While the arena deal might be dead, planning for the downtown railyards remains at the center of the agenda for Sacramento, and next week, city staff will present the city council with a report on the best way Sacramento can encourage development in the 240-acre site. The basis for that presentation will be a recently-published report conducted by the city and the Urban Land Institute think tank, "Redeveloping the railyards to strengthen the urban core." This Wednesday at noon, we'll be chatting with one of people behind the ULI Report, John Hodgson, a land use attorney and founder and president of The Hodgson Company. The chat will be live streamed in this article. You can also join us

In the aftermath of the fire that destroyed the former Paul Blanco aka Cal Worthington dealership at the corner of Franklin Blvd. and Florin Road, I read a lot of hilariously scary comments about the area in the Bee. Seems a number of individuals drive through the area with their doors locked and a firm grip on the wheel for fear that loiterers will assault them. Some claim even the police keep their doors and windows locked and look straight ahead as they cruise down Franklin and/or Florin. Boy, you'd think we're talking about driving through Homs in Syria or something. Just because some people are big and black doesn't mean they're bad guys out assaulting law-abiding citizens. I'

Forget the summer; it’s been a slow year for comedies. Besides 21 Jump Street and Ted there hasn’t been much of anything to talk about. That is unless you were going to talk about how awful That’s My Boy was. So it stands to reason that it shouldn’t be hard for Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis to deliver something funny if not hilarious, right? The Campaign opens with a montage of career politician Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) campaigning throughout the state of North Carolina for congressman with his wife Rose (Katherine LaNasa), his children, and his campaign manager Mitch (Jason Sudeikis). He runs unopposed and seems to have the perfect thing going. That all changes however when bumbling

In a few minutes, I'll be conducting a video interview with Kerri Asbury, Chair of the Democratic Party of Sacramento, about the recent back-and-forth between her and Mayor Kevin Johnson about how nonprofits like Think Big use city space. We'll have Steve Maviglio, the mayor's former campaign manager, in on the chat as well.  [Update: The chat is now over. We'll have the first artilce up by tomorrow.]   

What’s with the news: Across the U.S., Eagle Scouts are returning their hard-earned medals in protest of the Boy Scouts of America’s policy on homosexuality. The BSA policy reads, “While the BSA does not proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA.” Come on, BSA. DADT is so five years ago. What’s with us: Eric Morgan has worked for Davis Senior High School for seven years, where he currently teaches English and leadership while working to keep students connected and invested in their sc

Does the grid have too many bars, and do those bars show enough respect for the residents around them? That's been a hotly debated question in the grid for years, and it came up during last week's Sac Press Live chat when I asked local historian and author William Burg to respond to a reader's comment that he was a "Not In My Backyard" activist. "That particular epithet is offensive and inappropriate," he said. "If you have standards – if you feel that some project isn't good enough for your neighborhood, then that's what you get slapped with." Here's the video of my question and his response:   Burg said that he enjoys nightlife in the grid, but he thinks many bars don't show eno

The headline describes the last part of a fun photo shoot. Early last night, my friend Ed Fogle and I took a photographic tour of the Capitol Mall, just shooting whatever caught our eyeballs. We strolled along, sharing photo tips and ideas as we took photos. We timed it so we would catch the beginning of sunset on our trek headed west. At the end of our fun evening as we were shooting a building, a security guard came out to tell us we can't shoot that building. He basically called us terrorists - patriotic Ed and US Navy Veteran Kati. Ed diplomatically explained photographer's rights after a verbal go-around with the young security guard. He even admitted he was bored, so we became 's

Secretary of defense 2006-11, CIA director, university president and a historian: Dr. Robert M. Gates has spent a lifetime as a student of history in the intelligence and defense arenas, serving eight U.S. presidents and earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor. Gates will round out the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s 17th Perspectives set for Friday, Sept. 23 at the Sacramento Convention Center. Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Olympian Dara Torres will also speak at the event, which has a new half-day format. Gates began his government service in 1966 when he joined the Central Intelligence Agency and then spent nearly 27 years as an intelligence professio

Perspectives 2011 will feature five-time Olympian swimmer Dara Torres who has proven that age doesn’t limit your dreams. At age 41, Torres, then a new mother, returned to compete in the 2008 Beijing games, winning three silver medals. In all, she has competed in five Olympics—a feat unprecedented for an American female swimmer. Torres joins Twitter co-founder Biz Stone on stage during the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s Perspectives, set for Friday, Sept. 23 at the Sacramento Convention Center. The event returns for its 17th year in an all-new half-day format that will run 8 a.m. to noon. The final speaker will be announced Aug. 4. In 2007, at the age of 40, Torres twice broke her own America

