Newest articles and comments on The Sacramento Press written by Stephen Gillis

Stephen Gillis on "Kings Conspiracy - Part 1"

2011-01-03T23:47:28Z

Wouldn't it make more sense for the Maloof's to simply move the team if they really wanted too? What would the point of the conspiracy be, just to anger Sacramentans and lower the value of their franchise and merchandise? If the Maloofs want to move the team, they gain nothing by doing it secretly or by conspiracy, but in fact seems like they would lose more.

Stephen Gillis on "Mayor Johnson doing a Drive By as our Children Die- Part I"

2010-09-09T00:32:09Z

While I understand your emotions, realistically there is not much Mayor Johnson can do. He is but one member of a nine-member City Council, and that's not even taking into account the city manager, who is more responsible for day-to-day operations than Mayor Johnson is. This problem, at its heart, is not something that money or politics can easily fix. It is far too complex to blame on one man, and especially on his SUV. By the way, Mayor Johnson used to be a basketball star, and it's possible he still has money left over from those days to buy his SUV.

Stephen Gillis on ""New" start for The New Humans"

2010-08-25T04:32:52Z

I'm glad these guys are doing well. I saw them earlier this year (http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/21687) and they rocked. Best of luck to this good band.

Stephen Gillis on "Editorial: The end of the strong mayor "

2010-06-25T03:23:40Z

Incredible and thought-provoking.

Stephen Gillis on "City Council Candidates Use Facebook to Connect With Community"

2010-05-22T17:07:14Z

I know you weren't attacking me! I was just clarifying. Thanks for the kind response and kind words! I appreciate it.

Stephen Gillis on "City Council Candidates Use Facebook to Connect With Community"

2010-05-19T22:49:16Z

Here's a quote from the story: “For us, it’s not the most crucial component,” said Tretheway’s campaign manager, Rebecca Apostol. “It’s more important to talk to folks one-on-one and to have those face-to-face conversations. That type of interaction is what we tend to gravitate more toward.” Apostol made it clear that Tretheway's campaign is about one-on-one interactions. Just for clarification.

City Council Candidates Use Facebook to Connect With Community

2010-05-19T01:22:24Z

On June 8, Sacramento residents will have the opportunity to cast their votes on a number of issues and elective offices, including party primaries for governor and attorney general as well as Sacramento City Council seats in districts 1, 3, 5 and 7.

Many candidates are using online social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to try to get their messages out and gain an edge over the other candidates. For example, in the race for the Republican primary for governor, candidates Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner have Facebook and Twitter pages with followers in the thousands, and the primary fight is widely seen to be between the two.

However, even in the more local and community-driven campaigns of Sacramento City Council candidates, these social networking sites are being widely utilized to help raise support and knowledge for local candidates.

Angelique Ashby is running for the City Council’s District 1 seat against incumbent Ray Tretheway, and she has tried to use the Internet to her advantage.

Ashby said that when she and her campaign team started to plan her campaign, they thought that a strong online presence would be important.

“We knew that accessing people through the Internet would be critical,” Ashby said. “Social networking and the Internet is central to our campaign.”

Ashby said the online strategy of her campaign consists of a good webpage, Facebook and YouTube. As of Sunday, she has 1,050 friends on Facebook. Ashby said she uses Facebook as a way to connect with voters and as a good way to get out event information. Many people who come to her campaign events tell Ashby that they found out because of Facebook, she said.

She added that she has ads on Facebook as well as local blogs to help draw attention to her campaign.

Ashby said one challenge of being involved in social networking is the level of consistency required, both in effort and in message.

“It’s important to know what you’re like as a candidate because people can find information everywhere on the Internet,” she added. “You have to be clear and consistent.”

Although Ashby enjoys a strong online presence, she said she doesn’t use Twitter because she doesn’t think Twitter adds much to her campaign.

“One of the keys to success in an online campaign is to allow people to be a part of it,” she said. “Twitter is for observers, while Facebook is for participants.”

Tretheway, who has been on the City Council since 2001, uses both Twitter and Facebook in his campaign, although the sites are only updated about once a week.

“For us, it’s not the most crucial component,” said Tretheway’s campaign manager, Rebecca Apostol. “It’s more important to talk to folks one-on-one and to have those face-to-face conversations. That type of interaction is what we tend to gravitate more toward.”

Apostol said Tretheway’s Facebook and Twitter, which have a little over 30 followers as of Sunday, are used mostly to give campaign updates and to publicize community events.

“It’s a helpful component, undoubtedly,” she said. “It has its place, and it definitely adds to the campaign.”

Apostol added that in a smaller race like this, social networking does not make or break a campaign.

District 3 is also home to a competitive race. Councilman Steve Cohn, who has held the seat since 1994, is running for re-election against Realtor Chris Little and contractor Shawn Eldredge. Faviola Ramirez, the ground campaign manager for Cohn, said using Facebook is part of the campaign’s strategy.

“Facebook is really important to keep supporters informed,” she said.

“When you look at the City Council race, community is very important,” Ramirez added. “Facebook helps strengthen those ties.”

Ramirez said Cohn’s campaign Facebook page, which has 215 followers as of Sunday but is only updated once a week or so, is mostly used to give campaign updates and provide information about campaign events, as well as answer the occasional question from a voter.

Although Little and Eldredge have a stronger online presence, Ramirez said that it is not crucial to win a City Council election, and the main component of Cohn’s campaign relies in personal interaction.

“Facebook is just as important as call lists and any other way of getting ahold of people,” she said. “It just doesn’t replace face-to-face voter interaction, which is at the heart of any local campaign.”

Eldredge, however, said that for a candidate who does not have a lot of funds, having a strong online presence is vital.

“Social networking allows those who are interested to know a candidate better,” Eldredge said. “I don’t have money, so the only way I can reach people is through the social networking sites. It is the core of my campaign.”

Eldredge said he uses his Facebook for not only campaign updates but also to state his positions and point out the faults in opponent’s positions.

“I put it all out there,” he said. “I let the shit fly.”

Eldredge, who has raised thousands less than Little and Cohn according to a recent Sacramento Press article, said that while social networking gives him a platform, it does not always translate into votes.

“I’m much more interactive than the other candidates, but I’m probably not going to win,” he said, adding that this election will be a low-turnout election that will probably be decided by voters who are not hooked on social networking. He also said upcoming elections will have to make an online presence a priority.

“This November, this is going to be big,” Eldredge said. “The population and voter base is going to be very engaged through social media.”

Eldredge added that he believes we are one election cycle away from voters being able to donate $5 through their phones like people were able to for the Haiti earthquake relief, and that social networking will become a critical part of any campaign.

“The classic campaign is going to have to change their model,” Eldredge said. “Traditionally, it was all mail and door-to-door, but now social networking will have an equal part.”

For now, Eldredge was honest about his use of social networking in his campaign.

“It’s a lot of work,” he said. “Social media takes a lot of effort to pull it off well, and I haven’t done it as well as I’d like.”

When June 8 comes, Ashby, Tretheway, Cohn, Little and Eldredge will be able to see if their efforts with social networking results in being elected to the City Council.

Photo Captions:

1. Angelique Ashby. Photo by Kathleen Haley

2. Ray Tretheway. Photo by Anthony Bento

3. Chris Little. Photo by Kathleen Haley

4. Steve Cohn. Photo by Anthony Bento

'Celebrate Oak Park' Entertains Families

2010-05-10T01:57:03Z

The fourth annual Celebrate Oak Park community event entertained many families Saturday.

The event, which took place at McClatchy Park during the afternoon, drew hundreds of people with live music, food and a kids area that had inflatable obstacle courses and a rock-climbing wall.

Event organizer Joany Titherington said the event started as a home improvement fair eight years ago before transforming into something that promoted community involvement while shining light on Oak Park's unique legacy.

"This event celebrates the vibrant history we've had here," Titherington said. She added that when Oak Park was established in 1887, it becamse Sacramento's first suburb. Since then, it has become the most diversely integrated community in America, according to Titherington.

Titherington added that while the celebration drew a crowd of hundreds a few years ago, last year's event had more than 3,000 people show up throughout the day.

This year's celebration also gave the community a reason to come, with live music from local bands including Fo Shang, The Nuance and The Solicitors setting the festive mood. Families danced together to the music, and children walked around smiling with balloons floating from their wrists.

It was an enjoyable afternoon for the community of Oak Park, and one that Titherington said she hopes to build on, saying that next year's event will be bigger and better.

For the diverse community of Oak Park, it will be an event to look forward to.

More coverage of the event, including video interviews with the bands, can be found here.

What's Happening at the Capitol: May 6 - 7

2010-05-06T04:23:20Z

Thursday, May 6

6-7:30 p.m.

About 1,000 people will gather on the north steps of the Capitol to pray and observe the National Day of Prayer. The event coincides with thousands of similar events happening nationwide, with millions expected to participate throughout the country.

8:30-9:30 p.m.

The California Peace Officers' Memorial Foundation is holding a candlelight vigil as part of the two-day 34th Annual California Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony. The CPOMF is a nonprofit foundation that recognizes peace officers who died while on duty. The vigil will take place at the memorial monument at 10th Street and Capitol Mall. The vigil will include remarks from the CPOMF President, a Roll Call of Heroes, music and prayer.

Friday, May 7

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

The California Peace Officers' Memorial Foundation is holding an enrollment ceremony as part of its two-day 34th Annual California Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony. The ceremony will start with a walk from the Capitol to the Memorial Monument at 10th Street and Capitol Mall and continue with presentations by state representatives and the CPOMF President. The ceremony will conclude with a 21-gun salute, taps and the retiring of the colors.

El Marauder Entertains at Sacramento State

2010-05-06T04:17:15Z

Latin alternative rock band El Marauder capped off the Spring 2010 lineup of California State University, Sacramento, Unique's weekly Wednesday Nooner concert series with an impressive and energetic performance.

The Modesto-based five-piece band showed off its musical talent, utilizing guitar solos and driving drums to sound like a Latin-and-punk-influenced Foo Fighters. El Marauder wasn't afraid to mix it up either, throwing in some reggae as well as a longer experimental song to end their one-hour set, which featured songs in both English and Spanish.

El Marauder played on the outdoor Serna Plaza stage and drew a crowd of around 50. The band members were clearly having a good time, constantly rocking out by jumping and hopping around the stage while dancing to the rhythm.

Many students enjoyed their lunch while watching the band, and the music drew in some students just walking by. Despite a smaller turnout than other Wednesday Nooner concerts, the group tried to interact with the crowd by asking them to sing along or wave their hands in the air and got many audience members to participate.

"They were really energetic, which was awesome," said Kyle Marks, an employee in the University Union's graphic design department. "Even though there weren't a lot of people there, the band acted like it was packed, which made it more fun."

"They sounded good," said Sarah Liu, a student from Taiwan. Liu said she usually leaves the Nooners after a few minutes, but she liked El Marauder so much she stayed the whole time.

"I liked that they tried to make a connection with the audience even though there weren't many people there," she added.

The people who were there were treated to a great show put on by a talented band, ending the semester's Nooner concert series with excitement.

You can find out more about El Marauder on Facebook or MySpace. The band is scheduled to play at the House of Blues in Los Angeles May 20.

Stephen Gillis on "Take me out with the crowd. (not the press)"

2010-05-05T16:22:15Z

The same thing happened to me at a Kings game when I covered it. The press box was an absolutely joyless place, with no one talking, cheering, or anything. Just dead expressions. I quickly found a seat with the real fans. Great article, by the way,

What's Happening at the Capitol: May 5

2010-05-04T02:24:38Z

Wednesday, May 5

9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

The Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California is holding its 2010 Capitol Day. The Capitol Day will allow visitors to talk with legislators about reproductive health issues and participate in the Planned Parenthood education fair. There will be food available throughout the event. Around 1,000 people are expected to attend. No other information was available.

9-10 a.m.

Assemblyman Jared Huffman is holding a press conference about Assembly Bill 7, which places a moratorium on non-wooden bats used in high school baseball. About 100 people are expected to attend.

What's Happening at the Capitol: May 3

2010-05-02T16:19:30Z

Monday, May 3

5:30-7:30 p.m.

The California Latino Legislative Caucus is holding a reception for the winners of the Latino Spirit Awards on the south steps of the Capitol. The awards will be given at 11 a.m. in the Assembly hall. The public is invited and should RSVP by calling 916-442-0696. The reception will include a mariachi trio and refreshments.

