Welcome to the first 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 The Sacramento Press, suggestions are welcome. MEDICAL BILLS: Just as the Supreme Court gets set to rule on Obamacare, the Sacramento City Council will consider an ordinance to allow the Sacramento Fire Department to hike the cost of ambulance rides in the city by 21 percent, and more than double the cost of being treated but not transported by firefighters.  We will have more on this story soon. DUMP POLITICS: This week brings more leaf pickup discussions to the City Council, but with a

Chuchee the Cat! Such a sweet and wonderful cat, Chuchee is looking for a nice, warm lap to curl up in. He is about nine-years-old and has been here at the shelter for quite some time. He is curious and likes to check out his surroundings, but loves a good nap in the middle of the day. He'll do best in a calm household with an older family. Anyone over the age of sixty can have the adoption fees waived!     **Don't miss your chance to join us at the Lasher Polo Classic: Benefiting the Sacramento SPCA. Enjoy delicious food, wines, a Champagne Divot Stomp, Vendor Village shopping and unique entertainment! Tickets: $25 Lawn Seats; $75 VIP; $150 Royal Club WWW.SSPCA.ORG

Here at the Sacramento SPCA, cat/kitten season is in full swing! We have lots of fun purrsonalities to fit your lifestyle! Edmund (featured above) is a 9 week old black kitten with a lot of spunk! He loves to explore and his itching to find out all about you. Cost: $80 (includes vaccination, spay/neuter and micro chip) Buy one, get one half-off when you buy TWO! Check out all of our cats and kittens online at www.sspca.org

A crowd of about 650 to 750 people took in live music, food and chit-chat with their neighbors Sunday at the annual Taste of Land Park. For $25 in advance or $30 at the door, attendees sampled items from a slew of local and regional vendors who had set up booths. It was essentially an outdoor, all you-can-eat-and-drink buffet: There was everything from sushi from Miso Japanese Cuisine, to chili dogs from Willie's Burgers and Chiliburgers, to coffee from Espresso Metro Cafe. Also popular: the wine from independent vineyards and the beer that came courtesy of local brewers like Track 7, Rubicon brewery and Pyramid Alehouse . "It's going beyond even our greatest expectations as far as the

The Fourth annual Urban Ag Fest to be held on Saturday will not just be your garden variety fundraiser, but an evening of education and feasting. The event will take place at Rosemont High School, located at 9594 Kiefer Blvd. In an effort to raise funds for edible schoolyard projects, Slow Food Sacramento has teamed up with Rosemont’s Green Academy, an organization that teaches students about the environmental implications of their choices. There will be a reception showcase in the school garden in which 11 groups of representatives from schools in the Sacramento and surrounding areas will man booths displaying the highlights of their gardens. Such treasures are set to include seed sta

There will be cruisers and fixies, fat tire bikes, art bikes and, in all likelihood, some bicycles that just defy labels this Sunday at 10 a.m. in Southside Park during the Sacramento Cyclefest Custom Bicycle Show. More than 300 bicycles will be competing in 23 categories, according to a press release. Food vendors will be present, as well as a DJ. Admission is free. If you're lacking a set of wheels (or believe in the idea that the total number of bikes any aficionado needs is her current number plus one) then you might want to try your luck at a raffle with the chance to win a custom bike that was made specially for Cyclefest. There will also be a swap meet to exchange gear and an "Ar

From Old Sacramento’s ‘prohibition style’ speakeasies, to the Man Men era of Downtown’s dueling politicos and backroom deals, Sacramento has a long history of working hard and playing harder. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s (DSP) new Cap City Sips happy hour promotion celebrates just that, the art of balancing business with a splash of pleasure. This summer, DSP and local downtown businesses have joined forces to create a budget-friendly happy hour promotion for the Downtown District. Each restaurant or bar participating in Cap City Sips will offer a happy hour menu every Wednesday from 3-7pm featuring $2 beers, $3 wine, and $4 cocktails. The deals will continue each week all summer

On Saturday, June 9th the public is invited to to share stories, photographs, food memories, recipes, old family scrapbooks, and more at We Are Where We Eat: A Fresh Look at Sacramento’s Foodscape through the Stories of the People who Grow, Distribute, Serve and Cook Our Food. We Are Where We Eat illuminates the places throughout Sacramento where we produce and consume food, and what they tell us about our towns, region, and culture. Award-winning author and contributing reporter for Capital Public Radio, Elaine Corn, and Project Director, Maryellen Burns, will lead a team that conducts interviews and captures scores of video and audio stories from anyone who would like to participate in t

It was a scorching Sacramento summer day this past Saturday but that didn’t stop more than 2,000 hungry and thirsty locals from packing into Cesar Chavez Park for the 10th annual Raley’s Grape Escape. With only three hours to sample bites and pours from 60 restaurants and 40 wineries while a live Chef’s Challenge takes place in the center of it all, careful planning is needed to maximize your (and your mouth's) time. If you’re like me, you’re already looking forward to next year’s event. With three years under my belt, here are some tips I’ve gathered to turn you into an efficient Grape Escaper: 1. Get your tickets early The early bird not only gets the worm, it gets the cheapest tick

What are you doing on Sunday? You should be at the GOOD: street food + design market for the inaugural IgersSacramento Instawalk. You've heard of Instagram, right? It's that photo sharing app that was recently acquired by Facebook for a billion dollars. If you have the Instagram app, join us. A Word about Instagramers Sacramento IgersSacramento is part of a larger community of Instagramers. Igers was started in January of 2011, with active groups in over 250 cities around the world. We are thrilled to bring it to Sacramento! Phil Gonzalez started the Instagramers Community that connects the Igers groups around the world. We've chatted a few times about how Instagram is a powerful tool t

