Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "shawn eldredge"

De Vere's in Davis nears completion

2011-10-21T02:44:45Z

Construction on de Vere’s Irish Pub in Davis is about two weeks from being finished, and as the bar, which was custom-built in Ireland and then shipped to California, nears completion, Davis residents said they are excited to see a business fill a long-troubled space.

The pub is a new location spawned off the successful de Vere’s Irish Pub at 1521 L St. in Sacramento.

“It seems like it’s going to be a pretty good business,” said Matt Johnson, a 25-year-old bartender from Davis. “I’m excited, and I hope they’re successful.”

Johnson said the space at 217 E St. in Davis has long been something of a revolving door for businesses, which have had trouble staying open much longer than a year.

The space previously housed several restaurants, including Soga’s, Chaat Cafe and Agave.

“I did some research on the company, and I think it totally fits down here,” Johnson said. “It’s always crowded in the other bars, so a new one is always exciting.”

Pub co-owner Henry de Vere White said Wednesday that he wants the pub to be a community gathering place.

“There’s a saying in Ireland that when you’re born, everyone goes to the pub; when you have your first communion, everyone goes to the pub; when you get married, everyone goes to the pub; and when you die, everyone else goes to the pub,” de Vere White said.

He added that the pub concept is more about sharing life experiences than going to a club.

Johnson said he thinks a pub with that atmosphere will be a good fit for Davis.

“We need a place you can sit down and have a drink and not have your ears blown out by loud music,” he said.

Another Davis resident, 25-year-old Marc Meadows, a scientist, said he is happy to see another bar where people can relax, and that has a good beer selection.

“As long as there’s not too many bros, I’ll go there,” he said.

Danielle Orosco, a 22-year-old Davis resident who attends Sacramento City College, said the downtown Davis location is perfect, as it’s walking distance from the UC Davis campus and many homes and workplaces.

“They picked a good town, because Davis is so small that everyone goes out in groups,” she said. “I’m excited. I’ve been living here for two years, and having a new bar to go to will be nice. It looks bigger than some of the other bars, where you just feel squished.”

De Vere White said he looks forward to having the space – which will offer a large selection of food in addition to drinks – be filled with all types of people, from families having lunch and dinner to students coming by in the afternoon to study or dropping by for happy hour.

The building that houses the pub was gutted at the start of construction to allow for the parts constructed in Ireland to be fitted, said Shawn Eldredge of Capitol Painting and Construction, the firm handling the build.

“De Vere’s is a very intense buildout,” Eldredge said. “It’s a lot of material not only from Ireland, but locally.”

He added that the construction has gone well, but many parts needed to be custom-fitted. In the end, he said, he thinks the finished project will be more than worth the effort.

“I believe it’s going to be prettier than the one in Sacramento,” he said, adding that he was involved in construction of the Sacramento location as well.

De Vere White said that 65 employees have been hired, and most have already completed training.

Pre-opening parties will be held, and those interested can sign up by clicking here.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

My experience building the Bulls downtown

2010-07-05T21:53:59Z

Building in the inner city – the old Midtown athletic club racquetball court – is headed toward becoming another of Sacramento’s popular inner city entertainment areas.

April Fools’ Day – what a day for a permit or project to begin.

The business owner had already posted her liquor license application about 60 days prior and received several letters in protest for which she had started the stressful mitigation process*.Once the conditions imposed by the Alcoholic Beverage Control were met, based on a few neighbors concerns living in one multi-unit Victorian apartment building— six units maybe – located behind the business in the predominantly commercial corridor of downtown. ( 1300 H street across from Brew it up & city parking garage )

BTW , this occurs after spending a good sum of money on a very detailed set of architectural drawings by DC Architects, bidding the project out, massive value engineering to fit budget restrictions, Then choosing and awarding the build-out to a contractor(me). And, lest I forget, paying planning review fees of $1,479 (and two more fees later in Plan of $140 each), building permit fees of $3883.80, sewer impact of $3878.40**, county health fees totaling $1,758, $1,500 to fire for flow testing and analysis, flush testing fees... It was time to start.

April 1 was a Thursday, and anticipating the arrival of the permit, I had already arranged for the concrete to be cut in this 1960s concrete tilt-up.

Friday morning, we discovered the secrets below the 1960s-era slab. (Mr. Burg or someone may be able to tell us what was once on this site.) We found huge old footings under the existing slab (approx. 6 feet in diameter and more than 6 feet in depth — we never saw the bottom, all of which came at the expense of the plumber and I (in our desire to move forward rather than fight for a change order etc.) had to be mitigated.

By Tuesday we were laying underground pipe; by Friday we were calling for inspection, pouring back concrete and cleaning up the site all weekend as to be ready for framing on Monday the 12th. Yee Haw! Up with the steel studs, rough electrical and plumbing.

As with all projects, there were many weird issues. We value-engineered the removal of the upstairs storage area for a project savings of about $20,000 or more. Because of this change, we needed to resubmit plans—Eeek. The architect and I headed to the Development Services Department.

It was 9am. We arrived and spoke with Ed Oswald, the recent appointee in place of Dan Waters. We needed to highlight and remove anything on the plans referring to the removed storage area, make copies, then get signatures from all disciplines.

We had the paper portion done by 11:30 or so yet still needed copies and signatures. Plan review is only open from 1-3 p.m. After lunch, we met with Mr. Oswald again. He was awesome . He made us copies, arranged for the individual plan reviewers to each come to the counter, review, and sign. I paid my $140 review fee, and by 3 p.m. we were back in business and ready for rough wall inspection by late in the third week of April.

I was fortunate with the inspections. I beleive I have a good relationship with most of the inspectors. It is obvious I don’t know them all, but most of the downtown folks for sure.

It’s my first building inspection at this location, and it’s a sheetrock nail inspection on a firewall (splitting the building in half, which needed to be complete and signed off on prior to our framing inspection, which was a day or two away).

The inspector, David Philips, took out a tape measure to ensure there were 8 inches between screws.I was not feeling good about our first encounter, yes , panic was setting in ( BTW there were 6 screws on every short side of the drywall sheets) I continued to show Phillips the rest of the project, my areas of concern and seek counsel on those areas, inform him of my upcoming schedule, and he signed off. Whew, first meeting survived!

After he left, the whole crew immediately asked what I did to make him so mad he would pull a tape measure on a drywall inspection. I played it off and went on in good faith.

We got the rough walls inspected by the 23rd, electrical and plumbing within the next few days, and then it was off to drywall (another sheetrock inspection with no tape measure this time ).

The balance of the project went pretty normally, had some issues with the sprinkler and monitoring system, as this was contracted with the building owner, and there were some conflicts in schedules as well as inspections on existing equipment, etc.

I had to submit for fire approval on an upgraded monitoring system, which took place on the Monday after the Thursday I had spent getting the resubmission of the removal of the storage area.

After getting fire sign-off on the monitoring system, I receive a bill for the plan review of $140 along with a second charge of $140. I question the second charge. The second charge according to Mr Oswald (once again the man in charge of the counter) said it was “From when you were here last week. We forgot to bill you.”

Hmmmm really ? I paid the bill and got back to work.

Things were progressing well, and it was on to finishes. Reclaimed lumber from the old cannery being demolished in the Township 9 Project was acquired and used.

I established a relationship with the owner of a mechanical bull manufacturing company and learned all about the equipment aspect (It uses a 10-horsepower electric motor running a Weg hydraulic pump) and the fine art of operating and riding a mechanical bull.

I discovered the little Knox boxes that house keys for the fire department are $300 and can only be acquired through one distributor with the fire department’s authorization. I also had a visit from three city staffers all doing the designer stare at the front of the building.

Sites, Crouch and Sanchez – all three deciding how and where the sign would look best (I never knew they were designers too).

In summary, the permit was pulled on April 1. We had our fire sign-off on June 15, which could’ve happened almost a week sooner had we gotten an earlier appointment from AT&T for the phone lines for the fire alarm.

That’s 75 days from start to finish for construction. Impressive, huh? I am impressed, and I would like to say it is due to my aggressive work ethic and talented crew. However, I am writing this to acknowledge all those in the Development Services Department (which has been abused lately in the press) who truly helped me every step of the way.

Yes, the architect’s willingness to be so attentive to help mitigate every change or surprise requirement was huge, but just as much so was the willingness to educate me and my subcontractors in exactly what was needed to get everything passed and signed off quickly and efficiently by DSD staff. (Mr. Philips is now a valued asset, not a scary measuring tape wielding inspector).

Yes, Sacramento has a lot to learn about helping business owners do business in our city. However, the DSD has some fantastic folks who are very helpful, and I want to thank them as well as tell others that despite the cutbacks and bad press, overall we have great DSD staff we can be proud of.

*This process is so scary for an owner; an entire business plan’s success or failure (someone’s lifelong dream, not to mention life savings in many cases) can hinge on ABC restrictions that can come from neighbors’ complaints (20 or one) or police department concerns, etc. Additionally, by the time a business owner gets to the point of posting, he or she has, in most cases, already signed a lease with a building owner or bought a building, as well spent thousands on a liquor license, building designs, architectural plans and other entitlements.