A speaker lineup to include Twitter co-founder Biz Stone kicks off the new format for Perspectives 2011, offering more businesspeople the opportunity to attend the region’s premier annual speakers forum. “As with so many things these days, it’s not business as usual,” said Sacramento Metro Chamber Vice Chair of Events and Sponsorships Kathy McKim of AT&T. “We wiped the slate clean and started over—re-designing a program from the ground up that will meet the needs of more businesspeople and provide a greater networking and educational experience. We are especially thrilled to have Biz Stone in our lineup this year for this reason.” Over the last decade, Stone has been instrumental in craf

Despite nationally known speakers Sarah Palin and Howard Dean headlining the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s Perspectives 2010 forum, it was the lesser-known speakers who had a greater effect on the audience. Terrence McNamara, a Sacramentan in the construction industry, said he found management consultant and author Marcus Buckingham to be the most interesting. “I’ve been coming to this for seven years, and it’s always the speaker you’re not interested in seeing who has the biggest impact,” he said. Buckingham offered his views on dealing with strengths and weaknesses. Traditionally, Buckingham said, people tend to think that weaknesses need to be worked on. According to Buckingham, howeve

Two acclaimed speakers set for Perspectives 2010 approach career excellence from diametrically opposed start points: Marcus Buckingham believes you should find your strengths and manage your weaknesses while Chef Jeff Henderson says passion and hard work are needed for success. In its 16th year, Sacramento’s premier speakers forum will also feature former Governors Howard Dean and Sarah Palin. The Sacramento Metro Chamber brings Perspectives to the Sacramento Convention Center on Friday, Oct. 15, with presenting sponsor Bank of America/Merrill Lynch. Marcus Buckingham Co-author of the best-selling book series on managing workplace strengths, Marcus Buckingham is an internationally acclai

Two former governors will headline the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s Perspectives 2010 line-up: Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. They will appear Friday, Oct. 15, at the Sacramento Convention Center. “We are pleased once again to bring dynamic speakers whose current contribution to our nation’s political dialogue will captivate the Perspectives audience,” said Matt Mahood, president & CEO. Other speakers for this 16th annual event will be announced shortly. Dean, a physician, served for six terms as governor of Vermont. He is the former Democratic National Committee chairman, a 2008 presidential candidate and founder of Democracy for America. Palin burst onto the natio

The Sacramento Metro Chamber office has been buzzing this week as Chief Executive Officer Matt Mahood and the rest of the staff finished last-minute details for their big annual event. One of the most important things they've done to prepare for Friday's "Perspectives 2009: An American Experience" is to work closely with each of the nationally recognized guest speakers. Surrounded by signed and framed programs from past Perspectives, Mahood talked earlier this week by phone with speakers preparing for their presentations. The work continued Thursday when speakers started flying in from around the country and Metro Chamber staff became chaperones for the VIPs. Such behind-the-scenes work

Perspectives 2009 announces Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D., will be added to the Friday, Oct. 9 lineup, substituting for Howie Long. “Due to an unavoidable and unforeseen conflict, regrettably, Howie Long will not be able to attend Perspectives,” said Matt Mahood, president & CEO. “However, we are very excited about having creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson as our new speaker. Sir Robinson challenges his audiences to think differently about how we are educating our children and how many organizations are inhibiting innovation. With our region's emphasis on improving our competitiveness through innovation, intellect and influence, he is a perfect addition to this year's Perspectives line-up.” Th

SACRAMENTO—No American Experience has been more photographically reproduced than the raising of the American flag over Iwo Jima in 1945. Perspectives 2009: An American Experience brings to Sacramento James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers, whose father is one of the figures in the photograph. Bradley’s book recounts the story of the boys’ lives, beginning as his quest to discover why his father remained silent about the wartime experience. In telling the story behind the Greatest Generation’s iconic photo, Bradley relates basic fundamentals of the American Experience: teamwork and digging in to do what’s called for. The figures in the photo, he said, were boys of common virtue doin

SACRAMENTO—Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice returns to the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s day-long premier speakers forum, Perspectives 2009: An American Experience, this year to address a Sacramento audience that last saw her nine years ago when she was advising then-presidential candidate George W. Bush. With her first visit in 2000 pre-dating the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, it will be interesting to hear how she relates her tenure as national security advisor to President Bush and Secretary of State. In September 2000, Rice told the Perspectives audience that the United States can’t continue being the “world’s 9-1-1” and respond to every international conflict. The next pr