Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "region"

Eight cities of the Sacramento region to compete in a celebrity basketball tournament

2011-11-08T05:43:29Z

The National Basketball Association might still be in a lockout, but the Sacramento region is set to have a celebrity basketball tournament Nov 14. where eight teams representing Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Elk Grove, Roseville, West Sacramento, Rocklin, Citrus Heights and Sacramento are participating for a fundraising event.

The Jumpstart 21 Hoops and Alley Oops Regional Celebrity Basketball Tournament is a three-on-three half-court basketball tournament fundraising event held by the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (SACC).

The proceeds will benefit Jumpstart 21, a workforce development and internship placement program by the SACC for young adults recently out of the foster care system, said SACC Director of Events and Foundation Matthew Sumida.

The teams will be captained by an elected official from each of the cities and coached by a graduate of the program. Sumida said that the 12-week training program provides the young adults with basic employment skills, and once training is completed, the graduates are provided internship placement within the Sacramento region.

"This program will help raise funds for those internships," Sumida said,"and it's a great way for the former foster kids to get involved and to interact with high-level community leaders."

The captains for each of the teams are required to recruit their own players, Sumida said, where two have to be female, and one has to be a media person. During the game, a female player is required to be on the court at all times. Also, a member of the team should be a representative of the team’s official sponsor. It is not necessary for the teammates to be residents of the city their team represents, except for the team captain.

He said that some of the players have former professional basketball experience, including Danielle Viglione, a former Sacramento Monarch, who is playing for the city of Sacramento team.

Marcos Breton of The Sacramento Bee will be the master of ceremonies.

Sumida said that it would have been ideal to have Mayor Kevin Johnson included in the event, but he was not available.

The tournament will also have its own version of the Royal Court Dancers – the Jumpstart 21 Dancers – who will be trained by the Sacramento Kings Royal Court Dancers. The dancers are event sponsors and public officials, said Six Degreez President Sharon Gerber, the official event planner of the tournament.

There will be a five-minute warmup time before each of the games. Two fifteen-minute half-court matches will play simultaneously, and the teams will have one 30 second time-out.

"We are planning to have this as an annual event, and each year the trophy will be passed on to the next winner. " Sumida said. "It's a fun event that we came up with to help raise money and also to find out who the best basketball team in the region is."

Hear an explanation of how the tournament will work below:

The event runs from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Registration starts at 3:00 p.m.
The event will be held at the Sacramento Asian Sports Foundation, 9040 High Tech Court in Elk Grove Tickets can be purchased here.

What the team captains have to say:

Citrus Heights Crush

Coach: Nicole Miller
Captain: Mayor Jeannie Bruins
Members:
Mel Turner
Paul Robins
Joel Archer
Nicole Garing
Diane Ebbitt

"I am looking forward to (a) faceoff with West Sacramento – a challenge I put out to Oscar Villegas," Citrus Heights Mayor Jeannie Bruins said. "We're going to crush them because we are the Citrus Heights Crush."

She said that her team has practiced once, and the players are ready. Unfortunately, Bruins said, she will not be playing and will stay on the sidelines. She said that she will be the No. 1 cheerleader for the team.

"It is just fabulous what they do," Bruins said of the Jumpstart 21 program.

Rancho Cordova Magic Makers

Coach: Angela Montes
Captain: Councilwoman Linda Budge
Members:
Nathan Dietrich
Bob Shallit
Sam Miller
Adam Lingren
Rebecca Sloan

"We have four dedicated basketball fans in our team, and we have been watching the Sacramento Kings for a long time, and hopefully it rubbed off," said Rancho Cordova City Councilwoman Linda Budge.

Budge said that in order for them to win in this competition, they will have to play like a team. She said that she will make sure that her teammates make some assists.

The team has not had the chance to practice together, but she said the players have practiced separately, with some of them practicing basketball with their kids.

"We are doing this because we are basketball fans, but most of all because it is for a good cause," Budge said."We will be playing for them."

