• He travels the state to market living trusts at high-pressure dinners and seminars.
• He works hard to sell lots of documents, but not to help you make the right choices.
• Have questions? Need changes? You’ll have to call his real office in Southern California.
• His prices sound fine, but it costs time and money when he makes mistakes.
• He’ll be long gone by the time your heirs learn what kind of plan you have.
Have you worked with this guy (or one of his friends)? Call me or visit www.wyattlegal.com. Your peace of mind is worth more than what a long-distance relationship can provide.
it a long time ago!
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“Like many artists, I have dabbled in every medium, but the one I love most is watercolor. On each painting, my goal is to anticipate and produce exhilarating results that embrace the unexpected. For me, to be an artist is a privilege and a precious gift that I don’t want to waste. My goal is to create 1,000 paintings before I die.” Shown: “Cherries in a Colander,” watercolor on paper, 14 inches by 20 inches, one in a series of recently completed still-life paintings. This piece was awarded a 2023 Inside Publisher’s Award in the California State Fair Fine Arts Competition and is available for $2,000. Contact the artist at arogone@starstream.net.
In late June, Mayor Darrell Steinberg received a letter from Michael Bowman, presiding judge at Sacramento Superior Court. The message was clear. Homeless conditions surrounding court facilities at 720 Ninth St. prevented justice from being served.
Bowman cited the disheartening environment and numerous encounters between unsheltered people and members of the public who need to be in court, including court employees.
“These daily incidents include, but are not limited to, physical and
verbal assault, public sex acts, open fires, nudity, urinating and defecating on walkways,” Bowman wrote.
“Court security removes unsheltered individuals, who have no business with the court, from the main courthouse daily and our facilities team must regularly remove feces and other waste from our entryways and grounds.”
Bowman said each week, the court processes thousands of criminal cases and holds hundreds of civil hearings, as well as family law and unlawful detainer trials. He noted more than 1,000 people use the court’s self-help and other services each week.
supporting local businesses by having lunch with a colleague or shopping the farmers market.”
Bowman’s plea: Step up police presence near the courthouse, help protect the 416 Downtown employees and enforce code violations.
public, district attorney employees, jurors called to fulfill their civic duty, defendants appearing on their cases, and victims of crime seeking justice,” Ho wrote.
CBy Cecily Hastings Publisher’s DeskH“The court’s responsibility is access to justice. And yet, each day, there is growing concern that the conditions surrounding our facilities prevent just that,” Bowman wrote. “When coming to court is a trial itself for victims, witnesses or even jurors, access to justice is threatened. So, too, is public service when our employees’ fear for their own safety prevents them from leaving our buildings to go for a walk or
“The presiding judge and the district attorney are right,” Steinberg said in a statement. “I’m working with the city manager to open up the Miller Park safe camping no later than two weeks from now. The first priority will be to address the encampments surrounding the DA’s office and the courthouse. Those areas will be cleaned.”
Sacramento District Attorney Thien Ho sent a letter to District 4 City Council Member Katie Valenzuela, whose responsibilities cover Downtown. Ho asked Valenzuela to address critical public safety concerns around the courthouse and enforce city ordinances.
“Unfortunately, significant public safety concerns are affecting the
“It should never be illegal to be homeless,” Ho said. “But just because you’re unsheltered doesn’t mean that you can break the law.”
Ho cited several lawsuits where cities were successfully sued for failing to abate a public nuisance caused by homelessness. Phoenix recently lost a lawsuit regarding illegal camping. Portland settled a suit related to tents blocking sidewalks and breaking disability access laws.
Ho’s letter said Martin v. City of Boise has been incorrectly interpreted by city officials.
“When these issues in the Downtown area have been raised by members of the public, some in elected positions point the finger of responsibility to others or misinterpret legal precedent by citing Martin v. City of Boise, as an excuse not to enforce
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the law or delay enforcement of city ordinances and codes while waiting for increased shelter beds,” he wrote.
“However, Martin does not suggest that unsheltered individuals are immunized from law enforcement in any capacity, nor does it allow for the city to ignore the problems in a way that creates a public nuisance.”
Ho said, “I want the City Council to pass a resolution that mandates the enforcement of city code and ordinances. What the city has been doing up to this point is clearly not working.”
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The district attorney didn’t rule out suing the city for lack of enforcement. “I have the authority to prosecute criminally and civilly, so we’ll just have to see,” he said. “Nothing is off the table.”
Complaints about dangerous encampments are not limited to the courthouse area. Similar conditions appear all over Downtown. Sadly, visitors, residents and small business owners deal with this every day.
I took a visitor from Tucson on a tour. She was stunned to see tent encampments and trash lining J Street around City Hall, the old post
office and library, county offices and courthouse.
“The responsibility to enforce and prosecute Sacramento city ordinances and code violations rests squarely upon the City of Sacramento and the city attorney’s office,” Ho concluded in his letter to Valenzuela.
He wrote, “The proliferation of encampments on Downtown streets has closed businesses, endangered people’s safety and is slamming the door of justice on those that need it most. Our Sacramento County residents do not want to come Downtown to patronize our businesses and perform the duties we need and require them to fulfill.”
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Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
in Denver. The
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To encourage science study in future generations, Marine Advanced Technology Education hosts the annual competition. A St. Francis contingent took fourth place in 2022.
“We’d designed an outstanding robot and we felt confident,” team CEO and student Morgan Jones says. “Our mentor, Marcus Grindstaff, was an immense help in guiding us to become better engineers and leaders. Being the first all-female team to win in 25 years is a big deal.”
The St. Francis victory is a triumph for STEM education. “We hope our achievement inspires other young people—especially girls—to be involved in science and engineering,” Morgan says. “Female engineers provide valuable perspective. We can change the world.”
The Oak Park Farmers Market is back thanks to a new partnership with the Food Literacy Center. The market, founded in 2010, provides access to
healthy produce in one of Sacramento’s largest food deserts.
Last year, the market’s then-host opted to close the Oak Park destination, but founder Joany Titherington was determined to find the market a new home.
The Food Literacy Center offers cooking demonstrations and family programs at the market, making it the perfect nonprofit partner. Titherington joined the Food Literacy staff to continue her 13-year legacy leading the market.
The market features vendors selling locally produced fruits and vegetables,
breads, cheese, eggs, tamales, fresh flowers and more. The venue also provides a variety of interactive activities, including live music from local bands, activities for children (storytelling, face painting, art projects), and information and giveaways from area nonprofits and other organizations.
The Oak Park Farmers Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through November in McClatchy Park at 3500 Fifth Ave., across from McGeorge School of Law. Plenty of parking is available. For information, find Oak Park Farmers Market (Sacramento) on Facebook.
Two new art murals are gracing walls in Meadowview as part of the city of Sacramento’s Florin Road Community Beautification Project.
The project is funded by a $1.2 million CalTrans Clean California grant to improve Florin Road from Tamoshanter Way to Franklin Boulevard through public art, beautification efforts, public outreach and youth engagement.
Artists Jose Lott, Teresa Gutierrez, Henry Fisk and Judah Pimentel created
the mural at Quality Tune-Up at 2221 Florin Road. Unity Lewis, Pimentel, Lee McCormick and Malik Seneferu completed their mural at Florin Square.
“The Florin corridor is one of our city’s hidden gems and I’m incredibly excited to see this continued investment in South Sacramento,” says District 5 Councilmember Caity Maple.
For information, visit florinroadcommunitybeautificationproject. org.
Sacramento’s first cherry blossom park, Hanami Line, has broken ground.
A project of the Sacramento Tree Foundation, Hanami Line is located along the Sacramento River at Robert T. Matsui Waterfront Park, just up the river from the Old Sacramento Waterfront.
Projected to open in 2024, the $7.6 million park will host annual cherry blossom festivals and be a year-round gathering place chock-full of public art. For information, visit sactree.org/ hanami.
The Aerospace Museum of California has been named the 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year for Assembly District 7 by Assemblymember Josh Hoover.
The museum is one of 100 nonprofits chosen for the award out of 190,000 in the state. The recognition is a testament to the organization’s success in igniting a passion for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) among local students.
The Aerospace Museum of California is at 3200 Freedom Park Drive in
Quench your thirst at Downtown Sacramento’s Sunset Sips, featuring specialized drinks at more than 24 popular bars, lounges and restaurants.
