Inside Arden October 2022

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CHRISTINE LAN HIGGS

Christine Lan Higgs is a policy analyst at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab with a thriving photography business based in Vacaville. Shown: “In It Together.” This photograph, available for $275, was awarded a 2022 Inside Publisher’s Award in the California State Fair Fine Arts Competition. Visit christinelanphotography.com or email contact@ christinelanphotography.com.

OCTOBER

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STILL SUFFERING

PAIN FROM LOCKDOWNS ISN’T GOING AWAY

Sacramento is still recovering from COVID-19. As of September, the pandemic killed 3,399 people in Sacramento County, with 1,830 COVID deaths in the city. Those numbers are tragic, and they especially impact older folks with pre-existing conditions.

But just about every problem faced by our communities, schools and businesses resulted from broad lockdown policies authorities ordered despite the societal and economic damage closures would inflict. It was myopic, short-term, “let’s

C H CH

By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk

do something” thinking that will negatively impact a generation.

Many experts advocated for isolating medically vulnerable people, rather than the entire society. Their voices were slandered and censored by lockdown architects, led by Dr. Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to the president. He recently stated lockdowns had not gone far enough.

It has been argued there were no studies to support lockdown policies, as detailed in the recent book “A Plague Upon Our House” by Dr. Scott Atlas of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution. Dr. Atlas said reports he prepared to challenge lockdown policies were ignored by the White House pandemic taskforce he worked on during summer 2020. A Johns Hopkins University meta-analysis of studies around the world concluded that lockdown and mask restrictions have had “little to no effect on COVID-19 mortality."

I was in a unique position to see the economic damage. I’m a small business owner and our publications are supported 100 percent by hundreds of other small businesses. Many local business operators are longtime friends of mine. The financial and personal tolls have been devastating, and it’s not yet over.

My business had challenges, especially the first few months. At Inside, we were unsure we could collect advertising dollars owed us. But as Congress made federal funds available, many small businesses realized they could survive. I cannot state how valuable this was to so many.

Personally, the first few months were terrible. Mandatory masking caused my husband, who has dementia and is hearing impaired, to lose his hearing aids. Lockdowns closed exams at hearing aid centers. Our conversations often consisted of me shouting and Jim not understanding. At times we both just hugged and sobbed. It was four

months until medical offices reopened. But his cognitive decline could not be reversed.

I recently asked several small business owners about their worst lockdown experiences.

Josh Nelson, CEO of Selland Family Restaurants, told me it was heartbreaking to lay off 370 team members without direct communication. “We went from 375 to five on our staff and the workload was crushing,” he says. “And of course, the two weeks to ‘stop the spread’ became more than a year of openings and frustrating closures.”

Sheree Johnston, former owner of East Sac Hardware, had other problems. Folks were clamoring at her door while she and her adult children filled every shift. Vulnerable employees were sent home.

Eventually, she closed her business and shut out all the negative feelings. When I call her, she says, “I had some PTSD forcing myself to relive

Left: Selland's Cafe in East Sacramento; right: Rick Mahan of The Waterboy. Photo by Aniko Kiezel

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BIRTH DEFECT OF A WARRIOR

AUDREY PATIENT – HEART AND VASCULAR

By age 5, Audrey had undergone more than a dozen surgeries on her severely deformed heart, leaving her bedridden and unable to play outside. It was UC Davis Health pediatric cardiac interventionist Frank Ing and a team of specialists who were finally able to give Audrey back the life she deserved — one full of laughter, exploration and running around.

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SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE EXHAUSTED AFTER 30 MONTHS OF DISRUPTION. MANY HAVE DEPLETED THEIR SAVINGS AND RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS.

it. It was a terrible time. Customers were plenty, but too many were nasty and demanding. Mask and political arguments were awful. And we noticed that customers wearing masks often showed very little social grace when they discovered we didn’t have what they wanted in stock.”

While her plan was to retire and pass the business to her children, they lost desire to work in retail. “Yes, it had that much impact on our family,” she says.

Lisa Schmidt, volunteer leader of the nonprofit Friends of East Sacramento, who manages the Clunie Community Center, McKinley Rose Garden and Shepard Garden and Arts Center, faced many challenges.

“We had always been able to cover our employee salaries and daily operating expenses—rent, utilities, janitorial service, etc.—with the income from renting the venues,” she says. “So, it was a very sad week when I had to mail refund deposit checks to renters.

“But in July 2020, it finally sunk in that it was going to be a long time before families and friends would be allowed to gather and rent our venue spaces. We had to make the decision as to what to do with our employees, who we had continued to pay since day one of lockdown using our rainy-day funds. Grants and (federal) funds gratefully helped us bridge that gap.”

She says, “I also was affected by the loss of all the beautiful life-enhancing events that use our facilities. My work is all on a volunteer basis and I realized how much these events uplifted me personally. I can only imagine the loss to these families who could not celebrate weddings, memorials and special occasions.” Schmidt retires next month, when her nonprofit returns the McKinley Park facilities to city management.

Restaurants suffered disproportionately. Food is perishable, costs rose quickly and supplies were difficult to find. “We were used to simply ordering what we needed and that was in season. But then we were lucky to get some items at all,” says Rick Mahan, who owns The Waterboy and OneSpeed Pizza. “It was frustrating, exhausting and stressful for our entire team. It still is!”

Downtown restaurants and retail shops had the worst time. Lockdowns

sent tens of thousands of state workers home. Riots after George Floyd’s murder in May 2020 caused millions of dollars in property damage—some not yet repaired—and left many suburban residents afraid to go Downtown. Sadly, many stalwart businesses never reopened, including de Vere’s Irish Pub, Lucca Restaurant and the original Simon’s Café.

“If (federal money) had not come through in its final form, we would have had to close the doors in summer of 2020,” says Mark Miller, who owns Rio City Café in Old Sacramento with his wife Stephanie. “We had run through our capital to stay afloat. We also tried to hold on to staff that had become part of our family. Even before the lockdowns we knew great staff was key to our success.”

Miller recalls unemployment benefits were unknown at the time and state online systems failed many applicants. Add the burden of knowing more than 200,000 small businesses nationally had closed. I was overwhelmed emotionally, realizing more than 200 newspapers and publications were gone, several locally.

While closures and mask and vaccine mandates seem a thing of the past, new concerns have surfaced. Street crime is rampant and threatens staff and customers. Polls show more than two-thirds of business owners are pessimistic, given rising costs due to inflation, supply shortages, delivery delays, staff shortages and more government regulations, including a new California law that looks to raise the minimum wage to $22 an hour for food workers.

But more than anything, small business owners are exhausted after 30 months of disruption. Many have depleted their savings and retirement accounts. Locally owned businesses add unique experiences and vitality to our neighborhoods. We started a campaign in April 2020 that called to support 100 percent local businesses. The message is as important today as it was in 2020— maybe even more.

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

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TakeTheChallenge!

be announced in early November. Many restaurants keep the most popular dishes in regular rotation after the challenge.

The Vegan Chef Challenge is presented by Vegan Outreach, an international animal advocacy organization, and Only Sunshine Sanctuary, a local nonprofit farm animal sanctuary. For more information, visit sacveganchefchallenge.com or onlysunshinesanctuary.com.

TUNNEL 2 TOWERS

Registration is open for the second annual Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk on Saturday, Nov. 5, beginning at 9 a.m. at William Land Park.

The Sacramento 5K Run & Walk is one of more than 70 events held across the country in support of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, established in memory of fallen 9/11 FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller to pay off the mortgages of families with young children of law enforcement officers and firefighters who have been killed in the line of duty.

FIGHTINGCLIMATECHANGE

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By Jessica Laskey Out & About

WITH DIET CHANGE

Bring your appetite to the 12th annual Vegan Chef Challenge taking place throughout October at more than 50 area restaurants.

The Vegan Chef Challenge is a monthlong event showcasing plant-based menu items created by local chefs to help Sacramentans fight climate change with diet change. As veganism becomes more mainstream, restaurants are adding

options to accommodate their growing number of patrons who don’t eat food derived from animals.

Participating restaurants include The Golden Bear, Mayahuel, Veg Cafe, Thai Basil, The Porch, Capitol Garage, OneSpeed Pizza, Andy Nguyen’s, Revolution Winery & Kitchen, River City Brewing, Kupros and more.

The public is encouraged to vote for their favorite dishes and winners will

The family event is open to all, including friendly dogs. The run/walk will honor and celebrate Sacramento first responders, as well as military service members. To register, visit t2trun.org and click the Sacramento event.

VILLAGE FEAST

Celebrate this year’s harvest with the return of the Village Feast on Sunday, Oct. 16, from noon to 3 p.m. in Midtown and Davis.

This communal meal is modeled after France’s traditional “grand aioli,” where participants sit at long community tables and pass around bottles of wine and platters of food, including bowls of aioli, the garlicky mayonnaise that is the centerpiece of every grand aioli in French villages.

This year’s feast will be held at two locations: Mulvaney’s B&L in Midtown and Great Bear Vineyards in Davis.

Participants bring their own tableware—plate, utensils and napkin— in keeping with the French tradition. The event raises funds for Davis Farm to School, which provides farm-based

The Golden Bear joins more than 50 restaurants offering plant-based items in this month’s Vegan Chef Challenge.

Photo by Chef Cyn Vazquez

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education to schoolchildren, and the Sacramento chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, which supplies scholarships to women in the food and hospitality industries.

Tickets are $165 and can be purchased at eventbrite.com/e/thevillage-feast-2022-tickets-388884192087.

In addition, an online silent auction features food- and travel-related items. To participate in the auction, visit auctria.com/blog/auctria-mobile-app.

CREATIVE COURTYARD

Crocker/Riverside Elementary School’s parent teacher organization recently unveiled the results of a multiyear project to transform the school’s unused front lawn into a climatefriendly community space.

Nearly 23,000 bricks were installed to form a permeable courtyard complete with 14 benches topped by metal art

plaques etched with inspirational quotes and life lessons. The PTO worked with Sacramento City Unified School District, SMUD, Sacramento Tree Foundation, Teichert, South Land Park Construction, Capital Metal Works and Northern California Construction Training.

“We are thrilled to welcome our students back to campus with this new courtyard, where families can safely gather and connect,” Crocker/Riverside Principal Ygnacio Zarate says. “Our students have suffered during the pandemic, so I am proud to be part of this project that shows them just how much our community cares about them.”

Bricks imprinted with names are available for $150 each. Benches can be purchased for $5,000. For information on the brick campaign, visit crockerriverside.org.

REFLECT ON AGING

River Park resident Marilyn Reynolds is releasing her latest book, a collection of 28 essays titled “Over 80: Reflections on Aging.” In the book, Reynolds explores how to survive a sudden health crisis, create your own form of spirituality, share a dog and think about the past without becoming mired in it.

Reynolds, a retired teacher, first started writing books that would appeal to her students at a continuation high school. She’s now written loads of volumes, including two memoirs and an 11-book series about adolescent life. She also works with 916 Ink, a Sacramento literacy program for underserved youth.

“Over 80” is available at area bookstores and at newwindpublishing. com. Don’t miss the launch event Saturday, Oct. 29, at 4 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento on Sierra Boulevard. To RSVP, email info@newwindpublishing. com.

CEREAL CAFÉ

Cerealism, a new cereal-themed dessert café, has opened in Old Sacramento.

Owner Laterica Reddix hopes to bring back the nostalgia of Saturday mornings with a variety of breakfast cereals that can be eaten traditionally in a bowl, blended into ice cream or made into a cereal-infused milkshake.

Cerealism also features a variety of cereal-themed desserts like Cinnamon Toast Crunch S’mores and Cereal Sushi (made with bananas, crepes and cereal toppings).

Each room in the café, including a party room and a Super Mario-inspired video game room, has been painted by local muralists Jaya King, Uli Smith and Nicole Keith to create what Reddix calls “an immersive, Instagram-able experience.”

POOCH FRIENDLY

Hate to leave your pooch at home when you go out and about? Midtown has tons of pet-friendly places to bring your four-footed friends.

More than 30 Midtown restaurants and eateries— including Café Bernardo, Federalist Public House, INK Eats & Drinks, LowBrau, Paesanos, The Waterboy and Zocalo—welcome pets on their patios and outdoor spaces. Pets are also welcome at the Midtown Farmers Market every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Treat your favorite family member with a chew toy, accessory or “pup cake” at Leash & Collar on Q Street, and at the dog bakery and art gallery Paws & the Palette on 24th Street.

Of course, there’s always Truitt Bark Park at 18th and Q streets for a bit of socializing. And don’t miss the annual Midtown Halloween Festival & Pooch Parade on Saturday, Oct. 29, from noon to 3 p.m. at James Marshall Park featuring an always-adorable costume contest.

FIND YOUR DISTRICT

If the redistricting kerfuffle has left you confused, check out the city’s new “Find Your District” tool at cityofsacramento.org/mayor-council/ find-your-district.

