BEAUTIFULLY REMODELED EAST SAC CLASSIC 4 beds, 3 baths, Great floor plan, lots of natural light, large chef’s kitchen. BBQ in large beautiful backyard with pool DAVID KIRRENE 916-531-7495 DRE-01115041
669 Brickyard Drive - $1,275,000 VIEW OF SACRAMENTO RIVER FROM BALCONY 4 bed 3½ bath. Spacious family room, dining area, kitchen and nook. New roof, new primary bathroom. Covered patio and BBQ MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-1270375
940 Commons Drive - $449,900
CAMPUS COMMONS SINGLE STORY 2 bed, 2 bath features elegant tiled entry, updated kitchen with pantry, formal dining room, wetbar. Dual pane windows and sizeable bedrooms
STEPH BAKER 916-775-3447 DRE-01402254
436 Hopkins Road - $2,195,000
AMAZING SIERRA OAKS TUDOR 4 bed, 3½ bath, 5115 sf with lush gardens, gorgeous pool, secret garden/koi pond. Temperature controlled wine room, spacious library/office, more! MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375
TRANQUIL LIVING IN WOODSIDE COMMUNITY 2 bed, 1 bath. Downstairs end unit, kitchen updated with granite counters. All appliances included, new carpet and paint KELLIE SWAYNE 916-206-1458 DRE-01727664
2140 Murieta Way - $585,000
SWEET REMODELED HOLLYWOOD PARK HOME 3 beds 1 bath. Original hardwood floors, striking fireplace, custom finishes remodeled kitchen and bath. Garage worshop STEPHANIE GALLAGHER 916-342-2288 DRE-01705253
2801 I Street - $829,500
MIDTOWN CORNER DUPLEX. FIRST TIME ON MARKET 2 bed units with modern amenities, indoor laundries. Recent updates include HVAC, carpeting and interior paint. LYNN LUK LEE 916-628-2843 DRE-01188377
When I started House Real Estate in 2020, I never imagined that we’d help over 1,200 families move. This year, this incredible team reached a milestone of over one billion dollars in sales, and I couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you, Sacramento, for supporting us and helping House become the area’s #1 boutique real estate company. We love our city dearly, and our next wish is to have the fortune of working with you in 2025. Happy New Year from our House Family to yours.
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Sean Bonito is a graphite pencil artist who depicts animals in isolated surroundings, allowing a strong focus on the animal. He graduated from UC Davis where he studied under Wayne Thiebaud and earned a BA in art studio. Shown: “Oh No! What Did I Do?” graphite pencil on paper, 15 inches by 30 inches. This work is part of “Sketchy x 3” exhibit Jan. 3 to Feb. 2 at Twisted Track Gallery at 1730 12th St. The piece is for sale at $2,850. Visit twistedtrackgallery.life or contact Nisa Hayden at (916) 769-2700.
NEW ACCOUNTS: CALL 916.443.5087 info@insidepublications.com
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COVER
I would recommend her to my closest
home buyer, I was a bit anxious and contacted Elise quite a lot with various questions and concerns. She was extremely responsive to my needs.I felt she knew what I was looking for, did not attempt to guide me out of my price range, and held my hand during the entire process, and beyond! She still makes herself available to me over a month after close of Escrow. I will absolutely contact her again should I ever decide to purchase again.
LNEIGHBORLINESS TAKES WORK, BUT IT’S WORTH IT
Welcome Home
ast year’s elections showed city voters are almost divided over how we want municipal leaders to address local challenges.
Mayor Kevin McCarty and Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum both won tight races. They bring fresh perspectives to City Council, along with newly elected Councilmember Roger Dickinson.
Whether your candidate won or lost, we should all hope and pray the new
By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk
council can tackle the problems facing our city.
Political lawn signs are a local tradition. But knowing the person next door disagrees with you politically doesn’t mean you can’t be good neighbors.
If anything, now is the perfect time to improve your neighborly relations.
Being a good neighbor is simple. It means being the sort of neighbor you want to have next door.
I’ve lived in two neighborhoods during my 35 years in Sacramento. For the first three decades, I moved just once—to a different house on the same street near McKinley Park.
When we arrived, most of our neighbors were elderly. They’d owned their homes for decades.
They were pleasant but not particularly welcoming. We tried to make acquaintances but never connected. It wasn’t until I had a baby and started meeting other young parents that I made neighborhood friends.
When a young couple moved in next door, they became change agents. The
young man organized weekly Friday luncheons for neighborhood men. They visited restaurants and enjoyed fun and laughter. I got the scoop from my husband Jim on what was going on every Friday.
Almost four years ago, we moved to the new Sutter Park neighborhood— the opposite of where we spent three decades.
This time, my experience was different. Jim had dementia. I was more homebound and preoccupied.
But the new neighborhood was an equalizer. Everyone was new and ready to make friends.
When we moved in, we were only the third family amid empty lots. Over the next couple years, other homes were completed and neighbors arrived.
Now the empty lots on our court are filled. Neighbors can get to know one another.
My goal for 2025 is to help start the casual get-togethers that created bonds with my McKinley Park neighbors. I know my neighbors’ names and occupations, but that’s about it. I hope to create a list of information to share
as an informal Neighborhood Watch group.
Other parts of my neighborhood have active social events in the lovely public spaces built by developer Randy Sater of Stonebridge. I’m thrilled Randy moved in next door to me.
My partner Steve is a terrific social connector. He loves to meet people and learn their stories. Like Steve, I’ve learned lots about neighborliness over the years.
Little things are important. Be friendly, smile, nod and wave. If you see someone who might need help, jump in and offer.
Sometimes you don’t have to say a word. Nothing fosters good neighborhood relations better than keeping your property neat and tidy.
It’s helpful to recognize what your neighbors might be going through. Maybe something positive—a new baby, wedding or graduation. Or maybe an event not so happy—illness or injury. Send a text or leave a note. Say you are thinking of them.
Lending or borrowing between neighbors is a nice way to connect.
Another Reason to have the right living trust: The
trust lawyer from out of town, Frank...
• He travels the state to market living trusts at high-pressure dinners and seminars.
• He works hard to sell lots of documents, but not to help you make the right choices.
• Have questions? Need changes? You’ll have to call his real office in Southern California.
• His prices sound fine, but it costs time and money when he makes mistakes.
• He’ll be long gone by the time your heirs learn what kind of plan you have.
Have you worked with this guy (or one of his friends)? Call me or visit www.wyattlegal.com. Your peace of mind is worth more than what a long-distance relationship can provide.
My late husband Jim would loan anything to anybody. But he was never comfortable borrowing. That was my job.
I only had one stipulation when it came to lending tools. After two power washers we loaned came back broken, I insisted the gear never leave our garage again.
My new neighbors are terrific. I let them know via text when we’re traveling and share contact information.
The new year is a perfect time to improve relations with neighbors, especially those who just arrived and could use a special welcome.
Readers ask how they can contribute to Inside Sacramento. Here’s how: Consider a paid supporting membership starting at $19.95 a year. Use the QR code and help support our mission to deliver local news. Sign up for our weekly newsletter at insidesacramento. com.
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
Cecily Hastings Publisher
Readers ask how they can contribute to Inside Sacramento. Here’s how. Consider a paid supporting membership starting at $19.95 a year. Use the QR code and help support our mission to deliver local news. Sign up for our weekly newsletter at insidesacramento.com.
Studio Series
PBS KVIE BRINGS ICONIC PERSONALITIES TO TOWN
PBS KVIE has launched a new Studio Series with live conversations, lectures and Q&As with four celebrities with a California connection.
The series includes travel show host and guidebook author Rick Steves, Emmy Award-winning comedian Jack
JBy Jessica Laskey Out & About
Gallagher, Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi and James Beard Awardwinning television host and chef Pati Jinich.
“The Studio Series offers a rare opportunity for our audience to engage with these celebrated figures in an intimate and dynamic setting,” says Kathleen Richards, director of development and marketing.
Speakers share career stories, discuss current projects and answer questions from the audience. Steves is the first speaker Monday, Jan. 27, at 7 p.m. For tickets and information, visit kvie.org/ studioseries.
DINE DOWNTOWN
Bring your appetite for the culinary event of the year—Dine Downtown returns Jan. 10–19.
This annual eating extravaganza features prix-fixe, three-course meals for $45 at more than 20 restaurants across the central city. For nearly two decades, Dine Downtown has generated more than $6 million for participating restaurants and donated tens of thousands to local charities.
