Inside Pocket October 2020 by Inside Publications

OCTOBER 2020

POCKET

SARAH KAMIYA: PBS KVIE ART AUCTION

POCKET • GREENHAVEN • SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES Our Other Editions Serve: East Sacramento • Land Park/Grid • Arden/Carmichael

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6214 Allenport Way - $630,000 CUSTOM GREENHAVEN HOME 3 bed 2½ Near the Sacramento River. Gorgeous remodeled kitchen. Large yard with pool and spa, covered patio and gazebo. MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

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220 Riverbrook Way - $485,000 CHARMING POCKET RANCH STYLE HOME. 4 bed 2 bath single story home in the Didion School district. Updated, open kitchen with skylit dining room, pantry and nook. JOSEPH OLSON 916-835-2968 DRE-02083344

727 Riverlake Way - $592,000 GORGEOUS HOME IN GREENHAVEN. 3 bed 2 bath 2071 sf. Upgraded kitchen and hall bath. Remodeled main bathroom featuring hardwired towel warmer. Taknless water heater. MONA GERGEN 916-247-9555 DRE-01270375

2505 – 36th Avenue - $339,000 TIMELESS AND TASTEFUL FREEPORT VILLAGE HOME. 3 bed 1½ bath with upgrades that include kitchen cabinets, recessed counter lights, tile counters, dual pane windows, nice landscaping. DAVID KIRRENE 916-531-7495 DRE-01115041

4605 Sunset Drive - $475,000 DESIRABLE SOUTH LAND PARK TERRACE 3 bed 2 bath with pretty wood ﬂoors and updated baths. Tiered backyard with pool and 2 patios. PAULA SWAYNE 916-425-9715 DRE-01188158 KELLIE SWAYNE 916-206-1458 DRE-01727664

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8942 El Oro Plaza Drive - $315,000 ELK GROVE CUTIE! 2 room with new Rigid Core Vinyl Plank ﬂooring and stained solid pine wood. A tankless water heater and a whole house fan. Private alley, private backyard, possible RV parking HILARY BUCHANAN 916-397-7502 DRE-01359213

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1216 Spruce Tree Circle - $375,000 PARK PLACE SOUTH 2 bed 2 bath single story halfplex with vaulted beamed ceilings, remodeled bath with granite and tile, lots of storage. Lush backyard with covered patio CONNIE LANDSBERG 916-761-0411 DRE-00850625

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PENDING

9964 Penela Way - $634,500 ELK GROVE AT MADERA EAST. 4 bed 3½ bath home in the Zehnder Elementary School District. Private lanai with ﬁreplace on frontside and covered patio in backyard. Kitchen island SHEILA VAN NOY 916-505-5395 DRE-00924678

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EVERY DAY IS A GOOD DAY TO MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD A BET TER PL ACE. OCTOBER 2020

OCTOBER 2020

EAST SAC

SUZANNE MURRAY

ARDEN

OCTOBER 2020

LAND PARK/GRID

POCKET

PATRICIA PRENDERGAST

SARAH KAMIYA: PBS KVIE ART AUCTION

VICTORIA BROOKS: PBS KVIE ART AUCTION

JIAN WANG: PBS KVIE ART AUCTION

MARIE-THERESE BROWN: PBS KVIE ART AUCTION

EAST SACRAMENTO • McKINLEY PARK • RIVER PARK • ELMHURST • TAHOE PARK • CAMPUS COMMONS

ARDEN • ARCADE • SIERRA OAKS • WILHAGGIN • DEL PASO MANOR • CARMICHAEL

LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • THE GRID • OAK PARK

POCKET • GREENHAVEN • SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES

Our Other Editions Serve: Land Park/Grid • Arden/Carmichael • Pocket

Our Other Editions Serve: East Sacramento • Land Park/Grid • Pocket

Our Other Editions Serve: East Sacramento • Arden/Carmichael • Pocket

Our Other Editions Serve: East Sacramento • Land Park/Grid • Arden/Carmichael

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info@insidepublications.com PUBLISHER Cecily Hastings

SARAH KAMIYA This painting by Sarah Kamiya is featured in this year’s KVIE Art Auction. Kamiya, an emerging talent, paints still life and ﬁgurative works. The KVIE Art Auction will be live on-air and online Friday, Oct. 2, from 7 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3, from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shown: “Doodles,” acrylic on wood panel, 17 inches by 23 inches. The painting received a Curator's Award in the Contemporary category. Visit kvie.org/artauction and srkamiya.com.

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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OCTOBER 2020 VOL. 7 • ISSUE 9 6 8 10 12 18 19 20 22 24 25 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 42

Publisher's Desk Pocket Life Pocket Beat Out & About Cruel Timing Giving Back Yes On Measure A Meet Your Neighbor No On Measure A Yes On Measure A Farm To Fork Garden Jabber Sports Authority Open Studio Restaurant Insider Spirit Matters Open House Building Our Future

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Still Fighting WARD CONNERLY WORKS TO SAVE PROP. 209

CH By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk

POC OCT n 20

n 1996, California voters approved a citizen-sponsored initiative—Proposition 209—that added the following words to the California Constitution: “The state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin, in the operation of public employment, public education or public contracting.”

This summer, our state Legislature voted to codify racial discrimination in state law by voting for a constitutional amendment—ACA 5—that would reintroduce racial preferences for who gets a state job or contract, or who is admitted to a state university. The amendment —Proposition 16 —will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. It would repeal Proposition 209. For one local resident, these developments are deeply personal. Ward

Connerly is considered the father of Proposition 209. I caught up with him to get his thoughts. “In recent months, much attention has been focused on the destruction of historical monuments and statues, while very little attention has been focused on action by the California Legislature to erase Prop. 209, and the principle of equality that it represents, from the California Constitution,” Connerly says. Connerly grew up in Sacramento and graduated from Sac State in 1962. In college, he was student body president and active as a Young Democrat. During his college years, he campaigned against housing discrimination and helped get a state law passed banning the practice. Connerly founded the American Civil Rights Institute, a national nonprofit organization in opposition to racial and gender discrimination and preferential treatment. He’s president of Californians for Equal Rights, a nonprofit with a similar mission. After living in Idaho, the 81-year-old civilrights warrior recently returned to

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Sacramento to join the fight against the new effort to overturn Proposition 209. Connerly was a member of the University of California Board of Regents from 1993 to 2005. He led efforts to grant domestic partner benefits to gay and lesbian domestic partners in University of California schools. “My views on gay rights stem from my libertarian viewpoint that governments—including government-run universities—should not discriminate, whether it is by favoring some students because of their race, or by excluding others from spousal benefits based on their sexual orientation,” Connerly says. While serving as a UC Regent, Connerly got an inside look at what he considered the “corruption” affirmative action introduced to colleges and universities. In response, he was asked lead the Proposition 209 campaign. “Prop. 209 is only 37 words, no hidden words and no secret to it,” he says. “It is simple and it's direct, but they want to repeal it, and the ballot label that will guide the voters says that this is an effort to allow diversity. America’s experiment with democracy will fail if we divide our people into racial enclaves and allocate jobs and

Contact Donald Kurasch: DKurasch@gmail.com or 312-399-6630 for more information The entire collection is priced below Market Value. Discount for 2 or more paintings.

contracts and college admissions on that basis.” He continues, “The repeal effort received a boost from the killing of George Floyd, no matter the irony of voting for discrimination by race in the name of eliminating discrimination by race. In other words, if the problem is police singling out African American young men without cause, how is the answer to sort people by race in other areas of life, sowing resentment and pitting American against American? “George Floyd was murdered. How else to describe what was done to a man who was handcuffed, wrestled to the ground and forcibly restrained by four men, one of whom put his knee and the full weight of his body on Floyd’s throat for roughly nine minutes? After due process is afforded, swift punishment must be meted out to those responsible for his death.” There are key differences between today and 1996, Connerly says. “Today, the effort to keep racial discrimination out of California is led by Asian Americans. They realize that their children are likely to be the victims of disparate treatment if Prop. 16 goes through, especially in college admissions,” he says. “In 2014, the Legislature dropped an effort to repeal

Above: Oil, 27 x 27.5 inches, Framed -$6,800

Prop. 209 because of Asian American opposition, but this time those opponents were crushed.” Last November, voters in Washington state narrowly defeated a similar amendment, though opponents were vastly outspent by those favoring racial preferences. California is a more liberal state. Its political class and nearly all media will support repeal. As in Washington, opponents of Proposition 16 are massively under-funded. Many believe Blacks are at a disadvantage despite anti-discrimination laws. They say the problem isn’t that we don’t officially prohibit many forms of discrimination. Instead, the problem is that a significant number of Americans fail to enjoy the full measure of the same opportunities and freedoms that are taken for granted by so many of us. Supporters of affirmative action argue “race blind” admission policies that select applicants based on purportedly objective metrics like SAT scores or recommendation letters only re-enforce existing inequalities. They also believe a new generation should have a chance to make the decision on Proposition 209. But others agree with Connerly and believe judging individuals by the color of their skin is antithetical to

equal justice under the law. “Skin color shouldn’t matter. The only way we get it to not matter is to stop making it matter,” he says. Now it’s up to the voters. It remains to be seen if Californians will vote to hold onto what Connerly calls an American principle of equality that goes back to the Declaration of Independence, the 14th Amendment and the civil-rights movement. Or if voters will allow our state again to allow preferences based upon race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin to try to achieve equality.

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

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LIFE SAVERS DELIVERY TEAM FOR SENIORS HAS PERFECT TIMING

deliver three weeks of meals to clients, making between 40 and 70 deliveries a day. As luck would have it, the client who needed help had a delivery scheduled when Tran and George Spatta showed up. “I’m just happy that we were delivering meals that day,” Tran says. “We waited outside the home until emergency personnel arrived. Just doing my job.”

Hoa Tran Photo by Aniko Kiezel

CM By Corky Mau Pocket Life

POC OCT n 20

oa Tran, who drives for ACC Rides in the Pocket area, was in the right place at the right time. He was helping another driver from Meals on Wheels make a delivery when something didn’t feel right. They rang the doorbell several times. No answer. They walked around the yard. Looking through a window, Tran saw a man lying on the floor, banging his cane to get attention. Tran called 911. “Due to his keen eyes and ears, that man was found alive,” says Michelle Bustamante, program operations manager for the meals program. “Hoa

is a life saver in the true sense of the word.” Virginia Wieneke, manager for ACC Rides, adds, “Our program staff and volunteers are invaluable to the community. In 2003, we started with one staff and six volunteers. Now there are 17 staff and 80 volunteers. ACC Rides serves 13 ZIP codes in the greater Sacramento area.” Due to the pandemic, ACC lost a majority of the volunteers who transported seniors to medical appointments and delivered meals to homebound residents. Now staff from these programs work as a team to

TEEN ENTREPRENEUR It’s exciting to meet young entrepreneurs like Tyree Jackson, now in his junior year at the School of Engineering and Sciences. In August, he opened Ty’s Car Wash and travels to customers’ homes to wash their vehicles. Business costs have been relatively low. This is good since Jackson is saving up to start a bigger business after high school. He wants to launch his own clothing brand featuring his artwork. He plans to study business and art in college. On school days, Jackson is open in the afternoon and weekends. He’s won rave reviews. “Hands down the most reliable, polite guy to wash your car without having to leave your home,” Kevin Standfield says. “He arrived exactly on time and did a fantastic job. I’m booking Ty every other week, same day and time indefinitely.” Right now, Jackson offers an exterior car wash, including rims and tires. He charges $8 for cars and $10 for trucks and SUVs. Prices are higher for interiors. “Like other customers, I paid him $25 instead of his asking price,”

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Think Critically. Live Creatively. Act Compassionately. response to the pandemic, children are screened daily and small-group learning takes place outdoors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All of our children are missing stability and certainty now. We appreciate your attention, concern and support,â&#x20AC;? says program director Casey Knittel. Walkers should meet at Dutra Park at 6925 Steamboat Way. Donations can be dropped off between 8 a.m. and noon. The walk starts at 9 a.m. The route will traverse the Pocket Canal Parkway. For information, contact Monique GlassHollowell at infinitegiving916@gmail. com.

