Efforts to rebuild the fire-damaged McKinley Park playground hit a milestone when its destruction and demolition began bright and early Thursday morning. Most of the playground, which fell victim to arson last year, was auctioned off Wednesday evening. American Technologies Inc. was on site Thursday morning to disassemble the structure so that auctioned items could be removed. The demoliton of the standing supports will be Thursday, Aprill 11 – weather permiting. The new playground was put together by Play By Design in collaboration with local youth and residents. Check out some shots of the American Technologies, Inc. team carefully dismantling the playground.        Steve Swind

Police have arrested a man and his girlfriend believed to be connected to last Friday's arson/murder on Norwood Avenue, which left a 32-year-old man dead in his home. More details about the incident have also been released, including that the victim was stabbed before the fire was set.  David Acuna, 29, was arrested Wednesday morning on suspicion of murdering 32-year-old Patrick Kendrick. Acuna's girlfriend, 30-year-old Guadalupe Cabrera, is also believed to have been involved in the incident. She was arrested on suspicion of accessory to murder, and arson to an inhabited structure, according to the Sacramento Police Department.  During the course of the investigation, SPD detectives lea

Patrick Kendrick's neighbors thought they heard his cries as flames rose from his apartment, but when they broke down the door to reach him, they realized it was too late. "We had to break the door open in order to get to him, but by the time we tried to run in there and get him, it was on fire, it was all blazed up, couldn't help him," neighbor Eric Kelley said. Police are investigating the "unusual circumstances" that led to the man's death Friday morning on the 3700 block of Norwood Avenue in Del Paso Heights. Kendrick was found inside his apartment after the fire was extinguished by the Sacramento Fire Department. Due to the "obvious trauma" found on his upper body, police were c

If you – or your kids – want a say in the design of the new McKinley Park playground, Friday is your chance to share your visions. The playground, which was badly damaged by a suspected arson fire last summer, lies at the heart of East Sacramento's nearly 32-acre park. It's nearly 20 years old, made of wood, and with the help of an organized, motivated grassroots volunteer effort, will be replaced starting this June. "McKinley Park is a real gem and it's a draw for the entire city, not just the immediate area," said Phil Plunkebaum, a volunteer with Friends of McKinley Park. "These kinds of tragedies have happened all too often in the city of Sacramento, and that's the reason we're seein

-- Press Release from the City of Sacramento Office of Media & Communications -- Councilmember Steve Cohn has already received an outpouring of support in response to a suspected arson fire at the McKinley Village playground. The fire destroyed about one-third of the play area early Saturday morning. The donations range from a total of $10,000 coming from State Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and Councilmember Cohn’s Pops in the Park fund, to a 7-year-old girl who delivered lemon-aide stand money to the Councilmember in her piggy bank. “I have been touched by the outpouring of community support. My initial reaction to the fire was one of anger, giving way to sadness, giving way to a st

Although fire officials suspect arson in the blaze that destroyed part of the Mckinley Park playground Saturday, City Councilman Steve Cohn said it’s important to remember that the city can’t be sure that the fire was deliberate. “We’re calling it arson because it was caused by human action, but we don’t know if it was deliberate to destroy the structure,” Cohn said. “A lot of fires start through carelessness, and in this case I don’t know if we’re ever going to know what really happened.” The fire will be investigated by collecting evidence, interviewing neighbors and potential witnesses and reaching out to the public for tips on the department’s arson tip-line, according to Ed Bassett,

Dear Readers, As a response to the senseless destrucion of property at our park East Sac Give Back is asking the community to rally. Although we (East Sac Give Back) can not yet offer you a tax deduction, we can solicit funds explicitly set aside to help rebuild this for the children's sake. Simply follow the link below and in your comment section write "We will rebuild"! To read more about our organization type East Sac Give Back into the SP search bar. We are also on Facebook  Thank you, Michael Saeltzer http://www.gofundme.com/EAST-SAC-GIVE-BACK

Photo essay by Dan Ward   Sacramento State University was involved with three fires yesterday afternoon. Two of the fires were held in buildings while the third one was in a trash can by the tennis courts on the campus. According to Sacramento State officials, both buildings were to be shut down while the fire investigation team scurried through the remains to find if any evidence were to remain. With that being said it left students in the mist about if there were going to be Fridays classes held in either buildings. Reports went out stating that both buildings will be open by 8 am for students to recover their belongings. This morning classes were held in Mendocino but not in Maripos

July 27, 2011, Sacramento Ca.- Investigators from the Galt Police Department, Cosumnes Fire Department, and the Sacramento Metro Fire District worked together to tie 24-year-old Adam Kelly to three arson fires in Sacramento County over a two-week period. The first fire occurred in Galt on July 6, 2011 at 10430 Twin Cities Rd. Firefighters responded to the service area of the Raley's supermarket and found numerous large pieces of recycled cardboard piled up and set on fire. Firefighters extinguished the fire with no injuries and minor damage to the building. The second fire was July 13, 2011 at the 750 block of Moose Creek Way in Galt. Firefighters responded to the report of a fire agains

Sacramento Metro Fire Investigators have concluded that the double fatality fire that occurred at 4061 Stephens Dr. on April 6, 2011 resulting in the deaths of Laura Fernandez, age 38, and her son Wilfred Villarruel, age eight, was an act of Arson. Metro Fire Investigators are working with Sacramento County Sheriff’s investigators and are asking the public for assistance. April 6, 2011 at 8:03pm, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District received an alarm for a house fire at 4061 Stephen Drive in North Highlands. The first Engine Company arrived and reported a well involved garage fire with extension into the home. Fire crews made entry into the home and began attacking the fire. During

