When it comes to the most romantic day of the year, traditional gifts of roses and heart shaped boxes of candy still dominate the market, but for those ladies and gentlemen looking for a more unique way to show their affection, consider the gift of food and fun by giving your special someone tickets to the Sacramento Chef Challenge. Tickets are only $25 each and include: • Chef Challenge competition • Gourmet food sampling • Wine and Beer tasting • Cake War presented by Cakegrrl.com • Live Music • Raffle and Silent Auction Prizes “When you’ve celebrated 30 Valentine’s Days together it can be difficult to find a really special gift,” says Rancho Cordova resident Linda Allen, “I was truly

Social media such as Facebook and Twitter can be a wealth of information for the family historian. Oftentimes the information discovered using these new tools is not available in standard research repositories, such as archives and courthouses, or on websites.  Learn more at the Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society program on Wednesday, March 14, 2012. Guest speaker Lorenzo Cuesta will provide examples of great finds others have made using social media for genealogical research and provide step-by step instructions to get you started with Facebook and Twitter.  Free, visitors welcome. 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Citrus Heights Community Clubhouse 6921 Sylvan Road, Citrus Heights. Contact Sa

  Access Sacramento is excited to kick off PCS 2012, our thirteenth year, on this Thursday February 2nd at the wonderful Crocker Art Museum. If you would like an opportunity to see all 10 films on the big screen in the museum's theatre, now's your chance. It's a one night only event and rare chance to see all the films from 2011 together again. We hope to see you there!     The Crocker Art is pleased to present an encore screening of the 2011 "Place Called Sacramento" film festival. Friends of Access Sacramento, PCS filmmakers and fans are invited to celebrate, again, the 10 short films first premiered last October at the Crest Theatre.   Crocker Art Museum 216 O Street Thursday Fe

The Undy 5000 5K Run/Walk to fight colon cancer is coming to Sacramento for the first time ever. It will take place at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, at William Land Park, kicking off March, which is also Colon Cancer Awareness Month. The event is one of three Undy 5000 races in March. Participants are encouraged to run in their underwear as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the area affected by colon cancer. “We wanted to have a great start to Colon Cancer Awareness Month,” said Todd Setter, National Undy 5000 Event Director. “We know Sacramento will be a great host for the region’s first Undy 5000 event. A portion of the funds raised from the 2012 Sacramento Undy 5000 will be given to our

2012 marks the tenth anniversary of our region’s premier culinary competition the Sacramento Chef Challenge, and organizers are inviting local restaurants, wineries, breweries and specialty shops to showcase their fare at the June 23rd event. The Sacramento Chef Challenge is a culinary extravaganza featuring two live cooking competitions, lavish food, wine and beer sampling, live music, raffle prizes and more. The event is expected to draw a crowd of over 1000 guests in celebration of INALLIANCE, a local nonprofit that has provided support to people with developmental disabilities for 60 years. “Our vendors draw a huge crowd each year by providing a variety of samples to our guests,” say

You have your great-grandma's thimble collection. Someone else has their great-grandpa's high chair he used as a baby.  Yet another has the family bible dating back to the early 1800's.  The fancy word for these items is ephemera.  Put simply, they are your family's keepsakes, heirlooms and momentos.  Family historians in particular place a high value on these treasures because of the story they tell about the ancestor who owned, perhaps even made, them.  As moving as it is to possess such history, be sure you have a thorough inventory of your collectibles.  Help teach your descendants where they came from.  On Wednesday, February 8, 2012 bring your family keepsake or collection to Show a

For anyone who is still looking for unique holiday gift ideas, the Northern California nonprofit INALLIANCE may have just the solution- tickets to the "Sacramento Chef Challenge" at 4:00 p.m. Saturday Friday , June 23, 2012. The well known culinary extravaganza features two live culinary competitions, food sampling, wine and beer tasting, live music, raffle prizes and more! But, the best part is-100% of proceeds go to programs that support people with developmental disabilities! "2012 marks the 10th anniversary of the Sacramento Chef Challenge, which means we will be pulling out all the stops and slashing ticket prices,” says INALLIANCE Executive Director Diana DeRodeff. INALLIANCE prov

Show the NBA you don't need their back-to-back B-ball to enjoy the holiday spirit. During those lulls in family "How have you been?" catching up, endless high calorie snacking, and playing (breaking?) the kid's brand new toys, enjoy local holiday programming made by your neighbors right here in Sacramento County. Here's the schedule of special events - a "snapshot" of our Christmas weekend programming on Channel 17 and streamed on our web site at www.AccessSacramento.org - ENJOY - Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Saturday, December 24, 2011 “Celebration Of Lights” – 9:00am “Kid’s Corp Christmas Special” – 11:30am “Giving – Winter Wonderland & Raley Field” – 12:00Noon “Terry Moore

In case you missed it, or want to see it again, tune into Access Sacramento's Channel 17 - (Comcast and Surewest Cable) this Sunday, Dec 18th from 5:00-7:00pm and see the Sacramento Press Club's "Dancing with the Capitol Stars"!  Hear our MC, Dennis Mangers open with an amazing rendition of "Let's Face the Music and Dance" and enjoy his quips through the show.  Ooh and aah at our dancing stars who tango'd, foxtroted and waltzed their way across the stage in their battle for the coveted Mirror Ball Trophy. (Starring: Edie Lambert, Lloyd Levine, Roger Niello, Alyson Huber, Fiona Ma, Ed Fletcher, Brian Joseph, Juliet Williams, Judy Lin, Kevin Riggs, Karen Skelton & Christina Anderson) Deli

The "Sister Swing" trio and their seven piece band starts the holiday season off right this Sunday at the Coloma Center Auditorium. Singing holiday classics from the Andrews Sisters to Frank Sinatra, the event will be family friendly and feature lively dancing in addition to tunes popular to young and old. Tickets are available at the door or online. Join in the fun at 4623 T Streets Sunday at 3 PM. Proceeds benefit community media that "makes a difference, one voice at a time".

