is involved in the race to find out why they are racing for a reason.

Interview with Dave Katten participant in last year's event.

A bit about our racer

Former Sacramento resident and connoisseur of fine Californian burgers. Oh Squeeze Inn, how I miss your cheese skirt.

Are you participating in this year's Race for the Ring? If so, what are you looking forward to the most?

No, sadly I'm no longer in Sacramento, which is a bummer since the Race is literally my favorite event of the year.

What motivates you to be part of this cause?

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services does so many great things for the community, that the Race is really a privilege to participate in. Sure the prizes are great, but it's such a fun morning, and it's for a great cause. There is absolutely no downside to this race - it's fun, it's good exercise and it helps people who do great things for the the Sacramento area.

If you participated last year, what was your favorite thing about the race?

Easy - me and my buddy had only lived in Sacramento for 2-3 years, but our friends were lifelong residents and knew midtown back and forth. On top of that, neither of us biked much at all, and our friends were supercyclists. Like, Ironman-quality. Heck, those guys even scouted potential locations and questions. So when we won something and they finished just outside of the prizes...oh man, that was sweet. But even before I found out we did well, it was just a great, fun adventure around the city. With the added bonus of a competitive spirit :)

What is your role with Race for the Ring 2011 and/or Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services?

I know a few staff members and volunteers at SFBFS who who told me about the Race.

What is one thing the public might not (but should) know about Sacramento Food Bank& Family Services?

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services does so much more than distribute food. It offers adult classes in many areas, computer courses and clothing. SFBFS is there to help the community in myriad ways, and it's run by top people; really, the folks that volunteer and coordinate are just top notch.

Anything else you'd like to add about yourself or the event?

Best. Event. Ever. Defitely the most fun I had in Sacramento.

For more information about the event or to register to participate, please visit www.raceforthering.com. For more informaiton about Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, please visit www.sacramentofoodbank.org.

Party in the Park to benefit homeless women & children

2011-03-15T17:20:46Z

This year de Vere’s Irish Pub and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) are teaming up to host Sacramento’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day event at Cesar Chavez Plaza on March 17 and to give back to a good cause. The de Vere’s Party in the Park will benefit Maryhouse, a daytime women and children’s homeless shelter at Loaves and Fishes.

“We started this party years ago to create a signature event for Sacramento and give back to the community that had been so supportive of us as a new business,” said de Vere’s Irish Pub Owner Henry de Vere White. “By moving to a larger venue, we’ll be able to do more for our charity partner Maryhouse and continue our mother’s legacy for their cause.”

The de Vere family’s affiliation with Maryhouse began when de Vere’s mother, Antoinette de Vere White, first got involved with a homeless lunch program over 27 years ago. “We started to talk to the women and children to find out what they did after they had lunch with us, and we realized that they had absolutely nowhere to go. The women had to just walk about with their children, carrying all their belongings,” Antoinette de Vere White, associate director of Maryhouse explained, “So the idea for a place where they could come throughout the day, be indoors, and try and retrieve their lives again seemed like a very essential service.”

Maryhouse Women & Children’s Day Shelter serves as a home address for their clients and provides a place to be during the day. Homeless women and their children can shower, have a meal from the Hot Breakfast Meal Program, and continue education at the Mustard Seed School. Maryhouse also offers mail service and telephones so their guests can contact potential rentals, welfare agents, and family members.

Antoinette, a Maryhouse volunteer since its inception, began working full time for the organization after her children, Mark, Henry, and Simon de Vere White, had grown. “The women are just very special people. The humor and strength that is shown by them, many of whom are just there because of poverty, is tremendous,” Antoinette said. “When you are living paycheck to paycheck, one small thing and it’s all over, and you’re out on the street again. When you are very poor, it is very hard to hold onto a roof over your head.”

Funds raised by the de Vere’s St. Patrick’s Day Party in the Park will be used to purchase vital supplies to keep the day shelter stocked as donations run low. Such items include baby formula, jars of baby food, diapers, warm clothing, blankets and other supplies.

Additionally, proceeds will be used for the organization’s Crisis Fund. According to Antoinette, the Crisis Fund is there to help the most vulnerable women and families when all other resources have been exhausted. The fund is a direct response to the current economic climate and increase incidences of first time homelessness.

“The County of Sacramento has been unable to provide a winter shelter this year for men, women, and children. We set up this fund to help families with small children, as well as ill or elderly women, who have no shelter in bad weather,” Antoinette said, “The fund can provide respite room for those who are ill, transportation for those who need to get to their families, and, if funds are sufficient, an emergency motel room for a family in dire need.”

de Vere’s Irish Pub and DSP hope that moving the event to Cesar Chavez Plaza, a much larger venue than the previous one, will allow the St. Patrick’s Day festivities to make an even bigger impact for Maryhouse.

“Through the DSP’s ongoing homeless outreach efforts, we’ve seen the devastating effects the recession has had on our community. The face of homelessness is changing and sadly this includes more families with children,” said DSP Executive Director Michael Ault. “This event is a opportunity to pull our community together to raise awareness for homelessness and to give back to those in need.”

Admission to the event is $25 and tickets are now on sale at SacStPats.com. The event will feature food from local restaurants and live entertainment throughout the day including Irish dancers, Sacramento Firefighters Pipes and Drums, and live performances by local bands Nine 8ths Irish, Whiskey and Stitches, and the Black-Eyed Dempseys. The evening will end with headliner and San Francisco U2 tribute band, Zoo Station.

The de Vere’s St. Patrick’s Day Party in the Park will end Sacramento’s weeklong celebration which included the Old Sacramento St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 12, Shamrock’n Half Marathon on March 13, St. Baldrick’s Day on March 14 and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at de Vere’s Irish Pub on March 17. For tips for planning your week, hotel specials and more; visit SacStPats.com or follow Twitter @SacStPats..

Sacramento's biggest St. Patrick's Day Party

2011-03-15T15:25:59Z

This year, de Vere’s Irish Pub and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) are teaming up to host Sacramento’s biggest St. Patrick’s Day event at Cesar Chavez Plaza at 10th and J streets on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Proceeds from the event will benefit Maryhouse, a daytime women’s and children’s homeless shelter at Loaves & Fishes. Maryhouse provides much-needed support and services for this vulnerable population, including the Hot Breakfast Meal Program and crisis management.

“We’re moving our annual block party to the park, but will still host a pub party at de Vere’s on St. Patrick’s Day. By moving to a larger venue, we can do more for our charity partner, Maryhouse,” said de Vere’s Irish Pub co-owner Henry de Vere White. “DSP is a natural partner for Party in the Park because of their experience producing signature events downtown and for their ongoing homeless outreach efforts downtown.”

Admission to the Party in the Park is $20 in advance online and $25 at the door. Admission to the Pub Party is $10. Tickets are for sale at SacStPats.com.

The event will feature food from local restaurants and live entertainment throughout the day, including Irish dancers and the Sacramento Firefighters Pipes and Drums band. Live musical performances begin at 2:30 p.m. and continue throughout the day with Nine 8ths Irish, Whiskey and Stitches and the Black-Eyed Dempseys. The evening will end with headliner and San Francisco U2 tribute band Zoo Station.
The Sacramento Press will be live-streaming video and photos of the event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. See videos of interviews and performances from the bands, event representatives and organizers, the Firefighter Pipe and Drum Corps, Irish dancers and much more.

Photo stream of the event will also be available through Liveshare, a photo-streaming application available for download to your iPhone or Android smart phone. Photos will be uploaded throughout the day right here on The Sacramento Press, de Vere’s Irish Pub’s Facebook page and a special de Vere's St. Partrick’s Day Party in the Park Facebook page, created to provide the photo stream as well as updates and details on the festivities.

Interviewees for the live stream will include, but are not limited to: pub owners Henry and Simon de Vere White, Lisa Martinez of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, a representative of Maryhouse, Vince Koll of Last Call Sacramento and the Guinness Girls and Tulamore Dew Girls.

The de Vere’s St. Patrick’s Day Party in the Park and Pub Party will end Sacramento’s week long celebration, which so far has included the Old Sacramento St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 12, Shamrock’n Half Marathon on March 13 and St. Baldrick’s Day on March 14 . For tips for planning your week, hotel specials and more, visit SacStPats.com or follow us on Twitter @SacStPats.

Free live streaming by Ustream

Free video chat by Ustream

Joan Rivers at the Crest Theatre - Slideshow

2011-03-14T08:13:30Z

Toasting the Irish at Cesar Chavez Park

2011-03-11T01:57:46Z

Sacramento’s St. Patrick’s Day party will be held downtown this year instead of on L Street so the event can accommodate the thousands of expected festivalgoers, according to Lisa Martinez, director of outreach and marketing for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

The downtown organization and de Vere’s Irish Pub are organizing this year’s de Vere’s St. Patrick’s Day Party in the Park at Cesar Chavez Park from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, March 17.

“Our goal is to create a bigger footprint for the event,” said Martinez, Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s director of outreach and marketing.

From 5 a.m. to midnight on March 17, Ninth Street will be shut down between I and J streets for the event.

Last year’s St. Patrick’s Day event hosted by de Vere’s Irish Pub drew close to 7,000 people, according to the pub’s website.

Holding the event at Cesar Chavez Park at 10th and J streets provides a larger stage area and “more elbow room for our customers,” Martinez said.

More attendees would also mean more funds raised for Maryhouse, a Sacramento women and children’s homeless shelter that will receive 50 percent of the proceeds from the event, Martinez said.

Apart from toasting St. Patty’s Day and Ireland, attractions at the party include Irish dancers, a bagpipe show and several bands, including a U2 cover band from San Francisco called Zoo Station.

The event’s organizers hired 14 Sacramento Police officers to work the event, according to police spokesman Sgt.Norm Leong.

Last Call Sacramento, a designated-driver taxi service, will be at the event to drive any impaired partgoers home free of charge, according to Martinez.

Portable restrooms will be at the park. “We will have plenty of potties for everybody,” Martinez said.

Tickets are $22 online and $25 at the door.

Read more about the event’s attractions here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Michelle's Racing for a Reason - Race for the Ring 2011

2011-03-07T19:10:01Z

Interview with Michelle McCauley, contestant in last year's event.

A bit about our racer

Michelle grew up in Southern California and moved to Northern California in 2001 to attend University of California, Davis. While at Davis I was a coxswain on the women's crew team for 4 years and met my husband Scott. In 2006, the pair married, moved to Sacramento and Michelle began working in the fund development department at WEAVE (Women Escaping a Violent Environment) located in downtown Sacrmento. While working at WEAVE she met staff members at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) who introduced Michelle to the wonderful programs and volunteers at SFBFS. Michelle began participating in SFBFS' infamous Run to Feed the Hungry on Thanksgiving Day. Michelle enjoyed supporting the organization, but her slight obsession with the CBS show Amazing Race drove her and her husband to immediately sign up for the event. The pair had even applied to be participants on the globe-trotting show and Michelle knew they would do well. "It's such a good fundraiser, who would not want to participate?" Last year Michelle and her husband created "Team Rock Solid" and the pair really enjoyed biking around downtown Sacramento. The two hope to participate again this year. Michelle currently works for Media Solutions, a local women owned media buying agency as a Media Buyer. In her spare time, she enjoys serving on public relations/events commmittees for various non-profits in Sacramento, running or biking on the beautiful American bike trail and spending time with friends and family enjoying all Sacramento and the surronding areas have to offer.

Racers will be racing around town in search of jewelry graciously donated by Rogers Jewelers. What is your favorite piece of jewelry that you own?

My wedding ring

Are you participating in this year's Race for the Ring? If so, what are you looking forward to the most?

I would participate if I wasn’t going to be 8 months pregnant. I LOVE this event and can’t wait to participate in 2012!

What motivates you to be part of this cause?

I love knowing that every dollar I give to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services goes directly to Sacramento families in need. I realize all non-profits have overhead cost, however when you give to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services you see exactly where your dollars are being spent. It’s our responsibility to give back to the community we live in...why not have fun doing it? This event is unique, fun, well organized, and most of all provides services to Sacramento families in need!

If you participated last year, what was your favorite thing about the race?

I love participating with my husband. We had the best time biking around Sacramento and pretending we were on the Amazing Race. The clues were fun and we loved learning more about Sacramento!

What is your role with Race for the Ring 2011 and/or Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services?

I will help out in any way I can! I am sure my friends and husband will participate this year.

What is one thing the public might not (but should) know about Sacramento Food Bank& Family Services?

Anyone in Sacramento County can utelize various services at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. They have a wonderful volunteer program and great staff.

Anything else you'd like to add about yourself or the event?

I encourage everyone to participate in this event!

Last week to vote for local agencies to win $10K grant from Sutter Health

2011-02-11T18:43:28Z

To celebrate its 10th year of community benefit funding, Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento (SMCS) will award one of its community partners an additional $10,000 grant for 2011. The winner will be determined through online voting that will close on February 16. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP) and 16 other local agencies are using social media to help garner the votes they need to win the additional grant money.

"If the DSP is fortunate enough to be granted the additional funding, our organization plans to use it to fund homeless and youth outreach,” said Ryan Loofbourrow, DSP community services director, “Mental illness is one of the leading causes of homelessness. We would love the opportunity to use the $10,000 bonus grant to assist the most vulnerable of our homeless population in gaining access to care and treatment.”

Website visitors can help the DSP win the additional funding by voting at www.smcscommunityvote.com for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s vision statement. The 140-character statement illustrates how each agency is changing the world by improving or saving lives and contributing to our community. The DSP’s vision statement reads, “DSP leads the way in homeless & youth street outreach, making a difference by restoring the heart of our city by first rebuilding lives of the lost & forgotten.”

“Our Street outreach team believes that finding housing for the homeless and positive opportunities for our youth is an investment in our community’s future,” explained DSP Executive Director Michael Ault, “We have the people and the ability but we need funding to help open those doors to success.”

Other agencies receiving grants from SMCS and vying for the $10,000 bonus grant include Stanford Settlement, River City Food Bank, People Reaching Out, Society for the Blind, Sacramento ACT, WEAVE, Cottage Housing, Francis House, Loaves & Fishes, St. John's Shelter Program, Women's Empowerment, Center for Community Health and Well-Being, SPIRIT Project, The Effort, Sacramento Self Help Housing and Cover the Kids.

"No matter which agency wins, the real winner is the Sacramento community, "said Lisa Martinez, DSP director of marketing and outreach, "There is a lot of great work being done in our city by these organizations every day, and we are proud that our community services department is among them."

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is the Marketing Manager for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership

Sacramento's Alien Invader

2011-01-27T23:22:04Z

When visiting the downtown/midtown area of Sacramento, be on the lookout for Sacramento’s favorite alien, the Brutha From Another Planet (B.F.A.P.). He can be spotted performing his unique dance moves to his favorite music on his space age music box which includes 70’s and 80’s funk, disco, and dance music from all eras. The B.F.A.P. was named by a group of admirers who first witnessed his funky dance moves.

Meeting and greeting the B.F.A.P. is easy. He is very family friendly and is a great crowd pleaser. Youngsters of all ages are delighted and frightened by his robotic dance movements after seeing him frozen in place.

Ruben of South Sacramento, age 10, described the B.F.A.P. as “Really Good.” Angela, a 30-something woman visiting from the Bay Area stopped to have her photograph taken with the B.F.A.P. She stated that the B.F.A.P. was “Awesome.” When Jamy of Carmichael, age 6, stopped to contribute a dollar to the B.F.A.P. to help repair his crashed spaceship, she was startled, terrified, and thrilled by his excited reaction in gratitude. With the support of her parents, she eventually posed with the B.F.A.P. for a picture.

The B.F.A.P. relates that his body movements are robotic because the gravity here on earth is stronger than on his home planet. At different times of the month his skin color, music box, and clothing change from silver to gold due to mysterious forces from outer space. Because of his alien heritage the B.F.A.P. is unable to speak. Beings from his home planet communicate with sounds that human ears hear as a thin whistle. The B.F.A.P. understands and writes in English. The information for this article was obtained through written questions and answers via email at Bruthafromanotherplanet@yahoo.com. The B.F.A.P. welcomes comments and will respond to questions from anyone who wants to know more about him and his home planet.

The B.F.A.P. is no stranger to Sacramento. He visited the area from 2001-2004 until he was summoned back to his home planet. After a 6 year absence, he missed his friends in Sacramento so much he decided to make the return trip. His spaceship malfunctioned and crash landed in Cesar Chavez park in the spring of 2010. Unfortunately, the B.F.A.P. is stranded until his spaceship is repaired.

When the B.F.A.P. is not meeting old friends and making new ones on the streets of Sacramento, he is busy repairing his spaceship in a top-secret location. Generous supporters often make donations to help him to raise enough funds to repair his spaceship.

When you see the B.F.A.P. make sure to take a moment to enjoy his charming personality. He is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Holiday Evenings on K Street

2010-12-17T19:29:00Z

Fog around US Bank and Wells Fargo towers seen from K St.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Editorial: Crime and the City

2010-11-30T02:59:17Z

My, it was a busy weekend around Sacramento. And I'm not talking about the holiday.

People were shot, people were killed and people (and homes) were robbed. And there was all the other horrible stuff that happens daily.

I took the four-day weekend off from news consumption. Monday morning, I remembered why. Much of it, especially the crime news, is depressing and does nothing to improve my life. Worse, some of it is not even entirely true.

But confronting it now gives me the opportunity to ask Sacramento Press readers a question about the future of this website.

But first, as they say, the news:

The big news that I missed until Monday was that a group of four people – described in The Bee and other media as "a family of four" – were shot at (and two hit) near the Safeway at 19th and S. They were walking to Panda Express. This was, of course, seized upon by Sacbee.com commentors as proof that "downtown" Sacramento is unsafe.

Having taken place a mere two blocks from The Bee building, and since the central city remains our civic focus, this was the big news. But it wasn't the only news.

A man was shot in Folsom during a dope deal gone bad. The victim said the shooter, a customer, was from Elk Grove. Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy was shot and killed while walking near Encina High School in Arden Arcade. A man was shot outside the Virgin Sturgeon restaurant on Garden Highway on Sunday morning.

And Monday's big crime news was that a former Sacramento County sheriff's deputy Chu Vue was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for arranging the murder of state correctional officer Steven Lo. That murder occurred in South Sacramento. Cop-on-cop murder. What next?

Meanwhile, there were ten home burglaries over Thanksgiving week in supposedly bucolic Folsom. Notice that none of these crimes occurred in the central city. The fact that there were also 10 robberies in Midtown in November shouldn't make people in Folsom feel smug.

My point isn't that murders and other crimes don't occur in the central city; it's that they happen all over, but only downtown/Midtown gets branded for it.

