Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "business"

"Play2Survive" Raises Money for Local High Schools

2013-05-22T18:44:09Z

I got to sit down with the founders of "Play2Survive", Michael Lang and Jackson Harris. I have never heard of an event that includes playing tag as a zombie. Lang, a coach, who has been involved in the community for several years apsires to help raise money for local high schools.

What inspired you to create a Zombie Tag game?

Harris: I was browsing Facebook one day a few years ago and saw a zombie tag game, similar to ours, out in Virginia (where I went to High school) and thought it was a cool idea and wanted to go. I was in the middle of a semester of college in California so I couldn't just fly out there and decided that maybe I could call a few friends and try to host one myself in Sacramento, which is when Mike came in to it.

Is this the first time you worked with CSD?

Harris: Yes, this is our first time working with CSD, we are starting to partner with parks and rec organizations this year for the first time. This year we have the privilege of 2 events, Rancho Cordova that was on May 18th and Elk Grove on June 29th. We are planning on doing an event in Sacramento and Rocklin will be later this year. One event will probably be in August and the other in October.

Why give back to high schools and how much money do you plan to raise?

Lang: Our goals with educational philanthropy are monumental. We are aspiring to benefit education as a whole and Mike already working for high schools as a coach, where better to start than the education level of those who come to our events. A lot of High School aged people come out and play and we also wanted to give back as soon as the event became profitable, you know put money back into the community that helped us make the event a success, so putting all those pieces together Mike and I came up with the High School of the Dead fundraiser. This is our first year doing the High School of the Dead Fundraiser and we are really hoping that a lot of people will help out with our cause.

When you guys play "tag" are there certain rules?

Harris: We try and keep the tag rules simple. Two-hand tags, make sure your zombie identifier is showing, and that players can only be tagged outside of safe zones, which zombies cannot enter. Oh, and respect is always a must.

Do you expect a lot of success?

Lang: Success changes every year. We come up with some goals each event and do our best to surpass it. We feel that last year showed us that if we put more effort into this event that we could really be on to something here. The mud run and 5k kind of blew us away with their attendance, and we feel that we can reach those numbers too. We've worked closely with Dustin Ryen, Tom Presler, and other people who have had success in the Sacramento area, and we are doing our best to learn and bring our event even further into the public eye. In short, yes we will be successful, one thing we have a lot of is drive, and when we go for something, we give it, our all.

Is this your first event, if not, what events have you done before and where have they been?

Harris:We have had 5 “Play2Survive” events thus far. Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Winter 2011, Summer 2012, and Fall 2012. All the past events are on our website and have links to the past Facebook event pages. It's cool to look back sometimes and see how far we've come. You can also see our flyers, comments, videos, etc.

Do you have sponsors if so who?

Lang: We've worked with a few different businesses in the past. Zombie Club, Dragatomi, Airsoft Battle Grounds, Capsity Co-working, Asobuyo, ZombieZom, Running Dead, Perko's, and the list goes on. We're looking to expand our sponsorship pool. We feel that as we expand the event it can be a great investment for local businesses. We hope to foster new relationships in the near future to grow local businesses and the event too.

What is the cost to participate in this event?

Harris: We are really excited that we are doing $15 pre-registration, $25 day of and $20 with a student ID. We are putting together a VIP Survivor Pack starting with Survive EG. It is $60, but between you and me people who are interested in an event t-shirt, refreshment, and an Antidote, should look out for deals. There's always something popping up online these days. You can pre-register at Dragatomi at 2317 J St Sacramento, CA 95816 from the 20th-the 25th to get your $25 VIP tickets. The Website will also be going live for your tickets on Saturday! We will also have booths with makeup artists doing Zombie makeup, ghosthunters of Elk Grove, and Martial arts people and so much more!

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Lang: Come check out the event, it's not your typical fun run. You might run/walk 5 kilometers, you might even get a bit muddy, there is a starting line and a "finish line", but everything that goes on between the two and what that finish line means is up to you. We're trying to provide a fun experience to the communities around here and hopefully do a little good along the way.

Links:

www.play2survive.com

http://www.projecttmd.sqsp.com/

Giving Back Page: http://www.projecttmd.sqsp.com/hsdf/

Email: tmdsac@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/play2survive

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Team.Mac.Down

Groupon: http://www.groupon.com/users/michael-lang-87/deals/tmd-play-2-survive

[Photos] Gala for My Sister's House....believe in a better life

2013-05-21T21:41:52Z

Event Planner Sharon Gerber finished her nine year run with a great finale - The 12th annual Gala for my Sister's House at the Crest Monday night. She has had the talent to pull of many successful fundraisers for non-profits in a very fun way.

She has had Sacramento's movers and shakers involved in providing great entertainment for non-profit supporters to enjoy....all the while raising money to keep non-profits afloat.

Last night's event kept folks laughing and admiring people in the public eye for doing some great lip-syncing and choreographry that hit the spot.

Master of Ceremonies, Christopher Cabaldon, Mayor of City of West Sacrament was a natural onstage with humor and introducing each act.

The Temptations
W Sacramento Councilman Oscar Villegas
David Sobon, David Sobon Auctions
Scott Syphax, Nehemiah Corporation
Chet Hewitt, Sierra Health Foundation
Clemon Charles, singer/songwriter
Sharon Gerber, Six Degreez, event producer, speaks at the end of her final gig. In her nine years of producing events, $5 million has been raised for non-profits, thanks to her fundraising focused events. She said she's not sure what her next round will be, but for now she and her husband are taking a vacation to Latin America.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

New films: Star Trek Into Darkness (2 opinions), Kon-Tiki, At Any Price

2013-05-17T20:08:27Z

Multiple bold explorers and a proxy for Monsanto

While the big buzz this week will be focused squarely on the latest entry in the decades-long Star Trek franchise, there are also a couple of smaller, counter-programming opportunities, one of which is oddly related to Star Trek. There’s also a second opinion included in today’s column on the Star Trek movie itself, but be warned in advance: Malcolm’s comments contain a character spoiler (although many viewers probably know this particular detail already).

Star Trek Into Darkness
Directed by J. J. Abrams

When the last “Star Trek” movie came out, I strongly praised its balancing act in terms of respecting the canon and the knowledge of the fans, while still offering a fresh take in what was both a reboot of the original series and a prequel to it. The new film continues and, if anything, actually manages to walk that same tightrope while narrowing the rope even further. And it’s still an impressive act.

That’s not to say you’ll necessarily love the outcome, as it’s more of a non-stop action film than we’ve seen before. Every crisis is a crisis related to fighting, war, explosions, etc. – with only the briefest of considerations of the “Prime Directive” and certainly no long and drawn out diplomatic disagreements. In short, it’s back and it’s big, and it’s very well put together, but it also has a different tone to it than many fans of the original series might prefer.That said, I liked it. For me it’

more about revisiting the cast of characters than worrying too much about what particular scrape they’re going to warp/transport/squeeze their way out this time around. And where the last film gave us back the original crew in almost loving detail, the new film throws in a bunch of other similarly preserved and respected references. J. J. Abrams may be happy to admit that he never enjoyed “Star Trek” while growing up, but it’s clear he’s come to love it since then – and we can only hope that attention to detail and respect for the source material translates into similar work as he helms the new “Star Wars” outing.

But J. J. Abrams also comes with his own drawbacks – most notably his great affinity for lens flare. Early on there’s enough to be a reminder - “Hey folks – don’t forget this is a J. J. Abrams film!” But later there are times when the screen goes bright and you just wish he was sitting in the row in front of you so you could slap him across the back of the head every time it happens – “Hey J. J. – we didn’t forget!”

The single best development of the new series here is the addition to the cast of the excellent Benedict Cumberbatch, who is a familiar face to many although new enough to some to produce some awkward moments. In a recent interview, David Letterman asked him if this was his first big film and Cumberbatch looked a little uncomfortable for a moment and perhaps avoided the urge to rattle off a list (“The Hobbit,” “War Horse,” Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” “Atonement,” etc.). Although much of his almost cult status with a core group of fans comes from his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the British TV series “Sherlock” – where he’s brilliant enough that when you’re not wishing you could slap J. J. Abrams, you might wish you could slap the American TV executive who felt the need to remake the series for the American market.

All in all it’s a neat movie. It also has fun with some neat reversals of fortune that will amuse and perhaps amaze the true Trekkies without causing too much confusion in the newbies. It’s like a wonderfully constructed inside joke that you don’t actually need to be an insider to get. And, as part of its ongoing balancing act, it manages to bring the series to where it needs to be for logical progression. That’s a pretty clever package.

A second opinion by Malcolm Maclachlan: POSSIBLE CHARACTER SPOILER AHEAD!

When it comes to mass-market American pop culture, “Star Trek” is the standard-bearer for nerds. With its high regard for intellect, uncanny ability to predict consumer electronics decades in the future, and elevation of Spock as it’s unquestioned most popular character (not to mention its endless conventions and spin-offs), it has become cultural shorthand for nerd ascendance.

But watching “Into Darkness,” I can’t help thinking the nerds lost and the jocks won. It’s entertaining alright. But there’s something kind of wrong about watching Spock fistfight with Khan across hover-barges. Taken as a whole, it’s loud, fast and not especially cerebral.

Of course, Spock and Khan (who came from the same era as Chaka Khan) are the two most fun characters by far. In a reboot that has most of the principles playing caricatures of themselves (especially Doc, Scotty and Chekov), Zachary Quinto’s Spock impression is uncanny. And yes, that recent commercial pairing him with Leonard Nimoy was brilliant (I think it was advertising a car or something).

Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Khan has nothing to do with Ricardo Mantalban’s vaguely ethnic space marauder, and that’s fine. Besides being perhaps the only actor ever to play Sherlock Holmes who has a more ridiculous name than Sherlock Holmes, Cumberbatch has a tendency to quietly steal movies. Here he does it loudly. My only objection comes to the way his character was written. The earlier Khan mainly conquered with his intellect. This one not only casually take out squads of Klingons and other assorted baddies with fists and phasers, he also makes too many mental lapses for someone with a supposedly stratospheric IQ. But he’s got to lose somehow.

Meanwhile, I don’t especially like how they’ve made Spock all weepy and emotional compared to the original series. He’s basically a stand-in for men who can’t express their feelings. I find the Spock-Uhuru romance kind of annoying and unbelievable (especially since Quinto recently came out as gay, to a collective cultural shrug and lucrative endorsements that would have happened anyway).

Of course, “Star Trek” was always more about respecting smartness than actually being smart. Its scientific lapses are legendary. Some of the ones here: I can roll with cold fusion, but why does such a device need to be hand-delivered? Why would you bother to chase a spaceship through a debris field when you could just hover above and take it out? Why bother making the Enterprise such an all-terrain vehicle? Why don’t other bodies reject the Khan super-cells (you’ll see on all scores).

Kon-Tiki
Directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg

In one of those coincidences I dig so much, “Star Trek” opens in Sacramento in the same week as “Kon-Tiki.” And for all of the “Boldly going where no man has gone before” sentiment of “Star Trek,” sometimes it can be just as bold to go where you think someone has gone before.

In the late 1930’s, Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl and his wife Liv were living with and studying native Polynesians. At that time, the accepted wisdom was that Polynesia had first been populated from the West, from Asia. But Heyerdahl came to realize that the winds and currents came from the East, and even local legends referred to “Tiki” bringing the people from the East.

A decade later, after WWII, Heyerdahl was trying to publish his theory with no success when it became clear that the only way anybody would respect the idea was to prove that it would have been possible for ancient Incans/Peruvians to travel to Polynesia on the types of rafts they were capable of building at that time. And so, with very little support and even less in the way of backup plans or safety features, he and a small group of like-minded adventurers drifted away from the Peruvian coast, at the mercy of the winds and currents.
In that post-war period, Heyerdahl’s crazy enterprise was credited with rekindling an interest in exploration and some even said it helped with undertakings like space exploration – which of course rings us back to “Star Trek.” As school kids growing up in England in the 1970’s, we were still reading about the Kon-Tiki expedition and Heyerdahl’s other undertakings, as well as the various other groups that attempted the same trip.

He didn’t prove his theory, but he did prove the possibility of it – and researchers still debate the same origin question, albeit now through other means like DNA analysis, which suggests that people came from both directions at different times. Interestingly, for film lovers, as well as writing a book, Heyerdahl also directed a documentary about the trip (and the filming is a feature of the current narrative re-telling of the story), winning the Academy Award in 1951.

At Any Price
Directed by Ramin Bahrani

“At Any Price” is reminiscent of the recent “Promised Land,” in that it tries to tell a character-based story as a mask for teaching us about a politically charged practice. In “Promised Land” the topic was fracking and in “At Any Price” it’s the kind of GMO-based modern farming dominated by Monsanto. Here, Monsanto is replaced by “Liberty Seeds,” although it’s not hard to spot the real villain.

Dennis Quaid plays Henry Whipple, a third generation farmer who also sells for Liberty Seeds. His younger son Dean (Zac Efron) has little interest in the farm, hoping instead to become a racecar driver. And that’s the basic dynamic behind the father-son story that sits in front of the political message of the film.

In another interesting coincidence, I watched this film within a couple of days of reading a news story that focused on the same underlying issue depicted, namely that the folks at the fictional Liberty Seeds and the actual Monsanto prohibit farmers from engaging in the age-old practice of taking seeds from their own crop as the basis for next year’s planting. The companies have copyrighted the DNA in the seeds and, in order to maximize profits, require farmers to agree to always buy new seed stock. Henry explains this in the movie to Dean’s friend, who asks if it’s like the issue of “bootlegging DVD’s.” To which Henry replies “Except these guys didn’t just copyright movies, they copyrighted life.” Almost that same phrase was in the news story about millions of farmers suing Monsanto, with an official (from memory, I think it was an Indian Government official) referring to the ridiculousness of Monsanto “patenting life.”

Unfortunately, the movie is also similar to “promised Land” in that in trying to do two things at once, neither film is very good – although they certainly serve a purpose in terms of delivering a message that many will approve of (and other won’t) that some may not hear any other way.

The other interesting and useful aspect of the film is the way it shows, briefly, the nature of modern farming outside of the issue of GMO’s. Henry Whipple doesn’t farm the same way that his father did – although he reminisces about the days of hard work in the fields, and the simplicity of it as he realizes how complicated the business has become. But he’s a farmer who can sit back in his enclosed, air conditioned tractor cab, not touching the controls, as the tractor is driven by a computer that’s downloading information from a satellite feed that’s providing information about soil temperature, moisture, and other variables and adjusting the delivery of fertilizers, irrigations, etc. accordingly.

It would be a neat film to take kids to, to introduce to some of these topics except that the family story tacked on top both violent and sexual. All of which leaves the film without much of an audience.

CSER Quarterly Economic Report-Q1 2013

2013-05-14T23:59:13Z

The Center for Strategic Economic Research (CSER) has released the Q1 2013 Quarterly Economic Report--supplied to you through SACTO's member benefits.

The Quarterly Economic Report provides an overview of the health and performance of the Sacramento Region's economy along with an update to the Sacramento Region Business Confidence Index, a collaborative project with the Sacramento Business Journal to measure business sentiment.

Previous editions of this report are available on the CSER website (strategiceconomicresearch.org).

FIRST QUARTER REPORT - April 2013

Click to view

Positive job growth in the Sacramento Region moved up again in the first quarter of 2013

The six-county Sacramento Region posted an uptick in annual job growth at the end of the first quarter of 2013. Preliminary data show that payroll employment at establishments in the Region increased by 1.7 percent between March 2012 and 2013, equating to a net gain of 14,200 jobs. Following a major rebound in economic performance which peaked in June 2012, job growth dropped off in the Region through December 2012. Since that point, job growth started moving up again, reaching levels slightly higher than at the same point in the previous year. At the end of the first quarter, regional job growth placed notably below the statewide average, but came in just above the national average. Four of the Sacramento Region’s five largest sectors posted positive annual job growth in March 2013. The Professional & Business Services sector saw the most robust growth at 6.7 percent—a large portion of the gains in this sector came from the temporary or job placement services component, but a notable share of jobs was also created through the professional services segment. The generally improving economic conditions coupled with rising consumer sentiment is reflected in the Trade, Transportation, & Utilities sector which grew by 3.7 percent in March 2013 and is dominated by retail trade activities. The Educational & Health Services sector posted positive annual job growth for the 28th straight month (1.7 percent in March 2013) due to continued expansion of health care activities. While the Leisure & Hospitality sector has maintained positive annual job growth for over two years, the rate of growth has varied substantially with volatility created by the inconsistent regional recovery, which is required to support the major restaurants and bars and entertainment components. The most recent data shows annual job growth in this sector moving back up to 1.5 percent. Sacramento’s largest sector, Government, has experienced consistent negative job growth for 46 straight months with the latest data showing an annual growth rate of -0.8 percent. Recent losses have primarily fallen within the local government segment. The public sector is hampering overall economic performance substantially with most of the Sacramento Region’s large private sector industries adding jobs at fairly healthy rates.

California posted 2.1 percent annual job growth in March 2013 with a net increase of 302,800 jobs. This rate of growth exceeded the national average and placed the state sixth among all states, falling behind North Dakota, Utah, Texas, Colorado, and Idaho. California’s job growth basically flattened out in June 2012 after showing consistent improvement since shifting back to positive territory in the summer of 2010. Job growth at the national level was slightly lower in March 2013 than at the same point in the previous year. The most recent data show that, nationally, the number of jobs on payrolls increased by 1.5 percent in the past year, reflecting an increase of nearly 2 million jobs. Two of Sacramento’s neighboring markets, the SF Bay Area and Solano, both outpaced the state and the nation in March 2013 with annual job growth of 2.9 percent and 2.8 percent, respectively. The SF Bay Area posted an annual increase of 82,900 jobs with the gains essentially split equally across the San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and East Bay sub-markets. The Solano market saw a gain of 3,300 jobs in the past 12 months. Stockton’s March 2013 annual job growth rate came in at the same level as the Sacramento Region, 1.7 percent, with a 3,200-job increase.

Annual Job Growth

Major Sector Annual Job Gains and Losses

Seven of the Sacramento Region's major sectors added jobs in the past year

Most of the major sectors in the Sacramento Region added jobs over the 12 months ending March 2013. Three of the Region’s largest sectors topped the list—Professional & Business Services; Trade, Transportation, & Utilities; and Educational & Health Services—posting a combined gain of 14,500 jobs (nearly 91 percent of the net private sector increase). Manufacturing and Leisure & Hospitality also posted annual gains in excess of 1,000 jobs each. The two sectors that were decimated by the housing downturn—Construction and Financial Activities—added 500 jobs each over the 12 months ending March 2013, demonstrating the early stages of recovery for Sacramento’s housing market. Only three sectors shed jobs in the past year including the large Government sector along with two of the smaller private sector industries, Other Services and Information. These three sectors posted a total annual decline of 4,400 jobs. With an overall net gain of 14,200 jobs, the Sacramento Region saw total Nonfarm employment reach 864,900 in March 2013. The Region is clearly beginning to make up some of the significant job losses it absorbed during the recession and is now tracking at year 2002 employment levels.

California also posted annual job losses in only three major sectors. Most of the losses occurred in the public sector, primarily in the local government component. Of note, the Manufacturing sector lost jobs statewide in the past 12 months, while the Sacramento Region saw a moderate gain in this sector. The small Mining & Logging sector also lost jobs on an annual basis in the state. The greatest annual gains were posted in California’s Professional & Business Services and Leisure & Hospitality sectors. The SF Bay Area saw the largest annual job increases in the Professional & Business Services sector while losses were confined to the Manufacturing; Other Services; and Government sectors. Only four sectors posted job gains between March 2012 and 2013 in the Stockton market with Trade, Transportation, & Utilities leading the pack. Three sectors lost jobs over the past year in Stockton including Educational & Health Services; Manufacturing; and Government. Job gains in the Solano market were dominated by the Construction and Trade, Transportation, & Utilities sectors while Government was the only sector to shed jobs in the past 12 months.

ABOUT CSER

The Center for Strategic Economic Research (CSER) is an economic research and consulting group specializing in applied research and strategy development in the regional economics and economic development fields.

www.strategiceconomicresearch.org

CSER is grateful for the support of the Signature Underwriter, UC Davis Health System, and Supporting Underwriters of the Quarterly Report, Cushman & Wakefield, Los Rios Community College District, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), Sacramento Works, Weintraub Tobin and Wells Fargo.

Disclosure: This story has been posted by Ryan Sharp, Director of the Center for Strategic Economic Research

New film : The Great Gatsby (x3)

2013-05-10T20:57:18Z

The Great Gatsby (x3)

1925 novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald
1974 film by Jack Clayton
2013 film by Baz Luhrmann

There have been four theatrical film adaptations of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” the earliest of which was made in 1926, only a year after the manuscript was completed (and which is now lost). Other than the latest version by Baz Luhrmann, the only version easily found for comparison purposes is Jack Clayton’s 1974 film, with a screenplay adapted by Francis Ford Coppola.

In anticipation of the press screening of Luhrmann’s film, I downloaded and re-read the novel in the break between last Sunday’s East Coast feed of “Game of Thrones” and the West Coast feed of “Mad Men.” That timing is significant, because Clayton’s film is 144 minutes long, Luhrmann’s is 143 minutes long, and the book can be read in the same amount of time – so watching a film version may make some lazy students of English happy, but it won’t save them much time. I also re-watched the 1974 film.

It’s a short novel to begin with, with only approximately 200 pages organized into 9 chapters, which would make for a fairly simple screenplay adaptation if length was the only issue. However, the story in the novel is being told to the reader by Nick Carraway, who is essentially Fitzgerald’s proxy, who describes in great detail the lives of material excess enjoyed by wealthy residents of Long Island, NY in 1922.

Carraway is a young man from the Midwest who has decided to try his luck as a bond trader in New York. He rents a small cottage in the up and coming “new money” town of West Egg (Fitzgerald’s substitute for Great Neck, NY) and he has a cousin, Daisy, who married into “old money” and who lives with her inattentive husband Tom Buchanan in tonier East Egg (Manhasset, NY) across the bay. As luck would have it, his cottage sits next to the vast mansion and estate of the mysterious Jay Gatsby, a man with a murky past and a strong interest in Daisy.

In a sense, it’s a somewhat delayed coming of age novel but it’s one that would result in a significant amount of voice-over narration (by Carraway) if it was filmed directly from the novel – and that becomes one of the primary difficulties in adapting it for the screen.

In the 1974 Coppola adaptation, this is addressed by taking many of the scenes that Carraway describes in the novel, some of which have previously been described to him by other characters, and simply lets the viewer watch them unfold directly. But it goes further than that by expanding on others, such as a series of romantic encounters shot with enough backlighting and four-point starburst effects for a dozen contemporary Harmony Hairspray commercials (“Is she, or isn’t she…?”). These aren’t just stylistic issues, as these are events and developments that Carraway, our witness and storyteller, couldn’t have seen.

In Lurhmann’s 2013 film, he and co-screenwriter Craig Pearce create a completely fabricated device that attempts to make the Carraway narration work without simply having it be disembodied voice-over. They do this by having Carraway write the story under the supervision of a doctor, during a later stay in an institution. The problem now being that, while it somehow justifies the idea of Carraway telling us the story after the fact, it also inherently changes that character and attributes health issues to him that aren’t in the novel.

The other most obvious difference between the two films is their general style and tone. Clayton’s film is slow and deliberate, with a soundtrack that occasionally borders on what one might expect in the horror genre, but it attempts to accurately capture the period in terms of popular music and wardrobe choices. Luhrmann’s film is an eye-candy montage of excess, with everything shown bigger and better and faster, and with a blend of music that’s packaged for independent sale and somewhat more suited to a rave than a party with a ‘Roaring 20’s’ theme. For example, in the new film, any scene that involves driving a car is like a live action version of “Speed Racer” – and it drops accurate depictions of details from the novel (types of cars and dogs, for example) whenever something cuter or glitzier is possible.

I’m not opposed to what Luhrmann was trying to accomplish here – it’s fun and loud and bold. But it’s also an over the top depiction of a time and place that was already over the top. Indeed, much of Fitzgerald’s descriptions are intended to convey the excesses he himself witnessed in that time and place. And while it’s calmer and more staid, the 1974 film gives a clear impression of wealth and the yawning gulf of socio-economic distances. From a narrative perspective, we’re told that the outrageous parties Gatsby throws are largely an attempt to lure Daisy – and Daisy seems more likely to find her way to one of the 1974 parties than one of the 2013 parties. Luhrmann’s film is like “Downton Abbey” as if shot to be a spring break special for MTV.

That said, there are also some remarkable similarities, with the new film at times feeling more like an adaptation of the earlier film than as an independent adaptation of the book. Chief amongst these similarities is the depiction of the area between the ritzy Long Island communities and Manhattan – the area around Wilson’s Garage, where the road and the train tracks come together in an almost post-apocalyptic environment, born by the consumption around it.

Despite being a short novel, as described earlier, the films both jettison material in pursuit of other goals. The romance in the 1974 film and the partying in the 2013 film both result in other storylines and characters being lost. The earlier film limits a separate romance between Carraway and Daisy’s professional golfer friend Jordan Baker and the newer film essentially ignores that story altogether, with both outcomes shifting the story away from Carraway (who spends much of that summer in the book away from the other characters) and more towards Gatsby. The 1974 film loses much of Gatsby’s backstory, including a mentor that shaped his future life and persona, and the 2013 film drops most of the last chapter of the book, including the appearance of Gatsby’s father, truncating much of the end of the story.

If I could wave a magic film wand, I’d probably attempt a mashup of some kind between the two projects – perhaps the period style and visual elements of the earlier film, with the cast and exuberance of the new film. There are some odd comparisons between the two films that are, at times, counter-intuitive. For example, the 1974 film has a more mature tone to it, and Robert Redford as Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy seem older than the characters in the book – Coppola even moved the story forward slightly by saying that eight years had passed since earlier events in the story, rather than five. The new film has a much younger air to it, with Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby and Carey Mulligan as Daisy – but DiCaprio is actually older than Redford was in 1974, which is coincidentally the year that DiCaprio was born. Mulligan seems a closer fit, agewise, to Daisy than the slightly older Farrow and Sam Waterstone as 1974’s Nick Carraway has a fresher feel to him than an older Tobey Maguire in the same role in the 2013 film. Bruce Dern played an appropriately mean-spirited Tom Buchanan in 1974, but Joel Edgerton has more of the novel’s description of Tom’s physicality in the new film. And, in perhaps the oddest piece of cast trivia, Daisy’s (Mia Farrow) young daughter is played (briefly) by Patsy Kensit in the 1974 film, and Kensit later played Mia Farrow in a television movie about Farrow’s own ill-fated love life.

There’s a stability and pacing in the earlier film that borders on the ponderous (if you watch it, go and make a sandwich as the opening title sequence plays itself out ad nauseum) – compared to a frenetic energy and visual abundance in the new film that’s made even more profound by the availability of 3D screenings. The new film is like an uneven patchwork of heavy-handedness and deft accuracy. On the one hand, we’re given a short Tom Buchanan speech on white supremacy while he’s closely surrounded by black servants (the servants are white in the 1974 film), on the other we’re given a Gatsby mansion styled closely on photographs of the houses thought to have been visited by Fitzgerald that inspired the descriptions in the novel. The new film also appears to change the ethnicity of another key character, shows a pivotal scene in great detail despite it not being witnessed by Carraway, and has a secondary character seemingly mispronounce Kaiser Wilhelm’s name (despite it being DiCaprio’s own middle name). And, on the topic of pronunciation, DiCaprio’s delivers Gatsby signature phrase “old sport” to rhyme with “Colbert Report” in a manner that simply grows tedious over time.

All of which leads me to say that I’m glad I watched the new film, and I even enjoyed watching it on the level of eye candy and as a visual exercise, but I don’t especially like it as an adaptation. It transforms the Nick Carraway character and drops too much of the original story to be considered an accurate telling of the story. The 1974 film also drops some of the details, but to a lesser extent, but it’s also a flatter version of the story. Watching both films and re-reading the book, all within a week, primarily caused me to appreciate the book more – it’s a short story told in a manner that simply works better on the page, where narration works perfectly, than on the screen. Perhaps re-reading the book is a mistake if one simply wants to enjoy either film.

That’s not to say it can’t be adapted well, and there at least two adaptations that are either lost or hard to find and another television movie that I haven’t seen, but these two adaptations each lose something in the translation. It’s material I’d still like to see others have a go at – I could imagine, for example, Sofia Coppola creating a film that might exist somewhere in the middle of what we’ve seen so far, with perhaps a better balance of elements. I’d certainly enjoy watching her, or others, try.

Collaboration vs Competition: Can We Do Both?

2013-05-08T20:49:16Z

This one is short and sweet and for the entrepreneurs out there who still believe you have to choose between profit and good works. You don’t have to choose. In fact, consider it may be shortsighted to favor one over another, and downright irresponsible if you still think that what is most valuable is profit for the sake of financial preeminence.

What is valuable today is what innovates, and shifts the game forward in ways that advances causes, lives, understanding, and human achievement in ways that radically changes the fabric of our experiences. What is valuable is good for most and healthy for all, as in it doesn’t hurt or disrupt other people, animals, the earth, or the future.

What is valuable is sustainable, and enriching, and filled with byproducts that could never be created had we never had the intention of efficiently using our resources for the long haul in the first place; we would have been too busy planning for the expensive weekend getaway and never noticed how our values were shifting.

It is easy to get lost and lose sight of how opposite collaboration and competition are, how since we’re on the C’s, how easy it is to believe that competition for profit is healthy. But it, absent some more valuable intention, is just killing our game for the sake of the hunt, when what we need to be doing is deciding who we are and digging in. Compete yes, but do so for the shared benefit of all.

Are we collaborators, or are we competitors?

Can we be both? Can a company thrive financially, even dominate if it holds others up as it grows and expands? Or is collaboration a dilution to power and leverage? I'd like to think Sacramento is the kind of town where its people, business leaders, and entrepreneurs see collaboration as a first order of priority. I try to do my part.

If we take away the game of profitability, would we miss the sport? Or would we come to know the true value of being and doing in ways that also lifts others up? Absent the bloodshed of competition, we might only have each other to fall back on. Where would our profit be then? Where would our values be then?

Might more of us move more often toward both the greater good and the high mountains if we held each other equal to ourselves?

What do you think?

Disclosure: As a media company owner and writer, I am intrigued by the notion that we can build financially successful enterprise by pointing that enterprise at game-changing intent to do better for each other and the world.

‘Listen to Your Mother’ arrives in Sacramento

2013-05-08T15:26:38Z

On Sunday, May 12, at 7 p.m., 15 local women writers will perform in the Sacramento premiere of “Listen to Your Mother” at the Crest Theatre. A portion of all proceeds will benefit 916 Ink, a local nonprofit organization that is dedicated to increasing the literacy rate of youth in Sacramento. Bring your mother, sister, daughter or friend and spend a Sunday evening listening to stories of motherhood.

It’s certain that one of the stories presented by these women, who are professional writers or bloggers, artists, homemakers, teachers or office workers, is sure to tickle your funny bone and perhaps moisten your eyes, while each will certainly celebrate the complexities of motherhood.

Since its inception in 2010, “Listen to Your Mother” has expanded from one city to 24 in 2013, and is under the leadership of Ann Imig, the organization’s national director. Each city features local readers. The Sacramento show is being produced and directed by Margaret Andrews and Nichole Beaudry.

Andrews has worked as a software developer and technical writer, and is now the writer behind the award-winning humor blog, “Nanny Goats in Panties.” She is also the author of “Sticky Readers: How to Attract a Loyal Blog Audience by Writing More Better.”

Beaudry performed last year in the San Francisco production of “Listen to Your Mother,” is a former English professor, co-founder of Sacramento Bloggers, columnist for “SheKnows” and the writer of the blog, “in these small moments.”

The cast is diverse and includes KCRA’s Emmy Award-winning journalist, Deirdre Fitzpatrick, who also writes the online Olympic blog, “Deirdre’s Diary.” In addition to Fitzpatrick, Andrews and Beaudry, readings will be presented by Tresa Edmunds, Janelle Hanchett, Jill Mansfield, Penny Manson, Laura Meehan, Stephanie Huang Porter, Kim Prior, Lisa Smiley, Roxanne Stellmacher, Emma Wall, Tonya Wertman and Bridgette White.

Tickets are $20 if purchased in advance or $25 if purchased on May 12.

Men in heels raise over $204,000 for WEAVE | PHOTOS

2013-05-05T03:45:31Z

600 specimens of brawny, hairy men (well, some were) donned high heels to walk a mile around the Capitol Mall today. They did it with grace and pain. Some did it fast, some slow. They did it.

They did it to raise awareness about sexual assault against women and raised funds for WEAVE to provide 24-hour services for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Here's some photos from the event:

Award winners will be posted when information is received.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Book Talk: Akashic, local writers and notable events

2013-05-03T15:58:26Z

Small press focus: Akashic Books

Akashic Books is this edgy press that you may or may not have heard of. Akashic published one of my favorite books of all time, “Ruins,” by Achy Obejas. Their noir series is sure to please fans of noir, and I recommend picking up one of the many titles, perhaps beginning with “Boston Noir 2: The Classics” or delving even deeper into the drug noir series, perhaps with “The Heroin Chronicles.”

You might be asking just how good these books are. Well, with contributors like David Foster Wallace, Joyce Carol Oates and Andre Dubus, how can you go wrong with “Boston Noir 2: The Classics?” This collection is divided into three sections: Broken Families where you’ll find “Night-Side” by Joyce Carol Oates and “Surrogate” by Robert B. Parker; Criminal Minds where Dennis Lehane’s “Mushrooms” and Linda Barnes’ “Lucky Penny” can be found; and Voyeurs and Outsiders with offerings like “Townies” by Andre Dubus, an excerpt from “Infinite Jest,” by David Foster Wallace and “At Night” by David Ryan.

Akashic's series of noir anthologies began with “Brooklyn Noir” in 2004. The series includes anthologies covering Wall Street, New Jersey, Boston, Baltimore, Barcelona, Cape Cod, Copenhagen, Delhi, Los Angeles, Miami, Mexico City and even Moscow. No Sacramento on the list. Yet.

In addition to the more traditional noir anthologies featuring works by Joyce Carol Oates, Andre Dubus, David Foster Wallace and many other recognized names, Akashic also publishes its drug chronicles series. Titles include “The Cocaine Chronicles,” “The Speed Chronicles,” “The Heroin Chronicles” and the forthcoming “The Marijuana Chronicles.” These are short literary fiction works that focus on people and place and feature some of the most well-respected and well-known writers, including Sherman Alexie, Beth Lisick and William T. Vollmann.

My copy of "The Heroin Chronicles" was inadvertently borrowed by someone, and I had to borrow another copy from the library. Yep, these books are good.

“American Honor Killings: Desire and Rage Among Men” by David McConnell is a true crime book that explores various cases, including one featuring an episode of Jenny Jones and one that includes the arson of three Sacramento synagogues in 1999. Congregation B’nai Israel’s library contents were destroyed. Congregation Beth Shalom and Knesset Israel Torah Center were the other targets of the brothers McConnell interviewed for “Matson, Mowder, and the Williams Brothers, 1999,” one of several pieces included. Each story re-creates the events surrounding the cases.

* * *

On the local front

Local writer and historical archaeologist Glenn J. Farris is the editor of “So Far From Home: Russians in Early California,” published under Heyday’s California legacy imprint in collaboration with Santa Clara University. In this fascinating book, Farris brings together documents dating back to 1768 and extending to 1951 and Fort Ross’s place in the Cold War.

A wonderful read for those interested in California’s history, this book is sure to find a place on any history buff’s bookshelf. Through letters like the one written to Ivan Aleksandrovich, dated Oct. 14, 1808, readers learn that Alexander Baranov, the chief manager of the Russian American Company, plans to “dispatch a hunting party to the coast of the American New Albion with the Company vessels Mirt Kadiak and Nikolai.”

With chapters like “Russian and Kodiak Deserters, Captives, and Martyrs: Bolcoff, Egorov, and St. Peter the Aleut,” “The Transformation of Fort Ross’s Primary Function from Fur Hunting to Agriculture and Light Industry” and “Botanists on Russian Expeditions to California,” Farris opens a part of history that many may not be aware of. Several animal species were named by or for Russians, including the tiger beetle; the Monterey salamander; the Steller sea cow, sea lion and sea jay; the live oak cluster beetle and the bombardier beetle.

Much of the material included in this 368-page book has not been previously published. Farris received assistance from the Fort Ross Conservancy and drew material - including letters, journal entries and reports - from California, United States and Russian archives, providing readers with a different look into California history.

* * *

The last time we met Sacramento writer Norm Schriever, he’d sold all of his possessions and had moved to the tropics to write. Well, he moved, lived, laughed and wrote. The result is his second book, “South of Normal: My Year in Paradise,” published by Sacramento-area Authority Publishing.

The release party for "South of Normal" is scheduled for May 11 from 5 - 9 p.m. at LowBrau, 1050 20th Street.

* * *

The first book has rolled off the new small press at American River College, Ad Lumen Press. The anthology, "Burning the Little Candle" features works by Lois Ann Abraham, Christian Kiefer, Michael Spurgeon, Traci Gourdine and an introduction by Anthony Swofford. The next book, "Let the Water Hold Me Down," by Michael Spurgeon is scheduled to release on July 1. Books by Jason Sinclair Long and Daniel Rounds are forthcoming.

Cold River Press, the sponsor of the ever-popular twice-monthly poetry series, Poetry With Legs at Shine Cafe, has been quite busy at the press. This local small press recently released books by Davis poets D.R. Wagner and Phillip Larrea. Ask for these books, and other small press books, at your independent book store.

* * *

On the event front

Conference time has begun. Actually, it never really ends, but summer's warmer temperatures seem to equate with the cooler indoor temperatures of writing conferences. As you know, the Sacramento Poetry Center held its annual poetry conference in April.

