Inside Pocket June 2020 by Inside Publications

JUNE 2020

POCKET

JILL ESTROFF

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JILL ESTROFF Jill Estroff lives in Curtis Park. Her love of art made her role as marketing director at the Crocker Art Museum from 1986 to 1993 a dream job. Inspired, she took art classes in the early 1990s. A few years ago, classes rekindled her love of painting. Shown: “I Street Bridge,” 20 inches by 20 inches, acrylic on canvas, in a private collection. Visit jillestroffart. com.

PUBLISHER Cecily Hastings EDITOR Cathryn Rakich editor@insidepublications.com PRODUCTION M.J. McFarland DESIGN Cindy Fuller PHOTOGRAPHY Linda Smolek, Aniko Kiezel AD COORDINATION Michele Mazzera, Julie Foster DISTRIBUTION Sue Pane Sue@insidepublications.com ACCOUNTING Daniel Nardinelli, COO daniel@insidepublications.com

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JUNE 2020 VOL. 7 • ISSUE 5 6 9 10 12 14 20 22 24 26 27 28 30 32 34 35 36 38 41 42

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Paragary's in Midtown

Small Is Beautiful LOCAL BUSINESSES LITERALLY DIE TO REOPEN

wenty-five years ago, my husband and I went into the local publishing business for two reasons. First, we saw the need to connect neighbors to one another, which helps folks build stronger ties to their communities. Second, we love and value small businesses. We want to help local merchants reach their neighbors and grow their businesses. When we moved to Sacramento in 1989, it took us five years to discover Corti Brothers market. An acquaintance raved about the gourmet landmark, saying, “Everybody knows about them!” That hurt—because we didn’t know. With the founding of our first Inside East Sacramento publication, I was determined to help neighbors like us find small businesses to patronize. As an entrepreneur and new small business owner, I soon met other people

CH By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk

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who struggled to learn the community, along with other small business owners. Many of those early connections are good friends today. In the 1980s, two out of every 10 Americans worked for themselves. By 2016, that number fell to about one in 10. I suspect the percentage is lower in Sacramento, given the number of government workers. No doubt the percentage will shrink in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Small businesses are the backbone of our national economy. They employ more people than any other sector. Locally, these establishments touch us every day. Their touch is physical, not just digital. And their ability to recover is in peril. A study by the Society for Human Resource Management has tracked the impact of the contagion on work, workers and the workplace. The most alarming finding is 52 percent of U.S. small businesses expect to permanently shut down within six months because of mandated closures. This represents 14 million jobs erased. Even in good times, up to 20 percent of small businesses fail annually. But the latest numbers are staggering.

I’ve been in touch with countless small business owners in the past two months. Most of their stories are beyond frustrating and sad. Restaurateur Randy Paragary, who has shaped local culinary tastes for 51 years with his restaurants and bars, attempted a carryout conversion when the shutdown began. After two weeks, Paragary closed all eight of his sites, including three Café Bernardo locations.

“We were losing money we couldn’t afford to lose,” he says. He applied for Paycheck Protection Program funds, but wasn’t successful in the first round. Thankfully, his 300 employees received support from state unemployment insurance. “They are getting their $450 state benefit, plus the $600 federal bonus, which is not pro-rated,” he says. “If your state benefit is $200, you still get the $600 on top of that.”

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Many restaurant owners fear employees won’t return to work if their unemployment benefits exceed their work earnings. Paragary is not concerned. “The benefits may be a factor for some restaurants when they reopen, but I don’t think it will impact us,” he says. “The $600 benefit ends July 30. Let’s say we’re allowed to reopen June 1. Someone who would rather continue to get the benefit and not come back to work is taking a risk. There might not be a job for them on Aug. 1.” He continues, “Not all restaurant jobs are created equal. Our people want to come back because they enjoy the experience of work. It’s stimulating to engage with their customers. They love cooking. They love working with top quality ingredients and expressing themselves through food. It’s their passion and profession. Frankly, if coming back and losing some benefits is a concern for people, maybe it’s best that they don’t want to come back.” The bigger question for Paragary is whether his locations will have customers to justify the workers. “What is our occupancy going to look like?” he says. “We assume it will involve a spacing of tables. The No. 1 question is, what will the rules be? No. 2, what will be the public’s attitude in regard

to safety? Customers will go to places where they are familiar and feel safe and trust the operators. I hope that includes us because of our history and reputation.” Josh Nelson, CEO of Selland Family Restaurants, has another view. Selland restaurants include The Kitchen, Ella Dining Room & Bar, three Selland’s Market-Cafe locations and OBO’ Italian Table & Bar, with 360 employees. Like Paragary, the Selland family tried carryout service but closed when they were unable to get clear direction from health officials on how to protect the safety of staff and customers. “It was an enormously frustrating runaround,” Nelson says of conflicting state and county orders. Nelson says the group received PPP funds, but will likely return part of them. “It’s just not a useful loan for a restaurant. Our folks are able to get unemployment, plus the additional $600 a week, and for some of them it’s not even in essence fair to ask them to come back amid the uncertainty and risks we are facing.” In late April, the group resumed carryout service at Selland’s MarketCafes and OBO’ Italian. “We had time to understand the guidelines and develop an operational model to keep both our

East Sac Hardware's Sheree Johnston staff and customers safe,” Nelson says. “So far, it has been pretty effective. Mostly because we have always had a good base of our business in carryout so we know what we are doing.” As the state begins to allow limited dine-in service, the Selland family will have to retool again. Both Paragary’s and Selland’s restaurants have prime locations with beautifully designed interiors for pleasant and relaxing dining experiences. Changing those environments and retaining the experiences won’t be easy or cheap. Opening a restaurant requires a huge capital investment. Loans can take decades to pay off, in addition to ongoing and rising rents. Restaurant business models are based on serving capacity. Limiting capacity could be disastrous to notoriously thin margins. It’s easy to overestimate profit margins. Says Nelson, “During our staff orientations, we do an exercise to spell out exactly how much profit is in a $7 cup of soup. They think it must usually be around $4, when, in fact, it is 30

cents. So we teach them if they drop the soup, just how many other cups of soup we must serve to make up for the loss.” For retail shops, openings usually involve capital investment to create the interior. From there, the ongoing investment is inventory. The pandemic has created tremendous inequalities among retailers. Big box stores were allowed to stay open, with guidelines for safety. Home-improvement stores of all sizes continued to operate. East Sacramento Hardware, owned by my friend Sheree Johnston, remained open with safety protocols and is busier than ever. Two miles away in Midtown, University Art, which sells art supplies and gifts, was required to close. Both stores have roughly the same square footage. Both sell thousands of small and unique items. Neither has items available online for purchase. Both are designed for browsing. As a general retailer, University Art is now allowed to do curbside pick-up, but it’s not the same retail experience that created the store’s reputation. General manager

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Dave Saalsaa will do his best, but the unfairness is infuriating. Our publishing business has been hit hard. Our entire income derives from small business advertisers. All have been impacted. Many have closed. In a good year—there haven’t been too many lately in publishing—our profit margin might be 2 or 3 percent of ad sales revenue. Yet we headed into our April and May editions with probably 25 percent of our advertisers unable to pay us. PPP funds will help us in the short run. But in our case, I had to reach into personal retirement savings to make up losses as I tried to sustain jobs for our 14 employees. We already have a very low-cost business model, so making cuts isn’t much of an option. I know at least a dozen small business owners who have done the same thing. One recently said, “I'm afraid that at our age there may not be enough time to earn back what we look to lose with the closures.” Such decisions are physically and emotionally exhausting. But every day I meet someone who can’t imagine how our business has been affected by the pandemic! It’s past time for state officials to throw out the hacksaw they used to

create the rules to close and restrict small businesses. They need a scalpel and some nuance to plan for reopenings. Any business owner worth a damn knows they will be history without carefully managing for the ongoing safety of their staff and customers. Small businesses are vital for our economic recovery. Government bailouts are helpful—when one can actually navigate them—and absolutely needed to help keep us alive in the short run. But if rational thought doesn't overcome the paralysis of fear and politics, then what lies ahead for us will be far worse than we can imagine.

HELP SUPPORT INSIDE Sign up for our Inside Sacramento weekly newsletter with even more local news than we deliver to you in print. And consider an Inside membership, staring at $19.95 a year. Visit insidesacramento.com/shop. And TAKE THE 100% LOCAL PLEDGE! Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. Previous columns can be read and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram: @insidesacramento.com. n

Local Pledge Campaign Grows

e are happy to report that the TAKE THE 100% LOCAL PLEDGE campaign has grown and picked up numerous supporters. Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Vice Mayor Jeff Harris have graciously agreed to co-chair the initiative with me, providing powerful political muscle, insight and community connections to help our local businesses during this time of crisis. SAFE Credit Union is our first corporate sponsor, generously providing funding and other support to help us turn this into an even more effective and successful campaign. “SAFE believes that a healthy economy leads to a healthy community. And to have a healthy economy, it’s important to take care of our local businesses—the small businesses that employ our neighbors, our friends,” says SAFE Credit Union CEO and president Dave Roughton. “SAFE stands behind local businesses through products and services tailored just for them,

CH By Cecily Hastings

in addition to supporting community efforts like TAKE THE 100% LOCAL PLEDGE to help them grow and thrive.” Roughton says SAFE is currently offering 5 percent cash back to members who use the SAFE Cash Rewards credit card to make purchases at restaurants and grocery stores. “It’s a win-win. We’re rewarding our members for making purchases on the things they need, and it helps them support local businesses.” The Sacramento Downtown Partnership, Midtown Association, Handle District, Oak Park Business District and East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce have all joined as supporters to purchase and distribute signs to small businesses in their neighborhoods and districts. The signs are produced locally and sold at cost. The Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op at 2820 R St. has purchased 50 signs and is distributing them on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. I invite other businesses and groups to join the effort as well. You can participate as simply as posting our signs at your business, by donating

to fund signs and other resources. Visit insidesacramento.com/support-the-100local-pledge-campaign/. For more information, contact me at publisher@insidepublications.com. n

Above from left: SAFE Credit Union President Dave Roughton, Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Publisher Cecily Hastings and Vice Mayor Jeff Harris at the Pledge Campaign Kick-off on May 19 at the McKinley Rose Garden. Right: Randall Selland Below: Parkside Pharmacy owner Michelle Ortego (right) and her staff. Photos by Aniko Kiezel.

