Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "sac state"

A Visual Discussion on Poverty and Social Identity

2012-01-15T01:17:08Z

The Sacramento Art History Consortium (SAHC) opened in December the exhibition “Latin American Photography: The Realities of Poverty and Social Identity.” After a two-year effort SAHC has brought together the work of 13 international photographers who have demonstrated a true commitment to Latin America. Showing now in Sacramento State University Library Gallery, the work of renowned photojournalists such as Joaquin Sarmiento, Jeronimo Arteaga, and Jan Sochor are being exhibited to engage audiences in the visual discussion about poverty and social identity.

The exhibition features photographs that convey the situation of a region that has been subjected to years of political and economic struggle by showing how the perpetuation of poverty across decades has created a unique way of life, where poverty is not a transitory state, but a defining element in the life of a person. The intention behind this particular topic is not to promote pity or patronize the peoples of Latin America by framing them under a series of stereotypes and prejudices, but to reveal the spirit, attitude, and courage with which people characteristically deal with everyday life. The curatorial group has chosen the topic of poverty with the intention to explore the impact of art in helping repair social fractures by creating awareness of the situation of others.

Moreover, the exhibition brings into discussion the role of social photojournalism in conveying truth while exposing both the ethical and ethnographic responsibilities of photographic representation. To address the challenges of photojournalism, including the visual saturation that we all face when it comes to seeing poverty and crisis in the world today, SAHC's curatorial group carefully chose 37 works to give us an idea of the environment and situation of those who are distant and different from us. Most of the photographers are from different countries in Latin American with the exception of a few, who being "outsiders" provide a balance to the stories that this touching and educational show provides by convening different points of view in this fascinating conversation about the realities of poverty and social identity. The exhibition is not only a good photography show but also an interactive experience in the sense that it invites visitors to not be passive consumers of social photography but to actively engage with the stories here conveyed and the people that are being represented.

The exhibit will be open until March 10th at the Sacramento State University Library Gallery and an exhibition catalogue has also been published, which is available for purchase at the website. For more information contact SAHC at info@sacramentoarthistory.org or visit them at www.sacramentoarthistory.org

Disclosure: Sara Garzon is the Executive Director of SAHC and curator of the exhibition.

Sacramento State Tweetup

2011-12-10T03:46:02Z

This is isn’t your parents’ networking event. Since 2006, Twitter has taken the world by storm. Ballroom 3 in University Union on the campus of California State University, Sacramento was the site of the first-recorded Northern California colligate tweetup on Wednesday night.

Alejandro Reyes (@alejandroreyes), a local social media guru recently said, “Social media done right won’t take away from the live interaction, it should enhance it.” This was part of the idea behind organizing the Sacramento State Tweetup (@sacstatetweetup).

“I believe that using social media for college students is a great way for them to get hired and make themselves known to the business community,” said Blake Menezes (@blakemenezes), a Sac State student currently studying international business and marketing who was one of the co-organizers of the event.

Connectivity happens at a quicker and quicker pace these days.

“It was very refreshing to talk to the students and other businesses interested in connecting with them,” Sac State alum Rachael Lankford said. “(Students) are less anxious to promote themselves and more interested in connecting with community businesses and learning about their options.”

Lankford (@Sacramento365) is a managing calendar editor at sacramento365.com, an initiative of the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“Working with fresh, young minds helps keep you on your toes,” she said. “It’s a great reminder that to stay in the game you have to be open to new ideas and methods of managing your business — and that these guys are often the ones to help make it happen.”

About 250 people mingled in small groups enjoying Broadacre Coffee (@broadacrecoffee) and entered to win gift cards from Scott’s Seafood Grill & Bar (@scotts_seafood) over the two-hour event.

Disclosure: You can follow me on Twitter @leland_beck

Letter to Sac State: Cuts Punish Students Seeking Higher Education

2011-12-07T08:06:40Z

Disappointment and frustration were the only feelings that came to mind when registering for classes this year.

December 1, the first day I could begin enrolling, remained the chaotic race and hunt for available classes it has been every year.

As fourth-year students, we generally (and understandably) have high expectations that we can get into the classes we need to graduate.

In prior semesters, those classes seemed to fill up days before we ever had the chance to enroll.

This semester, we won’t even have the “opportunity” to be waitlisted for many of these classes – as they are not being offered this semester (and likely the next.)

I realize Sacramento State University is not the only one taking a financial hit.

Student sit-ins, Occupy protests, numerous letters and phone-calls later, it still seems students of higher education are at the forefront of these budget cuts.

While students continue to languish, the question one asks, “Who is there, with influence to affect real change, to stand up and defend our education?” Certainly not the CSU Board of Trustees.

Recently, Trustee Herbert Carter attempted to justify a $100,000 salary increase.

That increase alone could pay for 15 years of undergraduate college education at Sac State.

Decision making like this supports the notion that student education is not the true priority of our CSU administrators.

The lack of quality education in public colleges will certainly have a trickle-down effect.

When a prospective employer sees a student from a California State University, the stigma will likely be that the students are less capable and not prepared or provided with the same number of classes or same quality of resources as other students.

They will likely consider that the students have been instructed by overwhelmed part-time faculty in a department that has diminished greatly as a whole. All of this equates to a hindrance of our career prospects after college.

Slightly over 54 percent of the journalism classes offered in the Sac State University Catalog are being taught this semester.

Moreover, several of those classes are not even taught by faculty members; they are internships or “related work experience.”

I am not saying internships are not useful, I currently have one myself; but I am saying they provide the experience and not the academia.

My point is, a multitude of interesting and important information will be missed out on because Sacramento State continues to offer a major that it does not have the resources to fund.

I eagerly waited to register for 'Women in Media' and 'Writing for Broadcast News,' a class taught only in the spring, to find out that neither would be offered, along with another 13 other electives.

Over 200 journalism students will have just three full-time journalism professors at Sac State in the Spring 2012 semester.

Because there are few elective classes being offered by the journalism department, students are forced to scrounge for classes in other areas of Communications.

As electives are shaved off the curriculum, I cannot feel confident in the level of education I am receiving as a student at this university.

Registering for classes, I realized how unfair it was to continually ask low-income students to pay more for less.

Undoubtedly, it is unfair to sell students an education in a subject that the CSU system can no longer follow through on.

Barring scheduling overlaps, closed classes, long waitlists and classes simply not being offered, we are forced to maintain hope that those classes will be available next semester, or atleast before we graduate.

Disclosure: As a Sac State journalism student, I have a personal connection to this story. This letter is a condensed version of one sent to the Communications Director at Sac State, voicing the consequences of cuts to students of higher education.

VIDEO: Sacramento State falls to Davis 23-19 in Causeway Classic showdown

2011-11-22T01:39:31Z

Sacramento State hosted the 58th annual Causeway Classic football game, its rivalry game against UC Davis Saturday at Hornet Stadium. The Hornets were hoping to win its third Causeway Classic game in four years, but unfortunately the Aggies did not let that happen as Davis defeated Sac State 23-19.

Sac State did not score until the second quarter when freshman defensive lineman Ben Cowger sacked Davis quarterback Randy Wright, causing Wright to fumble the ball into Davis’ end zone allowing Cowger to recover the ball for a Hornet touchdown. Davis however would answer back with a touchdown of its own when freshman running back Austin Edmondson rushed to the end zone from the 8-yard line.

During the second half, Davis’ defense was too much to handle for Sac State as the Hornets could not score until 0:01 left in the fourth quarter when freshman quarterback Garrett Saffron ran 30-yards into the end zone for the final touchdown to end the game. That was not enough to top the 13 points Davis scored in the second half.

The Hornets also had trouble stopping the Aggies’ rushing offense. Davis scored all its touchdowns from rushing plays and has a total of 206 rushing yards for the game compared to Sac State’s 114.

Saffron struggled throughout the game completing only 11-of-31 passes for 155 yards while Wright completed 14-of-23 of his passes and threw one interception.

This is Davis’ second Causeway Classic win in a row, but both wins came by slim margins of four points or less. Davis won last year’s Causeway Classic 17-16 at home. Both teams end the season with 4-7 records.

Sacramento State arson attack.

2011-10-14T04:34:08Z

Photo essay by Dan ward

Today on the Sacramento State campus two buildings were caught on fire. The first building was Mendocino hall. The building recorded the fire to start around 2:58pm.

The fire took place on the 4th floor. Reports show that it started in a chair and the faculty and students were to be evacuated quickly. A professor and floor Marshall Matthew Mills helped a good majority of the students and faculty evacuate the premises while the fire engines arrived at the scene. There were no injuries however was student was caught in the fire but was quickly rescued.

Shortly followed by the first fire another fire was broke out in Mariposa hall. The fire started from the interior design classroom. From the damage, two windows were broken in order to release the smoke. The fire in Mariposa happen roughly 10-15 mins after the first fire.

Officials are examining the sights overnight. For the moment, there is no evidence to display of who might have started this. The arsonist also might have started a garbage can fire over by the tennis courts. No stories are shown yet about how big that fire was.

Also stated classes held in these buildings have strong chances of not being held due to the fire. Sac State officials said there are no intentions of relocating any classes at this moment. The buildings are suppose to reopen at 8am on Friday morning, but further news with be disclosed on whether classes will be held.

The photo taken was off my cell phone. Check back for more photos through out this weekend and updates on this current story.

Check out the statehornet.com for more details about today’s fire.

Disclosure: This a very brief summary of what I saw and read. check out statehornet.com or CBS 13 for further details

Sacramento Press Club hosts luncheon with NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

2011-07-27T04:48:02Z

The Sacramento Press Club hosted its second luncheon of the month Tuesday with special guest Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, National Public Radio’s foreign correspondent – currently based in Cairo, Egypt – who shared her experiences with the challenges and the violence many journalists face overseas.

The Sacramento Press Club is a nonprofit organization that lends itself to informing its members and the public through monthly luncheons that feature reporters and newsmakers from around the country and provides scholarships to journalism students in California.

The renowned journalist, who currently covers the Arab world from North Africa to the Middle East, shared some of her experiences in reporting from her current assignment and her three years as NPR’s voice from Kabul, Afghanistan.

“It’s so difficult for journalists to cover regions so vastly different from our own,” said Nelson, who spent almost a decade as a foreign correspondent.

The job can be very difficult for some who don’t speak the language, Nelson said, though many places do speak French and English. Nelson speaks Farsi, Dari and German.

Drawing from her own experience, Syria,Yemen and Libya, are the hardest to cover due to the amount of resistance, violence, and discrimination reporters can face. Some areas are too violent to go to, and journalists must find that out by talking to people on the street and by “making the decision ourselves,” she said.

Throughout her speech, Nelson repeatedly brought up the violence that is projected toward journalists. She said that in some places she “could not be there as a reporter,” describing the reluctance of many people to talk to her.

In a story she covered about a group of women who were protesting, Nelson said that some were concerned that her presence could influence government officials. She mentioned rumors that were spread around the country, that “we journalists are spies working for the CIA and they should stop us,” adding that journalists were “not people they want to talk to anymore.”

To move freely throughout many of the Middle Eastern countries, she said she had to keep herself from being noticed. Sometimes this meant that she had to dress in a black veil and wear black clothes like the women in the country, disguising her appearance as a reporter.

Discrimination toward women is a widely known issue in the Middle East and throughout Central Asia. The tension toward female reporters was “very high because of the religion and culture,” Nelson said, also stating that the threat is not just to women – “assault and danger is to men as much as women” she said.

Reporters often find themselves in situations that could bring danger upon themselves. Nelson described the need to have outlets – safe havens where one could go to decompress, and the tendency for journalists to travel in groups. She said she had to always try to be in control of situations, and “never sit my back to the glass,”– another way of saying she carries caution with her at all times.

Nelson said she has “suffered sexual harassment- much more in Afghanistan and Pakistan than in Egypt,” but the severity can be take no more than harassment of male reporters.

One of the greatest challenges for journalists on covering the social unrest in another country, Nelson said, is to avoid stereotypes and “make sure we’re covering it in a balanced way.”

About 75 members of the Sacramento Press Club and the community attended the luncheon.

