Inside Pocket January 2022

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10 Mad River Court - $675,000 QUALIY REMODELED SINGLE STORY HOME. 4 bed 2 bath backs to the greenbelt. Completely remodeled stunning kitchen and baths in 2020. Dual zone AC and spacious yard.

MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

500 N Street #1209 - $489,000 NORTH FACING CORNER UNIT. 2 bed 2 bath downtown condo!

Living room and bedrooms all have balconies and views of the city.

New carpet and fresh paint PAULA SWAYNE 916-425-9715 DRE#01188158

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99 Petrilli Circle - $485,000 ROSA DEL RIO COMMUNITY IN SLP 3 bed 2 bath single story with vaulted ceilings. Wonderful floor plan with larger yard and 2-car garage.

RE 01270375 MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

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1445 Pebble Court - $759,900 WEST SACRAMENTO CUL-DE-SAC 4 bed 3 bath single story home on a huge lot. Open floorplan with high ceilings. Kitchen with center island, quartz counters, pantry space. Covered patio.

HILARY BUCHANAN 916-397-7502 DRE#01359213

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4937 Marlborough Way - $850,000 BEAUTIFULLY UPDATED DEL DAYO ESTATES 4 bed 2½ bath.

Open concept living with recently remodeled kitchen with quartz counter tops. White oak hardwood flooring JULIANNE PARK 916-541-8403 DRE#01999740

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1219 Alder Tree Way – $410,000 PARK PLACE SOUTH HALFPLEX 2 bed 2 bath single story with great room fireplace. Skylites, spacious galley kitchen, easy care backyard with patio. 2-car garage.

1 DRE 00850625 CONNIE LANDSBERG 916-761-0411

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6930 Steamboat Way - $410,000 WONDERFUL SINGLE STORY IN DIDION DISTRICT 2 bed 2 bath half-plex on large corner lot in Greenhaven. Roomy living room with vaulted ceilings. New laminate floors throughout.

MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

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6759 Langrell Way - $750,000 GREENHAVEN QUALITY REMODEL. 4 bed 2½ bath single story home close to Genevieve Didion school. Brand new kitchen, spectacular bathrooms. Beautiful spacious yard.

MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

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SAFE, CLEAN WATER The City of Sacramento has an essential role in protecting local water supplies and providing clean drinking water by treating wastewater, managing creeks, streams and stormwater runoff to prevent flooding, and cleaning up trash and pollution. Most drinking water in Sacramento is produced from the American and Sacramento rivers.

PROTECTING OUR RIVERS & PREVENTING WATER POLLUTION Stormwater runoff can carry pollution, pesticides and harmful bacteria into our waterways, including the American and Sacramento rivers.

Attend a webinar to learn more about the Water Pollution and Flood Prevention measure: Friday, 1/7/22, Noon Monday, 1/10/22, 6pm Wednesday, 1/26/22, Noon To sign up, visit: cityofsacramento.org/Utilities/ Water-Pollution-FloodPrevention.

Sacramento’s local system of storm drains, levees, pumps and pipes collect and filter stormwater to protect our rivers and waterways from pollution. Keeping these local water sources safe and clean is essential to protect public health and long-term water supplies for our region.

AGING, DETERIORATING STORMWATER SYSTEM Sacramento’s storm drain system is up to 100 years old, and many levees, pipes and pumps are deteriorating rapidly. Without repairs or improvements, there is increased risk of polluting our rivers and water sources, and of flooding in many communities.

CITY OF SACRAMENTO WATER POLLUTION AND FLOOD PREVENTION MEASURE To continue to protect clean, local water, the City of Sacramento is proposing a ballot measure to fund repairs and improvements to its aging stormwater system, which protects homes, businesses, local rivers and water sources. A new stormwater fee has not been proposed since 1996.

The measure would generate approximately $20 million annually with a fee based on impervious surfaces and would be paid by industrial, commercial and residential property owners, to: z Protect drinking water quality and supplies z Keep trash, pesticides and harmful chemicals out of rivers and creeks z Prevent sewage and human waste from overflowing onto neighborhood streets z Provide safe, clean water for future droughts and emergencies z Replace aging and deteriorating pumps that prevent flooding z Repair aging water pipelines and infrastructure All funds raised would be used only for Sacramento’s stormwater system, subject to citizen oversight and public audits.

Visit cityofsacramento.org/Utilities/Water-Pollution-Flood-Prevention.

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DANILO CAMPOS Originally from Hawaii, Danilo Campos now lives in Sacramento and works as a teacher-librarian at a local high school. His cover painting, Morning Walk, (8” x 10” acrylic on panel) was inspired while training for the Camino de Santiago in 2019.

In January his work is available at Pence Gallery in Davis. Further works can be seen at: https:// camposdanilo.wixsite.com/my-site-1 and on Instagram @dscamposart

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JANUARY 2022 VOL. 8 • ISSUE 12 6 10 12 14 20 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 32 34 38 40

Publisher's Desk Pocket Life Pocket Beat Out & About My Neighbor City Beat Giving Back Animals & Their Allies Inside The County Spirit Matters Garden Jabber Sports Authority Farm To Fork Open Studio Open House Restaurant Insider To Do

Same caring faces.

Same quality care.

Simple new name.

For more than 40 years Yolo Hospice has been living out its mission of providing our unique brand of Quintessential Care for every patient, every family, every time.

With the recent introduction of a new adult day facility called Galileo Place, the formation of a premier community-based palliative care program, and a 3-year-old merger with a longstanding Yolo County program called Citizens Who Care, we thought it was high time to rethink our name.

Clearly, the organization is so much more than just hospice. The essence of all our programs comes down to adding life to days. We support both caregivers and their loved ones who are living with a life-limiting illness . . . no matter where they are in their healthcare journey.

To that end, all of the organization’s offerings are now housed under the new umbrella name, YoloCares..

YoloCares It’s simple and reflects the truth about our broader community.

Citizens Who Care is now the volunteer arm of this shared community treasure.

Our volunteers assist with patient care, provide respite for caregivers, work in the office or answer phones, host fundraisers and golf outings, help maintain the Mastick Therapy Garden, or serve on the Board of Directors.

Wherever you find a place to volunteer at YoloCares, you are a Citizen Who Cares.

Visit www.YoloCares.org to learn more.

Adding life to days

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Erin Uribe Photo by Cecily Hastings

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By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk

‘ONLY KINDNESS MATTERS’ YOUNGER MEMBERS THRIVE IN SALVATION ARMY

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recently joined the Community Advisory Board of the local Del Oro division of The Salvation Army. My financial donations started with my father, who gave my sisters and me dollars to stuff into Red Kettle campaigns at Christmas. My parents loved how the mission helped communities in inner city Detroit, where we grew up. I’ve made donations for more than 60 years.

Recognized throughout the world for its humanitarian work, thrift shops and donation kettles, The Salvation Army is an evangelical Christian church. It has

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one agenda: to meet the human need in the name of God without discrimination.

Because they work on the frontlines where people are in need or suffering, Army workers refer to themselves as soldiers.

Founded in London in 1865 by William Booth, The Salvation Army was designed on a military pattern for effectiveness and efficiency. It operates in more than 130 countries and offers hope in many different forms. Summer camp, after-school programs, preschool, food assistance and holiday toy donations assist struggling families.

Other essential work involves drug and alcohol rehabilitation, shelter and transitional housing.

Shelters are available 24/7 with case management and job resources. Job training programs include culinary work, certified nurse assistant and construction.

I joined a board of Sacramento leaders who help connect the Army to the community. Most advisory members have decades of business, service and community experience.

Our first in-person meeting in November included a presentation

by Erin Uribe, local president of Echelon, the Army’s leadership arm for younger professionals. Echelon engages the next generation through fellowship, networking, fundraising and volunteerism.

“We focus on raising funds and volunteering for the younger generation in our communities,” Uribe says, “while also getting guidance and mentorship from our advisory board, who are professional pillars within our community.”

Uribe’s enthusiasm is a joy.

“The Salvation Army represents

Many Thanks: The Science of Gratitude

By Jessica Maloh & ȉɣȉ ɔˑȉɴȉɷɔू g$ g “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”- Cicero ΤȲ ɔɴʜʁʟʰȉɷȦȲ ʁɅ ɆʟȉʰɔʰʹȬȲ ȬȉʰȲʦ ȥȉȦɦ centuries in the context of philosophy, ʟȲɫɔɆɔʁɷू ȉɷȬ ʦʜɔʟɔʰʹȉɫɔʰ˘े Jɷ ʜʟȲʦȲɷʰ ʰɔɴȲʦू its role in our wellbeing and in our ʟȲɫȉʰɔʁɷʦɏɔʜʦ ɏȉʦ ȥȲȲɷ Ȳ˗ȉɴɔɷȲȬ ʦȦɔȲɷʰɔεȦȉɫɫ˘ू ˒ɔʰɏ ȦʁʹɷʰɫȲʦʦ ȥȲɷȲεʰʦ ȥȲɔɷɆ ȬȲɴʁɷʦʰʟȉʰȲȬे =ʟȉʰɔʰʹȬȲ Ȧȉɷ ȥȲ ʰɏʁʹɆɏʰ ʁɅ as an overall positive orientation to life, and ʰʁ ʰɏȲ ɴȉɷ˘ ɣʁ˘ʦ ȉɷȬ ȬɔΪȦʹɫʰɔȲʦ ʰɏȉʰ ȦʁɴȲ with it. An attitude of gratitude can include ɷʁʰɔȦɔɷɆ ȉɷȬ ˑȉɫʹɔɷɆ ɏȲɫʜ Ʌʟʁɴ ʁʰɏȲʟʦू expressing appreciation, fostering feelings of awe towards loved ones or nature, and focusing on all the good there is in this ʜʟȲʦȲɷʰ ɴʁɴȲɷʰे ȲʦȲȉʟȦɏ ʦʹηȲʦʰʦ ʰɏȉʰ this attitude is associated with adaptive ʜȲʟʦʁɷȉɫɔʰ˘ ʰʟȉɔʰʦू ɔɴʜʟʁˑȲȬ ˒ȲɫɫॼȥȲɔɷɆू ȉɷȬ pro-social behaviours.

Personality jʹɴȲʟʁʹʦ ʦʰʹȬɔȲʦ ɏȉˑȲ ɅʁʹɷȬ ʰɏȉʰ ɆʟȉʰȲɅʹɫ ʜȲʁʜɫȲ ȉʟȲ ɴʁʟȲ Ȳ˗ʰʟʁˑȲʟʰȲȬू ʁʜȲɷॼɴɔɷȬȲȬू and conscientious. In addition, they are less ɫɔɦȲɫ˘ ʰʁ ȥȲ ɷȲʹʟʁʰɔȦू ȉɷɆʟ˘ू ɏʁʦʰɔɫȲू ʁʟ depressed. Overall, having feelings of

ȉʜʜʟȲȦɔȉʰɔʁɷ ȉɷȬ ȉ˒Ȳ ʦȲȲɴ ʰʁ ȥȲ associated with experiencing positive Ȳɴʁʰɔʁɷʦ ɴʁʟȲ ɅʟȲ̍ʹȲɷʰɫ˘े Well-Being ɫȲˑȲɫʦ ʁɅ ʦʰʟȲʦʦ ʁˑȲʟ ʰɔɴȲ ȉɷȬ ʰʁ ɔɴʜʟʁˑȲ ʦɫȲȲʜ ̍ʹȉɫɔʰ˘ ȉɷȬ Ȭʹʟȉʰɔʁɷे ΤʁʦȲ ˒ɏʁ ȉʟȲ ɴʁʟȲ ɆʟȉʰȲɅʹɫ ȉɫʦʁ ʦȲȲɴ ʰʁ ȲɷɆȉɆȲ ɔɷ ɴʁʟȲ ʦȲɫɅॼȦȉʟȲ ȉɷȬ ɏȲȉɫʰɏ ȥȲɏȉˑɔʁʹʟʦ ɫɔɦȲ ɔɴʜʟʁˑɔɷɆ ȬɔȲʰू ȉʰʰȲɷȬɔɷɆ ɴȲȬɔȦȉɫ ȉʜʜʁɔɷʰɴȲɷʰʦू ȉɷȬ ȲɷɆȉɆɔɷɆ ɔɷ ʜɏ˘ʦɔȦȉɫ activity.

