Newest articles and comments on The Sacramento Press written by Kimberly Keyes

Five ways to have fun inside with your kids on Spare The Air days!

2011-07-26T00:45:02Z

With the summer season underway, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District would like to remind all local residents that poor air quality can affect the health of people of all ages. Symptoms can range from wheezing and coughing to aggravated respiratory illnesses, such as asthma. The good news is there are plenty of fun indoor activities you can do with your kids on Spare The Air days.

1. Treasure Hunt
Find all the treasures on the list. Make a list of 10 items and hide them throughout the house. For younger kids who can’t read, take pictures or use symbols and hide them according to your child’s ability level.

2. Fairy Tales and Movie Scenes
Act out your favorite book or movie. Get the family together and invite some friends over to help re-enact a fairy tale or favorite scene from a movie.

3. Indoor camping
Throw a sheet over your kitchen table and camp out underneath. You can sing campfire songs, make s’mores in the microwave and pretend to go fishing.

4. 5-Minute Make-Your-Own- Ice Cream
In a quart sized sandwich bag, put in a cup of milk, a teaspoon of vanilla. In a gallon sized freezer bag, put in a 1/3 of a cup of salt and fill the bag 3/4 of the way full with ice cubes. Place the smaller bag with contents into the larger bag with the mixture and then shake for five minutes. To sweeten up the fun, add caramel or chocolate syrup.

5. Beach Party
Fill your tub with some cool water, play some beach tunes and give the kids sand toys to play with in the tub in their bathing suits. Blow up a beach ball for some extra fun. After, the children can play “Sinking Towels” which is similar to musical chairs. You can use beach towels and beach music to keep the theme. After a game of “Sinking Towels,” it’s time to relax. Beach towels turn into a great movie blanket as they watch beach-themed movies in the living room.

Want to know how you can find out when it is a Spare The Air day? Go online and visit www.SpareTheAir.com. You can sign up for Air Alert, a daily email that informs you of the current air quality forecast as well as the forecast for upcoming days. This free service gives families the information they need to plan indoor activities that best protect themselves and their loved ones from the dangers of poor air quality.

To stay up to date on the Spare The Air campaign and fun activities, follow us on Twitter @AQMD or become Scooter’s Facebook friend at SpareTheAir Scooter. For more information, to receive free educational materials or to sign up for Air Alert, please visit www.SpareTheAir.com.

Disclosure: Community Outreach Account Coordinator for SMAQMD.

Don’t Be Tardy for Scooter’s Clean Air Pet Fest and 1st Birthday Party!

2011-05-20T16:52:55Z

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District will host Scooter’s Clean Air Pet Fest and 1st Birthday Party this Saturday, May 21, 2011. The festivities will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. alongside the dog park at Howe Avenue Park, located on the corner of Howe Avenue and Cottage Way in Sacramento.

This free, pet-friendly event will kick off the 2011 Spare The Air season, which takes place every year from May through the end of October. The Spare The Air program offers different tips and tactics that can be used to help reduce air pollution in the Sacramento region.

Scooter and several of his mascot friends will gather to celebrate Scooter’s first birthday and provide ongoing support for a pollution free region. Scooter, along with mascots from the Sacramento Mountain Lions, Mr. Pickles, Jelly Belly and the California State Fair, will participate in a dance-off competition to showcase their best moves to determine the best dancer in the Sacramento region! The festival will feature mobile food unit, Leaven and Earth, an onsite radio remote by 107.9 The End, live music by the Indestructibles, K-9 demonstrations with the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department and more than a dozen businesses that cater to families and pets.

“Everyone’s hard work is paying off. Air pollution readings have declined in the region resulting in fewer Spare The Air days, but that doesn’t mean our work is done,” stated Lori Kobza, spokesperson with the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District. “We must all continue to make a difference to help improve our air quality. Scooter helps teach parents and children about how they can help further reduce air pollution, so we can all breathe cleaner air.”

