Inside Arden June 2024

THOMAS NARDINELLI

My phone has a contact called HOME, and when I call a landline rings 40 miles away.

Where all of our names and heights are marked in sharpie on the wall, and the tiny handprint out by the pool is mine.

If you are selling your family home, I understand and I would love to help you.

THOMAS NARDINELLI

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Born in East Sacramento, Thomas Nardinelli developed an appreciation for nature's bounty early in life. He later translated his passion into paintings where he utilizes vibrant colors and abstract forms to portray the intricate shapes and layers in flowers. He earned an MFA at Sac State in 1973. Shown: “Fading Hydrangea,” oil on canvas, 4 feet by 5 feet. The original is available for sale. Visit tomnardinelli.com.

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ARMY CORPS IGNORES CALLS FOR COMMUNITY INPUT

River levee in 2020

Nearly 300 people tuned in for a recent virtual “community conversation” with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Residents expected an open dialogue and answers to questions about erosion-control efforts along the lower American River.

Instead, they got scripted presentations, a history lesson dating back to the Gold Rush, more than 20 charts and graphs— and were left with a lot of unanswered questions.

“We were disappointed there wasn’t any kind of dialogue,” homeowner Pete Spaulding says.

Spaulding is with American River Trees, a citizens group calling for a less destructive approach to the Army

Corps’ erosion-control work along the American River from Howe Avenue to east of Watt Avenue.

American River Trees submitted 21 questions prior to the meeting.

“We coordinated with each other so we wouldn’t duplicate questions,”

Spaulding says. “Only one question was answered.”

The Army Corps received more than 900 comment letters on the lower American River project. At two previous virtual meetings, the Corps allowed the public to make comments and ask questions. The community is still waiting for answers.

“Not one time has there been a back and forth,” says resident Alicia Eastvold, whose house backs up to the river levee.

During the “community conversation,” County Supervisor Rich Desmond reported Army Corps officials escorted him and Supervisor Pat Hume on a field tour of the next phase of work.

more, I think a lot of concerns will be allayed.”

Educational for the supervisors, but what about the public? Concerns persist.

By Cathryn Rakich

“It was incredibly educational for me to learn more about this project,” Desmond said. “As the public learns

Sacramento lies at the confluence of the American and Sacramento rivers, making it one of the highest risk cities in the United States for severe flooding. In 2016, Congress approved flood-control improvements, which

included a risk-management plan to implement erosion control and bank protection along the Sacramento and American rivers.

Erosion-control work completed along the American River near River Park, Campus Commons and Sac State is intended to keep the city safe from catastrophic floods. The work has left the landscape and riverbank barren.

American River levee in 2024

Photos by Linda Smolek

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Desmond assured listeners the next phase will not result in the same devastation as Campus Commons. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. “It’s much narrower in a lot of areas.”

Yet established vegetation and hundreds of trees, including 300-yearold heritage oaks, are scheduled for removal.

Desmond reported the Army Corps is making efforts to preserve the habitat and protect the heritage oaks. “Unfortunately, we can’t protect all of them,” he said.

The Army Corps has not shared which heritage oaks will be removed.

Another concern involves Folsom Dam and the amount of water that can be released in an emergency. The Corps says improved release capacity from the dam means the levy system must be able to handle 160,000 cubic feet per second.

American River Trees disagrees. The group says documents by the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency show 115,000 cfs is sufficient.

“We are building around a fire hose,” Eastvold says. “In three years, we are going to lower that number and the trees will be gone.”

The Army Corps claims riprap (rock and rubble installed to protect shorelines) is required to prevent erosion. Improvements involve placing rock along the riverbank, covering it with soil to establish “planting benches” and revegetating the bank.

American River Trees says adding cobble and new plantings to augment existing trees would provide sufficient protection. Erosion at planting benches added near Sac State is already exposing riprap after normal rainfall and potentially preventing vegetation from fully returning.

“How are we going to plant something that’s going to last?” Eastvold asks. “How is it going to be a 300-year-old oak tree?”

For the upcoming work east of Howe Avenue, Spaulding says, “Let’s reexamine it with new models, new engineering with nature principles. Let’s redesign this and get community involvement while we’re doing it.”

The lower American River erosioncontrol project is scheduled to begin next summer.

Cathryn Rakich can be reached at crakich@surewest.net. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

34 years ago I was living in a charming home in Arden Park. After showing homes to a client, I needed to stop at my home to make an appointment. (No cell phones then.) Although my home was NOT for sale, the clients insisted that my home needed to be their home.

Fast forward to 2024 when the same clients called to say that it was time to sell their beautiful home after extensively remodeling it. The reason? Grandchildren in Southern California.

This home holds a special place in my heart. My husband and I had our first KISS on that very front porch so of course I insisted he come to the home and give me a kiss for luck.

This beauty just sold in 2 days for $255,000 over asking price! Give me a call and let’s start your future with a new home.

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More of your favorite local markets have reopened, some with summer hours.

The Midtown Farmers Market at 20th and K streets offers fresh fruit and produce, gourmet and locally made products, and artisan goods Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Oak Park Farmers Market is open Saturdays through November from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at McClatchy Park providing fresh food, friendly faces and free health services. Operated by the Food Literacy Center, the market offers a $20 EBT match program to bolster access to fresh, healthy food.

The Certified Farmers Market returns to Capitol Mall on Wednesdays

Local farmers markets are up and running.

By Jessica Laskey Out & About

from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October featuring food vendors, locally sourced groceries, baked goods, fresh flowers and more.

Bodega Days at Cesar Chavez Plaza is Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. through September with hot food, handmade goods and local produce. This season features live music every other week, ping-pong tables, cornhole, book carts and a playground.

GOOD TIMES ROLL

Strap on your skates! Ali Youssefi Square at Seventh and K streets is being transformed into the Downtown Roller Rink.

The roller rink will be a hub of community activity, offering public roller-skating sessions, music, dance, family-friendly entertainment and pop-ups.

“We envision this roller rink becoming a source of pride for our community, bringing us closer together as we embrace all the wonderful activities our city has to offer,” says Damian Lynch, co-owner of local entertainment brand HOF (Hall of

FARMERS MARKETS OFFER MORE THAN FRESH PRODUCE

Fame), which is helping launch the rink.

The Downtown Roller Rink will be open June 28 through Sept. 17. Hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays, 2–9 p.m., and Fridays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission is $10 for children 6 and younger, and $20 for regular admission, including skate rental. For information, visit downtownrollerrink.com.

POPS IN PARK

Back for its 32nd year is Pops in the Park, presented by former City Council member Jeff Harris, Friends of East Sacramento, city of Sacramento and East Sacramento Community Association.

The lineup features Clean Slate on June 1 at East Portal Park, Apple Z on June 8 at Bertha Henschel Park, Cassie B on June 15 at McKinley Park and Mumbo Gumbo on June 22 at Glenn Hall Park.

The free Saturday concerts begin at 6 p.m. Food, beer and wine are available for

purchase. For information, visit eastsacpopsinthepark.org.

BOOK FESTIVAL

After a long hiatus, Sacramento Book Festival returns thanks to California Writers Club Sacramento Branch in partnership with McKinley Park Farmers Market.

The festival features authors selling and discussing their books, and club member talks about writing, publishing and marketing.

The festival takes place Sunday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at McKinley Park. For information, visit cwcsacramentowriters.org.

PLAZA CONCERTS

Concerts in the Park, sponsored by Downtown Sacramento Partnership, returns to Cesar Chavez Plaza every Friday from 5–9 p.m. through July 26 (except July 5).

The series features nearly 60 national and local bands and DJs, vendors and special events, such as a

Free health and wellness classes are held in Midtown.

vintage market, silent disco and beauty bar.

“We’re excited this year to provide more spaces and platforms for local creatives and create a unique experience for Sacramento,” Downtown Sacramento Partnership Executive Director Michael Ault says.

For information, visit godowntownsac.com.

SUMMER CAMPS

The Carmichael Recreation and Park District offers children’s day camps at La Sierra Community Center.

Activities include sports, games, art, dance and music, plus field and swim trips supervised by park and rec staff.

Camps run June 10 through Aug. 9 (no camp June 19 and July 4) Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Voyager Camp is for ages 5–8, Explorer Camp for ages 9–11 and Teen Camp for ages 12–14.