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Tyree Jackson Photo by Aniko Kiezel

Shannon Lewis says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tyree was very conscientious and did a great job cleaning my car. I love seeing young people doing positive things.â&#x20AC;? For an appointment, call or text â&#x20AC;&#x153;car washâ&#x20AC;? to Jackson at (916) 606-2689 or email him at jacksontyree00@gmail. com. Customers provide water and hose.

WALK FOR MUSTARD SEED A 5K walk to collect school supplies for Mustard Seed School takes place Saturday, Oct. 10. Registration is $5 per person with no charge for participants who donate supplies. A list of suggested

items can be found at infinite-giving. com/about-us. Mustard Seed School was founded in 1989 to help meet the educational needs of children experiencing homelessness. The school serves children ages 3 to 15. A goal of the program is to help young people transition into public schools. In

Have a passion for old cars? Classics will be on display from 5 to 8 p.m. for three Fridays, Oct. 2, 16 and 30, outside Device Brewery at the Promenade Shopping Center on Rush River Drive. Corky Mau can be reached at corky. sue50@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Previous columns can be found and shared at the all-new InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n

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ROAD CLOSED A GOOD REASON TO BLOCK LEVEE ACCESS

ne recent sunny day, I was wandering around Garcia Bend Park and met a family eager to spend some time along the river. They hoped to access the levee at Garcia Bend, but quickly realized that was impossible. The levee was fenced off. No admission. It’s a staging area for the Big Dig levee-repair project. “Is there a way we can get to the levee?” the mom asked. Great question. Normally, I would have shown them a pathway. But this time I directed the family over to Zacharias Park, which was still open. Levee repairs have frustrated some residents who don’t quite grasp what is happening and why. Several people

RG By R.E. Graswich Pocket Beat

POC OCT n 20

have emailed me complaining about their inability to enjoy the levee during a lovely late summer day. I tell them to be patient. The construction work may save their lives when rains come hard and the snowpack melts and the rivers fill and test the levees. It’s happened before. Here’s the good news for Pocket residents who have enjoyed the levee construction work around Garcia Bend. There’s plenty more to come. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will issue three more contracts for levee repairs. Work will continue through 2024. The repairs are essential for the safety of Pocket, Greenhaven, Little Pocket and any other Sacramento neighborhood not built on a hill. That means just about everywhere. The project is massive. Crews are installing cutoff walls in the levee. This requires workers to shave anywhere from 3 to 10 feet off the levee top, then dig trenches more than 2-feet wide and very deep—some 85 feet down, some 130 feet. The trenches are filled with various materials, including clay and cement. The new walls prevent Sacramento River water from seeping

through and wrecking the levees. It’s a life-saving project. It’s also a mess. Lots of trucks and heavy equipment. Mountains of dirt hauled away. Garcia Bend has been largely fenced off at the levee. Many river access points are or will be barricaded with temporary construction fences. The Army Corps spent the summer preparing for the second of four phases, called Contract 2. Impressive in scope, it starts with two cutoff walls Downtown, between Miller Park and R Street. Next comes a cutoff wall in Little Pocket south of Chicory Bend. Finally, there’s major work at the northern end of Greenhaven, from Oak Hall Bend on Riverside Boulevard down to Clay Bank Bend near Genevieve Didion School. Crews will stage at various locations, including Zacharias Park. To get an idea of the size of Contract 2, consider the equipment: five bulldozers, 20 highway dump trucks and four cranes. The Army Corps estimates 10,000 truck haul trips. On a less critical but nonetheless important note, the Big Dig project is a catalyst for levee access. Nine private fences that for decades blocked public

levee access in Pocket, Greenhaven and Little Pocket are being torn down for construction. The gates and fences— symbols of backroom deals, arrogance and exclusivity for decades—will not be replaced. All the fences are illegal, but the state has been waiting for the Big Dig to remove them. Once the levee work is finished, the city will pave the top and create a bike path for cyclists, joggers and families like the one I encountered at Garcia Bend. The city is already putting aside money for the river parkway, thanks to efforts by City Councilmember Rick Jennings. Plans for the Big Dig are older than you might think. They began in 1986 when floods severely tested the levee system that protects Sacramento. When the work is finished in 2024, Pocket, Greenhaven and Little Pocket should book Zacharias Park for a big wrap party. 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.com. n

It’s time to give your health care a checkup. This year is anything but normal. As we juggle family and work, and keeping those we love safe, there is one thing we know for certain: Our health has never been more important. That’s why having a health care team you depend on means everything. At Dignity Health, we take pride in establishing long-lasting, trusted relationships with our patients. And, while we’re always focused on meeting their needs, in these unprecedented times, we’re more committed than ever. So this year during Open Enrollment, make sure you’re getting the most out of your relationship with your doctor. Choose a health plan that connects you to Dignity Health hospitals and our affiliated doctors—such as Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Western Health Advantage. For a complete list of insurances accepted, and our affiliated medical groups and doctors, visit DignityHealth.org/OpenEnrollment.

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‘I Used to be

Somebody’

aegis of Pickleball Media (named after his favorite pastime). “There are tens of millions of baby boomers—like me—that had successful careers and now they have enough money to retire and the time to just take it easy and do nothing,” Landau says. “But we’re not wired that way. We’ve gained so much personal satisfaction out of our jobs and want to continue that. But we don’t want to continue to work in the same way—we want to do something new, more fun and meaningful. My job is to challenge boomers to get out of their comfort zone and start something new.” Recent guests include Joe Pulizzi, the “godfather of content marketing,” Moira McGarvey Black, bestselling author of psychological thrillers, and Bob Tuschman, former vice president of programming for the Food Network. Give it a listen at pickleballmediahq. com.

THIEBAUD 100

Carl Landau hosts the weekly podcast, “I Used to be Somebody.”

The Crocker Art Museum will present “Wayne Thiebaud 100: Paintings, Prints, and Drawings,” a retrospective of Thiebaud’s artistic achievements—coinciding with his 100th birthday—on display Oct. 11 to Jan. 3, 2021. The exhibition—the largest survey of Thiebaud’s work in more than 20 years—spans his career with 100 objects made between 1947 and 2019. The exhibition represents the artist’s achievements in all media, with pieces drawn from the Crocker’s holdings and Thiebaud family—many of which have never been shown publicly.

“Wayne Thiebaud is a national treasure, Sacramento is his hometown and we are delighted to celebrate his 100th birthday with an exhibition that honors the vitality, vibrancy and wit of his art and civically engaged life,” says Lial Jones, the museum’s Mort and Marcy Friedman director. For more information, visit crockerart.org.

6 OPEN STUDIOS Twelve local artists will display their work at six locations from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct. 24–25. Most are outdoors and all are socially distanced. Masks are required at all locations. Photographer Donald Satterlee will be joined by ceramicists Sandy Fong Whetstone and Julie Clements and painter Jennifer Beckman at 2998 Franklin Blvd. Painter Leslie McCarron will join mixed-media artist Debra Kreck-Harnish at her Arden-Arcade studio. Visit kreck.me for details. In Carmichael, painter Varya McMillan will host Linda Hoschler and her glass art, and Benjamin Allen with his pottery. Details are at varyamcmillanart.com. East Sac painter Kathy Dana, Carmichael mixed-media artist Michael Schaffer and Rancho Cordova artist Linda Nunes will welcome guests to their respective studios. For more information, visit at kathydanaart.com, schafferart.com and lnunesart.com.

TRINITY ART SHOW Sparrow Gallery on R Street will host the fourth nationally juried Trinity Art

LOCAL MEDIA MOGUL LAUNCHES PODCAST FOR ‘UN-RETIRED’

JL By Jessica Laskey Out & About

POC OCT n 20

edia entrepreneur Carl Landau—who founded (and recently sold) Niche Media, which publishes niche magazines and hosts hundreds of live events across the country—is using his newfound downtime to host a new weekly podcast, “I Used to be Somebody.” Launched last September, the podcast includes interviews with entrepreneurs, creatives and former CEOs about how they built “a successful (un)retirement.” Landau is producing the podcast out of his East Sac backyard tiki bar under the

“Boston Cremes” by Wayne Thiebaud is on display at Crocker Art Museum.

Join us for

Open House

Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020 | 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. In order to protect the health and safety of our school community and guests, this will be a virtual event.

REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.CBHS-SACRAMENTO.ORG TO RECEIVE UPDATED EVENT INFORMATION Retro candies, treats and sodas are at JoJo’s Candy Shoppe in East Sac Hardware.

Show sponsored by Trinity Cathedral from Oct. 9 through Nov. 6. The show features art with a unique perspective on the Christian experience. This year's show, with the theme "An Angel of the Lord Appeared," is juried by Auburn-based artist and author Frank Ordaz. For more information, visit sparrowgallery.com.

NEW MERCH AT EAST SAC HARDWARE You may have noticed some additions at East Sac Hardware on Folsom Boulevard—namely, JoJo’s Candy Shoppe and an expanded selection of children’s activities. “We’re always looking to make changes to keep us fun and relevant,” owner Sheree Johnston says. To that end, she added a dedicated sweets and snacks section with retro candies, treats and sodas (overseen by her daughter Jo, for whom the section is named). Johnston’s background as a teacher has also influenced the store’s book and toy offerings, which she says are “both

fun and educational, while not costing an arm and a leg.” The store sold more than 1,400 children’s books last year and this year, and Johnston doubled the inventory of puzzles and arts and crafts—just in time for quarantine.

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FROM THE LIVING ROOM The nonprofit Sacramento Jazz Cooperative has done a pandemic pivot and is now presenting filmed concerts, “From the Living Room,” across various media platforms beginning this month. After canceling its in-person 2020 performances, the 4-year-old organization decided to further its mission of preserving the American art form of classic jazz with high-quality filmed concerts featuring local, regional and national artists. Subscribe for free to the SJC YouTube channel so you don’t miss any performances. For more information, visit sacramentojazzcoop.org.

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Saint John’s Polo for Change is set for Oct. 11. Pictured (left to right) at last year’s event are Lisa Wiese, Darnise Edwards, Molly Wiese and Debbie Price.

making art—and you can get in on the act by purchasing a Future Forward Fanster Pass. A Fanster Pass allows you to not only help the ballet weather the pandemic, but also entitles you to 10 percent off one online dance and fitness class or class pass per month, as well as access to one archival performance video per month. When the ballet announces its 2021-22 season, Fansters can upgrade to a non-virtual season subscription and receive an extra 5 percent off the subscription rate. Fansters will also receive an invitation to a special thank you celebration, and an open rehearsal and moderated Q&A with the artists once health guidelines allow. Fanster Pass rates range from $10 to $75 per month. For more information, visit sacballet.org/become-a-fanster.

of important Northern California waterways. Since 2014, more than 5,000 Sac State biology students and 38 faculty members have participated in the first phase of SIRIUS by monitoring the impact of human activity on the American River (which is considered “impaired” by federal authorities). The new five-year NSF grant will allow the project to expand to include students from the Los Rios Community College District and more than 10 academic disciplines—including computer science, geology and physics— and more bodies of water, including Folsom Lake and Cosumnes River. For more information, visit csus.edu/ college/natural-sciences-mathematics/ sirius.