Activities this year also include face painting, a fire truck tour and other family friendly activities. The first 200 people that arrive will receive a free goody bag filled with snacks, dog treats, and much more! There will also be an hourly raffle and attendees will have a chance to win one of several prizes, including a weekend stay at Dr. Wilkinson’s Hot Springs Resort in Calistoga. Event attendees are also encouraged to bring their family pets, take a picture with them and Scooter and post to Scooter’s Facebook page where Scooter’s friends will have the opportunity to vote for Scooter’s Best Friend. The entrant’s photo with the most “like” votes will receive concert tickets to the upcoming Usher concert on Saturday, May 28 at Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento - sponsored by 107.9 The End.

This event is a great opportunity for families to get out and enjoy their time together, check out Scooter’s dance moves and learn what they can do to make a difference in air quality. No matter what the age, everyone can help improve the air we breathe. For more information, please visit www. SpareTheAir.com. You can also become Scooter’s Facebook friend at www.facebook.com/scooterthesparetheairdog or follow the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District on Twitter at Twitter.com/aqmd.

Kimberly Keyes on "Parking Tickets or Partaking in Thievery "

2011-04-27T20:24:37Z

They are a private company receiving public benefit. I guess I am not as disturbed by that considering all the other private companies that get more than free parking from the public.

Kimberly Keyes on "Parking Tickets or Partaking in Thievery "

2011-04-27T05:44:11Z

I figured out the solution: Sell your car and use public transportation. Zipcar is available for convenience and their cars can park anywhere in Sacramento for FREE. Save money on parking and gas. Ahhhh, the power of critical pedagogy.

Kimberly Keyes on "Parking Tickets or Partaking in Thievery "

2011-04-26T22:05:44Z

Good points made by all. I understand where the writer is coming from, but I am not sure if there is a clear or viable solution in sight. Some of you are comparing Sac to SF, LA, or NY, three cities that are completely unlike the rest of the country. We could also compare Sac to Yuma, Arizona or Ft. Bragg, Calif. Ask the residents of those cities if they are willing to pay for parking. What do you think they would say? I think the supply and demand argument might be the most reasonable. But who knows? I am no expert on city management like many of you.

Kimberly Keyes on "My (probably) last comment"

2010-06-01T04:53:32Z

Thoughtful, objective commentary is always better than emotionally charged, aggressive comments.

CSUS Students Unite with BloodSource to Collect 509 Pints of Blood

2010-05-11T23:47:38Z

CSUS students collected 509 pints of blood in the Unite to Save Lives blood drive for BloodSource, held on May 3rd and 4th. ASI hosted the event and the Public Relations Planning and Management Class (COMS 158), taught by Dr. Jing Zhang, promoted the event.

The PR class ran a full-scale campaign to spread awareness about blood donation and Be the Match bone marrow registry. The class The class set a goal of 450 pints of blood over the two-day drive. and were able to accomplish that through the support of students, faculty and staff, and local organizations.

CSUS has worked with BloodSource for over twenty years and will host another blood drive, the Causeway Classic in the fall. If you are interested in learning more about blood donation, Be the Match bone marrow registry or becoming a volunteer; you can check out BloodSource’s website at- http://www.bloodsource.org/.

Kimberly Keyes on "They say breaking up is hard to do. . ."

2010-05-01T17:26:35Z

Great article :)

CSUS Students Unite with BloodSource to Save Lives

2010-04-30T22:25:32Z

CSUS Students are hosting the Unite to Save Lives blood drive and health fair for BloodSource on May 3rd and 4th from 10-5 p.m at the University Union on the CSUS campus. The CSUS students have set an ambition goal of raising 500 pints of blood and obtaining 150 new registrants for the "Be the Match" bone marrow registry. The CSUS students will also be promoting BloodSource's Pint for Pint campaign. Everyone that attempts to donate will receive a certificate for a free pint of Baskin Robbins ice cream.