Think back to the “Second Saturday shooting” that occurred in Midtown a few months ago, and how much drama it stirred up in the central city. Everything that happens in downtown Sacramento – as long as it’s bad – seems to expand in meaning when it hits the local media.

So, back to this horrible story of the "family of four walking to a restaurant" that The Bee, KCRA-3 and other outlets reported, once again stoking fear in – and of – the central city.

The truth was actually this: A 21-year-old man, his girlfriend and her two younger brothers were approached and shot at by suspected gang members.

"It's being investigated as a gang-related shooting," Sacramento Police spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong told me Monday afternoon.

Which means we still don't know much. But things are rarely as simple as they may first seem, and where there is a "gang-related" crime, there is no telling who is a gangster and who is a victim, or what the relationship between the shooter and the victim might be.

What we do know is that this is a very different story than the image of a "family of four," whether from the suburbs or not, coming to the central city, going to a shopping center and being randomly shot.

How random this was, we don't know. But we do now know the make-up of this "family." But The Bee's lede and headline ("Gunmen shoot 2 members of family walking to midtown eatery") remained in place, uncorrected, as late as 6 p.m. Monday. This was even after the police had clearly said that this was not a family in any sense readers would recognize.

And thus is Sacramento's urban core tarred: not safe for "families."

This sort of news is destructive to our central city. It lacks nuance. It lacks accurate information. And it hurts Sacramento.

Beyond that, like most crime reporting, it's useless information. What can I do with it? I won't stop shopping at Safeway, I won't stop walking downtown after dark – that's after 5 p.m. these days, folks – and it certainly won't stop me living downtown.

But it did confirm the wisdom of my impulse to take the long weekend off of news. And it raised a question in my mind:

Who wants crime reporting in The Sacramento Press?

Crime news is a staple of local news reporting – TV would cease to be profitable without it – but we don't run much crime news on The Sacramento Press.

That's not because I don't like it; it's because we don't have the staff, and our readers have thus far not expressed much interest in it. But we want to expand our coverage of Sacramento, and we want to do it in ways that reflect reality, rather than just offering sensational fodder.

What do you think? Would you, as a Sacramento Press reader, like more crime reporting? This being an open platform, you can of course just post such news yourself, as Ed Fogle, of Maverick Photography, and his colleagues occasionally do.

But I am contemplating a new section on the Press, perhaps expanding our coverage not just to "crime" but to "public safety." Such a section could offer not just bad news to scare (and perhaps thrill) readers of such things, but also help make our neighborhoods safer and our citizens more savvy.

So I'm curious: Do you want more "crime" reporting? Fire reporting? Advice on dealing with either, and with other public safety issues? What would those be?

How can we do it differently, so that we don't spread misinformation or simply scare people to no good end? How can The Sacramento Press move journalism forward, so that we're not a mouthpiece for the police department on the one hand, or a cheap thrill to "sell papers" on the other?

This is what we do, and we're learning. We want to do it better, and I’d love to hear your ideas.

New possibilities as arena task force reboots

2010-11-19T02:05:56Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson's arena task force resumed its work to get a new facility built in Sacramento Thursday – minus two members who've now thrown their expertise behind a runner-up proposal.

At the same time, the task force is opening the process to more developers after its top choice – a complicated three-way land swap submitted by developers Gerry Kamilos and David Taylor – didn't pan out.

The task force is accepting new proposals as well as updated versions from the first round of proposals submitted last December. The public is expected to get its first look at the contenders in early January, the group said Thursday in a press release.

In a surprise move, two task force members decided against rejoining the task force. Real estate attorney Mike Kvarme and developer Larry Kelley, president of McClellan Park, are teaming up with entrepreneur Ali Mackani and the CORE group as they consider updating a plan that originally proposed building a new arena at Westfield Downtown Plaza.

The task force identified that proposal as one of the three strongest plans to construct a new Sacramento Kings arena last March. Kvarme and Kelley felt Mackani and his team made the most sense.

"We felt the best way to get the process done was to join with the CORE group," Kvarme said. "In the interim, Larry and I both independently reached a similar conclusion, which is that a downtown arena serves the city's interests the best. And that a team like the CORE group, with some additional expertise, would be the most logical way to proceed."

They both believe adding their experience to the group isn't a conflict of interest because the task force was disbanded last spring, he said.

Ironically, Kvarme and Kelley once sat on opposite sides of the negotiating table. Kelley oversaw privatization of McClellan Air Force Base, and Kvarme represented Sacramento County in its nearly five-year fight against it. The two have been talking jointly with the CORE group only for the last few weeks.

Developer Gerry Kamilos said his Convergence group continues "working hard" on a new plan after their first bid to build an arena didn't meet city deadlines. He doesn't consider the move by Kvarme and Kelley to be a conflict of interest, he said.

"As a community, we need to pursue everything," Kamilos said. "I'm not concerned with who's on what team. We're all trying to achieve the best idea to ensure a new arena is built downtown."

Inland Real Estate Trust, which recently took ownership of the former railyards, is expected to submit something in lieu of Railyards developer Thomas Enterprises, which lost the property after defaulting on loans. However, the company wasn't quite ready to discuss any plans, said Dean Stermer, interim project executive for the railyards.

"We're still working furiously," he said.

The CORE group will first focus on choosing a viable downtown site that can be acquired in a way that makes financial sense. Westfield Downtown Plaza and the former railyards are two potential sites. But there are others, Kvarme said.

"My sense was, one of the first things somebody needs to do is tie up a site," he said. "We're going to try and put something together in a way we feel it can get done."

Arena proposal graphic provided by the CORE group.

Grill stays on at Jim-Denny's

2010-11-18T01:22:02Z

Sacramento's famous little vintage diner, Jim-Denny's, is about to quietly change hands.

Regulars and history buffs can breathe a sigh of relief: The buyer plans to keep the 76-year-old landmark restaurant operating right where it is, said broker Dave Herrera of Colliers International.

An investor who values the diner's history is purchasing the business and the property at 816 12th St. It's expected to close escrow in the next two weeks.

"He had a lot of interest because of the history that the building and business have had, and the impact it's had on all the locals," Herrera said.

An agreement was reached within about a week of when the historic diner and restaurant business was marketed for sale – along with a 3,734-square-foot piece of downtown real estate that went on sale simultaneously after staying in one family for about 60 years.

But Jim-Denny's current co-owner Patsy Lane isn't retiring yet.

Lane, her grandkids and the rest of the crew will keep operating the restaurant for at least four months under the agreement with the new owner. The buyer was only interested in the deal if Lane agreed to stay during a transition, she said.

College grads Jim Van Nort and Dennis "Denny" McFall opened Jim-Denny’s at 16th and J streets in 1934. The pair left Salt Lake City for Sacramento in 1933. During the Great Depression, their new economics degrees only got them jobs with the railroad. They then decided to open a hamburger joint, said George Bassett, who has managed the land for his family for nearly 30 years.

After serving in World War II, they moved the business to its present location as “Jim-Denny’s No. 2.” Bassett's grandfather, a banker he was named after, owned title to the land on 12th Street. The bus station was next door then, and the diner operated 24 hours a day.

No lease has ever been signed for the land, which has been rented month-to-month since those days, Bassett said.

Van Nort operated the restaurant until he was 79. Newspapers in Sacramento and San Francisco lamented the diner's closing when he retired a few months after having coronary bypass surgery in 1988. But the restaurant was only closed for a few months before someone bought it and reopened it under the same name.

"Like Mark Twain said, 'Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated,' " Bassett said. "This place has been trying to die a natural death since 1988 – and yet it keeps going."

The 750-square-foot building is now a protected historic landmark. However, it could be moved if a new owner wished.

The land was owned by a trust made up of Bassett and six siblings or cousins – a family with old roots in Sacramento. Selling or leasing the property has been too complicated with that many involved, Bassett said.

But when the Lanes called recently saying they wanted to sell the building, Bassett thought it would be better to sell than pass the property on to another generation of land owners.

"This is just a little dinky piece of property that has stayed in the family for years," he said.

Lane and her daughter Joanna and son-in-law Sean Lane became the fifth set of owners when they bought the restaurant in 2005. In late September, Patsy Lane and the diner were featured on the Travel Channel show “Man v. Food.”

The entire property is selling for close to the asking price of $295,000, with $45,000 of that for the building and business.

The sale stirred up quite a few calls, Herrera said.

"We had a lot of interest," Herrera said. "We're still getting calls today."

The Westfield Downtown Ice Rink Grand Opening Features Free Skating All Day

2010-11-05T03:02:55Z

Today marks the official Grand Opening of the Westfield Downtown Ice Rink! Cue the trumpets, cut the ribbon, lace up those skates, because the Ice Rink is back.

The best part is the folks at the Westfield Downtown Ice Rink really like to celebrate the Grand Opening with everyone in the Sacramento area. So from the minute the ribbon Mayor Johnson cuts the ribbon at noon to the moment the gates close at 10 pm, skating is 100% absolutely free of charge. Free to get in, free to rent skates, and free to bring all your friends.

The little ice rink that you remember has some surprises in store this year, because the fact of the matter is, it is all grown up. This year the rink is turning 19 years old. It’s shaking off that adolescent awkwardness and coming into its own as an adult. Your kids will marvel at the oversized lollypops and sparkling tree lights. Your date will fall head over heels, in a good way, as you swirl across the ice under the strings of market lighting twinkling above. The gingerbread inspired office and tents will give you nostalgia for holidays past, and our pretty white benches will give you a place to snuggle up when you get too cold, too tired, or both.

If you and your friends and family can’t make it to the Grand Opening free skate festivities, you’ll have plenty of chances to stop by. The rink will be open for the next 10 weeks. It will only cost you $8 to get in, and if you need skates, that is no problem. You can borrow a pair for $2. Even better, every Tuesday is Family Night. So bring the kiddos and they will get in free when you pay to skate with them.

Fun Facts about the Downtown Ice Rink:

• Did you know they make training wheels for ice skates? Well, they kind of do. There are double bladed skates for toddlers to make it easier for them to learn. Ask for them at the rental tent; there’s no extra charge.

• Speaking of skating rookies, ice skating lessons are available this year too. If you want a professional to show you how its done, its no problem. Lessons are offered Saturday mornings at 9 am and 9:30 am before the rink opens to the public. Call ahead to make a reservation.

• The rink is open daily through January 17th as weather permits, every day but Christmas, even Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Years Eve and New Years Day.

• Hours are Sunday - Thursday: Noon to 8pm; Friday - Saturday: 10am to 10pm.

• Parking is validated! Park at the Downtown Plaza Garage at 5th & J or 4th & L. Don’t forget to bring your parking ticket to the rink.

• Plan a birthday party, soccer party, or other group event. Special rates are available for parties of 10 or more with advance reservations.

• Harry Potter Theme Night will be on November 18th before Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows premieres at midnight at the Esquire IMAX Theatre. Wear your best Harry Potter gear and get free skate rental.

Weekly events for this season include:

• Family Skate Night Tuesdays: Purchase an adult admission and your kid skates free
• Westfield Wednesday Deals: Downtown Employees receive free skate rentals all day
• Theme Night Thursdays: DJ's and music & costume themes (I love the 90's and the ultimate ugly sweater party to name a few)
• Ice Skating Lessons every Saturday morning

There are all kinds of activities planned for this year’s Westfield Downtown Ice Rink. For up to the minute information on the Westfield Downtown Plaza Ice Rink, follow us on Twitter (@DowntownIceRink), find us on Facebook, and visit us at the Downtown Ice Rink Website.

Disclosure: Megan Emmerling is the Marketing Manager for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership

The Press, Falls Short Under Pressure!

2010-10-22T02:15:06Z

It's always interesting to see people's reactions to their coveted restaurants, and there are few things I speak to others about lately (politics aside) that get such strong and adverse reactions.

One example is Sacramento's newest bistro, The Press, in the Panhandle on 19th Street and Capitol Avenue.

On two occasions I had a chance to go and patronize this restaurant, and I can see why the reactions are so varied – the experience is far from consistent. Here's an account of my two experiences, and you be the judge on which was closer to your take.

First Experience:

I walked in at 4 p.m. during the Second Saturday Art Walk, and it was still early enough that there was no one in the restaurant.

This is my favorite time to be in a restaurant – when no one is there, when the wait staff is still preparing for the evening, the bartenders have only woken up a couple of hours before and people are putting just a little more attention into the details of the dish when you show enthusiasm about food.

I like to sit at the bar for more interaction with the staff (plus usually faster service), and start talking to the bartender about the special drinks they do.

When we went to The Press, we got a Creole – with buffalo trace, ouzo, cointreau, bitters, lemon (my only comment would be the ouzo overpowered the flavor of the wonderful bourbon), and a salt and pepper – with gin, grapefruit, lemon, bitters and rosemary. This was a take on a rosemary salty dog, which is one of my favorite drinks when made correctly, and this one was.

As we started ordering food, we got a glimpse at David English (executive chef and owner), and he was working the kitchen, executing dishes, making sure all business was in order. I was surprised when, as the only patrons in the restaurant, he didn't come over and say "Hi," but some chefs aren't into that.

So we jumped into the food. The whole reasons I was excited about this place was the tapas. I'm all about tapas, and they have an impressive selection: potato croquettes, fried meatballs with garlic yogurt sauce, garlic dip with grilled pita, watermelon salad with feta and mint, and a few others.

The coolest part about it was they were priced at three for $10, and well-proportioned, so you got a good deal for a good price. The potato croquettes were crispy and creamy, the meatballs were reminiscent of gyros, the garlic dip was wonderful as it was VERY sharp with a ton of raw garlic, and the watermelon salad was bright and refreshing.

We tried some other dishes, including crispy pork belly with grilled peaches and prosciutto with ambrosia melon. The pork belly was outstanding. It was crispy and luscious, and the peaches were the perfect hint of sweetness.

The prosciutto was less exciting, but the bartender was very passionate about the way they received the pork loin in the restaurant and cut their own instead of having it pre-cut and dried out.

Although he was quite passionate, it was a bit 1980s supper club/catering in flavor: nice, but less creative than the rest of the menu.

As we were about to be on our way for the rest of the evening, we passed on the entrees, and my conclusion was this was a smart and savvy place with great architecture and a wonderful menu with a passionate staff. So when I ran into a friend and she gave a very opposing critique of this restaurant, I was almost defensive, as it was such a great experience, so I decided I had to go again and prove her wrong, right?

Second Experience:

Being such a proponent of this restaurant, I wanted to take some of my other foodie friends to check it out, as I wanted to start getting this place more good press.

I should have held my tongue.

As we walked into the Panhandle area, there was a huge concert playing and the outside was like a free show, so upon walking into the crowded restaurant we requested to sit outside.

Then a horrible stench hit the air. Of sewage. I have no idea where it was coming from or why more people didn't seem to care. I began to feel ashamed on my original hubris. As we were led to our table outside, we realized that the music had ended and the Spanish comedian had started. This would be perfect if I spoke fluent Spanish, or if the sound guy kept the static at bay.

Oh well, those were environmental concerns that the restaurant could not control. But when we ordered the drinks I had enjoyed so much before and the same appetizers, I was expecting the same results.

This time around we ordered a ginger julep (Woodford Bourbon, ginger simple syrup, domaine de canton, mint), and the simple syrup was so strong you couldn't taste the bourbon (that's a lot of sugar), and we ordered salt and pepper (gin, grapefruit, lemon, bitters, rosemary) again.

It tasted as if the bartender had accidentally had a problem with the normally salted rim and had dumped a cup of salt right into the drink. Normally at this juncture I would have sent the drink back – that is, if I could find our waiter, who was in short supply.

The appetizers that I had been so proud of as a customer to eat were cold, the pita bread hard, the meatballs crispy, and there was none of the exceptional seasoning that had made them so great before.

After a poor showing, my foodie friends didn't have the heart to continue with the meal and wanted to go where we knew the food is always good, just a couple blocks away.

So after waiting a surprising amount of time for the check, we headed out, and on the way I was surprised to see Executive Chef David English taking orders and bring food to tables.

Conclusion:

I'm absolutely mixed on this one, and disappointed that all these great new-hope-for-Sacramento restaurants seem to be having no small amount of hiccups all over the place.

Was it a bad night? Were they short staffed?

The only thing I could infer from my two experiences was they have a smart and tasty product in a great location, but when they get too busy, the food and drinks take a dive.

It's very difficult to maintain a welcoming, comfortable and enjoyable experience when the place gets really busy, and usually this leadership and cool collected-ness comes from the top – but where English didn't even say "Hi" when there was no one around, he was waiting tables when it was busy. This screams that delegation is needed.

For all the commentary that could be said about Randall Selland, he is a Sacramento powerhouse of culinary prowess and knows when to cook and when to glad-hand the patrons. Coming from Randall's kitchen at Ella, I thought I would see more of this from English, but have from many accounts seen and heard that there is an inverse relationship between quantity and quality at The Press Bistro.

Jim-Denny's for sale

2010-10-19T02:41:57Z

Sacramento landmark Jim-Denny’s went up for sale Monday.

The Lane family has decided to sell the historic white and red diner after five years so Patsy Lane, the heart and soul behind the counter, can retire to Montana.

The restaurant has served breakfasts and burgers for 76 years – first at 16th and J streets, where Jim Van Nort initially opened the restaurant. Van Nort moved the business to 816 12th St. after returning from WWII.

The Lanes struggled with the decision even before the diner was featured on the Travel Channel show Man v. Food in late September. Lane just turned 60, and she's ready to take it a little easier, said her daughter, Joanna Lane, part owner along with her mother and husband, Sean.

"It's hard for her, standing up on her feet all day," said Lane, a real estate agent. "It takes a lot of work and time."

A for-sale sign will be posted as soon as Tuesday. For the first time in 60 years, the land will be offered for sale at the same time as the building and the business. A family trust apparently related to Van Nort also recently decided to sell the 3,700 square feet of prime downtown real estate the building sits on.

"They've all come to mutual agreement to sell the land," said Dave Herrera, Colliers International broker.

They wanted to sell the land to the Lanes, the restaurant's fifth set of owners. The Lanes own the building and the business but leased the land. But the Lanes are ready to sell as well.

The listing price for the land, the turn-key business and the diner, which is about 750 square feet, is $295,000. The building is a protected historic landmark. If the buyer decided not to operate the restaurant there, the building would have to be moved, Herrera said.

Patsy Lane had 30 years of experience owning restaurants and managing kitchens, first with her husband and then for companies including The Sacramento Bee and Kaiser Permanente. She put in the sweat equity after her daughter and son-in-law bought the business for her. She's ready to return to Montana, where she already has a home, friends and a job at a hospital waiting for her, said her daughter.

