MAAP, Inc. announced today that it has initiated a voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization case in the United States Bankruptcy Court. “For over 30 years, MAAP has been a strong contributor in this community through the management of essential social service programs in alcohol and chemical dependency, mental health, and HIV/AIDS,” said Lorraine Rinker, MAAP’s recently appointed President and CEO. “MAAP and its Board of Directors believe this organization is valuable to the community we serve,” said Rinker. “Going through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process is the best way we can save this organization and remain a vital contributor of social services to the underserved population in Northern C

SACRAMENTO – Declaring “my only special interests are people,” civil rights activist Efren Guttierrez today (Feb. 9) officially announced his candidacy for Sacramento City Council, District 1 – and he didn’t’ waste anytime slamming big special interest money that dominates local campaign races. “I will only have one special interest: The People. I will not accept contributions from large developers and similar special interests because ‘It’s About Time’ the grip of those special interests on the city is broken,” pledged Guttierrez, 54, a local real estate broker and community activist as he stood outside Sacramento City Hall with dozens of supporters. Guttierrez is the executive direct

  MAAP, Inc. is pleased to announce that Marco Rodriguez has recently taken the position of Board President. Mr. Rodriguez began his business career in 1991 with Principal Financial Group where he continues as Managing Director and Financial Advisor. His primary practice includes creating financial investment strategies for individual clients and small to midsize businesses to assist them with asset accumulation and wealth preservation. He has received numerous achievement awards including the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), is a member of National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD), Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), and a graduate of the Life U

Journalist Amy Goodman spoke about health care and her new book, "Breaking the Sound Barrier," Saturday at the Coloma Community Center auditorium to an audience of about 100. Goodman's speech about the health-care system in the United States turned personal. It was dedicated to her mother, who died in October of cancer. "I felt like we were leaving signs saying 'Do not harm, do not amputate this, do not mutilate'," said Goodman. "The health-care system is sick." Goodman said her mother, Dorrie Goodman, asked this while being treated in the hospital: "The Chinese learned pain management 3,000 years ago. Why haven't you figured it out?" According to Goodman, the media doesn't cover anyth

Suddenly, it was over. I spent 27 years in private practice of general internal medicine in Sacramento, seeing patients in the office and in the hospital. I admitted them to the hospital directly from my office or met them in the emergency room. If they were having a complex surgery, I’d help monitor them before and after the operation. Then my local community hospital hired hospitalists. Hospitalists are physicians, whose practice is devoted to treating patients in a hospital setting. There was a brief period of co-existence, but soon the other members of my call-group decided to let the hospitalists assume care of their inpatients. Soon, no one wanted to share call for hospital care. Th

SACRAMENTO – In a new twist to the benefit walk, area residents who support the health of our region’s children will walk Arden Fair Mall on Saturday, Oct. 17, as part of Together for Kids’ fund-raising campaign called Walk Across America. A full 100 percent of the funds raised during the local walk will go directly to the specialty care services at the Children’s Center at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, where many of the children throughout the region and beyond receive their care from birth to 18 years old for conditions ranging from low birth weight, cancer and brain tumors to diabetes and congenital heart defects. The goal of the Sacramento walk is to help bring better health care

Monday, Aug. 31 Noon - 1:30 p.m. Health Care For All Sacramento Valley presents Single Payer Players puppet troupe in a show entitled "The Sound of Moolah." It's a humorous musical presenting facts and details about Single Payer Health Care. The eight puppeteers will perform on the north steps of the Capitol. Tuesday, Sept. 1 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. The Ella Baker Center will be holding a press conference on the south steps of the Capitol. It will be celebrating its 13th anniversary with about 300 people. Noon - 1 p.m. Central Valley Air Quality Coalition will be holding a clean air rally on the north steps of the Capitol. About 150 participants are expected.  

Wednesday, Aug. 19 10 - 11 a.m. The Pacific Legal Foundation will hold a press conference entitled "Save Our Water" on the West Steps of the Capitol. They will deliver a petition to the Governor asking to summon the Endangered Species Committee, or "God Squad," to divert water from a fish conservation operation to farms. About 50 people are expected to attend the press conference. 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. The Agenda for Economic Recovery will be holding a press conference on the south steps of the Capitol. About 25 people are expected. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Pesticide Watch will be holding a press conference on the use of methyl iodide in California agriculture. A group of 50 scientists, including

Carla Tuff rode one of 12 buses that departed Los Angeles at 3 a.m. today to join an estimated 1,500 people protesting statewide HIV service cuts at the Capitol. The "Fight for Your Life" rally was organized by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation along with other HIV and AIDS awareness organizations. Tuff said she was one of 58 other protestors who rode a bus from the Tarzana Treatment Center in Los Angeles, where she has received medical and mental treatment as an HIV-positive patient for the past several years. "If they stop our medications ... I won't be able to raise my kids," Tuff said. Now 44 years old, Tuff said she was 26 and pregnant with her first child when she was diagnosed HI

Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) completed her third day of touring Sacramento's health care system on Friday, ending with a round table discussion at the Sierra Health Foundation with health care professionals regarding how to improve health care within the Sacramento district, as well as the nation. A member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which presides over many health care issues, Matsui expressed her desire to meet with the "people on the front lines" of the health care system here in Sacramento, hoping to discover ways that "affordable and quality health care for all Sacramentans" can be achieved. The panel discussion touched on the importance of primary and preventat

Claims Current Health Care Process Impedes Patient Progress (Sacramento, CA) Scott Galati, a local attorney, was at his fittest as he pressed on with his training in preparation for his first Ironman Triathlon. But early on, he hurt his back and ended up in so much pain, he couldn’t even stand up, so he went to see a physician. “The orthopedic surgeon immediately proposed surgery, stating I had two herniated disks that required stabilization through the insertion of a metal cage,” said Galati. “He told me physical therapy would only aggravate my pain and cause re-injury. And he gave me absolutely no hope, emphasizing that even with surgery, there was no way I would be able to compete in

April 12, 2009 New health care union grows in Sacramento By Seth Sandronsky Employees at nursing homes in Sacramento, Woodland and Pacifica, operated by North American Health Care, Inc., left the Service Employees International Union to join the new National Union of Healthcare Workers on March 17. “The new union tells us the truth about our contract negotiations with the employer,” said Ulette Bloomer, a cook and union steward on the night shift at Valley Skilled Nursing Home, by Sacramento’s UCD Medical Center. “SEIU was not honest about that and kept giving us the runaround.” The former SEIU employees, 350 in all, are the first-ever members of NUHW. They will remain covered by the cu

 Wednesday, on the eve of Governor Schwarzenegger's annual state address, droves of people gathered at the State Capitol to protest the recent budget cuts. Various state, union and trade organization members, as well as local students and state workers, attended the rally entitled "State of the People." The recent cuts -- totaling $10 billion in 2008-09 -- have left many throwing blame at each other for the state's financial problems. In the meantime, many California families' financial problems multiply in the midst of our nation's economic crisis. This protest is held annually, with a similar larger one scheduled during the Governor's address. Though upwards of a thousand people showed