Dr. Becky LaVally, instructor of rhetorical criticism at Sacramento State and former political reporter, responded to Nelson’s balanced review of the violence towards men and women in the Middle East, saying “she was very professional in her description of the dangers facing men and women. The level of danger is so high that sexual harassment becomes a gradation of danger.”

Ann Bancroft, a former reporter and communications director for the California Department of Education, said she found the speech “just fascinating” in respect to Nelson’s “heroism–what she does to give us all the story.”

Bancroft also mentioned her interest in several other issues brought up in Nelson’s speech, which included the progress of women’s elevation being set back in Middle Eastern countries.

Only in the U.S. for a short time, Nelson will soon be returning to her post in Cairo, reporting the news for NPR.

The next seminar for the press club, free and open to the public, is August 16. Find more information on their website at http://sacpressclub.org/attend-seminars

For more information about Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson, visit http://www.npr.org/people/7407153/soraya-sarhaddi-nelson

World Masters Track and Field 2011 400 meter and Hurdles finals

2011-07-16T21:07:02Z

Editor's Note: More than 4,800 athletes from 93 countries, ranging in age from 35 to 101, are competing in the 19th World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships at Sacramento State's A.G. Spanos Sports Complex through July 17. This marks the first time in 16 years that the biennial event has been held in the United States.

Click here for a complete list of each day's results from the WMA Championships in Sacramento.

For more info on the World Master's Athletics Championships, click here.

World Masters Track and Field 2011 Friday 15th July

2011-07-16T12:16:13Z

Click here for a complete list of each day's results from the WMA Championships in Sacramento.

For more info on the World Master's Athletics Championships, click here.

World Masters Athletics 200 Meter finals: July 12, 2011

2011-07-13T20:12:45Z

Click here for a complete list of each day's results from the WMA Championships in Sacramento.

For more info on the World Master's Athletics Championships, click here.

World Masters Athletics Track and Field 2011 Long Jump W35 Final

2011-07-12T22:28:51Z

Click here for a complete list of each day's results from the WMA Championships in Sacramento.

For more info on the World Master's Athletics Championships, click here.

World Masters Athletics 2011 photos: Saturday, July 9

2011-07-11T19:46:07Z

Click here for a complete list of each day's results from the WMA Championships in Sacramento.

For more info on the World Master's Athletics Championships, click here.

Ease on Down the Road; A Review of CSUS's "The Wiz"

2011-04-24T18:45:51Z

As we ease on down the road of life, the little things are what keep us going. Spending time with family, enjoying great entertainment and having a few laughs are great ways to have such an experience.

From April 8 through April 24, California State University, Sacramento’s Department of Theatre and Dance presented William F. Brown’s “The Wiz” for the entire Sacramento community to enjoy. The play was directed by Melinda Wilson Ramey and choreographed by Linda S. Goodrich and featured the original songs by Charlie Smalls. “The Wiz” is of course the 1978 movie rendition of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and Sac State’s students pulled off the show in a very impressive way.

Perhaps the best part of the show was Timothy Stewart’s portrayal of “The Wiz” himself which was full of comedy and slapstick and really got the audience involved. As he wore the oversized head in the awesome costume and used the fake hands to point in which direction he wanted his chair moved, he eventually got frustrated and stood up to just move around on his own--a moment that got a huge laugh from the audience. Stewart also joked with Dorothy about why she world ever want to leave Emerald City to go back to Sacramento.

Then there was the beautiful rendition of “To Be Able To Feel” performed by Ryan Thomas Blanning, who played the Tinman. And Ashli Fisher, who did an amazing job playing Dorothy belted out a beautiful version of “Be A Lion.”

The Lion and Scarecrow played by Sean Patrick Nill and Michael Blair Smith respectively were also great roles. Their comedic relief was a very popular aspect of the show. The rest of the cast did a tremendous job as well and overall the play was very well-done.

The play also featured several guest appearances from all over the Sacramento community. The Mayor of West Sacramento, Christopher Cabaldon, Good Day Sacramento reporter, Courtney Dempsey and Alexander Gonzalez, president of Sac State were among the list of 12 special guest stars who each played the role of an Emerald City citizen.

As with any performance though, it was not without its flaws. The audio wasn’t the greatest and it was hard to hear the lyrics of songs at times. Some of the quickly-spoken lines in the play were missed as well because of poor delivery. Sac State’s theatre is quite small and it felt cramped sitting in the seats for about two and a half hours with only a short fifteen minute intermission. Urias Davis’s portrayal of Evillene, the Wicked Witch of the West was comedic and fun but a bit over the top. There also tended to be a little too much going on up on the stage at times.

Overall the play was wonderful though and the crowd involvement as the actors and actresses ran up and down the aisles made the audience feel as if they were a part of the story. This play was definitely worth the money and the hard work, effort, and level of dedication that went into this production were obvious.

“This production of the Wiz is several years in the making,” director, Ramey says in the program for the play. “Thank you for easing on down the road with us to Oz!”

And it was several years well spent as this was a wonderful presentation of “The Wiz.” If you ever have the chance to see a college production of the play in the future, do not hesitate to do so because it truly is a fun experience.

Associated Students President gives address at CSUS

2011-03-09T05:50:46Z

Student involvement at a commuter school like Sacramento State has given the Associated Students, Inc. president, Terry Martin, an added task of making the student government organization visible.

ASI members have gone to residence halls to promote their organization. They have gone to local businesses to offer discounts to students who have their student identification, known to students as the OneCard. And they have helped raise funds to keep the Hornet bus line going.

From fees, class sizes and campus life, to the future direction of ASI, Martin addressed student concerns Tuesday in the University Union lobby and suggested that students get involved if they want to see a change. He said students have complained about “poor academic advising,” which has kept students in school longer.

He said the college has begun a course on public advocacy, which teaches students how to get their message across to legislators. “Even though students can vote, they don't have a lot of money, so the class helps give them political power,” Martin said.

The State Hornet, Sacramento State's student newspaper, reported that currently programs that are impacted include graphic and interior design, nursing and business courses and that, next year, the school will be further impacted in psychology, health science and criminal justice. The article states that, currently, psychology classes are set to max out at 25 students, but some professors are seeing up to 44 students in a course.

http://www.statehornet.com/news/impaction-set-to-affect-more-majors-1.2040841

Martin suggested that students join school committees and clubs and noted that the California State University Board of Trustees is looking for student representation on its board. He also noted that in response to Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed budget of slashing $500 million to CSUs, and students from around the state will converge on the Capitol on March 14.

The ASI office encouraged students to participate and “express their disappointment.”

Organized by California State Association and Student Senate for California Community Colleges, student leaders will lead students on a march from Raley Field to the West Steps of the State Capitol, where a press conference will take place. Buses will be available at Sac State to transport students to Raley Field for the start of the march. Students will meet at Raley Field, and the march will begin at 10 a.m. The march will end at the west steps at 11 a.m., and a press conference will be held at noon.

Monica Stark can be reached at monica.stark@sacramentopress.com

Sacramento State Students go Ape-solutely Bananas for BORN FREE USA

2010-12-03T19:41:09Z

Sacramento State Public Relations students and Will Travers, the Chief Executive Officer and founder of BORN FREE USA, will be training, stretching, lacing up their running shoes and donning their favorite animal costumes for the Kaiser Permanente MaraFUNrun & Fitness Walk on Sunday, Dec. 5, at 8 a.m.

The students and Travers are running the maraFUNrun for BORN FREE USA; a Sacramento- and Washington D.C.-based international wildlife nonprofit conservation and protection organization.

To help bring awareness to BORN FREE USA and its motto of “keeping wildlife in the wild,” the students and Travers will be running the 2.62 miles in BORN FREE USA gear and some will be participating dressed as monkeys, lions and bananas – oh my!

The Kaiser Permanente MaraFUNrun & Fitness Walk is part of the 28th Annual California International Marathon. The MaraFUNrun follows the last 2.62 miles of the marathon course, crossing the same finish line as the marathoners, and is held in the spirit of fun and fitness for youths and adults.

BORN FREE was originally founded in England in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginal McKenna, stars of the 1968 film, Born Free. In 2002 BORN FREE USA was founded in the United States with the international mission to end the suffering of wild animals in captivity, rescue individual animals in need, protect wildlife in their natural habitats, including highly endangered species, and to encourage compassionate conservation globally.

BORN FREE USA, partnered with the Animal Protection Institute, operates a 186 acre primate sanctuary in Texas, home to over 500 primates rescued from laboratories, circuses, zoos, and private possession.

The Primate Sanctuary and BORN FREE USA is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, relying solely on the funding of individual donations, estate bequeaths, foundation grants, and adopt-a-primate programs.

For more information on where you can go bananas and adopt a primate to support BORN FREE USA please visit www.bornfreeusa.org or join the Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/BornFreeUSAFans.

Disclosure: This article was written and posted by students from the Sacramento State University Communications 158 course who are working alongside BORN FREE USA.

Hornet Shuttle faces reductions

2010-11-11T01:53:54Z

The good news is more and more people at Sacramento State are using alternative transportation and parking as they should. The bad news is revenue from parking citations has been down, and that may lead to changes to the university’s Hornet Shuttle program.

The University of Transportation and Parking Services, or UTAPS, held an open forum this afternoon regarding proposed Hornet Shuttle route changes for Spring and Fall 2011.

The Hornet Shuttle program began in 1989 with shuttle routes running off campus Monday – Friday from 7am to 7pm during the Fall and Spring semesters. The current fleet of six buses, all running on compressed natural gas, make 18 to 24 runs combined among three routes daily: The Gold Line runs through the Arden-Arcade area; the Green Line runs throughout the Campus Commons area; and the Hornet Line loops through the campus, to Folsom Hall, to the 65th Street Light Rail Station and back.

The Hornet Shuttle program is funded from fines and forfeitures received in University’s Parking Revenue Fund, which is part of UTAPS.

“Where we get our revenue is from parking citations,” said Abbi Stone, Associate Vice President of Business and Administrative Services, the division UTAPS is associated with.

“Tickets that people get and pay when they park on campus when they don’t have a parking permit or if they park in a space they are not allowed to park,” said Stone. “This money we collect from citations can only be used for alternative transportation, or the administration of people giving the citations, and the processing and listening to appeals.”

Currently, revenue from citations has been flat and is not expected to improve. While ridership on the Hornet Shuttle saw a seven percent increase from 2008/09 to 2009/10, expenses to maintain the fleet are also increasing.

All of this comes with a rising contract cost with Regional Transit, increasing from $376,648 in 2008/09 to $1,000,522 in 2011/12. The contract allows students to ride for no extra cost with their OneCard and Commuter Pass.

This is not the first time UTAPS has faced financial trouble. In 2007, the department spent $325,000 when breaking its lease with a moving solution company to provide a temporary on campus office prior to moving to Folsom Hall. The department is also tied into 30 year loans for the construction of Parking Structures II and III, requiring them to pay $3 million in debt per year.

To combat their expenses, UTAPS is proposing two changes. The first is to reduce the number of runs on all three lines beginning in the Spring 2011 semester. Each line would be limited to two runs apiece in the morning (7:40am-9:40am) and afternoon (2:20pm-4:20pm). Runs from 9:40am to 2:20pm and after 4:20pm would be eliminated.

“Based on our data from our ridership surveys, we find that those times are the least utilized,” said Stone.

UTAPS is also proposing to eliminate the Gold Line in Fall 2011 saying the route has a high level of redundancy with Regional Transit’s. The Gold Line route closely aligns with Regional Transit routes #22, #26, #82, and #87, all of which connect to the campus directly or via transfer. The elimination of the Gold Line is estimated to provide an annual savings of $50,000.

UTAPS will hold a second forum to discuss these changes on Tuesday, November 16, 2010 from 2pm – 3pm at Sacramento State in Library 11.

Mountain Lions seek redemption against Colonials Saturday

2010-10-28T00:38:33Z

The Sacramento Mountain Lions are looking to avenge their loss in this season’s opening game with a victory over the Hartford Colonials Saturday night.

“We’ve got to try to see if we can get that win back from Hartford, and with three games to go, I think we’ve just got to get out and play very well in the second half of the season,” Head Coach Dennis Green said after the team’s practice Wednesday.