Grandkids Ashley Ahumada, 22, and her 20-year-old brother Zachary worked there with her. Zachary Ahumada will now go to culinary school.

Since the show aired last month, the "10 busiest seats in Sacramento" have gotten even busier, Joanna Lane said.

"We've been slammed," she said.

Mermaid bar to open late 2010

2010-10-13T00:37:34Z

Sacramentans will have to wait just a little longer to watch pizza makers tossing dough and mermaids swimming over bartenders' heads downtown.

The opening of a trio of new K Street establishments – Dive Bar, Pizza Rock and District 30 – has been postponed from this month to late this year.

The delay has come from “surprises” that cropped up while building a structurally sound vault under the sidewalk, said San Francisco nightclub operator George Karpaty.

"Nobody's really late. It's just the way construction goes," he said. "Big projects run into delays. They've done an outstanding job dealing with all the surprises."

The vault will hold three electrical transformers to power the buildings at 1016, 1020 and 1022 K St. A contractor working for developers David Taylor and CIM is expected to complete the work in about a week.

The night spots have been delayed previously. They were initially expected to open in late summer, and then in October. Those dates were too "aggressive," given the work that needed to be done, Karpaty said.

Scaffolding will go up and exterior work will begin once the sidewalk is complete. The kitchen must still be installed at Pizza Rock. Four pizza ovens have been imported from Italy and set in place.

Interiors are more than 80 percent done. Dive Bar's 40-foot-long, 7,500-gallon saltwater tank has been installed. The tank will weigh close to 50 tons once it’s fully loaded with water, mermaids and interior furnishings.

Merpeople – women and men – have been hired. Their costumes are expected to arrive from Florida this week, he said.

Now, Pizza Rock partner Tony Gemignani, a world pizza-throwing champ, is working on the menu. Two mixologists from San Francisco and a general manager are creating handcrafted house cocktails and spiked milkshakes.

"Completion is around the corner," Karpaty said.

Railyards auction date set

2010-10-01T01:35:50Z

Railyards developer Thomas Enterprises moved closer to surrendering the downtown Sacramento property in a foreclosure auction after a notice of the sale was filed Tuesday.

Infrastructure work continued Thursday, after a public sale to the highest bidder was set for 1:30 p.m. Oct. 22 on the steps of the Sacramento County courthouse, 720 Ninth St., according to a notice of trustee's sale. A copy of the notice filed by Stewart Default Services on behalf of Thomas' primary lender, Chicago-area Inland American Real Estate Trust, was posted at the property’s front gate.

The two sides have been trying to negotiate an agreement to avoid a foreclosure even before Inland filed a notice of default June 15. An agreement may still be reached, avoiding a foreclosure sale.

The sale appears to be listed at slightly more than 203 acres, after Thomas Enterprises sold nearly 33 acres out of its 238-acre Railyards property to the city. The company previously reported the property’s size at 244 acres, but that represents the size of the planning district.

Thomas Enterprises now appears to owe nearly $194 million, after interest, fees and other costs have added up on what was $187 million in loans, according to the document.

Officials from Thomas Enterprises and Inland did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Downtown conference starts Wednesday

2010-09-29T04:09:44Z

Downtown Sacramento will take the spotlight this week for the California Downtown Association's 2010 annual conference.

The conference, which starts Wednesday and runs through Friday, marks the 15th anniversary of state legislation that allowed property-based improvement districts to finance improvements in business districts. The conference also marks the 15th anniversary of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, created in 1995 as the first such district and led by Michael Ault, said DSP spokeswoman Lisa Martinez.

Local speakers will talk about successes in downtown Sacramento and other nearby districts. Several walking tours will highlight the city's architecture and other elements of its landscape, Martinez said.

At least 170 people working in downtown and business district development and management are expected to talk about their downtowns and discuss new ideas at the conference.

More than 80 cities from tiny Gridley in Butte County to Sacramento, San Diego and San Francisco will be represented, said Laura Cole-Rowe, conference coordinator.

The conference, "Striking Gold Downtown," includes sessions on creating walkable communities, organizing successful special events, reinventing downtowns and other topics. A "Nighttime Economy Tour" will take visitors on a tour of Sacramento's "social economy" spots in Old Sacramento, downtown and Midtown.

The keynote speaker is Lynn Weigand, who heads the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation at Portland State University's Center for Transportation Studies. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson will address conference members in an opening plenary session at 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Hyatt Regency.

The California Downtown Association is based in Sacramento.

Night photo of Capitol Mall by Kati Garner.

Jim-Denny's on Man v. Food Wednesday

2010-09-29T04:03:50Z

Jim-Denny's has gotten lots of local attention in 76 years of grilling burgers and serving breakfast.

Now travelers and foodies throughout the country have a chance to learn about the little white and red diner when Jim-Denny's is featured on the Travel Channel show “Man v. Food” Wednesday night.

After finishing a batch of chicken corn chowder Tuesday morning, co-owner Patsy Lane said she's a little stressed about the show and a viewing party they're throwing Wednesday night. Lane will make food for the party, to be held from 7-10 p.m. at Butch N Nellie's, 19th and I streets. Everyone in the community is invited, Lane said.

"I'm nervous," she said.

The show will air at 9 p.m. For the episode, the show's host, New Yorker Adam Richman, samples deep-fried eats at the California State Fair before heading to Jim-Denny's. Patsy Lane was filmed in late July serving Richman her $11, two-pound omelet creation known as "The Works."

"I think I cooked that omelet 15 times" (that day), she said. "It's got everything in it — that's why we call it the works."

"It's kind of like putting the whole kitchen table in an omelet," said granddaughter Ashley Ahumada, 22. On Tuesday, she worked the front counter while her brother, 20-year-old Zachary, grilled burgers nearby.

Lane once sold advertising at The Bakersfield Californian and pitched in at the bars and restaurants she owned with her then-husband. She's also run cafeterias for companies including The Sacramento Bee and Kaiser Permanente.

Jim-Denny's was opened in 1934 by Jim Van Nort at 16th and J streets. When Van Nort moved the restaurant to 12th Street after returning from WWII, he renamed it Jim-Denny's Lunch No. 2.

Lane, her daughter Joanna Lane and son-in-law Sean Lane bought the tiny restaurant at 816 12th St. in 2005. They serve breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Saturday morning is the busiest time to try to find a spot at the worn counter. Jim-Denny's has only 14 seats inside.

On the show, Richman also visits Parker's Hot Dogs in Roseville, where he tries to eat five half-pound hot dogs on a 16-inch bun topped with four pounds of chili, fries, tortilla strips, veggies and cheese.

Jim-Denny's was included in the book "Hamburger America," one man's list of his favorite 100 burger places. Hardee's restaurants once filmed a commercial there before the Lanes bought the diner from the fourth set of owners.

A TV crew spent 12 hours filming at Jim-Denny's. The windows next to the grill had to be covered with paper to cut down on glare. The diner was packed with workers, the crew and customers lucky enough to stop by that day. Producers wanted to include regulars. But the filming had to be a surprise to avoid crowds, Lane said.

"We weren't allowed to tell anyone they were going to be here," she said.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Cal Expo: No arena deal

2010-09-25T00:56:10Z

California Exposition and State Fair officials said no Friday to being part of an arena land swap deal.

At the end of a four-hour meeting, the board voted 7-2 against further study of a proposal by developer Gerry Kamilos and the Sacramento Convergence team to relocate the state fairgrounds to Arco Arena in Natomas and to develop the 350-acre Cal Expo site to help finance a new arena downtown.

Board members said they want proceeds from Cal Expo's development to benefit the state fairgrounds and the state, rather than a private company and an arena. The Cal Expo board has already spent too much time studying ideas to modernize the fairgrounds by helping to get an arena built, they said.

"We've got to finally come to our senses and get rid of this arena deal," said board member Steve Beneto.

The latest proposal would have turned ownership and operation of the fairgrounds and the annual state fair over to a private company, VisionMaker Worldwide. The company was founded by former Disney and Universal Studios executives. But a private equity firm, Makan Capital Group based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, bought the company in 2007, according to the company's website.

Under the plan, Cal Expo officials and staff would have had creative control of the fair and ownership of the land. VisionMaker would have returned ownership of the facilities to the state after 30 years.

The board had been willing to consider a proposal to move the fairgrounds if the site was better and brought more revenue to Cal Expo than the existing one, board members said.

"We've been working on this for three years. We have explored one alternative after another," said board member Marko Mlikotin. "Our best interests are served by staying put."

Cal Expo staff have told the developers repeatedly that Arco Arena wouldn't work for the fairgrounds and asked them to propose other locations, Cal Expo General Manager Norb Bartosik said.

The 184-acre Arco site is too small and loses Cal Expo's visibility because it can't be seen from highways. Existing neighbors have also expressed opposition to the fairgrounds relocating there, said consultant Andy Plescia.

But the $400 million arena project is not dead, Kamilos said.

He and Sacramento developer David Taylor and the other stakeholders, which include the city, VisionMaker and the Maloof family, will come up with another strategy that could involve developing the Arco Arena site to help finance building a new arena in downtown's railyards. The Convergence team is considering "a number of options" and will discuss alternatives at a workshop with the Sacramento City Council Tuesday.

The Maloofs, who own the Sacramento Kings, will now work on alternatives to get an arena built.

“We must continue to work hard to find a solution," co-owner Joe Maloof said in a prepared statement late Friday afternoon. "We look forward to hearing what are the next steps and options."

Cal Expo officials must focus on developing or selling some of the existing land to rebuild the fairgrounds at its current location, said board member Paul “Rick” Stacey.

"Maybe that is a public-private partnership," he said. "But on our terms."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Smashing Pumpkins at the Crest Theatre: Photo Album

2010-09-07T08:28:54Z

Photos by Tony Sheppard

Smashing Pumpkins
Crest Theatre
September 6, 2010

Country in the Park full of great music, low on beer

2010-09-02T01:28:17Z

It was a sea of cut-off shorts, cowboy hats, and overalls at Capitol Mall on Sunday afternoon for Country in the Park 2010.

KNCI 105.1 managed to turn the intersection on Capitol Mall and Fifth Streets into a country music venue for the day. The gated-off intersection was filled with an estimated 11,000-12,000 country music fans, making this year one of the biggest in it’s 11-year existence, according to Mark Evans, program director at KHTK and KNCI Sacramento.

Due to budget cuts Gibson Ranch, where the concert is normally held, was unable to rent out the park to KNCI this year.

The singing of the national anthem and “God Bless America” with help from the crowd kicked off the day on a high and patriotic note.

Whiskey Dawn took the stage first, setting the bar high for an impressive lineup of talented country stars. Others included Sunny Sweeney, Eli Young Band, Jack Ingram and Dierks Bentley.

The day was close to perfect except for a minor upset when the beer taps ran dry about an hour before Bentley took the stage.

As part of the deal to hold the event downtown this year, the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau ran and kept all proceeds from alcohol sales.

“I know they had planned on a bigger supply than had been gone through in previous years, but (for whatever reason), it was an enormous beer-drinking crowd that showed up,” Evans said.

Alcohol tickets were sold in advance at different booths than where the alcohol was actually served, and many people purchased multiple tickets to avoid waiting in lengthy lines.

“How is it possible to run out of beer at a country concert, of all places?” asked one concert attendee, Karley Spaulding, referring to country songs’ constant references to drinking.

While refunds were offered to those who still had tickets in hand, many decided the lines were too long, and some even left before Bentley took the stage. As some vocalized their frustration, security guards braced themselves in front of each booth that served alcohol in case anyone became unruly.

Despite the upset, the show continued, and the true country fans stayed for the reason they came: the music.

Fans went wild when Ingram joined Bentley onstage for an impromptu duet, and their love for Bentley was obvious as the cheers grew louder with every song.

Bentley belted out his catchy hits like “All my exes live in Texas,” “Lot of Leavin’ Left to Do” and “Every Mile a Memory.”

He won over the crowd’s hearts, saying, “The prettiest girls are in California! Put that in my Wikepedia!”

Bentley drove the crowd even more crazy when he proclaimed, “I love me some Old Sac!”

The love was mutual.

Photos taken by Kati Garner

Fall opening expected for Dive Bar

2010-07-23T05:43:33Z

Dive Bar and two sister nightlife venues are expected to open within three months on K Street, breathing new life into the struggling pedestrian mall well ahead of other developments.

San Francisco nightclub operator George Karpaty's trio of nightlife venues has been seen as competition by some at a time when local businesses continue to struggle and even close. Karpaty said he was lured to Sacramento partly by the success of nearby venues such as Social Nightclub, Ella, Grange and the Citizen Hotel.

But Karpaty said he's developed concepts — a "mermaid bar," a gourmet pizza restaurant with acrobatic pizza tossers and a high-end, over-30 dance club — to further develop K Street Mall into an entertainment district and to bring people from as far away as the Sierra Nevada foothills. He's using expertise gained from opening places like Ruby Skye and Slide, popular bars that draw Sacramentans to San Francisco.

"We're going to blow K Street up," said Karpaty, owner of Inner Circle Entertainment. "We're not bad guys. We're going to promote downtown."

Karpaty and his crews were working Thursday at the site, one week after the Sacramento City Council chose developer David Taylor and another development team to redevelop vacant properties for two nearby blocks. While those mixed-use projects are expected to bring much-needed retail and housing to the street, they aren't expected to open for at least two years.

Karpaty's concepts will be new to Sacramento. He's also pioneering some nightclub operations in this city that he'll then use at his other establishments.

Dive Bar, at 1016 K St., will feature a 40-foot-long, 7,500-gallon saltwater tank with fish and costumed mermaids, both male and female, set over the bar in a room just 18 feet across. Structural steel beams have been installed on the ground floor and in the basement to hold up the tank and reinforce the floor underneath.

"It's the most insane thing I ever took on," Karpaty said. “If a massive earthquake hits Sacramento, this aquarium will be the only thing left standing.”

The front of the bar is being built to evoke a classic Sacramento dive bar, complete with worn-looking couches. But beyond a giant “hole” in the back wall, the club opens into a main room topped by the aquarium, which is being fabricated from a single piece of Plexiglas by a former Monterey Bay Aquarium builder.

"The fish tank won't look like anything else in the world," Karpaty said. "I'm not into starfish and treasure chests."

Next door, Pizza Rock will feature a DJ playing classic to modern and funky rock from a California-made Peterbilt truck breaking through the ceiling 15 feet in the air and surrounded by chain-link fencing and barbed wire.

World pizza-throwing champ Tony Gemignani, a partner at the restaurant, will train the staff to juggle dough, while bartenders will juggle bottles and glasses.

The ceiling will be covered with a mural that mimics Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" — but the hand of God will be holding an electric guitar. The men's bathroom will feature exterior piping and graffiti to make it appear that guys are “peeing in the alley,” Karpaty said.

But the food will still steal the show, Karpaty said. Four types of pizzas will be made in four different custom-built pizza ovens imported from Italy. One of the ovens, positioned near the sidewalk for high visibility, will cook pizzas at 900 degrees - in 90 seconds.

"It comes down to food," he said. "I guarantee our food will exceed any theme."

The third venue, District 30, at 1022 K St., will be the most modern of the venues. An artistic glass facade will use movable photos of art, flowers and people, set behind 4-x-4-foot glass panels to create the front exterior. A covered patio in front will open onto a sidewalk seating area.

Inside, a 600-square-foot dance floor will share space with a 30-foot bar, "ultra" VIP areas and "peek-a-boo" booths with small cutouts in the backs so customers can interact and people watch. The club will hold up to 300. Finishes will be created with exotic materials including woods from Japan and France and ostrich skin.

The bar will use music to attract a crowd of mature, experienced clientele aged 30 to 50. The idea was to create a place for people who want to have fun and socialize, and who know how to have a good time without causing trouble, he said, adding that people shouldn't have to stop going to dance clubs just because they may no longer be in their 20s.

"Why is it that, when you turn 30, you can't go to a dance club? That's just nutty," he said. "People will look at this and go — 'Oh, finally: Something for grownups.’ "

Last February, Karpaty said he expected all three venues to be open by late summer. They are now expected to open in October. Work by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District to add an electrical transformer to power the buildings in an underground vault under the sidewalk in front is delaying the opening by a few weeks, Karpaty said.

SMUD is waiting for the customer to finish work on the vault and then will install the transformer, said SMUD spokeswoman Dace Udris.

Karpaty will be leasing three spaces at 1016, 1020 and 1022 K St. from developer David Taylor. Taylor is redeveloping the long-vacant building, as well as one next door at 1012 K St., with $5.7 million in city subsidies tied to the sale of the Sheraton Hotel. Karpaty plans to invest up to $2 million on the venues, he said Thursday.

In 2008, the city agreed to split $50 million in profits from the sale of the $130 million hotel with Taylor and CIM for development in the J, K and L streets corridor. The developers are still pursuing tenants for 1012 K St. Taylor also turned an old Woolworth's into the Cosmopolitan next door.

Karpaty and a friend, Adam Goldstein — a Los Angeles DJ and musician known as DJ AM — began looking for opportunities to open an entertainment venue here three years ago. Their idea was to open a megaclub. They toured dozens of Sacramento clubs and bars for six months while searching for the right spot.

"We saw opportunities other people didn't," Karpaty said.

Goldstein died of a drug overdose last summer. But Karpaty didn't give up. The broker who originally helped them in their quest called back to suggest Taylor's project on K Street. The ability of nearby venues to thrive — even though they were the first few to open on and around the long-troubled pedestrian mall — told him Sacramento had "an appetite for high-end (even) in a horrible economy," Karpaty said.

"We didn't want to wait to be the last one on the island," he said.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Council chooses two teams to revamp K Street

2010-07-14T06:16:58Z

In an upset vote, the Sacramento City Council on Tuesday chose two teams — one led by D & S Development, Inc. and CFY Development, Inc. and the other by Sacramento developer David Taylor — to revitalize two troubled blocks on K Street Mall.

In a split vote of 5 to 4, the council agreed to enter into an exclusive negotiating agreement with the teams endorsed by a selection committee to redevelop the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street. The majority of council members opted not to follow the recommendation of Mayor Kevin Johnson's ad hoc committee to give the entire project to the Sacramento Alliance Team, led by Rubicon Partners, St. Anton Partners and Preferred Capital Advisors.

"We need to be bold in our vision but also be realistic," said Councilman Kevin McCarty, who made the motion to approve those two teams.