“We are thrilled to provide a fun way to celebrate summertime Downtown in a way that taps into our successful Dine Downtown program,” says Michael Ault, executive director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. “The new Sunset Sips program is perfect
p.m., at McClatchy Park.A new mural decorates Quality Tune-Up as part of the Florin Road Community Beautification Project. Photo by Taylor Pannell
for finishing your workday or starting your evening in the central city while supporting local businesses in your community.”
Sunset Sips is every Wednesday this month from 4–7 p.m. Drinks are $5, $7 and $9. For a list of participating locations, visit godowntownsac.com/ events/signature-events/sunset-sips.
Sacramento County’s Department of Child, Family and Adult Services has opened three Welcoming Centers for foster youth.
The centers are homes located in residential neighborhoods where staff can provide temporary shelter care for up to six children while the department searches for suitable homes and
therapeutic programs to meet their needs.
The Welcome Centers are part of a larger effort by Sacramento County to build a comprehensive system of care, supervision and support for youth who need to be in short-term, safe, temporary care. The program facilitates timely placements, especially for teens and siblings who may take longer to find suitable home-based settings that fit their needs. For information, visit saccounty.gov/news.
SAFE Credit Union awarded $24,000 in scholarships to 12 regional high school graduates, including four from Sacramento schools.
This year’s Sacramento winners are Derek Larson from Christian Brothers High School, Shamar Knox and Tait de Boer from C.K. McClatchy High School, and Sofia Perez-Lanza from St. Francis High School.
The scholarships are offered to high school seniors who plan to continue their education at college, community college, trade school or university, and are awarded based on grade point average, personal statements and letters of recommendation.
An independent feature film titled “Sacramento,” starring Kristen Stewart, Michael Cera and Michael Angarano, has wrapped shooting in town.
The movie follows the free-spirited Rickey (Angarano) and his longtime friend Glenn (Cera) on an impromptu road trip from Los Angeles to
Sacramento. The film shot scenes in Old Sacramento, East Sacramento, R Street Corridor, Downtown and Gunther’s Ice Cream on Franklin Boulevard. Angarano wrote the script and is directing the film.
“With a wonderful cast and script, this movie is sure to bring Sacramento attention the likes of ‘Lady Bird,’” says Sacramento Film Commissioner Jennifer West. “Independent films like this can have a large impact on the local community and tourism.”
West says the movie brought in $100,000 to the region in hotels, local hires, van rentals and catering while shooting. The city of Sacramento’s Film + Media Office worked with the production to secure locations and permits, and served as a liaison. A release date has yet to be announced.
The Sacramento History Museum has debuted “Meet May Woolsey,” an
innovative exhibit that gives guests a glimpse of the life of a young girl in 19thcentury Sacramento.
May Woolsey passed away just before her 13th birthday in September 1879. Following her death, more than 500 of her belongings were packed in a trunk and stored underneath the stairs at the Woolsey family home on E Street. A century later, the time capsule of toys, journals and mementos was discovered during renovations and put on display at the Sacramento History Museum.
The newly revamped exhibit allows people to connect to May’s story through her own words with touchable 3D reproductions and audio descriptions in English and Spanish thanks to gifts from National Federation of the Blind and Sacramento Pioneer Association.
The Sacramento History Museum is at 101 I St. For information, visit sachistorymuseum.org.
Get the most out of the last few weeks of summer vacation at local museums offering special activations and exhibits.
The Aerospace Museum of California’s new 56-foot mural, “The Hidden Heroes of Aerospace,” features 51 inspiring aerospace pioneers from 2,000 years of history. Visit at 3200 Freedom Park Drive in McClellan.
The California Museum’s exhibit “Black Pioneers: Legacy in the American West” runs through Oct. 1 and explores Black history in the West through a timeline of 50 original pictorial quilts depicting African American achievements from 1528 through the Civil Rights Movement. Visit at 1020 O St.
The Crocker Art Museum hosts “For the People/By the People,” a printmaking festival at Southside Park on Aug. 27 featuring art activities, music
performances, artist talks and poetry readings. The festival coincides with “Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection and Royal Chicano Air Force” on view through Oct. 1 at the museum. Visit at 216 O St.
The Sacramento Children’s Museum’s Mission Imagination Challenge helps foster STEM creativity with a mystery box of supplies and a prompt to challenge visitors’ thinking and building skills. Visit at 2701 Prospect Park in Rancho Cordova.
In addition to the “Meet May Woolsey” exhibit, the Sacramento History Museum presents “Mark Twain on the River: A Conversation with History” on Aug. 11 in partnership with the Sacramento Historical Society. The show is at the historic Eagle Theatre at 917 Front St.
Don’t miss the live bee colony at the SMUD Museum of Science & Curiosity’s popular Nature Detectives exhibit in partnership with the Sacramento Area Beekeepers Association. Visit at 400 Jibboom St.
For information, visit facebook.com/ sacmuseums or sacmuseums.org.
Two exhibiting opportunities are open for area artists through the Sacramento Fine Arts Center.
Art donations for the center’s 28th annual “Ars Gratia Artis” are accepted through Aug. 22. The exhibit runs Sept. 12–30 and includes an art drawing on Oct. 1 to raise funds for the center. Pieces must be hand-delivered during operating hours to 5330 Gibbons Drive in Carmichael.
The center is also accepting work in all media through Sept. 23 for “A Taste for Art,” an international juried art exhibition running Oct. 31 through Dec. 2. Entries must have a food, restaurant or agricultural theme. The entry fee for members is $15 per work or three for $40. For nonmembers, the entry fee is $20 per work or three for $50. For submission guidelines, visit sacfinearts. org.
Fifty-six local Girl Scouts from Girl Scouts Heart of Central California have received the prestigious Gold Award, the organization’s highest accolade, to recognize their commitment to tackling issues in their communities. Only 5% of Girl Scouts earn this recognition.
This year’s winners invested more than 4,400 hours addressing real-life problems, such as environmental sustainability, racial justice, mental and emotional wellness, and gender inequality in STEM through projects they completed throughout the year.
“By completing these projects, they are driving lasting change in their communities,” says Central Cal Girl Scouts CEO Linda E. Farley. “We are so proud of them—for their work and for inspiring others.”
For a list of this year’s Gold Award winners and their projects, visit girlscoutshcc.org.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Helen Dittus’ workout regimen is impressive. Every morning, she wakes up at 5:15 to take care of her two cats. Then she walks for an hour.
After breakfast, she goes to the gym. Then she teaches a senior exercise class at Belle Cooledge Library or Belle Cooledge Community Center. She finishes the day with another 1.5-mile walk.
The fact that Dittus turned 85 in April makes her workout impressive, though she insists she’s not superhuman.
“I work out because I want to be able to move pots around in my garden and do what I want. How many 85-year-old ladies do you know who can lift a 40-pound pot of dirt?” she says. “You’ve got to be able to do things for yourself.”
Dittus’ commitment to fitness started when she was diagnosed with polio. She was 11, growing up in Capay Valley. After two months in the hospital, physical therapy
helped her regain control of her left side. At home, Dad hit balls for her to catch to keep her strength up.
Dittus recovered and became a top athlete in high school. After her first marriage, she moved to Sacramento and joined a volleyball team. That led to a traveling softball team that went to the national finals four times.
Eventually, Dittus coached girls softball. She took her team to regional finals. When she remarried, her husband introduced her to the men’s softball team at Mather Air Force Base. She soon coached the men, plus a high school girls team.
All that coaching led to what she does today, teaching no-cost fitness classes for seniors, ages mid-60s to 90s.
“I actually started as a participant in the class,” says Dittus, who lives in South Land Park. “I ended up subbing for the teacher in 2012 and she left in 2017, so I took over the class.”
Dittus started her own class at the behest of fellow exercisers.
“The young lady (the original teacher) was so fast, the seniors couldn’t keep up,” Dittus says. “My classmates said, ‘Why can’t you do it?’ So on off days, I started teaching my own class behind the library. It started with only five or six people, but it continued to grow. Now I have between 35 and 40 people year-round.”
Dittus and her squad run in place, stretch, do aerobics to music, lift weights, squeeze rubber balls for grip strength and work on balance. Her techniques are gleaned from having studied trainers and her years of coaching.
“I also make them stretch their mouths,” Dittus says. “Today I had them say ‘A-E-I-O-U,’ then ‘Y.’ I said ‘Y—why are you still here? It’s time to go home.’ They never know what I’m going to come up with.”
