Newest articles and comments on The Sacramento Press written by Colleen Belcher

Colleen Belcher on "Co-op eyes new grocery store location"

2012-02-08T01:43:24Z

Thanks for pointing that out, JRF. We will correct the caption so it states the cross streets as S and Alhambra.

Intro to Photojournalism Workshop Feb. 21

2012-02-07T01:08:27Z

Photographs are an important part of storytelling and can often tell a story on their own. After a brief workshop hiatus, our first Sacramento Press workshop for 2012 will be on photojournalism. (The Journalism Open workshop wasn't a typical workshop for us.)

John Hernandez will teach an introductory photojournalism workshop from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 at the Sacramento Press office called "Introduction to Photojournalism."

Hernandez is a Sacramento-based photographer. He has professional experience in wedding, portrait and social documentary photography as well as various multimedia platforms, including audio slideshows. He has freelanced for ABS-CBN, a Filipino American news channel, and interned at The Sacramento Press. He has a journalism degree and Asian American studies minor from San Francisco State University.

He will discuss photojournalism – what it is and what it isn’t. Hernandez will also talk about equipment, tips for shooting and demonstrate how to make an audio slideshow.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Sacramento Valley Station station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges, and we cannot cover the cost of parking.

To RSVP, email workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an email to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you here!

Colleen Belcher on "Del Paso Boulevard to get a makeover this summer"

2012-02-06T22:09:03Z

Hi, Natalie. Thanks for pointing out that this improvement project actually affects Woodlake and not Del Paso Heights. We apologize for the confusion from this story. We will have a story later this week that addresses this and defines for our readers and our staff what constitutes Del Paso Heights and what constitutes Del Paso Blvd. Thank you, again. Colleen

Colleen Belcher on "Local Man Fired for Feeding Cats"

2012-02-01T19:18:28Z

Heather, We will accept your entry, but please know that we have support staff available to help with posting. In the future if you have posting issues (at a reasonable hour) we can walk you through the process. The email for technical or site problems is support@sacramentopress.com.

Colleen Belcher on "Domestic Workers Rally at the Capitol "

2012-01-26T00:36:56Z

Great photos, Lilly! Very colorful and you really captured the actions. Thanks for sharing this.

Colleen Belcher on "City changes course on parking advisory plan"

2012-01-19T19:35:44Z

Hi, Mike M. Thanks so much for your question. We have Melissa Corker looking into it and we'll get back to you with what she finds.

Colleen Belcher on "Downtown Sacramento Christmas Lights Photos"

2011-12-23T20:58:44Z

Fantastic shots, Michael! I especially love the one of the Capitol Christmas Tree. Thanks for sharing!

Colleen Belcher on "Man on the street: What is your favorite building in Sacramento?"

2011-11-10T19:22:28Z

Thank you for the correction, Michael. We have fixed your age and the Darth Vader building has been changed to the Renaissance Tower. We apologize for the errors. Thanks again for letting us know.

Colleen Belcher on "Trick or Treat in East Sac"

2011-11-02T06:50:22Z

How did you get the smoky effect in your photos? Was there a dry ice machine or a smoke machine in East Sacramento? I especially like the first photo of the house. Very cool!

Colleen Belcher on "Local historian Burg appointed to Sacramento Heritage board"

2011-10-18T18:39:41Z

Congratulations! Bill has been a commenter, reader and writer on The Sacramento Press since October of 2008, when our site first launched. His extensive knowledge has enriched many conversation threads on stories. We've come to know him very well and we're excited to see him being recognized on the Sacramento Heritage Board. I couldn't think of a more deserving person! Sacramento is lucky to have you as an historian singing its praises.

Colleen Belcher on "Arrest made in viral video assault case"

2011-10-14T04:37:49Z

Hi, Isaac. Thanks for your question. You're right, the SacramentoPress Staff account does not normally post crime-related stories. Usually, the Sacramento Police Department PIO posts these stories under that account. However, today the PIO was not able to post this story, so that is why we put the release out under the staff byline. Each day, the amount of content from the community fluctuates, and often it helps to have releases posted from the city and PIOs to provide new content for the next day's layout.

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-30T19:14:27Z

Thank you for your kind words, Rhonda. We've been lucky to have your voice on our site. Your passion and dedication have sparked many a conversation and I think have encouraged others to chime in, where they might otherwise have not.

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-28T23:22:57Z

Thanks, Sonia!

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-28T23:22:48Z

Thank you, Tina! It's great to hear from you.

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-28T14:41:29Z

Haha. Thanks, Randy. I will!

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-28T14:40:50Z

Thanks so much, Deb!

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-28T05:43:44Z

Thank you, Sherrie. I'm so glad that you came across Sac Press when you did. You've been with us from almost the very beginning and I always enjoy reading your comments on stories and your enthusiasm for what we're doing here.

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-28T05:37:45Z

Thanks, Chris!

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-27T20:50:51Z

Thanks, Janna! That's the plan :)

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-27T20:50:16Z

Thanks, Chris. You were quite the trooper during election coverage. Thanks for all of your hard work and lost sleep that you put up with during your internship!

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-27T19:45:53Z

Thanks, Brandy!

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-27T18:28:59Z

Thanks, Nha! We miss having you around the office.

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-27T18:28:30Z

Thanks, Aaron! I think that word summarizes most people who work here.

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-27T18:25:24Z

Touché, Isaac. Thanks for pointing that out. It's been changed :)

Colleen Belcher on "New Editor in Chief: Colleen Belcher"

2011-09-27T17:50:46Z

Thanks, Coral!

Colleen Belcher on "Painterly effect"

2011-09-23T17:25:49Z

Gorgeous photo! Love the clouds!

Colleen Belcher on "Residents worry about local developments at September NAG meeting"

2011-09-22T07:33:15Z

Thanks, Bill. We've gone in and made those corrections.

Video Storytelling Tips and Shortcuts Workshop Sept. 22

2011-09-07T21:17:19Z

Thank you to everyone who attended Jeffrey Callison's workshop on "The Art and Craft of Interviewing" last month. If you missed the workshop, you can read the recap and watch the video here.

The Sacramento Press has another first-time workshop presenter for September: KXTV News10 Reporter George Warren.

Multimedia journalist Andrew Nixon taught a workshop in July titled "Intro to Video Storytelling;" we'll resume the topic of video storytelling with Warren's workshop: "Video Storytelling Tips and Shortcuts."

The workshop will be from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at The Sacramento Press office.

Warren will discuss how to produce memorable stories with minimum time and effort. Warren will go over how to do more (interviewing, shooting and editing videos) with less - a staff of one.

Warren just celebrated his 30th anniversary as an Emmy-winning reporter/multimedia journalist with KXTV News10.

He started in the business by shooting his own stories in a small market (on 16mm film!) and in recent years has come full circle - working by himself once again.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

To RSVP, email workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an email to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you here!

Colleen Belcher on "SacPress on Insight: Chickens, redistricting and fish bowls"

2011-08-31T22:17:50Z

Thanks, Sherrie! I appreciate the feedback. It was a great first experience on the radio.

SacPress on Insight: Chickens, redistricting and fish bowls

2011-08-31T01:17:31Z

I filled in for David Watts Barton Tuesday morning for the weekly segment of The Sacramento Press on Capital Public Radio's “Insight,” and Jeffrey Callison and I talked about chicken keeping, a record-setting City Council meeting on redistricting and a few fun additions to the central city – including a restaurant that serves drinks in fish bowls.

The Sacramento City Council may pass an ordinance at its meeting Tuesday night that will allow residents to keep up to three egg-laying chickens in their backyards – as long as the chickens are enclosed and the enclosure is 20 feet away from the neighbors’ homes.

Residents would need to apply for a permit and pay to renew it each year. There is a $15 fee per household and $10 fee per chicken.

The Department of Animal Care Services will be responsible for enforcing the ordinance, however, the department won’t get involved unless neighbors make complaints.

The Maydestone Building renovation is set to be completed in mid-September after roughly a year of construction.

The D&S Development, Inc., project cost $7 million, and tenants are expected to start renting Oct. 1.