"Our Life Stories" is another local conference that is scheduled for Saturday, May 4 from 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Cosumnes River College. This conference is a wonderful opportunity to take workshops from notable writers and poets. Jeff Knorr, the poet laureate of Sacramento, will present "Crafting Your Poems." Satsuki Ina will present "From A Silk Cocoon: Working with Letters, Diaries, Poetry to Tell the Story through Narrative and Film," and V.S. Chochezi will present "For a Live Audience." A full day of workshops, meeting other writers, lunch and materials runs $35 - $40. This is one of the best conferences in town and welcomes writers of all ages and levels.

SummerWords returns this year on May 30 and runs through June 2. T.C. Boyle is the keynote speaker this year, and a host of workshops and readings are available for $95.

The Community of Writers at Squaw Valley has presented workshops in poetry, prose and screenwriting for more than 40 years. This program begins June 22 and runs through July 15. While registration for this event has closed, you can attend several of the public events held in Squaw Valley. Additionally, you can help raise funds for this event by attending the annual benefit reading at Crocker Art Museum on June 21.

* * *

A reminder that May is short story month. Read many short stories this month. You might want to begin with some from Akashic's anthologies or from other anthologies you might have found. Do you have a favorite short story? A favorite short story author?

* * *

If you have book news (new books; author readings, signings, events; or any other book-related items), please email SacramentoBookTalk@gmail.com.

Certified Farmers' Market at Caesar Chavez Plaza opens | PHOTOS

2013-05-02T02:48:18Z

The newly designed Caesar Chavez Plaza Farmers' Market opened today amongst great temperatures and a windy day.

Lots of farmer's stands, food servers and a good crowd made for a successful opening day.

Here are some photos:

The stands remain fairly consistent throughout the season. If you saw something you liked, you should be able to find it when you go.

For information on Sacramento's Farmers Markets CLICK HERE.

Arts Day of Giving at Mulvaney's

2013-04-30T02:03:58Z

GiveLocalNow has a good competitive spirit. It's a 24-hour online giving for the arts. It's aim is to raise money for Arts. $500,000 is their goal.

It kicked off at 4:29am and continues until 4:29am tomorrow (Tuesday).

More than 75 participating arts organizations are asking the public to give an online donation as small as $25 to the arts via a mobile-friendly website, givelocalnow.org.

Kelly Lind who works with the Sacramento Region Community Foundation said when she gave her donation at 6:30am online, the total donated at that point was around $32,000. When she got into the office at 8:30 it was up to the $100,000 mark.

As of 6:23pm Monday, $316,506 has been raised, past the half-way point to the goal of $500,000. Not including the $100,000 match Wells Fargo, Western Health Advantage, Barry and Linda Keller, Enlow and Melena Ose Arts Endowment Fund, SAFE Credit Union, Jean Runyon Endowment for the Arts Fund and others! All donations are tax deductible.

From 11am - 1pm 19th St in front of Mulvaneys was closed for a lunchtime event accompanied by music by the Sacramento Blues Society, dance by Instituto Mazaltan Ballet Association.

Food trucks serving were Simply Southern Food, Drewski's, Bacon Mania and Krush Burger.

Douglas Adam Bradley worked on a wooden sculpture just outside the doors into Mulvaney's.

Folks have until 4:29am Tuesday to donate to the arts online.

Go to givelocalnow.org and show your support for the arts with a donation!

The photos are from Mulvaney's around lunchtime:

Remember you have until 4:29am Tuesday to help the Arts!!!

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Sacramento's historic Crest Theatre: Another busy week!

2013-04-29T04:14:20Z

Another busy week at the Crest Theatre

A little over 100 years ago, in January 1913, what we now know as the Crest Theatre first opened its doors as the Empress, a vaudeville theater - soon to be renamed the Hippodrome. In 1946 it closed for extensive remodeling, re-opening in 1949 as the Crest with an interior much as you can still enjoy it today, thanks to extensive renovation and care from the current ownership team and staff.

A couple of months ago, news leaked out that the Crest would no longer routinely schedule films on its two smaller screens, disappointing many who feared that Sacramento would lose its only truly independent movie theater (The Tower Theatre being part of a small chain). But this new development, the most recent of many re-inventions of this historic venue, doesn't seem to be slowing down activity at the theater.

To some extent, because films are no longer locked into week-long engagements, there's actually more flexibility to book special screenings of films that otherwise wouldn't make it to Sacramento - you just have to keep a slightly closer eye on the calendar to keep up with what's coming. And that's in addition to the regular schedule of speakers, musicians, comedians, and other events that the Crest continues to host.

Just check out this week's activity and you'll see what a treasure the Crest is and continues to be:

Monday has a daytime theatrical performance, geared towards local schoolchildren as part of an ongoing and frequent educational and cultural series. There's also a private event on the books and you can check here to find out more about booking the Crest for parties, weddings, screenings, or anything else you'd like to share with up to 1,000 of your closest friends.

Tuesday has an exclusive one-night only screening of "Jay and Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie" with filmmakers Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes on hand for a post-screening Q&A. More details here.

Wednesday has another daytime play for schoolchildren as well as another exclusive one-night screening, this time of political documentary "The United States of Alec" which aims to shed light on the American Legislative Exchange Council," a group described as hiding "...vast network of corporate lobbying and political action aimed to increase corporate profits at public expense without public knowledge." More details here.

Thursday has "Inside Amy Schumer" with the comedienne and Comedy Central host live on stage. More details here.

Friday somehow manages to accommodate another private event as well as the "Teen Digital Showcase," screening of the works of young filmmakers as part of the Tower of Youth film program. Friday is also the first of three nights for a short-run, exclusive engagement of "Upstream Color" from filmmaker Shawn Carruth. Carruth is best known for his 2004 Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize winning "Primer." "Upstream Color" is gaining similar praise and attention and has won acclaim again at Sundance, this time with a Special Jury Award. More details here.

Saturday has author and audience favorite David Sedaris returning to the Crest. More details here. "Upstream Color" also continues on screen - see Friday for details.

Sunday has a special screening of "Infinity and Chashu Ramen" presented by Norcal Buddhist Churches. More details here. "Upstream Color" also continues on screen - see Friday for details.

If that's too much to remember, and that's only one week's worth of events, you can sign up for the Crest's email newsletters here.

You can also follow the Crest on facebook here or search for "Crest Sacramento."

I may be a little biased as the co-director of one of the many film festivals that call the Crest home, but this is a true gem in our midst and one of the few businesses that has braved both good times and bad on what's now The Kay, Sacramento's downtown stretch of K Street.

So check out what's happening right on your doorstep at the Crest Theatre, the Heart of Sacramento.

Editor’s note: Every Thursday we deliver a local event guide straight to your inbox, right on time to make your weekend plans. Sign me up.

Disclosure: The author is co-director of the Sacramento Film and Music Festival, one of at least eight (it's a little hard to keep track of them all!) film festivals that are hosted by the wonderful folks at the Crest Theatre.

Del Paso Blvd hosts 4th annual Spring Carnival | Photos

2013-04-28T02:35:30Z

Friday night the Del Paso Blvd Partnership kicked off its 4th annual Spring Carnival. It's like a scaled-down version of the State Fair.

Part of the proceeds go to the beautification project for the area.

It runs through Sunday night.

Here's some opening night shots:

Admission is FREE!

Midtown Farmers Market [Photos]

2013-04-28T00:58:07Z

The first Midtown Farmers Market was held today. The market takes place on Saturdays (year round, rain or shine) and is held on J Street between 20th and 21st streets, in the parking lot next to the Sacramento Native American Health Center.

Here's some photos from the first edition:

Here's the schedule for the upcomg events:

Saturdays 8am-1pm

Individual Dates & Times: *

Apr 27, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)
May 4, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)
May 11, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)
May 18, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)
May 25, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)
Jun 1, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)
Jun 8, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)
Jun 15, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)
Jun 22, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)
Jun 29, 2013: 8 am - 1 pm (Sat)

4 New films: The Big Wedding - The Company You Keep - Pain & Gain - Mud

2013-04-26T20:26:57Z

A mixed bag of four new films

It’s a busy week at the movies and a mixed bag of outcomes, including veteran stars who elevate their material and films that both benefit and suffer by being associated with true stories.

The Big Wedding
Written and Directed by Justin Zackham

This is the first of two movies this week that become more than they might otherwise be by virtue of their casts. In this case, what would otherwise probably be a C+ grade comedy romp is pulled up a notch or two by stars Robert De Niro, Susan Sarandon (see below also), Diane Keaton, and a refreshingly understated performance from Robin Williams.

It’s a surprisingly raunchy-at-times (and appropriately R-rated) take on a dysfunctional family wedding with a modern twist, in that bridegroom Alejandro (Ben Barnes) finds himself trying to juggle three mothers (or mother figures): His staunchly catholic and Columbian biological mother, his now-divorced adoptive mother, and his adoptive father’s long-time girlfriend who has been a quasi step-mother.

Some of the familial relationships feel quite genuine at times, including sibling rivalry raised to the level of sport, and the film has enough funny moments to cause subsequent lines of dialog to be obscured by audience laughter. But it’s also rather unbalanced and inconsistent, with somewhat abrupt editing, and the fact that it works even as well as it does is because of the talent and gravitas of the actors delivering the lines. If the thought of A-list actors in a C-grade sex comedy is appealing to you, this could be your movie.

Sidenote: I see a lot of movies, including horror films and thrillers, and few things have shocked me as much recently as watching a character in “The Big Wedding” casually throw a martini glass into a swimming pool. Which just goes to demonstrate how much I’m affected by real life scenarios as I leaned over to my companion and said “They’re going to have to drain that entire pool!”

The Company You Keep
Directed by Robert Redford

“The Company You keep” has an even more impressive cast than “The Big Wedding” including, again, Susan Sarandon, along with Robert Redford, Julie Christie, Stanley Tucci, Brendan Gleeson, Sam Elliott, Richard Jenkins, Chris Cooper, Nick Nolte, Terrence Howard, and relative youngsters (who look like teenagers by comparison) Brit Marling, Anna Kendrick, and Shia LeBeouf. Frankly, it’s a dream cast and I’d probably enjoy watching them all play dead for two hours – so I go into a film like this with an inherent bias.

Sarandon plays a suburban housewife who, for three decades, has hidden her identity as a former member of The Weather Underground – a Vietnam War era domestic protest group that elevated their activities to a level that we would now label terrorism. She took part in a bank robbery that left a guard dead and she’s arrested on her way to turn herself in. LeBeouf plays a young local newspaper reporter who’s drawn in by the story and begins to realize there are more folks around whose pasts cover similar ground.

The legitimacy of the backstory, with the actual Weathermen having roots around some of the movie locations, adds credence to the story and it’s a topic that is remarkably fresh despite those roots being 30 or more years old. As characters discuss their original motivations, their complaints and concerns sound as though they could be current and new, and that’s an obviously intentional aspect of the screenplay. That it also comes to screens so close to the Boston Marathon bombings makes it seem even more topical and, truthfully, it’s a subject matter that could play in almost any decade, with only the exact motivations of those involved changing.

Redford’s last film “Lions for Lambs,” was similarly political in its content and messages although “The Company You keep” is, perhaps, a little less heavy-handed in that regard. However, while Redford is a very capable director and storyteller, he doesn’t waste time on too much subtlety when he has a message to convey. And here we get multiple corollary messages, such as the death-struggle of print journalism and the work that can sometimes only come from a doggedly determined local investigative journalist, and the relative complacency of younger generations for whom the gross injustices of an earlier time have become the status quo.

This is a solid film, reminiscent of the drama “Running on Empty,” which tackled similar themes of long-term fugitive status and its effects on family and relationships. It’s also an excellent reminder to those of us who are out of shape that 76 year old Robert Redford can still run through the woods carrying a backpack in a manner that leaves me winded just thinking about it.

Pain & Gain
Directed by Michael Bay

“Pain & Gain” is my most conflicted movie of the week and is the second that’s affected by being based on truth – in this case a true crime story from Miami. But it’s that truth that forms the basis of my conflict.

This is the story of a bungling group of thieves who attempted to get rich through a couple of kidnappings and the associated theft and extortion that followed. The ring-leader is played by Mark Wahlberg, with Anthony Mackie and Dwayne Johnson in tow as his accomplices. They’re supported by an effective secondary cast, including Tony Shalhoub as one of the victims and Ed Harris as the ex-cop turned private detective who investigates the events.

It’s actually a well made and well acted film that manages to deliver some genuine laughs along the way, in much the same way that we enjoy stories of crooks who try to pull ATM”s out of walls by tying chains to their cars only to end up leaving an axle or transmission behind. The problem is that the film tries to deliver those laughs consistently across its content – something which would normally be a good thing. The difference here being that while it’s fine to laugh at the villains (who are closer to being the heroes of the film) and their incompetency, we’re also asked to laugh at the scenes of torture and murder and, for example, the difficulties encountered while trying to return a chain saw to a home improvement store with human hair stuck in the mechanism.

This may be a very personal and subjective reaction, and others may differ in this regard, but I couldn’t separate myself from the fact that this is a real story about actual torture and murders. A couple of weeks before seeing the film, I had read a newspaper article about the relatives of the original victims who were irate at their loved ones’ deaths being the subject of a comedy re-telling of the facts of the story. And the film even pauses as it gets to a point of seeming ridiculousness to remind us it’s all true.

For me, this one was too close to the bone to enjoy, especially being played so obviously for laughs. A darker, less farcical telling of the same facts and the same events might have worked for me, but this just seemed crass.

Mud
Written and Directed by Jeff Nichols

Which brings me to my favorite new film of the week – “Mud” – written and directed by Jeff Nichols, who last wrote and directed 2011’s “Take Shelter.”

Matthew McConaughey plays the title character, who is discovered by two young boys in rural Arkansas, hiding from law enforcement on an undeveloped island in the river that dominates their lives. One of the boys, Ellis (Tye Sheridan), lives with his parents on a condemned houseboat, working with his father to sell fish and other meat out of coolers from the back of a pickup truck. His best friend Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) lives with an uncle who uses home-made diving gear to harvest shellfish. Together, the two boys enjoy the kind of largely unfettered and undefined childhoods that have remained relatively unscathed in rural areas, exploring their world in a manner that Huckleberry Finn would probably appreciate.

It’s a world that’s foreign to many of us, although still far more recognizable than the extreme independence and poverty depicted in last year’s “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” And it’s brought to life through solid acting, especially and most noteworthy from the two child actors – Sheridan who first appeared in Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life” and who already has another film in the can, and Lofland in his debut performance. This is a film that couldn’t work at all without these two parts being played this well – it’s more their story than Mud’s.

In essence that story is one of love, in multiple forms. It represents my favorite film genre, the multi-layered coming of age drama in which characters of multiple ages come to realize new things about the world around them. The film centers primarily on Ellis and his burgeoning understanding of human relationships, not just of the girl he likes but also the changing nature of his parents’ failing marriage, and the ill-fated love he sees between Mud and Juniper (Reese Witherspoon), the woman Mud has loved since he was younger than Ellis. But we’re also seeing those, and other relationships, through the other characters’ eyes as well as Ellis’ as they each discover more about themselves.

It’s a beautifully simple and effective film, with only the most minor of missteps, and my pick of the week.

Help keep California beautiful - Recycle E-waste

2013-04-26T02:31:00Z

Today was Keep California Beautiful Special Earth Day Event.

Johny Garcia of California Electronic Asset Recovery (CEAR) and Roman Gonzalez hold laser video discs someone dropped off for E-waste recycling during the 7th Annual California Litter Collection day on April 25th.

Other items dropped off were vacuums, tvs, small appliances and other small items with cords. When the items are sold to recycling companies, part of the proceeds go to the Ronald McDonald House.

Gonzalez is a student in Christine Flowers Environmental Science class. He is fulfilling 10% of his grade by working alongside Garcia for the day.

Every Saturday, CEAR does collect e-waste at various McDonalds stores. Donaters receive a gift card for use at McDonalds as well as a packet of flower seeds.

Wienermobile in town

2013-04-22T21:20:33Z

The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile has been here and there in the Sacramento area the past few days. It was in front of Wal Mart at the corner of Watt and El Camino today.

People seemed fascinated with it, perhaps it brought back memories of the folks who grew up listening to the song "I wish I were an Oscar Mayer Weiner....everyone would be in love with me.".

Some climbed up and inside.

Last chance to see it around here is today at Antelope at 7901 Watt Ave from 2-5 - come ketchup!

Read the Hotdogger Blog, the Oscar Mayer story and become part of the community of Oscar Mayer,

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Two vehicle accidents within five hours at T & 13th St.

2013-04-19T22:57:31Z

A second accident within just five hours happened at the intersection of T & 13th St in midtown around 1pm.

According to Officer Morris, the gray Honda was stopped on the south side of T St because of a stop sign.

The white GMC SUV was traveling east on T St. and did not have a stop sign at that intersection. The Honda pulled out as the GMC SUV travelled freely through the intersection, resulting in a collision.

The GMC traveled until it hit a curb and turned it upside down.

The collision sent the GMC off course where it hit a VW that was parked, removing it's front bumper and headlight. The owner of VW was not present at the scene.

Officer Morris said the occupants of the GMC had minor injuries and were transported to a hospital.

Another accident occurred shortly after 8 a.m. at the same intersection under similar circumstances.

A burgundy Chevrolet Tahoe SUV was traveling west on T street (with no stop sign) when a black Mercedes wagon pulled out in front of the Tahoe causing a collision. Four people occupied the Tahoe; the driver and front passenger were transported to the hospital. The rear passengers of the Tahoe stated that the driver was unable to feel his legs and in a great deal of pain as firefighters and medics removed him from the vehicle. The front passenger was suffering from back pain.

"I see a lot of accidents happen at this intersection," stated Michael Miguel who witnessed the first accident and works in a building at the intersection.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Flywheel Incubator opens in Downtown Plaza

2013-04-19T17:55:29Z

The Flywheel Incubator program, run by the Arts & Business Council, had a successful grand opening. Beer, wine and food was served, live music and a great crowd of people stopped in to shop.

Here are some scenes:

To get the full experience of Flywheel, stop by. It's located between the cell phone shops and the two big spaces occupied by Macy's. These photos are just the tip of the iceberg!

To read about Flywheel, CLICK HERE>>>

Go to their Facebook page.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

From dreaming to doing – $125,000 award for next big business plan

2013-04-16T22:41:56Z

Are you one of those people who sits back all day, dreaming up business plans and ways to improve your city? If you can turn those dreams into something concrete and pitch it to the Downtown Sacramento Foundation, you could win $125,000 to fund those ambitions.

The DSF on Tuesday launched its inaugural retail business competition – Calling All Dreamers – and is accepting applications until May 24. The competition is designed to stimulate business development in the city's core, while providing support to downtown's next big idea.

The multi-round competition is open to entrepreneurs with a retail business idea looking to open a storefront, according to a press release.

The winner will receive a prize package worth about $125,000, which includes free rent up to a year in a downtown location, startup capital, and business support services. "Community businesses will provide services including advertising, contractor build-out assistance, graphic design, strategic marketing support, legal and accounting services, and more," the release states.

"We want to encourage innovative business owners to launch, operate, and thrive in downtown,” DSP Business Recruitment and Retention Manager Valerie Mamone-Werder stated in the release. “By incentivizing one business we will be creating more jobs, a new passionate business owner, and one more reason for visitors and residents to experience downtown.”

Competition applicants will provide business concepts that will develop into a business plan as the competition progresses. A panel composed of the DSF board and business experts will judge submittals based on creativity, a sound business model, and clarity and passion demonstrated in the application.

Ten to 15 semi-finalists will be selected to further refine their business concept model. A group of three to five finalists will then be selected to do a final business pitch to the panel. The judges will select the entrepreneur with the most viable plan that both fits within downtown’s retail mix and has long-term sustainability potential as the winner.

Rules, eligibility, key dates, and resource information is available at DreamersWelcome.org.

Historic R

2013-04-12T03:31:11Z

Early evening light casts a soft glow on the Historic R District. The R Street Corridor is a 27-block long, two block wide special planning district within Sacramento’s Central City Community. The Fox and Goose Pub is behind the bicyclist.

Jeremy Brickner: Chemical-free bee collector

2013-04-11T18:50:10Z

If you see a swarm of bees that won't move on - who ya gonna call?

Jeremy Brickner, beekeeper and swarm collector.

He will gladly respond, with a huge smile, to someone in need of help getting rid of unwanted bees.

Yesterday afternoon he responded to the 800 block of F Street. Residents had noticed 5,000-6,000 bees hanging around a gutter, flying about, for roughly a week.

He said he sells the boxes – that happen to be full of bees. The bees, however, are free – Brickner can't guarantee they'll survive long.

He explained that about five generations of bees will become toxic from one generation’s exposure to the poisons used for extermination in the hive. Bees live four to six weeks.

Pesticides, when used, build up in the hive. The bees will, at some point, bail out of the hive and leave within minutes.

"Where they go, don't know," Brickner said. "When they fly out their front door with all the toxins in their bodies, they are so deranged and geographically challenged. They have no idea where they're at."

"They have no idea where to go because they are so jacked up on drugs and they're done," he said.

Brickner arrived with a white box for collecting bees. Wearing purple latex gloves and no other protection, he gently picked up piles of bees from the gutter, placing them into the box.

This was his second call of the day. He was having lunch when called and he headed right over to F Street.

The bees were flying around the box. At times it seemed he wasn't making any headway keeping them inside of it.

He tried to find the queen bee, though didn’t have much luck.

The massive number of bees he collected in the box weighed a couple of pounds.

Towards the end of his mission, he got one sting on the tip of one of his fingers. He really does love his job.

Don’t Miss Out on County SURPLUS SALE

2013-04-10T16:56:20Z

On Thursday May 2 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sacramento County is having an enormous sale of used equipment
and supplies including:

• televisions
• computer work stations
• tables
• file cabinets
• book shelves
• office chairs
• desks
• dry toner
• printer cartridges

Items are CASH and CARRY Only - No credit or debit cards - All items sold as is! Sorry, preview of items is not available online or in person.

Sale Location:
9650 Goethe Road
Call 916-875-6444

Disclosure: Media Officer with Sacramento County

Book Talk: D. A. Powell and the Northern California Book Awards

2013-04-10T03:48:38Z

The Northern California Book Reviewers have shortlisted the books for the 32nd Annual Northern California Book Awards, and D.A. Powell, a Sacramento area favorite, is on the list.

Why does that matter?

Well, he’s also going to be featured in this year’s Festival of the Arts at California State University, Sacramento. On Friday, April 12, from 3 to 4 p.m., Powell will read and hold a book signing at the University Library Gallery.

Powell’s newest book, the one being considered for the poetry award, is “Useless Landscape: A Guide for Boys,” and was published by Graywolf Press in early 2012.

With poems like “Head Out on the Highway,” “The Price of Funk in Funkytown” and “Riverfront Park, Marysville, CA,” Powell presents the between. His ear and attention to language is always careful and appropriate to the poem. There’s also always a little twist.

About Powell, Dr. Joshua McKinney, the event’s host, said:

“To my mind, D.A. Powell has with his last two books assumed his rightful place in the pantheon of California poets—I mean those poets for whom the California landscape (in Powell’s case the Central Valley) and the landscapes of the poet’s psyche, blood, and bone become one and the same. No one captures this terrain—its beauty, futility, and sadness—better than D.A. Powell. He’s a poet whose work draws me back to it often, and I am always humbled and instructed and amazed.”

Other Sacramento area favorites being considered include Lucille Lang Day and her book, “Married at Fourteen: A True Story,” published by Heyday; Art Beck and his translation from the Latin of “Opera Omnia” by Luxorious, published by Otis Books, Seismicity Editions; and Robert Hass and his book, “What Light Can Do: Essays on Art, Imagination, and the Natural World.”

Lang Day’s reading at The Avid Reader a few months ago is still being talked about. If you see her, be sure to ask about the hair. Beck has read several times at the Sacramento Poetry Center, and Hass is the director of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers and will return to Sacramento in June to read at a benefit to be held at the Crocker Art Museum.

In the meantime, mark your calendar and make your way out to the University Library Gallery Friday, April 12 at 3 p.m. to hear Powell read from his new, and perhaps older, works.

Editor’s note: Every Thursday we deliver a local event guide straight to your inbox, right on time to make your weekend plans. Sign me up.

Two Rivers rides wave of cider popularity – seeking a spot on the grid

2013-04-08T14:39:48Z

For the first decade of its nearly 17-year history, Two Rivers Cider was close to a one-man show, with founder and owner Vincent Sterne at center stage. While building his hard cider business, Stern worked behind the bar at Rubicon Brewery, rubbed elbows with those in the homebrewing community and sought advice from wine and beer makers. Back in the mid-’90s, there really wasn't much ado about cider.

The bubbly, alcoholic apple drink was in its infancy when Stern broke into the industry, and mostly big brewing companies made fermented fruit suds. "It was mainly large companies I was in competition with, and they weren't giving away their secrets," Sterne said. "When I started there wasn't really anybody for me to go to for cider advice."

With so many craft beer and wine makers, Sterne wanted to differentiate himself, and cider seemed like the perfect fit.

"I thought it would be a good niche," he said. "I was a little premature – the newfound popularity of hand-crafted cider has emerged in the last two years."

It’s true. The volume of cider consumed in the United States grew 65 percent last year alone, according to an NPR story on Americans rediscovering “the kick of hard cider.”

That boom hasn’t gone unnoticed locally, says Sterne, who said his company experienced a 50 percent bump in sales from 2010 to 2011. Since opening Two Rivers Cider, the company has averaged a 25 percent growth in sales per year, he said.

“We have a huge demand for cider that we have a hard time filling to be honest – we kind of got caught off guard,” said Sterne, who admits the cider isn’t aggressively marketed, saying it “kind of markets itself.”

Sterne and his team often “get weird” when experimenting with new flavors, fruits and batches, and have developed several mainstays over the years. In addition to the classic hard apple cider, Two Rivers brews a blood orange cider, pear cider, raspberry cider, huckleberry cider, pomegranate cider, dry oak cider and seasonals.

Nick Vellanoweth, Two Rivers Cider’s production manager and Stern’s right-hand man, said Sterne will oftentimes have an idea for a new mix in his head, discuss it with the team to see if it’s feasible, and if the fruits are available, then start experimenting.

“As I grow the business I’m constantly trying to come up with something innovative and creative that will captivate our customers,” Sterne said.

While Sterne prides himself in maintaining what he considers a small, locally produced, regionally distributed cider company, the fact is it’s growing every day. Two Rivers now employs about a handful of people, and recently expanded its production facility by 1,000 square feet.

Recently, Sterne was on the phone with the owner of The Local, a bar in Humboldt County, which wanted to add some cider to its array of taps. He already distributes to Portland, and dreams of adding a production facility somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.

"I have the dream of someday growing my company large enough so I can retire, grow my apples and have a little roadside cider stand," said Sterne. "But until then I have to grow the business enough until I can afford that dream."

Doing so may mean adding a tasting room to its current production facility, or creating one in Midtown.

While Sterne hasn't nailed down a site yet, he is currently in "conversations" to attain a building. "We're definitely aiming for within a 3-mile radius of downtown Sacramento, this side of the river for sure," he said.

Vellanoweth says they’re hoping to find something on J or K street, around the 2000 block. “Midtown is the place to be, that’s where our cider drinkers are,” said Vellanoweth. “Right now we’re tucked away in Hollywood Park – when people try to find us the first question they have is ‘Do you have a tasting room?’”

“If we’re more visible, it wouldn’t be such an adventure to get here.”

But it’s a matter of money and the city’s zoning codes at the moment. If Two Rivers can find a spot in Midtown with an alcohol permit grandfathered in, that’d be ideal, Vellanoweth said. If not, one costs $13,000 and is non-transferrable to another location.

It’s a big chunk of money to say the least, says Sterne, and he’s hoping the city changes its zoning code to exempt businesses in industrial zones from paying that hefty fee.

But this could all change this year, as the city council is slated to update the zoning code as part of the 2030 general plan. A public hearing on this is scheduled for this Tuesday night’s council meeting.

By nixing this $13,000 fee, the cost of establishing a microbrewery in Sacramento would be drastically reduced, at least in industrial zones, said Dean Peckham, senior project manager for the economic development department.

“They can become real community assets,” he said, citing Track 7 as an example. “We're just trying to increase the cultural diversity of the city and be business friendly at the same time.”

For Sterne, hard cider is the most fascinating because it’s the newest. “There are thousands of wine and beer makers, but only a handful of cider makers,” he said. “Unfortunately there are a lot of ingredients and the process gets pricey.”

But it seems to be working, and appealing to beer drinking audience and beyond.

“He found a way to make cider that’s more appealing to everyone,” Vellanoweth said. “It’s not on the sweet side, and closer to dry, showing there’s more to cider than what’s out there.”

Job growth is moving back up again in the Sacramento Region - CSER Economy Watch March 2013

2013-04-04T00:57:06Z

Each year, the Labor Market Information Division of the California Employment Development Department (EDD) revises its monthly data series covering payroll employment and labor force to reflect information in official tax records. The recent annual benchmark process resulted in notable changes to job growth patterns for the six-county Sacramento Region. Most striking, EDD’s revised data shows that the Region shifted back to positive job growth 10 months earlier than the previous data were showing—this movement happened in July 2011 instead of April 2012. In addition, throughout most of 2012, annual job growth rates were significantly higher than the rates reflected in the previous data with an average difference of about 8 basis points. In 2012, the Sacramento Region actually added roughly 7,200 more jobs than what previous EDD estimates were showing. The state overall also received an upward revision, but it was not nearly as pronounced as in the Sacramento Region. Average job growth shifted up three basis points with an additional 48,000 jobs added in the past year.

Annual job growth in the Sacramento Region saw an uptick in February 2013, moving up to 1.6 percent following a downward pattern that lasted for several months. This rate of growth reflects an annual gain of 13,300 jobs. With the recent uptick, the Region moved back ahead of the national average, but remains well below the statewide average job growth of 2.2 percent. The SF Bay Area is leading the group of neighboring regions with 3.1 percent job growth in February 2013 while Solano posted 2.8 percent job growth and Stockton came in at 1.7 percent.

Annual Job Growth

Major Sector Annual Job Gains and Losses

Six of the Sacramento Region's major sectors added a notable amount of jobs in the past year

On an annual average basis for 2012, the revised data shows the Sacramento Region adding over 14,300 jobs to payrolls, whereas the previous data reflected a gain of almost 7,200 jobs—a difference of approximately 7,200 jobs. The annual benchmark revision led to greater gains in three of the Region’s 11 major sectors including Professional & Business Services; Trade, Transportation, & Utilities; and Manufacturing. Two other major sectors shifted from an annual loss to job gains, Leisure & Hospitality and Other Services. The small Mining & Logging sector saw the opposite change while both the Government and Information sectors experienced a downward revision with greater annual losses. The remaining three sectors also received downward revisions with smaller gains reported in the newly benchmarked data series. Three of the Region’s five largest sectors moved in a positive direction (Professional & Business Services; Leisure & Hospitality; and Trade, Transportation, & Utilities) while the revision affected the other two negatively (Government and Educational & Health Services).

Among the Sacramento Region’s 11 major sectors, 6 added jobs between February 2012 and 2013. The three sectors posting the greatest gains were some of the Region’s largest, including Professional & Business Services; Trade, Transportation, & Utilities; and Educational & Health Services. Combined, these three sectors added over 15,000 jobs in the past 12 months. Four sectors saw job losses in the last year with the large Government sector shedding 2,900 jobs. All in all, Sacramento’s private sector posted a net gain of 16,200 jobs with the public sector decline pulling this down by roughly 18 percent. Establishments in the Region held nearly 860,000 jobs on payrolls in February 2013, which reflects movement in the right direction over the low point in the recession (approximately 835,000 jobs), but is well below the 2007 peak (around 954,000 jobs) and still tracking at year 2001 levels.

ABOUT CSER

The Center for Strategic Economic Research (CSER) is an economic research and consulting group specializing in applied research and strategy development in the regional economics and economic development fields.
www.strategiceconomicresearch.org

CSER is grateful for the support of the Signature Underwriter, UC Davis Health System, and Supporting Underwriters of the Economy Watch, Cushman & Wakefield, Los Rios Community College District, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Sacramento Works, Weintraub Tobin and Wells Fargo.

Disclosure: This story has been posted by Ryan Sharp, Director of the Center for Strategic Economic Research

Book Talk: National Poetry Month in Sacramento

2013-04-03T16:04:32Z

If you thought last year’s National Poetry Month celebrations were hot in Sacramento, you haven’t heard about the happenings this month.

Carlos Alcalá kicked the month off at the Sacramento Poetry Center on Monday, April 1, with some light verse.

The Book Collector is offering a generous discount on all poetry books until April 30. Did you know that they have the largest collection of chapbooks by local area poets? Stop by and ask Debbie to show you the collection.

Look at these highlights for the rest of the month. How many events will you attend?

Head to Folsom on Wednesday, April 3, when Verse on the Vine features Indigo Moor.

The Sacramento Poetry Center’s Literary Lectures series continues Thursday, April 4, with William O’Daly and “The Silence That is Great Within Us: The Many Voices of Our Poetry.” If you find yourself in Davis, you might want to stop by the Natsoulas Gallery to hear Joe Wenderoth and Oliver Jones.

On April 8, the SPC 4th Annual Autism Benefit Reading: Poetry and Art at the MIND Institute will kick off with a viewing of art from the MIND Institute (UC Davis Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute), followed by a reading by poets who have a personal connection to autism.

Mark your calendar for Wednesday, April 10, when several area poets, led by Allegra Silberstein, will honor the memory of Patricia Hickerson over at the Shine, part of the Poetry with Legs series hosted by Bill Gainer. This series features readers and open mic opportunities on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Head back on the 24th for another exciting evening.

Bicycling enthusiasts might want to hear Phillip Baron speak at the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame's "tireside chat" on Wednesday, April 10, from 6 - 7 p.m.

On Thursday, April 11, make your way to Folsom Lake College for a 12:15 p.m. reading by Dana Gioia, then grab a bite to eat and make your way to the Crocker Art Museum for U-Nite, two half hour poetry readings by CSUS faculty, students and alumni. This is the kickoff for the California State University, Sacramento’s Festival of the Arts. This event is led by Dr. Joshua McKinney and begins at 7 p.m.

The Festival of the Arts features the winner of the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award, D.A. Powell, from 3–4 p.m. on Friday, April 12; Kristen Iversen on Saturday, April 13, from 6:30–7:30 p.m.; and CSUS Professor Emeritus Edythe Haendel Schwartz will read from her new collection, “A Palette of Leaves,” on Monday, April 15, from 3–4 p.m.

The 13 x 13 show featuring artists, poets and musicians associated with the Rattlesnake Press publication, “WTF,” will perform at Vox Sacramento on Saturday, April 13, which is also the date of the Sacramento Poetry Center’s annual poetry conference. Attend that during the day and head to the Vox in the evening.

On April 18, don't forget to stuff your pockets with poems for Poem-In-Your-Pocket Day. You might want to get one of those traveler's jackets or a gardening smock so you have lots of room for small and large poems.

Lee Herrick returns to Sacramento on Monday, April 22, where he’ll share the featured spot with Sacramento favorite, Alice Anderson.

Head to Luna’s Café any Thursday in April for featured poets and open mic opportunities. The Poetry Unplugged series features Sacramento's longest-running spoken word open mic. Rotating hosts provide the opportunity to hear many voices.

Check one of these calendars for additional events in and around Sacramento.

Medusa's Kitchen

SPAM

Poetry in Davis

How will you celebrate National Poetry Month? Who’s your favorite poet? Will you challenge yourself to write a poem a day? How about attend a poetry reading for the first time? Maybe you'll even curb your fear and read one of your creations at any of the open mic opportunities in the area.

If you don't see your favorite National Poetry Month event listed here (remember, these are only some highlights), please add the event in the comments section below.

Most of all, enjoy the month and enjoy and share poetry.

If you're looking for poetry books, please visit our many local, independent booksellers.

Disclosure: I am a Sacramento poet, writer and visual artist who can't possibly know about everything happening in and around Sacramento.

Insight Coffee Roasters to add second location

2013-04-02T15:55:05Z

Before Insight Coffee Roasters opened its doors at 8th and S streets nearly 17 months ago, there were plans to open other locations.

So when the Southside roastery announced its plans to extend its caffeinated reach to 16 Powerhouse, a building that has yet to be erected, some were surprised, and others not so much.

In an announcement on its Facebook page, Insight said the company will be partnering with D&S Development on the 16 Powerhouse project, "a super cool, sustainable, green mixed-use development."

The coffee shop will be located on the corner of Powerhouse Alley (1601 16th Street), with a large patio, much bicycle parking and an "activated alleyway." The groundbreaking for the building will be held in May or June, and the business could open in mid-2014, said Chris Ryan, a partner at Insight.

"This location in the heart of downtown has extra special meaning for us, not because of amazing park across the street or cool neighbors (Hot Italian & Orchid Thai!) but because of the history," the announcement read. "Lucky's father was an integral part of the neighborhood development around Fremont Park many years ago. As a young child, Lucky spent countless hours in the park and surrounding neighborhood so our love of this community is strong. Now twenty plus years later, we couldn't be more excited to be committed to this great neighborhood and project!"

Insight Coffee Roasters opened in December 2011, and prides itself in directly sourcing its beans from countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, El Salvador, and Costa Rica. It takes a minimalistic approach to its menu and interior design, which seems to work well with regulars. All the metal and wood fixtures and furniture were hand-made by Lucky, the head owner.

Without giving away all the goods, Ryan said the new location will focus on coffee's educational components. "From the inception we've had bigger plans to do more educational programs," he said. "From the farm to the roastery to the cafe, there's a whole lot of exciting stuff to learn about."