For information and a list of restaurants, visit downtownsac.org/ downtown-sac-experiences.
ART STUDIO LAB
Sacramento State has opened Art Studio Lab, a multifunctional building
for creating, advancing and displaying art.
An aging warehouse on the south end of campus was reimagined by architectural firm HGA into a 25,000-square-foot, $18.5 million contemporary lab to support Sac State’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts and prepare students for careers as professional artists.
The lab features painting, drawing and sculpture studios, wood and metal shops, exhibition and community space, and individual studios for graduate students. The building includes a covered production area for ceramics kilns and other large equipment, and a publicly accessible sculpture garden for installations and gatherings.
PBS KVIE’s Studio Series features Rick Steves, Jack Gallagher, Kristi Yamaguchi and Pati Jinich.
SHOP 916 GIFT CARDS
Shop local—and get bonus bucks—by purchasing Shop 916 electronic gift cards for more than 110 participating businesses.
Buy a $25 gift card, get a $10 bonus card; buy a $50 gift card, get a $25 bonus card; buy a $100 gift card, get a $50 bonus card. Bonus cards expire March 31.
Gift cards are available through Feb. 15. For a list of participating businesses or to buy a gift card, visit shop916local.com.
CHILDREN’S MUSICALS
NorCal Arts and Fairytale Town have partnered to provide fun, free and engaging live musicals and plays at the popular children’s park.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Fairytale Town to introduce little guests to the magical world of live performance that we hope will foster a big love of the arts,” says Michele Hillen-Noufer, NorCal Arts’ executive director.
Now playing is “Little Bird’s Second Chance” created by NorCal Arts playwright Dorothea Bonneau and composer and musical director Rob Broadhurst. The 25-minute musical is perfect for children ages 2–6.
Performances are weekends at 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the Children’s Theater and are free with park admission. For information, visit norcalarts.org and fairytaletown.org.
OLD HANDWRITING
This month’s Genealogical Association of Sacramento meeting features Glenda Gardner
Lloyd explaining how to read old handwriting.
The meeting is open to the public at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Belle Cooledge Library. For information, visit gensac.org.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY CONCERT
Sacramento Preparatory Music Academy performs live renditions of hit soundtracks from two Marvel Comics films.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 & 2” will be Jan. 10 and 11 at 7 p.m. at Harris Center in Folsom. For more dates and locations, visit sacprepmusic. com.
The academy is known for delivering full-album concert experiences from The Beatles catalog over the last eight years with The Beatles Guitar Project.
REBELLIOUS ART
Don’t miss “Rebellion,” an exhibition by street artist, engineer, architect, pilot, rebel and provocateur David Černý at Crocker Art Museum through Jan. 12.
More than 25 large-scale works, including a life-size vehicle hanging from the courtyard wall and 11foot faceless babies crawling across balconies, are on display.
Černý is recognized for his monumental sculptures in public spaces that protest authority through satire and derision. For information, visit crockerart.org.
SIERRA 2 CLASSES
Does the start of the new year have you looking for a new hobby? Check out Sierra 2 Center, run by Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association.
In its historic building on 24th Street, the nonprofit offers classes and activities on music, art, martial arts, fitness, dance and more. Sierra 2’s Senior Center has free weekly activities for the older set. For information, visit sierra2.org.
ARDEN PARK TREE PICKUP
Scouts of America Troop 53 offers free Christmas tree pickups Saturday,
Jan. 4, from 9 a.m. to noon throughout Arden Park.
Donations benefit the troop. To schedule a pickup, email ardentroop53@gmail.com.
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
Now playing is NorCal Art’s “Little Bird’s Second Chance” at Fairytale Town.
“Albert Einstein” by David Černý is on display at the Crocker Art Museum.
Linotype machine in 2100 Q St. lobby speaks to building’s obsolete past.
Photo by Dick Schmidt
The good stuff is gone. The presses were dismantled and sold for scrap in 2021, the handpainted honeybee wallpaper stripped from the cafeteria decades ago.
Last time I peeked through the windows at 2100 Q St., a Linotype machine gathered dust in the deserted lobby. I bet the owners of the old Sacramento Bee building would donate that 2,000-pound monument to
RG
By R.E. Graswich City Beat
Fresh Start
2100 Q ST. DESERVES AN AMBITIOUS FUTURE
moveable type if someone would haul it away.
There’s no good reason to save the two-block manufacturing site where the Bee was published for almost seven decades. The building’s goals survive elsewhere, on life support. Its practice, methods and influence are dead.
I have former newspaper colleagues with nostalgic feelings for 2100 Q. I worked there for 35 years and share those feelings. But it’s time to call the wrecking crew.
The Bee building was a freak from birth, a vague Streamline Moderne design grafted onto midcentury brick factory. It was never beautiful.
Willful ugliness consumed the plant in the 1980s, when walls were knocked out for pressroom expansion. The Bee barricaded 22nd Street with a threestory printing plant hidden behind more bricks.
In 1950, the McClatchy family wanted a sensible, contemporary home
for its flagship newspaper. Something functional, dependable and steadfast. Eleanor McClatchy, a humble woman, was boss. Her new headquarters would reflect her image of Sacramento.
The building’s designer was Eleanor’s friend, an artist named Dunbar Beck. He drew lines to meet her ambitions and pretentions. Famously, she lacked both.
Eleanor’s headquarters wouldn’t compete with Harry Chandler and his monumental Los Angeles Times command post, or even Charlie Prisk, the Grass Valley boy who built a Beaux Arts stunner for his Pasadena StarNews.
Eleanor meant it when she said, “I was taught that newspaper people should never push themselves forward.”
Miss McClatchy died in 1980. Heirs sold the building in 2017 and went bankrupt in 2020, flushing five generations of leadership.
Now a hedge fund owns the McClatchy name. The Bee’s print circulation, once 300,000, is below 18,000.
The Bee was ruined by mismanagement, arrogance and obliviousness. The company expanded when newspapers were sinking. It took on impossible debt, panicked and stripped the product. The end.
Now comes a new reckoning for 2100 Q. The largest brewery on the West Coast stood there before the Bee. Tomorrow, the address is destined for housing. Times change.
An Irvine property developer called Shopoff owns 2100 Q. Like most real estate companies, Shopoff bought the Bee’s headquarters to flip it.
Shopoff knows there’s money in housing. The company seeks to build homes on the 5½ acre site. The city needs homes. But you can’t always trust developers to create the right product.
Question is, what kind of housing best serves the city at 2100 Q? Here’s where things get tricky. The planning commission and City Council decide what’s best for Midtown. Not the developer.
Shopoff first proposed a high-density mix of 538 apartments spread across two buildings. The plans complemented a successful housing complex on the southwest corner of 21st and Q.
Last year, Shopoff junked the first plan and replaced it with a lowerdensity, semi-suburban proposal that involves 122 townhomes and singlefamily dwellings. The company gave no explanation.
Shopoff recently sold part of 2100 Q with plans for 48 townhomes. The company expects to sell the rest by March. “We are very encouraged about the market and are pleased with our progress and partnership with the city,” says Brian Rupp, Shopoff executive vice president.
But the lower density plan lacks inspiration. Townhouses are more appropriate for Watt Avenue than 2100 Q. Low-density developments don’t belong at 21st and Q.
Maybe City Hall thinks townhomes and single-family houses will promote
the Midtown aesthetic—vintage, green and neighborly. I prefer density. Either way, 2100 Q St. is history. What happened there—seven decades of civic leadership, journalistic pride and sins—is old news.
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
It took Jay Walker two years to lose his job, marriage, house and car. He called it a run of bad luck.
Problems began when the Army veteran found himself miles from home. After 18 years of sobriety, he went on a “weeklong drunk,” he says, before securing a shelter bed in North Sacramento.
The shelter was good for a cot and meals, but not much else.
“At 6 a.m. during the weekdays, they’d kick you out,” Walker says. “We all used to go down to Loaves & Fishes to hang out.”
At Loaves & Fishes, Walker learned about Nation’s Finest, a nonprofit that provides a comprehensive approach to housing, health and employment for homeless veterans. He filled out an application.
Then Walker was hospitalized with congestive heart failure. He went to Palo Alto for testing through the Veterans Administration, which led to open-heart surgery. From there, he was approved for placement at Nation’s Finest Mather location.
“These people saved my life, make no mistake about it,” Walker says.
