Newest articles on The Sacramento Press written by Jenn Walker

Acceptable pesticide levels to be determined in Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins

2010-10-23T06:20:08Z

The Central Valley Regional Water Board held its third public meeting in Sacramento on Monday to discuss control of discharges of Organochlorine pesticides in water bodies throughout the Central Valley.

Eight Delta waterways, portions of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, have been included in the discussion, in addition to other water bodies throughout the state. These water bodies have been listed as impaired on the 303(d) list, meaning that they exceed the minimum pollutant level permitted by the Federal Clean Water Act.

This meeting is one of several that have been held since June 2010 by the Board to discuss with waterway stakeholders the development of Organochlorine pesticide TMDLs and the Basin Plan Amendment. The amendment will set regulations of TMDLs, or total maximum daily loads, of Organochlorine pesticides such as DDT and DDE allowed in the Sacramento and San Joaquin River Basins.

The meeting focused on analyzing the effects of Organochlorine pesticide concentrations, which have not been used since the 1970s and are referred to as legacy pesticides, on human health and aquatic life in water sediments.

Fred Kizito, a Board environmental scientist, said that sediment acts as storage and transport for pesticides deposited into water. Pesticide contamination in sediment is directly related to pesticide contamination in fish, he said, because sediment is consumed by plants or invertebrates, which are in turn consumed by fish and other marine animals that will then absorb the pesticides into their body tissue. Risk increases or decreases with pollutant concentrations in fish times consumption rates, he said.

He said that these findings indicate the sensitive effects of Organochlorine pesticides on human health and aquatic life, and what steps need to be taken to weaken its concentrations.

Joe Domagalski, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist at the California Water Science Center, said that legacy pesticides like DDT do not dissolve in water, instead settling on the upper soil of riverbeds. He said that because they do not dissolve, they are often transported in sediment after a rainstorm in clay-sized particles in mud.

“They do last forever,” he said.

Members of various environmental consulting firms attended the meeting, including Sutter County Resource Conservation District, Michael L. Johnson, LLC and Larry Walker Associates.

Michael Johnson, president and managing partner of MLJ-LLC, a consulting company based in Davis that specializes in environmental issues related to ecology and toxicology, represented the East San Joaquin Water Quality Coalition and the San Joaquin County and Delta Water Quality Coalition at the meeting.

Johnson said that his objective was to make sure that the regulations included in the amendment are based on sound science and that he can assist his clients in following the regulations.

He said what isn’t clear in the studies used by the Board is where the pesticides come from, and that it is possible they are sourced from upstream or by scientists unintentionally stirring up leftover residues in the sediment while sampling the water for pesticides.

“We haven’t been able to find any pattern in the concentrations,” he said.

Because the pesticides studied are legacy pesticides from the 1970s, he said that his clients often ask him “Who should be paying to clean them up?”

“Should somebody who has a farm they bought ten years ago be responsible for something done before they were born?”

He said that he did not think the data being used by the Board reflects current conditions, because some of the projections show that the Organochloride concentrations are expected to decrease dramatically, some to levels where they will become undetectable by 2020.

The meetings began in June, and there are at least three to four left expected to continue through February 2011, Kizito said. He said that the Board has yet to determine what TMDL allocations it will propose. The Board will then submit a 200-page staff report summarizing the Basin plan to the California Water Quality Monitoring Council to determine its feasibility, and if approved by the Council, it will then be sent to the State Water Resources Control Board, the Office of Administrative Law, and finally the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, he said.

The limits recommended within the report will then become regulatory in the form of a Basin Plan Amendment, he said.

Midtown Cocktail Week hosts first cocktail creation class at Dragonfly

2009-08-16T07:08:56Z

The cocktail is one of few things Americans can call their own as part of the American legacy, aside from Texas barbeque and jazz, Erick Castro told his Cocktail 101 class Saturday afternoon at Midtown's Dragonfly.

A former Zócalo bartender and cofounder of Sacramento’s annual Midtown Cocktail Week, Castro taught a group of almost 30 how to make an Oriental, gin gimlet and Manhattan in just two hours, while sharing more knowledge and history about the art of cocktail-making than they could hope to remember. This is the first year the class has been incorporated into the week-long event.

Participants worked at tables lined with shakers, jiggers (or measures), bottle openers, martini glasses, strainers and mixing spoons, listening intently as Castro guided them through the art of making each cocktail.

In between drinks, Castro covered the history of the cocktail dating as early as the 1860s. “If a drink is still popular 100 years later, it’s probably because it’s really good,” he said.

Demonstrating different mixing techniques, he explained how shaking will integrate all of the flavors, whereas muddling only releases the essence of the ingredients without disrupting the overall flavor of the drink.

After throwing down their first drink, the gin gimlet, much faster than Castro expected, students somewhat giddily tried to focus as he gave them important tips on cocktail creation.

“I liked the gin gimlet a lot," said Patricia Mendoza, a South Sacramento resident. "It was easy to drink. It's a good summer drink.”

Fresh citrus, namely lime and lemon juice, is a key component of making a good cocktail. Average tequila mixed with fresh juice will make a better drink than any high-end tequila mixed with a generic sweet and sour mix, Castro said. “It’s like comparing steak to bologna,” he said.

Another student found that he liked the Oriental the most, enjoying the hint of orange in the Cointreau.

As the students sipped their second and third drinks at a much slower pace, the bartender answered questions about reliable liquor brands based on his seven years of expertise.

He told students not to be intimidated when selecting spirits in a grocery aisle. Rather than purchase liquor based on price, he suggested purchasing liquors that have a versatile taste that will complement a variety of cocktails.

“You can get a really good bottle of Vermouth for ten bucks," he said.

Some students were surprised to find out that old alcohol can sometimes be the culprit of a bad drink. Not knowing that liquor needs to be 20 percent alcohol to stay fresh in a refrigerator, people will store vermouth (14 percent alcohol) for extensive periods of time and then use it to make cocktails, Castro explained.

As perhaps his most valuable piece of advice, Castro encouraged his students to experiment when making cocktails at home. “This isn’t classical music where everything has to be played the exact same way,” he said. “This is jazz. Express yourself when you make a drink.”

Erick Castro is currently the beverage director at the Rickhouse in San Francisco and also an employee of Bourbon and Branch.

Photos by Jenn Walker. To read more about Midtown Cocktail Week, see Midtown Cocktail week is back and Artisan Bartenders Compete.

Drink Ingredients:

gin gimlet
½ gin
¾ lime juice
½ Simple Syrup
Ice

Oriental
1 and ½ rye whiskey
¾ Cointreau
¾ Carpano
½ lime juice
Ice

Manhattan
2 parts rye whiskey
¾ sweet vermouth
2 dashes of bitter
Ice

Soaring Voices at the Crocker

2009-08-10T06:30:06Z

"Sculpture doesn't have to answer to society or beauty," Japanese contemporary ceramic artist Takako Araki once said. Referred to by some as sacrilegious, her lifelike tattered Bible sculptures, one of which she made by silkscreening text from the Bible onto fired clay, are part of the Soaring Voices ceramic exhibition at the Crocker Art Museum in Downtown Sacramento.

The exhibition opened to the public Saturday and features a collection of more than 80 ceramic pieces by 25 female Japanese artists.

Until the 1950s, the world of ceramics in Japan has been a "man's world," exhibit organizer Maya Nishi told an audience at Sunday's gallery talk. She elaborated on how Japanese women had been disregarded and discouraged from making things. She specifically referred to female ceramic artist Kyo Tsuji, who was driven away from touching a ceramic wheel under the premise that women are impure.

It was not until after World War II, when clay and kilns became accessible and women were permitted to attend Japanese art schools, that Japanese women realized they could use the realm of ceramics to express themselves, Nishi explained. "The pioneer generation had to be strong to exhibit [their] work," Nishi said, adding that "some of the women had nothing more than a bathroom-sized studio next to their bed."

Several of the artists emerged as some of the first women to attend and graduate from Tokyo National University of Art and Music, and others have moved on to teach ceramics at various renowned universities in Japan. The collection holds the energetic, strong voice of the artists themselves, Nishi said, who vary in age from 36 to 80 years old.

Etsuko Tashima was one of the first artists to use both glass and clay in her work. Her displayed "Cornucopia" pieces earned the Japan Ceramic Society Award in 2005. Other artists use everything from clay to porcelain, wood, bone china and metal as mediums for their creations. Many of their pieces are inspired by nature, Nishi said, as well as landscapes, architectural structures, dreams and poetry.

While some pieces are traditional pots and vessels or intricately-carved plates, others take absract shapes, characterizing chimneys or pumpkins. Kyoko Tokumaru's "Germination" and "Bloom" take the form of magnified aquatic plants made out of porcelain.

"I think Soaring Voices is groundbreaking because it is an all-female show," said Jeffrey Spahn, a ceramic dealer who drove from the Bay Area to view the exhibition and attend the lecture. He described the pieces as inspiring and revolutionary, adding that Soaring Voices is an internationally acclaimed show.

The Crocker Art Museum is the first venue in the United States to host the collection after its debut in Japan. The exhibition will continue until Oct. 18; afterward, it will be shown at various venues in Florida, Texas and Hawaii.

Soaring Voices was organized by the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Shiga and hus-10, Inc., Tokyo. The tour was organized by International Arts & Artists, Washington, D.C.

Photos Courtesy of the Crocker Art Museum

Image 1: Shoko Koike, Shell Vessel, 1997. Stoneware, 17 1/2 x 22 13/16 x 18 5/16 in. Courtesy of International Arts & Artists. Private collection.

Image 2: Etsuko Tashima, Cornucopia 03-III, 2003. Stoneware and glass, 26 3/8 x 26 3/4 x 23 5/8 in. Courtesy of International Arts & Artists. Private collection.

Image 3: Kyo Tsuji, Large Bowl, 1983. Stoneware, unglazed, 12 3/16 x 18 1/8 x 18 1/8 in. Courtesy of International Arts & Artists. Private collection.

Too $hort makes special appearance in Sac

2009-07-31T06:46:17Z

Renowned hip hop icon Too $hort, known by many as the "Godfather" of Bay Area hip hop, will be performing at Chris Webber’s Center Court Friday night in Natomas. The show was arranged by Everett Hunter Presents and will include appearances by guest DJs MP 3, Reese Roundtree and Steve DTrix.

The multi-platinum artist began his career on the streets of East Oakland during his early teens, selling $5 cassette recordings of his work. He gained widespread acclaim in the hip hop scene with the success of Born to Mack, released in 1986 on his independent label Dangerous Music. The album was later re-released on the Jive Records label and went gold, selling more than 500,000 copies.

He has released more than 16 albums altogether, including Short Dog’s in the House, Shorty the Pimp and Get in Where You Fit In, all of which made platinum status, selling more than one million copies per album. His other albums, including Can't Stay Away, You Nasty, Chase the Cat and What's my Favorite Word made gold.

"He's someone [that] pretty much everyone has grown up with," said EHP director of promotions Audrey Bernard.

His famous hits include “Life Is…Too Short,” “The Ghetto,” “Cocktales” and “Gettin’ It.”

Too $hort has worked collaboratively with artists such as Diddy, The Notorious B.I.G., Scarface, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Lil Jon.

His 2006 release Blow the Whistle, co-produced by Lil Jon and Jazze Pha, reached No. 14 on Billboard 200. In 2008 he was honored by VH1 at the annual Hip Hop Honors.

Center Court is located at 3600 N. Freeway Blvd. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. and admission is 21 and over.

Tickets can be purchased for $20 as late as 7 p.m. Friday evening — contact Audrey Bernard at (916) 289-9104.

Tickets can be purchased for $25 after 10:30 p.m. at Center Court.

Backstage VIP passes can be purchased prior to event or at the venue for $35.

Image provided by Everett Hunter Presents.

Screen on the Green begins Saturday

2009-07-31T05:03:20Z

Babe the sheep-herding pig and his talking farm friends will revisit the big screen Saturday night at East Portal Park in East Sacramento.

The '90s classic Babe is the first film to be featured at Sacramento's fifth Screen on the Green free movie series, held in different local neighborhood parks for four consecutive Saturdays in August.

Founded by City Councilman Steve Cohn, Screen on the Green has grown immensely in attendance each year since it first began five years ago, said District Director Sue Brown. Although anyone is welcome to attend, the films are geared toward families. Last year's films included Charlotte's Web, Hairspray, Ratatouille and The Goonies.

Screen on the Green is simply "good, fun, free family entertainment," Brown said.

All screenings begin at sundown and are free and open to the public.

Families and friends are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and snacks.

East Portal Park is located at 1120 Rodeo Way, at 51st and M Streets. Babe is a G-rated film.

Other screenings scheduled in August include:

Aug. 8 – Grant Park at 205 21st St. – Bee Movie

Aug. 15 – Babcock Park at 2400 Cormorant Way – Beauty and the Beast

Aug. 22 – Glen Hall Park at Sandburg and Carlson Drives – The Parent Trap (1961 version)

For more information click on this link.

Image provided by Screen on the Green.

Local Taiko group to celebrate 20 years, asks what next 20 will look like

2009-07-24T05:13:29Z

Just a few steps into Taiko Dan's dojo stands a Goliath-like wooden drum looming overhead. The drum is 780 pounds and rests on a 860-pound stand, standing nine feet tall altogether, according to the dojo's owner and founder, Tiffany Tamaribuchi. Despite its intimidating proportions, the drum is beautiful, with a glossy finish and a large black and white skin stretched over it.

Dojo is another word for a school of training in Japanese; in this case, the Sacramento Taiko Dan performing ensemble uses its dojo to teach the ancient art of Japanese Taiko drumming. Behind the large drum inside the dojo are smaller drums stacked on wooden shelves, and the dojo's walls are lined with even more drums on stands; yet a newcomer's gaze returns to the intimidatingly large drum near the entryway.

It is an odaiko drum — meaning "large drum" in Japanese — Tamaribuchi said. It is made out of bubinga wood from Cameroon in West Africa and initially took anywhere from 60 to 100 people to transport. According to Tamaribuchi, it is currently the largest odaiko drum in North America.

Standing not much more than five feet tall herself, Tamaribuchi specializes in playing the odaiko. Watching her play the drum is mesmerizing. Each strike to the drum is driven with intense power and precision and reverberates with a thundering pulse.

Traditionally, women did not get powerful drumming or intense percussive roles, she explained. But Tamaribuchi was breaking conventions from the moment she decided to begin Sacramento's first Taiko drumming group at age 22 in 1989, after training under the grand master of the San Francisco Taiko dojo. "It was pretty challenging ... because of my age, initially I had a lot of difficulty trying to get anybody to take me seriously," she said. It was six to eight months of trying unsuccessfully before the minister of the Sacramento Japanese United Methodist Church finally offered a temporary practice space for the group at the church.

Although Taiko Dan will celebrate 20 years of success with an anniversary concert at the Sacramento Community Center theater Saturday, Tamaribuchi said the group is facing yet another challenge, where it must ask what the next 20 years are going to look like. "Things are going to have to change, or we're not going to make it," Tamaribuchi said.