The four-story building houses 32 units, with spaces varying in size from 300 - 700 square feet and rents between $700 and $1500.

Some of the original features of the building were kept intact, including the original windows that use a rope-and-pulley system and restored pull-out beds and dressers. New features include solar-powered water heaters and energy-efficient heating and air conditioning units.

The two-year taxi moratorium in Sacramento – that was enacted Aug. 4 – has caused a lot of stir among commenters on The Sacramento Press.

We decided to look into it further and find out why the city staff proposed a moratorium – where no new taxi permits will be issued – in the first place.

The city was receiving complaints from both cab drivers and businesses that there were too many taxis in Sacramento so city staff decided to study the industry.

There are currently more than 500 taxis in the city of Sacramento – a number that has grown 66 percent since 2004, while the population has grown 8 percent during that time.

City staff will study similar-sized cities to see how Sacramento compares and see how problems like traffic congestion and passenger complaints can be resolved. The study is expected to take two years.

After five hours of public comment and a record 103 people who signed up to give public comment – the City Council approved a revised Neighborhoods 2.0 map Tuesday in a 6-3 vote.

The map draws the district boundaries right down Stockton Boulevard and places the UC Davis Med Center in District 6 instead of in District 5, which outraged many Oak Park residents.

City Hall was a packed house with nearly 500 people attending the council meeting.

The final vote on a new redistricting map will take place Sept. 6.

The unofficial “Mayor of Midtown,” Andy Ekstrom, passed away just over a year ago, and last Wednesday, friends and family gathered at the MARRS building to remember him and dedicate a sculpture in his honor.

Artist Marc Foster created the 10-foot-tall, 9,000-lb. sculpture, which is made of steel and layers of concrete. Funds are currently being raised to help cover the cost of constructing the sculpture. So far, $6,500 has been raised and friends and family are hoping to raise and additional $15,000 to cover the rest of the costs.

BarWest Burgers & Wings at 2724 J St. opened Thursday. It occupies the space where Aura used to be.

The restaurant’s menu emphasizes burgers and wings, and it also has a few interesting dessert items: deep-fried ding dongs and funnel cakes.

Some of the popular alcoholic drinks on the menu are the 64-ounce fish bowls, which come with four long straws and are served in fish bowls.

BarWest has been responsive to customer feedback, reading Yelp! reviews and making adjustments where necessary. Co-owner Trevor Shults said he is working to improve customer service after seeing complaints on Yelp! The menu has also been updated so that fries now come with burgers. Originally, fries had to be ordered separately, but after customers complained about this, Shults said they changed that and increased the price of burgers.

Last but not least, we talked about the Sacramento Man Hunt coming up on Saturday.

More than 200 people have signed up for this tag-like game that begins at 10 p.m. at the entrance to Old Sacramento and ends at midnight at the Safeway on Alhambra Boulevard.

There are two teams of people: runners and chasers. Runners get a seven-minute head start and must travel on foot to the destination, while chasers can get around in any vehicle of their choosing.

Chasers “catch” runners by tagging them with two hands, and once runners have been tagged, they become chasers.

The winner doesn’t receive a prize, just bragging rights.

Colleen Belcher on "No, Not Everyone Who Lives in Roseville wears Ed Hardy"

2011-08-29T18:07:31Z

Glad you continue to read The Sacramento Press. Keep the comments coming!

Colleen Belcher on "No, Not Everyone Who Lives in Roseville wears Ed Hardy"

2011-08-29T17:53:32Z

Each person has his or her opinion and it's fair for both to be able to communicate and back up the points they make as they feel necessary.

Colleen Belcher on "No, Not Everyone Who Lives in Roseville wears Ed Hardy"

2011-08-29T17:45:45Z

It is new in that it's coming from her.

Colleen Belcher on "No, Not Everyone Who Lives in Roseville wears Ed Hardy"

2011-08-29T17:45:03Z

Renaldo, I disagree. The fact that the author is responding to all of the comments furthers the conversation. I think it's great when the author of a story is active in the conversation thread.

Colleen Belcher on "No, Not Everyone Who Lives in Roseville wears Ed Hardy"

2011-08-29T07:07:52Z

I have definitely been one of those who have categorized people in Roseville as such. I'm glad to see from the perspective of someone who has grown up there that that is a small percentage of the population. There are many areas of Roseville and Rocklin that I haven't explored so I'm sure the little exposure I've had has helped create the stereotype. Thanks for sharing your view!

Colleen Belcher on "One year later: Ekstrom remembered with sculpture"

2011-08-25T18:42:25Z

Yes, it is. Thanks, Geoff. He was remembered at the MARRS building last night - a year after his death. His death was not at the MARRS building. Sorry for the confusion there.

Colleen Belcher on "One year later: Ekstrom remembered with sculpture"

2011-08-25T17:38:57Z

I thought it was at Sutter's Landing?

Colleen Belcher on "It's a Peace of Cake! serves up gourmet cake pops"

2011-08-25T14:35:35Z

I think they're growing in popularity but it's hard to say whether they'll reach the level of cupcakes as far as seeing cake pop shops pop up everywhere. What do you think?

Colleen Belcher on "Record number of residents speak out at City Council meeting"

2011-08-24T18:17:01Z

Did anyone else have a "Where's Waldo" moment when they saw Michelle Rhee in the audience in the pictures?

Colleen Belcher on "Record number of residents speak out at City Council meeting"

2011-08-24T16:47:39Z

Thanks Sallen and solsbabe for the updates on the vote from last night.

Colleen Belcher on "BarWest opens on J Street"

2011-08-23T18:53:59Z

Thanks M Smith and Bill Burgua, we've made the correction to the article and took out the part about G.V. Hurley's.

Colleen Belcher on "Proposed McDonald's draws criticism from some community members"

2011-08-09T17:04:57Z

Cogmeyer, thanks for pointing out that the link for the land use matrix wasn't working. It has been fixed so you should now be able to view it.

It's a Peace of Cake! serves up gourmet cake pops

2011-07-30T03:25:41Z

You’ve probably seen cake pops on food blogs or at bridal showers or even at Starbucks. The bite-sized treat is becoming a popular alternative to cupcakes.

South Sacramento resident Wendy Bell has made an online business out of her made-from-scratch cake pops called It’s a Peace of Cake!

After seeing a cake pop recipe online, she decided to make her own version using her five basic cake recipes: lemon, chocolate, vanilla, red velvet and coconut.

Bell crumbles the cake and combines it with frosting, rolling it into a ball and then dips it in a chocolate shell and finishes it off with her signature chocolate swirl.

Each cake pop has a different combination of cake and type of chocolate.

· The Decadent Double Fudge has a milk chocolate shell and a dark chocolate swirl.
· The Deeply Red Velvet (the most popular flavor) is dipped in white chocolate and topped with a chocolate swirl and rainbow sprinkles.
· The Luscious Lemon has a white chocolate shell and lemon swirl.
· The Very Vanilla is dipped in dark chocolate with a white chocolate swirl.
· The Crazy Coconut is dipped in milk chocolate and topped with toasted coconut swirl.

She made a batch of Luscious Lemon cake pops for Mother’s Day last year and shared them with her family.

Her niece Candi Fuller, who works as a sign language interpreter – unbeknownst to Bell – brought them to work the next day.

“Everyone just loved them,” Fuller, 33, said. “They thought it was a great idea – this was before Starbucks had come out with their cake pops, so it was a pretty new concept (then).”

Word of mouth has helped grow the business.

Bell made some for her friend who lives in Brentwood. Her friend brought them with her when she went wine tasting at McGrail Vineyards and Winery.

The owner tried the Decadent Double Fudge cake pop and invited Bell to be a vendor at one of the winery’s events.

Winery president Heather McGrail said a lot of customers kept telling her that the chocolate cake pops went really well with the wine, so the winery invited Bell to a Valentine’s Day event where desserts were paired with specific wines.

The Decadent Double Fudge pop was paired with the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.

“That specific wine you get a little chocolate flavor as well as dark cherry,” McGrail said. “It complements the moistness of the double fudge cake pop.”