Councilmembers Bonnie Pannell, Sandy Sheedy, Lauren Hammond and Robbie Waters mentioned developers' track records and the projects they thought could get done when they joined McCarty to approve D & S and CFY and their $35.5 million proposal to redevelop the 700 block. They also voted for Taylor and Z Gallerie owner Joe Zeiden to take on the 800 block with a proposed $46 million project.

The vote may have hinged on Waters and his detailed questions to all three development teams about construction schedules, public subsidies and other financing. Under Water's’ questioning, Taylor said he has nine months to a year to use roughly $20 million in redevelopment funds remaining from the city's $130 million sale of the Sheraton Hotel to Taylor.

"I supported every ambitious project downtown," Pannell said, referring to her time on the council. "Tonight, I can only support the project I think is gonna get done."

The council's decision followed an hour of public comment from about 30 people on the issue. Residents, preservationists, local business owners and labor union representatives overwhelmingly spoke out in favor of the two teams and their proposals, which were described as "safe" and "financially realistic" plans to build housing and primarily homegrown live music venues and retail by restoring historic buildings on $40 million in city-owned land.

Bill Burg, preservation chair of the Sacramento Old City Association, pushed for the two teams and their proposals to preserve the city's "existing urban fabric" rather than demolishing landmarks to build something else.

"Instead of revinventing K Street again, we can reconnect K Street to downtown Sacramento," he said.

Waters and other council members said they were concerned about the financing for the Sacramento Alliance Team's $210 million proposal. That plan was built around a 32,500-square-foot public market, tentatively called the California Boqueria, an adjacent office building, 213 artist live/work units and 75,000 square feet.

The negotiating phase is expected to take up to six months, according to city staff.

Just before the vote, Johnson said he may have made a mistake in asking the council in May to approve an ad hoc committee after the city's selection committee had already recommended developers for K Street Mall.

"I think the process feels a little fishy. And I need to acknowledge that," he said. "The intent was not to create this dynamic. I would agree that I think we could do this much better."

Johnson recommended the council reevaluate how it uses ad hoc committees in the future. But he said he appreciated the way the council and the community respectfully debated the issue and the proposals.

"This to me was a great discussion," he said.

Photos by Brandon Darnell. Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Zombies Lurch through Midtown

2010-07-11T18:04:49Z

Zombies staggeirng down midtown last night brought to life the six-week Trash Film Orgy at the Crest Theatre.

Here's some of the bullet-riddled, blood-drenched, brain-damaged zombies:

For information about the Trash Film Orgy:www.thecrest.com/calendar/expand.cfm

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Trash Film Orgy Festival Starts Saturday

2010-07-08T03:15:08Z

The start of the 10th annual Trash Film Orgy film festival adds to this month's Second Saturday events.

The festival will have a showing every Saturday at midnight, starting July 10. It runs through Aug. 14 with a special showing on Halloween.

"It's a midnight movie festival," TFO Producer Christy Savage said. "A lot of people think it's the most terrible movies out there, but we're about the best exploitation horror movies."

Saturday's inaugural film, "Evil Dead 2," will be preceded by a Zombie Walk beginning at Sub-Q at 7 p.m. Participants of all ages dressed as zombies will roam Second Saturday, stop at Pyramid Alehouse for happy hour and watch zombie band Children of the Grave perform at Sub-Q.

TFO's website states the festival includes 35mm exploitation and cult cinema, live bloody stage shows, audience participation, games and prizes. And it is an "annual sleaze fest bringing you the trashiest, goriest and most bizarre movies ever made."

"Besides just showing the movies, we have a lot of interaction and audience participation," Savage said. "It's definitely different than other film festivals."

TFO features different films every year.

"We have five regular midnight films, and on our closing night we have Trash Till Dawn with three movies at the same price," Savage said.

Films scheduled this year include "Galaxy of Terror," "Crybaby," "Nightmare" and "Enter the Dragon."

TFO Director Darin Wood guessed the festival has a core fan base of 200 people who are open to most films shown. He said the audience varies beyond that, depending on how mainstream a film is.

"It really gives people a place to go and express that slightly wilder side of themselves. There's not too many places you can dress up in your fetish gear and have a good time," Savage laughed. "We get a good mix of people, geeks that never leave the couch, beautiful sexy ladies, and they can all comingle. If you like fun, you'll like the TFO."

Movie attendees must be 18 or older. Tickets are $9.50. Attendees dressed as zombies or other "cool-costumed cats" for any showing get in for $8.50.

Sub-Q is located at 1715 I St. Crest Theatre is located at 1013 K St. (916) 442-7378. For a schedule of TFO's showings, visit their website.

Photos:

1) A 2010 TFO poster.

2) A zombie version of "West Side Story" called "Dead Side Story" at a previous TFO showing.

3) Participants in a previous Zombie Walk.

Photos courtesy of Christy Savage.

Agnus-Dei Farrant is an intern for The Sacramento Press.

Study identifies potential economic impact of downtown entertainment & sports complex

2010-06-30T20:21:32Z

The Downtown Sacramento Partnership (DSP), in collaboration with a consulting team from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, released a report on the potential economic impacts of an Entertainment and Sports Complex (ESC) in the Railyards earlier this month. The report suggests that a well-integrated complex with parallel investment in Downtown’s core assets, including Old Sacramento, Downtown Plaza, JKL Retail Corridor, and the Convention Center, will maximize economic impact and strengthen the surrounding neighborhood.

“We believe that an Entertainment and Sports Complex belongs Downtown and has the potential to stimulate economic activity,” said DSP Executive Director Michael Ault. “In cities like Denver and Indianapolis, development of these venues has been used as a tool to accelerate and compliment revitalization efforts.”

According to the study, transportation access and connectivity, public safety, and local business development in conjunction with reinvestment in the Downtown District are major factors in the future success of an ESC at the Railyards.

The report cites several case studies of both successes and failures of Downtown ESCs throughout the country. Indianapolis, which used ESC development as part of a long-term downtown revitalization strategy, reported a 78% increase in annual downtown visitors compared to 15 years ago. In contrast, Baltimore failed to connect two sports stadiums at Camden Yards and as a result experienced no additional development or revitalization in nearby neighborhoods.

“As the ESC discussion moves forward, this analysis will be a very effective tool to communicate priorities for future development,” said Ault. “It also supports the case for continued investment in Sacramento’s core assets and the Downtown District.

A full copy of the report is available for download at www.downtownsac.org.

Union spends $23K on anti-Ashby mailers

2010-06-08T00:27:38Z

Special interest groups for and against Sacramento City Council candidate Angelique Ashby have spent large sums on mailers blasting or lauding her campaign. While business interests poured about $36,000 into campaign mailers backing Ashby, a major local union paid $23,577 on mailers attacking her.

The Sacramento Building Trades Council Political Action Committee spent $23,577 on anti-Ashby mailers, according to statements filed with the California Secretary of State’s Office and the Sacramento city clerk’s office.

Mailers from the committee depicted Mayor Kevin Johnson as a king with a crown and Ashby as a puppet.

In response to questions about the attack mailers, Matt Kelly, an official with the Building Trades Council, said, “They are what they are. Whether or not they’re effective, we’ll find out tomorrow.”

The showdown between incumbent Ray Tretheway and neighborhood activist Ashby is arguably the most controversial City Council race in the June election. Ashby and Tretheway are two of three candidates running in District 1, which includes the neighborhoods of North and South Natomas and downtown’s Alkali Flat.

Efren Guttierrez is also running for the District 1 seat.

The city has rules for individuals or groups that want to give money to the candidate’s campaign.

An individual can give no more than $1,500 to a City Council candidate during the span of a primary or general election.

Large political committees are barred by law from giving more than $5,000 to a City Council candidate during those time periods.

But with their mailers, business and labor interests used funding mechanisms that legally allow contributions higher than the amounts most citizens and groups can make to local candidates’ campaigns, according to Assistant Clerk Stephanie Mizuno.

These funding mechanisms are called “independent expenditures” and they do not fall under city rules for campaign contributions.

The independent expenditures are not managed by the candidate. Ashby is not controlling mailers from the Independent Expenditure Committee for Jobs and Prosperity that backs her campaign.

Her opponent, Ray Tretheway, is not in charge of the anti-Ashby mailers from the Building Trades Council committee.

“An ‘independent expenditure’ is an expenditure made in connection with a communication (e.g. a billboard, advertisement, mailing) that expressly advocates the nomination, election, or defeat of a clearly identified candidate or the qualification, passage, or defeat of a clearly identified measure,” according to the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission website.

“An independent expenditure is a payment that is not made to — or at the behest of — the affected candidate or committee."

Read the election statement filed by the Building Trades Council Political Action Committee.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

The Press expands

2010-05-21T06:03:34Z

The Sacramento Press is getting bigger digs.

The home of the unique daily news website will more than double in size with its expansion in the historic Railway Express Agency Building, next to the downtown train station.

Construction work began a week ago to link the existing 2,300-square-foot space to two adjoining groundfloor suites. Set in an industrial-vibe loft, the newsroom and supporting departments will fill roughly 5,500 square feet when finished. On Thursday, staff began moving desks and equipment to make way for the renovation.

The Sacramento Press is an evolving experiment with community journalism. The online paper uses a small professional editorial staff, interns and a large contingent of community contributors to cover local news, tell neighborhood stories and offer commentary on issues. The business also provides banner advertising and social media marketing for clients.

The expansion is needed to accommodate the organization's growth, said 29-year-old Ben Ilfeld, one of the site's two founders.

"It's been a constant growth curve," he said. "We've seen growth in staff. We've seen growth in readership. We've seen growth in revenue. We've seen growth in our social media presence. And there's no turning back."

The Sacramento Press officially began in 2005 in Ilfeld's Midtown apartment. In September 2007, the business and five full-time staff moved into the REA Building, 431 I St.

"There were just two of these Ikea desks. Ben and I didn't even have desks. We just roamed around, annoying everyone," said co-founder Geoff Samek. "We had to get more furniture a few weeks later, because we got an intern."

The brick building had been recently restored by its owners, architect Lynn Pomeroy and Johan Otto, president of Carson Development and owner of Otto Construction. The Sacramento Press signed a three-year lease for Suite 107, which is tucked away in the far back corner.

The on-site crew initially consisted of Ilfeld; Samek, a longtime friend who'd resigned as a senior web developer for the events company Live Nation in San Francisco; co-owners Joe Krause and Joel Rosenberg, who were in charge of building the software platform; and marketing/salesman Nicholas Walsh. The fifth owner is user experience expert Sim Mendick, who went to college with Samek and Rosenberg.

The Sacramento Press website launched in October 2008 following the recruitment of six interns.

Sonny Mayugba was brought in as business development director. Intern Colleen Belcher was hired to support all volunteer writers. Local journalist David Watts Barton, a longtime reporter at The Sacramento Bee, joined as managing editor in January 2009. Barton soon hired two experienced reporters — Kathleen Haley and myself, Suzanne Hurt — and, later, Mendick's younger brother, Jonathan Mendick, an intern now in his first journalism job.

Since then, the staff has increased to 20, community contributors have risen to about 1,000 and unique page views have grown to about 60,000 a month. A local, online ad network comprised of The Sacramento Press and more than 40 other websites was launched in December. Sales have hit expected marks, with strong growth even through the recession, Ilfeld said.

Intern Mona Romero was hired to handle social media networking for the company and clients. Mayugba's wife, Lynn Mayugba, was hired as vice president of corporate strategy. Intern Casey Kirk was hired to recruit community contributors and provide customer service. Barton became editor-in-chief and Belcher was promoted to managing editor in December 2009. The latest additions were two information technology staffers brought in to accelerate development of the software platform.

"We don't have enough room to contain our people," said Operations Manager Denise Coleman. "So we're very crowded in here — especially in sales, operations and IT."

The work space is as unique as the business model with its 19-foot ceilings, concrete columns and graffiti. Suspended from the ceiling, exposed water pipes and 16-inch ducts snake through the L-shaped newsroom. The reception area walls hold Sacramento Press bikes used in the early days by "shuckers" as a low-cost, environmentally friendly way to promote the site.

The space was designed to be flexible to accommodate growth. A 10-foot-tall functional sculpture known as the "wall of newspapers," made from four long stacks of hometown paper The Sacramento Bee, separate the reception-area couches, coffee table and stereo turntable from the newsroom. A giant curtain and recyclable modular cardboard walls work as room dividers for sales and IT.

The company's focus on sustainability and use of recycled materials also sets the newsroom apart from others. Most of the furniture came from used furniture stores, the rest from Ikea. Ilfeld and Samek work at old army-green metal desks, next to nearly matching old file cabinets and a 10-foot wall of industrial metal shelving. The staff also replaced five-gallon water bottle delivery with a water filtration system after a series of stories about environmental and health problems caused by bottled water.

Ilfeld and Samek chose the REA Building not only for the good deal they got on downtown loft space, but because it's located next to the Sacramento Valley Station. Staff and visitors are encouraged to take public transit — light rail passes are given away. Bicycles, skateboards and a scooter often roll through the newsroom.

While the staff loves the gritty location, the area has its downside, too. Thieves have struck during office hours, and sketchy characters often hang out around the train station after dark. Set near the back of a building, the company's current entrance has been a little hard to find.

The new entrance will gain much more visibility after moving to the front of the building. Walls will be knocked out to allow the office to expand into the neighboring suites. The reception area will move to the new front of the office. The newsroom will take over the majority of the rest of the space. IT, sales and operations will expand into the current suite, Coleman said.

IT has been located in the middle of the newsroom, set off from reporters by only the cardboard waffle wall.

"It's a tech industry standard (for workspace) to be a little more open and lofty," Ilfeld said. "Ironically, it's a little bad for tech. Tech needs it to be quiet."

The need to increase the size and frequency of community journalism workshops, as well as space for volunteer contributors, also led to the expansion. Groups of 15 to 45 have attended workshops on such things as photography, food writing, interview skills, online research and writing. In the past, workshops were held in the middle of the newsroom after desks and equipment were cleared away.

The renovation will create a large reception area and communal space that will hold an Internet cafe, lounge space and room for workshops and other meetings. The company expects to hire its first receptionist.

A wall and locking door will separate the newsroom from the reception area. The intern station will expand to eight computers. An interview cubicle that can accommodate four reporters will be built. The office will also get its first conference room, four small offices, a third bathroom, a shower and a secure server room.

"We have an issue here with public and private" (space), Ilfeld said. "In our new space, we'll have enough square footage to hold public events in a public space, rather than in our newsroom."

The company is also getting more parking for clients and employees, especially reporters and others who may work at night. More bike storage space will be added.

The expansion is expected to be completed by July.

The editorial staff has focused news coverage on the central city. Now the Sacramento Press plans to expand coverage into four adjacent neighborhoods. It may also expand its functional art: the owners may hire a metalworker to create a removable chair-tree sculpture as a way to "hide" all the blue plastic and steel chairs used for workshops.

It's all part of the online experiment being homegrown in downtown Sacramento.

"We're constantly innovating how we interact with the community," Ilfeld said. "That's at the heart of our mission."

The Sacramento Press executives and staff include: Ben Ilfeld, founder/chief operations officer; founder Geoff Samek; Chief Financial Officer Anil Sinha; Vice President of Corporate Strategy Lynn Mayugba; Joel Rosenberg, founder/head of IT; IT developers Artur Janc, Steve Holmes and Luke McCollum; Editor in Chief David Watts Barton; Managing Editor Colleen Belcher; reporters Jonathan Mendick, Kathleen Haley and Suzanne Hurt; Melissa Broughton, finance officer/human resources; Director of Business Development Sonny Mayugba; Advertising Coordinator Emily Cooper; Advertising Account Manager Mike Urbani; Denise Coleman, manager of operations and marketing logistics; Mona Romero, social media lead; and Casey Kirk, recruitment manager and customer service.

My day at the Amgen Tour of California

2010-05-17T21:29:54Z

It was an exciting day in Sacramento as Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California (ATOC) rolled through. It kicked-off in Nevada City and returned to the river city with cycling's biggest superstar and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong (seen above).

The Tour de France is the world's premier cycling tour. The ATOC is the Tour de France of North America. Besides Armstrong, the free food and free schwag at the MBT (Shoes) Lifestyle Festival wasn't bad either.

I'm not a huge fan of cycling, but I'm drawn to the ATOC since I first went in 2008. Knowing that cycling's biggest star, Armstrong, would be in the race drew me back since I missed it last year. This could also be my last time seeing the race in Sacramento since I'm transferring to Azusa Pacific University in the fall.

I was planning on going to the ATOC just for the experience but I decided to help out KCRA's Leticia Ordaz as well. My internship with KCRA 3 ends this week.

When I arrived on 10th Street there were vendors as far as the eye could see. Crowds of people were streaming into the tents full of merchandise.

You couldn't walk anywhere without seeing a bicycle and many of the fans at the event were knowledgeable about the sport of cycling. Many of them took advantage of the free bike parking on the State Capitol grounds. It was a great atmosphere even before the race reached Jackson Highway.

Bob Hammond was one of the many fans enjoying the festival and he was glad that Sacramento was getting a taste of professional cycling.

"I really like the fact that it's drawing high quality, professional riders," Hammond said. "The city of Sacramento is really going to benefit. It sees a lot of people coming from everywhere, not only from Northern California but sees people from the western United States."

Local cyclist Luiggi Zuniga, who hails from Peru and recently won a local race with Team Kinetic Cycles was also in attendance.

"(I came) to see the top riders in the world riding around our lovely Sacramento," he said. "Lance Armstrong, of course, he's the best rider in the world."

At the festival activities ranged from buying official ATOC merchandise, taking a picture with Armstrong using a green screen, spinning a wheel to win prizes and keeping up-to-date with current race results at the Radio Shack tent.

I took advantage of anything that caught my eye. Signs, stickers, free samples, you name it, I grabbed one. I even got my body fat checked at the Herbalife tent. I tested at 15.6%, which is considered underweight. Not a surprise to me since I'm five-feet-nine-inches and weigh 156 pounds.

As soon as I heard that the cyclists were coming, I tried to make it back to the KCRA live truck, but the road had been sealed off. I made the mistake of going back to 10th Street when I should have stayed on the Capitol Mall and ran around the border of the route.

To get a decent view of the race on L Street between 10th & 9th streets I had to balance myself on top of a CVC pipe next to a palm tree. A fan's crazy idea for me worked and I got some great photos of the race as the cyclists zoomed by.

Unfortunately, you could hear the reaction of the crowd when U.S. national road racing champion George Hincapie and Belgian sprinter Tom Boonen both crashed.

Britian's Mark Cavendish of HTC-Columbia finished in first place with Argentina's Juan Jose Haredo right behind him for second place. The favored winner of the ATOC, Levi Leipheimer of Team Radio Shack, came in 42nd place and teammate Armstrong finished in 69th place.

