Inside land park march 2016 by Inside Publications

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AMAZING TALLAC VILLAGE This IS THE ONE !!! So perfect is SO many ways both inside and out. It is cozy and open, re¿ned and stylish and brimming with character. Attention to detail plus quality updates. 3 bedrooms 2 baths plus family room. $349,000 SHEILA VAN NOY 505-5395

SOUTH LAND PARK TERRACE Conveniently located on a corner lot in a wonderful South Land Park neighborhood. 3 bedrooms 2 baths, 1453 square feet with open Àoor plan, living room ¿replace and dual pane windows. 2-car garage, bonus room and RV access. $425,000 CHRIS BRIGGS 834-6483

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GOLF COURSE TERRACE HOME Wonderfully cared for and updated! This lovely spacious 4 bedroom 2½ bath home has beautiful laminate Àooring, updated kitchen, living room ¿replace, central heat and air conditioning, covered patio, and more. Don’t miss this! $279,000 MONA GERGEN 247-9555

UPDATED TAHOE PARK Completely updated 2 bedroom that’s move in ready! Newer roof, siding, CH&A, wiring/electrical panel, kitchen, SS appliances, bathroom, dual pane windows, blinds, bamboo & tile Àooring. All updated in the past 9 years. Big back yard with raised beds and sprinklers/drip systems, perfecting your outdoor spaces. $239,900 NATHAN SHERMAN 969-7379

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SPACIOUS HOLLYWOOD PARK It’s rare to ¿nd such a large home in Hollywood Park. 4 bedrooms 3 baths, over 2100 square feet with separate family room. Lovely hardwood Àoors, central heat and air, 2-car garage with workshop and storage galore! Close to William Land Park and shopping. $385,000 JAMIE RICH 612-4000

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SOUTH LAND PARK HILLS Cute 3 bedroom 2 bath home that is move-in-ready! Wonderful South Land Park neighborhood. The work is done, re¿nished hardwood Àoors, new tile, new paint and carpet. Sweet, spacious and private backyard, central heat and air, 2-car garage. A delightful home! $349,900 JAMIE RICH 612-4000

for current home listings, please visit:

DUNNIGANREALTORS.COM 916.484.2030 916.454.5753 Dunnigan is a different kind of Realtor.

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CHARMING TAHOE PARK Charming....Enjoy this move-in ready 3 bedroom home with over 1100 sq ft. in the Boulevard Terrace section of Tahoe Park. Central heat and air, dual pane windows, updates to both kitchen and bath, ¿replace, inviting back yard with deck. You will not be disappointed! $349,000 PATRICK VOGELI 207-4515

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CLASSIC HOMELAND Conveniently located close to Tower Theater and Broadway. This 3 bedroom 1 bath home was originally built in 1931 but has many upgrades. Features include updated kitchen and bath, new Àoors and a bonus “in-law quarters” in the back. $335,000 SUE LEE 833-5122

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UP AND COMING! Just south of Curtis Park and the all new Crocker Village! 3 bedroom 2 bath remodeled in 2009 with open Àoor plan, a great updated kitchen and large master bath. Deep backyard and a nearly 400 sf ¿nished bonus room behind the garage. Walk to Track 7, Cross¿t, and new shopping. $329,000 CHRIS BRIGGS 834-6483

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COVER ARTIST Timothy Mulligan Timothy Mulligan is an emerging artist who utilizes innovative techniques and different styles to discover the colors, light, and shadows of a subject. His work has been exhibited in numerous galleries in Sacramento and in the Bay Area. His work will be shown at Eliot Fouts Gallery in Midtown this month of March.

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PUBLISHER Cecily Hastings publisher@insidepublications.com 3104 O St. #120, Sac. CA 95816 (Mail Only) EDITOR PRODUCTION DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHY AD COORDINATOR DISTRIBUTION ACCOUNTING EDITORIAL POLICY

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Getting It Right ANOTHER VIEW ON COMMUNITY CENTER THEATER’S FUTURE

BY CECILY HASTINGS PUBLISHER’S DESK

he future of Sacramento’s Community Center Theater has been thoroughly studied and debated by a task force formed by the mayor to explore the dilemma. The group recently recommended that the city build a new theater. But funding sources still remain an enormous hurdle under this plan. The group also rejected a plan to refurbish rather than replace. The task force also rejected numerous alternate sites, citing the “ideal” location of the existing theater. The refurbishment plan, supported by some committee members, calls for dramatically upgrading the building’s exterior, expanding the lobby and adding dozens of rest rooms. New seating would be installed, and the venue’s acoustics would be significantly overhauled, employing state-of-the-art technology. The backstage area would be revamped with the addition of more dressing rooms, and technical capabilities upgraded to accommodate production demands into the future. Despite the committee’s recommendation it now appears that city staff, under the direction

of the Mayor Johnson, is turning its attention to renovation plans in the coming months. The shift has been a bitter disappointment for arts groups that have had their sights set on a sparkling performing arts palace to host Broadway plays, the symphony, opera and ballet. Task force member Rob Turner agreed with the committee’s conclusion and penned this thoughtful essay. I like Rob and his vision for our city and wanted to share his rationale with our readers.

TOSS OUT PLANS FOR THEATER RENOVATION By Rob Turner Last March, Jerry Seinfeld was performing at the Sacramento Community Center Theater. He joked (and I paraphrase), “What, you couldn’t even get Doritos to pony

emerged regarding renovation. In 2010, the city considered a $40 million refurbishment plan, and by 2014, the number was as high as $52 million. And that wouldn’t have even fixed the acoustics—in a concert hall, of all places. At the time, I pointed out that the state-of-the-art Mondavi Center in Davis was built in 2002 for $61 million and argued that while a larger theater here would cost considerably more, it was critical that Sacramento build a new theater and regain the performing arts footing it has lost to Davis and Folsom. Sacramento has, by and large, ceded the majority of major performing arts events to the suburbs. Part of the problem has been that the theater was designed as a onesize-fits-all model. At 2,400 seats, it works perfectly for touring Broadway shows, but it’s too large—and expensive—for other arts groups like the ballet, philharmonic, opera and dozens more.

up for naming rights here? C’mon, people.” It took Seinfeld only 10 seconds to sum up the sad state of Sacramento’s primary performing arts center. And in the coming months it may take only one city council meeting to lash this concrete behemoth to our ankles as we drown in a sea of missed opportunities. As early as March, the council may take critical steps toward refurbishing the Community Center Theater. Here’s why that’s a terrible deal for our city. Over the past decade, city officials have been wrestling with the civic embarrassment that is the CCT. Performers and audience members have long complained about the building, from the acoustics to the scarcity of women’s bathrooms. That’s why one of the newest It wasn’t until 2008, however, trends in modern theater design when a lawsuit was filed for not is a flexible-seating format with providing wheelchair seating close to the stage that a sense of urgency PUBLISHER page 9

Our city’s primary performing arts center is, arguably, the single ugliest building in town.

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‘Harmony of Tastes’ SACRAMENTO CHILDREN’S CHORUS PRESENTS FUNDRAISER

BY JESSICA LASKEY

LIFE IN THE CITY

reat your taste buds while helping the Sacramento Children’s Chorus continue its impressive 23-year track record at the SCC’s sixth annual “Harmony of Tastes” fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 18, at the Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community. The event will feature local wines and craft beer, sweet treats and savory bites, as well as a silent auction and musical entertainment (naturally). Proceeds from the evening will go to supporting the SCC and its four choirs composed of more than 150 children from elementary to high school under the able artistic direction of founder Lynn Stevens. “We strive to develop skilled, passionate and confident students through exceptional music education and performance experiences,” Stevens says. As part of that mission, the SCC singers have performed with well-known adult choirs such as the Sacramento Choral Society; performed as ambassadors in China, England, France, the Czech Republic, Scandinavia, New York (at Carnegie Hall, no less) and Hawaii; appeared at gubernatorial inaugurations and other civic ceremonies; and

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Sacramento Children’s Chorus will have a fundraiser on March 18

participated in Mayor Kevin Johnson’s “For Arts Sake” initiative by singing at various Sacramento City public schools as part of the Kennedy Center’s “Any Given Child” program. This summer, the touring choir will perform in Finland and the Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia). This year, the SCC has a goal of growing the chorus to serve at least 200 singers in the Sacramento region. Tickets for the fundraiser are $35 and are available online at sacramentochildrenschorus.org. (Prices increase at the door.) The Sierra 2 Center for the Arts and Community is at 2791 24th St.

EAT YOUR VEGGIES Mom always told you to eat your vegetables, and it appears that Sacramento is listening. On Jan. 21, the Sacramento City Unified School District unanimously

approved Food Literacy Center to serve as the program manager of the Leataata Floyd Farms Project, a 2.5-acre urban farm on the Leataata Floyd Elementary School campus in northwest Land Park. The landmark plan includes establishing a “Broccoli Headquarters” for Food Literacy Center, an organization dedicated to educating the youths of Sacramento on the importance of healthful cooking and eating. The new location is instrumental in allowing Food Literacy Center to expand upon its mission to inspire kids to eat their vegetables and improve the health of the community. For the first time ever, the center will serve high school students in addition to elementary school students, and daytime education will be added to the curriculum. “We were thrilled to be chosen to be a part of this project,” says Amber Stott, founder and executive director

of Food Literacy Center. “It will allow us to move from being a solely after-school program to serving 600 elementary and high school students during the day. “Food literacy education has shown to improve the health and overall academic performance of students. We feel that this curriculum is as important as reading and math, and should be incorporated into daytime education.” “Having a well-established food literacy program like Food Literacy Center is critical to the success of the Leataata Floyd Farms Project,” adds Jay Hansen, SCUSD board member. “Amber and her team have built a strong, academically challenging curriculum, and with the added resources of a farm and access to students throughout the day, more of our students can benefit from this outstanding program.” The approval enables Food Literacy Center to serve an additional 800 students per year in the SCUSD, doubling its reach from the 800 students in the eight schools it now serves to 1,600 students in 16 schools in the first year. In addition, the Greater Sacramento community and region will have access to the new facility and its resources through food literacy programming such as cooking classes and garden education. The new site will include indoor teaching kitchens and a production agriculture parcel planted with drought-tolerant and native edible plants, with the goal of providing food for the elementary school cafeteria. Students will receive food literacy curriculum via hands-on, inquiryLIFE page 10

PUBLISHER FROM page 7 retractable chairs and walls. San Antonio chose this model, and its capacity can fluctuate between 1,750 and 2,100 seats. Another problem: Our city’s primary performing arts center is, arguably, the single ugliest building in town. Built in 1974, not only was the building constructed during the short-lived and now largely maligned architectural movement known as Brutalism (named for the “brutal” façades comprising the movement’s signature gray concrete walls), but it also defies every lesson we’ve learned about contemporary theater design since then. Today, modern performance facilities—including downtown’s new arena—employ steel and glass to open up these civic spaces to the cities surrounding them. These structures create a civic experience rather than simply doubling as dark boxes that don’t play well with others. Looks aside, the theater has also become a shell of its former self in terms of the number and quality of performances—the lifeblood of any performing arts center. In fact, Seinfeld is one of the increasingly rare major acts that even plays Sacramento anymore, thanks to the Mondavi Center and Folsom’s Harris Center, both of which boast extraordinary facilities as well as artspresenting organizations that fill their schedules. By comparison, Sacramento’s theater is barely used. Out of 365 days per year, performances are held there on only about 90 days, leaving a jawdropping 275 empty days per year. So what can we do? The first step is to throw the refurbishment plan out the window. Merely refurbishing the theater would be, in no uncertain terms, an admission of defeat. It would reign for decades as Sacramento’s ultimate monument to mediocrity. And time is running out to do something about it. As we speak, the city is sharpening its pencils to determine the cost of refurbishment, which has risen from $40 million to nearly $80 million.

And if you think Sacramento isn’t up to the task of building a new theater, then you have to wonder how other cities are doing it. Salt Lake City is currently building a 2,500-seat theater for $119 million that was designed by César Pelli. San Antonio opened the beautiful Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in 2014 at a cost of $203 million. In 2008, Austin opened a $77 million, 2,400-seat theater. Where would ours go? Certainly not where it’s at now. And by moving the theater from its current site, it frees up much-needed room for the convention center to expand. At the moment, the leading location is a parking lot on Capitol Mall known as Lot X, owned by the Sacramento Kings. Here, the new facility would be virtually adjacent to the Crocker Art Museum and only blocks from the arena. There are other sites with merit, but this one is closest to shovelready status. So now is the time for philanthropists, visionaries and city builders in Sacramento to step forward, much in the same way Golden 1 Credit Union did with its 20year, $120 million naming-rights deal for the arena. A $20 million namingrights deal for a new theater would kick things off nicely. If the city is considering nearly $80 million in refurbishment costs for a D-list building, why not invest those funds in a new theater that will lift the arts, push downtown forward and pay dividends far beyond what’s possible with our current facility? When you factor in the lost opportunities, the refurbishment plan isn’t just shortsighted, it’s fiscally and civically irresponsible. It ignores the needs of the majority of our region’s arts groups and robs the city of an extraordinary economic and cultural catalyst. If a new theater takes a few years, so be it. I’d rather wait five years for the right building than live with the wrong one for generations. Spending $80 million to put some lipstick on one of our city’s worst

buildings is embarrassing, shameful and recklessly pessimistic. Instead, it’s time to raise the curtain on an optimistic new future. C’mon, people. We can do this. Rob Turner is co-editor of Sactown Magazine. A longer version of this article appears at sactownmag.com.

PHOTO CONTEST FOR OUR BOOK Our upcoming book, “Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Neighborhood Places in America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital,” is currently being designed for release in September. The book will be filled with hundreds of photographs of local businesses: restaurants, shops, bars and coffee houses. We are organizing the book by neighborhood: downtown, Old Sac, R Street, Midtown, The Handle, Land and Curtis Parks, Oak Park and East Sac. At the beginning of each section, we want to publish one iconic photograph of the

neighborhood as an interesting place, so we have decided to hold a contest. We are asking our readers to send in photographs that give a sense of their neighborhoods. It can be a photo of just about anything: a street scene, kids playing in the park, a row of houses. Consider subjects including the Esquire Theatre downtown, the Tower Theatre in Land Park, the Midtown Farmers Market, etc. Each photo will run 8 inches wide by 10 inches tall, so the photos must be vertical, not horizontal. We want your best shots! Please submit up to five high-resolution photos no later than March 10 to publisher@ insidepublications.com. Winners will receive two copies of the book and photo credit in “Inside Sacramento.” Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com n

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LIFE FROM page 9 based classes that are tied to academic standards, including cooking and nutrition classes covering the chemistry of cooking, history/culture through cuisine and food science. The Leataata Floyd Farms Project was approved for development in 2012 and is made possible through a first-ever collaboration among The Mill at Broadway, the city of Sacramento Parks and Recreation Department and the SCUSD. (The Mill at Broadway and the Setzer Family Foundation are each providing a $100,000 startup donation to seed the project.) Though Food Literacy Center programming provided at Leataata Floyd Elementary School will be partially funded by the Community Facilities District funds, the majority of project funding will come directly from Food Literacy Center’s own community outreach and fundraising from local donors. To donate and for more information, go to foodliteracy. org. Leataata Floyd Elementary School is at 401 McClatchy Way.

EXPLORING GALORE The sunny spring weather means opportunities abound to visit the animals at the Sacramento Zoo, so don’t miss out on classes, camp registration and more at the zoo this month. From 9:30 to 11:20 a.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, March 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18, Little Peeps classes for 3- to 5-year-olds (with a caregiver) will take place. Each class will focus on a different theme and will include a mini-lesson, fun craft, stories and songs as well as a special visit with one of the zoo’s animal ambassadors. It may seem early, but you know what they say about the early bird. Jump on summer camp registration before it sells out starting at 9 a.m. on March 15 for zoo members only and at 9 a.m. on March 29 for general registration. Give curious kiddos the chance to explore the zoo like never before through classes where they’ll learn about animals around the world

Amber K. Stott, founder and executive director of Food Literacy Center, has teamed up with Sacramento City Unified School District to teach kids about healthy eating

by seeing, hearing, smelling and even touching and feeding some of them. Looking for a fun activity before summertime? From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 26, the zoo will offer Nature Explorers, a new event made possible by a grant from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Join the Zoo and the Sacramento Public Library on the last Saturday of every month anytime between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. to read stories, play and explore the wonders of the natural world with a new topic each month (the theme on March 26 will be

“Tracks and Scat”). Activities are free with paid admission to the zoo. Ready to roar with pride? The zoo received a Quarter Century Award from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums at the beginning of this year, which recognizes the zoo’s continuous accreditation for 36 years. On top of that, visitors helped the Sacramento Zoo increase its commitment to animal conservation in the wild locally and globally by providing over $150,000 to more than three dozen animal conservation programs in 2015.

MARCH MUSICAL MADNESS

Fairytale Town has many fun activities planned for this spring

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“The Sacramento Zoo has been a longstanding jewel of the community since it opened in 1927,” says Zoo Director/CEO Kyle Burks. “I am proud of what we have accomplished and look forward to the exciting things to come as we plan for the future of our great zoo.” The Sacramento Zoo was accredited for the first time in 1979. In order to be accredited, it undergoes a thorough mandatory review every five years to ensure it has and will continue to meet rising standards in animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education, business practices and safety. The accreditation process includes a detailed application and rigorous on-site inspection by a team of trained zoo and aquarium professionals to observe all aspects of the institution’s operation, including animal care, keeper training, safety for visitors, staff and animals, educational programs, conservation efforts, veterinary programs, financial stability, risk management, visitor services and more. With less than 10 percent of the approximately 2,800 animal exhibitors licensed by the USDA gaining the coveted AZA accreditation, the zoo is every bit the gem that Burks says it is. For more information, call 8085888 or go to saczoo.org. The Sacramento Zoo is at 3930 W. Land Park Drive.

Rock out with your favorite Dr. Seuss characters with selections from “Seussical the Musical” performed by the cast of the Fair Oaks Theater Festival on March 2, 5 and 6 at Fairytale Town. Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday with family-friendly musical fun and a cast of beloved characters that includes the Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, Gertrude McFuzz, the Whos down in Whoville, and many more. Tickets are $2 for non-members in addition to park admission and $1 for members. Performances are at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 2, and at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30

p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 5 and 6. Get ready for the Easter Bunny and the start of the new season with Fairytale Town’s “Spring Eggstravaganza” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, March 26 and 27. The fun-filled family weekend will feature egg hunts, prizes, spring-themed handson activities and visits with Peter Cottontail. Daily egg hunts are held promptly at noon, 1 and 2 p.m. Hunt areas are separated by age group: 0-3 years, 4-6 years and 7-12 years. While you’re hopping around the park, take in a performance of “Bunny Bootcamp” by Puppet Art Theater in the Children›s Theater at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. Theater tickets are $2 for nonmembers and $1 for members. “Spring Eggstravaganza” is free with paid park admission. For more information, call 8087462 or go to fairytaletown.org. Fairytale Town is at 3901 Land Park Drive.

ON BROADWAY Did you attend the Broadway Street Improvements Project community meeting on Jan. 26? The city of Sacramento hosted its second community meeting of this kind to share updated concepts and gather feedback about improving the Broadway corridor. The project is working to identify necessary changes to enhance safety for all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, motorists and transit riders. “As the Broadway corridor grows as a popular destination, it is vital to provide improved access for the community to walk, ride a bike or take transit,” says Fedolia “Sparky” Harris, city of Sacramento project manager. “This includes increasing safety by connecting sidewalks, adding bike lanes, enhancing pedestrian crossings and improving bus stops.” The project team updated the proposed improvements to the Broadway corridor and key intersections based on community feedback and technical analysis. More

than 65 community members attended the first community meeting in the fall of 2015 and the online community survey received more than 200 responses. Questions about the community meeting and the project can be directed to Harris at fharris@ cityofsacramento.org or you can visit the project website at sacramentobroadway.com to find out what the future will bring on Broadway.

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LUCKY LUNCHEON Celebrate the luck (and lunch) o’ the Irish and give to charity with the St. Pat’s Luncheon at Casa Garden Restaurant at 11:15 a.m. or 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 17. The luncheon will feature music by Irish Eyes, as well as a choice of entrée (corned beef or island pork salad) and a dessert of Green Velvet Cake. Price is $24 per person, which includes tax and gratuity, and proceeds benefit the Sacramento

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BROADWAY BOUND Speaking of Broadway, area residents were gearing up for the new location of high-end eatery The Kitchen to open on Broadway, but according to an article by Sonya Sorich in the Sacramento Business Journal that ran on Jan. 22, officials from the Selland Family Restaurants group have decided to open a second location of their popular Selland’s Market Café in the space instead. According to co-founder Randall Selland, many customers had requested a Selland’s Market Café location in the Land Park or Curtis Park areas as a casual dining option, which has the potential to bring even more traffic to Broadway, according to Selland. The Kitchen is currently open five nights a week for dinner service only at its Hurley Way location, whereas Selland’s Market Café is open seven days a week and offers lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. We’re getting hungry already. For more information, go to sellands.com. The Kitchen is at 2225 Hurley Way. Selland’s Market Café in East Sacramento is at 5340 H St.