Thousands of Sacramento participants toughed out the rain this Thanksgiving morning as they participated in the 18th Annual Run to Feed the Hungry. The event is benefiting the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. For more information and race results visit www.runtofeedthehungry.com Photos from this morning's event:

The Midnight Masquerade Charity Fashion Show flaunted a cornucopia of fashion designs and styles – from pop art-inspired dresses to “Star Wars” costumes – by Sacramento State students Tuesday at the Sacramento State University Union Ballroom. More than 200 people attended the two-hour charity event, which helped raised funds for the Autism Center for Excellence at Sacramento State or A.C.E., a program by United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Sacramento that provides socialization training programs for children ages 8-12 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. SFA donated part of the proceeds from the event in the amount of $300 to UCP. To welcome guests, while keeping with the midnight m

The Sac State Geology Club is shaking things up on November 18th by auctioning off hundreds of rocks, minerals, fossils and more at the 8th annual Rock Auction. This celebration of the natural world is free to the public, begins at 6pm at the CSUS Alumni Center and will include live and silent auctions, catered food and beverages, and children's activities. The room will be abuzz with the chatter of rock hounds, educators, students and gem connoisseurs perusing samples of highly polished petrified wood, purple cubic fluorite, and stunning fossilized coral. “But, you don’t need to be a professional to enjoy the festivities,” says Club President Chris Hughes, “many of our guests are new to

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

On November 19, Assemblymember Dickinson, along with Senate pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and U.S. Congresswoman Doris Matsui, is hosting a free Citizenship Fair at Pacific McGeorge School of Law Student Center in Sacramento to assist legal permanent residents in good standing with the citizenship application process. Currently, California has over 2.4 million eligible legal permanent residents. As immigration policies and procedures continue to change, it is increasingly important to apply for and to obtain citizenship. Benefits for legal permanent residents who obtain citizenship include the ability to vote, the opportunity to reunite with family members and the continuance of health care c

"A Place Called Sacramento" premieres ten new local short movies on the big screen at the Crest tomorrow at 1:00 PM. But be sure to arrive early (1) to avoid the long line that forms every year from folks arrivng at the last minute overwhelming the single box office and (2) "Cheap Therapy" with Charlie Holliday will perform a special improv comedy skit at 12:45 for those early arrivals. After the premiere, stay because the party is just getting started. The Crest Lobby will "jump n' jive" to the harmonizing of "Sister Swing" as the cast and crew from ten wonderful movies mingle and buzz with excitement and camraderie. This is the 12th year for this unique Sacramento based event. In 12 ye

For the twelfth year, Access Sacramento is planning the world premiere of “A Place Called Sacramento” (PCS), a scriptwriting and short film production project for local writers and producers. PCS challenges local scriptwriters to write ten-minute scripts about the people, places, and events that make our community such a unique place to live (submission guidelines on-line at www.AccessSacramento.org). Neighbors and friends will gather at the 2011 World Premiere at the CREST Theatre on Sunday October 2, 2011 at 1:00 PM. $10 (general seating) is a fundraiser for community media. Advanced ticket purchase is recommended at Tickets.com, the Crest Box Office, or the offices of Access Sacramento

On Saturday, October 1, Assemblymember Roger Dickinson is hosting a free community festival, Celebrate Sacramento, at the Florin Light Rail Station. The diverse festival will feature performances from local children’s groups and cultural and musical talent from the southern region of Sacramento, kids’ activities including bounce houses, and carnival games. Visitors will learn about all that Sacramento has to offer from over 100 informational booths. The arts, entertainment and cuisine available at the festival will showcase the diversity that makes the southern region of Sacramento special for the whole family. Attendees can mingle with their neighbors while enjoying delicious local food

On September 30, 2011, at Beatnik Studios, aspects of Sacramento’s finest culture will come together to support a truly inspiring cause. From 5pm to 9pm entrance is free and guests can stroll the studio looking at P.R. Brown’s photography show “The Known and Travel” while noshing on appetizers. Wine lovers can purchase a souvenir glass for wine tasting and entrance into a gourmet gift basket raffle. 100% of the proceeds are directed towards transforming the lives of orphaned and poverty-stricken children. Guests can further show their support by bidding at the silent auction. After 9pm a suggested donation of $5-$10 is appreciated as the stage opens up to live performances from Katie Jane,

The Sacramento Valley Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® will be recognizing the contributions of outstanding community partners on Sunday, October 9 at Arden Hills Resort & Spa, announced retiring Executive Director Donna Sanderson. “We are fortunate to have the support of outstanding community partners during my tenure as Executive Director of Komen Sacramento” said Sanderson. “The time has come to give them the public recognition they so richly deserve.” Among the award recipients will be: Joyce Raley Teel, co-chair of the Raley’s Board of Directors, who brought the full strength of  the Raley’s Family of Fine Stores resources to help in the fight against breast cancer.  Raley