The Colonials (1-4) beat the Mountain Lions (2-3) in the Sept. 18 opener. The teams are part of the United Football League, a professional league in its second season. Last year’s season was six games, but this year’s season has been expanded to eight games.

“You play everybody twice, and they were better than us that day,” quarterback Daunte Culpepper said about the Colonials. “We’ve got to rectify that and make sure we do what we have to do to get the win.”

Culpepper and his team are fresh off a win at Florida against the Tuskers last weekend, after which Culpepper was named offensive player of the week.

“(This) game is very, very important to us,” Culpepper said. “Every game is extremely important for us. We have to get this one to be able to get the next one.”

Defensive back Ronnie Prude agreed with Culpepper’s assessment.

“It’s very important that we win this one,” Prude said. “We’re coming back off a fantastic win down in Florida, so this game is going to be very key for us and very important to put us back in the hunt for the championship game.”

Prude said that despite looking forward to playing well the second half of the season, it’s important to take it one game at a time.

“We’re not overlooking Hartford,” he said. “We know they’re a great team, and they’ve got great players and two great quarterbacks.”

The key to winning the game will be staying focused and playing smart and physical, Prude said.

“I just want to come out on the field, get my hands on the ball and be physical and be a leader out there for my guys,” he said.

Running back Cory Ross said Hartford will see a Sacramento team that has improved since their last matchup.

“We’re a better team than the first time we played these guys, and we want to show them that,” he said. “We’ve got to play a full game. They are definitely a full-game team. We played them last time from start to finish, and they played their hearts out.”

Ross is poised to play a key role in Saturday’s game, with a UFL-high 37 catches this season, and 20 just in the last two games. He also combined for 311 yards from scrimmage over the last two games.

Ross will have to face Hartford outside linebacker Simoni Lawrence, who is coming off a 10-tackle performance in his last game.

But Ross, who led the UFL in rushing a year ago, chalking up 462 yards in six games, isn’t letting the Hartford defense get to him.

“I just want to do anything I can to contribute,” he said. “I’ll catch the ball, run the ball, block – whatever they want me to do. I just want to contribute and take home a victory.”

The Mountain Lions will host the Colonials at 8 p.m. Saturday at Sacramento State’s Hornet Stadium.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Exclusive video: Sacramento State Homecoming game

2010-10-19T18:59:51Z

The Sacramento State Hornets football team defeated the Northern Colorado Bears 42-7 during its annual Homecoming game at Hornet Stadium on Oct. 9. The Hornets shut out the Bears 28-0 in the second half and 14-0 in the first, third and fourth quarters. This victory moved Sac State up to fourth place in the Big Sky Conference.

Here is some exclusive video footage of the game. Highlights include a running back Bryan Hilliard's first touchdown of the game and post-game interviews with players.

Photo taken by Nick Hunte

Culpepper struggles in Lions' defeat

2010-10-18T04:34:33Z

Daunte Culpepper threw four interceptions and fumbled once in the Mountain Lions’ 26-3 home loss to the Las Vegas Locomotives Friday night at Hornet Stadium.

In the post-game press conference, Lions Coach Dennis Green was visibly upset at his team’s performance.

“We had so many opportunities, and gave them all away,” Green said.

Coming off of a bye week and unimpressive rushing games prior to Friday night (just 146 yards rushing on 63 carries in three games), the Lions had a considerably more effective ground game with Cory Ross running for 71 yards on 15 carries and Steve Baylark running for 46 yards on only four carries.

Green remarked that his team moved the ball well, with run blocking being the best it has been all year, but that when put into the position to score, his team could not execute.

The Lions’ only points of the game came in the second quarter with a 40-yard field goal made by Fabrizio Scaccia.

Las Vegas, with a 9-3 advantage going into the third quarter, remained poised and reserved on offense. The Locos’ rushing game ran on the legs of Marcel Shipp and Dede Dorsey, allowing them control of the clock and ball possession for nearly 11 minutes in the third.

Vegas Coach Jim Fassel said he believes a rushing game can be best most effective when you use a “running back by committee,” keeping players fresh all the way through the fourth quarter.

Fassell was quick to praise his team’s defensive effort and attributed forced turnovers to the pressure they were able to put on Culpepper.

Although Vegas quarterback Tim Rattay had a solid game in leading his team to victory, his night was bittersweet as he injured his Achilles tendon on the last play of the game.

“Nobody hit him, he just stepped wrong and, pop,” Fassel said.

Sacramento must regroup from injuries as well, the most noteworthy being Lions’ cornerback Robert Bourne’s broken leg suffered in the first quarter.

“It’s that time of the season when you get a few injuries and guys get banged up,” Green said.

His team will have to make adjustments before Thursday’s game at Florida.

Green said he didn’t have an exact explanation for his team’s inability to put points on the board.

“The team played hard and tried hard, that’s why we were consistently in position to score, but it just wouldn’t come together,” Green said.

Culpepper wasn’t available for comments, but Green said that he was very disappointed after the game.

Vegas’ pass rush consistently forced Culpepper out of the pocket, and sacked him on three occasions.

“Daunte did not have a good day at all,” Green said.

Most of the 19,000 fans filed out of Hornet Stadium with around nine minutes left in the fourth quarter as the Lions’ composure on the field began to reflect their inevitable defeat.

The crowd’s initial excitement wore off slowly after half time and was all but gone when Culpepper threw his final interception with three minutes left in the fourth to Locos’ Wale Dada, who then returned the ball 58 yards for a Vegas touchdown.

Sacramento now sits at the bottom of the standings with a 1-3 record.

The Lions play again on Thursday at the Florida Tuskers (2-2).

Photos by James K. Leash, Sharp-Eye Images.

Punk Slam!

2010-10-17T10:20:17Z

Sac State has changed quite a bit in the past several years. The school campus seems to be in constant flux and construction repairs take place in many parts of the campus. It seems the school, for the past couple of years, has expanded their event and entertainment venue. Punk Slam is one of their newer venues taking place on campus.

The Punk Slam menu took place at the University Union Ballroom where students and visitors attended the music-wrestling event. The free concert attracted mostly students to the show. The acoustics in the ballroom were great and as we entered the room Drastic Actions were well into their set. Students, for the most part, stood and enjoyed the show. Some audience members danced around the dance floor and moved to the quick tempo of the songs being played by Drastic Actions. They danced around in circles ala a mosh pit but without making physical contact.

Soon after Drastic Actions ended their set, two wrestling matches took place. Virgil Flynn went up against Mike Hayashi. These two were extremely evenly matched. I did not know what to expect from Supreme Pro Wrestling and was pleasantly surprised at their physical and entertaining abilities. Fans actively participated vocally heckling the bad guys for the most part. I’m not sure who provided security or who the people who volunteered for the evening but they did a great job.

On the second match of the evening Mother Truckin' Otis went up against Jesus Kruze. These two giant opponents fought pretty evenly as well but Jesus Kruze ended up winning the match.

Sacramento’s own Phantom Jets took the stage and played their set, after minor technical difficulties, were ironed out. I’ve seen this band play before and enjoy their sound. I remember them playing at the Concerts in the Park event this summer.

Another set of wrestling matches pitted Johnny Plinko and Rik Luxury against Samurai and D-Torch. That match was followed by a three man match that pitted one against the other two and whoever pinned one of their opponents would be considered the winner of the match.

Bastards of Young, a four member band, was the last band to take the stage for the evening’s show. More people hit the dance floor and enjoyed the rest of the show. Punk Slam was quite entertaining and I was sort of surprised more people did not show up for this free show. Drastic Actions, Phantom Jets and Bastards of the Young were a great choice for musical entertainment.

Supreme Pro Wrestling’s main event pitted The British Messiah Timothy Thatcher against CJay Kurz. In this epic battle both opponents took the upper hand at one point or another and it looked like Thatcher was going to retain his heavyweight championship belt. This “technical” match showed many well thought of and executed moves by each wrestler. The wishy-washy crowd cheered for one combatant then switched alliance to the other. CJay finally came out triumphant and paraded around the ring with the championship belt.

Once the match was over the ring began to be disassembled and will probably be used again on Sunday for a Japanese Death Match and a Halloween Costume Battle Royal at the SPW Arena on 6200 McMahon Drive in Sacramento beginning at 5:00. Follow Supreme Pro Wrestling at their website. To hear samples or view videos of Drastic Actions, Bastards of Young, and Phantom Jets at their facebook, myspace, or web sites. To follow events for SPW log on to their website.

Sac State football routs Northern Colorado at Homecoming game

2010-10-11T23:37:40Z

Sacramento State’s football team showed everyone the meaning of a blowout victory after defeating the Northern Colorado Bears 42-7 Saturday in an exciting homecoming game.

With this win, Sacramento State holds a 3-3 overall record and is currently in fourth place in the Big Sky Conference at 2-2.

With 9,011 in attendance, the Hornets’ fans rallied behind their team while the visiting side of Hornet Stadium was sparse.

In a game with only touchdowns, Sacramento State got off to a strong start when running back Bryan Hilliard ran in for the short one-yard touchdown run with 6:30 left in the first quarter.

“I just did what the team told me to,” Hilliard said of the play. “We’ve been working on that play all week, and we executed it (according) to the plan.”

The Bears scored their only touchdown of them game thanks to a 9-yard pass from quarterback Matt Baca to wide receiver Patrick Walker with just 27 seconds left in the second quarter.

At halftime, the score was just 14-7, but the second half was when Sacramento State took complete control and did not look back.

Northern Colorado punter Dave Eden had his punt block by defensive back Corey Vanderbeek at the 7-yard line, which was recovered by linebacker Randey Peterson at the 3-yard line. He ran the ball in for the touchdown after the recovery.

The Hornets were up 28-7 by the start of the fourth quarter, and with 12:43 left on the clock, Hilliard scored another touchdown for the Hornets after a 3-yard run.

One of the biggest plays for the Hornets that day, however, was their last touchdown when Fleming threw a pass to wide receiver Morris Norrise, who ran in for an 80-yard touchdown.

Norrise’s touchdown run was the longest touchdown run since Sept. 23, 2000, when Ricky Ray threw a pass to Lament Webb for an 80-yard run. It was also Norrise’s fourth consecutive catch that resulted in a touchdown this season.

After the game, when Fleming was asked about how he felt about his 80-yard pass to Norrise, he was unaware that it was the longest pass play in 10 years.

“Hey, Mo made a great play for me,” Fleming said, referring the Norrise.

Fleming talked about what Head Coach Marshall Sperbeck told his teams during halftime that helped the Hornets outscore the Bears 28-0 in the second half.

“You know he just said come out and fight, because in the past couple of weeks, we’ve done pretty good in the second half,” Fleming said. “He just said just keep fighting, you know, bring up the energy because it was a little low. We came out, we executed and did some things right. Defense and special teams came up huge for us. It really benefited the team.”

Sperbeck said that what he took out of the game was the fact that everyone contributed to the win.

“I thought this was one of our best team efforts when you look at special teams contributions and defense’s score and offensively some good things,” Sperbeck said. “All the way around I think it’s a good team win, and our guys responded well to the last two weeks and took care of business.”

Sacramento State has a bye week next week before going on the road to face Eastern Washington Oct 23.

Photos taken by Nick Hunte

Rhymesayers Entertainment comes to Sac State

2010-10-01T04:54:20Z

Bass rocked the hallways of Sacramento State Wednesday night as Minneapolis-based hip-hop label Rhymesayers Entertainment showcased some of its best artists.

DJ Budo and rapper Grieves opened the show and were followed by Blueprint and DJ Rare Groove before headlining rap group Atmosphere took the stage.

Sacramento State's University Union UNIQUE Program put on the show. The show sold out at 1,500 tickets Monday, September 20th, according to UNIQUE program advisor, Zenia LaPorte

From beginning to end, the show offered something unique, unexpected and personal to each member of the audience.

As the line formed to the University Union Ballroom more than an hour before the doors were opened, Slug, the MC for Atmosphere, came out to greet, take pictures and sign autographs with fans.

Show-openers Budo and Grieves are a very new addition to the Rhymesayers lineup, only signing in November of 2009. Before that, Grieves was touring and making full-length albums independently.

