Inside the Grid Oct 2018 by Inside Publications

OCTOBER 18

THE GRID

THE GRID • DOWNTOWN • MIDTOWN

• SUTTER DISTRICT • BRIDGE DISTRICT • OAK PARK

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

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ARCADE

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SIERRA OAKS

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WILHAGGIN

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DEL PASO MANOR

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CARMICHAEL

LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • BROADWAY • THE MILL POCKET • GREENHAVEN •

SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES

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THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES & CULTURE IN AMERICA'S FARM-TO-FORK CAPITAL

THE GRID OCT n 18

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INSIDE THE GRID OCTOBER 18

@insidepublications

VOL. 3 • ISSUE 5

3104 O St. #120, Sac. CA 95816 (Mail Only)

info@insidepublications.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, Lauren Hastings, Jim Hastings

916-443-5087 EDITORIAL POLICY Commentary reflects the views of the writers and does not necessarily reflect those of Inside Publications. Inside Publications is delivered for free to more than 75,000 households in Sacramento. Printing and distribution costs are paid entirely by advertising revenue. We spotlight selected advertisers, but all other stories are determined solely by our editorial staff and are not influenced by advertising. No portion may be reproduced mechanically or electronically without written permission of the publisher. All ad designs & editorial—©

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SUBSCRIPTIONS Subscriptions at $25 per year guarantees 3rd class mailing. Pay online at insidepublications.com

or send check with name & address of recipient and specify publication edition. PUBLISHER Cecily Hastings

COVER ARTIST

This colorful map was created by Daniel Nardinelli for the Second Edition of “Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Neighborhood Places in America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.” A larger 24-inch by 36-inch version of the map is available at University Art for $24.95. Visit insidesacbook.com.

Daniel Nardinelli

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NEW ACCOUNTS: Sally Giancanelli 916.335.6503 direct SG@insidepublications.com Duffy Kelly 916.224.1604 direct DK@insidepublications.com

OCTOBER 18

EAST SAC

ARDEN

LAND PARK

POCKET

THE GRID

SUE GRAUE

SHU FEN CHEN

KVIE ART AUCTION

PUBLISHER'S AWARD CA STATE FAIR

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

LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • BROADWAY • THE MILL

POCKET • GREENHAVEN •

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

LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • BROADWAY • THE MILL

ARDEN

CARMICHAEL

ARDEN

THE GRID

POCKET • GREENHAVEN •

THE GRID

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LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • BROADWAY • THE MILL

THE GRID

POCKET • GREENHAVEN •

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BRIDGE DISTRICT

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OAK PARK

THE GRID

SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES

SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES •

MIDTOWN

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SUTTER DISTRICT

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BRIDGE DISTRICT

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OAK PARK

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THE GRID OCT n 18

DOWNTOWN

THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES & CULTURE IN AMERICA'S FARM-TO-FORK CAPITAL

•

ARCADE •

•

SIERRA OAKS

DOWNTOWN

POCKET • GREENHAVEN •

INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM • 3104 O ST. #120 • SACRAMENTO, CA 95816

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THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES & CULTURE IN AMERICA'S FARM-TO-FORK CAPITAL

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SUTTER DISTRICT

•

BRIDGE DISTRICT

OAK PARK

SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES

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DEL PASO MANOR

POSTAL CUSTOMER

MIDTOWN

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THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES & CULTURE IN AMERICA'S FARM-TO-FORK CAPITAL

•

ARCADE •

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SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES

SIERRA OAKS

DOWNTOWN

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MIDTOWN

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WILHAGGIN •

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DEL PASO MANOR

SUTTER DISTRICT

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BRIDGE DISTRICT

THE GRID • DOWNTOWN • MIDTOWN

CARMICHAEL •

OAK PARK

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ARCADE

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SIERRA OAKS

• SUTTER DISTRICT • BRIDGE DISTRICT • OAK PARK •

WILHAGGIN

•

DEL PASO MANOR

•

CARMICHAEL

SOUTH POCKET • LITTLE POCKET • RIVERLAKE • DELTA SHORES

INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM • 3104 O ST. #120 • SACRAMENTO, CA 95816

THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE, PLACES & CULTURE IN AMERICA'S FARM-TO-FORK CAPITAL

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•

WILHAGGIN

***ECRWSSEDDM***

DOWNTOWN

•

POSTAL CUSTOMER

SIERRA OAKS

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***ECRWSSEDDM***

ARCADE

POSTAL CUSTOMER

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POCKET • GREENHAVEN •

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DAWN STAR WOOD

KVIE ART AUCTION

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LAND PARK • CURTIS PARK • SOUTH LAND PARK • HOLLYWOOD PARK • BROADWAY • THE MILL

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

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THE GRID OCT n 18

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LIFE ON THE GRID

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BUILDING OUR FUTURE

GETTING THERE

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TO DO

“Miles Hermann: Native Son” Tim Collom Gallery Oct. 10–Nov. 1 Second Saturday Reception: Oct. 13, 5:30–8:30 p.m. 915 20th Street • timcollomgallery.com This solo exhibition features more than 25 of Hermann’s oil paintings based on a oneyear survey of the state featuring Dolores Park, Arcata and Carmel, as well as a portrait of Sacramento past and present. A painting by Hermann is shown above.

THIS MONTH'S CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTS

A Sacramento Bicycle Festival Saturday, Oct. 13, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Township 9 Park, North 7th Street at the American River • riovelo.com Rio Velo is a free, family-friendly festival that celebrates bicycles, the rivers and the people who love them. Enjoy daredevil stunts, bike-safety training, CHP Bike Rodeo, electric bike test rides, live music, exhibits and SactoMoFo Food & Brew.

Integrative Skin Care Wellness Fair Dermveda Saturday, Oct. 20, 5:30–8:30 p.m.

jL By Jessica Laskey

THE GRID OCT n 18

Sheraton Grand Sacramento, 1230 J St. • dermveda.com This Dermveda event will include skin and beauty experts, free makeup consultations and samples, local and national brands for sale, DIY skin product stations, world-renowned speakers and raffle prizes. Ten percent of ticket sales will be donated to Women’s Empowerment.

Stained Glass Concert 2018 “Songs of the Spirit” Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra Saturday, Oct. 20, 8 p.m. Fremont Presbyterian Church, 577 Carlson Drive • sacramentochoral.com Don’t miss this evening featuring music by Mozart, Kodàly and Pärt under conductor Donald Kendrick.

“Paws to Party” Front Street Animal Shelter Friday, Oct. 12, 6–9 p.m. California Automobile Museum, 2200 Front St. Facebook.com (Paws to Party) Join the Front Street shelter for a celebration to benefit the animals. Highlights will include tastings by regional restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries and more.

“Life, Love and Legend” Sacramento Symphonic Winds Sunday, Oct. 14, 2:30 p.m. Rio Americano High School Center for the Arts, 4540 American River Drive • sacwinds.org The 60-piece symphonic band will collaborate with the Rio ensemble to present a fall concert featuring work by James Sochinski and Jack Stamp (“Cheers! The Legend of Alcobaca”), Clifton Williams, Elliot Del Borgo and Alfred Reed.

Beatles vs. Stones Crest Theatre Wednesday, Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m. 1013 K St. • crestsacramento.com The competition between The Beatles and Rolling Stones has been going on ever since they first crossed paths on the charts 54 years ago. These two legendary groups will engage in an on-stage musical showdown courtesy of tribute bands “Abbey Road” and “Satisfaction.”

Sacramento Outdoor Film Festival Sacramento Outdoor Movies Friday, Oct. 5, and Saturday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m. Fremont Park, 1515 Q St. • facebook.com (Sacramento Outdoor Film Festival) SOFF will salute the “coming of age” genre with two films, “Boyz N The Hood” and “Lady Bird,” plus food trucks, a craft beer garden and live music beginning at 5 p.m. The event is free and net proceeds from the beer garden will benefit the Front Street Animal Shelter.

