Sacramento’s drinking water meets or surpasses all state and federal health requirements, according to the city’s report on water quality relative to public health goals. It does not, however, meet every public health goal as set by the state. “We may not meet all those goals,” said Jessica Hess, spokeswoman for the Department of Utilities. “We probably never have met all those goals, since they’re set at a level so high to encourage jurisdictions to do better.” Hess said the city’s water facilities don’t all have the technology to even measure the levels set forth in the state public health goals. “The goals are set for levels that are very difficult for folks to attain, and there are

If the state issues IOUs again, Sacramento plans to cash in. The City Council gave the nod Tuesday night to the treasurer’s office to use $20 million to purchase IOUs – officially known as “registered warrants” – as an investment opportunity for the city. If the state does issue IOUs, Sacramento Chief Investment Officer John Colville said recipients can take them to the treasurer’s office along with identification and a voided check, and the city will wire the money directly into the recipient’s bank account, with a $2 processing fee. Last year, the city set aside $10 million, of which $6.92 million was used to buy IOUs, and the city cashed in for $29,650, Colville said. “It was succes

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Congresswomen Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, commended the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) announcement that California will receive Recovery Act funding totaling $205,147,578 for seven Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) projects in California. One such project, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, has been awarded $10,944,843 to provide outreach, training, and learning support to increase digital literacy and broadband usage. As a result, community colleges systems like the Los Rios Community College Di

The Sacramento City Council agreed to fund a $150,000 study of downtown's infrastructure Tuesday night. The purpose is to collect up-to-date information about the core's aging and sometimes outdated infrastructure and identify improvements needed to eliminate obstacles to the kind of infill development outlined in the city's 2030 General Plan and the Downtown Activation Strategy. It was adopted by the council in January. The study is needed to make sure downtown is primed for the development and investment that's expected as the economy picks up. The data also will help the city apply for state and federal funding. An R Street infrastructure study done years ago has been used to get fund

Finding local bands both past and present has now become a lot easier for music fans. A website called My Hometown Bands, created by Sacramento native Mark Chiolis, has been locally launched in an effort to provide music fans an online venue to engage with songs, photos and biographies from bands in their region. Not only do fans benefit from the new site, but bands also receive a new online tool for sharing and cataloging their musical careers. About two and a half years ago, after rummaging through piles of old music videos and recordings, Chiolis realized he had an invaluable hoard of great music paraphernalia that needed to be shared with others. Chiolis said he believed there had

The Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange, a local trade association that has served the building industry since 1901, has endorsed former police captain Darrell Fong for Sacramento City Council District 7. Fong, a lifetime Sacramento resident, is currently vying for the Pocket/Valley Hi Council seat in the November run-off election. The Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange strongly believes that Darrell Fong is the best candidate in supporting the views of the local construction and building industry, and for creating much needed jobs in Sacramento. “I support him because he is clearly the best candidate for the job. He is the right man, in the right place, at the right time,” stated Go

Sunday evening’s show was nearly sold out at the new Arden Playhouse, a wonderful 150-seat venue that opened in March. All ages were represented in the audience. Were they waiting for the curtain opening on the latest play?   No – the Sacramento Area Regional Theatre Alliance (SARTA) was announcing the 2010 Elly nominees. The Elly Awards are named for the late Eleanor McClatchy, a devoted patron of the arts and former publisher of The Sacramento Bee. The Elly Awards celebrate excellence and the outstanding achievements of community theaters and artists in the greater Sacramento area. Elly Award nominations included Lead and Supporting Actor and Actress, Director, Costume Design, Lightin

The Next American Dream Is Sacramento Ready?   We used to get dressed up to go “downtown.” It was an occasion. It was the place to be. It was the energy of every growing city. But times changed.   Suburbia was born. And we deserted downtown.   It’s time to rebuild our urban cores. Does Sacramento have the will to rebuild?   Please join us at the Crest Theatre for a screening of The Next American Dream, a documentary film about a downtown coming back to life.   Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010 Social Hour – 5 to 6 p.m. Screening – 6 to 7:00 p.m. After-Party – Social Nightclub (10th & K)   Please click on the link below to confirm your attendance! http://thenextamericandream.

 A hot afternoon saw the River Cats defeated 2-1 by the Omaha Royals in front of 8,292 fans at Raley Field on Sunday. The Cats trail 2-1 in the four-game series and are now two games behind Fresno in the PCL Pacific South Division race. Great pitching from Sacramento's Travis Banwart and Omaha's Anthony Lerew kept the game scoreless for six innings. The pitchers gave up four and five hits, respectively. A throwing error by Cats shortstop Eric Sogard in the top of the seventh eventually set up an RBI from Omaha's Cody Clark, allowing second baseman Kurt Mertins to score. Omaha scored again with center fielder Jarrod Dyson in the top of the ninth, making it 2-0. The Cats got a solo home r

The race for Governor won’t be decided until November, but River Cats fans will have a chance to cast their votes early at the Bobblehead Election this Friday. Bobbleheads of Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown will be handed out to the first 2,500 fans. The bobblehead that is given away first will be declared the winner of the River Cats Bobblehead Election. Fans will also get the opportunity to watch democrats and republicans battle it out in a friendly, but competitive, precinct relay race and in other on-field promotions during the game. Sit on the left side if you are a democrat or the right if you are a republican to cheer on your team. Republicans can order their disco

Attendees to the Neo-Crocker 2010: A Modern Culture Party will celebrate the opening of the New Crocker with art experiences, DJs, dancing, performances and more. Presented by Bank of America, Neo-Crocker 2010 will be held in the new Teel Family Pavilion, existing Victorian buildings and exterior courtyards on Saturday, October 16, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Acclaimed performer Rjd2 will make his first Sacramento appearance at Neo-Crocker 2010. His latest album, “The Colussus,” was released in January 2010. The artist is well known for his tracks for various films, commercials and television shows, including “Mad Men“ and “CSI.” Additional dynamic activities planned for the event include: a p