The two proved their capability to handle an international record deal with their live performance. Moving seamlessly from electronic-sound dance music to a slow-paced, heavily melodic sound, producer Budo showed his ability in creating music, not just with a computer or turntables, but with a variety of live instruments like keyboard and guitar.

Grieves’ style of rap showed a true confidence. He put lines together gracefully and kept perfect tempo while telling stories about life, love, hardship and good times. Grieves also has a knack for keeping the crowd involved and got a great reaction as a new artist and opening act.

Blueprint and DJ Rare Groove took the stage next and offered a step back to the beginnings of Rhymesayers Entertainment and the early days of hip-hop.

Rare Groove followed the classic hip-hop theme with samples of Blueprint’s most popular songs, samples of other classic rap songs and even a Johnny Cash sample.

Blueprint offered everything you could want to see in an underground rap artist: a look at changing times in the world, a remembrance of days past, an a capella freestyle and a classic battle-rap style using humor and rhyming every line. He also got the crowd involved and talked to individuals and the group before, during and after each song.

The anticipation heightened during Atmosphere’s sound check as people pushed toward the stage and chanted the group’s name.

One by one, guitarist and backup singer Nate Collins, keyboardist Erick Anderson, producer/DJ Ant and, finally, Slug took the stage.

The group performed an amazing, well-rehearsed and powerful set that resembled a complete stage production more than two guys on stage with some turntables and a microphone. Each of the musicians had an opportunity to show off the mastery of his instrument and given time to perform solo.

The tour, titled, “To All My Friends,” is supposed to be a testament to life on the road and a reflection on Atmosphere’s 15-plus years in the industry. The audience was invited to share this reflection as the group performed songs from every part of its history.

Slug also made the show unique to the Sacramento venue and made changes to his songs, added sections and came up with impromptu lines about Sacramento and the audience specifically. He also took several moments during the show to talk to the audience about important issues in politics, religion and community.

“This is the closest most of us will get to going to church,” Slug said. He also stopped the set to have the people in the crowd meet the person next to them and reminded them that coming together and appreciating something they love – namely music – is more important than style or reputation.

“It’s tough to describe a set like Atmosphere,” said concertgoer Steve Pappas. “The piano and the guitarist bringing our favorite beats to life, and the Atmospheric duo, Slug and Ant, laying it down properly.”

Pappas said he also liked that the entire crowd would shout the lyrics to almost every song.

“He goes on to say ‘Who taught you this?’ As fingers point toward the stage, he gives the crowd something to laugh at and proceeds back into the mix,” Pappas said.

The audience roared Atmosphere back on stage for a three-song encore, and the roar didn’t stop until long after the last song was finished.

The show was also a great example of the quality of Sacramento State’s sound and lighting production. The show could be heard far across campus, and the lighting was performed extremely well, giving the show an entrancing, theatrical feeling.

The entire Rhymesayers label can put on a great, audience-oriented show, and it is little wonder that almost every stop on the tour has sold out.

More info on the artists can be found at: http://rhymesayers.com/artists.

Nirvana bassist talks politics, social networking

2010-09-25T00:42:53Z

Before he was a political activist and lecturer, Krist Novoselic was a founding member and bassist of Seattle-based Nirvana, one of the most influential bands in history.

After Nirvana ended when lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994, Novoselic became proactive in politics, using his celebrity to draw attention to his causes, which include promoting election reform and increasing voter turnout.

Thursday night he spoke to a group of roughly 150 in the University Union ballroom at Sacramento State. Free and open to the public, the chiefly student audience was a mix of the politically minded and curiosity-seeking.

“The last I heard about Krist Novoselic was that he was fighting censorship in music,” said David Martin, a criminal justice major at Sacramento State. “I’m also a Libertarian and thought we might have some common ground. I'm open to anything and interested to see what his views are."

Account manager Stephanie Stern was simply curious: “I’m 29, and Nirvana was huge to me growing up. To be able to see Krist is pretty cool.”

Over the course of two hours, Novoselic touched on several topics, one of which was his past experience with music censorship.

“It was up to the band and artists to challenge that,” he said. “You would have to go to court and say ‘No, (the Nirvana song) “Rape Me” wasn’t about being raped, it was about being violated. It’s open to interpretation.’ ”

A large part of his lecture was devoted to talking about the possibilities of social networks to shape the political future and how social networking fuels political association.

He cited some fundraising examples, like Howard Dean’s pioneer 2004 presidential campaign fundraising of around $50 million dollars from largely small donations over the Internet, and the most recent fundraising of Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, which refined and built upon Dean’s campaign’s model and raised more than $650 million dollars, bypassing public campaign funds and raising all of its money privately from individual donors through channels like social networking.

When asked about his personal views on social networking, Novoselic said he likes that he’s able to connect with people who he thinks are compelling, but is frustrated by the lack of humanity – the anonymity, the hot-headed spammer. He does not have a Facebook page (“It’s too much work.”)

He also shared his idea of creating a new political party with social networking components, which he calls the Rock Party, because he likes rock music. The new party would have its feet firmly planted in the 21st century, he said, and members would participate in things like creating policy and platform by blogging and “liking” a resolution, as in the “like” button on Facebook. The Rock Party would also feature free music downloads, Novoselic said, but he did not elaborate.

After the lecture Novoselic took questions from the audience, and some Nirvana fans were ready with questions like “What was it like working with Kurt Cobain?”

The admiration of Cobain by Novoselic was apparent. “Kurt Cobain was a true artist, he was compelled to be an artist. His apartment was a mess," said Novoselic, explaining the type of unique person Cobain was by describing his living space. "He was not compelled to clean up, or to wash the dishes; he was compelled to write songs. He was a genuine artist, a true-blue artist.”

After the Q-and-A, Novoselic came off stage and stayed to sign autographs and pose for photos with the many people who crowded around to meet him, several of whom had brought bass guitars for him to sign. He was very friendly and accommodated everyone.

“(The lecture) was excellent,” said Max, a teaching student at Sacramento State who had brought his bass for Novoselic to sign. “The guy is a living legend, and it’s great that he is reaching out to the current generation.”

At the end of the night, those in attendance were treated to interesting discourse on the role that social networking plays in political association and political reform, as well as connect on a lighter note with a member of one of the most popular bands of all time.

Novoselic’s favorite Nirvana song? “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” he said, naming the band’s first and biggest hit, widely regarded as one of the greatest rock songs of all time. “It bought my first house.”

Photos: Steven Chea

Hornets surprise Wildcats with 24-17 upset

2010-09-21T00:14:57Z

In their first Big Sky Conference game of the season, the Sacramento State football team upset No. 20-ranked Weber State 24-17 in front of 7,000 fans at Hornet Stadium on Saturday night.

The Hornets improve to a 2-1 overall record and 1-0 in Big Sky Conference play for the season. The win on Saturday night puts them in a first-place tie with Eastern Washington University in the Big Sky Conference standings.

The Hornets’ ground game was impressive, totaling 245 yards for the night against the Wildcats’ 102 yards. Running back Bryan Hilliard notched his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game, finishing with 136 yards on 32 carries and a touchdown made in the last minutes of the game. Running back Sam McCowan also contributed 59 yards.

New quarterback Jeff Fleming was effective as well, throwing for 164 yards and connecting on two touchdowns to wide receivers Morris Norrise and Brett Willis, both in the second quarter.

The Hornets defense was all business, holding Weber State to 17 points, which is quite impressive considering the Wildcats scored 88 points in their first two games of the season.

Although Weber State beat the Hornets in reception yardage (250-164) and had receivers Kamana Kaimikaua and Josh Booker scoring crucial touchdowns to stay in the hunt, in the end it was the Bryan Hilliard touchdown with 3:23 remaining that put the Hornets over the top for the win.

The Hornets next travel to Missoula, Mont., to face the Grizzlies (1-2 overall, 0-1 Big Sky), and return to Hornet Stadium for an Oct. 2 matchup against Montana State.

Sac State kicker/punter Chris Diniz (#46) kicks off.

Running back Bryan Hilliard (#34) is chased by defenders as he runs downfield.

Sac State quarterback Jeff Fleming eyes the defensive formation before the snap.

Kicker/Punter Augie Heath (#38)

Sac State Defensive Coordinator Anthony Parker keeps the defense fired up in the second half.

Quarterback Jeff Fleming (#18) hands off to running back Bryan Hilliard (#34).

Hornets fans show their team spirit.

Hornets quarterback Jeff Fleming (#18)

Sac State mascot Herky entertains fans while riding a unicycle.

Fleming struggles to break free from Wildcats middle linebacker Anthony Morales.

Hornet Stadium

Defensive lineman Matt Lawrence (#62) talks with his counterpart on the line, Alesana Laban (#99).

Sacramento State Head Coach Marshall Sperbeck

Sac State Marching Band drum major leads the band at halftime.

Sac State defensive back Marquese Smith (#37) tackles wide receiver Mike Phillips (#1).

Kassie Laythan of Sacramento holds her daughter Avary at halftime.

A Sac State defender makes a flying tackle on Wildcats running back Bo Bolen (#8).

Kicker/Punter Augie Heath (#38) warms up before a punt.

The Sacramento State Hornet Girlz Dance Team performs at halftime.

Fleming throws as the Weber State defense closes in.

Hornets celebrate in front of fans in the bleachers after their 24-17 win.

Photos: Steven Chea

Sac State Volleyball on a roll

2010-09-08T18:05:41Z

Led by California State University, Sacramento, junior Erin Kirby, who racked up a match-high 16 kills and a career-high .500 hitting percentage, the Hornets easily swept the San Jose State Spartans (25-20, 25-15, 25-17) in non-conference play Tuesday evening at Colberg Court.

The win makes three straight for the Hornets, and they improve to an overall 5-3 record. The Spartans are off to a slow start this season, dropping to 1-6.

Faced with consistent serving, passing and defense from a determined Sac State team, the Spartans started with a promising first set but were unable to hit their stride. The Hornets posted 10 service aces and a season-high hitting percentage (.378), and San Jose State's largest lead was 4-3 in the third set.

Also contributing for Sac State were junior Cayti Crowton (5 kills), junior Kelsey Elston (4 kills), and freshman Katie Aprile with 22 assists and 6 digs.

The Hornets take to the road for their next nine matches and will not return to Colberg Court until Oct. 1, when they will face Eastern Washington University (2-5) for their first Big Sky Conference home game of the season.

The Hornets huddle before their match.

Breanne Menees

The Hornets starting lineup is introduced.

Eryn Kirby (foreground) spikes on two Spartans.

Janelle Currey hurries to get back on her feet after a dig.

Olivia Moss watches from the sideline as two Spartans block in the background.

Breanne Menees

Janelle Currey

Photos: Steven Chea

Sac State celebrates opening of The WELL

2010-09-03T04:17:24Z

Sacramento State students won’t be disappointed with their investment.

The WELL officially opened Thursday in front of a crowd of 250 students, faculty, staff and community members. The University’s new 151,000 square-foot recreation and wellness center was paid for by a student fee approved by students in a campus-wide referendum.

“Today is a historic day for Sacramento State,” said Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez. “I especially want to congratulate the students, because you are the ones who came to me and told me this is what you wanted, and you worked very hard to make it happen.”

“I know for many, many years you’ve been looking forward to this day, and what a day it is. It’s a day when all our recreation, health and fitness services are housed under one environmentally friendly roof. It’s a day when your commitment to passing the referendum has come to fruition.”

Getting The WELL built was no simple task. Two ASI Recreation Center Referendums failed in the late 1990s. It wasn’t until 2001 that ASI President Peter Ucovich raised the possibility of a new referendum with University Union Director Leslie Davis. Student-center open meetings and focus groups began taking place in 2003 to explore possible features and interest levels. Gonzalez offered support and assistance.

Students approved a measure to fund The WELL – then called the “Recreation Wellness Events Center” – in Spring 2004. Fee increases began the following semester. The facility was later renamed “The Wellness, Education, Leisure, Lifestyle Center”, or The WELL.

“It’s a wonderful day to be here to see what coming together really can accomplish,” said Ucovich. “I have yet to be inside this building, so I’m excited to see what is actually inside this great facility.”

