S 2014 07 17

Page 1

How disappearing bees

migHt end farm to fork

e V ’ u yo

see feature story, page 16

n e e backed! J

good camp =

beer see arts&culture, page 22

bad camp = scorpions

o ment a r c a s to S eries, the t e m o robb n it c s a lo Whe rtphone ry profit ves t sma ndus olent thie i m o i telec e than v ge 9 a p mor i ossein H . F heem by Ra

see streetalk, page 5

Vote for tHe best of sac! see page 19

Sacramento’S newS & entertainment weekly

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Volume 26, iSSue 13

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thurSday, July 17, 2014


The House. A Home.

Bayside. A Midtown Church. Authentic. Cultural.

B

ob and Letty Balian started what was formerly known as The House Christian Church a little over three years ago. Since then, several things have happened. The church merged with Bayside Church, and is now Bayside Church of Midtown and still affectionately known as “The House”. When asked about the merge, Bob says it made sense “Because Bayside is where I got my start in Ministry and Pastor Ray Johnston has poured into my ministry experience more than anyone I know.” Bob and Letty have seen such rapid growth in the church, it has allowed them to recently move into a larger and newly renovated building at 2225 19th Street, at the corner of 19th & W. Bob grew up in Sacramento, went to college at UCLA and returned to his hometown to be groomed to take over the family construction business. Letty was born in Mexico, raised in Northern California and is a successful Wardrobe and Lifestyle Consultant, along with her volunteer service at the church. They have a beautiful 25-year-old daughter, Taylor, who lives in Los Angeles. They also have many friends and family that long preceded the church. Bob and Letty love Sacramento and want to see it become a model city for taking care of its people. Sacramento is one of the most diverse cities in the country and Bayside Midtown – The House, is a church that successfully embraces and celebrates diversity.

Bob & Letty Balian 2 2 2 5 1 9 TH S T R E E T | 9 1 6 . 7 0 6 . 2 3 3 7 M I D T O W N . B AY S I D E O N L I N E . C O M WEEKEND SERVICE: 9:30AM & 11:15AM 2

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July 17, 2014 | vol. 26, issue 13

32

Holy mess This week, the world wants to put a Band-Aid on a bloodletting. Because that’s what a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel will be. It’s a nonsolution. The recent Israeli air assault on the Gaza Strip, the fourth such operation in recent years, will happen again— maybe in a year, maybe in three—if the world doesn’t convene and engage on meaningful issues such as the blockade, the settlements and the embargoes. Unfortunately, international consensus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict isn’t likely. Congress is dysfunctional, and Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent peace efforts were a flop. The Europeans are split, the wealthy elites supporting Israel’s rights to defense and the general populace is sympathetic of the Palestinian plight. China’s more concerned with its own “Muslim problem.” Ditto Russia. And the rest of the Middle East is neck-deep in its own unique brands of religious and sectarian violence. But after eight years of lopsided warfare between Israel and Hamas, shouldn’t the world realize by now that there will be no military solution in the Holy Land? Anyway, don’t hold hope for a Hail Mary political solution any time soon, either. A cease fire, while futile, would actually save lives for the time being. So let’s hope that President Barack Obama and world leaders pressure Israel to stop all air attacks and a ground-troops invasion. That might be hard. The United States is in Austria this week, negotiating with Iran on its nuclear program. Egypt appears poised for a long fight with the Muslim Brotherhood and is reluctant to engage. Meanwhile, Iraq is more volatile than ever. Lebanon’s run by Hezbollah— which means Iran calls the shots. And Syria remains a crisis. What a holy mess.

STREETALK

05 07 09 15 16 22 24 25 29 32 34 36 43 59

LETTERS NEWS OPINION + bites FEATuRE STORy ARTS&CuLTuRE NIgHT&DAy DISH ASK JOEy STAgE FILM MuSIC + sound Advice THE 420 15 MINuTES COVER dEsign BY PRisCiLLA gARCiA

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Jeff Hudson, Jim Lane, Garrett McCord, Kel Munger, Kate Paloy, Jessica Rine, Patti Roberts, Ann Martin Rolke, Steph Rodriguez Creative Director Priscilla Garcia Art Director Hayley Doshay Junior Art Director Brian Breneman Designers Melissa Bernard, Brad Coates, Kyle Shine, Skyler Smith Design Intern Geraldine Centinaje Contributing Photographers Lisa Baetz, Steven Chea, Wes Davis, Ryan Donahue, Taras Garcia, Lovelle Harris, Shoka

Our Mission To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live. Co-editors Rachel Leibrock, Nick Miller Staff Writers Janelle Bitker, Raheem F. Hosseini Copy Editor Shoka Shafiee Entertainment Editor Jonathan Mendick Editorial Coordinator Becca Costello Contributing Editor Cosmo Garvin Editor-at-large Melinda Welsh Editorial Interns Tiffani Dangelico, Alex Hernandez, Rudy Raya Contributors Ngaio Bealum, Daniel Barnes, Rob Brezsny, Jim Carnes, Cody Drabble, Deena Drewis, Joey Garcia, Blake Gillespie, Becky Grunewald,

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Custom Publications Managing Editor Shannon Springmeyer Custom Publications Writer/Copy Editor Mike Blount Executive Coordinator Jessica Takehara Directors of First Impressions Courtney DeShields, Matt Kjar Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Services Assistant Larry Schubert Distribution Drivers Mansour Aghdam, Daniel Bowen, Russell Brown, Nina Castro, Jack Clifford, Lydia Comer, John Cunningham, Lob Dunnica, Chris Fong, Ron Forsberg, Joanna Gonzalez-Brown, Aaron Harvey, Wayne Hopkins, Brenda Hundley, Greg Meyers, Kenneth Powell, Wendell Powell, Lloyd Rongley, Lolu Sholotan, Jack Thorne President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Chief Operations Officer Deborah Redmond Human Resources Manager Tanja Poley Business Manager Grant Rosenquist Accounting Specialist Tami Sandoval Accounts Receivable Specialist Nicole Jackson Sweetdeals Coordinator Alicia Brimhall Lead Technology Synthesist Jonathan Schultz Senior Support Tech Joe Kakacek

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“I’m not sure what happened, but I woke up in county jail on probation.”

Asked at Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park:

What was your roughest camping experience?

Scott Brown

park maintenance

I got altitude sickness at around 12,000 feet. It was really bad. We ended up having to go hike back down from the top of the mountain, in the middle of the night, really fast. All kinds of bad things happened to me that night, but I survived.

BEFORE

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John Linderer

Juan Nunez

retired

NEWS

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emergency medical services

We used to camp up in Mexico at Hermosillo, and there, we were in danger of rattlesnakes and scorpions. We only stayed two days there, and that was a scary trip. Even though my tent was zipped up, I had to constantly be watching where I was walking so I wouldn’t get bitten.

F E AT U R E

STORY

On my worst camping trip, there was lots of beer and kegs involved. We were [at Lake Berryessa], and I’m not sure what happened, but I woke up in county jail on probation. I’m sure something bad must have went down out there, because I don’t remember it.

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Brittany Fisher

Jeff Shearer

restorative nurse

We were in Del Valle [Regional Park in Livermore, Calif.], and it flooded at the campsite. It was pouring rain, and they had black flags saying to stay out, but we decided not to listen. We had rafts, and we thought that we would maybe just float down. We ended up leaving after it started getting crazy. It was totally worth it.

A RT S & C U LT U R E

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Mitchell Shipek

self-employed

It was Warped Tour, 1999 [at Lake] Tahoe. ... Deftones were on that one, Good Riddance and Bad Religion. It wasn’t cool because we had a few people who couldn’t handle their acid they were taking, and I had to deal with them that whole night. One guy actually ... cut his way out of the tent using his keys.

AFTER

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truck driver

The worst was definitely when I went with this guy. We aren’t friends anymore. We argued about how much gear to bring. He wanted to bring everything because he was fascinated with all the gadgetry you could get from REI. He had me carry about 100 pounds of his stuff, and I didn’t realize it until I went to move his bag and it was so light.

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SN&R

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1-800-429-1022


Re “Give Uber a Lyft� (SN&R Editorial, July 3): I suppose you like surge pricing, which is a concept that Uber and Lyft use to gouge their customers up to eight times the price of the fare. Their idea of supply and demand is perverse. Supply and demand has letter of nothing to do with raising prices in order to entice drivthe week ers to go out and drive. Uber and Lyft are merely Wall Street gimmicks that only service a very limited part of the population. Most cabs are very modern and are priced competitively to what it costs to maintain a taxi operation. Believe me, no cab driver is getting rich out there on the streets right now. Uber and Lyft can afford to lower their prices a little because they don’t pay nearly what cab companies pay. Taxi companies and drivers (as well as the public) have a right to ask for a level playing field and that everybody plays by the same rules. Otherwise, let’s do away with all permits and certificates as long as our smartphone can give us an app to provide the service. Let’s get rid of the Food and Drug Administration for pharmaceutical distribution: “Hey, I have an app that can get me meds for next to nothing.� Richard Mitchell

S a c ra m e nt o

Barbecue dysphoria

Put Breton in a corner

Re “Barbecue euphoria� by Ann Martin Rolke (SN&R Dish, July 10): Not sure how [Fahrenheit 250] could get such a glowing review. Our dining experience didn’t even come close. This is a two-star place, at best. We’d read a review that referred to this place as barbecue with linen tablecloths. This is a barbecue place, not a fine-dining restaurant. Prices for combo plates are expensive, and the meat servings are not generous. The dessert was ridiculously large, but very disappointing. The meats we tried— pulled pork, brisket and ribs—were just OK. We won’t be returning. Karen Barsch Sacramento

Re “Breton!� by Nick Miller (SN&R Editor’s Note, July 3): Marcos Breton’s drivel was reminiscent of the bias one would get from Faux Newz. Why The Sacramento Bee allowed it is anyone’s guess. Thank you for meaningful news in a quality manner! The Bee ought to have Breton stand in a corner wearing a dunce cap. Frank Topping Sacramento

Re “Crack (law) is wack� by Raheem F. Hosseini (SN&R News, July 3): Raheem F. Hosseini’s article on reforms proposing to end the disparity in sentencing laws for crack cocaine, as opposed to cocaine in powder form, is interesting reading. Yet in some respects, the article’s claims seem questionable, based on the information provided within the article itself. With respect to mandatoryminimum sentences for possession with intent to sell, the article cites three to five years for crack, vs. two to four years for powder. These are the only figures given comparing prison terms for crack vs. powder, and they do show a disparity, but hardly the “exponentially longer prison terms� claimed earlier on. Hosseini is a good reporter who has contributed many intelligent, perceptive, well-written articles to SN&R. This one could perhaps have been thought out a bit more clearly. David Urman Sacramento BEFORE

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NEWS

Re “Breton!� by Nick Miller (SN&R Editor’s Note, July 3): Since my wife and I moved to Sacramento in 1998, we’ve taken the Bee, and for most of that time, I have felt generally positive about Marcos Breton’s work; he frequently seemed to be on the right side of issues. That changed when it seemed that overnight the entire Bee editorial board and its in-house columnists opened a full-court press to back all things Kevin Johnson, most notably the arena project. A year-and-a-half ago, we stopped renting and bought a home in Sacramento, and since then, I have taken a much greater interest in how city leadership manages our tax money. Hence my opposition to the arena and its funding plan. Miles D. Wichelns via email

Email your letters to sactoletters@ newsreview.com.

