Newest articles and comments on The Sacramento Press written by Suzanne Hurt

New airport terminal to open Oct. 6

2011-07-18T04:34:39Z

The first flights will take off Oct. 6 from Sacramento International Airport's nearly $1.1 billion Central Terminal B complex, officials announced Friday at the California State Fair.

The airport expansion, dubbed “The Big Build,” was initially budgeted at $1.27 billion. It will replace a 44-year-old, far smaller terminal and will be completed seven months ahead of the originally scheduled opening. The complex was expected to start operating in March of 2012 when construction began in 2008.

Hard economic times led Sacramento County Airport System officials to scrap plans for an airport hotel and a new parking garage.

Airport officials chose an early October opening date so the new terminal can begin operation before the 2011 holiday season.

"Sacramento International Airport is the gateway to Northern California for the world, offering convenient access to our community, the Capitol and world-class destinations such as Napa and Tahoe," airport system Director Hardy Acree said at a press conference Friday afternoon. "We're here today to announce the first flight date, which is rapidly approaching."

To make the announcement, Acree was joined by Sacramento County Board of Supervisors Chair Roberta MacGlashan, County Supervisor Phil Serna and state Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, a former county supervisor.

One of the project's architects, John Mares of Dallas-based Corgan Associates, and Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau Chief Executive Officer Steve Hammond were among those who attended the event in the fairgrounds' counties building.

The project has been "critical" for the county, providing thousands of jobs for more than three years at a time when those jobs were most needed, Serna said.

The 675,000-square-foot, energy-efficient complex is being built for $1.08 billion and will be three times the size of the current Terminal B. Electric train cars will be used to move passengers between a landside terminal to an airside concourse.

The Central Terminal B complex will open with 19 gates that can handle 10 million passengers annually and has the potential to expand to 27 gates. The original Terminal B has 10 operational gates. The airport’s total passenger capacity will be 16 million a year, compared to nearly 9 million last year, airport spokeswoman Gina Swankie said.

The airport's increased capacity provides an opportunity to bring more travelers and money to the region. Every 3 percent increase in available airline seats increases local hotel occupancy by 1 percent, Hammond said.

Remaining construction will be completed in the next few months.

"Central Terminal B will offer a beautiful first impression for guests, and a forward-thinking design that will serve our community for many more generations to come," MacGlashan said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Spin Burger's closure opens Midtown location

2011-07-15T22:30:24Z

Retail space on a prime Midtown corner is getting a lot of attention from restaurateurs after Spin Burger Bar suddenly closed there earlier this month.

On Thursday, Rocklin resident Paul Singh toured the 2,800-square-foot store, where he and partners in Monsoon Indian Bar & Grill of Toronto are considering opening an Indian restaurant and bar by the same name.

Many other restaurant owners have already checked out the space at 1020 16th St. Spin Burger's owner, SRO Inc., closed the restaurant's doors July 5, said commercial real estate broker Bobby Rich with Retail West.

The Haines brothers, who own 33rd Street Bistro and several other area restaurants under SRO, converted a Bistro 33 at that location into Spin Burger about eight months ago. They had been trying to sell the Spin Burger business for four months, Rich said.

Rich said he doesn't know why the restaurant closed.

"I wish we had more answers," he said. "It's unfortunate it didn't work out. They're really good operators."

The Haines family didn't return phone calls seeking comment this week.

Residents, local business owners and Yelp readers have been wondering why the place closed. Nerdy Dogs co-owner MDavid Low said the restaurant seemed to be doing well whenever he ate there. He and fiancée Caitlyn Shortt operate the specialty pet store a few blocks away.

"That's crazy! They were so busy," Low said.

Spin Burger sold more than 4,000 Groupon deals in April. Signs on the restaurant's windows said the Groupon deals would be honored at any other SRO restaurant.

Mark Friedman and his company, Fulcrum Property, built the mixed-use O1 Lofts at 16th and K streets in 2005. Friedman also converted the historic Elliott Building next door into mixed-use retail and lofts. Gov. Jerry Brown now lives in one of the lofts.

The space is getting the most attention from people who already own restaurants in Sacramento's central city. Two restaurateurs from San Francisco have also visited. One proposed a deep-dish pizza restaurant.

Singh visited the property on behalf of partners including his cousin, Chan Singh, and the Amaya Group of Restaurants, which owns the Amaya Indian Room and spin-off eateries in Toronto. They are interested in opening a restaurant in Midtown and will consider other locations as well, Paul Singh said.

An Indian bar and grill may be a good fit because the area could use more Indian cuisine, Rich said.

Local restaurant owners are proposing different ideas for the space, which is listed at $2.50 per square foot or $7,000 a month.

Fulcrum Property management wants to fill the spot with a business that fits well in Midtown, an arts and entertainment district with a growing night-life scene, he said.

"We hope to get another cool concept," Rich said. "We can let this sit for as long as it takes to find the right concept."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Arena bus tour rolls out to region

2011-07-15T01:15:02Z

The arena campaign committee, Think BIG Sacramento, hosted a four-county bus tour Thursday to spread the message that a new sports and entertainment facility will benefit not just the city of Sacramento but the entire region.

The group released a "Capitol Corridor Impact Report" showing 55 percent of the people going to basketball games and other events at the Sacramento Kings' current facility come from outside Sacramento County. And almost 75 percent live outside the city, committee Executive Director Chris Lehane said Thursday at a press conference in El Dorado Hills.

The report was compiled using three years' statistics from the National Basketball Association. Actual numbers of arena customers weren't provided, Lehane said.

In addition, new funding concepts are being considered by the group’s finance committee. One might tie agreements for corporate sponsorships, ads and luxury seats with contracts for those businesses to sell regional products such as wine, fruit or nuts at the facility, committee member Kevin Nagle said.

"Remember to 'Think BIG,' buy regional and fight on so we can make this a reality," said Nagle, president of Ohio-based Envision Pharmaceutical Services, which has a location in El Dorado Hills.

The press conference was held in front of the tour bus, pulled up outside the El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce in the El Dorado Hills Town Center. Thursday morning, about 30 people took the black limo bus from the Kings arena, Power Balance Pavilion, in Natomas to El Dorado Hills.

The group was made up of Lehane and one other Think BIG member, Kings sponsors, community and business leaders, Mayor Kevin Johnson's staff, a Maloof Sports and Entertainment employee, Kings dance team members and two new members of the committee's citizens' initiative, dubbed "citizen architects."

The figures provided in the report show many people who live outside Sacramento would benefit from a new arena. People living outside the city are also expected to get a large share of the 3,700 construction jobs that would be created, because local construction companies will be used, Lehane said.

Power Balance Pavilion draws about 55 percent of its customers from 15 counties outside Sacramento County.

About 29 percent live in the other five counties in the six-county region. However, a large number come from elsewhere in Northern California. Residents of San Joaquin, Solano, Stanislaus and Contra Costa counties make up 22 percent of the people at games and other events, according to the report.

Johnson and other elected officials, as well as arena campaign committee members, believe more people will be drawn from outside the region if a new arena with more plush facilities is built, Lehane said.

A ticket fee is being considered as one of many options to help fund the arena through a combination of public and private investment, Nagle and Lehane said.

One of the newest ideas is to showcase products and services from businesses located throughout the region at the new arena in exchange for financial support. That financial support might be given by businesses that advertise or become corporate sponsors at the new arena, or that buy club seats or luxury suites, Nagle said.

Arena contracts for products and services could lead to more jobs throughout the area, he said.

Lehane described Nagle as a "key" member of the arena campaign committee – someone who stepped up to offer financial support to keep the Kings in Sacramento at the start of the effort last winter, when Johnson went before the NBA. Nagle was one of the first to view a new arena as a regional asset, and he has encouraged community support at arena meetings, Lehane said.

“Not only has he talked the talk. He has walked the walk,” Lehane added. “This is someone who, in and of himself, has helped make a huge difference in this effort. (He) and the mayor have run a pretty good two-man game over the course of this process."

Two people on the bus were "citizen architect" Troy Bedal and his 8-year-old daughter, Saraya. The Roseville residents were celebrating birthdays Thursday.

A Sports Authority store manager, Bedal said he's been a Kings fan since birth 30 years ago. His parents were Kings fans who watched games on TV and took him to his first game at Arco Arena when he was just 6 or 7. He talks about the need for a new arena to friends and coworkers all the time, he said.

City officials have initiated an effort to integrate plans for a new arena with an adjacent future regional transit center.

The bus later stopped at a construction site at UC Davis, the Fountains at Roseville shopping center and Vision Service Providers in Rancho Cordova. A town hall meeting was held there late Thursday afternoon.

The arena campaign committee will hold more meetings, a design contest and a town hall meeting in Natomas later this summer to continue reaching out to people about the impact an arena could have throughout the area, Lehane said.

“At the end of the day, it’s obviously critical to keep the Kings in Sacramento because they are a lynchpin to hopefully being able to develop this facility,” he said. “But this has always been much more than just about a single professional basketball team or a single professional sports franchise. This has been about an economic opportunity to transform the region.”

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Will Monday's Neighborhood Advisory Group Meeting Be Its' Last?"

2011-07-15T00:05:49Z

Wonder if NAG will return to meeting in private homes? A pretty big crowd gathers around that collection of tables at Hart Senior Center for meetings.

City officials merging plans for arena, transit center

2011-07-14T01:22:16Z

Sacramento officials believe a new arena can be integrated with a future regional transit center in the historic downtown railyards – making this one of the country's most eco-friendly sports and entertainment facilities, Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said Tuesday.

At Tuesday night's City Council meeting, Dangberg gave council members a status report nearly halfway into a 100-day technical review of a proposed arena. The $387 million project is on an expedited schedule to be in operation by May 2015.

One of the most critical issues being reviewed is the need to coordinate construction of an arena with the previously planned transit center. Both structures would be built on a site constrained by railroad tracks to the north, the freeway to the west, I Street to the south and downtown buildings to the east.

Building two "very intense pieces of infrastructure" on the 33-acre site poses challenges, partly because they are both so big, Dangberg said.

"We believe we can integrate these two," he said. "If and when we successfully do that, we have the opportunity to create one of the most sustainable, green, interesting entertainment and sports facilities in the country, if we can successfully integrate these uses and have transit right there at the facility and many modes of transit right there," Dangberg said.

The city has set up technical review teams that are focused on the site itself. The teams are looking at transportation and transit issues, community development issues, economic development and how to reuse the Power Balance Pavilion site.

A town hall meeting on the future of the Natomas site is scheduled for Aug. 11, at a time and place to be announced.

Mayor Kevin Johnson's office and his arena committee, Think BIG Sacramento, are working on financing options with support from a consultant, Barrett Sports Group, and a finance team made up of staff from the city treasurer's office and Goldman Sachs.

The city is also looking at urban design issues with the goal of preserving and playing up historic assets at the site, such as the Sacramento Valley Station historic train depot, the Railway Express Agency Building and the historic Southern Pacific Railroad central shops.

City staff wants to create a legacy project that uses urban design elements to connect to those assets and new opportunities for downtown revitalization, he said.

"We have a very, very rich history on the site as the terminus of the Transcontinental (Railroad). And we need to treat it in a very special way that creates a development that is uniquely Sacramento and distinctly Sacramento," Dangberg said.

"It is not another disposable arena that we see in so many cities, but something that will be here for many, many decades or a hundred years as our central shops have remained in place and really a permanent part of our urban fabric and history,” he added.

For example, city staff wants to keep key site lines between the central shops and the depot and take other steps to ensure historical compatibility throughout the project, he added.

A downtown location without a large addition of surface parking on-site will allow the city and businesses to create a "street-to-seat" experience. By using existing parking located away from the site, people will see restaurants, bars, shops and establishments with entertainment on their way to the facility. This would provide more opportunities to stay downtown before and after games and other events. This is expected to help revitalize and activate downtown, a key element of the project, he said.

"If we don't achieve that with the amount of investment that we're putting into this, we might as well not bother putting it in the downtown," Dangberg said.

City staff will present the 100-day technical review on Sept. 13, rather than Sept. 6, because of the Labor Day holiday.

At that time, staff will discuss predevelopment costs the city will incur and provide a critical path and preliminary schedule to the City Council. Dangberg also has been talking with the city attorney about the process to select a development team. Think BIG Sacramento will provide a list of financing options.

Johnson's chief of staff, Kunal Merchant, gave a presentation on the mayor's arena committee, Think BIG Sacramento, and an update on the group's work.

Think BIG Sacramento is a 72-person committee brought together to facilitate arena development before the National Basketball Association's March 1, 2012, deadline for teams to file for relocation next year, he said.

An estimated 3,700 temporary construction jobs and 400 jobs for facility operation are expected to be created by the project, he said.

However, Sacramento resident Mac Worthy, one of two people who provided public comments on the issue at City Hall Tuesday, called into question the number of jobs the project would bring and predicted civil unrest if more people don't get jobs and improve their living conditions soon.

"We need jobs here. This thing ain't going to give us no jobs," he said. "The next two years (are) going to be the critical part, here…. Wake up, people. People (are) tired of being down, without a roof over their head, without enough money to go to the grocery store and buy food, can't even buy gas."

Think BIG Sacramento will host a four-county bus tour and town hall meeting Thursday to tell regional residents about the possible benefits of a new arena. A "Capitol Corridor Impact Report" will also be released.

The tour will start at 10 a.m. at the California Welcome Center, 2085 Vine St. in El Dorado Hills, then make stops in Davis and Roseville. A town hall meeting at 3:30 p.m. at Vision Service Plan, 3333 Quality Drive in Rancho Cordova, will be the last stop, according to a press advisory sent out Wednesday afternoon.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Biba Restaurant makeover marks 25 years"

2011-07-13T17:44:50Z

Book signings are planned at the restaurant Aug. 15 and Aug. 29.

Biba Restaurant makeover marks 25 years

2011-07-13T01:33:25Z

Biba Restaurant reopened Tuesday with a soft new look after a remodel to celebrate its 25th anniversary in Midtown.

Sacramento restaurateur, TV show host and cookbook author Biba Caggiano added a new color palette and made other changes at her namesake Italian eatery. The restaurant at 2801 Capitol Ave. was closed July 3 - Monday to allow work on the its two dining rooms.

The makeover was done in time to mark a quarter-century in business next month.

"Just like a beautiful woman, you don't stay beautiful forever unless you do something," Caggiano said during the lunch hour Tuesday. "This place needed something: color, other things. I'm very, very, very happy."

Both rooms opened Aug. 6, 1986, with white walls, white wood and white linens broken up by black lacquer chairs. The lounge walls had later been painted light peach, but the color was too soft to be noticed. The overall effect was stark, formal and a bit cold, and the décor changed little over 25 years, Biba Restaurant Manager Scott Smith said.

Caggiano said she didn’t know exactly how to get away from the restaurant’s established look, but interior designer Bruce Benning – with input from Caggiano and management – found the perfect solution.

The remodel gives the main dining room and the lounge dining room new color, upholstery and accents. Restaurants have a lot more color now, Smith noted.

The goal was to update the restaurant’s look and create different moods or experiences in the two rooms. The new yellow main dining room has a summery vibe like a formal sun room, while the darker lounge dining room resembles a more subdued study, said Benning, who pushed for the big color change.

The changes were conservative to save money, said Smith, manager of the restaurant for 24 years.

The main dining room was painted a yellow poppy color to give it a Mediterranean summer feel with the white wood accents that remain.

Brass accents were removed, and glass partitions were removed from a service area and between two banquettes. Handpainted Italian silk sconces by Fortuny were added. Crema marfil marble was added to a ledge near the back wall, Benning said.

The marble was used to add sophistication. The sconces were added to invoke a sense of Italy, Smith said.

They also reupholstered 150 chairs and 10 bar stools. More padding was added and the covers changed from orange paisley to blue.

The lounge dining room was repainted slate blue and raisin brown to give it the feel of a study. Faux wood panels measuring 4 feet tall were added. Brass and glass accents were removed to soften the overall look of the interior. Mirrored panels were added above the bar, Benning and Smith said.

"The thought was to warm this up a little bit," Benning said.

Management and Caggiano listened to younger customers who commented on Yelp to make changes to reduce the formal atmosphere. Those comments also helped lead to a change in employee uniforms.

Some customers commented on Yelp that the restaurant’s brass and glass gave it a 1980s “Miami Vice” look, they said, referring to the TV show. Others commented on what they felt were stuffy waiters and formal service.

Bow ties and white jackets with big shoulders have been replaced by lightweight gray shirts, which are cooler in the summer, Caggiano said.

"I have a little girl who works here, and with that jacket, she looked like she was going to war," Caggiano said.

Raised in Bologna, Italy, Caggiano opened the restaurant to bring quality Italian food and more diversity to Sacramento's restaurant scene.

The California Travel Industry named her Northern California Chef of the Year in 1999. The restaurant has won accolades in publications such as Gourmet Magazine, Travel and Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Wine Spectator, The Sacramento Bee and Sacramento Magazine.

She hosted 100 episodes of the internationally syndicated cooking show, "Biba's Italian Kitchen," on the Discovery Channel and TLC. Her ninth cookbook, "Spaghetti Sauces: Authentic Italian Recipes from Biba Caggiano," has just been published by Gibbs Smith and is now being shipped to bookstores.

"I tried all the recipes when it was coming together," Smith said. "It's a book I will use at home. It's phenomenal."

The 25th anniversary will be celebrated with book-signing nights in August and a more formal celebration in September, after the book has been out awhile and the summer restaurant season ends, Smith said.

The restaurant's summer menu began June 27. Lunch entrées are $16.50 to $19.50, and dinner entrées are $17 to $30. The restaurant offers a $30, three-course fixed-price dinner Monday - Friday.

The restaurant has lost a third of its customers because of increased competition from the expanding number of restaurants in the central city, the recession and Sutter Medical Center construction that has closed down streets, moved a parking garage and confused customers since 2007, Smith said.

The restaurant was forced to offer more expensive valet parking. Older customers, which the restaurant caters to, have been intimidated by the construction and don't want to walk the extra block to the new parking garage, especially in winter, he said.

"With the recession, we took a double hit," he said.

Longtime patron Art Rankin, a retired engineer with the state Department of Water Resources, admired the changes during lunch Tuesday.

"I think they're fine. It's less formal," Rankin said. "This is probably – outside of the Bay Area – the best restaurant in Northern California.”

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Sacramento airport's Terminal B complex to open early"

2011-07-12T21:15:37Z

Update on Sacramento Regional Transit's Green Line to the airport came in today: Construction of the line from Richards Boulevard to the airport could start as early as fiscal year 2015 if funding is identified, based on a transitional analysis approved by SRT's board, said agency spokeswoman Alane Masui.

Suzanne Hurt on "Sacramento airport's Terminal B complex to open early"

2011-07-12T21:02:16Z

I asked airport spokeswoman Gina Swankie during the initial interview whether airport officials expected to add airlines with the new configuration. I also posed the question above about domestic carriers such as Virgin America to airport PR staff. "The (Sacramento County) Airport System regularly meets with existing and potential carriers to establish new routes, but will only confirm additions as start dates are announced," Swankie said.

Suzanne Hurt on "Sacramento airport's Terminal B complex to open early"

2011-07-12T18:26:40Z

The airlines that will be located in Central Terminal B are: Aeromexico, Alaska/Horizon, American, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue and Southwest. In Terminal A will be: United, Delta, Continental and U.S. Airways, says airport spokeswoman Karen Doron.

Suzanne Hurt on "Sacramento airport's Terminal B complex to open early"

2011-07-12T17:23:40Z

Good question. Southwest will be moving to Central Terminal B. Other airlines will switch places, with some of the airlines moving from Terminal A to Central Terminal B, and some airlines currently in the existing Terminal B moving to Terminal A. The goal is to move them all at once, according to an airport spokeswoman.

Sacramento airport's Terminal B complex to open early

2011-07-12T01:24:21Z

Sacramento International Airport's nearly $1.1 billion Central Terminal B complex is expected to open this fall – months earlier than originally scheduled.

When construction began in 2008, the terminal project was expected to cost $1.27 billion and was scheduled to open in spring of 2012.

The project will open months ahead of that because of changes in construction plans due to the recession. Plans for a hotel and new parking garage were dropped to save money. A new garage will be built once there is enough need. Other cost savings were found during a simultaneous design and construction phase, , airport spokeswoman Gina Swankie said.

The construction schedule was later revised to reflect those changes. However, Sacramento County Airport System officials don't consider the complex to be under-budget or ahead of schedule, Swankie said.

"The project is on-time and on-budget," Swankie said. " 'Ahead of schedule' is a bit of a fallacy given the changes to the construction program."

Airport officials will hold a press conference at the California State Fair at 5 p.m. Friday to announce the terminal's opening date. The project has been dubbed "The Big Build" because it's the county's largest capital improvement program to date.

"We are expecting a fall opening," Swankie said.

The terminal and concourse that make up the 675,000-square-foot complex will replace the 44-year-old Terminal B and an interim international arrivals building used to accommodate U.S. customs. The complex is being built for $1.08 billion.

Electric train cars will be used to transport passengers from the landside terminal to the airside concourse, which is a separate building 1,200 feet away.

The new complex was designed to fit air travel needs after the Sept. 11 airplane attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Airports are being designed differently because security screening processes have changed and use more equipment. Travelers now spend longer periods in airport security processing and must get to the airport earlier than before, which has led to increased demands for restaurants and other retail operations, according to Swankie.

The complex will feature local restaurants including Jack's Urban Eats, Burgers and Brew, Esquire Grill and Cafeteria 15L, Davis-based Dos Coyotes and coffee from Old Soul Co. A 56-foot leaping red rabbit sculpture by Denver artist Lawrence Argent will be located in the baggage claim area as part of an $8 million public art program.

The new complex uses sustainable building practices such as natural lighting, drought-resistant landscaping, storm-water management, recycled materials, low-energy lights and low-flow plumbing fixtures. Old-growth redwood posts that were once part of the Franklin-Thornton Bridge over the Mokelumne River have been used in the terminal's ceiling.

The original Terminal B is 216,000 square feet and currently has 10 operational gates, for a combined total of 23 gates with Terminal A.

The Central Terminal B complex will open with 19 gates that can handle 10 million passengers annually and has the potential to expand to 27 gates.

The airport’s total passenger capacity will be 16 million a year. In 2010, the airport had nearly 9 million passengers, Swankie said.

The airport is currently served by 11 airlines, after Aloha Airlines and Mexicana Airlines ceased operation. Aeromexico will join the airport Saturday, bringing the total to 12.

The new international arrivals facility, which will be located on the concourse's ground level, will have two airplane parking positions and be able to handle 400 passengers an hour. If the complex is expanded, space for more planes can be added and the facility could handle up to 800 people an hour, Swankie said.

The original Terminal B and the international arrivals building will be demolished.

A 2011 time capsule will be installed at the site soon after opening. The exact location will be determined later, Swankie said.

The opening had been set for November but was changed to an earlier date to give people enough time to become familiar with the new facility before the busy holiday season.

"You don't open it during the holiday when your most inexperienced travelers are coming into the airport," Swankie said. "You don't want to add another element of uncertainty into their travel. It's confusing enough."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Arena committee kicks off community rallying effort"

2011-07-11T19:34:24Z

The city recently named transportation department operations manager Fran Lee Halbakken to railyards project manager. In her role, she is now overseeing coordination of plans for a future transit center with the developing plans for a Sacramento Kings arena. Here's the story: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/53065/Immense_railyards_project_gets_manager

Immense railyards project gets manager

2011-07-09T00:56:46Z

New Sacramento Railyards Project Manager Fran Lee Halbakken said she became a civil engineer because she loves solving problems.

Halbakken is now tackling challenges with one of the city's and country's largest redevelopment projects after starting in her new role June 27. At nearly 240 acres of combined private and city land, the railyards project is so big it will virtually double the size of the central business district.

The key position was created at a critical stage of the massive undertaking. The private portion of the site has a new owner and the projects’ housing plan must be revised in light of the recession. Also, plans for a new regional transit center must be coordinated with efforts to make serious headway on financing an adjacent arena by next spring.

Halbakken got her civil engineering degree at Sacramento State. After college, she went to work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and found working in the public sector suited her.

"I always knew I was going to be a public servant," said Halbakken, sitting in her City Hall office. "That was a huge appeal, knowing you could make the world better."

She’s worked for the city for 25 years.

Since 2004, she'd worked as operations manager for the city's Department of Transportation. In that post, Halbakken oversaw transportation policy development and planning. Key projects included co-managing development of a strategic plan for Sacramento River crossings and managing development of the central city parking plan.

She also played a key role in obtaining $225 million in local, state and federal funding for railyards infrastructure such as bridges, roads and railroad track relocation. The funding was gathered after the city and private railyards developer Thomas Enterprises developed the project's land use plan in 2006 and 2007. The money will finance work that will continue into 2015.

After Inland American Real Estate Trust took possession of most of the railyards site last fall, Halbakken led the transfer of ownership and agreements of the property, according to transportation department spokeswoman Linda Tucker.

In her new position, Halbakken has been loaned out to the City Manager's office to work on the railyards project full-time. She now oversees all aspects of the city's end in the enterprise, including planning, funding efforts and coordination with private developers.

Urban development experts recommended smaller-scale, market-driven development of the railyards in January.

The city needed to create the new post at this time because city staff must now work with Inland to revise plans for housing that must be built as a requirement of some of the funding already acquired.

Much has changed in the housing market since the land use plan was approved by the Sacramento City Council in December 2007. The start of housing construction hasn't been scheduled, but should be within five years, Halbakken said.

The new post was also created as an attempt to build a new sports and entertainment complex downtown is kicking into high gear at the mayor's office. Halbakken is overseeing coordination of plans for a future transit center with the developing plans for a Sacramento Kings arena.

The two facilities are expected to sit adjacent to each other on 33 acres of railyards land the city bought from Thomas Enterprises. She's working with a city-wide team to answer questions about how to ensure both facilities are high-quality, she added.

They're also looking at how to promote secondary development around the site, from downtown to the historic Southern Pacific Railroad central shops and the area to the east.

Halbakken is already working to keep current railyards infrastructure projects on schedule. Those include track relocation, which is phase 1 of transit center construction, and construction of bridges to extend Fifth and Sixth streets over the tracks north of H Street.

She's not directly involved, but the city is now gearing up for infrastructure work that will improve highway access to the site and nearby Township 9: a $10 million off-ramp and road expansion and improvement project at the Richards Boulevard interchange at Interstate 5 slated to start next week.

Off ramps will each gain another lane. Richards Boulevard will be expanded with two more lanes in the interchange. Other improvements will be made to Richards Boulevard, Jibboom Street and Bercut Drive, which will be extended into the railyards site.

Bike lanes, sidewalks and planter strips will be added to Jibboom Street and Bercut Drive. The work on the I-5/Richards to Railyards Access Improvements project is expected to be done in the fall of 2012 and will prepare the area for the first phase or two of railyards and Township 9 development.

Tucker said in 10 to 20 years, the intersection will be redesigned to accommodate more traffic.

Halbakken is also starting preliminary planning for other aspects of the railyards project that are at least five years away, such as the transit center's second phase – improvements to the adjacent historic Sacramento Valley Station train depot.

City officials are still trying to determine the impact California's new state budget may have on the railyards finance plan, Tucker added.

The budget may cause an $80 million funding gap for the railyards' planned $745 million in infrastructure if redevelopment agencies are no longer allowed to keep tax increments – the extra property tax revenue generated by development of the site, Halbakken said.

The Sacramento native worked as an engineer managing and designing facilities and high-level engineering projects with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers until joining the city’s Department of Public Works in 1986.

She said she feels lucky to work on a legacy project that will lay the groundwork for the growth of her hometown's central business district in years to come.

"I think this is really important to the city," she said. "One of the reasons I left the federal government was to work for the city where I was born and raised – and to give back."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Handmade gelato, Italian cafe coming to Midtown"

2011-07-08T23:09:30Z

Update: Devine Gelateria is expected to open in as little as a month, but possibly as long as seven weeks, after just getting a building permit next week.

Suzanne Hurt on "Arena committee kicks off community rallying effort"

2011-07-08T15:54:40Z

The size of the space has not been determined, according to Greg Hayes. The arena is being designed to be built adjacent to the future regional transit center, all on city land in the railyards downtown. Seems reasonable there'd be open space between the two or next to them.

Arena committee kicks off community rallying effort

2011-07-08T01:18:21Z

Think BIG Sacramento launched an effort Thursday to recruit 1,000 people from Merced to Redding to rally support for a new arena.

The arena campaign committee also announced plans to hold a public design contest for a space adjacent to the new facility as part of that effort.

The committee is asking regional residents and community leaders to help spread information and gather supporters for the drive to build a new sports and entertainment complex, state Senate staffer Greg Hayes, a member of the arena committee, said in a Thursday morning press conference outside the MARRS Building at 1050 20th St.

Later this month, the committee will announce full details of a contest that could enable the winner to design something for an open, public space adjacent to the new arena.

Those who volunteer to rally support will be dubbed "citizen architects" for their role in helping to construct a new arena to replace Power Balance Pavilion, Hayes added.

"It is their support and momentum that has been built that will make this new sports and entertainment complex a reality," he said. "Ultimately, this sports and entertainment complex is, in effect, the civic center for this region – a gathering place for events, meetings and conventions."

During the press conference, Sports 1140 KHTK host "Carmichael Dave" Weiglein, also an arena committee member, applauded the mayor, his staff and the committee for listening to Kings fans' "grassroots efforts" to support an arena and allowing input from the community.

"These promises are being fulfilled, and the trust that is so difficult sometimes to have between citizens and city leaders that was given out in the last few months – that trust is absolutely being backed up by the actions and also the listening to the counsel of the grassroots efforts," Weiglein said.

The committee created by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson wants to attract a diverse group from throughout the six-county region to be part of the citizens' initiative. The deadline to apply online is 5 p.m. July 18. People began signing up on the Think BIG Sacramento website before the announcement, said Hayes, communications director for state Sen. Kevin de León.

Kings fans and others have approached Weiglein to ask how they can support a new facility for National Basketball Association games, concerts, ice skating shows and other events. The citizens' group will be a "fantastic conduit" for people to get involved in a project that will make the area a better place to live, Weiglein said.

"It's something that just expands on the quality of life in this lovely city, (and) it's very difficult to put a dollar amount on," he said.

The NBA and the Maloofs, who own a majority share of the Kings, have given the region until March 1 to undertake a serious effort to build a new arena.

Hayes said residents' most important contribution would be to take part in a design competition, which the committee believes has never been used at another sports or entertainment facility in the country.

Details haven't been fully worked out. However, the contest will be open to everyone, including residents, architects and artists, when it’s officially announced near the end of July.

The committee will ask participants to design some type of feature in an open space set aside next to the arena. Residents will then vote on three design ideas.

Just what that component will be – public art or something else – will be up to participants, Hayes said.

"This truly must be reflective of what the people in this region decide, because this movement was really born out of the grassroots, and as Dave said, it got the leaders' attention," he said.

Cheap Thrills costume shop to reopen

2011-07-07T01:28:17Z

Longtime Midtown costume shop Cheap Thrills will be reopened this month by its original owner, Linda McNally, with help from her grandson, his wife and former employees who have become like family.

McNally’s grandson, Todd Gockley, and his wife, Sondra, said the family hopes to reopen the store at 1712 L St. July 16 – about three months after its then-owner, "Uncle" Fred Smith, closed the business in May so he could retire.

McNally's father was a Sacramento tailor. She’s a costume and vintage clothing collector who opened the shop with costumes and formalwear in about 1969. McNally operated it for at least 25 years before Smith, an employee, bought the business in the mid-1990s.

Cheap Thrills operated at two other locations just a few blocks away over its 42-year history.

Gockley grew up in the historic Victorian house at 1217 21st St., where the shop was located most of that time. The Gockleys said they decided they wanted to reopen Cheap Thrills as soon as they heard it was closing.

"We couldn't let it just go away," Sondra Gockley said.

Cheap Thrills rents costumes and buys, sells and trades vintage clothing from the 1900s through the 1980s and resale clothing through the present. Costumes rent for $25 to about $140.

The couple, which also operates a sexier sister shop called Prevues - A Fashion Fetish at 2417 K St., is overseeing the reopening and expansion of the shop.

Two former employees have come back to help. Leendah Muñoz worked for McNally at the original Cheap Thrills for 25 years. Noelle Castro said she started working for Smith in 1998 or 1999 at Zoots Tux & Suits Etc., which he opened a few doors down from Cheap Thrills at 1209 21st St. Smith later moved Cheap Thrills there.

A lot of "blood, sweat and tears" and even a couple of twisted ankles have gone into the reopening, according to Castro and the Gockleys. The space was recently vacated by the vintage clothing store Bows & Arrow s.

They're currently filling out custom-made racks with inventory, Todd Gockley said.

McNally always owned the theatrical costume inventory, which was rented to Smith. The inventory includes thousands of costumes and accessories.

Cheap Thrills carries authentic flappers' costumes, Southern belle dresses, gangster and Zoot suits, disco wear and outfits for mascots ranging from chickens to gorillas.

The Gockleys and their staff can create costumes from any period or place, from medieval to extraterrestrial, as well as traditional horror figures and zombies, Castro said.

"You can do zombie pirates. You can zombie anything out," she said.

They're bringing back more goth costumes, a huge corset collection and new inventory such as steampunk costumes, which the Gockleys and Castro described as a futuristic cross between Victorian and Wild West with ray guns thrown in.

They also plan to display museum-quality pieces, such as steel corset cages that have sold on eBay for $5,000 and Victorian silk dresses, Todd Gockley said.

The inventory is catalogued in their heads – primarily Castro's, who worked at Cheap Thrills until Smith closed the store.

The Gockleys and their employees dress up every day for the entire month of October, until Halloween. They all help piece together costumes that customers are looking for.

Hours will be 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The family wanted to reopen the store in a space that's much more open and with more storage. The Gockleys said they want the new store to capture some of the character of its original location in a purple Victorian with orange, red and yellow accents.

The exterior storefront has been painted purple with orange and green trim. The interior floor, ceiling and walls have been painted in many bright colors as well. They're adding five to six new dressing rooms.

"We wanted to start fresh," Todd Gockley said. "We're making it newer but trying to keep the old feel."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Construction underway on troupe's new home"

2011-07-06T21:37:13Z

Check out Bill Burgua's review of the troupe's production of "Or," at: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/52690/Or_a_Sexy_Hilarious_and_Fitting_Last_Show_on_the_Delta_King_for_Capital_Stage

Construction underway on troupe's new home

2011-07-06T00:24:44Z

Capital Stage Company expects to finish major construction on its new Midtown theater by the end of the month.

The troupe is putting on its final show on board the Delta King Riverboat. The show, "Or," by New York playwright Liz Duffy Adams, runs through July 17.

At the same time, theater company officials are busy recruiting a few more volunteers to help with the theater's move and trying to gather the last $65,000 of the $300,000 construction budget, company co-founder and Producing Director Jonathan Williams said.

To save money, Williams is serving as the project manager. They’ve also gotten materials, skills and time donated. He estimated the project – which will turn an old gun shop at 2215 J St. into a 125-seat modern theater – would otherwise have cost closer to $500,000.