Last December, the Sacramento Independent Redistricting Commission adopted a new City Council district boundary map based on the 2020 census. The changes created quite a hubbub, so in April the council directed the preparation of an amendment to the City Charter to clarify new redistricting maps. The amendment will appear on the Nov. 8 ballot.

On the website, enter your address to see your current district/councilmember and when that may change. The city will update the tool in December to reflect new councilmembers as they’re sworn in.

“We hope this tool will help the public to quickly and efficiently access information about their districts and council representatives,” says Maria MacGunigal, the city’s chief information officer.

COUNTY COMMISSIONS

Sacramento County residents are needed to serve on the county’s nearly 100 advisory boards and commissions covering a wide range of topics from youth to mental health.

This is a chance to use any specialized knowledge or interest you may have to help get things done where you live.

Vacancies and application information are posted at sccob.saccounty.gov/pages/ boardsandcommissions.aspx.

CLIMATE TASKFORCE

The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors has appointed 13 members to the newly created Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force.

Crocker/Riverside Elementary School Principal Ygnacio Zarate performs ribbon-cutting honors for new climate-friendly courtyard.

Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk takes place Nov. 5 at William Land Park.

The taskforce is comprised of citizens who have expertise in air quality, agriculture, manmade structures, economics, energy and transit/ transportation.

“After a thorough interview process, we have picked 13 of the best candidates in the region to provide input, guidance, oversight and assistance to my office, and to serve as an advisory body to the county,” says Sustainability Manager John Lundgren.

The technical experts on the taskforce are Justin Hwang, Austin Miller, Mackenzie Wieser, Roslyn Roberts, Kevin Head and Ghazan Khan. Environmental justice members are Timothy Irvine, Rolando Villareal, Saheb Gulati, Supriya Patel, Ajay Singh and Kathleen Stricklin. The youth member is Benjamin Jacobs. For information, visit green.saccounty.net.

BUSINESS ASSIST

The Sacramento City Council has approved $500,000 for implementation of a business-assistance and supportservices program for local minorityowned micro and small businesses. The program will be run by the California Black Chamber of Commerce with funds from the American Rescue Plan.

“The program will connect our local minority-owned businesses with access to capital and business mentors to help them recover from the impacts of the pandemic and prepare for future growth opportunities,” explains Mikel Davila from the city’s Office of Innovation and Economic Development.

To deliver these services, the California Black Chamber of Commerce will partner with local workforce training, community outreach and

business support organizations Green Tech, Neighborhood Innovation and Black Small Business Association. For information, visit calbcc.org.

CHILD CARE FUNDS

The City Council has approved $1.5 million in funding to expand child care services in Sacramento after the pandemic permanently shuttered 272 child care provider facilities, leading to a 13-percent drop in the child care workforce.

“These child care programs will help add slots for families and increase capacity to support Sacramentans getting back to work,” says Janine Cooper, the city’s child care project manager.

The city will work with Child Action, Inc., Los Rios Community College District and California Capital Women’s Business Center to expand child care services through provider stipends, education and job placement. The program was modeled after the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency’s Head Start apprenticeship program.

FREE RT RIDES

Students! Parents! Don’t miss free rides on the Sacramento Regional Transit network through RydeFreeRT.

The program offers students in transitional kindergarten through 12th grade who live in or go to school within SacRT’s service area (which includes the cities of Sacramento, Elk Grove, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova and parts of Sacramento County) free rides on buses, light rail and on-demand shuttle services (SmaRT Ride).

A 2019 survey found that in three Sacramento City Unified schools, approximately one in four students reported missing at least one day of school during a six-week period because of transportation issues.

RydeFreeRT is available all day, every day, all year during regular service hours. New cards for the current 2022-23 school year are distributed by schools and are valid through June 30, 2023. For information, visit rydefreert. com.

GUN BUYBACK

The Sacramento Police Department is inviting the public to hand in unwanted firearms and receive compensation—a $50 gift card for each

River Park resident Marilyn Reynolds releases latest book, “Over 80: Reflections on Aging.”

New cereal-themed dessert café opens in Old Sacramento. Photo by Jaya King

firearm they turn in. The Gun Buyback event will be held Saturday, Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Public Safety Center at 5770 Freeport Blvd.

More than 130 firearms were turned in at the May 21 Gas for Guns event, including at least one assault weapon, numerous components for privately manufactured firearms (ghost guns) and other illegally configured weapons.

No identification is required to participate. Firearms must be fully functional to receive a gift card. No ammunition is allowed at the event.

CREATIVE CORPS

The city of Sacramento’s Office of Arts and Culture has been selected to receive $4.75 million—the highest award possible for a single organization—from the California Arts Council to implement the state’s new California Creative Corps program in Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado, Alpine and Solano counties.

The program’s goal is to increase public awareness related to water and energy conservation, climate mitigation, emergency preparedness, and relief and recovery through art.

“The creative community is uniquely positioned to help people understand and engage with some of the most urgent and complex issues of our time,” says Megan Van Voorhis, the city’s creative economy manager.

The Office of Arts and Culture will work with regional partners to distribute grants to artist collectives,

nonprofit social service/civic organizations, arts nonprofits, local government and tribal governments for creative campaigns. Information on how to apply will be available at arts. cityofsacramento.org.

VISION ZERO

The city’s traffic safety Vision Zero plan is helping nine local schools and their surrounding neighborhoods become more pedestrian friendly with new curb ramps, high-visibility crosswalks, and additional bike lanes and buffers through $2.2 million in federal funds.

The nine schools—Aspire Capitol Heights Academy, Father Keith B. Kenny Elementary School, Natomas High School, Oak Ridge Elementary, Hope Public School 7, Smythe Academy of Arts and Sciences, The Met Sacramento High School, West Campus High School and William Land Elementary—are among 20 that were highlighted in the Vision Zero School Safety Plan as historically disadvantaged or in an area with a high number of severe injuries and fatalities from traffic crashes.

Since Vision Zero was adopted in 2017, the city has invested more than $20 million in safety upgrades— including reduced speed limits on 225 streets—through local funding and competitive grants.

CROCKER ART ARK

After a two-year pandemic hiatus, the Crocker Art Museum’s beloved Art Ark has returned.

Since its launch in 1980, the 50-foot mobile art center has brought hands-on

Truitt Bark Park is one of many dog-friendly Midtown stops. Photo courtesy of Midtown Association

art experiences to more than 200,000 public school students throughout the region to supplement arts education in the classroom.

This fall, the Art Ark will be repurposed as part of Block by Block, the Crocker’s community-based arts initiative. Over the next several months, the Art Ark will take up residence at four community hubs around Sacramento to showcase “Sacramento Narratives,” a hyper-local exploration of the city’s rich and diverse cultural landscape through art activities, conversations and workshops.

Art Ark’s upcoming residencies include Leataata Floyd Elementary School, Sept. 20 to Oct. 5; Crocker Art Museum, Oct. 6–10; and Maple Neighborhood Center, Oct. 10 to Nov. 22. For information, visit crockerart. 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

Center Of Everything

CARMICHAEL ART SPACE OFFERS GIFTSHOP, EXHIBITS, CLASSES, CAMARADERIE

What’s the most important thing Anne DeStefano wants people to know about Sacramento Fine Arts Center in Carmichael?

“That we exist!” says DeStefano, a fiber artist and jewelry maker who joined the center 10 years ago. “I don’t know if people realize that the center is there and that we have significant gallery space. Each month, we have a different show on exhibit. It’s quite a range of variety.”

Sacramento Fine Arts Center was founded in 1986 by several local, independent art clubs that came together to share their love of art and pool resources for shows and classes. The center now boasts roughly 300 members from different disciplines— painters, sculptors, fiber artists and more. They share responsibilities, run the giftshop and teach classes.

The center holds local and national juried art shows throughout the year to give members the opportunity to show and sell their work, and raise funds to continue the organization’s operation.

“When I first joined, the fiber arts group would put on at least one show a year at the center and hold classes and other events regularly,” DeStefano says. “But we had trouble growing our membership, so the group disbanded about five years ago. By then, I liked being part of the process at the center, so I decided to continue my membership and started volunteering in the giftshop.”

DeStefano is one of many members who work in the gallery’s giftshop, which offers a rotating stock of

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By Jessica Laskey Giving Back: Volunteer Profile

handmade original art pieces, including jewelry, notecards and ceramics. She helps select inventory and arranges items to make them as attractive as possible. “It’s more than selling,” she says. “It’s about looking at the giftshop as a whole and making it more interesting.”

Before health issues sidelined her, DeStefano helped hang and take down shows. Volunteers act as docents, greeting visitors and sharing information about classes and exhibitions.

When DeStefano isn’t busy in the store, she creates jewelry with various fiber techniques. A member of the Sacramento Center for the Textile Arts since the early 1990s, DeStefano loves all things fiber: sewing, knitting, crocheting, macramé, kumihimo (a Japanese braiding technique). She migrated to wearable fiber art by making jewelry out of beads, wire and cording.

Her hope is that the community learns about the gallery and gift shop, classes and workshops, and enjoys the monthly art exhibitions.

The Sacramento Fine Arts Center giftshop is open during regular business hours, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For information on upcoming classes, such as painting with acrylics, oils, watercolors and paper, visit sacfinearts.org/art-classes. For information on workshops, including creating encaustic art, visit sacfinearts. org/workshops.The Sacramento Fine Arts Center is at 5330B Gibbons Drive in Carmichael. For more information, visit sacfinearts.org.

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

Anne DeStefano

Photo by Linda Smolek

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House of Memories

OLD ARENA PAVED WAY FOR BIGGER, BETTER STAGE

It was hard not to feel nostalgic looking at photos of a demolition team tearing down old Arco Arena.

Like many Sacramento residents, I spent a lot of time there and have a head and heart full of memories.

Many are wonderful, like the games my family and I attended when Chris Weber, Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac and the rest of the talented roster made a heartbreakingly close run at the NBA Western Division championship in 2002.

I watched more losses than wins by the home team, but most of the time, a visit to Arco was good, if costly, entertainment. My wife and I saw some great concerts, including U2 and

G D GD

By Gary Delsohn Building Our Future

Bruce Springsteen, mediocre acoustics notwithstanding.

As arenas go, it was never best in class. It was a bargain-basement project, built cheaply and quickly by Gregg Lukenbill and Joe Benvenuti, the developers who brought the team from Kansas City. They got it done without public subsidies, a rarity then and now.

Lukenbill knows a lot about building. He constructed the first temporary home for the Kings near Arco while telling everyone it was an office building because a sports facility was not allowed under the zoning code. His contributions to his native Sacramento are impressive and long-lasting.

But basketball was never his forte or even his primary interest, an unfortunate reality for a team owner. I will never forget seeing him at Arco one Saturday afternoon during a Kings practice as he introduced himself to Rodney McCray, an indifferent NBA journeyman.

“We’re going to build our franchise around you,” Lukenbill told him. “God, I hope not,” I said to myself.

Lukenbill pulled multiple rabbits out of his hat to bring the team to Sacramento and get his second arena built in a part of the city that had long been off-limits to development. Unfortunately, his promotional prowess didn’t translate to NBA success.

The Kings played 28 seasons in Arco, so it served its purpose. The hospital, housing, retail and other uses planned for the site will pump activity into this once-bustling slice of Natomas. But I’ll miss the old building, even with its many imperfections.

Typical of the design flaws were signs that let you know where you left your car. They marked different sections of the parking lot, but when you gazed up to the signs, a blinding spotlight rendered the exercise futile.

And who can forget the game when a hard rain caused the roof to leak and Lukenbill climbed into the rafters and dramatically stretched a banner under the leak to catch the water and allow the game to continue? A game the Kings lost, of course.

The best thing about Arco is that it got built. Despite some trying moments for the city, Kings fans and a basketball team that periodically seemed headed to Anaheim or Seattle, Lukenbill’s arenas paved the way to what we enjoy today.

Golden 1 Center cost more for taxpayers and the team’s owners, but Sacramento now has a first-rate multipurpose sports arena Downtown, which is exactly where it belongs. Representatives from other cities come to see how to do these projects the right way.

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

Lukenbill’s arenas paved the way to what we enjoy today.

Lukenbill explained it well a few years ago in a radio interview when he called Golden 1 Center a “global-scale building,” proud because his two nowgone arenas were “stepping stones” to a brighter future for the city.

“You can’t have quality of life without the quality of the facilities to support the development that creates the aspiration and inspiration for kids to see other people excelling on a national or global scale come into the community,” he said. “For me, it was always about the facilities.”

Lukenbill has talked about growing up with a chip on his shoulder because community assets he loved—the Alhambra Theatre and Edmonds Field at Broadway and Riverside—were torn down and never replaced.

We lost another local landmark that outlived its usefulness when Arco was demolished, but this time it was replaced with something better. That’s progress, whether you are a basketball fan or not, and none of it would have happened without Gregg Lukenbill.

