Inside Land-Grid - April 2023

2724 Marty Way - $699,900

EXCEPTIONAL ELEGANCE IN LAND PARK! 2 bed 1 bath home with modern conveniences, charming original features and a relaxing, spa-like pool and hot tub.

STEPH BAKER 916-775-3447 DRE-01402254

3401 – 23rd STREET - $600,000

ADORABLE LAND PARK HOME 2 bed 1 bath with beautiful hardwood floors, updated kitchen, white cabinets, granite counters, two fireplaces, French doors to backyard

BETH CHRISTENSEN 916-800-4343 DRE-01237439

6816 Havenhurst Drive - $610,000

WONDERFUL SPANISH STYLE HOME. 4 or 5 bed, 3 bath. Elegant two-story with many upgrades, bamboo flooring, sophisticated lighting. Backyard oasis with pool

HILARY BUCHANAN 916-397-7502 DRE-01359213

3128 N Street - $559,000

EAST SACRAMENTO GEM, LOVINGLY MAINTAINED. 2 bed 1 bath with large living room, hardwood floors,formal dining with builtins, updated kitchen, large pantry KELLIE SWAYNE 916-2061458 DRE-0172664

4011 – 57th Street – $494,900

CAREFREE LIVING IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS 3 bed, 2 bath on park like .23-acre lot. Upgraded appliances, rich wood cabinetry, recycled glass counter tops. Large Trex deck.

STEPHANIE GALLAGHER 916-342-2288 DRE-01705253

409 – 41st Street – $950,000

EAST SACRAMENTO CHARMER IDEAL LAYOUT. 4 bed 3 bath with two bedrooms and bath down and two bedrooms and two baths upstairs. Built- backyard oasis.

NATHAN SHERMAN 916-969-7379 DRE-01875980

1045 Vanderbilt Way - $479,900

BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS COMMONS END UNIT 2 or 3 bed, 2½ bath in a private location. Recessed lighting, plantation shutters, updated baths and pretty kitchen overlooks patio

DAVID KIRRENE 916-531-7495 DRE#01115041

316 Outrigger Way - $715,000

CLOSE TO GENNEVIEVE DIDION SCHOOL. 3 bed 2 bath Gorgeous remodeled single story home with pool and backyard for entertaining. Breathtaking kitchen

MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

EVERY

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April is Photography Month Sacramento, presented by Viewpoint Photographic Art Center and partners, offering exhibits, workshops, field trips, free lectures, photoshoots and meetups celebrating all things photographic. Visit photomonthsacramento.org/events to plan activities.

Shown: "Wind Through the Flags: Black Rock Desert" by David Ruderman at Viewpoint Photographic Art Center. The exhibit, Essential Elements: Earth, Wind, Fire & Water, runs April 5 to May 6. Second Saturday Reception is April 8 from 4–7 p.m. Visit davidruderman.myportfolio.com.

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Gaslighting The Public

CITY GOES TO WAR AGAINST GAS STOVES, FIREPLACES, HEATERS

My favorite cooking tool is my gas stove cooktop. I’ve cooked on gas exclusively for four decades. The rhythm and timing of a sauté over an open flame is steeped in my muscle memory. I’m lucky to have a sensitively calibrated stovetop that makes cooking joyful. Plus, there is something primal about the fire under a metal pan. No wonder kids love nothing more than roasting marshmallows over an open flame.

I use natural gas to fuel my barbecue, fireplace and underfloor hydronic heating system.

But this practice will soon be history. Last year, the City Council voted to become the state’s 46th municipality to ban natural gas infrastructure in new construction. There was zero public outreach.

In a 7-2 City Council vote last June, the ordinance disallowed natural gas infrastructure in new buildings of three stories or fewer after Jan. 1, 2023. Natural gas is banned from high-rise construction—four stories or more—in the city after Jan. 1, 2026.

The ordinance applies only to new builds. “Businesses in existing buildings, including restaurants, will be allowed to purchase new gas equipment such as stoves and ovens for replacement and expansion purposes,” Jennifer Venema, Sacramento’s climate action lead, said last June.

CBy Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk

HApparently, the council didn’t want a revolt by local restaurant owners and chefs in America’s farm-to-fork capital. But the city is working on a strategy to transition away from gas in existing buildings.

“We are doing this because it’s the top thing we can implement as a city

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Venema said. “Energy use in the built environment is a key sector that we directly regulate.”

According to the ordinance, pathways for including gas infrastructure in new buildings are available through limited exemptions for technical or cost difficulties through 2025.

The exemptions may be extended if the technology is such that full electrification is not feasible by July 1, 2025, Venema said.

Several councilmembers expressed a desire to avoid unintended consequences despite the exemptions and waivers.

“What a chef deems feasible versus what our building inspector deems feasible for cooking are two totally different things,” former Councilmember Angelique Ashby said. “They’re not industry experts. We’re not industry experts.” Ashby offered a substitute motion that would have required more research and a vote postponement. Her motion failed.

Chefs throughout the state, particularly those who prepare Asian cuisine, insist gas flames are essential. In 2019, the Sacramento-based California Restaurant Association filed suit against Berkeley over the first local ban. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit.

Opponents to the ban argued part of Sacramento’s electric power still comes from fossil fuel generation resources and suggested the measure was pointless until SMUD can provide 100-percent clean energy. SMUD’s board of directors voted last year to acquire 100 percent of the utility’s power generation from carbon-free resources by 2030.

Nationally, the gas stove debate has—no surprise—turned partisan.

A member of the Consumer Product Safety Commission appointed by President Biden threatened to ban gas stoves based on dubious evidence of public-health harm. “This is a hidden hazard,” Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. said. “Any option is on the table. Products that can’t be made safe can be banned.”

Find your way back to the little things that matter.

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After withering public criticism, the commission chairman denied any plan to ban gas stoves. The White House said President Biden doesn’t want a ban. But climate-driven, progressive cities— including Sacramento—are doing it anyway.

Proponents of the ban argue that gas stoves are a major source of air pollution, and that they are a major contributor to climate change. Gas stoves emit carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants into the air. Ban proponents say gas stoves are inefficient and waste energy and money.

But pollution comes from cooking with poor ventilation, not from natural gas. Electric range-tops carry the “hidden hazard” of potential burns.

Opponents of the ban argue gas stoves are a necessary part of life, an important part of the state’s culture and economy. Gas stoves are used in many restaurants and homes and are a major source of employment. Also, gas stoves are a relatively inexpensive and convenient way to cook.

The debate over banning gas fuel in California continues. The state has taken steps to reduce its carbon footprint, such as implementing a capand-trade system and increasing the use of renewable energy sources. However,

it’s unclear whether banning gas fuel would be an effective way to reduce air pollution and climate change.

Ultimately, it should be up to the people of California to decide whether they want to ban gas residential service. Sadly, the citizens of Sacramento had little voice in the ban that their city imposed on them without meaningful community input.

Ironically, last summer, I was warned by SMUD not to recharge my electric car or turn on my air conditioner during peak hours. The state’s electrical grid was overloaded. No one seems interested in talking about the failure of our electrical grid, or our city becoming overdependent on electricity as a sole source of fuel.

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Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Dear Readers: I’m working on a short documentary film about the personal costs of the pandemic lockdowns on Sacramento residents. Please share with me your experience by answering the question: Which aspect of the response to COVID affected you most on a personal level?

Please limit your response to 75 words and email to publisher@insidepublications. com. Your privacy will be honored.

Thank you. Cecily Hastings

Century Of Fellowship Centur y Of Fellowship

CARMICHAEL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CELEBRATES 100TH ANNIVERSARY

Carmichael Presbyterian Church celebrates its centennial this year—100 years of service in the local community.

What started as a Sunday school planted in Carmichael Colony by three determined mothers in 1918, was officially organized as Carmichael Community Church in 1923 under Rev. J.W. Babcock. (Rev. Samuel Holsinger became the first “called pastor” in 1925, the same year the organization began its affiliation with the Presbyterian Church.)

The church used Carmichael Elementary School on Sutter Avenue as its first home. Eventually outgrowing that location, the church found a new home along Marconi Avenue on land donated by H.A. Hobbs in 1927. The new sanctuary, still in use today, was completed in 1951. The church changed its name to Carmichael Presbyterian Church in 1964.

Over the decades, the church has “played an integral role in the growth and development of the community,” says Karen Orlando, a member of the

J L JL

By Jessica Laskey Out & About

Centennial Committee that’s organizing celebratory events throughout the year.

The church has offered a summer Vacation Bible School since 1925 (this year’s will be July 10–14) and a Food Closet since 1973. It also hosts monthly Saturday suppers, weekly Wednesday dinners, facilities for the homeless, choirs for adults and children, language classes and various support groups.

Events to celebrate the centennial include guest preachers, concerts, potlucks and workshops. “Stories of Faith: Carmichael Presbyterian Church at 100” will be published in December. For information, visit carmichaelpres. org.

IMPACT100 GRANT

Impact100 Greater Sacramento will award up to $100,000 to nonprofit organizations operating in Sacramento, Placer, Yolo and El Dorado counties. Applications are accepted through the end of April in five areas: Arts & Culture; Education; Environment, Preservation & Recreation; Family; and Health & Wellness.

“We want to help nonprofits realize their goals,” Sacramento chapter President Evelyn Jensen says. “Collectively, Impact100 chapters have provided $123 million in grants in their regions. Now it's our turn.”

Impact100 Greater Sacramento is the newest chapter of an international organization that empowers women as philanthropists working to benefit their

local communities. For information, visit impact100greatersacramento.org.

PHOTO MONTH

It’s finally here! Photography Month Sacramento is happening across the city led by Viewpoint Photographic Art Center in collaboration with the city of Sacramento and Sacramento365. The monthlong event features special exhibits, receptions, photo

shoot meetups, workshops, lectures and more. For up-to-date event information, visit sacramento365.com and photomonthsacramento.org.

MAYOR OFFICE ART

Mayor Darrell Steinberg is once again highlighting local artists by hanging their work in his office. The artwork will be updated each month in the alcove located in the

Carmichael Presbyterian Church celebrates 100 years of service—then and now.

“15 minutes before Sunset” by Aniko Kiezel is on display at the Mayor’s Office at City Hall.

public reception area between the mayor’s conference room and his office.

April’s featured artist/photographer is Inside Sacramento’s own Aniko Kiezel. Her photo, “15 minutes before Sunset,” captures a Lotus in William Land Park.

PSYCHOLOGY CLINIC

California Northstate University College of Psychology has opened Community Counseling and Psychological Services in Rancho Cordova to provide low-cost mental health services.

“Our students have given over 20,000 hours of free mental health service to this community,” says Dr. Bret McLaughlin, dean of the College of Psychology. “CCAPS is the next step in fulfilling our mission to provide skillful and affordable mental health care to this region.”

Individual and group therapy is provided by doctoral psychology students supervised by licensed psychologists, many of whom are faculty at the school. CCAPS is open to everyone 18 and older. Each therapy session is $20 and the clinic is open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

IRS-certified volunteers help families file their taxes through United Way California Capital Region’s Free Tax Prep program.

Not only is Elise an expert at what she does, knowledgeable about every issue in the industry, responsive to every question (at all hours) and super informed - she is also a wonderful and lovely person to work with! Elise is always looking out for you whether it's foreseeing potential agreement challenges or crawling into a dark basement to see what's under a home! If you want to work with someone who is punctual, communicative, and an expert in the field, look no further! I trust Elise tremendously and can not recommend her enough!

Clinic services include general psychotherapy for mild to moderate depression/mood-related symptoms, anxiety, family conflict/relationship difficulties, phase-of-life adjustments, gender and identity concerns, and trauma. For information, visit psychology.cnsu.edu/ccaps.

JUNK PICKUP

Spring cleaning is upon us and the city of Sacramento’s Solid Waste and Recycling department reminds residential customers you can make two appointments per year to pick up junk too large to fit in curbside containers, including extra yard waste.

To make an appointment, call City Customer Service at 311—or (916) 264-5011 outside city limits. You can also use the free Sac311 app or make an online request at sac311.org. Appointments are available through October.

Materials should not be placed in the street more than 24 hours prior to pick up. Piles must be no larger than 4 feet by 4 feet by 9 feet and should be placed 6 feet from vehicles. Place tree and yard waste (branches, stumps, leaves) in a separate pile away from junk. Keep piles away from storm drains and bike lanes.

Appliances, e-waste and hazardous waste should not be included. For information, visit cityofsacramento.org.

INNOVATION CHALLENGE

Applications are open for the Creative Business Innovation Challenge

supporting underserved and minorityowned businesses in food, fashion, design, festival and cultural experiences, game design, film, media, music and entertainment.

The six-week program is managed by Unseen Heroes and Creative Start Ups, and is funded through the city’s Office of Arts and Culture.