**Another weird, kinda-unknown is sewer Impact fees. They have to do with what was there before you as well what and how much you are going to be putting into the sewer. The fees are big: for a new small coffee shop, for example, they can be as much as $9,000. However, the city and its Economic Development Department in their wisdom and grace can also issue credits based on your economic impact to the city (e.g. how many employees and how much sales tax revenue is generated). There is a great guy (Trevor) there to assist in the calculation of these credits, thus your net fee.

District 3: Cohn vs. Little

2010-06-09T08:05:45Z

Despite uncertain election results, City Councilman Steve Cohn appeared to lead the pack vying for his District 3 council seat by a fairly wide margin of nearly 13 percent.

Vote numbers stayed the same from shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. to well after midnight. Late Tuesday night, Cohn and his closest challenger, East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce President Chris Little, said they were confused after not getting any explanation from the county.

Throughout the night, Cohn was reported to have 1,716 votes to Little's 1,295. That would put Little, a realtor in his first political race, 421 votes behind, at 39.59 percent to Cohn's 52.46 percent.

The 3,271 votes counted in District 3 as of about 8:15 p.m. were believed to be all the absentee ballots that had been turned in by Saturday, but that couldn't be confirmed with the county Registrar of Voters.

"It looks pretty good right now. But we still haven't seen any results after they came out with these absenteers," Cohn said when asked to comment at 10:40 p.m. "It's certainly more encouraging than what's happening to incumbents in Districts 1 and 7."

Shortly before 11 p.m., Little said he was frustrated, but he wasn't about to throw in the towel.

"Heck, no. There's no reason to give up," he said. "They haven't put any results out. Shoot — the race hasn't been started in some respects."

Cohn and Little were leagues ahead of the other two contenders in terms of votes. Contractor Shawn Eldredge and Jeff Rainforth — who both identify themselves as activists — were trailing with 159 and 100 votes, respectively.

Eldredge welcomed family and friends to his Midtown home for a supporter-appreciation party before polls closed. Sitting on his front stoop, Eldredge said his chances of winning weren't high.

"I'm not going to win," said Eldredge, who wore a T-shirt that read, 'Say no to business as usual.'

Very few voters attended the District 3 candidates' forums in the days before the election, Eldredge noted. Still, he said he did his best to run his campaign based on issues.

"I know one thing: I will sleep well," he said. "I did not compromise my ethics. I did not lie, cheat, steal."

Just before voting at 7 p.m., Rainforth said his campaign for City Council went "a lot better" than previous runs for Congress and governor of California because it was local. His eyes looking a bit bloodshot, Rainforth said he was out until 3 a.m. putting out lawn signs the night before the election.

"It's a lot of work," said Rainforth. "And it was mostly just me."

At least 60 people turned out for Little's election-night party at Clubhouse 56 in East Sacramento. Little credited some of his success to a "real organic" campaign that mixed traditional meet-and-greets in people's homes with social media networking — along with his campaign message.

"I think it's the fact that what I've been talking about is back to basics — a common-sense approach to getting things done in the city," he said.

East Sacramento resident Emma Grieve, a family friend, joined other supporters at the party.

"We just need someone new and different in the City Council to straighten it out because it's just a mess," she said.

Several hundred people gathered with Cohn at Bisla's Sports Bar to watch election results come in. Cohn said he's campaigned just as hard as the first time he ran back in 1994.

Shortly before polls closed, Cohn knocked on a door, only to find a woman frantically waiting for her husband to return and watch their three young children so she could vote. The woman, who was in her 30s, said she'd voted in every election since she was 18. He walked her to the nearby polling place and watched her 5-year-old as she went inside.

"She was distraught because she didn't think she'd be able to vote," he said. "I'll do a lot of things for a vote, but that's the first time I've babysat for one."

From early results, Cohn said it appeared voters weren't putting him "in the same basket" with other incumbents who weren't faring as well.

"I think people know me pretty well in District 3 and appreciate what I've been doing," he said.

Photos by Suzanne Hurt, a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council 2010: Election night updates

2010-06-09T05:32:16Z

11:21 p.m. UPDATE

Angelique Ashby's supporters gather around the wide screen television to anxiously watch the results of tonight's election.

With a lead of more than 10% on her closest competitor, incumbent Tretheway, Ashby supporters are anticipating the coming numbers.

"We think we know the answer," volunteer Celia Hernandez said. "We just need it official!"

Cheers, laughter and applause resonate throughout the police stationassociation, and tensions build as the night wears on, the final count looming closer and closer.

"We're all excited," canvas coordinator Greg Pruden said. "Really looking forward to getting the final returns in and seeing what the final result is. We're really pleased with our efforts so far."

--Maxwell McKee

11:15 p.m. UPDATE

Earlier in the evening, an overwhelming atmosphere of food, screaming kids, and bright lights pervaded El Michoacano 2, a Mexican restaurant serving as Leticia Hilbert's election party venue. A bittersweet vibe was apparent on Hilbert's face as she discovered early on she was behind in votes.

Hilbert said the day was exhausting. She spent the day handing out fliers and speaking with voters. Nevertheless, she was supported by dozens of family and friends in the restaurant.

"Family - it's the nucleus of society," said Hilbert, sitting next to her brother. "If it is broken, our society is dysfunctional."

She also commented on her opponents in the election. "They were all polite and I have nothing but nice things to say about them," she said.

-Jonathan Mendick

10:58 p.m. UPDATE

Sacramento County’s election website appears to be malfunctioning.

At times, the website reports that 36 precincts in the District 1 race have been counted. But at other times, it reports that 70 of 70 precincts have been counted.

The confusion also affected the District 3 race. Shortly before 11 p.m., City Councilman Steve Cohn said he was just as confused as anyone about what was going on with election returns Tuesday night.

"We really have not been able to get any information," he said. "They still haven't changed the overall total from two hours ago. So it's very strange.

"It seems the entire voter registrar is on furlough tonight," he said.

-- Suzanne Hurt and Kathleen Haley

10:40 p.m. UPDATE

A large crowd is already celebrating at candidate Ryan Chin's party at the Happy Corner Restaurant on Freeport Boulevard. The underdog candidate appears poised to take incumbent Robbie Waters' City Council seat in District 7.

Even in early returns, Waters was in a distant third place behind Chin and Darrell Fong. His party at Giovanni's Pizza in the South Land Park area was breaking up before 10 p.m. in what was a melancholy scene, with friends visibly upset.

Chin's campaign manager Devin Lavelle says, "Our name is at the top of the list, that makes us happy." Chin says he feels good, excited and ready for his potential future with the city council.

--Erin Haight

10:23 p.m. UPDATE

The projection screen glowed in Coffee Garden on Franklin Boulevard as District 5 candidate Patrick Kennedy looked on with deep concentration. The City Council poll results were starting to trickle in Tuesday night.

“Right now, we have zero percent of precincts. It’s just way too early.”

Kennedy did not seem to mind having four candidates to run against.

“I ran my campaign as I would running against one other person or 16,” he said.

-Agnus Farrant

9:44 p.m. UPDATE

The crowd was somber at Sofia Restaurant in downtown Sacramento, where City Councilman Ray Tretheway was watching election returns.

About 40 Tretheway supporters turned out for the event.

Tretheway appeared positive about the outcome of the race, despite the fact that early returns show challenger Angelique Ashby leading in the polls.

“I’m doing great,” he smiled. “It’s totally early — but we did a heck of a campaign. We think we have the votes out there.”

Tretheway said that there’s still a long way to go before all the regular and absentee ballots would be counted.

--Suzanne Hurt

9:30 p.m. UPDATE

Food is set out on tables - chips and salsa, sandwich wraps, pretzels and beer. Pangaea Cafe on Franklin Boulevard is bustling, with more than 30 people.

Schenirer got to the party after 8 p.m. because he was attending his son's Senior Award Ceremony at McClatchy High School. A group of his son's high school friends are in attendance, as is Schenirer's mother-in-law. Schenirer is the life of the party, moving from table to table, receiving congratulations for the current election results.

"So far, so good," he says.

He adds that he plans to stay at the cafe until 10:30 p.m.

--Jonathan Mendick

9:14 p.m. UPDATE

Sacramento County Supervisor Candidate Phil Serna is the frontrunner in the District 1 race with 6,088 votes. Keith Weber follows Serna with 2,853 votes.

District 1 includes Sacramento central city.

--Kathleen Haley

9:03 p.m. UPDATE

Over at Clubhouse 56 in East Sacramento, Cohn’s major challenger, realtor Chris Little, watched as county election results were first projected on a wall-sized screen. Little was the second highest vote-getter with 1,295 votes with nearly 40 percent of the vote.

With only 3,271 ballots counted in the race, it is still too early to know how the race will turn out, he said.

“It’s a good showing,” he said.

--Suzanne Hurt

8:59 p.m. UPDATE

Education policy consultant Jay Schenirer is leading the District 5 City Council race with 36 precincts reporting.

Schenirer has 822 votes, while attorney Patrick Kennedy has 571 votes.

Schenirer was endorsed by Mayor Kevin Johnson.

--Kathleen Haley

8:48 p.m. UPDATE

Angelique Ashby’s supporters came together tonight at the police stationSacramento Police Officers Association on Bercut Drive to support the District 1 candidate.

