The Capital City Bonsai Association and the Sacramento Bonsai Club hosted the Commemoration of the Introduction of the USPS Forever® Bonsai Stamps at the Iva Gard Shepard Garden and Arts Center. These five new stamps are forever equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce rate.. The event was packed for the unveiling. Art Director and stamp designer Ethel Kessler worked with artist John D. Dawson on the Bonsai stamps. Dawson's art has been featured on previous year's stamps. He was unable to attend the ceremony. Five common styles of bonsai are featured on these new stamps: 1) a Sierra Juniper in semi-cascade style: (2) a Trident Maple in informal upright style: (3) a Bl

The results are in and we’re very excited to announce the winners of The Sacramento Press 2011 Journalism Open. More than 50 community contributors accepted the challenge to commit acts of journalism. In January, 134 entries were submitted, many by writers who are new to The Sacramento Press. Thank you to those of you who participated and those who helped spread the word about the contest. There were three Sacramento Press judges who reviewed the entries and determined the winners: Casey Kirk, Recruitment Manager, Brandon Darnell, Copy Editor and Reporter, and Colleen Belcher, Managing Editor. We were looking for stories with a minimum of two sources, stories that incorporated research

When we moved to Sacramento nine years ago, I was stunned by the beauty of the American river and the abundance of trees in this state capital. I was also surprised by the high number of homeless downtown. Sacramento was not the metropolitan area, I was expecting for a state capital. In my opinion, Sacramento was a Californian urban area surrounded by suburbs. In a few years, the downtown-Midtown areas became more urban; people moved into lofts and renovated Victorians. In 2009, Sacramento was labeled a tent city. The little secret about homelessness in this state capital worsened with the mortgage crisis. It was sad. A struggling middle class was losing houses far from downtown. Then th

One can feel the warmth, seeing the steam roll off the windows.  Red mood lighting, the pulse of blues music playing in the background, comfy old couches, smooth but funky wood floors, and full length mirrors alongside an antique firefighter’s pole describes a typical scene at Firehouse 5.  Their fuel is music, and the dancers in close embrace are the matchsticks. The building on the edge of downtown that once housed one of Sacramento’s first motorized fire engines has evolved into one of the region’s most eclectic dance venues and hangouts. It’s a place where students come from UC Davis or even Chico so that couples can dance tango, blues or west coast swing, which combines lindy and swi

Carmina Burana was one of the most magical experiences I had ever encountered in my life. The performance by the Sacramento Ballet was not only stunning - it was disarming, provocative and transformative. The drama, the sexuality, the full chorus, the blending of art … it was … like nothing else I had ever seen before. And … it was performed last year. And won’t be performed for another three, four years. What to do between then? Founded in 1954, the Sacramento Ballet claims to be “the only Sacramento arts organization with a company of resident artists.” And yet their world remains such a mystery. With the popularity of The Black Swan, audiences around the world are groping for tidbits

We call it the Crown Jewel of Sacramento and are stingy about keeping it polished and protected. It generates an estimated $365,000,000 annually and more visits than Yosemite, yet it is underfunded and undervalued as a regional asset. The American River Parkway provides our water, improves our air quality and supports diverse wildlife, including some of the last West Coast salmon runs. We go there to rest, recreate and reflect. The 23 mile stretch from Nimbus Dam to the confluence with the Sacramento River is officially designated as a Wild and Scenic River. It is the most heavily used recreation river in California.  TV news crews try to scare us silly when the river rises "near Flood S

12 photos from the January 9th and 23rd Savage Sprints Roller Races. [text below is from: http://sacvalleyvelodrome.org/?p=109] Press Release – Savage Sprints Fundraiser for Sacramento Valley Velodrome January 18, 2011 Press Release SAVAGE SPRINTS FUNDRAISER FOR SACRAMENTO VALLEY VELODROME The Sacramento Valley Velodrome Association is holding a series of stationary bike races, or Roller Races, to raise awareness and funds to build an outdoor bicycle racing track called a velodrome in the greater Sacramento area. Supporters are hopeful considering the strong support from the local bike community and area businesses. “After a solid turnout of more than 100 supporters and 40 race parti

I live in the ‘burbs and I can get to feeling pretty isolated from my neighbors. Okay, I have that feeling a lot of the time. It’s mostly my own fault – I don’t always make the effort because I’m kinda shy and different… I don’t always know where to start. Give me the right setting and a reason to chat, well that definitely helps. I’ve discovered one such setting and no, it’s not a support group (though I could probably use one of those). It’s a new shop near El Camino and Fulton called Chic for Change. Teshala Paradiso, who everyone calls “Tesh,” is working to realize a vision that came to her during a year-long turn with a very serious illness. She described how on one particularly bad

Natomas Unified School District officials probably know better than any other in California the importance of Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed tax extensions. Voter approval in June has the power to pull this small Sacramento-area district of 10,000+ students back from the brink of bankruptcy. If the proposition fails, state funding to K-12 education could be cut 6 percent – or more – and two local legislators are poised to introduce legislation in the coming weeks that would empower the state to take over the cash-strapped school district in Natomas. While school districts statewide will be equally impacted if Gov. Brown's propositions fail to pass, Natomas Unified will financially be out of

You step into the room and are immediately transported from small town Northern California to a big town high end night club. Large paintings of jazz musicians line the walls. The room is filled with tables for four where individuals converse and sip their drinks. Over the stage is more jazz themed art. The house lighting dims. The stage lighting rises. Gary Vercelli introduces the performers and the evening’s show commences. The audience is about to treated to another evening of great jazz. Gary Vercelli  This is the experience created by the Capitol Radio Studio Jazz Series - a three show series now in its’ second year. The room is the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre the smaller of the tw