Still not sure if blood donation is right for you?

BloodSource blood donors give hope to accident victims, surgery patients, cancer patients, and many others in need. Over four million American livbes are saved each year by generous blood donors. Less than 10% of eligible donors actually give blood. Donating blood is safe, easy and takes about an hour. Blood donors must weigh over 110 lbs., be in good general health, and 17 eyars old, or older (16 with a signed parental consent form).

If you are interested in giving blood or learning more about the "Be the Match" bone marrow registry, you can check out the BloodSource website at: BloodSource.org. You also can find the Unite to Save Lives facebook page by searching: Uniteto SaveLives.

Flight Time Lang and Big Easy Lofton from the “The Amazing Race,” will be reuniting with their team, the Harlem Globetrotters at the ARCO Arena on January 18th for the “Magical Memories” World Tour

2009-12-14T07:47:08Z

At 6’9 and 250 lbs, it is amazing that Big Easy Lofton made it across the zip line. Big Easy Lofton and his friend and teammate Flight Time Lang of the Harlem Globetrotters were recently on the Emmy award-winning CBS television show, “The Amazing Race.” One of their challenges was to cross a zip line suspended over water. In an interview with both Flight Time and Big Easy, Big Easy said the challenge was “exhausting.” He told me that he was told the zip line was tested, but just never tested for someone of his size. Luckily, his strength and athletic ability allowed him to finish. Flight Time and Big Easy finished fourth in the race that premiered the season final on December 6, 2009.

Flight Time and Big Easy didn’t finish first, but they said the experience was nothing you could imagine. I asked the guys how they ended up on the show. Flight Time said that they did the same process as anyone else. He said they sent in a video and flew out to Calif., for a few interviews. The producers really liked them and they made it on the show. When asked what someone going on “The Amazing Race” should bring, Flight Time recommended bringing the little things. He said that the little things like calculators and compasses are helpful for the race.

Both guys being huge fans of reality TV were very excited to be on the show. Flight Time and Big Easy were overwhelmingly the fan favorite and both said they would be interested in doing future reality TV shows. Flight Time even hinted that he would enjoy being on ABC’s, “Dancing with the Stars.”

After watching the charisma and humor of both guys on “The Amazing Race,” it is easy to picture them with their own reality TV show. Not only are they funny guys, but they are great representatives of athletes. In a day and age where some athletes are struggling in the spotlight, Big Easy and Flight Time remind us that athletes can be positive role models.

The race has ended and Flight Time and Big Easy will be reuniting with the Harlem Globetrotters for the “Magical Memories” tour at the ARCO Arena on January 18, 2010. Tickets start at $25.50 and are available online at ticketmaster.com or you can call 1-800-745-3000.
Flight Time is entering his 11th season and Big Easy is entering his 5th as a Harlem Globe Trotter. Both guys are amazing ball handlers and love to please the fans. Flight Time said his favorite part of being a Globetrotter is meeting his fans from all the different cities. Big Easy’s favorite part is when a fan comes up and shares their favorite childhood memory of seeing the Harlem Globetrotters.

I had such a great time interviewing Flight Time and Big Easy and they are such nice guys. I am really excited to watch the “Magical Memories” show at the ARCO Arena on January 18th. If you have any questions about the “Magical Memories” world tour, you can find more information as well as group tickets at the Harlem Globetrotters’ official website: harlemglobetrotters.com

Kimberly Keyes on "Sac State Tuition Increasing, Classes and Professors Decreasing"

2009-10-18T07:18:53Z

I don't think tuition increase is exactly the issue. I think the issue is that tuition was increased and the administration does not appear to be handling the money correctly. Faculty are being laid off and classes are overcrowded. I do not mind investing in my education, but the money needs to be used appropriately. There are students that may not be involved in their eduction and may not being paying for it, but for those of us who are, the last minute increase was very difficult. Sal: I am not sure why you think Sac State is a "pay what you get for" school because there are some great professors. Dr. Zuckerman, Dr. Lasher, Dr. Stoner, Professor Maviglio, and Professor Howard are just a few of the great instructors from the Coms department at Sac State. Also, the Communications Master's program is actually very well known and respected in the academic world.

