Happenings around Sacramento

Farmers Market Fun and Friendly in Oak Park

2012-05-14T06:16:23Z

Saturday was the second of many more Farmers Markets in Oak Park since it happens every Saturday through October 27, 2012. It's location is great at McClatchy Park. While shoppers bought and sellers talked, a 220 lb pig was roasting and a variety of interactive activities, including live music from local bands, activities for children (story-telling, face painting, art projects) were happening.

Jubilee Farm hosted an annual Pig Roast, a fundraiser, to help suport local food and local farmers.

Here's some photos of the roasting pig and more:

Chef Brad put together a fantastic, local menu:
Jubilee Farm Berkshire Pork including:
Roasted Whole Pig
Salt Roasted Pork
Grilled Rack of Pork
Roasted Porchetta
Fresh Sausages

Farm Fresh Chicken (Cooked Inside the Pork)

Baked Beans

Grilled Asparagus

Farmers Market Strawberries

Farmers Market Potato Salad

Vegetables Boulangerie

It was a great time and place to relax, visit and people watch.

For information about Oak Park's Farmers Market, check it out HERE

La Valentia; Affordable Housing with an Eco-Conscience

2012-05-12T05:03:01Z

Back in December 2010 Meea Kang, a principal at Domus Development said to Brandon Darnell, Sacramento Press reporter, “We’re here to bring, I think, the most contemporary, most cutting-edge design that we could bring to one of the oldest residential neighborhoods of Sacramento.”

Nearing completion of the La Valentina in the Alkali Flat area, it appears San Francisco-based company in charge of the project has accomplished what it set out to do.

The La Valentia is a definite upgrade at the corner of 12th and D streets and is adjacent to the La Valentina Light Rail Station. According to the Domus Management website, Sacramento's La Valentia's 81 affordable units include studios, 1, 2 & 3 bedrooms. Spacious energy efficient units that will reduce your utility bills.

Conveniently located by a light rail station for easy, affordable transportation to shopping and work. Rents range from $424 to $1037 per month. The eco-conscious project will use a number of sustainable strategies, including photovoltaic panels, solar domestic hot water, and a green roof.

Partners in the project include Domus Development LLC, Housing Corporation of America,David Baker + Partners Architects, Brown Construction, US Bank, NA; Alliany Capital, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee and Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.

To apply, call (866) 666-0350 today!

A Perfect Time

2012-05-10T05:17:15Z

Just the right temperature on a spring night right makes for a good time spent outdoors right before sunset.

Keeping It Cool in the Kitchen

2012-05-09T03:30:42Z

I could type several paragraphs about house fires, telling how cooking equipment is the leading cause of home structure fires and human injuries, as well as the third leading cause of home fire deaths.

Sac Metro Fire demonstrated WHAT NOT TO DO if you have a grease cooking fire.

Do not pour water on it.

Photos below show what happens when water is poured on a grease fire:

If the fire seems containable, don a heavy-duty oven mitt and place a tight fitting lid over the pan as Capt. Kevin Summer shows:Sac Metro Fire used a room in what is soon-to-be-demolished Rancho Cordova Inn on Folsom Blvd.

For more fire safety info, visit National Fire Protection Association

What is the Time?

2012-05-05T07:13:56Z

The newly refurbished Fred Mayes Jewelers street clock is back at its home at J and 10th St. It looks great in the day and coloful at night. The time isn't readable at night. I'm curious if the clock's face will be readable at night in the near future. For information about the 100 year old clock's nice restoration CLICK HERE>>>

Remembering Heroes Who Died Protecting Us

2012-05-04T22:07:40Z

Since 1992, when the Sacramento Police and Sheriff's Memorial was created, many have come to honor Sacramento Police officers and deputies who have been killed in the line of duty for the 10th year.

Grief of the loss can linger for many years. Annual ceremonies help to deal with grief and remind us all an officer's death was not in vain.

Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel shared a recent incident. Yesterday a man who had stopped an armed gunman on a rampage during a recent SMUD shooting was honored by the Police Dept. He told the officers " I acted and did something maybe five or ten minutes when I stepped forward and did something."

He said to the officers "all of you do this every single day. And for that I thank you." Chief Braziel thanked all of the officers for what they do everyday. "To the survivors, friends and family, it is important for us to come out here and do this," Braziel said. "We don't forget our friends and these are friends here we honor here today. And we'll never forget that."

Sheriff Scott Jones thanked everyone for coming out and to pray we won't have to add a 35th name.

Here are more photos of the Law Enforcement Memorial:

On Sunday, May 6th, the California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation will be holding a Candlelight Vigil beginning at the California Peace Officers Memorial Monument, 10th Street and Capitol Mall, at 8:30 p.m.

On Monday, May 7th, the California Peace Officers Memorial dedication ceremony will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the California Peace Officers Memorial Monument, 10th Street and Capitol Mall.

Dr. Oz Visits Food Bank & Hiram Johnson High School

2012-05-03T02:49:18Z

Dr. Mehmet Oz, co-founder of HealthCorps with wife Lisa, made a productive visit to Sacramento recently.

Kids and grownups were equally excited.

At the request of an English teacher and students at Hiram Johnson High School, Dr. Oz and Lisa Oz responded - with a visit. It was part of their nationwide tour to kick-off HealthCorps, a nonprofit effort to battle childhood obesity by enlisting young people into a mentoring/monitoring effort at the high school level.

Perhaps the English class students nodding off in class decided to come up with a solution by having Dr. Oz suggest some ways to benefit the students.

A serious topic, eating healthy, became a healthy, fun, breakfast food challenge. They had 10 minutes!

The Healthy Breakfast Challenge involved four teams of students representing the HealthCorps after school program and 9th and 10th grade English class students that invited Dr. Oz.

A panel of judges included Dr. Oz and Lisa, and Montel Williams, television peronality, Anthem Blue Cross President Pam Kehaly and Sacramento King's Assistant Coach, Bobby Jackson.

Later that day, Dr. Oz made a surprise visit to the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services' Saca Community Learning Center which put smiles on many faces.

Learn more about Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services

Read about the Memorial Gala Fund Raiser

Here is an interesting in-depth story by Ed Goldman, Sacramento Business Journal.

HealthCorps and Journey to Oz

2012-05-02T15:27:07Z

HealthCorps held its first Sacramento Gala "journey to Oz" at the Memorial Auditorium recently. Around 500 supporters came to the event co-hosted by founders Dr. Mehmet Oz and his wife Lisa Oz.

Earlier in the day Dr. Oz made a surprise visit to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services and held a healthy food competition at Hiram High School.

The Auditorium was a visual wonderment for raising funds for the non-profit's national wellness movement and proven high school mentoring program as well as new initiatives to expand its impact across the country, according to a spokesperson. Healthy foods and fitness info were all everywhere one looked.

Celebrity guests included Montel Williams, Ben Vereen and Mayor Kevin Johnson who presentd th Oz couple a key to Sacramento.

Here's some photos of the event:

Watch for more coverage about Dr. Oz's visit to Sacramneto on SacPress by Isaac Gonzales soon!

About HealthCorps:

HealthCorps®, is building a movement to fight childhood obesity by getting to the underbelly of the crisis and discovering what Americans are really hungry for and why and then proposing a remedy.

HealthCorps “Coordinators” carry out unique in-school and community programming targeting high-need populations. Coordinatorsare recent college graduates who defer entry into medical school or graduate health programs to serve a two-year full time assignment at a designated public high school.
Using peer-mentoring to deliver an experiential curriculum in nutrition,fitness and mental strength, Coordinators give teens purpose, help develop human character and inspire an interest in health and culinary arts careers.
Co-founded by heart surgeon and Emmy Award-winning talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz and his wife Lisa Oz, HealthCorps also serves as a unique research laboratory to explore the complex, underlying causes of the obesity crisis and discover and communicate solutions.
Bringing many initiatives together to activate the students’ mind, body and spirit, HealthCorps is transforming the educational paradigm one school at a time.

Our three priorities:

1) Educating Students - HealthCorps’ national peer mentoring program spans 53 high schools in 13 states (AZ, CA, DC, DE, FL, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NY, OH, OR, TX). By 2015, HealthCorps aspires to have a presence in 100 schools in all 50 states.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Read SacPress preview story here.

Sublime Spring Evening

2012-05-01T05:18:05Z

The last pinkish light of sunset showed behind the Esquire building just after 7pm. A little wind and warmth made for a nice Sacramento evening.

Get Off Of My Cloud

2012-04-25T04:37:44Z

My head was in the clouds as I took a Midtown/East Sac/Downtown road trip just to see what was going on. Lots of construction, road and otherwise.

My brain finally noticed - clouds in the sky. I thought to myself "I'll bet I can find reflections of those white puffy things on buildings."

I did.

After spending time downtown I headed to Midtown and East Sac. No tall buildings but a few front yards' color displays were attractive.

Here's some sights:

Cranes at Sutter Heading towards Completion

2012-04-14T18:27:36Z

When those two tall red cranes, A 290-foot crane and its slightly shorter twin are seen from many vantage points around Sacramento, it means construction is in motion and the completion of the expansion of Sutter General Hospital's Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center is closer to completion.

In photo above, steel for the spanning structure (low right corner) was erected over L Street in 2011. It Has been one of the most dangerous tasks. It is why L St is blocked between 28th and 29th Streets.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, it was a 9 out of 10 on danger,” said Brian Baudot, a foreman with Boldt construction partner Austerman. “There was no room for error.”

When the expansion project is completed in late 2013, this spanning structure will seamlessly connect all of Sutter Medical Center’s acute-care services under one roof, explains a spokesperson.

According to a spokesperson, to keep working through the winter months SECUROCK, green panels, were installed that are guaranteed for up to 12 months of exposure to any type of weather. After the green panels were placed, construction crews applied weatherproofing and then attached the final exterior siding to these sheathing panels as weather permited.

At 194 feet tall and 10-stories, this new 395,241-square-foot structure, Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center replaces Sutter Memorial Hospital on F St. in East Sacramento.

Standing tall, the completed medical building when completed will probably be the highest structure in midtown.

Beauty In a Dismal Day

2012-04-12T06:30:35Z

These not-quite-spring gray days remind me why I left Washington state; to land in sunny Sacramento.

I hopped in my car early this afternoon and headed south due to weather reports hyping the possibility of hail and thunder,

I jaunted from Sacramento Marina to the northern edge of Elk Grove.

Saw no hail or lighting. Did get rained on.

Here's some dismal day dandies:

Starting from the south the yellow flowers and stormy clouds caught my attention.

Soggy Spirited Chavez Marchers

2012-04-01T05:56:24Z

Several hundred honored Cesar Chavez's memory marching to Southside Park in Sacramento today during a downpour of rain.

Represented were labor groups, immigation issues and even Trayvon Martin, the Floridian killed wearing a hoodie.

Chavez, died at the age of 66 in 1993. He fought to bring awareness to the plight of farmworkers by organizing marches and hunger strikes.

Once the marchers arrived at the park Aztec dancers went into motion.

Here are some photos I shot of the event:

Exploring the North Fork Canyon

2012-03-29T05:09:30Z

On my trip home from Grass Valley today, I changed my route. Rather than driving I-80, I hopped on to Hwy 49 that leads to Placerville.
Placerville wasn't my reason for veering from my normal route.
I've known the Foresthill Restoration Project has been underway several months. This famous bridge (the tallest in California) is located about one mile east of Interstate 80 on Foresthill Road, spanning the North Fork Canyon above the American River. The Amgen Bicycle race zoomed across it a couple of years ago.

I enjoy watching how things are built to completion. It amazes me that so many people can make all the pieces fit together to make a functional object. Especially one that spans the North Fork canyon, some 730+ feet above the river.
Perhaps I'm a construction groupie. I took a zillion shots as the Crocker Art Museum's addition grew to join the original building.
As I drove along Hwy 49 I wished I had a driver. There weren't many safe pull-off areas and if I tried to shoot while driving it wouldn't have been a pretty ending.
The photos above are segments of the 862.9 feet long bridge.
The one below is a panorama I created by taking about 6 pictures, moving my camera after each shot. Then I "magically" merged them in my computer. Unfortunately it doesn't portray the scope of the bridge.

Traffic on the surface is limited to one lane.

Click here here for a link to a great photo gallery taken by the construction crew.

On the rest of my mini-road trip I found some scenes saying "Shoot me."

These are from a brief stop in Coloma.

The Coloma Valley is a destination on its own merits - it's where gold was first discovered in California. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO>>>

Bloomingly Splendid

2012-03-27T02:24:42Z

Taken about a month ago, these two trees have done a great job providing beauty to McKinley Park during this seemingly early spring of 2012. I am not a tree whiz and I don't know their species. Perhaps someone can let me know!

Ag Day At The Capitol

2012-03-22T06:28:49Z

Today's event at the Capitol could've been called "Getting to know your farmer." If it weren't for these hardworking folks doing what they do how would we sustain ourselves?

I have no idea how to milk hundreds of cows everyday nor the desire to clean up their poop.

Do you?

Today was the one-year anniversary of Assembly Concurrent Resolution 42, which called on Californians to "eat local" and "buy California grown" food.

And it asks Specifically for Californians to prepare meals made exclusively with Golden State ingredients one day a week.

Former Assembly Seaker Willie Brown, also the former mayor of San Francisco, joined state Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross, among others, for a press conference commemorating the resolution and the adoption of similar efforts by California cities and counties.

It drew a large crowd. Some probably had their lunch woeking their way through the exhibits.Dogs, such as the beagle above are part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Canine Enforcement Program. These canines can detect fruits, vegetables, meats or other prohibited items that may carry animal, pests, or plant diseases that could possibly harm U.S. agriculture resources.

CALIFORNIA'S RODEO QUEENS

They are both rodeo competitors.

Photos - Laughter, Pipes and Drums; St Paddy's Parade In Old Sac

2012-03-18T23:03:33Z

“Continual cheerfulness is a sign of wisdom,” says this old piece of Irish wisdom.

Old Sac was full of that, as well as good luck, since no rain fell from the grey skies.

Lots of folks were in Irish attire, some just wearing a bit of green.

It seemed like parade watchers kept on coming. Lines were long in the Subway sandwich shop as well as parking.

All coming to watch over 1,500 parade participants march through the historic streets of Old Sacramento.

Cheerleaders, an over-sized motorized Save Mart shopping cart, Clydesdales and everything in between marched the streets of Old Sac for several hours.

Girl Scout Troop 3890 behind the long banner, were leading the parade, a way of recognizing the 100th birthday of The Girl Scouts.

And the parade was on:

For some more St Paddys parade CLICK HERE>>>

Beauty Amidst Chaos

2012-03-07T00:26:57Z

Yesterday evening amidst all the chaos of the protestors at the Capitol, I took a moment to see the beautiful sunset around us. From the 15th floor at 1201 K St the golden sky was a beautiful backdrop to the US Bank, Bank of the West and Wells Fargo towers along Capitol Mall.

Photos From All Day Protests

2012-03-06T07:25:58Z

Over 60 were arrested tonight on trespassing charges for refusing to leave the Capitol building after it closed at 6 p.m.

Police created a strong barrier to prevent anymore entries into the Rotunda.

Here are photos from throughout the day. There is no article because I am not proficient on the kind of reporting needed to write about the events.

For more photos CLICK HERE>>>

Beer & Chili Festival in Southside Park

2012-03-05T02:36:09Z

What could be a better way to help raise funds for youngsters than to offer great beer and chili to those of us above the legal drinking age?

Lots of folks were roaming Southside Park with a small plastic bowl and fork in one hand and a three-inch tall beer mug in the other, sampling the edibles and drinkables yesterday.

The goal of the event was to raise money for art programs that assist at-risk children, children of homeless families and fund adopt a school art program for Sacramento Regional Schools.

Hopefully this is the first of more annual Beer and Chili Fests!

Folks were in good spirits.

After checking in with my compadres at the Sacramento Press booth, I did what I do best.

I roamed to catch the flavors of the event with cameras dangling, baby beer mug at the ready.

Early on I spotted Ginna Rossi, Rossi Sculptured Designs, at the left area of the stage.

She, along with kids 12 and up, were welding silverware (forks, spoons - you know…..eating utensils).

They were making trophies for the event.

Here are some scenes from yesterday:

Update: The first place winners in the "Individual" category were Russa Boyd and Krista Boyd Smith. The "Industry" category winners were as follows:

1st place- Golden Bear
2nd place- Tuli Bistro and Restaurant Thir13en
3rd place- Ink Eats and Drinks

Helping Disaster Survivors

2012-03-03T19:24:55Z

Unfortunately, disasters are a constant on our planet. They are the 'nature of the beast';. Scenes of devastation create major feelings of shock, loss, fear, hopelessness, unfairness and anger in the people lucky to survive them.

At that moment it feels like the worse thing that can happen just did. Besides property loss they may have lost a loved one - person or pet.

Disasters impacting the largest numbers of people are usually inflicted by nature; earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, tsunamis, fire. Those caused by humans, generally smaller in scale, still trigger the same emotions.

And, yes, some disasters are due to the influence of humans on nature.

No matter, survivors' feelings remain a constant.

As a Red Cross volunteer for the Capital Region Chapter, I am part of a local group within the Red Cross referred to as Disaster Action Team (DAT). There are five teams. One week out of every five throughout the year a team is on-call. That means at any hour we may be called upon to go to a fire scene within Sacramento County.

Many calls are in the wee hours of the morning.

The Battalion Chief at the fire discovers that people who just lost their home or apartment by fire don't have anywhere to go.

Within 45 minutes of being dispatched several of us DAT members arrive while the fire crews are still there.

The look of shock, disbelief, sadness and anger are written over their faces.

Large or small destruction affects all of us the same way.

Large or small scale, the American Red Cross responds!

The American Red Cross assists through donations, If you would like to help, no matter the amount, here are ways to do that:

Text "REDCROSS" to 90999
or
click this link--- http://ow.ly/9qNCP

Disclosure: I am a Red Cross Volunteer

We All Can Help Save Mart Save Our Pools

2012-03-01T23:05:50Z

Just a few days ago I made one of my frequent grocery stops at Save Mart on Folsom Blvd in East Sacramento. I have loved that store since I moved to Sacramento six years ago.

As I cruised from the deli section towards the front of the store to check-out, I snapped out of my reverie when I noticed something seemed different on the inside front wall.

At first my brain did not compute.

And then it did. I smiled to myself and thought "Wow."

What I was seeing on the wall was lots and lots and lots of blue and white paper icons, each with someone's name.

And it didn't stop with the front wall.

Save Mart recently took the initiative in teaming up with the City of Sacramento in a big effort to keep our community's pools open. Budget cuts have closed 17 of them.

Save Mart pledges to match all donations up to $500,000. Potentially one million dollars for our pools.

Alicia Rockwell, Director of Public Affairs & Communications said the response from shoppers has been very positive and steady.

"Our employees have been actively "talking up" the Save Our Pools campaign and icon sales are going well," Rockwell said. "We knew from the start that the success of this campaign would also require major donation support from other local businesses."

Rockwell explained that Save Mart has had a few local companies step up with donations and/or a percentage of their sales.

"We hope others consider diving in to support this campaign," she said.

Last week, thanks to the employee checking me out, asked me if I would like to donate to Saving the Pools. My name became one of the wall icons somewhere. I told myself that each time I shop at Save Mart I will make a donation through March 13 when it ends. Now I have two icons.

And more to be added.

The icons have outgrown the front wall.

27,267 people 'Like' Save Mart's Save Our Pools Drive as this is being written.

East Sacramento resident, Geralyn Broder Murray's blog sums up why Saving Our Pools is so important.

Here's some links if you would like to donate and follow the progress:

Save Mart

FaceBook

Twitter

Disclosure: I am a satisfied Save Mart customer.

Strawberry Girls vs Strawberry Boys

2012-03-01T06:05:31Z

You say you liked your coffee break today? You would've loved Ettore's Coffee Break this morning at the Elks Building Ballroom.

You would've enjoyed great tasting hot Peerless coffee to accompany many fine morning sweets from Ettore pastries while enjoying the Big Band Sounds of the Rotary Rooters, John Finegan singing “Sugar, Sugar” and witnessing the first ever Strawberry Dipping & Decorating contest.

Topping it off, it’s all for a wonderful cause – the Youth Development Network (YDN). Since 2001, YDN has provided training programs,networking and public policy efforts to improve the quality of youth services in our region. With YDN’s help, youth are achieving personal and academic success, have a positive vision of their future and grow up to be healthy, productive and civic-minded adults. (Please visit their website at www.ydnetwork.org for additional information.)

The Strawberry Boys - Cortez Quinn, Donald Terry, Jose Hermocillo and Sam Starks were in fierce competition against The Strawberry Girls - Mary Rotelli, Alice Perez, Rita Ruecker and Elfrena Foord.

White and dark chocolates were dripping as both teams finessed their way to the end.

Here are more photos from this mornings' fourth annual Ettore's Coffee Break:

Lots of great pastries to go along with hot coffee:

Big Band Sounds by the Rotary Rooters:

Midtown Apt Fire Knocked Down Quickly

2012-02-29T01:45:33Z

A midtown 9-story apartment complex for elderly and disabled residents caught on fire around 6:15pm Monday night in the 1800 block of Capitol Ave.

Apparently the Capitol Terrace Apartment building exploded and fire ignited from a first floor unit.

Smoke was pouring from the building when two SacMac photographers arrived on the scene. Sacramento Metro Fire Battalion Chief Niko King said firefighters realized that disabled and elderly tenants would need help exiting the building.

King said the fire crew learned that some people were trapped on the second floor.

Everyone exited safely. Three complained of smoke inhalation.

The fire was knocked down in about 15 minutes.

Photos from the scene:

Cars & K St

2012-02-26T17:39:07Z

Caught up with the Storm Chaser

2012-02-26T04:48:58Z

The closest I came to experiencing a tornado was in 1972 while living in Charleston, IL. My grandma and I were giving me the 'Summer Blonde-from-a-bottle-treatment' over the kitchen sink.

My hair was full of the stuff when the tornado warning sounded. All of us in the house beat feet to the basement.

As we waited, my grandma turned on the washing machine, had me lean over and she rinsed out my smelly hair. Didn't miss a beat.

And we were not slammed by a tornado.

However, thousands of people are not so lucky, losing homes, businesses, neighbors, loved ones and pets.

If you've seen the new IMAX film Tornado Alley, you've seen the bravery and camera skills of Sean Casey who has been chasing, not running from, tornadoes since 1999.

Internationally acclaimed storm chaser and IMAX movie producer Casey and the TIV were in front of IMAX Theatre today on K St. He answered questions, signed autographs and watched youngsters crawl around the Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV), inside and out.

When tornado season rolls around he leaves his Sonoma CA home and family while he and the crew are in the field, typically May and June.

He says they go "wherever the weather is." They are equipped with internet so they can follow the ever-changing conditions on the road.

Their 'ride' is the TIV. It's an imposing tank-looking thing on wheels, low to the ground, surrounded by armor and weighs over 14,000 pounds.

Its previous life was as a 2008 Dodge 2500 4 x 4. Now it's a specialized vehicle capable of withstanding the gale force winds at a tornado's core. Read more about the TIV - CLICK HERE>>>

Red steel spikes are near both front doors. When hunkering down to ride-out a tornado, the spikes are hydraulically pounded into the ground.

Casey and fellow storm chasers have had some memorable and close-call kind of days undoubtedly.

His wife Jennifer and their two daughters, four and six years old, were with him today.

When asked if she worries about him, she says she's used to him being out there amongst the tornadoes.

She says they've been together since 2001 and he began chasing in 1999.

"I knew when I met him that this is a big part of his life," Jennifer said.

She has gone on the road with him in the TIV four years out of the ten they've been together.

She says she is "really proud of Sean and that he is only a handful of people who could pull something like this off."

For more information about Sean Casey CLICK HERE>>>

Esquire IMAX info HERE

Mardi Gras in Sac, Better Every Year

2012-02-20T01:48:34Z

I have fun venturing out amongst crowds of people I don't know. It's a fun-behind-the-lens-interaction experience.

For the third year of Mardi Gras in Sac I was once again on a mission. It did tske patience finding a parking spot in Old Sac - lots of folks were out looking for fun. Some were costumed up.

My camera started clicking around 8pm in Old Sac:

YESTERDAYS NEWS BAND kept folks dancing.

Headed east to the Sutter District and found things were starting to get interesting from 10pm on:

I was treated especially nice by the young man, far left in photo above, at the entrance to Centro.

More Mardi Gras fans kept on a' coming.

Hearts for the Arts

2012-02-09T17:43:04Z

Beating human hearts and artistically painted hearts in all forms filled the Alex Bult Gallery to raise funds to help kick off the Any Given Child program.

Sacramento was chosen by the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC as the very first site in the country to pilot the Any Given Child program which seeks to ensure that every child in every K-8 school has access to quality arts experiences.

17 pieces were auctioned off by David Sobon Auctions. A silent auction followed.

According to their FaceBook page this morning "Hearts for the Arts was a smashing success last night! Amazing art, music, food and a live art auction with lots of creative friends all partying together - and supporting Any Given Child, a very worthy cause."

Event photos are after artists and sponsor recognition.

These artists and sponsors, according to this website, made it possible:

Artists

Chloe Evans

Christian Cinder, cinderartist.blogspot.com
Chris Cabaldon, cityofwestsacramento.org
David Lowe, kvie.org
Daniel Mendoza, mendomas.com
Deidre Daughtry, artbydeidre.com
Gabrielle Summers
Gayle Rappaport-Weiland, grappaport.com
Heather Olson
James Cooper, seeart.org
Janet S Regan, regan3.com
Jared Konopitski, jaredkonopitski.com
Jill Allyn Stafford, jillallynstafford.com
Joe Strickland, joestrickland.com
Judith Monroe, judithmonroe.com
Kanika Marshall, KanikaMarshall.com
Kelly O'Connell
Kelly O'Neill
Kristin Marshall, gooddaysacramento.cbslocal.com
Mayor Kevin Johnson, kevinjohnson.com
Lani Woods, LaniWoods.com
Maren Conrad, marenconrad.com
Milton Bowens, milton510.com
Rachel Smiley, smileyphotography.net
Raphael Delgado, artbyraphael.com
Shane Grammer, sgstudiosinc.com
Tanya Bermudez, BermudezArts.com
Tim Collom, timcollom.com
Tony Natsoulas, tonynatsoulas.com
Trisha Rhomberg, trisharhomberg.tumblr.com
Micah Crandall-Bear, micahcrandallbear.com
Patris Miller, artist-patris.com
Pattie Moreno, hot1035.com
Steve Hamm, urban-now.com

Sponsors

Trenton Bahr Fine Portraiture
Sacramento365.com
Advantage Presentations
Radio Hot 103.5
International Academy of Design & Technology
In Full Bloom by MJL
Wes Davis Imaging
DBI Beverage Distributors
Hot Italian
Sacramento Region Community Foundation
University Art
Hilton San Francisco
Ruhstaller Beer
Sweet Bohemian Life
Nugget Markets
Michelle Alexander
Clemon Charles
Deborah Edward
Tracy Saville
Jill Allyn Stafford
Michelle Wong

Here are some photos from the event:

Lube & Roses at Marilyn's

2012-02-07T17:01:51Z

Recently I made my first visit to Marilyn's on K St. The show was Lube & Roses: A Night of Bare Bellies and Drag, a fundraiser for The Gender Health Center (GHC) in Sacramento.

Information about The Gender Health Center follows the photos of the fundraising evening.

The show ran the gamut from silly to raunchy:

"GHC is a non-profit agency that provides counseling/therapy services to anyone who expresses the need, as well as anyone who self- identifies or is perceived, to be gender variant," Ben Hudson explains.

Their services are accessible to the most underserved communities, including the LGBTQQI ( Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, and Intersex) community and focusing on the "T" or transgender.

Co-founders Ben and Rachel Hudson are longtime Sacramento residents.

Rachael, Operations Manager, is a transwoman who has lived in the Sacramento area since 1978. In 1999 she began her search for others like her and discovered the Sacramento Gender Association (SGA).

Ben, Executive Director, has served on the board of the SGA and is co-founder of the Sacramento Transgender Coalition and TransFamilies Sacramento.

Clinical Director David Nylund is an expert on transgender mental health care and is a full-standing member of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), Hudson explains.

Supporting gender identity transitions are at the heart of their core services.

"Counseling staff can also support family members and friends of transgender men and women," Rachael said.

The transition of Chaz (Chastity) Bono has offered the public a peek into the life of a transgender person.

Those Wild & Crazy Birds of McKinley Park

2012-01-26T03:30:26Z

As I left McKinley Library around 2pm today, my eyes were drawn to the backlighting of the inland seagulls as they flitted here and there around the pond.

As I was snapping away more people gathered around tossing food to the fowl, which was a good thing.

I ended up catching the backlighting effect in a few of the shots.

Here's the best out of 360 shots:

After awhile it became monotonous!

Bonsai Forever Stamps Unveiled

2012-01-25T00:24:53Z

The Capital City Bonsai Association and the Sacramento Bonsai Club hosted the Commemoration of the Introduction of the USPS Forever® Bonsai Stamps at the Iva Gard Shepard Garden and Arts Center.

These five new stamps are forever equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate..

The event was packed for the unveiling.

Art Director and stamp designer Ethel Kessler worked with artist John D. Dawson on the Bonsai stamps. Dawson's art has been featured on previous year's stamps. He was unable to attend the ceremony.

Five common styles of bonsai are featured on these new stamps:
1) a Sierra Juniper in semi-cascade style:

(2) a Trident Maple in informal upright style:

(3) a Black Pine in formal upright style:

(4) an Azalea plant in multiple-trunk style:

(5) a Banyan in cascade style:

During the dedication, Jeffrey C. Lelevich, Postmaster, Sacramento explained that new subjects for stamps and postal stationery are suggested by the US public.

They receive 10,000 proposals, all of different topics, a year.

"This is really a treat to have the post office dedicate their stamp here because the Center is the home of Capital City Bonsai Club" said Edzard Schroeder, Treasurer and Budget Director for the Center.

This Club has four other Bonsai groups associated with it.

Ronald Krause, Sekiyu Kai Bonsai Club, gave everyone a good tip: how to say the word Bonsai:
"give the dog a bone and make him sigh": Bonsai sounds like Bone-sigh.

"Bonsai is a combination of two Japanese words
Bon meaning "shallow tray or pot" and sai meaning "plant or tree". Put them together and you get Bonsai.

Bonsai originated centuries ago and the Japanese perfected the art, says Krause. It's not real clear where it began.

In 1909, the first major exhibit of Bonsai was in London, by a group of Japanese artists.

The earliest presence of Bonsai in the US was in Long Island, NY in 1925. A nurseryman amassed a large collection and gave it to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden a gift of 32 potted plants.

It was a challenge taking care of them and by the 1940s only 11 of them survived.

Krause continues, explaining that it wasn't until after 1945, thanks to WWII, that Bonsai began to grow.

In 1976, to commemorate the US bicentennial, a collection of 53 Bonsai were donated to the people of the United States by the Nippon Association in Tokyo to the National Arboretum.

Krause said he and his brother luckily saw them right after the donation was made. Within two years half of them were dead.

A Japanese Sensei was soon hired to oversee the collection, which now thrives.

"Bonsai is now among the most radically developing leisure pastimes in the US and its popularity grows worldwide," Krause said and then asked "what is the oldest Bonsai club in California?"

The answer is Sacramento Bonsai Club.

Krause says "not only is it the oldest club in California, it's the oldest in the country."

It was founded in 1946.

Sacramento is the only city in the US with four Bonsai clubs.

In 1999 these four clubs joined together to form the Capital City Bonsai Association. It holds its fall show every October at the Iva Gard Shepard Garden and Arts Center in McKinley Park.

A music-infused celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at The Crocker

2012-01-17T07:01:40Z

In the spirit of the historic anthem Lift Every Voice and Sing, the Crocker presented a music-infused celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The Crocker was filled.

Lots of different activities happened: Hands-on Art Workshop: Quilt for the Dream, African American Artists in the Crocker Collection Tours and Art Chats.

Music featuring:
• Theresa Keene and Leslie Sandefur

• Faith Fellowship Community Church Choir

• Genesis Church Choir

• Spiritual Life Center Choir

Not in Our Town film screening, sponsored by Mort and Marcy Friedman, featured the PBS documentary that has sparked a national movement to highlight communities working to stop hate.

Susie Wong of the Sacramento Regional Coalition for Tolerance moderated a post-screening panel discussion with the film's executive producer, Patrice O'Neill, and attorney Benjamin Wagner.

The panel explored the issues raised by the film and their connections to the ideals of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here's some photos taken at The Crocker today:

Watch Not in Our Town film on YouTube

For more info on the Crocker Art Museum CLICK HERE>>>

To view photos of the 31st annual March for the Dream in Sacramento today, CLICK HERE>>>

Dream Stays Alive - Martin Luther King

2012-01-17T04:27:50Z

The fire Dr. Martin Luther King stoked still burns. Today over 20,000 people in Sacramento marched to honor him. Across the nation, perhaps millions.

Honoring King with the 31st annual March for the Dream, a diverse group of US citizens, from points near and far, joined each other in Sacramento as they marched simultaneously from Grant High School in north Sacramento and from Oak Park's Community Center to Sacramento Convention Center for a community celebration. People jumped into the march from Land Park and Del Paso Blvd. as the march moved forward.

Bands played, marchers sported banners, signs and balloons. Two young girls rode a horse.

Here are some images from today:

EasyRiders and their Hogs in Sac

2012-01-15T07:37:51Z

"The Biggest, Baddest Bike Show In North America" fills Sacramento streets this weekend.

It proclaims to be "all about amazing motorcycles- Americans and metrics, revived classics to tricked out customs, and from some of the worlds top bike builders to enthusiasts restoring or building bad ass bikes out of their garage."

The show includes motorcycle and motorsports manufacturers' exhibits and their reps to answer questions, live music, the Purrfect Angels, and vendors. And the opportunity to meet Chibs and Lyla from Sons of Anarchy, a drama on the American TV network FX.

This afternoon I happened upon the event. Driving on J St in front of the Convention Center I gawked at the bikes filling both sides of the street, as wel as side-streets.

And they roared touring through midtown and downtown!

So, I became a motorcycle groupie for the second time this week.

Here's some photos:

Check it out for tomorrow

Bikers rally at the Capitol

2012-01-11T19:42:12Z

Two bills were on bikers’ minds Monday as they rallied at the Capitol.

Hundreds of California motorcyclists, drivers and passengers, showed up for the yearly motorcycle rally sponsored by the American Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education (ABATE) Monday morning.

They gathered on the Capitol building’s south-side in support of two bills that would change the state’s helmet law and throw out the motorcycle-only checkpoints.

Legislators were scheduled to vote Monday afternoon after rally.

For results, CLICK HERE>>>

Those Jazzy Cats

2012-01-08T04:28:14Z

Most are familiar with the saying "Dogs have masters, Cats have staff."

At the cat show Jazzy Cats - Mardi Gras Madness today, the two-legged staff of all the adorable balls of fluff were scurrying to get their favorite felines to their judging stations.

Sponsored by The International Cat Show (TICA) it continues through tomorrow from 10am - 4pm at the DoubleTree Hotel across from Arden Fair Mall. I discovered today it's a popular show. The big ballroom was packed with cats, their accessories and staff, plus plenty of cat lovers.

Here are some photos from today:

Disclosure: I am the staff of Hershey the cat!

A Gander to Folsom Lake

2012-01-03T04:16:40Z

Thanks to an extended New Years holiday weekend folks were enjoying their freedom.

Being footloose and fancy-free myself, I took a gander to Folsom Lake and spotted folks on bicycles, horses and boats, hiking and flying a model airplane.

Here's some shots:

Pillow Pets Delivered to UC Davis Children's Hospital

2011-12-20T23:49:17Z

Over 100 children were the happy recipients of Pillow Pets delivered by Sacramento Metro Fire Dept. The fire department assisted Pillow Pets for Life founder Kara Kateley with the delivery of 350 pillow pets to the UC Davis Children’s Hospital for current and future patients.

July 2011, Metro Fire announced a partnership with Pillow Pets for Life, a non-profit organization focused on bringing comfort to hospitalized children. Since July, the public has been able to drop off pillow pets at any Metro fire station.

"We are very honored to visit the patients and deliver them a bit of joy during what might be a difficult time while they are in the hospital’, said Assistant Chief Scott Cockrum.

Here are some moments from this morning's delivery:For further info please contact Scott Cockrum, Metro Fire Assistant Chief 916-616-2431

Elk Grove's Old Fashioned Christmas

2011-12-10T05:56:33Z

In about 20 minutes you can have a no-stress, peaceful Christmas experience and no-long-lines for-Santa-photos with the kids.

This is the sixth year of the "Old Fashioned Christmas" presented by The Elk Grove Historical Society in the Hotel and Stage Stop just a hop off Hwy 99 in Elk Grove's Heritage Park.

Three rooms upstairs and four down are lavishly decorated, and donated by the designers, in the fashion of Christmas spirit past.

Ladies Parlor

Ambience in the Ladies Parlor just inside the front door was decorated by Michelle O'Leary, Design FX Home Staging and Redesign, and Teresa Smedley, Staging 4 All Occasions.

Men's Parlor

A 1900's version of the "man cave" was designed/decorated Bob hagman, Tiffany Horne and Debra Williams of Interior Design Group.Nursery Room

Adam and Megan Enos and Kim Bartholomew. Huggable Me, created this cozy room.

A Pink Christmas (North Bedroom)

Designer/decorator Barbara Clark, Fireside Florist, created a young lady's dreamy room filled with the beauty of Christmas for the youthful heart.

South Bedroom

Designer Ray Bayles, Old Towne Creations, paid special attention to matching the decorations to the wallpaper to make this room an elegant display of what might have been done in the 1850's.

Dining Room

Elizabeth Lake created a beautiful room for a warm Christmas dinner. She manages Lumens Light + Living in midtown Sacramento.

Kaleidoscope Kitchen

Embellished with the spirit of Christmas and a medley of beautiful colors,the kitchen welocomes individuals of various backgrounds to enjoy Christmas. Created by designer/decorator Aziza Prasad, Exquisite Interior ReDesign.

Ballroom/North Pole Village

Be sure to come upstairs to see Santa and have your picture taken with him Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 10th and 11th & Dec. 17th and 18th from 12pm through 6pm. No long waits to have your picture taken with Santa for $10.

When your tour ends, make sure to stop for gingerbread and cider in The Ginger Bread House.

For more info CLICK HERE>>>.

An Old Fashioned Christmas runs through Dec 18th on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays - 12pm-6pm.

Admission $5.

Chiildren 12 & under FREE.

Santa photos Saturdays and Sundays 12pm-6pm - $10.

Elk Grove Historical Society

9941 East Stockton Blvd.
PO Box 562
Elk Grove , CA 95759
Phone: (916) 685-8115
E-Mail: eghs@elkgrovehistoricalsociety.com

Disclosure: I am one of the Santa photos photographer.

Capitol Christmas Tree is Lit Up for the Holidays

2011-12-08T04:22:39Z

Tonight the Governor and First Lady Anne Gust Brown joined Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson for the 80th Annual Capitol Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the West Steps of the State Capitol.

The 40-foot-tall white fir tree is decorated with 900 hand-crafted ornaments created by children and adults with developmental disabilities who receive services and support from the state’s development centers and 21 nonprofit regional centers.

It's illuminated by 10,000 ultra-low wattage LED lights.

Six-year-old Makayla Jones, of Visalia, assisted the Governor and First Lady in lighting the Capitol Christmas tree.

Kitty O'Neal, of KFBK Radio, was emcee of the ceremony. There were performances by California Army National Guard, 59th Army Band, The Brass Quintet, The Governor’s Own; Bel Tempo Ringers; Galena Street East; students from the Oakland Military Institute and Oakland School for the Arts; Woodland Opera House; St. Paul’s Baptist Church Choir and Kevin Wilson played the finale piano accompaniment.

Here are more photos from tonight's festive ceremony:

HIV Positive not so Negative Anymore

2011-12-02T23:05:25Z

Communities across the globe observed World Aids Day to reflect on the catastrophic toll HIV/AIDS has created.

World Aids Day was honored in Sacramento thanks to the partnership of The Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center and St. John's Lutheran Church.

The theme of this year's World AIDS Day memorial is "Never Forget," highlighting the still continuing struggle of HIV/AIDS in our Sacramento community, said Ken Pierce, Equality Action NOW - Chairman of the Board - Communications Director.

Yesterday The Center hosted a participatory and interactive memorial in the Panepento Family Main Room at the Center from noon to 6pm.

Community members came in, writing messages honoring those lost to HIV/AIDS, and lighting a candle in remembrance.

At 6pm a silent procession, lead by River City Sisters, traveled three blocks to St. John's Lutheran Church on L Street, for a service of honor and action. It will included a presentation of a Resolution by elected officials, a brief history of the HIV/AIDS struggle (see condensed timeline below), interpretation and presentation of AIDS Quilts, special musical presentations, and several personal perspectives on the impact of HIV/AIDS in people's lives.

After the service there was a candlelight vigil on the steps of the church in remembrance of those lost.

Here is a summary of last night's presentation of the timeline of AIDS based on informartion from Wikipedia:

1930s
    •    Researchers believe that in the 1930s a form of simian immunodeficiency virus jumped to humans in central Africa. The mutated virus becomes HIV-1.
1959
X-ray showing infection with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia.
    •    The first known case of HIV in a human occurs in a person who died in the Congo, later confirmed as having HIV infection from his preserved blood samples.
    •    In New York City, on June 28, 1959, Ardouin Antonio, a 49-year-old a Jamaican-American shipping clerk dies of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, a disease closely associated with AIDS. Dr. Gordon Hennigar, who performed the postmortem examination of the man's body, found "the first reported instance of unassociated Pneumocystis carinii disease in an adult" to be so unusual that he pickled Ardouin's lungs for later study. The case was written up in two medical journals at the time, and Hennigar has been quoted in numerous publications saying that he believes Ardouin probably had AIDS.
1960s
    •    HIV-2, a viral variant found in West Africa, is thought to have transferred to people from sooty mangabey monkeys in Guinea-Bissau during this period.

    •    Genetic studies of the virus indicate that, in or about 1966, HIV first arrived in the Americas, infecting a single person in Haiti. At this time, many Haitians were working in Congo, providing the opportunity for infection.

    •    A 2003 analysis of HIV types found in the United States, compared to known mutation rates, suggests that the virus may have first arrived in the United States in this year.

    •    A St. Louis teenager, identified as Robert Rayford, dies of an illness that baffles his doctors. Eighteen years later, molecular biologists at Tulane University in New Orleans test samples of his remains and find evidence of HIV present.

1970s
    •    The first reports of wasting and other symptoms, later determined to be AIDS, are reported in residents of Africa.[8]

    •    Norwegian sailor Arvid Noe dies; it is later determined that he contracted HIV/AIDS in Africa during the early 1960s.

    •    Danish physician Grethe Rask dies of AIDS contracted in Africa.
    •    A San Francisco prostitute gives birth to the first of three children who were later diagnosed with AIDS, and whose blood, when tested after their deaths, revealed HIV infection. The mother died of AIDS in May 1987. Test results show she was infected by as late as 1977, perhaps earlier.

    •    A Portuguese man known as Senhor Jose dies; he will later be confirmed as the first known infection of HIV-2. He was believed to have been exposed to the disease in Guinea-Bissau in 1966.
1980s
    •    San Francisco resident Ken Horne, the first AIDS case in the United States to be recognized at the time, is reported to Center for Disease Control with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). He was also suffering from Cryptococcus at the time.
    •    French-Canadian flight attendant Gaetan Dugas pays his first known visit to New York City bathhouses. He would later be deemed "Patient Zero" for his apparent connection to many early cases of AIDS in the United States.
    •    Rick Wellikoff, a Brooklyn schoolteacher, dies of AIDS in New York City on December 23. He is the 4th American to have died from the new disease.

Kaposi's sarcoma on the skin of an AIDS patient.
    •    Nick Rock becomes the first known AIDS death in New York City.
    •    Dr. Lawrence Mass becomes the first journalist in the world to write about the epidemic, in the "New York Native," a gay newspaper.
    •    The CDC reports a cluster of Pneumocystis pneumonia in five gay men in Los Angeles.
    •    CDC reports clusters of Kaposi's sarcoma and Pneumocystis pneumonia among gay men in California and New York City.
    •    By the end of the year, 121 people are known to have died from the disease.
    •    First known case in the United Kingdom.

    •    CDC MMWR 1982 31(23);305-7
"Exposure to some substance (rather than an infectious agent) may eventually lead to immunodeficiency among a subset of the homosexual male population that shares a particular style of lifestyle.
    •    CDC reports a cluster of opportunistic infections (OI) and Kaposi's sarcoma among Haitians recently entering the United States.
    •    The term AIDS (for acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is proposed at a meeting in Washington of gay-community leaders, federal bureaucrats and the CDC to replace GRID (for gay-related immune deficiency) as evidence showed it was not gay specific.
    •    Summer, First known case in Italy.

   •    CDC defines a case of AIDS as a disease, at least moderately predictive of a defect in cell-mediated immunity, occurring in a person with no known cause for diminished resistance to that disease.
    •    a baby in California becomes ill in the first known case of AIDS from a blood transfusion.
    •    First known case in Brazil and Canada.

    •    Dr. Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, isolates a retrovirus that kills T-cells from the lymph system of a gay AIDS patient. In the following months, she would find it in additional gay and hemophiliac sufferers. This retrovirus would be called by several names, including LAV and HTLV-III before being named HIV in 1986.
    •    CDC National AIDS Hotline established.
    •    United States Public Heath Service (PHS) or (USPHS) issues donor screening guidelines. AIDS high-risk groups should not donate blood/plasma products.
    •    Australia has first death from AIDS in Melbourne, the Hawke Labor government invests in a significant campaign that ultimately gives HIV/AIDS in Australia one of the lowest infection rates in the world.
    •    AIDS is diagnosed in Mexico for the first time. HIV can be traced in the country back to 1981.
    •    The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique is developed by Kary Mullis, improving the researches on microbiology and genetics, also widely used in AIDS research.

One of the first reported patients who died of AIDS (presumptive diagnosis) in the US is reported in the Journal Gastroentereology in 1981. Professor Louis Weinstein, his treating physician, commented that "Although no clear-cut evidence of immuno-deficiency could be demonstrated in our patient, this could not be ruled out completely.”

    •    Gaëtan Dugas died. He was a French Canadian flight attendant linked by the CDC directly or indirectly with 40 of the first 248 reported cases of AIDS in the U.S.
    •    U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret Heckler announces at a press conference that an American scientist, Dr. Robert Gallo, has discovered the probable cause of AIDS: the retrovirus subsequently named human immunodeficiency virus or HIV in 1986. She also declares that a vaccine will be available within two years.
    •    Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS by a doctor performing a partial lung removal. White became infected with HIV from a blood product, known as Factor VIII, as part of his treatment for hemophilia which was given to him on a regular basis. 1985
    •    FDA approves first AIDS antibody screening tests for use on all donated blood and plasma intended for transfusion.
    •    Rock Hudson dies of AIDS. On July 25, 1985, he was the first American celebrity to publicly admit having AIDS; he had been diagnosed with it on June 5, 1984.

    •    HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is adopted as name of the retrovirus that was first proposed as the cause of AIDS by Luc Montagnier of France, who named it 'LAV (lymphadenopathy associated virus) and Robert Gallo of the United States, who named it HTLV-III (human T-lymphotropic virus type III)
    •    ...one million Americans have already been infected with the virus and that this number will jump to at least 2 million or 3 million within 5 to 10 years..." - NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, New York Times.
    •    President Reagan instructs his Surgeon General C. Everett Koop to prepare a report on AIDS. (Koop was excluded from the Executive Task Force on AIDS established in 1983 by his immediate superior, Assistant Secretary of Health Edward Brandt.)
    •    First officially known cases in the Soviet Union and India and China..
    •    AZT (zidovudine), the first antiretroviral drug, becomes available to treat HIV.[1]
    •    Williamson, West Virginia closes its public swimming pool following an incident involving a local resident with HIV/AIDS. The Oprah Winfrey Show broadcasts a town hall meeting during which local residents express their fears about AIDS and homosexuality.
    •    Randy Shilts investigative journalism book And the Band Played On:

    •    May, C. Everett Koop sends an eight-page, condensed version of his Surgeon General's Report on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome report named Understanding AIDS to all 107,000,000 households in the United States, becoming the first federal authority to provide explicit advice to Americans on how to protect themselves from AIDS.
    •    December 1, the first World AIDS Day

    •    The television movie "The Ryan White Story" aired. Another AIDS-themed film, The Littlest Victims, debuted in 1989, biopicing James Oleske, the first U.S. physician to discover AIDS in newborns during AIDS' early years, when many thought it was only homosexually-spread.

1990s
    •    Ryan White - Dies on April 8, 1990 at the age of 18 from pneumonia caused by AIDS complications.
    •    Congress enacted The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act or Ryan White Care Act, the United States' largest federally funded health related program (excluding Medicaid and Medicare).
    •    Brazilian singer Cazuza dies in Rio de Janeiro on July 7, 1990 at the age of 32 from an AIDS related illness.

    •    A little over 24 hours after issuing the statement confirming that he has been tested HIV positive and had AIDS, Freddie Mercury (Singer of the British band Queen) dies on November 24, 1991 at the age of 45. The official cause of death was bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.
    •    NBA star Magic Johnson publicly announces that he is HIV-positive.

    •    The first combination drug therapies for HIV are introduced. Such "cocktails" are more effective than AZT alone and slow down the development of drug resistance.
    •    American actor Anthony Perkins, known for his role as Norman Bates in the Psycho movies, dies from AIDS.
    •
    •    Popular science fiction writer Isaac Asimov dies on April 6. Ten years later, his wife revealed that his death was due to AIDS-related complications. The writer was infected during a blood transfusion in 1983.

    •    Tennis star Arthur Ashe dies from related complications.
    •    Elizabeth Glaser, wife of Starsky & Hutch's Paul Michael Glaser, dies from related complications almost ten years after receiving an infected blood transfusion while giving birth and unknowingly passing it on to her daughter, Ariel, and son, Jake. Ariel died in 1988, Jake is living with HIV, with Paul Michael remaining negative.

    •    Saquinavir, a new type of protease inhibitor drug, becomes available to treat HIV. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) becomes possible. Within two years, death rates due to AIDS will have plummeted in the developed world.
    •    Legendary British DJ and entertainer Kenny Everett dies from AIDS on 4 April 1995.
    •    Oakland resident Jeff Getty becomes the first person to receive a bone marrow transplant from a Baboon, as an experimental procedure to treat his HIV infection. He died of heart failure after cancer treatment, in 2006.

    •    Robert Gallo's discovery that some natural compounds known as chemokines can block HIV and halt the progression of AIDS is hailed by Science magazine as one of that year's most important scientific breakthroughs.

    •    "The most recent estimate of the number of Americans infected (with HIV), 750,000, is only half the total that government officials used to cite over a decade ago, at a time when experts believed that as many as 1.5 million people carried the virus." article in the Washington Post.


    •    International Human Rights Day, Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) is launched to campaign for greater access to HIV treatment for all South Africans, by raising public awareness and understanding about issues surrounding the availability, affordability and use of HIV treatments.
    •    studies suggest that a retrovirus, SIVcpz (simian immunodeficiency virus) from the common chimpanzee Pan troglodytes, may have passed to human populations in west equatorial Africa during the twentieth century and developed into various types of HIV.
    •    Edward Hooper releases a book called The River, which accuses doctors who developed and administered the oral polio vaccine in 1950s Africa of unintentionally starting the AIDS epidemic.
2000s
    •    World Health Organization estimates between 15% and 20% of new HIV infections worldwide are the result of blood transfusions, where the donors were not screened or inadequately screened for HIV.

    •   FDA licenses the first nucleic acid test (NAT) systems intended for screening of blood and plasma donations.

    •    CDC recommends anti-retroviral post-exposure prophylaxis for people exposed to HIV from rapes, accidents or occasional unsafe sex or drug use.
    •    A highly resistant strain of HIV linked to rapid progression to AIDS is identified in New York City.

    •    The first case of someone being cured of HIV. A San Francisco man, Timothy Ray Brown, coinfected with leukemia and HIV, is cured from HIV due to his bone marrow transplant in Germany. Other similar cases begin being studied to confirm what is believed to be similar results.

2011
    •    Confirmation of the first patient cured of HIV, Timothy Ray Brown, as having a negative HIV status, 4 years after treatment.

Foggy Soggy Days of Fall

2011-11-30T02:13:25Z

The beauty of fog is that it creates a haze of the things we normally see sharp, clear and with strong colors.

No blue sky or the sun's rays beaming upon us. Colors are muted.

Our world is more quiet thanks to water droplets in the air.

Building tops seem to disappear into the sky.

That describes today's blanket of fog over Sacramento:

Christmas lifts off in Old Sacramento - Photos

2011-11-24T06:04:02Z

Over 4,000 of us Christmas enthusiasts crowded together on K St in Old Sac tonight for the third annual Theatre of Lights. Mayor Johnson lit the Christmas tree.

A beautiful 60-foot white fir is poised on Front St near the Delta King Riverboat. Turned on, it's like a chameleon, changing colors and design.Two white-haired gentlemen made an appearance - Mark Twain and, of course, Santa Claus.Twain narrated "Twas the Night Before Christmas" from a balcony of one of the lit up buildings.A chorus comprised of volunteers from Old Sac Living History sang tunes with Father Christmas (above and below).

Over About 50,000 visitors experienced the show last year.

The light show continues through the holidays:

• Friday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 27, nightly at 6:15 and 7:45

• Thursday, Dec. 1-Sunday, Dec. 4, nightly at 6:15 and 7:45

• Thursday, Dec. 8-Sunday, Dec. 11, nightly at 6:15 and 7:45

• Thursday, Dec. 15-Sunday, Dec. 18, nightly at 6:15 and 7:45

• Monday, Dec. 19-Friday, Dec. 23, nightly at 6:15 and 7:45

• Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24, one show only at 6:15 p.m.

• New Year's Eve, Saturday, Dec. 31, 8:45 and 9:15 p.m. as part of the Sky Spectacular fireworks show.

For more information CLICK HERE>>>

The Grid in Technicolor

2011-11-19T01:21:38Z

Right now Sacramento is full of "Kodak moments." This afternoon I stalked Downtown and Midtown for those moments. There was something around every corner.

The Grid in Technicolor:

Par for the course

2011-11-17T03:41:03Z

Early evening light brightens fall color-turned leaves along El Macero Dr. near the country club. The 18-hole El Macero Country Club in El Macero, CA, southeast of Davis, is a private golf course that opened in 1961.

Courageous Veterans of Old City Cemetery

2011-11-15T06:10:53Z

With Veterans Day landing on a Friday this year it was conducive for many events honoring those who have served.

Somewhat under the radar, Old City Cemetery (OCC) gave visitors a tour of a few of the grave sites of Military Medal recipients fought in the Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Spanish-American War. Amongst them they were recognized with these medals:
    •    2 - Medal of Honor
    •    2 - Distinguished Flying Cross
    •    6 - Silver Star
    •    23 - Bronze Star
    •    5 - Air Medal
    •    44 - Purple Heart.

Three volunteer tour guides took turns telling the stories of the circumstances surrounding the dead soldiers.
.
As we started walking we were told that "at one point, between the first and second World Wars, the city decided we needed a place to bury veterans who were not able to afford their own plots. In addition to the various grave sites throughout the cemetery, the city contributed the land in the back."

And, that's where we headed.On our journey, we tried to find the grave of a young man who was honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross.

We were not able to find it. Many older plots with flat monuments sink into the ground and are covered over.

Two Medal of Honor Recipients were Newton T. Gould and Lebbeus Simkins.Here's some information about Simkins:
He was a coxswain, a crew member who is in charge of navigation and steering of the ship. He served aboard the ships USS Brooklyn, Richmond, Lancaster, North Carolina and Princeton.

The Richmond, the ship Simkins was on, opened fire on all of the confederate steamers in range and a battle began.

Simkins was awarded the Medal of Honor "for extraordinary heroism in action while serving on board the U.S.S. Richmond during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, Alabama, 5 August 1864. Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Coxswain Simkins performed his duties with skill and courage throughout a furious two-hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan."

It was during this time that Admiral Farragut, aboard the Hartford, made his famous command - "damn the torpedoes…..full speed ahead."

After the war he was a member of the San Diego Odd Fellows Lodge until he died in 1884.

For information about upcoming tours, visit http://www.oldcitycemetery.com/calendar.htm

November is Runaway & Homeless Youth Month

2011-11-13T20:47:35Z

Last night the California Coalition for Youth staff and volunteers met on the west steps of our Capitol building recognizing November is Runaway & Homeless Youth month.

This year, to raise awareness throughout the state, they lit the State Capitol GREEN!

They shared ways we can all help:

Visit a homeless youth program in the community. To find the programs go to the Resources & Tools page ca-rhymonth.org.

Volunteer for the California Youth Crisis Line. Call 1-800-843-5200 or send email to cycl@calyouth.org.

Write a letter to the editor at your local newspaper sharing your thoughts about youth homelessness.

Tell your friends about California Runaway & Homeless Month and the resources like California Youth Crisis Line.

Display a California Youth Crisis Line poster in your workplace or at school. You can request posters by calling 1-800-843-5200.

Light your porch with a green light bulb from your local hardware store and light it through the end of November.

On the Road again - K St

2011-11-13T19:05:59Z

K Street was a happenin' place last night. The revival of automobile traffic lured lots of folks to see Sacramento history repeating itself.

I was perched on top of Hyatt's parking garage. I was in good company; K St Venues was blowing mass quantities of confetti from here, as well as across the street onto, the parade of cars.

Crowds lined the streets along K and 12th. Restaurants were busy.

Here are some photos from last night:Vintage, muscle and modern cars did an inaugural round-trip on K St.Only between 8th and 12th K St are cars allowed at a slow speed. No Parking allowed and there are passenger drop-off/pick-up zones.

Veterans Day parade in Sacramento

2011-11-12T04:07:43Z

This morning's Veterans Parade on Capitol Mall had a huge turnout.

It was Sacramento's first in about a decade. With Chuck Yeager, legendary test pilot and retired Air General, as the grand marshal how could it not be well attended?

There were over 67 entries from marching bands to Girl and Boy Scouts.

Sacramento Valley Veterans (SVV) was honored to be the leading Color Guard for this historic event.

“Sacramento Valley Veterans thanks the City of Sacramento for including us in this momentous occasion,” said SVV President Tyson Redhouse, “This is a great opportunity for the Sacramento community to come out and show support for our area’s Veterans and Servicemembers. We are honored to be a part of this year’s events.”

Also part of the parade were two Tuskegee Airmen, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Knight of Columbus, Car Clubs, Aerospace Museum, pageant queens, military units and many more.

There were Children's activities and educational displays as well as entertainment.

Here's some photos:West Sacramento held their first ever Veterans Day parade.

Disclosure: I served in the US Navy from 1973-77.

Day is done, gone the sun

2011-11-12T01:39:48Z

Veterans Day 2011 ended with cloudy skies above the skyline. A fitting scene for the lyrics of the military song Taps:

"Day is done, gone the sun, from the lakes from the hills from the sky, all is well, safely, rest, God is near.

Fading light, Dims the sight, And a star gems the sky Gleaming bright, From afar, Drawing, near, Falls the night.

Thanks and praise, For our days, Neath the sun Neath the stars Neath the sky,

As we go, This, we, know, God is near."

Writing this I discovered how Taps came to be. See for yourself - CLICK HERE>>>

Cars on K St - This Saturday

2011-11-10T04:03:18Z

For the first time since 1969, cars will be allowed to drive on the section of K St. that has been pedestrian-only. It's the reason for a big celebration.

The festivities kick off this Saturday, Nov.12 at 4 pm with an opening ceremony with Mayor Kevin Johnson, local dignitaries, and an inaugural drive down K Street. The celebration continues with live entertainment at the 12th & K Street stage with local DJ, 7evin, spinning all night long and performances by the Sizzling Sirens Burlesque Experience dance troupe; Smirkers, a local rock band; Mariachi Latino; and Spazmatics, an 80’s cover band.

For many business owners, adding cars to K Street is a step in the right direction that is good for business. “Visitors can now drive by businesses that they would have never know even existed,” said Esquire IMAX Theatre Director Doug Link.

“We’re putting our best foot forward. Even if you’re just coming to see the cars, get ready to experience a new K Street,” said DSP Executive Director Michael Ault. “Downtown and K Street is home to so many unique businesses that you can’t find anywhere else. They truly are the heart and soul of our city.”

A worker readies a new traffic light along K St.Visitors can explore the new K Street with a special SCVNGR trek on their smart phones.

Lisa Martinez, Downtown Sac Partnership says visitors can earn points with each business they visit and compete for the top 5 spots to win prizes like a $100 gift card at Chops, hotel night at the Residence Inn at Capitol Park, Citizen Hotel, and Hyatt Regency as well as tickets to events like Marilyn’s on K New Year’s Eve Party. Prizes will be awarded on November 14.

Follow the latest news on Twitter using the hashtag #CarsOnK or visit www.downtownsac.org/events/cars-on-k.

Model in Green Technology: Winn Center at Cosumnes River College

2011-11-10T03:31:25Z

The Winn Center on the Cosumnes River College (CRC) campus will be unique as one of the few instructional buildings with LEED certification on California community campuses.

Completion of the Winn Center for Architecture and Construction Technology is scheduled for fall 2013. Its 24,000 square feet will serve as a gathering place for construction and architecture professionals, provide classroom space and laboratories. It will also be home to photography and pharmacy programs.

The $13.7 million center will be funded by local bond money and private donations, the largest contributed by brothers Mike, Tom and Pete Winn. Theirs is the largest private gift in the history of CRC.

The Winn family operated Winncrest Homes. In 2000 the company merged with Lennar Communities, a national home building titan.

At the groundbreaking ceremony held Monday, Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, gave the keynote address. Other speakers were Tim Fry and Mark Cirksena, Lionakis/DPR, the Design Build Team; Bonnie Pannell, Los Rios Community College Chancellor Brice Harris and CRC President Deborah Travis and others.

"Building energy efficient homes, hospitals, offices, schools - entire communities - is a challenging endeavor." Mike Winn explained. "The fact is very few careers require such a wide, interesting array of skills and relationships."

Winn said that he hopes "today marks the beginning of Sacramento's next building cycle."Miike Winn is the president of Michael Winn Associates, a Sacramento-based land development and planning company.

Disclosure: Mike Winn is my brother-in-law.

Downtown Ice Rink Opens

2011-11-05T05:14:24Z

Kids were lined up and ready to skate on opening day of the downtown outdoor ice rink. A chill was in the air, adding to the feel of the upcoming holidays.

"There's nothing that says 'holidays' better than ice skating," Michael Ault, Executive Director of the Downtown Partnership said right before the rink opened.

And this is its 20th season. Skating was free today until 10 p.m.

Located at 7th & K Streets in downtown Sacramento it is open annually seven days a week from early November to mid-January.

The 7,000 sq. ft rink, across from the Westfield Plaza, is produced by the Downtown Partnership with numerous sponsors.

Here's photos from opening day;

Generally, hours are 2 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Open daily November 4, 2011 – January 16, 2012
Monday – Thursday: 2 pm – 8 pm
Friday – Saturday: 10 am – 10 pm
Sunday – 10 am – 8 pm

For more info, CLICK HERE>>>>

Trick or Treat in East Sac

2011-11-01T07:36:22Z

Halloween in the Fab Forties, specifically on 41st St. between J and M St. was full of bags begging to be filled with candy. At times there were 10 trick or treaters at once. With three of us tossing sweets into the bags, it was all we could do to keep up. In two hours time we forked over 50 lbs of the sweet stuff. Here are some of the creatures of the night:

Costumed Pooches & Kids Trick or Treat in Midtown

2011-10-30T18:41:33Z

Not too creepy or scary, the spirit of Halloween filled Midtown's streets yesterday. Relles Florist on J St featured a magic show, balloon twisting, arts corner and apple cider booth. The kids were out in full force.

Costumed canines celebrated Halloween with a Pooch Parade around Midtown. At parade's end judges passed out coveted Pooch Parade Awards. Here's the winners and other paraders:

Spookist Costume - Sofia the Bat (no photo).

Training to be the best Urban Search and Rescue Teams

2011-10-28T03:52:02Z

Realistic training for Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) calls for thousands and thousands of pounds of steel, concrete, rubber and what ever else.

All 62,500 tons of it. The big cranes that lift and move it. And the rescuers working quickly to save lives of those caught in a disaster.Over 50 US&R task force members from across the nation (Florida, New York, Washington and Texas, to name a few) took the FEMA-sanctioned training course at the national training facility in Rancho Murieta this week.

Three days in the classroom included learning how to calculate the weight of the materials they will need to remove. This simulated training scenario had two cars trapped and crushed beneath tons and tons of material. The rescuers, working in teams along with the crane operator, removed the heavy debris, piece by piece, off the two cars. If this were an actual disaster, people's lives could be saved.

Battalion Chief Jeff Metzinger, training instructor, is affiliated with Sacramento Urban Search and Rescue Team called California Task Force 7.

When this type of training began years ago the word "terrorism" wasn't part of the picture.

"We're one of 28 teams in the US that respond to big disasters, like the Oklahoma City Bombing, World Trade Center and Pentagon on 9/11, hurricanes and earthquakes."

Some of these trainees responded on 9/11.

When disaster strikes FEMA activates the Task Force teams.

Constant hands-on training is a must so team members have the skills needed to do the work.
"It's very unusual work, very dangerous work," Metzinger explained.
This training that at Rancho Murieta was a heavy equipment and rigging class - specializing in the use of cranes.

"The cranes remove large pieces of steel, concrete, or what ever, to get access to people to rescue," he said. "Some of the cranes are very expensive, some of them millions of dollars. The businesses partner with us and allow us to use their site."

Realistic training can not occur without the heavy materials and equipment. Capt. Jay Coon, instructor, says he is especially thankful for the support they've received from Schnitzer Steel Products and Don Childers, Nationwide Crane Training.

When the teams deploy, the heavy equipment is provided at the location of the disaster. Teams bring jackhammers, cooking equipment, special cameras, search dogs, sleeping equipment.

They are self sufficient for seven days.

When asked why they do this kind of work responses included "to give back"..."to use my talents"…"we get to save someone."

Batting Lessons

2011-10-25T04:10:10Z

With just a little more than a week away to Halloween, what could be more appropriate than taking a class about bats?

Not the wooden ones. The flying ones.

A couple of nights ago, I drove to Mather Field, destination; S plash Education Center at Mather Field. It is one of many buildings at Mather Field that once served the Air Force and its military community.

Over 50 of us came to learn about bats at a presentation titled "Going Batty: The facts about bats."

My only experience with them, back in the early 60's in Prescott, AZ, was throwing rocks toward the bats so we could watch them dive at them using their sonar.

That must've been more fun than it sounds because I've got a good visual of it in my brain. For a 10 year old it was a blast!

And of course I was a big fan of those black and white movies of Dracula, the vampire.

Corky Quirk, of NorCalBats, a bat rescue and rehabilitation center hooked us into her enthusiasm about the flying rat-looking things!

Here's some of the highlights of what she talked about:

There's lots of different kinds of bats and they aren't are the bad guys like they are depicted in the media.

It appears bats may have evolved on this continent prior to the separation of the continents.

They've been around for 55 million years.

They are not related to the rat. DNA studies show they are related to hoofed animals.

We humans are closest to the rat, according to DNA analysis.

Bats, like us, are mammals. Breast milk feeds the young, grow hair or fur, are warm-blooded and are not born encased in an egg.

Most bats give birth to one pup per year. In a cave, there can be 500 pups per square foot.

Four limbs are the basic structure of mammals - two arms and two legs.

The bat is no exception. Looking closely at a bat's extended wing, you'll see the arm, wrist, thumb and fingers. "Blind as a bat" is an erroneous myth. They have eyes and most of them see in black and white.

In darkness they hunt flying bugs and their sonar, echo location, is used. Their throat puts out a high pitched click not heard by humans.

Around the world there are more than 1,100 species of bats.

Vampire bats are not in the USA unless they live in a zoo.

Across our continent there are 45 species, in our state, 24 and around our foothills and valley area, there are 16 bat species.

Worldwide, the live on every continent except Antarctic. And they eat insects.

In tropical areas like the rainforest and jungles, as well as deserts, they eat other things like nectar, frogs and fruit.

Scientist use bats to help disperse seeds in open areas.

Bats use their hind legs, which are connected with skin, enabling them to scoop things up.

Vampire bats, 3" tall, sneak up on a sleeping animal and, using two very sharp front teeth, not fangs, it makes a tiny incision in the hide. They lick or lap up the blood, not suck it.