Volunteers spent today working on last-minute campaigning, including making phone calls and visiting polling spots and local businesses.

A new tactic used by the 35-year-old to get the word out was her use of Facebook. She asked her supporters to change their profile pictures to those of Ashby paraphernalia, and has that manner of support from more than 100 people.

“I made a decision at the beginning of the campaign to use social media,” Ashby said. “I think it’s powerful.”

Many volunteers and friends of the campaign put in extra hours today.

“I blew up a hell of a lot of balloons!“ family friend of Ashby’s Pat Mangan said. “I’ve still got the blue on my fingers!”

Unfortunately, voter turnout doesn’t seem to be very good this year.

“It’s looking pretty skinny,“ volunteer Jesus Arredondo said. “Low voter turnout is holding pretty true. Votes were coming in very, very slow this morning. We’ll see if there’s a mad rush here before the end of the polls.”

As the polls inch toward closing, Ashby says she’s more excited than nervous.

“There’s no reason to be nervous,” she said. “We’ve done everything we can. We’ve left no stone unturned. Looking back at a year’s worth of campaigning I can honestly say I feel very good about the effort of my team and my community to give us the best possible chance tonight.”

--Maxwell McKee

8:25 p.m. UPDATE

Incumbent City Councilman Robbie Waters is trailing two challengers in the District 7 City Council race. Ryan Chin is leading with 1,088 votes and 41 precincts reporting.

Darrell Fong follows Chin with 987 votes.

Waters has 728 votes.

--Kathleen Haley

8:20 p.m. UPDATE

Neighborhood activist Angelique Ashby is ahead in the contentious District 1 City Council race. At this point, Ashby has 1,862 votes, while incumbent City Councilman Ray Tretheway has 1,493 votes.

Ashby was endorsed by Mayor Kevin Johnson.

Guttierrez trails with 246 votes.

--Kathleen Haley

8:05 p.m. UPDATE

District 3 candidate Jeff Rainforth said his campaign for City Council went "a lot better" than his previous runs for the U.S. Congress and California governor — because the race was local.

That meant much less ground to cover and a simpler, less expensive way of campaigning, he said.

"We learned a lot about the process of local politics," he said. "Face time with neighbors is important. This is a lot of signs and getting the vote out."

Rainforth said he slept in Tuesday after staying out until 3 a.m. putting out lawn signs before the election.

"It's a lot of work," said Rainforth, who drove up in his campaign Jeep to vote at Washington Elementary School at 7 p.m. "And it was mostly just me."

--Suzanne Hurt

7:49 p.m. UPDATE

Early Tuesday evening, District 3 candidate Shawn Eldredge welcomed family and friends to his Midtown home, where they will watch election results once polls close at 8 p.m.

Wearing a T-shirt that said, "Say no to business as usual," Eldredge said he wanted to throw an appreciation party for everyone who supported him. But he thought his chances of winning weren't high.

"I'm not going to win," he said. "Steve's (Cohn) most likely going to win. Or if not, I'm likely going to be beaten by a sign campaign."

One of his opponents, East Sacramento realtor Chris Little, distributed at least 700 lawn signs, said Eldredge, who added that he put out a little more than 200 — but only "for people who asked."

His mother, Marsha Tipton, was one of the first to arrive in support. She said she reminded coworkers to vote, but saw few voting when she cast her ballot.

"I'm very proud of him," she said.

Eldredge's 20-year-old daughter, Falina, graduated from college in Germany Friday. She made it home Monday night — just in time to show her support for her dad and vote Tuesday evening.

--Suzanne Hurt

7:36 p.m. UPDATE

Sacramento Press Staff Reporter Jonathan Mendick talked with District 5 City Council candidate Jay Schenirer.

Mendick: What do you think about getting the mayor's endorsement, along with Ashby, Cohn and Waters?

Schenirer: My feeling is he cares deeply about Sacramento and he's very committed to being successful. I want him to be successful; if he is, the city is going to be successful. If I'm lucky enough to be elected, I'm looking forward to working with him and others on the council. While people might disagree on the strategy of how to do it, we ultimately want the same thing. Our bosses are the people in the city of Sacramento, and what they're telling us is we need to do a better job working together.

Mendick: What is significant about this year's City Council election and why?

Schenirer: I think what we're going to need to do is get a council that can work together, because for a long time people haven't trusted federal or state government. I (also) haven't seen a lot of trust in city government. We really have to figure out how to work together and regain the trust of the neighborhoods and the city.

--Jonathan Mendick

7:01 p.m. UPDATE

Sacramento Press community contributor Erin Haight scoped out the District 7 scene this afternoon.

David Plag, from incumbent Councilman Robbie Waters' campaign, said early statistics are showing a large Republican turnout.

Darrell Fong said in a text message that he was doing well and had no complaints this afternoon.

--Erin Haight

6:18 p.m. UPDATE

Sacramento Press staff reporter Jonathan Mendick talked to District 5 City Council candidate Henry Harry around 5 p.m.

Harry said some of his campaign signs were stolen. “We’ve made a pretty good effort, our only issue is that we had some campaign signs stolen,” Harry said. “Last night they went to some of our key locations and took some of our signs down.”

Mendick also asked Harry what it was like to run against four other candidates.

“Running against those guys and the lady was interesting and an eye opener,” Harry said. “Two things: Everyone of those is running a good campaign. No one took any cheap shots as far as I saw. You have 20 neighborhoods here, with a diversity of people. Whoever takes that seat is going to have to do a lot of work.”

5:50 p.m. UPDATE

Signs for polling places, such as this one on McKinley Boulevard, sprang up all over the city Tuesday.

Voters began streaming into the McKinley Library polling place after 3 p.m. — the start of the busiest time of day for in-person voting, which builds as people get off work. By 4:45 p.m., 116 people had voted and another six were in the process of voting.

This primary is proving to be more difficult for polling place workers, who must determine which ballot out of nine possible ballots each voter needs. There are nine ways people can vote in the 2010 primary election, said a worker named Dorothy, who's volunteered in elections for at least eight years.

Sacramento Police officers paid a visit to the polling place at McKinley Library after a transient caused a disturbance there, according to the officers.

--Suzanne Hurt

5:40 p.m. UPDATE

Sacramento Press intern Agnus Farrant chatted with District 5 City Council candidate Terrence Johnson Tuesday afternoon.

Farrant asked Johnson: What are the biggest issues in the campaign?

"In the campaign, I felt a little underfunded,” Johnson said. “But that was replaced with increased activity and increased volunteerism. So the limits of some of the campaign resources, we doubled down on our actual feet on the ground, we did person-to-person type campaigning. We walked and walked, hit every single precinct. Funding was the biggest issue.”

Johnson also commented on community issues. “The budget, safety, security and education resonated throughout districts as issues,” he said. “Different priorities for each neighborhood, but the same issues."

5:20 p.m. UPDATE

Staff reporter Suzanne Hurt caught up with City Councilman Steve Cohn today.

Cohn, who's being challenged for the District 3 council seat, cycled through his precincts late Tuesday afternoon.

"Today, we're working to get out the vote," said Cohn, who rode a red single-speed cruiser to knock on doors and pass out literature at the homes of people who hadn't yet voted.

About 5 campaign workers volunteering for Cohn visited polling places Tuesday to find out who's already voted and who might need a reminder call. Another four or five hit the phones to let people know there was still time to vote.

3:46 p.m. UPDATE

City Council District 5 candidates Jay Schenirer and Patrick Kennedy are working the phones today.

District 5 neighborhoods include Colonial Heights, Curtis Park and Oak Park.

Sacramento Press reporter Jonathan Mendick talked to sources with the candidates' campaigns earlier today.

“Today I’m phoning,” Schenirer said. “I have walked the district already twice, in some places three or four times.”

Patrick Kennedy was making phone calls and checking precincts earlier Tuesday, said Judy Kennedy, Patrick Kennedy’s wife.

SacPress to deliver late-night election coverage

2010-06-08T01:10:53Z

The Sacramento Press election team is pulling an all-nighter Tuesday to bring our readers City Council election results.

We will continuously update our election coverage starting at 4 p.m. Tuesday until the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters stops releasing results late that night.

In addition to reporting the results from the polls, our staffers will be on-the-scene at election parties to cover the perspectives of candidates and their supporters.

In Sacramento, polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Election results will start coming in after 8 p.m.

"I'm out campaigning," City Councilman Steve Cohn said late Monday afternoon. "Tonight's the last time I'll be walking door-to-door."

East Sacramento realtor Chris Little, who is challenging incumbent Cohn for the District 3 seat, plans to vote and then spend election day campaigning.

"I'm going to be at the polls bright and early tomorrow morning," Little said. "I want to be first in line."

The public can learn about state races in the June 8 election at smartvoter.org, which is produced by the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund. The League does not take positions on candidates. However, the group’s advocacy arm takes positions on state propositions.

Photo provided by staff reporter Suzanne Hurt.

Hurt contributed to this report. Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

District 3 candidates discuss top priority topics

2010-05-22T07:40:03Z

Top priority topics in the June 8 election for District 3 include the budget, creating more jobs and becoming more business friendly, according to the candidates.