Kimberly Keyes on "Punishing the Weak?"

2009-10-15T03:09:05Z

I am not sure if it is very noble to boast about the things you do for others. I think those things should be done and not said. So I will say that I make small gestures when I can. The gestures usually revolve around food. Two weeks ago I was driving through Taco Bell by Sac State and their was a homeless man sitting by the drive thru and I bought him something to eat and gave it to him on my way out. I have only done what I can. Some would say it is not much and others would say it is too much. Many people don't agree with giving the homeless anything. I am involved and have been involved in various non profits as a volunteer and as an employee for over 10 years and so I think there is value in helping those less fortunate or poor in spirit. My mother has been an advocate for over 20 years and there is a certain amount of compassion she has instilled in me. Not to mention that I have experienced being very poor and not having a home. What kept my mother and I from not living on the streets was our family. We did in fact receive a house from Habit for Humanity though. I think when you have been in the position to struggle and feel hopelessness, you can appreciate what a helping hand or a smile can do.

Kimberly Keyes on "Punishing the Weak?"

2009-10-15T02:41:53Z

No, compassion is not a smile. Compassion is an emotion and a smile is a facial expression. I think both are helpful and useful when interacting with others.

Sac State Tuition Increasing, Classes and Professors Decreasing

2009-10-15T02:27:08Z

I am upset and I am tired. I am upset that my generation is complacent. I am upset that me and my fellow students so easily accept things going on in the world that are not right. Well I do not want to be complacent anymore. I am tired of it.

Alex Gonzalez Jr., son of Alexander Gonzalez Sr., President of Sac State, received a marketing position at Sac State making $83,000 annually. The marketing position would require Alex Jr. to promote "Destination 2010," a campaign to turn Sac State into a traditional campus rather than a commuter school.

Now, to be fair to the Gonzalez, Alex Jr. may be very qualified for the position. The problem is that no other candidate was interviewed and the position was never posted publicly.

Nepotism?

In regards to the salary, I have good news about this and bad. The good news is that Alex Jr. is not receiving a pay increase for his promotion. The bad news is that he isn't receiving a pay increase because he was making the same salary as a Sac State fundraiser. I never realized fundraising was such a highly paid position. Isn't that like raising money with the right hand to pay the left hand?

This semester Sac State tuition went up by about 30%. Increases are expected to happen again. Not only did tuition go up, but faculty have been laid off and Sac State now has "Furlough Fridays." The situation is outrageous really.

I can not accept paying $6.00 daily parking passes and 30% more tuition when my professors are being laid off and the ones still there are asked to take pay cuts. Classrooms are over filled to where there are no more desks and many classes are no longer available.

How can I or any other Sac State student speak proudly of our Sac State degree and our school when ethics and integrity our questionable within the Administration?

What would our fore fathers have done if this happened to them? What would Rosa Parks do? What would Mario Savio say?

I propose that Sac State students and students across California speak loudly and say "NO MORE" or carry a really, really big stick.

Kimberly Keyes on "Punishing the Weak?"

2009-10-15T00:47:45Z

Alicia, thank you for writing this article. Though some of us may be unable to help the homeless for personal or financial reasons, we all can provide some compassion. A smile can go a long way. As an American, I would hate to think that our only answer to someone experiencing a crisis like being homeless is, "Hey, here's the services, use them or don't." I like to think Americans are more noble and kind than that. Call me a romantic if you will.

Calling All Artists

2009-10-06T05:15:43Z

The Sacramento Kings are offering a new opportunity this season for local artists to display their Kings basketball inspired artwork. The Kings are asking that local artists submit their artwork for a chance to see it displayed on billboards across Sacramento.