Sacramento Donkey Fong

Coach: Roland Foley III
Captain: City Councilman Rob Fong
Members:
City Councilman Jay Schenirer
State Assemblyman Roger Dickinson
Bethany Crouch
Tim Mech
Sam Luong
Danielle Viglione

"We don't care who we meet in the finals, we just know we are going to win," Sacramento City Councilman Rob Fong said.

He said that they enjoy being the favorite team to win, even though the other teams might not like it. He has not talked with Mayor Kevin Johnson to get some basketball tips, but Fong said he will definitely do so.

"Most of us are rooted to the earth and won't be doing any jumping at all," said Fong, who also said that this should not be a problem. The team practiced Sunday.

"It is for a great cause, and we are willing to take great physical risk to support it," Fong said. "I'm just hoping that when all is said and done, none of us will be heading to the emergency room.”

West Sacramento Brick Layers

Coach: Reyan Reyes
Captain: City Councilman Oscar E. Villegas
Members:
Chris Ledesma
Kristin Marshall
Bob Johnston
Jeff Dorso
Kalyca Seabrook
Bernadette Austin-Bower

"We don't care who we face off," West Sacramento City Councilman Oscar Villegas said. "Bring it!"

Villegas said that a friendly game is always good for the soul. His team has practiced, and he said that it is going well.

"I would bet somebody else's paycheck that we would win," he added. "I can dunk if they lower the hoop to 7 feet,"

Folsom 49ers

Coach: April Redricks
Captain: Mayor Andy Morin
Members:
Matt Dawson
Teo Torres
Ben Porter
Lani Stowers
Shannon O'Neill

"I would like to go against Rancho Cordova in the final match, because they are our friendly neighbors, and if we can beat them, we can have some serious bragging rights," said Folsom Mayor Andy Morin.

"I want to be as competitive as possible, but I am also looking forward to meeting with old friends in a friendly, competitive setting," he added.

Morin said that his team is set to meet up this week for practice, and he hopes that his team will be in good condition for the tournament.

Rocklin Rim Rattlers

Coach: Leslie Lee Jr.
Captain: City Councilman Scott Yuill
Members:
Greg Daley
Tina Macuha
Brian Jenson
Dave Butler
Paul Ackerman

"I am looking forward most to helping supporting the Jumpstart 21 program and having fun doing it with the regional flair," said Rocklin City Councilman Scott Yuill.

He said jokingly that his team has practiced extensively through email and is well-prepared for the tournament.

"I am a much better golfer than a basketball player, and I am a horrible golfer," Yuill said."I'd like to go head-on with Rob Fong because he usually beats me in golf.”

"In Rocklin, we are very humble and polite, and I think it will be out of character to point out our sheer athletic superiority," he added.

Elk Grove Force

Coach: Naomi Mendez
Captain: Mayor Steve Detrick
Members:
Jim Cooper
Drisha Leggitt
Dan Elliott
Keri Thomas
Alex Van Dyke
Brian Detrick

"My team, of course," Elk Grove Mayor Steve Detrick said when asked who will win. "We are the team to look out for."

He said that he is a recreational basketball player, but his team has not had the chance to practice yet.

"I put my best into everything I do, and hopefully our team can come up on top," he added.

"I think it's great that we are taking the cities of Sacramento and participating in such (an) event for a common goal," Detrick said. “The Sacramento region has no boundaries when it comes to fulfilling such goals."

Roseville Annexers

Coach: Olajuwon Curtis
Captain: City Councilman Tim Herman
Members:
Gayle Garbolino-Mojica
Kelly Brothers
Steve Fleming
Daniel Hahn
Steffi Jones

"We did not snag any former Monarch or King, but we will try to be competitive and have a lot of fun," City Councilman Tim Herman said.

Herman said that his team has already practiced once and will be practicing once more before the game. His players are happy and proud to represent Roseville and Placer County, he added.

"Most of us are under-the-basket kind of players. Unless they lower the hoop, I do not think we will be doing any dunks," Herman said.

"It's for a great cause, and to raise awareness and money for the Jumpstart 21 is a victory for all of us," Herman said.