Three species of vampire bats live in Central and South America.

1,000 bats eat the equivalent of two grocery bags filled with insects each night.

Quirk specializes in bat rescue and rehabilitation. If you see a bat, or any wildlife, on the ground, do not touch it with your hands. Use some kind of container, like a paper coffee cup or a box, to place over it. Call your local wildlife rescue group. They'll figure out how to get the animal into care.

A bat on the ground has a 1 in 10 chance of having rabies. Do not touch them with your skin.

In downtown Sacramento Quirk says she gets lots of animals that have been covered by a Starbucks coffee cup or food take-out containers.

Quirk can be reached at 530-902-1918.

Find out more information at norcalbats.org/

Clayton Bailey’s World of Wonders at Crocker

2011-10-24T02:29:29Z

Robots, created by self-proclaimed 'mad scientist' Clayton Bailey, are part of the "career spanning retrospective of 50 years of the work of contemporary sculptor Clayton Bailey".
The exhibit opened Sat., October 23 and runs through January 15, 2012. Museum visitors will be delighted, tickled and surprised if yesterday's opening is an accurate indicator.
Clay and metal, including his signature “exploding pots,” disarming robot sculptures, and ray guns, inspired by science fiction and fashioned from discarded aluminum, had visitors laughing and jumping as they wandered past over 150 displays.
Bailey's alter-ego, Dr. George Gladstone, showcases his pseudo-scientific discoveries, including proof of "Big Foot" and ceramic fossils from the "Bone Age," as a mockumentary titled “Wonders of the World Museum."
Exhibition curator Diana L. Daniels notes that while Clayton Bailey is a major figure of Funk art, the American sculptural ceramics movement known for its playful sensibility, “He is serious about the craft of humor and making art. For more than five decades Bailey has made it acceptable to laugh at contemporary culture and even ourselves with objects that linger in the imagination.”
After high school, Bailey had his sights set on being a pharmacist. He worked in a retail drugstore during high school and his first year in college.

"I got disillusioned with pharmacy after working five years for a drug store," he said.So he looked for something else to do.

"I thought I'd decorate the windows in the drugstore instead," he explained. "And that's how I discovered art."

He looked into it and the only art class available was ceramics. And he loved it so much it became his life.

"I stumbled into it accidentally," he said.

He set off in another direction - aluminum - after making a collection of skeletons for his “Wonders of the World Museum" in Port Costa, CA where he lives.

It occurred to him to make a robot barker to call people into the museum.That was the beginning of the robots.

He was a robot and made a costume of his own design. Then thought it would be good to make some robot-girlfriends and it took off from there.

Bailey builds life-sized robot sculptures -- more than 100 in total -- out of found objects.

He says he likes to build beauties and monsters. He builds robots that entertain and educate.Bailey studied with Harvey Littleton, the father of the contemporary glass movement, at the University of Wisconsin. Visiting instructors Bernard Leach, Toshiko Takaezu, and Peter Voulkos further shaped his approach. Bailey moved to California in 1968, settled in the Bay Area, and became a leading educator, teaching at California State University, Hayward for 26 years. His work is represented in collections from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art to the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution.
Learn more about Bailey HERE>>>

For more info about the exhibition, please visit Crocker Art Museum

Pig Tales

2011-10-20T22:51:12Z

Gather up the young 'uns and head over to Fairytale Town! There's some new pigs 'on the block!'

You'll meet twelve-weeks-old piglets named Wynken', Blynken' and Nod. They are Vietnamese Potbellied Pigs. Their mom and dad live in Vacaville.

These little ones are new on the "job", taking over when the older pigs retired to the private ranch of a Fairytale Town Supporter.

Tuesdays through Saturdays kids can meet them close to their home on a grassy spot.

They reside in the brick house, with a straw and wood house nearby (remember the Big Bad Wolf saying he'll blow your house down?)

The wolf isn't there so you can peacefully enjoy the piglets.
Fairytale Town staff loves them, especially animal keeper Jim Herandez. He has fun interacting with them and has taught them to stand on their hind legs for a cheerio. He 'potty' trained them in one day and they respond when their names are called.

He said pigs don't like to be held - it makes them afraid. So they are best enjoyed by touching them and walking around with them.
These gals should be around for awhile since they have a lifespan of 12-16 years. They'll grow to be somewhere between 50-150 pounds.

So bring the little ones to meet the pig trio. It could help their favorite pig stories come to life!

Who can resist these little faces?

For more info about Fairytale Town, CLICK HERE>>>

Ya otter see this

2011-10-20T16:42:46Z

Have you ever stared into an otter's eyes? I did and so can you.

Just head on over to Sacramento Zoo.

"Splash", the new otter exhibit, opened mid-September. It's larger and showcases an improved, more realistic, otter haitat. The existing concrete pool is about the only thing that carried over to the new exhibit.

According to a Zoo spokeperson, donations from fundraisers, private donors and the companies working on the construction funded the $160,000 project (Sac Zoo is non-profit).
The new habitat took about three months to complete.

It now sports a decorative rock background, a new water fall and an all-glass viewing area for the public. When I was there yesterday, one of the otters (not sure if it was Wilson (male, 11) or Percy (female, 12) kept poking its head up and looked at me several times.For more information about the Zoo, CLICK HERE>>>

Midtown Modern Art Festival - Photos

2011-10-17T14:38:20Z

Some scenes from Midtown's Modern Art Festival:

For article about the art festival, CLICK HERE>>>

Huge turnout for Making Strides to End Breast Cancer this morning

2011-10-17T02:34:53Z

Thousands of breast cancer survivors, their friends and families, up at the crack of dawn, came to the Capitol to show their love and support for the women, even the men, in their lives. Before they hit the pavement there was a prelude.

Sacramento Women's Chorus sang our National Anthem in unison with the Color Guards' presentation of the colors.

Warm-up exercises kicked into high gear and off they went!

Marching against breast cancer.

"Big or small save them all", 'tutus for ta tas", "real men wear pink" signs stated.

It took 43 minutes for the last of the marchers to go thru the start gate. Perhaps 19,000 of them, this year's desired goal.

Here are some photos showing what it looked like this morning:The route took them west from the Capitol, then they looped back east on K St. and then back to the starting line.Headed down K Street.Making Strides to End Breast Cancer is an annual event sponsored by the American Cancer Society. At the time this article was written, this was posted on their website:

Together we've raised $195,391.47 to help save lives.

Fire-damaged wing re-opens in Roseville Galleria

2011-10-07T00:01:04Z

Shoppers were anxious to check out the re-built wing damaged by arson fire last fall.

Some were feeling impatient because mall security wasn't letting hundreds of people in all at the same time. It was a lesson learned near Christmas last year when the weight of a 'flash mob' created structural stress on the second floor food court.

Discount offers and promotions were given to the first 1,500 people in line. 100 of those early shoppers found a $50 gift card in their bags according to Westfield Galleria spokeswoman Stephanie Ringey.

Here's some scenes:Shopper Trista Jensen said she thinks the new area seems brighter and more spacious.Signs throughout the mall stated "We're back Better than ever".

Photos of Airport Terminal B Grand Opening

2011-10-03T18:44:58Z

Here are more photos from Saturday night's big celebration of The Big Build, the name of the Sacramento International Airport's new Terminal B project:

For more info CLICK HERE>>>

SacWorldFest

2011-10-03T18:02:02Z

Dancers and musicians with ties from all over the globe performed in the fourth annual World Music & Dance Festival in Old Sacramento.

There were lots of activities just about everywhere; world class music and dance performances on several stages throughout the venue, educational and interactive experience that teaches children and families about our region’s cultures through hands-on experiences (craft and art activities, dance clinics, and musical instruments), stories, poetry, and talks geared toward youngsters and a learning experience from culinary experts cooked with spices from Around the world.

Here's some of what I saw:

Remembering Who Protects Us

2011-10-02T18:47:09Z

Firefighters place themselves in dangerous situations to keep the rest of us safer.

30 fallen firefighters were honored and their names were placed on the Memorial Wall of the California Firefighters Memorial in Capitol Park.

Eleven of them passed away this past year and nineteen died in previous years and are not forgotten.

The U.S.flag was presented one by one to their families.

Among those remembered were two Sacramentans.

Terrence Gee, Captain, Sacramento City Fire Department was. He died December 20, 2010 after serving for 25 years.

James C. Saunders, Firefighter, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District died of a heart attack while fighting a grass fire on October 7, 2010. He also served on the Jackson Volunteer Fire Department.

The Pipes and Drums of California Professional Firefighters paid tribute to those who sacrificed in the line of duty before and after the memorial.

Among the speakers were Governor Jerry Brown, Lou Paulson and President, California Professional Firefighters.

Doves were released at the end was a symbol of peace and hope.

Native American Day

2011-09-23T22:42:19Z

The 44th annual Native American Day was celebrated, Thursday, Sept. 22, on the south side of the capitol building. It honored Native Elders who keep the tradition, stories, languages and culture alive for future generations. Governor Brown personally wrote and signed a proclamation for the day.

There were cultural demonstrations, guest speakers, the Tule River Color Guard, traditional games, music and dancing, artisans showcasing their wares, informative booths, including an update on the new California Indian Heritage Center project.

Here are some photos from the day:

Painterly effect

2011-09-23T14:51:13Z

Early morning clouds provide a painterly backdrop for the Globe Mills complex in Alkali Flats.

Bye-Bye to Don't Ask Don't Tell

2011-09-21T20:20:27Z

Last night Sacramento Valley Veterans (SVV), along with LGBT Veterans groups, hosted a celebration at Head Hunters/Kennedy Gallery in midtown. The crowd was enthusiastic for several public figures who dropped by to share their support and happiness that the 18-year long Don't Ask, Don't Tell compromise ended. It allowed homosexuals to serve in the military by keeping our sexual orientation under wraps.

That was 20 years after I enlisted. I'm gay. I served in the US Navy from '73 to '77 and received an honorable discharge at the end of my enlistment.

I've carried a mental smirk about that ever since.

During last night's celebration, emcee Ty Redhouse, SVV President and USAF veteran asked the audience who served in the military?

Lots of hands went up.

Unbeknownst to me, my sister who is also gay, told Ty what I did in the service. He acknowledged me for making naval history when I became the first female to graduate from the US Navy's Scuba Diving School at San Diego's Naval Station.

My co-workers after school were obviously men. They had my gayness figured out and it was not a problem.

And, thanks to Naval Public Affairs, I was on The Mike Douglas Show, What's My Line and in several books.

Now that the appeal has made it ok to be gay and serve our country, the military can continue with its mission. That's all any of us want - to carry on our life's mission.

We gay folks make many sacrifices and contributions just like straight people in the military. I was proud in my uniform and serving in the US Navy for four years.

I'll probably always carry my mental smirk because "I got away with it"!!!

Enough about me.

HERE'S SOME PHOTOS FROM LAST NIGHT:

On display in the Kennedy Gallery are historical photos and articles depicting DON'T ASK DON'T TELL era.

For a video of last night CLICK HERE>>>

Disclosure: I am a gay veteran of the US Navy.

Golden Evening

2011-09-15T03:01:27Z

The US flag flaps in the delta breeze as the sun goes down behind the CalSTRS building in West Sacramento.

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-12T05:31:32Z

Ten years ago Sunday, 3,000 people lost their lives from acts of terrorism in New York, Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Today Sacramento honored those people with a Day of Remembrance.

At 5:30am a vigil and reading of the names of those who died took place on the west steps of the Capitol. A moment of silence occurred at 5:46am.

Firefighters participated in Sacramento’s annual 9/11 Memorial Climb. This event honors the 343 Firefighters of FDNY that paid the ultimate sacrifice at the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. This year’s Climb was held at the “Renaissance Tower” in downtown Sacramento

Over 3,000 runners took to the streets In Downtown Sacramento for the 9/11 Memorial 5K Run/Walk to give those who vowed to “Never Forget” the opportunity to exercise that vow. The 5K will started at 9:11. At the finish of the 5K, American flags were handed to runners as they crossed the line. Each flag represents an American who lost their life on 9/11/2001. Runners carried the flag they were given and will placed it in the grass in the “Tribute in the Park”.
Each American Flag was placed next to a name plate engraved with the name of an American who did not return home. Nearly 3000 flags stand united in the grass as a tribute to those that were lost.

This afternoon The Law Enforcement Chaplaincy Sacramento presented a "Decade of Remembrance" at the east steps of the Capitol. Speakers included State of California Dept. of Justice Attorney General Kamala D. Harris, City of Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, and Director Sacramento County & Sacramento City OES, Chief Rick Martinez.
To commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11, local Life Scout Alexander Aprea erected a sculpture memorial representing one one-hundredth the size of the Twin Towers including a steel piece from the wreckage.

The dedication ceremony was held today at Cesar Chavez Plaza. The sculpture exhibits two 13-foot-tall industrial steel I-beams representing the Twin Towers and an actual 1-foot-by-3-foot piece of steel from the wreckage in between the two taller I-beams.

The day ended with two flyovers the Capitol building and a candlelight vigil. The ceremony was led by former Sacramento County Sheriff John McGuiness and included Rep. Tom McClintock and other officials.
First responders, as well as the FBI, were acknowledged for immediate and follow up work surrounding the attacks.

Enjoy seasonal produce at two Farmers Markets

2011-09-06T22:02:18Z

Summer is just about history but two Farmers Markets aren't.

Two new locations that were added to this year's weekly circuit - East End Capitol Park at 15th & L streets and 6th & Capitol Mall - remain open on Thursdays 10am -1:30pm through September 29!

I just happened to take a photographic journey through them last Thursday:

Along Capitol Mall

East end Capitol Park

CHECK 'EM OUT THIS THURSDAY!!!

Snapshots of Rainbow Festival 2011

2011-09-06T01:53:09Z

Here's some of the folks who entertained the crowds during the 12th annual Rainbow Festival:

Step Back in Time - Gold Rush Days Photos

2011-09-04T23:37:35Z

This was my third yearly visit to Gold Rush Days in Old Sac.

I just walked around and grabbed shots of things happening. There seemed to be lots of activity in the surrounding perimeter streets.

The California Band of the Battalion - "Music from a time when instruments had character...... and characters had instruments" Tent City: A recreation of town life in early Sacramento City where you can visit saloons, a gambling tent, doctors, dentists, and even an undertaker! Tent City will also offer a variety of tasty treats available for purchase, including fish & chips, roasted corn on the cob, fresh-made kettle korn, homemade sarsaparilla, root beer, draft ale, local wines, and more!

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-03T01:50:33Z

This morning Sacramento Area firefighters local 522, in cooperation with local fire jurisdictions held a pre-event presentation for Susan Clark, the Sister-in-law of United Airlines pilot Captain Victor J. Saracini, Captain of United Flight 175, which hit the South Tower of the trade center at just after 9:00am on September 11, 2001.She said that 9/11 was "a tragic day and we are a strong country."Clark says her family has wonderful memories of Victor."We should never forget," Clark said. "We should remember what happened to our country - reflect on it. And remember the sacrifice people made that day and that their families continue to sacrifice."When asked what she'll think about when the 2977 flags are 'planted' during the memorial, she said she'll think of everyone that perished that day.

For events held IN Sacramento on Sept.11, 2011 - CLICK HERE>>>

Lincoln Rail Car Fire Causes Thousands to Evacuate

2011-08-25T05:06:03Z

When I checked my email upon arising this morning, there was a message from Trista Jensen, American Red Cross Capital Region Communications and Marketing Director, asking me to come take pictures at the three shelters the chapter opened for residents displaced from the train car propane fire in Lincoln.

Shelters were opened last night at Lincoln Community Center at 1st & Joiner, Kilaga Springs Lodge on Sun City Blvd & Lincoln Crossings Club House on Groveland Lane.

On Tuesday night, 270 local residents took advantage of the emergency shelters.

My first stop was at the shelter on Groveland Lane. Not a lot of evacuees there. So I headed to the Community Center.

I soon find out the Center shelter is the closest to the burning railroad car full of propane. Only one mile away.People seemed to be in good spirits. Food and water was on hand and everyone visited, read books, took naps or played with their dogs.

Some medical needs that Red Cross nurses tended to included an allergic reaction, headaches and minor cuts needing bandages.

The Red Cross has also activated their Safe and Well website for people trying to locate loved ones, or for people who would like to register themselves as safe and well. The Red Cross Safe and Well website is a secure and easy-to-use online tool that helps families connect during emergencies.

The site allows people inside a disaster or emergency-affected area to list themselves as "safe and well" by customizing a message for their loved ones or selecting from pre-scripted messages.

From a computer, visit www.safeandwell.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Throughout the afternoon Lincoln residents continued to check in at the shelters.American Red Cross collaborates with other agencies and businesses to provide the best service possible to people affected by disasters. Farmers Insurance (above) and Salvation Army (below) provided grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and soft drinks.Firefighters came from Grass Valley, Ophir and other towns to help.The shade provided a good place for a restful nap.When I left the shelter around 4:45pm there were approximately 600 residents that had checked into the three Red Cross shelters.

A plan is underway to drain the propane from the flaming car. Doing this could get the blaze under control in 24 to 48 hours. Thousands of residents could return home once the fire is extinguised.

Disclosure: I am an American Red Cross volunteer and I am a Verizon Wireless customer.

111-mile Sac River Swim Successful!

2011-08-21T19:18:41Z

Jamie Patrick, a San Francisco business man, did an amazing thing. He swam 111 miles in 31 hours • 16 minutes using only his arms, legs and hands. No fins or propulsion machine.His water journey began in Princeton, in Colusa county on ~~Aug. 21~~ August 19 at noon and ended in Old Sacramento, emerging from the water Sat. Aug. 20 at 7:22pm.

He averaged about 3.5 mph.
He pulled himself out onto a long dock under the Tower Bridge and was greeted by many fans.
His face was red with large areas covered in zinc oxide for sunburn protection.It was a non-stop journey. He was constantly given small chunks of food every 20 minutes by one of two kayakers that always flank him as he swam. He had to keep hydrated with water and liquids containing electrolytes.

A Winnebago motor home drove along the river as a support vehicle.

Neil McDunagh, a friend waiting for him to finish, said earlier he swam out to Patrick several miles up river before arriving in Old Sac.

McDunagh said that Patrick would play verbal word games with whoever was in the kayaks to keep himself sane.Patrick undertook this challenge as a fundraiser for promoting literacy for schoolchildren.

He is an old hand at extreme water challenges. For a list of his accomplishments, GO HERE.

Today, on his website, this was posted at 8:45am - "Jamie is up and feeling amazing this morning. Sore in the expected places. We all had an amazing time on the river and can't thank everyone enough for the support we received."

Guardians of Crocker Art

2011-08-14T21:12:54Z

"From 2005 until the opening of the New Crocker, we (Jim and wife Karen) were preparing dozens and dozens of art works that had been either in storage or disrepair, bringing them back (to good shape) so that when the Museum opened they would have all of these pieces to display," explained Jim Alkons, art conservator, at the Crocker.

"It was a very insightful thing for the Museum to do", he said.

He praised the Crocker for doing a wonderful job because they anticipated the new building - the expansion, the opening - and being ready to display the many pieces they've had in storage.

He says his experience has been that this foresight doesn't usually happen. It's an afterthought in lots of organizations.

The Crocker had great foresight! They were poised and ready for the re-opening.

And thanks to the new building, Museum patrons can now watch the Alkons in action.

Right now they're working on the Crocker Collection. About half-dozen paintings have been turned over to them from the California Impressionist show, along with some other pieces.

"We're very eclectic in that we work on anything that needs to be done," Alkons said.

They've examined many pieces of the Brooklyn collection in an upstairs gallery. Part of their roll here is to keep an eye on the art and make sure everything is in proper condition.

Guardians of the art.

All restoration work is reversible. Any art piece must able to be returned to its original condition before repairs or enhancements were done. Not be frozen in time.

As a temporary repair it enables future art conservationists to use better restoration processes as they develop.

As conservators they have to understand how the artist painted, their techniques and materials used so that they can be emulated in the restoration.

This painting (above and below) was created in 1958. It has suffered the wear of time, so it's dirty, and not really well framed. It can go back to the galleries once it's been cleaned and better framed.

Alkon said that every day they see something they've not seen before.

"There's always a new challenge, a new problem," he said. "We never loose our enthusiasm because there is never a dull moment in this work."

One unique problem came in the form of the Vision of Saint Francis painting (below).

It came rolled up and out of the basement of a building in San Francisco.

It was a wreck. It had been crunched and folded with creases all over it. Lots of damage.

It required a massive overhaul. Its restoration took two years.

The Alkons are "old hands" at art conservation. Karen has been at it for 25 years and Jim 36 years.

"We've not gotten tired of it," Karen explains. "I still get a thrill out of cleaning a painting."

Crocker visitors can watch as the Alkons work. Ask at the front desk where to find them!

Visit The Crocker!

Railyards Birdseye View

2011-08-11T02:16:12Z

Here's an elevated view for another perspective to Big things underway at Sacramento Railyards by Carlos Eliason:

Fun Faces of the Fair

2011-07-28T05:25:26Z

I headed to the Fair today. It was hot. Ate a corn dog. Wandered around and started shooting:

Heading to my car, I bought a Funnel Cake to go and gobbled it up at home!

The Fair continues through July 31. Still time to go.......check it out at bigfun.org

New on the Crocker's Block

2011-07-26T17:31:20Z

Yesterday the Crocker Art Museum installed two new outside sculptures. Placed in the courtyard is an untitled piece by Gerald Walburg.

Folded Circle Cube and Disc, a fourteen-foot sculpture weighing 3,000 lbs. by artist Fletcher Benton, was Installed at the corner of O and 3rd Streets.

Benton’s work is included in the permanent collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.

The artist was awarded the International Sculpture Center’s award for Lifetime Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture in 2008.

Folded Circle Cube and Disc was donated to the Museum by Frank and Lill Anderson of the Bay area. Lill has known Benton since the late 1950's.

Installation of the piece required a crane. Here's a few pictures of the installation:

Firefighting Camp for Kids

2011-07-24T18:00:40Z

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District sponsors an annual four-day camp. Each day of camp 11, 12, and 13 year old kids are given a chance to see and learn the varied disciplines of today’s fire service.

They were shown a demonstration of an auto extrication and a Combat Challenge "firefighter physical fitness challenge".

The youngsters were taught how to handle a fire hose, how to use a fire extinguisher, and how to climb ladders. And then they put those skills to use under supervision.

"This is an annual camp put on by Sacramento Metro Fire," Jason Wenner, Sac Metro Fire Engineer/Paramedic, explained."Children living in the Sac Metropolitan Fire respnse area who are 11, 12 and 13 years old can attend."

It's a big area - 419 square miles. Wenner explained it's part of a community outreach program. The kids get to spend four days with firefighters who volunteer their time.

"The kids learn about the fire service - what we do, why we do it." Wenner said."They can gain a better understanding, perhaps make a better decision about their careers in the future."

Sometimes they learn this is not what they want to do. Sometimes they learn this is exactly what they want to do, Wenner explained.

He says other than fire service knowledge they can gain life skills like how to be a good team player, self-confidence and responsibility and leadership.

Each youngster used a fire hose in controlled burn-room to put out a fire that simulates a bedroom fire.Young fire fighters learn how to intubate someone who cannot protect their own airway due to being unconscious or not having a heartbeat.Life saving skills were put to use.A 100-foot aerial ladder was extended against a training building five-stories tall for the kids to climb.They learn to face a challenge or obstacle. With a bit of training and courage they are able to do it.A gasoline mixture is set on fire in a pan and the kids used their recently learned skills to put it out with a fire extinguisher.

Wenner says everyone should know how to use an extinguisher.

The last day of camp, they spent the morning at Sunsplash where they learned water safety and water rescue techniques.

Camp ended with a fun afternoon filled with speed and firefighting skills put to use -

BUCKET BRIGADE

WATER HOCKEYThe team that pushes the bucket across to the other side wins.

MAKE AND BREAK

Make and Break is a wildland fire scenario. When there is a fire in a field and a fire engine can't be driven onto it hose and water need to get out to it. Firefighters have to walk to that fire and lay hose down as they go. To train young firefighters the hoses are laid out and they run to couple the hoses together, spray water out and knock a cone down and then sprint back.Grown up firefighters play bucket brigade a bit more aggressively than the younger ones!

Museum Adventures for Mom, Dad and Tots

2011-07-19T22:17:21Z

Crocker Art Museum has launched a Museum Guide and an Interactive Gallery for families.

This morning Crocker Art Museum staff led kids and adults on a Story Trail. Featuring a captivating storybook, "Birdy's Museum Adventure" leads families on an adventure through the Museum to look, discuss and discover seven works of art.

"Birdy's Museum Adventure" can be checked out at the Admission Desk to begin a fun exploration into the galleries with trail markers to lead the way.

The kids were really engaged as we followed along.

Our adventure concluded at Tot Land, a gallery devoted entirely to families. Located in the Museum's Education Center, the gallery is designed to encourage creativity while building eary-learning skillls. Using the screen of "The Living Art Wall", toddlers will be able to express their creativity through digital drawing and painting with their fingers. Resources available in Tot Land support a successful path to early literacy and creative thinking.

Tot Land and Story Trail are free with Museum admission and are available during the Museum's regualar operating hours. For more information, visit crockerartmuseum.org or call (916) 808-7000.

Fair Time - Photos

2011-07-18T05:10:55Z

I hopped on over to the Fair today in the early afternoon. Headed for the Gelato booth first thing and then just roamed around at my leisure.

Here's what I saw:

Defenders of Freedom has large vinyl postcards for fair visitors to write a personal message to military personnel deployed overseas. The United States Postal Service is a partner in this.A permanent memorial, the Cal Expo September 11 Memorial Plaza displays photos from that day and features a steel I-beam from the World Trade Center as well as a 5,000 lb. granite ball inscribed with the names of all who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

Three rounds of the Firehouse Challenge had California Firefighters pairing up into two person teams to compete in a cooking challenge for the California State Fair Golden Bear award. In the picture below Stockton firefighter Jim Magnuson, left, steps into the cooking area of Sac Metro Fire to borrow an ingredient from firefighter Tom Chen. Sac Metro Fire won today's third round. They will be up against Woodland Fire on Sunday July 31 at 11am for the final competition.

Two large sculptures in the Fine Arts exhibit.

For information about the fair, check out BIG FUN.

Mermaid Parade in Old Sac

2011-07-17T00:18:07Z

Over 100 nautical-looking folks showed up looking like creatures from the deep blue sea: pirates, lobsters, mermaids, walrus and others.

The Mermaid Parade was a sort of preview for the midnight screening of Humanoids from the Deep, a classic b-horror movie with campy acting and aquatic horror scenes at The Crest.

Here's the some of the creatures on parade today in Old Sac:

Pandamonium at the Zoo

2011-07-12T23:37:03Z

I visited the Sac Zoo today to check out the re-opened Panda exhibit. Three were hanging around sleeping and scratching. They are "foxy" looking. Only one was being photogenic for me. The other two were hidden on tree limbs.While at the Red Panda Exhibit be sure to stop by Greater Sacramento chapter of the American Association of Zookeepers (Greater Sac AAZK) booth where you can create a Red panda craft or purchase “lucky bamboo”. All proceeds from the bamboo will go towards the conservation and education efforts of Red Panda Network.

While there I checked out Jingaa, the Sumatran tiger born March 18, 2010. She weighs about 100 lbs and will soon be the same size as her mom at 190 lbs!

I sat down with a hotdog basket for lunch near the giraffes. I swore to myself I wouldn't take anymore photos of the giraffes. This one was begging for it:

EPIC Indoor Skatepark hosts Money Cup

2011-07-10T20:20:48Z

EPIC Skatepark of Rocklin hosted Maloof's Road Tour Skate Contest yesterday. The road tour kicked off June 11 in Chicago, traveling to 11 additional cities during the 12-week RV tour across the country. The Tour features Local Skate Contests, Giveaways and Day of Community Service.

Other cities include (in order of stops): Kansas City, Denver, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Vancouver, Salt Lake City, Dallas, Birmingham, Miami, Atlanta and Philadelphia.The Maloof Road Tour will work with local skate shops in each city to host skate contests (High Ollie, Best Line contests and more) on Saturdays at each stop of the tour. The winners of the Best Line contests in the first 10 cities will be flown to Las Vegas in August for MAGIC, the fashion industry’s largest event, where they’ll compete on a special course on the show floor for a shot at $5,000 cash.

The tour wraps up with the first-ever Maloof Money Cup contest in Washington D.C. over Labor Day Weekend.

“Giving back is an important part of what we do in skateboarding,” said Joe Maloof, founder of Maloof Money Cup and owner of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings and the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. “Encouraging others to help us with community service projects on Sundays is essential to our success and is part of our global initiative.”

Bradley Elias, 17, of Fresno took first place and Brent Bell, 16, of Lincoln second place.

Here's some shots of Bradley in action during yesterday's cometition at EPIC Indoor Skatepark:

Here are some shots of Brent in action:

Before the competion began skateboarders were flying all over the skatepark:

East Sac July 4th Parade Photos

2011-07-04T22:18:39Z

It has become a tradition for me to photograph East Sacramento's parade on July 4 that moves along 41st and 42nd Streets each year.

Here's some snapshots from this morning:

3 on 3 RoundRock Basketball Photos

2011-06-13T05:44:40Z

Here's photos from Saturday's event on the Capitol Mall.

For more informattion See Steve Tuck's article

Olympian Strength

2011-06-10T18:27:48Z

50 wounded, ill and injured military Veterans, representatives from Veterans groups and the United States Olympic Committee, along with city and state leaders, gathered to announce and celebrate that Sacramento won a $150,000 grant from the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The grant will provide strong support allowing disabled, ill and blind veterans to keep active in sports events.

The event included activities at River Cats Independence Field, located at the Sam Pannell Meadowview Community Center:

The City of Sacramento, Access Leisure, through their Parlaympic Sport Sacramento Club program is a formal partner with the United States Olympic Committee's Paralympic Division. The US Paralympics Division is creating a nationwide network of Paralympic Sport Clubs to provide sports opportunities for people with physical disabilities. Paralympic Sport Sacramento is proud to offer and/or support these Paralympic Sports: Sled Hockey, Track and Field, Handcycling, Goalball, Quad Rugby, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Tennis and Swimming.

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Paralympic Military Program provides post-rehabilitation support and mentoring to American servicemen and women who've sustained physical injuries such as traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, visual impairment/blindness and stroke. Veterans are introduced to adaptive sport techniques and opportunities through clinics and camps and are also connected with ongoing Paralympic sports programs in their hometowns.

Access Leisure is a program of the City of Sacramento Department of Parks and Recreation. Access Leisure provides sports, residential camping and outdoor education as well as social and fitness programs for children, teens, and adults with disabilities.

U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, is dedicated to becoming the world leader in the Paralympic sports movement and promoting excellence in the lives of people with physical disabilities.

Love and Gratitude on Memorial Day

2011-05-30T21:29:17Z

Rev. Dr. David Thompson also gave a Memorial Day Address after the Invocation. He explained "it is up to us to carry the torch for freedom.And to do so in the context of peace-making."

"If the American dream is to form a more perfect Union then we must all be dedicated to that proposition that Abraham Lincoln put before us: that all are created equal," Thompson said. "If the world is to survive, that same proposition must set us all free." Alan Fisher reminded that Memorial Day is more than a three-day weekend.

"My hope for you and me," Fisher said, "is that Memorial Day will have a little bit more of the resolution than New Years Day. That we'll resolve to be kinder, we will resolve to be better citizens in a country that these who have fallen have worked so hard and given so much to preserve and protect."

"On Memorial Day have a little bit of Valentine's Day; love for country, love for those who gave all, love for the freedom that we are cherishing today," he asked.

Sac Jazz Festival | Photos

2011-05-28T04:22:14Z

Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee opened today for the 38th time.

A parade kicked it off at 11:45am under cloudy skies that brightened as the day went on.

Here's some pictures:

Sac Jazz Festival & Jubilee runs through May 30.

Pink Fire Trucks on Tour - “Cares Enough to Wear Pink”

2011-05-26T23:45:19Z

I figure these firemen are secure in their manliness since they are dressed in pink and drive around in pink fire trucks all over the country.

They are on a mission: to raise awareness and money for the fight of cancer impacting women.

Today they were at the South Sacramento Cancer Center on Bruceville Rd.

Capt. Mike Mullins of Virginia Beach, VA joined this year's tour in San Francisco a few days ago. He explained that "Pink Heals, guardian of the ribbon," is a cancer service organization that raises awareness of all cancers. This is a Movement, founded four years ago, to celebrate women by wearing her color and then helping them locally with their battle against cancer."

Mullins further explained: "Men get cancer too but as men we must put our women first in their battle for life; it’s this selfless calling of support that is driving this movement."

"We are looking for one hundred chapters to be set up across the Country, we have 12 chapters that are currently painting their trucks pink and providing Love and Hope in their communities," Dave Graybill, founder explained. "We will eventually build about fifteen fire stations that will be built out of the names of people that have battled cancer. Each one of these stations will have two pink brand new pumpers that will go out into the community to inspire support for people battling cancer."

About every square inch of the exterior of all three trucks is filled with signatures - over 10,000 (above and below).They tour the country every year for three months in pink fire trucks, carrying the signatures of very special people. They are mostly women, some men and a few children.Apparel sales fund 100% of the Pink HEALS Tour.

When a man signs a fire truck it is to honor a woman impacted by cancer. A woman signing the truck can honor any male or female.

Honoring Harvey Milk

2011-05-24T19:18:07Z

"Harvey Milk was a hero that stood up and fought for the elderly, the disenfranchised and the needy in San Francisco, and for gay and lesbian rights in a time when no one else was taking up their plight, and he was gay." Tina Reynolds, co-founder of Equality Action Now (EAN) said. "Milk fought for the rights of all, and that included LGBTQI people in his community.”

"Harvey Milk was a leader in the gay rights movement who was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977." Ken Pierce, Director of Public Relations, EAN, explained. "This made him the nation’s first openly gay man elected to public office in a major U.S. city."

Equality Action Now, a local grassroots civil rights organization hosted the second annual Harvey Milk Day Celebration event, Sunday, May 22, 2011 at the downtown Crocker Art Museum.

In memory of Milk, Reynolds presented three awards:

2011 Harvey Milk Activist of the Year
Diana Luiz - for her total involvement in the fight for true equality in more actions and rallies than we can mention. Diana is ever present with a solid ability to make thinks happen. She has been an equality activist for more than 10 years here in Sacramento and involved with Equality Action NOW since it's inception November 5, 2008.

Ken Pierce - As the Director of Public Relations and Media, Ken has put a strong and present voice to our movement for true equality. He is on top of our issues and has a presence about him that makes you want to listen to him. He is a collaborator, a motivator and a high achiever.

2011 Harvey Milk Educator of the Year
Angela Luna - since the very beginning of Equality Action NOW Angela has been involved at the leadership level, fighting and speaking about her own life experiences. Angela researches, wrote and fretted over educating our children on heros in the LGBTQ community and completed her important piece on the Life of Harvey Milk that was developed into a curriculum that she has available for students from 4-12 grade. "We all get to have heros, and Angela is one of mine," said Reynolds.

The award-winning documentary, The Times of Harvey Milk. was viewed.

Photos | Kati Garner, EAN volunteer photographer

Equality Action Now

Jodi Radke

Civil War Re-enacted at Gibson Ranch

2011-05-22T19:03:59Z

I felt like I really stepped back in time when I went to the Civil War Re-enactment presented by the National Civil War Association at Gibson Ranch yesterday. Until my cellphone rang!

There was lots going on, like A Civil War Clothing Demonstration, free Guided Camp Tours, a May Day Celebration and "Searching for the Dead" Scenario, Horse Drawn Artillery Demonstration, a Period Wedding and Consolidated Drunm Band concert and more.

2011 is the 150th anniversary of the outbreak of the Civil War between the Southern and Northern American States.

I'm not a history buff. I enjoyed seeing and hearing what it may have sounded like back in the time of Abraham Lincoln.

Here's some moments:

First Sgt. Lovell, Norfolk Light Artillery Blues explained that that the first shots of the Civil War were not fired at Ft. Sumter, but in Pensacola, FL where Federal Sentries fired upon some citizens. The Confederacy didn't fire the first shots, he said.

AMGEN | Photos from Northgate at Hwy 160

2011-05-17T00:03:55Z

I positioned myself on the inside of the curve on Northgate that the racers traveled before their tred hit the ramp onto Hwy 160. I could've held my breath longer than it took all of them to pass by.

Here's what flew by me:

To follow the Tour of California or to find out the results from today's Stage 2, go to AMGEN

Mercy's Mock Mayhem Medical Emergency

2011-05-15T19:53:35Z

An 'armed suspect' began firing upon people in Mercy General Hospital on J St. yesterday. A 'bomb' had to defused.

Sacramento Police Department partnered with Mercy General Hospital, Sacramento Fire Department, and the City/County Office of Emergency Services by staging the mock emergency.

"The purpose of this exercise is for the participating agencies to practice the use of a Unified Command System." Norm Leong, Sac PD Public Information Officer said. "During the exercise, personnel will focus on coordinated efforts, critical decision making and support roles between all involved agencies."

"Unfortunately, workplace violence is a reality and exercises like this help prepare our emergency personnel for similar real life situations" explained Leong.

Sea World at the Capitol

2011-05-13T00:46:39Z

It was a zoo at the Capitol this afternoon.

Sea World was on the north side displaying amphibians, reptiles, and small animals. And a few of the animals went inside the Capitol building to pay a visit to the lawmakers and staff.

It was a touchy-feelly experience for those who stopped by.

Their visit is educational so that folks can experience and see what Sea World does for wildlife conservation and animal care.

The visit was a partnership with Conservation Ambassadors' program "Zoo to You."

Here are some freeze moments from today:

During their travels, Sea World is getting the word out about a new attraction called Turtle Reef.
According to a spokesperson,"the focal point of Turtle Reef will be a nearly 300,000-gallon aquarium featuring adult Hawksbill and green sea turtles — some more than 50 years old — as well as younger green sea turtles that hatched at SeaWorld in 2009."

To learn more about Sea World's Conservation program, click HERE.

Here We Rally | Photos

2011-05-11T15:51:09Z

Here's some images from the big Kings rally in Cesar Chavez Park Tuesday night:

Read about the Here We Rally HERE

Mother's Day at World Peace Rose Garden

2011-05-09T19:53:39Z

Mother's Day seemed a good to capture the flowers and people at our State Capitol's Rose Garden. Pretty much everything was showing its splendor. Whiffs of fragrance filled the air as I strolled through it.

Here's some photos from Mother's Day:

For info on the rose garden CLICK HERE>>>

It was Happening at the Zoo

2011-05-08T18:35:00Z

Cultural entertainment, art, music, dance and, of course, the animals, yesterday.The Sacramento Zoo celebrated the rich cultural diversity that defines California.

Here's some shots of what was happening:

There was many more exhibitors, artisans and performances!

Watch for next year's event here:

Explosion damages Sacramento's Airport - simulated

2011-05-05T23:33:08Z

On Tuesday, 1pm, an improvised explosive device (IED) denoted in the public area of the International Arrivals Building at Sacramento's airport.

Significant structural damage impacted two floors.

Four people were killed by the explosion and six were seriously injured, four minor.

A Cougar Air 5150, a Boeing 737, was taxiing to Gate 40. The aircraft's air frame was extensively damaged due to flying derbris from the explosion.

The aircraft initiated emergency evacuation and passengers deplaned via slides onto the tarmac.

Of the 60 passengers on board five are deceased, 11 seriously injured, and five with minor injuries. Among the five crew members one is deceased, one seriously injured and three uninjured.

If you're wondering why you hadn't heard of this on the major news channels it's because it didn't happen.

But 16 agencies involved responded as if it did.

Lots of volunteers participated, most of them playing the victims. They were made-up with varying colors of stuff applied to their faces, legs, arms and necks. They were given a card telling them how to role-play as a victim.

Emergency personnel arrived in droves and got down to business helping the victims.

The 'airplane passengers' were actually in a bus on the tarmac. Many walked off unscathed. Some didn't.

A man carrying his dead 'child' went berserk!One was handcuffed by a Sheriff's deputy for something he said.One 'injured' passenger couldn't breath, all he could do was cough and barely move.

The most seriously 'injured' were laid on the tarmac,then transported hospitals.

I showed up in my Red Cross shirt and my camera, so I was assigned the role of Reporter. The freedom I was allowed yesterday would not be the case in a real emergency.

Everyone was told to "react how you would if this were a real emergency".

Certain airports are required to conduct this exercise every three years.

It allows responders the opportunity to perform as they would in a real emergency in a no-fault learning environment.

Farmers Markets now in Season | Photos

2011-05-03T23:20:25Z

Fremont and Roosevelt Parks Farmers Markets had good crowds and good food on hand for opening day.

Here's some snapshots:

For more info, go HERE.

Men in Heels - More photos

2011-05-02T21:45:45Z

Here's some more photos from Saturday's WEAVE fundraiser involving men wearing heels for one mile!

It was a pretty funny sight!

Check out this ARTICLE about it

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

A Heck of a Sunset

2011-04-28T03:34:18Z

Clouds are not all bad. They make colorful sunsets, as in this view down H Street near Elvas Ave. around 8pm this evening.

Swainson's Hawk Soars

2011-04-27T00:40:11Z

A Swainson's Hawk soars above Sutter's Landing Park this afternoon. Sutter’s Landing Park is one of the only urban locations in the region where Swainson’s hawks can be seen and appreciated. Urbanization tends to drive away the hawks, which are rarely viewable outside rural areas.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Hey NBA, Sacramento is Worthy

2011-04-21T23:08:58Z

People of all ages were wearing purple in Downtown Sac today. I had to really look to spot purple. Some colors were almost purple so I figured they were showing support for the Kings. On the south side of the Capitol a man was wearing a big King's face with a crown. I was driving too fast to catch him. Fans were wearing purple to show visiting National Basketball Association representatives that the capital is worthy of an NBA team.

Some businesses were offering specials that included purple.

Here's some of the folks I saw around Cesar Chavez Plaza and City Hall:

Project R.I.D.E. saddles up

2011-04-17T01:25:22Z

Project R.I.D.E. saddles up and rides as part of fundraising for their facility in Elk Grove.

This morning's ride was its 28th annual John Lewis Memorial Trail Ride.

The Barton Ranch in Sloughhouse hosted this country activity for 49 riders. It is located west of Rancho Murieta between Jackson Highway and Highway 50.

Everyone arrived at 7:30am, ate some great grub, drank some coffee and saddled up, hitting the trail at 9am.

Rolling hills, vivid blue skies after morning fog lifted, green grass, running creeks and sunshine made for a great ride. Cattle, including calves roamed amongs the great oak trees.

Here are some snapshots of the ride:Activities continue this evening with a special “American Idol Country Style” presentation, performed by Jessie Baker students.Then there's BBQ rib eye steaks served with with all the trimmin’s.

All proceeds generated during the day and evening events benefit Project R.I.D.E.’s therapeutic recreational horseback riding program, which serves over 400 students with special needs in a safe, structured setting.

Project R.I.D.E. offers therapeutic recreational horseback riding instruction to over 440 riders with disabilities in the greater Sacramento area. A safe, structured program improves physical, emotional and social functioning through interaction with specially trained equine handlers and volunteers.

projectride.org/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Highlights

2011-04-15T03:52:31Z

Downtown's skyline is highlighted by soft light from the sun around 7pm this evening. View from southend of Jefferson Blvd in West Sac.

Photo | Kati Garner

In Solidarity with The Sikhs

2011-04-14T21:31:37Z

The recent shooting of two elderly Sikh men in Elk Grove propelled Sikh Solidarity Day at the state Capitol on April 13, 2011. The long list of speakers included Assemblymembers Logue and Dickinson; Bryan Noblett, Elk Grove Police Dept and Scott Jones, Sacramento County Sheriff's Dept; Jon Fish, Sacramento Interfaith Service Bureau and Edith Crawford, Institute for Advancing Unity.

Several hundred people attended.

Indian food was served as well as fruit and dessert by City of Vernon Chamber of Commerce. Vernon is trying to stop bill AB-46 by Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez that would dissolve Vernon, a tax-rich city with a history of paying officials more than $500,000 a year. Signs posted by them read "Mr. Speaker Don't Take My Job." They were there for visibility.

The west side of the Capitol building was colorful. Here are some snapshots of Sikh Solidarity Day:
Here are the Core Beliefs of the Sikh religion:

• A single Creator sustains people of all faiths. All are free to practice their beliefs freely.
• Every human being is equal in the eyes of God. All positions of authority in Sikh religious and political life are open to both women and men.
• Sikhs are guided by three daily principles: Work hard and honestly. Always share your bounty with the less fortunate. Remember God in everything you do.
• Sikhism seeks to create a just society. All Sikhs are required to contribute to the welfare of humanity.
• The Sikh religion does not have a clergy. Each individual is personally capable of experiencing the Creator.
• The Sikh faith rejects polytheism, idol worship, superstitions and blind rituals.
• Sikhism considers no place, day or time more holy than any other.

State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg proclaimed "Let us pick a day together when we are all Sikh Americans, we are all Californians and we all stand together,"

For more information: sikhcoalition.org/

AMERICAN MUSCLE at CA Auto Museum Photos

2011-04-10T19:01:29Z

"American Muscle celebrates Detroit’s 1960s glory days of speed, sound, and style, when lightweight, mid-sized cars with big engines tore up American roads. The exhibit captures the colorful history of the muscle car, from its origins (whether you believe that was in 1964, 1955, or even 1938) to its sudden demise in the economy-conscious 1970s," a museum spokesperson stated.

The exhibit runs through July 9, 2011.

Yesterday's opening of the show was in the parking lot featuring competition for categories such as best paint job, loudest engine and best of show. There was food (BBQ), vendors, a kids’ area, music by 96.9 The Eagle, mobile detailing, free giveaways and a Show N’ Shine.

Here's some of the cars on display.

Nate Hickok receives a congratulatory handshake for winning loudest engine with his 1969 Mustang Mach 1.

For more photos of American Muscle, click HERE>>>

The California Auto Museum is located at 2200 Front Street, Sacramento, California 95818 • (916) 442-6802

Photos | Kati Garner, MaverickPhotography.us

(MaverickPhotography.us is official photographer for California Auto Museum)

Walking Across America for American Equality Bill

2011-03-30T01:41:23Z

I met a man today who is doing a noble thing. Richard Noble is walking the Rainbow Flag across the nation.

By walking the Rainbow Flag across America through cities and isolated regions in person, he says that "gay life comes out of isolation for many kids and into a tangible form."

A group of people from EQUALITY ACTION NOW walked across the Tower Bridge with him as his journey brought him to Sacramento.

"Today I want to dedicate my walk to Satender Singh, a 26 year old who was gay bashed to death here in Sacramento by 2 Slavic men who were part of a Slavic group dedicated to the destruction of homosexuality and part of a Slavic group to do just that," he said. "Today we walk unafraid and certain of justice to those who cause us harm in America. Yes, we have civil rights and have federal protections. Make no mistake."

"This is my hope, this is my dream," Noble said. "If one gay kid comes and tells me they were thinking of suicide and changed their mind as a result of seeing a gay person walk across America by being visible with the Rainbow Flag, then I have done something worth while."

On March 12, his journey began in San Francisco and will end at the Statue of Liberty in New York within a year-and-a-half.

Along the way, in the cities and towns he travels through, he will introduce and submit a calender item to adopt a resolution that would include sexual orientation and gender identity to the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

He is submitting it to the Sacramento City Council tonight.

Not even on his path, West Hollywood, California is the first city to do accept the resolution.

He says he will ask Congress to bring sexual orientation and gender identity to full protection under the Constitution of the United States."There is no doubt in my mind and in my heart, why I am doing what I am doing," Noble explains. "The untruthful rhetoric of religion and it's effect in elections, translates into the unconstitutionality of current law, and through wisdom, non-violence and perseverance, we can change that, reminding each other of the inherent nature of the ultimate truth that we are each created as embodiments of love."

You can read and sign the petition here: change.org/petitions/the-gay-rights-amendment
More information HERE>>>

His iPhone is powered up and he gives updates on Facebook through his travels.

Storm over Sacramento

2011-03-27T00:05:21Z

My plan of the day included another road trip while the rain and wind were pummeling the area.

At 12:16pm I found myself on a levee overlooking the Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area.

Interstate 80 is seen in the upper third of the photo above. Everything is submerged. This is the south side of the freeway. The north side is also filled with water.Looking east from the levee I saw more than these two power poles skirted by water.

To see how the are looked on Feb. 13, about six weeks ago, CLICK HERE>>>Next I hopped on Old River Rd from West Sac and travelled south on the west side of the Sacramento River. A trailer park along the way had water encroaching upon it. The photo above is the big water tower along I-5 just south of the Pocket area.

It's evident how high the river is compared to the level of dry land.

Turned around and then headed north out of West Sacramento. Followed N. Harbor Blvd to Old River Rd., still on the west side of the river. I wanted to see how the homes along Garden Hwy looked from this perspective.

To see how the area looked March 20, CLICK HERE>>>These two frame-built homes look like houseboats from this perspective.This shows the Sacramento River near the Tule Canal north of West Sacramento. Water is draining into the canal from the river.

For a NOW-CAST of the weather, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

BANJO - RAMA

2011-03-26T05:15:44Z

Each year the Sacramento Banjo Band sponsors an annual banjo music festival known as Banjo-Rama. World class banjo stars are featured as soloists and in ensembles. Eddie Peabody, probably the most famous banjo player ever, performed at the very first Banjo-Rama.

In addition to banjo virtuosos, there are several exciting west coast banjo bands. It's quite a musical spectacle that could just as well have been named the banjo Olympics. These musicians are not just plucking chords like grandpa used to do on the back porch! They are genuine pros! Their fingers and hands are sizzling hot, moving faster than the eye can follow, playing everything from classical to popular music. You'll be surprised and delighted at their imaginative arrangements, versatility, and precise execution. Primarily 4-string banjos are played at Banjo-Rama.

Banjo-Rama proceeds are a benefit for charities like the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Workshops and performances continue through the weekend. For Saturday and Sunday schedule CLICK HERE>>>

sacramentobanjoband.com/

Storm on the Grid

2011-03-25T01:05:32Z

Early this afternoon I hopped in the car and cruised around between East Sac and Downtown watching how folks were handling the newest round of the storm:Some handled it in style with a pretty umbrella.Others tried to outrun the raindrops.This gal handled it with practicality.Many had their arms full of stuff, no cover over their heads or just barely. I saw one man with a plastic shopping bag on his head.This outdoorsman was dressed for spring.Others just plowed through it (J & 41st St.)

And I wonder what willl tomorrow bring?

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Latino Leaders honored in Cesar Chavez Resolution

2011-03-22T23:33:39Z

In advance of Saturday’s annual march commemorating Cesar Chavez' birthday, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors presented a resolution honoring him Board of Supervisors Chambers this morning.

“We want to honor Cesar Chavez on behalf of the citizens of Sacramento County, my father, and all of the hard work that continues to be done in improving the working and living conditions of farm workers in California,” said Phil Serna, District 1 Supervisor.

Supervisor Serna awarded the principal resolution to Becky Chavez, (above) Cesar’s niece, who has lived through the United Farm Workers’ movement her uncle championed.

"Phil has always admired Cesar’s strength and courage as he fought tirelessly for those who had no voice." said Joe Angeles, Special Assistant to Supervisor Phil Serna. "And under his father, the late Mayor Joe Serna Jr., the City of Sacramento became the first California municipality to establish an official holiday on Cesar Chavez’s birthday and named the park across from City Hall 'Cesar Chavez Plaza'.”

"Phil felt it only fitting the County honor Cesar Chavez in advance of the annual march commemorating his birthday, which is why Phil asked different members of the Latino community from the arts, labor, international, business, advocacy, and public safety to accept a signed copy of the resolution," Angeles explained.

Here are the community leaders who were honored today,receiving a copy of the Resolution:

The 11th annual Cesar Chavez march is

Saturday, MARCH 26, • 2010 at 10:00 AM.

March begins at:
Arteaga's Supermarket
940 Sacramento Ave. (at Jefferson Blvd)
West Sacramento, CA 95606

For more info on the march CLICK HERE>>>

To hear a portion of the Resolution meeting on Capital Public Radio, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Eat on the Fly

2011-03-22T15:36:21Z

One mourning dove dines while another flies away after enjoying a snack in my East Sac backyard. The feeder is for smaller birds, like the House Finch, but these big guys were able to partake in a nice snack of Nyjer Seed, no problem. The Mourning Dove diet consists of mainly small dry seeds, forcing a dependance on drinking water throughout the year. However, with their strong ability to fly they do not need to stay near waterholes. Doves drink continuously, by sucking and swallowing, up to six times faster than other birds, reducing the time required at available water. This is important as most predators are known to ambush their prey while drinking.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Rollin' along the Rivers

2011-03-21T02:05:06Z

Feel like I still live in Washington state with all this rain. So I did what comes naturally to me and took a trip along the rivers to see what havoc the wind and rain have created.

Headed east on Hwy 50 to end up at Folsom Dam. The rain was coming down hard as I drove by it. Water was pouring into the American River from Folsom Lake.

Then I shot over to Sunrise Blvd and took the American River Access to get next to the river. A few people were braving the rain. A woman below paused to look at the river as she crossed the foot bridge at 11:04am (below.)

Next I headed to River Bend Park, hoping to drive to the river but access was closed. It was pouring and I didn't feel like getting cold and wet.

Onward to the Howe Ave Access Park. A sign indicated it was closed due to flooding. Yep, it was flooded.

Trees normally dry were submerged.

Arrived at Discovery Park around 1pm. The road over the green bridge was blocked. The rain took a break and folks ventured out. People parked their cars at the entrance and walked across the bridge. It was immediately apparent why it was closed to vehicles.

The river and land had become one. Kinda zen-ish.Got on the Garden Highway around 1:45pm and it was pouring hard again. Saw several scenes similar to the one at the very top and the one below. Resident's backyards were replaced with the Sacramento River. Some vehicles were submerged.

Throughout my journey I spotted split trees and lots of debris in the road driven by wind and rain.

For photos of the Old Sac area affected by rain on Friday, CLICK HERE>>>

To stay on top of current weather conditions, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Walk IN the River

2011-03-19T02:31:42Z

Bear with me here, but I love when the weather is all stormy and makes things happen to the surroundings. Like today when I saw how full the Sacramento River is!I took a stroll along the West Sacramento River Walk area near the Ziggurat Building (you know, that pyramid-shaped one across from Old Sac) this afternoon and wasn't able to follow the sidewalk on the lower level.

It was flooded and rising.

So I enjoyed the view.

And we can expect more wet stuff and high winds. Read about it HERE>>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Access Sacramento Celebrates 25 years.

2011-03-13T22:17:09Z

Access Sacramento opened its doors and studios to the public to mark its 25th year of offering community media for Sacramento County.

For 25 years, nonprofit organization Access Sacramento has been “making a difference, one voice at a time,” through its commitment to covering local entertainment, high school sports and cultural events. Saturday’s event will showcase what local media has to offer the community and how attendees can play a major role in community reporting.

I was 'the media covering the media' as I roamed around snapping photos for a couple of hours. Here are some shots:

Many special guests including Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, City Councilman Steve Cohn, Supervisor Phil Serna, and Chris Flores representing Congresswoman Doris Matsui dropped by.

Folks had the chance to meet local media organizations like The Sacramento Bee, KCRA, News 10, FOX 40 and others.

The Media Lab showcased the public launch of the new web site AccessLocal.tv with content from our five "Neighborhood News Bureau" partner organizations.The television studio hosted performing groups to demonstrate studio television productions skills.

Students from Luther Burbank High School in above photo: Vanessa Pagan, Jasmine Owens, Mo Lee and Sebastian Nand promoted March12-18 as a Week of Peace, a collaboration among students from Sacramento area schools, churches, Youth Organizations, After School Programs, City Park and Recreation, and all workplaces.

Access Sacramento is putting together a network of news bureaus in the South Sacramento area. The goal is to get youth to report for their communities, producing news stories about South Sacramento. The effort is based around a website that access Sacramento has set up called accesslocal.tv.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Acosta Vs San Diego fought for California Welterweight Title

2011-03-13T18:06:10Z

There is something exciting watching grown men, and women, pummel each other with hands, legs, feet, knees and elbows.

Rocklin's Coach's Sport Bar hosted the IKF Championship Muay Thai Kickboxing event in front of a packed audience.

It was my first live kickboxing experience.

I liked it!

Here's some pics and the list of fighters who competed is below the photos:

The Main Event - IKF Champ Roberto Morales against tough Josh San Diego fight for the chamionship title:

The Fighters:

AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 172.1-179
TBA VS Bode Weithingthon, Sacramento, 0-0, 6'1, Robinson
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 137.1-142
Brian Delapena, San Francisco, 1-1, 5'6", Kru Sam VS Marquise Ross, Fresno, 0-0, 5'9", James Contreas
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 117.1-122
Michelle Cabutuando, Sacramento, 0-0, 5'3", MT Lao VS Cat Feely, San Francisco, 0-0, 5'7", Jongsanan
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 132.1-137
Alec Gonzales, Vallejo, 1-0, 5'7", T. Howard VS Phil Devera, San Jose, 2-4, 5'7", Derek Yuen
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 142.1-147
Joel Douglas, Chico, 0-0, 5'8", B. Clements VS John Cabrido, Milpitas, 0-0, 5'8", Rudi Ott
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 153.1-159
Sean Cronin, Rocklin, 1-1, 5'11", R.Davis, VS Robert Alvarado, Patterson, 0-1, 6'2", M. Hermia
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 132.1-137
Jennifer Faust, San Leandro, 0-0, 5'10", Ramos VS Joshe Mikow, San Francisco, 1-1, 5'7", Fairtex
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 195.1-215
Anthony Hernandez, Woodland, 0-0, 6', D.Morrissey VS Frank Tapia, Fresno, 0-1, J. Contre
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 132.1-137
Powell Knogkham, Sacramento, 0-0, 5'8", MT Lao VS Nemo Vier, Fairfield, 0-0, 5'6", BBDC
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 153.1-159
Tai Ly, San Francisco, 0-0, 5'9", Kru Sam VS Bear Baily, Sacramento, 0-0, 5'11", C. Robinson
AMATEUR MUAY THAI: 147.1-153
Jeremy Jacildo, Vallejo, 0-0, 5'8", T. Howard, VS Izzy Morales, Ceres, 1-0, 5'10", Mike Duran
VACANT IKF AMATEUR MODIFIED MUAY THAI RULES CALIFORNIA WELTERWEIGHT TITLE
Anthony Acosta, San. Leandro, 5-2, 5'10", VS Josh San Diego, Milpitas, California, USA, 3-0, Rudi/Unlimited

More kickboxing events: ikfkickboxing.com and AK Promotions

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Red Cross Month in March

2011-03-09T17:39:10Z

Our local American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter booths were set up on the west steps of the Capitol Building March 9 to remind folks March is Red Cross Month. Information about disaster preparedness, health, CPR and lifesaving was all about educating legislators, staffers and the public about the great work of the Red Cross!

AMERICAN RED CROSS MONTH, 2011

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

For over a century, the American Red Cross has harnessed the generosity of the American people, mobilizing us to offer assistance in the wake of disaster. Whether aiding towns fighting rising floodwaters or nations struggling with starvation and disease, the American Red Cross and its international partners have served during crises across the United States and around the world. During American Red Cross Month, we celebrate our Nation's humanitarian spirit, and we recommit to providing relief and hope in times of crisis.

The American Red Cross has a long history of partnering with Presidents of the United States to confront the world's most pressing challenges. During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson called on our citizens to help the American Red Cross "respond effectively and universally to the needs of humanity under stress of war." This relationship continued in 1943, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed March as Red Cross Month, urging the public to support the efforts of the American Red Cross to provide resources and medical care to troops, allies, and peoples around the world.

Emergency response organizations like the American Red Cross play a vital role in relief operations by deploying scores of volunteers to rebuild communities hit by disaster and by providing critical support and resources at home and abroad. When a devastating earthquake struck Haiti last year, the American people responded with an outpouring of compassion, prompting an unprecedented international response and relief effort by the American Red Cross. These efforts reflect our country's noblest ideals, and they contribute to a climate of international trust and cooperation.

Volunteers play an essential part in every American Red Cross effort, from traveling to disaster zones around the world to donating blood at local community centers. Through their service, ordinary citizens have done extraordinary things, upholding the humanitarian mission of service and relief organizations and keeping our Nation strong and resilient. Though we can never fully know the challenges we will face, American Red Cross Month reminds us that Americans will always pull together in times of need and will always look to the future with hope and determination.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America and Honorary Chairman of the American Red Cross, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2011 as American Red Cross Month. I encourage all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities, and by supporting the work of service and relief organizations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

BARACK OBAMA

Photos | Kati Garner, American Red Cross Volunteer

A capitol landing?

2011-03-08T21:37:37Z

What looks like someone landing on top of the Capitol building is a State arborist doing maintenance on a large tree on the west side of the Capitol this morning. He had just finished thinning out some branches about 75 ft up. His partner held the end of his rope as he rappelled to the ground.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Women of Color awards

2011-03-08T06:53:19Z

Women of color, and a few good men, were recognized durning the 26th annual Sacramento Community Women of Color Day/Diversity Event.

"This event honors outstanding women of color for achievements/contributions, and women, men, businesses, and organizations of all cultures supporting/promoting diversity." Suzanne Brooks, CEO explained.

Brooks said that in the 26 years since March 1st was established as Women of Color Day, more than 250 have been honored in Sacramento.

Commemorations have also been held in other California cities, 22 additional states and 5 other countries.

Here are the honorees:

Joan Cartwright Originally from New York City, Joan Cartwright has a B.A (Communications and Music) and M.A. (Communications). Joan studied piano, composition and theory with pianist Gerald Price, and harp with Caliope Proios.

She also studied ballet and modern dance with Bernice Johnson and Lavern Porter, African dance with Dinizulu. She's performed on television, radio and on stage, including at the Blue Note (NYC), The "A" Train and Erny’s (Delray Beach), O’Hara’s, Promenade and Riverwalk Sunday Jazz Brunch (Fort Lauderdale) and Ellington's (Sanibel Island.

She has given lectures to over 5,000 children/college students in U.S., Switzerland, Sicily, China and Japan on women in jazz and being a singer. Her workshops highlight pitfalls and benefits of the music business.

Courtney Dempsey

Courtney Dempsey is an anchor/reporter. She joined the CW31 staff in August of 1995 and has been working with Good Day Sacramento. She started her career working part-time while attending Sacramento State University and joined the team full-time upon graduation. She has worked a gamut of jobs during her tenure, but what she enjoys the most is doing feature segments.

Outside of television, Courtney has worked in many other realms of entertainment. She hosted the midday show and anchored morning news and traffic as “CoCo” on KBMB 103.5 FM. She has done commercials and voice work for both television and radio. Her passion for dancing, since the age of four, has led to a leisure career with professional dance ensemble “Company 19.” She enjoys community service, culture and education. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Jack & Jill of America, Sacramento Black Journalists Association and Black Alumni of Sacramento State University.

Sarah EnloeSarah Enloe joined the California Diabetes Program in September 2002. As the lead administrative support staff, she oversees record keeping and reporting systems for program activities, contractor requirements, and program budgets.

Sarah provides technical consultation and assistance to contractors in the areas of state and federal requirements, budget and accounting procedures, and contract management services. She also serves as technical advisor to staff on administrative policies, contracting, budgeting, and fiscal projections. She provides day-to-day administrative support for the Program and also assists in the hiring process.

Prior to joining the California Diabetes Program, Sarah worked as with the Department of Defense for 16 years and later transferred to the Department of Justice (DOJ) – Immigration and Natural Service (INS) as an Analyst. She remained with DOJ - INS until 1999 when she relocated back to Sacramento to be closer to her family.

Dr. Linda S. Goodrich

Dr. Linda S. Goodrich, Chair,Theatre and Dance Dept., Sacramento State University, began dance training in ballet, modern, Afro-Haitian and jazz dance.

Born in Columbus, OH, she danced with Dancentral Modern Dance Company; then directed several companies, including Dunbar Dance Company in Ohio before moving to New York to continue studies. She earned her M.A. (1972), Ph.D. (1976) at The Ohio State University in English, and her M.F.A. in Choreography and Performance (1982) at Mills College.

Moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in the 70’s, she performed in Stompin’ at the Savoy and played the lead in Carmen Jones. She has directed and choreographed such shows as Dancing at Lugnasa, The Colored Museum, Jar the Floor, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbo Was Enuf, and The Old Settler and performed with Sacramento Theatre Company, and others. For 18 years, she has been Artistic Director to Sacramento/Black Art of Dance (S/BAD) following black concert dance traditions and Katherine Dunham, and is a founding member, Ebo Okokan, Afro Cuban ensemble.

Kamala HarrisKamala Harris, in December, 2003, was elected as the first woman District Attorney in San Francisco’s history, and the first African American woman and South East Asian woman in California to hold the office. She has spent 20 years in courtrooms as a prosecutor fighting violent crime, hate crimes, financial crimes—especially against elders and discrimination. She opposes the death penalty.

She is the recipient of numerous awards from professional and community organizations, including the National Black Prosecutors Association. She is the 32nd and current Attorney General of California following the 2010 California state elections. She has worked as an author. She is the first female, African-American, and Asian-American attorney general in California and the first Indian-American attorney general in the United States.

INDIGIEFEMMETash Terry born and raised on the Navajo Nation and Elena Higgins born in Aotearoa (New Zealand) of Maori and Samoan heritage are the powerful musical duo Indigie Femme
.
These international performers have united to unleash their creative intelligence that taps into their ancestry. Indigie Femme weave innovative and traditional songs and finds parallels throughout their experiences. Their musical ensemble includes: 6 &12 string guitars, mandolin, cajun, djembes, medicine drum and percussions. May 2010 saw the launch of Indigie Femme’s new CD, “Indian Souvenir.” The album draws upon life’s experiences capable of touching and relating to all lives. It is dedicated to two significant people who have touched and enhanced their lives—Elena’s mum, Julie Higgins, and Tom Riggs, Tash's Deaf mentor. Both passed away from cancer.

40,000 miles has been clocked up this year in the air and on road as Indigie Femme promote “Indian Souvenir” in North America and Australia. Various cultures coming together and seeing through the eyes of other perspectives, and letting go of separation and discrimination is a huge part of Indigie Femme’s vision. Indigie Femme are based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The Purple Moon Dance Project

The PURPLE MOON DANCE PROJECT was founded by Jill Togawa in 1992 to realize a creative vision:

Integrating non-western and western dance forms and aesthetics
Multidisciplinary collaboration
Exploring the continuum of intimacy between women.

The mission of Purple Moon Dance Project is to increase the visibility of lesbians and women of color and to encourage social change, peace and healing in our society through the medium of dance. Purple Moon's work is "diversity made physical!"

Purple Moon produces an annual ‘home season’ of work in San Francisco, and tours nationally and internationally. Their work has been presented at the NGO Forum on Women in Beijing, China, the Gay Games Cultural Festival in New York, at Highways, in Santa Monica, California, and other venues in Oregon, New Mexico, Hawai'i, and California.

Purple Moon’s artists offer workshops for women and girls without formal dance training, and for community organizations who work with lesbians and women of color. Through its performance and educational activities, Purple Moon's vision is to contribute to social change, peace and healing in our society.

Pleshette Robertson

Pleshette Robertson, founded Sacculturalhub.com in 2001 with the goal of providing Black Urban Entertainment News in Sacramento and beyond. It’s mission is to be the central information hub of interesting and exciting things to do, places to go, and people to meet has evolved into The Hub: The Urban Entertainment & Lifestyle magazine.
The Hub serves the purpose of providing tangible literature and valuable resource information of value forAfrican Americans. It serves as a very comprehensive resource and exciting up-to-date entertainment guide for the residents, tourists, Capitol City based African American businesses with information about special events, family living information, news, education and more.

The Hub website has also drawn a broad spectrum of affluent users and readers of the multicultural population growing rapidly in Sacramento who are attracted to the urban lifestyle. Features of the site include a highly circulated e-newsletter, multiple tiers of tiers of advertising, a business directory, VIP members, event calendars, current newsfeeds, classifieds, and forums. Newsletters and a newspaper keep many in the community informed, including newcomers and new businesses

Angela Rosas

Angela Rosas is a Public Relations and Social Media Specialist at WholesaleInsurance.net and provides social media, PR, and SEO support to various other Sacramento area businesses.

She has been volunteering for WEAVE Inc. since 2007 as a certified Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault peer counselor, a Speakers Bureau representative, provides regular assistance at fundraising events, and is currently serving on the planning committee, providing PR/media support, for Sacramento's first “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes."