McGrail said she really likes the presentation of the cake pops and plans to have them at future winery events.

“I think the biggest thing is you see them and they’re adorable and then you taste them and they’re even better than they look, which is hard to believe,” she added.

They were a hit with adults, and they were a big hit with kids, too, as Bell found out when she made 300 cake pops for a school function and every last one sold.

“I remember having to run home and get more – it was just crazy,” Bell said.

She officially began the business in September of last year when she got the license.

The name – It’s a Peace of Cake! – reflects the hippie in her, she said.

“I started looking up idioms for cake,” she said. “When ‘it’s a piece of cake’ came up I thought that was so perfect. That’s where I got it.”

But running the business has not been a piece of cake.

“I’ve learned that there are a lot of components that go into building a business – it’s not just the product,” she said.

However, Bell said she enjoys it, especially the baking.

“No matter how much work I put into it I still enjoy it,” she said. “When I can just sit and bake and dip and roll my cake balls … It’s therapeutic to me.”

All of the baking and assembly is done in a kitchen she rents on 16th street.

She makes about 300 cake pops at a time. She spends three-hour blocks in the kitchen and divides the work into three sessions: first, baking the cakes and making the frosting; then, rolling them into balls and dipping them in chocolate; and last, packaging and displays.

Whenever she can, she uses in-season ingredients such as eggs or lemons from the farmers market. She also uses recycled gift boxes.

Because of the chocolate coating (she uses Guittard melting chocolate), the cake pops should be kept refrigerated.

They last about two weeks in the refrigerator or a month in the freezer, she said.

Yummy Yogurt Cafe on J street recently started selling her cake pops.

Rod Avery, lead partner of the Yummy Yogurt Cafe J Street location, said that as a newly opened business, they were looking to carry other items like pastries in addition to their yogurt.

“It was a good fit for us,” he said. “I’m a small business owner (so) I support small business owners where I can.”

The cake pops are featured in the display case near the register. The cake pops are $2.50 each and come individually wrapped.

Yummy Yogurt Cafe General Manager Samanthia Warren said the cake pops are popular.

“You’re really getting the freshest cake pop around,” she said. “It’s a nice little treat (but it’s also) kind of health-conscious” because the portion is small.

“Not all of us ladies like to give up our cake,” she added.

For now Bell does not have a storefront and operates her business solely online. Cake pops can be ordered by the dozen for $2.50 each or in larger quantities for a discounted price.

She said lately she’s been getting orders for bridal showers, baby showers and birthday parties.

The cake pops can be customized with different flavors and different colors.

“(If) you’re having a baby shower and you’re having a boy we can customize to blue to fit your theme,” she said.

Bell also does cake towers – where multiple cake pops are arranged in the shape of a cake – which are popular for weddings.

“They’re designed to mimic a wedding cake,” she said. “(You) can add a cake on top or flowers.”

Bell does almost all of the baking herself but she said her family and her three children help out a lot.

She is experimenting with new recipes to incorporate liqueurs in her cake pops and she is also working on a gluten-free recipe.

“My hope is soon to have my own kitchen,” she said, adding that she would like to have one by the end of the year.

When asked if she ever thought she would have her own cake pop business, Bell said, “I knew I wanted to do something with food, I just didn’t know what.”

“It’s kind of taken on a life of its own and I’m going with it,” she added.

Bell did her first public event in Sacramento at the Sacramento Cyclefest Bicycle Show earlier this month. She and her cake pops will be at the 13th annual A Taste of Sacramento Oct. 14.

“I’m looking at that being my Sacramento launch,” she said.

Her niece Fuller said she has yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like her aunt’s cake pops.

“She has the potential to go far with it,” she said of the business. “Hopefully we’ll see it on Food Network one day.”

For more information about It’s a Peace of Cake! or to place an order, visit the website or Facebook page.

Colleen Belcher on "Moonshine cocktail competition at Shady Lady Saloon"

2011-07-26T20:47:51Z

The L Wine Lounge closed Sunday but is only supposed to be closed temporarily, according to owners Marcus and Kolea Marquez.

Colleen Belcher on "The Art and Craft of Interviewing with Jeffrey Callison Aug. 9"

2011-07-26T17:31:38Z

6:30 - 8 p.m. Sorry about that.

The Art and Craft of Interviewing with Jeffrey Callison Aug. 9

2011-07-25T18:27:39Z

The Sacramento Press is excited to announce that Jeffrey Callison will be teaching a workshop at our office in August.

Interviewing is part of the foundation of journalism. It’s how reporters get a lot of their information, including the personal angles and anecdotes that make stories come alive.

But how do you conduct a successful interview?

There are some simple rules, but you also must know when and how to break them.

Jeffrey Callison has interviewed many thousands of people over the years – both as host of Capital Public Radio’s daily program “Insight” and as a reporter. On Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 6:30 - 8 p.m., he’ll discuss “The Art and Craft of Interviewing” in a workshop at the Sacramento Press.

Callison was born in Scotland. He majored in English Literature and Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh and studied improvisational theater at L'Ecole Jacques Lecoq in Paris.

He moved to California in 1989 and started his radio journalism career at public radio station KUSP in Santa Cruz. He joined Capital Public Radio in 1996 as a classical announcer, but soon returned to radio news as a reporter and local "All Things Considered" host. He became KXJZ's news director in 2000, and he was named the first host of “Insight” in 2004.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

To RSVP, email workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an email to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you here!

Eppie's Great Race: A race with something for everyone

2011-07-22T02:54:41Z

For John Weed, Eppie’s Great Race – now in its 38th year – serves as a new year’s celebration.

The 58-year-old kayak instructor and whitewater guide has competed in the “no-swim” triathlon 35 times. The 38th annual Eppie’s Great Race takes place Saturday along the American River Parkway and is open to athletes of all ages.

Weed said almost 40 years ago, he was hit by a semi truck while on his bicycle.

Before that, he had been an avid runner. He came from a family of runners and in college would run 200 miles per week.

“The doctors told me I’d never walk again, let alone run,” Weed said.

That same year, the Whitewater Slalom was introduced as an Olympic sport. Weed said he watched it on TV while he was in the hospital and decided that he wanted to try kayaking.

He took up the sport after he got out of the hospital. He is able to walk and run now, but one leg is shorter than the other which requires him to use a special seat in his kayak, he said.

His team has placed first eight times in the open division of Eppie’s Great Race and has been in the 40-plus division for the past 18 years. Weed competes in the kayak portion of the race.

Last year, he said he was the ninth-fastest kayaker.

“I feel like it’s my own personal race,” Weed said. “It’s an annual assessment of where I am now and where I once was.”

Weed and the race’s founder, Eppie Johnson, have become good friends since meeting more than 30 years ago.

“The first time I met (Eppie) was when he was learning to kayak,” Weed said. They met in kayaks near the San Juan rapids.

Weed said he knew Johnson’s kayak instructor, who introduced the two of them. Johnson told Weed about Eppie’s Great Race, and Weed signed up for the race the next year, which was the second annual Eppie’s Great Race.

Weed has been on the U.S. National Wildwater Team. The only other Eppie’s Great Race that Weed missed (besides the first) was in 1980 when the race fell on the same weekend as the USA Wildwater National Championships.

Johnson has sponsored Weed in various competitions, internationally and nationally. Most recently, Johnson sponsored Weed in the Great Josh Billings RunAground Triathlon last year.

Weed’s kayak team placed first, and he was the second fastest kayaker in the race by 58 seconds, he said.

For his 36th race, he said he is excited about the electronic chip timing.

Last year was the first year they had the chips, and he said keeping track of the athletes’ times adds a lot more pressure.

“Now everybody knows how they rank with others,” he said. “Every year before that, the biker would blame the kayaker (etc.) … (and) nobody really knew for sure” what their times were except by going off of their own watches.

The race consists of a 5.82-mile run, a 12.5-mile bike ride along the American River Parkway and finishes on the river, where racers paddle 6.35 miles to the finish.

It begins at 8 a.m. at William Pond Recreation Area and ends at River Bend Park (formerly Goethe Park).

