Local eats such as Mighty Kong Café’s pork sliders, Dad’s Kitchen’s specialty macaroni and cheese, Scott’s Seafood Grill and Bar’s oyster dish and Freeport Bakery’s cakes and cookies will fill plates while local wines and beers flow into glasses during three hours of sampling and socializing at Saturday’s Wine Tasting & Silent Auction. The Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association is hosting its 21st annual Wine Tasting & Silent Auction Saturday from 4 - 7 p.m. at the Sierra 2 Center at 2791 24th St. This year’s event will feature the addition of local microbrews and dishes from first-time participators Lucca Restaurant and Bar, The Supper Club, Enotria Restaurant and Wine Bar and Matteo’s P

A long-debated topic in the Curtis Park neighborhood came potentially one step closer to its resolution Friday morning during a hearing at the Historic City Hall. Representatives from the community, concerned about the future of some 57 “Heritage Tress” in the Curtis Park Village development, presented a collaborated compromise designed to mitigate the impacts of any tree removal with the project firm, Petrovich Development Company. “Heritage trees” are the large oak trees that pepper within the boundaries of the Curtis Park Village. The land they now occupy is contaminated with various toxins due to the pervious industrial railroad shops that formerly stood on the site. Sierra Curtis Ne

There has been an enthusiastic debate simmering in the Curtis Park neighborhood for quite some time now. The topic of discussion: heritage trees in development zones and their proposed removal. But through the passionate exchanges from local residents and the developer of the project, cooler heads express the need for civility. I learned this while speaking candidly with two citizens working hard behind the scenes on this hot-button topic over the weekend. Patrick Soluri, Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association president, gave me the CliffsNotes version of information from years of hearings, public meetings, press releases and e-mails from neighborhood advocates. In a nutshell: The Petrov

The Friday, January 21st hearing at which development firm Petrovich Development planned to request a permit from the City of Sacramento to remove Heritage Trees from his Curtis Park Village site has been cancelled until a future date. The postponement is the  result of a meeting arranged between Sacramento Councilmember Jay Schenirer and members of the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association (SCNA) on the evening of January 19th. Representatives of SCNA’s Neighborhood Concerns Committee who attended the meeting are encouraged about what transpired, and feel that what was agreed upon and what is still being discussed amounts to good news for trees at the future site of the development proj

As the 2010 holiday season goes into full swing, the Sierra 2 Center offers the Curtis Park and Sacramento community at large a truly unique way to combine its indulgence in merriment with its interest in sharing with those in need. On Friday, December 3rd, the Sierra 2 Center for the Arts & Community presents Best Friend Friday, an ongoing social gathering at which attendees get to meet new people, enjoy terrific food and drinks, and learn something they didn’t know about their own community. This Friday attendees will get the chance to meet Harvest Sacramento, an amalgamation of area residents, non-profits, community groups and businesses who work together to gather uneaten fruit and ve

      Have you ever fantasized about writing a screenplay? One that could knock the socks off of viewers and critics alike? In award-winning screenwriter Gary Weinberg’s latest round of classes, you might be able to do just that. Experiencing the “Hollywood” dream in Sacramento has rarely been so attainable since Weinberg has expanded his popular two-class screenwriting series into a three-course comprehensive curriculum. And he’s done so on the heels of winning one of Hollywood’s most prestigious screenwriting competitions.       Continuing the tradition he began at the Tangent Art Gallery back in May, Weinberg will again offer Screenwriting 101: A Four-Hour Introduction to the Art and B

Curtis Park residents know how to throw a party. The 20th Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction event converted the Sierra 2 Center into a interactive showcase of fine wine, beer and gourmet eats. With 450 tickets sold before the event even began, only 100 were still available for purchase at the door. Curtis Park Neighborhood Association President Rosanna Herber said she expected the event to sell out. More than 35 wineries offered tastings of their red and white wines and many provided food pairings to complement their generous samples. People wandered slowly down the line of sampling tables with plates and wine glasses in hand. With no particular agenda or method, they followed thei