Weekly fees are $210 (residents) and $220 (nonresidents). Register in person at La Sierra Community Center or online at carmichaelpark.com.

Registration is first come, first served.

Stick around on the first Thursday of each month for Carmichael Food Truck Night from 5–8 p.m.

CULTURAL PROGRAMS

Looking to expand your knowledge this summer? The Renaissance Society at Sacramento State offers free cultural

programs for older adults on Fridays from June 7 through Aug. 2.

Topics include African American history, culture and textile arts, Mexican murals and Latin American arts, and Chinese and Japanese traditional music. Two optional visits to the university’s new planetarium are offered.

For information or to register, visit csus.edu/rensoc.

SINGER SCHOLARSHIPS

Congratulations to the winners of the Sacramento Master Singers 2024 Young Choral Singers Scholarship.

The winners are (ages 20–22) Jordan Yang, University of the Pacific, and Mia Janosik, University of the Pacific; (ages 17–19) Linnea Tamaki, UC Davis, and Natalie Odell, St. Francis High School; and (ages 14–16) Katherine Hwang, St. Francis High School, Lucy Lederer, St. Francis High School, and Misha Lucina, Folsom High School.

Sacramento Master Singers has awarded more than $30,000 to young singers in the Sacramento area. For information, visit mastersingers.org.

MIDTOWN WELLNESS

Free “Fresh Air: Midtown Parks” health and wellness classes are available in Midtown.

Strength and Mobility Training is on Mondays from 4–5 p.m. at Marshall Park. Zumba with Jackie is

Concerts in the Park is at Cesar Chavez Plaza on Fridays. Photo courtesy of Downtown Sacramento/Mickey Morrow

on Tuesdays from 9–10 a.m. at Muir Park. Yoga with Yoga Moves Us is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6–7 p.m. at Fremont Park, and Fridays

from 6–7 p.m. at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park. Bootcamp with Jarita is on Wednesdays from 6–7 p.m. at Winn Park.

Workouts are open to all ages and fitness levels. For information, visit midtownparks.org.

ROCK THE BLOCK

Nearly 400 volunteers put in 3,000 hours over two days working with Oak Park residents to complete 15 home repairs and five community projects.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento’s Rock the Block initiative gives low-income families and seniors peace of mind in their own homes.

“I’m recently widowed and without this, I probably would have had to sell my house,” a homeowner says.

For information, visit habitatgreatersac.org/rocktheblock.

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 and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Fair Oaks Blvd, Ste 30. Sacramento

Le’la Aaron hesitated when her older sister Adina encouraged her to join Breakthrough Sacramento. Who wants to go to school during the summer? But the decision to join the tuition-free college preparatory program changed her life.

“Breakthrough was the most helpful in that I got extra attention and I had more time to understand each topic before it was brought up in the classroom the next year, so I was already somewhat ahead,” says Aaron, a UC Davis freshman.

For 30 years, Breakthrough Sacramento has provided intensive, six-week academic programs during the summer for under-resourced students

in seventh through 12th grades on the campus of Sacramento Country Day School.

Breakthrough students take classes in subjects such as science, math and language arts. Courses are taught by college and high school students as part of Breakthrough’s innovative pre-professional training program. Teaching interns receive mentorship from professional educators who give feedback and assistance.

“Being part of every single step of Breakthrough made me able to realize things from different points of view,” says Aaron, who started as a student, then became a volunteer teacher’s aide and is now in her third year as a teaching intern. “It let me know what I like and don’t like and helped me give back to the community because I once was in their position.”

Big Break

FREE COLLEGE-PREP PROGRAM HELPS CLOSE ACHIEVEMENT GAP

“In order for them to be able to apply to a UC or CSU, students must complete A through G courses in high school,” explains Faith Galati, Breakthrough Sacramento executive director. “Every student we have is on track to take those and more rigorous classes and get some APs under their belt, so when they apply to college, they’re ready.”

Assistance doesn’t stop with summer. Breakthrough offers year-round tutoring and monthly experiential learning opportunities, such as skiing, hiking, camping and attending sports games and arts performances, which “help form a more dynamic young person,” Galati says.

Students and families receive high school advising, college counseling and assistance navigating financial aid.

tests). They’re equally smart but the opportunity just isn’t there.”

Aaron, who got into 27 universities before choosing UC Davis, knows how much Breakthrough helped.

“I knew I wanted to go to college, but I never had a dream college, so I felt like the program would help me decide and help me prepare for each next grade level,” says Aaron, who joined Breakthrough before her seventh-grade year at Miwok (formerly Sutter) Middle School. “The program benefited me in so many ways.”

“I tell people about Breakthrough all the time,” she continues. “If people are younger, they should definitely be involved. It’s beneficial to be there at this age right now, especially if you want to be teacher. It gives you a taste of what it’s like.”

By Jessica Laskey

Giving Back: Volunteer Profile

Breakthrough’s classes give students a leg up on basic academic skills, as well as specific high school requirements that help position them for college admission.

“When you look at the state of education in California and our region in particular, there’s a high number of low-income, under-resourced, marginalized youth,” Galati says. “Economically disadvantaged students score half or a third as well as their more financially secure peers (on state

For information, visit breakthroughsac.org.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Faith Galati

Photo by Linda Smolek

Le’la Aaron

Pops Tops

Big Crush Dance Band plays at McKinley Park in 2022.

The budget proposed by City Manager Howard Chan reflects drastic steps required to close a $66 million deficit.

Chan wants to cover $36 million of the gap with one-time funds—money that’s not part of the city’s predictable cash flow of sales and property taxes and fees. That means without cuts or new income next year, budget problems will continue.

I’m encouraged to see citizens get involved and tell City Council where public priorities lie. Speaking to your representative is essential.

MUSIC SERIES SAFE FOR NOW, BUT FUTURE UNCERTAIN

By Jeff Harris City Realist

One strategy for fiscal year 2024-25 calls for increasing income by raising fees for park programs and special events.

As Pops in the Park enters its 32nd year, the series is impacted by these developments. Park permit fees and labor costs have ballooned. It’s getting difficult to continue the Pops concert series. But I set money aside during my years on City Council specifically for Pops.

I hope Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s office can make a contribution as it did last year. Along with substantial fundraising, I’m pleased to say the show will go on this June.

Of all the free community events sponsored by the city, Pops is the most beloved and best attended. What’s not to like about free concerts in a park on a summer evening, enjoying family, friends and community?

Pops is Sacramento at its best, a great opportunity to dance the night

away. As always, we’ve organized beer and wine gardens with food for sale.

This year’s lineup features three bands new to Pops and one favorite for 30 years.

A newcomer with exceptional vocals and horn section opens the program June 1 at East Portal Park. Clean Slate plays soul, funk and R&B, and should kick off the month in grand style.

Next up is Apple Z on June 8 at Bertha Henschel Park. This popular band has played around town for years.

The following weekend, June 15 at McKinley Park, I wanted to do something special. People have asked for more female artists. Working toward that goal, I got a call from San Diego singer Cassie B. She heard about Pops and wondered if she could perform.

After I heard Cassie and her band, the answer was obvious. Playing originals and covers in a unique style, Cassie B will have a Sacramento fan club by the end of her show.

Having lived in River Park for 34 years, I’m partial to shows performed in my neighborhood. An old favorite, Mumbo Gumbo, returns June 22.

It’s been about five years since Mumbo Gumbo played Pops. These are some of the best musicians in town. Some of the nicest people, too. I’m proud to have them for the season finale.

What’s next for Pops? Since I’m no longer on City Council and lack a city budget to support the program, I can’t say. This season depletes the money I set aside for the series.

I hope newly elected Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum finds funds to move Pops forward. You can be sure I’ll discuss it with him.

Jeff Harris represented District 3 on City Council from 2014 to 2022. He can be reached at cadence@mycci. net. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Enemy Is Us

HOUSING CRISIS COMES DOWN TO POLICY CHOICES

G D GD

By Gary Delsohn Building Our Future

Dan Dunmoyer, president and CEO of the California Building Industry Association, likes to cite numbers when asked about the state’s housing crisis.

“In 1963, we built 331,000 homes in California and the population was half what it is now,” he says. “Last year, we built about 120,000 and we have a population at least twice that size.”