Correction

@SacNewsReview

In the story “A soldier’s trials� by Raheem F. Hosseini (SN&R News, July 10), Judge David W. Abbott was misidentified as Judge Robert C. Hight. It has been corrected online.

Facebook.com/ SacNewsReview

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13

Legalize it? See EDITORIAL

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You’ve been jacked!

Photo by Darin Smith

12

Health care’s shadows

Most Sacramento   cellphone crimes are  violent. So why are the  big telecoms fighting an  easy ‘kill-switch’ fix? Looking back at it now, Liz Walker regrets being kind to that stranger in her office. by The man, in his 20s, appeared in Raheem Walker’s cubicle-divided workspace, F. Hosseini inside the Sacramento County Office of Education’s infant-development program, ra h e emh@ newsr evie w.c om asking to use a phone. Walker pointed the young man to the landline on her desk, beside which perched her unremarkable cellphone. While the program analyst chatted with a neighboring co-worker, the man made his call, hung up and thanked Walker for the favor. After he left, Walker noticed her Samsung had gone with him. “I chased after him,” she told SN&R, but to no avail. “He was much faster than me.” Walker still can’t believe the galling way it went down. “It was so brazen,” she laughed. Yet surprisingly common. An estimated 3.1 million Americans surrendered their smartphones to criminals last year, according to Consumer Reports, nearly doubling the 1.6 million thefts that occurred in 2012. Today, 30-40 percent of thefts in major American cities involve the loss of a pocket-sized supercomputer, says the Federal Communications Commission. What’s quickly become the most common property crime in the nation, if not the world, props up a black market and billion-dollar insurance industry alike. It also leads to frequently bloody confrontations. Here in Sacramento, physical violence or a brandished gun featured in 68 percent of crimes in which a cellphone was stolen, according to an SN&R review of Sacramento Police Department daily-log data from the first six months of the year. In total, 47 cellphone-related robberies were reported to police during that period. (Six additional reports in which a cellphone was taken from a person were classified as thefts.) Those figures are likely incomplete. Stolen cellphones have risen as a portion of all robberies in the city, from 19 percent in 2011 to 27 percent last year. “It’s certainly a sought-out [item] in terms of robberies,” said police Sgt. Matt Young. According to the logs, most cellphone robbers use guns, physical violence or BEFORE

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Liz Walker didn’t report to police after a man stole her Samsung cellphone from her office desk while she stood nearby, making her a victim of the most popular property crime in America.

But he stopped short of needing to see good Samaritan ploys like the one Walker marijuana, it’s even more likely that they receipts or other proof of ownership. If experienced. will be the only thing taken. the phones weren’t locked or password That’s not including attempted There’s a reason for that. Stealing a protected, he looked forward to a long-term muggings like the one that occurred the mobile device is the “easiest, quickest business relationship. morning of March 21 at a light-rail station way to get your hands on several hundred Elsewhere on the site, a stack of new in north Sacramento near Kathleen Avenue bucks,” said Richard Holober, executive and used cellphone screwdrivers and openand Academy Way. That’s where 20-yeardirector of the Consumer Federation of ers were priced at $12. Wiping or unlocking old Paul K. Broadway accosted a man in a California, a Sacramento-based consumerlocked smartphones repeated as popular wheelchair and rifled through his pockets advocacy group. services on Craigslist, too, while others trying to pinch his cellphone. The victim The FCC cites the high resale value advertised new and used smartphones of was able to fend off Broadway, who was of smartphones and the personal inforvarying quality and procurement. apprehended by responding officers. mation they store as reasons they’re so “Tiffany’s” ad said she was selling a Sacramento Superior Court online attractive to robbers and identity thieves, locked iPhone 5 for $30, but she voluntarily records show that Broadway pleaded no who often turn to individual auction dropped that amount to $20 when reached contest to one count of second-degree sites like Craigslist or eBay to unload at the phone number provided. She said she attempted robbery on April 24. He’s the illicit wares. found the smartphone on the banks of the currently serving a yearlong sentence at the American River. “No one ever came for main jail downtown. Inside Sacramento’s it, and I didn’t know what to do,” she said. Most smartphone thieves are never only good for parts.” arrested, while the ones who are are often smartphone black market “It’sAnother ad on Craiglist’s Sacramento young. Of the 13 cases in which someone The man was a fiend for high-end page plugged a Samsung Galaxy Note II was arrested for stealing a cellphone in smartphones. smartphone for $330. The catch is that it Sacramento as of June 30, five featured It was obvious from the way he used was “blacklisted,” meaning it was reported juvenile perpetrators. dollar signs instead of S’s in his local lost or stolen to the provider. “It can Other patterns emerge as well, with Craigslist ad headline: “FA$T CA$H 4 only work overseas,” said a woman who requests for help, online meetups and CELL PHONE$!!” answered to the name “Ron” and suggested domestic violence also recurring. Note the two exclamation marks. Guy Mexico or Puerto Rico as possible destinaPolice responded to an additional four meant business. tions where the expensive electronic might cellphone-related robberies this month, Reached by phone, the fast-talking actually be useful. including two incidents in which the She was also selling a Samsung Galaxy victims had arranged to sell their cellphones bulk buyer explained he’d been dealing in cellphones for 12 years, dating back to an Note III and Samsung Galaxy Mega, online, only to be rolled by individuals era when color screens and built-in cameras but the buyer would have to come to a posing as buyers. In another case, a man were still novel. He claimed “big accounts” cellphone outlet in south Sacramento to was arrested for pistol-whipping his significheck out those goods. It’s unclear how cant other and taking her cellphone. And on that hooked him up with 60-70 phones a week, but also collected from churches and Ron came into possession of a blacklisted July 11, two armed men reportedly forced individuals who were hard-up for cash. “As smartphone, but her sales offer seemed to their way into a male victim’s residence long as they’re not cheap, prepaid phones,” fall into a murky legal area. and looted his phone and property, police he said. “I’m just not looking for crap.” logs state. He also wasn’t looking for ill-gotten While it’s not unusual for cellphones smartphones, he claimed. “I can’t sell to be just one of the items taken by bandits “jACKED!” anything hot.” continued on page 10 stripping people of cash, jewelry and even   F E A T U R E S T O R Y   |    A R T S & C U L T U R E     |    A F T E R   |    07.17.14     |   SN&R     |   9


“JACKED!”

continued from page 9

Sgt. Lisa R. Bowman, spokeswoman for the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, said providers are supposed to report all blacklisted phones to law enforcement, so that any recovered ones can be returned to their owners. But they’re not legally required to do so, and authorities can’t arrest someone for possessing a stolen phone if it hasn’t been reported stolen. “We can only encourage potential buyers of these products to use common sense and thoroughly research the item … before a purchase which might lead them to fall victim to a scam,” Bowman said. Other than that, what can be done? Not much. Yet.

Big Telecom profits off crime

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A growing slew of “kill-switch” legislative fixes are popping up around the country— and meeting resistance from a powerful telecommunications industry that rakes in more than $38 billion selling smartphone-theft insurance and replacement mobile devices to victimized consumers, according to figures from the office of state Sen. Mark Leno. Earlier this year, the Bay Area Democrat introduced a bill that would require all smartphones manufactured and sold in California after January 1, 2015, to be equipped with remote-deactivation software. Thus far, Big Telecom has fought Leno kicking and tweeting. “They have a business model that [relies] on crime,” said Holober, whose consumeradvocacy group supports Senate Bill 962. The push for California’s kill-switch legislation originated in the Bay Area because of how explosively common smartphone thefts became in that region. In Oakland, a whopping 75 percent of robberies involve the theft of a mobile device. In San Francisco, more than 65 percent of robberies do. Long Beach and Los Angeles are also saturated with smartphone robbers. Sacramento’s stolen smartphone problems pale by comparison. “Smartphone theft is one is one of the fastest-growing crimes in many cities across California, but it is also a preventable crime,” Leno said in a statement. “Once we ensure that nearly all smartphone owners have theftdeterrent technology installed and enabled on their phones, we will take away the financial incentive for thieves and end this crime of convenience.” When Leno introduced the measure earlier this year in February, smartphone manufacturers and wireless carriers came out to oppose it. Holober said he wasn’t surprised. Companies like AT&T and Sprint rake in “several billion dollars a year in phone-theft insurance,” he said. “So this is a significant part of their business model.” In other words, stick-up kids and momand-pop scammers may drive the smartphone black market, but telecoms profit from the crime the most. Media outlets reported last year that several major carriers balked at a new smartphone-wiping software developed by

Samsung with the New York-based Secure Our Smartphones initiative. According to The Associated Press, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón obtained emails between Samsung and multiple cellphone carriers that he said showed their reluctance originated from a feared drop in theft-insurance profits. In recent months, the wireless industry has largely backed off from its recalcitrance, at least publicly, with many smartphone companies releasing their own versions of anti-theft security. While Apple, AT&T, BlackBerry, Microsoft and Verizon have all switched to neutral stances since the legislation was introduced, many of these same companies are represented by The Wireless Association, or CTIA, which opposes the bill. CTIA vice president of external and state affairs Jamie Hastings dismissed S.B. 962 as “neither necessary nor workable” during an assembly subcommittee meeting last month. Google, which is developing its own kill-switch function, is the biggest company shielded by CTIA’s opposition. The association is still waging a less visible battle to make the kill-switch demand voluntary, which critics say would allow companies to bury the functionality where most people won’t know how to enable it, or “opt in.”

