Recently I learned that a well known park in Sacramento called Goethe Park changed its name to River Bend Park. When I asked several different people who know the area what happened I was given several answers. After I did my own research I found a more shocking answer than anything anyone had told me. But the good news is that the name change resolved the issue to the degree that local parks should not be named after people, no matter how wealthy, who were associated with genocide. When you Google search "Charles Goethe" the first link that comes up is Wikipedia, with a listing that begins "Charles Goethe (1875-1966) was an American eugenicist." Eugenics was once a growing science in th

It is a common complaint in Sacramento that the city doesn't do enough to maintain its parks. The discussion usually centers around city funding and budgets, when we might be better off asking why there are not more neighborhood cleanups, like the one occurring in Tahoe Park this Saturday. "During the current difficult economic climate, it is important that the residents of Sacramento take steps to ensure that our great shared resource, our city's beautiful parks, don't languish as a result of year-after-year of budget cuts," said organizer and Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association board member Isaac Gonzalez on Tuesday. The cleanup runs from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. All residents need to do to

More than 700 people planning to play with squirt guns in Southside Park Saturday were left high and dry when the event was cancelled by park rangers due to the lack of an event permit, prompting event organizers to reschedule and relocate the water fight to a larger, more remote area that doesn’t require permits. “Predictably, some parks neighbors got word and complained, and cops and park rangers decided 600 people was too big for that park, and worst of all, no permit,” event organizer Stephanie Rector said on her Facebook page after the cancellation. The water fight had been advertised on Facebook for weeks leading up to the event scheduled to take over Southside Park at 2 p.m. Satur

The next time you tear off a piece of white bread and pop it into a duck’s beak at the city parks remember that ducks and geese in the wild feed on large amounts of protein, greens and unprocessed grains. Worms, crustaceans, grasses and vegetables––not processed breads, cookies or candy. The ubiquitous duck has a cosmopolitan distribution and is often a young city dweller’s introduction to wildlife. Watching a little one feeding ducks never loses its charm. So how to keep the ducks healthy and give kids the wildlife interaction that feeding provides? Here are some tips to keep the feeding fun and the ducks healthy: •    Don’t overfeed. Take a small bag of treats. •    Explain to the ki

Welcome to another edition of the "Wake-Up Call," a rundown of five items that we're working on, found interesting, or otherwise thought you might want to know about today. As is always the case here at Sac Press, suggestions are welcome. DECLAWED: The City Council voted to put a measure on the November ballot to repeal Measure A and, as the ever-affable Ryan Lillis notes in the Sac Bee today, city-dwellers and suburbanites are split on their reaction to the possibility of a reduction in the claw service for yard waste pickup. Leafier areas like Midtown, Land Park and East Sac can’t live without it, and newer areas like Natomas say it’s a luxury that doesn’t impress them much. But where d

City Council members voiced support of a possible sales tax increase that could bring as much as $13.5 million to city coffers, but won’t act on it until after this year’s city budget is finalized. They mayor said he opposes the proposal, and his campaign manager called it "regressive." The tax increase was recommended by Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman and mayoral candidate Jonathan Rewers in response to the results of a poll commissioned by the city that showed 71 percent of city voters would favor a sales tax increase to support city services, especially if the money is used to offset cuts to city police, fire and youth services. “Despite what I think, a sales taxes seems to

The chairman of the city Parks and Recreation Commission is calling for a quarter-percent increase in sales tax to help fill the gap in the Department of Parks and Recreation budget – a move he says is supported by voters and would increase the city’s annual revenue by $13.5 million. The money would go into the general fund, which currently faces a $15.7 million shortfall, and is the primary funding source for police, fire and parks services. “We are at the point with parks where there is no more money, no more efficiencies to be had, and no crews left,” Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman and mayoral candidate Jonathan Rewers said Tuesday. “We are left to look at raising revenue.”

Through the efforts of City of Sacramento Councilmember Rob Fong, the YMCA of Superior California, the City of Sacramento Parks and Recreation Department and the Southside Park Neighborhood Association, the Southside Park Community Pool will be open for swimmers this summer from June 16 through Labor Day. “This is a great example of community partners working toward a common goal that benefits our most important citizens: our kids,” said Councilmember Rob Fong. “Opening Southside Park Community Pool would not have happened this summer without YMCA’s commitment to this community.” Last year, Councilmember Fong initiated discussions with the YMCA when it was apparent the City would have t

With the city poised to slash the parks department budget, park maintenance continues to fall short, and Sacramento Press readers are asking if the city should just outsource park maintenance altogether, while union leaders think it’s a bad ide, and a city park comissioner says its been tried before without success.  “The obvious question here is what is the cost if all park maintenance staff are laid off, and the services (are) outsourced to a non-union private contractor?” asked “Cogmeyer,” a frequent Sacramento Press commenter. Craig Powell, president of the local political watchdog group Eye on Sacramento, agreed, saying that outsourcing park maintenance “has to be on the table.” Po

The next time you go to a city park, bring your pruning shears and garden gloves: Park maintenance in the city is about to be dealt a $119,000 budget blow – leaving the department with one-man maintenance crews and increasing the burden on volunteers to pick up the slack. “I’m not happy to say this, but we have inadequate resources and inadequate staffing,” Director Jim Combs told the City Council Tuesday. Even with a department budget reduced by more than 60 percent and staffing reduced by 50 percent over the past five years, Combs said everyone in the department has done their best to keep city services afloat. But it’s a losing battle, Combs said. The city’s park services maintains