Athletes can compete as part of a team, where each person does one leg of the race, or as an Ironman where one person does the entire race.

All proceeds from the race go to Sacramento County Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS), which provides Sacramento County with sports and recreation activities for people with disabilities and impairments.

In 2010, which was a record-breaking year with nearly 2,100 athletes participating, $20,000 was raised for TRS and, to date, nearly $1 million has been raised for the organization.

Water flow in the river, which has been much faster this year because of all of the rain, is expected to be at the same levels as last year, according to a July 8 Eppie’s Great Race press release.

"Based on currently available information, (the Bureau of) Reclamation expects our releases to the lower American River on race day to be about 4,500 to 5,000 cubic feet per second - comparable to that of last year,” according to the release.

“But, it is important to recognize that reservoir operations and releases to the river are based on developing conditions and needs," Bureau of Reclamation spokeswoman Lynnette Wirth said in the press release.

There will be a prerace expo from 4 - 8 p.m. Friday at River Bend Park at Goethe Park Road and Rod Beaudry Road. The Old Spaghetti Factory will provide a “carbo-load” dinner, Eppie’s Great Race spokesperson Anita Fitzhugh said. For $7 for adults and $3 for kids 12 and under, the dinner includes salad, bread, spaghetti and a drink.

Those who already registered for the race can pick up their race packets, maps and T-shirts. Last-minute race entrants can register at the expo Friday or from 6:30-7:30 a.m. before the race Saturday.

For kids, there is the US Bank Duathlon where 17-and-under participants run 2 miles and bike 5.75 miles.

After the race, there will be an expo and party from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. with vendor booths, live music by local blues band The Hucklebucks and food available for purchase including chicken sandwiches, hot dogs and sodas.

The 30th anniversary plaque that stood at the starting point of the race was stolen a few months ago, and the Eppie’s Great Race Foundation will be raising funds to replace it. Donations will be accepted at Friday's expo or after the race at River Bend Park.

“What we’re doing is we’re asking people to donate some money so we can get a new one: something that can’t be stolen,” Johnson said, adding that he expects it will cost between $3,500 and $4,000 to replace it.

There are 30 different divisions of the race, including a firefighter/police division, family division, women 50-plus and a recently added men 60-plus.

“We have a committee that works all year round and every year, if necessary, they improve on rules, adjust rules.... As far as division in the race we recently even added a men’s 60-plus category because of the interest of men in that age range,” Fitzhugh said.

Johnson said he thinks Eppie’s Great Race has grown to be so popular in large part because of the venue.

“The key is the format, the venue. The American River Parkway is Sacramento’s jewel. And the whole thing is on the parkway system. People love that,” he said

One thing that has changed over the years is the individual athleticism, Fitzhugh said.

“It is interesting (that) our number of Ironpeople, Ironwomen, Ironmen – that division really is growing at a very rapid pace compared to teams. We’re finding that more and more people are wanting to take on the entire race themselves,” she added.

One athlete who will be switching from competing on a team to competing as an Ironman is Folsom resident David Lockwood.

The 28-year-old was the cyclist for his team last year. Lockwood said his work as a coach and trainer at Folsom City CrossFit has prepared him to do the whole race.

“I feel like I’m in shape. I feel like I have a good chance of doing well,” he said. However, “if there was a swim involved, I would reconsider doing an Ironman.”

Lockwood said he enjoys the scenery of the course.

“You can’t beat the course.... It’s beautiful – whether you’re running or kayaking or biking, that trail is awesome.”

He also said he liked the variety of people who take part in the race.

“You (see) all different walks of life as far as athletes go,” he said. “I was riding next to kids on mountain bikes and … guys with track bikes … everybody was out there. It’s kind of an everybody event.”

For more information on Eppie’s Great Race 38, click here.

Colleen Belcher on "Downtown 24 Hour Fitness partially reopens"

2011-07-20T18:52:20Z

Thanks for sharing that info about the locker rooms and showers.

Colleen Belcher on "City council calls for 'neighborhood-friendly' bridges"

2011-07-20T18:20:28Z

Thanks for bringing that to our attention, Cdougherty. We've made that correction in the article.

Colleen Belcher on "Moonshine cocktail competition at Shady Lady Saloon"

2011-07-20T07:33:33Z

I know there is a Chris Tucker who works at L Wine Lounge. Is that who you're thinking of?

Intro to Video Storytelling Workshop July 27

2011-07-18T22:13:19Z

We had a great turnout for our sports writing workshop earlier this month. Thanks to Sam Amick and those who attended. To read the workshop recap, click here.

Video is an important part of storytelling that can be difficult to incorporate without the right equipment and editing knowledge. Andrew Nixon will teach a video workshop from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Wednesday, July 27 at the Sacramento Press office called "Introduction to Video Storytelling."

Nixon is a Sacramento-based multimedia journalist. He has professional experience in photojournalism, as well as various multimedia platforms, including motion graphics, web platforms, and video journalism. He has freelanced for Patch.com and interned at the Sacramento News & Review. He also worked as a staff photographer for Gold Country Media.

He will discuss the capture and editing of footage to create compelling video stories. The workshop will be geared more toward Mac compatible programs, but he can answer questions about other equipment and editing software.

In August, Capital Public Radio's Jeffrey Callison will teach a workshop called "The Art and Craft of Interviewing." A separate email invitation will be sent for that workshop later this month.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

This workshop is filling up fast and will probably have a waiting list. To RSVP, email workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an email to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you here!

Moonshine cocktail competition at Shady Lady Saloon

2011-07-18T21:47:28Z

Shady Lady Saloon will add a new white whiskey to its menu called Original Moonshine Clear Corn Whiskey, and to help introduce it, a cocktail competition will be held at 6 p.m. Monday.

White whiskey is different from other whiskey in that it hasn’t been aged in the barrel, or if it has, it’s not for very long, Shady Lady co-owner Jason Boggs said.

There are no guidelines for the competition – just that the bartenders use the Moonshine corn-based whiskey as the main spirit.

Three judges will decide which cocktails win first, second and third prizes, with rewards of $500, $300 and $200, respectively.

The three judges are Chris Dooley, ~~head spirits director~~ bar manager at Ella ~~L Wine Lounge~~ ; Sara Berry of Southern Wine & Spirits and Michael Keltsch, a representative from Moonshine.

“For me, it’s going to be hilarious and fun,” Boggs said. “(The bartenders) have been here all last week practicing.”

He said the bartenders will compete, one at a time, to make a cocktail for the judges.

“You’re gonna see all sorts of creative syrups, smoked ice and (homemade) tinctures,” he added.

Dezi Bush is one of the bartenders competing. She has worked at Shady Lady since February.

“I’ve been obsessing over this cocktail and having nightmares about it,” Bush said.

“It was a hard spirit to work with because it’s a corn whiskey. A lot of ingredients I put in it lost the integrity of the spirit,” she said.

“I feel like everyone who works here is a cocktail geek,” she said and added that she thinks there will be some tough competition.

From 4 p.m. - close, there will be five different Moonshine specialty cocktails available for $5:

Virginia Peach – summer peach muddled with Moonshine, fresh lemon juice, Falernum and fortified wine
Dogwood – blackberries, lemon juice, Moonshine and Aperol. Garnished with a blackberry nested in a lemon peel
Swamp Fire – Rosemary leaves, cola syrup, ginger syrup, lime juice, aromatic bitters and Moonshine
Golden Spike – Cognac, Jasmine Tea Syrup, citrus, Moonshine and spiced bitters
Surveyor’s Cup – Mint leaves, maraschino, Orgeat syrup, lemon juice, celery bitters and Moonshine

Patrons can also order any of the new drinks made during the competition Monday and going forward.

“(It’ll be) a great time to see some great bartenders battle it out,” Boggs added.

Shady Lady Saloon is located at 1409 R St.

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.

Colleen Belcher on "53rd Annual Fourth of July Parade in Carmichael"

2011-07-05T22:46:44Z

Looks like there was a good turnout. The clowns and the dog look especially hot in the photos. Thanks for sharing what happened in Carmichael on the 4th.