In 2009, Angela created Chicas Latinas de Sacramento in an effort to increase Latina volunteerism and cultural awareness, and manages member and community recruitment, marketing, finances, and event/calendar planning. Chicas Latinas de Sacramento provides on-going volunteer and community support to organizations such as Weave Inc., Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center, and regularly grants wishes for members of the community and their families. The organization continues to grow in both members and community involvement, due to its positive impact in the community.

The Sacramento native received her BA in journalism from California State University of Sacramento.

Larry Dalton

Larry Dalton is a well-known Sacramento photographer whose work has appeared in many area publications, including the Sacramento Observer and Sacramento News and Review. Larry makes it a point to get out to community events all over the area and to take photographs which are honest and complementary to his subjects. He is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism.

Alyson Huber

Alyson Huber Assemblymember Alyson Huber was elected in November 2008 to represent the 10th District, comprised of Amador County, and portions of Sacramento, El Dorado and San Joaquin Counties. It includes the cities of Lodi, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Stockton, and Jackson.

In her role as Assemblymember, Alyson is focused on reforming the way the state does business and holding government accountable to the taxpayers so that our children can have a quality education, people can get back to work and the economy can get moving.

As a former business lawyer, she understands the many pressures facing businesses in California, and as a working mother she understands the pressures that families face every day.. Alyson is living proof that the American dream is alive and well. Overcoming family hardships as a child, she worked hard to put herself through school and was the first of her family to graduate from college. Alyson first attended CSU Chico, then transferred to Cornell University where she received her Bachelor of Science with honors. She came back to California and received her law degree from the University of California's Hastings College of the Law.

Chris LeeChris Lee is currently employed as Staff Counsel at State of California, Dept of Managed Health Care. He has worked for a local attorney and as a programmer in information services. A graduate of University of the Pacific—McGeorge School of Law, Harvey Mudd College and Scripps College, he has an ongoing intellectual curiosity inspiring lifelong learning. He runs the half marathon and speaks with love, pride and appreciation of his parents and especially his grandmother.

A brilliant, classically trained pianist, who began playing at three and has performed with many bands and exciting venues including Monterey, the Sacramento Jazz Festival and the Mondavi Center, Chris has worked in jobs outside music and attended law school while performing longer than any other musician with The Jazz Generation.

He is humble about his many talents. He adds to any group’s with his collaborative spirit and his musical ability. His community contributions are less well known. He has donated his time to raise funds for New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and as a duo with the vocalist at a fundraiser for a person with cancer that he doesn’t know. His community service is made quietly but caringly when needed.

He is great role model for today’s youth, a fine example of the working musicians who are the backbone of the field of music, and a true artist.

Tina Veeolet

Tina Veeolet is the owner of Aloha Florist in Sacramento. Not simply the owner of a florist business, Tina is a designer of original arrangements specializing in tropical flowers, including Hawaiian and other leis. She is also a supporter of community organizations through her many donations of flowers for events.

She is one of those kind and generous members of society who does not give in order to receive praises. Tina has been a supporter of Women of Color Day for more than a decade, not only contributing flowers, but often attending Women of Color Day Events to staff a table and create leis for honorees and others.

A California Legislature Assemby Certificate of Recognition award was presented to Suzanne Brooks in Honor of the 26th Anniversary of the founding of March 1st as Women of Color Day.

The program also included "Aurora,"new musical show featuring African dance, Candombe percussion, music by Suzanne Brooks/The Jazz Generation Band; and recognition of the United Nations declaration of 2011 as the Year of African Descendants.

The UN has declared 2011 as the year of African Descendants.

Camellia International Folk Dance Concert | Photos

2011-03-07T22:38:44Z

Sunday afternoon was the 55th annual Camellia International Folk Dance Concert held at the CSUS Student Union. It was high quality and fast-paced with lots of variety.

The audience was stage-level (which was the floor). The dance floor was in the middle of the large performance room and the audience wrapped around all four sides.

Here are some scenes:

Ukrainian Dance Ensemble - West Ukraine

Bedouian Dancers - Algerian

Zado Singers - Eastern Europe

Balliamo! - Italian

Royal Scottish Country Dance Society - Scottish

Tezaur - Romanian

Bhaskar Arts Academy - Indian

Tance El Dorado - Mexican

China Moon Dance Troupe - ChineseVintage Dancers of Sacramento - Early American

Aska Kolo Ansambl - Serbian

After the concert there was easy folk dancing for the audience to participate. For more info CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Mardi Gras Pub 'n Grub in Old Sac

2011-03-06T18:52:16Z

The streets of Old Sac were bustling last night as folks showed up to celebrate the second annual Mardi Gras Pub 'n Grub Crawl.

When I arrived around 6:15pm it was already looking busier than last year's event.

I roamed the streets and sauntered into Cafe New Orleans. It was already packed.

Old Sac featured venues with live music, food & drink specials, street entertainment, beads and costumes.

Here's some scenes from the early hours:

Businesses that were in the Mardi Gras spirit included:

Café New Orleans - Beignets & Hurricanes, featuring music by Sabor.
Crescent Club - Bal masque’ du Mardi Gras.
Fanny Ann's - Bayou Burger & Mardi Gras Flasher.
Laughs Unlimited - featuring music by Road Test & Mere Mortals, comic Cash Levy.
O'Mally's Pub - Jambalaya & Hurricanes, featuring music by MooseKnuckles.
RiverCity Saloon - Poor Boy Sandwich Special, featuring music by Western Lights and karaoke.
Delta King - Delta Bar & Grill - featuring music by Gordon Groft.
Fat City Bar & Café - Canjun Crab Cakes, Shirp Jambalaya, Blackened Swordfish & Bourbon Street Punch.

Check here for more events coming to Old Sac soon!

Enjoying Beer Week at Total Wine

2011-03-04T17:01:04Z

Would you ever think to go to a business called Total Wine during Beer Week?

If you didn't, you missed out on some great beer tasting!

Don't fret. There are still two days left for indulging. (Not wasting anytime here, so I'm sipping on a Tangerine Wheat beer as I write.)

Total Wine stocks over 2,500 microbrews and imported beers. They make the beer selection in grocery stores look puny.

Here's the tastings they've offered so far during Beer Week:

Tues: Sudwerk, Widmer and Green Flash

Thurs: Coney Island, He'Brew, Samuel Adams, Prima'tor, Newcastle and G.K. Skaggs.

and coming up -

Fri: 1-6pm : New Belgium, Ballast Point, Blue Moon, Gordon Biersch, Deschutes and Lagunitas.

Sat: 3-6pm: Total Wine Brewery Direct Beers and Sierra Nevada Brewing.

The way it works is you pay a dime for 5 tickets/tastings. Inexpensive! Yesterday part of our ticket stubs went into a free drawing. Maybe they will the remaining days, also.

After plopping my dime down and with my glass in hand, I moseyed on over to Coney Island Craft Lagers since I hadn't heard of them.

The Albino Python was very nice with hints of ginger, sweet orange peel and crushed fennel seeds. I also liked the Coney Island Lager and the Mermaid Pilsner.

Here's some interesting info on Coney Island.

Another one I'd not heard of is Alhambra, imported by GK Skaggs. The lager and negra brews were very drinkable.

I had my taste buds ready to try their Cave Creek Chili Beer brewed in Cave Creek, Arizona, (Pop.1328 including coyotes and cattle) but, alas, I had used all my tickets!

Total Wine is located in Roseville and totally worth the short drive! You'll see beers you never even knew existed and the prices are right!

Volunteer to Help Someone

2011-02-28T20:31:33Z

March is Red Cross Month, and the American Red Cross is asking people to join them in helping those in need by volunteering their time, making a donation or taking a class.

“When someone provides a hot meal to a disaster victim, takes a first aid class, or helps someone in the military, they join the Red Cross,” said Dawn Lindblom, Capital Region Chapter CEO. “We want to say ‘thank you’ to all who support us. That support enables us to provide help and hope to those who need our assistance.”

For nearly 100 years, U.S. Presidents have called on people to support the American Red Cross and its humanitarian mission. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first to proclaim March as Red Cross Month in 1943. Since that time, President Obama and every president since have issued proclamations designating March as Red Cross Month.

The Red Cross has been helping people for 130 years, responding to disasters, assisting members of the military, teaching lifesaving skills, and serving as one of the largest blood suppliers in the United States.

Nationally, the Red Cross responds to an average of nearly 200 disasters every day. The organization provides a round-the-clock link between those in the military and their families, and supplies blood and blood products to approximately 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.

The Capital Region Chapter responded and provided assistance in 410 local disasters last year. The chapter processed 860 emergency military calls and trained 46,000 people in CPR and first aid classes.

“We work very diligently to help those in need,” Lindblom said. “Whether out on a disaster, alongside our troops or in a first aid class, Red Cross workers touch the lives of millions of people every year.”

The Red Cross is not a government agency and relies on donations of time, money and blood to do its work.

“When people join the Red Cross by volunteering, donating blood, taking a course or making a contribution, they enable us to continue our work, both here at home, and around the world,” Lindblom said.

The Capital Region Chapter has a number of activities planned for Red Cross Month in March, including CPR Saturday training events on March 5, 12 and 19, Save a Life Saturday on March 19, and Red Cross Day at the Capitol on March 8.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. The Capital Region Chapter serves an eleven-county region including Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, eastern Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Yolo counties. For more information, visit redcrosscrc.org or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/RedCrossCRC.

Article | Trista Jensen, Director of Communications and Marketing,
American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter

Photos | Kati Garner, American Red Cross volunteer

Enjoying Beer Week - Sudwerk Brew

2011-02-27T20:41:18Z

It's Beer Week in Sac. I love beer. I thought to myself, "how can I do something productive and enjoy some beer?"

I went to Sacramento Beer Week to check out the events. Discovered Sudwerk Brew in Davis was offering tours and tasting Saturday afternoon.I headed to the tasting area and immediately joined another beer lover as we were taken on a tour led by Trent Yackzan. We saw where Sudwerk began in the early 1990's - in the area that is now the bar in the restaurant. The tanks are stainless steel and the copper was added to the exterior for looks.

In the year 1993, the owners reached their first of many milestones; the Sudwerk Restaurant & Brewery was hailed as the Number 1 Brew Pub in America (Sudwerk sold more beer in-house than any other establishment)!

We are shown the kettle, mash mixer and lauter tun. The three vessels collectively make up what is termed the "brewhouse". The mash mixer is where milled malt and hot water meet and the two are thoroughly blended. In the mash, enzymes convert malt starches into fermentable sugars. The lauter tun acts like a big sieve and accomplishes the goal of separating liquid (wort) from solid (spent grain). The kettle is where the wort is boiled and also where hops are added in the process.

Hefeweizen is an unfiltered beer.

Sudwerk's facility creates 100 bottles of beer per minute. In a week it cranks out up to 1,728.000 bottles.

There's a lot more information about their brewing process. Too lengthy to cover in this article. For more details on Sudwerk's brewing process, CLICK HERE>>>.

Two men brewing their own (above).

White Labs Inc., Pure Yeast and Fermentation, is located at Sudwerk.The company provides a wealth of services to not only brewers but also winemakers, distillers and others in the fermentation business.

Charlie Bamforth, Department Chair, Food Science & Technology, University of California, Davis has an office at Sudwerk. He kicked off Sacramento Beer Week at the Crocker's Brewer's Showcase event Feb 24, 2011.

Sudwerk is home to the Professional Brewing Progams.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

More than Beer Brewing

2011-02-26T00:44:24Z

Another round of storm clouds serve as a backdrop for Central United Methodist church on H St. in East Sac this afternoon. There have been reports of a funnel cloud spotted over Mather Field in Rancho Cordova this afternoon. The National Weather Service earlier issued a severe thunderstorm warning for North Central Sacramento County, including the cities of Rancho Cordova, Folsom, Fair Oaks and Carmichael.

According to KCRA, a hard freeze warning is in effect from 3 am to 9 am Sunday.

The Pig and Sausage too

2011-02-21T19:27:54Z

Land Park resident Cynthia Lang told me she's been coming to all of the classes at Taylor's.

"They're great," she said. "Just when you thought you knew everything, you don't. There's always something great to learn."

She's learned about cuts and how to prepare them for the BBQ and for the holidays. She's an old-hand since she's been at classes for lamb, sausage, pig and the cow, chicken and fish.

"They're all amazing," she said.

To start the class Johnson and a co-worker bring out one-half of a pig and lay it on the high table in front of us. It's a packer hog that weighed about 180 pounds. The side on the table weighs around 65 pounds.

"This hog is ten to fourteen months old. They grow pretty quick." he explained.

"Taylor's doesn't carry organic meat due to the amount of fraud going on in the organic community," Johnson said."It's a way for sellers to get higher prices (claiming it's organic)."

"The great thing about the hog is you can use the whole thing," Johnson said as he broke the shoulder off with a hacksaw, effortlessly.

This is the whole shoulder (above). The pork butt comes from the front end, not the back of the hog. It's the butt of the shoulder. He then removes the bones. He recommends using pork with the skin on it as it makes the fat melt into the meat and it's "nothing but flavor."

A fresh leg of pork is a great way to feed a lot of people.

Establishment stamps are required to prove the meat has been FDA inspected. It looks like a postage ink stamp on the skin.

The crowd asked lots of questions as he progressed through the different parts of the hog. Someone asked the best temperature to bake the hog parts. Johnson said, "if you ask my wife the temp is 325 degrees. It's kind of a blanket temp to cover yourself."

He shared he dined on roasted pig's feet in France and it was one of the best dishes he ever had. His wife was just staring at him as he ate. He kept us entertained with stories from all over.

He even gave the secret to cooking perfect prime rib!

He worked his way through the ribs while sharing more humorous stories, like how good hand and eye coordination are important when using a meat cleaver.

Under the area he cut away is the bacon and pancetta, "all that good stuff." He follows a natural seam when cutting away the top meat.

"Baby back ribs are the most overrated ribs there are," he said.

Anytime you can find a butcher using carcass animals it's the best. Vacuum packaged meats' chemistry is changed.

A ribeye pork chop with a little marbling is good.

Fresh walnuts, garlic and dried apricots are stuffed inside a pork loin and tied with butcher's twine. Trichinosis is no longer a problem with pork. Johnson said he's thinking of giving knot tying classes. Tying a roast makes the meat cook uniformly. Shoppers can buy the uncooked tied meat in sections at Taylor's.

The more fat in sausage, the more flavorful. Johnson likes the meat to be a little warm making it move through the pusher easier.

Natural casings are easier to use than synthetic. Keep the unused casing in salt water in your refrigerator and it'll last a long time.

With sausage you want to follow a recipe so it is consistent. He said a good sausage maker will not tell you his/her recipe. Johnson and his crew mix the sausage and seasonings by hand, the best way to know it is well mixed.

Taylor’s Market Butcher Danny Johnson is a 1982 graduate of the Oregon Meat Cutting School. He started working at Taylor’s on May 2nd 1983 and became part owner in October of 1987. In January 2007 Danny and his wife Kathy became sole owners of Taylor’s.

For more classes at Taylor's Market on Freeport Blvd. click HERE>>>

SacPress Photos \| Kati Garner

Fill the Boot for Burns

2011-02-21T03:51:11Z

Tomorrow is a day off for many folks. Not for over 150 firefighters raising money for the Firefighters Burn Institute to aid victims injured in fires. The Firefighters have held this unique fundraiser each February for the past 17 years.

The Firefighters Burn Institute (FFBI) was founded in 1973 by Sacramento Area Fire Fighters, Local 522 and has grown into the area’s largest firefighter-run charity.

You'll find them collecting donations from passing motorists at the intersection of Sunrise Blvd and Greenback Lane from 9am- 4pm tomorrow. Near Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights. They've been there since Friday.

Take a little road trip on your day off. Since the mall is right there you can hit the President's Day sales after making your donation!

For more information visit ffburn.org

SacPress Photos \\\| Kati Garner

More than one million boxes of Girl Scout cookies delivered

2011-02-19T23:41:12Z

Rain and cold didn't dampen the spirits of volunteer workers distributing one million boxes of Girl Scout cookies today. A constant stream of vehicles from small cars to delivery vans came to Cal Expo to pickup pre-sold boxes of Girl Scout cookies waiting to to be delivered.

Helen Whitelaw, Director of Sales and manager of today's cookie distribution, says initial orders are up 11% over last year.

Whitelaw rode shotgun in a golf cart with Bob Carlson, owner of Carlson Logistics, supplier of the several dozen semi-trailers filled with the cases of cookies.

American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter served the cookie workers breakfast and then spaghetti, garlic french bread, salad, drinks and cookies for lunch. The Girl Scouts gave a monetary donation to the chapter for the food. Ten Red Cross volunteers served over 300 workers throughout the day.

The money earned from Girl Scout Cookie sales fund the Girl Scout programs that build girls full of courage, confidence and character.

For more info, check out:www.girlscoutshcc.org

To learn more about the American Red Cross, click HERE>>>

SacPress Photos \\| Kati Garner (American Red Cross volunteer)

Enjoy the Wildlife

2011-02-14T03:54:38Z

About 11 miles east of Sacramento is the Yolo Basin Wildlife Area that feels a million miles away once you're there. It's a great escape!

A Great Blue Heron takes flight when approached.

The Yolo Wildlife area is home to many birds - Common Loon, Pacific Loon, Pied-Billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Horned Grebe,
Western Grebe, American White Pelican. Double-Crested Cormorant, Least Bittern, American Bittern, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Green Heron, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Great Blue Heron, White-faced Ibis and Sandhill Crane.

It's also abundant in plants, fish and reptiles.

There are four major habitat types in the area:

Permanent Wetlands

Seasonal Wetlands

Riparian Forests

Grasslands

A lookout extends over a part of the wetlands.

A snowy egret does some fishing.

The Great Blue Heron before it took flight (top).

Sacramento's skyline is visible in the background as visitors walk around the basin.

For more information on the Yolo Wildlife Area, click HERE>>>

California Duck Days will be held on February 25th and 26th.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Western Collegiate Cycling in Land Park

2011-02-14T02:50:53Z

This spring-like day I found myself wandering around looking for life outdoors. I found it at Land Park.

It involved bicyles and college students from around California universities pedaling fast in a big circle.

Here's some photos I shot:

Today's event was hosted by Cal Aggie Cycling

For info on the Western Collegiate Cycling Conference, click HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Damento Juggling Festival

2011-02-07T23:52:34Z

I'm not a juggler. Never even been to a juggling show until Saturday night when I attended the Damento Juggling Festival held at George Washington Carver School of Arts and Science Auditorium in Rancho Cordova.

Even Mayor Robert McGarvey was there and had the honor of 'throwing' the first juggling thingee. (I really don't know juggling terms.)

The show was packed with adults and kids. A couple huge air balls were being batted up and around the room before the show started.

I had been wondering what in the heck Damento was supposed to mean. As I sat there I noticed the sign above the stage. It showed:

"Damento • Davis / Sacramento Jugglers".

All of a sudden my brain got it! DAvis /sacraMENTO.

I was unable to identify each act, so not everyone's name is included with their photos. They were all excellent performers and funny by using their expressions.

Here's some snapshots:

Kyle Johnson

Chris Garcia (above and below).

Thom Wall

Bri Crabtree

This guy didn't juggle. He had an audience member strap him tightly into a straight jacket. Five men hoisted him atop his tall unicycle. First time I'd seen someone break out of a straight jacket.

After straining inside the jacket, he showed us he had one hand free from the right sleeve.

That free hand was able to undo two stapped buckles on his back.

FREE!!!

Jeremiah Johnston

Two brothers who performed a hilarious act from start to finish.

After many tries the younger brother launched a ball from his mouth into the tuba.

This tightrope juggler was not part of the show but had been involved in the free workshops and open juggling that were available Fri., Sat., and Sun.

Damento is a not-for-profit juggling club. Basically, they are a group of folks who like to juggle… they get together in Davis and in Sacramento to throw things up in the air and at each other. Check it out HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Dropped and Chopped: Rides at California Automobile Museum

2011-02-06T19:17:27Z

California Auto Museum's new show, "Dropped and Chopped," features the classic years of traditional rods and customs between 1946-1960. On display are autos that have been chopped off the top and dropped in height, riding lower to the ground.

This yellow Marquis(above and below) was built by Bill Cushenberry in the 1960s, based on a 1956 Ford Victoria hardtop. The car debuted on the show circuit in 1962 and has won numerous awards.

Raced in Bonneville in 1951 and built on the east cost, this '32 Ford was built in 1948. This is the first time it has been shown on the west coast.

A classic “K Street Cruiser” in the early 1950s. this 1936 Ford Phaeton (convertible sedan) is "an unrestored example of a unique Sacramento custom, designed for cruising downtown avenues on summer weekend nights, still owned by the family of its builder."

"This 1949 Mercury convertible sedan was purchased by Harold “Buddy” Ohanesian in 1945 and taken to Harry Westergard and Less Crane for restyling. Dick Bertolucci completed the effort in 1949, adding a removable hardtop custom crafted from the front half of a 1946 Chrysler top, the back half of a 1941 Buick, and the rear window from an Oldsmobile. The maroon paint color, with Venus Martin no. 9 gold powder added, became known as “Sacramento Maroon” or “Bertolucci Maroon,” due to Bertolucci’s frequent use of the color."

A definite low-rider.

According to Wikipedia:"Chopping the top" goes back to the early days of hot rodding and is an attempt to reduce the frontal profile of a car and increase its speed potential. To chop a roof, the pillars and windows are cut down, lowering the overall roofline. Some racers on the dry lakes chopped the tops of their cars so severely the windows were only a few inches tall. These were sometimes referred to as "mail slot" windows. This sort of bodywork is also popular on custom cars, customs, and leadsleds . Roof chopping also quickly became very popular with drag racers for much the same reasons as it did for lakes racers. The first roof chopper is considered to be Sam Barris (brother of auto customizer George Barris), who chopped and customized his brand new 1949 Mercury. Barris also pioneered a more advanced form, where the B-pillar is removed turning it into a pillarless hardtop in the process.
Concept cars, such as the AMX-GT, often undergo a lowering of their roofs even if the vehicles are based on production models.
Automakers use the chopping technique to make their show cars look more sleek and "racy", although it would be impractical for normal use.

Dropping, also called channeling, is when a car body is lowered over the frame by removing the floor and refastening it higher inside the body, causing the body to rest closer to the ground without altering the suspension. The overall effect is to give the car's body a more massive appearance. Each automobile would have its own engineering challenges as far as modifying the various components of the chassis. Local laws may prevent making the modifications too extreme, and safety would dictate some restraint. Channeling is also popular amongst hot rod, leadsled and minitruck enthusiasts, though the latter refer to it as a "body drop."

Sponsored by Bertolucci, "Dropped and Chopped" will be on display through March 27 at the California Auto Museum.

Photos | Kati Garner, SacMav.com

Disclosure: MaverickPhotography.us is the designated photography team for the California Automobile Museum.

Sunset Vibrates over Sacramento

2011-02-06T07:03:50Z

A vibrant sunset behind evergreens gives hope for warmer weather and spring. This was the scene just north of Bradshaw Rd. off Hwy 50 this evening. SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Cosumnes River Preserve in the Fog

2011-01-28T18:27:46Z

Yesterday morning, in the fog, I drove to Cosumnes River Preserve, about 30 miles south of where I live in Colonial Heights. I really had no idea what I would see.

As I neared the preserve along Bruceville Rd I saw bodies of water and brush. If I hadn't been paying attention, I would've missed a huge gathering of Sandhill Cranes in a foggy field.

I was practically the only person there.

Here are some photos of what I saw:

The link to the preserve is HERE

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Diffusion

2011-01-28T16:04:17Z

Trees and a bench are backlit by diffused light from street lamps in the fog at McKinley Park last night. Sac Press Photo | Kati Garner

Sac Ballet Director's Cuts of Romeo & Juliet

2011-01-22T20:22:35Z

Roberto Cisneros leaps into the air during the first moments of Sacramento Ballet's in-studio presentation of short takes from their upcoming Romeo and Juliet production which runs Feb. 10, 11, 12 and 13 at the Community Center.

Here are some other photos from the night:

Dancers demonstrate the sword fight, using real swords. They were professionally trained how to do it ensuring everone's safety.

Tender moments.

Difficult overhead lifts.

Artistic Directors Ron and Carinne Binda Cunningham took turns explaining many of the segments of Romeo and Juliet.

Read a blog about the making of Sac Ballet's Romeo & Juliet

Sac Ballet website

Sac Ballet on Facebook

Dance Magaizine talks about Roberto Cisneros in "25 to Watch"

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Thousands March in Honor of Martin Luther King

2011-01-18T21:58:09Z

10,000 honored Dr. Kings Dream on Monday, Jan. 17.2011 in Sacramento.

Thousands in our community marched today from two locations honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It took 30 minutes for the mass of marchers to pass by me as they made a right hand turn from Sutterville Rd. (above) onto Sacramento City College as they made their way to the Convention Center downtown. They formed at Oak Park Community Center.

These marchers, coming from Grant High School, marched south on North 12th St as they travelled to the Convention Center downtown.

Democratic Senate leader Darrell Steinberg and Democratic Assemblyman Roger Dickinson took part in the event.

Hundreds participated in a job fair at the convention center.

The Crocker Art Museum commemorated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with inspirational tours based on King's teachings, gospel music performances by Cosumnes River College Contemporary Gospel Choir, screenings of Martin Luther King: Legacy of a Dream and a reading of Faith Ringgold's "My Dream of Martin Luther King" followed by a hands-on art making project.

The National Day of Prayer Task Force (NDPTF) issued a clarion call to prayer in order to honor his spiritual legacy and his work as a prominent leader in the civil rights movement.

Shemida Jade Lowe watches the parade along North 12th wearing Dr. King's prison number when he was incarcerated after his bus boycott arrest in Alabama, February 22, 1956.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sutter Steel is Rising

2011-01-17T21:06:30Z

During a foggy morning, a construction worker walks along a steel beam two stories above ground level. Work is in progress on The Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center. This expansion of Sutter General Hospital will be a 242-bed, nine story building that will provide innovative technology in a patient-focused environment. It also will feature a life-saving helistop near Capitol Freeway, which will allow helicopters to transport severely injured and sick patients for treatment, mostly newborn and pediatric patients.

Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center will provide the highest level of neonatal and pediatric intensive care services, pediatric cardiac care, pediatric neurosurgery services, pediatric cancer services, and high-risk and conventional maternity services to families in 27 counties.
A freestanding, three-story skywalk will connect the Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center with the Ose Adams Medical Pavilion.
The Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center is named in honor of the generous donation from the Anderson Lucchetti family. At $18 million, the Anderson Lucchetti contribution ranks as the single largest gift from an individual family to a capital campaign in the greater Sacramento area.

Construction crews have begun installing case arms for the new spanning structure that will eventually connect Sutter General Hospital to the Women’s and Children’s Center.

The expansion project is right next to Biba's Restaurant at Capitol and 29th St.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Iceland Rink Open!

2011-01-15T22:22:21Z

Wendy (Kerth) Nugent embraces her brother Rob before Iceland Ice Arena reopened this morning on Del Paso Blvd. It was a happy day for the Kerth family. An arson fire destroyed the historic business ten months ago. The occupancy permit was granted yesterday.

Skaters tied on their skates for the first time in ten months in anticipation of hitting the ice once again.

Paul Schachder is one of the many volunteers that helped restore Iceland. He says he didn't find out about it until a couple of weeks after the fire. After hearing about the arson blaze in the news, he says he drove by and saw all the people inside with the wheelbarrows cleaning up. "The cleanup was the hard part," he said. "Then the rebuilding is the fun part, watching it go back together."

He said he's happy.

Before Rob and Terrie Kerth, brother and sister, cut the ceremonial ribbon, they thanked all the volunteers who got them to this point. Without them, they said they would not be here today.

"We've turned what was essentially a disaster into a wonderful community," Terrie said.

"Out of bad things you can find some good. The community outpouring has just been amazing," Rob shared. "It took 700 volunteers to put the ole gal back on her feet and for a community that everyone underestimates, it is a triumph for our entire city and ice skating itsself."

Then Rob says excitedly, "there's something I've been waiting to say............Ready?............all skate in a regular direction, please!"

And onto the ice they glided.

The rear of Iceland has open window frames and temporary tarps create a ceiling until the building is finished.

Rob Kerth and two ice skaters are in silhouette with the front wall in the background.

Iceland is open weekends and holidays from 10am-5pm and weekdays 2pm-5pm. This Monday is a holiday so they'll be open from 10am-5pm. Adults $8, Kids $5, Skate rental $2. The entrance is in the back.

For a recent SacPress story about Iceland CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Bull Riders at Arco

2011-01-14T20:37:55Z

How does a professional bull rider ride a mechanical bull?

With no hands.

And two television news anchors?

Hanging on for their life!

Promoting the Professional Bull Riders at Arco Arena tonight, Bulls Restaurant and Bar hosted a bull "ride-off" with the crew of Good Day Sacramento early Friday morning and a professional bull rider and an enthusiastic crowd.

Tonight will be the eighth of nine straight days of bull riding for many of the PBR’s Top 40, who stopped by two Touring Pro events in Colorado before heading to California.

“Sacramento is loaded with really good bulls, and the other bull that’s flown in under the radar a little bit, but he actually beat Bushwacker two or three times in the Classics, is Moon,” said PBR Livestock Director Cody Lambert.

On hand at tonight and tomorrow's event will be 60 bulls, according to Dennis Lewis of Flying U Rodeo.

"It'll be a good event" Lewis said. "With 40 riders tonight, the top ten will ride again tonight. Tomorrow night's event will determine the champion."

Mckennon Wimberly, 22, of Cool, Texas rides the mechanical bull with no hands. He has travelled the country with Professional Bull Riders for four years. He's been riding bulls all his life. He grew up on a ranch and his dad was a bull rider.

"I just kinda grew up living the cowboy life," he says. "I've rode and trained horses. I wanted to be just like my dad. He was a professional bull rider. I just started trying it when I was young. When I was old enough to make my own decisions, I had a love for the sport and just kept on doing it. I've always thought about being a world champion and haven't thought of anything else."

Mark gets the crowd cheering before the bull ride competition.

Mark does his tries like crazy to stay on the bull to beat Lisa.

Lisa's time winning ride.

Surviving the mechanical bull ride, Mark and Lisa jump for joy. Lisa beat Mark's time on the bull.

Mark and Lisa bravely stand next to a real live bull in front of Bulls.

For information about Professional Bull Riders at Arco Arena, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Meet Downtown's New K Street

2011-01-13T22:42:24Z

Last night's VIP reception at the new Dive Bar, District 30 and Pizza Rock hopefully is a forecast of the future for the three new development projects. Last night was energizing and packed full of people who moved from one venue to another.

Here are some shots:

District 30 dance club got the VIPs dancing, drinking. and enjoying themselves (above and four below).

Pizza Rock has the semi-truck sticking out of the wall above the bar. It features a special pizza oven that heats to 900 degrees and can cook a pizza in 90 seconds and will also include an Avalon sound system, DJs sitting in the ceiling, Guitar Hero, four pizza ovens and the capacity to churn out 500 pizzas per hour.

Pizza acrobats are on hand to entertain.

George Karpaty, owner of the three new businesses, get in the groove.

William Bevier, one of the VIPs attending, is the owner of Bevier Structural Engineering. His company worked to make the Dive Bar and Pizza Rock safe and sound while sporting a salt water aquarium and the semi-truck.

Bronkar entertained the crowd in front of the venues.

Women acrobats performed in a blown-up bubble.

A mermaid peers at the crowd below from the huge salt water acquarium above the bar.

A supple entertainer twisted around on top of the pianos in the Dive Bar.

Some of the Downtown Sac Partnership staff in the Dive Bar.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Shadows

2011-01-12T23:42:23Z

Early afternoon light casts interesting shadows of a tree against an old barn along South River Rd. this afternoon along the Sacramento River. The sun has been a pleasant reprieve to the seemingly endless gray skies in January. SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Railyards Look Back on Track

2011-01-07T23:39:20Z

Work is underway once again at the downtown railyards.

Here are some images I captured Jan. 6, 2011 between 7:13am and 8:44am:

An Amtrak train makes its way toward Sacramento's train station during an early foggy morning, skirting the east side of the historic railyards.

Two workers on the 6th St. bridge appear to be talking (above) and another sandblasts the surface (below).

Three construction workers walk along a portion of the 5th St. bridge along the east side of the old buildings.

An expanded view of the 5th and 6th St. bridges (above and below).

Looking northwest to an old water tower on the west side of the 6th St. bridge.

A panorama from north to south, looking west.

For related article, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

World Series Trophy is a Grand Slam for Fans

2011-01-07T22:25:03Z

Hundreds of San Francisco Giants fans endured waiting in line for hours for a one minute photo opp behind the trophy. The Giants won the Commissioner's Trophy in November when they defeated the Texas Rangers in game five of the World Series. A circle-of-flags, the trophy made its only stop in Sacramento on Thursday; in the State Capitol during late morning and early afternoon at Sacramento City Hall.

Fans stated over and over, "I just gotta see the trophy". One said "it's a once in a lifetime thing, well hopefully not once in a lifetime".

This young fellow was "born the year the Giants won the series, so he's gotta be here."

It was a long and winding line to get to Room 211 in the Capitol. The line started at the east entrance, snaked around to the north side, through the Rotunda and down a hall, back through the Rotunda, down the hall toward the east entrance where it met the start of the line, down another hall, up the stairs and winding through the second floor.

Smiles got big at this point, the last stop before viewing the trophy!

Fans hurriedly posed behind the trophy. Fans can purchase an official photo with the trophy. The photographer's camera had a wireless photo uploader attached so that once the photo was shot it went to Giants Fans Photos.

Fans' excitement followed them after they exited the Capitol. Vickie Beaudikofer (above) came out the door whooping and screaming "Oh Yeah"! She claimed she rubbed her hand against the trophy. Below, a couple gives each other the high five.

"For more than 52 years, our dedicated fans have supported us through thick and thin," said Giants Managing General Partner and CEO Bill Neukom. "The trophy belongs to them as much as it belongs to us and we want to extend the World Champions celebration throughout Giants country and to thank our fans."

Next stop is Redding on Monday, Jan. 10, and Chico, Jan. 11. For more details on the tour CLICK HERE>>>

The Trophy Tour is presented by Visa. Toyota is the official vehicle of the Trophy Tour.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

I Am Equal Photo Tour

2011-01-07T21:26:51Z

Hands ink-stamped, Joey O'Shea and John Wells, members of Equality Action Now, greated people participating in yesterday's "I AM EQUAL 100,000 PHOTO WORLD TOUR".

The object of the tour is "to give people from all walks of life the opportunity to take a stand for those individual issues of human rights and equality that resonate most deeply within them. This project gives people the tools to engage in a conversation about life, freedom, peace, and unity in a way they may never have had before."

I AM EQUAL officially launched its 29 city, 2011 U.S. tour at The Citizen Hotel in downtown Sacramento Jan. 6, 2011.

“We see people coming in support of children’s rights, or to end domestic violence,” explains project photographer, Matt Spencer. “There are some who are standing up for gay and lesbian issues, and others who are survivors of abuse or disease. Each person has a story and this project is here to empower people to stand up and tell their story.”

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

No, not the Speedo!

2011-01-07T21:10:00Z

These three fellows were at the corner of L and 10th Street, near the State Capitol, yesterday interacting with folks passing by during their light-hearted rally and publicity gig.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Fargo Fog

2011-01-06T18:14:00Z

Downtown's Wells Fargo Center along Capitol Mall was shrouded in fog early this morning. The tallest building in the city, it stands at 423 ft. The remainder of the first full week of 2011 should be not so much fog and partly cloudy, according to the forecast. SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

New Years Eve Old Sac Style

2011-01-02T04:07:39Z

The streets of Old Sac were packed New Years Eve night in anticipation of the fireworks show announcing the year 2011. The Theatre of Lights showcased as well as music and fun things for the kids.

Here's a glimpse of what was happening:

At the conclusion of the Theatre of Lights show on K St. confetti was sprayed onto the crowd.

Kids and their parents enjoyed the evening with food and glow lights.

RadioDisney.com offered contests for the little ones in the Waterfront Tent on Front St (above and below). A youngster tosses a hula-hoop trying to encircle the gal in white at right. On his first try, the hoop caught me, but that didn't count.

Contestants ran across the stage with recyclables across the stage to see who could deposit the most.

The Crescent Club Speakeasy, above and below, celebrated the New Year with Gangsters, Glamour and Gambling. The Roaring 20's style evening's entertainment included a Speakeasy Casino, Ballroom Swing Dancing, Gypsy Jazz, Cabaret, and Burlesque, featuring live music by the notorious Au Brothers Jazz Ensemble from New York.

Tango by the River, above and below, featured the 5-piece tango orchestra QTango at their New Year's Eve Tango Ball. The Black and White event was advertised to last until 4am "or until DJ Kenny Bell kicks us out," Donna Williams, founder, said.

The 9pm fireworks show was a bit less spectacular than the grand finale at midnight, but still impressive.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Kwanzaa Family Festival at the Crocker

2010-12-28T00:02:41Z

Over 2,000 people celebrated the Kwanzaa Family Festival at the Crocker Art Museum yesterday, the first day of Kwanzaa.

Kwanzaa, honored worldwide, focuses on family, community, creativity, and the cultural traditions found in the African diaspora.

The Crocker celebrated its new collection of African art with music and dance performances by Umoja, Afia Walking Tree and Spirit Drumz, PROJECT, Phoenix Park Multicultural Kids Choir. There was storytelling by Culture Co-op and a special puppet production, “Hamissi the Brave.”

Here's some of the festivities:

A little girl dancer mimics the moves of the older dancers moving to the beat of drums.

Umoja Productions presented African Drumming and Dance.

The audience clapped along with the beats provided by the drummers.

Phoenix Park Multicultural Kids Choir performed, using the second floor as the stage, above the audience seated inside Friedman Court.

The Ballroom on the second floor of the historic Crocker provided performances by Puppets in Motion presenting Hamissi the Brave and Storytelling with Culture Co-op (above and below).

Free Airbrush Tattoos in the Studio Art Spaces were a big hit with the children.

The "Mud Cloth Madness" exhibit, organized by The Kuumba Collective Art Gallery. is slated to run through February. It is a contemporary art exhibit using the ancient African fabric as a inspiration tool to create (above and below).

Delgreta Brown, a Sacramento Press contributor, is a featured artisit of this exhibit.

Interactive art was part of the Kwanzaa Festival, part of the museum-wide experience of the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Read about the seven principles - CLICK HERE>>>

African diaspora cooking demonstrations were presented by Queen Sheba Restaurant and the Crocker Cafe.

A fashion show drew a big crowd (above and below).

The event was sponsored by Target and presented in collaboration with the Sojourner Truth Multicultural Art Museum and the Kuumba Collective Art Gallery.

For more information about Crocker Art Museum, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Get your groove on at downtown Ice Rink

2010-12-24T04:39:32Z

It's the night before Christmas Eve, my spirits needed a little lift, so I swang by the Ice Rink across from the Westfield Downtown Plaza. It was Hawaiian Night, advertised by the Downtown Sac Partnership as "Ice Rink Luau (Bust out the grass skirts and Hawaiian shirts for a free skate rental between 4-8 pm)".

I hung around about an hour and I didn't spot anyone dressed for a luau. I guess getting a free skate rental didn't matter much. Lots of kids and adults were having a grand time.

I've been taking photos at the Ice Rink since I arrived in Sacramento in 2006. It's always a light, fun moment being an observer ( I never was good at rollerskating or ice skating - weak ankles).

And there is always the challenge of capturing it photographically. I guess I'll never grow bored with it!

Here's some shots:

After a tasty meal, and a beer of course, at River City Brewing, here was the scene around 6:30 - folks lined up to get in (and I still didn't see anyone dressed for a luau!)

A lightshow of snowflakes plays on the First Northern Bank next to the Ice Rink.

For more information and hours of the Ice Rink CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Fab Forties Christmas Lights

2010-12-23T04:17:28Z

A great area to see Christmas lights is in East Sacramento in the Fab Forties. It's the streets 40th through 49th located between J St.and Folsom Blvd.

Here's some lit up homes:

SacPress Photos |Kati Garner

Sun Bath

2010-12-23T03:19:07Z

UCD Medical Center's Children Hospital along Stockton Blvd. is bathed in late afternoon sunlight against a backdrop of dark storm clouds to the east today. A funnel cloud was spotted south of Mather Field around 12:45pm. It didn't touch down or cause damage.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

World Record for Longest Glow Stick? Perhaps

2010-12-17T21:27:37Z

A group of fans converged on K St last night in to promote the newest TRON movie playing at IMAX and to hopefully set a new Guiness World Record for the longest 'glow stick."

"By the end of the event, 1,485 glowsticks were connected end to end in a continuos wavy snake that stretched five city blocks from the DSP Ice Rink at 7th and K down to 12th and K at the Esquire IMAX Theatre," said Doug Link, Marketing and Operations manager of Esquire IMAX theatre on K St.

Bunches of glow sticks got activated at the start line around 9pm.

The beginning of the half-mile long glow stick.

The sticks got connected to each other and made their way south on K St.

It was a great team effort, especially considering the folks came together for the first time and connected and laid the 1,485 glow sticks from one end of K St to another.

Link and a fan connect glow sticks.

The glow stick had to make a U-turn due to light rail tracks in the intersection of the block near IMAX.

Once the glow sticks were all connected the line was documented by video camera and then they were disconnected and removed.

One hour after the glow stick line creation began, TRON fans assembled in front of IMAX for a group shot, holding the glow sticks used. LInk said IMAX is going to submit the 2,722 feet to the Guiness Book of World Records. They will officially notify Link if it is a World Record within a couple of weeks. For those who couldn't stay for the midnight show, the Esquire IMAX Theatre gave special discount coupons to participants for future shows.

Link said "thank you" to all of their social media followers who came out and helped this event be such a success.

For information on TRON showings, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Holiday Evenings on K Street

2010-12-17T19:29:00Z

Fog around US Bank and Wells Fargo towers seen from K St.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Christmas Memories at the Governor's Mansion

2010-12-16T22:33:31Z

This rainy weekend should be a great time to visit the Governor's Mansion State Historic Park. It's filled with Christmas to show how it looked when California's governors actually lived there.

Our new governor, Jerry Brown, visited his family here while at college. His father, then-Governor Edmund G. Brown, and his family were the last first-family to celebrate Christmas in the stately mansion.

Here's what you'll experience. It's definitely more fun in person than just looking at these pictures I shot:

You'll experience live holiday music, storytellers and Mr. and Mrs. Claus.

The clawfoot bathtub is in the master bathroom. It was one of the very first indoor bathrooms in California. It was the talk of the town and it was considered very special that Mr. Gallatin had an indoor bathroom. The tile is Italian. The toilet and tub are originals. Teenager Kathy Brown, Jerry's sister, painted the red toenails on the tub.

This bedroom was converted from an outdoor porch.

This is the master bedroom of the mansion. A dress worn by Mrs. Edmund G. Brown is on the far left.

This second floor bathroom was originally a nursery. Several other bathrooms began as closets.

This bedroom with the double beds was used by the Reagan's during their three-month stay.

This, reportedly, is the bedroom used by then-college student Jerry Brown when he visited his family.

Family eating area in the rear of the mansion not far from the kitchen.

A docent walks down the driveway after ending her shift in the mansion.

Al Livingston, a Living History volunteer shared that the Governor's Mansion was built in 1877 for Albert and Clemenza Gallatin. He built on the highest spot, both for flood and ego. He spent over $75,000 bringing building materials like marble, and some workers, by ship from Italy, around the tip of South America.

The Gallatins lived in the mansion from 1877-1887.

Joseph Steffens purchased the house with a $10 gold piece and four pieces of vacant land in Pacific Heights near San Francisco.

The State of California purchased the house from the Steffens for $32,000 in 1903 to use as a home for California's first families.

The first wedding held in the mansion was one of the Steffens daughters.

13 governors and their families lived in the house from 1903-1967.

Governor George Pardee, his wife Helen and four daughters were the first residents of the “new” Governor’s Mansion.

Ronald Reagan's family resided there only three months after learning from the Fire Marshall it was a big fire hazard.

It then stayed empty for seven years. Since then the first and second floors have been renovated and are open for public tours.

Work is now underway on the third floor. All kinds of original things have been uncovered.

The park is located at the corner of 16th and H Streets in downtown Sacramento.

For more information about the Governor's Mansion State Park, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Homeward Bound

2010-12-15T20:34:55Z

The Hawaiian Chieftain motors along the Sacramento River this morning towards the I-80 overpass and onward to the ocean as it heads home to Grays Harbor in Aberdeen, WA. The topsail ketch arrived in Old Sacramento October 15, 2010 to provide Adventure Sails and on-board tours.

For more information on Hawaiian Chieftain, CLICK HERE>>>

Sac Press Photo | Kati Garner

Tower Bridge Still Spry at 75

2010-12-15T20:22:28Z

As part of the 75th anniversary celebration of Tower Bridge, the Hawaiian Chieftain embarked on its journey home to Gray's Harbor in Aberdeen, WA under the raised middle section of the bridge.

Jody Jones, District 3 Director, left; Christopher Cabaldon, Mayor City of West Sacramento; Kevin Johnson, Mayor City of Sacramento and Cindy McKim, Director, California Dept. of Transportation were among State and local officials who spoke about the bridge's history and its importance to Sacramento during a ceremony on Promenade Circle in Old Sacramento this morning.

Costumed docents from the Old Sacramento Living History Program were part of the celebration.

An anniversary cake, made by Cakes by Request Bakery Boutique was served.

For a look back on the bridge, CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Serna Sworn into County Supervisor Seat

2010-12-15T02:37:38Z

Phil Serna, wife Roxanna, niece and nephews Clara Rivera, Emilio Mayorga, Andres Mayorga and Ricky Rivera, applaud after he was sworn in by Sacramento attorney Tina Thomas today in the room of the Board of County Supervisors. The room was filled.

Serna presented flowers to Roxanna and thanking for her support.

Serna and his extended family grouped together for photos at ceremony's end.

Serna beat two contenders vying for Roger Dickinson's vacant seat: Grantland Johnson and Keith Weber.

For more information about Serna, CLICK HERE>>> and HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Posada NavideÑa - Energetic, Colorful Performance

2010-12-14T05:32:16Z

Compañía Mazatlán Bellas Artes de Sacramento presented Posada NavideÑa, a ballet folklórico dance concert at the Crest Theatre Sunday afternoon. Posada NavideÑa is a ballet folklórico interpretation of the traditional Mexican Christmas celebration, Las Posadas. 20 dancers and 16 musicians gave an energetic, whirlwind performance with original choreography.

Here are some scenes:

The performance was presented by La Raza Galeria Posada, a multi-disciplinary cultural center and public space serving the Sacramento community by offering Latino/Chicano and Native arts programming, art education workshops, and a community gathering place. To learn more CLICK HERE>>>

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Good Signs on K St.

2010-12-13T05:19:05Z

The Dive Bar is the last of three new businesses on K St. to have its sign completed. The sign maker put the finishing touches on it early this evening. Pizza Rock and District 30 signs are up and the trio are on track to open on or before Jan. 1, 2011. Crest Theatre's marque is reflected in the glass. For more info on these businesses, CLICK HERE>>> .

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

20th Annual Tree Lighting for Del Paso Area

2010-12-10T05:46:12Z

The North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce hosted its 20th annual tree lighting ceremony tonight. The vibrantly lit tree is behind the Iceland Rink at the Woodlake Community Pool, 1445 Lockbrae Rd.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Capitol Tree Lights up the Night

2010-12-09T01:43:51Z

Article | Mary Nares

A hallmark of the Schwarzenegger administration has been the elaborate and festive annual party to light the tree at the Capitol. For seven years, First Lady Maria Shriver has orchestrated a party to showcase the diversity and abundance of the state, and the public has been invited to share in the celebration. For this final Christmas of their tenancy in the Governor’s office, the First Family of California pulled out all the stops.

Several hundred Californians, including two dozen or more sitting legislators gathered at the west steps of the Capitol to enjoy the show. The building was decorated with trees and two large wooden soldiers, and a light show of blue, green, and lavender snowflakes danced across the stately marble façade. One tree, in pride of place on the steps, was entirely decorated with handmade ornaments from some of California’s many developmentally delayed and physically challenged citizens. The weather cooperated and the mood was upbeat; people sipped complimentary Peet’s coffee as they listened to the St. Paul’s Baptist Church choir, the 59th Army Band brass Quintet, and some young performers from the Song4Food CD project offered seasonal music.

The event was titled “A Season of Giving”, and the California grocer’s Association donated over 150,000 pounds of food to be distributed to California’s food banks. Additionally, the Song4Food artists are part of a project to raise funds for food banks throughout the country. Their December proceeds will be given exclusively to the Sacramento Food Bank.

When MC John O’Hurley took the stage, he re-introduced himself as “the man who killed Seinfeld”, three TV series of his own, and four soap operas-- he proclaimed himself to be “the Grim Reaper of Television”. The invocation was offered by Sister Terry Dodge, a recipient of the Maria Shriver’s 2010 Minerva Award, which honored her for her work with women being released from prison.

Following remarks from Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, and two songs from former “American Idol” contestant and actress Frenchie Davis, Maria Shriver took the podium. She talked about the joy and challenge she has found in coordinating this event. She reiterated her commitment to the hungry of California, and her support of the food banks and other community services to help the less fortunate through this difficult season. After introducing their son Christopher, the First lady introduced her husband, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Governor explained that the magnificent 55 foot tall tree, decorated with over 1500 ornaments and 9000 energy efficient lights, was designated the “Tree of Heroes”. It was dedicated to all the men and women who are heroes in our communities, from firefighters and peace officers to those serving in our armed forces, and including the 38 recipients of the Governor’s Medal of Honor who were decorated earlier in the day. Then with the help of little Jasmine Lee, an 8-year-old developmentally challenged child, the Governor hit the switch and the huge tree was ablaze with brilliant multicolored lights.

Rounding out the evening was a performance by David Archuleta, the 2008 runner-up from American Idol. His many fans thrilled to his wonderful voice and he closed the evening on a cheerful and memorable note.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sac Etsy Handmade Holidays at the Midtown Bazaar

2010-12-08T22:27:33Z

Grab your wallet, purse or piggy bank and get shopping for some great handmade gifts at the Midtown Bazaar, on I Street between 16th and 17th, Streets this Saturday, Dec. 11th, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m..

Admission is free!

"The Midtown Bazaar is a year-round marketplace that offers shoppers a perfect place to shop for items such as vintage clothes, handmade jewelry, candles, artwork, cards, home accessories, and home-baked goodies for your pets," Amy Johnson said. "They offer live music by local musicians, as well as wonderful food and drink from local eateries."

It's a great place to find handmade treasures which make nice gifts.

According to Johnson of Revitalized Vintage, the Sac Etsy Team is 155 members strong and growing daily. It was founded by Tana Taylor of Prairie Primitives Folk Art in February of 2009 to help Etsy shop owners in the Sacramento area network and support each other with the goal of promoting local artisans and helping all to be successful. Its members’ work spans a wide spectrum and includes nearly every handmade item imaginable.

The Sac Etsy Team will be offering one lucky winner the chance to win a gift basket of handmade Sac
Etsy items valued at over $100.

If you are unfamiliar with the term Etsy, wikipedia.org/wiki/Etsy describes it as "an ecommerce website focused on handmade or vintage items as well as art and craft supplies. These items cover a wide range including art, photography, clothing, jewelry, edibles, bath & beauty products, quilts, knick-knacks and toys. Many individuals also sell craft supplies like beads, wire, jewelry making tools and much more. The vintage items on the site have only one rule to follow: they must be 20 years or older. These items range from old boots and ice skates, to dresses, hats and scarves."

At the Midtown Bazaar you'll have the chance to see, feel, taste and smell their products right there.

Included in the photo collages above are these Sac Etsy members:

Kewish Designs
Miss Teawinkie
Prairie Primitives
Megan Ellis Art Glass Beads
Wise Earth Herbs
Pure Palette Scents
Odd Artist Studio

Visit the Sac Etsy Team blog: CLICK HERE>>>>>

For informaion on the Midtown Bazaar, CLICK HERE>>>>>

Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus: 26 Years of Wonderful

2010-12-05T22:54:44Z

Article | Mary Nares

The annual holiday concert by the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus is one of the brightest traditions in town. SGMC has been entertaining and engaging sellout audiences for 26 years, and 2010’s “Wonderland” upheld the chorus’ glowing reputation.

The 42 singers, clad in their tuxedos (many with glittery rhinestone brooches twinkling from crisp lapels), enthralled the full house at First United Methodist with an eclectic program.

From the familiar “Winter Wonderland”, to the gorgeous haunting “Prayer of the Children”, each number was clean and well sung.

Soprano Kathryn Donovan was guest soloist for “Must The Winter Come So Soon”.

Of course, no SGMC concert would be complete without humor, and they did not disappoint the audience. “Coming Out On Christmas” featured campy choreography and drew appreciative belly laughs.

And the chorus celebrated “It’s Our Christmas Cheer” with shiny red and gold pompoms worthy of the Glee cast.

Artistic Director Paul Jones and Principal Accompanist Mark A. Robinson create a professional showcase for the vocal talents of the Chorus. Every performance is beautifully interpreted for the hearing impaired by Drea Atkinson.

Director Paul Jones led the audience through a sing-a-long for the grand finale.

SGMC will be accepting new members until the end of January, when rehearsals for the Spring concert will begin. “One For The Road” will be presented in Sacramento, Loomis, Stockton, and Davis on several dates from April 29 through May 15, 2011.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Santa's Adventures on MARRS

2010-12-05T06:07:17Z

Santa landed on MARRS today and wished everyone a Merry Christmas during 12 Days of Midtown "Holiday on MARRS".

I was there to document this historic event:

Santa and his helper trekked on MARRS bringing good cheer to one and all.

First stop was to get Santa in the zone with some yoga (above and below).

Photo with Santa was part of his adventure.

In and out of doors we went.

Shaking hands and bumping fists is all part of his work.

Off to his sleigh he went when his work here was done.

For more info about midtown CLICK HERE

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Socked-in Scenics

2010-12-03T01:53:49Z

Even though the sky was socked-in and gray there were some good sights from Discovery Park today.

A narrow canal, under Natomas Park Drive, runs parallel to Garden Highway, emptying into the Sacramento River.

Even though the Jibboom St Bridge hides I-5 in the background, tall vehicles cast reflections in the water (blue semi cab pulling a white trailer on left).

Sacramento skyline against gray skies.

A sea lion comes up for air as it trolls for fish in the converging waters of the Sacramento and American Rivers.

A man rides his bicyle on a path under the bridge.

A homeless man loads his backpack and gear to move to another site.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Public Invited to Send Holiday Cards to Soldiers

2010-12-01T21:55:18Z

For a fourth year, the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes Inc. are teaming up to deliver holiday cards to service members, their families and veterans, many of whom will be far from home this holiday season. The Holiday Mail for Heroes program provides Americans with the opportunity to send holiday greetings and a note of thanks to our men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.

“Sending a greeting card is a small effort that makes a big impact for our American heroes during the holiday season,” said Trisha Johnson, emergency services director at the Capital Region Chapter. “The American Red Cross serves and supports members of the military, veterans, and their families by providing emergency communications, comfort and assistance each day. The Holiday Mail for Heroes program continues the Red Cross tradition of service to the armed forces.”

The American Red Cross will be hosting a local card-signing and drop-off event on Sunday, December 5 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at the Sacramento office, located at 1565 Exposition Boulevard. The public is invited to join in the event, signing cards to be delivered to military members near and far, or dropping off their own handmade cards.

For a full list of recommended guidelines and best practices on the Holiday Mail for Heroes program visit redcross.org/holidaymail. For questions regarding the card-signing event, please contact Trisha Johnson at 916-993-7087.

WHAT:                          Holiday Mail for Heroes
                                     Card signing and drop-off event

WHERE:                       American Red Cross
                                     1565 Exposition Boulevard, Sacramento

WHEN:                          Sunday, December 5, 2010
                                     1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. The Capital Region Chapter serves an eleven-county region including Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, eastern Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Tuolumne and Yolo counties. For more information, visit http://www.redcrosscrc.org or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/RedCrossCRC.

Photo | Kati Garner, American Red Cross Volunteer

Capitol Mall Almost Aglow

2010-11-30T06:42:17Z

I arrived at Capitol Mall around 5:30 this evening and had to really make sure I wasn't missing the 22,450 LED lights that were to be on the towers between 1st and 7th Streets.

US Bank was the most photogenic so I captured scenes there, near and far.

I'm guessing perhaps there were technical difficulties with getting the other buildings lit. All was not lost!

Here's what I saw:

The front of US Bank is very eye-catching.

To the left of the Christmas tree is a reflection of the art outside.

Bank of the West dressed in Christmas red and green and white lights on the trees at its entry (below).

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Winn Park Dressed in Holiday Spirit

2010-11-28T21:56:03Z

This morning was a fine time to get Winn Park into the Holiday mood. Seven volunteers, bundled in their warm coats and hats, set themselves in motion.

It took less than an hour-and-a-half for Ken Knutson, William Burg, Randall Fontenot, Lee and Hanju Archie, Thomas Williams and Vivian Gerlauch to get the poles and park sign decorated on behalf of the Midtown Neighborhood Association.

For more information on the Midtown Neighborhood Association, visit: sacmidtown.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Black Friday Shopping and Mayhem

2010-11-27T18:02:31Z

Thanksgiving evening at 11pm, Ed Fogle and I joined forces to capture the Black Friday shopping frenzies. Our adventure began at Arden Fair Mall.

Here is a timeline:

11:49pm - Thanksgiving evening

Traffic at Arden Fair Mall was ongoing.

Busses continuously dropped shoppers off.

12:01 AM

At the front of the mall, the line's tail-end of shoppers were sprinting to get through the doors.

12:04 AM

Elevators were packed.

Shoppers were packing into stores!

Apple was busy!

Shoppers with bags streamed out of Macy's.

1:47 AM

Fry's Electronics at Northgate Blvd had a long line of shoppers trying to stay warm in 34 degrees. The woman in the blue cap arrived at 10am Thanksgiving.

4:16 AM

Target on Broadway apparently had no problem selling flatscreen tvs.

Empty!

Check out lines were long.

Hard keeping carts handy at the store's front door at 4:29am.

5:06 AM

Wal Mart at Florin Rd in south Sacramento was the scene of an unruly crowd evacuated from the store. The Sacramento Sheriffs Department was sent in to gain control of the situation.

Assistant manager “L.C.” made several announcements over a bullhorn encouraging the crowd to move down to the single entrance where customers would be eventually let back in under better control (above and below).

5:44 AM

Shoppers were allowed back into the store in a single-file line.

For more footage and information from Black Friday in Sacramento:

For video footage of the Wal Mart scene, please visit: http://sacmav.com/2010/11/26/florin-town-walmart-mayhem-black-friday/#more-906

For more footage of Arden Mall, please visit:http://sacmav.com/2010/11/26/black-friday-at-midnight-at-arden-fair-mall/

Photos | Kati Garner, SacMav.com

Old Soul Kind of Morning

2010-11-26T22:25:23Z

A pastel sky welcomes the new day-after Thanksgiving. This was the scene from in front of Old Soul on Broadway at 7am this morning. SacPress Photo |Kati Garner

Red Cross Update | Calaveras County Shelter Closes; Tuolumne County Shelter Remains Open

2010-11-25T21:51:05Z

The shelter that has accommodated dozens of residents in the Ebbets Pass area will be closing as of 1:00 pm Thursday. A significant amount of the area's power has been restored, allowing residents to return to their Calaveras County homes in time for Thanksgiving. Many residents in Tuolumne County, however, remain without power. The American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter will continue to operate the shelter at the Word of Life Fellowship Church in Miwuk Village to accommodate residents in the area who are in need of a warm place to stay, a hot meal to eat, and a place to gather with neighbors. A local Marie Callender's restaurant is donating turkey dinners for the residents in the shelter in Miwuk Village to help them celebrate Thanksgiving.

Tuolumne County Shelter (remaining open until power is restored):
Word of Life Fellowship Church, 24630 Highway 108, Miwuk Village

Calaveras County Shelter (closed as of 1:00 pm, Thursday):
Old fire station adjacent to new fire station facility, 1028 Manuel Road, Arnold

Information courtesy American Red Cross, Capital Region Chapter

Photo | Kati Garner, American Red Cross Volunteer

Car Dealership in Westfield Downtown Plaza

2010-11-25T00:16:55Z

Black Friday may find some shoppers at the Westfield Downtown Plaza surprised when they see cars parked in a store on the main level. It's truly a unique site - Sacramento is apparently the first, and only, city in North America with a car dealership within the walls of a mall. Monday, Nov. 22, the Hyundai Store officially opened for business in the Westfield Downtown Plaza. It's located on the J Street side under the Food Court. I had to see it myself. As far as I could tell, access is the same as for the other mall stores. SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

For more details, please see:http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/41123/A_One_of_a_Kind_in_Sacramento

American Red Cross Helps Residents Impacted by Winter Weather

2010-11-24T21:13:45Z

The American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter is helping those impacted by the recent severe winter weather affecting the sierra region. On Tuesday evening, the Red Cross partnered with Tuolumne and Calaveras counties to open two warming centers to assist residents who are still without power. The location of the two warming centers are:

Warming Center in Tuolumne County:
Fire Station, 18781 Cedar Drive, Twain Harte

Warming Center in Calaveras County:
Old fire station adjacent to new fire station facility, 1028 Manuel Road, Arnold

The Red Cross will continue to provide assistance until power is restored and there is no longer a need for emergency shelter.

The American Red Cross urges the community to follow a few simple tips to stay safe during snow emergency weather.

Staying safe in your home:
•       Create or purchase a 3-day disaster supplies kit. Kits should include water, food, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and emergency supplies, and special items for medical conditions for each member of your family. Also keep additional blankets, bottled water, and a flashlight with extra batteries available.
•       When using alternative heat from a fireplace, wood stove, or space heater, use fire safeguards and ventilate properly.
•       If you purchase a fresh Christmas tree, secure it in a sturdy stand away from heat sources and exits and water it daily. If you purchase an artificial tree, make sure it is labeled as fire-retardant.
•       Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials. Take special care when burning candles and never leave a lit candle unattended.

Staying safe in your car:
•       Have your car winterized and keep a disaster supplies kit in your vehicle. Your kit should include blankets, food, water, flares, chains, gloves and first aid supplies.
•       Keep your car's gas tank full for emergency use and to keep the fuel line from freezing.
•       Allow extra time when traveling. Let someone know your destination, route, and when you expect to arrive. Monitor weather conditions carefully and adhere to travel advisories.
•       If you do get stuck, stay with your car—do not try to walk to safety. Tie a brightly colored cloth (preferably red) to the antenna and keep your overhead light on when the engine is running so you can be seen. Start the car and use the heater for about 10 minutes every hour.

Staying safe outside:
•       If possible, avoid being outside in the coldest part of the day or for extended periods of time in extreme cold weather.
•       Dress in multiple thin layers so you can adjust to changing conditions. Most of your body heat is lost through your head so wear a hat, preferably one that covers your ears. Avoid overdressing or overexertion that can lead to heat illness.
•       Keep dry and get out of wet clothes immediately. Warm your core body temperature with a blanket or warm fluids like hot cider or soup.

To learn more about how to stay safe during severe winter weather or to purchase a disaster supply kit, contact the American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter at 916-993-7070 or visit http://www.redcrosscrc.org.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

Information | Press Release, American Red Cross, Capital Region Chapter

Photo | Kati Garner, American Red Cross Volunteer

Sutter Stormy Backdrop

2010-11-23T22:34:14Z

Stormy skies provide a dramatic backdrop to Sutters Fort and the Sutter Construction cranes in midtown around 1pm two days before Thanksgiving. Freezing temperatures are expected from tonight through Thanksgiving day. SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Support Make-a-Wish Foundation in the Fountains at Roseville this Holiday Season

2010-11-22T06:34:26Z

The Fountains at Roseville dove into the holiday season with its first Christmas tree lighting and pledges all of the coins tossed into the display fountains during this holiday season to the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

Walt Gray of KCRA was the master of ceremonies. His nose was recently injured and is bandaged.

The sky was a fountain during the ceremony, pouring rain upon the participants.

Judy Britts directed the Northern California Children's Choir in singing Christmas carols before the tree was lit.

Visitors from Cinderella gave their support for the honored guest.

Four year old Jacob, the honored guest, weathered the rain with his parents Ryan and Sarah. Jacob has Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) and his wish is to go to Disneyland.

The jolly visitors from the North Pole showed up wishing everyone the best.

The Make-a-Wish Foundation of Sacramento was founded in 1983. Since that time the chapter has given hope, strength and joy to kids in fulfilling more than 3,500 wishes.

http://www.makeawish-sacto.org/

The Fountains at Roseville is located on the corner of Galleria Boulevard and Roseville Parkway in Roseville.

http://www.thefountainsatroseville.com/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Storm Scenic

2010-11-22T05:11:44Z

The storm-ladden skies viewed from The Fountains in Roseville offered gorgeous views around sunset. Photo | Kati Garner

Roseville kicks off Holidays with Christmas Parade

2010-11-21T22:34:57Z

Roseville had a great Christmas parade Saturday afternoon. And they luckily they had a break from the rain while it happened.

Their 49th Annual Sylvia Besana Holiday Parade began at the intersection of Douglas/ Riverside/Vernon at 3pm.
Here are some photos:

The Mayor turned on the town's Christmas Tree lights when it got dark, Santa was in the Tower Theatre and there was lots of ornament decorating going on.

The Merchants along Vernon Street will be open for holiday shopping this season, rain or shine.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Local Fans Smitten with newest Harry Potter

2010-11-19T19:58:44Z

A Harry Potter fan gives a big thumbs-up after seeing “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1" as she exits Regal Natomas Marketplace 16 at 2:15am this morning. According to http://AccessHollywood.com, fans across the country loved it to the tune of $24 million for its midnight debut.

Here's local reactions and photos of Harry Potter fans as they streamed out of the theatre:

(Put an exclamation mark after all over these)

Everything about it was good
I just kept hoping it would never end
It was funny, kinda scary, had great action and I loved it
The ending was kinda sad
It really touched my heart
I gotta see the next one
I thought this was the best one
Parts were left out of the book, but still a great movie
I loved the opening

This fellow said he's secure enough in his manhood to have a little wand.

This fan explained she brought her own tea leaves reading set so she could be like Professor Trelawney.

No comment from this fan!

For more photos and video, please see: http://sacmav.com/2010/11/19/harry-potter-sells-out-another-box-office-hit/

Photos | Kati Garner, SacMav.com

Ho Ho Ho!

2010-11-18T23:06:00Z

A young boy sits on Santa's lap today at the Arden Fair Mall under the big Christmas tree. Our jolly pal from the North Pole is available for photos through Dec. 24. The mall has added new stores, including Brighton Collectibles, Calendar Club, Clear, Hickory Farms, Sleep Number by Select Comfort, T-Mobile, Totally Toys and Extreme Energy.

Here's his busy schedule and the photo info link: http://http://www.ardenfair.com/events.asp?id=71979&start=11/6/2010

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Governor-Elect Jerry Brown meets with Transition Team, Finance Officials

2010-11-17T02:08:33Z

Governor-Elect Jerry Brown was deep into a meeting with state finance officials and his transition team when media swarmed in by invitation.

Per the Press Release sent, "Jerry Brown will hold a brief photo availability for news media during a meeting between the Governor-Elect, his transition team and Department of Finance officials in Sacramento."

This afternoon we were escorted to the 10th floor of the Department of Justice into the meeting room of his Attorney General's office.

For a few moments it went from simply being a photo opportunity to a rapid fire of questions from our group and answers from Brown.

Luckily I had my handy-dandy digital recorder with me. I laid it down between two folks at the table.

For awhile the meeting carried on as if we weren't there. The clicking of cameras was heard as the meeting continues.

Finally, one of us asks, "Governor, what's the biggest challenge for you?"

Brown's response "I'd say the biggest challenge is just starting the work, which I have, day by day, to keep chipping away."

"The challenge is to get all the significant players to belly up to the bar and give me their ideas and take responsibility for how California can solve this problem. It's really a challenge for all the people of California as to how we manage what's in front of us. And what's in front of us is this enormous, unprecedented gap between the money coming in and the money committed to going out."

He says that's what he's working on.

I was the last out the door and turned around to get this shot as Brown's meeting continued.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Cast from Cirque Dreams Holidaze show their stuff.

2010-11-17T01:16:44Z

Acrobats with Cirque Dreams Holidaze showed what they do well today to a crowd at the Downtown Ice Skating Rink. They seemed to flow from one thing into another effortlessly.