Relationships ȦɔȲɷȦȲ ʦʹηȲʦʰʦ ʰɏȉʰ Ȳ˗ʜȲʟɔȲɷȦɔɷɆ gratitude can increase connection and satisfaction in relationships. Having a grateful attitude has been found to ʜʟʁɴʁʰȲ ȦʁɷζɔȦʰ ʟȲʦʁɫʹʰɔʁɷू ȉɷȬ ʰɏȲ reciprocation of helpful actions. With ʰɏȲ ʦʰȉʟʰ ʁɅ ȉ ɷȲ˒ ˘Ȳȉʟू ˒Ȳ ɴȉ˘ ʦȲʰ ȉɷ intention to fostering a positive and ʰɏȉɷɦɅʹɫ ʁʟɔȲɷʰȉʰɔʁɷ ʰʁ ɫɔɅȲे ÂȲ ɴȉ˘ ʟȲȉʜ ʰɏȲ ȥȲɷȲεʰʦ ȥ˘ ɴȉɦɔɷɆ ɆʟȉʰɔʰʹȬȲ lists and going on gratitude visits.

Gratitude Lists On a piece of paper, write down 6 things ˘ʁʹ ȉʟȲ ʰɏȉɷɦɅʹɫ Ʌʁʟे JɅ ʜʁʦʦɔȥɫȲू Ȭʁ ʰɏɔʦ

Ȭȉɔɫ˘ Ʌʁʟ ȉʰ ɫȲȉʦʰ ࢾࣁ Ȭȉ˘ʦे Jɷ ʁɷȲ ʦʰʹȬ˘ ˒ɏȲʟȲ this intervention was done for people with Ȳ˗ȦȲʦʦɔˑȲ ˒ʁʟʟ˘ɔɷɆू ʰɏȲʟȲ ˒ȲʟȲ ʦɔɆɷɔεȦȉɷʰ ȬȲȦʟȲȉʦȲʦ ɔɷ ˒ʁʟʟ˘ɔɷɆ ȦʁɴʜȉʟȲȬ ʰʁ ʰɏʁʦȲ that did not create gratitude lists. In children, this exercise has been found to increase satisfaction and interest in school.

Gratitude Visits A gratitude visit allows you to express ʰɏȉɷɦʦ ʰʁ ʦʁɴȲʁɷȲ ˒ɏʁ ɏȉʦ ɴȉȬȲ ȉ ʦɔɆɷɔεȦȉɷʰ ȬɔΦȲʟȲɷȦȲ ɔɷ ˘ʁʹʟ ɫɔɅȲे ¢ʁ ʜȉʟʰȉɦȲ ɔɷ ʰɏɔʦ ɆʟȉʰɔʰʹȬȲ ʜʟȉȦʰɔȦȲू ˒ʟɔʰȲ ȉ letter highlighting your positive feelings towards this person and your appreciation Ʌʁʟ ʰɏȲɴे jȲ˗ʰू ʜȲʟʦʁɷȉɫɫ˘ ȬȲɫɔˑȲʟ ʰɏȲ ɫȲʰʰȲʟ ȉɷȬ ʟȲȉȬ ɔʰ ʁʹʰ ɫʁʹȬ ʰʁ ʰɏȲɴे $ʁɔɷɆ ʦʁ ɏȉʦ been shown to increase happiness and ȬȲȦʟȲȉʦȲ ȬȲʜʟȲʦʦɔʁɷे Âɏȉʰউʦ ɴʁʟȲ ɔʦ ʰɏȉʰ ʰɏȲʦȲ ȥȲɷȲεʰʦ ɏȉˑȲ ȥȲȲɷ ʦɏʁ˒ɷ ʰʁ ȥȲ ɴȉɔɷʰȉɔɷȲȬ Ʌʁʟ ȉʰ ɫȲȉʦʰ ࢾ ɴʁɷʰɏ ȉδȲʟ ȉ ˑɔʦɔʰॄ Âɔʰɏ ʰɏȲ ɴȉɷ˘ ɫɔʦʰʦ ȉɷȬ ˑɔʦɔʰʦ ˒Ȳউɫɫ ɏȉˑȲ ɔɷ this new year, let us gratitude along for the ʟɔȬȲे Jʰ ˒ɔɫɫ ȉɫɫʁ˒ ʹʦ ʰʁ ʦȲȲ ɴʁʟȲ ʁɅ ʰɏȲ ɆʁʁȬ ȉʟʁʹɷȬ ʹʦू ʰʁ ȥʟɔɷɆ ʁʹʰ ɴʁʟȲ ʁɅ ʰɏȲ ɆʁʁȬ within us, and to spread it to all who cross our path.

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philanthropy, kindness and faith— three things that are extremely important to me,” Uribe says. “I believe the world needs more of these things, and I am honored to be a part

Erin Uribe with her son Nolan

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of something that not only spreads this message, but actually does the work.”

The challenges to service organizations under the pandemic affected Echelon. “We are reorganizing our board and membership goals,” Uribe says. “We also are making it top priority to ensure that Echelon members align with the morals, values and vision of The Salvation Army.

“We are focusing on building a quality group of dedicated, emerging professionals, and we are currently recruiting for folks that want to contribute to our mission.”

Fundraising is a big part of the mission. Before the pandemic, the group held an annual gala that raised more than $40,000.

In recent years Echelon funded two important projects for The Salvation Army’s Alhambra Boulevard campus: a remodeled Teen Center and refinished basketball court. The Teen Room has couches, board games, video game systems, ping pong, foosball and more, all purchased by Echelon.

“The Echelon board has given me a window into how The Salvation Army functions at a larger scale, and I continue to be impressed with not only the way they operate, but the individuals that they employ. The

officers give their blood, sweat and tears to the Army, and it is extremely inspiring to see,” she says.

Originally from the East Coast, Uribe, her husband and young son live in Fair Oaks. Her career is media marketing. She’s deeply involved with Saint John’s Program for Real Change.

“I serve as one of the two Girl Scout leaders for their in-house troop,” she says.

“From a very young age, my brother and I were taught to give back your time, your resources, whatever it is that you can give,” Uribe says. “My mother was someone that never did anything for recognition, and she always taught us this was just what we do for fellow human beings. Her motto is, ‘In the end, only kindness matters,’ and she ingrained that in me.”

Under pandemic restrictions, vital in-person social and community ties were severed for many young adults.

Countless local people in this age group—especially singles—feel detached and depressed.

That’s another reason why I was impressed with Uribe and Echelon.

They represent a path forward for young adults in a positive and energetic group dedicated to helping those less fortunate.

To join or learn more about Echelon, contact Uribe at erinuribe99@gmail. com.

Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com.

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

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Photo courtesy of Tracy Brown Photography

Fowl Play SANDHILL CRANES ARE A TRIP WORTH TAKING

I

t was dusk and in the distance I saw birds in flight. I couldn’t guess their numbers, but as they came closer, I knew there were many hundreds.

The unique trumpet sound of sandhill cranes grew louder as they glided into

CM

By Corky Mau Pocket Life

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POC JAN n 22

the flooded fields off Interstate 5. I was mesmerized and wondered, what took me so long to see this?

Last month, I spent a few hours at the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve with my neighbor, Jane Adams. Adams, former executive director for the California Park and Recreation Society, is a volunteer docent with the sandhill crane tour program operated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“I got hooked on these cranes after my first bus tour of Woodbridge,” Adams says. “That was 17 years ago. It was a beautiful sight, seeing thousands

Jane Adams Photo by Aniko Kiezel

Why Catricala Real Estate?

Casanya Ursery Photo by Aniko Kiezel

We’re your neighbors. We know and live Pocket/Greenhaven.

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Sandhill cranes have migrated to the Central Valley for thousands of years.

Two subspecies, greater and lesser, travel to our delta wetlands. They arrive in September and depart in early March. It’s estimated that perhaps 8,000 cranes winter near Sacramento.

Besides the Woodbridge Reserve (also known as Isenberg Sandhill Crane Reserve), other spots to view these birds include the Cosumnes River Preserve, Staten Island south of Walnut Grove and Merced Wildlife Refuge.

The cranes congregate in marshes that contain rice, corn, wheat and barley. It’s the perfect spot to roost after a journey that starts in Alaska.

You can pull off I-5 to view the cranes. But going on a docent-led tour is more educational. You will learn about crane behavior and see other wintering

Sandhill cranes have migrated to the Central Valley for thousands of years. Two subspecies, greater and lesser, travel to our delta wetlands.

waterfowl. More importantly, you can view cranes on gated, private lands managed by the state.

Many docents are members of local Audubon chapters. They are avid birders. “I absolutely love being a docent. I enjoy seeing the joy and wonderment in people’s eyes as they watch the cranes fly into our delta waters,” Adams says.

Sunset tours with docents take place every weekend through the end of February. To sign up, call (209) 2343435 or visit wildlife.ca.gov/regions/3/ crane-tour. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to get Adams as your guide.

LIFE PRINCIPLES “How to Build a Boat” is a story about four best friends who set out to build a boat and learn four key life principles: Be a good human. Own it.

Always be collaborating. Think big.

These goals are the mantra for Unite Us, a tech group that connects health care and social service providers, and employs author and Pocket resident Casanya Ursery.

I met Ursery several years ago when she worked for City Councilmember Rick Jennings. Her current duties involve coordinating health care networks for underserved communities.

“Although this children’s book was inspired by my work at Unite Us, I believe that these are great principles for anyone at any age,” Ursery says.

“This was a dream project for me. The pandemic and upheaval of the past two

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years made me realize that I had the time to tackle a long-lost dream—write children’s books.”

“How to Build a Boat” is available in paperback and Kindle formats on Amazon.

NEIGHBOR MEETUPS Lina Lee and her family moved to Greenhaven during the pandemic.

Formerly a resident of Natomas, she didn’t waste time immersing herself into our community. Last May, she posted a message to Nextdoor asking, “Ready to socialize? Who wants to walk?” People responded.

Now a walking group meets weekly to walk the Pocket Canal. Lee has expanded activities to include Asian cooking classes and potluck game nights. If you want to join, email Lee at smiling4lina@gmail.com.

Corky Mau can be reached at corky. sue50@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month.

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

We’re Looking For Interesting Homes To Feature Inside Sacramento is looking for creative homes to feature in upcoming editions of Open House.

Send recommendations to Cathryn Rakich at editor@insidepublications.com.

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11

Let’s Get Moving

CITY TRAFFIC PLAN WILL HELP MAKE CONNECTIONS

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

S

ome people get frustrated when local government tells them something obvious. Not me. I find it satisfying, even comforting, to see a municipal report that validates precisely what I’ve been saying all along.

The Pocket Greenhaven Transportation Plan is one such document. The plan is a big deal, sponsored by the city to establish priorities and expenditures in traffic safety and connectivity for decades to come. The work started before the pandemic. Now it’s nearing the finish line.

Bureaucratic delays, combined with a reluctance to bring large groups together in town halls under COVID-19, slowed the project. Opportunities for public discourse were limited. But final opinions are now being solicited, leaving local City Councilmember Rick Jennings

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By R.E. Graswich Pocket Beat

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with a clear picture of community traffic priorities.