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Senioritis Interrupted

2020 GRADS MAKE THE BEST OF LOST YEAR Top left to right: Luc Koco, Bella Valdez, Andrew Ely, Carina Singer. Bottom left to right: Leo Bauer, Genesis Taylor, Emily McLeod, Nicholas Cazares.

he pandemic brought havoc to the high school class of 2020. Without knowing it, students had their final day on campus Friday, March 13. When Gov. Gavin Newsom announced California campuses would remain closed through the end of the academic year, schools canceled or postponed senior class events. Traditional rites of passage into adulthood were gone. To see how local graduating seniors are doing, Pocket Life checked in with some of our homebound young people. “This is supposed to be our time to celebrate, a time to make classic high school memories,” says Carina Singer,

CM By Corky Mau Pocket Life

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who attends Christian Brothers High School. “Senior year is when you finally gain a sense of who you are and your confidence on campus is at an all-time high.” John F. Kennedy senior Leo Bauer says, “I thought we’d be right back to school after spring break. As the date got pushed back farther, I began to feel the increasing seriousness of the situation. The world scene changed daily and I was waking up to a new and more complicated situation every day.” Many students expressed a reaction similar to that of Kennedy’s Emily McLeod, who says, “It’s all kind of a blur. I had a gut feeling we wouldn’t be going back to school, but I was hopeful. I’m still pretty bummed, but my attitude now is definitely more positive.” KC McCarthy has taught senior English at Kennedy since 2007. “Students are being good troopers and want to do their part to help,” he says. “But I know they’re all super bummed right now.” Like Emily McLeod, Bella Valdez regrets missing Kennedy’s Senior Rally.

“I was really looking forward to the rally because the whole school comes together to say goodbye to us,” Valdez says. McLeod adds, “And we’re missing out on our senior barbecue, Ditch Day and the senior pranks!” Luc Koco and Nicholas Cazares attend the School of Engineering and Sciences. The senior prom and trip to Santa Cruz were canceled. Koco was on the prom planning committee, which worked hard to produce an event that didn’t happen. The annual Senior Sunset at Garcia Bend Park, which takes place the night before commencement at the Elks Lodge, was also canceled. Andrew Ely is a staff photographer and writer for the Clarion, Kennedy’s newsletter. “I’m sad that I couldn’t go to the Senior Ball last month,” he says. “I was looking forward to our last school dance.” Genesis Taylor attends West Campus High School. “I’m really sad about not getting my yearbook signed by my friends and teachers,” she says. “I was really looking forward to this because I waited until my senior year to get a yearbook.”

Missing June commencement is the biggest blow. As English teacher McCarthy says, “I always tell the seniors in September how cool the last few months of the school year are. What a tragedy they’re missing the chance to run down that home stretch of their four-year journey.” The cap-and-gown ceremony will be different this year. Many schools are planning virtual graduation ceremonies. Christian Brothers might reschedule commencement for July or August, if crowd restrictions are lifted. Post-graduation celebrations will have less fanfare, featuring small gatherings with family members. Friends and relatives will send congratulations via social media. Their lives have been upended, but I think these teens are navigating the uncertain times pretty well—staying positive and optimistic so they can focus on the next phases of their lives. Leo Bauer plans to enroll at American River College for certification in welding. Several others will attend local community colleges to take advantage of two years of free tuition

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before transferring to four-year institutions. Nicholas Cazares and Andrew Ely will attend Cosumnes River College. Bella Valdez, Carina Singer and Genesis Taylor will enroll at Sacramento City College. Luc Koco has been accepted to Sacramento State, where he plans to major in design studies. In October, Emily McLeod will go to U.S. Navy boot camp in Chicago, then to Michigan for basic training. Her career goal is to serve in the Naval Nurse Corps. The Class of 2020 will have a unique look back on their last year of high school. After this experience, they will be ready to handle any challenge or adversity. I can only imagine what their fiveyear reunion will look like—with hopes that these young people can make up for lost time and enjoy some missed milestones, such as dancing at the Senior Ball or walking across the stage for a belated graduation ceremony. Corky Mau can be reached at corky. sue50@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to publication month. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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COVID Cover TRANSPORT BOARD AVOIDS PUBLIC, PUSHES FOR NEW SALES TAX

ike the City Council and County Board of Supervisors, the Sacramento Transportation Authority continued to meet during the coronavirus closures. What did our transportation leadership focus on during two meetings at the height of hysteria in March and April? You might assume they talked about an emergency plan related to the pandemic. You would be wrong.

BL By W. Bruce Lee

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The main item on those agendas was tentative support for Measure A on the November ballot. If Measure A reaches the ballot, Sacramento County voters will be asked to increase their sales taxes by one-half percent. If you’re surprised, you’re not alone. How could anyone be expected to focus on funding for local transportation projects in the midst of COVID-19? STA is a special district designed to administer money generated by the original Measure A transportation fund, passed in 1988. The 16-member board is comprised of elected officials from Sacramento County and cities within the county. With public meetings not possible, STA pressed ahead with hybrid meetings during the lockdown. Public participation was limited. Email was the only available form of public

comment. And those comments were not read aloud. If you want to view the March and April meetings on the STA website, good luck. You will get a pop-up note saying the videos have been removed due to YouTube policy violations. If you think it’s disingenuous to hold a vote to support a tax increase when the world is trying to survive a pandemic, I can’t blame you. The expenditure plan was tentatively adopted by a 13-3 vote, despite overwhelming public opposition. The agency said it received far more emails in opposition than support: approximately 435 opposed vs. 65 in favor. County Supervisor Sue Frost argued the public comments should be read aloud. But the rest of the STA board saw no need to maintain the illusion that public opinion matters.

The STA’s approval doesn’t automatically put Measure A on the ballot. The County Board of Supervisors will have the final say. Three STA board members—Frost, Rancho Cordova Councilmember Garrett Gatewood and Citrus Heights Councilmember Steve Miller—voted against the plan. At the April meeting, Elk Grove Councilmember Pat Hume and Galt Councilmember Paul Sandhu added their no votes to the ballot proposal. Certainly, the county needs infrastructure upgrades. It would be silly to deny the importance of public transportation and road safety. But the importance only underscores the need for public scrutiny. To discuss tax measures during the confusion of the coronavirus crisis makes no sense. In normal times, a meeting to discuss raising sales taxes would draw a packed audience. This time, the public’s voices were not heard. STA’s rush to action with such a conspicuous lack of public participation is a sad situation. There is no need to jam a new sales tax onto the November ballot when many citizens are trying to survive. In the Bay Area, officials delayed their $100 billion “mega measure” 1-cent sales tax proposition for transportation. It had been scheduled for November. Perhaps STA should focus on the best use of its existing half-cent sales tax, which lasts until 2039, rather than rushing to add another tax. And wasn’t the 12-cent-per-gallon gas tax, implemented by Senate Bill 1 in 2017, supposed to double the revenue from the state to our cities for street maintenance? Going forward, STA must revise its approach to taxation. Residents must be allowed to maintain access to the entire decision-making process— but not before they deal with the pandemic that threatens their livelihoods and lives. W. Bruce Lee is president of the Sacramento Taxpayers Association. He can be reached at bruce.lee.sta@ gmail.com. n

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Celebrating this year’s Big Day of Giving are (from left) Laura Van Houtrye, Debbie Minter and Abigail Ahumada in the Physical Therapy Department at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Sacramento.

CRITICAL GIVING SACRAMENTO STEPS UP ON BIG DoG

t’s no secret that COVID-19 has put an immense economic squeeze on Sacramento restaurants, businesses and nonprofits. While some organizations have been forced to close altogether, many are scraping by thanks to emergency funding sources, small business loans and donations from the community at large. To that end, the annual Big Day of Giving—held this year May 7—was more important than ever for nonprofits throughout the region to raise critical funds through the Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s philanthropic program made possible through the foundation’s GivingEdge nonprofit database.

JL By Jessica Laskey Out & About

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Since 2013, the Big DoG has generated nearly $40 million for more than 600 local nonprofits. Last month was no exception. The 2020 campaign raised nearly $12 million for 615 different organizations from more than 65,000 donations. “For the most part, where (our partners) had a goal—they made it!” reports Jody Ulich, director of the Sacramento Convention & Cultural Services. But the Big DoG isn’t the only answer. The Sacramento Region Community Foundation awarded funds of its own through its Sacramento Region Disaster Relief Fund to the tune of $520,000 (as of the end of April) to 73 local nonprofit organizations providing essential services—emergency assistance, food security, health care and childcare—that are facing severe operational challenges. Awards from the relief fund are flexible, one-time grants made on a

rolling basis. For more information, visit sacregcf.org/covid-19. If there is a nonprofit you love—a theater, gallery, school, animal shelter, any kind of community organization— don’t wait. Donate now. Your dollars could be the difference between them weathering the storm and going down with the ship.

HELP FOR RENTERS Sacramento Self Help Housing’s free Renters Helpline is experiencing an uptick in calls. In April, the hotline received 828 calls, with 170 specifically related to COVID-19. The helpline is staffed by experts who assist callers with issues such as renter discrimination, tenant/ landlord disputes, new laws about rent increases and “just cause” evictions, and temporary moratoriums due to COVID-19. Launched in 2016, the helpline is a collaboration between Project

Sentinel and Legal Services of Northern California, and is part of SSHH, a 20-year-old nonprofit that assists those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless find and retain stable and affordable housing. The Renters Helpline is available at (916) 389-7877, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit rentershelpline.org.

EATING HEALTHY Forty percent of Sacramento children struggle with obesity, and 58 percent use free and reduced lunch programs. Now, 100 percent of kids are out of school, which is where many of them received vital sustenance. The Food Literacy Center continues to be a valuable part of both educating the Sacramento community about eating healthy and providing the resources and tools to do so. To support its crucial programming— much of which has moved online—the

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Sacramento’s oldest camelia tree is replanted at Sutter Park. Photo by John Milne Food Literacy Center recently received grant funding from Dignity Health, The Rite Aid Foundation KidCents program, Sierra Health Foundation, The Anthony Cerami and Ann Dunne Foundation for World Health and UC Davis Health. The Food Literacy Center also recently partnered with the Sacramento City Unified School District’s Nutrition Services Department to distribute Veggie STEM Boxes targeting foodand nutrition-insecure elementary students who would normally attend the center’s afterschool programs. Each box is provided to students for free and contains a lesson plan, recipe, veggie garden plants from Soil Born Farms

and information on video demos at foodliteracycenter.org/curriculum. To help fund the Veggie STEM Boxes, visit foodliteracycenter.org.

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VIRTUAL PLUMBER Toilet making a funny noise but you don’t want to call a plumber due to social distancing? Locally owned Bonney Plumbing, Heating & Air has implemented a new virtual diagnosis service where callers can be connected to an expert to determine whether a house call is needed. “There are three possible outcomes for a virtual plumbing call,” explains

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(From left) Virginia Perez, Olga Tulaydan and Patti Uplinger with Sacramento Self-Help Housing answer renters’ questions at a recent conference.

