The Greater London Authority has created a website called London Datastore. I learned of the GLA and the London Datastore in article in one of the January Time magazines titled “London: Turning Access into Apps” by Mark Halper. The article is part of a series titled “Intelligent Cities.” It was this specific article that started me thinking. Although London, England, is a very different city from Sacramento in so many ways, would this open access to municipal government data work in Sacramento? The GLA (a cross-borough agency) has directed all London government agencies and civil servants to dump all their data into the Datastore. The data is then available to citizens and groups to min

(Read Part 1 here, or click on the green Storyline tab) When CADA issued a Request for Proposals to private developers in 2000, the subsequent fight between RMCG advocates and CADA ended in 2004 with the RMCG’s destruction and two new gardens, one built as part of Fremont Mews and one built near Southside Park. A full account of the final protracted battle—especially regarding the lawsuits, the soil remediation issue, and the garden advocates’ organizing strategies—is still lacking, but the contested details of those years are not covered here. Instead, two of CADA’s tactics during this period are reconsidered in light of the evidence presented thus far: one, their presentation of the blo

Imagine waking up in the middle of the night to the smell of smoke and the sound of a shrieking alarm - your home is on fire! You and your family safely hurry out of the house as the fire department arrives. Standing in the street in your pajamas, you huddle with your family as the tragedy sinks in. Even if the fire was extinguished quickly, your home is probably not inhabitable. Your food, clothing and furniture are damaged by fire, smoke or water. As you begin to ponder your next steps, you are introduced to volunteers who warm you with a blanket and talk to you about food and clothing allowances, temporary lodging and emotional support. Where did these helpers come from? The American

Fifty years ago last month, the California State Legislature adopted the first version of the Capitol Area Plan (CAP). Revised in 1977 and again in 1997, this document’s incarnations have ordered the acquisition and arrangement of the state’s central city properties in the Capitol Area, a state-defined zone encompassing a sizeable swath of downtown. The story of Sacramento’s downtown development is convoluted, but the CAP is a key thread throughout that story. To mark its golden anniversary, this retrospective focuses on how the plan affected a specific block: the one enclosed by 14th, 15th, P and Q streets. Once the site of the Ron Mandella and Southside Community Gardens, identified as

Hot Italian, having just been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), held an open house on Saturday and welcomed guests to a self-guided tour. The self-guided tour was held in order for guests to come by and see, touch and feel the green features at Hot Italian. Sacramento Municipal Utility District had several representatives to answer questions regarding energy efficiency and business services. SMUD representatives that were there spent much of their time helping customer and answering questions. One of them indicated why they were there, “We’re here to talk to people about energy efficiency. We are also here to educate people to see what they can do to conse

The procrastination must come to an end. There are only hours left to enter The Sacramento Press Journalism Open 2011. Entries must be published by 11:59 p.m. You must tag your article open2011. There are hundreds of dollars in prizes waiting to be doled out to the winners. First place prize is $700, second place is $500 and there are cash prizes for photos, too! If you would like to have your article copy edited, it must be sent to journalism@sacramentopress.com by 6 p.m. Any articles sent after 6 p.m. will have to be published without copy editing. One last thing: there are three judges for this year's contest. One of the judges changed from what we announced at the Journalism Open W

The streets flooded with winemakers, vintners, grape-growers, agricultural manufacturers and wine industry icons as over 12,200 people gathered for the Unified Wine & Grapegrowers Symposium Jan. 25 through 27. This annual event, always held at Sacramento's convention center had it all from tractors to tasting rooms. Sponsored by California Association of Wine Grape Growers this industry event, which is open to the public provides significant industry insight on what's currently happening in the wine industry. From industry insights to new packaging techniques, it was a fount of information on who the wine market will be aiming at, where wine-drinking trends are going and what kinds o

With his security detail watching the surroundings, Mayor Kevin Johnson answers a question about an earlier incident that involved a reported threat to his safety. To accommodate the media, the Mayor took a momentary break in a day-long series of meetings with the mayors of eight other California cities and several State officials, including Governor Jerry Brown. The "Big 10 Mayors" were in Sacramento in an attempt to keep redevelopment funds from being completely absorbed back into the State budget.

For some time now, K Street has been wavering between its past life as a Sacramento hot spot and its future as a wilting has-been. The busy street is clearly an institution from 9 to 5, but despite the Crest and the constant stream of events, city planners have been struggling to pull in a real evening crowd. The news is out that a team of fairytale Bay Area developers has joined forces and created Dive Bar, Pizza Rock and District 30. This nightclub-pizza-bar trio hopes to entice the masses for some good old K Street entertainment and after-hours. But is this Bay Area vibe a bit of a stretch in grabbing the attention of the average Midtown resident? Even worse is the grueling task of con

It’s been almost a year since Katie Swanberg faced off with death. In February 2010, she laid in a coma fighting off a severe case of bacterial meningitis. In a matter of days, the disease ravaged her body and her life as she knew it. Over the course of 2010 she would have to relearn to walk, eat and live in every sense of the word. Through it all, Swanberg shared her recovery publicly on her blogs, one of which was previously devoted to gardening. Now, as the one-year anniversary of her almost-death draws near, Swanberg calls meningitis the best gift she ever received. The first thing you notice about Swanberg is her intensity. Her bright blue eyes are vivid with determination. She’s a

