McKinley Library and Clunie Center celebrate 75 years of memories On Sunday, Oct. 23, East Sacramento and Midtown will throw a party to celebrate the 75th anniversary of McKinley Library and Clunie Community Center. From 1 to 2 p.m., there will be presentations on the history of East Sacramento and Midtown, McKinley Park, Clunie Center and the library by historians and authors Bill Mahon and Amanda Graham. “This is a wonderful opportunity for the history buff, or just the curious, to learn more about the neighborhood,” said McKinley Library’s Shari Nichelini. The library will be open that afternoon for special programs for children. From 1 to 4 p.m., old-fashioned children’s activities

Q. I want to sue this guy who sold me a bill of goods, but he has disappeared off the face of the planet and I can’t find him anywhere. I thought I read somewhere that I could just put a notice in the newspaper and that would be ok. How do I do that? A. When filing a lawsuit, you are required to serve the other party with your summons and complaint, to notify them of the lawsuit. If the other party cannot be located, you will have to ask the court for permission to publish the summons in the newspaper. Publication of Summons, as set forth in California's Code of Civil Procedure section 415.50, is considered a method of last resort. The court can only approve your request for an Order for

Q- I want to sue the State of California, the County of Sacramento, the City of Sacramento, and any other state or local government entity that was involved in depriving me of my civil rights in an incident last March. I was talking about my plans with my cousin, and she told me the statue of limitations was six months. I thought the statues were longer than that--years, not months. Irregardless, I'd better get started--so how do I sue the State? Trinity A- Thanks for your question. Bringing an action against a public agency or its employee presents special procedural requirements. Before a lawsuit or complaint can be filed with the court, the injured party must first file a claim with t

Q: I recently opened a bakery where I use recipes that have been in my family for generations. I’m worried about my competitors getting a hold of these recipes, and using them in their own bakeries. Can I patent my recipes, to keep them from being used elsewhere? Thanks! Arielle A: Recipes can be patented, as long as they meet the requirements that apply to any other type of invention. There are several basic requirements you will need to meet in order to patent your recipes. First, your recipe must fall into one of the patentable subjects described by Federal law. To be patentable, your invention must be a "new and useful" process, machine, manufacture or composition of matter. The US S

Q. Is it possible to obtain an individual's booking photo using the booking number at a County jail? Thank you, Rebecca A. There are several reasons a person might want to see booking photos (also known as “mug shots”). They are a popular part of news stories on crime, especially when celebrities or particularly newsworthy crimes are involved. In some cases, a person may want a photo to help them identify a person who may wish them harm, but whose appearance may have changed. Academic or other studies may be another potential use for booking photos. Although a few police or sheriff’s departments routinely release booking photos, and some even post them online, in many cases they are re

Q. I just got a default judgment against me by a credit card company. I didn’t bother answering the summons and complaint because I figured I didn’t have any defenses—I spent the money but couldn’t pay the bill. A friend told me they could go after my wages, now, though, and take 25% of them until my credit card bill is paid. I don’t make that much money; we live paycheck to paycheck and I can barely afford to feed my family and pay my rent and other bills, which is how I got into this problem in the first place. Can they really take a quarter of my paycheck? Is there anything I can do about this now? Jin A. You could attempt to obtain “relief” from the default judgment, but you must pro

Q- I am involved in a court case and need to serve legal documents and the only address I have for the other person is a mailbox at a UPS store and someone told me that I can’t serve a P.O. Box, is that true? Joseph A- The answer depends on what type of P.O. Box you are trying to serve. If it is an actual post office box that is offered by the federal government, through the United States Post Office, then it cannot be served. However, according to the California Business & Professions Code § 17538.5, you can serve a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency (CMRA) which is commonly referred to as a “post office box” even though legally it is not. CMRAs offer private mailboxes, and these are techn

In light of the most recent cuts to its operating budget, the Sacramento Public Library system is conducting an online community feedback survey to receive input on what programs and services the community values most. The goal is to make the “best possible decision we can with the least amount of impact,” said Denise Davis, deputy library director of the Sacramento Public Library. The Sacramento Public Library system held three community forums in mid-July to address the 10 percent cut in its general fund, which came out to about $800,000. Sixty-five people in total attended the three meetings, most attending the McKinley Library forum. In order to receive the input from those who were

Q: My ex and I were divorced many years ago, when we were both working at different jobs than we have now. Teenage boys are very expensive, and more child support would really help! I don’t know if it’s worth the hassle of all the paperwork, though, if the support amount won’t change much. Is there any way for me to estimate how much the new order would be? - Rachel A:  Typically, child support orders can be modified anytime circumstances change, such as unemployment or job promotion. If it’s been several years since your support was determined, and if you’re working at different jobs, it’s very possible that your support order can be modified. California has a statewide guideline for ca

Q. Hello, I found your website and I have a question about fireworks. I happen to have been born on New Year's Eve and always thought it would be fun (weather permitting) to have some of the Red Devil fountains to light . . . I guess they are called safe and sane now . . . in my day, that meant Red Devils! So, is it legal to set off California legal fireworks any time of year? If not, would I need a permit or something? Also, is it legal to purchase fireworks online, as long as they meet a safe and sane standard? Also, I would most likely be celebrating with friends in Citrus Heights . . . does that make a difference? FYI, we would either use the street, or the driveway. I'm totally wi