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Children’s Home. Reservations are a must, so call 452-2809 to save your seat. For more information, go to casagardenrestaurant.org. Casa Garden Restaurant is at 2760 Sutterville Road.

TREE-FREE! Tree-free paper may sound like it’s too good to be true, but just ask the Land Park Schools Foundation and they’ll tell you it’s true. The LPSF is extending its immensely popular Supplies for Success Tree-Free Paper Fundraiser featuring Sugarmade paper through March 18, with proceeds benefitting Land Park public schools. The LPSF has partnered with innovative company Sugarmade to give back to our local schools while helping the environment. Sugarmade paper is made from recycled sugarcane waste, thereby making it 100 percent tree-free! The fundraiser allows you to buy paper for your own personal or business use as well as donate reams to schools in the area to keep them stocked for the rest of the year. Founded in 2014 by a group of dedicated parents in the Land Park area, the LPSF organizes events and other fundraising opportunities to supplement the work of the PTAs of local public schools such as Crocker Riverside Elementary, Leataata Floyd Elementary School, California Middle School, C.K. McClatchy High School and Tiny Tots Preschool. To donate and for more information, go to landparkschools. org.

CARE FOR THE CARING When you’re a caregiver, sometimes you need someone to care about you. That’s what the city of Sacramento is doing in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association at its free support group meeting for caregivers taking care of loved ones with dementia from 3 to 4 p.m. on Friday, March 11, at the Hart Senior Center.

Support group meetings provide education and emotional support to remind caregivers they are not alone. Support group meetings provide education and emotional support to remind caregivers they are not alone, giving them a chance to say what they are feeling in a supportive environment and learn about new strategies and resources in the community. Care for loved ones with memory loss can be provided while attendees are at the workshop if arrangements are made in advance. To attend, RSVP to Chantell Albers at 808-6475 or at calbers@ cityofsacramento.org. The Hart Senior Center is at 915 27th Street. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com n

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The Pot Tax HELPING KIDS AT THE EXPENSE OF THE GENERAL FUND

BY CRAIG POWELL

INSIDE CITY HALL

ay Schenirer means well, he really does. But programs launched with the best of intentions are no guarantee of sound policy or effectiveness, as Schenirer’s recent proposal confirms. His basic idea is to dramatically increase city funding of programs for children and young adults by getting voters in June to approve a “new” 5 percent tax on marijuana cultivation, with the proceeds directed exclusively to youth services, bypassing the city’s general fund. Schenirer and his hardworking staff have spent the past year compiling research studies that

show the benefits such programs can have on outcomes for kids. Schenirer is certainly not new to youth issues: He’s spent most of his adult life working on them—in state service, on the city school board, as an education consultant and as the founder of youth-focused nonprofits since his 2010 election to the city council. (He’s raised more private funds for these nonprofits from corporations and foundations than

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any other councilmember with the exception of our city’s star private fundraiser, Mayor Kevin Johnson.) Schenirer is almost certainly the council’s foremost authority on youth issues, with Rick Jennings—the longterm CEO of the Center for Fathers and Families who served on the city school board alongside Schenirer—a close second. Schenirer and his staff have prepared a thoughtful 22-page blueprint for how to create a new city department of youth services, an idea that city manager John Shirey threw cold water on by calling it a wasteful increase in city overhead. Shirey prefers to have the parks department, which administers the city’s current youth services programs, handle any expansion of such programs. As chair of the council’s powerful Law & Legislation Committee and an influential member of Johnson’s ruling coalition on the council, Schenirer was able to use his considerable influence to secure council approval of his plan to put

the pot tax on the June ballot. But the ballot measure garnered only the five-vote majority needed to pass, with members Jeff Harris, Angelique Ashby and Larry Carr opposing the plan and Allen Warren abstaining. Since proceeds from the tax would be dedicated to a single purpose, it would be deemed a “special tax” requiring approval by two-thirds of those voting. The main opposition to Schenirer’s tax plan will come from those who strongly object to the idea of diverting tax proceeds from the city’s troubled general fund, which faces projected growing deficits leading to a major fiscal cliff in 2019, when the Measure U one-half-percent sales tax expires and the full effect of escalating city pension contributions kicks in. That’s the reason three councilmembers opposed putting the pot tax on the ballot. That’s also why the Sacramento Police Officers Association has come out against the tax. Shirey opposes it for the same reason: It’s an exercise in ballot-box budgeting that would tie the hands of the city council in coping with future financial difficulties while doing nothing to help the city’s current financial challenge of closing upcoming budget deficits or facing down the coming fiscal cliff. There is probably not a member of the council who wouldn’t like to fund youth programs at higher levels. But they have the real-world responsibility of weighing such spending against other budget priorities, like police staffing, fire services, park maintenance, code CITY HALL page 15

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CITY HALL FROM page 12 enforcement, libraries, waterfront development, animal control and, most acutely, looming budget deficits. It is bad policy to elevate funding for youth programs above all other funding by placing it in a proverbial lockbox. It’s also likely to lead to a stampede of future ballot measures to create similar revenue lockboxes for police, fire, parks, etc., leading to a budget straightjacket that would leave the council with little flexibility to deal with economic downturns. We all can see the harm that ballot-box budgeting has done to the finances of the state and federal governments. Everything works fine so long as the economy is humming along nicely. But a drop in revenue can lead to huge cuts in some programs and departments while funding subject to lockboxes rides out the storm largely untouched. The pot tax has a “maintenance of effort” provision that says that youth services funded by the tax can be cut in the future, but only by a percentage that is not more than percentage cuts made to the city’s other nonpublic-safety departments on average. But is that any way to run a city government, junking the city council’s budgetary discretion and replacing it with a fixed mathematical formula? We get it that Schenirer really, really, really wants to increase city spending on youth programs, but there is nothing preventing him and four of his council colleagues from voting for such higher spending as part of the city’s annual budget cycle each spring. They just have to be willing to take the heat for reducing spending elsewhere in order to free up the funds for youth programs. And that heat is exactly what Schenirer and the other council supporters of the tax proposal want to avoid. Steven Hansen, one of the five councilmembers who supported the tax, said that Schenirer demonstrated “courage” in proposing the plan. Far from it. His ballot measure is a retreat from fiscal responsibility and open debate on budget priorities, and a sign that five councilmembers appear to be in deep denial over the

city’s looming general fund budget deficits. Despite Schenirer’s yearlong effort to research youth programs, the pot-tax proposal was badly rushed, bypassing the council’s established procedures for considering legislation, a bad habit that the council too often resorts to on controversial proposals. Rather than risk having controversial proposals sidelined by careful, methodical review, proponents use political muscle to rush proposals to a final council vote before opponents have a chance to organize an effective opposition. I’ve dubbed the practice the City Hall Hustle. In this case, Schenirer chose to shepherd the legislation himself rather than relying on city staff to research and vet the proposal (since staff opposes it). He brought his proposal before the Law & Legislation Committee (which he chairs) two weeks before the council voted on it. Normally, committee reviews proposed legislative language line by line, but Schenirer brought to the committee only a two-page memorandum outlining his proposal. Even that proposal was trumped by a late-breaking deal apparently worked out between Schenirer and lobbyists and managers of local pot dispensaries. Schenirer’s original memorandum proposed that the city’s current tax on sellers of marijuana be increased from 4 percent to 10 percent of gross sales, and that a smaller tax of 2.5 percent be imposed on sales by marijuana growers. The current tax (characterized as a business operations tax, or BOT) applies to all marijuana sellers, whether they are medical pot dispensaries, future recreational pot retailers (should California voters legalize recreational pot this year, as polls indicate they just might) or pot growers. But pot dispensaries and their lobbyists opposed any hike in the current 4 percent tax on their sales (and they may have implicitly or explicitly threatened to fund a campaign against the tax measure). So Schenirer apparently agreed to withdraw his proposal to hike the CITY HALL page 16

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BOT on all sellers (including future recreational retailers and growers) and substitute a 5 percent tax on pot growers only, the proceeds of which could be spent only on youth programs. But here’s the rub: The current 4 percent BOT would apply to sales by future pot growers, and the city’s general fund would collect the proceeds. But Schenirer’s proposed 5 percent tax on growers would divert those funds from the general fund into youth program spending. So if voters vote down Schenirer’s 5 percent growers tax, sales by growers will not escape taxation by the city. They will still be taxed under the current 4 percent BOT, but the taxes would flow into the general fund. So Schenirer’s plan really raises the effective city tax on future growers by only 1 percent, not the 5 percent that is being touted. The other 4 percent would essentially be snatched from the city’s general fund, which can ill afford it. Schenirer’s original plan to impose a 10 percent tax on sales by all pot sellers (dispensaries, retailers or growers) would actually have more merit and perhaps more appeal to voters than his final plan, provided the proceeds were paid into the city’s general fund to help close upcoming budget deficits. Pro-tax liberals would likely support it. Conservatives, while they oppose new taxes, also largely oppose pot legalization. They may perceive a higher tax on pot as the next best thing to keeping pot illegal. City unions, which will largely oppose Schenirer’s plan, would likely support such a higher general-fund pot tax since it would augment the general fund, out of which they are all paid. City staff would support it since it avoids ballot-box budgeting and would help pay for their salaries and benefits. So-called sin taxes are always popular with the public, as nonsinners seem to have little reluctance to load taxes on the backs of sinners. Could the local pot industry mount a successful opposition to such a coalition? Possible, but not likely.

SHOWDOWN ON UTILITY RATE HIKES The Utilities Rate Advisory Commission, after hearing from a large number of worried residents opposed to the department of utilities’ proposal to hike city water rates by 10 percent per year and sewer rates by 9 percent per year for each of the next four years, voted 4-1-1 to support the department’s rate-hikes proposal. It will now be taken up by the city council at its meeting on Tuesday, March 15, at 6 p.m. Several representatives of Eye on Sacramento (a local watchdog group that I head) urged the commission to reject the proposals, or to at least moderate the water rate hikes by deferring completion of the city’s water meter installation program until the state-imposed deadline of 2025, instead of accelerating the completion date by five years, as the DOU has proposed. EOS’s main opposition points: Sacramento has met all internal and external water conservation targets with just half of all city homes metered, proving that accelerated meter installations are not needed for Sacramento to meet its water conservation targets; the real median household income of Sacramento families dropped 12 percent between 2007 and 2014, while numerous major hikes in taxes, fees and rates imposed in recent years, coupled with those on the horizon, threaten the viability of working families, people on fixed incomes and small businesses in Sacramento; and the cumulative, documented major failures of DOU management over the past two years provides ratepayers with no confidence that current DOU management has the capacity to manage large-scale infrastructure projects competently and in a costeffective manner. Craig Powell is a local attorney, businessman, community activist and president of Eye on Sacramento, a civic watchdog and policy group. He can be reached at craig@ eyeonsacramento.org or 7183030. For more information, go to eyeonsacramento.org n

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John Oehmke AN ADVOCATE FOR KIDS

BY JESSICA LASKEY

behavioral services to at-risk youth.

VOLUNTEER PROFILE

he key reason that I decided to start volunteering was to pay back the debts of those who helped me,” says John Oehmke, a business lawyer with Diepenbrock Elkin Gleason LLP and a volunteer with Stanford Youth Solutions. “I had a great stable childhood. I lived in the same house. I was expected to go to college. And I was always surprised by how many complete strangers would lend a helping hand, whether it was career advice or a place to stay overnight when I was out biking in the country once and couldn’t get to a hostel. After the easy life I’ve had, I thought, ‘How can I give back?’” Oehmke discovered that his skills studying psychology in college before attending Harvard Law School made him the perfect candidate for serving on the board of SYS, a nonprofit organization that provides critical services like foster care and therapeutic

“After the easy life I’ve had, I thought, ‘How can I give back?’” “What attracted me to serve on the board was the fact that they do evidence-based practices,” says Oehmke, who recently moved to the Pocket area from Curtis Park. “That’s a jargon-y term for the fact that they study the services they provide while they’re providing them to see how effective they are. Then they use the studies to finetune their care.” Through these studies, says Oehmke, SYS discovered that the children’s home model the organization had been using was VOLUNTEER page 21

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Grand Plans B STREET WILL SOON BREAK GROUND ON $30 MILLION THEATER

BY JORDAN VENEMA BUILDING OUR FUTURE

here’s an irony to theater: Although every play is a kind of onstage pageant, it needs

neither stage nor pageantry to be done well. Still, we judge our books by their covers, and hype alone can create a blockbuster from a bad script. But good theater, real theater, can spontaneously happen anywhere: in an alley, on the street, dressed down without all the pomp and circumstance. Bill Blake, managing director at B Street Theatre, is aware that visitors to Sacramento, and even some locals, have dismissed B Street merely for its appearance. “People are always going to pretty much judge the book by its cover,” he says. “And the cover here

Rendering of the new B Street Theatre

is like, what is this sulky, out-of-theway place?”

Thanks to $3 million

What happens inside the building

contribution from the city

is another story altogether. According

and a land donation from

to Blake, after seeing a performance,

Sutter Medical Center worth

people usually become rabid fans. In

$6 million, B Street will soon

fact, B Street boasts about 10,000

begin developing a nearly $30

thousand subscribers, says Blake,

million facility at 27th Street

calling them “the faithful patrons

and Capitol Avenue.

who keeping coming to our shows.” For those unaware (and yes, there

Blake expects the location alone will improve the

are some still unaware), Sacramento

theater’s recognition here

In ’91, B Street became sedentary,

the new structure will offer “more

does have its own resident theater,

in Sacramento. “The number of cars

moving to its current location and

visual delights in the productions

hidden away in a quiet corner of

that happen to drive by our theater

offering plays for adults as well as

themselves, better seats, better

Midtown, housed in an old and

now is less than 50,000 a year,” says

children. The theater bought a second

sightlines, [and] the ability to do

unassuming warehouse. There’s

Blake. “At the new location it’s over 4

warehouse to build an additional

theater magic and effects”—things

not much thoroughfare in that

million cars a year.”

stage in ’02.

that weren’t available in the old

neighborhood, other than residential

For the 30-year-old company, the

Since its current stages were built

space.

traffic, and the local theater often

new building has been a long time

within the confines of pre-existing

goes unnoticed—but not for long.

coming. B Street ostensibly began in

structures, the new theater will

this, says Blake, will be a purpose-

1986 as a traveling and educational

provide B Street with more flexibility

built building, “a place that is

company performing in local schools.

and capacity. According to Blake,

built for a quality, professional art

This old book is getting a new cover.

ILP MAR n 16

Unlike the old stages and space,

Zoo admission on race day is included with registration!

experience.” He adds, “At our humble

Even with a small increase to

campus, we serve about 100,000

ticket prices, Blake expects the

people a year. The facility itself is

new purpose-built theater to yield

kind of bursting at the seams.”

dividends for the city. “It’s better

The current main and family stages

for the community, better for the

seat 200 and 100 audience members

economy,” he says. Even if the new

respectively. The new building will

theater doesn’t grow its attendance,

accommodate 250 audience members

which is unlikely, it will still bring

for the main stage and 365 for the

an additional 100,000 people to local

family-series stage.

businesses.

“While they’re certainly bigger

Also, says Blake, a building like

than they are now,” says Blake,

this “raises the bar [for Sacramento]

“they’re still very intimate spaces,

and how we see the arts, how we feel

which is what we like, our audience

about the whole community—the

likes, and our performers love it.”

idea of living here—and that we have

B Street Theatre intends to use the new building to host other programs,

places of quality.” Blake expects construction for the

partnering with the community to

new theater to begin in March and

bring music, dance and speakers to

says the building should be completed

the space. These partnerships will

as soon as summer 2017. That may

provide extra revenue to help finance

seem like a fast turnaround for a $30

the building.

million project, but there are actors

The theater also intends to increase

since ’86. They’ve been waiting for a

“Our prices are a really good value

stage like this for 30 years.

now,” says Blake, adding that the rates.

not as effective as wraparound services, in which children are treated in their own homes with the support of their families. “At each board meeting, one of the providers talks about a case,” says Oehmke, who helps the group raise funds through events like food-and-wine tastings and this year’s Over the Edge, during which donors can rappel down a building. “You hear about a foster youth or troubled kid finally achieving permanency, graduating from high school, going to college, and you want to do everything in your power to keep the system going that helped them.” With his years of volunteering for SYS, it sounds like Oehmke is doing just that.

who have been with the company

ticket prices to help with financing.

new prices will be in line with market

VOLUNTEER FROM page 18

Jordan Venema can be reached at jordan.venema@gmail.com n

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Shining a Spotlight SACRAMENTO TO GET ITS OWN WALK OF STARS

BY SCOT CROCKER

INSIDE DOWNTOWN

or the past six months, I have had the pleasure to write about the Grid, Midtown and downtown for Inside Publications. Now I have the opportunity to write about an exciting personal endeavor that my wife, Lucy Eidam Crocker, and I are leading that we hope will make a mark on Sacramento’s culture, entertainment and economic development for generations to come. Lucy and I own Crocker & Crocker, a marketing, branding and outreach firm. We’ve served on dozens of nonprofit boards for business and arts organizations and groups that deal with youth development and the environment. Now, after 30 years of community service and success in business, we’ve decided to give back in a large, meaningful way. We’ve formed a nonprofit organization to honor some of the Sacramento region’s best and brightest, people who went on to national and international success. The result? The Sacramento Walk of Stars. Many communities and cities around the country have a walk of fame or walk of stars. We want to recognize people from our region who took their talents to extraordinary

ILP MAR n 16

Sotiris Kolokotonis and Lucy Eidam Crocker

heights. They are sons and daughters of Sacramento, their talents forged by the families, mentors, teachers, communities and neighborhoods we see every day.

We take pride when they make headlines, are written about in books or appear on TV or in the movies. The Sacramento region has so many notable stars that it’s a wonder we haven’t honored them sooner.

The Sacramento Walk of Stars will do just that. It will provide educational, cultural and economic benefits. It will be fun. You’ll feel a sense of discovery as your stroll the Grid, discover stars embedded in the sidewalk and learn about where the people they honor came from and what they accomplished. While Lucy and I started this, it’s a community collaboration. We first had to work with city staffers to determine the permits and approval process. We also formed a founding committee to help shape the program. And we needed approval from the city council. Last August, the city council gave its approval, and detailed planning began. Through social and traditional media, we have received numerous informal star nominations. The community response has been overwhelmingly positive. The criteria are straightforward: To be a Sacramento star, the person must be significant nationally or internationally; must have lived in the Sacramento region; and must have had a positive impact on the Sacramento region in some way. Stars will come from the following categories: arts and entertainment, sports, news, business, and science and technology. Honorees can be living or dead. If you think hard, you can probably come up with many of the names that have already made the list. In sports: Dusty Baker, Ruthie Bolton, Debbie Meyer. In news: Lisa Ling, Joan Lunden, Lester Holt. In business: Eleanor McClatchy, Charles Schwab, Russ Solomon. In the arts: Wayne Thiebaud, Gregory Kondos, Mark

The first year, stars will be placed in sidewalks on and near 1801 L St., thanks to a sponsorship by SKK Developments. “This is an exciting new attraction for Sacramento. SKK Developments is pleased to a part of it, sponsoring the inaugural five stars,” said Sotiris K. Kolokotronis, owner of SKK Developments. Each year, sites and stars will be selected and announced at a party in the spring. In late summer, the honorees will be celebrated with a sidewalk star installation event, followed by a gala dinner where they can talk about what the Sacramento region has meant to them. “Those who lived or grew up in the Sacramento region were shaped by their family, friends and community,” said my wife Lucy, who is the CEO of Crocker & Crocker and the project’s founder. “They took their talents and excelled on the national and international stage. To say the least, we are proud of them and want to honor them in a meaningful way.” The project has received the full support of the city, along with the commitment and involvement of Michael Ault of Downtown Sacramento Partnership and Steve Hammond of Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau. Other steering

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committee members include business leaders Linda Geery of Gilbert Associates, John Frisch of Newmark Cornish & Carey, Jeff Hallsten of Hallsten Corporation and Patrick Harbison of Patrick Harbison Public Relations. Most members of the steering committee are sponsors, along with Lasher Auto Group of Elk Grove. “We have a great group helping to get this off the ground, and I’m sure more will join our cause,” Lucy said. “Plus we are thrilled that Cecily and Jim Hastings of Inside Publications will promote the Sacramento Walk of Stars as a sponsor!” The founding committee is raising money to fund the stars and the events and is more than halfway to its goal. The stars will be constructed of terrazzo and brass. The public will be invited to the gala dinner. The Sacramento Walk of Stars will be a community project. Walk of Stars social media lit up since the announcement a few months ago, showing that this project has community interest and support. Some people say Sacramento has an inferiority complex. There’s a view that the city is always battling: to have and keep major league sports, to have first-rate professional cultural and performing arts, for recognition as a world-class city. In the past year, it’s become clear that Sacramento is on its way to something grand, something special. The Sacramento Walk of Stars is just one of many new and exciting additions to a vibrant downtown and Midtown. It’s a chance to showcase the stars of the past who got us here—people like Mark Twain, Morrie Turner and Joe Marty. It’s also a chance to shine a light on today’s stars—like Lance Briggs and Colin Hanks, the band Cake. The Sacramento Walk of Stars is an opportunity to showcase the talented people of and from Sacramento. Their contributions show how deep our roots go in science, the arts, sports and entertainment. In a few short months, everyone will get to celebrate that.