"This really is a grass-roots community project," he said.

The professional theater troupe has been based on the Delta King, a paddle wheel boat docked on the Sacramento River, since 2005.

Williams and the company's two other founders, Producing Artistic Director Stephanie Gularte and Marketing Director Peter Mohrmann, want to increase the troupe's visibility by moving to busy J Street in Midtown.

Founders and others involved with the company are already feeling nostalgic about leaving the group's first home. But they want to take the theater – and the theater experience – to the next level, Williams said.

"We had a great six years growing up as a theater company," he said. "But now, it's time for us to have our own home. It's time to move out."

The boat's theater has a lot of charm. However, the experience of going to the theater was shared with the experience of being on the boat.

Moving provides a chance to design and control the entire theater experience from the moment patrons walk in the door, Williams added.

On Friday, Williams oversaw work under way at the new building, where the main theater space is taking shape behind a stud framework.

The smell of freshly cut lumber hung in the air as he pointed out dressing rooms and a backstage area being built just off-stage.

The troupe was able to forgo hiring a general contractor after Williams became an authorized agent of the building's owner. He also has done a lot of work himself alongside subcontractors.

The building's interior was gutted: Bathrooms, walls, ceilings and gun safes were torn out. New plumbing has been added, and a new heating and air conditioning system is being installed. The electrical system is getting a major upgrade to be able to handle theatrical lighting.

About a dozen theater patrons, actors and other artists in the theater community have been volunteering almost daily. They've helped with such things as laying concrete, framing walls, cleaning and moving.

Major construction on the interior will be finished by July 31. Then sound, lighting and seats will be added in August, Williams said.

The ticket window will be just inside the front door. A long hallway will lead past the stage to a lobby in the back of the building. An adjacent patio will be worked on in the second phase of construction.

Potential donors will get the chance to check out the new space next month. Much fundraising is done through the group’s website. The theater troupe’s board of directors and a campaign committee are seeking sizable donations from major corporations through individual meetings, grant applications and other means.

Rehearsal on next season's first show, “Superior Donuts” by Tracy Letts, begins in September. The show will open Oct. 7.

With the theater in its rough frame stage, the company needs more volunteers than ever and those needs change daily, Williams said. People can volunteer through the troupe's website.

"It's an exciting point in the project," Williams said. "It's not until you get to this stage that you get to say now things are really starting to happen."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

River Rock Tap House to open

2011-07-05T02:06:28Z

Two restaurateurs with a love of fine beer and coffee plan to open an alehouse in Midtown with a possible cafe and coffee-roasting operation next door.

Tex Mex Bar and Grill owner Mike Keolanui said he and his best friend, Anthony Priley, expect to replace Keolanui's restaurant at 2326 J St. with a joint venture, River Rock Tap House, July 9.

They decided to team up again, about 17 years after they opened River Rock in Citrus Heights featuring 40 craft beers, on-site roasted coffee and food. Priley and his father, Steve, who co-founded Java City, owned River Rock. Keolanui was the general manager.

Within a month, they also hope to sign a lease for the space next door at 2330 J St., which most recently held a well-known breakfast spot called Cornerstone Restaurant, Keolanui said.

River Rock Cafe could open in a year focusing on coffee, tea and breakfast, but possibly offering over-the-counter lunch and dinner as well. A costly interior and exterior renovation would be done first.

The restaurants would be beverage-driven yet feature different menus. Keolanui would oversee the food at both spots. Steve Priley, who sold his interest in Sacramento-based Java City in 1993, would manage the coffee-roasting operation and its wholesale and retail coffee business. His son would manage the tap house's craft beers: 40 to start and another 30 down the road.

"Tony has always been a visionary and sort of a 'Rain Man' when it comes to beer," Keolanui said. "If Tony's the Rain Man of beer, his dad is the guru of coffee. He's the Gandhi of coffee. That guy has got a huge following. He talks a different language."

He opened Tex Mex on J Street about nine months ago as a new location for Texas Mexican Restaurant, which was facing closure as part of a K Street Mall redevelopment project. Tex Mex did well, but Keolanui wants to try something new, he said.

"I got kind of burnt out on the Mexican food scene," he said. "There are so many Mexican restaurants down here."

He said he knew he wanted to feature craft beers. Brian Bennett, who co-owns Paul Martin's American Bistro Restaurant in Roseville, came up with the idea for the "tap house" name and other ideas for the business, Keolanui said.

The list of beers is still being finalized. At least 80 percent will come from California and Oregon microbreweries. Classics like Guinness will also be on tap, Anthony Priley said.

West Coast brewers are developing their own style of high-quality beer using fresh hops grown nearby and more hops, which imparts more bitterness. Craft beer from the West Coast is gaining respect after developing its own style, just like California wines did in the 1970s and 1980s, he said.

"There's such quality and diversity right on the West Coast. It's a more aggressive style of beer than you find on the East Coast, in the Midwest or even internationally," Priley said.

"The flavor profile of traditional English beer is smoother and sweeter – less bitter. A softer mouth feel than something with a lot of hops. The difference would be sweetness compared to a bitter flavor profile."

They'll include many local beers from microbreweries such as Rubicon, Sudwerk in Davis, Roseville Brewing Company and Two Rivers Cider.

"I'm excited about the beer culture that's developing here," he said. "Sacramento is becoming a very well-known beer culture throughout the region."

Priley has persuaded six former employees to come back one or two days a week as tap masters – sort of beer sommeliers – at a small second bar to be added. They will help train and educate customers as well as Keolanui's existing staff about fine beer.

"It's going to be this crazy restaurant Brady Bunch kind of thing. Tony and I are the parents and we just got married," Keolanui said.

River Rock Tap House hours will be 11 a.m. to midnight daily.

The tap house will start with a small menu that may include some food from Tex Mex and the original River Rock, such as a fresh fish sandwich and smoked salmon salad. They'll introduce two or three new items each month and have food events driven by beer, such as ribs or brats and beer.

Items may include fried oyster nachos, crispy calamari with poblano sauce, summer grilled sausage with stone-ground mustard and a butcher's board of meats and cheeses.

"The food itself is going to pair wonderfully with the beer," Keolanui said. "I think people will be surprised at how well beer goes on the palate with those items."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Q & A with Marc Feldman, post-Philharmonic"

2011-07-02T02:08:38Z

I did ask why he left. In circumstances such as this, the person leaving an organization may be legally prohibited from discussing the reason.

Elks Tower penthouse to open

2011-07-02T01:14:18Z

The Rail Bridge Cellars Penthouse Lounge at the Elks Tower will offer a wine-tasting room with a skyline view after opening in two weeks.

The owners of urban winery Rail Bridge Cellars, Michael Gelber and his wife, Katharine (Ayers) Gelber, want to breathe new life into a room that once held Top of the Town, a restaurant and bar popular in the 1950s and 1960s. They hope to officially open the spot July 11 as an off-site wine-tasting room in the heart of downtown, he said.

The opening is tied to the winery's growth after seven new wines were recently introduced to the market. Previously, Rail Bridge had only offered two wines: a sauvignon blanc and a 2004 proprietary red blend called Lattice that had cabernet sauvignon as its primary component.

The winery bottled 1,400 cases in April. The wines include a 2006 Lattice cab blend, a 2007 Lattice Reserve cab blend, a 2007 blend of merlot and cab franc called Right Bank, a 2007 Merlot, a 2009 zinfandel, and port, said sommelier Michael Chandler, who handles brand development for the winery.

A new 2009 chardonnay is named for their daughter, Sienna, who was born in February. The Right Bank wine got its name because Sacramento sits on the right bank of the Sacramento River.

The 14th-floor, 1,000-square-foot penthouse can be rented for private events such as birthday parties and meetings. Future plans call for turning the space into a private hangout spot where members have around-the-clock access for themselves and friends.

Large, 14-foot windows on three sides offer views of the Capitol, City Hall, the railyards and the Sierra Nevada mountains.

"We call it the Penthouse Lounge – the view with the room," Michael Gelber said.

The Gelbers have decorated the space in the tower, 921 11th St., with a wine-barrel bar, couches and other seating, a long table topped by a grand chandelier, curtains, ornate rugs and other furnishings totalling $10,000 to $12,000.

The furnishings include a sink, dishwasher and flat screen that can be used for meeting presentations.

The couple is also partnering with Katharine Gelber’s father, Elks Tower owner Steve Ayers, on a first-floor renovation that will one day hold a cafe, bar and chocolatier on the first floor. Rail Bridge Wine and Spirit s is expected to open next year, Gelber said.

The penthouse lounge – as well as the first-floor cafe/bar – will feature wines from Rail Bridge, which sits in North Sacramento at 400 N. 16th St.

Rail Bridge will host wine tastings at the penthouse. The winery was named for the historic I Street Bridge crossing the river. The space also can be rented for private wine tastings, parties and meetings for $750 a day, Gelber said

Gelber said they want to use the penthouse the way it was when Sacramentans dined and celebrated at Top of the Town, which was open to the public. At that time, the Elks Tow er was the tallest building in Sacramento.

Reporters, legislators, lobbyists, politicians and business people all gathered there when downtown Sacramento was rocking in the 1950s and 1960s, recalled former KCRA anchor Stan Atkinson. He patronized the place with fellow journalists Stu Nahan and Fred Wade, who became chairman of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

“It was going full-bore when I came to town in ’57,” said Atkinson, who’s been called “Mr. Sacramento” and “The Man Who Owns Sacramento.” “It was the biggest thing in town. People said, ‘I’ll see you at the Top.’ ”

Tower Records founder Russ Solomon reportedly had his bar mitzvah there, and freeform rock station KZAP broadcast from the 13th and 14th floors after going on the air in November, 1968.

"The goal for the room is really to bring it back to the old time when it used to be the Top of the Town," Gelber said.

The Gelbers are taking reservations for the space. A 50th birthday party has already been booked for a wine lover who used to swim in the building's pool when he was a kid.

Maloof Sports and Entertainment has already used the room a couple of times to work on Kings' promotions and ticket sales. Drexel University in Sacramento has also rented it for a retirement party for dean and Chief Executive Officer Tobey Oxholm, Gelber said.

Down the road, Gelber said they plan to create a private club system that would give members access to the penthouse 24/7. Members who pay an annual fee would have keys and sign in using a credit card and an iPad mounted in the room.

The room could still be rented for other private gatherings. The penthouse would be staffed if that was arranged previously.

Wine and possibly snacks and other beverages would be available. Using an honor system and credit cards, members would check out and pay for what was consumed before leaving.

The room's ambiance has been left a bit rough, with the original 1926 concrete floor and unfinished walls with exposed brick around the windows. But if the space is successful, the room would be renovated and a bar would be opened there.

"There won't be anything like it, I can guarantee you," Gelber said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Report: Arena could bring $7 billion

2011-07-01T00:43:32Z

A new downtown arena could draw 3.1 million visitors to the central city each year and bring the region more than $7 billion over 30 years, according to a report released Thursday by an arena campaign committee.

The 37-page report on an arena’s expected impact to the region was released to reporters at a press conference at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel.

"In downtown Sacramento, there's a considerable economic boost, just by the fact that there really isn't a facility like that," said Cathleen Dominico, author of "The Economic Engine Report: An Economic Analysis on the Regional Impact of an Entertainment and Sports Complex," during the press conference.

"If you can create a downtown core that is a destination, it boosts not only the downtown itself but trickles out to the outlying regions," she added.

Dominico, managing partner at Capitol Public Finance Group, was joined at the press conference by arena committee Chairman Chris Lehane, who also chaired the mayor's arena task force; committee members who included City Councilman Rob Fong, City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby, state assemblymen Roger Dickinson and Richard Pan, Downtown Sacramento Partnership Executive Director Michael Ault; and past DSP Chairman Kipp Blewett of Rubicon Partners.

The press conference was held after a report summary was first presented to members of Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's arena campaign committee in a closed-door meeting at the hotel. The meeting was announced two weeks ago as one of seven public meetings set this summer for the committee.

The number of visitors was estimated with an average 17,300 people attending 45 Sacramento Kings events and an average 15,000 people at more than 155 other events annually.

Visitors would be expected to spend an average of $20 each, before and after events, on food, drinks, travel and other retail. About 10 percent of them could spend another $102 to stay overnight.

Total spending outside the sports facility, before and after games and other events, was estimated at $93.6 million annually, according to the economic impact report called for by Johnson.

However, after subtracting spending by existing residents and annual spending at the Kings' current arena, net annual spending in the six-county Sacramento region is expected to total only about $24.6 million, according to Dominico and the report.

The arena's operating costs would be covered by revenue generated inside the arena, according to the report, which did not look at arena revenue.

ICON Venue Group President Tim Romani and Sacramento developer David Taylor estimate an arena facility would cost $241 million, with a total project cost of $387 million.

The cost of arena construction will be financed by a combination of public and private investment, which is expected to include Sacramento Kings annual tenant fees.

The ICON-Taylor group is developing an arena financing plan with input from Johnson's 70-member regional arena campaign committe e. The group was introduced a month ago as the Here We Build coalition. The committee's name was changed this week to Think BIG Sacramento.

The ICON-Taylor group was given a late-May deadline to present an arena financing plan to the Sacramento City Council. But that didn’t happen after the Kings’ owners didn’t provide revenue information in time.

The arena campaign committee was then given until Sept. 8 to provide the council with a plan.

The Maloof family, which owns a majority share of the Kings, agreed on May 2 not to move the team if the region would undertake a serious effort to replace Power Balance Pavilion, which was constructed in outlying Natomas in 1988. The National Basketball Association and the Maloofs gave the region until March 1, 2012, to do so.

The drive to build a new arena also creates an opportunity to redevelop the existing arena, Ault said.

"We feel very strongly that this is not about a downtown versus Natomas issue," Ault said. "This is about an opportunity to activate and engage the central city. It's an opportunity to make sure that we're doing everything we can to develop something that is a replacement in Natomas that keeps them whole.

"This is something I think the region will look back on as we finally are having the right discussions and the right opportunity to really engage in a facility that's going to make a difference in this region," he said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Arts Commission shaping new funding strategy

2011-06-30T00:27:13Z

The Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission is developing a new fundraising strategy to help offset continued cuts in public funding that have slashed the agency's primary financial sources by 70 percent in the last four years.

The strategy includes an expanded arts public service campaign, a donors' "Walk of Fame" on K Street Mall and new types of fundraisers, such as one involving City Council members and a celebrated local restaurateur.

As of Friday, public funding for the joint city-county agency will be just under $900,000 for fiscal year 2011/2012 – down from $2.6 million each year in July 2008 and 2007. Last year's public funding totaled $1.04 million. That doesn't include money for public art, separately funded through public construction dollars. The agency's total budget is higher due to that and secondary funding sources, the commission's executive director, Rhyena Halpern, said.

The city has allocated about $700,000, cutting funding to the commission by $120,000 in the new city budget approved June 21. The county is providing $175,000, which is the same as last year but a large decrease from $873,471 provided in 2008.

"You're seeing a huge decline in public funding for the commission and the arts groups and the artists. Construction is down, so our public arts funding is also down," she said. "We have some exciting ideas that I hope will pan out to help them."

The commission also gets about $22,000 in grant money from the California Arts Council each year.

Halpern, Friends of the Arts Commission Chairwoman Jan Geiger, SMAC Chairwoman Carlin Naify and other commissioners and Friends board members are working on a strategy development project. The goal is to fill the hole that's been created in funding for SMAC and the other arts groups the organization supports with grants, Halpern said.

Naify also launched an email petition drive that sent 600 emails asking the city and county not to make planned funding cuts to the commission. County supervisors agreed to eliminate a planned $24,000 cut in funding to SMAC for the next year.

Through its grants programs, SMAC previously granted more than $700,000 annually to local artists and arts groups. In calendar year 2011, that amount was down by nearly 50 percent to $375,000. In 2012, SMAC is currently budgeted to provide $310,000 in public dollars to groups and individuals, Halpern said.

In the last four years, the commission has also lost half of its general-fund staff, down from 10 people to five, and its public construction-funded public arts staff, down from four to two people. The commission isn't able to deliver the same level of programming because of the staff cuts and loss in funding, she said.

The fundraising strategy is being developed to increase funding through several mechanisms, including new types of fundraisers, product development, fees for services and grants. Some elements are still being worked out.

Former Sacramento County Supervisor Muriel Johnson, until recently director of the California Arts Council, helped raise more than $35,000 for SMAC by hosting the organization's first fundraiser in a private home last week. More than 200 people gathered at Johnson's home for the event.

Halpern, City Councilman Darrell Fong and chef Randall Selland, who co-owns The Kitchen Restaurant, Ella and Selland's Market Café with his family, are also working on a new fundraiser idea that could involve city council members serving dinner to arts supporters at one of Selland's restaurants, Fong's district director, Noah Painter, said.

Councilman Rob Fong is already on board to help serve dinner and, following Darrell Fong's lead, has started approaching potential donors about contributing, according to their staffs.

Fong is an arts patron and is really into food. He's now talking with other council members to see if they will take part, Painter said.

"It's one of the only organizations that we have that pushes arts in Sacramento," Painter said. "We can probably raise a good amount of money for them, especially since the budget has been so tragic."

In addition, SMAC staff members are looking at charging more fees for services, such as the arts education program provided to schools.

Halpern and her staff are also working on a new product that would package the agency's arts marketing campaign, "Arts. Open Daily," for other California cities. The campaign promotes cultural tourism and aims to expand exposure and access to the arts.

Another idea is to create a “Walk of Fame,” akin to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, on K Street Mall, where two blocks are being redeveloped. Donors would buy art tiles that would be embedded in the sidewalks, Halpern said.

SMAC and Friends of the Arts Commission have already brought in $600,000 since 2007. But because much of that money was brought in through grants or fees for service – mostly for arts education or exhibitions delivered by SMAC – the funds must be used for projects or programs, rather than staff at the commission or arts groups.

Nonprofit arts groups, whose programs and arts projects add to the community's vibrancy, have been hit hard because they, too, have lost staff, Halpern said.

"What they really need is dollars. They know how to run their businesses. They're just really low on staff, like we are," she added. "We're working on doing everything we can."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Questions arise over Old Ironsides' live music

2011-06-29T00:55:47Z

Sacramento musicians and their followers are waiting to see whether this summer brings an end to an era of live music at Old Ironsides.

Countless local bands broke into the music business at the bar/restaurant known as "Old I" over the last two decades. But there's currently only one weekend show booked for July.

Two shows that had been set for next month have been moved to another location, one has been canceled and future bookings have been postponed for now.

The family that has owned the bar at 1901 10th St. for 76 years is working to replace a rented sound system that was removed Sunday. The Kanelos family rented the system for about 17 years and was unable to negotiate a lower fee with the sound system's owner, a concert promoter said.

Old Ironsides' owners said they hope to know by early next week whether they've got a new system lined up and an installation date set, co-owner Sam Kanelos Jr. said.

"We're just between sound systems," he said Monday afternoon while tending the bar. "You're getting it from the horse's mouth."

However, concert promoter Jerry Perry will be parting ways with Old Ironsides – at least temporarily – after booking shows there for at least a decade.

He won’t book bands there unless the bar brings in a sound system. He doesn’t want to rent systems each night or rely on bands to bring sound equipment because he won’t know how good the sound quality will be each night, he said.

Perry, who owns Jerry Perry Presents, has been booking all the bands at the club on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, except for dance club nights. Perry also books bands at Harlows and Luigi’s Slice Slice at 1050 20th St. He’ll book his first show at the downtown location of Naked Lounge this summer.

He said he moved two shows to Luigi's after he was told by the owners that his July 1 show would be the last there and that the sound system was being removed. He stopped booking shows at Old Ironsides about a month ago in anticipation of that.

"They called me and told me they were done. That they weren't going to be doing any live music anymore, except for open mic and dance nights," he said. "I love Old Ironsides, but until things change there and they get a sound system back ... I won't be doing shows there."

Perry talked with the owners about buying a sound system a decade ago and again in 2007. Until now, he and the bands paid a nightly fee to the bar owners to rent the sound system.

Dozens of musicians and Old I customers posted comments on Facebook last week after he posted a notice that he needed to move shows because the sound system was being removed. Old Ironsides' owners later posted on their Facebook page asking customers to stay tuned for updates on the situation.

"We are just in the middle of switching sound systems and no decision has been made to completely let the night life go," the owners wrote in the post. "As of now, we are still here."

Some customers wondered if the bar was closing.

"We're not going out of business," Kanelos said Monday.

Perry also stressed the bar isn't shutting down.

"I don't like this idea that people are talking about – 'Oh, they're done.' That's ridiculous. They've been there more than 75 years," he said. "I don't want to see Old Ironsides lose any more business."

Recently, he had been working on deals to get the bar a new system. A durable, easy-to-store system including such things as amplifiers, speakers, microphones, mic stands, monitors, cables and a sound board would have cost about $14,000 or $15,000, he said.

One person was ready to install a rented system Monday that could be used until a new system was purchased. But the owners canceled the installation, Perry said.

Perry then told co-owner Billie Jean Kanelos he would have to move his shows. Her father, Bill Bordisso, was issued the first Sacramento liquor license after Prohibition ended for the bar.

Tuesday, Kanelos declined additional comment until the situation is resolved.

Perry said the family hasn't gotten back in touch to say they're bringing in a new system. They last told him they wanted bands or Perry to bring in sound on a night-to-night basis. Equipment would cost $200 a night or Perry would have to find bands with their own system.

That's too expensive and impractical, Perry said. Consistent, high-quality sound can't be guaranteed when working with a different sound system every night, he added.

Business is a bit lean for the bar in the summer – especially during the recession, Perry said.

Many local bands got started in the music business after Perry got behind them and booked them at Old I.

Perry began promoting bands in the early 1980s at the legendary Cattle Club on Folsom Boulevard. He also books the Friday Night Concerts in the Park at Cesar Chavez Plaza, Hot Italian's free Hot Lunch series at Fremont Park and the bands for a three-day art event called Chalk It Up!

Old I brought in bigger crowds in the 1990s after getting the sound system and offering live music, said Evan Drath, who was the bar's head sound engineer from 1995 to 2000. He also played bass guitar for Grub Dog and the Amazing Sweethearts.

Local bands that regularly packed Old I included Mother Hips, Okra Pickles, Sex 66, Magnolia Thunderfinger and Jackpot. It was well-known as a place for up-and-coming bands, he said.

"It established itself as a cultural point in Sacramento," Drath said. "The music obviously was the main part of that. It really brought it to another level nationwide as well as locally."

But now there's more competition, fewer local bands and more virtual entertainment options keeping people at home in front of their computers. Band members are getting older, and other bands aren't replacing them. People in their late-30s and 40s who established Old I as a live music venue are busy with their lives, Drath said.

Old Ironsides can't always pack the house three nights a week like before, added Drath, now a touring sound engineer.

"There's a reason why maybe the Kanelos (family) found it harder to meet the bottom line. It's because the crowd is dwindling," he said. "A different culture around music has developed. It was an actual music experience you were having as opposed to a virtual music experience."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Amber Stott: Living la vida locavore

2011-06-28T01:13:54Z

Sacramento locavore Amber Stott is documenting her life as a conscious consumer and her journey to eat as locally as she can with a food blog, Awake at the Whisk.

She said she likes to start each day, camera in hand, with a walk through the garden.

On a recent June morning, she snapped photos of plants in her backyard next to the American River.

Planter boxes were filled with watermelon, tomatillos, corn, squash, cucumbers, melons and peppers growing in various stages. She pushed aside leaves, peered under plants and squealed with joy when she found the first jalapeno of the season.

"With the garden, every single day there's something new. That's – for me – my favorite part of the day," she said.

"If I do it in the morning, I can get a sense of what's out there and what needs to be picked,” said Stott, who worked most recently at a local nonprofit. “And I can start brainstorming throughout the day about what to cook with it."

She started the blog in 2008. She describes Awake at the Whisk as a lifestyle guide filled with tips and ideas she's gleaned on her path through life. Her blog's tagline sums it up: "Living la vida locavore."

Stott posts gardening tips, what's in season, recipes, essays about life, and ideas on ways to protect the environment. She also does restaurant and book reviews and chef interviews.

She's been gardening all her life and cooking nearly as long. Stott grew up tending a big garden with her parents in rural Savanna, Ill., near the town of Galena. Her aunt and uncle had a well-known bakery in nearby Iowa.

Stott started cooking, baking and canning with her mother as far back as she can remember. She said she's loved to read and write all her life.

"My mom's a librarian. I always had a book in my hand. So if I wasn't in the yard or in the kitchen, I was reading," she said.

She majored in journalism in college but found the stories she wrote for the school newspaper bored her, until she got a chance to write features. She worked hard on an assignment to find the best coffee in her college town of Madison, Wis. – only to have most of her writing cut due to lack of space.

Devastated, she changed her major to literature, minored in women's studies and went to work in the nonprofit sector after college. She did grant writing, press releases and website content.

“I just was too young for that kind of rejection,” she said.

She let her own writing go as life got busy. Four or five years ago, something inside her awakened when she read New York Times food critic Ruth Reichl's book, "Garlic and Sapphires." Stott said before then she'd never thought about putting food together with writing.

She later learned Reichl had become a successful newspaper writer and author although she didn't have a journalism degree.

"It was like permission for me to write about food," she said.

Stott said she's been a locavore all her life. But there wasn't a name for it when she was growing up. Now, people are beginning to set guidelines for what that means – but those guidelines don't fit everyone, she said.

She said she realizes it's impractical to get everything from your own garden or a farmers market, especially when you're first starting off.

Stott recalled how little food she and husband Brendan, a geomorphologist who restores rivers and streams for a living, got from their garden the year she tried to grow everything from heirloom seeds. Heirlooms tend to be more disease-prone. Stott gardens organically and lost those plants to pests.

The couple bought a house on a quarter-acre so they could have a huge garden, with plenty of fruit trees, native flowering plants and beautiful nooks to hang out in.

"The most critical thing for me is to have space – nature – out my back door," she said.

Standing in her garden, Stott picked a few pungent leaves while pointing out herbs such as lemon grass, rosemary, orange bergamot mint and oregano growing thickly against the garage. Then she pulled stalks of rhubarb and took them to the kitchen.

Brendan built the main vegetable and herb garden. He handles the water system and composting and tends pollinator plants and fruit trees.

She plants and tends the garden, harvests and makes the food. Stott bakes and cooks using fresh, seasonal ingredients from her garden and local farms and ranches.

The couple's lifestyle reflects their shared commitment to the earth and making the world a better place, she said.

Her blog catches it all: Stott writes about what's going on in her garden, culinary experiences and other things she's interested in related to living on a healthy planet, such as honey bee colony collapse disorder.

Inside her Caribbean lime green-colored kitchen, she quickly hacked leaves and stem bases off stalks of rhubarb with a utility knife. Stott then grabbed her Canon digital camera and snapped a few photos of the stalks.

Using a handwritten family recipe handed down by her grandmother, she began simmering rhubarb sauce on the stove to make rhubarb pinwheels, one of her favorite desserts.

She does both writing and photography for her blog. She doesn't have a regular posting schedule, but said she tries to post once a week. She fits it in around work and other parts of her life.

Stott said she would like to increase the blog's readership and write a book. She doesn't have any ads on her blog, so she isn't making money with it. She plans to spend the summer exploring ways to do more writing and transition to writing for a living.

The blog has become an adventure – just like her life, living la vida locavore.

"It nurtures me. I've discovered all these other things I'm good at," she said. "It's just a celebration of the earth, but through food and through my life."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Q & A with Marc Feldman, post-Philharmonic"

2011-06-17T02:17:57Z

The Philharmonic released an official statement but would not respond to questions about Feldman's departure. Board President David Nystrom did not return phone calls seeking comment. It was this or no story at all.

Arena coalition studies financing options

2011-06-17T02:06:56Z

The Sacramento region will have to get creative to come up with a public-private financing plan that might work to build a new arena – possibly coming up with funding sources never tried in other cities before, a prominent sports financing expert said Thursday.

Sacramento will need a unique financing model, partly due to the community's "limitations" in size and past efforts to gain voter support for public arena funding, Barrett Sports Group owner Dan Barrett told a crowd gathered for a town hall meeting at the Central Library.

The media market is relatively small, which makes it less lucrative, and there aren't a lot of potential corporate sponsors here. Other challenges come from difficulties getting sports facilities built in California and the lack of more than one sports team tenant for the building, he added.

A regional Here We Build arena coalition has been given until Sept. 8 to come up with a funding plan that appeals to the public and the Maloofs, the Sacramento Kings’ majority owners. The coalition held its first public meeting Thursday.

City Councilman Steve Cohn, a member of the arena coalition, asked whether any successful financing models have been used to build new sports facilities since the recession began.

"There's no cookie-cutter model, unfortunately. You've got to be real creative, particularly in California," Barrett said.

Barrett did not share what new options are being considered. It's "too early in the process" to say what even some of those might be, he said.

The coalition will be working with sports facility gurus, city staff, Mayor Kevin Johnson's arena task force finance subcommittee, the ICON-Taylor Group, the Maloofs and others. At least 65 coalition members and others from the community turned out for the presentation.

Their work follows on the heels of the ICON-Taylor Group, which was given until late May to present financing options as part of a feasibility study. The group told the Sacramento City Council May 26 that it had not been able to include financing in the analysis after the Maloofs didn't turn over financial information soon enough.

Barrett and coalition chair Chris Lehane led a meeting on public-private partnerships to fund arena construction downtown. Barrett explored a range of options that have been used to build facilities in other cities.

Public funding options that have been used include sales tax, hotel tax, rental car tax, food and beverage tax, tax increment financing, land sales, and parking revenues and surcharges.

Private funding options have included equity and cash or facility-related revenue streams such as naming rights, club seats, advertising, sponsorships and corporate investment, he said.

The Maloofs announced earlier this week they have given up controlling interest in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas to private investment firms, Texas-based TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners. The Maloofs agreed to turn a $400 million debt into equity by giving up a controlling share in the resort, according to various sources.

The Maloofs did not respond to requests for comment.

On the East Coast, some have used EB-5 money, which trades temporary visas for the financing of American ventures by foreign investors.

Barrett said they don't know if any of those options will be viable in this region.

Broad-based tax increases haven't been used in California. Public financing for sports facilities in this state tend to be targeted taxes, such as hotel or rental car taxes, he said.

The coalition is now trying to identify public funding options that wouldn't require a vote, said former city Treasurer Tom Friery, a member of the coalition's executive committee who helped lead the town hall presentation.

Arenas and stadiums in bigger markets – the Giants' AT&T Park in San Francisco and the Lakers' Staples Center in Los Angeles – have been paid for entirely by sports team owners. That hasn't worked for smaller markets, because the teams don't see as much revenue coming in from media deals and corporate supporters once the facilities are built, Barrett said.

"It's critical to structure a deal that makes sense financially for both parties," Barrett said. "Both parties need to come away with a deal that works."

The Here We Build Coalition and Mayor Kevin Johnson's office will hold public meetings roughly every two weeks throughout the summer. Most meetings will be held at the Central Library, 828 I St., probably at 11 a.m. But exact times and locations are still being determined, according to the arena coalition and the mayor's office.

Economic Impact on Downtown : Thursday, June 30, Time and Location TBD

Regional Impact Event : Thursday, July 14, Time and Location TBD

Leveraging Existing Assets To Create Jobs : Thursday, July 28, Time and Location TBD

Town Hall: The Future of Natomas : Thursday, Aug. 11, Time and Location TBD

Job Opportunities Directly Related to the Project : Thursday, Aug. 25, Time and Location TBD

Release 100 Day Report : Thursday, Sept. 8, Time and Location TBD

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Developer dads teach sons about hard work and ethics

2011-06-17T00:02:27Z

Dads teach their kids all kinds of things – sometimes even skills that allow them to build shopping centers and redevelop historic properties as big as Globe Mills and Sacramento’s K Street Mall.

When kids go into the family business, a father's ability to impart lessons gets taken to a whole new level.

Sons who've followed their dads into development in three families say there are pros and cons to doing so – with the biggest benefits being the valuable instruction they've gotten from their fathers.

Ali Youssefi was doing investment banking in San Francisco when he decided to return to Sacramento to join his father, Cyrus Youssefi, at his community development firm, CFY Development, Inc. The ability to learn from his father as they worked on the adaptive reuse of the historic Globe Mills in Alkali Flat lured him back to Sacramento and into development in 2006.

The younger Youssefi said he's grateful for the opportunities he's had working in the family business – opportunities he might not have had otherwise. His first job, which he got in high school, was working as a lifeguard and assistant manager for one of his dad's affordable housing projects in Rancho Cordova.

The best lesson his dad has taught him is to work hard and always be honest, he said.

"I'm lucky to be able to see my dad's professional side and witness the characteristics that have made him successful firsthand," Youssefi said. "It's a dimension of him that I never saw while growing up."

Jim Taylor started Potter-Taylor and Co. in 1957 with his father-in-law, Sheldon Potter. Taylor has also taught his own son, Tim, by example how important it is to have a strong work ethic.

"It started at home. It was work in the yard. It was work around the house. And when it got to working at the office, we worked pretty much side by side," said Tim Taylor, who got his real estate license in 1976 right after high school. He later got his broker's license.

He's worked with his father on acquiring and developing land and commercial property for retail and self-storage projects throughout Northern California. Retail projects range from drugstores to supermarket shopping centers. One of the biggest benefits of working with his dad is all the support he's gotten at work, he said.

Bay Miry, who joined father David Miry at D & S Development, Inc., said going into the family business has allowed him to grow closer to his dad than he might have in a typical father-son relationship. Their projects together include the Maydestone Apartments, 2020 H St. Lofts and the Sterling Hotel & Ballroom.

He and Taylor both said the biggest con to working with their dads is that business comes up at every family gathering.

"Sometimes business talk tends to dominate the family dinner conversation," Miry said.

Youssefi said a downside for him is that mom sometimes gets a bit jealous about the time the two men spend together.

Miry and Youssefi are taking the lead on redeveloping a vacant block of K Street Mall, with their fathers and D & S partner Steve Lebastchi available for feedback and support. Father and son couldn't do the development without each other's help, Youssefi said.

"The 700 block of K Street is a special project for us because I have the opportunity to exercise my own vision as a developer with his complete support and encouragement," Youssefi said. "He's there to 'clean up my shit,' as he likes to say."

The most important lesson Bay Miry said he learned from his father was to treat everyone equally.

"All walks of life are the same," Miry said. "It doesn't matter if you're talking to the governor or a laborer at a construction site."

Taylor's father also taught him that strong ethics were just as important as working hard.

"The thing I took away was you really have three things: You have your time, you have your knowledge and you have your reputation," Taylor said. "And no matter how much time you have or how smart you are, if you screw up your reputation, you'll never succeed."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Q & A with Marc Feldman, post-Philharmonic

2011-06-16T00:16:51Z

Marc Feldman resigned as executive director of the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra on June 9.

Following his resignation, Feldman and the Philharmonic have released official statements, which can be found below.

Former Sacramento Philharmonic Executive Director Jane Hill is returning as interim director July 5. She retired in 2007 after about five years with the Philharmonic, the organization’s financial officer, Marta Quinn, said.