Class participants enjoy the psychic benefits of group work. She says, “For a lot of elderly people, including myself, this class might be the only social outing they have that day.”
Dittus teaches free senior exercise classes at Belle Cooledge Community Center at 5699 South Land Park Drive on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8–9 a.m., and behind Belle Cooledge Library at 5600 South Land Park Drive on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 8–9 a.m.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
website says, “Both of our partner organizations have backlogs, and you probably won’t get an appointment right away. Keep trying!”
For dogs, the first clinic says, “Unfortunately, there are no appointments available at this time. You are welcome to check back as often as you like for new openings.” The second clinic says, “Current wait time to schedule an appointment after waitlist submission is 3–4 months.”
None of that helps homeless people. It barely helps residents.
Dr. Sharikova-Sudarma also coordinates spay/neuter services with Front Street’s Homeless Outreach and Assistance Program. “It makes it a lot easier to communicate than to have people access the internet, sign up or visit a hospital shelter,” he says.
Sacramento is not “no-kill.”
In 2022, the city’s Front Steet Animal Shelter killed 747 dogs and cats. The county’s Bradshaw Animal Shelter killed 738. By mid-July this year, Front Street killed 547 animals, more than 150 over last year’s pace.
The majority of animals were euthanized because they were too old, too aggressive, too fearful at the shelter—and there are just too many.
Front Street Animal Shelter took in 6,306 stray dogs and cats last year. Bradshaw Animal Shelter took in
7,380. Intakes are up. Adoptions are down. Shelters are over capacity.
Where are all these animals coming from?
I recently met with Dr. Clyde Sharikova-Sudarma, a veterinarian with Elica Health Centers. I joined the doctor at a homeless camp in North Sacramento. Elica provides health care services to low-income people and began a veterinary outreach program in 2016.
Working out of a white Ford Explorer, Sharikova-Sudarma offers free vaccinations, microchips, flea prevention, pet food, collars, leashes and other supplies to pets of the unhoused. The one thing he can’t offer is spay and neuter surgeries.
Louis lives in one of six tents at the North Sacramento encampment. His 1-year-old pit bull mix, Sally, already had one litter of puppies, which Louis sold to passersby. “I wanted her to experience motherhood,” he says.
Several people sought Elica’s services that day. Most dogs were under 1 year old. One woman asked the vet about getting her puppy spayed. Sharikova-Sudarma instructed her to visit the Front Street website to schedule an appointment.
There’s nothing on the Front Street home page about spay/ neuter. Buried deeper is a page with information on a low-cost spay/neuter program for people who live in the city and meet income requirements.
But it’s almost impossible to get an appointment. For cats, the
Does that system work? From May 2022 to January 2023—nine months—Front Street spayed and neutered 43 animals owned by homeless people.
The average number of puppies per litter is six. There are about 10,000 homeless people in Sacramento. They have hundreds of dogs creating thousands of puppies. Unaltered cats add thousands more.
It’s no wonder Sacramento’s two municipal animal shelters took in 13,686 strays last year. The system is failing. Breeding is out of control.
State law requires animal shelters and rescue groups to spay or neuter pets prior to adoption. But no law exists to prevent your neighbor or a homeless guy from breeding his animal.
Debbie Tillotson visits homeless camps off of Highway 160 to feed and care for dogs. She sees breeding firsthand. “The whole purpose is to sell the puppies for drugs or alcohol or money,” she says. “If you’re going to stop all these puppies and dogs
STATE LAW REQUIRES ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RESCUE GROUPS TO SPAY OR NEUTER PETS PRIOR TO ADOPTION. BUT NO LAW EXISTS TO PREVENT YOUR NEIGHBOR OR A HOMELESS GUY FROM BREEDING HIS ANIMAL.
from going into Front Street, you have to get them fixed.”
So, why isn’t spay/neuter mandatory in Sacramento?
Sacramento shelter leaders cite the nationwide vet shortage. But other cities find ways.
Riverside County requires dogs and cats to be spay/neutered. San Francisco prohibits the breeding of pit bulls without a $100 permit fee. Pet owners in North Central Los Angeles with intact animals must pay a $100 license fee and $235 breeding permit. Long Beach has a mandatory spay/neuter ordinance. Individuals who want to breed their dog must apply for a $5,000 breeding permit.
It’s time for Sacramento to step up and stop the breeding.
Cathryn Rakich can be reached at crakich@surewest.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Everyone knows we need additional housing, but 29 families soon moving into Washington Commons in West Sacramento are searching for something more elusive.
They want a community. A place where people look out for one another, share responsibility, and team up for walks and bike rides. Where they help with communal meals and offer a place for visiting friends and family for a night or two.
Washington Commons, a fourstory cohousing condominium project under construction across the river from Downtown with 35 one- and two-bedroom units, is expected to be finished early next year.
Originating in Denmark, the cohousing movement uses architecture, site planning, group decisions and rituals to foster interaction among neighbors. There are a few such projects in the area, notably Muir Commons in Davis. They provide a mix of private and common spaces.
A short walk from Sutter Health baseball stadium, Washington Commons units are priced at market rate. The development has all the privacy of a typical condominium but with common spaces for meals, recreation, exercise, a garden, child play areas and other activities. A parking garage is tucked beneath the apartments.
Although most were strangers when they purchased, future Washington Commons residents teamed up to buy the half-acre parcel, hire an architect and developer, and make joint design decisions—including tough calls when construction costs shot up 20% during the pandemic. They have formed rewarding new friendships.
One of the first to buy was Anne Geraghty, a vital 81-year-old community activist who had a long
career at the California Air Resources Board. Geraghty, the catalyst to get Washington Commons going, was founding president of WalkSacramento, a nonprofit with a record of promoting safe, walkable communities. Her twobedroom unit is on the top floor.
“Community is critical to our health and well-being,” she says. “Now we have research that shows loneliness
can be worse for you than smoking. At Washington Commons, we will support each other in ways we can’t even imagine right now.”
Most residents are retired, but all are active, energetic people who want something more than a typical residential experience.
Meeting some of them, I thought of a recent magazine article that helps
explain what Geraghty and her new friends strive to overcome.
“In the wake of the pandemic,” the article says, “it can sometimes feel as though Americans have become more proudly reclusive, less open to the benefits of community.”
That seems on target, but not for this group. Jenny Palmer, one of the younger members, is a Sutter Health X-ray technician. “This reminds me of the neighborhood I grew up in,” she says. “Everybody knew everybody. They took care of one another. I want that. It’s a wonderful way to live.”
There are around 180 cohousing communities in the United States.
Katie McCamant, a Nevada City architect, has helped plan and design about a third of them. With her former husband Charles Durrett, she is the cohousing movement’s undisputed leader.
“The ultimate bottom line of what attracts people to cohousing is the community,” she says. “Some people come to it through the lens of sustainability because we use fewer
resources due to all the sharing. Some come through the social aspect.
“At the heart of it for me is that I feel very strongly that we need a new model for our neighborhoods. The rest of the world looks to the United States for the model and if the world follows the American subdivision example, we’re dead. There’s no fighting climate change if everyone lives in these sprawling neighborhoods without knowing your neighbor. We need a better model.”
And it’s nice to have someone help with the meals, she notes.
“That’s the real magic juice of cohousing, sitting down and having a meal with people you know. That really holds us together. It’s something humans have been doing forever.”
Gary Delsohn can be reached at gdelsohn@gmail.com. Previous columns can be found and shared InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Anew Sacramento County Grand Jury is on the job. The jury has the power and responsibility to investigate local government, improve efficiency and effectiveness, and promote accountability and transparency on the city and county level.
Approximately 120 residents applied for 19 grand jury seats. Interviews reduced the number to 34, and the final jurors were chosen by random drawing. There are also 11 alternates.
Unlike cases presented in a courtroom, grand jurors review and investigate the performance of county and city governments and special districts. They recommend changes to improve local public services.
Judge Steven Gevercer serves as adviser. He told applicants the grand jury exists “to make government accountable.”
Each member serves on three committees, ranging from health and human services to education, criminal justice, administration and environmental protection. Investigations can be initiated by the jury or suggested by residents.
The jury can respond to complaints of alleged mistreatment by officials and suspicion of misconduct.
Investigations result in reports that require responses from elected officials and agencies. Recent reports focused on the lack of coordination dealing with homelessness and the county’s failure to address mandated jail improvements.
To contact the jury, visit sacgrandjury.org.
county has an extensive volunteer program.
