A new library opened in the Pocket neighborhood of Sacramento yesterday and it’s about the size of a birdhouse. The Bound Together Library, located in the front yard of a home on Arabella Way between Pocket Road and Warbler Way, offers residents the chance to give a book and take a book as they please. Following the concepts of the Free Little Library movement, the Bound Together Library was created by JasMin Khoe and Allison Yamamoto as their senior project in the McClatchy High School HISP Program. Jonathan Louie, a sophomore at McClatchy High School, was an apprentice on the project and plans to make a library for his Eagle Project. Similar libraries are slated for the future. Jon

Groups from across the region came to the Very Inspirational People (VIP) Games - Track & Field event on Sunday at Sacramento State. Individuals participated in competitions similar to those in the Summer Olympics: Run, Walk & Run, Shot Put, etc... The following groups competed in Sunday's event: Bella Vista / Del Campo (BVDC) Chargers (SC) Discovery All Stars (DA) El Dorado (ELD) Folsom Hills (FH) Independent Competitors Motherlode (ML) Orange Grove (OG) Western Placer (WP) VIP is an organization of both new and highly experienced volunteers from all walks of life working together to create rewarding and quality experiences for inspirational athletes with developmental d

Grant Little League began its season Saturday with a bang. The season began with a parade through Del Paso Heights, beginning at Grant High School and ending at Del Paso Heights Elementary School Park. Hundreds of kids marched to the park on foot, in trucks, and atop a boat, bringing residents out of their homes to watch and cheer. Sacramento City Coucilmember and former Grant Little League player Allen Warren participated in the march. Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna also participated in the march. Kids from Del Paso Heights, Strawberry Manor, North Sacramento, and Hagginwood participated in major, minor, and t-ball leagues. Grant Little League runs through the beginning

Natomas Girls Softball League began its season today with a parade around the Northgate neighborhood near its homefields at Althea B. Smythe Elementary School. The opening of play also marked a milestone. Natomas Girls Softball League has existed since 1968, making this the league’s 50th anniversary. The future looks bright for the league’s dated homefields with plans for $607,000 of improvements thanks to a partnership between the City of Sacramento and Twin Rivers Unified School District. Softball players come from the north area of Sacramento including South Natomas, North Natomas, North Sacramento, Del Paso Heights, Rio Linda, Robla, Downtown and North Highlands. Visit the Na

Hits, catches and calls at the plate were made as youth baseball leagues opened throughout Sacramento this past Saturday. Pocket Little League opened as the sun rose over Wes Yeargin Field in South Sacramento. Hundreds of kids marched onto the field dressed in traditional baseball gear. The opening celebration included recognition of 2012’s Pocket Little League Yankees who were the Minor League California District 7 T.O.C. Champions, followed by an opening day pitch by Sacramento City Councilmember Darrell Fong. Participants at Natomas Youth Baseball began their season at Strauch School Park in the Northgate neighborhood of Sacramento. Players warmed up with players and coaches as fi

The Sacramento Coalition for Working Families will host it’s final Taxes Done Right Super Event this Saturday, February 9th from 9am - 2pm at Grant High School. To prepare a return, participants need to bring: A copy of last year's return. Their Social Security or ITIN number (and for all family members). Photo identification. Any tax related forms received from their employer or benefits provider. Documentation or receipts for deductions and credits. Their child care provider's Tax ID number (if applicable). A voided check to use for direct deposit of refunds. Up to 200 people are expected to attend. Call 211 to schedule an appointment. Additional events will take place at t

Multiple basketball teams took part in the Hoops for the Hunger event on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Natomas Charter School. Teams consisted of ten players and each participating player brought two canned goods for the single-game elimination tournament. Event organizer Carl Gayle discusses the tournament and future plans in the following video: Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

The District 2 City Council candidates gathered at the Sacramento Urban League over the weekend where they faced a new topic of discussion. And it wasn’t the death of the arena deal. Last Thursday, the City released its proposed 2012-2013 budget. The proposed budget eliminates 286 jobs, many of which are public safety positions. That didn’t sit well with the candidates. “No I don’t support those (cuts)” said candidate and former city councilmember Rob Kerth when asked about the cuts to public safety. “Those are fundamental city services.” “No, I do not support the budget cuts to cut police and fire services,” said Kim Mack. “One life is lost, one home is lost; they (the cuts) are not

The Neighborhood Services/Special Events Division of the City of Sacramento will hold their first in a series of quarterly Community Partnership Meetings on Monday, January 9, 2012 at the South Natomas Community Center at 6:30pm. The meetings are held to facilitate broad communication between the City and the community on issues, policies & priorities. Top discussion topics include a presentation by the Department of Utilities regarding proposed water and sewer rate changes. Utilities has provided their own outreach through Rate Workshops and the "Your Utilities, Your Voice" website. Another top discussion topic is the update to the Special Events Ordinance, particularly changes regardi

Heroes past and present will be honored this Friday, November 11 at the Sacramento Veterans Day Parade. The parade begins at 10:00 a.m. running eastward on Capitol Mall. A program is scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.. It will include resources for veterans, entertainment, and children’s activities. The Grand Marshal is Brigadier General Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager. Born in 1923 in Myra, W.Va., General Yeager enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1941. He was accepted for pilot training under the flying sergeant program in July 1942, and received his pilot wings and appointment as a flight officer in March 1943. During World War II, General Yeager distinguished himself in aeria