Feldman also worked at the Philharmonic for about five years, starting in 2007 before Hill left.

A native New Yorker, Feldman spent much of the last two decades working as a bassoonist and concert organizer in France, Italy, Portugal, Canada and the United States.

He also served as the executive director of the Orchestre pour la Paix, or Orchestra for Peace, created in Paris in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on the United States. That orchestra performed for the Dalai Lama in Petra, Jordan, and all over Jordan and Europe to demonstrate that bridges can be built between people in conflict, he said.

The Sacramento Press spoke with Feldman Wednesday in the wake of his departure.

Q: What were you doing before you came to Sacramento?

A: I was living and working in Europe for the last 25 years as a performing musician (and) a concert organizer, and I was the executive director of the Orchestra for Peace, an orchestra of Arab and Israeli musicians. In 2005, I was selected to participate in the League of American Orchestras’ management program, which brought me back to the United States.

Q: What contributions at the Sacramento Philharmonic are you most proud of?

A: I'm very proud about the relationships we have built in the community, especially with people that have not had a relationship with classical music. The Philharmonic became a bridge-builder, connecting people of different backgrounds through the power of music. I would hope certain bonds in the community have been strengthened by our efforts.

Q: Is there a concert or event that you feel was groundbreaking for Sacramento?

A: You could point to one event if you wanted to – the Songs of Hope, where (Music Director) Michael Morgan invited Israeli and Palestinian, Egyptian and Iranian musicians to perform with the orchestra.

But there was an overall philosophy. Sacramento is the nation's most diverse city. The world is represented in this town.

I think what was groundbreaking for the Philharmonic is we tried our best, in a small way, to represent that in the music that we played. We had a gospel choir (perform) with the orchestra, a Ukrainian folk instrument with the orchestra and a wonderful multimedia piece written by Dave Brubeck celebrating Ansel Adams.

Q: What would you like to see happen at the Philharmonic in the future?

A: Michael Morgan and the Philharmonic are truly a high-level orchestra. The quality of what is produced on stage would surprise anybody who hasn't listened to them.

I would hope that the Philharmonic grows its audience and support over the coming years. They deserve it. And I know that Michael Morgan's creativity and imagination will continue to surprise us.

Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra's official statement:
Marc Feldman, the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra's executive director and CEO, has resigned effective June 9, 2011. Marc has made a large contribution to the Sacramento arts community during his four and one-half year tenure as executive director of the Philharmonic.

His creative insights and talents have fostered strong partnerships and alliances with other arts organizations and the community.

We have developed artistic and cultured relationships that have expanded our repertoire and audience and we are richer for it. We thank Marc for his contributions to the Sacramento Philharmonic and we wish him the very best.

Marc Feldman's official statement:
My five years in Sacramento have been truly wonderful. Our city's enthusiasm for the Philharmonic has been an inspiration for me.

I would like to thank Maestro Morgan, the great musicians of the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, and the dedicated Philharmonic board members for their work in building our community through music. My best wishes for a fantastic future filled with music.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Elks Tower cafe, bar and chocolates with a view"

2011-06-16T00:01:37Z

An architect tied to the renovation believed no one had gone swimming in the pool since the early 1980s. Can anyone tell us more about Valentis Gym? Who owned it and how long was it there?

Elks Tower cafe, bar and chocolates with a view

2011-06-15T02:20:15Z

A dusty corner of the historic Elks Tower containing a pool hidden for decades will soon get a second life when a Euro-style cafe, bar and chocolatier open next year.

The Ayers family has begun renovating a bi-level corner of the 1926 building designed by architect Leonard J. Starks to incorporate a pool where club members swam for 50 years. The pool hasn't been used since about the early 1980s.

Building owner Steve Ayers, his daughter Katharine (Ayers) Gelber and her husband, Michael Gelber, are partnering to open Rail Bridge Wine and Spirits in the front corner of the building at 921 11th St. The other corner is anchored by McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant.

The bar, small cafe and chocolatier will share a ground-floor, L-shaped space that overlooks the empty basement pool after walls blocking the view were removed in mid-2010, Michael Gelber said.

"When it opened, this building and The Citizen Hotel were considered the jewels on J Street," he said, referring to the Cal Western Life building that also opened in 1926. "You won't find anything (else) like this."

The space will hold a chocolatier called Hanzel & Pretzel and a small, attached kitchen serving desserts, small plates, specialty coffees and hot chocolate. Fed Ex operated an office there until December 2009.

Most of the chocolates will be imported from Switzerland, France and other countries. Chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolates, desserts and other fare will be made on-site. The family is searching for a chef and a chocolatier for its new Hanzel & Pretzel concept. The menu has not been planned, but may include stuffed potatoes.

The anchor business will be a full bar featuring wines from Sacramento's first urban winery – Rail Bridge Cellars at 400 N. 16th St., which the Gelbers own under Alexis Ventures. The company also owns Strings Express, at 431 I St., where Gelber is the managing partner.

The bar will also carry spirits and wines from other wineries.

A custom-made rack with port wines from around the world will hold a prominent spot tying the chocolatier and bar together.

"You've got to make money on the bar," he said. "You're not going to make it on the chocolate."

But the visual focus will be the cavernous basement pool room, with its pale blue walls and vaulted ceiling at least 32 feet high. A row of tables and couches will overlook the pool behind a glass partition. Silent films reminiscent of the building’s era may play on the back wall behind the pool.

The renovation will leave most of the historic building's character intact. Exposed brick walls, the original concrete floor and peeling paint will be left to express the building's venerable history, Gelber said.

The renovation is expected to cost about $200,000. The family is also opening the Elks Tower Penthouse Lounge on the 14th floor, which can be rented for wine tastings, private parties and meetings, in two weeks. Windows on three sides offer views of the Capitol, City Hall, the railyards and the Sierra Nevada mountains.

That 1,000-square-foot space was recently outfitted with $10,000 in new furnishings such as couches, a long table and a big-screen TV. The penthouse will also serve as an off-site tasting room for Rail Bridge Cellars, Gelber said.

Plans will be submitted to the Sacramento Community Development Department’s Planning Division in one to two weeks, he said.

Michael Chandler, who handles brand development for the winery, is expected to oversee retail sales. Gelber will oversee daily operations.

The business is being built in phases because of the economy. If the concept proves successful, the family expects to open a full restaurant and second bar in the basement. Customers would sit at tables on Plexiglas over the pool, possibly in three years.

"This would have to go really well – the economy would have to turn for that to happen," he said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Arena coalition members named"

2011-06-14T20:14:53Z

Here's a scribd document with names that are a bit easier to read: http://www.scribd.com/doc/57851283/Arena-Coalition-List-June-13

Suzanne Hurt on "Arena coalition members named"

2011-06-14T05:24:44Z

At 7:02 p.m., the mayor's office released a statement with a list of names for the Here We Build Coalition. The press release lists 70 coalition members, not 60 as Mayor Kevin Johnson announced two weeks ago. The coalition includes some people who represent Natomas in their official capacities, such as City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby and state Assemblyman Richard Pan. Here is a link to a scribd document containing the press release: http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/57813078?access_key=key-25nqjllfunhs8b6m6t8n

Arena coalition members named

2011-06-14T01:35:04Z

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson released the names of his regional arena coalition Monday, amid hopes the Here We Build campaign will be able to figure out financing options.

But the absence of a representative of Natomas, where Power Balance Pavilion sits, raised protests from the Natomas Chamber of Commerce.

Johnson announced the members of a bipartisan, 15-member executive committee Monday morning. The remaining 45 members of the community coalition were expected to be announced Monday evening, according to the mayor’s office.

No one from the Natomas Chamber of Commerce, which has led a campaign to keep the arena there, had been asked to be part of the coalition as of 5:30 p.m. No Natomas representatives are expected to be in the coalition, Johnson spokesman Joaquin McPeek said.

Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna was named to the executive committee. He lives in Natomas and represents the area in his supervisor role. But he hasn’t represented Natomas economic interests in the arena process, Natomas Chamber President Ed Koop said.

"He's never been the voice of anything we've been trying to do here, as far as the economic impact,” Koop said. "In my opinion, that's not a good representation of what we've got going on here."

Frustrated chamber members are refusing to provide a letter of support for the arena effort after Johnson recently asked for one. To be asked for support is "absurd," because building a new arena downtown will "cannibalize" Natomas, said Koop, adding chamber members feel their community has been ignored throughout the arena process.

"Natomas seems to be constantly put in the back seat. We're not asked to participate in any of these things going forward," he said.

Chamber officials want the city to set up a task force to focus on reuse of the Natomas site. But no one from the mayor's office has reached out to talk about the site's future, Koop said.

"I don't believe anyone's seriously looking at what's going to happen to Natomas if this arena leaves," he said.

Johnson asked for letters of support at a regional chamber coalition meeting at Sacramento Metro Chamber headquarters on June 3 – a few days after officially announcing the coalition's formation. Representatives of all six counties were there, Koop said.

The mayor and the mayor's office followed up last week with emails asking to get the letters, which were to be addressed to the city, by June 17.

The Here We Build executive committee will be chaired by state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, a Democrat from Sacramento, and State Sen. Ted Gaines, a Republican from Roseville.

Other members of the committee include state Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon and Sacramento City Councilman Rob Fong.

Also on the committee is San Francisco investor Darius Anderson. He told Johnson at the National Basketball Association team owners' meeting in April he and billionaire Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle wanted to buy the Sacramento Kings or bring another team here if the Kings left.

The full coalition will consist of stakeholders from around the region: elected officials, labor leaders, corporate and small business owners, grassroots organization leaders, developers and religious leaders.

Johnson said in a press conference Monday that the coalition was put together to equitably represent the metropolitan area.

“We knew if we had 22 cities and six counties, we knew we had to have about 30 electeds and maybe 30 non-electeds,” he said. “So, when it came down to the executive committee, we knew we wanted 12 to 15 members – half elected, half non-elected.”

The mayor's office cast "a wider net" to involve a broad base of the community, McPeek said.

"We want to make sure we have a nice cross section, across the board," he said.

The mayor's office is setting up the arena coalition's first public meeting for Thursday. The time and location are still being determined.

The group will be meeting to explore arena funding options and determine the "critical pathway" to financing a new arena, McPeek said.

McPeek could not say what work the ICON-Taylor group is doing to come up with arena funding options, which were due at their presentation to the City Council in late May. It's not clear how the arena experts will work with regional Here We Build coalition members to answer the funding question.

The Roseville Chamber of Commerce has sent in a letter of support commending the mayor for reaching beyond his borders to promote a regional discussion on a new arena, Roseville Chamber Chief Executive Officer Wendy Gerig said.

"It's not just about the Kings and basketball. It's about economic development and the jobs that will not only go to businesses in Sacramento, but to El Dorado, Placer, Yolo, Yuba and Sutter counties," she said. "Our region is deserving of such a facility."

A link to the other coalition member names will be added in the comment section below.

Sacramento Press staff reporter Kathleen Haley contributed to this report. Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Microbrewery on track for Curtis Park

2011-06-11T01:07:17Z

A Curtis Park microbrewery that plays up Sacramento's railroad history is one step closer to opening after winning approval from the city Planning Commission.

Two craft beer fans expect to open Track 7 Brewing Company, a microbrewery and tasting room, in mid-September if other necessary permits and licensing are granted.

Southern California transit analyst Ryan Graham and Sacramento mortgage underwriter Geoff Scott said they hope to start working on an adaptive reuse of a ~~380-square-foot space~~ 2,100-square-foot space inside a warehouse at 3747 W. Pacific Ave., near Sutterville Road and 24th Street, within a month.

The Sacramento Planning Commission voted 8-1 Thursday night to grant a special permit for alcohol sales in the tap room and a special permit to waive a parking space.

After the vote, Graham, Scott and Scott's wife, Water Education Foundation Events/Tour Director Rebecca Scott, headed over to the warehouse and celebrated the victory with their home-brewed Big Four Strong Ale. The beer is named for the four railroad barons who built the Central Pacific Railroad.

"We're both home brewers, but we decided to take our passion and our hobby to a different scale," said Graham, who lives in the Southern California town of Beaumont.

Graham, 32, has been brewing beer at home for eight years. He's also volunteered at Inland Empire Brewing Company in nearby Riverside. For six or seven years, Scott has been making small batches of beer to share with family and friends.

They plan to feature “artisanal” beers made in the "firmly hopped" tradition of the Pacific Northwest and the West Coast. The hops impart more aroma and bitterness. Other parts of the country are now following the West Coast style by expanding hop usage in beer, said Scott, a 33-year-old Curtis Park resident.

The beers will be inspired by American, Belgian, English and German brewers. Scott and Ryan will combine influences and recipes for beers such as porters, stouts, strong ales and IPAs.

His family has lived in Sacramento since the early 1920s. Scott's great-grandfather was a farmer who used trains and the rail lines to transport produce to other parts of California.

He and Graham became friends while attending the University of California, Davis. Graham now works on railroad projects, which is partly why they chose Track 7's name and the location in a warehouse near old Western Pacific railroad tracks.

"We wanted to tie in Sacramento's history with the railroad," Scott said.

The Sacramento Planning Commission's support was needed to get a small beer manufacturer's license from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. That support also allows the microbrewery's owners to apply for city building and engineering permits.

The area is zoned as heavy commercial, but there are residences nearby. One resident, Dee Schaffer, wrote to the city to oppose the microbrewery. Schaffer, who lives across the alley, said she's concerned because there were problems with noise, crime, traffic and other nuisances when a punk rock bar called Club Minimal operated there in 1983 and 1984.

"I most adamantly protest this place going in," she wrote in an email included in a city staff report to the planning commission.

Three other residents, a neighborhood association and a business owner sent emails to the city in support of Track 7.

“This appears to be a good example of light industrial mixed use. It would appear to be
a potentially energizing community asset. Kindly accept this note as one of support," wrote Don Lockhart of the College Green Neighborhood Association

No supporters or opponents spoke at the Planning Commission's public hearing Thursday night, city planner Evan Compton said.

Planning Commissioner William Wong voted against granting the permits. Most of the commissioners' discussion involved the hours of operation.

There was a motion to limit the hours, but the commission granted the owners' request to be able to operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. They will initially be open Thursdays through Sundays, then expand to more weekdays once business builds, Graham said.

The commissioners also decided to allow live music and limited on-site parking requirement to two spaces. The tasting room is small. There are 18 parking spaces on the street in front, and about 15 other parking lot spaces belonging to the building's other tenants would likely be free in the evenings, Compton said.

"I don't really see that (parking is) going to be an issue," he said.

The microbrewery will be located near the future Curtis Park Village development. Brewery equipment is on site but hasn’t been installed. The brewery’s open layout will allow visitors to see the equipment, such as stainless steel tanks, platforms and a control panel.

Graham and Scott plan to serve nuts, chips or other snacks. They also hope to have a food truck serving gourmet fare in the future. But Track 7 won't have a restaurant, Scott said.

"We're just going to focus on beer, because that's what's important to us," he said. "The food is not really important at all."

Editorial Note: A correction has been made to this story after it was published. The incorrect information has been struck out and the correct information has been added.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

In-depth look at proposed police layoffs

2011-06-10T01:05:21Z

Sacramento Police and union officials warned Thursday a spike in crime is expected if 81 cops are laid off when the City Council approves a budget.

Police officers – angered over the likelihood that dozens of them are about to lose their jobs – are vowing to take action come election time, said detective Mark Tyndale, vice president of the local police union, the Sacramento Police Officers Association.

On Tuesday, the Sacramento City Council tentatively voted to make deep budget cuts that would include slashing $12.2 million from the police department's budget and laying off 81 sworn officers and 68 civilian police employees. If the council approves the 2011/2012 budget with a final vote as expected June 21, the officers will be laid off July 1.

Police Chief Rick Braziel on Wednesday announced losing that many officers would force the department to reduce services. The department would eliminate more than a dozen specialized units, including gang crimes, narcotics, high-tech crimes, traffic, marine, mounted, bike and foot patrols.

The department would shift its focus to core services, mainly handling emergency calls and investigating major crimes required by law including murders, rapes and robberies. Bad guys will commit more crime because citizen crime reports will drop. That will provide police with fewer tips that can help stop criminals earlier in their careers, Braziel said Thursday.

"I expect crime to go up. You'll see criminals getting away with more because there are just less of us out there," Braziel said by phone. "The ultimate victim in all of this is the community. That's who suffers most."

Patrol officers who have the least seniority in the department are the ones facing layoffs. Detectives would be reassigned to fill those patrol slots or the remaining investigation units, such as homicide, robbery, sexual assaults or general investigations, Police Department spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong said.

The city has the right to lay off officers and would not be violating a contract with the union by doing so, according to Tyndale and Leong.

Such cuts would mark the first time sworn officers have been laid off – for as long as anyone can remember – at least since the 1970s, Leong said.

SPOA members said they believe the council's vote made it clear city officials aren't interested in negotiating any contract concessions in lieu of layoffs. No negotiations have begun, and none are expected before the budget is approved by the council, Tyndale said.

"Everybody's hoping some miracle can occur," he said. "I just don't see (it) at this point."

Morale among police officers is low. Tyndale said union members believe the six City Council members who tentatively approved the layoffs have turned their backs on police. Councilman Steve Cohn, Mayor Kevin Johnson and Councilwoman Angelique Ashby voted against the tentative decision.

According to Tyndale, union members think the six council members created a "mess." Officers are now saying, " 'This (2012) is an election year. You guys are going to pay for this mess you made,' " Tyndale said.

A total of 372 positions have been cut from the department over the last three years. Those were either civilian layoffs, or vacant posts that had been filled by civilians or sworn officers. The officer posts were vacant due to attrition through retirements or resignations, he said.

The total of sworn officers who would be cut now stands at 81 due to a retirement. That would leave 620 full-time officers – of 701 currently – working for the department. The department currently employs 318 civilians. The cuts would leave 250.

In addition, 17 vacant slots would be eliminated under the current budget plan, Leong said.

If that happens, the department won't have the investigation units or number of officers needed to keep Sacramento streets safe, Tyndale said.

"It is going to destroy Sacramento," said Tyndale, a detective with the sexual assault investigations unit who has served with the department 23 years. "It will completely devastate us – the department and the community."

However, 35 officers could be immediately rehired if the department wins a waiver on a federal grant that would provide funding to restore those positions. Police officials don't know when the exemption might be granted, Leong said.

A union representing 1,400 other city employees has been calling for "balance and equity" in layoffs among all city employee groups in order to balance the budget. At Tuesday night's council meeting, a business representative from Stationary Engineers Local 39 described claims about the impact of public safety cuts as "civil terrorism."

"The city can no longer afford to spare any group during this economic crisis," Local 39 official Linda Norman told the council. "I am also speaking out against the city's public safety unions' recent campaign of what I will call 'civil terrorism.'

“Through the use of media announcements, door hangers and lawn signs, these public servants are perpetrating a negative, harmful and divisive atmosphere, saying any reduction of public safety funding will leave our citizens vulnerable and unprotected from increased crime," she said.

SPOA President Brent Meyer later described those comments as unprofessional.

The units that would remain include patrol, crime scene investigation, front counter assistance/security, K-9, helicopter and the criminal apprehension team, as well as the other investigation units mentioned previously. The department's number of detectives would drop from 104 to 71 because some investigators will return to patrol, Leong said.

The crime scene investigation unit, currently staffed entirely by civilians, would be filled only by sworn officers as of July 1.

The department's two full-time SWAT teams, which do a lot of specialized training and assist with investigations and arresting criminals, would become part-time. Cuts would mean they will work on patrol when not doing entries or training.

There will be some cost-savings from laying off administrative clerks or other civilians tied to the units that would be eliminated. However, the units aren't being eliminated to save money. They're being eliminated because there won't be enough people left to fill them once officers are transferred to operational services such as patrol, Leong said.

As a result, officers will be responsible for handling so many cases they won't be able to do as much proactive crime-fighting. And that will lead to a loss of expertise in such areas as narcotics and gang crime over time, he said.

Braziel has been meeting for months with his executive command staff, made up of deputy chiefs and captains, to determine how to reorganize the department if the council approved major police layoffs to help balance the budget.

The chief said he's especially concerned because of the cumulative impact that may result if there are budget-induced layoffs in Sacramento County law enforcement agencies, in addition to an expected upcoming prisoner release, loss of social services and lack of jobs for prisoners.

The layoffs aren't spread out more evenly throughout the department because they must be made based on seniority. The majority of patrol officers are the newest members of the squad.

The announcement the units would be eliminated is not a negotiating tactic to get concessions from the union or City Council, according to Braziel and Leong.

"The police department has followed the direction of council who on Tuesday made it clear their intent is to move forward with the budget cuts, and there is nothing to indicate any foreseeable changes to the budget," Braziel said in an emailed statement.

Sacramento Press staff reporter Kathleen Haley contributed to this report. Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Midtown Squeeze Inn to open this fall

2011-06-09T01:15:51Z

This fall, Midtown Sacramento will finally get its own Squeeze Inn – home of the famous Squeeze Burger and Squeeze with Cheese.

Squeeze Inn employee Sabrina Nicola will open her first restaurant under the guidance of Squeeze Inn owners Travis and Vicki Hausauer. The Hausauers will be silent partners in the new restaurant expected to open in October on K Street.

Nicola, 25, will be the sole operator and will work under a licensing agreement with the couple, who bought the original Squeeze Inn on Fruitridge Road in 2001.

Both she and Travis Hausauer said she has learned a lot working behind the counter, starting out at the little old shack that first housed the Squeeze when she was 18 and working now at its Power Inn Road location.

"I think she'll do great. She's full of energy. She's great with people," he said. "She's been there for a long time. She's actually cooked at some point. So she really knows almost every aspect of the business."

The Hausauers operate the Power Inn Road restaurant. Their son, Brandon Hausauer, and his wife, Katie, operate the one in Galt. Other people run Squeeze Inns in West Sacramento, Napa and Roseville under a licensing agreement allowing them to use the restaurant’s name, menu and orange and red colors.

Nicola still works at the Squeeze Inn on Power Inn Road. She's been with the company for five and a half years, taking a year and a half off to travel around Europe. She worked at Squeeze Inn throughout college and also did a one-year stint at Table 260 in Elk Grove.

"Squeeze Inn used to be Sacramento's best-kept secret," she said Tuesday on a break at Squeeze Inn, 5301 Power Inn Road. "It's a very good business. It's been very good for Travis. He thinks it will be very good for me."

Hausauer became Nicola's mentor over the years. She graduated from Sacramento State three years ago. He taught her the only way to get ahead in life was to work for herself.

"He's like a second father to me," Nicola said.

She joked for years that she wanted to open her own Squeeze Inn. Hausauer encouraged her. She said she recently decided she was ready.

She found a spot at 1630 K St. in Pensione K. Infusion Cafe formerly operated there. A renovation may start in four to six weeks if plans are approved by the Planning Commission, she said.

Nicola wants to create the Squeeze Inn vibe there. She'll use the original menu, build a big counter that can seat at least a dozen people and decorate the interior in orange and red. There will be additional seating inside and patio seating on the sidewalk.

She'll add a few new menu items, such as an albacore tuna melt, chicken bites for kids and a Midtown Squeezesteak sandwich, a version of a Philadelphia cheesesteak. The restaurant will not serve beer or wine.

The Midtown location will be the only Squeeze Inn open on Sundays, but is likely to be closed Mondays. Tentative hours will be 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday and 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday.

Hausauer said he's excited Nicola is making her dream happen.

"She had her eye on the goal. It's finally coming to fruition for her," he said. "It's all about taking chances. If you don't take any chances, you don't go anywhere."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Contemporary Dance Conservatory opens in hidden corner of Midtown

2011-06-08T01:50:17Z

Local dance instructor Lena Logan has opened her first studio, the Contemporary Dance Conservatory, in a warehouse once used for raves.

The studio opened May 2 at 213 26th St., in a renovated 6,300-square-foot warehouse whose neighbors include a community garden, bicycle repair shop, an independent building contractor's shop area and homes.

From 4 - 10 p.m. Saturday, the studio will hold a grand opening that mixes dance performance and live art. Her students will give short dance performances each hour, while muralists and graffiti artists will create paintings on the front of the building.

Logan's focus is to train teens and pre-teens who want to move on to professional dance companies. She prepares them by teaching classical ballet as the base of their dance education and training.

Logan also teaches contemporary ballet and contemporary dance, as well as other classes. Performances, which she plans to hold in professional theaters, concentrate only on contemporary dance and contemporary ballet.

"What is unique about the dance environment Lena is setting up is that at the foundation is ballet training," said Michelle Miranda, whose 13-year-old daughter, Caitlin, has studied with Logan for five years.

"At the core, kids are practicing ballet,” she said. “But when they hit the stage with a showpiece, it's very cutting-edge, very relevant and very cool."

Logan trained to be a ballerina while growing up in the Bay Area. She also modeled and acted, appearing in a national Miracle Whip commercial eating a sandwich in the 1980s when she was about 5.

She said she turned to contemporary and jazz dance to make more money. She danced in Broadway shows, a traveling performance called “Ballet Magique” and on Royal Caribbean cruises. She began teaching and doing choreography 10 years ago.

She left a post as artistic director at a West Sacramento studio to open this studio with her husband, James Bahn, who handles the business end of the studio.

Kids aged 6 to 18 can take beginning, intermediate and advanced classes in classical and contemporary ballet and contemporary dance, which may include modern, jazz, lyrical, African, new wave, hip hop and other types of dance or movement. Logan also offers classes that teach turns and leaps, and acting classes that teach stage presence.

She currently has 30 students. Half of them are in her dance troupe called the Contemporary Dance Conservatory Company. They take a dance company-level class, compete, perform and volunteer.

She also has a "ballet babies" class for children who are potty-trained and have good attention spans, up to age 5. The couple’s 2-year-old, John Michael Bahn, is in the class.

Logan is starting an adult contemporary class from 8 - 9 p.m. on Fridays. The class will be a mix of Pilates, ballet and contemporary dance moves, she said.

Logan looked at about 150 other buildings before finding the warehouse on Craigslist. But she said she wanted the studio to be in Midtown.

She learned from talking to neighbors and stepping inside that the warehouse had had a wild life. It was once used for rave dance parties. Local graffiti artists and muralists had painted on its interior walls.

“It was kind of like an art house, with people doing art in a free, open space,” she said. “I want to keep that feel.”

Windows were blacked-out, the walls had holes, the concrete floor had a thick layer of dirt and the space smelled of mold.

Despite its condition, she immediately fell in love with the warehouse, which sits behind a chain-link fence on a cul-de-sac that dead-ends at a levee near 26th and B streets.

"I just walked in and said it was perfect. I knew I could turn it into an urban chic studio," she said.

She and her husband spent $10,000 to renovate the space and another $10,000 on a 3,500-square-foot "sprung" dance floor that can be used in traveling shows. The two-layer floor has a shock-absorbing bottom layer covered by a slip-resistant vinyl floor.

Local muralist Sean Turner created a fresh new mural on a repainted dance studio wall. Other artists will be asked to paint on walls, too.

She plans to soon open a dance store. Sacramento has only one, Capezio Dance Theatre Shop in East Sacramento.

One of her students, 16-year-old Bradly Palmer, said he loves the studio because it's modern and huge and fits the dance company's mission.

"It speaks to what our studio's philosophy is and what we try to chase as dancers," he said. "It's about being fresh and innovative and finding a way to portray life in a way that's abstract and thoughtful, but simple."

Logan said her goal is to open a true conservatory in 10 years in Sacramento. She added that she wants to open the area's first private conservatory, where students can take classes in dance, acting, music and other art.

They would meet with math, history, English and science tutors during the day but do most regular school study independently at home at night, she said.

Television talent shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and “America’s Best Dance Crew” have created a surge of interest in dance classes among kids and adults. That's helped dance studios thrive in recent years, even during the recession, Logan said.

Palmer is a sophomore at West Sacramento Early College Prep Charter School. He grew up dancing hip hop but has only been studying ballet for one and a half years. Logan describes him as "on his way to being famous."

"He can act. He can sing. You'll see his name in bright lights one day," she said.

He takes classes five days a week at the studio. He said he's in training to be on the TV show "So You Think You Can Dance." But he has to wait until he's 18 before he can audition. Until then, he's one of a handful of boys studying with Logan. Palmer said he likes her teaching style.

"She knows how to teach dancers as individuals, which is important because everyone’s bodies are not the same," he said. "Because she's been there as a dancer, she knows how to teach us how to go out and become professionals."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Gönül's J Street Cafe and Formoli's Bistro swap locations

2011-06-07T01:15:11Z

Two East Sacramento restaurants with Mediterranean roots – Gönül's J Street Cafe and Formoli's Bistro – are trading places this month.

Gönül's will be the first to open in its new location. After eight years near the corner of 39th and J streets, owner Gönül Blum will open just six blocks away at 3260 J St. on Wednesday.

In about two weeks, chef Aimal Formoli and wife Suzanne Ricci will reopen their restaurant in Blum's former space at 3839 J St.

Blum first made an offer to switch locations with the couple two years ago because she wanted to downsize her restaurant.

"I have way too much room that I don't use," Blum said. "I just wanted something cozy."

With the move, Blum's restaurant is undergoing a reincarnation to become Vanilla Bean Bistro. Blum said she changed the name of the restaurant because customers had a hard time remembering it when they wanted to recommend the place to friends.

She will launch the restaurant with a summer menu and an infusion of vanilla beans. Blum will keep the same menu, dropping just a couple dishes and adding two more.

She'll add desserts with a vanilla bean base, such as vanilla gelato and Meyer lemon and orange marmalade bread pudding, using oranges and lemons from citrus trees at her home. Blum also will add vanilla beans to organic teas made with herbs she picks from her garden.

On a cold, wet morning last week, she brewed a tea made with sprigs of lemon verbena, lemon balm and mint and a freshly cut lemon in a cast-iron pot on the stove in her sunny yellow kitchen.

"The tea that I have in the restaurant – people love it," she said. "You can get really addicted to it."

Blum was born and raised in Turkey. The Mediterranean bistro food is a mix of French, Italian and Turkish recipes all influenced by Blum's creativity and using organic ingredients from local farms.

Farmers who are now her friends call her regularly to let her know what's ripe and drop produce off every other day. Blum also uses merlot and chardonnay grapes and grape leaves from her home vineyard in her cooking.

In a few months, she'll begin working to see if she can add tables on the sidewalk in front. The hours will remain the same: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sunday.

Formoli and Ricci, who runs the front of Formoli's, recently decided they were ready to move the 3-year-old restaurant to a bigger space. They are trading a 1,300-square-foot location that seats about 42 people for one that is double in size. Their new spot can seat more than 60 inside and other people in a sidewalk cafe out front.

The new American and Mediterranean bistro will keep the same cooking style, with a menu that changes every two months. Dishes include a warm date salad, eggplant portabella Napolean, stuffed dates and a pan-seared petit filet.

The restaurant’s last day in its original location was June 1. Formoli and Ricci said hope to open within two weeks.

Hours will change slightly – they're adding Saturday lunch and will start Sunday brunch soon after opening. Lunch hours will be 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Dinner will be served from 5:30 - 9 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, although the restaurant may stay open Friday and Saturday nights until 10 p.m.

A renovation is under way to change the yellow interior to an Italian or Mediterranean color scheme. They will also open up the kitchen, change bar seating and add new lighting. Having more space will allow them to add more kitchen equipment and have more than two people on the kitchen line.

That will also enable them to offer a farmers market brunch on Sundays, fresh baked bread from a pizza oven, more small plates and more desserts.

"I wanted to progress more as a chef," Formoli said. "The space I had was pretty limited."

Ricci said they're eager to expand the culinary offerings and be able to accommodate more customers while keeping the same ambiance and charming service.

"They put amazing food out. I want everyone to come in and get that experience," she said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

A new deli to fill your belly

2011-06-03T23:28:34Z

Midtown Deli is expected to open next week at the Alexan Midtown complex.

Subcontractor Butch Plank came up with the idea to open an upscale deli when working at the apartment complex while it was under construction in 2009 at the northeast corner of Alhambra Boulevard and S Street.

He plans to have a soft opening Monday and Tuesday, followed by a grand opening Wednesday.

Plank had a hard time finding sit-down restaurants nearby as he installed all the doors on 275 apartments at the site, which sits across from the California Department of Transportation.

The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, which is kitty-corner from the apartment complex, also has a deli with a dining area. But Plank wanted to open a full restaurant where people could relax without the bustle of the co-op.

"There was no place to eat down here," said Plank, who co-owns a door company, Michael Hopper Construction Company.

The Roseville resident also liked the neighborhood and the apartment complex itself. But he has no previous restaurant experience.

So Plank hired former Beach Hut Deli manager Jenny Hunt to manage the place after her brother, a plumber, introduced them. Hunt worked at a Beach Hut while growing up in Jackson and later managed several other Beach Huts.

"My only experience with delis was eating at them," Plank said.

Although the apartment complex was finished in January 2010, the corner space at 1899 Alhambra Blvd. had nothing more than a dirt floor inside when Plank decided to lease it last fall. The restaurant now holds booths with granite tables and other seating for 24, two wide-screen TVs and a new kitchen. A sidewalk patio will seat 14.

The restaurant will sell classic deli sandwiches, salads, paninis, wraps, soup, appetizers, beer and wine. It will also offer pastries and coffee for breakfast.

The hours will be 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Alexan Midtown Business Manager Megan Mier said office staff and tenants have been waiting eagerly for the deli to open.

"Our residents are very excited,” she said. “It'll be a great benefit for everyone.”

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Bows & Arrows moves, adds Fat Face cafe"

2011-06-03T18:28:19Z

The new location of Bows & Arrows has had a license to sell beer and wine since early May.

Bows & Arrows moves, adds Fat Face cafe

2011-06-03T01:27:00Z

Sacramento shopkeepers Olivia Coelho and Trisha Rhomberg will open a new take on their vintage clothing store Bows & Arrows this Saturday. And this time, they will not be alone.

The new Bows & Arrows, opening across from Safeway on 19th Street, will also sell the gourmet popsicles, panini sandwiches and other fare made by Jaymes Luu of Davis-based Fat Face cafe.

The new store, located in a former recording studio, will continue to sell clothes from the 1960s through the early 1990s. Coelho and Rhomberg will also sell refashioned clothing under their own label, Miss Chief of California.

The new store will also contain an art gallery, the cafe, and a beer and wine bar run by Coelho and Rhomberg.

Luu operated the Fat Face popsicle and sandwich shop in Davis. She's also sold popsicles in flavors such as Kaffir Limeade, Thai Tea & Sweet Potato or Melon Horchata at local farmers markets and at the recent mobile food vendor festival, SactoMoFo. She'll now operate Fat Face cafe from within Bows & Arrows.

From the entrance toward the back, the new store moves from a retail shop to an art gallery with cafe tables and then to the cafe. A courtyard patio was added in back.

"It is a multi-use building," Coelho said. "We wanted the spaces to feel distinctly their own, but also have an open flow so you could move throughout the space."

They closed their first store at 1712 L St. on April 30 to focus on furnishing the new space, which had been gutted and completely rebuilt. A kitchen, dressing rooms and new bathrooms were added. More light was let in with new front windows and double glass doors in back.