Since 2004, more than 75,000 people have volunteered or served as interns, donating more than 6 million hours in service.
“Sacramento County has many wonderful volunteer opportunities for individuals of all ages to support seniors, animals, first responders, veterans and more,” Supervisor Rich Desmond says. “Our volunteers are inspiring and invaluable because they improve the quality of life for all those who work and live here.”
Whether it’s directing customers at the airport, helping with events,
assisting seniors, mentoring children, interviewing veterans, doing clerical tasks or helping with animals, Sacramento County has a project or service that can use help.
To volunteer, call 311 or visit the county’s website at saccounty.gov.
Howard Schmidt worked on the federal, state and local levels of government, including 16 years for Sacramento County. He can be reached at howardschmidt218@aol. com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
By Howard Schmidt Inside The CountyBeing a grand juror isn’t the only way to improve your community. The
UNLIKE CASES PRESENTED IN A COURTROOM, GRAND JURORS REVIEW AND INVESTIGATE THE PERFORMANCE OF COUNTY AND CITY GOVERNMENTS AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS. THEY RECOMMEND CHANGES TO IMPROVE LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICES.
2. Volunteers at Effie Yeaw’s Spring Gala & Auction include (from left) Luna Ramirez, Carole Sussman, ARHNA President Lauri Weir, Sue McCullough-Sanden and Christine Chalmers.
3. Supervisor Rich Desmond (center) joins family and friends among Nature Center wildflowers. From left are Jim Ison, Janie Desmond Ison, Lisa Desmond, SMUD Director Heidi Sanborn and Clark Kahn.
4. The Nature Center’s shaded grounds provide banquet space for more than 200 guests.
Art auction volunteer Luna Ramirez displays a sunflower portrait by celebrity artist Joseph Bellacera.
Sacramento County, with around 1.5 million people, is the largest county belonging to the Sacramento Area Council of Governments. Others in the group are El Dorado, Placer, Sutter, Yuba and Yolo. Cities within the counties are also members.
SACOG plays a central role in funding transportation infrastructure. We rely on it for financing. But this year, SACOG didn’t fund any of Sacramento County’s paving requests despite our size and the fact our unincorporated area has a large urban
population with some of the worst roads in the state.
Why? I can only conclude our priorities clash with those of SACOG.
Sac County wants to fix our roads first. We face an $850 million maintenance backlog. SACOG, on the other hand, prioritizes alternate modes of transportation such as bike lanes, road diets (reducing vehicle lanes) and transit.
It’s a conflict that need not exist.
Paving roads is in everyone’s interest. Motorists along with bicyclists and bus riders enjoy smooth pavement. Everyone hates potholes.
There’s also an issue of fairness. Sacramento County amounts to around 80% of SACOG’s population. SACOG funding doesn’t come close to reflecting that.
The allocation to our county in the latest funding cycle (including what cities receive) only amounts to about 66% of the competitive funding that flows through SACOG.
SACOG prefers projects that aren’t easily adaptable to the unincorporated area. First, our road infrastructure is
old. Second, many of the streets aren’t wide enough to accommodate the latest designs of dedicated interior bike lanes separated by an exterior parking lane, such as J Street.
SACOG’s reluctance to fund good, old fashioned paving projects makes it more challenging for Sac County to reduce our maintenance backlog.
Each year, our Department of Transportation uses approximately $30 million directly from Senate Bill 1 gas tax revenues. When SB 1 went to the governor’s desk in 2017, voters were told funds from the legislation would go first to fixing roads. Sacramento County kept that promise—and more.
Since joining the Board of Supervisors in 2021, I’ve pushed to have monies allocated from the general fund to supplement road maintenance. Before that change occurred, SacDOT relied almost exclusively on gas taxes and transportation grant funding.
By prioritizing our roads, Sac County spends about $70 million from a combination of general fund, SB 1 and federal dollars provided under the
American Rescue Plan Act. That effort helps us to slightly improve pavement conditions.
With 2,214 miles of roadway to maintain in varied degrees of degradation, the funding doesn’t meet our needs. That’s why I’m disappointed SACOG won’t support paving.
But I’m not willing to let SACOG go unchallenged. I’m working with SACOG leadership and other county and city representatives to change the policy bias against paving projects and make funding allocations more proportional to population.
While I hope to reverse SACOG’s attitude about paving our streets, please be assured SacDOT continues to respond and repair potholes through your reports to 311.
Rich Desmond represents the Third District on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. He can be reached at richdesmond@saccounty. gov. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
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-Anthony James President, RE/MAX GoldThe greatest coach in Sacramento history invented himself in 1944. He was 25 and serving in the Army Air Corps. He walked into a courthouse in Los Angeles, filled out a name-change petition, and with a judge’s permission, became Sherman Chavoor.
Gone forever was Izikiel Correa, the Portuguese kid from Hawaii. Gone was the link to Guilhermo Correa, his abusive father who worked cane fields around Hilo and loaded freighters on Oakland docks. Gone were insults, insecurities and poverty.
There was a real Sherman Chavoor. He was a UCLA football star in the 1930s, honored for courage and sportsmanship. He became a teacher, football coach and high school principal in Burbank. When Izzy chose an identity to steal, he chose well.
Nobody knows how Izzy Correa learned about the real Sherm Chavoor. This we know: In 1940, Izzy claimed to attend UCLA. He called himself Sherm and pocketed Chavoor’s biography.
Izzy tacked five years onto his age to match the real Chavoor. He told everyone he was a UCLA football star of Dutch and French lineage. The transformation was seamless.
Years later the fabrications were exposed. But the frauds continued. UCLA became Berkeley. Football heroics became a master’s degree in psychology. Facts blended with fantasy. That was Sacramento’s greatest coach.
Even now, three decades after his death, the insistence on deception is the biggest mystery of Sherm Chavoor. He was a great man with no reason to lie.
His achievements as a swim teacher are legendary and unsurpassed. He was a two-time U.S. women’s Olympic coach, the force behind Debbie Meyer, Mark Spitz, Mike Burton, Jeff Float and Sue Pedersen, gold medalists all. His athletes won 33 Olympic medals, 22 gold.
and tennis club that would become Arden Hills, the region’s fanciest “wellness resort.” He was worth millions when he died from cancer in 1992 at age 73.
Now journalist Bill George returns Chavoor to a place of prominence with the book “Victory in the Pool: How a Maverick Coach Upended Society and Led a Group of Young Swimmers to Olympic Glory.” It’s a Sacramento story.
George draws perceptive descriptions of the town in the 1960s, sunny and optimistic, not dominated by state government but rich with agriculture and military bases and aerospace and railroads and new suburbs and lots of children, some of whom love to swim.
The heft of George’s research focuses on Chavoor’s victories in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics and the triumphant and tragic 1972 Munich Games. We learn what the kids ate and how they managed global competition and fame. Chavoor was always nearby to provide technical advice, insults and encouragement. When Spitz won seven gold medals in Munich, Chavoor secretly negotiated the swimmer’s first endorsement deals. Chavoor sneaked Spitz back to
California after Palestinian terrorists murdered 11 Israeli athletes and coaches.
George digs through archives and brings context to familiar stories. He tracks down many of Chavoor’s swimmers decades after their victories.
But the demons that drove Chavoor, the shame that made him change his identity and adopt a football star’s biography, the motivations that kept him working with petulant swimmers and their demanding parents, are elusive.
George chased Chavoor’s ghost for three years but didn’t find every answer. He interviewed Chavoor’s daughters, two proud and successful women. They couldn’t explain why their father shoplifted a name, stole a backstory and invented new details throughout his life.
“The family had a couple of stories, but nothing definitive,” George says. “He admired the real Sherm Chavoor. He obviously didn’t like where he came from and he recreated himself. He was going to be who he wanted to be, no matter what.”
The real Sherm Chavoor died in 2008 at age 93. The only public comment he made about the man who took his identity came in a letter to the Los Angeles Times. He wrote, “I am not a swim coach of any kind.”
“Victory in the Pool” is available from Amazon and other book sellers, retail $36.
R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
His business talents were almost as grand. He started with nothing, borrowed $25,000 and bought 10 acres on Mission Avenue. He built a swim Swim coach Sherm Chavoor
Alan and Kelly Harbitter love older homes and appreciate older things. One day Kelly walked past a two-story home on 41st Street. The place was old and ready for new life. Kelly and Alan eventually bought it.