The City of Sacramento Department of Parks and Recreation presented an oral report regarding their progress on community centers to the Parks and Recreation Commission. During the report, Parks and Recreation Director Jim Combs provided an overview of the proceedings for next Tuesday’s Council Meeting. The highlight of the meeting will be the report back on the budgets of the city’s parks, police, and fire departments. “We hear maybe 1000 to 1500 folks there attending this meeting just from the police department,” said Combs. “Then the fire department’s going to have a big crew. We know that the centers and all those communities; we’re going to have more people down there than we had las

Close to 150 people braved the rain Saturday afternoon and came to the Hagginwood Community Center for the dedication of the Grantland Johnson Soccer Field. “It’s quite an honor, I must tell you,” said Grantland Johnson to the crowd crammed inside the lobby of the community center. A native resident of Sacramento’s Del Paso Heights neighborhood, Johnson graduated from Grant High School where he played for the Pacers football team. He received his B.A. Degree from Sacramento State in Government and later received honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters from both Sacramento State and Golden Gate University. “I would not be the person I am today, had I not grown up in this great community of

Skating has returned to Del Paso Boulevard Iceland Ice Skating Rink re-opened today to skaters for the first time since burning down in March 2010. “Such a journey from March until now,” said Terrie Kerth, whose family built the rink in the late 1930s. “So many volunteers who have helped, so many people who care about skating and thanks to them, we’re open.” “Still lots of work to do, but we can skate.” Iceland has played host to ice-skating, ice hockey, and ice shows. Former President and California Governor Ronald Regan skated at the facility, as did former boxer Max Baer. The facility burned down last March following a private party, but the primary structure remained intact. Sinc

The good news is more and more people at Sacramento State are using alternative transportation and parking as they should. The bad news is revenue from parking citations has been down, and that may lead to changes to the university’s Hornet Shuttle program. The University of Transportation and Parking Services, or UTAPS, held an open forum this afternoon regarding proposed Hornet Shuttle route changes for Spring and Fall 2011. The Hornet Shuttle program began in 1989 with shuttle routes running off campus Monday – Friday from 7am to 7pm during the Fall and Spring semesters. The current fleet of six buses, all running on compressed natural gas, make 18 to 24 runs combined among three rout

Less than one month after launching the Sacramento Service Plan, Mayor Kevin Johnson was joined by pilot Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger in kicking off “Sacramento Ready”, the plan’s public safety campaign aimed at engaging residents in emergency and disaster preparedness. “We saw what happened in New Orleans with (Hurricane) Katrina,” said Mayor Johnson to a capacity filled City Council Chamber. “In terms of a flood, Sacramento is the second most dangerous or at-risk community behind New Orleans.” The event belonged to Captain Sullenberger, the Air Force veteran pilot best known for landing US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River off Manhattan nearly two years ago on January 15

The City of Sacramento Neighborhood Services Division is hosting a Senior Awareness Day next Tuesday, October 26, 2010 from 9am to 3pm at the Pannell / Meadowview Community Center. This free event filled with services to older adults and seniors could not come at a better time. “With a national economic crisis, we’ve seen more services to seniors reduced or cut altogether,” said Kris Wimberly, Neighborhood Resource Coordinator and coordinator of next Tuesday’s event. Wimberly addressed the City Council prior to receiving a resolution recognizing October 26, 2010 as “Senior Awareness Day”. “Our focus for the day is to promote health, wellness, and positive aging for the thousand of seni

The slate is diverse, ranging from a higher education teacher to a retired Naval commander. All are vying for one thing: the chance to represent the Pocket neighborhood on the SCUSD School Board. Five candidates met at a forum on Tuesday evening at the School of Engineering and Sciences to make their case as best representative for SCUSD District 6 Board Member. The forum was organized by the Didion/Lewis Park Recreational Center Committee and moderated by Michael Langley, editor of Pocket Online. The biggest topic of reform referred to teachers. "Everything is in instruction," said Sharon Owens-Thomas. "We probably have one-third high performing teachers in the district, another third

Residents of the Pocket and Greenhaven neighborhoods will have a chance to hear from candidates running for Trustee Area 6 of Sacramento City Unified School District at a forum on Tuesday, October 12, 2010. Photo by MikkiPiper. Five candidates are running for the position since two-term incumbent Roy Grimes declined running for a third term. Grimes served as SCUSD board president three times during his eight year tenure. The slate of candidates is diverse: Rob Gunn is a transportation engineer. Darrel Woo is a higher education teacher and City Parks & Recreation Commissioner. Robert Bartron is a retired Naval Commander and education administrator. Shane Singh is a community vo

Sacramento State students won’t be disappointed with their investment. The WELL officially opened Thursday in front of a crowd of 250 students, faculty, staff and community members. The University’s new 151,000 square-foot recreation and wellness center was paid for by a student fee approved by students in a campus-wide referendum. “Today is a historic day for Sacramento State,” said Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez. “I especially want to congratulate the students, because you are the ones who came to me and told me this is what you wanted, and you worked very hard to make it happen.” “I know for many, many years you’ve been looking forward to this day, and what a day it is

Since 1958, Robbie Waters has served Sacramento as an officer with the Sacramento Police Department, as Sacramento Sheriff, and as Councilmember for District 7 for the last 15 years. A uplifting seal of closure was given to his years of service at Saturday morning’s opening of the Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library. “The library is an accomplishment for the entire community,” said Waters to a crowd of approximately 500 people. “I have no doubt it will be well used.” The $15-million library consists of 45 public access computers, a 72-seat capacity community meeting room, a teen room, a quiet room, two study rooms, and a Ready to Read room for kids. The library is designed for 67,00