Just as Sacramento is facing an increase in gun crime city wide, and a rash of muggings on the grid (including one Friday in which a woman was shot), the City Council is tasked with the decision of where to funnel funds resulting from the passage of the Measure U sales tax. What no one disputes is that the Sacramento Police Department has endured serious cuts, the question in front of the council now is how the department should be restored. On Tuesday night the council members will vote on city staff recommendations regarding the usage of Measure U funds, and those recommendations will then be finalized with more detail in the city’s budget, which will go before the council on Jan. 29.

Marina Filistoeich likes to dine at the tables on the patio when she visits the Crepeville restaurant in Midtown, but it was chilly Sunday evening, so she and her family went inside. Not long afterward, a car ran up on the sidewalk, crashing through the wrought iron fencing, tables and chairs. “God is in control, that is how it makes me feel”, Filistoeich said, visibly shaken. “It was just too cold today, that is why we didn’t stay outside; we decided to come in and have dinner in here.... We dine out there pretty often at that spot outside, so just imagine us sitting there...” Witnesses stated that two vehicles were traveling next to each other, west on L Street when the grey vehicle in

Sacramento will likely have a new police chief by month's end and the leading candidates for the position are about to be put through their paces by series of tests, exercises and interviews. The candidates will go through a job skills and knowledge assessment next week, which is being conducted by a consultant – Bob Murray and Associates. Then they will go through a management exercise and short interview with a panel of community members representing each council district, according to City of Sacramento Spokeswoman Linda Tucker. Based on scores from both processes, the candidates will be ranked, and those rankings will be forwarded to City Manager John Shirey, who will ultimately make

In the wake of a string of pedestrian robberies that rocked Midtown, the Sacramento Police Department will join community leaders for a meeting on public safety this Thursday night. Councilman Steve Hansen, the Midtown Buisness Association, the Marshall School/New Era Park Neighborhood Association, the Midtown Neighborhood Association and the Alkali/Mansion Flats Historic Neighborhood Association, will be on hand at the Hart Senior Center at 915 27th Street from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., to "discuss tips on being prepared and staying safe," according to the event's Facebook page. Hansen, who is visiting a series of neighborhood associations this week, said the purpose of the meeting was to

Sacramento Police Public Information Officer Dough Morse explains what happen during a disturbance at the Arden Fair Mall on Wednesday, Dec. 26: <[ View the story "Update: Arden Fair back open after teens start huge ruckus in food court " on Storify] Update: Arden Fair back open after teens start huge ruckus in food court Storified by The Sacramento Press· Thu, Dec 27 2012 07:48:50 Three teens were arrested yesterday at the Arden Fair Mall after a mass brawl involving a group of about 20 juveniles who were caught on camera throwing signs and pushing people in the food court, according to the Sacramento Police Department.  The incident caused a mass exodus from the mall as panicke

After a recent uptick in armed robberies on the grid, police are asking residents to walk in groups at night, be aware of their surrounding and report anything that looks suspicious. "We want you to come to town and have a good time – Sacramento is known for its entertainment district, fabulous clubs and bars," said Sacramento Police Department Spokeswoman MIchelle Gigante. "But be responsible."  At least six more armed robberies more occured between Dec. 21 and Dec. 25, according to the Sacramento Police daily activity logs. "We will continue to deploy our resources to focus on this problem nightl," Lt. Marc Coopwood of the Sacramento Police Department wrote in an email to residents. "

A riderless 'ghost bike' sits chained to a telephone pole off of Stockton Boulevard and Lawrence Drive in memoriam of a cyclist killed near the interesection on Nov. 11. The driver of a the white pickup truck that struck and killed 61-year-old Molly Arndt in a hit-and-run last Sunday remains at large.  The accident follows the approval of the Freeport Boulevard Bike Lane Project, and has sparked further discussion regarding potential improvements to ensure the safety of local cyclists. 

A bicyclist was killed in a hit-and-run accident Sunday night on Stockton Boulevard in an area that is considered to be one of the most dangerous for bicyclists and pedestrians in Sacramento. Terry Preston, the complete streets coordinator for the nonprofit organization Walk Sacramento, explains why:  Sacramento police are still searching for the driver of the white pickup truck that struck 61-year-old Molly Arndt at 5:28 p.m. while she was crossing Stockton Boulevard on her bicycle near Lawrence Drive. The truck is believed to be a 1992-1998 Chevy Silverado 1500 with a toolbox in the back, and a broken left headlamp and damage to the driver's side front grill area, according to Officer

Police arrested 35-year-old Elpidio Tellez on Thursday for the shooting death at 15th and S streets Wednesday night, Public Information Officer Doug Morse said Friday. "An outside agency ended up arresting someone on warrants, and through investigative leads we realized that was the shooter," Morse said, adding that it's not Sacramento Police Department policy to discuss which outside agency was involved. Details at this point are scant, and no motive was given for the shooting. Police responded to gunshots at about 8:40 p.m. Wednesday, and when they arrived on the scene, a man in his 30s was dead outside the Monte Carlo Club. To read more about the search that night, click here.

