Darrell Fong, a retired Sacramento Police Department captain who is running for City Council, said he could provide a better perspective to the city and his district because he does not intend to make politics his career. The Sacramento Press is interviewing City Council candidates in advance of the June 8 election. Fong, a third-generation Sacramento resident, is running for the District 7 seat on the City Council. His opponents are incumbent Robbie Waters, and Ryan Chin and Diedre Hobart. “My goal is just to focus on the city alone and the district,” Fong said. District 7 neighborhoods include Greenhaven, Pocket and Valley Hi. Fong, 53, noted that he has lived in the Pocket neighborh

Posted by Houndgal Two "neighbor" questions - 1) My neighbor wants to know if it’s permissible for someone whose property shares a fenceline with hers for that person to tear down their common fence without her permission. 2) You mentioned being able to enfoce noise codes between 11 pm and the next morning. We’ve got a recurring problem with people who play loud music (loud enough so you can hear it from outside in your shower with the water running). We’ve been told that the "noise code" is that if it’s disturbing anyone, it’s too loud - there is no time when it’s okay to disturb your neighbors. Is that accurate? Thanks.   Dear Houndgal, So you are now seeing a little more of your

The Midtown Business Association voted Wednesday night to kick in $20,000 toward nearly $400,000 in improvements for a prototype alley running from 17th to 18th streets between L Street and Capitol Avenue. At the same time, a three-unit condo building has been under construction since February next to that alley. Construction workers have created a shell containing three condos and a garage. Developer Jeremy Drucker is building the alley-front "Stitch" project as a three-year sales model for other property owners and prospective tenants. Facing Old Soul coffee roastery, the project sits at the back of a deep lot behind a house at 1717 Capitol Ave. The building is expected to be finished

Posted by Sorren Hey Officer Michelle! I have been working at a hotel on Auburn and Howe ave for about a year now, and late at night, we very regularly are put into some somewhat dangerous situations with gang-oriented locals. I was wondering about the legal rammifications behind a citizens arrest. I have taken the California Powers to Arrest class, and I was wondering if the process for citizens arrest is different if one is not employed specifically as a security guard. I work inside of the hotel, and patrol the parking lot when I’m not busy, because of all of the sketchy people in the neighborhood. I have been in several situations where there would be someone outside smoking mar

While the Sacramento Kings and their fans sit at home and observe the NBA Playoffs within the confines of their living room, there is something Kings Fans can look forward to while the teams remaining fight for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. What Kings Fans can look forward to, is the upcoming NBA Draft on June 24. Before the Sacramento Kings decide on who they will be selecting next month, they must first know which slot they will be picking from. Last year the Kings had the highest odds of winning the top overall pick, and having the opportunity to land Blake Griffin, who was touted as the top prospect coming out of college. But as you all know, the Kings did not win the lottery and ended u

On Friday, May 14th, local bands Vesuvius, A Single Second, and Purgatory will play at the Distillery, located at 2107 L Street in Sacramento.  The cover charge is $10, and the show is scheduled to begin at 9pm.  However, management from the Distillery says the first band is likely to begin playing closer to 10pm as the dinner crowd tends to remain seated for some time. A Single Second's Shawn Peter says, "Dave Girard, Aaron Holt, Jason 'Mogley' Tilsey and I are raising funds to help make a difference." Purgatory's Coleman Garcia says, "We're doing the show because we love writing and performing music.  We generate a clean rock sound that's also very melodic and can still kick your face

A mom and pop Grocery Outlet is expected to open in Midtown this summer. An Orange County family is relocating to Sacramento to open a branch of the chain that calls itself the country's largest "extreme-value" grocery retailer. The store is expected to open July 1 in the former Rick's Uptown Market at 17th Street and Capitol Avenue. Mindi and Ken Admire want to set their store apart from other Grocery Outlets by operating a family-friendly business and really getting to know their customers. Their children, Kristina and Kenneth, a recent college graduate, will be an integral part of that. "We hope that we stand out as a different model in that we're going to be completely family-orient