4 8 0 0 F O L S O M B LV D

Twain. In entertainment: Timothy B. Schmit, Jessica Chastain, Pat Morita. The list goes on and on. A steering committee of community members will choose new honorees each year and find a location for their stars on a route that goes from 21st Street in Midtown to the new Golden 1 Center along the J, K and L Street corridors.

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Life-Giving Water LOCAL CHURCH GROUP WILL HEAD TO HAITI TO DIG WELLS

and Marina Vista contingent arrives on the Caribbean island, the visitors will dig wells, teach hygiene and preach the gospel. They will raise approximately $2,000 each to fund the journey. “The rewards we receive are beyond words,” says Robert Parker, a retired state worker who is helping organize the trip for City Church. “The people we meet and help will

BY R.E. GRASWICH

have been preparing two years for this

CITY BEAT

visit. This is a big thing for them.” Parker, who spent his 32-year

ot long ago, to celebrate

state career helping people at

the birth of their daughter

the Employment Development

Maxima, Facebook CEO

Department, thinks it’s perfectly

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr.

natural for everyday people—people

Priscilla Chan, said they would give

without Facebook stock—to find

away 99 percent of their wealth from

themselves drawn to the joys of

Facebook stock.

charitable sacrifice.

Given that the family’s Facebook

There’s something remarkably

equity is worth about $45 billion, it’s

rewarding about helping strangers,

an impressive act of charity. Then

especially when the help provides

again, Zuckerberg and Chan set up a

basic necessities like clean water and

for-profit limited liability corporation

education about hand washing and

to divest the money. And when their

maintaining clean living spaces.

Facebook stock is all gone, Mark,

“I’ve gone on several of these trips,

Priscilla and Maxima will still have

and you never know what you’re

about $450 million to survive on, at

going to find,” Parker says, rattling

current values.

off the countries he’s visited for

In Sacramento, there’s another

well-digging purposes: Guatemala, El

sort of charity at work—involving

Robert Parker

people whose investment portfolios and cash reserves are nonexistent by Zuckerberg standards. Instead, these people define their charitable actions with sacrifice and love, which makes the Sacramento benefactors spiritual counterpoints to Facebook’s first family. Our Sacramento story involves people from City Church, which ministers primarily to residents from two public housing projects on Lower

ILP MAR n 16

Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras. “But each time, the Lord has been

Broadway, known as Alder Grove and Marina Vista.

But those numbers haven’t prevented about a dozen City Church

with us. We’ve hit water every time.” The technical part of the journey,

members from wrapping their arms

including the equipment and

residents don’t have much in terms of

around a project to help people with

expertise, is provided by a Texas

material wealth. Half of the residents

even less: villagers in Haiti who lack

nonprofit group called Living Water

earn less than $5,000 per year. About

convenient, consistent access to clean

International, which has been

94 percent receive public benefits.

water.

organizing missions for well digging,

Alder Grove and Marina Vista

Only about 20 percent have bank accounts.

The congregation is putting together a July 16-23 mission to rural Haiti. When the Alder Grove

hygiene instruction and gospel preaching since 1990.

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“They handle all of the equipment

don’ts. And you would be surprised

and technical expertise,” Parker says.

at how quickly we pick up basic parts

“To succeed in this endeavor, you

of the language, like greetings. Those

don’t need experience or skill. You

are the words that get you through.”

need leadership and faith.” Dropping a dozen people from

In the Haitian countryside, Sacramento visitors. Living Water

Haitian village for a week of digging,

International representatives will

teaching and preaching would seem

have the site staked out and ready for

to invite any number of cultural

work. The group from Alder Grove

collisions.

and Marina Vista will barely have time to get acclimated to their new

taught the language after retiring

surroundings before they will be put

from the state), but his Spanish

to work.

skills won’t help him communicate in

“The men in the village do the

Haitian Creole, which derives from

backbreaking work like chopping

French. None of the Sacramento

trees and digging holes,” Parker says.

missionaries will be able to converse

“Everything will be ready for us.”

with their hosts. But language barriers fall rapidly,

Once the job is complete—once the Sacramento team will have one day to

Sacramento team won’t go in cold—

sightsee before returning home. And

they will be coached before departure

if the drillers don’t hit water?

in Haiti will have been likewise

“Before every trip, they prep us,” Parker says. “We get the dos and

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“We’ll find it,” Parker says. “We don’t abandon them.”

briefed as to what to expect from the Californians.

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well is dug and water is flowing—the

Parker says. For starters, the

by a Haitian expat. And the residents

We’re your neighbors and we handle it all...

residents will be ready for their

Alder Grove and Marina Vista into a

Parker speaks fluent Spanish (he

Relax. We’ve got you covered.

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Girl Power AMERICAN GIRLS FASHION SHOW WILL HELP CRISIS NURSERIES

help break the cycle of crisis or abuse

1867, the home includes a residential

north, one in the south area—are an

and keep families intact. Begun as

program for at-risk boys. Says

auxiliary of Sacramento Children’s

an orphanage in

The Crisis Nurseries—one in the

BY TERRY KAUFMAN

LOCAL HEROES

Sperber, “The Crisis Nurseries

Home. They

are a large budget item, but we’re

have served

working toward child abuse

more than

prevention so these children

225,000

don’t end up in the boys home.

children

It’s a real dichotomy: They come

and had a

from chaos into a perfectly clean

significant

space that’s warm, welcoming

impact on

and structured. It’s sort of an

almost 15,000

oasis in the middle of crisis.” It’s a tall order. The

hen Emma Sperber made

families in

her bat mitzvah two

the region. At

primary source of money

years ago, she thought

the nurseries,

for the nurseries has been

long and hard about her “mitzvah

at-risk children

First 5 Sacramento funding,

project.” She wanted to do something

from infancy

supplemented through

meaningful for animals or children,

to age 5 are

additional grants and private

but it had to be exactly right. With

housed for up

donations. But last year, the

the help of her mother Maria, she

to 30 days in a

Friends group struggled to

narrowed down her choices, then

clean, nurturing

bridge a $365,000 budget

zeroed in on Sacramento Crisis

space with cribs,

deficit. The need for services

Nurseries.

bedrooms, toys,

has not diminished. “Last

“She liked that it was about

artwork, healthy

year, we had to turn away

helping families out in times of

meals and caring

families because there

crisis,” says Sperber. “The two of us

staff. There is a

weren’t enough beds,” says

served lunch at the north nursery,

24-hour phone help

Sperber.

and we got to make bagel pizzas for

line for families

little kids who were grateful to be in a

in crisis. The

group will raise money

safe place.”

nurseries provide

with an American Girls

transportation

fashion show featuring

pledges by running a triathlon for

to their facilities.

local runway talent. On

the nurseries, and two years later

When children

Friday, March 18, and

her mom found herself serving as

arrive, staffers

Saturday, March 19, 150

president of Friends of Sacramento

examine them and

girls—mostly fourth-

Crisis Nurseries. “This is a safe place

develop an action

and fifth-graders—will

for kids whose families are in crisis,”

plan.

model historic and

Emma went on to raise $3,500 in

says Maria. “It could be any number

This month, the

contemporary fashions

The Children’s

of things that are going on in their

Home provides

with their American

lives: unemployment, postpartum

additional resources

Girl doll counterparts.

depression, caring for elderly parents.

for the families,

The show is a labor of

The focus is on child abuse prevention

including parenting

and providing these children with

classes, counseling and

security.”

residential treatment, to

ILP MAR n 16

s are putting on an nto Crisis Nurserie runway talent. Friends of Sacrame ow featuring local sh ion sh fa irls G American hy/Tia Gemmell. Media Photograp w vie er Riv of y tes Photos cour

love for organizer Kara Turner and volunteers who devote hours to

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unpacking eight crates of clothes,

self-conscious, and they have so much

coordinating the talent for three

fun doing this.” Each girl takes on

shows in 24 hours and managing pint-

the name and history of her American

size egos.

Girl doll. Dolls and clothes are

“This just fell into my lap,”

available for purchase at the event,

says Turner, who has always loved

and girls in the audience are invited

fashion. “I had no idea it was going

onto the stage at the end of the show

to be a full-time job. I had lists and

to walk the runway and have their

spreadsheets, and I was about to have

pictures taken.

a nervous breakdown last year when

The models’ parents pay a fee for

the other ladies showed up on my

their participation. Those fees, and

doorstep with lemonade and cookies

the ticket fees, will provide critical

and helped me get through it. This

financial support for the Crisis

year has been so much easier.”

Nurseries. Turner’s goal is to make

Turner is a firm believer that “the

the show bigger and more successful

right thing comes at the right time.”

each year. “It organically manifests

She had sold her KidAround magazine

into a beautiful wave of enthusiasm,”

and her daughter was growing up, so

she says. “What we do is really

she had more time on her hands. “The

important. I love what I’m doing.”

Crisis Nurseries really hit home for me,” she says. “I’ve been a mother. I’ve been in crisis. This is a place where no questions are asked. The kids are safe and loved.” The kids in the show know that they’re helping children in crisis. “They’re the most darling little girls,” says Turner. “They’re not

For more information, go to kidshome.org. Tickets for the American Girl fashion show can be purchased through the Events link at the site. Terry Kaufman can be reached at terry@1greatstory.com n

The American Girls fashion show will be on March 18 and 19. Photos courtesy of Riverview Media Photography/Tia Gemmell.

ILP n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Design Innovator THIS SCULPTOR CREATES PARTNERSHIPS THAT WORK

artistry. He uses exceptional woods,

BY JEANNE WINNICK BRENNAN MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR

clean, modern lines and bronzed faux-bois legs. Zinn has a sculptural

design company by the

gift: He can realize three-dimensional

name of blankblank may

form through his fingertips. His

give some people reason to

handicraft and penchant for nature

pause. Is it possible the founder and

and simplicity are evident in

creative director of an award-winning

everything he touches.

company just couldn’t devise a clever

“For the big slab tables made from

enough name for his business—or

salvaged wood, it starts in the forest

could he? An industrial designer

with maybe a diseased tree that

who was educated at Pratt Institute

is removed, then milled and dried

in New York, Rob Zinn is a gifted

through a process that can take six

sculptor with a grand vision.

years before it can be worked,” Zinn

From his home base in the

explains. “I begin with the idea and

Sacramento Delta to numerous

translate it into sketches, mockups

points around the globe, the Florida

and models. I sculpt the legs from

native’s blankblank brand enjoys a

dense foam, make the wax molds, and

strong following. Private collectors,

then we pour at the Sacramento Art

architects, interior designers, retailers

Foundry, where Alan Osborne is a

and corporations in Toronto, Paris,

great partner. A welder attaches the

Miami, New York and Saudi Arabia

legs to the finished table top.”

value his unique heirloom-quality

Also in the Zinn network is

lighting, furniture and objects.

Casella Lighting, founded more

“Originally, ‘blankblank’ was just

than 75 years ago by artist Alfred J.

a placeholder name to emphasize

Casella. Through blankblank, the

design, freedom of art, the ability to

collaboration produced innovative

go from a blank page to a reality,”

lighting that was exhibited in Paris

Zinn says. “Then I realized it conveys

at the Mona Bismarck American

how we work with other designers

Center for Art & American Culture

from concept to completion.”

at the Maison & Objet exhibit in the

Created in 2004, blankblank takes

Christofle showrooms.

artists’ ideas and brings them to

A free-floating wood bookshelf

life, using sustainable materials,

entitled “Juxtaposed: Religion” by

new technologies and master

blankblank artists Mike & Maikke

craftsmen. Welders, painters, water-

can be found in Gwyneth Paltrow’s

jet cutters of steel and aluminum, Sculptor Rob Zin

master woodworkers and fabricators throughout Northern California collaborate with Zinn and his design

the rest takes place within a 150-mile

artisans—ensures the integrity of

partners, Tim Richartz, Mark Goetz

radius.

blankblank’s pieces. They all come

and Mike & Maikke. Ninety percent

The company’s approach—using

of blankblank’s manufacturing

planet-friendly raw materials,

is done within 50 miles of Zinn’s

small-batch production and nearby

100-year-old farmhouse in Courtland;

ILP MAR n 16

with a lifetime care guarantee. Zinn creates heirloom-quality furniture that combines nature and

living room in Amagansett, N.Y. In recently refurbished Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Puerto Rico and Toronto, Zinn’s cast plate dining tables topped in smoked glass are used to display designer handbags. But it’s not necessary to travel far to see a blankblank product in use.

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Customers at Masullo Pizza in Land

as Bernhardt, Herman Miller and

Park can sit on the firm’s benches and

Ralph Lauren. In 2002, his design

eat at its custom walnut slab dining

work for fixtures in the Fleet Feet

table. The popular “Divide” benches

store on J Street introduced him to

by designer Mark Goetz are situated

Northern California. Now married

around the MARRS Building on 20th

to Sacramento native Anna Pavao,

Street, and his “Stir Stools” are at

Zinn finds the Delta’s agricultural

Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates on L

community and its rich culture an

Street.

important source of inspiration.

“This coming year, we will continue

to nature, its seasons and its colors,

designers,” Zinn says. “Our work will

our partners and the awareness of

be seen at significant furniture and

our carbon footprint,” Zinn says. “We

interior design shows in New York

are committed to this community to

and Miami, as well as in our affiliate

support other like-minded businesses,

showrooms: Triode in Paris, Siglo

grow our network with more good

Moderno in Los Angeles and The

partners and keep them all very

NWBLK in San Francisco.”

busy as we promote American design worldwide.”

at Pratt shortly after he graduated, collaborated on furniture and lighting designs for industry leaders such

March 4-5 & 10-11 7:00PM March 12 2:00PM & 7:00PM

“Living in the Delta connects us

to get in front of more high-end

Zinn, who taught industrial design

by David Blanchard & Thom Green

For more information, go to blankblank.net n

The story line portrays abandoned children and their descent into savagery; left to themselves, far from modern civilization, the children regress to a primitive state. Appropriate for ages 12+

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ILP n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Step by Step A HOUSE MORPHS FROM BACHELOR PAD TO FAMILY HOME

BY JULIE FOSTER HOME INSIGHT

hen Sarah and Jason Ellis married in 2001, they moved into his 1,100-square-foot East Sacramento bachelor home. Today, following a series of major renovations, it is a showcase for healthy 21st-century family life. Charming but dated, the 1927 house had only two bedrooms and one bath. Now, it is a twostory, four-bedroom, three-bath, Craftsman-inspired home with a detached studio. “My husband bought this house in 1997, and we keep transforming it,” says Sarah Ellis. The couple, both architects, first completed a major remodel on the kitchen in 2002. Then, in 2005, they built a detached garage/studio with a sleeping loft, a workspace and a small bathroom.

ILP MAR n 16

“The house has grown and been adapted throughout the many stages of our lives.”

“We thought it would be nice,” says Ellis. “When guests came, they could have their own space.” When their second child arrived, the cozy home started to feel crowded. The pair contemplated moving but eventually decided to stay put for the neighborhood and the schools. “So we just jumped in and opted to do a bigger project,” Ellis says. “With the exception of the kitchen, we essentially tore the house down to the studs and rebuilt from scratch, with new electrical, plumbing, mechanical, paint, finishes, insulation, siding and roofing.” The project consisted of the addition of a second story and a large family room off the kitchen. While the house was under construction in 2014 and 2015, the family moved into the 450-square-

foot studio, with Ellis using part of the space for her office. “It was a good bonding experience,” Ellis says. “Once the construction was completed 13 months later, it took everyone a while to adjust to all the new space.” Living in the house for years before the remodel and being on-site during construction proved advantageous. “We walked around when it was being framed and made adjustments along the way,” she says. “If we had not been here and been a bit more detached from the process or had not lived in the house before, we would not have been able to do that.” The situation provided insight into the way her clients feel during remodeling. “It was a good experience,” she says. “Because now we have lived it, and I know what it’s like.”

In the original section of the home, the couple refinished the wood floors, retextured the walls and repainted with a neutral color scheme. “We once had a red room, a green room and a yellow room,” says Ellis. In addition to creating convenient access to the backyard, the new family room was built with the idea of having space for daily family life and for the children to hang out with friends. “We wanted a place where the kids could bring their friends when they get older,” Ellis says. “My husband’s home when he was growing up was always that house. Mine was just the opposite. I always went to someone else’s house.” When planning for the second-story addition, the couple wanted to capture as much square footage as possible by eliminating what would have been attic space. They kept the original slope of the roof but raised it up.

HOME page 32

ILP n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

HOME FROM page 31 “We also wanted it to not feel so massive from the street, although there is a precedent for twostory homes in the neighborhood,” Ellis explains. The couple designed a dramatic steel railing for the second floor and had it crafted by local artisan Marc Foster. At the top of the stairs is a children’s play loft complete with a gate, a ladder and a pulley-and-rope system for hauling up toys. The master bedroom’s loft is dedicated to a more utilitarian use: containing electrical and mechanical systems. Solar-powered skylights in the bedroom and above the stairway add extra daylight and ventilation. The exterior got its own facelift. The front yard was planted with low-water and native plants. Fiber cement siding replaced the original vinyl siding. “It holds paint well, resists moisture and is good for fire protection,” says Ellis. Once a cozy but underinsulated home with lead paint and asbestos, it is now an example of what a comfortable, efficient and modern family live/work space can be. “We focused on creating a healthy indoor environment with a super-insulated building envelope and high-efficiency mechanical system,” says Ellis. “The house has grown and been adapted throughout the many stages of our lives: bachelor’s first house, young couple’s first home, live/work home and family house for four.” If you know of a home you think should be featured in Inside Publications, contact Julie Foster at foster.julie91@yahoo.com n

ILP MAR n 16

ILP n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Into the Ring FORMER BOXER HAS A NEW FIGHT ON HIS HANDS

BY R.E. GRASWICH

SPORTS AUTHORITY

ony Lopez is a whimsical man, but his good nature shouldn’t be mistaken for a lack of seriousness. As a world champion boxer, Lopez could frustrate opponents after a brutal exchange of punches. He used a maneuver of brazen whimsy. Suddenly dropping his hands and raising his chin and smiling, Lopez presented his face as a target. He dared the other man to hit him again, harder.

Not many people know what it’s like to fight for your life in close combat. This was dangerous behavior. The other man often had the skill, speed and power to kill Lopez, not just figuratively but cumulatively and literally. The move was whimsical. It

ILP MAR n 16

Tony "The Tiger" Lopez

demonstrated Lopez could somehow summon humor and lightheartedness at moments of desperate, primeval survival, when he was fighting for his life. I mention this because these days, Lopez is running for mayor of Sacramento. He is certainly an underdog, going up against two experienced politicians: former State Sen. Darrell Steinberg and City Councilmember Angelique Ashby. But Lopez’s candidacy shouldn’t be dismissed as a whimsical joke. He’s been thinking about city hall for a long time. He may smile and drop his

and there are dirty diapers laying around and the father is gone and the mom is on drugs, and I’m telling her to get her act together or I’m coming back with CPS. They know when I say it, I mean it.” Not many people know what it’s like to fight for your life in close combat. Lopez did this professionally for 16 years. In the 1980s and 1990s, he stood toe to toe with the world’s toughest prizefighters, men such as Rocky Lockridge, Julio Cesar Chavez, Brian Mitchell and John John Molina. He fought 59 times, with 50 victories and one draw. He won three world championships. Along the way, he became the most popular boxer in Sacramento history, able to sell 15,000 tickets at Arco Arena. He was so popular that fighters refused to face him in Sacramento for fear the audience, screaming for its hometown champ, would frighten the judges into handing Lopez a biased victory.

hands and raise his chin, but he wants to win. About four years ago, I bumped into Lopez and his wife Cathy at a coffee shop near their bail bonds agency, Tony “The Tiger” Bail Bonds. They told me he was planning to run for mayor. I thought he was joking. He was not. “I’m the only guy who’s running for the real Sacramento,” Lopez says now. “I don’t care about a political career. I don’t have all the answers. In one Arco Arena fight, Lopez was But I’m the only guy who knows disqualified for punching Ramon Rico what’s really going on, because I’m in after Rico’s knee touched the canvas. the bail bond business, and I go into places where the kids are screaming

From ringside to the cheapest seat at Arco Arena, fans connected with a sparkle in Lopez’s eye.