Elise is honest in her opinion, and fiercely protects and supports her clients without ever putting her own interest before yours.

~ Martha G.

Leadership Sacramento class of 2022 celebrates the outdoor renovation at Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center’s Senior Center. Photo courtesy of Tia Gemmell.

“Sacramento has a history of creative talent but it has not always been actively supported and recognized,” says Unseen Heroes CEO Roshaun Davis. “Through partnerships like this, new opportunities are being created to support and celebrate the city’s creative ecosystem, specifically for BIPOC entrepreneurs.”

Business experts mentor participants on developing business plans and pitches; marketing, finance and operations; networking and collaboration; and accessing funding and investment opportunities.

The deadline to apply is April 16. The application fee is $95. Find information at sacramentocityexpress.com.

CREATIVE CORPS

If you’re a nonprofit organization, arts collective or artist, now’s your chance to join the city’s Capital Region Creative Corps. The California Arts Council recently awarded $4.75 million to the city to implement the new program in our region.

The Creative Corps provides grants to create public awareness campaigns related to water and energy, conservation, climate mitigation, COVID-19, civic engagement and social justice. For information, visit arts. cityofsacramento.org/creativecorps.

FREE TAX PREP

Eligible residents can file their taxes online for free through United Way California Capital Region’s Free Tax Prep program through April 18.

Households that earned up to $66,000 in 2022 can file for free and receive up to $8,000 cash back from state and federal credits, including the federal and state Earned Income Tax Credits.

The program provides tax help virtually and in person in multiple

languages and locations. For information, visit yourfreetaxprep.org or call 211.

ANTI-DISPLACEMENT

The City Council has approved a suite of programs to prevent people from being displaced along the Stockton Boulevard corridor as a result of UC Davis’ $1.1 billion Aggie Square mixed-use innovation district. The antidisplacement effort is funded by the city of Sacramento and UC Davis as part of the project’s Community Benefits Partnership Agreement.

Four community programs will receive funding to repair homes; help residents with one-time financial assistance for rent, utilities and other needs; and assist first-time home buyers in the ZIP codes surrounding Aggie Square.

The four programs are Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento Home Preservation and Electrification Program; Salvation Army Homeless Prevention Program; Step Up Homeless Prevention, Housing Coordination, Stability and Retention Program; and Unseen Heroes/CLTRE First-time Homebuyer Loan Program.

The Community Benefits Partnership Agreement includes pledges for local hiring and a commitment by the city to invest in affordable housing along the Stockton Boulevard corridor.

BETTERMENT PROJECT

The Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber Foundation’s Leadership Sacramento class of 2022 has completed its community betterment project—the renovation of the outdoor space at Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center’s Senior Center.

The outdoor area now offers social spaces for seniors of varying mobility

and their families, as well as space for exercise and fitness, gardening and quiet time.

“Our senior population is often an underserved community and the pandemic has been especially isolating for them,” says class member Patrick Ibarra. “While there were so many great applications from deserving nonprofits in the area looking for help, we were most moved by Stanford Settlement’s application as we remembered members of our own families struggle during these trying times.”

Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center is at 450 West El Camino Ave. To learn about the project, visit leadershipsac22.org.

WATER REBATES

With a range of rebates, the Sacramento Suburban Water District encourages county residents to use water more efficiently.

Earn $150 for installing a WaterSense-labeled high-efficiency toilet, which can help the average family save 13,000 gallons of water per year. Earn $75 for a clothes washer on the Energy Star’s Most Efficient list.

Earn $500 for upgrading your sprinkler system with high-efficiency rotator sprinklers and drip irrigation; $150 for a weather-based sprinkler timer, which uses local weather data to time when and how long sprinklers run; and $500 for repairing leaks. Earn $100 for a new pool cover.

For information, visit sswd.org/ rebates.

ENERGY EFFICIENT

Hoping to reduce your energy bill and your home’s carbon footprint?

SMUD and the city of Sacramento have partnered with XeroHome to launch a website where residents can find retrofits to make their homes more energy efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

XeroHome is free and available to all who live in single-family or duplex dwellings. The site helps users estimate their energy use based on a series of short questions and then provides suggestions for upgrades, such as electric heat pump water heaters, ceiling insulation and DIY options like LED lighting. For information, visit xerohome.com.

CITY MANAGER

The California City Management Foundation has named Sacramento City Manager Howard Chan as City Manager of the Year.

CCMF gives the City Manager of the Year award to city managers who provide exemplary leadership while delivering on important community initiatives.

Chan was appointed city manager in 2017, becoming the first AsianAmerican person in Sacramento history to hold the office. He has worked for the city of Sacramento for more than 20 years, including three years as an assistant city manager and more than a decade as parking services manager.

Students from Leataata Floyd Elementary School feed sheep at the Food Literacy Center.

City Manager Howard Chan is named City Manager of the Year.

FOOD LITERACY NEWS

The Food Literacy Center has some new residents—three sheep and three goats—at its student farm at Leataata Floyd Elementary School.

The animal residents are on loan from AG Livestock for a few months to help reduce weeds, educate staff on how

to care for animals and give students in gardening classes a chance to interact with them. Interaction with animals— petting, feeding and touching—can have positive benefits, helping us stay calm and become more social.

In more good news, Assemblymember Kevin McCarty and his team provided

Dr. Dawnté Early, president/CEO of United Way California Capital Region, announces 100th anniversary goal at Yolo Kids Read event in West Sacramento.

$247,500 in grant funds to help build infrastructure on the farm, deliver a 10-week garden curriculum for 250 students and conduct outreach to surrounding communities to encourage participation with this new community amenity. For information, visit foodliteracycenter.org.

MCCLATCHY LIBRARY

After two years of serving solely as a pick-up location, the Ella K. McClatchy Library is open again for public browsing.

The beautiful historic building in the Newton Booth neighborhood of Midtown was closed first due to the pandemic and then to address ventilation and other issues. The city has made the needed repairs and the library is welcoming visitors back to this beloved landmark.

CAP-TO-CAP

Slots for the Sacramento Metro Chamber’s 51st Annual Capitol-toCapitol federal advocacy program are filling up. Cap-to-Cap returns to Washington, D.C., April 22–26.

The largest and longest-standing chamber delegation of its kind, Cap-to-

Cap includes a local contingent of up to 400 regional business leaders and changemakers—including more than 80 electeds—who travel to D.C. to meet with federal officials.

Advocacy issues include infrastructure investment and reimagined workforce development, forest health and wildfire mitigation, housing needs and solutions to help combat homelessness.

For information or to reserve a spot, visit metrochamber.org/cap23.

NEIGHBORHOOD GRANTS

Bank of America has named the Los Rios Colleges Foundation and North State Building Industry Foundation as two of its Neighborhood Builders awardees for greater Sacramento. Each organization will receive a $200,000 grant over two years, as well as comprehensive leadership training on topics from increasing financial sustainability to human capital management and strategic storytelling. The North State Building Industry Foundation trains at-risk teens and young adults for residential construction careers. The grant will

CAMP T R O U B I E TROUBIE

JUNE 12 - 23: Rising 5th to 8th grade girls

JUNE 26 - JULY 7: Rising 5th to 8th grade girls

JULY 18 - 22: Rising 1st to 4th grade girls

S P O R T S SPORTS CAMPS

BEGINNING JUNE 12: Camps open to rising 1st to 9th grade girls

Basketball • Lacrosse • Softball • Volleyball • Soccer

5900 Elvas Avenue Sacramento, CA 95819

WWW.STFRANCISHS.ORG/SUMMER

allow the organization to expand its services and outreach.

The Los Rios Colleges Foundation (which includes American River College, Cosumnes River College, Folsom Lake College and Sacramento City College) helps previously incarcerated people transition back into school and the community through the Prison and Reentry Education Program.

PROM DRIVE

It’s prom season, but not everyone can afford a new set of dancing duds.

Bring your gently used (clean and in good condition) dresses, suits, shoes and other accessories to your local Sacramento Library during open hours and the library will redistribute them to high school students in need.

All sizes are needed. Suits and button-up shirts are especially in demand.

UNITED WAY GOAL

United Way California Capital Region has announced a new goal to raise $3 million to help 10,000 kids excel in school by 2025.

“This is such an important year as we celebrate 100 years working together

with this community to end poverty for local families,” says Dr. Dawnté Early, president and CEO. “We have learned so much over the past 100 years and now we are ready to enter our next century with a bold new goal. We know education is a proven ladder out of poverty and we know school is square one for reaching families in need.”

Through its Square One programming, United Way offers an array of services to ensure children and their families have the resources, from tutoring to income programs, to succeed in school and adulthood.

United Way’s milestone year will culminate April 29 with its 100th Anniversary Gala fundraiser at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium. To purchase tickets or make a donation, visit yourlocalunitedway.org.

SUMMER JOBS

Know a teen who needs a summer job? Recruitment is underway for more than 150 seasonal positions in the city of Sacramento’s Aquatics Division across 17 area aquatics facilities.

The Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment Department is looking to fill positions for lifeguards, senior lifeguards, assistant pool managers,

pool managers, aquatics specialists and cashiers for the 2023 summer season. Applicants must be at least 15 years old by June 1 (cashiers must be 16). All lifeguards must be American Red Cross Lifeguard/CPR-AED/First Aid certified. To apply, visit governmentjobs.com and type the desired position into the toolbar.

NEW PARKWAY SIGNS

The next time you’re walking along the American River Parkway, take notice of new welcome signs.

The Sacramento County Department of Regional Parks Maintenance Division posted new “Welcome to the American River Parkway” and “Do Not Enter, Sensitive Habitat Area” signs at five sites. The signs include universal symbols to show allowed uses and regulations.

New signage was placed at Bannon Island, Two Rivers Trail, Steelhead Creek and SAFCA Loop, and Camp Pollock. These areas have been prioritized based on their locations in flood zones, public safety concerns like unstable soil or the potential for falling trees, impacts due to trash, levee compromise (digging), degradation from

vegetation fires, criminal activities and community complaints.

ALL THAT JAZZ

Sutter Middle School won big at this year’s Teagarden Jazz Festival (formerly the Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival) at Sacramento State. The festival is open to small ensembles of four to nine musicians from elementary school to college. The Sutter Miner Minors enjoyed a festival debut and many students received awards, including Janelle Wells (Outstanding MS Clarinet), Owen Naqica (Outstanding MS Banjo), Luke Lyda (Outstanding MS Saxophone), Gloria Haskin (Outstanding MS Vocals) and Sidney Manricks (Outstanding MS Piano).

Naqica also won a half scholarship to the Teagarden Jazz Camp and trombone player Max Schwitalla won a $500 Music Lesson Award Scholarship.

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

Opportunity Lost

JOHN NOLEN’S PARKWAY WOULD HAVE TRANSFORMED CITY

moved into Land Park, Little Pocket, Greenhaven and Pocket.

Nolen knew future generations would benefit from parks. He knew real estate speculators would lock up land for subdivisions.

He advised the city to buy riverfront property and set it aside while it was cheap. Land along Nolen’s Sacramento River Parkway was basically worthless.

City leaders buried Nolen’s dream of a park meandering from Downtown to Pocket. They resurrected it 1975, when the proposal was formalized as a promise in the Sacramento River Parkway Master Plan.

Then the city forgot the parkway for another four decades.

Here we are today. The city is finally serious about building the levee parkway and bike path. But missed opportunities linger. Old mistakes are hard to erase.

In 1928, another famous urban planner, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., proposed an immense parkway along the Sacramento River. Olmsted’s open space ran along both banks from Antioch to Colusa, more than 80 miles. Olmsted took Nolen’s vision and expanded it.

“Few Californians realize what a tremendous scenic and recreational asset it is capable of being made by an expenditure quite trifling,” Olmsted wrote to state park officials. “The need here, as in other parallel cases of less magnitude, is not so much for money as for painstaking co-operative effort; for vision to see where and how scenic by-products can be salvaged.”

Ihave two healthy habits. One is a long walk every morning after breakfast. The other is looking for ways Sacramento political leaders blow opportunities to create a wonderful city.

After a walk the other day, I dug through some Sacramento Library archives. I wanted to learn how various neighborhoods came to be, how industrial operations were shoved north of B Street, how R Street was filled with warehouses, how businesses districts were dislodged from residential streets.

One guy was responsible, a city planner named John Nolen. I knew nothing about Nolen, but he was a big deal a century ago, one of the most innovative urban planners in the U.S. He was based in Boston and planned dozens of cities, San Diego to St. Petersburg, Florida.

He didn’t work cheap. His presence in Sacramento from 1914 to 1916 meant local leaders were serious about planning.

But not serious enough. They ignored his best idea. They blew it.