“Beyond Small” microART Oct. 13–Nov. 2 Second Saturday Reception: Oct. 13, 6–9 p.m. Sparrow Gallery, 1021 R St. • microgallery.net This showcase of diminutively scaled art from Nanjing and Beijing, China, is a follow-up to previous exhibitions in China, both of which included work from Sacramento artists.

Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera Saturday, Oct. 20, 8 p.m. Sacramento Community Center Theater, 1301 L St. • sacphilopera.org The new season of the PhilOpera features work by Tchaikovsky and Schumann under conductor Andrew Grams with violinist Angelo Xiang Yu.

5th Annual MiniFest Sacramento French Film Festival Sunday, Oct. 14 (times to be announced) Esquire IMAX Theatre, 1211 K St. • sacramentofrenchﬁlmfestival.org The Sacramento French Film Festival presents a miniature version of its June event with a full day of French flicks (with English subtitles) on the giant IMAX screens.

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New Work by Patricia Altschul Archival Gallery Oct. 4–Nov. 3 Second Saturday Reception: Oct. 13, 6 p.m. 3223 Folsom Blvd. • archivalgallery.com Altschul’s evocative figurative paintings are featured in her first gallery show in 15 years. "Couch" by Altschul is shown at left.

Refugee Journey: Rescuing Lives Amnesty International, International Rescue Committee, Doctors Without Borders Wednesday, Oct. 3, 6:15 p.m. 24th Street Theater, 2791 24th St. • amnestysacramento.org, rescue.org/unitedstates/sacramento-ca Join these humanitarian groups for an evening of food, drink and insight into the current worldwide refugee emergency. The free event starts with the short film “Frontline Doctors: Winter Migrant Crisis,” followed by a panel of speakers.

“Break Through Brick Walls” Genealogical Association of Sacramento Wednesday, Oct. 17, 12:15 p.m. Belle Cooledge Library, 5600 South Land Park Drive • gensac.org Speaker Laurie Markham will help genealogical enthusiasts use familysearch.org to “break through brick walls” in the hunt for their ancestral roots.

“Fall Planting for Spring Color” UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County Saturday, Oct. 20, 9 a.m.–Noon 4145 Branch Center Road • sacmg.ucanr.edu This Master Gardener seminar presented by UC Cooperative Extension will cover topics like layering bulbs for long-blooming displays and forcing bulbs in containers. Guest speaker William R.P. Welch (aka “Bill the Bulb Baron”) will lend his expertise as a renowned Northern California bulb grower and hybridizer.

Safe & Super Halloween: Dinosaurs

3901 Land Park Drive • fairytaletown.org Dinosaurs take over Fairytale Town for four nights of trick-or-treating and family fun. Enjoy 15 treat stations, photos with dinosaurs, a fossil dig, live entertainment, costume parade and more.

Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. n

THE GRID OCT n 18

Photo by Greg Flagg

Fairytale Town Oct. 19–21, Oct. 28, 5–9 p.m.

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Hot Off The Press NEIGHBORHOODS STAR IN SECOND EDITION OF ‘INSIDE SACRAMENTO’

his past month we released the second edition of our book, “Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Neighborhood Places in America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.” The updated version follows the launch of the first edition two years ago. With the first edition, we distributed and sold 7,000 books. Considering that the average book from a traditional publisher sells around 3,000 copies nationally over its lifetime, we are extremely proud and grateful for the community’s embrace of “Inside Sacramento.” Sales came from many places. Readers of our publications bought copies. Prominent Realtors gave them as closing gifts with a home purchase. Attorneys delivered them as Christmas gifts to clients and family. My accountant gave the book as client gifts and also delivered them to new residents in his neighborhood, along with his card and welcome message. Book sales came from folks who love our city and want to better know our unique neighborhoods. People handed copies to new neighbors and showed visitors from out of town. Mayor Darrell Steinberg proclaimed the book as Sacramento’s “bucket list challenge.” At our book launch he said, “Buy this book and visit every one of these places. And then when you have been to all of them, give the book to a newcomer.” Many people I know have copies proudly displayed on their coffee tables. Several residential developers, including McKinley Village, Bardis

CH By Cecily Hastings Publisher’s Desk

THE GRID OCT n 18

The colorful neighborhood map featured in the new book is also available in a larger format at University Art in Midtown. Show your neighborhood pride! Homes and Fulcrum Property, hand the book to new homeowners. We’re working with a local television station president who wants to use copies of “Inside Sacramento” to help recruit young people to the company. Golden Pacific Bank gives copies to clients, since many of their smallbusiness customers are in the book. Sacramento State University gives copies to new faculty. And books are inside the hotels rooms at the Kimpton Sawyer, Embassy Suites and the Downtown Holiday Inn. Our sponsors—including Visit Sacramento and the Greater Sacramento Economic Council—use “Inside Sacramento” to share the city’s bounty and to help promote and lure business to Sacramento. The book helps sell convention planners on our city. “Inside Sacramento” went abroad as city leaders took copies as gifts for sister-city exchange trips. City Councilmember Steve Hansen brought the book to China. He says, “Even

with a language barrier, everyone can relate to the gorgeous photography of our city’s great places and farm-tofork culture.” A group of musicians from Europe did a concert exchange with a local musical organization. The Europeans were presented books upon their arrival. I spoke about the book at several Rotary clubs. A nerve was struck with members when I talked about our city’s reputation not keeping pace with the reality of what Sacramento offers. I mentioned the book as a wonderful way to convince children and grandchildren to consider moving back to Sacramento. They loved that approach! Several business owners featured in “Inside Sacramento” told me they had people stop by and ask the merchants to sign their page. The readers were collecting them! I heard about a woman who placed color-coded flags on each page to help track the places she visited—and the discoveries still ahead.

WITH THE BOOK EACH OF US CAN DO OUR PART TO TELL THE COMPELLING STORY OF OUR INTERESTING AND BEAUTIFUL CITY.

A year ago, I met a Los Angelesbased cookbook author at a fitness spa in Mexico. We exchanged experiences about our books. She mentioned her frequent travels through Sacramento to visit her parents in Northern California. She said she was thinking of moving her catering business to Sacramento. On a lark, I sent her the book. Months later, she emailed me to say she was sitting in her new East Sac backyard enjoying “Inside Sacramento” with a glass of wine! She made the decision to move here when the book arrived, instantly connecting with our food scene. She knew she would fit in. Late last year, as our first edition supplies dwindled, we decided to publish a second edition. Each place featured is a locally owned business, so closures and turnover were inevitable. We post changes as they happen on insidesacbook.com. The first edition was a snapshot of the city when it was published in 2016. Since then, many new places have opened. In preparing the second edition, we carefully curated new entries. As with the first edition, there are more than 1,000 gorgeous photos by photographers Aniko Kiezel and Rachel Valley. Both covers have been updated with new photos. The first edition featured nine neighborhoods: Downtown, Old Sac, Midtown, The Handle, R Street, Land Park, Curtis Park, Oak Park and East Sac. For the second edition, we added The Bridge District (home of The Barn and Raley Field) in West Sacramento and the Sutter District, which is part of Midtown but with its own identity. The second edition has about 30-percent updated content. A new section called City Amenities features art galleries and performing arts organizations, “Lady Bird” movie locations, mural art and the Sacramento Walk of Stars honorees. Also noteworthy is a new colorfully designed neighborhood map on the first page of the inside cover. It’s a first for Sacramento. In my travel experiences, great cities have great maps. In Vancouver recently, we were handed five different maps in four days. They included a colorful map of the city’s neighborhoods and districts, a cycling map, historic walking map, park attractions map and farmto-table dining map. I used smartphone maps only twice. Physical maps were much easier. They let me ditch the smartphone, relax and enjoy a new city. Last year, I visited Dallas and noticed every Airbnb rental online had a colorful map of Dallas neighborhoods