“ They have a business model that [relies] on crime.” Richard Holober executive director, Consumer Federation of California, on telecommunications companies That’s why S.B. 962’s requirement that kill-switch technology be the default setting—active unless the phone’s owner follows a prompt to disable it—is a central part of the measure, said Holober. “That’s what makes it meaningful.” The Senate and two Assembly subcommittees have already approved S.B. 962, but a full floor vote next month looms. Gov. Jerry Brown would also need to sign the law for it to take effect. It’s no foregone conclusion that it’ll survive such tests. The measure initially suffered a setback in April, when several of Leno’s fellow Senate Democrats voted against it, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. While the mobile-communications industry has suffered “a black eye” by taking such a forceful stance against measures that could reduce theft and violence, Holober said it has reason to try. “This is an industry that pretty much owns the Legislature,” he said. Meanwhile, the quickest solution might be a little thoughtfulness. According to a Lookout survey conducted by IDG Research, 44 percent of smartphone-theft victims “accidentally left their phone behind in a public setting where it was later snatched by a thief.” Comparatively, only 11 percent had their smartphones stolen out of their hands, pockets, purses or bags. When it comes right down to it, memory might just be the stealthiest thief. Ω


Down the tunnel

BEATS

Judge shoots down lawsuit that some claim   would save Delta habitat, groundwater, fish The effort to stop sending river water from the Sacramento Delta down south took a hit this past week. by Now, a species of fish considered Alastair Bland to be the canary in the coal mine for the entire Sacramento River and Delta ecosystem is at the verge of extinction, according to environmental groups that sued the federal government earlier this year to try and save the species and its environment.

“And this is all so we can sell water to farmers in the desert who want to grow permanent crops,” Vlamis said. Judge Lawrence O’Neill, of the federal district court in Fresno, denied the inwjunction on July 11, thereby allowing the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to continue supplying farms in the arid San Joaquin Valley with water from the drought-stressed Sacramento River. Photo by AAron Kohr/thinKStocK

Last week, a district court judge tossed out their lawsuit, which sought to immediately halt transfers of Sacramento River water to farms south of the Delta via two powerful water pumps near Tracy. The plaintiffs that filed the suit, AquAlliance and the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, argued that stopping the pumping of water this summer was essential to protecting the endangered Delta smelt, now at its lowest population ever recorded. The lawsuit was also geared toward protecting much more than the finger-sized fish. “This is a whole watershed issue, not just a Delta or a smelt issue,” said Barbara Vlamis, executive director of AquAlliance. “Delta smelt are in the most immediate danger here, but the impacts affect much more than that.” Groundwater supplies, used for making the water transfers, are vulnerable to overuse. This, Vlamis says, could cost local farmers their wellwater supplies and destroy salmonspawning habitat in the Sacramento River system.

Sacramento River water leaves the Delta and travels south via aqueducts (shown here). A lawsuit tried to stop two big pumps in Tracy from doing this, arguing that it impacts the Delta ecology, smelt and salmon. A judge dismissed the suit last week.

BEFORE

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NEWS

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The action will likely have negative effects for the chinook salmon, as well—a species of arguably more social and economic value than smelt. John McManus, executive director of the Golden Gate Salmon Association, speculates that heavy pumping of river water during the summer into the San Joaquin Valley will reduce the capacity of Northern California’s reservoirs. As a result, river levels could be low and temperatures high during the critical fall spawning period, when the majority of California’s chinook salmon swim upstream to lay and fertilize eggs. Fertilized salmon eggs require cool water in order to properly develop. Last fall, a similar situation occurred, when not enough water was available to keep the Sacramento River running at a healthy volume. Reservoir operators lowered the outflow from Shasta Dam. The river’s level dropped rapidly, and as many as 40 percent of salmon egg nests were dewatered and destroyed. Judge O’Neill reportedly made his decision to continue summertime sales of Sacramento River water to

F E AT U R E

STORY

Pretty boxes

farmers south of the Delta because of the argument from federal scientists, who claimed that because Delta smelt were not present in the Delta during the summer months, they would not be put at risk by the pumping. But Bill Jennings, executive director of the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, says that the scientists’ claims are incorrect. He says that more than 90 percent of the remaining Delta smelt are now likely present in the Delta, where incursion of saltwater and a rise in summertime temperatures is likely to result from the pumping. The U.S. Geological Survey recently reported a net inflow from the ocean into the Delta—the opposite of the historical norm of the river flowing to the sea. These conditions could prove fatal for every last smelt this summer, Jennings has warned.

“Does it make sense to be sending water from Northern California to the San Joaquin Valley so a handful of corporate farmers can grow almonds?” John McManus executive director Golden Gate Salmon Association The smelt was once among the most abundant species in the Delta ecosystem. Today, a fraction of the original population remains. This should be cause for alarm, environmentalists say, as the species serves as an indicator of the environmental stress that the Delta and its residents have faced for years—mainly due to excessive use of the river’s water for irrigation. As Delta smelt slip toward extinction, Jennings says, we can be sure other species are, too. McManus questions the very notion of trading one resource for another. “Does it make sense to be sending water from Northern California to the San Joaquin Valley so a handful of corporate farmers can grow almonds?” he said. “As a society, who wants this? Why are we doing this?” Ω

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In a bid to make boring, old utility boxes too pretty to deface, Sacramento city officials were poised on Tuesday to arm 20 local artists with brushes and set them loose on downtown. Well, sort of. More accurately, the city’s Capitol Box Art Project will see the transfer of these artists’ designs—28 in all—onto durable vinyl adhered to more than two- dozen utility boxes around the Capitol. “It’s going to make a big visual impact. Trust me,” promised Shelly Willis, executive director of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, which convened a panel to select artists from a pool of more than 70 applicants. Willis said the project was spearheaded by the Capitol Area Development Authority, which is funding and managing the installations, as well as maintaining the pieces once they’re applied to the boxes. CADA paid artists a $500 “honorarium” for each selected piece, for which they retain copyright. The city will own the actual vinyl on which the designs are transferred and have the right to use the images in promotional materials, Willis explained. The stated goals of the project are to, in part, create a more vibrant art scene and deter graffiti, a city staff report says. Willis also credited the project with drawing traditionally 2-D artists into the public sphere and exposing people who might not frequent galleries to their talents. Eight local artists will have multiple designs on utility boxes—Laura Caron, Erik Hosino, Janine Maparunga, Jim Piskoti, Sam Sellers, Melissa Uroff, Bryan Valenzuela and Kerri Warner. The artists’ styles include photo-realistic illustration, animation-influenced manga and abstracts. “They’re all very thoughtful,” Willis said. The Sacramento City Council was expected to approve the project with a procedural vote on Tuesday. Willis said the artwork would start appearing next week between Seventh and 17th streets and L and S streets, transforming utility boxes that were designed to disappear in an urban environment into pop-art installations. “It’s kind of startling, in a way,” she said. (Raheem F. Hosseini)

Droughtful behavior While several cities are already tightening their water spouts through landscaping prohibitions and drought surcharges, Rancho Cordova hasn’t joined the conservation bandwagon just yet. Supplied with the clear stuff by Golden State Water Company, American Water and the Sacramento County Water Agency, the city reasons that it’s not in control of its own supply. By that argument, few municipalities are. On Tuesday, the city council was expected to re-evaluate its wait-and-see leadership approach with input from an online water-conservation survey that tallied 98 responses from residents. According to the results, 46.9 percent of respondents considered water conservation to be a highpriority affair, while 68 percent believed their city should take an active role in promoting conservation. Another 67 percent supported policy changes that would allow residents to replace their water-gorging front yards with more drought-tolerant landscapes. Only 35.2 percent favored mandatory water cutbacks that have been adopted in Sacramento, Folsom and elsewhere. One unnamed commenter did make a different observation. “It seems that Code Enforcement is unaware of the drought, and working against water conservation,” the person wrote. “Neighbors have complained about being fined for a slightly browning lawn, while trying to adhere to the State guidelines. Could the City work with the different departments and ensure you’re all on the same page?” The council was given the option of making immediate recommendations on Tuesday or waiting until staff returned at a “future” meeting with ideas. No rush or anything. (RFH)

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Walking is good

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Congrats to Sam Paris, of  Grange Restaurant & Bar,  and Gianna Jordan, of Old Soul  Co., who crossed the finish  line first in the annual Bastille  Day Waiter’s Race in Midtown  on Sunday. More than 50  local servers speed-walked  four blocks near L and 19th  streets carrying a tray with  water and glassware on top.  Paris and Jordan took the  men’s and women’s races,  respectively, and brought  home $500 each.

Officers pulled over a car on Saturday  night on the 2400 block of 57th Avenue.  The passenger ran off. A perimeter  was set up. The suspect intimidated a  neighbor into giving him the shirt off his  back to change his appearance. That  didn’t work. The cops found the suspect— then did a probation search of his home:  a gun, ammo, marijuana plants, pounds of  pot, hash oil and cocaine. Francisco Lastra  was booked for felony possession of a  firearm, robbery, drugs and running from  the cops. Which just reaffirms again, for  the umpteenth time, that running from  the cops is still bad.

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Scorekeeper isn’t the weekly “What the hell is  Marcos Breton talking about?” column. But we  do think it’s odd that, in his latest Sunday’s best,  Breton wrote about soccer fans chanting “puto”  at the Sacramento Republic FC soccer matches. Yet  he wouldn’t actually spell out the vulgarity in his  column, because The Sacramento Bee is a “family  paper,” he says. You know, because parents  and kids sit around the Sunday breakfast table  reading the Bee all the time.

An arbitrator  ruled that city  police officers  and sergeants  need to pitch  in and pay for  some of their  pensions last  week. Previously,  they paid nothing.  Law-enforcement  employees  will also get a  pay bump, too,  incrementally  over the next  three years. This  seems fair—but  doesn’t resolve  the city’s bigpicture unfunded  pension liability.

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Jordan’s K.J. diss Michael Jordan visited Sacramento this week to be part of St. HOPE Academy’s  25th anniversary celebration. He and Mayor Kevin Johnson shared the stage  on Saturday night for a discussion, whereupon Jordan (in typical M.J. fashion)  dissed K.J.’s defensive proficiency during the 1993 NBA Finals, calling him short  and saying he went easy on him, but should’ve averaged 50 per game. Zing!