What's Happening at the Capitol: May 1 - 2

2010-05-01T06:07:40Z

Saturday, May 1

8 a.m.-noon

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is hosting its annual Great Strides fund-raiser. Registration starts at 8 a.m., and the 3.2 mile walk starts at 9. Preregistration is encouraged, but not required. There also will be live music and a raffle. Proceeds will benefit the foundation, which funds research on the disease. About 400 people are expected to attend.

4-9 p.m.

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America is hosting the Take Steps for Crohn's and Colitis walk. Registration starts at 4 p.m. and the two or three mile walk starts at 5 p.m on the west steps of the Capitol. Walkers can preregister at the walk's website. There will be a festival following the walk with a DJ, a raffle, food, and a kids band and jumphouse. About 500 people are expected to attend.

Sunday, May 2

1-4:30 p.m.

The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region is holding its 2010 Jewish Heritage Festival on the west steps of the Capitol. It will feature an eco-friendly fashion show, Israel street market, traditional and cultural exhibits and displays, and performances by the Los Angeles Israeli Dance Team and nationally-known recording artist Matisyahu. The fashion show will start at 1:50 p.m., with the dance team performing at 2:15 and Matisyahu concluding the event at 3:15. Hundreds are expected to attend. More detailed information can be found at this website.

Stephen Gillis on "Evans makes all-rookie team, Casspi gets votes"

2010-04-30T20:50:40Z

Go Tyreke! Go Kings! Go Sacramento! Go new arena deal!

Stephen Gillis on "Evans receives ROY trophy, scenes from the rally"

2010-04-30T19:09:10Z

Sweet story. Who was that blonde lady in the pictures? The NBA representative?

Stephen Gillis on "City budget to be released Friday, $40-$43 million gap"

2010-04-30T19:05:42Z

That's not true. One of the conditions for the deal to go through is for the Maloofs to pay the city. See the "dealbreakers" section of this article for the city and the "What they give" section for the Maloofs. http://www.sacbee.com/2010/04/27/2707788/inside-the-arena-land-swap-plan.html Where did you hear that the debt would be forgiven? I have not read anything like that, but that would be quite an interesting aspect to the proposition.

What's Happening At The Capitol: April 29

2010-04-29T03:43:08Z

11 a.m. - 3p.m.

Caltrans is hosting its annual Workers Memorial on the west steps of the Capitol. The memorial will honor workers who died in the line of duty while fixing signs and potholes, working on highways and other transportation-related jobs. Business, Transportation and Housing Secretary Dale E. Bonner will be at the memorial along with people from Caltrans and the Office of Traffic Safety. It is expected to be an emotional and moving event. About 800 people are expected to attend.

2-3 p.m.

The California State PTA (California Congress of Parents, Teachers, and Students, Inc.) is holding a Rally for the Children on the north steps of the Capitol. The rally is part of the PTA's ongoing 9 Million Reasons to Speak Up campaign, which aims to tell legislators to invest in children. The rally is the first event of the PTA's 111th annual convention, which takes place over the weekend at the Sacramento Convention Center. About 300 people are expected to attend the rally.

Stephen Gillis on "City Council to Vote on New Taco Bell Drive-Through That Neighbors Strongly Oppose"

2010-04-28T22:58:31Z

To clarify who I am, because you asked, I wrote the article.

Stephen Gillis on "Tyreke Evans wins NBA Rookie of the Year award"

2010-04-28T22:57:13Z

Indeed, Rob, indeed.

Stephen Gillis on "Tyreke Evans wins NBA Rookie of the Year award"

2010-04-28T17:27:10Z

No, it's supposed to provide coverage of city sports, which is why it's in the sports section and not the politics section.

Stephen Gillis on "City Council to Vote on New Taco Bell Drive-Through That Neighbors Strongly Oppose"

2010-04-28T00:08:54Z

The materials Taco Bell uses has nothing to do with the neighborhood drive-through. Neither does Pepsico or Monsanto. This website covers Sacramento news, not multi-national corporations. This article reflects that focus. There are many articles in legitimate publications that cover Monsanto's questionable deeds, and it is unnecessary for this website to cover that angle when it is irrelevant to the article at hand.

City Council to Vote on New Taco Bell Drive-Through That Neighbors Strongly Oppose

2010-04-27T07:04:44Z

After many delays and an appeal, the issue of a redesigned Taco Bell with a new drive-through will finally be decided at Tuesday night's City Council meeting.

The Taco Bell, located at 5641 Freeport Blvd. near Fruitridge Road, was built in 1977 without a drive-through and has not seen a major change since. Taco Bell applied for a permit to rebuild the facility and add a drive-through, and the city's Planning Commission voted 6-4 to allow the building during a Feb. 11 meeting. However, the property is adjacent to a residential neighborhood, and many residents in that neighborhood are worried that this new drive-through will lead to increased noise, pollution and trash in their backyards.

Some of the residents have taken an active role in fighting the installation of a drive-through, including Kathleen Barber, a resident whose backyard is separated from the Taco Bell property by a 6-foot masonry wall that runs along the eastern border of the Taco Bell property. Barber paid $300 to appeal the Planning Commission's decision to the City Council. Barber's husband, Joe Verderber, said that the addition of this drive-through will violate certain city guidelines.

"Flat out, the proposed Taco Bell doesn't meet the city's own guidelines and regulations for drive-throughs," he said, citing a regulation in the city's zoning ordinance. The regulation says that, with regard to drive-throughs, "The design and location of the facility will not create a nuisance for adjacent properties." The neighborhood's residents say that having a drive-through so close to their homes will create a nuisance by adding noise and pollution to an area right next to their backyards.

One issue that resident Ted Soria is worried about is an increase in trash being thrown over the masonry wall due to the extra traffic.

"People throw stuff into my yard," he said. "I've found syringes, sexual devices, drug bags and garbage like that in my own backyard."

A major concern residents had was a substantial increase in noise. Even though the current plan for the new Taco Bell includes adding trees to the property, two feet to the height of the masonry wall and a smaller wall around the ordering talk-box, Barber is worried that all the traffic noise will be unbearable.

"They're telling us, through their testing, that we're not going to hear anything from a drive-through," she said. "We can hear the traffic from Freeport Blvd. already."

"That wall does nothing. All it does is make sure no one drives into your backyard," added neighbor Robert Messing.

Verderber said that in addition to creating a nuisance, the proposed Taco Bell does not meet spacing guidelines. According to those guidelines, the property has to be a half-acre or more, but the proposed Taco Bell is 238 square feet short of a half-acre. Verderber added that, in addition to all these violations, the proposed Taco Bell would lower the value of his home by $20,000, according to a real estate agent's estimate.

"The size of the lot doesn't meet their own guidelines, and neither does the parking," he said. "It is a nuisance to the neighborhood, and it devalues the property."

This isn't the first time the neighbors have had to fight against a Taco Bell drive-through. In 2006, the same Taco Bell applied for a similar rebuilding, but was denied a permit by the city's Planning Commission due to the neighbors' concerns.

"We went through this in 2006. Back then, they said that it was bad planning and clearly violated the nuisance to residential neighborhoods guidelines." said Barber, adding that she thinks some of the newer members on the Planning Commission don't get it. Barber said that at the Feb. 11 meeting, despite voicing their concerns and presenting the commission with a 200-name petition, their voice was ignored.

"At that meeting, we felt like our neighborhood didn't matter," she said.

Despite their concerns, the people with Taco Bell claim that that the proposed project meets most city regulations, and the ones that it doesn't meet where granted a special exemption from the Planning Commission. While Taco Bell franchise owner Dave Smith of D.G. Smith Enterprises declined to comment, Planning Facilitator Linda Budge said that Taco Bell management is doing what it could to make sure any impact on the neighborhood will be minimal.

Budge said that the operating hours for Taco Bell will end at 10 p.m. to mitigate late-night noise, and there will be a sign asking customers to turn down their music with a security guard to enforce that policy, in addition to the other modifications.

Budge said that the light posts will have limits on their height and have a shoebox covering that points the light directly down, not out. Also, she said that evergreen trees will be planted to contain the bleeding over of light and sound.

"Our goal is that the neighbors will not be able to see or hear the project," she said, adding that just over the weekend the plans were modified to allow for a greater distance between the eastern masonry wall and the drive-through lane. The extra distance will be full of bushes and shrubs, which are intended to help with the trash problem so patrons won't be able to drive right next to the wall like they can now.

According to Budge, the rebuilding of the Taco Bell is required for the franchise to continue its contract with the Taco Bell Corporation.

"This Taco Bell is under franchise agreement. Without the drive-through lane, the franchise will expire at the end of 2010, and the site could be lost," she said, adding that the building is old and needs to be updated to meet new building codes and regulations anyway.

Budge also said the new Taco Bell will have a positive effect on the local economy with 15 extra jobs being added at that location and extra taxes going to the city.

"We don't want to add to the retail vacancy that everyone is suffering right now," she added.

While both sides will be arguing their positions at the City Council meeting, Councilman Rob Fong, whose district the Taco Bell and neighborhood are in, said he hasn't yet come to a decision on how he will vote. Fong added that he has an open mind and will hold his decision until he hears everything both sides have to say.

"I hope we'll get to a place where we can come to some sort of agreement tomorrow night," he said.

Verderber, however, is hoping the council will understand the concerns of the neighbors and side with them.

"The point is," he said, "would you want a drive-through in your backyard?"

Jonathan Mendick and Kathleen Haley contributed to this story

Photo captions (Photos 1 - 5 taken by Jonathan Mendick; 6 - 7 by Stephen Gillis)

1. Joe Verderber stands in front of the Taco Bell at Fruitridge and Freeport

2. The view of Taco Bell from Kathleen Barber's backyard

3. Ted Soria standing next to the current 6 foot masonry wall separating his property from the Taco Bell parking lot

4. Trash found on the resident's side of the wall

5. More trash

6. The new style of Taco Bell that would be built. This particular restaurant is on Bradshaw Road

7. A side view of the new Taco Bell style

Harlem Globetrotters Entertain Families at Arco

2010-04-27T05:39:57Z

The Harlem Globetrotters entertained families at Arco Arena Sunday with their lighthearted comedy and high-flying basketball action.

The Globetrotters bested their longtime rivals, the Washington Generals, by utilizing impressive ball movement and powerful dunks. The game almost resembled a circus act with all of its tricks and slapstick humor. For instance, the game opened with an inflated ball that floated away from the players.

Other comedy bits included a consistent sketch where the coach of the Generals would hypnotize a Globetrotter with his white and black striped umbrella. Once hypnotized, the player would make plays for the Generals, take a nap in the middle of the court or dance on command. Dancing was a common event at the game, as Globetrotters would dance on court and, near the end of the game, the whole arena danced with the team to "Y.M.C.A." by the Village People.

Throughout the game, the leader of the Globetrotters, Hi-Lite, would often pull people out of the crowd to participate in sketches, including letting one young audience member shoot a free throw. After he made the shot, Hi-Lite gave him a jersey.

Other sketches throughout the game included Globetrotter Baseball and a bit where Globie, Harlem's mascot, went bowling for oversized inflatable Campbell's soup cans.

While the game had a lot of extra entertainment, the basketball itself was very fun to watch. The Globetrotters would rapidly pass between players before Hi-Lite would set up another player for a dominating dunk. At other times, players would tip the ball off the backboard until the fifth player slammed it home. While the Generals had some good moves on their end of the court, they mostly existed so the Globetrotters could have someone to dunk on.

The Globetrotters were very accommodating for fans and family, and stayed on the court afterwards to sign autographs while Hi-Lite and Dizzy, another Harlem player, signed autographs and took pictures with fans in the main concourse.

With family-friendly comedy and impressive basketball skills, the Harlem Globetrotters made for an entertaining afternoon for everyone in attendance.

All photos by Ahsan Awan

What's Happening at the Capitol: April 26

2010-04-26T03:58:40Z

Monday, April 26

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Perry Atwood will be hosting COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) screenings on the west steps of the Capitol. COPD is a general name for a group of lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis, refractory asthma, and bronchiectasis, according to the COPD Foundation. About 200 people are expected to attend. No other information was available.

11 a.m. - noon

The Gay-Straight Alliance Network will be holding a press conference at the Capitol, and 100 people are expected to attend. No other information was available.

3-7 p.m.

The Professional Beauty Federation of California is hosting the 10th annual "Welcome to our World" event on the south steps of the Capitol. The event is part of "California Professional Beauty and Barbering Week," which aims to inform legislators about California's beauty industry. There will be haircuts, manicures and other services available to legislators. The event takes place in a big tent that will emulate a salon experience.