“This represents a beacon of hope,” said California State Assemblymember Alyson Huber, who presented Gonzalez an Assembly Resolution recognizing the work that went into making The WELL a reality.

The WELL comes equipped with 13,860 square feet of cardio and weight space, an indoor running track, a multi activities court, a four basketball court complex, a rock climbing wall, a MAC Court, and four racquetball courts. Peak Adventures (outdoor recreation and bike shop) moved to the facility from its previous, much smaller location at the University Union. The Health Center also moved from its older location near Yosemite Hall.

The facility is also a LEED Green Building. It is projected to use 23% less energy than a typical new building, 43% less water than a typical new building, and its construction used 25% recycled content materials, and diverted 82% of the total waste generated from going to a landfill.

“This building has a wonderful presence,” said John Davis of Hornberger & Worstell Architects and the design team leader. “It’s an energy sustainable model for Sacramento and the California State University system.”

Individuals eligible for membership to The WELL include Sac State Students, administration, emeriti, faculty, staff, and pre-paid alumni. Alumni Membership is currently limited to alumni memberships to those who have paid into the facility.

Tours of the facility were given throughout the day with demonstrations provided on cooking, rock climbing, and roller hockey.

A dodge ball tournament was scheduled for later in the evening.

Pictured performances: 2nd Nature Crew, Martial Arts Club of CSUS

Sac State Volleyball trampled by Broncos

2010-09-02T08:04:29Z

The Sacramento State Hornets were outmatched in their non-conference home opener on Wednesday, falling to the Santa Clara Broncos in a three-set sweep (25-20, 26-24, 30-28) at Colberg Court.

The Hornets played without the services of two probable starters (middle hitter Maddison Thivierge and setter Hannh Hettings) and were bested by a tough Santa Clara offense in kills (50-38), hitting percentage (.197-.164), assists (42-37) and digs (70-63).

Strong performances by Sacramento State sophomore Janelle Currey (15 kills, 10 digs, career-high 5 blocks) and junior Kelsey Elston (8 kills, four blocks, and a .421 hitting percentage) were not enough to give the Hornets the edge.

Sacramento State falls to 2-2 overall, and the Broncos improve to 3-1. Big Sky Conference play for the Hornets begins September 23rd against Northern Colorado.

The Hornets will next host the Sacramento State Invitational this Friday-Saturday, Sept. 3-4. For complete tournament information and schedule, click here.

Head Coach Ruben Volta

Janelle Currey

Sydney Kordic

Kayla Lommori

Eryn Kirby

Photos: Steven Chea

Xilonen

2010-08-02T08:12:08Z

Say the word Xilonen and most people will have never heard of the word, how to pronounce it or its meaning (I was one of those people). You can write dissertations on the subject but I’ll just provide a few facts here. Xilonen is a Nahuatl word, a Mesoamerican language still used mostly in parts of Central Mexico. Nahuatl was the language of the Aztecs. The word itself, Xilonen, means young tender ears of maíz (corn). Symbolically it is a rite of passage for young women and it seems to be a growing celebration in popularity. It is celebrated in major cities of California and as Maria Miranda said even in some places in Idaho.

Sacramento has hosted Xilonen celebrations for over 30 years. Maria Miranda, the jefa (boss) who runs the ceremony and who has been involved the whole time, indicated “These celebrations are everywhere now, in Idaho, Watsonville, San Francisco, San Jose, Salinas and other places”. We talked as she was getting ready to start the ceremony in traditional Aztec dress. There were dancers all around the ceremony area getting ready as well. Many of these dancers were coming from out of town and some were traveling for several hours to get to South Side Park. “We get messages across to other dance groups using the palabra system (word of mouth). We hear about a dance group doing a performance and via the palabra system we get the message across and attend their events and they attend ours” Maria said. She continued “Xilonen is a rite of passage for our young women. They are taught respect and service for others”. The girls volunteer at various places around their community. They volunteer in areas in Del Paso Heights, Strawberry Manors and other places around Sacramento helping where they can.

The ceremony itself is quite elaborate. The ceremonial site has 4 main stations set up. The center contains several drums and some offerings. All stations have incense burning at all times. The sections are roped off and there is one way in and the same way out. All who have to enter and leave are cleansed with a short individual incense ceremony. The other 3 sections are the main regions and include the Children Station, the Young Women and the Elder Stations. The Xilonen participants go through each section and are given ceremonial gifts and advise at each station.

The ceremony began a little after eleven in the morning but dancers had been getting ready before that and some had travel many miles. As the ceremony itself began all the dancers centrally gathered just below the stage area of South Side Park. All the dancers began by dancing their way around the pond area and came back to line up at the entrance of the ceremonial area. There were well over 100 dancers of various ages that made their way into the ceremonial area and danced for hours. The weather warmed up as the ceremony went on and at times volunteers came into the ceremonial area to give the dancers water and fruit to keep them refreshed. Many of the dancers danced barefoot through the entire event and most of them tried as much as they could.

Graciela B. Ramirez, a poet and one of the 3 elders, spent some time explaining what Xilonen meant. Living up to her first name she graciously filled me in but started off by saying “Don’t quote me until all the ‘maestros” (teachers) are here”. I heeded her direction and it wasn’t until I spoke with Maria Miranda and José Montoya, another elder, that later she said “Now you can quote me since all the ‘maestros’ are here”. Graciela reminded me a lot of my grandmother when I was growing up. She was very patient, insightful and full of knowledge and vigor. “Each station that the Xilonen stop at are places that give advice and gifts to the girls” Graciela said. She, José and Joan were going to give symbolic gifts to the girls as they passed by the elder station. Graciela elaborated on what Xilonen is and held one up for me to see. The corn, a central crop to the Aztec and indigenous people of the Americas, symbolizes, as in the case of Xilonen a young woman yet to mature that will pass through various stages and as she weathers these stages she will be a staple to her community, a model for others to follow and pass on the seed and traditions.

Graciela went on and indicated that there are 4 similar events throughout the year all with pre-Columbian origin. One is dedicated to children, Xilonen is dedicated to young women to celebrate coming of age. Another similar event is dedicated to young men (rite of passage) and a fourth is dedicated to the Day of the Dead, the one event that many of us know.

José Montoya was the last elder to arrive and he is a familiar face and voice in the community. He was an art professor for over 30 years at Sac State. Maria Miranda had mentioned that he is a Poet Laureate in Sacramento. He is a well spoken patriarch figure. José is very talented in the arts and is still involved in the community. He was one of the original painters from the Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF) who painted the murals in the South Side Park Amphitheatre. He did not say it but I think he is one of the ‘Maestros de la Tradición’ (teachers of our tradition) and he is full of stories related to the Chicano culture in Sacramento, and a natural choice to sit at the Xilonen celebration as one of the elders.

The resilient dancers continued their dances for several hours. Different dance groups took their place in front of the ceremonial drums at various times. South Side Park was very busy on Saturday and it usually gets busier on Sundays when church services end at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. On Saturday a quinceañera was also taking place and a group of people were taking pictures across the church. People having picnics, others power walking, joggers, basketball players and kids in the playground filled the park. Its location and cultural significance attract people from all areas of Sacramento and beyond. The Xilonen ceremony filled the park with the sounds of beautiful rhythmic drums and ankle band sounds that emanated from the dancers. Dancers continuously moved at different spots around the drummers in the ceremonial area. The event exposed a ritual that is not very well known around the area and the young Xilonen women, and their families, will carry on the tradition.

Many ceremonies are at the center of various cultures in and around Sacramento. This indigenous-rooted rite of passage celebration is one of the most colorful ones and one that should attract more people in years to come. This rite of passage ceremony seeks to empower young women to become contributing members to our society and at the same time to help them be proud of who they are and how important they are in the Hispanic community.

Photos:

1 - The Elders (Graciela, José, Joanne), 2 - Xilonen candidates 3 - Xilonen receiving advise from Maria Miranda

4 - Michael and friend (photography back up)

5 to 14 - Aztec Dancers

New gym/wellness facility at CSUS

2010-07-08T01:56:28Z

With 151,000 square feet of floor space, self-shading sky lights, recycled sunflower seed walls, and a host of Big Ass Fans, Sacramento State's new recreation center is sure to be the main attraction when the fall semester begins.

The name of the building is the WELL. It's an acronym for: wellness, education, leisure, lifestyle. Inspiration for the name came from the perspective that the university didn't want just an athletic center, but a place that encouraged wellness in all aspects of a student's life.

The WELL will house a primary and urgent care clinic, pharmacy, psychological services and laboratory services in addition to four basketball courts, four racquetball courts, an indoor track, and plenty of cardio and free-weight space. The full list of features can be viewed here.

"It's more than just a recreation center — we're looking to service the students on many levels," WELL Director Mirjana Gavric said. "We're building a place where people can go and forget about books and finances for a half-hour and then get back to the world."

The project has been a long time in the making, dating back over 10 years when the student body rejected the proposal through a referendum in 1999. The project was shelved until three years later.

In 2002 the University Union Operation of CSUS Inc. explored the idea again in partnership with the university, Associated Students Inc., and other auxiliary organizations to discuss how to proceed.

They held open meetings and focus groups, and conducted a student survey to find out what the campus community would want in a building like this. They also hired an outside consultant to help them with feasibility aspects.

"It was really the partnership between the students and President (Alexander) Gonzalez that bought the project to fruition," Union Executive Director Leslie Davis said.

In the spring semester of 2004, a referendum was finally passed that made way for the WELL's construction. The project's groundbreaking ceremony was held in October 2008.

"The biggest thing about the WELL is the impact it will have on the campus. It will aid in the recruitment of students, it will aid in the retention of students, and it will be a source of pride," Davis said.

The new building cost $71.3 million, $50 million of which is being paid for through a California State University system-wide bond. The other portion of the cost is being covered by student fee hikes approved through the referendum passed six years ago, according to University Project Manager Victor Takahashi.

Takahashi is in charge of the design and construction of the WELL and has been one of the leaders in making sure the building meets LEED certification standards.

"We are trying to make this a sustainable building," Takahashi said.

The WELL management staff anticipate getting the silver certification but are working toward attaining gold. In order to achieve this, the building employs many different energy-efficient technologies. The abundance of natural lighting in the building and the use of recycled materials in the walls and floors are two examples of the building's green characteristics.

"We're cutting edge," Davis said.

The grand opening will be on Sept. 2 and will be open to the public. There will be free food, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours of the building and an attempt at the Guinness World Record for the largest dodgeball game.

You can view the WELL webcam with live video of the construction progress here.

Sac State's Undeveloped Hive

2010-06-30T03:28:25Z

Faculty and families living a mile from the university was the vision. Now, that vision may be a dream of the past.

The structure fire at a former California Youth Authority facility, now owned by Sacramento State, occurred just days before the demolition of 21 buildings on the property is slated to begin.

The fire at the 25-acre site the university calls Ramona Village was reported shortly after midnight Tuesday, June 29 in a building that formerly served as the CYA center’s commissary.

Demolition work is tentatively scheduled to begin mid-July and be completed by the end of September. University Enterprises Inc., an auxiliary of Sacramento State, oversees the property and contracts for a security firm for nightly patrols.

Sacramento State and UEI took possession of the 25-acre property in July 2005 following two years of negotiations with CYA and the state’s Department of General Services. University Enterprises paid $2.3 million for the land before transferring it to the University. The goal was to build housing to help recruit top faculty and staff to an area with fast-rising housing costs.

Ramona Village looked to meet this goal. Its initial concept looked to construct 500 mixed-use housing units, a community center, shops and restaurants. The housing units would be a combination of rental apartments, for-sale condominiums or townhouses, and single family homes specifically for Sacramento State faculty and staff. A child care center, a swimming and fitness center, parks and green space were also slated for construction. Public transit was also slated to go to the property.

Ramona Village’s final development plan, building designs, and environmental impact analysis was scheduled for completion in late 2008, with the first houses to be occupied by the end of 2009. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $150 million.

All plans for Ramona Village have remained on hold because of the economy, and the future use of the property has not been determined.

Ramona Village rendering from Sacramento State Facilities Services.

We Talkin Bout Practice?

2010-06-11T04:40:26Z

After months of hard work and preparation, your Sacramento Mountain Lions took to the practice field for the first time Thursday morning.