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Grant Lyon’s standup comedy album, “Scheduled Fun Time,” is now available. plumbing general manager Sam Blakely. “If the issue or concern you are experiencing is not a problem, our experts will give you the peace of mind in knowing that your home does not need care. “If your plumbing problem requires a quick and easy fix, we will waive the virtual plumbing fee in exchange for a modest service cost and walk you through (the step-by-step repair process) via Google Duo. If your issue

requires expert care, we will waive the virtual plumbing fee and schedule an at-home visit to complete your service.” Bonney diagnostic plumbing virtual calls are $39 (unless the fee is waived). For more information, call (916) 4440551 or visit bonney.com.

HISTORIC CAMELLIA The Camellia Society of Sacramento is celebrating the successful replanting

of the city’s oldest camellia tree. The camellia had graced the entrance of Sutter Memorial Hospital—long known as “Sacramento’s Baby Hospital” where 350,000 babies were born—since its opening in 1937. When Sutter Memorial closed in 2017, the plan was to move the tree to another medical center. But nurses and staff convinced the hospital to temporarily remove the camellia and keep it alive while the Sutter Park neighborhood was being built on the site at 51st and F streets. Then the tree could be replanted once again. Today, the 80-year-old camellia stands at the entrance to Sutter Park to beautify the city for another generation.

hundreds of students involved via Zoom classes taught by the company’s teaching artists. STC will hold auditions via Zoom for both the Young Professionals Conservatory (eighth–12th grade) and Pre-Professional Ensemble Company (fourth–seventh grade). These 10-month conservatory programs offer weekly classes in theater, music and dance, as well as the opportunity to perform in age-appropriate roles on the Main Stage. For more information or to schedule an audition, contact education coordinator Lyn Alessandra at education@sactheatre.org, or visit sactheatre.org.

MAKE TIME FOR FUN

DANCING AT HOME

We all need a laugh right now—so get some giggles with comedian Grant Lyon’s debut label standup comedy album, “Scheduled Fun Time.” Lyon—who attended Sacramento Country Day School for his last two years of high school—is known for his intellectual but silly observational comedy. Over the last 15 years, he’s performed across the country at clubs and festivals. He’s featured on the second season of “Corporate” on Comedy Central and stars in the Amazon Prime feature film “Killer Kate!” Download “Scheduled Fun Time” for various platforms at https://800pgr.lnk. to/lyonem.

Though your favorite dance studio might be closed, you can still use this time at home to get fit. The Sacramento Ballet’s School of Ballet is offering virtual classes for current youth students as well as adults, including senior fall prevention, conditioning, adult ballet, contemporary dance, and sculpt and stretch. For inspiration, check out videos of past performances at sacballet.org. For more information on classes, visit sacballet. org/sb-at-home. Sac Dance Lab, a local dance studio owned by former Sacramento Kings dancer Isela Perez, is offering live Zoom classes and video tutorials. Its regular instructors are also offering free online classes to keep the community connected. “The closure of Sac Dance Lab is really hard, not just financially but mentally, physically and emotionally,” says instructor Marcy Byers. “I’m grateful that we are able to host online classes so we can stay on top of our dance training and connect virtually. It’s great because you can try something new at home and on your own time.” Zoom classes are $5 and range from beginner to advanced in styles such as hip hop, jazz, ballet and heels. For more information, visit sacdancelab.com.

OUTSTANDING OSTRICHES When the Sacramento Zoo reopens, be sure to check out the zoo’s newest denizens—two female ostriches. Cinnamon and Clove arrived from San Diego Zoo Safari Park and are now sharing space with the zoo’s three Grevy’s zebras. At 2 years old and roughly 6 feet tall, the ostrich siblings are full-grown— they’re the world’s largest and heaviest bird species. And they’re fast. Though they can’t fly, ostriches can sprint up to 43 miles per hour. Ostriches have returned to Sacramento as part of the zoo’s collection for the first time since 2015. For more information, visit saczoo.org.

ZOOM AUDITIONS Sister ostriches Cinnamon and Clove have joined the Sacramento Zoo.

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Though productions have stopped at Sacramento Theatre Company, the nonprofit’s School of the Arts is keeping

VIRTUAL MUSEUMS While all local museums are temporarily closed, many are offering fun, free activities for families to do at home. The Aerospace Museum of California has hands-on activities, tutorials and easy-to-replicate demonstrations on the museum's Facebook page: @ AerospaceMuseumCA.

“Everyday Light” (left) by Hearne Pardee and “Coffee and Oranges in a Sunny Chair (After Wallace Stevens)” by Julia Couzens are on display in McKinley Village. The California Museum has launched a new Distance Learning program providing educational materials for K–12th-grade students on California history, arts and culture. Visit californiamuseum.org/distance-ed. The California State Railroad Museum offers virtual versions of All Aboard for Story Time! on Mondays at 11 a.m. with local influencers reading children’s railroadrelated books via Facebook Live @ CaliforniaStateRailroadMuseum. The Center for Sacramento History has original film productions, recordings of past Speaker Series events and access to more than 100 history-rich films and video clips at youtube.com/ centerforsacramentohistory. The Crocker Art Museum provides virtual art and gallery tours and activities for all ages at crockerart.org/ oculus and on the museum’s YouTube channel. For more information, visit sacmuseums.org.

COLOR YOUR WORLD The Downtown Sacramento Partnership has released a free collection of nine coloring pages drawn by local artists featuring Downtown destinations. Artists include Alex Trujillo, Arturo Romero, Brianne Channey, Emilee Rudd, Franceska Gamez, Jeremy Stanger, Nick Jacoy and Nicole Alvarez. Download the pages at godowntownsac.com. Tag, snap and share your drawings with @ DowntownSac and @OldSac for a chance to be featured on the Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s social accounts.

classroom tools and meeting software to keep students engaged in science, reading, math, language, art, music and movement. “Our goal is to continue to meet the needs of our children during this

crisis while delivering the best possible educational program,” says Sidonie Ospina, director of admissions and outreach. “As the landscape of our world shifts, the continuity of our

The Maquilli Tonaituh Aztec Dancers perform a welcoming dance at the dedication of Ricardo Favela Park. Favela’s wife, Clara Cid (center), joins in.

CAMELLIA WALDORF DISTANCE LEARNING Camellia Waldorf School is known for its experiential, hands-on, in-person learning, so the school’s closure in March was understandably devastating. Faculty quickly came together to revise the curriculum using online

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No virus can stop one’s creative spirit. When we are able to open we will be here for our customers to replenish all their creative supplies!

UNIVERISTY ART 2601 J Street 916-443-5721 children’s education is more important than ever.” For more information, visit camelliawaldorf.org.

NEW POCKET PARK The city of Sacramento has dedicated its newest urban pocket park, Ricardo Favela Park, located within McKinley Village in East Sacramento. The park is named in honor of late Sac State art professor Ricardo Favela, who founded the renowned artists collective the Royal Chicano Air Force. Two new public art installations will adorn the park: “Everyday Light” by Hearne Pardee and “Coffee and Oranges in a Sunny Chair (After Wallace Stevens)” by Julia Couzens. Both are part of the McKinley Village Art Walk, which will contain 10 public artworks by local artists. For more information, visit mckinleyvillage.com/public-art.

FRENCH FILMS ONLINE Francophile film buffs can now watch movies online on the Sacramento French Film Festival’s Virtual Cinema platform.

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To view a film, visit sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org, click on the film you’d like to watch, create an account, then rent or screen the film for $10 (SFFF gets 50 percent of the net revenue). The film will be available for 72 hours on any computer, laptop, iPad, Chromebook or other mobile device. Bon spectacle!

PRIVATE GALLERY TOURS Archival Gallery is featuring artists Davy Fiveash, Jolene Matson and Shenny Cruces from June 4–30. Though the gallery is still closed for walk-ins, it is now offering bookable private tours. Fiveash is presenting paintings on canvas and fabric collage. His public mural can also be seen on the side of the Archival Gallery building. Matson is exhibiting her well-known clay horse sculptures. Cruces is showing her signature ceramic and porcelain assemblage wall sculptures. Appointments can be made at archivalgallery.com.

“Prince of the Valley” by Davy Fiveash is on display at Archival Gallery.

FIGHTING COVID-19 WITH 3-D TECH Master Laboratories, a Sacramentobased manufacturing company, is using 3D-printing technology to create FDAregistered nasal swabs for COVID-19 testing for hospitals, clinics, government agencies and armed forces. “After losing 90 percent of our dental device business within hours after the shelter-in-place order went into effect, our expert team of technicians and staff looked at ways to design and manufacture nasal swabs using 3D-printer technology,” says Michael Kulwiec, a Carmichael resident and owner of Dental Masters Laboratories. In addition to its EnvisionTEC NP Swabs, Master Laboratories has begun production of full-face shields. For more information, visit masterlaboratories. com.

ARRIVEDERCI BIBA It was with heavy hearts that the owners of Biba Restaurant—founded in 1986 by the late, great chef Biba Caggiano—announced they would be closing the iconic Sacramento eatery. Rising operational costs were compounded when the pandemic forced

the restaurant to offer only takeout. The decision to close was pressing, but no less difficult for the team that had kept the restaurant going after Bolognaborn Caggiano passed away last August at age 82. Just like its accomplished and warm proprietress, Biba Restaurant will be sorely missed.

STOP BUYING TOILET PAPER You read that right: Stop buying toilet paper. Why? Just ask Dr. Lance A. Casazza, local chiropractor and author of “Stop Buying Toilet Paper: Your Guide to Surviving 90 Days.” Casazza has written six books and counting, all available on amazon.com. In his newest release, the owner of Casazza Chiropractic, located at 2716 V St., and motivational speaker discusses immunity, home defense, survival skills and sanity. 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 the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

SACRAMENTO COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL Rated the #1 Private High School in the Sacramento Region by Niche.com

Congratulations, Class of 2020!

This fall, Country Day’s graduating class will join top colleges and universities around the nation and overseas, including University of Chicago, USC, Amherst College, NYU, Tufts University, Gonzaga University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Berklee College of Music, and Tsinghua University in China, among many others. They have been offered more than $1 million dollars in merit aid and earned various scholarships including one four-year, fulltuition Army ROTC scholarship and one University of California Regents Scholarship. Two seniors were National Merit Finalists and six were commended. Additionally, two of our seniors have been signed as Division I athletes! Seniors, despite everything you’ve been through in the last few months, you have shown incredible strength and perseverance which will no doubt serve you well in your next chapter. We are so proud of everything you’ve accomplished with Country Day and everything you will accomplish in college! Congratulations, Class of 2020! 2636 LATHAM DRIVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95864 • WWW.SACCDS.ORG

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Let’s Be Fair RIVERFRONT RESIDENTS HAVE THEIR SAY

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

he Sacramento River Parkway levee is closed to public access. That’s a good thing. The closure means contractors for the Army Corps of Engineers are busy digging cutoff walls within the levee, burrowing anywhere from 35 to 135 feet below ground. The re-enforced levee will help protect Pocket, Greenhaven and the city from catastrophic floods. When the repairs are finished, the city will finalize its long-promised mission to open the levee parkway. The process began in 1975, when planners identified the levee as a terrific recreational asset. That’s also when a handful of property owners along the levee began a backroom political campaign to block public access.

