In the view of Sacramento community activist Kathy Jenkins, stronger parenting of youth is key to reducing gang violence. At a forum in Oak Park on youth and gang-related violence, Jenkins told a crowd of about 150 Sacramento residents, city staffers and police officers that assertive parents should influence the lives of young people. “This is called parenting, this is not policing,” Jenkins said. “If we could parent, and if we can raise,” she added, “and if we can encourage, and if we can take guns and give books, if we can give dolls instead of pimping ... If we could do these things, we could put (the police) out of work. I would rather see them writing parking tickets.” Jenkins was

In response to the December shootings at a south Sacramento barbershop, Mayor Kevin Johnson will host a public forum on crime and violence on Wednesday in Oak Park. “That was the latest spark, if you will, that brought the call for this particular meeting,” said R.E. Graswich, Johnson’s special assistant. City Police Chief Rick Braziel and Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones will attend the event, according to the press offices of the two law enforcement agencies. Graswich said the forum will include sessions for community members to discuss the causes of crime and violence in their neighborhoods and how those problems can be addressed. “Obviously, we can’t tolerate this,” Graswich s

Mayor Kevin Johnson is reassembling his arena task force next week to consider next steps in the effort to get a new arena built in Sacramento. Mayoral Special Assistant R.E. Graswich and other staff from the mayor's office expect to meet Nov. 18 with at least 10 members of the original Sacramento First Task Force. Details for the private meeting at City Hall were still being finalized Wednesday. Graswich will update the task force on the status of a proposal from their chosen developer, Sacramento Convergence Holding LLC, led by Gerry Kamilos and David Taylor. The developers’ exclusive negotiating period with the city ended late last month after they were unable to produce a viable plan

Sacramento's holiday ice-skating rink opened downtown Friday with fanfare and free skating. About 120 screaming school kids joined Mayor Kevin Johnson, Assemblyman-elect Roger Dickinson and Downtown Sacramento Partnership Executive Director Michael Ault at a noon ceremony to welcome the Westfield Downtown Ice Rink back to St. Rose of Lima Park. The capital's outdoor winter skating rink was built in Midtown last year during a $4.5 million renovation of the park at Seventh and K streets, the 700 block of K Street and a light rail platform relocation. "I think the ice rink is back where it belongs," Dickinson told the crowd shortly before he, Johnson and Ault cut a big red ribbon at the ri

Sacramento Police continued their search Wednesday for the suspect in a fatal shooting after the September Second Saturday Art Walk, while community leaders continued talks on possible solutions to the violence and problems plaguing the event. With the city still reeling in the wake of the killing, city officials will hold a public forum on the shooting on Sept. 25. And on Wednesday night, the Midtown Business Association agreed to spend $19,000 to fund a three-month pilot program using volunteer guides to assist people on Midtown streets weekend nights. Officers in the homicide, gang, forensic and crime scene investigation units are working on the investigation of the shooting that left

A green tie with white polka dots atop a pink dress shirt. White nubuck leather shoes, green pants and an orange leather belt. A purple tie with orange stripes paired with a mint-green shirt. These combinations represent three wardrobe choices in three days for Rob Fong. The Sacramento city councilman and legislative consultant doesn’t get dressed in the dark — the bright colors and jazzy details are all intentional. Fong, 51, shared his fashion philosophy with The Sacramento Press this week. “The way I started to express my sort of ‘Inner Rob,’ was I decided that my shirts and my ties can be my signature,” he said. He said his 16-year-old daughter, Rebecca, has noticed that he tends

The accusations are flying at City Hall. Councilman Ray Tretheway is accusing Mayor Kevin Johnson of quid pro quo in his endorsement process, while Johnson’s Special Assistant R.E. Graswich said that Tretheway’s allegations are lies. Tretheway held a press conference Wednesday to announce that some of Johnson’s most influential supporters told him that if he voted to place a strong mayor proposal on the November ballot, then Johnson would endorse him. Johnson has endorsed Tretheway’s opponent Angelique Ashby. “Threats and quid pro quo offers may be commonplace these days,” Tretheway said, “but I want no part of it.” Tretheway named names at the press conference. He said the following

Longtime Sacramento journalist and City Hall newcomer R.E. Graswich has harshly criticized Mayor Kevin Johnson, going so far as to describe Johnson as a “power-hungry pol” in a Jan. 28 column published by The Sacramento Press. Now that Graswich is working for the mayor’s office, how does he explain his move from Johnson critic to Johnson advocate? Graswich made the “power-hungry” remark in the context of the debate over whether Johnson should take more power as a “strong mayor.” But Graswich told The Sacramento Press in an interview Wednesday that he also questioned Johnson’s ability to lead the city. “I wasn’t also sure, frankly, in January, that Mayor Johnson could be mayor,” he said.

Sacramento journalist R.E. Graswich is not sad to leave his 37-year journalism career for a new job as special assistant to Mayor Kevin Johnson. “I figure I got one last shot in life here to do something worthwhile as opposed to what you guys do,” he joked while addressing reporters Tuesday. Graswich, 54, left a 35-year career at The Sacramento Bee in 2007. In the two years following his departure from the Bee, he took up “wonderful chances” to work as a co-anchor at KFBK and commentator at KOVR CBS 13, he said. Now, though, he wants to work in the political arena. This is his first week working as a staffer at City Hall in the special assistant position with a salary of $80,000. At Joh