"Unless we grapple with (the budget), we can't get other things done," incumbent Steve Cohn said.

Chris Little said creating jobs is the most important issue.

"(Sacramento is) the Silicon Valley for medicine," he said. "(It's a matter of) taking what we have right here and leveraging it."

Shawn Eldredge said that Sacramento needs to focus on business.

"It's about re-creating a healthy downtown core that's business friendly, for not only large corporations, but all small business, too," he said. "We need to be a city that embraces (business)."

The District 3 hopefuls were speaking at a City Council candidate forum Thursday evening at Mercy Hospital located on J Street. The forum, sponsored by the League of Women Voters and Mercy Hospital, gave the public an opportunity to question the candidates. According to LWV President Lola Acosta, the audience of about 50 people was the second biggest turnout of six forums this election year.

Three of the four candidates were present: Eldredge, Little and Cohn. Jeff Rainforth could not attend.

District 3 Councilman Cohn has served the city for the past 15 years. He said being on the City Council is community service, not a political career. Cohn said he plans to work on the expansion of the light rail and bike trails.

Eldredge grew up in Carmichael and has lived in Midtown 13 years. He owns Capitol Painting & Construction and ran for mayor two years ago. Eldredge said he did so to provide a new voice and to remove the spotlight from Kevin Johnson and former Mayor Heather Fargo. He failed in accomplishing his goal during that race, but is running for He said he is running for City Council because he wants to make a difference.

"I want to see more people become involved," Eldredge said. "I have a passion to do what's right."

Little, a third-generation Sacramentan, owns Little Real Estate Services. He said he understands that Sacramento is struggling but that he has fresh ideas and will listen to voters.

"I expect to get the job done and get it done well," he said.

Eldredge said he's frustrated by years of meetings and talk of visions for K Street with no action.

Keeping Old Sacramento as a tourist attraction is another of his concerns. According to Eldredge, Midtown is concerned about business also and nonresidents tend to have the perception that Midtown is crazy when it comes to the way businesses use their resources. He gave an example of an ice cream sandwich board being used to sell sushi rolls and said it probably detracted business.

"The small things are critical," he said. "We have ordinances that need to be endorsed ... and be more aggressive in recruiting business."

K Street, downtown and Old Sacramento are the areas that Little mentioned as priorities.

Cohn said he does not think that Old Sacramento has a problem and plans to focus more on housing on the outskirts of downtown.

The three candidates agreed that improving K-12 education is a priority. Little said he will focus on creating more before- and after-school programs. Eldredge, who has a daughter studying in Germany, said he will also target the creation of before- and after-school programs. Cohn said he will work with all the schools, including the San Juan School District.

Helping the homeless and needy were discussed. Eldredge said the initial reaction to Sacramento's homeless tends to be negative, but that they should be helped. He said he wants to create a living space for the needy and homeless that also doesn't threaten private property or cost taxpayers.

Cohn said that while something needs to be done, vouchers already are provided for those who are temporarily homeless. He said other jurisdictions need to step up.

Little said groups such as Loaves and Fishes provide wonderful programs.

"The city needs to work with groups and needs to promote (social services)," he said. "Homeless are part of us, too."

The three candidates ended by encouraging the public to vote for them.

"I hope I've earned your trust for one more term," Cohn said.

Little said, "This race is about where we've been, where we're going and how we're going to get there."

"This is not a game," Eldredge said. "Everything affects humans ... (these are) all real issues that affect us."

Other topics at Thursday's forum included the large commercial developments, the strong mayor initiative and the use of public money for corporate interest.

Sacramento resident Denis Scott, 61, said he attended simply to hear what the candidates had to say.

"Being an informed voter is a good thing," he said. "This way, I get to see them live."

Photographs:

1) Shawn Eldredge

2) Chris Little

3) Steve Cohn

City Council Candidates Use Facebook to Connect With Community

2010-05-19T01:22:24Z

On June 8, Sacramento residents will have the opportunity to cast their votes on a number of issues and elective offices, including party primaries for governor and attorney general as well as Sacramento City Council seats in districts 1, 3, 5 and 7.

Many candidates are using online social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to try to get their messages out and gain an edge over the other candidates. For example, in the race for the Republican primary for governor, candidates Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner have Facebook and Twitter pages with followers in the thousands, and the primary fight is widely seen to be between the two.

However, even in the more local and community-driven campaigns of Sacramento City Council candidates, these social networking sites are being widely utilized to help raise support and knowledge for local candidates.

Angelique Ashby is running for the City Council’s District 1 seat against incumbent Ray Tretheway, and she has tried to use the Internet to her advantage.

Ashby said that when she and her campaign team started to plan her campaign, they thought that a strong online presence would be important.

“We knew that accessing people through the Internet would be critical,” Ashby said. “Social networking and the Internet is central to our campaign.”

Ashby said the online strategy of her campaign consists of a good webpage, Facebook and YouTube. As of Sunday, she has 1,050 friends on Facebook. Ashby said she uses Facebook as a way to connect with voters and as a good way to get out event information. Many people who come to her campaign events tell Ashby that they found out because of Facebook, she said.

She added that she has ads on Facebook as well as local blogs to help draw attention to her campaign.

Ashby said one challenge of being involved in social networking is the level of consistency required, both in effort and in message.

“It’s important to know what you’re like as a candidate because people can find information everywhere on the Internet,” she added. “You have to be clear and consistent.”

Although Ashby enjoys a strong online presence, she said she doesn’t use Twitter because she doesn’t think Twitter adds much to her campaign.

“One of the keys to success in an online campaign is to allow people to be a part of it,” she said. “Twitter is for observers, while Facebook is for participants.”

Tretheway, who has been on the City Council since 2001, uses both Twitter and Facebook in his campaign, although the sites are only updated about once a week.

“For us, it’s not the most crucial component,” said Tretheway’s campaign manager, Rebecca Apostol. “It’s more important to talk to folks one-on-one and to have those face-to-face conversations. That type of interaction is what we tend to gravitate more toward.”

Apostol said Tretheway’s Facebook and Twitter, which have a little over 30 followers as of Sunday, are used mostly to give campaign updates and to publicize community events.

“It’s a helpful component, undoubtedly,” she said. “It has its place, and it definitely adds to the campaign.”

Apostol added that in a smaller race like this, social networking does not make or break a campaign.

District 3 is also home to a competitive race. Councilman Steve Cohn, who has held the seat since 1994, is running for re-election against Realtor Chris Little and contractor Shawn Eldredge. Faviola Ramirez, the ground campaign manager for Cohn, said using Facebook is part of the campaign’s strategy.

“Facebook is really important to keep supporters informed,” she said.

“When you look at the City Council race, community is very important,” Ramirez added. “Facebook helps strengthen those ties.”

Ramirez said Cohn’s campaign Facebook page, which has 215 followers as of Sunday but is only updated once a week or so, is mostly used to give campaign updates and provide information about campaign events, as well as answer the occasional question from a voter.

Although Little and Eldredge have a stronger online presence, Ramirez said that it is not crucial to win a City Council election, and the main component of Cohn’s campaign relies in personal interaction.

“Facebook is just as important as call lists and any other way of getting ahold of people,” she said. “It just doesn’t replace face-to-face voter interaction, which is at the heart of any local campaign.”

Eldredge, however, said that for a candidate who does not have a lot of funds, having a strong online presence is vital.

“Social networking allows those who are interested to know a candidate better,” Eldredge said. “I don’t have money, so the only way I can reach people is through the social networking sites. It is the core of my campaign.”

Eldredge said he uses his Facebook for not only campaign updates but also to state his positions and point out the faults in opponent’s positions.

“I put it all out there,” he said. “I let the shit fly.”

Eldredge, who has raised thousands less than Little and Cohn according to a recent Sacramento Press article, said that while social networking gives him a platform, it does not always translate into votes.

“I’m much more interactive than the other candidates, but I’m probably not going to win,” he said, adding that this election will be a low-turnout election that will probably be decided by voters who are not hooked on social networking. He also said upcoming elections will have to make an online presence a priority.

“This November, this is going to be big,” Eldredge said. “The population and voter base is going to be very engaged through social media.”

Eldredge added that he believes we are one election cycle away from voters being able to donate $5 through their phones like people were able to for the Haiti earthquake relief, and that social networking will become a critical part of any campaign.

“The classic campaign is going to have to change their model,” Eldredge said. “Traditionally, it was all mail and door-to-door, but now social networking will have an equal part.”

For now, Eldredge was honest about his use of social networking in his campaign.

“It’s a lot of work,” he said. “Social media takes a lot of effort to pull it off well, and I haven’t done it as well as I’d like.”

When June 8 comes, Ashby, Tretheway, Cohn, Little and Eldredge will be able to see if their efforts with social networking results in being elected to the City Council.

Photo Captions:

1. Angelique Ashby. Photo by Kathleen Haley

2. Ray Tretheway. Photo by Anthony Bento

3. Chris Little. Photo by Kathleen Haley

4. Steve Cohn. Photo by Anthony Bento

Ashby and Eldredge Ready for the Rigors of Serving on City Council

2010-05-12T18:57:10Z

*The opinion in this article is the opinion of the author and in no way should reflect the views of the Sacramento Press*

In this year’s Sacramento city council elections, voters will decide who represents them in council districts 1, 3, 5, and 7. More than ever, the decisions voters make will be crucial for a city that is facing a 43 million budget deficit, consolidation of various agencies within the city government, a strong mayor initiative, and making the decision where our beloved Sacramento Kings should play their games in the future. Today’s article will focus on council districts 1 and 3.