When the Sacramento City Council passed the budget last week, funding for the Sacramento Public Library system was cut by nearly $800,000, and that means the possibility of reduced branch hours and even branch closures. But deciding just what to cut is a challenge that library staff wants the community to help with. “We want to talk to the community to see what’s important to them,” said Brenda Haggard, Strategic Communications Officer for the Sacramento Public Library. “We want to make decisions based on what’s important to the people we serve.” Haggard said the desire is to keep public service intact as much as possible, despite the cuts to funding. Library staff members are inviting

Q: I was surprised recently to come home to a fireworks stand in a parking lot adjacent to my house. I feel that it is too close for safety. What are the laws in the city of Sacramento for fireworks stands? Thank you, Lori   A: Thanks for reading and submitting your question! Late June, fireworks stands start appearing seemingly overnight and appear on almost every street corner. Before the individual or organization can set up a fireworks stand in the City of Sacramento, they must first apply for a Permit to Sell Safe and Sane Fireworks. All applicants must provide the city with a public liability policy in the amount of $50,000 and a $25,000 property damage policy and a products lia

Q: My neighbors moved out a couple of months ago because they were facing foreclosure. They left the house a mess! The yard is totally overgrown, there’s a pile of junk in the driveway, and I’m afraid the pool is going to start growing mosquitoes now that the weather is warming up. Is there anything I can do? - Karina A: Unfortunately, you are not alone in this situation. The Sacramento Bee reports that there are thousands of vacant homes in Sacramento, many of which are severely neglected by their owners. According to City estimates, approximately 60 percent of these abandoned properties are bank-owned. To help combat this growing problem, Sacramento enacted its Vacant Building Ordinan

Dave Edwards from the Yolo County District Attorney’s office will teach older adults how to avoid becoming a victim of Identity Theft, Mail Fraud, Check Scams, Foreign Lotteries and Telephone Solicitations in a 60-minute talk that is fun and informative. Wednesday, August 3rd, from 11 am - 12 noon in the Arthur F. Turner Community Library meeting room in West Sacramento on 1212 Merkley Avenue. For more information call 916-375-6465. This is a FREE event. Disclosure: Gabrielle Callison is a Grant Coordinator with Yolo County for the Arthur F. Turner Community Library

Enjoy a summer of reading, fun educational programs and PRIZES for the entire family! Sign up at the Arthur F. Turner Community Library in West Sacramento. Summer programs for the entire family have started at the Arthur F. Turner Community Library - but there's still time to sign up! Summer Reading Program, Ages 0-12: Read books, win prizes, join us for fantastic programs at the Library! Sign up at the Library and get a book bag, a reading log and a list of all the summer programs. Visit the Library at least 6 times during the summer, check in at the Information Desk to chat with us about what you've been reading. Come to programs and travel around the world without leaving your home t

Q. A couple years ago, a collection agency got a judgment against me without my knowledge. After they started garnishing my wages, I filed a motion to vacate the judgment since I was never served. I won, but the judgment is still showing up on my credit report. How do I get it off? Thanks,  Anya  A. Congratulations on getting the judgment vacated. Since you no longer have a judgment against you, the credit bureaus should remove it from your record. Unfortunately, it’s rarely that easy. Credit bureaus (and the public record researchers who sell them the data) commonly miss changes such as an order vacating a judgment, satisfactions of judgment, and the like. (National Consumer Law Center,

Q. I was wondering if it is legal in California for retailers like WalMart and Best Buy to ask customers for their receipts as they exit the store. As a paying customer, I resent being treated like a criminal. It is because of practices like this that I shop online whenever possible. I understand that membership stores like Costco and Sam's Club have user agreements that allow them to check receipts against items in your cart, but without such an agreement is WalMart violating my rights? Thank you for your time. Ally A. Best Buy and WalMart have certainly started a trend--more and more stores across the country are asking to see receipts upon exiting these days. It may be inconvenient,

Beginning June 5, Sacramento’s Arden-Dimick Library will host “Hearing Voices – Author, Character and Narrator in Audiobooks,” a summer book club sponsored by the Sacramento Public Library and the California Center for the Book. At the first meeting, participants will meet the Audie and Audiofile Earphones award-winning Simon Vance, narrator of the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and King’s Speech audiobooks. Vance will discuss his experience of what makes good literature and what makes good audio and how those two may differ. Registered participants will receive audiobooks and series materials, including author biographies and discussion questions. At each of the four remaining meetings, pa

Q. I share part of a fence with the neighbor behind me and they put a trampoline up against the fence so when their kids and friends jump they clear the top of the fence by a couple feet and look into my yard and home. Their yard is higher on the hill than mine which makes the trampoline sit even higher at the fence, and my yard is an odd wedge shape, narrowing on the side they have the trampoline so that the distance from my bedroom and living room window directly to where the trampoline sits is only about 10 yards. I've explained and asked them nicely once if they could "scooch the trampoline over a bit." This made the mom defensive and unreasonable and she later squirted me with her hos

Q: I saw your column on Sac Press and thought maybe you can help. I am a customer of Sony’s PlayStation Network for online gaming, recently they had a security breach and Sony notified me that some of the information released to hackers includes my full name, address, phone number, email address, PlayStation user ID and password, and credit card information, just to name a few. I know this info has gotten into the wrong hands due to the huge amount of spam email I am now getting. My concern is primarily with identity theft as my credit card company has stated they are aware of the issue and I have zero fraud liability, but some of my friends may not be so lucky as they used debit cards an