+ 25


In the shadows As Californians get older, lawmaker deals   compromise health care for the elderly and   disabled—and screw over workers Late last year, the Obama administration decreed that overtime protections should be extended to home-care workers, the people who do the critical work of tending to the elderly and disabled. But California Gov. Jerry Brown said the state’s In-Home Supportive Services Program— which provides money for low-income residents to hire their own caregivers— arvIn couldn’t afford to pay overtime. Brown by COSMO G decided to prohibit IHSS workers from cosmog@ newsrev iew.c om working more than 40 hours a week. The policy was unrealistic, of course: Caring for someone with advanced Alzheimer’s disease or severe disabilities is no 9-to-5 gig. Brown eventually cut a deal with labor groups and the Democratic Legislature— agreeing to overtime with some strict caps. And, as it stands now, some home-care workers could actually lose income under the new overtime rules. The deal will also cut the total number of hours of care available to each IHSS recipient by about 7 percent. The IHSS fight is one example of the difficult choices facing California as the population ages and increasingly strains the system of long-term health care for the elderly and disabled.

Cosmo Garvin did more reporting on caregiving for Capital Public Radio as part of a documentary called Who Cares. If you haven’t checked CPR’s View From Here series on public health, do so at www.capradio.org.

BEFORE

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She met with legislators and gave passionate testimony at state budget hearings. “I thought we won. But we didn’t,” she says now. Ben Tracey, an organizer with SEIU-UHW, says about 20 percent of the state’s 350,000 IHSS workers will do better under the new rules. The large majority won’t be affected. Then, about 2,500 or so will actually be hurt by the rules as they stand now. But Tracey also says there’s a fix in the works to keep that group of people like Jackson from losing out. But the deal isn’t done yet. “Until they see it in writing, people are understandably upset and fearful,” Tracey says.

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Meanwhile, the 7 percent cut in hours will affect all IHSS clients. And it will hurt the often poor, predominantly female workforce that cares for them, says Geoff Hoffman, with the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. He says these people, family caregivers and nonfamily home-care workers, constitute a “shadow workforce”—underpaid, unseen, doing health-care work that would be tremendously expensive in an institutional setting. “Women in particular are really getting hosed in this shadow workforce,” says Hoffman. His research shows that about a third of home-care workers are “food insecure,” a third are themselves uninsured. Family caregivers in general are more likely to be stressed out and to neglect their own health.

IHSS providers do it all, cooking, cleaning, bathing and personal care, even medical care. The program helps people stay in their homes instead of institutions. And it also allows family members to receive some income for “Women in particular providing care, which can be good for the care recipient and can help make up for the hours are really getting and employment opportunities that family members often give up to become caregivers. hosed in this shadow California was the first state in the country to workforce.” adopt this model and has since been emulated in other states. Geoff Hoffman Loretta Jackson is one of California’s IHSS UCLA Fielding School of Public Health family caregivers. She spends much of her day caring for her 71-year-old dad, who has dementia, and her sister, who had a stroke back While Hoffman too sees the overtime rules in 1999 and is partially paralyzed and speech as a win—“it’s recognition that this work impaired. Both live with her and her husband clearly is work”—he worries about the other and children. cuts, and the low pay, high-stress jobs that In Sacramento County, IHSS pays her caregivers do. “This is not making widgets, about $11 an hour for the care she provides. where you can just switch one person for But since the state now caps her hours at 66 another. It’s about trust.” per week, “We’re going to lose about half our “I think the governor’s guys are thinking, income,” Jackson explained. ‘Well, we’ll cut a few hours, no big deal.’” The family could bring another caregiver But that misses the bigger picture, says into the house to round out the rest of the Hoffman. California has a huge baby boomer hours her dad and sister qualify for, but her population, all entering retirement age. dad’s dementia means he can get extremely Without better policies, the burden on the agitated, even violent at times, and Jackson shadow workforce—underpaid, overworked doesn’t trust him with strangers. And much of and vulnerable—will grow heavier. the income that Jackson gets paid goes back “We need to take care of the long-term into paying for food and shelter and clothing disabled, and we need to take care of the and medical care for her sister and dad. people who are taking care of them. Right Jackson fought alongside the SEIU-United now, the system isn’t really working for either Healthcare Workers West for overtime pay. of them.” Ω   |   N E W S   |   F E A T U R E S T O R Y   |    A R T S & C U L T U R E

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What is the future of journalism? I recently attended the annual Association of Alternative Newsmedia Convention in Nashville, Tenn., where this question was thoroughly discussed, hashed and rehashed, and commiserated about. I don’t know what the future of journalism will be, but after the AAN Convention, I now know that I am not alone; most of these knowledgeable, brilliant experts do not know, either. As you may know, the Internet has dramatically changed the media’s ability to finance journalism. In the past, advertising revenue funded journalism. In the new-media environment, there is significantly l ne by Jeff VonKae less money coming from ads. Newspaper classifieds are essentially gone, online ads pay a tiny fraction of what j e ffv @n e wsr e v ie w.c o m print ads pay, and TV and radio news shows have been reduced and replaced by lower cost entertainment shows. Less advertising revenue has led to massive reductions in news staffs across all media. The Internet has allowed Publishers and editors our journalism to reach out to, hoped that we could and inform, a larger audience. This is great. But publishers develop a system and editors hoped that we could whereby the Internet develop a system whereby the Internet would provide revenue would provide revenue to support journalism. This has to support journalism. not happened. At the recent AAN convenThis has not happened. tion, like nearly all the conventions for the last 15 years, there A grant from was much discussion about the Web, about how newspapers Sacramento can improve their online presences, about how in the very Emergency Foodlink near future, we could make money doing journalism online. allowed SN&R to conduct So much optimism, especially from the vendors selling the independent newest exciting major breakthrough in technology. But I research and wondered how much revenue my fellow newspaper publishreporting on ers were receiving online. I discovered: very little. On poverty in our region: average, about 5 percent. Thomas Jefferson once said, “If I had to choose between http://tinyurl.com/ FocusOnPoverty. government without newspapers, and newspapers without government, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose the latter.” And A grant from the he said that even without experiencing our current Congress. Sierra Health Journalism plays an essential role in informing a community. Foundation allowed It provides the critical information that enables communia group of California alternative tywide dialogue. And reporters can generate much better newsweeklies to journalism when it is their career, rather than a hobby. conduct independent The media has to find a way to support independent research and journalism. Perhaps the way that listeners support National reporting on California’s low rate of Public Radio will become the model for other media. Or participation perhaps there will be a hybrid model, with support from in the CalFresh advertising as well as donations from readers and nonprofits. food-stamps program: Last year, SN&R received a very generous grant from http://tinyurl.com/ FoodAccessProject. Sacramento Emergency Foodlink, which allowed us to hire an independent reporter to cover poverty issues. These issues deserved more focus, and this funding allowed us to improve Jeff vonKaenel our coverage. is the president, We want to do more. We believe more extensive CEO and coverage of the environment, health care and investigative majority owner of the News & Review reportage would make a real difference. We have not had the newspapers in advertising revenue to do this to the extent that we would Sacramento, like, but perhaps nontraditional funding is out there. Chico and Reno. The idea makes me optimistic about the future of journalism. Ω


This Modern World

by tom tomorrow

Cannabis lessons Earlier this month, Washington state residents joined those in Colorado in enjoying the legal recreational use of marijuana. It’s been six months since Coloradans have been able to buy pot in retail stores, and some preliminary results are in as far as tax revenues and the effect legalization has had on crime rates. Both are favorable. News reports reveal Colorado has collected $11 million in marijuana sales taxes so far and expects that number to grow to around $200 million over the next four years. In addition, violent-crime rates have dropped 10 percent over last year in Denver. This is all good news for Washington, and good news for Californians in favor of either legalization or a more top-down regulated medical-cannbabis industry. Just last month, Washington set new guidelines for pot shops based on data from Colorado. We can do the same. If legalization is on the ballot this November, or in 2016, we should strongly consider approving it. It could be a financial boon to our cash-strapped state while easing pressure on our courts and prison system. And, as we all know, prohibition only serves to fuel the black market. The regulations in Colorado and Washington also can be applied to our existing medical-marijuana industry. We don’t have to be the guinea pigs anymore— we can follow the trails blazed by Colorado and Washington. Ω

Vaccinate. Please. White skin, green living

The resurgence of whooping cough, a deadly disease that is entirely preventable through the use of vaccination, is a shame. Even worse is the evidence that the very people who ought to know better—well-educated middle-class Californians—make up the majority of those forgoing vaccination for their children. All of this stems from an incredibly uninformed and fearful belief that vaccination causes damage. Parents fear that children will get sick from the vaccines; that there are chemicals and preservatives in the vaccines that will harm them; that, given the reduction in “childhood” illnesses like measles, mumps and whooping cough, vaccination is no longer necessary. The most-feared preservative, thimerosal, has never been found to cause more than a local hypersensitivity reaction—that is, swelling at the injection site. It’s no longer present in any of the vaccines given to children younger than 6 (with the exception of influenza vaccines, which are available in a preservative-free form), and hasn’t been for more than a decade. The vaccine-autism link, which has caused so much fear, was cited in one study that was retracted because the researcher falsified results. That’s it. The scientifically soundest preventive medicine we have is vaccination. But frightened, uninformed parents have put us in a situation where we’ve had a recent measles outbreak in the Bay Area, and we’re currently having a whooping cough epidemic. Don’t wait until it’s your child struggling to breathe—anyone who has ever heard the signature sound of a child gasping with whooping cough will never forget it. The reason so many vaccinations are recommended for children is because they save lives. Educate, vaccinate and keep children healthy. Ω

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about living with 11 roommates sense of community would more often be in a Midtown co-op. The story also provided an lost by white people who grew up isolated excuse to invite myself over to other cohousing by in suburban nuclear families, rather than in Janelle Bitker communities and meet likeminded people. larger families for longer periods of time. A pattern quickly emerged: Nearly everyHas the absence of another Asian houseone was white. mate detracted from my experience? No. Do I hadn’t really noticed it before. I have I think these communities intentionally pick one Latino roommate. I’m half-Chinese. white residents over minorities? Definitely Everyone else is white, and the vast not. Why bring this up at all? majority of former housemates are also When I was a freshman at UC Davis, I white. The folks I looked at the student co-ops interviewed for the and thought they were amazImages are story were all white, ing bastions of alternative as were most members culture. But I also couldn’t powerful. of their respective help noticing how white communities. they were, and how much I Do co-ops have a diversity problem? felt like I didn’t belong. It was like looking It would certainly appear so, even though inside a yoga studio and seeing only thin, diversity is one of their core principles. affluent, white women. Images are powerful. I asked some housemates for their theories. That ended up being silly of me. The One said co-ops espouse white, liberal culture, people who lived there were wonderful, and so it’s natural that residents are mostly white. I eventually felt like an auxiliary member of Perhaps, said another, more whites feel they the community. But that original hesitation can afford to drop everything and experiment was real. I doubt I’m alone, and that very with lifestyle. hesitation has probably stopped others from One thought is that it begins in college. wandering in for dinner or responding to a Co-ops are present at many universities. Craigslist ad. Universities are places of privilege. Plus, a lot Maybe these cultural barriers and false of colleges have special housing communities perceptions will break down over time. Maybe designated for minority groups. they won’t. Until then, self-awareness can Another pointed out that other cultures only help. Ω are more familial than white America. A BEFORE

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read more about vaccine safety and availability from the U.s. Food and drug Administration at http://tinyurl.com/ usfda-vaccines.

