What started as an artist-centered event to draw attention to the work of local artists has evolved into something much different, but District 4 candidates still want to make sure the Second Saturday Art Walk reaches its full potential as a destination event. “It’s become segmented,” candidate Phyllis Newton said Monday. “There are essentially two Second Saturdays – a family-oriented one in the early evening, and then, toward the later hours, it draws a different crowd.” On the second Saturday of every month, local art galleries, restaurants and other small businesses open their doors to thousands of visitors who come for art exhibits, music, food and wine for the Second Saturday Art Wa

Six of the seven candidates for council District 4 discussed the role of business and the value of art to the central city at a forum hosted by four business organizations Monday. The candidates – Steve Hansen, Phyllis Newton, Joe Yee, Michael Rehm, Terry Schanz and Neil Davidson – took the stage at the Cosmopolitan Cabaret Theatre on K Street Monday to answer a slew of questions about issues facing Sacramento’s recently reshaped District 4. Wendy Hoyt, local businesswoman and former president of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, moderated the forum. Hoyt noted that the central city is made up of variety of businesses and asked how the candidates would handle potential conflicts betw

Midtown Business Association Executive Director Elizabeth Studebaker said she is hopeful that the organization will be able to renew its status as a property and business improvement district in July. That status comes at an annual cost to local property and business owners – totalling $633,000 for the district – that is similar to an added property tax. In return, the MBA provides numerous services, such as graffiti removal, trash cleanup, private security patrols and marketing. If the assessment renewal is not passed, those services will not be funded, and the MBA will revert to being a much smaller organization able to do minimal marketing and advocate for the district at City Council

Candidates for the Midtown Business Association's June 20 elections will need to be able to cast aside their own business goals and work together to make Midtown a better business environment as the organization goes through a transition, according to MBA staff and business owners alike. “We’re at this pivotal point in Midtown, and I’d like to see a focus on the greater good – a sustainable Midtown business environment,” said Kimio Bazett of The Golden Bear and the upcoming Hook & Ladder Manufacturing Co. Ten of the 25 Midtown Business Association Board of Directors seats are open to be filled by June 20, and only about seven incumbents are returning, meaning the organization will see ne

Former Midtown Business Association Executive Director Rob Kerth is running for City Council District 2 – a position he held from 1992-2000 – and, for him, enthusiasm is the key to getting things done. Kerth, 53, is a third-generation Sacramentan – his family has lived in Sacramento for more than 90 years – and his record of community involvement includes eight years as a representative on the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and being the current president of the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce. Kerth and his family have owned Iceland, an ice skating rink in North Sacramento, for more than 50 years. When arsonists destroyed the rink in 2010, more than 700 volunteers came toge

The Midtown Business Association kicked off the new year with a new executive director: Elizabeth Studebaker, who took over the position that has been vacant since Rob Kerth left in October. Studebaker, 33, officially took the helm of the MBA on Monday, with an operating budget of about $650,000 per year. Most recently, she spent almost five years as executive director for a similar organization in San Diego, the North Park Main Street Business Improvement District. The Sacramento Press caught up with Studebaker to ask her some questions about what she has in mind for Midtown. The Sacramento Press: What are your immediate goals for Midtown? Elizabeth Studebaker: My immediate major goals

Midtown’s Ride Your Own Way bicycle share program wrapped up its six-month trial period this week with an average of 20 bicycle rentals per week and plans to significantly expand it under a private company in 2012. “I think the bike share is a really great program to have in Midtown,” said Midtown Business Association Streetscape Program Manager Niki Fay. “It obviously gives people a way to get around businesses quicker and easier, and the environmental benefits are great.” The bicycle share program launched in June and provided two locations with six bicycles each that were rented to riders via automated systems. Similar programs are successful in cities such as Washington, D.C., Montre

The Midtown Business Association is inviting businesses to light up Midtown by transforming their store windows into a winter wonderland this season with an opportunity to win a $1,000 advertising grant from the MBA. This is the second year the MBA has hosted “Light Up Midtown” in the hope of opening the doors of local businesses to more customers this holiday season. “We wanted to find a way to dress up the district and be festive and let people feel very involved in it,” said Heather Philpott, MBA communications and events coordinator. “Businesses can take ownership of the project and get an opportunity to be a part of making the district look great,” Philpott said Wednesday, “and bes

Culminating the Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos festivities this year, La Raza Galería Posada, Sacramento’s not-for-profit Latino art and cultural center, brings the Panteon de Sacramento (Sacramento’s Cemetery) to life.This is a two day/night outdoor display of fifty large, colorful altares. The altares will be available for public viewing on Saturday October 29 and Sunday October 30. Families, individuals, area artists and local not for profit organizations will build the altares for public display.Theatre, music, poets and children's workshops are all part of the two-day event. In Sacramento, Día de los Muertos has been celebrated since the early 1970s, commensurate with the Galería’

This Saturday and Sunday, October 29th and 30th, MAIYA Gallery will be hosting "What's In A Name" - a very special art auction with 100% of the proceeds funding scholarships for two El Camino High School seniors attending college in the fall of 2012, and majoring in studio/fine arts. The spin to "What's In A Name" is that each piece of art will be showing with the artist's name hidden.  Each bidder will bid on a piece of art based on their appreciation of the art itself.  The artist's name will be revealed only once bidding has ended. "What's In A Name" includes art from the following artists (among others):  Barbara de Wein, C!nder, Sylviane Gaumer, Bud Gordon, Taylor Gutermute, Miles H