RG By R.E. Graswich Pocket Beat

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They badgered authorities, used political connections, called in favors and stalled the parkway for 45 years. It was an impressive performance, a textbook example of self-interests pursued across generations. Now that the forces of public access have finally won, a few riverfront property owners refuse to go quietly. Gracious losers they aren’t. Every few months, I get an email from someone along the river attacking my support for public access. The writers always make the same points— that I’ve ignored their side of the story in the six years since Inside began its campaign to open the river parkway for public enjoyment. With residents unable to reach the parkway due to construction and coronavirus stay-home rules, now is good time to address complaints by riverfront property owners. Since they always make the same points, this won’t take long. Point one: “I am one of those homeowners that live next to the levee. There is no space between my backyard and the proposed bike trail. People will be able to look right into my bedroom. There is no privacy.”

I’ve seen this complaint a dozen times. It’s baffling. I recently moved into a new home. Neighbors and pedestrians can look right into my bedroom. Fortunately for the community, the previous owners installed a double set of curtains. I’m amazed how people who live along the levee are not aware of curtains. Point two: “We are very concerned that once public access is open, we will be victims of crime. It’s a big problem and it will get worse.” Here’s another familiar complaint. It proves people who live along the river believe they are entitled to unique protections—far beyond what anybody else gets. No one is eager to become a crime victim. But somehow, river residents have been allowed to barricade parks, public access points and levee sections. Why do they get special treatment? Especially when Sacramento Police data show accessible parts of the levee suffer no more crime than barricaded parts. Point three: “The homeless will have more opportunities to move in.” The effort to scapegoat homeless people and make them a reason to block river access is relatively new.

The homeless crisis is citywide. It has always existed along the river. Why do riverfront residents think they should be immune—especially when they never have been? City Councilmember Steve Hansen tried to use homeless migration as an excuse to block river access in Little Pocket. Voters threw him out. Point four: “You are the selfish one who never presents our side of the story.” As this column shows, I’m happy to tell both sides of the access story. Over the years, I have spoken to many riverfront property owners. In six years of writing about public access, I’ve been given permission to quote only two river residents. One is concerned about unsheltered people living along the river, but favors public access. The other wrote the quoted points that appear above. R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

READERS NEAR & FAR 1. Anne Kitt and her four grandchildren in Aptos, Calif. 2. Bob and Sara Giroux at Trunk Bay on St. John Island in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 3. The Del Guerra family in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. 4. James and Marie Peterson sheltering in place while playing with arts and crafts. 5. Chon and Nancy Gutierrez with Gary and Missy Stonehouse at the Pan-American Highway. 6. Kate Greene and Tom Frame at the Camino de Santiago in Santiago de Campostela, Spain.

Visit our new website at InsideSacramento.com, under â&#x20AC;&#x153;Near & Far,â&#x20AC;? for a map with past readers' photos! You can also submit photos directly from our website. It's never been so easy!

Take a picture with Inside and email a high-resolution copy to travel@insidepublications.com or submit directly from our website at InsideSacramento. com. Due to volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee all photos will be printed or posted. Find us on Facebook and Instagram: InsidePublications.

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The City must consider moving services, such as garbage collection, into private hands.

Cuts Needed, But Where? CITY SCRAMBLES TO AVOID BUDGET WOES

efore the coronavirus turned everything upside down, Sacramento City Hall was an optimistic place. The city’s budget for 2019-20 sang positive notes across its 451 pages. Revenue from taxes and service fees were projected to grow well into 2024. The city’s emergency reserve fund, which the City Council benchmarks at 10 percent of general fund revenue, was around $60 million. Life was good.

RG By R.E. Graswich City Beat

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Today, those numbers mean nothing. Cities across the nation are reeling under financial pressures they never imagined. The big sources of city cash flow—property taxes, sales taxes, utility taxes and fees for services—are hollowing out. The $60 million emergency fund will prove embarrassingly inadequate. This is why it’s good to see the City Council dig into a new report called “Citywide Innovation and Efficiency Assessment, Potential Strategies.” The material could help Sacramento become more fiscally responsible as it rebuilds from an economy wrecked by pandemic. The report, written by the consulting firm Management Partners, is a blueprint for financial stability in perilous times. When the authors announced their conclusions in early March, they couldn’t foresee the catastrophic health and economic

impacts of the coronavirus. But their ignorance was prescient. The COVID-19 meltdown makes the report essential. Basically, the consultants declared Sacramento was in good financial shape as 2020 began, but headed for trouble. The consultants believe the city has too many employees who work too much overtime. Those employees receive too many benefits that can’t be sustained. As for solutions, the number of city workers should be reduced. When possible, their jobs should be eliminated or moved into the private sector, with contractors picking up the chores.

“In the foreseeable future, the City will not be able to afford staffing levels such as those it had in 2008,” the consultants say. “The City has no choice but to either embrace alternative delivery approaches or reduce services.” Management Partners is expert in sensitive discussions about workforce reduction and pension reform. The consultants know the City Council is progressive and pro-labor. And they know the City Council doesn’t want to hear strategies to reduce the number of union-member city workers. Mayor Darrell Steinberg made this clear when he discussed

BASICALLY, THE CONSULTANTS DECLARED SACRAMENTO WAS IN GOOD FINANCIAL SHAPE AS 2020 BEGAN, BUT HEADED FOR TROUBLE.

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Wills•Trusts•Probate & Special Needs Trusts the report, saying, “I do not want to participate in anything that has any city employee either losing a job or losing pay and benefits.” Still, Steinberg hoped the city could trim its budget by $30 million. To get close to that number after the coronavirus subsides, the path is obvious. The city must shrink its workforce, if only by attrition, retirements and elimination of vacant positions. It must not expand its pool of salaries and benefits. And it must consider moving city services—notably garbage collection— into private hands. Privatized garbage collection would create a one-time savings of about $20 million and annual savings up to $3.2 million, the report says. There are other suggestions, all of which would save millions of dollars. The business tax system can be modernized. Tourist taxes can be increased. Parking can be manipulated to squeeze out more cash. The police and fire departments can use more civilian administrators. Overtime can be monitored and reduced. City ambulances can run with one firefighter and one firefighter-paramedic, rather than two trained as both firefighters and paramedics. The consultants graded their suggestions by probability—“high” to “moderate” to “low.” They figured the chance of reducing overtime was “high.” Contracting out garbage services was “low/moderate.” Eliminating binding arbitration for police and fire labor unions was “low.” Like all ideas that flow into City Hall, these suggestions won’t mean anything unless the City Council adopts them. Pushback began immediately from employee unions. Councilmembers vow their love for the city’s workforce. But as Steinberg says, “We have an obligation to the voters to follow through on our promises.”

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Lambtrust.com Management Partners suggests a two-year window to implement the changes. As the crisis subsides, the City Council has a generational opportunity to reshape priorities and not leave Sacramento floating blindly toward the next crisis.

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

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NEW CITY BUDGET STABLE—SO FAR City Manager Howard Chan delivered qualified good news with his new budget for the 202021 fiscal year. The coronavirus crisis hasn’t bankrupted Sacramento, at least not yet. Upcoming years might be another story, Chan warned. The early months of the pandemic will cost the city $32.8 million in revenue, Chan told Mayor Darrell Steinberg and the City Council. In the coming year, shortfalls driven by COVID-19 are predicted to hit $59 million, Chan said. “It will be months before we know the full impacts to our city, our businesses and our residents,” the city manager wrote in his budget statement. Relying on reserve funds, one-time money and a $89 million check from the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund, Chan believes the city can avoid layoffs and service disruptions for now. The city will freeze hiring and limit employee expenses such as travel. The federal money is conditional and can only be used for services impacted by the virus. The U.S. Treasury has warned cities it will demand repayment if the funds are used for other purposes. The city relies on property, sales and tourist taxes, plus service fees and penalties to balance its books. The money sources have shrunk. Parking meter income is down 95 percent and parking citations reduced by 88 percent. Restaurants typically account for $25 million of the city’s $199 million sales tax revenue. As the budget points out, “Many restaurants have closed outright.” City budgets look forward, not backward. But history may be helpful in predicting what’s ahead for Sacramento. It took almost two years for the impact of the Great Recession to hit the city’s budget. After that, police officers were laid off, fire stations closed on a rolling basis, park services halted and pools padlocked. – R.E. Graswich

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Sheri Graciano

Community Care

EAST SAC MOMS RAISE FUNDS TO FEED FRONTLINE WORKERS

hen COVID-19 simultaneously overloaded the health care system and hobbled the hospitality industry, East Sacramento resident Sheri Graciano put two and two together. Why not do something that would help both overworked health care professionals and local restaurants struggling to stay afloat? The result is Feeding the Front Line, a GoFundMe page that Graciano created with the goal of raising $1,500 to provide grab-and-go meals for a minimum of 120 people working on the frontlines of the health care system at local hospitals.

JL By Jessica Laskey Giving Back: Volunteer Proﬁle

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“I’m part of an East Sac moms Facebook group and was seeing posts from friends who are nurses and aren’t able to live with their families right now to minimize the spread of the virus,” says Graciano, who attended college in Sacramento in the 1980s and returned to get married 18 years ago. “Someone asked what we could do to help and they said anything is appreciated—but one was pizza. I thought, why not provide meals for the people working so hard by working with area restaurants, being that we’re the farm-to-fork capital of the world?” Graciano called a friend who knows Lisandro “Chando” Madrigal, owner of Chando’s Tacos, to see if he would be interested in partnering to provide the food. He agreed. Within a week, Feeding the Front Line had raised enough money to provide tacos for 100 people—both day and night shifts of Mercy General Hospital’s emergency department. A connection via Facebook yielded another partnership, this time with

Roxie Deli & Barbeque, which fed the emergency department at Sutter General Hospital. As the donations continued to come in, Graciano increased her goal to $3,000 to include as many workers as possible. It turned out that great minds think alike. Graciano found out that another East Sac mom, Arica Serpa-Dunlap, was doing similar fundraising on another GoFundMe page—with a goal of $10,000—so the two decided to join forces. Between the two of them, they’ve now fed more than 1,250 essential workers at Mercy General Hospital, Methodist Hospital and medical facilities run by UC Davis and Sutter, as well as at Natomas Fire Station 18, Rock Creek Care Center in Auburn and the U.S. Postal Service. The restaurant partnerships have also expanded to include Village Express Donuts, Icing on the Cupcake, Milano Pizza, Tank House BBQ and Bar, Kansai Ramen & Sushi House, Ya’ Wanna Cookie, Mezcal Grill, Try

Momma Salsa, Beach Hut Deli and Sac City Brews. “It’s so humbling to see how generous our community is,” says Graciano, who’s volunteered over the years as a member of the Active 20-30 Club and the PTA at both of her kids’ schools. (She and her daughter also recently joined the National Charity League.) As the HR director for Visit Sacramento, Graciano has overseen fundraisers for the Front Street Animal Shelter and many other local nonprofits. “Seeing how much the moms in East Sac do for the community inspired me to do this,” Graciano says. “It was touching to see that when I started something, that same generosity came out. We have a very special community.” To donate to Feed the Front Line, visit gofundme.com/f/1yn4dx1kg0. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

INSIDE

OUT

Romelia Pease East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce

(Above) SAFE Credit Union President Dave Roughton and his corprate team at the TAKE THE 100% LOCAL PLEDGE Kickoff on May 19. Photos by Aniko Kiezel and Susan Skinner.