The dojo offers workshops, classes and a youth program. Its costs are usually offset by performances and class fees. It also receives grants from the California Arts Council and the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts commission, but Tamaribuchi has been told to expect anywhere from a 30 to a 70 percent cut in funding. Tickets to the anniversary concert, held by Taiko Dan every five years, usually sell out. As of Thursday, Tamaribuchi said barely half of this year's tickets are sold.

Over its 20-year existence, Taiko Dan has had as many as 120 active members to as few as two or three. "It's really phenomenal," Tamaribuchi said, reflecting on Taiko Dan's expansion. "The first practice we had three people, the second there were 12, and by the third practice we had 40."

Most recently, she said the group has stabilized to 40 or so students, with 14 people in the performing ensemble and six touring members. Many of Taiko Dan's members work full-time jobs, volunteering their spare time to help teach and perform. Tamaribuchi estimates that 30 of the 80 or so instruments in the dojo are drums that have been handmade by members.

Taiko Dan is predominantly female, with only about five male students. This is unintentional — Tamaribuchi said her strong role as a female performer has drawn a lot of women to join. "It's a very accessible and empowering art form for women," she said.

Performing at weddings and public festivals as well as private events, the group averages 50 to 60 performances a year, down from a high of 80 performances.

Taiko Dan will rent a 24-foot truck to bring the odaiko to Saturday's anniversary performance.

The concert is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday, featuring guest artists from Japan.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the community center box office, at participating venues or online at tickets.com.

For more information about the concert or Taiko Dan, visit sactaiko.org.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Mendick

Amtrak locomotive gets an eco-makeover

2009-07-23T07:20:19Z

California's air may start to look a little cleaner, thanks to the California Department of Transportation and its project partners.

Caltrans's revolutionary "green locomotive" debuted Wednesday morning at the Amtrak Sacramento Valley station.

Members of Caltrans and its project partners assembled within the train station at a press release to make statements regarding the new locomotive, considered a major step toward reducing California's carbon footprint.

It is one of the 15 F59PHI model locomotives owned by Caltrans and operated by Amtrak that is now installed with a 710ECO Repower upgrade package. The package is said to consist of the latest microprocessor-controlled locomotive engine technology for lower emissions, increased fuel economy and predictable maintenance costs.

The F59PHI models were initially built by Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. in October 2001 to meet Tier 0 Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards, the minimum EPA requirement for fuel emissions from passenger locomotives.

James Goldstene, executive officer of the California Air Resources Board, explained that in other words, the newly-installed technology in the F59PHI model makes the engine run cooler and uses fuel more efficiently, allowing the locomotive to advance from Tier 0 to Tier 2 EPA emission standards, resulting in a 50 percent reduction of operating emissions.

Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson said that the development is "an illustration of our willingness to work with anyone and everyone to clean up the air for Sacramentans." He added that climate change and global warming is an issue that must be addressed at the local level by communities, and that the newly-introduced technology makes riding the train a "smarter and better" decision than ever before.

Following the statements, the representatives of Caltrans, the EPA and other organizations descended into the tunnel beneath the Sacramento Valley rail tracks, resurfacing to stop and admire the "green locomotive."

The retrofitted model has already begun operating on the intercity passenger rail service Capitol Corridor between Sacramento and the Bay Area as of three weeks ago.

The Capitol Corridor serves the Sierra Foothills in addition to Sacramento and the Bay area, and it is operated by the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority in partnership with Caltrans and Amtrak.

Along with Amtrak California’s Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin intercity rail line, Capitol Corridor is the third busiest rail line in the nation with a ridership of 1.7 million.

Capitol Corridor alone is responsible for eliminating 559 million miles worth of highway travel, said Eugene Skoropowski, Capitol Corridor managing director.

Caltrans is working to convert the remaining 14 Amtrak-operated locomotives to this upgraded model — which is the cleanest diesel electric passenger locomotive in the country — as quickly as possible, stated Caltrans Division of Rail chief Bill Bronte. So far there is available stimulus funding for seven of the 14, he said.

Money for the project came from the Carl Moyer Program, a partnership between the California Air Resources Board and local air boards in the state that provides grants for projects reducing pollutants from heavy-duty engines. Retrofitting the F59PHI involved both the Sacramento Metropolitan and Bay Area Air Quality Management districts.

Kevin Bahline of EMD said that the company is in the process of launching the eco-friendly technology globally.

See also: Eco train engine unveiled

Photo Credit: Images 1, 2, 4 & 5 by Ed Fogle; images 3 & 6 by Kati Garner.

Merlove tells Sacramentans to drink more wine

2009-07-20T07:05:56Z

Pop culture has power - enough power to affect the wine industry.

In 2004, the feature film Sideways came out, and according to Sonoma filmmaker Rudolf N. McClain, merlot sales in the United States dropped.

Of those well-studied in wine statistics, McClain is among them, having just completed his first documentary on merlot in 2008. The dramatic effects of Sideways boil down to one pivotal scene, he explained at the Sacramento premiere screening of Merlove Saturday night.

It’s the scene where protagonist Miles Raymond, the oenologist in the film, says, “I’m not drinking any f***ing merlot.”

That one statement statistically curbed the sales of merlot, and pinot sales went up by 30 percent, McClain said. Seeing the results of the film as a resident of the wine country prompted him to play the devil’s advocate and make Merlove.

Attendees gathered around the bar to sample featured Route 3 and Black Hole merlots at the premiere, hosted by Revolution Wines urban winery and the Sacramento Institute of Fun. Sacramentan Carl Thomas arrived at Revolution Wines with Diane Smith from Calaveras County. A pinot fan himself, Thomas said he was nonetheless intrigued by the idea of Merlove as an objection to Sideways.

“There’s an awful lot of straitjacket [attitudes] about wine tasting and what wine should taste like,” Thomas said.

Merlove is everything but pretentious. McClain's quirky, low-budget documentary brings the world of wine back down to earth with modest discussions about winemaking and the industry between reputable merlot makers from Napa, the central coast, Washington and France.

“I think it’s a well-needed reaction to the movie Sideways,” said Kevin Fort, a former viticulture student of UC Davis.

As a friend once said, “The wine image is super-polished,” immediately associated with “windmills, fields of mustard and a sunset,” McClain explained.

It is the pompous mentality often found in the wine industry that McClain addresses in Merlove. McClain specifically noticed its intimidating effect on Americans who “don’t know about wine and they’re afraid to ask, [but] if [they] can fake it, it’s OK.”

He said it is also this mentality that led uninformed Americans to embrace a fictitious wine aficionado’s opinion in the film Sideways as superior wine knowledge.

Gina Genshlea, co-owner of Revolution Wines, remembers the impact of the film. Specifically, she remembers how it affected one of the winery’s business partners, a grower in Ukiah.

“His merlot was his favorite wine. After the movie Sideways, nobody was buying his merlot,” Genshlea said.

Rather than let them rot, the grower gave Genshlea two tons of his merlot grapes.

McClain wasn’t the only one compelled to respond to Sideways’ influence.

“The reason I made Black Hole is because of Sideways. Everyone is hating on merlot right now … [but it is] a serious wine that should be taken seriously,” said Chris Minnick, Black Hole winemaker and chief fun officer at Institute of Fun.

If the audience is to draw any conclusions from Merlove, the winemakers in the film urge people to broaden their wine horizons and try different wines, and lots of them – different varietals from different wineries — before passing judgments on any grape.

“I guess I should buy more wines,” said Sacramentan Mike Cutigni after the film.

Gardening to save water

2009-07-18T07:26:17Z

Each morning, Amy Parker and her husband Michael Palmer step from their front porch into a sanctuary nestled among flowers and rocks shaded by trees, luring butterflies and bees to stop and pollinate.

The Sacramentans recently transformed the front yard of their 10-year-old home into an inviting rock garden. Before it became a garden, the space was a lawn with fruit trees. Now it is abundant with colorful plants that require short watering sessions throughout the week.

Currently, city code allows Sacramento residents to water their yards three times per week during the summer. The Sacramento City Council passed additional changes to the outdoor water conservation ordinance, which took effect in June. Maurice Chaney, spokesman for the city of Sacramento, said water waste calls have increased by 70 percent in comparison to last year during the same period.

The Sacramento Department of Utilities projects that landscaping accounts for 50 percent or more of all residential water use. With a garden instead of a lawn in their front yard, Parker and Palmer use less water.

The couple’s sprinkler system is scheduled to turn on twice a week for half an hour to 45 minutes in the summer, and once a week throughout the rest of the year. Watering could be potentially cut to once a month in another year after the garden has had time to mature and the plant roots have deepened, Parker said.

"It is work maintaining it but so is mowing your lawn," she said.

Maintenance includes pruning and weeding about every two weeks. She sticks to hand tools for maintenance and avoids herbicides altogether. "I don't put any kinds of herbicide on plants. If a plant doesn't make it, it doesn't make it," Parker said.

Using western, drought-tolerant plants in her garden requires less water and less work for Parker. It makes sense to maintain a garden of plants native to the region, rather than trying to grow foreign plants unsuccessfully, she explained.

Moonbeam, yellow curry, lamb's ears, pride of Madeira and echinacea are all thriving in her front yard under her low-maintenance care. She also maintains certain plants to support various native species — she said the monarch butterfly favors the milkweed and fennel.

Once a year, Parker will distribute a composted manure or alfalfa meal blend over the garden and provide it with a light feeding in the fall and spring.

Parker and Palmer transformed their lawn into a garden less than two years ago. Like any ambitious idea, Parker said she and Palmer had considered a rock garden in their front yard for a long time but continually put it off.

The majority of the work was finally done over a weekend three or four years ago while Palmer was gone on a scuba diving trip, Parker said. With the help of two others, within two eight-hour days, Parker dug six inches deep into the grass, threw down weed cloth and soil and let the remaining lawn mulch. The rock was delivered from Silverado Nursery and the soil from Hastie’s Capitol Sand & Gravel. She estimates that the project, including the rock, cost approximately $2,000.

Parker explained that there are other advantages to having a rock garden, aside from preserving water. "The thing about a garden is that it creates a space and mood [that] a lawn doesn't," she said.

The addition of a garden can add a lot of character to an ordinary home, Parker pointed out. "It [can] give the impression of a funkier, cooler or more unique house [where] people pull up and say, 'This is a really nice place,’ " she said.

Parker and Palmer’s garden was primarily inspired by a visit they had made to San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico, where they saw botanical gardens designed with rock and drought-tolerant plants.

Parker said she hopes others will adapt similar eco-friendly front yard alternatives, otherwise, “people will react when they get the bills and start paying through the nose [for water].”

The Sacramento Department of Utilities provides services to households interested in decreasing their water consumption — most recently, it has begun offering water conservation workshops. See link for more information.

Additional Resources:

http://www.cityofsacramento.org/utilities/u-media/pubs-imgs/Overwatering_Brochure.pdf

http://www.cityofsacramento.org/utilities/u-media/pubs-imgs/Water_Wise_Gardening.pdf

Passionate Gardening: Good Advice for Challenging Climates

Tribute to merlot in Merlove screening Saturday

2009-07-17T07:27:49Z

In the midst of Bordeauxs, chiantis, pinot noirs and chardonnays, merlot can be underappreciated in the world of wine, or at least that's what Napa Valley filmmaker Rudy McClain would argue.

On Saturday, the crimson underdog will have a shot at glory as the Revolution Wines winery and the Sacramento Institute of Fun hosts a Sacramento premiere event for the screening of McClain's new documentary, Merlove. McClain's film includes interviews with merlot makers from around the world.

A complimentary dinner will be provided at Revolution Wines, including pizza from Midtown's Luigi's Slice, and local merlot labels Black Hole and Route 3 prior to the film. The screening will be held at the nearby Eleanor McClatchy Center. Following the screening, participants will have the opportunity to meet with McClain over more wine and dessert.

McClain made the film in response to the bashing of merlot in the 2004 documentary Sideways, a film worshiping red wine.

Revolution Wines is located at 2116 P Street.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the screening begins at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $24.95 for general admission and $19.95 for wine club members or institute students. Tickets can be purchased here or at the door.

Image provided by Revolution Wines.

"HAIR" in Sacramento one night only

2009-07-16T06:36:07Z

Peace, love, war, sex and hair -- Sacramento will have a one-night opportunity to revel in hippie counterculture at Harlow's Thursday night. "HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" will rock the nightclub in the form of a concert.

Local theater company Artistic Differences will perform musical numbers from "HAIR" as part of the company's Summer of Rock series, which kicked-off with "Tommy" at the Crest on Memorial Day. Many of the original cast members from the company's five-week run of the show in 2007 will return to sing the numbers, accompanied by a seven-piece band.

"HAIR" the musical brings to light a group of young flower children who band together as a "tribe" in the East Village of New York City during the late '60s. The story develops when one of the members of the tribe receives a draft notice and is faced with the decision to serve or rebel.

Drawn into the hippie counterculture movement and inspired by anti-war protests, young actors Gerome Ragni and James Rado wrote "HAIR" over a span of three years and introduced it to the New York stage in 1967.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $15 in advance or for $20 at the door. To purchase tickets call 916-708-3449.

Summer of Rock will continue with a one-night concert featuring numbers from "Bare" on August 13 at Harlow's.

Images provided by Artistic Differences.

10-minute action in 10 days

2009-07-11T06:57:22Z

The race is on as local filmmakers scramble to produce a 10-minute film in less than 10 days.

This year marks the sixth annual 10 x 10 filmmaker's challenge, and the theme is 'milestones and markers.'

Local filmmakers, actors and film crew members form teams annually to compete in the challenge, using the year's specified theme and an assigned prop to create a 10-minute-long film in 10 days. The films will be presented in a three-hour gap during the closing weekend of the 10th Sacramento Film and Music festival at the Crest Theatre on August 1. Submissions will be judged by a jury for overall production quality.

Participants showed up Thursday evening at the Crest Theatre to find out this year's theme and receive an assigned team prop from Tony Sheppard and Nathan Schemel, co-directors of the Sacramento Film and Music Festival. This year's 19 teams now have until July 19 to produce a complete short film.

Sheppard, who has been involved in the SMF festival for the past seven years, came up with the 10 x 10 concept six years ago as another way to encourage involvement of local filmmakers. Instead of challenging local filmmakers to a 10-hour constraint as he had seen done in other cities, Sheppard came up with the 10-minute film creation in 10 days.

"It was still very fast from a filmmaking perspective because it was absolutely frenetic," Sheppard said. "People ended up with two weekends to work on a film, and most people involved are people who have other jobs and other things that they're doing."

Sheppard said the competition attracts a diverse crowd in terms of expertise and experience. A challenge in more ways than one, participants not only have to work under pressure in groups of varying expertise to fulfill the assigned theme, but they must also creatively incorporate their group's assigned prop somewhere in the film.

The assigned props are "things that seemed wild and wacky while shopping at the dollar store," Sheppard said.

This year's props include a dinosaur soap set, front bumper from a wrecked car and inflatable pool animals. Sheppard said filmmakers are awarded for best use of their team's prop. "We're not impressed if the camera pans across the room and it's lying on a table."

Local filmmaker Joaquin Murrieta and local actor Galen Howard, who are working collaboratively on a team this year, will begin shooting their film in Midtown this weekend.