Stage 2 started today in Davis, home of the United States Bicycle Hall of Fame, and ends in Santa Rosa. Even though it lasts less than a day, ATOC remains one of Sacramento's biggest events of the year.

From left to right: Paul Mach, Alexander Kristoff, Mark Cavendish and Maarten Tjallingii.

More photos from the Amgen Tour

2010-05-17T17:46:34Z

The first stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California ended with a three-lap circuit in downtown Sacramento. These photos were taken at the corner of 18th and P Streets.

Three members of the HTC-Columbia team lead the pack around the corners of downtown Sacramento. Team member Mark Cavendish won the first stage after a powerful sprint to the finish line.

Racers sprint into the four-block stretch on 18th Street.

Lance Armstrong, right, maneuvers around a corner among the riders in the first stage of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California.

Riders lean sharply as they pass through one of the turns in the circuit in downtown Sacramento. After the pack of riders passed, specatators felt a blast of wind created by the speed of the cyclists.

Photos by Ron Nabity.

Who's Genevieve Deignan's 'rock'? Race for the Rock 2010

2010-05-11T23:53:04Z

The second Race for the Rock, benefitting Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, will take place on June 5. Participants will pedal, scoot and wheel their way through downtown Sacramento guided by text message-based clues in search of over $35,000 in prizes, provided by Rogers Jewelery Co. Each week leading up to the event, we will interview someone who is involved in the race to find out who their "rock" is.

Interview with: Genevieve Deignan, Saca Community Learning Center Director, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services

Who is your "rock" and why?
I had a hard time coming up with just 1 person. My friends, coworkers, boyfriend and family, and my cat, Buster, constantly support me in every way and in all of my crazy endeavors. Not only because Mother’s Day was last Sunday and Father’s Day is coming up in June, but because they are amazing people, I have to say that my rocks are my parents. My mother, Kathleen, and my father, Joseph, have always been there for me in every way throughout my life. My dad would come home from work and flip through my text books and quiz for a test that was the next day and in college I could e-mail my papers home at midnight and they’d be proof-read and corrected in time for me to turn them in in the morning. No holiday passes without getting a card or small gift sent to me from my mother, not just birthdays, but Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter too. Even now, with my busy schedule, I am unable to always cook healthy meals for myself, so my mom sends me back to Sacramento stocked with ready to microwave healthy soups and dishes. My parents attend every special event that I hold at the Saca Center, usually manning the barbecue and last year a volunteer group didn’t show up for one of my events and my dad barbecued 500 hot dogs by himself and my mom plated and added ketchup or mustard to very single one. My parents have always been fair disciplinarians and especially now as an adult, I see the reasoning behind every rule and every punishment and I find myself offering advice to others based on the way that I was parented. They have supported me in every thing that I have done and have never pressured me to do something I didn’t want to do and have always let me make my own choices and therefore reap the consequences, good and bad. They have grown from parents into my best friends and I love going home just to spend time with them, tell stories and laugh.

Have you ever been anyone else's "rock"?
I hope so! I am not sure, but I have many close friends and offer support to many staff and volunteers at work. Roxanne Tursi, an SFBFS volunteer, wrote her article saying that I was her rock! So touching- thank you Roxanne!

What are your thoughts about last year's Race for the Rock?
I am super excited! I hope that over 2,000 people come and participate! It is a great event!

What is your role with this year's Race for the Rock and/or Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS)?
I am in charge of organizing the after-party. We are meeting at 5th and Capitol at House Kitchen and Bar from 12:00-3:00pm for lunch, drinks, and live music by the Detours! We will have valet bike parking, awards and prizes for everyone!

How long have you been supporting SFBFS?
I started as a volunteer in March of 2005 and transitioned into an AmeriCorps member from fall 2005-fall 2006, when the Saca Center Director at the time, Josh Heimburg, was leaving for graduate school. I was offered the position of Adult Education Program manager and shortly after transitioned into Saca Center Director. Now I oversee the building facility and 6 staff members! It is an amazing job!

If you are participating in this year's race, what are you looking forward to the most?
I am not participating but come and see me at the after-party!!

What is one thing about SFBFS the public might not realize but should know?
That we have another building! The Saca Center opened in February 2005 (5th Year Anniversary Party schedule for June 10th 4-7pm open house) and we house 4 of SFBFS’s programs; Adult Education, Mother-Baby, Youth Academy and PlayCare. Come and visit us for a tour!

Anything else you'd like to add?
Thank you Mom and Dad for supporting me and SFBFS!

For more information and to register as a participant, please visit www.racefortherock.com

Visit the Sacramento Press 2010 Race for the Rock splash page

Retail recruiter starts downtown

2010-05-05T02:40:50Z

Valerie Mamone-Werder walked K Street Mall on a wet morning last week.

Wrapped in a black trench coat, Downtown Sacramento Partnership's new retail recruiter didn't seem to notice the dark clouds bulging with the day's next rainstorm. She seemed too full of excitement.

"I love all these old buildings," Mamone-Werder said, standing near a corner of 10th and K streets.

She pointed out what's happening near that important spot: the sophisticated vibe The Cosmopolitan cabaret, café and nightclub have brought to a corner once inhabited by Woolworth's, and the work under way nearby to turn a former Hit or Miss clothing store into Dive Bar and Pizza Rock. She also discussed the potential for the empty space between the two businesses that once housed a Rite Aid and the vacant Roos-Atkins Building at 1001 K St., later renamed K Street West.

Mamone-Werder, a former Midtown boutique owner, started April 6 as the property-based improvement district's first retail recruiter. The move to create the position was recommended by Downtown Works, a Washington, D.C., retail consultancy firm that analyzed retail in the J-K-L corridor. The report indicated that downtown needs to improve retail to start thriving again.

Her job will be to help shrink the number of vacancies, upgrade the mix of retail, and support existing business owners within the 66-block business district. At the top of her list will be developing better relationships with business and property owners, developers and brokers.

"It's not just re-tenanting. It's about what we can do to help you as a business owner be more successful," said DSP Executive Director Michael Ault.

Mamone-Werder said her experience as a local retail business owner will allow her to help retail store owners. She has been at her job for a month, but she's lived in Sacramento for 22 years. She owned a women's clothing store called Blush Boutique at 2317 J St. for five years, until closing the store in April 2009.

"I understand what it's like to start from ground zero and build a business," she said.

Mamone-Werder plans to scout out successful retail districts in other areas to see what's working. She's visited Portland's Pearl District and will tour a thriving section of Nashville during a business recruiter's conference later this month.

Another part of her job will be to recruit entrepreneurial business owners with "independent" store models who want to locate in unique, sometimes historic buildings — rather than the kind of chains that set up the exact same store in a mass-saturation retail campaign. She will also help those business owners find space downtown.

She envisions more open-air markets selling fresh food, an independent bookstore, home accessory stores and a variety of unique clothing stores to appeal to various age groups, tastes and incomes. For instance, something like the Lizard Lounge, a Portland clothing store that is as much a hangout as it is a retailer, with a ping-pong table, couches and computers sharing space with clothes racks.

Mamone-Werder will also create an available property database that is more detailed and current than other real estate databases for downtown properties, including CoStar. She's finished viewing all the building exteriors in the district. She's begun meeting with business and property owners and brokers, and touring property interiors to collect more personalized information. She's also recruiting help with keeping the database up to date.

She's just starting to ask for everyone's help to make DSP's vision for downtown a reality.

"I feel like people are waiting for some big 'something' to happen," Mamone-Werder said. "And I don't know if that's going to happen, or if we all need to come together and just take a risk to make it happen."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter covering business and development for The Sacramento Press.

City staff: Cars on K good for business

2010-04-28T22:44:18Z

Now that city leaders have dedicated $2.7 million in funding to add cars to the K Street pedestrian mall, what exactly does the city hope to achieve from the effort? 

Mayor Kevin Johnson and city staffers have said that the move to include cars on K Street would be a boon for business and would also make the street safer. 

Johnson said at a Monday press conference that automobile traffic on K Street — banned since the late 1960s — would create numerous advantages for the city. “It increases visibility for all the retail...stimulates our activity in terms of K Street, and pedestrian malls are a thing of the past,” he said, adding that the cars would also improve public safety on the thoroughfare.

The city plans to make the area bordering Eighth and 12th streets on K Street ready for cars by mid-to-late 2011, said Denise Malvetti, a senior project manager for the city’s Economic Development Department. The estimated $2.7 million construction and design budget for the project comes from local transportation funds for economic development projects, she said.

Funds for the project do not come from the city’s general fund, an April 27 report from the city’s Economic Development and Transportation Departments noted.

The construction part of the project’s budget includes funding for new stop lights and for reprogramming existing stop lights, Malvetti said.

In making their argument for adding cars to K Street, city staffers are citing the work of Downtown Works, a consulting group that wrote a report on downtown issues for the city and the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

“Downtown Works strongly recommends the city of Sacramento follow the direction of dozens of other U.S. cities and re-open K Street to vehicular traffic which will both aid in the reconnection of the grid and enhance the retail viability,” the April 27 staff report states.

Eugene, Chicago and Louisville are some of the cities that have reversed course to add cars to their pedestrian malls, according to the report.

Councilman Steve Cohn said he backed the idea of including cars on K Street, but he raised concerns about an $800,000 portion of the budget that would have otherwise been spent on streets in his district.

Cohn’s concern translated into the following City Council decision: During the city’s budget process, the city will re-examine the project’s funding sources.

Transforming K Street into a pedestrian mall was “a mistake from the beginning,” Cohn said.

Also on Tuesday, K Street business leaders and local organizations that promote economic development spoke in favor of letting people drive their cars on K Street. These supporters included developer David Taylor; Kevin Greene, policy manager for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership; Mike Testa, vice president of communications and public affairs for the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau; Richard Lewis, executive producer of California Musical Theatre; and Sid Garcia-Heberger, operator of the Crest Theatre.

Greene said that cars on the street would boost public safety and be “a key step toward a greater retail viability.”

Downtown resident John Deeter was the lone speaker at the meeting who opposed the idea. He called K Street “a refuge” from cars.

Photo by Suzanne Hurt.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Drive Fast, Take Chances: Birth of the Hot Rod

2010-04-28T17:23:36Z

The California Automobile Museum’s newest exhibit features cars that were created in California but have been celebrated in movies, songs and popular culture across the country and around the world for a half-century.

The exhibit, Drive Fast, Take Chances: Birth of the Hot Rod is sponsored by So-Cal Speed Shop, Sacramento and runs now through July 5. It explores the hot rod culture that grew out of the dry lake beds of California in the post-World War II years and ultimately spread to drag strips and back roads, as well as burger drive-ins and street cruises, such as the annual car cruise hosted by the California Automobile Museum which will commence on the streets of Downtown Sacramento on July 31st.

“By definition, every hot rod is a unique expression of style or the owner’s desire for speed,” said Karen McClaflin, Executive Director of the California Automobile Museum. “But collectively, hot rods represent a common language of individuality and adventure that brings out a bit of rebel or free spirit in each of us.”

The idea of hot rods started in the early 1920s and ‘30s, as racers looking for more speed modified and hopped up Henry Ford’s Model Ts and As to find extra horsepower. But the phenomenon exploded after World War II as servicemen returned home and applied what they had learned about mechanics and technology in the military to the cars they were driving.

After the deprivation and hardship of the war years, hot rods were a way of expressing the pent-up demand for adventure and daring, and a way for racers to earn bragging rights for those who could push technology and speed to the limit.

The powerful V-8 engines of Ford, Chevrolet and Chrysler provided more horsepower than the more primitive four-banger engines of the past. The popularity of hot rods created a new, California-centered industry as manufacturers, many of which continue to thrive on world-wide sales today, made crankshafts, pistons, cylinder heads and add-on parts to boost power and speed to record levels.

The first stages on which to push these speed machines to their limit were the dry lake bedsbeds of Southern California, where unofficial “timing contests” were as disorganized as an Oklahoma land rush and twice as dangerous. That same daring was carried out on back roads all over America as the hot rod culture spread from coast to coast.

One of the most prominent cars on exhibit is the legendary "Old Crow" belly tank racer owned by Bobby Green. "Belly tanks" were one of the first examples of a new style of speedster built from army surplus that used aircraft fuel tanks for bodies to take advantage of their minimal wind resistance for maximum speed. "Old Crow" has attracted attention on a number of fronts having been featured in a Discovery Channel feature on Bonneville racers; being on display in locations as far away as Amsterdam; and being prominently displayed in a recent Tommy Hilfiger advertisement. The exhibit also includes examples of the style known as “highboys,” which mount narrower ’28 and ’29 bodies for streamlining on a wider ‘32 Ford frame, which provided more stability at high speed and more room for a V-8 engine, as well as for superchargers and other add-on high performance parts.

Also on exhibit, ’32 Ford “Deuce Coupes,” still the most popular model among hot rodders, each with a slightly different style illustrating the evolution of speed technology.

For enthusiasts interested in an up-close and detailed “how to” look at hot rod construction, the exhibit will also include a partially disassembled ’34 Ford to show off the modifications that are more than skin deep.

For more information visit www.CalAutoMuseum.org.

7th & H Street SRO Proposal

2010-04-16T03:45:51Z

Mercy Housing California of West Sacramento proposing affordable housing at the corner of 7th & H Street that will include 122 studios (325sf) and 28 one bed room (500sf) units as well as sixteen parking spaces, retail and health clinic on the ground floor. This eight story 102 foot tall building’s designed to replace other single room occupancy (SRO) units in downtown that are going to be replaced with other developments in the future.

There will be 3,900sf of retail space as well as 3,750sf health clinic, residential lobby, and a structured parking garage. 7th & H will also be designed to have a LEED-Silver standard and registered with the US Green Building Council. This project is the first mid-rise residential tower in the newly redefined Central Core District, and the first project to use the new Urban Design Guidelines. It located across the street from the County Jail and on an existing RT light rail line located along the north side of H Street, and a future RT line proposed on the east side of the 7th Street.

The project will require the Planning Commission approval of entitlements and to combine 5 existing parcels into one lot for the commercial condominium purposed. The Planning Commission is scheduled to hear this project on April 21st and then again on May 6, 2010 for Final action.

Retro Lodge owners face challenge

2010-04-16T02:57:41Z

The owners of the office complex called Retro Lodge are continuing bank negotiations in an effort to prevent the property's sale.

The $2.5 million loan balance is now several months past due, which led Bank of America to schedule trustee sales at least twice this month. But developer Heller Pacific and partners haven't given up on trying to get a loan extension after converting a former downtown Travelodge into one of the city's most creative adaptive-reuse projects, a block away from Sacramento City Hall.

The bank agreed to postpone a sale scheduled for Thursday while the partners are deep in talks with them. The project, which received no public subsidies, began taking tenants in 2008 just as the decline in the local real estate market quickly worsened, said Heller Pacific President Michael Heller Jr.

"We put every ounce of our passion into that project," Heller said. "Sometimes in life you face things beyond your control: One is an unusually challenging economy where it's hard to find tenants; two is a big bank that calls the shots."

The idea behind the 49-office complex was to create a kind of incubator for small business owners who want to have space downtown but without the usual long-term, high-priced leases. Office sizes range from 300 to 700 square feet, at $595 to $1,595 per month, said Andy Eckstrom, project manager for Heller Pacific.

The property's two buildings, which are named Astro and Elroy after The Jetsons cartoon characters, retain their mid-20th century modern design. With its lush fan palms, multi-story balconies and outdoor seating areas, Retro Lodge invokes a Palm Springs motel-turned-funky office building vibe.

The pioneering concept has gained traction. Retro Lodge is 57 percent leased with 28 tenants. While not the figure the owners want, that's more than double the number at the same time last year.

Tenants like Terrence Aguas and David Nybo credit the casual vibe, the layout and leasing staff with helping to make the concept work. Both have found plenty of networking opportunities just by keeping their doors open, hanging out on the balcony to handle a business call and being friendly with neighbors.

Aguas, who is a senior mortgage banker, and his partner, real estate broker Amir Cackovic, moved into Retro Lodge five months ago after starting a sustainability-focused company, American Green Realty.

Now they plan to do their outdoor advertising with Nybo, their next-door neighbor, and to use their other next-door neighbor's branding and website design services. They were drawn by the "energy of the place" and the community they found at Retro Lodge, Aguas said.

"We help each other out. We bounce ideas off each other; we partner up together and look out for each other," he said. "It's inspiring."

Shared kitchens and conference rooms, as well as the opening of a Naked Lounge coffee house in one of the buildings, provide other common areas where tenants gather.

Retro Lodge offers a more open alternative to traditional shared office buildings, where everyone works behind closed doors, said Nybo, who's leased office space for his company, Primero Outdoor Media, since shortly after Retro Lodge opened.

"You work with your door open and people walk by your office every day," he said. "It's pretty special. There's so much interaction among the neighbors here."

But the property hasn't worked for everyone. Marty DeAnda, who owns the small record label Dig Music and manages singer/songwriter Jackie Greene, relocated to the Urban Hive in October because he needed to be in an area where clients could park more easily. He also said there were too few tenants in the Elroy to interact with.

"I have respect for those folks. For me, the people were professional and wonderful," said DeAnda, who leased space at Retro Lodge for a year. (But) "The parking was difficult in that part of town."

The dates for a possible sale have been extended once again because of the "continuing efforts to make this thing work," Heller said.

"It's a great community," he said. "Right now, what we need is more tenants."

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter covering business and development for The Sacramento Press.

AECOM move good for city

2010-04-08T05:57:16Z

A Fortune 500 company is consolidating its regional office in Sacramento's central city.

Although moving only two blocks, AECOM's choice to remain here and bring more workers to the city's core is cause for some celebration after many regional and divisional offices shrunk in the last two years, local business leaders said.

"This is an indication that we're heading in the right direction," said Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

AECOM, headquartered in Los Angeles, merged with the environmental, planning and design firm EDAW in 2006. AECOM added construction, engineering, architecture and high-level project management, as well as a global force of 45,000, to the mix.

The regional office was rebranded in November. Now AECOM has decided to consolidate three local offices, creating its main Sacramento office at a new location at 2020 L St. The building recently got a new lobby, bathrooms and elevators. Refurbishment is also under way on the exterior.

AECOM considered buildings in Midtown, East Sacramento and other areas, including Natomas. The company picked the new Midtown site at a mostly vacant building to practice sustainability and to benefit clients and staff, said Steve Heipel, Sacramento office principal.