Interested???

The opportunity is open to any artists working in 2D media on a large scale. The final pieces will be expected to be as big as 12’ X 25’ and 14’ X 48’.

If you are interested in submitting your Kings basketball inspired artwork, you can do it by emailing a thumbnail of the piece to Heather Vaughan at vaughan@arcoarena.com by the deadline, October 15, 2009.

The billboards will be throughout the Sacramento area and the artwork will be displayed October 19th-December 20th.

If you have any questions or would like to request more information, contact:

Heather Vaughan
vaughan@arcoarena.com

Good Luck to All!!

Kimberly Keyes on "Wells Fargo and Maloof Sports and Entertainment Donate Sixth Youth Center to the Sacramento Community"

2009-08-20T19:52:32Z

I appreciate your information and I understand you have strong opinions on the subject. I have worked with and volunteered for non-profits for over ten years, and I have my own opinions. They are focused less on the donators and more on the receivers-the teens to be clear. River Oak Center may or may not have funds available for computers. Regardless if they do, the teens did not have computers available to them before the DIY center opened. When I spoke to a counselor, who worked with the teens daily, she told me that their prior program had “nothing like this.” SO basically, if the donators had decided to donate to the Boys and Girls Club instead of the DIY center, the teens from River Oak would still be without computers and supplies. As far as River Oak versus Boy and Girls Club, both organizations have a purpose and both organizations are making a difference in at least one child or teen. AND It is important to remember that people that lack integrity can be found in corporations AND non-profits and people with integrity can also be found in both. As someone who is financially unable to donate money and youth centers, I personally do not feel comfortable criticizing those that are able and CHOOSE to do so. In fact the argument criticizing the wealthy is tiresome. To sum it up, I am sure that you are more informed on the politics of Sacramento than I and I am okay with that. In fact the discussion seems like something you are very familiar with and have probably debated in the past. I am more concerned with the benefits the teens received because of the center. Even if the center is or is not available to outside clients, there are ATLEAST forty teens who will enjoy it and I think that is significant. They probably do too.

Kimberly Keyes on "Wells Fargo and Maloof Sports and Entertainment Donate Sixth Youth Center to the Sacramento Community"

2009-08-20T02:28:21Z

The River Oak Center for Children was a non profit organization already established before the "Do It Yourself" teen center was donated. I questioned one of the counselors, Martha Pree about the activities that were available before the center was donated. Pree said that they had occasional outings and some sports, but "nothing like this." It would seem intuitive that smaller centers like the River Oak Center need more financial help than large organizations like the Boys and Girls club. If the computers donated to River Oak had been donated to another organization like the Boys and Girls Club, the teens that utilize River Oak Center would still be without computers. On a side note, there are at least two Wells Fargo employees on the Board of Directors for Sacramento's local Boys and Girls Club. Also, Wells Fargo has a history of making Forbes' List for 100 Most Charitable Companies. I am not going to further debate the motivation of the donators because it is irrelevant to the teens and children that are benefiting from the center.

Kimberly Keyes on "Wells Fargo and Maloof Sports and Entertainment Donate Sixth Youth Center to the Sacramento Community"

2009-08-20T01:55:21Z

As the writer of this story I can answer a few of the questions. The center is located near Madison Avenue and more detailed information can be found through internet research. The River Oak Center for Children is a program that has residential clients as well as outside clients, so I choose to leave the exact location out of my article. The center has a residential capacity of forty beds and they are nearly full. The residential teens will be utilizing the program frequently. I do not have an exact number on outside clients that will be utilizing the program. The specific programs offered through the center are art, fashion, music, and sports. They also offer computer programs that focus on reading, literacy, and finance. The probation office is directly involved with River Oak Center providing counseling, one on one support, and rehabilitation for teens that have been involved in the criminal court. As a new journalist, I appreciate your questions.