David Pacheco and his pup Bravo, with sunglasses on, caught the show.

You'll find more information here: http://www.cirqueproductions.com/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Discover Oak Park | Then and Now

2010-11-15T20:30:07Z

Fall is a great time to take a walk. If you don't like walking just for the sake of walking, take the self-guided walking tour of Central Oak Park.

The newly published brochure, Central Oak Park Walking Tour, was produced by the Center for Sacramento History in collaboration with Dr. Robin Datel of CSUS, Sacramento History Foundation, the Sacramento County Historical Society and California State University Sacramento.

Take a walk into past and present day Oak Park.

Here is a jump start that covers the area on the north side of Broadway:

2837 36th Street is the site of the former Bicycle Kitchen. It is a small building on property owned by the Brickhouse Art Gallery. Its current occupant is Images & Beyond.

2837 36th Street is now the site of The Brickhouse Art Studios. In the 1930s Charles D. Soracco acquired property at the corner of 36th Street, 4th Avenue, and Broadway. Soracco Sheet Metal operated there until 2002.

3501 Broadway is the site of the Gostick Brothers/Wulff And Sons Meat Market. Until 1951 various meat markets operated here. It is currently vacant. Renovation is planned.

3519 3rd Avenue, next to the meat market, this bungalow was built for the George A. Gostick family in 1912.

3519 Broadway, home to Stilson Brothers Cleaners, was constructed for the company in 1927. The business continues its operation there.

3503 Broadway was a former gas station. A Shell Oil Company service station was built here in 1922. The building retains it's original look. It is now home to 6 Day Tires.

3649 4th Avenue is the former site of Oak Park School of Afro-American Thought in the 1960's. It is now occupied by Bouey Termite & Contstruction, Inc.

3600 Broadway has been the site of the United Methodist Church since the building was dedicated in 1927.

3401 2nd Avenue was the location for various gocery, furniture, and other stores on the ground floor until Thom’s Cyclery’s moved in from next door in 1938 and stayed until 2007! The wood- frame building dates from 1896.

3500 2nd Ave, now Oak Park Pre-School, was built in 1901 for prominent Oak Park physician Dr. John T. Culver, who lived here for 52 years. In 1953, the house became a privately run child-care facility, Oak Park Day Nursery. The sorority, Eta Gamma Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, started child-care center and continues its operations today.

The information used above is taken from the new Central Oak Park Walking Tour brochure. There is lots more detailed descriptions in it and many more sites to see in person.

The photos shown above the color images (present day shots) are courtesy of the producers of the brochure.

I shot the color photos shown above.

The brochures are available at locations throughout the central Oak Park area, including the businesses listed below.

Evolve the Gallery

2907 35th Street

Sacramento, California 95817

Underground Books

2814 35th Street

Sacramento, CA 95817

Old Soul Co. @ Forty Acres

3546 3rd Avenue

Sacramento, CA 95817

US Bank

3418 Broadway

Sacramento, CA 95817

Colonial Heights Library

4799 Stockton Blvd

Sacramento, CA 95820

For copies of the brochure or to serve as a public distribution site, call (916) 808-7072.

Be a Walking Art Piece

2010-11-13T21:43:07Z

The Art to Wear Show continues Sunday, Nov 14 from 11am - 4pm at the Shepard Garden and Art Center, McKinley Park, at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento. It is presented by Sacramento Center for the Textile Arts.

Here's more examples of what you'll discover:

This is a close-up of the bra area on the first photo at top.

Even some "not to wear" art is available.

Here's the preview article: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/36404/Art_to_Wear

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Honoring our Veterans on Veterans Day

2010-11-13T20:52:45Z

A visitor to the All Wars Memorial in Capitol Park gazes at the tall sculpture on Veterans Day. Docents were on-hand to great visitors at the All Wars Veterans Memorial just off N St. on the Capitol Park Grounds.

Veterans, as well as non-veterans, gathered at the Mexican American Veterans Memorial at Capitol Park on Veterans Day for a ceremony honor those who had sacrificed their lives.

Someone had asked one of the event planners, "Why do you guys need a special memorial?," Pedro Hernandez explained to the crowd.

He said he thought about it for a minute and then replied, "I don't believe we need a special memorial or do we think that we are special?"

"We all deal with grief in our own ways, some through alcoholism, some by turning off life, some people do it any way they can," Hernandez said.

"But it was these women (the photos of mothers who lost sons in war are displayed to the right of Hernandez) that came together, some of them lost two sons, some of them lost three sons. Instead of turning to alcohol or drugs, they came together and said 'We cannot forget what our sons did.We cannot allow them not to be recognized. We cannot live the rest of our lives knowing they did what they needed to do and now it's our turn'."

Mary Salas holds a photo of War Mothers that was presented to her.

And these mothers of sons killed in WWII began to fund raise to create this memorial.

Hernandez said, "It is that we are special. That is why we need to be recognized. That is why we give our life to this country. And if my children, my grandchildren and their grandchildren give their lives to this country it is because it means that much to us."

This memorial is symbolic of what was happening throughout all of California when all Hispanic mothers lost their sons fighting for this country during WWII.

Assemblywoman Mary Salas, 79th assembly district, explained that those Mexican-American mothers created something so that their sons and daughters will never be forgotten.

A veteran salutes a memorial wreath presented by Irene Canseco and Angel Dhin.

"It gives me and our whole community such a sense of pride." Salas said. "Our country is sometimes filled with such controversy and negativity, and sometimes in politics somebody will use a group. They will say 'this group is not patriotic' or 'this group is a burden on our society.' "

"And quite frankly, many times the Latino community has been scapegoated as a problem," Salas explained. "When really we were the solution."

Not only the solution, but a part of the community that brought wealth to the state of California.

"We are a proud and patriotic people," Salas said. "Our people have contributed so much not only to the state of California but to the United States of America."

Vets and non-veterans attended the Veterans Day ceremony (above and below).

Some of the pictures and memorabilia placed at the base of the Mexican American Veterans Memorial.

A soldier salutes as Taps is played.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner, (US Navy veteran (1973-77))

A Capitol Christmas Tree

2010-11-09T23:06:49Z

The Christmas Tree at the State Capitol is in place and awaiting decorations and lights.

According to Les Strike, Capitol Park Operations Manager, the 55 ft white fir was set in place around 9am this morning, thanks to Diamond Crane Co.

The California Department of General Services (DGS) cut down the tree yesterday on U.S. Forest Service property in Camino, CA in El Dorado County, and CAL FIRE transported it to the Capitol, with a California Highway Patrol escort.

Strike says they try to pick out a tree that the Governor and First Lady will be happy with and the public will enjoy.

Strike and his crew have had their eyes on the current one for about five years.

"Because of all the rain we've had in the last couple years, this one really liked the good rain and it grew fast," he said. "This tree grew a good 15 to 20 ft. in the past two years and we were pleasantly surprised how it developed and got full branches on it. We said 'That's a winner.'"

Now that it's in place there's finishing touches to be done.

Besides decorations and lights, a stage will be built on top of the grass and a fence will be built around it.

"Each year is a bit different" in regards to the tree lighting event, Strike said. "We really don't know the details yet."

There will be up to 9,000 LED Christmas lights and more than 2,000 ornaments. In keeping with tradition, the Department of Developmental Services provides 1,500 of those ornaments, handcrafted by children and adults with developmental disabilities who receive services and support from state developmental centers and 21 nonprofit regional centers.

By using LED lights, 95 percent of the energy that would be consumed by incandescent bulbs is saved. The tree is free since it's donated.

The tree lighting ceremony will tentatively take place on the west side of the Capitol on Dec 7 at 4:30pm.

Crews place boards around the base of the big tree to support it.

Once the Christmas tree was positioned and well-supported a crew member climbed about half way to the top to release some cables used in moving the tree.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Christmas in the Air in Old Sac

2010-11-08T20:03:18Z

4,000 pounds of evergreen arrived in Old Sacramento early this morning.

It stands about 55 ft tall and had to be put in place by crane. It left its home near Mt Shasta a day ago. The near-perfect-shaped Christmas tree is now in place at K and Front St.

Old Sac's Christmas tree is lowered to the ground above it's new home for the holidays.

Ron Shoffitt, left, of Maxim Crane Works and Joe Roberson of Carlton Christmas Trees, remove the flag and lights from the tip of the tree sticking from the rear of the truck that hauled it to Old Sac.

Up, up and away it goes.

Some lower limbs are buzzed off before lowering the massive evergreen into its base.

The holidays are rapidly approaching. They're happening……….deal with it.

Tell the old curmudgeon within to go to its happy place.

Here's the Old Sac Christmas schedule, so please mark your calendars:

The holidays start in Old Sacramento the week of Thanksgiving as the historic business district prepares for the annual Old Sacramento Tree Lighting and Theatre of Lights.

On November 24, the Tree Lighting festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. and will include live performances, a visit from Father Christmas and much more.
Visitors can join the fun and watch as Mayor Kevin Johnson flips the switch to light the tree at 6:30p.m.

Back for the second year, event-goers will experience the Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights.

That night at 6:30p.m. a symphony of lights, sounds and visual effects will take the audience back to a time when the beloved poem The Night Before Christmas was first introduced in Sacramento in 1857.

The Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights will run two 20-minute light shows throughout the holiday season Thursdays through Sundays at 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Decorations for the tree and around Old Sac will go up the end of this week.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Old Sac Aglow

2010-11-08T17:33:27Z

After a stormy weekend, the rising sun glows in the the glass tower atop the Ebner Hotel in Old Sacramento early this morning.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Maryhouse Offers Shopping for a Cause

2010-11-06T20:41:55Z

"This Designer Warehouse event is an opportunity for people to actually shop till they drop and feel guilt-free because every dollar earned here goes straight to our Maryhouse Day Hospitality Center for homeless women and children," explained Sister Libby Fernandez, RSM, Executive Director of Loaves and Fishes in Sacramento.

Sister Libby tries on a designer top during the designer warehouse sale held Friday on the 25th floor of the US Bank building. It continued through Satuday.

There were many high-end brands among the more than 40,000 pieces, including Charmel, Lillith, Cosabella, Elm and others.

Here's some photos from Friday:

Hats, hats and more hats!

Lots of good eats donated by Tony's Fine Foods. The Wine Warehouse and Young's Market donated a nice selection of wine.

Clothes for the little ones.

Mo finishes up on some shopping.

Leather gloves aplenty.

For more information about Maryhouse and Loaves & Fishes: http://www.sacloaves.org/

Visit Mariel Tagg's preview of the sale:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/39902/Buy_discounted_designer_clothes_donate_to_charity

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Art to Wear

2010-11-03T23:32:43Z

Want to be a walking and fashionable piece of art?

Don't miss this upcoming art sale.

Sacramento Center for the Textile Arts is a non-profit organization that has been in existence for 30 years serving Sacramento and area communities. This annual sale provides support for the SCTA Scholarship Fund which awards scholarships to textile students at area universities and colleges. The annual event provides an opportunity for textile artists to promote and sell their work in the community.

ART to WEAR is held at the Shepard Garden and Art Center, McKinley Park, at 3330 McKinley Blvd., Sacramento.

The November 13 and 14, 2010, event begins with a fashion show on Saturday, Nov. 13, at 10am with the sale following between 11am and 4pm.

The sale continues on Sunday, Nov. 14, from 11am to 4 pm. Admission is free.

The sale will include a variety of hand crafted garments, accessories, unique jewelry, home decor and more!

One of a kind fashions will be highlighted in the fashion show.

Information and photos courtesy of Sacramento Center for the Textile Arts

Day of the Dead was alive and kicking

2010-11-03T22:54:06Z

Until I visited the recent exhibit of Day of the Dead exhibit in midtown this past Sunday and Monday, I had it conjured up in my pea-pickin' brain that it was something weird, macabre and totally unrelated to me.

True, it is a Mexican holiday called Día de los Muertos. Yes, it does have some bizarre rituals like donning wooden skull masks called calacas, creating sugar skulls and it is very close to Halloween. So, it's gotta be weird, right?

Its origins can be traced back to the indigenous cultures. Celebrating the deaths of ancestors have been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500–3,000 years.

The wooden skulls are placed on an altar dedicated to the deceaed. A relative or friend eats the sugar skull with the name of the dead person on its forehead.

When my Grandma Polly died six years ago, the things I kept of hers could be considered totally whacked.

I have her tube of lipstick that bears imprints from her lips. I nabbed her dental retainer box with her false teeth. And her tweezers.

Remembering the dead is such a human thing. Something we all do, but in different ways.

JFK's assassination on November 22, 1963 comes alive again just about every fall.

We just don't want to forget the people we loved once they die.

Here are some scenes from the Day of the Dead exhibit behind the La Raza Galería Posada at K and 22nd:

An artist sketches a display.

A young girl touches some flowers that are part of an altar.

Visitors pause to take in the displays (above and below).

A group of local artists honored dead artists (Salvador Dali in foreground framed photo).

A deceased's favorite liquid?

The two-day exhibit was the first of its kind in Sacramento. Participating organizations included Mexican American Legal Defense Education Fund (MALDEF), Consulado Mexicano de California en Sacramento, Amnesty International, California State University, Sacramento – EOP, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, California Arts Council, CARES/Planned Parenthood, The Mexican Cultural Center of Northern California, Mujeres Ayudando La Raza, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (MEChA), Sacramento County Employees Latino Caucus, NoiseFest, Instituto Mazatlan Bellas Artes.

Artists and individuals included Steven Rowe, Monica Delgado, Greg Ulibas, Suzanne Rubalcava, Brian Castaneda, Shayna May, David Alverez, Jasmina Aguila, Sue Schoneman, Jennifer Luna, Kathy Blackburn, Maria Quintero-Lenihan, Vanessa Esquivido, Irene Lugo, Jesus Barela, Eric Riviera-Jurado, Mari Arreola, MENDOMAS artist collective, Cassandra Ariaz, Michelle Barbaria, William Burg, Kevin Santos-Coy, Olga Cid.

The Dia de los Muertos: El Panteón de Sacramento is funded by the James Irvine Foundation, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation and the California Arts Council to provide a unique culturally based art installation. La Raza Galería Posada is a multi-disciplinary cultural center and public space serving the Sacramento community by offering Latino/Chicano and Native arts programming, art education workshops, and a community-gathering place.

For further info: Veronica Delgado: 916-792-4947 or visit http://www.larazagaleriaposada.org
SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Midtown Halloween and Pooch Costume Contest

2010-10-31T21:38:14Z

Saturday, the day before the official Halloween, little ones and their parents were trick or treating Sac Midtown businesses.

It's an annual event organized by the merchants and the Midtown Business Association and it was great.

Relles Florist provided fun for the kids; Howdy Do Dat the magician with his real live bunny, face painting by All Party Art and Pony Tails, as well as trick or treaters creating faces on small pumpkins.

"oh come on, that flag isn't right"

Guest appearances were made by some of the dogs that were all dressed up for the Pooch Parade and Costume Contest.

Do you like the dark and brooding type?

Kennedy Art Gallery hosted the awards ceremony next to Headhunters.

Charlie Kennedy, the Spider

In the afternoon the dapper and beautiful canines paraded around midtown and were judged to see which would be the "Top Dogs" This halloween.

The winning dogs in the Pooch Costume Contest are:

1st place - Wiley the Aztec

2nd place - Rudy the Clown

3rd place - Cupcake the Raggedy Ann

Cutest - Lulu the shark

Midtown Spirit - Apple, the Lady Gaga

Funniest - Oliver the Chicken
Best Duo - Mac and Teddy thePolice Dog and Convict
Spookiest - Charlie the Spider

Costume contest judges were Karen Jacques (Board member UAN), Corey DeRoo (French Cuff Consignment, Susan Tiesing (Tres Chic Boutique) and Niki Fay (Midtown Business Association).

Proceeds from the registration fees for entering the Pooch Parade/Costume contest were donated to United Animal Nations. Founded in 1987, United Animal Nations (UAN) focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the bond between people and animals through a variety of programs, including emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education. http://uan.org

"Would you please fetch my pipe and newspaper, old sport?"

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Folsom's Night of 1,000 pumpkins

2010-10-31T00:30:11Z

Folsom's historic Sutter Street glittered with lighted pumpkins lined up on sidewalks and windowsills Friday night. I don't know the exact count of the jack-o-lanterns, but there were lots of them and folks were loving them during the event's second year.

Prizes were awarded in the following categories: Scariest Pumpkin, Best Special Effects Pumpkin, Best Traditional Pumpkin, Funniest Pumpkin, and Best Kids Pumpkin. There were two Halloween movies on an inflatable screen in the street - one scary movie, one kids movie - face painters, free popcorn and the shops had customers lined up for goodies.

Here's some stuff I saw:

Johnny Cash pumpkin

There was the possibility of a zombie "flash mob" showing up, but I didn't see any groups of the walking dead.

MyFolsom.com and the Folsom Historic District Association sponsored the event.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Disney on Ice

2010-10-29T23:08:09Z

I had no idea that Sacramento was home to so many 3-foot tall fairies, princesses, lions, clownfish and mermaids.

The audience at Arco Arena was filled with excited children who had brought their parents to see Ariel, Simba and Peter Pan. Their glittery costumes, flashing light wands and sparkly tiaras filled the arena with magic even before the show began.

“Disney on Ice: Mickey and Minnie’s Magical Journey” is a crowd-pleasing extravaganza of toe-tapping music, colorful costuming, beloved Disney characters, spectacular special effects – and exciting ice skating.

Mickey and Minnie teamed up with longtime pals Donald, Daisy and Goofy to carry us along on their magical vacation. We visited Africa with the Lion King, the undersea world of “The Little Mermaid,” paradise with Lilo and Stitch, and Neverland, home of Peter Pan and Captain Hook.

In the grand Disney tradition, the show features a large company of wonderful skaters to bring familiar characters to life. Each segment presents key scenes from the films with humor, dramatic effects and those songs we know and love. The choreography, set design, lighting, costumes and sound quality combine to draw everyone into the experience.

Even the littlest audience members were enthralled, gasping with surprise or giggling delightedly in all the right places.

Brian, a sweet 2-year-old sitting in front of me (on the booster seat his parents had wisely brought along) laughed and pumped his little arms in the air, dancing in his seat. He was enthralled the entire time, even forgetting to eat his popcorn. His parents were equally engaged, clapping enthusiastically and ooh-ing when Wendy, John and Michael Darling flew overhead on their way to Neverland. I even saw some cool, ultra-sophisticated teens singing along.

A word of caution: Parents, be prepared for the concourse filled with all things Disney. Photos in Ariel’s undersea world, stuffed animals and fairy wands and Captain Hook hats all vie for your attention and your dollars. And I saw several adults sporting adorable Flounder hats. I wish I had purchased one of those darling blue and yellow chapeaus, and maybe a whirly light wand...

This affordably priced family adventure will run through Sunday afternoon and is a guaranteed hit with young and old alike. Grab a costume and get your Disney on.

“Disney on Ice Presents Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey” at Arco Arena

Friday, Oct. 29 - 11:00am, 7:00pm
Saturday, Oct. 30 - 11:00am, 3:00pm, 7:00pm
Sunday, Oct. 31 - 11:00am, 3:00pm
Ticket Prices: $14, $17, $23, $38 (VIP), $60 (Front Row); Parking: $12.00
Buy tickets at ticketmaster.com, Arco Arena Box Office, or call 1-800-745-3000

Story | Mary Nares

Photos | Courtesy of Disney

Fun at The Pumpkin Farm

2010-10-27T00:26:40Z

If I were a kid again, I'd want Mom and Dad to take me to The Pumpkin Farm.

It's 12 acres of fun filled with 100 tons of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes to choose from. They've grown pumpkins that are more than 800 pounds there and you can see them. During the 2008 season, they grew one of the FIRST two GIANT PUMPKINS over 1000 pounds grown in the Central Valley, right there at the Farm!

Three-year-old Dareton Wilbur gets help from his dad lifting up his first pumpkin (above).Below, he puts his finger on a second one to take home.

Kids love feeding the goats. even if they stick out their tongues. The farm zoo also has friendly llamas, calves, goats, sheep, turkeys and of course, 3 little pigs.

Other farm fun things are acres of corn mazes, sunflowers, antique equipment, straw bale pyramids, and even a huge jump castle.

So many pumpkins to choose from!

Two of the three pigs taking a rest.

An old fashion hayride is just the ticket to see the farm.

The new Go-Kart Train Ride is a big hit since its premier last year. Kids also love the eight car train.

The Pumpkin Farm is situated on an authentic old Northern California farm & orchard off of the historic Old Auburn Road. It's celebrating its 36th year. It's a family-run farm. Leonard Shymoniak's kids grew up there and his grandkids are now helping out. It takes six months of work to prepare for pumpkin season.

The Pumpkin Farm is located at 7736 Old Auburn Road at Mariposa in Citrus Heights, CA, 95610. Parking and admission is free.

The Farm is open every day in October, rain or shine, from 9 am to 6 pm. For more information (including school and youth group inquires), please call (916) 726-1137.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Downtown Ice Rink under Construction

2010-10-25T00:06:48Z

With the stormy weather happening, it's feeling like fall. And what comes after fall?

WINTER! Which means ice skating.

Construction is happening now on the new Westfield Downtown Plaza Ice Rink – Sacramento’s original outdoor ice rink.

A worker holds a section of the plastic pipes ~~which will carry the freon~~ that keeps the ice fozen as, ...well, ice!

“We’re thrilled to welcome back the ice rink to the heart of Downtown and celebrate 19 years of holiday magic,” said DSP Executive Director Michael Ault. “It’s amazing how quickly we can transform a public park into an icy wonderland. We should be making ice by this coming weekend.”

Crews position the ~~freon-carrying~~ tubes so they line up correctly under the 7,000 square foot rink (above and below).

The rink re-opens Nov. 5 at noon with a ribbon cutting ceremony and free admission for skaters. A dazzling light display will create a winter wonderland feel. According to Lisa Martinez, Downtown Sac Partnership, "every Tuesday the rink will host a family skate night where kids skate free with a paid adult admission. Downtown employees receive a free skate rental every Wednesday courtesy of the Westfield Downtown Plaza. The rink is also offering Saturday ice skating lessons on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m."

The rink will be open daily through January 17. Regular admission to the ice rink is $8 for a two-hour session and $2 for skate rental. It is located at located at 7th & K streets in Downtown Sacramento near Westfield Shopping Plaza.

Folks can follow the ice rink action and find deals at http://www.downtownsac.org/icerink

Find the rink on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/downtownsac.org

Follow on Twitter: http://@DowntownIceRInk

Catch video clips of the rink under construction: http://www.youtube.com/DowntownSac95814

The event is sponsored by the Westfield Downtown Plaza as well as The Hines Company, CIM Group, Trane, Made in the Shade and CBS 13 and CW 31.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Spook'tacular Miniature Horse Expo & Sale

2010-10-23T21:52:17Z

Bring Miniature horses together with little horse friends and you'll get huge fun, especially close to Halloween.

It's the sixth year for the two-day event - Spook'tacular Miniature Horse Expo & Sale - which is a fundraiser for rescue animals, pet owner support groups and youth education on humane pet ownership.

Saturday was a family event featuring venues, raffles, a parade of stallions, a horse sale, costume contest, and a kids activity center.

Tomorrow will be more of an educational event with open workshops on raising, showing and selling miniature horses.

It's held at the Placer County Fairgrounds, 800 All America City Blvd, Roseville, CA
Rain or shine...undercover! See event flyer at bottom.

Here's some snapshots from Saturday:

And, last but not least, there were some stylin' Alpacas strutting their stuff!

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Download event flyer: http://http://www.petiteequine.com/images/stories/2010spooktacularflyerforms.pdf

http://www.petiteequine.com/

Gassy Downtown

2010-10-21T05:16:31Z

Gas rises from a hole where construction crews accidentally damaged two gas lines at T & 6th Streets this afternoon just south of Downtown Sacramento while digging to install storm drain lines.

Sacramento Fire Department responded as a level Two Hazmat and up to fifteen homes and one business were evacuated. Evacuations and street closures extended up to one block in all directions of the gas leak while PG & E worked to turn off the leaking gas. Once PG & E arrived on scene, it took over two hours for the leak to be stopped and residents allowed back into their homes.

There were no firefighter or civilian injuries and all evacuated residents were allowed back into their homes by 5:45pm. Up to fifteen gas meters south of the incident and several others from 6th to 3rd street will be without gas until the pipe can be repaired and gas flow restored.

Photo | Kati Garner, Maverick Photographers

For more photos of the scene, please visit:

http://sacmav.com/photos /?picasaViewAlbumId=News_20101020_SacMavOnSceneUneditedDirectUpload%2C0

A Pirate's Life, Matey ?

2010-10-19T21:02:06Z

The Hawaiian Chieftain had arrived in Old Sacramento just minutes before I got there on Friday, October 15. Leaving Antioch earlier that day, they sailed seven hours to reach Sacramento.

They were hungry and had chores to do before they could call it a day.

So, I captured their end-of-sail work before they were told to 'stand-down', which means you are 'free to do what you wish.'

Six of the crew, four men and two women, secure the sails to the mast. They were way up there!

They all scurried up the rope ladders on each side of the ship to reach the mainsails.

The sails at the bow are secured in place.

Joel Ruud in the stern where maps and navigation tools are kept.

The ship's ropes are secured.

Dinner is prepared.

The mast before the sails were tied down.

The stern's exterior.

The crew in Sacramento are Captain Michael (Jake) Jacobson, Bellingham WA; Mate Nick Williams, Angwill CA; Education Officer Joel Ruud, Las Vegas NV; Bosun Sarah Baker, Bellingham WA; Engineer Don Johnson Eastsound WA; Cook Brandon Webber, Eugene OR; Topman Rachael Protas, Coupeville WA; Topman Rangi Ferris, Port Townsend WA and Topman Cutis Yu University Place WA.

"The Hawaiian Chieftain takes on new crew all the time," said Joel Ruud. "Someone can just stop by and say 'I'd like to sail with you."

They are directed to the ship's website: http://www.historicalseaport.org/ or call 800-200-5239.

Someone thinking they would like to be a crew member can learn what it's like to live on a tall ship for two weeks. If the lifestyle fits, anyone at least 16 years old may stay on as volunteer crew which can lead into becoming a paid crew member. Paid crew positons include the cook, captain, bosun, first mate, engineer, steward and purser.

Ruud, 18, says he's the youngest member in Sacramento. The average age range is 20-25. He says being a crew member is a great way to meet and work alongside interesting people from all over the world.

He explained a typical day aboard the Chieftain.

"The cook has breakfast ready for us around 7:30am." Ruud explained. "We go to the aft cabin for muster, which is our meeting before the day starts."

He says chores for the day include swabbing the deck, cleaning the cabins, ongoing maintenance and, of course, being open for tours while docked.

Once every two weeks is a day off. The Chieftain has 16 bunks, one shower and a washer/dryer on board.

During its stay in Old Sac it will be focused on educational programming, which will include sailing down the Sacramento River for K-12 students, home school groups, church groups, senior groups and youth service groups through Dec. 14.

For Halloween, the Hawaiian Chieftain invites all youthful zombies, inspiring superheroes, glamorous princesses, and piratical minions to drop by for tricks or treats from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 31. Admission is free.

The topsail ketch is currently on the Old Sacramento riverfront in Sacramento, just north of the Tower Bridge.

For kids and parents unable to visit in the evening, the ship will be open for walk-on tours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Oct. 31. Costumes are encouraged. Hawaiian Chieftain is also taking group reservations for a three-hour educational sailing experience from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. To make reservations on Hawaiian Chieftain, call 800-200-5239.

The ship's homeport is Grays Harbor, Washington.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority (GHHSA) is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) public development authority based in Aberdeen, Washington that owns and operates the tall ships Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington, the Official Ship of the State of Washington. GHHSA provides educational, vocational, recreational and ambassadorial activities and experiences that promote and preserve the maritime history of Grays Harbor, the Pacific Northwest, and our nation while serving the needs of the community.

Memorial honors Fallen California Firefighters

2010-10-17T23:06:19Z

Thirty-one fallen California firefighters were honored Saturday at the California Firefighter Memorial in Sacramento's Capitol Park.

Consumnes Firefighter, Richard Ibarra, was among the thirty-one fallen firefighters who were honored today at the California State Firefighters Memorial.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger offered remarks in honoring the fallen.

A folded American flag represented each firefighter honored today and was presented to the respective families as the final roll call was made and bell rung.

Each firefighter was also represented by a masted flag of their department carried by a fellow firefighter.

Article | Ed Fogle, Maverick Photography

Photos | Kati Garner, Maverick Photography

To see more photos of the Memorial, please visit: http://sacmav.com/2010/10/17/fallen-firefighters-honored/

Two Sac Police Officers Receive Medal of Valor

2010-10-16T04:39:23Z

Sacramento Police Officers Matt Suehowicz (left) and Richard Kawasaki received the Medal of Valor at the California State Firefighters' Association (CSFA) 2010 award banquet.

Sacramento Police Department PIO Norm Leong told of their actions immediately in an article on Sacramento Press:

"On December 22, 2009, at 12:50 a.m., the Sacramento Police Department received a call of a car accident near Riverside Boulevard and Darnel Way. Officer Matt Suehowicz was first to arrive at the scene, observing the front end and passenger compartment of a 1998 Green Ford Expedition fully engulfed in flames with a male subject trapped inside. Officer Suehowicz quickly grabbed his fire extinguisher in order to get the flames back far enough to rescue the victim. Officer Suehowicz attempted to grab the driver out of the car, but could not due to the victim’s legs being trapped. Officer Richard Kawasaki arrived on scene shortly after and the two officers were able to pull the victim out of the car to safety.

The victim sustained major injuries and burns. Sacramento Fire Department transported the 17-year-old victim to an area hospital. The Sacramento Fire Department indicated that if not for the actions of the officers, the driver would have died.

“We are thankful for the two officer’s ability to rescue the victim under the dire conditions they were faced with and are very proud of their heroic actions. This situation also brings to light the type of heroism that the men and women of the Sacramento Police Department display regularly in our community” said Deputy Chief Sam Somers." http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/19658/Officers_Rescue_Teen_From_Burning_Car

The Medal of Valor was established in 1968 by an endowment from Harry Strasser, a San Diego firefighter and founder of CSFA. Award winners are nominated by the first responder community and the general public.

The California State Firefighters' Association (CSFA) presented the Medal of Valor to firefighters, law enforcement officers and civilians from across California who have exhibited great courage in order to save the life of another. The award banquet was held Friday, October 15, 2010 at the Capital Plaza Holiday Inn in Sacramento, California.

Photo | Maverick Photographer Kati Garner

Glowing Pyramid

2010-10-16T03:54:08Z

The Ziggurat Building across the river from Old Sacramento seems to glow from within at sunset.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Bigger.Badder.Better.

2010-10-13T01:17:25Z

Sacramento's Kings unveiled their newest and highly visible humongous banner today. It's on the side of Parking Garage A at the Sacramento International Airport. At 28ft tall and 55.5ft wide it bears intense images of five of the Kings frontcourt players: veteran center Samuel Dalembert, the NBA’s Rookie of the Month for July, DeMarcus Cousins, rookie shot-blocking sensation Hassan Whiteside and three-year NBA veterans Jason Thompson and Carl Landry. It's all part of their campaign "Here We Rise" which is a tribute to the Kings and the Sacramento Kings community coming together.

Visit http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/37166/Kings_announce_Here_We_Rise_campaign

For further details, visit http://HereWeRise.com

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Sacramento's Ugliest Dog Contest & Cutest Canine Pageant

2010-10-10T16:09:48Z

Sacramento has gone to the dogs where ugly is adorable and being cute is so-so at Sacramento's Ugliest Dog Contest & Cutest Canine Pageant held Saturday at The Greens Hotel on Del Paso Blvd.

Adam Sartain of Sacramento Speaks Media Agency did a professional job as emcee.

A little girl plays with one of the contestants in the Cutest Dog category.

Tangles a Pomeranian, won paws down, as the number one Cutest.

The Ugliest dog award went to Icky, a Chinese crested canine with almost no hair on its body except for patches here and there and a lovely mohawk. Icky is an old hand at winning. He won the World’s Ugliest Dog Online Voting this past year.

Here are some of the other Canine Contestants:

A dog gets a kiss from his master.

Cortez Quinn, District Director for Roger Dickinson, Councilmember Sandy Sheedy and Ruthie Bolton, Former WNBA Sacramento Monarchs player, were the guest judges.

A little encouragement was needed at times.

And some got the royal treatment all the way to the stage!

Cortez Quinn watches a contestant strut her stuff.

How cute am I?

Minnie Me, a Teddy Bear Teacup Poodle from Grass Valley, lives the life of luxury. She has a fiance named Bernie whom she will marry at the end of the year. They each have their own Facebook page where they talk to one another.Minnie Me and her friends raise money for people who can't afford vet bills for their pets. Her pink outfit from New Zealand was custom made for her.

Diana gives her owner a pep talk before the pageant.

Dexter, with the knock 'em dead killer-blue eyes.

Oooo la la!Ohhhhh.....what a little baby.

Sacramento Top Dawg Restaurant and Del Paso Boulevard Partnership hosted the pageant.

Proceeds benefit Sacramento Area Animal Coalition, Sacramento SPCA, Puppy Love Rescue and City of Sacramento Animal Care Services.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

New Crocker Opens

2010-10-10T03:08:11Z

The New Crocker Art Museum opened its doors today for museum members to take a look. Tomorrow at 10 am it opens for the general public. Here is the schedule of events for opening day: http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/old_site/event_schedule/grand_opening.html

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Music & Dance Festival Vibrant, Energizing

2010-10-05T18:54:17Z

Sacramento's third annual Music and Dance Festival in Old Sac was like a mini-trip 'round the world in one day. It can be described as a "global village of dance, music, artistry and children's theatre performances."

The streets of Old Sacramento were filled with sounds of drums, reggae, Hip Hop, Japanese, middle eastern music, country music, and the sounds of clogging and a live DJ competition.

"The Sacramento World Music & Dance Festival celebrates the rich diversity woven throughout our community," said Lina Fat, past board chair of the festival and executive chef of Fat's Restaurants. "It's extraordinary that dancers and musicians with ties from all over the globe will be performing right here in Sacramento."

Here are snapshots from this past Sunday festivities:

TranceFusion Dance Company / Indian(above & below)

Sakura Minyo Doo Koo Kai / Japan / Dance & Live Music

Hip-Hop Dance-Off

8 year old Lil Kida was hands-down winner of Best Individual Dancer award (above,below).

Sacramento Country Dance Society (above, below)

Kalyna / Ukrainian / Dance(above, two below)

Sacramento Taiko Dan/Japan/Live Drums

Yaling Dance Group / China / Dance (above,below)

Samba Da Terra / Brazilian / Dance & Music(above, below)

Live DJ Competition between DJ Revolver (left, large) DJ Circuit (upper small, right) and DJ Rigatony (lower right, small)

Hip-Hop Dance-Off - ICE Dance Co., the group winner.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

http://www.sacramentoworldfestival.org/

New skyline

2010-10-04T23:03:04Z

The refurbished historic Ebner Hotel in Old Sacramento adds its new spire to the Sacramento skyline. Two new stores, Chef’s Mercantile and Christmas & Co., will split the 5,200-square-foot ground floor of the Ebner. For complete information, please see http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/36408/William_Glen_kids_to_open_stores.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Good Beer and Fun at Turn Verein's Oktoberfest

2010-10-04T03:27:57Z

I'm not German and yet I enjoyed Oktoberfest at Turn Verein's 43rd annual celebration this weekend.

The beer was cold, the music fun and the crowd engaging.Some were dressed in their mock dirndls and leather pants. Most of us weren't!

Massive quantities of good food was consumed.

Here's some snaps from Saturday night:

The cups tumbled one second later!

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Tango | Vibrations of the Soul photos

2010-10-02T21:32:57Z

"Vibrations of the Soul", presented by Ernesto Rassi's theater company, California a Todo Tango, is a musical history of Tango at the 24th Street Theatre (Sierra 2 Center). It finishes tonight.

Facundo Posadas performs. He is an icon in the world of Argentine Tango and the only Afro-Argentine traveling the world to share the roots of this dance by teaching and performing Milonga and Candombe.

Tango is sexy, vibrant and energizing. Here are some snapshots from opening night:

Visit: http://www.californiaatodotango.com/ and http://www.rivertango.com/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Kings mascot Slamson camping on top of IKEA sign!

2010-10-02T01:48:53Z

Slamson and Mitch Germann, VP, Marketing and Communications for Maloof Sports & Entertainment, (above) speak to tv crews before Slamson begins his ascent to the top of the sign behind them.

Slamson, the Kings Mascot, will be camping out on top of the IKEA sign in West Sacramento until an extra 1,000 tickets are bought for the Kings Home Opener Monday, Nov. 1.

He made the climb to the top of the 90ft. sign Friday afternoon around 4pm.

Slamson about half-way up to his new spot.

Slamson gets settled in for his campout in his den with altitude.

Samson waves from his easy chair atop the 90ft. IKEA sign along Hwy 80.

Fans can bring Slamson back down by purchasing an extra 1,000 tickets to DeMarcus Cousin's first regular season game at ARCO Arena.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, Oct. 2 at noon at the team's Box Office Party at the ARCO Arena Box Office.

Fans can follow his adventure at FreeSlamson.com.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Happy Tails Hour

2010-09-29T18:15:58Z

happytails.org

image courtesy of Happy Tails

Something for Everyone at the New Crocker

2010-09-29T15:50:11Z

The New Crocker will have something for just about every art lover in all of us. And you'll get to see it all October 10 at 10am when the Crocker Art Museum reopens.

Due to a major expansion and getting things ready for 10/10/10 at 10am, the Crocker has been closed for several months getting itself ready to present its new self.

There are grand works of art for your eyes and great food to keep your inner artist nourished while visiting.

The museum has chosen Patrick and Bobbin Mulvaney, Mulvaney's B & L American Restaurant of Sacramento, to operate the Crocker Cafe.

Along with the new cafe, the 125,000-square-feet addition has given the Crocker:
• 12,000 sq ft of temporary exhibition space.
• 45,000 sq ft of gallery space for the permanent collection.
• An Education Center and Teacher Resource Center.
• Ann and Malcolm Henry Works on Paper Study Center.
• Two story atrium and courtyard.
• Collections care and outdoor seating.
• Multi-media auditorium

Highlights of the Crocker's collection include:
• A comprehensive collection of California art dating from the Gold Rush to the present.
• Exceptional holdings of aery master drawings.
• Dutch and Flemish paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries.
• Contemporary paintings, sculpture and multi-media works.
• One of the largest and most comprehensive international ceramics collections in the United States.
• Rapidly growing collections of African, Oceanic and Asian art.

The Crocker will celebrate its reopening with four special exhibitions:

Tomorrow’s Legacies:
Gifts Celebrating the Next 125 Years
OCTOBER 10, 2010 – JANUARY 9, 2011

Wayne Thiebaud: Homecoming
OCTOBER 10 – NOVEMBER 28, 2010

A Pioneering Collection:
Master Drawings from the Crocker Art Museum
OCTOBER 10, 2010 – FEBRUARY 6, 2011

The Vase and Beyond

Here are some of the art masters in the masterpiece called Crocker Art Museum:

Address:

216 O St., Sacramento, CA 95814

Hours

Tues & Wed: 10am - 7pm

Thurs: 10am - 9pm

Fri - Sun: 10am - 5pm

(916) 808-7000

http://crockerartmuseum.org

(Information courtesy of Crocker Art Museum)

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Latinos for Fiorina?

2010-09-29T01:13:40Z

Alfonso Aguilar, addressed a small gathering on the west side of the Capitol Building this morning.

The California Tus Valores campaign made a brief stop this morning along 9th St. on the west side of the Capitol Building.

According to their website it is "an effort of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, an initiative of the American Principles in Action, an organization dedicated to preserving and propagating the fundamental conservative principles upon which our country was founded.

The Partnership's dual mission is to garner greater Latino support for conservative causes and candidates and, at the same time, to encourage the conservative movement to support Latino conservative groups, leaders, candidates and policies that are welcoming of Latino immigrants. In this manner, it serves as an effective liaison between established conservative groups and the growing Hispanic community. The Latino Partnership works within the Latino community to support candidates who are committed to fundamental conservative values and ideals and who also favor policies that are welcoming to immigrants.

The Tus Valores Campaign is an independent expenditure of American Principles in Action, a 501(c)(4) organization."

Their two major sponsors are Susan B. Anthony List and The National Organization of Marriage.

This morning's stop was all about supporting Carly Fiorina.

"We believe in the family, life, life begins at conception and natural death,"Alfonso Aguilar said. "We believe in marriage, traditional marriage between a man and a woman. We believe in policies that are welcoming of immigrants."
Those are some of the values Latinos and Fiornia share according to Aguilar.
"People in the central valley know that because of big government policies and big government intrusion that jobs are being lost, businesses are going down," Aguilar said. "Barbara Boxer could have done something to let the water flow to the central valley.
According to Aquilar, she didn't do anything even though she is the Chair of the Senate Committee of the Public Works and Environment.
And, he says, Boxer hasn't lifted a finger in 18 years to support immigration reform.
"Fiorina has the same values as many Latinos," Aguilar said.

Ken Piece, a member of Equality Action Now, walked among the rally attendees carrying the rainbow flag and a sign with the words 'imagine equality' and 'love' on it.
After the rally organizers finished speaking, Pierce made a statement: "It's interesting that the speakers here said that Carly Fiorina speaks for all Mexicans. I don't think she speaks for all Mexicans. All we have to do is look to the south to Mexico as far as LGBTI rights and civil rights are concerned and it's clear she doesn't speak for all Mexicans."
He remarked that the crowd, what little crowd there was, is a major indication of the kind of support the Latinos give the Fiorina campaign.

"I think Carly Fiorina has a long road to travel," Pierce said .

"Definitely we all need to get out there and vote," he said. "Lately we've been discouraged with our lawmakers. They want us to lay down. We cannot do that now."
Pierce concludes by saying, "Go register to vote so people like this can be shut down."

Ken Pierce was a one-man rally for the opposite views held by Fiorina's supporters.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Kids in Shriners Hospital get a kick out of visiting Rockettes

2010-09-24T19:01:50Z

Two members of the world-famous Radio City Rockettes delivered a bit of early Christmas cheer to children in Sacramento's Shriners Hospital in advance of their upcoming Christmas show at Arco Arena December 15.

Rockettes Heather Langham (let) and Lindsay Howe, a Sacramento hometown gal, signed autographs (top) and helped youngsters do The Rockettes-style kicks and poses (below).

Children were on the second floor play area of the hospital watching and interacting with The Rockettes (above and below).

Sacramento native Rockette, Lindsay Howe (above) and Heather Langham came dressed in one of their Santa-style Christmas show outfits.

Sacramento will have a chance to see The Radio City Rockettes perform, in person, this holiday season.

Press Release

THE RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR, STARRING THE WORLD FAMOUS ROCKETTES,

COMES TO SACRAMENTO FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER

SINGLE TICKETS ON-SALE SEPTEMBER 24TH

Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSGE) is proud to announce the expansion of The Radio City Christmas Spectacular tour to the mid-west and west coast as the beloved holiday tradition delights more than 25 cities across the country this holiday season including New York’s Radio City Music Hall. This beloved holiday show will delight the entire family when it hits the stage at ARCO Arena for the first time ever for two performances only on Wednesday, December 15th.

Group tickets are currently on-sale and single tickets will go on sale September 24th.

In 2008, the brand new Arena tour debuted to rave reviews with the launch of the biggest production in the show’s 77 year history and redefined family entertainment in an Arena setting. Due to overwhelming success, in 2009 the tour expanded to cities across North America making it the largest Christmas Spectacular tour ever.

This newest production was specifically designed for large-scale venues and replicates on a grand scale the exact production of The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall. Audiences are taken on a theatrical journey that the entire family can enjoy together. Children thrill as Santa takes the audience on a magical sleigh ride to the North Pole, while parents marvel at the unparalleled precision dance of the Radio City Rockettes. The Christmas Spectacular is truly unique in its universal appeal to people of all ages. From small children to grandparents, this dazzling holiday production is guaranteed to bring smiles to their faces and help create wonderful family memories to last a lifetime.

“The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is the #1 live holiday production in the world and has been a cherished part of holiday family traditions for generations,” said Don Simpson, executive vice president, Productions, MSG Entertainment. “We are thrilled to build upon the past two year’s successes and expand this extraordinary tour to the west coast. We look forward to bringing the spirit and warmth of our holiday production to new audiences with the traveling Christmas celebration.”

Directed and choreographed by Linda Haberman, who conceived and directed the critically acclaimed 75th celebratory show at Radio City Music Hall, the Arena production was specifically designed to play in large venues scaled to capacities ranging from 7,000 – 12,000. This multi-faceted theatrical touring production was completely constructed for an arena space, allowing the audience to experience the magic of The Christmas Spectacular like never before. Hitting the road in November, the show celebrates Christmas with show-stopping Rockette numbers, dazzling costumes, dramatic arena lighting effects, breathtaking imagery, and festive musical compositions.

“My vision for the Rockettes and The Christmas Spectacular has always been to explore scale and take the precision dance form to new levels, whether in a theatrical venue or an arena space,” said Linda Haberman, director and choreographer for The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. “In my view, the mark of a true classic is that it is timeless, relevant and can be re-interpreted to push artistic boundaries.”

The production is enhanced by an immense LED screen that transports the audience from a wintry landscape to Times Square to Santa’s Workshop right before their very eyes. The larger than life sets and awe-inspiring special effects allow families to connect with both the intimacy and grandness of The Christmas Spectacular as they are immersed in the warmth and grandeur of the holiday spirit. From the moment guests settle into their seats, the audience becomes part of the Spectacular’s magical experience.

Fan-favorites like the legendary “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers,” which continues to set the standard as the signature Rockette number for precision performance, and the “Living Nativity” remain a vital part of the show’s core. And the Rockettes will undoubtedly bring the audience to their feet with a Rockette finale “Let Christmas Shine,” which honors and celebrates the Rockettes as the stars of the show.

For more than three-quarters of a century, the Radio City Rockettes have entertained millions of families with their eye-high kicks and unparalleled precision dance. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular creates wonderful memories for more than two million patrons each year and has been enjoyed by approximately 69 million people in 63 cities since its inception in 1933.

TICKET INFORMATION: Groups of 10 or more are ON SALE NOW and save 15% by calling (916) 928-3650.

Individual tickets for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at ARCO Arena go on-sale in September and range from $47.50 to $67.50 (plus applicable service charges). Tickets will be available through all Ticketmaster outlets including the venue box offices, online at www.ticketmaster.com or via Phonecharge at 800-745-3000. A limited number of GOLD CIRCLE seats and “MEET THE ROCKETTES” packages are available through Ticketmaster. Accessible seating will be available for patrons with disabilities by calling (916) 473-4029. For more information please visit www.radiocitychristmas.com or www.arcoarena.com.

MSG Entertainment (MSGE), the live entertainment arm of Madison Square Garden, Inc. (Nasdaq: MSG), is a worldwide entertainment company recognized for its signature combination of event production and entertainment marketing. In addition to the nearly 900 entertainment concerts and events that take place each year at Radio City Music Hall, Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, The Beacon Theatre and The Chicago Theatre, MSGE has an exclusive co-booking agreement with Boston’s Citi Performing Arts Center/ Wang Theatre. MSG Entertainment's live events include the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, which includes the national arena tour and the theatrical tour and has played to more than 69 million in 63 different cities across North America. Additionally, MSGE has an ongoing partnership with Cirque du Soleil to create new content and productions for its venues. Wintuk, which premiered in 2007, was built exclusively for The Theater at Madison Square Garden and runs every holiday season. More than five million people attend MSG Entertainment branded events annually including concerts, special events, and family attractions.

About Maloof Sports and Entertainment:

Maloof Sports & Entertainment includes the Sacramento Kings and ARCO Arena. Owned by the Maloof family with long-term, local partners, the organization is committed to being a contributing member of the Sacramento community. Teaming up with local leaders and non-profit organizations to give back to those in need throughout the region, MS&E has donated millions of dollars to charity in 11 years of Maloof family ownership. For more information about Maloof Sports & Entertainment, please visit kings.com, arcoarena.com or call 916-928-0000.

Tickets go on sale September 24. For more information please visit: http://radiocitychristmas.com or http://arcoarena.com

About Shriners Hospital

Shriners International supports Shriners Hospitals for Children®, a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research, and outstanding teaching programs for medical professionals. Children up to age 18 with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate are eligible for care and receive all services in a family-centered environment, regardless of the patients’ ability to pay.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Painting for Paws!

2010-09-24T02:20:37Z

The 6th annual "Painting for Paws" Fundraiser for Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary will highlight the art created by the cats and dogs of the sanctuary. In addition, there will be "human artwork," a silent auction, complimentary food & wine, a prize drawing and animal-themed jewelry for sale.

Saturday, September 25

6 - 10 p.m.

Painting for Paws - Pavilions Shopping Center • Fair Oaks Blvd.

Near Howe Ave.

$10 entry

For more information, call 916-320-4254

or email:

happytailsevents@surewest.net

(image and info courtesy Happy Tails Sanctuary)

International Day of Peace in Capitol Park

2010-09-22T21:14:48Z

The International Day of Peace was honored early last night in the World Peace Rose Garden in State Capitol Park.

It began with a Dedication of the Capitol Walkway Entrance Arbor by the Horangic Family, followed with Bill Hocking, Trumpet player, performing Songs with Peace & Rose Themes. Following that was a Procession with Giant Peace Doves led by Theo Scott-Femenella, Drummer, Sheldon High School.

TJ David & Sylvia Villalobos, Co-Creators of International World Peace Rose Gardens began with the introductions.

Rev. David Thompson (above right), President, Interfaith Service Bureau, called upon leaders from the area's Faith Community to provide Readings from Many Faith Traditions. Each placed a rose into a vase (above and below).

Eddie Lee, President of Sacramento's United Nations Association introduced "Imagine a World" Readings.

Singer Belinda Li performed “Colors of the Wind” and Bill Hocking performed Let There Be Peace on Earth, a trumpet solo.

Intentions, Ringing of Bell performed by JoAnn Solov – Jewish Community and Durriya Syed – Muslim Community

Participants held a candlelight vigil and then a Throwing of Rose Petals ended the ceremony.

The International Day of Peace Vigil is an idea of a growing number of individuals and groups bound only by a common belief that the power of prayer, meditation, or other sacred spiritual practice serves as a powerful means of encouraging peace and promoting a global ceasefire. We represent many various religious and spiritually oriented groups and a wide segment of civil society throughout the world, as well as representing ourselves as individuals, to support the objective of the International Day of Peace Vigil, which is:
To encourage worldwide, 24-hour spiritual observations for peace and nonviolence on the International Day of Peace, September 21st in every house of worship and place of spiritual practice, by all religious and spiritually based groups and individuals, and by all men, women and children who seek peace in the world.
The International Day of Peace Vigil is a global undertaking that requires the efforts of many people of all faiths and beliefs to be successful. We encourage you to support the United Nations' call for a full day of global ceasefire on 21 September by observing the day in spiritual contemplation for peace, global ceasefire and nonviolence with other members of your community and/or the broader interfaith community (from www.pathwaystopeace.org/what/idpvigil.html.)

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Volunteer Center new Home

2010-09-22T16:33:37Z

Summer Taylor and Katrina Balcius and the staff of the Volunteer Center of Sacramento hosted an open house at their new location - 1300 Ethan Way, Sacramento, CA 95825. Their "passion is connecting community volunteers to important causes like the humane treatment of animals, the fight against hunger, and mentoring our children. Let us help you find your passion." One of their current projects is Preserve the Parkway - River Clean - Ups! The Center adopted a mile along the American River Parkway and mile 9 needs frequent maintenance. We are looking for individuals and/or groups to come out twice a month to pick up trash and pull weeds.To learn more, contact: kbalcius@volunteersac.org or call 916.567.3100 x 112. www.volunteersac.org/

SacPress Photo |Kati Garner

Colors of Change

2010-09-22T04:20:02Z

The State Capitol is silhouetted against a sunset-colored sky this evening. Fall officially begins tomorrow. At the autumnal equinox (Sept. 22, 2010, 11:09 P.M.), the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, from north to south. This marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Sacramento Mountain Lions Attack Capitol Mall “Greens”

2010-09-20T22:52:14Z

Monday afternoon the Sacramento Mountain Lions arrived via two Amador Stage tour buses on the Capitol Greens on the west side of the Capitol building. They quickly demonstrated their prowess, signed autographs and were gone in a flash it seems.

I had never heard of them until last night.

Thanks to Wikipedia, I am now enlightened.

The Sacramento Mountain Lions are a professional American football team based in Sacramento, California that plays in the United Football League. The franchise originated as the California Redwoods, and played its home games in San Francisco and San Jose. The team will play its 2010 home games at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, home of the Sacramento State Hornets. Former Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green is the team's head coach and general manager. (from Wikipedia)

The United Football League (UFL) is an independent professional American football league that began play in October 2009. The league currently has five franchises playing in markets where the NFL has no current presence. The league's defending champions are the Las Vegas Locomotives.

The league primarily consists of players that have at one time or another played for a National Football League team. While the league has no connection with the NFL, and does not intend to have such a relationship in the future, some have speculated that it could become a minor or "developmental" league for the NFL. Other reports described the league as a "competitor" to the NFL.

It has been speculated in the press that the UFL's long-term business plan is to be present if or when the NFL and its players' union

reach the end of their contract in 2011, giving players that would be locked-out or striking an opportunity to play somewhere else.

The NFLPA has advised any NFL player cut in training camp to consider the UFL as an employment opportunity. (from Wikipedia)

Here's the guys:

Dennis Green, former Minnesota Vikings coach, heads the team Ricky Hunley, defensive coordinator and linebacker coach.

The cheerleaders were on hand also.

For the team's schedule: www.ufl-football.com/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

16 ft. Outdoor Sculpture Installed at Crocker

2010-09-20T17:20:52Z

A bronze sculpture by Bruce Beasley was recently placed in front of the new wing of the Crocker. Arpeggio IV stands 16 ft tall, weighs 4,620 pounds and now resides at the corner of N and 2nd St.

The artist donated his artpiece in honor of the opening of the Teel Family Pavilion on October 10.
It traveled from Oakland, was carefully unloaded and lifted into place. Getting it placed just right took a little time.

"It is protected with a special patina to keep it from weathering," said Lawrence Beasley, the artist's wife. "This is the second largest piece he's done for Sacramento."

Sculpter Bruce Beasley watches as his his piece entitled Arpeggio IV is lowered to the front outside northwest corner of the Crocker Art Museum.

Arpeggio IV, a 16ft. tall, 4,620 pounds bronze sculpture was delivered by truck and placed on the ground. Very carefully it was lifted vertically and moved to its new home in front of the Crocker (above and below).

Scott A. Shields, associate director and chief curator of the Crocker Art Museum and Lial Jones, Director, confer about the placement of Arpeggio IV.

This work of art is one of two new outdoor sculptures being added to the Crocker campus before the grand opening

Bruce Beasley, drenched in sweat, stands beneath his sculpture at its new home.

Sculptor Bruce Beasley, a world renown artist, was the subject of a retrospective exhibition at the Oakland Museum of California in 2005. Beasley was one of 10 sculptors worldwide selected to do a piece for the Beijing Olympics.

Crocker curator Scott Shields says it is thrilling to have Beasley represented at the museum.

Arpeggio is a Latin musical term meaning "the notes of a chord played in succession, either ascending or descending."

Beasley says this work is a "certain movement of shapes. The cubes (on the top) are like individual notes of music making it an arpeggio of shapes."

He is based in Oakland, his artistic career spans 45 years. In 1965 he installed his first San Franciso solo exhibition, Hansen Gallery.

In 1969, through exhaustive research, he made a major breakthrough in casting technology. He developed a process that casts acrylic sculpture in monumental scale.

Around 1977 Beasley was approached by leading oceanographers to cast an all-transparent bathysphere. He built two submersibles with all-transparent crew compartments.

For more information about Bruce Beasley, visit: www.brucebeasley.com/Chronology/Chrono.htm

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

All Aboard - The Folsom Rail Festival

2010-09-19T19:20:02Z

Track that was laid to be part of the Trans-Continental Railroad did not fulfill its destiny but it was celebrated as the oldest railroad track west of the Mississippi River this weekend during the Folsom Historic Railroad and Transportation Festival .

"130 years ago the track ran from Sacramento to Folsom. The route was changed and now it runs from Sacramento to Auburn and beyond," said Larry Bowler, one of the Festival's organizers.

It became only a local freight line and travelled just beyond Placerville. Many years ago the track was torn out five miles west of Placerville.

This is the first time the festival has been in Folsom. The past four years it's been held in Ione on a smaller scale.

There were lots of things to see and do.

Walt Freeman, Sacramento Regional Transit, prepares passengers for a short trip in Sacramento Regional Transit’s own #35 PG&E Streetcar at the Folsom Historic Railroad and Transportation Festival at Folsom Pointe. Designed to run on the rails, the streetcar was built in St. Louis, MO in 1913, servicing Sacramento from 1914 through 1948. The old Folsom Powerhouse supplied power to a power plant in Sacramento at 6th & I Streets and ran the system.

Conductor Eric Olds collected passenger's tickets.

The historic streetcar ride took passengers south of Hwy 50.

One of the characters along the way.

A man and his two sons depart from the streetcar.

A festival visitor stands by a Railroad Motorcar, sometimes called a “Speeder”. Smaller models, like this one, were used routinely to inspect the many miles of track for defects. Larger versions would carry half a dozen workers and pull a few trailers loaded with spikes and tools, to handle track maintenance.They have a top speed of 30mph and are faster than handcars. ( from www.narcoa.org/newsite/faq.htm)

Ric Hornor was on hand with 'Books by Dead Guys', books full of photos and stories created in the 1800s. (www.19thcentury.us/)

This is the passenger side of San Diego and Arizona Eastern Railway Fire Truck MW No. 1003. It was built by the Ford Motor Co. in 1931 and was based near the Mexican border at Jacumba, CA. It fought fires that plagued the railway's many wooden trestles and timber lined tunnels of the Carriso Gorge. It is in full operational condition.

A father and son inspect a Track Mobile. It has rubber and steel wheels so it can travel on land as well as the rails. It is mainly used in industrial settings.

A young boy works the Handcar on a stretch of railroad track.

A huge wrench is carried in a Mudge "Special", an all-around car that can carry three men, yet it is light enough to be handled easily by one person. It has a one cylinder, 4-hp engine and is used by linemen, signal men, claim adjusters, patrolment, station agents and inspectors. It has removable guide arms, wheels and tray, and can be loaded into baggage cars.

Indoor Model Railroad Displays were up and running.

The RailFest is presented and organized by the “Railroad Education and Preservation Society”(REPS). The REPS is a newly formed organization made up of individual members from regional rail organizations that include the Recreational Railroad Coalition, Inc., Motorcar Operators West, FEDSHRA, among others.
Partial proceeds from the event are to benefit the FEDSHRA organization.

www.fedshra.org/index.html

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Flag Honors and Remembers All Military Lives Lost

2010-09-09T22:22:12Z

On December 29, 2005, George Anthony Lutz II (Tony) was killed by a sniper’s bullet while he was on patrol in Fallujah, Iraq. His family and friends endured the shock, emotional agony and overwhelming loss that accompanied the news of Tony’s death, just like the many families who have suffered the same tragedy. Tony's father, George, began a mission on how to Honor and Remember American service men and women who never made it home.

George Lutz (below) was in Sacramento Aug. 8,2010.

His story is told below his photo.

George Lutz, founder of the Honor and Remember Flag speaks in Sacramento.

I recorded his words as he spoke to a group gathered at the All Wars Memorial at Capitol Park:

"This is an emotional thing for me to do this. I really am honored that you all are here, especially in a hallowed ground as remembering those service members from all other wars. Because, I think, appropriately, what this mission is about is reaching back to all wars as well as the present and beyond.
We're going to honor one particular family today at the end of my message.

We've all heard the expression that freedom isn't free. That became very real to me. Forgive me if I lose my composure. I'm not the marketing man. This is what's a part of me.
What I share is my heart and why I read nothing. It comes from where I am.
That phrase 'freedom isn't free' became very real to me on Dec. 30, 2005. I got a knock on the door from two uniformed soldiers who brought me those dreadful words - We regret to inform you that my son had been killed the day before by a sniper's bullet in Fallujah, Iraq.

To use the term devastation isn't a big enough of a word because the emotions of that moment and then what followed.
I thought to myself, first, certainly they've come to the wrong house. Or maybe he was wounded, and they just need to tell me I just need to go somewhere.
But of course that wasn't the message. I was never going to see his face again. I'd never hear his voice and I thought to myself do I dare to live one more day? He was my best friend.
And I started to go through the processes of grief that many have gone through. But one of those processes took me on a different journey.

And that journey was a journey of remembering.

I began quickly to search the house for anything that could bring one more day of memory to me. Photographs, emails, videotapes. I'd fortunately videotaped his life from when he was a child until he was a teenager. So I tried to find those.
I found a scrap of paper that he'd written a grocery list on.
I found a couple of letters he'd actually written in basic training because they're not allowed to use any electronic equipment, so he was forced to actually handwrite a letter.
I had that and it meant the world to me.
But you know that process comes to an end because there are only so many drawers you can open, so many closets you can open.

My son was married and had two children. He had a life of his own. He was 25 years old when he was killed. I thought to myself certainly his friends will have stories. So I would reach out and find out if there were any other pictures that I hadn't seen, any stories they had so they could share his life to me.
That came to an end. And I realized, wait a minute, he was serving in the US Army and was training with his buddies. They would have stories.

So I went to them and tried to find out anything I could about how he served and how he did his job. Were they proud of him? What did he have for breakfast that morning?
I will tell you that those that were with him are not very forthcoming. It's a very difficult thing for some who were with your son, or with your daughter or with your husband to come forward and face you.
At least not right away.
It's not something you can pin your hat on in terms of happening.

Then I realized he died for his country.
And that's the part that really started to stick with me.

Because you know we all walk around in freedom. Everyday.
We do whatever we want to do because of men and women that sign that blank check.Which the price is up to often losing their lives.
But very few people understand what that price really is. And what that price means.
But I wanted to know how America remembers. I began a search for that.
Because I wanted to embrace it. I wanted to hold onto it. I wanted to be comforted by it.
But I'll tell you what I found in my search.

There are wonderful memorials like this (All Wars Memorial). My son's name on a wall in San Francisco or in Richmond or in Illinois.
But they weren't public symbols. Those were monuments built by veterans. Funded by veterans for veterans.
And I thought: the general public - how often are they gonna get to Washington, DC and see the Vietnam Wall or see the beautiful WWII memorial that was recently constructed?
I don't know what percentage. Maybe 5% of the nation might get there? That wasn't what I was looking for.

Then I kept seeing that phrase "Support our Troops" with the yellow ribbons. We probably have it on our cars.
I looked at that and I'll tell you I have seven trees in front of my house and I have a yellow ribbon tied to every single one of them.
But, ya know, after he was killed, and this is my personal testimony, so I can't speak for everyone else, but to tell you that when I saw that phrase after he was killed it meant nothing to me.
Because he was a troop, he was out there and I was supporting him and he didn't come home.

And I thought to myself: where was his tribute?
Where was something that identified his sacrifice?
Because, yes we need to pray for the troops, we need to support the troops absolutely.
But there's a total picture to that. The troops are ALL of them, whether they come home or are still out there. That is the collective group of troops.

And there was no message for the fallen.

I started to attend the funerals of those killed after my son.
Unfortunately, there's many in the state of Virginia.
And as I began to speak to those families, I met other families from previous generations from Vietnam, from the Gulf, from Korea, from WWII. And I began to hear the same cry over and over from each one of those families.

The same thing continuously: Please don't let this end up in vain. And please don't let them be forgotten. Those were the only two things that I would ever hear.
And I thought about that long and hard.
Because the 'in vain' part brings a lot of hurt to a lot of people, especially from those wars that were unappreciated such as Vietnam, and Korea, the forgotten war. But then I realized that this country is still free.
This country, the greatest nation on earth is still providing help to other countries all over the world.
We still have not been conquered on our own soil.
And so the 'in vain' part became very clear to me. And I can answer that almost instantly.

As long as the American Flag flies freely above the land and above any soil on which it's planted, no sacrifice will have been in vain.
Because the purity of what we do shines forth and don't politicize that.
And I won't let anyone politicize it.
And I'll tell you that the parents and spouses that have lost so much over the years will tell you it makes no difference of how or where they were killed. At the end of the day, they're not coming home. You can't make politics out of that.

We all want to think and believe and be proud of our loved ones, regardless of that circumstance.
And as I was attending the funerals I would see the POW flag flying everywhere. There's one here.
I would see the POW flag and I thought to myself: what an honor and wonderful tribute it was to have a flag for those captured and missing. That needed to be remembered.
And the government actually adopted this military symbol and made it a public symbol.
I thought to myself: there was nearly 57,000 that died in Vietnam. Where was their flag? Where was their tribute?

That became the precedent for my thought that the fallen need a flag. And why? Because if you look around at all the flags in this circle here there are flags for everything in this country. Everyone seems to have a flag, an emblem or icon that identifies them. Everybody.

We have a US Flag with 50 stars, yet every state has their own flag. That's kind of arrogant, isn't it?
Every branch of service has their own flag. Every ship in the Navy has their own flag. Every unit in the Army has their own flag with their symbol on it. Everybody has their own symbol that identifies who they are and what group they belong to.
My contention is that the only reason we can fly any of these flags is because of the men and women that have sacrificed their lives throughout history.

Why don't they have a flag?
Why don't they have a symbol that when we look at it we identify it with the price of freedom?

And that is why I'm here.
To introduce an Honor and Remember Flag.

On May 26, 2008, the Honor and Remember Flag was unveiled publicly to the nation.
It was established to be a national symbol of remembrance, recognizing all those who gave their lives and service to our country from the beginning of our country's history to the present and the future.
The symbolism behind this flag came from military and universal icons and understanding.

I wanted it to be distinct, attractive and easily recognized and easily understood.
The red field of this flag stands for the sacrifice of blood shed - what better color than American-Flag red?
The white beneath that red signifies the purity of sacrifice because our men and women, each one of them, said to us "Don't worry, I've got it covered. I'll be back."

The blue star in the center, some of us may recognize as coming from a blue star banner from WWI, which was high on the windows and doors of families who had someone on active duty.
The gold star symbolizes that life was lost and not coming home. It's where we got the term Gold Star father, Gold Star Mother.
Most people in the US don't know what a Gold Star is, but they will.
The folded flag beneath the star stands for an individual life lost. A folded flag handed to a family at the memorial of their loved one.
The flames above it are an eternal reminder that we'll never forget.
And the words below - we will always honor their sacrifice and remember them specially by name.
Because they are names. They are loved ones with family, extended families, friends and comrades. And they deserve to be remembered individually whenever possible and one of the things I realized was it's not our nation's fault in term or degrees of remembrance.

It's the way we've been programmed. If you think about it, we support our troops everyday be when we lose someone our mind automatically goes - at least my mind went there - to Memorial Day. That's the day we have to remember.
So it's easy to go "Oh that's right, it was so bad, so sorry" and then go on with our lives and we'll remember on Memorial Day.
And what struck me is I never forget. A day doesn't go by that I don't remember.
And so I selfishly thought maybe I can get everybody else to remember too.
Maybe I can fly something so at least when they see it that the symbolism will come to them.

And so there's a bill in Congress right now - HR1034 - for the US Congress to make this an officially recognized flag of the United States' symbol of remembrance.
It took 18 years for the POW flag to become officially recognized, just to give you a little context there.
About a year ago, several states started to call me and said, "We don't want to wait for Congress. We want to fly this flag now for our families."
And one by one they began to call me and by January 2010 I had six or eight states that were writing legislation. I thought this is a very slow process because I have just handful of people helping me. There's no way of reaching out to the entire country without a journey.

I thought to myself: I'm going to step out and plan to reach all 50 states in a short amount of time. To bring this message where I can and as quickly as I can and to leave as many people knowledgeable as to what needs to be done and the importance of this in every state.

California is my 38th state.

I've travelled over 18,000 miles since June 7, 2010. I've been able to meet with Governors, Lt. Governors, Medal of Honor winners, Adjutant Generals and many many legislators.

And many many veterans and Gold Star families.
And in the 38 states I've been in I've gotten a commitment from every state that this flag will be flying.
I have 12 more states to go.
I will conclude this phase of the journey at Arlington Cemetery on Nov. 11, Veterans Day where many of our sons, daughters and
husbands and wives are buried.

I began at Dover Air Force Base where they come home.

And I will end where they are laid to rest."

