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This artwork is featured in the annual PBS KVIE Art Auction. Anna Barber uses Photoshop to create multilayered textures and patterns out of her own photos, as well as a tablet to add hand-drawn shapes, skillfully capturing fluttering movement. Shown: “Hawks in Flight,” photo-based digital art creation, 24 inches by 34 inches. The PBS KVIE Art Auction will be live on air and online Friday, Sept. 27, from 7–10 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 28, from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit kvie.org/artauction to see the entire art auction collection on display at PBS KVIE Sept. 3–25.
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Despair To Optimism
MAYOR CANDIDATES DISCUSS GETTING CITY BACK ON TRACK
Inside Publisher Cecily Hastings interviewed mayoral candidates Flojaune Cofer and Kevin McCarty and recorded their responses to
By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk
important questions facing the city. Interviews were separate, but both candidates responded to the same questions. More questions and answers will appear in our October editions.
Mayor Darrell Steinberg leaves behind a city that’s broke and dispirited, with a massive deficit, thousands of people living on the streets in inhuman conditions, and empty office buildings. What three initiatives can you create to return the city to its optimism and solvency of eight years ago?
Cofer: No. 1, instead of trying to force state workers back Downtown, I’d like to see us bring some of our university dormitories and campuses Downtown. That gives us a competitive advantage over any other university in the state, because if you’re majoring
in political science, or city planning, you have access to the people in your state capital. It also solves the problem that a lot of offices and businesses shut down at 5 p.m. because young people often start their day in the early afternoon.
We also need to consider Downtown for more middle-income housing. This will manage us toward a more vibrant vision, instead of managing the decline we’ve seen in recent years.
The other thing is, we need to set goals. We talk a lot about homelessness, with so many people sleeping on our streets. And yet, what’s the goal for the year? How many people are we going to house in how many shelters? Nobody can answer these questions.
It’s only fair to our business improvement districts, neighborhood associations and nonprofits that we’re working effectively toward these goals to continually improve the quality of our services.
We also need to get money to turn over multiple times in our city. If we maximize this, we won’t need to just talk about budget cuts in the future, but also maximizing revenues.
These three things will allow Sacramento to really be an energetic place with top attractions that bring people to it.
McCarty: My three priorities are homelessness, housing and our youth. The top of the list is tackling homelessness and, most importantly, not making it worse.
I fully support banning camping throughout the city. I support the Supreme Court decision. Sacramento needs to act, because if we don’t other cities are going to act and those people in those cities are going to come to our city and want to camp on our streets. We also need to do a much better job of opening low-barrier sites for people. Too much of the city’s focus has been on the Cadillac solution—everybody must have a $700,000 home.
Kevin McCarty Flojaune Cofer
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No doubt permanent supportive housing for each homeless person is the ideal solution. But $700,000 times 5,000 homeless people in the city is $3.5 billion. It doesn’t pencil out. I want to focus on creating new jobs here and more development so we can grow our revenues and our base. We need to reform the building and development department to be more responsive and more efficient so projects can get built faster. I’m going to create a blue-ribbon commission to improve these efforts, chaired by our new District 4 councilmember, Phil Pluckebaum.
I want to be a YIMBY—Yes In My Backyard—mayor and lead efforts to build more housing in the city at all income levels. We must be creative and responsive with adaptive reuse of state land.
I’m very concerned about creating a city of the future where young people like my teenagers will either choose to stay or want to return to after college. Do you support Proposition 36, which allows felony charges and increased sentences for certain drug and theft crimes?
(Note: Proposition 36 allows felony charges for possession of certain drugs, including fentanyl, and for thefts under $950 (considered misdemeanors today) with two prior drug or two prior theft convictions. Defendants who plead guilty to felony drug possession and complete treatment can have charges dismissed. Proposition 36 increases sentences for other drug and theft crimes. Increased prison sentences may reduce savings that currently fund mental health and drug treatment programs, K-12 schools and crime victims. Any remaining savings may
be used for new felony treatment programs.)
Cofer: I’m likely a No on Prop. 36. We have blamed a lot of things on Prop. 47 that aren’t necessarily the fault of Prop. 47. What we’re talking about is essentially putting more people in our jails and prisons, which is costly. The data that I’ve seen from Prop. 47 is that there’s a lot of good that has happened with it. And I’m concerned that Prop. 36 is moving in the opposite direction.
McCarty: I chaired the state Assembly Public Safety Committee this past year and I authored multiple bills to increase felony charges for retail theft and drug crimes. A lot of what I proposed is in Prop. 36. Voters are really upset. And we need to increase accountability for people who repeatedly break the law.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is likely to impose financial consequences on
Shame On Us
CITY DOES NOTHING WHILE OLD SAC TREASURE CLOSES
The Old Sacramento Waterfront has a vacant, dark hole instead of a beautiful dining spot with the best views in town. Mark and Stephanie Miller closed Rio City Café Aug. 3, ending 30 years as a familyrun landmark.
The café’s landlord was the city of Sacramento. City officials didn’t maintain the building as required under lease terms. Most egregious was the city’s neglectful approach to the river deck that produced 70% of the restaurant’s revenue.
Rather than make repairs, the city ordered the deck closed for safety reasons. And the city rejected efforts by the Millers to fund a temporary measure to reopen the deck while permanent fixes were planned, approved and funded.
A day after Rio City’s closure was announced in late July, Mayor Darrell Steinberg hurriedly organized a press conference to announce a $40 million plan to revitalize Old Sac with money from Measure N.
At one point in discussions, Steinberg suggested the restaurant’s
demise was due to the Millers’ retirement, rather than the city’s negligence. This was news to the Millers, who had no plans to retire.
“Though we were surprised by the announcement, we thought maybe this would help us, but in the end, it was just all talk and blame shifting by the city,” Stephanie Miller says. “And most frustrating was the mayor’s inference that we were interested in retiring, which was 100% not true.”
The closure brought dismay from former City Manager John Shirey, who recruited the Millers to move from Colorado 10 years ago and take over operations at their family’s restaurant.
“Rio City Café, with its prime location on the river, has been one of the best reasons to visit Old Sacramento over the years,” Shirey says. “It is regrettable that a viable way was not found by our city to enable the business to remain open, serving visitors and residents. The Miller family members have been responsible stewards of the city’s asset for 30 years.”
cities that don’t clear homeless camps. What specific programs do you propose to meet the governor’s mandate to enforce anti-camping laws and remove these unsafe, unhealthy and disgraceful living situations?
Cofer: I’d like to start with reaching the 150 or 200 people who are hardest to reach on our streets and work together to get them stabilized and into housing. Even people that decline services have moments where they will accept help. Most are just scared and do not trust other folks to help them. Next, we should work to help the people who cycle in and out of homelessness. What do we do to get them stable? Then, what do we do to get the people who are sleeping in their cars and have jobs more stable? We need to solve it piece by piece, with the most difficult first.
As a friend of the Millers, I find the demise of Rio City a deeply personal disappointment and significant loss for the city.
I’m sure Shirey—the best city manager during my decades as a small business operator and entrepreneur—would have found a way to keep this Old Sac treasure open and thriving.
It’s ironic that the city’s treatment of the Millers would never be tolerated from a private landlord.
But with the city as Rio City’s landlord, the only recourse is a shuttered building at the prime and historic location where the city came alive during the Gold Rush. The cost of this civic failure will far exceed the price of a new deck.
The city’s economic development staff—29 employees strong—says it is
“committed to promoting and assisting in the success of our businesses.” What a shame all that promotion and assistance never bothered to book a reservation at Rio City Café.
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Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Mark and Stephanie Miller
About Time
LEVEE TRAIL ADVANCES AFTER DECADES OF CHALLENGES
Anew public toilet in San Francisco made news with its first flush. The story wasn’t about plumbing. It was about adventures in bureaucracy.
Thanks to a bird’s nest of bids, permits, reviews and inspections, the toilet required two years and a budget of $1.7 million.
Authorities later said the price was closer to $200,000. But the point was made. Cities fumble simple, basic projects.
Sacramento has a simple, basic project that makes San Francisco look speedy—a bike path 108 years in the making.
In 1975, city officials envisioned a bike path along the Sacramento River levee from Pocket to Downtown. The project revived a 1916 parkway laid out by John Nolen.
Passing through Sutterville to Miller Park, the paved path will connect with the American River Parkway bike
RG
By R.E. Graswich Pocket Beat
trail. It’s a regional treasure for diverse neighborhoods, residents and visitors.
Today the community awaits its bike path, a century after Nolen drew his map, almost 50 years since the trail joined the city’s master plan.
Sacramento is ready to fulfill its promise with a 4-mile levee path from Zacharias Park to Garcia Bend Park. Funding is secure, plans are drawn, environmental reviews are wrapping up. Right-of-way acquisition and permits from state and federal agencies come next.
I talked to two civil engineers who lead the city’s levee trail project. I asked if everything is on schedule. The answer: yes. Completion is targeted for 2026.
I asked if the levee path is difficult from environmental review, permitting and construction perspectives.
The question almost made Megan Johnson and Matthew Salveson laugh.
There’s nothing complicated about building a bike path on the levee. Bureaucratic hurdles exist, but the river trail is far more streamlined than San Francisco’s toilet.
Delays to the levee trail are human obstacles, created by people who live nearby and disapprove of the bike path. Those same residents can help with solutions.