The first day of Mini Camp, which takes place at Grant High School, started off with some stretching and calisthenics. They then broke off into smaller groups for position drills. They finished off with about 45 minutes of very high-energy seven-on-seven drills.

Some impressions from the first day:

Daunte still has a cannon. He completed a couple of really nice deep balls, including one along the sideline that was 50 yards in the air easy. He struggled a bit on the shorter routes, but that is to be expected.
The back-up QBs looked pretty darn good too. Both Shane Boyd, who I remember from his days playing at Kentucky, and Justin Goltz, who was the Mountain Lions first pick in this year's draft out of Occidental, had moments of brilliance in the seven-on-seven drills.
The linemen are big, the skill guys are fast. This is by no means a case of Daunte Culpepper and the 50-some-odd dwarfs. They have surrounded Culpepper with a lot of talent. Nearly all of the players on the roster are former Division 1 stars, and most have spent time in NFL camps. The Pac 10, in particular, is well represented, with 17 former Pac 10 stars are on the roster, by my count.

Daunte isn't the only Mountain Lion who has made his mark in the NFL. A handful of other players who you may recognize:

Doug Gabriel — the wide reciever has 1,550 receiving yards in 57 games for Oakland and New England.
Otis Amey — the former Sac State star spent part of the 2005 season as the 49ers punt returner. He had a 75-yard touchdown return against the St. Louis Rams.
Chris Perry — the former Michigan star was a first-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2004. In 2005, the running back had 51 catches and a couple touchdowns.
Dontarrious Thomas — the linebacker with 144 career tackles was the Minnesota Vikings second-round pick out of Auburn in 2004.
Zeke Moreno — the USC linebacker played five years in the NFL, four with the San Diego Chargers. He has 120 career tackles.
Antonio Chatman has played parts of six seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals and Green Bay Packers. The shifty receiver had his best year in 2005 with 49 catches for 549 yards and four touchdowns. He also spent part of that year on my fantasy team, filling in admirably when two of my starters had byes.

Overall, I was very impressed with the talent and effort I saw on the field, and I am really looking forward to seeing them grow as a team. At Wednesdays press conference, Coach Green said his goal was to bring "NFL (caliber) football to non-NFL cities". If Thursday's practice was any indicator, he's well on his way to doing just that.

Rep. Doris Matsui Hosts Successful Clean Energy Forum Today with Almost 200 Participants

2010-06-03T23:39:40Z

Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) hosted a first of its kind forum at the Sacramento State Alumni Center for local clean technology companies to explore federal funding opportunities with representatives from the Administration. Joined by prominent representatives from the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, and the Export-Import Bank, Rep. Matsui’s event highlighted Federal programs that businesses can apply for to promote the use of clean technology, bolster the clean energy industry, increase exports of American-made clean energy products, and reduce both energy consumption and costs for consumers and businesses. ‪‪

“As our regional economy continues to recover and grow, the emerging clean technology industry is helping to ensure that Sacramento is prosperous throughout the next century,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “When our local companies have the opportunity to sit down and meet with Administration officials face-to-face, they can better understand what is required of them in the loan process and that will make our region more competitive down the road.”

Almost 200 participants attended today's event - a clear sign of the excitement around the clean energy sector in Sacramento. Local businesses, non-profits, government agencies, university representatives, and citizen activists came together to discuss on-going projects as well as future opportunities coming to Northern California.

Representative Matsui also discussed legislation she recently introduced, the Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Act of 2010, which would assist small- and medium-sized clean technology businesses to find new markets at home and abroad to sell their clean-tech products.‪‪ This legislation would create a Clean Energy Technology Manufacturing and Export Assistance Fund to be administered by International Trade Administration within the Department of Commerce to help increase the competitiveness of American-made clean technology.

“Sacramento is poised to become a national leader in clean energy,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Today’s forum will help our local stakeholders understand what federal resources are available to them and how best to prepare, strengthen and grow their businesses to compete in a global marketplace.”‪

The Recovery Act, supported by Congresswoman Matsui last year, has set forth record levels of investment in the burgeoning clean and green technology industry. The Obama Administration and this Congress continues to deliver on its promise to support clean tech companies that, in turn, will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil, renew our competitiveness in a global marketplace, and promote the use of alternative technologies that do not threaten our natural resources. Last fall, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) in cooperation with California State University Sacramento (CSUS) and Los Rios Community College received a Recovery grant of $128 million for the installation of smart meters and a regional smart-grid infrastructure. The federal funding will enable SMUD to deploy technology that it could not otherwise afford that will, for example, help SMUD predict power outages, and know more quickly when they do occur.

“SMUD proudly supports the Sacramento region’s clean technology business sector,” said Elisabeth S. Brinton, Chief Business & Public Affairs Officer, SMUD. “As the nation’s most progressive electric utility, SMUD has been a local economic development engine for many decades, from pioneering utility scale solar over 25 years ago, to our Smart Grid and Advanced Renewable Energy Development work happening today. Congresswoman Matsui’s practical and visionary leadership is a key to our region’s competitiveness. Today’s Clean Energy Federal Funding Forum gives local private sector companies important access to federal funding options needed to accelerate the commercialization of energy related technology in today’s otherwise tough economy – supporting the clean energy technology that will help utilities like SMUD best serve our customers for years to come.”

# # #

Students and Faculty Discuss Local Governance at Sac State

2010-05-14T03:20:46Z

Students and faculty discussed the state of Sacramento's local governance today at the Sacramento State University Union.

The event was a panel discussion led by three Sacramento State professors: Communications Professor Barbara O’Connor, Professor Tim Hodson from the Center for California Studies, and Public Policy Professor Ted Lascher.

The discussion focused on the historical context and rationale for updating the city charter, which dates back 80 years.

Professors O’Connor and Hodson opened the discussion by explaining Sacramento’s roots as a progressive city that emphasized a “collegial” form of government. But as the city grows, O’Connor explained, this system becomes harder. “In the last ten years, it has not served the city well.”

Professor Lascher discussed how Sacramento’s council-manager system compares to cities. “Many larger cities trend to mayor-council systems,” he explained. “But, it’s more a continuum than either/or situation– there are cities all over the map.”

Panelists discussed two recent attempts to change the charter: a ballot initiative from supporters of Mayor Kevin Johnson, and a Charter Review Committee created by the City Council.

“Both of these had too much political spin,” Hodson said.

Panelists said that Mayor Johnson has proposed a new plan that addresses criticisms of the earlier initiative. “It’s a good plan,” Hodson said. “The Mayor deserves kudos for coming up with a good compromise.”

The plan proposes an “executive mayor” form of government, term limits and an ethics commission.

Questions covered a range of topics, including the impact of changes on public safety and the college campus.

Term limits became an interesting topic, with the professors noting mixed reviews of other term limit plans.

Prof. Hodson warned term limits are sometimes installed to remove one specific politician, such as former State Assembly Speaker Willie Brown. Prof. Lascher said most municipal elected officials in California don’t serve more than two terms even without term limits. “You lose expertise,’ O’Connor said.

Students asked how to bemore active in local government. The professors advised the students to organize according to common interests and said people don’t realize how much power they have to change government.

“Go to Council Meetings, and start online communities,” suggested O’Connor.

CSUS Students Unite with BloodSource to Collect 509 Pints of Blood

2010-05-11T23:47:38Z

CSUS students collected 509 pints of blood in the Unite to Save Lives blood drive for BloodSource, held on May 3rd and 4th. ASI hosted the event and the Public Relations Planning and Management Class (COMS 158), taught by Dr. Jing Zhang, promoted the event.

The PR class ran a full-scale campaign to spread awareness about blood donation and Be the Match bone marrow registry. The class The class set a goal of 450 pints of blood over the two-day drive. and were able to accomplish that through the support of students, faculty and staff, and local organizations.

CSUS has worked with BloodSource for over twenty years and will host another blood drive, the Causeway Classic in the fall. If you are interested in learning more about blood donation, Be the Match bone marrow registry or becoming a volunteer; you can check out BloodSource’s website at- http://www.bloodsource.org/.

CSUS Students Unite with BloodSource to Save Lives

2010-04-30T22:25:32Z

CSUS Students are hosting the Unite to Save Lives blood drive and health fair for BloodSource on May 3rd and 4th from 10-5 p.m at the University Union on the CSUS campus. The CSUS students have set an ambition goal of raising 500 pints of blood and obtaining 150 new registrants for the "Be the Match" bone marrow registry. The CSUS students will also be promoting BloodSource's Pint for Pint campaign. Everyone that attempts to donate will receive a certificate for a free pint of Baskin Robbins ice cream.

Still not sure if blood donation is right for you?

BloodSource blood donors give hope to accident victims, surgery patients, cancer patients, and many others in need. Over four million American livbes are saved each year by generous blood donors. Less than 10% of eligible donors actually give blood. Donating blood is safe, easy and takes about an hour. Blood donors must weigh over 110 lbs., be in good general health, and 17 eyars old, or older (16 with a signed parental consent form).

If you are interested in giving blood or learning more about the "Be the Match" bone marrow registry, you can check out the BloodSource website at: BloodSource.org. You also can find the Unite to Save Lives facebook page by searching: Uniteto SaveLives.

CSUS Students Unite with BloodSource to Save Lives

2010-04-30T05:05:22Z

Often times in college students are forced to work in groups with some acting as leaders and others lagging. This is not the case with Sac State’s Coms 158 class.

They have pulled together to create an amazing public relations campaign for the upcoming blood drive for a nonprofit organization, BloodSource. Each person is volunteering, working and taking this campaign seriously. It is utterly amazing to see each student pour heart into the campaign and take on more tasks than one should sign up for.

It is comforting to know that these hardworking students are our future leaders in the public relations profession. With this campaign, the public relations students have united to save lives and to better the community.

TED 'Unleashed' Thursday

2010-04-20T04:10:35Z

On the heels of Sacramento's first TEDx conference, grads from California State University, Sacramento, will launch a TED Talks spinoff on Thursday.

"Talks Unleashed" is one of several local events created in the vein of TED Talks, a social movement that began in Monterey in 1984.

TED Talks are conferences organized to inspire the spread of ideas to benefit the world through 18-minute lectures and collaboration opportunities. They originally featured talks on technology, entertainment and design. Now focused on science and culture, the events have spread throughout this country and into Europe and Asia, as well as on the Internet.

About 200 people filled Sac State's Hinde Auditorium Friday for the first TEDx Sacramento conference. That event was organized by local creative professionals led by Brandon Weber, co-owner of The Urban Hive.

On Thursday, "Talks Unleashed" will offer a smaller, shorter event designed to draw in young professionals and college students for idea-sharing and networking around those ideas. Jeff McLeod, a 1998 Sac State grad and now a senior enterprise information technology manager for Intel in Folsom, is partnering with a Sac State student association, the Management Information Systems Association, to offer the event.

"We're really focused on getting those young ideas," said McLeod, who also founded a website that springs from mashup culture: www.nicetoga.com, an aggregator with social media components.

The free event is open to everyone. Nearly 35 people have confirmed participation, but more are expected, said Kate Taylor, a public relations professional with Astone/Crocker/Flanagan and a Sac State grad volunteering with the event.

"Talks Unleashed" will differ from TED Talks and other TED Talks spinoffs not only in its attempt to bridge the gap between professionals and students, but with its format. The event will feature five people — professionals and students — who will speak for five minutes each, followed by networking. Topics will lean toward technology and leadership, McLeod said.

Speakers include lawyer/lobbyist Josh Golka, currently in grad school, who will discuss "How to Juggle Jello;" Dorado Software Online Marketing Manager Eden Mondanaro with "Three Musts for Doing Business on the Web;" McLeod with "Lone Nut to Leader;" and students Ali Davutoglu, "Business Intelligent Evolution" and Nadir Hajiyani, "Schools in 2020."

The short talks offer people a chance to meet and build relationships in a format unlike other networking groups, McLeod said.

"There are lots of different networking events. Normally, you just show up. And normally, you're like, 'Okay, who am I going to talk with? What am I going to talk about?' " he said. "The nice thing is these talks are actually a springboard to having conversations."