Colleen Belcher on "Sam Amick to teach Sports Writing Workshop July 12 "

2011-06-30T19:08:42Z

Hi, Janna. Sorry that it conflicts with another event. Hopefully we can have Sam back again when you can attend or we'll have a workshop on another topic soon that you're interested in attending.

Sam Amick to teach Sports Writing Workshop July 12

2011-06-29T08:48:50Z

Thanks to those of you who came to our Bias in Journalism workshop earlier this month. If you missed it, you can read the recap here.

For July, we are excited to announce a new workshop presenter – Sam Amick.

With the Sacramento River Cats season well under way, the Sacramento Capitals tennis team starting in July and the buzz building for the next Sacramento Kings basketball season – there will be plenty of sports stories to be covered on The Sacramento Press and on blogs, etc.

Amick will teach a workshop on sports writing at the Sacramento Press office from 6:30 - 8 p.m. July 12.

Amick is currently an NBA columnist for Sports Illustrated at SI.com.

He received his degree in journalism from Sacramento State in 2000. He began working in The Sacramento Bee's sports department on a part-time basis during his final two years of school, then returned after a short internship at The Record in Stockton during the summer of 2000.

He became a full-time member of the writing staff in 2002 and covered everything from high school sports, college sports, pro baseball and pro football before turning his attention to the NBA in 2004.

He was the beat writer for the Kings from 2005-2010 before taking a national job covering the league at AOL FanHouse and eventually landing at SI.com.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here – one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

To RSVP for this workshop, email workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an email to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you there!

Colleen Belcher on "Olympian Strength "

2011-06-10T20:28:18Z

Great action shots, Kati!

Sac Press Tools and Tricks workshop May 26

2011-05-13T23:28:51Z

Thanks to those of you who attended our review writing panel Thursday with Rachel Leibrock, Carla Meyer and Nick Miller. Read the workshop recap here.

We will have another workshop this month titled, "Sac Press Tools and Tricks." Geoff Samek, vice president of product for The Sacramento Press, will highlight some of the newer and lesser-known features of the website.

Samek will also give a quick overview of important web technologies that come in handy in the current media world. He will answer any questions you may have about the site and its functionality and features.

The workshop will be from 6:30 - 8 p.m. May 26 at our office.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here – one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

Thanks, and we hope to see you there!

Colleen Belcher on "4 Sac State student protesters get disciplinary actions "

2011-05-06T15:15:31Z

Update: The students were given a verbal warning Tuesday, May 3 and this was resolved. http://www.statehornet.com/news/student-protesters-declare-victory/article_05383fe4-75dd-11e0-9ef3-001a4bcf6878.html

Review writing panel May 12 with Rachel Leibrock, Carla Meyer and Nick Miller

2011-05-04T05:45:12Z

With Concerts in the Park kicking off Friday and the California Music Circus season around the corner, there will be lots of opportunities to review shows, both indoors and outdoors.

Looking to share your great or not-so-great experiences with others? The Sacramento Press will hold a panel on review writing at our office from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Thursday, May 12. Three panelists will teach you the do’s and don’ts of review writing and share some of their own experiences.

This is a great opportunity to ask the pros how they review concerts, theater, comedy and other performances.

The three panelists are Rachel Leibrock, Carla Meyer and Nick Miller.

Leibrock writes about arts and culture for the Sacramento News & Review. She also teaches journalism at Sacramento City College and previously worked at The Sacramento Bee as an arts and entertainment writer. You can find some of her work at thursdayafternoongirls.wordpress.com and www.writegrrrl.com.

Meyer is an entertainment writer at The Sacramento Bee. She was The Bee's movie critic from 2005-2009. Carla came to The Bee from the San Francisco Chronicle, where she wrote film reviews and features and co-wrote "Stein & Meyer: Movie Insider," a twice-weekly column about film and the film industry. Meyer also once worked as an assignment editor for the datebook and sports sections of The Chronicle.

Miller edits Sacramento News & Review's news and arts sections and writes a weekly column on the local music scene. He got his start as a distribution driver and is now associate editor.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here – one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

Thanks, and we hope to see you there!

Colleen Belcher on "Local Roots Food Tours offers an opportunity to experience Sacramento's culinary scene and learn about the city's historical roots"

2011-04-05T20:59:02Z

I fixed the link. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.

Interviewing Techniques workshop April 7

2011-04-04T21:48:26Z

Thanks to those of you who came to the "Writing about Wine and Spirits" workshop in March. Read the recap here.

We have two journalism workshops planned for April.

Clare Noonan will teach a workshop on interviewing techniques at The Sacramento Press office from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, April 7.

Noonan has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Kentucky. She currently edits 11 East Bay Patch.com sites. She worked at The Modesto Bee for more than 20 years as a reporter for business, news, feature and sports while also copy editing. She also worked as assistant news editor and assistant city editor in charge of the Crime and Safety beat during her time at The Bee. She has been a copy editor for The Sacramento Press.

Noonan has taught other workshops for The Sacramento Press, including "Research and Fact-checking," and "Improve Your Writing with Self Editing."

The workshop will focus on conducting a successful interview, including how to prepare, techniques for putting people at ease and getting them to talk to you, and how to end the interview on a high note.

"Intro to Journalism" is the title of our second workshop in April. Doug Herndon will teach the workshop which will also be held at The Sacramento Press office from 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 19.

Herndon was an English and journalism professor at Sacramento City College and adviser to the college's newspaper, The Express. He has been a professional writer for more than 15 years and has worked for Sacramento Magazine, The Sacramento News & Review and The Sacramento Bee.

A separate invitation will be sent later for the "Intro to Journalism" workshop.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

To RSVP for this workshop, email workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an email to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you there!

Colleen Belcher on "April Fools' Day: Clippers to replace Kings in Sacramento?"

2011-04-01T18:44:14Z

We did that because down the line we don't want people to associate these stories as real, but I guess we could have waited to add that to the headline until after today. Thanks for the feedback.

Table Talk Sacramento Live Chat today at noon

2011-03-30T14:47:27Z

Today at noon, The Sacramento Bee's Allen Pierleoni will host a live chat with Rick Mindermann of Corti Bros. and John Paul Khoury of Preferred Meats, Inc.

Visit sacbee.com/live from noon - 1 p.m. to ask questions relating to "What's new in the Sacramento food scene?"

The live chat is a preview of what will be discussed at Table Talk Sacramento, April 13. Read more about Table Talk Sacramento here.

Click here to go to the Bee's Live Chat page.

Photo essay: Tequila Museo Mayahuel; soft opening Friday

2011-03-30T05:06:49Z

Monday night, a huge Dia de los Muertos caricature welcomed guests to Tequila Museo Mayahuel on 12th and K streets.

Inside, sugar skulls, candles and marigolds transformed the new tequila museum and restaurant into a Dia de Los Muertos party, called “Subterraneo” put on by Jose Cuervo Tradicional tequila.

The party was a sneak preview of the not-yet-open Tequila Museo Mayahuel. Only those in the restaurant and bar industry were invited.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional is touring cities around the country with the Dia de los Muertos party and selected Sacramento to host Monday’s event.

According to Gina Castillo, tequila ambassador for Jose Cuervo and Don Julio Northern California, Tequila Museo Mayahuel was chosen because Sacramento is an important tequila market and it’s a brand new restaurant that has a tequila museum in it.

This is the first time Jose Cuervo Tradicional has hosted an event in Sacramento.

“(Mayahuel is) a place that’s going to stick to Mexican culture and since Dia de los Muertos is such a Mexican holiday, we wanted to make sure that we had it in a place that made sense,” Castillo said.

Some of Sacramento’s restaurateurs came to check out the new K Street restaurant and bar, including Ali Mackani, owner of Lounge on 20; Billy Ngo, owner of Kru and Red Lotus Kitchen & Bar; and Andrea Martin, who owns Bulls.

TJ Bruce, who owns Badlands and Hot Rods, was also there and said he was enjoying the party.

“It is very rustic. The food is wonderful,” he said. “It’s very clubby. I think a restaurant would do well (having) a club” atmosphere while it was serving food.