He attributed the company's quick growth to its quality product, and its leader, Lucky. "Lucky is extremely talented and as passionate as you can be for quality coffee," Ryan said. "He does a great job of selecting the coffee, and roasting it to the right degree."

Lucky was unavailable for comment Tuesday, as he has plans to fly out to Nicaragua to build relationships with coffee farmers. However some loyal customers who recently heard the news were happy to chime in on why they prefer Insight over other Sacramanto coffee roasters.

It's "straight from the farmer," as Travis Avampato put it, who visits the roastery every morning with his bicycle buddies. Due to its location at 1901 8th Street, it's a bit out of the way from the rest of the city, "which is cool in a way," he said.

Besides enjoying the coffee, the atmosphere is chill and the regulars are all super friendly, said Sean Hays.

Shaun Sutton said he's not surprised Insight is expanding after only a little over a year in business. "It's the best coffee in town," he said. "You don't have to dress it up with sugar and cram, you can drink it straight."

When it comes to future expansion plans, Ryan said there will definitely be other Insight locations opening up, but there is nothing concrete at the moment.

"We love our homebase, but there are other people who don't live near Southside, and would want to see one in their neighborhood," he said.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Reviewing Sacramento's economy: first quarter

2013-04-01T21:47:45Z

Sacramento's struggling economy survived the first quarter of 2013, despite continued high unemployment and rising cost of living. SacTV.com is currently exploring data on the local economy to make comparisons with the national picture. As it stands, it appears that the local region is still hurting, although the worst of times seem to be behind us.

Unemployment in Sacramento County, which rose slightly in January, still hovers around ten percent, marking a huge improvement compared to 2010 when it was soaring at 13 percent. But the situation is still worse than the national figure, which is a hair below eight percent. Part of Sacramento's unemployment crisis has been that the Capital City has a huge government workforce that keeps shrinking due to state and local budget cuts. On a county by county basis, Yolo County has the highest unemployment at 12.7 percent, while El Dorado County is at 10 percent. Placer County has the lowest unemployment in the region at 8.9 percent.

On April 1, local gas prices range from $3.57 to $4.39 per gallon, depending on which gas station you visit. Arco, Sam's Club and Costco currently have the lowest gas prices in the region.The lowest prices can be found in the Arden Fair, Carmichael, Broadway, south area and north of the Sacramento River between I-5 and I-80. Other areas have a wider mix of prices, as shown on SacTV's info page featuring a map of gas prices powered by GasBuddy.com. Sacramento's average gas price is $3.89 per gallon, compared with the state average of $4.03 and the national average of $3.62.

High gas prices, which are partly a result of Wall Street speculators running up oil prices, drive up many other market prices due to distribution costs. That partly explains high food prices, which are also affected by the Midwest and California drought. January and February turned out to be California's driest months ever, although Sacramento was lucky to experience rain over the weekend.

The housing market is somewhat stagnant after bottoming out in 2011. Even though foreclosures are down significantly the past year, home sales are slightly down. Then again, inventory is down as well, meaning supply is down, which in a free market would normally create higher demand. But keep in mind, the only reason inventory is down is because big banks are keeping many foreclosures off the market. That's just how the game works, as banks have maintained control of the housing market, even though it hasn't really created any boom in sales. You would think that investors all over the world would be scrambling to buy all kinds of cheap property in Sacramento, but it's not happening. Perhaps prices are still too high for buyers, as asking prices have increased the past year.

So how about the indie revolution? It would help if Sacramento were a bigger part of it since nationally it's been small to medium businesses accounting for most of the job gains the past few years. Corporations are still talking about layoffs, despite overall record corporate profits and record low taxes as unions continue to gradually diminish, which has been the trend decade after decade since the 1950s.

Sacramento definitely needs a boost in small business help. Although some small businesses have expanded through the recession, it is not yet evident that there is a boom recovery going on with independent owners. Part of what may help small businesses may not be physical location. It may have more to do with online opportunities. More and more people are leaving the corporate world to become online entrepreneurs. It will be interesting to see if and when Sacramento catches on to this growing trend.

Disclosure: Alex Cosper owns SacTV.com and posts in partnership with The Sacramento Press.

Easter Day 'storm' photos

2013-04-01T16:37:05Z

Easter Day 2013 was full of storm clouds and a bit of rain. Clouds add something to scenes we are used to seeing with blue sky above.

The sky turned from some sun to barely any sun as the day progressed.

Here are some shots:

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

New film: The Host

2013-03-29T21:12:20Z

The Host

One of this week’s new movies is “The Host” based on the novel of the same name by Stephenie Meyer, known to most people as the author of the “Twilight” series of books. Meyer’s association with “The Host” is probably both the film’s best and worst marketing angle, given that the “Twilight” films have legions of both supporters and detractors. So what of the new film?

In “The Host,” Meyer again crafts a story centered on a female (or apparently female) character, with relationships seen from her perspective. I say “apparently” because the initial main character Melanie is taken over by an alien parasitic being called Wanderer and the alien species is never defined in terms of gender – so where Melanie is a female it’s not really clear what Wanderer is, other than an alien in a human female’s body.

This alien species has arrived on Earth some time previously, after colonizing multiple other planets, and all alien individuals require a human body to occupy. It’s not a new concept in fiction or film, but it’s handled quite well here with some interesting complications. Chief amongst those is, naturally, that humans aren’t thrilled at the idea of being occupied and small pockets of humans have gone into hiding – and so some of the aliens take on the role of ‘seeker’ to track down those pockets of resistance. Also, in some instances, the human host is not completely suppressed by the alien occupier, leading to a sort of captor/captive personality duality existing within the same body.

Melanie and Wanderer experience this duality and much of the story’s dramatic conflict is played out in arguments and conversations between the two of them. This is both interesting conceptually and also the film’s biggest problem. Having not read the book, I’m not sure how it plays out on the page, but it’s some blend of creepy and annoying on film. Both characters are played/voiced by Saoirse Ronan but the disembodied voice of Melanie, which we hear speaking to Wanderer internally, just sounds off. For starters, although angry at times, presumably for reasons of ratings consideration Melanie doesn’t employ the kind of colorful vocabulary one might expect to be employed by somebody yelling at an alien who has just taken over that person’s body. And the dialog in general just seems very childlike and simple – which sounds odd in discussions about having sex, for example (“We could be taken tomorrow, this might be our only night together!” [paraphrased])

This voiceover work, as well as the clunky dialog, is awkward enough to solicit giggles from the audience. It’s hard to decide if it might work better with less angsty delivery and it’s also hard to decide how else it might have been accomplished – but it’s still annoying to the point of distraction. Again, having not read the book, I’m also unsure of how much of that dialog is true to Meyer’s original text and how much is from screenwriter and director Andrew Niccol – but it’s not something you’re likely to look forward to hearing more of.

I sat watching “The Host” reminded of scenes between Anakin and Padme in the “Star Wars” prequels, scenes that were roundly panned for their stilted nature. But at least those had the somewhat mitigating circumstance of being between a universe wandering acolyte to a semi-hermitic warrior monk and the young Queen graduate of a juvenile diplomatic corps more versed in trade agreements than romance – it’s actually hard to imagine that conversation ever going smoothly. At times, one can give “The Host” a pass for similar reasons, given that one doesn’t expect a human/alien conversation to be without problems, but the human/human conversations are even worse. It’s adult topics written for tweens.

And some of those topics are very mature and intriguing. Not just the sex and killing aspects of the story, but the parts that dwell on what it means to be human. The idea that the aliens consider us to be worthy of their contempt as a species that readily kills each other and destroys our planet. But at the same time find us to be species that has the will to fight back against occupation, both internal and external, and as a species capable of love and sacrifice. Again, these aren’t original concepts but they still have merit even when borrowed.

Which leads me to what might be an observation that will annoy some people: That Stephenie Meyer reminds me of George Lucas – as somebody who can adapt existing themes and/or create new ideas that take the form of interesting and appealing story arcs but who, at the same time, manages to be pretty lousy at filling in the smaller details and dialog. To some extent, the same might be said of M. Night Shyamalan, as another person who has some neat ideas but who might be better served writing a treatment and then handing that outline to somebody else to execute.

Meyer’s “Twilight” series and “The Host” are stories written to appeal to girls and young women. The central characters are strong females, found to be attractive by multiple boys/men (with female characters on the cusp of adulthood, to keep one foot in both worlds). The same is true of the “Hunger Games” series of stories – and it’s a popular and very successful genre that you should expect to see more of. As I’ve said before, the simple idea of a love triangle between a high school girl, a vampire, and a werewolf is a neat starting point for a story in this genre, but the “Twilight” stories suffer in the details. Similarly, alien occupation and the internal conflict between characters is interesting, especially given the possibility that the host human and the occupying alien might fall in love with different people, giving rise to the possibility of love rectangles rather than mere triangles. But “The Host” also needs better detail work.

There are also other interesting ideas that the film fails to convey or explore. Meyer has said that she was interested in the topic of body image and aliens who would simply be grateful to have a body to occupy, perhaps regardless of its appearance. Yet “The Host,” on film, is populated by fit, attractive people – we’re not given happy aliens in obese bodies. And, as I mentioned earlier, we’re not really given an indication of gender as it applies to the alien “souls” and the film could have been a great opportunity to explore what it might mean to fall in love with a soul and then tackle the question of gender as depicted by the host body’s external sexual characteristics.

Instead, what we’re given is another interesting concept fundamentally flawed by stilted dialog, with mature topics reduced to fleeting exchanges and steamy kisses. So another likely success story to love or hate.

Final Friday at Beatnik Studios

2013-03-28T01:58:40Z

Expect an evening of art, music, food and family fun at Beatnik Studios during its Final Friday event. Final Fridays is a free monthly event that showcases local, regional and statewide talent and is open to an all-ages audience. Beatnik Studios is located on the corner of Broadway and 17th Street.

Final Friday will feature the art of David Mohr, Trent Liddicoat and James Angello. An artist reception will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 29.

Music will be provided by Rook Family, Orion Walsh, Autumn Sky and Musical Charis.

I sat with Wesley Davis, photographer and co-owner, Beatnik Studios to talk about Final Fridays.

Davis began by saying, “We actually have a new artist director. Her name is Kelley O'Connell who has been a friend of ours for a long time. She's a recent graduate of Sac State with a degree in Fine Arts. She has a good network of artists and is really passionate about doing new things with Sacramento artists.”

As the new Gallery Director, this will be O'Connell's first Final Friday. Davis stated, “She brought in all the artists which is exciting. The artists are David Mohr, Trent Liddicoat and James Angello. Both David Mohr and James Angello are Sac State graduates and Trent Liddicoat is a self-taught artist.”

Music is an integral part of Final Friday and Davis talked about the lineup saying, “I asked Musical Charis to host this Final Friday because they haven't done it in a long time. They're good friends of ours, they live right upstairs here. They're on tour and are basically bringing their tour package. It will be like their homecoming show they're touring with Orion Walsh. Autumn Sky will be here as well with the Rook Family. So Musical Charis put the music portion together for this Final Friday.”

As we talked about Final Friday, Davis shared some thoughts about how the event started.

“Final Friday started about three years ago. Beatnik opened five years ago, in reality it will be five years in May. Actually we may have been doing Final Friday for four years, maybe over four years. Anyway, we started doing them as an open studio it was called Last Friday Open Studios and it kind of disappeared for a while and then we brought them back. I was like the one that said 'Hey we should really be doing these Final Fridays because it's a night to showcase studio space and to invite the community to come in and see what we're up to.' So we started it back up and the venue is really accessible, it's open to people of all ages. We don't charge to get in and then we have live music. So our goal, our main goal, for Final Friday is just to kind of give a little cross section of music and art culture in Sacramento to as many people as we can.”

Davis has been at Beatnik since its beginning and he shared a little history about the studios.

“When we first opened up we were a shared studio. Our business plan was to have kind of like an Urban Hive, a common working space but for photographers specifically where we would have a studio then offices and spaces just to meet clients. That was really up and down and then we also had the gallery pretty much from the get-go. We would hang art and show art and that was also kind of up and down and then we started doing events here. That was never really the original intent, to do events, but the events were very popular and we saw the potential of having them.”

Davis saw the use of events saying, “Event revenue helped support the studios so we made the transition to become an event space and now you now we're a full out event space. We do weddings almost every weekend from spring to fall. Weddings are the big events but we also do fundraisers and all kinds of different parties. The cool thing about the events is that all those people who come for the events they get to see the art and they get to experience the culture that we provide.”

Beatnik has been around for almost five years and Davis noted that they must be doing something right and they're not planning on going anywhere as they continue to grow.

When asked why Final Friday was chosen instead of Second Saturday or First Monday or anything similar Davis said, “We're not trying to compete (with other events). We did Second Saturday but we want to provide a completely unique experience. We'd like to provide an evening where you can be in one place not hop from place to place to place. We want people to come and soak it all in, in one place and spend quality time with the artists' work. We wanted our own kind of night something out away from the grid, away from that cluster of galleries. We wanted to give people a night where they could really feel like they've been soaked in an atmosphere that we provide instead of going for 10 minutes and then leave.”

The public is invited to enjoy local art and music at Beatnik Studios every Final Friday. The venue is open to guests of all ages. Log on to the Beatnik Studios Facebook or website to find out more about the studio and other events throughout the month.

Editor’s note: Every Thursday we deliver a local event guide straight to your inbox, right on time to make your weekend plans. Sign me up.

Opinion: What else could $250M buy us?

2013-03-27T22:16:02Z

Let's come at this from another perspective. And just in case I sound like I'm anti-arena, I'm not – I'm just inclined to be wary of public spending on developments of this nature as they rarely pan out. Money often gets made, but it's not by the city or municipality involved. Deals are made that involve fabulously wealthy people who generally get wealthier (the Maloofs being bad examples) with public assistance. And if the overall business proposition involved was so appealing, there would be private investors lined up around City Hall, bidding on the opportunity to build an arena and operate it. The only time recently we've had that kind of rush to bid on something was when the city proposed selling off parking as a private concession – precisely because it was good for the private enterprises rather than for the city.

So here we have $250 million taxpayer dollars (or their equivalent in terms of city-owned land) being thrown into a deal that is essentially a business startup for a small group of very wealthy private investor/operators who want to operate one of the most exclusive business franchises in the country. And that money covers more than half of the startup and development costs. And the initial question is simply "Does it make sense?"

For all of the energy and eagerness that has gone into this, nobody has spent any time eagerly rushing to figure out what $250m could accomplish given that the City is apparently willing to put that kind of sum into business development. And the deal on the table, as has been discussed, doesn't really add something new to the balance of what the City currently has. It just moves it from one location to another, leaving Natomas with a big hole - which could certainly be developed for other purposes, such as a small or satellite college campus, but the arena conversation tends to suck the air out of the room.

So if we're collectively willing to throw $250m of our money at Downtown, what else could be done with it? How many small businesses or residential developments could start up if the City is willing to put in over half the initial costs? An arena isn't the only way to spice up a downtown neighborhood - and $250m is a lot of money, especially if we're looking at it as matching funds in development proposals (or somewhat better than matching).

It's not just "is this a good idea?" which is already a complicated and nebulous question, it's "is this the BEST idea?" And, unfortunately, nobody in charge of our money is actually considering alternatives.

Midtown BierGarten approved with design tweaks

2013-03-21T22:40:08Z

The city of Sacramento gave Der BierGarten its stamp of approval Thursday afternoon, paving the way for another German pub in Midtown. But the OK came with a few conditions to modify the design.

Design Director Greg Taylor wants the following changes made to the design:

• More significant landscaping between Der Bier Garten and The Golden Bear.

• The front patio to be heightened, similar to patio height at The Golden Bear.

Slated to open in July 2013, owner Sean Derfield of Old Sacramento's River City Saloon has been planning this project for the corner of K and 24th streets for the past two years. Currently the site is a vacant lot next to The Golden Bear.

"We have a couple changes but in the long run it's workable," Derfield said following the meeting. "Hopefully the next person who does a cargo project can learn off our mistakes and requirements."

Long, traditional BierGarten tables from Germany will be used outside, and a bicycle rack will be installed nearby so patrons can store their bicycles in a safer location than on the sidewalks.

Our coverage of the meeting has it happened:

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Agriculture Day at Capitol

2013-03-21T18:09:28Z

According to a press release, “Ag Day: The California Advantage” gives farming and ranching leaders an opportunity to show legislators and the public how they produce California’s amazing agricultural bounty. This year’s theme is “The California Advantage,” acknowledging all of the special elements that make our state so productive and so innovative: climate, soils, water, research, technology, labor… it all adds up to world-renowned productivity, variety and quality.

If you paid a visit to the Capitol yesterday you'd have sworn you'd stepped onto a farm. There were chicken, alpacas, horses, goats, farm equipment, food and milk and even rodeo queens. I didn't see the largest school lunch tray. The frizzell chicken above was one of the attractions.

Reba, a chinese breed, about two years old and Splash, five years old, are two well-loved chickens owned by Kendals Dale and Amanda Acuff. They both said they will keep them forever.

Rodeo queens left to right areTracy Hinson, Miss California Rodeo Queen; Bridgette Lahaye, Miss Rodeo California and Dakota Skellenger, Miss Rodeo Queen.Skellenger said it's important for the three of them to be at Ag Day because of the closeness agriculture is to rodeo. "If we didn't have agriculture, we wouldn't have rodeo," she said.

It takes hundred of thousands of pounds of Alpaca fiber to create products like these.

This youngster doesn't need much practice with a rope:

Ag Day happens annually.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Locally owned: Wasenshi Kan Martial & Healing Arts, Nerissa Freeman

2013-03-19T00:58:44Z

There must be hundreds of martial arts schools in the area. But Nerissa Freeman’s vision of what a martial arts school could be distinguishes her recently opened Wasenshi Kan Martial & Healing Arts from the rest. Like other schools, known as dojos, Wasenshi Kan offers physical training in martial arts and a chance to advance in level, as denoted by different belt colors. The dojo’s nonprofit status, combined with the program’s healing component and service focus, make the school unique.

Freeman opened Wasenshi Kan, meaning “School of the Peaceful Warrior,” in October 2012. Drawing largely from the Danzan-ryu jujitsu system, founded by Master Seishiro Henry S. Okazaki, Freeman teaches traditional rolling, falling, joint locks, throwing and grappling, as well as healing techniques. Healing, in its broadest sense, includes moral health as well as physical health. Students learn “how to be a better person,” and also learn massage techniques to relieve headaches and backaches and other musculoskeletal problems, said Freeman.

At Freeman’s nonprofit school, she and the school’s five other black-belt instructors are all volunteers. Freeman envisions the school as a place for service to the community and for improvement of character. Recently, her students did a martial arts demonstration at a local fundraiser event. Freeman hopes in the future to offer low- and no-cost self-defense classes for the community.

Freeman’s interest in martial arts began in college, when she saw a flier for a self-defense class and signed up for it. The six-week course, taught by Cynthia Frueh, kindled an appetite for more, and she formally began studying jujitsu from Sensei Frueh in Woodland.

In 1995, Freeman attained her first-degree black belt. She now has a fourth-degree black belt in Danzan-ryu jujitsu and has also studied other martial art forms, including judo, pencak silat (an Indonesian martial art) and muay Thai (a combat sport from Thailand).

Freeman started teaching jujitsu after receiving her first black belt. In 2005, she co-led a school in Woodland, and last year decided to open her own school closer to her Sutter Roseville Medical Center workplace.

Attracting students to the new school has been a challenge, said Freeman, but as a nonprofit, her main financial goal is to “pay the rent” and to have funds to offer scholarships. She also hopes that the school will eventually have its own permanent space and be open more hours.

Freeman wants her students to become competent in self-defense but also to develop confidence in themselves and in their interactions with others.

Freeman says that one young student who “doesn’t like exercise” loves the classes and has become emotionally stronger and physically more coordinated. Seeing her students grow and improve is the ultimate reward for Freeman.

Wasenshi Kan offers classes for children (ages 7 and up) and adults on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Prospective students are welcome to observe a class. A discount on the first month of classes is also available.

Wasenshi Kan is located at 327 Main Street in Roseville in the Polish American Community Hall. More information is available at www.wasenshikan.org or by calling (916) 420-5337.

"Locally Owned” is a regular column highlighting local business owners; the backbone of our community and economy. Each column explores the personal stories of owners and the businesses they built.

TDA Forum: Who is the Downtown Generation?

2013-03-18T08:44:59Z

On Monday, March 18, Turn Downtown Around presents a Public Forum, a discussion of how downtown Sacramento reached its current state, what its situation is today, and what can be done by regular citizens to create positive change in our urban core. I was asked to talk about how we got here. If we want to turn downtown around, this implies that, at some point, downtown Sacramento was going in the right direction. How did that Sacramento differ from the one we know today, and how can we recapture some of that spirit? What lessons can we learn from the past--both the mistakes to avoid, and the useful elements that we can use today?

[Note: Read the live blog of the forum as it happened here.]

The subject is broad, and impossible to cover fully in a 15 minute talk, but I will focus on the issue of housing. Downtown Sacramento once had about 30,000 more residents. During the 20 year period from about 1950 to 1970, the central city's population was halved, primarily from downtown, and has grown only slightly since then. Today, Sacramento's central business district has a population density of only seven people per acre, lower than suburban neighborhoods like Land Park or East Sacramento.

While still perceived as a "high density" neighborhood due to its enormous number of jobs and growing number of entertainment and dining venues, there are few housing choices available for anyone interested in living downtown. I'll talk a bit about why this loss of population was no accident, but deliberate policy, and what the consequences of those decisions were.

However, this talk isn't all gloom and doom. Over the past century, successive generations of Sacramentans came together downtown. It was a place to work, to celebrate, to meet friends, and a place to call home. Even when downtown Sacramento was losing its population and businesses moving to the suburbs, people still found reasons to be downtown. In an era when moving downtown was actively discouraged, some people fought the tide toward the suburbs and built communities and businesses in the central city. The call of city life brought them close to downtown, not just to visit, but to stay.

I'll share stories and photos from my most recent book, Sacramento's K Street, and new research and pictures from my forthcoming book, some that have never been presented in public before. They will include views of downtown Sacramento before the wrecking ball, and the stories of local entrepreneurs, artists, musicians, thinkers and innovators.

Younger visitors to the Forum will see images of Sacramento history that aren't mentioned in the standard narrative (the one that considers little outside Sutter's Fort, the Gold Rush and the Transcontinental Railroad worth mentioning.) Older visitors will see a Sacramento they might remember, one that is almost forgotten, but whose memory is still alive.

And then, we'll ask the question, where do we go from here? If you are interested in the question, and want to help find the answers, we'd like to hear from you.

Turn Downtown Around Open Forum

Monday March 18, 6:00 PM

Downtown Plaza--enter on L Street beween 5th and 6th (go up the escalator) or from K Street via the rotunda (turn south through the doors when you reach the 6th Street rotunda at the kids' play area.) All are welcome to attend--of every generation.

The Sacramento Press will live blog the forum. Join in via Twitter with the hashtag #LetsTDA.

Disclosure: William Burg is a freelance writer and historian, and part of the "Turn Downtown Around" committee.

Beer Bash to help Turn Downtown Around | Photos

2013-03-18T01:02:42Z

It was one heck of a Beer (and food) Bash at the Downtown Plaza Thursday night to help Turn Downtown Around!

Food inspectors work to ensure safe food at community festivals

2013-03-13T18:17:49Z

Every year, Sacramento is home to dozens of community festivals that attract thousands of people to celebrate culture, music and food. Most of us are not aware that the Sacramento County Environmental Management Department is involved behind the scenes before and during the event to help keep the public safe.

Consider the example of the Sacramento Hmong New Year festival that drew approximately 40,000 people during the Thanksgiving holiday. The Department’s Environmental Health Division worked closely with festival coordinators to promote food safety, even presenting a food preparation training seminar in the Hmong language prior to the festival. The food vendors were invited to attend the training, and high-risk food operators were required to participate.

Pre-event inspections were done at high-risk food booths to ensure that food booth operators were adequately prepared and booth operators were provided a check list to help insure safe operation. Fifty-six food booths were inspected on Thanksgiving morning alone. Food items included: produce tea, Hmong sausages, purple sticky rice, papaya salad, barbeque chicken, fish, pork, noodle dishes, rice dishes, pho, and nava, a popular tri-color tapioca dessert.

“Most people are aware that we inspect restaurants and grocery stores because of the popular Yellow, Green, Red placards, but few are aware that we perform also perform hundreds of food inspections at outdoor community events every year, including the State Fair,” said Val Siebal, Director of the Environmental Health Department. “If food is being commercially served to the public, we have been involved.”
For more information, visit the Environmental Health Department website at http://www.emd.saccounty.net/. To see the inspection results for your favorite restaurant, visit http://www.foodinspect.saccounty.net/default.aspx.

Disclosure: Media Officer with Sacramento County

Midtown BierGarten project gets neighborhood support as it goes to design director

2013-03-13T14:26:39Z

There's a vacant lot on the corner of K and 24th streets that's overgrown with weeds and fenced off to keep homeless people from camping. The Golden Bear neighbors it to the right, and Ancient Future sits across the street in a former church.

It's been empty for more than 10 years, but a local business owner is hoping to change that by bringing another German-style pub to Midtown.

Dubbed "Der BierGarten," the project has been in the works for two years, but hasn't yet received the final OK from the city. That may change as early as next week, however, as Design Director Greg Taylor is set to decide whether approve the latest plans at a hearing on Thursday, March 21. While initially wary, the Midtown Neighborhood Association has now lent its support to the proposal.

"When we were first starting this project, there was no LowBrau in Sacramento," said Sean Derfield, owner of Old Sacramento's River City Saloon. "I definitely think we can add another great element – there will now be two great German restaurants in the Midtown area."

Derfield's vision is to create an open-air restaurant and beer garden, serving only imported German and Belgian beer, and authentic, traditional food. It will include the use of cargo containers – one to house restrooms, and the other to house the kitchen – as well as solar power for nighttime lighting, and water reclamation to reuse rainwater for plants. There will be plenty of outdoor seating, including long, traditional BierGarten tables from Germany, and a bicycle rack so that patrons don't have to store their transportation on the sidewalks.

The concept is to build something that's easily replaceable, Derfield said, so that in five years' time, the landlord can replace it with a building that better suits the area at the end of the lease. And by their nature, cargo containers are very mobile.

"I felt that the rather novel approach of using shipping containers, and doing it as an outdoor venue was a real interesting way to use a piece of land, rather than having a fenced in, vacant lot, as a way of having a part-time, more temporal use," said Matt Piner, vice chairman of the Midtown Neighborhood Association.

And while developing this vacant lot has the support of several community organizations, the concept wasn’t warmly received by all when first proposed.

"Some neighbors were caught by surprise and didn't know this project was going on," Derfield said.

Though the property is commercially-zoned, it's in a mixed-used neighborhood, with surrounding businesses and residences. The city's planning and design commission rejected the original design plans, and the Midtown Neighborhood Association initially had concerns over another business coming in that serves alcohol, Derfield said.

“We were concerned about late night alcohol sales and entertainment, as we already have a recognized (by state ABC and SacPD) over concentration of alcohol licenses in the Central City,” former MNA chairwoman Vivian Gerlach stated in an email.

Also because it’s an outdoor venue, noise can’t be contained within walls, so hours of operation were a concern, said Piner.

Those hours are as follows*
• 10 a.m to 9 p.m. on weekdays
• 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends and holidays
* These are the hours for the first year of operation, after that, Derfield hopes to add on an hour to each set of hours

Derfield was forthcoming with his plans, Piner said, and isn’t seeking an entertainment permit.

And while Der BierGarten has the MNA’s support, there are people not affiliated with them who’ve come out against the project, Gerlach said. “They remain concerned about hours, noise and the fact that it is open air instead of closed,” she wrote. “To me, Sean has satisfied most, if not all of our concerns, but I understand some neighbors are still not happy.”

Derfield has also garnered the support of the the Midtown Business Association and the Old Sacramento Business Association, of which he's a member.

"Derfield's plan to offer authentic and seasonal beers, along with traditional German food is a perfect match with the demographic of residents and visiting customers who enjoy Midtown as a destination for shopping, dining and entertainment," MBA Executive Director Elizabeth Studebaker wrote in a letter of support.

The Old Sacramento Business Association also chimed in to support Derfield's plans. "Sean is a savvy, civic-minded business owner who recognizes that the reputation of his business and the neighborhood are intricately intertwined," OSBA Business District Manager Chris McSwain wrote.

While the MNA had concerns at first, Piner said "We don't want to be obstructionists." He went on to say many neighbors in Midtown have concerns over noise, which is usually brought on by intoxicated people getting drunk at any of the area's watering holes.

"It's become a real party scene, and it's affected the residents," Piner said. "Midtown and our neighborhood in particular is almost 80 to 90 percent rentals."

But it's not so cut and dry, he went on to say. "Our position as a neighborhood organization is we want to keep the lines of communication open, we want to work with people who are good managers," Piner said. "That's why we decided to take a supportive position with Sean. He was being exemplary."

Derfield said his goal is to make sure the neighbors understand Der BierGarten isn't the type of establishment to attract "a bunch of rowdy college kids." It's to be more family friendly, "stroller friendly" if you will, where people can grab a pretzel, soda or beer, and enjoy them outside picnic style.

The business will also create tax revenue for the city, create jobs and offer a unique spot in the city, while solving the issue of a vacant lot, he said.

"…This concept is different in every way of the many sports bars, pizza and hamburger places that keep popping up," Derfield wrote in a letter of proposal. "In Germany people go to places like what we have planned to socialize with friends while enjoying a meal and meeting new people. They do not go to slam down shots, get belligerent and cause trouble."

The hearing will be held Thursday, March 21, at 3 p.m. at 300 Richards Boulevard, on the third floor.

Middle Eastern cuisine and 'The Kay' to collide

2013-03-11T21:33:42Z

The Kay district in Downtown is about to become home to another business, but this time it's not a bar, club or concert venue.

It's a restaurant serving Mediterranean food with Palestinian roots that will take the place of a formerly vacant building. Darna – which means "Our home" in Arabic – is set to open at at 925 K Street in April, if all goes smoothly. It will take the space of Farley's, a restaurant that has been closed for at least seven years.

Manager Safa Abukhdair, whose father owns the building and restaurant, said there's nothing to compare Darna to in Sacramento. "People who really like Mediterranean food will love it," the 22-year-old said. "People who have never had it will come back for more."

The lunch will be buffet style, and dinner will be served traditionally, sit-down style, Safa Abukhdair said. Most recipes are inspired by Safa Abukhdair's mother, who grew up in Palestine, and is teaching Executive Chef Drian Perez (formerly from Arco Arena) her secrets.

While the menu is still being developed, Safa Abukhdair gave the following examples of what to expect:

• Moussaka – an eggplant-based dish, with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce and ground beef
• Shawarma sandwiches – meats will include shredded beef or lamb, mixed with a special sauce, topped with tomatoes and pickles
• Tabouli salad – bulger with finely chopped parsley, pieces of tomato and cucumber, with a dressing made of olive oil and lemon
• Beef kabobs and lamb chops
• Mensuf – rice with a thin layer of bread, pine nuts, almonds, lamb, and topped with goat milk

The building's interior has been completely remodeled and beautified, with touches of the Middle East dispersed throughout. Owner Ismail Abukhdair designed the inside, which includes four pillars that stand between the entrance and the dining area. There is also a tiled floor area positioned between the pillars, and an entire wall of hand painted pieces of glass from an artist in Jordan.

"We definitely want people to feel when they come in, that they're in a different place," Safa Abukhdair said. "It's different from what Sacramento is used to."

Ismail Abukhdair isn't new to running a business. He also owns the deli next door – Han's Corner Deli – and as well as Rodney's Cigar & Liquor Store for the past 30 years.

His story is a familiar American immigrant tale. At 19 years old, Ismail Abukhdair left his home country in Jerasulam for the Golden State. With few possessions and his family on the other side of the world, he took a job as a dishwasher at a restaurant in Berkeley, before eventually making his way to Sacramento.

During a return visit to see his family, Ismail Abukhdair met his wife, married her 32 years ago, and the two made a home in Sacramento. The couple has eight children, including Safa Abukhdair.

She hopes Darna provides a healthy place for people to dine. "Mediterranean food is on the healthier side," Safa Sbukhdair said, noting the choices that include salads, chicken, hummus, eggplant dips, falafels and kabobs.

"I don't think Sacramento has tasted anything like this before," she said. "The food is going to be amazing."

Lights, Camera, Fashion: The Evolution of Sacramento Fashion Week

2013-03-10T04:39:52Z

Lights, camera, fashion is all the buzz to be heard around the Emerald City as it kicked off its seventh annual Sacramento Fashion Week http://sacfashionweek.com/, February 24 - March 2.

Growing in attendance each year since its launch in 2006, we have been able to watch fashion in Sacramento transition from adopted trends from nearby cities and magazines to developing designers and fashionistas with inimitable style.

SACFW Editor in Chief, Bridgett Rex explained that SACFW allows us to educate our community about fashion and style, creating a demand for people to become more interested and eager to engage in fashion.

“With events like Sacramento Fashion Week, the community becomes more educated about fashion and more knowledgeable and curious to learn the business; they begin applying everything they see during SACFW to their own style and business,” Rex said.

“I think having SACFW mixers, our Fashion Affairs, every third Wednesday of the month, helps to create a discussion about fashion and style, which in turn slowly changes our wardrobe.”

This year marked the third consecutive year the designer showcase sold-out of tickets. Even more exciting, this is the first year SACFW made strides connecting with the community with increasing demand from local media, bloggers, stylist and supporting businesses to attend.

“Our biggest improvement this year was media coverage and community support. With the development of new alliances SACFW was able to connect to our community more efficiently,” Rex said.

Aside from the basis of fashion week in any city - or country for that matter, which is to showcase designer collections, initiate trends and create business, it seems the market for fashion in Sacramento is evolving with the growth of the city.

A leader in local development in its own right - with the newly developed venues along K Street http://kstreetvenues.com/, the efforts to empliment a high-speed rail sysyem http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/trip_planner.aspx and the continued push for a new sports and entertainment arena http://www.cityofsacramento.org/arena/index.html, the capitol is separating itself from the comparisons of nearby cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco and standing on its own sentiment.

This year it was clear that fashion in Sacramento is not just an academic elective and executing a better understanding about the business of fashion was an apparent goal of SACFW Executive and Co-Producer, Duane Ram and Will Rodriguez.

“Fashion is an industry, a business and at the end of the day you want to sell a product or a service. We wanted to make sure that designers think of fashion week as business, not just a platform to invite friends and family to see their work,” Ram said.

Detail, organization and execution are key factors in being successful in any industry and SACFW fostered an environment for the local fashion market to execute business endeavors.

“We want to bring together designers and boutiques, so that we can fill the demand for fashion merchandise from our local talent,” Rodriguez said.

Understanding that fashion is a business first, was also the objective of conversation at SACFW fashion forum on Monday, Feb. 25, in the Ballroom at Sacramento State University http://www.csus.edu/.

A panel of professionals discussed the importance of developing a business plan and employing the week to build business relationships and immerse in the versatility of the jobs the fashion industry has to offers.

Whether you are a designer, stylist, photographer, writer etc… the panel made it clear that there are rules to this industry and understanding these rules is how you become successful in the business of fashion.

“When I am teaching a student, the first thing I teach them is, learn the rules before you break the rules,” said veteran Model Coach and visual artist & photographer for GOS Art, Gerry Simpson.

“There is something about young people when they come to school. They have this idea in their minds that they are going to create the most outrageous stuff in the world. You have to remember, you have to create for people who will want to buy your stuff,” Simpson said.

Although directed towards designers, the overall discussion was geared towards applying these standards to any area of fashion you work in, placing great emphasis on the importance to create for the purposes to earn income and not limiting yourself to one area of fashion.

“Many professionals in the fashion industry end up on the extreme end. They create and create and whether they are making money does not matter. The way you get freedom to create is to think about business,” said Attorney and Partner at Ebitu Law Group, PC and founder and Editor in Chief of LadyBrille Magazine, Uduak Oduok.

“Not earning money for your work is okay until you reach a certain age, then you have to ask yourself are you being responsible,” Oduok said.

Americas Next Top Model, Cycle 4 winner, Naima Mora also sat along the panel offering her experience to advise on the subject.

“There’s an importance placed on commerce and earning revenue from fashion, but its also okay not to earn money from fashion. If you want to be a designer, make-up artist, photographer, etc… and you want to really focus on fine art, Zac Posen from Project Runway said it best when he said, “Fashion is a balance between design and commerce.” If you want to go that route, finding the balance is crucial,” Naima said.

Other panelist included: Modeling Agent at Cast Images Talent Agency and former model, Amber Collins, Founder and CEO of The Stylist Online, Amy Wister, award winning educator and acclaimed designer, Ester Amato, hosted by Tracy Suville.

Several days of building the conversation that Sacramento can being recognized on a global scale as a lucrative business market for fashion, lead to two exciting nights of showcasing and networking at the Elks Tower Ballroom http://www.elkssacramento.com/ in midtown on Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2.

This is the first year SACFW has experienced this much upset regarding the demand for attendance. As a result, they adopted an efficient resolution used at grand events such as the Grammy’s and the Oscars to resound their presences to the public, while balancing demand for attendance, a media pit.

A media pit is an area designated for press to occupy for the purposes of covering any particular event. It is strategically placed in an area that aids the press in obtaining photographs, interviews, video recording, etc…

Both nights, the expectation of media was to stand & report, with the option to access rotating seats. There was a designated personnel to aid us with back stage access to producers, staff, models and designers, as well as an invitation to attend the VIP Gala following the showcase at the Citizen Hotel http://www.jdvhotels.com/hotels/sacramento/citizen.

Despite the crunching of my toes as I stomped around in a pair of gold, strappy, open toe Steve Maddens, my pain reprieved with the ease of the media pit.

