The Sacramento Press is a hybrid site of professional and community-contributed journalism. One recent event that we could not cover in-house is a perfect example of how citizen journalism works best: One of our reporters, Kathleen Haley, was unable to attend a debate scheduled for Thursday night. Our editorial department e-mailed a resident Haley had met at another event who had shown interest in the debate. This resident suggested that a friend of hers, Chris Shannon, who had already planned to go to the debate, write about it for The Sacramento Press. We asked our interns to see who was available, but none of them were to attend either. Chris Shannon e-mailed us and called to confir

We have a free journalism workshop scheduled later this month. Dianne Heimer will lead our first Research and Fact-Checking workshop on Tuesday, March 23, 6:30 - 8 p.m. Heimer is a journalism professor at Sac City College and advises the college's newspaper, The Express. Doing research for articles seems daunting, but we'll show you that it isn't difficult and that the added credibility and depth are worth the time and effort. Heimer will discuss appropriate sources and will go over how to confirm the accuracy of the facts in your story. She'll also discuss the trustworthiness of the Internet as a source. Food and drinks will be served at 6:30 p.m., with the workshop at 6:45. Our offi

It's very exciting to see the number of our community contributors continue to grow. We now have close to 800. With so many new writers, we want to make sure we offer you the tools and resources to improve your writing and help you feel more confident posting on our site. We've held many journalism-related workshops in 2009 ranging from Interviewing Techniques, Bias in Media, Journalism Ethics, among others. We're happy to announce another Intro to Journalism workshop this month, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 17 6:30 - 8 p.m. Brandon Darnell will be teaching the workshop. He is a freelance writer and editor, and he currently copy edits for The Sacramento Press. Darnell graduated from C

A student at Sac City College wrote to The Sacramento Press asking us to help spread the word that Mainline magazine could be cut if it doesn't reach the minimum enrollment. Below is the email we received from Stephanie. My name is Stephanie and I wanted to write you and let you know that Sacramento City College's journalism program has really taken huge class cuts this semester, which is definitely unfortunate for young journalists. One class that is being cut in particular is Mainline magazine. If the roster doesn't reach 20 people by Monday, Jan. 11, it will be cut. Mainline is a very important class, it helps writers, photographers, graphic designers and illustrators by putting them

As a published writer, teaching instructor, writer's coach and newcomer to Northern California, Valerie Fioravanti now brings her years of teaching experience to the Sacramento community. Fioravanti is offering Midtown Writing Workshops for beginning and advanced writers.  Her workshops include small group meetings or private tutoring, with instruction and feedback on stories, novels, multi-genre and flash pieces. "I think there are a lot of writers in [Sacramento]" she said. "In any city of this size, there are going to be two different types of people," Fioravanti said, "aspiring writers and people looking for self-expression, for creative expression." Fioravanti has experienced the d

You can help us make Sacramento a stronger community by contributing to The Sacramento Press. Our website is free and open to the public. To become a community contributor, all you have to do is: 1. Sign up by clicking the button at the top of the page. 2. Then, once you are signed in, you will see a "write" button at the top of the page. Just click the "write" button, fill out a form and watch a tutorial. 3. Title your Storyline. This is the topic you intend to write about and it helps tie your articles about the same topic together. 4. You can start writing immediately inside the browser or copy and paste your article from a word processor. You can save your draft on our system and come

The City of West Sacramento announces that they have installed new public artwork in Riverpoint Marketplace, the retail center off Ikea Court and Reed Avenue. "Synergy" is a 26-foot tall stainless steel and bronze sculpture created by Alber De Matteis, a noted sculptor with works in California, Europe, and South America. In addition to having a bold presence in daytime hours, the sculpture is illuminated by colored lights in the evening.  

Streets and neighborhoods in West Sacramento will again be participating in the National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 6 p.m.-10 p.m. The annual event, which promotes public safety and community partnerships, brings neighbors together for block parties and cookouts. At 7:30 p.m., in support of the Bryte & Broderick Community Action Group, the Police and Fire Departments, along with other agencies, will converge at Bryte Park at 425 Todhunter Avenue. For more about National Night Out, contact Community Service Officer Nora McDowell, (916) 617-4837 or noram@cityofwestsacramento.org .  

On Tuesday, Aug. 4, from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Harmony on the River, a free summer concert series from the City of West Sacramento, will present the final concert of the season.  Enjoy an evening with Hurricane Sam & the Hotshots, featuring boogie, blues, and jazz. Harmony on the River is a family-friendly event, so please bring the kids, a picnic, and soak up the sounds. Pets on leash are allowed, but the City asks that you refrain from any glass bottles. Parking is free also, so just see a parking attendant on site for a pass. For more information, contact Scott Stanley of the City of West Sacramento Parks & Recreation, scottst@cityofwestsacramento.org.  