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NARI of Sacramento’s most award-winning remodeling company! It was a close call, Lopez’s first loss, and nearly caused a riot. Lopez’s popularity was not the unique result of his fighting skill, which was medieval in execution, all brute force and determination, with minimal reliance on finesse. More importantly, he had real charisma—elusive star power that elevates not just sports and show business careers but political careers. And while his boxing skills faded (he turned 53 in February), his charisma burns bright as ever. From ringside to the cheapest seat at Arco Arena, fans connected with a sparkle in Lopez’s eye. They saw a man who loved what he was doing, whimsical yet deadly serious, supremely confident yet vulnerable, not unlike how they imagined themselves in their dreams. If Lopez can figure out how to get himself in front of voters, that charisma will ignite and inspire people, and many will vote for him. They will believe he knows

their power, passion, failure and frustration. “When I’m elected, I’ll listen to everybody who calls with an idea,” Lopez says. “My best punch was my overhand right, my moneymaker. You know how I learned it? I was at a phone booth on 15th Street and this bum came up to me, recognized me and told me I needed to throw it. He showed me how. I tried it and it worked. That proves you never know where a good idea will come from.” Lopez fought at 130 to 147 pounds but was naturally more like 160. He’s still in good shape, solid and sharp, happily married to Cathy for 17 years. His bail business is tidy and successful. The family works together. He loves his job but admits it’s hard. If he finds a way to bring that overhand-right charisma to the mayor’s race, Lopez can do real damage to Steinberg and Ashby. They have never seen anything like it. R.E. Graswich can be reached at reg@graswich.com n

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Infesting in His Future PINNACLE PEST FOUNDER SEIZED OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND

BY JESSICA LASKEY SHOPTALK

hen I catch up by phone with Jim Lopez, the president, founder and CEO of Pinnacle Pest, he’s nearly out of breath from the busy pace of his business. “Every two to three months, a cherry bomb lands in my lap,” the East Sacramento resident and single dad says. “I get stressed, but the outcome ends up better than I could have ever imagined.” This ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel is something the South Bay Area transplant has always possessed. After moving to Sacramento to attend California State University, Sacramento, and graduating with a business degree, Lopez found himself hard-up for employment, so he settled for a job at a pest control company. In true go-getter fashion, it didn’t take long for him to move up the ranks. He soon found himself traveling all over California to manage service departments and sell the brand, but Lopez was eager to start his own. When he settled back in Sacramento in 1997 to help the company solve some problems with a local branch, Lopez leapt at the chance to branch out. “I quit the other company and started going door-to-door selling pest control services,” Lopez says. “The business grew fast. We got our first warehouse, hired employees and, over the course of five years, went from making $0 to $2.7 million a year.” This rapid success was due in part to Lopez’s desire to give the people what they want, and what residents were overwhelmingly requesting was not just traditional pest control, but also

ILP MAR n 16

Jim Lopez is the president, founder and CEO of Pinnacle Pest

termite inspection and remediation (repair). “When you buy or sell a house in Sacramento, lenders and buyers want the house inspected for termites,” Lopez says. “Inspection can find an array of problems, so we started pricing and fixing them for people.” Not surprisingly, these services took off during the “hot market” in 2007, but because they were so tied to real estate, the downturn the next year made Lopez’s business plummet. So what did he do? He diversified.

“We started to seek brand recognition outside of East Sacramento (where most of his business had been),” Lopez says. “We started to market to midtown and Land Park, and in 2010 we expanded to the Pocket. We now have roughly 2,700 clients in the Sacramento area, with a focus on older neighborhoods.” Lopez also added additional services that have attracted both ecoand efficiency-minded consumers. “Three years ago, we introduced orange oil for termite control,” Lopez says. “You have two types of termites that can infest a home: One comes up

from the ground, and one nests in the wood. When you have termites in the wood, it requires fumigation, which is a pain because people hate moving out of their houses, it’s expensive and inconvenient, and there are usually hidden costs. “I started researching other options and found this naturally derived orange oil product that you inject into the wall. Because it works so well, we offer the same guarantee as fumigation, and the business has really grown because of it.” SHOPTALK page 39

THEATRE GUIDE STEEL MAGNOLIAS Thru March 6th Theater One 2425 Sierra Blvd, Sac 916 483-9283 x208

Steel Magnolias is a very funny and poignant play based on a true story about the playwright’s sister. It takes place in a beauty salon in Chinquapin Parish, Louisiana, and tells the story of six strong women.

STICK FLY

Thru March 12th Celebration Arts Theatre 4469 D St, Sac 916 455-2787 The affluent African-American LeVay family is gathering at their Martha’s Vineyard home for the weekend, and brothers Kent and Flip have each brought their respective ladies home to meet the parents for the first time. Kent’s fiancée Taylor, an academic whose absent father was a prominent author, struggles to fit into the LeVay’s upper-crust lifestyle. Kimber, on the other hand, is a self-described WASP who works with inner-city school children, fits in more easily with the family. The issues of race and privilege surfaces, and family tensions bubble and reach a boiling point…..and secrets are revealed.

LOVE AND BASEBALL

Thru March 19th B Street Theatre 2711 B St, Sac 916 443-5300 A man who is searching for the perfect story stumbles upon a woman who has just undergone a breakup. The two new acquaintances decide to go all in, seeing what happens if they don’t hold back and leave everything on the table. With the backdrop of a playoff baseball game, Will and Michele play the game of love as they navigate their risky romance. Will their newfound relationship be a homerun or will he decide to just watch the game instead?

TWELTH NIGHT

Thru March 20th Sacramento Theatre Company 1419 H St, Sac 916 443-6722 Viola -- separated from her family, shipwrecked on an island, and alone -disguises herself as a man to enter the employ of the Duke Orsino. Viola falls in love with Orsino, who is already smitten with the Countess Olivia. After meeting Viola in disguise, Olivia in turn falls for Viola, thinking she is a man. Filled with Shakespeare’s treasured musical verse (“If music be the food of love, play on…”), Sacramento Theatre Company’s production will draw upon Caribbean styles to bring Shakespeare’s comedy to a new generation of theatregoers.

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On a northeastern college campus, controversy is brewing over the closing of a neglected natural history museum, and Dean Wreen, a fiery college professor turned accommodating administrator, must deal with the public outcry. Meanwhile, her private life faces its own challenges when her ailing ex-lover comes to stay with her and her current flame, an enthusiastic former student. Amid protests, bad press, and even opinionated museum dioramas, these three women must explore their personal connections and social relevance while facing their own eventual extinction.

THE SHADOW BOX

March 11 – April 2 Wilkerson Theatre 1723 25th St, Sac 916 491-0940 In this compelling dramatic triptych, three terminal cancer patients dwell in separate cottages on a hospital’s grounds. The three are attended and visited by family and close friends: Agnes and her mother Felicity, estranged further by the latter’s dementia; Brian and Mark, whose life is turned further on its side when Brian’s ex-wife Beverly arrives in a glamorous fashion, adding a third dynamic to their story; and Joe and Maggie, unready for the strain of Joe’s impending death and its effect on their teenage son.

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LEGALLY BLONDE

March 11 – April 3 24th Street Theatre 2791 24th St, Sac 916 207-1226 Legally Blonde follows the story of sorority president Elle Woods as she crosses the country on a mission to find love at Harvard Law School. After discovering how the law can be used to help others, she uses her new found skills to defend a workout-queen in a murder trial, defying the odds and proving that pink can save the day.

DARKSIDE

March 2 – 13th CSUS Playwrights Theatre 6000 J St, Sac 916 278-4323 The music of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon propels Sacramento State’s Darkside, by Tom Stoppard. Professor Roberto Pomo directs this theatre-of-images production that contains elements of dance, comedy, absurdism, realism, and fantasy.

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From Page to Stage ACTORS BRING THE WRITTEN WORD TO LIFE

BY JESSICA LASKEY

“When Valerie first came to town,

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she was trying to make connections with writers,” Staats says. “She said,

f Sue Staats were writing her

‘I see you have lots of poets, but

autobiography, there are some

where are all the fiction writers?’ She

highlights she’d probably hit.

was told, ‘Oh, you have to go to San

She would write about her two

Francisco for that.’ Valerie said, ‘Oh,

daughters, of whom she speaks

no, I don’t.’ So she gathered writers

proudly. She’d probably include her

and volunteers at the Sacramento

stints as a reporter and on-air anchor

Poetry Center. It’s been going strong

for television stations in Charleston,

ever since.”

Green Bay and Sacramento, as well as her eight years running an independent public relations firm. She might also mention her

Stories on Stage Sacramento has been growing steadily for the past six years.

executive master’s degree in business administration and her years working for AirTouch Communications, the precursor to Verizon Wireless. But the part that the Baltimore native would definitely not want to miss is the moment she discovered writing. “After I retired from AirTouch about 10 years ago, I started taking

Stories on Stage Sacramento has

classes in all the things I’d ever

been growing steadily for the past six

wanted to do,” the Curtis Park

years. When Fioravanti found herself

resident says. “I tried acting, singing,

too busy running Stories on Stage to

writing. Writing is what stuck.”

work on her own writing, she handed

Four years ago, Staats earned her

the reins to Staats in 2013.

MFA in creative writing from a low-

“I understand now how much

residency program at Oregon’s Pacific

work it is,” Staats says with a

University, a perfect fit considering

laugh. “But it’s not just me. We

she loves working at her own pace.

Sue Staats

From there, Staats’ fiction and poetry got published in a number of literary magazines, including Graze, The Farallon Review, Alimentum and Tule Review, which is eventually what connected her with Stories on Stage Sacramento, the award-winning monthly reading series that features short fiction by established and

emerging writers from around the region read by professional actors. “I was in a writing group with

ILP MAR n 16

fiction writer Valerie Fioravanti, who had created Stories on Stage in

a man who was friends with Tom

2009 as a local version of National

Foley, the editor and publisher of The

Public Radio’s Selected Shorts

Farallon Review,” Staats recalls. “He

program. Staats was impressed with

asked me to read for Stories on Stage,

Fioravanti’s ability to bring artists

so I read a short piece from my thesis,

together.

which Tom ended up publishing.”

Staats met the group’s founder,

have a lot of people who work pretty independently. And we’ve had an amazing casting director for the past three years, Peggi Wood, who finds all of our wonderful actors.” Staats decided to expand the group’s programming to include some big-name authors. “We had just finished the 2013 season, and a bunch of us got together over a little wine to figure out what

SHOPTALK FROM page 36

we wanted for next year,” Staats recalls. “We decided to follow a pipe dream and just send out invitations and see what happened.” Staats found their first invitee— memoirist Tobias Wolff, whose biographical book “This Boy’s Life” was adapted into a film with Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro— surprisingly easy to reach. “He emailed back and said, ‘Sure,

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sounds like fun,’” Staats reports. “I couldn’t believe it.” In order to accommodate the throngs of audience members who wanted to see Wolff in person, Staats set up a partnership with Verge Center for the Arts, where they had welcomed Pushcart Prize-winning author Anthony Marra the summer before. Since the “magical” Wolff

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Not one to rest on his laurels, Lopez also recently introduced a game changer in the rodent ridding arena. “Traditionally, if you have a rat problem, a technician comes out and traps it—that’s it,” Lopez says. “When I worked for another company, people would call us and say that they still had rats a few months later. I hated it. “Then a light bulb went off. Now, I send out a rodent specialist who identifies the types of rodents, entry points into the house and the level of infestation and contamination, and then we go through four steps. “First, we trap, which can take between two and five visits. Then we send in a clean-up team to fog and deodorize the space to neutralize the urine odor, which is what draws more rats to the house. Then we place metal mesh and steel wool at the identified entry points to keep the rats from coming back in and set up bait stations on the perimeter of the property to kill off the population

before it can come into the house. We have a two-year warrantee and come back every six months to check the bait stations.” This unique approach to pest control has proven very popular for Pinnacle Pest, which gives Lopez all the assurance he needs that he made the right decision to forge his own path. “When the company went through hard times during the downturn, I realized I needed to hire better managers,” Lopez says. “By surrounding myself with people who are as smart or smarter than me, it allows me to grow. They put systems in place that I would have never thought of. And we’re the strongest we’ve ever been.” Pest problem? Call Lopez at Pinnacle Pest at 381-5793 or go to pinnaclepest.com. Pinnacle Pest is at 600 Broadway, Suite C. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com n

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event, Stories on Stage Sacramento has also played host to Adam Johnson, who won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013 for his novel “The Orphan Master’s Son.” More are slated for the 2016 season. “I don’t see Stories on Stage spending a lot of money to attract huge names from out of town,” Staats says. “The point is to showcase really excellent writing. We don’t want to lose sight of that. It’s been a privilege to meet writers I drool over and spend some time with them and have some of their gold dust rub off on us. But even writers you’ve never heard of, you can end up falling in love with.” Maybe one of these days, Staats will be one of those authors. (She admits to having had a short story collection in the works for “far too long.”) In the meantime, her focus

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will be on bringing exciting stories, gifted writers and talented readers together in Sacramento—and creating some gold dust of our own. For more information on Stories on Stage Sacramento, like the group on Facebook or visit storiesonstagesacramento.wordpress. com. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com n

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Vile Vermin IT’S TIME TO DECLARE WAR ON RATS

BY ANITA CLEVENGER GARDEN JABBER

ou’re probably not going to chat about this at a dinner party, but most people who live in Sacramento have a rat horror story. If you think that you don’t have rats, you are kidding yourself. According to Sacramento County Master Gardener coordinator Judy McClure, “Everybody has rats.”

It’s said that rats can squeeze through a hole no bigger than a quarter and under a door with only a halfinch gap. When I moved to our East Sacramento home nearly 40 years ago, I began to notice signs of these revolting rodents. At dusk, they scampered along the utility lines. I found hollowed-out oranges and lemons with the skin gnawed off. There were tooth marks on the fruit on my loquat tree. We saw a rat

ILP MAR n 16

crawl into the ivy surrounding our swimming pool and found a dead rat in the bottom of it. One casually ate my cat’s kibble on the porch. Another ran out of the woodpile when we were getting firewood. Neighborhood cats frequented our yard, but they didn’t seem to hunt anything other than a sunny spot to lounge. When I asked my friends and neighbors about rats, some seemed rather blasé. “They are just roof rats,” they said, implying that they were less loathsome than larger ground-dwelling Norway rats. They aren’t. According to UC Davis, both kinds of rats “eat and contaminate food, damage structures and property, and transmit parasites and diseases to other animals and humans.” Roof rats or not, we declared war.

We stopped leaving pet food outside. McClure advises that, if you must feed your pets outdoors, you stand over them until they finish eating and then take the bowl inside. We didn’t like loquats anyway, so we removed the tree. We cleared out the ivy and overgrown blackberry bushes, and our next-door neighbor did the same. We removed weeds and junk from an area behind our garage. We converted to a gas fireplace and got rid of our woodpile. Rats will get into your home unless you have done everything possible to exclude them. We found droppings in our attic. My husband spent hours finding and plugging every little entry point into our house. It’s said that rats can squeeze through a hole no bigger than a quarter and under

a door with only a half-inch gap. They readily gnaw through wood or caulking, so it’s better to block openings with steel wool or metal sheathing. If cleaning up your property and excluding rats from your home aren’t enough, you can use traps and toxic baits to reduce the population. You can hire a professional exterminator or do it yourself. Trapping is the safest method— and highly effective if done right. Traditional snap traps are reusable, which makes them the least expensive method if you are willing to empty, clean and reset the trap after each use. Since I’m so squeamish about rats that I couldn’t watch Disney’s cute cartoon rats in “Ratatouille,” I prefer methods that let me keep my

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Sales | Service | Install | 32 yrs experience | Lic #764789 distance. Single-use and electrocution traps offer easier disposal. The use of toxic baits is controversial, especially “secondgeneration” anticoagulants whose effect on raptors and other predators led to their being withdrawn from retail sale in 2014. “First-generation” baits that are sold to the public require several feedings to reach a toxic level and are considered safer but are still deadly. If you choose to use bait, read and follow the package directions carefully. Be sure to keep the bait stations away from children and pets. Dispose of dead or dying rats immediately, never touching them with your bare hands. Bury dead rats or throw them into the trash in a sealed plastic bag. According to McClure, you can’t do just one thing to control rats. “Put it on your monthly to-do list,” she says. Year-round, you need to remove places where they shelter and breed, reduce food sources and keep your buildings secure. It’s imperative that you pick up fallen fruit. Keep a 2-foot clear zone next to your house to allow

air circulation and eliminate hiding places. Thin out dense vegetation and trim or remove climbing plants such as ivy, star jasmine and honeysuckle on fences or buildings. Prune overhanging branches at least 3 feet away from your buildings. We’d gotten lax. Our supposedly fruitless ornamental purple-leaf plum bears a huge crop of tiny fruit that is hard to rake up. Right next to it is a dense stand of clumping bamboo. When we recently thinned it out, we noticed that many canes had been chewed, and we spotted a rat’s nest up in the tree. We’ll be more vigilant from now on. Everybody may have rats, but we want to make sure that ours are just passing through. Anita Clevenger is a lifetime Sacramento County UC Master Gardener. For answers to gardening questions, call 975-5338 or go to ucanr.edu/sites/sacmg. Fair Oaks Horticulture Center will hold an open garden on Saturday, March 12, from 9 a.m. to noon. The center is at 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd. n

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Before There Was Uber MEET SACRAMENTO’S FIRST FAMILY OF TAXICAB

BY JEFFREY WEIDEL MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS

young kid who left his family’s Elk Grove farm at age 15, a year after his father died, Fred Pleines Sr. roamed the streets of Sacramento during the Great Depression looking for any odd job he could find. As a teenager, he became enamored with the local cabbies and vowed to become a driver one day. That day arrived when he applied on his 21st birthday. A short time later, Pleines sat proudly behind the wheel of a Teddy’s Taxi, which also owned Yellow Cab Company of Sacramento in the late 1930s. Who knew that Pleines’ youthful adventures as a taxi driver would be the start of a family legacy that spanned parts of nine decades? Yellow Cab Company of Sacramento is the oldest and largest cab company in the region, dating back to 1917. Fred Pleines Jr. has numerous fond memories regarding the family business his father established. However, his oldest memory brings tears. “I was probably age 2 or 3, and my dad drove away from our house in his cab and forgot to kiss me goodbye, and I cried,” says Fred Jr., who lives in Carmichael. After a distinguished World War II career in the Air Force, Fred Sr. returned to Sacramento and began driving a cab again. By the late 1940s, he and several partners had purchased a cab company that eventually evolved into Yellow Cab Company of Sacramento, where Pleines became the sole owner.

ILP MAR n 16

Ken Pleines, former vice president of Yellow Cab with Fred Pleines, Jr., former president of Yellow Cab

Three decades later, he turned the successful business over to his two sons and two daughters, who operated the company for 32 years before selling it a year ago. “Driving a cab was appealing to my father, especially during the Depression,” says Ken Pleines. “Working for my father, we all learned a lot about the business. He was a tough but a fair boss.” When Fred Jr. was 12 and Ken was 9, they began doing odd jobs around the shop on weekends and in the hot summers. The pair would wax floors and wash cars. As they got older, they did minor repair work.

They were paid 80 cents an hour, which they often spent at famed Jim-Denny’s, a short walk from the company’s old brick building on 11th and I streets. The restaurant’s 10 seats were typically occupied because they served the best burgers in town. “My brother and I loved their burgers and would bring them back and eat them in the back seat of a taxi,” recalls Fred Jr., who drove a cab for several years as a young man before going into management. They also fondly remember the company’s beloved dog, a black mutt named Union. (The company’s previous name was Union Taxi.) The

dog was a favorite with the drivers and the neighbors, especially the people at nearby Rose’s Bar and Grill. Union was a regular at Rose’s for many years and often would be given a beer on the house. “Union would get drunk and wander all around town,” laughs Fred Jr. “That dog was a Sacramento legend.” The legend grew when Union passed away. Yellow Cab bought a casket for Union and arranged a 40-cab procession to Sacramento Pet Cemetery. News10 TV station immortalized Union by running the unusual occurrence on its evening news. Fred Jr. enjoys taking a leisurely walk down memory lane and likes Yellow Cab’s future as well, after selling the business in August 2014. “We weren’t going to sell it to just anyone,” he says. “The new owners are experienced in the cab business and are making the changes to ensure the company has a bright future. We are very optimistic that our Yellow Cab legacy will continue.” That legacy is something the new group doesn’t take lightly. “We are extremely proud to be associated with Yellow Cab Company of Sacramento’s long history of success,” says Victor Caballero, director of operations and assistant general manager. “The Pleines family did an exemplary job for many years, and we want to emulate that success.” One of the most noticeable changes over the past year has been a new fleet. The company’s approximately 100-plus experienced drivers are picking up fares in distinctive yellow vehicles, including Toyota Priuses, NEIGHBORS page 45

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Class of ’76 WHEN DIVERSITY WASN’T IN THE CURRICULUM

BY KEVIN MIMS

WRITING LIFE

y high school class will be holding a 40th reunion in a few months, but I won’t be attending. Whenever I think of my high school experience, these three words come to mind: We wuz robbed! I attended Central Catholic High School of Portland, Ore., in the mid-1970s. It was an all-boys school, the working-class alternative to the more upscale Jesuit High, our cross-town rivals. Central Catholic was a no-frills institution. We had no student dances, no glee club, no debate society, no drama club, no musical instruction unless you were a member of the marching band, no art-appreciation classes—pretty

ILP MAR n 16

much no cultural offerings at all. The only art class on offer was a basic drawing class, which consisted of a lot of drawing and very little instruction. I’m not even sure if the instructor had any artistic skill. In place of culture, we got sports—lots and lots of sports. I sometimes think C.C.H.S. was an athletic institution that also offered academics. All of our schoolwide assemblies were connected to some big upcoming athletic event. We didn’t gather in the assembly hall (i.e., the basketball facility) for classical music concerts, poetry recitals or film studies. We gathered in order to shout “BEAT JESUIT!” at the top of our lungs and to cheer wildly while the members of the football team were introduced. (Not that we didn’t already know all their names by heart.) Basketball and football were huge. We also had a track team and a baseball team, but the students paid little attention to these lesser sports. For the most part, it seemed as if the school had no semesters, just seasons: football season and basketball season. Nothing else really mattered.