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

Rae Ann Whitten, DDS

and Cosmetic Dentistry

Vote For Our Parks

MEASURE G OFFERS HOPE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

BY SUSAN MAXWELL SKINNER

Carmichael Recreation and Park District is asking—begging—for funds to bring facilities in 13 parks up to scratch. Measure G, a general obligation bond on the November ballot, would yield nearly $32 million for CRPD projects.

A lot of money, sure. But it’s about one-third of what’s needed to cover everything on the district’s wish list. Though no one likes new taxes, few Carmichaelites would prefer the consequences if the measure fails.

Our parks and facilities are in bad shape. Most were built 60 years ago. Since then, the area’s population has grown, amenity use has increased and financial support has diminished. CRPD’s income from facility rentals barely covers maintenance, let alone upgrades.

The community has chipped in. The Carmichael Parks Foundation, service groups and individuals have been

generous. A recent SMUD grant replaced rusted-shut windows in our 70-year-old Veteran’s Hall.

But the sun needs to shine elsewhere. Handicap accessibility must improve. Restrooms are old and inadequate. New security lights and fences are needed. Playgrounds, picnic equipment—even trash cans—are undersupplied. These are not luxury projects. They’re amenities expected in much-used public places.

CRPD is one of few Sacramento districts that’s unassisted by an Improvement Measure. In 2014, voters said yes for an assessment to fund park needs. Initial taxes were collected. Then—for reasons no one seems to adequately explain—a curmudgeonly private lawsuit overturned our choice. Still impoverished, CRPD went back to the drawing board.

The district has harnessed staff skills to mend roofs, fix leaks and build retaining walls. It has soldiered through penury, pandemic and public complaint.

In the meantime, more things break and decay. Repairs have got more costly.

Measure G proposes a tax that's calculated on county (not market) valuation of all properties—home, commercial and agricultural—within CRPD boundaries. The rate is fixed at $19 for each $100,000 of assessed value per year. So, if the county thinks your home is worth $500,000, your annual contribution would be $95.

The T (tax) word is as welcome as brass washers in a collection plate. But if we preserve parks for future generations, then shelling out annually what some folk pay for lattes each month is a modest ask. By law, the money can’t be channeled away from the district or used for anything but parks and facilities.

Parks are venues for fun events. They help mental health, offer worthy programs, and socialize kids and dogs. Well-maintained parks improve business and home values. More than

26,500 Carmichael voters are eligible to decide this initiative. Do we all use parks? Perhaps not. But we probably all have friends and loved ones that do.

If voters pass the bond measure next month, could it again be overturned? This time, the Sacramento Taxpayers Association is not opposing it. With the required establishment of a citizens’ oversight committee, Measure G's champions believe approval would stand.

They have a broader support base than in 2014. An impressive VIP force is behind them. Proponents reach out at park events, townhalls, service clubs— they’re diligent and everywhere.

If their campaign fails, the future could be bleak for our parks and users.

Susan Maxwell Skinner is a photojournalist and Carmichael community supporter. She can be reached at sknrband@aol.com. n

Must Win?

KINGS NEVER

My two favorite sports clichés are “must-win game” and “rebuilding year.”

Back when I was a young Sacramento sportswriter, I avoided those phrases. They were trite. But I always smiled when local TV and radio pundits rolled

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By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority

out “must win” and “rebuilding.” Still do.

With the Kings, the first mention of a “must-win” game usually arrives around the third week of the season.

This makes little sense, given that NBA campaigns stretch across 82 games. How could a team face a “must-win” situation in November with 75 games to play?

Easy, because the Kings aren’t just any team. They are the NBA’s biggest losers.

Just watch. By the third week of the season, the Kings will have lost two or three consecutive games. Doom pounds on the door.

Local experts will regard an upcoming match against a mediocre opponent as a last, best chance to plug

holes in a ship that’s sinking before it clears harbor.

Hence, a “must-win” game.

As for “rebuilding year,” that curtain falls across the Kings between New Year’s Day and the NBA trade deadline in February. By that point, the Kings are miles behind the conference leaders. While not mathematically eliminated, history confirms any chance for success is theoretical.

Declaring the season a “rebuilding year” is a nice way to say the situation is hopeless without upsetting too many fans. The words cauterize the embarrassment and introduce a whisper of hope for the future. When players recently hailed as saviors are

jettisoned in trades, the rebuilding campaign is officially underway.

I mention this in anticipation of a new Kings season.

In most other NBA towns, the first few weeks don’t mean much. Fans are focused on football. Sacramento is different. Here, the opening weeks are decisive, a time when anything seems possible if you close your eyes and fantasize.

This season is interesting because the Kings have another new coach, Mike Brown, whose most recent job was helping Steve Kerr guide Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors to their fourth championship in eight years.

Brown has bounced around the NBA for 30 years. He knows there’s no comparison between the Warriors and

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

Kings. But many Kings fans, lacking reference points, think he sneaked some Golden State magic into his suitcase.

If nothing else, Brown will benefit from low expectations.

Kings fans, media pundits and stockholders would be thrilled to reach the playoffs. Notice how nobody talks about winning any playoff games? After a 16-year drought, getting swept in the first round sounds glorious.

The NBA is a meritocracy. There are only about 400 people in the world with full-time NBA player contracts. None of them rely on connections or donations made by rich parents.

Curry’s little brother Seth has played on eight teams, the Kings included. Seven teams didn’t consider Stephen’s brilliance when they waived or traded Seth.

The problem is finding the right four or five players. For the Kings, this means finding people eager to play for a team with a miserable track record and microscopic ambitions. Who wants to work for that company?

In 37 years in Sacramento, the Kings blundered into a truly winning formula just once, in 2002. Success was like quicksilver, here and gone, impossible to replicate.

Today the Kings have no clue how they did it.

Sadly, the NBA’s meritocracy doesn’t extend to management and ownership. Climb the front-office food chain and talent counts for less and less. Relationships and personality matter more than brains and skill.

The Kings haven’t had a proven, successful general manager since Geoff Petrie was fired in 2013. They staggered through losing seasons, bad trades, wasted draft opportunities and coaching upheavals under Pete D’Alessandro, Vlade Divac and now Monte McNair.

Meritocracy evaporates when you reach the owner’s suite. If managing partners were judged on wins and losses, Vivek Ranadive would have been bounced years ago. Unfortunately, Sacramento is stuck with him until the real estate market prompts him to cash out.

Meantime, let’s call every Kings game “must win.” The rebuilding year starts opening night.

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

Camped Out

COUNTY READIES FOR REMOVAL OF HOMELESS FROM PARKWAY

What happens when camping is banned on the American River Parkway?

Sacramento County will soon find out.

Homeless advocates predict people will die. Parkway environmentalists say the natural waterways will continue to be harmed if campers remain. Average citizens express fear for their safety unless campers are removed.

Now that the Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved the parkway camping ban, don’t expect anything drastic to occur right away.

The supervisors signaled there will be no immediate sweeps. At most, the county may push campers to higher ground, away from places vulnerable to brush fires and floods.

Homeless advocates claim the board’s action is illegal under the 9th U.S.

HS By Howard Schmidt Inside The County

Circuit Court of Appeals case Martin v. Boise. In Martin, the court ruled local governments can’t make being homeless illegal.

Many advocates and some local officials use the Martin decision to claim authorities can’t remove homeless camps unless an equal number of shelters are provided. However, the decision approves of camp removals from locations considered dangerous or sensitive.

“These ordinances will literally kill people” predicted a homeless advocate who identified himself as Alejandro. He wore a T-shirt saying, “Decarcerate Sacramento.”

People favoring the ban point to the environmental impacts caused by camping and the need to make the parkway safe. But many self-described “unhoused” individuals told the board that sweeps by park rangers disrupt their lives and they have nowhere else to go.

Stephen Green of the Save the American River Association says the mess on the parkway “didn’t have to happen because we have the laws,” but noted with frustration those laws “need to be enforced.”

Dianna Poggetto of the American River Parkway Foundation complained to the supervisors about frequent fires near parkway homeless camps. A twoalarm fire was underway near the river as the board approved the camping ban. Park rangers reported more than 70 parkway fires from January to May this year.

Many of the ban’s proponents insisted they aren’t “anti-homeless.” Poggetto said the foundation’s stewards provide bags to campers so they can collect their trash. She said her group is working with developers to “have safegrounds on the parkway” to relocate campers.

Green spoke about how the river association suggested a homeless camp at Cal Expo. The plan was rejected by State Fair leadership.

Also speaking for the ordinance was Elk Grove City Council member Pat Hume, who is running to succeed retiring Supervisor Don Nottoli. Hume said “homelessness is not a victimless situation” and noted campers are preyed upon by sex traffickers, drug dealers and other criminals.

County staff reported six homicides in the parkway near encampments in 2021. This year, one female parkway

visitor was raped, tortured and murdered. The alleged assailant is homeless.

A “safe and clean parkway is a priority” Supervisor Phil Serna said, adding he didn’t expect the ordinance to be “exploitive” against campers. Supervisor Patrick Kennedy said the ordinance was “not being designed to punish.”

Supervisor Rich Desmond said the county needs “to regulate these encampments both morally and legally” until more housing can be obtained. County Executive Ann Edwards assured the board she is committed to engage with campers “before enforcement.”

Opponents insisted the ordinance “criminalizes” homelessness. Their interruptions prompted a frustrated Nottoli to call for a quick vote without further deliberations.

Howard Schmidt worked on 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

INSIDE OUT

Community Events

PHOTOS BY SUSAN MAXWELL SKINNER

1. & 2. John Barrett Middle School Principal Amy Alexander-Carter (center) leads staff and VIPs in a ribbon cutting to complete the school’s $45 million renovation. Eighth graders (from left) Ariana Castro, Alycia Ruble, Lily Moriguchi, Megan Thomas and Adam Benassi enjoy new science wing furnishings.

3. Mail carrier Willie Shannon’s heroism during a North Highlands fire is recognized with a Postmaster General Award. Firefighters, Shannon’s wife Carole (center) and Sacramento Postmaster Angela Bye applaud the presentation.

4. Groove Thang band singer Carol Garcia fans fellow musicians during a Carmichael Park performance.

5. Latin diva Gaby Marin entertains Carmichael crowds with Latin tribute band Maya.

Never Idle

PLENTY OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS FOR THIS OCTOGENARIAN

By Jessica Laskey Meet Your Neighbor

Raymond L. Ledesma has been an athlete, army medic, engineer, bar owner, writer, husband and father. At age 88, he recently learned to play guitar. But in some ways, he’s just getting started.

“My ambitions for the rest of my life are to get a boulevard in Sacramento named after my grandpa, who was a famous saddle maker, and get a book published,” Ledesma says.

Endless ambitions have taken Ledesma around the world. As a kid growing up in Fruitridge and Curtis Park, he attended C.K. McClatchy High School where he played baseball and football. When he got drafted, he attended medic training in San Antonio before spending six months in Korea.

When it became known that Ledesma was a baseball player, he was offered the chance to play in Japan while serving as an X-ray technician. That’s

where he befriended fellow Sacramentan and future major league baseball coach Harry Dunlop.

When he left the service in 1955, Ledesma returned to Sacramento, got married and went to work for Western Electric installing telephone lines in Sacramento, Santa Rosa and Stockton. When he tired of that work, he moved to San Francisco with his wife and son and studied electrical engineering at University of San Francisco.

The next career stretch followed his talent for meeting the right people at the right time. He was offered a job installing communications systems in San Bernardino, which led to a job at McClellan Air Force Base. That led to top-secret work in Japan, Hawaii and Germany, installing critical communications infrastructure. He landed back in Sacramento in 1988 and retired—sort of.

“I kicked around after I retired, but then I bought some equipment and ended up doing lawns and cleaning HUD homes,” Ledesma says. “My wife was a beautician, so we also owned beauty shops.”

During a chance visit to Branson, Missouri, the couple spotted a sign advertising furnished condos for sale, so they bought one. Their neighbors happened to be music stars including Andy Williams, Glen Campbell and Charley Pride, whom they befriended. The adventurous couple took over the bar and grill at the local country club. “My wife is a chef and told the owner the food could be better, so he handed her the keys,” Ledesma says.

When the Ledesmas returned to Sacramento to sell their home on 24th Street, Raymond was again on the hunt for something to do. Someone suggested he write a book. After some research, he did. “I had maybe read three books in my whole life, so I had to find out what it was,” he says. “I had to learn how to type. I wrote ‘Antonio’s Journey’ with one finger—it took me five years!”

Ledesma now has three books to his name: “Antonio’s Journey,” which is loosely based on his grandfather’s emigration from Italy to California; “Corsair,” about love and bravery in World War II; and “50 Years in a Kid’s Game,” Harry Dunlop’s autobiography that Ledesma co-wrote. The history buff also writes short stories and history pieces and travels to schools and clubs to talk about California history.

When he’s not writing, Ledesma golfs, fishes and visits far-flung family members: A grandson plays soccer in Germany, a son is a world-class surfer in San Diego, a daughter has a vineyard in Oregon, and another son and daughter live in Sacramento.