“I used to walk from my Berkeley Way home in East Sac and look at all the older houses and imagine what I could do to preserve and enhance them,” Kelly says.
Kelly grew up in East Sac. She built a career in Washington, D.C., in government relations but dreamed of returning to her hometown. She and Alan met about 20 years ago. For 15 years, the couple maintained
a bicoastal relationship. When they married in 2010, Kelly convinced Alan to make their home in Sacramento.
After the move they wanted a bigger home. Their search led to frustration. Most homes were either teardowns that would require starting over or updates that were too modern.
They found what they wanted with their 41st Street purchase. “The home was 100 years old and had only minor upgrades from the original condition,” Kelly says. “The original family had been here almost 50 years.”
The couple began with a vintagesensitive remodel of the kitchen and bathrooms. They added a first-floor half bath by the kitchen.
The dark stained cottage-style cabinetry contrasts with light grey veined marble counters. A farm-style sink and bronze hardware bin pulls add to the vintage appearance. They extended the oak floors into the kitchen for a consistent look.
By Cecily Hastings Photography by Aniko Kiezel Open HouseThe floor plan is referred to as a “four square” design—four bedrooms upstairs with one bathroom. Toward the front is a small sitting room.
But with grown children, the couple decided to reorganize the upstairs. “We combined two bedrooms into a master suite, with a generous closet and master bath,” Kelly says. “We use
the other two bedrooms as an office and guest room.”
The vintage-sensitive approach from the kitchen applies to cabinetry and finishes upstairs. Marble tile mosaics add a luxurious touch and contrast
StunningestateinfabulousArdenOaks.Thisone-of-akind,custom-builthomesitsontwoacresandprovidesa serenesetting.Featuresincludetowering,beam-vaulted ceilingsandfloor-to-ceilingwindows,bringinginan abundanceofnaturallight.Almost7,000squarefeetthat hasitall,includingsevenbedrooms,sevenbathrooms,and anoversizedlivingandformaldiningrooms.Thewetbar andwinecellaropentothegrandfamilyroom.
with the original stained wood floors. The bath was upgraded with black and white mosaic tiles, painted wainscotting and freestanding bathtub. They kept the original pedestal sink.
In 2020, they completed a basement remodel to showcase their interests. Kelly is a horsewoman, Alan a musician. “The space had previously been used for storage. But we added a full bath and created and very enjoyable entertainment space,” Kelly says.
The basement has a bistro table for wine tasting, perfect when the pandemic kept them home. They added a brick wall to emphasize
WE SAVED EVERY VINTAGE LIGHT FIXTURE AND SWITCH THAT WE COULD.
the subterranean location. The entrance has the original wood staircase.
Two large, tufted sofas and a satin black grand piano highlight the living room. The grandfather clock is a family heirloom.
Just off the living room is the original side porch with black lattice walls. A fountain bubbles as Delta breezes flow through in summer evenings. Antique and vintage furniture and accessories abound.
The couple worked hard to preserve original details. “We saved every vintage light fixture and switch that we could,” Alan says. The doors are original, with paint stripped away and stained ebony to contrast the white painted woodwork.
“We were careful to save every doorknob and even the door hinges we had replated,” Kelly says.
While they added no additional space to the original 2,700 square feet, the couple rebuilt the garage for code compliance. They reused
the original sliding wood garage doors. “We also incorporated a home gym behind the garage that we use daily,” Alan says.
They refreshed the backyard, set among a couple of huge orange trees, with plants and shrubs, and added a round galvanized tank converted to a splash pool.
The Harbitters couldn’t be happier with life, especially with great neighbors on 41st Street.
“My favorite thing about this house is the open central stairway,” Alan says. “You can see out through almost every window, both upstairs and down from the stairwell. It’s a house made of windows.”
Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@ insidepublications.com. To recommend a home or garden, contact editor@insidepublications. com. More photography and previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n
There’s no easy way to say this. A state agency is helping affluent property owners barricade an equity gateway for many of Sacramento’s poorest, non-white residents.
If this sounds impossible today in California, here’s how it happened.
In recent months, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board overstepped its responsibilities for flood maintenance
and operations. The state agency became the literal gatekeeper for residents along the Sacramento River levee who want to keep outsiders out.
In May, Central Valley Flood approved two temporary fence permits to block the levee in the Pocket neighborhood. Private fence panels, gates, chains and locks went up within 48 hours.
The fence permits were granted without public hearings. There was no discussion, no transparency. Property owners asked for fences. Central Valley Flood staff said yes.
“The board’s authorizations appropriately balance the concerns of property owners, namely their desire to protect their private property from trespass.”
There are problems here. First, it suggests the Central Valley Flood Protection Board approved the temporary fences. But there was no board action. Fences were secretly approved by flood agency staff.
Second, it introduces a false narrative about a need to “balance the concerns of property owners.” Central Valley Flood has no duty to balance anything for property owners. The agency’s job is flood protection.
There’s no legal requirement to hand out levee encroachment permits. The Department of Water Resources says fences cause trouble with levee maintenance and flood preparedness.
Lief insists these aren’t permanent fences, which require approval by the actual flood board—seven people appointed by the governor. He writes:
“Each encroachment permit application for a cross-levee fence will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and will be brought to the board for consideration at a future board meeting. The public will have an opportunity to provide input (support or objection).”
Pardon me for thinking it’s a short step from temporary to permanent fences. If Central Valley Flood staff worries about property owners and “their desire to protect private property from trespass,” the board must remind staff why the agency exists—to prevent floods, not build fences.
The fence approvals reversed years of permit denials by Central Valley Flood in Pocket and Little Pocket. Central Valley Flood board members knew fence permits would embolden a small group of property owners who despise the idea of people riding bikes on the levee.
Which includes people from Meadowview.
Here’s where the fence mess gets ugly. Levee fences complicate the city’s effort to finish the river bike trail from Meadowview to Downtown. Fences insult civic attempts to provide equity and inclusion through parks and transit options.
It took decades, but after unanimous City Council votes and support from regional governments, the river parkway bike trail is funded. Plans are to pave the levee top after Army Corps of Engineers contractors finish levee restorations, likely in 2025.
City officials tell me new fences won’t stop the bike trail. But fences don’t make the job easier. Their presence speaks to tone-deaf state authorities worried about complaints from a few extremist neighbors, dismissing the benefits of linking Meadowview to the river parkway.
The Meadowview trail will run through Bill Conlin park on Freeport Boulevard, join the levee and head north. The project is the city’s biggest, loudest statement about the urgency of equity and inclusion.
Please remember some realities. Meadowview residents endure the lowest incomes in South Sacramento. Almost half the households make less than $40,000 annually. Meadowview is a minority-majority community. About 60% of residents are Brown, Black or Asian.
Central Valley Flood Executive
Officer Lief says his agency has no control over recreation on the levee. He’s strictly a flood maintenance and operations guy. But aligned with property owners, approving their demands for fences, Central Valley Flood becomes a tool of bigotry.
Show me another state agency that gets away with that.
R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
By R.E. Graswich Pocket BeatRGI asked Central Valley Flood staff for explanations. I received responses that exposed the agency’s cozy relationship with private property owners along the river. Consider this excerpt from Chris Lief, executive officer at Central Valley Flood:
temporary private fencepermitted on the Pocket levee by the state Central Valley Flood Protection Board.
HOW A STATE FLOOD AGENCY FORGOT WHO IT SERVES
THE FENCE PERMITS WERE GRANTED WITHOUT PUBLIC HEARINGS. THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION, NO TRANSPARENCY. PROPERTY OWNERS ASKED FOR FENCES. CENTRAL VALLEY FLOOD STAFF SAID YES.
In the short time since I returned to pastoring, I hear again the same old complaints against organized religion.
Sometimes my responses to these critics are served with a little snark. For instance, when folks grumble, “Religion is strictly a cash business.” I say, “No. We take online donations now.”
When they protest, “The church is full of hypocrites!” I try to reassure them, “No, no. We aren’t full yet. There’s still room for you.”
The good-natured ones often joke in return, asking if “my boss” will do something about the lousy weather. I say, “Sorry. I work in sales, not customer service.”
But I’ll admit I lose my levity when someone paints religious people as being “too judgmental.” These critics often use Jesus’ own words, telling me to “judge not lest you be judged” (Matt. 7:1). And for good measure, they paraphrase John 8:7: “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
I give them points for scripture memorization, but I also remind them that the Judean teacher they so skillfully quote pronounced more than a few judgments.