Chamber leader's legacy may be collaborative region

2011-05-18T00:41:20Z

Sacramento Metro Chamber President and CEO Matt Mahood leaves behind a more unified business community as he moves on to take over the helm of the San Jose chamber this summer, colleagues and associates said Tuesday.

Mahood, 45, has a reputation for being upbeat and optimistic, even as he's guided the chamber through the recession. He served as a dynamic leader for the organization and a spokesman for the region on local, state and national level s.

At 6 feet 7 inches, he towers over many of those he works with in business and politics. He's known for being thoughtful and having an even-handed way for approaching issues in the job he's held for nine years.

His most lasting legacy in Sacramento may be his work as a collaboration builder garnering support for crucial policy decisions and economic development efforts.

Mahood became a prominent leader in the effort to stop the Sacramento Kings from leaving and to rally regional support for a new arena. He led a push that gathered more than $10 million in financial support for the Kings from regional businesses if the team stayed another year.

"Matt was a force of nature," said PRIDE Industries President Mike Ziegler, who chaired the chamber's board when they hired Mahood in 2002. "He became a driving force to make this region a better place to live, work and play."

The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce board voted Friday to hire Mahood as president and CEO of that organization. He will remain with the Sacramento Metro Chamber until at least the Fourth of July weekend.

An interim CEO will be chosen to guide the Sacramento Metro Chamber during the search for a new top executive.

As a 36-year-old hired by the chamber in 2002, Mahood didn't have any experience working at a chamber of commerce. But that was seen as an advantage by the chamber's search committee, Ziegler said.

Mahood had worked previously as vice president and general manager of grocery business Webvan.com and district manager at the shipping company BAX Global, as well as with UPS and FedEx.

He lived in Carmichael for four years as a child but mostly grew up in Pleasanton in the East Bay. Mahood is taking the job in San Jose partly so he can live closer to his mother, who just turned 80, and his three sisters. He said he'll miss taking his ski boat and wakeboard out on Folsom Lake with friends and family on hot summer days.

However, Mahood said he also wants to pursue fresh opportunities.

"Nine years is a long time to be in one place, especially at a chamber of commerce," he said. "I am ready for some new challenges in a new community."

Mahood was a champion for the region's economic development. He was instrumental in forging a good working relationship between the chamber, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership and the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, as well as area businesses and other business organizations, and then collaborating on mutually identified priorities, DSP Executive Director Michael Ault said.

"Matt did a tremendous job of not only managing and growing the chamber, but really building a coalition amongst area business organizations," Ault said.

Mahood will help launch the search process for his replacement. He said he's proud of the Metro Chamber's hard-working staff and volunteer leaders and their ability to reach the chamber's goals each year.

Although he'll be leaving, he said he'd like to see the Metro Chamber and its partners build a stronger, more positive "sense of self" and brand for the region after its image has been pummeled by being included on Forbes' list of "most miserable cities" and from stories about high foreclosure rates, unemployment and other government problems.

Mahood said he thinks cities and counties and some nonprofit organizations should collaborate more and even consider consolidating functions to become more efficient and bring taxpayers and other funders more return on investments. He said he'd also like to see the Metro Chamber and partners finalize and put out a regional economic development strategy based on good data, followed by an action plan that will create jobs.

"Housing and construction are not coming back anytime soon, and the state budget mess will continue to hit this region hard," he said.

Many people expressed sadness at Mahood's departure. Mayor Kevin Johnson described Mahood as a "champion" for the business community during the worst economy since the Depression.

"It's worth noting that his final achievement was playing a lead role in organizing the corporate and business community in the successful drive to keep the Kings and NBA in Sacramento," Johnson said in an emailed statement Tuesday. "Our community would not have been able to over-deliver on support and sponsorships without Matt's work, and we will surely miss his leadership."

The San Jose chamber is eagerly awaiting the new opportunities and direction a new president will bring, said the chamber's current president, Pat Dando.