John Adair Midtown Association

Mayor Darrell Steinberg

Tina Macuha Good Day Sacramento

Sheree Johnston East Sacramento Hardware

Sean Kohmescher Temple Coffee

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Rendering by DLR Group/Westlake, Reed & Leskosky

Photo by Sacramento Theatre Company

Curtain Up C

ultural arts groups in Sacramento and the venues that host them often live on the financial edge. They know how to persevere. In recent years, many have thrived. Now they are shuttered by contagion. Ticket sales are zero. Philanthropy has slowed. The only good news involves the Downtown convention center and theater. They didn’t lose any business because they were already dark. “Being closed for renovations means we didn’t have conventions or events to cancel,” says Matt Voreyer, general manager of the Sacramento Convention Center Complex. “We actually are more fortunate than some because our budget was based on being closed until end of 2020.” While it’s unknown whether theaters and halls will open later this year, two conventions that planned to use the convention center won’t be headed Downtown.

SC By Scot Crocker Inside Downtown

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ARTS GROUPS EAGER TO HEAR APPLAUSE

“The Almond Board and the Wine & Grape Symposium have a year to organize exhibitors and plan their events. They felt it made sense just to stay with Cal Expo one more year,” Voreyer says. When the convention center and theater reopen, along with other venues such as Memorial Auditorium, audiences will find new surroundings and protocols. “We will adhere to the city and county lockdown guidelines, and if we can open, we may have to practice safe distancing,” Voreyer says. Construction at the convention center and theater has not slowed during the coronavirus crisis. With an early spring, lack of rain and minimal traffic, construction has moved more quickly than expected. The city’s Convention & Cultural Services department was created to deliver cultural, artistic and leisure opportunities that enrich the quality of life and contribute to a vibrant metropolitan region. Sacramento Convention & Cultural Services, under the direction of Jody Ulich, provides a variety of other services, including partnerships with nonprofits such as the Center for Sacramento History, Crocker Art Museum, Old Sacramento, Powerhouse Science Center and Sacramento Zoo.

“We are working very closely with our nonprofit partners,” Ulich says. “We are talking every week, helping identify resources such as the Paycheck Protection Program stimulus program and other funding sources.” Some community groups devoted to arts education have moved programs online. Performing arts groups are doing virtual performances. “We will survive and thrive. Arts and cultural groups bring a lot of passion to their work to ensure quality experiences to the community,” Ulich says. “I’m an internal optimist,” she adds. “While I can’t look into a crystal ball, we are coming together as a strong force and we are excited about opening up our new venues for conventions, performances and events.” Sacramento is home to many small and large arts groups. The Sacramento Theatre Company, which planned to celebrate its 75th anniversary this year, has been hit hard. Anniversary fundraising events have been canceled or postponed. “It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen and we are working daily on a variety of contingency plans,” says Carol Wieckowski, STC board chair. “We are not giving up. We’ve been around for 75 years and we intend to be around for another 75 years.”

STC education programs have continued, but the organization has made deep staffing cuts. The group has not canceled the whole season yet, but Wieckowski remains cautious. “We hope to be back on stage for our annual Christmas Carol performances,” she says. “At that point, we don’t know exactly what normal will look like and we might have to have safe distancing for seating. I can tell you the STC family is hurting, but those involved in theater have a passion for their art and will just keep moving forward.” Some performances might take months to coordinate. Others, such as cabaret shows, can be organized in two weeks. “We understand that giving and donations may be directed towards health-related causes, but there are still many who donate or provide grants to the arts,” Wieckowski says. “We are counting every penny, analyzing the shows that would be popular for Sacramento audiences and how to organize ourselves for the future.” Scot Crocker can be reached at scot@ crockerbranding.com. Previous stories can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

Adapt or Else KINGS, NBA NEED CREATIVE RECOVERY AFTER VIRUS

Photo by Aniko Kiezel

n my fourth or fifth year covering the Kings, loss after loss, I thought about ways to make the NBA season more interesting. One obvious trick was to shorten it. I drew up a schedule. Fifty games in 60 nights. Then I moved everyone into a victory-weighted, single-game, sudden-death tournament until only two teams were standing. After that, a traditional best-of-seven final series would crown the champion. Start to finish, the season would run about three months—leaving plenty of time for other stuff. (As for preseason, I cut it down to a week. Players should stay in shape year-round.) As always, the Kings were awful. Watching them was an exercise in frustration even for those of us who had good seats and got paid to sit in them. A compressed season would have

RG By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority

been merciful. The team’s collapse was inevitable. Why drag it out? That was 30 years ago. Then and now, there was too much money at stake to seriously consider shortening the season. This was long before the NBA signed its nine-year, $24 billion TV contract, a deal that keeps the cash spigot open for perennial losers like the Kings no matter how badly they perform. But the coronavirus changed everything. The pandemic turned the cloistered world of sports into an afterthought and wiped out the 2020 calendar. Nobody knows when the games and crowds will return. Optimists are talking about Thanksgiving. Arenas and stadiums will be the last places to reopen. The only certainty is that life will not be the same for the NBA and other leagues. With arenas dark, money has stopped pouring in. NBA players accepted 25 percent salary cuts in May. Team executives had their paychecks reduced in varying amounts. The River Cats are suffering as well, but aren’t responsible for player salaries. The English Premier League, the world’s richest soccer alliance, admits several teams could face bankruptcy. Owners have asked players to accept 30 percent pay cuts. The players prefer salary deferrals. In Spain, eight

soccer teams cut player salaries by 70 percent, including FC Barcelona. Similar conversations are happening everywhere, in all sports. ESPN, ABC and Turner Sports, whose largesse has underwritten the NBA’s success in recent years, will expect adjustments for all those audiences they didn’t reach and commercials they didn’t sell. In Sacramento, the situation could turn ugly. The Kings don’t own Golden 1 Center, but profit every time the doors open. The team manages the building in partnership with the landlord—the city of Sacramento. The Kings must pay rent so the city can afford to pay debt service on the bonds it sold to construct the building. The Kings are like any business shutdown by COVID-19. They rely on cash flow to pay the lease and keep the lights on. Some of that money comes from the national TV contract and local media deals. Some comes from business partnerships. Some comes from season tickets. Some comes from selling cheeseburgers and beer and renting out the building for concerts. Playing before TV cameras in an empty building—a suggestion made by some NBA owners—won’t replace all that revenue.

A big chunk of the Kings’ liquidity has dried up for an unknown period of months, if not years. The Kings are secretive about the financial wherewithal of their bosses, but sports owners who lack liquidity will have to find other sources to keep their clubs solvent. There’s no guarantee fans will instantly flock back and buy expensive tickets to boring games when arenas reopen. The shutdown may realign our priorities. The economy could be hobbled for years, impacting corporate expense accounts that fatten the NBA. During the Great Recession, the Maloof family owned the Kings. The Maloofs were desperate, running out of money. They had to liquidate. Presumably, current chairman Vivek Ranadive and partners are better resourced. Ranadive is a creative guy. He knows the world has cataclysmically shifted. Creativity will be critical for the Kings. Maybe 50 games in 60 nights isn’t such a dumb idea. R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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Natural Elements BROTHER AND SISTER TEAM UP TO BRING OUTSIDE IN

erry Grabowy purchased his “really old, really small” home, tucked away off a quiet road in Carmichael, in 1989. Almost 30 years later, it was time to level the 1,200-square-foot dwelling and start anew. “It was meant to be torn down and something new built because the house was just so old and the foundation was really lousy,” Grabowy says. “Part of it was raised and part of it was slab. The concrete was falling apart.” The big question: “Should I do something or get out of here?” That’s when Grabowy turned to his sister, Mary Ann Downey of Mary Ann Downey Interior Design. “I got talking to Mary Ann,” Grabowy says. “And said, ‘What do you think about building a house?’” Downey was all in—along with contractor Bill Carter of William E. Carter Company Inc. “He can do anything and is diligent about all our specifications,” Downey says. The yearlong endeavor began in June 2018 to replace the old structure with a new 2,600-square-foot abode with three bedrooms, two baths and a 1,400-square-foot garage. “I decided to throw in extra room to store stuff and have room for the cars,” Grabowy says. Grabowy’s love of the outdoors—and outdoor activities such as skiing, scuba diving and boating—is reflected in the natural color scheme throughout the home. “He has seen a lot in his travels, but left it up to me to represent his love of the great outdoors,” Downey says. The open kitchen showcases a dramatic L-shaped “waterfall” island featuring Cambria quartz countertops— the regal tones inspired by Harlech Castle in North Wales. The back countertops are polished quartz by Silestone in a shade of soft brown. The kitchen cabinets from Wood Dynamics are alder wood, which “takes stains very well,” says Downey, who custom designed the backsplash in tiles from Natural Stone Design Gallery. A pantry and countertop “garage-door” hideaway keep small appliances out of sight.

