Sacramento State’s University Union UNIQUE Programs, Student Health & Counseling Services, and Active Minds are pleased to announce The Vagina Monologues at the Sacramento State University Union Ballroom at 7:30 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012. Eve Ensler, a playwright and feminist, wrote The Vagina Monologues. The monologues are a compilation of Ensler’s interviews with hundreds of women on their views and experiences of sex, relationships, and violence and cover issues of intimacy, vulnerability, and sexual self-discovery. Sac State’s production will include only student actresses reciting the dialogues. The Vagina Monologues are part of V-Day, a global activist movement to end violenc

Whatever your particular creed or faith, most people regard this time of year as a season of peace — a time to reflect, count blessings, maybe offer a little prayer for better days ahead. We suffer the coarseness and indignities of a saturated consumer market to enjoy the time with family and friends, and work for better days in our communities. That is why it was so appalling that a recent trip to an area Sam’s Club for supplies for a holiday party became an occasion for outrage. Sam’s Club (a division of Walmart) often has vendors set up special displays of merchandise that might not be part of its regular lineup of products. Megawine Inc., a liquor distributor from Van Nuys, had an ent

Q: I am in an abusive relationship. It isn't ALL the time, but it does happen sometimes. I know the obvious answer would be to break up with him and leave, but I don't really feel like it is that simple. On one hand, he has made references to being really angry if I ever leave him. On the other hand, we do have a good relationship most of the time. I dream of being in a happy relationship, but I don't know how to create one. You know that saying, "I have come too far to go back now"? That is how I feel. I don't know if I will ever have the courage to stand up for myself and walk away. A: Let me just first say that you have never gone too far to walk away from someone who does not respe

Sacramento, CA | Fists and bottles fly early Saturday morning at Parlare Euro Lounge, leaving one person in serious condition. Just around midnight Saturday, a fight started at the Parlare Euro Lounge on the corner of 10th and J Streets in downtown Sacramento. “The fight spilled out from the club into the street. One of the security guards was hit in the head with a bottle, subsequently fought with the original suspect who in turn, turned and fought with another suspect who was also hit with a bottle,” Sargent Wendy Brown, Sacramento Police Department stated. Later the area was deemed a tapped off crime scene with CSI collecting evidence and photos as one of the injured person’s conditi

Sacramento, CA | Friends were saying good-bye for the evening downtown when shots rang out and two people were injured. As friends were enjoying the wonderful evening air outside Capitol Garage early Saturday morning and getting ready to part ways, a black male wearing a hoody walked by and shot into the crowed, per Sargent Wendy Brown of the Sacramento Police Department. Brown stated that two women were struck by the shooters bullets. One sustained a significant gunshot wound to the leg while the other woman was grazed in the leg. They were transported to the hospital via paramedics. “We are assuming the women were not the intended targets. There were no problems going on at the club,”

When buildings become slums and havens for gangs, prostitution and drug use, a little-known city program can force landowners to clean them up or – in extreme cases – be evicted. The Justice for Neighbors program began in 2006 and allows multiple departments – including police, code enforcement, the city attorney’s office and park rangers – to focus their efforts on some of the worst slumlords and dangerous properties in the city, resolving an average of 17 cases per year. “Essentially, it’s a public and social nuisance (enforcement) team,” said Gustavo Martinez, supervising deputy city attorney. “We meet every month and evaluate the worst security issues.” Property owners are required

Midtown, Sacramento, CA | A drunk and violent male gets chased down, pepper sprayed and apprehended by a Lavender Angel. Friday night, a drunk subject smashed the back window of a car in the back lot of Hot Rods near 20th St. and K St. in Midtown. Ashley with the Lavender Angels chased, pepper sprayed and apprehended the perp on 22nd St between J st and K st. after the perp took several swings at her and attempted to take her cell phone while she was contacting police. Sacramento police officers arrived and took the unruly male into custody. While in the back of the police car the subject started kicking and spitting. Officers had to place a hood over his head and strapped him down. Par

The key to successful and safe hip hop events in Sacramento is to focus on the music, an expert panel said Tuesday. Sacramento needs club owners and promoters to give hip hop artists doing good music a chance – working together rationally to overcome stereotypes or solve problems. What the city doesn't need is people who bring turf wars or personal drama into clubs, said hip hop artists, promoters and a historian gathered at the Crest Theatre. One panelist, rapper B-Smoove, acknowledged that problems can arise if gang enemies who normally don't cross paths suddenly wind up at the same club. He’s established a reputation for hosting problem-free hip hop nights by reminding his audiences t

A handful of people attended Tuesday’s City Council meeting to comment on Second Saturday Art Walk issues in light of the shooting death of a 24-year-old after last weekend’s event.  While the death of Victor Hugo Perez Zavala outside of a J Street bar has attracted extensive media attention in the past few days, only four people commented on Second Saturday issues at the City Council meeting. Local artist Susan Rabinovitz said the art walk has become “a tragedy.” She suggested that the city hold the art walk from 4-7 p.m. Midtown resident Vivian Gerlach said the art walk should continue, but the “after-party” should be better controlled. Photo by Suzanne Hurt. Local media outlets have

Sacramento Police said Monday that gang violence led to a fatal shooting within a crowd gathered outside a Midtown bar after a Second Saturday Art Walk. Police presence was stepped up Saturday, and for the first time, officers enforced the 10 p.m. curfew for minors, which coincides with the art event's official closing time. But the killing early Sunday has pressed city and business leaders to find additional ways to address growing concerns rather than end the popular event. On Saturday, 20 Sacramento police officers and at least eight undercover officers from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control worked to combat underage drinking and public partying or "tailgating,"

Organization leaders, educators, youth advisers and concerned parents met Tuesday at the Pannell Meadowview Community Center to hear Rayford Johnson speak on gang violence and the "thug" mentality. About 40 audience members came in from all over the Sacramento area to be a part of this presentation. This workshop was part two of six of the "Addressing Thug Life" workshop series held by the city of Sacramento and Faith Leaders Initiative. Johnson is a photojournalist-turned-youth correctional adviser. He is also a licensed minister, author of the book, Thug Mentality Exposed, and director of the anti-gang initiative website, thugexposed.org. Having spent time with inmates in California'

  Sacramento, CA- Friday, in the very early morning hours, a bar argument ends with one shot by security officer.   Early Friday morning, an argument with multiple patrons began in the American Spirit Bar at 3270 Northgate Blvd. Witnesses stated that the bouncer succeeded in getting the disturbance moved outside in the small strip mall. From his patrol car in the parking lot, the private security sergeant, from Northern California Impeccable Security, saw what was happening and moved in to assist. Per the security officer, when he moved to break up the disturbance, one of the subjects engaged him in a physical altercation. As the security officer wrestled the subject to the ground and

Police sirens are heard in my city as often as a declining pulse in the E.R. and most of the time one has something to do with the other. The police have become the most powerful gang in America. Sheriffs are like mighty tyrants and their reign of terror is looked over because unlike most gangs they have a secret weapon, a secret identity... their badge. Badges enable the police to do as they will, and trust, they will. Once you're in the system hope is almost well — hopeless. A record is like an infection that spreads until it consumes you or destroys you and that is the mission statement of Sac PD's war on gangs, to destroy them. Americans today have been brainwashed to believe all pe