I took a journalism class from a teacher who had no particular interest in journalism, so he spent the bulk of our class time telling us about his past glories as a high school athlete. Every Friday, our history teacher blew off history and instead conducted a “current events quiz” that mainly tested our knowledge of sports. The teachers seemed to be conspiring to keep us obsessed with sports so as to prevent us from becoming obsessed with girls. It didn’t work. Most of us were obsessed with girls. Unfortunately, we knew almost nothing about them, having had little or no serious interaction with girls of our own age. Our school didn’t partner with any of the allgirl Catholic schools in the area to provide boy-girl social activities. For all I know, the girls of Holy Child and Saint Mary’s were as ignorant about boys as we were about girls. Whether they were as sports-obsessed as we were, I have no way of knowing. I was the equipment manager for the varsity football and basketball teams. In this capacity, I was frequently allowed to skip classes. The football coach who taught my civics class would often greet me at the door of the classroom and say, “Mims, the field conditions are going to be sloppy today at practice. Go downstairs and put longer cleats on all of the shoes.” Likewise, the basketball coach would allow me to skip his English class so that I could go downstairs and make sure that the basketballs were all properly inflated for the big game that evening. I thought I was the luckiest kid in the school, able to hang out in the locker room changing cleats or inflating basketballs rather than

sitting in a boring civics or English class. Now I realize that this was probably not an optimal way to coast through one’s high school years. When I graduated in 1976, I thought my years at C.C.H.S. had been fairly typical of the American high school experience. My exposure to the literature of high school life had been confined to such books as “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” “A Separate Peace” and “The Chocolate War,” all of which were set in boys-only environments. Sure, I had seen TV shows such as “Room 222” and “Happy Days,” both of which revolved around students at co-ed high schools, but in those days, TV paid very little attention to the actual dynamics of boy-girl relationships. On “Happy Days,” Richie Cunningham hung out almost exclusively with his guy pals Potsie, Ralph and Fonzie, and though they talked a lot about girls, they had almost no serious interaction with them. It wasn’t until the 1980s, when films like “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “The Breakfast Club” came along, that I began to realize just how much I had missed by attending an all-boys school. Since then, I’ve been a sucker for just about any film or TV show set in a co-ed high school: “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Heathers,” “Clueless,” “The Gilmore Girls,” “Veronica Mars,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Glee”: Watching Hollywood offerings like those is as close as I’m likely to come to understanding what high school was like for most Americans—i.e., those who didn’t attend single-sex institutions. I’m not sure exactly when (probably 15 minutes after I

graduated), but my old school long ago converted to a co-ed institution. And almost immediately it became a much more diverse and interesting place to matriculate. Four times a year, I receive my old high school’s quarterly magazine. When this happens, I am reminded of just how disappointing my four years of high school were. Each issue is filled with photos of the bright, smiling faces—both male and female—of today’s Central Catholic students. The school I see represented in the glossy pages of that magazine bears little or no resemblance to the one I attended. The cover of the most recent issue featured a collage of 22 student faces. Fourteen of them were female. Nine of the 22 appeared to be nonwhite. In my day, all of the nonwhite students could have comfortably fit into a phone booth. Central Catholic these days seems like a slightly less snooty version of Rory Gilmore’s Chilton Academy, or a less economically stratified version of Veronica Mars’ Neptune High. The school boasts an a cappella club, an African-American students union, an Asian/Pacific Islander club, a cooking club, a drama club, an ethics bowl, an equality alliance, a girls alliance, a fishing club, a French club, an Italian club, a Greek club, a Polish club, a Japanese club, a Latino student union, a mock trial club, an Ultimate Frisbee club, and a lot of other clubs whose purpose I can’t even guess at. (The Tank Gang, Pickleball Club, Mecha Club, etc.) Like America itself, my old school is a much more diverse and interesting place than it was in the 1970s. Last December, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a case called Fisher v. University of Texas. Among other things, the plaintiffs in the case were questioning whether schools (in this case universities) should be allowed to seek diversity in their student bodies or whether they should be required to accept students based solely on their test scores and other academic measurements. During oral arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts asked the attorneys for the defendant, “What unique perspective does a minority student bring to a physics class? I’m just

wondering what the benefits of diversity are in that situation.” As the season of Supreme Court decisions approaches, I’ve been thinking a lot about that question. I don’t know if mandatory diversity is a good thing or not. But I believe that my own educational experience would have been vastly richer had there been women, African Americans and members of other minority groups in my high school physics class, as well as in my English class, my math class, my history class and every other class I can think of. No student should have to turn to Hollywood fictions in order to see what a diverse classroom experience looks like. And I’d hate for future generations of students to look back upon their school days and come to the same conclusion I have: We wuz robbed!

Celebrate Easter

Please join us on March 27...

Our services will be filled with Easter joy 9 a.m. - Contemporary - Praise Band 11 a.m. - Traditional - Chancel Choir

Youth Sunday classes with Easter egg hunts Infant/toddler care available

Kevin Mims can be reached at kevinmims@sbcglobal.net n

NEIGHBORS FROM page 42 Camrys, Scions and ADA-accessible vans, all 2 years old or less. The cabs are new and so is the technology. Yellow Cab Company of Sacramento, now located at 900 Richards Blvd., uses the Curb app to deliver quick, efficient on-demand cab service any time of day. Unlike some of its rivals, there is no surge pricing, and customers have their choice of payment: credit card on file, another card or cash. Technology is something the Pleines family always valued as well. According to Ken, Yellow Cab was the first company to employ two-way radios in the late 1940s and later switched to a computerized dispatch system. “Radios were a technological marvel at the time. It wasn’t cheap, either,” says Ken. “The radios cost almost as much as a cab, but they really revolutionized the entire business.” Jeffrey Weidel can be reached at skiweidel@gmail.com n

1300 N Street, Sacramento 916-442-8939 www.westminsac.org Pastor Wes Nordman

Fashion for good. Beneﬁting WEAVE.™ T RU ECLOT HING.ORG

Tuesday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. 1900 K STREET

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The Taxman Cometh LOCAL EFFORTS TO MAKE APRIL 15 LESS TAXING

STANFORD OPEN HOUSE

BY TERRY KAUFMAN

DOING GOOD

f you thought the rains and cold weather were taxing, you haven’t yet filed your 1040. But not to worry: Help is available for those who need it. There are also a number of ways to jump-start your charitable giving for the next tax year. Read on.

TAX HELP Local households that earned $54,000 or less in 2015 can receive free tax help in person through the Sacramento Coalition for Working Families, an income tax assistance effort led by United Way. And local households that made $62,000 or less in 2015 can qualify to file their state and federal taxes online for free at MyFreeTaxes.com, thanks to a national partnership between United Way, Goodwill Industries and National Disability Institute. Both in-person and online filing opportunities are designed to help households receive the maximum earned income tax credits, now available federally and through the state. For more information, go to yourlocalunitedway.org or call 4981000.

ILP MAR n 16

On Wednesday, March 9, Stanford Youth Solutions will host an event called Open House: Taste & Tour at its headquarters at 8912 Volunteer Lane. This is an opportunity to learn about the nonprofit’s mission of empowering young people and their families to solve serious challenges together. Attendees will hear about its programs, people and dynamic culture while they enjoy food, wine and beer, and live music. To learn more, go to youthsolutions.org.

WEST CAMPUS CRAB FEED The West Campus Crab Feed and Silent Auction will take place Saturday, March 19, from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at St. Mary Parish’s Giovanni Hall. The evening will feature fresh hot crab and rib-eye steak, an “Aloha” Hawaiian theme, live music from West Campus’ award-winning band, a raffle and silent auction. All proceeds will support student programs including the classes of 2016-2019, WCHS Marching Band and the West Campus Foundation for Excellence. Tickets for the crab feed are available at westcampus.scusd.edu or in the school office at 3022 58th St.

AMERICORPS VOLUNTEERS The local AmeriCorps VISTA program, now under the umbrella of

United Way California Capital Region, helps local nonprofits. Seventeen AmeriCorps VISTA members will spread out among Sacramentoarea nonprofits, providing services worth more than $381,000 to the community. “VISTA members are some of the most generous people in the nation, and we are honored that 17 will be joining us in Sacramento,” said Stephanie Bray, president and CEO of United Way California Capital Region. VISTA was founded in 1965 as a national service program to fight poverty in America. It was incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993. VISTA supports community efforts to overcome poverty. Members make a yearlong, full-time commitment to serve on a specific project at a nonprofit or public agency. VISTA members will be placed at Communities and Health Professionals Together/UCD Pediatrics, Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness, United Way California Capital Region, Wellspring Women’s Center, WIND Youth Services, Women’s Empowerment and Woodland United Way. For more information about the local AmeriCorps VISTA program, visit yourlocalunitedway.org.

SACRAMENTO CHILDREN’S HOME FASHION SHOW Sacramento Children’s Home and Friends of the Crisis Nurseries will

hold an American Girl Fashion Show on Friday, March 18, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, March 19, at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. at The Center at Twenty-Three Hundred. The show will showcase historical and contemporary fashions modeled by more than 100 local girls and their dolls. Tickets are $25 to $40. Proceeds from the event will benefit Sacramento Crisis Nurseries. For tickets, go to kidshome.org/events. The Center at Twenty-Three Hundred is at 2300 Sierra Blvd.

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESS The International Day of Happiness will be celebrated throughout the world on Sunday, March 20. Established by the United Nations General Assembly on June 28, 2012, it is being commemorated locally with a kickoff on Saturday, March 19, from 10 a.m. to noon with education, happiness exercises and tips to increase, sustain and spread happiness in the home, at work and in the community. “Let’s build a happier world,” says Edwin Edebiri, the “chief happiness officer” of the I Am Happy Project, who will oversee the event at the Center for Spiritual Awareness, 1275 Starboard Drive, West Sacramento. Space is limited. To register, go to happyday2016.eventbrite.com. Terry Kaufman can be reached at terry@1greatstory.com n

Buyer’s Remorse QUESTIONS ASKED, BUT NOT ALWAYS ANSWERED

BY NORRIS BURKES SPIRIT MATTERS

ecently, I bought a 24-foot motor home from a dealer specializing in the “gently used.” Before we drove it off the lot, a service technician walked us through to demonstrate that everything was working properly. However, when we got it home, we discovered a propane problem that rendered all the appliances unworkable: no heat, stove or generator.

“Do you think there’s something after this life?” she asked me. Now, two months later, I still have no working generator, but I do have a full-blown case of buyer’s remorse. You likely know the feeling. It’s that moment you suddenly realize that you’ve been sold a bill of goods. My remorseful feeling is somewhat related to what I thought I was

sensing recently from a patient entering the end stage of her life. The woman was approaching her 90th birthday when I sat beside her hospital bed for introductions. At first, she tried dismissing me by telling me she was a lifelong atheist. However, something clicked between us, and she invited me back for several more visits. Not unlike the book “Tuesdays With Morrie,” we enjoyed some deep conversations, and I came to know a woman who showed little regret about her life. She’d raised two loving daughters and made a good life for herself. However, she grew up in Hitler’s Germany and claimed good reasons to doubt God’s existence. She’d seen the imprisonment of relatives and the death of countless Jews. She’d had a childhood harassed by hunger and haunted by grief. On my third visit, she posed a question she was considering. “Do you think there’s something after this life?” she asked me. Let me interrupt my narration for a moment to explain just how rare a moment like this is for a health-care chaplain. Chaplains don’t proselytize, but we can honestly respond to specific questions about God. So let me ask you a question: If you’d been in my size-12 shoes, what would you have told the woman? Take this moment to look away and compose your answer. Then come back to the column. Of course, the options are too numerous to tabulate, but if you’re among those who hear this as opportunity to convert the woman, let me assure you that I didn’t take that tack.

Why not, you ask. Take another moment and consider what the woman was really saying. Yes, it’s possible she was remorseful for buying into atheism and was now hoping for a life raft to escape the Lake of Fire. Not likely, though. She had too much integrity for that. My guess is that she was asking something much deeper.

She returned my smile with the satisfying warmth of a setting summer sun. My best guess is that she was saying, “I’ve seen a lot of people die and I need to see a purpose.” Even more likely, she was saying, “If there is a God, will he be loving? Will he accept me the way I am, doubts and all?” I smiled at the woman. “You know I believe there’s something after this.” She nodded. “Do you think I’ll know that I’m dead?” she asked. “I think you’ll know a loving presence,” I said. She returned my smile with the satisfying warmth of a setting summer sun. Her questions helped her to voice a healthy mixture of faith and doubt, but only because our visits had helped her to feel safe asking those questions. I also know there are times when you need direct answers, as when I

called my RV dealer to ask when my repairs would be finished. “Good question,” the service adviser said. “We’re still waiting on some parts.” I guess you call that a part-ial answer. Norris Burkes is a chaplain, syndicated columnist, national speaker and author of the book “Hero’s Highway,” about his experiences as a hospital chaplain in Iraq. He can be reached at ask@ TheChaplain.net n

TOURS HOSTED BY THE ITALIAN CULTURAL SOCIETY:

THE GRAND TOUR 19 - 30 JUNE, 2016

Tuscany, Florence, Siena Rome, Pisa, Venice, Cinque Terre, Volterra San Gimignano

THE BEAUTIFUL TOUR 1 - 11 SEPT., 2016

Italian Riviera, Portofino, Cinque Terre, Lakes Como, Maggiore and Garda, Genoa, Milan, Verona, Venice

THANKSGIVING IN TUSCANY TOUR 20-28 NOV., 2016

Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, Vinci & Pescia FOR DETAILS CONTACT

916.482.5900

www.italiancenter.net

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Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Sales Closed January 19 - February 11, 2016

95608 CARMICHAEL

4749 CAMERON RANCH DR $394,875 4711 RUSTIC OAK WAY $350,000 5408 ENGLE RD $200,000 4767 COURTLAND LN $220,000 6227 RAMPART DR $289,900 6012 DENVER DR $294,000 4817 TONO WAY $347,000 3130 MAYER WAY $357,000 4500 MARBLE WAY $293,000 5642 VEGA CT $315,000 5140 LOCUST AVE $459,500 5424 WHITNEY $290,000 22 RIVERBANK PL $620,000 6348 PALM DR $1,195,000 7110 STELLA LN #11 $122,000 2220 BOYER DR $279,500 4064 ALEX LN $337,500 5351 GREELEY WAY $289,000 4937 CAMERON RANCH DR $317,000 2005 MISSION AVE $338,000 2382 VIA CAMINO AVE $179,950 5352 RIDGEFIELD AVE $339,000 1267 GARY WAY $497,000 5731 IVYTOWN LN $148,000 2131 GUNN RD $288,000 6101 WINDING (FRONTAGE RD) WAY $314,000 6508 SUTTER AVE $262,500 7200 GUNDERSON WAY $395,777 5312 JAMIEWOOD CT $470,000 6549 STANLEY AVE $1,187,500 5609 KENNETH AVE $300,000 4220 PARADISE DR $405,000 4643 OAKBOUGH WAY $310,000

95811 MIDTOWN 1818 L ST #608 1818 L ST #314 1818 L ST #505 1720 W SOCAP WALK 1818 L ST #512

95815 WOODLAKE

2145 FORREST STREET

95816 E SAC, MCKINLEY PARK 517 23RD ST 2322 G ST 32 METRO LN 1654 SANTA YNEZ WAY 808 28TH ST 3132 O ST 1564 34TH ST

95817 TAHOE PARK, ELMHURST 2632 SANTA CRUZ WAY 3328 SAN JOSE WAY 2632 36TH ST 3208 40TH ST 3913 BOYLE CT 2971 64TH ST

ILP MAR n 16

$474,000 $655,000 $536,000 $493,000 $552,000 $290,000 $425,000 $482,000 $499,900 $410,000 $329,000 $364,900 $450,000

$305,000 $107,500 $187,000 $70,500 $210,000 $239,000

3408 2ND AVE 3879 8TH AVE 3433 37TH ST 139 FAIRGROUNDS DR 3724 3RD AVE 2021 30TH ST 3040 10TH AVE

95818 LAND PK, CURTIS PK 2743 MARTY WAY 2333 CASTRO WAY 2072 7TH AVE 2024 5TH AVE 2940 FRANKLIN BLVD 915 4TH AVE 2005 U ST 2025 U ST 2800 3RD AVE 2110 U ST 1423 8TH AVE 1253 7TH AVE 3691 E CURTIS DR

95819 E SAC, RIVER PARK 1865 49TH ST 4381 D ST 800 41ST ST 726 41ST 1340 40TH ST 5330 MONALEE AVE 1056 57TH ST 256 SAN ANTONIO WAY 4100 FOLSOM BLVD #3C 5009 P ST 940 44TH ST 4755 JERRY WAY 121 51ST ST

95821 ARDEN-ARCADE 2544 BUTANO DR 2852 ALAMITOS 2331 RAINBOW AVE 4107 NORRIS AVE 4205 ANNETTE ST 3333 BRYANT CT 2916 KERRIA WAY 2671 BELL ST 3450 WHITNOR CT 2264 PYRAMID WAY 2217 DUNLAP DR 3240 WHITNEY AVE 3236 NORTHWOOD RD 4400 WHITNEY 4125 ZEPHYR WAY 2208 BURNEY WAY

95822 SOUTH LAND PARK 7405 MUIRFIELD WAY 19 PETRILLI CIR 3101 TORRANCE AVE 7269 CROMWELL WAY 2355 25TH AVENUE 7060 REMO WAY

$380,000 $234,500 $195,000 $155,000 $135,000 $295,000 $449,000

$455,000 $270,000 $742,000 $362,500 $525,000 $535,000 $891,199 $932,402 $588,000 $950,000 $620,000 $490,000 $629,000

$514,500 $400,000 $522,000 $849,000 $1,300,000 $375,000 $530,000 $420,000 $445,000 $475,000 $796,000 $418,000 $415,000

$232,000 $258,000 $229,000 $292,000 $335,000 $339,900 $270,000 $265,000 $371,000 $215,000 $206,500 $240,000 $285,000 $240,000 $325,000 $185,000

$212,000 $276,000 $160,000 $205,000 $274,500 $220,000

945 ROEDER WAY 2368 HOOKE WAY 2341 KNIGHT WAY 6060 GLORIA DRIVE #14 7569 RED WILLOW ST 7461 19TH ST 4913 23RD ST 3917 BARTLEY DR 2231 CASA LINDA DR 7490 18TH ST 2060 MATSON DR 7430 19TH ST 4601 S LAND PARK DR 6025 BELLEAU WOOD LANE 6032 14TH ST

95825 ARDEN

2448 BURGUNDY WAY 2418 PENNLAND DR 917 COMMONS DR 1019 DORNAJO WAY #228 945 FULTON AVE #520 615 WOODSIDE SIERRA 6 895 WOODSIDE 2229 WOODSIDE LN #2 883 WOODSIDE LN #3 2016 EDWIN WAY 1431 UNIVERSITY AVE 649 WOODSIDE SIERRA #2 710 ELMHURST CIR 969 COMMONS DR 2286 SIERRA BLVD #G 2456 LARKSPUR LN #331 736 COMMONS DR 708 WOODSIDE LANE EAST #2 2000 UNIVERSITY PARK DR 2430 PAVILIONS PLACE LN #204

$449,000 $229,000 $330,000 $107,000 $206,000 $210,000 $245,000 $715,000 $270,000 $155,000 $210,000 $219,000 $520,000 $178,000 $353,888

$195,000 $279,000 $306,000 $113,000 $107,500 $98,000 $195,000 $125,000 $157,000 $200,000 $319,000 $94,645 $435,000 $289,000 $250,000 $80,000 $310,000 $93,900 $465,000 $510,000

95831 GREENHAVEN, SOUTH LAND PARK 7615 RIVER RANCH 2 BLUE DUN CT 19 SHADY RIVER CIR 7405 SALTON SEA WAY 546 DE MAR DR 1200 SPRUCE TREE CIR 7100 EL SERENO CIR 18 PARKLITE CIR 382 MARINER POINT WAY 7340 RUSH RIVER DR 6140 WYCLIFFE WAY 943 SHORE BREEZE DR 6465 FORDHAM WAY 19 LANYARD CT 856 SHELLWOOD WAY

95864 ARDEN

2308 CATHAY WAY 3505 LOS ALAMOS WAY 4166 AMERICAN RIVER DR 4350 BAYWOOD WAY 4680 NOTTINGHAM CIR 1191 LOS MOLINOS WAY 1424 SEBASTIAN WAY 440 LARCH LANE 1404 WYANT WAY 1436 RUSHDEN DR 2029 CERES WAY 240 BALDWIN WAY 1367 ROWENA WAY 2408 ROSLYN WAY 4256 BIRGIT WAY 401 ROSS WAY 2701 LATHAM DR 2161 ROCKWOOD DR

$595,000 $968,300 $356,500 $285,000 $240,000 $260,000 $315,000 $420,000 $295,000 $349,000 $554,000 $850,000 $515,000 $280,000 $402,000 $245,000 $334,000 $594,000 $385,000 $307,000 $495,000 $214,000 $1,040,000 $295,900 $289,000 $343,000 $1,611,250 $225,000 $257,000 $220,000 $554,500 $628,500 $879,000

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REAL ESTATE IS MY LIFE! l

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SOLD Represented Buyer. Storybook Govan Corridor Squeaky Williams duplex in the heart of Land Park. Beautiful vintage details throughout. $579,000

SOLD Represented Buyer. Exquisite 2002 built triplex located in Midtown on Southside Park’s north side on a full lot. $750,000

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916.448.5119

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Boxes of Bounty LOCAL FARM FILLS YOU UP WITH ITS CSA PROGRAM

The first thing I asked Main was about her farm’s name. “Did I spell that correctly?” I asked. “It’s H-u-mu-s, not hummus?”