What's Happening At The Capitol: April 24

2010-04-24T06:00:16Z

7 a.m. - 3 p.m.

March of Dimes will be having a March for Babies walk. March of Dimes is an organization that supports research to make sure babies begin healthy lives. Registration starts at 7 a.m., but the walk starts at 9 a.m. at the west steps of the Capitol. Seventy-six cents of every dollar raised supports research. About 7,000 people are expected to attend. No other information was available.

Stephen Gillis on "'Bodies Revealed' back in Sacramento"

2010-04-23T21:39:30Z

I saw this in Southern California. Wicked cool.

What's Happening at the Capitol: April 22

2010-04-22T04:20:38Z

9-11 a.m.

Caltrans is hosting the Annual Litter Day on the south steps of the Capitol. The event is part of the statewide Don't Trash California campaign, and the main part of the event starts at 10 a.m. There will be speakers from Caltrans and the CHP to raise awareness of the problem of littering. Afterward, officials from Caltrans will be going to Interstate 5 to pick up litter. About 200 people are expected to attend.

Rally for Social Services at Capitol Ends 365-Mile March From Bakersfield

2010-04-22T04:17:53Z

Thousands of people from across California gathered at the Capitol to express their anger over continuing cuts to social services in the state Wednesday afternoon.

The rally came on the last day of a 48-day, 365-mile march that started in Bakersfield in early March. While there were six main marchers, many other people joined them for certain days or sections of the march. The audience hoped that the march and rally would send a message of discontent with declining funds for social programs including schools, universities and homecare providers.

"This isn't the end of a march, this is the beginning of a movement," said Doug Moore, executive director of the United Domestic Workers of American Homecare Providers. "If we join together, we can restore the American Dream."

"We won't let Wall Street or the auto companies fail, but we are letting our schools fail by forcing them to make Draconian cuts in their budgets," said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. "Fixing the problem will take hard work."

Weingarten said there are three steps that can be taken to fix that problem, the first being to increase taxes on the rich.

"It's time that in the richest state of California, the rich pay their fair share of taxes," she said, getting a loud cheer from the audience. She also suggested closing tax loopholes and allowing the budget to be passed with a simple majority instead of the two-thirds majority currently required.

"All of us have to take more responsibility," she said as she finished. "This is only the first step. March on! March on!"

The rally audience included teachers, social workers, students and school employees who hoped their presence would help get their message to legislators.

Casey Borcher is a student at Woodland Community College and said that both his parents are teachers and have been affected by the cuts.

"They're doing more work for less money," said Borcher, who is working on a getting a teacher's credential himself. "It's ridiculous to me." He said that while he hopes the rally spurs action, he's not sure there are many specifics.

"I'm hearing a lot of vague stuff, like education first," he said. "I want to know what we're going to do."

Other people at the rally had some skepticism about the rally, but were generally hopeful.

"These things don't seem to generate much enthusiasm, but the alternative is nothing, so I'm optimistic," said Rudy Pearson, a history professor at American River College, adding that he was encouraged to see people travel from Southern California. He said that his school has seen the impact of budget cuts after courses were dropped, services to students were declining and there were no new hires.

"The problem keeps compounding itself," he said.

Suzy Kelm, a teacher at Pixley Elementary School, said the rally was important to show unity.

"Coming together like this is where it's at. It shows we're together," she said, adding that her school has seen cuts in music, sports and school staff. "This brings awareness that cutting the budget in education cuts the opportunities for future education for everybody."

Susan Oeland, a homecare provider with United Domestic Workers, said her program that takes care of elderly and handicapped people is in jeopardy of losing 90 percent of its budget or being eliminated entirely.

"We're here to fight budget cuts," she said. "We're fighting for the people we work for."

Oeland works for a woman who takes 15 medications per day and has no family. She said that if the program is abolished, her client and many others like her will have to go to a convalescent or nursing home, many of which are full. Oeland added that two of her elderly relatives died from a lack of attention, and she doesn't want that to happen to other people.

"It takes a special, loving person to take care of these people," she said. "They care for them not just as a paycheck, but as a human being. We don't want that to go away."

Scott McTeer, a staff member in the Stockton Unified School District, said he is afraid his job could be cut any day and hopes to be employed long enough to pay for his children to attend college. He said the rally is just a starting point for their cause.

"I hope the Legislature hears us loud and clear," he said. "We've just started this fight, and we're not going to stop until we get our fair share."

Sevenrepeat Plays To Nearly Empty Room at Sacramento State

2010-04-22T02:22:32Z

It was an awkward afternoon for one-man electro rock band Sevenrepeat.

Sevenrepeat played to a virtually empty room at California State University, Sacramento, Wednesday as part of Sac State Unique's weekly Nooner concert series.

About three students were in the room at any time, filtering in and out through the set. While Mac Valentine, the man who makes up Sevenrepeat, must have been disappointed, he didn't give students a good reason to stay.

The sound was heavy and thick, comparable to Nine Inch Nails or a heavy Depeche Mode, but none of it was very creative. The music had droning beats and loops playing in the background as Valentine would add to the noise by playing a distorted guitar or keyboard.

Valentine's voice was grating at times, and his guitar playing didn't always seem to line up with the song's rhythm. His uninspired lyrics and awkward meandering around the stage didn't add to the experience. The songs bled drearily into each other without much contrast. The only thing that saved Sevenrepeat's set from total boredom was the addition of audio clips of movies and news reports that played between certain songs.

The sparse audience was not very enthusiastic. Slava, a student who asked to be referred to by his first name and also the only student in the room at that point, simply shrugged when asked to comment on the set.

"I guess it's interesting that it's a one-person band," he said. "But all his songs sound the same. Maybe he should change it up a bit."

Sac State Unique Programs' Wednesday Nooner series oftentimes has good shows, but this show left a bad impression of Sevenrepeat and his music.

Fortunately for Mac Valentine, virtually no one was there to witness it.

Stephen Gillis on "Fong Gives State of District Report"

2010-04-21T21:34:45Z

For what it's worth, it was a joke and many people in the room did laugh.

Fong Gives State of District Report

2010-04-20T04:56:10Z

City Councilman Rob Fong said there will be continued development on Broadway during his 2010 State of the District Report Monday evening.

Fong, who represents District 4, gave his report at the Area One Neighborhood Advisory Group meeting.

"I'm not up for reelection this year," he said. "So you will have the truth tonight."

Fong said that west Broadway Street will see some development in the next few years, and the focus will be on housing and retail. Fong also said he is trying to get a community center to be built in that neighborhood. Most of the plans for District 4 are centered around the Broadway corridor, according to Fong.

"We're trying to re-imagine what Broadway can be," Fong said, adding that the goal is to add more retail and make Broadway more walkable and consumer-friendly.

Bicycle commuting routes from Land Park and South Land Park are also in the planning stages, he said. Fong noted that many residents in Land Park and South Land Park love to ride their bikes to get downtown.

Fong said that another issue in District 4 this year is the possible expansion of the zoo. Fong said that residents who live near the zoo do not prefer the zoo to expand, but that the future viability of the zoo's current size is challenging.

After Fong finished, he took questions from the audience of about 20, including one regarding the possibility of a new river crossing over the Sacramento River. Fong applauded the current discussion over the needs for a bridge, saying that the initial plan for a four-lane bridge going to Broadway was not the best idea.

"A bridge has to work for both sides," he said. "I'm not for a four-lane auto bridge. Ir doesn't do anything good for us."

Fong finished by answering a question about the city's budget deficit by admitting that services will be cut.

"The whole city is going to have a reduced level of services," he said, before adding that despite the poor economy crime was down in his district.

"It's always sunny in District 4."

Stephen Gillis on "What's Happening at the Capitol: April 19"

2010-04-20T03:53:59Z

Thanks Rhonda! Your analogy is fitting and fairly accurate. Thanks again for all of your contribution! It makes the site that much better.

What's Happening at the Capitol: April 20 - 21

2010-04-20T02:45:32Z

Tuesday, April 20

Impending rain has postponed both The Green Fair and the Financial Literacy Fair. Neither event has a new date.

Wednesday, April 21

4-6 p.m.

The March for California's Future will be making its final stop on its 45-day march on the west steps of the Capitol. The organization will hold a rally, which will include music and speeches from American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and California Federation of Teachers President Marty Hittelman. The focus of the rally will be on restoring public services, including public education, public safety and public health. The rally marks the end of a march that started in Bakersfield on March 5. Thousands are expected to attend, and the event will continue as planned, rain or shine.

Stephen Gillis on "River City Gators beat Central Coast Barnstormers"

2010-04-19T22:48:42Z

This is awesome. I didn't know this organization was even around! I'll have to check it out.

Stephen Gillis on "What's Happening at the Capitol: April 19"

2010-04-19T21:06:59Z

Sure thing! Thanks for the kind words! I'll definitely keep doing these articles.

Stephen Gillis on "What's Happening at the Capitol: April 19"

2010-04-19T21:06:14Z

Thanks for your input and perspective on this event! Community involvement like this is what makes the Sacramento Press so awesome. Keep it up Rhonda.

What's Happening at the Capitol: April 19

2010-04-19T07:06:46Z

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The California Correctional Peace Officers Asssociation is having a "Victims March on the Capitol" memorial service on the west steps of the Capitol. Around 600 people are expected to attend. No other information was available.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

There will be a second amendment rally at the traffic circle at the Capitol. It is an unarmed rally. About 150 people are expected to attend. No other information was available.

Noon - 1:30 p.m.

The We The People Foundation will do presentation of the Articles of Freedom at the south steps of the Capitol. About 100 people are expected to attend. No other information was available.

What's Happening at the Capitol: April 18

2010-04-17T06:24:19Z

7:30 a.m. - Noon

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is hosting its fundraiser, the MS Walk. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. and is free, but donations are recommended. The walk -- one mile or 5K -- starts at 9 a.m. The walk will be followed by a lunch, a "Strut your Mutt" dog contest and a performance by Jodette's Belly Dancers. A silent auction will run from 8 to 11 a.m., and there will be a booth to buy tickets to a June 3 River Cats game, with a percentage of sales going to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

No other events are planned until Monday.

Stephen Gillis on "Tim Wise Brings Racism Discussion to Sac State"

2010-04-15T16:12:22Z

Sure it is. But does one type of racism negate another? Does it mean anything if the consequences to those types of racism are different? If so, should we treat them differently?

What's Happening At The Capitol: April 15

2010-04-15T06:13:35Z

Noon - 4 p.m.

The Tea Party Patriots are holding a rally for limited government on the one year anniversary of last year's tea party protests. The rally will be hosted by radio personalities Armstrong and Getty and will feature speeches and songs. Thousands are expected to attend.

No other events are planned until Saturday.

Tim Wise Brings Racism Discussion to Sac State

2010-04-15T05:58:24Z

Prominent anti-racist author and speaker Tim Wise spoke about the continuing reality of racism in the United States to an audience of more than 700 students at Sacramento State University Wednesday.

Wise opened his lecture, "Colorblindness and its Consequences: How Ignoring Race Deepens the Racial Divide," with a personal story. He told the audience about when he lived with nine guys in Louisiana and one of his roommates made a pot of gumbo but never cleaned it up. Wise said the gumbo sat on the oven burner for more than a day and a half before the mess and smell compelled him to clean.

"It didn't matter that I didn't make the mess. The only thing that mattered was that I didn't want to live in that funk anymore," he said, using that example to tell students that even though they didn't help create the legacy of racism in society, it is their responsibility to help clean it up.

"This legacy lives today," Wise added. "It is one we must confront on a daily basis."

Wise pointed out, as an example, that the majority of CEOs of top companies are white men, who he then criticized for losing billions of dollars over the last few years.

"It would take half a millennium for black and brown folk to steal that much damn money!" Wise joked before adding, "But we're more afraid of a black guy crossing the street in a hoodie than we are of rich white men driving around in their Lexuses."

Throughout the rest of his lecture, Wise used stories, facts and statistics to make his point that racism is still alive in our society. He said the government, not the free market, helped create the middle class through the Homestead Act of 1862 and FHA loans from the '30s through '60s.

"The government has never been small for white Americans," he said.

Wise said that racial discrimination has made it harder for black and Latino people to get a jobs. He cited a statistic that said that a black person with a college degree is twice as likely as a white person to be out of work, and for Latinos, is almost two thirds as likely.

"For some people," he said, "double-digit unemployment ain't new."

Wise told the students that by being aware of the prejudice, they can more easily fight it. He was given a standing ovation after he finished and was available to sign books for the students who enjoyed his lecture.