Part 1 - A Local Gay Youth Tells His Story By Ken Pierce Note: This is the first of three articles about growing up gay in Sacramento. It is hoped that the reader gains a better insight into the problems facing LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Transgender, Questioning) youth in our local schools and community. In the studios of Access Sacramento the evening of January 4, 2011, Mental Health Matters, a monthly program airing on the Comcast Community Channel was taped. The show’s producer, Marilyn Hillerman invited members of Equality Action Now’s, “It Gets Better Sacramento” project to talk about the LGBTQ youth bullying problem which has been so much in the news lately. On-air program host and

In a newly designed Midtown studio, dancers of all ages and levels, dressed in their finest fishnets, enter to explore the mystery of sensuality through a modern take on one of history’s most misunderstood yet brazen art forms: burlesque. Burlesque Fusion dance class, taught every Thursday evening by the Sizzling Sirens burlesque dance troupe, creates an open space to unleash your inner imagination and confidence, all while providing a healthy workout. The potential for personal power and feminine freedom afforded with the dance intrigued me, and I wondered, could this be my new catharsis? So this January, charged with curiosity, I stepped out of my comfort zone and my usual sweats and p

A more appropriate emcee than Mama Cobb could not be found for the Folklorico Latino de Woodland’s 24th Anniversary dance showcase. Aside from the dancers, what a performance she put on. Throughout the course of the evening, she charmed the audience with her stories and insights from her long and storied career. She spoke sometimes in English, sometimes Spanish and even threw in a few Nahuatel phrases. Nahuatel being the language of the Aztecs. Mama Cobb provided insights into the regional Mexican folk dances, stole a kiss from the feature trick roping cowboy, completed two costume changes, and inspired a new generation of Mexican folk dancers. As easy as it looked, the audience had no i

My girlfriend recently finished a 21-day yoga and dietary cleanse at Deep Yoga. While I did not join her on her daily 5:30 a.m. yoga pilgrimages, I went stride for stride with her on the dietary portion of it. The first week we were allowed fish, but from the second week on we were no longer allowed any animal products. Or corn products. Or wheat products (I cheated here. I wouldn't have made it without soy sauce). It was not easy for this lifelong omnivore to give up meat, and even harder to give up cheese and grains, but I did, and lost nine pounds in the process. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it's over. But I'll also concede that I both look and feel better. There is something to this

It’s been two weeks and Pizza Rock has established itself as serving K Street’s nightlife with late-night food and entertainment. This hot spot located between District 30 and Dive Bar is getting many positive reviews for their quick delivery and, of course, Tony’s pizza-throwing skills. Co-owner Tony Gemignani is reaching out to the younger pizza eaters of Sacramento by offering weekend cooking classes for kids. What better way to enjoy a gloomy Saturday afternoon than to spend it in the kitchen cooking up some comfort food? Ten children reserved their spots for this week’s cooking class with Jay Sherman, Pizza Rock’s other acclaimed pizza-spinner. Sherman began the class with a very i

When the Zelda Stone Quarry closed its doors in 1931, it left behind two enduring legacies in East Sacramento: East Portal Park and the “stone sisters” houses. Peppered through East Sacramento are craftsman bungalows built with large cinder blocks and granite. The cinder blocks are composed of stone excavated over the years from the East Portal pit. Most of these houses were built in the aughts of the last century, and the homes are easy to recognize. They tend to be squarish, have small rooms and the exteriors have rough-hewn, chiseled and buffed blocks. Many of these houses also have granite in the construction and exquisite interior detailing. Longtime residents of East Sacramento see

It may sound cliche, but I love America. Not for what she is, or the thing she’s done, but for what she represents: the idea that we are born free, that every citizen is free to pursue their own path to happiness, and that in this land one is free to speak their mind, whether or not that opinion is popular. America is more than the earth between its borders. It is hope. Hope that shines like a beacon into the darkest corners of this world, calling to those who want more for their destiny than their homelands can give them. The best and the most determined to succeed from all over the planet come here to learn, to raise their children, and to hope for a better future. When the brave are c

On Saturday night the Radisson Hotel was filled with anticipation...and people. Boz Scaggs was in town, ready to play and his fans were ready to listen. Photos by Ron Nabity

“Tony Silva rides the bus to see the punk rock bands    He rides out from BFN and no one understands   He doesn’t have a car and he’s not old enough to drive    But seeing punk rock concerts is what keeps Tony alive.” --“Tony Silva Rides the Bus”, by The Secretions   Despite a bad economy and multiple venue closures this year, punk rock is alive and well among the under-18 crowd. “There will be times when things get closed down, and it’ll affect the scene negatively, but in the long run, there’s a resilience in Sacramento,” said Craig Usher, who has been going to punk shows since his freshman year of high school. Usher, now 42 with children, runs a Facebook page cataloguing shows. He sa

Bridge maintenance difficulties abundant in Sacramento It’s no secret to the daily drivers in the Sacramento region that our local roads, freeways and even bridges have some less-than-perfect driving conditions. Any observant motorist can attest to this fact with their own experiences of avoiding potholes, deciphering sometimes illegible road markings, and bracing for strong bumps when crossing gaps between roadway segments. What may surprise you, however, is the staggering amount of data freely available to the public which, when drawn together, paints a dire portrait for the future of Sacramento roads. In a nutshell: There are many existing problems we know about, not enough money to p