"The location provides better opportunities for employees to get to work on foot, by bicycle, or public transportation; is conveniently located relative to many of our local clients; and is close to many amenities, such as restaurants," he said. "The recent redevelopment activities in the vicinity, including refurbishment of the 2020 L St. facility, helped assure us that the Midtown location was a good long-term choice."

About 50 people working at offices in Campus Commons and Gold River will join about 115 employees who will move from EDAW's longtime location at 2022 J St.

While cities like Sacramento are working to attract national companies, the recruitment of regional and divisional offices — as well as their retainment and expansion — is also vital to the city's economic growth, and more likely at this stage and in this economy, said Matt Mahood, president and CEO of the Sacramento Metro Chamber.

"It would be great if, every year, we could recruit a Fortune 100 or 500 or 1,000 company. The odds of that happening are very slim," he said. "And we would be competing with virtually every other mature metropolitan area in the country."

The growth of businesses like AECOM is critical so the region can catch up to all the housing and retail that already exists here. Housing construction alone clearly can't support the economy or the development of more amenities such as restaurants, culture and entertainment currently being discussed, Ault said.

"It's a good indication when you see a business like that, that clearly has options outside the core, that they're choosing to stay in the central city," Ault said. "We have heard very clearly from employers that are looking at siting facilities within the downtown core — one of the benefits is being close to the amenities and providing a better life for their employees."

As a large national company, AECOM's decision shows confidence in the region's bounce-back ability and the company's prospects for growth here, Mahood added.

"Sacramento's economy has taken a beating in the last two years," he said. "But we are positioning ourselves for recovery."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter covering business and development for The Sacramento Press.

"Little Feat" duo bring acoustic sound to Harlows

2010-03-25T21:25:12Z

For those who enjoy blues, country, jazz and a little unconventional flavor in their music, two men, who’ve had a longstanding reputation of providing just that, are in town.

This Friday at 7 p.m., Harlows Restaurant and Nightclub of downtown Sacramento is featuring the acoustic duet Paul Barrere and Fred Tackett of the renowned and well-traveled band, “Little Feat.” Local singer songwriter Kate Gaffney will open the show.

The group’s frontman Barerre, considered by many to be the heart and soul of the band, joined “Little Feat” three years after it was formed in 1969. And from there, the Hollywood native joined a cast of guys who, 38 years later, find themselves still living the dream.

Known for his exceptional stylized guitar playing, Barrere was drawn to the guitar in a way that most guys could understand.

“One day, one of my buddies was having a party, and he had a friend over with a beautiful guitar, and that’s where all the chicks were," Barerre said. "So that seemed good to me.”

Originally asked by "Little Feat" lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George to play bass guitar for the up-and-coming band, Barerre declined the offer, knowing his skills were best utilized on the instrument he knew best. Shortly after, the original bass player quit “Little Feat,” and they decided to expand to two regular guitars. Barerre got the nod, and the rest is history.

From then on, “Little Feat” began to grow in popularity, releasing albums “Sailin’ Shoes” and “Dixie Chicken” in 1972 and '73, respectively, and many others down the road.

Over the years, the band continued to rise in rankings. And with that accent came the opportunity to play with a number of famous artists and bands, such as The Black Crowes, Garth Brooks, Randy Newman, Jimmy Buffet, The Who and The Rolling Stones. Barrere said he knows he’s creating quite the legacy for himself and the band along the way.

“We’ve performed and done concerts with some of the best bands in the world,” Barerre said. “38 years I’ve been running around with these guys. It’s just been a wonderful career that keeps going on. I told someone a while back, ‘It’s great being an aging musician, because I’d hate being an aging rock star.’ ”

Barrere and Tackett decided to start the duet tour separate from the band in 1999. After putting together a successful 45-minute set, a man approached them at the gig at asked if they’d like to go with him to Japan for a few weeks. They gladly accepted, and from there, Barrere and Tacket began performing concerts all over the world, including most recently a tour of the United Kingdom, Spain and Amsterdam.

“I like doing the duet because we get to do a whole new slant with some of the songs,” Barerre said. “We can improvise off each other, and it’s always a different set.”

For Friday’s concert at Harlows, Barerre said that he and Tackett want to give folks a more country feel to their brand of music, while interacting with the audience as much as possible throughout the concert.

“It’s going to be a little more folky and community sounding this time,” Barerre said. “We can interact a lot better with the audience if it’s just us two, so that’s what we want. We’d also like to give a little history about the songs and where they came from, and sometimes the stories are actually true.”

Tickets for the show can be purchased for $25 online at harlows.com and inticketing.com, or for $30 at the door at Harlows on 2708 J Street.

Work underway on train station, tracks

2010-01-28T06:12:30Z

Maintenance work began Wednesday on Union Pacific railroad tracks in the Downtown Sacramento railyards, while ongoing upgrades continue at the historic Sacramento Valley Station.

Union Pacific has started rail maintenance work on existing tracks. Rail cars that are part of a track replacement train known as the TRT 909 are pulling up the rail and replacing railroad ties underneath, said Aaron Hunt, public relations director for Union Pacific.

"We have track improvement projects going on throughout the state currently," he said.

The work is not part of the $60 million Downtown track relocation project, said Richard Rich, development director of Thomas Enterprises' Railyards project.

The timing was determined by the amount of train traffic and loads on the tracks, even though those tracks will be ripped out in a year or so, as track relocation work is scheduled to start by May. Railroad track relocation is the first phase of a regional transportation center being built in the 244-acre historic railyards adjacent to the existing station at Fifth and I streets.

The design and location of the future transit hub must still be determined. Two weeks ago, Thomas and another development team proposed incorporating the transportation center into a new Kings arena if the arena were built adjacent to the existing train station.

On Tuesday, the California Department of General Services closed off a dozen parking spaces next to the train station for work expected to begin soon on upgrading the station's electrical system, said Linda Tucker, spokesperson for the city's Department of Transportation.

Those spaces won't be available until May 15. The station's water system is also being updated at this time, she said.

City workers are designing new front-entry canopies for all the doors and strengthening wall and floor connections, she said.

Workers have also secured the building against pests, updated the natural gas system, repaired basement leaks, removed some lead paint and asbestos, and done other work since the city bought the building on behalf of its residents in 2006. Amtrak leases the station from the city.

Sacramento Valley Station sits on a major national trade route, the Central Corridor, whose western junction is the high-volume Port of Oakland. Freight and passenger trains share three tracks in a configuration set up about the time the Sacramento station was built in 1925.

Track relocation work will include building tracks devoted to freight, in order to allow a higher volume of freight trains to move more quickly through Sacramento. Freight and passenger tracks also will be moved at least 300 feet north and straightened to allow for longer trains.

Amarin closes after more than 20 years

2010-01-28T05:51:35Z

Amarin Thai Cuisine, one of Sacramento's earliest Thai restaurants, has gone dark after the owners closed last week.

On Jan. 19, the family-run restaurant shut its doors at the corner of I and 12th streets, just a few blocks from government buildings housing thousands of state, city, county and federal employees. Downtown workers made up the bulk of Amarin's customers during weekday lunches.

"That was our favorite," said downtown resident Gloria Burt, an art show curator for Sacramento's Central Library. "The food was really, really good. We're unhappy it's gone."

Like many other businesses in the central city, Amarin was hurt by the recession and state employee furloughs. But a loss of revenue was not the reason for the restaurant's closure, according to a source who spoke to the owners.

Amarin was believed to have been the second Thai restaurant to open in Sacramento. The Sacramento County health department's earliest records for the restaurant date back to 1989. Another family first opened the restaurant, and that may have been earlier. The current owner, listed as Sureerat Nui Mach, had opened a restaurant of the same name in Folsom in 2002 and later sold the business.

Siam Restaurant is believed to have been the first, according to Lek Pitak, who owns Thai Palace, 3262 J St., and Thais working at Siam.

Siam first opened in the 5300 block of Franklin Boulevard. The city built a police station there and Siam relocated to 5100 Franklin Blvd. City of Sacramento Revenue Division records for that location date to 1988. Siam workers said the restaurant first opened by 1984 or possibly earlier.

The Burt family discovered Amarin soon after the first family opened it. Over the years, the restaurant expanded and the interior was decorated more, Burt said.

"We had a lot of friends who liked going there," she said. "Now where are we going to get our coconut soup? It was the best."

Amarin's license to sell beer and wine expired Dec. 31, but is still considered active until the end of a 90-day grace period, according to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

Amarin's space at 900 12th St. may not stay vacant for long. More than five potential restaurant operators have inquired about leasing the retail space on the ground floor of the Congress Hotel in the week since the restaurant closed.

The owners could not be reached for comment.

Finally --- a Sunset

2010-01-23T03:03:01Z

The sun finally won over the clouds for a bit, creating a nice visual from Old Sacramento this evening.

Looking east from Richards Blvd shows sunlight hitting downtown's skyscrapers.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

NBA proposes Sacramento arena deal

2010-01-16T04:40:28Z

The ongoing drama over a new Sacramento arena was kicked up a notch Thursday when a consortium of investors and local developers, together with the NBA, proposed a complex real estate deal involving the Railyards, Cal Expo and Arco Arena. Whether or not that deal eclipses all the other proposals on the table remains to be seen.

But regardless of which arena proposal ultimately becomes reality, it will be a game-changer for Sacramento.

Just how much depends on which of seven proposals the city and the Sacramento Kings' owners agree on. The Maloof/NBA proposal involves real estate deals that would lead to Cal Expo being sold to private developers for a mixed-use neighborhood, Arco Arena and adjacent land being transformed into the new state fairgrounds, and a sports arena being built on donated city land adjacent to the train station.

The backers of all seven proposals made brief pitches to more than 120 people at a sometimes raucous, fairly informal open house held Thursday night in the lobby of City Hall. But the biggest surprise came after the event organized by Mayor Kevin Johnson's arena task force, when developers and investors behind a complex real estate proposal held a separate press conference at the Citizen Hotel.

Representing the National Basketball Association at the second press conference, John Moag, who heads the sports investment banking company Moag & Co., outlined a complicated plan spearheaded by developer Gerry Kamilos.

"I think we can all agree we have a building that needs to be replaced. The real question has always been, 'How?' " Moag said. "We came with the assumption we were not going to raise new taxes. That made for a very difficult and complicated scenario."

The NBA has become a partner to negotiate for the project on behalf of the Maloofs, which own the Sacramento Kings franchise and its current home, Arco Arena. The city owns land around the arena. The Maloofs did not attend the press conference.

Kamilos, developer David Taylor and two investment companies would form a private consortium that proposes building a 19,000-seat sports and entertainment arena adjacent to the historic train depot on land donated by the city of Sacramento. That project would be financed in part by the group buying Cal Expo and developing a mixed-use, master-planned neighborhood there. The group also proposes the city and the Maloofs turn Arco Arena and the adjacent land over to the state for the new fairgrounds, Moag said.

The Maloofs would contribute $300 million to the new arena, he said. However, the proposal also calls for retiring a $68.5 million city loan to the Maloofs. The Kings would sign a 30-year lease. The private group would own and operate the new sports and entertainment arena for 30 years, then turn it over to the city.

Proponents of other projects proposed building at a variety of locations, from the same city-owned railyards land to the east end of Downtown Plaza, the Sacramento River waterfront in the Docks Area and Arco Arena. Some proposed funding mechanisms, but not all.

Thomas Enterprises, which is developing the former railyards, proposes building a sports and entertainment center in the same city-owned railyards location as the third phase of the current regional transportation center project. Under that proposal, the historic train depot would serve as the lobby and ticketing center for the arena, as well as the future transportation center. A passenger concourse would wrap around the side of the arena to the relocated tracks and a multi-level, shared parking garage would be built.

A performing arts center is proposed for a new fourth phase. The proposal would decrease the cost of both the transportation center and the arena and allow the use of transportation funding not available to other projects, Thomas Enterprises Vice President Suheil Totah said.

"It will help establish the historic depot as the Grand Central Station of the West," he said at City Hall. "This event center is the next logical step to the redevelopment of the railyards and the revitalization of Downtown Sacramento."

Graphic provided by Thomas Enterprises.

Other proposals include:

— Natomas Entertainment Sports Center Partners, led by Jeff Baize of Brookhurst Corp., proposes building a new entertainment complex on 100 acres of city-owned land adjacent to Arco Arena. The complex would include a mixed-use neighborhood emphasizing green technology and re-purposing Arco Arena as a power generation facility. "That site has been working from a traffic and infrastructure capacity," he said.

— Matt Haines of M & M Group and owner of 33rd Street Bistro presented a plan developed more than a decade ago for then-Mayor Joe Serna. Haines proposes building a sports and entertainment center on the waterfront in the future Docks Area. A location near Miller Park would bring needed development to the riverfront and nearby Capitol Mall, and encourage the use of Broadway and R Street as access routes, he said. "Our river will come alive like never before," he said. He proposes financing the project through equity seat rights, or selling individual seats in the center, which Haines said has raised $200 million for UC Berkeley.

— Ali Mackani, who owns Lounge on 20, and a group called CORE propose redeveloping the east end of Westfield Downtown Plaza into a retail and entertainment district, with two floors of retail and an outdoor public park on the third floor. "Our downtown lacks energy," Mackani said. "We don't have a destination. We need to make sure our core is strong. We have to do a better job in creating an attraction for everyone."

— Rick Tripp of Tripp Development also sees the east end of Downtown Plaza as the best location. This proposal focused on financing, rather than design. Tripp proposed private financing and no requirement for publicly owned real estate — or compensating taxpayers for real estate at market rate, he said.

— Doug Tatara proposes building an entertainment complex including a sports and entertainment arena, a California theme park and a monorail connecting Cal Expo to downtown. He proposes raising money for the arena through the recruitment of 25 corporate sponsors who would have advertising contracts with the arena.

The mayor's task force will visit proposed locations on Feb. 18 and conduct a review of the proposals with each group on March 4. The task force will make recommendations to the mayor on March 11.

Railyards photo by Eric Whalen.

Officials, company careful with demolition

2009-12-22T05:12:13Z

The final demolition of a former Sacramento police building has been halted again while concerns over an adjacent power station are worked out.

Advantage Demolition was preparing to demonstrate Monday how the last two exterior walls could be pulled down safely next to transformers at a historic power station, now known as SMUD Station A, at Sixth and H streets. The station, whose origins date to 1895, supplies power to up to 40 percent of downtown Sacramento, said Sacramento Municipal Utility District spokesperson Dace Udris.

Demolition of the building at Seventh and H streets began several months ago to make way for a 160-unit affordable housing project being built by the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Mercy Housing California and Mogavero Notestine Associates. Demolition was suspended until Monday, when officials from SHRA, SMUD and the city visited the site to watch a demolition demonstration. The work was halted for further discussion of the process that will be used.

"SMUD is uncomfortable, and I understand why," said Robert Scott of Advantage Demolition, a family-run company based in Eldorado Hills.

The company's most technical demolition jobs are handled by Scott and his uncle Peter Scott, who owns the business. For this building, Robert Scott will put 13 years of experience to work running the excavator, which will pull the concrete block walls into the interior of what's left of the building, he said. The exterior was built to resemble brick.

After Christmas, the Scotts will meet with officials to address concerns and to demonstrate the technique on a roughly 26-foot section of wall facing H Street. The most concern arose over the possibility concrete chunks could fly out from the other wall, which runs along one side of the substation, and hit electrical equipment. The company will install tarps between the substation and the wall to control debris, Robert Scott said.

"I've been in this situation many times," he said. "I have yet to have an accident."

The demolition could be completed within days once the go-ahead is given. Demolishing the rest of the walls should take a few hours. Prepping — installing tarps and making the site safe — will take a day, while cleanup will take two to three days, Scott said.

For years, the building under demolition was the city's patrol station. Patrol officers were based there, while patrol cars were housed in a garage where the federal courthouse now sits. Police administration headquarters were located at the site of the present Sacramento County Public Law Library, said Sacramento Police Department spokesperson Norm Leong.

In 1994, the building was converted into the city's first non-live-in police academy. Forensics also was based there. The building had so much history for Sacramento police that some officers grabbed concrete "bricks" as mementos once it started coming down, Leong said.

"There's history there," he said.

SHRA is overseeing the nine-story project to build one-bedroom and studio apartments, along with ground-floor retail and a clinic, to replace low-income, single-residency occupancy units on K Street Mall or elsewhere downtown and to help develop permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless people. The tenants would be primarily single people with low-wage jobs. Mercy Housing California hopes to establish one-third to half of the units for "special needs" tenants who have been homeless or at-risk in other ways, according to an SHRA staff report.

Downtown Holiday Events this Week

2009-12-10T00:20:25Z

The holiday season has arrived – whether you’re ready or not. Brave the cold weather this weekend and get into the holiday spirit. As an added bonus the City of Sacramento is offering free parking at meters Downtown (I through L streets and Front to 29th streets) after 4:30 pm on weekdays and all day on Saturdays and Sundays.

This weekend’s events kick off on Thursday with the State Capitol’s annual tree lighting at 5:30 pm. If it’s lights you love, check out the 700 block of K Street across from the Carnival at St. Rose painted with thousands of LED lights. As a grand finale, experience the Theatre of Lights show in Old Sacramento. The free show illuminates the district Thursday through Sunday nights with a show at 6:30 pm and 8 pm.

State Capitol Tree Lighting
Where: State Capitol - West Steps
When: Thursday, December 10 at 5:30 pm

Carnival at St. Rose
Where: 7th & K streets
When: Open daily Noon – 8 pm thru January 3 (closed Christmas Day)
This whimsical holiday event is the perfect starting point for your visit downtown. The Carnival at St. Rose features a 30-foot ferris wheel, giant slide, classic carnival games and prizes and old school arcade games like Frogger, Ms. Pacman, skeeball and more. Don’t miss weekly events at the carnival including Karaoke at the Carnival every Thursday Night and Trivia every Friday Night.

Admission is $5 for a two-hour session that includes unlimited access to carnival games, rides and arcade. Park at the Westfield Downtown Plaza and the Carnival will validate your parking. www.downtownsac.org/carnival.