LAST CHANCE FOR CENSUS

The Downtown Sacramento Foundation has begun issuing Supporting Downtown Dreamers grants to help previous winners of its Calling All Dreamers retail competition survive the pandemic. The grants—funded in part by Kaiser Permanente and SMUD—will help past winners like NEO Escape Rooms, Nash & Proper, Oblivion Comics & Coffee and The Allspicery implement new COVID-19 safety requirements, add inventory to support reopening, and meet operational costs, such as utilities and rent. NEO Escape Rooms plans to open in Old Sacramento and Nash & Proper was set to open on K Street this past summer. “This financial assistance is going to help us afford new protective equipment to keep our employees and customers safe and market our new business,” says Cecil Rhodes II, co-owner of Nash &

The deadline to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail is Oct. 31. This count, which only happens once every 10 years, determines congressional representation and federal funding, and can affect our communities for decades. For more information, visit 2020census.gov.

GOLDEN 1 CENTER VOTING Golden 1 Center will serve as the largest Vote Center in the county for next month’s General Election thanks to a partnership between Sacramento County Voter Registration and Elections and Sacramento Kings. Golden 1 Center will open for 11 days—Saturday, Oct. 24, to Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The location will allow for social distancing while still providing all services. Any Sacramento County resident can drop off a completed ballot, get a new ballot to take home, vote in person, register to vote, update registration, receive language assistance and use an accessible ballot-marking device to vote. Free parking will be available in the Downtown West Garage. For voter information, visit elections.saccounty. net.

homeless women and children—will hold its fourth annual Polo for Change fundraiser online from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11. The polo-themed event (which is usually held at the River Ranch Polo Fields in Wilton) will feature an hour of entertainment livestreamed on YouTube and hosted by ABC10 News anchor Keristen Holmes. The Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theater will perform and Saint John’s clients will share inspirational stories. Viewers can also bid in live and silent auctions. The silent auction begins Oct. 4. Proceeds from the event directly support the women and children in Saint John’s 18-month comprehensive residential program, which helps them move from poverty to self-sustainability. Admission to the event is free. For more information, visit saintjohnsprogram.org/poloforchange.

POLO FOR CHANGE

BALLET FANSTERS

Saint John’s Program for Real Change—Sacramento’s largest residential program serving formerly

Though performances are on hold until 2021, the Sacramento Ballet is still

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WATERWAY STUDY Sacramento State recently received a $2.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation that will allow the university to expand its Sustainable Interdisciplinary Research to Inspire Undergraduate Success, or SIRIUS, project, which studies the health

DOWNTOWN DREAMERS

Gabriel Berzamina and Acme Lee of NEO Escape Rooms receive a Supporting Downtown Dreamers grant. Photo courtesy of Downtown Sacramento Partnership

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David Graybill’s “Five Leaf Shutter” is part of this year’s KVIE Art Auction. Proper. “This grant gives us confidence knowing that we have so much support already.” For more information, visit callingalldreamers.org.

FRESH AIR: FREMONT PARK Midtown Parks—the nonprofit arm of the Midtown Association—offers Fresh Air: Fremont Park, a series of free health and wellness classes, through the end of the month. Classes at five local parks include Pilates, meditation, dance, yoga, bootcamps and more—all socially distanced with proper safety protocols in place. “Our hope is that through Fresh Air: Fremont Park we can provide a much-needed morale boost and a sense of normalcy during these extraordinary times,” says Emily Baime Michaels, executive director of the Midtown Association. Each class is limited to 30 participants (all ages and fitness levels) and pre-registration is required at midtownparks.org.

COUNTRY DAY HONOR Sacramento Country Day School recently launched the Hlavaty Impact Award to honor graduating seniors who have shown exceptional character and

resilience. The class of 2020 recipients are Naomi Turnbull and Christopher Wilson. Created this past spring by the Hoddick family—and named after Todd Hoddick’s former teacher, Mr. Hlavaty—the award also honors SCDS administrators and faculty Brooke Wells, Glenn Mangold and Sue Nellis. “With everything going on in the world, we felt a personal call to make a difference,” say SCDS alums Ryan Hoddick and Troy Hoddick. “We achieved our goals with persistence, optimism and the kindness and support of others. Now, our family is determined to return that kindness, support and hope to inspire others who remain steadfast and focused despite their challenges.” Recipients are awarded $5,000 and the opportunity to receive mentoring and coaching sessions with Todd Hoddick. For more information, visit saccds.org.

CROCKER ADDITIONS The Crocker Art Museum has expanded its collection to include six hand-carved carousel animal sculptures that date back to the “golden age of carousels.” The carousel animals—a deer, giraffe, horse, goat, bear and greyhound— were gifted by the Freels Foundation. The beautifully carved creatures are

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from the 1880s to the 1920s, and are representative of three popular carving styles. The sculptures are now installed inside and just outside the Crocker’s Setzer Foundation Auditorium. The museum has also added a new ceramic sculpture by Bay Area sculptor Calvin Ma to its renowned collection of international ceramics. “Duck Out” explores Ma’s experience with social anxiety. For more information, visit crockerart.org.

WILDFIRE-RELIEF EFFORTS The wildfires raging across California, Oregon and Washington have devastated entire communities. To help those in need, GoFundMe has created a central hub of fire-relief fundraisers. To donate, visit gofundme.com. Other organizations that have wildfire-relief funds include the American Red Cross at redcross. org, GlobalGiving at globalgiving. org, California Community Foundation at calfund.org and California Fire Foundation at cafirefoundation.org. Donate today!

KVIE ART AUCTION The 39th annual KVIE Art Auction will showcase 260 works of art by Northern California artists in a live three-day event broadcast online and on Channel 6. The auction takes place Oct. 2 from 7 to 10 p.m., Oct. 3 from noon to 10 p.m., and Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. “Even during this challenging time, we saw an increase in submissions over last year,” KVIE art curator Mariellen Layne says. “We’re grateful to the art community for their generous, ongoing support.” For a list of artists and artwork, visit kvie.org/artauction.

SQUARE ROOT UPDATE Square Root Academy, which provides STEM education to underserved youth, has hired 11 paid interns through #SacYouthWorks, a partnership among the Youth & Family Collective, city of Sacramento and 32 community-based organizations. The program connects youth ages 14 to 18 to paid work-based learning opportunities. Square Root also provided personal computers and hotspots to participants in the NorCal Cyber Stories program at

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one-on-one with a master’s-level social worker and employment specialist, and attend virtual classes on job-readiness, financial literacy, computer skills, empowerment and more. Every woman in Session 79 is now in housing and half have secured jobs. For more information, visit womensempowerment.org.

GALERIE MACABRE

Reﬁll Madness owner Sloane Reed receives the Inﬁnity Arrow Award for her outstanding take-back program. no cost with the help of the Sacramento County Office of Education and Sacramento Public Library. During the free virtual summer camp, 50 local middle and high school students used the academy’s online learning platform Scholars’ Playground to explore coding, storytelling and more. “This collaborative effort really provides a unique way to teach our youth the digital skills of tomorrow while infusing storytelling and creative expression,” says Square Root Academy CEO Nicholas Haystings. “It’s both educational and therapeutic for our youth living and thriving in today’s academic climate.”

REFILL MADNESS Refill Madness, “Sacramento’s Zero Waste Headquarters,” recently received the California Product Stewardship Council’s Infinity Arrow Award for Service and Take-Back. The award recognizes a retail business, group of businesses or chain that has initiated an outstanding takeback program for one or more products, and works with product producers to develop safe storage and recovery of end-of-life products and packages. Refill Madness offers packaging-free consumer goods, as well as plastic-free alternatives like bamboo toothbrushes, reusable straws, produce bags, makeup rounds, food wrap, shampoo bars and more. It also collects hard-to-recycle items like mascara wands, dental and deodorant packaging, razors, wine corks, stationary items and more for responsible disposal or recycling through TerraCycle. “Since our conception, Refill Madness has removed roughly 24,000 pounds—or

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12.2 tons—of single-use plastics from the waste stream,” owner Sloane Reed says. “In 2019, we also worked closely with legislators to pass bills on producer responsibilities and we’ll continue our advocacy partnerships here in the capital.” Refill Madness is at 1828 29th St. For more information, visit refillmadnesssacramento.com.

OPERATION BACKPACK Sacramento’s involvement in Operation Backpack, Volunteer of America’s annual school-supply drive for students in need, yielded more than $97,000 from 19 local businesses, nine corporate sponsors and 1,000 individual donors. Donations from the virtual drive will be used to purchase school supplies for more than 2,100 children. Operation Backpack provides supply kits with brand-new, grade-appropriate school supplies to all of the families and children in VOA’s shelters and programs. Additional supply kits will be distributed to 14 partner agencies, nonprofits and school districts, including Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, Healthy Start Family Resource Center and Youth Service Bureau.

Archival Gallery will present the group show "Galerie Macabre," a celebration of the dark autumn, from Oct. 8–31. The gallery, located on Folsom Boulevard in East Sacramento, will be transformed into a haunted house (suitable for all ages) with spooky work by Paul Basye, Robert Bowen, Carrie Cottini, Corey Okada, Kellie Raines and more. There will not be a public Second Saturday reception, but visitors are welcome during normal business hours with no appointment needed. Masks are required. For more information, visit archivalgallery.com.

LEADERSHIP PROJECT The Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Leadership Sacramento Class of 2020

recently broke ground on its class project—the transformation of the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps’ education and training campus. The class raised more than $60,000 in four months from businesses, community organizations and individuals to assist SRCC, Sacramento’s largest education and workforce training program for young adults ages 18–25 from high-risk environments in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, eastern Solano and Yolo counties. The class project included digging trenches, removing vegetation and demolishing structures to prepare for the comprehensive beautification effort. For more information, visit metrochamber.org/foundation/ programs/leadership-sacramento.

WORKFORCE RECOVERY The Sacramento City Council recently approved the distribution of $10 million in federal CARES Act funds to 30 local organizations to provide workforce training—often directly related to COVID-19—to more than 11,000 city residents. “This program will help Sacramento workers by directly assisting our community-based organizations to provide training to upskill our workers

WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT Women’s Empowerment recently graduated six formerly homeless women from Session 79 of its sevenweek employment-readiness and empowerment program. Though Session 79 was initially postponed due to the pandemic, each participant was still able to work

“Compasses and Innocence (The Exequy)” by Corey Okada is featured in “Galerie Macabre” at Archival Gallery.

under 12—all others are asked to include a minimum $5 donation. Submissions should include your email address, location the photo was taken and your best guess as to what type of bird you snapped. The winner will be awarded a special prize, including a guided tour of WCA at McClellan Park, and the photo featured online. WCA, a nonprofit volunteer-based organization, takes in and cares for more than 6,000 injured, orphaned and displaced birds and small animals every year. For more information, visit wildlifecareassociation.com.

Wednesdays at Winn Park feature a certiﬁed farmers market and free ﬁtness classes. Photo courtesy of Midtown Association and help provide job opportunities for those individuals that have been directly affected by the pandemic,” assistant city manager Michael Jasso says. After evaluating more than 40 applications, city staff recommended funding 30 organizations, including La Familia, Asian Resources Inc., California Mobility Center, Greater Sacramento Urban League, Greater Sacramento Economic Council, Hacker Lab, GRID Alternatives and Fresher Sacramento.