A strategy newly implemented by producers to effectively meets the increased demand for local media to attend.

Despite the crunching of my toes as I stomped around in a pair of open toed, gold, strappy Steve Maddens, my relief came with the organization of the media pool.

As fashion week moves on to Paris and L.A., my only hope for Sacramento is to continue growing each year proving our city is indispensable to the fashion market.

In terms of fashions progressive development in Sacramento and SACFW making an impactful contribution to the local fashion market using a global approach, in this moment, Sacramento is the Mecca of fashion, capturing its true essence, evolution.

MY HOPES FOR SACFW 2014

• Midtown crawling with fashionistas, bloggers, stylist and media all week long.
• Street style coverage of locals rocking global trends.
• Tents for the designer showcases rather than one venue for 18 designers.
• Official press passes that read “SACFW”
• Television and radio media coverage.

MY FAVORITE DESIGNERS FROM SACFW 2013 SHOWCASE

Models melted the runway during the showcases for Maisha Bahati, Jason Powers and Samuel Parkinson.

Bahati http://maishabahati.com/ is right on trend for summer in Sacramento with loose fits, flowing trains, silhouettes, cool Caribbean colors and inimitable prints.

Although reminiscent to Rhianna’s new clothing line, Rhianna For River Island, which previewed this year during New York Fashion Week, Bahati separates her collection by staying true to femininity, ditching hard edges and malleables.

Self described as, mainstream with a mohawk, Powers’ collection, Rampant http://www.rampantfashion.com/, stole the show with is raw masculine approach. With bare skin, leather facemask and tailored pants, Rampant was a HOT! surprise.

A collaborative collection gaining recognition for its risk taking, Rampant will be featured as an installation to House of Gaballi on March 15, 2013 during L.A. Fashion Week.

A new approach to urban wear, Parkinson’s collection, Kings Tribe Clothing http://www.kingstribeclothing.com/, exonerated the idea that urban means baggy or oversized.

Unlike most urban wear such as, LRG, Ecko and Zoo York, Kings Tribe Clothing sets itself apart from competitors using a fitted esthetic, allowing craftsmanship and style to be the focal point.

It was clear each designer had a target market and aimed to connect to their audience, fufilling one of the main objectives of SACFW, which is to appeal to consumers and translate the business of fashion to industry interest.

Book Talk: Book sales for your calendar

2013-03-07T23:11:37Z

If you're like me, you enjoy books. You enjoy holding them, thumbing through the pages and, I hope, reading them. Possibly, you also enjoy searching through shelves of used books for those treasures you didn't even know you needed.

Have you been wondering when a really great book sale would come along? Well, now's the time. Check out the listings below and mark your calendars.

Head to South Natomas Sat., March 9 for the Friends of the Library book sale, the first of 2013. Hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friends may attend the preview sale from 8 a.m. - 9 a.m.

This is a popular sale that offers books in all categories. Bring some bags or boxes for those books you find that you need to add to your collection. This sale usually has a large offering of children's books. Funds raised support library programming and the Lucky Day collections.

Once you've finished there, head up Truxel to Almost New Used Books. Although some of their books are not almost new and might be closer to almost ready for the boneyard, there are some real finds there. This location is closing its doors and is currently offering 50 - 75% off of all books, CDs, and DVDs in the store.

Make sure you leave enough time to head up Truxel and out to Rio Linda to see how that Friends of the Library bookstore has expanded. It is located in a shopping center and has been recently upgraded with new shelving. Lon Lee is the volunteer manager and man behind the freestanding store. The volunteers at this store (open only Friday and Saturday) will make you feel welcome. Children's books, fiction, classics, history and much more can be found at reasonable prices.

When you head back to Sacramento, don't forget to stop by Beers Books and pick up some books. Every Second Saturday, this store offers a discount on their quality books.

You'll want to mark your calendars for Sat., March 16 when you can return to the South Natomas library between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. for the $5-A-Bag Book Sale. This special sale is one day only. Fill a brown grocery bag with as many books as you can fit. Bags are provided.

There are, certainly, many other fine places to locate gently used books, so keep your eyes open and consider a bumper sticker warning other drivers that you stop for books.

If you have book news, books for review, readings or any book-related events, please email sacramentobooktalk@gmail.com with the details.

Assembly on K to open in late March

2013-03-07T20:45:13Z

Assembly, local restaurateur Randy Paragary's latest baby, is almost ready for visitors.

"This is adult entertainment," Paragary said. "Other cities have ammenities like this and there isn't anything like that in downtown now."

The concert venue at 10th and K streets is set to open Friday, March 22, said Callista Wengler, marketing director for Paragary Restaurant Group. Cover band Pop Fiction is set to perform at 10 p.m., and the night's show is free to the public, Wengler said.

Assembly has been touted as a state-of-the art concert venue, with 9,000 square feet that includes an open floor on the main level, a full bar and tiered seating behind it. It can accommodate either cabaret-style seating, or be cleared out for standing space during live music shows. It's replacing the Cosmopolitan Caberet, which was home to the California Musical Theatre, until it moved out in early Decemeber 2012.

Paragary said it will take about a year to build up the business' reputation to the point that it can attract big-name acts, but for now it's doing all it can. "Our aspirations are much higher, we want to book and attract national acts."

Downtown Sacramento Partnership Spokeswoman Lisa Martinez said it's a welcome addition to downtown's K Street, and will complement the array of bars, clubs and restaurants in the district, has recently been branded as “The Kay.”

"On weekends and in the evenings, it's definitely a spot that a lot of people are out and about at night," she said. "So live music and entertainment really fits in with the club and bar scene that's already there."

The venue is already lining up acts, and recently announced that female rapper and Stanford alumna K.Flay will take the stage on March 30, according to the business' Facebook page. And Neil Diamond tribute band Super Diamond is scheduled to perform March 23, Paragary said.

It's also landed an ongoing act – "B Street Live!" – a sketch comedy group that will change each month based on current events and pop culture, according to the press release. Martinez compared it to Saturday Night Live, and said it "gives a very young, edgy audience appeal."

B Street Live! will start performing March 22, and shows will run Wednesday through Saturday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m., which can lead up to live music and other entertainment later in the night. "Assembly's new partnership with B Street will energize the K Street District arts scene," the press release stated.

There will apparently also be go-go dancers performing Tuesday nights, during "Anthem Tuesdays," according to a Facebook post on Assembly's page. Anthem Tuesdays is an 18-and-over dance night, that will feature DJs and guest performances, according to its Facebook page. Go-go dancer auditions to be one will be held next Wednesday, March 13, at 7 p.m. at Assembly, and the first Anthem Tuesday will be held March 26.

According to the Paragary group, it's hired seasoned industry professionals to operate and market the theatre, including Trevor Shults (of BarWest and Pourhouse) and Bob Simpson. Booking agent Scott Brill-Lehn of SBL entertainment is being brought on as well.

Editor's note: The final paragraph has been edited to reflect the accurate spelling of Scott Brill-Lehn's name.

Behind the scenes at Sacramento Fashion Week

2013-03-07T02:18:39Z

Sacramento Fashion Week (SACFW) was a huge success this year as it expanded to three nights of runway fashion.

The 2013 SACFW had a full schedule of meetings, workshops, runway displays, showcasing local, national and internationally known boutiques, designers, models and speakers.

A launch party, model and designer practices, a fashion forum, workshops, a Fashion on Film event, designer meet and greet, VIP galas, afterparties and of course runway fashion took place from Feb. 24 – Mar. 2.

The full week schedule began early on Sunday Feb. 24 starting with a practice at the Elks Tower Ballroom.

The full practice on Sunday morning brought over 100 models, designers, photographers and volunteers to view the venue and establish a game plan. SACFW staff and interns worked feverously to ready themselves for the many planned activities.

As part of Kondrya Photography, for SACFW, several photographers met to cover the practice and other events.

Many of the people involved were at the Elks Tower Ballroom early in the morning and left early evening and this pattern continued throughout the week.

Work was hard but there was plenty of time for play and socializing. The SACFW Launch Party was held at the Mix Downtown allowing for interaction with fashion and other professionals.

Combining social events allowed fashionistas the opportunity to mingle with local talent who showcased their wearable art.

80 children's wishes to be granted through Make-A-Wish

2013-02-26T23:13:00Z

With more than $400,000 raised in one night, the Make-A-Wish Northeastern California and Northern Nevada chapter will be able to fund 80 children's wishes.

"The money we raised will stay within this chapter, granting wishes within this region," said Michele Flynn, communications manager at the Make-A-Wish Northeastern California and Northern Nevada chapter. "It was a very successful event, we just hope it keeps getting better and better."

With more than 1,200 in attendance this past Saturday, the Sacramento Convention Center was the epicenter of the 25th annual Winter Wine and Food Fest. This elegant gala, sponsored by Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region, brought in 120 vendors from Sacramento and surrounding areas to help benefit Make-A-Wish.

Mama Kim Cooks from Del Daso Boulevard brought in delightful short ribs, cornbread and cole slaw that tickled the taste buds. Esther's Pastries from brought in a plethora of baked treats to cater to the guests' sweet tooth. And the drinks – reds, whites, merlots, cabernet sauvignons, and beer – offered something for everyone's tastes.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children 2 and ½ on up to 18 with life-threatening conditions. Their goal is to help bring some peace and joy to the afflicted child, providing a chance for the children to forget the surgeries. The Make-A-Wish Northern California and Northern Nevada chapter serves 37 counties.

This opulent event is a way for Make-A-Wish to raise money to help continue granting wishes to children in the Sacramento valley and beyond. There was enough money raised In 2012 to grant the wishes of 87 children with life-threatening medical issues.

Book Talk: Cheryl Anne Stapp to visit Time Tested Books

2013-02-26T04:28:30Z

There are so many exciting books being released, especially if you look to the smaller presses, which is what we’re doing today.

“Sacramento Chronicles” by Cheryl Anne Stapp
The History Press
ISBN 978-1-60949-579-4
2012, 144 pp., $19.99
History – Local Author

This newest offering of Sacramento history by Cheryl Anne Stapp is certainly one that those interested in Sacramento’s history (even if you think you already know all there is) will want to add to their history shelf. Sure, you already know about gold discovery, and if you’ve been to Old Sacramento, you’ve likely seen the statue dedicated to the Pony Express, but it’s likely you’ve never read about it the way Stapp tells it.

“Anyone awake in Sacramento at 2:00 a.m. on the dark, rain-drenched morning of April 4, 1860, might have heard the clatter of hooves galloping down J Street as a young, superb horseman named William (Sam) Hamilton sped east.”

If you want to know his connection to the Pony Express and Sacramento, check out “The Pony Express.”

In addition to those fascinating Sacramento tidbits we might already know, Stapp includes a chapter dedicated to agriculture. Yes, the tomatoes are there, but did you know that Sacramento was also a hop producer? Until the mid-1960s? Stapp discusses John Sutter’s role in Sacramento’s agricultural history, and discusses the California State Agricultural Society, which “evolved into the current California State Fair” (after moving through various successor agencies).

The Folsom Powerhouse and all-too-brief overviews of areas such as “The Fabulous Forties,” “Boulevard Park,” “East Park” and “Oak Park” are included. Until reading Stapp’s book, I’d never heard of “The Great Electric Carnival,” and chances are some of you may not have, either.

Stapp covers events like the cholera outbreak, floods and fires, all of which helped to shape the Sacramento we know today. She includes pieces about squatter riots, cemeteries and the Sacramento Valley Railroad.

While she doesn’t begin with John Sutter, he shows up in the first couple of pages, and he is mentioned at various times throughout the book, and closes the book. Stapp includes a bibliography for those of you who, like me, want to know more about some of the topics included.

This is a fun book that doesn’t set out to present a full history of Sacramento. Rather, Stapp offers pieces of history, small glimpses into a Sacramento that many call home and that many may not be familiar with. I wanted to know more about many of the topics Stapp covered, but that’s what the bibliography is for.

* * *
Stapp will discuss her book at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, at Time Tested Books. This event is free and open to everyone.

* * *

Other notable author events this week include poet and novelist Mary Mackey, the winner of the PEN Oakland award. She will read at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28, at Luna’s Cafe. This event is free and open to everyone.

* * *
The History Press is a wonderful press that has, since 2004, published over one thousand titles from the East to the West Coast in areas such as American chronicles, heritage, legends and palate; forgotten tales; hidden history; and even true crime.

Each book is written by local history enthusiasts; each book brings history to life through stories. “Sacramento Chronicles” is the third book so far about Sacramento.

Coming soon: a look at Akashic Books, City Lights and many local authors!

Editor’s note: Every Thursday we deliver a local event guide straight to your inbox, right on time to make your weekend plans. Sign me up.

Habitat for Humanity Hammy Awards presented

2013-02-24T18:30:54Z

In 2012, Sacramento's Habitat for Humanity built homes for six families in Sacramento County and 23 families in Nicaragua, providing a safe and decent place to call home for 24 children in Sacramento and 115 in Nicaragua.

Volunteers and companies that help support the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity were honored at the 19th annual Hammy Awards Dinner.

The two photos below show most of the individuals and companies honored:

Left to right: John Brannen, Ken Cross (SHFH CEO), Keith Hummell (Ki Gifts and Custom Framing), Jerry Dennis (Homewood Lumber), Gordon Herscher, Norman Scheel (Norman Scheel Structural Engineering), Penny Workman and Mary Whitmore (United Surgical Partners), Darlene Lyttle (JPMorgan Chase & Co.), Lori Rianda (Bank of America), Cliff Popejoy (SHFH electrical crew), Roberta Walker (Roberta Walker Landscape Design), Miriam and John McCormack, and Joan Hendricks.

Left to right: Jim Reilly, Sierra Feldmann (Seyfarth Shaw), Steve Mathias, Mark Krausse (PG&E), Lindsay Goulding (Porter Scott), Laurence Day (Safelite Autoglass), Michelle Ortiz (on behalf of her mother Monica Ortiz of the Rancho Cordova Grocery Outlet), Francis Moore, Cathy Kester, Rick Leibold, Sally Weinland, Calpurnia Moua (Chi Delta Sorority), Samantha Sowers (Chi Delta Sorority), Prabhjot Dhaliwal (Chi Delta Sorority), Jenny Nguyen (SHFH family), Larry Snyder (Home Depot), Matt Bassett (Nissan) and Bethany Daniels (McGeorge School of Law). Not pictured: Aaron Silva of Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP.

The mission of Habitat for Humanity is "building affordable homes in partnership with families in need, supported by a host of volunteers, faith based organizations, donors and corporations for the betterment of our community."

People in need of shelter who partner with HFH must agree to put in a minimum of 500 hours of "sweat equity" toward building their home and have the ability to make the montly mortgage payment.

Open to the public is the ReStore that sells household items, new or like new, at a steep discount. It is a funding source for Habitat for Humanity. Items accepted for donation and that are for sale include:

mirrors
interior and exterior doors
carpet
tile
vinyl dual pane windows
hardwood flooring
vinyl / linoleum flooring
toilets
plumbing hardware
electrical components
cabinetry: all doors/drawers in tact
lighting: please remove light bulbs and package separately, no 1970s/80s glass fixtures
hardware
tools
lumber: clean, straight, without nails, and over 3 feet long
insulation (R-13 and up)
miscellaneous household Items: sofas, chairs, dressers, tables, patio furniture, books, dishes, blinds, etc.
appliances: clean, a maximum of 5-7 years old, although exceptions for vintage/antique items in good condition

ReStore is located at 819 N. 10th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811.

Click HERE and HERE for more information about Habitat for Humanity on SacPress.

New films: Snitch and Bless Me, Ultima - plus other film news

2013-02-22T10:16:53Z

Snitch
Co-Written and Directed by Ric Roman Waugh

There are some aspects of “Snitch” that I admire and that aren’t immediately apparent in the lowest common denominator style of previews that tend to get made to promote films. On its face, it’s a story about a father who goes undercover to assist in the capture of drug dealers in return for a reduced sentence for his son. That’s the kind of action film one might expect from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and would probably be enough to draw a respectable action-oriented audience.

But there’s more to “Snitch” than that and the action story is essentially a cover for an indictment of mandatory sentencing laws as they apply to drug offenses. In this case, the son has taken reluctant delivery of a package of pills for a friend and, despite no other convictions, is facing anywhere from 10-30 years in prison for his stupidity. There’s a slide that pops up on screen at the end of the film (which doesn’t spoil the plot) that states that the average sentence for first-time, non-violent drug offenders is now longer than that for rapists, child molesters, and those who commit manslaughter.

This is a little like an attempt at low-rent Soderbergh, in the sense that Steven Soderbergh often makes films in which the surface story exists as cover for some deeper social commentary, as I discussed in this column two weeks ago in relation to his latest film “Side Effects.” And it’s not surprising to see an actress like Susan Sarandon, who is a champion of social justice, getting involved in a project like this and playing the self-interested and generally unsympathetic U.S. Attorney.

But, sadly, none of that motivation and admirable set of goals actually makes the film especially good. The major problem is that the underlying social commentary isn’t actually underlying at all. It’s in your face all the time – it’s like being blatantly bashed over the head with stick labeled “subtle head-bashing stick.” It does get its message across and will probably outrage anybody who isn’t just there to watch gun battles and fast big rigs – but in that sense it’s an odd mismatch for the target audience who aren’t being attracted to the film with promises of a civics lesson. And for those who might find the lesson interesting, the final slide tells us almost as much as the 100+ minutes that precede it and a documentary would have told us and (most likely) outraged us far more.

It’s also at least a little odd in its casting. Johnson is a huge guy and we’re used to seeing him as an unstoppable fighter of some kind. In “Snitch” he plays the owner of a construction company but it’s a role that could be played by an actor of far slighter build. I’m all for him trying new things and not giving in to stereotypical roles but the fact remains that he’s huge and he’s the kind of guy that commands attention when he walks into a room, or who is at least likely to elicit some kind of remark or raised eyebrows based on his physique. And his character is going into some pretty tough situations, and even taking a beating along the way, with no more attention being paid to his appearance than to a man half his width. Kudos to him for choosing (and co-producing) a film with a message, but it’s a little like those films in which a stunningly beautiful actress plays a character who’s supposed to be very plain and overlooked – they’re like orchids playing wallflowers.

Perhaps I’m wrong and this is the way to stealthily impart a political message to an unsuspecting audience, many of whom will be in the same demographics as those who tend to fall victim to the kind of injustice being depicted. But it’s as heavy-handed as the kinds of characters Johnson more typically plays.

Bless Me, Ultima
Written (screenplay) and Directed by Carl Franklin

“Bless Me, Ultima” is the screen adaptation of one of the most influential and best selling Chicano novels – a book that has managed to be both widely adopted by schools and colleges and also controversial for its violent and sexual content, as well as its religious commentary.

Set in New Mexico during WWII, the story is told through the eyes of young Antonio who is seven at the start of the film, when his parents allow Ultima, an elderly ‘Curandero’ or healer to move in with them. He has two older sisters living in the house and three older brothers who are away fighting in the war. But he’s drawn to Ultima who is revered by some and feared by more, with her knowledge and curative abilities earning her the label of ‘bruja’ or witch from some in the community.

Antonio’s mother, along with most of their friends and neighbors, is staunchly Catholic and dreams of Antonio becoming a priest one day. She’s the calm, stable parent where his father comes from a family of wanderers and dreams of moving to California when the older sons return. Antonio’s is also a very unsheltered childhood in that he witnesses violent deaths, threats and feuds, and is exposed to such open secrets as the town brothel which, as with many such businesses, is looked down upon but apparently not short of clientele.

His days are divided between the cultural influences of his public school, where he excels, his Catholic catechism classes, and time spent with Ultima as she shares her views of good and evil in a less formalized context. But for every nugget of information she shares, there are other influences such as his school peers who discuss the nature of sin and declare that heaven isn’t just not for atheists but also not for protestants. And his generally ostracized friend Florence who explains his own lack of faith very matter of factly by saying that his mother died young, his father drank himself to death, and his sister is a prostitute – and so he doesn’t find much reason to love a God that could allow those things to happen. It’s an exchange one normally sees between far older characters. So Antonio is caught in the middle of conflicting worldviews, perspectives, and cultures and largely left to himself to synthesize and, perhaps, blend them all.

It’s a hard film to assess objectively because it has both great strengths and also weaknesses. On the one hand it’s reminiscent of other films from assorted genres: When the film is being narrated by the older Antonio, it feels a little like a blend of Sunday School and “Stand by Me” and the idea of a child being influenced by multiple older personalities and trying to determine whom he might become reminded me of the central core of Terrence Malick’s “The Tree of Life.” Similarly, the idea of a young boy being exposed to multiple religious and cultural influences, and needing to make sense of them all to his own satisfaction, brought to mind the recent “Life of Pi.”

But it’s also a low budget production without many bells or whistles. Some viewers may be put off that it doesn’t feel as theatrical as much of what they’ve become used to at the multiplex. For me it felt more like films I see in a Festival context with some of the same flaws. For example, there’s an extended sequence set in a room that’s supposedly lit by a few candles and an oil lamp – and yet the lighting on the characters in all corners of the room is bright and vivid. One of the problems with good lighting is that it’s not always about getting enough light it’s often about not getting too much.

Additionally, it's a film that’s dependent on the performances of children, with at least some variation in those outcomes and with little visible aging over an onscreen period of a couple of years. And while some of the characters may seem a little crudely drawn, it’s worth remembering that they’re being channeled through a child’s memory.

However, the story is what’s most important here. In that sense it also reminds me of a film like Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino” which employed many non-actors and is occasionally a little shaky in its delivery. For some that was an insurmountable detriment yet (at least for me) it couldn’t mask the powerful story, character study, and parallel coming of age themes that the movie provided.

“Bless Me, Ultima” is not always quite polished and the performances are a mixed bag but it’s another film that’s primarily about the central character’s story and arc. And in that sense it’s a powerful depiction of cultures, personalities, and heritage that often conflict with and sometimes reinforce each other, as seen through the eyes of an innocent participant-observer who’s left to make sense of it all.

Sacramento French Film Festival Winter Shorts
The Sacramento French Film Festival (described recently by the Sacramento Bee as the “region’s premier film event”) is heading into its 12th season with its main event in June but, because Junes are so far apart, the Festival has a few fun events to fill in the slow months. The next of these is Saturday’s (February 23rd) 6th Winter French Short Film Screening at the Verge Center for the Arts, 625 S Street, Sacramento. Doors open at 6:30pm for free music and pizza (by Luigi’s Slice), with films and discussion to start at 7:30pm. The $7 admission benefits both the Festival and Verge and includes a recap of the César Awards (the “French Oscars” which will have been awarded the night before) and over two hours of short films, including seven Sacramento premieres. The full lineup of films can be found on the Festival’s website at www.sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org.

Oscar Shorts
In a pleasant surprise, the Crest Theatre has managed to squeeze the Oscar Nominated Documentary Shorts back into its schedule for an extra weekend – so you can still see all of the Oscar nominated short films (live action narratives, animated narratives, and documentaries) on the big screen. You can even watch them all in a row if you have the stamina. Check the Crest’s website at www.thecrest.com for scheduling and ticket information.

25th Annual Winter Wine and Food Fest Benefiting Make-A-Wish

2013-02-21T06:31:40Z

Please join Make-a-Wish for the 25th Annual Winter Wine & Food Fest, presented by Sutter Health. It is anticipated over 1,500 people will attend this exclusive event, featuring over 120 of Sacramento's best local restaurants and wineries. Guests will enjoy a live and silent auction, live entertainment, and delicious food and drink from elite restaurants and wineries.

This elegant Make-A-Wish event raises funds to grant wishes for children ages 2 1/2 to 18 with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich their human experience with hope, strength, and joy. All proceeds raised stay within the Sacramento & Northeastern California chapter and make dreams a reality for local wish children. Last year this fundraiser was able to grant 87 wishes to children from the chapter; the Sacramento and Northeastern local chapter covers 24 counties from Redding down to Stockton and Modesto. 21 & over, must show ID at door. http://www.sacramentoconventioncenter.com/calendar/eventInfo.cfm?repid=36689

Tickets are $85 and $185 for a V.I.P. ticket

For more information, please visit http://necannv.wish.org/2012/11/07/24th-annual-winter-wine-food-fest/ or call (916) 808-5181.

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Brazilian Carnaval Sacramento-style

2013-02-17T22:09:58Z

If you couldn't be in Rio de Janeiro for Brazilian Carnaval, Sacramento was the next best thing.

In Brazil, it is a national holiday, officially starting on Friday night and lasting through noon of the following Wednesday. But, hey, who's really keeping track?

Carnaval dates way back to Greece and a festival held each spring honoring Dionysus, the god of wine.

Bacchanalia and Saturnalia became the two gods Romans decided to honor and slaves and masters exchanged clothes and spent the day in a drunken stupor.

Eventually the Catholic Church decided the festival would be good for leading up to Ash Wednesday giving good Catholics one last hurrah before Lent and its 40 days of trying to redeem oneself through prayer and sacrifice.

1723 is when Rio de Janeiro jumped into the swing of things with Portuguese immigrants calling it Entrudo, which was essentially a water fight.

Drums, whistles and tambourines entered the scene in the mid-19th century, thanks to a shoemaker. It evolved and eventually the upper class, including the emperor, wore masks and costumes while parading through town.

In the early 20th Century it became a parade of cars, newly invented then.

The Samba, the primary music of Rio's carnival is a ritual Candombie dance to drums and handclaps.

Sacramento's celebration included most of the above, sans the emperor.

It was an energetic and loud celebration thanks to Mistura Brasileira Samba Dance Co., Henna and Kohl Bellydance Co., Agua De Beber Capoeira and Fenix Drum and Dance:

For more information, visit braziliancentersac.org

Fairytale Town - new play equipment in Sherwood Forest

2013-02-17T00:59:12Z

Got a bunch of energetic kids? Wheel them over to Fairytale Town and point them in the direction of Sherwood Forest.

Kathy Fleming greeted a small group of us early this morning for a first-hand look at the new structure that includes slides, crawl tubes,, a talk tube, telescope and many climbing apparatuses. There are steps shaped as tree trunks and bedrock, an inclined log and a vertical climbing wall. To make for soft landings wood chips surround the base of it.

"Sherwood Forest has been a treasured part of Fairytale Town for more than 30 years," said Kathy Fleming, executive director of Fairytale Town. "Hundreds of thousands of children will have fun pretending they are Robin Hood or Maid Marian as they crawl on Sherwood Forest's new play structure,"

The play area also has a balance beam, a maze of Boxwood and Spring Bouquet shrubs, wood sculptures and big area for eating or working on projects.

The youngest donor who helped make the structure possible is Jesse Hooper.

Former Sacramento city council member Rob Fong made a substantial donation, as well as proceeds from Fairytale Town's Yellow Brick Road fundraising project.

Bill Brown was the first chair of the Sherwood Forest committee. Dressed in leather he is also a docent at Sutter's Fort.

For more information, visit fairytaletown.org or call 916-808-7462.

New films: A Good Day to Die Hard, Beautiful Creatures, Safe Haven

2013-02-15T20:40:43Z

New films

For the third week in a row, I find myself recommending the zombie love story “Warm Bodies” over any of the other new 2013 releases – or any of the Oscar best picture nominees that are still playing around town.

A Good Day to Die Hard
Directed by John Moore

I wrote recently about the new Schwarzenegger and Stallone movies and here’s the third leg of the trifecta of aging action stars – although Bruce Willis is the youngest of the three by 8-9 years and, although less massive than the others, actually looks to be in better shape in terms of generally mobility. Sadly, none of the three movies is very good, with this one probably matching “The Last Stand” for some fun moments, ahead of “Bullet to the Head’s” darker onslaught.

One aspect of the “Die Hard” franchise that’s appealing is that John McClane is a character that tends to stumble into trouble, rather than seeking it out – and to some extent it serves the series well as he ages, as we don’t rush to roll our eyes quite so often as with Stallone’s characters eagerly rushing into situations as though he’s still half his age. It’s also neat to see McClane as the father of an action hero of his own – and this could have been an excellent opportunity to pass the torch and transition to the new generation, but there seems to have been an eagerness to throw Willis back to the foreground even in scenes where it was unnecessary or, worse, distracting.

This happens repeatedly early in the movie in what is, admittedly, a fun to watch car chase scene, including sequences with McClane driving a Mercedes SUV* along the top of lines of other vehicles. The action here speaks for itself, or at least it should have been allowed to, and yet almost every time the shot cuts back to Willis, we get a ridiculous one liner shouted at the audience for no better apparent reason than to remind us it’s really Willis’ movie, even though the more central action is taking place further down the road. (*Note that where “The Last Stand” featured multiple GM vehicles in what at times felt like a feature length commercial, “A Good day to Die Hard” has Willis jumping between Daimler AG products, from the Unimog truck, to the Mercedes SUV, to a Maybach sedan – and I can only assume that the folks at Daimler enjoyed watching the production team explode three BMW’s.)

From that moment on, it’s a constant rush of action that doesn’t make much sense but is occasionally fun to look at – such as a scene in which a series of glass ceilings come crashing to the ground. But it’s also a movie that could easily justify wearing earplugs as it reaches its concluding moments.

The “Die Hard” franchise has thrived when at its most simple. Now that we’ve been introduced to the equally tough son, it would be neat to get back to the quasi-claustrophobic single venue, like a locked down building, rather than chasing nuclear secrets across Russia. Bring the action to McClane, rather than having McClane chasing the action – that feels too much like a different franchise.

Beautiful Creatures
Written (screenplay) & Directed by Richard LaGravenese

While this is likely to be the best reviewed of this week’s movies, although still not positively so, I disliked it pretty much from the start. I’ll be honest and admit that I’m easily bothered by actors faking accents they don’t seem entirely comfortable with and this is an accent-faking Smörgåsbord from start to finish, across most of the significant cast. And when you’re dealing with characters who live a magical existence, one wonders why they would have to fake accents at all – just have them speak in their natural voices and have a throwaway line about choosing the way they sound. Otherwise you end up with fine actors like Jeremy Irons and Emma Thompson having to worry more about their pronunciation than their material.

Not that the material is that great to begin with – at least not at this moment in time. And, to be fair, the sequencing of movie openings has an effect here – as “Beautiful Creatures” has a tendency to make you think of multiple other franchises as you watch it, never feeling quite original at any moment in the story. But it’s not just the story and how derivative it might feel that’s the problem, it’s the telling of that story and the extent to which it’s permitted to make sense.

It centers around a high school student in a small, insular Southern town who’s drawn to the new girl in school, who just happen to be a member of the local family with all the deep, dark secrets that scare the local good Christian folks. What Ethan soon discovers is that Lena is a “caster” (as in spell caster – which is apparently less offensive than “witch”) – a fact that neither seems to surprise or alarm him as much as one might expect. Naturally, there’s much infighting in the caster family tree, rivalries, a birthday deadline, and more for everybody to deal with.

But within this context, there are scenes that seem either out of order or poorly conceived. For example, Ethan is partially taken care of by Amma, (Viola Davis) who delivers meals for him and his father, who has stayed hidden away since the death of his wife. Amma is, to Ethan, just the local librarian and friend of the family who helps them out. But when Ethan and Lena get wrapped up in some witchy/castery happenings, Amma comments on them in a clearly knowledgeable way without Ethan reacting to her knowledge. It would make sense later in the film, after such a confrontation has occurred, but not at a moment when Amma, from Ethan’s perspective, ought to be out of that loop.

The end result is a film that’s likely to remind audiences of others like the “Twilight” and “Harry Potter” series (it’s hard not the think “muggle” when you hear the casters say “mortal”) but which, at best, might rival the weakest of the “Twilight” films (which itself isn’t a high bar to begin with). But when it comes to “normal guy falls in love with a witch” stories, it doesn’t bring much more to the table (even a furiously spinning dining room table at a supremely dysfunctional caster family dinner) than a “Bewitched” marathon on TV.

Safe Haven
Directed by Lasse Hallström

It’s worth noting at the start here that I have nothing against movies of this kind – and I’ve enjoyed prior adaptations of Nicholas Sparks’ novels. But this one bothered me throughout much of its running length. For starters, it wants to keep you guessing a little about the main character and what she appears to be running from, yet the character development has very little subtlety and therefore there’s no real mystery involved.

The central romance between Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel is solid, backed up by credible performances by the child actors, but the film deviates from the typical romantic tale by venturing into a different realm. It’s too much of a spoiler to the plot to even hint at what happens – however the outcome is another example of a little too much prior telegraphing. At the point that the movie wants to surprise viewers, the reaction is as likely to be “I had a feeling that was going to happen” as “Wow!” And given that I had already had one of those “Oh please don’t have THAT happen…” moments where I anticipated the ending, I was generally underwhelmed.

My own disappointment comes from having loved much of director Lasse Hallström’s prior work, including “My Life as a Dog,” “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape,” and last year’s wonderful “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” – although his most successful films are probably “Chocolat” and “The Cider House Rules.” He’s one of the best directors working and that’s what makes this so surprising – although he isn’t really known for the slow reveal of a hidden mystery, so that may be a part of the problem. I’m guessing that it probably worked a little better on the page than on the screen.

Oscar documentary shorts at the Crest: Special combo ticket

2013-02-15T08:24:58Z

This Weekend Only: Oscar Documentary Shorts Nominees

Two weeks ago, in my regular column, I described the process through which the Oscar-nominated short films are selected. At that time, I reviewed the five animated narrative shorts and the five live action narrative shorts. Those two programs continue in regular release at Sacramento’s historic Crest Theatre.

Additionally, this weekend, for two days only, the Crest will screen the five documentary shorts nominees. Shorts, in Academy terms, are shorter than feature films but can still reach 40 minutes in length. This year’s nominees are collectively long enough that the Crest will screen them in two programs this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday afternoon only.

The following film information is provided by the distribution company:

Documentary Program A
• King's Point (Directed by Sari Gilman and Jedd Wider, Country of Origin: USA, Language: English, Running Time: 40 minutes) Over the course of a decade, five senior citizens living in the Kings Point retirement community face loss, illness and an increasing sense of isolation in their lives.
• Mondays at Racine (Directed by Cynthia Wade and Robin Honan, Country of Origin: USA, Language: English, Running Time: 39 minutes) On the third Monday of every month, sisters Cynthia and Rachel open their Long Island beauty salon to women undergoing chemotherapy.
• Inocente (Directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine, Country of Origin: USA, Language: English, Running Time: 40 minutes) Fifteen-year-old Inocente, a homeless, undocumented immigrant, clings to her determination to become an artist in the face of a bleak future.

Documentary Program B
• Redemption (Directed by John Alpert and Matthew O’Neill, Country of Origin: USA, Language: English, Running Time: 35 minutes) In New York City, individuals known as canners survive by collecting cans and bottles from trash and recycling bins and redeeming them for money.
• Open Heart (Directed by Keif Davidson and Cori Shepherd Stern, Country of Origin USA, Language: English, Running Time: 39 minutes) Eight Rwandan children with serious heart disease travel to the Salam Centre in Sudan for treatment.

On both days, Program A will screen at 1 p.m. and Program B will screen at 3:40 p.m. The $12.50 ticket ($10 seniors/students) is good for both programs – and you can chose to see them both on one day or split your viewing across two days (e.g., you can watch Program B on Saturday and Program A on Sunday).

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'We can pickle that' – specialty food company to open kitchen and storefront in Midtown

2013-02-14T23:11:51Z

Only in the not-so-distant past, pickling was done out of necessity, as a way to enjoy seasonal vegetables year-round, and to eat during long trips when food wasn't readily available.

The process usually involves lots of vinegar and results in saltier, tangier veggies, such as asparagus, cucumber, onions, green beans, and anything else that can be pickled. It’s become a popular hobby and business for some, and was even cited in a 2013 food trends report as being an emerging trend among the hip, cool crowd.

Cue Portlandia's "We can pickle that" skit.

Thanks to advances in food preservation techniques, today's pickling methods aren't just about making sure vegetables are on the shelf during the cold winter months. It's about preserving with a punch – adding herbs and spices like cayenne, horseradish, black pepper and habanero to infuse the tasty jarred bites, says Jason Poole, co-owner of Sacramento-based Preservation & Co.

"We are trying to pack in some great flavor and some seriously fresh product," said Brad Peters, co-owner of Preservation & Co. "Sounds funny when you're pickling, to have something that needs to be so fresh, because you're taking it and preserving it, but if you're not using the freshest products, your flavors are going to be compromised."

Poole and Peters wants to take the brining business to the next level, and have the space to whip up his award-winning Bloody Mary mix. Right now Poole is spending nights and early mornings creating the concoction in Pour House's kitchen, where he's general manager. Before that, he was mixing the blend at Kasbah Lounge's kitchen during the afternoons.

Due to increased demand, which likely received a bump after Poole won second place in Absolut Vodka's "Bloody Mary Search 2012," the business needs room to grow. So he's moving Preservation & Co. into a 3,200 square-feet building just around the corner on 19th Street, and building a commercial kitchen.

"Sacramento's food scene is blowing up, and in order to continue that growth, we need to have a surplus of fresh, locally made goods, by artisans," said Peters.

While Poole and Peters have secured the money for the new space, they've started a Kickstarter account to help pay for supplies – jars, labels, vinegar, spices, produce and shipping packaging. With a goal of $10,000, and two weeks left, they've reached more than $5,000, but have a ways to go.

And the business partners are doing more than moving into a building. Along with the commercial kitchen, the space will include a retail section toward the front, so customers can buy pickled asparagus, green beans, spicy carrots, red beets, and of course, the Bloody Mary mix. There will be an emphasis on locally produced, shelf stable, unique food products, as well as culinary gadgets that can prove difficult to find locally, Peters said.

This is a risky financial investment, the owners admit. So to help cushion the cost, they're renting out the kitchen to 10 other companies to use during off hours. "This will help them grow to the level that we have been able to achieve, and will also help us soften the blow of the lease and utilities," the Kickstarter site stated.