We can do the math. Prices are driven largely by supply and demand. California is woefully short on supply.

To dig deeper and get the homebuilder perspective, I reached out to Dunmoyer, who I enjoyed working with when I was Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s speechwriter. Dunmoyer was the governor’s cabinet secretary, juggling multiple complex issues.

But first, Dunmoyer politely corrected me. We don’t have a housing crisis. We have a housing policy crisis.

“We, the great people of California in our infinite wisdom for the last 40 years—and not because we don’t like housing—have made policy choices that when stacked upon each other have created this conundrum that could be fixed if we confront the policy issues,” he says.

Excessive fees on builders. Repetitive and expensive environmental reviews that can go on for years. Decades of scattered no-growth politics. The requirement to pay prevailing wage for a project with a public subsidy. Singlefamily zoning laws that limit housing options.

These are just some of the policy issues that helped create the supplyand-demand chasm.

“But it’s also fixable,” Dunmoyer says. “If you get rid of the fees and all the delays, you’ve fixed the problem. That’s the policy side. These are two issues that every other state, whether it’s blue, red, navy or bright red, they have not duplicated the mistakes we’ve made.”

What policies would he like to see? He would keep the California Environmental Quality Act signed in 1970 by Gov. Ronald Regan. But Dunmoyer would limit the review for housing projects to a one-time analysis.

Dan Dunmoyer

Photo by Linda Smolek

In California, a project gets scrutinized for all its environmental impacts—water, air quality, traffic, wildlife and more. This comes after city or county approval, when just about anyone can file a CEQA appeal and delay development.

Reasonable people agree we need thoughtful environmental analysis. But the stories of abuse and delay are legendary, including the example of a San Francisco Boy Scout, age 16, who tied up a condominium project for 18 months.

It’s a case I learned about in the excellent 2020 book “Golden Gates: The Housing Crisis and a Reckoning for the American Dream,” by New York Times economics reporter Conor Dougherty.

Dunmoyer likes how Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a housing and homelessness state of emergency. With the stroke of a pen, she cut through much of the red tape that makes housing, particularly affordable housing, time consuming and difficult.

“She stopped excessive fees. She stopped permitting delays. She stopped over-zealous CEQA activity and she stopped the high cost of labor,” he says.

The state Legislature passed many housing bills in recent years. Dunmoyer believes most have not had much

impact. Exceptions are legislation allowing accessory dwelling units in single-family neighborhoods.

He’s particularly pleased with Senate Bill 330 from Sen. Nancy Skinner, a progressive Berkeley Democrat. The bill cut the number of hearings and other obstacles that delay projects.

“You have to have hearings,” he says. “She didn’t do way with hearings, but you can’t have 40 or 50 hearings on one project.”

High interest rates hurt homebuilders and buyers, but Dunmoyer is encouraged by shifts in public opinion.

“More and more people recognize that the housing shortage is changing California in a negative way,” he says. “What’s also driving people is the fact that their kids can’t afford to stay here. So, they’re thinking, maybe it’s OK to have some duplexes in my neighborhood and it’s not the end of Western civilization.”

Gary Delsohn can be reached at gdelsohn@gmail.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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Midtown Magic

NEW HOME IS PERFECT FOR URBAN ENVIRONMENT

John Hodgson and Sheila Boxley acquired their new Midtown home almost nine years ago. The builder was Indie Capital known for stylish infill projects.

“We had been looking and saw it on an open house tour,” Hodgson says. “We liked everything about it.”

Previously, the couple owned suburban homes and townhouses. “Then we even lived for a while in a loft unit at 1801 L St.,” he adds.

The new house was built in the center of a Midtown block with alley access to a two-car garage. The lot was 40 by 160 feet. “Nate, the Indie Capital contractor, split the lot to create this home’s footprint,” Hodgson says.

The home has two stories, three bedrooms, two and a half baths, an open entry and combined great room for the kitchen, dining and

By Cecily Hastings

Photography by Aniko Kiezel

Open House

John Hodgson and Sheila Boxley

living areas. The great room faces a compact backyard and patio.

Each partner has their own office space on different floors. Both are retired professionals.

The exterior has Craftsman design influences with a modern touch. The front entrance off the alley features a low horizontal wood slat fence that provides privacy to the covered front entry. Natural wood trellising adds design interest.

The attached garage was important to the couple, given the parking limitations of Midtown.

Combining households later in life can be dicey, but the couple seems to have managed. “The backyard is mine, complete with my vegetable garden,” Hodgson says. “And my grand piano is the main feature of the living room, so I’m happy.”

Boxley loves the modern cook’s kitchen. “Plus, when I’m cooking, John serenades me on his piano,” she says with a smile. The kitchen features a combination of dark gray and white cabinets, sleek white quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances.

Much of the rest of the home was furnished with new items the couple selected together. Their artwork reflects their combined tastes.

Furnishings blend contemporary style with subtle colors and textures. The walls are a clean white, the floors naturally finished oak. Accent colors are shades of blue and teal.

The center stairwell has the horizontal slats design seen on the entry fence. “The stairwell is the center of the house and provides a whole well of lights at all hours,” Hodgson says. “It lights up all the rooms in the house.”

“My favorite part of this home is the great room windows, and light and openness,” he notes.

“We both love living in a brand-new house. After many years of home ownership, it’s nice not to have to worry about repairs. The maintenance is a breeze,” Boxley says. “And I love the community in the central city.”

“This Midtown location is perfect for us. It’s much quieter than the Handle District where our loft was located,” Hodgson says.

Adds Boxley, “We are both very healthy and hope to stay here as long as possible.”

To recommend a home or garden, contact cecily@insidepublications.com. More photography and previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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High Flyer

Alice Astafan has a story to tell. “Not many people are born on a cotton farm and get to the Pentagon,” the Carmichael resident says.

From her humble start to lofty success in the U.S. Air Force, Astafan is the rare woman who reached the rank of major general. Her second star made her the first and only woman reservist—including all service branches—to attain the two-star rank at that time.

Astafan’s memoir, “Lady Leader Leaves Lasting Legacy: From the Cotton Patch to the Pentagon and Beyond,” was published last November by

R K RK

By Rebecca Kuzins Meet Your Neighbor

AIR FORCE GENERAL

AuthorHouse. The book tracks her life from a farm in Oakman, Alabama, a town of about 800, to the heights of military service.

“I loved my upbringing, but I didn’t want to be a farmer’s wife for the rest of my life,” Astafan, 85, says.

One of nine children, Astafan attended University of Alabama on a scholarship, working her way through school. After graduation in 1960, she enrolled in an Air Force program in which cadets received 12 weeks of training and served a minimum of three years, starting as lieutenants.

Her first assignments took her to Massachusetts and England. Throughout her 38-year career, Astafan specialized in logistics, supporting combat units by providing transportation, supplies and other services.

The Air Force she entered was not today’s military. Women couldn’t attend flight school and serve as pilots. They couldn’t engage in combat. Pregnant women or women with small children were barred from active duty.

Astafan overcame the limitations by focusing on her job and working with male bosses and colleagues.

“I had 42 bosses who wrote my appraisals,” she says. “Not a one of them ever said or did anything inappropriate.”

While stationed at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, she met Peter Astafan, a civilian base employee. They fell in love and married in 1968.

After her honeymoon, Astafan was assigned to Thailand. The Vietnam War was underway. She received a Bronze Star for her work, which included arranging for an aerospace rescue and recovery squadron to relocate to Thailand from Vietnam. She counts her participation in the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) military exercise, Project Sea Spirit, as her greatest achievement while in Thailand.

After attaining the rank of major, Astafan left active duty to become a reservist, moving to Carmichael in 1973 and giving birth to her son Patrick. Her ascent continued: She was promoted to brigadier general in 1988 while serving at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Returning to McClellan in 1992, she was assigned to serve as the mobilization assistant to the highest-ranking logistician at the Pentagon.

Within a year she received her second star and became a Major General. But the promotion was diminished by her son’s struggle with leukemia. She juggled schedules between Pentagon duties and caring for Patrick in Carmichael and other locations where he received medical treatment.

Patrick died in 1994. Astafan and Peter established two scholarships in Patrick’s honor, one for students in the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at Sacramento State (the Patrick Astafan Balanced Man Scholarship), another at Oklahoma Christian University.