“Engineering wise, this is a really easy project,” Johnson says. “For me, the significance is really meaningful. We love our rivers. The ability to work on something like this is really cool. But there are combustibles that are very formidable to work through, with lots of conflicting needs.”
Salveson mentions his Ph.D. in civil engineering and says “it hasn’t been taxed” by the project. He adds, “This is about the community. It’s about people’s lives.”
Johnson says, “I have no doubt we can push through the process.”
The Central Valley Flood Protection Board, which owns the levee, agrees. Flood board Executive Officer Chris Lief says, “We stand ready to work with the city on their permit needs for this project.”
The levee bike trail faces no significant engineering or environmental challenges. Money isn’t a problem. But trouble lingers.
The challenge has always been a handful of property owners near the levee in Pocket and Little Pocket— people determined to slow or derail the project and stop cyclists and pedestrians from enjoying the river.
These residents regard sections of the levee as private property—their private park—and oppose efforts to finish the trail.
The property owners are organized, resourceful and persistent. The latest generation, led by wine merchant Ryan Bogle and SEIU researcher Mark Portuondo, advised by attorney Brian Manning, convinced flood officials to allow several temporary fences to block public access on the Pocket levee. The residents say the bike path will imperil their safety.
The temporary fence authorizations appear to violate the California Code of Regulations, state law that governs levees and other matters. Lief says the fences are “minor alterations” and thus legal.
Bogle, Portuondo and Manning are relative newcomers to levee bike trail battles. Their strategies date back decades.
Property owners in Pocket and Little Pocket sought fences in the early 1970s. They claimed their safety depended on keeping neighbors off the levee. Police data tell another story. Fences have no impact on police service calls.
John Nolen could have predicted that in 1916.
R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Noah Painter, partner at KMP Strategies; Megan Johnson, senior engineer with the city of Sacramento’s Public Works; and Tim Chamberlain, principal environmental planner with Wood Rodgers on the levee at Garcia Bend Park.
Photo by Aniko Kiezel
Food Fest
ST. ANTHONY PARISH CELEBRATES 50TH BIRTHDAY
Imagine a global menu that includes Filipino lumpia, Spanish paella, Polish kielbasa, Nigerian jollof rice, Greek moussaka, tacos, hot dogs, snow cones and more. For
By Corky Mau Pocket Life
three decades, there has been nothing like it in Pocket.
St. Anthony Parish Community and Cultural Food Festival returns for its 31st edition Saturday, Sept. 7, along with a yearlong celebration of the parish’s 50th anniversary. The festival runs noon to 8 p.m. Admission is free.
More than 300 volunteers make the beloved event run. Attendance should top 2,000 this year.
Live entertainment includes School of Rock Elk Grove, Tyler Miles Jazz, Velez Martial Arts, J Street Strummers and Hui O Na Kai, and the Sharpe family band.
(2010–2012), Father Loreto Rojas (2012–2015) and Father Mieczyslaw “Mitch” Maleszyk (2015 to present).
St. Anthony Parish is among the larger churches in the community with several outreach programs. The church provides food, financial help and housing to families with programs such as St. Vincent DePaul, Family Promise and Sisters Following the Way.
Funds raised through Lenten soup dinners support food banks. More than 250 children participate in the basketball program. Senior fitness classes are open to the public. The parish is at 660 Florin Road.
OHANA WALK
The Asian Community Center holds its annual Ohana Walk on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 8:30 a.m. Last year, about 1,000 people participated.
Registration fees are $40 for ages 18–84 and $20 for ages 2–17. Anyone older than 85 walks free. The event supports wellness programs for older adults and caregivers.
Three routes are offered along the Pocket Canal walkway. The 1-mile and 2-mile routes are flat and wheelchair accessible. The 3-mile route features an overpass climb. All routes start and finish at the ACC campus at 7334 Park City Drive.
For questions or information on the Give Back program for nonprofits, contact development@accsv.org or call (916) 394-6399.
Carnival games and children’s contests run all day. Adults play bingo and other games. A car show includes electric and hydrogen vehicles. Walgreens offers free flu shots. The Country Store sells used books, plants and secondhand items.
St. Anthony was established in September 1974 and dedicated by Bishop Alden Bell in December 1979. Monsignor Timothy Brendan O’Sullivan led the parish for more than 30 years until his retirement in 2005. Since then, four other priests guided the church: Father John Boll (2005–2010), Father Manuel Soria
AUTHOR TALK
Meet Mark Oshiro, a New York Times bestselling author, at PocketGreenhaven Library, Saturday, Sept. 28. His books for young adult and middle school readers include “Anger Is a Gift,” “Each of Us a Desert” and “You Only Live Once.”
The library’s Teen Advisory Board hosts the program. For information, contact the library at (916) 264-2920.
OKTOBERFEST
Enjoy German food and beer at Elks Lodge No. 6’s Oktoberfest on Saturday, Sept 14, from 5–9:30 p.m.
Grand Isle Fire Brigade Street Band provides entertainment. Food and beverages are available for purchase.
Advance tickets are $15 per person, $20 at the door. Call the lodge at (916) 422-6666 or drop by for tickets.
(From left) Syd Sharp, Terry Sharp and Sam Sharp of the Sharp family band. Photo by Aniko Kiezel
STORYWORK THE PRINTS OF MARIE WATT
FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF JORDAN D. SCHNITZER AND HIS FAMILY FOUNDATION
JUNE 30
OCTOBER 20, 2024
Image credits: [left] Marie K. Watt (Seneca, born 1967), Transit edition 7/25, 2004. Lithograph and chine collé, 22 1/4 x 30 1/8 in. Published by Tamarind Institute, Albuquerque, NM. Collection of Jordan D. Schnitzer. [right] Marie K. Watt (Seneca, born 1967), Threshold, 2006. Reclaimed wool blankets, satin binding, and thread, 123 x 119 in. Collection of the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation.
CLASSIC CARS
Say hello to classic car owners on Fridays, Sept. 6 and 20, at Device Brewing Company. See hot rods and vintage beauties from 4–8 p.m. in the parking lot along Windbridge Drive. Contact Ben Valencia at (916) 698-7507 for information.
JAZZ IN THE PARK
Food and music are a popular combo at Garcia Bend Park on Friday,
Sept 20. Food trucks open at 5 p.m.
Recording artist Vivian Lee and her jazz quartet perform blues and jazz at 6 p.m. City Councilmember Rick Jennings sponsors the show.
Corky Mau can be reached at corky. sue50@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Ohana Walk
FROM PAGE 8
There are models of programs like this that have been successfully implemented. I’d like to see Sacramento do the same.
McCarty: I am adamant that we must clear the homeless camps now. We shouldn’t allow urban camping, whether it’s at night or in the daytime, in city parks, under underpasses or on empty lots.
For 10 years, the Greater Sacramento Economic Council has had little success recruiting and retaining businesses in the city. Its success stories feature small companies in Davis, Rancho Cordova and McClellan Park. How will you recruit and retain businesses for the city?
Cofer: One of the roles of the mayor is as a cheerleader for the city. I have a vision for our city. And I’m excited about what we can do together. I want to be a part of selling our city. I want to talk to (companies) about what do their employees want and need when they come here, because it’s not just about the business environment. We have a great opportunity in Sacramento economically, because there’s not a lot of competition. But we need to assure
them that our city is safe and offers a good quality of life.
My background is in partnerships. It’s our greatest strength. It’s also untapped. Within 18 months, Sacramento can feel very different if we start collaborating. We’ll be able to attract some of those businesses here because we have a goal we are moving toward. People want to be a part of something when it really gets successful.
McCarty: I want to zero in on helping attract more private-sector jobs in the medicine and health care fields. Aggie Square is an amazing opportunity for Sacramento. I worked to create seed money five years ago in the state budget to jump start that project. I was in favor of locating it in the Elmhurst-Oak Park area to help revitalize this important part of our city.
(UC Davis) just started building a $3 billion hospital tower—that’s more than six arenas as far as creating jobs. Five thousand new jobs will be added in the first phases of Aggie Square.
Next month’s questions include empty state office buildings, traffic enforcement, the city’s budget deficit and strong mayor. n
Another crop of local honorees gets their
Walk Of Stars Walk
LOCAL LUMINARIES HONORED FOR IMPACT, ACHIEVEMENTS
Stars will be installed Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 8–10 a.m. A gala follows from 6–9 p.m. at Memorial Auditorium. For information, visit sacramentowalkofstars.com.
SHOW HER THE MONEY
This month, Sacramento hosts “Show Her The Money,” a documentary about the fight for gender equality in the male-dominated world of venture capital.
The film highlights four women who face uphill battles to turn their ideas into reality. With financial support and mentorship of “angel investors,” these entrepreneurs become more determined, resourceful and successful.
The event includes a Women’s Small Business Showcase featuring dozens of local women entrepreneurs and a speaker panel emceed by communications consultant Kellie DeMarco.
designed and developed in Sacramento, that provides real-time sidewalk temperatures.
The app was inspired by local IT manager Robert Meza and his wife Lori while walking their neighbor’s dog Boomer. Dogs are particularly vulnerable to paw burns on hot pavement because their pads have sensitive tissue that lacks heat tolerance.
Solar-powered surface temperature sensors are being deployed throughout Sacramento. This fall, more sensors will be installed at parks, community centers, residential areas and walking paths in Northern California.