Iceland's outdoor skating rink is expected to open Saturday after more than two months of delays. The landmark North Sacramento ice rink was all but destroyed by an arsonist last spring. The Kerth family, now operating Iceland as a nonprofit, and volunteers worked to reopen the rink – without a roof and many other amenities – by the facility's 70th anniversary on Nov. 4. The opening was delayed after family members learned they needed a special permit from the city Planning Commission. The Kerths will open a temporary rink at 1430 Del Paso Blvd. this weekend if city building inspectors approve handicapped-accessible ramps Thursday, said Midtown Business Association Executive Director Rob

Community leaders and supporters congregated at the corner of N and 27th streets to see the beginning stages of the new River City Food Bank. After a four-alarm fire destroyed the RCFB’s original location Oct. 21, the community immediately responded, and the Sutter Medical Center donated this space for the Food Bank to rebuild. The blaze, determined as arson by the fire department, heavily damaged the building and destroyed about 10,000 pounds of food. Though still a large empty room, save for a few hanging lights and fold-up tables, the new location promises to give clients a more comfortable space and volunteers a better ability to help the community, RCFB Executive Director Eileen Tho

A local company will take resumes on Sunday and Monday to find cleanup workers. Details here.

  Sacramento arson investigators need your help locating two people of interest regarding a commercial structure fire located at Bisla's Sports Bar, addressed 7042 Folsom Blvd. Citizens can report any information as to the identity of these two individuals and any information regarding the fire to the Sacramento Fire Department Arson Tip Line at (916) 808-8732 or Crime Alert at 1-800-AA-CRIME or wanted@crimealert.org.   The incident occurred on 10/13/10 and was reported at 0445 hours. The incident number is 10-309696.   Sacramento Fire Department on Facebook Sacramento Fire Department on Twitter

Today we are all Rosevillians. Yeah, I know that sounds goofy –  and it's said half in jest. But only half. Surely, the day after the horrific arson fire that shuttered the Roseville Galleria – on the eve of the holiday shopping season – even the most dismissive Midtown hipster can feel for our suburban neighbors. During the last decade, we've come to think about each other as something other than neighbors or fellow citizens – we've become competitors. And the divide has come to have a cultural flavor. Suburbanites dismiss the central city for its liberalism, for its "attitude," for our homeless, for the need to walk a couple of blocks from parking spot to destination, or for being wh

Last night the Auburn Community's main park had it's playground torched.  As an member of the rec district's board of directors I am obviuosly upset.  As a father and resident of the community I am furious.  Vandalism & delinquency costs a community on so many levels, from lost dollars and time, to lost opportunities and as was the case with a rock toss over an overpass recently, serious injuries and possibly worse. Whether in the heart of a city, or in an outlying suburb it is getting worse, and nobody is immune.  I so encourage anybody that witnesses any questionable activity to please notify the proper authorities.  Only by banning together & sending a strong message we will not accept

Sacramento, CA Local transient fled the scene when his fire burned out of control Tuesday evening. Aprox 8:30 p.m. Tuesday evening, SacCity Fire was called to a vegetation fire between the Sacramento River and the bike path off Jiboom by the water treatment plant. On arrival, firefighters found a blaze burning upsloap from the beach area toward the bike path. The fire was brought under control quickly. Witnesses in the area saw a transient leaving the scene. He's described as a white male, mid 30's to to early 40's, aprox 5'8" and dark brown shoulder length hair. He was wearing blue jeans and a small dirty red backpack. SacPD Officer Gunville and area Park Rangers had detained a couple of

Last week’s Trash Film Orgy was canceled due to the activation of the Crest Theatre’s fire sprinkler system, but the festival returned with a rockabilly bang Saturday night at the premiere of “Cry-Baby,” a spoof of the teenage rebel flick set in the 1950s. It might seem odd for a musical movie starring super-celebrity Johnny Depp to be featured at TFO, but since the film is directed by John Waters, the king of trash film, the movie wasn’t out of place at all. People who are familiar with Waters’ work would vouch for “Cry-Baby” as a trash classic – they would only need reference the character Hatchet Face to make their point. Saturday’s festivities began the same as usual – the line wound

At midnight Saturday, "Galaxy of Terror," a low-budget science-fiction horror flick starring Robert Englund and Sid Haig, was scheduled to premiere during the second week of the Trash Film Orgy. Unfortunately, an arson fire in the basement of the Crest Theater canceled the showing .   The fire didn't cause any real damage to the theater, but smoke alarms activated the sprinkler system and the auditorium and lobby were soaked.   “Apparently some jacka** arsonist decided to set the basement bathroom on fire and triggered the sprinkler system and caused a whole bunch of trouble,” said Christy Savage, one of Trash Film Orgy’s managers. “Nobody’s dead or anything like that and the theater wil

Dear Friends- As you may know, a arson fire was set at my home in the early morning on September 21st. My family and I are safe, and all necessary repairs and clean up, and replacements are being handled by our insurance company. We have had a great response from our neighbors and community leaders, who have organized a vigil tonight in front of our home to signify community strength and unity. If you are in the Northern CA area, we hope you can join us. Vigil Information - 2614 36th Street, Sacramento CA (between 1st and 2nd Avenue). 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. http://www.inmycommunity.com/imc_joomla/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=icalrepeat.detail&evid=1243&Itemid=0&year=2009&month=10&d