CR By Cathryn Rakich Photography by Aniko Kiezel OPEN HOUSE

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Large drawers for storage are found under the Monark JennAir induction cooktop, “which I totally love,” Grabowy says. “It’s high power but you can put your hand right there. It’s more efficient than gas. No big grates to clean. This thing is easy to wipe down.” Two kitchen sinks each feature a Ferguson touchless faucet. “This is one of my favorite things,” the homeowner notes. “My hands are always dirty.” Two walls of windows in the living room open up to a large lush backyard, common in rural Carmichael. “It’s kind of like a park back there,” Grabowy says. The oak-design floors are engineered hardwood by Shaw, suitable for commercial applications. They are

“impervious to the rural surroundings,” Downey says. Grabowy can testify to the floor’s scratch resistance by way of his playful cat, Trixie. “She loves chasing little foil balls,” he says. “I can hear her little paws. I keep looking for marks, but I don’t see any.” In the living room, the sleek gas fireplace is surrounded by Dekton, a strong, compact surface made from materials found in glass, porcelain and quartz. “This product is suitable for all outdoor and fireplace installations,” Downey says. “It is not subject to freeze/ thaw or high heat as most solid surfaces are.” Custom cabinets and an entertainment center flank the living room fireplace, which is double-sided

to also face the master bedroom on the other side of the wall. Another genius feature is the walk-in closet with a door in the back wall that opens up to the hallway for easy access to the laundry room. “It’s so convenient,” Grabowy says. “How many houses have the laundry room on the other side of the house?” The guest and master bathrooms feature quartz countertops in a stonelike pattern of greys and tans, ultramodern showers and tubs, Italian porcelain tiles and glass mosaic wall accents. “My brother was terrific to work with,” Downey says. “I think he is very happy, and it was a pleasure and an honor to do this for him.”

To recommend a home or garden for Open House, contact Cathryn Rakich at crakich@surewest.net. More photography and previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

Terry Grabowy

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The Diestel family

Medic Menus SLEEP TRAIN MEALS HAVE GOLDEN 1 TOUCH

oronavirus patients at the Alternate Care Facility in Sleep Train Arena won’t have to settle for traditional hospital food. Meals at the old arena—leased by the Kings to the state for $500,000 a month—are provided by Legends Hospitality, the NBA team’s food vendor. About 300 staff are standing by in case the COVID-19 pandemic creates a patient surge that overwhelms regional

TMO By Tessa Marguerite Outland Farm-to-Fork

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hospitals. Those nurses and doctors have to eat, and Legends is serving the meals. The food vendor declined to say who was paying for the meals. This presumably means it’s California taxpayers and not the Kings. Some food is being donated by producers. Legends is responsible for Golden 1 Center’s food services. The company partners with the Kings to buy from local farmers, reflecting Sacramento’s farm-to-fork reputation. In March, after basketball games were halted, Legends and the Kings donated approximately 5,000 pounds of produce and prepared food to the Sacramento Food Bank and Sacramento County Office of Education. For the work at Sleep Train, Legends prepares the food Downtown at Golden 1 Center and delivers it to a specified

“clean zone” at the North Natomas facility. With 90 percent of the ingredients sourced from within 150 miles, these meals will provide patients with fresh and nourishing foods, while also supporting regional farmers and food suppliers. Local suppliers include Diestel Family Ranch in Sonora, Panorama Organic Grass-Fed Meats

in Woodland, Napa Nuts, Clover milk in Sonoma, Bella Bru Cafe & Catering in Sacramento and more. Grab-n-go sandwiches, salads, snacks, whole fruits and beverages are provided under the direction of executive chef Brien Kuznicki. When Kuznicki reached out to Diestel Family Ranch for the Sleep Train project, the turkey farm decided

With 90 percent of the ingredients sourced from within 150 miles, these meals will provide patients with fresh and nourishing foods, while also supporting regional farmers and food suppliers. Page 33

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56 Most goofy 61 Egg-shaped 64 Get rid of unnecessary stuff, as you must do in the starred answers 65 Convey, as information 66 Sunburn reliever 67 On a ship, perhaps 68 Cat’s number of lives, proverbially 69 Ironically, it might leave a ring when removed 70 Big Apple address abbr. DOWN 1 Opposite of pro2 Shofar, e.g. 3 Just somewhat 4 Mild soap brand 5 It’s written with a point in the U.S. but not in France 6 First and worst tsar? 7 Curling site 8 Windy City trains 9 Sis, say 10 End of UChicago’s URL 11 Name meaning “reborn” 12 Scolding for a Scottie 16 Puts away 18 Harley bike 23 “Give it ___!” (“Try!”)

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45 Harassed online 47 Senator, on occasion 48 Lopsided 49 Many a Sherpa 50 Shipmate of Scotty 54 Very important person 56 “Sisters” actress Ward 57 Very important person 58 Site with one-of-akind goods 59 Spotted 60 Ceiling type with a higher center 62 Coffee yogurt color 63 <O> 64 Sand ___ (Paciﬁc ﬂounder)

Minimize by Karen Steinberg

100% LOCAL Newsletter InsideSacramento.com

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BUSINESS LEADERS SILENT AS SCHOOL DISTRICT FAILS

oronavirus news is crowding out everything in our public discourse, so it’s understandable why we’re not hearing much about the protracted stalemate between the Sacramento City Unified School District and the union representing teachers in the financially troubled system. Negotiations on the union’s longexpired contract presumably started in March, but it’s been radio silence for much of the time since then. Both sides have reverted to their positions of mistrust, finger pointing and putting off hard choices. But the relative silence from Sacramento’s business community is another story altogether. It’s more than a little disappointing. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we were basking in the city’s renaissance. More restaurants and cool gathering spots were opening than we could keep up with. The city’s arts, cultural and sports scenes were thriving. New amenities were coming online.

GD By Gary Delsohn Building Our Future

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Sacramento, forever in the shadow of the Bay Area and California’s other large, more self-sufficient metropolitan areas, had arrived. It was carving out its own identity as a midsized city with big ambition. People were working, shops and restaurants were filled, our cultural infrastructure was resonant. Big plans were finally coming to fruition on the Downtown waterfront and railyards, where a new soccer stadium is planned. As a city, we were riding a big wave that showed few signs of dissipating. But everything the city wants to accomplish, from recruiting new businesses and attracting young families, could be undermined by the sad state of Sac City Unified. With rapid turnover among superintendents and financial dysfunction that put the district on the verge of insolvency and a state takeover, Sac City Unified has been separated from the city’s ascendancy. Which makes the relative silence of local business leaders troubling. Privately, I’ve been told by many members of the business community that no one wants to be seen as critical of the teachers’ union, which has refused to back down from its insistence that the district has not been honest about its financial dealings. When I reached out to Barry Broome, president and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, to ask

why business leaders were not beating the drum for a settlement between the union and school district, he said the current state of affairs was too fraught to enter. “I think there has been inconsistencies in the financial view of the district,” he said in an email. “Difficult to engage when there (is) no real starting point. Too many conflicting stories. We’ve had four superintendents in eight years. Difficult to help with all of the instability.” I asked the same question of Amanda Blackwood, president and chief executive officer of the Metro Chamber. “We are all hands on deck in regards to supporting our local businesses through all things coronavirus mitigation right now,” she responded via email. “Happy to talk in the future once things have settled down a bit. Understand if deadlines prohibit that and appreciate you reaching out.” When I emailed her again at the end of April, I never heard back. Mayor Darrell Steinberg has been one of the few public figures brave enough to wade into the mess. He engineered a new labor agreement between the teachers and the district in 2017, but the contract proved financially unsustainable. The agreement averted a strike, which would have been devastating with the latest superintendent, Jorge Aguilar, just settling into the job. But

it also seemed to make the district’s financial condition harder to fix. Another Sacramento mayor, the late Joe Serna, went out on a political limb in the mid-1990s when he used his political capital to help elect four new school board members. The public’s confidence in the district improved. Serna understood we couldn’t have a healthy city with unhealthy public schools. If the state does take control of Sac City Unified because the district can’t manage its finances, optimists believe receivership may be the right medicine. They could be right. But a state takeover would give us another black eye and feed into the narrative that our city schools are a mess. The COVID-19 pandemic will fade. Sacramento will boom again, though how energetically is anyone’s guess. But the failure of the city’s business leadership to exert influence on one of the most important problems facing Sacramento will be an abdication of responsibility we won’t quickly live down. Gary Delsohn can be reached at gdelsohn@gmail.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

The whole gang is waiting for you.

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

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

sacpetsearch.com sspca.org happytails.org saccountyshelter.net Brought to you by the animal lovers at

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From page 30

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

OKRA

to donate an additional 500 pounds of meat. “I think it’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen before and devastating to some families,” says Heidi Diestel, a fourth-generation farmer with Diestel Family Ranch. “If we can be a small part of that, it’s all we want to do.” The Diestel ranch has donated to people impacted by the pandemic in their local community, plus some of their own team members. “It’s always our goal to provide the best quality product to our customers on any given day, pre-COVID-19,” Diestel says. “To be a farmer is a humbling experience and to continue to do this is kind of surreal in a way.” Having immediate access to healthy food is vital in any situation, whether recovering from an illness, working long

hours in a hospital or staying safe at home. At the Sleep Train field hospital, patients and medical staff can be certain they will be provided with Sacramento’s own nourishing and high-quality food and medical treatment during this pandemic. Tessa Marguerite Outland can be reached at tessa.m.outland@gmail. com. Our Inside Sacramento Restaurant Guide and previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

This very low-calorie vegetable has lots of vitamin A and antioxidants such as beta-carotene and lutein, and it’s a good source of folates. To eat: Use in a Southern gumbo or Caribbean stew.

APRICOTS This beautiful golden-orange-colored stone fruit is full of beta-carotene, fiber and vitamins A and C. To eat: Perfect for making jam, a tart or ice cream.

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Technical Foul KINGS, NEWSOM BLOW IT WITH HOSPITAL MESSAGE

or almost 40 years, the Kings have feasted on a narrative that portrays the basketball team as a public treasure rather than a business. The story is fantasy. The Kings are a business. Their goal is to make money for their owners. It’s been this way since 1983, when a Sacramento group bought the team. And it’s true today. When the coronavirus pandemic wiped out the NBA season and shuttered Golden 1 Center, the Kings, like any business, faced a crisis. Their cash-flow generator was gone overnight. But the Kings found a