"I know Jason has a very strong connection to the local food movement, and he's really engaged in creating a product that's high quality and in demand in the Sacramento region," said Midtown Business Association Director Elizabeth Studebaker. "He has a focus on quality that I'm confident will translate into his new business."

By using produce from local farms and packing the jars by hand, Preservation & Co. is also part of a bigger movement that seems to be sweeping the country, Studebaker said. "It's a really popular trend right now, because people are trying to determine how they can enhance the local produce in a way that it's not just sitting around and going bad," she said. "You can eat it later in this preserved fashion, that's healthy and tasty and a good way to support local farmers."

The owners hope to have the space ready and open by April, and to have Preservation & Co. jars in more than 100 stores by the end of the first year in the new space. As far as the Kickstarter support, the community has been very supportive and generous, Peters said.

"It's weird how perceptive and supportive this community is," he said. "I'm not sure if heartwarming is the right word."

Right now you can buy pickled veggies and the Bloody Mary mix at Pour House. Tres Hermanas also uses the mix, as does Zocalo. ,

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

United Way elects four new board members

2013-02-14T00:23:07Z

Four community leaders have been elected to United Way California Capital Region’s board of directors for the first time, and five current directors were reelected. New directors include Nancy Bui-Thompson, SMUD 2012 board president, Brad Liggett, vice president for the Pacific Coast region of Allied Insurance, Natasha Mata, Four River Market president for Wells Fargo Bank, and Yvonne Walker, president of SEIU Local 1000.

Re-elected to the board were Dan Drummond, West Sacramento police chief, Dr. Robert Harris, community volunteer, Genevieve Shiroma, chair of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Allen Taylor, business consultant, and Dave Wilson, partner with Grant Bennett Public Accountants.

“We continue to be blessed with outstanding community leaders on our board,” said Steve Heath, United Way president and CEO. “It is vital that we have high caliber volunteers such as these as we work to address pressing issues in education, health and financial stability across our region.”

Bui-Thompson is a former technology consultant with Accenture and Deloitte and was recognized by the Sacramento Business Journal as one of 2011’s 40 Under 40. In addition to serving as board president for SMUD, she represents Rancho Cordova on the Sacramento Regional Human Rights/Fair Housing Commission advisory board and is a member of the national advisory board for the New Leaders Council, a nonprofit that trains and supports the next generation of political leaders and entrepreneurs. Bui-Thompson was a Marshall Memorial Fellow for 2012.

A 26-year veteran with Allied/Nationwide, Liggett is responsible for operations in California and Nevada. Prior to coming to Sacramento, he was regional vice president for Nationwide Insurance in Nashville and responsible for the south central states. He is actively involved in Allied’s community engagement activities, including the annual United Way campaign, which again this year posted an increase.

Mata is responsible for 600 team members and 44 banking stores in Placer, Butte, Shasta, Colusa, Nevada, Yolo, Yuba and Tehama counties. A 17-year financial services veteran, Mata joined Wells Fargo in 1996. Previously, she was community banking president for the North New Mexico region in Albuquerque, where she was active with United Way of Central New Mexico. Prior to that, Mata held various positions in retail banking, including personal banker, assistant manager, service manager, store manager and district manager.

Since 2008, Walker has led the largest union representing state employees with 95,000 members in nine bargaining units representing workers ranging from office technicians to IT professionals to bridge inspectors. Walker serves on the executive board of SEIU International and is a former Marine who has been in state service since 1995. She is also chair of the executive board of the Sacramento Central Labor Council.

For 90 years, United Way California Capital Region has actively worked to address the community’s most pressing issues, now focusing on innovative solutions related to high school graduation rates, household financial stability and obesity. United Way’s team of nonprofits, businesses, donors and volunteers are working together to provide positive, measurable results on these issues through United Way projects: STAR Readers, $en$e-Ability and Fit Kids. Community members can give, volunteer and advocate in support of the causes they care most about, benefiting United Way and hundreds of nonprofits in Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties. United Way is an independent, local affiliate of United Way Worldwide. For more information, visit www.yourlocalunitedway.org

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Kristin Thébaud is the marketing and PR consultant for United Way California Capital Region and works with numerous local nonprofits.

Opening doors to faster innovation

2013-02-12T00:27:12Z

As we have seen, our culture is on a technological fast track that redefines the way business is done. Ash Roughani believes the innovation process in business can be applied to government through "design thinking." His new non-profit organization called Public Innvovation is set up to bring people together through civic meets and public discussions. Ash launched the resource last August and will present a video called "Design & Thinking" for its third civic meet on February 21 at the Urban Hive. Tickets are available here.

Ash believes that the process known as "design thinking," which has helped many modern companies achieve their goals of pioneering ground-breaking products, can be used to create a better government. The public has the final say on how government is run, right? Assuming that's the case, the process of people assembling to voice their opinions and learn more about their government sounds like a worthwhile pursuit, especially if it means building a better government. The key will be technology, according to Ash, as well as civic meets that allow pubic voices to be heard.

In a series of three SacTV.com interviews, Ash has described his new organization as well as the process of design thinking. The goal of design thinking, a creative problem solving process, is to arrive at the best possible solutions from several sources of input that are narrowed down to the most important requirements of a problem. This type of thinking contrasts with traditional styles of product development, that were shaped more by marketing experts.

One of the concerns Ash has that he thinks could help improve people's experience with government is a one stop shop where people can learn more about how their local and state governments work. State and local government websites tend to be very complex and comprehensive and many times people are lost when it comes to tracking down information on permits and certificiations. He thinks that technology will provide the solution in the future. Once people understand more about how government operates and which agencies to deal with, our culture will be on track to crafting a better government.

LIke a puzzle that has remained a mystery for years, civic studies in high school and college have not quite been the full solution to educating people about government. People definitely understand how to voice their opinions about government through social networks, but how much change results from these rants? A more organized and objective pubic forum, such as the civic meets of Pubilc Innovation, will more likely lead to change. A better connection between people and government opens the door to accelerated progress toward both a more business-friendly, as well as environmentally-friendly government.

Editor's note: The first paragraph has been edited to show the accurate venue for the screening, Urban Hive.

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Disclosure: I own SacTV.com

CSER Quarterly Economic Report-Q4 2012

2013-02-09T02:53:41Z

The Center for Strategic Economic Research (CSER) has released the Q4 2012 Quarterly Economic Report--supplied to you through SACTO's member benefits.

The Quarterly Economic Report provides an overview of the health and performance of the Sacramento Region's economy along with an update to the Sacramento Region Business Confidence Index, a collaborative project with the Sacramento Business Journal to measure business sentiment.

Previous editions of this report are available on the CSER website (strategiceconomicresearch.org).

FOURTH QUARTER REPORT - JANUARY 2013

Click to view

The Sacramento Region posted positive annual job growth for nine of the past twelve months

The six-county Sacramento Region ended the year with an uptick in positive job growth. Preliminary data show that the number of jobs on payrolls in the Region grew by 1.2 percent over the 12 months ending December 2012. This is a significant improvement over the -0.6 percent job growth Sacramento posted at the same point in 2011. The December 2012 growth equates to an annual gain of 9,900 jobs in the Region. Sacramento started seeing positive annual job growth in April 2012, which peaked in July 2012 at 2.5 percent and then tapered off to 0.8 percent before shifting back up to 1.2 percent in December 2012. For most of this period, the Region’s job growth floated between the statewide and national averages, but tracked below these two benchmarks for the past two months. Sacramento’s recent positive job growth is primarily the result of gains in three of its five largest sectors. The Trade, Transportation, & Utilities sector (dominated by retail trade activities) has been growing on an annual basis for 10 months, reflecting rising consumer confidence with general economic improvement. This sector posted 3.2 percent annual job growth in December 2012. Annual job growth in the Educational & Health Services sector (driven by health care activities) has consistently been in positive territory since the end of 2010. Over the past two years, jobs have increased in this sector at fairly robust annual rates between 1.8 percent and 4.4 percent with the December 2012 job growth coming in at 2.7 percent. The Region’s Professional & Business Services sector recovered at the beginning of the year and saw 2.0 percent annual job growth in December 2012. This sector has benefitted from improving economic conditions in many of the other sectors in the regional economy, which it depends on as a provider of supporting services. Even though Sacramento posted annual job losses in its other two large sectors, Government and Leisure & Hospitality, the Region saw a net gain of 7,400 jobs across the five sectors that primarily drive its economic performance. The two major geographic markets in the Sacramento Region have seen notably different economic performance. While the core Sacramento metropolitan area posted 1.3 percent job growth in December 2012 (ranking it 136 among 279 measured metropolitan areas nationally), employment in the Yuba-Sutter area declined by 2.4 percent in the past 12 months.

California posted 1.7 percent annual job growth in December 2012 with a gain of close to 238,000 jobs. Employment in the state has been growing on an annual basis since the summer of 2010 and began to consistently outpace the national average in the middle of 2012. Despite seeing job growth improvements in the beginning of the year, the state has seen a fairly flat pattern for the past six months. California ranks 14th among all states based on December 2012 job growth, falling behind other major and neighboring states in the Western United States such as Washington, Arizona, and Colorado. Job growth nationally has been stable throughout 2012, beginning and ending the year with an annual growth rate of 1.4 percent. The most recent job growth measure reflects an annual gain of nearly 1.9 million jobs nationally. The SF Bay Area has been one of the leading major regions in the country over the past year with job growth outpacing the statewide and national averages by a significant margin. Between December 2011 and 2012, the number of jobs on payrolls in the SF Bay Area grew by 2.9 percent, equating to an 82,000-job increase. The San Francisco and Silicon Valley markets both posted job growth above 3 percent in December 2012 while job growth in the East Bay exceeded 2 percent. Sacramento’s two other neighboring regions also saw relatively healthy job growth at the end of 2012. Stockton saw job growth fall in the latter part of 2012, but still ended the year at a 2.9 percent growth rate (an annual gain of 5,500 jobs). Solano also experienced a decline in job growth for the past six months, dropping below the statewide average. Over the 12 months ending December 2012, Solano grew by 1.6 percent with a 1,900-job gain.

Annual Job Growth

Major Sector Annual Job Gains and Losses

Five of the Sacramento Region's major sectors added a notable amount of jobs in 2012

Seven of the Sacramento Region’s major sectors added jobs between December 2011 and 2012. The three leading job gain sectors are among the Region’s largest, including Trade, Transportation, & Utilities; Educational & Health Services; and Professional & Business Services. In addition to these three sectors, both Construction and Financial Activities posted notable annual job gains of 1,000 and 1,400, respectively. Much of the Construction growth was generated in heavy and civil engineering activities with a minimal contribution from commercial and residential construction. Three of Sacramento’s major sectors shed jobs in the past 12 months—Information; Government; and Leisure & Hospitality (the latter two ranking among the Region’s largest). Most of the losses in the Government sector were within state government activities, but both local and federal government activities also continue to post losses. Overall, the Region’s private sector is showing positive signs with gains or stability in 80 percent of the major industries and a net annual gain of 10,700 jobs. The total number of jobs on payrolls in Sacramento sat at close to 852,000 at the end of 2012—still more than 100,000 jobs off the summer 2007 peak and floating around year 2001 levels.

Sacramento has seen notable differences in annual job gains relative to the state. While Sacramento added jobs in Manufacturing and Other Services in the 12 months ending December 2012, the state lost jobs in these sectors. Conversely, while the Region lost Leisure & Hospitality sector jobs, this sector added the greatest number of jobs statewide in the past year. Similarities arise in the Government sector declines and relatively strong gains in Trade, Transportation, & Utilities and Educational & Health Services. The SF Bay Area posted annual job increases in seven of its major sectors with Professional & Business Services leading the way. Three sectors lost jobs in the SF Bay Area over the past 12 months with Financial Activities posting the most pronounced losses. Both the Stockton and Solano markets experienced annual job gains in seven major sectors, no growth in two, and losses in two. Educational & Health Services posted the greatest gains in the Stockton market while Leisure & Hospitality and Trade, Transportation, & Utilities topped the list in the Solano market. Both areas saw the largest annual job losses in the Government sector.

ABOUT CSER

CSER is grateful for the support of the Signature Underwriter, UC Davis Health System, and Supporting Underwriters of the Quarterly Report, Cushman & Wakefield, Los Rios Community College District, Sacramento Municipal utility District, Sacramento Works, Weintraub Tobin and Wells Fargo.

Disclosure: This story has been posted by Ryan Sharp, Director of the Center for Strategic Economic Research

New films: Identity Thief and Side Effects

2013-02-08T21:15:56Z

A disappointing week

Maybe it’s just me but I’ve had a disappointing week at the movies – probably not helped by wishful thinking if not actually especially high expectations. And the near future isn’t looking any better, but more on that next week. This week’s major releases include a comedy starring people whose work I’ve generally liked, until now, and a thriller against a backdrop of prescription drug use from a director I normally appreciate far more than this.

Identity Thief
Directed by Seth Gordon

The idea of a comedy starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy appeals to me – before you could even tell me a subject matter or a premise, that idea would pique my interest. And there are moments in “Identity Thief” where their two styles and personalities play off each other to great effect, with laugh out loud results. The problem is that if you gathered them together, those moments don’t manage to fill a feature running length and the parts in between just aren’t as appealing.

Partly it’s a matter of inconsistent tone, as I often find myself lamenting in this column. This is a crime, revenge, road trip, comedy, occasionally slapstick, burgeoning buddy movie – and if that sounds unfocused, it’s because it is. It’s also a movie that manages to worry you about the ease with which a thief can steal enough of your identity to max out all your lines of credit, while hoping that you’ll find the idea of just that happening to a nice guy to be a source of great humor.

Jason Bateman is that nice guy, a married corporate accountant with two kids and another on the way. He happens to have a gender neutral name, Sandy, and discovers to his dismay that a woman in another state is using his name and his credit. Melissa McCarthy is the woman who apparently impulse buys everything she ever glances at, drifting from one person’s credit profile to another with ease and indifference. The police are depicted as being relatively disinterested, especially given the distances involved, and he hatches a plan to find the woman and bring her back to admit her guilt and clear his good name.

This plot, apart from being ridiculous in and of itself, adds to the problems because we’re supposed to like this guy and feel sympathetic towards him, but his behavior very quickly devolves into that of an abusive kidnapper. Of course he’s being provoked the whole time and has plenty to be unhappy about, but it’s a movie that wants us to be touched by emotions in one scene while finding it inherently funny to see a woman smashed in the face with a guitar in another. It’s also a movie that might appear to be cutesy on some level, or somewhat tween friendly, but it earns its R rating with some quite suggestive sex remarks and behavior, as well as through recurring gun violence (at some point in time, she’s annoyed people much more dangerous than movie critics).

If you want to laugh this weekend, you’re better off with last week’s “Warm Bodies.”

Side Effects
Directed by Steven Soderbergh

I admire Steven Soderbergh and much of his work and, like my initial reaction to hearing who was in “Identity Thief,” seeing his name associated with a film is likely to get my hopes up. Throw in a decent cast, especially Jude Law, and there’s almost zero chance that I won’t see the film. And I’ll be honest here, upfront, and note that the film seems to be getting decent reviews from other critics – but it didn’t do much for me.

Soderbergh has an impressive resume by any standard. His “Erin Brockovich” and “Traffic” both came out in a single year (2000), he’s had fun with the “Ocean’s…” series (“…Eleven,” “…Twelve,” “…Thirteen”), and in the last couple of years he’s been all over the genre map with “Contagion,” “Haywire,” and “Magic Mike,” albeit with mixed results. To some extent, “Side Effects” feels more like some of the earlier films, with a dramatic story set against a backdrop of a societal ill or problem, with both the story and the problem sharing screen time. Here, instead of corporate pollution or drug trafficking, we get a murder story within the context of the prevalence of prescription drug use, specifically anti-depressants and the various other drugs they’re sometimes prescribed with.

The first half of the movie is a depiction of descent into a personal hell for a young woman (Mara Rooney) whose insider-trader husband’s (Channing Tatum) release from a fairly low security prison seems to coincide with a return to her own problems with depression. She ends up being treated by Dr. Jonathan Banks (Jude Law) who happens to be on duty at the local hospital when she’s brought in after what appears to be a failed suicide attempt.

The cast is actually very good and the acting from these three is solid. It’s also interesting see Tatum, who worked with Soderbergh on his own project “Magic Mike” in a very simple role that could have been played by almost any working actor. And I mean that in a good way, in that he’s been cast purely to act a modest but critical part, rather than being cast in order to take off his shirt, or shorts.
As the story progresses, and bad things happen, the focus turns to Dr. Banks and the course of treatment he chose, and he’s given reason to review the events and second guess himself, while also discovering assorted details that cause his whole take on the situation to shift. But that’s where the mystery kicks in and I’ll leave that for you to enjoy, or not, on your own.

In the background, while all this is happening, there’s a running theme about drug use and prescriptions. One character comments on how convenient it is to have a doctor who can write prescriptions as she takes something to calm herself before a job interview. As Rooney’s character talks about depression, seemingly everybody she encounters (at least every woman) has their own experience with treatment and drug use. At times it’s like “Silver Linings Playbook” without the silver linings as they casually swap stories about specific brand names.

There are also moments where we see drugs being advertised in the manner that has become a source for comedy skits, as the listed side effects take up more air time than the claimed benefits. And Dr. Banks makes an interesting comment about the difference in attitudes towards related treatment in the UK and the US (a sign of being sick versus a sign of getting better).

That said, it’s not a film that takes a position against the use of such drugs, but it is a film that points out just how powerful they can be, and how varied the outcomes are for different people with treatment often being a process of trial and error, with the errors occasionally being tragic. And it’s a film that demonstrates the inherent conflicts of interest as doctors participate in clinical trials, being paid by drug companies, and patients are lured into trying untested drugs by virtue of the trials providing free medication.

All of which I tend to like in a film – good acting, a central story, and a backdrop of social commentary. But my problem was with the story itself – it twists and turns as any good drama or mystery is prone to do and it seems reliant on its ability to keep you thinking and/or guessing. The problem being that it seemed too predictable throughout – not that it was entirely obvious how the movie would progress from the very start, but it always seemed fairly obvious where the movie was going several scenes in advance. And this isn’t helped by having one of those revealing openings and then jumping backwards in time to see how we got there – there’s a moment in the film that would have been better served without that advance notice, like it pulled its biggest punch. It also feels obliged to go back and visually explain things that have already happened. It’s well produced and well acted, but I like my mysteries more mysterious.

If you want a good drama this week, you’re better off working down the list of Academy Award best picture nominees.

Social Media Club kicks off 2013 with social predictions

2013-02-08T06:04:51Z

Aspiring and established social media-lites alike gathered at California State University Sacramento's Modoc Hall Tuesday night for Social Media Club Sacramento’s 2013 kick-off event.

A panel-style workshop, “New Year, New Predictions,” predicted the social mediascape and shaped personal and business social strategies for the upcoming year.

The speakers, a who’s who of local social media professionals, included:

Scott Eggert, Co-Founder of ClickSpring @ScottDEggert
Alicia Allen, Social Media Manager, 3Fold Communications @AliciaToday
Tony Gates, Owner of Tony Gates Consulting @TonyGates44
Julie Gallaher, Owner of Get on the Map Local Search Marketing @JulieGallaher

Panelists alternated spotlighting social platforms, recalling major milestones and giving their personal predictions about what’s in store for each.

“Social media has proven to be more than just a trend, and we’re going to continue to see it evolve and escalate," Allen said. "If you don’t stay in the know, you’ll fall behind and miss valuable opportunities."

The panel collectively exuded a message of excitement about upcoming social network development and opportunities.

“It was good to get a sense of what to expect this upcoming year and [learn] what platforms are developing new mechanisms of engagement for their users,” said Rich Beckermeyer, a workshop attendee and social media professional.

A roundup of highlights from the panel’s predictions are below.

Facebook, as forecasted by Tony Gates

Mobile is the future: Users will eventually be able to do more on their phones and other devices than on their computers, with apps being integrated into more mobile devices and systems.
Timeline: Facebook will undergo yet another (and another) makeover, likely reverting back to the one-column timeline.
Graph Search: The much-talked about search feature will become more and more invasive, even going so far as ousting incriminating pages fans have “liked” in the past to friends.
Facebook A.I.: Users will be able to “train” their Facebook pages , similar to how Siri works with Apple devices.
Newsfeed: Feeds will become more like “digital newspapers,” feeding us personalized information from and about our network.
Friendly prompts: Status prompts currently used by Facebook (i.e. “How is your day?”) will become personalized, asking specific questions about your activity and/or location (i.e. “How was sushi at Mikuni?”)
Monetization: Following Starbucks’ example, mega-brands brands like Gucci and other retailers will offer social gifting.

Twitter and Vine, as predicted by Alicia Allen

Mobile: Both platforms will continue to optimize their apps for mobile and numbers of users tweeting from mobile devices will continue to climb.
News-gathering: Short videos from mobile, like the six-second videos created through Vine, will be used to report news.
Healthcare: The industry will use social care (real-time customer service through use of social media) to make healthcare more accessible.
Personalization: Tweets are headed the same direction as Facebook and will likely implement an algorithm similar to EdgeRank.

Pinterest, as predicted by Julie Gallaher

Growth: By the end of the year, more than half of Sacramento women will be on Pinterest (the network is seemingly favored by women).
Value: The social Return on Investment (ROI) of a pin will triple, making the platform even more valuable.

Google+, as predicted by Scott Eggert

Social Graph: Google will continue building its own “social graph” by connecting who you know through various Google platforms (YouTube, GMail, etc.).
Google apps: Google+ will continue to expand and produce new apps similar to (but more successful than) its Snapseed app.
App development: Although there is no video or photo app that currently shares directly to Google+, app developers will come up with something this year.
Third party developers will finally build apps that play nicely with one another and, with any luck, will produce one “killer” app for photos and videos that share seamlessly.

As the panel presentation came to a close, audience members up their own questions about where the “socialsphere” is headed. Topics included uncertainties about the “new” MySpace, the value of Facebook ads, how much a businesses should budget for social media, and a brief analysis of tools available to measure social success.

While the future of social media may be largely unknown, one sentiment echoed throughout the night is certain.

Whether it’s used for business or pleasure, social media has something to offer everyone and has never been more accessible.

Allen encourages all to partake. “There are so many resources out there these days that staying updated on social media trends is easier than ever...dive in!”

To watch the entire workshop, visit XSight’s footage here or search #smcsac.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Disclosure: I am a member of Social Media Club Sacramento’s leadership team.

Yoga in the Vineyard 2013, thoughout California Wine Country

2013-02-06T18:04:42Z

Yoga’s explosive growth is part of a broader nationwide health and wellness trend, come join the celebration of life.

Yoga in the Vineyard 2013 is well positioned at the intersection of a healthy yoga practice inclusive of interfaith, intercultural, intergenerational expression where individuals experience a broader growing social yoga and wine community. We allow nutrition, food and agriculture programs, exercise routines, spa and wellness resorts, traditional health professionals and other desciplines to all come together and share throughout the Sacramento - San Joaquin, a hub of California wine country.

For several decades Allison Boyd has pracited yoga and studied healthy living while working in the health care industry throughout Northern California. Traveling to Costa Rica on vacation with some of Lodi, California's award winning winemakers, the notion of sharing cultural tourism, food and wine while expanding a healthy lifestyle became a vision that has come to life.

“Yoga in the Vineyard" allows new and seasoned students to experience the special outdoor ambiance of the vineyard while anticipating special food and wine parings at our carefully selected locations that showcase excellence and California history.

Yoga in a natural outdoor setting is nothing new. Practicing in an enclosed studio is required in most parts of the world for a year round social practice, the growing trend is where ancient yoga practice meets capitalism and competition.

Yoga is a growing @ 20% annually, one in ten Americans are practicing. Roughly 70% are women and 30% are men, with a $82,000 annual household income, fueling a growing 6 billion dollar annual industry, according to the Yoga Business Academy.

What is certain, connecting with the natural environment helps to create a peaceful, loving and nurturing experience essential for health and healing. Something we all need and should experience in a safe social enviroment.

Yoga in the Vineyard students braved the chill of a November 2012 afternoon at Watt's Winery, Lodi, California, just as the final late harvest grapes was complete, a unique 'Therapeutic Flow Yoga Workshop' was born.

Our Yoga in the Vineyard 2013 offers our workshop participants a wonderful day trip or as part of a destination agricultural tourism package for experienced travelers. We highlight yoga, food and wine showcasing, historic rural California wine country.

Allison Boyd, Registered Yoga Instructor and Registered Dietician uniquely designs a monthly Yoga in the Vineyard experience, yet adapts her workshop to the collective energy of the group attending, so the format is familar yet feel of the workshop is different each time.

Mary Sheehan Dakin summed up the vision best, “what a wonderful experience, tonight, I can't wait until spring, Namaste.”

Disclosure: Yoga in the Vineyard 2013, Food and Agritourism Consultant

'20s-style party for United Way's 90th anniversary

2013-02-02T18:28:43Z

A fun evening celebrating the 90th anniversary of United Way was a success thanks to the support from United Way's Emerging Leaders. They successfully created a party theme of The Great Gatsby to benefit United Way California Capital Region.

"Emerging Leaders program is for young professionals in the Sacramento region," Kristina Schuett, United Way Sacramento Liaison for the Emerging Leaders program, said. "These members engage in professional and social events, as well as community service and philanthropy."

Philanthropy, Networking and Leadership is the foundation upon which Emerging Leaders is built.

Young leaders are young or young at heart.

"Young leaders are donors, up and coming professionals in the Sacramento area who want to engage with others and who have a commitment to the community, "Schuett explained.

The Leadership Council helps plan and execute United Way's events, as well as help staff and run them, like tonight's event.

And the event she was referring to was "Flappers and Fellas" a 1920's-style Cocktails and Ballet event held in the Elks Tower ballroom.

A committee of eight put this evening's event together. Over 100 Emerging Leaders members as well as community members who showed up, for the most part, dressed in 1920's - themed attire and munching on gourmet hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, having their image captured on a photo booth, dancing and networking.

And they jumped in to learn how to do the Charleston dance.

And an amazing element about the evening is the synchroncity embedded in the evening:

The United Way turns 90 this year, founded in 1923.
Sacramento Ballet performed some skits from The Great Gatsby that was written in the early 1920's.
Elks Tower was built in the '20's.
90 United Way projects are scheduled throughout this year.

Jeff Mrizek, the Personal Development chair, got connected via the charitable campaign the state runs. Mrizek works with the Tax Franchise Board.

Mrizek said he hopes emerging leaders like himself can become future leaders in terms of philanthropy and giving. He says they teach the younger generation the value of giving.

The baby boomers are the biggest donors. It's important the younger generation

Mrizek said "we are always looking to grow."

"There's a rotation so people can serve a year or two on the steering committee and then general members can step in to the leadership positions," he said.

He explained that sometimes "we have jobs where we don't get to be leaders, but we may have leadership competencies we don't get to use," Mrizek explained.

By volunteering in this way, you can show leadership experience on a resume.

The benefactor of the funds raised at the 20's party go to the United Way California Capital Region.

Here's some photos from the evening:

The Sacramento Ballet performed several skits from The Great Gatsby

Once Sacramento Ballet finished their performance, partygoers were given Charleston lessons:

United Way California Capital Region is an independent local affiliate of United Way Worldwide with a local board of directors. We serve a five-county region: Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo. We want to work with you to make a positive impact in our community.

New films: Oscar Shorts, Warm Bodies, and Bullet to the Head

2013-02-01T21:11:15Z

Oscar Shorts

Even for most dedicated film goers, the shorts categories at the Academy Awards are often some of the most obscure, with short films that have primarily been seen in various Academy sanctioned film festivals (with one or two exceptions, typically among big name animated films that sometimes play in support of a mainstream feature film). However, despite their relative obscurity, the shorts are subject to some of the fairest final voting in the entire competition.

(And I make that distinction between final voting and nominations, because there are always wonderful short films out there that weren’t seen in regular theaters and which might have won in festival competitions, but not necessarily the festivals that the Academy monitors.)

One of the recurring complaints about the awards process is that there’s rarely any indication or any way of ensuring that voters have actually watched the films they’re voting for. Or that they’ve watched the other films in the same category. As I mentioned previously in this column, nominations in most Academy categories are made by Academy members who work within the same category as the award being considered (i.e., editors nominate films for editing awards, directors for directing awards, makeup artists for makeup awards, etc.). But final voting in most categories is open to all members of the Academy.

The exceptions to this are the short film categories, precisely because of the obscurity of the films. The Academy holds special screenings of each set of short films, and only those who view all films in a category can vote within that category. In other words, the final voters have actually watched the films.

This year, the Crest Theatre is continuing its tradition of giving local film lovers the same opportunity to watch all of the short films in special screenings, with the live action and animated narrative shorts both opening today in a regular release schedule, and the documentary shorts playing over two days, two weeks from now (with reviews coming prior to their opening).

Live Action Shorts
This year’s live action narrative shorts are a darker set than in some recent years, with all of them being dramatic in content rather than, for example, comedic. They cover a range of life situations and lessons, from childhood, through old age, to death, with coincidental themes of hope and loss. (There’s no significance to the sequence of the following list and running times are approximate.)

Death of a Shadow (Directed by Tom Van Avermaet and Ellen De Waele, Country of Origin: France and Belgium, Language: Dutch, Running Time: 20 minutes) A tragedy in which a young soldier is sub-contracted by Death to reap souls in the form of shadows cast in the last moment of life, in return for an opportunity to live again. It’s an interesting counterpoint to “Curfew” in looking at the desire to live versus the desire to die.

Henry (Directed by Yan England, Country of Origin: Canada, Language: English, Running Time: 21 minutes) An interesting take on the subject of senility and dementia, taken from the perspective of the person suffering rather than from the perspective of family members, as is more often the case. “Henry” tackles the sense of confusion and fear accompanying a condition like Alzheimer’s.

Curfew (Directed by Shawn Christensen, Country of Origin: USA, Language: English, Running Time: 19 minutes) “Curfew” opens with a young man sitting in a bathtub of his own diluted blood, having cut himself, when the phone rings and he’s invited back into a family world that he had previously been excluded from. See the above note regarding “Death of a Shadow.”

Buzkashi Boys (Directed by Sam French and Ariel Nasr, Country of Origin: Afghanistan, Language: Persian, Running Time: 28 minutes) Set in a vision of everyday life in Afghanistan, which we rarely see, “Buzkashi Boys” features the lives of Rafi, the son of a third-generation blacksmith, and his friend Ahmad, a street beggar and occasional thief. Ahmad has nothing and nobody in his life and dares to dream big, whereas Rafi has just enough to be stable and fears losing that.

Asad (Directed by Bryan Buckley and Mino Jarjoura, Country of Origin: South Africa, Language: Somali, Running Time: 18 minutes) Asad is a young Somali boy who wants to join the local pirate crew, rather than being a fisherman, a profession he has little aptitude for. But he also has a family to feed.

Among this group, “Curfew” felt like the most fully realized story and would be my personal pick, although Academy voters are sometimes drawn to bleaker tales of strife and the conflicts in Somalia and Afghanistan certainly add those themes to “Asad” and “Buzkashi Boys.” “Henry” is well done, with a sense of thriller or mystery for the patient and of great loss for somebody close to him, but it probably focuses on the most well visited topic here, especially within the scope of short films I’ve seen in recent years. “Death of a Shadow” is almost claustrophobic in its limited locations but also has perhaps the best art direction of the five. Conceptually, “ Buzkashi Boys” and “Asad” are attempting to tackle the biggest open-ended questions, with the former looking at ambition and risk in making life choices, while the latter is trying to give us a sense of a place where morality and is so confused and choices are so limited that a young boy can in one moment sense the wrong in lying while also desiring the notoriety and opportunity in piracy (where piracy is more of a business model than a crime).

Animated Shorts
Two of the five animated shorts are essentially “ringers” in this company, with a Fox produced short featuring Maggie Simpson, which played in theaters with “Ice Age: Continental Drift” (and which was better than the feature), and a Disney produced short “Paperman” that played in theaters with “Wreck-it-Ralph.” As with prior animated shorts programs, the running times here are generally brief and the program contains additional films, although these were not available for review. (There’s no significance to the sequence of the following list and running times are approximate.)

Maggie Simpson in ‘The Longest Daycare’ (Directed by David Silverman, Country of Origin: USA, Language: English, Running Time: 5 minutes) Marge Simpson drops Maggie off at the “Ayn Rand School for Tots” (a joke that would have been funnier if it hadn’t been repeated), where she’s assessed as being average and is left to fend for herself, denied the benefits afforded to the “gifted” children.

Adam & Dog (Directed by Minkyu Lee, Country of Origin: USA, Language: No dialog, Running Time: 16 minutes) Set in the Garden of Eden, “Adam & Dog” provides simple insight into the relationship between man and ‘man’s best friend.’

Fresh Guacamole (Directed by PES, Country of Origin: USA, Language: English, Running Time: 2 minutes) The briefest and perhaps the most innovative, “Fresh Guacamole” might have been called “Diced Vegetables” as it mixes claymation, stop action human hands, and clever use of other objects, most notably dice.

Head Over Heels (Directed by Timothy Reckart and Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly, Country of Origin: UK, Language: English, Running Time: 11 minutes) There are multiple metaphors in life about couples growing apart, no longer seeing eye to eye, and regarding relationships requiring effort to maintain and keep alive. “Head over Heels” tackles those themes through an elderly couple whose existences have become about as separate as possible while still remaining in the same house.

Paperman (Directed by John Kahrs, Country of Origin: USA, Language: English, Running Time: 7 minutes) A young man is immediately attracted to a young woman, who he then sees again from his office window. But his attempts to attract her attention are unsuccessful until they are taken out of his hands.

There’s no denying the polish and production values in “The Longest Daycare” and “Paperman,” with “Paperman” being the fresher of the two. But my pick of this group is “Head Over Heels” which takes a look at the way relationships change over time, with a wonderful running visual metaphor and a sense that the world it creates has been a long time in the making. “Fresh Guacamole” is quick and cute, but feels more like an exercise or an animated visual pun, and “Adam & Dog” feels lightweight and overly long in this company.

Bonus Moviebriefs

Warm Bodies
This is probably my favorite genuine 2013 release so far (excluding the late 2012 award season movies that are still trickling out). It’s also one of the freshest feature length takes on the zombie genre for a few years. “Warm Bodies” is not only a zombie love story, but it’s a zombie love story told from the perspective of the zombie. I’ve seen this before in a neat festival-circuit short film called, simply, “Zombie Love” – but that was also a musical, where “Warm Bodies” is a clever, funny consideration of what it means to be trapped in the body of a zombie, yearning for brains but also for so much more. It stars Nicholas Hoult, who’s been acting since he was three and is perhaps best known as the boy in “About a Boy,” the younger man in “A Single Man,” and the big man on campus in the first two seasons of the UK version of “Skins.” He’s excellent here as “R” (which is as much of his former name as he can remember) and is well supported by Rob Corddry as a fellow zombie and John Malkovich as the leader of the uninfected humans.

Bullet to the Head
Coming so soon after Arnold Schwarzenegger’s poor performing “The Last Stand,” it’s hard not to draw comparisons with Sylvester Stallone’s new “Bullet to the Head.” But, aside from being action films from aging action stars and friends, they’re quite different in tone. Where “The Last Stand” acknowledged and had fun with Arnold’s age and somewhat diminished physical condition, “Bullet to the Head” wants us to keep thinking of Sly as an indestructible, fighting machine, virtually regardless of circumstance or opponent. It’s also far more brutal and casual in its depictions of violence, with less apology, albeit that the actual body count is probably lower. In fairness, the attempts at witty one liners in “Bullet to the Head” feel more true to the character and less tacked on, but it doesn’t have the weight to be truly suspenseful and fails to provide the lighter entertainment of “The Last Stand,” which wasn’t a great movie but was more fun than this.

Music-Come-1st Episode 1: Evolution of Hip Hop Review

2013-02-01T08:22:14Z

On Nov. 18, 2012, I posted an article on an amazing event called Music-Come-1st Episode 1: Evolution of Hip Hop. The concept of this event was to promote saving music programs in schools. This live filming event featured the Grammy-Award winning hip-hop artist Yolanda Whittaker, known as YoYo, and Sacramento’s finest local hip-hop artists, such as Destructikonz, Century Got Bars, BenOfficialTheGreat, Sol Spoken, Nome Nomaad, Mic Jordan and DJ EPIK. The event was held Dec. 21, 2012, at the California Auto Museum, and was an amazing event full of live performances, a thought-provoking panel discussion on the evolution of hip-hop, and nominations for best and worst hip-hop albums and artists of 2012. Partial proceeds from this event went toward YoYo’s School of Hip Hop, which is a program that helps young talented musicians reach and realize their full potential in music. The event was organized and facilitated by the talented and purpose-driven CEO of beyourbusiness.com, Mikal Brown. Her website helps connect entrepreneurs, and provides services to assist in entrepreneurships. In addition, the site also provides resources and funding for marketing services at discounted prices. Brown’s motto is to “Aspire to BE what you are Inspired to BE.” Music-Comes-1st is a community project organized by Brown and her staff at beyourbusiness.com. Check out the follow-up interview I did with Brown about Music-Comes-1st Episode 1: Evolution of Hip Hop.
Questions:
JB: What were some of the highlights of the first episode of Music-Comes-1st?
MB: Some of the highlights of the first episode were really everyone coming together for the cause to save music in our schools. Saving the music programs was the main reason for the event and it pleased me to see everyone in support of that reason. I also really enjoyed the freestyle between YoYo and the other artist in the greenroom. They all illustrated the true meaning of hip-hop and each showcased their unique talent and passion for hip-hop music. A lot of the artist performing are also community activist, and used their craft to express positive messages to empower the community.