The City of West Sacramento announces a modification underway in the traffic flow parallel to City Hall, 1110 West Capitol Avenue as part of the West Capitol Avenue Streetscape construction project. All eastbound vehicle and bicycle traffic is shifted to a single south lane on West Capitol Avenue. Westbound vehicles and bicycles will continue using the north side of West Capitol. All pedestrian access continues on the north side of the street, as West Capitol's south sidewalk remains closed, and the closure of Merkley Avenue from West Capitol Avenue to approximately 600 feet south stays in effect. The two Yolobus eastbound transfer stations at Merkley Avenue and Jefferson Boulevard have

The City of West Sacramento has announced their Mimi-Grant Program for community service organizations with a great program idea needing additional funding. The City's "Community Mini-Grant Program" provides funds annually to help qualifying West Sacramento non-profit organizations with special funding needs. This year, thirty thousand dollars is available to non-profit organization applicants that can demonstrate a viable need that benefits West Sacramento and its residents. Applications for the mini-grant program must be submitted by Sept. 25, 2009, to the Parks & Recreation Department, 1110 West Capitol Ave., West Sacramento, CA 95691. Once all of the applications are in, they will

In a combined press release, Tony's Fine Foods and the City of West Sacramento have announced a major expansion of Tony's headquarters and food distribution facilities in West Sacramento. The expansion will accommodate an expanding customer base and new product lines, as well as business acquisitions generating significant growth in market share for the 75-year old, family-owned company. The company will invest about $15 million to construct a new 77,000 square foot building to house a new freezer and automated distribution warehouse, and renovate existing warehouse and office space. The expansion will increase the West Sacramento company's workforce to 365 fulltime employees, an increase

The City of West Sacramento Fire Department wants everyone to know to use life jackets during water recreation! Keep your kids safe. Free, loaner life jackets are available at the following West Sacramento Fire Stations: • Station 41, 132 15th St. • Station 42, 3585 Jefferson Blvd. • Station 43, 1561 Harbor Blvd. • Station 44, 905 Fremont Blvd. • Station 45, 2040 Lake Washington Blvd. Also, the Bridgeway Lakes Boathouse office, 3650 Southport Parkway! For more information, contact the West Sacramento Fire Department at  (916) 617-4600 . The free life jacket rental program is sponsored by both the City’s Fire and Parks & Recreation Departments.  

In May of 2009, The Cunningham Report stated that while container volumes are plummeting at West Coast ports, the Port of West Sacramento - which does not have container facilities - is enjoying a bumper year for rice exports. Port Manager Mike Luken said that the port is enjoying its best year for bagged rice exports in 15 years. This year, the port expects to export some 339,000 metric tons of bagged rice, which is about double what the port usually handles during the fall-to-fall rice export season. The rice is moving primarily to Japan and Korea, where demand increased significantly this season. Kirk Messick, vice president of Sacramento-based Farmers Rice, says the Korean demand st

Caltrans and the City of West Sacramento have jointly announced that on July 29, 2009, Caltrans will begin construction on improvements to the Harbor Boulevard interchange that crosses U.S. Highway 50 in West Sacramento. The scope of the project includes new alignment and realignment of the freeway ramp access, widening of the roadways, removal of pavement, and overcrossing structure work. The project is designed to accommodate increases in traffic activity on the Harbor Boulevard interchange. An information open house will be held in room 157 of the West Sacramento City Hall, 1110 West Capitol Ave., on Monday, July 27, between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., and the admission is free. Caltrans sta

He woke up this morning, finally, but he can’t remember much of the night before. He can’t remember the shouting match with his mother, telling her to “F” off and that he’ll do drugs as long as he wants too. Or the fight with his girl friend that ended with him passing out on the couch. His name is Christopher, he’s my seventeen-year-old son, and he’s a drug addict.  No, he’s not the kind of addict depicted in the movies or on television. He doesn’t sleep in alleys and creep around trying to find his next “fix.”  He’s not disheveled or unwashed, though the clothes kids wear today kind of express that.  No, he’s a middleclass kid from the suburbs that got off the road somewhere and can’t

Sacramento, CA- Shortly before 3 P.M. Monday, in the 1500 block of 19th Street, two apartment occupants were kind enough to allow a transient woman to hang out with them and relax for a bit in their apartment. Per the occupants (who wish to remain anonymous), as the woman was getting ready to go, she asked to use their home phone. When they declined to allow her to use it she pulled a knife and began to threaten them insiting on using the phone. The two occupants restrained her as an on site worker called for police. Police responded rapidly, however were initially given the wrong address by the onsite worker, which put officers several blocks away searching for the incident. On dispatch

Clive Matson is more than a legendary Beat poet. He's a little bit younger than the Beats, and a lot more honest and raw, which he'll tell you himself. He's a nature lover, a teacher and a father. And on Monday, June 15, he will be teaching a free public workshop entitled "Let the Crazy Child Inside Write" at the Sacramento Poetry Center. Poets Q.R. Hand and H.D. Moe will also be reading at the event, which begins at 6 p.m. Matson plans to read from his heralded 1966 poetry collection Mainline to the Heart, along with some more recent works. When Mainline was published, it was described by one reviewer as "more edgy than the Beats," a critique Matson agrees with. "I'm carried away eith

     Like a blast from the past, the parking lot at the oldest burger joint in West Sacramento was packed this evening with classic cars from Model T’s to custom Firebirds. It was “Cruise Night” again at Whitey’s Jolly Kone, a Jefferson Blvd. landmark since 1964.      Tommy Kale, the empirical master of ceremonies and all around car enthusiast was glad to show me around. Along with his cohort Frank Baschal, I got the grand tour and a little history of the River City Rodsters and “Cruise Night” at Whiteys.      The late Whitey Boisclair started hosting this local car show several years ago, the last Thursday of every month from April until October. Every year it grew larger until the parkin

There’s news right under your nose!  Feb. 2, 2009 Holly A. Heyser, Professional Journalist in Residence, Sacramento State Questions that help you find news Do you see a problem that needs to be solved? Is something happening that changes how you and your neighbors function? Did you see an unusual event or happening Can you see a new trend? (Magic Number: 3) Is there an interesting new business or person in your neighborhood? (Or has one left the neighborhood?) How are national trends (e.g., the economy) affecting you and your neighbors? Do you know about something being planned? So, what’s interesting? The test is this: Will you mention it to a friend or family member? If it’s w