Now he looks healthy, seated in the office of program support specialist Kerry Navarette. “They gave me a safe, clean environment to recover in and I’m getting better all the time,” Walker says. “I’m even in the process of getting my own home.”
Navarette says Walker’s story describes why the program exists.
“How to get the veterans we’re serving here to be self-sufficient enough to go from transitional housing to permanent housing and sustain living in permanent housing? Whatever that looks like for them is where my head goes every day that I come into work,” Navarette says.
The first step for veterans seeking assistance is to meet a case manager. A service plan is created with objectives related to substance abuse, mental health, medical, finances, education, employment and housing.
The nonprofit runs more than 30 locations in California, Arizona and Nevada, including one in South Sacramento and one in Mather that serves Mather Veterans Village, the first permanent supportive housing development for homeless and disabled veterans in the region.
“They have a lot of stuff for personal growth and improvement,” Walker says. “When I had a relapse, I needed to plug myself back into recovery mode. Nation’s Finest helps me walk away and stay sober today. I don’t want to go back (to addiction).”
Each site employs administrators and staff who run programs from recovery to suicide prevention. They rely heavily on volunteers.
“It’s not only monetary donations,” Navarette says. “Organizations come and donate materials and time. We have a volunteer that comes to repair bikes. The Kings and Raley’s donated a garden so residents can grow their own food. Hills Church do a monthly brunch where they give out food and talk to residents to see how they can help.”
Eleven months into his stay at Nation’s Finest and celebrating his 63rd birthday, Walker recognizes what got him there and how glad he is to find a new path.
“Speaking to vets out there, sometimes we think we’re owed something and we have a negative attitude,” he says. “But when we’re humble and grateful, things have a tendency to work out much, much better. For everyone out there in a situation, go into things realizing that you were part of the problem at a minimum, and be grateful you’re not sleeping outside.”
For information, visit nationsfinest.org and @nationsfinest1972 on Facebook and Instagram.
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
Giving Back: Volunteer Profile J L JL
Kerry Navarette and Jay Walker
Photo by Linda Smolek
Healing hearts. Expertly. Compassionately.
At Dignity Health Heart and Vascular Institute of Greater Sacramento, we recognize the vital role heart health plays in your overall well-being. That’s why we provide more than just world-renowned medical expertise; we also offer compassionate support, guidance and a healing environment. Backed by a legacy of excellence, our advanced diagnostics, innovative treatments and comprehensive rehabilitation services are here to care for your heart—and the person around it. From routine checkups to groundbreaking procedures, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality cardiovascular care in the region.
Learn more at DignityHealth.org/HeartandVascular.
Sky High Sky
AEROSPACE MUSEUM GETS KIDS HOOKED ON AVIATION
If you haven’t visited the Aerospace Museum of California, January is the perfect time.
The Smithsonian-affiliated Aerospace Museum is the greatest aviation show in town.
Located on 7 acres at McClellan Business Park, the museum showcases planes from past to present. There are rockets, space travel displays and World War II aircraft.
Flying has long been part of my life. A pilot for 42 years, I’m on the museum
board. I wish I had a museum like this to visit when I was a kid.
The museum inspires pilots and aspiring pilots. You can even learn to fly. In 2024, the Aerospace Museum partnered with the Ellsworth Hovey Getchell Foundation to give $12,500 scholarships for young people to obtain pilot’s licenses.
It’s a fantastic opportunity for aspiring pilots ages 16–22. I mentored our first scholarship recipient, age 17. This year, we have three scholarships. Applications open in January and must be received by Feb. 15. Check the museum website for details.
If you’re not aiming for a pilot’s license, the museum still has much to offer. With 40 aircraft to explore, visitors experience aviation and aerospace history in an interactive setting. The museum is a treat for the imagination.
By Jeff Harris City Realist
Among the highlights is Flight Zone, where guests sit in a simulator and get the feel of flying an airplane. You take off, fly and land at various airports. No harm done if you crash.
The museum blends aviation with science, technology, engineering and math.
“Our mission is simple but powerful: using the wonders of aviation and aerospace to inspire curiosity and a love for STEM in everyone who walks through our doors,” says museum director Tom Jones. “This museum belongs to the community, and with your support we can keep sparking imaginations for generations to come.”
The museum attracted nearly 80,000 visitors in 2024 and hopes for 100,000 this year. Volunteers and docents keep the displays in great shape and answer questions.
Special events include summer camps for kids and educational programs for girls and young women ages 11–18.
The goal is to help people become educated, inspired and involved in aviation.
In years past, most commercial pilots came from the military. These days, many airline pilots are hitting mandatory retirement age. Aviation has tremendous job opportunities for young people. It’s a wide-open field. The Aerospace Museum can unlock the door.
For information, visit aerospaceca. org.
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
Day Tripping
COUNTY PROGRAM GIVES SHELTER DOGS A BREAK
Cinnabon is a cinnamon-colored pit bull, all muscle with a tongue that dangles from a smile stretching the limits of her wide jawbones.
C R CR
By Cathryn Rakich Animals & Their Allies
Okapi, a solid black German shepherd, has gigantic puppy paws that, at 4 years old, she has yet to grow into.
Tom is a senior—an 8-year-old mix of rottweiler, shepherd, perhaps a little pit bull.
All three dogs are gentle, calm and curious. They are ideal candidates to get out of the county animal shelter and walk a park trail, lounge on shaded grass, sneak favors on a restaurant patio—even for just one day.
Last year, the county’s Bradshaw Animal Shelter launched Barks & Recreation, a program that gives shelter pups a daylong break from kennels, a respite from the stress of living behind bars.
“Barks & Recreation is not just about giving dogs a break from the shelter—it’s about enriching their lives and preparing them for a forever home,” Shelter Director Annette Bedsworth says.
Field trips help dogs develop social skills and meet potential adopters. “Plus, it’s a great way for the public to enjoy the company of a loving dog without a long-term commitment,” Bedsworth adds.
Appointments to pick up a dog are seven days a week, every 30 minutes from 9–11 a.m. Up to five dogs get outings each day.
To ensure a good dog-to-person fit, questions include preferred size and breed. Shelter staff pre-select well-mannered canines who are less likely to be adopted and have been at the shelter for long stretches. Shepherds, huskies and pit bulls dominate.
“Small dogs are eligible for the program but are adopted quickly,” Bedsworth says. “Medium and large dogs, who are often overlooked and stay in our care longer, benefit the most.”
Matches are made based on the canine’s energy level and the person’s handling experience. Will the day’s activities be couch cuddling at home with a movie, short strolls and people watching, or long hikes and maybe some swimming?
Cinnabon’s day began with a 3-mile trek around Ancil Hoffman Park, followed by lunch at La Bou in Carmichael and squirrel surveillance at William B. Pond Recreation Area.
Okapi crossed Tower Bridge to walk along the West Sacramento waterfront, toured Old Sac, took treats on Selland’s patio on H Street and strolled around McKinley Park.
Tom led the way along the American River Parkway near Nimbus Dam, made friends at Jack’s Urban Eats in Gold River and wandered the Old Fair Oaks shopping district.
Bradshaw provides a backpack with dog treats, collapsible water bowl, poop bags and emergency contact information.
Dog parks and interactions with other animals are off limits, but human encounters offer hope for adoption. Bedsworth says, “Barks & Recreation showcases their wonderful personalities to potential adopters one adventure at a time.”
Make an appointment to take a dog out at animalcare.saccounty.gov, under “About.”
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
Cinnabon enjoys a day out at Ancil Hoffman Park.
The Placemaker
FORMER MAYOR EXPANDED OPTIONS FOR TECH, FUN
After eight years as mayor, Darrell Steinberg knows the homeless crisis will be part of his legacy regardless of the resources, energy and political capital he put into the search for answers.
“I know two things,” Steinberg says. “I think I have been hurt by the expectations I set for myself and I readily acknowledge it. I came in as president of the Senate, author of the (state’s) Mental Health Services Act, and I pushed really hard, and I think the fact that it grew worse not just in the city but in the entire state, people said, ‘Come on. You said it was going to get better,’ and I have to own that.”
While critics tend to overlook his tangible results as mayor—1,200 more shelter beds, partnering with the county for services, and eventual enforcement
G D GD
By Gary Delsohn Building Our Future
against large encampments—there’s another part of Steinberg’s legacy I believe is more impactful.
Steinberg, who left office in December, scraped, clawed and finessed his way through the constraints of political leadership to leave a lasting imprint that will pay dividends for years.