WEDNESDAYS AT WINN The Midtown Association has started Wednesdays at Winn, a new year-round certified farmers market at Winn Park at 28th and P streets. The market will operate from 3 to 7:30 p.m. until next month, when the hours will shift to end at 7 p.m. The market features more than 30 openair booths offering organic produce, flowers and grocery items, as well as artwork and free fitness classes (online registration required). In line with all health guidelines, masks are mandatory, vendors are spaced at least 6 feet apart, and hand sanitizer, gloves and masks are available for use. For more information, visit wednesdaysatwinn.com or follow @ wednesdaysatwinn on Instagram.

CAP CITY MOTORTOUR In lieu of CruiseFest 2020, the California Automobile Museum is bringing you the Cap City MotorTour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3. The citywide drive will include stops at the auto museum on Front Street,

along historic Fulton Avenue and other points of interest around town. Locations along the route will reward participants with coupons, promotional items and free samples. Get your “passport” stamped to be entered to win additional prizes. Customs, hot rods, muscle cars and exotics are encouraged, but all vehicles are welcome. Registration is $20 for members, $25 for non-members. Participants should remain in their cars at all stops and wear masks when interacting with sponsors. For more information, visit calautomuseum.org.

WINE & PHOTOS FOR WILDLIFE Take a sip and save wildlife during the Wildlife Care Association’s new virtual wine-tasting fundraiser streaming live on Facebook and YouTube at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 24. Order a wine-tasting kit of special blends assembled by innovative local vintner Kevin Luther to be delivered to your door, then tune in to watch WCA volunteers showcase their work with animal ambassadors, discuss vineyard owls and organic pest control, and taste wines with Luther, owner and winemaker at Voluptuary Wines and Lucid Wines in Sacramento. To order a wine-tasting kit ($5 from every kit goes to WCA), visit voluptuarywine.com/virtual-tasting. Also, if you’re an avid bird photographer, don’t forget to enter WCA’s annual Fall Photo Contest. Submit your picture on the WCA Facebook page as a message with photo attachment. The contest is open Oct. 1 to Dec. 31. Entry is free for children

CONNECTION EARTH All-volunteer nonprofit Connection Earth—a division of CA 4 Elephants, Inc., founded by Gina McBride and Nanette Wheeler—is certainly busy these days. The group is making face masks, donating them to those in need and selling them on Etsy, as well as collecting items for those displaced by the wildfires. When COVID-19 hit, Connection Earth volunteers began making masks out of anything they could find—even pillowcases. When word spread that they needed supplies, people from across the country sent in materials that allowed them to donate 500 masks to the Blackfeet and Navajo Nations, as well as to Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home and Our Brother’s Keeper. After the Paradise fire in 2018, the organization raised funds to provide Christmas to more than 300 families displaced by the fire. This year, they’re at it again, collecting supplies like backpacks filled with school supplies, baby and personal hygiene products, pet supplies and gently used winter clothes to give to victims of this year’s fires. For more information, email connectionearth@aol.com or visit ca4elephants.org. PayPal donations can be sent to ca4elephants@aol.com.

YOUTH TED TALKS Sacramento is getting its own TED talk experience through TEDxYouth, a program of local, self-organized, TEDstyle events. TEDxYouth@McKinley Park will present a virtual YouTube livestream from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10. The youth-led virtual event’s theme will be self-representation. Speakers will share their firsthand experiences as

young people in this region. Speakers were filmed in Curtis Park last month. “During these socially momentous times, it is more important than ever to self-educate and hear the perspectives that aren’t mainstream, but from individuals in our community,” event organizer Ashley Jun says. “We want more individuals to have a reason to smile during these difficult times.” For more information, email tedxyouthmckinleypark@gmail.com and subscribe for free to the YouTube channel, TEDxYouth at McKinley Park.

FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT CANDIDATE Longtime Sacramento political and communications consultant Steve Maviglio is running for the Board of Trustees for the American River Flood Control District in the Nov. 3 election. The district has been providing flood protection to the Sacramento community for more than 75 years and is governed by a five-member board of trustees, each of whom is elected by the voters within the district's jurisdiction for a four-year term. Maviglio’s two decades in public service include consulting on the Safe and Affordable Drinking Water Act, Groundwater Protection Act and other milestone clean-water legislation. His clients have included the Water Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund, Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council and Californians Against Waste. Currently, he serves on the board of directors of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op and Capitol Area Development Authority. “Rivers define Sacramento. They are essential for life, our recreation and our economy. That’s why it is critical that we protect them, along with the levee system that protects our community,” Maviglio says. “Unfortunately, after decades of water-quality improvements, the American River is now in peril. Homeless camps that line the bank are causing high levels of E. coli bacteria, threatening a resource that thousands enjoy for swimming, bicycling and walking.” 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

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CRUEL TIMING STRONG MAYOR BID LITTERED WITH ERRORS

isjudgment is scattered across Darrell Steinberg’s campaign for strong mayor. His strategic mistakes would be alarming if committed by a rookie politician. Coming from Steinberg, whose political career stretches back three decades, the breakdowns are astonishing. It’s as if the mayor wants his Nov. 3 power grab to fail. I know a few things about strong mayor campaigns, having worked as special assistant to Kevin Johnson during his first term as mayor, 2008–2012. Johnson was obsessed with changing the city charter to make himself strong mayor. He began plotting long before he took office. The quest ended in 2014, when voters rejected strong mayor 56 to 44 percent. Now Steinberg is trying again— another futile exercise in blind ambition. Why? Steinberg spent 14 years in the state Legislature. Almost everyone in the Legislature

RG By R.E. Graswich

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looks in the mirror and sees a future governor or U.S Senator. Steinberg no doubt believes he would make a fine governor or senator. But as he turns 61 this month and considers his future, he knows options are limited. Hence, strong mayor. Like Johnson, Steinberg has been thinking about strong mayor for many years. But he’s done nothing to convince city voters to crown him king. Yes, Steinberg built a coalition of special interest groups to support his ambitions. But they are side players, mainly business interests, only vaguely reflective of his purported motivation for strong mayor—the embrace of equity. Steinberg says, “If your life is pretty much OK in the city of Sacramento… then I think (the current) form of government is probably just fine. But if you are part of a community that has been traditionally been left behind … I would argue strongly that this form of governance is not as responsive to the change that is being demanded as it could be.” If equity is truly Steinberg’s mission, he badly misjudged his support. The two councilmembers who represent Sacramento’s most historically neglected districts—Larry Carr of Meadowview and Allen Warren of Del Paso Heights—oppose

STEINBERG IGNITED HIS STRONG MAYOR CAMPAIGN WITHOUT ESSENTIAL SUPPORT OR CLEAR RATIONALE. strong mayor. So does incoming councilmember Katie Valenzuela, the board’s youngest and most progressive member. Carr eviscerated the power grab. He characterized it as a throwback to the corrupt old “boss mayor” era. Warren challenged the disingenuous timing. He reprimanded Steinberg for jamming voters with a last-minute proposal in a pandemic. Valenzuela insists strong mayor will weaken City Council representation. Groups representing residents in “left behind” communities oppose the power grab. The Asian and Pacific Islander Regional Network called the plan “completely contradictory to the people’s vision for transparency, equity and social investment.” Build. Black., a group of African American leaders that includes Steinberg supporters, said the strong mayor proposal “manifests the racist

ideologies that it aims to change.” To acknowledge Build Black, the City Council added a sentence to the initiative minutes before placing it on the ballot. Steinberg ignited his strong mayor campaign without essential support or clear rationale. By rushing to the ballot box in a pandemic just six years after Johnson’s failure, Steinberg is distracting and dividing a vulnerable city. As political calculations go, the timing is cruel and cynical. Beyond those mistakes, Steinberg made another fatal error. He failed to realize the alleged reason for strong mayor—creating equity legislation— can be easily done by City Council ordinance. When the City Council agreed to put strong mayor on the ballot, Steinberg asked city manager Howard Chan to prepare equity language for the council to consider in September. With equity ordinances on the books, Steinberg’s only argument for strong mayor disappears. That’s a politician who deserves to lose. 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

Simply the

BEST M

arilyn Best’s life has been full of music and she’s made it her mission, as the longest standing board member of the Sacramento Youth Symphony, to make that true for SYS’ youth musicians as well. “Music is a wonderful way to share your life,” says the Arden Oaks resident who’s served on the SYS board since 1985. “That’s why I love the idea of having the youth orchestra—I find a lot of joy in working with young people.” Best’s lifelong love of music was instilled by her parents. Her father, Franklin Morris Rowles, served as one of the first presidents of the Sacramento Symphony Association and helped Sacramento start its first youth symphony—the precursor to SYS. He underwrote the first series of concerts, called “Symphony Concerts for Young People,” in 1959. Best’s mother Clare served with the association as well, and Best grew up taking piano lessons.

JL By Jessica Laskey Giving Back: Volunteer Proﬁle

When she had her own children, Best insisted they also take music lessons and got them involved with Junior Music Sponsors, a local youth symphony group that merged with SYS in the 1980s. They got the chance to further their music studies in Geneva, Switzerland, when Best moved abroad with her son and two daughters in 1960 after her husband passed away. What was supposed to be a year of diversion became 23 years of residency filled with new experiences in language, culture and, most importantly, music. Her children studied at the Geneva Conservatory of Music while Best studied pipe organ with one of the conservatory’s instructors. (Her children continue to play—Best’s son, who lives in Germany, performs in his community orchestra, and her daughter plays the organ at church.) When Best returned from Geneva, she got involved with the Junior Music Sponsors again—this time as a supporter since her children were now grown. After the group merged with SYS, Best was asked to join the board and she’s been on it ever since—for 35 years. Best believes the organization is special, not only for the stellar music education it has provided young people since 1956, but also for the opportunity it provides youth to experience other cultures firsthand.

Marilyn Best

BOARD MEMBER GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR YOUTH SYMPHONY “The opportunity for youngsters to get to know each other and do things in other countries is a real learning experience,” says Best, who taught at the international school and served with the Christian Science church while living in Geneva. “When children can meet people from other countries, they become more open minded and caring. It’s so important for young people to see the world.” It’s Best’s job as a board member to help SYS raise funds for those international tours, as well as the group’s 20-plus annual concerts. SYS general manager Robert Vann reports that Best is a voracious fundraiser, often “opening up her home for charitable events and meetings.” The 64-year-old organization’s mission is to provide music education to more than 400 talented young musicians from all over the region

through participation in five orchestral ensembles and regular concerts. In recognition of Best’s immense contributions, SYS dedicated its winter concerts to her earlier this year. “It’s just a joy supporting these concerts,” says Best, who also loves playing tennis and ballroom dancing. “Artistic director and conductor Michael Neumann (who recently retired after 40 years) is such a wonderful asset. He’s very industrious and very encouraging to all the young people. It’s a blessing.” For more information, visit sacramentoyouthsymphony.org. 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

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YES ON

CITY NEEDS ACCOUNTABLE LEADER

MEASURE A

BY CHET HEWITT AND CASSANDRA JENNINGS

his summer, in response to George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police, almost 2,000 activists held a “die-in” in front of Mayor Darrell Steinberg’s home. This was a powerful and moving expression of hurt and concern about racial injustice and desire for real change. Yet many of these activists were likely unaware that under our current system of governance, the buck stops with the city manager, who is not elected by the voters, rather than the mayor. That is not the demonstrators’ fault. The current system of Sacramento city governance runs counter to the tradition of checks and balances to which Americans are accustomed. As we all learned in high school civics class, government has three main branches: legislative, executive and judicial (the last of which is not applicable at a city level). The legislative branch (City Council at a local level) sets policy and approves budgets. The executive branch is charged with implementing policies within the approved budget. An example of executive branch

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leadership would be the governor, who is elected to serve the entire state of California, not only one legislative district. Voters rightly expect their elected executive leader to act in times of crisis. They expect to hold him or her accountable for keeping their commitments. Sacramento runs contrary to this commonly accepted tradition of roles and responsibilities. Our city manager is an unelected official, appointed by City Council. We are well aware that many promises made by elected leaders have not been kept. This is not simply because individual leaders lacked the commitment to stand by their word. It is because we have a system of local government that is not structured to allow effective leadership or accountability. By approving Measure A, we can make real reforms. Measure A will align responsibility with accountability in Sacramento. Measure A will give our city a true executive branch that citizens may petition, that citizens can hold responsible and that has the power to respond to crises. It would give our city leader the authority and responsibility to ensure justice in policing and equity in economic decisions, moving us past the status quo.