Some scenes from Midtown's Modern Art Festival:   For article about the art festival, CLICK HERE>>>

A myriad of local artists and hundreds of community members gathered in the street Saturday to celebrate art in multiple forms for the first Midtown Modern Arts Festival. The free, family-friendly street festival was held on 20th Street between J and K streets and featured six hours of music, dance, comedy, visual and performing arts and creative, hands-on activities for kids. The festival was run largely in part to the multitude of volunteers willing to give their time to put the event together, and neither the attendees nor vendors were charged to attend. “This is one way for use to give back to the community — bringing art organizations, artists and businesses together,” said Heather

Rob Kerth is stepping down from his position as the Midtown Business Association’s executive director to focus his attention on a run for a City Council seat in 2012. “It’s like climbing a mountain,” Kerth said Monday of his departure from the MBA. “Once I’ve done what I needed to do, then I need to go find a new mountain.” The Midtown Business Association is a nonprofit organization that started in 1983. According to the MBA website, the goal of the organization is to “improve Midtown Sacramento through public maintenance, marketing, business advocacy and economic development.” Kerth was hired as Executive Director in July 2008. He said in an email that his official last day as execut

Sacramento Old City Association 36th Annual Home Tour What: A tour of 8 historic buildings in the Marshall School neighborhood, and street fair at 27th and J Street. When: Sunday, September 18, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM Where: Marshall Park, 27th & J Street, Sacramento How Much: $20 in advance, $25 day of event On Sunday, September 18, the Sacramento Old City Association (SOCA) presents its 36th annual tour of historic homes in Sacramento’s central city. Each year, we offer an inside look into the beautiful and historic buildings that line Midtown and Downtown streets, and some of the newest infill development projects in the city. This year’s tour of the Marshall School neighborhood, in the north

October was officially declared as National Arts and Humanities Month by President Obama back in 2009. Artober is a month-long event starting Oct. 1 that highlights the talents and art resources in Sacramento and celebrates the meaning of the month. It will include local artists, businesses, art walks, festivals, workshops and other special events in Old Sacramento and the downtown area. Last year, Mayor Kevin Johnson announced that the For Arts’ Sake Coalition would be introducing a new action plan for the Sacramento area. A team of 20 artists and art enthusiasts worked to bring resources together such as getting organizations and businesses involved in the process of making the public a

  On Saturday September 3, a broad, multi-genre group of area musicians will join together to present a benefit concert for Somalian refugees. “March to the Beat of One Heart” will be held at Antiquite Maison Privee, 2114 P Street in midtown Sacramento. The event runs from 5 pm-11pm and there is $10 minimum donation. The concert, in association with the Midtown Business Association and Swell Productions, will feature ten Sacramento musical acts playing for a common goal of assisting victims of the war and drought-ravaged region. 100% of the proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, a worldwide humanitarian aid organization, and their efforts in Somalia. Guitarist and concert promoter

A better stream of communication between late-night businesses and residents in Midtown is the goal of the Midtown Business Association’s new Midtown Good Neighbor Agreement, which was completed in May. The document was conceived out of a six-month-long project geared toward improving the grid nightlife by one of five volunteer groups consisting of local business owners and community members. These volunteer groups were formed to lower the negative impacts of the grid nightlife on residents after the Responsible Hospitality Institute drafted an assessment of possible solutions to make midtown more hospitable for everyone. The consulting firm was hired by the MBA in 2009 to assist locals

Sacramento’s Ride Your Own Way bike share program suffered a setback when three bicycles were stolen earlier this month, but organizers said they are going forward with an updated system, and new bicycles will soon be ordered. “Someone stole a credit card and used that to check out the bikes,” said Midtown Business Association Executive Director Rob Kerth. “We’ve made some changes to how people have to validate the credit card, so we’ll be able to tell if it’s the right person.” The program, which launched June 11, allows bicycles to be rented from one of two kiosks in Midtown – one at the Priority Parking lot at 16th and I streets and one at the Priority Parking lot at 27th and J street

Midtown Business Association’s new litter removal specialist, Ray Brocker, 25, is more than just a trash picker. Armed with his trash picker and a trash cart fully equipped with garbage bags, gloves and a water jug, he struts through Midtown to keep the streets clean. Brocker picks up trash four times a week, Monday through Thursday and on Second Sundays for five hours each day—rain or shine. He said he has had some interesting findings collecting litter on his routes— $40 floating in a gutter, a body pillow, and even human fecal matter. On a normal day he said he finds a lot of every day things: discarded cigarette packs, parking passes and iced coffee cups are the most frequent. “I’m

The Sacramento City Council approved changes to a variety of fees for city services and permits for the upcoming fiscal year Tuesday night, including an increase in the cost of entertainment permits for businesses that provide music and dancing. All totaled, the council approved 18 different fees, including increases to 12 existing fees and the addition of six new ones. City Finance Director Leyne Milstein outlined the proposal in a public hearing presentation to a full council and about 50 people in the chamber audience before the council unanimously voted to approve it. Citing cost recovery as the basis for the adjustments, Milstein noted that 18 fee changes is a relatively small numb