City Hall followed Nolen’s advice about where to locate factories, warehouses and businesses. Unfortunately, authorities dismissed his most visionary plan: a parkway along the Sacramento River from Y Street (now Broadway) down to where today’s Meadowview Road meets Pocket Road.

By R.E. Graswich Pocket Beat

Back then, there was no city beyond Y Street, just dirt roads and farms. Nolen saw the future.

He loved trees and parks. He believed people thrived when they escaped urban surroundings and engaged with nature. Sacramento had 15 parks and plazas when Nolen stepped off the train in 1914. He soon drew up plans for 127 open spaces.

The city didn’t completely ignore Nolen. His vision created the American River Parkway, Del Paso Regional Park and Haggin Oaks Golf Course. He made plans for Land Park and Curtis Park.

But to visualize a city stretching to Pocket required deep imagination. Sizing up the city’s limitations, Nolen said, “There are only 10 roads that lead anywhere going out of Sacramento. Many more outlets are needed.”

Then as now, visionaries made City Hall nervous. Big ideas cost money. They require risk.

Over the next century, the city grew from about 45,000 residents to more than 500,000. About 14 percent

Like Nolen, Olmsted was ignored. In the 1960s, suburban land exploitation steamrolled rapidly south from Broadway. The state Legislature passed the Subdivision Map Act to ensure public access to waterways.

The city’s response was to approve more housing along the levee. Those homeowners illegally blocked levee access.

Out of remorse, civic authorities ordered a report to explore the parkway grandeur envisioned by Nolen and Olmsted.

“Unfortunately, due to other pressing demands and shortage of staff, the city was unable to complete the total study,” the 1975 Master Plan says.

Decades pass. Excuses last forever.

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

John Nolen’s 1915 plan shows a parkway (in black) running along both rivers.

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HERO TO ZERO

THERE’S NO COMPARISON BETWEEN LAST TWO MAYORS

Kevin believed he was the only political leader with the vision, connections and competitive heart to save the day. Crisis conditions fueled his narcissism. But even Johnson’s critics admitted he was the right guy at the right time.

History validated our work. While Kevin never reconciled the personal demons that wrecked his political career, Sacramento was indisputably better after Johnson’s eight years in office.

Which brings us to Darrell Steinberg. Nobody can say the town has improved under his guidance. With his quest for a judgeship seemingly snuffed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Steinberg is prepared to run for an unprecedented third term.

Meanwhile, the decline under Mayor Steinberg is palpable and tragically ironic.

Money powers communities. From a financial perspective, Steinberg is loaded. Torrents of taxpayer dollars poured into City Hall the past five years, gushing from many portals. There were voter-approved hikes in local sales taxes. There were federal and state programs to soften the pandemic’s impact. Sacramento has never been so rich.

Steinberg helped engineer these chunks of fortune, notably tax hikes. But he has almost nothing to show for it, nothing residents can celebrate.

Struggling to find accomplishments, the mayor’s office points to Aggie Square, a UC Davis research facility under construction on Stockton Boulevard. Aggie Square is nice, but it was foreshadowed by the 2004 decision to move UCD’s medical school from Davis to the Med Center campus. That was the game-changer.

Adozen years ago, when I worked for the mayor’s office, we needed a slogan to describe the leadership goals of Kevin Johnson. We came up with “Think Big,”

two words distilled by Chris Lehane, a political consultant who advised our little group. Chris was always good for snappy taglines.

At first I didn’t like “Think Big.” The slogan was simplistic, childish. But as the mayor’s office worked to fulfill Kevin’s ambitions for a new arena Downtown, I realized Chris was right. To get anything done, we had to think big.

RGBy R.E. Graswich City Beat

Times were rough. Recession shut hundreds of local businesses. State workers were furloughed. The city budget was in shambles. Cops laid off, fire stations closed, parks neglected. Our NBA team was headed for Seattle.

A walk down Broadway or K Street or J Street or Alhambra Boulevard reveals a city in worse condition than in 2016, when Steinberg became mayor. He ran on the promise to resolve homelessness. The opposite happened, a nightmare that brings national shame and ridicule.

The number of rough sleepers was about 2,700 when Steinberg replaced Johnson. Today the homeless population is around 10,000. An honorable mayor would resign.

Mayoral failures can be mitigated with an experienced and wise City Council. But that’s not what Sacramento has, at least not today.

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A council majority of six new members arrived since 2020, with three rookies seated in December. It’s too soon to measure the council’s independence and ability to isolate Steinberg and steer the city around his inadequacies. Early days are not encouraging.

Mai Vang, who represents part of Meadowview and Delta Shores, launched the new council into a dismal orbit when she publicly gathered five women members and said, “Mayor, all the progressive things you’ve wanted to do, this is your council, right here.”

With that surrender, Vang insultingly characterized her colleagues as Darrell’s hippie handmaidens.

By law, the new council must let Steinberg run meetings, even when he’s unable to control the audience. But councilmembers aren’t the mayor’s toys. They don’t need him. He’s just one vote.

His presence as a forgotten state Senate leader can still intimidate political novices. But none of today’s councilmembers won by promising to let Steinberg do “all the progressive

things” he wanted to do, whatever that means.

Steinberg’s grand failure doesn’t involve leadership, progressive or otherwise. The mayor’s failure is his dependence on empty gestures. He’s a salesman, not a leader.

Hollow performances with no accountability or consequence powered his political career for three decades. He dances on air and leaves no footprints. For tangible solutions in economic development, public safety and homelessness, councilmembers must leave this mayor behind. Here’s a slogan for them: Think Big.

Correction: Last month’s City Beat column said the old Shanley’s bar on Broadway was now a pot shop. Not true, the pot shop is a block from Jamie’s, which replaced Shanley’s 37 years ago. I should know better than to mess up alcohol and pot.

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

WestleyFaustineLattanzi

Sam Faustine, Tenor Joseph Lattanzi, Baritone

Patricia a Westley, Sopraano Sam F Faustinne Tenor

Conduct Unbecoming

When I joined the City Council in 2015, our public meetings were relatively benign. There was some tension over subsidizing Golden 1 Center. The city’s contribution to the Jeff Koons art piece “Piglet” caused a stir. Relatively easy stuff to work through.

Then in 2018, with the Sacramento Police shooting death of Stephon Clark and the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, things got serious. Protests led to real anger at City Hall. Obscenities became common at our meetings. Several

sessions ended early because they could not be calmed.

Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s life was threatened at the dais. Councilmembers were called racists, murderers and executioners. At one point City Hall was vandalized. Councilmembers left the building for safety reasons.

The hot button issues became homelessness, social justice, police actions and calls for defunding public safety. A group of “progressive activists” evolved. They attended City Council meetings and regularly disrupted proceedings with belligerent, defiant behavior. By my count, they number about 50 ideologues.

They branded the Rook as a tank and Maple as a traitor.

The reward for Maple’s good and unbiased work as a representative? Death threats. And a sloppy, uninformed attack from Bee reporter Robin Epley, who wrote, “Maple didn’t only deceive her constituents, she deceived her colleagues, too.”

Maple deceived no one. She made her decision after hearing testimony and examining all sides of the issue. Her constituents and colleagues should expect nothing less.

Council rules and procedures state no person shall engage in conduct that disturbs the orderly conduct of meetings. Rules give the presiding officer (usually the mayor) the ability to warn people about their conduct or have them removed by the sergeant at arms.

There have been many warnings, but few removals by Steinberg. Over time, his permissive approach has encouraged activists to destroy decorum at City Hall.

By Jeff Harris City Skeptic

JHThe most recent disruption occurred when Councilmember Caity Maple (a presumed progressive) voted to accept a grant for the purchase of a tractor called the Rook, a front-loading machine police use to protect officers and citizens in lifethreatening situations.

The activists did not anticipate Maple could analyze a staff report and make an informed decision.

Councilmember Katie Valenzuela insinuated Maple and other new members did not think critically about their vote for the Rook. Vice Mayor Eric Guerra adjourned the next meeting because people revisited the issue, hurled expletives and approached the dais without permission.

Is protected speech such as profanity allowable in a public forum like a council meeting? The city attorney has opined it is. Disrupting proceedings is not. The catch is, profanity escalates tempers, which often leads to disruption.

Granted, running a contentious meeting requires quick judgment. You can allow some small outbursts and let tempers cool and diffuse the moment. But over the last five years, these behaviors have increased to the point where it has become sporting for activists to shut down meetings.

It happens because they are allowed to get away with it.

City Council meetings must be a place where anyone can express views, however radical, without being intimidated or bullied by others who don’t share their views.

MAYOR, COUNCIL MUST REGAIN CONTROL OVER MEETINGS

The ability to “agree to disagree” no longer exists at City Council meetings.

It won’t be easy to change direction now that the die has been cast, but it is necessary. Similar mayhem has reached County Board of Supervisors meetings, but Chair Rich Desmond is determined to change the culture and regain control of the sessions.

It will take political resolve and zero tolerance. Our mayor needs to use tools at his disposal and immediately eject people who disrupt council proceedings to regain control of the chambers and require a reasonable tone at meetings. It just takes leadership.

Jeff Harris represented District 3 on the City Council from 2014 to 2022. He can be reached at cadence@mycci. net. n

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Hope For Change Hope For

LOVING EARTH PROJECT FIGHTS CLIMATE CHANGE WITH CREATIVITY

In April, a selection of panels will be displayed around Sacramento in the lead-up to Earth Day, April 22. Fowler and her fellow team members have planned exhibitions from April 1–30 at the SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity, Atrium 916 and Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento. On April 15–16, the panels visit Effie Yeaw Nature Center and St. Anthony Parish. On April 23, they arrive at Southside Park.

“It’s wonderful to think that panels will also be on display in France, Belgium and Slovenia at the same time as ours,” says Fowler, a Pocket resident. “Ours just arrived and it was like Christmas opening the box. We received 110 panels and we’re selecting the ones that are the best match for each venue.”

When Fowler isn’t busy planning the Loving Earth Project tour, she volunteers for Sacramento Friends Meeting committees. She joined the Quaker group in 2001 after moving to Sacramento from Washington, D.C., to be closer to grandchildren in Davis.

More than two decades on and retired as a founding partner at Graves Fowler Associates, a marketing design firm for educational and nonprofit clients, Fowler has time to devote to advocacy and special projects such as Loving Earth.

“Any time we can convert an overwhelming, depressing issue into something we can be creative in thinking about, there is hope for change,” Cindy Fowler says.

She could be talking about any number of issues as facilitator of the Sacramento advocacy team for the Friends Committee on National Legislation, a Quaker lobbying organization on Capitol Hill. But today she’s referring to the Loving Earth Project, a traveling community textile project that encourages people to think creatively about climate change.

By Jessica Laskey Giving Back: Volunteer Profile

“What I love about the project is how it pulls out different kinds of creativity,” Fowler says. “Hours have gone into creating each 12-by-12-inch panel. Some are painted, some have felt pieces cut by children, some are intricately woven or

stitched. It’s such a diverse spectrum of creativity.”

The Loving Earth Project was started in 2019 by the Quaker Arts Network at the Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in Birmingham, England, to engage people in a dialogue about climate change.

Participants are asked to reflect on a series of questions—What do you love? How is that person, place or thing threatened by climate change? What are you willing to do about it?—and express those reflections on a fabric panel. More than 400 panels have been contributed from around the world and will be accepted through the end of the year.

“It’s a contemplative thing to be able to sit and think about something we really love and put into words what we’re willing to do to take care of it,” Fowler says. “It’s so inspiring to see what people make. It’s about using your creative energy to step up and do something about climate change.”

For project information, visit lovingearth-project.uk. For information about local events, visit quakercloud. org/cloud/sacramento-friends-quakermeeting, visitmosac.org, atrium916.com, uuss.org, sacnaturecenter.net, stasac.org and ecosacramento.net.

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

Cindy Fowler

Photo by Linda Smolek

Care Commitment

HOMELESS SERVICES FINALLY SEE COORDINATION

BY ERIN JOHANSEN AND LISA BATES

For the first time in years, stakeholders in Sacramento are committed to a single plan to end homelessness. While the situation is bleak on the streets, this commitment is new and can be a game-changer.

The key to success is the shared vow of all partners to move forward with action, services and resources. This means we work together.

We have already seen changes. Thanks to adoption of the city and county partnership, expanded homeless services are available. New housing and safe-stay shelter sites are planned, along with expanded behavioral health services in 11 community locations.

Last year, 9,278 homeless individuals were counted in Sacramento County. The number represented a 67%

increase since the last count in 2019. Employment, social and health care problems contributed to the increase.

Approximately six in 10 unsheltered adults indicate they have disabling health conditions that prevent them from working or maintaining stable housing.

Such complexity necessitates collaboration. The Sacramento City and County Continuum of Care is a 30-member regional planning body to improve coordination of housing and services for people who experience homelessness as they move to stable housing and self-sufficiency.