This is Howard's third year participating in the challenge; he said that the time constraint of the competition pushes him to focus as an actor. "People's energy is different knowing you only have so much time to spend," Howard said.

Murrieta worked on not one, but two films as director of photography in 2007 over a weekend within a 20-hour period, where he said the challenge included staying awake and on his feet.

"It was pretty crazy," he said. "It's like a dare, it kind of burns creativity."

For information on the Sacramento Film and Music Festival and the screening of the 19 films, visit this link.

Image provided by the Sacramento International Film and Music Festival.

Hawa Arsala contributed to this article.

Riding Cool?: fixed-gear bikes without brakes

2009-07-06T00:53:38Z

Jonathan Smalley, an employee at City Bicycle Works, said he has been stopped three times within the past five months for riding his fixed-gear bike without brakes, but has managed to evade a citation each time by playing the "ignorance card."

Of the people in Sacramento who ride brakeless, knowing that it's illegal, Smalley suggests some do it as a "f--- the cops" gesture, while others do it because "they know what they are doing." Smalley said he rides without brakes because he, too, "knows what he is doing."

"It's a purely cosmetic thing for me," he said. "I like the minimal look."

Wayne Sigmund, service manager at Mikes Bikes, said that by subtracting brakes from fixed gears -- bikes where you are already constantly pedaling -- ups the risk factor, and coolness factor in the younger community, of the bike.

"It can help you reach a different level of riding, it elevates the danger of the bike ... you have to be more aware, otherwise you put yourself in a lot of trouble very quickly," Sigmund said.

Sgt. David Valdez of the central bike unit of the Sacramento Police Department said that although fixed-gear bikes are becoming a trend, it is against the law in California to ride without a brake.Valdez explained that riding without a brake system is considered dangerous by the police department, even if brakeless, fixed-gear riders use alternate stopping techniques such as side-skidding or pedaling backward.

"I'm sure that there are people that are talented on them, but ultimately [riding without brakes] is not safe" he said.

He added that with an increase in the number of people riding without brakes there will likely be an increase in the number of accidents, which has prompted police to "move away from education and closer to enforcement." He said that a failure to comply with the biking regulation could result in either a fix-it ticket or a violation citation, based on the officer's discretion.

Smalley said although he recognizes the potential danger of riding without brakes, he said he avoids dangerous situations using foresight, making sure to prepare for stops well in advance.

"I just don't put myself in a situation where I need brakes," Smalley said.

Sigmund said he has noticed a large increase in the number of people who get cited for not having bike brakes. "They come in looking for brakes and wanting to get their fix-it ticket squared away," he said.

"Honestly I think it's just cops that just have nothing better to do, so they look for people with bikes that don't have brakes and then they pull them over and give them a ticket," said Jason Martel, a mechanic at Bicycle Chef.

Martel said one his friends got a ticket three or four months ago, and another friend got a ticket just the other week.

When asked what the advantage is to riding a fixed gear without brakes, he said, "Nothing, really, it's actually a lot less safe." Like Smalley, he said that brakeless bikes offer a cleaner look. "I think [it] is why people like fixed-gears so much...When you have a regular road bike there's all these gears, all these cables, all these extra things on there to add weight to the bike," he added.

Martel said he has also been riding a brakeless fixed-gear for fours years and has never gotten a ticket. "I've just learned how to be able to control the bike without needing a brake. I definitely have had my accidents in the past. You have a whole different level of awareness to cars and stuff like that because you have to be more cautious knowing that you can't stop as fast as you would with a brake.

"It's good that people are getting on bikes, in my opinion, even if it's starting to become the trendy thing to do...It's still better than driving a car," Martel said.

Yummy Yogurt opens in old Benny J's spot

2009-06-28T06:29:21Z

The cozy, cottage-like storefront that used to be Benny J’s in Downtown Westfield Plaza is a meeting place for yogurt and coffee lovers once again this summer. Owner Jason Yee opened the cozy nook’s doors to the public Thursday as Yummy Yogurt, a self-serve frozen yogurt shop and café.

With its easy-to-spot sprinkles sign and bright pink walls in view from the storefront's window, Yummy Yogurt is currently the only yogurt shop in Downtown Plaza.

Yummy Yogurt is sold in cups by the ounce, Yee said. Yogurt junkies can choose from and mix mango, strawberry, chocolate, cheesecake, vanilla and tart-flavored nonfat yogurt, and throw in toppings like almonds, mochi, almond roca, marshmallows, raspberries and blueberries.

“There are plenty of toppings to choose from,” said Yee, adding that more are still coming.

Early birds can come in at 7 a.m. when the shop opens and enjoy 100 percent organic coffee from Coffeeworks as well as breakfast burritos and scones, brownies, cookies and of course, frozen yogurt. The shop also sells salads, fugazetta, vegetarian quiche, ham and cheese pockets and cold drinks.

Espresso drinks are coming soon, Yee said.

Vegetarians and vegans will be happy to learn that the mango yogurt is a dairy-free sorbet, and the breakfast burritos consist of beans, egg, tomatoes, chilies and melted cheese wrapped in a tortilla - no meat included.

Yummy Yogurt is located on the second floor of Downtown Plaza across from the food court.

The shop is open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Hours are subject to change.

You can visit the store’s website here: Yummy Yogurt.

Local author shines new light on Lincoln

2009-06-26T07:15:54Z

As Sacramento hosts With Malice Toward None this week, the Abraham Lincoln exhibit commemorating the president's bicentennial birth, local author Larry Tagg is traveling to Los Angeles to promote his book The Unpopular Mr. Lincoln: The Story of America's Most Reviled President at the San Gabriel Valley Civil War Round Table in Pasadena.

While many project Lincoln as one of history's greatest and most honorable presidents, Tagg has something else to say on the subject.

The former musician, who currently teaches English and drama at Hiram Johnson High School, spent the last six to seven years researching for and writing his second book, which he released in stores just over a month ago. Tagg said he has had a fascination with Lincoln for a long time, and the "spectacular animosity against Lincoln" seemed irresistible subject matter for a book.

Contrasting the enormous white marble replica of the nobly seated man in Washington, D.C., so often associated with Lincoln, Tagg said that during Lincoln's time, his contemporaries viewed him in a very different light.

"Across the board, all the newspapers were writing 'Here comes this cowardly president arriving like a thief in the night, sneaking into Washington, D.C., the nation's capital.' Right from the get-go he was digging himself out of a hole [and] had no prestige," Tagg said.

It is this unfamiliar view of the president that Tagg opens his 473-page narrative with and poses the question: "How could a man elected President in November be so reviled in February?"

Lincoln polled less than 40 percent of the popular vote, Tagg said. To put the figure in perspective, he added that Lincoln was at a 25 percent approval rating coming into office, which is a lower rating than President George W. Bush had going out.

The Unpopular Mr. Lincoln guides the reader from the president's unpopular entrance into the presidency and the political climate surrounding him, through Seward and Sumter, the Emancipation Proclamation, his reelection and his assassination shortly afterward.

Though it is a historical piece, Tagg expressed that his approach extends beyond simply restating history. "I really tried to write in a way that brings the times to life," he said. "It's a story for people that like history but want to read a good yarn."

Sketches and cartoons of Lincoln throughout the book, some characterizing him as a harlequin or vampire, provide a true sense of the opposition that Lincoln faced. In addition to newspaper sources, the book relies on what Tagg calls the "social observers" of the time, using their diaries and letters to express the sentiments of that time period.

Tagg emphasized that it is the media, however, that was Lincoln's most ruthless critic, and stated that there was no such thing as fair and balanced reporting during that time. "These are tame times. As hard as it is to think of an Ann Coulter or a Rush Limbaugh, or for the other side, a Keith Olbermann, as really kind of tame and toned-down, compared to these guys back then, [they are] tame," he said.

Although he was reelected in 1864 following the Emancipation Proclamation, Tagg explained that Lincoln's reelection was not a result of love for "The Great Emancipator," rather, the votes were "for the cause and not the man." To prove his point, Tagg referred to a quote he pulled from the Wisconsin Democrat that reads, "If he is elected for another term, we hope somebody will plunge a dagger into the tyrant's heart."

As he was finishing his book during the recent campaign months, Tagg noticed that his feelings toward Sarah Palin as a "fringe character who talked funny and didn't really know anything," were not too different from the sentiments found in many of the scathing newspaper articles about Lincoln.

The Unpopular Mr. Lincoln is more than just a catalogue of insults to Lincoln, Tagg reassured. He said as readers flip through the chapters they ask where the animosity stops. "I hate to say it, it turns around when he's assassinated," Tagg said.

Tagg explained that the contemporary view of Lincoln changed in one weekend. Assassinated on Good Friday, by the time what is referred to as "Black Sunday" came about, the preachers' sermons "cast him in a martyr role" saying he was the "American Moses who led the nation out of slavery."

Reflecting on the book's ties to today, Tagg touched on the notion that some might say President George W. Bush's reputation could be reversed just as easily in the future. "The unpopular Mr. Bush is next, right?" he said jokingly.

The Unpopular Mr. Lincoln is currently sold in bookstores, as well as on amazon.com.

You can order a copy of the book here: purchase book.

Larry Tagg is also the author of The Generals of Gettysburg.

California Museum hosts only West Coast stop for Lincoln exhibit

2009-06-23T23:41:29Z

What did the nation's 16th beloved president have in his pockets the night he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre in April 1865? Starting Wednesday, a visit to the California Museum will provide the public with a rare opportunity to see such artifacts with a naked eye.

After its premiere in Washington, DC beginning February 12, the Library of Congress art exhibit With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition was scheduled to show in five locations on its national tour, with the California Museum being the only stop on the West Coast.

The exhibition marks the bicentennial birth of the 16th president, its focus expanding beyond Lincoln’s presidency, capturing the years leading up to his presidency and the social unrest that occurred throughout his lifetime, covering the struggle for civil liberties and the Civil War. The exhibit also provides onlookers with a very humanizing perspective of Lincoln's character as an individual.

Sacramento media got the first glimpse of the exhibit at the California Museum Tuesday morning. The exhibition was opened a day early to the press for a guided tour with the museum's deputy director Amanda Meeker and William Jacobs, Chief of the Interpretive Programs Office at the Library of Congress.

The exhibit itself includes 200 artifacts reflecting Abraham Lincoln’s life, including the Bible used for Lincoln's 1861 inauguration -- which President Obama used for his own oath of office -- a rocking chair from Lincoln's days spent as a practicing attorney in Springfield, the Emancipation Proclamation and other documents written by his hand, as well as personal belongings, including his pocket contents from the night he was assassinated.

Two pairs of glasses, one of which he had repaired with thread, were among the items found in his pocket, along with a pocketknife.

Jacobs stopped in front of a map and chart display, showing the 13-day route between the president's burial in Springfield and Washington, DC.

"There was such an outpouring of grief following Lincoln's assassination," he explained. He pointed to a illustration of people mourning Lincoln's death and noted "the heart-rending expressions of grief expressed."

Jacobs pointed out another significant piece, the first bronze casting of plaster modeled for a life mask of Lincoln two months before his assassination. "It shows [the] drain on his physical well-being as a result of the Civil War."

Meeker told press one of the objects she finds most interesting is Lincoln's copy of Kirkham's grammar book. Meeker explained that with less than a year of formal education, the president used the book as a tool to educate himself and "became one of America's greatest orators."

On the other side of the room, Meeker and Jacobs identified Lincoln's collection of newspaper cutouts, namely from the Lincoln and Douglas debates, which he pasted onto pages of a small book. Jacobs said that the president used the collection as a quick reference guide to people's thoughts on issues, "much like a Blackberry or an iPhone." Careful viewing beneath the display glass shows Lincoln's handwriting in the margins of the clippings.

Media stations are located throughout the exhibition to provide observers more insight on the artifacts with audio-visual presentations.

An evening reception is scheduled for museum members at the museum’s Constitution Courtyard this evening with First Lady Maria Shriver, Congressman Dan Lungren and Dr. Henry Louis "Skip" Gates, Jr., Harvard University professor and Lincoln scholar, in attendance.

With Malice Toward None will remain on display at the California Museum through August 22. After August 22 the exhibition will be shown in Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska and Georgia.

For information on the Museum’s hours, location and other exhibits, visit this link.

For more information on Malice Toward None, see this link.

Photo Credit: Images 1 through 5 courtesy of California Museum, photos 6 through 11 by Jenn Walker.

Rock poster artists in American Artifact at Crest

2009-06-23T06:55:12Z

Paul Imagine is about as DIY as they come in Sacramento. A self-taught screenprinter and longtime rock poster artist, Imagine can often be seen at Peets Coffee on J Street sketching poster ideas, each sketch taking anywhere from three to eight hours to draw. His posters and flyers that he distributes on foot around town can take up to 16 hours for him to produce between drawing, screening and printing, and selling his work pays for little beyond what it takes to produce it.

Imagine’s labor of love will gain recognition in Tuesday night's screening of American Artifact, a documentary tracing what it refers to as America's 21st century "rock poster art movement" from the '60s to the present.

The film is directed and produced by Merle Becker, who runs Freakfilms Inc. out of New York City. Becker, self-described as an “obsessive music fan,” began working on American Artifact in 2005, traveling across the country and interviewing over 30 rock poster artists from different eras, including Imagine.

"It is my hope that this film causes people to see this 'lowbrow' art in a different way: as beautiful pieces of art that are also valid statements about the cultural changes that America has seen through the years," Becker said.

Consisting of intricate lines shaping teeth-baring creatures, flames, skulls and heeled-ladies, Imagine’s posters are easy to recognize in local stores.

“I just draw crazy things," he said. "Like I always say, a skull will fit with every punk rock band pretty much.”

Born into a military family in France, Imagine's family moved between Okinawa and Georgia before finally settling down in Fair Oaks when Paul was in fifth grade. Paul's introduction to art began early on as he saw his mother painting regularly.

"I've drawn for as long as I could remember," Imagine said. "I drew as a kid. I drew all through high school instead of taking notes and studying."

After his “metalhead” phase in high school, Imagine got caught up in the punk rock scene and noticed, “Holy crap, everyone’s doing everything themselves!”

Around the age of 18 he began going to punk rock shows and developed a deep appreciation for the creativity of the underground DIY movement happening around him.

"Growing up in the '80s I always loved the flyers on the telephone poles and all the punk rock show flyers, which were all just photocopied," Imagine said.

Imagine began making local concert flyers of his own using his drawings in the mid-'90s. A naturally “handy” kind of guy, uninspired by the idea of a traditional career, he worked jobs building office furniture and later in construction to make ends meet.

Imagine eventually decided that he wanted to silkscreen his drawings onto T-shirts and walked into a local screenprint shop, asking, "What do I need to print on shirts?" Experimenting with the materials he bought, Imagine taught himself how to screenprint and created a screenprinting space in his basement.

Shortly thereafter, Imagine attended the Rock Poster Revival in San Francisco, where he met rock poster artists such as Chris Shaw, Chuck Sperry, Ron Donovan and Lee Conklin.

Inspired to make rock art posters himself, he revisited the screenprint supply store in Sacramento and asked, "What do I need to print on paper?"