A beta version of Walkable is available to Sacramento users who contribute feedback through email and social media. Since its launch in June, more than 500 users have tested the app. The goal is to launch, along with several other mobile and smart resources, in 2025. For information, visit walkableweather.com.
By
The 2024 lineup features the late attorney and civil rights leader Nathaniel Colley, philosopher and political activist Cornel West, NBA legend Bill Cartwright and television actress Merrin Dungey.
“This film highlights the immense potential and resilience of women entrepreneurs,” DeMarco says. “I’m passionate about empowering women to break barriers and achieve their dreams, and this film is a powerful catalyst for that change.”
MASTER GARDENERS
Now’s your chance to become a Sacramento County Master Gardener. The UC Cooperative Extension is accepting applications for 2025 Master Gardeners from Sept. 10 through Oct. 10.
JL JL
Sacramento Walk of Stars, on L Street between 18th and 19th streets, honors Sacramentans who made national and worldwide impacts.
“Their remarkable achievements not only highlight the cultural richness of Sacramento, but also inspire future generations to strive for greatness,” Walk of Stars founder Scot Crocker says.
“Show Her The Money” screens Saturday, Sept. 14, at 11 a.m. at The Sofia, 2700 Capitol Ave. Tickets are $20 general admission, $50 VIP. Proceeds benefit local women entrepreneurs. For information and to purchase tickets, visit showherthemoney.com.
DOG WALKABLE
Make dog walks safe for sensitive paws with a new weather app,
Class and field trip coursework prepares volunteers to assist the public with gardening and landscaping questions, diagnose plant and pest problems, provide water conservation information, consult on ornamental and edible plants, and share house plant tips.
Applicants must reside in Sacramento County. Applications and
Jessica Laskey Out & About
Four Sacramentans are honored this month on the Walk of Stars. Photo by Linda Smolek
stars installed on the Sacramento Walk of Stars this month.
information are available at sacmg. ucanr.edu, under “Training.”
ADULT LEARNING
Registration is open for fall enrollment in The Renaissance Society, Sacramento State’s lifelong learning program for older adults.
For $100 per year, the society offers unlimited educational and social opportunities, including weekly seminars, informal interest groups, speaker presentations, forums and recorded presentations.
Classes begin Sept. 3. For information, visit csus.edu/rensoc.
MUSEUM MURAL
The California State Railroad Museum and its foundation have partnered with the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum on a vibrant new mural.
Created with input from the community, the mural focuses on past, present and future innovations and inventions.
Artist and heritage museum founder Shonna McDaniels says the goal is to highlight and preserve history involving Black, Indigenous and people of color “and their contributions to California history, and promote cultural pride, particularly among our children.”
The mural will be painted Sept. 14–15 in the second-floor gallery
of the California State Railroad Museum at 125 I St. For information, visit californiarailroad.museum and sojoartsmuseum.org.
FREE COMPOST
Sacramento offers free compost to city residents to help enhance soil fertility and promote sustainable practices.
The compost, available while supplies last, stems from organic material collected weekly through the city’s curbside container program.
Residents can pick up one to 10 bags by appointment at the Meadowview Corporation Yard in South Sacramento. Each bag weighs approximately 37 pounds and residents must load the bags into their vehicles themselves.
Orders can be placed for larger quantities. For information and to make appointments, visit sacrecycle. org.
NO. 1 MARKET
The Midtown Farmers Market has been named the No. 1 farmers market in California and third best in the nation in voting by the American Farmland Trust’s 16th Annual America’s Farmers Market Celebration.
The market will receive $1,500 for marketing, communications and other needs that help expand its reach and impact. Spanning more than five blocks with 200-plus vendors, the market
showcases local agriculture, prepared foods, arts and crafts.
The Midtown Farmers Market is open Saturdays year-round at 20th and K streets. Spring/summer hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. For information, visit exploremidtown.org/midtown-markets.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
REMEMBERING LINDA BIRNER
The July 3 death of Linda Birner at age 75 silenced one of the city’s most prescient, essential, stubborn, fearless, loud and relentless voices. As founder of Mom Guess What? newspaper, Birner produced news and commentary for gay and lesbian residents before the acronym LGBTQ gained recognition, much less acceptance. There were days when she was the last person you wanted to hear from, but she was impossible to ignore. Birner ran the newspaper from 1978 to 2009. She rode horses, flew airplanes, sailed boats, loved schnauzers and made the city a smarter, more tolerant place.
A celebration of Birner’s life will be held Sept. 19 at 2 p.m. at Dante Event Center, 2330 Fair Oaks Blvd.
—R.E. Graswich
Lori Meza, with Boomer, uses new app to check sidewalk temperatures on hot days.
Fresh flowers are among items available at the Midtown Farmers Market.
Park Decay
ONCE PROUD SYSTEM COLLAPSES THANKS TO UNDERFUNDING
Sacramento has abundant park acreage with great amenities. But our parks are falling apart. Why? Because the City Council underfunds the park system.
In June, the city boasted in its City Minute newsletter, “Sacramento Parks Earn Spot Among Best Cities in National Ranking.” The accolade came from Trust for Public Land, a San Francisco nonprofit dedicated to park expansion. Rankings are based on access, investment, amenities, acreage, equity and maintenance.
I had to laugh. A decade ago, the city’s ranking was much higher. It dropped like a rock. At first, the Great Recession caught the blame. Now the
problem is misplaced priorities by the mayor and City Council.
In 2012, the city’s park system was ranked second out of 40 cities. By 2016, Sacramento slipped to No. 17 out of 100. As Mayor Darrell Steinberg prepares to leave, the ranking fell to 30th place. Nothing to brag about.
How did this happen? Steinberg convinced the City Council to sink $20 million into youth “work force development,” which turned out to be a terrible investment.
He pushed Measure L, which siphons $9 million annually for “youth advancement” away from the general fund. That money could have gone to basics—park maintenance and city-run youth programs.
Steinberg ignored the fact that parks and recreation are the best investments cities can make for young people. Parks are sustainable and yield positive outcomes for kids.
leveraging city dollars through state grants. Maintenance funds come from the general fund. The council has repeatedly fallen into the trap of building new facilities while neglecting to pay for maintenance.
Now city parks are in bad shape. Volunteer labor keeps many sites in useable condition.
Despite a City Council that won’t maintain parks, city staff does a remarkable job keeping parks functional with scant resources. But ballfields have squirrel holes and lousy turf. Sprinkler systems are antiquated and broken. Bushes go unpruned. Bathrooms are a mess. The cost of recreational programs rises quickly.
The blame falls on Steinberg and the City Council.
nonprofits for funds. Steinberg leaves a legacy of decaying parks.
I recently received an email asking me to join a committee proposed by Councilmember Mai Vang and Jim Keddy, key proponents of Measure L. Their goal is a proposal to issue bonds or levy a parcel tax for park maintenance.
Had Vang done some homework, she would know the budget deficit leaves zero possibility for bonds. Just ask the city treasurer. And a parcel tax? It’s highly unlikely voters would approve one.
By Jeff Harris City Realist
Every councilmember wants to build new parks. It makes them look effective. Maintaining parks is another matter.
The money to build new parks comes from park impact fees and
In 2010, each park maintenance worker was responsible for 6 acres of land. Now the number is one worker for 34 acres, an absurd expectation. The city has more than $150 million in unfunded maintenance projects.
This is why Measure L is so destructive. It locks up general fund dollars and tragically forces parks staff to compete against youth-service
This is typical for Steinberg and the City Council. They squander money on pet projects, ignore advice from their finance team, and propose a new tax to put the burden of their folly on taxpayers.
Jeff Harris represented District 3 on City Council from 2014 to 2022. He can be reached at cadence@mycci. net. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Square Off
UC
DAVIS
PROJECT
SHINES, BUT NEIGHBORS WANT RESULTS
Aggie Square, the innovation hub taking shape at the UC Davis Health Center campus on Stockton Boulevard, is a big deal. One of the biggest ever for the university and the city.
It’s also a big deal for nearby neighborhoods, especially Oak Park, which experienced the downside of being next to the booming health campus while receiving few of the benefits.
Mayor Darrell Steinberg, a champion of the project with UC Chancellor Gary May, called the $1.1 billion development “the single biggest
G D GD
By Gary Delsohn Building
economic initiative for the city in decades.” He tells me he feels so good about Aggie Square he will deliver his final State of the City speech there Sept. 19.
“It’s not been perfect. Nothing good ever is,” says Steinberg, who mediated lawsuits that threatened to stall the development. “There was a little messiness along the way. But where it’s ending up is something we need to replicate throughout the city, especially in places that have long been left behind.”
Research universities are building innovation centers everywhere, creating a powerful synergy with private industry, research funding and entrepreneurs to benefit students, faculty and communities.
Successful projects, such as Technology Square at Georgia Tech University in Atlanta, where May was engineering dean, bring diverse interests together to spark scientific and technological breakthroughs. Jobs, startup companies and new products follow.
Davis is positioned to succeed. It wisely selected Wexford Science & Technology as development partner. Teaming up with universities to create innovation centers is what the Baltimore firm does, with 17 to its credit.
“Sacramento desperately needs to diversify its economy,” Travis Sheridan, a Wexford senior vice president and chief community officer, tells me. “UC
Davis is a top recipient of federal research grants and is pouring a lot of money into discovery. By leaning into the research strength of UC Davis and teaming up with private industry, you can do a lot of very exciting things.”
