Newest articles on The Sacramento Press written by Michael Stavros

Stop the proposed Levee Fence

2009-11-16T07:19:27Z

The American River is surely one of Sacramento’s most precious resources and access to the river beaches and trails is under attack. The River Park Neighborhood Association is trying to slip through a proposal to construct a fence along the levee at Glenn Hall Park, designed to shut off access to the river from dusk to sunrise.

The plan to construct a tubular steel fence with an “exit only” turnstile (similar to the one at the Sacramento Zoo) is part of a proposal to spend money set aside for capital improvements for the River Park, East Sacramento, and Campus Commons neighborhoods.

Opponents call the fence proposal an extreme, over-reaction to problems that occurred during the summer months, such as noise, drinking, littering, and unsafe driving on Carlson Drive. In the warm weather, Paradise Beach becomes a popular spot for sun bathers, swimmers and partiers.

The River Park Review printed some letters from River Park residents. Here are some quotes that exemplify some of the concerns:

“For years the Paradise Beach area has been a trouble spot for River Park. The activities at the beach have caused an increase in crime, vandalism and drunk driving in our neighborhood … By building a fence across the entire levee there is the opportunity to curb reckless behavior”

“For those that don’t live in close proximity to the park, you may not have experienced people driving across your lawn, urinating in your front yard, gunshots outside your window, or a gang fight across the street, but these activities are par for the course in Glenn Hall Park. These issues are directly related to the lack of lighting and security in the park.”

Opponents charge that the “crime problems” have been greatly exaggerated and that the proposed fence will not do little to address the few problems that do exist.

For example, a levee barricade will not solve the problem of people urinating or driving across someone’s lawn –– unless they put the fence around the entire neighborhood. As far as “gunshots” and “gang fights” – this is certainly not the norm in the River Park neighborhood as the police reports confirm.

As City Park Ranger Greg Narramore stated at the River Park Neighborhood Association meeting on April 18, 2009 “River Park is still one of the most crime free neighborhoods in Sacramento.”

It’s true that people drink at the beach in the summer weekends and some drive drunk through the neighborhood – but most of the partying takes place during the day. The way to solve a drunk driving problem is to enforce the law already in place. The fence proposal punishes us all for the sins of a few.

Aside from being an eye sore along the beautiful levee, the fence proposal uses up resources that could be used for more productive capital improvements, and it would set a bad prescient for all the other river access points. No specific neighborhood should be allowed to control the river or the river access.

At the recent RPNA meeting on November7, 2009 I raised a proposal to form a committee to explore alternative solutions such as: random police patrols, perhaps a life guard to keep order at the beach (and maybe save a life in the process), perhaps an attendant at the parking lot to stop the people from bringing alcohol down to the river. No committee was formed.

Although most people in the area have not yet been properly informed, the River Park Neighborhood Association plans to hold a meeting to decide on this issue. The meeting will take place on Thursday, November 19, 2009 at the Fremont Presbyterian Church at 5770 Carlson Drive (Geneva Room). The meeting will start at 7:30 PM. All residents of Sacramento and the surrounding area are welcome to come and voice their opinion. This decision effects the entire city.

You may also express your opinion by contacting the office of City Councilman, Steve Cohn.
Phone: 916-808-7003
e-mail: scohn@cityofsacramento.org

Please help us stop this proposed river barricade.

Michael Stavros
River Park Resident for19 years

"Earthlings" free Showing

2009-07-13T18:03:57Z

EARTHLINGS
FREE • LIMITED SEATING • ONE NIGHT ONLY • DON’T MISS IT • FREE
www.earthlings.com

Where: SACRAMENTO BICYCLE KITCHEN
1915 I Street (between 19th and 20th, along the railroad tracks).
NOTE: Seating is limited. Please bring a lawn chair or two if you can.