Looking at drafts of the transportation plan, three key themes emerge. They seem basic, the sort of stuff a child could grasp. But the conclusions are nice to see, no matter how simple, certified by consultants with fancy titles and high pay scales.

First, people in Pocket and Greenhaven are serious about alternative forms of transportation, especially bicycles. They love bike paths that wind through the community and were part of the magic 50 years ago when streets, parks, schools and retail areas were laid out. They want more walkability and cycle access, especially along the Sacramento River levee.

Second, residents don’t like Pocket Road. This isn’t because Pocket Road is congested or ugly—it’s neither—but because too many drivers treat it like a freeway. They speed. They ignore crosswalks and stop signs. Pocket Road has a diabolical ability to suck normal, respectful neighbors into a vortex of dangerous behavior. It makes people drive like idiots, as if they stole the car.

Finally, the intersection of Florin Road and Greenhaven Drive, along with its approaches and exits from Lake Crest Village shopping center and Nugget Market, are awful. While the

city has improved traffic signal timing and signage, the corner is the most fearsome spot in the community for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. It’s a mess.

Consultants reviewed piles of data, including accident reports, moving violations, traffic volumes and analytics from bike-share companies. They studied how comfortable people are about walking, cycling and driving.

They organized listening sessions and conducted polls.

What they learned was familiar. A sample: “Feelings of discomfort or lack of safety due to poor driver behavior.”

“Desire for increased police enforcement to address poor driver behavior.”

“Desire for safer, more comfortable street crossings for walking, especially along roads where marked crosswalks were far apart or speeding vehicles were prevalent.”

“Feeling unsafe while riding in bike lanes on major roads.”

Another non-surprise involved foot and bicycle access to the river levee.

I’ve banged the drum on this outrage for nine years. Thankfully, full access will arrive with the completion of levee repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Illegal private gates that block levee access are being removed. The city plans to pave gravel sections of the levee, hopefully next year. The route will serve as a proud legacy for Jennings.

The transportation plan highlights public demand for eight new levee access points between Dutra Bend Drive and Grangers Dairy Drive. Access will ring the community one day soon. The levee has been denied us for almost 50 years. The public is eager to savor Sacramento’s crown jewel.

Pocket and Greenhaven are home to about 36,500 people. Like most suburbs, it’s a commuter village. Among the working population, only 600 live and work in Pocket while 16,000 commute to jobs elsewhere.

The city commissioned the transportation plan because it figured Pocket and Greenhaven needed a refresh from circa-1970 traffic designs.

The refresh proved we need slower cars and better river access. Great ambitions, even if some of us knew it all along.

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

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The Brubeck Brothers Quartet— Dan Brubeck, Chris Brubeck, Mike DeMicco and Chuck Lamb—celebrates Dave Brubeck’s 100th birthday.

Photo by Anthony Pidgeon

Bringing Back Brubeck CONCERT CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL OF JAZZ GREAT

I

n honor of the late great jazz giant Dave Brubeck’s 100th birthday, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet will present a concert Wednesday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at the Crest Theatre on K Street. Proceeds benefit Friends of Sacramento Arts.

Prior to the concert, nearly 1,000 high school jazz musicians from local

JL

By Jessica Laskey Out & About

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schools will participate in a workshop with quartet members Dan and Chris Brubeck (Dave Brubeck’s sons), guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb.

The workshop will be followed by the concert featuring stories and music that celebrate Brubeck’s extraordinary life and career.

Funds raised will benefit arts education programming for K–12 schoolchildren in Sacramento County through Friends of Sacramento Arts, a consortium of education, arts and community leaders founded to support the city’s Creative Edge plan.

Tickets to the Brubeck Jazz Music Celebration are $10 for students and $45 for the general public. For tickets and more information, visit

friendsofsacramentoarts.org/brubeckbrothers-quartet-concert.

MCKINLEY ROSE PRUNE-A-THON The community is invited to join the McKinley Park Volunteer Corps on Saturday, Jan. 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the annual “prune-a-thon” in the McKinley Rose Garden.

Dedicated rose lovers—or rosarians—gather each year to ready the more than 1,200 rose bushes for spring blooms. Everyone is welcome, no experience is required. Expert rosarians will teach volunteers how to prune. Help is also needed to remove

rose bush trimmings and rake in the garden.

“We have more than 30 dedicated deadheading volunteers who worked hard to remove the spent blooms each week,” says Nisa Hayden, who oversees care of the garden for the nonprofit.

“This kept the new blooms coming all summer long. But each year, we need more neighbors to help with this vital volunteer job.”

While some equipment and garden supplies will be provided, volunteers are asked to bring a pair of garden gloves, buckets and bypass pruning shears if they have them. Be sure to wear a hat and bring water. Following the prunea-thon, workers will enjoy a hot soup lunch by Chef Jill Zenti.

Join rose-loving volunteers for the annual McKinley Rose Garden “prune-a-thon.”

Because the majority of the park’s roses are newer cultivars with patent protection, rose cuttings will not be available this year. Volunteers may collect rose petals after the prune-athon.

The garden, a popular wedding spot, was renovated in 2012 and is managed

by Friends of East Sacramento and maintained by volunteers.

The prune-a-thon will be held rain or shine at the corner of H and 33rd streets. To RSVP or for more information, call (916) 452-8011 or email mckinleyrosegarden@gmail.com.

FEEDING HEALS Carmichael second-grader Yahya Dadres has won the national Ordinary

Kids Change the World Challenge organized by Penguin Young Readers and iCivics. Students submitted ideas on how to change the world for the better.

The challenge was inspired by the best-selling picture book series, “Ordinary People Change the World”

by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Winning in the individual student category, Dadres received $2,500 to help make his idea a reality. Another $2,500 prize was awarded to a K–3 classroom. Each winner also received a meeting with a mentor and a library of “Ordinary People Change the World” books.

A panel of judges selected Dadres’ idea for an app—called Feeding Heals—that connects people who need food to those who have food to give.

“We were talking about hunger and feeling terrible for these people out in the streets who don’t have food,” says Dadres’ mother, Hanan Aabid.

“We thought about how in a household pantry, you sometimes don’t touch certain things for a year or more, so the idea became how to get this food to people who don’t have it. It’s about neighbors helping neighbors.”

The Feeding Heals app will allow users to list extra food they have and match with other users who’ve listed their needs. Aabid is helping her son develop the app by taking coding classes and getting help from friends in the tech industry with the goal of releasing the app early this year.

For more information, email feedingheals@gmail.com or follow on Twitter: @Feedingheals.

For those interested in securing admission to the entire season in advance, SOSS is now offering subscriptions—live, literary, professional art for less than the cost of a movie ticket. Admission at the door is still only $10, but you can purchase the entire season of 10 events for $90.

Subscribers will also receive a free e-book of SOSS’ recently released anthology “Twenty Twenty: 43 Stories from a Year Like No Other,” edited

by SOSS Co-Director Dorothy Rice, as well as 20 drawing tickets for a chance to win a featured book at each performance. For more information, visit storiesonstagesacramento.com.

STORIES ON STAGE

Yahya Dadres wins Ordinary Kids Change the World Challenge for his app that connects people with food.

The award-winning literary performance series Stories on Stage Sacramento is returning to in-person performances after two seasons of virtual programming.

The 2022 season will be presented at the CLARA auditorium at 2420 N St., and will include authors Jess Walter, Steph Cha, Steve Almond, Gina Frangello, Kate Milliken and others, with professional local actors reading their work aloud.

The season kicks off with a welcomeback party on Friday, Jan. 28, from 7–8:30 p.m. at CLARA to celebrate the Sacramento literary community and thank SOSS patrons who stuck by the nonprofit during the pandemic. The event will feature author talks, food and drink. Proceeds from the event will go toward author and actor stipends.

David Vanderbout, artistic director for the Sacramento Children’s Chorus, holds auditions this month.

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CHILDREN’S CHORUS The Sacramento Children’s Chorus is holding auditions for singers in fifth through 12th grade on Tuesday, Jan. 11, for its current season under new Artistic Director David Vanderbout.

“This is an organization with such a rich and vibrant legacy, and I truly look forward to advancing the mission of bringing exceptional music education and performance experiences to our singers,” Vanderbout says.

“As we return to singing together in person, I am confident that the

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2021-2022 season will hold many opportunities to create beautiful choral music, grow together in the neverending journey to become better singers and musicians, and foster a community like only choir can.”

Vanderbout is the choral director at El Camino Fundamental High School where he has expanded the choral program into multiple award-winning ensembles. He also directs the choral program at Arden Middle School and River City Chorale. For more information, visit sacramentochildrenschorus.org.

Registration is open for Girls on the Run of Greater Sacramento.

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GIRLS ON THE RUN

FLOYD FARMS

Registration is now open for Girls on the Run of Greater Sacramento’s 2022 season of inspiring programming that focuses on confidence building through physical fitness.

Founded in 2002, Girls on the Run of Greater Sacramento is an independent council of Girls on the Run International, which has more than 200 councils across the U.S. The program’s trained coaches use physical activity and dynamic discussions to build social, emotional and physical skills in every girl while encouraging healthy habits for life.

“The past year and a half has been hard on Sacramento’s girls,” says Board Chair Kara Greene. “Girls face social pressures and conflicting messages about how they should act and who they should be.

“Studies show that by adolescence, girls’ confidence drops about twice as much as boys’. Stressors related to COVID-19 have undoubtedly affected girls, between social isolation, anxiety and more limited opportunities for physical activity. Girls need us now more than ever.”

In 2019, Girls on the Run registered 600 girls and created 45 communityimpact projects, providing financial assistance to 42% of program participants. For more information, visit gotrsac.org.

After more than six years of hard work, Food Literacy Center’s new home at Floyd Farms, located at Leataata Floyd Elementary School on McClatchy Way, is finally open.

The 4,500-square-foot facility is owned by Sacramento City Unified School District, but will be operated by the nonprofit Food Literacy Center as its new headquarters.

Situated on 2.5 acres, the center features a cooking classroom for 30-plus students, a commercial kitchen to prep food for literacy programs in Title 1 elementary schools across the district and student gardens for hands-on learning.

The facility will serve the 330 elementary school students enrolled at Leataata Floyd Elementary, their families, students throughout the district and community members.

For more information, visit foodliteracycenter.org.

AIRFIELD PARK The first phase of construction at Airfield Park in North Natomas is now complete with 4.4 acres available for public use.

The park boasts a compass-rose central plaza surrounded by a children’s aeronautical-themed playground with an airplane and 60-foot track ride.

There’s also a picnic area with seating

for 60 that includes shade structures, a grill, table tennis, corn hole and more.

Master planned in 2006, the park was put on hold during the 2008 recession until the city of Sacramento secured $1.7 million to fund phase one in 2020. Future improvements will include developing an additional 5 acres of parkland, more shade canopies, a multipurpose sports court, turf volleyball courts and horseshoe courts.

Phase two construction, which will be funded with $1.5 million in Park Impact fees, is expected to be completed by this summer.

SAC PHILHARMONIC Giuliano Kornberg, the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera’s chief revenue and development officer, will succeed Alice Sauro as executive director beginning Feb. 1.

“I am honored to have been selected as the next executive director and I thank the board for entrusting me with this responsibility,” says Kornberg, a Minnesota native and Stanford University alumnus.

“I am particularly grateful to Alice, to whom I owe so much of my professional growth and leadership development. I have fallen in love with Sacramento in the five years that I’ve been here and I look forward to continue serving this community through great music.”

Kornberg’s work with the organization has focused on developing donor and community relationships to secure the organization’s fiscal stability under the mentorship of Sauro, who will stay on as a senior adviser. During Sauro’s six-year tenure, concerts were sold to near capacity and fundraising more than tripled.

The Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera will present “Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto” on Jan. 22, “Opera Favorites” on Feb. 12, “Romantic Rachmaninoff” on March 5 and “The Barber of Seville” on May 7, conducted by Christoph Campestrini.

For tickets and more information, visit sacphilopera.org.

LATINA AWARDS The Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce recently presented its annual Latina Estrella Awards honoring the work of local Latina advocates, business owners and community leaders.

The 2021 Rising Estrella Award went to Paula Villescaz who serves on the San Juan Unified School District Board. The Inspiration Estrella Award was given to Shayne Corriea-Fernandez from Shayne Corriea Financial Group.

The Champion Estrella Award went to West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero. The Legacy Estrella Award was presented to Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry from the 4th California Assembly District.

“We are embracing our power in a shifting America,” says Cathy Rodriguez Aguirre, Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president/CEO. “Latinas are a moving force in our communities and an inspiration for future generations. We are proud of this cohort of Latina leaders and invite everyone to celebrate their accomplishments.”

For more information, visit sachcc. org/estrella.

Aerospace Museum of California resumes student and group tours.

Happy Next Year!

61 Properties Sold in 2021 1390 Palomar Circle 2719 Land Park Drive 7216 Willow Wind Court 1454 Kitchner Road 10030 Blossom Ridge Drive 3824 Riviera Lane 86 Northlite Circle 7117 Gladwin Way 2509 Montgomery Way 80 Cavalcade Circle 1148 8th Avenue 5530 Birdview Way 3112 Gennaker Way 7430 Myrtle Vista Avenue 1225 35th Street 468 Pimentel Way 616 Q Street 3353 11th Street 2901 Tree Swallow Circe 7359 Perera Circle 637 Riverlake Way

6930 Sailboat Way 8023 Ingleside Way 468 Pimentel Way 1225 10th Avenue 569 Leeward Way 6805 Pocket Road 7215 Harbor Light Way 221 Audubon Circle 3817 1st Avenue 6729 Swenson Way 8860 Brecon Way 7757 Oakshore Drive 5430 Gilgunn Way 7691 Howerton Drive 1723 5th Avenue 799 Crestwater Lane 2624 Chestnut Hill Drive 15 Oceanfront Court 6689 Gloria Drive 9637 Adams Street 2646 36th Street

3824 Riviera Lane 22 Chart Court 2958 14th Street 4656 American River Drive 7746 El Douro Drive 3332 Deforest Way #7 7751 River Landing Drive 4309 Duke Drive 6759 Langrell Way 1427 Los Padres Way 86 Northlite Circle 293 Rivertree Way 675 Castle River Way 7541 Jojoba Court 8154 Kramer Ranch Way 9101 Santorini Drive 3815 Venice Place 6772 Frates Way 3815 Venice Place

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GRAND JURY Sacramento County’s Superior Court is seeking new jurors to serve on the 2022-2023 Sacramento County Grand Jury. Nineteen Sacramento County residents and 11 alternates will be selected to serve from July 1 to June 30, 2023.

The Grand Jury is the independent watchdog over county government agencies and services. Jurors investigate the performance of county, city and local governing entities, such as school districts, criminal justice, health and welfare agencies. The Grand Jury is also authorized to hear criminal indictments.

“The Grand Jury is entrusted by the public to investigate and report on local government operations and to ensure responsibilities are being fulfilled honestly and with integrity,” explains Grand Jury Foreperson Deanna Hanson.

Last year, the Grand Jury issued a report on COVID-19 vaccine mandates for K–12 public schools and a report regarding serious safety concerns facing the Del Paso Manor Water District.

Anyone may file a complaint against a county government entity with the Grand Jury. All Grand Jury activities

are conducted in secrecy. Jurors act as volunteers and receive a small stipend for their work.

The deadline to apply is Jan. 28.

Applicants must live in Sacramento County and be over 18. For more information and to apply, visit sacgrandjury.org.

COHOUSING COMMUNITY Washington Commons, an innovative cohousing condominium community, recently broke ground in West Sacramento at 4th and G streets.

The site is walking distance to Sutter Health Park, Tower Bridge, Crocker Art Museum, and the Sacramento River’s bike and pedestrian paths.

The project was started by a group of local community members who sought the benefits of urban living with collaborative neighbors. They formed an LLC to develop the property and engaged the services of a professional team that includes Urban Development + Partners, CoHousing Solutions, Mahlum Architects, MFA Architecture and Planning, and Harrison

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Construction, with a construction loan from Five Star Bank.

“We think this is perfect for people who want to live near their work and for others who are looking to downsize and live in a walkable urban location,” co-founder Anne Geraghty says.

The community will consist of 35 single-level, private one- and twobedroom condominiums, as well as a communal great room for gatherings and workshops, guest rooms, a large terrace and other shared spaces designed to promote and support social connection. For more information, visit washington-commons.org.

MUSEUM TOURS

VISIT

insidesacramento.com

Many Sacramento area museums have resumed group and student tours, in addition to virtual educational offerings.

Aerospace Museum of California has STEM-focused school tours featuring historic aircraft in the 4-acre outdoor Air Park. California Museum offers seven onsite and three online learning programs highlighting a variety of California topics for grades second through 12.

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California State Railroad Museum holds daily group tours included with admission. Crocker Art Museum now offers 50-minute in-person school tours with themes for grades K–12.

Locke Boarding House Museum has docent-led tours of the quaint historic town of Locke. Maidu Museum & Historic Site in Roseville features California Indian exhibits and walking trails. For more museums and information, visit sacmuseums.org.

PROSPERITY PARTNERS Five regional organizations have joined forces to form The Prosperity Partnership to implement a strategic framework and action plan of economic initiatives in the six-county Sacramento region.

Joining forces are the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento Area Council of Governments and Valley Vision.

“Our Path Forward: The Prosperity Strategy,” released in May 2020, parallels the goals and strategies of the region’s “Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy” and includes initiatives over the next five years that focus on a cluster-based economy, infrastructure investments and a sectorbased workforce.

The Prosperity Partnership had two recent legislative victories that will amount to millions in investment for inclusive economic development. Up to $38 million in funding was approved for Green Means Go, a multi-year pilot to lower greenhouse gas emissions through infill development, increased mobility options and accelerated electric vehicle deployment.

A one-time federal allocation of $600 million through the American Rescue Plan Act for the Community Economic Resilience Fund will support regional collaboratives in planning and implementing inclusive economic strategies. For more information, visit theprosperitystrategy.org.

ASK A NURSE LIVE La Familia Counseling Center and HealthImpact have teamed up to bring Ask a Nurse LIVE to Hispanic/Latino communities and help individuals make informed decisions about the COVID-19 vaccine. Bilingual volunteer registered nurses are available Monday through Saturday from 4–7 p.m.

Community members break ground at Washington Commons in West Sacramento.

The rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations for elementary schoolchildren has created barriers for some Latino families who often do not have transportation to get children to and from appointments. Lack of paid family leave and inflexible work schedules also contribute to vaccination delays. Many parents do not have designated health care providers or convenient access to health information from medical professionals.

“Culturally responsive information is a critical step in creating vaccine confidence and improving vaccination rates in our community,” says Rachel Rios, executive director of La Familia Counseling Center.

Using a customized telehealth platform, Ask a Nurse LIVE connects volunteer registered nurses via face-toface video chats and is available for both English and Spanish speakers. For more information, visit askanurse.live.

WATER-WISE REBATE Local water providers are offering up to $15,000 for water-wise landscape upgrades at commercial, industrial and institutional properties, such as schools, churches and businesses located within five miles of the Lower American River.

“Our goal is to make it easy for business and institutional customers to reduce their water use while also improving water quality,” says Amy Talbot, water efficiency program manager for the Regional Water Authority, which administers the program.

In the Sacramento region, most of the water used daily goes on lawns and landscaping, and about a third is lost

due to overwatering and evaporation.

“This program is designed to prevent the overwatering and runoff that carries fertilizers and pesticides from landscapes into the storm drain and directly into our rivers, streams and creeks,” Talbot says.

Qualifying properties can receive funding to replace lawns with lowwater plants and trees, and to upgrade irrigation with high-efficiency sprinkler heads, weather-based controllers, drip irrigation and more. Rebate funding covers both equipment and professional installation.

The program is available on a firstcome, first-served basis until funding is gone. For more information, email rwaciiprogram@gmail.com or call (916) 967-7653.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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INSIDE

OUT

Run to Feed the Hungry PHOTOS BY LEAH GARIS Run to Feed the Hungry was back Thanksgiving Day. The largest annual fun run in the country brought in nearly $1 million for the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. Every dollar raised pays for five meals.

More than 27,000 people participated in the run and had fun while raising money for people in need.

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My Neighbor A MAYOR WHO WAS SO MUCH MORE

BY RICK STEVENSON

M

y neighbor always loved to garden. For this chore she often wore camouflage overalls, handmade by herself. Many of the clothes she wore to work were sewn at home, cut from patterns arranged with fabric on her dining room table. She was special that way, and remarkable in many other ways.

My neighbor was a communityminded woman. She loved to ride Regional Transit buses and eventually light rail trains, a system she helped create. She loved the bike paths that run along our two rivers. She believed people should spend time outdoors and enjoy life together.

She rallied neighbors to look after each other. She was a fixture on our street, reliable, sturdy and beloved, living with her family in the same Land Park house for 63 years.

My neighbor was 97 when she died on Thanksgiving. Her passing was not completely unexpected. But the street is something less today, diminished

by loss. We know we will never have another neighbor like Anne Rudin.

When someone lives in the same house for 63 years, her presence transcends history. That’s how I remember my neighbor. She had a timeless quality, a gentle, steady, caring aura that never faltered.

As a kid, I delivered The Bee on my bicycle, careful not to miss my neighbor’s porch. The memory of a boy tossing newspapers from a bike seems ancient today, like the Halloween party the Rudin family arranged for neighborhood children. We dunked for apples—another memory from a distant past.

I enjoyed spending time with my neighbor’s family, her husband Ed, daughters Nancy and fraternal twins Carol and Barbara, and son Jay. We shared a love of citrus trees. When the fruit ripened I would walk across the street and trade citrus with my neighbor.

She was interested in politics, and reminders of her involvement could be seen each time my neighbor opened her garage door. A wall in her garage was

WHEN SOMEONE LIVES IN THE SAME HOUSE FOR 63 YEARS, HER PRESENCE TRANSCENDS HISTORY. THAT’S HOW I REMEMBER MY NEIGHBOR. SHE HAD A TIMELESS QUALITY, A GENTLE, STEADY, CARING AURA THAT NEVER FALTERED.

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covered with old wooden lawn signs from a political campaign she ran in 1971. The signs were unusual because they featured a flower logo. Not many political campaigns feature flowers these days.

People who didn’t know my neighbor might be tempted to use the word “politician” to describe her. I would never use that word. When I think of how politicians operate and consider the forces that motivate them, I know

those realities would never apply to my neighbor.

Her actions were never self-serving or promotional. My neighbor cared only about what was best for her city.

Nothing else mattered.

My neighbor received a measure of fame and notoriety, but they had no impact on her. I once found a college political science textbook that mentioned her as an example of how times were changing in politics. I gave her a copy. She had no idea she was in the book.

Some years later, my sister, Pinki Cockrell, gave my neighbor aerial photos showing the growth of Sacramento from the 1970s to the early 1990s. The photos revealed massive changes. My neighbor was concerned about growth and didn’t think it was all for the best.

My neighbor was elected mayor in 1983. She served two terms. Prior to that, she spent 12 years as a City Council member. Throughout her career at City Hall, she had no retinue, no hangers-on. She guided the City Council, always as a friend, never as a bully.

She was a wonderful neighbor. For everyone else in Sacramento, she was the leader we could count on, who wanted nothing in return and who put flowers on her campaign signs.