He hopes to convince his Branson music buddies to perform a concert for Guitars 4 Vets, a nonprofit that offers free guitar lessons to veterans. Ledesma himself is a graduate and says it helped immensely after his wife’s death last year.

“When I’m not doing anything, I pick up the guitar and try to make music,” Ledesma says. “One of these days, it’ll happen.”

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

Raymond Ledesma with his dog Buffi

Photo by Linda Smolek

From-here-tothere care.

This Open Enrollment, choose a plan that gives you access to Dignity Health.

With more than 1,000 affiliated providers supporting our communities across more than 200 locations, we have you covered with care that best fits where you are and whatever your day brings. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/OpenEnrollment.

Afew months ago, our photographer went to Clarksburg to shoot the home studio of artist Julia Couzens. The place was as fascinating as the woman who occupies it.

The 2-acre property runs along a country road. The house appears to sit up on a throne. Many homes near the Sacramento River have elevated living spaces above levee roads to take advantage of river views and cooling breezes.

The three-story home of Couzens and her husband, attorney Jay-Allen Eisen, consists of the artist studio on the ground floor, main living area on the second, and offices and a guest suite on the third.

“The home was originally a Victorian that had burned in a fire. Architect Carter Sparks lived down the road with his wife Doti, and he was commissioned to design the replacement home. It was completed in 1989,” Couzens says. “We purchased the property in 1997.”

Sparks is best known for his midcentury modern tract homes in Arden and Carmichael built by the Streng Brothers. Midcentury design aficionados love to restore and remodel the properties.

But this home is different, highlighting the architect’s approach to a custom design.

The exterior features a traditional Delta farmhouse look, complete with wraparound porch on the second level. The entrance is a wide and welcoming set of stairs to the porch.

By Cecily Hastings Photography by Aniko Kiezel Open House

“The main living space on the second floor has floor-to-ceiling windows and doors to capture not only the farmland and river views, but also the Delta breezes,” Couzens says. “Despite the heat, we almost always have a cool breeze flowing through the first floor and, as a result, we don’t use much air conditioning.”

Julia Couzens

HOME TAKES ADVANTAGE OF RIVER VIEWS

With 3,400 square feet, Julia and Jay-Allen live big—much bigger than the square footage, thanks to Sparks’ creative design.

The simple material palette consists of light maple cabinetry, doors and flooring, with pale grey granite tiles used throughout. The palette helps expand the space visually.

The first-floor studio is the coolest spot with a large French door opening to the backyard. It has multiple rooms and a full bath. Closets keep Couzens’ art supplies organized, including paints, papers, fabric, yarn and trims used for her painting and textile artwork.

The main floor has a huge living room with several seating areas, a dining room and fireplace. The large kitchen has eat-in and lounge areas with a fireplace-indoor grill combo. “The carved marble fireplace is the only thing that survived the fire and the original owner wanted to use it in the new home,” Couzens says. “It adds a historic touch and I like it.”

The master bedroom and bath are generous, as are the many built-in closets and storage areas. “Sparks used numerous wide opening pocket doors to help better contain and manage the open spaces,” she says.

The top floor is smaller and features a colorful guest room with vintage treasures, a full bath and offices for both Julia and Jay-Allen.

When they purchased the property, it had a swimming pool and tennis court. The couple decommissioned both. “I love to swim distances, but not in a kidney-shaped chlorinated pool,” Couzens says.

They transformed the pool into a water garden filled with cattails, water hyacinths and water lilies. The tennis court is now a generous outdoor open space.

The garden and patio areas alongside the Bogle vineyards were Couzens’ creation. The design features fountains, climbing vines, roses and perennials. It’s best seen from the wraparound porches that offer glorious farm or garden views.

Every inch of the home reflects Couzens’ creative spirit and vision. Art (her own and others) fills the space, but the home also holds collections of vintage textiles, pottery, metalwork, rugs and found objects.

Many are family treasures passed on to Couzens from her mother and grandmother. Every surface is an opportunity to create a tableau. The overall effect is best explained as “organized chaos”—a description that fits much of her artwork.

The interior design moves through light and dark spaces. “With all the natural light on the first floor, I chose dark paint finishes in the hallways and stairwell. I love the light-dark contrast,” Couzens says.

The couple never had children, so as she grows older Couzens is planning to share her family treasures and collections with younger members of her extended family. “My mom lived past 100, so I probably have a bit more time,” she says. “But I really ought to at least get started.”

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

EVERY INCH OF THE HOME REFLECTS COUZENS’ CREATIVE SPIRIT AND VISION.

From Stage To Page

ORAL STORYTELLER TRIES OUT THE WRITTEN WORD

Afarmer in overalls and rugged brown boots kneels next to a large, orange pumpkin, its stem neatly crosshatched in vivid green. This is the work of Matthew Patrick Callaghan, son of celebrated oral storyteller Mary Lynne McGrath and illustrator of McGrath’s book, “The Farmer, The Thief and the Pumpkin Patch.”

“People often ask Patrick how he got the ideas for the images to match and support the words,” McGrath says. “He’s very good at figuring out the heart of each page.”

This collaborative project is the result of years of work by both writer and illustrator. McGrath, a local legend who has taught and performed storytelling for children and adults, got the idea for the book while studying for her master’s degree in early childhood education at Sacramento State.

As part of her studies in Spanish and English, she came across a concept in Spanish storytelling that when a pumpkin is cut, you can match the fruit back to its stem in an exact fit. The idea appealed to her in ways poetic and practical: As an elementary school teacher, she takes classes on a field trip to a pumpkin patch to teach about plant life cycles.

“It’s my favorite field trip for the whole year,” she says. “We run through the vines and pick out pumpkins in beautiful sunshine. It’s a happy day.”

McGrath, who’s lived in a centuryold Craftsman near McKinley Park for more than 40 years, longed to have a book she could use to introduce the

JL

By Jessica Laskey Meet Your Neighbor

Mary Lynne McGrath

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

growth cycle to her classes before each trip. So she wrote one.

She sold it to Children’s Press and asked a friend to illustrate it, but the schedule fell behind and the book was dropped. It sat in a file folder in McGrath’s office for years before she realized she had another illustrator— her son Patrick.

Callaghan studied fine art at Short Center South. (He uses a wheelchair as the result of head trauma from being hit by a car as a child.) He spent years working on the drawings. The motherson duo finally published with I Street Press last November.

“It was a big education for me on how much work goes into getting a book into print,” says McGrath, winner of the National Storytelling Network 2018 ORACLE Regional Excellence Award.

“When you’re writing on paper versus speaking, everything that goes into the way you present a story orally is lost—your hand gestures, facial expressions, your body.”

McGrath called upon her Irish storytelling background, where the two keys are “brevity and clarity. You’re only going to say it once, so the audience has to be able to get it. I tried to bring that over when writing the words down.”

McGrath visits local schools for author talks and to sell copies of “The Farmer, The Thief and the Pumpkin Patch.” She has designs on another book about the creatures that populate the Sacramento and American rivers through the lens of Native American folklore.

She’s also trying her hand at poetry—a necessity of the pandemic, when storytelling gigs stopped. She took Zoom classes through the Sacramento Poetry Center and with poet Nick LeForce. She’s ready to submit her work to the wider world.

“It’s a shock to give up the physical audience and imagine an audience reading instead of listening,” McGrath says. “It’s distressing at first to think about losing everything I have to put a story across, but once it’s written down, it will outlast me. You become immortal.”

For information, email storytellermcgrath@yahoo.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

My husband and I noticed something amiss when our 13-year-old chihuahua mix, Tammy, was uninterested in breakfast. She was moving slowly, not the perky wide-eyed pooch spinning in circles for a morning treat.

I called our veterinarian’s office, assuming it would be booked for the day but hoping staff could squeeze us in. They couldn’t.

I reached out to six other veterinary clinics near our home in Wilhaggin. Only one was accepting

By Cathryn Rakich Animals & Their Allies

Who Will Help?

VET SHORTAGE IS REASON FOR CONCERN

new patients, but the wait was three weeks.

Not to be defeated, I tried two local 24-hour emergency hospitals. Both turned us away. “We are at capacity and cannot see any more emergencies today.”

It’s a pet owner’s nightmare: an animal with a serious illness or injury and nowhere to go, no one to help.

There’s a critical shortage of veterinary professionals across the United States, and Sacramento is no exception.

Mars Veterinary Health, a network of 2,500 veterinary clinics, hospitals and diagnostic labs, including corporate-owned Banfield and VCA Animal Hospitals, both prominent in Sacramento, released a report earlier this year detailing the severity of the nation’s shortage.

Vet care appointments were up 6.5 percent in 2021, due in part to increased pet adoptions by people working from home during the pandemic. Longtime pet owners spending more time at home were also noticing maladies overlooked before.

Compounding the problem are nearly 2,000 veterinarians retiring nationwide each year. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, the average turnover for animal doctors is double that of human physicians. Veterinary technicians have one of the highest turnovers of all health care positions.

Overworked, highly stressed veterinary professionals are burning out. “Animal owners will need to realize that many practitioners are overwhelmed and their hospitalsclinics and availability will be limited,” says Dr. Karl Jandrey, a

small animal emergency and critical care professor at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

VCA Animal Hospitals reported more than 50 veterinarian job openings at its eight Sacramento facilities in August. “And we don’t just need vets, but also positions that don’t require medical background, such as customer service representatives,” says Joseph Campbell, VCA’s corporate communications director.

“My problem is that I don’t have enough staff to see the cases that want to be seen,” says Dr. Laura Hart, owner of Reagor Pet Hospital on Walnut Avenue. “I’ve had an ad out for a veterinarian for two years. I’ve gotten four resumes,” she says.

VCA Sacramento Medical Group in Carmichael reports each of its doctors is seeing two to four more

appointments per day than prepandemic due to fewer doctors on staff.

Even with new veterinary graduates over the next 10 years, a shortage of 15,000 veterinarians will likely exist nationwide by 2030, Mars Veterinary Health reports.

“It’s nationwide. It’s not just California. It’s not just this region,” says Hart, who has limited her open days to four a week due to the shortage. “It’s also harder for an independently owned practice because we don’t have the ability to borrow staff from other hospitals. Corporates that have multiple practices commonly share staff. That’s a luxury I don’t have.”

To address the shortage, the Mars study suggests adding more veterinary schools and increasing class sizes. “There are a few veterinary schools opening around the country, but the current demand will unlikely be met by the supply of veterinarians now or five to 10 years from now,” Jandrey says.

Other suggestions to tackle the shortage include placing more emphasis on preventive care, recruiting new vet students through programs targeting underrepresented groups, providing student debt relief, and increasing access to telehealth and virtual-care options. VCA Sacramento Medical Group offers clients free 24/7 live chat for general medical questions.

Giving more responsibility to credentialed veterinary technicians would free doctors to perform work that calls for their advanced education. “More complete development of the roles and

contributions of veterinary nurses/ technicians will be essential,” Mars reports.

So how do pet owners prepare for the current and future vet care predicament? “Try not to wait until a problem is an emergency,” Hart says. “The dog is vomiting on Monday, don’t wait until Friday afternoon to seek help.”

Book appointments for annual exams and vaccinations in advance. If you don’t have a primary-care vet, get one. “Establishing a relationship with a veterinary practice means your pet will have a team to help that is familiar with his or her medical history if something happens,” Campbell says.

Established clients can get on a waiting list if there is a cancelation or get a drop-off appointment where the doctor will exam the animal as time permits.

“They will also need to educate themselves on preventive health strategies and be prepared for emergencies,” Jandrey says. Keep a list of 24-hour emergency hospitals. If one turns you away, call another.

With limited options for our dog Tammy, my husband and I decided to monitor her for 24 hours. She has a history of being overly dramatic. Sure enough, she was eating and wagging the next day.

But what if she wasn’t?

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

EMERGENCY VET HOSPITALS

There are seven 24-hour emergency veterinary hospitals within a 30mile radius of Sacramento. Keep this list handy—you never know when you’ll need one.

VCA Sacramento Veterinary Referral Center 9801 Old Winery Place (916) 362-3111

Vista Veterinary Specialists 7425 Greenhaven Drive (916) 231-4445

VCA Mueller Pet Medical Center 7625 Freeport Blvd. (916) 428-9292

MarQueen Pet Emergency & Specialty 9205 Sierra College Blvd. Roseville (916) 757-6600

Atlantic Street Pet Emergency Center 1100 Atlantic St. Roseville (916) 783-4655

UC Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital 1 Garrod Drive Davis (530) 752-1393

VCA Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic 3901 Sierra College Blvd. Loomis (916) 652-5816

INSIDE OUT

PHOTOS BY LEAH GARIS

Midtown Halloween Festival & Pooch Parade

Get into the Halloween spirit with the Midtown Halloween Festival & Pooch Parade on Saturday, Oct. 29, from noon to 3 p.m. at Marshall Park at 915 27th St. This free annual event offers fun activities for the whole family, including your furry friends.