Posted by gramy_24 With two recent break-ins to my car and fear of my home next, I find myself asking questions like. If I were to see these people in the middle of the night in my car what can I do? Do I confront them not wanting to lose my valuables and pay another 1000 dollar deductable b/c they break my door and hope they don’t shoot me? Call the police and hope they get there in time before I lose everything again? Or do I have the right to confront them being a registered gun owner? This is an honest question, what can I do? Living in Land Park this is becoming much to common- Can you guys set up a bait car or something and catch these guys?? Dear gramy_24, Your dilemma is most un

Yesterday, Practical Cycle delivered two Pedego Electric Bikes to the Hot Italian for the Velo and Vintage Fashion show tonight. We strapped the bikes to a Worksman Front Load Tricycle, which has an amazing one-quarter ton load capacity! I marveled at how maneuverable it was as I pedaled from Old Sacramento, down K Street (walking through the mall), past the convention center, and through Capitol Park to the Hot Italian in Midtown. It feels good to get things done with pedal power! No oil spill required!!!   For more information about the Velo and Vintage Fashion Show, check out this awesome Sacramento Press article: http://sacramentopress.com/headline/26426/Velo_and_Vintage_on_Second_Sat

Sacramento DJ Enrique Suavé has watched his friend Arturo Vallejo's Cinco de Mayo party become a huge bash over the last decade. The little celebration that started with about 200 people is now pulling in a much bigger crowd at the restaurant at 11th and O streets, across from the Capitol. Suavé has entertained the crowd every year. He has seen support from the community grow for an event that has come to mean many things to those who take part. He said he knows why Cinco de Mayo has become a big party — and that's just fine with him. "Cinco de Mayo to me is to remember the battle of Puebla. It's a day to celebrate our ancestors and culture with music and food and our familia," he said.

Midtown residents have been dealing for years with the impacts of a City led campaign to "Bring People Downtown" that ignored the fact that people are already here. Media and Midtown Business Association boosters have contributed by consistently disparaging the existing mixed-use neighborhoods as a desolate, disgusting and scary wasteland; a "dead zone" with invisible/irrelevant residents. Yet, Midtown's now-attractive and lucrative historic neighborhoods ONLY exist, due to the diligent, hard work and determination of residents, preservationists and neighborhoods associations, over the past few decades. Residents met with the MBA and other stakeholders in 2009 as part of MBA's Regional

Posted by c.ayres Michelle, for several years now my 2 daugters ages 11 and 7 have been harrassed and bullied by 2 other children in our community. My husband and I have made reports to the community managers but it continues. This year it has worsten, the kids stop in front of our cars, making us wait for them to move, thus creating major headache while attempting to pull in and out of our community and garage. They vandalize our front entry way, leaving trash, nasty letters about the girls, rip flowers off of my planters, and break our porch decor. My girls get things thrown at them, hit, hair pulled, and called dirogetory names, and their toys either get broken or stolen. I tell my gir

 The Sacramento Press is excited to be using live, streaming video as a new media tool. We hope that by streaming the events we go to live, it will enhance the connection we have with our current readership, engage the community at these events and encourage new readership not just in downtown and Midtown, but all neighborhoods in the Sacramento area. Our first live streaming video experiment at the de Vere's Irish Pub's St. Patrick's Day block party was a big hit with The Sacramento Press' readers. St. Patrick's Day allowed us to realize that live video really helps us to showcase the great events happening in our neighborhoods and entice Sacramentans to get out and explore our communit

Teams of family and friends will race through parks, around landmarks and even inside local businesses deciphering clues to secret locations in Hunt the Grid, an urban adventure presented June 12 by Mastermind Treasure Hunts and Downtown Grid. Partial proceeds from this fun and challenging event will benefit Hands on Sacramento, the Valley’s full-service volunteer action center. With the success of films like National Treasure, and reality shows like The Amazing Race, treasure hunting—solving puzzles to find “secret” locations—is more popular than ever. Hunt the Grid, an information-based urban treasure hunt, challenges players to discover answers that can only be found at specific Sacram