"He really spoke to one of our big problems today," said English graduate student Lee Lee. "We're in denial about racism even though it affects us all."

Cosumnes River College student Kendall Gums brought his grandmother to the lecture, and he said he loved Tim Wise and his message.

"He's really in tune with the depth of society's prejudice." he said. "It's really excellent what he does."

Meeting Starts Public Discussion on New Sacramento River Crossing

2010-04-14T03:27:27Z

A new avenue of crossing the Sacramento River was the topic of discussion Monday night at the first meeting of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee, which is part of the Sacramento River Crossings Alternatives Study.

The meeting, which was held in Kampala Center at the Sacramento Zoo, is the first of five meetings planned throughout the year.

The Stakeholder Advisory Committee is made up of different community members from Sacramento and West Sacramento, and is meant to provide community involvement in the process of determining the need for another method of crossing the river between Sacramento and West Sacramento. While a bridge is an option for the new river crossing, the members of the group are stressing the need to look at alternatives to a bridge.

Among those attending was Maureen Pascoe, the capital improvement manager of the West Sacramento Public Works Department, who said this process was started to get community input into the idea of a new river crossing. This new community aspect came after a previous attempt to get a river crossing didn't work out.

"I think we made a misstep before, where we zeroed in on one location and one concept," Pascoe said. "We figured that we needed to take a step back from that and really talk about the values we need to consider in this, and what the real purpose and need is."

The committee was diverse, consisting of people from the Sacramento City Unified School District, West Sacramento City Council, Land Park Community Association, Downtown Sacramento Partnership, Regional Transit, biking enthusiasts and real estate workers. Many of the stakeholders were there to represent different river crossing goals, including jobs, air quality, bike and pedestrian friendliness, and health.

In addition to the approximately 25 committee members attending were city officials from West Sacramento and the city of Sacramento, and about five members of the public who were observing.

During the meeting, the members introduced themselves and expressed their desires in what they wanted to create, preserve and avoid during the process. Many members expressed the desire to work together and not cause division, as well as consider alternatives to a bridge. The evening concluded with the stakeholder members marking out areas of concern on large maps of the Sacramento area.

Fran Halbakken, operations manager for the city of Sacramento Department of Transportation, said community involvement is necessary.

"We're trying to figure out what problem we're trying to fix," she said. "We need to start defining that."

Halbakken said there will be more meetings, including one on May 10 and three more in June, July and September, but that the complete process of building another river crossing could take up to 15 years. She said the hope is to get enough input from people on both sides of the river to create something that could appeal to everyone.

Pascoe added that one of the biggest struggles going forward with a new river crossing is the community members' sense of division over the river. It is something she hopes these meetings will help alleviate.

"There is one center to the Sacramento region, and it spans both sides of the river," she said. "That's the perspective that we have."

What's Happening At The Capitol: April 13 - 14

2010-04-13T04:08:08Z

Tuesday, April 13

10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

The National Kidney Foundation will be holding a free kidney health screening on the south steps of the Capitol. About 100 people are expected to attend. No other information was available.

Wednesday, April 14

10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

The California Pharmacists Association is having a public health fair on the north steps of the Capitol to coincide with the association's Legislative Day. Licensed pharmacists, along with students from the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at the University of the Pacific, will be available to give a variety of health screenings, including screenings for blood pressure and blood glucose.

No other events are planned until Thursday.

What's Happening at the Capitol: April 12

2010-04-12T00:53:27Z

11 a.m. - noon

The California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers is holding a rally on the north steps of the Capitol to talk about legislative bills AB 2131, AB 2114, and AB 2167. 200 - 300 people are expected.

11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

American Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education (ABATE) of California is holding a Freedom and Motorcycle Awareness Rally on the south steps. About 400 people are expected to attend.

No other events are planned until Wednesday.

McClatchy High Students Experience Dangers of Driving Under Influence

2010-04-09T04:07:18Z

Students at C.K. McClatchy High School experienced the dangers of driving under the influence during a two-day event earlier this week.

The event is part of the "Every 15 Minutes" program, which happens at high schools nationwide and aims to inform high schoolers about the dangers of drunken driving as well as texting while driving. The name is a reference to the fact that every 15 minutes someone in the United States dies from an alcohol-related traffic collision. The two-day program begins with a staged car crash and ends the next day with an assembly that focuses on the events of the previous day.

The program started on Tuesday, when students witnessed a staged car crash on campus. The staged crash involved students from McClatchy, who played different parts including a drunken driver, a dead passenger and an injured person. The juniors and seniors watched as firefighters and officers from the Sacramento Fire Department and California Highway Patrol worked the scene like they would in a real collision, and students who played the parts of the people in the crash were treated as they would be in a real collision.

"The police department came, and they took the drunk driver away in a cop car, and they took the people to the hospital," said student Janna Langhi, a junior. "They even had the coroner come and take away the dead person."

Throughout the day, a different student was pulled from class every 15 minutes, representing one person who will die from an alcohol-related collision. The students are led to a private retreat where all communication to friends and family is cut off for the rest of the day. Parents of those students also receive death notifications from officers at their work.

Aaron Dean, who coordinates the "Every 15 Minutes" program for the Sacramento Fire Department, said that even though the parents know what is happening beforehand, it is a very powerful moment.

"Those notifications are pretty heart-wrenching," he said. "Many parents have quite a significant emotional event."

The next day's school assembly allows everyone to share in those emotional events when the students and parents are reunited. While separated, both the students and the parents write letters to each other as if the student had actually died. During the assembly, those letters are read out loud, which many students in attendance said was very impacting.

"When they read the letters and stuff, it made you see how the parents would feel and how you would be affecting everyone in your whole life if you did something like that," said junior Roshena, who declined to give a last name. "It was very emotional. It had a huge impact on me."

The assembly also featured a segment by motivational speaker Dee Sova, who lost a 13-year-old daughter when she was hit by a drunken driver more than six years ago. Sova said that she takes the students through the events of the weekend before her daughter was killed and shares the details of her daughter's death. Sova said that she knew students were impacted by her story.

"When I tell the details, it gets pretty silent," she said. "You can hear a pin drop."

Senior Andrew Chao said that Sova was moving with her story.

"She was, like, wow. Her story about her daughter was crazy," he said. "I understood what she was going through, and it's really sad."

The students said that the assembly made a difference.

"The assembly really influenced people," said Langhi, adding that the student's letters made an impact. "That, I think, got a lot of people."

"There were tears rolling out of my eyes," Chao said. "Some other guys were crying too, even if they were ashamed to say it."

Dean said that the program, which happens three to eight times a year throughout the area, changes many lives.

"The kids that are involved in the planning especially take a big impact with them," he said. "It's definitely working, and our message is getting out there."

Chao said that he knew students who drink and drive, and that the event definitely impacted them.

"It was deep," he said. "This stuff happens, you know. It's real life."

All Photos by Kati Garner

Stephen Gillis on " Welcome the Sacramento Mountain Lions to the United Football League"

2010-04-07T23:23:07Z

I can't recall seeing either mountains or lions in Sacramento.

Stephen Gillis on "Serving up faith"

2010-04-07T23:18:47Z

I think you are missing the point of the story.

What's Happening at the Capitol: April 3

2010-04-03T02:03:23Z

What's Happening At The Capitol: April 3

8 - 11 a.m.

A 3K rally to the Tower Bridge and back will be held, according to the Capitol Permits officer. The rally is titled the Temple of Faith Run For Your Life, and about 250 people are expected to attend. No other information was available.

No other events are planned for the weekend.

What's Happening At The Capitol: April 2

2010-04-01T04:27:59Z

9:30-11:30 a.m.

There will be a Bible reading and procession to cross the new rose garden in silence, according to a report sent by the Capitol Permit Officer. About 70 people are expected. No other information was available.

There are no other events scheduled until Saturday.

Improvements Coming to Historic Chinatown

2010-03-31T04:11:26Z

A gift of $30,000 will be given to Historic Chinatown, located on J Street between 3rd and 5th streets, for improvements to safety and lighting.

The funds are coming from the Community Development Block Grant, which is made up of funding by the federal government but is given out at the discretion of the Sacramento City Council. The $30,000 was approved at the March 9 City Council meeting.

Jennifer Lee-Lewis, community manager of the Ping Yuen Apartments, said the funds are needed because the area is home to a significant senior population that encounters tripping hazards. These tripping hazards, such as cracked tiles and big tree roots, are harder to spot during the night due to the poor lighting.

She said that because Historic Chinatown is hard to see from the streets outside, it oftentimes goes unnoticed.

"Things don't get taken care of like they should," she said. Lee-Lewis said that many of the seniors living in the Ping Yuen Apartments or the nearby Wong Center, both part of Historic Chinatown, walk around the area to get exercise, but the tripping hazards can be dangerous because many seniors shuffle their feet as they walk. During autumn, falling leaves and plentiful rain can make the issue even worse.

Meitra Bozorgzadegan, an event promoter for the pagoda building, said the poor lighting contributes not only to the tripping hazards, but also to crime in the area, including robberies and beatings.

"It is kinda scary," she said, noting that the courtyard can become very dark after hours. "I don't feel comfortable being down here at night."

"We definitely need light for seniors when they come home at night," Lee-Lewis said. "Everyone here is 55 years old or over, and many have disabilities."

Another priority is improved signage for the area.

"I would really like to see signage saying that this is Chinatown," Lee-Lewis said. "It would be nice to have more of a focus on culture. No one knows about it because we're hidden."

Once it gets the publicity it needs and once some of these problems get fixed, it will definitely be a cute area," added Bozorgzadegan.

Dan Roth, director of Sacramento's District 1, said that the funds will be administered soon and are currently going through a bidding process. However, Roth also said that the money is meant to help spruce up the area with lighting and signage. The tripping hazards, he said, can be fixed with compliance money for the Americans with Disabilities Act and shouldn't be taken out of the Block Grant money. Either way, Historic Chinatown will see many improvements soon.

Conference Shines Light on Local Human Trafficking

2010-03-27T05:35:49Z

Human trafficking in Sacramento was the subject of a conference Friday at Sacramento State.

"Hidden in Plain Sight: Human Trafficking in the Central Valley" was hosted by My Sister's House, a local nonprofit organization that, according to board President Darrel Woo, helps victims of domestic violence, with a focus on the Asian/Pacific Islander community.

"My Sister's House is about saving lives," said Woo, adding that victims of human trafficking and domestic violence are often one and the same.

"They are interconnected," he said. "Many victims suffer in silence." Woo said that this conference, the second hosted by My Sister's House, is important because Sacramento is home to many trafficking victims.

"We are at the crossroads of Interstate highways 50, 80, 5 and 99," said Woo. "It's not inconceivable that this is a ripe area for trafficking, especially with the Asian community, because San Francisco and California is the gateway for that community."

The event started with a welcome from Lt. Gov. Mona Pasquil, who told the audience of about 150 that her brother was an investigator who helped victims of human trafficking.

"He told me it happens everywhere," she said. "The faces of human trafficking are not limited to one color, economic class or part of the world. It happens in Sacramento and in the Central Valley."

Speakers included Dr. Elizabeth Miller, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California at Davis Children's Hospital. She called human trafficking the second-largest crime in the world, and the fastest growing. Up to 800,000 people are enslaved every year, she said, adding that 27 million people are in slavery every day.

Miller said that traffickers lie to people, telling them there is work and an income waiting in a foreign country. The victims agree to go with the traffickers, but are told upon arrival that they have to repay their captors. They are forced to work for incredibly low wages in agriculture, sweat shops, construction, car washes and often as prostitutes. The captors constantly raise the level of debt for the most trivial things, such as a penalty for speaking in a native language, forcing victims into a cycle of debt that never ends.

Miller said that this practice is prevalent in the United States, with 14,500 to 17,500 people being brought here every year. She added that half of those are children. According to Miller, victims often speak no English and are told by their captors not to trust police, doctors or the government. Victims comply out of fear of deportation, she said. Victims frequently are unaware that trafficking is even a crime. Because they do not see themselves as victims, they blame themselves for their situation, Miller continued.

Lt. John Vanek of the San Jose Police Department has managed the San Jose Human Trafficking Task Force for four years. He told the audience that trafficking is modern-day slavery.

"Human trafficking is the largest human-rights violation in the history of mankind," he said, adding that there are many types of trafficking, including bride selling, bonded labor, sex tourism and child soldiers. Vanek discussed the role of governments in human trafficking, saying that awareness of the crime has increased in the last decade, leading to legislation and convictions in the United States. There is much more that can be done, according to Vanek. More education is needed, he said, adding that many police officers don't know what trafficking is or how to stop it.