Talks Unleashed will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Sac State University Union's California Suite, 6000 J St. The event is expected to be held every three months.

The Urban Hive, 1931 H St., hosts TED Talks Tuesday at 8 a.m. weekly and Lunch with TED at noon Thursdays. Another TEDx event is being planned for November.

United Football League invites Sacramento sports fans to suggest their favorite name for the city's UFL team

2010-03-18T19:18:26Z

The United Football League is inviting sports fans in Sacramento to suggest their favorite name for the new professional football team that will play in the state capital when the 2010 UFL season kicks off.

Suggestions for team names began pouring into the mailbox of UFL-Football.com following the announcement on March 3 that the Sacramento UFL team will play five home games at Hornet Stadium at Sacramento State this fall.

Fans will also have the opportunity to potentially win some great ‘Ultimate Fan Experience’ prizes of four suite passes, and four on-field pre-game passes for a home game, an opportunity to meet head coach Dennis Green on the field during pre-game and PA recognition during the game.

Three entrants will be selected at random from among all eligible entries received to win the ultimate fan experience and be designated ‘UFL Foundation Fans’. Entries must be submitted by 11:59pm EST on March 17, 2010. Full details and competition rules can be found at UFL-Football.com.

“We want to empower the fans of this new Sacramento United Football League team to give us their thoughts on the name that they feel has a strong local connection and that they will be proud to chant from the stands at Hornet Stadium,” said UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue.

The UFL-Football.com website is now hosting ‘Your Town, Your Team, Your Name – You Make The Call’, inviting football fans to start voting for their preferred choice of team names from a shortlist of six options or to suggest a different team name:

• Sacramento Condors
• Sacramento Miners
• Sacramento Pioneers
• Sacramento Redwoods
• Sacramento Senators
• Sacramento Sting

The Sacramento team will be led by head coach Dennis Green, who in his first United Football League season led the California Redwoods to a 2-4 record and his running back Cory Ross led the league in rushing with 462 yards. As a head coach in the NFL, Green compiled a regular season record of 113–94 with the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals.

About The UFL: The UFL was developed to fulfill the needs of football fans in major markets currently under served by professional football by providing a high quality traditional football league comprised of world class professional football players. The UFL will serve the communities with pride, dedication and passion, and uphold a leadership role in the development of football worldwide. The UFL will provide every fan with an affordable, accessible, exciting and entertaining game experience. The United Football League debuted in October 2009 with four teams in Las Vegas, New York, Orlando and San Francisco for its “Premiere” season. The UFL offices are in New York, N.Y. and Jacksonville, Fla. The UFL is led by Commissioner Michael Huyghue and is being funded by a consortium of private investors. For more information on the UFL and how to purchase tickets for the 2010 UFL season, please visit www.ufl-football.com.

Students and professors rally for education

2010-03-05T20:59:32Z

"You say cut back. We say fight back!"

The screams and cheers of thousands of students could be heard as far away as three blocks. Students from CSU and UC campuses all over the state rallied against education cuts on the north steps of the Capitol Thursday.

The "Educate the State" rally was organized by the California Faculty Association and CSUS. Students and professors rallied side by side under the common cause of improving higher public education. The two-hour event was marked by speeches from professors, students and some legislative officials not afraid of facing the crowd.

The message was clear: stop cutting the higher education budget and increasing fees for students. Student fees are up 45 percent since 2007, while teachers are being furloughed and administrators are cutting enrollment by 40,000 students statewide.

"This rally turnout is amazing but this is only day one," said Lillian Taiz, President of the California Faculty Association. "We need to harness this energy because people really believe in one another. Lawmakers need to know that we will not stand back idle any more."

Assemblyman Alberto Torrico, who is the author of AB 656, which would impose a 9.9 percent oil severance tax, spoke at the rally. His plan would give 100 percent of the money raised from the tax to higher education in the state. California is the only oil producing state without an oil severance tax. The new tax would be imposed on corporations that drill for oil in the state.

"The fees hurt a lot," said CSUS student Nastassia Simmons as she waved a "Pass AB656" sign over her head. "Classes I need have been cut and I don't think I can graduate on time because of it."

The crowd was treated to special entertainment throughout the rally. Two professors from CSUS performed an education blues song and a modified "This Little Light of Mine" as they played the guitar and harmonica.

Organizers stressed the need for continued advocacy. Rallies were held all over the state in collaboration with the Capitol rally. Walkouts occurred at UC Berkley, UC Davis and other public education institutions. Other rallies are planned for March 22.

"You are the key," said Senate President pro tem Darrell Steinberg. "This is the time we begin to restore the dream of public education."

"Hey hey, ho ho, budget cuts have got to go!"

Photos by Matthew Ceccato

Photo Essay: Cap City Culture at Sac State

2010-03-05T20:54:39Z

Sac State's Union Ballroom was transformed for Cap City Culture on Thursday night.

Some of the highlights of the evening were a DJ scratchfest with some of the top local DJs, a performance by the Beatbox world champion, Butterscotch, sets from the top 3 finalists of "America's Got Talent," and a break dance competition.

Chuck D to speak at Sacramento State

2010-02-03T07:43:03Z

Chuck D is a rebel without a pause. The co-founder of seminal hip-hop group Public Enemy is a rapper, author and activist. He refers to himself as a "raptivist," and "an ambassador for hip-hop."

Thursday night, D will give a free speech at Sacramento State, where he'll be talking about rap, race, technology and communication. The event will also be a celebration of Black History Month.

D likes to talk. Given that he writes a blog, tours the world on speaking gigs, and owns the SLAMjams music label, which recently threw together an iTunes album for Haiti, he is surprisingly available. He called me for an unscheduled interview, just a few minutes after I e-mailed him.

"You can't go through life afraid to speak your mind," he said. "That is what you have your mind for. You're not a robot. Companies make robots. You have the capacity to think beyond that."

Public Enemy holds itself to the same mantra. Including its debut, "Yo, Bum Rush The Show" in 1987, Public Enemy has released 10 ten albums, each one a complete reinvention for the group. It even released albums online before MP3s were popular.

Most importantly, Public Enemy defied listeners to remain open to different types of music and people. Their collaboration and tour with thrash metal group Anthrax is still groundbreaking. On top of that, Public Enemy was one of the first hip-hop acts to use songs like "Fight the Power," "Bring the Noise" and "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos," as political statements.

"I think that people want to be (politically) active, but the business, the music industry, has not encouraged artists to go far out of the box," he said. "It's kind of like a controlled state."

But the future has hope. D wants artists to reach inside themselves and form their own opinions, he said.

"I think the thing that inspires me is young minds, especially on the collegiate level," he said. "It's important to understand that a lot of young minds are not corrupted by the things that have plagued society — they're like an open book."

Relative fame and fortune aside, the nearly 50-year-old D is still humble. He still has love for his longtime friend and Public Enemy co-founder Flavor Flav.

"He's the same Flavor Flav as he was on day one," D said. "It's no different than Bruce Springsteen and Little Stephen. (We're) still in the same band."

When the earthquake struck Haiti last month, he threw together a Haiti benefit album in five days by asking artists on his label to contribute songs. D reasoned that any dollar he can donate will be a dollar more than what the Haitians have now.

Chuck D, 7:30 - 10:30 p.m., CSUS University Union Ballroom, all ages, free.

Photograph credit Walter Leaphart

Saluting college veterans

2010-01-30T07:25:24Z

Sacramento State has the second-highest veterans and their dependents student population of any California State University and University of California campus. With more than 1,200 veterans and dependents taking classes there, the Student Veterans Organization is one of the highest profile clubs on campus. Its first spring meeting is Monday.

Active since fall 2007, SVO is dedicated to helping veterans and their families in every facet of college life. From class enrollment to complicated government forms, theSVO assists members every step of the way.

"This is my version of a fraternity," Air Force veteran Dustin McMillan said of the group. "Commonalities we all share, like the military, provides the base to build on."

A special forum, Veterans Cafe, begins this spring. Every other Monday on the CSUS campus, the cafe will hold workshops for all students. Topics will include health care, jobs and veteran women's rights. Each cafe session will feature a speaker who is an expert in their field.

"This is an outlet for questions," said Army veteran and club president Janelle Adams. "This brand new concept is a chance for faculty and students to receive an answers to their questions from the (authoritative) source."

Veterans Cafe is just one of the semester's activities. Plans also include a canned food drive benefiting homeless veterans in the community and fund-raisers such as a crab feed and car washes.

SVO also provides leisure activities. In addition to tailgating before every home football game, the club plans to tailgate before River Cats and Stockton Thunder games.

The administration at Sac State also offers programs for veterans and their dependents. The Veteran Advisory Council was designed to develop programs for returning veterans.

"Sac State realizes the growing issues facing veterans today," said Adams. "With an increase of returning female veterans, sexual assault and other abuse is possible. These are issues theSVO has addressed in the past and we will continue to address in the future."

Students who are veteran or their dependents are encouraged to join the club, as are students from Los Rios Community College. Though the club promotes veterans' rights and educates members about state and federal programs, it has other advantages as well.

"I have made so many lifelong friends here," said Vice-President Ryan Roebuck. "They are my friends, support group and most importantly, family."

The SVO can be reached through its website.

Interview: Ian Shive, Conservation Photographer

2009-11-05T05:56:04Z

Photos: 1) Ian Shive at work; 2) Sequoia National Park; 3) Yellowstone National Park

Interview by Tony Sheppard
Originally published in Capitol Weekly

Ian Shive, the photographer behind the new pictorial book "The National Parks: Our American Landscape" recently spent a day in Sacramento, visiting a management class in the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration program at Sac State. I asked him a few questions about his work and the value of parks in our lives:

Photography as a living is new to you – before it was more like a cell phone plan: Unlimited nights and weekends.

Very true [laughs].

What were you doing before and how did you get into this?

I was working as a publicist for Columbia Pictures, marketing mainstream films. I worked on at least 60 films for them. I worked on the “Spiderman” franchise. We broke some new ground. It was a time when grassroots marketing really became a critical part of that type of film. Photography for me was kind of a passion but never to the point where it is today. It was something that I enjoyed, it was something that gave me a creative outlet in an environment that was creative marketing, but not the same as creating something from scratch. As I entered into the world and made my photographs visible for people in the professional community I got a lot of response and that encouraged me to then do more of that and get more of a response and see how far I could take it.

In the world of photography, which could take you anywhere, why the National Parks?

They were the obvious place to go when I was a corporate, drone. I was looking for a much better word. They’re the obvious place to go because you know you don’t have the time to explore the entire coast of California and sure it’s beautiful but you have to go down to every beach and I had Saturday and Sunday. So the obvious choices were to go to Sequoia and to Yosemite, the places where you knew you could go into and you would at least have some great options in a very short period of time.

The other thing I have to say is that National Parks are crown jewels of what we have in wilderness. They are the best, they are the true icons of American culture. Also knowing that they’re so vast that the roads only cover a small part of it that there would still be room for exploration as well, that there would be a theme I could develop on.

You’ve described the National Parks essentially as islands of conservation in, presumably, oceans of disregard. What do you mean by that and how do we change our mindset?

Well, we have borders. National Parks have borders. They end, they have communities that build up around them, they have laws that only protect things up to that line. A good example is the Channel Islands in California. The marine sanctuary itself is just this little square and if you go on the edge of that square you can fish. What you see is boatloads on the edge fishing, right where the line ends.

Wildlife doesn’t understand what that means. How do you manage that, how do you effectively manage something when it’s the size of a tennis court? And that’s a sanctuary? For what?

And that’s always been a confusing thing to me and so I try and push an agenda that you can’t fence certain things in and they don’t work well if you do. I think a lot of biology and a lot of studies have proven that effective environment management has come in corridors.

You’ve called yourself a conservation photographer, rather than a nature photographer – how do you make that distinction?

Very simple. I feel the nature photographer does exactly what I do in the sense of photographing a beautiful landscape or wildlife or something like that. A conservation photographer takes those images and becomes an advocate for whatever they’re photographing. It’s advocacy that makes the difference – not just shooting something but working to protect it. The longer you spend in a place like Yosemite or anywhere wilderness…you realize that you’ve been borrowing from it: Maybe it’s solitude, maybe it’s a portfolio of images, maybe it’s “Grizzly Automotive” – you’re always borrowing from it but you’re never giving back.