The recycling ethic and aesthetic has been carried throughout the space. While new lights hang in the art gallery and over the redwood bar, the rest of the lighting is supplied by vintage swag lamps.

Friend Matt Hummel made tables from salvaged wood and various bases, including a pair of antique cast iron Singer sewing machine bases. Salvaged doors and windows add privacy to dressing rooms and partially block a view of the train tracks from the 875-square-foot back patio.

The idea was to recreate the feel of being in someone's home while also being friendly to the environment, Rhomberg said.

"Why put a larger demand on the earth when we can use what's already here?" she said.

Much of what's inside will be either vintage or handmade, such as new art from emerging and established artists. Mixed-media artist Hilary Pecis, recently featured in Juxtapoz Magazine, will show her work at Bows & Arrows' opening-day reception.

Bows & Arrows will be open from 6 - 9 p.m. Saturday. The cafe will serve lunch and dinner five days a week. Regular hours will be 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

They're working to get an entertainment permit so they can showcase local musicians, filmmakers and other artists.

"Sacramento and Midtown, especially, are really flooded with a ton of talent – visually and musically," Rhomberg said. "There's so much to show to people. I love having a space to do that in – to show people what we're growing here."

Building Sacramento’s art scene by spotlighting local artists and giving them space to collaborate and feed off each other’s energy will help the city's economy grow, she added.

"It's going to be what puts us on the map," Rhomberg said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Handmade gelato, Italian cafe coming to Midtown"

2011-06-02T21:51:49Z

They hope to open the gelateria in July. An official grand opening will be held shortly after. The exact dates will be posted on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Devine-Gelateria-Cafe/183601335021889.

Suzanne Hurt on "River Cats lose in first game against Bees"

2011-06-02T05:41:34Z

Nice photos, Ron!

Handmade gelato, Italian cafe coming to Midtown

2011-06-02T01:05:49Z

An East Sacramento couple will open an Italian cafe specializing in handmade gelato and sorbetto in Midtown this summer.

Elizabeth and Brian McCleary decided to open Devine Gelateria & Cafe after she spent a month in Italy learning how to make the icy Italian confections. Elizabeth McCleary will operate the gelateria ("je LOT uhria") at 1221 19th St., where a Parisian boutique and cafe called Le Petit Paris closed last fall.

McCleary, who is part Italian, went through a four-level course to become a gelato maker at Carpigiani Gelato University near Bologna. She also spent a week working at the school's gelateria to get some real-life experience.

While there, an ABC TV crew interviewed her for a story about people making midlife career changes. But McCleary didn't decide to open a gelateria until long after returning home. She said she knew the shop would be a lot of work – but she also realized she really loved making Italy's ancient version of ice cream.

"It's just a different form of art and passion for me," she said. "For me, the love of making it, and having you bite into it and you love it – that's my reward. That's what drives me."

The couple wanted to open an authentic Italian cafe, which traditionally includes sandwiches, pastries, gelato and specialty coffees. Some cafes in Italy sell pizza rather than gelato, McCleary said.

They expect to open Devine in about five weeks.

McCleary worked as a media buyer at MeringCarson in Midtown and later co-owned another business.

She's been baking since age 12. But she didn't consider going into the food business until she, her husband and a friend talked about how she might change her career over dinner one night. The friend raved about gelato he'd sampled in Europe. Her husband had read about the school.

Opening gelaterias has been a trend for about five years. McCleary went through the school with about 40 people. Now others in her class are opening gelaterias in places such as Ottawa, Canada, and Singapore, she said.

She and a friend from Ottawa later learned advanced techniques in a three-day custom gelato course at PreGel America in North Carolina.

Now, McCleary knows the difference between gelato, sorbetto, sherbet and ice cream.

Gelato is a creamy, milk-based frozen dessert. Ingredients include milk, a little cream, sugar and natural flavors like chocolate, ground-up pistachio or vanilla bean, she said.

Sorbetto, or sorbet, is made with just fruit, water and sugar, which means it's dairy- and fat-free. Sherbet is a blend of the two, with a fruit base and a little milk and cream, but much less dairy than gelato.

Ice cream is mostly cream, a little milk, sugar and flavorings. A few gelatos and ice creams also include eggs.

Gelato is low-fat, with about a third of the fat and calories as most ice cream, she said.

She plans to sell 18 to 30 flavors of gelato, sorbetto and sherbet. She'll make traditional flavors such as dark chocolate, vanilla bean-infused vanilla and stratiatella, similar to chocolate chip. Her signature gelato will be mascarpone, which she learned to make in Italy.

"It is a big favorite of mine. I loved it so much, I couldn't stop eating it," she said.

McCleary will also rotate in specialty and seasonal flavors, such as pumpkin in the fall, peppermint in the winter, and in the summer, strawberry, peach and raspberry.

Gelatos have less air and more flavor than ice cream, partly because they're made with far less cream, which tends to coat the tongue and make it harder to taste flavor. Gelatos are also served at a warmer temperature, so tastebuds aren't frozen.

"You're not going to get brain-freeze from gelato," she said.

The cafe will also sell paninis, specialty coffees and homemade baked goods like cakes, pies, Italian biscotti and scones. She will buy the paninis from a local supplier but make nearly all other baked goods herself.

McCleary plans to offer desserts like her grandmother's pound cake, her dad's favorite pineapple upside down cake and her own Meyer lemon cheesecake. Her mother, Gloria DeMars, will help operate the shop.

The space is undergoing a complete renovation. Two kitchens are being added, including a "clean room" where only gelato, sorbetto and sherbet will be made.

Devine will be open 11 or 11:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 or 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon - 6 p.m. on Sunday. The shop will be closed Mondays.

Opening an authentic gelateria is expensive. New equipment alone costs $150,000 to $200,000. McCleary said she saved money by buying used equipment for a third of that from a Los Angeles shop that went out of business. The couple got loans and dipped into retirement savings to open the place.

"It's a big risk. I'm starting my life over," she said. "But I can't tell you how excited we are. My husband and I are excited and scared – all at the same time."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Sac City Rollers: Star-Spangled Splatter (photo essay)"

2011-06-02T00:54:08Z

That's an impressive victory. Would love to hear more about how the Capital Punishers managed to tromp so hard on the Undead Betties. Guess they're dead now.

Suzanne Hurt on "Food blogs growing in Sacramento"

2011-06-01T00:58:44Z

Thanks for sharing that, Joel!

Suzanne Hurt on "Food blogs growing in Sacramento"

2011-06-01T00:57:50Z

Sorry to have missed it, Melly53! Thanks for letting me know. If anyone else knows of additional food blogs, feel free to add them here and/or email me at suzanne@sacramentopress.com.

'Here We Build' arena campaign announced

2011-06-01T00:35:54Z

A regional campaign to finance a new arena officially launched Tuesday.

A coalition called "Here We Build" will work within a tight, 100-day deadline to evaluate what kind of financing mechanisms, fees or taxes might be used. While the list of 60 leaders is still being finalized this week, the coalition is expected to meet for the first time within about two weeks.

The group will be co-chaired by state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, a Democrat from Sacramento, and State Sen. Ted Gaines, a Republican from Roseville. Steinberg called on the region to unite behind the campaign to boost jobs, economic development and pride in the greater Sacramento area.

"It's time for everyone to get on board," he said in a press conference Tuesday. "It's time after a decade of talk and of work to finally get this done for the future of our great region."

Steinberg, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and nearly 20 supporters – including Gaines and many others who will serve in the coalition – gathered at the California State Railroad Museum to make the announcement.

The event was held in a cavernous exhibit hall with huge locomotives serving as a backdrop to symbolize the same attitude that built the first transcontinental railroad with Sacramento as the western terminus, Johnson and other speakers said.

Participants will be recruited from throughout the six-county region and represent a range of political, government and business interests on what Steinberg described as a nonpartisan issue.

"This is an issue that brings Democrats and Republicans together. That connects organized labor and business. That brings together the city of Sacramento and the six-county region – because it means something to all of us: Jobs, civic needs and sports, which brings us all together," Steinberg said.

San Francisco political strategist Chris Lehane, who co-chaired a mayoral arena task force, will serve as the entity's executive director. He'll oversee public outreach and organize community forums on the issue.

Regional supporters first gathered on the issue in April during Sacramento's effort to keep the Kings from moving to Anaheim. Those at Tuesday's press conference included Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna, Yolo County Supervisor Jimmie Yee, West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon, Downtown Sacramento Partnership Executive Director Michael Ault, Pat Fong Kushida from the Sacramento Asian Chamber of Commerce, Willie Pelote of AFSCME International, arena task force co-chair Lina Fat, Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn and Sacramento City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby.

On May 2, the Kings' co-owners, the Maloofs, announced they would give Sacramento until next March to make real headway on an effort to build a new arena.

The coalition's task will be to determine within about three months how to fund a new arena in order to keep construction on track for a 2015 completion date presented to the City Council last week.

The coalition will need to identify revenue streams and how much of a public contribution would need to be made, while staying away from any type of general tax increase, Steinberg added later.

Its members will work with an arena development team headed by ICON Venue Group and David Taylor, the National Basketball Association and the Maloofs, Johnson said.

"The clock is ticking," he said. "We know there is a deadline looming of March 1, 2012."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Food blogs growing in Sacramento

2011-05-30T19:56:37Z

Sacramento's growing food scene is being documented by an expanding community of local food bloggers.

The city and surrounding area have at least 30 blogs dedicated to two things all its residents have in common: food and eating.

Foodies can find blogs dedicated to cooking and eating locally, frugally, gluten-free or raw. There are also people who concentrate on baking, desserts, finding the best burger or even hunting and gathering ingredients.

"The world of food blogging is fascinating because there are so many camps," said Awake at the Whisk blogger Amber Stott.

"There are people who just do recipes. Then you've got people like Munchie Musings – she does a lot of restaurant reviews. It's more a melding of everything," Stott said.

"Then you've got people like me and Hank (Shaw), who are ultra-focused. If it's not local, I'm not writing about it."

Elise Bauer of Carmichael said she created the area's first food blog, Simply Recipes, and one of the first in the country in 2003. At that time, the only other food bloggers were writing from cities including San Francisco, Paris and New York.

"When I started, there were only a handful of food blogs in the whole world," Bauer said. "Now there are tens of thousands."

Today her blog has an international following of more than 5 million visitors a month.

The Sacramento area is home to other well-known food blogs, such as Shaw's Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, Garrett McCord's Vanilla Garlic, Kimberly Morales' Poor Girl Eats Well and Catherine Enfield's Munchie Musings.

Bloggers here write a lot about vegetarian and vegan cooking, eating less meat and eating locally sourced, seasonal food, said Lisa Howard, community manager of Sacramento Connect, a blogging network launched by The Sacramento Bee a little more than a year ago.

"I think that reflects a lot of the sensibilities in Northern California," Howard said. "I think Sacramento has some really good food writing."

Sacramento Connect has 20 to 22 food blogs among 140 blogging partners. Some food bloggers grew up baking and cooking with moms and grandmas and write about the family connection through cooking.

But there are others who blog for different reasons, such as the three guys behind RoSham Burger who started the blog as they searched for the region's best burger. They've since expanded the search to encompass the globe, Howard said.

"Blogging is big in Sacramento," she said. "What I love is it's a different genre than traditional journalism. So you get a different voice and a different perspective about what's going on in Sacramento."

Below are descriptions of 10 local blogs and a list of others. Food bloggers will be profiled each month on www.sacramentopress.com.

Awake at the Whisk
Conscious eater Amber Stott describes her blog with the tagline, "Living la vida Locavore." She focuses on eating, baking and cooking using fresh, seasonal ingredients from local farms and ranches and her own garden.

She writes about how to make a complete meal from the farmers market, personal gardening exploits such as trying to grow cilantro in Sacramento and what's in season. The blog also includes recipes, restaurant and book reviews, ways for consumers to take action and essays about life.

"When we eat with the seasons and from our local farmers, it's such a joyful experience. There's nothing better than buying a peach that is ready to burst from its skin," said Stott, who's also the director of development at Women Escaping A Violent Environment (WEAVE).

Baked Bree
Photographer Bree Hester started her recipe blog, Baked Bree, a little more than a year ago to show people how to cook. Hester had run her own portrait photography business and also launched the blog to have a part-time creative outlet as she raised three kids. Her blog now gets 250,000 page views a month, and she gets regular emails from other countries.

"I think one reason I didn't have a hard time getting a readership is everyone eats. People cook," she said.

With a husband in the Coast Guard, Hester leaves Tuesday for Fort Leavenworth, Kan. She's lived in five states and Canada in the last eight years. She said she'll miss having such easy access to fresh produce and other foods grown on nearby farms and ranches.

"I think California is a unique place because the ingredients here are unbelievable," she said. "Here I think we have such an opportunity to eat clean and eat well and eat local. The farmers markets here are unlike anything I've seen, and I've lived all over."

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
Former political reporter Hank Shaw does more than share wild game recipes. He takes readers on his forays from field and stream to table on his wild food blog, Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. He started hunting in 2002 and now hunts or fishes for nearly all his meat.

His blog won an award for best blog from the International Association of Culinary Professionals in 2010 and was nominated twice for best food blog by the James Beard Foundation. He's currently on the road, touring to promote his new book, "Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast."

Kitchen Travels
The tagline of Kitchen Travels is, "Exploring the world, one taste at a time." Dawn Balzarano loves to travel and came up with the idea to start her blog in late 2009 because she wanted to experience the world through food.

"Even if I am not able to travel to the many places I want to visit, I can get a taste of those places by cooking a meal or baking a dessert from the region," she said.

As a working parent, her focus has shifted to her life and her kitchen, and how cooking and baking fit into that life. Her posts may tackle gardening, home canning or the holidays. Recipes range from Drunken Fig jam and sugar cookies to fried smelt and homemade pasta.

Munchie Musings
CalPERS employee Catherine Enfield is the "Ms. Munchie" behind Munchie Musings, a blog about food and life. The blog is one of the city's most influential food blogs, according to Howard. Enfield is a passionate advocate for food trucks in Sacramento, which she writes about often.

She also posts restaurant reviews from Sacramento and places she travels, keeps a foodie calendar and provides links to cooking schools and other blogs. She said she considers the blog she started in December 2007 to be a hobby, but she was named News10's blogger of the month in April. Her site gets 4,000 to 5,000 views a month.

Poor Girl Eats Well
Kimberly Morales created her blog in 2008 during what she describes as her worst personal recession. The blog focuses on how to eat healthy food even on an extremely limited budget. Recipes include hearty steak and red bean chili at $2 per serving and pork and apple fajitas at $3.50 per serving.

Posts may focus on how to save money by bringing a brown bag lunch to work once a week or what she was able to buy for $25 at a farmers market.

The Raw Project
Christine Allen is documenting her transition to a highly raw, whole-foods vegan diet on
The Raw Project. She blogged that she's been health- and weight-conscious since she was at least a teen. Her desire to lead a healthy life pushed her to begin eating more raw foods in July 2009. Her blog features many recipes, such as banana chocolate kale chips and mushroom burgers.

Sac Foodies
Sac Foodies is a collection of 14 bloggers and public relations professionals at Fleishman-Hillard Sacramento. The majority of the firm's clients work in the food and wine industries.

"We really live and breathe this stuff on a day-to-day basis," said blogger Liz Conant, a senior account executive with the company.

The blog was started in 2007 by about seven employees as a way to contribute to the local food blog scene and to connect with other bloggers. The site focuses on Sacramento-area restaurant reviews, recipes and local events. Almost everyone in the office contributes to the blog.

"They're almost by default a member of Sac Foodies," Conant said.

Simply Recipes
Elise Bauer launched what’s believed to be Sacramento's first food blog, Simply Recipes, in 2003. She started the blog to maintain a positive focus and keep herself busy after becoming so sick from chronic fatigue that she needed to move back in with her parents.

Then 42, she realized working as a Silicon Valley consultant hadn't given her time to learn to cook. Her parents are both great cooks, and she realized she had a great opportunity to learn to cook from them. She also wanted to save family recipes. She got her own house nearby a year ago.

More than 100,000 people from as far away as Australia and New Zealand now read her blog each day. Bauer moved the cooking to her kitchen in Carmichael and hired food blogger Hank Shaw of Hunter Angler Gardener Cook to experiment and develop new recipes with her.

Vanilla Garlic
Pastry chef and food writer Garrett McCord operates one of Sacramento's longest-running blogs, Vanilla Garlic. Since 2006, his essays and posts have revolved around food, eating and life. He focuses heavily on desserts and cheese. McCord is a contributing writer at Edible Sacramento and writes the weekly "Food Stuff" for the Sacramento News & Review.

Other local food blogs include:
Adventures of a Food & Wine Diva
Appetizers
Cakegrrl
Chucrute com Salsicha
Dessert for Two
Elaine Baker's Pastry Playground
Everything Rachael Ray
Gluten Free Adventures
Just the Two of Us
Michael Tuohy's All About Food
Peanut Butter Boy
Rookie Cookery
Sacatomato
SacRag
Sacramento Spice
Undercover Caterer
Yumtacos
RoSham Burger
Crazy for crust
52 kitchen adventures

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Garlic Shack expects June opening

2011-05-27T23:59:11Z

The Garlic Shack is expected to open in Midtown in about two weeks once a renovation and inspections are complete, the restaurant's owner said Friday.

The opening was delayed by more than two months to bring in engineering services needed for the installation of a 17-foot-wide sliding glass garage door that will dominate the front of the building.

Sacramento County building inspectors wanted the installation plans drawn up for the space on a busy corner at 19th and J streets.

The door will be installed in two parts with a two-foot supporting pillar in the middle. An engineer was called in to ensure the installation will leave the building structurally sound, owner Ken Powers said.

"Everybody just wanted to make sure the building isn't going to fall," Powers said.

The door will open onto a patio facing J Street. The inside dining room will grow slightly after a server station leftover from former tenant Plum Blossom was reduced in size. A soffit or architectural feature that hung from the ceiling was also removed to open up the interior.

"It feels a lot brighter in there – and a lot bigger," Powers said.

On Friday, he and workers were clearing space in the kitchen so a new griddle and charbroiler can be installed next week.

The under-$15 menu at Garlic Shack will include plenty of – you guessed it – garlic.

He said he hopes to open the restaurant by Saturday, June 11, or within a few days of that. The restaurant must first pass final inspections by Sacramento County building and health inspectors and the Sacramento Fire Department, which will determine exact capacity.

The restaurant will be open from 11 a.m. - 10 or 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. However, Powers said he may put out a neon sign that says, "Open 'til whenever" and add breakfast down the road.

In a year, the restaurant may even be open 24 hours a day from Thursday through Sunday night, he said.

Powers and the building owner chose colors to make the corner vibrant and draw customers. The interior has been painted green and red. The exterior, which was brown and red, is being repainted blue and avocado green.

"I don't want to be rocking brown paint with red out here," he said.

A customer at a business across the street recently commented on the new color palette, according to Powers.

"He said, 'It looks like Miami over there,' " Powers added. "Just trying to make Midtown feel good."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Journalist Jonathan Mumm retires from News 10"

2011-05-27T16:21:30Z

Check out a slideshow on this uber-talented guy's memories on News10.net: http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=139379

Kings owners, NBA await arena next steps

2011-05-27T02:03:57Z

The Sacramento Kings' majority owners reacted positively to a new plan for a proposed $387 million arena project unveiled Thursday, but admitted they're anxious to see whether the plan can be turned into reality.

Developers told the Sacramento City Council a $241 million arena, with a total project cost of $387 million, could be built by early 2015 if a mix of public and private funding can be pulled together.

During a two-and-a-half-hour presentation, ICON Venue Group President Tim Romani, Sacramento developer David Taylor and others on an arena development team provided the public with many details of the plan.

Afterward, team co-owners Gavin and Joe Maloof told reporters they have a "very positive reaction" to the current prospects for building a new home for the Sacramento Kings.

"We have a lot better feeling now than we have in the past," Joe Maloof said in a press conference in the lobby of City Hall.

Acknowledging the plan as "a great first step," Gavin Maloof said the family is "anxiously looking forward to the next steps." He called on the region to help see the project get financed and built, rather than leaving an arena-building campaign to the city and Sacramento County as in earlier efforts.

"Hopefully we can get it done," Maloof said. "We need everyone's help. We need every single county to come forward to help in this effort. We need every city in this region to help out and come forward for this effort. It can't be done by one city and one county alone.

A 675,000-square-foot arena with 18,594 seats, 74 luxury suites, 2,080 premium and club seats and other amenities could be constructed, Romani said when the arena team presented an arena feasibility report at a special council meeting Thursday afternoon.

"We designed a building that we believe is right-sized for the market," Taylor told the City Council.

Power Balance Pavilion in Natomas, the current home of the Sacramento Kings, can seat up to 17,317 and has 30 luxury suites and 712 club seats.

The team also recommends that the public own the facility, Taylor said.

“We've got to make sure we protect our interests as a community,” he said.

The arena's construction is estimated to cost $241 million. Total project costs are estimated at nearly $387 million to include start-up expenses, sales and marketing, land acquisition and site development, design and other professional services, project administration, and more than $16 million in fees and permits applied by the city and other entities, Romani said.

Most arena projects around the country see permit costs of 1 percent, said Romani, adding the team was surprised to discover that.

The cost per square foot in 2013 would be $358, compared to an average of $362 per square foot for 12 other NBA arenas built recently, said Dale Koger, vice president and general manager of Turner Construction Sports.

“This building is exciting, it's efficient and it's very cost-effective," he said.

The developers couldn't provide the council with a list of financing options developed specifically for the Sacramento region Thursday after the Maloofs didn't turn over financial information until recently.

A location on city land in the downtown railyards is preferred. But city land in Natomas could also hold a new entertainment and sports complex where the National Basketball Association team would be the anchor tenant. About $3.4 million in site work costs could be saved if the facility is built in Natomas, Romani said.

Only three out of 30 NBA teams play in arenas that aren't located in downtowns.

"Every other team in the NBA does, in fact, play in a downtown-located facility. Clearly, the trend is there," Romani said.

The NBA-compliant arena has been designed to be compact and intimate and to comply with National Hockey League guidelines. The facility would also be integrated with plans for a regional transit center the city plans to build on adjacent railyards land, according to the team.

The arena's size, amenities and on-site practice facilities could change following dialogue with the Kings' owners, the Maloof family, and other stakeholders.

The owner of the arena would be a public entity, most likely a joint powers authority. Officials, developers and the Maloofs still need to discuss whether the Maloofs, the city or someone else would be the arena developer and/or operator. By including a third-party developer or operator, the possible sources of private funding would be bigger, according to the report.

Developers proposed Power Balance Pavilion be turned into an office complex. An appraiser hired by the team determined the 185 acres of city land there is worth between $8.5 million to $11.6 million today, but may double in value within three years, Taylor said.

Council members also reacted positively to the plan. Councilman Rob Fong noted he and others on the council have worked "long and hard" to get a new facility built.

"This is a great day for the city of Sacramento," Fong said. "We have never been (nearly) this far down the road."

The developers have put together a list of possible financing sources. They used information from five similar NBA markets to create the arena's design and programming.

In order for the arena to be completed by early 2015, the environmental review of the project must begin this summer and be completed by the summer of 2012, design must begin in September and construction must begin by January 2013.

The focus will now shift to how the facility will be paid for, Mayor Kevin Johnson said.

Under a 100-day plan, developers and government officials must come up with the financing model and funding options by August. Funding must be secured by the March 2012 deadline set by the NBA and the Maloofs, who agreed to keep the Kings in Sacramento until then to give the city time to work on the arena effort.

Several people applauded Johnson, the city and developers for their work on the feasibility study during the public hearing portion of the meeting. Downtown Sacramento Partnership Executive Director Michael Ault, Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau President Steve Hammond and Sacramento Metro Chamber President Matt Mahood were among a handful of people who made comments.

The NBA also reacted positively to the feasibility report. League officials are "encouraged" by the process that's been undertaken and the support for a new arena that's come from Johnson, business leaders and fans, NBA Commissioner David Stern later said.

"The focus now is moving forward in developing a public-private partnership financing model that will bring a new arena to fruition," Stern said in a prepared statement. "That is priority No. 1 in Sacramento for all of us.”

The facility could be finished in time for the 2014 NBA season if enough funding becomes available to speed up the process, Romani said.

"I'm here to tell you that all the key ingredients are here in Sacramento," Romani said. "Power Balance Pavilion has served the city well for the last 26 years. But clearly, its best days have come and gone."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter at The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Developers present arena plan details

2011-05-26T20:34:24Z

Developers say Sacramento could build a $241 million arena, with a total project cost of $387 million, by early 2015 if a mix of public and private funding can be pulled together, according to a feasibility report presented to the city Thursday.

The ICON-Taylor team says a 675,000-square-foot arena with 18,594 seats, 74 luxury suites, 2,080 premium and club seats and other amenities could be constructed.

Power Balance Pavilion in Natomas, the current home of the Sacramento Kings, can seat up to 17,317 and has 30 luxury suites and 712 club seats.

A location on city land in the downtown railyards is preferred, but city land in Natomas could also hold a new entertainment and sports complex where the National Basketball Association team would be the anchor tenant.

About $3.4 million in sitework costs could be saved if the facility were built in Natomas, according to the report being presented at a special City Council meeting Thursday afternoon.

The railyards site would present the most potential to "create jobs, activate downtown and enhance transit connectivity," the developers wrote in an executive summary. The "Natomas site (is) also feasible, but would mean Sacramento remains one of only three NBA cities with arenas not based in downtown areas."

The development team, which began making a presentation to the council at 1 p.m. Thursday, includes ICON Venue Group President Tim Romani, Sacramento developer David Taylor and representatives from the design firm Populous and Turner Construction. The group arrived at City Hall Thursday morning to do a dry run of the presentation.

The arena's size, amenities and on-site practice facilities could change following dialogue with the Kings' owners, the Maloof family, and other stakeholders.

The developers have put together a list of possible financing sources. They used information from five similar NBA markets to create the arena's design and programming.

The facility could be finished in time for the 2014 NBA season if enough funding becomes available to speed up the process, according to the report.

Plan for $386m arena lacks financing details

2011-05-26T01:28:58Z

Arena developers are expected to unveil plans to build a new Sacramento arena, reportedly at a cost of $386 million, at a special City Council meeting Thursday – but they're not sure how to finance it just yet.

The ICON-Taylor team will discuss the possible design, amenities, location and cost to construct an arena in a 1 p.m. presentation at City Hall.

The team's feasibility analysis determined that both public and private financing will be required for the project. Without either, the project wouldn't be feasible, according to a staff report released Wednesday.

Sacramento County voters rejected a plan to build a $600 million, 1 million-square-foot arena in 2006. The city also chose not to work with developers who proposed $600 million projects at a February 8 City Council meeting. The Icon-Taylor team is expected to reveal plans for an arena that is less than 700,000 square feet in size.

Arena supporters, including the Sacramento Kings' owners, are likely to have an easier time getting support for public financing because the new plan will be scaled down in cost and size, Sacramento City Councilman Rob Fong said Wednesday.

"If we're starting with a smaller number to begin with, the task is not as great," Fong said. "Anything we can do to make sure we're being efficient, I think, is a plus."

Despite repeated requests from the city, the Maloofs – who control a majority share of the team – didn't turn over revenue information until after announcing May 2 they would keep the team in Sacramento another year. The Maloofs reportedly turned over financial statements just last week.

The developers were given 90 days to study the viability of building a new arena in Sacramento. The deadline was later extended to May 26.

The team won't be able to provide the council with a list of financing options developed specifically for the Sacramento region as expected, according to the staff report.

"Given that the proprietary financial data of the Sacramento Kings was not made available to the ICON-Taylor team until 80 days into the analysis, coupled with the city's focus on addressing its fiscal year budget and the need to integrate regional components beyond the scope of the work plan, the feasibility study is confined to identifying an appropriate financing model and not providing a specific financing plan," staff wrote in the report.

The analysis is expected to include cost comparisons based on whether a new arena is built on city land at the downtown railyards or on land in Natomas adjacent to or on the site of the Kings' current home, Power Balance Pavilion.

City staff posted a graphic rendering of a swank new arena located in the railyards from global design firm Populous' graphic on the city website Wednesday afternoon. (Link to city website)

The council is being asked to give city staff 100 days to review the developers' study and then report back to the council.

The city manager will set up a technical review team of at least nine people, including the heads of several city departments, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, Sacramento Regional Transit, Sacramento County and sports facility consultants the city may hire to assist with the evaluation.

In February, at least two teams vying to develop a new arena estimated the cost to build an arena and surrounding infrastructure and supporting development such as hotels, restaurants and retail to be at least $600 million. The ICON-Taylor team was chosen to conduct a feasibility study after its leaders said they expected an arena wouldn't cost much more than $300 million.

Once the report has been presented to the city, staff will work with other government agencies in the area to develop financing options.

City Treasurer Russ Fehr said Wednesday he couldn't comment until the council directs staff to work on the project.

Former Kings star Chris Webber said early this month he's putting together a team of investors to fund a new arena. On Tuesday, a story surfaced saying Webber met recently in Sacramento with potential investors including Manny Pangilinan, chairman of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company and owner of two Philippine Basketball Association teams.

A tour of Power Balance Pavilion reportedly took place. Pangilinan was quoted by an English-language daily in the Phillipines, Cebu Daily News, saying he would want to own a majority stake in the Kings if he invests in the team.

The Maloofs could not be reached for comment. Representatives of Maloof Sports and Entertainment said they weren't aware of such a tour.

"I wouldn't comment on that," said Darrin May, executive director of media relations for the Kings.

Council members are eager to learn more about what an arena might cost and how it will be paid for, Councilman Kevin McCarty said.

"The overarching question ... is, what's the path to paying for that?" McCarty said. "I'm still waiting, and I think the rest of the city is waiting, too, to see what that looks like."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Arena report set for Thursday

2011-05-25T01:26:23Z

A new arena for Sacramento is likely to cost nearly $400 million and will likely have the Kings as tenants but not operators, the mayor said Tuesday.

The cost of the entire project, which would build a new arena from the ground up, is expected to be far lower than the $600 million proposed to build an arena in 2006 – partly because the recession has lowered construction costs and partly because the plans will call for a "smaller but yet world-class venue" of less than 700,000 square feet that fits the region's needs, according to Mayor Kevin Johnson.

Power Balance Pavilion, the Kings’ current home, is 442,000 square feet.

"The viability of this project happening in Sacramento is real," Johnson said in a press conference at City Hall. "We have the best in the business right now looking at it."

In a special City Council meeting set for Thursday afternoon, arena developers will present a report on a feasibility study that will outline the options that exist for building a new facility. The presentation will give council members and the public a first look at the study’s results.

The cost is still being finalized before the meeting, but the price will be under $400 million – somewhere between $350 million to $395 million, said Johnson, who dispelled recent reports the arena price tag will be $370 million.

"I don't think 370 is accurate. I actually haven't seen the final number. I've been told that's not an accurate number," he said. "I do think it will be under $400 million, which is important."

The ICON-Taylor development team will reveal the expected cost, possible revenue streams, financing options, location analysis, design, facility programming and timelines at 2 p.m. Thursday at City Hall. The developers have been working on the study since early February.

Johnson reiterated that a public-private partnership will be needed to pay for a new arena. Developers are putting together a variety of public financing options and types of partnerships to be considered.

After the feasibility study is presented to the council Thursday, developers and officials must start work to determine how much private money will be available to help pay for an arena and how much of a gap remains that may be filled by public financing.

Maloof Sports and Entertainment, which co-owns and controls the Kings, is likely to make a contribution to that partnership by being just the major tenant – and not the arena's year-round operator. If so, the city will need to find an arena operator, Johnson said.

Johnson said he's been talking with everyone who may be interested in playing a role in the arena effort, including Tim Leiweke, president of AEG, which owns and operates the Staples Center in Los Angeles, the Sprint Center in Kansas City and many other sports facilities.

City officials will be asked to decide whether to contribute land the city owns – most likely a site at the downtown railyards.

Next week, the mayor will announce a regional commission being pulled together to spearhead a campaign to build the arena. Johnson said it is too early to talk about what kind of contribution might be made from cities and counties in outlying areas.

The Maloofs announced May 2 that the Kings will remain in Sacramento another year. At that time, the Maloofs and the National Basketball Association set a March 1 deadline for the region to make a substantial effort to provide the team with a new home.

City officials hope to have arena financing and other issues solved by November or December, Johnson said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Sacramento actor learning how to stand out in Hollywood

2011-05-24T01:03:10Z

Sacramentan Joel Thompson wasn't expecting his acting career to launch as quickly as it has.

After recently refocusing on a passion discovered as a kid, the 32-year-old will start work in five weeks as the lead in his first feature-length film. Thompson will play a young cop in the psychological thriller, "The Genetic Code."

He's already done featured extra work in "Moneyball," starring Brad Pitt, which is set to open this fall, and in the Tuskegee Airmen movie "Red Tails" produced by George Lucas, which is still in production. He also has a bit part in a big movie he said he can't talk about yet.

Thompson co-owned The Corner Restaurant and Bar with his father, Jerry Thompson, until two weeks ago. Joel Thompson said he has been surprised not only because things are happening so fast but by how much entertainment industry people value his restaurant experience and background as a Morgan Stanley financial adviser.

He actually includes newspaper articles about The Corner in audition packages. The restaurant and his financial skills have been used as conversation starters and get talked about during auditions, he said.

"Casting producers love that you have a life outside of acting," he said by phone from Hollywood, where he now lives.

Producers have also been interested in his talent as a drummer – he played for Phrenik and other bands in Los Angeles and Sacramento – and that he's writing a screenplay for a film he'd like to star in and produce.

"You're like, 'Hey – I'm doing this and I'm doing that and I'm doing this.' All of this is just one more quarter in the slot machine. Just one more thing to get you noticed," Thompson said. "And that's really what Hollywood and the film industry is about. You've got to create your own heat."

His tendency to have many things going on at once comes from his high-energy personality and his parents' lesson to always have a backup plan and be ready to make a change when needed.

His mom, Joyce Thompson, worked for the state. His dad is a real estate broker and restaurateur who opened Crawdad's River Cantina and other restaurants.

Growing up in the Arden Park area, Thompson started acting with the Sacramento Theater Company when he was 8. He did his first TV commercial a year later and got the lead role in the play “Charlie Brown” when he was 10 or 11.

"I was a hyper child, to say the least. Always kind of the center of attention and wanted to be the center of attention. Theater was a natural progression for me – or for my parents to throw me into," he said.

"My parents, God bless them, took me to rehearsals, singing lessons, drum lessons... and dancing lessons from a young age up through high school," he added.

Thompson got more into music and drumming while at Rio Americano High School. He got a job learning the financial services business with Wachovia Securities in Sacramento at age 20. He also spent two years in Los Angeles, working as a financial adviser for Morgan Stanley by day and playing drums at night.

He returned to Sacramento in 2004 to spend time with his younger brother, John, before he died of cancer.

Thompson formed a small financial firm with friends, then spent a year in Arizona at another financial services company. He returned to Sacramento in June 2009 to open The Corner with his dad. Thompson began pursuing acting again at the same time.