The family of CPL Tony "TJ" Gonzales of Modesto, CA were presented the Honor and Remember Flag.

Tony Gonzales, Sr. holds a picture of his fallen son and his dogtags.

Keep track of George Lutz and the Honor and Remember Flag: www.honorandremember.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

The NEW Crocker

2010-09-08T13:22:47Z

Quick UpdateSacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Colorful Rainbow Festival Street Faire

2010-09-06T18:45:47Z

You can always expect the expected at Rainbow Festival; drag queens in heels and wigs, Cheer San Francisco, music, friends being with each other, the vendor booths, Sacramento Women's Chorus and Small Difference singing, Headhunters, Badlands, Faces,The Depot and Hot Rods filled with queer folks. Charlie Peer from Outword is always smiling as he takes snapshots of us.

Men streaming through the crowd in underwear only, some with their bodies painted, some performing erotic dance, a drag queen without her wig while tempting a Folsom Cheer Elite team member to a wrestling match were some of the unexpected fun.

It's just gay folks having a good time while raising money for for local charity organizations such as Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, Kids with Cancer, Make-a-Wish Foundation, Fairy Godfathers’ Fund, WEAVE, CARES, Breaking Barriers and many others.

According to Rainbow Festival promoters the Rainbow Festival was founded in 1986 by Terry Sidie and Richard Boriolo as an entertainment-based Pride Event held in the back parking lot of FACES nightclub. The fair has grown in size over the years to encompass the streets surrounding the intersection of 20th & K, and has expanded its focus to include events throughout the Labor Day Weekend.
The signature Street Faire event features some of Sacramento’s best local entertainment, live bands and headliners in two themed staging areas.

Caught while she still had her wig on.

SF Cheer with four in the air like a pinwheel.

The men in 1st Gear Men's Underwear were a distraction.

Cute buns!

A Folsom Cheer Elite team member holds his partner in the air with one arm.

A booth vendor laughs about whatever is on her friend's cell phone.

A dad and his two little ones.

Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival handed out their new program for the upcoming event.

The Grand Duke and Duchess of Rainbow Festival.

The Latin stage had male dancers and bands keeping the crowd entertained.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Thousands offer prayer and fasting at State Capitol rally

2010-09-05T02:44:37Z

There was a whole lot of prayer, dancing and applauding going on today on the west Capitol steps.

The Call to Conscience was described as spiritual repentance "when there is no hope for a nation."

Evangelical conservative Lou Engle and other pastors and speakers protested gay marriage, pornography and abortion.

A worshipper, with the word "life" printed on tape over her mouth, is part of a grassroots prayer mobilization movement to end abortion.

A man holds his arm above a woman crying as she is held by another.

Worshippers gathered in the grass and sidewalk on the west steps of the Capitol. A big screen is on the right. Big screens were set up along Capitol Mall Blvd on each block. The stage dominated about one-third of the area of the Capitol structure above the steps.

Many prayed with their arms uplifted.

Some prayed with their hands on others.

Money donations were encouraged throughout the day.

Men jump up and down to words and music.

A man and his cross on a wheel.

When this picture was shot, a speaker was announcing that craigslist.com had shut down its adult services section, replacing it with a black bar that simply says "censored." The speaker said that announcement was made public at the same time The Call began its prayer service, implying it was the reason it happened.

The Call was anticipating 50,000 for the event. As of 3pm the Mall corridor was not filled. Numerous pallets of plastic bottles of water baked in the sun throughout the day. After being chilled in ice coolers, they were handed out to worshippers.

About TheCall (from thecall.com)

TheCall is a FAST not a festival, a SOLEMN ASSEMBLY and not a conference. TheCall is not a Christian entertainment gathering, but a summons to prayer, fasting, repentance and sacrificial worship. TheCall does not advertise bands nor does it promote speakers. It is not about the exaltation of human personalities. It is about exalting the Lord and Him alone.

Our nation is in desperate need of the mercy of God and another great spiritual awakening, which will only come forth as the Body of Christ gathers together in prayer. When there is no hope for a nation, when there is no remedy, God has a Holy prescription. We must drop every barrier that divides us and unite in urgent, humble fasting and prayer with the promise that afterward God would pour out His Spirit (Joel 2).

TheCall is committed to mobilizing three generations, every ethnicity, and every denomination from across America to join in petitioning God for His undeserved mercy and to return to acts of justice that would satisfy His heart.

Our History
In 1997 Promise Keepers hosted one of the largest Christian gatherings in American history. An estimated one million men gathered to the National Mall in Washington DC responding to a call to live a lifestyle of humility and godliness. Lou Engle was deeply impacted by this profound event and began to mobilize a vision to raise up a corresponding youth movement of prayer and fasting that could bring forth a sweeping revival across America.

In 1999, a woman approached Lou and asked if he had ever considered putting young people on the National Mall like Promise Keepers did in 1997. Amazed at the question, Lou replied that two years prior he had proclaimed that the youth of America would gather together at the National Mall and it would be a sign from God that America was turning back to Him. The woman promptly wrote a check for $100,000 initiating what would eventually result in the TheCall DC. On September 2nd, 2000, an estimated 400,000 people collectively joined not to the sound of the latest names in Christendom, but to this phrase, “Almighty God summons you to a solemn assembly.” The presence of the Holy Spirit, with words of encouragement from our nation’s spiritual leaders, forever impacted multiple generations in attendance.

TheCall gatherings have been held across the nation in over seventeen different locations. Each gathering brought thousands of people hungry to seek the Lord. Specific regional and national issues such as racism, sexual immorality and abortion were targeted in corporate repentance as the body of Christ responded. This movement has filled stadiums, arenas and massive open-air fields in cities across the nation. TheCall has extended beyond the borders of America to Australia, Africa, Germany, Norway, England, Korea, Brazil, France, Indonesia, Holland, Canada, Israel and the Philippines. The nations are responding to the summons of united fasting and prayer.

www.youtube.com/thecallvideos

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Strike gold at Gold Rush Days

2010-09-04T17:34:33Z

Eureka! I struck gold yesterday in Old Sac at Gold Rush Days.

Well, more like the color of silver, tin to be exact.

Tinsmith William Brown is worth his weight in gold. His window into the pre-Gold Rush days of tinning are educational. His tinsmith booth is in the tent city closest to the Railroad Museum.

Step back in time. Stop at his booth. You'll be glad you did! He'll explain the origin of tole painting on tin, as well as the 'tippy-cup' babies drink from after giving up the bottle.

William Brown peers through his wiring down machine used in tinsmithing.

Brown holds a tin coffeepot he created. He and another tinner are the only tinsmiths in the US that make the coffeepot.

Brown uses his wiring down machine to create a groove at the top of a tin can. A wire is placed in the groove and tin is bent around it to create a smooth rounded top. The machine was created in 1845. Brown says everything made with tin includes wire. Tinsmithing is very labor-intensive. The tinsmiths has been plying the trade in America since 1720.

These youngsters check out the cannon while dressed in military uniforms in front of the California State Military Museum.

The tent city on the Embarcadero looks like an army is camping in post-Gold Rush Days.

Reenactors pose for a photo in the pre-Gold Rush Days tent city near the Railroad Museum. A lean-to is set up nearby (below).

You'll find reenactors all over Gold Rush Days(above and two below).

Children play an age-old rope game in the grass in tent city. It's like tug of war for two, perched on a block, with a name I do not know how to spell.

Panning for gold.

Enjoy wagon rides through Gold Rush Days.

A saloon gal guzzles down "alcohol" before a gunfight breaks out.

Visitors to Gold Rush Days come from all over. These folks from Australia and Nova Scotia rest on hay bales along Front St.

More than 200 tons of dirt fill the streets of Old Sacramento as the annual festival "turns back the clock," transforming Sacramento's historic district into a scene straight out of the 1850s. Costumed re-enactors, Wild West gun fights, musicians playing period instruments, and many aspects of life during the Gold Rush will be highlighted during the four-day event.

Featuring: Dancing, Street Dramas, Pony & Wagon Rides, Gold Panning, Period Artifacts, Storytelling, Craft Making, Embarcadero Tent City, Ethnic Village, Period Musicians, Horse-Drawn Carriages & much more!

Gold Rush Days is produced and promoted in cooperation with the City of Sacramento, the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau, California State Parks, the California State Railroad Museum Foundation, the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation, Old Sacramento Historic District Office and the Sacramento History Museum. For more information about Gold Rush Days specifically, or about visiting Sacramento generally, including lodging and attractions.

Hours:

Saturday and Sunday • 11am-7pm

Monday, Labor Day • 11am-4pm

visit www.discovergold.org or call (916) 808-7777.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Tapestri Square: a Good Sign?

2010-09-03T02:23:53Z

Quick Update

Workers are back on the job at the Tapestri Square brownstone-style homes at 2002 T Street.

58 single-family brownstone-style homes will retain the neighborhood’s historic charm and style while catering to an upscale buyer. They range from 1,300 to 2,800 square feet, starting from the high $300,000's.

A donation to the Sacramento Children's Home will be made on behalf of Tapestri Square for each home sold.

email info@tapestrisquare.com

tapestrisquare.com

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

New East Sac store on Target

2010-08-31T21:32:06Z

Quick updateTarget's new East Sacramento store at the corners of 65th and 4th Streets has all the looks of opening soon. The parking lot is ready, the exterior walls and signage are up. One of Target's newest, this 135,000-square-foot store along 65th Street just south of Hwy 50, is scheduled to open this October.

Visit: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/25184/New_Sacramento_Area_Target_to_Open_This_Fall

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Country Music was fun at Capitol Mall!

2010-08-30T02:55:33Z

I've not been a country music fan.......until today.

Country music sounded good and was a lot of fun today at Country in the Park, for the first time on the Capitol Mall grounds.

Country In The Park 2010 stars were Dierks Bentley, Jack Ingram, Eli Young Band, Sunny Sweeney, and Whiskey Dawn .The backdrop was the State Capitol. The grounds were packed with perhaps as many as 7,000 fans.

There were vendors selling all kinds of stuff.

Whiskey Dawn kicked the event off with their great sound and playful playing.

The U.S. Marines Color Guard presented Colors and the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra sang the National Anthem and the crowd sang God Bless America.

Sunny Sweeney was up next.

Fans of many ages enjoyed themselves!

Robert Webber was operating the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire truck's ladder, giving folks a bird'seye view of the scene.

Jack Ingram and his band really got the fans riled up!

The event ended with Diercks Bentley.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Apartment Complex burns in Carmichael

2010-08-27T16:39:47Z

Many residents were displaced from their homes after a four-alarm fire heavily damaged 12 units in a 36-unit Carmichael complex and left everyone without power Wednesday night. The Twin Gardens complex is located near the intersection of Fair Oaks Blvd and El Camino Avenue.

The fire started around 6:30pm Wednesday evening along Fair Oaks Blvd and El Camino Avenue.

Some residents reported hearing a "pop pop pop" sound and discovered the fire blazing at one end of the complex, catching trees on fire. The electrical box was on that end.

Wind fueled the fire and it spread quickly through a common attic above the upper units.

Apartments on the first floor below the heavily damaged top floor units sustained minor damage. Firefighters knocked the fire down within an hour.

There were reports of an explosion felt up to a quarter-mile away. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District believes the outside propane tanks at the Twin Garden Apartments created the explosion.

This is where the fire began. The electrical panel to the units was housed at this end of the building. Trees and vegetation are charred and an umbrella by the pool was fire damaged.

Volunteers with the American Red Cross Capitol Region Chapter arrived on the scene around 7:30pm after being called by Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.

Thursday morning, Red Cross volunteers returned to the damaged units to do Damage Assessment, which guides in establishing what relief help is needed for their clients. Photo above shows light coming through the roof beams in a top floor apartment.

Units below the destroyed ones above them suffered mainly smoke and water damage, as well holes in the ceilings. Firefighters did a good job protecting belongings with plastic tarp.

An American Red Cross shelter was open for a day at La Sierra Community Center for residents displaced by the fire. Once power was restored to the units not damaged by the fire, the shelter closed.

Residents from the front upper units escaped with only what they were wearing. One resident lost a cat in the fire.

The cause is under investigation.

A Sac Metro firefighter takes a liquid break.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Colossal Banners fit for Kings

2010-08-25T02:21:18Z

Don't be surprised if someone says they swear Tyreke Evams or DeMarcus Cousins waved to them as they drove past Arco Arena.

Today, the two largest banners ever hung in the history of Arco Arena were unveiled. Exclusively designed by Ferrari, the banners are 35 ft tall, 118 ft wide and weigh over 300 pounds each.They display intense images of the Kings exciting, young players: NBA Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans and the NBA'S Rookie of the Month for July, DeMarcus Cousins.

Alex Sigua, Public Relations Coordinator for Maloof Sports & Entertainment, owners of the Sacramento Kings, walks in front of the huge banner featuring Evans that will be raised and displayed on the southwest side of the Arena.

This is the left side of the banner showcasing Evans.

Fans entering the northeast corner of the Arena will be greeted by Cousins' huge banner.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Remembering Black Police Officers who died in Line of Duty

2010-08-20T03:22:20Z

More than 100 officers in dress uniform from all over the country and the United Kingdom participatied in a Memorial March to honor
officers who died in the line of duty this evening.

The march started at the Oak Park Community Center on Martin Luther King Blvd and ended at St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church on
14th Avenue.

The National Black Police Association (NBPA) is holding its 38th Annual National Education and Training Conference in Sacramento this week (Aug. 16 through Aug. 21). The theme of the conference is “police and community working together for justice.”

There are almost 200 officers from all over the country attending the conference, in addition to six officers from the United Kingdom. The conference will conclude on Saturday night with an awards banquet and dance. The keynote speaker will be San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris.

Here are images of the march:

Information courtesy of Sac PD Public Info Office

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Love Can't be Appealed!

2010-08-19T20:05:57Z

Love Can't be Appealed!

"You look like an army of lovers," State Senator Mark Leno told the crowd of peaceful protesters, gay and straight, during a rally on the Capitol's west steps Wednesday night.

Many of them were supposed to be saying their "I do's" today. Instead, they're still fighting for their civil rights.

The marriages didn't happen because the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit placed their own stay in the Federal Prop 8 Case, which doesn’t allow the issuing of marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Leno gave an encouraging speech, referring to the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution's 14th amendment.

Leno quoted this section from the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
He asked the crowd, "do you agree that all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are not meant to be excluded from that right?"

"I do!" was the resounding reply.

He went on to read that the 14th Amendment states that its Due Process Clause prohibits state and local governments from depriving persons (individual and corporate) of life, liberty, or property without certain steps being taken. This clause has been used to make most of the Bill of Rights applicable to the states, as well as to recognize substantive rights and procedural rights.

He concluded by reminding everyone that there has never been a civil rights movement that hasn't prevailed.

Marlene Shire-Anderson and partner Sara אלישבע Freid, Kevyn Gibson and his partner Jon Walker were acknowledged as two of the couples who were going to be wed and had to postpone.

Speakers stressed that we need to elect officials who support equal rights, our civil rights; those people like Attorney General Jerry Brown and Governor Schwarzenegger.

"We need to elect Jerry Brown and Pamela Harris in November," said Nicola Simmersbach.

Tina Reynolds and her partner Kate Moore.

Pat Ianni holds a sign during the peaceful protest.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Mercy General Hospital (Alex G. Spanos Heart Center) Update

2010-08-18T04:13:30Z

Construction has been under way on the Mercy General Hospital's state-of-the-art heart center on its East Sacramento campus.

Here is a brief update. Photos were taken Monday Aug 16:

Construction crews ready the drill bit for pilings in the south portion of the expansion area, along J Street yesterday.

Water is sprayed to keep dust down as graders level the dirt in the expansion area along J Street. This view looks east from 39th St. north of J Street.

Special fill material is delivered to the basement area of the new building underway.This is along 39th Street.

A big tractor moves dirt close to the existing Emergency Department.

The new center - which will be known as the Alex G. Spanos Heart Center in recognition of Mr. Spanos' $15 million contribution to the project's capital campaign - will be the new home for Mercy General's nationally acclaimed cardiac services.

The Alex G. Spanos Heart Center will consolidate Mercy General's cardiac services under one roof and function as a replacement building for the hospital's South and East Wings, which will be retired as hospital buildings in 2013, in accord with the state's seismic retrofit law. The center will be a 128-bed, five-story building at the center of the hospital campus, allowing for improved patient flow, while incorporating the newest technologies and clinical capabilities.

By the end of August “I” Street on the Mercy General Hospital will be closed (between 39th and 40th Streets on the hospital campus) for realignment.

(Information from Mercy General Hospital online documents)

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Hundreds show-up for American Idol auditions in Sacramento

2010-08-18T00:48:11Z

American Idol held its first auditions in Sacramento at Arden Fair Mall's courtyard today from 10am-2pm. By the end of the four-hour competition, Arielle White of Sacramento, came away the winner. She heads to San Francisco tomorrow to audition in front of judges and producers of the popular FOX talent show.

If she is the winner of that she heads to Southern California for another round of competition.

Here are some snapshots of the competition today: Morning radio personality Paul Robins emceed the final round of competion in the courtyard as many people looked on from the second floor of the mall.

Hundreds stood in line, either waiting their turn to audition or to support someone.

Audtioners waited nervously and happily in line to be on the stage during the first round.

Judge Mike Mechanick gives a thumbs-up to a contestant after conferring with Liz Benson, left, a vocal instructor with Skips Music and Annalee Penny. Mechanick and Penny are employees with FOX 40 in Sacramento.

Dane Drewis leaves the stage happy after his thumbs-up from the judges during the first round which was held in a vacant store upstairs at the mall.

Contestants awaited their turn watching others audition.

The three judges in the final round of competition.

Albert Tejada performs in the final round while many watch from above.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Plane belly-flops in field along Garden Highway

2010-08-17T00:09:31Z

The pilot of this single engine plane escaped with minor injuries when his plane crash-landed in a field just north of Power Line Rd along Garden Highway, west of Sacramento Internation Airport, this afternoon around 2pm. A propellor blade appears damaged and the plane is laying on its belly. At the scene details were sketchy regards the situation that caused the accident.

The plane is registered with the FAA as a Beechcraft Bonanza aircraft. The pilot's departure airport nor his final destination are not known.

Crews were at the scene repairing the electrical wires the plane clipped before coming to a stop in the field to the right of Garden Highway (road above the brown grass). Fire crews extinguished a small grass fire caused by the crash.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Gay Marriages Allowed, Just Delayed

2010-08-12T23:11:38Z

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker has delayed gay marriages for another 6 days. This gives opponents of same-sex weddings until Wednesday, Aug. 18 at 5 p.m. to get a ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on whether gay marriages should resume.

Diana Ruiz and her partner Nicola Simmersbach share their reaction to Judge Walker's decision with the media today at the County Recorder's Office. Four couples were anticipating obtaining their marriage licenses if the stay were lifted.Patricia Ianni and Angela Luna were anxious awaiting the decision at the County Recorder's Office in downtown Sacramento.

In deciding whether a stay is appropriate, the court looks to four factors:

whether proponents have made a strong showing that they are likely to succeed on the merits;
whether proponents will be irreparably injured absent a stay
whether the stay will substantially injure other interested parties; and
whether the stay is in the public interest.

Reactions from lawmakers and others:
Save California calls Judge Walker "a tyrannical judicial activist" over his Proposition 8 decision today.

Sacramento GLBT Center says postponement of gay marriages is a "huge let-down for couples wanting to marry today."

Christian group ADF says group will file appeal to Ninth Circuit immediately to appeal Prop 8 verdict.

Governor Schwarzenegger says "today’s ruling continues to place CA at the forefront in providing freedom and equality for all people."

Rick Jacobs, Courage Campaign founder and chairman:

"Today's ruling means that in less than one week, equality under the law will be restored for millions of loving families across California. Lifting the stay is ultimately consistent with both legal precedent and the findings in this case. Specifically, that every American has a civil right to marriage, and that by depriving millions of families this right, Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. Judge Walker's ruling affirms that the purpose of our judicial system is to protect our constitutional rights, not to take away those rights. All Americans agree that weddings matter and marriage is the foundation of strong families. Families and the institution of marriage itself can only be strengthened by the inclusion of more committed couples bound by unconditional love and enduring partnership."

In overturning Proposition 8, Judge Walker wrote: “Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license.”

The case will probably be heading to the Supreme Court.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Iceland Rink shoots for November opening

2010-08-12T02:33:48Z

Michael Lew and Steve McCarthy, (right in photo), says the game plan is to have Iceland Ice Rink up and running this November without a roof. He says they'll have everything inside that's needed for running the ice rink. He and other workers have been cleaning the charred interior, cutting suspension rods that had kept the walls stable prior to the fire and cleaning the area under the pipes that create the ice. Behind them is the front along Del Paso Blvd.

While work is going on inside, the front exterior will have a chalk mural to adorn it, thanks to Angela Casagrande and Jen Cimaglio. It is a scene featuring the four seasons. Casa Grande works on an ice rink depicted in the winter scene (below).

These are the pipes that keep the ice rink frozen. Luckily, they were undamaged in the fire and can be used when the rink is reopened.

A wheelbarrow sits near the back wall of the rink. Thanks to the work of many volunteers, the rink has been cleaned up and readied for a November Grand Opening.

Jen Cimaglio and Casagrande's hands are covered with chalk, a contrast to what the volunteers hands have looked like from cleaning up the burned ice rink.

Donations can be made to Sacramento Iceland. Please send to 3053 Freeport Blvd. #172, Sacramento, CA 95818 Any questions can be directed to terrie@icelandrestoration.com.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Downtown Rally against Whitman

2010-08-12T01:59:40Z

As billionaire Republican candidate Meg Whitman attends an exclusive $25,000 per plate fundraiser in her honor in the Elks Building, California workers and families rallied in front of that building tonight to declare they won’t let Meg bring her Wall Street agenda to the Governor’s office.
Workers walked with Stop Wall Street Whitman protest signs along J and 11th Streets chanting "Wall Street Whitman's gotta go."

"Meg Whitman is not having a real conversation with the voters about the types of policy proposals she would instill as the Governor of California," says Steve Smith, spokesperson for California Labor Federation.

"She's not talking to the media, she's not talking to the working folks. She's having private fundraisers behind closed doors. We want to make sure the other side of the story is told."

The workers rallied for about an hour, hearing a lot of honks as cars drove by.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

How about this for 2nd Saturday?

2010-08-06T23:18:49Z

The Greens Hotel was the spot for a Summertime Mixer hosted by The Temp (Sacramento Temporary Contemporary Gallery) for an evening of socializing and networking, as well as a Fish Fry and a Preview of "Gone Fishing" - a group show featuring Ken Waterstreet's Water Series in the long, long Gallery.

A woman walks in front of art in the Temp Gallery during the mixer.

Icky TheUgly Dog, (right) voted The Ugliest Dog online was there!

Nearby businesses had samples such as Sweet Expressions Desserts and Fine Baked Goods.

Cupcakes available for sampling were Orange Creamsicle, Smore's, Strawberrry Lemonade and Root Beer Float (below). At the Mixer, they were getting opinions of their cupcakes so they will know which ones will compete on Cupcake Wars on TV in the near future.

Top Dawg, a family-friendly Hot Dog Restaurant on The Boulevard, served HAGEN’S The Original Orange Freeze.

In the past year I've found myself pleasantly surprised with Del Paso Blvd several times. When I moved to Sacramento four years ago I dared not walk the streets of the boulevard alone. Nine months ago, with camera in tow, I roamed around The Boulevard, by myself, snapping photos of the revitalized buildings and median.

Last Saturday night, the Artisan held The Launch 2010 - (see: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/33969/The_LAUNCH_2010_took_off).

It was a great space, inside and out.

And at the Summertime Mixer, I found myself gawking in amazement. The exterior of The Greens Hotel along Del Paso Blvd. in no way prepared me for what lay on the otherside.

This arched opening leads from the lobby into the parking lot of the hotel which has a great touch of art deco with the big red planter, fabric sections suspended as a sunblock and the rooms are designated by letters not numbers.

Neighboring business essentially under the same roof include a restaurant, art gallery, and a live performance theatre.

Commons area for The Supper Club, Big Idea Theatre and The Temp art gallery.

The Temp Art Gallery is the brainchild of Limn Furniture owner Dan Friedlander, who grew up in Sacramento. The gallery is modeled after the innovative space in Los Angeles that eventually became the Museum of Contemporary Art. Friedlander believes that Sacramento is due for such an art space that would complement rather than challenge the Crocker Art Museum and the Center for Contemporary Art.(stcgallery.webs.com)

Visitors gaze at art depicting fish, part of the group show entitled "Gone Fishing," an exhibition honoring the fine art of fishing (above and below, in the long, long gallery).

Second Saturday Reception is Aug 14, 7-9 p.m. Gallery hours are Thursday, Friday and Saturday from noon until 4pm.

Larry Groves, Communications Director • Del Paso Boulevard Partnership, oversees events like the Mixers, inviting folks to visit and enjoy Del Paso Boulevard's new look and businesses.

The Del Paso Boulevard Partnership serves as a steward of this unique business corridor by improving its image, cleanliness, and safety, representing and assisting its business and property owners and promoting and marketing Del Paso Boulevard.

The next mixer will be September 9th with the book signing of a new publication about North Sacramento!

See a recent article about The Greens Hotel: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/32788/Greens_Hotel_for_sale

Visit: stcgallery.webs.com/, thegreenshotel.com/, www.dpbpartnership.com/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Bye Bye Prop 8 | Celebration photos in the Capital

2010-08-05T18:33:36Z

Bye Bye Prop 8 | Celebration photos in the Capital

Several hundred people came to 21st and K, in the parking lot of McMartin Realty, to celebrate the overturn of Federal Prop 8 in Sacramento, the State Capital, last night.

All ages of folks, straight and gay, came to honor and celebrate the court decision overturning the gay marriage ban yesterday.

It got off to a bit of a rocky start right after the announcement, when several gay couples headed over to the County Recorder's office to tie the knot.

They were turned down on the spot.

Part of the decision included a "stay", not allowing marriages to start immediately. It may be a matter of days before the stay is lifted.

An appeal has been filed over the gay marriage ruling.

Here are some snapshots from the historic day in Sacramento, CA.

Wendy Rae Hill (left), holding daughter Addison, and her partner Carrie Tedrick went to the County Recorder office after the overturn of Prop 8 to be married and were turned down as were other couples. Apparently there is a "stay" in force at this time not allowing same sex couples to wed immediately.

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (Dem. San Francisco) at the press conference.

Tina Reynolds, co-founder of ACTION EQUALITY NOW, peers at the crowd in front of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center before the press conference began.

Darrell Steinberg speaks to the crowd. Tom Ammiano behind him.

A jubilant crowd gathered for festivities.

Jennie Reiken, Equality California (EQCA) starts of the celebration.

Jessie Martin and her daughter Carin, foreground, had a 'front row seat' in front of the stage.

Ken Pierce, Director of Public Relations Equality Action Now enjoys the crowd and music.

Tina Reynolds, far right, with Roger Dickinson, 9th Assembly District, and two friends.

Kels Rogers, Rendevous Cool w/Beans, takes a break from singing.

Melissa Martinez takes in the crowd and music.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Capitol Mall Farmers Market

2010-08-04T20:39:39Z

Did ya know about the Farmers Market on the Capitol Mall greens?

Yep, it's every Thursday, 10am-1:30pm through Sept. 30.

From “farm-to-table” you'll find great vegies, fruits, breads and more.

To optimize access, Capitol Mall will be closed to traffic during the Farmers’ Markets from 5th to 7th Street East bound, 6th to 7th Streets West bound, and Sixth Street will be closed North bound from Capitol Mall to L Street.

The Capitol Mall District was formed by five (5) property owners located on Capitol Mall including: One Capitol Mall, 300 Capitol Mall, 400 Capitol Mall, Bank of the West Tower, Plaza Five-Fifty-Five and U.S. Bank Tower. The District’s purpose is to sponsor and promote events that will energize and utilize the common areas (the “Greens”) of Capitol Mall for the enjoyment of the entire region.

Check it tomorrow!

For more about information about the Capitol Mall Farmer’s Market call 916-498-6215. To learn more about Sacramento’s Certified Farmers’ Markets visit: http://www.california-grown.com/ or Marika Rose, 916-601-9737, marikarose@surewest.net

( Info from http://livinginurbansac.blogspot.com/2010/07/farmers-market-on-capitol-mall-greens.html)

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

National Night out in Sacramento

2010-08-04T04:04:52Z

The mayor of our fair city had a busy night out on National Night Out, from north to south Sacramento and points between.

First stop for Mayor Kevin Johnson, Police Chief Braziel and Gus Vina, interim City Manager, was Heritage Park Neighborhood Association off Elkhorn Blvd from 6-6:30pm. Then the three moved on to Robla Park Community Association • Robla Park until 7:20pm.

Throughout the evening until 9:30pm, the Mayor and his staff did touch and go visits to Swanson Estates, Meadowview Neighborhood Association • Freeport Park and finally Golf Course Terrace Estates.

After receiving a warm welcome from residents at Heritage Park on arrival, Mayor Johnson told them their area "exemplifies the very best in neighborhood watch." He explained "our commitment as a city is that public safety is a top priority in Sacramento." He told them their voices will be heard at City Council on a regular basis with Angelique Ashby being recently voted in and taking office in November. Heritage Park has a 100% participation rate for neighborhood crime watch, explained Ashby.

Sacramento Chief of Police Rick Braziel talks with a resident of Heritage Park during his visit.

Angelique Ashby, incoming City Council member, District 1 and Gus Vina applaud as the mayor introduces law enforcement.

George Huarjardo (foreground) joins a group of Heritage Park folks who came out to National Night Out for some food, socializing and to meet the mayor.

Kevin and Vicki Coughlin in East Sac talk with a block party visitor. They say this is their sixth year of participating in National Night Out. Many neigborhoods throughout the city held similar National Night Out parties.

Block party goers BBQ on a grand scale on 54th street that was blocked off between L and M streets. There was good food, wine and beer from local businesses and things for the kids to do.

National Night Out | America's Night Out Against Crime: "Tight budgets in communities across the country make National Night Out more important than ever…

Communities are being forced by tight budgets to scrutinize everything they do.

The closer people look at the value of National Night Out, the better it is. On a small annual budget, National Association of Town Watch (NATW), the sponsoring organization of National Night Out, has created and hosts an annual event that this year will bring together 37 million Americans in 15,000 communities.

Local coordinators receive everything they need to host a successful National Night Out in their community. NATW remains committed to working with city governments, police departments and grassroots organizers to make their communities better places to live.

And, we begin our second 25 years with a renewed commitment to meeting the same standards of transparency and accountability expected of our law enforcement and community partners." (www.natw.org)

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

New Encounters at Zoo

2010-08-03T22:27:58Z

Sacramento Zoo has a new way to interact with giraffes and three four-weeks-old piglets to introduce to its visitors.

Goody, a 13 year old, 14 ft tall giraffe, gets close to the folks wanting a giraffe encounter at the Zoo. He and two other giraffes are eager to meet visitors at the Tall Wonders giraffe viewing deck. Of course they're wanting to eat the food people serve to them!

For $3 per person, a visitor receives a piece of giraffe food (a small tree branch called “browse”) and is admitted into the supervised encounter area on the Tall Wonders giraffe viewing deck. The Zoo's giraffes are on a strict diet. What they eat and the amount eaten daily is monitored carefully by veterinary staff. No outside food is permitted.

According to a zoo spokeperson, "Giraffe encounters are at 11:45 am and 2:00 pm daily and may run for up to 30 minutes. Encounters may be canceled for very hot or inclement weather, and are subject to change or cancellation if the giraffes are not approaching the viewing deck on any given day. These amazing creatures are wild animals and we cannot guarantee that they will stick to our schedule. Encounter times may vary seasonally."

Meet the Zoo's newest residents:

Daisy, a red river hog, gave birth to the three piglets shown above on July 16 at the Zoo.They now follow mom around in their space and nurse on her even when she's laying in mud (below).

One of the piglets doesn't want to let go of mom's teet when she stands to get out of the mud. Dad hog will be introduced to his family at a later date once it is determined the mom and little ones have bonded.

Red river hogs live in wet forested areas and swamps in Africa, south of the Sahara to the Cape of Africa and Madagascar.

They are fast runners and good swimmers. Their hearing is so sensitive that they can detect underground movements of an earthworm.

For more information, visit: www.saczoo.com

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

The LAUNCH 2010 took off!

2010-08-01T21:14:23Z

The LAUNCH at the Aritsan successfully blasted off last night on Del Paso Blvd.

An event in its second year, The LAUNCH showcased art, music, fashion, and design from Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Seattle and Toronto. The event featured musical performances throughout the night, an indie design fair, unique local vendors all in one spot, a series of designer fashion shows, and collections of local artists and furniture designers.

Launch is a collaboration of creative minds joining hands to present Sacramento with a unique experience of culture and talent.

Musicians included Hottub (Oakland), New Humans (Sac), D.A.M.B. / Shaun Slaughter (Sac), RESA (LA), Doom Bird (Sac), Sea of Bees (Sac), The Generals (Sac), and Exquisite Corps.

Djs were Sex & Weight, Dj Whores, Mike Diamond, Jon Droll and John Michael Michaels.

Art & Fashion hightlights included :
Artists:

John Horton (Seattle)
Brady Tuazon (LA)
Iso 50 / Scott Hansen (SF)
Alexa Wolfe (Sac)
Joel Lee (Toronto)
Micah Crandall-Bear (Sac)

Fashion:

Van Der Neer
R. Douglas Custom Clothier
Krazy Mary’s
Vintage YSJ
Fringe
Hair & Make-Up:
Deeda and Canvas Salons

Here are some snapshots from the evening:

Scenes from the Fashion Show:

The LAUNCH was made possible Thanks to these sponsors:

Artisan
Bespoke
Boys Noize
BrownSkin Designs
Carols Books
Del Paso Boulevard Partnership
Downtown Grid
Enotria
Fringe
Hot Italian
Lumens
Makers Lab
Naggiar Vineyards
Paper Bag Records
Revolution Wines
Romp Creative
Royal Peacock
Sacramento Press
Sudwerk Restaurant & Brewery
The Greens Hotel
United State

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

One Night in the Life of a News Stringer

2010-07-31T22:06:39Z

One Night in the Life of a News Stringer

A news stringer is a freelance journalist or photographer who contributes reports, videos or photos to news organizations, local and national.

One of Sacramento's news stringers is Ed Fogle, owner of SacMav Rapid Media. Fogle says he and his crew "deliver a raw window to the scene where the action is happenng, right to your computer and file footage runs from incident footage that they supply to local and national media, seen on daily news."

Friday evening I joined Fogle's crew and rode with them from 6:30pm until Saturday 4:30am.The first part of our shift started with a serious accident in north Sacramento and ended with a motorcycle fatality in south Sacramento.

SacMav has several police/fire scanners in operation in the vehicle. With scanners running, dispatchers and first responders talking constantly on the different channels, we drove through different areas of Sacramento, of course never knowing where and when an incident may occur.

Stretches between calls was as exciting as watching grass grow.

I was in the midst of passionate, lighted-hearted people as we roamed,making it a good adventure.

Our first pursuit of a story took us to south Sacramento on Calvine Road. Initial information relayed over the scanners was a head-on collision requiring extraction from the vehicle.

As we exited Hwy 99, it was determined the accident was not as serious as originally reported. We headed back closer to downtown Sacramento

Around 9:30pm we responded to a report of a severed leg caused by the driver of a Winnebago RV.

Crime This is the fiirst scene we came to. Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) inspect the front of the Winnebago that fatally injured a woman. The driver, allegedly drunk, was apprehended about one mile from the scene of the crime, near Edgewater and Baxter Streets in north Sacramento. A police officer who was in the area caught him when he fled the RV.

The scenario began near North A St and Ahern St at around 9 p.m.

The driver, Darryl Alexander, knew the 56 year old woman he was visiting. Friends there tried to talk him out of leaving since he was drunk. He first backed over her and, then going forward, ran over her again. Witnesses could see that her legs were mangled. Awitness reported that her chest was caved in. She was rushed to the hospital. Around 5am Saturday, she died.

Alexander was arrested for felony hit and run and felony drunk driving. He also faces charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and parole violation, according to Leong, Sacramento Police Dept Public Information Officer.

At North A St and Ahern St, Sacramento City Police Officers shine a light on a shoe belonging to the vicitm of the hit and run. A pile of clothes lay on the ground, to the right of the police officers, where Alexander ran over a female friend twice.

A witness verified this man, Darryl Alexander, was driving the Winnebago in the hit and run accident.

Fogle interviews Sacramento Police Officer Wann at the scene of the hit and run.

11:15pm, a dispatcher reports a truck ran into a wall in the Rosemont area on Manlove Rd. The truck sustained front end damage from colliding with a wall covered with bushes.

California Highway Patrol Officers talk with the suspected drunk driver of the pickup truck. The truck slammed into a wall covered with bushes (right). Minor Injuries sustained. The driver was put into a Highway Patrol car and removed from the scene.

A City of Sacramento Police Officer inspects the rear wheel of a Harley Davidson after it's driver died at the scene. The fatal motorcycle accident along Pocket Rd near West Shore Dr. in south Sacramento was apparently the result of the rider traveling westbound at excessive speed around a bend and losing control. Unknown if alcohol was involved. The photo at the uppermost top of page shows the intersection of Pocket Rd and West Shore Dr.

Our last response ended on a light note: About 2:30am, we pull into Shari's parking lot along Florin Rd. just west of I-5. Simultaneously the scanner reports a break-in at Jimboys Tacos, at our location, with a taxicab parked outside. Shortly thereafter police cars show up. The police retreat as they soon discover the person inside had the right to be in there.

For more information about SacMav Rapid Media:maverickphotography.us/NewsRoomSupport.aspx

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Livestock Nursery at the State Fair

2010-07-29T18:18:54Z

For many Fair visitors young and old, the Livestock Nursery may be their first, and only, interaction with farm animals. People seem mesmerized watching the baby piglets feeding on mom, watching them pile on top of each to stay warm and running around their home. Hearing a baby goat bleat as it aggressively goes after it's mom's milk. When a female animal is due to deliver, humans gather around, enthralled and encouraging the mom.

Erin Jones, a Veterinarian student at UC Davis holds a day old goat in the Livestock Nursery at the Fair. The female goat was born second after her brother. Momma goat is ignoring the girl while giving all her attention to the boy. The Vet students are helping the girl goat get her fair portion of milk from Mommna as well as bottle feeding her.

The baby male goat gets attention from mom while his sister is ignored. The veterinarians keep a close eye on the new goat family.

A Jacob sheep mom lays with her one day old. According to Wikipedia:The Jacob sheep is a breed of unimproved multihorned sheep, patterned with black and white spots. Jacobs are grown for their wool, their meat, and their hides, and as pets and ornamental animals. As of 2009, Jacobs are listed as threatened by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, which means the breed has "fewer than 1,000 annual registrations in the US and estimated fewer than 5,000 global population." However, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust in the UK do not view it as being at risk as there are in excess of 3,000 registered breeding females.

The Livestock Nursery is a great place to hang out at the Fair!

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Railyards rolling along

2010-07-28T22:57:47Z

Work on what is called "one of the largest urban infill sites in the nation featuring environmental benefits and smart growth" steams forward with the buliding of the 5th and 6th Street bridges on the site's 240 acres.This view looks northwest towards I-5 (above and below).

This tall steel structure was raised early this morning. The exact name/function of it is unknown to the photographer.

The property is the site of the western terminus of the Transcontinental Railroad which later produced engines, cars, track and other equipment for the railroad. During its peak, the site housed the largest railroad facility of its kind west of the Mississippi and employed one third of all the workers in Sacramento.

Housing

The Railyards will include 12,000 mixed-use high-density housing units, including town homes and condominiums. Incorporated throughout the project, housing will include for-sale, rental units and affordable housing. The northeast portion of The Railyards will include a park-like green belt with water features where residents can meet, shop, eat and relax.

Sports and Entertainment
The development plan includes a possible sports arena, with supporting restaurants, clubs, office space, a hotel, retail, housing and parking.

Transportation

The city proposes to construct a new Sacramento Intermodal Transit Facility (SITF) along with a new track alignment featuring light rail, rail and bus connections, freight services and pedestrian linkages on the south end of the property. This will facilitate and support the growing transportation needs of the region, including Amtrak’s third busiest route in the nation, the popular Capitol Corridor.

Central Shops
A vibrant urban destination, featuring the preservation of seven notable historic brick structures, the Central Shops, which were built by the railroad beginning in 1868.

Over the next 20 years, the project will generate an overall regional economic impact of $33 billion by creating 19,000 permanent jobs, 2,800 annual construction jobs and resulting in an ongoing, annual positive economic impact of $2.7 billion.

(Information from The Railyards press release)

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Chop at the Top, say Sac City Employees

2010-07-28T03:45:09Z

"We are here today because our Local Union 39 is not listening about letting us have a voice on what labor concessions we'll take to save people's jobs," says Leslie Garner, City of Sacramento employee. "Our voices are not being heard by our union."

According to a statement made by Stationary Engineers - Local 39:

"The citizens of Sacramento deserve a city that is a 'Full Service City.' We treasure our parks, our libraries, the quality of our drinking water, and our canopy of trees.

Like other local government agencies acoss the country, the City of Sacramento is facing significant budget challenges. And unfortunately, the City Manager is proposing drastic cuts to the workers who maintain these treasures.

But we think there is another way. Another way of preserviing and maintaining these treasures while balancing the budget.

The City of Sacramento is simply top heavy with management. For every six workers who provide front line services to the public, there is one management position. That is nearly double the ratio recommended by public administration experts. By eliminating unnecessay management positions, the City can balance its budget and continue to provide to its best ability a 'full service city.'

We are also troubled as to why the City Manager is proposing to layoff workers in special funded departments like water treatment plant operators and sanitation workers in the department of utilities when they have a balanced budget as approved by Council on June 22. These employees are paid out of an enterprise budget which has no direct link to the general fund.

And finally, we are deeply concerned with the percentage of general funds that are being spent on public safety. For the first time, the City of Sacramento has surpassed the 80% figure for public safety expenditures. In June 2008, the City of Vallejo was on the brink of declaring bankruptcy when their expenditures on public safety hit 80%. We don't want to end up like Vallejo."

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

My sister is a City of Sacramento employee

Going to the Fair?

2010-07-27T00:39:39Z

If you've been thinking you'd like to go to the State Fair at Cal Expo, best mark your calendar for sometime this week because Sun., Aug. 1 is the last day.

I've been four times since it opened and still haven't seen it all. If I start out in a not so good mood, I lighten up as I travel around the rides and booths and see all the people.

Cattlemen's Day pulled me back yesterday in the late afternoon.

The Bullfest Ride show started off with a scramble to see who could be the first to saddle a horse. Of course, the horses were not agreeable.The cowboys took it seriously. One evades a bull (below).

Standing on top of his horse, this cowboy from Mexico plays "jump rope" with his lasso.

None of the bullriders hung on for very long.

Two cowboys raced their harnessed horse wagons around the arena quickly. I could've touch the horses as they sped by.

This boy thought he was going to bungee jump but decided after 10 minutes that he really didn't want to.

The "Euro Bubble" is harder than it looks and is funny to watch.

"Street Beat" is Parkour Percussion, Urban Drum & Dance.

Young girls ride trained rescued thoroughbreds in the Calvacade of Horses arena beginning at 5pm most days.

These three kids await a judge's decision on their sheep.

The midway after sunset is a great way to experience the fair - it's cooler and the multi-colors and sound creates great fair moments. And even food tastes better, especially since it is 25% less in price throughout the fairgrounds!

Rides take on a different feel at night.

Water pours from the Windsurf ride while visitors are upside down.

Big Slides are a lot cooler at night.

For more info about California's State Fair go to: bigfun.org before Sunday, August 1.

Retiring Capt. Jim Doucette given send-off party at deVere's

2010-07-23T05:08:29Z

Sacramento Fire Department Capt. Jim Doucette (almost retired ), right, was greeted by friends and members of the media, one of them Ed Fogle, left, at deVere's Irish Pub this evening. Though his official retirement date is date is Aug. 24, Sacramento Fire Captain John Burgess has stepped into Doucette's boots as new Public Information Officer.

Please read more about Captain Doucette in today's Sacramento Press article:

www.sacramentopress.com/headline/33326/Doucette_retires_takes_job_at_Burn_Institute

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Sacramento LGBT Community Prepares to React to Federal Prop 8 Ruling

2010-07-22T00:08:56Z

Sacramento LGBT Community Prepares to React to

Federal Prop 8 Ruling

Any day now, Judge Vaughn Walker will released his decision in the Perry v. Schwarzenegger Federal Prop 8 Trial. The leadership of Equality Action NOW and the staff of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center are preparing for that day.

If the judge hands down a ruling in favor of same-sex marriage, the leadership of Equality Action Now and the staff of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center are planning a party tentatively to be held at K Street and 21st in Midtown, in the parking lot behind McMartin’s Realty beginning at 6:00pm.

If the ruling is to uphold Prop 8 a protest march will take place starting from the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center, 1927 L Street, Sacramento, CA 95811, to the west steps of the State Capitol beginning at 6:30pm. There will be speakers and participants will have the opportunity to express their feelings in an open mic forum.

No matter how it goes, a Press Conference will be called within 2 hours of the ruling announcement on the front steps of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center. The LGBT Community and their supporters are invited to gather at the Center.

While this ruling can be a huge step forward or a temporary barrier towards equal rights for same-sex marriages, it is well understood that this case will serve as the bases for an appeal. Opponents of same-sex marriages will continue their fight by using every available means legally, as well as in the public arena to keep Prop 8 on the books.

The LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersex) community will be taking the gains they have received from the recent decision in the Massachusetts DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) Trial and the results of a Poll indicating a slight shift towards Californians supporting same-sex marriages and continue their fight for “marriage equality”.

“It is important to us to continue to build bridges to other communities by coming out and being vocal with our personal stories and issues if we are to continue to make gains here in California”, explains Tina Reynolds, co-founder of Equality Action Now, a Sacramento grassroots civil rights organization.

The Executive Director of the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center, Wendy Rae Hill, points out that, “As evident from the Federal Prop 8 Trial, what we have on our side is the Constitution and that no one was able to dispute the fact that same-sex marriages will pose no harm to the institution of marriage. On the other hand there is an abundance of evidence that same-sex marriages will actually strengthen our society and family structure”.

Organizations throughout the state and here in Sacramento are urging the community to “continue to amplify the themes underscored by Olson/Boies which focused on the inclusion and integration of LGBT people within the legal protections enjoyed by all Americans and framed this current controversy within the larger historical context of past discriminatory laws that have been eliminated. In this way, marriage discrimination against the LGBT community is seen as one more instance of unfounded bias and prejudice that is eliminated and is consistent with the enduring American principle of extending Constitutional protections and fairness to all people”.

(This is a re-post of an earlier press release from Equality Action Now.)

Farewell to the beautiful, big Butternut tree in West Sac

2010-07-22T00:03:39Z

Curiosity got the best of me and I had to actually see the big Butternut tree that has gotten all the attention lately. It is slated for removal so construction can begin for a pumping station for the Bridge District's sewage and storm runoff.

The tree is at the bottom of the north side of Highway 50 along South River Rd in West Sac.

It's a healthy looking tree and apparently one of the oldest Butternut trees in the US.

In case you, too, were wondering what it looks like, here it is:

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

State Fair welcomes lots of little ones

2010-07-21T05:41:46Z

There were brand new arrivals at the Fair today - new baby piglets and a calf. Perfect timing for Kids Day today (all kids 12 and under receive FREE admission all day each Tuesday). And the human kids were entranced looking at the brand spanking new critters.

This 300 pound momma hog gave birth to six little ones early today. Their eyes were open and they were walking around the pen.

This was a typical scene of how the kids were looking at the mom and new arrivals.

Momma cow licks her new offspring as it tries to take its first steps. It got up on its hind legs several times and then had to rest.

The Livestock Nursery will continue to be busy as more animal moms are expecting any day.

And today was also First Responders Day, saluting current heroes and veterans in all branches of the Armed Forces, law enforcement and first responders. FREE Fair Admission was given to those individuals in or out of uniform with proper ID. There were special exhibits/ interactive activities staffed by representatives from these affiliations.

A girl checks out a police car from the inside.

Sergeant C. Khan, a U.S. Marine Corps Recruiter, encourages a little boy as he tries to do some pull-ups.

Volunteer Jacqueline Ball hands a visitor a carry-all bag with the American Red Cross logo on it.The American Red Cross Sacramento Sierra Chapter had some little rubber duckies dressed in military fatigues to remind folks about the service that it provides to the military members and their families, as well as Disaster Services.

This little guy performed Michael Jackson's Billie Jean in front of a huge audience.

This tall fellow caught everyone's attention.

The jungle adventure features a variety of birds, amphibians and reptiles, including colonies of alligators and large tortoises.

The mechanical bull starts out slow but by the end of the ride hardly anyone can hang on!

Turbo Jump had young ones jumping up and down and turning somersaults in the air.

The "Days of the Dinosaur" Adventure is a must see at the Fair.

California's diverse counties compete for accolades by creating original and elaborate displays showing off the incredible and unique beauty of California. The scene

above is at the Butte County exhibit. A Garden of MAGnificent Proportions gives a rural look in this scene with tall corn on the right and big sunflowers on the right.

Fair visitors enjoy a reprieve from the heat under misters in the Save Mart wine tasting pavillion.

This ball-capped guy digs in to his big slushie to cool off.

Pirate in training blast each other with water cannons in the big lagoon.

His new-found friends at the fair just can't stop burying him under kernels of corn.

These girls were part of a kid talent show.

These two are hungry and happy that food at the fair costs 25% less than last year.

The California State Fun at the Cal Expo runs through August 1. For complete information visit www.bigfun.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

VERY SPECIAL ARTS DAY at Fairytale Town

2010-07-18T17:58:09Z

Performances, Visual Art Shows, and Funshops were featured at VERY SPECIAL ARTS DAY on Saturday at Fairytale Land.It was Hosted by VSA California at Fairytale Town. Very Special Arts Day brought together children of all abilities-those with disabilities and those without-to interact through, create, and enjoy the Arts.

The highlight was performances by ACT ON!-a children's Theatre Camp (project of VSA arts and Fairytale Town).

Visual arts creations by Very Special Arts students in the Sacramento VSA I Can Do THAT! program were on display.

A scene from Mall Mayhem (above and below), playing robbers are (left to right) Abby Paiva, Zach Roberts and Paco Garcia.

Security Guards in Mall Mayhem Bella Roccucci, left, and Iris Jackson.

Cameron Bachman, left, plays Robot Minion 1; Alex Garcia is Dr. Evil Josh and Eva Anders is Robot Minion 2 in The Birth of Hollywood.

Playing in The Battle for Planet Dojo are Nice-Zilla, Maeve Castleberry; Sinister Zilla, Alexi Zachariou-Remp; Dragon 1, Bella Zachariou-Remp and Dragon 2, Bella Hopkins.

The Battle for Planet Dojo Ninjas are Michael Donnelly, Jake Leatherman, Jacob Corder, Maya Diaz-Villalta and Gordon Felesina.

Several Funshops (hands-on workshops in the Arts) were offered-including hands of wisdom, flying saucers, rhymba shakers, pipe cleaner jewelry, and spiral mobiles.

Malachi and Caleb (below) Vigallon tried their hands at spin art with the help of mom.

Over 300 children of all abilities interacted during Very Special Arts Day.

Children with disabilities plus one escort were admitted free to Very Special Arts Day. These events are sponsored by Active 20-30 Club #1 of Sacramento, the Rivercats Foundation, Sutterville Heights Optimists, and National VSA arts.

VSA California and Very Special Arts Sacramento showcase the talents and capabilities of children of all abilities. Professional artists work with young people to create high-quality artistic productions such as ceramics, musical shows, hip-hop dances, paintings, video productions, and puppet shows. These performances and visual art shows are then presented to the Sacramento community at galleries, theatres, festivals, and special events. The program is supported through grants, special events, and donations from businesses and corporations.

For more information: www.vsasacramento.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Eppie's Great Race was Great

2010-07-17T23:22:50Z

According to Eppie's Facebook page, 2,092 competitors in today's 37th race set a participation record. The race began at William Pond Park at 8am.

It finished at River Bend Park.

Here's some snapshots from today:

Eppie Johnson, the founder of the race, talks to a participant.

Stretch it out!

John Bik, Team TFO.

Traffic Director in lower right.

Volunteers guide the kayaks away from the finish line after completion.

The finish line!

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

State Fair is ON!

2010-07-15T05:35:32Z

California's State opened today, a month earlier than in the past.

Kids are home for the summer, they're hungry, bring them to the fair and feed them for less money! Plus they'll see some neat stuff.

Opening ceremonies kicked off the fair this morning. A member of the Air Force Color Guard adjusts the American Flag. Fair goers were lined up outside the ticket booths (on left and below).

Our National Anthem was sung.

Poppy the Bear listens as Norb Bartosik, General Manager/CEO of the State Fair welcomed one and all.

Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Pony Express, a historical ten day re-ride traversed the original 1,995 mile route through Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California left from Old Town Sacramento on July 14 to the opening ceremonies of the 2010 California State Fair at the Main Gate. Letters from Mayor Bill Falkner of St. Joseph, Missouri, were carried to Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, General Manager/CEO of the California Exposition & State Fair, Norb Bartosik, and its Board of Directors and was read at the opening ceremonies.

Food, food and more food at 25% less! Unusual foods include deep-fried MoonPies and chocolate-covered bacon.

Robotic dinosaurs make lots of noise and are fun to look at and touch!

Check out the dinosaurs cousin, the 20 year old alligator! He likes to be petted.

Qjuick Sand PW won one of today's races. Racing Dates are July 14 through July 25. No Racing July 19 and 20.

A little girl had a fun time coming down the giant slide.

Stop and check our Defenders of Freedom booth.

There's lots to do and see at the fair: Animals & Agriculture, Art & Culture, Sporting Events, Stage Entertainment, Sporting Events, Special Events, Roaming Entertainment, Wine Tasting and lots more: apps.calexpo.com/fair/FairEvents/Calendar.asp

Fair officials say there are discounts of up to 20 percent on admission, rides, and parking on a limited basis on the fair website at www.bigfun.org.

Watch for more snapshots of the fair!!!

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sutter Construction Update

2010-07-14T00:01:32Z

Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center

A tall construction crane is put in place today along M St., between 28th and 29th Streets, just east of Biba Restaurant. The Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center will be a 242-bed, nine story building that will provide innovative technology in a patient-focused environment. It also will feature a life-saving helistop near Capitol Freeway, which will allow helicopters to transport severely injured and sick patients for treatment, mostly newborn and pediatric patients.

Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center will provide the highest level of neonatal and pediatric intensive care services, pediatric cardiac care, pediatric neurosurgery services, pediatric cancer services, and high-risk and conventional maternity services to families in 27 counties.
A freestanding, three-story skywalk will connect the Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center with the Ose Adams Medical Pavilion.
The Anderson Lucchetti Women’s and Children’s Center is named in honor of the generous donation from the Anderson Lucchetti family. At $18 million, the Anderson Lucchetti contribution ranks as the single largest gift from an individual family to a capital campaign in the greater Sacramento area.

The construction tower is located on the east side of Biba Italian Restaurant which has been and will be open during construction. Construction will continue into 2012.

Sutter Capitol Pavilion

The Sutter Capitol Pavilion is a four story, state-of-the-art facility that will house medical offices and outpatient services, including diagnostic imaging, women’s imaging, lab, outpatient surgery and a vascular laboratory. It will will connect to all of the other buildings on the Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento campus with a second story glass skywalk. Facing Sutter’s Fort across L Street, the Sutter Capitol Pavilion features a stepped-back design and landscaped plaza, with a café and courtyard facing the historic fort. Along the 28th Street side of the Sutter Capitol Pavilion, an exterior glass hallway showcases rotating art exhibits, crowned by heritage palms, for neighborhood pedestrians to enjoy. Patients entering through the driveway off of Capitol Ave. will enjoy complimentary valet parking.

The departments will begin moving Aug. 30 and will continue the move-in process through Spring 2011.

Ose Adams Medical Pavilion
Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento

Once fully renovated, Sutter General Hospital will be renamed the Ose Adams Medical Pavilion – a five-story, 257-bed facility that will include:

24 operating rooms
Two new cardiac cath labs
Two new electrophysiology labs
Five angiography rooms
106 recovery beds
State-of-the-art digital Imaging Department
Emergency services expansion with larger waiting areas, more treatment rooms, and dedicated CT scanner and other imaging equipment, and the addition of a children-only emergency room
The new home of Sutter Heart and Vascular Institute, in addition to tertiary services including orthopedics, neuroscience, bariatrics and oncology.

A beautiful, walking meditation garden outside Ose Adams Medical Pavilion and facing Sutter’s Fort is an example of using natural elements as a component of a healing environment. Located next to the new Emergency Department entry, this garden will provide a tranquil respite on a bustling medical campus for staff and visitors alike.

The Ose Adams Medical Pavilion is named for Enlow Ose and Melena Adams Ose and their family, whose generous gift of $10 million was made in support of Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento’s expansion efforts.

(Information accompanying photos from Sutter Medical press releases. Graphic of Ose Adams Medical Pavilion courtesy of Sutter.)

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Discover the Discovery Museum with your Kids

2010-07-12T02:07:26Z

The Discovery Museum Science & Space Center is a great place to take the kids. The Center rotates exhibits about every six months. Each exhibit is designed to be an interactive experience for all ages.

Featured are activities for different learning levels. Activities include hands-on stations with specimens or experiments. Search and find guides are designed for each exhibit and are based on the California State Science Standards. Play areas and costume areas are particularly popular with families.

This weekend was all about Terrific Triceratops dinosaurs, as well as the Gee Whiz Geology exhibit.

Two boys hold up a compass in front of Cosmos the Robot to see if it can guess what it is!

Kylee Beasley looks at a volcanic rock under a magnifying glass.

Lilllian Zimmerman, almost one year old, enjoys watching Bella the giant rabbit.
The Nature Discovery Hall showcases birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects are here waiting to help kids learn about their fascinating lives and habitats.

Annabelle Zimmerman, three years old, and her mom look at HUGE cockroaches (see below).

A young girl weighs some material on a scale.

A young boy gets close and pets a model dinosaur.

A man seems enthralled by the jaws of a crocodille. Hanging on the wall is croc "skin".

A boy and his dad watch a coin drop into the hole of the gravity well.By the time the coin moves from the wider area into the hole it is traveling 70 miles per hour. It is a good demo of how water acts going down the drain.

The entryway of the Terrific Triceratops.

Also, Learn about the local night sky in Northern California's only public planetarium. Twenty-minute star shows introduce you to our celestial neighborhood. It is open all year: Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. as well as July and Aug.: Monday–Friday at 3 p.m.

*Please, no children younger than 4 years old.

Please call museum before coming to confirm hours: 916-575-3941

3615 Auburn Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95821

www.thediscovery.org/SSC/Exhibits/default.htm

email:
events@thediscovery.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

A mini-shot of Second Saturday

2010-07-11T19:56:23Z

Here are snapshots of what I happened upon during Second Saturday in midtown:

These women moved v e r y slowly through dances in front of the Marrs Building (above and below). They are members of Dangerous Lorraines. More information about them here: dangerouslorraines.org/ . They attracted lots of attention!

Joe Velez in Headhunters kept patrons happy with their favorite libations.

This artist pulled her "studio" on a wagon behind her bicycle.

Youngsters checked out their "apin art".

The Alkali Flats did their Lo-Fi and Honky-Tonk music in the Bike Kitchen (above and below).

Stephanie Oliveira (above) and Jen Cemaglio (below) were on J St. again creating an underwater scene in chalk leading up to the 20th Anniversary of Chalk It Up! on Labor Day weekend. For full details of this and other art events, visit www.downtownsac.org/secondsaturday

One of the little fish in the mural.

A tribute to the ocean in light of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of New Mexico by Sandy Thomas, a Sacramento poet.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Zombies Lurch through Midtown

2010-07-11T18:04:49Z

Zombies staggeirng down midtown last night brought to life the six-week Trash Film Orgy at the Crest Theatre.

Here's some of the bullet-riddled, blood-drenched, brain-damaged zombies:

For information about the Trash Film Orgy:www.thecrest.com/calendar/expand.cfm

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Chick-fil-A Goes Bovine!

2010-07-10T01:28:02Z

It was all about "Eat Mor Chikin" during Chick-fil-A's Cow Appreciation Day. If diners arrived dressed as a cow, they got a free chicken meal at 1,400 restaurants across the country. The campaign is all about the preservation of cows by eating chickens!

Here's some of the chicken eaters in Sacramento:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

East Sac July 4th Celebration!

2010-07-05T06:44:25Z

East Sac held its annual July 4 parade and get together.

Here's some snapshots:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sac Metro Fire assists with Roseville Grass Fire

2010-07-05T04:20:39Z

An intense, wind-fed grass fire near Roseville had multiple agencies on the scene, including Sacramento Metropolitan Fire, near Phillip Road near Fiddyment just west of Roseville, and just south of Baseline Rd. The fire began blazing just before 5 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Apparently the origin of the blaze was traced to a bird hitting a power line.

This segment of the fire is near a Roseville Power plant along Phillip Rd . It was knocked down successfully,

Fire crews were staged along Phillip Rd. The fire moved quickly from right to left in this scene.

A helicopter dropped water along this fire line just south of Baseline Rd and west of Roseville.

Firefighters battle the blaze with waterhoses after the helicopter dumped water on it. By 7pm it was contained and left a thick cloud of a smoke trail flowing in a southerly direction. No homes were damaged. Nearly 500 acres were burnt.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Fireworks Bursting in Air

2010-07-04T16:11:19Z

If you can't make it to watch tonight's fireworks show somewhere, check these babies out from Raley Field last night:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Jehovah's Witnesses Convention in Sacramento

2010-07-04T03:03:48Z

For the first time, the annual convention of Jehovah's Witnesses is happening at Sacramento's Convention Center on J Street. For eight weekends, including Fridays, the 134,000 square feet Convention Center Complex is filled with Jehovah's Witnesses. Over each 3-day weekend, over 12,000 Jehovah's Witness have/will attend the event.

Their annual convention runs until Aug. 22nd. There are concurrently 57 conventions in 90 USA cities.

I dropped by Friday morning and discovered this weekend is devoted to Spanish speaking folks. It was all spoken in Spanish. The two men who showed me around laughed when I told them I flunked Spanish in Junior High. Even the signs were in Spanish as seen below.

Samuel M. Nevarez of Carmichael, the main speaker for this weekend.

Marco Escobar of Pittsburg, CA holds his grand-daughter, Samantha Gonzales, in the Convention room.

These gentlemen (left to right)Jason Garcia, Salvatore Jimenez, Ignacio Poszles, Jaime Guzman and Santo Banuelos, were some of the many volunteers keeping things organized and running on time.

According to a press release, Jehovah's Witnesses are members of a worldwide Christian religion (7.3 million) who actively share with others information about God, whose name is Jehovah, and about his Son, Jesus Christ. They base their beliefs solely on the principles found in the Holy Bible and view first-century Christianity as the model.

They believe that in addition to drawing one closer to God, living by Bible principles gives purpose to life, promotes strong family ties, and develops productive and honest citizens.

They are Christians. They follow Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and put faith in the ransom sacrifice he provided for the salvation of mankind. They imitate his example in preaching and teaching and in their dealings with fellow humans. They also look forward to living in true peace on earth under his heavenly Kingdom.

While they have strong religious convictions, they are not fundamentalists in the sense that the term has come to be used.They do not believe that every passage in the Bible is to be interpreted literally. They do not pressure political leaders to promote a certain point of view, nor do we resort to demonstrations and violence against those who disagree with them. The Bible teaches Christians to be kind, good, mild, and reasonable—qualities that do not allow for the kind of fanaticism that is sometimes associated with fundamentalism.

They do not consider themselves the only ones to be saved. Many millions who have lived in centuries past and who were not Jehovah’s Witnesses will come back in a resurrection and have an opportunity for life. Many now living may yet take a stand for truth and righteousness before God’s time of judgment, and they will gain salvation. Moreover, Jesus said that we should not be judging one another. Humans look at the outward appearance; God looks at the heart. He sees accurately and judges mercifully. God has committed judgment into Jesus’ hands, not human's.

For further info:jw-media.org and www.jw.org.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Break Time

2010-07-02T23:53:23Z

A man sits in the shade near the corner of 11th and N on the capitol grounds today around 1pm. According to KCRA we're heading into the 4th of July weekend and we're heading into a warming trend. Temps will reach the low 90s on Saturday with a breeze from the North. Low 90s is now average for this time of year. Sunday, the 4th, will be warmer with afternoon temps in the mid to upper 90s and lighter winds.

HAVE A SAFE JULY 4TH EVERYONE!

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Sac Zoo's Newest Tiger-cub Jingga

2010-07-01T00:18:20Z

Jingga is now an experienced debutante since making her first public appearance on June 16 at the Sacramento Zoo. A Sumatran tiger, she was born March 18, 2010. Jingga's name was the top choice out of 40,000 possibilities submitted in a naming contest the zoo sponsored.

She is clearly a hit with children. A young girl (above) gets as close as possible to Jingga with a very thick glass separating her and the cub.

Jingga spends time alone at times.

New mom, Baha, plays with Jingga using her paws as well as her mouth. Since tigers are solitary in the wild, mother and cub will alternate on exhibit with the father.

Jingga learns fast about feeding on vegetation as well as playing with it (above and below).

According to a press release by Sacramento Zoo, the winning name, Jingga, means orange in Indonesian. The little tiger cub already has a full coat of orange and black striped fur. The stripe pattern on tigers is like a fingerprint: no two are identical.

Sumatran tigers are critically endangered and found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra off the Malaysian Peninsula. Fewer than 500 Sumatran tigers are believed to exist in the wild and approximately 200 Sumatran tigers live in zoos around the world.

The Zoo participates in the Tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP), coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which recommended the breeding of the Sacramento Zoo tigers. SSPs are cooperative breeding and conservation programs designed to maintain genetically viable populations of animals in captivity, and to organize zoo- and aquarium-based efforts to preserve the species in nature.

For further information, visit: http://www.saczoo.com/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Chillin' at Discovery Park

2010-06-28T22:55:09Z

102ª.

It's hot!

Here's how some folks are staying cool at Discovery Park:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Zoo's Kingly Feast snapshots

2010-06-27T19:00:48Z

Sacramento Zoo's King of Feasts last night pulled a lot of Zoo lovers in to experience the zoo after hours while enjoying great food, wine and other liquors, as well as exotic dancers.

Here are some snapshots:

Dancers of the Pacific performed on the main stage (above and below).

Kercy Adler-Resnick of Rocklin enjoyed her drink in front of the flamingos home.

And the flamingos just acted like they are used to partying humans.

The dad of the new baby Sumatran tiger went eye-to-eye with visitors. His offspring, Jingga, the female Sumatran tiger cub, did not make an appearance. It was too late in the day for her.

The Mixology Competition Results: Dominique 77pts | Ricky 83pts | Renee 96pts | CHRIS DOOLEY from Ella Dining Room and Bar 100pts!.

Giovanni's gave out a heck of a lot of pizza!

Sarah Napolitano poured a lot of Barefoot Wine and Bubbly.

The misters helped keep the heat at bay.

With drink in hand, a woman takes photos of one of the Zoo's residents.

Nugget Markets was on hand to give folks samples of their wines.

Sacramento Bee's columnist Rick Kushman shared his food and wine knowledge.

Na Aikene Ukulele Club strummed and danced.

A strawberry is dipped into the chocolate waterfall.

Tequila!

Shakin' his stuff at the Zoo.

Two giraffes took part in their own feast , with human help.

An 18" long tongue helps.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Good Deeds at DEEDA

2010-06-22T18:33:13Z

DEEDA hairstylist Rachel Marrs styles her mother Judy's hair yesterday during DEEDA SALON'S 2nd Annual Cuts for a Cause yesterday from noon until 8pm. The successful event, thanks to 45 customers, $1300 was raised for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

It's personal for the two Marrs women as they have a close relative in her early 20's who has Cystic Fibrosis.

According to www.cff.org/ Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:

clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and
obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

To get in touch with DEEDA Salon, visit:deedasalon.com/

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

2 Alarm Fire Destroys Two Mobile Homes

2010-06-21T23:21:49Z

City of Sacramento Fire Department Press Release:

A two alarm fire destroyed two mobile homes in the Acorn Village Park located at 5800 Stockton Blvd. The fire was reported at 1:07 P.M. and Sacramento Engine #10 was on scene in about 2 ½ minutes. A small propane tank had exploded and more propane tanks were threatened. A second alarm was requested.