Council district 1, which covers a geographic area of downtown Sacramento (Alkali Flat) and the Natomas region, has three candidates vying for the position: Incumbent Ray Trethaway, Angelique Ashby, and Efren Guttierez. The candidates’ respective stances do not differ that much in terms of the issues. They all stand for consolidating various agencies in city government and they all oppose a strong mayor initiative. While the candidates all appear to be “preaching the same gospel,” there has been a level of contentiousness in the campaign between Trethaway and Ashby. Of course, we are talking about “sign gate.” Make no mistake about it, prior to “sign gate” Trethaway was having his proverbial buttocks handed to him by the tenacious and relentless campaigning of Ashby. However, “sign gate” will prove to be the dagger that ends Trethaway’s tenure on the council. No, we are not talking about the same type of dagger that did in Julius Caesar as Brutus has been long gone for quite some time. We are talking about the self inflicted dagger variety. You know, the one where someone in your campaign takes an opponent’s campaign sign, hides it, and instead of you manning up and taking responsibility for your campaign’s actions you make claims of said signs being “illegally posted.” This is where Trethaway seriously blew it. He had a chance to own his campaigns mistake in “sign gate” and chose not to. On election eve after all of the votes have been counted, Mr. Trethaway should take a long look in the mirror and ask the question: Et tu, Ray? Ashby has out campaigned Ray Trethaway, she has crafted a better message, and she has outclassed Ray Trethaway. If Angelique Ashby’s service in the Sacramento city council is anything like her campaign, we as Sacramentan’s will be extremely fortunate.

In council district 3, long time incumbent Steve Cohn is being seriously challenged by midtown small business owner and community activist Shawn Eldredge and East Sacramento realty czar Chris Little. Cohn, a crafty and veteran politician, has spent double digit years on the council and is a major contributor to the cities 43 million budget crisis. Moreover, Cohn has grown adept to crafting his message to fit the crowd he is speaking to. Case in point, at the River Park neighborhood association candidate forum in April, Cohn admonished Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson for being a weak leader. Then, a few weeks later at the Black Parallel School Board candidate forum, on Mayor Johnson’s home turf, Cohn reinvented the definition of pandering by praising the mayor as a means of pleasing the obviously pro Kevin Johnson crowd. After sixteen years on the Sacramento city council Steve Cohn has molded a legacy of mounting debts, job losses, higher taxes, more regulations, and reduced services for the citizens of district 3 and Sacramento. Tie in his style of slick, Persian bizarre politics and we are left with a city councilman that lacks substance and smolders with malarkey. Chris Little has been an enigma in this campaign. He is not well spoken (although I give him a pass on being a first timer that may be nervous), yet he does a very good job of getting his message out to voters via a wealth of campaign materials. His message appears to be on the cryptic side although his message is not particularly bad. Moreover, while seeming to be very bland in front of large groups, he is very personable in small venues. Shawn Eldredge has emerged as the strongest candidate in this race. Eldredge is well versed on the issues, he does a particularly great job of connecting with voters in all types of venues, and he is a “call it like I see it” kind of guy. Couple these traits with the fact that he is the only candidate in all of the council races that supports the strong mayor initiative and you have a well rounded candidate. The Sacramento city council needs a member or two that isn’t afraid to part with party politics and shake up the establishment. Eldredge will do just that. Shawn Eldredge will serve the voters of district 3 as a substantive councilman that weighs the issues based on their merits and not politics.

As we move closer to the June 8 primary, it is incumbent on all of us to inform ourselves and vote. If you have not registered to vote, you can do so online at: http://www.elections.saccounty.net/default.htm. Stay tuned for a breakdown of Sacramento city council races for districts 5 and 7 in the coming days.

The photograph of Angelique Ashby is credited to Kathleen Haley.

Come Ride the Bull at Bulls Restaurant and Bar

2010-05-04T06:04:42Z

If you've never had the chance to try riding a mechanical bull, get ready to hold on tight. Downtown Sacramento will welcome a new Western-themed restaurant and bar called Bulls this summer featuring such an attraction.

"The theme will be Western meets rock and roll," said owner Andrea Martin. "There's nothing like this in Sacramento."

Construction continues at 1330 H St., where Bulls will be located.

Martin pointed out an 18-foot-wide space where a mechanical bull will be installed, and the skeleton of the "horseshoe bar" being built. The indoor space and outdoor patio can hold 60 people.

"(The mechanical bull) provides entertainment long after you have dinner or lunch," Martin said. "Right now, it's a hard time for a lot of people, and they need something fun and entertaining. I think (businesses) need to add in some entertainment because you're already spending money on food and drinks, so instead of going to a movie you can have entertainment right there."

Bulls will be open all week for lunch and dinner. Breakfast will only be available on the weekends. It will feature a full bar, 22-26-foot-tall ceilings and Western memorabilia decor. Bull riding competitions will be held in the future, Martin said.

Among other comfort food, the menu includes buffalo wings, barbecue pulled pork sandwiches, Cajun spicy link sausages, rib tips, barbecue chicken sliders and old-fashioned chili cheese bowls. There is even a "Buckaroos" kid's menu that includes Buckaroo chicken tenders, mini meatball sandwiches and mini beef and bean burritos.

The building has been undergoing renovations by General Contractor Shawn Eldredge for the past month. It was built in the 1960s, according to David Herrera, vice president of Colliers International Sacramento. He added that the outer shell was renovated in 2007, and Martin is completing the inner renovations this year. It is located across the street from Brew it Up! Bulls has leased half the building that once held racquetball courts for Spare Time Clubs, and the other half has yet to be leased. Martin plans to open in early June.

"It's a tall task to have it done in 60 days, let alone 90 days," Eldredge said. "But I'm really happy it's going as well as it is."

Originally from Redondo Beach, Martin moved to Sacramento six years ago with a career in mortgage banking. When the market burst, she followed her love of entertaining into the bar business. Four years ago she bought the Office Lounge at 1148 Fulton Ave.

"I've pretty much learned the bar business with the bar I own now, so I wanted to do something new," she said. "I bought the Office Lounge -- it was already there. This one is from the ground up, and it's exciting. I wanted to have a mechanical bull because I used to ride one myself when I lived in Los Angeles. I thought it would definitely be a hit in Sacramento."

Tentative opening hours are 11 a.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. on weekends. Closing hours have yet to be set.

Photos:

1) The mechanical bull to be installed in Bulls. Courtesy of Andrea Martin.

2) The patio of Bulls.

3) Interior renovations at Bulls.

4) Interior renovations at Bulls. The mechanical bull will be installed on the left side.

5) Bulls' logo. Courtesy of Andrea Martin.

Agnus-Dei Farrant is an intern for The Sacramento Press.

Shawn Eldredge For City Council District 3 Fundraiser Concert

2010-04-19T20:41:21Z

On April 17, 2010 Harlow's hosted a benefit concert for Shawn Eldredge who is running for City Council in Distrct 3(Midtown and East Sacramento)...

Featured artists were Punk Rock Icon Kevin Seconds(with his wife Allyson), Greenhouse(featuring Gene Smith from Kai Kln), A special reunion performance by Sacramento Blues greats The Chrome Addict's, Shotblast and headling the show to a young entranced and very enthusiastic crowd was up and coming "indie" Rockers Lite Brite.

To find out more more on Shawn Eldredge's positions on the issues go to www.shawneldredge.com or find him on facebook...

All photos Copyright Jay Spooner Photography

Former school board member competes for City Council seat

2010-04-08T05:12:43Z

Jay Schenirer’s City Council campaign has brought him face-to-face with Sacramento’s unemployed population.

Joblessness in District 5, which includes Oak Park and Colonial Heights, is “horrific,” Schenirer said.

The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June 8 election.

Schenirer (sha-NEER-ur), 53, is competing against four other candidates for Councilwoman Lauren Hammond’s seat. Hammond is running for Assemblyman Dave Jones' seat against Kevin McCarty, her colleague on the City Council. Roger Dickinson, a Sacramento County Supervisor, is also running for the seat.

Schenirer is an education policy consultant who has lived in Sacramento since 1981. He has made his home in Curtis Park for 20 of his 29 years in the city. The Curtis Park and Tahoe Park West neighborhoods are located in District 5.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, San Diego. Schenirer also holds a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Texas, Austin.

Big names in the philanthropy world, such as The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, are some of Schenirer’s clients.

Schenirer’s experience also includes the eight years he served as a local school board member. From 1996 to 2004, he was a member of the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Trustees. During four of the eight years, he was the board’s president.

He also worked in former Governor Gray Davis’ administration. From 2001 to 2003, he held the position of Assistant Secretary for Development and Planning at the Education Secretary’s office.

If elected, he said he wants to address unemployment in the district by creating working groups of small-business professionals. Schenirer said he would ask businesspeople how the city is helping or hindering their success. He said he would also approach small-business professionals for ideas on how to bring more small business to the city.