The planning group includes local government, homeless service providers and people with experience, plus businesses, advocates and faith groups. Sacramento Steps Forward is the lead agency and facilitates the connections.

Sac Steps Forward coordinates our

homeless response, manages funding and grants, and collects data to improve the system’s performance and connect clients to housing and services.

We believe collaboration and action will produce the changes we need. The city, county and continuum of care recently adopted the Sacramento Local Homeless Action Plan to line up resources for homeless people. The plan includes six strategies:

• Build and scale a coordinated access system where people know where and how to connect to resources.

• Ensure emergency shelters and temporary housing locations focus on clients leaving for permanent housing.

• Increase permanent housing opportunities.

• Prevent at-risk households from falling into homelessness.

• Attract and retain a robust and diverse workforce to deliver homeless services.

• Ensure people with behavioral health care needs can access services and supports.

The plan will serve as a blueprint for how we finally reduce and eliminate homelessness.

As we make progress, the public can measure our improvements by getting involved. If you would like to help end homelessness or learn more about Sacramento Steps Forward, visit sacramentostepsforward.org.

Erin Johansen is CEO of Hope Cooperative and Continuum of Care chair for 2021-23. Lisa Bates is CEO of Sacramento Steps Forward. They can be reached at info@hopecoop.org or info@ sacstepsforward.org. n

Building Young Minds Minds

NEW SCHOOL OPENS DOORS FOR TRADE SKILLS, COLLEGE

It’s been a long time since I’ve cheered for a development with this much enthusiasm. But wait until you see what Kevin Dobson is doing at the long-shuttered Limn Furniture warehouse on Arden Way. Frustrated from watching so many directionless kids fail to graduate when he was principal at Natomas Charter School, Dobson quit his job to chase a dream. He created a free career academy where motivated high school students can get hands-on experience, internships and college credits at the same time.

Now, with support from the local business community, an agreement with American River College and a $14 million tax-exempt bond to purchase the Limn property for $2.6 million

G D GD

By Gary Delsohn Building Our Future

and build the school, Dobson’s Capital College & Career Academy is on track to open in August.

Dobson expects an initial class of about 80 ninth graders, with plans to add grades 10, 11 and 12 over the next several years.

Targeting students who are first in their family to attend college, the academy focuses on careers in the construction trades, where the need for young workers is acute.

“It’s kind of surreal, but I feel so fortunate to be in this position,” Dobson says. “We had a lot to get through to reach this point, but getting the bond closed was a huge lift. Now I’m excited to be doing the real work of

serving kids and families, especially in a neighborhood like this that can really use a boost.”

Dobson has been at this for a few years, so it’s easy to understand his sense of relief. To start a charter high school, he had to hire instructors, attract students and raise more than $1 million to help cover upfront costs. Then came negotiations to get the County Board of Education to sanction his new charter, all while dealing with the politics of public education.

He was originally turned down after resistance from the California Teachers Association, which opposes new charter schools. But Dobson has enthusiastic community and business

support, especially from the trade unions worried where they will find the next generation of carpenters, electricians, masons and plumbers, along with other construction employees needed in accounting, human resources, marketing, management or whatever else a general contractor requires.

With help from a consulting firm that advises fledgling charter schools, Dobson addressed the county’s concerns and won approval for his charter. When the school opens this summer, it will be the only site-based high school in the Sacramento region to allow students to simultaneously take college classes at Sacramento

Kevin Dobson

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

TOWN! IN TOWN!

State and American River College with the opportunity to earn up to three years of college credit by high school graduation.

At the groundbreaking ceremony in February, Mayor Darrell Steinberg was one of several speakers excited about Dobson’s vision.

“This charter school is going to combine academic rigor and also preparing young people for high wage jobs in the trades,” Steinberg said, “and it’s the exact kind of model we have to replicate not just in Sacramento but throughout the state and the country.”

Also appearing at the groundbreaking was Ken Wenham, president and CEO of Roebbelen Contracting Inc. He’s on the school’s board of directors, along with contractors and officials from SMUD, California Department of Transportation, Teichert, McCarthy Building Companies, Turner Construction, building trades and other local companies.

According to a news release, Roebbelen donated more than $150,000 for naming rights to the academy, one of a number of local firms making sizable donations.

“Once I met Kevin and understood his vision, I knew our name had to be on the building,” Wenham said. “We are grateful to participate in making this vision a reality and look forward to supporting the learning effort at the Roebbelen campus.”

The groundbreaking event attracted 14-year-old Coral May and her mother, Amy. Coral is interested in attending the new school.

“My mom found out about it and I was kind of on the fence because you hear about charter schools opening and then closing in two years because they run out of money or something,” Coral said. “But this seems really cool and (Dobson) seems to have a lot of great ideas for education.”

As her mom pointed out, “The school has so much community support that it feels worth the risk, especially when you factor in how much you can save on college costs by getting a lot of college credit at the same time you’re in the academy. I think it’s really exciting.”

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

Parkside Views

CURTIS PARK HOME TOUR FEATURES LIGHT-FILLED REMODEL

Peter Colussy and Willie Recht found a home in Curtis Park, in more ways than one.

Recht is CEO of the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region and Colussy is director for a public affairs firm. They have two French bulldogs, Daisy and Winnie.

In 2015, the couple purchased a home at Franklin Boulevard and Marshall Way. With each passing year, their appreciation for the neighborhood’s community spirit grew.

In 2019, on their daily dog walk through the tree-lined streets, they spotted a “for sale” sign at an attractive Spanish revival home on Curtis Way with views overlooking the park.

Once inside, they decided to make the move. “We loved our other home, but the bones of this home and the location were too much to pass up,” Recht says.

The new place wasn’t perfect. The couple found the interior somewhat tired and made plans to upgrade. Then the pandemic hit. Their plans needed modification because of supply chain issues.

“We did the remodel in two phases, which made it easier to manage and live through,” Colussy says. “We still had significant delays.”

The 2,200-square-foot home has four bedrooms, one used as a home office for Colussy, and two bathrooms. The couple love color and have made dramatic uses throughout.

By Cecily Hastings

The living room has views of the park through numerous windows in various shapes. The furnishings are stylish and eclectic. The art is either from their favorite local artists or purchased on international travels.

Off the living room is a study opened up from a former bedroom that features dark gray walls and a huge black and white

Photography by Aniko Kiezel Open House

Peter Colussy and Willie Recht

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painting of the state bear, a California grizzly. A cozy sectional sofa invites relaxation.

The formal dining room is dramatic with leafy green wall paint, a sleek contemporary dining set, and glass and brass light fixture. The room opens off the living room through a pointed archway. A generous window and carved wood door direct the space toward the side patio.

The kitchen uses soft yellow cabinets and natural wood with taupe accents. Counters have a mix of gray soapstone with maple butcher block on the island. A white faux bamboo dining set adds a crisp touch.

Upstairs the master bedroom and bath are warmed by taupe walls and textured carpet. A contemporary four-

poster bed adds a graphic linear touch and creates a cozy “room in a room” feeling. The couple expertly planned a generous closet system using nooks and crannies of the roof dormers.

The bathroom and master closet have sleek, naturalfinish walnut cabinets with a mini-shaker edge detail. The bathroom is accented with graphic wallpaper of black and white trees, a nod to the park across the street. A red Oriental rug adds a colorful accent. Transitional-style cabinet hardware is used throughout but in different finishes in different areas.

The small balcony and side yard facing the park get lots of attention. But there’s also a beautiful backyard

barbecue, and patio and dining area dotted with greenery and cobalt blue potted plants.

During lockdowns, the couple invited neighbors over to maintain social ties. The dining room always stays busy as the affable couple offer one of the best dinner invitations in town.

As we sat in the living room, I asked what they liked best about their home. Recht and Colussy agreed: “Just sitting in this light-filled room with our dogs, and with the views of the park and neighborhood beyond. It just doesn’t get any better.”

The home will be featured in the 2023 Curtis Park Home Tour, returning this year after a three-year hiatus. Five homes and gardens will show the diversity of styles in Curtis Park on Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are available at sierra2. org/event/home-tour or the Sierra 2 office at 2791 24th St. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 on tour day. The

tour is presented by Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association. The event will include food trucks, live music, home and garden vendors, picnic tables and chairs at the north end of Curtis Park.

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

GONE TO POT

LET COLORFUL BLOOMS CHEER AWAY THE BLUES

Rising utility bills and grocery prices can be a gut-punch, especially when tethered to other daily challenges. No wonder studies reveal sufferings from anxiety and depression have tripled in recent years.

Beat back the blues with flowers! Containers of cheery, happy blooms fill the heart with joy.

Trek to the neighborhood nursery and buy armfuls of ostentatious annuals. Select big, bold containers and sacks of quality potting soil. These are baby steps to designing and erecting an adult happy place. Spectacular containers add decorative focal points and supercharge an emotional boost and sense of accomplishment.

You can design flower art from a blank canvas. Arrange pots where they can be viewed from inside the home. An eyeful of beauty should be enjoyed multiple times a day, inside and outside.

A dandy benefit of flower pots is they can be hung or wall mounted. Containers, like people, are a variety of shapes and sizes.

“So many different choices,” says Greg Howes, sales specialist at The Plant Foundry Nursery & Store. “Really depends on where your container is going to be located and the design aesthetic you are after. For general purposes, you can’t go wrong with terra cotta (fired clay).”

Howes designs the nursery’s display flower containers. He prefers a 24-inch-wide pot because it lends itself to several design choices. A half wine barrel is ideal for larger plantings. Pots made from fiberglass, resin, wood, concrete, metal and ceramic are options.

Before purchasing plants, consider where to place centerpiece containers. Most summer annuals love full to mostly sun. Others, like coleus and coral bells, prefer partial shade. Search the label for sunlight requirements. Choose with form in mind.

“For mixed plantings, I often adhere to the thriller-filler-spiller formula,” Howes says. “Thrillers are taller, like grasses, perhaps. Fillers would be a low-growing plant that spreads, like verbena or thymes. For spillers, I love things like Million Bells and potato vines.”

By Dan Vierria Garden Jabber

Million Bells may be labeled Super Bells. Blooming non-stop throughout the summer and deep into fall, the tiny petunia-like flowers are a waterfall of striking color.

Choosing bloom colors can be simplified using the standard color wheel that determines

Greg Howes

Photo by Linda Smolek

complimentary, harmonious color combinations. For instance, purple goes with yellow, blue marries orange and red loves green. Howes says his go-to color combination is purple with orange or yellow.

“Color wheels are great, especially for those who might be unsure and are trying to match or complement house color or something else,” he says. “In the end, it is your container and should please you first and foremost.”

How many plants are too many for the pot? Depends on the container and how large your choices will become at maturity.

“Ah, this is where things can get confusing and tricky,” Howes says. “Folks generally are looking for containers to match what they see at upscale shopping centers and on pages of publications like Sunset. They are almost always over-planted to produce that overflowing, lush and abundant look that is pleasing to the eye. In a 24-inch-wide pot, I would say plant as few as five and perhaps up to eight to 10, depending on the choice of plants.”

Mix a quality fertilizer into the potting soil during planting and feed with an all-purpose fertilizer during the season. Howes hand waters his containers so he can “check in” with

plants daily. I prefer drip irrigation on a timer.

Arranging flower pots to maximize impact is best achieved in the traditional design grouping of odd numbers, three or five pots. Varying heights is another impact design principle.

“Groupings of three are always correct to the eye,” Howes says. “If I am arranging multiple containers, using odd numbers always looks best. There are places where a single or standalone container would work best and have great impact. I tell folks to experiment and try different placements. Think of your outdoor spaces as you do rooms in your home when decorating. It’s all art!”

Dan Vierria is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener for Sacramento County. He can be reached at masterg29@ gmail.com. For answers to gardening questions, contact the UCCE Master Gardeners at (916) 876-5338, email mgsacramento@ucanr.edu or visit sacmg.ucanr.edu. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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Happy Hours

BREWERY CHEERS CITY’S PAST, SUPPORTS ITS FUTURE

BY REBECCA KUZINS

As a kid growing up in Sacramento, David Gull often visited his Uncle George’s house. George, bar manager at the old Buffalo Club tavern, had a collection of memorabilia from the Buffalo Brewing Company in his basement. Buffalo Brewing operated at 21st and Q streets from 1890 until 1945. At one time it was the largest brewery west of the Mississippi.

Years later, Gull remembered his uncle’s collection and conducted research about the brewery. “And I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if someone brought back this historic brand, this

historic beer? That was my lightbulb moment,” he says.

That moment led him to found New Helvetia Brewing Company, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in December. Named for John Sutter’s original settlement, the brewery and taproom are located at Broadway and 18th Street in Land Park. The taproom is decorated with Buffalo Brewing memorabilia, along with maps and lithographs of Sacramento.