That’s because he wasn’t one to throw up his hands and say, “Hey, whatever floats your boat. Who am I to judge?”
Actually, he said, “The world is against me because I expose the evil behind its pretensions” (John 7:7).
As a person of this planet, it’s essential that I make judgments. But as a person of faith, I must follow grace and avoid denouncing the heart of another person.
“How do you balance grace and judgment?” you ask.
By Norris Burkes Spirit MattersThe answer might come from Abner McCall, the late president of Baylor University, my alma matter.
“When people ask about the difference between our Christian university and a secular one,” he said,
“I tell them this: If our professors give you a failing grade, they’ll sit down and cry with you.”
McCall asserted that his professors were perfectly qualified to judge a student’s work. However, with the mention of tears, he was referencing the offer of grace that must be accompanied with this judgment.
People of faith aren’t disqualified from speaking on moral issues. In fact, it’s the opposite. Spiritual folks are obliged to speak for those who have no voice. And they are compelled to challenge injustice.
For instance, I will occasionally speak against the political decisions of our leaders. For me, this “condemnation” is what I call a “spiritual assessment.”
“Assessment” is a word commonly used in the health care world, where I worked for more than 25 years.
I watched our nurses formulate assessments by gathering information about a patient's physiological, psychological, sociological and even spiritual status.
Those assessments weren’t personal judgments. Instead, they were professional judgments offered with a grace that often led to recovery.
Pastor and theologian J.D. Greear put it best when he concluded:
“Don’t judge others by withholding the truth. But don’t judge them by speaking the truth without grace… Truth without grace is judgmental fundamentalism; grace without truth is liberal sentimentality.”
Norris Burkes can be reached at comment@thechaplain.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. Burkes is available for public speaking at civic organizations, places of worship, veterans groups and more. For details and fees, visit thechaplain.net. n
One afternoon in my community college English classroom, four students arrived with an assortment of Fiery Hot Cheetos, Skittles and sodas. Students aren’t supposed to eat in classrooms, but it was lunchtime. I knew the students were hungry and didn’t interrupt their snacking before class.
No surprise, by our 1:30 p.m. break, the students who devoured vending machine snacks were lethargic and barely able to participate.
The trends are horrifying and unmistakable. Forty percent of California fifth graders are overweight or obese. A disproportionate number among them are minority students. We know young brains need nourishment. The mind-body connection is underaddressed in our schools.
The Food Literacy Center wants to change how kids eat, teaching them about nutrition and how to prepare culturally relevant, nourishing foods.
In July 2011, Amber Stott, who founded the Food Literacy Center, saw our broken food system, where many people lack access to fresh produce and knowledge to prepare it. She “wanted to do something about it,” she says.
By Gabrielle Myers Photography by Aniko Kiezel Farm To ForkWith a background in nonprofit public service, Stott studied public health behavioral change campaigns and recognized that to lower childhood obesity, we need to transform how kids eat. From one elementary school
in Oak Park, Stott’s programs now serve students in low-income schools throughout town.
The Food Literacy Center’s new building on 2.5 acres in Upper Land Park is a collaboration among Sac City Unified School District, the city, and developers of the Mill at Broadway. Stott says this new space next to Leataata Floyd Elementary School is “a good example of government gone right.” The center has a fresh vegetable, herb and fruit garden where students learn how food grows and how to nourish plants.
The new green building, fueled by solar panels, has a large teaching kitchen with several stations for small groups of kids to learn how to prepare and cook fresh produce.
The 270 students at Leataata Floyd visit the center for classes Monday through Thursday. One course introduces kids to the garden and how
to grow and care for plants. Another, based in the teaching kitchen, instructs students to prepare and cook produce. Stott says, “We are the science and health education for Leataata Floyd,
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and we provide that at no charge to the school district,” Stott says.
In the new building, the center has a commercial kitchen where staff prepares food for nutrition and cooking classes at 15 other Sac City elementary schools, plus five schools in the Robla School District.
By teaching more than 2,000 students each year, the Center for Food Literacy’s potential impact on the health of new generations is impressive.
Stott is an advocate for the Farm to School movement. She trained in Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard program and saw the need for statewide grant support. Then Stott advocated for Farm to School within the state Department of Food and Agriculture. The Farm to School program is a major supporter of the Food Literacy Center.
“When it comes to the folks who work in food, whether it’s restaurants or farms, or even the folks working in food system nonprofits, we have an abundance mindset. Food is abundance,” Stott says. “We all come to the table with that mindset, so it’s
highly collaborative. Everybody enjoys working together. We like each other so it makes it really easy to be working in this movement in Sacramento.”
The public can support the movement by volunteering at the Land Park center. Donations are always welcome, but with limited staff and large workloads, the center needs volunteers for the classroom and garden.
The center offers fresh dishes at its Plant Parts Café on first Fridays this
summer through August, 4–7 p.m. Please drop by.
For information, call (916) 476-4766 or visit foodliteracycenter.org.
Gabrielle Myers can be reached at gabriellemyers11@gmail.com. Her
latest book of poetry, “Too Many Seeds,” can be ordered from fishinglinepress. com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
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Hands on hips and nursing a broken heart, we stand before the tomato plant and ask, “How come I’m not getting any tomatoes?” Nature plays cruel jokes on gardeners.
Even one tiny, green tomato can raise spirits, but not satisfy yearnings for a slab of vine-ripened tomato, slathered in mayo and buried between good bread. Be dejected but understand tomato droughts may not be your fault.
Despite skill and experience, even the greenest thumbs can confront the same impasse. Tomatoes go on extended vacations.
Our city was blessed with perfect tomato fruit temperatures during May and into June. All those 80-degree days should have delivered an early season bonanza of the Sacramento treasure, the home-grown tomato. The remainder of the summer is where trouble brews. Understanding tomatoes may help avoid prolonged shortages.
The heart of a Sacramento summer is fiery and fierce. Tomatoes, touched by high temperatures during the day or cooler than normal nights, seek refuge. They hunker down, drop blossoms and retreat into survival mode. No blossoms, no tomatoes. No tomatoes, no caprese salad, gazpacho, fresh sauces or messy-good sandwiches.
Tomatoes have perfect flowers and are self-pollinating. Male and female reproductive parts cuddle on a single flower. Should you wonder if no bees might be the reason for the lack of tomatoes, bees are not needed, but can help.
Gently shaking the cage or other support during the heat of day can move pollen. Wind can move pollen. Those fortunate enough to have bees and other pollinators in the garden have an extra benefit. Just the vibration from a bumblebee’s wings can do the job.
Troubleshooting other mid-summer hiccups helps avoid headaches. Beyond excessive temperatures, tomato blossom drop can be caused by too much nitrogen fertilizer and by inconsistent watering—too little or too much.
If water consistently drains through a raised bed and out the bottom, reduce the cycle time on a drip irrigation timer. A moisture meter probe saves guessing.
Blossom drop may occur from environmental influences. Heat, coupled with smokey ash from wildfires, for instance. Smog can incite drop. Too much shade will guarantee no tomatoes. The plants require a minimum of six hours of sunlight per day. More is better.
Blossom drop is not the only tomato problem that triggers summer angst in vegetable gardeners. Inconsistent watering is responsible for fruit cracking and blossom end rot. Both are maddening.
One morning, plump tomatoes are a day or so from harvest. The next morning, the skin has split open. Most often high heat and excessive watering prompted the tomato to grow too fast for its skin to expand.
This is how it may happen: Gardeners go on vacation. Tomatoes are not watered for a week or more when temperatures soar. Gardeners return from vacation and saturate thirsty tomatoes. Skins split, bacteria enters the wounds and the tomatoes begin to rot.
Blossom end rot, that leathery brown shrivel on the blossom end (bottom), is a reaction to not enough water being pulled up by the root system and, thus, not enough calcium. Some varieties, especially paste tomatoes such as Roma and San Marzano, are susceptible to blossom end rot.
Maintaining soil moisture throughout the growing season minimizes chances of blossom end rot and splitting. Using mulches around plants (shredded leaves, straw, compost) is a huge help in retaining moisture. Tomatoes will thank you with beautiful fruit.
Cherry tomatoes seem to weather heat better than bigger, slicing tomato varieties. Hybrids may be more dependable than fickle heirlooms.
So many choices and decisions. But if you follow the basics, the reward may be yours for the plucking.