"We also think Matt will bring strong leadership to the chamber – just looking at what his time with the Sacramento chamber produced," she said. "He seems to have a real knack for achieving a collaborative effort in the business community toward the common good."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

One Million Miles Bicycled in the Region Since May 1

2010-05-26T17:58:24Z

For the third consecutive year, the Sacramento region has traveled one million miles by bicycle in a month. Since May 1, 7,108 (and counting) people young and old, students and commuters, families and friends have chosen to bike rather than drive. Commute, recreation, errands and work trips have all contributed to the million miles.

What does a million miles mean for our region?

One million miles of bicycling removed over 5,000 pounds of smog-forming oxides of nitrogen from our air. Air pollutants lead to many illnesses, including asthma, which is the most common reason for missed school days in Sacramento County.
Just looking at commuting or doing errands by bike, individuals saved approximately 18,000 gallons of gas this month, which at $2.67 a gallon saves them nearly $45,000.
An individual bicycling one mile instead of driving reduces carbon emissions by 0.5 pounds of CO2, which is the same as turning off a 100 watt light bulb for 8 hours.

Trip planner gets you there by bike
The Sacramento Area Council of Governments has launched a bicycle trip planner (www.sacregion511.org/bicycling/trips/) with detailed routes for the entire region. The trip planner draws on local government data, user information and a community forum to offer the best information for novice and veteran bicyclists. Sacramento Region 511 also has information about traffic information, transit, and a bicycle commuter guide at www.sacregion511.org.

Events & more at Mayisbikemonth.com
Tomorrow, May 27 is Bicycle Night with the Sacramento River Cats. Visit mayisbikemonth.com for discounted tickets and more information. And with Memorial Day this weekend, it’s a great time to enjoy our communities by bicycle. Remember to log your miles at mayisbikemonth.com. It’s not too late for people to visit the site to learn how to get started riding this summer, find bicycle routes, and other tips.

About May is Bike Month
Throughout the month of May, bicyclists young and old have been encouraged to challenge friends, family, co-workers and themselves to pledge miles. The region has been aiming for the million mile goal since it began a month-long campaign to promote bicycling in May in 2005. Last year, over 6,000 individuals rode 1,288,676 miles in May.

May is Bike Month is coordinated by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and the region's transportation management associations and organizations. More information is at www.mayisbikemonth.com.

Young artists transform communities

2009-07-03T01:07:54Z

For the past three months, young people from 10 to 21 years of age have come together in Sacramento once a week to discuss their role in their physical environment.

As part of the Youth Voices for Change initiative, the group called the Sactown Heroes collaborated with UC Davis scholars, artists and graduate students to explore their community, what they like about it and what could change. The culminating event on Tuesday was a presentation of their findings to the community.

14-year-old Bradly Palmer said he would change "where youth are welcome and where they are hired for jobs. Some places discriminate against youth because they think they're trouble-makers."

He is a student at West Sacramento Early College-Prep Charter School, and is able to explore his surroundings with cameras, video and audio equipment that he is trained to use.

"I set up a lot of the Google maps, the graphics, and I took videos of my favorite places and what I dislike about the community," Palmer said.

The Google maps have digital, color-coded thumbtacks on local businesses and parks that the students have explored with their equipment. They are later able to add audio commentary about what they like and dislike about the areas.

"They are the people that are using the spaces the most often. It's really important what those people using the spaces think about those places," said Patsy Eubanks Owens, an associate professor of landscape and architecture.

"I think what's key about this is you have young people who care enough about their communities to spend every week learning what's out there," said Diane Littlefield, a senior program officer with the Sierra Health Foundation. She continued to say that students are "willing to roll up their sleeves and take action and improve the environment in which they live."

Jessica Rice, a future ninth-grade student at River City High School, recounted a beautification project she took part in, "We planted flowers in front of the preschool, we decorated the benches with decorative rocks and it's really nice."

The Youth Voices for Regional Change is part of a larger crusade called Healthy Youth Healthy Regions program at UC Davis. Jesikah Maria Ross, director of the UC Davis program the Art of Regional Change, said the program poses the question, "How is the impact of how youth perceive their places related to the well-being and prosperity of the region?" She concludes, "By studying this, we can give policy makers some recommendations for change."