“Hummus is a Mediterranean chickpea dip. Humus is rich, fertile, organic material in soil, produced by decomposition.”

BY GWEN SCHOEN FARM TO FORK

ately I’ve been hearing a lot of good things about Good Humus Produce, a small, family-run farm in Capay, about 50 miles northwest of Sacramento. The farm first came to my attention when I met John Boyer, who runs a bicycle delivery service in Midtown. Boyer delivers many of Good Humus’ CSA boxes around town. CSA—community supported agriculture—is a subscription service for locally grown produce. Several farms in our area participate in CSAs, but Good Humus was one of the first. CSA works like this: Each week, fruits and vegetables are harvested in the morning. Then, boxes are packed with a variety of whatever happens to be in season at the farm. Boxes are loaded onto a truck and delivered to drop-off locations in Sacramento, Fair Oaks, Davis or San Francisco. Subscribers stop by the drop-off point in the afternoon to collect their box. One week, boxes might be filled with Brussels sprouts, lettuce, carrots, cauliflower and lemons. The next week, the box might contain cabbage, kale, mandarins and broccoli. Since I’m a believer in eating locally grown, in-season produce, the concept of CSA boxes intrigues

ILP MAR n 16

Annie Main of Good Humus Organic Produce

me. So on a sunny February day, I took a drive out to Good Humus. Capay is a beautiful, peaceful, small-farm community filled with wide fields, orchards and vineyards. Deer, wild turkeys, hawks and even an occasional fox can be spotted along the two-lane county roads. It’s the sort of community where your closest neighbor is perhaps a quarter mile away. Some roads are paved, others just gravel. Posts at the end of driveways mark “Bob’s Farm”

or “Annie’s Garden” with an arrow pointing which way to turn. I pulled into the dirt driveway next to the house. As I cracked open the car door, two farm dogs shoved their way into my car. I wasn’t certain if they were official greeters or just looking for a ride, but they sure were happy for company. By the time I untangled myself from the seatbelt and the greeters, Annie Main, who owns and runs Good Humus with her husband, Jeff, had come to my rescue.

She laughed. “A lot of people get confused. Hummus is a Mediterranean chickpea dip. Humus is rich, fertile, organic material in soil, produced by decomposition. That’s why we named the farm Good Humus. Sometimes when school kids are here for a tour, we give them a baggie filled with humus so they know the difference.” The farm, which is certified organic, is 20 acres. It’s large for such a small crew: Annie and Jeff, their adult son Zachary and Francisco Montez, a full-time employee who came onboard in 1980. “We also have a few occasional workers—neighbors and friends who help out at certain times of the year,” said Main. “Francisco has been with us practically since the beginning. This farm is his creation as well as ours.” The Mains started farming in 1976 after graduating from UC Davis. Both

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Good Humus has nearly 200 weekly CSA subscribers. It’s a big commitment; the Mains have to make sure there are crops ready for harvest every week. Right now, they are planting summer crops, such as squash and tomatoes, into flats and giving them a head start in a warm greenhouse. “When we first started the CSAs, we discovered that people are really curious about what’s going on at the farm,” said Main. “So we began putting together a newsletter, adding a lot of pictures and notes about what we’re doing. Sometimes, people would tell us they didn’t know what to do with things like kale or bok choy, so we started including recipes in the newsletter and the CSAs. “We also realized there’s a real need for education about agriculture. From that, we got involved with local school lunch programs and invited elementary schools to visit the farm. We host a peach party in August to teach people how to make salsa and jam. In the spring, we host a Hats and High Tea garden party.”

As for the CSA boxes, there are several ways to go. One option is all vegetables, which should be enough for an average family of four to last a week. (A vegetarian family might need more.) You can add a fruit box, cut flowers or bread from a local bakery. You may not pick and choose what’s contained in the box. That depends on what’s available at the farm. Prices for a quarterly subscription range from $90 to $210. “It’s sort of like Christmas every week,” said Main. “You open the box and get a wonderful surprise.”

are fourth-generation Californians with an extensive farming heritage. “Jeff graduated with a civil engineering degree, and I graduated with a bachelor of science in renewable natural resources,” said Main. “Originally, we started farming with three other families in the Woodland area. Eventually, each family started their own farm. We moved here 33 years ago.” In the beginning they sold what they grew to local grocery stores and tried their hand at farmers markets. “That was too unpredictable, and we spent a lot of time selling rather than growing,” said Jeff, who had climbed down from a high ladder where he’d been pruning peach trees. “Plus, we wanted to work more directly with consumers. Farmers markets didn’t work out for us because they took too much time away from working the farm, or we had to hire someone to run the market stands. Now we just participate in the Davis Farmers Market and concentrate on CSAs. That has developed into a really nice relationship with our customers.”

• Drought Tolerant Landscapes • Consultations • Sprinklers & Drainage

The family welcomes visitors to the farm. You will find them at the Davis Farmers Market in Central Park on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. On March 16, the Davis Farmers Market will begin opening on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Good Humus Produce is also sold through Davis Food Co-op and Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op. For more information about the farm’s CSA program, go to goodhumus.com. You can also find the farm on Facebook. Gwen Schoen can be reached at gwen.schoen@aol.com. n

• • • •

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Your Bike Type WHAT KIND OF CYCLIST ARE YOU?

Making up more than 50 percent of the population, the largest group is the Interested but Concerned. They may ride for recreation but generally don’t ride for transportation. They are OK with riding on bike paths, bike boulevards (usually streets with lower and slower traffic) and cycle tracks (on-street bike paths that are physically separated from vehicle traffic). They are not comfortable riding in bike lanes on major streets with multiple lanes of high-speed traffic.

BY WALT SEIFERT GETTING THERE

o person should have to be ‘brave’ to ride a bicycle.” That’s how Roger Geller, bicycle coordinator for the city of Portland, introduced his breakdown of the types of bicyclists. Most people are deterred from bicycling by fear. Getting hit by a car is the primary and overwhelming fear. Based on his experience, about 10 years ago Geller theorized there are four types of bicyclists. He named them the Strong and Fearless, Enthusiastic and Confident, Interested but Concerned, and No Way No How. (More accurately, this last type is actually made up of noncyclists.) Using some reasonable deductions, he estimated the percentages of the adult population that fell into each category. Subsequent research by Portland State University’s Jennifer Dill and Nathan McNeil, first at the local level and more recently through a nationwide survey, has confirmed that Geller’s analysis was largely accurate. Strong and Fearless bicyclists are those who would bike under almost any conditions. Their numbers are small. Geller put bike messengers in this group, but he also suggested

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In Amsterdam and Copenhagen, 40 percent of all trips are regularly made by bike.

that the 1 percent or so of commuters who bike in major American cities should be included. At the time he was writing, few U.S. cities had invested much in the rudiments of bike infrastructure such as bike lanes or bike parking, so virtually anyone the Census Bureau counted as a commuting cyclist was Strong and Fearless.

Enthusiastic and Confident bicyclists make up another 7 to 10 percent of the population, at least in Portland. These folks feel comfortable riding on bike paths and in bike lanes, even when the bike lanes are on big, busy streets. They enjoy bicycling and want to bike more, both for utilitarian trips and for recreation.

The last group’s name, No Way No How, is self-explanatory. About a third of the population, these people would never consider getting somewhere by bike. They are very uncomfortable riding even on bike paths away from all car traffic. Disability and age may play a part. Their location near hills or too far from common destinations may be an issue. Or they simply would never choose bicycling (or walking or taking transit, for that matter) over driving. Geller’s breakdown offers a guide to policies that could get more people out of cars and have them switch to healthy, active transportation

SACRAMENTOPHILHARMONIC & OPERA

HARMONY OF TASTES Beneﬁting the Sacramento Children’s Chorus

DVOŘÁK’S

“NEW WORLD” Saturday, April 9

8:00 pm Sacramento Community Center Theater

Friday, March 18, 2016 6:30 p.m. Sierra 2 Center, 2791 24th Street Sacramento 95818 TICKETS: $35 per person www.sacramentochildrenschorus.org

DVOŘÁK Cello Concerto DVOŘÁK Symphony No. 9, “New World”

FEATURING ﬁne wines, local beer and eateries, and a silent auction.

Edwin Outwater conductor Joshua Roman cello

TICKETS START AT JUST $15!* Order Now! 916-808-5181 • SacPhilOpera.org All subscription/packages are sold exclusively by the SacPhilOpera * Sacramento Community Center Theater facility fee - $3 per ticket for more trips. At least one of the implications of his typology is clear. Trying to change the No Way No How group is probably not worth the effort. Accommodating the Interested but Concerned, the largest group, has the most potential to change behavior. Their perceived needs are not being met. They are most comfortable on bike paths, bike boulevards and cycle tracks, the facilities that are most segregated from automobile traffic. Women are overrepresented in this group, so making bicycling female friendly, and family friendly, is important. Cities in Europe have adopted the strategy of building segregated facilities. There have been some astonishing results. In Amsterdam and Copenhagen, 40 percent of all trips are regularly made by bike. Those cities have worked hard and creatively to alleviate concerns and make cycling accessible to everyone who’s interested. Cycling is not viewed as dangerous. Just about

everyone bikes: the young and old, the rich and poor, men and women. In our own region, Davis has made bicycling safe and common by concentrating on infrastructure. About 20 percent of trips there are made by bike. There are other ways to get more of the Interested but Concerned to bike besides providing physically separated facilities. Bicycle skills training can provide the confidence needed to move a person to a “higher” category. Enforcement of traffic laws provides safer streets. Encouragement through community events such as Bike to Work Day and May Is Bike Month boosts participation. Yet until the majority of the population perceives bicycling as a safe activity and not something for only the few who are brave and confident, most will drive. They will drive even when it’s healthier, cheaper and just as quick to bike. Walt Seifert is a bicyclist, driver and transportation writer. He can be reached at bikeguy@surewest.net n

140th Anniversary Sacramento Valley

SCOTTISH GAMES & FESTIVAL April 23-24, 2016 Yolo County Fairgrounds • Woodland, CA

More details or discount tickets at

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Before the Deluge ARE WE SAFE FROM FLOODING?

BY DR. AMY ROGERS SCIENCE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

n the winter of 1861-62, a megaflood hit California. Downtown Sacramento drowned under 10 feet of water. The state’s newly elected governor, Leland Stanford, traveled by boat to his January inauguration, and the California legislature decamped to San Francisco. The entire Central Valley became an inland sea. Onethird of all the property in the state was destroyed.

It seems strange to worry about flooding during a time of drought. Could it happen again? It seems strange to worry about flooding during a time of drought, but when it comes to water in the American West, the historical pattern is either feast or famine. The flood of 1862, which followed two decades of exceptionally dry

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weather, is a warning that the natural forces driving the water cycle in our region can surprise us with their ferocity—and overwhelm our defenses. “The 1986 flood was a wake-up call,” says Rick Johnson, executive director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, a joint powers agency formed in 1989 to address our vulnerability to catastrophic flooding. In the hundred years after the megaflood, Sacramento did a lot to protect itself. Downtown was raised by 10 to 15 feet; a system of levees was built to shield homes and farmland; Folsom Dam was designed to hold back storm water and melting snow. And yet, in 1986 the system came perilously close to failure. “If we’d had another four to six more hours of rain, the American River would’ve overtopped the levees,” Johnson says. So what (nearly) went wrong?

The first problem is Sacramento was built in a flood plain. The Sacramento and American Rivers collect rain and snowmelt from almost 30,000 square miles of Northern California (what we call the rivers’ watershed). All of that water passes right through Sacramento on its way to the Delta and the Pacific Ocean. We’ve constrained our rivers into fixed channels using levees, cutting them off from their natural flood plains. The American River was pinned between levees much narrower than its natural width. The reason? A hundred and fifty years ago, hydraulic gold mining swept massive amounts of debris down from the foothills, threatening to clog the river. By pinching the American into a narrow channel, the water would flow fast and hard, sweeping away debris and keeping the channel clear. This worked but created additional flooding risks.

Sacramento’s last levees were completed in 1958, and the city thought it was sitting pretty with “300-year flood” protection—that is, protection against a flood so big that statistically it was likely to happen only once every 300 years. Two things disrupted this cozy picture: Hurricane Katrina and a new understanding of our climate. The flooding after Katrina revealed that Sacramento faces a potent, previously underappreciated risk: levee failure due to underseepage. The more obvious type of levee failure is overtopping, when a river rises higher than the levee and spills over the top. Underseepage is a sneak attack from below, via buried riverbeds left from old river channels. When the river is at flood stage, pressure forces water under the levee, through these sand and gravel riverbeds. Generally this won’t be a huge amount of water, SCIENCE page 57

HAVE “INSIDE,” WILL TRAVEL 1. Janna Burkhalter in Positano, Italy 2. The Sacramento Master Singers were on a choir tour and sang the last concert at the St. Giles Cathedral near Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland 3. Dicksie Robberson and Sandy Carli at Machu Picchu, an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru 4. Patty and Bill Waltermeyer on the walkway over the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York 5. Dennis & Barbara Luther on vacation in Egypt 6. Cierra Price and Justin Langstroth, Audrey and Kit Langstroth at the top of Homewood Ski Resort in Homewood, California

Take a picture with Inside Publications and e-mail a high-resolution copy to travel@insidepublications.com. Due to volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee all photos will be printed or posted. Can’t get enough of Have Inside, Will Travel? Find more photos on Instagram: InsidePublications

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Bird’s-Eye View WATERCOLORIST SOARS WITH AERIAL PERSPECTIVES

BY DEBRA BELT

Sacramento, I always loved the view,” she says. “It looks like a quilt from the air, and I thought, ‘I have got to paint this.’”

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

n a studio full of painter’s palettes, color swatches and dozens of watercolor paintings depicting aerial views of Sacramento (the curvaceous river, the lush rice fields, the resplendent delta), Elaine Bowers pulls out a treasure. She lifts a bronze medal from a velvet-lined case and gives it a quick polish before showing it. “It’s kind of like an Academy Award for painting,” she says. The medal is a top honor from the American Watercolor Society, presented to Bowers in 2013 at the society’s 146th annual International Exhibition. After years of submitting paintings to the society and never getting in the show, Bowers regards the medal as a breakthrough and a triumph. “I entered the show so many times, I lost count. Year after year I didn’t get accepted,” she says of the show, which receives some 1,600 annual entries from all over the world. Artists can submit only one piece to the exhibit, and five judges must concur on which 150 pieces get into the show, which opens in New York and is then shipped around the country to display the finest efforts of contemporary watercolorists. “It’s a huge process,” she says. As if to illustrate the old adage “when you’re in, you’re in,” Bowers was accepted into the 149th annual International Exhibition, opening April 4 in New York. With this year’s entry, she earned “signature status” with the society, an honor offered to those who make it into the show

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Bowers has been making art since she was “old enough to hold a crayon.”

Local artist Elaine Bowers in her studio

three times. This year’s submission is called “Diablo’s Delta,” and it continues her ongoing body of work examining Sacramento from the air. The painting was inspired by an image of the delta near Walnut Grove captured during a recent flight in

an Aeronca Champ, a World War II training plane. After painting watercolors for more than 20 years, Bowers zeroed in on aerial perspectives in 2006 when she acted upon her desire to capture the bird’s-eye view. “Flying in and out of

She sought out local pilots to take her up and found allies more than willing to venture into the blue yonder. “Pilots love an excuse to fly and they need the hours,” she says. She knew she was on to something when her first show at the nowdefunct 20th Street Art Gallery nearly sold out. A trip in 2013 found her in a 1940s Piper Cub plane, which flew low and slow over the delta out of Clarksburg. “It was early morning and there were great shadows reflecting in the river,” she recalls. Bowers took more than 500 photos, capturing images that fueled her breakthrough with the American Watercolor Society and also landed her a place in the 2015 Crocker-Kingsley Art Competition. Bowers said she does the aerial views for herself. “It was a chance to get more abstract and impressionistic,” she says. While her carefully rendered pieces are not abstract in a literal sense, her paintings of rice fields and their meandering lines take on abstract patterns. In an interesting twist,

Bowers discovered that rice field patterns are changing and the wavy lines once visible from the air have given way to straight lines as rice farmers use laser leveling methods to flood the fields more evenly. Thus, her work has taken on more gridlike perspectives of the fields, to which she adds images of passing clouds.

“When I’m not doing it, I feel a void, so I make it a high priority.” About her chosen medium of watercolor, Bowers acknowledges the bias that often bothers artists working in the medium. “There is the idea that masters use oil paint,” she says. “Or there is the idea that watercolors are not archival, but they are.” It’s frustrating, she admits, but she needs to summon only one name to give credence to the medium: John Singer Sargent. “His watercolors were among his best paintings,” she says. As her art earns increasing recognition, Bowers says she just tries to “stay focused and paint.” She also

works as an art therapist and says painting provides balance and allows her to escape the world. “I use it as a reward,” she says. Bowers has been making art since she was “old enough to hold a crayon,” and she still has a picture she created at age 2. Her early work includes drawings on recycled paper and a portrait of her brother that she drew at age 6. “I still remember him posing for me,” she says. A California native raised in San Jose, Bowers studied graphic art at West Valley College in Saratoga. However, she found graphic arts work boring back in the “paste-up days before computers,” so she went back to school and took every art class she could. In art, she finds value and joy. “When I’m not doing it, I feel a void, so I make it a high priority,” she says. Ultimately, art is her connection to the world around her, to the pilots who take to the sky, to the rice farmers who alter their watering methods and to the water that runs through the river and into her paintings. For more information about Elaine Bowers and her art, go to elainebowersart.com n

SCIENCE FROM page 54 but the flow carries with it some of the sand from underground. Where the sand used to be, supporting the weight of the levee above, a gap is created. At some point, the levee will crack or sink into the gap, and the river will breach it. This happened in New Orleans.

Improving the levees is necessary but not sufficient. Taking into account the risk of underseepage, Sacramento’s overall rating dropped to 100-year flood protection at best. According to Johnson, that makes us “the most at-risk urban area in the country for riverine flooding.” SAFCA took action. Through a complex web of financial, legislative and administrative arrangements, levee improvements began in the late 1990s. To prevent underseepage, a “slurry wall” of impermeable bentonite clay is built into a levee.

This wall cuts off the underground flow of river water that might otherwise undermine it. Building such a wall is a massive project, as depending on the geology of a particular site, the wall might have to go as deep as 150 feet. A trench is dug in the levee and filled with a slurry that solidifies to form the wall. A $300 million project to do this on the banks of the American River through Arden/ Carmichael (including levees around Jacob Lane and Howe Avenue) will be finished this year. Overall, about $4 billion will be spent to bring the Sacramento area to 250-year flood protection, with the goal of eventually reaching the 400- to 500-year level. Improving the levees is necessary but not sufficient. We’ve learned that peak flows in our local rivers can get a lot bigger than people thought when engineers designed the region’s flood control system in the 1950s. Managing those flows in the American River, and adjusting to the changing climate, is the job of Folsom Dam, which I’ll discuss next month. Amy Rogers is a novelist, scientist and educator. To invite her to speak at your book club or public event, contact her at Amy@AmyRogers.com n

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Beer, Bach and Ballet TROUPE’S ANNUAL EVENT FOLLOWED BY CLASSICAL OFFERING

BY JESSICA LASKEY RIVER CITY PREVIEWS

t’s not too late to catch the imaginative and invigorating inventions of the Sacramento Ballet dancers. Their last few performances of “Beer and Ballet” run at the Art Court Theatre at Sacramento City College Feb. 2328. Since their earlier February performances sold out, don’t wait to snag the last few tickets. For more than two decades, the Sacramento Ballet dancers have astonished audiences by creating compelling, experimental works for “Beer and Ballet”—accompanied, of course, by delicious brews provided this year by Ruhstaller Beer Sacramento, including Test IPA 15.0, an experimental ale designed just for the 2016 edition of “Beer & Ballet”; 1881 Red Ale, Ruhstaller’s classic using 100 percent Sacramento-grown hops; Capt Blk IPA; and Exquisite Kolsch, half German-grown and half California-grown. Sacramento City College is at 3835 Freeport Blvd. If you’re planning on traipsing around midtown for Second Saturday this month on March 12, don’t miss the chance to visit the ballet’s new studio and performance space at the E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts. The company

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“Bach to Now and Beyond ” is performing March 17 through April 2. Photo is by Keith Sutter.

will be offering tours of the freshly retrofitted building, excerpts from upcoming programs and information about the children’s auditions for next year’s “Nutcracker.” To see the E. Claire Raley space in full swing, check out “Bach to Now and Beyond,” performing March 17 through April 2. The program will include George Balanchine’s undisputed masterpiece “Concerto Barocco” (performed to the brilliant Double Violin Concerto by Johann Sebastian Bach) which returns to the Sacramento Ballet for the first time since 2007. The internationally renowned Chinese choreographer Ma Cong will contribute “Blood Rush,” which features Cong’s signature

East/West style, and newcomer Ashley Walton will collaborate with local Sacramento artists to take choreography to the next level. For tickets and more information, call the ballet box office at 552-5800, ext. 2, or go to sacballet.org. The E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts is at 2420 N St.