Wells Fargo and Maloof Sports and Entertainment Donate Sixth Youth Center to the Sacramento Community

2009-08-19T07:26:14Z

They shuffled in to the room, found seats, and appeared slightly uninterested. Then the music began and the Sacramento Monarchs entered the room. The teens began to buzz and one young man stood up to applaud. The teens might have tried to appear uninterested, but they couldn’t suppress their excitement. The Sacramento Monarchs had arrived.

On Tuesday, August 18th the Sacramento Monarchs, along with volunteers from Wells Fargo/Maloof Sports and Entertainment and world renowned local artist, David Garibaldi presented the Do It Yourself (DIY) Teen Center to the River Oak Center for Children.

The River Oak Center for Children is an organization that provides programs and services to families facing difficult life challenges. Some of the services provided are counseling, education, and extracurricular activities that keep teens off the street.

I spoke with Erin Treadwell, Communication and Media Officer for the Sacramento County Probation Department, who explained to me the positive influence the DIY center could have on the teens. Treadwell said that many of the teens are a step or two away from being on a road to a potentially unproductive future. She said, “A path through the River Oak Center is a path out of the criminal justice system.”

Martha Pree, a Child Care Counselor involved with River Oak Center said that the DIY center is exposing the teens to a different way of thinking about the world and what life is. Pree said that the teens are benefiting from someone in the community taking an interest in them and showing them a different environment from the one they know.

The DIY center provides a positive atmosphere where the River Oak Center teens can participate in activities such as art, fashion, music, and sports. The center also has academic activities that focus on reading, literacy, and finance.

Wells Fargo and Maloof Sports and Entertainment provided the center with:

Computers
Educational Software
Digital art work stations
Screen printing station,
Art tools
Reading materials

The materials for the center were not the only things donated.

Volunteers from both organizations designed, painted, and decorated the center with an “Inspire and Create” theme. The walls were painted in Sacramento Monarch colors and featured inspirational quotes from influential people such as, President Obama, Micheal Jordan, and Kanye West.

David Garibaldi, a widely known performance artist who has toured with big names such as Snoop Dogg, painted a mural of the Sacramento Monarchs on one of the walls in the DIY center and offered signed copies of his art portraits. garibaldiarts.com/

The DIY Center is the sixth center donated by Wells Fargo and Maloof Sports and Entertainment. Both companies have a reputation for their generosity and commitment to the local community. Maloof Sports and Entertainment have contributed $13 million in donations and have worked in partnership with Wells Fargo to establish reading and literacy programs throughout the Sacramento area.

As I leave the center, I hear laughter from a table. I look over and the ladies from the Monarchs and the teens are playing Taboo, one of the newly donated games. There is laughing, smiling, and guesses being shouted out. I wasn’t sure who was winning, who was losing, or who was having more fun. I was sure though, that the teens would fall asleep that night with a little more hope.

The King

2009-05-22T05:37:05Z

Sacramento might be known as the capital of California, home of the “Governator,“ or the city of tents, but many are not familiar with one of our local superstars. Though he might be known as the king of the jungle, he is certainly the king of Sacramento: Slamson, the Sacramento King’s mascot and entertainer extraordinaire.

I recently was able to go to a few Kings games and recognized Slamson as a great addition to the team. He was fun, entertaining, and had jungle cat reflexes that left me wondering if he did kickboxing or Pilates to keep in such good shape. It turns out he does cardio, weight training, and yoga, along with all of the games he performs at.

Slamson performs at all of the Kings’ home games and provides entertainment and comic relief. He has been the official mascot of the Sacramento Kings since 1997. In addition to the King’s home games, Slamson performs at 150-200 events per year. This includes charitable events, civic events, corporate events, birthday parties, bar mitzvahs, and even weddings.

I requested an interview with Slamson however, I was referred to his spokesperson Jaime Morse Mills, who was able to translate the interview.