displayed in the room. Maps were for sale in many retail shops. There were a variety of designs, but each visually defined the city’s neighborhoods. When I researched Sacramento maps, I found exactly one: a business-like map of City Council boundaries on the city’s website. Clearly, we needed something to reflect Sacramento’s spirit. So we designed our own map for the book’s inside cover. And we produced a larger version for wall display. The large version is 24 inches by 36 inches and for sale at University Art in Midtown for $24.95. We hope many of the places featured in “Inside Sacramento” will display copies proudly in their locations. People take great pride in their neighborhoods—and they should. Neighborhood identity adds immeasurably to the textural character of our city. Not long ago, we all relied on printed maps. But in a digital world, printed maps take on a new and important purpose. Anyone with a smartphone or computer knows you can find anything on digital maps. While e-maps pinpoint locations, they make it difficult to understand a neighborhood’s boundaries or size. And they don’t help us understand how neighborhoods relate to each other geographically. For walking or biking, context is vital. The second edition of “Inside Sacramento” includes a variety of neighborhoods. The Handle is compact, just a few blocks from East Sac, which covers many square miles. This isn’t obvious on a smartphone, but it’s clear on our map. Please consider buying the second edition of “Inside Sacramento” from our local sellers. They include Chocolate Fish Coffee, Display: California in Oak Park, University Art and Time Tested Books in Midtown, Avid Reader in Land Park, #Panache in East Sac and the Crocker Art Museum store. The price is $29.95. Discounts for larger orders are available by contacting sue@ insidepublications.com. “Inside Sacramento: The Most Interesting Neighborhood Places in America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital” is also available online at insidesacbook.com, with free shipping. Mention “Inside” and get a $5 discount on the new lower price of $29.99. And with the book each one of us can do our part to tell the compelling story of our interesting and beautiful city. Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. n

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5-month-old snow leopard cub, Coconut

Happy Birthday, Stage Nine VENERABLE MEMORABILIA SHOP CELEBRATES 25 YEARS

f you’ve been on the hunt for Hollywood-related souvenirs over the past quarter of a century, there’s been only one place to go in town— Stage Nine Entertainment, Inc., located along the historic waterfront in Old Sacramento. What started as a small, 500-squarefoot gift shop in the early 1990s has expanded into an elaborate five-store,

JL By Jessica Laskey Life on the Grid

THE GRID OCT n 18

8,000-square-foot memorabilia mecca that carries 30,000 unique and nostalgic collectibles and gifts. “With a lot of hard work, innovative thinking and the generous support of loyal customers, our shops continue to evolve and reflect today’s pop culture while also tapping into some of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood,” says Troy Carlson, CEO of Stage Nine Entertainment, Inc. To thank the region for its immense support, Stage Nine is holding anniversary events this month, starting with a red-carpet VIP gala on Oct. 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Courtyard D’Oro at 1107 Front St. A free public celebration on Oct. 13 and 14 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. will feature demonstrations, hands-on crafts, a “pop-up” exhibit showcasing

Stage Nine in Old Sacramento

Presented by THE RIVER DISTRICT

2018

OCT 13 11 AM - 4 PM

TOWNSHIP 9 PARK

A SACRAMENTO BICYCLE FESTIVAL

North 7th Street at the American River

Rio Velo is a free, family-friendly festival that celebrates bicycles, the rivers and the people who love them. Enjoy daredevil stunts, bike safety training, CHP Bike Rodeo, electric bike test rides, live music, exhibits, and SactoMoFo Food & Brew. EVENT & MEDIA PARTNERS

SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

Separovich/Domich & Ravel Rasmussen Properties

City of Sacramento Public Works

Capitol Casino

Councilmember Jeff Harris

Grove River District LLC

Vice Mayor Steve Hansen

PSOMAS

Diepenbrock Elkin Gleason LLP

Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District

Kent Lacin Media Services

Supervisor Phil Serna

Economic & Planning Systems Fehr & Peers General Produce SAFE Credit Union Teichert Western Health Advantage Farm Fresh To You Republic Services

Commerce Printing

The Party Concierge

A M ER IC A N R I VER BIK E TRA IL TW O RIV ERS

While you’re at Rio Velo, buy an autographed copy of “Inside Sacramento” by Cecily Hastings, your colorful guide to the most interesting places in town. Your purchase supports SABA.

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winning LGBT newsmagazine Outword Magazine, as interim executive director. “As a founding member of the Chamber, Fred Palmer is someone who is both committed to the wellbeing of the organization and uniquely tuned in to the Sacramento LGBT and business communities,” says Rainbow Chamber president Diana DePaola. “We are fortunate to have him on board.” As one of the original founding members of the Rainbow Chamber of Commerce and the Rainbow Chamber Foundation, Palmer has served several terms as president on each board. He’s also helped produce numerous special events and fundraisers—including Sacramento Pride, PFLAG, Davis Pride, SIGLFF and Q Prom—to raise awareness for LGBT issues and bring in crucial funding. Palmer’s appointment as part-time interim executive director is a first step toward making the position full-time and developing additional staff support positions. For more information, visit rainbowchamber.com.

Fred Palmer

company artifacts and the opportunity to meet Disney “greats” like Bill Farmer (the voice of Goofy), Bret Iwan (the voice of Mickey Mouse) and Margaret Kerry (the original Tinker Bell model). For more information, visit stagenine.com. Stage Nine Entertainment, Inc. is located at 102 K St.

NEW PLAY AREA AT FAIRYTALE TOWN Fairytale Town has unveiled “Anansi’s Web,” the park’s first interactive playset in 21 years. Designed, created and installed by accomplished local sculptor Garr Ugalde, “Anansi’s Web” represents the West African folktales of Anansi the Spider, beloved trickster and keeper of stories. The new set features three vertical climbing webs populated by characters from various Anansi tales—a leopard, python, turtle and monkey. A sculpture of Anansi sits in the center, observing the goings-on. “We are delighted to bring a new story to life at Fairytale Town,” says Kathy Fleming, executive director of the children’s park, which opened in 1959. “The new playset is unlike any of our other structures. ‘Anansi’s Web’ will provide children with a challenging new play area and hours of fun.” “Anansi’s Web” was made possible by a generous grant of $100,000 from the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and individual donations. For more information, visit fairytaletown.org. Fairytale Town is located at 3901 Land Park Drive.

SAC ZOO’S NEW SNOW LEOPARD CUB Coconut, a 5-month-old snow leopard cub—the first snow leopard to be born at the Sacramento Zoo since 2006— made his exhibit debut at the end of August. Because Coconut (named by the owners of Coconut’s Fish Café in Midtown) was born with multiple birth defects, he’s been living in an off-

Stan Atkinson (left), former news anchor/reporter for KCRA and KOVR, is interviewed by fellow journalist Steve Swatt. exhibit maternity den to make it easier to administer his physical-therapy sessions. Thanks to the extra attention, the cub’s future is bright. “Coconut is gaining confidence daily,” says Erin Dougher, one of the cub’s primary keepers. “It has been so much fun to watch him take it all in and begin to explore his new space.” Coconut will be on exhibit intermittently, so check in often to catch a glimpse. For more information, visit saczoo.org. The Sacramento Zoo is located at 3930 W. Land Park Drive.

BROADCAST LEGENDS LIVE ON Calling all fans of local media lore. The Center for Sacramento History—in partnership with the Valley Broadcast Legends—has made five new oral history interviews of notable Sacramento broadcasters available to

the public. The videos and transcripts are free online and at the center. “We’re excited to provide a home to these wonderful interviews,” says city historian Marcia Eymann. “The partnership with Valley Broadcast Legends ensures that the important stories and insight of those who worked in Sacramento’s media won’t be lost.” The videos chronicle the careers of broadcasters Stan Atkinson, Dick Cable, Walt Shaw, Anita Fein and Lou Coppola through oral interviews conducted by fellow broadcasters, such as Beth Ruyak and Steve Swatt. For more information, visit centerforsacramentohistory.org. The Center for Sacramento History is located at 551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. n

RAINBOW CHAMBER INTERIM ED The Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors recently announced that it has named Fred Palmer, publisher of the award-

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Replica of "Anansi's Web" at Fairytale Town.