The income allowed him to take acting classes and pursue auditions in Sacramento, San Francisco and Southern California. At times, he operated the restaurant and bar from afar.

Since then, he's studied with several acting coaches: actor Cody Dorkin, owner of Sacramento talent management company Studio 24; Mary McCusker, set coach for the NBC TV show "Parenthood;" Kirsten Dunst's coach John Homa and Lesly Kahn, the "god of sitcom training," he said.

His network has played a big role in making things happen so quickly, he said.

"It's a lot about who you know. It is a combination of hard work, who you know, and you just have to have the will," he said.

Living in Southern California also has helped. He now auditions 10 times a week, while in Sacramento, he auditioned once a week here or in the Bay Area.

Thompson has put his career on track by working with the right people, said Dorkin, who now manages Thompson's career.

"Most people that are pursuing this go to L.A. and they spend five or six years just spinning their wheels," he said.

"He's just been down there for a little bit."

In January 2010, Dorkin sent him on his first adult audition. Thompson saw the thousands of other people auditioning for the Motorola commercial and thought he was crazy to try out. He auditioned for a short film in San Jose on the same day and got both parts.

A month later, he spent two days working on set at Industrial Light & Film with George Lucas. He had a small walk-on part with no lines.

"I think I was ‘Italian One.’ But it was my first real-big experience," Thompson said. "Being directed by George Lucas – it was a surreal moment for me."

He plays a cameraman in "Moneyball." With tons of people on the set, he didn't interact with Pitt or costar Robin Wright. But he chatted a lot with Jonah Hill, who starred in "Superbad" and "Get Him to the Greek."

Thompson has worked in some other short films, including "Daddy's Little Girl," directed by ex-Splender front man Waymon Boone. Boone wrote the script and will direct "The Genetic Code.” He’s producing the movie with Homa, Justin Finney and Jeff Dockweiler, in association with Boone’s independent production company, Boondock Films.

In the film, which is part action movie and part love story, Thompson will play a cop named Jack Forrester in a grungy Los Angeles 30 years in the future.

He tells others the way to stand out in Hollywood is to get themselves in the business by doing commercials and extra work, making their own movies if needed and getting in touch with as many people as they can.

"You have to go in there and create your own destiny," he said. "Go out there and ‘git’ it. That's the stand-out part."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "Sacramento Concerts, Music Events, and The Local Music Scene This Week"

2011-05-22T03:12:29Z

Thanks for the roundup, Ann!

Power Balance arena pros and cons

2011-05-20T23:50:37Z

Power Balance Pavilion isn't being passed by on concert tours or by the National Collegiate Athletic Association because of anything wrong with it physically.

The facility is good enough for Lady Gaga and Britney Spears to play there this spring and summer. The arena which has been the long-time home to the Sacramento Kings has many good points, according to people who've spent a lot of time there.

However, some big conventions and events, primarily religious conventions, have skipped Sacramento altogether because the arena isn't close to enough hotels.

Its money-making capacity is hindered by the smaller number of seats and luxury suites, compared to newer arenas.

Other problems exist because it is an aging arena that lacks opulence and more comfort, and it may not have been as well maintained as it could.

NCAA has no problems with Sacramento’s arena

City officials and business leaders have pointed to the fact that the NCAA basketball tournament hasn't played here since 2007 as proof the arena must not be good enough for the Kings.

NCAA basketball tournament rounds staged here in 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2007 sold out the arena. But the last time the Sacramento Sports Commission put in a bid to bring the tournament back – believed to be 2009 – Sacramento wasn't chosen.

City officials got no details about how that decision was made from the person who gave them the news, commission Executive Director John McCasey said.

"His comment was the city has to work on its arena issues," McCasey said. "They never ever had the courtesy to tell us why."

But the NCAA executive overseeing all championships said the basketball tournament has not returned simply because the honor of hosting the games must be rotated among cities. Sixty to 70 cities put in bids to host 12 basketball slots each year, said Greg Shaheen, the NCAA's interim executive vice president of championships and alliances.

Power Balance Pavilion has no physical or size limitations to the NCAA tournament playing there. In fact, the tournament doesn't even use NBA buildings for all the slots. Campus buildings and other sports facilities like the Honda Center in Anaheim have been used, said Shaheen, who visited what was then Arco Arena in 2002 and 2007.

When it comes to arenas, the needs of the tournament are not the same as the needs of the Kings, its permanent tenant, he added.

"It's not an apples to apples comparison," said Shaheen, adding the person who informed Sacramento about the lost NCAA bid was likely referring to the fact the NCAA was monitoring discussions about a new arena in Sacramento.

Seat capacity may be biggest challenge to concerts and shows

Concerts and other shows face challenges there because there's only one loading dock and extra riggers must be used to hang sound and lighting equipment from steel beams hanging from the ceiling at an angle to the stage.

Arenas are notoriously difficult places for sound reproduction. The sound at Power Balance is not as good as other facilities, but it's unclear whether that's because of the arena, the production company or people coming through on tour.

Bette Midler got fantastic sound there after sending an advanced sound specialist and Neil Diamond has played the arena many times, said Susie Owens, a stagehand who's helped set up and take down shows at the arena since it opened in November 1988.

Shows face bigger problems at other venues, primarily theaters. Many old vaudeville theaters are still being used for productions.

"I've worked in so many places that are so much worse than that and have so many ridiculous things that are still in operation," Owens said. "I just walk in and go, 'Oh mother of god – what are we doing here?' You literally have to put your show in with a shoehorn. At Arco, you just don't have to worry about that sort of stuff."

Dressing rooms are nothing special but that doesn’t stop people from touring there. The biggest obstacle to shows and possibly concerts is the arena only seats up to 17,317 people, said Owens, who helped load Cirque du Soleil in and out of the arena last weekend

Smaller shows usually go to bigger facilities to make enough money to cover tour costs, then extend tours and go to smaller venues only if they can.

Owens said she would like a new arena to be built out of self-interest – that's where she works – and so a wider variety of shows can be put on in a more comfortable environment with better sound. Power Balance has been a good investment that has served the region well, she said.

"I certainly understand why people don't want to spend the money that way – that people want to spend it on education, and when police and firefighters are showing up at the city council wanting to keep their jobs, you want to support them," she said.

Despite any problems, the arena is popular for concerts. Shows don't skip the arena because of any production issues, according to Live Nation Entertainment, whose subsidiaries include Ticket Master, Live Nation Concerts and an artist management company.

"The Power Balance arena is very widely used and continues to be a successful venue in the market," said Jodi Goodman, senior vice president of Northern California for Live Nation.

"Little stands in the way of shows playing Power Balance Pavilion if a tour has enough dates on their routing schedule for secondary markets. Sacramento is always at the top of the list."

More arena pros and cons

Representatives from Maloof Sports & Entertainment and the National Basketball Association were not available to comment on why they believe a new arena is needed in Sacramento or to provide a tour of Power Balance Pavilion.

Interviews with others touched on pros and cons of the existing facility.

The arena hasn't been well maintained over the years. Problems include smelly bathrooms; an outdated kitchen; uncomfortable, small plastic seats; and a small, broken-down visitor's locker room considered one of the worst in the league, said sports reporter Marty McNeal, who covered the Kings for The Sacramento Bee, where he worked from 1990-2009. He currently blogs on Marty Mac's World.

The Kings' locker room, however, was renovated six or seven years ago and is quite nice, he said.

Most modern arenas now have twice as many as luxury boxes as Power Balance Pavilion, which has 30.

Some people are fairly happy with the luxury suites, which come in two sizes. Some hold 26 people and some hold half that.

They have an intimate setting because they're small, close to other fans and each comes with a set of regular seats outside right in front of the box.

Suites have their own bathrooms, TVs and really good service – sometimes from just one person assigned to that box. They're not as isolated as luxury boxes at other arenas, said Doug Elmets, spokesman for Thunder Valley Casino Resort and its owner, the United Auburn Indian Community.

The tribe sponsors a luxury box at the arena and recently pledged $1 million toward the effort to stop the Kings from moving to Anaheim. Elmets previously worked for Arco and the oil company's arena suite was managed through his office.

"One of the real hidden benefits of the suites at Arco is it's much more intimate than I've experienced at other arenas," Elmets said. "It's rarified air but not too snobby."

He described the suites as beautiful but a little outdated. New arenas have more cushy and luxurious suites.

"They could certainly be more opulent," he said. "They're sufficient, but they are not opulent."

McNeal agreed, saying, "There's not a bit of opulence around that joint."

However, others said luxury boxes are "a bit tired" and small luxury boxes are cramped and awkward, making entertaining difficult. They're not laid out as well for viewing and acoustics could be better, said Tom Kandris, chief executive officer and managing director of American River Packaging, another of the 30 companies whose financial commitments to the Kings kept the team in town.

The first three rows of premium seats are right on the floor. That arrangement means other premium seats are close to the floor rather than set back like at other arenas, said Kandris, whose company has both premium seats and a luxury box.

Business executives like Kandris want to keep the Kings in Sacramento and see a new arena built because basketball games are good places to bring people together and build relationships with employees and customers. They also think having an NBA team and a new arena is a vital boost to the community's image, he said.

"A lot of business owners are not trying to save basketball per se. They're trying to create and enhance civic pride.... and show the community has spirit," Kandris said. "My love for the community is larger than my love of basketball."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

K Street Mall projects closer to groundbreaking

2011-05-20T04:48:53Z

Redevelopment projects for the 700 and 800 blocks of K Street cleared a final hurdle on their way to the Sacramento City Council when the city's Preservation Commission approved both Thursday night.

The commission called a special meeting to consider the final major design components after both projects were approved by the Planning Commission last week. A City Council vote of approval, which will be set for sometime in June, would mean groundbreaking could finally begin on two key blocks of K Street Mall that have long been eyesores.

The projects will add 337 mixed-income apartments in the downtown core, rehab the landmark Bel-Vue Apartments and restore all but one of the building façades on the south side of the 700 block of K Street. The projects were both approved unanimously by the five commissioners present.

Activists in the city's preservation and housing communities have worked long and hard for housing and historic preservation there. The community raised an outcry over a previous project that proposed tearing down the Bel-Vue, recalled Preservation Commission Chair Karen Jacques.

"Finally, we are going to see some really nice development on both the 700 and the 800 blocks of K Street. That's a huge boost for this city," she said. "Those two blocks have been a disaster for so long. With these projects, the historic buildings are getting saved."

The special meeting was held Thursday, rather than waiting for the commission's next scheduled meeting in June, to get the projects to the council as soon as possible. The projects may qualify for redevelopment funding that is at risk of being lost if Gov. Jerry Brown abolishes redevelopment agencies to help solve the state's budget woes.

No one is certain when that might happen. Some officials and developers fear it could be as soon as June 30.

In addition, developers want to get the projects under way to get lower bids during an economic downturn when little construction is taking place, said YHLA Architects principal Bob Lindley, who represented developers of the 800 block before the commission.

Commissioners also approved establishing a Preservation Commission subcommittee to meet with the developers of the 800 block: David Taylor Interests, Domus Development and the city's Redevelopment Agency, which is the property owner. The subcommittee will work with the developers on minor changes and was set up Thursday night to help expedite the project.

Plans for the 800 block are to rehab the landmark Bel-Vue Apartments at 1123 Eighth St. and integrate the historic property with a new addition and an adjacent new building at 800 K St., bringing 200 new or renovated apartments to the block. The entire project will contain 23,000 square feet of retail space.

The four-story 801 L St. building will be constructed as an addition to the three-story Bel-Vue. The combined structure will be nearly 82,000 square feet with 56 residential units and 11,000 square feet of retail and 10,000 square feet of ground-level parking.

The Bel-Vue building's ground-floor retail storefronts will be renovated and wrapped around the alley corner so that it faces the alley. The Bel-Vue's 26 apartments will be modernized, brought up to code and outfitted with bigger kitchens and bathrooms. Non-historic buildings will be demolished to make way for the new addition, which will feature a landscaped internal courtyard.

The corner of Eighth and K streets, which has long sat empty, will hold a nearly 193,000-square-foot, six-story building with 12,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, 144 apartments, a landscaped, internal courtyard and basement parking. The exterior of the 800 K St. building will be a modern interpretation of the Art Deco style.

For the 700 block, developers D & S Development, Inc., and CFY Development Inc. – led by David Miry, son Bay Miry and partner Steve Lebastchi, and Cyrus Youssefi and his son, Ali Youssefi – will build a six-story apartment building with 137 units and a parking garage that's nearly 28,000 square feet.

The backs of six buildings will be demolished to make way for construction of the apartment building. The number of apartments was decreased from 153 to incorporate the commission's earlier suggestions to make the rooftop and alley-facing exterior less flat, Ali Youssefi told the commission.

The project also would involve restoring all storefronts except one and turn 64,881 square feet of retail into a live music club, four restaurants with bars and shops. The block would feature sidewalk patio seating in front of nearly every ground-floor space, open-air mezzanines and rooftop decks for dining, bars or residential use.

Groundbreaking for work in the 700 block is expected to happen by the end of 2011 or early 2012. The project should be completed within two years, Youssefi said.

Groundbreaking for the 800 block project is expected to begin in early spring of 2012. The project should be completed by late 2013, said Ellen Warner, a partner at David S. Taylor Interests.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Clark's Corner takes over landmark home of Shakey's pizza

2011-05-19T00:28:54Z

An East Sacramento native is taking over the corner building that was home to the original Shakey's Pizza Parlor and later Sweetwater – turning what was most recently The Corner Restaurant & Bar into Clark's Corner.

New owner Clark Branscum grew up playing Little League baseball in East Sacramento and chowing down on Shakey's Pizza at 57th and J streets after games.

Branscum spent five years in San Francisco, where he was a partner in two Marina District establishments: a restaurant and bar called U Street Lounge on Union Street and Kelley's Tavern on Fillmore Street.

Now 30, Branscum recently bought The Corner Restaurant & Bar business and building after the previous owner decided to focus on acting. Branscum is remodeling the space and plans to open Clark's Corner there as his first solo venture on May 27.

"It's kind of an iconic landmark in East Sacramento. There's always been a restaurant in that building since there was a Shakey’s," Branscum said. "It's nice to come full circle and to own the place I used to go to after baseball games as a kid."

In 1954, Sherwood "Shakey" Johnson – who got his nickname from nerve damage caused by malaria contracted during World War II – and his partner, Ed Plummer, opened the first Shakey's Pizza at the site of a former grocery store at 5641 J St.

Joyce and Jerry Thompson bought the building and operated the Shakey's Pizza Parlor in the early 1990s. A fire in the late 1990s closed the business and the building lay vacant. The family later reopened the place as East End Bar & Grille, then sold the business to another operator who opened Sweetwater Restaurant and Bar.

After Sweetwater moved, Jerry and son Joel opened "The Corner" on Oct. 4, 2009, as partners. Joel Thompson developed the concept and operated the restaurant and bar.

The family put the business and building up for sale after Thompson's acting career blossomed. The ability to own the building into which he'd pour remodeling money sold Branscum on opening his business there.

He also considered the corner location that formerly housed Cornerstone at 2330 J St., and Le Petit Paris at 1221 19th St., which closed in September 2010.

Remodeling those locations would have cost far more than Branscum was willing to spend as a tenant, he said.

"This is a risky industry. It's harder if you don't own the building," Branscum said this week while at a restaurant supply shop with Executive Chef Marlaw Seraspi.

He also liked the building's location and friendly neighborhood vibe, as well as its history and place in his childhood.

The Corner’s last day of business was May 11.

Branscum is doing a minor remodel inside and overhauling a 1,600-square-foot patio he described as a hidden gem. He's giving the patio street visibility by removing bushes, trees and a wooden fence. He's installing an iron lattice fence with a gate for street access and raising a canopy to allow more sunlight into the space.

New furniture, landscaping and potted plants are being added. Branscum plans to add a waterwall – a water feature running down a wall – and a fire pit within the next few months. Dogs will be welcome out there, said Branscum, who has a golden Labrador retriever.

"It's just a gem of a patio,"he said. "I don't believe you should waste a single square foot in your restaurant."

The exterior will get a touchup with new paint and awnings. The interior will be repainted in light neutrals. New carpet will be installed and bathrooms will get makeovers. The dining room will be reconfigured by removing a partition. A new pizza oven and other kitchen appliances are being added.

"We're getting the kitchen all tricked out the way we like it," said Branscum, who attended the California Culinary Academy.

The menu of classic American and pub food is still being finalized. Items include roasted beet salad with hazelnuts, goat cheese and a sherry orange vinaigrette; a pulled pork sandwich with chipotle mayonnaise, local cheddar cheese and pickled veggies; and pan-roasted petrale sole.

Clark's Corner will be open daily from 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. The kitchen will likely close at 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday. The bar may also close early Sunday through Wednesday if no one is there. A cook will be working until 2 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday so the kitchen can serve food until the bar closes, Branscum said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Chamber leader's legacy may be collaborative region

2011-05-18T00:41:20Z

Sacramento Metro Chamber President and CEO Matt Mahood leaves behind a more unified business community as he moves on to take over the helm of the San Jose chamber this summer, colleagues and associates said Tuesday.

Mahood, 45, has a reputation for being upbeat and optimistic, even as he's guided the chamber through the recession. He served as a dynamic leader for the organization and a spokesman for the region on local, state and national level s.

At 6 feet 7 inches, he towers over many of those he works with in business and politics. He's known for being thoughtful and having an even-handed way for approaching issues in the job he's held for nine years.

His most lasting legacy in Sacramento may be his work as a collaboration builder garnering support for crucial policy decisions and economic development efforts.

Mahood became a prominent leader in the effort to stop the Sacramento Kings from leaving and to rally regional support for a new arena. He led a push that gathered more than $10 million in financial support for the Kings from regional businesses if the team stayed another year.

"Matt was a force of nature," said PRIDE Industries President Mike Ziegler, who chaired the chamber's board when they hired Mahood in 2002. "He became a driving force to make this region a better place to live, work and play."

The San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce board voted Friday to hire Mahood as president and CEO of that organization. He will remain with the Sacramento Metro Chamber until at least the Fourth of July weekend.

An interim CEO will be chosen to guide the Sacramento Metro Chamber during the search for a new top executive.

As a 36-year-old hired by the chamber in 2002, Mahood didn't have any experience working at a chamber of commerce. But that was seen as an advantage by the chamber's search committee, Ziegler said.

Mahood had worked previously as vice president and general manager of grocery business Webvan.com and district manager at the shipping company BAX Global, as well as with UPS and FedEx.

He lived in Carmichael for four years as a child but mostly grew up in Pleasanton in the East Bay. Mahood is taking the job in San Jose partly so he can live closer to his mother, who just turned 80, and his three sisters. He said he'll miss taking his ski boat and wakeboard out on Folsom Lake with friends and family on hot summer days.

However, Mahood said he also wants to pursue fresh opportunities.

"Nine years is a long time to be in one place, especially at a chamber of commerce," he said. "I am ready for some new challenges in a new community."

Mahood was a champion for the region's economic development. He was instrumental in forging a good working relationship between the chamber, the Downtown Sacramento Partnership and the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, as well as area businesses and other business organizations, and then collaborating on mutually identified priorities, DSP Executive Director Michael Ault said.

"Matt did a tremendous job of not only managing and growing the chamber, but really building a coalition amongst area business organizations," Ault said.

Mahood will help launch the search process for his replacement. He said he's proud of the Metro Chamber's hard-working staff and volunteer leaders and their ability to reach the chamber's goals each year.

Although he'll be leaving, he said he'd like to see the Metro Chamber and its partners build a stronger, more positive "sense of self" and brand for the region after its image has been pummeled by being included on Forbes' list of "most miserable cities" and from stories about high foreclosure rates, unemployment and other government problems.

Mahood said he thinks cities and counties and some nonprofit organizations should collaborate more and even consider consolidating functions to become more efficient and bring taxpayers and other funders more return on investments. He said he'd also like to see the Metro Chamber and partners finalize and put out a regional economic development strategy based on good data, followed by an action plan that will create jobs.

"Housing and construction are not coming back anytime soon, and the state budget mess will continue to hit this region hard," he said.

Many people expressed sadness at Mahood's departure. Mayor Kevin Johnson described Mahood as a "champion" for the business community during the worst economy since the Depression.

"It's worth noting that his final achievement was playing a lead role in organizing the corporate and business community in the successful drive to keep the Kings and NBA in Sacramento," Johnson said in an emailed statement Tuesday. "Our community would not have been able to over-deliver on support and sponsorships without Matt's work, and we will surely miss his leadership."

The San Jose chamber is eagerly awaiting the new opportunities and direction a new president will bring, said the chamber's current president, Pat Dando.

"We also think Matt will bring strong leadership to the chamber – just looking at what his time with the Sacramento chamber produced," she said. "He seems to have a real knack for achieving a collaborative effort in the business community toward the common good."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Sacramento mayor stands in for Kings at NBA draft lottery

2011-05-17T00:58:35Z

The first time Kevin Johnson was involved in the National Basketball Association draft, he was passed over by the Sacramento Kings. Now mayor of Sacramento, Johnson will represent the Kings at the NBA draft lottery Tuesday.

The lottery will be televised on ESPN during a pregame show just before Tuesday night's playoff game in Dallas, when the Oklahoma City Thunder takes on the Dallas Mavericks in game one of the Western Conference finals. The draft lottery portion of the show, which determines the order for the NBA draft June 23, could begin as early as 5:10 p.m. Pacific time.

In 1987, Johnson was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, who got the seventh pick in the draft. The Sacramento Kings had the sixth pick and could have chosen him. Instead, they drafted Kenny Smith, now a commentator on TNT’s “Inside the NBA.”

Last week, the Maloof family, co-owners of the Kings, asked Johnson to stand in for the team after the former NBA All-Star-turned-politician led a full-court press to stop the team from moving to Anaheim. Johnson was honored to be asked to stand in for Sacramento when the league announces the draft pick order at the NBA Entertainment studio in Secaucus, N.J.

"He feels it's an exciting opportunity to not just represent the Kings, but to represent the city of Sacramento and the entire region," mayoral spokesman Joaquin McPeek said.

Johnson left for the East Coast over the weekend and could not be reached for comment.

He was asked to take part out of respect for him and the office of mayor, Kings co-owner Joe Maloof said Monday via spokesman Alex Sigua.

“We hope that he can bring some luck to New Jersey and get us that first pick, so we’re depending on him to get it done,” Maloof said.

The 14 teams that didn't make it into this season's playoffs participate in the NBA draft lottery.

The Kings tied with the New Jersey Nets for the fifth-worst record in the 2010/2011 season. The Kings won a coin toss and now have the fifth-best standing for getting one of the top three picks, team spokesman Troy Hanson said shortly before flying to New Jersey for the event.

The actual lottery will be held in a back room, with one person from each team sitting in to watch the process. John Kehriotis, a limited partner in the Kings, will represent the team in those proceedings.

During the televised portion, NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver will then unveil the draft order in reverse from 14 to one. Johnson will take a ceremonial role and sit in the Kings' position during that part of the process.

Teams are usually represented by the team president or general manager. However, a player or former player, team owners, executives and coaches have also held the honor. But team owners can choose others to represent the teams as well.The Kings recently had a season ticket holder represent them at the draft lottery.

A draft lottery event for season ticket holders will be held at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K St., Tuesday. Joe Maloof, guard Marcus Thornton, Head Coach Paul Westphal and Player Personnel Director Jerry Reynolds are expected to take part. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

For luck in the draft lottery, the Catholic Maloof said he’s doing a nine-prayer Novena.

“A good friend of mine in Memphis, Tenn., calls me every day and we do a prayer each day for nine days,” Maloof said. “My mother taught me about the prayers many, many years ago. I’ve used them ever since and every once in a while, those Novena prayers come through.”

The team’s dismal standing this year will also help.

"All the teams have chances based on the win-loss record. The more losses you have, the better odds you will have a better pick," NBA spokesman Jon Hammond said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Public art grows in Midtown alleys

2011-05-14T01:00:00Z

An alley art project is growing in Midtown.

Three new pieces featuring the Sacramento skyline and a desert scene were installed on an alley off K Street within the last two weeks.

Many people are already stumbling on this cache of alley art. By early June, residents will be able to take walking tours of this growing outdoor gallery, thanks to tour maps being printed and posted online as part of the Midtown Alley Project (MAP) led by artists and an art-loving property owner.

"The whole thought is to take these alleys back, make them more aesthetically pleasing and also provide points of interest," said Gallery 2110 owner Clare Bailey, a muralist and fine artist who started the alley art project with artist Kristina McClanahan and property owner Thomas A. Roth.

"We are making art happen on K Street," she said.

They created MAP about three years ago using buildings Roth owns on K Street as the canvases. MAP now includes seven pieces of art: five murals and two sculptures. All of the art faces alleys between K and L streets from 21st to 24th streets. Maps will be available online and in print at Gallery 2110 by June 11.

The first installation was the 80-foot Midtown Mosaic on a wall behind Art Beast, 2226 K St. The mural is a community mosaic of paintings and one tile piece by 60 people ranging from tattoo and graffiti artists to nuns from a nearby Sisters of Mercy home.

Kristyne DiMeo later painted the 18-foot-high Hollywood Mural, also known as “Hollywood comes to Sacramento,” on the back of Studio 24, 2220 K St. A silhouette of a man painted in the left bottom corner was a tribute to Roth.

Two more works can be found behind Gallery 2110 at 2110 K St. – formerly called the Sacramento Art Complex. Metal assemblage artist Steve Cook created a 40-foot-wide metal peacock sculpture with tail feathers made of rebar and sawblades atop an iron gate on a back patio. Other artists are collaborating on a mural there.

The three newest pieces include a 16-foot-by-4-foot Steve Memering mural of the Sacramento skyline, which was restored by Laura Carone and hung on an apartment building at 2320 K St. a week ago.

Artists Margaret Arnold and Cook collaborated to make a 30-foot-wide patio wall behind Roth's Western Properties office, 2318 K St., beautiful and more secure. Arnold painted the new “Desert Cactus” mural on the three-sided, 6-foot-high wall.

Two weeks ago, Cook installed another assemblage sculpture on top of the wall as functional art. “Prickly Pear” is a collection of cacti and aloe vera plants made from rebar, nails and sawblades. He also built a secure, tall metal door to replace the patio's wooden gate.

The patio had problems with intruders who left needles, condoms and beer bottles, Bailey and Cook said on a tour of the art pieces Friday.

The alley art project was created to beautify buildings and alleys, and to help make alleys safer by bringing more people there. Murals can help deter graffiti artists from tagging buildings.

The project was also started to bring artists more work and give their art more visibility. The MAP pieces are the first public art projects each of the artists have done, Bailey said.

New construction projects on empty lots are required to devote a certain percentage of budgets to interior or exterior art. Redevelopment projects may be eligible for public funding of art. Midtown doesn't have many empty lots or redevelopment projects, Bailey said.

"Public art isn't going to happen unless a private entity makes it happen," she said.

Roth, who's owned property in Midtown for at least 20 years, has paid for six of the art pieces in the project – all but the Midtown Mosaic – to launch the project and inspire others to add to Midtown's public art offerings. Roth estimates the pieces cost more than $20,000 total.

Some already have been inspired by the project. Three murals have since been painted by others on the back of a house, a garage door and record store Phono Select on an alley block across 23rd Street from the Midtown Mosaic.

Owners of at least three other properties are now talking with the MAP crew about adding public art at their spaces.

The founders of New Era Garden, a community garden that sits on a cul de sac and alley at 26th and B streets, would like to add some art – possibly a recycled metal sculpture. They would have to do some fundraising first, said co-founder Deniz Tuncer.

"I think it's a lovely idea to beautify the area," she said.

For future pieces, he and Bailey determine the budget property owners have. They then meet with the artist to determine the cost to create the art. MAP organizers will hold fundraisers to help make up the difference. Fundraisers could include bake sales, art auctions and art classes at Gallery 2110. Artists donate talent, time and materials, Bailey said.

"We had to get enough of these out here, and now people are starting to catch the enthusiasm," Bailey said. "Some day we're going to have a really great strolling outdoor art gallery."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Journalist Jonathan Mumm retires from News 10

2011-05-13T03:56:06Z

Sacramento TV reporter Jonathan Mumm – host of KXTV News 10's California Postcard and Mumm at the Movies – will retire from the station this month after nearly 30 years.

But don't expect to find him spending afternoons playing checkers just yet.

The five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist is just moving his energy and talent east to Roseville Performing Arts (RPA) Studio, which he owns with his wife, singer and music teacher Roberta Mumm.

About a year after joining News 10 on July 11, 1983, Mumm became the reporter and producer for the station's new travel feature series called California Postcard. The show ran twice a week for 15 years, took an eight-year hiatus and resumed in May 2007.

Mumm interviewed intriguing Californians and visited unique spots such as the Bodega Bay house where Alfred Hitchcock directed the 1963 horror classic, "The Birds." He kayaked whitewater rivers, crawled through caves and flew the Goodyear blimp during the show's 19 years.

"I'd find myself in these positions and think, 'What am I doing here?' But they made great stories for the show," he laughed. "They were often more fun to tell than they were to live through."

Mumm has been obsessed with broadcasting, announcing, and being on the air for TV and radio for most of his life. He first saw broadcasters at work in television reruns of movies from the 1930s featuring the golden age of radio.

Even as a kid, Mumm was more interested in the people and the work that went on behind the scenes than the stars of the movies.

At age 8, he and his brother pretended to have a talk show broadcast in their basement in Lynchburg, Va. The TV camera was made from a metal milk box with "WOWW" scrawled on the side, and a block of wood was their fake microphone. They spent hours watching disc jockeys spin records at a local radio station in the early 1960s.

In high school, Mumm got a weekend job at country music station WBRG. He ran gospel tapes, read headlines from the Associated Press wire and recorded National Weather Service updates. He soon became a country DJ spinning records on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

He got his own time slot, "The Johnny Mumm Show," in his senior year of high school. He raced to the station every afternoon after school and played records until sunset – the station's closing time.

His voice and his name were famous, but his face was not. Once, when his mom paid for groceries with a check, the store clerk asked, "Are you Johnny Mumm's wife?"

"My mom said, 'No, I'm his mother,' " Mumm recalled. "Particularly then, they didn't expect a kid to be on the radio."

Mumm majored in speech and drama at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. – alma mater of Susan Sarandon (a senior when he was a freshman) and Jon Voight.

He worked at radio stations in Washington, D.C., during the school year and at home in Lynchburg during school vacations. Mumm was known as "Good Guy Johnny Mumm" when he became a top-40 DJ at WLLL in Lynchburg the summer after freshman year.

In 1973, he cut his long hair and shaved off his beard to get his first on-camera TV job as the sports director for a station in Lynchburg. He was also the station's only sports reporter and sports camera operator.

"I was a one-man sports department," he said.

Mumm also filled in as a news reporter. He shot his own footage and did standups in front of the camera by setting it on a tripod and running to stand in front of the lens.

The nephew of movie tough guy Claude Akins, Mumm moved to Los Angeles and focused on acting for five years. Mumm did community theater, commercial voiceovers, industrial films and occasional parts on TV shows. His big break came in 1977 when he was cast in one of his uncle's shows, “Nashville 99.” He got 14 lines playing a rookie cop.

"That was big-time stuff," he said. "I thought I was on my way to fame and fortune."

He left acting a year or so later, after marrying and not getting cast in bigger roles. Mumm got a job at a Bakersfield radio station. Six months later, a neighboring TV station hired him to produce and anchor the 11 p.m. newscast. Mumm worked in TV news in Bakersfield for five years.

He joined News 10 as a reporter doing hard news and features. He didn't do any camera work then. That era was much more laid-back for TV news, he said.

Big stories included the Democratic and Republican conventions, floods, political coverage and the second Sacramento bombing by the Unabomber in 1995. He joined a week-long road trip following actor Arnold Schwarzenegger on the campaign trail in his first run for governor.

As the station's movie reviewer, Mumm covered the Academy Awards five times. He interviewed stars including Morgan Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Hilary Swank and Reese Witherspoon.

Mumm will retire May 27, at the end of the spring ratings season. He now plans to focus on writing plays, teaching classes and directing performances at RPA Studio's Little Theatre. He teaches voiceover classes, acting and film history.

In his decades-long broadcast career, he's watched technology grow and change. Cameras are much smaller and recording with videotape or digital video, rather than film, allows journalists to do more with stories through editing and to use more creativity. That also can take more time. Working in news is no longer as laid-back as when Mumm started.

"Each innovation that has happened in the industry has increased the workload and the intensity," he said.

The Internet has also changed the industry drastically. Reporters are writing for online audiences. Live-streaming video online provides opportunities like the early days of TV, he said.

At News 10, his title is now multimedia journalist. For people like him who started at smaller stations, it's a return to a time when journalists wore many hats – reporting, shooting, editing and sometimes anchoring. Aspiring journalists shouldn't be discouraged from pursuing a career in the industry, he said.

"To me, the opportunities are there. But you have to be skilled at more things," he said. "If that's what you want to do, it's something you will succeed at."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter at The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

New owners reopen La Bonne Soupe Café

2011-05-12T01:11:35Z

French chef Daniel Pont has passed his tiny La Bonne Soupe Café on to a couple who bring the same passion for French cookery.

Chef Ed Stoddard and his fiancée, Leah Brown, are not related to 72-year-old Pont, who sold them the downtown soup and sandwich shop he created and operated on his own for six years. Nor are they French.

Starting Monday, the Midtown couple will continue to offer the same gastronomic experience, following in Pont's footsteps as closely as they can. Stoddard describes the food as good, honest French cooking and the place itself as a French cookery.

"A cookery is a place where you don't just go to eat food. You go there to meet people and learn about food," he said. "This food does take a long time to cook – but it's worth it."

Pont retired April 29 after owning five restaurants and spending more than 50 years in the industry. Zagat rated his French onion soup at La Bonne Soupe Café as the best in the world in 2009. If he comes out of retirement, he said he would have a staff to work alongside him. He sold the café's concept, name and equipment.

Perhaps most surprising is that Stoddard and Brown found La Bonne Soupe Café in time to buy the business.

They discovered the café through an ad on Craigslist. But the description and location were so vague, they had no idea what it was until talking with Pont. They didn't really know much about the restaurant or its huge following. La Bonne Soupe Café is hidden behind a modest storefront at 920 Eighth St. on an obscure downtown block.

Several others also wanted to buy the café. Two people later made offers to buy the business from the couple. Stoddard believes his commitment to good French cooking and the way he makes stock with roasted bones and meat convinced Pont to sell the café to them.

Stoddard and Brown replaced a sink and art on the walls, but little else. La Bonne Soupe Café had a soft re-opening Monday and Tuesday.

However, problems with a refrigerator, meat slicer and plumbing cropped up Wednesday morning. The couple posted a sign on the door and temporarily closed the café to give them time to repair or buy a new commercial fridge, repair plumbing, replace a second sink and buy a heavy-duty slicer.

The café's charming yellow and red interior and even the phone number – 492-9506 – will stay the same.

