Should be an interesting development. I am NOW at the Shasta Hotel in a small tiny room that works for now. I hope this all turns out well above. To my limited understanding 'affordable housing' is simply when Rent is no more than 1/3 of one's monthly income. I am a former Counselor and Case Manager at the local Salvation Army Emergency Shelter, but was laid off because of County cutbacks. Plus, I have a Christian ministry with CASA 12-Steps and we have open meetings every Sunday at 7 PM. I am diagnosed Bi-Polar and am now on SSI. It is important for us all to see that there are a range of psycho-social issues involved here that need to be addressed in ways that promote humane development for all concerned. It is more involved than simply putting a roof above the heads of poor folks. Been there, done that. Namaste, Peter S. Lopez AKA @Petqa_de_Aztlan on Twitter c/s

All this legalism fails to take note of our basic humane right to peacefully assemble for whatever purposes.

I thought the Brown Act was suppose to be about public officials not being able to meet together in private without the public being able to know about observe their meetings that impact on the public, esp. when votes are taken. It is up to citizens to make themselves aware. @Peta_de_Aztlan

As someone who was born and raised in Sacramento of 59-Earth years I think this can be a very beautiful city. It often depends upon how much money you have in your wallet. Access to real resources for self-empowerment. I was Laid Off from Salvation Army Emergency Shelter in September. I was working as a Case Manager and Counselor but Sacramento County cutbacks hit us hard. I became homeless mainly because of my past drug/drunk addiction. My sobriety date from alcohol is June 24, 2004 and I have over ten years off 'meth'. If it matters I now live in a great apartment overlooking Sacramento now. Living a sane and sober life. I had to work on myself. So we should have at least a cluster of compassion for those who are going through hard times. Remember, if you are a believer or not, Jesus Christ Himself was homeless when he was crucified. Be a humane being. Be kind to humankind. Stop casting stones! Be a lover, not a hater! ~ @Peta_de_Aztlan ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan

Thank you for bringing common sense and decency here. Some people just need to get more of a life than just verbally cutting on others.

Good that you all cover this as this does seem like a bias type crime. I guess that is a new category instead of saying a hate crime. Is dislike a crime? I imagine here is that there is a prejudice involved because the victim may of been homosexual. @Peta_de_Aztlan

Pretty good pictures. I remember when we would cruise down K Street on Friday nights, there would be hundreds of people cruising, checking each other out ~back in the day! ~ @Peta_de_Aztlan on Twitter

I hope I am able to have tamales this Christmas!

Many people are confused about the whole marijuana question. Some voters for the recent Prop. 19 for the legalization of marijuana but many did not and it was not passed. Comes to find out that those petty capitalists who work in the medical marijuana field saw Prop. 19 as harmful to their economic interests. Every mind is stamped with the brand of a given economic class, even if that person does not have a self-concept of being supportive of a given class. Money turned the tables against those in support of Prop. 19; the same as it does in our Political Elections. As far as marijuana itself we should see the positive benefits of it, especially for those who have a legitimate reason for using the herb/drug and also as a way of helping people to cope with the daily stress they experience in their lives. Working with homeless addicts who are interested in getting involved with the recovery process from addiction I see the positive benefits of marijuana usage instead of the harm done by streets drugs and unneeded pharmaceutical prescriptions which can also be addictive. We need to see the difference between use, abuse and addiction, though there can be a thin line between use and abuse. Often occasional use without a consciousness of consequences leads to abuse and on-going abuse easily leads to long-term addiction. Marijuana is not the same as other drugs. It is an ancient herb and it is here to stay. Get use to it being around! I would rather have people smoke a 'joint' that be shooting 'dope' up their veins. No matter what the general population does or does not do (many of whom are prescription 'junkies' even though they may have a legitimate medical reason for taking prescription drugs) we should accept marijuana use as a legitimate alternative to using hard core street drugs like heroin, methamphetamine (crank) and other harmful drugs. ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~ http://www.facebook.com/Peta51 ~