Rick Stevenson can be reached at stevenson-richard@sbcglobal.net. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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No Obligation MAYOR’S HOUSING PROMISE IS WORST IDEA YET

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

N

ow we know how Darrell Steinberg’s political story ends. The mayor doesn’t fade away to cheers from sports fans thankful for the soccer stadium he coaxed into existence.

There is no stadium. He doesn’t salute a revitalized embarcadero along the Sacramento River. There is no new waterfront.

But there are 11,000 homeless people.

After years of parliamentary gamesmanship, passionate speeches, tax hikes and wasted opportunities, Steinberg will be remembered for one thing—how he took Sacramento and turned it into the capital of homelessness.

The mayor’s “Housing Right and Obligation Act” is the final act for a

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By R.E. Graswich City Beat

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POC JAN n 22

politician obsessed with homelessness and his inability to end it. Consumed by the nightmare of grimy tents, trash piles and schizophrenics speaking in riddles, Steinberg has lost the ability to think straight.

Thankfully, his “Housing Right and Obligation Act” is dead on arrival.

City Council members itemized the problems: Huge legal exposure. No funding. No staffing. No alignments with current programs. No county participation.

“To say that the city must create housing for 11,000 people simply isn’t going to happen,” Councilmember Jeff Harris says.

“There’s no way for us to provide these services,” Councilmember Angelique Ashby says.

“We need a good understanding about how we’re putting ourselves out there and what our risks are,” Councilmember Jay Schenirer says.

“We can’t do this by ourselves.”

But Steinberg is relentless. He believes free housing is the best way to free the sidewalks of tents. In theory, he’s right. But as a practical matter, he might as well offer local

homeless people 11,000 new red Teslas.

The “Housing Right and Obligation Act” comes in two parts. Steinberg claims the pieces fit together in synergy—a carrot and stick to entice homeless people in from the rain. But he’s disingenuous.

The two parts don’t fit together.

There’s no conjunction between the mayor’s housing right and the obligation of homeless people to accept it. For homeless people, there are no obligations.

Steinberg claims he would evict street campers who refuse citysponsored housing. But there’s no mandate to bulldoze illegal settlements and the squalor and crime they promote. Sidewalk evictions are merely a suggestion.

The mayor pretends the word “obligation” applies to homeless people, but his proposal puts the legal weight exclusively on the city’s shoulders. If Sacramento fails to provide free housing for 11,000 homeless people, plus those en route, Steinberg creates a glide path to litigation. He invites the unsheltered

to sue. And he leaves the city nearly helpless to defend itself.

To steer his free housing scheme away from Fantasy Island, the mayor adds a tissue-thin condition of residency. The condition is almost funny.

Steinberg wants shelter-seekers to present evidence that they spent a year in Sacramento before claiming their free home. What sort of evidence? Well, whatever. Cardboard scraps scribbled with street addresses should work. The mayor provides no guidance on how or who will validate such documents.

To qualify for free housing, a person must simply give “the name or locations where the claimant has lived for the 12 months preceding the date of the claim.” Sacramento will become a promised land for people living rough from Los Angeles to Seattle.

Finally, the mayor provides no duties for people who enjoy free housing. There are no obligations for sobriety, treatment or even non-violence. There is certainly no pressure for anyone to find a job.

TO PAGE 25

Playing For

Keeps James Broderick Photo by Linda Smolek

GUITARS FOR VETS CONNECTS PEOPLE THROUGH MUSIC

JL

By Jessica Laskey Giving Back: Volunteer Profile

I

f you are interested in music and making new friends, James Broderick has a perfect opportunity.

Broderick is volunteer coordinator for the Sacramento chapter of Guitars for Vets, a national nonprofit that provides free guitar instruction to struggling veterans.

“The vets we serve have been referred to us by counselors and therapists at the VA and lessons are held at VA facilities,” Broderick says. “Few of the vets we teach have any musical experience. For the most part, we’re talking raw beginners.

“Our goal for 2022 is to expand our volunteer corps dramatically and unleash an army of guitar players upon the world.”

A guitar player since high school, Broderick read about Guitars for Vets in Inside Sacramento and immediately got involved. “It’s like an annuity,” he says. “You put all this energy into it, it’s time to start getting some energy out.”

The Marin County native, McGeorge School of Law alum and former Sacramento News & Review account executive was acquainted with veterans through his insurance business, which serves first responders.

Broderick says many clients suffer from PTSD. Playing a musical instrument can help. “You know that space you go to when you’re playing?” he says. “That’s where I want to bring these people.”

After two years with Guitars for Vets, Broderick became the volunteer coordinator and now oversees a team of five that he hopes to expand, particularly in East Sacramento, where Broderick has lived with his family for decades.

“I see a future where 15 guitar players from East Sac join me in reaching vets,” he says. “Not only would those players be supporting true heroes, they’ll advance their own playing. And they’ll meet one another helping their fellow Americans.”

Volunteers are not required to be expert musicians. Lessons are “more in the realm of companionship as much as musicality— we’re not concerned with how great a guitarist you are, we’re more concerned with how great a person you are,” Broderick says.

Volunteers meet face-to-face with a veteran once a week for 10 weeks, after which the veteran is given a guitar.

“After having tragically lost my guitar in a prior incident, having a lended guitar to play made me feel comforted and trusted again,” says John Williams, a recent graduate.

For Army veteran Raymond Ledesma, lessons were a “good reprieve” after losing his wife. “I’m working on Johnny Lee’s ‘Looking for Love’ so I can get on the stage and play with him one day,” says Ledesma, who ran a bar in Branson, Missouri, that was frequented by the likes of Lee, Glen Campbell and Andy Williams.

For Air Force veteran Donald Sneed, the experience was “very surreal for someone who’d never picked up a guitar a day in his life,” but it relieved stress from his PTSD. “It’s good to have a commitment to go to, to get me out of the house. It can be tough to get to the sessions but it’s worth it once you’re there. It’s more than just playing the guitar.”

“The lessons benefit both parties,” Broderick says. “It’s very emotionally impactful. There’s a lot of bad news around and a lot of red and blue America, so you don’t have that many opportunities to really share moments with one another. Politics don’t matter in music. All of us know Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash. It feels great to leave the posturing outside and sit in with a fellow American for a common purpose. It’s a really powerful thing to do.”

For information, email ca.sacramento@guitarsforvets.org.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com.

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

POC n INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

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Here And Gone Photos by Linda Smolek

HELP STOP DEER POACHING ON AMERICAN RIVER PARKWAY

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heir weapon is a crossbow— gunshots draw attention. They skulk under cover of darkness, late at night and early in the morning.

Night-vision optics help locate their targets—big bucks with large antlers.

The bigger, the better.

“They call the arrow a bolt,” says Tim McGinn, wildlife advocate, nature photographer and longtime member of the American River Natural History Association. “The tips are like five little razor blades. If they hit them in the lungs or chest area, the deer will last maybe two or three minutes. It’s lethal.”

This is poaching—the illegal taking of fish and wildlife—and it’s a reality along the American River Parkway, where it’s never legal to hunt, McGinn says. “Never. No hunting. No guns.”

October through late January is rutting (or breeding) season for hooved

CR

By Cathryn Rakich Animals & Their Allies

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animals, such as mule deer, the type of deer found along the river parkway.

Ancil Hoffman Park in Carmichael, at the midpoint of the American River Parkway, is 396 acres and home to Effie Yeaw Nature Center, a sanctuary for wildlife and a hub for breeding.

“The females go into heat around the middle of October,” McGinn explains.

“They’ll go out of heat in about six weeks.” The few does that don’t breed go into a second heat in late December.

Those four months are a critical time for law enforcement and the public to be vigilant about spotting poachers. “If you see a buck in a rut (mating season), he will walk right past you,” McGinn says. “He doesn’t care. He wants to breed with the doe. That’s perfect for a poacher.”

McGinn, a painting and building contractor in Sacramento since 1969, attended Sacramento State and Oregon State University, where he studied wildlife management. He has frequented the nature area for more than 45 years and is familiar with the herds.

“There are some tremendously large bucks in this area,” McGinn says. A male mule deer can weigh as much as

Tim McGinn

180 pounds. “Because they are semiprotected, they grow old. And they grow big antlers.

“The poachers are after the trophyclass bucks. There’s a lot of ego in it.

There’s a lot of prestige in it. There’s a lot of money in it.”

Last year, McGinn initiated a public awareness program to educate the community and enlist help in stopping poachers. Effie Yeaw Nature Center, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Save the American River Association participate in the program.

“If we get the public involved—like a neighborhood watch program— the pressure is on,” McGinn says.

“The public knows these people are there. And they’re looking for them.

Through that pressure, by constantly educating the public, we can get these guys.”

Even though poachers predominantly kill the deer at night, they often scout them during the day, McGinn says. “Be aware.

Take pictures on your cell phone.

Get license plate numbers. Get descriptions.

“Then report it as soon as you can.

Fish and Wildlife is really on it. They will answer their phone 24/7. If you’ve got enough information, they are there, right now.”

Report information by calling the Californians Turn in Poachers and Polluters line at (888) 334-CALTIP (2258) or text 847411.

“We are doing everything we can to do deter these people. But it’s a long process,” says McGinn, who notes it can take up to two years to catch and convict poachers.

“I started the public awareness program because I couldn’t stand losing all my big bucks. I photograph them. They know me. And then they’re gone.”

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

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The mayor doesn’t know where the city will find the billions to power his proposal. He expects other people to pay, taxpayers near and far.

From his report to the City Council: “Unprecedented state and federal resources are available to reduce unsheltered homelessness, making now the time to act.”

Speaking of time, when Steinberg was elected in 2016, Sacramento was vibrant and emerging and shedding its reputation as an overgrown cow town where state workers raise families and retirees escape the Bay Area. No one who visits Downtown today will call it vibrant or emerging.

The mayor didn’t cause homelessness, anymore than he caused the pandemic. So this is how his story ends: His timing was awful.

His ideas weren’t much better.

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

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Sting Operations SEX TRAFFICKING ‘HOT SPOTS’ TARGETED

D

istrict Attorney Anne Marie Schubert didn’t spend all her time last year prosecuting fraudulent COVID-19 unemployment claims. Her office was busy on many fronts, including important work to reduce human trafficking.

Authorities chased sex buyers and sex exploiters in operation “Hot Spots,” a countywide sting with law enforcement partners and more than 30 community organizations called Sacramento Together Against Human Trafficking.

The efforts concentrated on areas long notorious for the sex trade, including Stockton Boulevard, Auburn Boulevard and Watt Avenue in North Highlands.

For the “Hot Spots” sting, Schubert’s office created training videos for investigators. The focus was on suspect tactics and manipulations of human

HS

By Howard Schmidt Inside The County

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trafficking victims, along with evidence collection for prosecutions. Street and hotel operations were aimed at sex buyers. Fake decoy prostitution ads were posted.

The phony ads generated 261 responses. This month court dates will be held for 22 citations issued for soliciting prostitution. There was also a charge for pandering and the human trafficking of a minor.

“We are committed to continuing sting operations through the Sacramento Together coalition to target sex traffickers and buyers as well as maximize our efforts to protect and serve victims of sexual exploitation,” Schubert says.

Another joint operation was “Sleepwalker,” a large effort involving local law enforcement. Undercover officers purchased more than 100 firearms from people illegally dealing weapons, with 26 arrests. Much of the money from stolen unemployment benefits ended up in the illicit gun trade.

“The influx of billions of dollars in EDD fraud into the hands of criminals resulted in a drastic increase in the number of illegal firearms and firearmrelated violence in our communities,” Schubert says.

VOLUNTEER FOR A BOARD OR COMMISSION If you want to have a say in what happens in Sacramento County, consider serving on one of the commissions and advisory boards that provide recommendations to the Board of Supervisors. These groups deal with land use, social welfare, public health and much more.