Astafan retired from the Air Force in 1998 and for a decade served as chief executive of The Federal Technology Center (FTC) in North Highlands. The FTC’s mission is to promote economic development by facilitating technology transfer between government and the private sector, helping small businesses successfully compete for government contracts Many small California businesses won government contracts with the aid of The FTC. The center ranked number one among 93 centers nationwide, and Astafan credits her outstanding employees for this achievement.

She served on numerous boards, including the Eskaton Foundation and Eskaton corporate board, and Oak Ridge Associated Universities in Oakridge, Tennessee. Govs. Jerry Brown and Gavin Newsom appointed her to the Governor’s Military Council.

Astafan began writing her book in 2016, when she was taking a memoir class with writer Inside Sacramento alumnus Kelli Wheeler. She stopped writing when Peter became ill and resumed after his death in 2021.

Astafan wrote her book to inspire readers to overcome modest circumstances and strive for success. “The opportunities are still there,” she says. “You just have to see the possibilities. I did it. You can do it, too.”

“Lady Leader” is available for $42.99 in print or $3.99 for ebook at authorhouse.com.

Rebecca Kuzins can be reached at kuzins63@att. net. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

SHE SOARED FROM ALABAMA TO

Alice Astafan

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

• Two out of three seniors will exhaust their savings within a year of entering a skilled nursing home.

• You didn’t save your whole life to have that happen.

• With the right long-term care planning, you can cover the cost and leave a legacy.

• The best time to start planning is often before crisis hits.

Do you ever worry about the cost of long-term care? Call me for a free consultation. Learn how you can achieve peace of mind. Or visit www.wyattlegal.com.

It’s Only Natural

EAST SAC FAMILY HANDCRAFTS BATH AND BODY CARE

It’s fitting that the name for Angela Borge’s all-natural bath- and body-care company came from her parents’ garden.

“I had been wanting to start an herbal business, but the names I’d come up with just weren’t connecting,” the Sacramento native says. “Then I was outside at my parents’ house in East Sac and suddenly heard ‘Humble Bee Herbal’ in my head. It was perfect.”

Borge is a devotee of natural skincare, mostly out of necessity. An almond intolerance led her to study herbalism and make her own skincare for years. But it wasn’t until she joined

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By Jessica Laskey

Meet Your Neighbor

forces with her mom Jeanine, a retired third-grade teacher, when Humble Bee Herbal took off.

After moving to New York for fashion school, Borge discovered snow depressed her and she preferred a career where she could “help people feel good about themselves,” she says. After returning to California to study social work at Humboldt State, Borge and her mom were browsing in a bookshop when they found a book on soap making. It was 2012, and a business was born.

“The first time we made soap in our kitchen, we stirred it for hours and hours, looking for ‘trace’ (the stage at which the ingredients have emulsified enough to be considered soap),” Borge recalls. “We stirred all day and at the end, we had soap. It didn’t look great, but it smelled wonderful and it was just the coolest thing. We were hooked.”

For the next several years, Borge and her mom made soap for everyone they knew and gradually expanded their lines. Now they make all kinds of soaps, from facial to shampoo, plus skincare products for everyone. “Skincare tends

to be female-focused,” Borge says, “but we wanted to do the whole gender spectrum.”

As far as what’s in their products, more important is what’s not in them. They don’t use artificial scents, colors, palm oil, almond oil or animal fats. They opt for natural colorants, pure essential oils and ethically sourced ingredients such as local beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter and herbs from their garden to make luxuriousfeeling products with a minimum of potential irritants at an affordable price.

“Everyone should be able to afford good skincare products,” Borge says.

In keeping with their all-natural aesthetic, Humble Bee Herbal products are sold in eco-friendly packaging that’s mostly glass, metal or paper that can be reused, recycled or refilled. The adorable logo was designed by Borge and brought to life by her brother Matteo, an artist who relocated from Oakland to East Sac to join the business in 2019.

Humble Bee Herbal products are available online, at Oak Park and Midtown farmers markets, and in local stores including The Bee Box (where they buy beeswax for soaps), Unseen Heroes, The Atrium, Summer Moon and more. High demand means the trio works every day in Matt’s converted garage.

“My brother and I have a vision of one day not only having a store but also a community center where people can come and take classes on how to make their own skincare, bring their art to sell and just be together—a gathering spot around being creative,” Borge says. “Returning back home and feeling supported by the community has been really wonderful.”

For information, visit humblebeeherbal.com.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Angela, Jeanine and Matteo Borge

Photo by Val Leddy

Home Equity Line of Credit Loan

*The initial Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is currently 6.75% 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 8.125%. The maximum APR that can apply any time during your HELOC is 15%. 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.

The way Jacob GutiérrezMontoya sees it, “my whole life has been about intersections, how paths cross, and what can grow from that.”

Gutiérrez-Montoya has worn many hats in his decades as a creative in Sacramento and beyond. From a young age, he was involved in theater and dance. He majored in dance at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His professional career as a performer, choreographer and dance

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By Jessica Laskey

Meet

Your Neighbor

Heartstrings Connector

DANCE THEATER COMPANY RAISES MONEY FOR OTHERS

Contemporary Dance Theatre is the culmination of that desire. The company partners with regional nonprofits for fundraising performances throughout the year.

Past (and often recurring) partners include Agape International, Habitat for Humanity, NorCal Services for Deaf & Hard of Hearing, Saint John’s Program for Real Change, Shriners Children’s of Northern California and more.

Jacob Gutiérrez-Montoya

by Aniko Kiezel

educator carried him around the world, but he’s still connected to home.

In 2010, he started teaching dance at Hawkins School of Performing Arts in Folsom and became co-owner in 2016.

Next month, he takes over as majority owner. He also works as B Street Theatre’s director of development and community partnerships.

Gutiérrez-Montoya’s proudest professional achievement is Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre, a nonprofit company he founded in 2014.

“I always felt this need to create something personal,” Gutiérrez-Montoya says over coffee near the Oak Park home he shares with his husband, Elio, and two dogs. “I always thought, what am I making (art) for? My heart and mind were seeking a purpose behind the creation. I wanted to surround myself with people who care about doing good in the world.”

Each performance has a “heartstrings connection” to its partner. One company member is an American Sign Language interpreter, so the 2016 performance integrated sign language with contemporary dance to benefit Camp Grizzly, a Calaveras County center for deaf, hard of hearing and children of deaf adults.

Because many Contemporary Dance Theatre collaborators work to combat complex problems, such as human trafficking, homelessness, mental health and life-threatening illnesses, Gutiérrez-Montoya doesn’t shy from tough topics with his dancers.

“Our company is all 18 or older because we feature mature content and have conversations about the world that are hard. We want this to be a safe space to talk freely,” he says.

Deep involvement in the community leads to cool projects. There’s the “I Got Your Back” campaign founded by Mulvaney’s B&L owners Bobbin and Patrick Mulvaney. The project addresses mental health struggles in the restaurant industry.

Contemporary Dance Theatre’s performance “Behind the Apron” benefited the campaign and is included in a documentary that premieres on PBS in July.

The dance company celebrates 10 years of service June 14 at The Sofia. The performance features 10-minute excerpts from each of the past shows. A photography exhibit by Chris Kisela of CMYK Photography featuring SCDT dancers is displayed upstairs in The Sofia’s Jacquelyn Gallery Annex for two months.

Gutiérrez-Montoya feels reflective about the anniversary. He recalls that the first grant Contemporary Dance Theatre received was $1,000 in 2015 from the Bee. Earlier this year, the company was awarded a $30,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente.

Now Gutiérrez-Montoya looks ahead.

“I’m already thinking, what does 20 years look like?” he says. “I think our partnerships speak volumes. These are pillars of our community and we’re standing with them. It helps you see that what you’re doing in the world matters.”

SCDT’s 10th anniversary show is June 14 at 7 p.m. at The Sofia, 2700 Capitol Ave. For tickets and information, visit scdtheatre.org.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Photo

South

Walk This Way

At home, Albert is calm and relaxed, indifferent to cats and other canines. The scruffy mutt takes treats with gentility and shares toys like a gentleman.

Leashed walks are a different story. At the sight of another dog, large or small, Albert is a model for leash aggression.

CR CR

By Cathryn Rakich Animals & Their Allies

“He barks and spins uncontrollably and aggressively,” Albert’s owner Nicole Martin says. “And lunges in the direction of the other dog.”