“I have a feeling it’s going to be a lot more low-key” normally, he added.

Small bites, or bocadillos, were served from the menu, including

Bruchetas de Rajas con Crema (french bread slices topped with strips of poblano chiles marinated in sour cream);
Dobladitas de Camaron y Queso Manchego (tortillas stuffed with shrimp and ricotta cheese sautéed with onions);
Molletitos de Chorizo y Queso Monterrey (baguette with black refried beans and chorizo and crumbled cheese);
Brochetas de Pollo y Nopal al Guajillo (chicken with cactus, Guajillo chile and mushrooms);
Tostaditas de Chile Ancho y Nopales (tostadas with Ancho chiles, guacamole and cactus);
Tostaditas de Tinga de Pollo (shredded chicken breast cooked in chipotle sauce, served on a tostada);
Panuchos de Cochinita Pibil (pulled pork that’s been cooked in Ancho chiles and citrus sauce on a soft tortilla with refried black beans).

For dessert, they served Mosaico de Flan de Chile Ancho (flan with pasillo peppers) and a mango mousse cake.

Nate Radabaugh, David Tyler and George Boeger came all the way from Chico to see Tequila Museo Mayahuel.

Radabaugh and Tyler said they do security for Chico’s Normal Street Bar, which Boeger owns.

“This is my first time in Sacramento,” Radabaugh said. “It’s a great city – a walking city – I didn’t know what to expect. I like the celebration.”

On display behind the bar were hand-painted Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia tequila boxes.

“Each box is different – different artist, different art,” Mayahuel owner Ernesto Delgado said. “They hired a Mexican artist to paint their box, and each year, they select a new artist to paint the box, and now it’s a series.”

The tequila boxes are the current display for the “museo” (museum) part of the restaurant. The history and culture of tequila will continue to be reflected in the rotating exhibits planned for Mayahuel.

“The idea is that the whole place is going to function and work like a museum,” Delgado said. “(The) one (behind the bar) is obviously the main exhibit, but throughout the entire restaurant we’ll have different exhibits on different walls that will coordinate with events, programs, venues (and) tastings.”

The exhibits will rotate every three months or so, he said.

Bartenders stayed busy serving specialty drinks, which included Trad Fresco, made of Tradicional Silver, simple syrup, grapefruit juice, muddled cucumber and mint leaves; Paloma Mayahuel, which mixed Tradicional Silver, grapefruit juice, agave syrup, lime juice, seltzer water and a pinch of salt; El Beso Ardiente, made of Tradicional Silver, agave syrup, lime juice, Serrano pepper and muddled pepper wheels; and others.

El Beso Ardiente means "the fiery kiss," according to Castillo.

Nicole Novoa, an analyst for the California Department of Consumer Affairs, said she came Monday because she is friends with the restaurant’s manager, Javier Valdez.

When asked what she thought of Mayahuel, she said, “It’s different from what I’ve seen. It doesn’t compare.... It’s culturally diverse. It has a really good ambiance.”

More than 200 people took part in the celebration throughout the night, according to Delgado.

DJ Alex Trujillo and DJ Will Rodriguez played music all night, getting the Day of the Dead caricatures on the dance floor along with many painted faces in the crowd.

Delgado said Tuesday that he was very pleased with the event.

“I personally loved it. It was a great reflection of what I’m trying to showcase – the culture.... Dia de los Muertos is a day of appreciating the past with the present – the people that have been here – their life and history. In Mexico, we celebrate our past by celebrating the deaths of people that were close to us,” he said.

The grand opening of Tequila Museo Mayahuel is scheduled for the weekend of Cinco de Mayo. However, the restaurant and bar will be open well before that, with a soft opening at 3 p.m. Friday. Delgado said they will serve small plates and a limited cocktail menu.

Tequila Museo Mayahuel is located at 1200 K St. For more information, read Suzanne Hurt’s recent article here or Brandon Darnell’s original article here.

Photos by Chris Brune and Colleen Belcher.

The Bee, Sac Press present 'Table Talk Sacramento' April 13

2011-03-23T19:01:04Z

Do you love talking about food? Do you flip to the food section of the newspaper before even reading the front page? Is a trip to the grocery store an excursion? For all you foodies, bloggers and lovers of Sacramento’s restaurants and food: The Sacramento Bee and The Sacramento Press have teamed up to bring you “Table Talk Sacramento: The region’s food community comes together for an evening of lively discussion.”

There will be two panels addressing different topics, including “What Sacramentans Eat” and the quality of local food writing.

Chris Macias will moderate the food writing panel. Macias has served as the Bee’s food and wine writer since 2008. The panelists include:

Niesha Lofing, who writes food and family stories for the Bee as well as a parenting column, Mom.me.
Catherine Enfield, a state worker by day and a local food blogger by night – or whenever she can sneak away to a computer. She is also a food truck advocate and co-organizer of the SactoMoFo mobile food festival scheduled for April 30.
Micah Rousey, who eats out at least five times per week and shares his experience on Yelp. He has contributed dozens of restaurant reviews and been named a member of the “Yelp Elite Squad.”

Allen Pierleoni will moderate the second panel, “What Sacramentans Eat,” which will cover local food trends. This panel consists of:

Rick Mindermann, an internationally known grocer and wine merchant and store director of Corti Bros. Market. He has 34 years in the food and wine business and acts as a personal assistant to Darrell Corti, who has been called “the man who knows the most about food and wine in the world.”
John Paul Khoury, the corporate chef for Preferred Meats, Inc., a premium meat company in the San Francisco Bay Area, with a focus on sustainable husbandry and smaller farm operations. He is also certified as a chef de cuisine with the American Culinary Federation.
Kelly McCown, the executive chef at Ella restaurant and a 1990 graduate of the California Culinary Academy. He was worked in the kitchens of Martini House, Flying Fish, Fleur de Lys, Hayes Street Grill and others, and he has been named “a rising star” and “top young chef” by several magazines, including Bon Appetit and Japanese GQ.

“Table Talk” will be at The Sacramento Bee, 2100 Q St., at 6 p.m. April 13. Source Global Tapas will provide light snacks.

The event will be live-tweeted by @sacramentopress using the hashtag #SacTableTalk.

The event is free, but registration is required. If you do not register, you will not be allowed to enter. Registration is limited to 160. To sign up for “Table Talk,” click here.

Come join the conversation as we discuss Sacramento’s rich food and restaurant culture.

Colleen Belcher on "Patrick Mulvaney and Shawn Harrison discuss the importance of local agriculture in Sacramento at Time Tested Books store"

2011-03-23T18:10:38Z

Thank you for pointing that out, Desmangles. We have made that correction.

Colleen Belcher on "Eat on the Fly"

2011-03-23T04:01:14Z

I like morning doves. Something about their cooing is soothing to me.

Colleen Belcher on "Fresh from Jalisco: New Midtown taqueria"

2011-03-22T18:46:00Z

Hi, Brian. Thanks for your comment. Suzanne saw that this store had opened when she was driving by so she went and did a story on it. Jalisco Fresh did not pay for any advertising with the Sacramento Press. Hope that clears up your question.

Writing about Wine and Spirits workshop March 24

2011-03-17T17:56:51Z

The Sacramento Press will be hosting a new workshop for the month of March. We are excited to have our first "Writing about Wine and Spirits" workshop, taught by Rick Kushman.

The workshop will be at the Sacramento Press office from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Thursday, March 24.

Kushman will discuss techniques for writing about wine and touch on how to write about spirits and beer. The primary focus of the workshop will be wine. He will also discuss terms and phrases to avoid when writing about wine or food.

Kushman is an award-winning journalist and former columnist for The Sacramento Bee, where he spent two decades. For the last five years he wrote about wine, food and life in Northern California. His writing has appeared in publications ranging from Time Magazine to Sommelier Journal and Daily Variety.

He is a founder of the new California Wine Marketing Group, a unique business that teaches wineries, wine groups, restaurants and others how to market and talk about wine in real English sentences, not winespeak. He believes that anyone who makes wine too complicated or too scary should be sentenced to drinking low-carb beer.

