Immigration is obviously both a hot button topic and the hot potato of American politics.  It's also the focus of three short documentaries that play at the Crest Theatre on Tuesday evening on the fifth day (of ten) of the 11th Annual Sacramento Film & Music Festival.  Coincidentally, all three films were made by students at either Berkeley or Stanford and they complement each other to form a fascinating program. "Iraq in the US" has a unique Sacramento connection, focusing on the lives of Iraqi refugees who have been relocated here to build new lives.  "New American Soldier" tells the stories of several green card holders who joined the US military to become eligible for citizenship - co

There are few people in this town who have consistently done as much to promote film, music, arts and Downtown Sacramento as Sid Heberger, managing partner of the Crest Theatre.  Now, after years producing, hosting and promoting multiple film festivals, she is receiving the 4th Annual Film Arts Service Award during the opening ceremonies for the 11th Annual Sacramento Film & Music Festival.  From the Festival Program: Sid grew up in Sutter Creek developing an early love for film and historic architecture. She moved to Sacramento to attend college and in 1986 became involved in the re-opening of the historic Crest Theatre, leading to a management position two years later. Now CEO of the C

by Tony Sheppard Originally Published in Capitol Weekly This may be the least comprehensive restaurant review ever. So don’t be surprised if I go off on a tangent or two. Good Friends is located in South Natomas, in a small shopping plaza on the south-east corner of the I5 and West El Camino intersection. The location is close to several housing complexes and also the campuses of the University of Phoenix and the Art Institute of Sacramento. It’s a faculty favorite for the Arts Institute and, given that the Capital Film Arts Alliance meets there, also for some of the filmmaking community. For that reason, I’ve eaten there multiple times in the last couple of years, but I’ve never actuall

By Tony Sheppard Originally Published in Capitol Weekly If shopping for a new Beddinge Murbo and a companion Glasört Kulle or maybe a couple of Pjätteryds makes you a tad peckish, fear not for IKEA will feed you just as happily as they’ll load you up with flat-packed Aspelunds and Trondheims. The restaurant at IKEA is a simple, bright and airy cafeteria with limited, but also pleasant and cheap choices. The signature product is the Swedish meatball, served in a light creamy gravy and generally accompanied by the Swedish “go to” utility item, the lingonberry preserve. These lingonberries double as a relish or a jam, and also appear in a syrup that makes such a tasty drink you might inadv

If you happen to see people filming around town, and if they also seem to be in a hurry, there's a good chance they're making a film for this year's 10x10 Filmmaker Challenge, a program of the 11th Annual Sacramento Film & Music Festival.  Now in its 7th year, the 10x10 challenges filmmakers to make a 10 minute film in 10 days, on an assigned theme and using assigned elements such as quirky props and the Festival's mini-poster. Last night, filmmakers and prospective cast and crew members arrived at the Art Institute of California, Sacramento (a Festival sponsor) in enough numbers to require a move to a larger room.  In fact, the 26 teams that signed up to participate caused the maximum ru

The DSP and the CVB each control about half of the downtown light poles that can hold banners. But they don't produce or hang any of them themselves - an organization has to go through a print company and print to certain specifications and there is one man who apparently has a monopoly on actually hanging the banners, under contract (or at least this was the case when the Sac Film & Music Fest hung banners). I don't recall the DSP ever even seeing the banners we hung - we had them printed and they went to the hanger. There's no first amendment violation if one religious organization is allowed to use or purchase a state facility as long as the opportunity is open to all such organizations. The state hasn't either endorsed one religion or elevated it above others, unless it takes such business from one and refuses others.

This may be the first time I've put my mathematics degree to good use ;)

I'm in agreement with David's sentiments and I'm very happy to see activity on K Street. That one sentence just surprised me as it seemed to be applauding the massive power usage, which isn't especially trendy these days. For the record, I don't know what a "mini-substation" really represents in practice - perhaps it's entirely reasonable for such an enterprise. But that wasn't really my point. Forget my concern: I think I read something into that sentence that most likely isn't there.

Yes, I understand that, but "...so much electricity that an entire SMUD mini-substation is being built under the street in front ..." sounds like it's unusual even by those standards.

I'm into things that will make K Street more vibrant and successful, but I'm not sure why it's laudable that these three business will draw so much power that they require their own SMUD substation.