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by Sam Levin

On why so many bees are dying, what’s poisoning them and how it will impact Sacramento’s ‘farm-to-fork’ lifestyle 16   |   SN&R   |   07.17.14


The sight stunned Ellis, who has owned and operated Old Mill Honey Company in Barrett, Minnesota, for 35 years. “Normally in the spring, we typically expect bees to build up and get stronger,” he recalled. “For a beekeeper to watch his bees be devastated in the springtime—it’s like watching a little child get extremely sick and debilitated. It takes a real mental toll on you.” But almost immediately, Ellis discovered the culprit: That morning, a farmer had planted corn in a field directly adjacent to his bee yard, which housed roughly 1,300 hives at the time. He was well aware that most corn seeds are treated with a pesticide called neonicotinoids. And that day, the wind was blowing from the cornfield toward Ellis’ bees, the beekeeper wrote in an incident report he sent to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The bees’ only sources of food were nearby willow trees, which, Ellis surmised, had become coated with pesticidecontaminated dust. Ellis said he has no doubt that the farmer’s pesticides had poisoned his bees. Neonicotinoids, called neonics for short, are the most widely used pesticides in the world. They are considered systemic pesticides, meaning they get into a plant’s root and leaf system and are distributed throughout the organism—including to the pollen and nectar. While they’re very effective at killing harmful pests such as beetles and aphids, neonics are also highly toxic to bees. In May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released data showing that domestic beekeepers lost more than one in five honeybee colonies in the 2013-2014 winter season. Beekeepers have been experiencing abnormally high losses since 2006, when honeybees began mysteriously disappearing from their hives in large quantities, part of a phenomenon experts called colony collapse disorder. While experts agree that declining bee health is a multifaceted problem, in recent years a growing body of research has suggested that pesticides are a major threat to our nation’s honeybees, weakening colonies and making them vulnerable to diseases and parasites.

BEFORE

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“We know that the dust from [pesticideladen] seed planting is outright toxic to bees and responsible for ... bee kills on an annual basis during corn-planting time,” said James Frazier, a professor of entomology at Pennsylvania State University who has co-authored studies exploring links between pesticides and honeybee health. Beekeepers, researchers and environmental-advocacy groups accuse the EPA of failing to properly regulate pesticides and protect pollinators (most notably honeybees, but other insects and animals, too), while Europe has temporarily banned the use of three neonic compounds due to concerns about their impacts on bees. Critics say the federal agency has relied heavily on biased data from the corporate giants that profit tremendously from pesticides, including Bayer CropScience and Syngenta, which manufacture neonics, and Monsanto, which produces the crop seeds that are coated with the pesticides.

And yet, honeybee colonies in the United States have been steadily declining since the 1940s, dropping 61 percent from their peak of 5.9 million colonies in 1947 to a low of 2.3 million reported in 2008, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. More tellingly, beekeepers have lost a large percentage of their colonies in recent years. For the last several decades, beekeepers could typically expect annual losses of about 5-15 percent, which usually occurred during winter. But since 2006, winter loss rates have fluctuated between 22 and 36 percent. According to the USDA’s annual colony loss survey, beekeepers lost 30.5 percent of their colonies in the 2012-2013 winter season. Things improved slightly last season, when beekeepers lost 23.2 percent of their colonies. But for the second time, this year’s survey also looked at summertime losses, which were nearly as high as winter rates—roughly 20 percent.

if honeybees continue to die at rapid rates, our food supply will suffer.

Several Northern California beekeepers, researchers, and advocacy organizations hope to change this scenario. And four commercial beekeepers, including Ellis, have sued the EPA for continuing to allow the use of certain pesticides that are toxic to bees. It’s not just the beekeepers’ businesses that are at stake. If honeybees continue to die at rapid rates, our food supply will suffer. Honeybees are believed to be responsible for one-third of all the food we eat—almonds, apples, blueberries, alfalfa that dairy cows depend on, and much more. “This is not one of those species we can ignore,” said Terry Oxford, a San Franciscobased beekeeper and activist. “Pollinators and bees are tied into our existence. They are essentially our food.”

HiSTO ry Of a cOllapSE Honeybees are more important to human survival than ever before. In the last 50 years, the amount of agriculture production dependent on pollination has increased by 300 percent, according to the United Nations. Today, bees pollinate 71 out of 100 crop species that provide 90 percent of food worldwide, the United Nations estimated in a 2010 report.

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“We have become so dependent on this one species of pollinator—the honeybee,” said Claire Kremen, UC Berkeley professor of environmental science, policy and management. But while our food supply has increasingly demanded the services of bees, our agriculture system has transformed into one that is very challenging for bees and beekeepers. For decades, we have moved toward monoculture planting—growing single crops over large areas. “One of the things that happens when you plant things in monoculture is that you also become more vulnerable to pest attacks, because you’ve just laid out a feast,” explained Kremen, who is also the faculty co-director of the Berkeley Food Institute. “A pest insect can rapidly spread.” And the monoculture system, she said, has also eradicated the habitats for predator species that naturally prey on these harmful pests. The only way, then, to control pests is with chemical pesticides, Kremen said. “And most pesticides have some generality to them, and they’re targeting insects—and bees are insects. So, do the math.” A growing body of evidence has shown just how extensively bees are exposed to

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ome of the honeybees were lying on their backs, trembling and twitching. Others were crawling slowly on the ground, unable to fly. Many were motionless, lying dead in piles. Many more had simply disappeared, apparently unable to find their way back to their hives. This was the gruesome scene commercial beekeeper Steve Ellis came upon on the morning of May 7, 2013.

pesticides. In 2010, researchers at Penn State published results of a broad survey examining pesticide residues on samples of bees from 23 states. The group found 121 different pesticides and metabolites (a breakdown product of pesticides) in nearly 900 wax, pollen, bee and hive samples. “I think the research community was really shocked,” said Frazier, professor at Penn State and co-author of the study, referring to the response to his report. Just last month, Chensheng (Alex) Lu, associate professor of environmental exposure biology at the Harvard School of Public Health, published a study linking neonics to honeybee colony collapses, replicating findings he first published in a 2012 study. He observed three groups of six bee colonies each from October 2012 through April 2013: Two of the groups were treated with different neonic compounds (at doses far below established lethal levels) and a control group was left untreated. For the first several months, all of the colonies experienced declines typical for New England winters. But in January, the control colony population began to increase, as is normal, while the neonic-treated hives continued to decline. By April, half of the neonic-contaminated colonies were lost, while only one of the colonies in the control group, which appeared to have been infected by a parasite, did not survive. “We were very confident in our conclusions that the pesticides caused this problem,” Lu said. In light of the mounting evidence, the European Commission last year decided to enact a two-year ban on three neonics to give officials an opportunity to re-evaluate the pesticides’ potential harms to bees. For years, beekeepers and environmental activists have called on the EPA to implement similar restrictions in the United States. So far, they haven’t had any success.

GOvE rnMEnT rEGulaTiOn buzzES O ff Jim Doan has been a commercial beekeeper for more than four decades, pollinating apples in New York and citrus in Florida. But due to financial hardships caused by the massive bee losses he has experienced in recent years, he decided to sell his 112-acre farm in western New York last summer. And now he’s ending his honey business, too. “I can’t stand to see any more dead hives of bees,” Doan said by phone recently, adding that he will still raise bees, but only for the purpose of selling them to other beekeepers. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever done in my life ... but I’ve got to get out.” Doan is one of the four commercial beekeepers who, with the support of a number of environmental-advocacy groups, sued the EPA in March 2013 for what the suit calls the agency’s “vast and extremely risky experiment” of allowing more than 2 million pounds of neonic pesticides to be

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A Big Thank You to all the local bars and restaurants participating in this year’s Drink to Donate program. With their help we are able to raise funds for Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates, a local bicycle non profit whose organization commits itself to enriching our biking community by making it more safe and convenient for people to take trips by bikes. Go visit your local participating account and have a drink to benefit this great organization.*

For more information and how to donate to Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates go to: www.sacbike.org

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used annually on more than 100 million acres of farmland. “The research out there shows that these products are lethal to bees. When is the EPA going to say we’ve got enough information?” said Doan, who has lost about half of his hives every year since 2006, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges that the EPA relied on manufacturers’ inadequate studies in its approval of two neonic compounds—clothianidin and thiamethoxam. Furthermore, the suit alleges, the EPA violated the law in its refusal to suspend the usage of these pesticides despite knowing the hazards proven by independent research. Critics say the lack of proper risk assessment is woven into the agency’s so-called conditional registrations, by which regulators can approve a pesticide that meets certain standards but still requires more testing. The EPA insists it only registers safe products, but from the perspective of the agency’s critics, pesticide manufacturers have repeatedly abused the conditional registration process and secured federal approval for the widespread and unsafe use of toxic chemicals. “We don’t have the luxury of debating these questions for the next decade,” said Tom Theobald, a Colorado beekeeper and co-plaintiff in the lawsuit. After 38 years in the industry, his honey business is no longer profitable due to repeated losses of his bees. “We are completely out of time.”

Concerns about bee health extend beyond the use of neonics. Research has increasingly demonstrated that the combined use of pesticides can lead to significantly increased toxicity levels in bees. In April, the Pollinator Stewardship Council reported that almond pollination in California led to devastating losses for beekeepers this year. The multibillion-dollar almond industry, which depends entirely on commercial beekeeping for pollination in late winter, brought roughly 1,300 beekeepers with a total of 1.7 million colonies to the state this season, according to the organization, which collects bee kill reports. Around 15-25 percent of those colonies were damaged, with losses totaling at least $64 million for the commercial beekeepers, the group said. The suspected culprit is a so-called tank mix of chemicals, which includes an insect growth regulator and fungicide. Asked about the bee deaths as a result of almond pollination, an EPA spokesperson wrote in an email that the cause and scope of the incident is currently under investigation, but if the agency finds that these chemicals pose “unreasonable adverse effects to the environment,” then it “will move quickly to take appropriate regulatory action.”