The small menu of $4 soups, $6-$7 sandwiches and $5 salads will seem nearly identical. The new menu will keep a customer favorite, Pont's brie and prosciutto sandwich, a variation of Pont's famous French onion soup, and braised meat sandwiches. The rest will be variations of Pont's offerings. Stoddard will reintroduce wild game such as boar and antelope to the menu.

The dishes will be based on his own recipes, with improvisation. The café won't use any of Pont's recipes.

"You don't buy the chef," Stoddard said.

The locavore restaurant will reflect the couple's commitment to eating locally produced food. The dishes will be made using only organic produce, with Stoddard picking up 90 percent of the produce at local farmers markets or ethnic food stores.

Meats from free-range animals will come from local and non-local sources. He'll travel to the Bay Area to buy fresh seafood for soups and sandwiches each week.

The food will also have "integrity." If the menu says it came from a certain location or company, it does, Stoddard said.

He and Brown are working out a plan to deliver groceries at night by car and bike or skateboard to work downtown each day.

Stoddard has worked in restaurants since he was 13, when he cut wood for a restaurant in an upstate New York spa town, Ballston Spa. At 16, he began apprenticing with a chef who taught him to cook. Stoddard returned to the restaurant business after a stint in the Marine Corps.

He moved to Sacramento in 1991 to train as a sous chef in the kitchen at the private Capitol Club in the Renaissance Tower – just steps away from his new location. Stoddard also worked at Bernice's Cookery and Ella in Sacramento. He developed the menus and was the catering chef at Morgan Creek Golf Club in Roseville.

La Bonne Soupe Café is his first restaurant. Two changes they'll implement: the café will now be a two-person operation, and Brown, the general manager, will deliver meals to tables after taking orders at the small counter.

Customers can still watch the chef in action just behind the counter.

"People like to see the cook cut things – just put on a show," he said. "Everybody's going to see my secret sauce."

They still expect a line to form inside and outside down the sidewalk. Stoddard hopes to hire a classical guitarist to play for customers during lunch once or twice a week.

The couple will add a second outside table but keep just six small tables inside. They'd like to add a sidewalk produce stand. The hours initially will be just slightly extended, from 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Within two months, Stoddard and Brown hope to add breakfast and coffee and open at 7:30 a.m. They also may open on Saturdays. For now, Stoddard is offering guerrilla or underground dining on Saturday nights: Parties of up to 20 people can reserve the spot for private dinners.

Pont is still very much a part of the place. He stopped by with his family Sunday night. He wanted to check on them as they prepared for their soft opening the next morning.

"He said, 'You better be serious,' " Stoddard recalled. "He just cares so much."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Mayor tapped for NBA draft lottery at Kings rally

2011-05-11T05:49:27Z

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson will represent the Kings at the National Basketball Association draft lottery next week, team owners and the mayor announced at a Tuesday rally.

Johnson and developers representing the ICON-Taylor arena team will meet in Las Vegas Wednesday with George Maloof, whose family controls a majority share of the team, to discuss the arena project. The Maloof family owns the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

On stage at a Kings rally in Cesar Chavez Plaza, Gavin and Joe Maloof asked the former NBA All-Star player to step up for them next Tuesday at the draft lottery at the NBA Entertainment studio in Secaucus, N.J.

"I accept! I accept! I accept!" Johnson yelled into a microphone, his shouts reverberating from speakers and echoing off the walls of the Citizen Hotel, California Environmental Public Agency headquarters, Park Tower and historic City Hall in downtown Sacramento.

Sacramento’s mayor led a regional effort to keep the Kings in Sacramento – making a case to keep the team to the NBA Board of Governors in New York and persuading the league to send a team to gather more information in April. The Maloofs announced May 2 the team would stay in Sacramento for at least another year.

State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal and former star Kings players including Doug Christie, Bobby Jackson and Scot Pollard joined Johnson and the Maloofs on stage at the rally's climax.

As many as 6,500 fans turned out to support the Kings and catch glimpses of the players, according to figures provided by the NBA.

Fans like Laurie Fredricks of Midtown, Anna Ampania of Roseville and Edward Leon of Sacramento said they'd like to see a new arena replace Power Balance Pavilion and would even support a tax increase to see that happen.

"I'm a major Kings fan," said Fredricks, who had never been to an NBA game until moving to Sacramento in 2000. She fell in love with the Kings and pro basketball after seeing them play at Arco Arena.

"This town cannot lose the one major sports franchise we have," she said.

Fans who gathered in the park heard Christie, Jackson and Pollard tell stories about games and watched game clips on a 20-foot by 12-foot screen. Kings mascot Slamson, Kings PA announcer Scott Moak and many more also entertained the crowd.

Many on stage spoke about Sacramento Kings fan loyalty and the need to push ahead to get a new arena built. Kings legend Chris Webber, who has said publicly he's working on a plan to get private investors for the arena, riled up the crowd with a videotaped appearance shown just before the mayor and the Maloofs took the stage.

"The world heard you," Webber told fans. "Let them know we will not lose our team. Go Sacramento!"

The meeting in Las Vegas will be the first between the ICON-Taylor team, which is preparing an arena feasibility study for the city, and George Maloof, who is overseeing the arena effort for the family. NBA attorney Harvey Benjamin and Johnson will take part in the meeting.

The city needs hard data from the Maloofs for the arena feasibility study. The brothers said previously they would share revenue information if the team stayed in Sacramento for the 2011/12 season. However, Johnson's staff could not say whether Maloof will turn over financial statements at the meeting Wednesday.

The NBA and the Maloofs are planning special events to promote the team and ticket sales in May and June. An event may be held during the Second Saturday Art Walk and possibly the draft lottery.

Current season ticket holders have until June 3 to renew their season tickets. An open house to allow new season ticket buyers to choose their seats will be held June 8 and 9. New season ticket buyers must make $100 deposits per seat, said Chris Granger, executive vice president of the NBA's Team Marketing and Business Operations.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Kings rally planned during ticket drive

2011-05-10T01:06:19Z

The Sacramento Kings' owners hope to build team fever this week with a ticket sales drive and a rally Tuesday.

Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof is expected to join Head Coach Paul Westphal and stars such as Bobby Jackson, Doug Christie and Scot Pollard at a Kings rally at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Cesar Chavez Plaza, Ninth and I streets. Fireworks and a concert by Sacramento rock band Tesla are also planned for the rally, which is co-sponsored by local radio station Sports 1140 KHTK.

Maloof Sports and Entertainment also has hired 30 new sales employees to help with ticket sales after the Maloofs announced May 2 the team would stay in Sacramento for at least another year.

Most of the new employees started work Monday at Power Balance Pavilion. More people needed to be hired to handle a deluge of season ticket renewals and sales to the general public that began last week. Hundreds of season ticket holders have called to renew, Maloof Sports and Entertainment Public Relations Manager Alex Sigua said.

"It's been heartwarming and overwhelming and incredible," he said. "We've definitely eclipsed our pace at this time last year."

Season ticket buyers had until 8 p.m. Monday to purchase season tickets and choose their exact seats at the same time. To do so, fans must make deposits of 17 or 34 percent and agree to a six-month or three-month payment plan, respectively.

Two choice seats near the visiting team’s bench, in Section 112 Row J, would cost $8,624. Under the six-month plan, the fan must make a $1,466 deposit by Monday night. Those fans will be invited to an event in June where they’ll have a chance to check out their seats and switch if needed.

At the Tuesday rally, Maloof Sports and Entertainment officials are expected to announce a second season ticket program allowing fans to make $300 deposits per seat and get on a waiting list to choose their seats at an open house at a later date in mid-June. Fans will be able to choose their seats in an order based on when they made deposits.

Exact numbers of renewals and season ticket holders in the 2010/2011 season were not available.

The sales staff were hired part-time to work with ticket buyers online and by phone. About 300 people applied for the jobs. Interviews were held late last week.

The Maloofs are still taking applications for full-time ticket services positions, Sigua said.

The company did not provide information about pay levels and whether employees are being hired on a temporary or permanent basis.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson met Friday with Gavin Maloof at the arena. They primarily discussed the need to stabilize the team, whose owners had been considering moving the Kings to Anaheim until last week.

The team's revenue statements from the last four years apparently have not yet been turned over to the city of Sacramento and the ICON-Taylor team, which is conducting an arena feasibility study. The study is expected to be completed by May 26.

The study's financial analyses have so far been based on figures from comparable teams in the National Basketball Association.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Mom's mag Kidaround resumes this summer

2011-05-06T00:35:13Z

After a brief hiatus, Kidaround, an edgy local mom's magazine, will start publishing again this summer under new leadership.

Founder Barb Hennelly is passing the reins to columnist Kara Turner – who plans to expand the print magazine created by moms for moms.

Hennelly put out the magazine solo for five years. She recruited moms like herself to contribute stories and photos and do copy editing and bookkeeping.

As publisher, editor and chief graphic designer, she handled all the logistics to put issues together. She also sold ads and managed the business end of the magazine.

The 39-year-old mother of four stopped publishing after the November/December 2010 issue when she found herself stretched too thin. The venture also wasn't making as much money as she'd hoped.

Turner was disappointed when she heard the news. Writing the "Mind if I Ask?" column had helped her uncover another part of herself and allowed her to connect with other Sacramento moms.

"I was really crushed. I just felt like it was the perfect fit for me," said Turner, 40.

She had worked as a real estate agent in Southern California before marrying and starting a family. The column was a way to find out what was going on in other moms’ lives. One column focused on the sense of self moms can easily lose after devoting so much time and energy to caring for their families.

"You're giving to your husband, you're giving to your child – and you're living at Fairytale Town in your yoga pants," she said. "I did that for three years. I knew the ducks there. I knew the roosters. I ate the popcorn."

She contacted Hennelly. The women met and discussed forming a new partnership that would allow the magazine to keep going.

Turner now plans to take over publishing Kidaround with Hennelly serving as her mentor for the next year. Turner's first issue, the “Inspiration Issue,” will be distributed July 1.

The "Fairytale Issue," covering October, November and December, will be distributed Oct. 1. The magazine will resume its bi-monthly schedule in January.

The focus of the parenting lifestyle magazine won't change. Regular columns and departments such as "Lovable" (products people love) and "Hit the Sac" (where to do fun things) will continue. "Meet Mom," which profiled a local mother, will become "Meet the Family."

However, Turner will expand Kidaround from 24 to 32 pages. That will allow her to increase the cover story from four to six pages and add other departments.

Turner recruited stylist Mary Gonsalves Kinney, co-founder of the fashion styling company Sister|Brother, to help plan cover stories, which are fashion-focused features using local people as models. Kinney will also style the models in clothes and accessories from local stores.

Turner is adding departments that focus on the home, cooking and art projects for kids. She's working with local chefs to contribute family friendly recipes for the new cooking department, "What's Cooking." New mom Shannon Seitz will also write a funny yet real column called "Baby Talk."

Another big change: Turner will use a consistent editorial calendar to let readers, contributors and advertisers know what's coming. One issue will focus on parks and recreation, while another will highlight marriage and blended families.

Hennelly's youngest child is going into kindergarten this fall. Hennelly will soon start a full-time gig as a graphic artist at the local design firm Fuel Creative Group.

Without a background in magazines or publishing, Turner realizes she'll have a steep learning curve. Her column is on hold. She and Hennelly are still figuring out how Hennelly will continue to leave her mark on the magazine. She may be a contributing editor, make introductions in the community and do graphic design for the magazine in her free time – multitasking like all moms, they said.

Turner, who has a 7-year-old daughter, said she sees publishing the magazine as a great opportunity to unleash her creative side – a gift from one mom to another. The deal came together at a local wine bar where they met earlier this year.

"When I was driving there, I was so nervous. I felt like something was happening that was bigger than both of us. This magazine isn't really about Barb or I. It's about the moms and the kids," Turner said. "I just knew that somehow, it had to come back."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Farmers market tours tout fresh and local

2011-05-05T01:25:46Z

Foodies were out in full force Wednesday when executive chef Michael Tuohy of Grange Restaurant & Bar kicked off his personalized farmers market tours for the season.

Follow The Chef tours are led each week at the farmers market in downtown’s Cesar Chavez Plaza, across from the restaurant at 926 J St. The markets – and the tours – run from May through October.

A wet winter has delayed some crops, including certain stone fruits. But Tuohy and Grange Executive Sous Chef Brad Cecchi found strawberries, asparagus, snap peas and more when they took 11 people there in the morning.

Tuohy started the tours two years ago to inspire Sacramentans to buy locally at farmers markets and to help bring the community together through a shared love of good, fresh food. He also wanted to connect the restaurant and the market, which he describes as a downtown "jewel" just steps away from Grange's front door.

"It's the next-best thing to having your own farm or garden right outside," he said.

The tour wound through the market. Wearing a white chef's jacket and brown rubber mud shoes, Tuohy walked from stand to stand. He discussed the benefits of California's long growing seasons and pointed out good finds such as small green pattypan summer squashes, Chandler strawberries, Medjool dates and Bariani olive oil.

Tuohy also discussed buying local and organic goods. While he prefers to buy organic food, Tuohy said his first criteria is always quality. He'll buy non-organic produce that has a higher quality than organic produce.

Talking to people behind the farm stands, the group learned not all of the products were as local as others. Some produce is trucked in from as far away as San Diego and Imperial County in far southeastern California.

The group included food bloggers Amber Stott of Awake at the Whisk, Dawn Balzarano of Kitchen Travels and Bree Hester of Baked Bree. Using shopping bags provided by Grange, participants bought goods at the market to take home.

The group then returned to the restaurant. A long wooden table set for lunch awaited.

Tuohy and Cecchi disappeared into the kitchen. They reappeared to deliver and explain each dish in a three-course meal.

Salad was made with sugar snap peas and asparagus from the market, plus fava beans and Bellwether Farms Pepato sheep's milk cheese, finished with Bariani olive oil, lemon and mint.

The main course featured a large Baja California scallop on a bed of risotto with sugar snap peas and shelled English peas.

Berries from the market were used in a strawberry-rhubarb butter tart with whipped cream for dessert.

Tours start at Grange Restaurant & Bar each Wednesday at 11 a.m. Tours cost $39 per person, which includes wine and lunch, and are limited to 15. Reservations can be made at 492-4450.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Chris Webber, NBA amp up aid for Kings and arena

2011-05-04T00:58:03Z

Forces now allied behind the Sacramento Kings gathered steam Tuesday in their collective bid to build a more successful team and move the region closer to constructing a new arena.

That effort will be aided by retired Kings player Chris Webber, who said on television Monday night he's lined up private investors to fund a new arena in place of taxpayers.

"Within the year, we're going to make some special things happen," Webber said on TNT's "Inside the NBA." "The goal is to keep the team there."

Webber hinted about his involvement on Twitter Monday after the Kings' owners announced they'd leave the team here for at least one year to give Sacramento more time to pursue building a new sports and entertainment facility.

"SACRAMENTO! It's true! One more year!" Webber tweeted. "But trust me! We are working to make it a lifetime!"

Webber has told Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson in recent conversations he wants to be involved. But they're still figuring out what form that might take, Johnson said in a press conference at City Hall Tuesday.

"He's going to play some role," Johnson said.

Nine staffers from the National Basketball Association arrived in Sacramento Tuesday. They immediately began working at Power Balance Pavilion on the Maloofs' priorities: season ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, Kings spokesman Troy Hanson said.

"They hit the ground running in assisting with all avenues of business operations," he said.

Maloof Sports & Entertainment launched a hiring blitz of more than 20 people as sales kicked off for season tickets Monday night. Demand has been strong since then, said Hanson, who did not provide details.

Meetings are being set up with the NBA, the Maloofs, arena developers, regional elected officials and Kings’ corporate sponsors to continue building on the momentum and energy unleashed in Sacramento in the effort to keep the team from moving to Anaheim, Johnson said.

"Our attitude today is we can't let up," Johnson said.

He expects to meet with the NBA this week. The mayor also said he plans to meet this week or next with the Maloofs. His top priority: getting financial statements from the Kings' last four years. The city of Sacramento and the ICON-Taylor development team needs the information for an arena feasibility study due to be completed by May 26.

They've sought the information for months, but the Maloofs held off while making a decision about whether to move to Anaheim.

That meeting couldn't be confirmed by Hanson.

Support from NBA staff on the ground in Sacramento helps the Maloofs' organization fill holes left by staff who jumped ship over the last year, and especially in the last month or two, before the decision was made about Anaheim.

NBA personnel will give the Maloofs the capacity to be "aggressive" with ticket and suite sales and corporate sponsorships for the 2011/2012 season, which begins in October, Johnson said.

Some NBA staff may work here for just a week or two, while a few may stay far longer, he said.

The NBA has agreed to support a move by the team if sufficient progress isn't made on replacing Power Balance Pavilion by March 1, 2012.

The arena study should be able to propose contribution levels and pinpoint possible gaps in available funding as soon as May 26 but no later than July, Johnson said.

The NBA will be involved in establishing the level of contribution by the Maloofs. Many basketball teams contribute financially to new arenas by signing long-term leases, as NBA Commissioner David Stern said Monday.

Johnson said he will tell the Maloofs they'll need to participate in "a real way" in the public/private partnership that’s expected to be needed to finance a new arena.

"It's got to be real, where our community feels it," he said.

NBA officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Sacramento Kings to stay another year

2011-05-03T01:03:12Z

The owners of the Sacramento Kings announced Monday the team will stay put for at least one more season – giving the region and the National Basketball Association time for one final push to build a new arena.

NBA officials quickly announced a commitment to make one last effort over the next 10 months to pave the way to replace Power Balance Pavilion. The league is sending nine people to Sacramento Tuesday to provide expert support in the regional effort to construct a new arena and to help the Kings' owners, the Maloofs, lead the team to a successful next season, NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a teleconference Monday afternoon.

Kings fans, elected officials and business leaders reveled in the news after such an outcome seemed impossible roughly two weeks earlier, when Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson appeared before National Basketball Association team owners to argue the case for keeping the Kings here. At that time, the team's move to Anaheim seemed certain.

On Monday morning, more than 125 people turned out for a celebratory press conference outside City Hall.

"This is one of the proudest moments in my life because the community believed when no one else did," Johnson said. "This was our playoffs. And Anaheim: We won!"

Video by Brandon Darnell.

An outpouring of support for the team from Johnson, state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, regional elected officials, the business community and Kings fans convinced the NBA and the Maloofs to give the region until March 1, 2012, to make a substantial effort to provide a new home for the Kings, Stern said.

"We came away with a strong sense that this was worth the additional year because it seemed to us to be so important that the leaders of Sacramento ... would not allow the opportunity to pass without getting it done," said Stern, who had talked personally with Johnson and Steinberg about the current level of support for a new arena. "We are feeling pretty good about the prospects here."

Sacramento officials will need to present solid information about design, funding and timelines by then. However, if regional support for arena construction can't be galvanized and a plan isn't finalized by next spring, that will be the league's last effort to get an arena built here.

NBA officials, including members of the league's Relocation Committee, told the Maloofs the league would then support their decision to move "wherever they choose to go" in 2012/13, he said.

The Maloofs had a deadline to file a request to move the team by 5 p.m. Eastern time Monday.

In an announcement emailed shortly after 9 a.m. Monday, the Maloofs said fan support and Johnson's push to get a new arena built were instrumental in their decision not to ask the league for permission to move.

"The fans’ spirit and energy, specifically our season ticket holders, has been remarkable and we are truly thankful for their loyalty," they said in the prepared statement. "We also are greatly appreciative of the support from our corporate sponsors as well as other local businesses that have come forward in recent weeks."

The Maloofs weren't available to respond to questions following the announcement, a Kings spokesman said.

Local business leaders committed more than $10.2 million in financial support for the Kings if the team stayed another year.

The NBA didn't have to do any "arm-twisting" to get the Maloofs to stay one more year. Relocation Committee members suggested to the Maloofs that they'd support a move in a year if they agreed to stay but the effort proved unsuccessful, Stern said.

The decision to keep the team in the state capital came after an NBA fact-finding visit here in the last two weeks. Billionaire Henry Samueli, whose company Anaheim Arena Management manages Anaheim's Honda Center, upped the ante in his bid to lure the team to Anaheim.

He offered to provide a personal loan of at least $75 million to the Maloofs and personally invest more than $70 million for improvements at the Honda Center.

Officials with the city of Anaheim and Anaheim Arena Management, owned by Samueli, are disappointed by the decision. But they will continue their effort to bring the NBA there soon, they said in emailed statements.

“The bottom line is this: The final chapter has not been written," Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait said. "Anaheim will continue to move forward and we remain optimistic to one day welcoming professional basketball to Anaheim.”

Anaheim Arena Management Chairman Michael Schulman added, "We are continuing our pursuit of an NBA team for our venue.... We look forward to securing a franchise for area fans in the very near future.”

Billionaire Ron Burkle's interest in buying the Kings to keep the team in Sacramento – or buying another team if they left – helped keep the region in the game in the eyes of the NBA, Johnson said.

Burkle and the Burkle Group are still interested in being part owners of the Kings. No discussion has been set up with the Maloofs since the decision to remain in Sacramento was announced, but the family knows how to get in touch with the group, San Francisco investor Darius Anderson said following the press conference.

"We would love to be here as part of the ownership group," said Anderson, who took part in the press conference.

In one year, the Maloofs will want to see a "critical path" laid to build a new arena. But ground doesn't need to be broken by then, Johnson said.

Building a new arena for Kings games, big concerts and other events would be catalytic for development downtown, especially in the railyards, Westfield Downtown Plaza and K Street Mall, said Johnson, describing the issue as “bigger than basketball."

"If we go forward and build a sports and entertainment complex, it's going to prove to all of us that we can find a way to make big things happen," he said. "We always felt like this could be a turning point for our community and our region working together.”

Johnson wasn’t the only person who appeared to be all smiles at the press conference. Developer David Taylor, who is working on an arena feasibility study for the city, Assistant City Manager John Dangberg and Sacramento Metro Chamber President Matt Mahood also beamed.

Johnson described Steinberg, also at the press conference, as a “scrappy fighter” who worked “in the trenches with us all along the way.” The two leaders communicated constantly throughout the weekend.

Sacramento City Council members are ready to start meeting to determine how to build an arena, Councilman Rob Fong said at the press conference.

The Maloofs called Johnson early Monday morning to tell him about their decision and say they’re committed to working with the city for the next year. The mayor will meet with the Maloofs this week to talk about how to move forward.

The arena feasibility study is expected to be completed by the end of May. Officials will then present options for public/private financing of the arena to the community so an arena can be built and the Kings never leave, Johnson said.

Chris Granger, executive vice president of the NBA's Team Marketing and Business Operations, senior NBA communications advisor Brian McIntyre and seven others from the NBA will arrive in Sacramento by Tuesday. No meetings have been finalized with the mayor’s office, Johnson’s staff said.

They will provide all the support they can to the Maloofs. They will work in “all aspects” of team operations, including marketing, finance, ticket sales and corporate sponsorship. They’ll also work with politicians, planners and others during a campaign to build a new arena, Stern said.

Stern said he considers it a failure for the NBA to lose any market, especially one as supportive as Sacramento.

It would be fair if the Maloofs and anyone else who’s watched the team’s efforts to build a new arena over the last 10 years are skeptical that it can get done this time. Still, NBA officials and staff will provide all the support they can to see if this “shared vision” can become reality, he said.

"If not, then it will be our shared failure,” Stern said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Kings to stay in Sacramento – for now

2011-05-02T16:32:28Z

The owners of the Sacramento Kings have decided to keep the team here for at least the next season, they announced Monday morning.

The team's owners, led by the Maloof family had a deadline of 2 p.m. Monday to file a request to move the team.

In an announcement emailed shortly after 9 a.m. Monday, the Maloofs said fan support and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson's push to get a new arena built were instrumental in the decision.

National Basketball Association officials have indicated they will support the team moving next year if a new arena cannot be built to replace Power Balance Pavilion.

"However, if an arena plan cannot be finalized in a timely fashion, the NBA’s relocation committee has assured Maloof Sports and Entertainment that it will support an application to move the franchise to another market starting in 2012-13,” the statement said.

The team's owners have no plans to hold a press conference, said a Kings spokesman.

Johnson said Friday local officials hoped a regionally coordinated effort to build a new arena would make enough of a difference that the National Basketball Association and the Maloofs would not move the team to Anaheim for at least a year, giving the region a chance to move forward with the city's arena effort.

Johnson has scheduled a press conference for 11 a.m. at City Hall, 915 I St.

The decision to keep the team in the state capital came after an NBA fact-finding visit here in the last two weeks.

Last week, billionaire Henry Samueli, whose company manages Anaheim's Honda Center, upped the ante when he offered to personally invest more than $70 million for improvements at Anaheim's Honda Center and provide a personal loan of at least $75 million to the Maloofs.

The Sacramento Press will report on the mayor’s press conference later today.

Kings decision coming down to wire

2011-04-30T00:52:29Z

With just three days to go before the Kings' deadline to file for relocation, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson said Friday he's not sure who has the ball – but Sacramento officials hope a regionally coordinated effort to build an arena will make enough of a difference that the National Basketball Association and the Kings' owners keep the team here another year.

Billionaire Henry Samueli, whose company manages Anaheim's Honda Center, upped the ante Wednesday when he offered to personally invest more than $70 million for improvements at the Honda Center and provide a personal loan of at least $75 million to the Maloofs.

Samueli, who owns the Anaheim Ducks hockey team, also revealed $30 million - $40 million in corporate commitments for the Kings and a six-year TV contract worth $144 million from several networks, an Anaheim Arena Management spokesman confirmed.

Since then, billionaire Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle hasn't come forward with any additional financial incentives to keep the team in Sacramento. Johnson said he thinks the Maloofs haven't "engaged" with Burkle to discuss his desire to buy the Kings, but he doesn't know if the Kings' majority owners might be interested in talking with Burkle if the team stays in Sacramento.

Friday afternoon, Johnson described himself and other officials as "hopeful" and "cautiously optimistic" the team will remain here. The Kings' owners, the Maloofs, are facing more of a fight in their effort to relocate the team than expected, he added in a press conference after a meeting with regional elected officials.

"I think it's pretty clear that they're in a situation where it's not as easy to go to Anaheim as maybe they thought it would be before, and that Sacramento has put forth an attractive alternative or counter-proposal," Johnson said after the meeting at Sacramento Area Council of Governments headquarters. "Money can't buy you the love that I think our community has shown this franchise over the last 26 years."

The Maloofs have a deadline of 2 p.m. Monday to file a request to move the team, Kings spokesman Troy Hanson said.

Samueli and other Anaheim Arena Management officials haven't talked with the NBA since Wednesday, when a conference call was held with the Maloofs.

The NBA's Relocation Committee, chaired by Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, has gathered information about both Sacramento and Anaheim as markets for the Kings. Some of that information was collected by Bennett and others on a fact-finding mission that began here last week.

The committee will report its finding to the NBA Board of Governors only if the Maloofs file a relocation request. The board then has 120 days to vote on relocation, sources said.

NBA officials would not discuss the relocation request process.

About 30 people – the majority of them elected officials – gathered at SACOG Friday morning to get an update from Sacramento's mayor on Kings developments. Attendees included Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna; mayors from Folsom, Elk Grove and Yuba City; Sacramento City Councilmen Steve Cohn, Rob Fong and Jay Schenirer; Downtown Sacramento Partnership Executive Director Michael Ault; and representatives from state and U.S. elected officials.

Sacramento Developer David Taylor also attended the meeting. He told the elected officials Friday that his company and ICON Venue Group have "all the pieces in place" to finish an analysis of how to build and finance a new arena, but they need another month to complete it.

If the Kings stay, regular regional meetings will be held to focus on replacing Power Balance Pavilion with a bigger arena.

Taylor discussed the need to build an arena that fits the Sacramento region’s market. That may mean a 650,000-square-foot arena. That would replace Power Balance Pavilion, which seats up to 17,317 people in 442,000 square feet. Originally called Arco Arena, the facility opened in 1988 at a cost of $40 million.

Johnson said he believes a collaboration by the region's six counties and 22 cities give Sacramento an advantage in a new effort to build an arena.

"It's the regional leadership and coordination of us working together (that) will be one of the things that is going to help us get the ball across the finish line as it comes to a new sports and entertainment complex," he said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Folllow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

NBA considers Kings' fate

2011-04-29T00:42:23Z

The National Basketball Association apparently continued weighing Sacramento and Anaheim as markets for the Kings Thursday.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson jumped off a stage to take a phone call at a groundbreaking ceremony for railyards railroad track relocation Thursday morning. He later said he wouldn't comment on whether the call came from NBA Commissioner David Stern.

Shortly after finishing the call, Johnson told reporters he didn't have any word on a Kings decision, from either Stern or Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, who chairs the league's Relocation Committee.

"I have not gotten an update," said Johnson, who described the call as "private." "I haven't heard from Clay Bennett."

Johnson said he believes the Relocation Committee met Wednesday. NBA representatives also reportedly had a conference call with the Maloofs and Anaheim Arena Management officials Wednesday. NBA officials would not confirm either the meeting or the call. Anaheim city officials weren't involved in the phone call. Kings representatives and Anaheim Arena Management could not be reached for comment.

However, the mayor said he was aware NBA representatives are "still talking to both sides" before making a decision that's expected to be announced by Monday. That's also the deadline for the Kings' owners, the Maloofs, to file a relocation request with the NBA.

The mayor has invited regional elected officials back for an update on the Kings at 11 a.m. Friday at the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, 1415 L St.

NBA officials won't comment on whether the Maloofs still have a choice about staying in Sacramento for at least a year following a successful signature collection drive by politically connected Sacramentans.

A firm hired by Sacramento political consultant Rob Stutzman and former City Councilman Robbie Waters on behalf of the Committee to Save the Kings said this week enough signatures have been gathered to stop Anaheim from issuing $75 million in bonds to help the Kings move for at least a year. The bonds can't be issued until approved by voters in a special election or the next scheduled election in June 2012.

On Thursday, the sentiment and uncertainty in Anaheim echoed that of Sacramento. Officials in both cities used nearly the same words to say they’ve done everything they can and now are just waiting for a decision.

"You can't do any more than we've done," Johnson said, standing in the railyards near what could be the future site of a new arena. "It's in the league's hands at this point."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Regional meeting on Kings expected Friday

2011-04-28T03:29:37Z

Regional leaders are expected to meet Friday for an update on efforts to keep the Sacramento Kings here, but talk about financing a new arena will be postponed until the National Basketball Association announces whether the team will stay, it was reported Wednesday.

An invitation to a status update meeting was sent to elected officials late Wednesday afternoon. The meeting is tentatively set for 10 a.m. Friday across from the Capitol, at the headquarters for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, 1415 L St., sources said.

The meeting is being held to inform leaders from the six-county region, city of Sacramento and state on progress made with the NBA this week.

The meeting will include an update about the discussion Tuesday between NBA staff and 30 businesses that agreed to make deposits on more than $10.2 million in financial support. The meeting will also include anything else that develops with the NBA Thursday or Friday.

The league is expected to make a decision by Monday about where the team will be based for the next year. That's also the deadline for the Kings' owners, the Maloofs, to file a relocation request with the NBA. No reports of an early decision have surfaced yet.

Officials won't discuss how to finance a new sports and entertainment center in downtown Sacramento and the possible creation of a joint powers authority unless the NBA makes a decision by then.

"We put (talk about financing an arena) on hold right now because we're trying to give the NBA time to make their decision on whether the Kings will be staying here," said Yuba City Mayor John Dukes, one of the effort’s organizers. "Nothing is being done right now until we hear from the NBA."

The NBA's Relocation Committee, chaired by Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, will meet by Monday to make a decision following an NBA fact-finding mission that began here last week.

Mayor Kevin Johnson's office hadn’t gotten any word on a decision by late Wednesday afternoon. NBA officials would not comment on when a decision is expected or when the committee meeting had been scheduled.

In recent weeks, Kings fans, elected officials and business leaders from throughout the area rallied support to keep the team rather than lose the Kings to Anaheim.

The effort to build a new arena may expand to seven counties after Nevada County officials expressed interest in joining an effort that includes representatives from Sacramento, the six-county region, the state and federal government. The six counties in the region are Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Yuba and Sutter.

"It's good that (more) people are wanting in," Dukes said.

Also this week, a political consultant group hired by politically connected Sacramentans said enough signatures have been gathered to stop Anaheim from issuing $75 million in bonds to help the Kings move for at least a year. However, billionaire Henry Samueli, who manages Anaheim's Honda Center, could possibly replace the bond issue with a personal investment.

The bonds can't be issued by Anaheim until approved by voters in June 2012 or in an expensive special election. The firm, Arno Political Consultants, was hired by Rob Stutzman, a Sacramento political consultant, and Robbie Waters, a former city councilman, on behalf of the Committee to Save the Kings.

NBA officials would not comment on the impact of the signature drive Wednesday.

Representatives from throughout the region were brought together last week by Johnson to show public support for keeping the Kings and building a new arena to replace Power Balance Pavilion. The mayor's office and those regional leaders will be involved in the effort to finance a new arena.

The effort will gather information from an arena feasibility study being done by Colorado arena builder ICON Venue Group and local developer David Taylor.

If the Kings remain in Sacramento, the group will initially focus on setting up a joint powers authority that will likely need to be approved by each of the counties, Dukes said.

"If we can get everyone in the region to agree on it, I think we'll move forward with it," he said.

Editorial Note: This is an updated version of an earlier story.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Chefs compete in Iron Chef-style contest

2011-04-28T01:28:29Z

Six chefs. Five secret ingredients. Three dishes. Forty-five minutes. While hundreds watch.

That's what's happening Friday when the Celebrity Chef Challenge by InAlliance takes place in Sacramento. Half a dozen local chefs will compete in this Iron Chef-style cook-off that raises money to help people with developmental disabilities.

The nonprofit's ninth annual chef challenge will be much more spontaneous than other types of cooking contests because no one will know what the secret ingredients are until minutes before the event begins. The chefs are planning to have a good time in this friendly competition.

"It's going to be fun," said Evan's Kitchen owner Evan Elsberry. "We're going to put on a good show."

Elsberry will take the stage in a lion costume – joining his sous chef, Michael Steele, who will be dressed as a lamb. While the theme song "Born To Be Wild" plays, Steele will prance around until Elsberry the lion takes out a fake pistol and pretends to shoot. Lamb chops will be served at the East Sacramento restaurant's booth at the event.

He will be going up against Richard Pannell of Cuisine Noir magazine, Mark Liberman of Black Sheep Butchery, Ramiro Alarcón of Tequila Museo Mayahuel, Jim Turknett of the Vizcaya and Keith Richardson of Colusa Casino.

About 600 people are expected to watch as the chefs use five mystery ingredients in three dishes they create on stage. Starting at 6:30 p.m. and spaced 15 minutes apart, the chefs have 45 minutes to prepare and plate their dishes. They'll then have 10 minutes to present and explain the dishes to six judges also on stage, said event organizer Jessica Bean, public relations coordinator for InAlliance.

The chefs will also have booths in the event's food, wine and beer show from 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. at the California Auto Museum, 2200 Front St.

More than 100 restaurants, wineries and breweries will provide samples of their wares. Three pastry chefs will be set up in three different locations in a separate pastry competition.