The Sierra Health Foundation and the California Endowment are funding this program as part of a policy program. "What we're hoping to do is understand better the conditions that affect young people in terms of their health, economics, environment and education," said Littlefield.

West Sacramento Mayor, Christopher Cabaldon, was also in attendance and he encouraged students, "Make Facebook comments on my page," to further stimulate dialogue on their insights.

The program is funded as part of a two-year study with findings projected to be public in fall of 2010 that will inform grant making and the allocation of resources. Littlefield emphasized, "This is real data, this is research done by young people."

After the two-year study is completed, the students and program advisers hope to continue the spirit of this organization in other neighborhoods, and even nationally. "It kind of might change the social norm by looking to young people for some of the solutions," said Littlefield.

For more information, click the following links:
The Art of Regional Change
Healthy Youth/Healthy Regions

What is the Mayors Message?

2009-03-04T17:59:28Z

I am not sure what the Mayor of Sacramento is doing on the legislative side of things. Nor am I sure what concrete plans he has to help the struggling business climate in "his" city and the surrounding region. What I do know, is that for the first 100 days or so the Mayor has spent the majority of his time in very media freindly meetings, round tables, summits and otherwise talking. He has also taken a couple trips back to Washington DC, with another soon on the horizon. His short tenure in office, has sure been interesting to watch, but at the same time a little worrisome to this observer.

In a recent article, the Mayor commented on his celebrity relationships and the doors that have already been open. He did not expand on this by expaining what doors have been open, but I think we are begining to get the picture. Unfortunately, I think recent and upcoming choices of who the Mayor is bringing to the City to support his causes, may be starting to close many of these doors.

The other day, the Mayor brought Jesse Jackson into town to help promote the Mayors call to volunteer. Today I read in Sacramento's local rag that next Monday the Rev. Al Sharpton will be coming to support the Mayors next "summit", which apparently is on education. While I do not know many who would challenge the concept of volunteerism, or excellence in education, I am aware of many who are not "comfortable" with those the Mayor has chosen to bring into town to support his cause.

While both the Rev.'s Jackson and Sharpton are well known, and will bring media attention, I also feel the controversy they bring will quite possibly do as much harm as good. What would people think if one brought Ann Coulter or Sean Hannity into town to support their efforts? By nature, individuals such as those mentioned bring division & tension. Mention any of these names in conversation and instantly emotions are envoked, and judgements made. This is not the way to develop universal support for a cause. Before the Mayor brings Sean Penn to town to promote "Clean and Green", I hope Mayor Johnson will consider some of the following:

While leaning to the left, Sacramento is far from a bastion of Liberalism. Rather Sacramento is a Religous, Ethnic, Political and otherwise diverse community.

Sacramento is not an island unto itself. Quite the contrary, Sacramento is a key piece in the Sacramento Regional puzzle, surrounding the City, are much more conservative areas. The region needs to work together to generate an economic climate that will help us all. Bringing political activists to town, does not necessarily instill confidence and comfort in many of your neighbors.

On the same token, CEO's and other business leaders vary in their political and other values, and need to feel comfortable about the envioronment that they choose to operate in.

While meetings, summits, symposiums, round tables, surveys have their place in "the process", there reaches a point of overkill, and after a while the old saying "talk is cheap" comes into play. Proposals, agenda items, legislation and action need to rise to the forefront, personally I feel that time is now.

Mr. Mayor I hope you slow down a little on the spotlight methodology. Start showing that you are a true leader, attempting to build honest consensus. This can only be done by action, not words. And if you would, for the next "celebrity" that you bring to town to "open doors", can it please be someone who is not a political hot button. Recently many doors have been opened, I only hope the winds of change do not get so strong some don't get blown shut.

As always just opinions, as a small businessman & part time politician, I am sure I join with all in the area in hoping for success, and that soon the tide will turn & we can all Keep Smilin'