Big  Pharma  criBs  the    Big  toBacco  Pl ayBook Chemical manufacturers typically blame the issue of declining bee health on factors other than pesticides—primarily mites.

“ Most pesticides have some generality to them, and they’re targeting insects—and bees are insects. So, do the math.” Claire Kremen, UC Berkeley professor of environmental science, policy and management

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The lawsuit, filed last year in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California, is winding its way through the courts. In April, a judge issued a ruling dismissing parts of the beekeepers’ claims and allowing others to move forward. EPA officials declined to be interviewed for this story, but a spokesperson sent a lengthy email on the agency’s behalf defending its approval of neonics and overall commitment to protecting pollinator health. The EPA has also updated pesticide labels with new management practices for spray applications to minimize the potential harm to bees, the agency said. The EPA has not, however, made any label changes for the widespread application of neonics through seed treatments.

“The No. 1 problem is the varroa mite,” said David Fischer, Bayer’s director of pollinator safety and manager of the North American Bee Care Center. The parasitic mite known as the Varroa destructor essentially sucks the blood of bees, thereby spreading viruses. It was first discovered in the United States in 1987, and can destroy whole colonies. Many researchers and commercial beekeepers agree that the parasite is a major contributor to declining bee health. However, they insist the mite isn’t the only problem, and that their existence doesn’t lessen the role that pesticides play.

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“BUZZ WORRy”continued from page 18 In fact, some scientists believe that pesticides weaken bees and potentially make colonies more vulnerable to mites and other pests and pathogens. “They are trying to say, ‘Hey, it’s everything but our pesticides that is causing this,” said Lisa Archer, director of the food and technology program of Berkeley-based Friends of the Earth. “What they are trying to do is distract attention from their contribution to the problem, which is classic tobaccoindustry science 101.”

Representatives of Syngenta, which has its domestic headquarters in Delaware, declined to be interviewed for this story. However, spokesperson Ann Bryan sent a lengthy email, which stated, “We care about the health of bees and other pollinators, and always appreciate the opportunity to share our science about neonicotinoids and the vital role they play in crop protection and environmental health and safety.” Monsanto spokesperson Billy Brennan referenced an article from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service branch titled “Helping Honey Bees’ Health,” which,

Harvard’s Lu said he was surprised by the intensity and the sometimes personal nature of the attacks he faced after he published research unfavorable to neonics. Companies may also be attempting to influence academic research through contributions to universities. According to Bayer’s Fischer, the company plans to spend roughly $12 million on bee health in North America this year, with about one-third devoted to research including grants to conservation organizations, contracts with research organizations, and research within universities. The amount Bayer has spent on bee research has increased significantly in recent years, he added. Photo by Brad Wenner/East Bay Express

Susan Kegley of the Pesticide Research Institute said that in areas where corn and soy is being planted, honey production has declined between 30 and 80 percent.

The stakes are high for these companies. For example, Friends of the Earth’s report noted that Bayer reported more than $10 billion in global sales from its pesticide and seed growth products in 2012. Its leading neonic product, a compound called imidacloprid, is worth $1.1 billion, according to a 2011 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry article cited by Friends of the Earth’s report. The companies and their political action committees also spend significant sums on political donations and lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. Over the last 10 years, Bayer, Syngenta and Monsanto have spent roughly $55 million, $9 million, and $61 million, respectively, on lobbying activities, according to data from the companies and the Center for Responsive Politics. In an interview, Bayer’s Fischer said the company’s “crop protection” products are thoroughly researched and, when used properly, do not negatively impact pollinators: “If the labels are followed, the exposure levels are within the range that honeybees can tolerate without adverse effects to the colony.”

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he said, was consistent with the USDA’s testimony at the hearing. In outlining all of the threats to bee health, the USDA’s article did not include a single mention of pesticides. A Congressional hearing on pollinators in April also heavily focused on varroa mites, relying on testimony from Bayer’s Fischer and Jeffrey Pettis, research leader of the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service Bee Research Laboratory. No independent scientists or commercial beekeepers were called to testify. But Pettis doesn’t actually agree with that assessment. “It was not very balanced,” he said of the hearing in a phone interview, adding it was a “shame ... we didn’t hear directly from beekeepers.” Some argue that the corporate influence on bee research extends to academia as well. “I think there are people that are afraid to publish data for fear of their careers being interfered with by industry,” said Maryann Frazier, a honeybee specialist at Penn State’s department of entomology.

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Bryan of Syngenta said the company invested $1.37 billion globally in research and development in 2013. Monsanto spent $1.5 billion on research and development in 2013, according to the company’s financial reports, plus $113 million on purchasing Beeologics, the research firm, in 2011. Such research investments can help the companies get the positive press they seek. When Monsanto announced that it had bought Beeologics, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran with this headline: “Monsanto buys Beeologics, working to save pollinating bees.”

Saving our food supply While the declining health of honeybees is certainly troubling, other insects and pollinators that are beneficial to our food supply are also under threat. New research raises concerns about the potential harms pesticides carry for a range of species, including birds, aquatic invertebrates, and butterflies. Some environmental advocates and researchers have attributed dramatic declines in monarch butterflies to the widespread use of

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herbicides, which has killed the milkweed plants on which monarchs depend. “As we’ve switched to genetically engineered corn that allows us to spray more and more herbicides, we then kill off every piece of vegetation that’s around the corn,” said Paul Towers of the Pesticide Action Network. “The butterflies and the bees are just ... indicators of how the landscape has changed so dramatically.” While manufacturers present their chemicals as essential to modern agriculture, the widespread use of toxic pesticides is not the only option. Many food-policy experts and environmental-advocacy groups believe that “integrated pest management” programs— in which pesticides are used as a last resort— are more sustainable in the long term and less hazardous to pollinators. In this model, growers use a variety of tactics to control pests, such as rotating crops and supporting predators. Instead of “pre-sterilizing” fields with chemicals, as the Center for Food Safety described in its recent report regarding the overuse of neonics, pesticides can be applied only when pest damage poses a serious economic threat. In organic-food production, growers don’t use any synthetic chemicals at all and only apply pesticides produced from natural sources. Failing to change our current mode of agricultural production could be devastating. If commercial beekeepers can’t keep their bees alive, they won’t be able to bring their pollination services to the growers who depend on them. “Ten years from now, I don’t know whether we will have commercial beekeeping as a career,” said the Susan Kegley, principal scientist with the Berkeley-based Pesticide Research Institute. Further declines in bee pollination could translate to smaller yields and higher prices for a number of crops, including apples, oranges, cherries and blueberries. And that means a less healthy diet, said Kremen of the UC Berkeley Food Institute, noting that people struggling with malnutrition and obesity need access to affordable fruits and vegetables—foods that largely rely on bee pollination. “It’s not a pretty picture.” Consider the case of almonds, which rely on pollination from a whopping 60 percent of all managed U.S. honeybee colonies every year, according to the USDA. As the almond industry has boomed in recent decades, the number of honeybee colonies available for pollination services has dropped. At this stage, research shows that the beekeepers are just barely meeting demand. And after the devastating kills this past season, some beekeepers told the EPA that without meaningful regulatory reforms, they will have to add a pesticide surcharge to almond pollination contracts for 2015, according to the Pollinator Stewardship Council. Other beekeepers, however, may just stay away from the almond groves altogether next year. The risk of severe hive damage is just Ω too great. This story first appeared in the East Bay Express. Read a longer version of author Sam Levin’s report at www.eastbayexpress.com.

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Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is opening a new brewery on the East Coast. To celebrate, it’s going on a big-time road trip.

BY NICK MILLER • nickam@ newsreview.com

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ierra Nevada Brewing Co. has been the Sacramento beer drinker’s gateway craft brew for more than three decades. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard someone tell me that, for some reason, they ordered a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale at a bar instead of a Bud or Coors. And that this seemingly insignificant decision in their life was transcendent. No longer would they settle for watered-down corporate beer. Sierra was their introduction to the world of craft. To the possibility of bitter hop flavors. It was a palate shocker. The proverbial beer awakening. And now, after 35 years of operating its brewery a stone’s throw north of Sacramento in Chico, Sierra Nevada is moving. OK, calm down. It’s also staying. It’s not complicated. Let me explain. This Saturday, Sierra Nevada will welcome 110 brewers from across the country to its headquarters for one of the largest beer festivals in the country. The event is a kickoff party for Sierra’s seven-stop, nationwide beer tour. Called Beer Camp Across America, the caravan will end later this summer in North Carolina, to commemorate the opening of Sierra’s new brewery. There’s also a special 12-pack of collaboration beers to mark the occasion. It might just be the biggest Northern California beer party ever. The reason Sierra Nevada is expanding is because the nation’s second-largest craft brewery has been running at capacity for a long time. This according to spokesperson Ryan Arnold. “We’re making beer 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he told SN&R. This means that brewers are working night shifts, and that there’s zero time for things like large-scale maintenance or innovation. Just beer, beer, beer. The catch is that Sierra Nevada is making so much brew, it’s pushing its limit, which is 1 million barrels a year in production. That’s a lot of brew.

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For comparison, one of Sacramento’s largest local breweries, It doesn’t end with the festival. To promote the tour, founder Track 7 Brewing Co.—which announced a forthcoming move Grossman invited 12 of the country’s most popular craft into a new 35,000-square-foot facility in Natomas next year— breweries to come to Chico (and North Carolina) to brew a estimates that it will make only 2,300 barrels in 2015. A million collaboration batch. Planning and plane tickets and fermentation barrels of beer; it would take more than 400 Track 7 breweries all went down in the past year, and this month, the dozen brews to hit that number. hit stores. Anyway, Sierra had a problem. It needed to ratchet down The end product comes in a giant orange-and-blue box and production in its hometown of Chico without decreasing the features a design that feels like a rock ’n’ roll tour poster. Inside amount of brew it would make in a year. are 10 bottles and two cans—which is unusual, because cans Enter North Carolina: In April 2012, Sierra broke seldom mingle with bottles—all brewed by some ground on its second brewery location, in of the nation’s best: 3 Floyds Brewing Mills River, a smaller town just Co. from Indiana, Allagash Brewing outside of Asheville. Sierra Company from Maine, Cigar City employees say Mills shares Brewing from Florida and others. similar characteristics to Chico: Arnold calls the 12-pack an fresh water, a nice outdoorsy “unprecedented, crazy idea,” and vibe. This new brewery will says it speaks to why Grossman celebrate its grand opening on founded Sierra Nevada in the first August 3. It’s a big deal in the place. “Ken tends to be a pretty craft-beer world. humble fellow,” Arnold says. So, To celebrate, Sierra Nevada he wanted to make the beer tour All the brewers featured in co-owner Ken Grossman and new-brewery opening about Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.’s decided to throw a beer party. the beer community. “‘How can new Beer Camp 12-pack will “Let’s invite every single craft we make this about the success be pouring at the big festival in Chico this Saturday, July 19. brewery in the country,” he said. So of craft beer and not our success?’” he did: Sierra sent an invite, accompaArnold says Grossman asked. “‘We don’t nied by a special West Coast-style IPA bottle really get to this point without a lot of great work by with a custom silk-screened label. “It’s kind of a other people.’” message in a bottle, if you will,” Arnold said. It read: “Join us to make this the largest craft beer celebration in history.” Indeed, the 12-pack is like a dozen snapshots of the American Of the 3,000-plus craft breweries in the United States, more craft-beer scene in 2014. It captures the leaders at work. It than 700 RSVP’d, including 75 here in Northern California and showcases the nation’s top breweries and their mastery of many from Sacramento. I’m not aware of a larger craft-beer classic and European beer styles. It celebrates beer’s sense of blowout. adventure and experimentation. It’s fun, unexpected and— “The fervor, just the excitement, is quite impressive,” ultimately—quite tasty. Arnold says.