Meet Uncle Jim! A little shy at first, but more than happy to become your best friend once he gets to know you! Uncle Jim is a calm and well mannered dog who enjoys walks and hanging out with his brother "A Bear." Though they are not a mandatory dual adoption, they will make a great duo for someone looking to have two! (Both of them are German Wirehaired Pointer/ Standard Poodle mixes and are only about one-year-old so they are young and have a lot of pep left!) Uncle Jim is looking for an adult dog savvy home with maybe older teens.   *Don't miss out on the 19th Annual Doggy Dash- Saturday, June 9th at William Land Park. Stick around after the 2k/5k walk and partake in the Bark at the

The Crocker Art Museum will kick off the summer with an art auction from 6 - 9 p.m. Thursday, May 24. Touting “big names, small art,” the Crocker is selling pieces of art that are 12 inches x 12 inches or smaller and are done by some of the big-name artists in the region. The party will include music, artist demonstrations and docent-led gallery tours. Bidding in the silent auction starts at $25 per piece, and the event is free to members. Non-members can get in for $15, and students get in for $8. For more information, visit the Crocker Art Museum website. The museum is located at 216 O St.

Sacramento, Let's Play Ball! Dodgeball, that is.  And for a good cause! Metro EDGE, Sacramento’s premiere network of 40-and-under young professionals, is excited to announce the third annual “A Day on the EDGE” fundraiser.  This year’s event will feature a dodgeball tournament complete with great music, food, and drinks – all to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento. A program of the Sacramento Metro Chamber, Metro EDGE identifies and supports a local nonprofit organization through volunteerism and philanthropic giving every year.  For 2012, Metro EDGE is supporting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento, which works to inspire young people to dream big and reach th

Though it was a sparse crowd, none-the-less the first of several events honoring Harvey Milk, last Tuesday, was exciting, informative, and meaningful. Held at the beautiful California Museum and hosted by The Harvey Milk Foundation, Equality California (EQCA) and the California State LGBT Legislative Caucus, the event focused on a discussion of the FAIR Education Act (SB 48) as well as related issues including peer abuse which is prevalent in some of our schools. The FAIR Education Act authored by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) mandates all California schools to be more inclusive in teaching students about the history and accomplishments LGBT people have in American society. Because o

Looking for a happy and outgoing little dog? Freddie could be your next furry pal! He is an eight-year-old Chihuahua mix who is friendly, curious and playful. (Check out that smile!) He came to us with some leg injuries but has since been fixed up and is ready to get outside for some walks! Freddie will make an excellent pet for a family with adults or older teens. Other dogs ok, but he will prefer the company of older children. His age qualifies him for our "Seniors for Seniors" adoption program. Any adopter over the age of sixty can have the adoption fees waived! *Don't miss your chance to join us on June 9th for our 19th Annual Doggy Dash at William Land Park! Thousands of dog lovers

ART, ANIMALS, AND ALTRUISM: ART BENEFIT FOR TWO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE PART OF THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL FABRIC OF SACRAMENTO On Thursday, May 31, artists from around Sacramento will bring their animal and pet-inspired work to the historic Sierra 2 Center for the Arts & Community to showcase and sell to an enthusiastic and philanthropic audience. The event is being held to raise awareness and funding for two great causes: one is cultural-Sierra 2 Center for the Arts & Community, the other of the heart--Front Street Animal Shelter.  The evening’s events include food, wine, live music, silent auction and raffle drawings. The art—the true highlight—will be on display and available for

The Rancho Murieta Airshow returns after eighteen years along with aerobatic performers in celebration of Armed Forces Day, May 19, 2012. The legendary Rancho Murieta airshows that took place in the mid-‘80s are making a comeback with military might and astonishing performances that will surely impress any spectator. “The airshow will not only be an exciting event in our community,” said Bradley Beer, owner of the Rancho Murieta Airport. “It gives us an opportunity to support the USO by donating a portion of the proceeds to them. This will be the best airshow in our region this year.” The Rancho Murieta Airshow is the perfect way to celebrate Armed Forces Day as top-notch talents fly mem

SACRAMENTO – The Office of Vice Mayor Ashby invites all Natomas families to participate in our “Summer of Fun” during the months of June through August. First, if you haven’t already signed your kids up, make sure to check out the Summer Oasis program. This summer day camp for kids, once offered every summer throughout the City, has been saved for a second year by the Vice Mayor, with help from active families in Natomas who voiced their support for the program and community sponsors. This year’s program has a major sponsor coming in to cover seventy percent of the program’s cost, allowing us to offer the 8 week camp for just $75 per participant. A HUGE thank you to our partner Walmart fo

Lace up your sneakers because it’s time to go for a run (or walk)! Come join Vice Mayor Ashby for the 2012 Kaiser Women’s Fitness Festival this year, which will be held on Sunday, June 3rd. Vice Mayor Ashby will be running in the 5K race and our own District One Parks and Recreation Commissioner, Rosemarie Ruggieri, will be walking so you can choose either option when you register (the 5K run or walk). There aren’t any official “teams” to sign up under for this event, but if you want to come join our group, just make sure to register online and then meet us on the morning of the race at the District One booth at 7:30 AM, which will be located at the west steps of the Capitol under the gr

The Sacramento Convoy of Hope is a collaborative effort between dozens of local churches, businesses, social service organizations, local government and Convoy of Hope, Inc—a 501(c)(3) non-profit humanitarian organization, serving in the United States and around the world, providing food for the hungry and relief for people in crisis. For more info, go to: http://sacramentocoh.org/index.php The Sacramento outreach will provide an estimated twenty thousand people with a tangible message of hope — free groceries, clothing, health screenings, job fairs, haircuts, social services, games and activities for children, and much more. All goods and services are provided to guests free of charge. T