A recommendation to renew Stockton Boulevard property and business improvement district was initiated Tuesday at the Sacramento City Council meeting. The renewal, if approved, means the district will be able to exist and continue the work they are doing. According to a city staff report approval of this resolution will allow for time and place for the public hearing on the renewal of the district, proposed assessment and notices to be mailed to all property owners in that district. Originally, the renewal had been scheduled for every five years, and now it is being requested for a 10-year term instead so they can continue to do more, Terrence Johnson, executive director of Stockton Boul

If you want to enjoy tasty Chinese cuisine in Sacramento, a quick Google search will give you dozens of options. If, however, you want to enjoy Chinese cuisine made fresh by a proprietor that makes it a point to give back to the local community, you should try Louie’s on the corner of Broadway and Stockton Boulevard. Recently, while sitting down with business owner Frank Louie at his restaurant, I was taken aback at his desire not only to produce healthy and delicious food, but to increase commerce in and improve the opinion of the surrounding community as a whole. “We have to change the perception of Stockton Boulevard and Oak Park.” Louie told me emphatically. “So much attention is sp

The City of Sacramento along with the Greater Sacramento Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce and Stockton Boulevard Partnership hosted a business walk Thursday. The walk focused on businesses located in the “Little Saigon” area of South Stockton, which runs from Florin Road to Fruitridge Road. The city’s Economic Development Business Visit Program serves to check on the needs of businesses and to connect them with the proper resources so they can flourish. Terrence Johnson, the executive director of the Stockton Boulevard Partnership said the focus is to address the issues affecting businesses. The Little Saigon district is home to many small businesses, particularly Southeast Asia

The monthly Oak Park Neighborhood Association Meeting for January was packed with more than 50 citizens ready to debate the merits of a proposed McDonald's Restaurant to be built in their neighborhood. The meeting, which was moderated by Paul Towers, vice president of the OPNA, also had in attendance Kim Garrett, a representative for McDonald's, and Patrick Diffley, a member of the McDonald's construction team. Garrett and Diffley were stocked with data promoting potential benefits to the surrounding area should the proposed McDonald's be constructed. Some of those benefits included: * The development of a lot that has been vacant for years * The addition of approximately 128 jobs to the

The Harlem Rent Party and Fish Fry will celebrate the music, art, dance and poetry of the Harlem Renaissance Saturday inside Master Barber and Beauty Shop. Jazz bassist and orchestra conductor Harley White Jr. will team up with poet Justin Desmangles and artist Milton Bowens to showcase their talents to entertain and educate on different cultural elements that spawned from the Harlem Renaissance. “We’re talking about the time period from the end of World War I to the beginning of World War II,” White said. “But we’re not only talking about the Harlem Renaissance. We’re talking about the forces that led to it and more importantly all the art and culture after it.” The orchestra will play

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

Several months ago I had the opportunity to discuss with Vice Mayor Lauren Hammond the concept of an opportunity site study for re-use ideas on the Stockton Blvd. commercial corridor.  She verbalized a concept targeting a large amount of vacant land centrally located on Stockton Blvd within the city limits.  Subsequent conversations with representatives of SHRA, city council and the Stockton Blvd Partnership resulted in outreach to the Urban Land Institute for a collaborative study of the opportunity site.  A panel of distinguished representatives of The National Urban Land Institute (ULI) arrived and was welcomed to Sacramento Sunday evening. The ULI panel was commissioned to provide th