Dogs with leash aggression, also called fear reactivity, will bark, lunge, snarl and snap at other dogs, sometimes people, while on leash. An afternoon stroll becomes a physical and emotional struggle for dog and owner.

“A lot of different variables can contribute to a dog being reactive on leash,” says trainer Dana McKellips, owner of Peaceful Pets Pet Care in Sacramento. Fear, anxiety, lack of socialization and past negative experiences can be contributing factors.

Leashing a dog takes away his choice of flight, McKellips says. “When a dog sees a trigger, they go into fight or flight mode.” A leashed dog cannot

escape, and instead becomes aggressive to protect himself.

The negative reaction increases when the stimulus or trigger moves closer into the dog’s comfort zone. When the dog barks, the threat moves away. “In their minds that behavior worked, so in the absence of other coping skills they will continue to rehearse that behavior,” McKellips says.

“Your dog is not trying to be bad. They are having big feelings about something and don’t know what else to do.”

McKellips suggests walking dogs in areas where they are less likely to encounter triggers. When the canine comes across another dog, calmly move away.

“Don’t pull over and have your dog stop to wait for it to pass,” McKellips says. “This increases the time that your dog is seeing the trigger.” If a trigger is walking toward your dog, create distance by crossing the street or changing direction. “Distance is your friend.”

Play the “search” game. When another pooch is in sight, throw high-value treats in front of your dog and say “search.” This distracts the dog, keeping him focused on treats instead of the other canine.

“We avoid other dogs and keep Albert focused on us with training treats,” says Martin, who lives with her family in Arden Park. “We also talk to him in an attempt to calm him down and pick him up in order to walk away.”

McKellips says never punish or yell, which can increase fear and anxiety, and make negative behaviors worse.

“Your dog’s feelings may not make sense to you, but they are valid and very real to them,” McKellips says. “Punishment tells your dog that what they are feeling doesn’t matter and can lead to more behavior issues and deteriorate your relationship with your dog.”

A professional trainer who specializes in behavior modification can help manage or reduce leash reactivity. Learning basic commands will ease stress and anxiety on walks.

A trainer can also evaluate the dog to determine if it’s a typical case of leash aggression or a medical condition causing pain or discomfort that is triggering the unwelcome behavior.

“A lot of times nervous, fearful or anxious dogs can benefit from medication, which will also help their training,” McKellips says. In Albert’s case, his veterinarian prescribed an anti-anxiety drug.

McKellips says, “I want guardians of reactive dogs to know that it can get better!”

Cathryn Rakich can be reached at crakich@ surewest.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

DOGS WITH LEASH AGGRESSION, ALSO CALLED FEAR REACTIVITY, WILL BARK, LUNGE, SNARL AND SNAP AT OTHER DOGS, SOMETIMES PEOPLE, WHILE ON LEASH.

Dana McKellips with Albert

Project Eternity

THEIR GARDEN COMES TOGETHER, 25 YEARS LATER

By Dan Vierria Garden Jabber

Buddhist monk Shunryu Suzuki proclaimed, “A garden is never finished.” Ever changing, gardens evolve and aren’t frozen in time. Trees grow, leaves fall, perennials fade, tastes change. Evolution dodges closure.

Michael and Peggy Bachman can appreciate Suzuki’s Zen teachings.

Living in the same Carmichael home for 25 years, their front yard is a

half-shaved mustache. One side of the garden is stunning. The other is stubble, a weedy, overgrown mess of gardening yin and yang.

What was transformed a year ago is now a neighborhood attraction, a marriage of stone, statuary, tile, a fountain and Mediterranean plants. The design was inspired by a trip to Greece. Michael built the walls and

applied his handyman talents to tiling, stucco and concrete work.

To reduce water usage and maintenance, a patch of artificial turf surrounds three fruitless olive trees. After a failed first attempt, the couple hired professionals to install the turf. In loveable defiance to Peggy, Michael sneaked a fig tree alongside a pomegranate near the driveway.

“There has been a lot of compromising,” she says.

Opposite the driveway, the Bachmans planted a dozen fruit trees and built raised beds for vegetables. Overgrown magnolias and evergreens damaged the old driveway but were removed for sunlight.

The landscaping project has been long and mostly without mishap. The completed half of the front yard is striking enough for public attention. Neighbors the Bachmans never met before stop and strike up conversations about plants and design elements.

“People pull up in their cars and say, ‘Your yard is so beautiful!’” Peggy says. “People walk by and start up a conversation. Michael now knows the neighbors.”

Time was a rare commodity for Michael Bachman. Working in road construction for Teichert, he commuted from Carmichael to Tracy five, sometimes six days a week. A voracious reader, his limited free time involved books, music and art, all amply displayed at home.

Landscaping was last on the list, leaving a weedy backyard and overgrown, neglected front yard, dual eyesores. A fountain intended for the front yard remained in pieces for 20 years.

“We just didn’t have the time for it,” Michael says. “I always had the intent, just not the time and energy when I was working.”

He and Peggy, now retired from Kaiser, continue to plan landscape

Peggy Bachman

Photo by Linda Smolek

• Nestled in the sought-after, Gated Crocker Grove Village

• Bright & Airy Living with High-End Finishes Throughout

• Gorgeous Chef’s Kitchen

• Private Low Maintenance Backyard

• Tranquil Living in Unbeatable Location

changes. The unfinished half of the front yard has two large camphor trees destined for removal, and scattered weeds. The area was dotted with volunteer privets and other uninvited woody guests.

What finally motivated the couple to venture outdoors? “Nagging,” Peggy says, had something to do with it.

The first years in the home, Michael remodeled the interior, followed by backyard landscaping. The backyard, once overgrown with weeds, now boasts a pool and entertainment space surrounded by tropical plants.

Four towering palms trucked from Tracy to Carmichael lend an island resort ambience backdrop to the pool. Honeysuckle, white ginger lily, cannas, bird of paradise and bamboo allow privacy, beauty and fragrance.

Neither of the Bachmans had much experience in gardening. Michael mowed lawn as a child. Peggy mowed lawn as an adult.

Michael became the planner. He wandered nurseries, drove through neighborhoods for ideas and scoured the internet. He likes succulents, yucca, salvias and fragrant plants.

Peggy is a persistent weeder. “I hate weeds,” she says. Peggy is partial to evergreen trees, plants that attract

hummingbirds, bees and butterflies, and turf grass.

When it was time to plant, Michael dug holes and positioned plants. Peggy tucked them into the soil.

Michael has plans for the unfinished front yard.

“It is going to be a dark garden,” he says. “By dark, I mean red and purple foliage and flowers. Lots of flowering plants.”

Asked about his timeline, he says finishing a bathroom remodel is first priority. The remaining front yard landscaping will wait.

“It is going to be done last year,” he says.

“And we are still married!” Peggy Bachman adds.

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 and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Lights Out

DRESSING IN DARKNESS CAN LEAVE YOU EXPOSED

Whenever I meet fellow veterans, we often engage in some good-natured ribbing. I set up the first joke by announcing that I’m an Air Force vet. This inevitably invokes the response, “Oh, you mean you’re a Chair Force vet.”

I understand the nickname because Air Force members occupied a lot of chairs doing technical work in places such as Cyber Command and Space Command.

I met those seat-techies in 1994, on my first active-duty assignment at Onizuka Air Force Station in Sunnyvale.

Declassified that same year, Onizuka was dubbed the “Blue Cube” because of its shape, color and lack of windows.

Outside the cube sat three parabolic dish antennas that chair jockeys in blue jumpsuits used for “flying” military satellites.

A few miles away, I sat in a chair at our chapel offices on Moffett Field, a former Navy base transferred to NASA. My workday often included planning worship, counseling and meeting with staff.

In those days before 9/11, chaplains wore uniforms of sky-blue shirts and dark blue pants that resembled Dockers. We called the ensemble our “blues.” Add rank, name tag and a Protestant cross, and I became an instant chaplain.

I wore the same uniform for monthly weekend duty as a USAF reservist, so I quickly mastered the routine for daily wear. We had no one inspecting us for proper haircuts, uniforms or shoe shining. We were all friends and “trusted professionals.”