Imagine remembered making his first silkscreened poster for a show with the Supersuckers, Ding Dang and Angora Machine Gun around 1999 or 2000.

He participated in the first of the FLATSTOCK concert poster series in San Francisco in 2002, coordinated nationally by artists and supporters on the increasingly popular gigposters.com.

“I think we had 60 artists and it was crazy," he said. "All the different poster artists were kind of amazed that there’s that many people doing the same thing at the same time. Now there’s FLATSTOCKs all over the world.”

Among favorites Imagine has made rock art posters for the likes of new wave band DEVO and '80s hardcore band the Freeze.

Imagine continues to show his posters at the FLATSTOCKs at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas and in Seattle every year. Each August, Imagine organizes and hosts Rock Art Revulsion in Sacramento, featuring work of various rock poster artists as well as his own. Imagine also participated at a showing at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

His art is shown in the 2004 book Art of Modern Rock by Paul Grushkin and Dennis King, featuring the work of over 300 rock poster artists, and Grushkin’s book Rockin’ Down the Highway, a homage to cars and rock 'n' roll.

Imagine and his wife Eve were at the world premiere of American Artifact Saturday in San Francisco. They will also be present at the Sacramento screening of American Artifact at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Crest Theatre. A Q&A session with the film's director and the poster artists will follow the film.

“I hope it sells out," Imagine said. "Hopefully Sacramento comes and represents."

The film is also scheduled to show in New York, Denver, Detroit and Milwaukee.

For more information on the film, screenings and the rock poster artists, visit this link.

Photo credit: Image 6 courtesy of Freakfilms Inc., all other photos by Jenn Walker.

Who attends tattoo festivals, why?

2009-06-22T07:02:40Z

The second day of the eighth annual All American Tattoo festival brought a much larger crowd to the Convention Center Saturday than on its opening night, Friday.

Attendees had various reasons for checking out the tattoos and tattooed.

Justin Maulit came with his wife and 16-month-old daughter to finish part of their wedding vows.

“I’m here to get tattooed. It’s for our wedding. Me and my wife are getting matching ones. It’s a lady and a skull, and it says, ‘Til Death Do Us Part.’” She always wanted to get one, and we had [our daughter] and she couldn’t get one for the past two years, so now she’s getting hers done. [We brought our daughter] just as an experience, I’m pretty sure she’s going to get some later on down the line, and every year we’ve brought her.”

Justin Nixon came with his best friend: his 9-year-old son, Tanner Nixon.

“For six years I’ve been coming out here. It’s a cool environment…There’s a lot of good artists here, and there’s all kinds of different art. Not just body art, there’s paintings…it’s just a neat experience. [I brought my son] because that’s my best friend. We do everything together.”

Tanner said he plans to get a tattoo of Jesus Christ with thorns around his head. "[I want] the same one my dad’s going to get.”

Carl Puchalski (shown in photos 3, 6, and 10) a 55-year-old state worker, came to get more work done on his front-and-back piece, which has been a work in progress for the past nine to 10 years. Puchalski has been getting worked on by Bill from Liberty Art & Ink.

Puchalski won first place at this year's festival for best male large tattoo. He admits to wearing long sleeve shirts to work at his state job and gets an occasional reaction from co-workers. "I do because I started rolling my cuffs up, so they can see that I’ve got this [but] no one knows about the body yet."

Tanya Tallent also made the festival a family affair, bringing along her five 5-year-old son Nathan.

“Some friends of mine and I were considering getting tattoos, and we wanted to explore the different styles of artwork … They ended up not being able to come," Tallent said. "I came with my family instead. I thought [my son] would just get a kick out of the art. He asked me just a little while ago if he could get one, and I said not until he’s 18.”

Alex Briones (shown on left in photo 1) came to the festival with members of his organization, Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club and the Legacy Vets.

“We promote issues dealing with veterans. We don’t want people to forget our POWs and MIAs," Briones said. "We come here to just check it out, be seen and have fun.”

*Author's Note: All photos courtesy of Jonathan Mendick

Martians and Paris at French Film Festival opening

2009-06-22T06:41:26Z

A man wearing a red beret, spandex shorts, black motorcycle boots and a black leather vest posed for photos, and local DJs Christophe and Roger spun French music in the background at the Crest lobby during the opening reception of the Eighth Sacramento French Film Festival Friday night. Meanwhile, French film enthusiasts sampled wine, cheese, chocolate fondue, wraps and flatbreads from local restaurants and businesses.

The man’s unmistakably French attire may have caught your eye while passing this year’s SFFF posters around town, on which he appears equipped with a Martian helmet and an Eiffel Tower gun wearing the same costume, with the words “It came from Bordeaux!” above him and a space invasion setting behind him.

In an entertaining staged skit during the evening’s opening ceremony, the poster’s two stars – the French space invader and his victim damsel-in-distress shown on the poster – were asked a series of questions in French about the film release of It Came from Bordeaux!, to which the two replied in English “There is no movie,” “We’re not actors” and “It’s just a poster!”

Enough people mistook this year’s festival poster for an actual movie scene, as the interviewer had done, that the poster’s designer made an announcement that he has decided to turn his poster concept into a locally made film that will be shown at next year’s festival.

Kent Lacin, a local professional photographer and the SFFF poster designer, said he has no plan yet for the film’s plot and is still pondering questions such as “What would the French alien ship look like?”

Following the opening ceremony, a screening of Cedric Klapisch’s 2008 film Paris played to a packed theater house.

A dramatic comedy, the film focuses on nightclub dancer Pierre, played by Romain Duris, who discovers he has a potentially fatal heart condition and recedes into isolation in his apartment overlooking the city. Around Pierre and his sister Elise, played by Juliette Binoche, emerge a web of interconnected Parisians and their confrontations with aging, loneliness, death and above all, sex and intimacy.

Some of the film’s most convincing and uncomfortable moments show a college professor’s obsession with his student, Pierre’s struggle to find a sex partner and a spontaneous evening spent between models and market workers.

The film provides an unromanticized, authentic sense of Parisian life as each character reveals their experiences in the local marketplace, the pastry shop or their apartments.

“Paris, you have a thousand faces,” says one character – “trashy Paris,” “happy Paris” or “singing Paris.”

The festival could not have been opened with a more appropriate film. With midnight around the corner, audience members filed out of the theater, while a small crowd stayed for coffee and a discussion about the film conducted by Kevin Elstob, professor of French at CSUS.

The French Film festival will resume this Friday.

For more information on the French Film festival, visit this link.

To see more articles on this year's festival, see these links: SFFF begins and SFFF day 2.

*Author's Note: Image 2 courtesy of the Sacramento French Film Festival. All other photos courtesy of Denis Rouleau. You can see his work here and here.

French Film festival opens tomorrow

2009-06-19T04:50:12Z

"French trash" vacationers, a late-in-life marriage, a self-taught painter gone mad and Beauty and the Beast will take to the screen at the Crest Theatre this weekend.

Usually occurring in July, the eighth Sacramento French Film festival has an early start this year with its opening reception tomorrow night. The festival is held annually at the Crest Theatre as a project of the Alliance Française de Sacramento; it will run Friday through Sunday this weekend and Saturday and Sunday next weekend.

Cecile Downs, co-founder of the SFFF, said the festival's selection will include comedies, dramas and thrillers as well as "midnight movies" — one is the erotic film A l’Aventure by Jean-Claude Brisseau, and the other is Fear(s) of the Dark, a collection of animated, nightmare-inspired stories.

"We try to have a really big variety so that everybody can find something they want to see," Downs said.

This year's opening film, Paris by Cédric Klapisch, will play tomorrow evening after the reception. Considered a huge success in France, the dramatic comedy features an "all-star" cast including Juliette Binoche and Romain Duris in a Parisian setting.

Next weekend, the film Séraphine will run both nights, based on the servant and self-taught painter Séraphine de Senlis, who lived during the Great Depression and World War II.

"I'm very excited to show this one," Downs said. She added that it won seven Césars (French Academy Awards).

Other films will include French classics such as Jean Cocteau's 1946 film Beauty & the Beast and Rules of the Game by Jean Renoir.

I Do, by Éric Lartigau, is about a middle-aged man forced to marry late in life, and features French comic Alain Chabat — currently starring in U.S. films Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

Saturday night, Le Cirque de la mode, a fashion show presented by Opaline’s Closet featuring Sacramento designers, boutiques and salons, will precede Max Ophüls' 1955 Lola Montès, based on the 19th century dancer, actress and courtesan.

This year's closing film is Welcome, by Philippe Lioret. "It's a film that was in the news because of its subject, it's [about] illegal immigration," Downs said. "It's a beautiful film, [and] there's a love story." A champagne party will conclude the festival next Sunday night after the film.

For more information on the films, show times and tickets, visit this link.

*Author's Note: Photos courtesy of the Sacramento French Film festival.

All American Tattoo Festival this weekend

2009-06-18T05:31:08Z

Tattoo artists from across the country and around the world will join local tattoo artists in offering their inking services to Sacramento for the eighth year in a row at the annual All American Tattoo Festival this weekend. The festival begins Friday and will continue through Sunday at the Sacramento Convention Center.

The festival is organized in a joint effort between local promoter Alan Mahon and the owners of Sacramento's Forever Tattoo. Attendees can view over 100 art pieces, submissions of mainly paintings and drawings from the artists that won't include tattoo designs, on any of the three days of the festival, in addition to getting tattooed by world-renowned artists.

“Fifty to 60 percent of tattoo artists should not be tattooing anybody,” Mahon said. He explained that the festival provides tattoo-goers the opportunity to get a “better than average tattoo” by expert artists they normally don’t have access to, since many of them are overbooked or live in other parts of the country or the world.

Contests will be held each day for best tattoo pieces, in addition to special appearances by renowned sideshow art performer George the Giant. The festival will also host the worldwide debut of Shige, a book based on the life and work of world-renowned Japanese tattoo artist Shigenorii Wasaki. Both Wasaki and Horitaka, the author, will be tattooing at this year's festival.

Artists from local tattoo shops like American Graffiti, Modern Body Custom Tattoo, Monster Ink, Legacy and River City Tattoo will be stationed at the festival, in addition to the artists from Forever Tattoo.

Anyone wanting to get inked by unfamiliar or foreign artists can choose from a wide selection of tattooers from the West Coast, Texas, Missouri, Florida, New York, Japan, Germany, Spain and Italy.

Brent Patten, an organizer of the festival and co-owner of Forever Tattoo, pointed out that the festival offers more options than just needles. Attendees can get tattooed with the Japanese hand-painted method Tebori using a brass wand, or with a Tahitian method using a "tapping" stick.

"You get to see all these people from all around the world," Patten said. "You read about them in books, [and to] maybe get tattooed by them is really cool."

For several local artists, participating in this year's festival will be a first-time experience.

Steve Shippey, who has been tattooing for five years and specializes in horror realism, portrait and cartoon-inspired pieces, will tattoo for the first time at the festival along with Ronnie Grizard, on behalf of Sacramento's Modern Body.

Ten-year tattoo artist Tuan Tran will also participate for the first time on behalf of Monster Ink, a newer two-and-a-half-year old tattoo shop in Sacramento. Tran specializes in Japanese-style tattoos, along with realism and demon-inspired pieces.

Both Shippey and Tran expressed their excitement about the festival and an opportunity to meet other artists from around the world.

If there's anything to not look forward to, it's bargain hunters.

"Sometimes you get people who think that they can walk out with $20 in their pocket and get a three-hour piece for next to nothing," Shippey said.

For more information about tickets, schedule times, the artists and parking, visit this link.

Author's note: All photos courtesy of All American Tattoo festival.

Demonstrators ride across state, protest HIV cuts

2009-06-11T06:09:08Z

Carla Tuff rode one of 12 buses that departed Los Angeles at 3 a.m. today to join an estimated 1,500 people protesting statewide HIV service cuts at the Capitol. The "Fight for Your Life" rally was organized by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation along with other HIV and AIDS awareness organizations.

Tuff said she was one of 58 other protestors who rode a bus from the Tarzana Treatment Center in Los Angeles, where she has received medical and mental treatment as an HIV-positive patient for the past several years.

"If they stop our medications ... I won't be able to raise my kids," Tuff said.

Now 44 years old, Tuff said she was 26 and pregnant with her first child when she was diagnosed HIV-positive. The father of both her children died from the disease. Her children, who are 16 and 17 years old now, are HIV-negative because of treatment she has received.

"Thank God that they are negative," she said.

Chris Vigiano, a social worker who participated in the rally on behalf of the Tarzana Treatment Center, explained that the $80.1 million cuts from public health care will curb AIDS and HIV programs such as HIV counseling, epidemiology studies, case management, surveillance and AIDS drug assistance programs.

"The proposed budget cuts are basically jeopardizing services for our clients," Vigiano said. "If state funds won't be able to support guidelines of federal grants, [it will be] detrimental to the HIV community."

For more information on the statewide rallies against HIV cuts, visit the following link.

*Author’s notes: All photos courtesy of Ed Fogle; click the following link to view website: Maverick Photography.

Crown City Rockers at Beatnik Studios Friday

2009-06-04T06:47:40Z

The hip-hop and jazz group Crown City Rockers will be playing an all-ages show at Beatnik Studios on Friday. The doors open at 8 p.m. and the band begins at 9 p.m.

The five-piece band is self-described as a "genre-blending collective whose music is all together original, powerful and provocative," mixing an "organic blend of lush, funk-drenched grooves, riveting classic soul samples, sharp live instrumentation and old-school rhymes."

Originally formed in Boston in the late '90s, the band later relocated to Oakland, Calif. where they currently reside. The band is scheduled for an album release this fall.

Beatnik Studios is located at 1724 17th St. in Midtown Sacramento.

Admission is $10, and tickets can be purchased online here.

More information on the band is available here.

Author's Note: Accompanying promotional photo courtesy of SBL Entertainment.

Supporters demand clemency for Ling & Lee at Capitol

2009-06-04T06:38:20Z

At least 100 people participated in a Sacramento demonstration Wednesday evening for the clemency of Current TV journalist, Euna Lee, and producer Laura Ling, detained in North Korea. The two women, originally from Sacramento and graduates of Del Campo high school, were scheduled to stand trial Wednesday (Thursday, June 4 in North Korea) for illegally crossing the DPRK border and other "hostile acts."

The participants — family members, friends and supporters of the women, some bearing signs demanding their release — gathered at the L Wine Lounge and Urban Restaurant in Midtown Sacramento, and proceeded with a walk to the Capitol west steps.

Upon arrival at the Capitol, participants were asked to engage in a moment of silence. Statements were made in support of Lee and Ling by Mayor Kevin Johnson, Jerry Wang, a family member of Laura Ling, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), Assemblyman Paul Fong (D-Cupertino), Senator Robert "Bob" Huff (R-Diamond Bar) and former Del Campo students Beth Deibels and Marcus Marquez.

Among those in the crowd was teacher Jim Jordan, who taught Ling at Del Campo in his honors junior English class in 1992-93.

"She's one of my [former] students, a fellow journalist, a member of our community [and] a member of my school community, and we just want to support her and Euna and their families in any way that we can," Jordan said.