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Una Mas TACOS SPAN THE GLOBE AT NEW R STREET EATERY

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he brothers Wong—Mason, Alan and Curtis—are the driving force behind the MAC Hospitality Group, and they’re busy. In the MAC portfolio are such familiar names as Cafeteria 15L, Ma Jong’s Asian Diner, Iron Horse Tavern, MIX Downtown and The Park Ultra Lounge. Their newest restaurant, Mas Taco Bar, is the first of several planned openings for the Wongs in the next few months. They hope to open two more Mas Taco Bars—at Palladio in Folsom and at Arden Town Center— and another Iron Horse Tavern also at Palladio. Located next to the Iron Horse Tavern at 15th and R streets, the first Mas Taco Bar adds another fun spot to the bustling R Street corridor. The location, formerly held by Dos Coyotes Border Café, is at the heart of a district already packed with bars, clubs, restaurants and residences. With the soon-to-be-completed Ice Blocks project between 16th and 18th streets, the R Street corridor is only getting busier and livelier as the months go by. The new taco concept fits in pretty darned well in the humming district. The kitchen offers plenty of casual lunch fare for the hundreds of nearby state employees, and the bar serves an impressive cocktail lineup with extended hours for evening revelers who make R Street a regional destination.

GS By Greg Sabin Restaurant Insider

Make no mistake, though, this is no standard taqueria. The menu at Mas Taco Bar puts a global spin on the taco, taking inspiration from the Americas, Southeast Asia, India and more. Take, for example, the Banh Mi Shrimp Taco. This clever item is a spin on the Vietnamese sandwich of the same name, a staple of Vietnamese street food. The taco takes fried shrimp and pairs it with crunchy pickled veggies, fresh cilantro, jalapeno and an Asian barbecue sauce, served on a pillowy-soft Chinese laughing bun. This dish is a winner all the way around. A similar dish stuffs the same laughing bun with shrimp, cabbage, peanuts and red curry. The flavors are spot on and bright like the noonday sun. It’s another clever offering, this time with the flavors of Thailand as the jumping-off point. Some offerings sit squarely in the “traditional taco” camp, like the fried fish taco that adds spicy avocado crema, grilled pineapple salsa and cabbage to the standard tortilla. The short-rib taco uses traditional Mexican seasonings and is topped with cilantro, onions and cotija cheese. The majority of the menu, though, is a mashup of traditional Mexican preparations with inspired additions from the U.S. and Europe. The Drunken Chicken starts with barbecue staple “beer can chicken” and adds tomatillo. The Steak and Egg pairs chili-lime skirt steak with a sunny-side-up egg, giving off a cheeky breakfast vibe. The Baja Fish takes blackened salmon and douses it with a Mexican hot sauce aioli. The presentation is fun and inviting, with diners instructed to jot down their orders on a pad at their table. The server brings back a metal tray covered with tacos. It’s a great way to sample the fare and share it with your people.

Many of the taco recipes also can be converted to “bowls,” which contain brown rice, onions and peppers topped with the same fillings as the tacos. Also, a good sampling of salads and small plates can be had. Surprisingly, desserts are a standout. Or maybe not so much a surprise given the skill with which Iron Horse Tavern puts out the sweets just next door. The key lime tart is served, of course, in a mason jar, but the flavors could not be more on point, perfectly blending the tart, sour and sweet in every bite. The churros, fried fresh and served with a Mexican chocolate ganache, are

a favorite of apparently everyone who works there. The space, like the food, is cheeky and fun. The front patio is a perfect place to throw back a few expertly made cocktails (try the watermelon basil margarita) and watch the party roll by on R Street. If you’re in the Arden or Folsom area, count yourself lucky that a Mas Taco Bar is coming your way in just a few months. Mas Taco Bar is located at 1800 15th St.; (916) 706- 1330; mastacobar.com. Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com. n

THE MENU AT MAS TACO BAR PUTS A GLOBAL SPIN ON THE TACO, TAKING INSPIRATION FROM THE AMERICAS, SOUTHEAST ASIA, INDIA AND MORE.

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LESLIE TOMS CELEBRATES LIFE WITH A PAINTBRUSH

Leslie Toms in her home studio.

eslie Toms’ business card tells you a lot about her as a painter. It’s a 2.5-by-2.5-inch square— an unusual size and shape, but that makes the card stand out. The front features a high-gloss image of two sunflowers in a vase with her name printed across the bottom in bright red letters. The colors are so vibrant that you can’t help but stare. The card is the epitome of Toms’ artistic style: a little different, a lot colorful and always pleasing to the eye. When I visit her home studio in Campus Commons, where she’s lived for almost a year, Toms is preparing for her first private showing and open house.

JL By Jessica Laskey Artist Spotlight

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It’s a big deal that Toms finally has a space she can host in—she moved three times in two years following a divorce and a subsequent move out of her longtime home in East Sac looking for a new place to call her own. The property off Commons Drive not only fits her “even better than East Sac,” it’s also a mere 3.8 miles from her childhood home in Arden Park—a fact that might have shocked her younger self. “I’ve loved to travel since I took the train to San Francisco with my grandmother at 5 years old,” says Toms, seated at a glass table in front of one of her large California landscapes done in rich purples, pinks and blues—a palette that perfectly complements her beachhouse-meets-French-farmhouse interior aesthetic. “I went to college as far from home as I could (at Chapman University in Southern California) and I managed to travel around the world before the age of 21. I still love to travel, but now I find myself really slowing down and embracing Sacramento. Living somewhere so beautiful means I don’t have to travel far to get subject matter.”

Always artistic—she remembers painting on grocery bags as a kid to pass the time—Toms was living on a houseboat in Holland during a year abroad in college when a visit to a museum sparked her career trajectory. “I was sitting in front of Rembrandt’s ‘Night Watch’ at the Rijksmuseum and I suddenly went, ‘I’m going to go home and be an artist,’” Toms recalls. She did just that. When she changed her major at Chapman—she had previously planned on becoming a U.N. translator—she lost many of her scholarships, so she transferred to Sacramento State and ended up studying under the tutelage of Wolf Kahn, Gregory Kondos, Charles Sovek, Harrold Gregor, Joseph Raffael, Ann Toulmin Rothe, Jerald Silva, Wayne Thiebaud and others. “Wolf had the biggest influence on my style,” Toms says. “I’d never felt so free—I paint from the gut, not the head, and color is very emotional for me. He and I were on the same wavelength. I discovered that I love to paint in a way that’s fun and different. It’s how I see.”

Toms spent years working as a graphic designer and printmaker following her studies, but when she took a part-time job managing the museum store at the Crocker Art Museum in 1985, she was reminded of her love of painting. She made a point to pass by pieces by Thiebaud, Kondos, Elmer Bischoff, Richard Diebenkorn and Manual Neri on her daily breaks and, inspired anew, she returned to the medium and never looked back. Since then, Toms’ subjects have ranged from landscapes of California wine country to vistas of Tuscan village life (which got her “discovered” in Sacramento when the Piatti restaurant group commissioned pieces for all 17 of their eateries) to close-up studies of sunflowers, which hold particular meaning. “I was recovering from cancer surgery five years ago and people kept sending me flowers,” Toms says. “My surgeon suggested that I start painting at the table to speed my recovery and get me working again, so I started painting the flowers people had given

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me. I now do a series of sunflowers every year—often inspired by different artists—to celebrate the fact that I’m still here.” This is a philosophy that informs much of Toms’ work nowadays. She often reflects on the fact that the career she chose perfectly suits the person and artist she’s become. “I’m so happy that I made the choice to be a painter,” Toms says. “I’ve never

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Thinking Small NIKKY MOHANNA CREATES HOUSING, DOESN’T WASTE SPACE

The 19J project in Midtown will be an 11-story mixed-use building. Rendering courtesy of HR Group Architects.

n February, Mohanna Development Co. expects to complete its mixeduse structure at 19 and J streets. This will not be just another building. Developer Nikky Mohanna is creating a community space that reflects Midtown lifestyles, tastes and budgets. Sacramento has never seen anything