When Gull opened New Helvetia, there were a handful of breweries in town. Since then, the popularity of craft beers has skyrocketed. The Sacramento Area Brewers Guild estimates more than 80 breweries operate in Sacramento and nine nearby counties.

Competition can be tough for small breweries like New Helvetia. “If you’re small, you have to be nimble,” says Erle Mankin, president of the brewers’ guild and owner of Jackrabbit Brewing Co. in West Sacramento. “You have to be able to turn on a dime, adjust to trends and stay lean.”

New Helvetia tries to stand out by celebrating Sacramento’s history as a beermaking town and its ties to the community. Those ties are evident in the names of beers, such as Buffalo craft lager (a homage to Buffalo Brewing Company), 916 pale ale, Land Park IPA and Homeland stout. The company produces many other beers, including a new malted milk ball stout.

New Helvetia’s products are sold at grocery stores, including Raley’s and Nugget Markets, Total Wine & More, and small beer and bottle shops. Local restaurants also serve New Helvetia brews.

“We’ve really tried to focus on making quality beer and supporting Sacramento arts and culture,” Gull says. “We really try to be a cheerleader for Sacramento.”

To that end, New Helvetia has partnered with Capitol Public Radio, Fairytale Town, Sacramento Zoo and other nonprofit organizations. The brewery created a beer called Kilohertz Kolsch and donated some of the proceeds to Capitol Public Radio. Similarly, New Helvetia brewed

David Gull

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

Fairytale Ale to raise funds for Fairytale Town.

For its 10th anniversary, New Helvetia collaborated with four local breweries, creating a partnership called The Neighborhood. Alaro Craft Brewery, Device Brewing Company, Oak Park Brewing Co. and Urban Roots Brewery & Smokehouse worked with New Helvetia to brew four different styles of beer. These beers were sold on tap and in four packs at New Helvetia. Each participant poured a keg at their brewery.

“It was a really cool way to celebrate our 10th anniversary with our friends and our breweries in the neighborhood,” Gull says. “We will be doing more collaborations.”

New Helvetia sponsored many events before the pandemic, including a weekly run, live music and a block party on 18th Street. These activities were canceled in 2020 and are slowly being restored. The brewery now offers a weekly run, live music and weekly trivia contest.

A popular event is Wonk Wednesdays, where mayors, City Council members, state lawmakers, police chiefs and others meet with customers to discuss local political issues. Gull says these events offer citizens a direct access to public officials. “They don’t have to go to City Hall and go through all the procedures,” he adds.

It takes about two weeks for New Helvetia to brew a batch of brew, using a process Gull explains is more complicated than winemaking. What makes a good beer?

“Your preference,” he says. “We make what we believe is going to be a good beer, You, the beer drinker, have to decide. That’s the truth of it for all breweries and all consumers.”

Rebecca Kuzins can be reached at kuzins63@att.net. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

NAMED FOR JOHN SUTTER’S ORIGINAL SETTLEMENT, THE BREWERY AND TAPROOM ARE LOCATED AT BROADWAY AND 18TH STREET IN LAND PARK.

No Sloppy Joes

FIERY GINGER BRINGS FARM-FRESH QUALITY TO KIDS’ MEALS

When I stumbled onto Fiery Ginger Farm in West Sacramento, I thought I must be in the wrong place.

Just off a main drive choked with cars, behind a motorcycle shop, an agricultural oasis beckoned.

The confluence of urban and rural, the contrast of cement and steel with compost and budding broccoli, struck me as an oddly poetic but fitting combination as I considered the food many of our kids eat.

With rows of organic salad greens, rooting pigs, digging ducks, greeting goats, and a field of cauliflower, cabbage and broccoli, I was in homesteader heaven just blocks from Downtown.

Imagine our kids’ school lunch trays packed with fresh, organic salad greens, pastured pork, braised

turnips, broccoli heads kissed with Meyer lemon zest, and strawberries with green crowns still attached. Replace the “as cheap as you can get it” pizza slices, fries, squashed hamburgers, nitrate-filled hot dogs, and out-of-season apples and bananas from faraway lands with local, organic, vibrant food to nourish young bodies and minds.

On my visit to Fiery Ginger Farm’s lush plot, cofounder Shayne Zurilgen makes the connection clear: “Our kids should have the same produce as we have when we go to Mulvaney’s. The more kids eat healthy food when they are younger, the more they will eat it as adults. We need to show them how to eat healthy, locally grown and nutrient-dense food. If the veggies are of better quality, they will eat them.”

Fiery Ginger began in 2015 with the goal to transform food access for students in kindergarten through high school. The farm shows kids how to grow, harvest and use farm ingredients. Fiery Ginger also works to deliver food picked and harvested at peak ripeness.

By Gabrielle Myers

Photography by Aniko Kiezel Farm To Fork

Zurilgen and co-founder Hope Sippola met via the Center for Land-Based Learning’s California Farm Academy. Zurilgen, a former middle school science teacher, and Sippola, a former garden coordinator at Davis Farm to School, each have a passion to get the best food possible into our schools.

Shayne Zurilgen and Hope Sippola

Fiery Ginger serves as a training site for Davis Farm to School garden coordinators. The farm wants to help more school districts learn how to be leaders in the farm-to-school connection.

The drive to ensure quality food and meaningful connections to the earth enabled the pair to develop a revolutionary organization, Spork Food Hub, which pulls produce and products from about 30 local sustainable farms and ranches.

Spork Food Hub acts as a direct link between these farms and ranches and local schools. The hub allows cafeterias to work with the best produce, eggs and meats around, the same products high-end restaurants enjoy.

The hub serves 12 school districts from Placerville to Vacaville and

Yuba to Stockton. With food equity and access as its mission, the venture wants to help prisons, universities and hospitals gain access to quality, sustainably raised food at reasonable costs.

Now the hub wants to find a facility to process fruits and vegetables, and make good food easier to handle at understaffed and poorly equipped schools and institutional kitchens.

Fiery Ginger has two garden plots, one in West Sacramento and another in Davis. The farm hosts school field trips where students learn how plants grow, what plants need to develop to full potential, how soil productivity works, and how to harvest and preserve the bounty. With 40–50 field trips each spring and 25 or more each fall, the farm makes life-changing impacts on many kids.

The mind-body connection, the most important aspect of our ability to learn, gets addressed when we look critically at the food our kids eat. We can give them access to nourishing food and show them how to grow, prepare and love that nurturing of the physical and mental self.

You can find Fiery Ginger produce and transplants at the Davis Farmers Market, Talini’s Nursery, Davis Farmer’s Kitchen and in many school lunches.

Gabrielle Myers can be reached at gabriellemyers11@gmail.com. Her latest book of poetry, “Too Many Seeds,” can be ordered from fishinglinepress.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento n

Good, Not Great

DON’T GET CARRIED AWAY BY A LITTLE SUCCESS

That was the easy part, the transition from awful to good. Next step is the tough one, good to great.

Kings fans are thrilled with this season’s progress, a hungry audience given a meal of rump steak, starchy potatoes and organic lettuce. Now let’s talk about dessert and remember reaching the NBA playoffs is not a major accomplishment.

Everyone does it. Or almost everyone, other than the Kings for the past 16 years.

Here’s the difference. Great teams know the regular season is a long, slow warmup. They take a strategic approach to those soggy winter games. Some nights they sleepwalk. Other times

R G RG

By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority

they cruise. They try to avoid injury. Inevitably, they reach the playoffs. Coaches get fired for anything less.

Mike Brown knows this cruel world. The Kings’ coach was fired from three excellent jobs, twice by the Cleveland Cavaliers, once by the Los Angeles Lakers. His teams were filled with remarkable talent, including LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. His bosses concluded he wasn’t the right guy to blaze a path to the championship.

Couldn’t win the big ones. Too tough on players. Good, not great. Into the sunset he went.

Like many of us, Brown mellowed with age and earned another chance. His years assisting Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr produced four championships and proof that great teams don’t need a coach who screams and torments like a drill sergeant.

With great teams, mellow wins the race. Brown will never be as laid back as Kerr. He’s not wired that way. But Brown learned the wisdom of letting certain things go.

The Kings succeeded this season with the right mix of youth and speed. They finally had players who accepted the system and worked together. They won and had fun and weren’t ashamed to work for the Kings.

Brown, who long ago embraced the potency of three-point baskets based on a wonderfully archaic and simple pick and roll, inspired his men and let them play.

The Kings endured many challenges over the last 16 years, including a threatened move to Seattle and a forced sale to new management. The arrival of new owners a decade ago should have created stability. But some owners can’t keep their hands off the toys.

Such was the fate of the Kings. Until Brown was hired, managing partner Vivek Ranadive made bad situations worse by trying to run the Kings like a Silicon Valley startup. He thought constant disruption was somehow good.

He was wrong. The Kings aren’t a startup. They have been around in one form or another since 1945. They evolved in pitiful environments where they lacked money and support. After their first few years in Rochester, New York, they never aspired to greatness. Good was good enough.

The low hurdle created a franchise that lost respect among players, coaches, agents, fans, even referees. After a couple of games this season, youthful Kings moaned they didn’t get beneficial calls from refs thanks to their Sacramento uniforms. Nothing new

there. It’s been that way since the Kings came to town in 1985.

Now hungry Kings fans deserve credit for helping the team become good. Fans began to abandon the product last season, leaving rows of unsold, empty seats at Golden 1 Center. It worked. Nothing tells owners to fix things better than empty seats. Ranadive hired Brown and promised the coach could run things without interference.

Great teams have stability. Peripheral players come and go, but core performers and coaches stick around. The Kings have been a masterclass in instability for many of the last 38 years, with predictable results. No matter what happens this season, the goal must be stability.

There’s one big downside to success. All those unsold, empty seats are suddenly valuable. It’s a seller’s market for the first time in decades. The price of beer, hot dogs and tickets will rise as the Kings stick it to their loyal fans. Somebody has to pay for all that goodness.

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

The way they were: The Kings and Reggie Theus never had much luck in the late 1980s.

The y weree: The Kin

Attention Disabled Sacramentans!

Have you had your ability to travel on sidewalks blocked by tent encampments and debris?

Weneed to hear from you. Two disabled Sacramentans have filed a class action lawsuit against Sacramento City and County for failure to keep public sidewalks clear of homeless tent encampments as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Hood v. City of Sacramento et. al.

For further information on the lawsuit and how disabled persons are affected by the lawsuit, please contact Attorney Louis Demas at Ldemas@demaslaw.com You may also provide information through this link. https:// midtowneastsac.org/ada-lawsuit. A digital copy of the filing may be found on google drives at https://drive.google.com/ file/d/1PeOp8K1WZAofbiQipepUgiw0rFkQbKPz/view

Not disabled, but have had issues with blocked sidewalks in the City and County? We would like to hear from you too. Please visit the link above and fill out the form. Information can include the issues you have faced, what attempts you have made to get the issues cleared up, and where things stand today.

Disabled persons must be given the same opportunities as everyone else to enjoy employment opportunities, purchase goods and services, and participate in state and local government programs. Unfortunately for several years the City,

and County, of Sacramento have permitted continual occupation of public sidewalks by homeless persons, denying disabled persons these opportunities guaranteed to them by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

Plaintiff Chester McNabb forced into 30th and T Street vehicle traffic.

Smoother Landings

COUNTY FINDS $1.3 BILLION TO FIX AIRPORT’S PROBLEMS

Traveling via Sacramento International Airport has its frustrations.

There’s the wait for the people-mover train to reach your gate at Concourse B. When it arrives, you crowd into compartments with other passengers and risk exposure to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Then there’s the lack of parking near both terminals. And the need to ride a shuttle bus to rental car agencies.

Now Sacramento County’s Department of Airports is doing

something to remedy the situation with a $1.3 billion expansion. Besides improving infrastructure, the goal is to enhance the airport experience and accommodate projected passenger growth.

A $140 million pedestrian walkway connecting Terminal B to Concourse B is slated to start next year. Once completed, the walkway will give passengers a choice between the train or walking to the concourse.

Gates will be added to both terminals to allow more flights. Last month, Southwest Airlines began direct flights to Nashville, Tennessee.

HSA new Terminal B parking garage will be built, along with a consolidated ground transportation center to centralize taxi, ride-share and shuttles into a single area, walkable from both terminals.

By Howard Schmidt Inside The County

By late 2027, a new $400 million rental car facility should be completed to let passengers access rental car agencies without a shuttle.

“I am thrilled to see the launch of SMForward, the largest construction program in Sacramento County’s history,” says Supervisor Rich Desmond, using the project slogan. “This ambitious project not only signifies growth and progress for our region but also serves as a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing worldclass facilities and infrastructure for the people of Sacramento County and its visitors.