Firefighters did a great job of preventing the fire from spreading to other homes and keeping the fire from exploding more propane tanks. Engine #6, which would have been the second due Engine Company, was browned out today. The delay did slow down firefighting efforts. Luckily there were no reported injuries.

A Sacramento Fire Investigator is on scene trying to determine the cause. Firefighters from Sacramento Metro Fire also responded as did the American Red Cross. They assisted one family with housing assistance.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Breaking News: 2 mobile homes burn in fire

2010-06-21T20:55:19Z

Fire crews battled a big fire in Acorn Mobile Home Park along Stockton Blvd. They are still at the scene, with the fire under control. No injuries. Fire started around 1pm. Investigation underway.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom

2010-06-21T03:31:14Z

This weekend was the 9th Annual Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom honoring the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln. It marked freedom from slavery for African Americans.

Locally to honor the occasion there was a one-mile run/walk event, a parade, Community Soldier Awards, a talent show, historical re-enactments, a fishing derby for kids and a gospel extravaganza on Sunday.

I spent a couple of hours at Juneteenth on Sunday. Here's some shots of my time there:

Ms. Black readies herself to be emcee.

Karen Bradshaw sang and acted out a gospel song.

Adrianna Beckham is actually enjoying herself.

Lolita Moore, BMI award recipient for Sounds of Soul sang several songs.

Youngsters from Reign Step Ministry did strong body moves.

Annointed Praise Dancers (very top of page and below) "primary purpose is to minister to the body of Christ the heart of God through creative expressions of worship, prophesy and dance."

anointedpraisedance.webs.com/

These two handsome gentlemen, James Coleman, right and John Banks, manned the George S. "Spanky" Roberts Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. The objectives for the George S. "Spanky" Roberts Chapter of TAI is to cause the community to become more aware of the Tuskegee Airmen story/legacy and let the minority children know that if you can dream it, you can achieve your goals. The raising of money for the chapter's Education Assistance Fund is a major objective.www.taisac.org/index1.html

Some folks just relaxed and listened to the music.

These guys had some good soccer action going on.

(from www.sacramentojuneteenth.com/history.html)

On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued his official Emancipation Proclamation, which contrary to popular belief did not immediately free a single slave. The President had no power against the Constitution, and the USA was, and still is, governed by the rule of law. However, the Emancipation Proclamation had two effects. First, it disrupted agricultural economies as slaves fled the plantations, and second, it contributed to the collapse of the Confederate states. Without support from the British and French, the Confederacy collapsed on April 9, 1865 when General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant. The remaining Confederate armies surrendered later in the month. Only five days after the collapse on April 14, President Lincoln was shot and then died the following day.

On June 19, 1865, the Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas announcing the war had ended, and all those enslaved were now free! From that moment in Galveston, the observance of June 19th as the African American Emancipation Day had spread across the United States and beyond. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States.

At long last the rule of law was changed. On December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment’s completion of ratification prohibiting slavery to the U.S. Bill of Rights was implemented.

Today, Juneteenth’s national celebrations focus on African American freedom while encouraging self-development and respect for all cultures. In recent years, an increasing number of Juneteenth organizations have risen to take their place alongside older organizations with the mission to promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African American history and heritage. As they continue to take on a more national and even global perspective, the events of 1865 in Texas are not only remembered, but celebrated.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Snapshots from Sacramento PRIDE

2010-06-20T05:30:00Z

The Capitol Mall proved to be a pleasant crowd gatherer for today's Sacramento PRIDE Festival.

Southside Park was the starting point for the parade which traveled north on 7th St and ended on Capitol Mall.

Here's some snapshots taken during the parade and festival:

Fred Palmer holds a rainbow flag gliding down 7th St. in the parade.

The River City Sisters march up 7th Street.

Darrell Steinberg and Dave Jones sit atop the back seat of a convertible.

Priscilla Carlisle marches up 7th Street.

Fans lined the route (above and below)

Ballroom dancers Melissa Bryden and Janell Darrock.

The parade dispersed into the crowd at the PRIDE Festival along Capitol Mall between 3rd and 7th Streets. A rainbow balloon arch went across the street.

CHEER San Francisco was a crowd pleaser.

Kels Rogers sang with Rendevous Cool w/Beans.

Some folks enjoyed squaredancing.

Cinderella was a hit with the little ones.

Allyn Pharo waves to the crowd below.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Dyke Night kicks off PRIDE

2010-06-19T06:08:03Z

Sacramento's PRIDE 2010 kicked off with Dyke Night, an evening of music and entertainment on the west Capitol steps to lead into the new location of this year's festivities on Sacramento’s Capitol Mall near between the Tower Bridge and the Capitol building.

Here are some moments:

Two women in the audience respond to the performers on stage.

Allyn Pharo and her dog Sterling.

The crowd filled the lawn in front of the west Capitol steps.

Aurora (top and bottom) played to the crowd.

Emcee and Organizer Hilary Hodge keep the pace going throughout the evening.

Tina Reynolds, Equality Action Now, gave folks an update on Prop.8.

Dancers from Hot Pot Studios (above) moved their bodies slowly to the music and react after falling down (below).

Dean Brian Baker, Trinity Church participated with C. Foster and Jovi Radtke’s “Spoken Word”.

Jace and Brando performed with the Kings of Drag.

Other performers included Der Spazm and Sappho’s Serenaders.

For a copy of the official Sacramento PRIDE program:sacramentopride.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/sac-pride-program-only.pdf

The Sacramento Pride Festival will be held Saturday, June 19, from 10 am to 5 pm along the Capitol Mall Avenue.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Chalk it Up Sacramento!

2010-06-14T21:39:21Z

Chalk artists Stephanie Olivera and Jen Cimeglio transformed the façade of 1018 J Street by painting a temporary chalk mural as part of a live Second Saturday show. The two-panel mural features a Japanese theme and spans approximately 320 square feet. A new mural will be painted live every Second Saturday throughout the summer to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Chalk It Up! on Labor Day weekend.

Jen Cimeglio and Stephanie Olivera, the chalk artists.

The mural marks the beginning of West of 16th Street and East of the River – a series of downtown arts-related events and programs that showcase Downtown’s public art, cultural history and architecture through temporary art exhibits, walking tours and artists-in-action events. The series is produced by DSP, the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC), Center for Contemporary Art, Crocker Art Museum and Chalk it Up!, and was inspired by the Mayor’s For Art Sake Initiative.

“We wanted to provide a way to support our identity as an arts-friendly city and affect change with a minimal budget. Using vacant spaces seemed like a natural match,” said DSP Programming Manager Julia Beckner. “Downtown is home to our region’s best public art, museums, theaters and arts groups. We reached out to local arts organizations to develop programs that connect Downtown’s history and cultural amenities.”

In addition to the art exhibit, pedestrians can experience Downtown’s impressive collection of public art and historic architecture on free public art tours presented by the Crocker Art Museum and SMAC. Tours are offered throughout the summer and fall, with special lunchtime chats and Second Saturday tours on topics ranging from the Crocker family legacy to Downtown’s collection of Chicano art.

For full details on all West of 16th Street and East of the River events, visit www.downtownsac.org/secondsaturday.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Fly and Drive the Switchblade™

2010-06-14T19:56:22Z

Sam Bousfield, inventor of the Switchblade™ spoke to a crowd during a forum at the recent Golden West Regional Fly-In and Air Show in Yuba City with a scale model at his side.

What if you owned a vehicle that could take you "down the road" as well as up, up and away, into the friendly skies?

Parked in your home garage, it would await your plans for a road and/or air trip. Just pack, load and go.

Forget about long waiting lines at the airport terminal. No more boarding passes and passing through security. No sitting at the departure gate hoping your plane leaves on time.

You can get above all of that without leaving the comfort of your own vehicle.

The Switchblade™ Multi-mode Vehicle (MMV) is just the ticket to independence and faster travel. No more hassles of commercial flights with the traveling masses.

As pilot of your Switchblade™, you drive to the airport, extend the wings and fly to an airport close to your destination at 160mph. There's room for one passenger and 50lbs of luggage in the comfort and safety of your Switchblade™.

When you land, retract the wings and drive to your final destination. The scissor-wing design has a retraction system that swings the wings closed like the blade of a pocketknife.

The Switchblade™ will be as exciting on the ground as it is in the air," said inventor Sam Bousfield. "Past attempts to build a flying car have concentrated on four-wheeled vehicles."

Airplanes have three.

"The three-wheeled Switchblade™ offers a lighter, more functional and aerodynamic vehicle to achieve stylish, safe and affordable performance," according to Bousfield. "On the ground and in the air."

On the ground the Switchblade™ is targeted for 50+mph and in the air is anticipated to achieve 22mpg at up to 150mph.

"It uses unleaded automotive gas, not expensive aviation fuel," said Bousfield.

The ground test-vehicle was showcased at the recent Golden West Regional Fly-In and Air Show in Yuba City. The full-sized tube frame was used to validate the drivetrain and suspension and to fine-tune ground handling.

The target date for the first flight is late 2010, with kit deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Bousfield in the pilot's seat of Switchblade as he begins the first test of it's drive-ability.

Bousfield and Sharon Weinberger, a writer for Popular Mechanics, take a test drive.

Bousfield and Don Campbell standing next to the Switchblade gives a sense of height and lenth of the Multi-mode vehicle.

This sideview shows the location of the engine.

According to information supplied by Samson Motors:
The composite frame with steel keel will be provided as a kit aircraft, meeting the newest FAA guidelines. State of the art fully equipped Assembly Assistance Centers will provide expert training and guidance to help reduce build time and ensure proper construction. Switchblade™ Learning Centers are being established to provide valuable training experience for learning how to drive and fly this unique Multi-Mode Vehicle, taking full advantage of its capabilities.

STANDARD FEATURES:
Driver adjustable seat, continuously variable transmission (cvt) with forward, neutral, reverse, and flight mode, leather interior, safety glass front windshield, lexan side windows, heating & air conditioning, mp3 player, seat belt / safety harness, front and rear disc brakes, video rear view monitor, glass cockpit, extendable wings, dual ground/air lighting system, redundant ignition system, redundant battery system, Navigation radio, ELT (emergency location transmitter), back-up air speed, altimeter and attitude, ballistic chute recovery system, turn by turn ground GPS.

Preliminary Specifications:
    •    Estimated GTOW = 1500 LB (Gross Take-off Weight)
    •    LENGTH = 15’ 6”
    •    WIDTH = 5’ 6”
    •    HEIGHT = 5’1”
    •    SEATS = 2 (side by side)
    •    SPEED = 90+ mph on wheels – 150 mph cruise flying
    •    RANGE = 880 miles ground, 340 miles air
    •    MPG = Estimated 50 mpg ground, 22 mpg air
    •    WINGSPAN = 23’ 5” main.
    •    WING LOADING = 20 psf
    •    ENGINE = 150 hp Freedom Motor twin rotor (or applicable motorcycle engine)
    •    ESTIMATED TBO = 1500 hours (Time Between Major Overhauls)
    •    FUEL = regular unleaded automobile gasoline (any fuel capable - freedom motor)
    •    FUEL CAPACITY = 16 gallons including reserve
    •    STALL SPEED = 61 mph (with flaps extended)

To keep up-to-date with the Switchblade, visit:www.samsonmotorworks.com/.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Honoring the Elders

2010-06-07T21:40:57Z

The California State Indian Museum held it's 33rd annual Gathering of Honored Elders this past weekend. The event is devoted to honoring the Elders who keep the traditions, stories, languages, and culture alive for future generations.

Musicians and dancers honored the spirit and contributions of the State’s indigenous people (see photos).

California Native vendors, community service groups, Indian dancers, as well as guest speakers participated also.

The annual Gathering of Honored Elders is sponsored by the State Native American Liaisons of California.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Lights, Camera, Action!

2010-06-07T19:58:01Z

Lots of actor wanna be's had the opportunity to act in front of the camera alongside professional actors at Studio 24's recent Entertainment Fair!

It was an interactive event with live performances by entertainment groups, demonstrations of film making with equipment and actors, as well as hair and make-up artists prepping "actors" before filming a live scene.

Oscar and Priscilla Haynes arrived dressed up and signed on with Ric Ramey's Media Casting Group.

Igor Kleytman of Milwaukee, WI gets a feel of talking to a camera while reading from a teleprompter at EggHead Productions booth.

Two men act out a scene in front of a Studio 24 camera. They were able to view their scene immediately on a computer.

An upcoming actress has her make-up applied before the filming of her scene, while others wait in line. Make-up and hair services were provided by s.l.a.m. Couture.

The upstairs door on the left was the scene of comedy sportz' sample of live impromptu comedy competitions (above and below).

A comedy competitor makes gestures prompting his team to guess the answer.

Cast Images Talent Agency displays model headshots.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

LEGACY YOUTH PROJECT

2010-06-07T18:09:27Z

The Legacy Youth project showcased the African-American experience with music and dance at the Guild Theatre this weekend. It was primarily performed by girls and boys ages 13 -21.

They presented one heck of a polished, professional and peppy show! It was expressively impressive.

Founder/Executive Director of Images Theatre Co. Lisa Lacy says the Legacy Youth Project was "conceived as an extension of Images Theatre Company's signature musical "LEGACY" written by Charles Cooper and myself."

Through music and vignettes Legacy traces the history of African-Americans from the period of African Kingdoms through the election of Barack Obama, encouraging belief in the human race and leaving a legacy of love.

Lacy explains that "the overall mission of Legacy Youth Project is to work with disadvantaged and inner-city youth and their families by providing them with greater access to the performing arts. Additonal goals are to assist youth in looking at their attitudes and setting goals that may translate into positive actions in the future. And, the project seeks to build self-esteem, encourage confidence, enhance interpersonal skills, increase theatre, English, and creative writing skills and demonstrate to the young participants that their voices are important in the fabric of building tomorrow's future."

Here are a few scenes of their performance:

At the end, they all rushed to and hugged Lisa Lacy ( unseen, holding the flowers).

For furher information, contact: imagestheater@comcast.net

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

POPS IN THE PARK (East Sac)

2010-06-06T04:35:14Z

Whiskey Dawn, a popular and energetic country music group, successfully opened Pops in the Park for the summer in East Portal Park in East Sacramento.A huge crowd was in place before they began.

Pals listening to the music.

Rich Cazneaux handed out free popsicles.

Everyone loved the music.

Everyone had a good time hanging out.

An East Sacramento tradition that has become renowned for showcasing some of the finest musical talent in Sacramento, the Pops in the Park Concert Series offers a relaxing evening in the park with entertainment from live local bands. Everyone is invited to come and enjoy these free concerts!

The Pops in the Park concerts are BYO everything (minus the music) if you choose ~ including chairs, umbrellas, gourmet picnics, cocktails and cool drinks in fancy plastic cups. Or you can choose to keep your load light and purchase food, drinks and desserts from vendors that come out to make the experience complete, like Sacramento Catering and Burrs Ice Cream.

The concerts run from 6-9PM Saturday evenings in June. For more information call 916- 808-5240.

Councilman Steve Cohn and the Pops in the Park Committee are pleased to present the annual "POPS IN THE PARK" summer concert series! All concerts are free and open to the public and begin at 6:00pm. Food and beverages will be for sale, and proceeds go to neighborhood and park improvements. People should bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating.

Free Bicycle Valet Parking is provided at all events!

For the schedule visit eastsacpopsinthepark.com/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Photos of Sac Jazz Fest & Jubilee

2010-05-29T05:53:07Z

Lloyd Meadows of Zydeco Flames strums his washboard while playing in the Riverfront Refuge this afternoon during opening day of the 37th Annual Sac Jazz Festival & Jubilee.

A musician rolls her contra-bass on the pavement on the way to her next gig.

The guitarist (above) of Tom Rigney and Flambeau gestures to the crowd while playing in the Firehouse Lot. Rigney plays the electric violin (below).

The Fulton Street Jazz Band plays to a full house in the Firehouse Courtyard. Bob Ringwald, pianist, started his jazz band in the 1960s and played at the first Sacramento Jazz Festival known then as the Dixieland Jubilee. Bob Sako plays the fugelhorn (below).

Darrell Fernandez on the bass, playing with Fulton Street Jazz Band.Hal Smith's Hayriders belt out a song.

Wally and his partner dance during one of the performances.

Natural Gas Jazz Band from San Francisco plays Good Time Traditional Jazz (above and below).

The Toronto based Climax Jazz Band (above and below), formed in 1971, and are known throughout North America, Europe and Japan for their tight, driving, British-style traditional jazz.

Sacramento Jazz Festival and Jubilee runs through Memorial Weekend in Old Sacramento, Convention Center Area and several other sites.

For further information, visit www.sacjazz.com/schedule/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Summer Safari at Sac County Fair!

2010-05-28T18:25:46Z

The thrill of the rides is fun for everyone!

Safari Adventure Live: Featuring reptile touch tanks, birds, mammals and invertebrates from around the world, it’s a fast paced show with lots of audience participation and hands on opportunities.
and MORE!

Livestock are on display and auctioned during the fair.

An exhibitor demonstrates how turkeys are carried.

A goat is "prettied up".Pigs are herded towards the door.

Kids get a taste of Boot Camp, thanks to the Army National Guard.

The folks in the Walgreen's booth were ready for rain or shine.

The fair continues through Monday, May 31. Here's some upcoming fair activities:

“The entertainment lineup is one of the best ever with dancers, singers, variety acts and a whole lot more.”

You name it …the Fair’s got it! With two stages, the Main Stage and the Ford Community Stage, along with exhibits throughout the fairgrounds, there’s no shortage of spectacular amusement.

Friday, May 28- Party like it’s 1999 with 90’s rock by One Headlight.
Saturday, May 29- If you’re a little more country than you are rock ‘n roll, the Colgate Country Showdown will have you tapping your foot as performers compete against one another. Country singer Chris Gardner will also take to the stage.
Sunday, May 30- Courtney Lynn blends rock and country for a unique sound you’re sure to enjoy.
Monday, May 31- Performing for 22 years, Frankie Soul & No Control brings the blues and classic rock to Northern California.

The fun isn’t limited to just what’s on stage. Other acts and attractions will connect with your inner animal, including:
Wild About Monkeys: “Lights, Camera, Animal!” will enrich your knowledge about the relationships and bonds that exist between animal and man.

Oasis Camel Dairy: As seen on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, America’s first camel dairy blends the animal’s colorful, ancient history with today’s new discoveries. Plus, a live milking demonstration!
Urban Jungle Bird Show: The birds are helping to build the new set at the Sacramento County Fair. The show includes lots of amazing tricks, hilarious talking segments and fun surprises.
Safari Adventure Live: Featuring reptile touch tanks, birds, mammals and invertebrates from around the world, it’s a fast paced show with lots of audience participation and hands on opportunities.
and MORE!

Singers get the chance to become a star during the all NEW Sacramento County Fair Karaoke Contest on Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29. Each contest will award a $100 prize for the best karaoke performance per night.

Plus, kids can compete for cash and prizes in the State Fair’s fifth annual Kids Talent Show. Preliminary auditions will be held on Saturday, May 29 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Auditions will be conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Participants or their parents can reserve an audition space in advance by calling (916) 274-6180 or email: Poppy@calexpo.com.

Raking out a Healthy Future The Sacramento County Fair’s “Garden in a Wheelbarrow” Plants Awareness in Children

The Sacramento County Fair gives children an opportunity to get a hands-on experience designed to plant the seeds of knowledge about California’s agriculture industry. With hundreds of 4-H and FFA livestock exhibits, a petting zoo and the 14,000 square foot “Sunflower Saddle Ranch” dedicated to activities based on ranch life, kids also get to dig into their agricultural appetites with gardens in wheelbarrows.

High-Flying Action Arrives at 2010 Sacramento County Fair
Lucha Libre Pro Wrestling Amps up the Excitement

Come watch this high adrenaline rush as Lucha Libre faces off with American Style Pro Wrestling in six intense matches. These athletes will go head-to-head to determine who is the best.
   Sunday, May 30
        Doors Open: 4 p.m.
        Event Begins: 5 p.m.

    Cal Expo
        Rodeo Arena
        1600 Exposition Blvd.
        Sacramento, CA 95815

   General admission tickets for the Lucha Libre Pro Wrestling event are $15 a piece (children 6 and under are free) and are separate from the tickets to get into the Fair.

   The Wrestling Card in order of appearance is as follows:
Bryan Cage vs. El Chupacabra
Rix Luxury & Vincenzo Massaro vs. The Polyester Express
Derek Sanders vs. Mr. Wrestling IV
NWA World Minis Title
Pequeno Pierroth vs. Octagoncito
NWA Heritage Match
El Amante vs. “El Patron” Oliver John
Main Event
Vaquero Fantasma & Pcisocis vs. Mascara Sagrada & Kafu

Discounts & Deals

Each year the Sacramento County Fair provides a number of opportunities for fairgoers, especially families, to get more bang for their buck by purchasing special ticket packages in advance.

Available at 30 Sacramento area Walgreens stores, the Fair ValuePass includes general admission and unlimited ride wristbands for visitors 13-61 years old for only $15.

Seniors over 62 and children 12 and under can get in on the deal with a pass for $12!

Costco and the Sacramento County Fair are teaming up to help you Take a Walk on the Wild Side.

Get 2 general admissions, 2 coupons valid for unlimited ride wristbands and ten-dollars worth of food vouchers for just $26.99. That’s a savings of 40 percent!

Save $3 on Demolition Derby and Lucha Libre Pro Wrestling when you buy tickets at the fair office or online before Saturday, May 30th! Plus, special offers are available to Farm Bureau members and VSP employees.

The deals can also be found on the very first day of the Fair on Thursday, May 27, when Fairgoers have the opportunity to buy one unlimited ride wristband and get another one for FREE! Parents get a reward for a job well done by getting in Free Before Three on Friday, May 28. Coupons can be redeemed at www.momslikeme.com .

Regular priced admission to the Sacramento County Fair is still extremely affordable at just $3 for general admission, and 95 cents for each carnival ticket. With these deals, even the most frugal families can enjoy a summer safari in the city.

For more information about the Fair and discounts, go to www.sacfair.com or call 916-263-2975.

You can also visit www.facebook/saccofair.com.

Information courtesy of Sac County Fair.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

"Bring American Idol to Sacramento" rally at the Capitol

2010-05-25T23:42:11Z

Greg Saunders of FOX40 News, several radio stations, Jeff Keith - lead singer of Tesla, an American hard rock band formed in Sacramento, Sac Metro Chamber and passers-by, rallied enthusiastically at the west steps of the Capitol today, sending a message to American Idol: Bring auditions to Sacramento!

Here's some scenes:

Jeff Keith, Tesla, spoke and sang (below).

School-kids wholeheartedly supported the cause.

Representatives from The Wolf radio station (above) and Metro Chamber (below) lent their support for American Idol to bring auditions to Sacramento.

According to the Bring American Idol to Sacramento Facebook page, "American Idol has held auditions in 37 different cities. Sacramento is ONE OF ONLY TWO CITIES in the 20 largest television markets that has not hosted the auditions! 18 cities that are SMALLER THAN US have had Simon and friends." www.facebook.com/pages/Bring-American-Idol-to-Sacramento/108835239159386

Stay tuned, Sacramento!

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sac County Fair takes a Walk on the Wild Side

2010-05-25T16:12:29Z

Free Fair Fun!
The Best Deal in Town for Exciting Entertainment is at
The 2010 Sacramento County Fair

SACRAMENTO (May 10, 2010) – Spending time with the family is priceless, but during these tough economic times, everyone is searching for ways to cut back on expenses without sacrificing family fun.

The Sacramento County Fair provides an affordable alternative for the entire family to enjoy.
Fairgoers can go on a summer safari right in their own backyard. “Take a walk on the wild side and be amazed by what the Fair has to offer,” said T.J. Plew, Manager of the Sacramento County Fair. “The entertainment lineup is one of the best ever with dancers, singers, variety acts and a whole lot more.”

You name it …the Fair’s got it! With two stages, the Main Stage and the Ford Community Stage, along with exhibits throughout the fairgrounds, there’s no shortage of spectacular amusement.
Thursday, May 27- A-Train will perform classic rock, alternative and top 40 favorites.
Friday, May 28- Party like it’s 1999 with 90’s rock by One Headlight.
Saturday, May 29- If you’re a little more country than you are rock ‘n roll, the Colgate Country Showdown will have you tapping your foot as performers compete against one another. Country singer Chris Gardner will also take to the stage.
Sunday, May 30- Courtney Lynn blends rock and country for a unique sound you’re sure to enjoy.
Monday, May 31- Performing for 22 years, Frankie Soul & No Control brings the blues and classic rock to Northern California.

The fun isn’t limited to just what’s on stage. Other acts and attractions will connect with your inner animal, including:
Wild About Monkeys: “Lights, Camera, Animal!” will enrich your knowledge about the relationships and bonds that exist between animal and man.
Oasis Camel Dairy: As seen on Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, America’s first camel dairy blends the animal’s colorful, ancient history with today’s new discoveries. Plus, a live milking demonstration!
Urban Jungle Bird Show: The birds are helping to build the new set at the Sacramento County Fair. The show includes lots of amazing tricks, hilarious talking segments and fun surprises.
Safari Adventure Live: Featuring reptile touch tanks, birds, mammals and invertebrates from around the world, it’s a fast paced show with lots of audience participation and hands on opportunities.
and MORE!

Singers get the chance to become a star during the all NEW Sacramento County Fair Karaoke Contest on Friday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29. Each contest will award a $100 prize for the best karaoke performance per night.

Plus, kids can compete for cash and prizes in the State Fair’s fifth annual Kids Talent Show. Preliminary auditions will be held on Saturday, May 29 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Auditions will be conducted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Participants or their parents can reserve an audition space in advance by calling (916) 274-6180 or email: Poppy@calexpo.com.

General admission is only $3 at the Sacramento County Fair! Kids 12 and under and seniors over 62 are free everyday! For more information about the Sacramento County Fair, visit www.SacFair.com or call (916) 263-2975. Media inquiries should be directed to T.J Plew at (916) 826-0167 or email: tjplew@sacfair.com .

Information and photos courtesy Sacramento County Fair

Take Time to Smell the Roses

2010-05-24T22:30:31Z

Take time to smell the roses in the Capitol's World Peace Rose Garden. It's free!

If you work downtown it's really close as an afternoon lunch spot or a walk at 15th Street, near L St on the grounds of the State Capitol.

The Victorian-designed garden sits on .42 acre in State Capitol Park and features about 650 roses in over 140 varieties of colors and fragrances. Walkways lead to a small courtyard with a fountain in the center and a heart-shaped seating wall surrounds an elegant square Peace Pavilion. Numerous benches scattered throughout the garden beckon visitors to sit and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of multi-colored roses amidst an historic ambiance. Additionally, forty-four winning Inspirational Messages of Peace by our youth have been engraved on individual plaques and placed throughout the garden to serve as points of inspiration.

Here's some shots of the garden:

A contest is in play right now---"America's Best Rose Garden".

If you would like to cast your vote for the best rose garden, go to: www.worldpeacerosegardens.org/

Contest ends July 1, 2010!

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

New lottery headquarters will be 'Just the Ticket'.

2010-05-20T23:01:54Z

A steel worker prepares to guide a steel girder coming his way atop the new headquarters of the California State Lottery Commission (above) and a big beam is guided towards two support beams (below).

The California Lottery began construction on its new 155,000-square-foot headquarters located just north of Richards Boulevard at the intersection of 10th and Vine.

Otto Construction was the winner from the 14 companies that had been vying for the contract. Work began this spring and is expected to be completed July 2011, according to an unidentified construction worker. LPAS, formerly LPA Sacramento Inc. is the architect on the project.

According to a press release ,"the new building is expected to meet gold or platinum level under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program through use of solar panels, daylight harvesting systems and window coverings that automatically adjust to reduce sun glare and heat . The new headquarters building will replace the aging building that’s leaky and too large for current operations. It’s the first phase of a plan to use excess land to build additional office space that can be leased to other state agencies or private companies."

"The new headquarters is expected to cost between $54 million and $64 million. It will be financed with the lottery’s administrative funds, which aren’t connected to the state’s general fund or affected by the budget crisis."

Steel flooring is hoisted above the top floor under construction.

A panel of floor is moved into place (above and below).

An illustration of the completed project (www.lpasdesign.com/)

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Rail Construction closes Seventh Street downtown

2010-05-18T18:59:28Z

Street closures affect vehicle traffic as well as bus routes.

Construction workers dig up old sewage pipes on the west side of 7th Street between G and H Streets this morning. They will also dig up old pipe on the east side of the street which will be the location of the new light rail tracks between downtown and Richards Blvd. New sewage pipes will be laid on the west side of 7th Street.

RT construction contractors will close two lanes of 7th Street between F and H streets, effective Monday, May 17 through Wednesday, June 2, 2010. Two lanes will be closed to traffic to perform work associated with RT's Green Line to the River District light rail project, which will extend light rail 1.1 miles north to 7th Street and Richards Boulevard at the Township 9 development.

RT has worked with the City of Sacramento to develop detours during the road closure, and signs will be posted to direct motorists. Sidewalks will remain open. Pedestrian access and access to all businesses and parking lots will be maintained. The bus stop at 7th and G streets will be temporarily relocated. All affected inbound bus routes will end on 8th Street at H Street. All affected outbound bus routes will start on F Street at 8th Street.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Thank you for your service, Wounded Warriors

2010-05-17T20:33:49Z

150 soldiers were introduced to sports designed specifically for individuals with disabilities, illnesses and injuries recently during a Thank You For Your Service event at the River Cats Independence Field.

Brave soldiers who sustained disabilities while serving this nation and are now working to return to active duty or transition to civilian life will be introduced to sports and recreational opportunities specifically designed for individuals with disabilities.

It featured demonstrations and hands-on experience of U.S.Paralympics-sanctioned sports, including Basketball, Cycling, Swimming, Javelin, Shot-put, wheelchair softball, rock climbing and Discus.

Mark Wellman of Truckee brought his adaptive climbing wall to introduce Warriors to rock climbing. Wellman is a nationally acclaimed author, filmmaker and motivational speaker. Despite being paralyzed in a mountain climbing accident, Mark has inspired millions to meet their problems head-on and reach for their full potential. A two-time Paralympian and former Yosemite Park Ranger, Mark's NO LIMITS philosophy encourages individuals to adventure into new horizons; to go beyond the seeming unreachable. He and his crew work with vets across western USA.

Wellman has scaled Yosemite’s’ granite monoliths, including El Capitan and Half Dome and served for several years as a park ranger, after sustaining a spinal cord injury.

This gentleman used one arm only to reach the top of the wall.

The bell is rung at the top.

Participants in this event were from Washington state, Oregon and California. Thank you for your Service was hosted by the City of Sacramento Dept. of Parks and Recreation, Access Leisure, Paralympic Sport Sacramento Club and the Community Based Warrior Transition Unit California.

For more info, please visit: www.accessleisuresac.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Cavendish takes lead in Sacramento's First Stage of Amgen Tour

2010-05-17T00:34:08Z

Mark Cavendish, HTC-Columbia, donned the first leader's jersey of the Amgen Tour 2010 in Sacramento today. Following in second place was JJ Hado, Saxo Bank; third place - Alexander Kristoff, BMX Racing Team; fourth place - Robbie Hunter, Garmin Transistions and Jonathan Cantwell, Fly V Australia.

Cavendish is fifth from the right as the tour travelled down Jackson Rd before reaching Folsom Blvd and the final leg of Stage One that ended at the State Capitol.

Traveling at a good clip along Jackson Rd, Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank), Chad Beyer (BMC), Mark De Maar (United Healthcare) and Paul Mach (Bissell) had lead for most of the race.

Lance Armstrong (far right) zipped by.

Unidentified group of racers.

Heading down Jackson Rd before the big push into Sacramento.

Support vehicles follow behind the racers.

Father and son got lucky by grabbing a discarded water bottle and cup tossed by racers.

Tomorrow, the tour leaves Davis, CA to begin the second stage.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Oak Park's First Farmers' Market

2010-05-16T18:32:28Z

Article by Denise Coleman

Oak Park's Farmers' Market will continue throughout the summer every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 34th and Broadway across from Old Soul Coffeehouse .

During yesterday's inaugural market there was aribbon cutting ceremony and live music as well as all the wonderful fresh produce of the season.

The residents of the Oak Park community have been working for years to bring a farmers' market to this, at times, troubled neighborhood.

The Oak Park Farmers' Market is a project of NeighborWorks Sacramento, in partnership with community residents, community garden advocates, backyard growers, and fresh produce sellers.

Together they have loosely formed the Oak Park Food Collaborative.

In addition to providing the Oak Park Community with weekly local access to fresh fruit and vegetables, the group intends to make Oak Park the sustainable food center of the Sacramento Region.

Here are some scenes:

SacPres Photos | Kati Garner

Bird's Eye View of AMGEN Race

2010-05-14T05:12:56Z

The 2010 Amgen Tour of California on Sunday will begin with the first-ever visit to the picturesque town of Nevada City, Calif., which will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Nevada City Classic, in which many notable riders got their start.

Here's a bird's eye preview of the first part of stage one:

UPHILL is how the race starts on Broad St. (above and below)

The racers skirt across the northern edge of Grass Valley and then south to Old Town in Auburn.

Heading out of Auburn, the cyclists will cross over the Auburn-Foresthill Bridge – the tallest bridge in California and the third highest in the U.S.

A mostly downhill stage, which will certainly favor the sprinters, will be abruptly interrupted by a grueling climb from the American River to the town of Cool. Sacramento streets will once again see the teams finish with three blistering fast circuits around the State's Capitol building.

The Amgen Tour of California will once again feature a free Lifestyle Festival in each finish city with family friendly activities, demonstrations and cycling displays.

Returning this year as the title sponsor of the 2010 Amgen Tour of California, Amgen will continue to leverage its race sponsorship to raise awareness of its mission to serve patients battling serious illness. In line with this mission, Amgen strives to empower patients and their caregivers by connecting them to free education, resources and hope through the Breakaway from Cancer® initiative. Founded in 2005, Breakaway from Cancer is a national initiative to increase awareness of the important resources available to people affected by cancer ranging from prevention to diagnosis to education and support into survivorship.

Amgen’s Breakaway from Cancer nonprofit partners – Prevent Cancer Foundation, Cancer Support Community, Patient Advocate Foundation and National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship – play leading roles in every aspect of cancer care, complementing the services provided by a patient’s team of healthcare professionals. Visit www.breakawayfromcancer.com to learn more.

Based in Thousand Oaks, Calif. (a 2010 host city), Amgen's invaluable support of the Amgen Tour of California helps ensure its success and impact beyond the sporting arena.

"Thank you for the flyover" of the first part of Stage One goes to pilot Don Campbell, Sierra Vista Aviation in Auburn.

For more details, please see:

www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26484/Amgen_Tour_of_California_teams_announced

and for parking and traffic information:

www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26944/City_readies_for_rolling_street_closures_and_thousands_of_spectators_this_weekend

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Small explosion at UC Davis Medical Research Laboratory

2010-05-07T14:55:54Z

Employees at a UC Davis Medical Research Laboratory near the UC Davis Hospital heard a small explosion yesterday afternoon. They evacuated the building and called 911. Sacramento Firefighters arrived and requested one of our Haz Mat Teams to respond.

Sacramento Fire Haz Mat Firefighters entered the building in protective suits and found where the incident took place. A small amount of waste material that had been properly stored caused the incident. The material was a solvent type of chemical used in their lab.

Firefighters were able to mitigate the problem and the building was turned back over to UC Davis personnel.

There were no injuries and no damage to the building.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Candlelight Vigil honors fallen California Police Officers

2010-05-07T07:08:50Z

The California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation held a candlelight vigil at the California Peace Officers Memorial Monument across from the Capitol building this evening. Thousands of law-enforcement officers from around the state converged on Sacramento for the 34th annual event.

Officers honored were four Oakland Police Department officers killed after a routine traffic stop of parolee Lovelle Mixon on March 21, 2009, erupted into a shootout; Sgt. Mark Dunakin, Sgt. Ervin Romans II, Sgt. Daniel T. Sakai and Officer John R. Hege. Also honored were Sgt. Greg Hernandez of the Tulare County Sheriff's Department, who was killed in a collision with a big rig Feb. 6, 2009, while responding to a call to back up another officer, and Modesto Police Sgt. Steven E. May, who died July 23, 2009, after a fleeing suspect ran his car into May's.

HONORED OFFICERS FROM PRIOR YEARS:

Marshal Charles F. Lehman - Anaheim Marshal’s Office EOW: July 23, 1872
Deputy Marshal Samuel Blundell - Vernon Marshal’s Office EOW: June 21, 1919
Officer Owen F. McManus - Union Pacific Railroad Police Dept. EOW: March 31, 1938
Sheriff Hal A. Singleton - Glenn Co. Sheriff’s Dept. EOW: December 26, 1951

President Wayne J. Quint, JR, California Peace Officers Memorial Foundation addresses the crowd as Keynote Speaker Sheriff Bill Wittman, Tulare County Sheriff's Department and Roll Call of Heroes announcer Attorney General Edmund G. Brown JR look on.

Honored Families Procession was lead by Piper Sgt. Steve Dickerson, Buena Park Police Department (Ret.)

The Color Guard was provided by the Modesto Police Department (and below).

Presentation of the wreath was by the Huntington Beach Police Department.

A horse-pulled hearse stands on the lawn across from the Capitol building.

National Police Week is honored May 10-15, 2010.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Day of Prayer celebrated on Capitol steps

2010-05-07T05:51:01Z

The north side of the capitol was packed with those honoring the 59th Annual National Day of Prayer early this evening. The President and all 50 Governors proclaimed this historic day of prayer. There is controvery surrounding this annual event.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Fremont Farmer's Market | Opening Day scenes

2010-05-04T20:56:40Z

Opening day at the Fremont Farmers Market was full of great looking tomatoes, asparagus, onions, potatoes, carrots and other vegies, strawberries, oranges, cherries, blueberries, breads, huge cookies and lots of great lunchtime eats such as crepes, mexican food, gyros. And the olfactory sensation of great lavender from El Dorado Lavendar Farm.

Please see www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26191/More_farmers_markets_begin_opening_today for more details.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

328th Combat Support Hospital receives Meritorius Unit Citation

2010-05-03T02:34:56Z

SPC Denise Berry accepts the Meritorius Unit Commendation on behalf of her fellow Warrior-Citizens from Colonel Odis R. Blueitt, Commander, 2nd Medical Brigade, during a ceremony today at the B.T. Collins Army Reserve Center.

Thirty two Reservists received recognition for exceptional meritorius service in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

HUGE TURNOUT FOR JEWISH HERITAGE FESTIVAL

2010-05-03T00:51:19Z

Matishyahu looks behind him at the Capitol before he started singing at today's Jewish Heritage Festival which drew thousands.

The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region commemorated May as National Jewish American Heritage Month by hosting the 2010 Jewish Heritage Festival. The Festival celebrated the centennial founding of the Kibbutz movement and Israel's 62nd anniversary.

Here are some scenes from the festival:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

The Big Build at Sacramento International Airport

2010-04-27T20:03:52Z

A United Airlines passenger jet makes a landing yesterday just to the west of the new expansion project, The Big Build, at Sacramento International Airport.

According to a press release, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded an $8.6 million Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grant to Sacramento International Airport the first week of April. It is the second installment in the seven year $59 million FAA Letter of Intent (LOI) funding program for the Big Build at Sacramento. AIP funds support construction of terminal aprons, taxiways and overnight aircraft parking for the Big Build project.

“On a project as large as the Big Build, funding is a critical piece of the overall program and the support of the Federal government is very important, “said Roger Dickinson, Chairman of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. “Every dollar of grant money helps reduce the amount of bond funding we have to borrow and helps us complete the project on time and on budget.”

The Big Build is designed to meet current and future air travel demands by replacing the outdated Terminal B with a 669,000 square foot multi-story terminal. The new Central Terminal B will offer 19 aircraft gates, a two-level roadway system, 42,000 square feet of concessions space, an international arrivals facility and an automated people mover. The airside construction projects supported by the AIP grants are necessary to facilitate movement of aircraft around the new terminal.

“One of our goals for this project is to create an even more efficient airfield,” said Interim Sacramento County Executive Steven Szalay, “and the aprons and taxiway funded by this grant will help us achieve that goal.”

The Letter of Intent program is designed to provide annual grants over a seven-year period concluding in fiscal year 2015.
Sacramento County Airport System is responsible for planning, developing, operating and maintaining the county’s four airports: Sacramento International Airport, Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field.

The Big Build Facts:

    •    Approximately 1 million labor hours have been spent on the Big Build. That equals $38.6 million in straight wages for the people working on the project.
    •    Over the course of the Big Build, approximately 2400 jobs will be created
    •    On any given day, about 400 people are working directly on site
    •    The total economic impact for the Big Build construction project is approximately $2 billion
    •    By the year 2020, the new terminal will produce $2.6 billion in economic impact and 16,500 jobs annually

Since construction began on the Landside project: 13,750 truckloads of dirt were excavated to form the basement for this new terminal. 5.1 million pounds of rebar have been used, 32,565 cubic yards of concrete have been poured, 609 piles have been driven, and 5000 tons of steel have been erected.

Also see: www.sacramentopress.com/headline/25728/Sacramento_International_Road_Closure_Returns

For more information on the system, visit www.sacairports.org.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Sacramento International Road Closure Returns

2010-04-27T20:02:14Z

Sacramento International Road Closure Returns

SACRAMENTO, CA. — Sacramento International Airport will close the Terminal B split from Airport Boulevard effective Monday, May 3, 2010 through the end of terminal construction, currently scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011. During the closure, vehicle traffic to terminal B will follow the same route as for Terminal A to support Big Build construction phasing.

“We performed a ‘pilot’ closure of inbound Airport Boulevard for one week in
March to determine if we could successfully close the roadway to realize construction
phasing benefits with minimal impact to our customers. The pilot was successful. ” said
G. Hardy Acree, Sacramento County Airport System Director of Airports. “The closure
will require our customers to learn a new route, but our goal is to minimize
inconvenience while maintaining or accelerating the construction schedule.”

• During the closure, passengers should arrive approximately 15 minutes earlier
than they normally do to ensure a stress- free experience and timely arrival for flights.
To prevent traffic congestion, drivers are encouraged to refrain from circling the
airport when picking up passengers. Parking in the hourly lots or using the free Cell
Phone Lot located near the airport entrance is preferred. Drivers staged in the Cell Phone
Lot should wait until their passengers collect all baggage before exiting the lot to ensure
that they will not need to circle the airport. Parking or waiting at terminal curbs is
prohibited.
Construction phasing also requires the continued closure of the Terminal B Daily
Parking Lot. Drivers with flights departing from Terminal B have the following parking
options:
· Economy Parking at the posted rate of $9 per day. Parking shuttle service is
available to transport passengers to Terminal B.
· Terminal A Parking Garage, Daily Levels are open at the posted rate of $2 per
½ hour or $15 per day. Inter-terminal Shuttle service is available to transport
passengers to Terminal B.
· Terminal A Surface Lot, located adjacent to the garage, is open at the posted
rate of $2 per ½ hour or $13 per day. Parking shuttle service is available to
transport passengers to Terminal B.
· Terminal B Hourly Parking will remain open with a new entrance point.
Drivers travel can access Terminal B Hourly Parking just beyond Terminal B.
The posted rate of $2 per ½ hour or $27 per day will apply.
During construction drivers and pedestrians are urged to stay alert. Drivers
should watch for pedestrians and drive at posted speeds for safety. Pedestrians should
exercise caution when entering a crosswalk.
Sacramento County Airport System is responsible for planning, developing,
operating and maintaining the county’s four airports: Sacramento International Airport,
Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field.

For more information on the system, visit www.sacairports.org.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Gone Fishin'

2010-04-27T00:02:18Z

A bird launches from shore as a man fishes along the Sacramento River along the Garden Highway. Now is apparently a good time for catching Steelhead, Rainbow Trout, White Sturgeon, Striped Bass and American Shad. The headwaters of the Sacramento River include numerous tributaries. Its three main forks stride down from alpine slopes gaining girth and grandeur as streams and creeks converge into it.

At the Sacramento River Delta, the watershed empties 31 percent of California's total water runoff into the San Francisco Bay. In its 384 mile journey, the mighty Sacramento River feeds Lake Siskiyou, Lake Shasta, and the Keswick Reservoir. At Lake Shasta, it is joined by the McCloud River, the Pit River, and Squaw Creek.

The picturesque river pays its passage by filling the wells of towns like Mt. Shasta, Dunsmuir, Keswick, Redding, Red Bluff, and Corning (riverpirate.com).

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Paralympics sports competition

2010-04-25T22:02:07Z

U.S. Paralympic --A program of the City of Sacramento, Department of Parks and Recreation, helds the 25th A.C.T. (Ability To Compete Together) games at Inderkum High School Saturday.

It provides competitive track and field events geared for youth ages 3-18 with physical disabilities.

Kelsey O'Maley crosses the finish line of the 50M run with the help of her mom.

Her canine companion lays some congratulations licks on her face.

Two wheelchair-bound head for the finish line.

Elijah Chatman (above) and Anthony Mortin (below) compete in the Javelin.

Jacob Miller throws the Frisbee Discus.

Kiki Smith throws the 2lb discus.

Dave Corral and another runner (below) head for the finish line in the 10M run.

Jai Caldwell receives a congratulatory hug from his mom at the end of the 100M run.

Shelby Klinefetter competes in the Frisbee Discus.

David Corram hols onto his medal.

Stevie Gonzales won First Place in the 25M.

Jesse Acosta holds his ribbon for First Place in the Baseball Shot.

The City of Sacramento, Access Leisure, offers social activities for teens and adults with developmental disabilities such as themed dances and community outings. Fitness programs include a walking program, bocce, softball, basketball, bowling, swimming, and an annual track & field meet.

For more information or to receive a monthly calendar, please contact Philip Sinclair at (916) 808-6045.

www.accessleisuresac.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Car Show N Shine

2010-04-25T20:36:59Z

brought lots of lookers to Hiram Johnson High School on Saturday.

Here's some of the four-wheeled vehicles that were on display:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Earthquake Rocks State Capitol, 1906 Style

2010-04-25T20:06:55Z

State Capitol - Earthquakes shake, rattle and roll California almost daily, but none are quite as memorable as “the Big One,” the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire. On Saturday that earth shattering day was replayed by California State Capitol Museum docents during the 1906 Earthquake Living History Day.

The guided tours gave folks the chance to witness scenes of one of America’s greatest disasters- 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire.

Visitors watched California Governor George Pardee as he received a telegram from President Theodore Roosevelt offering the huge sum of $1milllion for disaster relief. Attorney General Ulysses S. Webb, Secretary of State Charles Curry, and Treasurer Truman Reeves were on hand to help the refugees, some of whom camped out on the Capitol grounds and at Sutter’s Fort. Women of Sacramento assisted the San Francisco refugee families to obtain meal tickets, clothing and blankets.

Governor Pardee, his cabinet and turn-of-the 19th century community members brought early California’s rich history alive. Most characters and historical figures were portrayed by the volunteers of the State Capitol Museum Docents, a part of California State Parks.

A tine traveler watches interactions In the Treasurer's Office as Miss Phoebe Couzins, a concerned citizen (played by Leslie Cooper) offers money to help with the disaster. Treasurer Truman Reeves (played by Dale Claypoole) explains how the government cannot accept her money.

In the Attorney General's office Attorney General Ulysses S, Webb (played bby Weldon Reeves) and Asst. Attorney General C.N. Post (played by Bob Ruiz) discuss the quake's after affects.

Interested time-travelers can call (916) 324-0333 for further event information or to join the Living History Programs as a volunteer docent.

information from: calendar.lodinews.com/sacramento-ca/events/show/111646525-1906-earthquake-living-history-day

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Earth Day celebrated Downtown

2010-04-22T21:25:42Z

The City hosted an Earth Day Celebration at Cesar Chavez Park and in the plaza of City Hall. Both were places of entertainment and education for adults and children.

Folks could participate in many hands on activities, learn how to recycle, and listen to music all at the same time.

Vendors were a mix of local businesses, city & state departments/municipalities, as well as many non-profit green organizations. Entertainment included Radio Disney, a performance from Top Class Magic and the Sacramento City College theatrical performance of the “Fall of X”. Many different organizations were available, like the Green Tech Education & Employment Program, which provides advance awareness of our growing green sector and its employment opportunities.

Kids had the chance to get their hands dirty at Home Depot's booth by potting a plant.

Some youngsters had the chance to pat a horse for the first time.

There were youth-oriented games.

Star Eco Station displayed snakeskins that had been shed, a small live snake and an out-of-its-cage lizard.

Radio Disney had dancers as well as recyling activities, below, in which kids sorted items that were recyclable versus garbage.

Many had lunch while watching Radio Disney action.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sky show

2010-04-21T03:15:34Z

Tower Theater's backdrop was storm clouds with blue sky around 5:30pm today. According to KCRA, showers will linger into Wednesday. The end of the week will bring warming. Two counties were under advisories, watches or severe weather warnings this evening.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Benefit Concert for C.A.R.E.S.

2010-04-20T20:38:44Z

Sacramento Women’s Chorus' spring concert, SongBurst, is a Benefit Concert for CARES (Center for Aids Research, Education and Services).

It is on Sat., April 24, 7pm at Central United Methodist Church, 5265 H St., Sacramento, CA 95819.

Songs of Celebration, Courage and Happiness is the theme. Get ready for light-hearted songs such as"A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Chapel of Love” ; strong, courageous songs like "Defying Gravity", “Venus” and “Warrior Song"; plus celebrations of life such as “Kore Evohe.”

C.A.R.E.S. was established in response to the devastating AIDS epidemic, and was founded in May of 1989. Since then, they've grown to become the leading HIV/AIDS care provider in the Sacramento area.

Thanks to the generous support of their funders and volunteers, CARES is able to treat thousands of people in need every year.

Tickets are $10 advance/students/seniors/groups of 10 or more; $12 at door; $5 children,12 & under. To reserve tickets, please call

(877) 758-7827.

E-mail: sacramentowomenschorus@live.com
Web site: http://www.meetup.com/Sacramento-Women-s-Chorus/

The chorus is not affiliated with any religious or political group.

Sacramento Women's Chorus makes about a dozen appearances a year on behalf of women, the environment, peace & justice, equal rights, tolerance and the celebration of diversity.

Sacramento Women's Chorus is a non-profit group of women who are building community through our love of music, dedication to musical excellence and commitment to performing music which reflects the lives of women.

Sacramento Women's Chorus is partly supported by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and is a member of GALA Choruses.

Find them on Facebook under Sacramento Women’s Chorus and on Twitter under Sac Women’s Chorus.

Eureka! It's not a bird or a plane

2010-04-14T23:06:27Z

"Eureka," the world's largest airship, is the only passenger airship operation in the United States and they've been taking paying passengers from McClellan Airfield in North Highlands for sightseeing tours of our area today.

The Zeppelin's spacious cabin comfortably accommodates one pilot, one flight attendant, and 12 passengers with luxury features including oversized panoramic windows, an onboard restroom with window, and a 180-degree rear observation window and "love seat" that wraps the entire aft of the cabin. Using the inert gas helium for lift, and vectored thrust engines for flight, Zeppelin NTs have been flying in Germany and Japan since 1997 with an unparalleled safety record.

Airship Ventures started operating the Eureka out of Moffett Field in November of 2008. At 246 ft long, it is the largest airship in the world.

A Coast Guard Helicopter flies near Eureak as it makes a landing at McClellan today.

Once landed, the nose-end of Eureka is tethered to a boom on a truck to hold it in place on the ground. The Eureka has a rigid internal structure. So even with the helium removed, it will retain its general shape.

Passengers climb a small staircase to enter the gondola.

Eureka's two main engines are mounted high above and to the rear of the gondola, attaching to the airship's internal bracing instead. This reduces engine noise and vibrations in the cabin, and also allows for an impressively unhindered viewing experience.

For sightseeing info call (650) 969-8100 or visit: www.airshipventures.com

Thanks to home.comcast.net/~bzee1b/Zeppelin/Zeppelin.html for information used above.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

City of Trees' Trees

2010-04-14T00:46:37Z

It's fun to look around and see the different types and colors of trees in Sactown these spring days.

Here's a few that caught my eyeballs:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

The Bohemnians had a Ball

2010-04-12T01:46:22Z

Lavish fantasies become realities at Sacramento's first Bohemian Ball last night:

Here's a peek in case you missed it:

Burlesque cabaret, corsetry/lingerie fashion show, clothing and accessory vendors and Fire Performances, DJs with live percussion created an eclectic alchemy of breaks, dub and middle eastern music;Organic dinner buffet and afterparty treats; Russian Imperial recipes were recreated by the chef of Sacramento's exclusive caviar and sturgeon restaurant, Cafe Americain; Hookahs, Liquid Love Elixirs, Absinthe tasting and many surprises.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

The Art in Second Saturday Artwalk

2010-04-11T22:33:01Z

At the corner of S and 12th Streets, a large green building is home to Patris Studio Gallery and her Capitol Art Center at S12 along with The Bold Mark Gallery. Artists and art lovers from near and far visit the exhibitions, meet the artists, and observe artists in action as they paint or draw.

During Second Saturday Artwalk, visitors can view life drawing and painting classes that incorporate classical traditions of the Renaissance masters. Working from live models, artists from beginning to advanced levels, can develop and refine their artistic skills with potential art buyers watching.

Gallery owner Patris and Curator Gayle Rappaport-Weiland offer an invitation to see first-hand how the collaboration of talented artists come together to create a dynamic show.

Another studio, The Bold Mark Gallery, features the works of Suzanne McClelland and Marsha Mobley Kilian.

Pastel is the choice medium for abstract artist Suzanne McClelland (above). When she began her artistic journey, she followed the path of her instructors and experimented with various subject matter in oil, acrylic, and other media until she found her passion in abstract pastels.

Marsha Mobley Kilian (not pictured) is fascinated by faces and loves working collaboratively with clients to create a memory to be cherished for years to come. She begins with a photo shoot, often at your home, and works her magic from a reference that you create together. Photo above shows one of her works-in-progress.

How to reach the artists:

Patris - (916) 397-8958

Suzanne McClelland - (916) 764-1141

Marsha Mobley Kilian - (916) 295-4047

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Kill the Bag Monster

2010-04-11T19:42:53Z

Taylor Scoma played the Bag Monster during Second Saturday along 20th St., dressed in 500 plastic bags. She is a member of SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) at Sacramento State. She was advocating for the ChicoBag.

In a year, the average shopper uses around 500 plastic bags.

Two new Earth Day inspired reusable bags are now available:

The Vita rePETe™ Earth Bag is a fashion-forward, over the shoulder, lifestyle bag featuring a double-sided stencil image of the earth and the inspirational statement by Marshall McLuhan. The Original Earth Bag reminds you to listen to your mother. Mother Earth, that is! The playful graphic is a constant reminder to stop using single-use bags.

CHICOBAG™

ChicoBag's™ mission is to reduce single-use bag waste by offering compact reusable bags and packs that are designed to be unforgettable. ChicoBag™ specializes in offering fashionable, environmentally friendly reusable shopping bags and lifestyle totes.

http://www.chicobag.com

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Public Art Walkabout | Conservation of Public Art

2010-04-08T23:57:00Z

Today's Conservation of Public Art Walkabout showed art in public places that have deteriorated via nature and the elements, as well as actions by humans, over time.

Sharon Kilgore, a volunteer with the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, described how the ceramic tiles on a wall art by Peter Vandenberge displayed at the Downtown Plaza-Westfield Shoppping Mall-shows signs of degradation; cracks, grount missing and colors changing. The untitled art wall of glazed tiles was installed in 1977.

The Clock Tower created by R.M. Fischer from New York was installed in 1993. This towering art piece is a mixed media high-voltage tower adorned with floating planets, a clock forever frozen in time and other elements that seem futuristic, at least for the time of its creation. (examiner.com) At one time the clock actually worked.

Metamorphosis, by Centro de Artistas Chicanos, is located along 4th St between K and L Streets in the Downtown Plaza. This bold wall mural is a collaborative effort by Juanishi Orosco, Stan Pidilla, Esteban Villa and The Centro de Artistas Chicano. The installation was done in 1977. This mural is on the side of the parking garage at Westfield Mall. Using the parking levels as timeline dividers, the creators have layered the mural into four sections. The lower section is the core of life, the next layer is the energy of the earth, the next technology, innovation and impact on the earth and the last layer is the heavens and universe. The butterfly symbolizes change and renewal of life.(examiner.com)

In the I-5 underpass that connects Old Sacramento and the Downtown Plaza is Laserium by the Centro de Artistas Chicanos, Sharon Kilgore explains its history and how it is slowly degrading.

Enameled copper squares of Fred Ball's The Way Home play with the light along Third Street. The squares are buckling and pulling away from the west wall of Macy's Parking Garage in the Downtown Plaza.

In the Downtown Plazal at Fourth Street, Gerald Wallburg's freestanding Indo Arch was one of the earliest installations, and a controversial addition to the area.

At its base are signs of human graffiti etched into it as well as putty left behind when signs are taken down.

The Walkabout Tours are educational and great exercise.

Upcoming Walkabout Tours:

Thursday, May 13
Public Art & Architecture

Thursday, June 10
The Crocker Family Legacy

Public Art Walkabout tours are presented in collaboration with the Sacramento Metropolitan Art Commission. Reservations are required. To register, call (916) 808-5499 or email: education@crockerartmuseum.org.

The Crocker Art Museum was established in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European and Asian artworks. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; 1st & 3rd Thursdays until 9 p.m. Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the support of Bank of America.

For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Salvation Army Band plays in Sacramento

2010-04-01T22:58:21Z

The International Staff Band of the Salvation Army performs two free concerts Thursday in Sacramento. The first was on the West Capitol steps at noon.

Bandmaster Stephen Cobb directs the 32-member band as they played at the Capitol today.

The main concert is tonight at the Sacramento Community Center Theater.

Though it is a free performance, those in attendance can voluntarily help to donate monetarily toward The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services. The fund will help support the relief efforts in Haiti, Chile and any other disaster situation in the future.

Local Salvation Army resources, including the homeless shelter on B Street, are strained because of the area's tough economy, said Derek Helms, divisional music director for Northern California and Nevada.

"Even though the economy is down, people needing assistance is up," Helms said. "And the community has really stepped up to help us out."

The main concert Thursday night is a thank-you show, Helms said.

It's been 11 years since the band, homebased in London, have toured the west coast of America.

The west side of the Capitol is reflected in the baritones.

For more information about the International Staff Band, visit www.theisb.com

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Incredible Pets opens in East Sac

2010-04-01T21:18:16Z

The unfinished side of a new sign showing that Incredible Pets is open gets installed at the chain's newest location in East Sac. The pet store offers products for dogs, cats, birds, fish, reptiles, and small mammals, a wide selection of healthy tropical fish, birds reptiles and small mammals as well as live and frozen fish food, many varieties of live worms, and three sizes of crickets. They participate in fundraising efforts for local schools and animal welfare organizations such as animal adoption agencies and breed rescue groups. Anesthesia-free teeth vleaning is be done at the Carmichael and Auburn stores once a month. Low cost vaccination and microchipping clinics will be done at several locations every Sunday. Other stores are in Auburn, Grass Valley and Carmichael. Sac Press Photo | Kati Garner

Surviving the Dragon: A Tibetan Lama's Life Under Chinese Rule

2010-04-01T05:20:46Z

Arjia Rinpoche, Tibetan Monk shared his life story from his autobiography, Surviving the Dragon, this evening.

According to a press release, Arjia Rinpoche is recognized as the reincarnation of Lama Tsong Khapa's father, Lumbum Gye the founder of the Gelupa (Yellow Hat) sector of Tibetan Buddhism. In 2001 Arjia Rinpoche, former Abbot of Kumbum, one of the oldest and largest monasteries in Tibet, founded the Tibetan Center for Compassion and Wisdom (TCCW) in Mill Valley, CA.

Rinpoche is the only Tibetan high lama of Mongolian decent. In addition to the free public talk, Rinpoche autographed his recently released autobiography "Surviving the Dragon" wherein he speaks to his decades of imprisonment by the Chinese government.

"Surviving the Dragon" Autobiography

"This is a real story: a herioc account of the oppression of Tibet that needs to be told. In Surviving the Dragon, the world can hear the suffering and injustice that burden the Tibetan people and the heartfelt response of a truly wise lama. Maybe this will help us act. I hope so." JACK KORNFIELD (book back cover quote).

The introduction is written by his holiness, the Dalai Lama.

As a child, Rinpoche was treated like a living Buddha; as a young man he emptied latrines, but after the death of Mao Tse Tung, he rose to prominence within the Chinese Buddhist bureaucracy. When he was slated to become the tutor of the Chinese selected Panchen Lama, he fled Tibet rather than betray his Buddhist religion and his Tibetan and Mongolian heritage.

Rinpoche’s unique experience provides a rare vantage on this tumultuous period of Tibetan and Chinese History as well as a glimpse of life inside a Buddhist monastery in Tibet.

Surviving the Dragon opens a window to events from inside Tibetan-Chinese history during the final half of the twentieth century, a conflict that continues today.

Arjia Rinpoche revealed that all proceeds from this book will go directly to a new hospital being built in Mongolia to treat children with cancer.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

The Best Tree-lovers Monument

2010-03-30T05:21:41Z

"John Muir exclaimed "This is the best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world," declared conservationist John Muir when describing the majestic coast redwoods of Muir Woods."

It's an easy drive from Sacramento for a day excursion.

Bark has pulled away from this fallen tree.

"The incredible diversity of flora and fauna at Muir Woods can be daunting sometimes, elusive at other times. The redwoods themselves dominate the scene, but the Steller's jay often steals the show. Ladybugs clustering by the thousands on ancient horsetail ferns boggle the imagination, while the slimy banana slug is able to disgust and fascinate all at once. Plants adapt to low light levels on the forest floor, while whole plant and animal communities bustle in the canopy above our heads.

John Muir was ahead of the Internet revolution when he wrote, "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."

Muir Woods was designated the 10th National Monument for the United States of America. Although it was the 10th National Monument, it was the first in three very important ways. It was the first time a private individual (William and Elizabeth Kent) donated land to the federal government to create a National Monument. It was the first time a National Monument was created in an urban setting, just 12 miles north of San Francisco. And it was the first time the Antiquities Act of 1906 was used to preserve a living species, the Coast Redwood tree."

These huge redwoods reach high for the light.

It's an easy walk exploring Muir Woods.

Muir Woods has 1.5 miles of paved or boardwalked trail which is mostly flat. Loops of half a mile, one mile, or two miles are easily achieved on this trail.

Muir Woods is located 11 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Take Highway 101 to the Highway 1/ Stinson Beach Exit. Follow the signs to Muir Woods. Roads to the park are steep and winding. Vehicles over 35 feet long are prohibited. Parking space is very limited and fills quickly on most days. There are no RV parking facilities. For an interactive map, please visit http://maps.google.com/maps and type in Muir Woods National Monument.

For information line 415.388.2595

Information accompanying photos from www.nps.gov/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

SpringBurst (or Bust)?

2010-03-29T17:35:48Z

According to KCRA, there are big changes ahead with cold Pacific storms moving in. Mostly cloudy skies today with mild temps and an increased chance for showers through the afternoon and into the evening.

Better chance for rain moves in Monday night and into Tuesday. South winds will be running 10-20mph. The coldest weather moves in Wednesday with more valley rain and the chance for thunderstorms.

If you are heading to the Sierra expect gusty winds with heavy snow on Tuesday.

Here are some signs that spring is here, shot over the past couple of weeks around Downtown and East Sac.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Crocker | Public Art Walkabout

2010-03-26T00:24:38Z

“Public Art Walkabout tours are a great way to exercise your mind and body while learning more about Sacramento,” said Christian Adame, manager of lifelong learning at the Crocker Art Museum.

The program was piloted in September 2009 before going on hiatus during winter.

Adame talks to today's Walkabout participants in front of the Crocker.

The Crocker's Permanent Collection Artists were featured.

Our first stop was at 300 Capitol Mall to view David Von Schlegell stainless steel water fountain created in 1985.

The shaking hands in front of 555 Capitol Mall were our next stop (artist info unavailable).

U.S. Bank Tower at 621 Capitol Mall has two artists' works featured; Tor, by Robert Brady at the exterior entrance and the main lobby, building facade and top of building features The Rapids, The Lumetric River by Michael Hayden.

Tor

The Rapids in the lobby of U.S. Bank. Artist Michael Hayden then made the sculpture do double duty, taking the light from “Rapids” and projecting it to a second art installation, “Lumetric River,” along a 150-foot section of the building’s crown.

Cathexis is two ceramic pieces at the Westfield Mall that interact with each other across a distance. They are located at the entrance at 7th and K Streets and are the creation of Kathleen Kasper-Noonan. She is a Sacramento resident. They were installed in 1993.

Balancing Act, Too; 1993, Painted Bronze, Life-size, by Tony Natsoulas, inside the Westfield Shopping Mall.

George Rickey's Double L Excentric Gyratory at the Wells Fargo Corporate Center.

Deborah Butterfield, Untitled (horse) also at the Wells Fargo Corporate Center.

Indo Arch by Gerald Walburg at 4th and K.

Upcoming Walkabout Tours:

Thursday, April 8
Conservation of Public Art

Thursday, May 13
Public Art & Architecture

Thursday, June 10
The Crocker Family Legacy

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday; 1st & 3rd Thursdays until 9 p.m. Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the support of Bank of America.

For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento Ballet | Carmina Burana

2010-03-25T16:00:03Z

"Ron Cunningham's epic, larger-than-life spectacle set to the soaring music of Carl Orff is the signature masterpiece of the Sacramento Ballet. Complete with full chorus and orchestra, Carmina Burana's erotic passion ignites the senses for an intense eperience not soon forgotten," says capradio.org "The genius of George Balanchine's magnificent Theme and Variations completes a perfect evening to the glorious music of Peter Tchaikovsky".

Here's some moments from the performance:

Please see Erin Haight's article:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/23593/Ballet_Carmina_Burana_starts_tonight

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Paralympic Experience for youth athletes with physical or visual disabilities

2010-03-22T21:27:39Z

This past weekend, Access Leisure hosted the 2010 Sacramento Paralympic Experience in conjunction with U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The event was held California State University.

It introduced students with physical disabilities, ages 12-18, to Paralympic sports. In addition to hands-on participation in Track and Field, Goalball, Wheelchair Basketball and Handcycling, the students interacted with Paralympic athletes and coaches.

They strive to be able to compete in the 25th Annual A.C.T. Games this spring.

Sarah Blincoe races in a time-trial in her walker.

Jai Cadwell does a running time-trial holding on to a person's arm.

Solomon Tyson exerts himself competing in a wheelchair time-trial.

Shelby Klinefetter competes in a throwing contest.

Sienna Maison and Shelby Klinefetter discuss strategy.

Without using her walker, Celeste Hewitt competes in the throwing contest.

Peanut watches her owner, Daniel Mischener, unload his wheelchair from his car as they arrive at the Paralympics.

Two wheelchair-bound rugby players "jump" for the ball as the game begins. The game is competitive and fast-moving (photos below).

Their sports-adapted wheelchairs are designed so players can bump each other.

“The Paralympic Experience program encourages physical fitness and overall well-being in children with physical disabilities, and we are thrilled to be working with Access Leisure on this initiative,” said Charlie Huebner, USOC chief of Paralympics. “Research shows that youth with physical disabilities who participate in physical activity are healthier, more successful in school and have an enhanced quality of life.”

Paralympic Experience events are being held in communities throughout the country. For registration information on the Paralympic Sport Sacramento event, visit www.accessleisuresac.org or call (916) 808-2340. Participation in the Experience is free.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Meet Pioneers at Sutter's Fort

2010-03-20T04:43:34Z

Sutter's Fort Living History and Pioneer Demonstration Days return to the year 1846, the year California became a U.S. territory. Park docents and volunteers re-create the everyday life and times at "Fort New Helvetia," Sutter’s original name for the Fort.

Men dressed in heavy buckskin loading their flintlock rifles. Soldiers from the 1840s perform drills, while the blacksmith makes horseshoes at a hot forge. Women scrub clothes on a washboard and prepare stews over cooking fires.

Docent Mark DeLong holds a cannonball as he explains Sutter had the cannon in the Southeast bastion of the original fort until 1846, when the guns were removed and it was used for storage. Then the bastion was used as a hospital for Cholera and other patients in 1849-50, with a Dr. Deal in charge. The cannon does get 'fired'.

The characters and costumes seen have been extensively researched for presenting an exciting period in our state's past. Costumes are authentic, from fur hats to ivory buttons and buckled shoes. Sutter’s Fort Living History Days and Pioneer Demonstration Days are filled with California History.