The chefs will all have access to a pantry with basic ingredients such as flour, eggs, spices and fresh produce. They can bring sauces, oils and rubs they’ve made. But if they bring any other ingredients not in the pantry, they’ll have to share with the other chefs, Bean said.

Minutes before the cooking begins, the competitors will be told what secret ingredients must be included in the dishes. The ingredients include a meat, seafood, fruit, vegetable and a "wild card.” They’re encouraged to use as many secret ingredients as they can, she said.

The chefs are given a four-burner stove top, convection oven and assistance from one sous chef.

Russell Michel, the winner in 2010, found he had to slightly alter his game plan in last year's competition after one of the secret ingredients turned out to be goat leg meat. He used another secret ingredient – papaya – to braise and quickly tenderize the meat, then served that on crostini with black truffle goat cheese, white truffle oil and red Alaea Hawaiian sea salt.

"What fun that was!" said Michel, executive chef at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento and its Morgan's Central Valley Bistro.

The competitors didn't want to give all their secrets away before Friday. A few were willing to share some of their plans.

Pannell has been cramming for the challenge by watching competitions on the Food Network and practicing presentations in the kitchen. He's watching to see what's thrown at chefs and how they present.

"I'm in training," said Pannell, who was the chef at Table 260 until the downtown Sacramento restaurant closed a month ago. He operates Pannell Quizine Catering. His cousin, Sam Pannell, was married to City Councilwoman Bonnie Pannell.

He said he may have an advantage over the other chefs because his cooking doesn't have to represent a restaurant's menu or personality. Pannell said he hopes to get an edge with an array of international cuisine or fusion cooking that might mix southern-based food with another culture.

"My strategy is basically to go around the world (with the dishes). I figure I can go anywhere – from the Caribbean to Italy, Mexico, Africa or Asia," he said. "I have the freedom to be very eclectic and very open."

Liberman will use experience picked up at competitions like the Bocuse d'Or USA in New York or at restaurants such as San Francisco's La Folie and the Joël Robuchon Restaurant in Las Vegas.

He'll bring ingredients and equipment such as knives, a handheld blender and a thermal immersion circulator used to make waterbaths. He'll also bring half a dozen spoons of different shapes and sizes stolen from restaurants where he's worked to commemorate his time there.

"I'm kind of a klepto with the spoons," he said. "I love my spoons. It's pretty much an extension of my hand at this point."

The judges are Russell Michel, Guy Farris of Sacramento & Co., Michael Anthony of SacDine.com, Alex Lane of Yelp, state Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, Bryan May of News10 and Melissa Crowley of News10 Good Morning.

The chefs are encouraged to make an appetizer, entrée and desert because they’re judged on the three dishes as a whole. They’re also judged on taste, quality, originality, creativity, overall presentation, personality and theatrics.

The winner takes home a medal and bragging rights. Organizers hope to raise $40,000 to $60,000, Bean said.

The chefs are trying to decipher two clues sent out this week about the secret ingredients. The first clue was that Colombian pastry chef Carlos Sanchez was responsible for the success of a certain ingredient for nearly four decades.

Elsberry will bring staples from his kitchen, such as favorite herbs, stocks and marinades. Thursday night, he'll start reducing what he described as a "killer super stock" that will go with chicken, beef or pork.

"There's really not too much you can do until you know the ingredients," he said. "I'm pretty crazy. I should be able to figure something out."

Sacramento awaits word on Kings

2011-04-27T01:23:12Z

Sacramento Kings fans, officials and business leaders are waiting to hear in the next few days whether the team will stay here for at least a year after businesses ponied up deposits on more than $10.2 million in financial support Tuesday.

The National Basketball Association's Relocation Committee, chaired by Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, will meet between now and Monday to make a decision. Sacramento officials have asked to learn sooner than May 2, if possible, whether the Kings will remain in Sacramento rather than move to Anaheim.

May 2 is the deadline for the Kings' owners, the Maloofs, to file a relocation request.

There has been little public discussion of the impact an Anaheim signature collection drive has had in blocking a Kings move for at least a year – forcing the NBA and the Maloofs to keep the team here.

Arno Political Consultants, working on behalf of the Committee to Save the Kings and organizers Rob Stutzman, a Sacramento political consultant, and Robbie Waters, a former city councilman, said Monday they've gathered 11,000 - 12,000 signatures.

While the signatures must still be certified, there are more than enough to block Anaheim from issuing $75 million in bonds to help the Kings move unless that's approved by voters in June 2012 or in a special election.

Tuesday morning, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson distanced himself from the signature drive. In the bid to keep the Kings, Johnson promised NBA officials Sacramento leaders would concentrate on doing what they could to prove the region is a viable NBA market.

"We have focused on what we can control here in Sacramento. That has been our commitment from day one. We knew if we stepped up from the corporate community, we'd be in the ball game. That was our offensive play," he said in a press conference outside Golden One Credit Union, 845 Cal Center Drive. "What's happening in Anaheim – that's somebody else's fight.... We weren't involved in that."

Representatives from 30 businesses made deposits on more than $10.2 million in pledges in a meeting with seven staff members from the NBA's Team Marketing and Business Operations department at Golden One, said Johnson, who named businesses and later released a list of those who have pledged financial support.

Johnson had asked Sacramento Metro Chamber President Matt Mahood; political strategist Darius Anderson; special events planner Sharon Gerber, who owns Six Degreez; and Warren Smith, who helped bring the River Cats to West Sacramento; to gather support from the business community to pledge money to buy corporate sponsorships, Kings tickets and luxury suites.

Anderson, a San Francisco investor, and billionaire Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle emerged two weeks ago as possible investors willing to buy the Kings or bring another team here if the Kings left.

Bennett and an NBA attorney were in town last week for the first set of NBA meetings with local elected officials and business leaders. Their visit was set up following Johnson’s appearance before Bennett’s NBA committee and the NBA’s finance committee April 14.

On Friday, an NBA official confirmed the league had no plans to send anyone to Anaheim for a similar fact-finding mission.

NBA staff members met with the mayor at the end of the day Monday and told him they'd need deposits on those pledges, Johnson said.

"Today, they have put their money where their mouth is – demonstrated to the NBA that we are for real and we're here to support the NBA, support the Kings – not just this year, but for many years go come," Mahood said during the press conference.

Six people from the Sacramento groups Blackramento Cali Africans (BCA) and All Things Are Possible (ATAP) stood on Golden One's palm tree-filled plaza to protest during the NBA meeting and press conference. The group held signs reading, "We need education, not recreation" and "Invest your money in the youth of tomorrow."

They questioned why the public wasn't informed in advance of Tuesday's NBA meeting and others the NBA and mayor's office have set up in Sacramento in the last week.

"There shouldn't be secret meetings," ATAP Chief Executive Officer Olatunji Richards said. "It seems to be going through the back door."

They said they would like to see more money spent on school programs, job training and job creation rather than keeping the Kings.

"They're finding millions of dollars out there to save the Kings," BCA President Keon Johnson said. "The conditions in my community don't reflect the millions that (should) trickle down from the Kings."

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Sacramentan marketing treehouses in Costa Rica

2011-04-26T01:26:17Z

Sacramentan Thomas Dodson can't chill out in an air-conditioned office when days get hot or pressure at his new job marketing treehouses in the Costa Rica rainforest heats up.

His bosses tell him to go jump in the river. And they're likely to join him.

One of the perks at Finca Bellavist a, which is billed as the world's first treehouse community, is living and working in a remote, pristine mountain setting fed by the Rio Bellavista. They can use "sky trails," a zipline network, to get around and cool off in the river anytime it gets too hot, Dodson said.

"We've got a great waterhole just down the hill," he said Monday via Skype.

The 37-year-old was working in marketing for the architecture firm Lionakis when a coworker sent him a link to Finca Bellavista. Impressed, he contacted the owners, Erica and Matt Hogan. The contact turned into a short-term job offer to handle marketing for the community. Dodson is the main point of contact for the media.

Dodson said he's using all the skills he's developed throughout his career to help publicize the new community, which is in the beginning building stages.

After attending Coastal Carolina University, Dodson started his career in TV news. He worked for 10 years as a photojournalist and producer at stations in South Carolina, Boise and Seattle before he and his then-wife moved to Sacramento in 2004 to be near her family.

Dodson worked at Fox40 news and then transitioned into print by working as an associate editor at Comstock's magazine for a year and a half. He then became the public relations manager for the residential architecture firm, BSB Design.

Dodson did marketing for Lionakis and another Sacramento architecture firm, ANOVA Architects. He worked on projects to promote the use of energy-efficient design, sustainable architecture and LEED certification for buildings. He also did social media work at ANOVA, where he set up and managed the firm's Facebook page.

At his new job, he may also put to use some modeling skills he's picked up in the last year or so.

In 2010, while working at ANOVA, Dodson was discovered by Chandra Bourne, the owner of Cast Images Talent Agency in Sacramento. He was actually attending a fashion show at the Mix Downtown at the time.

"Chandra walked up to me and asked me if I'd ever done any modeling before. I said, 'No.' I thought she was drunk," he said.

Dodson worked as a model in photo shoots for magazines, websites and catalogs. He was featured in a Kindle ad on Amazon.com. Sacramentans can still see him in TV ads currently running for Atlantis Casino Resort Spa.

Modeling has been just a side job. But Dodson appreciated the work because he said the construction industry has suffered in Northern California for several years.

"It's been an industry in transition because of the economy. A lot of ups and downs," he said.

Dodson traveled to Costa Rica about two weeks ago with East Sacramentans Cheri Davis and Ted Frink. They'd already bought a lot at Finca Bellavista and had traveled back and forth between the two countries five times.

Dodson described the 300-acre community as a "magical place" where treehouses are built as high as 90 feet in the air. There's no electricity, but there is running water. People buy lots and then build treehouses to match their needs.

One of the ideas behind Finca Bellavista was to simplify lifestyles that have grown far too complicated, Erica Hogan said.

"I think somewhere along the line, we've overcomplicated everything, from our drinking water to our electricity to our lifestyle choices," she said.

The community is centered around a basecamp built at an old rock quarry in Costa Rica's south Pacific coastal region. The basecamp now has an office, community center and other support buildings. Waterfalls and two whitewater rivers run through an area teeming with birds and other wildlife.

"Imagine the Ewok Village from ‘Return of the Jedi.’ It’s sort of like that," Dodson wrote in an email.

Davis and Frink, who live near McKinley Park, had been planning to build a home "off the ground" in another sustainable tropical community in Costa Rica. But they were captivated by Finca Bellavista's treehouse community concept when they read about it in Outside magazine three years ago.

"If nothing else, we thought, we should go check out the competition!" Davis emailed late Monday afternoon. "I stepped out of the car, I took one look at the fern-lined river canyon, and told my husband 'I want to be a part of this!' ”

Now they plan to build on a lot measuring about 1.25 acres.

"Lot size really isn't a big deal here, because it's all about the trees – and there are more than you can count on each lot!" Davis wrote.

She and her husband hope to build in phases as money permits. They'll start on a compact 600- to 700-square-foot central house with a large deck in the next few years. They'll then add bedrooms as satellites off the main house, she said.

"Until then, we will continue to come here every year to see the progress (and) enjoy the peaceful setting," she said.

Challenges involved with building and working there include the extra time it takes to buy construction materials like high-quality screws used to build wooden treehouses, get a telephone installed or get insurance, Finca Bellavista owner Erica Hogan said.

Most communication is done by email or via computer using Skype because it's so hard to get a strong, consistent phone signal. An antenna/amplifier can help strengthen signals for cell phones and Internet service at basecamp and treehouses. But sometimes when a call must be made, it can only be done by climbing up high into a treehouse to get a cell phone signal, she said.

Dodson is now working under a three-month contract and he said that may be extended. His two children live in Sacramento, the place he considers to be his permanent home in the United States.

"The sky’s the limit here, so I can see this carrying forward for a long, long time," he said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

River District tour held

2011-04-23T02:08:56Z

The American Institute of Architects' Central Valley chapter this week led a panel discussion and tour in the River District, described by some as one of the region’s hottest areas.

The roughly 773-acre River District, previously known as the Richards Boulevard area, sits north of downtown in an area bounded by the Sacramento and American rivers, the historic railyards and parcels along North 16th Street. More than 200 property owners hold title to about 400 parcels located there.

The discussion featured Township 9 developer Steve Goodwin, Sacramento Economic Development Department Senior Project Manager Rachel Hazelwood, Community Development Department Senior Urban Designer Greg Taylor and California Lottery Deputy Director Terry Murphy.

The panelists discussed the history, development and future of an area recently called one of the region's hottest districts.

"This year, you're going to see so much development going on in this area," said Goodwin, president of the River District board of directors. "It's taken a lot of time. It's taken a lot of effort. I think the city's going to be proud of what we've accomplished in terms of planning for the future of this area."

The size of the River District is about the same size as a chunk of north Portland from the Pearl District to University Park. The 5.77-miles length of waterfront in the district surpasses one of San Francisco's most popular in the area of the Embarcadero, Taylor said.

The River District currently has about 386 residential units. Within 25 years, that could grow to 8,144 units, Hazelwood said.

"It's going to be a future hot spot," said event organizer Carla Collins of MatriScope Engineering. Collins chairs the Young Leaders Group Committee for the Urban Land Institute Sacramento.

Those attending the event then broke into groups to tour three new landmark projects under construction: the new Lottery campus and the Greyhound bus terminal, and to learn about landscape architecture plans at the site of the future Township 9. Planners, designers and builders met groups at each site to lead tours.

Township 9

The 65-acre Township 9 site will feature a six-acre riverfront park and a linear parkway on North Seventh Street.

The park will include an outdoor amphitheater and plants that recreate natural habitat for wildlife. The linear parkway will contain a fountain and watercourse that ends in a retainment pond. A road running along the existing levee and the park will make the American River in that area more accessible to the public. Construction on the project's first building is expected to start this year, said Jeff Townsend with Jacobs Engineering.

California State Lottery Building and Campus

Newly transplanted palm trees and other plants currently dominate a 10,500-square-foot outdoor plaza at the new California State Lottery Building on North 10th St. But the plaza will also include water features and retail.

The greenery contrasts with the modern glass curtain exterior covering the main building. The campus includes a prominent, glass-enclosed drawing room and a pavilion for Lottery Commission hearings and public meetings.

The new headquarters will include environmentally friendly features such as solar panels and drought-tolerant, low-maintenance vegetation on some roofs. Inside, offices were placed at the core of the building, and worker cubicles were placed near windows to maximize natural light, said Curtis Owyang with LPAS Architecture & Design.

Greyhound Terminal

The temporary Greyhound bus terminal on Richards Boulevard is a pre-engineered metal building being constructed for $5 million with the idea that it can be reused for another purpose or dismantled and moved after it's no longer needed in Sacramento. The building is expected to be used as a terminal for 10 - 15 years.

Inside, the roughly 10,000-square-foot terminal has three sections: a 4,000-square-foot main lobby; an administration area with ticketing and baggage services; and an area with food service and restrooms.

Buses will line up behind the building, which will have a landscaped front entrance for passengers but no public parking lot. Parking may be added later. A soft opening may be held in July, said Craig Stradley of Mogavero Notestine Associates.

NBA may not visit Anaheim

2011-04-23T01:41:25Z

Sacramento has gotten no word from the National Basketball Association that the Kings are staying in town – but the league doesn't have plans yet to visit Anaheim, an NBA official said Friday.

League staff members will be in Sacramento Monday to collect more detailed information about financial support for the Kings and a new arena following a two-day visit Thursday and Friday by an NBA attorney and NBA Relocation Committee Chair Clay Bennett, who owns the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Bennett will report back to his committee next week, said Tim Frank, the NBA's senior vice president of Basketball Communications.

However, NBA officials have not scheduled a similar fact-finding mission to Southern California, Frank said.

"No trip planned at the moment for Anaheim," he wrote in an email.

The Kings' owners, the Maloofs, said Friday they have not yet made a decision about whether to file a relocation request to move the team. The deadline is May 2.

On Thursday, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and other elected official asked the NBA to give the region a year to show they will be able to replace Power Balance Pavilion with a new home for the Kings.

The Los Angeles Times reported Friday afternoon NBA officials said they expect the Kings to stay in the state capital for the next year. However, the NBA has not told this to the city of Sacramento, Mayor Kevin Johnson said in a late-afternoon press conference.

"I have not heard that from David Stern's mouth. I have not heard that from Clay Bennett," said Johnson, who called the claim "too premature."

"I haven't heard anything close to that, by any means."

Still, Anaheim didn't sound like the happiest place on earth Friday. Mayor Tom Tait issued a brief statement saying he didn't want to respond to "unconfirmed reports."

“As we have said all along, Anaheim is an NBA-ready city,” he said in a prepared statement. “We put forth a great presentation at the NBA Board of Governors meetings in New York. And we are confident that we have established this region as a stand-alone market and that the NBA looks favorably on our city, our arena and our fans."

Anaheim city officials didn't wish to comment on the NBA having no visits scheduled for Anaheim, said Ruth Ruiz, spokeswoman for the city manager's office.

"That would be a decision for someone in the NBA to make," Ruiz said late Friday afternoon.

George Maloof told Johnson early this week they want to let Bennett and the NBA gather information before further discussing a possible move with the NBA or the city of Sacramento. The Maloofs repeated that in a prepared statement sent out Friday in response to reports the NBA has decided keep the Kings in Sacramento.

"We await the results of the fact-finding visit that the NBA made to Sacramento the past two days," according to the statement. "We have not made a decision with regards to relocation filing, and will not make that decision until we have more information from the NBA."

Johnson thanked Kings fans, the business community and other elected officials for their help in fighting "tooth and nail" to help keep the Kings in Sacramento.

By Friday, the Sacramento Metro Chamber, city and others had raised more than $10.2 million in pledges of financial support for the Kings if they stay.

"Clay Bennett got a chance to sit down and look face to face with the people who made these pledges, and they didn't flinch," Johnson said at City Hall.

NBA officials dined at Ella Thursday night and met from 9 a.m.- noon Friday with the Maloofs. Johnson said he rode to the airport with Bennett.

"They felt that our community had stepped up," Johnson said.

The mayor said NBA officials indicated they will say next week when they expect to make a decision, after meeting with the Kings and the Sacramento region's corporate community to discuss those pledges.

City officials and business leaders will have to wait until late May when an arena feasibility study is complete to start determining how new arena construction might be financed, he said.

Using a basketball analogy, Johnson said he no longer feels like Sacramento is behind in the game by 20 points. But he also doesn't yet feel like Sacramento has won the fight to keep the Kings.

"We've shrunk that lead to something manageable," he said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Region asks NBA for another year with Kings

2011-04-22T01:35:14Z

Sacramento leaders asked National Basketball Association officials visiting Thursday to keep the Kings in Sacramento for at least another year while the region proves a new arena can be built – and an answer is expected May 2.

In a closed-door meeting at the state Capitol Thursday morning, Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and other elected officials from the city and state asked the NBA to give the region a year to show they will be able to replace Power Balance Pavilion with a new home for the Kings.

Kings supporters also did their best to paint the town purple – waving purple-lettered signs outside City Hall, hanging Kings banners on buildings and dressing in the team's color. Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, who chairs the NBA Board of Governor's Relocation Committee, even wore a purple tie to the NBA meetings in Sacramento.

An NBA delegation led by Bennett and Harvey Benjamin, an attorney, met with about 20 people, including Sacramento City Council members and state officials, in Steinberg's office. NBA officials, who will also be here Friday, didn't indicate which way they're leaning.

"We haven't got a commitment yet," Mayor Kevin Johnson said in a press conference outside the U.S. Bank Building Thursday. "The quicker we get word that (the) team is here for another year – that is a big statement. I think that will happen no later than May 2, as I understand it today."

In a second NBA meeting Thursday – this time with business leaders at the U.S. Bank Building – Bennett and Benjamin asked if the region's corporate community is ready to "sign on the dotted line" to provide $9.2 million in financial support if the Kings remain in Sacramento another year, Johnson said.

"Clay Bennett wanted to make sure these were hard commitments," he said, adding that corporate leaders responded, "Yes."

Pledges were raised in the last two weeks during an effort spearheaded by Sacramento Metro Chamber President Matt Mahood and the mayor. Businesses and corporate leaders came "out of the woodwork" to pledge money – including owners of small and medium-size businesses whose smaller pledges haven't been tapped into yet, Mahood said during the press conference right after the meeting.

ICON Venue Group President Tim Romani and others from the ICON-Taylor development team later gave NBA officials an update on the financial feasibility study they're doing for a new arena.

No Kings rallies were held Thursday, said Kings blogger Blake Ellington, who founded the Here We Stay movement to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

But he and other supporters of the effort to keep the team wore plenty of purple. Members of the SEIU labor union waved signs saying workers support the Kings being here at the corner of 10th and I streets, outside City Hall.

Artist Anthony Padilla spray painted a large statue of a book in Natomas with the words "Here We Build" in purple.

Tim Ahmadzai, owner of the Hometown Favorites sports store at Sacramento International Airport's terminal A, decked out the front of his store with purple balloons and Kings paraphernalia to welcome the NBA to town.

Renee Viehmann of Rancho Cordova and her weimaraner, Roxie, both dressed in purple and stood outside the U.S. Bank Building where they hoped to catch a glimpse of NBA officials.

"I just wanted to come down and show the purple and hopefully show the NBA we don't want them to go," she said.

About 20 people who were out and about on J, K and L streets in downtown and Midtown late Thursday afternoon were spotted wearing purple. There weren't many people walking around the grid at that time, but some Kings fans expressed their loyalty through purple shirts, ties and Kings jerseys.

On Friday, 28-year-old Alex Kramers, a financial analyst in New York, said he will lead 10 to 20 Kings fans to NBA headquarters at 645 Fifth Ave. at 1 p.m. EDT. Dressed in purple, they will rally outside and drop off letters asking NBA Commissioner David Stern to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

Kramers has never lived in Sacramento. He became a Kings fan in the early 1990s watching Mitch Richmond play. He's been a "fan correspondent" writing on the Kings website this year.

He discovered other Kings fans also live in New York when he showed up outside last week's NBA meeting at the St. Regis Hotel. They decided to rally together this week, he said.

"We've got some passionate fans," Kramers said.

West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon also said the meeting with the NBA went well.

"They were asking the right questions, and anytime they tuned in to the radio or turned on the TV or even went outside, they can't help but see the support for the team," he said as he stood inside Capitol Bowl in West Sacramento.

"They're here getting our business strategy.... We may not have our I's dotted and our T's crossed, but we know how to make this work, and they see that the whole region is coming together."

Bowling alley Manager Chris White said the Kings have always been part of this region and she will be sad if they go. Kings players have been loyal customers, she said.

"I bought size 16 and 17 (bowling) shoes because the Kings would come here and bowl," she said Thursday afternoon. "Mike Bibby and Bobby Jackson used to come here all the time and bring their friends and families."

But not everyone wore purple Thursday. Sacramento State student Jon Haas decided not to when he went into his internship at the Board of Equalization in the U.S. Bank Building Thursday.

"To be totally honest, I'd like the Kings to stay. But I'd like the Maloofs to go," he said, noting the Kings owners still owe the city millions of dollars. "It just seems like more trouble than it's worth."

After his morning meeting, Steinberg said NBA officials were "keeping their cards close to their chest" but he and others thought the meeting was very positive, said Steinberg spokeswoman Alicia Trost.

NBA officials are scheduled to do more fact-finding in town Friday, but no details were available.

Johnson and others appeared hopeful Thursday that the NBA wouldn't approve the Kings moving to Anaheim in early May.

"If we win today and if we get one more year, it's going to really boil down to our ability to build a new entertainment-sports complex," Johnson said. "People are going to want to know what's different. I think this is the beginning of hopefully something very positive going forward."

Staff reporters Brandon Darnell and Kathleen Haley contributed to this report. Suzanne Hurt is a staff writer for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Fans, leaders roll out purple carpet for NBA

2011-04-21T01:20:32Z

A day before National Basketball Association representatives arrive in Sacramento, regional leaders gathered in the state capital Wednesday to show their support for what has until now been the city's effort to keep the Kings and build a new arena.

Kings fans and business leaders have launched a campaign called "Here We Purple" in anticipation of the NBA's arrival. The movement grew on Facebook and Twitter, where organizers are encouraging everyone in the city to paint the town purple and wear purple clothes Thursday and/or Friday.

Elected officials from as far away as Loomis, Yuba City and Yolo County joined Mayor Kevin Johnson for an hour-long meeting and press conference he held to drum up support for the team.

Johnson will meet with Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, who chairs the NBA Board of Governor's Relocation Committee, and NBA Executive Counsel Harvey Benjamin on their two-day fact-finding mission here Thursday and Friday.

The Kings and the arena where they play have been regional assets that have brought jobs, business, marketing opportunities and a national identity to the six-county region – which includes Sacramento, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Yuba and Sutter counties, several leaders said.

"The NBA and the Kings span the entire region. They are not simply part of the city of Sacramento. They are one of the region's most important assets," West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon said during the press conference.

"We want to make it clear to the NBA that the entire region is standing behind Mayor Johnson, the city of Sacramento and the Kings to assure that the NBA remains a critical part of this community and this region," he said.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Kings fans and businesses used social media to get the word out on efforts to swathe Sacramento and its residents in purple.

Grange Restaurant and Bar will put the "Kings Preservation" cocktail on the menu Thursday. The Midtown bar Alley Katz is offering $1 purple beers Thursday. Restaurants, bars and a movie theater are offering freebies and special deals for customers dressed in purple. The Esquire IMAX Theatre will give away free popcorn to anyone wearing that color.

On Wednesday morning, about 36 people representing all six counties, six to eight cities and four chambers of commerce met with Johnson at the headquarters for the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, across from the Capitol. City Councilmen Steve Cohn and Jay Schenirer took part. Representatives were also sent by state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, state Sen. Ted Gaines and U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui.

Yolo County Supervisor Jimmie Yee said he wants to work with leaders from throughout the region to figure out how to build a new arena to replace Power Balance Pavilion and keep the Kings in Sacramento.

"An entertainment center, not just for NBA basketball, but for all entertainment, is a regional asset," Yee said.

On Wednesday, Johnson did not mention another option he raised before the NBA team owners last week: that a group led by billionaire Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle buy the Kings to keep them here or bring in another team.

Neither Burkle nor his investment partner, San Francisco political strategist Darius Anderson, have been available for more comment on their plan since the NBA meeting.

On Friday, NBA Commissioner David Stern indicated Johnson's "businesslike" approach and presentation to team owners were critical in getting the league to postpone the team's relocation request deadline to May 2.

No details were available on the NBA's visit or meeting with the mayor.

Several at the press conference outside Meridian Plaza, 1415 L St., credited Johnson with turning the conversation around in the last two weeks to refocus on a desire to keep the Kings and continuing the efforts to stop the team from moving to Anaheim.

In that time, Johnson has led a drive that's raised at least $8 million in pledges of financial support for the team in the form of corporate sponsorships, luxury suite sales or next season tickets. He made a pitch to stop the Kings from leaving the city or at least protect Sacramento's reputation as a viable NBA market when he appeared before NBA Board of Governors committees last week.

"It's really critical and I think it's phenomenal that we have been able to turn around that sentiment that, two weeks ago, felt like it was a done deal," Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Steve Gándola said. "Today, I really feel we have a strong shot at keeping them here."

The Sacramento Press will turn its website purple Thursday. Kings supporters can post photos of people dressed in purple and other creative ways people show support for this effort at www.sacramentopress.com.

Thunder Valley Casino tribe pledges $1m for Kings

2011-04-20T00:03:56Z

The tribal council of the United Auburn Indian Community, which owns Thunder Valley Casino Resort, pledged $1 million toward the effort to stop the Kings from moving to Anaheim – raising the total to at least $8 million Tuesday afternoon.

The tribe's five-member elected council decided to commit the money after meeting with Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson Tuesday afternoon. Council members are now challenging businesses and business leaders to make hefty pledges of their own, said Doug Elmets, spokesman for the tribe and casino.

"He (Johnson) made a very compelling case as to why it's important for the business community to rally together to keep the Kings in Sacramento," Elmets said.

Johnson and leaders in the region's business community are engaged in a drive to raise pledges to help keep the National Basketball Association team in Sacramento. The money could be used to buy corporate sponsorships, suites or next season ticket sales.

Johnson told the NBA Board of Governors Thursday that $7 million had been committed so far. He could not be immediately reached for comment Tuesday.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Trio of nerds opens Nerdy Dogs

2011-04-19T23:19:46Z

A beloved Louisiana Catahoula leopard dog with inquisitive amber eyes and a finicky palate has inspired the central city's newest specialty pet store.

Caitlyn Shortt, 25, and 26-year-old MDavid Low opened Nerdy Dogs April 7 on the first floor of their live-work loft at 1118 19th St. in Midtown. The store offers food, treats, eco-conscious toys and other products for dogs and cats.

Shortt and Low have lived in Sacramento for just a year, after Low got a job as a senior producer at the digital ad agency BKWLD ("Buck Wild"). They met in Hood River, Ore., where they grew up.

The dog who motivated them to open the business was a rescue adopted from the Portland Humane Society. At the time, he was named "Pedro." Low and Shortt thought the 9-week-old puppy was too sweet for that name. They changed the name to Churro – which is also the name for a fried-dough pastry popular in Latin America.

"He's our little Mexican dessert," Shortt said.

The store's specialty is a line of homemade, organic dog treats developed for Churro.

Now almost 4 years old, Churro has always been particular about food. Outside the home, he was always polite enough to accept treats he was offered. He'd take the food in his mouth, then turn his head and quietly spit it out, she said.

"Churro's a really picky, picky dog," Shortt said. "I spent a lot of time looking for treats he would like. Finally, I started making them."

Shortt and Low began selling dog treats made in their own kitchen with minimal ingredients on etsy.com in August and at the Midtown Bazaar in Sacramento in September.

Flavors include chicken liver, beef liver, peanut butter, and peanut butter-and-pumpkin. Some shapes are based on 1980s arcade games like Super Mario, and some treats are topped with yogurt-based frosting.

Research indicated no one was operating a pet store in Midtown or downtown Sacramento. So the couple decided to open one themselves after a space opened in the 1801 L building developed by Sotiris Kolokotronis.

The store also carries pet food from Orijen and California Natural and environmentally friendly products, which range from biodegradable poop bags and bamboo ball tossers with recycled rubber balls to beds, leashes and bowls for dogs and cats. Cat treats will also be organic, but they won't be made by Shortt.

A former swimming coach, Shortt will staff the shop full-time with help from Churro. She'll also oversee the store's Facebook page and website. Store hours are 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. weekdays and Second Saturdays, and 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. on other Saturdays.

The couple said they chose the name Nerdy Dogs for the store because all three of them are nerds. They tease Churro for sitting with hind legs splayed, and the three of them like to watch the nighttime TV shows "Bones" and "Stargate Universe" in their apartment upstairs after the shop closes.

"That'll land some nerd points," Low said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Sign of spring

2011-04-19T19:44:10Z

A female wood duck was spotted leaving Marshall Park with 11 ducklings in tow Tuesday morning.

Mom duck led the babies across I street and then 28th street – in the direction of the pond at nearby McKinley Park.

The troupe travelled in a tight bunch down a street gutter until mom duck hopped the curb. Most of the peeping ducklings then summitted the curb and rejoined mom.

Peeping loudly, the last duckling wandered up and down the gutter several times without finding a way to get up. Following a little encouragement from two humans watching nearby, the duckling finally jumped up the curb and wandered off with mother and siblings.

NBA group rolls into Sacramento this week

2011-04-18T23:00:45Z

A National Basketball Association committee will arrive in Sacramento this week to study the possibility of keeping the Kings here.

Reports surfaced Monday that a group of six would be coming here Tuesday to get more information about new financial support for the Kings. On Friday at the NBA Board of Governors meeting in New York, NBA Commissioner David Stern said team owners agreed to learn more about corporate sponsorships and other money that may be available to help the Kings make more money in Sacramento.

The only information that could be confirmed was that Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, who chairs the board's Relocation Committee, and NBA Executive Counsel Harvey Benjamin will be here Thursday and Friday, according to Tim Frank, the NBA's senior vice president of basketball communications.

An agenda has not been set yet, he said.

The Maloof family, which owns or controls a majority share of the Sacramento Kings, has been exploring a possible move to Anaheim. Last week, the NBA Board of Governors agreed to a second deadline extension for the Maloofs to seek permission to move – from April 18 to May 2.

Mayor Kevin Johnson's office is still working out meeting logistics with the NBA.

"We're putting together the details for the upcoming meetings," mayoral spokesman Joaquin McPeek said.

At least $7 million in commitments for corporate sponsorships and suite revenues were made to Johnson and business leaders including Sacramento Metro Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Mahood shortly before the NBA Board of Governors meeting, which was held last Thursday and Friday.

The money was raised as Kings fans, Sacramento business leaders and Johnson and other city officials rally around various efforts to stop the Kings from going to Anaheim. A drive to collect about 10,000 Anaheim resident signatures and possibly block more than $75 million in bonds to help the Kings to move is going "very well" and is more than half way to its goal, said Kellen Arno of Arno Political Consultants in Carlsbad.

On Thursday, Johnson also told the NBA billionaire Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle and San Francisco investor Darius Anderson would like to buy the Kings or help the city draw another pro basketball team if the Kings move.

Mahood and others with the Metro Chamber continue to search for new corporate sponsors and suite holders to bring the Kings new revenue.

“The Sacramento Metro Chamber is currently working with the mayor’s office in the ongoing effort to demonstrate that Sacramento has been and will continue to be a viable NBA market for the Sacramento Kings," Mahood said in a prepared statement Monday.

Staff reporter Brandon Darnell contributed to this report. Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for the Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

NBA takes more time to study Kings move

2011-04-15T23:53:49Z

Sacramento Kings fans will have to keep holding their breath over a possible team move after a National Basketball Association official on Friday said the league needs time to learn more about the unfolding deal in Anaheim and the viability of keeping the team in the capital.

The NBA Board of Governors agreed to extend the deadline for the Maloofs’ request to move until May 2.

On Thursday, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and San Francisco investor Darius Anderson told NBA team owners that billionaire Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle is leading a plan to buy the Kings or help bring another pro basketball team here if the Kings leave.

Johnson also said he and business leaders have raised commitments for at least $7 million in corporate sponsorships and suite revenues in the last week to create "significant immediate additional revenues" for the Kings, according to the mayor's office.

NBA team owners want to know more about the money available to help the Kings "better compete" and improve economic performance next year in Sacramento if the team stays, NBA Commissioner David Stern said at a press conference in New York Friday.

"Mayor Johnson came in and said ... there will be lots of additional dollars available that would improve the Kings’ performance, the Kings’ economic performance, in Sacramento, if they stay, and that the community had recently been mobilized, and was in a position to (help keep) them there for the coming season," Stern said. "The other things were to find out what the mayor was referring to with respect to additional revenue opportunities that would allow the team to better compete next year and be economically feasible."

While Burkle has a "good reputation," Stern said the sale of the Kings or drawing another team to Sacramento wasn't high on the league's list of priorities.

The key to keeping the NBA in Sacramento is a new arena. Power Balance Pavilion is so inadequate the National Collegiate Athletic Association won't bring its basketball tournament back there, he said.