When I was photographing in Henry Coe and a lot of other [California] State Parks, I had no idea that this issue would be happening – underfunding or cutting or closing them completely.

So what do you tell Californians now, who are watching this portfolio of extraordinary places at risk of neglect and underfunding?

We’ve got to fight it. We’ve got to find a way to fund it, find a way to fight it, and find a way to preserve it. I think the State parks are no less important than our National Parks. They’re not just about environment, they’re about culture, they affect people. The National Parks contribute $10 billion a year to their local economies. I believe State Parks have a major contribution in a similar way. I think the public needs to become stewards of these places and make sure they’re run properly. If we all contribute as a community because they’re for the community, then I think we’ll actually find some solutions that work and we can continue having these places.

Sac State Tuition Increasing, Classes and Professors Decreasing

2009-10-15T02:27:08Z

I am upset and I am tired. I am upset that my generation is complacent. I am upset that me and my fellow students so easily accept things going on in the world that are not right. Well I do not want to be complacent anymore. I am tired of it.

Alex Gonzalez Jr., son of Alexander Gonzalez Sr., President of Sac State, received a marketing position at Sac State making $83,000 annually. The marketing position would require Alex Jr. to promote "Destination 2010," a campaign to turn Sac State into a traditional campus rather than a commuter school.

Now, to be fair to the Gonzalez, Alex Jr. may be very qualified for the position. The problem is that no other candidate was interviewed and the position was never posted publicly.

Nepotism?

In regards to the salary, I have good news about this and bad. The good news is that Alex Jr. is not receiving a pay increase for his promotion. The bad news is that he isn't receiving a pay increase because he was making the same salary as a Sac State fundraiser. I never realized fundraising was such a highly paid position. Isn't that like raising money with the right hand to pay the left hand?

This semester Sac State tuition went up by about 30%. Increases are expected to happen again. Not only did tuition go up, but faculty have been laid off and Sac State now has "Furlough Fridays." The situation is outrageous really.

I can not accept paying $6.00 daily parking passes and 30% more tuition when my professors are being laid off and the ones still there are asked to take pay cuts. Classrooms are over filled to where there are no more desks and many classes are no longer available.

How can I or any other Sac State student speak proudly of our Sac State degree and our school when ethics and integrity our questionable within the Administration?

What would our fore fathers have done if this happened to them? What would Rosa Parks do? What would Mario Savio say?

I propose that Sac State students and students across California speak loudly and say "NO MORE" or carry a really, really big stick.

Classical Concert this Sunday features Viennese Operettas

2009-09-25T17:31:04Z

Delve into the romance of the Viennese operetta with tenor Hannes Busch, soprano Rufina Anatolevan-James and pianist Schinnerer Deffner. This Sunday, September 27 at 3 p.m., enjoy a luxurious hour of 13 operettas by timeless composers Emmerich Kálmán, Franz Lehár, Johann Strauss Jr. and Carl Zeller. The Classical Concert is presented by the Crocker Art Museum. Due to construction for the Museum’s expansion, the concerts now take place on the Sacramento State campus in Capistrano Hall.

A renowned opera and concert singer, Busch was educated at the Opera Studio of Hannover, Germany, where he was later engaged as a soloist for operettas. He has also been a recipient of the prestigious Puccini Award in Dresden, Germany, for his vocal talent. He is currently living in Sacramento and has appeared with the Sacramento Opera Company as Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata.

Anatolevan-James has performed leading operatic roles in Europe and the United States, and acts as a soloist in a variety of oratorios, concerts and studio recordings. She was awarded the 1998 Grand Prize winner in the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra International Vocal Competitions, and holds both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Indiana University School of Music.

Deffner began specializing in piano accompaniment in London, and she frequently performs in chamber music ensembles throughout Western Europe and the United States. She is currently performing and giving workshops in French Art Song.

For more than 50 years, the Crocker has hosted internationally renowned and talented local musicians for Crocker Classical Concerts. Concerts are held on the fourth Sunday of every month from 3-4 p.m. and are free to members of the Crocker Art Museum, $12 for nonmembers and $5 for students and seniors. Free parking is available in Parking Structure I, which is adjacent to the Hall.

Crocker Classical Concerts are supported in part by Capital Public Radio. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org/classical.

Ask Officer Michelle - Best Way To Help Police and Stay Safe

2009-09-06T15:55:17Z

Posted by Sorren

Hi Officer Michelle!

I’m a twenty one year old college student at Sac State, and I notice a lot of gang-activity in my area.. sometimes it’s just loitering, other times it’s visable drug-dealing, but it’s often hard to get anyone there in time, because the people involved usually leave right away, so I wouldn’t want to waste an Officer’s time by calling them down there to see an empty parking lot and no way to prove what went down.

I know Cops don’t like civillians medelling in what they do, but I feel that as a witness to some of this stuff, it’s my responsibility as a citizen to do something. I am (obviously) interested in law enforcement, but not ready to decide whether I want to start down the path of being a Cop myself..

I was wondering, would the Sacramento PD find it acceptable for me to like sit in my car and video tape criminal activity so that I could notify the police? Or something similar? is that discouraged or illegal in any way? I hate gangs, I hate drug dealers, and I want to help the Cops in any way that I can, IF I can. How can I become more actively involved without becoming a Law Enforcement Officer?

Dear Sorren,

I share your sentiment about gangs and drugs. I worked narcotics for several years and saw what drugs can do to people.

I would suggest you call our Narcotic Tip Line at 808-5796 and leave a message about the activity you are witnessing. Be specific. Give license plate numbers or vehicle descriptions if you have them, suspect descriptions, times of day you are seeing this, etc. One of our investigators will receive the information and process it. They can go from there.

As far as you videotaping these activities, it is not illegal, but could be dangerous for you. If they discover that you are taping them, they may become violent, and oftentimes, these are not nice people to tangle with. If you have a legal right to be somewhere, you can tape it, but there can be civil ramifications if you post any footage on public sites.

I would advise to you act as the best possible witness you can be, while staying safe, and call us. If the crime is in progress, you can still call 264-5471 to have an officer dispatched. If they leave before we get there, you can always call us back to let us know they’ve left and are no longer on scene. We appreciate when the public gets involved as our eyes and ears when we aren’t there. Thanks for your comment.

Officer Michelle

Brush fire threatens Sac State structures

2009-06-28T03:21:46Z

Sacramento, CA- A brush fire on the campus of Sacramento State University broke out Saturday afternoon, between the buildings and the railroad tracks. The fire was against one of the buildings however firefighters made a quick attack and the structure was saved with no internal damage.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation but believed to be arson. Subjects in a red car were witnessed setting the fire. At the time of posting, full details are not available, but check back for follow-up information.

CSU Sacramento’s Upcoming Facility Promotes Wellness

2009-05-23T02:21:08Z

Come Fall 2010, Sacramento State University’s student, staff, faculty and alumni will enjoy a wealth of recreational activities and health services from one facility: The Well.

The Well, originally called Recreation and Wellness Center, will combine a multitude of departments in Sacramento State to deliver a healthy lifestyle to those in the campus.
The Well will join the University Union, the Riverfront Center and the Hornet Bookstore as the main facilities at Sacramento State that give the students of the support they need.

The Well is Environmentally Friendly

Norma Sanchez, the Public Information and Leisure Service Manager at the University Union says The Well “will be a state of the art building with top of the line equipment. It’s collaborative effort with many different departments here at Sac State such as the Union, Peak Adventures, etc. The Well will offer a little of everything for everyone.”

The Well will be a 150,000 sq. ft. building and is expected to received LEED silver certification from the United States Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and measures how environmentally friendly a building is in energy and water efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions reduction, indoor environmental quality among others. A silver certification is a high mark.

What will be Available in the Well?
The Well will include the following health centers and services:
• Primary & Urgent Care Clinics
• Preventative Health Services
• Retail Optometry
• Pharmacy
• Nutrition Center
• Laboratory Services
• Imaging Services
• FitHELP
• Psychological Services

The Well will also include the following recreational resources:
• Retail, Cafe, Therapeutic massage
• Peak Adventures (outdoor recreation & bike shop)
• Cardio/weight space--13,860 sq ft
• 3 fitness studios
• Indoor running track
• Multi activities court
• 4 basketball court complex
• Rock climbing wall--39’6” x 56’
• Bouldering wall--13’ x 15’
• 4 racquetball courts

Reactions from Students
Ashley Tapia, a senior at Sacramento State majoring in Communications, is particularly ecstatic seeing The Well develop.

“Starting here in 2004 as a freshman and promoting the Wellness Center to be built and now seeing it happen makes me happy to know that a multipurpose building will be built. This helps make Sac State become that much more unified and offer more recreational options to our growing campus,” Tapia said.

Although Tapia will be graduating before the opening of The Well, she would still be able to use the facility as an alumna.

Curtis Fugate, a junior majoring in Mathematics, will still be enrolled when The Well opens. He said, “When the new Well opens, I’ll be looking forward to the 24 hour gym.”

Where to Look for More Information
There are two ways to catch a glimpse of what The Well will offer. Visit The Well’s main website. The site also includes a live webcast of the construction site of The Well to check on the progress of its construction.

There is also the preview room located in the University Union. The preview room will have available exercise machines and furniture that people can expect to see in The Well when it opens. Both the website and preview room will have diagrams, maps and three dimensional images of what the Well will look like.

No plans this weekend?

2009-02-20T03:28:37Z

If you are at a loss for what to do this weekend you may be interested in knowing that Sacramento State is putting on a show for a reasonable price.

The Vagina Monologues will be performed in the University Union at 7pm on the 19th, 20th and 21st.

Tickets are $8 for students and $15 for general admission. They are available at the Sac State ticket office or at tickets.com

The proceeds will benefit the Sac State Violence and Sexual Assault Support Services Program and the SHARE Institute.

I was able to experience the fun last year and the performances were incredible. Word around Sac State is that this year’s show is the best they’ve ever had.

So please, if you are looking for a good laugh, or a monologue you can relate to, stop by and check out the students of Sacramento State performing at their best!

Free journalism ethics workshop

2009-02-18T06:06:50Z

Are you looking for an excuse to come meet the staff of the Sacramento Press? Come join us for our next workshop on Feb. 25th from 6:30-8 p.m.

Molly Dugan, an assistant professor of journalism and communication studies at Sac State, will be leading the workshop on Journalism and Ethics. She'll be discussing how ethics come into play when we write and publish articles.

We'll be serving food and drinks at our office.

Our last workshop had a fantastic turnout, with more than 30 people in attendance. We'll continue to hold more workshops covering a variety of topics. If you have any suggestions for future workshops, please send them to colleen@sacramentopress.com or comment below.

We look forward to seeing you next Wednesday! Please RSVP to Colleen at colleen@sacramentopress.com so we can have a good idea of how many people will be showing up to the workshop.

Our office is located at 431 I Street, Suite 107, inside the Amtrak Station. We have light rail passes for those who use RT; we'll give you two passes when you get here. One will be to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back. Give us a call if you have any trouble finding the office, 916-443-5403.

Hoop dreams a tail of a Sac State womens basketball win

2009-01-09T18:17:52Z

http://www.hornetsports.com/sports/wbball/release.asp?release_id=7729

What happens to those who are in the rut of a losing streak? They know they have the talent and determination. They need that little window of opportunity to change the vector.

The Sacramento State Womens Basketball team got that opportunity and took advantage. You see to beat the tall women of Montana State they needed to come out perfect in everyway and that they did, building a 19 point lead on hot shooting behind the arch by Charday Hunt and tenacious D of the team variety. On paper the Montana State squad was superior at every position.

As basketball is a series of runs the hard charging mountain gals came back with lazer sharp precision tieing the game with a 3 with single digit seconds on the clock. Most teams on a losing streak would have collapsed after squandering such a lead yet the hornets held their poise. With great focus at the charity stripe and a few drops left in the tank, they held on for the win. This proud father of one of the players was exhausted but content.

Best entertainment value in a long long time.

Support your local teams be it high school, junior college or Sacstate sports!