Wang made a statement of behalf of the Ling and Lee families expressing gratitude for the public support of the two women.

"Our families have been comforted by the unexpected and overwhelming support for Laura and Euna," Wang said. "We would like to thank all of those individuals who are organizing to secure the release of the girls."

Although she does not know Ling or Lee personally, Deibels explained that having attended the same school as the women, "We can't help but feel connected to them."

The vigil was arranged Monday morning by Deibels and Marquez when they realized a vigil in Sacramento had not yet been arranged in recognition of the womens' trial.

"There were other vigils [scheduled] across the country ... and we wanted to make sure Laura's hometown didn't fall off of the map," Diebels said. "Facebook is how it started, believe it or not."

Diebels and Marquez posted the event and sent initial invitations through the online social network.

Other vigils were listed to simultaneously take place in Birmingham, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Portland, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.

To read more about the first Sacramento vigil for the two women, see Lee & Ling vigil.

Congresswoman Matsui tours Sacramento health care facilities

2009-06-03T01:02:03Z

Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) completed her third day of touring Sacramento's health care system on Friday, ending with a round table discussion at the Sierra Health Foundation with health care professionals regarding how to improve health care within the Sacramento district, as well as the nation.

A member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which presides over many health care issues, Matsui expressed her desire to meet with the "people on the front lines" of the health care system here in Sacramento, hoping to discover ways that "affordable and quality health care for all Sacramentans" can be achieved.

The panel discussion touched on the importance of primary and preventative care, mental health services and the complications created by the segregation of access to county services, nonprofit clinics and hospitals. Panel members included executive officials and representatives of local health centers and organizations such as MAAP, Inc., The Effort, the Capitol Community Health Network and the Sacramento Native American Health Center.

Matsui also spent two days prior to the discussion visiting Kaiser Hospital, the Radiological Association of Sacramento Medical Group Facility and the UC Davis Emergency Room.

Arnoldo Torres, a participant in the panel discussion and interim chief executive officer of MAAP -- a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive health care services to South Sacramento -- explained afterward that he wanted to "provide [Matsui] with a very clear understanding...of the challenges that [the organization] goes through every day," serving what he considers the most neglected region in the county in terms of health care.

Torres also discussed MAAP's health care reform proposal, which he said would account for county and state budget cuts and integrate nonprofit clinics, hospitals and county services. Torres intends to meet with Matsui again in the near future to further discuss the proposal.

Susan DeMarois, assistant director for government and community relations for the UC Davis health system, said she felt Matsui's visit provided the Congresswoman with an accurate understanding of the operations of the UC Davis ER department.

"As Congress considers health care reform, we feel ER rooms are on the front line," she said, emphasizing the role of emergency rooms as safety nets for people who can't obtain health care elsewhere.
"We are the safety net for the Sacramento region," she added.

Dr. Jonathan Breslau, of the Radiological Associates in Sacramento, said that during Matsui's tour at the facility she was shown some of the imaging technology responsible for detecting early stages of breast cancer and thereby reducing the costs of treatment.

"We wanted her to see the kind of high-quality and low-cost services that are available in her district," Breslau said.

"Sacramento is lucky [to have] good health care systems," Matsui said at the conclusion of the three-day tour, stating nonetheless that "just because we have a state-of-the-art health care system in Sacramento does not mean that every Sacramentan has access to it." She voiced her concern for a woman she met in Sacramento and the "millions of people across [the] country...in her same situation" who have been laid off and are at risk of losing health care benefits.

Matsui will return to Washington, D.C., where she will continue to address access to quality health care and health care reform in Congress.

"Prevention is going to be so important," Matsui said.

The Congresswoman emphasized the need for a primary care delivery system, and for people to have access to primary care doctors. She cited mental health services as another area of importance.

"From talking to the doctors at the UC Davis Medical Center during my tour, it became even more evident to me that there is a severe shortage of services for the mentally ill in Sacramento," she said, adding that state and county budget cuts are a threat to mental health care.

Matsui expressed her intent to continue dialogue with Sacramento health officials in the future, stressing the importance of their input on health care reform.
"I want my colleagues in Congress to know that the people on the front lines and in our community clinics have some good ideas about how to fix our nation’s health care system," Matsui said.

*Author's Note: Accompanying photos courtesy of the Office of Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui.

California duck stamp exhibition opens Monday

2009-06-01T05:48:20Z

An exhibition of 37 California state duck stamps opens Monday at the California Museum in downtown Sacramento.

California has used original artwork for its duck stamp program since 1971—beginning with the artwork of Paul Johnson—when it developed the first state duck program in the nation, said deputy museum director Amanda Meeker.

Hunters are required to buy the stamps and put them on their licenses, and the resulting funds are used for conservation of wetlands and geese and duck habitats, explained Meeker. She said that the program has raised $22 million since its inception.

Between 1971 and 1977, and 1995 to 2008, the Department of Fish and Game commissioned artwork for the stamps, according to Meeker. However, between 1978 and 1994, she said artwork was chosen from the state duck stamp competition.

The renowned competition was held again for the first time in 15 years on Wednesday for the 2009-2010 California state duck stamp, won by Indiana artist Jeffrey Klinefelter.

The artwork from every year’s stamp—not including this year’s—will be on display at the museum.

The exhibition is in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Game; it will run through September 20.

The California Museum is located on 1020 O Street, and its hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.

Admission is $8.50 for adults, $7 for students and seniors with valid I.D., $6 for children ages 6 to 13, and free for children ages 5 and under.

You can visit the California Museum website here.

To read more about this year’s California duck stamp competition, visit this link.

*Author’s Note: Accompanying image is 1997 California duck stamp by artist Robert Steiner, courtesy of the CA Department of Fish & Game.

Doggy Dash and Bark at the Park has highest attendance of 16 years

2009-05-31T03:34:59Z

It was a moment comparable to being at the circus, watching dogs large and small waltz by in bright, bulky and outlandish costumes, some complete with suspenders or patent leather doll shoes. The woolly mammoth, the lobster, the ballerina, the Lion King, the construction worker, the geisha, the bum, and the hippie — exceptionally well-costumed dogs — assembled in line for judges to determine which one would win this year’s dog costume contest. Zury, the 2-year-old Australian cattle dog dressed as a bum, was the first-prize winner, followed by Rudy placing second for his construction worker duds, and Klusso placing third as the Lion King.

According to Lesley Kirrene, Sacramento SPCA director of public relations, today’s Doggy Dash and Bark at the Park festival had its greatest turnout of the 16 consecutive years it’s been held at William Land Park. She estimated that there were 3,000 participants in the 2K and 5K Doggy Dash walk/runs combined, and added that this year’s fourth annual pug race had more participants than ever before.

In addition to the Doggy Dash, pug races and costume contests, the Bark at the Park festival also hosted various dog demonstrations and other competitions in three separate arenas.

The Sacramento Police Department held a K-9 demonstration using three of the department’s nine patrol dogs: Butch, Hutch, and their newest addition, Crash. The three dogs performed obedience demonstrations as well as attack demonstrations on pretend “bad guys” with padded arm guards. Sergeant Steve Olivera said that the dogs require four months of training.

Robert Lynch and his 3-and-a-half-year old Staffordshire bull terrier won first place in the look-alike contest and third place in best smile.

Disc Dogs of the Golden Gate showcased their owner-dog teams engaging in coordinated disc-catching demonstrations — team members varied in sizes as small as Sammy the dachshund and as stocky as Aztec the pit bull.

Other dog owners entered their dogs in the disc, toss and fetch contest, or competitions for best tricks, best smile or best kisser.

Among eye-catching dogs in attendance included black and white great Dane Cosmo, who is 43-inches tall and 155 pounds, and supposedly related to the tallest dog in this year’s Guinness World Records, according to the owner.

“I’m not sure if that’s a horse or a dog,” said contributing Sacramento Press photographer Ed Fogle.

Amid the excitement were two new additions to this year’s festival: a free concert by Sacramento band the Indestructibles, and a kid zone inclusive with rock climbing and a jump house.

Along with booths dedicated to dog rescue and prevention of animal cruelty, the event also hosted a variety of booths promoting grain, wheat, hormone and preservative-free dog foods, spa indulgences, resort packages and pet medical insurance to dog owners who sometimes seemed more concerned with the well-being of their furry friends than of themselves.

By mid-afternoon, dogs and their owners walked away from the park. Some looked happy, some looked dog-tired.

All proceeds from the event will go directly to help homeless animals at the Sacramento SPCA. For more information about the organization, visit: sspca.org.

*Author’s note: Photos 9, 10, & 11 by Jenn Walker. All other photos courtesy of Ed Fogle; click the following link to view website: Maverick Photography.

Demonstrators rally at Capitol in response to Prop 8 decision

2009-05-27T07:17:00Z

Lisa Gorden and JDD Doran-Jammer, both blind, trailed behind the crowd of people marching around the Capitol, echoing their chants “Hey hey, ho ho, discrimination has got to go.”

Although they are not gay and said marching with crowds is difficult given their physical disposition, the two friends joined in Tuesday’s rally against the California Supreme Court’s upholding of Proposition 8.

“I’m just real sad and mad about the Prop. 8 decision. It just seemed important to come out in the heat and support this,” Gorden said. “We have plenty of noise to follow.”

Gorden and Doran-Jammer were two of an estimated 2,000 who appeared at Tuesday’s rally, organized by Equality Action NOW, which refers to itself as a Northern California grassroots civil rights organization. The rally began at the Gay and Lesbian center at the intersection of 20th and L Streets and continued with a march to the west Capitol steps, where a demonstration followed.

Among speakers at the demonstration were Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), Assemblyman Bill Monning (D-Monterey), joined by religious speakers, spoken-word artists, musicians, organizations such as Marriage Equality USA, Courage Campaign, NOW, Stonewall Democrats of Sacramento and representatives of Meet in the Middle 4 Equality.

Steinberg expressed his admiration for “people who are willing to take [their] own struggles out to the streets.”

“It’s not about sex, it’s about love,” said Ammiano, who is openly gay. “It’s always been about love.”

Other speakers expressed anger and frustration, identifying the court’s decision as a disappointment and a failure to protect the rights of minorities in a democracy, as well as hope for the future of gay and lesbians and their families. They encouraged participants to continue to be active beyond the rally.

“Rallies are great…movements are better,” said speaker Dayne Damme.

Several speakers addressed the group of demonstrators across the street from the Capitol holding yellow “Celebrate Prop 8!” signs. Jorge Riley explained that he and some of the other 16 demonstrators were former members of the American River College student government that passed a resolution to endorse Prop. 8 in October.

“We want to be the alternative voice,” said Michael Hart, who was demonstrating with the former ARC students.

“It’s always important to show both sides and leave it to the people to decide,” Riley said.

Riley added that he was there to “support good family values” and that he was not demonstrating to endorse hate.

Jade Beranski of Equality Action NOW said that considering the heat and that it was a work night, she was satisfied with the turnout at the rally.

To read about yesterday’s initial reactions to the upholding of Prop. 8, visit the following link:

Initial Reaction

*AUTHOR’S NOTE: ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY JONATHAN MENDICK AND JENN WALKER OF SACRAMENTO PRESS*

Five rehab members are victorious at 5k race

2009-05-26T05:42:45Z

For five residents of a Sacramento rehab center, this Memorial Day represents a personal battle won.

Of 1185 registered participants, five members of the recently formed running and walking program One Step Forward completed their first race as a team this morning at the “No Excuses” 5k run at William Land Park.

The members were recruited just over two months ago from Sacramento’s Clean & Sober program, dedicated to helping disadvantaged people overcome drug and alcoholic addictions. For the past six weeks, One Step Forward trained twice a week in preparation for the race.

One Step Forward was formed by local organizer Makiko Yamashita, who wanted to provide a sense of community, accomplishment and hope to its participants.

Yamashita said 20 to 25 participants initially showed up to One Step Forward’s first meeting. Five of those participants showed up at the race today. Bryan Atkins, Nate Bryant, David Brody, Ray Barraza and Mitchell Brum formed team “Back on Track,” each one a member of Clean & Sober for as little as two to 10 months.

“Every session, [these five] showed up,” Yamashita said.

Along with Yamashita and Clean & Sober volunteer Julie Sharp, the team also had guidance and support from training director Lisa Riley of Fleet Feet Sports in Sacramento. Fleet Feet provided the group with team shirts, and Clean & Sober bought Fleet Feet running shoes for the participants using grant money.

Atkins noted that Manny Diaz, director of Clean & Sober, also played a large role in their accomplishment.

“We wouldn’t even be here without him,” he said.

In addition to battling addictions, several members struggle with various physical challenges. Bryant is a diabetic and has an irregular heartbeat, and his doctor told him he needed to exercise.

“I decided I want to better myself,” said Bryant, explaining his motives for partaking in the event.

Atkins had medial collateral ligament surgery 10 years ago.

“The hardest part of training is running on bad knees — I have pins in my knees,” he said.

Despite such challenges, the five men indicated a sincere desire to be a part of the event.

“It’s supposed to be something to help us get together as a community," Brody said. "That’s why I wanted to do this."

They also expressed a commitment to finishing the race.

“We’ve been training for this thing for two months," Brum said. "[I] can’t let these people down. Like the race says, ‘no excuses.'"

“I used to run away from commitment,” laughed Atkins, referring to his struggle with kicking a seven-year methamphetamine habit. Today was a different story.

“I feel like I’ve really accomplished something,” he said after finishing the race. The five men equally expressed enthusiasm about their accomplishment, and the group celebrated with an outing to a victory breakfast.

Looking forward, Yamashita is toying with the idea of having the group participate in another race in August, the Race for the Arts.

“If they’re going to keep coming to training, I’ll keep running,” Brody said.

To read more about One Step Forward, see the link below:

One Step Forward

To visit Clean & Sober’s website, click on the following link:

Clean & Sober

Hip Hop Congress Awareness Festival unites diverse crowd

2009-05-25T08:00:34Z

Watching the MC with the dreadlocks, the interracial couple, kids younger than 12, asians, blacks, whites and Hispanics congregated in the Washington Neighborhood Center all listening to the same music was a rare and inspiring sight.

Today was the third and final day of the first Sacramento Hip Hop Congress Awareness Festival. The day was dedicated to a showcase of performances by open-mic artists, b-boys, DJs and street, conscious and hip hop MCs from Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles, as well as art displays.

Bay Area musician Rahman Jahmaal and local musicians such as Skurge riled the crowd with their inspirational words. Jahmaal broke down the beauty in the art of hip hop.

"I want to encourage you to be a little more active in your community," Skurge said to the audience over the microphone.

The festival was heavily focused on bringing together the community and local artists with the different art forms of hip hop culture, in addition to introducing the local chapter of the Hip Hop Congress to Sacramento.

Yesterday included performances by Oakland's Simone Nia Rae and former member of Jurassic 5 Akil.

HHC co-chairs Vanessa Amarro and Aman Smith agreed that yesterday's featured music industry panel, involving a discussion between seven speakers representative of the hip hop scene and participants, was a main highlight of the festival. Smith estimated that there were 30 to 40 people present, ranging from 8 years old to 45 years old.