The Sacramento City Council on Tuesday night unanimously gave final approval to the contentious Curtis Park Village project, which had drawn criticism from many Curtis Park neighbors. Councilwoman Lauren Hammond, who represents Curtis Park in District 5, expressed her satisfaction with the project’s conclusion by singing the words: “This is it.” Developer Paul Petrovich’s Curtis Park Village has raised concerns among neighbors because it involves the cleanup and development of a contaminated area. A Sept. 28 report from city staff noted that the project could include 259,000 square feet of commercial and office space, 527 residences and a 6.8-acre park. Rosanna Herber, president of the

On Saturday, October 2nd the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association will present its 20th Annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction. From 4-7 pm the doors and patios of the historic Sierra 2 Center will open to welcome hundreds of guests. Over twenty restaurants, fifty wineries, eight breweries, three musicians, and two dozen volunteers will be greeting patrons, who will spend a delectable three hours sampling food and drink, vying for high-end auction items, listening to music, and socializing with attendees. Even better, the event benefits Brett Hart Elementary and McClatchy High School, two neighborhood organizations that are at the heart of the Curtis Park community. To purchase tickets

 Whimsical ceramic characters that wink as you walk by, domestic and exotic animals who allow you to pet them, a fairy who paints a glittering swan on your face, and musicians whose songs are brand new each time they perform. These are only some of the imaginative artists and activities that await kids and adults at the 4th Annual CurtisFest on Saturday, September 11th. Presented by the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association (SCNA), Curtis Fest will be held from 10am until 4pm in Curtis Park, an eighteen-acre parcel of ground surrounded by quaint bungalows and shaded by heritage trees. CurtisFest was established in 2007 to give local artists a venue at which to exhibit and sell their work

On Sunday, July 25th, revolutionary artist Kevin Sandbloom will headline an event that integrates great music, easy relaxation and family fun as the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association presents this year’s second Music in the Park. This free summertime concert is part of the 2010 season of events from one of the most active neighborhood associations in the state. Each performer, activity and sponsor will reflect the event’s theme of “Health and Wellness.” This midsummer event will feature elements that are both familiar and new to the many residents and visitors who flock to the annual Curtis Park concert series. Children will race to the stage at the start of the evening to hear l

An overflow crowd packed Sacramento City Hall Thursday night for a public hearing on the environmental impact report for the proposed Curtis Park Village development. With a unanimous vote, the City Council certified the report following four hours of testimony, staff reports and council discussion on the expected impact of developer Paul Petrovich's $211 million plan to construct housing and businesses on an old Western Pacific railyard near Sacramento City College. More than 400 people filled the council chamber and an upstairs overflow room. Saying they don't oppose the infill project, some nearby residents sought to postpone a decision by asking for an environmental impact report (EI

 The fate of the controversial Curtis Park Village development project will be reviewed by the Planning Commission Thursday. The project has been billed by developer Paul Petrovich as a way to blend nearby housing styles into a new community, but neighbors disagree, arguing that it's a design stuck in the past. “We hope everyone in this city is watching as the 72-acre parcel between Land Park, Sacramento City College and Curtis Park goes to the Planning Commission for review,” said Rosanna Herber, president of the Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association (SCNA). “Designed the right way, the development could meet the growing need for housing and retail space near the heart of the city and

Curtis Park, Sacramento, CA Ed Fogle, MaverickPhotography.us November 1, 2009 A Curtis Park home ablaze. Battalion Chief first on scene. First engine several minutes away due to brown out. A two story home caught fire Sunday evening in the area of 25 Street and 8th Avenue in Curtis Park and was severely damaged per Jim Doucette, Sac Fire Public Information Officer. The community of Curtis Park is serviced by Engine 6 as it's "first in" engine company. Engine 6 was not staffed due to rotating "brown outs" due to budget cuts. Per Jim Doucette, the first on scene unit was a Battalion Chief arriving in 3 minutes from time of dispatch. The first engine arrived 3 minutes later. The fire got

In a lively neighborhood-wide gathering rivaled only by the annual flea market, Curtis Park residents on Oct. 6 encouraged and criticized plans to develop Curtis Park Village in the adjacent, long-contaminated Union Pacific Railyard. Local developer Paul Petrovich, president of the Petrovich Development Company, hosted the community meeting at his Stone Pointe complex on Freeport and Sutterville to explain plans for the development and let residents voice concerns. The atmosphere grew tense as attendees questioned him about everything from toxic-cleanup safety regulations to his taste in public art. Petrovich's proposal is to create a sustainable community with residential and retail z