Come play with us on May 22nd from 1pm to 5pm. The 2010 Fit Crawl will introduce working adults to a variety of fitness facilities in Midtown Sacramento. "Crawlers" will rotate on bikes between participating businesses to try a variety of fitness activities, receive special offers and healthy swag, and meet new friends. Unwind afterward with light food and beverages at L Wine Lounge.   Tickets can be purchased in advance only at: Asha Yoga (1050 20th Street), Ultimate Fitness (1705 I Street), and Bodytribe Fitness (920 21st Street) or by calling 916-288-5173. Cost is $25 if you provide your own bike and helmet and $35 if you’d like us to provide the gear.   Thank you to our event partner

Posted by nicole Officer Michelle, Hi I live in an apartment complex and I saw my neighbors dealing drugs. I called the police and notified the apartments about the activity I witnessed. The apartments don’t seem to be to willing to help me with the situation. What else can I do? We have had a lot of on going problems with these neighbors and I have a young child. I am very concerned about her and our safety. Dear nicole, There are several avenues you may take to help rectify this problem. You say that you have called the police before about this problem which means it has been documented that we have been there for narcotics related calls. This will aid in the justification of eviction

Searching for the right fitness activity? Come play with us! This is your chance to experience some of midtown Sacramento’s most exciting fitness activities in one day! On May 22nd from 1pm to 5pm, you can punch, kick, stretch (and more!) your way through the afternoon. Five local businesses, Asha Yoga, Bodytribe Fitness, Fleet Feet Sports, Sacramento Pipeworks, and Ultimate Fitness will offer free mini-classes or demonstrations to participants of the Fit Crawl 2010. “Crawlers" will rotate between participating businesses on bicycles to sample a variety of fitness activities, receive special offers, and meet new friends. Unwind afterward with light food and beverages at L Wine Lounge. T

Second Year for Midtown Non-Profit's Fun-Seeking Fundraiser As part of Sacramento's May is Bike Month celebrations, the non-profit Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen will host its second annual "Hunt the Grid" bicycle scavenger hunt through midtown and downtown Sacramento on Saturday, May 8, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM, hosted at the Bicycle Kitchen's shop at 1915 I Street, next to the railroad tracks. "Hunt the Grid II" is a repeat of last year's wildly popular scavenger hunt that sent teams of four riders racing across the central city in a friendly competition of pedals and wits to seek out trinkets, images, and Sacramento landmarks both popular and obscure. Over one hundred participants signed

Posted by lpoulsen Help! My daughter’s 1st birthday is at the end of the month and I’m itching to get back on the beach cruiser! I managed to find an infant helmet and I’ve done a little bit of research about attached infant bicycle seats vs. wearing a backpack type carrier while riding. I’d prefer to ride with her in the backpack but not sure if it’s legal. I checked out VC 21202 but it’s a little fuzzy. What is the law regarding carrying babies on bikes? Thanks!! Dear lpoulsen, You definitely got a good start on your homework. You may look at California Vehicle Code Section 21204. It states as follows: 21204. (a)( )1 A person operating a bicycle upon a highway shall not ride other tha

Tex Mex Bar and Grill will bring regional Texas cuisine with a Latin twist to Midtown when it opens late this month. The restaurant will open at 2326 J St., tentatively on April 27, in a renovated space vacated by Toreros but long occupied by Taco Loco. Mike Keolanui, Michael Mui, Ben Paulsen and Thien Nguyen are opening the upscale-rustic Tex Mex as a little sister to Keolanui's Texas Mexican Restaurant, which has operated at 1114 8th St. for 18 years. The restaurant was owned by his wife's family for most of that time. "Tex Mex" was coined as a culinary term in the 1960s or '70s. The name was taken from the TexMex Railway, used for decades by people who migrated from Mexico. They had t