WE HAVE A SYSTEM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS NOT STRUCTURED TO ALLOW EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP OR ACCOUNTABILITY. Sacramento’s Thousand Strong initiative is an example of the disconnect Measure A will address. The mission of Thousand Strong is to boost Sacramento’s economic prosperity by working with local businesses to create a pool of skilled, experienced young talent, while giving Sacramento youth valuable career experience that develops their professional skills and resume. This plan was championed by the mayor and approved by the City Council, but the program so far has had limited participation. This is because no one in the non-elected city government was accountable for Thousand Strong’s success. Measure A will ensure that decisions made about Sacramento

are guided by an inclusive and comprehensive vision grounded in equity and championed by a mayor who is the only elected official accountable to every single city resident. Measure A charges the mayor with proposing a vision for our entire city. Moreover, the updated City Charter will spell out how community input will be reflected in our city budget. Based upon this participatory budget process and impact analysis, the mayor will bring to City Council an actionable vision and budget. Community participation will be valued as a resource in building up communities, and neighborhood capacity will grow. Measure A will provide youth from every neighborhood enriching opportunities that are pathways to 21st century jobs. Our elected citywide leader should be both empowered and accountable for making this vision a reality. This is why Sacramento voters should pass Measure A. Cassandra Jennings is president and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Urban League. Her husband is City Councilmember Rick Jennings. Chet Hewett is co-founder of Build. Black. n

STRONG MAYOR What happens under Measure A/Strong Mayor? X Bad politics, bad governance with “Boss Mayor.” X Mayor gains power, neighborhoods and their Councilmembers lose power. X “Big Money” gains access and influence at City Hall. X Essential services lose $40 millon annually, leaving our budget in perpetual deficit. X Accountablity and transparency dissappear

Sacramento said NO to Strong Mayor in 2014.

Tell the Mayor NO means NO. VISIT NoWayMeasureA.com JEFF HARRIS Vice Mayor and D3 Councilmember

ALLEN WARREN D2 Councilmember

KATIE VALENZUALA D4 Councilmember Elect

LARRY CARR D8 Councilmember

CECILY HASTINGS Inside Sacramento

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Thank You for the

Music Michael Neumann

SACRAMENTO YOUTH SYMPHONY DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR RETIRES

ichael Neumann has been thinking about the serenity prayer a lot lately: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Neumann has retired after 40 years as artistic director and conductor of the Premier Orchestra of the Sacramento Youth Symphony, an orchestral youth organization that started in 1956. What began as an ensemble of 55 youth musicians has grown into an awardwinning powerhouse of 400 members from all over the region. “Forty years seemed like a really good round number,” says Neumann, who joined the organization in 1979. “That’s a lot of time to put into one organization. Looking at the big picture, I wanted to go out on the top of my game.” Neumann has certainly done just that. During his tenure, the Sacramento Youth Symphony grew from just one orchestra to now multiple orchestras and several ensembles that offer programming year-round. Under Neumann’s direction, the Premier Orchestra—which houses the organization’s most advanced youth musicians—has toured internationally to China, Europe, Costa Rica, Finland, Russia, England, Scotland and Wales, and won top prizes in international competitions like the Youth Music Festival in Vienna. The Arden Park resident has also won numerous awards himself, including a fellowship from the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and recognition by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. He was also named Arts Educator of the Year by the Arts & Business Council in 2009. He’s guest conducted several orchestras across the country, and conducted and adjudicated multiple youth honor ensembles, including the California All-State Orchestra. He’s also responsible for the immense feats of musical engineering that were the

JL By Jessica Laskey Meet Your Neighbor

Symphony of 1000 and Symphony of 2000, at which that number of musicians took the stage at the Memorial Auditorium to perform a onehour concert. Neumann was destined for musical success from an early age. He took violin lessons as a child in South Africa— where his parents landed after fleeing Nazi Germany—from the great-greatgranddaughter of composer Antonin Dvorak. He won full scholarships to the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, where he earned his Bachelor of Music in violin performance and a Master of Music in orchestral conducting. But his proudest achievements to date have more to do with his artistic legacy than his accolades. “I’m very grateful that I could have such an impact on so many young people,” says Neumann, who will remain the symphony’s artistic director emeritus now that he's handed over the Premier Orchestra conductor’s baton to newcomer Ryan Murray. “It’s life changing to be part of an orchestra. It’s not just about the music, it’s also about learning life lessons—commitment, punctuality, honesty, accountability, responsibility—that can be applied to anything. To be able to provide that to well over 1,000 kids is incredible.” The feeling is mutual. The organization had planned a retirement roast and toast for its beloved director, but the pandemic forced a rescheduling. But Neumann isn’t concerned. He knows that what really counts—his emotional and artistic contributions to the community at large—will remain long after his retirement. In the meantime, he’s looking forward to “decompressing” and doing some things his schedule didn’t allow during the past four decades, like gardening and traveling. “There comes a time in everybody’s life when you realize you’re getting older,” the 71-year-old says. “That’s just the way nature works. But I’ve done a lot of things and I think this is a very healthy move. It’s time to let go.” For more information about Michael Neumann’s Retirement Roast & Toast, visit sacramentoyouthsymphony.org. 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

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Rhoda and Tom Curry, owners of Casa Bella Galleria, a furniture store at 1511 Del Paso Blvd.

LOCAL PLEDGE CAMPAIGN KEEPS GROWING

INSIDE

OUT

Photos Courtesy of Lauren Stenvick, Sally Giancanelli and Tori Viebrock

Sam Balean (right) owner of the new Scorpio Coffee at 1905 16th St., with partner Chris Barnum-Dannt.

Kelly Kowalski of Avid Reader at 1945 Broadway.

Abe Sanchez, owner of Article Consignment at 706 56th St. in East Sac.

Dr. Thomas Anker (left) and Sonya Frausto. Dr. Anker owns Ten Acres Pharmacy at 2930 Freeport Blvd.

The Singh family, owners of the new restaurant Junoon Flavors of India on 3672 J St. in East Sac.

We are happy to report that the TAKE THE 100% LOCAL PLEDGE campaign continues to grow and pick up new supporters. We invite other businesses and groups to join the effort as well. You can participate as simply as posting our signs at your business or by donating to fund signs and other resources. Visit insidesacramento.com/100local/. For more information, contact cecily@insidepublications.com.

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NO ON

STRONG MAYOR WEAKENS ACCOUNTABILITY

MEASURE A

BY JEFF HARRIS AND LARRY CARR

he strong mayor proposal by Mayor Darrell Steinberg would make Sacramento’s government less efficient, weaken the public’s influence on the City Council and diminish the voices of our neighborhoods. It’s bad politics, bad governance and bad for our city. Amending the City Charter is serious business and should only be done with thought, consideration and public debate. The strong mayor proposal lacks all three. It was rushed onto the Nov. 3 ballot. With the pandemic, there were no opportunities for town halls or community forums. Yes, Steinberg is a popular mayor. He’s a competent City Council leader and citywide representative. But strong mayor is not necessary. It would strip away council authority and accountability, make neighborhood oversight more difficult and establish a special interest power center in the mayor’s office. Our current system, where the city manager answers to the City Council, is more efficient than strong mayor. That’s why California cities overwhelmingly avoid strong mayor formats. Of the state’s 482 cities, only five use strong mayor systems. What’s the big problem with strong mayor? Politicians are rarely good

POC OCT n 20

managers. City management requires a vastly different skill set than political popularity. Under the strong mayor proposal, Steinberg and his successors would automatically pull $40 million from the general fund for unknown programs—a plan he admits is only “aspirational.” That’s no way to manage our city. Prior to the Steinberg’s decision to place the initiative on the Nov. 3 ballot, there was no public call for strong mayor. Indeed, it was voted down in 2014 and resurfaced only when Steinberg decided he didn’t like his job description. If strong mayor passes, it will create the most radical changes our City Charter has seen in 99 years. Councilmember Harris asked Steinberg for a list of issues he wished to address. Harris wanted the mayor to explain how strong mayor would help achieve those goals. Steinberg agreed to provide a list, but has yet to produce it. The strong mayor campaign is running an advertising blitz that makes our excellent city manager Howard Chan seem like a dark force, operating in the shadows without accountability. As anyone who has attended a City Council meeting knows, Chan does not hide in the shadows. He sits next to us at the dais. Chan is directly accountable to the City Council, which guides

STRONG MAYOR IS NOT NECESSARY. IT WOULD STRIP AWAY COUNCIL AUTHORITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, MAKE NEIGHBORHOOD OVERSIGHT MORE DIFFICULT AND ESTABLISH A SPECIAL INTEREST POWER CENTER IN THE MAYOR’S OFFICE.

his decisions through policy votes. Councilmembers are directly accountable to voters in our neighborhoods and districts. The power is where it belongs: with the people. If strong mayor passes, the mayor will be able to install his own city manager, beholden to the mayor, not the City Council. The mayor could fire the city manager without cause. This is unacceptable. The strong mayor campaign promotes a new form of “ballot box”

budgeting, where large chunks of money are automatically stripped away from basic, essential services such as parks, fire and police. Where will the money go? It will be arbitrarily handed to special interest groups, under the mayor’s discretion. Voters wisely rejected a similar scheme in March when Measure G was soundly defeated. Finally, the strong mayor campaign wants to convince voters that only Steinberg has the compassion to care for our most neglected residents and communities. As strong mayor, he will somehow redirect resources that are currently (and for the foreseeable future) nonexistent. Yet Steinberg admits the City Council already has authority to create ordinances that provide special assistance to historically underserved neighborhoods. The process is currently underway, undercutting any need for strong mayor. Our current system, which has served Sacramento for 99 years, must be maintained so we can balance the city’s immediate and long-term interests without the vagaries of political whims. Vote NO on Measure A. Jeff Harris is Vice Mayor and represents District 3 on the Sacramento City Council. Larry Carr represents District 8 on the Sacramento City Council. n