Victims of trafficking in the United States can be found everywhere, Vanek said. "People who say there is no trafficking are not looking for it."

Also speaking at the event were FBI Special Agent Rebekah Bills and attorney Lehoa Nguyen. Kay Buck, the founding executive director of the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking, ended the event with a workshop that provided information on identifying trafficking victims and situations.

The conference brought attention to a social issue that, according to Vanek, is not discussed enough. He said that people can fight trafficking by educating themselves and others about the crime.

"People need to take responsibility to raise their own awareness," he said. "So much of increased awareness is a grass-roots response. People need to be reaching out to other people and organizations to let people know about this issue.

"We all need to work together to rescue these victims."

Photo Captions

1. Survivor's quilt

2. A section of Sacramento State's University Ballroom

3. Part of the survivor's art exhibit

4. Part of the survivor's art exhibit

What's Happening at the Capitol: March 27

2010-03-27T05:17:48Z

What's Happening at the Capitol: March 27

10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

The 10th annual Cesar Chavez March will start at Arteaga's Supermarket in West Sacramento and go to the Capitol. The sponsoring Labor Council for Latin American Advancement said the march represents a call for justice, jobs, education and immigration reform. Families are encouraged to attend and bring signs or banners.

Stephen Gillis on "SMUD Smart Meters: An Incomplete Story"

2010-03-22T03:06:22Z

The links for the email addresses did not work, so they are. Stephen: stephen.gillis@sacramentopress.com Colleen: colleen@sacramentopress.com David: david@sacramentopress.com

SMUD Smart Meters: An Incomplete Story

2010-03-22T03:04:37Z

One of the first stories I was assigned as a new intern in late January was SMUD's installation of energy smart meters.

SMUD customers were told the smart meters would provide them with more information about their energy usage, which could lead to better energy management for them and SMUD. The utility had just about finished testing the technology, and was ready to install more than 600,000 meters throughout the Sacramento area.

SMUD contracted with South Carolina-based Utility Partners of America for the majority of the installation work, and my assignment was to find out why SMUD had contracted with an out-of-state company rather than a local one. Installation of the smart meters meant that dozens of SMUD meter readers would be laid off.

Erik Krause, SMUD smart meter project manager, explained that when SMUD hired its meter readers years ago, they knew their jobs were temporary because of the impending installation of smart meters. Krause said that the utility was trying to retain those employees by retraining them.

"We're going to continue aggressively finding new positions within SMUD," he said. "We won't be making new jobs in order to support them, but we hope that the vast majority of them will find something inside SMUD." Krause said that of 73 meter readers, 26 have found other positions within the company in the last year.

As for contracting with Utility Partners of America, Krause said that SMUD did not presently have the resources to do the job efficiently, which made it necessary to bring in an outside company. UPA was chosen after a bidding process, he continued.

"When we were looking at this, we realized that we pretty much had our whole meter shop, and all the people who were experienced in this work, busy. We realized that there was no way that we would be able to install all the meters we needed to on our own," said Krause. "That's when we made the decision to go out for a contractor." He said that UPA was going to return 20 percent of its $7.5 million contract to Sacramento's economy, including hiring 60 workers.

UPA, with its trained workers, would save SMUD years of work, time and money, according to Krause.

I attempted to write a balanced story with the voices of the different groups affected. I contacted UPA twice by e-mail and once by phone, but received no reply. Fellow intern Sierra Barroza also tried to contact UPA, but received the same lack of response. I contacted the Office of Labor Relations for the city of Sacramento to ask if there were companies that SMUD could have hired in the Sacramento area, but the department said they were not involved with private contract bids.

After a tip from Editor-In-Chief David Watts Barton, I contacted Sam Glero, who represents SMUD workers in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Glero told me by e-mail that he did not represent meter readers. Other attempts to contact SMUD meter readers also led to deadends.

After attempting to contact SMUD, UPA, the IBEW, the Department of Labor, a number of personal contacts and some SMUD meter readers, the only response was from SMUD. While I was appreciative of the two interviews with Erik Krause, we at The Sacramento Press value balanced journalism. Because we were dealing with a potentially sensitive story, Barton, Managing Editor Colleen Belcher and I decided to postpone the story until we could gather information from all the relevant parties rather than publish something that represented only one side.

In the interest of journalistic transparency, we are publishing this to show my attempts to write this now two-month-old story. Readers who are aware of this story and may have wondered why we haven't covered it should know it is not for lack of effort. That being said, The Sacramento Press is built on community contribution. If you are a SMUD meter reader or know one, feel free to contact me, Colleen or David.

Until then, we leave you with this record of our efforts to cover an important story.

What's Happening at the Capitol: March 22 - 23

2010-03-22T02:05:02Z

Monday, March 22

10 a.m. - Noon
The California State Students Association will hold a rally to bring the issues of higher education to the forefront of public awareness. Students will begin to gather at 7 a.m. at Raley Field. At 10, students will march down the Capitol mall to the north steps for a rally that will start at 11 a.m. The rally will include 30 speakers, mostly students. Five thousand people are expected to attend, representing California State universities and community colleges statewide.

1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.
California Youth Advocacy Network is holding its Youth Quest 2010 rally event on the west steps of the Capitol. The event will follow a morning session at the Masonic Temple. The theme is "Roll Up the Red Carpet on Tobacco Use in Movies." After the morning session's overview of tobacco in movies and lunch, attendees will march to the Capitol's west steps to participate in a rally/press conference. Afterward, attendees can meet with a legislator or tour the Capitol.

Tuesday, March 23

10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture will hold its annual Agriculture Day. This year's theme is "Healthy Choices for a Healthy California." The event will feature California's agricultural products and celebrate the abundant healthy food choices the state offers. The event opens to legislators and staff at 10:30 a.m., to the public at 11:30. Agriculture Day will be held at the Capitol's west steps. One thousand people are expected.

There are no other events scheduled until Thursday.

What's Happening at the Capitol: March 20

2010-03-20T06:13:18Z

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 events are planned until Monday.

Green Summit Shows New Green Tech

2010-03-18T04:18:00Z

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 and green legislation.

Between classes, people could walk through the expansive and busy exhibition hall, which was filled with about 300 booths and showed everything from commercial toiletry management to fuel-cell-powered vehicles.

Japanese company Noritz showed off a gas-powered, tank-less water heater that promised endless hot water and used less energy than current water heaters, while BionX had a device that provided electronic assistance to bicycles, resulting in a faster and more efficient bike ride.

Groasis featured its Waterboxx invention, a little box that allows for planting trees in places that they would not normally grow. The device, which will be fairly cheap when it is released, gives enough water to a young tree to live until its roots can begin to sustain its life. Ellie Hoff, project director at Groasis, said that a test in the Sahara desert showed that more than 80 percent of trees planted with the Waterboxx technology survived, while more than 90 percent of those planted without the device died. Hoff said this can lead to more planting of trees.

"At this moment, when you plant something, you have to irrigate it," she said. "But if there is a drought or scarce water resources, this product reduces the amount of water needed to plant trees."

Mount Professional Services showcased its Dewpointe water filter, which uses a complex system to make water out of the moisture in the air, producing up to 3,000 gallons per day of clean water without the need for a pure water source. Scott Mount of Mount Professional Services said that this technology could be used to provide water to people who do not normally have access to it.

"In America, we take for granted the water resources we have," he said. "We're looking at going to places that need water. This device could be used in places like Haiti or Chile."

Not all of the booths promoting a green lifestyle needed high-tech products. 7th Generation Recycling showed its textile recycling bins, which would help eliminate landfill waste and provide a use for used clothing that places like the Salvation Army can not take.

"We're trying to put these bins in convenient public places," said owner Kennedy Nijmeh. "It provides an outlet for people to get rid of their unwanted textiles." Nijmeh said that the unusable textiles are processed and made into things like mop heads and insulation, while some clothing that can still be used is sent to other countries.

The exhibit hall featured other products including solar-powered trash compactors, a machine that makes biodiesel fuel out of vegetable oil for less than $1 per gallon, electric motorcycles and a specialized fan that decreases the amount of grease a restaurant oven produces. Many different industries, from clothing to computers and lighting, were represented, each with its own take on how to make the planet greener and more efficient.

The fourth annual Green California Summit and Exhibition turned the Sacramento Convention Center exhibition hall into a window to tomorrow's world.

Stephen Gillis on "Sacramento Kings vs. Minnesota Timberwolves - March 14, 2010"

2010-03-15T21:04:02Z

That arena was empty for that game!

Fourth Annual Green Summit Next Week

2010-03-13T06:24:34Z

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 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, state senator who authored Assembly Bill 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006.

"AB 32 is being challenged now," Palmese said. "This summit will be a good reality check on what AB 32 is and the importance of keeping it moving forward."

The summit also will offer classes and seminars on various topics such as water management, green building codes, and legislative mandates. Palmese said that the first-time class on building codes reflects the fact that California is the first state to have green building codes.

More than 300 companies will be represented in the three-day event.

"This is unlike any other green summit," said Palmese.

The Green California Summit and Exposition will be at the Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J St., March 16-17. Monday will haveall-day workshops, but no exhibit events. Registration is available online and is free only for exhibits and to hear keynote speakers.

Grants Help Sacramento Businesses

2010-03-12T06:35:16Z

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 can win one of five $1,000 grants and receive professional advice on running small businesses.

Eric Heffel, owner of Midtown frozen yogurt shop Yogurtagogo, said the grants are a great way to help out local businesses.

"The character of Midtown is based on independent businesses like these," he said. "In times like these when independents fail, corporations come in and take over, and you start to lose a lot of character in the area. I don't want to see Midtown become full of corporations."

Heffel was one of the first winners of the $500 grant, and he said he will use it to buy some materials he was holding off on until he had more money, adding that it was a local purchase.

"It's nice to have some money we can put back right into the local economy," he said.

Corey DeRoo, co-owner of French Cuff Consignment, also won a grant through the competition. DeRoo's shop, which she defined as a "chic secondhand boutique," hosts community events and helps sponsor nonprofit companies. DeRoo said this grant will help them continue that tradition.

"With this economy, a lot of businesses have had to cut out charity, but this helps us to continue to support the community," she said. "We believe in being a part of the community."

DeRoo said she thinks the grant competition is a great idea to help small businesses, adding that thousands of Sacramento businesses have closed in the past few years.

"I was really happy they are doing this event," she said. "It's such a perfect time to do such a thing."

Andy Smith, owner of The Bread Store, said winning a grant was fantastic.

Photo Captions

1. L Wine Lounge, photo by Rachel Valley

2. Yogurtagogo, photo by Jonathan Mendick

"Anytime you can be recommended by your peers and customers, it's very rewarding," he said. "It's going to help and will be nice to have."

The L Wine Lounge was another winner of the grant.

"We're excited that we won," said owner Marcus Marquez. "It's surprising, because there's so many great local small businesses in Sacramento."

While nine Sacramento businesses have won the grants so far, McLellan said that more than 500 local businesses have been nominated in a similar competition that will reward businesses across the nation, with a grand prize of a $35,000 grant. Competition for that grant will be fierce, as more than 90,000 businesses have been nominated nationwide.

Even with the chance of winning the $35,000 grand prize in the national competition, local business owners said they are very happy with their $500 rewards.

"We're excited to win anything," Marquez said. "Every little bit helps for small businesses."

"Chicago" Will Be In Sacramento

2010-03-09T19:57:49Z

"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 celebrities while in prison for murder. The production, which is based on a true story, deals with the idea of a "celebrity criminal" in a setting drenched with vaudeville and jazz.

"It's kind of a sexy show," said Lewis. "The dancing is great, the score is well done, and the story is very engaging."

Starring in this national run of "Chicago" is actor and television personality John O'Hurley, who plays the role of lawyer Billy Flynn. O'Hurley is best known for his work on "Seinfeld" and "Dancing With the Stars," and is the most recent host of "Family Feud."

"We're very excited about John O'Hurley," said Lewis. "There is a lot of buzz about his performance."

Lewis said that good seats are still available, but are selling quickly. "Chicago," Lewis said, is an engaging and exciting musical that no one should miss.

"It's a wonderful piece of work."

"Chicago" runs from Wednesday, March 10 to Sunday, March 21 at the Community Center Theater, 1301 L Street. Tickets are on sale now, and start at $18. The show is recommended for ages 16 and up.

Stephen Gillis on "Kings can't handle Thunder"

2010-03-08T23:45:21Z

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.

Stephen Gillis on "Students and professors rally for education"

2010-03-05T22:52:26Z

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.