At least this is a significant start to help the homeless this winter. What are churches and mosques suppose to be for if not to help the needy people in their areas. We need to create a new shelter system that will address the root causes of homelessness, but this is a great start. ~Che Peta ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~

I respect Robin Williams even more for helping donate his proceeds to the Food Bank. I wish him well in all his endeavors. I know in the past he has had his personal struggles with addiction but he is doing fine now. ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~

This is great news in these troubled times with County cutbacks in so many areas, including in shelter and social services. Keep up the good Work Food Bank! ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~

I admit my dereliction as far as not being able to make it to any previous Sacra Press Workshops. However, for better or worse, I was Laid Off on September 1st and now have lots of free time on my hands. Thus, I will try my best to attend the upcoming Workshop on October 6th, barring alien abduction. What is Lede Writing? Is that a mis-spelling for Lead Writng? ~Namaste, Che Peta ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~

I am so sorry I missed it. Earlier that day on the 15th of Septiembre I was on the K Street Mall a distance away by the north steps of the Capitol, but did not go up and check it out. I thought it might be a Tea Party Rally! Go figure! I thought it would be on the actual date of 16th de Septiembre. I hope we have this every year. Latinos are a great beautiful 'race' of people ~La Raza Cosmica~ and as a Chicano born in Sacramento I love the beauty and diversity of 'my people'. ~Che Peta ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~

Wed Afternoon ~ Living in the Alkali Flats area the word on the streets is that the killing of Brother Zavala was gang-related and that he was an innocent bystander. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong killing. Sacramento lost a good young man with much promise for the future. SacBee News Link: http://bit.ly/cnqejK ~Che Peta ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~

Thanks for the background info. I was not there and am aware that we are already living under a fascist system.

9-14-2010 ~ I give the Tea Party Folks fair credit for getting off their asses, getting out in public and having the balls to speak their minds. No I do not support them, as such, BUTTT I do encourage activists who engage in peaceful assembly and express their belief-systems. Left-Wing vs. Right-Wing is archaic thinking. Be humane and loving to people as much as your heart and mind can stand. ~Che Peta ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~

9-14-2010 PM ~ I hope Mayor Johnson is not waiting for Election Day to get moving on this Safe Ground Issue. What is the procrastination for? This has been an on-going issue for years now! I am in general support of Mayor Johnson, but as a humane rights activists, former Case Manager at Salvation Army Emergency Shelter on 12th & North B Streets and independent voter, I do not see the major mechanics involved here in relation to the City of Sacramento constituting a Safe Ground area for homeless domestic refugees under a Failed State. ~Che Peta ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~ c/s

9/09/2010 ~Thursday~@6:34 PM ~ Having been born, bred and raised here in Sacramento I can see some real differences for the worse since I was young in this city. I appreciate the posts above and believe that Sacramento Press is one way within which we can dialogue with respect for each other, learn from each other and work on agreeing on the basics. I am glad that Sister Rhonda took the time, effort and had the concentration to post her article. All these social problems are connected to larger global problems, including billions being spend on the War in AfghanisNAM and the Middle East in general. What Mayor Johnson drives in or not is a minor issue among city-wide issues but it is a symbolic example of the large scale disconnect between those who are elected and those who voted for or did not vote for who has now been elected. We need to take responsibility ourselves as citizens for the state-of-the-city and must involved ourselves in electoral politics to create more of a participatory democracy here and throughout the country. Certainly a major survival need for our youth is the need for decent jobs in order for them to help take care of themselves and their families. We need to always bring these issues back down to the basics of daily survival: food, clothing, shelter, medical care and quality education. Our basic survival needs are our basic humane rights. Let us focus on our survival and the creation of basic survival programs for poor, oppressed and repressed people here in the City-County of Sacramento. Power to the People! ~Che Peta ~ http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan ~

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