With a 7:30 a.m. daily start, I’d often suit up in my darkened bedroom on summer mornings while my family slept.

By Norris Burkes Spirit Matters

Early one morning I decided to bypass office work to make a few visits around the cube. I walked through classified work areas, introduced myself and offered encouraging words.

I returned to the office before lunch having done some good chaplain-type work.

“Good,” that is until I was greeted by Janet, our chapel manager and noncommissioned officer in charge.

Janet was a law-and-order manager, good with regulations and policies. She had a sharp eye for details that helped her chaplains stay sharp.

I knew something was up when she asked, “What are you wearing today, Chaplain?”

Her question sent me inspecting my shirt for uneaten breakfast.

“Look farther down,” she said.

Forget the friendly “Chair Force.” I was beginning to feel like a recruit standing before a drill instructor.

Finally, unable to hold her snicker, she said, “Those can’t be your uniform pants.”

“Why?” I asked, still staring at my well-creased blue pants.

“They look more like Levi Dockers than official Air Force Blues.”

Suddenly I was the picture of patriotism—a red face on a white man wearing blue pants.

She was right. In my haste to dress in my darkened room, I’d donned my Levi’s ultimate chino straight fit

instead of my Air Force poly/wool pants.

There’s no telling how many airmen on my morning rounds noticed the Dockers. But like the people in Hans Christian Andersen’s fable, “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” they said nothing.

The sergeant was the only one brave enough to call out her proud chaplain for his “nakedness.”

I tried minimizing my mistake with the adage, “No one’s perfect. We all put our pants on one leg at a time.”

“Still,” she said, “Perhaps chaplains ought to heed the Jesus protocol and ‘Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect’” (Matthew 5:48).

She added, “I think even Jesus might tell you that perfection begins with first choosing the right pants.”

I returned home to change pants. My defense never had a leg to stand on.

Norris Burkes can be reached at comment@thechaplain.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook 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

CORN

There’s nothing that says summer like an ear of fresh corn. It has high concentrations of antioxidant carotenoids and is a good source of fiber—not to mention it’s delicious!

CHERRIES

To eat: Remove the husk and silks, then char the corn over a hot barbecue grill before dousing with seasoned butter.

Cherries have a lower glycemic index than many fruits, making them a great choice for a fruit snack, especially for diabetics.

To eat: Remove the pits and toss into the blender for a smoothie.

APRICOTS

This beautiful golden-orange-colored stone fruit is full of beta-carotene, fiber and vitamins A and C.

To eat: Perfect for making jam, a tart or ice cream.

This full o To ea A LOOK AT WHAT’S IN SEASON AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS IN JUNE

Monthly Market

This very low-calorie vegetable has lots of vitamin A and antioxidants such as beta-carotene and lutein, and it’s a good source of folates.

To eat: Use in a Southern gumbo or Caribbean stew.

FIGS

Figs supply potassium, which controls blood pressure, and dietary fiber, which can help you lose weight.

To eat: Add quartered figs to an arugula salad, or poach in wine for dessert.

EGGPLANT

Eggplant provides dietary fiber, plenty of vitamins and minerals and phytonutrients such as nasunin and chlorogenic acid. Many of its nutritional benefits come from the vegetable’s skin.

To eat: Cut into thick slices, brush with olive oil and grill.

Good Taste

DAD’S SECRET SICILIAN RECIPE STILL WINS HEARTS

Suzanne Lo Coco was making pizza with her father Giovanni when she asked a simple question.

“How do you know when to do this, when to do that, when to add this and when to add that?”

The answer opened a philosophical discourse into the countless ways food preparation brings meaning to our lives.

“He said, ‘Just listen, the food will tell you what it needs. You just have to be in it and it will talk to you. After a while, the food will tell you what it needs,’” Suzanne recalls. “It’s a practice, it’s kind of a meditation, and you will get there eventually if you cook like this.”

G M GM

By Gabrielle Myers

The former Newcastle restaurateur and chef has released a memoir, “Secret Dough: Coming of Age in a Sicilian-American Restaurant Family.” For decades, Suzanne was involved in her family’s Lo Coco restaurants and ran her own La Fornaretta kitchens, first in Pasadena, then Newcastle.

In the book, Suzanne examines her life growing up in the family’s kitchens and how Giovanni Lo Coco mentored his daughter, not just to love food but in artistry as a chef. He taught her to “see everything through food and the next meal we’re going to eat,” she says.

Suzanne’s focus on Sicilian cuisine is highlighted by her devotion to currants, sardines, pine nuts, tomatoes and citrus, ingredients distinctive to Southern Italian-style cooking popular in California.

Her relationship with food involves contact— tasting and touching a dish as it transforms during the cooking process. Giovanni Lo Coco, who immigrated from Italy to San Francisco in 1962, instructed Suzanne in the chef’s methods.

He taught her to “taste a dish in the beginning, in the middle stage and at the end, when the sauce is ready,” she says. “He felt it was important

Photography by Aniko Kiezel Farm To Fork

Gilberto Di Lorenzo, Suzanne Lo Coco and Gian Luca Di Lorenzo

for me to understand what the sauce tastes like when it’s not ready, when it’s almost ready and then at the end.

“He’d quiz me: ‘What do you taste? What do you think it needs?’ You don’t know until you really get that flavor of how it’s supposed to be at the end. After a while, you start to understand what it is that might be missing, maybe a dash of lemon, a little more salt, pepper or butter.”

Attention to ingredients is obvious as Suzanne describes the Lo Coco and La Fornaretta frutti de mare with fresh clams and mussels as “dramatic and beautiful.” The meal involves house-crafted broth from rock cod and saffron.

Giovanni cultivated and dried tomatoes in his hometown of Porticello, near Palermo, and imported the results for his restaurants. He died in Sicily at age 77 in 2012.

Cheryl Koehler, a food writer and editor, encouraged Suzanne to write “Secret Dough.” Koehler recognized Suzanne’s talent for storytelling, served as a sounding board during the draft process and edited the manuscript.

The title carries a literal meaning. Giovanni’s pizza dough recipe, passed down through the family, remains a secret.

Storytelling comes naturally to Suzanne. She explains, “When you grow up in restaurants, you become a storyteller by default because customers come in and they want to know the scoop, they have all these questions and they like to be flies on the walls, watching our lives in action, so we become storytellers to entertain the clientele.”

Suzanne no longer works daily in restaurants. But her sons Gian Luca and Gilberto Di Lorenzo serve the family’s Sicilian cuisine at La Fornaretta in Newcastle.

“Secret Dough” is available for $17.95 at lococosecretdough.com or at the family’s restaurants in Newcastle, Berkeley, Oakland and San Rafael.

Gabrielle Myers can be reached at gabriellemyers11@ gmail.com. Her latest book of poetry, “Break Self: Feed,” is available for $20.99 from fishinglinepress.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

INSIDE OUT

Community Events

SUSAN MAXWELL SKINNER

PHOTOS BY

1. Community members observe avian life at Effie Yeaw Nature Center during a Bird & Breakfast fundraiser.

2. Sisters Savannah (left) and Maddie Lutes take over message-posting duties for the landmark sign at Midas auto service in Carmichael.

3. Volunteers save a young bald eagle near Fair Oaks. Rescuers are (from left) Leslie Ackerman, Kiover Larnus, Ben Nuckolls and Gabriel Cuevas.

4. StretchLab wellness center opens facility in Carmichael. Manager Jet Cara wields scissors during a Carmichael Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting.

5. Carmichael Improvement District stages annual stakeholder dinner. Directors and friends gather for a VIP lineup.

6. Tesla rock band singer Jeff Keith (center) hangs with friends Pete DePalma (left) and Higher Purpose-The Event Foundation founder Ryan Fleenor prior to fundraising bike ride.

Pub Grub

By Greg Sabin

Restaurant Insider

Many beer-focused places around town concentrate on the suds and keep the kitchen out of sight. But some beer joints work hard to highlight their food. Here are three examples:

HOP JUNCTION

This Pocket taphouse looks like many other beer bars, with neon brewery signs, flatscreen TVs and 20 taps behind the bar. Look past the exterior and you’ll see what sets this place apart.

The menu features Indian food. Beyond the burgers, wings and fries, there’s a list of curries and other Indian specialties. Deep-fried pakoras (vegetable fritters) and stuffed samosas are perfect pub snacks. Salty, crispy and savory, they’re dipped in a mint or tamarind chutney.