"A lot of people were happy with the total outcome [of the panel] because it was such a diverse group of people," Smith said.

According to Smith, the seven panel speakers included music supervisor Marcus Barone, professional bass player Kevin Cane, music attorney Christine O' Connor, professor Erik Chun, LA videographer Todd Strickland—who previously worked with Alicia Keys, Usher, and Jaime Foxx—Sacramento rapper Bueno and graffiti artist and b-boy (breakdancer) Taz Roc, who previously worked on the Sprite "Obey Your Thirst" marketing campaign.

Smith expressed his excitement about the discussion that ensued about the future of independent artists and being successful in today's market; he said the Sacramento chapter will continue the discussion once every month or every other month.

Twenty-eight-year-old Tatiana Turner, local music promoter and film short producer, said the panel was "surprisingly informative and very interactive."

"There was a little bit of each genre, and with a graffiti artist and a lawyer on [the same] panel, you could see the unity," she added.

In addition to the main stage, there was a separate room set up with microphones for kids to work on their music skills.

Twelve-year-old Sophia Marx, who just began volunteering for HHC over the weekend with the encouragement of her mom, said she really liked the sense of community at the event.

"I don't get to do a lot of this stuff at home—work, sing and dance," she said.

Rae, who said it was her second time performing in Sacramento, expressed her pleasure in being a part of the event.

"Hip hop Congress is always positive. It's all for the love of hip hop," she said.

To learn more about Hip Hop Congress, visit hiphopcongress.com

Has the fun been taken out of the Jubilee?

2009-05-24T06:59:40Z

Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums were busy "shooby-doo-wop-bopping" on stage. Meanwhile, a woman with a black halter dress, a chic A-line haircut and flashy white sunglasses jitterbugged with the man in the suit. The couple was eye-catching. They were not only good dancers, but they were an older couple.

This Memorial Day weekend marks Sacramento's 36th Jazz Jubilee. If you have never been to the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, or JazzFest (they are referred to interchangeably), a consistent observation has been the strong presence of an "older" crowd. This can be attributed to the festival's traditional Dixieland appeal, an appeal that some patrons said is beginning to fizzle out.

Volunteer John Shannon, who said his parents had continually brought him to the festival since he was two years old, acknowledged the claim made by some that the JazzFest's recent shift in music "takes away" from the festival.

"But you can't take the fun out of jubilee," he responded.

"You could sit all day and listen to traditional [Dixieland]...but you have to have different genres to sustain something this large," Shannon said.

Jazzfest artists now perform genres such as blues, zydeco and swing, in addition to Dixieland.

Volunteers explained that the JazzFest is trying to appeal to a younger demographic to compensate for the older generations that are passing on.

"[There are] a lot more bands [and] different types of music to appeal to the younger generations, and it's working," said volunteer Betty Paul as she stood outside the crowded performance of the Benny Goodman Centennial Tribute Band. Paul has attended the festival since it first began in 1974.

Naturally, the "Next Generation" sites at the festival also draw some younger audience members, since they host bands consisting of teenagers and high school students.

Some volunteers and festival patrons expressed their disappointment with the changes of the festival.

"What the JazzFest used to be is a jubilee. They're trying to get younger people to come [and] the older population has dwindled," said John McDaniel, who has volunteered for 35 years.

McDaniel also noted the absence of RV parking and the lacking presence of foreign bands, two attractions that have drawn festival-goers in the past.

While there were teenagers scattered throughout the festival and occasionally young adults perusing the crowds with beers in hand, the older generation, some bravely adorned with fancy hats and studded sunglasses, was nonetheless predominant and looking to have a good time.

Bands like Tom Rigney and the Flambeau, a versatile San Francisco-based band, and Billy Mata and Texas Tradition, a band that incorporates sounds of swing and country, were both big hits with the older crowds Friday.

Volunteer Lewis Mutschler, wearing an oversized "Grumpy" hat, relaxed on the grass with his wife, who wore a headband with sparkly star antennas, as they sat and watched the high school swing and jazz band Santa Clara Swing.

"If they can draw a younger crowd and keep it from dying out it's a good thing," said Mutschler .

All photos courtesy of Anthony Bento. You can visit his website here: http://hatlesslincoln.com/photography/v/bento/

Sacramento's first Hip Hop Congress awareness festival this weekend

2009-05-21T21:43:44Z

Want to learn about hip hop or the hip hop music industry?

This weekend provides a perfect opportunity--the Sacramento Chapter of the Hip Hop Congress will be holding its first awareness festival May 22 through May 24 at the Washington Neighborhood Center at 400 16th Street in midtown Sacramento.

Hip Hop Congress is a nonprofit organization that identifies itself as "an international grassroots network that educates, empowers, and unites individuals...preserv[ing] and evolv[ing] hip hop by inspiring social action and cultural creativity within the community." The organization claims more than 50 chapters nationwide, in addition to chapters in Europe and Africa.

Vanessa Amarro, co-chair of Sacramento's recently formed chapter and also known as Lady Vex, explained that the purpose of the awareness festival is to introduce Hip Hop Congress to Sacramento while educating and bringing the community together with hip hop culture.

"Hip hop is a beautiful culture that brings so many nationalities together...but it gets a bad rap because there are people that don't understand it," explained Amarro. Hip Hop Congress strives not only to educate the community about hip hop culture, but also uses hip hop to educate the public on serious issues such as AIDS awareness, she added.

On Saturday, the festival will host a music industry panel with experienced industry members in order to educate aspiring hip hop artists about music business law, marketing, copyright and business practices.

"There's a lot of artists that are coming out into the hip hop scene but they're not business savvy," said Amarro.

The festival will also feature a showcase of the elements of hip hop, including live DJs, live urban art (art pieces will be made on the spot), MC cyphers, and b-boys, or "breakdancers."

Performing acts at the festival will include Akil, former member of hip hop group Jurassic 5, in addition to local acts such as Verbal Venom, Righteous Movement, and DJ Oasis.

The festival will be held between 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. on Friday, and between noon and 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets are $5 per day or $10 for a three-day pass. Tickets can be purchased in advance at United State, located at 1014 24th Street in midtown Sacramento.

The proceeds from the event will go to "the Foundation," an urban arts afterschool program at Natomas High School.

For more information about the event, visit: http://www.myspace.com/sachiphopcongress

For more information about Hip Hop Congress, visit: www.hiphopcongress.com

Lion dancers, Bunraku, Taiko and more at Pacific Rim Street Festival

2009-05-19T03:34:15Z

The above photo is of another dance team, the Eastern Ways Lion Dance Team

It had reached 100 degrees by 4:30 Sunday afternoon, and seven-year-old Caleb Mai disappeared beneath a massive red and black lion headdress the size of his body.

Moments later the drums began, and a line of lion dancers appeared on the stage, leaping and shaking beneath their bright costumes. They then each hopped onto the ground and scattered into the audience, standing on chairs and bobbing their oversized lion headdresses up and down. One lady laughed uncontrollably as a dancer shook its grinning masked face in front of her's. Every now and again Mai could be seen as he held the weight of the lion head high above his own and shook it wildly.

The drums stopped, and the dancers clamored back onto the stage. Mai's family stood from the front row to help him as he reemerged from beneath his costume.

This was the Diêu Quang lion dance team's first performance at the 17th annual Pacific Rim Street Festival in Sacramento, and Mai was one of several young dancers on the team. The festival's entertainment, stretched from the morning into the late afternoon, was divided among four stages set up in between Old Sacramento and Westfield Downtown Plaza.Along with Diêu Quang, it consisted of several performances exhibiting youth talent.

Chris Iwata, one of the performance coordinators and working board members of the event, explained that younger performers are common at the festival and their families enjoy coming each year to support them.

Aside from Diêu Quang, other new acts to the festival included the Hawaiian reggae group Koa Young and Friends, as well as Fijian Sanatan Youth Group.

Also new to the festival was the Green Valley Puppet Theater, which performed Bunraku, a Japanese form of puppet theater. The puppeteers, clothed in black from head-to-toe, unconventionally manipulated their puppets at waist-level on a table top, cleverly using a teapot, chopsticks, and white handcrafted figurines as characters in the story.

Sacramento Taiko Dan, a 20-year-old local drumming group and longtime festival participant, engaged the audience with a lively performance of coordinated Japanese taiko drumming.

The festival hosted a variety of other diverse performances, including dancing and music reflective of Filipino, Polynesian, and Hmong cultures.

By the late afternoon the crowd began to dwindle, and the lion dancers took to the streets for a final dance.

*AUTHOR'S NOTE: Accompanying photo borrowed from photo essay by Kati Garner*

To view more photos from event, see her photo essay at the following link:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/7748/Paciific_Rim_Festival_fotos

To see a preview article written about the event, see the following link:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/7597/Annual_Pacific_Rim_Street_Festival_on_Sunday

Local restaurant Jim-Denny’s celebrates 75th anniversary Saturday

2009-05-18T07:21:02Z

“These guys are nuts. I really hope no one throws up. Care for some hamburger with your water?” I thought to myself as I watched eight men sitting in a row, stuffing Jim-Denny’s half-pound hamburgers down their throats, one of who proceeded to dip his half-eaten burger and patty into a cup of water between bites.

On the stage behind them stood the emcee, Sacramento's local music guru Jerry Perry, with a mic in hand, watching with everyone else to see who would clean his plate first.

Pedro Alarcon won the Jim-Denny’s superburger-eating contest at 3 minutes and 41 seconds. Perry handed him a T-shirt for his accomplishment and suggested the rest of the men take their leftovers home. Then the party continued—the 75th Jim-Denny’s anniversary celebration, that is.

Even in the blazing heat, the landmark hamburger joint drew an impressive crowd Saturday to celebrate its many years of feeding Sacramento, providing $3 breakfast and lunch buffets along with a beer garden and live entertainment.

Anyone patient enough to wait in the long buffet lines indulged in Jim-Denny's favorites such as "tiny Jim" pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast, and hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch. Locals and non-locals, regulars and new customers alike showed up throughout the day. The restaurant's co-owner of more than four years, Patsy Lane, said she had never worked with such a wide variety of customers.

Restaurant patrons such as Lee Innocenti, who said he's been eating at Jim-Denny's for 10 years, and Mike Newcomer, who said he'd been eating at the restaurant since 1985 when Denny supposedly still owned the place, were among regulars who came to the event.

While looking for attendees as old or older than the establishment itself, Perry found 86-year-old Scotty Harper from West Sacramento, who surprisingly said he had never eaten at Jim-Denny's before in his life.

Aside from hamburger-eating contests and buffets, bicycle motocross stunts and live music also entertained the crowd throughout the day.

Sacramento’s 2-year-old Cap City BMX stunt team showed off its unique talent before lunch, with riders balancing on their bike pegs as they twirled and flipped their bikes on the asphalt.

The music lineup included bands such as Ol' Cotton Dreary, the Tattooed Love Dogs, the Regulars and the recently formed, young brother/sister duo, Who and the What Now.

Ol' Cotton Dreary even performed a song dedicated to the restaurant, singing a chorus that went something like, "You don't need teeth to eat all meat...Jim-Denny's."

Well-fed and entertained, people lounged beneath umbrella-covered tables and tents late into the afternoon.

Lane, appearing exhausted yet happy by the time she finally had a chance to sit down after the lunch rush, said all the proceeds from the event would go toward an outdoor patio for the restaurant.

Yet another day of serving Sacramento was accomplished-—long live Jim-Denny's.

For a preview article written about the event, see: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/7681/JimDennys_celebrates_75th_anniversary

Acclaimed controversial play opens for first time in California community theater, says theater company

2009-05-17T09:03:34Z

A play postponed by a New York theater company hesitant to upset the public with controversy was shown in a sold-out theater house on its opening night Friday in Sacramento. Friday night was the first performance of the controversial, one-woman play "My Name is Rachel Corrie" at the Three Penny Playhouse, presented by Sacramento theatrical company Beyond the Proscenium Productions and co-produced by the Sacramento chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace and the Palestinian Congress. The company said this is the first presentation of the play in a California community theater.

The original script was taken from the diaries and letters of Rachel Corrie—an American peace activist killed by an Israeli bulldozer in 2003 while protesting against the demolition of Palestinian homes—and edited by British actor Alan Rickman and the Guardian editor Katharine Viner. The play depicts Corrie from the time she was twelve through her time spent in Gaza as an activist.

It was scheduled to open at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2006, but as the directors of the company explained in an interview with "Democracy Now!" radio host Amy Goodman, they reconsidered after realizing the “complexity” of presenting Corrie’s story to an audience with varied beliefs.

Nick Avdienko, BPP’s artistic director and producer of the play, explained that he and BPP artistic associate Karen Nylund, director of the play, felt that it was an important piece to present to Sacramento.

Corrie’s character, played by local actress Tygar Hicks, warns the audience from the opening scene that the play is not for just any theatergoer. Indeed not. The script consists entirely of Corrie’s experiences as she describes them in her diary entries and letters to her loved ones, creating a play focused on the development of one character as she progresses from an insightful adolescent to a compassionate woman struggling to understand the atrocities happening in the real world around her.

Following her first words, the scene shifts to Corrie lying on her bed staring at the bedroom ceiling in her Olympia, Washington home as a preteen. Covering her red-painted bedroom walls are posters of Charlie Chaplin, Nirvana, Bob Marley, the Amnesty International symbol and a Salvador Dali reprint, and the audience can already sense the convictions of the young girl lying before them. Hicks depicts the young Corrie already exuding confidence and maturity, revealing someone who is beginning to examine and question her surroundings.

Before the audience’s eyes, Hicks matures from Corrie as a preteen to Corrie in middle school, and then to Corrie as a student at Evergreen State College disillusioned with society and U.S. foreign policy. Thus a rollercoaster of monologues transitioning anywhere from Corrie’s dating frustrations and her dreams about the ideal world, to mockeries of former professors, makes it unclear at times how old Corrie is supposed to be.

Some audience members appeared more engaged in Hicks’s deliverance of Corrie’s increasingly passionate theories about life and foreign policy than others; some acknowledged Corrie’s sentiments with nods, others shifted in their seats.

Sounds of whizzing planes and Middle Eastern music help to ease the audience’s transition from Corrie’s hometown to her arrival in Gaza. Amplified voice-overs of emails to Corrie from her parents guide dialogue between Corrie and her loved ones back home.

Hicks’s acting capabilities shine through the second half of her performance, as she reveals a dramatic shift from an idealist full of confidence and fervor to a soul crushed by the realities of war manifesting before her eyes.

Sound effects and music are sparse throughout the performance. Aside from a bed surrounded by scattered magazines and laundry on one side of the stage—representative of Corrie’s home—and a backpack with a laptop and journal Hicks carries to the other side of the stage representing her transport to Gaza—where there’s nothing more than a painted background, metal sheet wall and crumbled brick—there are no stage props or displays.

Hicks’ ability to engage an audience in the heart and mind of Rachel Corrie, using little theatrical accompaniment, is praiseworthy.

Nonetheless, the audience seemed to have mixed feelings following the play.

Audience member Michael Claudio said, “As well as it was done…I think that if you’re going to present a piece on an issue as complex as that, part of me feels that it’s slightly irresponsible to have it be so one-sided.”