‘MAMMOTH’ IDEA THEATER Big Idea Theatre continues its ninth season, entitled Unspeakable, this month with playwright Madeleine George’s moving and hilarious dramedy “7 Homeless Mammoths

Wander New England.” In its Sacramento premiere, the show will run March 4 through April 2 at BIT’s home on Del Paso Boulevard. Described by George as “a Shakespearean comedy in the form of a ‘Friends’ sitcom,” the story chronicles a controversy brewing on a northeastern college campus over the closing of a neglected natural history museum. Dean Wreen, a fiery college professor turned accommodating administrator, must deal with the public outcry as her private life faces its own challenges when her ailing exlover comes to stay with her and her current flame, an enthusiastic former student.

Amid protests, bad press and even opinionated museum dioramas, these three women must explore their personal connections and social relevance while facing their own eventual extinction. “‘Mammoths’ is a beautiful, sad, uncertain, funny play about life and death, love, loss, rediscovery and stories,” explains director and BIT company member Ruby Sketchley. “Friends and lovers come and go in our lives and we must all figure out how best to handle the changes, both the joyous and the difficult ones, just as our characters in ‘Mammoths’ must do. You can’t go wrong with that, really.” Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. For tickets and more information, call 960-3036 or go to bigideatheatre.org. Big Idea Theatre is at 1616 Del Paso Blvd.

WHAT DREAM MAY COME Aristotle is quoted as saying, “Often when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream,” which is a fitting concept for ARTHOUSE on R’s exhibition “Soñando … Into the Light (Dreaming Into the Light),” featuring works by Kristen Hoard and Ruben Briseno Reveles from March 12 through April 15. Kristen Hoard will be showing organic metal sculptures with LED lights that change colors and cast light patterns onto the walls, ceiling and floor (to achieve the proper effect, the lights will be dimmed in the gallery). Using various recycled metals, a plasma cutter, welding designs, grinding techniques, colored dyes and patinas and powder-coated finishes, Hoard transforms these discarded pieces of recycled metal into works of art. Ruben Reveles will be showing photographs on metal, glass, acrylic and stone backlit with ethereal lighting. Reveles captures imagery of trees, haunting Day of the Dead scenes from Mexico and dreamy landscapes, then manipulates the photos and “bends the pixels” to

take place on March 18-20 at Oak Park Community Center. The two-day show will feature unique quilts created by local and regional artists, lectures, children’s activities, raffles, wearable art and dolls to purchase, a country store, SQC’s 2016 Opportunity Quilt, a display of the creations of featured quilt and fiber artist Connie Horne of Elk Grove, and much more. Show hours are from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 18; from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 19; and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 20. For more information, call 484-5025. Oak Park Community Center is at 3425 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

THE FACTORY COMES TO THE CROCKER Ruben Reveles will be showing his artwork at ARTHOUSE

his will to transform the photo into dreams of serene timelessness. The Second Saturday opening reception will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 12. For more information, call 212-4988 or go to arthouseonr.com. ARTHOUSE on R is at 1021 R St.

GERSHWIN IN SACRAMENTO Ring in spring with the Sacramento Symphonic Winds’ joyful concert “Gerwshin & Grainger” at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 13, at Crowne Plaza Sacramento Northeast. The whole family will enjoy selections from George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” as well as “Irish Tune from County Derry” by Percy Grainger. Your toes will be tapping for sure! For tickets and more information, call 489-2576 or go to sacwinds.org. Crowne Plaza Sacramento Northeast is at 5321 Date Ave.

SHAMROCK’N! Keep your New Year’s resolution to get and stay fit with the help

of local athletic experts Fleet Feet Sports at the Blue Diamond Almonds Shamrock’n Half Marathon, Sacramento’s largest half-marathon, on Sunday, March 13. Or, if you’re just starting out on the path to pavement pounding, try the 5K the day before on Saturday, March 12. But you’d better hurry: The race is more than half sold. They don’t call the event “rock’n” for nothing. Participants will rock out to the beat of 14 bands during the race and will finish in front of a stadium of screaming fans at Raley Field. Stick around for the after party, where you’ll enjoy music by Mumbo Gumbo and (if you’re 21) free beer to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Register now at shamrocknhalf. com. For more information, go to fleetfeetsacramento.com.

QUILTS OF MANY COLORS The Sisters Quilting Collective has you covered for Women’s History Month. Its 2016 Quilt Show in celebration of Women’s History month, Quilts of Many Colors, will

You know him on sight, he of the crazy hair and bemused expression wrought in dots and splashes. You also know many of his more famous subjects: Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, a Campbell’s soup can. Andy Warhol: Portraits is on display at Crocker Art Museum from March 13 through June 19. Warhol’s lifelong fascination with celebrity and the art of portraiture is examined in this exhibition featuring 160 paintings, drawings and fashion sketches, photo-booth film strips, Polaroids, photographs and personal memorabilia. Featured portraits will include self-portraits and a broad sampling of the 20th-century luminaries who sat for him: fashion scion Yves Saint Laurent, playwright Tennessee Williams, Pulitzer Prize winner Truman Capote, artists Keith Haring, Robert Mapplethorpe and JeanMichel Basquiat, and actors Judy Garland, Jane Fonda and Sylvester Stallone. Get in on the artistic act and participate in Warhol’s Factory with the interactive opportunity to make your own “Screen Test.” Andy Warhol: Portraits is organized by the Andy Warhol Museum, one of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.

PREVIEWS page 60

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PREVIEWS FROM page 59 To celebrate Youth Art Month, the Crocker will partner with the California Art Education Association’s statewide program featuring the exhibition of student artwork from exceptional arts education programs at Sacramento-area schools and art organizations from March 3 through April 3. Step right up to Vaudeville, one of the Crocker’s craziest Art Mix evenings, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 10. Do you fancy burlesque? How about a bag of laughs? Perhaps a trick up your sleeve? Join the fun or just marvel at the spectacles to be seen, including Peter Petty and his Terpsichoreans, TUBE.Magazine’s world of freaky friends, food and drink discounts during happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m., and $5 drink specials all night. This event is for guests 21 and over and it’s free for museum members and free with general admission for non-members. For tickets, call 8081182. Take the weekend after Art Mix to recover with the soothing Classical Concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 13, featuring concert pianist Jason Sia performing Earl Wild’s piano transcriptions of popular Gershwin songs such as “Embraceable You,” “Summertime” and “The Man I Love” in honor of the opening day of the exhibition Andy Warhol: Portraits. The program will also include works by Frederic Chopin, Franz Liszt, Claude Debussy, Sergei Rachmaninoff and others. Tickets are $6 for museum members; $10 for students, youths and Capital Public Radio members; and $12 for nonmembers. Has anyone ever asked you who you’d like to have a dream dinner with, alive or dead? If your answer is Andy Warhol, you’re in luck: Dinner With Andy, a farm-to-fork dinner by Supper Club and a tour of Andy Warhol: Portraits will take place on Thursday, March 17. Enjoy an exhibition tour at either 5:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., then revel in a four-course farm-to-fork dinner with locally sourced wine and beer pairings.

For tickets and more information, call 808-1182. (Members receive 10 percent off the price of dinner if reservations are made at least seven days in advance.) Still wigging out over Warhol? Don’t miss the Twisted Sacratomato Salon: Warhol Edition from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 24. Test your flexibility with a drop-in game of Twister, test your brain with Warhol-related pub trivia and games of all kinds and test your limits with cocktails from the no-host bar. Tickets are free for museum members and $10 for nonmembers. For more information, go to crockerartmuseum.org. Crocker Art Museum is at 216 O St.

‘CARMINA’ AT THE SCSO

Don't miss the Andy Warhol exhibit at Crocker

Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra performs “Carmina Burana”

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There’s nothing quite like hearing Carl Orff’s magical “Carmina Burana” performed by a full orchestra, so don’t miss out when the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra performs it and other impressive pieces at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, at the Community Center Theater. The concert will feature “Burana” as well as the American premiere of Jonathan Dove’s “Psalms for Leo,” performed entirely in ancient Hebrew, as well as Karl Jenkins’s “Songs of Sanctuary” and Josef Suk’s “Towards a New Life.” Arrive early at 7 p.m. for a pre-concert talk by conductor Donald Kendrick. Do you know a public high school, charter high school, home school high school, music school or music program that would love to have a VIP experience? The Student VIP package includes group tickets for 10 or more plus a CD of the SCSO performing “Carmina Burana,” a special talk with Kendrick, commemorative name badges and the chance to attend a rehearsal. For group tickets, contact Charlene Black at 849-4371. For tickets and more information, call 808-5181 or go to sacramentochoral.com. The Community Center Theater is at 1301 L St.

OH-LA-LALIQUE

A Lalique vase is one of the items up for sale at Witherell's

THE PLUCK O’ THE IRISH Looking for a way to wow your friends and family with your floral prowess? Let Relles Florist lend a hand at this month’s DIY class from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, featuring a St. Patrick’s Day bouquet that would make even a leprechaun bloom with pride. The class is $35 per person and includes all materials, as well as instruction in bouquet construction and other design techniques. Advance registration is required, so give them a call at 441-1478. For more information, go to rellesflorist.com. Relles Florist is at 2400 J St.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE— THE PLAY Surely you know the story of the five Bennet sisters and their quest for love, but have you seen Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” story taken on by 30 young actors from Sacramento City College? The play, adapted by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan and

directed by Lori Ann DeLappeGrondin, runs through Sunday, March 20, at City Theatre. Marriage is an inevitable fact of life for Bennet sisters Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia. With the family estate entailed to their closest male cousin, their only hope to advance in life is to find a rich and single man—and one has just arrived in the form of the very handsome (and very well-off) Charles Bingley. The kind-hearted and beautiful Jane seems poised to make a match, but must contend with her overzealous mother, Bingley’s snobbish sister and a slippery social ladder. The fire and wit of Jane Austen’s classic 1813 romance shines through in Hanreddy and Sullivan’s vibrant new adaptation. Performance times are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays. For tickets and more information, go to citytheatre.net. Sacramento City College is at 3835 Freeport Blvd.

A rare Lalique vase, a Vonnoh bronze, a Newlyn School painting and a red 1961 Triumph TR3 roadster highlight Witherell’s current auction catalog, so don’t miss the preview from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 12, at Witherell’s gallery to see what you want to bid on. When Witherell’s chief operating officer and “Antiques Roadshow” appraiser Brian Witherell visited a family in Arbuckle to take a look at their collectibles, he was surprised to discover a rare Bacchante vase. The vase was originally introduced by the famed René Lalique in 1927 but because it was part of the family’s treasures, it was locked away in a china cabinet for almost 90 years. “It’s rare to hear of business titans in the Central Valley, but there are many of them in the area who funded and ran great companies,” Witherell says. “This family was one of them.” (Which would explain the vase’s impressive though conservative valuation of $15,000 to $25,000.) If you’re an enthusiast of Bessie Potter Vonnoh, the bronze piece in this catalog is sure to make you swoon. This piece of Vonnoh’s “Enthroned” is only the third example of this legendary artwork to surface, found during a visit to a Carmel consignor. One model is displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the other sold at Christie’s in 1996 for nearly $30,000. For more information, call 4466490 or go to witherells.com. The Witherell’s preview gallery is at 300 20th St.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR HUGHES Help the Sacramento Master Singers celebrate three decades of excellence in artistic direction by their beloved conductor Dr. Ralph Hughes with a special 30th anniversary concert, And I Can Sing, at 8 p.m. on March 12 and at 3 p.m. on March 13 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in midtown. (In fact, all three of their concerts this season are dedicated to Hughes.)

The program will feature choral works by Eric Whitacre and Morten Lauridsen, contemporary spirituals and a first for the Master Singers: a fascinating fusion of poetry, song and rhythm entitled “Triptych,” by composer Tarik O’Regan, to be performed with the help of the Sacramento State Percussion Group. For tickets and more information, call 788-7464 or go to mastersingers. org. St. Francis of Assisi Church is at 1066 26th St.

LIFE IS A CABARET Ready to take a sentimental journey? The River City Chorale presents its popular cabaret of the same name (Sentimental Journeys) at 4 and 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, March 5 and 6, at the Serbian Hall in Fair Oaks. Audience members will be transported back to the era of such songs as “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “Route 66” and “On the Sunny Side of the Street” performed by small groups, soloists, a chamber choir and the entire chorale ensemble alongside a traditional jazz combo led by director Richard Morrissey. Pre-concert hors d’oeuvres will be served at your table—by the singers themselves, no less—and cabaret-goers can partake of libations at an open bar and purchase raffle tickets for one of four fun prizes, with winners to be announced at the end of the concert. As this is the chorale’s most popular concert of the year, it’s best to get your tickets early by calling 331-3810 or going online to rivercitychorale.org. The Serbian Hall is at 7777 Sunset Ave.

MAIS OUI! Pretend you’re in Paris this spring without leaving your hometown when the Sacramento French Film Festival brings French cinema to Crest Theatre. On Saturday, March 5, the ninth Winter French Short Film Screening will feature a selection PREVIEWS page 63

ILP n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Loud Folks, Loud Flavors BRODERICK MIDTOWN IS AN IN-YOUR-FACE DINING EXPERIENCE

BY GREG SABIN

happy-hour hunters and folks just

RESTAURANT INSIDER

looking for a beer and a burger. The

wait was nearly 30 minutes, but the

ou might think the restaurant

time passed quickly as we grabbed

landscape is a bit too crowded

beers from a decently sized and

already for yet another burger

well-curated tap and bottle list, then

joint, another casual, kicked-up-

proceeded to shout at one another in

comfort-food spot, another place

order to be heard. Did I mention it

where cheese and bacon smother

was loud?

every dish in their glistening fattiness. You might think that, but you’d be sorely mistaken as there is a near never-ending appetite in the

Team Broderick, however, is more than just burgers and beer.

marketplace for just this kind of food. Turn your television to any food channel at any time of day and it’s even money that you’ll be tuning into a show about diners, drive-ins and other greasy spoons, or watching a man tackle a 5-pound burrito or

By the time we got to the table,

a 10-gallon hat filled with “atomic”

we were more than a bit hungry, and

chili. The show might be a nearly

the menu didn’t disappoint. Mostly

religious experience of bacon, or a

made up of burgers and sandwiches,

cultlike indoctrination into cheeses

the menu goes from basic and hearty

of the world. These channels simply

(standard cheeseburger and fries) to

can’t miss with these shows. We love

pretty darned substantial (barbecue

to watch them.

bacon cheeseburger with add-ons

Similarly, restaurateurs can

like a fried egg and house chili) to

typically find an audience for food

indulgently ridiculous (a duck burger,

that punches you in the face with bold

topped with onion strings, pear/fig

flavors and smacks your posterior

jam and a cheese skirt and served

with fatty goodness. Don’t get me

with a side of fries smothered in

wrong: I love this stuff, too. Give me

gravy).

a bacon cheeseburger, a chili dog or a

The indulgences were aplenty at

piece of deep-fried mac ’n’ cheese and

our table, and our server was quick,

I’m probably going to enjoy it.

friendly and efficient in helping meet

So when a raucous burger joint

our every calorie-filled desire. As busy

opens up in Midtown, odds are that

Stop by Broderick in Midtown for lunch or dinner

folks will gravitate toward it. And with the new Broderick Midtown, gravitating they are. Located on the bustling block of L Street between 18th and 19th (already home to Ginger Elizabeth

ILP MAR n 16

and chaotic as the space seemed, the servers expertly handled diners’ needs

Chocolates, Buckhorn Grill, Aioli

On a recent Friday, a small group

for drinks, meals and special requests.

Bodega Española, Eatuscany plus a

joined me for a casual dinner there.

few places in the works), Broderick

It was truly hopping. Loud, energetic

doneness requested, each slice of

Midtown has set up camp where the

and intense, the dining room was

cheese expertly melted, every bun

action is.

packed with Midtowners, families,

chosen well and intelligently sourced.

Each patty was cooked to the exact

PREVIEWS FROM page 61 of short films nominated for a 2016 César award (the French equivalent of an American Academy Award) starting at 7 p.m. After the films, all of which will be subtitled in English, the audience will be invited to vote for the “Sacramento César Awards” and the results will be compared with those of the 40th César Ceremony, which will have been held a week earlier in France on Friday, Feb. 26 (no spoilers!). The evening will also include French pop with DJ Christophe as well as a nohost bar operated by Empress Tavern. For tickets and more information, call 455-9390, stop by the Crest Theatre box office or go to sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org or ticketfly.com. Crest Theatre is at 1013 K St.

CITY SLICKERS

Buffalo wings from Broderick

The fries on offer are panoply of

enterprise directly across the street

ridiculous calorie options. You can

from Broderick Midtown. They’ve

have your basic fry, of course, well

shuttered the Dime temporarily and

made, hand-cut, twice-fried, simply

will be reopening and rebranding it

seasoned. Or you can add garlic, or

as Saddle Rock, ostensibly a more

buffalo sauce and blue cheese, or

Sacramento-focused food experience.

Gorgonzola and mushrooms, or

Before the first Broderick opened,

gravy, or chili and cheese or the fixin’s

the people behind it started with a

of a banh mi sandwich (roasted pork,

food truck called Wicked ’Wich that

pickled vegetables, jalapenos and just

featured Pittsburgh-style sandwiches

a hint of fish sauce). The options, that

and had a loyal following of its own.

is to say, are plentiful.

Now that Team Broderick has put

This is the second Broderick

down roots, it has become one of the

restaurant in the area. The first,

fastest-growing regional restaurant

Broderick Roadhouse, opened in West

groups in the area.

Sacramento in 2012. It also has a

We look forward to the opening of

burger-focused menu but a bit less of

Saddle Rock and hope it has the same

the family vibe and more rough-and-

bravado that has made Broderick’s

tumble roadhouse demeanor.

other enterprises so successful.

Team Broderick, however, is more than just burgers and beer. They have an ownership interest in Midtown’s

Broderick Midtown is at 1820 L St.; 469-9720, broderick1893.com.

Localis, a fine-dining restaurant putting out gorgeous plates at 21st and S streets. They also took over Capital Dime, the short-lived

Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com. n

See a sextuplet of talented artists take the walls together at Beatnik Studios’ current exhibition Six From City, featuring the artwork of a longstanding critique group established by Chris Daubert at, you guessed it, Sacramento City College from March 22 through April 22. The artists featured include Laura Carpenter, Jill Estroff, Ed Forrest, Chris Markel, Christine Nicholson and Stephanie Fry Rallanka. While all vary widely in style, from expressionist landscape to geometric abstraction, the painters are unified by their expressive intensity and a concentration on surface and gesture. The opening reception will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on First Friday, April 1. For more information, call 400-4281 or go to beatnik-studios. com. Beatnik Studios is at 723 S St.

BOUND BY THE BLUES Lend your ears to the sweet strumming of Louisiana guitar slinger Sonny Landreth when he makes his Sacramento debut at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 31, at Harlow’s. Landreth’s new 2015 album, “Bound By The Blues,” marks a return to the slide guitarist’s musical roots. It presents a bold

collection of recordings that climb to stratospheric heights of jazz-informed improvisation, with plenty of classicrock swagger while remaining deeply attached to the elemental emotional and compositional structures that are at the historic core of the blues. “Ever since ‘The Road We’re On’ (his Grammy-nominated 2003 release), fans have been asking me, ‘When are you going to do another blues album?’ ” Landreth explains. “After expanding my songs for ‘Elemental Journey’ into an orchestral form, I thought I’d get back to the simple but powerful blues form. “The blues have been a big part of my journey for the past 40-plus years. Some of the numbers on this album are among the first I learned. I wrote ‘Where They Will’ about my relationship to blues—letting the music lead me to new sounds and improvisational passages and introduce me to things I haven’t played before.” To make dinner reservations prior to the concert, call 441-4693. For more information, go to harlows.com. Harlow’s is at 2708 J St.