UC Davis will occupy about 60% of the project’s first phase, and private industry the rest. The big test for Aggie Square may not be whether the extra space gets filled. It will be whether nearby neighborhoods benefit.
UC
Renderings courtesy of Wexford Science & Technology
An economic impact study commissioned by the university concluded the project’s first phase, which includes 1.2 million square feet in four buildings, will generate $2.99 billion in annual economic activity and nearly 10,000 jobs.
In settling the lawsuits, Wexford, UC Davis and the city entered into a community benefits agreement that, among other things, includes a commitment to invest more than $50 million in nearby affordable housing with at least 20% of the 4,000 to 5,000 permanent jobs on campus targeted for local residents. Not everyone is confident that will happen.
“I have a hard time believing the people who ultimately get those jobs are going to be at the same skill level as people in our community who need those jobs,” says Adrian Rehn, president of the Oak Park Community Association.
Local residents work on Aggie Square construction, Rehn says, “but we want to participate in jobs that go beyond being janitors and secretaries.”
Another concern is the project’s impact on housing prices. With researchers and scientists filling top jobs, Aggie Square employees will need
nearby housing. That can drive up prices and displace longtime residents.
A few years will pass before we know how it turns out. Sumiko Hong, Aggie Square community engagement director for UC Davis, is a whirlwind of activity at community meetings, job fairs and other activities to ensure local communities aren’t overlooked.
“We don’t know yet who the private tenants will be,” she says, “but a lot of the work we are doing will be to help the industry folks stand up a workforce. We are committed to helping community residents take advantage of those opportunities as much as possible.”
Isaac Gonzalez, president of Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association, puts it this way: “We have this great world-class jewel here. How do we make sure that it shines for everyone? That shouldn’t be an impossible task if we keep that in the center of our thoughts.”
Gary Delsohn can be reached at gdelsohn@gmail.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
All In
SHORT CENTER FESTIVAL CELEBRATES ACCESSIBLE THEATER
What does “accessible” really mean? A diverse group of theater artists have the answer.
“It’s not just ramps and handrails,” says Jim Brown, a longtime volunteer with Short Center Repertory, a public
paratransit, which gives you an hour window when they’ll pick you up,” Brown says. “We realized that getting a cast to the same place at the same time was going to require extra effort.”
Brown helped Short Center Rep apply for the Creative Corps grant, giving the program a new outlet for its creative work and compensating participants for the first time.
“Historically, this type of theater relies heavily on volunteers,” says Brown, who ran Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates before retirement.
“This particular season of productions, there’s compensation. That speaks well to the funders to realize it’s important to get at least some compensation to the artists. We have so much art available to us through people who aren’t compensated.”
InnerVision Theater’s production “Eye of the Storm” was developed by actors—all of whom are blind or low vision—using Brazilian theater practitioner Augusto Boal’s “Theatre of the Oppressed” techniques to examine limitations of emergency-preparedness procedures.
Theater V58’s cabaret-style “Ultimate Impact” examines the climate crisis through original monologues, comedy, poetry, music and film presented in American Sign Language and English. Many of the volunteer sign language interpreters are Sacramento State students.
Short Center Rep will perform “Clowns to the Rescue,” devised by the actors and based on the Lecoq clown technique.
Along with performances, the festival includes rotating screens of filmed recordings of past Short Center Rep productions and a forum on accessible theater.
outreach program of the Developmental Disabilities Service Organization.
“In this instance, accessible refers to the audience experience, as well as the performers’ experience,” he says.
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By Jessica Laskey
Giving Back: Volunteer Profile
“Getting involved with this has really made me so aware of the ways in which we seldom accommodate people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and low vision.”
A festival of accessible theater comes to California Stage at 25th and R streets Sept. 13–15, presented by Short Center Rep with funding from Capital Region Creative Corps.
Three companies—InnerVision Theater, Theater V58 and Short Center
Rep—created original productions to address impacts of climate change. Performers are developmentally disabled, neurodivergent, blind, low vision, deaf and hard of hearing. The festival reflects their perspectives.
Brown uses his background in public information to publicize the festival and make sure everything runs smoothly. He began volunteering with Short Center Rep to transport blind and low-vision actors to rehearsals for his friend Jim Anderson, who runs the outreach program.
“Rehearsals are in the evening and a lot of these people work and rely on
“The forum is going to be really neat because there haven’t been many occasions where all of these people working with these communities are in the same room and having a public conversation,” Brown says. “It will be of special interest to theater presenters, practitioners, students and those who provide services to the blind, low-vision, deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. We’re really excited about it.”
For festival information, visit allintheaterfestival.org. For Short Center Rep information, visit shortcenterrepertory.org.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Jim Anderson and Jim Brown
Photo by Linda Smolek
Penciled In
NO GLORY WITH HIS TRIP, BUT ENDLESS REWARDS
This summer I flew to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to sharpen 1,492 pencils. A long trip for such a chore.
But readers of this column know I’m involved with the Chispa Project, which outfits libraries for children in Honduras. My daughter Sara Brakhane directs the project.
Those sharpened pencils were needed for Pedro Nufio Elementary School, home of Chispa’s 88th Honduran library.
I hoped my daughter might schedule me for some high-profile job—an important speech or lecture. After all, what’s nepotism for?
But she assigned me to count pencils, sharpen them and place them in 421 school backpacks.
I wasn’t the only volunteer from Northern California. Raina Dittmer came from Sacramento, joined by my Auburn neighbor Ysanne Rarick, among others.
Under the direction of Chispa employee Lester Reconco, volunteers helped paint a large mural, bringing a library wall to life with bright colors.
The mural features a Honduran boy in an oceanside scene, reclined on a wave of books while reading. On a field of blue, volunteers added a sailboat, swan and many fish.
Meanwhile, my pencil sharpener overheated and forced me to join the painting team. My job was to pour various paints into red Solo cups, lug them to the artists and wash brushes. My nickname was Pour-Pour-Norris. Suddenly, I became an irreplaceable team member.
By Norris Burkes Spirit Matters
I know this because I begged others to replace me. They refused.
After two days of painting, the moment came to shelve books in the new library.
From the school parking lot, volunteers, including 12-year-old Maggie Miessler of Grass Valley and her grandmother Diane Miessler, worked an assembly line, offloading 850 new books from our bus.
They carried books through a playground of kids racing after a soccer ball and running through girl-chaseboy games.
Several kids stopped to hug us. We were soon surrounded by children grinning with unrehearsed wonder. They wanted to see the books we were shelving.
If you know the excitement U.S. children express over a new video game, you can imagine the enthusiasm building in these students as they saw their first children’s picture book.
On the final two days, volunteers hosted a library inauguration, kind of an all-day birthday party. Students enjoyed puppets, science experiments and storytelling.
I never gave my speech or lecture.
But I can tell you the volunteers embodied Chispa’s belief that changing the environment can make education enjoyable and effective for all students.
Books affect that change.
Pedro Nufio Elementary exists in an environment that needs changing.
The rural school sits near a landfill where many parents collect trash, operate the landfill’s incinerator and commute by bus to laborer jobs.
When we left Honduras, the new library was painted and filled with rows of new books.
Chispa’s slogan encourages us all to “help change the story.” Each book we shelved represents a new story. And each sharpened pencil can write one.
Norris Burkes can be reached at comment@thechaplain.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook 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
Chispa volunteers finish the library mural at Pedro Nufio Elementary School in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Flying High
AIRPORT MIXES LOCAL, BIG BRANDS TO FEED TRAVELERS
With captive audiences, airports tend to offer generic food and drinks created in central kitchens not specific to their region. They make us feel we are nowhere and everywhere.
As the farm-to-fork capital, it’s fitting that Sacramento International Airport tries to reflect the community’s agricultural bounty and legacy.
Local emphasis began in 2011, when Terminal B opened with two restaurants linked to Downtown establishments, Esquire Grill and Cafeteria 15L. A makeover at Terminal A added more local hospitality names in 2015.
The original Esquire Grill closed in 2019, but Cafeteria 15L continues to bustle near the state Capitol. Now the airport is ready to expand its regional restaurant connections.
Nixtaco, Bawk!, Café Bernardo, Magpie, Temple Coffee and Midtown Spirits will soon join local farm-to-fork operations that inspire airport cuisine. But national names aren’t being frozen out.
By Gabrielle Myers
Photography by Aniko Kiezel Farm To Fork
Andrew Durkee
Carrot Cake at Café Bernardo
Photo courtesy Café Bernardo.
Cappuccino at Temple
Andrew Durkee, airport concessions manager, says the regional emphasis was encouraged by county airports director Cindy Nichol, who arrived from Portland’s airport in 2018.
The concessions team surveyed travelers to learn the best approaches to food and beverage service. The results showed a locals-only strategy needs a little global help.
“We found quite a mix of things that people would like,” Durkee says. “They want more of a national fast-food brand presence than we currently have in order to represent more accessible options. There is some request for still representing some nationally branded coffee. What our community wants isn’t always 100% local.”
Surveys showed airport travelers seek greater emphasis on healthy options, whether local or from big brands.
“We plan to offer a much more thoughtful mix of concepts,” Durkee says.
The challenge of satisfying a variety of travelers is daunting. The airport serves 13 million passengers each year, so diversity in food and beverage operations is essential for positive travel experiences.
My frustrations with airport food are the lack of healthy options and inflated prices. I don’t want to pay $20 or more for subpar, unhealthy food. That’s why I tend to pack my own meals when passing through airports.