JV By Jordan Venema Building Our Future

THE GRID OCT n 18

quite like it. With small, efficient micro-studios starting at below $1,000 a month, Mohanna believes 19J will appeal to an urban workforce threatened by Sacramento’s housing crisis. “In a lot of ways, millennials are the pioneers of urban living, so we have to build for them, and we have to figure out a way to meet their budgets,” says Mohanna. She designed 19J not by contemplating square footage, but asking, what can residents afford? Most units at 19J will be cheaper than the median studio price in Sacramento, but 19J is not an affordable housing project. Without subsidies or federal tax credits, Mohanna had to

build small and efficiently to make 19J financially viable. Eighty percent of 19J’s 175 units are between 300- and 400-square feet. Studios less than 400-square feet will come with Murphy beds and storage built into walls. European cities and New York inspired Mohanna to build micro-units, where urban lifestyles demand more mixed-use, communal spaces and alternate forms of transportation. Her vision includes patios, balconies and a 6,000-square-foot retail space where tenants will offer services for residents. The project has just 37 stackable parking spaces. “Sacramento is unaffordable and we need to do something about it,”

Mohanna says. “It makes me want to build.” Experience and education help explain why Mohanna elected to construct for community and inclusion. The daughter of Sacramento developer Moe Mohanna, a Sacramento property owner for more than four decades, Nikki returned home in 2014 after studying at London School of Economics and working with UNESCO in Tehran, Iran. Her sense of community was forged early in Sacramento when she volunteered with Loaves & Fishes and Women’s Empowerment, two nonprofits focused on homeless support. The volunteer work helped her understand

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that her comfortable upbringing carried an obligation to help others. “I realized that I didn’t deserve what I had, and I certainly don’t deserve it today,” she says. “If anything, that puts more pressure on me to do something that’s right.” As Mohanna considered 19J, her first major project, she sought a balance between profitability and community value. She decided the two goals could coexist. “We’re trying to build a community within the community that will be done through programs and communal spaces,” she says. Common areas include indoor and outdoor lounges, fitness and game rooms, three outdoor patios, a communal kitchen and rooftop garden. “But something different that we’re doing, that I haven’t seen before, is to provide the programming for these spaces.” Five resident managers will live on alternate floors of the 11-story 19J building. The managers will organize programs such as painting, cooking and gardening. They will be graduates of Women’s Empowerment, where Mohanna now volunteers as a board member. The resident-manager program will help combat biases many

Nikky Mohanna homeless women face as they transition into housing. “Because of their history, many were not getting housing and work,” Mohanna says. “They were competing against people without that history and without that bias against them. So I was sitting at a (Women’s Empowerment) graduation one day while I was entitling 19J, and I thought, wouldn’t it be

perfect if we could provide employment in property management that comes with housing?” Five graduates from Women’s Empowerment will receive a yearlong position at 19J. During their time with the project, the women will gain training and free onsite housing. When their year ends, they will receive help as they transition into other jobs. “This is a critical time—the issue of people not being able to afford to live—so we need to start building for the middle class and our workforce,” Mohanna says. The 19J project is Mohanna’s first majority micro-unit development, but in August she submitted an application for a similar project at 10th and K streets. Her plans for the Downtown corner include a hotel with 200 rooms, 186 apartments and a floor of co-living, dorm-style units for Capitol interns and short-term residents. “They’re here three or four months and have the hardest time finding housing, so we want to incentivize those individuals,” she says. Mohanna hopes to break ground on 10K later next year or in early 2020. Jordan Venema can be reached at jordan.venema@gmail.com. n

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I would certainly like to see more money spent on cost-effective, healthy bicycling. But to pretend that more transportation money isn’t needed is utterly irresponsible.

HOW COSTCO BROKE ITS PROMISE Earlier this year I wrote about biking to the Expo Parkway Costco and being unable to find a bike rack to lock my bike. After I wrote about that experience, it occurred to me that Sacramento has long had standards for customer, visitor and employee bike parking at new developments. I sent an inquiry to the city to see if Costco had met those requirements. City enforcement responded quickly with a check of the development conditions when Costco was built. They conducted a site visit to see whether Costco had complied. It turns out Costco failed to live up to its obligations. Back in 1999, it promised to provide spaces for 22 bikes, including 11 specially secured spots in bike lockers or an inside space that could be used for “long term” parking needed by employees. The city’s site inspection determined Costco had a bike rack for only six bikes. I was very surprised to learn Costco had a bike rack at all, since I was unable to find it. On a subsequent trip, I discovered Construction and maintenance costs the bike rack was actually being used as grew at a faster pace than inflation, while the gas tax was a fixed amount per part of the back wall for the shopping cart pen. It was unidentifiable as a gallon. Costs went up. Revenues went down. No amount of belt tightening can bike rack and functionally useless. The massive Costco shopping carts blocked reverse reality. One assertion by tax-repeal advocates the way. The good news is that Costco has is that more money should come from proposed a fix, albeit 19 years after its the feds. That’s both true and the initial commitment. By the time you height of cynicism at the same time. read this, new bike parking should be in Federal gas taxes have not increased place at Expo Parkway. since 1993. They were never indexed It does make you wonder, though, for inflation. The Highway Trust Fund, how many other new developments which is supposed to be self-sustaining, have failed to follow through on their has been running on fumes. It has promises for bike parking and other required rescue with general revenues needs. For bike riders who can’t find several times. bike parking, it may pay to ask. How can the same people who never saw a federal program they liked now Walt Seifert is executive director of argue for a federal bailout from an Sacramento Trailnet, an organization empty bucket? California rightfully devoted to promoting greenways with acted when it had to. paved trails. Seifert can be reached at People can and should argue about n bikeguy@surewest.net. how transportation dollars are spent.

Gas Taxes and Bike Racks WHY PROP. 6 MUST FAIL; CITY SHAMES COSTCO

he biggest transportation issue on the November ballot is Proposition 6, repeal of the new California fuel taxes. The transportation-funding mechanism put in place by Senate Bill 1 last year has already started pumping big dollars into the state’s beleaguered road system, focused mostly on repairing accumulated and inevitable wear and tear. Transportation infrastructure is vital for a vibrant economy and public safety. The state has many potholed streets and, more worryingly, many structurally deficient bridges. Locally, potholes on Interstate 5 damage cars. The collapse of a bridge in Genoa, Italy, where 43 people lost their lives

S W By Walt SeLfert Getting There

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in August, is a tragic reminder of what can happen if maintenance is constantly deferred and left for another day. Proponents of Proposition 6 say the fuel tax is unnecessary. Caltrans can just tighten its belt and squeeze billions of dollars for transportation out of its existing budget. Or maybe the federal government, instead of the state’s drivers, can pick up the tab and shovel lots more money into California’s infrastructure. But you can’t get blood from a turnip, water from a dry well or whatever other metaphor you want to use for lack of money. The fact remains that road-maintenance backlogs in the state and California’s cities and counties are immense. It’s magical thinking to believe the huge maintenance backlog can be eradicated, based on the same inadequate budget that allowed needs to go unmet for so long in the first place. California’s gas taxes didn’t increase for decades. At the same time, gas mileage in cars improved substantially and a sprinkling of electric cars joined the automotive fleet. Those factors meant less gas-tax revenue was available for every mile driven.

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Smart Design REMODEL TURNS DATED EAST SAC HOME INTO MODERN BEACH COTTAGE

H CR By Cathryn Rakich Home Insight

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igh and low” is how interior designer Elizabeth Lake describes her style for remodeling her two-bedroom, one-bath home in East Sacramento. For example, she replaced the cabinets on one side of the kitchen with inexpensive open shelving from IKEA. But in the dining room, she went big with a modern, statement-making crystal chandelier by Baccarat. “Buy quality when necessary, but be smart about it,” says Lake. “There are places you don’t need the best of the best and places you probably do.”