For more information, visit exploremidtown.org.

Finding Peace

The retired engineer who occupied our ICU bed knew he was dying. He’d known for a long time.

He told his doctor not to take any heroic measures to prolong his life. He only wished to share his last words with his family.

I called his family from the waiting room and assembled them around his bed.

It was a tender moment as he thanked his wife for being such a hero. He thanked her for helping raise their kids and expressed his deep and eternal love for her.

She answered only with streaming tears.

Next, he turned to his son and repeated much the same sentiment. Before I could gauge the son’s response,

EXTREME FORGIVENESS CAN EASE THE PAIN

the doctor summoned the family into a consultation room, along with me and a social worker.

The doctor began by confirming the patient’s wishes.

“He says he doesn’t want to be kept alive with a machine.”

The son spoke for the family with quick certainty. He said, “Good. He deserves nothing.”

A moment later the family dispersed, leaving the doctor to ask her team, “What just happened?”

“Terminate with extreme prejudice,” the social worker replied.

“What?” asked the startled doctor.

I recognized the phrase popularized by the 1979 film “Apocalypse Now” in which an Army special ops captain is ordered to use “extreme prejudice” to kill an errant American colonel. The order allows for an irrational level of violence that gives no chance of survival.

NBI shook my head at the term’s use here. Was the son only present to make certain his dad died?

“Your dad said some nice things,” I said, fishing for answers.

“My dad’s an —” He paused, thinking better. “Sorry, Chaplain, but you know.”

No, I didn’t know.

“Can you say more?” I asked. “I’m OK with the language.”

“Then you’d have liked my dad,” he said. “In between chugging the beer, my father swore nonstop. Dad kept sober work hours, but just long enough to collect his check. He wanted everyone to think that he’s this loving father and husband. No one knew he slapped our mother around.”

“I can see why you’d call him an —” “Yes!” he said, bleeping my sentence short. “We won’t miss him.”

“You didn’t care for his words today. What would you like to hear him say?” I asked.

“I’d like to hear him say, ‘I’m sorry, son. Forgive me for being such an a-hole!’”

And with that, the man stood and left to rejoin his family.

It’s been said chaplaincy is like pastoring an airport runway because we don’t often see the end of the stories. Sometimes I imagine this ending:

The son would return to our patient’s room in evening light and say to his comatose father, “Dad, you said your piece so now you have to listen to mine.”

He would unload the things he shared with me and then lean close with a whisper, “I forgive you.”

And because those words often need practice before they become truth, the son would find it redeeming to repeat the same phrase over his father’s grave for several years until he uncovered peace.

I imagine he would have done this not for his dad, but for himself. Because the only resolution to his feelings of “extreme prejudice” would be extreme forgiveness.

By Norris Burkes Spirit Matters

I went to find the son, a 30-something man. He sat slumped over in his seat in the nearly empty waiting room, staring at the stained carpet.

As I approached, he removed his hands from his face and gave me a pensive nod to sit beside him.

“See you later,” I told him.

“Later,” he said. Both of us knew that wasn’t true.

Our patient died during the night. Now 10 years later, I’m not able to tell you how the son resolved his feelings.

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

Large

READERS

NEAR & FAR

1. Lucas and Linnea Gerkovich in Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park on the Big Island of Hawaii.

2. Madeline and Sullivan Groppo, Ava and Jack Montelongo, Ellie Olmstead, Noah Wilson, Cole and Cameron Martinez, Evan Belmonte, Michael & Tommy Heffron, Jaden and Aaron DeWald at Camp Sacramento.

3. Evelyn Gipson and Charlotte Chadwick at Holyhead Marina, Wales.

4. Maeve and Lorcan Montoya by the Tower Bridge in London.

5. Sally Freedlander, Corky Mau, Bonnie Cornwall and Diane Van Maren with the Hadzabe, indigenous ethnic tribe in Tanzania.

6. Stephanie Pierson in Evora, Portugal, at Casa do Governador with Cassie Berube and her band of Wandering Women. Visit our website at InsideSacramento.com, under “Near & Far,” for a map with past readers' photos! You can also submit photos directly from our website. It's never been so easy!

Take a picture with Inside and email a high-resolution copy to travel@insidepublications.com or submit directly from our website at InsideSacramento. com. Due to volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee all photos will be printed or posted. Find us on Facebook and Instagram: InsideSacramento.

Closed August 1 - 31*

95608

5241 MANZANITA AVE #4 $220,000

7100 STELLA LN #2 $299,000

6148 VIA CASITAS $310,000 6531 SAINT JAMES DR $325,000

4706 COURTLAND LN $350,000

2516 EL VITA WAY $379,000

4061 ALEX LN #7 $385,000

5746 LOCUST AVE $400,000

5408 ENGLE RD $400,000

2705 PANAY CT $405,000

6332 DEL CIELO WAY $420,000

3805 HOLLOWAY LN $435,000

2660 FOOTHILL DR $450,000

4932 DONOVAN DR $450,000

5101 WALNUT GARDEN CT $450,000 4916 FOSTER WAY $450,000

4137 CALIFORNIA AVE $455,000 3900 HORTON LN $470,000 4655 OAKBOUGH WAY $475,000

5132 KENNETH AVENUE $477,000

5837 HESPER WAY $485,000

6306 WOODWORTH AVE $500,000 5209 MCKINNEY WAY $506,000 5339 MONITOR AVE $510,000

4812 PACKARD CT $515,000

5112 ADELINA WAY $525,000 5925 HELVA LN $525,000

3004 PARAGON WAY $540,000

3442 GRANT PARK DR $545,000 6332 MEADOWVISTA $545,000

3112 MAYER WAY $555,000

6415 ROLLING WAY $565,000

5648 NICHORA WAY $570,000

2118 ERIC RD $570,000

5400 MUSTANG WAY $580,000

2421 WALNUT OAKS LN $591,425

6500 PINE CREST CIR $596,000

4925 ANDREW CIR $599,000

5620 WHITNEY AVE $600,000

4704 BOWERWOOD DR $620,000 3707 ORANGERIE WAY $624,500 3313 OAK STREAM CT $625,000

5460 WILDFLOWER CIR $625,000 6612 PENNEY WAY $630,000

4725 NELROY WAY $645,000

6965 LINCOLN CREEK CIR $677,500

3231 MAX CT $679,000

6108 FOUNTAINDALE WAY $684,000

4330 PARADISE DR $755,000

1300 PHILOMENE CT $795,000 3324 MONTEGLEN CT $820,000

7373 NOB HILL DR $850,000 2609 GARFIELD AVE $860,000 4848 SHERLOCK WAY $984,500

6100 HOLT LN $1,179,999

3145 WALNUT AVE $1,200,000

95815

2315 CAMBRIDGE ST $196,000

1924 JULIESSE AVE $207,500

746 DIXIEANNE AVE $260,000

1001 ALAMOS $300,000

1125 EL MONTE AVE $300,000

3176 CALLECITA ST $339,900

3010 BRANCH ST $340,000

1038 MACARLEN WAY $350,000

2840 ALTOS AVE $350,000

3232 DEL PASO BLVD $380,000

456 LINDLEY DR $380,000

2850 BRANCH ST $385,000

256 LINDLEY DR $400,000

3134 PALMER ST $400,000

1673 BOWLING GREEN DR $497,000

95816

1818 22ND ST #108 $499,000 225 32ND ST $501,000

3280 C ST $550,000

2117 S ST #206 $600,000

3410 C ST $650,000 2314 T ST $665,000

1615 22ND ST $695,000

2815 SOLONS ALY $695,000

848 38TH ST $715,000

541 SANTA YNEZ WAY $790,000

1303 39TH ST $830,000

544 36TH ST $845,000

1133 35TH ST $849,900

440 39TH ST $935,000 592 SANTA YNEZ WAY $1,350,000 95817

3509 38TH ST $227,500 3452 38TH ST $355,000

3123 33RD ST $360,000 3406 40TH ST $390,000

2008 GERBER AVE $405,000

3509 SANTA CRUZ WAY $410,000

3427 40TH ST $430,000

3209 U ST $473,000

3427 33RD ST $500,000

2200 GERBER AVE $510,000 3531 3RD AVE $545,000

2417 42ND ST $555,000 4025 V ST $555,000 6013 4TH AVE $600,000 5941 2ND AVE $660,000 3973 MILLER WAY $664,000 3926 3RD AVE $670,000 3939 4TH AVE $710,000

95818

2010 24TH ST $350,000

346 1ST AVE $375,000

256 LOG POND LN $450,000

145 LOG POND LN $470,000

403 TAILOFF LN #87B $485,000

2418 U ST $485,000

2214 18TH ST $499,000

187 LOG POND LN $525,000 568 SWANSTON DR $550,000

1750 CARAMAY WAY $575,000

2720 27TH ST $580,000

2635 NICASIO LN $605,000

2537 28TH ST $610,000

2120 BIDWELL WAY $610,000

2657 16TH ST $655,000

2629 12TH ST $689,800

1804 2ND AVE $695,000

3138 LAND PARK DRIVE $715,000

1953 7TH AVE $725,000

1764 4TH AVE $725,000

518 FREMONT WAY $740,000

1422 WELLER WAY $775,000

2659 13TH ST $785,000

2417 U ST $790,000

1881 7TH AVE $800,000

2664 9TH AVE $800,584

2620 4TH AVE $819,000

2717 11TH AVE $930,000

1124 SWANSTON DR $940,000

2500 DONNER WAY $999,500

2778 17TH ST $1,300,000

1723 7TH AVE $1,600,000

1407 11TH AVE $2,225,000

1301 11TH AVE $2,300,000

95819

5911 NEWMAN CT #3 $259,000

40 LUPINE WAY $540,000

5623 SHEPARD AVE $588,000

5632 MCADOO AVE $600,000

5904 CAMELLIA AVE $625,000

5620 STATE AVE $660,000

5213 MODDISON AVE $680,000

54 TAYLOR WAY $700,000

5413 M ST $715,000

530 PALA WAY $735,000

264 SAN ANTONIO WAY $753,000

1721 40TH ST $785,000 1659 48TH ST $790,000

5262 H ST $840,000 1318 52ND ST $995,000

95821

3918 DEBBIE LN $345,000

2149 RASSY WAY $355,000

3728 SUN SHADOWS LN $380,000

4413 MARCONI AVE $430,000

3614 JADE CT $433,000 4528 MCDONALD DR $437,000 2382 CARLSBAD AVE $440,000 3359 BECERRA WAY $440,000 3813 PASADENA AVE #36 $445,000 2550 WATSON ST $445,000 3845 SUNNYVALE AVE $455,000 3536 NORRIS AVE $485,000

3120 GREENWOOD AVE $499,000 4129 BOONE LN $508,300

4426 RIO TINTO $535,000

3213 BROOKWOOD RD $535,000 3305 NORTHWOOD RD $540,000

2809 LA PAZ WAY $580,000

3608 THORNWOOD DR $583,500 2231 RALSTON RD $598,000 3131 SHASTA WAY $600,000 4909 HOPE LN $655,000 3132 DELWOOD WAY $673,500 3700 EASTERN AVE $770,000

95822

7351 21ST ST $245,000 2080 ARLISS WAY $260,000 2540 34TH AVENUE $315,000 7544 THORPE WAY $315,000 7406 CANDLEWOOD WAY $325,000 6670 GOLF VIEW DR $325,000 2720 53RD AVE $343,000

2001 ONEIL WAY $350,000 7545 29TH ST $360,000 1429 WACKER WAY $365,000 1409 38TH AVE $375,000

5625 HELEN WAY $378,000 1401 DICKSON ST $380,000 1531 BELINDA WAY $385,500 7463 COSGROVE WAY $395,000 7461 19TH ST $400,000 2312 50TH AVE $410,000 7072 HOGAN DR $414,900 2065 NIANTIC WAY $420,000 2225 63RD AVE $420,000 2469 FERNANDEZ DR $427,000 1649 68TH AVE $439,000 7320 PUTNAM WAY $444,000 2122 60TH AVE $445,000 2121 AARON WAY $515,000 40 MIRANDA CT $516,500 2355 25TH AVE $530,000 2258 24TH AVE $530,000 1116 GLENN HOLLY WAY $565,000 1148 CHARGENE WAY $605,000 1453 OREGON DR $605,000 4623 JOAQUIN WAY $660,000 4305 GRIFFITH DR $670,000 4051 WARREN AVE $697,000 1311 35TH AVE $715,000 1236 41ST AVE $772,000 980 CASILADA WAY $950,000 4230 MOSS DR $1,185,000 95825 1019 DORNAJO WAY #146 $210,000 1039 FULTON AVE #379 $240,000 2494 LARKSPUR LN #203 $265,000 949 FULTON AVE #526 $275,000 2280 HURLEY WAY #23 $278,000 2280 HURLEY WAY #63 $279,900 2398 ALTA GARDEN LN #A $288,000 2017 KINCAID WAY $310,000 501 WOODSIDE OAKS #3 $319,500 28 ADELPHI CT $378,000 1928 BELL ST $380,000 2344 ESTRELLITA WAY $400,000 1912 BELL ST $420,000 3133 PENNLAND DR $435,000 542 HARTNELL PL $450,000 1305 GANNON DR $450,000 2399 DRAYTON DR $455,000 714 COMMONS DR $485,000 2201 WELDON $515,000 144 HARTNELL PL $529,000 2841 ARMSTRONG DR $539,000 905 VANDERBILT WAY $540,000 2320 SWARTHMORE DR $550,000 713 E RANCH RD $555,000 888 CAMPUS COMMONS RD $564,000 3101 ELLINGTON CIR $579,000 2288 UNIVERSITY AVE $589,000 2331 AMERICAN RIVER DR $590,000 200 E RANCH RD $678,500 2125 KINCAID WAY $920,000 95831