While we can’t expect airport food options landing at under $20 per meal, it’s nice to know local and health-minded restaurants will have a presence in Sacramento terminals. Sustainability is another feature at Sacramento International. Close to 35% of the airport’s electricity is produced from 35 acres of solar panels around the facility. The airport generates 15.5 million kilowatt-hours per year.
Airport buses and other vehicles are transitioning to mostly zero emissions from compressed natural gas. Buildings and parking area lights have converted to LED. Sustainability efforts are critical as the community reduces its carbon footprint.
Between food, beverages and energy, the community and airport are flying in a positive direction.
“We’re serving more locations now,” Durkee says. “We added about 11 new nonstop flights in 2023 and we plan to add more this coming year.”
Gabrielle Myers can be reached at gabriellemyers11@gmail.com. Her latest book of poetry, “Break Self: Feed,” is available for $20.99 from fishinglinepress.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Chicken Burger at BAWK! Photo courtesy BAWK!
Smash Burger at Midtown Spirits
Tacos at Nixtaco
Calzone at One Speed Pizza
Glide Path Path
Unless he runs the worst local campaign in history, Kevin McCarty gets elected mayor in November. No need to wait weeks for updated vote tabulations. We’re talking landslide. McCarty drew the perfect opponent in Flojaune Cofer. Inexperienced, impulsive and far more progressive than any mayoral candidate in city history, Cofer has kicked goals into her own net since her campaign started.
Soon after Cofer submitted candidacy paperwork, the city discovered she violated campaign finance laws. City Council members generously decided the rules were too confusing and kept her on the ballot.
From there, Cofer supported homeless camps in parks, endorsed proposals to fire city workers and replace them with contractors, suggested city cops are racists and called Police Chief Kathy Lester a liar.
RGBy R.E. Graswich City Beat
Over the next two months, she’ll continue to stumble as she justifies her views on tent encampments, the budget deficit and social justice for the 71% of voters who rejected her in the March primary.
Two words describe what Cofer needs to win: A miracle.
This leaves McCarty, a contemplative, professional politician with 20 years of experience with the City Council and state Assembly, in a glide path to replace Darrell Steinberg.
A political consultant could manage McCarty’s campaign in their spare time. Emphasize his competency. Highlight his track record. Present reasonable solutions. Unify neighborhood and business coalitions. Game over.
But not quite. Campaign tactics mandate that McCarty and surrogates define Cofer in ways she doesn’t like—a challenge she avoided in the primary.
Cofer enjoyed a free ride in the March election. She coasted without review or ridicule from her opponents. The November runoff tests how Cofer responds to criticism. As Mike Tyson said, “Everybody has a plan until they get hit.”
In the primary, three mayoral prospects—all seasoned politicians— hoped to draw Cofer into the November finale. McCarty, Dr. Richard Pan and
MCCARTY CAN ROLL TO MAYOR OVER UNTESTED FOE
Steve Hansen saw Cofer as their best opponent in a runoff.
They didn’t challenge Cofer’s bizarre ideas about turning parks into homeless camps, balancing the budget with vendors and defunding police. They just let her talk.
This high-road strategy backfired on Pan and Hansen. Most primary voters split their selections among the three experienced pols. Cofer picked up the rest.
McCarty squeaked into second place. Cofer attracted an antiestablishment mandate of about 29%.
Now comes the main event.
After McCarty and his allies define their opponent and educate the electorate, Cofer can expect to finish in November with a vote count of around 40%. A respectable performance by a rookie from deep left field.
But here’s a word of caution. Having watched Sacramento mayor races since 1983, when Anne Rudin beat Ross Relles by 908 votes, I think the city benefits if McCarty and Cofer minimize the bickering and agree on two or three principles.
How refreshing the mayor’s race will be if the candidates stand together and outline some solutions for homelessness and budget deficits.
No arguing over who has the best plan. No ridicule. Instead, a handshake to work together, win or lose. Inspire
diverse constituencies and support serious strategies to remove tent encampments and restrain municipal spending. Everybody wins. Unfortunately, Cofer’s likely too inexperienced and radical for fellowship.
From distant perspectives, the candidates seem similar. Two liberal Democrats. But look deeper. Cofer swims in progressive ideology. McCarty tiptoes around the edges.
McCarty learned years ago a successful politician knows how to count votes. McCarty counted votes in the state Legislature and City Hall. As mayor, he’ll need five votes to do anything. Sounds easy. But counting gets complicated when politics, policies and special interests collide. This is all news to Cofer.
In 1986, after Anne Rudin settled into her first term, she considered the balancing act needed by mayors. She said, “I’m trying to be someone who is looking out for (the public’s) interests. But I realize I can’t represent everyone.”
McCarty knows what Rudin meant. I can almost hear Cofer say, “Anne who?”
R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Christopher J. Cantrell, DMD
Cosmetic
Esthetic
CITY LOVED GREYHOUND RACING, BUT NOT GAMBLING
Afriend was telling me how much he enjoyed small, low-profile sporting events. He mentioned going to Sacramento State games. I know the feeling.
I prefer a summer night at the River Cats over the frenzied, obnoxious environments of NBA arenas and NFL stadiums. Sportswriters are supposed to get excited by big showdowns and great athletes.
They wore me out.
When I covered pro basketball years ago, I was glad when the NBA Finals ended in four or five games rather than seven. A quick series meant I could go home sooner. Not long thereafter, I stopped being a sportswriter.
Happily, Sacramento provides warm greetings to second-tier sports. The city welcomes basement-level shows.
The World’s Strongest Man contest became an annual celebration on Capitol Mall until last year, when Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, stole our barbells. I miss the big guys.
By R.E. Graswich Sports Authority
Imagine watching sprint cars or motorcycles scramble around a narrow, dusty quarter-mile track at Hughes Stadium. Our ancestors savored it.
Another local event I missed was greyhound racing. I bet even scholarly local sports fans know nothing about Sacramento’s dog track.
The place was called K-9 Park. A wooden grandstand held 7,000 fans at the corner of Fruitridge Road and Stockton Boulevard, where Fruitridge Shopping Center sits today. Promoters spent $75,000 constructing a fancy dog palace. A mountain of money in 1932.
K-9 Park was controversial before it opened. Greyhound racing wasn’t exactly illegal—sportsmen raced hunting dogs after prey in the Yolo
Gambling at the city’s dog racing track scandalizes Sacramento in 1932.
Decades ago, I loved writing about indoor soccer and football at Arco Arena. There was a wonderful semipro hockey team, Sacramento Rebels, at Ice House on Bradshaw Road. And countless obscure boxing and wrestling matches at Memorial Auditorium.
The more enigmatic the game, the more organic the joy.
I wasn’t around for weird sports that blew through town in the old days, those true mid-20th century misfits.
back plus interest determined by a K-9 Park employee who was fast with odds. A $2 option paid off for the top two finishers. If your dog ran worse than second, your option was worthless.
Everyone knew the option system was a joke—semantics to evade police. In San Francisco and Alameda counties, authorities called it a “racket” and banned dog racing.
But Sacramento County District Attorney Neil McAllister wasn’t so sure. He said, “I have heard that option betting is a successful evasion of the law, and it’s questionable whether it is legal or not.”
Opening night Aug. 1, 1932, drew crowds that required Highway Patrol to direct traffic on Stockton Boulevard. Days before, promoters from the Sacramento Amusement Company visited gin mills around town and handed out hundreds of free tickets.
Customers filled the silver-painted grandstands. People loved to watch greyhounds chase a mechanical stuffed rabbit. Options went unsold.
K-9 Park staffed 30 option windows that first night. As the two-month meet progressed, window staff dwindled to 18, then five. Fans enjoyed the dogs. But they didn’t buy options.
Stung by low sales, Sacramento Amusement Company slowly went broke.
Law enforcement presented another hurdle. Sheriff’s deputies arrested an option seller, John Garritty, who ran window No. 4. The jury deliberated 17 minutes and found Garritty not guilty.
The verdict upset civic leaders. An outraged Bee editorialist wrote, “The district attorney’s office from the first had no intention of interfering with the dog-racing racket.”
Where the law failed, economics prevailed.
Causeway—but gambling was a crime. Promoters behind K-9 Park devised a clever way to let people bet on races without actually betting. Sort of.
The scheme required customers to buy into something called the “option system.” Gamblers purchased a $2.50 “preferred option” or a $2 “secondary option.” In theory, options were ownerships in greyhounds.
If you bought a preferred option and your dog won, you’d get your money
Without enough bettors, the track closed after one season. K-9 Park was renamed New Night Speedway for auto racing. It burned down in 1935. Fire Chief J.C. Taylor suspected arson. R.E. Graswich can be reached at regraswich@icloud.com. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Quality, Functionality, and Sustainability
Belton King Power Sofa
Martta XL Full Reversible Chaise
Monika Cot Chair
HISTORIC HOME TOUR TO SHOWCASE MIDTOWN JEWEL
When Jennifer Tornatore and Eric Knutson married in 2003, seven years after joining households, they lived in a ranch-style home in Point Richmond. “Eric came as a package with two young sons, so we had a family-friendly home in a good school district,” Tornatore says. “But the home was uninspiring.”
Tornatore, an account executive with Uber, comes from the Sacramento suburbs. Knutson, an architect, grew up in the Bay Area. His design specialty is high-end residential, smaller commercials and multifamily homes.
