Downtown Sacramento’s busiest streets should have bike lanes by August or September, according to city officials. The work will begin in June or July and should take a month to complete, according to Ed Williams, Associate Engineer with the city’s Department of Transportation. The intent of the project is to create bicycle lanes on the most-traveled downtown streets, including J, I, Fifth, Ninth and 10th streets and Capitol Mall, city officials previously told The Sacramento Press. On some streets, the plan is to take out one lane of vehicular traffic as is common in Midtown. Cyclists interviewed Tuesday applauded the city’s upcoming road work, which they said will add safety to street

There are more than 100 tobacco retailers located less than 1,000 feet from local K-12 schools in Sacramento, and City Council members say that’s too close for comfort – so they are proposing tighter restrictions for retailers to keep kids safe. “Tobacco sales so close to kids in school? It doesn’t seem like its a good match,” City Councilman Kevin McCarty said Tuesday. The new ordinance was initiated by McCarty and Councilwoman Sandy Sheedy in 2010, and it reached the full council for consideration after first being reviewed by both the Law and Legislation committee and the city Planning commission earlier this year. The City Council unanimously passed the ordinance for publication Tue

By: Eric Marks CITRUS HEIGHTS- Fog and rain season is upon us once again and that means drivers must be vigilant of the challenges adverse weather causes. Diminished visibility, loss of traction and hydroplaning are a few of the issues novice and experienced drivers alike confront in a typical rainy season in the Sacramento valley. What can you do to safely negotiate the roads in inclement weather? Some tips include slowing down in the rain for better traction and stopping power, proper tire inflation and replacing bald tires. The Press spoke with Jay Rubash, owner of Lone Star Auto Service, about safe driving. “Tire inflation is very important in stability of the car in winter or summe

The closest I came to experiencing a tornado was in 1972 while living in Charleston, IL. My grandma and I were giving me the 'Summer Blonde-from-a-bottle-treatment' over the kitchen sink. My hair was full of the stuff when the tornado warning sounded. All of us in the house beat feet to the basement. As we waited, my grandma turned on the washing machine, had me lean over and she rinsed out my smelly hair. Didn't miss a beat. And we were not slammed by a tornado. However, thousands of people are not so lucky, losing homes, businesses, neighbors, loved ones and pets. If you've seen the new IMAX film Tornado Alley, you've seen the bravery and camera skills of Sean Casey who has been ch

On a sunny afternoon in August, a group of kids made their way to Valley Hi Park to play. As they crossed the intersection of Arroyo Vista and Center Parkway, a vehicle driving through the intersection clipped the leg of a 4-year-old walking in the group. The little girl was left with a fractured leg, and neighbors were left wondering if the accident could have been prevented if there had been a traffic signal in place. What does it take to get traffic signals installed in Sacramento – especially if residents are seeing safety issues in neighborhood intersections? Sacramento currently has approximately 800 signals in intersections, including nearly 50 flashing beacons, according to Shad

After several years of planning, Vibe, the new urban youth lounge, will host a party at 5 p.m. on Saturday to celebrate its grand opening. Located at 1725 K St., the center will provide a place for teens to do their homework, socialize and be safe, said Catherine Pentoney, spokeswoman and former chair of Vibe’s Board of Directors. Since 2007, the Vibe Foundation has been raising money to open its youth lounge. The nonprofit organization was founded by Julian Nagler and David Schenirer. “Vibe was a concept that came out of a need in Sacramento for the youth to have productive things to do,” said Nagler, one of Vibe’s co-founders. Nagler said he believes places like the Boys and Girls Clu

September is Amtrak California’s rail safety month. Board members, Caltrans employees, and Senator Carol Liu spoke Thursday at the California State Railroad Museum about California’s rail safety statistics and the future of rail safety. California has the most railroad fatalities annually in the nation, and has the second most incidents of trespassing. “Since 2008, 300 people have been killed in railroad accidents just in California,” said Caltrans Chief Deputy Director Richard Land. “Our belief is that tragic incidents like these can be stopped.” September was dedicated rail safety month in 2009 when California passed resolution No. 10, a bill promoting education of railroad hazards i

The City of Sacramento reminds residents and visitors to be safe this July 4th Holiday weekend. Below are a few friendly reminders: • The City and County of Sacramento require that anybody under the age of 13 must wear a life jacket while in the regions’ waterways. • Children should be supervised at all times when fireworks are in use; even Safe and Sane fireworks can cause injury. Do not let your children run with sparklers and ensure that they maintain a safe distance from others while handling them to avoid accidental burns. Always have a functioning hose ready to fully extinguish used fireworks. • And, please do not drink and drive. Given the historically high volume of calls over

Dave Edwards from the Yolo County District Attorney’s office will teach older adults how to avoid becoming a victim of Identity Theft, Mail Fraud, Check Scams, Foreign Lotteries and Telephone Solicitations in a 60-minute talk that is fun and informative. Wednesday, August 3rd, from 11 am - 12 noon in the Arthur F. Turner Community Library meeting room in West Sacramento on 1212 Merkley Avenue. For more information call 916-375-6465. This is a FREE event. Disclosure: Gabrielle Callison is a Grant Coordinator with Yolo County for the Arthur F. Turner Community Library

Q: My boyfriend and I have been dating for almost four years. We have talked about getting married someday, but we both want to finish school first, which is a few years off. The first few years of our relationship were really great, simple and fun-loving, but it seems as life gets more complicated and demanding (or as we grow up) that things have become more strained between us. He has a pretty short temper and gets upset at me sometimes (for some pretty stupid things, in my opinion). He has never hit me or anything, but the things he says to me are hurtful. I want to get us help, but I don't even know how to bring the subject up. I am afraid if I suggest that he get help for his temper