JB: Why was it important to you to have the proceeds of this first episode go to the school of hip-hop? MB: Yolanda Whittaker, also known as (Yo-Yo), has a school that embodies what Music-Comes-1st believes in. With her passion, we are able to launch our first episode with a celebrity backing, which helped bring momentum to a cause we both believe in. She works tirelessly to educate young people in the area of the arts and that’s the type of effort Music-Comes-1st believes in. In addition, we are still raising money for Yo-Yo's School of Hip Hop until April 2013, so we are encouraging people to still donate to this amazing cause. People can donate at www.yoyoschoolofhiphop.com.

JB: What was it like to collaborate with one of the most influential pioneers of hip-hop, Yolanda Whittaker?
MB: YoYo is an advocate for female empowerment, and that is something that I myself embody. It was awesome to work with her, and she is a very nice and relatable person. During the event she was so approachable and graceful to all her many fans. She shared her personal struggle with battling sexism in hip-hop, and shared how she transitioned from being in the hip-hop scene to starting her own foundation with the school of hip-hop. The attendees absolutely loved her performance of her most memorable songs “Black Pearl” and “You Can’t Play with My Yo-Yo.” You could absolutely feel the energy of the crowd when she performed, and they received her messages when she discussed being true to herself in the male-dominated industry of hip-hop. Our commonality in saving music programs allowed us to work well together, and in fact she asked me to collaborate with her on a few future projects.

JB: What were the contributions of the other performers on this event? And how do you feel their performances impacted your goals with Music Comes 1st?
MB: I thought all the artists did a great job in preparing and contributing. Artist such as Destructikonz, Century Got Bars, BenOfficialTheGreat, Sol Spoken, Nome Nomaad, Mic Jordan, and DJ EPIK, all gave crowd-pleasing performance and added great insight to our panel discussion about the evolution of hip-hop. It was a pleasure working with such a talented group of people. They made Music-Comes-1st a very exciting, meaningful and memorable event and episode for me.

JB: Can you elaborate on Sol Spoken and his work in the community?
MB: Yes, Sol Spoken (Karega Bailey) is an educator and has his master’s degree in education. He whole-heartedly believes in educating our youth through means of music. He is a Sacramento native and he is extremely talented. His experience in working in the public school system in Washington, D.C. exposed him to underachievement and challenges that many of his students faced. With observing his students’ interest in rhyme and performing arts, he decided to start making music and creating poetry that conveys a message of hope and faith to combat sociological and psychological issues that the youth are faced with. He is exceptional in his musical work and poetry and his contribution to the educational system. I would recommend that people support his cause and learn more about him by visiting his website, www.solspoken.com.

JB: What are you hoping your audience takes away from this first episode?
MB: I hope they see the intense need for music in our educational system, specifically in school curriculums. Music is an integral part of brain development, which can help elevate IQ scores and intelligence levels. We hope people will see the necessity of the impact of music to help combat the social ills of high school dropout rates, bullying, and teen violence in schools, and fight with us to raise money and bring awareness to school programs to include music in their schools. We also hope that our audience continues to donate to YoYo’s School of Hip Hop and supports and spreads the word about episode 2 of Music-Comes-1st.

JB: What are you hoping that the community of Sacramento gains from your production of Music-Comes-1st?
MB: I hope Sacramento will celebrate the young and local talent we have and incorporate it in school programs or community events that have a music or educational focus. I hope Sacramento continues to support the talent that was showcased by attending their shows, supporting their music and promoting each artist.

JB: For those that were not in attendance for the first episode, will there be video footage that they can view?
MB: Yes, we will have a trailer posted on YouTube at the end of January 2013, and also will be selling the full 45-minute episode in a DVD format in February 2013.

JB: When is the next episode? And what is the theme going to be?
MB: The next episode is scheduled in April of 2013, and the focus will be on “The SDTRKS of our lives,” dedicated to music that impacted our childhood or special moments in our lives. We are still planning for the next episode, but have some Sacramento high schools in mind to champion for fundraising.

JB: What are your goals for the next episode of Music-Comes-1st?
MB: We hope to highlight a Sacramento music program and have a Californian celebrity help us champion the cause. Our goal will be to raise $2,500 for this school program and promote via social media outlets.

JB: Please share with us how the public can contribute to Music-Comes-1st?
MB: You can contribute to Music-Comes -1st two ways: 1. Go to the website, http://ahjahnay.wix.com/musiccomes1st-, and contact us at info@beyourbusiness.com, or donate to our first episode cause, www.yoyoschooloofhiphop.com, to help us raise money for the music program we have selected for the 1st Episode: Evolution of Hip Hop.

JB: Is there anything else that you would like to add?
MB: I would like to thank the artists who contributed: DJ EPIK, Destructikonz, Century Got Bars, BenOfficialTheGreat, Sol Spoken, Nome Nomaad, Mic Jordan. I would also like to thank Yo-Yo, Blacktastic.net, SoulOwnermusic, Ian Brown, Cee Artistry, Jae Synth, Rayford Johnson and Nichelle Broadway for photography; Good Day Sacramento and Big Al from V.101 for their support. Also www.beyourbusiness.com, www.closetkeepsakes.com, Lonnie Horn and the entire Brown family and community volunteers who helped make this possible.

Brown’s intensions for Music-Comes-1st are very clear, and you can see and feel her passion for saving music programs for the betterment of our young people. Thanks to Brown, Sacramento is able to have an event that not only entertains its audience, but also provides funding and support for an excellent cause to help save our youth. Stay tuned for information for the next episode. For more information on Music-Comes-1st, or if you would like to see more photos from Episode 1: Evolution of Hip Hop, please visit http://ahjahnay.wix.com/musiccomes1st.

To see the original article please visit this link http://sacramentopress.com/headline/75964/MUSIC_COMES_1ST

Verizon moving workforce out of Sacramento region

2013-02-01T08:00:36Z

Creating a large, cheaper workforce by moving operations to states with lower business costs and a low cost of living is far from new for American businesses. It has caused endless strife in the lives of their employees, including long-term separation of parents from families, long weekend commutes and often divorce.

It is now nearly a universal trend among global corporations, especially ones such as Verizon Corp., which has had a long history of labor strife, stemming back to the days of Nynex, Bell Atlantic and before (NY Times on the subject), moving to union-unfriendly, so called, right-to-work states. Alas, universally, right-to-work states are universally right-to-hate states.

This process is occurring now for employees of Verizon Wireless financial and call centers in the Sacramento region (actually anyone that does not have a job that requires face-to-face contact with the customer, i.e. sales), with their jobs going to Orlando, Fla. - a state with DOMA, the so-called, Defense of Marriage Act in its constitution - or the real hell hole for gays of Tulsa, Okla.

The additional financial and time-consuming burden of determining legal rights regarding such things as what happens to legal protections afforded married couples, let alone having to assess the personal physical and mental health and safety of themselves and their families in such states as Florida and Oklahoma.

Given the lack of concern of huge companies such as Verizon Corp. for the families of their employees in general, it is not a surprise that when speaking with spouses of Verizon Corp. employees such as Cindy (name changed) straight and gay, one finds that the company has not yet demonstrated any interest in working with the spouses and families of their employees in assisting in the transition. There is concern for the company’s ability to understand the issues facing their same-sex married employees from even straight families.

What spouses have heard since the official announcement in December that their husbands and wives jobs will be moving to Orlando and Tulsa is who goes where period, except for the managers being quizzed on employee retention, that is, how many employees will refuse to go to Florida or Oklahoma. Any communication to family is in the traditional corporate form of the working spouse passing on whatever the company tells them....along with all the rumors, the unhappy feeling in the workforce, etc.

The good news for Verizon Corporation is that according to spouses and managers (names withheld) most employees are moving. The not-so-good news is that for many workers, the primary and for some the sole, motivation is that there are no jobs for them here, they state.

What a fabulous way to build a loyal and dedicated workforce. Oh, is there still one of those left?

Series Continued:

Coverage of the move as it evolves.

Is there anything California and the region can do to create jobs that keeps this educated work force here in the future?

Has or will this come back to bite corporations over time?

Keeping it real – Barber Blues moves into bigger space, keeps cool vibe

2013-01-31T23:05:40Z

Jason Iverson's story is somewhat of a working man's dream realized. The Sacramento native found himself in the middle of a career crisis four years ago, doing sales for a health insurance company in what he described as a "little gray box you could say I outgrew."

During a vacation in Fort Bragg, Iverson, who was in his early 30s, walked into a barbershop that immediately felt authentic, like the place to be. When his barber dropped a four-letter word, Iverson looked around to see if anyone was insulted. Turns out, no one was fazed by the foul language. After all, he was at a barber's shop.

"There's a freedom of speech and openness," said Iverson on a recent morning at his shop on 14th and E streets. "I was really attracted to that freedom."

As it turns out, Iverson had experience cutting hair – while in high school – before his career change. So while working his day job selling health insurance, he went to barber college at night and on weekends, eventually gaining enough experience to open his own shop in downtown Sacramento.

In 2010, Iverson opened Barber Blues at 14th and G streets, in what he describes as a "dungeon." While it served his purposes in building a strong customer base, he eventually outgrew the space. When the lease expired and the landlord raised the rent, he moved two blocks over into a building about twice the size.

And it's swanky. Even hip. On the far side of the shop sit several barber chairs, while the remaining open space is filled with a pool table and vintage, refurbished theater seats. Half of the shop is for work, while the other half is for play.

The space is open, with plenty of natural light coming through the large windows along E Street, which look out to the neighbors – Shine Cafe, the Yoga Seed, and a thrift store.

It exudes a sense of pride, as does Iverson, who keeps a competitive edge by offering a blend of new and old services. For example the shop offers online appointment setting, and does old-school straight razor shaves with every cut. These traditional, close and personal shaves aren't done everywhere – a barber license is needed due to the risk of cuts – and stretches out the longevity of the hair cut.

"That's the competitive edge of going to a barber shop, at least for men," he said. "We have a few women customers too. The only thing I do is spare them the aftershave."

His barbers even make the shave oils and soaps and hand mix shaving lathers. "We feel it gives a better shave and the ingredients are more wholesome," he said.

The business challenge is balancing the variety of customers coming through the door. There are the "fly by the seat of your pants" type, who walk in for a haircut. Then there are those more strategic with their time, and want to book an appointment, he says.

And being downtown means Barber Blues gets a lot of customer turnover, as people move in and out of the area. "Every time we lose a guy, we gotta get another guy in," Iverson said.

But it's more than just a place to get your hair cut and a close shave, he says. It's a place where men can be open with one another, share stories, and "pow wow together."

"Where else can you go and not be criticized for how you speak?"

National Freedom Day ~ Rosa Parks Centennial Celebration ~ California State Capitol

2013-01-31T15:11:56Z

Rosa Parks famous act of defiance — refusing to give up her seat in the “Heart of Dixie” December 1, 1955 led to her quiet arrest and minimal fine that sparked the Montgomery bus boycott.

The golden legacy of Rosa Louise McCauley Parks, in the ongoing war towards equity and equal opportunity, remains the standard of a lifetime of community service and demonstrated faith in action.

The national symbol, "Ole Blue" our Sacramento Regional Transit bus is on display at the California State Capitol in honor of Rosa Parks Centennial Celebration, National Freedom Day, February 1, 2013.

Many choose to believe that Rosa Parks decision was simply a "one time" quiet act of rebellion by an old lady who was tired from working all day as a seamstress during the Christmas holiday rush.

Rosa Parks was a lifelong “rebellious” activist and organiser, not a "tired old lady," who loved the style and studied the transformation of Malcolm X, while teaching a 26 year old new resident of Montgomery, Alabama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rosa Parks was 42 year's young at the time of her arrest. Sista Rosa, a fine butter pecan women of African ancestry, a lifelong member of the African Methodist Episcipal Church is reportedly of Choctaw, Irish-Scottish and Yourba ancestry.

In 1943, she became the second woman to join the Montgomery branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and served as an unpaid secretary, she kept records on cases of discrimination and violence against blacks.

Parks received activist training from veteran activist Ella Baker, who stayed in Parks' home during her trips to Montgomery. Most importantantly, Rosa Parks was a member of the Montgomery Women's Political Caucus, the organization whose initiative would later organize the Montgomery bus boycott in motion and help thrust Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. into the national stage.

Like most activists, Parks suffered years of frustration, failure and defeat before tasting victory. Parks had refused to comply with the segregation laws on the buses long before 1955.

In November 1955, the Interstate Commerce Commission outlawed segregation in interstate travel. Finally having an "upstanding" case to organise around, Montgomery activists sprang into action, launching the bus boycott.

For more than a year, Montgomery's black population carpooled, taxied and walked themselves to work. Three hundred and eighty-one days and countless physical confrontations, legal fines and court injunctions later, the organized and disiplined collective community action was victorious.

Death threats eventually drove Rosa Parks from Montgomery to join family members in Detroit. A young Michigan Congressman John Conyers first act upon a victory election night in 1965 was to hire Rosa Parks who help work for his campaign.

As long delayed plans to install Rosa Parks within the National Staturary Hall of the United States Capitol continue, the global impact of the legacy of Rosa Louise McCauley Parks will be built over years by people who commit their lives to the struggle for one standard for humanity, throughout the world.

Disclosure: Rosa Parks Day in California, Coordinator

CVS grant supports horseback riding for people with disabilities

2013-01-31T00:10:17Z

UCP of Sacramento and Northern California has received a $1,500 CVS Caremark Community Grant. The Community Grants Program was created by CVS Caremark as part of its commitment to putting people on the path to better health by creating greater access to health care services and providing support for the uninsured and underinsured. Support from CVS Caremark will help UCP Saddle Pals, which provides adaptive horsemanship opportunities to children and adults with disabilities.

“Saddle Pals is one of our most popular programs but also one of our most expensive, due to the high cost of care for horses,” said Doug Bergman, UCP president and CEO. “CVS Caremark’s grant will enable children and adults with disabilities to improve their skills in an environment where they can also bond with the horses.”

The act of riding a horse can have intensive positive results for a person with a disability, from the rhythmic movement of the horse, which is close to a human's gait, the warmth and size of the animal and the special bond people develop with horses. Program participation results in growth, independence and improved quality of life for participants and their families. Unlike traditional approaches, horsemanship activities are enjoyable, and family and community members participate in the process.

“We are committed to helping people on their path to better health, and the CVS Caremark Community Grants program does just that by supporting organizations that provide access to health care to those who otherwise could not obtain it,” said Dennis Palmer, SVP, CVS/pharmacy West Division. “We are proud to support the work that UCP does in the community and we look forwared to working with them in the year ahead.”

Grants were awarded to organizations that support CVS Caremark’s goal of making health services affordable and easy to access for all by providing programs for the uninsured. The goal of the CVS Caremark Community Grants program is to provide relief for both adults and children who lack medical insurance to get the proper medical attention needed.

Each month, UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) of Sacramento and Northern California serves 3,300 children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families in Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Shasta, Sutter and Yolo counties. Programs include Saddle Pals, UCP’s Autism Center for Excellence at Sacramento State, adult day programs, independent living services, transportation and in-home respite care for families. For more information, visit www.ucpsacto.org.

CVS Caremark is the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States with integrated offerings across the entire spectrum of pharmacy care. CVS Caremark is uniquely positioned to engage plan members in behaviors that improve their health and to lower overall health care costs for health plans, plan sponosrs and their members. CVS Caremark is a market leader in mail order pharmacy, retail pharmacy, specialty pharmacy and retail clinics, and is a leading provider of Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans.

As one of the country’s largest pharmacy benefits managers, CVS Caremark provides access to a network of approximately 65,000 pharmacies, including more than 7,300 CVS/pharmacy stores that provide unparalleled service and capabilities. Clinical offerings include our signature Pharmacy Advisor program as well as innovative generic step therapy and genetic benefit management programs that promote more cost-effective and healthier behaviors and improve health care outcomes. For more information, visit http://info.cvscaremark.com

Disclosure: Kristin Thébaud is the marketing and PR consultant for UCP of Sacramento and Northern California and works with numerous local nonprofits.

Opinion: Raley's is Sacramento's Lance Armstrong

2013-01-30T22:31:29Z

With the recent media coverage of people who have been caught in the act of fraud and deception, such as Lance Armstrong, who was once considered honorable at the top of his profession and above reproach, the timing is perfect to report what I believe may be the biggest deception ever by an American company. To this very day the owners of this company have not been held accountable and the big question is: Why haven't they and who is providing them the favors in keeping this deception hushed?

For 40 years, Raley’s has been a major advertising force producing a tremendous amount of revenue for media outlets spread throughout every community where Raley’s has its presence. That advertising budget not only helps them get their market share, but over the years it has gotten them the unspoken, and tight lipped benefit from all the news media who by their actions have agreed to conceal the true secret story behind Raley's success. Known as a “conspiracy of silence" it is defined as follows: Usually a secret or unstated agreement to remain silent among those who know something whose disclosure might be damaging, harmful, or against their own best interest or that of their associates. In this case this Raley's story is also harmful to the news media for being biased and financially driven in their non-reporting of this incredible public interest story. That is why this local story, as big as it is, will become Sacramento’s Lance Armstrong story.

After talking with Raley's employees, who were picketing during last November's labor dispute, it is my opinion that Mike Teel, Tom Raley’s grandson and CEO of the Raley’s Supermarket chain, may be the most distrusted leader this company has ever had. It may be that Teel hopes that being at the helm will ensure that the true Tom Raley success story never gets the public attention that it rightfully deserves. Time will tell how much longer Teel can keep the truth suppressed knowing that without any notice, Raley's house of cards being propped up by a facade could come crashing down by the weight of this 37-year-old lie? Only God knows what will create a media frenzy around him and all of his family and reveal the truth of this story and how they suppressed it for 37 years. Their power to hush this story for so long will sadly end up being their only true success and that success will surely come to an end as well.

I recently watched a movie called “The Words” where a man played by Bradley Cooper, plagiarizes another man’s book. He plagiarizes word for word, punctuation for punctuation and even every misspelled word. He goes on to become an internationally acclaimed writer at the expense of another man’s blood, sweat, tears and heartfelt words. Cooper's character failed to see at the time, while seeking to publish this book, that his dishonesty and his deception would be found out and the repercussions of his theft would be felt in every area of his life. He is eventually sought out by the actual author of the book who made it very clear to Cooper that this book and its success wasn't really his.

Mike Teel, though he sits as the head of his grandfather’s company, knows in his heart that the Raley success story does not belong to his grandfather Tom, or to his parents Jim and Joyce Raley Teel, but rather to my father, a publicly unknown man by the name of Charles Nordby. Before Nordby passed away, he left an audio tape where he states at the beginning

“I am the man who saved Raley’s from certain bankruptcy in 1974.”

These 12 words from Nordby have never been disputed by Raley’s or their attorney’s and should shake the Teel family to the core of their soul because they know his words are true and their words are based on lies in an attempt to rewrite Tom Raley’s sordid life and business failures.

Forty years ago in 1973, when Tom Raley was on the verge of bankruptcy, with no help in sight, my father who was a retail expert in the S.F Bay Area, came and convinced the Raley’s leadership team, which comprised of Chuck Collings, Jim Teel and Frank McMinn, that he could give Raley’s their highest profits ever. Unbelieving and unbeknownst to these three unqualified men, Nordby was serious because he had a proven program that would not only save the Raley’s company from bankruptcy, but that his program would go on to make the Teel’s worth more than a billion dollars and make millionaires out of an unknown number of others.

According to my father, because he thought he could trust these three men, and on a gentleman handshake with Collings, Jim Teel and McMinn, he proposed to make Raley’s a highly profitable “Super” market chain that would take them from dingy and unprofitable stores that they were, to eventually become the modern day, state of the art superstores that they are today. My father told me they had nothing to lose with this proposal because they knew the company had little hope if any to survive much longer. He knew if his plan works they all become rich including himself. If his plan doesn’t produce riches and they still close their doors, they could use him as the scapegoat for their failure and the demise of the Raley‘s chain of stores. It was a win/win offer for them.

It was during my senior year of high school, my father left our family and home in Sonoma County for an entire year, while he freely stayed at Raley's Marina Inn so he could review Raley's entire operation to make the necessary changes to keep Raley's from going bankrupt.

In the early 70's, according to Raley's history book concerning Beverly Hardesty, Executive Secretary, "But she had heard rumors the company was broke and about to go bankrupt". Raley was no longer at the helm of his company and had appointed Collings as President and Jim Teel and McMinn as Vice Presidents and allowed these three men who had no proven retail management experience to take control of the daily operations. And because of that, Tom Raley never met Charles Nordby at the time he was hired or knew of him during the three years Nordby was turning his company around. Hear Nordby's story here.

After three years of Nordby seeing the Raley’s chain of stores go from losing money to bringing in a windfall of profits, he didn’t see his share what that they agreed to give him. Though he had trusted Collings, Teel and McMinn, he realized that they were actually liars and had reneged on their agreement. Nordby immediately quit the Raley's company. He went on to watch his very successive program give Raley’s more profits than he promised them and experience a corporate turnaround perhaps like no other company in US history had ever experienced, considering the fact it was one man's program and implemented immediately through his sole direction. According to my father, everything that happened at Raley’s had to be approved by him. The three men went on to take credit for my father’s expertise and success and eventually began allowing the local news media to write stories about Raley's success that were fabrications based on misinformation provided by Raley's leadership.

In 1989, after sixteen years of profits that made Tom Raley worth about 500 million dollars and with Nordby being out of the area, Raley’s thinks it's now safe to boldly unleash a deceptive and misleading version of its own history. They proudly write a book that made the Tom Raley history into a “hoax story”. They titled it “Raley’s, A Family Store”. They gave a copy to all of their employees, of which I was one. Anxious to read what they had to say about my father, I was shocked to find out that there was not one word mentioned about my father or his program that catapulted them to their success. But how could they knowing they had defrauded him out of what they had promised him? To them, any mention of Charles Nordby could be a reminder of the man who made them what they are today and easier to just rewrite their history and make Tom Raley a homegrown success. In my opinion this self-promoting book created an illusion that the Raley's/ Teel’s were savvy business people and the company was just one big happy “Family”. I was infuriated and sought legal advice where I had been told that it is their company, it is their book and they can do and write whatever they want whether it is true or not. That was a hard truth for me to swallow.

In 1991, even as an employee of Raley’s I began to publicly tell my dad’s incredible story to the news media thinking that they would be interested in reporting this yet untold local success story. On March 18, 1991, with my brother Frank, I called Mike Castro, a Sacramento Bee reporter. After telling Castro about this story his short and only reply to us was “Do you think Raley’s wants the public to hear this story? ”Next, my brother and I went to the Sacramento Union and spoke to the Union Editor, Joseph Farrah, and his response was: “Guys, I have no reason not to believe this story is true, but if I print this story, if they (Raley’s) pulled their advertising dollars, I would have to close my doors next week.” My brother Frank also contacted The Sacramento Bee's business editor, Jack Sirard and his written response to my brother was "Frank, We have no interest in pursuing this story at this time. Regards, Jack Sirard." The profits from our father’s program were now being used to hush his true success story and a code of silence was now ensuing with the local news media.

One day while working at Raley's, I got a call from Mike Teel and he asked me if he could take me out to lunch. I agreed with hopes that he was seeking to do the right thing and set the story straight about my dad. My father told me that Mike was being groomed by him to learn the grocery business but Mike ended up leaving the company to pursue something else before my father could train him in the business. Mike came by the store that I was working at on Watt Avenue with his lovely wife Tina, and the three of us went to the then Golden Tee restaurant on Auburn Blvd. He asked me "What's it going to take to bring this situation to a close? My parents are tired of the bickering." I said "all we want is the truth" (about our father’s success story at Raley's being told). He basically told me that wasn’t going to happen because Collings was a prideful man and he would never admit to what he had done. Twenty two years ago, Mike Teel could have done the right thing and cleared the air, but instead he held firm onto the lies his company had created that made heroes out of liars, deceivers and womanizers.

I gave my copy of Raley's history book to my father and when he read it, he was dumbfounded and shocked by what he had read and then rebutted Raley's story by writing his own book called "Raley's Exposed; Who On Earth Saved Raley's?" After publishing his book, a lot more information was discovered and he sued Raley’s and everyone involved for “fraud and unjust enrichment” to the tune of $588 million dollars which may be the largest civil lawsuit ever filed locally against a homegrown company. Did the news media ever publicize that story? Of course not, how could they when for nearly 20 years they had reported the untrue version of Raley's success and Nordby's lawsuit was damaging to Raley's reputation and could cripple Raley's business. Plus, that would have created too many questions from the public, and the news media that is supported by advertising dollars, couldn’t allow the fact that they too covered up the original story. Now with every new revelation of this story the news media cannot mention anything. Though this may be the most investigated and documented story in Sacramento history, very few people have ever been made privy to it because the financially driven news media could not afford to tell the truth. It was easier for the news media to hush this story than give it the respectful attention that it deserved.

During the early filings of our fathers lawsuit, attorney Peter Glick from the law office of Downey, Brand, Seymour and Rohwer, decided he could subvert the law in this matter and his actions along with others created a“default judgment” situation in favor of my father. This law firm basically failed to answer this complaint in the required 30 days on a legal blunder created by Glick which basically forfeited Joyce Raley Teel's entire wealth. When the default papers were submitted to the courts for approval, which were initially accepted by the court, we learned that the presiding Judge Joe Gray (who may not have had jurisdiction in this) allowed someone representing this case to place a handwritten note on the court file #544344 that stated this:

Had Charles Nordby not been defrauded during his one day in court seventeen years ago by Raley’s attorneys, the presiding judge and the courts, this incredible truth would have come out then and the"preponderance of the evidence" would have easily won his case. And everything that was Raley’s and the Teel's would have become Charles Nordby's because the Teel's have been unjustly enriched for 40 years from the profits that Nordby promised them.

There is so much to this story that in 22 years it has become an even greater story and eventually when everybody hears this truth it will be known as the quickest and greatest corporate turnaround event in American history.

One of the many incredible facts about this story is that Tom Raley died never knowing how he became so rich and so successful or the man responsible for it all. And because Raley didn't know this man, he was never given the opportunity to thank Nordby for providing his services that navigated his company away from certain bankruptcy . Nordby spent his remaining years in life fighting for truth and justice as he did all of his life. A man who made a Northern California family worth a billion dollars ended up bankrupt, and died in the appeal process of his lawsuit against Raley's while living in a one room trailer in the backyard of a modest Sacramento home.

With Jim and Joyce Raley Teel, and their son Mike living in a “house of cards” it is only a matter of time when the wind of truth blows through Sacramento and their house collapses. When that happens, this story goes from the biggest business success story never told to the greatest business success story ever told. Like Lance Armstrong, the Teel’s will come to grips that they can’t suppress the truth forever through the use of their wealth and power of influence. During Armstrong’s recent interview with Oprah, her bottom line to him was "The truth will set you free". If Oprah, as one billionaire to another billionaire Joyce Raley Teel, could say one thing to Joyce it would probably be that same thing, "The Truth Will Set You Free." It's time to go to lunch with the Teel's again and give them the same opportunity that was given to Lance Armstrong.

For more information about this incredible story, visit this very fun and zany website, which has been online since 2003. There you will find many other interesting sources to this story since 1991. Though this story has never been publicized, this website has had nearly a million visitors and two million page hits in the last 3 years alone. After more than 16 years since his passing, you can still hear Nordby on this website telling his incredible story on how he saved Raley's from certain bankruptcy in 1974. My brother Frank recently did a PDF of our fathers book in its entirety. There you will read the story straight from our dad. His story has never been refuted or disputed by anyone at Raley’s, The Teel’s, their attorney’s or any news media service in Northern California or Nevada. According to our search, the Raley’s history book is no longer published or readily available except online at Amazon by a private seller. Between their book, Nordby's book, his lawsuit, the website and Raley's silence about it all, proves one thing: Charles Nordby saved the Raley's supermarket chain from bankruptcy.

The family of Charles Nordby is very thankful for two entities in the Sacramento area, the internet and The Sacramento Press for being the only hero in town for truth in news reporting. We now know the risk that anyone takes in reporting this story. Most recently after hearing this story, a well known Sacramento reporter while working for the Sacramento Union wrote this to me in an email:

"I hope that you find a way to get the story told. It is a compelling story but as I previously said, most people in Sacramento have too much to lose given the size, scope and far-reaching tentacles of the Raley's family. I still think it needs to be a book and not done by a newspaper - a newspaper would and/or could lose all of their advertisers. A newspaper the size of the Sacramento Union could be shut down in one day by Raley's." Katy Grimes

So far the Teel’s wealth and power have not been used here at the Sacramento Press to prohibit us from continuing to tell our father’s story and legacy. We will continue telling it until the truth about our father and his contribution to Raley's and the Sacramento business community is acknowledged by the Teel's. One final thought to consider. Had Charles Nordby not come to Raley's and they did go out of business, how would that have effected Sacramento today? Even as Katy stated "...the size, scope and far reaching tentacles of the Raley's family", Charles Nordby's success at Raley's is far greater than we will ever truly know.

Editor's note: This article is an opinion piece that was published directly by the author.The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of The Sacramento Press or its employees.

Disclosure: I am the 7th of Charles Nordby's 9 children and a former Raley's employee. I personally watched this event unfold the 40 years. I am available for speaking engagements to share this story with your class or group. Contact me at jacknordby@hotmail.com

Apprenticeship and Training Program unveils 116-foot-long educational mural

2013-01-30T16:44:09Z

Western Electrical Contractors Association, Inc., is excited to unveil a 116-foot-long indoor mural at the WECA Apprenticeship and Training Program’s new facility in Rancho Cordova, (Mather), California. The educational mural visually conveys the story of an electrician’s job by showing how electricity is applied, from its derivation from natural sources, through the process of electricity generation, through transmission and distribution, and finally through the process of converting it for use in public, commercial and residential spaces.

The mural, painted by local artist Viktor Verhovod, is the culmination of a vision that began with the WECA Apprenticeship and Training Program’s expansion into a new, 47,000 square foot training facility in October of 2010. “I wanted the apprentices to see the reality of their craft,” explains Executive Director Terry Seabury, “and instill within them pride and respect for their trade and themselves.” In this building, apprentices in the commercial and residential electrical, as well as voice-data-video and fire-life-safety trades, are trained in state-of-the-art lab and classroom facilities. Many of WECA’s online electrician trainee and journeyman training classes are developed and delivered in the facility, which also houses WECA’s membership association for merit shop electrical and low-voltage contractors in California.

Verhovod was chosen from amongst several artists who responded to WECA’s call for submissions for designs for this educational mural. As soon as he read the RFP, he says, “Images of the theme of electricity began spinning in my head.” His vision manifested in the application of vibrant colors and dynamic rhythms to express the story of electricity, including the portrayal of life-size, full-body figures of electricians and electrical apprentices in action. The mural highlights facets of WECA’s electrical training program content, including an emphasis on safety.

Verhovod’s online portfolio may be viewed at www.verhovod.com, and many of his works can be seen around the Sacramento area; locations include Manuel J. Barandas Park, Yolo County Juvenile Probation Center, Blue Moon Gallery, Firebird Restaurant, Fusion International Art Center, Schumacher Architectural Ceramics, and at First Slavic Baptist Church of Sacramento.

The mural will be unveiled next Tuesday, February 5th, 2013, at WECA’s annual Installation of Officers and Awards reception, “Celebrating a Year of Success for the Merit Shop Community,” from 5-7:30 PM. Interested members of the public may RSVP to attend the event, which is free of charge, at 877-444-9322. (RSVPs are required by Friday, February 1st.) The press is welcome.

Learn more about WECA at www.goweca.com.

Disclosure: This story was written by the WECA Communications team.

Book Talk: read local, read small, read more

2013-01-30T07:42:59Z

Did you remember to make your 2013 resolution to read more? It’s not too late, even as January comes to a close. If you did make your list, I have to ask if you added books that aren’t just on the bestseller lists or shelves. And, I really must ask if you included some Sacramento area authors on your list. Like I said, there’s still time.

Did I hear you say that you need some help adding books that aren’t on those top ten or twenty or one hundred lists? You’re in the right place, then. There is certainly nothing wrong with those lists, but there are some mighty fine books in the world that you probably won’t find on those lists or in the big stores. You might find them online, but how will you know what to look for? You also might find them in the many local, independent, area bookstores.

Let’s begin with local authors and how to find them. Check with your local, independent bookstore for local author readings and signings. Beers Books, Time-Tested Books, The Avid Reader (Sacramento and Davis), Logos, Underground Books and The Book Collector have books by local authors. Just ask one of the booksellers. And don’t forget the library. The Sacramento Public Library is home to thousands of books, including books from local authors.

Did you know that your local bookseller and library can assist in obtaining a copy of a book that might not be in their shop? Ask at the front desk. The Sacramento Public Library is a member of the LINK Plus program, and you can obtain many small press books from other member libraries.

Don’t forget to check the websites of these shops, and other locations like The Sacramento Poetry Center, Luna’s Café, Shine Café, Sol Collective, and “Poetry in Davis” for poet and author readings.

The Sacramento Poetry Center is not home only to poetry. For the past several years, Stories on Stage (a fiction reading event featuring the work of area writers and performed by area actors) has presented work on the last Friday of each month.

Live readings and signings provide an opportunity to meet the writers, ask questions and discover new books. These events may also be found on the campus of any number of local colleges and universities. American River College hosted a colloquium last year and presented several readings and the opportunity to study with several writers and poets.

The Sacramento area is home to many writers in all areas of interest. There are poets, historians, and fiction and creative nonfiction writers, not to mention many small presses and literary journals. Each of the colleges and universities has its own literary journal, and these publications are wonderful places to find local (and sometimes not-so-local) writers.

As for finding books that aren’t on those lists, check with your local bookseller and ask about small press publications like Akashic, Heyday, City Lights, Press 53, Zone 3 or Marsh Hawk Press (this is definitely not a complete list) or check with Small Press Distribution. And don’t forget the wonderful university presses.

Need more help? Check this column regularly, ask friends and teachers and discover wonderful new writers and books outside of your usual area of interest.

Look for reviews soon of "So Far From Home: Russians in Early California," edited by Glenn J. Farris (Heyday, 2012), "Boston Noir 2," edited by Dennis lehane, Mary Cotton and Jaime Clarke (Akashic, 2012) and "The Meaning of Freedom and Other Difficult Dialogues," by Angela Y. Davis (City Lights, 2012). .

Additionally, check the local shops for new poetry collections by Frank Dixon Graham (Sacramento) and Allegra Silberstein (Davis) and ask about fiction by Christian Kiefer (American River College) and Valerie Fioravanti (Stories on Stage).

What local authors or small press titles have you read lately?

Wicked 'Wich's grand plans begin with the Downtown Plaza

2013-01-29T16:37:42Z

Wicked 'Wich isn't quite a household name, but if its owners have their way, eventually not only will those in the Sacramento region know the sandwich makers' brand, they won't have to travel far to enjoy the East Coast-style cuisine.

"We'd like to see Wicked 'Wich in airport terminals," said co-owner Chris Jarosz. "We feel we have a good brand and better options than some others. We'll keep pounding away and hope that fuel will take us to the next level."

What started as a food truck in July 2011 was eventually expanded into a restaurant – Broderick Restaurant & Bar in West Sacramento in Fall 2012 – and is now making its way to a Downtown Plaza near you. Announced last week, Wicked 'Wich will open a brick-and-mortar eatery in the food court early this spring, and eventually – maybe – set up shop in Roseville, Davis, Rancho Cordova and Folsom.

They're talking mall food courts, airports, casinos, strip malls, anywhere a restaurant could potentially open shop, they'll test the market. After all, what good's a food truck if not to scout out locations?

But first things first. The Downtown Plaza space is set to open in late February/early March, and without giving too many details away, will pay tribute to its mobile food roots through its design, said Jarosz. And just like the food truck and Broderick, the mall shop will use locally-sourced ingredients and make everything – except for the bread, which comes from a bakery in Davis – from scratch.

"We don't spare any expense and we don't take any shortcuts," Jarosz said, adding that the potatoes aren't local, they're from Idaho, otherwise everything is from the Sacramento area. "You know when you eat our food, it's fresh. Even if you want to be bad, it's still quality."

So why downtown's struggling mall, which recently lost The Gap and Brookstone? Well, as Jarosz and co-owner Steve Hamm point out, the mall is changing to include more local retailers that embody Midtown's artsy, "janky" feel.

Plus, downtown has a huge lunch and dinner crowd, and the Downtown Plaza food court gets plenty of business even if the rest of the mall isn't doing so well, Jarosz said.

So back to the bigger picture – putting a Wicked 'Wich on every street corner. While the owners aren't quite that ambitious, they do want to bring their heavy, Americana, blue collar food to other markets that could benefit from the flavor. No plans are set in stone, but Jarosz and Hamm agree that the truck is the best way to find another home for Wicked 'Wich.

Until then, they're just happy to have found a local customer base that's supporting their move into the Downtown Plaza. "We feel really privileged to have the great group of customers and fans we have," Jarosz said. "We want to be a local Sacramento institution."

Pacific Coast gives grant to empower veterans with disabilities

2013-01-29T00:35:06Z

Pacific Coast Building Products Foundation and Pacific Coast Companies of Rancho Cordova recently awarded UCP of Sacramento and Northern California a grant of $7,500 to fund UCP Saddle Pals Heroes Astride, which provides adaptive horsemanship opportunities to disabled servicemen and women at no cost so they can recover from physical and emotional trauma.

“Our nation’s heroes serve their country around the world, but when they are injured, often have trouble finding the care they need close to home, “ said Doug Bergman, president and CEO, UCP of Sacramento and Northern California. “We are very thankful to Pacific Coast for its generous donation that will empower wounded veterans, servicemen and servicewomen to heal physically, mentally and emotionally.”

UCP’s accredited adaptive horsemanship program enables veterans – in partnership with their families – to receive care in an environment that promotes confidence, coordination and community so they can rehabilitate and reintegrate into their community. The act of riding a horse can have intensive positive results for a person with a disability, from the rhythmic movement of the horse, which is close to a human's gait, the warmth and size of the animal and the special bond people develop with horses. Program participation results in growth, independence and improved quality of life for participants and their families. Unlike traditional approaches, horsemanship activities are enjoyable, and family and community members participate in the process.