After the children grew up, the couple wanted to move closer to Tornatore’s Sacramento family. In 2011, they bought a gorgeous Craftsman home in Boulevard Park. Their real estate agent lived
C H CH Boulevard Per fect Perfect
By Cecily Hastings Open House
in the neighborhood and suggested they visit. “We were instantly smitten,” Knutson says.
The 1,900-square-foot house has three bedrooms and two and half bathrooms. A full basement, neither heated nor cooled, adds important living space with an office for Knutson, and a storage and rumpus room.
Built in 1906, the home's architect was Alden W. Campbell. A newspaper article printed at the time describes the two-story, seven-room house as “Colonial” in style. It cost $3,127 to construct.
“The home was in pretty good shape when we got it. But the yard and carport were a total mess,” Knutson says. He designed and built a new garage to match the original architecture, with Craftsman details and carriage doors.
“And then a huge tree came down on the rear screened porch, which spurred us to build a new laundry room in its place,” Knutson says. “It was a huge improvement over what was there previously.
“Inside, we painted everything, and we restored the redwood trim. And we used rich colors like gold, rust, red and teal blue that would have been period to this home’s era.”
A stained-glass window in the downstairs hallway provided inspiration for the color scheme. Kitchen and bath remodels took years. But the walls and doors are original.
Interior Photos by Donald Cox
Exterior Photo by Aniko Kiezel
Garage Door Center Sacramento is owned and operated by local expert Russ Fuller. Why go to a big box store when you can receive superior service from someone with decades of experience? Russ will not only walk you through your options, he is also the one that puts on the tool belt to get the job done right. He treats his customers like family.
They kept many of the original kitchen cabinets and only changed the wall that houses their Wolf range and vent hood. Yellow-gold tiles form a colorful, striking backsplash.
Furnishings throughout complement the Craftsman design, with original antique and vintage pieces, along with new furniture in the Stickley style.
“My favorite part of this home is that it is comfortable. It’s comfortable in my upstairs office, comfortable for the time Eric and I spend together on the first floor eating and relaxing, and also comfortable for overnight visitors,” Tornatore says.
Knutson loves the neighborhood, its huge tree canopies and nice neighbors. “Our porch has two rocking chairs, and we love to sit outside with a gin and tonic,” he says. “And our outdoor spaces add another 1,200 feet of usable space for us.”
They both love the location, close to everything they need. “All in all, it was the best decision we ever made on a home,” Knutson says.
Preservation Sacramento showcases six Boulevard Park properties, including this home, for the 48th Annual Historic Home Tour and Street Fair Sunday, Sept. 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit preservationsacramento.org/ hometour.
To recommend a home or garden, contact cecily@ insidepublications.com. More photography and previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento. com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Neighborhood Real Estate Sales
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51ST AVENUE $370,000 7475 SCHREINER ST $380,000 7537 LEMARSH WAY $380,000 7357 BENBOW ST $382,000 6200 BELLEAU WOOD LN $389,000 5624 JOHNS DR $390,000 2164 MONIFIETH WY $410,000 6961 S DEMARET DR $420,000
7309 BENBOW ST $429,999 5652 BRADD WAY $449,000 2198 63RD AVE $450,000 7370 WILLOWWICK WAY $450,000
48TH AVE $460,000
17TH ST $460,000
DANA WAY $494,975
MONTEREY WAY $515,000
GOLF VIEW DR $525,000
NORM CIR $585,000 1165 35TH AVE $599,000 5449 PARISH CT $603,000 2205 MEER WAY $640,000 1370 GRANT LN #1370 $725,000 1118 LAKE GLEN WAY $730,000 1331 43RD AVE $767,000 1316 NORMANDY LN $880,000 1273 RIDGEWAY DR $1,245,000
658 WOODSIDE SIERRA #2 $270,000 3256 VIA GRANDE $290,000 3241 VIA GRANDE $310,000 3273 VIA GRANDE $335,000 1953 WRIGHT ST $350,000 3114 VIA GRANDE $353,000 2274 SIERRA BLVD #C $365,000
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Ferment To Fork
WEST SACRAMENTO ‘MEAT’ COMPANY OFFERS A BETTER WAY
Awhale harpoon hangs on the reception area wall. A relic to prove a point: To change something bad, create something better.
“For thousands of years we harpooned whales to light our homes,” says Paul Shapiro, CEO of The Better Meat Co. “We didn’t stop because we care about whales. We stopped because kerosene was a cheaper way to light our house.”
Humans whipped horses to get from one place to another. That ended when cars were invented. Feathers were plucked from live geese for writing, until the metal fountain pen came along.
“Time after time, all these multimillennia forms of animal exploitation were ended, not by humane sentiment, not by sustainability concerns. But rather simply through new innovations,” Shapiro says.
“I thought perhaps that’s what it’s going to take for farmed animals. We need new technology that will render their exploitation as archaic as a harpoon.”
Shapiro, a vegan since 14, started an animal rights group in high school that grew into a national organization. He conducted undercover investigations at factory farms and slaughterhouses, and made documentaries to expose cruelty.
A decade later, he joined the Humane Society of the United States, working on campaigns to pass laws to protect farm animals. After 13 years with the humane society, “I started wondering if food technology, food innovation, would do more to achieve my goals than what I was doing,” Shapiro says.
company. “I was just a guy who cared deeply about animals,” he says.
So, Shapiro decided to write a book. “Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World” was published in 2018 (updated this year). “It did better than I would have dreamt,” he says. “It opened a lot of doors for me.
“Now I had two choices. I could continue writing about the people who I thought might solve this problem. Or I could become one of them.”
In 2018, Shapiro co-founded The Better Meat Co., a 13,000-squarefoot facility in West Sacramento that has grown from three to 22 full-time employees.
Plant-based meat substitutes, such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, are widely available. Other innovators grow “cultured meat” from animal cells.
Paul Shapiro with The Better Meat Co. in West Sacramento.
By Cathryn Rakich Animals & Their Allies
But he wasn’t a microbiologist or food scientist. He didn’t have the background or venture capital to launch his own
The Better Meat Co. uses fermentation. It starts with mycelium, a root-like structure from fungi. Through a stainless-steel fermenting process, the mycelium is fed a starch, typically corn.
The result—created in less than a day—is Rhiza mycoprotein (a term approved by the Food and Drug Administration). The single-ingredient Rhiza is chopped into small pieces, dried and packaged.
When rehydrated, Rhiza has a meatlike texture. It’s packed with protein, iron, zinc and potassium. It’s high fiber, low fat, cholesterol free. The Better Meat Co.’s demonstration kitchen creates tacos, burgers, turkey slices, sausages, fish fillets and even foie gras by adding seasonings and other flavor elements.
Rhiza is not sold in grocery stores. The Better Meat Co.’s primary customer is Perdue Farms, which blends the alternative meat into a chicken nugget product.
“We help them use fewer animals,” Shapiro says.
Rhiza is also found in two menu items at plant-based Buddha Belly Burger in Midtown, currently the only restaurant using the fermented meat alternative.
The West Sacramento facility is a “demonstration-scale plant.”
OPEN HOUSE
Shapiro’s goal is to open a “full-scale fermentation factory” in the Midwest where the company gets its corn used in the fermentation process.
The West Sac plant will continue as corporate headquarters, says Shapiro, who lives in South Land Park with his wife, Toni Okamoto, a plant-based cookbook author, and their rescue pit bull Eddie.
“When we make the case for plantbased eating, we say it’s better for animals, better for the environment, better for you,” Shapiro says. “But humans have been eating meat for hundreds of thousands of years. They
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really like it. We are not going to change human nature.
“In the same way people were happy to leave whales alone once they had a cheaper way to light their homes, I think people will leave chickens and pigs alone when we have a better way to feed ourselves.”
Cecily Hastings Publisher
Cathryn Rakich can be reached at crakich@surewest.net. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n Monday-Friday 2:30-5:30pm OBOITALIAN.COM/HAPPYHOUR
Lucia Hash discovered a wonderful way to overcome shyness. The St. Francis Catholic High School junior became an entrepreneur.
“I’m a person who gets very nervous, and that was holding me back,” she says. “This taught me to just go for it, and it was totally worth it.”
Hash’s breakthrough came during a pitch competition organized by a school club, Junior Achievement Entrepreneurship. The club partners
K S KS
By Kristen Simoes
Meet Your Neighbor
We Mean
Business
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS HELP NEXT GENERATION
wonderfully,” Kelly says. “There’s just something about the Troubie spirit and women who like to compete and be successful that makes this club on our campus a great fit.”
Kiezel
with the National Association of Women Business Owners.
Hash delivered the winning pitch for her invention, a carryall called the Everything Backpack. Her future may not include entrepreneurship—she hopes to become a biotech engineer— but she knows salesmanship skills never hurt.
She joined the entrepreneurship club “because I thought learning about business would make me more prepared for the future.”
Hash isn’t alone. Many classmates are signing up for the club as the new school year begins.
MaryAnne Kelly, advancement director for St. Francis, says the entrepreneurship club expanded since last year, when the school first partnered with Women Business Owners and Junior Achievement.
“We went into last year a little bit blind, but it all came together
The club encourages young women to consider entrepreneurship as a career by providing them with tools and training on marketing, finance and other necessities to start a business.