RG By R.E. Graswich

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side hustle. They became hospital landlords. Since early April, the Kings have rented out Sleep Train Arena, the team’s former home in North Natomas, as a state emergency “alternate-care” hospital. The threemonth contract requires taxpayers to pay $500,000 per month. The arrangement was first reported by the Bee, which obtained the contract under a public records request with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services. In the context of NBA dollars, the money is not much. The Kings pay one player, forward Harrison Barnes, about $294,000 per game. The monthly hospital rent is less than the NBA minimum salary. But the Kings have lost millions of dollars in income since the NBA shut down in March, when players began testing positive for the COVID-19

virus. Teams are hurting. In a crisis, every little bit helps. The decision to turn the old arena into a temporary overflow hospital should not have been controversial. Gov. Newsom and state health officials—along with medical experts around the world—feared a surge of virus patients could overrun the limited number of emergency and intensive-care facilities. That’s what happened in New York, which endured at least 300,000 confirmed virus cases and more than 18,000 COVID-19 deaths in March and April. When Newsom announced his plans to slowly reopen California, he spelled out specific conditions for every phase. The steps included warnings about new surges of hospital patients. The governor’s timeline for resumption of public life was not encouraging to the Kings and other

businesses that trade in mass entertainment. They will open only after the virus is under control— “Months, not weeks,” Newsom says, without putting a number on it. Optimists look to November or December to resume large public gatherings. But it’s reasonable to think arenas and stadiums won’t reopen until 2021. There’s been good news on the arena hospital front. During its first month of operation, the Sleep Train alternate-care facility admitted no patients, a spokesman for the Office of Emergency Services told Inside Sacramento. About 300 health care providers are present in case a surge comes. If the arena medical staff gets busy, the situation for California will be bad. The arena hospital deal has not escaped controversy. The pain was self-inflicted by the Kings and Newsom. The team and governor tried to present the rental arrangement as a gift to the residents of California when it was no such thing. Newsom and Kings chairman Vivek Ranadive held a press conference and showered each other with praise. Among the spray of self-serving bouquets was no mention of the $500,000 monthly rent. The governor said the Kings were a fine example of “philanthropy of scale.” Ranadive promoted his global vision and repeated the 2010 public relations cliché about the Kings being “bigger than basketball.” When the contract became public, Newsom and Ranadive both looked ridiculous. There was no reason to pretend the Sleep Train agreement was anything other than what it was—an example of the state acting proactively in crisis, and a business trying to make a few bucks while helping out. Even people who believe the Kings are a community treasure would understand. R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

C f h o a s n d g e C f e e h o a S s n d g e e Se

Dan Vierria

PANDEMIC SPURS RENEWED INTEREST IN VEGETABLE GARDENING

DV By Dan Vierria Garden Jabber

ello neighbor! I am new to this space, but have lived and pushed shovels into Northern California soil my entire life. I imagine you have done some digging, deadheading and maybe even turned a compost pile. As gardeners, we have much in common. Have you noticed unusually high numbers of joggers, walkers and cyclists in the neighborhood? Sheltering in place

during the COVID-19 pandemic has inspired more time outdoors, including gardens where we’re soaking up vitamin D, weeding beds and borders, planting vegetables, and becoming reacquainted with hummingbirds and honeybees. Since the onset of the virus, interest in gardening has accelerated like a Tesla Model S. Confined to quarters and dealing with product shortages,

people who barely know a kiwi from an apricot have decided to grow their own groceries. Nurseries have accommodated, allowing for safety and convenience with curbside pickup. Some even deliver to nearby neighborhoods. Demand and interest have kindled a period of Victory Garden 2.0. Victory Gardens were veggie gardens spawned during world wars because of fear and worry about empty food shelves. Toilet paper, flour and rice are not the only commodities disappearing from today’s shelves. Seed companies report shortages. George Ball, chairman of Burpee seed company, recently told NPR his company was “flooded with vegetable orders.” Gary Ibsen of Mendocino-based TomatoFest Organic Heirloom Tomato Seeds says he normally finishes shipping seeds by the end of March but was filling orders into late April. Maybe you have planted extra tomatoes and peppers or have researched growing your own onions, potatoes, garlic and leeks. Sacramento nurseries and home centers are attempting to keep up with the increasing appetite for seeds and plants, especially edibles. Ensuring vegetables, fruit and citrus trees, berries and seeds are

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Page 37

Storytelling on Canvas

Jill Estroff Photo by Linda Smolek

CURTIS PARK ARTIST NARRATES WITH PAINT

ill Estroff will say her art career “just sort of happened.” But the truth is, the Curtis Park painter has worked very hard to make that career happen.

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She started as a writer, editing a weekly paper in Florida, traveling for PBS, then freelancing for local publications when she moved to Sacramento so her husband could take a job at the Bee. But it was her

job as the marketing director for the Crocker Art Museum—which she held from 1986 to 1993—that was responsible for the blossoming of her painting career.

“I realized if I was going to have this job in an art museum, I needed to know what I was talking about,” Estroff says. “So I took art history classes at Sac City College with Chris Daubert and drawing classes with Fred Dalkey.” Those classes came in handy in 2014 when Estroff was diagnosed with a serious illness and forced to reckon with how she truly wanted to spend her time. She took an art bootcamp with painter Leslie Toms and, in celebration of completing chemo therapy, Estroff held a backyard art show in which she sold 14 pieces. Fortified with her sudden success, Estroff submitted a painting to this very paper—which Estroff chalks up to “pure chutzpah”—and landed the first of many covers. “Cecily Hastings believing in me opened so many doors,” Estroff says. “Getting the cover and being exposed to so many people got me my first show (at Robert-Jean Ray’s Red Dot Gallery).” Estroff quickly realized how much she’d missed being part of the art world since leaving her job at the Crocker in 1993 to raise her two daughters. She started volunteering everywhere she could—including Beatnik Studios and the nowdefunct Alex Bult Gallery—and submitting her work to galleries and public forums like the KVIE Art Auction. She also continued her consulting career for clients such as McClellan Air Force Base and West Sacramento’s Bridge District. “Painting and consulting are both about visual storytelling,” Estroff says. “That’s why my paintings have a narrative feel—and why I started adding figures to my landscapes. Though I love strong landscapes, I like to populate my images with people to help tell a story. If I can paint something that speaks to someone, it’s so rewarding.”

JL By Jessica Laskey Open Studio

Are you sick of all the political ﬁghting?

So are we. Help us do something about it. Braver Angels Sacramento Estroff’s work has clearly spoken to many, if her exhibition success is any indication. She’s shown at places all over town, including the KVIE Art Gallery, Tim Collom Gallery, CK Art, Crocker, Red Dot and Beatnik. She also did brisk business both years she participated in Verge Center for the Arts’ Sac Open Studios. “I was unsure at first about the open studio component,” Estroff admits. “There are much more important things to me than having a tidy house—I have friends, I need to walk, and painting always wins— but participating the first year was wonderful. People were genuinely interested in the art, so it felt like a party where I didn’t have to clean up my house.”

In fact, that festive feeling is what keeps Estroff going. “I always want to learn and grow—I don’t want to repeat myself,” she says. “I don’t want to keep my style the same for the next 40 years. I want my art to evolve, to stay fresh and interesting. And I don’t want to ever take the joy away from it. That’s why we do it.” For more information, visit jillestroff.com. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

We bring Reds and Blues together to talk, listen and learn about each others’ views. We are more on the same page than we think! Come to a Braver Angels event and learn the skills to understand others and express your views with passion and civility.

Learn more at: www.braverangelssac.org

From page 35 available has been a priority at Fair Oaks Boulevard Nursery, according to manager Quentyn Young. Which edibles have been the most in demand? “Anything you can eat,” he says. “We are seeing brisk sales of all things edible,” echoes Angela Pratt, owner of The Plant Foundry Nursery & Store in Oak Park. “We sold out of potatoes for the first time since we opened in 2015.” Pratt says seeds and fruit trees have been frequently restocked this spring. Green Acres Nursery & Supply, which has five locations around Sacramento, has experienced “increased enthusiasm” for learning to grow vegetables and fruit trees this spring, says co-owner Ashley Rossi. She cites tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers as especially popular vegetables because of their versatility to eat fresh, cook or can. Peppers and tomatoes freeze well, too. A few packages from last summer still lurk in my freezer. While strolling the nursery aisle, it’s a good idea to purchase ornamental plants that attract pollinators and beneficial insects to the veggie patch. A few flowering plants to consider are borage, bee balm, salvias, sunflowers, coneflower and zinnias.

Join me in the coming months as we explore traditional and modern aspects of Sacramento gardening and gardens. Food and flowers are main ingredients, but the recipe also calls for a cup each of sharing, exercise, peace of mind and bonding with nature. Oh, there’s a dash of weeding, snails and fungal diseases, too. If you are among the many new Sacramento-area gardeners, you will learn a few tricks. Even the most seasoned gardeners are constantly learning. For now, there are melons to plant and aphids that demand attention. Dan Vierria is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener for Sacramento County and former Home & Garden writer for The Sacramento Bee. 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. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @ insidesacramento. n

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The Great Outdoors WITH NEW RESTRICTIONS, RESTAURANTS CAN SURVIVE IN THE SUNSHINE

irst thing you should know, I’m writing this in early May. Restaurants have not reopened for on-site dining. Life has not returned to anything resembling normal. And, from this point of view, a few weeks behind your current perspective, it doesn’t look like we’ll be gathering in large crowds anywhere anytime soon. My friends in the restaurant industry have been hit harder than almost any other group during the pandemic. The well-loved institutions that have stayed open by offering take-out and delivery have done so with skeleton crews and shoestring budgets. When restrictions lift, they will not lift completely. And even if they did, diners will not likely return in the same numbers. It will require thoughtful consideration by restaurant owners and diners to find a reasonable compromise between capacity and safety for all involved. With all that said, it seems glaringly obvious that eateries with plenty of outdoor dining and drinking accommodations will be the quickest to adjust to space restrictions, and the easiest for diners to feel comfortable in. Here are a few options for the summer, when hopefully we’ll be able to safely and sparsely convene in the sunshine to make as merry as we can given the circumstances.

GS By Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider

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Woodlake Tavern Photos by Linda Smolek

SELLAND’S MARKET-CAFE Selland's Market-Cafe

Randall Selland’s various fast casual outlets in Downtown, East Sacramento and El Dorado Hills have plenty of outdoor seating and convivial surroundings. The predictable menu of hot and cold favorites, such as herb salmon and teriyaki chicken, complement the impressive pizza offerings and indulgent dessert case. Each restaurant offers order ahead options online or over the phone.

DRAKES: THE BARN With more than 2 acres of room to roam, this unique space perched on the river in West Sacramento seems like the logical place to grab a sip and a bite without having to be shoulder to shoulder with your neighbor. Exceptional New Haven-style pizza, made with thin crust and bold toppings, pairs well with Drake’s award-winning beers. Other local beer specialists with large outdoor spaces and great menus include Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse at 14th and V streets, Oak Park Brewing Co. at 35th Street and Broadway, and The Shack at Folsom Boulevard and 52nd Street.

WOODLAKE TAVERN The singular team of Deneb Williams and Elizabeth-Rose Mandalou have the distinct privilege of holding down one of the most convivial restaurant spaces in all of Sacramento. Elegantly

perched on the five-way corner of Del Paso Boulevard and Arden Way, the Woodlake Tavern boasts well-appointed indoor/outdoor dining options. Fully renovated and welcoming as all get out, the inviting courtyard offers plenty of space for socially distant dining. On top of the physical space itself, the menu excels in almost every area, from casual barbecue dishes (the ribs are ridiculous) to upscaled cocktails and spot-on desserts. Curbside pick-up and delivery are available.