Theatre of Lights
Where: Front & K streets
When: Free shows every Thursday through Sunday nights at 6:30 & 8:00 pm
The Theatre of Lights brings history to life through a narrated show of lights, sounds and visual effects. The free light show will take visitors back to a time when the beloved poem The Night Before Christmas was first introduced in Sacramento in 1857. Two 10-minute light shows will run every Thursday through Sunday at 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm through January 3. For more information, visit www.oldsactheatreoflights.com

KHITS Christmas Concert: Tribute to Elvis and the Everly Brothers
Where: Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street
When: Saturday, December 12 at 7:30 pm
Oldies hits and Christmas classics come alive in this family-style double bill featuring oldies tribute artists Mark W. Curran & The Cruisin Oldies Showband. This evening features many of the traditional Christmas songs recorded by both Elvis and the Everly Brothers throughout their along with all their greatest hits. Tickets are on sale now at tickets.com, Crest box office, or call 1-800-225-2277.
www.thecrest.com

The Nutcracker
Where: Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street
When: This weekend shows include:
Friday, December 11, 7:00pm (Opening Night)
Saturday, December 12, 2:00pm & 7:00pm
Sunday, December 13, 1:00pm

Join the Sacramento Ballet in celebrating the 500th performance of The Nutcracker! The magic and wonder of Sacramento's most cherished holiday tradition returns to create memories to last families a lifetime. Over 200 costumed characters enthrall the audience to the majestic Tchaikovsky score played by the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra. Adults: $15.00 - $68.00, Children: $15.00 - $31.00. www.sacballet.org

Old Ironsides 75th Anniversary celebration

2009-11-03T04:08:26Z

If these walls could talk, Old Ironsides would have a lot to say after seven decades and lots of intrigue. Papa Bill Bordisso opened the building downtown in 1934, just after Prohibition ended.

"My father said you could at one time see all the way down to the river. It was just completely open space," said owner Billee Jean Bordisso Kanelos, Papa's daughter.

A celebration marking 75 years for Old Ironsides happens all this month. Each week, Ironsides will feature drink and lunch specials from a particular decade, Kanelos said.

"Back in the '40s, there was a popular special called the half and half," Kanelos said. "That is basically half spaghetti and half ravioli. We can't keep the prices what they were back then, but we will keep them as low as we possibly can."

Drink specials will be served with a interesting slice of American history.

"One of the drinks we will have is called 'Moscow Mule'," Kanelos said. "Gin and brandy were big sellers in the '40s, and the Mule is made out of ginger beer and vodka. Because of that drink, there was a huge shift from gin to vodka in the '50s, and eventually it phased out the popularity of gin."

Surprisingly, not much historical analysis has been done on the building.

"We did have a historian come here back in the 1970s, and she was able to determine a rough estimate of the year due to the architecture," Kanelos said. "The architecture is called Italianate, which was popular a decade after the Civil War."

Papa Bordisso added a 'playroom' in the 1940s, complete with a fireplace and pinball machines, that hosted popular Shuffleboard competitions. Eventually, the shuffleboard fad died and Bordisso added a liquor store. Soon after, grocery stores began to carry liquor, so music and entertainment became the focus.

Clearly, Old Ironsides has changed with the times.

The secret to survival is having a good, family-run business, and the help of a lot of talented people, Kanelos said.

"In the '90s, we decided to go into nightlife and entertainment," she added. "It started out with one band, and now we show bands each week."

The 75th anniversary party will be on Nov 22, with appetizers and drink specials from 1 to 6 p.m.

"We plan on having a DJ spinning music from the '30s, and free samples from our lunch menu that will be passed around as appetizers," Kanelos said.

Perhaps the biggest reason to celebrate are all the memories Old Ironsides has created over the years.

Kanelos has many fond memories of her family's business.

"As a girl, I would come down on a Sunday and skate around with other kids while all the families and old folks were in the bar," she said. "We opened at 6 and by 6:30 all the stools were taken, many by businessmen that would come in for a coffee and brandy before heading home.

"A lot of comedians and bands from all over the world have performed here. All walks of life have come through," Kanelos added. "Sacramento has been very good to us."

Old Ironsides is at 1901 10th St. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Old Ironsides' Web site is here.

More information on Old Ironsides' myspace Web site here.

Photos courtesy Old Ironsides.

"Anónimo Mortal" day one of the "El Santo" Mexican film series

2009-10-28T05:18:34Z

Monday evening transported me back to high school Spanish class.

At La Raza Galeria Posada, I watched a non-subtitled, and non-dubbed Mexican film for the first time in years. The plot and dialogue were easy enough to follow so I didn't feel completely lost, and the 1970s outfits the women wore also kept me thoroughly entertained (leopard bell bottom pants while walking through the desert, really?)

"Anónimo Mortal," features El Santo, or "the Saint," played by Rodolfo Huerta, who wears his emblematic silver mask in the wrestling ring and as he goes about life, or in this film, as he helps to solve a murder mystery.

El Santo is one of Mexico's iconic figures that many Mexican citizens identified with, said Marie Acosta, Director at La Raza Galeria Posada.

"Santo is popular because he is the working class hero - the superhero," Acosta said. "So much popular culture is exported to Mexico from the United States, he was the first to really have a collective national identity for Mexico."

"Anónimo Mortal" starts out with a bang - literally. Within the first few minutes someone is shot, which began the inquisitive crime-solving sleuthing for the film.

Certain citizens are being targeted in Mexico City, in addition, the ones targeted all receive an anonymous death threat stating that "your turn to die is next." Mario Gaos, a business man, reads about it in the paper and having just received a death threat himself says that instead of the police, "the only person who can save me is Santo."

From then on, it is up to El Santo and his crime fighting associates to investigate the murders.

I was quite surprised that despite having a Mexican wrestler as the protagonist there were actually only a few wrestling scenes. The main plot centered around the murder-mystery or classic "who-dun-it" theme. Eventually it is discovered that the murders end up being from an old Nazi extermination camp commander and other nazi's, relocated to Mexico some 25 years after the war, who wants revenge on those who testified against him in the war crimes trial.

I found the storyline easy to follow, peppered with action sequences of Santo fighting in the ring and against the vilified Nazis. The film quality was relatively grainy, and reminded me of the typical 1970s Bruce Lee action or any other adventure movie during that era. The clothes the women characters Yvette and Ester wore were very fashion-conscious during the time, with high waist jeans, chunky heels and raccoon eye makeup.

Entry and popcorn are free, beer and wine can be purchased for under $5, and donations are always graciously accepted. The Galeria has beautiful works of art in both rooms, so come by a little early and pursue the sculptures before watching the feature.

The El Santo films will continue to be shown all this week. On Thursday, Doctor Dobb, film curator, will speak on El Santo's life and legacy. The free series is sponsored by the Consulate General of Mexico.

"Santo is a national symbol," Acosta said. "It will be great to have Fred [Dobb] curating the Mexican film series and introducing people to this iconic piece of Mexican film history."

The remaining films this week are:

Tuesday: Santo y Blue Demon en la Atlántida (Santo and Blue Demon in Atlantis), subtitled
Wednesday: Santo vs. Las Lobas (Good vs. The Wolf), subtitled
Thursday: Santo en el Museo de Cera (Ghost in the Wax Museum), subtitled
Friday: Santo y Blue Demon vs. Los Monstruos (Santo and Blue Demon vs. The Monsters), not subtitled

Films begin at 7 p.m. at La Raza Galeria Posada, 1022 22nd St. in Sacramento. You can just show up for the film, or place a reservation with Michael by calling 916.446.5133, or by email at michael@larazagaleriaposada.org.

Wine and Beats pours local Sacramento wine alongside good vibes

2009-10-25T03:53:08Z

Wine and eclectic beats never sounded so good. Design Within Reach, a trendy art furniture studio Downtown, came alive Wednesday evening, providing a popular hot spot for the first ever Wine and Beats event, created and hosted by Rai-Mon Nemar.

Nemar, founder of LEGENDmag and budding sommelier, has a contagious passion for both wine and music. Nemar said he noticed subtle changes to the characteristics of wine while listening to albums.

"I was writing an article one day reviewing an album, sipping on wine," he said. "By the time I completed the article I thought, 'All I need in life is wine and beats.' So I started comparing bottles of wine to certain albums and was amazed at some of the pairings."

The aesthetic feel of the wine is best paired with the type of music being played, he said.

"I want to make sure that wine is approachable," he said. "So I compare different types to music to get friends interested."

An eclectic functional space was also key to create an inviting atmosphere, he said.

"Clubs and bars already have their own atmosphere," he said. "Design Within Reach is unusual; most people walk right by and look inside but never really go in. I could manipulate the atmosphere here with the music, lights and surroundings.

First-time attendees Melissa Sais and Michelle Maghari both stopped in after hearing the music from outside.

"I love this space," Maghari said. "I really enjoy the energy. You wouldn't expect to see music from a design store."

"The music and the DJs are awesome," Sais said.

Though the event was free, attendees could make a donation to sponsor Sol Collective, a local non-profit organization that promotes mentoring and marketable skills for youths in disadvantaged communities in exchange for their community involvement.

"Sol Collective provides music production, multimedia arts and graphic design skills," said volunteer Estella Sanchez. "In exchange, youths then provide community service. It inspires young people to be active for change within their own community."

Sanchez was looking forward to the turnout Friday for Wine and Beats.

Local DJs Billy Lane, RiffRaff and Crush Delight spun music while three wineries, two Sacramento locals, poured wine all evening. Rail Bridge Cellars and Revolutions are the only two inner-city wineries located in Sacramento. Both wineries served blended wines which contained cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc.

With more Wine and Beats planned in the future, Nemar hopes Sacramento will respond well to his passion.

"I like giving Sacramento a chance to step out of its boundaries," Nemar said. "I think Midtown and Downtown needs to see something different, and that's what I am hoping to give with Wine and Beats."

Future Wine and Beats events and tours will eventually be located here.

A 10-Step Plan To Fix K Street, Or: The Legend of the Skyscraper Fairy

2009-10-12T03:55:54Z

As a Sacramento resident keenly interested in the history of K Street from the gold rush to the present, I have read many opinions regarding the best ways to fix the ongoing problems of K Street. Some have been proposed recently, ideas that I view with a mixture of amusement and horror. Most involve returning to the mistakes of the past while clearly avoiding its successes. In order to take the best from the past while avoiding some of its mistakes, I have selected some favorites. I can take credit for none of them, as they are all ideas that have been suggested at other times and places, but they seem like the best of the lot to me. This ten-point plan varies in scope from the very simple and inexpensive to the rather complex and expensive, some are short-term solutions while others are longer-term solutions for better times, but all of them are practical. I can provide more detail about most of these points if requested.

1. Accept that the Skyscraper Fairy does not exist.

Many landlords along K Street have no apparent interest in maintaining or improving their properties. Some are convinced that as long as they own the land, the magical Skyscraper Fairy will give them uncountable millions for the land where their decaying buildings sit, and will replace them with shiny new skyscrapers. Thus, they have little interest in maintaining or tenanting their buildings. The result is under-utilized or vacant buildings whose facades continue to crumble. Despite the Downtown Partnership’s efforts to power-wash streets and alleys, buildings allowed to fall into disrepair, inhabited only by bats and squatters, make our historic buildings into eyesores. Ideally, the city’s code enforcement division would issue stiff fines to property owners who allow their buildings to fall into disrepair, in order to prevent demolition by neglect. Unfortunately, the city of Sacramento is also one of the guilty parties, and one of the strongest believers in the Skyscraper Fairy. City-owned properties currently sit vacant, awaiting their own savior in the form of a deep-pocketed developer who will brush aside the old building and provide badly-needed money to build something else. Given K Street’s current state, this is unlikely—the only propositions so far are dependent on generous subsidies from the city of Sacramento. Until both the city and K Street property owners can be dispelled of their belief in the magical skyscraper fairy, their properties will continue to rot.

2. It’s time to leave the shopping mall in the past.

K Street was a bustling place until the 1950s, when most of Sacramento’s population moved out of the central city, the residential neighborhoods adjacent to downtown Sacramento were demolished, and the city streetcar system was replaced by highways and automobiles. Suburban malls were closer to the new suburban neighborhoods and had plentiful parking, while K Street was far away and none of the stores had parking lots. The K Street pedestrian mall of the 1960s and 1970s was a desperate move to woo suburban shoppers by simulating a suburban mall, including demolition of nearby buildings to provide parking. But the suburban malls were still more convenient, and their parking lots bigger and more obvious, so K Street’s rebirth as a mall of the 1970s failed. A 1990s re-vamp that enclosed the section from 4th to 7th Street has become another failure, due to its failure to move beyond the idea of a suburban mall downtown.

A new generation of city planners has noted that shopping centers of the 2000s look a lot like old downtowns, with stores that copy historic styles and a mixture of pedestrian paths and driveways. These planners have decided that this is the future of K Street, and call for a return of cars to K Street so they can pretend K Street is a new suburban "power center," the 2010s equivalent of a shopping mall. But those suburban “power centers” are still closer to suburban shoppers, and their parking lots are still bigger. If K Street is simply opened to cars and its facades remodeled to emulate new suburban shopping centers in North Natomas, how can the result be any different from the last two attempts to disguise downtown Sacramento as a suburban mall?

3. Cars, no. Bikes, yes.

The simplest change to energize K Street will cost very little: permit bicycle riding on K Street. Bike riding is already on the rise, and the freedom to bike on K Street would turn it into the main cycling corridor of the central city, free from the vehicular mayhem of J and L Street. Provide a few bike racks so bike riders can stop and shop as well as ride through, and the numbers strolling past store windows will dramatically increase.

4. Shrink light rail to streetcar size.

Until the 1940s, K Street had transit in all sizes. On K Street itself, streetcars ran from the heart of downtown to Midtown, Southside and nearby suburbs like Land Park, Oak Park and East Sacramento. These cars were small, typically 30-40 feet long, about the size of a modern bus, and operated at speeds up to 25-30 miles per hour. Like a bus, they worked reasonably well with traffic, but because they had fixed rails they had a smoother ride and a predictable path, making them more comfortable for riders. Trains ran every ten minutes during the day, and “owl” runs carried late-night travelers all night.

On the corner of 8th and K Street, interurban trains ran in both directions. Passengers from Woodland, Chico, Stockton and even Oakland could hop on the train and get off on K Street. These trains were bigger, 60-80 feet long, and operated in trains as long as 6-8 cars. They were taller and wider than streetcars, and could reach 60-70 miles per hour going flat-out through the countryside. They ran on 8th Street because K Street was far too busy to handle the big trains.

Today, modern Light Rail trains are more like the interurbans than streetcars. With 80 foot long bodies and operating in four-car trains, they are not well-suited to playing the role of a streetcar. By through-routing Blue Line trains north via the upcoming 7th Street extension and connecting to North 12th Street via Richards Boulevard, light rail trains could bring passengers from Folsom, Rancho Cordova, South Sacramento and North Highlands to K Street without crowding pedestrians off the street.

Meanwhile, the streetcars can return to K Street. Some of Sacramento’s historic streetcars exist in unrestored condition in private collections, but modern streetcars offer amenities like air conditioning and ADA-accessible low-floor entryways. They can run on the existing K Street tracks while leaving more room for pedestrians and bikes. Using existing light rail lines and sharing their tracks, these streetcars can link nearby neighborhoods and connect with light rail. Extending streetcar lines into existing neighborhoods and new development areas costs less than one-third the price of light rail extensions and drives population density, economic investment and reduces the need for cars and parking. Run them until after 2:00 AM to give downtown visitors an option to leave their cars at home—especially if they plan on drinking.

5. Legalize street life.

This is another cheap and easy solution. Part of Second Saturday’s success is its prolific use of street music, performers, and vendors, but its monthly status creates a feast-or-famine condition. A permit program to allow music, performance and vending at any time means that visitors to K Street won’t need to check their calendars before going downtown. Street music and vending also gives local entertainers and small businesspeople a stepping stone to a retail storefront or a musical career. Musicians and vendors will promote activity, give walkers a reason to stick around, and attract visitors to enjoy the street life. This also does not rule out special street festivals and special events above and beyond the day-to-day activity, and maintaining K Street as a pedestrian walk maintains this valuable civic amenity for more public festivals. Both everyday street life and special events will draw visitors from within Sacramento, the surrounding region, and tourists from out of town.

6. Tours bring tourists.

Despite the demolition of the past few decades, K Street still retains a remarkable number of historic buildings, proud evidence of our architectural heritage in stone, terra cotta and concrete. Many cities use local tourism programs to bring visitors into the heart of the city, but to most visitors, Sacramento’s history ends at the edge of Old Sacramento. Efforts to alter this perception have been minimal. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership has a guided tour program, but it is minimally staffed, minimally funded, and minimally advertised. Downtown visitors looking for local history information are likely to come up empty-handed. Sacramento needs a full-strength tourism program worthy of a city with such a rich and diverse history. K Street, the walking street at the heart of the city, can be the center of such a tour program, with more tours branching out into nearby downtown streets and our architecturally rich residential neighborhoods. History tours appeal both to visiting tourists and to locals interested in learning more about their city's past.

On K Street, the potential star attraction of local tourism is right under your feet. Sacramento’s underground sidewalks, the result of a street-raising measure intended to keep the city above flood waters, run the length of K Street from the river to about 12th Street. Many are demolished, but enough material remains to allow a tour to weave in and out of underground sidewalk spaces, sunken alleys, basements, and even below-surface businesses. Combined with the dramatic story of the raised streets, and some entertaining and colorful stories from Sacramento’s history, the potential of an underground sidewalks tour is unlimited. In Seattle, local booster Bill Speidel turned a walk through clammy underground sidewalks in a notoriously bad part of town into a million-dollar tourist attraction that is known worldwide, drawing as many as 300,000 visitors a year and employing as many as 50 full-time staff. There is no reason that Sacramento can’t do the same.

7. Bring on the nightlife.

If a suburban mall isn’t the answer, what will bring suburban residents downtown? The answer is simple: Give them something the suburbs don’t have. Sacramento is best known for its quiet suburbs, the result of a decades-long whitewashing operation to conceal our party-animal past. The rowdy days of the Gold Rush, the proliferation of local breweries and wineries, our almost total refusal to acknowledge Prohibition, the legendary jazz and blues clubs of Sacramento’s West End, and even last year’s New Year’s Eve party (2,000 expected, 12,000 attended) burst through the “town where nothing happens” façade. It’s time to face the truth, and bring more nightlife down the length of K Street. This doesn’t just mean bars, it also means late-night restaurants, theaters, live music venues, dance clubs, movies, spas and salons, comedy clubs, coffee shops, and other imaginative options for entertainment. Cooperative parking agreements with state parking lots can provide tens of thousands of parking spaces, and better public transit can carry revelers home in safety.

