Saturday, March 20 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. California Complete Count is hosting a rally/march to raise awareness of the U.S. Census. Entertainment starts at 10:00 a.m. and a 1/2 mile march around the Capitol starts at 10:45. At 11:45, there will be brief speeches from Mayor Kevin Johnson and Lt. Gov. Mona Pasquil. Entertainment from community groups will continue until 2:30 p.m. The rally/march is intended to raise awareness and support for the census. Workers from the Census Bureau will man questionnaire assistance centers to answer questions and help fill out census forms. The event is part of the March 20 "Be Californian, Be Counted" day. Five hundred people are expected.   No other e

The fourth annual Green California Summit and Exhibition wrapped up today at the Sacramento Convention Center, giving attendees a look at new green technology that provided a glimpse into what the world could look like in the near future. The summit featured keynote presentations from four speakers: 15-year-old Alec Loorz, founder of Kids vs. Global Warming; Noel Perry, Next 10 founder; David Roland-Holst, director of the University of California at Berkeley's Center for Energy, Resources and Economic Sustainability; and Fran Pavley, the state senator who authored Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. The summit also offered classes on green building codes, new media

The fourth annual Green California Summit and Exposition is coming to the Sacramento Convention Center next week. The expo is one of the biggest green forums with a public-sector focus in the nation. It's also where government and businesses interested in green technology can get educated, according to Racquel Palmese, managing editor of Green Magazine. The expo's theme is "Committed to Sustainability." "In this time of economic hardship, it's important for everyone to keep their eye on the ball, as well as be good for the environment," she said. In addition to an exhibit hall that will feature new developments in green technology, there will be four keynote speakers: 15-year-old Alec L

Sacramentans love their local businesses. A handful of local businesses recently won $500 grants from Intuit Inc. as part of its "Love a Local Business" competition, in which customers nominate businesses for grants. Three businesses are awarded weekly, and nine local businesses have already won the grant from the software company known for its TurboTax and QuickBook programs. "Sacramento overwhelmingly wants to support their local businesses," said Heather McLellan, a director at Intuit Inc. "There's a real wish for them to thrive here." In addition to the weekly winners, Intuit is hosting a "Love a Local Business Event" Saturday and Sunday at 1801 L St., where local business owners ca

"Chicago: The Musical" is returning to Sacramento for an 11-day run starting tomorrow. The world-renowned musical is the sixth-longest running production in Broadway history and was adapted into a movie in 2002, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. This is the fourth time the musical will be in Sacramento. It will be performed at the Community Center Theatre as part of the California Musical Theatre's Broadway Sacramento series. "Our goal is to bring Broadway to Sacramento," said California Musical Theatre executive producer Richard Lewis. "'Chicago' represents prime Broadway theatre." The musical takes place in 1920s Chicago and tells the story of two women who try to become

That arena was empty for that game!

It can be so frustrating to see the Kings drop the ball like that! They played so well, but there were so many times when it seemed like they just didn't care about rebounds or loose balls. How can four Kings players be beaten by one Thunder? It bewilders me. My hope is that is this team grows, it will learn and improve to become the next most improved team in the NBA. When a team loses because of free throws and rebounds, it can be a little encouraging because those are things that are easier to fix than others.

I don't have a plan, but I'm not necessarily asking for one. Protesters are demanding action, but the action they seek doesn't completely fit the bill. If this oil tax does indeed cover the costs, would it still cover costs if fees continue to increase? Does it tie the oil tax increase to a student fee increase? If not, it is only a short-term solution. In addition, I question the ability of this bill to be passed. Introducing the bill is one thing, lining up a majority of legislators to tax oil companies is another. Also, if a tax is given to oil companies, is there any reason why they wouldn't pass that tax right on down to consumers in the way of increased gas prices? Oil companies have, in the past, increased gas prices due to government action and increased taxes. If that's true, than the entire state would essentially be paying for our tuition. I am currently going to CSUS, and understand the pain of increased fees. It's horrible when you log into My Sac State to find that you owe $500 more dollars in the next week or you are dropped from your classes. It's messed up. That said, I also understand the structure of the state and how difficult it is to secure funding for just about anything, and I'm incredibly skeptical that a rally is going to do absolutely anything to change it. As for saying that not everyone had college paid for, every CSUS student does have their college paid for. The state of California subsidizes our fees heavily. $2500 does not cover the cost of one semester. You can be guaranteed that the state loses thousands for every student that walks on campus. The $2500 you pay is but a fraction of the cost the state incurs so that you can receive a college degree. According to the CSU website, it costs over $11000 a year to attend CSU if you're not a state citizen, which means that our $5000 is less than half the amount of our education. The state already pays for us. Also, the protesters fail to justify why they deserve state funding over other institutions and programs that are getting cut in the state. What about the medical coverage that's being cut? Policeman and firefighters? Why should students, who are already funded heavily by the state, get prioritized? I understand the pain of increased fees and furlough days, but I also see the bigger picture. Until the protesters justify their place in that picture, I remain skeptical about the effect of a rally on the capitol.

Those are some great photos.

What about the unseen effects of an oil severance tax? CSUS has a huge commuter base, and if the tax results in raised gas prices, that will affect a huge portion of the student population. I would like to see some reaction from the state politicians, but I would also like to see a better solution from the CTA and students. Raising taxes on oil companies is the answer? I need more convincing.