What’s The Reason? By Shani Lee Sacramento Press Open 2011         It’s a tale as old as time. The school needs computers, or books right? I can remember that being said time and time again as far back as elementary school. Well in this economy it’s the adults who need some help at school. Students at Sacramento City College are from a wide variety of backgrounds, & races, and create an even more diverse group of professionals. Did you know that a group of SCC’s film students won the 2011 Winterfest Sacramento Film & Music festival? Seeing first hand the passion of these students in every aspect is amazing, and encouraging. In such tough economic times it’s good to see people eager to ac

I have had a very surprising past few days. I wanted to share it here because I think what I have experienced has happened to everyone at one point. The surprising part of what I'm about to share, the most shocking part of all came from the most unexpected place; the point of origin! The thing that caused me the most pain ended up surprising me the most and spun my head clean around. Being a Mom of 3 extremely active boys so close in age, I have gotten my fair share of disapproving looks. Looks that speak volumes without any sound like the, "you must need a glass of wine before bed" look, the "what are you crazy?!?!" look and so on. When you add the extra twist of having a son...the oldes

The Sacramento Electronic Music Festival (SEMF) 2011 held at the Townhouse Lounge on 21st Street had its third day of local, regional and international talent showcased on Saturday night. I showed up a little early and was greeted by Adam Saake organizer of the event. Adam, Clay Nutting and Tais Arises did an extraordinary job of putting on this 3 day event. (Adam Saake said let there be SEMF) Both floors of the Townhouse were used for SEMF. Each floor had DJ and lighting stations and a bar was fully equipped on both floors as well. Tais Arises was on hand as well announcing acts and getting the crowd into the show. I attended the show on Saturday and heard good things about the Thursd

Children are caught in the cross fire of domestic abuse every day in the Sacramento region, and throughout California. According to Sacramento-based WEAVE Inc., nearly one in every three women will experience abuse at some time in their lives – abuse that is defined as between intimate partners, where one partner is using physical or emotional abuse to gain power or control. The cycle of violence, which includes a tension phase, explosion, and a honeymoon period often repeat until, ultimately, someone is damaged beyond repair. Enter Juliani Cardenas. Juliani Cardenas is a name that every Californian has come to recognize. An unfortunate four-year old who unwittingly graces the spotlight

Saturday, the Make-a-Wish Foundation Sacramento and Northeastern California chapter hosted the elegant 23rd Annual Winter Wine & Food Fest, featuring tasting from 120 regional wineries, breweries and restaurants. The event also offered live music by classic cover band Over the Edge Band, a silent auction hosted by Dave Thompson from MIX 96 and a VIP live auction. The proceeds from sponsors, auction items and ticket sales will help grant wishes to local children “with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.” This year, the Make-A-Wish Foundation Sacramento and Northeastern California chapter will grant approximately 230 wishes. The g

El Dorado County, our neighbor to the east, is picturesque and varied. The landscape climbs from the valley floor through the foothills and all the way over the Sierra Nevadas to South Lake Tahoe. Camino, on Highway 50 just east of Placerville, is famous for the Apple Hill fruit growers, a plethora of Christmas tree farms, and one of the most successful wine regions in California. Each January, the El Dorado Winery Association presents “Bring Out the Barrel,” an opportunity for visitors to taste their new wine before it is bottled, blended or aged. This year, 26 of the region’s 50-plus wineries opened their cellars to hundreds of guests. Tickets for the two-day event sold out early, an

As I got ready to lay my head down on the pillow for the evening, I started wondering what my son would be doing when he grew up.  With all his talent, the possibilities were endless.  Visions of grandeur were dancing in my head.  He’ll be running down that 300-foot dark-green pasture – picking them up and putting them down, crossing white line after white line. They say he’s lightning-fast. Great hands, quick feet. No one can catch him, and Lord knows they’ve tried. A natural. A definite “blue-chipper,” they whisper in the stands. But what about the beating he’ll take? Being hammered game after game after game. It takes a toll, you know. I know he has pads on, but so does everyone else.

There has been an enthusiastic debate simmering in the Curtis Park neighborhood for quite some time now. The topic of discussion: heritage trees in development zones and their proposed removal. But through the passionate exchanges from local residents and the developer of the project, cooler heads express the need for civility. I learned this while speaking candidly with two citizens working hard behind the scenes on this hot-button topic over the weekend. Patrick Soluri, Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association president, gave me the CliffsNotes version of information from years of hearings, public meetings, press releases and e-mails from neighborhood advocates. In a nutshell: The Petrov

If you have lived in Sacramento for any length of time, you will know that Arco Arena (excuse me, Power Balance Pavilion) is on borrowed time. Though it is only 25 years old, the arena was built "on the cheap" - a short term solution for the Sacramento Kings while the city could figure out a long-term solution. Well, my friends... that day is here. The City Council is trying to devise a way to pay for a $600 million arena in a faltering economy. No small feat, but it's not impossible. What's Wrong With Arco Arco Arena, while acceptable for many fans - is not acceptable by modern standards. Several notable event promoters such as Beyonce and the NCAA March Madness tournament committee have

How do you remember your high school years? Some of us, myself included, would not go back even if our lives depended on it. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with a group of current high school students. I walked away feeling a mixture of exhilaration and inspiration. Despite the gloomy headlines, I felt a glimmer of hope for our nation’s future. The impetus for this little sit-down was a conversation I recently had with my seventeen year-old son and his girlfriend Ebony. I had been fishing for good ideas for an article. In response to my question they both immediately replied, “You need to come to Sac High.” When I asked why, Ebony responded “Because they’re always writing arti