“I think as a council person, you have to be the No. 1 salesperson for your district,” he said.

Another of his goals on the City Council would be to focus on youth programs. He said he wants to see more “safe places” for young people to go after school and on weekends. Schenirer also said the city could connect young people with community-oriented activities and help them gain employment opportunities.

"And I think there's just huge potential for what the city could be doing to support young people's success," he said.

Relations between neighborhood leaders and city government are also on Schenirer’s agenda. “We are a city that’s really built on a rich history of neighborhood engagement at City Hall.”

He said he would work with neighborhood groups on a structured level through meetings, and informally. Schenirer said he wants to be a councilman who would be available on his cell phone to talk to neighbors.

Schenirer said he wants to create relationships with neighbors and listen to neighborhood concerns to "ensure that the people who are impacted most by the policies we make have a voice in those policies."

Recent campaign fund records show that Schenirer has raised $82,712. He is second in fundraising to Patrick Kennedy, who has raised $109,684. Terrence Johnson has raised $9,430. Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno said candidate Leticia Hilbert has raised less than $1,000. Henry Harry has $808 in his campaign.

District 1:
A story on District 1 candidate Angelique Ashby can be read here.
Learn about District 1 candidate Efren Guttierrez here.

District 3:
Read an article on District 3 candidate Shawn Eldredge here.
District 3 candidate Chris Little’s plans are outlined here.

District 5:
Candidate Terrence Johnson’s campaign is explained here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Oak Park business leader runs for District 5 seat

2010-04-03T03:18:37Z

Terrence Johnson said he wants Oak Park and surrounding South Sacramento neighborhoods to have more clout in City Council decision-making.

“I felt as though the (District 5) neighborhoods didn’t have a voice,” he said.

Johnson, 58, is one of five candidates competing for the seat held by Councilwoman Lauren Hammond. In addition to Oak Park, District 5 includes the neighborhoods of Curtis Park, Colonial Heights and Tahoe Park West.

The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June 8 election.

Johnson is a 20-year Sacramento resident and the executive director of the Oak Park Business Association and the Stockton Boulevard Partnership. He is chairman of the Redevelopment Advisory Committee of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency. Johnson is also a window installation contractor.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from California State University, Sacramento, in 1975.

Jobs and the economy are the most pressing issues in District 5, he said.

Johnson acknowledged the city’s budget gap — about $40 million — but said the district still needs to bring ideas for projects to the City Council. That way, when the city distributes funds, those projects can be considered.

He noted the city is focusing on some projects outside District 5, such as the planned downtown arena and entertainment center.

Johnson said he would continue to push for economic development in the district even if he does not win the City Council seat. The district has few job openings and has suffered because of the subprime mortgage foreclosure crisis, he added.

“The secondary mortgage market was like a bomb in the South Area,” Johnson said, adding that training for green jobs would help neighborhoods.

He has raised $9,430 for his campaign. Of District 5 candidates, Patrick Kennedy has raised the most money, $109, 684.

Jay Schenirer’s campaign has $82, 712, Henry Harry has $808 and Leticia Hilbert has raised less than $1,000, according to Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno.

An article about District 1 candidate Angelique Ashby can be found here. Information about District 1 candidate Efren Guttierrez's campaign is here. District 3 candidate Chris Little is profiled here. Read about District 1 candidate Shawn Eldredge here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council 2010: Realtor/community volunteer runs for District 3 seat

2010-03-27T02:08:53Z

City Council candidate Chris Little said his top goal as a council member would be to ensure that city business is transparent to the public.

The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June 8 election.

Little, 48, works as a Realtor in East Sacramento and is running for the District 3 seat held by Councilman Steve Cohn. The district includes neighborhoods in downtown, Midtown and East Sacramento.

Little, who is a third-generation Sacramentan, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon.

He is president of the East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and chairman of the American River Parkway Advisory Committee, which advises the county.

If elected, Little said one of his priorities will be fire and police services.

“We need to have levels of service that ... make people feel safe,” he said, “so they know when they call 911 they’re going to get a quick response.”

Little said the city also needs to consider how growth will affect public safety services, adding that new challenges in that arena will come with higher density and high-rise development.

Little said he wants Sacramento to become a sought-after location for medical education and training, and research and technology.

He praised the nursing programs at California State University, Sacramento, and local community colleges and pointed out that the University of California at Davis has an “excellent” medical school.

“As a Sacramento region, we can become, in effect, sort of a Silicon Valley of medicine,” he said. “And I’d like to see us push that as an economic engine."

On a different topic, Little said he wants to work with leaders in education to bring a high school to District 3.

“I think (District 3 neighbors) have a legitimate concern about ... where to send their children to school,” he said.

Of his race against an incumbent, Little said he would offer a “fresh perspective."

Little said he does not want to be a longtime City Council member, adding that he favors term limits. Incumbent Cohn is running for a fifth term.

Little's campaign has raised $19,710. Cohn has raised $78,372, the most money in the District 3 race. Building contractor Shawn Eldredge has raised $11,363 and Jeff Rainforth, an employee of Best Buy, has not raised any money.

Read about Eldredge here. An article about District 1 candidate Angelique Ashby can be found here. Information about District 1 candidate Efren Guttierrez' campaign is here.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

DeVere's is Balding

2010-03-17T02:22:07Z

De Vere's Irish Pub held its inaugural St. Baldrick's event Monday, raising more than $81,000 for cancer research, $10,000 of which came from De Vere's.

The pub's roped-off sidewalk was packed with spectators trying to get a glimpse of local participants shaving their locks to conquer kids' cancer. De Vere's had 221 shavees lined up for their turn to get snipped.

Publicly displayed on the patio, shavees winced when they felt the cold steel clippers reach deep down to the scalp. The participants' reactions caused perpetual laughter, since there was a four-barber-rotation, and each head took only a minute to shave.

The crowd stirred when Shawn Eldredge, a City Council candidate for District 3, stepped up and removed his two-foot-long surfer-style hair. After the shocking transformation, many audience members turned to each other and commented, "I think he looks pretty good."

Other well-known Sacramentans included Chief Executive Steve Hammond of the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, restaurant owner Patrick Mulvaney and The Sacramento Press' own Sonny Mayugba. The shavees all seemed to have a sense of humor, and possibly a couple pints, to manage the onlooking crowd and media.

The St. Baldrick's Foundation has 621 events scheduled this year. Robyn Raphael, CEO and founder of the Keaton Raphael Memorial, was responsible for the events downtown and in the Roseville Galleria Mall, which produced almost 400 Shavees in only four hours and raised $96,000.

In memory of her son, Robyn Raphael created the Keaton Raphael Memorial and has so far raised more than $1 million to finding a cure for cancer. Raphael first met the three founders of the St. Balrdrick's Foundation in Washington, D.C., where they were being honored for their accomplishments. After the event, she spoke with the St. Baldrick's founders and discovered that the foundation was born out of a bet during a round of golf. In 2000, three Irish insurance executives wagered they could raise $17,000 for charity by the 17th of March, or else they would shave their heads.

More than $100,000 was raised, but the three shaved their heads anyways and started the St. Baldrick's Foundation that has thus far raised more than $74 million. Raphael was challenged to raise $30,000 or shave her head. A contract was even created on a nearby cocktail napkin, which Raphael signed and still has today.

2010 marked Raphael's first year hosting the St. Baldrick's Event in Sacramento and the eighth year in Roseville. In 2003, she shaved her head, and for two years straight had to explain why her hair was so short -- ; what Raphael called a "kind of awareness you can't buy."

For more information on upcoming events and foundations, check out Keaton Raphael Memorial at www.childcancer.org and The St. Baldrick's Foundation at www.stbaldricks.org

Photos by Tia Gemmell

Riverview Media Photography

phototia.com

Election money: Understanding the city's public financing program

2010-03-04T05:56:01Z

For the past six years, $300,000 in city funds has remained untouched. The city currently has that amount in its public financing pot for City Council and mayoral candidates to use in their campaigns, according to Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno.

But Rick Bettis, an active member of the Sacramento County League of Women Voters, said he thinks that many people don’t know the city’s public financing money exists.

“It doesn’t really jump out at you,” Bettis said.

Since the public fund was set up in 2003, only one candidate has used the money, according to Mizuno. In 2004, Craig DeLuz, a City Council candidate in District 2, used about $17,000 in public campaign funds, Mizuno said.

In Bettis’ view, public financing takes campaigns “out of the hands of the big contributors.”

Common Cause and the League of Women Voters urged the city years ago to set up the fund and enact other campaign finance and public disclosure measures, Bettis said.

Mizuno noted that the city has kept $300,000 in its public finance pot each year since it was established, with the exception of 2008. That year, a portion of the funds were used to pay for some of the city’s election costs, Mizuno said. But no one qualified for public financing in 2008, she said, which meant that it was not being used.

How does the city’s public financing program work?

A City Council candidate needs to follow specific criteria to use the public funds. The candidate must abide by an $88,000 spending cap, engage in one public meeting and turn in certain forms. In addition, the candidate is told to gather $7,500 for his or her campaign, according to the city’s guide to public campaign funds. In order for a candidate to use funds, his or her opponent needs to also be eligible to use public money.