Choosing such an impressive light fixture for her nearly 2,000-square-foot home is fitting for an interior designer who specializes in lighting. Lake worked as showroom manager and lighting designer for Lumens in Midtown for 10 years before leaving last year to open her own business, Elizabeth Lake Interiors. She purchased the cottage-style home, built in 1949, at the end of 2016, and wrapped up a four-month partial remodel before moving in. Lake’s family history dates back five generations in Sacramento. Her great, great, great grandfather came

to Sacramento in 1842 and lived at Sutter’s Fort, according to Lake. While working toward a bachelor’s degree in interior design at Sacramento State, Lake took a break from the River City and commuted to Los Angeles for “the weather and the beach,” she says. “I thought there was something better out there, but realized there wasn’t. Sacramento is home.” Lake moved back to Sacramento and bought her first house in Tahoe Park, where she lived for five years before purchasing her current cottage. “It was my dream to live in East Sac,” she says.

“I wanted to live in a place where I was part of a community.” Despite the charming neighborhood, “The home was a dump,” Lake says. “Every wall had a different texture— most of it very heavy. It looked like they took mud and slapped it on the wall and swirled it around, then painted it all a dark green semi-gloss.” As a result, everything had to be resurfaced. Lake is tackling the galley-style kitchen in two phases. For the first phase, she added a farmhouse sink with an industrial-style faucet, range hood, wine fridge and, of course, a crystal and brass pendant light over the sink. The granite countertops were in bad shape, but all they needed was a good cleaning. For the second phase, Lake plans to bump the back wall out, allowing for the addition of a laundry/mudroom and a larger kitchen with an island, as well as a master bedroom with a bath. Phase two also will include refinishing the original hardwood floors, adding a gas insert to the fireplace and creating an outdoor dining/living area with a water feature. Lake gutted the “Pepto-Bismol-pink bathroom” and implemented another example of her high-and-low design style. After installing an inexpensive stock medicine cabinet, she attached custom-cut mirrors and mounted sconces on each side. “Instead of spending a lot of money to have the walls tiled, I did wainscoting to add interest.” For the bathroom floor, Lake discovered leftover Carrera-marble tiles, covered in dust, on a back shelf at Home Depot. Too few for the entire job, she traveled to eight different Home Depots in search of what she needed, then spent a little extra on a herringbone pattern. “I think it created a cool wow factor without spending a ton of money,” she says. Lake’s love of anything beachy is evident throughout the home, with seashore décor and colors of white, grey and navy. To tie the rooms together, Lake used a single paint color—“Silver Polish” by Dunn Edwards. “It looks different in every room depending on the time of day, lighting, whether it’s sunny outside or not,” she says. As an interior designer, Lake has participated in many local charity events, including the annual Sacred

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Heart Holiday Home Tour, where she decorates an entire house. To store all the leftover decorations, plus her own holiday décor, Lake added a shed in the backyard. “I have a Christmas decoration problem,” she says with a laugh. Lake could not be happier with the results of phase one. “It feels good in here,” she says. “There is a warmth and

THE GRID OCT n 18

friendliness that was very important to me. I want people to feel like they can come over any time, sit down and have a glass of wine. That’s why I moved to East Sac.” To recommend a house or garden for Home Insight, contact Cathryn Rakich at crakich@surewest.net. n

READERS NEAR & FAR 1. Sandy Barrett by the Lily Pond at Claude Monetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in Giverny, France.

2. Donna Ouchida at Belogradchik Rocks in Bulgaria. 3. Rod and Letty Johnson in Yanqing, Beijing, standing on The Great Wall of China. 4. Leo and Will Sakowitz in front of Parliament in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. 5. Eileen Hayes, Jini Bauer, Ginny Douglas, Dorothy Calkins, Tracy Plant, Babs Tweedt, Marykay Hjelmeland, Lynn Hall, Marilyn Ratkay, Cynthia Stefani, Pam Elmore, and Gina Viani in Puglia, Italy. 6. Jeff Harris at the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. 7. Anita Williams and Shireen Miles at Scaliger Castle in Sirmione, Italy.

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

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n I e r ’ u o Y n i k S The DERMVEDA IS ANSWER TO ALL SKIN-CARE QUERIES

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JL By Jessica Laskey Meet Your Neighbor

THE GRID OCT n 18

eople think that taking care of your skin is about vanity, but it’s so much more than that,” says Venita Sivamani, co-founder and CEO of Dermveda, a groundbreaking online platform that combines the disciplines of Western medicine, Ayurveda, naturopathy and traditional Chinese medicine to provide skincare information to the masses. “The No. 1 request doctors get from patients is about skin,” says the East Sacramento resident. “Dermveda is here to help answer questions so patients can go to their providers informed.” Although not a dermatologist, Sivamani is good friends with many and married to one. Her husband, Raja Sivamani, is a boardcertified dermatologist and Ayurveda expert who serves on the Dermveda advisory board. Sivamani started noticing that certain complaints were coming up time and again. “Everyone lamented the fact that they don’t have enough time with their patients,” says Sivamani, who has worked in educational equity and leadership for nearly a decade. “They didn’t have enough time in an appointment to really delve into a patient’s concerns—and most of those concerns were about skin.” Because of Sivamani’s extensive educational background, she started to formulate a way to educate patients outside of the provider’s office—to give them a place to bring their questions and learn about themselves and their health in the process. Never one to do things halfway, Sivamani attended business school at UC Davis to study entrepreneurship (which included time abroad at London Business School) before turning her focus to Dermveda fulltime in 2015. Sivamani was passionate about including varied disciplines and approaches to health. She grew up in a blended Eastern-Western household, with a mother from Sri Lanka and a father whose ancestors came over on the Mayflower. She was also adamant that her platform would bring patients the most medically accurate information in an accessible format. To achieve this, Sivamani solicited dermatological experts from all over the country to submit articles about different skin concerns, which were then sent through a vigorous peer-review process much like a medical journal. “We make sure claims are reinforced to meet the highest standards,” Sivamani says. “We want our site to be as safe and credible as possible.” Dermveda.com launched in July 2016 and has won praise, not only from the public but also from providers, whom Sivamani says often refer patients to the site or use it themselves during appointments to look up

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ingredients in Dermveda’s extensive database. “It’s truly personalized,” says Sivamani, who was inspired to start the site after an adolescence spent battling acne with “every product under the sun” to no avail. “You start by creating a unique skin profile by answering a few questions and providing a photo, and then we personalize your dashboard with expert-reviewed content related to your unique skin type, skin conditions and other interest areas.” Users also receive recommendations about what ingredients and products will be best for their skin and track progress with photo uploads—all completely free of charge thanks to content provided by Dermveda’s integrated team of allopathic medical doctors, research scientists and professional alternative-medicine practitioners. “Our experts are so willing to share,” Sivamani says gratefully. “Often, they’ve published a study in a medical journal and then it has nowhere else to go. This way, the information can be shared with so many more people.” Sivamani is taking the sharing to a whole new level this month with Dermveda’s first Integrative Dermatology Symposium, which will

bring more than 250 providers together for “a meeting of the minds,” as Sivamani describes it. The provider-only symposium will be followed by the Integrative Skin Care Wellness Fair, which is open to the public. Attendees will meet skin and beauty experts, enjoy free makeup consultations and samples, shop local and national brands, create DIY skin products, and listen to world-renowned keynote speakers Drs. Keira Barr and Trevor Cates. Better still, 10 percent of ticket sales from the event will benefit Women’s Empowerment, a local nonprofit that educates and empowers homeless women to re-enter the workforce. “Beauty and wellness are not just about slathering on product,” Sivamani says. “It’s about getting to know yourself better and living an optimal lifestyle.” Visit dermveda.com for more information on the Integrative Skin Care Wellness Fair, Saturday, Oct. 20, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento, 1230 J St. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. n

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Measure U: The Basics

VOTERS HAVE MUCH AT STAKE AS THEY CONSIDER DOUBLING TAX Image provided by Isabella Schreiber

acramento voters should carefully consider their vote on Measure U in the Nov. 6 election. The ballot measure would double and make permanent the existing half-cent sales tax that restored fire, police, parks and other basic services slashed during the Great Recession. Approved by 64 percent of city voters in November 2012, the original Measure U delivers nearly $50 million a year. The tax automatically expires on March 31, 2019. Starting next April 1, a renewed Measure U would

CH By Cecily Hastings

THE GRID OCT n 18

create a 1-cent sales tax, increasing the total in Sacramento to 8.75 percent—one of the highest tax rates in the region. I’ve followed this issue since the original Measure U was proposed six years ago. I’d like to provide some context and background. I’m not telling readers how to vote. Measure U is a general tax, which means the money goes into the general fund. Under state law, Measure U dollars can’t be earmarked for specific use. Despite that restriction, most of the money goes to public safety—police and fire—with lesser amounts spent to restore parks and fund libraries. I was appointed to the citizens’ oversight committee that reviewed audits of how Measure U dollars were spent. The committee was announced before the 2012 election to help convince voters the city would spend the money responsibly.