At the UC Davis Health Center campus on Stockton Boulevard, Steinberg mediated the settlement of two neighborhood lawsuits and, with UC Davis Chancellor Gary May and others, paved the way for Aggie Square.
The $1.1 billion innovation hub is projected to generate nearly $3 billion in annual economic activity, with potential for scientific breakthroughs.
Steinberg was a driving force behind the project’s community benefits agreement to bring affordable housing, jobs and other enhancements to people near the health campus.
At the Downtown railyards, Steinberg, Republic FC soccer team and Wilton Rancheria, the tribe that
owns Sky River Casino in Elk Grove, announced plans for a 12,000-seat expandable stadium.
The proposal also envisions a separate entertainment district that would include a hotel, housing, concert venue and other amenities for an investment of more than $320 million.
Much of the infrastructure will be funded by expanding an existing Stadium Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District over the entire railyard site, something pushed by Steinberg and others.
On his way out, Steinberg announced a revamped plan to upgrade the Old Sacramento Waterfront. An earlier effort was derailed by the pandemic, but the city now can leverage some $47 million in hotel tax revenues.
Those funds are available thanks to Steinberg’s championing of a 2022 voter-approved measure allowing the money to be used for “economic development projects.” The waterfront proposal includes a new hotel.
Steinberg’s role in promoting Downtown dates to before he became mayor. In 1997, when Steinberg was a City Council member and the late Joe Serna was mayor, they engineered a $74 million loan to the Kings. Team owners said the bailout was needed to balance their books and keep the Kings in town. The loan was paid back.
When Steinberg was state Senate president in 2013, Sacramento was again in danger of losing the Kings. Steinberg carried legislation to make it all but impossible to delay construction of Golden 1 Center under the California Environmental Quality Act.
Some of Steinberg’s actions were controversial. Some required slick political maneuvering. So what? That’s what it takes to get things done in a modern American city. Steinberg deserves credit for helping drive it all to fruition.
“At the end of the day, there are only two things that matter,” Steinberg said. “What you get done and how people feel about the way you did your job. I think on both counts, I’m leaving with my head very high despite some of the criticism. It’s been messy. It’s been hard. I have made my share of mistakes, no question.
“But the main job of a mayor of modern Sacramento is to aspire and achieve more places for people to have fun. To grow the economy. To build communities. To create memories. That’s why sports and music and art are so important. In a modern growing city, the mayorship is about placemaking, and we’ve done a lot of that.”
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
STEINBERG, WHO LEFT OFFICE IN DECEMBER, SCRAPED, CLAWED AND FINESSED HIS WAY THROUGH THE CONSTRAINTS OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP TO LEAVE A LASTING IMPRINT THAT WILL PAY DIVIDENDS FOR YEARS.
Darrell Steinberg
Self Help
AUTHOR AND MOVEMENT INSTRUCTOR LEADS WITH KINDNESS
Iwas a young girl who never felt comfortable in her skin or content in my body,” Jesse Bennett says. “I was good at being positive and caring to others, but I wasn’t kind to myself.”
“When I started practicing Pilates and yoga in college, it was a gamechanger,” she continues. “I fell in love with how the practices changed how I felt in my skin. I want to give that gift to other people, to empower women to love who they are and where they’re at.”
Bennett looks content these days. A mother of two, she teaches yoga
and Pilates at Roseville’s Life Time health and fitness club, hosts monthly movement sessions on KMAX 31’s “Good Day Sacramento” and just published her fifth book for children.
Bennett’s love of movement started in college at USC and carried her around the country while her husband completed training as an orthopedic surgeon. When she was pregnant with their first child, she discovered the wonders of prenatal yoga and incorporated it into her practice.
“Pregnancy makes you realize being a woman is so powerful. We’re connected to ourselves in a way that is so special and such a miracle,” she says.
wider audience. The result was her first book, “The Yoga House.”
“For ‘The Yoga House,’ I used my kid’s colored markers and pencils (to illustrate the book). I want other people to know that if I can write and illustrate a book, they can too,” she says. “When I read to schools in the area, one of my messages is, if there’s something you’re compelled to put out into the world, do it. The world needs your voice.”
Bennett published four more books through Archway Publishing, an arm of Simon & Schuster. Each book deals with a different theme, but the power of kindness is a common thread.
“I’m so grateful to be affiliated with them and be part of their community,” Bennett says.
When she’s not writing, illustrating or teaching, Bennett travels the region for book talks at schools.
She encourages young readers to make their own books, which is why she’s adamant about using only accessible materials to illustrate. Proceeds from book sales go to the schools or other causes close to Bennett’s heart.
“I want my books to feel like a hug, for kids to feel loved for who they are,” Bennett says. “If I can do it, they can do it.”
JL JL
By Jessica Laskey Meet Your Neighbor
Personal experiences inspired her work as a children’s author. When her daughter was having trouble sleeping, Bennett wrote a meditation for the youngster based around breathwork at bedtime. It worked wonders.
Bennett began to think about how she could share these lessons with a
Her second book, “Sunshine,” brought an opportunity to reach more people. To promote the book, she appeared on “Good Day Sacramento” and made friends with anchor Cody Stark. This connection led to the TV team calling on Bennett for regular yoga segments, especially during the pandemic. Five years on, she has a monthly slot on the show.
For information, find Bennett on Instagram @jesse.bennett. Her books are available on Amazon.
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
Jesse Bennett
Photos by Aniko Kiezel
Living History
LAND PARK HOME HONORS ARCHITECT WHO SHAPED THE CITY
The 1937 Spanish Revival-style duplex in Land Park is the perfect place for retired architect Peter Saucerman and his wife Susan Twining.
The house features an owner-occupied unit of 2,200 square feet and another 1,100-square-foot rental. The owner’s side has three bedrooms and two bathrooms on two floors connected with a curving staircase, plus a two-car garage.
Local architect Leonard F. Starks designed the property for himself and his wife Eleanor. One of
the city’s most prolific architects, Starks designed the Elks Tower, C.K. McClatchy High School, Downtown Post Office and Alhambra Theatre, the latter demolished but still missed.
Starks lived in the home until his death in 1986 at age 94. Saucerman bought the property in 1995 after it sat for nine months and was nearly repossessed by a bank.
Saucerman was smitten the moment he walked in and saw the luminous windows and woodbeamed living room ceiling. “The details were just amazing,” Saucerman says. “The light was so interesting since it came from various directions.”
By Cecily Hastings Open House
by Aniko Kiezel
He was stunned when he realized the connection to Starks. “I found that Starks had been a founder of the architectural firm Nacht & Lewis, where I once worked. But I had never met Leonard. I remember that architectural partner Dick Lewis used to visit him and look out for him.”
Saucerman was in no rush to update the home, but that changed when he and Twining married in 2003. The couple started with a kitchen remodel
Photography
Peter Saucerman and Susan Twining with Gracie, their dog.
that honored the architectural heritage. Later they remodeled the upstairs bathroom with the same respect for history.
The kitchen remodel opened the closed, dark space to the dining room. The dining room ceiling beams have the same stenciled designs as the living room.
“Before and after our wedding and honeymoon, we were busy finishing all the cherry cabinets in the kitchen by hand,” says Twining, a retired nurse. “We had the cabinets custom made but we were very particular about the exact finish.”
The home faces Riverside Boulevard and has a tiny yard. The couple turned the yard into an outdoor patio. They built a painted brick wall to match the home’s white exterior, added concrete pavers and a semi-circle fountain to extend the planter detailing.
Lush landscaping with climbing vines and sago palms creates an interesting green backdrop. A seating area for dining and relaxing highlights the area.
“Getting the duplex onto the Sacramento Register of Historic Resources in 2022 was a pandemic-era project for me,” Saucerman says.
He was encouraged by his friend and neighbor Curtis Popp, a designer who did the same for his Art Moderne home down the street. Saucerman worked with Don Cox and Paula Boghosian, a husbandand-wife team who owned Historic Environment Consultants.
“This home always represented an opportunity for us, but also a responsibility to preserve it into the future,” Saucerman says.
Starks helped with the historic registration process. He left a trove of drawings and photo
albums dating from 1915. The treasures showed people and projects from the architect’s life.
“On many occasions I referred to his original drawing to make decisions on things to restore,” Saucerman says. “Susan and I act more like curators than anything else. We never felt a need, or even really a reason, to do any great remodels or big changes to it. Painting, repairs and HVAC upgrades are really all we’ve done. Even the windows are mostly original.”