A City Council candidate can receive as much as $35,200 in public matching funds for his or her campaign, according to the city document.

The amounts for mayoral candidates differ from the figures above.

Read the city’s guide to the public financing process here.

What is the fate of the program?

The city’s public financing fund has been in local headlines lately because Councilman Steve Cohn has raised the idea of putting the money toward other uses. The city is facing a $35 million-$40 million budget deficit for the 2010/2011 fiscal year, according to a Feb. 11 report.

Cohn’s comment about diverting the funds raised the ire of building contractor Shawn Eldredge, who is opposing Cohn in the City Council race for District 3. Eldredge noted in a Feb. 20 press release that he wants to use the public money. Real estate broker Chris Little is also running for the District 3 seat.

Cohn said in a Feb. 26 Sacramento Bee story that he did not know Eldredge intended to use the funds.

Photo of Shawn Eldredge by David Watts Barton.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Council Election: Money from outside the county

2010-02-22T03:29:49Z

All but four of 13 candidates running for a City Council seat in June received campaign contributions from sources outside Sacramento County from July to December 2009. It also should be noted that many of the candidates have received numerous contributions from individuals and groups in Sacramento.

To provide information about contributions to candidates from sources outside the county, The Sacramento Press has prepared the following guide. The following contributions were made to candidates between July 1 and Dec. 31.

DISTRICT 1

Angelique Ashby, City Council candidate

Top outside contributions:

Lewis Investment Company, Upland: $500
James Milliken, retired Superior Court judge, San Diego: $200
Ernest Aglipay, faculty member, California State University, at East Bay, San Jose: $150

Efren Guttierrez, City Council candidate

Guttierrez did not receive any contributions from sources outside the county.

Ray Tretheway, City Council incumbent

Top outside contributions:

Plumbers & Steamfitters Local No. 467, Burlingame: $5,000
AT&T California Employee Political Action Committee, San Francisco: $2,500
United Association Journeyman Plumbers and Steamfitters Local No. 343, Vallejo: $2,500
California Real Estate Political Action Committee, Los Angeles: $2,500

DISTRICT 3

Steve Cohn, City Council incumbent

Top outside contributions:

California Real Estate Political Action Committee / Board of Realtors Political Action Committee, Los Angeles: $2,500
James Bright, partner at Bright & Brown, La Canada: $1,500
Maureen Bright, partner at Bright & Brown, La Canada: $1,500
Fourth Quarter Properties 100, L1, Newnan, GA: $1,500

Shawn Eldredge, City Council candidate

Eldredge did not receive any contributions from sources outside the county.

Chris Little, City Council candidate

Top outside contributions:

Joe Reeves, chief executive officer of Smile Business Products, Roseville: $500
Stan Huser, executive at Karis Corp., El Dorado: $250
Kenneth Hammill, Jr., contractor, Woodland: $100
Scott Yuill, insurance agent, Rocklin: $100
John Appelbaum, attorney, Roseville: $100

DISTRICT 5

Henry Harry, City Council candidate

Harry did not receive any contributions from sources outside the county.

Terrence Johnson, City Council candidate

Johnson did not receive any contributions from sources outside the county.

Patrick Kennedy, City Council candidate

Top outside contributions:

Pipe Trades District Council #36 Political Action Committee, Fresno: $5,000
Plumbers & Steamfitters Local No. 467 Political Action Fund, Burlingame: $5,000
Southern California Pipe Trades District Council #16 Political Action Committee, Los Angeles: $5,000
U.A. Local #246 Plumbers & Fitters COPE Committee, Fresno: $5,000
United Association Journeyman Plumbers & Steamfitters Local No. 343 Political Action Committee, Vallejo: $5,000

Jay Schenirer, City Council candidate

Top outside contributions:

AT&T California Employee Political Action Committee, San Francisco: $3,000
Eli Broad, founder of The Broad Foundation, Los Angeles: $1,500
Genentech, South San Francisco: $1,000

DISTRICT 7

Ryan Chin, City Council candidate

Top outside contributions:

Chin received $1,500 contributors from several individuals and organizations outside of the county. Here are three:

Janet Louie, administration assistant, San Bruno
Phillip Lee, unemployed, Cupertino
Jone Lau, Realtor, San Francisco

Darrell Fong, City Council candidate

Top outside contributions:

VOICE, San Francisco: $2,000
Barry Azarcon, insurance broker, Auburn: $1,000
Ronald Vanderbeek, auto dealer, Granite Bay: $750

Robbie Waters, City Council incumbent

Top outside contributions:

AT&T California, San Francisco: $3,000
California Real Estate Political Action Committee, Los Angeles: $2,500

Waters received several contributions of $1,500 from organizations and individuals outside of Sacramento County. Here are three:

Chevron Corp., Concord
USA Hospitality Inc., El Dorado Hills
Kern Schumacher, owner of A&K Railroad Materials Inc., Incline Village, NV

Photo by Anthony Bento.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Following the money: City Council campaign contributions

2010-02-15T19:31:00Z

The Sacramento Press is reviewing campaign contributions for the candidates in June's City Council race. Here is a breakdown of the main contributions to the candidates in Districts 1 and 3 from July to December 2009. The July to December figures provide the most recent information on campaign contributions for City Council candidates.

Look for the list of key contributors for Districts 5 and 7 on Tuesday in The Sacramento Press.

DISTRICT 1

Angelique Ashby, City Council candidate

Total monetary contributions for 2009: $26,452

Top five contributors, July to December 2009:

Sacramento Police Officers Association: $2,550
Ken Stevenson, auditor: $1,500
Molly Fling, retiree: $1,500
Shandra Arredondo, homemaker: $1,500
Sacramento County Probation Association PAC: $1,000

Efren Guttierrez, City Council candidate

Monetary contributions for 2009: $100

Single contribution in 2009:

Crescent Vellucci, self-employed: $100

Ray Tretheway, City Council incumbent

Total monetary contributions for 2009: $79,278

Top five contributors, July to December 2009:

California State Pipe Trades Council PAC: $5,000
Plumbers & Steamfitters Local No. 467: $5,000
California Real Estate PAC: $2,500
United Association Journeyman Plumbers and Steamfitters Local No. 343: $2,500
AT&T California Employee PAC: $2,500

DISTRICT 3

Shawn Eldredge, City Council candidate

Total monetary contributions for 2009: $2,275

Top contributors, July to December 2009:

Friends of Joe Canciamilla for Attorney General 2010: $750
Heller Pacific, Inc.: $500
Tom Kurowski, clinical social worker: $300
Bobbin Mulvaney, caterer, restaurant owner: $250

Eldredge received $100 each from the following contributors from July to December 2009:

Marsha Tipton, office manager
Law Offices of Lori D. Calvert
Leslie Hill, personnel specialist
Celine Donaldson, research program specialist

Chris Little, City Council candidate

Total monetary contributions for 2009: $11,975

Top contributors, July to December 2009:

Phyllis Hayashi, real estate agent: $1,500
Robert Eddleman, retired: $1,000
Greg Levi, real estate broker: $1,000

Little received $500 each from the following contributors from July to December 2009:

James Hastings, retired
Michael Yates, insurance broker
Melanie Conover, real estate agent
Joan Gann, retired
Timothy Mickiewicz, dentist
Denny Powell, administrator
Joe Reeves, CEO of Smile Business Products

Steve Cohn, City Council incumbent

Total monetary contributions for 2009: $50,585

Top contributor:

California Real Estate PAC and Board of Realtors PAC: $2,500

Cohn received 16 contributions totaling $1,500 each from July to December 2009:

A. Teichert & Son, Inc.
Alleghany Properties LLC
James Bright, partner at Bright & Brown
Maureen Bright, partner at Bright & Brown
C.F.Y. Development, Inc.
Chesapeake Investment Co. LLC
Law Offices of Remy, Thomas, Moose and Manley, LLP
Law Offices of Tina A. Thomas
Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc
Diepenbrock Harrison, A Professional Corporation
Fourth Quarter Properties 100, L1
Hurley Construction, Inc.
Paragary Family Trust
Sacramento Natural Gas Storage, LLC
Taylor & Wiley, A Professional Corporation
Yellow Cab Co. of Sacramento

Councilman Steve Cohn announces 2010 goals

2010-01-07T06:04:52Z

While Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn expects dismal budget numbers for the city this year, he also thinks the local economy will begin to heal.

In an interview about his goals for 2010, Cohn said the city budget will be his top priority. He said he doesn’t yet know a specific number for the city’s possible budget deficit this year, but he expects the figures to be daunting. The Sacramento City Council made major cuts to services last year to address a $50 million deficit.

“In general, despite the tough economy, I’m actually very optimistic about the future,” Cohn said. “So I feel like we’re going to see things start to turn around in 2010.”

Cohn said he expects job opportunities to appear toward the end of the year. Though he has an optimistic view of what the year will bring, he said city leaders must be “very careful” about how they spend money.

Cohn, whose district includes Downtown, Midtown and East Sacramento, is running for re-election in the June City Council race. Since his term ends in late November, he noted that the re-election outcome would not impede his progress with his goals this year.