Kushman earned his Certified Wine Professional credential from the Culinary Institute of America and teaches culinary journalism at the Art Institute of California.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

To RSVP for this workshop, e-mail workshops@sacramentopress.com. Space is limited to 20 people. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an e-mail to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you there!

Colleen Belcher on "Jazz on J brings live Jazz to Downtown Sacramento"

2011-03-16T21:32:16Z

Thanks, Ava, for pointing out the spelling error. We have fixed it.

Colleen Belcher on "Kings fall apart against Rockets 123-101, Cousins goes down late"

2011-03-09T05:59:32Z

Wow - Rick Adelman, Kevin Martin AND Brad Miller? I didn't realize all three of them were a part of the Rockets.

Colleen Belcher on "Hip-Hop Music Transcends Language Barriers"

2011-02-28T18:24:10Z

Does she go by Anita Tijoux or Anna Tijoux?

Opinion Writing Workshop Feb. 24

2011-02-21T06:17:12Z

The next workshop hosted by The Sacramento Press will be on opinion writing. It will be held at our office from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Feb. 24.

Sacramento Press Editor in Chief David Watts Barton will discuss the importance of backing up your opinion, doing reporting and keeping your column focused.

Barton worked at The Sacramento Bee from 1985-2007. He was the pop music critic until 1994 and in addition to writing reviews, he wrote weekly columns called Poplife and The Beat.

As editor in chief of The Sacramento Press, Barton writes editorials on a regular basis.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2.00 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

To RSVP for this workshop, e-mail workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an e-mail to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you there!

Colleen Belcher on "Valentine's Day, doggy style"

2011-02-16T05:47:16Z

Image 3 is a great shot of Snoop. Nice photos, Steven!

Colleen Belcher on "SacQuotes: Valentine’s Day Memories"

2011-02-14T23:25:21Z

A good roundup of quotes. Impressive that you got such candid answers. Nice work!

Upcoming workshop: Write Smarter Feb. 16

2011-02-07T22:38:42Z

We have two new workshops scheduled for the month of February.

The first is scheduled from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Feb. 16 at The Sacramento Press office.

JT Long will teach this workshop, titled "Write Smarter."

Long is an independent journalist and SEO copywriter for publications such as Engineering News-Record, Comstock's Magazine and PublicCEO. She creates communities by telling stories.

Long will discuss how to get the most out of your stories so you can use them in different publications. She will cover how to improve your interviewing skills, so you can gather enough information for multiple stories, how to come up with targeted leads and other tips that will benefit freelancers.

Sacramento Press Editor in Chief David Watts Barton will teach a workshop on opinion writing from 6:30 - 8 p.m. Feb. 24. More information on this workshop will be available later this month.

Badges will be awarded to participants for attending the workshop. To become a verified community contributor, please bring a government-issued ID.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $2.00 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

To RSVP for either workshop, e-mail workshops@sacramentopress.com. If you RSVP and decide later not to attend, please send us an e-mail to notify us that you will not be coming so we can have an accurate head count.

Thanks, and we hope to see you there!

Today's the last day to enter the Journalism Open 2011

2011-01-31T21:06:14Z

The procrastination must come to an end. There are only hours left to enter The Sacramento Press Journalism Open 2011.

Entries must be published by 11:59 p.m. You must tag your article open2011.

There are hundreds of dollars in prizes waiting to be doled out to the winners. First place prize is $700, second place is $500 and there are cash prizes for photos, too!

If you would like to have your article copy edited, it must be sent to journalism@sacramentopress.com by 6 p.m. Any articles sent after 6 p.m. will have to be published without copy editing.

One last thing: there are three judges for this year's contest. One of the judges changed from what we announced at the Journalism Open Workshop. David Watts Barton will no longer be judging. The judges are Managing Editor Colleen Belcher, Copy Editor/Reporter Brandon Darnell and Recruiment Manager Casey Kirk.

Check out the splash page for any last minute questions. Below the page are all of the entries we've received so far for the contest.

The clock is ticking. Entries published after 11:59 p.m. will not be counted as part of the contest.

Winners will be announced Monday, Feb. 14 on our site.

Good luck!

Colleen Belcher on "Drag Queen Bingo"

2011-01-28T22:22:19Z

I didn't realize there was such a turnout for this event. Thanks for sharing! I'm not a big bingo fan, but for this I'd make an exception.

Colleen Belcher on ""Dancing in the River City" Dazzles"

2011-01-20T01:04:51Z

This looks like it was so much fun!

Colleen Belcher on "Skating returns to Iceland Ice Rink"

2011-01-16T20:38:26Z

Fixed

Sac Press Journalism Open workshop Jan. 12

2011-01-10T20:23:34Z

The Sacramento Press Journalism Open is well underway and we're very pleased to see new bylines popping up on our site because of the contest.

The contest ends at 11:59 p.m. Jan. 31, so make sure you've posted all of your entries and tagged them open2011 by that deadline.

First place wins $700, second place $500, and there are many other cash prizes, including prizes for best photos.

For those of you who have questions about the contest, we will host a workshop Wednesday, Jan. 12 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. at our office. We will be happy to give advice and suggestions on how to develop your story ideas.

Our office is located at 431 I St., Suite 107, in the Amtrak station. We are in the same building complex as Starbucks.

We recommend you find parking on the street, bike or take light rail, as the Amtrak parking lot charges $1.50 per half hour, and we cannot cover the cost of parking. If you take light rail, we will give you two passes when you get here - one to cover your trip here and one to cover your trip back.

To RSVP, send an e-mail to workshops@sacramentopress.com.

For the complete rules of the contest, click here.

Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you at the workshop!

Colleen Belcher on "Dine Downtown: Kupros Bistro "

2011-01-07T23:30:49Z

I LOVE the photos in this article, especially the gelato and of the chef standing behind the swinging doors. Now I'm inspired to check out Dine Downtown Restaurant Week. Thanks for sharing, Ron!

Colleen Belcher on "Fargo Fog"

2011-01-06T18:18:11Z

Looks like a scene out of a movie, like Batman! Very cool shot.

Colleen Belcher on "Sacramento Press Journalism Open returns in January 2011"

2011-01-06T06:19:09Z

Most people (journalists included) push deadlines. I think we'll be seeing a lot more entries toward the end of the month. We'll keep reminding people to tag their articles if they want to enter. Your most recent article is tagged appropriately. Keep the questions coming if you have them :)

Colleen Belcher on "Sacramento Press Journalism Open returns in January 2011"

2011-01-05T22:28:05Z

Glad to have more people entering!

Colleen Belcher on "Sacramento Press Journalism Open returns in January 2011"

2011-01-05T22:27:44Z

Hi, Katherine. Yes, if you work in Roseville then you qualify. We will have our journalism open workshop Jan. 12 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. at our office. We will have more workshops going forward unrelated to the contest. If you have an account with Sac Press you should be signed up to receive the invitations when we announce our upcoming workshops.

Colleen Belcher on "Sacramento Press Journalism Open returns in January 2011"

2011-01-05T22:26:24Z

Hi, Laura. We encourage people to attend the workshop but if you don't have any specific questions, then it would be fine if you didn't attend. If a question comes up later in the month, you can always send it to Casey or me. You've written before so you're familiar with how our site works and what goes into an article. People who attend the workshop won't get extra points added to their articles and have that sort of advantage over those who do not attend. However, if people want to ask about their story ideas for the contest, this would be a great opportunity to do so.

Colleen Belcher on "How to enter photos that accompany someone else's article in the Journalism Open"

2011-01-04T21:19:34Z

Sure. This wasn't something we had to think about last time around, but it's good to see that we need to address it this time.

How to enter photos that accompany someone else's article in the Journalism Open

2011-01-03T23:52:38Z

Many articles posted on our site are a collaborative effort, with one person writing the text and another person taking photos.

This brings up the question of how a photographer can enter his or her photos in The Sacramento Press Journalism Open 2011 if the article has the byline of the writer.