DeLong gives school children a history lesson.

Two visitors overlook the an oven and cooking pot from the original building inside the fort. Of the original fort, the two-story central building, made of adobe and oak, remains, the fort's outer walls and rooms, which had disappeared by the 1860s, were reconstructed after the State acquired the property in 1890.

Firewood around a cooking area in the interior of the fort.

The fort was built by Swiss immigrant John Sutter more than 150 years ago is considered a pivotal point in history. The walls were 2 1/2 feet thick and 15 to 18 feet high -- and developed what he considered to be the real wealth of California -- crops such as grapes and wheat, along with vast herds of cattle.

The Native Sons of the Golden West were influential in the restoration of the Fort which began in 1891 and was completed in 1893. Donated to the State of California, Sutter's Fort became a part of the California State Park System in 1947. Sutter's Fort stands as the oldest restored Fort in the United States.

The fort is located in midtown Sacramento between K and L Streets and 26th and 28th Streets • 2701 L St.

Information accompanying photos is from parks.ca.gov/, militarymuseum.org, hmdb.org

Living History Days at Sutter's Fort are10am-5pm Wednesdays and Friday-Sundays until June 30 then Tuesdays-Sundays in July.

Information: (916) 445-4422.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Red Cross Day at the Capitol

2010-03-18T16:43:32Z

RED CROSS DAY AT THE CAPITOL

In honor of March being Red Cross Month, representatives from the American Red Cross offered free workshops to Capitol workers on how to "Be Red Cross Ready".

Disasters strike at any time and without warning - so it's important to learn how you can prepare your workplace or home for any disaster.

Displays of various Red Cross services, including Pet First Aid, Wilderness Training and CPR and AED training were located on the
west steps of the Capitol.
Abigail Capano, a Red Cross volunteer, demonstrated how to perform CPR on a dog, using a stuffed toy animal.

In addition, several disaster response vehicles were parked along 10th Street and available to tour, allowing people to learn how these vehicles and the volunteers and staff who operate them provide crucial services to victims of disaster in every community - from home fires and floods, to wildfires and earthquakes.

Vehicles on display included an Incident Command Vehicle, Emergency Response Vehicle and an Emergency Communications Response Vehicle.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit HYPERLINK "http://www.redcross.org" www.redcross.org or join our blog at HYPERLINK "http://blog.redcross.org/" \o "http://blog.redcross.org/" http://blog.redcross.org.

Photos | Kati Garner, American Red Cross volunteer

St. Paddy's Day block party

2010-03-18T06:05:16Z

Everyone looked Irish at the block party on L Street celebrating St. Patrick's Day:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Local Red Cross Accepts Their Largest Donation for Haiti Relief

2010-03-10T21:59:45Z

In photo left to right: David Fluitt, Raley's Pharmacy Supervisor and Haitian Aid Mission volunteer; Dawn Lindblom, American Red Cross Sacramento Sierra Chapter CEO; Michael Teel, Raley's President and CEO; Steve Turner, American Red Cross Sacramento Sierra Chapter Board Chair and Jennifer Teel-Wolter, Raley's Communitarian.

Local Red Cross Accepts Their Largest Donation for Haiti Relief

The Sacramento Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross accepted their largest check for the Haiti Relief and Development Fund on Tuesday, March 9 from Raley’s President & CEO, Michael Teel.

From January 16 through February 13, all 134 Raley’s, Bel Air, Nob Hill Foods and Food Source stores featured donation boxes for Haitian earthquake relief at their check stands, which brought in more than $149,000.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of so many Raley’s customers and employees,” said Teel. “It’s a true testament to our community’s giving spirit – we knew many people wanted to aid relief efforts in Haiti, and by converting our Food For Families collection boxes so 100% of donations benefit the American Red Cross, we received a tremendous response.”

“I applaud the initiative that Raley’s has taken in responding to the devastation and destruction in Haiti by spearheading a month-long collection to support the Red Cross relief efforts,” shared CEO of the Sacramento Sierra Chapter, Dawn Lindblom. The supplies that these funds will provide for the people of Haiti include relief items still being distributed in Haiti including blankets, tarps, kitchen sets and hygiene items.

Photo | Kati Garner, American Red Cross volunteer

They Fly | Honoring Women of Color

2010-03-09T16:57:54Z

Mother Ruby Muhammad (born 1897)and Suzanne Brooks/The Jazz Generation, entertained and delighted the audience at the annual Sacramento Community Women of Color Day/Diversity Awards Event on Sunday's event "I Believe I Can Fly: Memories of Music And Stories."

The 2010 Sacramento event, "Symbols in Silver," honored 8 outstanding individuals: Deloris Ashley, Karen Bass, Speaker, California Assembly; Roxana Borrego, Director, Sacramento Cultural Center; Aurora Grajeda, San Francisco Bay Area Journalist; Britta Guererro, Director, Sacramento Native American Health Center; Teresa Pulido, Grandmother, West Sacramento; Oprah Winfrey, actress/talk show host; and Rev. Ashiya Odeye, Director, Sacramento Justice Reform Coalition.

Ruby Muhammad, 113, was born in Sandersville, Georgia, but grew up in Americus, Georgia. She was raised by a woman she used to think was her aunt, because her mother died when Muhammad was young, and her father was unknown to her until she was a teenager.

Muhammad joined the Nation in 1946 and was named Mother of the Nation of Islam in 1986 by Minister Louis Farrakhan, and has an international following of admiration by those in the Nation of Islam.

In March 2007, she ostensibly turned 110, though this has not been documented. Despite her age, she is still in excellent health, still exercising and taking care of herself. She credits joining the Nation of Islam for her longevity. From community records in Sandersville, she also believes her father lived to 107 and her great grandfather lived to 110.

Muhammad is not the widow of Elijah Muhammad, founder of the Nation of Islam. She has had two husbands, neither being Elijah Muhammad.

Iola Imogene Scott was born May 31, 1905 in Madisonville Kentucky. After losing her mother at age 12 she moved to Indianapolis, Indiana and was raised by her Aunt and Uncle. At a very young age, Iola fell in love with “doing hair” and studied with Madam C.J. Walker, afterward opening her own beauty salon and school.

She mentored many young women of color the cosmetology trade. She developed a line of beauty products uniquely for black women and was instrumental in the development of the curling iron. As a young woman, she was very active in her church as the organist for the Youth Choir. Decades before “Black became Beautiful,” she sponsored beauty shows, pageants and cultural events. In 1955, she relocated to California where she owned and operated her own beauty salon, Kosmetique, until she retired at the age of 93.

Today, at 104, and an award winning artist, Iola Scott is most proud of being a mother to girls who were motherless and a mentor to many young women of color. her. Her grandfather, a water boy in the Civil War, lived to be a lively 116 years of age, telling her to “keep your head up and walk tall”. She has taken his advice.

Roxana Reyes Borrego, shown with her son, began studying Folklorico at the age of five and began teaching at 19. She has dedicated herself to enriching the Sacramento community with the art for the past 20 years. Ms. Borrego has worked with several groups: Danzantes del Alma de UC Davis, Ballet Folklorico de CSU Chico, Nube de Oro and Sol De Mexico.

In 1997, she founded the group Flor del Corazon at Sacramento High School,serving as its instructor for 6 years and establishing it as the first college preparatory Folklorico class recognized by the Regents of the University of California. She is one of the founders of Grupo Folklorico Raices de Mi Tierra (raicesdemitierra.com) and is Artistic Director (15 years) . She is also Artistic Director of Danzantes del Alma at UC Davis and adjunct faculty at CSU Sacramento in Theatre & Dance.

Ms. Borrego is the owner and director of the Sacramento Cultural Arts Center—Non-Profit of the year by the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber.

Delores Wall Ashley, born in Wilson, NC, attended Darden High School. She and her four sisters and brothers grew up in a loving home with parents who were fine role models for their lives. Ms. Ashley became a great mother and wife, as well as a career woman, entrepreneur, foster mom and community activist.

Her pursuit of further education and better jobs led her to Newark, NJ and New York City where she met and married her husband, Thurman Wall. With her husband and children, Malcolm, Samantha, Charles and Torledo, she became active in Ambysian Baptist Church and began volunteer work in the community, including Boys and Girls Clubs, 4-H Programs, The Center for Children, The New Ark Program. Later, she re-married James Ashley and moved to California where they operated several businesses., including a day care, credit repair, pre-paid legal and retail fashions.

They also adopted and raised 4 foster children: William, Caroline, Kenny & Tavon. Her other contributions are too numerous to list. Her admirers span the continent.

Britta Guerrero is Executive Director of the Sacramento Native American Health Center, Inc. (SNAHC), a community-owned and operated non-profit urban Indian health center providing programs, groups and services from a Native perspective. The health center plays a major role as part of the heath care “safety net” in the Sacramento area.

For significant portions of the population with little or no access to mainstream health care, SNAHC has emerged as a leader in the provision of quality health care delivered through a culturally competent, family-centered and wrap around delivery system. A humble as well as caring administrator, Ms. Guerrero is respected for her dedication to the task of providing health care for the Native American community. She works hard to keep abreast of cultural concerns and current health issues. For example, she has noted that Type 2 diabetes has skyrocketed among Indian children in the last decade.

She is active in many Indian organizations such as the National Council of Urban Indian Health and the National Institutes of Alcohol and Alcoholism. Ms. Guerrero takes the responsibility of representing an Indian organization very seriously, and has made it her personal/professional mission to insure that Native Americans have access to healthcare in urban areas such as Sacramento.

This population is often over looked, is tremendously underserved and is still suffering from disproportionate health disparities. Ms. Guerrero is an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and a member of Kayhatin (Willow) Clan.

Aurora Grajeda, an almost 63 year old Mexican-born transgender woman, migrated to the US 41 years ago to San Francisco's Mission District, where she has resided ever since .

A community activist, she addresses issues of LGBT rights and concerns, Immigration Reform, Universal Health Care, and Democratic Representation in all branches of government, from Local to State and Federal Levels. She is especially concerned with violence against women, girls and minorities.

Ms. Grajeda responds to the public’s need for accurate information by writing, especially facts from research. An outstanding journalist, she writes editorials, reports and commentary via email, blog posts, websites and discussion groups on the Internet. Also a theater artist, she is proud of her participation in the all-transgender cast in the 2003 production of "Living it up and Holding it Down", and her 2009 performance in the first San Francisco Production in Spanish of 'The Vagina Monologues. She has been cast in the May 8, 2010 V-Day production in San Jose.Dr. Shelly Goldsby, PhD, M.S.W., was
born in Oak Ridge, Louisiana, Dr. Goldsby is a long time CA resident who works for children and families. She has a BA, CSU San Bernardino; MS, School of Social Work,-CSU, Sacramento, and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, UCLA.

She agrees that family foster care provides safety for children, but also sees that children experience emotional/psychological distress when separated from families, thus advocates“family preservation.” She works to reunite abused or neglected children with parents. As a foster/adoptive parent, she supports open adoptions. She advocates legislation to extend foster youth benefits to the age of 21, has provided expert testimony on foster youth concerns and services.

She currently works with high-risk placements, open adoptions and pregnant foster youth. She has trained psychologists, teachers, social workers, students, birth/foster parents.. She has developed programs for alternative foster youth housing, published articles on an array of topics. and served as a speaker in the US and Bermuda.

Karen Bass (no photo), is a former Speaker, California State Assembly. She has represented the 47th district since first elected in 2004. She is the second woman and third African American to serve as Speaker.

Raised in the Venice/Fairfax neighborhood, she went to Hamilton High School; graduated from CSU, Dominguez Hills (1990, B.S. Health Sciences) USC Medical School – Physician Assistant Certificate. She has been a faculty member for more than a decade and worked as a Physician Assistant in the nation’s largest trauma center, Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center. She founded the Community Coalition, an organization in South Los Angeles.

She has also served as Majority Floor Leader for the California State Assembly. She has served in other legislative leadership roles. She serves as chair of the Select Committee on Foster Care and as vice chair of the Legislative Black Caucus. She is a member of Barack Obama's national African American Leadership Council and served as a California Co-chair of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

Teresa Pulido, (no photo) is a great example of the truly special love that only a grandmother can give. She has lived a quiet life, caring for all in her family and in the communities where she has lived. Like many remarkable women, especially women of color, she is more intelligent, more educated than is generally given recognition. She is insightful and deeply spiritual in the ways that have been passed down from ancestors to beloved women who carry and teach our cultures. "It is important that we honor Teresa Pulido because without her and others like her, many would be homeless and lost, not knowing our histories and roots, not seeing our own worth, and not understanding our own capacity to stand up in the face of injustice for ourselves and for others."

More personal details are not needed here. We know her in our hearts. In pain from a serious medical condition, Teresa Pulido could not be here today in person, but she is here in spirit. She is precisely the type of woman whose greatness deserves honor today and every day. Her award will be delivered to her with our expression of admiration.

A special honoree, The Reverend Ashiya Odeye, was born in Philadelphia, PA into a family with a long history in the civil rights struggle in America. From the underground railroad, suffragette movement, Marcus Garvey and the back to Africa movement, through the black power movement to today, his family was there making and a part of history.

The family has an equally long history with African American arts and artists, educators and education, politicians and politics, religious leaders, and standing connections to Africa, which led his proud inquisitive mind , as a young man to become the dedicated adult activist of today. In his family tradition of community service and spiritual awareness, he founded the first Rastafarian organization west of the Mississippi—the Order of Olufunmi.

He works to push forward the mantle of freedom and justice. As Director of the Justice Reform Coalition he works with other advocates and organizations bring about the community control over and accountability of our legal, justice, political, educational and corporate systems.

For further information about Mother Ruby and Suzanne Brook s/Women of Color, please see Jonathan Mendick's article:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/19768/The_Mother_of_Sacramento

The biographical information of the honorees is from the "I Believe I can Fly" program.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento's Camellia Show - #86

2010-03-08T21:51:31Z

The Camellia Society of Sacramento held its annual Camellia Show this past weekend.

Here are some photo memories:

Matthew Enwia won Best Youth for his Nuccio's Carousel.

Ava Urbina's Elegant Splendor also took a Best Youth award.

Julie Vierra won Best Japonica - Medium, Elsie Morrison Memorial, Red Devil Variety.

Barbara Forbes won a Tri-Color award for Magic Slippers variety.

Pennie Chwalowski won a second place for Elegance, Magic Slippers variety.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ehrhart won a Best Tray of 5 Japonica - Over 4 1/2" - Michael Stout Memorial.

Elida Garibay took an Honorable Mention in Over the Rainbow variety.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento's Comic, Toy and Anime Show lured characters

2010-03-08T15:45:32Z

Yesterday's SACCON show at Sacramento's Scottish Rite Center was full of dressed up characters and lots of fun stuff.

Here are some scenes:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Maria Shriver | Honoring Women's History Month

2010-03-05T15:59:59Z

California's First Lady, Maria Shriver and The Women’s Conference partnered with The California Museum to celebrate National Women’s History Month with an extraordinary all-day free event – Day at The Museum yesterday in Sacramento.

Over 10,000 people came through the doors after it kicked off with A Breakfast Meet-and- Greet with Women Elected Officials, the day was packed with information and activity;

A tour of the State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State, Minerva Award Exhibit and Minerva Quilt Project Recognition, “If I Can Do It, So Can You,” panel on the rewards of being a compassionate citizen hero, Chef demonstrations and book signings, “Only in California: A Celebration of California Creativity”, Honoring Our Women in the Military and “I Did It My Way,” a Once in a Lifetime Conversation with Astronaut and educator Dr. Sally K. Ride, Environmental activist Erin Brockovich, award-winning journalist Lisa Ling and award-winning actress, singer and entertainer Rita Moreno.

Maria Shriver moderated a conversation with Astronaut Dr. Sally Ride (right), Lisa Ling (center) Rita Moreno and Erin Brockovish (shown below).

Sally Ride is the first American woman to fly in space.

Erin Brockovich was an unknown legal researcher and the impelling force behind the largest medical settlement lawsuit in history in 1996. It was because of Brockovich's unwavering tenacity that PG & E was exposed for leaking toxic Chromium 6 into the ground water, poisoning the small California town of Hinkley’s Water for over 30 years.

Lisa Ling, has covered a spectrum of issues and interviewed people ranging from global heads of state to Hollywood’s A-list. She is currently Oprah’s field correspondent and contributor to National Geographic’s award-winning series Explorer, CNN‘s Planet in Peril, and ABC‘s Nightline, and is a contributing editor for USA Today’s Weekend magazine.

Rita Moreno has managed to have a thriving career for the better part of six decades despite the institutional racism that has plagued the entertainment industry, particularly the anti-Hispanic bias that stereotyped Hispanic women as "spitfires" and sexpots. Moreno is one of the very few (and very first) performers to win an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony, and a Grammy.

Maria and husband Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger introduced Brigadier General Mary J. Kight and other women in the military.

Kight is the first female adjutant general of the California National Guard and first African-American female National Guard Adjutant General in the nation.

Shriver flanks returning from active duty overseas veterans Monique Clifton, Senior Airman and Jessical Oliff, Sergeant, recipients of assistance fromTalbots clothing stores in obtaining civilian apparel to aid in finding a job.

An All Women’s Color Guard.

Dozens of children participated in the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.

Chefs Cat Cora (above) and   Biba Caggiano below gave cooking demos and signed books.Maria Shriver officially recognized the Minerva Award Exhibit at The California Museum. Among the women warriors working on the frontlines of humanity throughout California present at the event were:
·    Betty Chinn, ’08 Minerva Award recipient, who works with the homeless in Eureka.
·    Ramona Delgado, ’06 Minerva Award recipient, co-founder of Sacramento’s WEAVE, the first domestic violence shelter in California.
·    Jennie Hernandez Gin, ’06 Minerva Award recipient, co-founder of WEAVE.
·    “Sweet” Alice Harris, ’07 Minerva Award recipient, founder of Parents of Watts.
·    Dr. Kathy Hull, ’09 Minerva Award recipient, Executive Director of George Mark House in San Leandro, the first free standing children’s hospice in the country.
·    Sister Jennie Lechtenberg, ’05 Minerva Award recipient, founder of PUENTE Learning Center in Los Angeles.
·    Janice Mirikitani, ’05 Minerva Award recipient, poet and founder of Glide Foundation in San Francisco.
·    Ivelise Markovits, ’08 Minerva Award recipient, founder of Penny Lane in Los Angeles, which works with foster children and families.
·    Captain Maureen Pennington, ’07 Minerva Award recipient, United States Naval nurse and health advocate.
·    Christy Porter, ’07 Minerva Award recipient, Executive Director of Hidden Harvest, innovative poverty/food program outside Palm Springs.
·    Helen Devore Waukazoo, ’09 Minerva Award recipient, co-founder of American Indian Friendship House in San Francisco. Services for recovering substance abusers.

Dr. Kathy Hull (left), founded the George Mark Children’s House in San Leandro, CA, the first freestanding residential pediatric palliative care center in the United States, and Captain Maureen Pennington, a United States Navy nurse, managed a string of trauma centers located 10 minutes by helicopter from the front lines in Fallujah, Iraq.

Azure Antoinette, of Get Lit, read a poem at the end of the Minerva introductions of the Minerva Award recipients and the Quilt Project recognition.

For more information and program updates, keep checking back at CaliforniaMuseum.org.

The California Museum, 1020 O Street • Sacramento, CA 95814 • (916) 653-7524

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Still soggy

2010-03-04T00:53:30Z

A forecast of 100% chance of precipitation proved correct about an hour after this was shot at 1:30 pm. A winter weather advisory remains in effect until 10 pm pst this evening, Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph gusts up to 30 mph this evening. Impacts: Travelers through the Sierra will encounter slick roads, including Interstate 80 and Highway 50. Expect travel delays and chain restrictions.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Snow in Sac

2010-03-03T22:06:47Z

Two youngsters enjoy the thrill of a tobaggan ride during Snow Day.

Council Member Lauren Hammond and 2010 Complete Count Committee delighted folks of all ages with a Snow Day in Southside Park today.

There was a snow cave, toboggan rides, face painting, games, food, hot chocolate, community resources and child safety finger printing.

Helen Hewitt explained the purpose of Snow Day was to publicize the importance of everyone being counted in the current Census.

The census is a count taken every 10 years of people across our nation. This count determines how much federal money our community will receive over the next 10 years.

If we want more money for education in our schools, increased services and benefits for children and seniors and more jobs in our community, it's vital that each and everyone of us is counted.

Here are some scenes from today in Southside Park:

Rain didn't dampen anyone's enthusiasm.

Census worker Dustin Hoekstra helped check folks in and gave them information about the importance of the Census count.

A young girl is fingerprinted to help ensure her future safety.

Not sure what this fellow was doing.

Kids came dressed and ready to hit the slope!

A good ride!

Josh Robichaud, a die-hard snowboarder, said he wanted to be the first to ever ride a snowboard in Southside Park.

Lots of snowball fights.

Kids loved being inside the ice cave (above) and climbing on the outside (below).

Census 2010 Snow Day was sponsored by Council Member Lauren Hammond * 2010 Complete Count Committee *Council Member Rob Fong *City of Sacramento * Angelo Utilities * American River College Women in Construction * Blaine Stumpf Trucking Co. *California Conservation Corp * Carpenters Local 46 * Drywall/ Lathers Union 109 * Electrical Workers Local 340* Green Technology Pre-Apprenticeship * Sacramento Area Fire Fighters Local 522 * Sacramento Sierra Building & Construction Trades Council * Teichert Construction

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Ettore's celebrates 25 years

2010-03-02T03:01:55Z

Ettore's European Bakery and Restaurant celebrated its 25th year in Sacramento with a celebrity cake decorating contest this morning.

Donna Burke, AT & T, is enthusiastic after finishing her cake (photo above).

The tension was extreme as Blake,(foreground), Elyssa Lee, Sactown Magazine; Barbara O'Connor, CSUS and Jan Scully, Sac County District Attorney tried to outdo the men's team with Ettore Ravazzolo's help.

Scully shows good icing form as she starts.

Icing clung to Lee's cake as she proudly displayed it.

Mark Allen, Good Day Sacramento, is definitely in the right job.

John Finegan, Finegan Family Foundation; Eric Stanion, Bank of America and Sotiris Koloktronis, SKK Development displayed finely-tuned decorating skills.

The enjoyable event benefitted the Youth Development Network. For over nine years, the Youth Development Network has been dedicated to creating life-changing experiences for youth success by supporting community organizations through training, networking, and policy change. (ydnetwork.org/)

Kerry Callahan, Principal, Pioneer High School in Woodland presented a Youth Development Network Client testimonial to the crowd of supporters.

Dennis Mangers sang Oh, What a beautiful morning".

Kitty O'Neal, radio personality, KFBK, was Mistress of Ceremonies.

Lee Greenwood, songwriter (“God Bless the USA.”) arrived with Sharon Gerber, Six Degreez, Inc. . Their next stop was the State of the City address.

The Rotary Rooters Band, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Sacramento, provided tunes.

Ettore Ravazzolo opened his European Bakery in Sac in 1985. He made many desserts, sweets and cakes that people had never seen or tasted before.

Now, his bakery walls are fully decorated with many awards for "Best Bakery" and "Best Dessert". Ettore continues to be one of the most popular TV chefs in Sacramento.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, ETTORE'S

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Art as Fashion as fundraiser

2010-02-28T19:00:35Z

Julia, a two-and-half year old paints while Johnny Murphy, I Dream of Johnny, looks on. Her painting was photographed and could be turned into wearable art.

ArtBeast children's studio partnered with Sacramento based online retailer Retail Therapy and Johnny Murphy I Dream of Johnny for an afternoon event, "Where Art meets Fashion", as a fundraiser for the Tubman House, a nonprofit organization serving young homeless parents and their children.

It was like a big art party full of paints, colored pens and a large canvas wall.

Murphy demonstrated how he has turned art into fashion and worked with children individually to share his vision-turned-clothing.

This young artist wears an "I Dream of Johnny" shirt with a tie.

Murphy, a photographer of actors and models, transitioned from photography into art.

"I really like photography and the manipulation used in photoshop to make real art from things," he explains.

Art turned into fashion when "I thought it may look good as wearable art, so I tried it out on t-shirts. Then, I started heat pressing onto fabric and hand stitching it onto different colored shirts. People really liked the hand made look."

His friends encouraged him to share his creativity.

A child's shirt with Murphy's wearable art.

"I would make gifts for them and they said, why not share with everyone?", he said.

Bikini art on a baby's outfit.

His ‘dream’ for I Dream of Johnny” is to implement his business with charities and non-profit events to give to deserving organizations.

He says his clothes are for kids of all ages because really, they’re for the kid in all of us.

"I like seeing the excitement in kids eyes. I think they get a lot of enjoyment out of what I do," Murphy explains. "I want to create an upbeat child-friendly vibe. It’s also a representation of myself."

Art Therapy is a great idea and is the direction he's heading.

"I want to teach and encourage kids to implement art work and fundraising at the same time. I really look forward to this," he says.

Murphy says that too many communities are losing their art programs. To have kids express themselves through art is so important.

"It helps to expand a child’s mind. Allowing them to create their own wearable art promotes their artistic side," he said.

Retail Therapy markets a unique on- and offline buying experience with a cutting edge ensemble of fine clothing and accessories.

Murphy wears a photo of a race car he turned into wearable art.

Murphy may be reached: (310)745-2925

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Be Hoppy

2010-02-26T16:31:44Z

Learning How to be Hoppy
by Amber K. Stott

Who knew? Beer is educational! As part of Sacramento Beer Week, Hoppy Brewing Company held hourly brew tours Thursday. In 40 minutes, brewing operations manager Ed Kopta imparted the wisdom of the beer gods to interested listeners.

If you’ve never been on a brew tour, you might expect a quick howdy-do peek at machinery followed by gallons of libations. On the contrary, Hoppy’s tour focused solely on the learning. If you’ve ever appreciated the fine complexities of a microbrew, then you won’t be surprised that the brewing process is also multifaceted.

First, Kopta provided hands-on insight into the world of beer grains. From tiny cups, visitors sniffed—and even tasted—roasted and toasted hops, malts, and wheat. Some grains burst with coffee aroma not unlike your morning cup of Joe, while others danced with caramel. Combining various grains will later lend to the taste of that frothy glass of beer poured by their bartenders.

But before any keg is tapped, the grains endure a lengthy chemistry-like process. According to Kopta, these grains are milled on sight. Then they are sent into a “mash tun” (aka: a giant metal tub) with hot water, activating enzymes that will lead to varying levels of sugar for fermentation. These affect the mouth feel and body of your beer. The resulting “mash” then travels to a kettle where a complex recipe of hops are added to boiling water, which yet again change the flavor, bitterness, and aroma of the beer.

Next, the liquid is sent to a fermenter, paired with yeast, and left for 5-6 days. Finally, it chills for a week, is filtered to remove any remaining yeast and haze, and makes its way to both keg and beer bottle. Shwew!

Many small breweries use Diatomaceous Earth (DE) filters (above) to remove yeast and haze from beer before fermentation begins.

James Queirolo stands in front of a tall fermenting vat.

For 11 years, Hoppy has been brewing up beers based on this involved process, yet according to Kopta, Hoppy operates a “simple brewing system.” In any given year, Hoppy will produce 1,000 barrels of beer, each barrel holding 31 gallons of ale. Of their many varieties, Kopta says the Hoppy Face Amber is their most popular. In fact, when Hoppy was a start-up, it was named T Roy after its owner. As it is today, the Hoppy Face Amber was his biggest seller. Folks began to refer to the brewer as the “Hoppy Guy,” and the name stuck.

If you want to make Hoppy one of your destinations for Sacramento Beer Week, they’ll be offering “late night pints” tomorrow night: $1.75 from 10:30pm till close. For other beer week activities, check their website: www.sacramentobeerweek.com.

Hoppy Brewing is located at 6300 Folsom Blvd in East Sac.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Mardi Gras Old Sac style

2010-02-21T06:43:55Z

The first annual Mardi Gras Grub & Pub Crawl in Old Sacramento pulled folks in for some eats, drink and street entertainment tonight. Participating restaurants and bars offered food and drink specials to celebrate Mardi Gras in Sacramento's historic business district.

There was an official speakeasy tour through Sacramento’s below-ground watering holes. Sacramento was "one of the wettest cities in the nation" during the Prohibition era.

Here's some scenes from Mardi Gras:

Selma Borjes and her SambaLon percussionists livened things up with a mini-parade, winding through some eateries.

Folks were enjoying themselves.

These gals were headed into Laughs Unlimited.

Some good ole tap dancing.

Vaudeville singer and his band.

Fencing! En garde.

Various forms of Poi and fire twirling. 'Poi' is the Maori word for 'ball' on a cord. Poi is a form of juggling where the balls are swung around the body. Poi can take many shapes and forms from LED lighted, Glow, Fabric, Sock and Fire.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

A SPIN THROUGH YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW

2010-02-15T21:19:31Z

Mel Silva and Marliyn Greaves demonstrated the Navajo way of weaving during this past weekend's 51st Open House of the Sacramento Weavers and Spinners Guild.

The Guild displays a work in progress of a blanket for Project Linus. Jan Leininger (above) says the group has donated over 500 blankets in the past five years.

Sharon Burgland displays a sampler which shows different techniques.

Quill spinning, an old technique, is demonstrated.

Joan Jurancich spins Wolfdog-hybrid fiber which will become two-ply yarn. It will be woven into a scarf for the deceased dog's owner. Each spring when their dog shed, they saved the hair. They kept their dog clean, so their is "not alot of stuff in it", says Jurancich. Another demonstration used cat hair.

Lots of

colorful materials were for sale (above and below).

Jacqueline Ball holds a rainmaker which produces the relaxing sound of falling rain. Its exterior is like a woven basket.

Judy Semple works on a very small basket (above) as does another Guild member (below).

Conrad Tracy demonstrates Tablet weaving. Also known as Card weaving, tablet weaving, is a method of producing narrow textiles such as straps, belts and trim.

The Guild began in 1946 as the Sacramento Weaver's Guild. In the early years, the Open House was an elegant affair, complete with hat and gloves, shirt and tie. Members were served tea from a silver tea service.

The forms of address were also formal (Mr., Miss, Mrs. Husband's name).

In 1960, the public started coming dressed in shorts and jeans.

Over the years, many of the Guild members have beam famous; Lydia Van Gelder had a wall hanging in the show at the 1939 Treasure Island Exposition.

Her work as toured Europe and been displayed in many museums, including the Crocker Art Galllery in Sacramento.

Since 1980, Nancy Harvey has been teaching tapestry weaving. She has written two books and has taught all over the USA.

Bettie Roth and Chris Schulz have written A Handbook of Timesaving Tables for Weavers, Spinners and Dyers.

Other notables include Mary Elizabeth Osterkamp, Lynne Greaves, Barbara Eychaner, Mollie Freeman, Sara Lamb, Helen Pope, Marion Kurtz, Frances Taylor, Edna Davidson, Mary Jane Lillard.

The Sacramento Weavers and Spinners Guild meets at the Shepard Garden and Arts Center, 10am, on the fourth Tuesday of each month September through May, except December.

Its purpose is to encourage growth in the art of weaving, spinning and dyeing, by means of interchange of ideas, by research and by contact with experts in the field.

Membership is open to anyone interested in advancing the Guild and its purposes.

The Shepard Garden and Arts Center is located at 3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento, CA.

For further info, please go to: http://directcon.net/weaver/

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Fairly good finds at Sac Antique Faire

2010-02-15T00:52:48Z

The Sacramento Antique Faire was started five years ago by Marylon Rose, an avid antiquer. "I started it because I love antiques," she said. "There are many old, beautiful things and I have an appreciation for the craftsmanship used to create them. I thought this would be a good way for shops to increase their foot traffic and to be able to show to a large number of people."

Quality items for sale included fine art and jewelry, pottery, china and glassware, garden accessories, textiles and furniture. There are also several items geared toward those looking for something to spice up their interior design schemes, such as painted furniture, the perfect dining table, early-era plumbing fixtures, delicate glassware, French porcelain and wrought iron for the garden.

Only antiques and collectibles are sold at the fair. No reproduction or craft items are available. "The fair has a good reputation among seasoned collectors for quality buying opportunities," Rose said.

The Sacramento Antique Faire, an outdoor antique and collectible marketplace is held the second Sunday of every month from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Excerpts above are from Esther Hodapp's feature dated September 13, 2009

Please see Esther Hodapp's full article:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/13685/Hidden_treasures_abound_at_the_Sacramento_Antique_Faire

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Girl Scout Mega Cookie Drop

2010-02-14T00:05:54Z

One of the over 600 volunteers removes two cases of Thin Mints from one of the 36 semi-trailers that were each filled with 77,000 cases.

177 boxes of assorted Girl Scout cookies fill a van that will be delivering cookies to Troop #660 Brownies. 1,000 Girl Scout Troops picked up their pre-sold cookies.

Each case holds 12 boxes, a total of 924,000 boxes filled with cookies, were distributed to over 1,500 vehicles in one day.

Helen Whitelaw, Director of Sales and manager of today's cookie distribution rides in a golf cart with Bob Carlson, owner of Carlson Logistics, supplied the 36 semi-trailers filled with the case of cookies.

Over $3 million worth of cookies were picked up.

Anne Lauzier, of Ventura, has worked for the Girl Scouts cookie baker over 25 years. She directed the many vehicles that arrived to load up with the cookies. She will be doiing the same thing in Modesta this week.

American Red Cross, Sacramento-Sierra Red Cross volunteers Kathy Quinn, Bob Maher and Donna Oien serve food and drinks to the Girl Scout volunteers. The Girl Scouts bought food and Red Cross prepared lunches using the chapter's mass feeding portable kitchen.

Two of the dozen Americorp volunteers that partnered with the Red Cross grilled hamburgers and hotdogs.

The money earned from Girl Scout Cookie sales fund the Girl Scout programs that build girls of courage, confidence and character.

For more info, check out:www.girlscoutshcc.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sac Zoo: eye-to-eye with Giraffes

2010-02-12T00:59:58Z

Exactly one year from the February 2009 groundbreaking, Sacramento Zoo officially opened Tall Wonders Giraffe Habitat this morning with a toast and ribbon cutting, good food and raffle drawings for Sacramento Zoological Society members.

For the very first time, visitors will be eye to eye with the stately residents on the 1,100 square foot raised deck. The elevated platform also provides a magnificent view into the neighboring zebra and ostrich area.

The state-of-the-art block barn (yes, it’s heated!) provides warm nights for three giraffes, Val, Skye & Goody, while the expanded grounds allow for leisurely giraffe-size strolls during the day.

Cutting the ribbon are Robby Waters; Mary Healy, Zoo Director; Robert King Fong, Councilmember; Terry Kastanis, Sacramento Zoological Society Board Past President; Starr Walton-Hurley, Sacramento Zoological Society Board President.

Sacramento Zoological Society was presented $10,000 by Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

Sacramento Zoological members enjoyed good food during the opening of the habitat.

Former Mayors Heather Fargo (right, in picture) and Ann Rutan were there.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Crocker pushes forward to opening new wing

2010-02-12T00:21:46Z

Matt Isble, Exhibition Designer and Lead Prepartor
Justin Marsh, Museum Experience Facilitator work on the interior design in the New Crocker. The Interior of the existing Crocker will also have a makeover.

"The new Anne and Malcolm McHenry Works on Paper Study Center (above) will enable the Museum to share the Crocker Art Museum's fine early collection of European drawings in the United States", says Kathleen Richards,Crocker Marketing Communications Coordinator.

In addition to two dedicated galleries for special exhibitions, the state-of-the-art facility comprises a 926-square-foot storage room and an 810-square-foot study room for scholars, artists, and the public by appointment.

The Study Center will open in October 2010 with A Pioneering Collection: Master Drawings from the Crocker Art Museum, an exhibition of more than 50 rarely seen works by artists such as Albrecht Dürer, Fra Bartolommeo, Anthonie van Dyck, François Boucher and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. A Pioneering Collection marks the launch of a series of regular special exhibitions and programs for works on paper for the first time in the history of the Crocker.

For every day that master drawings are out of storage, they need to spend three days in storage, away from light and the elements.

This large storage area will store and protect large paintings.

An office space on the northwest corner of the New Crocker.

Hardwood floors are protected during the finishing of the large third-floor gallery spaces. Skylights allows natural lighting.

Comfortable stadium style theatre seating has recently been installed in the new auditorium. This new space will accomodate 260 people for films, concerts and lectures.

High-tech equipment will be used for the films, concerts and lectures in the auditorium. This room is located at the rear of the auditorium behind the last row of seats in the auditorium photo.

Looking down from the second floor into the atrium which will be used for eating, reading, visiting and relaxing.On the left are floor-to-ceiling windows looking into the courtyard.

Hardwood flooring is installed in a reception area above the new entrance.

The balcony on the second floor above the new entrance.

Entrance to the auditorium on the northwest side of the new wing.

A water fountain is protect under the blue tarp in the courtyard.The new courtyard entrance gates will soon be installed as the massive frame bridging the courtyard entrance is finished. These gates will remain closed most of the time providing tranquility from the outside world. They will be opened for special events and other occasions; highlighting the flexibility this new building will provide to the community.

The Museum is expanding the campaign to build the New Crocker. The community is invited to show their support by purchasing and wearing an "I am the New Crocker" button. Buttons can be purchased at the Admission Desk and Museum Store for $5. Proceeds help fund the New Crocker.

The New Crocker opens October 10, 2010. It will be the culmination of a monumental endeavor in its 125-year history.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Big turnout for Free Museum Day

2010-02-07T01:24:01Z

Sacramento's 12th annual Free Museum Day, from the Aerospace Museum of California at McClellan Park to the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum was heavily attended. Twenty-six (26) greater Sacramento area museums offered free admission all day long. The event was presented by the Sacramento Association of Museums (SAM), and supported by Umpqua Bank.

The Aerospace Museum of California (above and below) features 39 military and civilian aircraft, aerospace exhibits, an Aviation Learning Center, tours, and simulator ride.

The Crocker had long lines throughout the day, as did Old Sacramento's California State Railroad Museum.

A boy tests the old water pump at the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum (above and below) The museum celebrates California's early days of education in a living replica of an 1800's one-room schoolhouse.

Panning for gold was popular at the Sacramento History Museum. California's golden past and Sacramento's diverse cultural legacy are featured.

A mom and daughter read about Sacramento's history in The Wells Fargo History Museum (above). California's Gold Rush is highlighted.

A soldier helps a boy try on the military bulletproof vest. California State Military Museum displayed modern day and historical military items and personal memorabilia (above and below).

Children pretend they are in combat on a modern-day cannon.

A young girl looks down the muzzle of a military weapon.

A military reenactor holds a dummy grenade on an old cannon.

Joe Wolfenden kept the long lines moving and the humor flowing at the Governor's Mansion, a regal Victorian mansion with Persian carpets, Italian marble, French mirrors and chandeliers. Since 1967 the historic building has welcomed visitors inside the home of 13 governors and two private families. Governor Ronald and Nancy Reagan had the shortest tenure, moving out after residing there for three months. They moved out due to fire concerns.

Anything purchased for the mansion had to remain. Today it holds an eclectic but agreeable mix of objects and decor.

All of Sacramento's museums are open year-round.

Please visit http://www.sacmuseums.org/ for more information.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Red lights in capital

2010-02-06T04:13:37Z

Red lights highlight the exterior of Bank of the West Tower on Capitol Mall Ave to show support for February is American Heart Month. Wells Fargo Center next door is also adorned in red, as well as Hyatt Regency, 1209 L Street; Sutter General Hospital; 2801 L Street and Sutter Memorial Hospital, 5151 F Street. According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease and stroke are our nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. Some 81.1 million people in the United States are living with cardiovascular disease and 6.4 million have had a stroke. During the month of February, the American Heart Association urges people to join the battle against these diseases.

Sac Press Photo | Kati Garner

Stand up, be counted | Census 2010

2010-02-04T23:47:35Z

Hmong Dance Performers was one of the diverse groups that were part of the Census 2010 open house in the new office, located in the U.S. Post Office at 801 I Street. The Census is preparing for its huge task of counting all residents. They are stressing everyone needs counted, legal or not.

Ballet Folklorico Nube de Oro (above and below) also entertained as well as The Peacock Girls, TOSA- Polynesian Dance Performers
and Alinicia- Rhythm & Blues Band. Other performers were Sacramento Women's Chorus, Kirby Shields, and Harrison Eldridge. CA State Army National Guard presented colors.

The Grant High School Drum Corps marched from the Census office to City Hall next door.

Sister Libby Fernandez, Executive Director, Loaves and Fishes explained how the homeless will be counting their peers for this census. She explained they want to be recognized and counted.

Other speakers included Mayor Kevin Johnson, Senator Curren Price, California State Senate, 26th District; Ditas Katague, Director, Census 2010, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research; Gustavo Arroyo,Sacramento City Unified School District Board Member; Mary Watts, U.S. Census Bureau, Partnership Specialist, 2010 Census “Portrait of America” and Tom Szabla, Assistant Regional Census Manager,U.S. Census Bureau, Seattle Regional Census Center. Will Wright, local Census office manager, was the Master of Ceremonies.

The 2010 Census questionnaire has just 10 questions and will arrive in maiboxes in March.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento Goes Heart Red

2010-02-04T22:47:49Z

A Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute worker checks blood pressure during the start of Sacramento's American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement at the capitol building this morning. Men and women were screened for heart disease and other health issues. There was a Heart disease and stroke health disparities briefing for legislative staff by Sutter cardiologist Diane Sobcowicz, M.D., Board President, American Heart Association Sacramento Division.

February is Heart Month and Sacramento will show its support for the American Heart Association’s fight against the nation’s leading killer of women – heart disease. Five buildings, including two neighboring structures in downtown Sacramento (Wells Fargo Center and Bank of the West Tower), will light their exterior windows red to help raise awareness.

This year the American Heart Association invites everyone to spend their lunch break at Arden Fair Mall for the Go Red For Women Wear Red Day celebration. It will be a fun-filled and educational day, featuring live entertainment and free health screenings courtesy of Sutter Heart & Vascular Institute.

A casting call, presented by Go Red For Women national sponsor, Macy’s, will be held to find the next group of women who will represent the Go Red For Women campaign in 2011. You could be one of these women! At the casting call, simply tell us how you are speaking up against heart disease to improve your life and those around you. Jiffy Lube will distribute savings books containing over $100 in Jiffy Lube service discounts and more, as well as share information about the Maintenance Partners For Life campaign which aims to raise $1.5 million for the America.

Friday, February 5, 2010, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Arden Fair Mall, Sacramento. Contact: Andrea Hull, (916) 431-2381.

Learn more at http://www.goredforwomen.org

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

They brought out the Barrels

2010-02-01T04:36:05Z

Over 20 El Dorado County wineries opened their cellars for Bring out the Barrel this weekend. For many it was probably the first chance of being able to compare bottled and barrel wine.

It was for me. My group explored six wineries today.

The most pleasing to my palatte was the Chocolate Splash Port - infused with 60% dark, bittersweet chocolate and 40% milk chocolate natural essence - at Narrow Gate Vineyards, our first stop.

Wine barrels dominated many tasting rooms, such as this scene at Narrow Gate.

Busby Cellars, winemaker/co-owner Elliot Graham, siphons wine from a barrel into a glass for a customer.

Sierra Vista Vineyard & Winery owner/winemaker, John MacCready, tests the CO2 line that prevents air from entering open wine barrels. Air ruins the wines.

MacCready pulls wine from a barrel.

Many spent time on the deck of Fitzpatrick wine cellars, taking in the views (above and below).

Plenty wine was poured from bottles. Tasters were given the opportunity to compare a wine from the barrel vs. bottle.

We all came away with a souvenir glass as shown above.

One of the peaceful scenes along the Barrel Tasting route.

For more details, see Erika Bjork's pre-event article:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/21308/Barrel_Tasting_in_the_El_Dorado_Wine_Country

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Discovery Park busy in Winter

2010-01-28T01:33:53Z

This was my first venture into Discovery Park and I was pleasantly surprised!

Lots of wildlife, people jogging and biking and just parked, enjoying the quiet and scenery. After living here three years, it was about time!

Here's some of the highlights:

A sea lion thrashes his catch above the water to break it up for easy eating. He split the fish in half for easier dining.

A majestic tree, even in winter.

A Snowy Egret departs from a dead branch in the river.

The Sacramento River looks healthy after all the rain we've experienced.

Nice reflection from the sky.

A Great Egret lands after escaping from me for getting too close.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Finally --- a Sunset

2010-01-23T03:03:01Z

The sun finally won over the clouds for a bit, creating a nice visual from Old Sacramento this evening.

Looking east from Richards Blvd shows sunlight hitting downtown's skyscrapers.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Diverted Greyhound

2010-01-21T06:16:14Z

Red Cross volunteers Mike and Joyce Evans wrap Alicha Rogers and her son Ke'von Burton of Portland, OR in a Linus Blanket. The Sacramento Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross responded to a call early tonight from Roger Muckel, manager of the Sacramento Greyhound Bus terminal. Rogers had left Las Vegas yesterday, headed for Portland, and landed in Sacramento. The California Highway Patrol near Redding were not allowing travel any further north due to the storm. Two busloads of travelers were brought to the Sacramento terminal. Many of them spent a cold night at the terminal. Muckel said they were brought to Sacramento's bus station due to safety reasons for their passengers. The Red Cross delivered over 25 blankets for the travelers. Rogers and her son will be home in Portland as soon as weather conditions permit.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner, Red Cross volunteer

Storm snippet

2010-01-20T23:05:15Z

"That's the thanks I get?" could be going through this Sacramento City worker's mind when a car sprays him as he tries to unclog a drain at Freeport and 10th in front of The Crepe Escape. In my journeys around Downtown, East Sac and Land Park, it looks like we emerged relatilvely unscathed. A worker prepares to cut a big limb (below) at the corner of N and 23rd this morning, perhaps as preventive maintenance. I caught news blurbs of a tree that fell on a house in Fair Oaks and of a Southwest flight from Sacramento being struck by lightning in southern California.There are scattered power outages in the area, (good for restaurants), and a potential for blizzard conditions in the Sierra.

As this publishes, it's looking like Wednesday's Round 2 is coming our way.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

KCRA and RED CROSS: HELPING HAITI SURVIVORS

2010-01-18T22:18:19Z

Anita Webb, a volunteer with the Sacramento Sierra American Red Cross, talks to a person who has called in to donate to the relief efforts for the Haiti earthquake survivors.

KCRA 3 and the American Red Cross are raising funds to help the victims in Haiti today until 7 p.m., The Call 3 volunteers will be taking your calls if you'd like to make a donation. As of 2:16pm $82,219 has been raised.

Just call 916-447-2255.You can make a difference in the lives of people who have lost everything.

If you would like to make a Red Cross donation online click here.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Occupants not seriously injured after their car lands on freeway

2010-01-18T00:17:26Z

Five people in a Chevy Suburban landed on Hwy 99 after the vehicle drove off the 12th Ave overpass around 2:30pm today. According to an officer at the scene, they were transported to UC Davis Medical Center without major injuries. They did not land on or injure anyone driving in the southbound lanes of Hwy 99.

The driver of the Suburban was transporting another adult and three children. It is not known why the driver lost control of the vehicle.

Peering down from the overpass it drove off, the Suburban lays in a southbound lane on Hwy 99.

This scene, facing north to the 12th Ave overpass, shows the guardrail and fence the Suburban careened through after losing control.

Southbound traffic on Hwy 99 was backed up due to the accident. Several lanes were in operation as the accident scene was cleared.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Volunteers Celebrate the Life of Dr. King

2010-01-17T06:24:44Z

Volunteers Celebrate the Life of Dr. King with
Lifesaving Fire Safety Information

American Red Cross and HOPE worldwide volunteers canvass Sacramento neighborhoods to distribute fire prevention and safety tips.

“Life’s most persistent question,” Dr. King once asked, “is what are you doing for others?" This Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend, American Red Cross and HOPE worldwide volunteers distributed vital fire safety information to help Sacramento residents prevent home fires, protect their loved ones and strengthen their community.

Joe Fenton, Hope Worldwide and Christy Woods, Sacramento Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross explain the door-to-door canvassing to all the volunteers.

Dawn Lindblom (center), the new CEO of the Sac-Sierra Chapter was part of this morning's outreach in the south Sacramento area, as was Robbie Waters, City Councilmember Robbie Waters, District 7 (below).

Volunteers from the American Red Cross and HOPE worldwide as well as volunteer Sea Cadets, AmeriCorps NCCC and Community Emergency Response Team members went door-to-door throughout South Sacramento neighborhoods speaking with residents about fire safety and leaving behind fire safety door hangers with information about smoke alarms, creating an escape plan and how to cook and heat a home safely this winter.

The Firefighters of Sacramento Fire Department Station 11 hosted this morning's activities. The station is located at the intersection of Florin and Havenside in the Pocket Area.

“President Obama has called on each of us to volunteer in our communities on Monday, January 18 to usher in a new spirit of service,” says American Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGovern. “Join the American Red Cross and USAService.org to learn how to save a life by participating in a CPR training, protect a life by distributing prevention and safety materials in your community or give the gift of life by donating blood.”

Home fires are Sacramento’s most prevalent disaster threat, and unlike other disasters, most home fires can be prevented. The Red Cross is committed to helping people understand how they can prevent home fires and protect themselves should they experience a fire. In the last year alone, the Sacramento Sierra Chapter responded to more than 240 fires, providing emergency shelter, food, comfort items, mental health counseling and emotional support.

This little fellow was part of his mom's group.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner, American Red Cross volunteer

Socked in

2010-01-16T22:22:23Z

The Bank of the West building along Capitol Ave. seems to disappear into the fog around 9am this morning, as does the Wells Fargo Building (below). The forecast for the next ten days calls for rain and wind from the southeast.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Car-Jacking (correction)

2010-01-15T21:52:02Z

Here is the information on last night's car jacking that ended on Jibboom St in North Sacramento (straight from the Sacramento Police Dept!):

Husband and wife went to the check cashing store near Arden/Del Paso. They parked their mini-van out front while they withdrew cash.

When they returned to their vehicle and started to drive away, a male Black adult was in their backseat holding a gun.

He demanded their cash and ordered them to drive him to West Sac. Suspect remained in the back seat counting victim's money and waving a gun around.

When victims reached Jibboom Street, the male victim decided to fight back. He grabbed the handgun and began fighting with the suspect as he drove.

The female jumped out of the vehicle. The male hit the brakes and physically fought with suspect over the gun.

Suspect fled, but fight continued into the street, suspect fled on foot leaving behind the handgun and much of the victim's cash. The handgun turned out to be a BB Pistol facsimile. SPD, along with CHP and air unit set up a perimeter.

Officer, while stationed at his perimeter position in front of the Rusty Duck, observed suspect and took him into custody. Suspect was charged with two counts of kidnapping and two counts of armed robbery.

Suspect arrested was Jeffrey Elder 26yrs old.

SacPhotos | Kati Garner

HOW YOU CAN HELP HAITI EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

2010-01-15T16:05:10Z

You can text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti.

It'll show up on your phone bill.

Photo | American Red Cross

Looking for US Citizens in Haiti?

Call:
U.S. Department of State 1 (888) 407 4747

Information Posted | Kati Garner, American Red Cross volunteer

Car Jacker caught

2010-01-15T05:45:14Z

Sacramento Fire EMTs apply first aid to injured fingers of the driver of the van that was almost car-jacked.

A suspect was apprehended not too long after an attempted car-jacking/robbery of the driver and passenger of a van along Jibboom St in north Sacramento this evening around 8pm.

According to an eyewitness, the suspect was hiding in the interior rear of the van. When the driver and his wife got into the van, he apparently got hold of their cash and then fled down the street. He dropped a gun.

The police helicopter and patrol units were searching the area, including Natomas Park, for the suspect after he fled the scene.

A finger(s) of the male victim was injured during the attempted heist. It was given treatment on the scene.

Sacramento Police K9 unit was called in to assist with the search.

A Sacramento police officer peers into the back window of the almost car-jacked van.

A K9 unit arrives at the scene of the attempted car-jacking.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Drag Queen Bingo

2010-01-14T06:23:36Z

Drag Queen Bingo played tonight at Hamburger Patties and the beneficiary was Sacramento Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival (SIGLIFF). Produced by Outword magazine, it plays every other week as it continues into 2010. The next bingo game is Wed. Jan 27 and will benefit Breaking Barriers. Hamburger Patties is located at J and 16th. For more detailed information, please see Sonia Lucyga's article at http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/12006/Drag_Queen_Bingo_Raises_Money_for_Charity.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

On the fly

2010-01-11T19:36:35Z

Sutter Natural Wildlife Refuge, just north of Sacramento, is full of migratory birds now, such as Snow Geese (top and bottom), Hawks, and the Great
Egreat any many others.

This hawk is one of the many seasonal travellers along the Pacific Flyway.

According to Wikipedia, “The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south route of travel for migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Patagonia.

Every year, migratory birds, like this Great Egret, (above) travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading to breeding grounds, or travelling to over -
wintering sites.

Any given bird species travels roughly the same route every year, at almost the same time. Ornithologists and bird lovers can often predict to the day when a particular species will show up in their area.

In the northern California region, the Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area in the Yolo Bypass is a protected area along the flyway.

The Suisun Marsh, next to the exit of the inverted Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, hosts many birds and has protected portions.”

One way to check out the birds is this upcoming event:
11th Annual Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific Flyway

January 28-31, 2010.

Contact information:
Phone: (530) 345-1865
Fax: (530) 899-5105
P.O. Box 1063
Chico, CA 95927-1063
Email: info@snowgoosefestival.org

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

map of Pacific Flyway | http://migration.pwnet.org

Coast to Coast

2010-01-11T19:06:57Z

A woman looks at a Z scale railroad model.

There is something that draws us to trains no matter our age.

As a kid, I remember my parents taking my two sisters and I on a train from Casa Grande, Arizona to St. Elmo, Illinois to visit my grandparents.

One of dad's funniest memories from our train trips was when my youngest sister woke him up one night on the trip with the question, "Who's driving this thing?".

I love the sound of trains.

My grandparents lived two blocks from the tracks in their small town. When I laid in bed at night right next to the wide-open window I felt comfort from the sound of the train whistle and the rhythmic clunkety-clunk of the wheels on the tracks as it flew by.

I visited the Great Train Expo yesterday. It's touted as "America's Coast to Coast Train Show".

It featured operating model railroads, train dealers, collectors, hands-on exhibits, demonstrations, and workshops.

The Great Train Expo show had 200-500 tables of train dealers, who offer everything from...
HO Scale, N Scale, Lionel (O Gauge), G Gauge, Z Scale, American Flyer (S Gauge), hobby tools, die-cast vehicles, train whistles, scenery items, Railroadiania Slides, t-shirts, videos, railroad gift items, books, and photos.

The two model exhibits I became most fascinated with were the N Scale and the Z Scale.Z Scale is model railroading at the ratio of 1:220. A man's hand looks gigantic in proportion to the Z scale model.

The Z Scale had the tiniest railroad cars and the thinnest tracks. And of course the scenery was smaller than that of the others.

ON30 basically means “big”, but not too big.

ON30 models have a certain bulk and allows details to be seen. The trains can round tight radius curves, allowing creative tracks plans to be located in confined spaces.

Models will be 1/4"=1 foot scale.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Ice bowling with (Harlem Globetrotters') Buckets

2010-01-08T01:43:57Z

Buckets Blakes was at the Midtown Ice Rink today, hosting a bowling tournament "on ice" where participants can enter to win tickets to the upcoming Globetrotter game at the ARCO Arena on Jan. 18.

Curly Neal had to sit it out with a bad cold and watched from the sidelines.

Buckets signed autographs before the tournament started.

The children gathered 'round to hear the rules of the game.

A little gal named Olivia was the overall winner with a strike!

The Harlem Globetrotters are bringing their spectacular 2010 “Magical Memories”

World Tour to the Stockton Arena on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 7:00 p.m. and to the ARCO

Arena on Monday, Jan. 18 at 2:00 p.m.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Polly wants a Driver!

2010-01-04T23:27:17Z

This fine-feathered-friend waited patiently in the car while its chauffeur visited the East Sac Post Office this morning. It was in the car by itself, perched on top of the headrest of the passenger's seat and kept busy cleaning itself and watching folks go by.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

A thorny subject

2010-01-03T02:37:00Z

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Old Sac welcomes New Year

2010-01-01T08:25:22Z

Spectacular fireworks, entertainment and large crowd (as well as the blue moon), bring the New Year in during Old Sacramento's festivities.

Here's some moments:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

McKinley Park and the critters

2009-12-30T03:24:53Z

Seems whenever I spend time at McKinley Park in East Sacramento I leave feeling in a lighter spirit. The geese seem to catch my attention first, with their noises and posturing.

Folks love to feed them!

Squirrels are active in trees and on the ground. Dogs love to chase them.

And some hand feed the little things.

Or watch them scamper away from them.

This duck did a hard landing.

And this dude stood its ground and scared a dog away.

Fab fog in forty's

2009-12-28T18:36:55Z

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Unruly crowds? NOT

2009-12-24T02:54:50Z

Arden Fair Mall sported well-behaved crowds today. Last night a midnight sale for the new Air Jordan athletic was cancelled when potential shoe buyers rushed mall doors and started pushing others.

That sale was cancelled.

This afternoon the scene seemed like a normal, bustling shopping day right before Christmas: Parents and kids endured lines waiting for Santa pictures to be taken, shoppers traversed escalators and stores,lovers sneaked kisses, clerks and delivery persons carried on.

Here are some scenes:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Christmas Lights | Land Park

2009-12-23T06:47:34Z

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Shop with a Cop

2009-12-23T00:12:10Z

SHOP WITH A COP

Deputy Shelly Hodgins looks on as Diana Johnston holds up a new t-shirt she likes.

The Cal Sierra ATV Club of Sacramento recently held a fundraiser to benefit children ages 5-12, who needed a little extra help this Christmas season.

The 100-member club raised about $1,200 at their fundraiser, which they plan to make an annual event.

Working closely with a local charitable organization, the club worked to pair selected families with an officer from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department to “Shop with a Cop” and complete some much-needed Christmas shopping.

One of the benefiting families, the Johnstons, went shopping with Deputies Shelly Hodgkins and Tracey Jacobs, both on the Rancho Cordova Police Department, roaming the aisles of Wal Mart together.

George Johnston gets a hand from Deputy Tracey Jacobs

On another day, the Young family and Officer Holly Fancher did some serious shopping, also.

In addition to providing for families in need, the “Shop with a Cop” program helps educate the children about trusting those in uniform.

Deputy Tracey Jacobs and Miranda Shirrum, Geoge's aunt, help him pick out some shirts.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garmer

Bright Shriners

2009-12-21T03:06:52Z

A Christmas tree of lights brightens the front entrance to Sacramento's Shriners Hospital for Children during the holidays.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is an international health care system providing high quality pediatric specialty care to thousands of kids each year. All care is provided with no financial obligation to the patient or their family. Their mission is made possible solely through the generosity of donors.

There are many ways to give from direct gifts to planned gifts. All gifts, big or small, make a difference.

For more information, please visit: shrinershospitals.org

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Holiday Lights | East Sac

2009-12-15T07:12:26Z

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Pony Express rides again

2009-12-13T17:23:09Z

The Pony Express rode on Saturday from Folsom to Old Sacramento, a prelude to its 150th anniversary.

12 relay horseback riders carried collected holiday cards from Folsom to Old Sacramento.

The Christmas greeting cards were carried in a mochila, a four-pocketed leather square, fitted over the saddle.

Each envelope receives a special ink-stamp showing they were carried by Pony Express. The US Postal Service will deliver them world-wide.

Rain was pouring down as they rode. The motto "Neither snow, nor rain...." held true.

The 12 riders rode along the American River Parkway trail from the Folsom Historical Museum to Old Sacramento's Historical Museum, completing the journey in about five hours.

The riders - Janet Kampf, Cindy Honn, Laura Beeman, Lisa Mahon, Pam Dixon, Kathy Colt, Marton Bross, Jessie Davison, Cary Morre, Pat Fanelli, Jessica Sloat and Susan LaFrance - are from different California towns.

The Pony Express will celebrate its 150th year delivering mail by a 10-day horseback trek from Old Sacramento, CA to St. Joseph, MO.

The 150th Anniversary rerun ends with a river crossing, a parade through downtown St. Joseph, swinging past the pony express monument, and ending at the Patee House Museum.

(From the americanhistory.suite101.com):
"Evidence points to Johnny Fry as the first Pony Express rider to head west from St. Joseph, Missouri, on April 3, 1860. Founded by Alexander Majors, William Russell, and William Waddell, the Central Overland California and Pikes Peak Company ran the Pony Express for 18 months. The route was approximately 2,000 miles and took anywhere from 10 to 16 days for riders to travel from St. Joseph to Sacramento, California.

Accounts state that 49 letters, 5 telegrams, and some special edition newspapers were carried on the first westbound run.

The Express’ Days were Numbered Before it began.

On June 16, 1860, Congress authorized the building of a transcontinental telegraph line.

'The passage of the bill resulted in the incorporation of the Overland Telegraph Company of California and the Pacific Telegraph Company of Nebraska. On July 4, 1861, Edward Creighton began building Pacific Telegraph’s line westward from Julesburg, Colorado, toward Salt Lake City. Twelve hundred miles to the west on the same day at Fort Churchill in Nevada, James Gamble set the first pole in the Overland Telegraph Company's line,' states the History and Culture Pony Express article at nps.gov/poex.

On October 20, 1861, Creighton won the race to Salt Lake City. Four days later Gamble's crew arrived. On October 26 the wires were joined, and San Francisco was in direct contact with New York City.

On that day the Pony Express was officially terminated, but it was not until November that the last letters completed their journey over the route.”

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Ahoy down there!

2009-12-13T03:27:13Z

A youngster climbs high aboard the Hawaiian Chieftain in Old Sacramento. Even with cloudy skies, the Chieftain is ready to sail.

According to Grays Harbor Historical Seaport:

"The topsail ketch Hawaiian Chieftain is a replica of a typical European merchant trader of the turn of the nineteenth century. Her hull shape and rigging are similar to those of Spanish explorer's ships used in the expeditions of the late 18th century along the Washington, Oregon, and California coasts. Built of steel in Hawaii in 1988 and originally designed for cargo trade among the Hawaiian Islands, her design was influenced by the early colonial passenger and coastal packets that carried on coastal trade along the Atlantic coastal cities and towns."

The Chieftain is docked in Old Sacramento. Tomorrow is the last day to enjoy a three-hour sailing adventure.

For more info, http://www.sacramento365.com/event/detail/41969

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Hanukkah welcomed by Governor Schwarzenegger

2009-12-11T21:07:34Z

Chabad's menorah lighting ceremony was held in the Rotunda and the east steps of the California State Capitol this morning. Today is the start of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights.

Several Jewish leaders spoke, children sang and presents were handed out. The Governor, and the people of California, were presented a Menoorah plaque from Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, Chabad of California. It was inscribed: "The tallest candle on the menorah is the one that serves to kindle others."

"As we light this menorah today I encourage all Californians to reflect on its message of light, hope and freedom and to share that message with others," Schwarzenegger said.

Here are some photos from the event:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

State Capitol Tree Lighted for the 78th time

2009-12-11T06:53:38Z

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver kicked-off the holiday season at the 78th Annual State Capitol Tree Lighting Ceremony, themed A Season of Giving.

Due to an earlier forecast of bad weather, the outdoor event was been cancelled and the ceremony was held in the State Capitol Rotunda, standing room only.

Wyatt Iles (pronounced Isles), of Pomona, California, was selected from the more than 245,000 children and adults served by the Department of Developmental Services to help the Governor light the tree. Wyatt is an eight year old boy who at the age of three was diagnosed with Autism and began receiving services from the San Gabriel Pomona Regional Center. This was the 27th year that a child with a developmental disability participated in the ceremony.

Grammy winners Brian McKnight and Thelma Houston performed.

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk joined Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and first lady Maria Shriver tonight.

The Christmas tree is decorated with 7,400 ultra-low-wattage LED lights, and 1,940 ornaments. They were created by DDS’ residents of developmental centers and state-operated community facilities, and consumer artists from the state’s 21 regional centers. Some centers began making ornaments as early as June for this traditional event and use a variety of mediums to create the festive designs.

Thelma Houston sings inside while the tree is being lighted up outside.

The First Lady and the Governor mingled with the crowd on the west steps after the ceremony.

The State Capitol Christmas Tree is on the west side of the building.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

New Crocker opens October 2010

2009-12-10T23:14:38Z

The new entryway of the New Crocker is worked on. A fountain (under yellow beam) will be featured in the courtyard, between the existing museum and the expansion.

The expansion of the Crocker:

Triples the size of the existing facility
Quadruples the square footage for exhibition space
Accommodates “blockbuster” exhibitions
Preserves the historic Art Gallery Building as the architectural centerpiece with its classic, contemporary design
Provides a café with indoor and outdoor seating, a 300-seat auditorium and art classrooms
Allows for secure collections care and storage space that is not susceptible to flooding
Includes a striking two-story atrium for events that can seat 400 for dinner or up to 1,200 including the Courtyard

The Crocker Art Museum recently appointed Randy Roberts as Deputy Director.

As Deputy Director, Roberts will be a part of the Crocker’s senior management team and provide strategic leadership for managers of the education, marketing and development departments. She will also work closely with the director to prepare staff and operations to move into the expanded facility, scheduled to open to the public on October 10, 2010.

Roberts brings 25 years of museum experience in management, education, visitor services and marketing. Most recently, she served as manager of the Visitor Studies Association, an international professional organization focusing on all facets of the visitor experience in museums and other cultural institutions. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in leadership and change through Antioch University.

“Randy’s many years of experience in museum leadership will be a great asset to the Museum as we prepare to open the New Crocker,” said Lial A. Jones, Director, Crocker Art Museum.

The Crocker Art Museum was established in 1885 and continues as the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The Museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events and programs to augment its collections of California, European and Asian artworks.

Trim is attached along the north-west side of the expansion today.

The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento.

Museum hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday;

1st & 3rd Thursdays until 9 p.m.

Free admission on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. is made possible through the

support of Bank of America.

For more information on exhibits and events call (916) 808-7000

or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sac Yacht Club Christmas Lights Parade

2009-12-06T07:36:40Z

A colorful line-up of boats decorated with multi-colored lights toured the Sacramento River, starting from Sacramento Marina, past Old Sacramento, all the way to the Virgin Sturgeon and back.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Old fashioned Christmas

2009-12-05T05:33:18Z

Old fashioned Christmas

The Elk Grove Historical Museum's fourth annual Old fashioned Christmas features rooms lavishly decorated with period displays by local designers.

Museum Hours:
through December 20th on
Fridays and Saturdays from 1:00 – 8:00pm
Sundays from 1:00 to 5:00pm

Santa will be at the Museum:
Fridays,Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00 – 5:00pm.
Take-home photographs with Santa • $10.00

The museum's address is 9941 East Stockton Blvd., adjacent to the west entrance of Elk Grove Regional Park.

From Highway 99 south, take the Elk Grove Blvd. exit and go east to East Stockton Blvd.

Continue south along East Stockton Blvd. until you reach the main west entrance to the park. Our parking lot is immediately on the left.

For more information call: 916-685-8115 or email: stagestophotel@aol.com

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Bright cheesy moon

2009-12-04T05:58:06Z

Bright cheesy moon

A full moon shines brightly above the Cheesecake Factory at Arden Fair Mall tonight. Condensation in the air diffuses the light, creating

a halo around the moon. A change in the forecast shows rain is heading this way Sunday.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Sutter Capitol Pavilion

2009-12-02T17:43:09Z

Sutter Capitol Pavilion
The Sutter Capitol Pavilion includes more than 200,000 square feet of new space for physician offices, procedure rooms and ancillary services.

The artistically designed and inviting new four-story medical building will be home to 40 specialists’ offices and 128 exam and procedure rooms. In keeping with the goal of delivering excellent care and improved patient convenience and satisfaction, the building also features cardiac rehabilitation and a new all-digital imaging center. Other highlights of this project are a vascular laboratory, and leading outpatient services, including an ambulatory surgery center that offers endoscopy and interventional radiology.

“The campus concept is an ideal model for patient care,” said Tom Blinn, CEO of ambulatory care services in the Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region. “Patients who come here will have the convenience of easily accessible doctor’s office visits, onsite digital imaging and ambulatory surgery suites for high-quality, lower-cost surgical care when their surgery doesn’t require hospitalization. They also have the peace of mind of knowing they are on a multidimensional health care campus of primary and specialty medicine, contemporary technology and a top-rated hospital.”

Sutter Capitol Pavilion is scheduled to open in 2010.