“SMForward will not only enhance the travel experience but also create jobs and economic opportunities for local businesses.”

The work represents implementation of the airport master plan, which the Board of Supervisors approved last year. The plan anticipated the need for additional facilities to meet the growing demand for air travel.

Current usage exceeds peer airports in the region after unprecedented impacts from the pandemic. In 2022, SMF nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels. Forecasts show steady passenger

growth averaging 4.3 percent annually through 2041.

“The airport experience is the first impression many people see when they arrive in Northern California, and the last as they leave,” says Cindy Nichol, Director of Sacramento County Department of Airports. She acknowledges the airport’s parking, concourses and roadways have several choke points and says SMForward will address these problems.

The project is financed through a combination of federal and state grants, municipal bonds issued by the airport and user fees. This means the burden of payment will not fall on local taxpayers.

Howard Schmidt worked on federal, state and local levels of government, including 16 years for Sacramento County. He can be reached at howardschmidt218@aol.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

On Deaf Ears

TIME FOR CITY OFFICIALS TO HELP ‘FIX FRONT STREET’

Tahoe Park resident Lynn Bishop joined dozens of other dog lovers last year answering a call from the city’s Front Street Animal Shelter. Foster a dog for the holidays.

Approximately 60 cars lined up for drive-through fostering. “It was like an assembly line,” says Bishop, who took home Roscoe, a 6-year-old unneutered chihuahua mix brought to the shelter as a stray.

On any given day, as many as 345 dogs are fostered through Front Street. Many are not spayed or neutered.

“It’s a lot of animals in foster care,” says Front Street Manager Phillip Zimmerman. “Unfortunately, when you have that many animals in foster care, there’s a lot of work that goes along with it.”

Tracking those dogs falls on one full-time employee. A part-time intern and off-site volunteer assist.

The job should include ensuring the dog is the right fit for the home. Is he the correct size, breed, age and energy level for the foster family?

Is the home clean and safe, fenced and gated? Does the foster parent understand the time commitment for potty training, socializing, exercising and veterinary visits? What about providing personality information for website listings and social media, and taking the dog to adoption events?

R CR

By Cathryn Rakich Animals & Their Allies

If the foster dog is not spayed or neutered, are other dogs in the home altered?

Zimmerman sees these questions as “barriers” to fostering and adopting. “In our field, we want to reduce barriers,” he says. Placing a dog waiting for spay/neuter surgery in a home with an unaltered pet is considered on a “case-by-case basis.”

Zimmerman says there are a “plethora of reasons” why as few as 24 dogs—out of 345 in foster care— are listed for adoption on the Front Street website. One reason is that more than 200 dogs are “foster-toadopt.” Foster families have elected to keep the canines.

“Shelters have found a way around the spay and neuter mandate upon adoption,” says attorney Hilary Bagley Franzoia, who headed up the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Animal Cruelty Unit and Animal Cruelty Task Force. “Now

they foster-to-adopt, providing the release without spay and neuter.

“That is a cheat they find necessary to save lives,” she says. “But that program is only as good as their diligence after the fact.”

For example, 19 days after Lynn Bishop took Roscoe home, she hadn’t heard from Front Street. She called the number provided by the shelter and left a message. Roscoe needed a neuter and dental before he could be adopted. No call back. She waited 10 more days, then texted. A return text the next day reported that Roscoe’s surgery was finally scheduled.

In the end, Roscoe became a “foster-to-adopt.” When Bishop and her husband considered keeping him, Front Street gave them 15 days to decide. That date came and went with no follow up from Front Street. A week later, Bishop had to notify the shelter they were adopting Roscoe.

Because shelter pets cannot be adopted until they are altered, Front

Street’s “foster-to-adopt” dogs are in limbo. “The biggest backlog is spay/ neuter surgeries,” Zimmerman says.

“Do we honestly think that he has adequate systems in place to prevent the breeding of those fostered animals in the community?” Bagley Franzoia says. “Hell, he has no systems to stop breeding in the city kennels.”

Last month, Front Street volunteers reported unaltered male and female dogs housed in the same kennels—some caught in the act.

“It would seem in all the brilliance that is leadership at Front Street, it is acceptable to place unaltered males and females inside the kennels together,” says Elyse Mize, a local animal advocate. Mize helped launch Fix Front Street, a Facebook page bringing attention to what they call the city shelter’s mismanagement.

Zimmerman confirms he houses unaltered animals together. “In the perfect world, we would be within our capacity for care,” he says. “We would not have to double house dogs. Unfortunately, we are not seeing animals move as fast as we would like and the intake has increased. So we have to make choices on the best fit.”

Assistant City Manager Michael Jasso adds, “It’s being done for what we perceive is a greater good, which is being able to accommodate the animals versus having an increased euthanasia rate.”

If this is an acceptable practice, in 63 days—the gestation period for a dog—won’t there be more dogs to shelter and potentially kill?

“Front Street has had a longstanding practice under director Zimmerman to allow owners to reclaim their animals for free, with no spay or neuter requirements,” Mize says. “It is entirely feasible that

pregnant dogs are being sent home to their oblivious families. In many cases, they will end up just like their parents, unfixed and back in the shelter at the expense of the city of Sacramento, i.e., taxpayers.”

Zimmerman blames the backlog of spay/neuter surgeries on a nationwide veterinarian shortage. Front Street has one staff veterinarian and fills in with contract vets.

“Though many claim there is no solution to the spay/neuter crisis because of a veterinary shortage, we disagree,” says Julie Virga, a former city shelter volunteer who helped launch Fix Front Street. “Solutions can always be found with effort, sincere concern and resources. We have made the effort, Front Street has the resources, but we need city leaders to provide sincere concern and support for this effort.”

In a recent email to Zimmerman and city officials, Virga reported that Fix Front Street secured the services of a local veterinarian and her team willing to provide low-cost surgeries on a contract basis.

“We propose they work two to three days a week until the backlog of spay/ neuter of shelter animals is addressed and then two days a week to provide these services to Sacramento citizens and the animals of the unhoused that are literally breeding out of control in our neighborhoods.”

Virga says her proposal went unanswered by Zimmerman.

“No shelter is perfect,” Zimmerman says. “A small group of people who are extremely loud have chosen to just pick on Front Street. We are not going to communicate with those people anymore.”

Fix Front Street has brought concerns, mostly ignored, to Zimmerman and city officials for the past three years, Virga says. “If city leaders do not act to help animals, nothing will change at Front Street.”

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

40

41 It’s used to cure lutefisk

42 Hubbub

44 Journalist ___ B. Wells

46 Steamed bun

49 “I’ve got nothing to share”

52 Hidden dangers

55 Great Lake that has the most shipwrecks

56 “Everything shall be mine!”

58 Take it easy

59 Instrument native to Australia

60 ___ and aahs

61 Online crafts shop

62 Birria, e.g.

DOWN

1 Origami bird

2 Dating app that’s “designed to be deleted”

3 Puts in

4 Shoulder muscle, briefly

5 Palindromic helicopter part

6 “Dragon Ball,” e.g.

7 Classic Pontiac

8 “Yeah ... I don’t think so”

9 Overwhelmingly

10 “Well, well, well ...”

11 Pod veggie in caruru

12 Many a B-Mitzvah attendee

13 Cool, in ’90s slang

14 Suspensions of activity

20 Full of fight

24 This cluef has one

25 Dined on humble pie

26 Insignificant

27 Refreshing coffee order

29 Word after “performing” or “fine”

30 Utters

31 School orgs.

32 Strong desire

33 HS class in which students might read “Dos Palabras”

34 First word of “Jabberwocky”

35 “Finishing the ___” (Sondheim memoir)

36 Stallion’s mate

43 Specs

44 Apple tablets

45 Like a fixer-upper, maybe

46 A razor has one

47 Permit

48 Capital of Norway

49 Infamous fiddler

50 Cookies and cream brand?

51 “Pick a ___!”

53 Fake ones might have plastic needles

54 Working hard

57 Cleverness

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

Locally owned and operated. Serving Sacramento for over 18 years.

Quiz Master

Perhaps you remember the VegO-Matic commercial from the mid-1960s, where marketing guru and inventor Ron Popeil promoted a kitchen appliance by saying, “It slices, it dices and so much more!”

Veg-O-Matic ads inspired a “Saturday Night Live” spoof about a fish blender called the Super Bass-O-Matic, first performed by Dan Aykroyd in 1976.

Nearly 50 years later, let me introduce you to the Belief-O-Matic. Like the Veg-O-Matic, once you use it, you'll wonder how you ever did without it.

I’m not kidding. The Belief-O-Matic is real.

But it’s not a countertop appliance. Rather, it’s an online survey at

SHOULD AN ONLINE TEST PICK YOUR RELIGION?

Beliefnet.com that asks, “Are you sure your faith is the best choice for you? Take our religion quiz to find out!”

The religious personality test promises that “…if you’ll answer 20 questions about your concept of God, the afterlife, human nature, abortion, homosexuality, divorce and so on, the Belief-O-Matic will tell you what religion or spiritual path (if any) best suits your beliefs.”

If you take the time to seriously answer the questions, the site will rank your answers and match you with a world religion. Think of it as a dating app for God. Kind of like, swipe left if you’re liberal. Right if you’re fundamentalist.

In a world full of “isms,” you could potentially be matched with conservative Protestantism. Or maybe you’ll identify as a blend of, say, 75 percent Eastern Orthodox and 25 percent Seventh Day Adventism.

NBYour answers may spin you into unexplored places. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to learn about a new religion.

By Norris Burkes Spirit Matters

This Baptist took the Belief-OMatic test and found myself kin to the Religious Society of Friends, better known as Quakers.

The label Quakers took hold when early observers witnessed society

members’ “spiritual energy” and mocked them for “quaking.”

The Society of Friends website promotes two major beliefs: “All people are capable of directly experiencing the divine nature of the universe.” And, “God’s revelations have never stopped. God might reach out to any one of us at any time.”

To paraphrase, God isn’t locked into Bible stories. God lives in our personal stories and is still at work in today’s world.

I wouldn’t call my test results foolproof, but I’ll admit they do seem to fit a certain chaplain (me) who recently returned to pastoring a Baptist church after years of hospice work.

While editors of the Belief-O-Matic website say they hope to inspire people to examine their relationship with God, they admit the test has some shortcomings. It’s not intended as a religious litmus test.

Too bad. A working litmus test could help resolve the differences of religious factions.

But wait, there’s more!

Maybe a litmus test does exist. Dare I suggest it is multi-faith?

Jesus said the real test was for us to “love the Lord your God with all your

heart… (and) love your neighbor as yourself.”

His analysis suggests it’s not how much Bible, Buddha, Brahma or Bhagavad-Gita you can recite. What matters is how you live your faith.

More precisely, what matters is how your faith lives in you. Galatians 5:22 says it best:

“But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.” When you see these behaviors acted out, you know faith has passed the test.

In the meantime, I encourage you to take the Belief-O-Matic test and let me know how you placed. For those with a serious religious interest, check out the Religious Typology Quiz by the Pew Research Center.

I’ve posted both tests on my website at www.thechaplain.net.

Norris Burkes can be reached at comment@thechaplain.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. Burkes is available for public speaking at civic organizations, places of worship, veterans groups and more. For details and fees, visit thechaplain.net. n

LEEKS

Commonly found in Asian dishes, these greens are mildly sweet and buttery. Early in the season, they are tender enough to eat

raw.

To eat: Use

To eat: Use to wrap fish or seafood before cooking.

FAVA GREENS

This vegetable, which is related to onions and garlic, is sweet and delicately flavored. Trim the tough green leaves and use the white stalk.

To eat: Use to add flavor to stocks, soups or stews.

MORELS

r

This mushroom has a strong, nutty, earthy flavor. Its harvest season is short, but you can find dried morels year-round.

To eat: Saute gently in butter with chopped shallots, then add cream for a lovely, light sauce.

This mushroom has a stro you can find dried morels but sauce.

Monthly Market

A LOOK AT WHAT’S IN SEASON AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS

STRAWBERRIES

This popular fruit, with its fresh aroma, bright red color and sweetness, is a sure sign that spring has arrived in Sacramento.

To eat: Eat right out of the basket, or serve with whipped cream or ice cream for dessert.

ENGLISH PEAS

The pods are not edible, so you must shuck the sweet, tender peas before eating them either raw or cooked.

To eat: Steam, boil, blanch or sauté them. They are delicious in pasta with a light, lemony mascarpone sauce.

MUSTARD GREENS

The leaves of the mustard plant are highly nutritious and have a

The leaves of peppery flavor

To A dd a amount raw greens to a salad.

To eat: Add a small amount of

Master Of Stone

MASON AND SCULPTOR LEAVES A LASTING LEGACY

In 100 years, people can still admire the work of Stephen Michael Bouska.