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Yuseff Cherney, co-founder and head brewer at Ballast Point, works on his collaboration beer at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. The Chico-based brewery partnered with 12 national brewers to commemorate its new facility opening in North Carolina.

I cracked open a fresh box of Beer Camp this past weekend (disclosure: It retails for $24.99, but I received my box complimentary from Sierra Nevada). Because there’s 144 ounces of beer inside, I invited SN&R film critic and His & Hers Beer Notes scribe Daniel Barnes to help out. Russian River Brewing Company, of nearby Santa Rosa, collaborated with Sierra on a Belgian-style blond called Yvan the Great. The beer is an homage to Brasserie De La Senne in Belgium, and this exceedingly light, but delicately spiced and bready brew invoked the styles of the classic Belgium brewery. Both Barnes and I agreed it was the standout of the pack. Russian River’s impressiveness was not unexpected. We did, however, not anticipate such a strong liking for There and Back, an English-style bitter by Wisconsin-based New Glarus Brewing Company. New Glarus is known mostly for its fruit beers and flagship Berliner Weiss, but this beer’s light touch and gentle, fruity and bitter finish was memorable. Oregon-based Ninkasi Brewing collaborated on a supreme milk stout with coffee. Michigan’s Bell’s Brewing really nailed its dark ale. And, in a surprise move, 3 Floyds brewed a deadringer clone of Sierra’s flagship pale ale: bitter, malty, smooth. Sierra will distribute 110,000 of these Beer Camp boxes across the country to commemorate its big move. “We all work pretty hard to make great beer, and we want people to see our beer,” Arnold says. Invariably, it will be popular: One of the first shipments, which arrived at Final Gravity

Taproom & Bottleshop in Roseville last week, sold out in less than 24 hours. But when this weekend’s big party in Chico ends and the beer tour winds down in Mills River and the new brewery opens and everything is back to normal, will Sierra Nevada change now that it’s brewing nearly a third of its beer on the other side of the country? Not really, Arnold says. And if Sierra does evolve, it will be for the good. For instance, the brewery produced 100 different styles of beer in Chico last year, but most consumers don’t get to try these. So the brewers want to expand their barrel-aging and wild-ale programs to meet craft-beer-aficionado demand. Ratcheting down normal production in Chico helps them achieve this goal. “It will give us flexibility to do experimentation,” Arnold says. Sierra actually just acquired new warehouse space in Chico, for example, and he hinted it might be used to increase Sierra’s aging of beer in whiskey and bourbon barrels. “Barrel-aging is fun. Barrel-aging is exciting. We’re interested in it.” Considering America’s ever-growing interest in craft beer, it’s probably safe to assume the feeling will be mutual for another 35 years. Ω

The 12-pack is like a dozen snapshots of the American craft-beer scene in 2014.

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ask John doe See SOUND ADVICE

SCENE& HEARD Hip-hop for the win Hip-hop often gets a bad rap in Sacramento. “What hip-hop scene?” is one comment I hear all the  time. Other comments include mentions of the fears  of fights, assaults and hooligans stirring up general  trouble.  But last week, the Crocker Art Museum gave its Art Mix  party a hip-hop theme. For community members who  have been fighting to improve the genre’s image, to legitimize it as an art form to venues, the event meant those  efforts are paying off. The evening ran through a dense program of graffitiart demos, crafting with cassettes, beat-making and  live performances. In the courtyard, local vendors sold  street art and stenciled T-shirts. Up in the galleries, poets  hosted pop-up open-mic sessions, forcing casual art gazers to take notice.  I was captivated by the dynamic between regular  Art Mix-goers—the gussied-up art lovers, the political schmoozers, the old-timers—and hip-hop fans dressed  in garb not typically seen at the Crocker. There were  clearly some folks  displeased by all the rap  going on, uncomfortable  around the young kids in  flat-billed baseball caps.  But there were more who  wore looks of pleasant  surprise, amusement  and even awe. Some let  loose—hands in the air,  heads bobbing with   the beat. Local spoken-word  poet-turned-emcee   Luke Tailor converted  some skeptics during his charming and moving set. His  song “Sallie Mae Blues” was a too-real, too-relatable  account of being a broke college student. Multiple times,  he apologized to the children in the audience for his F-bombs.  Tailor’s smile was infectious, his humor extremely self-aware. “So I recently turned 21,” he said, met with big  applause. “Yeah, ya’ll can cheer for that. Most guys my  age and color don’t make it.” “That was a dark joke,” he continued, acknowledging  the sudden heaviness in the air. Then he laughed. “Get it?”  he pointed to his skin tone. More converts were made when six members of Sacramento’s second line-style Element Brass Band took the  stage. Big, funky, New Orleans jazz brought out the dancers in everyone—especially the rappers and poets, who  formed a lively circle front and center.  Then emcees got on stage and started freestyling,  regularly passing off the mic to new voices. (Pro tip:  This combo of brass and rap happens at an event called  Flow every second Saturday night at The Press Club,  2030 P Street.)  Back in the dance circle, guys were break-dancing and  doing the robot. Things got seriously goofy. A frail, Caucasian woman in a wheelchair rolled into the center and  threw her small hands in the air.  She was the biggest convert of the night, and the rappers were floored. They cheered, howled and threw their  hands in the air, too. I wouldn’t just call that progress: I’d  call it a win.

Poets hosted pop-up open-mic sessions, forcing casual art gazers to take notice.

—Janelle Bitker

ja ne lle b @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Beer Camp Across America begins in Chico this Saturday, July 19. Find out more and purchase tickets at http://beercamp.sierranevada.com. Find the Beer Camp 12-pack at craft-brew retailers.

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For the week of July 17

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lthough anime and Japanese pop  culture have earned a substantial  cult following in the United States,  Japanese film in general is still a genre  rather largely ignored by mainstream  America. Most Americans’ only peek  into Japanese cinema has been through  various Hollywood remakes of Godzilla,  Americanized anime on Nickelodeon and  the overly simplified portrayal of Japan  in The Last Samurai—starring none other  than Tom Cruise. In reality, however,  Japanese films (and films by JapaneseAmericans)  are diverse, complex and  subtle. That’s exactly what the seven  films being screened at 10th annual  Sacramento Japanese Film Festival seem  to prove. The three-day festival—happening at  the Crest Theatre (1013 K Street) from  Friday, July 18, through Sunday, July 20— is hosted by the Sacramento Japanese  United Methodist Church. It kicks off  at 7:30 p.m. on Friday with Rebirth, a  2011 drama that won a staggering 10  awards at the 35th Japan Academy  Prize Ceremony, often referred to as the  Japanese Academy Awards. It takes place  in Japan, and is about a child who returns  to a town where she was raised (by a  single mother who stole her from her  birth parents) to search for her past. Other highlights include Sake Bomb  (Saturday at 11:55 a.m.), a comedy about  a Japanese-American man coming to  grips with his ethnic identity; Harakiri  (7:30 p.m. Saturday, pictured), a Samurai  film from 1962; and Jake Shimabukuro:  Life on Four Strings (Sunday at 3:45 p.m.),  a documentary following the JapaneseAmerican ukulele superstar from Hawaii.  Single tickets cost $10, and all-festival  passes cost $35. Call (916) 421-1017 or  visit www.sacjapanesefilmfestival.net for  more information.

—Jonathan Mendick

wEEkLy PICkS

Sierra Storytelling Festival Friday, July 18, through Sunday, July 20 Once upon a time—or, perhaps, since  the beginning of time (whichever cliché introduction you prefer)—people  have been telling stories. Now in its  29th year, the Sierra Storytelling  Festival features storytellers sharing  tall tales, true stories  STORIES and everything in  between—all in the camplike setting  of the heavily forested Columbia Hill.  $8.50-$90.50, at the North Columbia  Schoolhouse Cultural Center,   17894 Tyler Foote Crossing Road in  Nevada City; (530) 265-2826;   http://sierrastorytellingfestival.org.

Eppie’s Great Race Saturday, July 19 This is the first Eppie’s Great Race  since restaurateur, philanthropist  and founder Eppie Johnson died  last year at age 85. The race,  now in its 40th iteration, will be  dedicated to his memory, and  proceeds benefit the Eppie’s Great  Race Foundation. Various prices  for individuals and  RACE groups, 8 a.m. at   William B. Pond Recreation Area,  5700 Arden Way in Carmichael;  (916) 480-0270; www.eppiesgreat  race.org.

—Jonathan Mendick

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—Jonathan Mendick

Independence Day of Peru Saturday, July 19 If you need an excuse to eat good  food, listen to music and drink  pisco, then it might as well be, “It’s  FESTIVAL the 193rd anniversary of the  Independence Day of Peru.” Hosted  by Club Peru de Sacramento, this  party will have eats, libations, dancing and music by Julio Bravo y su  Orquesta Salsabor. $25, 5:30 p.m. at  Folsom City Hall, 50 Natoma Street  in Folsom; (888) 916-9303; www.club  perudesacramento.com.

—Jonathan Mendick

Safari on the River Sunday, July 20 Did you know thatThe Lion King  turned 20 this year? (Yes, that  makes us all very old). Safari on the  River, which benefits the   education and conservation efforts  of the Africa Hope Fund, is the perfect chance to celebrate Simba’s  kin and African culture with a night  of food, dancing, drinks and art.  $100, 4 p.m.  FUNDRAISER at Juluka  Landing, 1951 Garden Highway;   (916) 487-8700, ext. 3; www.safari  ontheriver.com.