THE FIREHOUSE This might be wishful thinking, but picturing me and my wife, with maybe another special couple (you know who you are), seated under the sheltering branches of The Firehouse’s majestic oak while the mini lights twinkle and the fine dining fare comes smoothly out of the kitchen feels like a bit of Sacramento perfection. The Firehouse courtyard was made for cool evenings. Between the Delta

breeze and the clatter of surrounding Old Sacramento, I can’t think of anywhere that sings of our city’s past and present like this space.

SCOTT’S SEAFOOD GRILL & BAR Let’s not forget some of the most scenic and spacious spots in town— those destinations on the river. Go to Scott’s Seafood on Riverside Boulevard

DINING AL FRESCO EXPANDS

n an effort to facilitate distance dining at local restaurants, the city of Sacramento has a new program that promotes outdoor dining on patios, sidewalks and even parking lots. Under "Farm-to-Fork Al Fresco," dining establishments will be able to serve more customers while keeping them at a safe distance from each other. Restaurants will work with neighboring property owners to determine options for the al fresco service. Possibilities include closing streets to vehicles to allow for more dining options. “As our restaurants prepare to re-open while adhering to distancing requirements, the city and local business organizations are working to provide more room for diners by expanding the availability of outdoor dining,” reports City Councilmember Steve Hansen on his Facebook page. “Roads may be closed or cars restricted in certain areas to allow for expanded dining, but bike lanes and pedestrian walkways will remain accessible.” The program will begin in high-density business zones, such as Downtown and Midtown, and could expand to other areas of Sacramento. For a list of restaurants that currently offer outdoor dining and to learn about upcoming participating restaurants, visit godowntownsac.com. n

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Drakes: The Barn

for roomy and picturesque dining away from the business of town. The macadamia nut-crusted seabass is still a favorite. Also, check out some floating treats at Crawdads on the River on Garden Highway for casual fare just feet from the water. Or make the short trek to The Virgin Sturgeon, also on Garden

Highway. The food is homey and the spirit is undeniable. To be honest, when and how some of these restaurants will reopen is still up in the air. But as we all look forward to better times ahead, keep in mind that things change daily. Make sure to call ahead to any restaurant you wish to patronize. Help support your local

businesses. We will all get through this together. Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com. Our Inside Sacramento Restaurant Guide and previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

Helping the Helpers 4 WAYS TO BENEFIT OTHERS DURING THIS CRISIS

red Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers, often quoted his mother who offered advice during his childhood about scary events on the news. “Look for the helpers,” she said. “You will always find people who are helping.” Today, the news couldn’t be scarier because those helpers are in trouble. Thankfully, some of us are in a position to assist. We are the retired or those remaining in full-time work. This means our government stimulus check is likely lying on the credenza or in our bank. “Uh oh,” you say. “The chaplain is gonna pass the hat.” Maybe, but I prefer to think I can assuage the guilt we share. Yes, I actually feel some guilt about cashing

NB By Norris Burkes Spirit Matters

the check. Our income hasn’t changed, and since we can’t travel or dine out, our accounts have grown. Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded….” That simply means that if we are blessed with talents, wealth and knowledge, then we are expected to benefit others. If you’re wondering how to benefit others with that stimulus check you may not need, allow me to suggest four donation tiers. The first place to donate is to family and friends. Consider helping an outof-work child pay her utility bill. Or help your unemployed neighbor with a Costco run. The next tier of donations might involve increasing your local contributions to the essential frontline social services like food banks and homeless shelters. This is where the majority of my check will go. Use the internet to find a local charity. My favorite is Runnin’ for Rhett, which inspired me to run marathons and pulled my grandsons off the couch.

The third tier involves finding reputable worldwide charities on the internet using the Charity Navigator at charitynavigator.org. For example, on this site, you’ll be heartened to discover that Save the Children is still doing stellar work. And Matthew 25 Ministries is busy responding to Tennessee tornadoes, as well as hunger in Appalachia. The list is deep and wide, but find one—now. Finally, consider putting aside 25 percent of your check to give to charities that may be in danger of extinction. These are nonprofits that aren’t doing the headline-grabbing work of directly combating the COVID-19 crisis. Yet they still need our help. These are the churches, women’s shelters and animalrescue organizations. Two charities that have my attention are the Chispa Project and my employer, Hospice of the Foothills. Like many hospice organizations, Hospice of the Foothills is funded by thrift shops. With those shops shut down, its budget is greatly suffering. (Habitat for Humanity is hurting for similar reasons.)

Also at risk is the Chispa Project that my daughter, Sara, founded to establish libraries in Honduras. Like many small charities, Chispa is appealing for emergency help with payroll, rent and the car payment for the vehicle used to transport books. Because of the quarantine, Sara and her Honduran employees are unable to conduct teacher training, transport books and establish libraries. Employees must hibernate with at-home work, hoping to make it long enough to finish their libraries once schools open again. So for now, I will send my remaining dollars to the Chipsa Project at chispaproject.org/help—but I’m a bit partial to the founder. Write to me and tell me where you gave or where you see the need. Norris Burkes can be reached at comment@thechaplain.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new 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

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Thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats emerge at dusk from under the Yolo Causeway. Photo by Joy Elson.

Beauty in Bats NO REASON TO FEAR THESE BENEFICIAL CREATURES

expected the sky to move in waves of solid black, back and forth, around and under—the air to be filled with spine-shivering screeches. But that’s not what happened. Our group of 12 met up with two guides at the Cosumnes River Preserve off of Franklin Boulevard in Galt. After a quick orientation, we took a paved path to a row of kayaks and then glided down the river’s main channel, through a riparian forest and wetlands. By the time we reached our destination it was dusk, the appointed

CR By Cathryn Rakich Animals & Their Allies

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time for tens of thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats to emerge from under a circa 1950 redwood-beam bridge in search of their nightly meal of insects. But instead of the frightening and frantic scene I expected, the nocturnal mammals streamed out in long curling ribbons from beneath the bridge, taking a full 20 minutes for the last one to appear. The sky wasn’t thick with black bodies. In a delicate and intricate dance, the bats spread out across the sky, disappearing into the woodlands for moths and mosquitos, and darting over the water for dragonflies. And the air was hushed—barely a sound as the summer sun faded away. Bats have received a lot of attention in the last few months due to their possible link to the novel coronavirus. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses common in people and many different species of animals, including

bats, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While it’s still unknown how the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 jumped from animal to human, the general consensus is the virus did not spread directly from bats to people. Instead, one or more animals at a live wildlife market, also known as a “wet market,” in Wuhan, China, were likely infected by a bat, specifically China’s horseshoe bat, at some point. Humans then came in contact with that infected animal at the market, where legal and illegal wildlife and domestic pets are packed tightly into cages in stressful and unsanitary conditions, slaughtered and sold for food. “Live animal markets and trafficking in wild animals is at the heart of this global health threat,” according to Bat Conservation International. “There is no evidence that suggests bats found in North America harbor

these types of coronaviruses,” says Mary Jean “Corky” Quirk with Northern California Bats, a volunteer group dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating injured and orphaned bats in Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills. “There is no reason to fear bats. They are amazing mammals whose bodies have adapted to live with certain viruses.” Bat colonies that once numbered in the millions have been dramatically reduced due to human disturbance and habitat destruction, as well as pesticide poisoning, according to the Yolo Basin Foundation. “Things like deforestation, degradation of habitat, capturing wildlife for the exotic pet trade, and mixing captive wildlife and domestic animals in confined areas. All of these lead to stress and the shedding of viruses,” Quirk says. There are more than 1,400 species of bats in the world. Most common to the Sacramento Valley are the big brown bat and Mexican free-tailed bat, which devour an astounding number of insects, including mosquitos and agricultural pests, making them an economic asset to farmers.

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PARK RENOVATIONS The Mexican free-tailed bat is common in the Sacramento Valley. Photo courtesy of the Yolo Basin Foundation. “They fill many niches in the ecosystem, from insect control, to pollination, to seed dispersal. Some of these tasks are important to human agriculture,” Quirk says. Every year, approximately 100,000 Mexican free-tailed bats roost at the Cosumnes River Preserve situated at the confluence of the Cosumnes and Mokelumne rivers. More than 250,000, the largest colony of Mexican free-tailed bats in California, can be found at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area near the Yolo Causeway. “Bats are fascinating mammals with many special adaptations that help them live their nocturnal, insecteating lifestyle,” Quirk says. “They fly fast, they fly high, they echolocate, they nurse their young, and every night, all summer long, they fascinate us as we watch them fly out over the wetlands.” To sign up for future “Bat Talk and Walks” with the Yolo Basin Foundation, visit yolobasin.org/ battalkandwalks. For information on the “Bat Spectacular: Evening Kayak

Tour” at Cosumnes River Preserve, go to rei.com/events/26323/batspectacular-evening-kayak-tour. For information on emergency bat rescue and supporting bats in our community, visit norcalbats.org. Cathryn Rakich can be reached at crakich@surewest.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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THERE’S A BAT IN MY HOUSE A single brown bat can eat 600 mosquitoes in one hour, reports the Humane Society of the United States, providing a valuable service to our environment. While beneficial outside, what if one finds its way into your home— usually through a small opening in the attic, or gaps around doors, windows and utility vents. • Stay calm. Keep children and pets away. • If the bat is flying inside the house, close interior doors, and open exterior doors and windows. Turn out inside lights and turn on outside lights. The bat will follow the bugs attracted to the light. • If the bat does not exit on its own, wait until it lands. • Use heavy work gloves. Bats can bite—never handle one with bare hands. • Carefully place a plastic tub or small box over the bat. Gently work a piece of cardboard or stiff paper under the container, trapping the bat inside. If the bat appears ill or injured, call NorCal Bats at (530) 902-1918. • Release the bat outdoors. Because most bats cannot take flight from the ground, tilt the container, or allow the bat to climb a tree trunk or other vertical surface. • Do not attempt to rehabilitate the bat or keep it as a pet. Rabies in bats? “Because bats are mammals, they can develop rabies, but most do not have the disease,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, visit norcalbats.org, cdc. gov/rabies/bats or humanesociety.org/resources/what-do-about-bats. – Cathryn Rakich

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TAKE THE 100% LOCAL PLEDGE SHOP 100% Local STAND With Small Business SUPPORT Our Neighborhood Employers Get it to-go. Order from your local restaurants, coffee shops and bars via delivery service, to-go or curbside pickup. Buy in advance. Purchase gift cards or book services from local businesses to use at a future date. Follow along. Your favorite local businesses are online and sharing speciﬁc ways you can support them.

Shop small online. Websites haven’t closed and it’s important to leave positive reviews for local vendors and businesses. Stay looped in. Keep up with your memberships and with services that are still offered online. Say thank you. Many business owners and workers are risking their health to provide critical products and services. Be grateful.

We Will Come Back From This Together!