The River Cats won against visiting Storm Chasers, 9-4, in last night's game at Raley Field. The home team had an early lead with 2-0 in the first inning. In the second inning Storm Chasers came back and took the lead 4-3. By the fourth inning, it was a tied ball game at 4-4. With five errors from the Storm Chasers, and an incredible performance by the River Cats with all but one making a hit, the latter won with a lead of 9-4. Here are photos from the exciting game:

The Center for Spiritual Awareness (CSA), local church and community center, announced today the appointment of acclaimed Bay Area musician Jacqueline “Jacqui” Hairston as Choir Director. Hairston will be officially welcomed during her choral performance debut leading CSA’s New Thought Gospel Choir on Sunday, May 6.  “We are absolutely delighted to have an award-winning composer, arranger, pianist, music educator, and vocal coach of Jacqui Hairston’s magnitude joining us,” said CSA’s Senior Minister Reverend Georgia Prescott. “Music plays a huge role in our church. With Jacqui directing our choir, people will open their hearts --which opens the door for me to speak to their minds.” Hairs

The Sacramento River Cats organization is hiring for about 200 stadium jobs starting next week, and unlike previous years, this year’s jobs are being filled online – not at a job fair. “There’s a wide variety of positions we’re hiring for,” said River Cats spokesman Nick Lozito. “They’re all positions that involve interaction with our fans, so we’re looking for people who are friendly and people who can help maintain what we’ve created here.” Positions include grounds crew, ticket sales, in-game promotions crew, kid’s corner attendants and parking attendants. Applicants don’t need to be experts on baseball, but they must be at least 18 years old, Lozito said. Before hiring, applicants w

The Elk Grove Force beat the Sacramento Donkey Fong, 33-23 in the final match, making Elk Grove the first champion of the annual Jumpstart 21 Hoops and Alley Oops Regional Celebrity Basketball Tournament. There were more than 250 attendants watching the game Monday afternoon at the Sacramento Asian Sports Foundation basketball arena in Elk Grove. In the final match, Former Monarch Danielle Viglione of the Sacramento Donkey Fong injured her left ankle as she went for a rebound early in the game. In the last six minutes of the game, another Sacramento Donkey Fong player was injured: Rolland Foley III, 20, a Sacramento City College student, injured his knee. "I'm sad for my teammate

The National Basketball Association might still be in a lockout, but the Sacramento region is set to have a celebrity basketball tournament Nov 14. where eight teams representing Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Elk Grove, Roseville, West Sacramento, Rocklin, Citrus Heights and Sacramento are participating for a fundraising event. The Jumpstart 21 Hoops and Alley Oops Regional Celebrity Basketball Tournament is a three-on-three half-court basketball tournament fundraising event held by the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce (SACC). The proceeds will benefit Jumpstart 21, a workforce development and internship placement program by the SACC for young adults recently out of the foster care

The family-owned Capitol Bowl bowling alley in West Sacramento is finishing the last details of an extensive renovation that began in April, and owner Ross Amin said the 55-year-old business feels fresh and new. A grand reopening was held Oct. 14, and final details, such as the installation of booths in the new restaurant space, will be completed in the next few weeks. During the renovation, the business was able to stay open. “Anybody who comes here now, the first thing they say is ‘wow,’ ” Amin said Wednesday. “It’s more efficient, we can use all our space, and we can really hold a lot of birthday parties and family events now.” The $600,000 project features a redesigned lobby that sa

The City Council unanimously gave the go-ahead for a feasibility study of seven potential river crossing locations Tuesday and accepted a definition for “neighborhood-friendly bridge” that will set the parameters for design of those bridges. “This has been a long time coming for both communities,” West Sacramento Mayor Chris Cabaldon said at the Sacramento City Council meeting. “We obsess about the boundaries between the two cities, but the economic vitality, cultural vitality and the urban agenda for both of our communities will be enhanced by being better connected.” Location details of potential river crossings can be found here. There are currently three major bridges crossing the r

Folk/country singer Iris Dement played a solo show at the Center for Spiritual Awareness (CSA) Event Center in West Sacramento Thursday night with Jay Shaner opening. Dement played such crowd favorites as "Our Town"  "Our House" from her Grammy-nominated My Life album released in 1994. Accompanying herself on piano and acoustic guitar, Dement's distinctive high-lonesome warble relayed plaintive songs of heartbreak and hard times. Her stage presence is warm and self-deprecating, with a sly humor. At one point she remarked about the venue: "I'm not sure how much more awareness I want," and that she might have enough (spiritual awareness) as it is. This writer would tend to agree.

The warm voice of Sara Bareilles welcomed fans to Thursday night’s show at Raley Field. Bareilles seemed at home here in Sacramento, perhaps due to the proximity to her hometown of Eureka. There was an extra bounce in her step as she sang away to the ballpark stands, the smell of hotdogs wafting in the air. She let fans hear, “Love Song,” early on, which made everyone happy, and followed up soon after with “Many the Miles.” Throughout her performance, Bareilles really took liberties with the sound and tempo for both old and new material. She also informed the audience that she had spent all of Wednesday filming the music video for “Gonna Get Over You,” her newest single, which she then pe

The Incredible Machine Tour, featuring Sugarland paired with one of several other artists, has already been tried and tested. Earlier this month, the band witnessed a tragic accident at the Indiana State Fair when high winds knocked down portions of the stage, killing six and injuring many others. After almost a week off, Sugarland members Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush turned back to their music for comfort. According to the Associated Press, their show in Albuquerque, the first since the accident, was a somber affair. The group devoted a minute of silence to those lost and injured. At present, the Raley Field pairing with Sara Bareilles is scheduled to go on, though saddened fans a