Lamb curry with jasmine rice is pungent and delicious. The butter chicken is a home run.

Hop Junction fuses traditional Indian preparations with American pub grub. The tikka masala fries put chili fries to shame. Tandoori chicken tacos are a shareable plate with friends over a few beers.

What surprises some guests is how well Indian dishes pair with beer. Don’t be surprised. English pubs have featured Indian dishes for decades.

MOJO’S LOCAL TAP & KITCHEN

Perched at 15th and I streets, Mojo’s looks more like an auto repair shop than a joint that serves some of the best gumbo in town.

Thanks to chef Antwyne Bates, 25 beer taps aren’t the only reason to visit Mojo’s. His unique takes on gumbo, chili and other dishes are worth the stop.

Roux for Bates’ gumbo steps right up to the line of chocolate territory (color, not flavor). It’s dark, rich and earthy, and gives the dish layers of flavor. You can almost stand a fork in that gumbo. It bursts with chicken, andouille sausage and vegetables.

Routine treats from the fry-o-lator, such as pickle chips and fries, are good. But the sour cream and cheddar tots are something else. Clever and dense, they’re perfect with a cold lager on a hot day.

CHOW AT SACYARD

For six years, SacYard Community Tap House depended on food trucks to feed guests. The beer lineup at SacYard

is impressive, as are the convivial outdoor spaces and live bands.

Now a permanent food solution exists at the 33rd Street hangout. It’s called Chow at SacYard.

Yes, it’s a food truck (technically a food trailer), but the grub coming through the window is overseen by Sacramento chef Aimal Formoli.

Some readers might remember Formoli from his former namesake restaurant on J Street. His whiskey burger was a favorite.

With Formoli’s stamp on the Chow enterprise, expectations are high. The food meets those expectations.

It’s still sandwiches, fries and salads, but they’re executed with craftsmanship. Nightly specials are truly special. Kimchi dumpling soup, smoked clam chowder and ceviche are just some of the dishes produced in the Chow trailer.

As summer heats up, I expect the Chow wagon to be a mainstay of local beer cuisine.

Hop Junction is at 7600 Greenhaven Drive; (916) 382-9211; hopjunction.com. Mojo’s Local Tap & Kitchen is at 1431 I St.; (916) 573-3875; mojoslocal.com. Chow at SacYard is at 1725 33rd St.; (916) 400-4708; sacyard.beer.

Greg Sabin can be reached at saceats@gmail.com. Previous reviews can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

All photos from Hop Junction by Linda Smolek

CATS KILLERS

A’S DEAL MEANS TROUBLE FOR ONE BELOVED TEAM

Try to imagine the 2025 World Series between the Dodgers and A’s. Picture how Major League Baseball explains why the A’s home field games will move to Oracle Park in San Francisco.

Imagine words like these: “Because the World Series requires an appropriate venue.”

Lucky for Major League Baseball, the A’s have no chance to reach the World Series. Not as long as the club is run by John Fisher, heir to the Gap clothing fortune and one of the cheapest, least effective operators in sports.

Fisher’s presence erases any likelihood baseball’s grand tribunal of owners, corporate sponsors and media partners will endure World Series

games at a 14,000-seat minor league ballpark in an industrial patch near the Sacramento River, upstream from tomato fields in Yolo County.

But trouble looms. By letting Fisher couch surf for three years at West Sac’s Triple-A summer camp, Vivek Ranadivé can wreck a local treasure— the River Cats.

I’ve always loved the River Cats.

A quarter-century ago, when Warren Smith and Bob Hemond called me to a bar in Old Sacramento and revealed architectural drawings for a West Sac baseball stadium just steps from the Tower Bridge, I thought, this is brilliant.

Exactly what the region needs.

What we didn’t need—then or now— was Major League Baseball.

At that point in my sports writing career, I’d toured dozens of big-league stadiums and seen too many major league games. I knew the sweet spot for fans—cheap ticket prices, decent concessions and ease of accessibility— was Triple-A baseball.

By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority

I thought, if someone proposes bringing Major League Baseball to Sacramento, run and hide. It can only bring heartache and municipal debt. Ask Oakland.

Now Ranadivé, the Kings’ managing partner who bought the River Cats and

their ballpark two years ago for about $90 million, is poisoning the secret sauce that made the River Cats one of the best little teams in America. By forcing the River Cats to share their stadium with the A’s, he’ll turn the local club into second-class tenants at their own home. The Cats will chase crumbs dropped by the A’s.

Ranadivé will exploit demand and encourage local baseball fans to compete for A’s tickets. He’ll build a social hierarchy of citizens who can afford Sutter Health Park on certain nights and those who can’t.

I appreciate why Ranadivé wants a big return on his West Sac investment. But I hate to see him make the River Cats an afterthought.

Ranadivé doesn’t hide his ambitions. He tells The New York Times, “Believe it or not, this is going to be the best ticket in Major League Baseball. Because it’s a small, intimate stadium.”

Ranadivé sees the A’s as a cash machine. With that small, intimate stadium, he’ll establish astronomical prices. The A’s will value themselves like the Dodgers or Yankees.

Fisher hasn’t finalized his transfer to an unbuilt stadium in Las Vegas. With Fisher involved, there’s no such thing as a sure thing.

But assuming the Vegas deal happens, the A’s layover in Yolo County will carry the same longterm significance as those three seasons the Kings spent splitting time between Omaha and Kansas City.

That was 50 years ago. Nobody remembers.

The other day, I checked ticket prices at Dodger Stadium, where big dollars reign. For $113, I get a lower-level seat in Row 44 against the Padres.

Then I check tickets at Sutter Health Park for a River Cats game against the Tacoma Rainiers. I find a seat in Row 29 for $23. Or I splurge for the front row next to the Tacoma dugout, practically on the field, for $38.

A front-row seat at Dodger Stadium—available only from scalpers—goes for maybe $800.

There will be at least 153 baseball games in West Sac next summer, A’s and River Cats. That’s 2.1 million seats to fill each season. In a small market with few corporate spenders. I see sad, lonely nights ahead for the River Cats.

R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Future West Sacramento home of the A’s: Can this ballpark host a World Series?

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Life By Design

LeRoid David doesn’t consider himself a full-time artist. The world can only imagine what would happen if he did.

The Rosemont resident has been creating art since age 3, citing the Sunday comics as inspiration. He studied graphic design

J L JL

By Jessica Laskey Open Studio

at San Francisco State, but never saw art as a main gig.

“I’ve always kept art at a hobby level. I treated it as my escape,” David says. “I did internships in college, but the feel is different. I couldn’t see myself doing it full time and working under a team of creative directors, so I’ve just always freelanced instead.”

Sometimes art and his day job overlap. During his 10-year stint with Tower Records from 1996 to 2006, he coordinated events for Bay Area stores and oversaw store design.

When Tower closed, David moved to hospitality and worked his way up from busser to restaurant manager while taking freelance design jobs.

LeRoid David

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

As his family grew—he has four children, ages 3 to 17—and life got too expensive in the Bay Area, David and his wife moved to Sacramento. They bought a house in Rosemont, where David grew up visiting relatives, many of whom still live in the neighborhood.

In 2017, an art contest became an inflection point. One of David’s pieces was chosen for NBC Sports Bay Area’s inaugural Battle of the Bay Art Show, an A’s and Giants baseball-themed exhibition.

His work caught the eye of NBC executives, who commissioned illustrations for a series of cheer cards for game giveaways. The job was “a dream come true” for the dedicated sports fan.

That led to work with other teams, including the Warriors,

Kings, Sharks and 49ers. Though David says “everything changed” after the pandemic, NBC continued commissioning him for digital pieces. The Giants hired him to design shirts for a community advocacy campaign and Filipino heritage night.

“As a proud Filipino American, to do something for heritage night was definitely an amazing experience to rep my community,” David says.

He designs beer labels for Claimstake Brewing in Rancho Cordova and other local breweries. He’s working with the city of Sacramento on a teen outreach project and was one of seven featured artists for the city’s Stop the Hate campaign for Asian American and Pacific Islander History Month.

He loves designing logos for small businesses, such as The Lumpia

Company, an Oakland eatery that has a stand in Oracle Park.