My main criticism with the original Measure U is that proceeds have not been equitably distributed. Police and fire—with powerful unions—were fully restored fairly quickly. But today, park funding is only partially restored, despite a tax windfall much higher than the city anticipated. I live across from McKinley Park, where conditions have continued to deteriorate since 2010. Before 2008, the park had a dedicated staff. Now there is one staff person for dozens of parks. The nonprofit Friends of East Sacramento that I co-founded in 2011 manages hundreds of volunteers who have helped maintain McKinley Park. The Land Park Volunteer Corps continues—as it has for eight years— to provide hundreds of volunteer hours each month to care for that park. There is no guarantee the new Measure U would restore our parks to their 2008 budget levels—no

guarantee of relief for the volunteers who are getting burned out plugging the city’s maintenance gaps. Given that Measure U is a general tax without earmarks, it’s essentially a blank check to the City Council—a check worth almost $100 million a year. This means the decision for voters is really about trust and accountability. Citizens who favor Measure U must believe the City Council will spend the money wisely. There are no guarantees. I recently spoke with Mayor Darrell Steinberg about Measure U. He’s confident the new tax will pass. He needs 50.1 percent approval. The results of private polls organized by the mayor apparently support his confidence. In our discussion, he refused to discuss the possibility of Measure U falling short. The question of where the money would go is tricky for Steinberg and his allies on the City Council. Legally,

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rellesﬂorist.com 2400 J Street 441-1478 they can’t promise anything. When I suggested that approximately onequarter cent—about $23 million annually—would go to CalPERS for unfunded city pension obligations, Steinberg took great offense. The mayor described the link between Measure U and pension obligations as “a fiction created by Eye On Sacramento,” the local watchdog group. But Councilmember Jeff Harris—the smartest, most detail-oriented and honest elected official I’ve found in the city—agrees with my prediction. Harris says another one-quarter cent—again, approximately $23 million—has been promised to various organizations to secure their support. “The extra one-quarter cent, if applied only to the city’s road-repair needs, would take more than eight years to cover our backlog of needed repairs,” Harris says, giving some perspective. Steinberg and other Measure U supporters say the additional money would boost affordable housing and homeless services, provide job training for teenagers and economic growth in poor neighborhoods. The money would also free up bondpayment capacity for projects along the waterfront. Yet by definition, Measure U is a regressive tax—it applies equally to everyone who pays sales taxes, rich and poor. People with lower incomes carry a heavier burden than residents with higher incomes. When I asked Steinberg why he so quickly rejected the idea of making the original half-cent Measure U permanent, he said, “I just believe we have a unique opportunity in

Sacramento to gain the capital to invest in inclusive economic growth with this new tax. In my first yearplus as mayor, I believe that we have great aspirations. “But we do not have the financial tools to meet the aspirations of our city and to address the issues of equity and systemic poverty that exist in too many parts of our city.” If Measure U fails in November, the city could face painful budget cuts. The tax pays for around 150 police officers and 90 firefighters. The local firefighters union, which helped bankroll the original Measure U, urged the council to stick with the current half-cent tax to make sure the extension passes. The City Council opted to roll the dice and double the tax. If voters reject Measure U, the council will likely call a special election in March to renew the current sales tax. It will be a humbled council that does the asking. Today, as in 2012, I urge the city to control labor costs and make departments more efficient through a variety of measures as advocated by Eye On Sacramento. The city made progress by negotiating higher employee pension contributions and reducing retiree health benefits. But Harris notes there is much work to do. An example he cites is replacing one firefighter in city ambulances with a civilian paramedic. The move would save about $6 million a year. So far, the idea has little support. In August, Steinberg rushed to pass a collective-bargaining agreement with trade unions without a serious analysis of the cost. The agreement

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Tickets: 916 536-9065 | SACRAMENTOCHORAL.com could add millions to the cost of several expensive remodeling projects, including the Sacramento Convention Center, Community Center Theater and Memorial Auditorium. (See our City Beat column this month.) The watchdogs at Eye On Sacramento oppose Measure U. The group put together a list of savings it claims will total $125 million, mostly by reducing labor expenses. Eye On Sacramento notes the city’s pension costs are projected to increase by $62 million a year in 2022-23. The watchdogs believe Measure U would primarily support pensions. To help with both transparency and accountability, Steinberg has proposed a more robust citizens’ oversight committee for Measure U. The committee would recommend potential investments based upon a set of metrics to evaluate economic growth potential. The committee would measure whether the investments perform as expected. Here’s an idea for the mayor: Give Eye On Sacramento a seat on that committee.

YES ON MEASURE K The City Council placed a second measure on the November ballot. Measure K would establish the city auditor as a charter officer, which means the position can’t be eliminated without a ballot measure. It would consolidate the independent budget analyst’s duties under the auditor’s office. Measure K deserves a yes vote. Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com. n

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on Measure U BROKEN PROMISES, HIDDEN PENSION AGENDA EARN REJECTION

very Sacramento resident should want to believe Mayor Darrell Steinberg will keep his promises about how he plans to spend the $100 million raised annually by Measure U, Steinberg’s permanent 1-cent sales-tax hike on the November ballot. But the mayor is an ambitious politician. And we know ambitious politicians make promises they cannot keep. Voters would be foolish to blindly believe Steinberg’s glib promises, particularly when they carry the cost of a major increase in a regressive tax that would hurt modest-income families and the poor—the very people the mayor promises to help. To assess whether city politicians can be trusted to honor their Measure U vows, let’s look at the track record. First, they promised the original Measure U, a half-cent sales tax hike in 2012, would be temporary. They promised the money would fill budget gaps until the city’s revenues recovered from the recession.

CP By Craig Powell

THE GRID OCT n 18

Today, city revenues, not counting Measure U, are more than $120 million above their level from 2012, zooming up 16 percent in the past two years. Instead of honoring the city’s promise, the mayor wants to double the Measure U tax and make it permanent. Councilmember Jeff Harris urged the City Council to give voters the option of extending the half-cent sales tax to protect the city from budget cuts. But Steinberg and his council allies rejected Harris’ proposal. They knew voters would, if given a choice, be much more willing to extend the current Measure U half-cent tax instead of doubling it. Steinberg made sure voters don’t have that choice. Clearly, Steinberg wants voters to fear massive budget cuts if they fail to approve his permanent 1-cent tax. It was a reckless and coercive move, and it revealed how little the mayor cares for protecting city services from cuts. But the ploy isn’t likely to work once voters realize that, if they reject Measure U, the council will almost certainly order a special election next spring to give residents the option to extend the original half-cent tax. How can voters trust Steinberg to keep his Measure U promises when he’s demonstrated a willingness to

put city services in peril while denying residents a more prudent option on taxes? How can voters trust a mayor who seeks to coerce them into approving a major tax hike for fear of budget cuts? What kind of leader does that? At the start of his term, Steinberg proclaimed he should be held “accountable” if he failed to reduce street homelessness in Sacramento by 2,000 within two to three years. With two months left before he begins his third year as mayor, it appears the only way Steinberg can honor his vow is to buy nearly 2,000 one-way bus tickets for homeless people. He’s oscillated between opposing new homeless shelters, to supporting a new shelter, to wanting to build more shelters. Should voters hold Steinberg “accountable” for his confusion and broken promises on homelessness by handing him a 1-cent tax windfall—a $100 million blank check? Hardly. Is Sacramento a city that would impose an 8.75 percent sales-tax rate—highest in the region—on the backs of residents who have among the lowest per-capita incomes in the region? I hope not. Where would the $50 million in new taxes produced by Measure U really go? City pensions.