Residents of the unincorporated area can serve on Community Planning Advisory Councils for specific neighborhoods, including Arden-Arcade, Carmichael and Fair Oaks. These councils make land-use recommendations. There are 14 local advisory councils in the unincorporated county.

Planning Advisory Councils can weigh in on controversial issues, such as rezoning, approving liquor licenses and allowing the creation of subdivisions.

Depending on the topic, meetings can have packed audiences and plenty of heated discussion.

Prior to being elected, Supervisor Rich Desmond served on the Carmichael/Old Foothill Farms Community Planning Advisory Council.

All county residents regardless of location can be appointed to public policy advisory bodies dealing with issues such as behavioral health, status of women and girls, aging, employment, equal opportunity and public health.

Usually, seats are available for the general public, but some appointments may require specific expertise. There are nearly 40 subject-area advisory bodies, including a County Bicycle Advisory Committee and an advisory panel for the American River Parkway.

Many people believe such appointments require political influence or social standing. That’s not true.

Openings are published each month.

The process requires filing an online application, typically followed by an interview with county staff.

Available appointments can be viewed on the Clerk of the Board’s webpage at sccob.saccounty.gov.

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

Better To

Give

HELPING OTHERS REAPS BONUS AND BLESSING

I

n 1979, I served as a summer missionary for the Southern Baptist churches in Northern Nevada. I was one of hundreds of college students working nationwide, helping churches conduct Bible schools and summer youth camps.

Each missionary stayed within a region of churches, changing locations each week through a dozen churches.

Most pastors hoped their missionary would be an ambitious college kid who could energize their youth group.

The pastors shared a pun among themselves to rate the energy of these workers: “Summer missionaries and some-r-not.”

I was more the “not” kind.

In midsummer, I received my assignment and arrived at my new church. The pastor was a slight, lanky man, prematurely bald, whose matter-

NB

By Norris Burkes Spirit Matters

of-fact way of speaking rang like the gospel truth.

After Sunday service, we sat down in his office where he outlined my upcoming week. Partway through, he noticed the drift in my eyes and asked what was on my mind.

I dropped my missionary pretense and admitted I was homesick and pining over a lost girlfriend while trying to rekindle another. I described a depression that was keeping me out of the helping mood.

“It’s true,” he said. “We won’t always feel like serving others. But the life you save this week may actually be your own.”

He had my attention. This is his story the way I remember it: “Three years ago, I was here in the office, preparing to leave, when a phone call brought me back to the desk.

“The man on the other end of the line said he was planning to kill himself.

He asked if I had anything to say that would change his mind.”

I leaned into the pastor. “What did you say?”

“I said, ‘Go ahead.’”

“What?” I leaned back. “No way!”

“Yup. I told him, ‘Go ahead. I’m fixing to do the same thing myself.’”

Then the pastor told me how he planned to leave his office that day and kill himself in a deserted location. He’d given away his library. He’d written the note and loaded the gun. He “meant business.”

When his caller went silent, the pastor asserted control of the dead-air space by reversing the caller’s question.

He asked the man to suggest reasons why the pastor shouldn’t kill himself.

Miraculously, the stunned man offered a few.

“People need you,” he said.

“Who, for instance?” the pastor asked.

“People like me,” said the caller.

“What about your parents?” the pastor asked. “Don’t they need you?”

For an hour, the two swapped reasons why each man shouldn’t kill himself. Eventually, they made an antisuicide pact.

“See what happened there?” the pastor asked me.

“Umm, kinda,” I said.

“Look, kid. I doubt your love life is edging you toward suicide, so I need you to see how recommitting to helping others with their problems helped me discover a way to work through my own.”

Today, after 40 years in ministry, I’ve come to “see what happened there” in that dusty Nevada office.

The pastor steered me away from clichéd thinking that seeks to reduce the size of your problems by comparing yourself to someone in a worse situation.

He taught me that we aren’t so much broken as we are interconnected with other broken people. In other words, there is scant help for those unwilling to help others.

Christian scripture puts it succinctly in Luke 6:38: “Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity” (The Message translation).

By the way, that girlfriend I was trying to reconnect with is my wife, Becky. See what happened there?

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

POC n INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

27

Pruned Ambitions CUTTING BACK BUT STILL GROWING STRONG

N

o weed survives to spread seeds another day in my garden. Tomatoes, peppers, squash and cucumbers overpopulate kitchen counters and fill refrigerator bins in summer. I wander the yard daily, hand pruners ready, to deadhead and shape annuals and perennials. This must stop in 2022.

Not one to declare New Year resolutions, reassessing garden duties recently struck me as a necessity.

Following a year of distracted gardening because of home remodeling projects,

DV

By Dan Vierria Garden Jabber

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POC JAN n 22

COVID chaos and minor health challenges, it became obvious I needed to reconsider how I garden.

Aging nudged me, too. A recent knee injury from the up-and-down of planting was a painful reminder. Healed and energized, I hereby declare the suspension of Type A gardening and a new emphasis on Zen gardening.

Serenity and one with nature sound more appealing than my former life as a helicopter gardener.

Downsizing tomatoes has been the plan for five years. It never materialized. How many tomatoes are too many? When the kitchen counter accommodates no more, when the freezer is packed with frozen tomatoes and sauce, and when neighbors refuse to answer the door, your tomato yields exceed normal. Two or three fewer tomato plants should reduce the workload and anxiety.

To win the war on weeds, I’ll cease procrastination and order 3 or 4 cubic yards of bark mulch. The current mulch layer decomposed and thinned to bare spots. Weeds love bare spots. A 4-inch layer of bark mulch will deny most weeds for years and create additional time for napping.

More limoncello! An abundance of lemons exceeds demand for lemon meringue pie, fish, juicing and zesting.

Limoncello is lemon peel steeped in Everclear or vodka, mixed with syrup and served straight from the freezer.

It’s the fruit of gardening labors and a refreshing reward.

Houseplants are relatively easy to tend and add greenery and flowers to indoor environments. With remodeling work winding down, I’ll add more houseplants. Indoor plants are calming and an emotional, spiritual boost. Add a plant or two and see for yourself.

Lazy explains my past efforts to preserve herbs for cooking. Grocery store prices for dried herbs are a crime against the household budget.

Cooking is a passion so I will be clipping homegrown herbs, drying and bottling them for dishes.

Rosemary, oregano and thyme all flourish in my garden. All are ideal for drying. Clipping and hanging bundles of herbs takes a few weeks, so I’ll use the oven or microwave to save time.

While assessing perennials, I was reminded of my fondness for purple blooms and foliage and the possible need for a color intervention. Not sure why I gravitate to that color, but the plan is to resist purple when buying new plants in 2022. Blue and pink, along with purple, are considered relaxing colors.

Roses are on my mind. Somehow, I strayed from planting roses. Perhaps it was to focus on water-efficient perennials. Modern hybrid roses TO PAGE 31

And They’re Off! HARD TO ADMIT, BUT HARNESS RACING IS MAGICAL

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

O

n wintery Friday nights when the town is quiet and my friends have gone home, I sometimes treat myself to harness races at Cal Expo.

This ritual is not driven by a gambling passion—outside the track, I never bet on anything—but because I find the races peaceful and nostalgic.

If you grew up in Sacramento, horse racing has always been around, a lowprofile piece of the sports landscape, faithfully delivering entertainment and fellowship and cold beer and hot dogs.

It’s a living museum piece woven into local history.

When Leland Stanford sought photographic proof that racehorses launch themselves into the air as they gallop, he brought his experiment to Union Park, a 19th century track in Midtown. Joe DiMaggio liked to sit in Cal Expo’s dull, gray press box for State Fair thoroughbred races because nobody bothered him there.

Thoroughbreds haven’t been seen at Cal Expo since 2019, thanks to the

RG

By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority

pandemic, but harness horses—the hardiest racing breed—have been working Friday and Sunday evenings since mid-November. They pull drivers in sulkies and go slower than thoroughbreds, showcasing dignified gaits of pace and trot.

The drowsy tempo discourages some fans, but I prefer harness racing. It’s much safer for animals and humans.

And it’s pure Sacramento, with no better version found in San Francisco or Los Angeles. The nearest harness town is Cicero, Illinois.

Harness racing has been a feature on the local sports calendar since 1971, which means its longevity far exceeds whatever happens at Golden 1 Center or Sutter Health Park. There was a time when crowds in the thousands arrived for nightly harness races, but those days are gone.

Now a few hundred fans gather at Cal Expo, mostly habitual track customers who find a seat in the satellite wagering pavilion and watch the action on TV. Races are broadcast to betting sites around California, places such as Monterey, Pleasanton, Stockton, San Bernardino, San Mateo, Cypress and Vallejo. Punters also play from their phones on a platform called Watch and Wager. Remote bettors keep harness racing alive.

Horse racing has been in decline for decades. Other games, especially baseball, see fearsome warnings in the withering of bygone events that once

captivated millions. The challenge is how to stop attrition as old fans die and new prospects embrace diversions such as mixed martial arts.

Over the past 30 years, I’ve seen three main reasons why younger people don’t like horse racing.

First came concerns about cheating.

Racing was never a citadel of honesty, thanks to its association with gambling.

Where there’s gambling, there’s cheating. Races are easy to corrupt, with pharmacies available to trainers and fans having no way to tell whether any horse is truly fit.

Second came the complexities of horse racing. Track programs are compendiums of information, facts that range from past performances to breeding histories to trainer and driver rankings. All that data takes work to comprehend—until after the race, when fluorescent numbers leap from the page and reveal everything you overlooked.

Then came the saddest discouragement of all—horses dead at the track. To imagine how a horse runs, think about trying to run on your toes. A hoof is a horse’s toe. It takes a pounding when they run.

For various reasons—too frequent racing, poor track surface, running while injured and medicated—horses develop stress fractures in the bones that lead from the hoof. Sometimes those stress fractures bring catastrophic failure, especially in the fetlock above the hoof.

Three years ago, Santa Anita was temporarily closed when 23 thoroughbreds died in less than three months. Twenty-one had preexisting stress fractures. Horses die for many reasons, but officials focused on wet track conditions and lame horses being sent to race.

Harness horses move slower with less stress on their fetlocks. They don’t gallop and rarely die on the track. They are sturdy and hearty and not always easy to predict, which is why some of us still watch and bet them on wintery nights at Cal Expo.

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

If you grew up in Sacramento, horse racing has always been around, a low-profile piece of the sports landscape, faithfully delivering entertainment and fellowship and cold beer and hot dogs. It’s a living museum piece woven into local history.

POC n INSIDESACRAMENTO.COM

29

A Good Egg CHICKENS BRING LIFE TO OAK PARK DUMPSITE

Alex Hoang with his children Ladybird, Willoughby and Wolfgang Photo by Linda Smolek

W

hat would our city look like if gardens replaced vacant lots?

If composted soil took over lawns? And if backyard hens produced our eggs?

Oak Park resident Alex Hoang, along

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By Tessa Marguerite Outland Farm-to-Fork

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with some neighbors and community partners, is finding out.

Hoang is founder of Oak Park Eggery and Tanama Garden. “It was a trash lot, a dumpsite, for decades,” Hoang says about two parcels of land near 12th Avenue and Stockton Boulevard. With the help of community members, the lots are being used to make compost and grow food for the neighborhood.

The Eggery is a chicken-powered composting site comprised of kitchen scraps and arborist wood chips. Eggs are given to community members, including many who are elderly or do not own vehicles, and volunteers.

Around the corner is Tanama Garden (Tanama means “butterfly” in Taino, a Caribbean language). Last April, it was an abandoned lot where a house burned down decades ago. Now there’s a flower garden and a young food forest.