Harvest Day is Aug. 5 at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center in Fair Oaks Park, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s the largest one-day gardening event in the region. Admission is free. Visit sacmg.ucanr. edu for details. I’ll be working in the demonstration vegetable garden so swing by and say hi.
Dan Vierria is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener for Sacramento County. He can be reached at masterg29@gmail.com. For answers to gardening questions, contact the UCCE Master Gardeners at (916) 876-5338, email mgsacramento@ucanr. edu or visit sacmg.ucanr.edu. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Zelda’s Gourmet Pizza opened in 1978. To say it hasn’t changed is false, but close. I mean, they take credit cards now. That’s a change.
To walk into the narrow, shotgun dining room and bar is to step back in time. From the high-backed plywood booths to the stubby laminate bar, the wooden trellis with plastic grapes to the sparkly black cottage-cheese ceilings, the place has a vibe.
And the vibe is perfect. The fact that the pizza is exceptional is a bonus.
When Zelda Breslin arrived from Chicago in the 1970s, she brought years of deep-dish pizza experience. She and husband Eddie opened their joint in Midtown, then a seedy, semi-industrial neighborhood. Eddie poured drinks and Zelda made pies. Her saucy attitude was soon known around town.
Take yourself to 1978. The most popular pizza chain in America is Shakey’s, a Sacramento institution. A
GSBy Greg Sabin Restaurant Insidermagazine article on Zelda’s wall states how refreshing it is to eat at a place (Zelda’s) that serves “pizza for adults… no banjos or obligatory fun.”
It seems risky to have offered Chicago deep-dish in sunny California at a place more bar than pizza parlor. No one without Chicago roots even knew deep-dish pizza existed.
The Breslins almost gave up soon after opening. But a feature on local television spread the word, and Zelda’s has been going ever since.
Here we are, 45 years later, and Zelda’s son Kerry Matthews runs the place. The staff is less cheeky than in the past. The air conditioning works better. But the pizza tastes the same as on opening day.
They start with a deep pan, charred black after 10,000 runs through the oven. Then comes the crust, pastryflaky and buttery, running up the sides of the pan like it’s trying to escape. Then they drop in a layer of cheese— that’s right, cheese on the bottom— followed by meat and veggies, and finish with sauce and a touch of parm for looks.
It takes 30–60 minutes to cook the beast, so go with friends and don’t hurry. Share stories over a $6 glass of wine or a $5 half-pitcher of Bud.
That half-pitcher is the best beer deal anywhere.
If you’re in a rush, call ahead and they’ll have the pie waiting when you sit down. But what’s the fun in that?
The two most popular pies are the combo and the spinoccoli—spinach and broccoli. Both are wonderful. The combo, with its hearty slab of pepperoni, sausage, diced peppers, onions and mushrooms is all I need. This is fork-and-knife pizza. One piece fills you up. But you’ll start the second piece anyway, thinking you’re still hungry. Luckily, with that crust, it’s even better the next day.
How about we meet at Zelda’s soon, split a few half-pitchers and catch up? We can celebrate nearly 50 years of a local culinary tradition and toast to 50 more. No need to call ahead.
Zelda’s Gourmet Pizza is at 1415 21st St.; (916) 447-1400; zeldasgourmetpizza.com.
Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com. Previous reviews can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
You’re probably familiar with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. But for Preston Zeller, there’s one more: painting.
When his brother Colin passed away of a fentanyl overdose in 2019 at age 35, Zeller used his love of painting to navigate his emotions.
He created one painting each day for a year. The result is 365 abstract works in riots of colors, each 8 inches by 10 inches.
“It was sheer reflective personal art therapy,” Zeller says. “It was a process of rapid iteration, to express in a spontaneous way whatever I was feeling in the grief process.”
Zeller has processed the world through art for most of his life. He participated in myriad after-school art programs as a kid growing up in Roseville and Granite Bay. He’s also a prolific singer and musician, playing the piano, saxophone, guitar and clarinet.
JLBy Jessica Laskey Open StudioWhen he reached high school, he discovered his affinity for abstract painting. He attended Chapman University in Orange County to study film production and performed as a
singer-songwriter. That led to a job working for Entertainment Tonight in Cannes, France, where he studied French and international business at College International Cannes.
Back stateside, Zeller was dissatisfied with how he and other musicians were marketed. He took matters into his own hands and designed print and video campaigns for area bands. That led to agency work doing rebranding for various companies, which called upon his skill for storytelling.
“I moved away from the narrative focus of film school and into how to tell the story of anything,” Zeller says. “You learn to break down the critical elements of whatever it is into really important pieces that share why this thing, product, person is important.”
Zeller returned to painting in 2018 to fill his visceral need to “commit to
it once I put the paint on, rather than having an undo button in Photoshop.” As a husband and father of three, he missed the “creative outlet for heart emotions, which allows you to express in the best way possible.”
By the time his brother died, Zeller was painting up a storm and dealing with grief. He filmed his yearlong painting project for a documentary titled “The Art of Grieving.” It premiered in June 2022.
The film chronicles Zeller’s year and the assemblage of the small artworks into a giant mosaic. It was named best documentary at three film festivals, premiered on Amazon Prime in July and comes out on Apple TV this year.
“(The making of the mosaic) was emblematic,” Zeller says. “I captured a year of all the emotions I felt in an abstract way, then I went through them again by unboxing them and
reflecting to figure out the puzzle of grief. You’re physically rummaging through your own emotions.”
Last year, Zeller began to offer original artwork grief commissions as “a solution for people who don’t find value in existing mainstream typical versions, like an urn on your table.” He plans to launch a podcast to upend cultural stereotypes about men and grief.
“In the realm of grieving, it’s mostly women who talk about it,” says Zeller, now based in Phoenix. “As men, we’re taught to be stoic. I was no different, which was part of the challenge, to break out of these things I was taught by my culture and family.”
For information, visit theartofgrievingfilm.com and zellerhausart.com.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Broadway Sacramento Ragtime, Aug. 8–13 Rent, Aug. 22–27
UC Davis Health Pavilion, 1419 H St. • broadwaysacramento.com
Enjoy the sweeping musical portrait of three families pursuing the American Dream in early 20th-century America in “Ragtime,” followed by the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “Rent.”
RegionalSan
Thursday, Aug. 10, 6–9 p.m. regionalsan.com/bufferlands
Explore Central Valley habitats at dusk for a chance to see beavers, river otters, muskrats, raccoons, owls and more. Advanced registration is required between Aug. 4–9. Contact Roger Jones at jonesro@sacsewer.com or (916) 875-9174.
By Jessica LaskeyThis vegetable gets a bad rap for its sometimes-slimy texture. It’s a staple in Southern cuisine, particular gumbo. It’s low in calories—as long as you don’t fry it!
To eat: Grill, roast or pickle.
Aug 8 – Aug 13
Presented by Broadway At Music Circus
UC Davis Health Pavillion
1419 H St, Sac 916-557-1999
This Mediterranean fruit is sweet and chewy, with tiny, crunchy seeds and a smooth skin. It’s a great source of dietary fiber and potassium.
To eat: Sacramento’s now-defunct Fat Face restaurant used to serve poached figs inside a grilled brie sandwich.
Pucker up: This citrus fruit is tart and tangy. It’s rich in vitamin C and the antioxidant lycopene. It comes in white, pink and red varieties.
To eat: Broil grapefruit slices until warm for a quick, healthful dessert.
Broadwaysacramento.com
This sweeping musical portrait of early twentieth century America tells the story of three families in the pursuit of the American Dream.
Content Guide: This musical is a look at the early 20th century American experience through the eyes of upper-class whites, Harlem blacks and recent immigrants. An entertaining and moving work, it contains moments of realistic violence and racial slurs.
Aug 22 – Aug 27
Presented by Broadway At Music Circus
UC Davis Health Pavillion
1419 H St, Sac 916-557-1999
Broadwaysacramento.com
Set in the East Village of New York City, the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical that shaped a generation of audiences is about falling in love, finding your voice and living for today. Featuring songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages, RENT has become a pop cultural phenomenon.
Content Guide: Set in New York City’s East Village in the early era of the AIDS epidemic, the musical contains adult language and content, and references to drugs and mild violence.