The master stone carver works in materials that last centuries with proper care. That’s what he hopes— that his work will survive to “help us express ourselves for multiple generations.”

When he first started in stone work, it was out of necessity. As a teenage father, Bouska needed a way to provide for his young family and “feed my soul at the same time.”

Bouska has always been mechanically inclined, thanks to a family of masons, ironworkers and mechanics. He received an excellent industrial science education at Foothill High School. When he realized his aptitude to visualize systems could be combined with art to make something beautiful, he was hooked.

He studied sculpture with Adan Romo, artist and son of sculptor Jesus Romo, who created the California Firefighters Memorial in Capitol Park. During his studies, Bouska opened a book on Michelangelo and “fell in love.” He made it his mission to replicate the David in clay. Adan Romo was impressed. Bouska knew he was on the right path.

JLBy Jessica Laskey Open Studio

Stephen Michael Bouska

Photo by Linda Smolek

Next came apprenticeships in masonry, tile, stone slab and monument work with various masters. His first big break came with now-defunct Chapman Monument Company in Roseville, run by one of the last Rocklin quarry workers.

“I was always searching for a path forward in sculpture and architecture,” Bouska says. “Different people would take me under their wing. They saw the talent, potential and passion in me, my purity of intention, and gave me a chance.”

Once Bouska reached journeyman status, he traveled to expand his “bag of tricks” by studying other methods and materials. He lived in Australia for two years and eventually landed in Santa Barbara.

Having learned what he calls “the how” of cutting stone, Bouska felt his education wasn’t complete. He enrolled at Academy of Art University in San Francisco. He attended school fulltime while parenting and working in architecture stone carving throughout the Bay Area. He eventually received a bachelor’s degree, along with loads of experience.

“Without those experiences, I wouldn’t exist now,” Bouska says. “All of these parts and pieces segue into other opportunities.”

Since returning to Sacramento five years ago, Bouska reestablished a studio, Old World Stone Design, on Q Street. He does masonry and sculpture in limestone, marble, sandstone, travertine and granite. He still does some plaster and bronze when the urge—or commission— arises.

Services include stone cutting and carving, custom fireplaces, lettering and monuments, architectural models, plaster castings and mold making. A licensed masonry contractor, he handles public and private commissions, restorations, design development and drafting.

Work keeps him busy, but Bouska would love to carve out time to

pass his knowledge onto the next generation.

“Poor is a master without an apprentice,” he says. “If I can help, I would love to. The more I can cultivate, the more it helps the craft of sculpture. I’m a proponent of improving training and creating more opportunities for everybody as a community. Every individual we can find and help to cultivate their talents

will send ripple effects of beauty through other generations.”

For information, visit bouska-art. com.

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

Cultures United

MENU BLAZES TRAIL BETWEEN AFGHAN, AMERICAN FOODS

Madar Afghan Food and Bakery is tucked into a strip mall on the corner of Marconi and Fulton avenues. The little restaurant brings Afghan flavors and American expectations together in a smart and delicious package.

How smart? So smart I was convinced Madar was part of a chain. It’s not, but you’d be forgiven for thinking so. From the slick logo font, focused menu and navigable website, this place doesn’t feel like a small, independent restaurant. It’s a machine. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a dozen Madars in Northern California over the next few years.

Madar opened in April 2020. That was a tough time, one month into COVID-19 restrictions. But the crew at Madar persevered.

Ordering happens at the counter. The dining room delivers subtle hints of Afghan culture while being utilitarian and unfussy. A small platform in one corner, strewn with cushions and tucked away under a hanging lamp, feels like a place where travelers can park themselves and sip tea.

Chalkboards abound with frequently changed drawings of animals, flora and sage wisdoms. On a recent visit, a drawing of a blooming plant took up one wall with the words, “Wherever you stand, be the soul of that place.”

SThe humble and comfortable environs are not why most diners visit Madar. They come for the food. Flavors are explosive, preparations expert, the vibe undeniable. Let me add a few details and hope you catch my drift.

GBy Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider

The menu leans toward the mixand-match model, with a few different preparations, sandwich, pita or rice

bowl. Fries topped with meat and sauce, Indian samosas and desserts, including baklava and cookies, round out the menu.

Whether you opt for a crispy sandwich or a “naanwich” (served in Indian naan bread), the chicken is out of sight. A heavily spiced and breaded cutlet, studded with black sesame seeds and crispier than a potato chip,

is topped with your choice of sauces. Some are spicy, some sweet, all mouthpleasing. Any restaurant claiming it has the best fried chicken sandwich in town might need to take a step back.

Or you could have the chapli burger. Chapli is a type of kebab made of ground meat, herbs and spices. Madar chapli is made with tri-tip. The chapli burger is served on a brioche bun and

Photos by Linda Smolek

Neighborhood Real Estate Sales

Closed February 1 - 28*

VISIT INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM FOR COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD

REAL ESTATE GUIDES WITH 6 MONTH HISTORICAL SALES DATA

* BASED UPON INFORMATION FROM METROLIST SERVICES, INC, FOR THE PERIOD FEBRUARY 1, 2023 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 2023. DUNNIGAN, REALTORS DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN ALL OF THESE SALES.

topped with tomato, coleslaw and yogurt mint chutney. Phenomenal.

The most indulgent American-style treat is the ’Merican fries. It’s a bed of waffle fries topped with crispy chicken, house sauce and seasonings. Here’s the Afghan answer to carne asada fries.

Over the last 20 years, more than 15,000 Afghans have arrived in Sacramento, predominantly in Arden Arcade. These immigrants and refugees bring food cultures, flavors and customs not seen before in the region.

Madar pulls together these imported preparations and ingredients, and melds them with American ideas of casual dining and fast-casual cooking. Much as Afghanistan itself has been a

crossroads, fusing cultures from Central Asia and the Middle East and absorbing ideas from travelers, restaurants such as Madar fuse Afghan and American cuisine to create something special. I encourage you to reach out and discover what our Afghan community has to offer.

Madar Afghan Food and Bakery is at 2654 Marconi Ave.; (916) 827-0009; madar.myncrsilver.com.

Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com. Previous reviews can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

A Madar staff member prepares traditonal bread known as naan-e-Afghani for the oven.

FLAVORS ARE EXPLOSIVE, PREPARATIONS EXPERT, THE VIBE UNDENIABLE.

TO DO

THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Doggy Dash

Sacramento SPCA

Saturday, April 22, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

William Land Park, 3800 W. Land Park Drive • sspca.org

Go for the 2k/5k dog walk and stay for the “Bark in the Park” Pet Festival with food, drinks, games, demos, prizes, adoptable dogs and more. Funds raised provide medical care to sick or injured animals, lowcost vaccinations, spay/neuter services, behavior training and humane education.

Literary Death Match

Stories on Stage Sacramento & Chills at Will

Saturday, April 15, 7 p.m.

The Auditorium at CLARA, 1425 24th St. • storiesonstagesacramento.org

This competitive humor-centric reading series features a mix of four famous and emerging authors who perform their most electric writing in seven minutes or less before a lively audience and a panel of three all-star judges.

Bonsai & Suiseki Show

American Bonsai Association, Sacramento

April 8 & 9, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

Shepard Garden & Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd. • abasbonsai.org

Enjoy a large exhibit of stunning bonsai trees developed by ABAS practitioners, along with Suiseki (Japanese viewing stones), workshops, raffles and sale. A demonstration takes place at 1:30 p.m. each day.

VOICES

Howe Avenue Theater

April 14–16 & 21–23

2201 Cottage Way • square.link/u/snhifz6n

Award-winning playwright Victoria Goldblatt presents six short plays of self-discovery featuring six different actors (including Goldblatt herself). Tickets are $20 and proceeds benefit designated charities.

Mira Loma High Art Show

Sacramento Fine Arts Center

April 18–29

5330B Gibbons Drive, Carmichael • sacfinearts.org

Check out the work of talented local high school students at this special exhibition.

Kim Abeles: Smog Collectors, 1987–2020

Sac State Library Gallery

Through May 20

Artist Talk: Tuesday, April 11, noon

6000 J St. • csus.edu/university-galleries/library-galleries

Kim Abeles makes art about pollution from pollution. The exhibition features more than 30 years of artistic investigations related to the environmental impact of airborne particulates.

Leonard Slatkin Conducts!

Sacramento Philharmonic & Orchestra

Saturday, April 29, 8 p.m.

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

By Jessica Laskey

Internationally acclaimed conductor Leonard Slatkin leads a night of classical music, including the only complete symphonic work of Cesar Franck, his Symphony in D minor.

SSPCA Doggy Dash at William Land Park.

Lyon Real Estate

LOCAL LEADERS WITH GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

Spectacular Carmichael property! Gated 1.1 ac. w/ access to Ancil Hoffman Park. 3BD Suites, Library, 4 frplcs, pool, spa. 3 car garage. $1,795,000 DEBBIE DAVIS 916.213.2323 #01237920

Gorgeous Crocker Village Home. Spacious 3BD, 2BA,1869SF on a quiet corner lot. Primary Suite, Professional landscaping. $910,000 RACHEL SIEMERING 916.838.7594 #01049891

Charming Victorian duplex features 2 spacious 1 Bed units with updated full baths, large kitchens, newer water heaters, HVAC and roof. $719,000 SARAH ILLINIK 916.541.3230 #01368453

Beautiful South Land Park Home! 3BD/2BA, 1975

SF. Spacious & Light, Gourmet Kitchen, Large .20 Ac Lot w/ Pool, Backyard BBQ & Fire Pit! $698,500 JIM JEFFERS 916.730.0494 #00768740

Charming McKinley Park Bungalow! 3BD/1BA. Fresh updates, inlay hardwood oors, replace, large 2-car garage with alley access & driveway! $589,000 DEBBIE DAVIS 916.213.2323 #01237920

Peaceful Pocket retreat. Updated 2BD/2BA,1650SF. Great layout near river & park. Private, low maintenance yard w/spa. 2 car garage. $549,000 RHONDA HOLMEN 916.296.8886 #01189785

Beautiful home in Gated Aviana! Popular 1,425SF plan! 2-3BD/2BA. Community Pool & Playground. Fireplace, Open & Airy Floorplan! $500,000 JIM JEFFERS 916.730.0494 #00768740

Beautiful 3 Story Townhome! 4BD/3.5BA, 1920SF Bright & open, cook's kitchen, balcony, loft/ family room, 2 car garage. HOA offers a pool! $495,000 BROOKE ROTHCHILD 916.220.0894 #02041946

Gorgeous Campus Commons Home. 2-3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 1623 Sq Ft. Beautifully updated, private yard & patio, 2 car garage. Must See!, $475,000 JIM ANDERSON 916.806.4061 #01268030

Breaking the Rules: Paul Wonner and Theophilus Brown

Crocker Art Museum

April 30–Aug. 27

216 O St. • crockerart.org

Browse the comprehensive exhibition of Bay Area Figuration pioneers and artist couple Paul Wonner and Theophilus Brown, with 75 paintings, watercolors and drawings.

Hard Rock Live

Chris Tucker, April 1, 8 p.m. & 11 p.m.

Seven Lions, April 6, 8 p.m.

EPIK HIGH, April 9, 8 p.m.

Sting, April 12 & 13, 8 p.m.

Sabrina Carpenter, April 16, 8 p.m.

Bamboo and KZ Tandingan, April 23, 7 p.m.

Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, April 29, 8 p.m.

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, 3317 Forty Mile Road, Wheatland hardrockhotelsacramento.com/entertainment

Check out the April lineup at the region’s newest entertainment venue. Tickets are $33–$396.

Bufferlands Birds & Blooms Walk

RegionalSan

Saturday, April 8, 9 a.m.–noon

8521 Laguna Station Road, Elk Grove • regionalsan.com/bufferlands

Join biologists and docents for a guided walk through the 2,000plus acre preserve surrounding the Sacramento Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. To register, contact conardc@sacsewer.com.

Overcoming Brutality: What to Send Up When It Goes Down

Celebration Arts

April 7–30

2727 B St. • celebrationarts.net

This play-pageant-ritual-homegoing celebration is in response to the physical and spiritual deaths of Black people as a result of racialized violence. It disrupts the pervasiveness of anti-blackness and acknowledges the resilience of Black people throughout history through conversation, parody, song and movement. Admission is $23; seniors and students are $21.

Music Series

The Sofia

Ron Sexsmith, April 13, 7 p.m.

Shannon Curtis, April 21, 7 p.m.

Royal Wood, April 30, 8 p.m.

2700 Capitol Ave. • bstreettheatre.org

Check out the April lineup of musical acts presented at The Sofia, Home of the B Street Theatre. Tickets are $20–$38.50.