YES ON

MAYOR NEEDS FREEDOM TO MOVE FAST

MEASURE A

BY RICK JENNINGS AND JAY SCHENIRER

his unprecedented year has revealed the need for our city leaders to act more quickly to respond to crisis and leverage opportunities that could benefit Sacramento. Our current city governance structure is not designed for efficient action on either front. This Nov. 3, Sacramento can vote for Measure A to empower our elected city leaders to take decisive action to better serve our city, a shift which will also hold our city leaders accountable for improving Sacramento while equitably serving all of our diverse communities. Here is why we need Measure A: Our city government is currently managed and directed by a nonelected city manager, not our elected mayor and City Council. City staff, led by the city manager, are excellent at balancing budgets. But their work is not driven by the vision of leaders elected by the people of Sacramento, and too often, innovation, equity, and urgency are left out of the equation. Measure A will move executive authority and responsibility from a non-elected position to an

elected official—the mayor—who is accountable to all Sacramentans. Current events have shown how necessary it is to empower our elected mayor with the authority to make decisions and guide policy, and why voters should hold elected leaders accountable for meeting the needs of our city. The current city structure is not capable of responding quickly to emerging threats like COVID-19. The mayor had no authority to issue a citywide order to wear masks to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and protect our essential workers. While other cities were able to quickly approve such protections early in the pandemic, it took months to get a similar order approved in Sacramento. Sacramento residents also expect action to address the myriad issues associated with homelessness. The mayor was elected with a mandate to address this crisis, and the heartbreaking death of two people who slept in the cold outside City Hall underscored the urgency to act quickly. Yet even though the City Council approved two 100-bed shelters over a year ago, it took more than a year to open the first. As we rebound from the pandemic crisis, Sacramento should not be

THE CURRENT CITY STRUCTURE IS NOT CAPABLE OF RESPONDING QUICKLY TO EMERGING THREATS LIKE COVID-19.

hamstrung by the same challenges. We need a governance system that can act quickly and not miss opportunities to quickly leverage investments. Measure A will help Sacramento compete for high-wage jobs, seek more state and federal funding to expand services and ensure we are best equipped to handle emergencies. As we do so, Measure A will increase citizen participation in establishing budget priorities and make our City Council stronger by giving it exclusive authority over land use and planning decisions. Measure A will strengthen neighborhood representation on the City Council and improve diversity

among our elected city leaders through the creation of a ninth City Council district. This stronger City Council will provide a balance to the increased executive authority of the mayor. Measure A will require the city to analyze the social equity impacts of the city’s budget and major policy decisions, including racial equity, ethnic equity, LGBTQ and gender equity. It will ensure that the city budget includes at least $40 million for inclusive economic development and youth services and will create a permanent Fair Housing and Human Rights Commission to monitor, evaluate and advise the City Council on progress made toward promoting social equity. If Sacramento is to solve the problems of the 21st century, we must modernize our 19th-century form of government, as other large California cities have done. At the same time, Measure A will make Sacramento city government more accountable to our citizens and help our city evolve from good to great. Jay Schenirer represents District 5 on the City Council. Rick Jennings represents District 7 on the City Council. n

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Scott Macumber and Dave Hunter Photo by Linda Smolek

Local Landmark NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET AND RESTAURANT PERSIST THROUGH PANDEMIC

aylor’s Market—that charming neighborhood landmark on Freeport Boulevard between Land Park and Curtis Park—has been offering the community its essential services for almost 60 years. In the window, a red neon sign from another era touts “Old Fashion Butcher Shop.” Beside the door, a portable handwashing station stands with a paper sign reminding patrons to wear a face mask.

TMO By Tessa Marguerite Outland Farm-to-Fork

POC OCT n 20

Taylor’s reputation of service and care persists even during the pandemic. Roy Taylor and Ed Schell opened Taylor’s Market in 1962. When the time came to turn the keys over to the next generation of owners, Danny Johnson and Schell’s son Kevin Schell accepted the responsibility. Kevin Schell began his career helping in the meat department in 1969. Johnson started as a butcher in 1983 at the age of 19. In 2007, the Schells retired and ownership was transferred to Johnson and his wife Kathy. To protect customers and comply with COVID-19 safety measures, the market is open 8 to 9 a.m. for those 65 years and older. According to general manager Dave Hunter, Taylor’s was the first store in Sacramento to implement the senior hour. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a while anyway,” Hunter says. “That first hour, that’s the cleanest the store will ever be.”

Hunter started working at Taylor’s in 1990 at the age of 17. Some of the most vulnerable shoppers are those who have been patrons for the past 30 years or more. “I’ve been here a long time and these customers are like family,” Hunter says. The early hours of the morning are also when the market receives daily deliveries of fresh produce, breads and meats. Ripe tomatoes from Capay Farms, oven-fresh dinner rolls and sliced loaves from Grateful Bread Company, and 7- to 14-pound birds from Mary’s Free-Range Turkeys. One door down from Taylor’s Market is Taylor’s Kitchen. Before the pandemic, Taylor’s Kitchen operated as an intimate fine-dining restaurant with a seasonal menu updated almost every week by executive chef Scott Macumber. Like so many other small restaurants and businesses, Taylor’s Kitchen had to make some immediate changes after the

governor’s mandate in March to cease indoor dining. Macumber quickly set about tweaking the menu. “It had to be more of something that could travel 15 minutes or more until they get home,” Macumber muses. “Something that tastes just as good as when we were packaging it.” Macumber gathered some local ingredients—such as toy box squash from Comanche Creek Farms, organic leeks from Full Belly Farm and baby beets from Coke Farm—to create a finedining takeout menu, a first for Taylor’s Kitchen. The menu includes a selection of quality dishes like braised pork or vegetarian tacos ($16) topped with house salsa and cilantro crema, and black beans and rice on the side. Another appetizing concoction is the ramen noodle salad ($13) made with heaps of celery, carrots, cucumber,

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pickled mushrooms and cabbage. There are also family-style dinner options, such as the grilled 24-ounce ribeye ($75) with roasted corn polenta, blistered gypsy peppers, grilled vegetables, chimichurri sauce, baby lettuce salad and cookies for dessert, for a family of four. The menu is available at taylorskitchen.com between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Growler fill-ups ($20) of rotating taps are available to go, as well as wines selected by restaurant manager Keith Fergel, a master sommelier candidate who has been with Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s since 2011. He selects the wine list with decadent choices like Chappellet Mountain Cuvee,

TAYLORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S REPUTATION OF SERVICE AND CARE PERSISTS EVEN DURING THE PANDEMIC.

Napa Valley ($28), or Benton-Lane pinot noir, Willamette Valley ($18), to enjoy at home. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Keith has a wine list that would rival almost anyone else in town,â&#x20AC;? Macumber boasts. Burger Madness Monday is another first for Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a classic backyard barbecue meal. The deal includes a onethird-pound smash burger topped with a slice of American cheese, house-made pickles, red onion and special sauce with shoestring fries ($10.99) or a family four pack ($35.99). On Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the chef takes the kitchen outside to bring a hot lunch to passersby, grab-n-go style. The one-item menu changes weekly. As for the future of Taylorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kitchen, Macumber says that is the biggest question right now. The restaurant will most likely be closed for in-house dining through the winter holiday season and hopefully reopen in April 2021. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will always have that fine-dining, farm-tofork kind of menu,â&#x20AC;? Macumber assures, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but with a new set up.â&#x20AC;? Tessa Marguerite Outland can be reached at tessa.m.outland@gmail.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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Growing Together COMMUNITY GARDENS NURTURE SHARING

Bill Maynard Photoo by Linda Smolek

DV By Dan Vierria Garden Jabber

POC OCT n 20

eathered, wrinkled and wrapped in a headscarf, the face was all smiles. Cupped in outstretched hands were three cucumbers. “You?” she asked. How could I refuse? Thanking her, I felt a twinge of guilt for not being able to match her generosity. A language barrier limited communication, but I knew from past growing seasons that she coveted the cantaloupes growing a few feet away in my community garden plot. None

were ripe that day, but there would be cantaloupes to share in days to come. Sharing and social interaction are among the perks of the community garden experience. Sacramento is blessed with 17 community gardens within city limits. Four more are planned in the next two to four years, says Bill Maynard, Sacramento’s community garden program coordinator. Total community gardens in Sacramento County number around 50.

A community garden is a group of people, organized by cities, counties, park districts, civic-improvement groups, environmental organizations, churches and other groups, who come together to grow fruits, vegetables and flowers on vacant land. In some cities, they are run as a co-op and governed by the gardeners. The fruit and vegetables grown are the property of the gardeners, although most gardens collect and deliver excess fresh produce to neighborhood food banks. Maynard has received numerous inquiries about plot availability during the pandemic. Sacramento’s community gardens remain open, but with mask requirements, social distancing, gloves and tool-sanitation practices. “It’s a great place to get away from everything, to mentally relax during these Covidian times,” says Maynard, a University of California Master Gardener. Community gardens are divided into individual plots. Gardeners agree to rules and pay an annual fee ($25 to $60, depending on plot size and who sets the price) before planning and planting. Gardens are large and small and each has its own unique layout and amenities. Fremont Community Garden at 14th and Q streets has 52 plots. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Garden at 3668 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. offers 38 plots, three ADA plots, plus a fruit orchard. The Carmichael Community Garden at Sutter-Jensen Community Park has 64 plots. Fair Oaks Park Community Garden boasts 92 plots, but tiny Camellia Park Community Garden at 6650 Cougar Drive has only six. Generally, all the gardens promote organic growing practices. Neighbors, friends and relatives often share plots and workload, which requires maintaining plots in reasonable fashion. Weeds are discouraged and a plot overgrown with Bermudagrass, field bindweed or yellow nutsedge can result in losing your plot. Workdays are scheduled throughout the growing season when gardeners maintain the common areas. Ethnic diversity is as high as plot yields. My community garden in Carmichael has had immigrants from Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Belarus, Armenia, Mexico, South Korea and several other countries. While COVID-19 has curtailed the party schedule, normally we gather at least once a year for an in-garden potluck, music and cultural learning. The food is an adventure in ethnic cuisines.

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sacpetsearch.com | sspca.org happytails.org | saccountyshelter.net Brought to you by the animal lovers at INSIDE SACRAMENTO Reasons for joining a community garden vary. Perhaps you live in an apartment or condominium, there is too much shade in your yard, the food budget could use some downsizing or the social interaction with likeminded folks is irresistible. Community gardeners are generous with knowledge. According to the American Community Gardening Association, a U.S./Canada nonprofit membership organization, community gardens improve quality of life by “providing a catalyst for neighborhood and community development, stimulating social interaction, encouraging selfreliance, beautifying neighborhoods, producing nutritious food and reducing

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family food budgets.” It also cites opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy and education. The pandemic has spurred additional interest in joining community gardens. A few gardens have waiting lists of three to five years, Maynard says. “Community gardens are a constant go-to in times of stress. They not only nourish the body, but the mind as well,” he says.

Leaving California?

For information on Sacramento city community gardens, visit cityofsacramento.org/parksandrec/parks, then “Specialty Parks.” For specific questions, Maynard can be reached at (916) 262-4699 or wmaynard@ cityofsacramento.org.

My name is Lance Casazza and I was born and raised in California. After 49 years in this amazing state, I made the decision to relocate to Summerlin, Nevada. Now I specialize in helping others make the move to the Las Vegas area. With deep roots in Sacramento, I spend half the month here to meet with potential clients to answer all their questions about the incredible beneﬁts of moving to Nevada. When Lance Casazza, Realtor® you’re ready, let’s sit down and let me show you all the California and Nevada things Vegas has to oﬀer! 834-3699 (916) 834 3699 Hi my name is Jill Roundy. I was born and raised in Las Vegas and spent my summers in beautiful Utah. I work with buyers and specialize in relocations, summer homes, cabins, investment properties and second homes. If you are looking to make a move or invest, I can show you some amazing options. Looking forward to earning your business!