Each month, UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) of Sacramento and Northern California serves 3,300 children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families in Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Shasta, Sutter and Yolo counties. Programs include Saddle Pals adaptive horseback riding, UCP’s Autism Center for Excellence at Sacramento State, adult day programs, independent living services, transportation and in-home respite care for families. For more information, visit www.ucpsacto.org.

Pacific Coast Companies provides a wide variety of products and services designed for residential, industrial and commercial projects of all sizes and complexities, including manufacturing, contracting and distributing building materials. The Pacific Coast Building Products Charitable Foundation focuses on community charities with an emphasis on children in need. For more information, visit www.paccoast.com.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Kristin Thébaud is the marketing and PR consultant for UCP of Sacramento and Northern California and works with numerous local nonprofits.

Locally owned: The Antique Company, Steve Sylvester

2013-01-28T04:22:25Z

Who knew that the Japanese lead the trends in the antiques world? Steve Sylvester, owner of The Antique Company, knows and he says that teak furniture is trending now.

“The antiques market is run by the Japanese who have been buying teak. They set the fads. England is six months behind Japan and California is six months behind England,” elaborates Sylvester.

To keep ahead of the local market, Sylvester works with exporters in England who tell him what the Japanese are buying and then Sylvester buys similar items. Teak bars, sidebars and dining room sets are in vogue. Art deco merchandise is also popular.

Being knowledgeable about trends and current values is critical for success in the antiques business. Sylvester gives the example of Hummel figurines, which used to sell for $200-$300, but are now selling for around $35. Cup and saucer sets that look similar to one another are another example. Perhaps one is worth $5 and the other $2,500.

“EBay rules the price,” notes Sylvester, but people still want to be able to touch an item and be able to talk to someone who knows its history, which is why stores like his are still relevant and viable.

Sylvester established The Antique Company 12 years ago. Originally from England where he was a fire officer and part-time antiques hobbyist, Sylvester moved to Sacramento and bought a small, existing antiques shop. He has since grown the shop from 1,000 square feet to more than 7,000 square feet of merchandise.

Sylvester especially enjoys researching antiques, finding and buying items, and learning the history of the items to pass on to customers. He does considerable internet research and works with buyers in England, Indonesia and Egypt to find antiques that are “fresh from the field,” goods that have not made the rounds at other antique stores and that are hard to find here.

The Antique Company is unique in that it carries a wide variety of merchandise, “like a mini department store,” says Sylvester, and new items are always coming in. Every few months, Sylvester imports 40-foot containers filled with goods from his foreign suppliers and stores the goods in his warehouse. New items are circulated from the warehouse into the store every few days and older items are circulated out by moving them to the “casualty corner” where they are substantially discounted.

Although the store has a diverse inventory, Sylvester says that his store is best known for its clocks, glass, china and costume jewelry. Furniture made between the two World Wars is another specialty. Because many of the houses in Sacramento were built during that time, furniture of that period sells well.

In addition, Sylvester designs Indonesian reproduction furniture. The furniture is built in Indonesia and shipped to Sacramento. Reproductions are popular because antique versions may not fit modern lifestyles. For example, antique beds were not made in king or queen size, so Sylvester uses the original style but adapts it to the larger sizes that customers want.

Sylvester’s customers have included governors, mayors and the people next door. More than 80 percent of customers are locals who have grown up with the store. They come in regularly and bring their family and friends and are now introducing their young children to the shop. Sylvester says that he loves interacting with his customers and sharing the history of items with them. He also goes out into the community and gives lectures to local groups interested in learning about antiques.

Sylvester believes that one of the keys to his success is his consistency. “If you know your stuff and people know you’re here every day, they will come.”

Although trends in the antiques business may come and go, solid business sense paired with customer courteousness never goes out of style.

The Antique Company is located at 2100 X St. in Sacramento. The store can be reached at (9160 457-1099, and is open every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"Locally Owned” is a regular column highlighting local business owners; the backbone of our community and economy. Each column explores the personal stories of owners and the businesses they built.

Editor’s note: Join The Sacramento Press on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at Chops Steakhouse to honor Journalism Open winners. Get tickets!

Del Paso Heights meeting with Allen Warren, Re: Marysville and Grand issues Jan. 30th

2013-01-26T23:16:08Z

Meet with our new District 2 Councilman

Allen Wayne Warren

To discuss, plan and implement the
Marysville and Grand Improvement Project

Wednesday, January 30, 2013 6:00pm
Kinney Police Facility – Community Room
3550 Marysville Blvd., Sacramento CA

We will address how to make the gateway to our neighborhood safer for ourselves, our children and our businesses. The longstanding prevalence of loitering/public intoxication, drug dealing, violence etc. at Marysville and Grand has gone on for years. Many residents refuse to shop, or even walk through, the area. The bus stops are hangouts for transients, who really don’t need to be out there drinking and doing drugs. There are numerous homeless encampments in the area as well, with some very dangerous people living in them. Let’s work to help the homeless, rather than permit their self-destruction, especially in the areas we live, work and shop. It’s time to take back our neighborhood and make it one we can be proud of. We need your voices and your ideas. Working together, it will happen.

Raise The Heights ! ~

New films: Sister, Parker, and Hansel & Gretel

2013-01-25T19:27:08Z

More January-esque Film Openings

The January pattern of film openings I was discussing last week continues this week with an award season drama, a straightforward action film that feels at home at this time of year, and a flashier popcorn actioner that feels like a refugee from the summer. There’s also the opening of “Movie 43” which wasn’t made available for press review – and you can draw your own conclusions on that.

“Sister” and “Parker”

Interestingly, while very different, two of the new films share a Robin Hood-like sentiment towards stealing.

In “Sister,” Switzerland’s official entry in the foreign language category for the Academy Awards, a young boy lives in the town at the base of a mountain that’s home to a high-priced ski resort. He’s often left alone and there’s not much other help in terms of income, and so he puts food on the table by stealing and selling ski equipment from the tourists. Each day he dresses up as though he’s a skier himself and rides the crowded gondola to the top of the mountain, where he grabs assorted flashy items and then rides back down in an empty gondola with his haul. There’s a definite sentiment expressed that it’s OK, or at least relatively OK, to steal from rich people who won’t notice the loss – and it’s not just young Simon who seems to feel this way, given that the things he steals are sometimes based on “pre-orders” from the neighborhood kids.

He’s an enterprising kid and, despite what one might think regarding the morality of his chosen profession, he also exhibits a serious work ethic and survival instinct for one so young, having also learned by observation how to service and repair damaged skis prior to re-sale.

In “Parker,” the latest film in which Jason Statham plays a Jason Statham character, we’re given a crook whose immorality is somehow supposed to be moral because he follows his own set of rules – and he has little time or patience for those who don’t. First up is that he never steals from somebody who can’t afford it, followed by never hurting somebody who doesn’t deserve it (that judgment obviously being subjective). He will do everything he says he will do and expects the same from those around him. The end result being, for example, that we’re supposed to be on his side at all times because he’s the kind of guy who will shoot somebody in the leg when they go for their gun and justify it based on having said something along the lines of “I’ll shoot you in the leg if you go for your gun.”

Of course, neither are quite like Robin Hood as, for the most part, there’s no great redistribution of wealth going on here – both are in it for their own gain, albeit that Simon probably has fewer alternative options than Parker. But just as Simon is surrounded by others who seem comfortable with what he’s doing, Parker also seems to find others who are equally comfortable with his actions, and not just those who are invested in the criminal code.

There’s not a great deal to be learned from “Parker” other than little nuggets like a handgun clip also being useful as a neck-stabbing device without the blood affecting operations when put back into service in the gun. And there’s much to be annoyed by – like a story that would only really make sense if Palm Beach, Florida had only one real estate agency with perfect, intimate knowledge of every transaction that occurs. But it does deliver on its premise of Jason Statham doing Jason Stathamy things in Jason Stathamy ways, albeit it light on Jason Stathamy fast driving.

In comparison, “Sister” actually contains a considerable amount of social commentary and could, for example, make a solid starting point for a discussion in a tourism class. There’s a clear have/have not divide in Simon’s town between the “townies” and the tourists or, as the tourism literature sometime describes, the hosts and guests. The children’s choices and desire for the best and most expensive ski equipment is a manifestation of a “demonstration effect” associated with the constant exposure to the wealth and possessions of the rich folks who pass by them on a daily basis.

The film also exhibits a similar socio-economic divide between the tourists and seasonal workers who staff the resort, toiling behind the scenes in sweaty kitchens and living in cramped dormitories. On the last day of the season, while the rich empty their chalets to return to designer lofts and mansions and plans for their next exotic excursions, the multi-national workforce pack their meager belongings and move on to wherever the next few months of work can be found. Both are migratory and many will end up in the same locations, but only one group is moving by choice.

There’s more than this to “Sister,” with much of the film focused on Simon’s home life as the title of the film might suggest, but that’s a tough area to delve into while reviewing the film without undermining the story. But it’s worth remembering the old adage about not choosing family members.

There’s not much to say in evaluating “Parker” other than to say that it’s exactly what it sounds like – a story about in-fighting and revenge among crooks, with the protagonist being the least antagonistic of the bunch. “Sister” is a neat, smaller film about family dynamics and youthful opportunism that could easily form the basis of dinner conversation or classroom discussions (see note at the bottom of the column).

“Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters”

The third film is the one that feels like a failed attempt at something flashier and more successful. “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters” is to witches what a Van Helsing or Buffy tale is to vampires. The basic idea is that the two young children of candy-house story fame escape their captor by killing her and grow up to become celebrated, witch-killing mercenaries. And it’s a spellbinding mess.

There are so many problems that it’s hard to know where to start but, perhaps, one of the most structural issues is that there’s a whole backstory as to why the two of them seem invulnerable when it comes to witchcraft and they’ve somehow managed to reach adulthood, through dozens of prior hunts, without this ever becoming a major topic of conversation or inquiry. This despite being zapped and pulverized on a routine basis, without being slowed by little inconveniences, like death.

The whole enterprise is very tongue in cheek, with steampunk weaponry and gadgets, and fighting scenes that are excuses for a plethora of exploding heads and flying limbs. All of which ought to keep that question of invulnerability at the forefront because they never seem to have an especially clear advantage and yet their own heads and limbs are remarkably intact.

The opening credits show a long sequence of encounters and killings perpetrated by Hansel and Gretel as children and then teenagers, and there’s a character in the film who’s essentially the internal geeky fanboy, who has kept a scrapbook of their prior successes which is clearly quite thick and exhaustive. This is problematic because it’s easy to imagine that those earlier stories might actually have been more appealing to watch. For every example of running and slugging it out between adult witches and adult witch hunters, one can’t help but feel that the level of inventiveness would have had to have been greater when they had a much greater size disadvantage and less strength. And all that elaborate weaponry had to have been developed over time, which would make for a more interesting story than one in which they all appear, as if by magic (!), from some propmaster’s workshop.

The violence is cartoonlike and, at times, laugh out loud funny – but the laughter here is more at the movie than with it. Although there is one enjoyable scene in which a recurring troll character steals the movie in much the same way that Hulk steals “Avengers” when tossing Loki around like a ragdoll. But the rest of the film is the kind of mess that will haunt the leads in future career retrospective montages and potentially serve as a useful low point in discussing other movies this year. January strikes again.

Note: The 7:30pm screening of “Sister” at the Crest Theatre on opening night (Friday, January 25) will be hosted by the Sacramento French Film Festival and there will be a Q&A after the film, led by Professor Kevin Elstob of the SFFF and the Foreign Languages Dept. at Sacramento State.

Editor’s note: Join The Sacramento Press on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at Chops Steakhouse to honor Journalism Open winners. Get tickets!

Rosa Parks Centennial Celebration ~ A Lifetime of Service

2013-01-24T17:29:20Z

Sacramento, California ~ National Freedom Day is a United States observance of the February 1, 1865 signing by President Abraham Lincoln a joint House and Senate resolution that later became the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constution.

Major Richard Robert Wright, Sr., born an enslaved American, believed that there should be a day when freedom for all Americans should be celebrated. He invited local and national leaders to meet to organize a movement for a national holiday to commemorate Lincoln's signing of the 13th Amendment.

The National Freedom Association proposed a memorial date to call attention to the continuing struggle for freedom for African-Americans. President Truman signed a proclamation in 1942 to recognize the first National Freedom Day celebration surrounding the "Liberty Bell" in Philadelphia, PA.

California Rosa Parks Centennial Celebration uses the historic 'Ole Blue Bus” as a powerful symbol of the quiet, stregnth and courage of Rosa Parks for education and advocacy of the broader Montgomery Bus Boycott and resulting change is scheduled to be on display Friday, February 1, 2013, 10:30 am – 12: 30 pm, California State Capitol.

Rosa Parks Day in California began February 4, 2000, our annual celebration of the “Mother of the Modern Day Civil Rights Movement.” Our continuing theme “Red Roses, Wine, Fine Art, Chocolate and Pan African Cuisine” showcasing our California Black Agriculture Working Group honors the lifetime of service by Rosa Louise McCauley Parks to our nation.

150 years ago, Freedom Statue was placed atop the U.S. Capitol, visable for all to see, yet few know the story to teach a new generation the foundation of an ongoing journey towards freedom. A completed bronze statue of Rosa Parks, yet to be scheduled for installation in the U.S. Statuary Hall, remains a political work in progress as we celebrate her 100th birthday, Noon, Emancipation Hall, US Capitol, Washington D.C.

Special for our 2013 National Freedom Day ~ Rosa Parks Centennial Celebration, artist Donald Harvie captures the vibrant beauty of a young Rosa Parks whose quiet, dignity and courage sparked the Montgomery Boycott in the “Heart of Dixie.”

Montgomery, Alabama, original capital of the Confederate States of America, remains the site of Rosa Parks’ spark ignited a yearlong, organized and mobilized community action that helped changed global intermodal transportation systems through ending racial segregation in law.

National Freedom Day, the first day of Black History Month, brings attention to the broader contributions to the forward flow of humanity by People of African Descent.

Together, we celebrate the past, present and future of intermodal transportation systems essential to understand the broader U.S. ~ Pan African Trade and Commerce objective, as well as essential research and investment of clean and green transportation systems to enhance our daily lives.

The California Black Agriculture Working Group is proud to continue building upon our extended agricultural heritage through the living legacy of Rosa Louise McCauley Parks, connecting Classical African Civilizations, through the Black Warrior River Basin of Alabama to the Central Valley of California, “the Greatest Garden in the World.”

Disclosure: Rosa Parks Day in California, Coordinator

Reflections at Tower

2013-01-24T06:53:11Z

A couple holding hands walk on rain-soaked pavement reflecting the colors of the marque of the Tower Theatre late this evening. KCRA's website shows the rain should be ending and for the next seven days the sun will be available with a few clouds over Sacramento.

Come to the Cabaret at Headhunters

2013-01-23T16:51:04Z

What good is sitting alone in your room?
Come hear the music play.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Come to Headhunters Friday nights.

Come taste the wine,
Come hear the band.
Come blow your horn,
Start celebrating;
Right this way,
Your table's waiting at Headhunters.

Jim Jordan, pianist and Gayiel Von, Cabaret singer create a great Cabaret show at Headhunters from 7pm-9pm each Friday.

Both are pros, so you're guaranteed to enjoy it!

A little background of the performers:

Gayiel Von, singer, is a self-proclaimed Renaissance Woman.
She says she's been "singing for her supper" for almost 40 years and is going strong.
Von has sung with Nancy Wilson, been accompanied by Michael Feinstein and sang back-up for Barbra's West Coast "Timeless Tour."

She says she's "sang Gospel with Ben Vereen,, played a weekly game of poker with George Carlin, worked with Bob Hope, Milton Berle, Jackie Mason, Red Buttons and the Ink Spots."
And, she was honored to sing at the Biltmore Hotel for their annual Martin Luther King Breakfast. Seated directly in front of her was Coretta Scott King.

Von was named the number 1 West Coast Cabaret Artist. (Andrea Marcovicchi represented the East Coast)

The Los Angeles Times did a great article on her earlier in her career. Worth a read.

She's great at working the crowd!

Besides singing Cabaret, she is a performance coach.

Jim Jordan says he began playing piano at the age of four and at age ten was the organist in his father’s church.

After high school, he began performing professional music playing for theatre productions, recording sessions and live events.

Jordan began teaching for the Yamaha organ company in Fort Wayne Indiana at the age of 21.

He began his career in Music Ministry in 1981 and in 1995 he left that and began a new career with Rodgers Instrument Company a division of Roland Corporation demonstrating, playing concerts and teaching workshops on digital, pipe and combination organs all across North America.

Jordan continues his association with the Rodgers Instrument Company today on a consulting basis.

He recently began as Music Director at Pioneer Congregational United Church of Christ in Sacramento.
Jordan hosts Sacramento's only Piano Bar at Headhunters Tuesday nights and also plays for local live theatre and musical events.
He teaches private piano, organ and voice.

Jordan lives with his partner in South Sacramento.

No use permitting
some prophet of doom
To wipe every smile away.
Come hear the music play.
Life is a Cabaret, old chum,
Come to the Cabaret!

Editor's Note: The first and third paragraph have been edited to reflect that the shows are on Fridays, not Thursdays.

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20,000 march for the dream | Photos

2013-01-22T17:47:26Z

From PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA:

"Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, a dream we can still see vividly when we revisit the most famous of his many timeless speeches. His vision of a world free of hatred and injustice has changed the face of American society and continues to inspire people around the world. What gave Dr. King’s dream such force was his steadfast commitment to confront his enemies without violence and to love those who hated him, knowing that hatred only begets hatred, and violence always fans the flames of injustice.

On this 84th anniversary of his birth, let us reflect on his words and vision, and consider what each of us can do today to help keep his dream alive."

Over 20,000 took to the streets Monday in Sacramento to honor Martin Luther King Day. Some came from the north, some from the south – ending up at the Capitol buildiing and then onto Sacramento Convention Center where the 14th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Dinner was held.

Here are moments from the march:

Marchers coming from Oak Park down Sutterville –

Marchers head south from Grant High School on 12th Ave heading to the Capitol grounds:

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

State of Downtown: ‘Dreamers are welcome’

2013-01-21T06:22:28Z

The 15th State of Downtown Breakfast took place last Tuesday morning at the Sacramento Convention Center, with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom as keynote speaker.

Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, opened the event and ran through a plethora of topics and issues. Public safety, K Street, the sale of Downtown Plaza and parks are just a few of the many that were highlighted.

“Personal connection makes a difference,” Ault said, regarding the 26 new businesses that opened up in the district last year. Ault cited the executive committee’s efforts to get to know brokers, owners and storefronts as the difference. He was optimistic about the strides that have been made, but also called out to civic leaders, property owners, entrepreneurs and downtown brokers.

“We need our civic leaders to instill a culture of can-do attitude and create a start-up-friendly focus at all levels of city and county government. Together we can foster an environment that helps cultivate local talent.”

“We need to be creative,” said Ault in reference to developing the area and dealing with competition.

The annual VIBE award is given for just this, and this year it was given to Sid Garcia-Heberger for her work with the Crest Theatre.

Nominees for this year's award included Troy Carlson (Theatre of Lights), Carina Lampkin (Blackbird Kitchen & Bar), La Shelle Dozier (Studios at Hotel Berry) and Mike Hargis and Clay Nutting (Launch Festival). Nominee videos can be viewed by clicking on the name of each nominee.

Ault also said a few words about outgoing Police Chief Rick Braziel and all that he has done for the downtown area.

Mayor Kevin Johnson began by thanking the elected officials in the room before going on to discuss the year’s accomplishments and the process he referred to as “shifting from recession to recovery.”

Johnson’s next item of discussion was a “state-of-the-art entertainment and sports complex.” He introduced keynote speaker Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, but beforehand spent just under ten minutes introducing and detailing his “Playing to Win Strategy” regarding the Kings, a downtown stadium and the March 1 NBA filing deadline – all following the model San Francisco used with the Giants.

Newsom applauded Johnson for his persistence in “a world that is so in need of leadership,” and echoed Ault’s call for creativity.

“What world are we living in?” Newsom asked, using words like unique, individual and distinctive, but also Facebook, Twitter, apps and the Cloud.

Newsom strongly stressed the importance of learning from your competitors, whatever your business.

“We’ve got to get back to the future business,” Newsom said.

“If you don’t like the way the world is when you’re standing up, stand on your head; go local. Remarkable things are happening in local governments.”

Just minutes after using Wal-Mart to demonstrate how to case your competitors, Newsom went on to underscore the importance of the little things.

“Sweat the small stuff,” Newsom advised, in closing.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

UC Davis Health System Community Advisory Board seeking new members

2013-01-19T23:00:44Z

The UC Davis Health System Community Advisory Board is seeking new volunteer members to advise the health system on community health care issues. Prospective board members are welcome to attend an open house Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013, 5:30-7 p.m., at the UC Davis MIND Institute, 2825 50th St., Sacramento, Calif. The open house will allow prospective members to network with current and past Community Advisory Board volunteers, and learn more about board membership, as well as how to apply. New six-year terms begin July 1, 2013.

Community Advisory Board members are a representative group of up to 28 dedicated community volunteers who live or work in the Sacramento region. Through quarterly board meetings, ongoing committee assignments and ad hoc working groups, CAB members have helped advise the health system on issues of interest to the broader community since 1980. Recruitment and selection of CAB members emphasize diverse perspectives; members are drawn from throughout the region to reflect the needs and concerns of various ethnic, economic and cultural groups.

To RSVP for the open house, email community.relations@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu. To learn more about the UC Davis Health System Community Advisory Board, visit the website or call 916-734-5441. For those who cannot attend the event, applications will be available at the link above starting Jan. 23, 2013, and are due no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 22, 2013.

Editor’s note: Every Thursday we deliver a local event guide straight to your inbox, right on time to make your weekend plans. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Laura Niznik is the Manager, Government and Community Relations for UC Davis Health System

No injuries after RT light rail train and car collide

2013-01-18T17:31:31Z

Traffic backed up early Friday morning near 12th Street following a vehicle vs. Regional Transit light rail train collision that ended without any injuries.

The incident occurred at the intersections of Sproule Avenue and Sunbeam Avenue around 8 a.m.

According to a witnesses nearby, the Subaru was on Sproule Avenue and the driver looked to his right. Another car then came down Sunbeam, and crossed N.12th St.

As the Subaru moved, the light rail train broadsided it.

A traffic light was destroyed during the collision.

The morning commute was backed up until the accident scene was cleared.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

New films: Broken City and The Last Stand

2013-01-18T17:02:40Z

New film releases – the good-bad and the ugly

January can be an odd time at the movies, with some of the most varied releases showing up. On the one hand you have the serious award contenders slowly rolling out across the country, having had Christmas releases in Los Angeles and New York City in order to qualify for various competition deadlines. While on the other hand you tend to see the flotsam and jetsam of projects with low expectations and those that haven’t lived up to studio hopes for release at busier times of the year. Looking at two of this week’s new releases shows us more about the latter categories than the former.

Broken City
Directed by Allen Hughes

On paper, a film about corruption in a New York mayoral race, with a cast that includes Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, and Barry Pepper probably had a lot of people pretty excited. Somehow it managed to incorporate a list of producers that’s longer than some cast lists, with 21 people cited and 10 listed as Executive Producers (typically the folks writing the checks). It has a script that’s full of corruption, scandal, real estate deals, conflicts of interest, and good old fashioned private investigation work. It also has up to the moment touches like a Mayor’s wife (Zeta-Jones) attending a celebration of legal gay marriage in the state.

However, on screen, the entire enterprise is a mess. Oddly, it feels like a poorly adapted novel but appears to have been written for the screen by first time writer Brian Tucker. That feeling comes from there being a little too much going on, with too many significant characters and too many sub-plots. It’s not that it’s difficult to follow, it just trips over itself with inconsistencies in elements of the story that don’t even need to be there.

For example, there’s a point in the movie when Wahlberg’s ex-cop turned private eye Billy Taggert breaks up with his girlfriend. It’s a public yelling match full of recriminations and lines like (paraphrased) “We’ve been broken for a long time!” Which is problematic given that, up until that point, we’ve only seen them being supportive of each other and mutually understanding. She’s an actress and he doesn’t approve of her new film, or what he suspects regarding her relationship with her co-star. But neither the girlfriend, the indie film she’s made, nor the others involved in the film have any relevance to the main plot of “Broken City” – you could put a line through all of this and not affect the story at all. It may have been that at one point there was a connection in the script but in the final version she seems to be there just to give Taggert a home life, with no upside and multiple downsides.

The main plot involves Taggert being hired by the Mayor (Crowe) to investigate his wife’s alleged infidelity. But this blossoms into a convoluted set of circumstances involving the other candidate in the upcoming election (which is just days away), his campaign manager, the police commissioner, and a real estate developer and his son. Everybody has dirt on everybody else, in some way, and yet very little of that dirt seems to be acted upon.

This is a story in which multiple people make reference to a single incriminating document, in a manner that implies that they must know what it contains, and yet they tell Taggert to find it without giving him much of a clue as to what it might be. Meanwhile, the document contains the kind of revelation that’s specific enough that one could simply whisper it to a member of the press and it would likely get uncovered from public records without the original document ever needing to be found.

Individual performances aren’t bad, especially if one looks at stand-alone scenes and ignores certain inconsistencies between them. (It’s also one of those films where somebody who is staggeringly drunk can sober up in an instant following one important phone call or one cold water dunking.) Wahlberg carries his part relatively well but most of the rest of the cast isn’t really given much to do and it makes one wonder what some of the other major talent saw in the project to begin with, except to reinforce the idea that it all looked far better on paper.

The Last Stand
Directed by Jee-woon Kim

By comparison, on paper “The Last Stand” couldn’t be much simpler. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in his first starring role since playing the lead in California politics, is Ray Owens, sheriff of a small town on the Arizona/Mexico border. He’s on his day off (for no other reason than that it makes for a few good one-liners) when an escaped drug cartel boss makes a Taco Bellesque run for the border. It’s an almost impossible to spoil plot as that’s essentially it, and even that probably overstates the underlying concept and appeal of the movie, which is essentially just Schwarzennegger-star/action-comeback.

There’s more going on of course, but it’s just action context and stereotypical casting: There’s the earnest FBI agent (Forest Whitaker) who lost the prisoner (in a prison transfer described as under the radar, but which involved a large convoy of vehicles), a band of hired guns aiding the cartel leader’s escape (led by Peter Stormare in scenery chewing mode), and comic relief in the form of Luiz Guzmán as one of Owens’ deputies and Johnny Knoxville in the village idiot/court jester role as the local crazy gun collector.

But this is all about Schwarzenegger as action star and whether or not he can still pull that off. The pleasant surprise is that he can – albeit at a somewhat toned down level and pace. Schwarzenegger has a better sense of what he can and can’t deliver as an actor than as a politician.

He’s 65 and this is a good role for him – Owens isn’t an action hero wannabe sheriff, he’s a big city career cop in virtual semi-retirement in a one stoplight town where a bad day likely involves underage drinking and cow tipping. And he’s still a bulky guy – so the kinds of stunts he does (and he did many of his own) are less to do with speed and more to do with mass: He busts through doors and delivers a heavy punch, and if he outruns anybody, it’s in a car and not on foot.

Owens isn’t the killing machine we’ve seen from Arnold before, here he’s the veteran who’s seen a lot of bad things go down in worse places, who simply doesn’t have in him the quitting gene. As such he’s one of cinema’s most appealing archetypes – the reluctant hero with a past that imbues him with the necessary skillset to take on whatever’s thrown at him. It’s the same basic formula that has worked so well recently for (60 year old) Liam Neeson, and a downsized set of expectations that (66 year old) Sylvester Stallone could gain from.

There are no surprises here – except perhaps how solid some of the action scenes are, aside from the fighting and shooting. This is Jee-woon Kim’s first English language film and, through a pair of translators and a lot of body language, he’s crafted a decent action film filled with authentic stunts and real cars being driven by real people. It’s still a film in which a fast car and a driver in a hurry always seems to have enough spare power that a quick gear shift will press them into their seat yet again – but at least we’re not being subjected to constant CGI and wires.

Which isn’t to say that this is a great film – far from it. But it works and it does so by managing one’s expectations and delivering exactly on its promise. If the basic idea of Schwarzenegger as a small town sheriff in a pitched battle with a runaway drug lord appeals to you on almost any level, then you’ll probably enjoy the film at some level also. This is the upside to the downside of January.

Not just for nerds

2013-01-18T07:29:11Z

Unemployment in Sacramento is over 10%, but there’s an industry with close to 0% unemployment whose craft isn’t too hard to learn: web programming.

Leave behind your stereotype of a programmer as a long-haired man who started writing code when he was 6 and still lives in his mom’s basement. Programming has become dramatically easier in the past few years, and while we still have far more men than women, both the social skills and gender balance of our industry have been steadily shifting.

If you aren’t satisfied with your current career or salary (assuming you have one at all), here’s what you need to know about getting into a high-paying and, I think, incredibly rewarding occupation.

First, a bit of disclosure: I train people to become software developers, so I’m a bit biased. Until recently, I was CEO of a startup I founded, Impact Dialing, where I discovered the dramatic shortage of good web programmers, and that learning to program isn't nearly as hard as commonly thought. Now that Impact Dialing is profitable, I’ve stepped aside to start Epicodus, an eight-week class to help people with little to no programming experience learn the skills they need for these high-demand jobs.

Just how high-demand are these jobs? Anecdotally, web developers in San Francisco (where I used to live) joke that they have negative unemployment, as most of them have a day job and a side project. If you’re willing to move to the Bay, jobs abound. In Sacramento, the picture isn’t as clear, but from the companies I’ve talked to, they have a hard time finding the talent they are looking for. And the picture for the country as a whole is very compelling: the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows software development in a fairly unique place as fast-growing, large in absolute size, and offering high wages. (The two other professions with these characteristics are registered nurses and accountants.)

Web development isn’t just a great career from the point of your employment and salary - it’s also a lot of fun. By its very nature, software development doesn’t involve many tedious tasks, as programmers write software to take care of the repetitive parts. So, your work is almost entirely focused on solving problems nobody else has faced before. There’s also far more to know than anybody could ever learn in a lifetime, not to mention that software development is constantly changing, so developers spend most of their time learning. If you like learning and problem solving, you can’t find a much more rewarding career.

So, how do you become a web programmer? Traditionally, you had two choices: go through a 4-year computer science program, or work your way through dense programming books. In recent years, though, your options have bloomed. The programming community has become increasingly helpful to beginners, and there are now many resources available to people who want to learn. The Sacramento Ruby Meetup (Ruby is a web programming language) is a great place to meet other beginners and potential study buddies, and often holds workshops for beginners. Hacker Lab, a space in downtown Sacramento, often holds events, too. There are many websites for learning web development, but I of course think the one I wrote is the best. And, of course, if you get a taste of web development and want to make the jump, I’d love to have you join an Epicodus class.

Disclosure: Michael is the founder of Epicodus, a school that helps people learn web programming, and the founder and former CEO of Impact Dialing, a web software startup.

Sam Kieth 'I'm overwhelmed' at World's Best Comics

2013-01-17T07:21:16Z

On Saturday, Jan. 12, writer and illustrator Sam Kieth signed comic books, graphic novels, trading cards and answered many special requests for drawings. His ink never ran dry as the line of fans grew to roughly one hundred by quarter past 3 pm.

Fans waited for over an hour to get in and meet him. For many, he is the reason they read comics.

Kris Moore flew from Dallas to attend this signing and told Kieth, “you are the reason I read comic books!” Moore called him “the greatest artist of the past thirty years.”

Another fan, Steven Bello, drove from Los Angeles with his friend who said that he “hasn’t seen [Bello] that excited since his wedding.”

Chris McCarthy cancelled his business plans to meet Kieth and said that he’d started reading Kieth’s comics in high school.

The fans had dozens of titles and Kieth signed them all. One after another for hours.

As I turned to go, I thanked Kieth and mentioned his fans. He smiled and said, “I’m overwhelmed.”

Note: Sam Kieth: Samplings and Dabblings: a Retrospective February 13- June 16, 2013 at Cartoon Art Museum

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Bucket List: A microcar pilgrimage (Photos)

2013-01-14T23:43:30Z

In the aftermath of WWII in Europe, with materials in short supply, full-size cars were out of reach for many and several manufacturers built smaller vehicles including the famous Isetta and Messerschmitt "bubblecars." These were followed by small cars that could seat four adults despite their still diminutive size, such as the original FIAT 500 (and its many derivatives) and the Austin and Morris Mini twins.

The largest collection of these "microcars" has been housed in picturesque Madison, Georgia - and over the weekend I crossed an item off my "bucket list" with a brief visit, prior to the museum's closure at the end of this month. Car lovers everywhere now have a chance to own these vehicles as the entire collection goes on the auction block in mid-February, including 200 cars, memorabilia, toys, and accessories.

For more information on the collection and the auction, visit www.microcarmuseum.com.

Regional Transit light rail train vs. car

2013-01-13T03:24:02Z

A Sacramento RT light rail train and a vehicle occupied by one person collided near the intersection of 12th Street and D Street around 5 p.m. Saturday. No one was injured.

A driver who witnessed the scene unfold said, "The car was coming out of the alley (from the east onto 12th Street) as the train was coming (heading north on 12th). I don't know, she (the driver) just must not have seen the train."

The witness was traveling on 12th Street, which travels one-way in a southerly direction. The light rail train was traveling north at about 25 mph after making a scheduled stop in front of La Valentina Apartments, 429 12th St.

It traveled approximately one block before the collision occurred.

The driver of the car said she didn't hear anything. She felt something hit her head and said she hurriedly got out of the car across the passenger seat.

One person at the scene mentioned there had been other accidents like this one. He suggested this end of the alley should be for entrance only, not exit.

Sam Kieth at World’s Best Comics this Saturday

2013-01-12T07:01:42Z

The “Zombies vs Robots” co-creator teams up once again with Chris Ryall in “The Hollows,” a four-issue miniseries set in futuristic apocalyptic Japan.

Kieth, a writer and illustrator, is also the creator of “The Maxx” and “Zero Girl.” Kieth’s work can also be found in “Wolverine,” “Hulk,” “Batman” and “30 Days of Night.”

In addition, Kieth wrote and illustrated the graphic novel, “Arkham Asylum: Madness,” which hit #5 on the New York Times bestseller list.

In this rare Northern California appearance, Kieth will be signing copies of his new series “The Hollows” at World’s Best Comics at 2608 Watt Ave, Sacramento Saturday, Jan.12, 2013 from 2-4 pm.

New film: Zero Dark Thirty

2013-01-11T08:53:02Z

Zero Dark Thirty
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow

As with “The Hobbit” a few weeks ago, this is a movie that people are going to watch (or not even bother to watch) and evaluate for completely different reasons, with the quality of the movie not necessarily being foremost in a lot of people’s minds. For that reason, the column is broken into thematic sections.

Torture

For starters, the film depicts torture – or “Enhanced Interrogation Techniques.” This has been cited as controversial but there’s nothing especially controversial about what’s shown – at least not in terms of whether or not what we see is what happened. The most extreme, sustained technique depicted, that’s subsequently used as a threat, is waterboarding. This may upset people who don’t like the idea of waterboarding or the idea that the CIA might have done this – but it’s something the CIA has admitted occurred in their interrogation sites. And it’s not a stretch to refer to it as torture, given that virtually every authority/statute in the world uses that label for that action, with the notable exception of the George W. Bush Administration during a specific time period.

By implication, what might be worse, is the “Extraordinary Rendition” program that spirited people away to unknown locations, including those locations that might have had a looser attitude towards what constituted torture. These are actions that have since resulted in CIA officers being indicted in various countries - but it isn’t really addressed in the film.

Aside from that, there are scenes of physical abuse (but nothing in the way of electrodes or surgical instruments), humiliation, food deprivation, light and noise manipulation, and confinement.

Torture as an Information Source

The other aspect of the film that is drawing criticism, related to torture, is the allegation that the film implies that these techniques were successful in producing valuable intelligence from those subjected to such treatment. But that’s also an odd allegation as the film doesn’t really give much of that impression at all.

The torture scenes at the start of the move have more of an effect of hardening the central character, CIA agent Maya (played by Jessica Chastain), to this extreme new world she’s entered at the start of her overseas career. They set the tone for us as an audience, and they explain the range of interrogation techniques employed. But they don’t show us much in the way of spilled facts and locations.

Without going into too much specific detail, most of the information gathered comes in snippets and in repetitive factoids from literally hundreds of sources and interrogations, most of which seem relatively ordinary by comparison. They also come from trickery and lies, and from information that simply got overlooked in files about various key figures. But there’s little if anything of any urgency depicted that comes from actual scenes of torture.

All of which leads one to believe that much of the negative feedback on this point is probably coming from people who either haven’t seen the film or who didn’t follow it very well – as the manner in which the information is triangulated and analyzed is long and drawn out, and somewhat complex. I stood outside the screening I attended as one member of the audience, who sounded generally clued in about other things, explained to the studio’s screening representative that he simply couldn’t follow where all of the intel was coming from – and I have seen other similar comments elsewhere. So perhaps that’s at least part of the problem.

Politics and the Election

The film was originally scheduled to be released before the November election, but Republican groups expressed concern (more like outrage) that it was a ploy to remind voters that President Obama had had oversight of the raid that resulted in the death of Osama bin laden, in an attempt to influence the election. The film was rescheduled to open in Los Angeles and New York in December, early enough to qualify for Academy Awards, with a wider release this week.