Now in their early 70s, the couple plans to age in place as Starks did. “We have a small bedroom and full bath on the lower level if we ever need it,” Twining says. “Otherwise, we can easily accommodate a
chair lift on the staircase. And right outside our door is a bus stop to get anywhere.”
When it’s time to pass along their perfect place, Saucerman says, “We hope the next owner will continue to honor the magnificent history of this home. And love it as much as we do now.”
Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. 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
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' erosion-control work targets lower American River east of
Protection, Not Devastation
Living in a city with two major rivers has risks. Half a million Sacramentans don’t want their homes flooded or lives put in danger.
Here’s the catch. We also cherish the river parkway. The lower American River is designated “wild and scenic” for a reason. The forested waterway is a year-round playground for hikers, bikers, boaters and birdwatchers.
If the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ erosion-control work along the lower American River proceeds, hundreds of trees, miles of riparian habitat and countless wildlife will be lost to bulldozers, dredging, rock and rubble.
The project, called Contract 3B, runs from the Howe Avenue bridge to east of Watt Avenue. But does flood protection have to equal devastation?
“We’ve got to prevent the flooding, but let’s do it in a smarter way,” says Pete Spaulding, whose house backs up to the parkway levee.
Spaulding and Alica Eastvold are with American River Trees, a citizens
CBy Cathryn Rakich
group advocating for a less-destructive approach to flood control. Like Spaulding, Eastvold’s home is steps from the levee.
“Of course we want flood control. My house, Pete’s house, we are going to be the first to wash away,” Eastvold says. “It’s not about shutting something down. We’re not looking for no way. We’re looking for a better way.”
For more than a year, parkway advocates, community organizations and government agencies have called on the Army Corps to redesign Contract 3B. They want a more targeted, less destructive approach using new models and engineering approaches.
They also want more community involvement. Public outreach has been minimal. Three virtual public meetings and a follow-up “community conversation” answered few questions. Requests to walk the parkway with Army Corps engineers have been ignored.
The Environmental Council of Sacramento, which calls the Army Corps’ draft environmental report “flawed,” says an “ineffective public participation process” was used.
Sacramento County’s Department of Regional Parks says the process for involving the public and responsible agencies was “inadequate.”
“It should be all about communication with the public,” Eastvold says.
Parkway advocates with American River Trees include engineers, biologists,
environmental scientists and other professionals with relevant expertise.
Spaulding has a degree in civil engineering and knowledge on how river flow, slope, gradient, soil consistency and vegetation affect erosion. Every river is different, and the Army Corps is using a one-size-fits-all approach, he says.
“If the river has a sharp turn, it’s going to be more susceptible to erosion,” Spaulding adds. But the Contract 3B section is straight and doesn’t turn until it reaches Sac State, where previous erosion-control work left the riverbank barren.
Bill Brattain, also with American River Trees, is a licensed civil engineer who worked for the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board for 25 years.
Brattain explains that in 1986 there was a near levee breach downstream from Paradise Beach, where the river is narrow and bends, which increases flow velocity.
County Supervisor Rich Desmond cites the 1986 event in supporting the Army Corps’ work.
Brattain says it’s not accurate to compare 1986 with today. The Contract 3B section “is wider and straighter than the river where the 1986 levee breach nearly occurred.”
Since 1986, Brattain points out the American River levee system has been
upgraded. Levees have been raised, widened and strengthened. Seepage berms and 70-foot-deep slurry walls were installed to prevent leakage. Folsom Dam has a new spillway.
“With the upgrades, the levee system along the lower American River is already designed to handle flows that occurred in 1986 and even higher,” Brattain says.
After receiving more than 1,900 comments from the public and local agencies, the Army Corps announced late last year it will delay Contract 3B until 2026. However, the Corps also reports vegetation clearing will begin in fall 2025.
And last November, the Army Corps announced another 50 trees, in addition to the 700 already targeted—including two 300-year-old heritage oaks—are being evaluated for removal.
“We need to redesign this project and make it something we can all live with,” Spaulding says. “Involve the community. Let’s work together on a project we can all be proud of.
“Then we can have erosion protection. We can have flood control. And we can still have an American River Parkway.”
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
IRescue Mission
SAVING THAT PLANT IS EXCELLENT FOR THE SOUL
cannot repair a modern appliance. Troubleshooting computer problems, reprogramming the home security system and installing child car safety seats stump me. Shameful.
My feeble attempts at Mr. Fix-It are soon abandoned, followed by a call or text to my son or daughter-in-law. It begins with, “Do you know how to…?” When your 8-year-old granddaughter is better at operating the TV remote control, you admit shortcomings.
Plants are my strength. I am a plant rescuer. I can fix a plant, and nurture it to health and long life. Herbaceous or woody, deciduous or evergreen, once a plant enters hospice care, I perform miracles.
Buying plants is costly. Recently, I spent $32 on a Rose of Sharon hibiscus and nearly $30 on two lavenders. Perennials are not forever. Like humans, some live long lives,
others succumb to growing conditions, diseases, pests or neglect. Annuals and biennials have the shortest lifespans.
Nurseries sometimes group the lopsided, the intensive-care, the pathetic runts on a table far removed from the bold and beautiful plants. Pounce on the bargains.
Opportunity may knock while visiting a neighbor or friend. You may happen upon a plant in critical condition. Often, it’s a houseplant, maybe even an orchid. Casually ask about the plant to nudge a reply of, “Why? Do you want it?” Score!
If you are friends with serious gardeners, you may be able to nurture their donations. Iris, daylily, canna, chrysanthemums and ornamental grasses are plants that should be divided after a couple of years. Dividing plants is lifting the clump from the soil and separating into several plants with roots to ensure rejuvenation and survival. More plants, too.
Dividing is not difficult but requires attentive home care until each youngster matures.
By Dan Vierria Garden Jabber
Sad looking plants may be rejuvenated simply by moving to another location. Not enough sun, too much sun, too much water, soggy soil or not enough water may cause decline.
Prepare the new planting hole before removing the sickly plant. Should the plant need urgent care, temporarily house it in a large nursery pot and tend to it until it rebounds for replanting.
Before replanting, research the ideal growing conditions. Does it prefer full sun, partial shade, regular waterings or occasional irrigation? The right plant in the right place is a useful guideline.
Fading container plants may be rootbound. Remove them from the pot and examine the roots. If roots are circling the bottom of the root ball or there is more root than soil, cut off an inch or two of roots, gently spread out the remaining roots and replant in a slightly larger container with fresh potting soil.
Container plants suffer from clogged drain holes. A rotten egg odor indicates a water-logged pot not properly draining. Tilt the container and examine the drainage holes. You can clear them by pushing a metal cooking skewer up the holes. If the soil is soggy and has an unpleasant odor, repot the plant in fresh potting soil.
Plants are not shy about sending up red flags. Yellow or dry, shriveled leaves are a warning. Be aware that yellowing leaves on lower stems may be normal aging, while yellowing throughout the plant may indicate a problem.
A plant in need of special care is likely to have some root damage. Prune dead parts to encourage new growth. Reducing the plant also reduces the workload of damaged roots.
Weed around ailing plants. Weeds are competition for soil nutrients and water.
Weak plants attract damaging insects. Examine leaves a few times a week, inspecting the underside of leaves.
Fertilizers can boost plant health, but feed in moderation, use the proper fertilizer and always follow label directions. Feed plants after thorough watering.
Saving them all is not possible. Yet even one plant resurrection nourishes the soul. Now, go forth and heal your plant babies.
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 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
If there’s one thing Kamika Hebbert knows it’s this: “It doesn’t matter what you come from, you can be the change. Don’t let your negative circumstances be your outcome.”
She could be speaking about herself. Hebbert grew up between foster care and her biological family. Many of her relatives were incarcerated. At age 9, she started writing letters to family members behind
J L JL
By Jessica Laskey Meet Your Neighbor
Voices Unlocked
bars to provide them with an emotional connection, care packages and even financial support.
“Nobody asked me to do it,” says Hebbert, who moved with her foster family to Elk Grove from East Palo Alto as a child. “When you’re incarcerated, you’re just thinking of what you need to survive. You don’t think about the individual you’re asking. You don’t realize they have a job or school.”
Despite the challenges, Hebbert found her light— literally.
“Theater is what saved me,” she says. Hebbert was a student at Sacramento City College when theater professor Luther Hanson asked his class to write a play. Hebbert penned “In By Chance, Out By Choice” about a youth in foster care. She became hooked on dramatic authorship.