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. 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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MLS On Hold VIRUS SUSPENDS CITY’S SOCCER FUTURE

acramento soccer fans are patient. It’s the secret to their survival. Elder aficionados have waited 40 years to see a local side match the skill and excitement of the Sacramento Gold, which filled Hughes Stadium, won the 1979 American Soccer League championship and lost the final in 1980. Someday local fans may cheer a stronger left foot than the one that made the Gold’s Ian Filby the best scorer in the league. And they may find a more clever coach than Billy Williams, who built the Gold into a United Nations of diversity with winners imported from England, Scotland, Latin America and South Africa. So the wait continues. Major League Soccer, scheduled to drop anchor in the Downtown railyards in 2022, will remain adrift for the next several

RG By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority

POC OCT n 20

years at least. Coronavirus has put the league’s expansion plans on hold. Soccer optimists believe the virus will delay Sacramento’s entry into the MLS by one season. That’s wishful thinking. There’s no objective evidence to indicate COVID-19 and the economy will cooperate. Assuming Californians somehow obtain reliable vaccines or acquire herd immunity by mid-2021, nobody knows how the economic landscape will respond, especially related to stadium construction. Stadiums are the world’s most useless structures in a pandemic. Sporting audiences will be the last group repatriated with their passions, in person at least. If you were an investor whose career depended on safe and solid bets, a $300 million soccer stadium finance deal would not be high on your “must do” list. Sacramento soccer promoters Ron Burkle and Matt Alvarez have made the customary calming statements. They want to avoid panic among the faithful. Alvarez cites the pent-up desire of people to join crowds—an indisputable human trait with deadly consequences these days. He believes the economy will roar back once approval is granted to throw away our facemasks.

He’s probably right, but don’t hold Alvarez to a schedule. The recovery will not resemble the start of a Formula 1 race, where a flag waves, lights flash and cars rush off. There will be no single magic starting date for in-person sports. Most likely, recovery will take years. Some fans will be eager to return to mass gatherings. Others: not so much. The past summer was a preview. Eagerness to resume normalcy was dangerous behavior. Economically, the problems created by COVID-19 may linger for years. Burkle and Alvarez are talking about redesigning their new stadium and filling it with fewer than 20,000 seats. While pragmatic, that means less income for the owners. Then there’s the city, a partner in Sacramento’s MLS stadium adventure. The city’s budget is being hollowed out by tax shortfalls created by the virus. The priorities of 2019 will look much different in 2022. This doesn’t mean the Downtown railyards will languish without a stadium through 2023 or 2024, or that the MLS will reverse course and not expand to Sacramento. It just means for now, all soccer bets are off.

Luckily, some of us can still remember the winning Gold and Ian Filby’s superb left foot.

ICELAND TRIBUTE After this column revisited the 1972 Sacramento police murder of teen Ray Brewer near the Iceland skating rink, an anonymous reader offered to purchase a block of etched Iceland glass in Brewer’s memory. The block will be displayed when the Del Paso Boulevard rink is rebuilt next year. Glass blocks will also be made for Brewer’s friends, Adrian Richardson and Larry Ward, who tried to help him that night. Cops mistook the three boys for robbers. After Brewer was shot, police beat Richardson and Ward. The glass blocks are an overdue honor. “We’ll put them right together in Window 3 when it’s put on the front of Iceland,” rink owner Terrie Kerth says. 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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Creatures

in Clay

Julie Clements Photo by Aniko Kiezel

CERAMIST CAPTURES WILDLIFE WITH AN EYE FOR ANIMALS

rodent with a remote control. A ring-tailed lemur rowing a boat. A chameleon climbing a cake. These whimsical beasties aren’t from a fairytale, but rather from the wildly talented mind of ceramist Julie Clements. Clements’ ability to render animals in such exquisite detail is no accident. The Georgia native was exposed to art early on by her grandmother

JL By Jessica Laskey Open Studio

POC OCT n 20

who did china painting—Clements was fascinated by the detail—and she went on to study art while an undergrad at Emory University, followed by a yearlong internship at the renowned Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta. She even started a master’s degree in ceramics at the University of Georgia. But Clements also brings another unique perspective to her artwork that makes her pieces come alive. She’s worked with more than 250 species of animals in her 15 years as a veterinary technician in zoo and small animal medicine. “I have an intense interest in animals in all their unique forms,” says Clements, who decided after her first year in grad school that she wasn’t prepared for its rigors—and

instead found a job through a friend as a dog mushing guide on a glacier in Skagway, Alaska. “It was a pivotal decision,” Clements says. “Moving out of the south and meeting different people was really eyeopening.” But the biggest eye-opener were the monthly visits from the veterinarian who came to care for the sled dogs. Clements was so fascinated by his work that she asked to assist him. That turned into a job as his office assistant and eventually a part-time job as a vet tech at an emergency clinic in Fairbanks. During that time,

Clements also worked as a wildlife guide at a backcountry lodge at Lake Minchumina, where she met a fellow guide who became her husband. They married at Denali National Park. While Clements continued to dabble with clay, her new career was taking off. When she and her husband moved to Monterey so he could attend grad school, Clements earned her vet tech license and volunteered at the SPCA Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center and Monterey

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Bay Aquarium—she was determined to “get my hands on every species.” When the couple moved to the Bay Area, Clements landed a job as an internal medicine nurse at San Francisco Veterinary Specialists, which provides specialty care to animals at the San Francisco Zoo. Clements was so in her element that when a temporary job at the zoo came up, she gave up her supervisory position and took a chance—which turned into a six-year veterinary career at the zoo, where she treated thousands of animals. “It was exciting but exhausting,” Clements says. The couple eventually decided they needed a simpler life, so they sought the affordability and livability of Sacramento. After settling in Hollywood Park, Clements returned to art full time, creating stunningly detailed exotic animal ceramics out of her home studio, Clay Pigeon Ceramics. (She also filled in as a relief vet tech at

the Sacramento Zoo for two and a half years.) Once she’d built up her portfolio, website and connections, Clements really began to hit her stride, showing in galleries like Elliott Fouts Gallery on P Street, Pence Gallery in Davis, Epperson Gallery of Ceramic Arts in Crockett and Studio Seven Arts in Pleasanton. Then the pandemic forced the cancellation of many shows Clements had counted on for 2020. “This was going to be my year!” Clements says, then laughs. “In hindsight, I hope this will all be funny. I’ll have thousands of postcards from shows that didn’t open. It will be the year that never happened. “But it’s all about how you define yourself as a successful artist. It can be hard to motivate yourself when you don’t know the outcome, but if you want to make this career sustainable, you have to find balance. I’m using this period to figure out the way forward and get even better at my

craft. COVID might just be the kick in the pants I needed.” Clements’ current and upcoming shows include “Into the Woods,” which runs through Nov. 1 at Epperson Gallery, and an open studio event in Sacramento on Oct. 24–25. Her work can also be found at Elliot

Fouts Gallery. For more information, visit claypigeonceramics.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

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Look for the Helpers LOCAL RESTAURANTS FEED FRONTLINE WORKERS AND SENIORS THROUGH PANDEMIC

UFC ﬁghter Josh Emmett (left) sponsors Feed the Frontlines 916 efforts to provide meals for Medic Ambulance workers at Limelight Bar & Cafe.

red Rogers (Mr. Rogers to you and me) was a constant source of inspiration for generations. He rarely looked away when there was strife or difficult conversations to be had, especially with children. During the Civil Rights Movement, Rogers filmed an episode featuring his African

GS By Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider

POC OCT n 20

American mailman sharing a cool dip of feet with him in a wading pool. The simple gesture was a strong message during those times of unity, compassion and, of course, neighborliness. Rogers learned a lot about dealing with difficult situations from his mother. He said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” This month, I looked for the helpers and didn’t have to look far. Restaurateurs have been providing meals for needy families, food insecure seniors and frontline workers throughout the pandemic. Their actions have kept food on the table for those who need it, shown appreciation for those who sacrifice and kept affected restaurant employees working.

Feed the Frontlines 916 delivers meals to essential personnel in the medical and emergency services field throughout the Sacramento area. An offshoot of Feed the Frontlines NYC, which started in New York City and quickly spawned chapters throughout the United States, our local chapter is one of several in California. Through donations from individuals, corporations and foundations, Feed the Frontlines partners with local restaurants to procure meals that are delivered by volunteers to essential workers. Hospitals, doctors’ offices, nursing homes and fire stations have all received the benefit of this program during the last eight months. The organization partners with restaurants such as Limelight Bar & Cafe, Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine, Selland’s Market-Cafe, OBO’ Italian

Table & Bar, The Golden Bear, Tapa the World, Hook & Ladder and Kodaiko Ramen & Bar. One of the founders, Wendy Will Mikacich, reports the obvious worksites to partner with at first were the large hospitals that were overrun with early COVID-19 cases and whose employees were working round the clock in intensely stressful situations. “Once the first wave of cases started to die down,” Mikacich says, “we realized that local nursing home staffs were not to be overlooked and were battling the coronavirus just as hard as the hospitals.” By expanding to nursing homes, Mikacich and her partners Ann Martin Rolke and Beth Abad served more of the medical community and partnered with an ever-expanding group of restaurants.

Feed the Frontlines 916 volunteers pack up meals at local restaurants, such as Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine, to feed essential workers.

Chef Billy Ngo (right), founder of Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine, joins a team member to prepare meals for Sutter Medical Center. I was fortunate enough to tag along on a recent delivery of meals from Limelight to a local nursing home. The coordinator who collected the meals from us at the door was nearly in tears. “It’s been a very tough day here,” she said, “and this will help the staff press on.” Another program, Great Plates Delivered, feeds vulnerable seniors through restaurant meal deliveries. This

statewide program transforms FEMA dollars into meals for housebound seniors. Clay Nutting of Canon, Patrick Mulvaney of Mulvaney’s B&L, Oliver Ridgeway of Camden Spit & Larder, and Deneb Williams of Allora and Woodlake Tavern were working on several different private charitable fooddelivery programs at the outset of the pandemic. When Gov. Gavin Newsom

Feed the Frontlines 916 volunteers load meals for delivery to Sacramento ﬁre stations.

got wind of their programs, he secured FEMA funding to turn the programs into a statewide focus of helping seniors and keeping restaurants in business. “It’s an essential program,” Williams says. “Essential in keeping my doors open, in keeping my employees working, and essential to keeping those we serve safe.” Working with FEMA funding, however, has its own challenges. The majority of the money for the program is renewed on a month-by-month basis, making it a bit difficult to make longterm plans. Numerous restaurants have participated in the program, including those listed above and other local favorites like Viet Ha Noodles & Grill. The best way to help yourself is to help others. These professionals in the service industry know what it means to be of service. For more information, go to covid19. ca.gov/restaurants-deliver-home-mealsfor-seniors and feedthefrontlines916.org. 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

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Give Until It Hurts HELP OUR WORLD, NATION AND COMMUNITIES THRIVE AGAIN

ver the years, people have asked me if I dance. I often reply, “No, I’m a Baptist.” “What does that have to do with your dancing ability?” they’ll ask. My answer comes from the lyrics— “Guilty feet have got no rhythm”— from George Michael’s 1984 hit song “Careless Whisper.” These days my dancing ability is greatly impaired by the guilt I feel from my financial good fortune. No, my wife and I aren’t amassing a windfall. We live a modest life on Becky’s teacher’s pension and my retirement check from the Air National Guard. With the cost of living in California, our outgo usually matches our income.