854 GULFWIND WAY $410,000

2 TROTTER CT $432,500 1151 ALDER TREE WAY $449,000 7317 S LAND PARK DR $450,000 332 BLACKBIRD LN $455,000

2 DE SART CT $490,000

6931 GALLERY WAY $550,000 6830 S LAND PARK DR $585,000 1308 VALLEY BROOK AVE $589,000 6937 GALLERY WAY $589,000 6615 RIVERSIDE BLVD $599,000 826 ROYAL GARDEN AVE $599,500 66 HERITAGE WOOD CIR $610,000 8006 LINDA ISLE LN $625,000 6926 ARABELLA WAY $650,000 6416 HARMON DR $665,000

7105 EL SERENO CIR $665,000

18 SPRAY CT $675,000 6406 SURFSIDE WAY $680,000

6 FLEET CT $685,000 432 CEDAR RIVER WAY $710,000 6465 HOLSTEIN WAY $719,000 780 WESTLITE CIR $750,000 6785 LANGSTON WAY $769,000 14 PEACOCK GAP CT $810,000 6280 GRANGERS DAIRY DR $815,000 7768 SLEEPY RIVER WAY $845,000 6111 HOLSTEIN WAY $865,000 7791 RIVER LANDING DR $1,050,000 1227 NORFOLK WAY $1,075,000 95864 3440 WINDSOR DR $339,500 3320 WEMBERLEY DR $340,000 3136 HURLEY WAY $369,000 1425 MORSE AVE $380,000 3200 WINDSOR DR $400,000 1196 JONAS AVE $410,000 1048 HAMPTON RD $426,000 2037 CERES WAY $440,000 2121 IONE ST $440,000 3932 LA VERNE WAY $478,000 1445 SEBASTIAN WAY $498,000 4334 ALDERWOOD WAY $525,000 1736 OLYMPUS DR $535,000 4244 LUSK DR $545,000 4329 MORPHEUS LN $550,000 2436 ROSLYN WAY $581,000 911 LA SIERRA DR $620,000 2839 ROXBURGH LN $665,000 912 BAYTREE PL $715,000 3855 BERRENDO DR $725,000 4231 DEVON LN $730,000 317 WYNDGATE RD $780,000 4511 VALMONTE DR $808,000 2891 AZALEA RD $830,000 1005 ENTRADA RD $840,000 2801 SEVILLA LANE $851,700 807 TREEHOUSE LN $866,733 4292 N RIVER WAY $900,000 1619 EL NIDO $915,000 4040 CRONDALL DRIVE $950,000 1351 CASTEC DR $1,030,000 800 LARCH LN $1,055,000 770 SAN RAMON WAY $1,100,000 4648 AMERICAN RIVER DR $1,191,000 5 ADLER CIR $1,200,000 120 CLUNIE DR $1,208,000 837 COLUMBIA DR $1,410,000 3853 EXMOOR CIR $1,525,000 1074 SAN RAMON WAY $1,550,000

Good Eats For All

There’s a myth about fine food and the farm-to-fork philosophy. It suggests the fresh and local approach is elitist, reserved for residents who earn enough money to be picky about food.

The myth goes that poor people are resigned to shop at cheap grocery stores, where they depend on processed, obesityproducing industrial food.

In Sacramento, hub of the farm-to-fork movement and part of the fertile valley that produces much of America’s food, we can prove this myth false. We can fight for food equity on behalf of everyone.

By addressing poor nourishment and ensuring easy access to fresh fruits and vegetables, we support a region where minds and bodies grow to full potential, benefiting the entire community.

A physically healthy and strong region built on nourishment thrives despite

recession, a pandemic, and social and political unrest.

A pioneer of local food equity and security has quietly mentored and provided land access to lower-income farmers while distributing farm-fresh produce, along with pantry staples, to people hit hard by the pandemic and poverty.

In 2014, the Center for Land-Based Learning started the first leg of the West Sacramento Urban Farm, led by former program manager Sara Bernal. Success inspired four more locations after the original at Fifth and C streets in West Sac.

Each farm has irrigation systems, aggregation areas, and wash and pack sites. A tool lending library and shared walk-in cooler are important features.

The farms are leased to people who want to start a small, ag-based business. These future farmers are mentored throughout the process and receive links to farmstands and grocery stores.

Assisting with Mobile Farmers Market are Rachel Pattison, Heather Lyon and Khristine Pintor.

G

GM

By Gabrielle Myers

Photography by Aniko Kiezel Farm To Fork

So far, 21 people have gone through the program. Five farmers currently work the sites.

“If we want urban farms to help cure food-security issues, they must be subsidized,” says Bernal, noting financial help can come from local governments, partner agencies and fundraising.

Another key element of West Sac Urban Farm’s success in the fight for food equity

THERE’S NOTHING ELITIST ABOUT FARM-TO-FORK NUTRITION

is the Mobile Farmers Market. For two years, the mobile market has visited housing complexes and city parks, offering farm-fresh, organic produce and pantry staples.

With two stops on Tuesdays and two more on Thursdays, each reaching “food deserts” in Broderick and Bryte, the mobile market provides access to nourishment for residents who are unable to drive to find it.

The mobile market accepts CalFresh benefits and offers a 50-percent discount. Eighty percent of the mobile market sales are based on CalFresh support.

With cookbooks in English and Spanish, recipe cards with seasonal produce, general health

education materials and live cooking demonstrations, the mobile market is more than a farmers market on wheels. It’s a rolling center for nutritional health and knowledge.

In addition to providing access to organic produce, West Sac Urban Farm has become an educational center where future farm-to-fork leaders from lower-income communities are trained and mentored.

The Community Food Project’s Ambassadors Program recruits residents from affordable housing. Ambassadors learn about healthy food, our food system, the lack of access for low-income households and principles behind food equity.

With two-hour classes every Tuesday, a stipend of $20 an hour to work on the mobile market and a commitment of eight hours a week, each ambassador’s contribution is valued. Ambassadors are asked to offer solutions gathered from their communities and personal experiences.

Each ambassador has experience with poverty and a lack of access to healthy food. Solutions supported by the community are collected by Urban Farm and Center for Land-Based Learning and used to “advocate for change on the governmental level.”

“The leadership, talent and inherent potential that our residents all have hold many answers to the issues we face today,” Bernal says.

With society’s growing acknowledgement of systemic racism and its impacts on socioeconomic inequity, programs such as Urban Farm are models for new, more sustainable and caring systems where everyone prospers.

For information on West Sac Urban Farm, visit landbasedlearning.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

TOMATO

Summer may be over, but you can still find heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

Eat it: Slice and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

This long squash is one of the tastiest winter squashes, with a subtle flavor similar to pumpkin.

Eat it: Roast the flesh and use in a simple risotto.

BLOOOMSDALE

SPINACH

This old spinach variety (from the 19th century) has a crinkled leaf and a deep, interesting flavor.

Eat it: Sautee in olive oil with garlic and hot red pepper flakes.

Fully Emersed

BILINGUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER EMPOWERS STUDENTS

For Miguel Perez, being bilingual is like having a superpower.

“I like to remind my students that it’s a gift being able to read, write and speak in two languages,”

says Perez, a fifth-grade teacher at the Language Academy of Sacramento, a public charter school near Stockton Boulevard and Broadway that offers bilingual education in English and Spanish.

Perez has spent almost 10 years empowering his students through bilingual instruction in reading, writing, math, social studies and science.

By Jessica Laskey Meet Your Neighbor

JL“The students in the community we’re serving have parents that are English learners, so the benefit is they’re able to apply bilingualism in multiple settings. They can help translate for family members or in the real world. I’ve had students who’ve helped translate for someone at a checkout line who was having a hard time communicating. There’s a lot of power behind that.”

The Language Academy uses a dual-immersion model, which means students start in kindergarten with 90-percent instruction in Spanish and 10 percent in English, followed by 10 percent more English each year as they age through the grades. By the time they get to Perez in fifth grade, instruction is half Spanish, half English.

“We like to serve the community we’re in first, so we have English learners but also students from families who speak only English at home who are looking to learn Spanish,” Perez says.

Perez didn’t intend to get into bilingual education, but he always wanted to be a teacher. Growing up in Elk Grove, Perez’s elementary school teachers inspired him to pursue a career in the classroom.

“I had really good teachers as mentors and role models, specifically my fourth- and fifth-grade teachers, who really went above and beyond to connect

Miguel Perez Photo by Aniko Kiezel

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with me,” Perez says. “They’d invite me to stay after school to help set up, like a little assistant. I wanted to be that type of teacher for my students.”

At Sacramento State, Perez earned a bachelor’s degree and immediately applied for a teaching credential. During the process, Perez mentioned he spoke Spanish and was placed in the bilingual credentialing program.

“I hadn’t even considered doing bilingual education—Sac State decided for me,” Perez says. “But I started to learn about the world of bilingual education and got really interested. I didn’t practice Spanish much outside of my family, so it was exciting to think that maybe I could use it professionally.”

Perez was placed at the Language Academy for one year of student teaching and fell in love with the kids and the community. He loved how everyone was “practicing and growing, both students and teachers” and the strong communication with student families.

The affection was mutual. The school offered Perez a job and he’s been there ever since, teaching fourth grade for nine years and fifth grade this past year to move up with the fourth-graders

he taught on Zoom during pandemic closures.

Perez’s dedication has brought acolytes and accolades. He won ABC10’s Teacher of the Month award, which highlights local teachers making a difference and includes a $1,000 prize from SchoolsFirst credit union.

“I was definitely caught off guard when I got the email from ABC, but I agreed to the interview,” the Alkali Flat resident says. “I’m a very shy person, but I figured I’m being recognized for something I love to do, which is great.”

Perez used the prize money to take a trip to Spain in July to meet his boyfriend’s family. The award helped him reconnect with his beloved fifthgrade teacher, one of his biggest role models.

“She mailed me a card when she found out about the award,” Perez says. “The fact that this person who inspired me to become a teacher saw me get this award is very heartwarming. It really came full circle.”

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

Help us do something about it. Braver Angels Sacramento

We bring Reds and Blues together to talk, listen and learn about each others’ views. We are more on the same page than we think! Come to a Braver Angels event and learn the skills to understand others and express your views with passion and civility.

By Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider

Just steps from the Capitol, Prelude Kitchen & Bar serves a splendid lunch and dinner to more than politicians and lobbyists. “Like any Downtown restaurant, it’s a mix of tourists and locals,” says executive chef Tom Patterson. Given the diversity of culinary influences and focus on seasonal ingredients, Prelude appeals to just about anyone.

Prelude’s location is coveted real estate. Two previous eateries, Chops Steak Seafood & Bar and The Diplomat Steakhouse, both put in time at the spot. Now, Prelude looks to eclipse those previous tenants, creating a farm-focused yet innovative menu that might garner Michelin attention. At least, that’s what some involved with

the project proclaimed when Prelude opened last December.

For now, the focus is on quality cooking with local bounty. “We use the freshest seasonal and highest quality ingredients we can find,” Patterson tells me. “(We take) advantage of the local bounty of products that the Sacramento area provides.”

Photos by Linda Smolek

DOWNTOWN KITCHEN TAKES ADVANTAGE OF REGIONAL BOUNTY

He doesn’t exaggerate. The bruschetta appetizer takes the ripest peaches, plums and nectarines and elevates them with house-made ricotta and prosciutto di Parma. My charming dining companion said it was the best bruschetta she ever had. While I was too much of a gentleman to ask how many bruschetta she typically consumes each year, it was a high compliment.

The late summer menu was full of creative uses of seasonal ingredients: stone fruit complementing the green salad, peaches cooked into a mostarda (an Italian fruit and mustard condiment), corn risotto, compressed melon and heirloom tomato salad.

The joy of such an approach to cooking is that by the time you read this, the menu will have pivoted to an early autumn palate of apples, squash, persimmons and more. Our local bounty

is so robust, so undeniable, I often take it for granted.