When: FRIDAY, July 17, 2009

Time: 7:00-10:00 PM
Director’s featurette at 7:30
EARTHLINGS at 8:00
About the film: EARTHLINGS (95 mins), written and directed by Shaun Monson and narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, is about the suffering of animals for food, fashion, pets, entertainment, and medical research. Considered the most persuasive documentary ever made, EARTHLINGS is nicknamed “the Vegan Maker” for its sensitive footage shot at animal shelters, pet stores, puppy mills, factory farms, slaughterhouses, the leather and fur trades, sporting events, circuses, and research labs. Moby, a dedicated vegan, provided the eerie, haunting soundtrack for the documentary. His beautiful yet melancholy tones serve as an allegory for the innocence and beauty of domestic and wildlife animals subjected to the cruelest treatment. The images and video used in the documentary, which were obtained over a five-year period with undercover cameras, are powerful and disturbing. Almost no narration is needed; the video lens unflinchingly tells the whole story for the animals. NOTE: This film is not rated—viewer discretion is strongly advised. “Of all the films I have ever made, this is the one that gets people talking the most. For every one person who sees EARTHLINGS, they will tell three” - Joaquin Phoenix, actor/narrator “If I could make evernone in the world see one film, I’d make them see EARTHLINGS.” – Peter Singer, author, Animal Liberation “For those who watch EARTHLINGS, the world will never be the same.” – Tom Regan, author, A Case for Animal Rights

Presented by the Sacramento Animal Rights (SAR) Meetup Group
(www.meetup.com/Sacramento-Animal-Rights-Meetup-Group/)
Special thanks to the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen for the use of their space.
Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen is not affiliated with SAR or Earthlings.com.

Don't Put the River in a Cage

2009-05-18T03:50:53Z

Once again the warm weather has snuck up on us. Soon we’ll be experiencing those magnificent Sacramento nights. Many of us like to take an evening stroll along the levee after dinner with our spouse or partner. Some of us enjoy walking with our children and teaching about the various constellations.

Well that may be all in the past, if the River Park Neighborhood Association is allowed to push their proposal to build a steel, tubular fence along the top of the levee with an “exit only” turnstile.

At the neighborhood association meeting (4/18) the problems were laid out – groups of teens drinking, and carrying on at Paradise Beach, using foul language, driving out of the parking lot recklessly and sometime intoxicated and yes even a reported rape in the public bathrooms – right here in River Park.

Although summer weekends can draw a crowd, River Park still remains one of the most crime-free neighborhoods in Sacramento. Crime statistics do not support the assertion that we are plagued with a huge problem. While there are some appropriate measures that can be taken to minimize infractions, the fence proposal is not the answer. It is an extreme, ineffective, over-reaction.

Most of the problems mentioned occur in the day. The fence is designed to keep people from entering after sunset (all of us, no matter how peaceful our romantic walk may be). As for the reckless or drunk driving and the rape, the proposed fence would have no effect because these all occur outside of the barricaded area.

Aside from being a useless eye sore along our beautiful levee, the fence proposal uses up much needed resources that could be used for more productive solutions, such as: random police patrols, perhaps a life guard to keep order at the beach (and maybe save a life in the process), perhaps an attendant at the parking lot to stop the people from bringing alcohol down to the river.

We have laws against alcohol at the beach, rowdy behavior and of course, drunk driving. We need to enforce those ordinances instead of caging in our beloved natural river like it’s part of some artificial zoo exhibit. The fence proposal punishes us all for the sins of a few – and I mean a few. It’s easy to spot the troublemakers. The majority of the young people are just trying to enjoy the beauty of the river.

We criticize our youth for living behind their computer screens. We tell them to get out and get some fresh air. Now, we’re telling them to go somewhere else. The problem is - there is nowhere else. The river is one of the few natural spaces left. Don’t take that away.

River Park doesn’t own the river and we should not be able to block access any more than a neighborhood at one of the ends of the Golden Gate Bridge should be able to control access to the bridge.

The American River is a treasured resource for all of Sacramento and the Paradise Beach area is arguably the finest expanse of the entire river parkway. A decision to block that access is a decision that effects all of Sacramento. All neighborhoods should be given a chance to make their voices heard, not just the River Park neighborhood. Remember, it’s easier to stop the fence before it’s built than to tear it down after the fact. Stop the fence proposal!