“No job is too big or small,” says David, who works full time as a senior office assistant for the county public conservator’s office. “When I do a logo for a small business, I love seeing how happy they are. That right there gives me gratification and inspires me to continue to do art.”

Another inspiration is family. As he turns 47, David reflects on what he’ll leave behind for his children.

“I’m at this point in my life where I feel like the art I’m creating now is my legacy,” David says. “Hopefully as my children get older, they’ll see these pieces I made and they can say, ‘Wow, my dad did that.’ Art is a passion thing for me. Of course, I love getting paid for it, but now I’m very selective in the projects I do because I think about what my kids are going to see.”

For more information, visit David on Instagram @leroid.david.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

ART

Michael Dunlavey & Debra Kreck-Harnish Archival Gallery

Through June 29

Second Saturday Reception June 8, 5–8 p.m. 3223 Folsom Blvd.; archivalgallery.com

Michael Dunlavey’s mixed-media work inspired by “old things” shares space with Debra Kreck-Harnish’s found-object sculpture series.

Augmented: Jay Stargaard

ARTHOUSE Gallery

June 8–July 8

Opening Reception Saturday, June 8, 5–8 p.m. 1021 R St.; arthouseonr.com

Metal sculptor Jay Stargaard presents mixed-media collages.

Two Generations of Painting:

Mark & Jessica Bowles

Twisted Track Gallery

June 7–30

First Friday Reception June 7, 6–9 p.m.;

Second Saturday Reception June 8, 5–8 p.m. 1730 12th St.; (916) 639-0436

Landscape artist Mark Bowles shows his work alongside daughter Jessica Bowles’ abstract art.

Off the Wall: Brent Patten

Timeless Thrills

June 1–29

Opening Reception Saturday, June 1, 5–9 p.m. 3714 J St.; timelessthrills.com

Check out this solo exhibition by one of the biggest names in tattooing.

Cuba Libre

The Gallery

June 15–July 14

Opening Reception Sunday, June 16, 4–9 p.m. 11019 Del Paso Blvd.; thegallery916.com

Photo-based encaustic work by John Angell joins photographs by David Kalb and Jorge Santana, providing three perspectives on life in Cuba.

Mya Louw

PBS KVIE Gallery

June 4–Aug. 2

Artist Reception Thursday, June 13, 5–7 p.m.

2030 W. El Camino Ave.; kvie.org/gallery

Enjoy Holland native Mya Louw’s vivid California landscapes.

TO DO

THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

By Jessica Laskey Calendar Editor

LIVE PERFORMANCE

Carmina Burana

Sacramento Master Singers

Saturday, June 8, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 9, 2 p.m.

Harris Center for the Arts (10 College Pkwy., Folsom); harriscenter.net

Tickets: $32–$72

Enjoy a lively performance with Folsom Lake Symphony and a 150-member chorus conducted by Dr. Ralph Hughes.

TOPDOG / UNDERDOG

Celebration Arts

June 7–30

2727 B St.; celebrationarts.net

Tickets: $25 general, $20 seniors, $15 Students, Thursdays $15 general/$10 students Winner of 2023 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play and 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Suzan-Lori Parks’ darkly comic fable explores brotherly love and family identity.

Sculptor Jay Stargaard at ARTHOUSE Gallery.

“Sentinel” by Michael Dunlavey at Archival Gallery.

10th Anniversary Performance

Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre

Friday, June 14, 7 p.m.

The Sofia (2700 Capitol Ave.); scdtheatre.org

Experience 10-minute excerpts from SCDT’s history of themed performances in collaboration with nonprofits.

FESTIVALS

23rd Sacramento French Film Festival

June 7–9

Tower Theatre (2508 Land Park Drive); sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org

Catch acclaimed French films, enjoy Q&As with filmmakers and more.

Check website for festival lineup.

Carmichael Park Community Band Festival

Sacramento Valley Symphonic Band Association

June 1 & 2, 10 a.m.–8 p.m.

5750 Grant Ave.; svsba.net

Pull up a lawn chair and listen to 19 bands and ensembles—a different band every hour on the hour.

Ikebana Exhibition

Ikebana International

Saturday, June 22, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Sunday, June 23, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Shepard Garden & Arts Center (3330 McKinley Blvd.); ikebanasacramento.com

Learn about ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) and enjoy live demonstrations, displays, hands-on activities and art vendors.

Annual Plant Show & Sale

Sacramento Bromeliad & Carnivorous Plant Society

Saturday, June 15, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Sunday, June 16, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Shepard Garden & Arts Center (3330 McKinley Blvd.)

Ogle exotic tropical and hungry plants from all over the world.

Curtis Fest

Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association

Sunday, June 2, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

William Curtis Park (3349 W. Curtis Drive); sierra2.org

Shop handmade wares from more than 100 vendors at this free artisan fair.

COMMUNITY

Feast in the Forest Gala

American River Natural History Association

Sunday, June 9, 5–8 p.m.

Effie Yeaw Nature Center (Ancil Hoffman Park, Carmichael); effieyeawnature.org

Tickets: $165 members, $180 nonmembers

Bid under the stars at this signature event full of fun, food, wine and art.

Full Plates, Full Hearts

South Sacramento Interfaith Partnership

Food Closet

Friday, June 7, 4–6 p.m.

Bethany Presbyterian Church Social Hall (5625 24th St.); ssipfoodcloset.org

Tickets: $25

Enjoy ice cream and participate in silent and live auctions. Proceeds support food distribution to those in need.

75th Anniversary Gala

UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine

Saturday, June 29, 6 p.m.

Sacramento Memorial Auditorium (1515 J St.); vetmed.ucdavis.edu

Tickets: $750 ($600 of which is tax deductible)

Don your western gear for a fundraising gala featuring cocktails, food, live and silent auctions, and a performance by Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre.

Community Indigo Dip Dye Day

Sacramento Center for the Textile Arts

Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Shepard Garden & Arts Center (3330 McKinley Blvd.); sactextilearts.org

Cost: $27 (includes materials and instruction)

“Streets of Habana” by John Angell at The Gallery.

Participants dye a bandana or piece of cotton. Reserve a time slot online.

Stay for concurrent Art Elephant Sale, a swap-meet-style event.

Twilight on the Bufferlands Bufferlands

Thursday, June 6, 6–9 p.m.

Sacramento Area Sewer District, Elk Grove; sacsewer.com/bufferlands

Explore Central Valley habitats at dusk for a chance to see beavers, river otters, muskrats, raccoons, owls and

more. Advanced registration required. Email Chris Conard at conardc@ sacsewer.com.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

“Where Land and Sky Touch” by Mya Louw at PBS KVIE Gallery.

READERS NEAR & FAR

1. Jorge Vasquez at Machu Picchu in Peru.

2. Karen Pecher, Joyce Gastrock, Lois Wong, Myla Puyat, and Helen and Benny Louie at the Parthenon in Greece.

3. Michele Vincent at Evangelical-Lutheran Church Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík, Iceland.

4. Dylan Wong on Kailua Beach in Oahu, Hawaii.

5. Clayton Whitehead and Judy Rodriguez in Delphi, Greece.

6. Debbie Lee and Rob Lessler on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos, Ecuador.

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.

for dining, or aftermath of dining

64 Tries out 65 What gets pitched on a field?

DOWN

1 Wood that flavors chardonnay 2 ___ Kringle

3 “Thor” actress Russo

4 “Oh, shoot!”

5 Word after “natural” and “laughing” 6 North Carolina university

7 Legal wrongs 8 Bogged down by details 9 Darjeeling, e.g. 10 Cooking surface 11 Seat of power created by George R. R. Martin

12 “If I Had a Hammer” artist and activist 13 Lip 15 Breezy courses 21 Consumed 23 Overwhelmingly exciting victory

25 Hallucinogenic fungi, familiarly 26 Forested region

27 Part of a book that lists corrections

28 Roulette and craps, in a casino

29 Slow rate 31 Origins 34 Baseball execs

37 There are 100 in D.C. 42 “___ Rouge”

45 Not trans 47 Only chess piece with a face 49 Makeup hues 51 ___ Likely (phone warning)

53 Tweak, like an essay 55 Joint for playing spoons

56 Be deserving of

58 Place for a busker’s tips, maybe

59 Rihanna hit of 2006

60 Parking area

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