BarWest Burgers & Wings will be taking the place of Aura on J Street in Midtown, and in addition to food, it is bringing a sense of cooperation with a local neighborhood association that has filed complaints for previous bars in that area, including the now-closed GV Hurley’s. The opening day is tentatively set for mid-July. Co-owners Trevor Shults and Todd Zancaner are teaming up with local restaurateur Randy Paragary, for whom Shults worked in numerous positions – most recently in marketing. Shults said he has always been a fan of the block that contains Centro Cocina Mexicana, Red Lotus and Harlow’s, so moving into the two-level spot at 2724 J St. was a “no-brainer.” “It will be affo

A group of nearly 40 residents and city staffers held an in-depth discussion on the city’s redistricting process Monday night at the Ethel Hart Senior Center. Residents explored a range of topics, including the role of race in the process. The city redesigns its City Council districts every 10 years by using U.S. Census data. The 2010 Census data that the city will use is expected to be released in April. The new districts must be drawn up and finished six months after the Census data is available, according to the city’s charter. The city’s deadline for the 2011 redistricting process will be Sept. 27. At Monday night’s redistricting forum, hosted by the Area 1 Neighborhood Advisory Gro

The heated debate over the “strong mayor” initiative drew a substantial crowd to Thursday’s City Council meeting. A total of 36 people filled out forms in order to speak on the strong mayor issue. The following comments from nine speakers provide a range of views about the initiative. Tamie Dramer, Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento: “I am president of the Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento, which has, as a body, voted to take an opposing position to the intiative. [We] are especially opposed to bring such an initiative during the middle of the mayor’s term.... The way this initiative campaign has been run has made a lot of people uncomfortable.” Thomas Hiltachk, At

"It's huge, it's huge, it's huge!" exclaimed George Raya. "I'm so excited. The rodeo is coming to town!" Now, it's true that Raya is the publicist for the Ninth Annual Sierra Stampede Rodeo & Festival, produced by Capital Crossroads Gay Rodeo Association. But it's also true that he has a lot to be excited about. With gay rodeo groups in Reno, Los Angeles and San Francisco reportedly unable to put on their rodeos this year, Sacramento's event this weekend is the only such rodeo in this part of the country. Raya says it will draw more than 100 competitors and nearly 1,000 fans to the Central Park Horse Arena at 848 Elkhorn Blvd. in Rio Linda. Those numbers would be nearly double last year'

I've just learned that city management is planning  to move the appeal process to cut down trees from the Parks and Recreation Commission to the Planning Commission on all development related issues!!!  This would apply to ALL developer projects. Why is this bad?  This change will enable Development Services Manager and staff (who have no expertise in trees) to order removal of healthy shade trees any time a developer wants them removed.   The public  would have to appeal to the Planning Commission instead of the Parks and Recreation Commission.  A tree would not have to be in the way of construction.  It could be that the developer wants all new or fewer trees bordering the new building.