Nylund said that along with individuals sympathetic to the Palestinian cause in Gaza, she hopes people of other perspectives will also attend the play and participate in discussions after the show.

“The only way we can get past violence is if we can start a dialogical communication between both sides of any issue,” she said.

Initially directed by Rickman at the Royal Court Theatre in London in April 2005, productions of “My Name is Rachel Corrie” continue around the country and the world, and it won the London Theatregoers’ Choice Award for Best Play in 2006.

For a preview article written about the play please click here: here

Annual Pacific Rim Street Festival on Sunday

2009-05-14T06:20:23Z

If you need a dose of cultural festivities this weekend, the Pacific Rim Street Festival is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in Old Sacramento and Downtown Westfield Plaza. This year’s theme is ‘Hats and Headdresses.’

The festival is held annually in collaboration with the Asian Pacific Rim Foundation to "honor and celebrate" the diversity of Sacramento's Asian Pacific community since it was first presented by Sacramento’s restaurateur Frank Fat and community groups in 1993.

The festival’s chairwoman, Merlayna Yee, said the festival highlights Asian Pacific culture and food, and added, “The more you get exposed to it, the more you understand it.”

At least 300 volunteers help to coordinate and stage the festival, according to Yee, which will include various music, dance and comic performances on four different stages. Food, art, craft and community organization booths will be set up along surrounding streets.

For more information on the event, visit: http://www.pacificrimstreetfest.com

Local entrepreneur is first to bring exotic fruit wine from Thailand to the states, and Sacramento

2009-05-11T06:19:17Z

Meet 34-year-old local entrepreneur Makiko Yamashita from Kobe, Japan. Makiko has been living in the United States since 1999 and is freshly graduated from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Traveling, business smarts and networking have inspired her to incorporate her exotic fruit wine business, Radee Wine, Inc. She is not only the first person to introduce the wine from Thailand to the United States and is the only distributor in the country—she has brought the exotic potion right here to Sacramento.

Yamashita incorporated Radee in August. However, she said she just received her first shipment of the products and began operating just over two weeks ago. As of last week, she said Tower Cafe, Kru, Azul, the Cellar Wine and Cheese Bar in Folsom and Corti Brothers Italian grocery store are now carrying Radee wine.

Yamashita had been studying at Kellogg until last year and said she was especially interested in social entrepreneurship and economic development. Her interest led her to participate in a 2007 summer internship with the NGO One Acre Fund in western Kenya managing a passion fruit-growing program with farmers.

"That's where I first really got to know passion fruits, and I loved it...It's hard to get in the U.S., but I wanted to do something with those fruits," she said.

In December, 2007, she embarked on an exchange program to Bangkok, Thailand, where she met Dominic Rivard—a French Canadian winemaker and founding director of the Fruit Wines of Canada Association—through her business professor. Rivard is an award-winning winemaker with more than 15 years of experience in Canada, the United States, Italy, Korea and China, and moved to Thailand to make exotic tropical fruit wines, according to Yamashita.

Yamashita seized the opportunity to introduce Rivard’s wine to the United States, and before graduating from Kellogg in June, Yamashita created her business plan to import and sell Rivard's wine in conjunction with her graduate work.

"We kind of partnered up. He knows how to make good wine, and I know how to make business plans," Yamashita said. "We were both really excited about this new concept and these new products."

After graduating from Kellogg, Yamashita moved to Sacramento last year with her fiancée and incorporated Radee wine.
As she states on her website, “Radee means ‘passion’ in Thai. Radee is our passion to transform a variety of delightful exotic fruits into distinctive and exquisite wine.”

So far Yamashita has imported three kinds of fruit wine from Rivard’s winery in Thailand: mangosteen ambrosia, pineapple ambrosia and passion fruit. The wines are sold at $25 to $35 retail. In her future shipments she hopes to import dry mangosteen and dry pineapple, as well as a sweet lychee wine.

According to Yamashita, mangosteen ambrosia is the most sophisticated of the three wines due to the fruit's delicate flavor. She said that although fresh mangosteen, also known as the "Queen of Fruit" in India, is common in Southeast Asia, it is difficult to grow anywhere else, making it otherwise a very rare fruit. Yamashita also said the fruit is perceived to have antioxidant properties.

The pineapple ambrosia, Yamashita said, is "so obviously pineapple that when you smell it you know it," and is nicknamed "pineapple lover." Since Azul is a Mexican food and tequila bar, she said she is trying to promote a mixture of the wine with tequila.

While mangosteen ambrosia and pineapple ambrosia are sweet dessert wines, Yamashita said the passion fruit wine is drier and the most exotic. She described it as sweet with a strong taste of citrus and said it mixes well with sparkling wine.

Yamashita said those who have sampled Radee wine so far "loved it."

"It's sweet so people who like fruity types of wine love it...but its not syrupy so it finishes really smoothly," she said.

"I was especially anxious about Darrell Corti [co-owner of Corti Brothers] because he knows wine. But he said it’s a great flavor; he likes it a lot," she added.

As of Friday, Azul co-owner Jose Ulloa estimated that the bar had already gone through five bottles of passion fruit and two bottles each of mangosteen ambrosia and pineapple ambrosia.

Yamashita intends to travel to the Bay Area and southern California in the next few weeks to introduce the wine. In five years, she said she wants to go to the major cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles to sell Radee wine. She hopes to also eventually sell it in wine bars with retail stores and possibly create an online purchasing system.

"This is a new concept. It's high-quality premium wine but not many people take fruit [wine] that seriously...[because] wine means grape wine," Yamashita said, adding that she plans to focus on clientele who are interested in Asian fusion and are "eclectic, diverse groups of people."

"Potential customers have to open up a little bit," Yamashita declared with a smile. "They don't have to like it, but I hope they will at least try it."

Rivard began producing exotic fruit wine in Thailand last year and uses all locally produced fruit near Bangkok to make the wine, according to Yamashita.

Although the exact technique Rivard uses in making Radee wine is a trade secret, Yamashita said he applies techniques similar to those used for ice wine, a type of dessert wine mainly made in Canada and Germany that he also specializes in.

Yamashita said she is also looking into producing fair trade wine in the future.

Yamashita is participating in two wine tasting events this upcoming week. She will be providing samples Tuesday, May 12, at The Cellar Wine and Cheese Bar from 6-8 p.m., and Wednesday, May 13, at Selland's on H Street from 6-8 p.m.

For more information about Radee wine and the company, visit www.radeewine.com

Note: Accompanying photos were taken by John Onate. Promotional Radee advertisement borrowed from Makiko Yamashita.

Two-year-old local magazine brings home three ‘Maggies’ for the second year in a row

2009-05-08T10:37:53Z

Sacramento? Red carpet status? Really?

Yes, it's true, Sacramento reaped three more awards this year—not for best actor or best original screenplay, mind you. Rather, Sacramento was recognized for excellence in journalism, thanks to up-and-coming Sactown magazine.

For the second year in a row, Sactown magazine won three of the 78 Maggie Awards presented by the Western Publishing Association to West Coast publications for 2009.

The WPA, a nonprofit business trade association, has awarded Maggies to electronic and print publications it considers “The Best in the West" within the U.S. for 58 years, with the intent to "promote the pursuit of excellence among publishing professionals." The WPA equates the awards to “the Oscars of the magazine industry."

WPA Executive Director Jane Silbering said Sactown magazine was one of the most highly nominated magazines in 2009 for the Maggie awards, only four nominations behind Emmy magazine, the magazine of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

“To hear Sactown’s name called out so many times I think was exciting not just for us, but it was great for us to kind of see Sacramento get that kind of recognition,” said Rob Turner, the magazine's co-editor-in-chief and co-owner.

“There were a lot of Los Angeles publications and San Francisco publications and Denver [publications]…Hopefully [this] helps put Sacramento on the map in terms of journalism,” Turner said.

Two other Sacramento-based publications, the Journal of the California Dental Association and Comstock’s magazine, also won Maggies this year, according to Silbering.

Sactown magazine is a local bimonthly publication that refers to itself as "your guide to modern Sacramento." It ranges in coverage from politics and architecture to food, wine, travel and culture.

The magazine has continued to gain recognition since it launched its first issue in December 2006/January 2007, and it was already nominated for two Maggie awards in 2007 after the release of its only issue in 2006.

In 2008, it won three Maggie awards out of five nominations, according to Turner, for Best City & Metropolitan Magazine, Best Series of Editorial Photographs and Best Overall Design.

Of its eight nominations this year in six categories, Sactown magazine won awards for Best Interview or Profile and Best Overall Design. It also won in Best Regularly Featured Department for the magazine’s photographic “Opening Shots”.

“When we got into the making [of Sactown magazine] in the first place, it was really important to us that it wasn't just a well-written publication, but that it was also side-by-side with great design and great photography,” Turner said.

“And so we've been really lucky to be recognized for all three categories," he added.

The magazine’s other co-editor-in-chief and co-owner, Turner’s wife Elyssa Lee, won this year’s award for Best Interview or Profile with “Driving Influence,” a powerful narrative about a local young man teaching against reckless driving after he killed his best friend in a drunken-driving accident, featured in the February/March 2008 issue.

Among other nominees, Sactown magazine surpassed Denver's renowned 5280 magazine on Best Overall Design.

"[5280 magazine] goes up against national magazines regularly...They're probably considered one of the best magazines in the country. So for us, it's pretty incredible to be in that kind of company, especially considering we're only two years old," Turner said.

The Maggie Awards ceremony was held in Los Angeles on Friday, April 24, where more than 600 publishing professionals congregate each year to recognize excellence demonstrated in over 100 event, design, promotional, and editorial categories by publications throughout the western U.S., according to the WPA.

Within the past two years, Sactown magazine has also won awards from the Communication Arts Photography Annual, Folio magazine’s Ozzie awards, and the National City & Regional Magazine Awards.

So, what is the key to the magazine’s quick success?

One might say it’s the collection of talented and experienced individuals that belongs to the magazine’s team.

Both Turner and Lee boast extensive resumes. Turner has written for publications such as New York magazine, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal and U.S. News & World Report, and started his career as entertainment editor for Sacramento’s own SN&R. Lee was, until last year, a contributing editor for InStyle, where she had previously spent five years as a staff writer. Prior to InStyle, she was a staff reporter at Money magazine and has also freelanced for Entertainment Weekly Online.

The magazine’s art director Jason Malmberg, who was formerly the art director of SN&R, has freelanced for HarperCollins and Urban Outfitters, and designed concert posters for musicians like the Black Eyed Peas, Mos Def and Violent Femmes.

The magazine’s remaining contributors have worked with publications such as The New York Times, Sunset magazine, Spin, SF Weekly, U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal.

Or, one might say it’s simply dedication.

“The truth is, we’re just a small team of local people who care a lot about the region and its future,” Turner and Lee told readers in a letter from the editors in the December/January second anniversary issue, “and it’s why our dedicated staff and contributors put in a huge amount of time and effort into assembling a magazine that strives to represent our city in the best light possible.”

Ultimately, Turner said he would like the magazine to be one that “people in Sacramento are proud to call their own.”

Community participates in Sacramento’s first Jewish heritage festival

2009-05-04T08:01:05Z

Israeli music, the sound of pounding drums, and the smell of Mediterranean food lingered in the air as crowds mingled among white tents at the west steps of the Capitol yesterday afternoon.

More than 3,000 people participated in Sacramento’s first Jewish Heritage festival yesterday despite the unpredictable weather, according to the Sacramento Jewish Federation.

The festival, presented by the federation, began with a “Salute to Israel @ 61 Walk-a-thon,” consisting of a “walk for unity” around the Capitol. The walk was followed by an opening ceremony emceed by Bill Slaton, member of the SMUD Board of Directors, and Sacramento’s KCRA Channel 3 Anchor Edie Lambert.

Both the celebration of Israel’s 61st anniversary and the diversity of Jewish heritage locally and throughout the world were emphasized in the opening ceremony and throughout the event.

“This is a sign that Israel is not alone even in hard times,” said the federation’s executive director, Mihal Kohane, to the crowd in her opening statement.

“Our goal today was to bring you Israel in every possible way,” she added.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and Assemblyman Marty Block (D-San Diego) both made statements during the opening ceremony.

“On behalf of the city of Sacramento, it’s an honor to be at this first annual event,” Johnson said.

Performances by renowned international singer Noa Dori and the West Coast Jewish dance ensemble Keshet Chaim attracted a large audience following the ceremony on the main stage.

Various attraction tents and booths were arranged around the main stage and the west front of the Capitol in “complexes.” A section of tents was dedicated to displays of Jewish life in Latin America, Russia, India, China and around the world at the Jewish Life Around the World complex.

Other complexes included the Jewish American Heritage complex, displaying photo exhibits of Jewish-American heritage from the Gold Rush to the present and the Salute to Israel @ 61 & Tel Aviv Centennial complex, displaying photo exhibits of Tel Aviv and hosting booths for the Israel Consulate General, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and the Jewish Agency for Israel.

The Green Revolution complex included booths from Green Sacramento, the Sacramento Bike Kitchen and the Sacramento Tree Foundation, along with ‘green’ workshops explaining processes like composting.

The festival drew supporters from both the Jewish and non-Jewish community.

“I’ve always been intrigued by the state of Israel and Jewish traditions, so I’m glad to see they had a festival this year,” said Oak Park resident Darby Flynn.

Others came from neighboring communities such as Lake Tahoe and Elk Grove.

“I’m here to support Israel, I’m here to support our synagogue, and I’m here to have a lot of fun and buy things from Israel,” said Mary Sorellis of Elk Grove.

Crowds gathered around the artist’s street market, where vendors sold colorful handmade glass, landscape photographs of Israel, hand-bound books, jewelry and handmade soaps.

A long line accumulated by the international food court, where people gathered to taste both American food and Mediterranean foods like falafel, borekas and hummus.

A separate area hosted children’s activities, where renowned storyteller and juggler Izzy Tooinsky entertained children and parents. Meanwhile, a 21-and-over area hosted a beer and wine garden selling He’brew beer and wines from the Israel Wine Company.

The festival ended with an eco-friendly fashion show modeling clothing from Sacramento’s Atelier and Freestyle Clothing Exchange, and from Los Angeles, Santa Cruz and Oakland designers. The theme revolved around sustainable clothing made from recycled cloths, hemp and organic cottons.

Various festivalgoers expressed excitement at the turnout of people to the Sacramento event.

“Three thousand people are out here today, and that’s a phenomenal feat, especially with the rain…it’s so exciting to see the community come together,” said midtown Sacramento resident Rebecca Johnson.

Weather will determine if ‘Concerts in the Park’ series at Cesar Chavez Plaza begins today

2009-05-01T09:00:58Z

The first scheduled concert of Sacramento's 'Concerts in the Park' series may or may not occur tonight depending on the rain, according to concert organizer Jerry Perry.

The bands Sol Peligro, Retrograde Revolution and La Noche Oskura are scheduled tonight to play the first of 15 series lined up for this summer's concerts, held every Friday evening at Cesar Chavez Plaza. If it rains, Perry said the series will begin next Friday, and an extra concert will be scheduled Friday, August 14, to make up for tomorrow’s cancellation.