I was reminded of this while I drove a coworker visiting from Indiana up and down the valley. He asked about every tree and plowed field, wondering what was growing. I listed the ridiculous number of fruits, vegetables and nuts produced outside our backdoors. His response was that in Indiana, just about every field is corn or soybeans.

So yes, it’s easy to take this embarrassment of riches for granted. But Chef Patterson does not.

“Connecting with local farmers is what we do. Some of our produce even comes from the Sacramento Waldorf School, where kids learn to grow and harvest seasonal fruit and vegetables,” he says.

The tight, approachable menu is served in a comfortable, clubby

atmosphere. Simple tables surround a substantial bar, with a fireplace and overstuffed chairs creating a lounge atmosphere. Out of sight from most diners is a private dining space that can accommodate up to 80 people downstairs.

The outdoor patio, shaded by trees and sighted directly on the Capitol, is a great place for a fall lunch or dinner on a warm Sacramento evening.

When I ask Chef Patterson to name his favorite dish, he says, “My favorite at the moment has to be the bucatini pasta carbonara with house-made lamb bacon and summer peppers. But I’ve been told many times by diners that we have the best pork chop in town.”

If sampling flavors of the season is on your to-do list or you happen to be Downtown for pleasure or on business, Prelude is a worthy stop.

Prelude Kitchen & Bar is at 1117 11th St.; (916) 898-1071; preluderestaurant.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: @ insideasacramento. n

WAS

OF

Challenging weather patterns amplified the wailing and woes heard during my UC Master Gardener stints at the California State Fair and Harvest Day at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center.

Ailing perennials, struggling annuals, disappointing veggie yields and low morale affected many Sacramento gardeners this summer.

Among the most common lament was, “What’s wrong with my tomatoes?” I can relate. This was the first year my annual planting of the heirloom tomato Cherokee Purple didn’t produce a single tomato. Each morning, I

D V DV

By Dan Vierria Garden Jabber

BeatClimateThe

AND

inspected the plant with hopes of discovering a tiny green orb.

PRINCIPLES TAKE GARDENS FORWARD

Nope. Heat and blossom drop ensured a shutout. Concerned about water waste during a period of extreme drought, I dug it up in early August.

On the flip side, hybrid tomatoes produced an abundant crop, which is why I now mix fussy heirlooms with reliable hybrid varieties.

Garden writer Lee Reich once wrote, “My gardening is something like my writing. I do a draft and then edit it again and again.” Repeated editing is especially necessary in the Sacramento region because of changing and sometimes extreme growing conditions.

Updating practices and tweaking outdated thinking are steps forward, followed by reminders of a few valuable guidelines we may have forgotten or ignored. Not much room for error these days.

Beating the climate continues to rely on basic principles: adequate sunlight, healthy soil, a water source and the right plants for the location. Choosing

plants that have the best chance to flourish is an invaluable guideline. Plants are expensive. Nobody rejoices when one dies.

Nurseries mostly sell plants suited to Sacramento’s growing zone, which the USDA deems Zone 9b. Inspect the back of the plant label to find the recommended zone.

Zones are determined by the average extreme low temperature. In Sacramento that would be 25–30 degrees. Gardens have unique microclimates that can raise or lower temperatures. Some Joe Bag-of-Seeds in my neighborhood may have plucked two dozen Cherokee Purple tomatoes. Slightly different growing conditions in the same neighborhood can result in varying results.

One garden receives an abundance of shade. Another next door is aglow with all-day full sun. Last month, a reader lamented the sudden loss of shade and privacy when her neighbor removed trees along the property line. Same thing happened to me last year. What

had been a late-afternoon shady area, became an oven on broil. Time to edit.

Before purchasing a plant, research how many hours of sunlight it requires. Poor citrus yields can be caused by not enough sunlight. Scorched Japanese maple leaves indicates too much direct sunlight. Like real estate, reducing plant problems depends on location, location, location.

Not all nursery plant labels include important information like growing zone, light requirements, width, height, and water and soil needs, especially if the nursery grows its own or buys from local growers. If detailed label information is absent, search for larger signage on the display table or ask when buying.

For Sacramento-specific perennials, shrubs and trees, visit the waterefficient gardens at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center in Fair Oaks Park. The gardens are open daily, dawn to dusk. The demonstration gardens are open until Oct. 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. Admission is free.

If you go online, seek reliable sites with addresses that end in .edu or .gov. The Sacramento County Master Gardener website—sacmg.ucanr. edu—has plant information focused on Sacramento. “The New Sunset Western Garden Book” also is a valuable resource.

Finally, when chatting with local gardeners at events, many admitted they did not use mulches. That nomulch story requires immediate editing. Mulches, spread atop the soil, are a necessity for happy plants. Use wood chips, bark chips, shredded leaves or straw to help retain soil moisture, add organic material to the soil and deter weeds.

Did your summer gardening story have a happy ending? I hope so.

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

Mixed MediaMixed Media

Susan Tonkin Riegel

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

By Jessica Laskey Open Studio

Susan Tonkin Riegel’s biggest tip for fellow artists is simple: “Do the work, keep working and don’t do something that doesn’t feel like you.”

Riegel has crafted an impressive art career by being herself. Her mixed-media works are arresting for their playful, abstract and figurative compositions and intricacy. Riegel loves to experiment with materials, from two-dimensional mixed media and oil paint to clay, fabric, batik, papier-mache, wood and, most recently, raw canvas that she paints and sews.

“I get tired of cranking the same thing out, so I switch media,” the longtime Granite Bay resident says. “My style is always changing.”

A native of San Francisco and graduate of UC Berkeley and Sacramento State (where she got bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively, in studio art), Riegel has always been creative. As a child, she felt inspired whether painting with oils in art lessons or playing in the mud.

JLWhile raising her son and daughter, she completed an apprenticeship to become an herbalist and found that field was “like making art.” When she started teaching at American River and Sierra colleges, she realized teaching was an artform.

“Learning from my students fed my creative spirit,” she says. “I realized I wanted to work in a more spontaneous, intuitive way—it felt like coming home.”

Riegel finds inspiration in travel and has completed several international residencies, starting

GRANITE BAY ARTIST FINDS INSPIRATION EVERYWHERE

at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Alberta, Canada, in 2009. She recalls, “A colleague said to me, ‘Why don’t you try a residency?’ I thought, why? I have my own studio and I love it. They said, ‘No, it’s different.’ So I thought, all right, I’ll apply. Those 10 days were a total lifechanging experience.”

During the residency, Riegel was invited to go on a meditation excursion in the mountains with a fellow artist. As she sat on the mountaintop, she heard a voice. “It said, this is what you’re going to be doing for a big part of your life,” Riegel says. “It was totally unexpected but it means we really have to listen to that voice we all have inside.”

Riegel has since followed her inner voice to residencies in Switzerland,

Mexico, China, Sweden, France and Norway. Post-pandemic, she plans to return to France to “get away from my everyday life and have a dialogue with my art.”

She maintains an impressive exhibition schedule stateside, showing her work in solo, group and juried shows all over California, plus Chicago, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Georgia. Her most recent project was creating work for the entire fifth floor of the new Fort Sutter Hotel at 28th and Capitol, a boutique Hilton that features local artwork in public spaces and each guest room.

When she’s not in the studio, Riegel teaches creativity workshops for kids and adults, moves her body with yoga, hiking and hip-hop dance classes, and travels. She and her husband, who’s

also an artist, recently completed a maiden voyage to the ocean in their 13-foot vintage trailer, with plans to drive to Canada.

“It’s nice to have something to look forward to,” Riegel says. “If you’re not excited about what you’re doing, no one else will be.”

For more information, visit susantonkinriegel.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

TO DO

THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

River City Toy Train Show

Toy Train Operating Society Sacramento Division

Saturday, Oct. 1, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 6151 H St. • ttos-sv.org

Buy, sell, trade and peruse toy trains, accessories, parts, supplies and operating train layouts at this annual show. Parking is free and food is available for purchase. Kids 17 and younger participate in a train set drawing. Admission is $5. Children 12 and younger are free with a paid adult.

JLBy Jessica Laskey

11th Annual CruiseFest on Fulton Avenue

California Automobile Museum

Saturday, Oct. 8, 3–7 p.m.

Fulton Avenue from El Camino to Marconi • calautomuseum.org

Sacramento’s premier car cruise features hundreds of eye-popping custom and classic cars. Also enjoy food trucks, a live DJ and beer garden. Admission is free for spectators. Cruisers register online—$29 for museum members, $45 for nonmembers, $60 day of the event.

Gabriela Garcia and Stephanie Bray

Stories on Stage Sacramento

Friday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m.

CLARA Auditorium, 2420 N St. • storiesonstagesacramento.com

This award-winning literary performance series presents an excerpt from author Gabriela Garcia’s book “Of Women and Salt” and Stephanie Bray’s story “What We Keep,” read aloud by professional actors followed by a Q&A with the authors. Tickets are a $10 suggested donation.

Bold Expressions

Northern California Artists Inc. Oct. 4–30

Sacramento Fine Arts Center, 5330 Gibbons Drive • norcalartsinc.org

This annual international exhibit features daring, high-impact pieces in a variety of media, from traditional to experimental.

The Firebird!

Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera

Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 p.m.

SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, 1301 L St. • sacphilopera.org

This season-opening concert features conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya and violinist Tai Murray performing John Wineglass’ “Fanfare,” Wynton Marsalis’ “Violin Concerto” and Igor Stravinsky’s “Suite from The Firebird.”

River City Toy Train Show at Scottish Rite Masonic Center.

ALTERNATIVE GIFT MARKET

Big Two Day Celebration “Give The World A Present“ November 5th and 6th 10am to 2pm

Do your Holiday gift shopping for your family and friends. Surprise your loved ones with thoughtful, unusual gifts. Vendors showing beautiful, handmade products from 17 countries around the world. “Fair Traded” gift items made by families and communities in third world countries. Hundreds of gift items including clothing, jewelry, toys, home décor, food items and stocking stuffers.

11 Charitable Organizations you may contribute to that sends the gift of medicine, food, water, peace and hope locally and around the world

Carmichael Presbyterian Church McMillian Hall | 5645 Marconi Avenue | 916-486-9081 | carmichaelpres.org

Bucks for Ducks

Yolo Basin Foundation

Sunday, Oct. 9, 3–6 p.m.

El Macero Country Club, 44571 Clubhouse Drive • yolobasin.org/bucksforducks

This annual fundraiser features drinks, hors d’oeuvres and an online auction offering photography, art and other unique items. Proceeds help connect the community and schoolchildren to the beauty and importance of wetlands, specifically the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Online auction open Oct. 2–10.

Black Artists on Art: Past, Present, and Future

Crocker Art Museum

Through Oct. 23

216 O St. • crockerart.org

This exhibition features the work of legends, including Romare Bearden, Elizabeth Catlett and Jacob Lawrence, alongside contemporary and emerging artists. The series is organized by Unity Lewis, grandson of the late Dr. Samella Lewis—artist, historian, author, educator, often referred to as the godmother of Black art—who passed away May 22 at 99.

Whiskers in Wonderland

Sacramento SPCA

Saturday, Oct. 22, 6 p.m. 6201 Florin Perkins Road • sspca.org

Take a trip down the rabbit hole at the SSPCA’s annual fall gala. Enjoy dinner, libations, silent and live auctions, entertainment and an up-close look at the shelter’s lifesaving services. Tickets are sold out—to be added to the waitlist, contact Kristi Maryman at kmaryman@sspca.org or (916) 504-2802.

Annual Fall Sale

Shepard Garden & Arts Center

Saturday, Oct. 1, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. 3330 McKinley Blvd. • sgaac.org

Shop for jewelry, plants, crafts, flowers, antiques, art, food and more at this annual sale to benefit SGAC and the numerous clubs that meet there.

Season Opening Concert

Sacramento Symphonic Winds Sunday, Oct. 9, 2:30 p.m.

El Camino High School Center for the Arts, 4300 El Camino Ave. • sacwinds.org

After a long pandemic hiatus, the musicians are back for the 2022-23 season under the direction of new Artistic and Music Director Dr. Matthew Morse.

Cruiser Frank Towse with 1950 Mercury Coupe at Fulton Avenue CruiseFest.

“Madonna” by Elizabeth Catlett at Crocker Art Museum.

“Look of Love” by Dwight Head at PBS KVIE Gallery.

The Lasting Impact of COVID on Education

Remote learning has had a dramatic, negative effect on our young learners. Without the opportunity to meet with their teachers and engage in quality learning techniques, our students across the country are demonstrating learning loses not seen in decades of research. A study by Brookings of more than 5.4 million students grades 3 to 8, found math test scores fell 20% to 27% and reading test scores were 9% to 18% lower versus prior to the pandemic; another study estimated students are more than 5 months behind due to the pandemic. Understandably, it has been an “all hands-on deck” approach from experts and professionals at the Department of Education, universities, school districts, and teachers desperate to right the ship as quickly and effectively as possible but for many, students will need additional help.