Article | Press release from Sutter Medical Center

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

New CEO for Sacramento's Red Cross Chapter

2009-12-01T18:27:37Z

Dawn Lindblom is the new CEO of the Sacramento-Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross.

According to Steve Turner, Sac-Sierra Chapter Board Chair, "Dawn is a perfect fit for this position, given her collaborative leadership style and track record. She came directly from her highly successful role as Regional Executive Director for the Inland Northwest Chapter in Spokane, WA".

"Spokane is a regional chapter like Sacramento", Lindblom explains. She oversaw six district chapters spread out over 38,611 square miles, almost two-thirds of the state of WA. Much of the area is rural.

The Sac-Sierra Chapter is the headquarters of eight district chapters in heavily populated areas.

Lindblom says the commonality between Eastern Washington and northern
California is the dryness factor for wildfires, as well as the potential for floods.

"We will be providing more Red Cross services to help people prevent, prepare and respond to emergencies in our chapter's jurisdiction," she says.

This will be achieved by volunteers.

"The American Red Cross is heavily dependent on its volunteers," Lindblom explains.
This region has around 3,000 volunteers throughout its eight chapters.

Nationally, the American Red Cross workforce is 97% volunteers; only 3% are paid staff.

"When a disaster happens, it's the volunteers who respond to fulfill our mission," Lindblom explains. "We wouldn't exist without our volunteers."

Her role, she says, is to facilitate the chapter in carrying out the Red Cross mission.

The Red Cross' humanitarian mission is preventing and alleviating human suffering.

That is accomplished through these core services—disaster relief, support for military families, international aid, health and safety training and community services like meals and transportation—to people in need.

On a daily basis, 24/7, chapters across the U.S. respond to local house fires.
The Sac-Sierra Chapter has five Disaster Action Teams that rotate weeks of being on call to respond to victims of fire calls in Sacramento County.

While serving as Executive Director in the Spokane Chapter, Lindblom responded, periodically, with the Disaster Action Team volunteers to these calls.

She recalls one response vividly.

"It was 10am on a Sunday morning and I was drinking my coffee and reading the paper when I got a call from the Team Captain," she says with a smile. "He asked tentatively if I really wanted to go on a fire call."

She says her husband watched as she sprung up, raced around getting dressed.

She says the team drove 45 minutes to get to the fire scene in a rural area.

"When we got there we saw all of their belongings had been tossed out windows by the firefighters in an effort to save them," Lindblom says. The Red Cross team provided emergency relief assistance to a single mom and her three children for food, lodging and clothing.

It was compelling for her to watch the volunteers react with compassion as they fulfilled the Red Cross mission.

The Red Cross responds to another type of disaster on a daily basis.

Red Cross emergency communications services keep military personnel in touch with their families following the death or serious illness of an immediate family member, the birth of a service member's child or grandchild or when a family faces other emergencies.

"We are also, literally, by the side of local families as they bury a loved one killed in the line of duty," Lindblom says.

Armed conflict and natural disasters leave millions of people around the globe in urgent need of humanitarian assistance every year.

The confusion and chaos surrounding war and natural disasters often separates families. Through the strength of the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network and the assistance of local tracing volunteers around the world families reconnect.

Lindblom says the Red Cross has been able to help find loved ones families have lost track of since WWII.

The American Red Cross has been training people from all walks of life for years in first aid, CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) programs designed to give the confidence needed to respond in an emergency situation with skills that can save a life. The Sac-Sierra Chapter trains over 2,000 people a month in its Health and Safety classes.

In the midst of being the "new person on the block", Lindblom is overseeing the chapter's move to a new building the middle of December.

She is excited about the relocation. Thanks to Homeland Security funds, the new headquarters will be equipped with a disaster operation system. It will be equipped with the right tools and resources to handle a large-scale event. In case of power outages, a generator will keep it running.

"We will be located in a more centralized location - right across the street from Cal Expo," she says. "I get to facilitate creating an even greater chapter."

Article | Kati Garner, American Red Cross Volunteer

Photo | Courtesy, Dawn Lindblom

Gone again

2009-11-30T20:11:59Z

As I was driving home last night on J Street at dusk, I noticed a beloved mural is once again not there.

I had a hunch why it is missing.

I checked with Stephanie Taylor, the artist, and sure enough, the wind on Saturday ravaged the recently re-applied mural. Apparently it wasn't stuck to the wall securely.

The wall is blank again (worse than this accompanying photo from earlier.)

And, so we shall keep our peepers focused on that blank wall once again!

Photo | Kati Garner

Sun birds

2009-11-30T04:37:06Z

Flocks of snow geese are seen as they winter over in rice paddies south of Yuba City.

They probably flew here from Alaska. Snow geese breeding populations reside in

California’s central valleys, the lower Colorado River, south/central New Mexico’s

Rio Grande wetlands, Mexico’s northern Chihuahuan desert river basins and playa

wetlands, and Mexico’s Gulf of California shorelines. In early spring they'll head

back to their nesting areas. The 11th Annual Snow Goose Festival of the Pacific

Flyway happens January 28-31, 2010. For information, (530) 345-1865.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner

Santa rides parade wind into Sactown

2009-11-28T23:37:03Z

Santa literally blew into town for today's Santa Parade. Though the winds were brisk and the air chilly, parade viewers stuck it out.

Parade participants and viewers were all struggling with the wind and cold.

Here's some scenes from this morning:

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Carnival of Lights | Westfield Christmas Tree lights up

2009-11-28T08:20:03Z

Sacramento's Carnival of Lights began with the lighting of the 50ft tall Westfield Plaza Christmas tree.

This holiday season, the Carnival of Lights will delight visitors with a dazzling display of lights throughout the Central City from the waterfront through Midtown starting the week of Thanksgiving through January 3.

The collaborative effort will feature architectural lighting, holiday décor, and holiday events including the Theatre of Lights in Old Sacramento and the Carnival at St. Rose at 7th & K streets.

Below, are scenes of the Carnival at St. Rose and the Carnival of Lights festivities:

The Carnival at St. Rose is 5-week holiday event that has transformed 7th and K streets into a festive winter carnival featuring a 30-foot Ferris wheel, classic carnival and arcade games, food vendors and more.

Even though it rained, folks enjoyed the Carnival at St.Rose while waiting for the tree to light up.

The view from the ferris wheel.

Umbrellas saved the day.

Lights adorn the front of buildings on one side of K Street, accross from Westfield Plaza.

This young girl gets excited waiting for the tree to be lit.

The crowd is entertained.

Santa arrives!

The holiday season has officially begun.

For more information, (916) 442-8575.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Spend holiday time in Old Sac

2009-11-26T06:48:28Z

New this year, event-goers will be introduced to the Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights.

The Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights will run two 10-minute light shows throughout the holiday season Thursdays through Sundays at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

November 25 - January 3

6:30 and 8:00pm shows

Front and K Street, meet at the tree!

Mayor Kevin Johnson kicked off the Tree Lighting and the inaugural Theatre of Lights tonight.

Everyone gathered around the big Christmas tree at K and Front Street.

Lights and sound!

And, yes, it's Santa Claus.

Tour a railroad car

Take a ride on the steam engine train from Old Sac

For more information, call (916) 442-8575.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

HOLIDAY GIFTS THAT BRING HELP AND HOPE

2009-11-25T17:47:37Z

HOLIDAY GIFTS THAT BRING HELP AND HOPE

November 25, 2009 – It is the season of decorations, winter, and holiday gifts. This year, the perfect way to

honor your friends and family is by ordering gifts that save the day all year long from the very first

American Red Cross Holiday Giving Catalog. Make a difference this holiday season with gifts that bring

help and hope to those at home or help military families at home or abroad. Order holiday gifts that:

·        Prepare a family to be strong when a loved one is deployed

·        Provide Personal Comfort Kits

·        Provide a phone card to help families connect after disaster strikes

·        Send one month of emergency supplies for a family

·        Purchase a bicycle for a volunteer in remote villages

·        Provide lifesaving vaccinations for children overseas

·        Toothbrushes, soap and more to families who have lost everything.

·        Hot meals and shelter in the wake of a national or international disaster

Order your free Red Cross 2009 Holiday Giving Catalog at 1-800-RED CROSS,

or visit http://www.RedCross.org/gifts.

About the American Red Cross:
The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends

on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian

mission. This year we responded to over 70,000 disasters nationwide, provided

500,000 nights of safe shelter, served over 18 million meals and snacks to disaster

victims, and prepared over 90,000 disaster volunteers to respond at a moment’s

notice. For more information about the American Red Cross,

please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at www.redcrosschat.org.

SacPress Photo | Kati Garner, American Red Cross Volunteer

Our holiday season starts tomorrow!

2009-11-25T04:29:32Z

Tomorrow, November 25, the Sacramento's Tree Lighting festivities in Old Sacramento begins at 6:00 p.m.

•The festivities include live performances, a visit from Father Christmas and much more.

Visitors can join the fun and watch as Mayor Kevin Johnson flips the switch to light the

tree at 6:30 p.m.

• New this year, event-goers will be introduced to the Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights.

At 6:30 p.m., a symphony of lights, sounds and visual effects will take the audience

back to a time when the beloved poem The Night Before Christmas was first introduced

in Sacramento in 1857.

• The Old Sacramento Theatre of Lights will run two 10-minute light shows throughout

the holiday season Thursdays through Sundays at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

• The day after Thanksgiving celebrate the holidays in Downtown

Sacramento at the Carnival at St. Rose. The 5-week holiday event

will transform 7th and K streets into a festive winter carnival featuring

a 30-foot Ferris wheel, classic carnival and arcade games, food

vendors and more.

• The carnival remain open daily from Noon until 8 p.m. through January 3.

Westfield's 50 ft. Christmas tree and mall have been decorated for the past 28 years by Designs Unlimited, owned and

operated by Sandy Echart and husband John.

• Nov. 27 | 4:30 p.m.
The Westfield Downtown Plaza Tree Lighting festivities will begin at 4:30 p.m. with live entertainment, speeches by

elected officials and local celebrity guest appearances. Westfield’s 50-foot tree with thousands of dazzling lights

will be illuminated at 6 p.m. followed by a magical fireworks display.

• 7th and K streets will be lit up in holiday style throughout the season.

The lighting was designed and installed by Monkey Glue, owned and managed

by Ron Dumonchelle. Over 23,000 LED energy efficient lights adorn the upper

part of the buildings on one side of K street. Dumonchelle has provided

lighting displays for President Bush, Governor Schwarzenegger, NBC TV,

B Street Theatre and other corporate/commercial events.

• Santa parade on November 28, 2009, 10:00AM, featuring colorful holiday

floats, marching bands, and a special visit from Santa Claus. Enjoy live

children’s entertainment before the parade and lots of fun for the whole

family! Bring some chairs and find a spot for you and your family anywhere

along the parade route.

• The parade will start at Ninth and I streets and travel through downtown.

The 27th annual parade will travel east on I Street from its start at Ninth and to

13th streets, south on 13th Street near the Convention Center, west on L Street,

and north on Seventh Street. It will disband at Seventh and K streets. Announcers

will be located on I Street between Ninth and 10th and at 11th and L streets.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Sac Sunrise

2009-11-24T18:04:36Z

From the quiet streets of Old Sac, the sun begins its arrival on a chilly morning two days before Thanksgiving.

Watch SacPress for upcoming holiday events happening in Downtown and Old Sacramento. SacPress photo | Kati Garner

Sacramento Red Cross responds

2009-11-22T19:18:24Z

Kathy Hunn, a Sacramento Sierra Red Cross Chapter volunteer, assists one of the people affected by an early

morning duplex fire in Clarksburg, south of Sacramento. Hunn and another volunteer provided assistance for food

and helped find housing for the seven people unable to return to their home due to fire, water and smoke damage.

A chimney fire started the blaze in one side of the duplex around 6:20am. Hunn and the other volunteer both live in

Clarksburg and arrived at the scene quickly. Hunn, whose husband is on the Clarksburg Volunteer Fire Dept, says

there hasn't been a structure fire in Clarksburg in over 10 years.

About the American Red Cross:

The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and

the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. This year we responded to over

70,000 disasters nationwide, provided 500,000 nights of safe shelter, served over 18 million meals and

snacks to disaster victims, and prepared over 90,000 disaster volunteers to respond at a moment’s notice.

For more information about the American Red Cross, please visit www.redcross.org or

join our blog at www.redcrosschat.org.

SacPress photo | Kati Garner, American Red Cross volunteer

A bit of fog

2009-11-21T21:46:09Z

This view from the Sacramento Marina says it all - the weekend before Thanksgiving started

off in foggy mode. Clearing began around 11am. Weatherbug forecasts mostly sunny skies

for Thanksgiving week with a slight chance of showers tomorrow.

SacPress photo | Kati Garner

Downtown Sac welcomes the holidays

2009-11-20T21:06:53Z

A worker uses a plumb line to make sure Westfield Downtown Plaza's Christmas tree stands straight. It was delivered by crane early this morning.

The tall tree was lowered into a hole in the concrete in front of the plaza.

Huge planks of wood are used as shims to straighten the trunk.

This worker walked the circumference of the tree, using his plumb line from all angles, to ensure the tree stands upright.

This year will be a brighter holiday for Sacramento. The first-ever Carnival of Lights will delight visitors with a dazzling display of lights throughout the Central City from the waterfront through Midtown starting the week of Thanksgiving through January 3.

The Carnival of Lights will kick off in Old Sacramento the night before Thanksgiving with the annual Old Sacramento Tree Lighting and the Theatre of Lights, produced by the Old Sacramento Business Association.

The Theatre of Lights will bring history to life through a narrated show of lights, sounds and visual effects. The light show will take visitors back to a time when the beloved poem The Night Before Christmas was first introduced in Sacramento in 1857.

The first Tree Lighting of the season and Theatre of Lights inaugural night will take place on November 25 at 6 pm in Old Sacramento at Front and K streets. Two 10-minute light shows will run every Thursday through Sunday at 6:30 pm and 8:00 pm through January 3.

For more information, visit www.oldsactheatreoflights.com.

The Carnival at St. Rose is a 5-week holiday event that will transform 7th and K streets into a festive winter carnival. The event will take place in lieu of the ice rink this holiday season due to conflicts in construction schedules with the K Street Streetscape project and renovation of St. Rose of Lima Park.

Open daily November 27 through January 3 from noon until 8:00 pm, the Carnival at St. Rose will feature a ferris wheel, classic carnival and arcade games, and food vendors.

First 100 in line get in free November 27th.

In the spirit of the season, the carnival will also incorporate live entertainment, a gingerbread house chef challenge, a craft fair, and charity events. Admission to the event for a two-hour session is $6 for children and seniors and $7 for adults. Private parties and group discounts are available with advance reservations.

The Carnival at St. Rose is produced by the DSP and is expected to draw visitors from all over the region. The event is presented by the Westfield Downtown Plaza and sponsored by the University of San Francisco – Sacramento Campus, UC Davis Children’s Hospital, KCRA 3, My58, Johnny Rockets and the Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza.

For more information, visit www.downtownsac.org/carnival.

SacPress photos | Kati Garner

Veterans' Day

2009-11-12T04:17:32Z

A Veterans' Day ceremony was held at the California Mexican-American Veterans’ Memorial, directly across the street of the west steps of the Capitol. All United States veterans were honored.

It began with the United States Marine Color Guard and the National Anthem.

Daughters of War Mothers were presented a California Legislature Assembly Resolution by Mary Salas, 79th assembly district, honoring

'Sociedad de Madres Mexicanas for its support of our Mexican American veterans'.

Brigadeer General Robert Cervantes (Ret.) spoke about "Coming together for one Cause".

A young boy's attention is directed at the USMC Color Guard standing at attention.

Some of the veterans who were there today.

Photos | Kati Garner

U.S. Navy Veteran (1973-77)

Sparks at the Capitol?

2009-11-12T00:52:58Z

A minor electrical problem summoned Sac City Fire to the west steps of the Capitol building on Veteran's Day

around 12:35pm. Firecrews dashed in with hoses and other equipment. Didn't stay long. Apparently further

action wasn't required.

Photo | Kati Garner

Around&About | Del Paso Blvd

2009-11-06T05:03:50Z

Three years ago, when I moved to Sacramento, I wouldn't have considered, or had the

desire to photograph Del Paso Blvd. Today, with camera in tow, I walked and shot the

Blvd between Rio Linda Ave and El Camino Ave.

Here's what I saw:

Photos | Kati Garner

A midtown halloween

2009-10-31T23:46:46Z

Aja Uranga prepares for milk to be poured on her head

by magician Howdy Do Dat at Relles Florist. Lots of young and old trick or treaters were

roaming through midtown Sacramento today. Also at Relles Florist there was face

painting, pumpkin art, plus dogs and owners preparing for a parade that ended on L Street.

Prizes were awarded at the end of the parade route.

Here are some scenes:

This dapper fellow was ready to march in the doggy parade sponsored by the City Animal Care Services.

A costumed youngster does some pumpkin art at Relles.

These little ones wait patiently in line.

Lots of folks trick or treated along J St.

This evil Jester heads into First United Methodist where candy was being given away and money collected for UNICEF 2009.

This little ballerina does a backpack adjustment on the run.

Candice Anderson's dog Demi won first place for best dressed big dog.

Dressed as a bumble bee, Coco, Elvia Leyva's pug, won the prize for best dressed small dog.

Bridget, a three-year-old pit bull mix, weighs about 40 pounds, loves people and tennis balls. She is hoping to be adopted soon.

For further information, call the City of Sacramento Animal Care Services at 916-808-7387.

Photos | Kati Garner

Hello NEW mural

2009-10-30T03:48:35Z

One month ago it looked like bye bye mural.

Today, it was hello new one.

Stephanie Taylor, the artist who created the mural, said at the time the old mural came down:

"It is finally being replaced by the vendor, Metromedia Technologies. They printed the original

mural in 1996. It lasted many more years than we expected, but finally started to fail in 2007.

The Downtown Partnership and the City paid to have it reprinted- it's digital."

Today the mural was reinstalled.

Mike and Karen Winn, Winn Associates, have their office in the Elks Building, 7th floor. Their

view of the mural is perfect and they watched the day-long reinstallation.

And they also watched the preparation.

It took the workers one week to wash and completely remove the old mural with steam.

And they spent a day whitewashing the stucco, creating a surface it to which it would

adhere.

Today was like watching someone install wallpaper, they said.

The mural was installed in sections, top to bottom, just like wallpapering.

Using a squeegee, the sections were smoothed out painstakingly.

A gold plaque under the mural reads:

Sunday Morning in the Mines, 1872

see original painting at the Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento

Photos | Kati Garner

Photos were shot from Suite 700 in the Elks Building

Old City Cemetery Lantern Tours

2009-10-25T22:37:42Z

The tales told during the Old City Cemetery's annual Lantern Tours sound like they were pulled from today's headlines: dead prostitutes, drunks, suicides, gunfights, couples killed for their money, an estranged husband ordering a contract hit on his wife. Many folks murdered because of greed, love, and jealousy.

This past Friday and Saturday nights, costumed volunteers dressed authenticly as they told the tales of the cemetery's notable residents who roamed our area over one hundred years ago.

Their ghosts roamed among us as we headed deep into the cemetery under the moonlight.

Reserve your tickets now for 2010 Lantern Tours. This year's tours sold out quickly.

Visit: http://www.oldcitycemetery.com/

Photos | Kati Garner

At the Capitol: Lights On

2009-10-22T23:44:08Z

There was lots of fun and action during the second annual Lights On Afterschool celebration on the south steps

of the Captiol building today as participating schools "strutted" their stuff, showing the many ways students have

benefitted from the program.

The program offers an alternative to children that would be returning home from school at a time when their parents

are not there becaue of their work schedule.

The event highlighted the creativity and energy of the kids using the program.

On October 22, 2009 the Nation will celebrate Lights on Afterschool. In New York, the Empire State Building

will be lit up for the third consecutive year in honor of Lights on Afterschool. This year, for the first time, city

officials in Los Angeles will light the historic Lindbergh Beacon atop City Hall, so that national landmarks on

both coasts will be lit up in celebration of after school programs. California leads the nation with over 1,000

celebrations.

DeVon Bryant, Boys and Girls Club of Sacramento, helped the Twin Rivers

Unified School District raise the banner at their display booth. The Boys

and Girls Club has four after-school sites in that school district.

Jack O'Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, holds the "After School Champion" award presented

to him by Gordon Jackson, Director of Learning Supports Division, CA Dept. of Education.

Eigth grade student Melanie Sanders and high school student, Jaled Love received "After School Excellence" awards.

Trao Thao and Kelly Stowers received "After School Committment" awards.

Members of the Youth Guitar Performance, associated with the Boys and Girls Club of Sacramento and the Teichert

Branch, strummed the the strings for the audience.

Members of the Cedar Lane Elementary performed hip hop.

Students from Johnson Park and Arvboga Elementary Schools in Marysville

demonstrated what they've learned in martial arts.

California leads the Nation with registered Lights on Afterschool Celebrations!

California has over 1050 registered celebrations, over 400 more celebrations

than any other state.

Photos | Kati Garner

(My sister, Leslie Garner, is on staff with Sacramento START, a participant in

today's event.)

Great pumpkins and festivals

2009-10-17T23:42:11Z

Today, 25 tons of pumpkins were there for the taking by Sacramento kids. The Antelope Pumpkin Farm, operated by Antelope Christian Center since 2002, aims to put smiles on kids faces. They provided free hayrides, carnival games, face painting, bounce houses, arts & crafts and, of course, a free pumpkin to every child.

In East Sac the Shepard Garden and Arts Center in McKinley Park celebrated its 50th anniversary by holding their fall festival and annual sale, together, this weekend.

There's hundreds of arts and crafts, interesting plants, holiday decorations, lights, tons of books, and lots more miscellaneous stuff. The sale continues through tomorrow.

Where: Shepard Garden and Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Park Blvd., Sacramento

Open: Sunday 10am-5pm

Admission: Free

Further info: (916) 264-8800

Photos | Kati Garner

Benefit concert for Women Escaping A Violent Environment (WEAVE)

2009-10-16T17:41:41Z

SACRAMENTO WOMEN’S CHORUS PERFORMS BENEFIT CONCERT FOR WEAVE OCTOBER 24.

One Nonprofit Helping Another

The Sacramento Women’s Chorus (SWC) will perform Oct. 24, 2009, with a peace concert “Singing for Our Lives”, benefiting Women Escaping A Violent Environment (WEAVE).

Special guests include Irina Rivkin and the New Freedom Choir.

WEAVE is the primary provider of crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento County.

WEAVE provides services for women, men, teens and children who are survivors of domestic and sexual assault.

Free services include:

24-hour Crisis Line

Counseling

Emergency Response

Legal Advocacy

Prevention and Education

Professional Training

Safehouse Program

The SWC is a group of diverse women who are building friendships and community through their love of music, dedication to musical excellence, and commitment to performing music that reflects the lives of all women. "We perform on behalf of all women, the environment, peace, social justice, tolerance, LGBTI equality, and the celebration of diversity."

The chorus has been singing for more than 20 years. Find them at www.sacramentowomenschorus.org or http://www.meetup.com/Sacramento-Women-s-Chorus/.

"Singing for our Lives" concert helps support WEAVE's mission of bringing an end to domestic violence and sexual assault in partnership with our community. Find out more about WEAVE at www.weaveinc.org.

The concert will be at the Sanctuary of Central United Methodist Church, 5265 H St, Sacramento, CA 95819, at 7pm.

Free parking on and off-site as well as handicap accessible.

Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, and $5 children. To order tickets, call (877) 758-7827.

Photo | Kati Garner (Chorus member)

Cleanup on J Street.

2009-10-14T19:05:29Z

Crews remove a 100ft tall elm tree that fell onto two structures, one of them an unoccupied four-plex, in the 3400 block of J St in midtown. A big crane and cable haul the tree in section and shred.

Photos | Kati Garner

Sacramento storm scene shots

2009-10-14T03:46:09Z

Being the news photographer that I am I hit the road this morning around 9am to see how the storm was lashing our area. Thankfully it wasn't causing major damage from what I saw.

What I mainly found today in my travels around East Sac, American River Drive, Land Park, Greenhaven/Pocket area, downtown and midtown was leaves and limbs in yards and streets, standing water from plugged storm drains, bark stripped from trees and the wonderful smell of trees (kind of like that Christmas-smell).

At 10am, I saw this at L & 26th:

In the Land Park area, around 10:30am, I came upon these two scenes just off Riverside in Land Park:

This was a typical scene along some areas of Freeport along Land Park:

After lunch, I caught this in the Commons area close to CSUS. The guilty tree was being shredded:

I was ready to call it quits photo-wise until I a telephone call. I'm on call this week with the Sac-Sierra Chapter of the Red Cross to respond to incidents of people needing assistance with shelter, food and clothing after a disaster. I responded to a duplex that had a huge tree that split in the front yard. The structure was deemed unsafe in case gravity caused the tree to create more chaos.

And this was going along Land Park Drive - people begin to clean up:

And folks heading home probably feeling they should be piloting a boat along Land Park Dr:

Clearing storm drains and raking in East Sac around 5:40pm:

A major plug along Stockton Blvd in front of UC Davis Medical Center around 6pm:

And around 6:15pm, this welcome site:

Photos | Kati Garner

Still hope to see fall colors

2009-10-11T18:02:17Z

See fall colors in Hope Valley!

Yesterday I went with a group of 13 photographers to Hope Valley to capture fall colors. We saw spectacular views.

Here is the route we roughly followed:

Hwy 50 to Mormon Emigrant Trail to 88, followed 88 over Carson Pass and through Hope Valley to 89, followed 89 over Monitor Pass (high and glorious views) to Hwy 395, took 395 North and looped back to 88, followed 88 back to 89 and take Luther Pass to Echo Summit and came back to Sacramento on Hwy 50. Caught a great sunset while passing Placerville.

Photos | Kati Garner

Gay and Lesbian Film Festival premiers

2009-10-09T14:36:18Z

Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival board members, Stuart Eldridge, Sharon Sampsel - Vice President,

Dawn Deason - President, Sandy Phillips - Volunteer Coordinator, Michael Dennis - Film Selection, Emily Bender - Secretary,

Lou Camera - Treasurer/Business Manager, and David van der Griff, kicked off this year's event with an opening night reception for film pass holders at the Cosmos Cafe, just across from The Crest. Friday night's feature program, which includes "Girl Talk", U-Haul: The Music Video" and "I can't think straight", starts at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at The Beat Music Store, tickets.com and The Crest Theatre. The Festival runs through Saturday.

Photo | Kati Garner

Roll out the barrel

2009-10-03T05:35:47Z

Sacramento Turn Verein celebrates its 42nd Oktoberfest tonight and Saturday, Oct 3, starting at 3pm.

Good beer, brats and dessert! And you don't have to be German to have fun!

Here's some shots from Friday's event:

Sacramento's Turn Verein is located at 3349 J Street. It's a huge double story hall.

Lots of room to have fun drinking beer, dancing and singing!

Check out http://www.sacramentoturnverein.com/history/ for information.

Photos | Kati Garner

Bye bye mural?

2009-09-29T22:51:50Z

Headed towards the Elks Building along J St. to meet my sister for lunch, I walked on the sidewalk below one of my favorite murals in Sac. Some material was falling to the ground. I looked up and saw the mural is disappearing.

Does anyone know what's happening on this side of the building? This is the west wall of Tony's Deli and Catering, and the wall to the east of the Elks Building.

Photo | Kati Garner

East Sac Logging

2009-09-29T01:41:09Z

Driving to the Post Office along J Street this morning, I noticed a "detour"sign posted at 43rd St due to road work. Glancing down the road I saw deep piles of greenery and limbs blocking the middle of the street.

And there was a huge crane in the midst of it.

So I drove down another street to M St, approached 43rd, and then drove about a quarter of the way down it and parked, all the while keeping one eye on the crane.

I couldn't quite figure out what was going on at first when I saw this:

Is it a really really really long chainsaw blade thinning out the trees near the road?.

Then I looked at it from this angle:

Then it all came together once this happened:

There's one guy up in the tree with ropes, directing the segments of the tree being

cut to be hauled out.

Each segment weighs around 8,000 pounds and is carefully laid onto the street

and placed into a truck bed to be hauled away. The limbs were put through a

woodchipper onsite.

Being taken out is a redwood tree which has three HUGE branches. When the current owners of the white house

bought it 50 years ago they were told by the seller that their son had a small redwood in dirt, growing on the fireplace

mantel. He planted it to the side of the house as it got bigger.

As the picture shows it is extremely close to both homes.

The lumberjack adjusts the cables for the removal of the segment on the right side.

It took a lot of chainsaw power on both sides.

Up up and away it goes.

Crews from Maxim Crane Works and Arborwell worked together. A stump

grinder finished the job once the tall parts of the tree were gone.

Photos | Kati Garner

East Sac Home Remodeling Tour

2009-09-28T04:00:32Z

The East Sacramento Home Remodeling Tour featured six homes.

Here are glimpses into three of them.

This 1926 Colonial bungalow on 41st St. has been updated with a new studio building, kitchen, master bath and backyard landscape.

This 2,000 square foot two story brick and stucco Tudor was orginally built for the owner of a successful haberdashery. Located on 41st St. it is distinctive for the large "oriel" window with heavy wooden brackets in the front facing gable and a large-scaled front window topped by an elliptical "transom" window.

In the living room, an original Batchelder tile fireplace establishes the remodeling theme which includes a new downstairs bath and enlarged cherry wood kitchen.

A uniquely California-inspired Italian Renaissance home with massive Prairie-style inspired window boxes, this refreshed home features a new master bath, a high end kitchen, an addition of a family room and guest bedroom, a new studio/garage and totally refreshed interior and exterior.

Proceeds from the tour benefit neighborhood parks and pools.

Photos | Kati Garner

World Music & Dance Festival high energy and upbeat!

2009-09-27T05:30:13Z

Saturday's performances of the Sacramento World Music and Dance Festival were big hits with the large crowds in the Benvenuti Performing Arts Center this afternoon and evening, Sept. 26.

It is a celebration of world cultures, ethnic dance and musical performances in one location.

It's an experience in high energy, fancy footwork and flying leaps as performers showcased the native dances of India, Spain, Zimbabwe and six other countries.

Here are some scenes:

The Festival continues in Old Sacramento tomorrow, Sunday Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m..Featuring 2 stages of live music and dance, storytelling and workshops. Admission is free.

Photos | Kati Garner

Reflective pane

2009-09-26T00:23:07Z

Nearly 100 panels of reflective glass are installed in the wall of the new expansion facing the existing Crocker Art Museum today.

The older structure reflects off the panels.

The reflective material inside the panels has a dotted look, a halftone pattern, when see upclose.

The glass is triple-paned, and it has a couple layers of special coatings that have reflective qualities meant to limit the amount of heat entering the Museum.It will be comfortable temperature- and vision-wise while sitting inside the new Crocker's atrium/cafe area.

Workers will be working over the weekend and should be finished with the

glass panels installation by Tuesday.

Photos | Kati Garner

September's Third Saturday Shots

2009-09-21T04:30:12Z

Some scenes from Third Saturday

The Kasbah Trio

The Storytellers

Folk and Fusion

TAIS

Members of Sacramento World Music and Dance

Fashion Show

Justin Farren

The Pre-lit Crest

Photos | Kati Garner

Outside deck collapses on Capitol Ave

2009-09-20T03:18:15Z

Sacramento Firefighters responded to a collapsed exterior deck at 2204 Capitol Ave around 6:45pm.

At the scene I witnessed one woman transported on a stretcher to an ambulance.

It appeared that the deck, approximately 12 ft above the ground, had pulled away from the structure, apparently while people were on it.

After making sure the injured were tended to, the firefighters began moving the deck

fragments to a safer place.

Photos | Kati Garner

Preparing for pane

2009-09-18T20:57:48Z

Workers prepare the window frames in the New Crocker Art Museum's cafe/atrium area. Windows will be installed in the expansion wing within several weeks. Drywall has been installed in office spaces and the new art galleries and storage areas. The bathrooms are tiled. A new waterfall fountain will be part of the courtyard linking the new and existing Crocker.

Photos | Kati Garner

Good strokes for the Crocker

2009-09-16T00:41:04Z

Sections of the historic structure receive a fresh coat of paint (top photo). Colors were inspired from the original Victorian

palette and complement the materials of the new construction.

Two artistis stand on the sidewalk in front of the existing Crocker and paint the scenery around them (middle).

A crane delivers a heavy load of drywall to workers above the entryway of the New Crocker (bottom photo).

Windows will be installed in the new expansion soon.

Photos | Kati Garner

Scenes from Gold Rush Days 2009

2009-09-08T23:13:25Z

Photos | Kati Garner

Scenes from Rainbow Festival 2009

2009-09-07T22:45:55Z

Terry Sidie, founder of the Rainbow Festival (in cowboy hat), strikes a pose with volunteers

and Sterling, the civilized dog.

Joe Velez leads Sacramento Women's Chorus through several songs.

A Small Difference Choral group entertains the crowd.

Cheer SF, Cheer Sacramento and Cheer Sirens

do their acrobatic routines.

Several individuals and groups sang to the crowd and got them dancing.

Photos (Joe Velez & Sacramento Women's Chorus | Launa Cornwell

Photos | Kati Garner

Crocker oasis

2009-09-05T01:22:44Z

Construction is underway for the Crocker's first water feature. This rounded rectangular wall will have water gently cascading over the side. Patrons can enjoy both the sight and sound while relaxing in the new courtyard.

Photos | Kati Garner

Sac-Sierra Red Cross responds to Auburn '49er' fire

2009-09-03T04:16:07Z

The American Red Cross will continue to offer emergency assistance to victims of the Auburn ‘49er Fire through a Local Assistance Center opened Tuesday at the Placer County Government Center in Auburn.

Evacuation Centers and Sheltering

The Red Cross Shelter closed at the Auburn Recreational District at 3770 Richardson off Dry Creek. Several clients registered with the center, but none stayed overnight.

Since the fire broke out Sunday afternoon, the Red Cross has registered about 220 clients (through 8 p.m. Monday) and served hundreds of others. On Sunday, about 130 clients registered with the two evacuation centers at Rock Creek Middle and Auburn Elementary schools. On Sunday night, 90 registered and eight people stayed at the shelter at Calvary Chapel Church. Dozens more gathered at the shelter in the morning. On Monday afternoon, the shelter moved to 3770 Richardson.

The Sacramento Sierra Red Cross will continue to offer services through its Placer District Office at 457 Grass Valley Highway, Suite 8, Auburn, CA95603.

Locating Loved Ones

Individuals trying to locate loved ones can register with the Red Cross’ Safe and Well Web site.

Canteening

The Red Cross’ canteen service provided ice, food and beverages to residents and firefighters and utility workers in the affected areas. The emergency response vehicles has been out in the neighborhoods.

Volunteers

About 90 volunteers from the Sacramento Sierra Chapter and its local Placer District Office have been providing services.

Help people affected by disasters like the California Wildfires by donating to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. On those rare occasions when donations exceed Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and service victims of other disasters. Your gift enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of all disasters. Call 1-800-RED –CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.

Photos | Kati Garner

Bringing in the New Year

2009-08-29T03:47:18Z

Congregation B'nai Israel - High Holy Days

Julie Steinberg, cantorial soloist, shares a laugh with Bernard Marks and Michael Hersher as they warm up for the service held during the Shabbat open house at Congregation B'nai Israel Friday evening. As Sacramento's oldest Jewish congregation and its largest Reform synagogue, B'nai israel honors the traditions of its heritage while creating a Jewish experience that is relevant to today's society. Friday's open house began the bringing in of the new year, Selichot, which will be observed on Saturday, Sept. 12. The evening's service of prayer and song helps prepare worshippers for the Yomim Noraim - the Days of Awe. It will begin at 7:15pn with wine and appetizers followed by dessert and Havdallah. According to Rabbi Mona Alfi, Senior Rabbi, the High Holy Days are a time for reflection and also a time for new beginnings. Congregation B'nai Israel welcomes all families and singles, young and old, gay and straight. B'nai Israel is located at 3600 Riverside Blvd in the Land Park area.

Photo | Kati Garner

Ya gotta go to the Fair!

2009-08-27T23:32:55Z

Photos | Kati Garner

Along the Sacramento River

2009-08-24T22:11:48Z

Just a photo montage of scenic views I spotted.

Smokey sky, super sunset

2009-08-12T05:04:29Z

Wildfires burning throughout California make for hazy days and beautiful sunsets this evening over the Sacramento River along Riverside Blvd in the Pocket area south of downtown Sac.

Photo | Kati Garner

Outdoor movies pop up in Sactown

2009-08-09T16:12:54Z

Sacramento's first Outdoor Film Festival opened Saturday night, showing "Rebal without a Cause", starring James Dean.

According to Robert Hayes, president of Creative Projection Services, " The SOFF (Sacramento Outdoor Film Festival( will feature state-of-the-art projection and sound to create the most mind-blowing outdoor cinema experience you have ever experienced. This will include an outdoor 5.1 surround sound system for our last screening August 29th. As far as we know this will be a Sacramento first."

Every night, Chavez Park opens at 5pm. Hoppy Brewing Co. supplies all the beer, wine, soft drinks, hotdogs and popcorn that you can stuff in your mouth.

The movie begins at 9pm.

For complete info, please visit: http://sacoutdoorfilmfestival.com/schedule.html

Photos | Kati Garner

Funk, food and folk music at Buddhist bazaar

2009-08-09T06:24:19Z

More than 750 church members volunteer to bring the 63rd annual Buddhist cultural bazaar to Sacramento. It started today and continues tomorrow.

Folk dance and music is performed in the Main Chapel.

Estimated attendance for the two-day event is 40,000 to 50,000 people.

The statistics for the event are staggering.

10,000 + pounds of chicken seasoned and barbecued for chicken teriyaki are

prepared and served.

Follow the smoke trail!

One and a half tons of rice are cleaned cooked and consumed in traditional Japanese

cuisine.

400 pounds of shrimp are cleaned and cooked for tempura and sushi delicacies.

1,500 pounds of beef are prepared for teriyaki meat sticks and sandwiches.

500 pounds of noodles are prepared for hot and cold dishes.

2,000 pounds of charcoal are used to cook teriyaki chicken and teriyaki beef sticks.

150 gallons of soy sauce used to create authentic marinades and other seasonings.

500 pounds of sugar and 100 pounds of salt are used in preparation of various seasonings.

6 tons of ice is used to cool drinks, keep fish sushi fresh and make refreshing snow cones.

One of the volunteers in the beer booth takes a rest.

A volunteer works the Plush Wheel booth.

Bazaar attendees place their bets, and sometimes win, at the Super Wheel.

The schedule for tomorrow is;

Noon - Sacramento Taiko Dan

Sacramento’s premiere Japanese drumming

ensemble founded in 1989 comprised of renowned drummers and quality drums.

Outdoor Stage

1:00pm - Japanese Classical Dance (Buyo)

Students of Senkinoh Nishikawa will

perform Japanese classical dance.

Main Chapel

2:00pm - Sakura Minyo Do Ko Kai

(Japanese Folk Song & Dance Society) A team

of dancers and singers perform both traditional and modern Japanese folk music

and dances.

Outdoor Stage

2:30pm - Fujimoto Ryu Shamisen Concert

Mrs. Hide Shizume Shachu (students) will

entertain using shamisen instrument.

Main Chapel

3:30 pm - Koto Solo
Daishihan Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto and son Brian Wong, of Oakland will perform on
Koto.

Main Chapel

5:00 pm - Introduction to Chapel

Buddhist Altar and Introduction of Buddhist philosophy by Rinban Bob Oshita.

Main Chapel

Exhibits on Display
•    Ikebana    (floral    art)    Display:
    by    members    of     Ikenobo    Ikebana    School    and    students    of     Molly    Kimura,    Kaikan    Hall
•   Japanese    Doll    Craft    Display    (Mataro    Kimekomi    Doll):
     Instructor    Masanori    (Isako)    Wasano    of     Campbell,    California,    and    her    students,    Main    Chapel
•    Shodo    Display:
    Japanese    calligraphy    by    Etsuko    Wakayama    and    students,    Main    Chapel,    back    room

The 63rd annual Sacramento Buddhist Church Bazaar is held at 2401 Riverside Blvd, Sacramento. It is open noon until 9pm Sunday, August 9th.

Proceeds from the Japanese Food and Cultural Bazaar support the Sacramento Buddhist Church and its affiliated organizations such as youth sports programs, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, youth groups, adult and senior groups, the Japanese language school and many other church activities within the community.

FREE PARKING between 7th & 8th, under the freeway, with FREE SHUTTLE!

Photos | Kati Garner

Moonrise over Florin

2009-08-06T05:22:26Z

Smoke-filled skies from afternoon grassfires along Florin Rd, south of downtown Sacramento, cleared for evening moonrise and sunset.

Photos | Kati Garner

Gone fishin'

2009-08-04T21:10:45Z

A recent fishing derby pulled in a truckload of clothes and cash for St. John's Shelter for Women and Children in Sacramento.

The sixth annual Gone Fishin' Derby held recently at Granite Regional Park had folks of all ages showing up with their fishing gear in hand.

"Approximately 250 kids and 100 adults attended the event," says Tammy T. Nguyen, Community Relations Coordinator for The Hoyt Company. "We gave away almost $2,000 worth of fishing equipment, not including the gift baskets we received from SunSweet, a trip to Donner Lake, and the gift certificates from Squeeze Inn."

Derby co-sponsors were HDR|The Hoyt Company, BLT Enterprises,Power Inn Alliance, Granite Park Partners, Jackson Properties, Inc.,Teichert / Stonebridge Properties, LLC and Walmart.

Seven-year-old Joshua Hang caught the first, and largest, catfish weighing in at a little over six pounds.

Photos | Kati Garner and Tammy Nguyen (Joshua Hang holding fish)

Mama Mia, what a Festa!

2009-08-02T04:56:01Z

Festa Italiana continues through Sunday, Aug. 2nd

Northern California’s Italian community gathers together for two days of Italian style food, music, dancing, fun and friendship at its 24th

annual Festa Italiana.The entertainment lineup features the popular singer Moreno Fruzzetti, and the great Italian and popular music of

Italica and Don Garibaldi bands and dancers. There are Bocce games, Italian cars and a bicycle and motorscooter show.Try the Italian

regional food specialties, Italian wines and beer, by some of Sacramento’s best Italian restaurants.

Shop the market place and purchase

traditional Italian products, free food

tastings, Italian jewelry, ceramics,

gourmet food, art, leather and crafts.

Win a trip to Italy at the raffle.

For the kids there's the "Screamer"

and other inflatables and face painting.

Several Maseratis are on display near the front gate.

Miss the first day? There's always tomorrow,

Sunday Aug. 2 from 11am - 6pm. Parking is free.

Admission is $10. Located at the Croatian Park,

3730 Auburn Blvd (two blocks east of Watt Ave and I-80).

PRESENTED BY THE ITALIAN CULTURAL
SOCIETY OF SACRAMENTO

visit:www.italiancenter.net

Photos | Kati Garner

Art for the beasts

2009-07-29T01:10:23Z

Hey parents, wondering how to keep your little beasts - er, I mean children - busy for the rest of the summer?

Let your free-range kids explore Artbeast, a newly opened art studio for the little ones in midtown Sac.

It's full of art exploration rooms and loads of classes.

Kids can really dig into the arts. An ArtBeast monthly

membership offers unlimited time in the open studio and

arts exploration rooms, and one or two weekly arts classes.

Let 'em get their feet muddy.

And their hands, too!

They'll love it. Really!

They can sing and mess around playing somebody else. Dramatic play spaces

change monthly so children can explore the creation of story lines with ever

changing scenery, props, costumes, and puppets.

The can even make believe as puppeteers.

Or play hide and seek from their playmates.

Work out their frustrations on the heavy duty clay.

Lots of beads for necklaces.

Artbeast is a great way for parents to interact with the young ones - the

paint is unlimited!

Mini-sized easels for the little Picasso wanna-bes.

Some like to wash away the paint that others put on.

Did we say there'is unlimited paint?

Bring your little beasts to Artbeast for dance, yoga, storytelling, singing, Spanish, visual arts, music, movement, and dramatic arts.

The paint never runs out, the clay is always ready to be molded or pounded, the drums played and mud walked in!

Every dime given to Art Beast directly supports and sustains Tubman House, a nonprofit that serves young, homeless parents and their children.
Tubman House is a free, 18 month transitional living program for Sacramento's homeless, parenting youth. At Tubman House, youth experience dynamic coursework, community support, counseling and healthy living so that they leave prepared to be leaders in their own lives and the lives of their communities.

Artbeast is located at 2226 K St., midtown Sacramento.

Photos | Kati Garner

All aboard!

2009-07-26T18:50:34Z

Lots of train-lovers showed up at the Lionel® Collectors Club of America (LCCA) Train Show in Sacramento from Wednesday through Saturday at the Radisson Hotel. The Trading Hall was full of trains and accessories for sale, including hard-to-find items. The“Gee Whiz”, a new, large Lionel company train layout was set up in the hotel and in continuous operation Wednesday evening through Saturday afternoon of convention week.

Many enjoy the excitement, elegance, and power of real trains as well as the equally fascinating but smaller-in-scale O-gauge electric train models made by Lionel LLC and other manufacturers. Modern technology built into today’s toy trains enables a highly interactive model railroading experience on home layouts. Today’s trains spew synthetic smoke from their stacks, emit realistic onboard digital sound effects derived from recordings of actual trains, and mimic the crew talk between a train engineer and a dispatcher. Call-outs of station stops by a conductor are included on passenger trains equipped with this audio feature.

Most LCCA members had electric trains when they were young in the late 1940s and the ‘50s when trains were the Christmas toy of choice. Others discovered the hobby later in life. Members approach the hobby through different pathways. Some specialize in collecting and operating trains known as “fallen flags,” railroads that once served a region but were closed, went bankrupt, or merged with a dominant railroad. LCCA President Dick Johnson of Cincinnati, Ohio, is an exemplar of that approach. He collects and operates trains of the now-defunct B&O (Baltimore and Ohio) railroad.

Others seek to re-acquire trains they once owned as a boy but were subsequently discarded. At train

shows, auctions, and online sites, they seek trains like the ones they owned decades ago. Club

member Barry Findley of North Little Rock, Arkansas, spent five wonderful years seeking the items

in the train set he once had as a youngster. “The thrill is in the chase,” he said.

The hobby isn’t necessarily a “guy thing” any more. Wives of members are often engaged in aspects of the hobby that appeal to them; for example, scene decoration, making and painting structures from kits or from scratch, or shopping for trains and supplies.

Krysti Dewey (now 17), of Wichita, Kansas, will attend the upcoming event with her mom and extended family. She has become a regular participant in LCCA conventions over the years, and is considered a young “club mascot.” Krysti’s favorite railroad is the C&O [Chesapeake and Ohio], and she has her own trains of that railroad. She is a skilled train operator and often helps out at LCCA conventions by sharing her affinity for the hobby with visiting youngsters.

The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) was founded in the Midwest in 1970 by a group of hobbyists to promote awareness and enjoyment of toy trains. Today, the LCCA is a not-for-profit, international hobby-based organization with more than 8,000 members who are toy train collectors and operators. Members favor Lionel trains, and the club collaborates with Lionel LLC to produce limited-edition collectible cars, train sets, and special products exclusively for members.

For more information, go to: http://www.lionelcollectors.org/

Phoos | Kati Garner

Red Cross responds

2009-07-22T04:55:31Z

Four volunteers from the Sacramento-Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross responded to three families displaced from three homes due to fire this afternoon around 2pm in a North Sacramento neighborhood near Grant High School.

The fire was originally dispatched as a grass fire and, enroute, it was dispatched as a full structure assignment.

This is the view from behind the 3 homes that caught fire.The home in the middle appears to be the origin. One Sacramento Firefighter suffered a minor injury to his ankle after he had to run after a woman who ran back inside one of the homes looking for her mother. Her mother was already out of the home, but not before she suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation. She was transported to a nearby hospital and is expected to be OK.

When the Red Cross arrived, assistance in food, lodging and clothing for one family was provided for the six adults and four children displaced by the fire.

The roof and interior of the middle, two-story home were destroyed.Sacramento Fire Department arrived at the scene within 4-1/2 minutes after being dispatched. Sacramento Metropolitan Fire also responded.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.Firefighters had to evacuate the inside and the roof of the two-story home, as conditions were not safe. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from completely destroying the two next door homes, but they did have serious fire damage.One dog died in one of the adjacent homes.

Photos | Kati Garner

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation's blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or join our blog at www.redcrosschat.org.

First 3rd Saturday Downtown Sac

2009-07-19T17:17:01Z

Sacramento's first 3rd Saturday took off July 18 along the K Street Mall and Casear Chavez Plaza. Over 40 local arts, crafts and fashion vendors and musicians descended upon K Street. The Guac and Roll festival featured Sacramento’s very own Method Echo with opener Tainted Love.

15 Restaurants offered sampling & selling of Sacramento’s best foods featuring guacamole and avocados. There was a Xochimilco Beer & Margarita Garden, rock wall and a free kids area with inflatable games, slides, jump houses, Basketball Shoot Out and water games.

MethodEcho band member Josh Guerrero sings

to the crowd at Casear Chavez Plaza just a few

blocks away from the first 3rd Saturday event

along K Street.

Angelo Chacon climbs the rock wall at Casear Chavez

Plaza.

Michael Cross, Education Manager at the Kitchen Academy,

did cooking demonstrations featuring the avocado.

Musical Chairs performed on the main stage near the intersection of K St. and 10th.

Ashleah Millers paints a glitter tattoo on Everett Bass's left forearm at the Transformations Make up vendor

booth along K St.

Photos | Kati Garner

Kids week

2009-07-18T02:01:50Z

Matteo Amato makes his own pizza at Il Fornaio restaurant in downtown Sac.

The Italian Restaurant and Bakery participated in the first annual Downtown Kid's Week. Sponsored by the Downtown Sac Partnership, families from around the region are invited to join in the fun by exploring the cultural treasures in their own backyard and taking advantage of special and activities at participating Downtown Kid's Week businesses.

This year's event ran from July 11 through 18.

Photo | Kati Garner

Mexico's First Lady visits Sac's Shriners Hospital

2009-07-14T20:22:58Z

Margarita Zavala de Calderon, first lady of Mexico, arrived at Shriners Hospital in East Sacramento around 10am today.

She came to visit nine children who were burned in a day care fire in Hermosillo, Mexico that killed 48 people and injured dozens on June 5. The children are being treated for burns.

Upon arriving she was greeted in the lobby by the injured children's parents and Shriners Hospital staff and volunteers.

She immediately went to see the children.

Photos | Kati Garner

Local Red Cross volunteers recognized

2009-07-14T02:05:01Z

Six volunteers with the Sacramento-Sierra Chapter of the American Red Cross received awards recently:

John (not pictured) and Agnes Mae Drew received the Joyce Raley Teel Humanitarian

Philanthropist Award. It is given to a donor or donors who has demonstrated exceptional

philanthropy to the Sacramento Sierra Chapter.

Jim McColm received the Linda Brandenburger Legacy Leadership Award. It celebrates

an individual who has provided significant leadership to the chapter's estate and gift planning efforts.

DST Output accepted the Frank Corti Fund Development Award by Board Member Bill Kohrummel

who is the Director of Operations for DST Output. The Award is presented to an individual or

organization that has demonstrated exceptional leadership in coordination, motivation

and successfully completing fund-raising efforts for the chapter

Diane Thomas accepted the Linda Brandenburger Legacy Leadership Award which celebrates

an individual who has provided significant leadership to the chapter's estate and gift

planning efforts.

Sandy Stultz received the Clara Barton Award. It honors an individual who has served in leadership

positions over a number of years enabling the Red Cross to contribute valuable services to the

community through personal expertise, leadership, cooperation and constructive guidance.

John McGinness, Sacramento County Sheriff and Mr. and Mrs. Ray Turner present the Henri Durant Award to Steve Turner (second from

right). The Henri Dunant Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional performance and extensive personal commitment

to a specific service or project. The individual must show leadership in identifying and assessing needs in the community and organizational

barriers to reaching the community.

Photos | Kati Garner, American Red Cross

East Sac Fourth of July celebration | Photos

2009-07-05T01:18:08Z

This old Dodge truck is like the one used in 1922 when Rex Moore Electrical Contractors did business out of their basement at 616 San Antonio Way in East Sac. The business is now owned/operated by David Moore (grandson) and Brock Littlejohn.

Kadea Metara and Merlin Ghostwoof, an 11-1/2 year old Siberian Husky made a grand appearance (left) as did Diane Tempest and Hudson on wheels.

Twins Talullah and Matilda McKinzie waved their flags as the parade breezed by.

The Pledge of Allegiance and the Star Spangled Banner called for moments of respect before the parade. Brigadier General Emory Hagen and Dr. Sharon Hagen were acknowledged for their sons serving in the Marine Corps; 1st LT Marshall Pagaling in Afghanistan and Capt. Michael Pagaling a 46 Pilot on the US Boxer.

Some enjoyed the water slides. Some didn't!

Photos | Kati Garner

it's looking like July 4th!

2009-07-03T19:16:52Z

Tom Ford and his daughter Kennedy prepare their front yard anticipating the July 4th parade that goes down their East Sac street. The block party along 41st St. starts at 10am. Ford built a 400 sq. ft stage in front of his front porch which will host the band Q-Balls. Behind the red, white and blue post is a cantina which will serve drinks. Parade begins at 11am.

Ford's neighbor Joe Riehl delivers the signs for Tom's cantina. In the bed of the pickup is a ping-pong table for tournaments after the parade.

A taco eating contest will take place nearby. Riehl says he and Ford are the "unofficial" co-chairs of the parade.

East Sac's 4th of July parade begins on 41st St., under this banner which is halfway between J and M Streets.

Neighbors across the street from Ford and Riehl prepare also by putting up canopies for food and drinks.

Photos | Kati Garner

For more July 4th events, please see Sonia Lucyga article:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/10142/Red_White_and_Blue_Agenda_What_to_do_this_4th_of_July

Dinner for the Arts takes off

2009-07-01T17:57:53Z

The first weekly Dinner for the Arts had a great start Tuesday evening at Headhunters. It is becoming a weekly event that will give local arts organizations the opportunity to promote their productions or events and reach out to new audiences. The event strives to put the spotlight on local arts organizations and artists and to promote the arts in Sacramento.

Sacramento entertainer Courtney Parks was the hostess for the evening, Performing were Courtney, ICUP Comedy Troupe, Hot Pot Street Team Belly Dancers and LaFras LeRoux.

Dinner for the Arts will feature local theatre companies, dance troupes, singers and other artists each week. In addition to live entertainment, each performance will also feature local artists giving live demonstrations in various mediums such as painting, jewelry-making, metal-work and many others.

The Kennedy Gallery Art Center offered wine bottles with a handmade touch to the labels .

For more information about this activity, contact
Friends of Dorothy Productions at
Phone: (916) 534-7496
E-mail: friendsofdorothyproductions@gmail.com
Web site: http://www.fodproductions.com

Photos | Kati Garner

T'was a fine fayre

2009-06-28T19:16:46Z

Fowl Tales at Fair Oaks 23rd Renaissance Tudor Fayre

Swing that Parrot

Bob Bartley and Gypsy,above, have been working together for 35 years. Gypsy and two other parrots and a dog were a humorous act.The fayre was like stepping back in time to the days of yore. There were games, battles, feasts, playgrounds, the Royal Court, food and ale.

The volunteer reenactors spoke in embellished English accents, roamed around the festival, got into sword fights, tugs of war, competed in archery contests, played music, put in the guillotine, tied to a stake and chained to a water-torture board.

Photos | Kati Garner

I do............again.

2009-06-27T03:27:58Z

I do...........again

Clarence and Madeline Rich share a laugh while they renewed their wedding vows. Residents of Aegis Living in Carmichael, they decided to tie the knot again during the Aegis-sponsored Vintage Bridal Show. Clarence, 88 and Madeline, 87 have two daughters, three granddaughters and one great granddaughter. No honeymoon is planned. They have been married 68 years. Photo | Kati Garner

Juneteenth festival scenes

2009-06-21T21:49:22Z

Sacramento's Juneteenth festival joined the ranks of other American cities to celebrate, as well as educate the community on one of America's most important acts of legislation, the Emancipation Proclamation. Signed into law in 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation declared that all those enslaved were now free.

It's sponsore by Sacramento Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau. For more details, visit: http://sacramento365.com/event/detail/36105

Photos | Kati Garner

A young festival goer looks at an historical display related to the Celebration of Freedom weekend.

Veronica Nailon, Jessica Gregory and the crowd respond to Joseph Jordan onstage.

Joseph Jordan sings gospel songs.

A young festival goer tries his luck with spinning a wheel to win a t-shirt at the Wells Fargo booth.

Scenes from Sac Pride Festival

2009-06-21T02:59:55Z

Here are some moments captured during Pride Festival.

To see photos of the parade, please visit: http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/9675/Scenes_from_Sac_Pride_parade

Photos | Kati Garner

Scenes from Sac Pride parade

2009-06-21T00:24:37Z

Here are some shots from today's Pride parade.

Please watch for another titled Scenes from Sac Pride Festival.

Photos | Kati Garner

Outside the NEW Crocker

2009-06-18T04:02:50Z

The property on the west side of the existing Crocker is prepped for constructing the new wing in July 2008.

A block structure will house equipment that will service the entire art museum.

The steel beams are above the basement which is the front part of the new wing along the street.

The concrete wall in lower portion of photo is along the western side of the new wing.

A worker on the south side of the basement which is the front area of the new wing. The holes in the concrete will carry the heating/cooling ducts. The area below and above the duct openings are now filled in and are part of the floor.

The auditorium and seating is put in place.

Concrete flooring on the east side of the new wing is smoothed before it hardens.

The old and the new will meet at the rear of the existing Crocker Art Museum.

A steel worker climbs a beam to place safety cables for use as the crews are bolt them together.

Crews work on all levels of the new wing.

Inside the NEW Crocker

2009-06-18T03:21:37Z

The new addition to the Crocker Art Museum is huge! It is tripling the size of the museum as well as adding new features to enhance the visitor's experience at the Crocker.

For more detailed information please visit: http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/expansion/overview.html

There is a link that will take you to a live video feed of the construction in progress.

Last fall, I began a photographic essay of the expansion. I began shooting when the majority of the work was setting the footprint in place.The only new structures were the block building which is the equipment room and the basement with steel beams on four corners which is becoming the front of the new Crocker.

Seating is stadium-style.

Some of the ductwork.

Welding a stairway.

Looking down on new entry.

Dining area below.

Offices and galleries are on the second floor.

Note the double row of steel for making the walls stronger for holding heavy artwork.

Ventilation shaft.

Third floor overhang.

Up on the roof.

Two homes on fire in Pocket area

2009-06-12T00:23:22Z

Two homes on fire in the Pocket area, south of downtown Sacramento, created a three-alarm response around 3pm Thursday.

The fire originated in the largest and tallest of the two and spread to a neighboring house. Apparently no one was home when the fire started.

Fire crews from Sac City, Sac Metro and Cosumnes Fire Departments responded.

Photos | Kati Garner

Roaming around Sactown

2009-06-11T17:25:36Z

Recently, I "hit the streets", roaming along J and K in Sactown

Photos | Kati Garner

Gathering of honored elders

2009-06-07T01:54:57Z

California State Indian Museum presented the 32nd annual Gathering of Honored Elders. It is devoted to honoring the elders who keep the traditions, stories, languages, and cultures of Native California alive for the generations that follow them.

Honoring the Elders through dance and song were:

Aztec Dancers (Sacramento),
Pomo Dancers,
Miwok Dancers (Ione),
Maidu Dancers (Auburn),
Me-Wuk Dancers of Tuolumne,
Huatanape (Shingle Springs),
Grindstone Dancers (Elk Creek)
Coastal Pomo Dancers (Talmadge).

They were very colorful and authenticate.

Photos | Kati Garner

Race for the $25,000 diamond

2009-06-06T20:51:57Z

Spencer Relles and Melissa Meade, far left in both photos and Devon Edwards and Sarah Krum, in foreground, are two couples who were searching for answers to clues at Sutter's Fort this morning. "Race for the Rock" their blue t-shirts exclaimed.

They were part of a city-wide high-tech treasure hunt to find (and win) a hidden $25,000 diamond ring, sponsored by Rogers Jewelry Company.

All clues and riddles were being delivered to and from their cell phone via text messages! As for transport, they could play by foot, by bike, or even by zeppelin.

They rules said "You’ll want to move fast, but smarts will beat speed in this high-tech adventure!"

Both couples were biking it.

To participate in the treasure hunt, Rogers Jewelry asked all teams to make a $25 donation to the Sacramento Food Bank to support their efforts.

Photos | Kati Garner

Rowing Regatta is on

2009-06-05T22:18:55Z

The 107th Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) National Championships is underway at the Sacramento State Aquatics Center on Lake Natoma through Saturday 8am - 2:15pm. (Fridays events are now closed).

This is the first time the competition has been held on the west coast.

Participants are:

Varsity Heavyweight Eight 2nd Varsity Heavyweight Eight Freshman Heavyweight EightBoston University Boston University Boston UniversityBrown University Brown University Brown UniversityCollege of the Holy Cross Columbia University Cornell UniversityColumbia University Cornell University Dartmouth CollegeCornell University Dartmouth College George Washington UniversityDartmouth College George Washington University Gonzaga UniversityGeorge Washington University Gonzaga University Harvard UniversityGonzaga University Harvard University MITHarvard University Stanford University Northeastern UniversityMIT Syracuse University Oregon State UniversityNortheastern University University of California - Berkeley Princeton UniversityOregon State University University of Pennsylvania Stanford UniversityPrinceton University University of Washington Syracuse UniversityStanford University University of Wisconsin U.S. Naval AcademySyracuse University University of California - BerkeleyU.S. Naval Academy University of California- San DiegoUniversity of California - Berkeley University of WashingtonUniversity of California- San Diego University of WisconsinUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of San DiegoUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Wisconsin

Lightweight Men's Eight Varsity Four Open FourColumbia University Brown University Brown UniversityCornell University Drexel University Cornell UniversityGeorgetown University Florida Institute of Technology George Washington UniversityHarvard University Georgetown University Harvard UniversityPrinceton University Harvard University MITU.S. Naval Academy Loyola of Maryland Oregon State UniversityYale University MIT Princeton UniversityNortheastern University Syracuse UniversityPrinceton University U.S. Naval Academy

Lightweight Women's Eight Santa Clara University University of California - BerkeleyUniversity of California - Berkeley University of WashingtonBucknell University University of California - Irvine University of WisconsinGeorgetown University University of California- San DiegoHarvard and Radcliffe University of Mary WashingtonMIT University of PennsylvaniaPrinceton University University of San DiegoStanford University University of WashingtonUniversity of Tulsa University of WisconsinUniversity of Wisconsin

Saturday's schedule may be viewed here - http://www.sacstateaquaticcenter.com/download/Saturday%20-%20IRA%20Schedule.pdf.

Complete results may be seen at - http://secure.powerhousetiming.com/powerhouse/webpages/staticRaceResults.jsp?raceId=219.

The Rowing Regatta is hosted by Sacramento Sports Commission and Sacramento State Aquatics Center.

Ticket price for Saturday's races is $12.

Preferred parking will be located in Nimbus Flat State Park. This area will be used on a first come first served bases, space is limited. The California State Parks Rangers will be handling all parking fee issues in Nimbus Flat State Park. There will be a parking fee of $8.00 per event day. If you have an Annual California State Parks Parking Permit this will get you into the park at no additional charge. If you prepurchase a parking pass at the kiosk for the any of the days of these events, and you leave the lot and return, please understand that a parking pass DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU A PARKING SPACE. Space in the NimbusFlat State Park is limited; once the lot is full it will be closed and reopened, as spaces are made available.
Food and beverages are available. Dress in layers for maximum comfort

Photos | Kati Garner

Veteran's History Project

2009-06-05T02:22:34Z

According to acfnewsource.org, "ninteen million war veterans, including about 2,000 who served in WWI, live in the United States, but approximately 1,500 veterans die every day."

The Library of Congress' American Folk Life Center is working with the public to collect and preserve audio and video oral histories, along with veteran's letters, diaries, maps and photographs. All Americans, including students and grandchildren, can participate in documenting the lives of veterans from World War I, WWII, the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf Wars. The United States Congress created the Veterans History Project in 2000.

The authorizing legislation (Public Law 106-380), sponsored by Representatives Ron Kind, Amo Houghton, and Steny Hoyer in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators Max Cleland and Chuck Hagel in the U.S. Senate, received unanimous support and was signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000.

The Veterans History Project is made possible by the generous support of the United States Congress.

The Retired and Senior Volunteers Program (RSVP) of Sacramento is co-sponsor of the Veterans History Project in the Sacramento area. RSVP is part of the Corporation for National & Community Service and is sponsored by Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance. RSVP is located at 3727 Marconi Avenue.

RSVP in Sacramento has documented over 300 veteran's stories for the project.

WWII veteran Tom Hall, 87, of Sacramento was interviewed today at RSVP by John Nesbitt, a RSVP volunteer interviewer. Hall brought his scrapbook which included letters, newspaper articles and photographs. He was enlisted from 1943-46. The interviewer recorded the images included with this article.

One photo shows two sailors with two young women. Hall is the sailor on the right, his best buddy is the other sailor, the woman on his right is Hall's cousin and the one to his left was his girlfriend. They were having dinner at the Claremont Hotel in Berkley in 1945 after the war had ended. Their ship had recently harbored in San Francisco. Hall and his friend had just been promoted to Quartermaster Second Class.

Another photo shows their battleship, Pennsylvania BB38, plowing through the water. During one battle in the war, Hall said the Pennsylvania fired more tonnage of ammo in history. The continuous firing made the ship look like it was actually on fire, he said.

At war's end, Hall went to Small Craft Training School and was then stationed on a yard minesweeper, USS YMS-109, in the photo with "109" on its bow. He and the crew took it to Pearl Harbor from San Diego. Travelling at seven knots it took 14 days. He steered the USS YMS-109,taking the crew on training tours until his discharge on January 29, 1946.

Nesbitt guided Hall through the 30 minute audio/video interview, having him share highlights from Boot Camp to Quartermaster School to the war and then back home after his honorable discharge.

When Hall returned home to Sacramento he worked at his father's Camellia Hall Nursery. He married in 1947 after one date with his future wife.

A Web page is created for each veteran who contributes an interview, memoir or historical documents. This page includes service history and other information about each veteran.

Access the database at www.loc.gov/vets. (Click on Search for Veterans Database)

A deceased war veteran's may be shared by submitting historical documents like the veteran's collection of photographs, letters and diaries and memoirs. A complete biographical data form and release form for the deceased veteran will need to be completed. Individual

Veterans in the area who wish to be interviewed should call (916) 875-4460 to request the necessary materials and schedule an interview. Stories will be permanently archived in the Library of Congress.

Veterans who participate will get a free copy of their interview. Note: It will probably take several weeks to access Tom Hall's interview on the Veterans History Project website.

Photos of Tom Hall | Kati Garner

Mother Nature's Light Show Photos

2009-06-04T06:28:39Z

I was driving west on Baseline Rd, almost to Hwy 99, when I noticed lighting brightening the sky around 8:45pm.

I pulled off the road at the intersection of Elverta and 99, as did other travelers and captured the show for about an hour.

Photos | Kati Garner

Those Dashing Dogs (and their owners) in Land Park | Photos

2009-05-31T23:31:09Z

2009 Doggy Dash in Land Park

Photos | Kati Garner

Photos | Homeless Connection

2009-05-31T20:42:16Z

Please see story at:

http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/8602/Connecting_with_the_homeless

Connecting with the homeless

2009-05-31T19:09:30Z

Modeled after San Francisco’s Project Homeless Connect, Sacramento's one‐day event brought together a wide range of services for homeless people in a consumer‐centric “one stop shop” format.

The homeless guests were treated to haircuts, soothing pedicures, food, music, wheelchair and bicycle repair. Volunteers stood watch over their belongings, even their pets, while the guests explored the offerings for five hours.

Many soaked in the sun and music while visiting with others.

Some other the other services included:

Housing and employment programs
Vision and dental screenings
Free identification cards
Alcohol and drug assessments
Legal counseling
HIV and Hepatitis C tests
Veterans Benefits

According to communitycouncil.org, the benefits of Homeless Connect include:

Connects homeless individuals to important services all in one place, reducing frustration and increasing awareness about possible sources of assistance.
Inspires community members to help end homelessness.
Businesses, faith‐based groups, and colleges have the opportunity to make personal connections with people in need.
Helps debunk common myths and stereotypes about people who are homeless.

Over 400 volunteers made it possible Saturday at Sacramento City College.

Photos | Kati Garner