This is the 18th year that the Downtown Sacramento Partnership has hosted the concerts, which are free and open to all ages.

The plaza is located at 10th and J Streets and lined with food and jewelry vendors during the performances. There is also a beer garden adjacent to the stage. Perry said that depending on the musicians' set times, the concerts typically begin at 5:30 p.m. and end by 8:30 p.m.

Perry, who has been booking local acts ranging in genre from folk, rock, reggae, blues, acoustic, to punk at the concerts for the past 13 years, said he feels really good about the performances scheduled for this year.

“My thing is always trying to introduce new bands…I love all the new bands that are out there,” Perry said. Perry has 29 first-time acts booked to play the concerts for this summer.

Notable returning performers will include the Brodys, Bucho, Mumbo Gumbo and Agent Ribbons, according to Perry.

Also scheduled to play this year is renowned Sacramento rock band Tesla, whose performance was cancelled last year.*

The partnership's Director of Marketing, Lisa Martinez, said that in addition to a variety of new venues participating in the concert pub crawl after the performances, there will also be a number of new vendors selling food during the concerts.

It's a great event because it's free, and you can usually get food and a drink for under $10," said Martinez.

According to Martinez, 4,000 people attend the summer concerts on a weekly basis, and a total of 67,000 attend the concerts annually.

The concert series will continue for 15 consecutive Fridays at the park until August 7 or August 14, depending on whether or not tonight’s show is cancelled.

For a full list of this year's performing bands, visit http://downtownsac.org/concerts.

* Editor's Note:Tesla is not scheduled to play this year, nor did they play last year, but have played previously.

Sacramento's first Jewish heritage festival anticipated to draw large crowd Sunday

2009-04-30T21:07:08Z

Sacramento's Jewish Federation will be holding Sacramento's first
Jewish Heritage Festival on the west steps of the capitol this Sunday.

The festival is open to the public, and admission is free. It commemorates National Jewish American Heritage Month, celebrating the 61st anniversary of Israel's independence this year, and the centennial anniversary of the first Hebrew city, Tel Aviv.

For the past two years, the federation has celebrated Israel's independence at the capitol. Encouraged by the turnout of more than 3,000 people at the capitol last year celebrating Israel's 60th anniversary, the federation decided to present the festival to Sacramento this year.

In April, Senate Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg released a resolution, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger a proclamation, reaffirming former President George W. Bush's 2006 proclamation of May as National Jewish American Heritage Month, further emphasizing the significance of the month for the local Jewish community.

The festival will begin at 1 p.m. with the second annual mile-long Salute to Israel @ 61 walk-a-thon’ at the capitol’s west steps by community members. The festival's activities will include live entertainment, including performances by international singer Noa Dori and Israeli-American dance troupe Keshet Chaim, as well as an eco-friendly fashion show.

International food, an artist street market, dance workshops, a Mediterranean teen lounge, cultural photo and art exhibits and the He'Brew Beer and Wine garden are anticipated to draw a large crowd to this year's festivities.

Noam Harel, the federation's producer of the event, said the federation is aiming for a goal of 5,000 attendees this year.

Harel said the festival is "very much a cultural celebration," serving as a means for people to celebrate unity and diversity while recognizing Jewish life and communities around the world.

"I'm not Jewish, I'm just volunteering...I have friends that are not Jewish that are attending also," said Karen Lee Ford, who was one of the participants at the capitol last year. Ford is helping to coordinate the fashion show at the festival this year.

"I'm very excited. It's going to be a great event."
For more information and a full list of sponsors, visit: www.JHFsac.com.

Intoxicated man crashes into front of Natomas home with Subaru

2009-04-28T09:23:15Z

Natomas Creek residents were startled by the sound of a car crashing into the driveway of their neighbors’ house just before midnight last night.

The driver, a middle-aged male, stepped out of his light blue Subaru Impreza unharmed. The family inside—renters of the home—was not injured either. The young couple was with their two-week old firstborn baby in their bedroom on the opposite side of the house when the impact occurred.

The vehicle collided into one of the supporting pillars at the front of the house.

The driver allegedly told witnesses that his wife just left him, and that he had only consumed a few drinks.

Fire trucks and police arrived to the scene shortly after the incident. The vehicle was towed away, and the driver was escorted from the scene by police.

More details of this story to be reported.

Sacramento’s Progressive Newspaper Turns to Volunteers for Survival

2009-04-09T06:58:41Z

“Here’s a copy of anti-FOX news,” says the woman with a warming smile as she hands a folded newspaper from her purse to a passerby on the street in midtown Sacramento. This woman is Jeanie Keltner, longtime coordinating editor of Sacramento’s progressive bimonthly newspaper Because People Matter.

Tonight Keltner and fellow coordinating editor Joanne Fuller spearheaded a community meeting to discuss the future of the newspaper with the publication’s volunteers and supporters. Due to the anticipated resignation of Fuller and Keltner, and the absence of several other key contributors, BPM organizers asked supporters and volunteers whether or not they could commit to keeping the newspaper alive.

“The paper is not in jeopardy because of distribution or readership,” said coordinating editor Jackie Diaz.

“It’s people to do the work that we’re missing—it needs people power.”

Because People Matter is looking for the dedication of likeminded writers, distributors, proofreaders, and photographers to keep the publication going. The nonprofit newspaper has been distributed in Sacramento for the past 15 years, and relies entirely on the dedication of volunteers for production.

“It’s true there’s no pay involved, but it has been one of the richest experiences of my life,” says Keltner.

The publication prides itself on being a progressive and “left-wing” publication, providing news that “you can’t find in other papers”.

Keltner adds that “The richness of this paper is to be able to hand it to people who don’t have access to this information.”

“I always have five in my purse,” she says with a grin.

Although Fuller determined that there was enough volunteer support at the meeting to keep BPM running, members of the meeting agreed that the publication would do better with more volunteers.

The planning meeting for BPM’s next issue is May 1, 2009.

To become involved in planning or production process of the publication, send an email to bpmnews@nicetechnology.com.

Assembly Committee Passes Legislation to Keep JROTC Program in San Francisco School District

2009-04-03T04:59:26Z

AB 223 and 351 passed through Assembly committee hearings on Wednesday afternoon at the Capitol. At least 100 San Francisco high school students stood lining the hallway outside room 126 to support the bills. Some were wearing military attire, and others wore stickers on their shirts that read “I love JROTC”. Inside, meanwhile, the Assembly Education Committee heard each bill, both involving San Francisco’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.

AB 223, introduced last month by Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), is an urgency measure, meaning that with a two-thirds majority vote in both the Assembly and Senate, it will require the San Francisco Unified School District to make JROTC courses available for students between grades 9 through 12.

AB 351, an urgency measure authored by Assemblywoman Mary Salas (D-Chula Vista), would authorize the governing board of a school district to exempt students involved in JROTC programs, along with those involved in other activities such as drill team or color guard, from physical education requirements.

The San Francisco Board of Education passed a resolution in November 2006 to phase-out all JROTC programs in San Francisco schools by the end of the 2008-09 school year, proposing to replace them with alternative motivational career programs.

The four members that had chosen to phase-out the program are no longer a part of San Francisco’s school board. Current board member Jill Wynns says that those members were opposed to the program’s militaristic association, and were concerned that the program was discriminatory toward gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students.

School board member Rachel Norton says that although she opposes the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military and military recruiting in high schools, JROTC instructors have reassured her that the program does not recruit students, and “Gay, lesbian or transgender students or instructors are never turned away.”

Ma introduced AB 223 in response to the 55 percent voter passage of Proposition V in the November 2008 election, which urged SFUSD to retain the program in San Francisco schools.

Several members of the Assembly committee, including committee Chairwoman Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica), stated that regardless of the committee’s stance on the JROTC program itself, it is not appropriate for the Legislature to mandate the program within a single school district, as AB 223 would require, because it is a “local control” issue that the school board should have authority over.

Citing prior court cases, Ma argued that although legislative policy encourages local responsibility over public education, “educational operation of the public schools remain matters of the statewide, rather than local or municipal, concern.”

Assembly committee member Jeff Miller (R-Corona) supported Ma’s argument, stating “We all, I think, agree that local control is sacred and needs to be protected; but this is a situation [where] San Francisco needs some help.”

“The question you have to ask yourself is ‘Where do the voters go if the locally elected officials will not abide by what they say?’” said Miller, referring to the passage of Proposition V.

Unless AB 223 passes, San Francisco’s JROTC programs are scheduled to end by June of this year. According to Norton, the committee charged with constructing a replacement program for the JROTC has failed to do so thus far.

“The students have been the losers here…I have never spoken to a student who was a JROTC cadet in San Francisco Unified that did not support this program or want it to go on,” says Wynns.

The San Francisco school district has participated in JROTC for 90 years, offering programs at seven public high schools, five of which are in Ma’s district. According to Ma, 90 percent of JROTC students pursue higher education, 90 percent are minorities, and over 50 percent are women of color.

Opponents of the bill testified before the committee, many arguing that other leadership-oriented programs should be implemented instead of JROTC, linking the JROTC program to potential military recruitment.

Karen Bernal, candidate for Progressive Caucus chair of the California Democratic Party, says “The idea that the state would mandate such a program here is nothing short of fascistic to me…This is the military industrial complex and our educational system at play.”

Ma states, however, that less than three percent of JROTC students enroll in the military.

Lt. Colonel Robert L. Powell Jr., a JROTC instructor, claims “Our instructors aren’t even allowed to [recruit]. We have no quotas that we have to meet.”

Both bills will now be scheduled for hearings by the Appropriations Committee.

Legislators Get Educated in Second Annual Oceans Day in Sacramento

2009-03-28T08:03:03Z

Missy Howard, development director of the Marine Science Institute, stood outside the state capitol early Wednesday morning with land program manager Doug Zoebst while managing a miniature interactive aquarium of starfish, baby sharks, and sea urchins. Occasionally, an intrigued passerby would stop and admire the sea creatures nestled inside the water tank.

Howard and Zoebst were recruited on behalf of Oceans Day, an annual event organized by environmental advocacy group Environment California, aimed toward educating lawmakers about threats to the ocean’s health in an effort to convince them to take action in upcoming legislation to restore and preserve the ocean.

Howard explained that the interactive aquarium, which allows passing individuals to stop and hold live sea creatures, serves as a way to bring legislators direct contact with ocean life and let them see first handedly what is in the ocean environment. Through this awareness, the institute hopes that lawmakers will come to understand what is being affected by their decisions in the legislature, according to Howard.

Wednesday marked the second year that Environment California has held Oceans Day in Sacramento. The day’s events included meetings between environmental organizations and legislators, an educational seminar on the ocean impacts of climate change, and an “ocean appreciation” reception open to the general public that included a film screening of the newly-released IMAX film Under the Sea 3D.

Special guests that appeared at the film screening included world-renowned ocean explorer and environmentalist Jean Michel Costeau—founder of the Ocean Futures Society, Assemblymembers Pedro Nava and Ira Ruskin, Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, Secretary of Natural Resources Mike Chrisman, and musician Lukas Nelson.

“I think it was very impressive to see how strongly people continue to feel about the ocean’s crisis,” stated Nava, reflecting on the day’s events.

“I think what’s important about Oceans Day is it continues to inspire those of us in the legislature to fight for coastal protection and to help educate other members in the legislature of how important it is.”

Three awards were presented to California’s “ocean champions” in government and business. The recipients were: family-owned and operated company Klean Kanteen, a stainless steel canteen distributor based in northern California; Senator Fran Pavely (D-Agoura Hills), who is also a member of the California Ocean Protection Council; and Jonathan Bishop, Executive Officer of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.

Although Senator Pavley was unable to appear at the reception, her environmental policy director Adrienne Alvord made a statement on the Senator’s behalf, stating that “A good environment is the basis of a strong economy.”

Senator Pavley later expressed her gratitude for the award.

"I am so honored to receive this award, because the organizations that gave it are among the most effective and respected environmental advocates in California. They not only have done vital work to protect our beaches and ocean resources, they have also won major victories combating environmental toxins, supporting climate initiatives, reducing garbage and debris, protecting and conserving watersheds, and a host of other initiatives.”

Costeau delivered a powerful presentation before the film screening that involved video footage of his findings on ocean endangerment. One clip discussed the growing problem of fire retardants that are manifesting in people as well as whales. Another clip showed Costeau on a trash-strewn beach, where he said he had found 52 countries represented amongst the debris.

“We’re using our ocean as a trashcan,” said Costeau.

He told audience members “Do everything in your power to tell people we need to take care of our oceans…It starts with education on the consequences of the mismanagement of our resources.”

Several proposed assembly bills aimed at protecting California’s coast—anticipated to be heard later this month—were also mentioned at the reception. AB 1358, introduced by Assemblymembers Jerry Hill and Pedro Nava, bans the use of Styrofoam food containers in food packaging, regarded as a problematic pollutant of California beaches. AB 68, introduced by Assemblymember Julia Brownley, will place a 25-cent consumer fee on single-use plastic bags distributed by various supermarkets, pharmacies, and convenience stores. AB 283, introduced by Assemblymember Wes Chesbro, will implement “extended producer responsibility” on producers of waste in order to encourage the production of more sustainable products.

Over 20 environmental organizations were recruited to participate in the event and address these bills, including The Natural Resources Defense Council, Heal the Bay, Ocean Conservancy, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Surfrider Foundation, Marine Science Institute, and Save the Bay.

NRDC Oceans Policy Analyst Leila Monroe said that the ocean impact of climate change was a significant issue the environmental groups were trying to raise awareness about on Wednesday.

“Climate change has a very significant impact on the ocean in terms of ocean acidification, which can potentially unravel the entire food chain, and have significant impacts on our coastal communities,” said Monroe. Monroe identified other key issues discussed throughout the day, including the Marine Life Protection Act, which she described as an effort to create underwater parks, and offshore energy development.

“We want to ensure that there’s no more oil and gas development off our coasts, and to ensure that ocean renewable energy, if it’s developed, is done in a very sound and intelligent way, avoiding protected areas and sensitive areas.”

Lauren Gillian, member of the Santa Cruz-based non-profit organization Save Our Shores, said that her organization lobbied for action on marine debris in approximately ten different meetings with legislators on Wednesday, trying to provide incentives to use reusable bags, and provide free reusable bags to low income areas. She said the group showed samples from the North Pacific Gyre, the large garbage patch said to exist in the ocean off the coast of California.

“It’s just a plastic soup out there. There’s six times more plastic than plankton. The ‘trash island’ as we like to call it, is twice the size of Texas.”

Event organizer Gina Goodhill, ocean advocate for Environment California, said she was satisfied with the event’s turnout. Goodhill said that there were 49 meetings held throughout the day with legislators, and estimated that there were 320 attendees of the reception, including approximately 50 chiefs of staff for various legislators.

“I feel like a lot of new information was put out there that [legislators] didn’t necessarily know about…I think that it gave insight into the fact that all these issues in the environment are created, and that really where one problem ends another one begins, etc. So it’s hard to separate something as a preservation problem, or as an ocean problem, or as a global warming problem, when a lot of times these issues are all connected.”