About 80 St. Francis students attended monthly meetings last school year. Nine created concepts for a “Shark Tank” pitch competition that brings together high school students from across the region to pitch inventions to a panel of local business leaders.
“We already have nine student leaders lined up to serve roles such as chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief marketing officer, head of business development and other key leadership roles in the 2024-25 club,” Kelly says.
The interest led to involvement from area entrepreneurs such as Christopher Johnson, who appeared on the TV show “Shark Tank” with his Rapid Ramen Cooker. Johnson spoke to the St. Francis club last school year and will return to offer more encouragement and insight.
“Students come to St. Francis to push themselves and grow in different ways,” says Hash, who plays volleyball and takes several AP classes.
“Whether or not the goal is to launch a business, this club definitely pushes us to do something different, to look at and learn all of the skills it takes to start a business.”
Liliana Bernal, past president of the Women Business Owners local chapter, recognizes the importance of teaching young women entrepreneurial skills.
She calls the collaboration between St. Francis and the business owners “a shining example of how community partnerships can foster the next generation of leaders. Particularly young women who haven’t always been told that they can be business owners, inventors and entrepreneurs.”
The collaboration already includes several area high schools. Bernal says the program is eager to expand with women business owners supporting young entrepreneurs.
“Our goal is to eventually include underserved high schools in the region, where the need to see entrepreneurship in action is so important,” she says. “We want to encourage students to follow their dreams and consider entrepreneurship.”
Lucia Hash agrees. She says, “Even if I didn’t win, I still would have gotten so much out of the experience.”
Kristen Simoes can be reached at voiceover@kristensimoes.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Lucia Hash
Photo by Aniko
Alittle one whispered in my ear, “Gampa-gampa, can we pull carrots?” In the Sacramento summer, there were no carrots to yank, but the request warmed my heart.
Children and gardening are a precious pair. My granddaughters always want to explore the garden. They pinch off blueberries and grapes, sift through soil to discover potatoes, pluck lemons and oranges, pull carrots, and are fascinated when I turn the compost pile and insects scurry for cover.
A garden is a living classroom. Children absorb science, discover creatures, and learn ecological concepts and lessons about food and nutrition. The garden inspires curiosity and wonder. It offers a healthy diversion from TV, Minecraft, Roblox, Zelda and the idleness of screen time.
Outdoors is a bonanza of fragrance, color and taste. Lessons in life cycles and problem-solving pique curiosity. Why is the plant droopy? Why are bees on flowers? Why do plants have leaves? Some questions make us laugh. Others stump us. Kids come at us from different angles.
The beauty of this wholesomeness is that children want to learn and are happy to help. There are no “Eat your peas!” moments until teenage years, when mowing the lawn becomes work. As adults, we guide children with patience and frequent chuckles.
Kidding Around
CHILDREN AND GARDENS MAKE A PERFECT MATCH
Maintaining the plant’s life teaches responsibility and patience.
When too many seeds are sown, rearrange them when nobody is around. Plants with larger seeds— pumpkins, sunflowers, sweet peas—are easier for little hands and limited experience.
Let them write out plant labels and encourage their artistic talents. Keep the seed packets for visual and spelling aids. If the label reads “Zeenyah,” it’s good to go.
Watering enables youngsters to help without too much collateral damage and teaches responsibility. Forget to water too often and the plant dies. Water is heavy. Purchase kid-sized watering cans they can refill and lug about.
Make them feel like indispensable team members. Buy children’s gardening gloves, pruners for small hands and sun hats. Look for these items in bright colors so they are easier to find when discarded. Kids tend to leave things out when finished. But you knew that, right?
Small children will try to eat just about everything they can pick and shove into their mouths. They are rapid learners in the category of what is ripe and what is not. They tend not to repeat the mistake. A green strawberry is a spitter. A shiny red strawberry is an emphatic, “So good!”
garden. His dahlias earned county fair blue ribbons.
My grandparents lived next door. Grandpa’s garden was two-thirds of a large lot. He spent all morning in his garden, breaking for lunch, then a nap on a swing hammock, followed by more garden time. He was in bed by 7 p.m. and up at 5 a.m.
One day I ate too many cherries and paid a painful price. I never could get enough tomatoes. Grandpa would pick a beefsteak tomato and lean forward before launching into the monster. The second bite was preceded by a shake from his tin saltshaker. Juice ran like Niagara Falls. Cleanup was a quick wipe from his back-pocket handkerchief.
We hunted destructive grasshoppers and tomato hornworms, and harvested corn. There were never-ending tales. Mostly tall tales, as I think back, but nonetheless entertaining.
Consider including your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews in gardening activities. It’s fun and extremely gratifying. They will not forget your kindness. The memories are priceless.
By Dan Vierria Garden Jabber
Seeds introduce a fascinating experience. A shriveled, dried-up seed eventually germinates and evolves into a cheery flower. Kids love planting seeds and watching the metamorphosis.
Time spent in the garden will stay with children for a lifetime, although dormant periods are normal. As teens they may lose interest, but houseplants tend to revive attention in young adults. Vegetable and flower gardening gathers steam by middle age.
As a lad I spent summers in my grandpa’s fruit orchard and vegetable
Dan Vierria is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener for Sacramento County. He can be reached at masterg29@gmail.com. For answers to gardening questions, contact UCCE Master Gardeners at (916) 876-5338, email mgsacramento@ucanr.edu or visit sacmg.ucanr.edu. Previous columns can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
Writer Dan Vierria's granddaughter Mia shows off freshly harvested carrots.
FINGERLING POTATOES
This small, waxy potato gets its name from its long, narrow shape, which makes it look like a finger. It comes in a variety of colors and maintains its shape when cooked.
To eat: Slice in half vertically, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven.
BLUE LAKE BEAN
This popular bean, also known as a snap or string bean, is considered the gold standard of green beans. Mild and versatile, it has a darkgreen, cylindrical, stringless, firm, plump pod.
To eat: Use for quick pickling or canning.
APPLE
Nearby Apple Hill supplies the apples in our local farmers markets. They come in numerous varieties: Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith and more. This popular autumn fruit can be used in a variety of ways, from salads to desserts.
To eat: Bake in a pie with a lattice crust or crumb topping.
Monthly Market
A LOOK AT WHAT’S IN SEASON AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS IN SEPTEMBER
PARSNIP
This root vegetable looks like a top-heavy white carrot. It develops a rich, nutty flavor after cooking. Don’t try to eat it raw—it’s practically inedible.
To eat: Add to soups and stews.
This root vegetable comes in a rainbow of colors: red, gold, pink, white, even striped. It has a very high sugar content and is a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains. Its greens are edible, too: Prepare them similar to spinach or chard.
To eat: Roast and serve in a salad with arugula, goat cheese and chopped walnuts.
CELERY ROOT
Despite its name, this vegetable is not related to celery. A dense, fleshy white root vegetable, it is a flavorful source of vitamin C. It’s also known as celeriac.
To eat: Use in salads and slaws.
No Boundaries
ARTIST-EDUCATOR LOVES MEDIUMS OF ANY SHAPE, STYLE
My earliest memory of Maureen Gilli is from fourth grade at Sacramento County Day School.
She wheeled her art cart into the classroom and showed us an example of that day’s project: bird masks made from paper.
I marveled at her work. The detail of feathers. The expressive owl face. All from simple pieces of cut paper. I stared in awe. I thought, maybe someday my work will be that beautiful.
Thirty years later, the awe has not diminished. Today I’m in Gilli’s Citrus Heights home. Her work graces the walls, staircase, ceiling and tabletops in every medium you can imagine.
“I’ve made art my entire life. It’s never been a choice. I have to make things,” Gilli says. “I’m on this earth to make stuff.”
As a young person in Phoenix, art was an escape for Gilli. Her mentor, Barbara Bailey, recognized the youngster’s skill and entered her work in art contests. When Gilli moved to Sacramento, she embarked on a more formal artistic career.
Coincidentally, when Gilli arrived with husband Dino and their children, she discovered her one-time mentor had also moved to the area. The two reconnected. Gilli shared her desire to earn a credential to teach art in schools.
Bailey, an arts educator, offered to let Gilli shadow her. Gilli soon landed a job as an art resource teacher at Deterding Elementary School in Carmichael.
Gilli taught art at several public schools over the next several years. She worked as an art docent for the San Juan Unified School District in a program to introduce students to art history.
“Arts are basic to your life. They teach life skills, confidence and a sense of self,” Gilli says.
During this time, Gilli used her art skills in a new way, as a storyteller,
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By Jessica Laskey
Open Studio
Maureen Gilli
Photo by Linda Smolek
performer and mask maker for Mask, Movement and Mime, an arts program she created with fellow teacher Cookie Mackenroth.
Gilli and Mackenroth traveled all over Northern California performing with handmade masks, teaching children to express themselves
for kindergarten through fifth grades before moving into sixth and seventh grades.
“I always started in clay and then introduced different mediums to help students find their niche,” Gilli says. “Contour drawing is also great for children because they learn to use their eyes, which makes it so much more fun to look at things. That’s what’s so exciting about creativity.”
Gilli’s own creativity has taken her on explorations through various mediums. She loves cultural research.
through visual and performing art.