8. Shop local, even if you’re from out of town.

The shopping-mall consultants are half right about K Street—it does need more than nightlife to survive. Daytime and early evening traffic means retail stores and services in between the state-employee lunch rush and the arrival of the dinner, drinks and dancing crowd. However, national chain stores are hesitant to expand, even if bribed into doing so. And again, suburban visitors won’t drive downtown to a store in their local mall. The answer is, again, to give them something the mall doesn’t have: unique, local stores. Local businesses keep money in the local economy, stimulate local employment and provide a unique character that chain stores simply can’t match. Encouraging local businesspeople to rent storefronts on K Street should be a city priority. Matched with neighborhood-serving retail like food markets, cleaners, drugstores and small department stores, locally-based retail on K Street should appeal to suburban shoppers, out-of-town visitors, and central city residents. As stores fill and crowds start to appear, instead of having to beg national chains to locate on K Street, they will appear on their own, smelling money to be made.

One idea we might lift from San Francisco: the much-adored Metreon, high-tech consumer wonderland, is falling on hard economic times, with many vacancies. Earlier this year, a full-time farmer’s market moved into the Metreon, and has already proved a popular destination. A permanent farmer’s market on K Street, instead of the current sporadic weekly markets, would provide fresh foods to a neighborhood where none are sold. Downtown workers, visitors and residents would all benefit from a convenient source for the Sacramento Valley’s agricultural bounty.

9. Living on K Street shouldn’t mean sleeping directly on it.

The destruction of the downtown neighborhoods near K Street was followed by the destruction of thousands of inexpensive rental rooms, commonly known as SRO hotels, where thousands of workers lived. As inexpensive housing disappeared, the poorest people did not. Out of necessity, they made their home on the streets. Many are still there, and as existing SRO stock is phased out of service and homeless services disappear, their numbers grow. They will not vanish and they will not simply move away, because they have nowhere to go and no alternative. The only way to reverse this trend is to replace the housing that was lost. This replacement housing need not be here on K Street, but it needs to be somewhere. Our only alternative is to accept the presence of people sleeping on the streets as an unalterable condition, and tell them that their suffering is necessary and unavoidable—or to simply remain in denial of the problem, which amounts to the same thing. As a people, as a city and as a nation, I think we are capable of better than that.

But it isn’t just the poorest that need housing in the central city. Housing for all income levels should be included in new development projects, but putting it into existing buildings would be even easier. Many formerly residential buildings were converted to office use in the 1960s and 1970s, so why not convert the abundance of vacant upper-story office space back into residential units? This housing should cross the economic spectrum: SRO units for the disabled and seniors, low-income units for service employees, workforce housing for office employees, and high-end, high-up housing for the high rollers. A truly urban life results when you can see all the way across the economic spectrum just walking down the street. That can’t happen unless the street has places for all of them to live, dine, work and shop. Again, not all of these places have to be directly on K Street, but they should be close enough to walk there in a few minutes. Restoration of residential buildings will preserve their architectural value, bring life back to the neighborhood, fill a great social need, and jobs restoring and maintaining the buildings will create more employment than comparable levels of new construction.

10. Have faith, be good, and the Skyscraper Fairy will come.

Part of the current mentality of property owners on K Street is based on outdated models of how downtown development should happen. For decades, cities were assumed to be teeming pits of an imaginary disease called “blight” that could only be cured with wrecking balls and a liberal application of public-funded redevelopment dollars, designed to push out “undesirable” tenants and solicit only the coveted suburban émigré to return to the central business district, and then only to spend money and leave, never to live. Today’s cities don’t work like that anymore. People want to live in cities because they want the amenities of urban life unavailable in the suburbs. If K Street can offer those amenities, not a sanitized Disneyland version and certainly not a copy of a suburban mall, they will grow interested in K Street. If they are interested, they will come to visit. If there are places to live, and things to see and do, they will want to move downtown. Once enough people have moved downtown that there is no longer room in existing buildings, and people feel safe and secure in neighborhoods that are well-maintained, high-rise developers who understand how cities work will look at K Street and see dollar signs. Instead of developers seeking handouts to build on K Street, they will come with money in hand where they think they can make even more.

And when they do, the Skyscraper Fairy will visit the property owners and civic leaders who took care of their buildings, who encouraged vitality and street life instead of a tax write-off, who promoted transit and walkability, and drew people back downtown to share in K Street’s uniqueness, character and history. She will shower them with money and riches and blessings, and cranes will rise on K Street, filling the gaps between the last century’s architectural gems with bright, tall new buildings. Yes, Sacramento, there is a Skyscraper Fairy, but she has very high standards.

William Burg is a board member of the Sacramento Old City Association. This story is a guest editorial opinion, and does not represent the opinion of Sacramento Press or its editors.

Naked Lounge downtown to open music venue

2009-10-07T02:49:10Z

The Naked Lounge is ready to turn it up a notch.

On Oct. 15 at their Downtown location on the corner of H and 11th streets, the coffee shop will roll-up their garage doors for an all ages music venue.

"We opened this coffee house in February," said Jenn Fox, General Manager. "We never wanted music inside the coffeehouse, we focus just on coffee. But then we got to thinking ... it's already next door, it's a great space, let's do a venue."

Over the next few months, the Naked Lounge music venue quickly started to form. The rented space, known as "Retrolodge," is aptly named after the Astro and Elroy motels. The style for both motels was modeled after the 1950s and 60s Palm Springs look. They have since been renovated with their space now being rented to Sacramento business tenants.

"It's a weird spot, really unique," Fox said. "It is really changing the face of downtown. There is nothing like it in Sacramento."

The two locations will be located next to one another, side by side. A roll-up door separates them, but will be open during events. The venue, like the coffee house, is modestly sized and will have an intimate feel seating about 50 people. The coffee house has a unique space with a lounge area, central espresso bar and also seats about 50.

Fox said the music at the venue will be lively and varied, with no heavy metal or DJs performing. There will be folk rock, alternative country like Americana, jazz and blues. They plan on showing local Sacramento bands, but also touring bands from Chico, Chicago and even New York, she said.

"The point is to highlight local acts, but also to get people to come [out] to Sacramento," Fox said. Subscribing to their weekly newsletter located at their website is the best way to follow what bands will be performing, she said.

Alcohol will be served to those 21 and over. Coffee will continue to be served as long as the venue is open, Fox said. Normally, the lounge is only open until 7 p.m. Following the grand opening on Oct. 15, the lounge and venue will stay open as late as midnight depending on the night.

The music venue will also double as a nightlife entertainment hangout spot on nights not performing any music, Fox said.

"There will be some sort of venue six nights a week," Fox said. "Tuesday night is open mic night, Wednesday night is documentary night and Sunday evening there will be a pub quiz."

The pub quiz will not have the traditional feel to it, she said, and the documentaries are especially interesting.

"The first five weeks we will be showing 'Up'," Fox said. "In it the filmmaker follows 14 seven-year-old children in Britain from 1964, and every seven years he has updates with them."

Overall, Fox said she is looking forward to the grand opening experience and what it will bring to the downtown Sacramento night scene.

"There are not too many places in Sacramento you can go with your friends, sit, have a beer and watch something intellectually stimulating," Fox said. "It really is unique."

The Naked Coffee's website will announce upcoming entertainment, or there is a section to sign up for their newsletter.

Local bands can book their performances through Jenn Fox by emailing her at Jenn@nakedcoffee.net.

Photos courtesy from nakedcoffee.net.

Women's Empowerment Fits Gala Gowns for Former Homeless Women

2009-09-17T17:37:50Z

In front of a full-length mirror, a woman twirled around in her white satin ballgown with an excited grin on her face. Delighted squeals and laughter reverberated throughout the building as women perused the colorful assortment of ballgowns organized on dress racks.

"I love that he is taking pictures of me, — I feel like a model!" Kim Wesley said as she struck a pose for a photographer. Tosh Olive, a volunteer and professional seamstress, offered dress adjustments, while volunteers advised on accessories and shoe choices.

Wesley, alongside other former homeless women, will take part in the eighth annual Women's Empowerment Gala on Oct. 1st. Of the 500 people who will attend the gala, around 140 will be graduates and the rest will be supporters and volunteers. The Gala will take place at The Grand Ballroom, in Downtown Sacramento.

Women's Empowerment is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 2001 by executive director Lisa Culp. Nominated as the 2009 nonprofit of the year, Women's Empowerment works specifically with homeless women and their children to help break the cycle of poverty, getting women the life skills needed to find employment and a permanent home. According to their website, over 566 homeless women and 593 children have benefited since the inception of the program.

Women's Empowerment's eight-week program offers a holistic approach toward breaking the cycle of poverty. They look toward an inside-out system offering services such as daycare, transportation assistance, addressing causes for homelessness, long-term stability, job readiness, a central location near Loaves and Fishes for hot meals, and women's empowerment. The empowerment aspect entails leadership training, and learning to mentor and coach other women who are facing similiar situations and struggles.

Culp credits Moe Mohanna, one of Sacramento's biggest property owners, for contributing as a benefactor and helping to create the initial stages of the gala.

"He wanted to do a really beautiful special celebration," she said. "[He] said, 'How about if every year we hold a fundraising event for Women's Empowerment - ? We already get clothes donated. I bet we could get Gala gowns!'" said Culpa.

The call to the community for support has been really positive, Culpa said. This year alone, Sacramento locals donated over 700 ballgowns.

"People really care about the clothes they have worn," she said. "They really want to make sure that it goes to someone that feels as special and appreciated as they did while wearing it." said Culpa.

Michaela Durbin, a first-time volunteer, donated seven dresses and two pairs of shoes.

"I liked the mission of the organization," she said. "It is really hard for these women to overcome certain circumstances and the way they were forced to live. They need recognition and reward[s]."

Kathryn Fukasawa, a graduate from the Women's Empowerment program, is proud to take part in the event. She currently works as an assistant manager for Goodwill Industries.

"I went through a full transformation [myself]," she said. "I learned to embrace the friendship of other ladies."

Fukasawa also spoke about the importance of feeling a connection to the other women, and learned she wasn't the only one who struggled with poverty. The biggest positive, Fukasawa said, was the ability to speak out and rebuild her self-esteem.

"The success rate is high, almost 84 percent have secured housing and found employment or received more schooling." said volunteer Kristine Theabaud. "It is amazing to see the women transform," she said.

Brandye Carmona, 29, is the Women's Empowerment's 600th program graduate. Carmona spoke about her newfound confidence and willingness to attend school in the future.

"I graduated one week ago," Carmona said. "I was accepted into three housing programs, and had two job interviews. I feel great about the program."

"These women really long to be a part of the community," Culpa said, and participating in the gala is one step in that direction.

"It is a unique fundraising event because the recipients are actually there," Culpa said. "The community can really see in a very tangible way the benefits of their support."

Sponsor tickets can be purchased to attend the gala at the Women's Empowerment website. The Grand Ballroom is located at 1215 J Street, Downtown Sacramento.

Wine and hor d'oeuvres will be served along with a gourmet dinner.

Midtown Jazz will provide live entertainment, as well.

Central Library cites survey in decision to remove benches

2009-09-01T04:30:33Z

Sacramento’s Central Library recently removed the benches along the library’s I Street sidewalk. Don Tucker, director of facilities for the Sacramento Public Library, has cited a 2007 survey that showed only 7 percent of the people using the benches were library customers.

The benches had been used frequently by homeless people.

The Sacramento Press requested and obtained the survey, which was administered by a Sacramento Police Department officer. The “Library Bench Project” survey created categories of “legitimate bench users” and “total bench users.” People who were reading or leaving the library were defined as “legitimate users.” Read the survey here.

The police officer monitored the benches from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on five different days. Three of 68 total users on July 19 were legitimate, the survey said. On July 26, six users out of a total of 76 were considered legitimate.

The survey noted that on Aug. 1, 2007, a total of 52 people used the benches, of which seven were legitimate users. On Aug. 8, 2007, a total of 63 people used the benches. Four of these people were legitimate users, according to the survey.

A total of 78 people used the benches on Aug. 15, 2007, according to the survey. Of that total, four people were legitimate users, the survey said.

Tucker also cited other reasons for removing the benches. The library was receiving feedback from disabled patrons and mothers with babies in strollers that the benches were blocking access to the library, he said earlier this month.

Loaves & Fishes Co-Director Garren Bratcher criticized the library’s decision to remove the benches, which homeless people had used. “It is my belief that they were removed because homeless people use them to rest,” Bratcher said.

Photo by David Watts Barton.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Benches at I Street Central Library removed

2009-08-08T01:49:20Z

If you go to Sacramento’s Central Library, you’ll see that the I Street sidewalk looks empty. That’s because all the benches are gone.

A library official said the benches were removed in part because they were obstructing the area for disabled patrons. But an advocate for the city’s homeless population disagrees, and thinks the benches were removed because homeless people used them for resting.

All the benches -- there were more than 15 -- were taken away from the library’s sidewalk, according to Don Tucker, director of facilities for the Sacramento Public Library. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department will refinish the old benches and place them in various locations in Sacramento, he said.

Two new benches will arrive at the I Street sidewalk adjacent to the library in two or three weeks. If the library finds that its customers need more than two benches, the library will add more benches, Tucker noted.

The library was receiving feedback from disabled patrons and mothers with babies in strollers that the benches were blocking access to the library, Tucker said. Removing the benches “helps to provide access,” he added.

The library also conducted a survey on the benches about a year-and-a-half ago, according to Tucker. It showed that only 7 percent of the people using the benches were library customers, he said.

“What that told was that we had too many [benches] out here,” Tucker said.

The removal of the benches, and the upcoming replacement of two of them, is part of a beautification effort at the library’s I Street entrance, Tucker explained.

Removing the benches has lead to an increase in the number of bicyclists because it is now easier to access the bicycle racks on I Street, he said. “We’re noting a lot more bikes and bikers using the library, which we’re very pleased about,” Tucker said.

The library did not receive complaints about homeless people on the benches, he said.

Library officials were assured by the Downtown Sacramento Partnership that there were an adequate number of new benches and tables at Cesar Chavez Park for people who used the I Street benches but were not library customers, Tucker said.

But Garren Bratcher, co-director of Loaves & Fishes, said he thinks the reason for the removal of the benches was because homeless people used them.

“It is my belief that they were removed because homeless people use them to rest,” Bratcher said. “Having been at the public library at its peak hours, I’ve never seen any accessibility problems.”

Photos by David Watts Barton

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Deer lands through family truck windshield near downtown

2009-07-07T23:11:06Z

Tony Pineea and his four sons got a big shock when a deer landed in their windshield.

Tony Pineea was traveling North on Highway 160 out of downtown Sacramento Tuesday morning with his four sons when a deer emerged from the light rail area adjacent to the highway and jumped in front of their pickup truck at the Del Paso exit.

The deer hit so hard in the windshield area that the windshield broke through and collapsed in. The driver only sustained very minor injuries and refused transport to the hospital. Per Pineea, his sons were seatbelted and uninjured.

The deer did attempt to run off, however it was too severely injured. An on scene CHP officer had to euthanize the deer on site to end its suffering from unrecoverable injuries. The Del Paso off ramp was closed for a short time.

Per Captain Doucette of the Sacramento City Fire Department, deer do commonly roam that area this time of year and an occasional mountain lion can be seen.

Fun, food and the four-legged make Midfest a success

2009-06-01T05:49:41Z

Despite resident complaints from previous festivals, last-minute scrambling for permits, and tow-away zones on almost every residential street surrounding, Midfest 2009 turned out to be a success.

The free two-day festival, held at Midtown’s Marshall Park, was a collision of art, food and entertainment and offered entertainment for all ages.

“[Midfest] was held in a great location and wasn’t too crowded. I really like that it went on the whole weekend and there were so many different types of entertainment for everyone,” said Nikki Carlson, a stylist from Land Park’s Artisan Salon who attended Midfest.

The festival was sponsored by the Midtown Business Association, who manned many of the booths, as well as Red Bull, Budweiser and De Vere’s Irish Pub, who had a VIP tent set up for the second day of festivities.

Saturday kicked off with the Paragary’s Bloc Concert Series and break-dancing performances, inspiring many to kick off their shoes and dance in the grass while they watched the performers and enjoyed the music.

Right in the middle of the action were graffiti artists like Neal “Lopan” Bergman, who was recruited by Red Bull, grooving to the music and spray-painting giant wooden canvases.

The four-legged got in on the excitement, too. Splash Dogs, a national traveling organization, set up a giant pool for dogs to compete and see which pooch could cover the most distance after jumping in after toys.

Many of the competing dogs continued to partake in the fun afterward, lounging on the grass while their owners ate, drank and mingled.

Popular Midtown eateries set up booths selling inexpensive sampler-like snacks such as $2 sliders from Ink Eats and Drinks and $4 tacos from Paragary’s Centro Cocina.

To wash down the great food, a sectioned-off Hefeweizen beer garden offered a plethora of beer and a makeshift wine bar hosted by Sterling Vineyards offered wine while Red Bull reps handing out energy drinks circulated the park grounds.

All proceeds from the garden will be put toward the Marshall Park Beautification Fund, with plans to create a fountain in the park that will serve as a sound barrier between park events and residential areas.

Just as the garden filled up, the Bloc Outdoor Concert Series heated up with cover bands Cuesta Drive, Utz and the Shuttlecocks covering songs from various decades while the break dancers continued to impress the crowd with their moves.

The show continued on through the night and although the alcohol was flowing, the Members in Black security teams kept their muscles and force securely in tact. Concert-goers were on their best behavior Saturday night.

Sunday kept the party going with more live music, food and an urban art competition to raise money for the T & M organization for the arts.

The Sacred City Roller Derby Girls were ready to be dunked to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and local band favorites like Sammie nominees ZuhG performed on the main stage.

Based on the success of the weekend’s events, may there be many more festivals to come.

All photos taken by Chris Demere, for more photos visit http://gallery.soundesigns.com/midfest2009

Sacramento City Firefighters quickly knock down blaze allegedly sparked by homeless.

2009-05-29T07:00:06Z

Just months after Mayor Kevin Johnson clears out "tent city", Sacramento's homeless are back in the area setting up camp.

Just south of what was formerly known as "tent city", Sac Firefighters were called to a grass fire behind Downtown Ford, and off of 18th Street and Brier Rd. at approximately 9:20 p.m.

Down an embankment between the bike path and Downtown Ford, some homeless had set up camp. Sources say that there was an altercation and the area was purposely set on fire.

Sac City Firefighters contained the fire to the immediate area with approximately two to three acres involved. Per Capt. Jim Doucette, SacFire, Paramedics transported one victim of the altercation to the hospital with facial injuries. At this time, it is unknown if there have been any arrests.

Sunshine and bluegrass

2009-01-17T00:36:22Z

David Putnam of Auburn and Robbie MacDonald of Half Moon Bay get together frequently to play bluegrass, which they do as Tenbrooks.

But in today's warming sunshine, they met up half way or so, in Sacramento's Cesar Chavez Plaza. As Putnam says, "We met up here because this is the place to be!"