The city finance director estimates pension costs will increase to $62 million annually over the next four years. Do the math: Sacramento’s escalating pension bill will consume all (and more) of the $50 million in new dollars Measure U would generate. Eye on Sacramento released a report last month on how the City Council could reduce spending by $125 million annually without any reduction in core services. The report is called a “Blueprint for a PostMeasure U City.” Please read it and share it with friends. The report is available on the EOS website at eyeonsacramento.org. Given the broken promises and deceptions about where the tax-hike millions will actually go, residents must hold Steinberg and the City Council accountable and vote no on Measure U. Craig Powell is a retired attorney, businessman, community activist and president of Eye on Sacramento, a civic watchdog and policy group. He chairs the “No on Measure U” Campaign Committee (dontdoublethetax.org). Powell can be reached at craig@eyeonsacramento. org or (916) 718-3030. n

on Measure U TAX SAVES ESSENTIAL SERVICES, BUILDS CITY’S FUTURE

hen Sacramento voters approved Measure U in 2012, they were responding to the effects of the Great Recession. City budget cuts sliced deep across all city departments. Parks were overgrown. Police patrols had been reduced. Public pools did not open. Fire stations closed on a rotating basis. Today, the situation is much better. Measure U deserves a large portion of the credit for the significant improvement in city services. So, of course, does the economic recovery. So why do we still need Measure U? We need it because Sacramento is one of the fastest growing cities in California. Our population growth means we have increased needs. Measure U provided $46.5 million in the 2017-18 budget year. It currently pays for 184 sworn officers in the police department, 90 employees in the fire department and 137 in parks. Without Measure U, the city is expected to face a budget shortfall of

WC DL By Will Cannady and Devin Lavelle

$43.6 million in the next fiscal year. Police, fire and parks would face drastic cuts. Renewing Measure U will ensure the quality of our essential public services and allow us to tackle growing problems such as homelessness, a lack of affordable housing and economic inequity. We could make a demonstrable difference in homelessness, one of the issues that weighs heavily on us as a community. The number of people living without shelter in Sacramento County nearly doubled from 2015 to 2017. Under the leadership of Mayor Darrell Steinberg, the city is now pursuing solutions that work. The city’s Triage Shelter and Whole Person Care program have succeeded in getting hundreds of people off the streets and into permanent housing, including some people who had been homeless for decades. That number could become thousands if the city had more resources for shelters and permanent supportive housing. Our city’s future also depends on whether the children growing up in our neighborhoods today are able to obtain an education and become qualified for the jobs that will exist here in the future. On that front, we are currently falling far short. Three-quarters of the jobs in our region now require digital skills, but

only 18 percent of African-American and Latino residents obtain at least a four-year degree, and only half go beyond high school at all. We could use a portion of the Measure U proceeds to invest in programs to prepare young people for the workforce, and also in privatepublic partnerships to make sure our city has enough jobs that young people can stay and make a good life here. Opponents will suggest the city has been an irresponsible steward of public tax dollars, and will waste the additional funds entrusted to it by the voters. This argument is false. Due the implementation of government efficiencies, the city now has fewer employees and provides the same level of service. Sacramento now employs 9.3 employees for every 1,000 residents of Sacramento. That compares to 11.5 employees per every 1,000 residents in 2007-08. The city also eliminated or reduced retiree health benefits for new employees. Measure U funds lifeguards, forensic investigators, detectives and parks maintenance workers— positions essential to making Sacramento a safe and enjoyable place to live. Members of the Sacramento City Council have made it clear they are

committed to strengthening the current oversight commission that monitors Measure U spending. The new commission will help decide how the money is spent, rather than simply reviewing those expenditures after the fact. The council is also working toward adopting metrics that any Measure U expenditures would have to meet. Opponents have said the money from Measure U will be used for pension obligations. While pension costs are a concern facing every local government in California, the best way to fill any shortfall is to grow our economy so it produces more tax revenue over time, making our budgets sustainable. Measure U will ensure that Sacramento can protect and enhance vital services and emergency response while giving us the opportunity to grow our economy, address homelessness and affordable housing, and invest in our youth. For all these reasons, we urge you to vote yes on Measure U in November. Will Cannady is president of the Pocket Greenhaven Community Association. Devin Lavelle is a member of the city Parks and Recreation Commission. n

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Secretive Giveaway STEINBERG SNEAKS LABOR DEAL INTO LAW, NOT KNOWING THE PRICE

eople who know Mayor Darrell Steinberg often talk about his split personalities. There’s the public Steinberg, soft spoken and empathetic, a people’s champion who listens intently, nods his head in harmony with grievances and exudes sincerity. And there’s the private Steinberg, who dominates conversations, holds grudges and harbors the ruthlessness of a mob boss. As a city councilman, Assembly member and state Senate pro tem, Steinberg perfected his act over decades. He knows when the cameras are on, when the public is watching. And he knows when they are not. He rarely slips. But Steinberg is not perfect. At 9:56 p.m. on Aug. 21, at a City Council meeting designed to jam through a secretive and likely expensive collective-bargaining agreement with

RG By R.E. Graswich City Beat

THE GRID OCT n 18

trade unions, the facade began to crumble. The split personalities—public Steinberg and private Steinberg— merged in the council chambers at City Hall. Determined to pass his union pact with minimal transparency, the mayor was angry because two council members raised questions about cost and accountability to taxpayers. Steinberg’s voice began to rise. His patience wilted. He waved his arms and jabbed the air. He rattled through several academic studies about project labor agreements—the term used to describe contracts such as the one Steinberg was trying to hurry into law. He called for the vote, knocking down a parliamentary request to postpone the decision by one week. The gift to unions passed 7-2. Under the agreement, any taxpayersupported, capital-improvement construction job in the city worth more than $1 million must engage unionized labor. There are components for apprentice training and local hiring, but trade unions essentially wrote the ordinance. Labor calls the shots at Steinberg’s City Hall. And despite pleas by council members Allen Warren and Jeff Harris, nobody at City Hall knows what Steinberg’s union requirements will cost. The price tag is a question mark. Coincidentally, Warren and Harris are the only two council members

DETERMINED TO PASS HIS UNION PACT WITH MINIMAL TRANSPARENCY, THE MAYOR WAS ANGRY BECAUSE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT COST AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO TAXPAYERS. HARRIS AND WARREN SIMPLY WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE TAXPAYERS’ BURDEN. who have significant experience with building trades. Warren is a developer, Harris a contractor. Both made it plain they aren’t anti-union. They can take unions or leave them. The councilmen simply wanted to understand the taxpayers’ burden. Warren said, “We don’t know what the costs are going to amount to.” Said Harris, “The missing piece here is the cost. Show me some numbers.” Harris and Warren tried to get cost information from city staff. Staff said they didn’t know. The councilmen asked Steinberg and union representatives for cost estimates. No response. The private Steinberg, the politician with a quick temper, fragile ego and massive ambition, was not interested in delays or discussion. To pass the labor agreement, he ignored tradition and used a loophole to suspend the council’s rules of procedure. He skipped

a committee review and passed the agreement on its first hearing. During Steinberg’s time as leader of the state Senate, greasy business with unions was handled behind closed doors. The labor folks would come in, state their demands, make perfunctory threats and offer payoffs in campaign contributions. The Senate leader would secure support or opposition for an ancillary issue or two, and reminded them he was charge. Subsequent committee and floor votes were as scripted as pro wrestling. It’s worth noting that the Senate under Steinberg was unusually corrupt. At one point, 10 percent of his members were in jail or under indictment for various crimes. The public Steinberg said he was disappointed by the corruption. Steinberg intensely followed the machinations of his predecessor, Kevin

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