NB By Norris Burkes Spirit Matters

POC OCT n 20

Yet these days we are like many Check-of-the-Month Club members who are watching their bank accounts inexplicably grow. I attribute the swelling more to simple inaction rather than intentional action. We just aren’t spending money on travel, dining or movies. Also, no more Walmart shopping trips to buy our grandkids oversized plastic dinosaurs. My stay-at-home life brings me face to face with my past greed and I realize how much I don’t need. I don’t need new clothes. I don’t need to update my phone or buy a bigger TV. I don’t need to overload my cart at the big-box stores. All of this introspection has inflicted me with a kind of survivor’s guilt. I feel a bit shamefaced, almost believing that I’ve done something wrong by prospering during these traumatic times. I wish I could return my first stimulus check. I’d like to tell the government, “Keep it. Give it to someone who needs it. Double it up for someone else.” I can’t do that, of course. But Jesus spells out an alternative in Luke 12:48. “To whom much is

given, much shall be required.” In other words, give to others what has been given to you. He’s not suggesting just any kind of giving or tipping. These times call for sacrificial, extravagant giving. Jesus described this kind of giving while watching the rich contribute large sums to the temple treasury. Out of nowhere, a widow appeared gripping two small coins called “mites,” the smallest of currency. Without fanfare, she slipped the coins into the collection box. Jesus pounced on the moment to make a point to his disciples. “The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all” (Mark 12:41 ff). It’s time to give until it hurts. Give until your bank account is lower than it’s ever been. Give tips larger than expected. Give thanks to everyone who’s working at the gas station or delivering your mail. Give your sympathy and your dollars to people who aren’t working.

I’ve done my best to follow this advice for the past three months. I’ve been blessed to give to both a local and national women’s shelter. I’ve given to the Salvation Army, 4-H projects and my church benevolence fund. If you too find yourself with a growing bank account, I encourage you to help our nation and our world thrive again. If you do, I believe you will discover that extravagant giving can be guilt-free. Lastly, most of you know about the Chispa Project, a nonprofit founded by my daughter, Sara, to start libraries in Honduran elementary schools. If your budget allows extra giving this month, Chispa is seeking funding to help Honduran schools support distance learning. For more information, visit www.chispaproject.org. 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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Made in the Shade

RENOVATED LAND PARK HOME OFFERS CHARM AND COMFORT

Tamara and Ken Kaestner with their dogs Indiana and Solo by the dawn redwood.

eminiscent of New Orleans, the upstairs balcony of the 1950 Land Park home is ideal for enjoying Sacramento’s cool breezes and waving to neighbors from a social distance. “We sit out there every evening,” homeowner Tamara Kaestner says. Rocking chairs, long rugs and a row of potted and hanging plants add to the convivial atmosphere. Look up and marvel at a starlit night sky hand-painted on the balcony ceiling by Tamara’s husband, Ken. “It was just dead space,” he says. “So we said let’s turn it into another room. Now we spend more time up there than just about anywhere else.” The Kaestners bought the Land Park charmer in 2019 after the home underwent a head-to-toe

CR By Cathryn Rakich Photography by Aniko Kiezel OPEN HOUSE

POC OCT n 20

upgrade by real estate investment firm Uprock Developers. The 1,790-square-foot home is one of the smaller dwellings in the neighborhood. “The houses in this area are gargantuan,” Tamara says. The couple—along with their two dogs, Indiana and Solo—wanted to relocate to the Downtown area where Ken grew up, but didn’t need a lot of space. “Anything under 2,000 square feet is rare” in Land Park, she adds. “This house is kind of tucked in here, so it’s perfect.” The now three-bedroom, three-bath abode offers all the convenience of a new build with the charm of an older home. “It’s not too modern,” says Tamara, who works in marketing for Intel. “It still feels like an older home, which is what we wanted.”

“It was nice moving into a house where nothing needed to be changed,” adds Ken, an occupational therapist. “We didn’t have to worry about hidden costs.” The renovation included opening up the living space by removing a wall that separated the entryway and dining room. Original hardwood floors were sanded and stained a light brown-grey. The old wooden staircase railing was replaced with a custom-made black metal railing. The long galley-style kitchen, with its yellow tile countertops and backsplash, was gutted and shortened to make space for a laundry room. New quartz countertops are a nice contrast to the white subway tile backsplash. Original knotty-pine kitchen cabinets were replaced with raised-panel maple cabinets. The linoleum floor is now a classic ceramic tile. Single-paned windows, with their original metal screens, still crank open. Pine wood paneling, both upstairs and downstairs, gave way to smooth white walls. The living room’s red brick fireplace got a facelift with white paint. Two original built-in shelving units

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BETWEEN THE DECIDUOUS REDWOOD IN THE BACKYARD AND A LARGE GINKGO TREE IN THE FRONT, THE HOME IS WELL SHELTERED. surround French doors that lead to the backyard. The downstairs bedroom-turned-homeoffice showcases a large gridded window looking out over the backyard. A James Dean poster hangs prominently by the desk. Marilyn Munroe and Disney themes add more ambiance throughout the home. Upstairs, gone are the original pink tiles in the master bathroom. In their place are a quartz countertop and custom ceramic floor tiles. A door from the large master bedroom leads to the New Orleans-style balcony. While the home’s interior was completely renovated, the backyard was still in need of some TLC. Decomposed granite was the first to go, “because decomposed granite is just a big dust bowl,” Ken says. “The dust came through all the cracks in the house. And when wet, with the two dogs, it was a muddy mess.” The couple replaced the decomposed granite with artificial turf by TuFFGrass, and changed out bark mulch in the far back for a cement-paver patio perfect for entertaining. A new outdoor kitchen,

POC OCT n 20

complete with bar and fire feature, was added last month. But the prize goes to the glorious dawn redwood tree—Ken estimates it’s 60-feet tall. “Dawn redwoods were brought in from China and almost extinct,” Tamara notes. Between the deciduous redwood in the backyard and a large ginkgo tree in the front, the home is well sheltered. “We’re thankful for the shade,” Ken says. “It’s the perfect set up.”

HOME ART STUDIOS & OFFICES During these days of sheltering at home, Inside Sacramento is looking for creative home art studios and offices to feature in upcoming editions of Open House. Send recommendations to 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

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LAVENDER GOLD Rendering of Lavender Courtyard courtesy of Mogavero Architects and Mutual Housing California

FIRST LGBTQ HOMES ARE COMMUNITY EFFORT

he need for affordable housing is acute in Sacramento and much of California. How do we make a dent in such an intractable challenge? For Mutual Housing California, a local nonprofit that has been building sustainable homes since 1988, the answer is straightforward. You scramble for money and creative solutions and never give up, no matter the obstacles. A good example is Lavender Courtyard, which is finally scheduled to break ground at 16th and F streets in October as the region’s first apartment for low-income LGBTQ older residents. More than six years in the making, this pioneering project seems to have as many funding sources as future tenants. That’s an exaggeration, but the $27.3 million apartment complex will have 53 units and at least six distinct funding sources. As a project fact sheet attests, Lavender Courtyard “serves a target population that is extremely

GD By Gary Delsohn Building Our Future

POC OCT n 20

vulnerable—specifically to isolation, bullying, ageism, discrimination and homeless-mental health stigma.” In other words, it is a project that’s long overdue. When it opens in March 2022, it will be a big win for this overlooked population, a big win for Mutual Housing California and a big win for our community. “For the people that this project is hoping to serve, it’s a population that would be called the Stonewall Generation, and for this generation to fight for their civil rights, achieve their civil rights, live through the AIDS epidemic and to not be able to afford housing in their own communities, that would be particularly tragic,” says Mutual Housing California CEO Roberto Jimenez. “But I also think this project is important for Sacramento and for cities around the country. Last I checked, there were only six LGBTQ affordable or LGBTQ welcoming communities around the country and they are in communities that are much more obvious for this type of project. Cities like New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis. For Sacramento to be on the leading edge of housing like this is particularly affirming.” According to SAGE, a national organization that advocates for older LGBTQ people, 48 percent of older same-sex couples have experienced

housing discrimination. With the older LGBTQ population projected to reach 7 million by 2030, many more projects like Lavender Courtyard are needed. There will not be a screening process to attract only LGBTQ residents, but the apartments will be marketed to that community and “extremely low-income seniors” at least 62 years old. Two dozen apartments will be reserved for seniors coming out of homelessness, with rents ranging from $264 a month for one bedroom up to $684 for two bedrooms. Exactly how much a resident pays will be tied to earnings and the Area Median Income. Someone earning 20 percent of AMI, for instance, could pay the lowest rent. A household earning 40 percent of AMI could pay the top rent. If you look at the funding sources for the project, you get an idea how tough it’s been: $1.9 million in federal HOME funds, $11.3 million from the state of California Multifamily Housing Program, $2.5 million from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, $10.3 million in state and federal tax credits, an $18.3 million construction loan from U.S. Bank and an $800,000 acquisition loan from NeighborWorks Capital. Designed by the local firm Mogavero Architects, the project will look good too, with energy efficient units, rooftop solar, and a design situated around

common rooms and a courtyard to enhance community and social engagement. Projects like this don’t happen without a formidable team. Lavender has so many champions it’s hard to list them all. Notable is Rachel Iskow, Jimenez’s predecessor at Mutual Housing who built the organization from a tiny backwater into a regional force for affordable housing. Departing City Councilmember Steve Hansen and Mayor Darrell Steinberg have been key to moving Lavender through the bureaucracy. Credit must also go to California voters who approved Propositions 1 and 2 in November 2018, authorizing bonds that could be used for veterans, homeless and other marginalized populations. Anytime you can turn a vacant and blighted lot into affordable housing, you have done something special. More than some other high-profile projects on the city’s drawing boards, Lavender Courtyard—especially in this age of COVID-19 and bitterly divisive politics—is a story to celebrate. 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

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ACROSS 1 ___ 1 (speed of sound) 5 Drains of strength 9 Comical sound of hitting the ground 14 “Good heavens!” 15 Banyan or birch 16 Like Enya and Sinead O’Connor 17 It’s sprinkled on a dish 18 Invisible glow 19 Like Abraham Lincoln’s physique 20 Magical solution to a huge problem 23 Walk-___ (some closets) 24 In-flight stat 25 Caper 28 Speck in the South Pacific 30 Just slightly 32 Place for a flask 34 Regarding 36 Floating casino sites 39 Book group holder? 41 Actress Vardalos 42 Doesn’t spend immediately 43 Levitating transport for Marty McFly 46 Time off 47 Ram’s mate 48 Has samosa chaat, e.g. 4/5

49 Visible sign of oxidation 51 Disdainful expression 53 “Mayday!” 54 Raw mining product 57 Like a movie ﬁlled with exciting scenes, or a hint to the word hidden in 20-, 36- and 43-Across 61 In the know 64 “___ is so you!” 65 Rihanna album with the hit “Needed Me” 66 “You can count on me!” 67 The 411 68 Categorize, e.g. 69 Streep of “Little Women” 70 Liquid lunch, perhaps 71 Unlikely change for a ten DOWN 1 Soccer star from Argentina 2 “You can say that ___!” 3 Considers the debt repaid 4 Home theater purchase 5 Ofﬁcial at a race 6 Southern Caribbean island

7 Ecuador neighbor 8 Close, as an envelope 9 What wombs and tombs have in common? 10 Chris of “Jurassic World” 11 Architect Maya 12 Request 13 “Love ___ neighbor” 21 Wriggler in the water 22 31-Down’s den, e.g. 26 “My curiosity is killing me!” 27 Gives as an example 29 Shoe bottom 30 Alternative to Nikes 31 See 22-Down 33 “Ahem” relative 34 Tennis legend Arthur

35 Performances 37 Playing a fourth NHL period, e.g. 38 Rowing tools 40 Classic PC card game 44 Eldest Simpson child 45 Convertible 50 Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the ___” 52 Before the deadline 53 Big mess 55 Back in fashion 56 Corrects errors in, say 58 Sufﬁx for “senior” 59 “How awful!” 60 Group of performers 61 Goal 62 Org. with a SmackDown event 63 Scuba tank ﬁller

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