Offering An Individualized Approach to Learning

youth. Students need to regain a foot hold on a rung of the learning ladder more than ever before. For many students, that foot hold comes in the form of professional tutoring completed by credentialed teachers. At California Learning Center, we start by assessing each child’s current skill levels in their area of need to develop individualized goals to move them to the next level. Our experienced teachers then work closely with your child to guide

If you feel your child’s educational development has been impacted by COVID, California Learning Center is here to help your child reach their maximum potential through an individualized approach to help with comprehension skills, mastering math concepts, writing critically or improving their study skills by qualiwe see.

Parent Testimonial

“The CLC tutors do a lot more than assist with homework. They monitor my son’s grades and contact his teachers when necessary…we have a professional partner whom we can trust and so has our child’s best interests in mind.”

For more information of how we can help your child, (916) 486-2646 www.californialearningcenter.com

800.874.9779

*The initial Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is currently 5.00% for a new Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), and is xed for the rst 5 years of the loan which is called the draw period. After the initial 5 year period, the APR can change once based on the value of an Index and Margin. The Index is the weekly average yield on U.S. Treasury

Securities adjusted to a constant maturity of 10 years and the margin is 3.50%. The current APR for the repayment period is 6.625%. The maximum APR that can apply any time during your HELOC is 12%. A qualifying transaction consists of the following conditions: (1) the initial APR assumes a maximum HELOC of $200,000, and a total maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) of 70% including the new HELOC and any existing 1st Deed of Trust loan on your residence; (2) your residence securing the HELOC must be a single-family home that you occupy as your primary residence; (3) if the 1st Deed of Trust loan is with a lender other than El Dorado Savings Bank, that loan may not exceed $300,000, have a total maximum loan-to-value (LTV) of 65% and may not be a revolving line of credit. Additional property restrictions and requirements apply. All loans are subject to a current appraisal. Property insurance is required and ood insurance may be required. Rates, APR, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Other conditions apply. A $525 early closure fee will be assessed if the line of credit is closed within three years from the date of opening. An annual fee of $85 will be assessed on the rst anniversary of the HELOC and annually thereafter during the draw period. Ask for a copy of our “Fixed Rate Home Equity Line of Credit Disclosure Notice” for additional important information. Other HELOC loans are available under different terms.

Draw a Rumor: Dwight Head

PBS KVIE Gallery

Oct. 11–Dec. 9

2030 West El Camino Ave. • kvie.org

This exhibition features more than 20 drawings, collages, comic books and mixed media by Sacramento artist Dwight Head, who has won numerous awards, including first place in the 2021 PBS KVIE Art Auction in the contemporary category.

Safe & Super Halloween

Fairytale Town

Saturdays and Sundays, Oct. 15 & 16, Oct. 22 & 23, 5–9 p.m.

3901 Land Park Drive • fairytaletown.org

Enjoy four days (weather permitting) of trick-or-treating and familyfriendly fun at this Halloween extravaganza featuring treat stations, a costume parade, hands-on activities and more. Advance tickets are $13 (members get $3 off); day-of tickets are $16.

“Deborah’s Gift” Book Launch and Reading

Avid Reader

Sunday, Oct. 16, 3 p.m.

1945 Broadway • newwindpublishing.com

Sacramento author and former American River College instructor Lois Ann Abraham celebrates the publication of her new book. Set in 1900, the book details St. Louis native Deborah Huntworth’s determination to follow her artistic dreams from Martinique to New York City.

California Funk to Figuration: A New Narrative Mythology

John Natsoulas Gallery

Through Jan. 7

521 First Street, Davis • natsoulas.com

This exhibition features works by the incredible men and women— including Roy De Forest, Robert Arneson, Peter Saul, Robert Colescott, David Gilhooly, Louise Stanely, Patrick Siler, Jim Albertson, Gladyss Nielsson, Jim Nutt and many others— who shaped the Funk Movement.

NatureFest

Effie Yeaw Nature Center

Sunday, Oct. 9, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. 2850 San Lorenzo Way (inside Ancil Hoffman Park) • sacnaturecenter.net/events/naturefest

The center’s largest family event of the year promotes science and nature education through live animal presentations, kids’ activities, demonstrations, guided nature hikes and more. Admission is $7 for 12 and older; $3 for kids 3–11; free for kids 2 and younger.

Jesuit Art Event

Jesuit High School

Friday, Oct. 21, 5:30–7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m.–noon 4660 Fair Oaks Blvd. • jesuithighschool.org/social/jesuit-art-event

Support Jesuit High School and enjoy curated pieces from top local artists, including Pat Mahony, William Ishmael, Leslie Toms, Miles Hermann, Margarita Chaplinska, Patris Miller, Whitney Lofrano and others.

Celebrating California

California Art Club and Blue Line Arts

Through Oct. 29

Third Saturday Reception Oct. 15, 4–8 p.m.; artist lectures, 4–5 p.m. 405 Vernon St., Roseville • bluelinearts.org

This show includes several premier contemporary-traditional artists, including Laurie Kersey, Brian Blood, Paul Kratter, Charles Pyle and Keith Wicks, currently working in California.

The Fox on The Fairway

Theatre in the Heights

Saturday, Oct. 1, 8 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 2, 4 p.m. 8215 Auburn Blvd. • theatreintheheights.com

A tribute by playwright Ken Ludwig to the great English farces of the 1930s and 1940s, this show takes audiences on a hilarious romp at a private country club about love, life and man’s eternal love affair with golf. Tickets are $20.

“Slow Your Roll: Orange Buoy” by Whitney Lofrano at Jesuit High School.

“Roy and the Canine Range” by Roy De Forest at John Natsoulas Gallery.

Sweet! by Polly LaPorte and Robert Gonsowski

Elk Grove Fine Arts Center

Oct. 1–27

First Saturday Reception Oct. 1, 4–7 p.m.

11th Annual Art Tour Oct. 8, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

9683 Elk Grove Florin Road • elkgrovefineartscenter.org

This show captures the bold and delicious colors and shapes of desserts of all kinds depicted by Sacramento artists and friends Polly LaPorte and Robert Gonsowski. The Annual Art Tour showcases talented artists in the community and features an art raffle to support the center.

Run for a Safe Haven

My Sister’s House

Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 a.m.

William Land Park, corner of Sutterville Road and Freeport Boulevard • runforasafehaven.com

Join hundreds of runners and walkers and make a difference! Whether you participate in person or virtually, your support will help provide services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.

Sacramento Armenian Food Festival

St. James Armenian Apostolic Church of Sacramento

Saturday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

8071 Old Auburn Road • foodfestival.stjamessacramento.org

Don’t miss a night under the stars with live music, traditional Armenian dancing and authentic cuisine, including yalanchi (stuffed grape leaves), cheese boureg (cheese-filled phyllo triangles), taboule (parsley, tomato and bulgur salad) and paklava (phyllo layered with nuts and syrup).

Honoring Harry Fonseca Exhibition

Arthur F. Turner Library

Through Oct. 31

1212 Merkley Ave., West Sacramento • email: lvessell@sbcglobal.net

Celebrate the life and work of this internationally known West Sacramento artist of Nisenan Maidu, Portuguese and Hawaiian descent. The exhibit contains many Fonseca family photographs and other memorabilia related to his personal life and artistic endeavors.

“Dressing Sacramento: 120 Years of Fashion”

Sacramento State

Through Oct. 8, Tuesday–Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Saturday, noon–4 p.m.

University Library Gallery, 6000 J Street • csus.edu/university-galleries

This exhibit, from the Sacramento State Costume Collection, includes pieces from the Civil War, Roaring ‘20s, World War II, turbulent ‘60s and ‘80s, to outfits created by Sac State students in 2019. Paired with archival photos of local people and places, the exhibit puts fashion into historic, social and cultural context.

“Men and Motor Oil" by Charles Pyle at Blue Line Arts.

“Doughnut” by Polly LaPorte at Elk Grove Fine Arts Center.

My Sister’s House “Run for a Safe Haven” at William Land Park.

Reliquary & Arthur Sordillo’s Legacy Collection

Archival Gallery

Through Oct. 29

Second Saturday Reception Oct. 8, 5–8 p.m. 3223 Folsom Blvd. • archivalgallery.com

Enjoy this group show inspired by the ancient tradition of creating containers for relics. Featured artists include Phyllis Cottrell, Shenny Cruces, Lindsey Dillon, Al Farrow, Maureen Hood, Erin Martinelli, Corey Okada, Sean Royal, DL Thomas and Eric Wyss. On the front wall, find a legacy collection by the late Arthur Sordillo during his birthday month.

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

THEATRE GUIDE

DRACULA

Oct 7 – 30

Celebration Arts

2727 B St, Sac Celebrationsarts.net

Dracula fills the stage with eerie gothic grandness, its costumes and music will envelope you in its haunting world of evil temptation and transfix you from first bite. Johnathan Harker, a naïve real estate agent travels from warmth of Louisiana and through the cold, dark and mysterious Carpathian Mountains of Transylvania to meet with…Count Dracula! But when Dracula’s door creaks open, it is not the Count who greats Harker…but The Countess! And she is even more dangerous. She bends Harker to her will, then takes up residence at an estate in the American Bayou. Full of superstition and dark mystery of the Bayou and Carpathia, Dracula will seduce you and leave you hungry for more.

SPECIAL EVENT: Halloween Gala on October 29th post show. Include best costume contest, raffle prizes and Halloween treats. This production is for mature audiences only! It includes depictions of simulate violence, blood, gore, fog and strobe effects. Halloween costumes are encourage at the show. The script was written by Steven Dietz. Directed by Khimberly Marshall.

GLORIA

Oct 12 – Nov 13

Capital Stage 2215 J St, Sac Boxoffice@capstage.org

An ambitious group of editorial assistants at a prestigious Manhattanbased literary magazine are each chasing the same dream: a life as successful writers—and to get out of their cubicles before they turn thirty.

When a regular day at the office suddenly becomes anything but, the stakes for who will get to tell the careermaking story are higher than ever.

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD

Oct 8 – 30

B Street Theatre – Family Series The Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts

2700 Capitol Ave, Sac 408 679-2602

Based on the classic stories by Arnold Lobel, A Year with Frog and Toad leaps from the B Street stage! Follow two best friends, the cheerful Frog and the grumpy Toad, as they hop, sing, and dance their way through a year of adventure. As the seasons change from spring to fall, these beloved characters learn lessons about life and the importance of friendship.

EVENTS TO

“Two Thumbs of Santo Guerro” by Al Farrow at Archival Gallery.

3015HStreet,Sacramento

Make an Express Order

ACROSS 1 Toot your own horn 5 Waffle brand 9 Sound of a perfect basketball shot 14 Put to sleep, perhaps 15 Queen consort of Jordan 16 Japanese bread crumbs 17 *“You kids hush now!”

19 Muppet with a rubber duckie 20 Gambler’s wager 21 Genome molecule 22 Game of checkers? 23 Back talk 25 Ingredient in fries, informally 27 “Dropped” drug 30 *Flying saucer’s purpose 34 Artist Yoko 35 Christmas lights might hang from one 36 “Mad Men” hat 37 Gear teeth 39 Psychic power, briefly 41 Knighted fellows 42 Impede 45 Part of B.A. 48 Army bed 49 *When college students may hit the beach

51 Triage ctrs. 52 En pointe, in ballet 53 “Judge” of taste 55 It floats up the flue 57 He/him/___ 59 Big name in cubism? 63 Alumnae, e.g. 64 *Complete 180 (Note: The title hints at what can follow both words of each starred clue’s answer) 66 Declares 67 Diagram type with circles 68 Cut loose 69 Unlike this clue, which is far too wordy and could have simply been just “curt” 70 CEO, CFO, COO or CTO 71 “I’ve ___ better” DOWN 1 Jul. 4 cookouts 2 Defeat soundly 3 Big song at the Met 4 Some speak fluent Klingon 5 Finish 6 *“Talked your way out of that!” 7 Oscar night dress 8 Lavishly decorated

9 Titular org. in a 2015 Bond film

10 “Extreme Sour” candies

11 What only you can hear

12 Goes down a snowy hill, say 13 Tools to break up soil

18 Taunt 24 The aptly named business Face It, for one 26 DOJ division 27 Bodies of water that sound secure 28 Be nosy 29 One who makes a boxer look smart?

31 Labor activist Chavez 32 Editor’s catch 33 Isn’t just a fad

38 Bad eggs or rotten eggs 40 *“To continue in English, ___”

43 Like a strong feeling 44 “The GOAT” hides it 46 “The Joy Luck Club” author Amy 47 Hybrid activewear garment 50 “Act nice!” 54 Polishes 55 Sultan of ___ (Babe Ruth nickname) 56 “You’re in my way!” 58 Goat with curved horns 60 Naked 61 Slushy treat 62 Avid 65 Tar Heels’ sch.

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

Ahead of Time by Trent H. Evans

Sharon

SharonDarelli@gmail.com

Jackie@JackieMerchant.com