Stephen Gillis on "Photo Essay: Cap City Culture at Sac State"

2010-03-05T21:25:24Z

Those are some great photos.

Stephen Gillis on "Students and professors rally for education"

2010-03-05T21:10:00Z

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.

United Football League Bringing Professional Football to Sacramento

2010-03-04T05:51:47Z

Professional football is coming to Sacramento.

The United Football League is moving the California Redwoods from the Bay Area to Sacramento for the fall 2010 season, UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue announced at a press conference today.

"It's an exciting day for the UFL," he said.

The California Redwoods, which played in San Francisco and San Jose last year, will be relocating to Sacramento for the UFL's second season. The new season marks the UFL's expansion, with two more teams being added and the season length extending from six games to 10. The Sacramento team will be renamed, and fans can submit a team name at the UFL's website.

Mayor Kevin Johnson was at the press conference welcoming the league to the city.

"Can Sacramento support this league? Absolutely," he said, adding that the team should bring more than $10 million to the area as well as provide jobs and entertainment.

Team owner Paul Pelosi said that the UFL has tremendous talent and is full of NFL-ready players, adding that 30 UFL players signed with NFL teams following last year's season. Pelosi was confident that Sacramento was a great city for the new team.

"We know Sacramento is a great sports town," he said. "I'm a great believer in Sacramento and the area."

The team will play all of its games at California State University, Sacramento's Hornet Stadium, a 22,000-capacity stadium that normally hosts Sac State football. Huyghue said that the UFL will pay for a $500,000 turf field to be installed at the stadium, saying that the all-purpose field will be used by the university as well.

"When the UFL comes to a market, we make contributions," he said.

The expanded season will start in September and end the day after Thanksgiving, according to Huyghue. Sacramento defensive lineman Chris Cooper played for the Redwoods last year and said he is excited about the new team.

"Sacramento has the fan base that you want. You come to a town like this, and you bring people who enjoy football," said Cooper, who has also played for the San Francisco '49ers and Oakland Raiders. "People do want to see pro football in Sacramento."

Cooper said he expects the team to improve from last year's 2-4 record.

The team will continue to be coached by Dennis Green, who also will serve as the general manager. Green was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings throughout the 1990s and coached the Arizona Cardinals for three years. He was also an assistant coach under Bill Walsh during the '49ers' Super Bowl-winning 1988 season.

The team will be assembled from previous Redwoods players, but players will also come from a draft and open tryouts. They will play the other five teams in the UFL, which has teams in Las Vegas; Orlando; Hartford, Conn., and two other cities that will be announced at the end of the month.

Green said he was excited to bring professional football to Sacramento.

"The uniqueness of coming to Sacramento means a lot to me," he said. "Sacramento is an incredible sports city."

Photo Captions

1. UFL helmet

2. UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue

3. Paul Pelosi, Michael Huyghue, Kevin Johnson, Dennis Green

4. White UFL helmet

Successful Fundraiser Raises Awareness for VIBE Lounge

2010-03-03T07:22:13Z

The VIBE Foundation raised more than $22,000 for its upcoming VIBE teen lounge Monday at a fundraiser in The Verge art gallery. The lounge, which is planned to open in June, will be run by, and for, teens.

It will be the first of its kind in the world, said VIBE Foundation President David Schenirer. Schenirer said the inspiration came two years ago when he realized that there is nothing for teenagers to do in Sacramento.

"We decided to open a teen lounge - a place where teens can go have fun and get resources," said the 18-year-old.

VIBE co-founder Julian Nagler, also 18, said the two of them visited many teen clubs in Sacramento and found a recurring problem.

"Teens don't want to go there," he said. "After those places opened, they lost touch. They didn't evolve like teens do." Nagler said that's why it is so important that VIBE is run by teenagers.

Schenirer said the lounge will not be a place where teens are babysat, but rather a place where they can experience new things. He said that VIBE will provide games, smoothies and coffee along with free tutoring and SAT preparations. VIBE will be a safe place for teens to hang out in Sacramento, Schenirer said.

"VIBE is whatever teens in Sacramento need," he said.

The buzz for VIBE has been growing, and many city leaders have jumped on board to help with the effort, including Dan Schiele, who works with the Sacramento Police Department and also is on the board for VIBE.

"It's an organization that strives to be run by its participants," Schiele said. "It could be a nice model for other agencies and cities. It's exciting."

VIBE also has the support of California State Senator Darrell Steinberg and Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn, who serves as the chairman of the VIBE board.

"It's a real milestone for Sacramento that high school kids are putting this together," Cohn said. "This is really being driven by the high schoolers."

While the plan for VIBE is unique and ambitious, a critical component for its success is funding. Schenirer and Naglar said they have already raised more than $300,000 in in-kind donations from people and businesses and need to raise an additional $78,000 in cash to help get the lounge started after Monday's event.

The event was hosted by Steinberg and featured five segments that focused on what teens did during each decade from the 1950s to the 2000s. Each segment featured a different celebrity host, which included Cohn, who hosted the 1960s portion, to Schenerir, who hosted the 2000s portion.

Each segment started with the host describing what it was like being a teenager during that time period and ended with a performance by local teenagers. The performances ranged from dancing to popular songs of the era, such as the 1970s hit "Last Dance," to musical performances of songs from the era, such as Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind," performed by Rio Americano High School senior Nathan Swedlow.

The fundraiser -- attended by about 200 people -- was both fun and helped increase awareness about the VIBE lounge opening. Many teens in attendance are anticipating the opening of VIBE.

"We need somewhere to hang out," said Rio Americano freshman Courtney Bigelow. "I'm really excited."

"It'll be a nice place to kick back and meet new people," added McClatchy senior Brett Chance.

Cohn said he was excited about the opening of the lounge and was very encouraged by the outcome of the fundraiser.

"When I see things like this, it makes me very optimistic about where our city is going," he said.

Photos by Tia Gemmell
Riverfront Media Photography
www.phototia.com

Photo Captions

1. The Next Generation Dancers perform to that 70's hit, "Last Dance"

2. VIBE President David Schenirer shares with the audience how challenging it is for teens today and how much they need a safe place to hang out - thus the creation of the midtown VIBE Youth Lounge.

3. The VIBE teens pose before performing in Good VIBErations, an event that raised over $23,000 for the VIBE Youth Lounge.

4. Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg hosted Good VIBErations

5. Lyn Corbett of the Youth Development Department was the celebrity host for the 1980s segment

Urban Design Alliance Hosts Parking Dialogue

2010-02-26T04:58:04Z

Parking was the subject Wednesday at the Urban Design Alliance's Design Dialogue, an event that occurs every fourth Wednesday and features a different topic each time.

Howard Chan, parking services manager for the Sacramento Department of Transportation, led a discussion about downtown parking, which also included an update about the Central City Parking Master Plan that the City Council adopted in 2006.

"We don't really have a parking problem," he said. Chan noted that there are usually enough parking spaces throughout downtown, although not all of the spaces are used efficiently. While the congestion usually lies near the Capitol at the peak time between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., he said, spaces only a few blocks away are not being utilized.

Chan also discussed how technology has not only helped the city find parking violators, but also helped drivers avoid citations, using the new pay and display stations that accept credit cards as examples. There has been a 400 percent increase in catching multiple-citation drivers, he said, while there has also been a decline in general citations due to these machines.

Chan also promised that changes would still be coming to Sacramento's parking situation, including pay-by-text technology that allows drivers to pay for more parking when away from the meter, and variable payment structures depending on demand in certain areas.

"Our overarching goal is not revenue," Chan said. "It's to make parking available to the public."

After Chan's discussion, questions were allowed from the audience of about 25. The questions allowed for more dialogue about the city's parking issues. One such issue was the abuse of handicap placards, which allows anyone who has a placard to park anywhere for free.

Other questions concerned parking plans for the railyards, parking situations at large buildings without parking lots and even a possible smartphone application that would help people find a good parking spot downtown.

The event allowed for intelligent discussion about a topic that is usually in the back of citizens' minds and provided a glimpse into the future of parking in Sacramento.

The Design Dialogue was hosted by the Urban Design Alliance and was held at the central valley office of the American Institute of Architects.

Kip Fulbeck Brings Mixed Race Discussion to Sac State

2010-02-23T07:39:38Z

Kip Fulbeck, an artist, slam poet, filmmaker, and teacher at UC Santa Barbara, informed and entertained about 300 people Thursday at Sacramento State.

Fulbeck is a renowned figure who created the Hapa Project, a project focusing on mixed-race people that includes a book, photograph exhibit and online community. The term "hapa" is used to refer to someone of mixed racial heritage that includes Asian or Pacific Islander descent.

His nearly hour-and-a-half-long presentation, "Race, Sex and Tattoos," combined short films, poetry, humor, stories, and even a quiz in a format that analyzed personal identity, with a focus on mixed-race people. While the event featured some of Fulbeck's humorous films, his stories about his own mixed-race background and the creation of his three books guided most of the presentation.

Fulbeck was honest and quite funny, and presented his material with enthusiasm and passion, instantly connecting with the audience.

"It was honest," said Jacki Rohrer, a communications studies major. "He spoke about things people are afraid to speak about."

"It opened my eyes to how mixed-race people see the world," said Lisa Prefach, a sophomore studying computer engineering.

Fulbeck opened with a short film before reciting a poem and giving the audience a quiz. He then talked about his books "Part Asian, 100% Hapa" and "Permanence: Tattoo Portraits," which both feature portraits of either Hapa people or people with tattoos and the corresponding statements they give.

He told a touching story about a Holocaust survivor, featured in "Permanence," who shared with Fulbeck pictures of her family members who died in the Holocaust.

Fulbek ended the evening with a video about how a number of "ethnically-ambiguous" Disney characters look like him. It was a lighthearted and humorous way to end a presentation that dealt with some intriguing issues in a way that only the multi-talented Kip Fulbeck could have done.

Fulbeck's books "Part Asian, 100% Hapa" and "Permanence: Tattoo Portraits" are available now, and his new book, "Mixed Kids," which features portraits and statements of mixed-raced children, comes out next month. You can find more on Fulbeck and watch some of his short films at his website, redsushi.com.

Stephen Gillis on "Ask Officer Michelle - Dealing with a Pesky Neighbor"

2010-02-22T23:39:41Z

Thomas, if the person at the party is driving after consuming a good amount of beer, that person is most likely DUI, and that is breaking the law.

Hard Rock Cafe To Close Next Month

2010-02-20T07:50:07Z

The Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Sacramento is closing its doors after 12 years.

The restaurant was an anchor of the troubled Westfield Downtown Plaza, and is the latest casualty of the poor economy, said Mayor Kevin Johnson.

"The Hard Rock closing certainly reflects what is going on with this country and state. It's hitting us very hard," Johnson said at a press conference Friday. "We haven't hit bottom and we haven't come out of it yet, and that's very difficult for all of us."

Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, said he just heard about the closing Thursday.

"We are disappointed," he said. "Hard Rock is an iconic property. The destination it represents in Sacramento is definitely something we will miss."

Ault also said that despite the closing of the restaurant, he is encouraged by increasing development in the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street, something that Johnson said is important, along with development of J and L streets.

"We are committed to having a vibrant K Street," Johnson said. "It is very important for the core of our city."

Ault said that Hard Rock Cafe will close next month. The worldwide chain opened a restaurant in Seattle last week, and will open one in Los Angeles next month.

"What Hard Rock is saying to all of us is that in tier-two cities or midsize markets, we're closing," Johnson said. "If you're a top-tier major market, we're opening and expanding."

Johnson said that one of his goals this year is to attract more businesses to the downtown area.

"We're going to be very aggressive to try to attract retail to the downtown plaza as well as J, K and L," he said. "Just sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing is unacceptable. We have to give people a reason to come downtown."

Stephen Gillis on "Kings trade Martin; get T-Mac"

2010-02-18T16:17:12Z

In Petrie we trust. It seems like a bum deal at first, but it might end up being very sweet. Landry seems to be a pretty good player, and with T-Mac's contract, anything might happen. If we get those players from NY, those guys can be moved elsewhere over the next year or two. This is an intriguing reshuffling of the Kings roster. I'm not too sad to see Martin go, as Evans seemed to play better without him and is clearly the better player, the better leader, and the future of this franchise. We'll see how this mixes it up, but personally, I'm excited about the possibilities.