“When you find something you’re passionate about writing about and you can visualize the characters, it comes with the snap of a finger,” Hebbert says.
MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER USES LIFE’S CHALLENGES TO CONNECT
The first play led to her second, an exploration of her childhood letter writing titled, “We’ve Been Sentenced.” When she performed it at The Center at Twenty-Three Hundred, the response was positive.
“It showed me how impactful the message is, even for people who’d never experience that life. It was eye opening to them,” Hebbert says.
One of Hebbert’s supporters, Phyllis Needelman, introduced the young writer to San Diego producer Amy Krause, who thought the material could be adapted for the screen. Hebbert created a documentary that incorporated her story and narratives of formerly incarcerated individuals.
The documentary premiered at the Guild Theater in May and spawned workshops in a communityimpact project led by Hebbert.
“My heart and soul are so into this movement,” she says. “In our workshops, we show the documentary and invite the community to come out and have talks. The cast is part of the panel discussion. They’re people who were formerly incarcerated and are now doing wonderful things out in the community.”
Hebbert’s Write on Time workshops are presented through Kamika Speaks, her motivational speaking brand, hosted at the creative writing nonprofit 916 Ink. She’s in talks with local school districts and hopes to work with young people in juvenile hall.
“It’s so enriching,” she says. “We’re in the community making change. I want more and more people to hear about this so they can help. My story might not touch somebody, but somebody might have a story that can touch somebody. I want that ripple effect to make the world a better place.”
For information, visit wevebeensentenced.com and @kamikaspeaks on Instagram.
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
Kamika Hebbert
Photo by Linda Smolek
FThink Small
SOCCER STADIUM PLAN MAKES SENSE, SORT OF
Mayor Darrell Steinberg gave the city a sporting gift on his way out the door. The city needs to decide whether to accept Steinberg’s present or return it.
The gift is a term sheet for a minorleague soccer stadium in the Downtown railyards.
In theory, the proposal paves the path for a public-private partnership between Republic FC and the city to build a 12,000-seat soccer grounds in a former toxic waste dump.
Months of negotiation await. Nothing may happen. But the deal is tempting.
The yards’ forlorn eastern corner holds no promise for commerce or homesteads. The land sits abandoned almost three decades since Southern Pacific ceased operations and sold to Union Pacific, which hammered the final rusted spike into the city’s railroading history in 1999.
Now the soccer team and its new majority owner, Wilton Rancheria, dream of a $227 million stadium
where leaky, belching locomotives once roamed.
Wilton Rancheria is a tribe that owns a casino in Elk Grove. Those 2,100 slot machines mean the soccer team can cover debt service on stadium bonds.
But sports investors always try to minimize financial exposure. Here’s where the city comes in—a partner in risk erasure and cost reduction.
Under Steinberg’s plan, the city will reimburse Republic FC for at least $42 million in infrastructure costs.
The former mayor boasts the city won’t write a check for $42 million. Technically, he’s not lying. But over time the city will give Republic FC $42 million and more.
Instead of writing a check, the city will funnel money to the team through a gimmick called an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District—a governmental smokescreen that distributes property taxes from a specific site.
This infrastructure financing district is 220 acres of old railyards, with potential to generate $518 million in property taxes over 45 years. Republic FC grabs the first $42 million.
Soccer and Republic FC are bizarre obsessions with Steinberg. He tried to negotiate the team’s elevation to Major League Soccer, but failed when he couldn’t conjure hundreds of millions of dollars needed for expansion fees and a big-time stadium.
With hours ticking down on his second term, Steinberg faced the humiliation of leaving City Hall with no legacy project and zero policy accomplishments beyond a couple of sales tax hikes, which he and his City Council partners squandered.
Steinberg was never a big soccer fan. Our kids played on the same team as teenagers. Darrell was tranquil on the sideline, often on his phone, quiet and supportive—never an obnoxious youth sports parent.
My guess is Steinberg and the City Council are haunted by Mayor Kevin Johnson’s ability to build Golden 1 Center and stop the Kings from moving to Anaheim or Seattle.
Steinberg was in the state Senate when the NBA drama played out. He
was tranquil on the sideline, often on his phone.
Republic FC is a minnow compared to the whale at Golden 1 Center.
The city’s two public-private sports partnerships, Republic FC and Kings, have nothing in common.
The city owns Golden 1 Center and contributed $223 million in construction bonds. Private developers own the railyards. The soccer team will buy the land and build the stadium.
It’s nice having Republic FC around. But a minor league soccer team isn’t critical to the city’s pride and identity.
Still, here’s why I like the stadium proposal:
I’m tired of seeing an empty toxic wasteland along North B Street. A tidy little soccer pitch is better than nothing.
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
By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority
That’s not all the soccer team gets. The city throws in $3 million for police and emergency services over 10 years. And the city lets Republic FC build seven digital signs without rent or fees. Also, City Hall helps the team win construction grants.
The signs and grants pencil to an extra $9.7 million for Republic FC.
THE FORMER MAYOR BOASTS THE CITY WON’T WRITE A CHECK FOR $42 MILLION. TECHNICALLY, HE’S NOT LYING. BUT OVER TIME THE CITY WILL GIVE REPUBLIC FC $42 MILLION AND MORE.
Proposed future field of FC Republic
Photo by Aniko Kiezel
ormer
Why would the city bother with a minor league soccer team and has-been mayor?
INSIDE OUT
River Cleanup Day
PHOTOS BY AUBREY JOHNSSON
River City Waterway Alliance recently hosted a river cleanup day. The alliance cleans, restores and protects Sacramento’s waterways. Last year, volunteers removed more than a million pounds of debris.
For information, including upcoming cleanup days, visit saccreeks.org/rcwa.
Long Goodbye
THINKING ABOUT RETIREMENT, BUT NOT YET
Last month, before I was to speak at the Sacramento Rotary Club, my wife Becky asked, “Do you think you’ll ever fully retire?” I answered, “Definitely! Mostly. Maybe?”
She asks because she knows I sometimes struggle to write this column, travel for speaking engagements and pastor a small church. It’s all rewarding, but a lot of work.
To explain my reticence, I simply say, “I’m just not sure of the best timing.”
In past years, Inside readers sent many emails with positive responses to my writings. You rolled out the red carpet for me during our dozenplus years together. You hosted me for speeches at colleges, hospitals, churches and civic organizations.
You traveled with me to Honduras for Chispa Project, the charity my daughter Sara created to bring libraries to Honduran elementary schools.
When I think of full retirement, I’m struck with a case of FOMO, Fear of Missing Out. I don’t want to forego more wonderful exchanges, meetings and friendships.
By Norris Burkes Spirit Matters
So, I’ve come up with a compromise for retirement, with ways to stay in touch when I fully retire.
First, consider signing up for my column by email. Inside publishes my
thoughts each month, but I write a weekly version for syndication.
If you’d like the weekly edition, email me at comment@thechaplain. net and I’ll put you on the list. Or sign up at my website, thechaplain.net/ newsletter.
You’ll find my four books on the website—collections of my columns.
“No Small Miracles” contains stories I wrote as a pediatric hospital chaplain at Sutter Memorial. “Hero’s Highway” recounts my deployment to a combat hospital in Iraq.
“Thriving Beyond Surviving” includes columns about faith, family, fun and forgivingness. My most recent book, “Tell It to the Chaplain” recalls my chaplain experiences in the hospital, hospice and military.
The last section of “Tell It to the Chaplain” tells the story of Chispa Project. Thanks to readers like you, we’ve helped more than 22,000 kids in Honduras get their first books by
Finally, know that no matter what I say, I’m not completely retired. I remain pastor of Community Church in Nevada City. The congregation is patient with me, and I miss everyone when travel takes me out of town for at least eight Sundays a year.
As a new year begins, please keep me in your prayers and thoughts as I will for you. Thank you for your faithful reading and support.
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
creating school libraries with my daughter’s charity.