To enter your photos from an article with someone else's byline, use this tag:

photosyournameopen2011

So if your name is Joe Schmoe, the appropriate tag would be: photosjoeschmoeopen2011

E-mail support@sacramentopress.com if you have any other questions.

Colleen Belcher on "In Memory of Azlina Abu Bakar"

2011-01-03T22:22:51Z

Steve, I feel very fortunate to have met your wife and children briefly when they would come in the office. I'm so very sorry to hear this news, but I'm happy you were still in Malaysia when this all happened. You are a wonderful father and husband. We're all thinking of you and sending our prayers your way.

Colleen Belcher on "A thank you to our community contributors"

2010-12-24T21:17:12Z

Thanks, Lindol. Just fixed it.

A thank you to our community contributors

2010-12-24T02:14:13Z

We have a lot to be grateful for at The Sacramento Press. We celebrated our two-year anniversary in October, and we expanded our office over the summer. We are most thankful for our community contributors – you take the cake.

Your comments fill in the blanks of questions unanswered. You keep us honest and accurate by pointing out errors. Your thoughts and opinions spark a stream of community dialogue.

Your stories and photos document Sacramento’s history in the making. Your firsthand accounts often break stories like the evacuation of the Roseville Galleria Mall or give us an up-close at, say, a fire in Midtown.

A lot of what comes in is unexpected: a letter written by Thomas Enterprises addressing the foreclosure, video of political sign stealing, photos of an upside down rainbow or a lunar eclipse. We’ve had stories about rescued animals, commentary on a Second Saturday Art Walk shooting and plenty other unique and extraordinary stories.

There are a dozen or so community contributors who we work with on a regular basis. These all-stars take on multiple assignments, many of them working around their full-time jobs. We’ve been happy to work with them as they prepare for a big interview with a celebrity, or give them feedback on their sports coverage or emphasize the importance of meeting deadlines.

As a way of saying thank you to those who have really gone above and beyond in volunteering their time and energy to The Sacramento Press, we created “splash” pages to highlight some of their articles.

Lindol French, a new Sacramento resident, has entertained us with his musings on just about everything. We’ve been there for his first breakup with a Sacramento bar. We got to share his interview with Anthony Bourdain and experience the Neo-Crocker Party. And who could forget his Lindol-isms like this one from when the San Francisco Giants were in the World Series: “This is the kind of torture doled out by a beautiful woman with hot wax and a feather.”

Ron Nabity, a professional photographer, has really brought his love of sports to The Sacramento Press. He has captured stunning action shots, whether it be at a Sacramento Capitols game or of a running back sprinting down the field at a UFL Mountain Lions game. His engaging perspective, both in writing and behind the lens, are a real treat.

Alejandra Gonzalez first approached us with interest of becoming an intern. Her busy school schedule prevented her from committing fully to an internship, but that didn’t stop her from taking on assignments. She has done a wonderful job of highlighting local charities and fundraisers in the area, as well as writing captivating reviews of performers like Shakira and the Eagles.

Bill Burgua first participated on The Sacramento Press as a resident and neighborhood advocate and has since created his own niche. He has become one of our best-known theater reviewers, frequently quoted next to The Sacramento Bee’s critics in e-mail blasts from local theater companies. Bill has worked diligently, doing research and diving headfirst into his assignments. His appreciation of local theater shines through.

Marc McLaughlin has been contributing since August, and has really wowed us with his photos. Marc first introduced us to the Sacred City Derby Girls, with some great shots of mud wrestling and that captured the intensity of the sport. He has taken on some big performers, from Jay Leno to Justin Bieber, and has done telephone interviews for previews (the Judds, Tony Orlando, etc.)

David Alvarez has contributed 89 articles since May of this year! We’ve been lucky to have his coverage of many of the events in Folsom (Sutter Street construction, Ghost Train and Folsom Live!). David has tackled all sorts of stories, from fashion shows to cultural celebrations and festivals to Concerts in the Park. What sets him apart is his interactions with the people involved in the events he covers. As readers, we learn what he has learned as his curiosity leads to a deeper level of reporting.

Barry Wisdom is another fantastic photographer we’ve been lucky to work with. He has worked a lot with Bill Burgua in covering theater, doing many of the previews and showing up to dress rehearsals to get shots of the actors. He’s been there to indulge the eyes at Ginger Elizabeth’s Cupcake Day and showcase the art at Chalk It Up! Sacramento. Barry has a lot of fun doing his articles, and it shows.

Delgreta Brown has highlighted Sacramento’s music scene with her soulful music writing. She really makes you feel as if you’re right there in the audience.

Steven Chea continues to amaze us. He has blossomed from someone who has dabbled in video and photography to a valuable reporter and photojournalist. Steven is able to snap photos and capture both amusing and intense facial expressions. He is noted for taking his camera into the crowd, where the other action is.

Mark Needham is a true Sacramento Kings fan. As the 2010-11 season ramped up, Mark was there at every practice, interviewing players, sharing his predictions for the season and creating a presence for the Kings on The Sacramento Press.

Aaron Davis has his finger on the pulse of Sacramento’s music scene. He’s shared details of the Smashing Pumpkins coming to Sacramento and kept us in the know with his weekly roundup. His writing is fun to read and a pleasure to have on the site.

Ed Fogle has been with The Sacramento Press from the very beginning, chasing down some courageous shots. He has been there on the scene alongside ambulances, yellow tape and blazing fires, getting the photos and sharing them with the rest of us. Ed seems to be everywhere and anywhere the police scanner alerts say the action is.

Steven Bloom is becoming synonymous with the word “comedy” in Sacramento. He has interviewed the likes of Cedric the Entertainer and shared his reviews of Robin Williams, Howie Mandel and Conan O’Brien for those of us who couldn’t make it out to their shows.

Last but definitely not least is Kati Garner. She has taken her camera and breathed life into local media coverage. Her photos are Sacramento. She is there for major political events, for the installation of the Capitol Christmas tree, at the American Idol auditions, Sacramento’s Pride events and everything in between. She was there taking panoramic shots of the Railyards as construction was beginning, and she’s one of the first people we turn to when we hope to get photography. Kati, who has 313 articles to date, is a living camera, leaving a flurry of visual memories in her path.

Take a look at the contributors’ splash pages if you’d like by clicking on their names.

Thanks to everyone above and to everyone we haven’t mentioned. We would be nothing without you.

Colleen Belcher on "Sacramento SPCA Pet of the Week- Thumbelina"

2010-12-22T18:21:27Z

I love what she does with her ears when she makes that face.

Colleen Belcher on "Lunar eclipse visible Monday night"

2010-12-21T20:06:57Z

Oh my goodness, what a great shot! Very impressive. Thanks for sharing!

Colleen Belcher on "New faces on K Street"

2010-12-17T17:23:46Z

Sapporo Grill and Petra are both open until 3 a.m., but it will be nice to have more places open late.

Colleen Belcher on "Holiday Inspiration from the Fab Forties Home Tour"

2010-12-07T02:06:18Z

Agreed. I went out Friday night hoping to see all of the lights out for the Sacred Heart Holiday Home Tour. I was disappointed to see only a few homes with exteriors lit. I did not know that the tour is for the interiors, which makes more sense. Glad to get a peek inside, thanks to Kati and Mary.

Colleen Belcher on "Clock runs out on Kings, lose great game to Mavs 105-103"

2010-12-06T17:21:41Z

I added credit at the bottom of the story. Thanks.

Colleen Belcher on "Clock runs out on Kings, lose great game to Mavs 105-103"

2010-12-06T06:12:55Z

Who took the photos?

53rd and S streets neighborhood full of Christmas spirit

2010-12-04T08:07:26Z

These photos were taken with an iPhone in the Elmhurst area (53rd street, S street, T street).

Most of the homes had arches on the sidewalks made of PVC pipe and strung with lights.

My favorite house of the block was the one with the snorkeling Santa.

This is the house with the snorkeling Santa!

Santa lives in a Yellow Submarine.

A jellyfish, maybe?

A Christmas tree Snowman.

Colleen Belcher on "Capitol Mall Almost Aglow"

2010-11-30T19:49:09Z

Absolutely gorgeous!