What’s odd about this concern is that the film barely brings Obama into the mix. At one point he’s described as a thinker, which is only offensive if one thinks that Bush wasn’t – but it isn’t delivered in that tone or context. And he’s depicted as being a hurdle to the established practices of the interrogators (i.e., by banning torture) at least as much as it is suggested that he allowed things to progress successfully. Again, I’m left doubting that many (if any) of the critics at that time had even seen the film.

The other still-brewing issue is the extent to which classified information might or might not have been made available to the filmmakers. Everybody involved has said this didn’t happen, but it’s not an accusation or question that seems likely to go away any time soon, or to produce any verifiably convincing answers, and it’s the kind of issue that will probably always be thrown around when it serves somebody’s purpose to do so.

The Plot and Pace of the Film

This is a long film, clocking in at 2 hours and 37 minutes – although that’s still shorter than other recent releases, including “The Hobbit” and “Django Unchained.” But it’s time well spent in terms of giving a solid impression of the nature of what was an extremely long and slow moving investigation. It’s hard to imagine the film having the gravitas it does if it had been compressed into a more bladder-friendly running time.

To some extent it reminds me of “Lincoln,” in the sense that many people are likely to be expecting something else from the film – especially if they’ve seen the previews that focus on the raid on the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The majority of this film is spent examining the process that unfolded to get to that point, not in glorifying that raid – and it’s not for audiences who just want to see guns, shooting, and extreme action.

At its core, it’s the story of Maya, who is brought into a CIA investigative team who are already engaged in the hunt for post 9/11 information and the search for Osama bin Laden. She a smart individual with knowledge of the language and culture, who begins to see things in ways some of the others around her don’t.

For those who have followed the intelligence discussions in recent years, there’s been a recurring theme that the major agencies and their systems were designed during, and better suited to, the Cold War. More intelligence analysts had knowledge of Eastern Block countries and languages, and we started out with relatively few solid assets on the ground in the Middle East and in places like Afghanistan and Pakistan. Although the film doesn’t make much of this, it’s hinted at in some of the earliest conversations between Maya and her teammates.

But the process is a long slog – which is why it’s odd that people might think that torture somehow suddenly produced all the answers in some convenient fashion. This is a film that gives what seems to be a detailed and authentic look at the way such investigations work and how mind numbing and soul destroying they can be, especially as years pass, administrations change, and priorities shift.

Having said all that, it’s incredibly good and powerful in that depiction. It’s probably my favorite movie with military or conflict-themed subject matter since “Blackhawk Down,” a film which, in turn, I think is one of the very best war movies ever made, perhaps even the best. There’s nothing here that ever feels fake or lacking in credibility, which speaks to the extraordinary level of attention to detail in the entire production.

The acting is all solid, especially from Chastain, with strong supporting performances that are too numerous to catalog. It looks authentic, feels authentic, and never lets up in its gradual and steady build to the ending that we already know is coming.

[On a side note, Bigelow and her writing partner Mark Boal, had originally intended to tell the story of the failed and much earlier attack on Tora Bora. However, as they were progressing with that script, the ultimate raid occurred and the Tora Bora attack no longer seemed relevant – or at least immediately less relevant and compelling. And so they started again, building on some of the same groundwork but heading in the new direction.]

The Direction and the Academy Awards

All of which should give you the impression that the direction is impressive. This is Kathryn Bigelow’s follow up theatrical project to “The Hurt Locker” which won her an Academy Award for directing three years ago.

Since yesterday, there has been even more buzz about the film, largely concentrated around the fact that Bigelow wasn’t nominated for an Academy Award for “Zero Dark Thirty,” despite being an early favorite for a nomination. Some are suggesting a backlash to the political aspects of the film but that doesn’t really fit very well and it implies a far greater level of organization among Oscar voters than probably exists. Besides, if one wanted to distance oneself from the content of the film and its story, it would make more sense to avoid a Best Picture nomination and a Best Screenplay nomination than a nomination for the person who made it all look so good.

The other nugget that gets missed is that nominations are generally made within the branch of the Academy that addresses that particular award. So the directing nominations are made by members of the Directors Branch of the Academy and not by the general membership of the Academy (everybody gets to vote later, but not during the nomination stage). There’s an overlap there with the membership of the separate Directors Guild of America, but they are different groups with different awards programs and different nominations. And many of these same people saw fit to nominate Bigelow for the Directors Guild Award.

Summary

This is a film that held my attention, without ever letting up, from start to finish. The pacing is slow but justifiably so, in a manner that lends credence to the story that’s unfolding before us. The torture scenes are more about setting the tone and establishing the beginning of the lead character arc than to either criticize or glorify what happened and, as Bigelow herself has said, to have skipped them would have seemed like a white-washing of that part of the history of what happened. It’s superbly detailed and has a sense of authenticity that’s rarely matched in these kinds of subjects. It’s powerful, well acted, and, simply, quite brilliant.

Sacramento's Newest Rising Star

2013-01-11T03:01:46Z

Not just a time for personal resolutions, the start of a new year can breathe life into your small business goals. While some resolutions are abandoned, others are turned into full-fledged action plans that can transform your life, your business, or both.

That is precisely what local photographer Ryan Greenleaf is up to as he begins 2013. He was chosen as one of three photographers from across the country to participate in the “Restart: A Photography Business Makeover” course offered by renowned photographer Jasmine Star. Over the next three months, Greenleaf will take part in a workshop that will look at his business and “turn it inside out.” He’ll work on things like branding, marketing, honing his online presence, as well as pick up some new photography skills.

Originally from Dixon, Calif., Greenleaf has been doing wedding photography for the last five years. He’s also done commercial nature photography and worked in print media. He currently volunteers on the communications committee of Metro EDGE, a program of the Sacramento Metro Chamber for young professionals in the region. With a B.A. in Photography/Design from CSU Sacramento, Greenleaf is trying to harness his spirit of entrepreneurism and gain some business savvy.

“I felt like I had hit a plateau in my business and when this opportunity arose, I jumped on it,” said Greenleaf. “I've been a huge fan of Jasmine for years. Not only her photos but the way runs her photography business, the way she presents herself online, her branding, and her teaching.”

Star, an internationally known wedding photographer and established expert in the field, teaches the workshop in Seattle and really focuses on the business side of things. And judging from her success, likely has more than a few tips to share a budding photography business proprietor. She's travelled on speaking tours around the country, photographed hundreds of high-end weddings, been featured in countless of magazines (including People, Style Me Pretty, and Professional Photographer magazine), and has managed to create a successfully branded photography studio based out of Orange County, Calif. She has created a following of about 70,000 people on Facebook and about 50,000 people on Twitter.

And while Greenleaf is one of the lucky three chosen to work with Star in person, it’s open to everyone. The course is FREE online at www.creativelive.com/live on February 13 and March 6th. The class is from 9am-4:30pm with a free for the 24 hours following. After, the course can be purchased for $99.

For a chance at the in-person opportunity, Greenleaf had to create a 60-second video telling her why he wanted to go to Seattle and why he deserved to be one of the three students picked out of the entire nation to be a part of the class.

“When I found out I was one of the three people chosen, I couldn’t believe it,” said Greenleaf. “It still hasn’t sunk in but I could not be more thankful for this opportunity for myself and my business.”

Disclosure: Emilie Cameron is a member of Metro EDGE, a program of the Sacramento Metro Chamber for Sacramento's 40 and under young professionals.

Anthony Padilla's Solar Power Plant is honored

2013-01-11T01:50:13Z

Anthony Padilla, graffiti artist, has emerged as an artist commissioned by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission.

His new instrumental mural titled "Solar Power Plant" commissioned by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC), Art in Public Places Program, with funding from the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento was introduced recently at the Thomas P. Raley Branch of the Boys & Girls Club located on the corner of 12th and G Streets.

His “Seasons of Sacramento” aerosol mural commissioned in 2005 for Historic City Hall’s 2nd floor Hearing Room continues to gather community praise.

"Solar Power Plant" is a giant-sized, one-ton piece of art, that is also a functioning solar power plant, at home at the Boys and Girls Club on G St. It can be seen while walking on F St approaching 16th St. at the northeast corner of the club's playground.

"Here I'm mixing art and technology as something new and different," he said. "I had a vision of a blue lady reaching towards the sky with a power cord aiming at the sun."

If you look at the three-prong grounding plug you'll notice it is upside down so it looks happy, Padilla explained.

"So her plug is trying to plug all the way into the sun and that powers the whole world", he explained.

It took him one year of designing and one year of fabricating it. He had to hire professionals to install it.Bowman, Padilla and Padilla's brother worked on the project.

Bowman says they all work well together. He said Padilla's mind is constantly moving and thinking. He's an illustrator. Padilla did all the artwork on the mural.

This technology could be used anywhere, with or without the art piece. It is practical in that it can recharge technology tools anywhere. Cloudy days do not mess it up.

Padilla said California could use visionaries to push us into the future.

Ella Features Only Vegetarian Dishes For Dine Downtown This Year

2013-01-10T05:42:52Z

For the first time since Dine Downtown began eight years ago in Sacramento, Calif., Ella Dining Room and Bar will offer an all-vegetarian menu for hungry foodies.

What about the protein, omnivores may ask?

Mike Thiemann, Ella’s executive chef, shared some of the challenges of preparing a vegetable-centric menu. “It’s not about going against the grain or trying to be vegetarian or vegan; it’s taking the challenge in front of us and doing the best you can, and it just so happens that it ends up being all vegetarian.”

There has been a lot of talk recently about how Sacramento is the Farm-to-Fork Capital of the nation.

For the next 10 days, hungry patrons can sample a variety of fresh products.

With so much local produce and agriculture, Thiemann thinks, “At the end of the day, Sacramento chefs moving forward should all be really amazing vegetarian cooks. It’s really not that hard. The products out there basically speak themselves.”

Featuring soup or salad for the first course, Moroccan or Italian options for the main course and cheesecake or a meringue-based third course, Thiemann is cooking dishes that he would want to eat.

Megan Emmerling states that it’s the hope of the Sacramento Downtown Partnership to bring awareness to people outside of the grid about quality products, talented chefs and downtown dining options.

Other establishments offering vegetarian or vegan options this year are Capitol Garage, Firehouse, The Melting Pot, River City Brewing Co. and Mayahuel.

Jerry Mitchell, is a co-owner of Capitol Garage.

Last year he mentioned, “It used to be just feed people good food. Now it’s more complicated, people are more aware about sustainability, so it makes it more difficult.”

Mitchell continues, “We try and use as much local product as possible.”

Whether you are looking for a pleasant night out with your significant other, or want to sample delicious food from top-shelf talent, the next 10 days offer nearly 30 options to choose from.

You’ll find this author at Ella’s.

Disclosure: Rich Beckermeyer is a community contributor. You can follow him on twitter @Leland_Beck.

The (sort of) Serious Side to Cartoonist Eric Decetis & His 30-year Career

2013-01-09T21:35:57Z

Born and raised in Sacramento, the local artist with international fame and world-wide laughter known as Eric Decetis reflects on his career and his art. Many know Eric Decetis as “the guy who draws funny cartoon cards” but Eric is a very accomplished and awarded watercolor artist. Yes, Eric is funny but he is also prolific and has mastered his watercolor medium in ways that some artists only dream.

People lose themselves in the subject of Eric’s cartoons and overlook the amazing detail and nuances of the watercolor. Some of the cartoons may take 80 to 100 hours of painting to create the perfect shading and transparency. The originals are completed with Dr. Ph. Martin’s Radiant Concentrate Individual Watercolors which are extremely difficult to master. This watercolor medium is special order only. Many artists avoid this medium due to the amount of practice and discipline to learn the control, the technique, as well as mix the pigments. Hence, this is a fast approaching a lost art.

With a brief Q&A Eric enlightens his fans about his feelings on computer graphics and his art, his new exhibit at Little Relics Boutique & Galleria with some reflection on his days working with Larry Flynt and his start with gentlemen’s magazines.

SR: This show is a 30-year retrospective of your art career with some highlights and glimpses to your childhood drawings and artwork. What piece of the show are you most proud to exhibit and why?

ED: I would probably have to say the original Lost Puppy artwork. Certainly not my best work but for some reason it has become infamously iconic and recognizable. Had I known it was going to gain the notoriety it has I would have drawn it a lot better.

SR: What about this particular exhibit is thrilling?

ED: Having lived long enough to attend.

SR: Aside from the hilarity and guffaws your artwork creates, what is the passion behind the artwork?

ED: Lawyers, Guns and Money (Warren Zevon).

SR: When you get an idea, do you let it marinate or do you get the overwhelming need to illustrate it immediately? Is the idea process slow and deliberate or do you find your musings at the grocery store, driving or just people and dog watching?

ED: The majority of the time I go right to the drawing table soon after the gag sparks. The genesis is pretty convoluted with no set pattern. It may be inspired from a radio talk show, a conversation overheard at dinner or just a random visual thought that comes to mind for no apparent reason. Or it may be just from the voices in my head.

SR: Considered an artist of a "dying watercolor process" by the Ohio State Cartoon Art Museum, how does that make you feel? How long does the process take? Dying Watercolor Process translates that you use concentrate and you work each cell by hand and absolutely nothing is computer generated. Why not add some computer graphics to your art?

ED: "Dying". Geez. I didn't know it was even sick. Makes me feel like I coulda' had appetizers with Jesus et al at the Last Supper. I do know it's a very tedious process using radiant concentrated water colors (aka "dyes") that few cartoonists use today. I taught myself how use them when I started working for the magazines in the early 80's.

It was the medium of choice back then because of the resulting vibrant colors for print reproduction. Unlike synchromatic or regular water colors, dyes are very unforgiving and require a hand brushed layering process. As such depending on the complexity of the piece, some cartoons can take up to a week to render.

As to adding computer graphics at this stage of my career, I'd rather wake up on the floor of an adult bookstore bathroom with a dead rat in mouth.

SR: In the era of censorship and the governmental attack on the First Amendment, you were working with Larry Flynt as a contract cartoonist. In the midst of the FCC tightening the restrictions on publications especially gentlemen's magazines, were any of your cartoons banned by the FCC due to censorship and what was the impact on you as an artist and your artwork?

ED: None of my work with LFP (Larry Flynt Publications) was ever banned. Larry was always pushing us to go as far as we could with our jokes and art and then go a step beyond that. He thrived on controversy and felt---like Bob Cuccione (General Media-Penthouse Publications)---that the cartoons where a major component in magazine sales. Larry was fierce about the first amendment and taunting the FCC, but he was also concerned with litigation fallout from trademark violation.

One of my earlier controversial pieces was a cartoon of a doll named "WhiteTrash Knocked-Up Trailer Park Barbie". He had me revise Barbie to "Darbie" to avoid any potential issues with Mattel.

As far as impact on me as an artist, as an aspiring cartoonist I just wanted to get published and earn a living. The magazines were merely the vehicle for accomplishing that.

SR: As an artist did you see any benefit from Larry Flint's crusade against the FCC and censorship? Did you gain any new freedoms publishing your artwork?

ED: At the time I had no interest in Larry's political crusades. Since I had no training in art, my focus was on developing my own recognizable cartoon style and learning how to find and perfect a medium that worked for me.

It was a launching pad for what I hoped would be a career. I just didn't know what planet I'd land on.

SR: Do you feel that your experience during this era has paved the way for many of today's cartoonists to "push the envelope" per se?

ED: I can't speak to any influence my work may have had, based on the content of my writing. If anything I hope that those who aspire to make a career in this industry are motivated by my modicum of success. If you have the tenacity and discipline to shake rejection in a figure eight the possibilities as a cartoonist are endless regardless of your style of humor.

To meet Eric and hear more of his musings, please join him at Little Relics Boutique & Galleria, 908 21st St. on January 12th, from 7pm to 10pm. This retrospective has some of his early work when he used an airbrush for most of the cartoon and then marches through to present time including the original and most famous, Lost Puppy. Viewers will see the evolution of Eric’s craftsmanship and his humor. Show runs until January 26th.

Disclosure: : Susan Rabinovitz owns Little Relics Boutique & Galleria as well as Represents Eric Decetis Original Artwork.

Three Sacramento nonprofits receive “Facebook grants” from Umpqua Bank

2013-01-09T17:31:39Z

Three Sacramento nonprofits recently received grants from Umpqua Bank through its Joy of Giving campaign on Facebook.

Mutual Housing California was awarded $5,000. Women’s Empowerment was granted $2,000 and Roseville Home Start $1,000.

On November 20, Umpqua Bank asked people to post comments about local nonprofits on its Facebook page. The campaign ran through December 16.

Nominated nonprofits had to be located within Umpqua Bank’s four-state territory—Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada.

Mutual Housing staff posted the campaign to its Facebook page on November 27. Executive Director Rachel Iskow sent out an email asking people to respond.

The bank selected 25 nonprofits to share in grants totaling $50,000.

The $1,000 and $2,000 recipients were announced throughout the campaign.

At the end of the campaign, Umpqua announced the five grants at the $5,000 level.

“Every day, our communities are enriched by the dedication and contributions of nonprofit organizations that provide a great service to our communities,” said Ray Davis, Umpqua Bank President and CEO.

“Like Umpqua, our customers and neighbors are passionate about the nonprofits in their communities and we wanted to provide an opportunity for them to join with us in celebrating these organizations – and giving back in a meaningful way.”

Mutual Housing California has received grants from Umpqua in the past as part of the bank’s mission to give back to the communities they serve.

“This grant from Umpqua Bank will help us continue our mission of housing families of modest means in safe and affordable housing,” said Iskow.

Headquartered in Portland, Ore., Umpqua Bank is a subsidiary of Umpqua Holdings Corporation. For more information, go to http://www.umpquabank.com.

Founded in 1988, Mutual Housing California develops and operates well-designed rental housing for modest-income households. The communities have 2,750 residents, half of whom are children.

Through its focus on leadership, the Sacramento-based nonprofit provides training and mentoring as well as educational programs, community-building activities and services for residents and neighbors.

For more information, visit http://www.mutualhousing.com.

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Disclosure: A former journalist, Dell Richards is the principal of Dell Richards Publicity. The nonprofit Mutual Housing California is a client of the Sacramento public relations firm.

Rockwell special events at the Crocker

2013-01-09T17:31:27Z

The Norman Rockwell exhibit opened at the Crocker Nov. 10 and will close in less than one month. During its run, several special events have taken place. Perhaps you met Rockwell’s models, enjoyed some concerts, watched the film, “Stagecoach,” or participated in several studio art classes.

The final special events take place this month and begin this weekend with the world premiere of “Big Dreams, Small Shoulders,” a multi-media performance piece based on Rockwell’s painting, “The Problem We All Live With.” Deborah Pittman composed the music and collaborated with other artists to create this piece.

Pittman, a musician and professor of clarinet at California State University, Sacramento who specializes in American musical theatre, was one of the panel members who spoke on Nov. 29 about the creative process and the challenges she and her collaborators faced as they worked to create a piece that combined music, dance, puppetry, narration and projected imagery.

Laura Cook, a local poet, is one of the performers in “Big Dreams, Small Shoulders,” which will be presented on Sunday, Jan. 13 at 3 p.m. Space is limited for this special performance, so arrive early. Admission runs between $6 and $12.

Also this weekend, the Crocker hosts “The Art of Parenting: Tell Me a Story” where participants will learn the art of storytelling beginning with classic folktales. Mary McGrath taught storytelling at Sacramento City College and currently hosts a local monthly storytelling series. She will teach how to tell stories that are meaningful to children, stories based on visual images or on your own life. This event takes place on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. Space is limited and the cost is $10 to $15.

If you are interested in creating visual art and learning more about Rockwell’s ability to capture the commonplaces of America, then you might want to consider “The Power of Place: Capturing the Commonplaces of America.” This two-day workshop will examine the Rockwell exhibit, teach sketching and painting techniques and give participants studio time to create their visions of commonplace America. This two-day workshop is taught by Kristine Bybee and Jill Pease and costs between $85 and $100.

Check the Crocker website to discover other Rockwell-related events and to confirm dates, times and costs.

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SacAnime's growing pains

2013-01-09T11:12:17Z

A new year, a new venue and a new experience were all part of the winter SacAnime held at the Sacramento Convention Center and the Sheraton Grand Hotel Jan. 4-6.

SacAnime has outgrown several venues and the larger venue attracted a bigger audience. A larger crowd than the 7,700 who attended the summer convention held at the Woodlake Hotel was expected.

SacAnime fans from northern California and beyond gathered for the three-day weekend event dressed in their favorite cosplay outfit. Many planned their wardrobe months in advance and some came with three prepared costumes, one for each day of the event.

Alex Martin drove from Alameda with some friends and could not hold his excitement, saying his parents gave him a birthday present that included hotel and admission to SacAnime.

“I've worked on my two Soul Eater and a ninja outfits since Halloween and am stoked to meet others with similar costumes. I was so excited I talked my parents into letting me pre-register and pick up my pass the day before SacAnime opened,” Martin said.

Several fun events were included in the new venue, including the return of the Viewing Room that showed anime and other videos for most of the day during the weekend.

Friday and Saturday included dance workshops that included lessons in salsa, tango, foxtrot and waltzing. The lessons helped guests prepare for another new event: the Starlight Ball. Both the lessons and the ball itself were very popular and the Starlight Ball sold out. The ball gave guests the opportunity to attend a formal attire event.

The rave venue, now known as Late Nite Electronik Dance, was just as popular but was held at a large hall. The hall housed late night dancing on Friday and Saturday night.

Kazha, a Japanese rock band, returned to the SacAnime Concert Series. Kazuha Oda's vocals delighted the audience with songs that included “Wake Up,” “I Still Remember” and others. Band members Hideki Matsushige and Zen Takamura's hard rock sounds were well complemented by new drummer Kazumaru.

Kazha closed their show on Friday night with the popular, “Breath Through Your Dreams,” which highlighted the band's world music fusion and diverse sound. Kazha was available for autographs and held a Q&A panel session.

Besides the new events, SacAnime brought back many guests, vendors and events from previous years. Vendors, artists and featured tables filled the Vendor Hall and the large space was busy during the event.

The J-Fashion Show returned and showcased both professional and amateur designers and models on stage. Prince Noir, winner of the past two J-Fashion events, returned to showcase their wonderful designs. As winner of the last contest, Prince Noir was awarded a vendor table for the winter SacAnime, and because they were previous winners, they were not eligible to compete.

Carlyfornia Love was the gracious and charming host for J-Fashion and introduced an assortment of Asian-inspired fashion.

Several participants also had tables at the larger and much-improved Exhibitor's Hall. One of those tables was occupied by Scattered Comics. Visitors were treated to autographed free limited prints signed by Shadow Hunters characters. The Shadow Hunters 2013 calendar was also available and fans were given the opportunity to pose with their favorite characters for photos.

In appreciation and honor of its anime roots, SacAnime included several special guests from Japan. Mai Aizawa, a Japanese voice actress who might be best known for her role as Natsumi Murakami in the anime series, Mahō Sensei Negima, was one such guest.

Toshio Furukawa, known for his voice acting roles as Ataru of Urusei Yatsura, Inumaru of Gosenzo-sama Banbanzai and Piccolo of Dragonball, was also available for autographs.

Anime designer Tsuyoshi Nonaka held a Q&A session that used a Japanese translator. Nonaka seemed to have some command of the English language but relied on the translator to help things flow. Nonaka has also served as a toy designer and planner for Bandai Co. LTD (Japan) for over 20 years. Nonaka is probably best known for his work in shows from Ultraman Tiga and Kamen Rider.

Artists from Japan have been requested by many fans, and SacAnime heeded their advice by bringing in these artists to give fans a perspective of Japanese style and culture and a fresh look into the roots of the country that created anime as we know it.

Long lines are still a norm for autographs. SacAnime brought artists such as Kevin Conroy, Grey DeLisle, Maile Flanagan, Tony Oliver, Hynden Walch, Liam O'Brien and others to share their experience as voice actors and serve in panels and autograph sessions.

SacAnime staff was very helpful in keeping walking lanes open, helping in registration, checking credentials and providing directions for visitors, among other things. SacAnime is still one of the better-organized events of its size and cordial attendees create a friendly community that has grown over the years.

The convention has something for all anime fans and there is so much to do that attendees, coordinators, staff and vendors appear to be exhausted one day, only to return the next with a bright outlook. That bright outlook is something that SacAnime appears to have claimed as its own, as they continue to attract larger audiences.

Sunday's closing ceremonies allowed remaining fans to view the Anime Music Video (AMV) contest winners and to voice their concerns regarding the event.

Director of Programming Jodon Bellofatto reviewed several factors about the first SacAnime held at the new venue. The theme of the event was “Growing Pains” and Bellofatto shared that 7,500 attendees had been counted as of Saturday. Many estimates indicated that over 10,000 people attended the convention.

Bellofatto talked about the difference in attendance between summer and winter, saying the summer event draws more fans.
“They are still crunching the numbers. I can tell you things that I do know. We ran out of program books; we ran out of weekend badges. We had to run over to Kinko’s and have them print us out some more. We ran out of a whole bunch of different things,” Bellofatto said. “I haven’t gotten Sunday's numbers or the final tally. We'll make an announcement on our website once we have a true number, but our very rough estimate for this weekend, so far not including Sunday, is 7,500 attendees.”

Other findings discussed were how SacAnime would be received by new neighbors. Bellofatto shared that traffic slowed as people tried to drive by the event and marvel at the number and dress style of SacAnime attendees.

Nearby businesses were not expecting the large crowds and wish they had known about the event. Some businesses expressed a desire to partner with SacAnime, keep doors open longer and offer discounts to attendees.

Bellofatto shared comments from the Sacramento Police Department who paid a visit, saying, “This reflects on you, guys; you should be very proud of this, you guys should be very happy to hear that representatives from Sac PD came by all three days and sometimes twice a day to check on us. They were very happy with what they saw at the show. They think you're a great crowd. They think you're very well-behaved; they have no complaints.”

The Sheraton did not know what to expect with SacAnime and its fans, and were very flexible and accommodating. They were caught off guard as to how many would attend and book rooms and will be looking to make more rooms available for the next convention. Nearby Marriott and other hotels accommodated the overflow. SacAnime will be working on getting favorable room rates at the Hyatt as well for the summer convention.

Work for the next con has already begun, and Bellofatto shared that the size of the Exhibitor's Hall will again be increased. The third floor of the Convention Center, which was closed for the winter event, will be made available to SacAnime during the summer.

The Home and Garden Show shared the Convention Center during the weekend and it was discussed that the Greek Food Festival will be sharing the center with SacAnime. A badge for either event will be good for either gathering as well, but the logistics are still being worked on.
Concerns about the event centered around parking, which seems to have caused confusion in some cases. Other concerns about the event were discussed but did not seem to have detracted from the overall effectiveness of the event.

SacAnime returns to the Convention Center Aug. 30 – Sept. 1, Memorial Day weekend. Rooms can now be booked at the Sheraton. Early bookings provide extra perks, but rooms must be booked by January 31 for the initial release of rooms.

SacAnime is an all-ages event that allows a fun weekend for attendees. Follow the SacAnime website for further details on rooms, guests and other events. The webpage also includes a forum where visitors can discuss parking, carpool, cosplay gathering information, concerns and other valuable information.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

"A Nervous Freedom" ~ Rosa Parks Sparks Ongoing Change in U.S. Transportation Law

2013-01-07T15:01:41Z

National, State and Sacramento Regional Transportation officials gather to celebrate ongoing U.S. Transportation investments that continue to positively impact the greater Sacramento Region. The California Central Valley is blessed with inland ports, major rail lines, trucking hubs and interstate highway systems to build new clean technology transportation systems..

U.S. Transporation Secretay Ray LaHood and Congresswomen Doris Matsui continue to lead transformation through U.S. Civil Rights Law throughout the global reach of U.S. Transportation systems. Rosa Parks legal team continues to work on the "Nervous Freedom" Sparking Change in U.S. Transportation Law. Job creation, career advancement and community economic development requires equity and equal opportunity as we prepare for expanded civil and human rights law utilizing the legacy of Roas Parks.

At the California State Capitol ~ Rosa Parks Centennial Celebration, Roses, Chocolate, Wine and Fine Pan African Cuisine, Friday, February 1, 2013 we mark a major milestone and reflect on the work that remains to be completed.

Proposed Rosa Parks Centennial Resolution ~

WHEREAS, Rosa Parks was born on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, the first child of James and Leona (Edwards) McCauley; and Rosa Louise McCauley married Raymond Parks on December 18, 1932; and

WHEREAS, Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, and her stand for equal rights became legendary; and

WHEREAS, Rosa Parks' arrest for refusing to comply with Montgomery's segregation law was the catalyst for establishing the boycott of Montgomery bus system, by approximately 42,000 African Americans for 381 days; and

WHEREAS, On November 13, 1956, the United States Supreme Court ruled that Montgomery's segregation law was unconstitutional, and on December 20, 1956, Montgomery officials were ordered to desegregate buses; and

WHEREAS, Rosa Parks is honored as the "Mother of the Modern Day Civil Rights Movement," because her refusal to surrender her seat in compliance with Montgomery's segregation law inspired the civil rights movement, which has resulted in the breakdown of numerous legal barriers and the lessening of profound discrimination against African Americans in this country; and

WHEREAS, The courage and conviction of Rosa Parks laid the foundation for equal rights for all Americans and for the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and

WHEREAS, Rosa Parks was the first woman to join the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP, and was an active volunteer for the Montgomery Women's Political Caucus; and

WHEREAS, Rosa Parks is the recipient of many awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, the highest honor Congress can bestow upon a civilian and;

WHEREAS, Rosa Parks dedicated her life to the cause of human rights and truly embodies the love of humanity and freedom; now, therefore,

We encourage all Sacramento residents and citizens of the United States of America to recognize the outstanding honor and tribute of the installation of a Statue of Rosa Parks within the U.S. Capitol Statuary Hall, Washington D.C.and U.S. Postal Stamp in her honor on this occasion marking the 100th year of the birth of Rosa Parks, be it Resolved by the City of Sacramento, hereby celebrates Friday, February 1 - 4, 2013, the Rosa Parks Centennial Celebrations and urges all citizens, residents and visitors to pay homage to this great American woman; and be it further resolved, That the Clerk of Board transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution

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Disclosure: Rosa Parks Day in California, Coordinator

Book Talk: Haendel Schwartz and "A Palette of Leaves"

2013-01-05T04:42:13Z

A Palette of Leaves by Edythe Haendel Schwartz
Mayapple Press
ISBN 978-1-936419-14-2
2012, 70 pp., $14.95
Poetry – Local Author

This latest book by Davis poet Edythe Haendel Schwartz is a must for artists and poets alike, and is one of the best poetry collections I read in 2012. Beginning with the cover featuring the poet’s art, "A Palette of Leaves" surprised and delighted me. Several ekphrastic poems, beginning and ending the collection with Alice Neel, are spread throughout the three sections. Haendel Schwartz examines subjects like aging, stroke, biopsy and familial relationships, without sentimentality. Don’t confuse sentiment with emotion, and expect these poems to evoke a range of emotions. And, expect to think about each poem. Although the topics may be difficult and sometimes dark, there is always hope. You might, as I did, laugh just a bit at “Help Wanted: Bra Fitter,” but you’ll also recognize its ties to the current economic situation. Haendel Schwartz’s poems are accessible and intelligent, and they never remain in the private realm. These are personal poems, told by many characters, which speak to me as Neel does in “Alice Neel Speaks.” One of my favorite poems, although I’ll admit that it’s difficult to choose only one favorite, is “Suspension,” a poem that addresses how little we know about our parents. Haendel Schwartz’s words here, as in each poem, are carefully chosen and carefully placed, as are her brushstrokes on the other canvas she paints.

Edythe Haendel Schwartz will read from this new collection at the Sacramento Poetry Center at 1719 25th St., on Monday, Jan. 7, at 7:30 p.m.

* * *

Other recent books by local poets include “Three Weeks Before Summer,” by Alexa Mergen and “Window: Selected Poetry,” by James M. Moose.

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Ask the County Law Librarian -- Self Storage Facilities

2013-01-05T01:11:01Z

Q. Greetings,

I was hoping to find out information on laws surrounding self storages and the return of personal property such as pictures and personal papers.

I recently had a storage unit sold that contained many personal papers (contracts and agreements) and boxes full of family photos (current framed and past pictures of living and deceased members). The storage company has stated these items were to be returned and would look into the matter, but, have yet to return calls or answer when we call.

I know certain states have laws requiring these types of items be returned; does California have such a law?

Thanks and kind regards,

DaShon

A. During the holidays, while we were visiting my mother-in-law and her new husband, I became hooked on a TV reality show called “Storage Wars” (it was the only thing we could all watch without some of us remembering, and others raising, uncomfortable topics). In Storage Wars a cast of regulars (and professional buyers), Darrell, “The Gambler;” Jarrod and his wife Brandi, “The Young Guns;” Dave, “The Mogul;” and Barry, “The Collector;” bid against each other and others in an auction for the contents of storage units that have been abandoned. While the show itself is obviously scripted, and the incredible “finds” may be planted (see Lawsuit Claims A&E’s “Storage Wars” Show is Rigged, ( http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=166991032 ), the show’s premise, intoned by the narrator just before the opening credits, is sound:

“When Storage Units are Abandoned, the Treasures Within are put up for Auction.”

Most of the action takes place in California, and is perfectly legal, according to Business & Professions (B&P) Code Sections 21700 through 21716, which govern self-service storage facilities. Effective January 1, 1982, the California Self-Service Storage Facility Act provides very specific guidelines for storage facility attachment liens and the subsequent sale of property that may occur due to non-payment of rent and fees.

The owners of the self-service storage facility have a lien on all personal property located at the self-storage facility for rent, labor, late-payment fees or other charges, present or future, incurred pursuant to the rental agreement, and for expenses necessary for the storage, sale, or disposal of personal property. B&P Code § 21702. A “lien” is a creditor's legal claim against particular property owned by a debtor as security for a debt.

If any part of the rent or other charges is unpaid for fourteen (14) consecutive days, a storage facility owner may terminate the right of the renter to use the storage space by sending a notice to the renter’s last known address. Sections 21703 and 21704 of the Business & Professions Code detail the information that must be included in the preliminary lien notice. If the renter does not pay the full amount by the date specified in the preliminary lien notice, the storage facility owner's lien attaches to the personal property. At that time, the owner may enter the space and deny the renter access to it. If the notice of lien was sent by certified mail, the owner may also remove property found in the space to a place of safekeeping. If the notice was sent by first class mail, the owner must wait another fourteen (14) days before removing the property. B&P Code § 21705.

Once the lien attaches, the owner must send the renter a Notice of Lien Sale and a blank Declaration in Opposition to Lien Sale form. The required contents of the Notice of Lien Sale are detailed in Section 21705 of the Business & Professions Code.

If the renter completes and timely returns the Declaration in Opposition to Lien, the storage facility owner may try to enforce the lien in either small claims or superior court. If the court grants the owner a judgment in his or her favor, the lien sale process continues. B&P Code § 21710.

After the lien attaches, if no declaration in opposition to the lien sale is executed, the owner of the self-service facility may sell the property. B&P Code § 21706. The sale must be advertised for two weeks prior to the sale. The advertisement must include a description of the property to be sold, the name of the storage space renter, and the name and location of the storage facility. B&P Code § 21707.

The contents of a storage unit are usually auctioned off as a single lot of items. On Storage Wars the cast bids on the contents based only upon on a five-minute inspection of what they can see from the door when it is opened (this seems to be the industry standard; you can find a list of upcoming storage auctions in your area, along with the facility’s auction guidelines, on the California Self-Storage Association’s website, http://www.californiaselfstorage.org/).

At any time before the sale, any person claiming a right to the goods can pay off the lien, plus one month's rent in advance, and the sale will be cancelled. The claimant then has thirty (30) days to obtain a court order directing the disposition of the property. If no court order is obtained, the claimant must pay the owner the original monthly rental charge for the duration of the original rental agreement. If the claimant fails to pay, the storage facility may start the lien and sale process all over again. B&P Code § 21709.

After the sale, the storage facility owner must hold any proceeds in excess of the lien and costs of the sale for the renter. The renter may claim this money at any time within one year of the date of sale. After one year, any unclaimed proceeds are turned over to the county treasury. B&P Code § 21708.

Finally, a storage facility owner cannot take advantage of the California Self-Service Storage Facility Act’s liberal remedies for non-payment if the rental agreement does not include a statement that the renter’s property may be subject to a lien and sold to satisfy payment that is fourteen (14) days late, and does not offer the renter a space in the agreement to identify an alternate person (and address) to whom lien and sale notices must be sent. B&P Code § 21712.

If the storage facility you used failed to comply with any of the California Self-Service Storage Facility Act’s provisions regarding the notices required in your contract and the notices required for the lien and sale of your property, you could sue the storage facility owner for the value of the contents of your storage unit (in small claims court if the value does not exceed $10,000; in superior court if it does), or for the return of your personal papers and family photos and other personal property (in superior court only; small claims courts can only award monetary damages). However, the contents of your storage unit were probably bought as a whole in an auction, and whoever bought the unit probably disposed of anything that was not particularly valuable and could not be sold at a thrift or similar store.

Likewise, if you had a separate agreement with the facility to return your personal papers and family photos, you could try to enforce that agreement in superior court; the California Self-Service Storage Facility Act specifically provides that “[n]othing in this chapter shall be construed to impair or affect the right of the parties to create additional rights, duties, and obligations . . . .” B&P Code § 21713. However, in addition to the burden of proving the existence of an oral contract, you would face the same, almost insurmountable hurdle mentioned above: your personal papers and family photos are probably long gone.

I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a better answer; I realize how valuable your personal papers and family photos must have been to you, if not anyone else. I hope 2013 will be a better year for you—I’m sure it will be!

Do you have a question for the County Law Librarian? Just email sacpress@saclaw.org. If your question is selected your answer will appear in next Thursday's column. Even if your question isn't selected, though, I will still respond within two weeks.

Coral Henning, Director
@coralh & @saclawlibrarian
www.saclaw.org