This is awesome!

Stop fighting effects, and start fighting causes. Demand parent accountability.Blaming teachers for dropouts is like blaming firefighters for forest fires. Rhee's teachercide is deplorable and anyone who gets behind it doesn't understand the challenges teachers face. By the way, a study was just released showing "incentivizing" (one of KJ's favorite words) teachers who perform well is not effective.

Very, very sad. Lost a friend to suicide in high school. It was a morbid affair that stunned our school and city. Indescribable pain for the family. They never fully recovered. That said, I firmly believe we should be looking at teen suicide as a whole, not in parts. I don't think we should single out only LGBT teens to help. I think we should be helping All TEENS who are suffering from ANY form of abuse or depression that could lead to suicide. Thanks for this article

I truly hope the city does not discriminate when staffing the new fire station in Natomas. I hope the BEST people are hired for those jobs. It would be tragic (not to mention repugnant) to deprive the community of an awesome fire fighter simply because of his skin color.

Great article, great momentum on Ashby's part. On a related note, might want to downplay that "North Natomas is #1 neighborhood" award by Sac Magazine. Wouldn't want the people holding the purse strings to think Natomas residents are all giddy and everything is copacetic. All in all North Natomas is not merely suffering from growing pains; it is the land the city of Sac forgot. Anytime you have to have an "adopt a park" program you know you have severe neglect on the part of the city. Making residents responsible for upkeep of their own parks is shameful. If you're going to do that at least stop making them pay mello-roos tax supplements. Seems like it would be criminal to assess taxes for services you can't even provide..!?? Class action lawsuit seems appropriate. Abandoned buildings, major anchor retail clients closing their doors, crime, blight, poor performing schools, graffiti, a disproportionate amount of low income housing, excessive loitering on the part of bored teens, unchecked curfew, unfulfilled amenity promises, neglected parks, totally unchecked street racing on Del Paso Road.... Those are just a FEW of the things that make North Natomas an undesirable place to live and will keep property values lower than they should be. Personally I think there is a LOT of work to do be done in Natomas (in all of D1 and Sheedy's district as well, for that matter), and Sac Magazine's award was not appropriate at all. That would be my position if I was D1 council person. I'd say "thanks but no thanks." After all, if what Sac Mag says about North Natomas is correct, then why the $#@% isn't Ray Tretheway still in office.. ?

No no no... lesson ONE is to just follow the rules... right?

I think it's great these guys are pursuing their dreams. I would be happy to support them but not with the lyrics that disrespect women (use of the word bi###), disrespect men (talk about stealing a guy's woman), and using the N word. I only listened to a few minutes of the first song and that was all I could handle. I would urge these guys to be different and try rapping without the profanity and disrespect towards others. Remember the golden rule: DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU. Would you want someone calling your woman a B? Would you want someone calling one of your family members an N? How would you feel if some guy was trying to steal YOUR woman? I think if you can do clean lyrics and be a positive influence on youth you could get a HUGE following because there just arent too many rappers who are willing to be uplifting, positive, and encouraging Just my .02. No disrespect. Hit me up if you guys ever change your format.

Great points Sherrie! Great article!

The job of a judge is to interpret law and administer justice. If voters pass a law that is unjust, as they did with Prop 8, then it is the court's job to examine the law, then judge accordingly. In my opinion the system worked brilliantly in this case. I would hope that ANY judge, whether he/she be conservative or liberal, would have stricken down Prop 8. As long as certifying marriage is the job of the STATE, then ALL human beings should be allowed to be recognized as married couples, regardless of gender. Anything less is discrimination. Period.

Gosh if only straight people coveted marriage as much as homosexuals do. What an incredibly different country this would be. Here's to marriage and seeing your marital commitment through no matter how impossibly difficult it gets.

My condolences to all his family and friends. If he did indeed kill himself, apparently his shell did not reflect the turmoil going on inside. You never truly know someone. RIP Andy. mj http://www.joesacramento.com

"Hammond added that she asked Oseguera about hiring a diverse staff, in terms of race and gender. Oseguera hired three males to work as auditors." What!? Hammond is literally REQUESTING that a city employee discriminate! No one is outraged about this? She should be recalled for that statement. You hire the best people for the job PERIOD! Geez if Hammond's "size, shape, and height" requirement attitude is the norm across the board at city hall, no wonder the city is such a mess! WOW . What else Hammond? No fat people? No bald bald people? No blonds? No people with freckles? No Jews? No black people without rhythm? Come on please be more specific would ya?? O U T R A G E O U S

"What will it take for people to understand animals are living, breathing beings that deserve care and respect?" Them being treated like animals themselves.

This is a fantastic way to ensure people don't patronize Sacramento city businesses. Nice going City of Sac. Surrounding communities thank you for the extra business and tax revenue!

Nice, but I sure wish all this energy (pardon the pun) was being put into youth development and public safety.

Thanks, Rhonda. I have added an article about this on my site and I will try to attend. http://www.joesacramento.com/2010/07/21/silence-the-violence-event-in-south-sacramento-this-saturday-july-24

Wow my mom just told me about this article and I just read it today. So sorry this happened to you. :(( Very traumatic. Thoughts and prayers are with you to move beyond this so you can re-embrace your freedom and peace.. and oldies on a nice summer night. God love you Rhonda

Ashby won't fall in line with Johnson. Anyone who thinks she will doesn't know her.

Too bad 'speed and quickness' don't win championships

AuthentiCity? Worst name I have ever heard, bar none. No surprise Johnson, also behind endeavors with names like "SAG" and "Open Sac, is supporting it. Aside from that, developers always win. They are the ones with the money. Follow the money to the victory ribbon.