“We have a lot of underutilized and vacant spaces in our city,” Oak Park City Councilmember Jay Schenirer says. “What Oak Park Eggery and Tanama Garden have done is make those spaces productive gardens which benefit local communities and address food insecurity—with neighbors, for neighbors.”

Hoang is reaching this goal by building a village in an urban environment with productive spaces.

“I’m trying to be intentional with my life,” Hoang says. “I have four kids.

I want to get back to the land and be there with my kids, raising them and teaching them skills and how to be adults.”

Hoang has been part of the Oak Park community for about 10 years.

He has partnered with other groups and individuals to form a neighborhood co-op. Partners include Amelia Garduno of Always Growing Foundation, Scott Thompson of Oak Park Soil, Fleur Fenner of Fleur Gardening and ReSoil Sacramento.

“One of my overall dreams is to create a sustainable eco village with permaculture design, where people are working cooperatively,” Hoang says.

There are many ways to get involved with these projects, including yoga classes, story time, family days or volunteering in the garden.

Learn more about Oak Park Eggery and Tanama Garden on Instagram.

HATCHING AT HOME Last February, I wrote about Linda Easton-Waller, founder of GullyRumpus Farm in Rio Linda. In 2021, she launched a program for families to incubate and hatch their own fertile chicken eggs at home. In addition to giving families the chance to participate

Silkie chickens

“ R E G I O N ’ S B E S T R E S TA U R A N T ” – S AC R A M E N TO B E E

JOIN US! LUNCH, DINNER & HAPPY HOUR in hatching newborn chicks, Hatching at Home offers an elementary-level hatching curriculum for teachers and parents who homeschool.

“Last year the big demand was from parents who wanted to bring in an educational enrichment activity into their homes because of the pandemic,” Easton-Waller says. “Now that kids are back in school, we created the curriculum to better serve teachers, librarians, homeschooling groups and afterschool programs that want to hatch chicks.”

The four-week experience is $200.

Rental kits include a set of fertile eggs (seven chicken eggs or 12 Japanese quail eggs), incubator, egg candler, brooder box, warming plate, chick feeder, waterer, bedding, feed, step-by-step guide with videos and comprehensive

Vote

curriculum. At the end of the four-week rental, participants either return the kit or have the option to keep the chicks.

Easton-Waller gets the fertile eggs from Wendee Miller of Featherbaby Farm in Shingle Springs. Miller is a chicken breeder, so hatching families can select the breeds they want. “She specializes in silkies,” Easton-Waller says, “which are a fantastic breed for kids. Plus they are ridiculously cute!”

Find information or sign up for a kit at hatchingathome.com.

FOR RESERVATIONS 916.443.3772 WWW.ELLA DINING ROOM AND BAR.COM 11 3 1 K S T R E E T • D O W N T O W N S A C R A M E N T O

FROM page 28

Best friends forever.

Tessa Marguerite Outland can be reached at tessa.m.outland@gmail.com.

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

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demand water, but drip irrigation and mulch reduce consumption. Two dozen roses I once tended are down to a dozen.

One or two new roses will make my wife happy. There, I managed to rationalize more roses.

A bonsai tree kit has been languishing on a shelf for years. It was a gift. I had every intention of cultivating and clipping miniature trees. Never happened. Now the plan is to go full bonsai Zen in 2022.

I’m ready to change course in 2022, to slow down and inhale a fragrant tuberosa before the waxy flower fades, to admire a white rose before petals drop. Come to think of it, white roses signify a new beginning. Maybe I will plant a moon garden.

Dan Vierria is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener for Sacramento County.

He can be reached at masterg29@ gmail.com. For answers to gardening questions, contact the UCCE Master Gardeners at (916) 876-5338, email mgsacramento@ucanr.edu or visit sacmg.ucanr.edu. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

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Knock On Wood RECLAIMED TREES BECOME ART IN HIS WORKSHOP

Evan Harris Photo by Linda Smolek

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hen Evan Harris sees a downed tree, he doesn’t see destruction. He sees art.

The owner of Truwood Builders is an expert at urban log salvage, rescuing wood from trees that have been downed by wind or removed due to disease. He turns outcasts into beautiful pieces of custom furniture.

“We don’t take the trees down.

We intercept the logs before they get cut up and disposed of,” he says, explaining his environmentally friendly alternative to breaking logs down for firewood or a landfill.

“Two or three lifetimes ago,” Harris says, he worked in construction. His background in drafting made him good at “building things in my brain.” But it wasn’t until he took up remodeling that everything clicked.

During a kitchen remodel seven years ago, Harris crafted a liveedge bar for a client. He loved the

JL

By Jessica Laskey Open Studio

experience of creating something unique from natural materials, and started doing custom woodworking on the side. Truwood was born four years later when Harris decided to make his hobby a full-fledged business.

Truwood began as a salvage-andmilling operation. Harris would drive around town to pick up wood destined for the dumpster and bring it back to his Carmichael driveway, where he milled, kiln-dried and resold it after restoring the natural beauty.

His newfound love and talent for making things from salvaged wood drew so much attention that soon 99 percent of his sales were to clients requesting custom pieces. Today Truwood specializes in urban log salvage, milling, live-edge slabs and custom furniture.

“If I have an interest in something, I go at it 110 percent,” Harris says.

“I’m a perfectionist and extremely particular about the work that I produce. It has to be the best if it’s leaving my shop.”

Harris’ shop, located on Silica Avenue near Arden Fair Mall, is open to the public six days a week so clients can stop by to discuss a project or look at what Harris is working on. Truwood’s array of tables, headboards, mantels, coffee tables, vanities, countertops, benches and more can take anywhere from eight to 100 hours to complete.

Wood has to sit and dry for one to three years after being milled before it’s workable, so projects are always in various stages of completion. Once the

Photos courtesy of Truwood Builders

wood is dry, Harris fills in defects and sands the surface to prepare it for its ultimate transformation.

In finished form, the wood is sealed or treated with colored epoxy to mimic the look of water (what Harris calls “river tables”) and delivered to its new home, where it sparks joy instead of firewood.

For more information, visit truwoodbuilders.com.

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

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Kelsey, Eric and Tara Benning with dog Sophie

Midcentury Update COMPLETE REMODEL HONORS STRENG BROS. DESIGN

E

ric and Tara Benning spent years searching for the perfect midcentury modern home to buy and renovate.

They targeted Arden-Arcade, where midcentury moderns abound. But they were not alone.

When they found the beauty of their dreams, they learned there were at least nine potential buyers chasing the same property.

“We had a lot of competition for the purchase because this Streng Bros. home was all original and still owned by the first owner who had recently died there,” Eric says.

The Bennings did what competitive buyers do these days—sat down and composed a letter to the seller’s estate describing why they uniquely deserved the home.

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By Cecily Hastings Photography by Aniko Kiezel OPEN HOUSE

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“We wrote a heartfelt note of how we planned to update the home to modern standards, but respect and keep the integrity of the original design,” Eric says. “And that we had deep

Sacramento roots and wanted to make the home into something very special.”

Built in 1971 by brothers Bill and Jim Streng and architect Carter Sparks, the home was one of more than 3,800 constructed around Sacramento over

three decades. Streng and Sparks homes feature exposed beams, walls of glass and high ceilings. Decades later, the modernist vision is still admired and coveted.

Eric grew up on University Avenue, son of Bruce Benning, one of the area’s top interior designers from 1984 until his retirement a few years ago. His firm designed many of Sacramento’s iconic restaurants, signature residences and corporate offices.

Eric began working in the construction industry 32 years ago.

He secured his general contractor’s license, started his own construction firm and focused on high-end residential remodels.

After collaborating for many years, father and son combined into Benning Design Construction, one of Sacramento’s premier design-build firms.

The Bennings’ experience meant renovations on the midcentury modern went fast—just nine months from purchase date. “And this was during the COVID shutdowns,” Eric says.

The work was a significant achievement. All major electrical and HVAC systems, windows and doors were replaced, along with many of the massive structural beams. New cabinetry and finishes were installed.

“Don’t get me wrong, it was a major push by my entire team, and I’d never want to go through it again!” Eric says.

The project increased the size from just over 1,700 square feet to almost 2,100 square feet. One of four bedrooms was removed, but all two and one-half bathrooms were saved.

The addition pushed the living, dining and kitchen area toward the back patio and added a connection from

the garage through a new mudroom.

The two-car garage gained a third slot.

With glass window walls across the back, the design relies on simple and dramatic outdoor landscaping. A generous patio, outdoor kitchen and pool blend the outside with the inside.

While Streng homes often feature atriums, Eric left a corner of the living room for a fiddle leaf fern planted directly into the ground.

“We added a little here and a little there,” Eric says, “making the whole plan much more functional for our family.”

He adds, “My design intent was to honor the Streng brothers and their design. But I also wanted to use materials that I believe they would use if they were building today and create a floor plan that speaks to how we live now.”

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An important consideration was to minimize the maintenance. “We wanted to make our lives easier,” Tara says. “We can now just pick up and go travel.”

The Bennings’ previous home was in Elk Grove, large and perfect for four growing children. Now only their youngest lives at home. But the house is generously sized for family gatherings and Tara’s Bible study groups and church meetings. She is a chaplain at the Keefer Boulevard Juvenile Hall.

“We both love that this home was built in 1971—the same year Tara and I were born,” Eric says.

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POC JAN n 22

Tara was involved in the renovations.

“But it was wonderful to have Eric and his team make most of the construction decisions. They brought me finish choices, but I tended to defer to their expertise,” she says.

The Bennings feel blessed to find the perfect home and achieve their design goals. They say this is their “forever” home, which would surely please the original owner.

Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com.

Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. n

RADISH

These are grown locally year-round, but they are particularly crisp, juicy and mild in flavor when grown in cool weather. They come in multiple varieties, including daikon, watermelon and white icicle. inc To e eat: Serve with butter and salt for a French-inspired hors d’oeuvre. hor

SWEET POTATO This large, starchy, sweettasting root vegetable is a great source of betacarotene.

To eat: Roast the flesh and use instead of pumpkin for a delicious Southern pie.

BLOOD ORANGE

This small citrus fruit has few seeds and a loose, puffy orange skin that peel, making it a popular addition to children’s lunchboxes. is easy to p Eat it: Peel and enjoy.

Monthly Market A LOOK AT WHAT’S WH IN SEASON AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS IN JANUARY

CABBAGE

This leafy green-, purple or white-colored plant is low in calories and can be pickled, fermented, steamed, stewed, braised or eaten raw.

To eat: For a fresh slaw, slice thinly and toss with poppy seed dressing.

BROCCOLI MEYER LEMON

This healthful cruciferous vegetable is available much of the year, from September through June. It’s a member of the cabbage family.

To eat: Steam or roast at high heat in the oven with olive oil and salt.

This citrus fruit is yellower and rounder than a regular lemon, and its flavor is much sweeter.

To eat: Use the juice to make a sweet curd or a nicely flavored vinaigrette.

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PERSIAN CUISINE SHINES WITH GOOD FOOD, GREAT FRIENDS

Photos by Linda Smolek

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By Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider

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M

aydoon Persian Cuisine serves classic foods of Persia from a hip, accessible Midtown location. Open for nearly two years, the restaurant features Iranian favorites such as flame-grilled kabob and pita, rice and flavorful stews, and bright dips and sauces.

I’m a stranger to this culinary tradition. From the recipes to the dining culture, my knowledge of Persian food is scant. So I enlisted the help of an expert, my friend and fellow Sacramento Comedy Spot board member Dr. Sara Aghamohammadi.

Sara’s family emigrated from Iran to the U.S. when Sara was a child.

Today she’s a pediatric physician at UC Davis Medical Center. Growing up in California, she enjoyed traditional Persian cooking by her mother, aunts and family friends. She was eager to introduce me to its delights and brought her friend Nima to make sure we got the full experience at Maydoon.