Stephen Gillis on "Kings Fans Optimistic About Team, Arena"

2010-02-18T07:36:51Z

Well, it seems that a mere two hours following the posting of my story, it is being reported by numerous sources, including Yahoo! Sports and the Sacramento Bee's Sam Amick, that Kevin Martin is being traded to the Houston Rockets for Tracy McGrady. Other players are involved, but this will certainly change the dynamic of the Kings for the rest of the season, as well as the future, since Martin's development is no longer a factor.

Kings Fans Optimistic About Team, Arena

2010-02-18T05:25:16Z

The Kings have been having a roller coaster season.

The team is undeniably better than last year, but its recent monthlong collapse has left it with a 18-35 record. This tally has been accompanied off-court by injuries, trade rumors, and uncertainty about a new arena and the Kings' future in Sacramento.

While it's a turbulent time to be a Kings fan, most fans who attended Tuesday's home game remained optimistic and excited about the future.

"They're pretty good," William Yu said. "They're making a lot of progress," added the 38-year-old engineer.

"They play all the way, and they're fun to watch," warehouse operator Jerry Sudderberg said.

Much of the optimism centers around the front-runner for the Rookie of the Year award, Tyreke Evans, and the development of Kevin Martin. Evans has been a welcome surprise, averaging 20.3 points per game and anchoring the team with his performance. Martin, who is back after being injured and missing more than 30 games, has struggled somewhat since his return. He is just starting to show flashes of his former high-scoring self.

Diane Goodman, a counselor and 24-year resident of Sacramento, said both players are key to the team's success.

"Tyreke Evans and Kevin Martin, if they work together, could be a pretty formidable backcourt," she said.

"Don't worry about Kevin, he'll get back in his groove," said light rail operator Ishmael Haqq, 40. "He's a shooter, it's what he does. We love him. Don't go anywhere, K-Mart!"

Throughout the season, there has been much talk and a big push for a new arena for the Kings. The perception of Arco Arena, where the team plays now, seems to be that it's outdated. It was built in 1988, has the second-smallest seating capacity in the NBA and is one of the oldest arenas in use.

To address the issue, Mayor Kevin Johnson has assembled an arena task force; seven proposals for a new arena have been pitched. Johnson said he wants a task-force recommendation by March, which coincides with the NBA application deadline for relocating a team. The last team to relocate was the Seattle SuperSonics, which became the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 2008-2009 season.

Most of the fans appear to be in favor of a downtown arena.

"Hell yeah, I would go a downtown arena," said Haqq. "Arco Arena is OK, but it's served its purpose. We need to move on now."

"They deserve a new arena," said Rhonda Sudderberg, a Sacramento resident of 20 years.

"I like Arco Arena, but I think that putting a new arena downtown is important," Yu said. "This building is outdated."

Longtime Kings fan Debra Nyland-Jarvis has worked in economic development for more than 30 years. She said that the proposal involving a three-way land swap, which is backed by the NBA, is best. The three-way land swap is a proposal that would have the state sell Cal Expo to private developers, move the state fairgrounds to Natomas, and build a new arena in the railyards in downtown Sacramento.

"The deal with the three-way land swap makes awesome economic sense," she said. "Sacramento has been trying to revitalize downtown for decades." Nyland-Jarvis referred to the Pepsi Center in Denver, saying that it perked up that city's downtown.

Not all fans were enthusiastic about a new arena, including Nyland-Jarvis' husband, Lowell Jarvis.

"I think this one is fine," he said.

Retail worker Kyle Bradley, 23, agreed.

"I like the arena where it's at right now. I don't know if moving it downtown would be any better or any worse," he said. "I don't really see what the point would be."

Despite how fans feel about a new arena and last year's season, the worst in franchise history, optimism reigns. Haqq best summed up Sacramento's relationship with the Kings.

"We love them."

Sacramento Celebrates Little Saigon at Tet Festival

2010-02-15T05:36:10Z

The annual Tet Festival was packed with more meaning than usual this year.

This year's festival, which celebrates the Vietnamese new year with food, dance and carnival rides, among other festivities, also featured the official designation of Little Saigon. The two-mile stretch of Stockton Boulevard between Fruitridge and Florin roads is home to a large Vietnamese community.

The official designation of the area came Saturday morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Stockton Boulevard and Fowler Avenue. The title is the result of a recently passed City Council resolution.

More than 200 people attended the ceremony, including the Little Saigon Committee, City Councilman Kevin McCarty, and state Sen. Darrell Steinberg, who represents the area.

"Eighteen years ago, I started on the City Council in this area," Steinberg said. "I know I represent a rich community, a community rich in tradition, rich in culture and rich in pride."

A parade with dancers in costume, dragons and drums moved toward the Tet Festival on Florin Road.

The festival included a traditional Vietnamese New Year's ceremony, which featured dancers in dragon costumes moving to the rhythm of the drummers while firecrackers exploded all around them. There also was a carnival adjacent to the festival area, and even Mexican dancing horses.

There were many booths selling food, drink, gifts, toys and karaoke machines. Others represented businesses and community organizations, including the Sacramento Chinese Community Center and the Vietnamese Hope Baptist Church of Sacramento.

Thamh Nguyen, who helped plan the festival and emceed from the main stage, deemed the festival a success.

"We do the festival every year to remind our community to celebrate the freedom in this country," he said. "This year is special. The approval of Little Saigon adds a lot to it."

The Vietnamese Hope Baptist Church, which has participated in the festival for 10 years, sold food and drinks to help pay for the construction of a new church building. Pastor Tuan Phan, a native of Vietnam who has lived in Sacramento for 17 years, said he was excited about Little Saigon.

"I hear the words 'Little Saigon' and it reminds me of my country," he said.

Some of the younger generation wasn't as enthusiastic. Ousio Saeteurn and Alex Lee said it didn't mean much to them.

"They need to open up more stores and fill it out," said Lee, indicating a field nearby. "It's a little empty."

"It's okay," said Saeteurn. "It gives us kids something to do and a place to interact with people."

To those who came from Vietnam to the United States, however, Little Saigon has far more meaning.

Son Nguyen, a member of the Association of Former Vietnamese Political Prisoners, has lived in Sacramento 19 years. He is excited about Little Saigon, he said, because it represents what Vietnam was before 1975, when the country became a communist government. Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City at that time.

"I'm very proud to be Vietnamese and to have this here in Sacramento," he said, through a translator.

Little Saigon is meaningful because many in the Sacramento Vietnamese community escaped from the communist government to freedom in America, said Thamh Nguyen.

"Saigon has a connection to this community, and that connection is freedom. It means a lot to a lot of people," he said. "Using the name 'Little Saigon' reminds them why we're here."

This year's Tet Festival coinciding with the designation of Little Saigon not only lent extra meaning to the festival, it increased awareness of this vibrant and diverse community.

"Having Little Saigon now brings a lot of understanding to the people outside of the Vietnamese community," Nguyen said. "It's great to have the community of Sacramento celebrate with us."

All photos taken by Jonathan Mendick

Sacramento State Rocked With Jack's Mannequin

2010-02-13T07:02:19Z

Jack's Mannequin, Fun and Vedera stopped at Sacramento State on Thursday and provided three hours of great indie rock.

1,100-plus fans were at the University Union Ballroom to catch the fifth stop on the "Sing For Your Supper" tour.

Vedera, celebrating the Feb. 2 release of its album "Stages," opened the show with a 20-minute set that showcased the vocal strength of lead singer Kristen May. May's performance was easily the highlight of the set, with the band adding lush piano and guitar pop arrangements that were simultaneously intimate and energetic.

Fun was up next, and it lived up to the name. The band's unconventional arrangements incorporated trumpets, keyboards and a xylophone, along with the standard drums and guitars. Fun got the crowd jumping and singing with its sound that's like Abba mixed with Queen at a carnival.

Fun's set was about forty minutes and featured many songs from its recent album "Aim and Ignite."

After a set change, Jack's Mannequin took the stage.

It was obvious from the crowd's cheering that the piano-rock band was the main reason people showed up. Everybody sang along as the band opened with "I'm Ready." Frontman Andrew McMahon was full of energy, often standing up and playing the piano with one hand and belting into the mic with the other.

The stage was McMahon's playground, as he ran around and jumped off everything from the drums to his piano. The band performed popular songs such as "The Mixed Tape," "The Resolution" and "Bruised" in addition to lesser-known songs "Last Straw" and "Miss California." Jack's Mannequin even played a surprisingly good cover of U2's "New Year's Day."

The audience cheered after every song and got really loud after McMahon announced that an album would be released this year.

After about one hour of solid piano-driven rock, the band played its most popular song, "Dark Blue," before walking off the stage. The crowd did not stop cheering, bringing Jack's Mannequin back for a three-song encore, starting with a piano-only version of "Swim" and ending with the eight-minute-long "Made For Each Other."

Jack's Mannequin, Fun and Vedera gave the audience its money's worth, a fun night for everyone.

Jack's Mannequin Bringing Piano Rock to Sacramento State

2010-02-09T04:27:27Z

Popular rock band Jack's Mannequin is playing at Sacramento State Thursday. The concert is the fifth stop for the "Sing for Your Supper Tour," which also features rock bands Vedera and fun.

fun. member Andrew Dost said the tour has been awesome so far.

"It's been such a joy to play for people who are so accepting of new music," he said. "The bands are good. We have a tremendous amount of respect for Jack's Mannequin."

Dost said fun. is on its second tour with Jack's Mannequin, which is enjoying the success of its second album, "The Glass Passenger." The album has sold over 200,000 copies since its release in September 2008.

Jack's Mannequin formed as a side project of Andrew McMahon, the lead singer and songwriter of piano-punk band Something Corporate, when McMahon wanted to write music that wouldn't fit the Something Corporate sound.

He started recording the debut album of Jack's Mannequin, "Everything in Transit," during a hiatus from Something Corporate. "Everything in Transit" was a success, selling over 250,000 records and earning Jack's Mannequin a large following. But McMahon's life was about to change.

McMahon was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on the last day of recording "Everything in Transit."

Over the next year and a half, he received constant cancer treatment, started the "Dear Jack" foundation for cancer research, and saw the public release of "Transit." In July 2006, McMahon announced he no longer needed treatment and had made a full recovery. McMahon recently released the "Dear Jack" DVD, a documentary about his struggle with leukemia.

Since McMahon's recovery and the release of "The Glass Passenger," Jack's Mannequin fan base has continued to grow, with people gravitating to McMahon's honest songwriting and catchy rock songs laced with piano hooks.

The "Sing For Your Supper Tour" marks the third time McMahon has played at Sacramento State, once with Something Corporate and once with Jack's Mannequin.

"Both shows were great," said Zenia LaPorte, program adviser for Sacramento State's UNIQUE program. "They were very entertaining and did very well attendance-wise."

LaPorte said the show is going to be great.

"Jack’s Mannequin has great energy," she said. "Most wouldn’t think you could do much with a piano, but this guy really rocks it."

Jack's Mannequin and the "Sing For Your Supper Tour" will be in the University Ballroom of the Sacramento State Student Union Thursday at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available, and are $18 for Sacramento State students and $24 for the general public. You can get tickets at the Sacramento State box office, or at tickets.com.

"The Conductor" Is Worth Seeing

2010-02-08T03:32:54Z

B Street Theatre's new production, "The Conductor: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad," is a great experience.

The play, which is part of B Street Theatre's Family Series, made its debut in time for Black History Month. It tells the story of Harriet Tubman as she helps a slave, Jeremiah, escape to freedom in 1850s America. Jerry Montoya authored this B Street Theatre original production.

"The Conductor" was written with children in mind, but that doesn't mean it is dumbed down. Instead, it portrays the struggles of being a slave in a way that is easy to understand and accessible for young viewers but is harrowing and intense enough that the experience is not diminished.

This makes the play engaging for adults as well as children. That the production presents slave life in a family-friendly manner is perhaps its greatest strength, but "The Conductor" has many other qualities.

The actors portray their characters with conviction and emotion. The stage bursts with personality, allowing the audience to invest in the unfolding events. Skyler Cooper, who plays Harriet Tubman, deserves special mention for transforming a meek mother in one scene to a powerful and convincing leader in the next.

The play's target on young viewers does have its faults, though. The plot is fairly simple and the supporting characters are never fully fleshed out. One character in particular has a quick change of heart that might not seem believable. But "The Conductor" is well told and well acted, and is great for the young audience.

Considering that the venue holds only about 150 people, the production values are quite good. The sets are well designed, if a bit sparse, consisting mostly of a few backdrops and a constructed porch. The sound effects are adequate, with ambient noise such as crowd chatter and hooting owls coming through the speakers when appropriate. The technical side of the play always compliments the solid acting, which is the anchor of the play.