Sacramento was featured in the Sunday New York Times, with a blurb teasing to the article on 1A of the Northern California print edition. The topic isn't what the Convention & Visitors Bureau would have hoped for. The piece is about how deep cuts in the Police Department have coincided with a rise in crime, and how other cities across the county are facing similar challenges. The article is well-timed for supporters of Measure U, the ballot measure that, if passed onTuesday, will increase the sales tax by one-half cent and direct the money to city services, including the Police Department. The link: Crime Increases in Sacramento After Deep Cuts to Police Force, by Erica Goode. A few key

Update: According to a status updated posted on the Doughbot Facebook page, the shop was not burglarized: "Dude. You guys are the best- we just found out that our neighbors at Wireless World next door noticed that our door wasn't locked properly, and grabbed our valuables for safe keeping before barricading the door. Thanks again for the outpouring of love! We'd still love to see your shining faces all weekend long, and you can be sure we're calling a locksmith. Talk about a Thursday morning panic attack... jeeze..."   Sacramento doughnut shop Doughbot Donuts was burglarized Wednesday night or Thursday morning, forcing the shop to close for Thursday, according to the shop's Facebook pag

A Sacramento woman was one of the masterminds behind a gang of bank robbers who stole about $2.5 million without firing a shot – and she’s on the loose and is about to be featured on TV. Niesha Jackson, who police describe as a master of disguise, will be featured on the CNBC show “American Greed: The Fugitives” at 6 and 9 p.m. Wednesday. According to CNBC, Jackson and her boyfriend masterminded a scheme of exploiting prepaid debit cards, allowing a string of criminals to take thousands of dollars in cash per transaction at banks across the country. Jackson – dubbed the “bank-robbing babe” – pleaded guilty to bank fraud, but she escaped before sentencing and remains on the loose. Polic

Representatives of the family of Linnea Lomax, the 19-year-old UC Davis student missing since June, confirmed late Friday that she was found dead earlier in the day. "The Lomax family has received confirmation tonight that the deceased person found by the American River this morning is their daughter Linnea Lomax," according to a Friday night press release. Volunteers searching near the American River Friday morning uncovered remains. Preaprations are being made for a celebration of life, and, according to the press release, the details will be made public once they are available.

The search for missing 19-year-old Linnea Lomax uncovered human remains near the shore of the American River Friday morning, according to a press release. The remains discovered by volunteers have not been identified, and the Sacramento Police Department is currently conducting investigations, the release stated. Lomax disappeared June 26 from an outpatient clinic near the 800 block of Howe Ave. Since then, searchers have continued to comb the area. The search has continually expanded, with searchers recently searching in the Placerville area. Family members plan to hold a press conference sometime within the next 24 hours to discuss more details. Lomax is described as a 5-foot-2-inch,

A most unsuspecting place, a dank corridor of the Public Safety Center Headquarters on Freeport Boulevard, becomes a bustling hub of social activity on weekdays beginning at 6 a.m. The pulse of the city can be felt and stories from the streets of Sacramento can be heard from those who know it best: police officers, detectives and firefighters. The Side Show coffee stand is “a place where you get great coffee and your social fix for the day,” says assistant fire chief Niko King. He explains it is a place for “water cooler talk for police and fire.” Located in the building lobby, The Side Show is a buffered zone between the outside world and office bureaucracy. People get their coffee both

Being on the go before sunup to spend four hours sniffing boxes and running on treadmills might not sound like an ideal job to many, but for Dozer, a 3- or 4-year-old Labrador retriever, work is a dream. “It’s clear that he loves his job,” said Jennifer Berger, who has been Sacramento County’s agricultural dog handler since the program came to the county in 2008. Dozer has been on the job since January, and he is one of about 13 agricultural inspection dogs in the state – all tasked with sniffing out organic materials being shipped into the area that could carry pests damaging California’s lucrative agriculture industry. Materials include flowers, fruits and anything else the dog is trai

On a sunny afternoon in August, a group of kids made their way to Valley Hi Park to play. As they crossed the intersection of Arroyo Vista and Center Parkway, a vehicle driving through the intersection clipped the leg of a 4-year-old walking in the group. The little girl was left with a fractured leg, and neighbors were left wondering if the accident could have been prevented if there had been a traffic signal in place. What does it take to get traffic signals installed in Sacramento – especially if residents are seeing safety issues in neighborhood intersections? Sacramento currently has approximately 800 signals in intersections, including nearly 50 flashing beacons, according to Shad

As of Jan. 1, laws affecting child booster seats, LGBT rights, handgun open-carry and liquor sales will be among many going into effect in California. Here are some of the highlights of what Californians – and Sacramentans – have in store for them in 2012. BOOSTER SEATS: Previously, children had to ride in approved child restraint devices – booster seats – until they turned 6 years old or weighed 60 pounds. As of Jan. 1, children must ride in booster seats until they are 8 years old or at least 4 feet 9 inches tall. Kids under 8 years who are taller than 4 feet 9 inches are allowed to use a safety belt instead of a booster seat. HANDGUN OPEN CARRY: Bans citizens from openly carrying hand

By David H. Lukenbill, senior policy director, American River Parkway Preservation Society   Recently there has been some attention from local media about public safety in the American River Parkway. In the October 16, 2011 Sacramento Bee story “Ranger cutbacks prompt concerns about bike trail safety”, we read:   "Most of the stuff we deal with is quality of life stuff," said Chief Ranger Stan Lumsden, who took over the job last month just as an arsonist was setting 15 fires in two separate sprees near River Bend Park. “Car break-ins, vandalism or dogs running off leash are the norm, he said, "unless you get down to the last six miles of the parkway." “There, in the area starting near Di

Sacramento Police Department press release: The Sacramento Police Department is searching for the second suspect, 19-year-old Donnell Wade, in the unprovoked attack that was captured on video. On October 12, 2011, the Sacramento Police Department was made aware of a video, showing suspects assaulting a female, which had gone viral on the Internet. We received calls from throughout the country inquiring about the investigation. Detectives assigned to the case discovered that patrol officers responded to an assault call on October 1, 2011, at approximately 12:11 p.m., near Center Parkway and Mack Road. The officers arrived and determined the suspects had fled the scene and the victim, a 42