"The issue first and foremost in Sacramento is whether there's the will and the ability to build a new arena for an NBA team and the other events...." Stern said. "The mayor's vision is for a downtown arena as part of a major redevelopment of 230 acres. You know, we don't know if that's real or a pie in the sky. We don't know whether we can find that out in a couple of weeks, but we are going to knock ourselves out to do it."

A team led by Colorado arena builder ICON Venue Group President Tim Romani and Sacramento developer David Taylor are expected to complete an arena feasibility study in early May.

Stern indicated Johnson's "business-like approach" and thorough presentation about Sacramento's strengths as an NBA market and the current effort to build a new arena were instrumental in getting the league to ask for more time to study the two locations.

Members of the NBA Board of Governors Relocation and Finance Advisory committees are expected to meet with Johnson and Sacramento business leaders to get more concrete information.

Several efforts to keep the Kings or the NBA in Sacramento and to fund a new arena are under way, with new developments still taking place, Sacramento Metro Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Mahood said Friday.

“The Sacramento region’s business community has demonstrated substantial interest in stepping up to ensure we remain viable as an NBA market, with or without the Sacramento Kings," Mahood said in a prepared statement. "Over the course of the next few weeks, we look forward to further defining the business community’s support and commitments."

The idea to extend the relocation request deadline a second time came from NBA Board of Governors Chairman Glen Taylor, who owns the Minnesota Timberwolves; Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, who chairs the board's Relocation Committee; and the Maloofs.

In a teleconference late Friday afternoon, Johnson said the extension signals the game isn't over in Sacramento yet.

"I'm encouraged by the delay. I'm also encouraged by the fact that the NBA is going to send a team out to investigate the potential of Sacramento," he said. "I'm not declaring victory by any means."

Members of the two committees also want more time to look into the proposed deal between the Kings and Anaheim, especially after the terms of the deal were revised over the last few days. They need more information about loans and investments, television revenue and construction plans that could help increase expected revenue at Anaheim's Honda Center. They also would need to determine the Kings' relocation fee, Stern said.

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait issued a statement Friday afternoon saying his community is "primed and ready" to welcome a basketball team.

“We understand that the relocation committee is balancing a variety of issues as they make this decision and have decided to take a little more time," he said. "We remain hopeful and optimistic that the NBA will have a franchise playing at Anaheim’s Honda Center in the near future."

The Kings have enough time to move even after the relocation request deadline was extended. The committees’ members are likely to believe Southern California can support three NBA teams, Stern said during the press conference.

"The committee thought that it would be a good idea to do a little bit more fact-finding and determine how this will ultimately play out," Stern said. "There's no agenda here – just to make sure that something as important to all parties as the transfer of a team to another city and the attempts of that city to keep that team was fully understood, fully briefed."

The NBA has declined requests for more information about the relocation vote process.

Neither Anderson nor Burkle could be reached Friday to comment further on plans to buy the Kings or another basketball team. The Maloofs and billionaire Henry Samueli, who owns Anaheim Arena Management, which operates Anaheim's Honda Center, would not comment Friday.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Penguins owner Ron Burkle heads effort to keep NBA in Sacramento

2011-04-15T01:56:10Z

Billionaire Pittsburgh Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle and San Francisco investor Darius Anderson emerged Thursday as part of a new plan to keep the Kings in Sacramento or help the city draw another professional basketball team if the Kings move to Anaheim.

Burkle, a California native, is one of two owners of the Penguins National Hockey League team. He has been chairman of the board and the controlling shareholder for companies including Dominicks, Fred Meyer and Ralphs grocery stores. The 58-year-old was listed as having a net worth of $3.2 billion by Forbes in March.

Anderson, who is in his mid-40s, is a political strategist and fundraiser, as well as founder and chief executive officer of San Francisco-based Kenwood Investments and the lobbying firm Platinum Advisors, among other companies. He led the $2 billion Treasure Island redevelopment project and also bought and renovated the Aquarium of the Bay in San Francisco. He lives in Sacramento part of the time and also has homes in Sonoma and Southern California.

"News today is that billionaire Ron Burkle is very interested in buying the Kings and keeping them in Sac," Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson tweeted Thursday afternoon from the St. Regis Hotel in New York.

Johnson announced the development shortly after making a pitch to National Basketball Association team owners Thursday at a Board of Governors committee meeting in New York in an effort to stop the Kings from leaving the city or at least make the case that Sacramento is a good candidate for another team.

Anderson was vice president of external affairs for Ralphs grocery stores when Burkle owned the company. The two are now friends and partners in the Burkle Group.

Anderson masterminded the deal several months ago, but it was kept under wraps until a meeting before the NBA Board of Governors finance committee Thursday afternoon, according to one source.

The pair later issued a statement confirming they made a commitment to “significant” investment to “keep the NBA in Sacramento” to NBA team owners during Johnson’s presentation to a meeting of the relocation committee and at least one other committee. The statement didn’t mention a desire to buy the Kings.

“This group, led by Pittsburgh Penguins owner Ron Burkle, is prepared to assist the mayor by bringing significant resources and the best possible expertise in professional sports, facilities development and financing to bear in the effort to keep Sacramento as an NBA city,” Anderson said in a prepared statement issued Thursday afternoon.

“The Burkle Group, our local partners and other investors are looking forward to working together with the mayor and other regional leaders to keep the NBA in Sacramento, deliver on a new facility and provide Kings fans in the region with decades more of great memories,” he said.

No further information on a plan to buy the Kings was available Thursday. Additional developments may take place over the next few days, a source said.

Maloof family members, who reportedly own or control a majority share of the Kings, have repeatedly said they plan to hold onto their interests in the team.

"The Maloofs will not sell the Kings," said Troy Hanson, vice president of media relations for the Kings, after the Maloofs made a presentation to other team owners Thursday.

Hanson wouldn't discuss what the Maloofs said during their presentation. Gavin Maloof represented the family during the full Board of Governor's meeting. Hanson couldn't confirm reports that the family will file a relocation request on Monday – the filing deadline.

The percentage of shares in the Kings owned or controlled by the Kings couldn't be verified Thursday. All Kings owners reportedly have first right of refusal to buy shares if any of the other owners want to sell.

During his presentation, Johnson spoke not only as Sacramento's mayor but as a product of the league's success, said mayoral Special Assistant Bob Graswich.

"The league is one of those organizations that takes great pride in the success of its people after they leave," Graswich said Thursday morning. "He represents exactly what the league strives for in its players. He wouldn't be here (as mayor) without them."

Just a night before, a crowd packed nearly all the seats at Power Balance Pavilion for the Kings' last home game of the season. Fans waved homemade signs showing love for the team and opposing a move to Anaheim throughout the game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

After the Lakers won 116-108 in overtime, fans didn't bolt for the doors. They stayed to applaud the team and Head Coach Paul Westphal then applauded the fans in return.

Johnson, who attended part of the game, told reporters Thursday morning he was moved by the dedication the fans showed at the end of the game, Graswich said.

"They didn't want to leave," he said. "They didn't want to leave the building. They didn't want the Kings to leave. It really resonated with him."

Representatives of the Pittsburgh Penguins could not be reached for comment.

Editorial Note: This is an updated version of an earlier story.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Go Time: Sacramento vs. Anaheim at NBA meeting

2011-04-14T00:37:34Z

In the world of professional basketball, Northern California is set to take on Southern California in two heated matchups over the next 24 hours. Only one of the competitions will take place on a basketball court.

Representatives from Sacramento and Anaheim are expected to appear before the National Basketball Association Board of Governors Thursday to discuss a Kings move to Anaheim and the future of basketball in Sacramento – just hours after the Sacramento Kings are set to go up against the Los Angeles Lakers at Power Balance Pavilion Wednesday night.

At the same time, different groups are working on efforts to keep the Kings in Sacramento or form an ownership group for a new team if the Kings leave. The Kings must file a request to move by April 18.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson planned to attend the Kings' last game of the regular 2010/2011 season, mayoral spokesman Joaquin McPeek said.

That could also be their last home game in Sacramento if the team moves to Anaheim before next season.

After the game, Johnson will fly to New York for a pivotal meeting involving the fate of the Kings. Johnson and Tim Romani, president of Colorado arena builder ICON Venue Group, are scheduled to address the board Thursday, McPeek said.

The mayor will stress the city's commitment to the Kings and construction of a new arena, as well as a move to find financial backers to bring a new team here if needed. Romani will update other NBA team owners on the effort to build a new arena, according to McPeek and the mayor's blog.

"The message will be brief, simple and honest: Sacramento has been a terrific NBA city," Johnson wrote in his blog Tuesday night. "We deserve a chance to maintain our place among other elite cities, if not with the Kings, then with another franchise."

The Maloofs, who own a majority share of the Kings, will also address the board. But whether they will formally request to move the team remained unclear Wednesday. The Maloofs won't comment on their plans, said Troy Hanson, vice president of media relations for the Kings.

"They're making a presentation to the board of governors tomorrow," Hanson said. "That doesn't (necessarily) mean that they file for relocation."

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait and City Manager Tom Wood will focus on Anaheim in their comments to the board. They will likely tell the NBA the city is ready for a pro basketball team, and its Honda Center was built for two professional teams, said Ruth Ruiz, spokeswoman for the Anaheim city manager's office.

Billionaire Henry Samueli, president of Anaheim Arena Management, and other company representatives are also expected to attend.

A group called the Committee to Save the Kings has collected more than half of the roughly 10,000 signatures needed from Anaheim residents to possibly block $75 million in bonds to help the Kings move to Anaheim.

The Anaheim City Council agreed to issue the bonds on March 29. But a successful signature collection drive could force the issue to be decided by voters in June 2012 – which might block the Kings' relocation.

Tuesday night, former Kings player Chris Webber announced on TNT's postgame show he's involved in a separate effort to keep the Kings in Sacramento.

Others involved in that effort include Greg Van Dusen, who helped bring the Kings to Sacramento and later served as the team's executive vice president; Arco Arena architect Rann Haight; Tom Peterson, the Kings' former food and beverage vice president later put in charge of strategy and quality control for Maloof Sports and Entertainment; banker John Cassidy of Yuba City; and investment specialist Roger Stewart of Coeur D'Alene, Idaho.

Stewart represents an investment group that's attempting to acquire the $77 million bond debt the Maloofs owe the city, in exchange for control or ownership of Power Balance Pavilion and surrounding land. However, the details of such an acquisition would still need to be worked out with the city, the county and the Maloofs, Van Dusen said Wednesday.

The arena and land is currently owned by Sacramento taxpayers.

Webber surprised the group Tuesday night after he discussed the ongoing effort on national TV. Webber has told them he's willing to help lead a move to keep the Kings, Van Dusen said.

"He has the kind of charisma" needed to garner support, Van Dusen said. "The most spectacular years of his tremendous career were here in Sacramento. He has great passion for our community. He's willing to put his money where his heart is – which is a blessing for us."

Stewart is still reaching out to more potential investors. The Kings have indicated they're not interested in playing in a renovated arena. But the group believes one option could be to renovate the old Arco Arena, at least until a new arena can be built, Van Dusen said.

"If they have the chance to pull this off, it has the opportunity to buy us some time and be a real game-changer," he said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

City considers cost savings with pension plan changes

2011-04-13T04:02:01Z

The Sacramento City Council is expected to consider cost-cutting changes to employee benefits and how they are managed in the next few weeks after an internal audit report moved forward Tuesday.

Recommendations for ways to save money are being made as the city grapples with an expected budget deficit of $35 million - $40 million for fiscal year 2011/2012. The four members of the City Council Audit Committee voted unanimously to forward a report on the completed Audit of Employee Health and Pension Benefits to the full council in as soon as two or three weeks.

City Auditor Jorge Oseguera gave a brief presentation on the report's five findings and some of its 28 recommendations to help solve issues determined by the audit. One of the findings indicates that the city's growing costs for employee pensions could be reduced if the city shares pension costs with all employees.

One recommendation would require police, fire and management personnel to pay into their retirement funds for the first time – which could save the city about $40 million over the next five years. Some committee members indicated after the meeting that they would consider supporting such a change in pension contributions.

However, employee contribution rates are set in labor contracts, so changes in employee contributions and the exact rates would have to be negotiated with labor unions.

"That's probably where we have to go," Committee Chair Steve Cohn said after the meeting at City Hall. "I think most of our labor unions understand that will be on the table. We're not trying to do a Wisconsin here where we impose things unilaterally."

City Councilman Jay Schenirer, Councilwoman Angelique Ashby and Councilman Darrell Fong are the other committee members.

Employee Pension Contributions

Like more than 1,500 other local public agencies statewide, the city of Sacramento has a contract with the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) to provide pension benefits to city employees after retirement. Contributions typically come from both employers and employees, according to the report.

The city's annual contribution toward pensions grew from $29 million in 2004/2005 to nearly $45 million in 2009/2010 – a total increase of more than 50 percent. Pension contribution increases have grown more quickly than city revenue, which decreased slightly year to year from 2004/2005 to 2008/2009, according to the report.

"The city's pension costs have increased over the last several years," Oseguera told the committee. "Unfortunately, those costs are projected to continue to increase well into the future."

The report recommends management, fire and police personnel who have not been contributing to their pensions now start contributing 4 percent, and management support employees who've contributed 2 percent also now pay 4 percent – the same rate as all other employees.

Sacramento employees are divided into two groups: safety workers (most fire and police department employees) and miscellaneous workers (most other employees, including managers).

For most miscellaneous employees, the city pays 14 percent for each employee's pension contribution, which includes 3 or 5 percent of what would normally be the employee's total 7 percent contribution – while the employee pays 4 or 2 percent to make up the difference.

However, exempt management, fire, police and other safety employees have not paid any contributions toward retirement pensions. The city has paid both the employer and employee contributions for those groups.

The total city contribution for these employees is also higher, ranging from about 18 percent for exempt management to nearly 32 percent for fire, police and other safety employees.

Such a change is expected to save the city an average of $7.9 million a year, or $39.7 million total, over the next five years, according to the report.

Representatives of firefighters, retired city employees and management not currently represented by a labor union raised questions and concerns and gave recommendations.

The audit didn't include comparative data from all six cities that it's required to, based on city population: San Francisco, Oakland, Fresno, Santa Ana, Anaheim and Long Beach, said former city Labor Relations Director Dee Contreras, who's leading efforts to unionize 677 employees including managers and administrative staff.

Dick Mayberry, who represents Sacramento Area Fire Fighters Local 522, said the city and unions agreed the city would pick up the employees’ pension contribution in lieu of raises because making pension contributions cost less in the long run.

"It wasn't a gift," he said. "That was arranged as a benefit to the city."

Mayor Kevin Johnson recognizes cost-cutting measures are needed, according to his staff in a phone interview Monday. But it remains unclear whether he would support police and fire employees making contributions to their retirement benefits.

"Public safety is our top priority. In general, we have to look at opportunities to create savings across the board," mayoral spokesman Joaquin McPeek said."We must pursue them aggressively."

Joan Bryant, director of public employees for Stationary Engineers Local 39, said she agrees with the audit's findings. She thinks non-unionized managers and police and fire personnel who don't pay for retirement have an unfair advantage over other city employees. Requiring them to contribute to their retirement funds would show there isn't "favoritism" for those employees, she said Monday in a phone interview.

"If the city were to have this group of safety employees paying a portion of their retirement, it certainly would boost the morale of the people we represent," said Bryant, whose union represents about 1,400 city employees.

Committee members also agreed that Cohn should discuss with city staff when the report should go before the council in order to give city auditor staff time to respond to concerns raised Tuesday and to coordinate a possible decision with action on the city budget. Cohn will also talk with the city attorney and others to determine if any of the issues involving labor negotiations or legal strategy need to be discussed in closed session.

Schenirer said he doesn't know how much of a contribution safety and management personnel might be asked to make to their pensions. But the city can't gloss over impacts to people's lives as it works to find answers to its financial problems, he said.

"When you're facing a $40 million deficit, we're out of easy fixes," he said. But "Those are our employees. They're human beings. Those are not just numbers. We have to think about what's behind the numbers and how that affects individuals."

Staff reporter Kathleen Haley contributed to this report. Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Railyards preferred for new courthouse

2011-04-12T22:43:24Z

A project advisory group on Tuesday endorsed a site on the edge of the downtown railyards for the location of a new criminal courthouse.

The group, which includes representatives from the city and county of Sacramento and the courts, would like to see the $439 million courthouse built on the block between Fifth and Sixth streets from H to G streets. The group prefers that location over a vacant lot at 300 Capitol Mall, according to the Judicial Council's Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).

City and business leaders have previously voiced support for the railyards location because it's close to other courthouses, law offices, law enforcement and public transportation.

The 44-courtroom facility is being built to relieve crowding at Gordon Schaber county courthouse, used by the Superior Court of Sacramento County. The building may be up to 16 stories tall. Presiding Judge Steve White of the Superior Court of Sacramento County said the endorsement moves the system a step closer to having a "modern, efficient and workable" courthouse.

“Our present courthouse, which is almost 50 years old, is much too small and inadequate to handle the large volume of criminal cases being tried," he said in a prepared statement. "Those using this old, insecure facility have suffered too long with an inadequate, overcrowded and badly designed courthouse.”

The site currently holds a parking lot and railroad tracks that are being relocated by the city as part of a project to build a new regional transportation center.

The AOC will hold a public hearing on the draft environmental impact report at 5:30 p.m. May 4 in the Dept. 1 courtroom at Schaber courthouse, 720 Ninth St. The AOC is accepting public comments on the draft environmental impact report through May 24.

The AOC must complete the environmental review process, negotiate for site acquisition and win approval from the State Public Works Board before the site can be bought and design can start. Nacht & Lewis Architects of Sacramento and HOK of St. Louis, Mo., have been chosen to design the courthouse.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is "pleased" the railyards site was identified as the preferred location for the courthouse. The location will benefit both the city and the court, he said.

"The project will represent a major investment in Sacramento and serve as a catalyst for future development, as well as provide the court with an ideal location to operate effectively and efficiently,” Johnson said in a prepared statement.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Mayor to address NBA; city still in dark about arena's future

2011-04-01T03:03:43Z

The Sacramento Kings’ owners won’t be the only ones talking about their possible departure with the National Basketball Association next month. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson will be there, too, the mayor said Thursday.

Johnson announced he has been granted permission to address the NBA Board of Governors at their meeting in mid-April – just days before the Kings’ deadline to file a relocation request.

He expects to take “a contingent of Sacramentans” to New York with him to help explain that Sacramento would like to continue its partnership with the Kings and is seriously pursuing construction of a new arena, he blogged Thursday evening.

“They will want to know about possibilities of a new arena in Sacramento, and whether after all these years, our community can finally deliver,” he wrote. “But the bottom line is, the opportunity to speak straight to the NBA is a huge step for our community.”

With the Sacramento Kings' departure looming over the region, the city is facing at least two possibilities that depend on whether the team pays off a $77 million debt or defaults.

City officials have not yet been able to discuss a possible compromise with the Maloofs, who own a majority stake in the Kings.

There has been little dialogue between the Maloofs and the city regarding the team's plans to resolve the debt and the arena's future if the Kings leave. However, the Maloofs did indicate this week to Mayor Kevin Johnson they'd repay the debt.

"We are encouraged that they've said they will do what's in the best interests of the city," Assistant City Manager John Dangberg said Thursday.

Two outcomes are outlined in agreements established between the city and the Kings in 1997, when the city sold $73,725,000 in lease revenue bonds to refinance the Kings' debt on Arco Arena, recently renamed Power Balance Pavilion. The city then bought the arena from the Kings and set the team up on a 30-year plan to repay the debt through lease payments made to the city.

Two Possible Outcomes

The Maloofs bought a majority share of the Kings in 1999 and in acquiring the Kings also acquired the debt.

Under those agreements, if the Kings leave now, they must pay off a $77 million debt – which includes a roughly $10 million early payment penalty – and Maloof Sports and Entertainment will then own the city's aging arena.

But if the Maloofs default on the debt, that leaves the city to pay back the bond holders. If that were to happen, the city of Sacramento would get a $25 million stake in the team and retain full ownership of the arena, a practice facility and 85 acres of land there.

The city would owe about $67 million if it doesn't make an early payoff within the next seven years. The city would hire an arena operator to manage Power Balance Pavilion and bring concerts, shows and other events there, rather than operate the arena, Dangberg said.

"The city doesn't have the capacity to operate the facility," he said.

The Maloofs could still turn over operation of the facility to the city if they pay off their debt and continue to own the arena after leaving Sacramento. City officials hope the Maloofs would give the city control over operations there, Dangberg said.

"Our assumption is they would continue to operate the facility. That's not an obligation or a guarantee," he said. "So that's what we are eager to sit down and discuss with them – the future operation of that facility."

However, countless compromises could be negotiated between the city and the Kings.

Other Scenarios

The city could retain arena ownership, and the Kings could offer to pay cash for the difference between the value of the arena, which the city has not had appraised, and land and their $77 million debt. If the city operates the arena or hires an arena operator, the city would receive revenue needed to continue paying the debt service on the bonds, Sacramento City Councilman Steve Cohn said.

In another scenario, the Kings could pay back the $77 million and then sell the property to someone who wants to use the facility or land for a purpose other than an arena, he said.

Cohn and other city officials have said the Kings have made every payment on their loan since 1997.

“Right now, I just want to emphasize, we have no reason to believe they are going to default,” Cohn said.

The city hasn't spent money to get the value of the arena and land appraised, which is "a lengthy process," Dangberg said.

Within the last few days, the Assessment Appeals Board for Sacramento County lowered a 2008/2009 assessed value of Arco Arena and the land it sits on, which impacts its current assessment, said Assistant County Assessor John Solie.

The board expects the assessed value of the parcel will be $33 million - $35 million for 2010/11, he said. Three other involved parcels are assessed at a total of $5,185,000.

In late February, the Kings asked for an extension on the NBA's March 1 deadline for relocation requests for next season.

On Tuesday, the Anaheim City Council made a Kings move easier by agreeing to issue $75 million in bonds – $25 million to improve the Honda Center and build a practice facility and $50 million for a loan to the Kings.

Anaheim Arena Management, which operates the Anaheim-owned Honda Center, could not be reached for comment on a contract with the Kings.

The NBA granted the extension, giving the team until April 18 to file a request for relocation. However, the April 18 deadline may be to seek approval to study relocation.

It remains unclear whether the Kings will request relocation before or during a meeting of the NBA Board of Governors April 14 or 15, or later.

The relocation request may be a two-step process involving two separate NBA Board of Governor meetings. At the April meeting, the Kings may first announce they're pursuing relocation to Anaheim and ask for permission to explore the opportunity.

They may request relocation later. That request would likely be voted on in a different meeting.

Neither the NBA nor the Kings would discuss the timing or the process for the Kings' relocation request and the NBA Board of Governors' vote on that request.

"The Kings have not applied at this point, so there is no timeframe," Tim Frank, senior vice president for NBA basketball communications, said in an email Thursday.

"As far as the board meeting, all we know at this point is that Kings ownership wants to discuss this situation with the board. There is no other information I have at this time," he added. "I have no idea what will happen until we see if they apply or not."

Staff reporter Kathleen Haley contributed to this report. Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @Suzanne Hurt.

Suzanne Hurt on "A Fortunate Discovery - Fortune Cookie Baker"

2011-03-31T04:57:33Z

Great story.

Museum spotlights California's first people

2011-03-31T03:08:58Z

The California Museum in Sacramento is unveiling an exhibit titled "California Indians: Making A Difference" to the public Thursday.

The exhibit will use more than 400 artifacts, photos, art, documents and multimedia presentations to document the culture and contributions of California's first people. Some artifacts from private collections have never been seen by the public before.

Curator P. Christiaan Klieger, an accomplished anthropologist affiliated with the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California Museum Deputy Director of Exhibitions and Programs Amanda Meeker and other members of the museum's curatorial staff spent two years doing research for the exhibit.

They also put together a California native advisory panel with 12 elders, artists and other leaders from separate tribes to guide them in their work on the exhibit. The collaboration enables descendants of the state's first inhabitants to tell stories of the peoples' early life, survival, adaptation and resilience with their own voices.

"This is the most ambitious project we've ever done," said Brenna Hamilton, the museum's communications director. "The main idea is to show that Native Americans are not part of the past. They are alive and thriving."

The museum, 1020 O St., is open from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday and noon - 5 p.m. Sundays. The cost is $8.50 for adults, $7 for seniors and students over 13, $6 for children aged 6 - 13 and free for children 5 and under. To learn more about the exhibit and watch oral histories by Native Americans, click here.

Below are photos that show a sample of items in the 3,000-square-foot exhibit, which is a long-term addition to the museum. Other items are expected to be rotated in next year.

Kintpuash, a Modoc chief also known as Captain Jack, led his people from the Klamath Reservation in Oregon back to their homeland near the California-Oregon border in 1865. The U.S. Army was called in to return them to the reservation. The United States declared war on his band after they killed a U.S. Army general during the Modoc Wars.

This Indian war bond was issued to raise money to fight Indians in 1857.

Curator P. Christiaan Klieger, an anthropologist affiliated with the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, stands before a painting by the late Harry Fonseca, a Sacramento native with Nisenan Maidu ancestors.

This chipped stone bear was made of volcanic glass by someone in the San Dieguito - La Jollan culture. It's believed to be 7,700 years old. The piece was found in San Diego County in 1985 and is now part of the California State Archives. California named it the state prehistoric artifact in 1991. "This is a rare opportunity to come look at it," Hamilton said.

Lucy Telles, a Mono Lake Paiute, made this coiled basket featuring birds and butterflies. She was known for innovations such as the use of color in her baskets. Telles lived in the Yosemite Valley and near Mono Lake. She is considered one of the finest 20th century basketweavers, Hamilton said.

This bear claw motif basket was made by a Washoe weaver named Datsolalee. She was known for her precision work and is also one of the most famous native basketweavers of the 20th century.

This trap was made to capture woodpeckers. Their red feathers were used to decorate baskets and headdresses.

Glass beads and sedge root were used to make this Ohlone basket found under a bridge 20 - 30 years ago. Few of their baskets are left in the world because the Ohlones were decimated during the mission period, Klieger said.

This stuffed condor is on loan from the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Sacramento wants Kings promise, NBA backing

2011-03-31T02:50:26Z

The city of Sacramento fired off another round of letters Wednesday in an attempt to stop the Sacramento Kings from moving or at least get assurances in writing that they'll repay a $77 million loan from the city.

A day after the Anaheim City Council approved issuing $75 million in lease revenue bonds to entice the team to relocate, Sacramento officials sent a letter to the King s requesting the team's owners promise in writing to repay Sacramento.

Assistant City Manager John Dangberg also sent a letter to National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern and the NBA Board of Governors. Dangberg wrote that the city is asking the board to make its approval of the team's relocation contingent upon the Kings paying its debt.

"In recent weeks, the Kings have taken steps and made statements that indicate it would be prudent and appropriate for the city to request that the Kings now put in writing the assurance" owner George Maloof has made publicly, but not to the city, Dangberg said in the letter.

None of the Maloofs wished to comment Wednesday. But on Tuesday, Kings owner Joe Maloof issued a statement to the media calling the loan from Sacramento a "non-issue."

"We’ve always paid our financial obligations in the past, we’re going to do it in the present and we’re going to do it in the future," Maloof said in the statement. "Whatever the future holds to ensure the long-term viability of the team, the city of Sacramento will be paid in full.”

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson also said Tuesday that the Maloofs personally assured him on Monday they would pay off their debt.

The city could sue the Kings for breach of contract if they fail to pay off the debt and any other outstanding obligations. But city officials are making these requests in an effort to follow standard business protocol as the team’s owners make a serious effort to leave, city spokesman Maurice Chaney said.

“I think we just want to take some reasonable precautions to protect the taxpayers of Sacramento,” he said. “The Maloofs have been very great owners. The comments they made are encouraging.”

NBA representatives could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Anaheim approves $75 million in bonds for Kings, Honda Center

2011-03-30T05:28:52Z

In less than two hours Tuesday night, the Anaheim City Council paved the way for the Sacramento Kings to relocate there by agreeing to issue $75 million in bonds – $25 million to improve the Honda Center and $50 million for a loan to the Kings.

The council's unanimous vote by its five members propelled Sacramento further on its path toward losing the National Basketball Association team that has made its home in the state capital for 26 years.

Anaheim Mayor Tom Tait presided over what he described as a historic meeting.

"Tonight, Anahiem took a giant step closer to bringing an NBA team to Anaheim and the Honda Center," Tait said. "I am thrilled. I think a better word is 'stoked.' "

The council's move was supported by many in Anaheim and Orange County's business community, who spoke during a public hearing that preceded the vote. Neither the Kings' owners, the Maloofs, nor Anaheim Arena Management owner, billionaire Henry Samueli, spoke at the meeting at Anaheim City Hall.

Anaheim Arena Management later issued a statement saying the council's vote was sure to be seen favorably by the NBA board of directors, which is expected to vote April 14 or 15 on a request from the Kings to relocate. The Kings must file a request for relocation by April 18.

“We are grateful to the entire leadership group of the city of Anaheim, who tonight fully endorsed our shared efforts to bring an NBA franchise to the region,” Michael Schulman, chairman of Anaheim Arena Management, said in the prepared statement. "This vote is an important first step as we continue working toward hosting an NBA franchise at Honda Center.”

The loan to the Kings is expected to cover the team’s moving costs, which include a hefty relocation fee from the NBA.

The bonds will be issued only if the team and Anaheim Arena Management sign a venue contract within 180 days and the team relocates, Anaheim spokeswoman Ruth Ruiz confirmed.

The Kings' name was never mentioned Tuesday during consecutive meetings of the Anaheim City Council and the city's Public Financing Authority. The authority, consisting of the same members as the council, also approved authorizing the bond issuance and the terms.

The taxable lease revenue bonds will be issued by the Anaheim Public Financing Authority and financed by three private investment companies. Anaheim and its taxpayers won't be obligated to repay the bonds under any circumstances, Anaheim Finance Director Bob Wingenroth said.

The bonds have a 10-year term, and investors will be reimbursed from arena revenue over that period.

The agreement requires the team name to include "Anaheim," rather than "Orange County" or any other location identifier.

The council's decision ignored a request made Monday by Sacramento city officials that Anaheim drop the financing plan and stop negotiating with the Kings. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson indicated Tuesday afternoon he wouldn't oppose the team's move if the Maloofs repay $77 million in lease revenue bonds owed to Sacramento – and the Maloofs assured him Monday that they would.

Johnson also said the Maloofs may agree to let the city run Power Balance Pavilion after paying off the loan. The Maloofs agreed to be "good partners" and do what is in the city's best interest, Johnson said during a press conference in North Highlands Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday morning, Kings owner Joe Maloof issued a statement calling the loan from Sacramento a "non-issue."

The council approved a venue contract between the team and Anaheim Arena Management that requires the team to use the Honda Center as its home base for at least 15 years. The council also approved extending its facility management agreement with Anaheim Arena Management by another 10 years to June 2033.

Anaheim's 18,336-seat arena, which the city owns, was built to accommodate two professional sports teams and opened in 1993. Anaheim is close to realizing a "20-year dream" to bring an NBA team to the city, Anaheim Councilwoman Kris Murray said.

Also Tuesday, state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento promised to do everything he could to protect the Sacramento region's "economic well-being." He is considering legislation, as requested by the city, to force the Maloofs to repay the Sacramento loan if needed, Steinberg spokesman Mark Hedlund said.

"His primary concern is to ensure Sacramento is made whole by full repayment of the city's $70-plus million loan if the Kings leave," Hedlund said in an emailed statement. "He's also concerned with the possibility Anaheim may use taxpayer funds to entice a business to leave one major California city to relocate in another major California city."

Meanwhile, the ICON-Taylor group, which is studying the feasibility of building a new arena in Sacramento, has not met with the Maloofs, Sacramento Assistant City Manager John Dangberg told the Sacramento City Council Tuesday evening.

The ICON-Taylor group is making “significant progress in their analysis and are moving forward regardless of what happens with Anaheim,” Dangberg said.

The developers are likely to complete their arena analysis in mid-May, he said.

Before the vote, city attorney Eileen Teichert fired off a letter to Tait asking Anaheim to continue consideration of the environmental impacts of the new Honda Center operations until conducting a "proper" environmental review or issuing a mitigated negative declaration saying the project will have no impact. Anaheim did not respond to that request.

At the Sacramento City Council meeting, the mayor said Anaheim’s decision to give $75 million in financial incentives to the Kings was not a surprise.

“I think it’s disappointing," Johnson said. "(But) I think Anaheim made a decision that’s in their best interest.”

Staff reporter Kathleen Haley contributed to this report. Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

Ground broken on downtown SRO

2011-03-29T02:36:30Z

Construction has begun on Sacramento's newest single-resident occupancy building downtown.

On Monday, a backhoe operator and other construction workers continued demolishing an old foundation at Seventh and H streets. The eight-story, 150-unit mid-rise being built there by Mercy Housing is the first new structure going up in the railyards redevelopment project area.

Once completed, the $47.4 million affordable housing project, known simply as “Seventh & H,” will be one of the city's largest permanent supportive housing projects. Half of the units will be reserved for homeless or recently homeless people, and the rest is aimed at downtown workers making $20,000 to $25,000 a year.

"Seventh and H is a very important part of the larger solution of affordable housing," said Rich Ciraulo, project manager for Mercy Housing in West Sacramento.

Work began March 17 to remove remnants of a building that once housed the Sacramento Police Department's patrol station and police academy. The Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, a project partner, bought the land from the city in 2008. The agency then donated the land, worth $3.1 million, and tore down the old building to allow for new construction.

Demolition crews from contractor J.R. Roberts/Deacon of Citrus Heights were still pulling foundation debris out of the ground Monday. The soil will be recompacted, then new foundation construction will begin.

The concrete-frame building will use concrete and steel-reinforced piles that are 65 to 70 feet deep to avoid pile driving in land next to an electric substation that powers the Capitol and a large part of downtown, Ciraulo said.

"SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) has been warning us all along to be very careful," he added.

Architects Mogavero Notestine Associates of Sacramento and SERA Architects of Portland designed the building. The exterior will be covered with tan brick and metal panels. Second-floor roof gardens are included in the design. The cost increased from $41 million to include a full solar panel array on the roof, a solar water-heating system, a larger health clinic and other features.

Support services will include programs on health, education, community integration and finances. The Effort, a Sacramento nonprofit health services provider, will offer primary health and behavioral health services in a 5,200-square-foot clinic located in the building on H Street.

Construction is expected to be complete in October 2012. Six months prior, Mercy will start interviewing prospective tenants with help from local nonprofits and agencies that work with the homeless. Mercy Housing also will enlist real estate brokers to find restaurant tenants for two other ground-floor spaces on Seventh Street.

Mercy Housing and SHRA cobbled together $21.7 million in federal low-income housing tax credits through the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, about $20 million in redevelopment funding – which includes tax increment affordable housing set-aside funds – plus other funding from the Federal Home Loan Banks and the California Housing Finance Agency.

"When you put it in the context of what's going on with the larger economy and what's going on with affordable housing right now, it's very exciting to have it be a reality," Ciraulo said.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter at The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.