"The Conductor: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad" is moving and powerful, and entertains both children and adults. It's one you'll remember long after you have left the theater.

"The Conductor," B Street Theatre, weekends through March 14, 1 and 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 to $22, available by calling 916-443-5300. B Street Theatre is at 2711 B St.

Global Audience For 'Rent' In Sacramento

2010-02-06T06:49:46Z

With the national tour of the smash Broadway musical Rent making its last stop in Sacramento, fans from all over the world are flocking to Sacramento's Community Center Theater to experience it one last time.

The tour features a multitude of original cast members, including Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal.

Some fans wait all day for the $23 rush tickets, which go on sale at 6 p.m. the day of the show, and provide the opportunity to see the musical from the first two rows.

Morgan Macri, Beth Furmoff and Kayla Guminiak had been waiting in line together since 9:30 a.m. Friday morning. They were visiting California for the first time, and had paid more than $500 to visit Sacramento and see Rent.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Furmoff. The 18 year-old student at Edison State College flew from Fort Myers, Fla., to see the show.

The three friends were enjoying their time in line. They had brought cards, coloring books, textbooks and food. They all became friends through their mutual love of Rent.

"It's the basis of our friendship," said Macri, a 16 year-old who traveled from Seattle to meet her friends.

"It's been our lives for the past few years," Furmoff said. The friends, who called themselves "Rentheads," said the show was amazing and worth the travel and cost.

"I'm not going to be eating for another few weeks," said Guminiak, a 20 year-old journalism student from the University of South Florida. She said she has seen the tour eight times, including shows in Orlando, Miami, Tampa and Chicago.

The three had nothing but good things to say about Rent.

"You could have just failed this big math test, but you turn on Rent and it makes it all OK," said Guminiak.

"Every major experience in my life has been changed by this," Furmoff said.

"It's an experience," Macri said. "There's no words for it."

Their love for the show is shared by fans worldwide.

"I love Rent. It changed my life," said Gabrielle Robinson, a student who traveled from Sydney, Australia, to see the show. Robinson, 24, had been waiting since 9 a.m. and spent more than $1,700 on the trip. She saw the show's San Francisco run in October, but said she was excited to see the show in Sacramento.

"It was the last chance to see this cast," she said. "I had to take the trip."

The first ones in line were also the ones who traveled the farthest. Asako Yoshida, Michiko Komori and Masato Moizumi traveled from Tokyo to see the last run of the show, and had each spent more than $2,200 on the trip. Moizumi had seen the show in San Francisco, and Komori had traveled to New York to see the show there.

"We love it," Yoshida said. "It has a very important message."

While most people waiting in line were not from Sacramento, there were a few locals. Leslie Miller, a sociology major at Sacramento State, said she fell in love with the movie.

"Seeing it live has been really great," she said. "It's a deep show with a powerful story."

Nearly everyone in line planned to come back every day for the show's run, which ends Sunday.

"I recommend it to anybody," said Robinson. "It's very powerful."

Rent is playing at Sacramento's Community Center Theater, and the final performance is Sunday at 8 p.m. The Community Center Theater is at 1301 L St.

The New Humans Rock at Sacramento State

2010-02-04T03:28:47Z

From its first note to its last song, The New Humans rocked the Sacramento State campus earlier today.

The New Humans, a Sacramento-based four-piece band that describes its sound as "electro piano rock," played a 40-minute set in the University Union for approximately 150 students.

It was part of Sacramento State's weekly "Wednesday Nooner" free concert series, presented by UNIQUE.

The band opened with an intro that quickly set the tone for the show: Drums, synth and loops swelled until the band launched into its first song, a dance-worthy tune that featured heavy drums and piano hooks.

The rest of the set was filled with energetic songs that showcased The New Humans' ability to mix soaring vocals, funky bass lines, piano riffs and intelligent drumming to impress even the most jaded music critic.

Their sound could be compared to The Killers, but with a little more dance and a little more intensity. The comparison is welcomed by keyboardist Cole Cuchna.

"We love The Killers. They are one of our major influences," he said. Cuchna also credited British musicians Keane with showing his band that you don't need a guitar to rock.

The New Humans, like Keane, don't have an electric guitar, but use a keyboard, synth, bass guitar and drums to write good songs and get the crowd dancing. It was more than enough to entertain the audience, who gave a loud ovation at the set's close.

"It was very good," said student Mike Archibald, a DJ with Sacramento State's student-run radio station KSSU. "I enjoyed their musicianship."

"My mind is blown," student Will Floyd said.

The New Humans loved the opportunity to play at Sac State.

"We were stoked to play," lead singer and synth man Scott Simpson said. "It was great to play for people who normally wouldn't hear us."

There will be more opportunities to view The New Humans, as they are enjoying a busy year. They recently performed at the Sacramento Electronic Music Festival, and are looking forward to more performances, including a show in San Francisco Thursday and a Haiti relief show at Luigi's Fungarden on Feb. 19.

They are also expecting to release an eight-song EP later this year, although you can get their song "Fever" now on the iTunes Music Store and Amazon's MP3 store.

The New Humans are definitely worth checking out. Just remember to bring your dancing shoes and prepare to be impressed.

Sacramento Electronica Music Festival A Great Success

2010-02-02T05:20:29Z

Beats, beards and booze filled the Townhouse Lounge Saturday as the Sacramento Electronica Music Festival wrapped up its third and final night.

The Sacramento Electronica Music Festival ran Thursday, Jan. 28 to Saturday, Jan. 30 offering a chance to check out Sacramento's vibrant electronica scene as well as experience something unique.

Adam Saake, the event's organizer, said the event was born out of a desire to bring Sacramento's electronica musicians together. Saake knew many of the electronica artists in the area, but none of them ever played together.

"The dots weren't connected, and there was never any electronica bill," Saake said. "We could do a really dope electronica festival."

Saake said the show started as a night concert, but as interest grew, so did the plans.

"It snowballed into this amazing thing," he said. Eventually, 17 electronica artists and seven DJs were lined up to deliver the first Sacramento Electronica Music Festival.

The event took place at the Townhouse Lounge, a two-story venue on 21st Street with DJs and a dance floor on the first floor and a live music room on the second floor. It was a fun night and a great introduction to the Sacramento electronic music scene.

Many people were on the dance floor downstairs, dancing to the beats created by various local DJs, including DJs Muppetblast, Crush Delight and I@N. Droning rhythms, throbbing bass and drum loops echoed through the room while pulsating strobe lights matched the beats and seemed to wrap around the whole area. It was very much like a club experience, and many on the dance floor were dancing, holding drinks and enjoying themselves.

Most of the people at the Townhouse Lounge were upstairs watching the live musicians. The majority of the audience consisted of 20-somethings who looked like they just walked out of a Midtown coffee shop, complete with tight jeans, big scarves, wool caps and bushy beards on the men. More than half were holding drinks, and although many gatherers were young, there were a few older couples enjoying themselves.

The packed crowd responded to the music in varying ways. Some people just stood and bobbed their heads, while some were sitting down with their eyes closed. One guy even spent the first hour or so painting on a canvas on the wall, ultimately creating a striking image of a woman's head moving to the side, her hair floating behind her.

Both the music and lights upstairs were usually less intense and created a comparatively more relaxed experience, one which focused almost solely on the live music.

The live music itself was unique and varied, showcasing the various takes on electronica Sacramento has to offer. Seventeen musicians, including CityState, MochiPet, The New Humans, Night Night, Sister Crayon, Tycho and Dusty Brown all contributed to the event with different styles.

Some of the live acts consisted of one guy and a computer, while others had full bands with added electronic elements. The music ranged from peaceful and atmospheric to droning and loud, as well as everything in between.

Homo Erectus, for example, played music that was all about heavy beats and growling vocals. The two musicians wore unicorn masks and pranced around on stage, which made for a very strange performance. Night Night took the stage next and used his laptop computer to add video game samples to a calm rhythm, which made for a more relaxing experience. It was a very different setting from a typical rock concert, which was highlighted when Dana Gumbiner, the man behind Night Night, encouraged the audience to sit on the ground, look up at the ceiling, or do whatever they wanted.

"Don't feel like you have to look at the guy on stage. Besides, I'm just checking e-mail," said Gumbiner while he was on stage.

After his set, Gumbiner said that his live performances combine sequenced beats with live improv sections. "It's kind of like controlled chaos," Gumbiner said.

Gumbiner also said he was impressed with the whole event, the artists and their performances. "It seems pretty clear from tonight that there's a lot of talent here in Sacramento," he said.

The event was a hit with the city as well.

Saake said that more than 1,000 people showed up throughout the whole weekend, including more than 500 on Saturday night alone.

"It was a gigantic success," Saake said. "I'm overjoyed and thrilled, but mostly I'm really, really impressed with Sacramento for coming out and supporting the local electronica scene."

Donald Bell, a writer for consumer technology website Cnet.com, used to play with former Sacramento electronica band Command Collective as Chachi Jones around five years ago. Bell traveled from the Bay Area to see Saturday's show and said he was impressed with the turnout.

"Five years ago, the turnout for this kind of show was maybe a third of this," Bell said. "Maybe we were ahead of our time."

Saake said he was very encouraged by the turnout and said that many people asked if there was going to be another electronica music festival next year.

"Definitely next year, we're going to do another one," he said, filled with excitement. "Sacramento was finally ready for this."

Jerry Perry Brings Haiti Relief and Sam Cooke to Old Ironsides

2010-01-28T03:52:21Z

Seven local musicians are getting together at Old Ironsides this Friday to not only pay tribute to music legend Sam Cooke but also help with the Haiti earthquake relief effort.

"Havin' a Party: A Tribute to Sam Cooke" was originally going to be just a show about Sam Cooke until concert organizer Jerry Perry saw the destruction in Haiti from the Jan. 12 earthquake. Perry decided to put on a benefit show to help.

"When things like this happen, we like to try to put together relief shows," said Perry, who also organized relief benefit concerts for Hurricane Katrina and Sept. 11.

"Whatever money we can raise through the door, we're going to take and give it to the Red Cross," he said.

The Haiti show was originally going to be on the night before the Sam Cooke tribute, but Perry decided to combine the two.

"I started to put something together, but it was ridiculous," he said. "There was a really good show on the Friday with a lot of bands on it."

The seven artist line-up is a stylistic mix, including The Visceral, Gillian Underwood, David Houston, Nancy Zoppi, Richard March, Four Eyes, The Inversions and Brian Rogers, who were all supportive of using their music to help with the disaster in Haiti.

"Performing at this benefit is an obvious way to show our support for those that are suffering and to share the message to our Haitian brothers and sisters that they are not alone and that people care about what is happening to them and their country," said Rob Klein of The Visceral.

There will not be any shortage of great songs, either.

Sam Cooke was a star in the late 1950s, with 29 Top 40 hits in his career. He was shot to death in 1964, and was known as a pioneer for soul music. He was posthumously awarded with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. His hits include "Another Saturday Night," "You Send Me," and "Havin' a Party."

The show was originally pitched to Perry by The Inversions as a way to honor Cooke near his birth date of Jan. 22. Now it serves as a way for concert-goers to give to the Haiti earthquake relief effort.

Perry likes that idea, noting that Cooke was a civil rights activist.

"It just felt right attaching the Haiti relief show to this show, and using the music of Sam Cooke to raise money for the relief," Perry said.

Perry, who is a fan of Cooke and his songs, promises a good time.

"It's just going to be a night of great music," Perry said. "It started out to be a Sam Cooke tribute night, and ultimately at its core that's what it is."

"For those that choose to attend the show, be prepared to have a good time and leave a little bit of your heart in Haiti," Klein said.

"Havin' a Party: A Tribute to Sam Cooke" will be at Old Ironsides on Friday at 9 p.m., and there is a minimum donation of $8. Old Ironsides is located at 1901 10th St. in Sacramento. The show is for ages 21 and up.

Stephen Gillis on "Kings mid-season report card"

2010-01-25T22:28:00Z

Interesting look at the season so far. The schedule doesn't seem to get any easier though, so this team has to find its groove again if it wants to become a force to be reckoned with. But with two blowouts in a row, they're gonna need to find it quick. Only one win in January so far is just painful.

Stephen Gillis on "Kings and Suns look for answers to Arenas situation"

2010-01-19T22:05:19Z

There is no reason to bring a gun to your locker. Arenas definitely misjudged the situation.

Stephen Gillis on "Group wants guided tours of Old Sac underground "

2010-01-19T21:57:43Z

I had never even heard of Sacramento's underground! I would love to take a tour.