(Yeah, who knew mascots had spokespeople?! I told you, he is kind of a big deal.)

What is the most interesting thing that has happened to Slamson at a game?
“There are too many instances to count, but I would have to say a recent encounter I had with Shaquille O’Neal does stand out. I was attempting to dance with him and he denied my request. But when I turned around, he grabbed my gluteus maximus!”

What is the most embarrassing event Slamson has experienced at a game or event?
“The most embarrassing moment…...hmmmm……a couple of years ago I gave a woman a hug and my mane got caught on her zipper jacket. I was on the inactive list for about a quarter of the game.”

Does Slamson do a lot of flirting with the Sacramento Kings’ dancers?
“I am an equal opportunity flirter. Flirting is equally spread between the upper and lower bowls of the arena.”

Has Slamson ever traveled with them? If so, where to and how was the experience?
“I typically don’t travel with the team. However, prior to the 2004-05 season, I traveled to Shanghai and Beijing, China for two preseason games featuring the Kings and Houston Rockets. It was an amazing experience. Both games were packed with NBA fans!”

How did Slamson feel about having another king on the court…Lebron James?
Slamson and Lebron get along fine. We Kings fans know who the real king of the court is! Little known fact: Slamson was to be in Lebron’s first Nike commercial shot at ARCO Arena, but he didn’t make the final cut.”

As you can see Slamson is a pretty cool mascot and our own local Sacramento celebrity. Next time your at a King’s game remember to give him a wave or a thumbs up for all the great work he does as the King’s mascot.

The Vagina Monologues will be Performed by CSUS students

2009-02-19T00:22:12Z

     CSUS will be presenting the “Vagina Monologues” in the University Union on Feb. 19, 20 and 21st. This is the 8th year the monologues will be performed.
     Eve Ensler, a playwright and feminist, wrote The Vagina Monologues. The monologues are a compilation of interviews with hundreds of women on their views of sex, relationships, and violence. The monologues cover issues that range from child birth to the lost women of Juarez, Mexico. The Vagina Monologues are the heart of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls.
     The monologues are only performed between Feb. 1st and March 31st and the proceeds go to programs that work to end violence against women and girls. The majority of proceeds from the CSUS performance will go to the Violence and Sexual Assault Support Services program that is available to CSUS students.
     The CSUS program offers services to victims and education throughout the campus on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. The proceeds help fund events like “Take Back the Night,” and “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.”
     Twenty percent of proceeds go to Share Institute International, a non profit organization that was started by local American River professors to help women internationally. Among many services, the Share Institute provides assistance to underground schools for girls in Afghanistan. For more information on Share Institute International you can visit their website at vshareinstitute.org.
     If you are interested in seeing the show you can buy tickets at the CSUS University Union or online at tickets.com. You may also call (916)278-4323 to purchase tickets. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $8 for students with identification. The performance Thursday, Feb. 19th will be performed with ASL. For more information regarding the performance you can contact Jessica Heskin at (916)278-3799.

A Summit They Can't Refuse

2009-02-16T06:44:30Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson will be hosting a “Gang Summit” next month that will have local gang members, law enforcement, educators, and religious groups in attendance. Mayor Johnson’s spokesman, Steve Maviglio, offered further details about the gang summit.

Maviglio says that due to some controversy involving the “gang tax,” a plan that the Mayor was not supportive of, Mayor Johnson called for a summit so that law enforcement, local gang members and educators could find some common ground on a comprehensive plan.

Maviglio says the agenda will focus on strategies to prevent children from joining gangs as well as ways to reduce gang-related crime. The gang summit is a big step towards Mayor Johnson”s public safety priority. Maviglio says, “The Mayor hopes this will be the start of a comprehensive plan to end gang violence in Sacramento. He envisions the creation of a Task Force that will propose specific strategies.”

Editor's Note: The Sacramento Press editorial staff edited this article with edits from the author to correct inaccurate information