Faces, Sacramento’s premier gay night club, is celebrating their 25 year anniversary in colorful fashion this weekend. Faces posted the following on their website to thank the Sacramento community: Faces opened on August 15th 1985, and it is the great community of Sacramento that has kept Faces open for an amazing quarter century. Our nightlife experience in the area has expanded in many ways that make us proud to be a part of your memories and anxious to provide more and more ideas and opportunities to celebrate with you. Friday, August 13th will be our "Kick-Off" party in honor of our 25 years in Sacramento. With a Thank-You to the wonderful community here we begin with NO COVER Frida

All eyes were fixated on the skaters turned performers in “On the Y’s” Friday night crowd pleaser -- female derby mud wrestling. After paying a $10 cover, the crowd made their way onto the back patio to enjoy live DJ music by DJ Lois and Purple Hooter drink specials. At seven-thirty an emcee, Jason Stout (aka 6-minutes of Steve), who was dressed in a Van Halen 1984 t-shirt, 80’s wig and bad comic lines began to hype the crowd while two zebra striped female referees (Karma Kuffs & Judy Jettison) set the stage: a six-foot square ring, poly-sheeted and filled with beige spa mud. The entire time the crowd chanted, “more mud, more mud.” There were seven matches in all with the seventh being

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held for the new, temporary Greyhound bus terminal next week. At Tuesday’s Sacramento City Council meeting, the council is expected to transfer $4 million in profits from the Sheraton Hotel sale and other funding to finance the project and to cap construction costs for the bus station itself at $5.4 million. The item is part of the consent calender, so no discussion is scheduled. The total project — including a street extension, parking lot and utility improvements, fencing and other items — is budgeted at nearly $7.6 million, according to a city staff report. The project will also be paid for with $2 million in high-priority general fund revenues, $900

  On Thursday August 12, Dane Drewis performed at Crawdad's on the River located at 1375 Garden Highway in Sacramento. Set on a floating stage that connects to a floating venue, the scene at Crawdad's is unique. River wakes cause the place to rock and roll.  Boaters out on the river can pull up and dock alongside the floating venue and join in the festivities. On this night, Drewis and his band were excited. Both Dane and his younger sister Janel are competing in the upcoming American Idol preliminaries being held first in Sacramento at Arden Fair Mall from 10am to 2pm on Tuesday August 17, and followed quickly by a round at AT&T Park in San Francisco on Thursday August 19. The Sacramen

  On Sunday, August 15, SBL Entertainment presents Warm Earth Records internationally acclaimed recording artists Te Vaka at Harlow's located at 2708 J Street, in Sacramento. Te Vaka is an amazing group of twelve musicians and dancers from Tokelau, Tuvalu, Samoa, Cook Islands, and New Zealand. The band performs music inspired by the sounds of the South Pacific. Branded South Pacific Fusion, their music blends the sounds of Polynesia and brings contemporary flavor to traditional island music in a selflessly dynamic expression of love under the leadership of vocal wordsmith Opetaia Foa’i. Te Vaka was recently named “Best Pacific Group” at the 2010 S3 Pacific Music Awards .  They also won

(From the blog Touched by Lyme on the website of the California Lyme Disease Association) When the eight-year-old Folsom boy bent his head down, his mother noticed an odd bump under his hair. Looking more closely, she realized it was a tick. “We live near wetlands,” she explained to me. “We pull ticks off our dog all the time. No big deal.” She plucked out the tick with tweezers, threw it away and forgot about it. About a week later, the boy fell ill with fever, aches and pains. He had lymph nodes in his neck the size of golf balls. The doctor, diagnosing flu and ear infection, gave antibiotics. The boy got sicker. Mother took her son back to the doctor and this time told him about the

Movies on a Big Screen will host the first live broadcast taping of “Cinema Insomnia” Saturday. Fans can watch the “1960’s mess” horror film that is “The Undertaker and His Pals” at the Guild Theater, located at 2828 35th St in Sacramento, as horror host Mr. Lobo — a television personality and actor— provides comic relief in between segments. Movies on the Big Screen is an ongoing film festival, said Robert McKeown who helped start it in September 2006. They show films every week at the historic Guild in various genres including cult classics, documentaries and independent films. Cinema Insomnia is a television series that shows horror films. This is the first time MOBS is teaming up wit

Small business owners from the Sacramento area gathered Wednesday at the U.S. Small Business Administration office in Citrus Heights for a workshop organized by U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui's office. For two hours, more than 30 business owners such as Michael Kyalwazi met with representatives from a dozen lenders and resource organizations. Entrepreneurs like him were drawn there for one thing: finding financing in this troubled economy. "It's sad so much money is flying out there but it's not reaching small businesses, which are the engine that drives the economy," he said. Kyalwazi worked his way up the ladder at La Bou Bakery & Cafe. He started as a floor sweeper and, over 20 years, became

Outgoing Sacramento City Councilman Robbie Waters is backing candidate Darrell Fong in the runoff election for the District 7 seat that covers the Pocket/Greenhaven and Valley Hi neighborhoods. Waters, who has served as the District 7 council member since 1994, lost the race in June to opponents Darrell Fong and Ryan Chin. Waters came in third place out of four candidates, with 27 percent of the vote. Chin led the group in the June election with 37 percent of the vote. He is now competing in a runoff campaign against Fong, who garnered 32 percent of votes cast. The two candidates must face off again because the city’s rules say that a council candidate needs at least 50 percent of the vo