Sacramento families can jump-start their children's summer fun at the neighborhood Kids' Safety Fair taking place Saturday, June 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The free event will be held on the lawn of Bethany Presbyterian Church, 5625 24th Street in Sacramento (corner of Fruitridge Road and 24th Street). Among the free activities offered are a bounce-house, face-painting, crafts, music and helpful information from local family and safety resources. A free hotdog lunch will be served. A map and directions, plus a downloadable print-friendly flyer, are available. The safety fair is presented as a community service of Bethany Presbyterian Church volunteers. Bethany Presbyterian Church is th

Depressed. Overwhelmed. Internal voices blocking the outside world. Brian found it difficult to perform the most basic tasks. In 1991 at age 41, he had been in and out of acute psychiatric hospitals and non-supportive care homes. Brian was in Stockton, but his brother, Steve, was in Georgia and felt helpless. The long distance calls with depressing news knotted Steve’s stomach and created anxious moments. After flying to Stockton, Steve was able to assist his brother and effectively communicate, but once Steve flew back home to Georgia, Brian’s situation quickly deteriorated. But after years of mayhem, there finally was a PLAN! Planned Lifetime Assistance Network (PLAN), also referred t

River conditions this Memorial Day weekend are more dangerous than usual, and Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District officials are urging people to be aware of those dangers and where to borrow free life jackets. “Based on the heavy winter and the high volume of snow, the runoff is a little bit colder than usual,” said Assistant Chief Scott Cockrum, adding that the water is about 53 degrees in the American River – 6 to 8 degrees colder than normal. Also, the river is flowing about twice as fast as previous years. Cockrum added that everyone in a boat or raft should have a life jacket available, and he recommended wearing it at all times. “Kids under 13, by county ordinance, are required

Q: I have had some pretty bad luck lately with dating, so a few of my friends have suggested I try the Internet. I am not totally against it, but it just seems weird. How can you meet and fall in love online? Not to mention, is it even safe? A: It does seem strange to think about "meeting" and falling in love with someone on the Internet, but you may be over-thinking it. Think of online dating services (eHarmony, plentyoffish.com, match.com) as a résumé review and phone interview. This is when you can search through possible candidates, weed them out and interact with them without making personal, physical contact. If, after a while you decide you are comfortable with the idea, then you

A new citizens’ safety patrol group is in the planning stages for the Sutter District. The Sutter District encompasses J to P streets and 27th to 28th streets, according to Aja Uranga-Foster, assistant director at Midtown Business Association. The group will be called Sutter Angels and will be modeled after the Lavender Angels team that oversees the Lavender Heights area of Midtown near 20th and K streets. Tara Golden, 42, the current shift manager for Lavender Angels, will also be the shift manager for Sutter Angels. “We used Lavender Angels as a sort of a test to see how it would look and how the community will respond, it seems it passed so now we want to try a new neighborhood,” Go

SMUD offers kite flying safety tips: When flying a kite, the sky’s the limit but remember to fly with caution. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) offers these simple safety tips to help make kite flying a safe experience. Build or buy kites made of wood or plastic. Only use cloth for the tail. Fly kites in wide, open areas, away from power lines. Only use cotton, linen or nylon string. Never use metallic thread, wire or wire reinforced string as they can cause a fire, serious injury or death if they come in contact with energized electrical equipment. Only fly kites in dry weather. When kite string gets wet it becomes a stronger conductor of electricity. If a kite gets

For this week's edition of SacQuotes, we asked attendees of last month’s Second Saturday Art Walk if they feel safe and comfortable at the event. You may remember that last year police had to disperse some of the large groups who would linger after the official end of the evening. In September a Sacramento City College student was killed in the crossfire of a gang-related shooting after Second Saturday.  Here’s what folks had to say: Chico State student Meghan Vanderford was home visiting and decided to come out to Second Saturday. She said her comfort level changes throughout the night. “Earlier in the evening I feel safer, but the later it gets, it gets a little sketch.” Vanderford said

Bridge maintenance difficulties abundant in Sacramento It’s no secret to the daily drivers in the Sacramento region that our local roads, freeways and even bridges have some less-than-perfect driving conditions. Any observant motorist can attest to this fact with their own experiences of avoiding potholes, deciphering sometimes illegible road markings, and bracing for strong bumps when crossing gaps between roadway segments. What may surprise you, however, is the staggering amount of data freely available to the public which, when drawn together, paints a dire portrait for the future of Sacramento roads. In a nutshell: There are many existing problems we know about, not enough money to p

With news of Amtrak’s new firearm policy to take effect Dec. 15, The Sacramento Press wanted to get an idea of what travelers think about the decision. First-time Amtrak traveler Tina Stephens simply doesn’t see the need for such a policy. “I don’t see any reason why anybody would need a firearm on the train anyway,” Stephens said. “I see no need for people to carry one if the people who work for Amtrak don’t have to carry them. That just opens yourself up for a lot of problems.” Christina Miller of Redding also has mixed feelings about the policy. “I don’t see a problem with it, but then again the terrorist thing is kind of scary,” Miller said. “If I were a hunter and I was traveling,

Former Sacramento Mountain Lions safety Andrew Sendejo has been promoted to the Dallas Cowboys active roster. He was signed to the Cowboys practice squad on Nov. 24 and he joined the active roster today. The Cowboys cut defensive end Jimmy Saddler-McQueen to open up a spot for Sendejo. Sendejo, a rookie from Rice University and a Texas native, will be in uniform when the Cowboys play at the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, December 5. “It’s awesome being moved up to the active roster and my goal now is to stay there and contribute wherever I can,” said Sendejo, who grew up a Cowboys fan. Sendejo participated in his first practice with the Cowboys today, although it was a light one. He wil