Fairytale Town's popular annual Puppet Festival will kick off its 16th season on May 3. During the eight-week series, four original puppet shows will be presented by Art Grueneberger's award-winning Puppet Art Theater Company. This year's lineup features artful and hilarious adaptations of four classic fairytales: "Little Red Riding Hood" from May 3 - 13; "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" from May 17 - 27; "Hansel & Gretel" from May 31 - June 10; and the premiere of "Cinderella" from June 14 - 30. "The Puppet Festival is an experience the whole family will enjoy, and it is a great opportunity to introduce live theater to children," said Kathy Fleming, executive director of Fairytale Town. P

Four massive Seville olive trees were installed in The Bridge District’s Garden Park earlier this month setting the stage for a welcoming community space in West Sacramento’s newest development area. Garden Park is a three-quarter-acre public park billed as the “centerpiece” to the first stage of development of The Bridge District, according to Stephen Jaycox, senior vice president of design for The Bridge District’s designer/developer, Fulcrum Property. Jaycox said the design and planning of The Bridge District is unusual compared to typical new development plans. “We are starting with the green space and then moving on to building townhomes and apartments around it,” Jaycox said. “Thi

Criticism over the handling of Sacramento tree removals sparked a heated debate at the November Parks and Recreation Commission meeting in city hall. Nathan Jacobsen, an attorney and environmental activist, spoke at the Parks and Recreation Commission tree appeal hearing to oppose a decision made by Jerry Way, Director of Transportation, to remove a Non-Heritage ‘Bradford’ Flowering Pear tree, located at 2001 10th Street. “The city should be protecting a public resource, not tearing it down or destroying it without a clear democratic process. Removals need to be supported by factual information,” Jacobsen said. On April 26, Jacobsen sent a request to meet with Way regarding the approval

A new tax could be on the horizon for Sacramento property owners, as the Sacramento Parks and Recreation Commission begins plans for polling voters on their support for a parcel tax that could appear on the November 2012 ballot. The parcel tax, a form of property tax, requires a two-thirds approval from the voters. The tax is a flat fee for property owners in the district, rather than a property tax that is based on the assessed value of the property. The money will not replace contributions from the General Fund. Currently, the general fund provides 3.9 million for park maintenance costs. The Commission considered a parcel tax between $25 and $30, a number they believe voters will view

Sacramento Department of Parks and Recreation has proposed a city code amendment that encourages telecommunication companies to lease cell towers on city owned property as parks face severe financial cuts to services and programs. The new proposal advises the city to generate revenue through damage to public property and contract benefits for private telecommunication corporations. The proposal for increased private-public partnerships with companies such as At&t Wireless Services Inc., American Towers Inc., Sprint Spectrum, LP, Pacific Bell Wireless, Verizon Wireless and numerous others is an example of the efforts Sacramento Department of Parks and Recreation has taken to sustain parks

A Watercolors and Hiking event will be held in Locke, Calif. on Thursday, September 15, 2011 starting at 10:00 a.m. The hike will be led by Martha Esch. Bring the kids and the grandparents; everyone is welcome!  Well-behaved dogs on leashes, okay. This is a mostly level 1.5 mile hike apart from one 20 foot long, somewhat steep, narrow path up a levee hill and some optional off-path routes along the way that are prickly and narrow. Locke artist and art teacher, Martha Esch, will demonstrate easy techniques to painting a quick, lovely, loose watercolor postcard of scenic spots along the hike. Next, participants will begin using watercolor kits, blank postcards and brushes that will be pas

Sacramento City Councilmember Rob Fong, community, local skateboarders and the City’s Parks and Recreation Department to celebrate grand opening of Reichmuth Skate Park. Wednesday, August 31, 2011 11 A.M. Reichmuth Park (6135 Gloria Drive) Reichmuth park improvements include a skate park, concrete walkways, a seating area, bike racks, a security camera and signage. The total construction cost was approximately $227,600. Funding for this project came from Park Impact Fees which come from development projects in this planning area.  This funding cannot be used for park maintenance, operations or other City Departments.  Construction began in November 2010 and was completed in August 2011.

The Grassroots Working Group (GWG) will be back before the County Board of Supervisors at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, August 9th, in the supervisor’s chambers at 700 H Street, Sacramento. For Grassroots, this will be the most important Board decision of the year.   The Board is considering whether to sponsor state legislation this year that would give the county the authority to place before the voters a 1/10 % sales tax for parks purposes (one penny for every $10 spent). The county is already authorized to place a sales tax before the voters, but not one this small.  Save the American River Association supports this.   The revenue from a sales tax must to go to a governmental agency. SARA believe

 Enjoy Free Swim, Children’s Activities and Del Paso Heights Farmers’ Market Sacramento City Councilmember Sandy Sheedy, Gateway Community Charters, and the Sacramento Neighborhood Center invite members of the public to Robertson Park Summer Celebration on Saturday, July 30 at the Robertson Community Center (3525 Norwood Avenue). Details: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free Swim at Robertson Park Play Pool, Children’s activities, bounce house, face painting, etc. 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. Del Paso Heights Certified Farmers’ Market “This is a great opportunity for families and community members to come together, have some food and fun, and share the joy of a summer day,” said Councilmember Sandy Sheedy.

The City of Sacramento is pleased to announce the first edition of the new citywide eNewsletter: City Express. This quarterly newsletter will contain information that has relevant topics and in depth information from the City’s perspective that businesses or residents would find interesting and helpful. You can find this newsletter at: www.cityofsacramento.org/cityexpress. “We wanted a citywide newsletter that was useful, dynamic and another way for the City to stay connected with its residents, businesses and customers,” said Amy Williams, City Media and Communications Officer. “Communicating with the public is a top priority and City Express is another key tool in that effort.” The City