Cohn is running against building contractor and former mayoral candidate Shawn Eldredge and real estate businessman Christopher Little.

When budget time comes around in May, Cohn will be looking at public safety.

“Public safety is obviously the most significant thing that we do,” he said.

Cohn noted that the city’s reserves are nearly dried up. The city will need to guarantee that its expenses align with its revenues, he said.

Cohn does not want to lower funding for the police and fire departments: “It’s hard for me to see how we can cut police and fire any more than we already have," he said. "That's not to say that somebody can’t come up with creative suggestions for how to better deploy our resources, and so we look to our police chief and fire chief for ideas.”

After the budget, the transportation project at the Sacramento Valley Station is Cohn’s second highest priority for the year. The outcome of the three-phase project will be a new regional transportation complex. A key part of the first-phase of the project, which will cost an estimated $60 million, is relocating railroad tracks.

The city plans to put construction work out to bid and start building this year, Cohn said.

“The first phase is the most critical because it allows not only for the station to be expanded so it can handle all those different forms of rail and transit that come through there, but also to allow the development to occur in the Railyards,” he said.

The project is being paid for by federal, state and local sales tax revenues that go toward transportation projects. None of the city’s general fund money is going toward the project, Cohn noted.

The councilman’s third goal for the year will be to finish a set of enhancements to Sutter’s Landing Park at 28th and B streets in Midtown. The improvements should make the former dump feel more like a real park, Cohn said.

“Obviously, right now, it still has a little bit of the feel of the city dump that it used to be,” he said.

Cohn’s top three priorities for 2010 are among dozens of goals he laid out in a his 2010 State of the District Report. Read the full list of Cohn’s goals on page three of the report.

Photos by Anthony Bento.

Staff reporter Suzanne Hurt contributed to this story. Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

City Council 2010: How to follow the money

2009-11-06T04:53:29Z

It’s election season in Sacramento — do you know how to follow the money in the 2010 City Council campaigns? You can get the scoop on campaign contributions through the city of Sacramento’s Online Campaign Statement System.

The system, which is free and open to the public, provides information on contributions to City Council candidates.

Assistant City Clerk Stephanie Mizuno gave tips Thursday on navigating the online system.

In the past, Mizuno said, the public would have to appear in person to request campaign information. “In this case, you can do it at home, at your computer.”

There is a link to the online system at the city clerk’s website under the heading “Elections & Campaigns.” Click on the link titled “Online Campaign Statement System.”

That goes to a page with the following heading: “Welcome to the City of Sacramento Electronic Filing System.” Here, is the “Public Access Portal.”

Click on the “Get Started Now” link at the Public Access Portal.

This will take you to a page with a heading that reads: “Welcome to the City of Sacramento Public Portal for Campaign Finance Disclosure.”At the bottom of this page is a heading titled “Browse Candidates & Measures by Election.”

To learn about campaign contributions for the June 8, 2010 election, click on the plus sign for the heading titled “06/08/2010 Primary Election.” Then, click on the plus sign next to the heading titled “Candidates.” You can now click on plus signs for the four City Council districts.

You’ll see the following candidates for City Council District 1: Angelique Ashby, Lisa Kaplan and Ray Tretheway. The candidates under the “City Council D3” heading are Steve Cohn and Shawn Eldredge.

City Council District District 5 shows seven candidates: Kasey Cotulla, Lauren Hammond, Henry Harry, Terrence Johnson, Patrick Kennedy, Jameel Pugh and Jay Schenirer.

The four candidates listed under the heading for City Council District 7 are Ryan Chin, Darrell Fong, John Puente and Robbie Waters.

You can click on the names of each candidate to learn about their campaign contributions.

For example, if you click on "Angelique Ashby," you’ll arrive at a page that shows the forms Ashby has filed. Ashby is a partner in a consulting firm that contracts with government agencies and businesses.

Click on the word “View” for Ashby’s Form 460. You’ll be taken to a 10-page PDF document that lists her contributors and the amounts they gave. For example, you can read that retired Davis resident Patricia Grafton contributed $1,500 to Ashby’s campaign.

The 460 forms “are the ones you want to watch for,” Mizuno said. “Those are the ones that have detail in them.”

Other critical information on Form 460 includes the candidate’s contributions, expenditures, current cash statement, cash equivalents and debts. For example, Ashby received $10,274 in contributions from Jan. 1 to June 30. Her ending cash balance for that period was $9,220.26.

Five of the candidates don’t have 460 forms in the online system. Mizuno explained that those candidates opened their campaign committee after July 1, which means their deadline for the 460 forms is Jan. 31. Look for 460 forms in January from Darrell Fong, Jameel Pugh, Steve Cohn, Shawn Eldredge and Henry Harry.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

District 3: Shawn Eldredge to run against Steve Cohn

2009-10-24T01:53:36Z

A Johnny Cash tune playing in the background, Midtown activist and former mayoral candidate Shawn Eldredge announced Friday that he is running for the 3rd District seat on the City Council held by Steve Cohn. Communities in the district include downtown, East Sacramento, Midtown and Arden Fair.

Eldredge, a building contractor, took a break from a construction project at the MARRS building in Midtown to talk about his plans. Last year, he lost the race for mayor to Kevin Johnson.

If elected to the City Council, Eldredge said his priorities would be “clean and safe” issues, noting that business growth is linked to people feeling comfortable in their environment. Business growth and development are key to generating tax revenue for city services such as police work and garbage pickup, he said.

The 44-year-old Midtown resident said he wants Sacramento residents to take pride in their city. “I think it’s time to be rock stars and not be scared."

Eldredge, who grew up in Carmichael and attended La Sierra High School, stressed the importance of stewardship and accountability. “Everybody needs to trust,” he said. “Let’s hope a non-politician like myself can instill that in city government.”

Eldredge also said he thinks businesses are “more than willing” to partner with neighbors to address issues caused by business growth.

He will be running against incumbent Cohn, who has held the 3rd District seat since 1994. “He’s done good work for us for a long time,” Eldredge said of Cohn, adding that he walked precincts for him in 2006.

Eldredge said he wants to see a “new energy” on the City Council. He called for new council members without giving any names.

“We have an awesome city and I think it’s time to behave like one," Eldredge said.

Photo by David Watts Barton.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

The Bloc Concert Series canceled

2009-07-03T02:54:02Z

The Bloc Concert Series has been canceled.

Paragary marketing director Callista Wengler confirmed today that the series will not continue. It was scheduled to run the last Saturday of each month through September.

The Paragary Restaurant Group organized the and ran the first two concerts to earn money for the Marshall Park Fountain Fund Committee.

"We'd love to keep doing it, but it's just really expensive, and the costs were just way more than was expected," Wengler said. "The synergy between the outdoor space and the restaurants makes a great entertainment venue for people."

Problems such as a lack of communication and organization began before the concert's debut on May 30, the same day as Midfest. The first concert had been held in conjunction with Midfest, which led to obstacles in obtaining a special events permit.

"It sucks. It really does suck," said MBA Board Member Shawn Eldredge. "I'd like to have as many events as I can possibly attend."

Eldredge has long supported Midtown events at Neighborhood Advisory Group (NAG) meetings. In one instance, he and 17 Midtown residents attended a NAG meeting to show more support for Midtown events.

He created a Facebook group entitled "We Live Here Too" whose mission is to support the active nightlife and urban lifestyle in Midtown and Downtown.

Bill Burgua, chair of the Marshall School/New Era Park Neighborhood Association said better planning would make future events more successful.

"I don't think the neighborhood is going to be that sad," he said. "We're not against events, [as long as] they have a well spelled-out policy [and] a designated limit on numbers of events."

Burgua said they have had success working with the city for a jazz event at Grant Park.

"Hopefully down the road when the economy gets better we can try it again," Wengler said.

Residents divided over Midtown's commercial popularity

2009-06-16T05:36:53Z

Does the neighborhood association that represents Midtown reflect the opinions of most Midtown residents?

Shawn Eldredge doesn’t think so.

Eldredge, a construction contractor and former candidate for mayor, brought 17 residents with him to a Neighborhood Advisory Group (NAG) meeting Monday to make the point that Midtown includes residents who support the events, festivals and entertainment being held in the neighborhood.

Eldredge said that in the last 10 years, he’s been the “lone voice” at NAG meetings in favor of Midtown and downtown as locations for public events and businesses. He noted that he was not trying to be confrontational with NAG members, saying that he was not trying to launch “an invasion” of the meeting.

But he said that the group does not reflect the views of those who back public events in the neighborhood.

His decision to bring out neighbors who also approve of Midtown as a site for public gatherings was spurred by a recent controversy among neighbors over Midfest, a festival held at Marshall Park.

Eldredge said he has asked city staffers to reach out into the Midtown community to bring more supporters of Midtown events to NAG meetings.

Bill Burgua, the meeting’s facilitator, said he welcomed Eldredge and his accompanying group to the NAG meeting.

Burgua offered a view of NAG that differed from Eldredge’s view. Burgua said that NAG was “assisted by” the city, but is not an arm of the city. The commercial popularity of Midtown could harm the“livability” of the neighborhood, Burgua said after the meeting.

Midtown is a “residential area,” he said.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.