Gilli landed at Country Day in 1997 to fill in for an art teacher on maternity leave. She enjoyed the job and stayed, teaching art
nds a co o r m e dium she wan dive take classe Co
She finds a technique, color scheme she wants to try and dives in. She’s taken several art classes at Sierra College to learn the basics of new art forms. This has led to work that includes polymer figurines to metal sculpture. She often combines several mediums at once, as in her series of paintings with copper incorporated onto the canvas. She makes jewelry inspired by amulets. Her handmade cards sell quickly at High-Hand Art Gallery in Loomis, where she’s a permanent artist.
S com mediu
i h
“It’s very spur-of-the-moment,” Gilli says of inspiration. “I love to work spontaneously. In the moment, every medium is my favorite to work in.”
For information, visit Gilli’s website at artandeye.net. High-Hand Art Gallery is at 3750 Taylor Road, Loomis. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Previous profiles can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
1. Mary Esparza at Arbor del Tule in Santa Maria del Tule, Oaxaca, Mexico.
READERS NEAR & FAR
2. Cheryl Noack, Hollie Ramatici, Ali Sandman, Brandee Sievers, Jamie Price, Sam Mellor, Joyce Hribar, Carrie Engh, Kim Schlieman, Ann Montgomery and Maro Maguire in Cabo San Lucas for two 50th birthdays.
3. Linda Revilla in Imlil, Morocco.
4. Marian Love celebrating her daughter's birthday at Tokyo DisneySea in Japan.
5. Ralph and Cindy Almazan, Kathy and Edgar Lim, and Evelyn and Ron Fong at Sensō-Ji in Japan.
6. Shelly Brassil in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Take a picture with Inside and email a high-resolution copy to travel@insidepublications.com or submit directly from our website at InsideSacramento. com. Due to volume of submissions, we cannot guarantee all photos will be printed or posted. Find us on Facebook and Instagram: InsideSacramento.
Miles Hermann, "Sacramento River Tower View"
TO DO
THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS
By Jessica Laskey Calendar Editor
LIVE PERFORMANCE
The Greatest Show on Earth
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey
Sept. 13–15
Golden 1 Center (500 David J Stern Walk); golden1center.com
Tickets: $33–$141
Filled with acts that push the limits of human potential, this reimagined American icon is a fast-paced, actionpacked production.
Behind the Barre
Capital Dance Project
Sept. 6 & 7
Maker’s Mart 6:30 p.m.; performance 8 p.m.
The Red Museum (212 15th St.); capitaldanceproject.org
Tickets: $60 riser, $30 hillside, $20 add-on VIP opening night party
Celebrate at an outdoor festival and performance showcasing more than 30 local artists, dancers, choreographers, musicians and makers.
Holo Holo Music Festival
Good Vibez Presents
Sept. 21 & 22, 1 p.m.
Heart Health Park at Cal Expo (1600 Exposition Blvd.); holoholofestival.com
Be transported to a musical oasis of island vibes with performances from Kolohe Kai, Maoli, J Boog and more.
Celebrate the church’s 175th anniversary with musical performances, history talks, tours and food.
ART
Art Auction
PBS KVIE
Artwork display Sept. 3–25
Live on-air auction Sept. 27–29
2030 W. El Camino Ave.; kvie.org/events/artauction
More than 270 works by professional and emerging artists are up for bid.
Sac Open Studios
Verge Center for the Arts
Kickoff Party Thursday Sept. 12, 6–9 p.m. 625 S St.
Open Studios Sept. 14 & 15 and Sept. 21 & 22, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Various locations; sacopenstudios.com
This self-guided tour highlights more than 240 artists and photographers in their studios across Sacramento. Grab a catalog at University Art, Verge and other places or visit the website for a list of artists and locations.
Mary Tuthill Lindheim: Kindred Responses to Life
Crocker Art Museum
Sept. 8 to Feb. 16, 2025
216 O St.; crockerart.org
View works by artist and activist Lindheim (1912–2004) reflecting
her beliefs in social justice and the interconnectedness of nature, humanity and the cosmos.
Paula Bellacera: Extraordinary Views of Two Communities – Northern and Southern California
Viewpoint Photographic Art Center Sept. 11 to Oct. 5
Second Saturday Reception Sept. 14, 4–7 p.m. Artist Reception Sept. 15, 1–4 p.m. 2015 J St.; viewpointphotoartcenter.org
Explore photo-based mixed-media works depicting structures, landscapes and communities by Sacramento native and Viewpoint founding member Bellacera.
Ticket booth at 23rd and F streets; preservationsacramento.org
Tickets: $25 members, $30 general Tour six historic properties in Midtown’s Boulevard Park featuring significant architecture, timeless designs and beautiful décor.
Architecture & Stained Glass Tours
Pioneer Congregational Church
Saturday, Sept. 14, noon
2700 L St.; pioneerucc.org
Get an intimate look at the beautiful and historic Pioneer Congregational Church.
California Admission Day
California State Capitol Museum Volunteer Association
Monday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Expressions in Plein Air
Elk Grove Fine Arts Center
Sept. 7–26
First Saturday Reception Sept. 7, 4–7 p.m.
9020 Elk Grove Blvd.; elkgrovefineartscenter.org
Experience a new juried exhibition featuring landscapes painted en plein air (outside).
State Capitol (10th St. and Capitol Ave.); capitolmuseum.ca.gov
Celebrate Admission Day when California became the 31st state with free cake and ice cream, volunteers dressed in historic attire, live 1850s music and more.
What I Discovered This Summer Genealogical Association of Sacramento
Wednesday, Sept. 18, noon
Belle Cooledge Library (5600 South Land Park Drive); gensac.org
Share your genealogy findings with fellow GAS members.
Explore Central Valley habitats at dusk for a chance to see beavers, river otters, muskrats, raccoons, owls and more. Admission is free. Advanced registration required. Email Jennifer Albright at albrightj@sacsewer.com.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
“ Tory with Hydrangea” “Tory with by Aniko Kiezel at Sac Aniko Kiezel at Sac Open Studios Studios.
Behind the Barre by Capital Dance Behind the Barre Dance Project at The Red Museum at The Red Museum.
Photo by Marissa Gearhart Photo by Marissa Gearhart
Focus On Flavor
JAPANTOWN SANDWICH SHOP OFFERS UP A LOT
Ryan Ota’s humble sandwich window says a lot about him. First, the name. Mecha Mucho, two Japanese and Spanish words that mean “a lot.” The phrase
SBy Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider
reflects Ota’s Japanese and Mexican origins. And “a lot” is what Ota is doing.
A lot of focus. A lot of flavor. A lot of passion.
Inspired by West Coast Little Tokyos and Japantowns, Ota developed a tight menu of exceptional lunchtime offerings. His sandos, hearty and simple in appearance, hold the details of precise cooking. The results are unforgettable.
Start with the bread. Ota imports loaves of shokupan (milk bread) from Japan for every sandwich. The fluffy, light, rich white bread is soft enough
to make the sandwich sumptuous, but firm enough to hold ingredients snug.
“We’re obsessive about ingredients,” Ota says as he tells me about importing panko breadcrumbs from Japan with the perfect crumb size. Panko coats the fried chicken katsu cutlets that are the stars of a couple of his sandwiches.
Other sandwich champions include a high-quality egg salad, fruit, cream and Spam.
The pinnacle of Ota’s vision is the J-Town Hot Chicken sandwich— chicken katsu, topped with house-made chili crisp, house-made mayo, housemade sunomono pickles and a smear of egg salad.
But wait, there’s more. Shredded Napa cabbage and seaweed flakes add texture and a touch of briny essence, all working in harmony. Ota spent days experimenting to find the ideal cabbage shred width.
Compared with brash, face-punch flavors of Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, this hot chicken sandwich is blended, subtle and sophisticated. It’s my sandwich of the year. I return for Ota’s J-Town chicken several times a month.
Ryan Ota has been cooking in local kitchens for more than 20 years. Learning from chefs such as Gary Sleppy, Patrick Mulvaney and Oliver
Spam Musu Mi Sando
Ridgeway, Ota knows California cookery. He also respects tradition.
“We want to elevate tradition,” he says. “We’re drawing from our elders, but we have to use our own toolbox.”
Ota has a deep toolbox and passion for Japantown. The community was devastated by World War II internments. Many buildings were demolished in the 1950s for Capitol Mall and state office sites. Now a stretch of 10th Street between U and W carries history forward.
“I’m lucky to be working in partnership with Osaka-Ya,” Ota says. Osaka-Ya is a circa-1963 shop specializing in mochi candy and other Japanese sweets. The shaved ice window is legendary.
Shop owner Linda Nakatani is the second-generation confectioner who distributes her specialties from San Diego to Seattle. Ota refers to her as the “matriarch of J-town.”
Adding the sandwich shop to OsakaYa brought new culinary attention to the shady stretch of 10th Street. Binchoyaki was nominated for a James Beard award. Southside Super is gaining traction. World-class food with a national reputation—plus cultural memory—drives the momentum.
“Sure, I’d like a larger space where we can do a little more—bake our own bread, make our own Spam—and hopefully, we can find that nearby,” Ota says. “But we will always have this window. Always.”
I’m glad he’s keeping the window. Grabbing a quick sando, parking on a chair under a tree and dining with fellow food lovers is a glorious way to spend a lunch hour.
“We just want to make stuff that our elders would be proud of,” Ota says.
Mecha Mucho is at 2215 10th St.; (916) 753-6214; open 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Greg Sabin can be reached at saceats@gmail.com. Previous reviews can be found and shared at InsideSacramento.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento. n