We started with small dishes: A dip of yogurt with cucumber and mint.

A wonderfully pungent spread of smashed eggplant and spices. A plate of tahdig—hard, crispy rice scraped from the bottom of a pot. The plates left me refreshed, impressed and a little confused.

“Rarely will a Persian order tahdig at a restaurant,” Sara says. “This is definitely one of those things everyone prefers from their mother’s kitchen, where mom saves the bit of oily, delicious, crispy rice at the bottom of the pot for a treat.”

I know what she’s talking about.

Whether it’s getting to lick the beater from a freshly mixed batch of cookie dough, or having that first crispy cut of roast, getting a special bite from your family’s kitchen can’t be duplicated in a restaurant.

Sara and Nima chose dishes to provide the best tour of the menu.

They took their time. It’s a joy to have someone order for you.

They selected kabobs, steak, ground beef and chicken, and all the fixings.

Mounds of saffron rice, roasted

tomatoes and yogurt sauce filled the table.

The food was totally approachable for my American palate. The dishes were not aggressively spiced. The chenjeh (ground meat kabob) made my mouth happy and reminded me of an upscale slice of meatloaf.

“I’d call it a meat log rather than a meat loaf,” Nima says. “But I totally agree.”

The chicken kabobs were my favorite, juicy, tender, delicately touched with flame and a tangy marinade. Matched with the roasted tomatoes, they were an engaging mouthful.

The portions were sizable and we ate ourselves silly. We finished with one Persian dish I knew—rose water ice cream. The iconic dessert with saffron and pistachios refreshed and amused everyone at the table.

Maydoon’s food, modern environs and easygoing yet attentive service made the evening enjoyable. The company made it blissfully memorable.

Sharing a friend’s culture and cuisine, listening to stories of the Persian experience in America and opening myself to the food of another culture made the evening one of my favorites.

By some measures, Sacramento is among the most diverse cities in the U.S. The dining scene reflects it. On any day you can sample cuisines from six continents (maybe seven if there’s an Antarctic pop-up nearby). Yet many of us, me included, don’t take enough time and effort to try the unfamiliar.

This year, I’ll explore cuisines from Afghani to West African without leaving town. I hope you’ll follow along and walk some paths you might not have otherwise tried. Here’s to a delicious and adventurous 2022.

Maydoon Persian Cuisine is at 1501 16th St.; maydoonrestaurant.com; (916) 382-4309.

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

THE FOOD WAS TOTALLY APPROACHABLE FOR MY AMERICAN PALATE. THE DISHES WERE NOT AGGRESSIVELY SPICED.

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TO DO THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Second Chances: Annual Membership Show Sacramento Fine Arts Center Jan. 4–29, Second Saturday Reception Jan. 8 5330 Gibbons Drive, Carmichael • sacfinearts.org Stop by the gallery during business hours to view artwork by professional and emerging artists. This annual exhibit is a second chance for center members to exhibit up to three of their favorite artworks.

Monster Jam Golden 1 Center Jan. 21–23 500 David J Stern Walk • golden1center.com Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Monster Jam features 12,000-pound trucks, world-class athletes, heated rivalries, high-flying stunts and fierce head-to-head battles for the Event Championship. At the Pit Party prior to the Saturday and Sunday events (4:30 p.m. and 10:30 a.m., respectively) fans can see the massive trucks up close, meet their favorite drivers and crews, and take photos. Tickets are $20 to $85.

The Negro Motorist Green Book at California Museum

The Negro Motorist Green Book California Museum Through Feb. 27 1020 O St. • californiamuseum.org California Museum is the exclusive North American stop for national touring exhibition “The Negro Motorist Green Book,” the historic annual guide published in 1936 that listed Black-friendly businesses with tips on safe driving, points of interest and civil rights during segregation.

This exhibition includes a supplemental display of artifacts, images and memorabilia from local places like Oak Park restaurant Dunlap’s Dining Room, and Mo-Mo and Zanzibar nightclubs. The exhibition was created

by Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service with author Candacy Taylor. Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors, students and youth ages 6–17, and free for members and children 5 and younger.

An Iliad California Stage Jan. 7–Feb. 6 Dennis Wilkerson Theater, 1725 25th St. • calstage.org This production by Lisa Peterson and Denis O’Hare, based on the translation of Homer’s classic by Robert Fagles, is directed by Richard Winters and features poetry by Greg Parker. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20.

InBetween Dreams The Russ Room Through Jan. 22, Closing Reception Jan. 16 730 K St. • solomons.co This exhibition explores the contrast between two emerging Bay Area artists—Sacramento native Esteban Samayoa (aka Pop Wulffvnky) and Maya Fuji—and their two styles of creating realities from their dreams.

Welcome Back Party

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By Jessica Laskey

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Stories on Stage Sacramento Friday, Jan. 28, 7 p.m.

CLARA Auditorium, 2420 N St. • storiesonstagesacramento.com Join the award-winning performance series at this fundraising celebration of the local literary community and SOSS’ return to in-person events for its 2022 season. The evening will feature author talks and book sales, food and drink. Proceeds go toward paying actors and authors.

Admission is $10.

Abstractly Speaking Elk Grove Fine Arts Center Jan. 1–16, First Saturday Reception Jan. 1, 4–7 p.m.

9683 Elk Grove Florin Road • elkgrovefineartscenter.org This art show, judged by award-winning abstract painter Amy Vidra, features abstract art that elicits emotions through shapes, forms, colors and textures.

Winter Season Celebration Manetti Shrem Museum Sunday, Jan. 30, 2–4 p.m.

254 Old Davis Road, Davis • manettishremmuseum.ucdavis.edu Join UC Davis’ Manetti Shrem Museum for a free afternoon of art, music and activities for the whole family. The first 2022 exhibitions open Jan. 8: “From Moment to Movement: Picturing Protest in the Kramlich Collection,” “Mary Heilmann: Squaring Davis” and “William T. Wiley and the Slant Step: All on the Line.”

Broke-ology B Street Theatre Jan. 11–Feb. 20 The Sofia, 2700 Capitol Ave. • bstreettheatre.org This tender play by Nathan Louis Jackson features the story of widower William dealing with the challenges of getting older as his sons face the prospect of taking care of their father while pursuing the best life for themselves. Tickets are $25 to $47.

Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 p.m.

SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center, 1301 L St. • sacphilopera.org Conductor Ari Pelto will lead SP&O and pianist Louis Schwizgebel through a rousing program that includes Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2. Tickets are $25 to $77.

Seconds Sale Saturday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Shepard Garden and Arts Center, 3330 McKinley Blvd. • artbyfire.org This is a special sale of less-than-perfect clay, glass and metal art at perfectly affordable prices!

An Iliad at California Stage

Vintage Glass, China & Pottery Sale International Depression Glass Club Saturday, Jan. 29, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 30, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Scottish Rite Center, 6151 H St. • idgc.org Admire and buy vintage and mid-century glass, china, pottery, jewelry, linens, lamps, kitchenware, silver and more at this annual sale that’s been going since 1971. Admission is $6; $5 if you say you saw this notice in Inside Sacramento; and two-for-one on Sunday.

Open Garden UC Master Gardeners of Sacramento County Saturday, Jan. 22, 9 a.m.–noon Fair Oaks Horticulture Center, 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd. • sacmg.ucanr.edu This free event, focusing on pruning, is a great opportunity to peruse the gardens and meet Master Gardeners who will demonstrate proper pruning methods and the importance of pruning deciduous fruit trees, blueberries, cane berries, grape vines and shade trees. Purchase the Master Gardeners 2022 Gardening Guide & Calendar for $10.

Monster Jam at Golden 1 Center

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Open Garden at Fair Oaks Horticulture Center

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Lottery For The Arts Blue Line Arts Thursday, Jan. 27, 5:30–8 p.m.

405 Vernon St., Roseville • bluelinearts.org This annual fundraising event gives everyone a chance to acquire original artwork by professional and emerging artists while raising money for educational programs. Purchase a ticket for the lottery and when your name is drawn, choose your favorite work from the juried exhibit. Artwork is online and at the gallery starting Jan. 14, with a preview night Jan. 15.

E-Newsletters

Dine Downtown

Restaurant Guide

Downtown Sacramento Partnership Jan. 7–17 Various locations • godowntownsac.com/dinedowntown More than 24 local restaurants will serve Dine Downtown’s infamous threecourse, prix fixe menus for dinner, lunch and brunch at one of three price points: $25, $35 and $45. Explore and support Sacramento’s top restaurants for dine-in, take-out or delivery depending on the restaurant’s offerings. Menus are available online with links to make reservations.

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

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NEW! Get A New

INSIDE CROSSWORD Delivered to Your Inbox Each Week!

ACROSS 1 Greet a monarch 4 Targets of certain combs 8 Protestant work ___ 13 “Moby-Dick” captain 15 Latke topping 17 Muslim sect 18 *Political spending on pet projects (note letters 5 to 7 in this answer) 19 Living room piece 21 “No ifs, ands or ___!”

22 Toymaker for Santa 23 *With part of 32-Across and all of 27-Across, American Red Cross founder 27 Heavy weight 30 Dishwasher sound 32 Whom “everybody loves” 36 Three-layer cookie 37 Examines, as a crystal ball 38 *With part of 50-Across and all of 40-Across, expelled from legal practice 40 Main color on China’s flag 41 Leaders of small colonies?

47 Cohort before Gen Y 4/7

50 Gym snack 51 By means of 53 Palme ___ (Cannes award) 54 Ancient market 56 According to 57 *With part of 72-Across and all of 61-Across, “It’s quite dark!”

61 Parisian palace 63 Hot-and-cold dessert 68 Take the chance 69 Artisans’ online shops 70 The ugly duckling, eventually 71 “That’s incorrect!”

72 Show, as one’s teeth 73 Some cross aves.

DOWN 1 They start and end on low notes 2 “Fancy meeting you here!”

3 Anticipate 4 Flag pin’s place 5 Nasdaq debut 6 EMT’s specialty 7 Caribou relative 8 Biblical birthright seller 9 Sour 10 “Their Eyes Were Watching God” author

11 Diamonds, in slang 12 Cartoon frame 14 Not ___ an eye 16 Flow back 20 Repeating exactly 24 Dadaist Jean 25 Issa of “Awkward Black Girl” 26 “Yes,” to a sailor 28 Province

by N.Y. 29 Romantic introduction?

31 Meal with a special plate 33 “Turn up the heat!”

34 Without erotic attraction, say 35 Six Flags draws 39 Utter 41 Proof letters 42 Cry in a popular card game

43 Most paranormal 44 LeBron James’ org.

45 Cleaning instructions’ location 46 Hit show initials 48 Some wood cutters 49 Give a mean look 52 Salad basics 55 Actress Witherspoon 58 Small islands 59 As well 60 ___ Geo Wild 62 RB’s gains 63 One may be erasable 64 Judge Lance 65 Crowd around, as a celebrity 66 “... ___ lack thereof” 67 German article

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Have a New Year’s Resolution to Buy or Sell a Home in 2022? Get Local Expertise Here!

SOLD! 844 Bronze Ln – West Sac!

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Charming and contemporary, attached three bedroom two and one half bath, two-story Great Room plan of 1369 square feet, per county, built in 2004. This home is located within the City of Davis and the highly-rated Davis Unified School District boundaries. New paint, a clear pest report, and City of Davis Resale Report/Certificate means a quick close could be accommodated. Better Hurry! $659,900

Nick LaPlaca %URNHU $VVRFLDWH

Masters Club

GREEN Designation

(916) 425-3749 Cell

Presidential Member

(916) 385-1010 Cell

Mary@mjlee.com

(916) 764-7500 Cell

DRE #00866853

DRE #00842218

Charlie@GoCallCharlie.com DRE #01438069

Nick@NickLaPlaca.com

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