95815
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WOODSON AVE $635,000 3724 ROBERTSON AVE $720,000
95822
2429 50TH AVE $265,000 7268 LOMA VERDE WAY $325,000 6661 CARNATION AVE $332,000
2005 FRUITRIDGE RD $360,000 2050 MANGRUM AVE $365,000 5617 EL GRANERO WAY $369,000 2224 FLORIN RD $379,000 7233 TAMOSHANTER WAY $380,000 2615 TOY AVE $390,000 7024 WILSHIRE CIR $415,000 7563 32ND ST $435,000 1450 FRUITRIDGE RD $457,000 4949 HELEN WAY $465,000 4700 ATTAWA AVE $475,000 6240 25TH ST $570,000
4991 HELEN WAY $650,000 1224 LUCIO LN $740,000 5605 DELCLIFF CIR $766,500 973 ROEDER WAY $897,300 1600 ALVINA AVE $935,000 4661 FRANCIS CT $1,275,000
95817
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3932 WHITNEY AVE $200,000 3721 WHITNEY AVE $320,000 2850 BELL ST $330,000 3709 BROWNSON ST $376,000 3411 LERWICK RD $384,000 4220 EDISON AVE $391,000 2809 AVALON DR $400,000 2377 CARLSBAD AVE $405,000
3506 LEATHA WAY $420,000
3116 CREST HAVEN DR $420,000 3000 FAIRWAYS CT $420,000
3771 N EDGE DR $440,000
3601 DOS ACRES WAY $450,000 2530 CASTLEWOOD DR $459,500 3130 LERWICK RD
95818
95864
95825
975 FULTON AVE #487 $207,000
1019 DORNAJO WAY #224 $213,000
2424 LARKSPUR LN #215 $230,000
1019 DORNAJO #115 $230,000
2424 LARKSPUR LN #217 $240,000
1019 DORNAJO WAY #152 $240,000
2430 LARKSPUR LN #280 $257,950
2280 HURLEY WAY #33 $259,000
2237 WOODSIDE LN #4 $268,900
841 E WOODSIDE LN #1 $272,500
2280 HURLEY WAY #68 $290,000
2290 WOODSIDE LN #3 $310,000
203 ELMHURST CIR $330,000
2064 JOAN WAY $354,950
Animal Farm
PLEASANT GROVE MAKES ROOM FOR CROPS AND CRITTERS
In golden light surrounded by fields of plump rice and recently harvested corn, beans and wheat, wildlife pecks on dinner.
This is Pleasant Grove Farms, 3,000 acres in the wetlands north of Sacramento. Owners Ed and Wynette Sills drive me around the parcels that comprise the farm.
The test of a healthy farm is the presence of wildlife. While this might seem counterintuitive, farmers who practice organic and regenerative agriculture try to create spaces where crops and other living beings thrive in harmony.
At Pleasant Grove Farms, the Sills love the land and the animals that share it—an obvious love as I see a deer, blue herons, geese, ducks, egrets and cormorants foraging in the dimming light.
Ed’s father Tom Sills founded Pleasant Grove Farms in 1946. Ed took over after graduation from UC Berkeley with a degree in forestry. His studies sparked an interest in sustainable ecosystems. In 1985, Pleasant Grove became an early bearer of the certified organic label.
Wynette Sills went to UC Davis and studied pest management. She met Ed when she worked as a master farm adviser. He asked her out to dinner and wouldn’t stop talking about his organic farm. That was 35 years ago. The couple runs Pleasant Grove Farms together and raised three children there.
Love of the land pushed them to become a certified Regenerative Organic Farm. The regenerative label means the Sills prioritize soil health crop rotations that vary the food grown on specific plots of land.
Pleasant Grove rotates heavy and poorly drained soils in two-year cycles. Lighter and more porous soils rotate in three- or four-year cycles.
By Gabrielle Myers
Aniko Kiezel Farm To
In the winter, fields are sown in vetch, a nitrogen fixing legume popular for its ability to repair and replenish soil. Stalks and unharvested plant parts stay in fields after harvest. Turning organic material back into the soil replenishes it.
The couple use water to control weeds by flooding or drying fields. GPS-guided tractors pull weeds and push them back into the dirt. Thus,
Photography by
Fork
Wynette and Ed Sills
Pleasant Grove avoids herbicides, fumigants and pesticides.
Regenerative farming addresses the health of wildlife. Wynette says, “We will do anything we can do enhance the habitat.”
She recently planted milkweeds to attract monarch butterflies in partnership with the Monarch Preservation Organization. With several butterflies and chrysalises spotted on the farm, the milkweed project helps this threatened butterfly make a comeback.
Milkweed and other pollinatorfriendly plants line the banks of what Wynette and Ed call “Willow Pond,” a place created by field runoff. Beavers and catfish live in the pond. Excess water goes into Auburn Ravine, a wild salmon habitat.
The couple partner with local organizations to promote pollinator-friendly plants. They flood fields in early fall to attract shore birds and work to identify and collect mallard duck eggs. Once hatched, the ducklings return to the fields.
Regenerative farming asks farmers to consider themselves and their workers as part of the system they invest in. With this approach, farm workers are treated with respect, paid sustainable wages and not exposed to harmful chemicals.
Pleasant Grove Farms sells popcorn, corn, rice, wheat, triticale, oats, and kidney, black, mung and urad beans wholesale to Lundberg Family Farms, True Origins Foods, Amy’s Kitchen, Comet Corn and Giusto’s Fine Foods, among other food producers.
For information, visit pleasantgrovefarms.com.
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
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READERS NEAR & FAR
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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.
Christina Kashiwada and her mom, Margie Wing, at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France.
Roz Goldenberg and Mandy Davies in Antarctica.
Florrie Matsueda in Osaka, Japan.
Sandra Bauer (center) with her granddaughters, Alexa Bauer and Blythe Bauer, in Tromso, Norway, to view the Northern Lights.
Melissa Torres-Montoya and her mother, Martha Torres-Montoya, in Teotihuacán, Mexico.
6. Delaney Schmitt and Grace Wilgus at a Mt. Cross education trip in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
KEITH
KELLY
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Champions of Breakfast
TWO MIDTOWN WINNERS START THE DAY RIGHT
Vegan and gluten-free pandan waffle with ube coconut buttercream, almonds and praline dust at The
Two Midtown breakfast spots span the spectrum from oldfashioned to new-fangled. Both create delightful mornings with excellent cooking.
THE MORNING FORK
The Morning Fork opened on 21st Street in 2019. Owners Keith and Jennifer Swiryn took over the site occupied by Lucky Cafe. They updated the menu, dining room and experience.
The Morning Fork is one of the most popular breakfast restaurants in town.
One glance tells the story. Open the front door and notice every stool taken along the counter. You’ll find steaming cups of coffee on every table. You’ll see the grill get a workout, producing fried eggs, pancakes and crisped hash browns.
Service is prompt and friendly. The morning shift brings a ray of sunshine with them. Coffee is fast and frequent. Check-ins are quick and casual.
Breakfast standards arrive in abundance. Eggs and bacon, waffles and French toast, biscuits and gravy all succeed. But the menu goes beyond the familiar delights.
A standout fried chicken is a favorite. The batter is spiked with sage and more than 11 herbs and spices, the perfect combo of crispy and juicy.
By Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider
There’s more. Alongside the chicken is an indulgent side of sausage gravy
that puts every bite over the top. A piece of Morning Fork’s fried chicken smothered in homemade gravy is the stuff of breakfast dreams and cardiology nightmares.
Other creative offerings arrive from the sweet side. The “Waffle Queen”
takes a thick Belgian waffle and tops it with marshmallow butter, banana, dark chocolate shavings, toasted coconut, Reese’s crumbles and rainbow sprinkles.
Not recommended by dentists, it’s a favorite of sweet breakfast lovers.
Morning Fork.
Photos by Linda Smolek
The Morning Fork
The Morning Fork is tuned into what this breakfast diner wants: a classic, retro, homey spot with dialed-in modern cooking.
SUNNY SIDE BREAKFAST & ASIAN FUSION
Two blocks away, a new breakfast and brunch restaurant opened in October and is generating buzz. Sunny Side Breakfast & Asian Fusion combines traditional American favorites with breakfast and brunch treats from Asia.
Sunny Side is on 19th Street at Capitol Avenue. Gelato lovers may remember the location as home of Devine Gelateria. Gone are the cold cases and Italian street scene photos. New are TV monitors playing footage of waterfalls and lush foliage.
If you don’t follow food trends on social media, you might not know Asian breakfast is having a moment. Sunny Side draws influence from Japan, Korea and Taiwan, and throws in a Hawaiian flair.
The hallmark is omurice. The Japanese dish, featuring a pile of rice topped with a soft omelet and sauce, is an internet star.
Start with a pile of fried rice, add a spiral-swirled “tornado omelet,” add a piece of grilled eel, then finish with eel sauce, and garnish with micro greens and sesame seeds. The dish is no small undertaking to make or devour. It’s delicious.