Broke-ology

The Sofia

April 26–June 4

2700 Capitol Ave. • bstreettheatre.org

The King family is at a crossroads. As widower William deals with the challenges of getting older, his boys must face the prospect of taking care of their father while also pursuing their own best lives.

Exploring the Figure: Ceramics Classes

clayARTstudios814

Beginning April 4

814 Alhambra Blvd. • clayARTstudio814.com

Explore clay sculpture with instructor Marsha Schindler who demonstrates hand-building and surface/glazing techniques. Choose evening or morning sessions. All levels welcome. Adults only. Clay, glazes, tools and firing are included. Cost is $350.

CapRadio host Vicki Gonzalez in Literary Death Match at The Auditorium at CLARA.

Bonsai & Suiseki Show at Shepard Garden & Arts Center.

Eugene Obille and Mesa Burdick

photo by Tony Nguyen

Wen Na Robertson and Victor Maguad photo by Tony Nguyen

Demolish Brick Wall

Genealogical Association of Sacramento

Wednesday, April 19, 11:30 a.m.

Belle Cooledge Library, 5600 South Land Park Drive • gensac.org

Speakers Victoria Fisch and Jeremy Frankel discuss acquiring knowledge from data gleaned from civil documents.

Best Buddies Friendship Walk

Best Buddies International

Saturday, April 29, 8:30 a.m.

North Natomas Regional Park, 4989 Natomas Blvd. • bestbuddies.org

Join other walkers to support Best Buddies programs that are creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Taste of East Sacramento

East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce

Saturday, April 29, 5–9 p.m.

Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, 616 Alhambra Blvd. • tasteofeastsac.com

This annual event attracts more than 600 participants and vendors, and features more than 40 neighborhood restaurants, cafes, breweries, wineries and specialty grocers. General admission is $75; VIP tickets are $125.

Ode to the Earth & Sky:

Secular Music for Organ & Choir

Vox Musica

Friday, April 21, 7 p.m.

St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1701 L St.

Sunday, April 23, 5 p.m.

Trinity Episcopal Church, 2620 Capitol Ave. • voxmusica.net

This concert includes new and innovative works that speak to the powerful relationship between our planet, sky, sun and moon.

Featured artist is Vox alum Molly Pease, a vocalist and composer. Tickets are $40. Recording available online April 23–30 for $20.

Old Sacramento Spring Festival

Sacramento History Museum

Sunday, April 30, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

101 I St. • sachistorymuseum.org

Join in hourly dances around a 15-foot maypole—complete with a crown and ribbons—as well as traditional country dances, arts and crafts, hobby-horse races, gold panning, lawn games and more.

Art of Andres Alvarez

PBS KVIE Gallery

April 4–June 2

2030 West El Camino Ave. • kvie.org

On display are more than 20 paintings by painter and photographer Andres Alvarez, who has won numerous awards, including the 2018 Crocker-Kingsley Art Merit Award.

Spring Cleaning

ARTHOUSE Gallery and Studios

Saturday, April 15, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.

1021 R. St. • arthouseonr.com

Items available for purchase include art supplies, proof prints, experimental and older work, slightly damaged pieces, art books, magazines and frames. Come early for the best selection!

Conductor Leonard Slatkin at SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center.

“Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe (After Manet)” by Paul Wonner at Crocker Art Museum.

Gone Fishin’

Archival Gallery

April 6–29

Second Saturday Reception, April 8, 5–8 p.m.

3223 Folsom Blvd. • archivalgallery.com

This group show, in memory of Ron Wagner, features work by Richard Feese, Fred Gordon, DL Thomas, Ken Waterstreet, Maria Winkler and Wagner. A portion of the proceeds benefits Parkinson Association of Northern California.

Inspiration Education & Art

Elk Grove Fine Arts Center

April 1–27

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

9683 Elk Grove Florin Road • elkgrovefineartscenter.org

This exhibition features work in all mediums by Elk Grove Unified School District educators. In the Foyer Gallery, abstract artist Amy Vidra presents “Lines, Lineage, Ravel: Good Luck Kid” with paintings, assemblage and sculpture.

Chris Tucker at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento.

“Bird on Fence” by Ron Wagner at Archival Gallery.

“Untitled” by Andres Alvarez at PBS KVIE Gallery.

Shannon Curtis at The Sofia’s Music Series.

Elk Grove Festival of the Arts

Saturday, April 29, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Old Town Plaza, 9645 Railroad St. • elkgrovefineartscenter.org

This annual festival includes fine art booths, live performances, food and wine, a youth arts show, kids’ zone and more. Free admission.

Celebrate City! Open House

Sacramento City College

Friday, April 14, 4–7 p.m.

3835 Freeport Blvd. • scc.losrios.edu

Celebrate Sacramento City College at this free community open house featuring food, music and entertainment showcasing the school’s classes, programs, clubs, student talent and more.

Bockbierfest

Sacramento Turn Verein

Saturday, April 15, 3 p.m.–midnight

3349 J St. • sacramentoturnverein.com

Celebrate the 53rd annual Bockbierfest with authentic food, beer, music and dancing. Tickets are $20 for adults; $5 for children 12 and younger.

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

THEATRE GUIDE

MS. HOLMES & MS. WATSON, APT 2B

Thru April 16

Mainstage at The Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts

2700 Capitol Ave, Sac 916 443-5300 Bstreettheatre.org

Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson brings Joan Watson into modern day London where she teams up with the erratic but brilliant Ms. Sherlock Holmes on her most intriguing and dangerous case. Come see this hilarious update on the classic Arthur Conan Doyle tales, with a gender-bending twist.

HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING

Thru April 16

Capital Stage Company

2215 J St, Sac Capstage.org

Days after the white-supremacist riot in Charlottesville, four old friends gather for a reunion at their conservative Catholic alma mater in Wyoming. As the party stretches late into the night, they grapple with their beliefs and their place in the world. The reunion becomes less a celebration than a vicious fight that spirals into clashing politics and spiritual chaos. On a chilly night in the middle of America, Will Arbery’s haunting play offers grace and disarming clarity, speaking to the heart of a country at war with itself.

WHAT TO SEND UP WHEN IT GOES DOWN

April 7 – April 30

Celebration Arts Theatre

2727 B St, Sac 916 455-2787

Celebrationarts.net

Characterized as a play-pageant-ritualhomegoing celebration in response to the physical and spiritual deaths of Black people as a result of racialized violence, What to Send Up When It Goes Down is meant to disrupt the pervasiveness of anti-blackness and acknowledge the resilience of Black people throughout history. This theatrical work uses facilitated conversation, parody, song, and movement in a series of vignettes to create a space for catharsis, reflection, cleansing, and healing. Boundaries between performers and audiences blur as the audiences are asked to observe the performance and participate in the ritual.

ANTIGONE

April 14 – April 30

Presented by Falcon’s Eye Theatre at Folsom Lake College at Harris Center for the Arts

10 College Pkwy, Folsom 916 608-6888

Falconseyetheatre.com

At the climax of a bloody civil war that pits brother against brother, both are killed while struggling for control of the nation. With both men dead, their uncle takes control striving to steer the country back to civility. He bestows public honors upon the heroic brother and orders public disgrace for the traitorous brother’s lifeless body. The story follows their sister, Antigone, as she goes against the commands of her uncle and attempts to bury the body of her brother, placing her brother above human laws.

Inspiration Education & Art mixed media by Leah Newton at Elk Grove Fine Arts Center.

COLDWELL BANKER

SOLD LAND PARK CHARMER

2Bd/2Ba/1255Sqft. Updated, Hardwood oors, replace, two car garage. $790,000 CINDY LEATHERS 916.803.5481 CalRE#: 02014889

SOLD WOODLAKE GEM

HALFPLEX IN CASA DO RIO! Updated 3Br/2.5Ba/ ~2300Sqft in Cul-de-sac! Great Pocket neighborhood!

WENDY KAY 916.717.1013 CalRE#: 01335180

3Br./4Ba./2,729 sf. Vaulted ceilings & replace in living room. Downstairs bed & bath. SUE OLSON 916.601.8834 CalRE#: 00784986

ICONIC MASTERPIECE

A true statement piece w/ 5 bdrms, 3 bths, 4-car garage & ADU on .44 acre lot. LIBBY WOOLFORD 916.502.2120 CalRE#: 01778361

SOUTH OF THE PARK 2Bd/1Ba/943SqFt. Formal living rm w/ replace. Central H&A. Engineered wood oors. SUE OLSON 916.601.8834 CalRE#: 00784986

STUNNING SOUTH LAND PARK 3Bd/2Ba/1823 sqft. Jennywood development. Stunning kitchen. $550K

WENDI REINL 916.206.8709 CalRE#: 01314052

EAST SAC BEAUTY

3+Bd/2Ba/~2,604 SqFt + 290 nished basement. Large bedrooms, 2 replaces. Hardwood oors. ELISE BROWN 916.715.0213 CalRE#: 01781942

UPDATED RIVER PARK BEAUTY

3BED/2BATH. Updated kitchen, separate family room, hardwood oors, private backyard with many fruit trees. ELISE BROWN 916.715.0213 CalRE#: 01781942

PENDING EAST SAC HEAD TURNER!

RESIDENCES AT THE SAWYER Enjoy private lounge, gym, pool, hotel amenities & services, high above Downtown Commons with expansive views. Exceptional homes available from $1,300,000 -2Br/2.5Ba/1,307Sf to $4,200,000-3bd/3ba ~3000sf

MICHAEL ONSTEAD 916.601.5699 CalRE#: 01222608

SACRAMENTO RIVER 4 Br/2.5 Ba 2,316 sqft/0.84ac Sacramento River home in Little Pocket $1,097,000

WENDI REINL 916.206.8709 CalRE#: 01314052

3Br/2Ba. Stunning home w/serene saltwater pool and pavilion. ROZA & KIRSCH 916.548.5799 CalRE #: 01365413

PENDING GORGEOUS MIDTOWN DUPLEX

Fantastic investment. 1Bd/1Ba units with garage and shared laundry. $729K CHRISTINA ELLERMEYER 916.548.2053 CalRE#: 01714452

PENDING GORGEOUS COTTAGE

L STREET LOFTS Sophisticated 2-Story Penthouse w/ Thermador appliances and city-wide views. $1,199,000 MICHAEL ONSTEAD 916.601.5699 CalRE#: 01222608

SQUEAKY WILLIAMS TUDOR 3Br/3Ba. Stunning showcase home. Formal Gardens. Pool&Spa. $1,495,000 SUE OLSON 916.601.8834 CalRE#: 00784986

3/1 1032SqFt – Remodeled kitchen&bath. Situated on one of the friendliest streets in East Sac $639K CHRISTINA ELLERMEYER 916.548.2053 CalRE#: 01714452

EAST SAC COTTAGE

3/2 1713SqFt. Bring your tollbelt and make this spaciaous cottage your own. $649K CHRISTINA ELLERMEYER 916.548.2053 CalRE#: 01714452

PENDING MODERN IN MCKINLEY VILLAGE

3Ba/2.5Br/1,586 SqFt $829,000 PIERRE VIARD 916.767.6813 CalRE #: 02128355

POCKET PLEASER 4bd/2ba, single story w/remodeled kitchen, enchanting grounds, 2-car garage SABRA SANCHEZ 916.508.5313 CalRE#: 01820635

ADORABLE IN EMLHURST 2Bd/1Ba ~ 1,032 sqft. Charming kitchen, 2 car garage, planting beds. ELISE BROWN 916.715.0213 CalRE#: 01781942

MCKINLEY VILLAGE PERFECTION

3+Br/2.5Ba. Open living spaces and modern conveniences. Great community amenities. LIBBY WOOLFORD 916.502.2120 CalRE#: 01778361

SOLD SWEET LAND PARK COTTAGE

Darling 2Br/1Ba. Inviting living spaces. Kitchen w/ stainless steel appliances. Backyard retreat. 2 Car garage. $599,950 RICH CAZNEAUX 916.212.4444 CalRE #: 01447558

SPACIOUS COTTAGE Modern open plan w/cozy ambiance. Property zoned for two houses per lot. ANGELA HEINZER 916.212.1881 CalRE#: 01004189

CURTIS PARK CRAFTSMAN This 4Br/2Ba with an of ce is a delight inside and out. STEFFAN BROWN 916.717.7217 CalRE#: 01882787

SACRAMENTO METRO OFFICE 730 Alhambra Boulevard #150 | 916.447.5900

ENCHANTING HOME 4-5Br/3Ba. Updates throughout. Water-wise front & back yards w/pool, 3-car garage.

SABRA SANCHEZ 916.508.5313 CalRE#: 01820635

©2023 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each ColdwellBanker Residential Brokerage Of ce is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. Real estate agents af liated with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage are independent contractor sales associates and are not employees of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage or NRT LLC. CalBRE License #01908304.