THREE TENORS You might think that a concert named The Three Tenors (Who Can’t Sing) sounds like a joke—and you’d be right. The concert is a mix of stand-up (and a sit down) with three “made men” of comedy that comes to Crest Theatre on March 18 as part of its 22-city national tour. The variety show stars comedians Vic DiBitetto, Richie Minervini and Fred Rubino and promises hysterical, family-friendly stand-up, improv and audience participation. Tickets range from $25 to $37.50. There’s a $20 VIP upgrade available that includes a meet and greet with the tenors and an autographed photo. For tickets and more information, call 475-3356 or go to ticketfly.com or crestsacramento.com. Crest Theatre is at 1013 K St. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Please email items for consideration by the first of the month at least one month in advance of the event. n

ILP n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Welcome Back for the First Time! ng i t a br Cele rs!

ea y 0 1

INSIDE’S

MIDTOWN

Jack’s Urban Eats

1800 L St. 447-9440

L D $ Full Bar Made-to-order comfort food in a casual setting • Jacksurbaneats.com

Aioli Bodega Espanola L D $$ Full Bar Patio Andalusian cuisine served in a casual European atmosphere

2115 J St. 442-4388

cuisine served a la carte • Biba-restaurant.com

Lucca Restaurant & Bar

Buckhorn Grill

1801 L St. 446-3757

L D $$ Wine/Beer A counter service restaurant with high-quality chicken, char-roasted beef, salmon, and entrée salads

’13

Café Bernardo

2726 Capitol Ave. 443-1180 1431 R St. 930-9191

FREE Birthday Special

2730 J St. 442-2552

B L D $ No table service at this coffee roaster and bakery, also serving creative artisanal sandwiches

2416 J St. 443-0440

D $$ Full Bar Chicago-style pizza, salads wings served in a family-friendly atmosphere • Chicagofirerestaurant.com

1716 L St. 443-7685

Paesano’s Pizzeria

1806 Capitol Ave. 447-8646

L D $$ Gourmet pizza, pasta, salads in casual setting • Paesanos.biz

Paragary’s Bar & Oven 1401 28th St. 457-5737

L D $$ Full Bar Outdoor Patio California cuisine with a French touch • Paragarys.com

Suzie Burger

B L D $-$$ Full Bar Outdoor Dining Fresh Mexican food served in an upscale, yet familyfriendly setting • Ernestosmexicanfood.com

29th and P Sts. 455-3300

58 Degrees & Holding Co.

The Streets of London Pub

L D $ Classic burgers, cheesesteaks, shakes, chili dogs, and other tasty treats • suzieburger.com

1217 18th St. 442-5858

1804 J St. 498-1388

L D $$$ Wine/Beer California cuisine served in a chic, upscale setting • 58degrees.com

L D $ Wine/Beer English Pub fare in an authentic casual atmosphere, 17 beers on tap

Fox & Goose Public House

Tapa The World

1001 R St. 443-8825

Harlow’s Restaurant

ILP MAR n 16

1215 19th St. 441-6022

Chicago Fire

B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer English Pub favorites in an historic setting • Foxandgoose.com

D $$-$$$ Eclectic menu in a boutique neighborhood setting

Old Soul Co.

1901 16th St. 441-5850

Proof of birthday required. Valid January 4 through March 31, 2016. Not valid Valentine’s Day or with any other offer. Maximum discount $15. Tax & gratuity not included.

2028 H St. 443-7585

L D $$ Full Bar Patio Regional Mexican cooking served in a casual atmosphere • Paragarys.com

Ernesto’s Mexican Food

1001 Front Street, Old Sacramento ~ 446.6768 www.lovemyfats.com

Moxie

L D Full Bar $$$ Modern American cuisine in an upscale historic setting

B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Outdoor Dining Crepes, omelets, salads, soups and sandwiches served in a casual setting

*does not need to be on your actual birthday

L D Full Bar $$-$$$ Patio Mediterranean cuisine in a casual, chic atmosphere • Luccarestaurant.com

Centro Cocina Mexicana

1730 L St. 444-1100

Monday through Thursday only.

1615 J St. 669-5300

Mulvaney’s Building & Loan

Crepeville

If you have a JANUARY, FEBRUARY, OR MARCH birthday, bring your party of 2 or more to Fat City Bar & Cafe to celebrate anytime before March 31, 2016*. Buy one entrée and get a second entrée FREE! Plus, the birthday person gets a FREE slice of our famous banana cream pie!

D Full Bar $$ Middle Eastern cuisine in a Moroccan setting

B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Patio Casual California cuisine with counter service

’14

5644 J Street 916.451.4000

Kasbah Lounge

Biba Ristorante

2801 Capitol Ave. 455-2422 L D $$$ Full Bar Upscale Northern Italian

e atatopa . com

1230 20th St. 444-0307

2708 J Street 441-4693

L D $$ Full Bar Modern Italian/California cuisine with Asian inspirations • Harlows.com

Italian Importing Company 1827 J Street 442-6678

B L $ Italian food in a casual grocery setting

2115 J St. 442-4353

L D $-$$ Wine/Beer/Sangria Spanish/world cuisine in a casual authentic atmosphere, live flamenco music - tapathewworld.com

Thai Basil Café

2431 J St. 442-7690

L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Patio Housemade curries among their authentic Thai specialties Thaibasilrestaurant.com

Les Baux

5090 Folsom Blvd. 739-1348

BLD $ Wine/Beer Unique boulangerie, café & bistro serving affordable delicious food/drinks all day long • lesbauxbakery.com

2502 J Street 440-1088 Lunch Delivery M-F and Happy Hour 4-6

L D $-$$ Beer/Wine Food with Thai Food Flair

The Waterboy

2000 Capitol Ave. 498-9891

L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Patio Fine South of France and northern Italian cuisine in a chic neighborhood setting • waterboyrestaurant.com

Zocolo

1801 Capitol Ave. 441-0303

L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Patio Regional Mexican cuisine served in an authentic artistic setting • zocolosacramento.com

Y IL

Nopalitos

5530 H St. 452-8226

E H L O O H

5644 J St. 451-4000

L D Wine/Beer $ Fresh Greek cuisine in a chic, casual setting, counter service

The Coconut Midtown

L EL

U TA

Opa! Opa!

S RE

B L $ Wine/Beer Southwestern fare in a casual diner setting

Selland's Market Cafe 5340 H St. 736-3333

B L D $$ Wine/Beer High quality handcrafted food to eat in or take out, wine bar

Star Ginger

3101 Folsom Blvd. 231-8888

Asian Grill and Noodle Bar • starginger.com

Thai Palace Restaurant 3262 J St. 446-5353

L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Authentic Thai cuisine in a casual setting

EAST SAC 33rd Street Bistro

3301 Folsom Blvd. 455-2233

B L D $$ Full Bar Patio Pacific Northwest cuisine in a casual bistro setting

Burr's Fountain 4920 Folsom Blvd. 452-5516

B L D $ Fountain-style diner serving burgers, sandwiches, soup and ice cream specialties

Cabana Winery & Bistro 5610 Elvas 476-5492

LD $$ Wine tasting and paired entrees. Sunday Brunch 10 - 2. • cabanawine.com

Clubhouse 56

723 56th. Street 454-5656

BLD Full Bar $$ American cuisine. HD sports, kid's menu, beakfast weekends

Evan’s Kitchen 855 57th St. 452-3896

B L D Wine/Beer $$ Eclectic California cuisine served in a family-friendly atmosphere, Kid’s menu, winemaker dinners • Chefevan.com

Español 5723 Folsom Blvd. 457-3679

L D Full Bar $-$$ Classic Italian cuisine served in a traditional family-style atmosphere

L U N C H,DI N N E R,

DOWNTOWN

AND HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS

Foundation

400 L St. 321-9522

L D $$ Full Bar American cooking in an historic atmosphere • foundationsacramento.com

1131 K STREET DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO 916.443.3772 WWW.ELLA DINING ROOM AND BAR.COM

Chops Steak Seafood & Bar 1117 11th St. 447-8900

L D $$$ Full Bar Steakhouse serving dry-aged prime beef and fresh seafood in an upscale club atmosphere • Chopssacramento.com

Claim Jumper

1111 J St. 442-8200

L D $$ Full Bar Upscale American in a clubby atmosphere

Downtown & Vine 1200 K Street #8 228-4518

Educational tasting experience of wines by the taste, flight or glass • downtownandvine.com

Ella Dining Room & Bar 1131 K St. 443-3772

L D $$$ Full Bar Modern American cuisine served family-style in a chic, upscale space • Elladiningroomandbar.com

Esquire Grill 1213 K St. 448-8900

L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Outdoor Dining Upscale American fare served in an elegant setting • Paragarys.com

Estelle's Patisserie

901 K St. 916-551-1500 L D $$-$$$ French-inspired Bakery serving fresh pastry & desserts, artisan breads and handcrafted sandwiches. EstellesPatisserie.com

Mikuni Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar 1530 J St. 447-2112

L D Full Bar $$-$$$ Japanese cuisine served in an upscale setting • Mikunisushi.com

Morton’s Steakhouse

Fat City Bar & Cafe

621 Capitol Mall #100 442-50

1001 Front St. 446-6768

D $$-$$$ Full Bar American cuisine served in a casual historic Old Sac location • Fatsrestaurants. com

D $$$ Full Bar Upscale American steakhouse • Mortons.com

The Firehouse Restaurant

10th & J Sts. 448-8960

1112 Second St. 442-4772

L D $$$ Full Bar Global and California cuisine in an upscale historic Old Sac setting • Firehouseoldsac.com

Parlaré Eurolounge D $$ Full Bar Relax with drinks and dinner in this stylish downtown space

Rio City Café

1110 Front St. Old Sac 442-8226

Frank Fat’s

L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Seasonal menu of favorites in a setting overlooking river • Riocitycafe.com

806 L St. 442-7092

L D Full Bar $$-$$$ Chinese favorites in an elegant setting • Fatsrestaurants.com

Ten 22

1022 Second St. 441-2211

Il Fornaio

400 Capitol Mall 446-4100

L D Wine/Beer $$ American bistro favorites with a modern twist in a casual, Old Sac setting ten22oldsac.com

B L D Wine/Beer Patio $$ Mediterranean influenced cuisine in a neighborhood setting

Grange

LAND PARK

La Trattoria Bohemia

B L D Full Bar $$$ Simple, seasonal, soulful • grangerestaurant.com

Casa Garden Restaurant

L D Wine/Beer $-$$ Italian and Czech specialties in a neighborhood bistro setting

Hock Farm Craft & Provision

Formoli's Bistro

3839 J St. 448-5699

3649 J St. 455-7803

L D Full Bar $$$ Fine Northern Italian cuisine in a chic, upscale atmosphere • Ilfornaio.com

926 J Street • 492-4450

1415 L St. 440-8888

L D $$-$$ Full Bar Celebration of the region's rich history and bountiful terrain • Paragarys.com

2760 Sutterville Road 452-2809

L D $$ • D with minimum diners call to inquire $$ Wine/Beer. Elegantly presented American cuisine. Operated by volunteers to benefit Sacramento Children's Home. Small and large groups. Reservations recommended • casagardenrestaurant.org

ILP n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Freeport Bakery

The Kitchen

B L $ Award-winning baked goods and cakes for eat in or take out • Freeportbakery.com

D $$$ Wine/Beer Five-course gourmet demonstration dinner by reservation only • Thekitchenrestaurant.com

2966 Freeport Blvd. 442-4256

Iron Grill 13th Street and Broadway 737-5115

L D $$-$$$ Full Bar Upscale neighborhood steakhouse • Ironsteaks.com

Jamie's Bar and Grill

427 Broadway 442-4044

L D $ Full Bar Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Dine in or take out since 1986

2225 Hurley Way 568-7171

La Rosa Blanca Taqueria 2813 Fulton Ave. 484-6104

L D Full Bar $$-$$ Fresh Mexican food served in a colorful family-friendly setting

Leatherby’s Family Creamery 2333 Arden Way 920-8382

L D $ House-made ice cream and specialties, soups and sandwiches

Riverside Clubhouse

Lemon Grass Restaurant

L D $$ Full Bar Upscale American cuisine served in a contemporary setting • Riversideclubhouse.com

L D $$ Full Bar Patio Vietnamese and Thai cuisine in a casual yet elegant setting

Taylor's Kitchen

5026 Fair Oaks Blvd. 485-2883

2633 Riverside Drive 448-9988

601 Munroe St. 486-4891

Luna Lounge

2924 Freeport Boulevard 443-5154

D $$S Wine/Beer Dinner served Wed. through Saturday. Reservations suggested.

B L D $-$$ Full neighborhood bar serving dinner nightly from 5 to 11 pm. Open at 11 am daily. Weekend breakfast from 8:30 am to 2 pm. • bellabrucafe.com

Tower Café

Matteo's Pizza

1518 Broadway 441-0222

B L D $$ Wine/Beer International cuisine with dessert specialties in a casual setting

Willie's Burgers

2415 16th St.444-2006

L D $ Great burgers and more. Open until 3 am weekends

5132 Fair Oaks Blvd. 779-0727

L D Beer/Wine $$ Neighborhood gathering place for pizza, pasta and grill dishes

The Mandarin Restaurant 4321 Arden Way 488-47794

D $$-$$$ Full Bar Gourmet Chineses food for 32 years • Dine in and take out

Roma's Pizzeria & Pasta

ARDENCARMICHAEL Andaloussia

1537 Howe Ave. 927-1014 L D $-$$ Authentic Moroccan cuisine, lunch & dinner specials, belly dancing weekends • bestmoroccanfood.com

Bella Bru Café

5038 Fair Oaks Blvd. 485-2883

B L D $-$$ Full bar, casual, locally owned European style café with table service from 5 pm and patio dining • bellabrucafe.com

Café Vinoteca

3535 Fair Oaks Blvd. 487-1331

L D $$ Full Bar Italian bistro in a casual setting • Cafevinoteca.com

Chinois City Café

3535 Fair Oaks Blvd. 485-8690

L D $$ Full Bar Asian-influenced cuisine in a casual setting • Chinoiscitycafe.com

Ettore’s

2376 Fair Oaks Blvd. 482-0708

B L D $-$$ Wine/Beer Patio European-style gourmet café with salads, soup, spit-roasted chicken, desserts in a bistro setting • Ettores.com

Jack’s Urban Eats

2535 Fair Oaks Blvd. 481-5225 L D $ Full Bar Made-to-order comfort food in a casual setting • Jacksurbaneats.com

ILP MAR n 16

6530 Fair Oaks Blvd. 488-9800

L D $$ Traditional Italian pizza & pasta Family Friendly Catering + Team Parties • romas-pizzaand-pasta.com

Roxy

2381 Fair Oaks Blvd. 489-2000

B L D $$-$$$ Full Bar American cuisine with a Western touch in a creative upscale atmosphere

Ristorante Piatti

571 Pavilions Lane 649-8885

L D $$ Full Bar Contemporary Italian cuisine in a casually elegant setting

Sam's Hof Brau

2500 Watt 482-2175 L D $$ Wine/Beer Fresh quality meats roasted daily • thehofbrau.com

Thai House

427 Munroe in Loehmann's 485-3888 L D $$ Wine/Beer Featuring the great taste of Thai traditional specialties • sacthaihouse.com

Willie's Burgers

5050 Fair Oaks Blvd. 488-5050L D $ Great burgers and more n

This Month at the Market

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

ASPARAGUS

BROCCOLI

NANTES CARROTS

Asparagus plants are perennial; the edible spears are the new shoots that appear in spring. To eat: Steam, grill or roast them and serve with hollandaise or lemon vinaigrette.

California grows 80 percent of the nation’s crop. Broccoli is packed with vitamin C and dietary fiber. To eat: Boil, sauté, steam or stir-fry.

This French heirloom variety has an almost perfectly cylindrical shape, smooth skin, crisp texture and sweet taste. To eat: Use in stocks, soups, braises and salads.

FAVA GREENS

LEEKS

The leaves of the fava bean plant are mildly sweet and buttery. Early in the season, they are tender and can be eaten raw. Later in the season, it’s best to sauté or wilt them. To eat: Mix them into a salad or add to pasta or risotto.

This sweet, delicately flavored vegetable is from the onion family and is related to garlic, chives and scallions. Clean them well before using to remove grit between the leaves. To eat: Braise them whole or slice and sauté for a soup or stew.

CARNIVAL CAULIFLOWER

These multicolored cauliflowers come in vivid orange, green or purple. They are a great source of vitamins C and B6 and are high in folate and potassium. To eat: Boil the whole head briefly in salted water, then drizzle with olive oil and roast at high temp.

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Coldwell Banker

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HOLLYWOOD PARK CLASSIC! 3bd home with fresh paint inside and out, hardwood ﬂoors, CH&A, pool-size yard & 2 car garage. $359,950 MELANIE CONOVER 451-4972 CaBRE#: 00419087 CHARMING LAND PARK Located on a quiet street, 2bd, woodG frml dining & brkfst N ﬂrs, Market I D nook & 2 car garage.P Close to Taylors & light rail. N E $410,000 LAURA STEED 601-9308 CaBRE#: 01037729

SOUTH LAND PARK HILLS! Beautifully updtd Ranch style home w/3 bed, 2 bath +Office, hrdwd floors, fireplace & fully landscaped. MIKE OWNBEY 616-1607 CaBRE#: 01146313

ARDEN PARK ESTATES RAMBLING RANCH! Great covered patio and pool area. This updated 4Bd/3ba executive style home will "wow" you. Located on a key court with a private feel. MARK PETERS 600-2039 CaBRE#: 01424396 ICONIC L STREET LOFTS! ALMOST SOLD OUT! Best Midtown location! City living w/doorman & close to top restaurants, galleries, coffee houses & shops. Models Open. Call for a private showing. www.LStreetLofts.com MICHAEL ONSTEAD 601-5699 CaBRE#: 01222608

LAND PARK LIVING WELCOMES YOU! 3bed/1 BA. 1299 SF. Gorgeous rmdld Kitchen & Bath! Top of the line appliances, New HVAC and more. $465,000 WENDY KAY 717-1013 CaBRE#: 01335180

NEW HOME - RENAISSANCE PARK! Modern & Innovated! Phase 5 Released & Almost SOLD OUT! Call for a private showing today! www.newfaze.com/ neighborhoods/renaissance-park. Starting in Low $200s CECIL WILLIAMS 718-8865 CaBRE#: 01122760 CLASSIC SOUTH LAND PARK RANCH! Open ﬂoor plan 3/2 was built to entertain. HW ﬂoors in great shape, dual pane windows (plantation shutters) & newer roof too. $419,000 TOM LEONARD 834-1681 CaBRE#: 01714895

SOCAP LOFTS-RARE CORNER TOWER UNIT! 2br/2.5ba. Enjoy "birdsnest" views from balcony. 2 car gar. Immediate occupancy, in time for the grand opening of Golden 1 Arena. MARK PETERS 600-2039 CaBRE#: 01424396

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MAJESTIC TUDOR IN LAND PARK! Old world charm w/modern amenities. 2bd, 1 rmdld bath, HVAC, Tankless water heater, ¼ basement & huge bckyrd. $519,000 TOM LEONARD 834-1681 CaBRE#: 01714895

CAMPUS COMMONS! 4400 Model! Nearly 1,750sqft of gorgeous living space. Attached 2 car, updtd kitch & baths, Nepenthe HOA membership. MARK PETERS 600-2039 CaBRE#: 01424396 NICE POCKET HALFPLEX! Roomy 2bd/2ba Pocket half-plex w/updated kitchen, ﬁreplace, cute yard & 2 car garage. PALOMA BEGIN 628-8561 CaBRE#: 01254423 CLASSIC SQUEAKY WILLIAMS COTTAGE! 4bd/3ba rmdld, LR w/ceiling ﬂanked by hand-hewn beams, family/ kitchen combo, Master Ste & Quaint bkyd. $1,055,000 TERESA OLSON 494-1452 CaBRE#: 01880615

ROOM FOR EVERYONE! Roomy 4 bd/3 ba Pocket home w/ updated kitchen, formal LR & DR, family room w/ fp, new paint & ﬂooring, 3 car garage nestled on a quiet court. PALOMA BEGIN 628-8561 CaBRE#: 01254423

ABUNDANCE OF CHARM! Beautiful Curtis Park home. Featuring 2-story, 3BD/2.5BA, lots of windows & great yard w/fruit trees. Close to park. $575,000 CORRINE COOK 952-2027 CaBRE#: 00676498

SWEET NEIGHBORHOOD! Exceptional 3 bed, 2 ba home w/ great open ﬂoorplan, new kitchen & baths. Located by Bing Maloney Golf Course, great neighborhood, close to everything! $299,900 PALOMA BEGIN 628-8561 CaBRE#: 01254423

LAND PARK CHARMER! Original 3bd w/frml LR w/ frplce, frml DR, & spacious 1938 kitchen. CH/A and cute backyard w/mature foliage. $495,000 SUE OLSON 601-8834 CaBRE#: 00784986

SACRAMENTO METRO OFFICE 730 Alhambra Boulevard #150 • 916.447.5900

CARMEL OASIS! Beautiful custom 4bd/2.5ba hm w/open ﬂr plan perfect for entertaining. Backyard paradise includes G casita with 1/2 bath, I Nw/grotto, N Dpool outdoor shower, built-in slide, waterfall, P EBBQ, and Jacuzzi. $449,000 MOLLY LUKENBILL-ELORDUY & GAYLA RIOS 826-1690 or 217-0401 CaBRE#: 01968152; 01968494

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SPACIOUS LITTLE POCKET! 4 bedroom & 2 bath Little Pocket hm with dual pane windows, updtd kitchen & a spacious yrd w/spa. WENDI REINL 206-8709 CaBRE#: 01314052

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©2015 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 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. Real estate agents affiliated 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.