Aug 17 – Aug 20
Presented by B Street Theatre – Mainstage at The Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts
2700 Capitol Ave, Sac 916-443-5300
B Street Theatre’s New Comedies Festival is back! For this fourth annual festival, they asked playwrights from across the country to submit their best brand new, unproduced comedies. After more than 400 submissions and several rounds of review by dozens of script readers, we’ve chosen the top four to receive live
staged readings for the first time in our Voris Mainstage Theatre! At least one of these new comedies will be chosen to receive a full B Street Theatre Mainstage production for the 2024 Season! You can see the selected piece from last year’s festival on the Mainstage this summer from July 5th to August 15th – Sarah Groustra’s steamy, heartwarming and hilarious INSERTION. In addition to INSERTION, B Street will produce two additional plays from last year’s festival including RESCUE ME by Company Members Peter Story and Tara Sissom and COSMO ST. CHARLES IS DEAD AND SOMEONE IN THIS ROOM KILLED HIM by Nicole Zimmerer.
Thru Aug 20
Presented by Green Valley Theatre Company at Big Idea Theatre 1616 Del Paso Blvd, Sac Greenvalleytheatre.com
The Old Man and The Old Moon Book, Music, and Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co. The Old Man has kept his post as the sole caretaker of the moon for as long as he (or his wife, the Old Woman) can remember. When she is drawn away by a mysterious melody sparking memories of their shared past, the Old Man must decide between duty (and routine) and love (and adventure). Luckily for audiences, he chooses the latter, and what follows is an imaginative sea-faring epic, encompassing apocalyptic storms, civil wars, leviathans of the deep, and cantankerous ghosts, as well as the fiercest obstacle of all: change. Storytelling is enhanced by puppetry, music (with actors playing instruments and singing), shadow, projected light, found objects, and Green Valley’s signature brand of funky, unique spectacle. This whimsical production is intended for adults but appropriate for all ages.
ARTHOUSE Gallery
Aug. 10–Sept. 5
Opening Reception Saturday, Aug. 12, 6–9 p.m.
1021 R. St. • arthouseonr.com
This exhibition features the earthy and elemental narratives of ceramicist, installation artist, painter and teacher Marsha Schindler.
Blue Line Arts
Through Aug. 26
405 Vernon St., Roseville • bluelinearts.org
Celebrate the artists who support the gallery in an exhibition that brings together emerging and established artists showing works in a variety of mediums, including oil, watercolor, acrylic and ceramic.
Celebration Arts
Aug. 4–27
2727 B St. • celebrationarts.net
In this tragic tale of love, beautiful elders Romeo and Mother Juliet must fight their family’s generational feud in the Louisiana bayou.
PBS KVIE Gallery
Aug. 8–Oct. 13
Artist Reception Tuesday, Aug. 15, 5–7 p.m.
2030 West El Camino Ave. • kvie.org
This exhibition features more than 20 colorful paintings from 2022 PBS KVIE Art Auction Best of Show winner Dennis Wilson, who developed his own style with a nod to Andrew Wyeth after taking classes in color design and theory.
Fairytale Town
Saturday, Aug. 26, 5–9 p.m.
3901 Land Park Drive • fairytaletown.org
This family-friendly fundraiser is filled with live music, food trucks, raffle prizes and an unlimited pouring of craft brews, ciders and wines. Tickets are $45 for general admission, $40 for members; $10 for children ages 12 and younger, $5 for members; free for children younger than 2.
tourism
66 Consumes
67 Night crawler on a hook, e.g.
68 Pot for slow cooking
69 Syllabic jazz singing
70 Favorable votes
71 Distributes, with “out” DOWN
1 Pronounce “sorry” as “thorry,” maybe
2 Tooth trouble
3 Thanksgiving desserts
4 “Sleepless in ___”
5 Make a mistake
6 Himalayan ethnic group
7 Where to sign?
8 Clumsy people
9 Poem of tribute
10 Become a sailor
11 Plant that tastes like licorice
12 Brown ermine
13 Koi habitats
18 Circumstance’s partner 19 “Deja Vu” folk-rock quartet: Abbr. 24 Car 25 Doing nothing
41 ___ a living
44 Most questionable
47 Start without a car key
49 Alan who hosted “Scientific American Frontiers”
50 Sounds of wet landings
51 Soft powder
52 Country singer LeAnn
53 Father of Jacob and Esau
54 Orange soda brand
57 “Don’t go!”
58 Fourth-largest Great Lake
60 Holler’s partner
61 Fairy tale’s first word
62 Requests 64 “More info coming” initials 65 Old film channel
Monster Jam
Golden 1 Center
August 11–13
500 David J. Stern Walk • golden1center.com
Watch world champion athletes and their 12,000-pound monster trucks tear up the dirt in competitions of speed and skill. Tickets are $15–$104.
Pioneer Congregational Church
Saturday, Aug. 5, noon
2700 L St. • pioneerucc.org
Get an intimate look at the beautiful and historic Pioneer Congregational Church on tours offered the first Saturday of each month.
The Art Studios
Saturday, Aug. 12, 4–9 p.m.
1727 I St. • theartstudiossacramento.com
Enjoy ice cream paintings by resident artist Kevin Wilhite, doughnut paintings by fellow resident Chris Jonas and abstract art by Carlo Joaquin. Dessert vendors will be on hand to purchase the real deal.
UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County
Saturday, Aug. 5, 8 a.m.–2 p.m.
Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd. • sacmg.ucanr.edu
Spend the day outdoors enjoying expert garden presentations, educational tables, goods from specialty merchants and food vendors at this free event.
Archival Gallery
Aug. 3–26
Second Saturday Celebration Aug. 12, 5–8 p.m.
3223 Folsom Blvd. • archivalgallery.com
Celebrate the gallery’s 40 years in Sacramento with an exhibition featuring 40 artists who have been an important part of the gallery’s growth from frame shop to fine art dealer.
Elk Grove Fine Arts Center
Aug. 5–24
First Saturday Reception Aug. 5, 4–7 p.m.
9683 Elk Grove Florin Road • elkgrovefineartscenter.org
BIG Art fills the walls of the main gallery with oversized landscape, still life and figurative paintings. In the Foyer Gallery, Dwight Head presents “Draw a Rumor,” a collection of figurative surreal paintings.
Twin Lotus Thai
Sunday, Aug. 20, 5 p.m. & 7 p.m.
8345 Folsom Blvd. • twinlotusthai.com
Sacramento trumpeter Tony Marvelli echoes Harry James’ legendary stylings in tunes from the ‘30s and ‘40s. Susan Skinner on vocals, Joe Gilman on piano and Shelley Denny on bass complete the quartet. Reservations required.
California Black Chamber of Commerce
Friday, Aug. 4, 5:30–8:30 p.m.
Seasons 52, 1689 Arden Way • calbcc.org
Whether you’re looking to make new connections, learn about local resources or enjoy a fun evening with like-minded people, this mixer is the place to be. Admission is free for members and non-members.
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain
Trombone Shorty with Mavis Staples, Aug. 3, 8 p.m.
W.A.S.P., Aug. 5, 8 p.m.
Donny Osmond, Aug. 9, 8 p.m.
Bronco, Aug. 12, 8 p.m.
Sebastian Maniscalco, Aug. 19, 7 and 10 p.m.
Billy Currington, Aug. 25, 8 p.m.
3317 Forty Mile Road, Wheatland hardrockhotelsacramento.com/entertainment/hard-rock-live
Check out the August lineup at the region’s newest entertainment venue. Tickets are $29–$395.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
1. Ben Ali Temple Shrine Band musicians (from left) Tip Kindel, Steve Slinkard and Allan Harder serenade Isabel Darling and mom Amanda during a Community Band Festival at Carmichael Park.
2. Carmichael’s Boy Scout Troop 55 celebrates its 100th anniversary in Carmichael Park.
3. (From left) Kyle Niver, Eva Kuhl and Karey Stone join throngs awaiting fireworks at La Sierra Community Center. The Red White and Blue Celebration is sponsored by Carmichael and Mission Oaks park districts.
4. Musician Grant Parker (front center with trumpet) organizes the Community Band Festival’s 50th annual blowout and leads a performance by the Fred Morgan Big Band.
5. Carmichael Chamber of Commerce President Izzy DeLancey (right) is Grand Marshal of the Carmichael Elks July 4 Parade. She is joined by husband Jeff, and Amanda, Tyler, Hailee and Hunter DeLancey.
6. County Supervisor Rich Desmond (right) joins Troop 55 leader Chuck Coyle and Cub Scouts William and Frederick Coyle at the centenary picnic event.
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