Supporters of outgoing Sacramento Councilman Ray Tretheway gathered in North Natomas on Monday night to celebrate Tretheway’s nine consecutive years on the City Council. Tretheway, who was first elected in 2001, lost the District 1 re-election race in June to his opponent Angelique Ashby. He will leave his City Council seat in late November, but will keep his position as executive director of the Sacramento Tree Foundation. More than 100 people turned out for Monday night’s event held at the North Natomas Library. District 1 includes North and South Natomas and downtown’s Alkali Flat. “We are knitted as a community,” Tretheway told his supporters and constituents Monday night. “There’s

I'm not a political analyst by trade [shocker, I know], but given the orotund "we shall overcome" flavor of Mayor Johnson's latest blog on his  collaboratively-named TEAMKJ.ORG web site, his opposition will be glad to know he has officially abandoned his fiery "Pot Roast of Public Anger" and retreated to the less flammable (and more familiar) "Passive Aggressive Soup." Only now, papa Johnson got a brand new bag : defender of voter rights. Hypocritically titled "your voice still matters," Mayor J's latest blog (which has attracted a whopping 66 views to date) attempts to paint the city council as a change-resistant band of oppressors, the voters as victims of some great miscarriage of just

A Sunday night panel with four former Sacramento mayors took a lighthearted tone at the Time Tested Books/Midtown Monthly Living Library series. Topics included Burnett Miller's alleged pornographic doodlings during council meetings ("You claimed they were pornographic," he said to Anne Rudin who kept several of them); Heather Fargo's love of animals; the expectation that Rudin look like Gloria Steinem ("aviator glasses, long hair and militant," she said); and Phil Isenberg's ability to politely interrupt people ("he knew how gently to cut everybody else off, so nobody hated him," said Miller). Nearly 100 people, most appearing to be over 40, showed up at Time Tested Books to listen to th

 It was a packed crowd Sunday night, as about 50 people gathered to listen to the fourth installment of Time Tested Books' Living Library series, co-sponsored by Midtown Monthly. Sacramento architect David Mogavero was on hand to share a special presentation of his career designing structures and developments all over Northern California. Mogavero began about 30 years ago, joking that it was while working with hippies that he was able to create fresh ideas. "I was working all over Northern California in different scales and contexts," he said. He described the excitement of putting developmental resources into new projects, especially the suburbs. "I really believe the greatest opportun

Questions and concerns — as well as support — have been raised over a city of Sacramento planning and building department program suspended after it was illegally used to fast-track the Nestlé water-bottling plant. The little-known Facilities Permit Program came to light in late October when Nestlé's renovation of a South Sacramento warehouse was temporarily halted and a city investigation revealed work had started without legally required building permits. Many people, including those criticizing some aspects of the current building approval process, said city staff have worked hard in the last few years to become more developer-friendly by improving the building approval process and re

Former Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo said she has been considering running for re-election. In news that would be welcome to many who still call her by her honorary title, Fargo said Friday she has thought about running for the seat she lost a year ago to former NBA star Kevin Johnson. "I have," she said. "Mainly because I'm asked all the time. "It was clearly a great honor to be elected mayor. It was very painful, very challenging and incredibly rewarding at the same time," she said during one of her first media interviews since leaving office. It's far too soon to say whether she will run in the 2012 mayoral election, Fargo said. However, she may want more challenge than the behind-

Tuesday night over 150 people showed up at The Sacramento Hostel for Hosteling International's "100 Years of Hosteling" celebration. Along with free Leatherby's Creamery ice cream, the gatherers also enjoyed a hostel tour, silent auction and live jazz. Special guest appearances were made by City Councilmember Ray Tretheway and former mayor Heather Fargo. Fargo was honored for her work saving the mansion with a plaque, a dedication ceremony and special "thank you." Housed in a beautiful feat of architecture, the hostel resides in the semi-Victorian (with more geometric shapes than is customary in a Victorian) Llewelyn Williams Mansion built in 1885. After Williams' death, the mansion was

It was 5:00 p.m. They walked through the north entrance, they streamed in the south entrance and all six elevators whizzed up and down carrying employees to the elevator lobby. Within minutes the spacious south lobby was full of people. The crowd then spilled over into the center security reception area and the north lobby. The friends and supporters of Heather Fargo, the Honorable Mayor of California's capital city, Sacramento, had come to City Hall to celebrate and and give respect to her achievements while lamenting their loss very of very popular and effective leader. After 19 years of often thankless public service to our city she had been voted out of office! The gathering was a tr