Don’t overlook Sunny Side’s version of Loco Moco, Korean fried chicken and waffles, and Korean noodles with pork belly and fried egg. All exciting dishes, done well.
The Morning Fork is at 1111 21st St.; (916) 476-6765; themorningfork.com.
Sunny Side Breakfast & Asian Fusion is at 1221 19th St.; (916) 594-9384.
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
Salsa omelette with biscuits and gravy on the side at The Morning Fork.
Carnitas and peppered bacon burrito at The Morning Fork.
Deep Impression
CHRIS DAUBERT INSPIRED GENERATIONS OF ART STUDENTS
Chris Daubert had a great attitude.
“Chris was exciting to be around,” says artist Jill Estroff, who met the late artist, educator and curator in Daubert’s art
J L JL
By Jessica Laskey Open Studio
history survey class at Sacramento City College.
“His boundless enthusiasm for art infused his classes and everyday conversation with an energy that was catching and gave students courage to develop their skills and put their work out there.”
Over the decades, Daubert inspired countless students and fellow creatives. When he died of organ failure in May 2023, he left an impression on the local artistic landscape that continues today. He was 72.
“His best work was reliant on his manipulation of how we perceive the world and art,” says artist Fred Dalkey, a longtime Sac City colleague.
Daubert’s work included drawings, paintings and large-scale mixed-media installations. Estroff remembers one exhibition that involved an “environment of entangled branches that emitted almost musical and haunting sounds as you wandered. Another creation was activated by movement and sound. These experiences stayed with you.”
Several Daubert pieces were displayed in a memorial exhibition at Twisted Track Gallery on R Street in December, curated by Nisa Hayden, who adored the artist.
“Chris hadn’t had a solo show in Sacramento for some years and I felt it would be appreciated,” Hayden says. “He was such a beloved figure in the
art community. I also hoped—and do hope—that some of the work sells and finds a home outside of his studio.”
While Daubert’s work has been celebrated, his gifts as a person and mentor stick most with people.
“In addition to being an artist whose work we both deeply admired, he was a wonderful person and so giving of his time and expertise to many,” says Victoria Dalkey, longtime art critic and wife of artist Fred Dalkey. “He was a superb artist and teacher and a mentor to many artists who were just starting out.”
Estroff recalls Daubert’s efforts to support colleagues and his community, including helping build a studio for a
Chris Daubert
Photo by Andres Alvarez
fellow artist and an entrance ramp for a friend injured in a fall.
He curated more than 100 exhibitions for educational institutions and galleries, including Beatnik Studios, Richard L. Nelson Gallery at UC Davis and Sac City’s Gregory Kondos Gallery where he served as curator for 12 years.
Daubert and his wife of 50 years, Dana, donated $1 million to establish
the Christopher D. and Dana Daubert Endowment for Art Education to support the Gregory Kondos Gallery.
His death spurred remembrances and tales of the artist’s keen eye, honesty, generosity and creativity that still inspire.
“Mentor and dear friend, he nurtured so many people’s dreams for a creative life,” Estroff says. “His presence will long linger and influence
those of us lucky enough to have known him.”
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
TO DO
THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS
By Jessica Laskey Calendar Editor
COMMUNITY
Northern California Home & Landscape Expo
Gary Brown Enterprises
Friday, Jan. 31, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, Feb. 1 & 2, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Cal Expo (1600 Exposition Blvd.); homeandlandscapeexpo.com
Admission: $10 general; free for kids 12 and younger; discounts for seniors, first responders, medical heroes and military
Peruse hundreds of exhibits showcasing everything for the home and garden, plus workshops, speakers, chats with industry experts and a chance to win giveaways.
¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues
California Museum
Through Jan. 19
1020 O St.; californiamuseum.org
Admission: Free for members; $10 adults; $8 seniors, military and youth; free for kids 5 and younger
Don’t miss this Smithsonian
Institution traveling exhibit that shows how generations of Latinos and Latinas helped make baseball the game it is today.
Glass, China & Pottery Sale
International Depression Glass Club
Saturday, Jan. 18, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 19, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Scottish Rite Center (6151 H St.); idgc.org
Admission: $6 ($5 if you mention Inside Sacramento); 2-for-1 on Sunday
See and purchase vintage and midcentury glass, china, pottery, jewelry, linens, kitchenware, silver and more.
A New Year’s Taste of the Classical Congregation Beth Shalom
Sunday, Jan. 12, 4 p.m.
4746 El Camino Ave.; cbshalom.org/event/ concertseries
Tickets: $20 adults (includes reception); free for students/kids
Enjoy classical music from Johannes Brahms and Pable de Sarasale featuring Anita Felix on violin and Miles Graber on piano.
Sacramento Chocolate Salon
International Chocolate Salon
Sunday, Jan. 26, 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
The Citizen Hotel (926 J St.); sacchocolatesalon. com
Tickets: $19.95 adults in advance; $25 adults at the door; $11 kids 6–12; free for kids 5 and younger
Discover, taste and savor the finest in artisan, gourmet and premium chocolates and confections.
This multi-cultural dance and music showcase features African, Mexican, Chinese, Ukrainian, Hmong, Brazilian and Aerial Aboriginal performances.
Beethoven, Brahms, and Hadelich
Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera
Saturday, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2 p.m.
SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center (1303 L St.); sacphilopera.org
Tickets: $35–$115
Principal Conductor Ari Pelto leads Beethoven’s boisterous “Symphony No. 7.” Grammy Award-winning violinist Augustin Hadelich joins for Brahms’ “Violin Concerto.”
Garrison Keillor Tonight GD Theatres
Saturday, Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Crest Theatre (1013 K St.); crestsacramento.com
Tickets: $56–$78
Enjoy an evening of stand-up, storytelling, song and poetry with the iconic “one man, one microphone.”
Northern California Home & Landscape Expo at Cal Expo.
John McCutcheon
The Sofia
Saturday, Jan. 11, 7 p.m.
2700 Capitol Ave.; bstreettheatre.org
Tickets: $33.50
This Grammy-nominated multiinstrumentalist/folk musician/storyteller celebrates his 45th album, “Field of Stars.”
Kimberly Akimbo
Broadway Sacramento
Through Jan. 5
SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center (1303 L St.); broadwaysacramento.com
Tickets: $42.25–$109
Sixteen-year-old Kim navigates family dysfunction, a rare genetic condition, her first crush and possible felony charges in this 2023 Tony Award-winning musical.
ART
Sketchy x 3: Sean Bonito, Mary Czechan Coldren and Brad Morlock
Twisted Track Gallery
Jan. 3–Feb. 2
First Friday Reception Jan. 3, 6–9 p.m.
Second Saturday Reception Jan. 11, 5–9 p.m. 1730 12th St.; (916) 639-0436 or (916) 769-2700
Bonito uses graphite pencil to render animal portraits, Coldren creates stunning animal skull pictures with pastels and Morlock shows brick charcoal images on paper.
Survey 2025
Archival Gallery
Jan. 4–25
3223 Folsom Blvd.; archivalgallery.com
This group exhibition celebrates the eclectic mix of Archival’s stable of more than 30
Northern California artists working in diverse styles and techniques.
City of Trees & Axis Mundi
Axis Gallery
Jan. 3–26
Second Saturday Reception Jan. 11, 5–8 p.m.
625 S St.; axisgallery.org
Artist Frank J. Stockton shares his love letter to the Sacramento horizon. The East Gallery features work by Molly Champlin and Mirabel Wigon.
Path to Illumination: Kristine Bybee
ARTHOUSE
Jan. 10–Feb. 2
Opening Reception Jan. 11, 5–8 p.m. 1021 R St.; arthouseonr.com
The artist’s paintings of rivers and mountains illuminate the natural world and capture moments with gold, silver and copper leaf.
Jill Estroff
Jane Gallery
Jan. 3–Feb. 18
First Friday Reception Jan. 3, 4–6 p.m.
Opening Reception Jan. 11, 5–8 p.m.
1000 Alhambra Blvd.; janegallery.com
Revel in the artist’s loose, abstract style with vivid color and texture at this new gallery owned by artist Jane Mikacich next door to the Limelight.
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
“Aspens in a Cloud of Silver” by Kristine Bybee at ARTHOUSE.
“Brushing Up” by Jill Estroff at Jane Gallery.
“Feed Me” by Sean Bonito at Twisted Track Gallery.