—Deena Drewis

Freedom From Compulsive Activity: Learning How to Get Unbusy Monday, July 21 The pull of social media is strong— damagingly so, Lama Marut argues— as we seek out a  SEMINAR virtual thumbs-up  from our peers. For those feeling a  little like a slave to the selfie, the former Columbia University professor  offers insights from his new book Be  Nobody on how to live with mindful  unself-consciousness. $15 suggested  donation, 7:30 p.m. at The Yoga Seed,  1400 E Street, Suite B; (916) 978-1367;  www.theyogaseed.org.

—Deena Drewis


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Coriander 1899 Alhambra Boulevard, (916) 456-0888, www.savorycoriander.com Upon entering Coriander’s uber-urban, hip space, you know it’s been designed for the younger Midtown crowd and self-described foodies by Garrett McCord looking to get some traditional Vietnamese food before hitting the clubs. But does the food match the space? The Coriander sampler plate offers such a bevy of options. An egg roll attempts to disregard tradition and tuck mushroom slivers into its tender center. Sadly, it all ends up being bland. The shrimp roll—shrimp and scallion tied tightly in wonton wrappers and fried—is rating: just as dull. However, both of these fried foods HH are perfectly fried: crisp, light and with no oily sogginess. dinner for one: A bulging spring roll tucked with grilled $10 - $15 pork sausage is a lugubrious thing stuffed with more rice noodles than a man could need, but bits of fried egg-roll wrapper add a pleasant and unexpected textural counterpoint. The sausage tasted utterly devoid of flavor, and my dining companions conferred that perhaps grilled Spam would have been a better option. (Not a joke.) Then there was the banh beo, or as one eater put it: the bio sample. Banh beo is a unique appetizer that focuses on texture, H comprising a tiny gelatinous rice cake served flAwed with crispy shallot and small shrimp. Pour HH a sweet sauce over it, and eat the whole bit. hAs moments It’s a bit messy and takes some skill to eat, HHH but that’s the fun of it. The taste and texture AppeAling play is intriguing, and I wonder why more Vietnamese restaurants don’t serve it. HHHH AuthoritAtive The Saigon crepe (bánh xèo) arrived looking like a Jackson Pollock of crispy egg, HHHHH epic shrimp, chicken and bean sprouts (Vietnamese crepes are more like crispy omelets). Tucked into lettuce cups with fresh herbs, it packed plenty of fresh flavor. The chicken pho consisted of a light ginger-anise broth with bean sprouts, shredded chicken and the usual pho fixings. It came off rather salty, and there are better bowls of pho to be had in Sacramento. Still hungry? Avoid the seafood banh canh soup. It’s an search sn&r’s “dining directory” awkward dish where wonderful components to find local such as the chewy, handmade rice noodles restaurants by name and the fresh crab are overwhelmed by the or by type of food. poorer ingredients. The fish cake tasted so sushi, mexican, indian, italian—discover it fishy that it took everything we had not to spit all in the “dining” it out. Moreover, the broth lacked depth and section at possessed a mere carpet burn of heat. After www.news only a few bites, the bowl remained untouched review.com. the entire meal. A grilled pork chop enticed one of my more timid eaters, but this turned out to be a tough-as-nails marinated grilled steak served with a nondescript light salad, and a mountain of white rice. A runny egg is served upon the rice, though ours was harder than a bar exam, leaving no glorious yolk to flood the plate. A fried rice dish was the best option of the night, as it took an unexpected step of adding

Hand-Crafted by Chef Hassi Sadri, head judge of the 2014 Pizza Expo

Spam and habanero pepper, enlivening the Chinese takeout staple. But that’s kinda the thing: The best item at the Vietnamese restaurant was the Chinese one. Prices are more than fair. A little money goes a long way, so if you’re looking to fill up, Coriander is good to go. The staff at Coriander was sweet, but at each visit they were easily flummoxed, forgetful about nearly everything and knew little about the menu.

916.971.0600 • 1401 fulton ave. bldg b open 11aM-4pM for lunch, and friday and Saturday for dinner.

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The sausage tasted utterly devoid of flavor, and my dining companions conferred that perhaps grilled Spam would have been a better option. (Not a joke.)

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It feels to me that Coriander is where a restaurant should be when it’s doing friends-andfamily night a week before opening. There are good ideas here, and the cooks in the kitchen have a grasp on technique. At this point, it’s a matter of balancing flavors, adding a bit of chili pepper here or star anise there, or cutting back on the salt. More time and effort needs to be put into transforming this hope-to-be-hip joint from an indifferent occurrence into a sought-after adventure. The potential is there. It just needs to be nurtured. Ω

5623 Sunrise Blvd. 916.961.6888

Sun-Thurs 11am-10pm • Fri & Sat 11am-10:30pm

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F E AT U R E

chinabuffetrestaurant.com

PARTY ROOMS AVAILABLE • NOW SERVING BEER & WINE

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Happy Hour Monday – Friday 3–6pm

Cottage-food industry

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1315 21st Street, Sacramento 916.441.7100

’13

On a perfect Saturday morning in the summer, the cool night air hasn’t been competely warmed over yet. The Sacramento canopy gently waves in a slight breeze, and beneath it, there’s yet another farmers market to explore. Located at 35th Street and Park Way by McKinley Park, the East Sacramento Farmers Market can make a pleasant morning even better with a tote bag full of white nectarines—and a few vegan cookies. That latter is thanks to the Cottage Food Operations law enacted in 2013, which allows Kimberley’s Kitchen to sell homemade vegan cherry-chocolate cake, vegan cranberry oatmeal cookies, and paleo date and orange bars. The market is open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., but Kimberley’s appears at other markets, too: http://kimberleysimone.com has a list of locations and other products available to preorder. Perfect, right?

Happy Hour |

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4.50 d r i n k s

l i v e m u s i c t H u r s d a y s | b e l ly d a n c i n g e v e r y n i g H t l at e n i g H t d i n i n g | $ 1 0 H o o k a H t u e s d ay s | i n d u s t r y m o n d ay s

2115 J street | sacram ento 916. 442. 4388 | w w w. kas b ah lo u n g e. c o m

—Shoka

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China Buffet

CITRUS HEIGHTS

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Downtown Blackbird Kitchen & Beer Gallery

Where to eat?

Here are a few recent reviews and regional recommendations by Janelle Bitker, Ann Martin Rolke, Garrett McCord, Jonathan Mendick and Shoka updated regularly. Check out www.newsreview.com for more dining advice.

Blackbird is back with chefowner Carina Lampkin again  at the helm. It’s located in its  original space with a similar  aesthetic, though with more  focus on beer and bar food  to better complement the  seafood-inspired dinner menu.  A burger served with house  pickles, seven-day house-cured  bacon, cheddar and sweet ’n’  chivey “awesome sauce” make  for one of the city’s best burgers, no question. Chowder fries,  however, are nifty in theory— fries covered in bay shrimp,  bacon and parsley, then doused  with chowder. It’s a play on  poutine, but a lack of acid and  serious sogginess issues mar  it from being a landmark dish.  Better yet? Fish tacos featuring fried pollock served with  pickled cabbage and chipotle  crema. These and a beer will  remedy any bad day you’re  having. American. 1015 Ninth St.,  (916) 498-9224. Dinner for one:  $10-$30. HHH1/2 G.M.

Midtown Block Butcher Bar This place  serves the holy trinity of  European cuisine: meat, cheese  and alcoholic beverages. Most  of its boards and plates are balanced using three basic tastes:  salty (meats and cheeses),  sweet (honey and jam) and sour  (pickles and vinegar). The charcuterie boards impress visually  and on the tongue. A recent  selection included shaved  almonds, neat piles of meat,

mustard, pickled cauliflower and  beets, served with small slices  of bread. The ’njuda sandwich  is startlingly spicy and salty,  with rich melted cheese and  ground meat spread between  pressed slices of bread. Or  try the pressed serrano ham,  manchego cheese, arugula and  salsa sandwich—it’s like a cross  between a cubano, a breakfast  panini and a torta. Elsewhere on  the menu there are fine cocktails, an intimidating whiskey  list, and a small but diverse  selection of beer and wine,  both regional and international.  European. 1050 20th St.,  (916) 476-6306. Dinner for one:   $10-$20. HHHH J.M.

Cafe Plan B This Midtown  iteration of the popular Plan  B Restaurant in Arden Arcade  brings to mind old-school  French dining. This should not be  read as an insult. The menu runs  with salads, sandwiches, mains  and appetizers—however,  the highlight is the generous  array of mussels served in both  modern and classic fashion.  The épicé mussels are served  in a thick tomato sauce with  a rumbling chili-garlic heat.  Coconut-broth mussels are  sweet and tangy and worth a  visit. A white-anchovy tartelette with shredded fennel and  leek dazzles—it’s the sort of  light food welcomed in tripledigit heat. The puff pastry it  sits on is a means to an end.  Branzino cooked en papillote  is also a thing of beauty: light,  flaky and served with wisps  of lemon and fennel. The wine  selection is limited, however,  the house white is affordable

and welcome, pairing well with  numerous dishes. French.   1226 20th St., (916) 447-3300.  Dinner for one: $25-$30.   HHHH G.M.

The Coconut Midtown The food  here travels a path between  standard and inventive. Creamcheese wontons, for example,  aren’t the epitome of culinary  Southeast Asian traditions, but  damn it if they aren’t delightful. Soft cream cheese and  chives in a crispy wrapper and  served with a sweet chili sauce?  Nothing wrong with that. The  chicken larb—a spicy mincedmeat salad—is fragrant and  intense. Mint, chilies, basil and  iceberg lettuce are drenched in  a spicy lime dressing punctuated with a heavy hand of fish  sauce. The Coconut has warnings in its menu about which  dishes are spicy, but unless  you’re a newborn kitten, trembling and mewling, you might not  even be aware of the chilies in  your food.  Thai. 2502 J St.,   (916) 447-1855. Dinner for one:  $10-$15. HHH1/2 G.M.

Der Biergarten This spot is a  slightly quirky, low-key place  with only nine food items on  the menu: four appetizer-style  options, four sandwich-type  offerings and a sausage platter, plus about 30 cold ones  on tap. Patrons order from a  building that was built from a  couple of cargo containers and  dine outdoors on communal  benches, traditional German  biergarten style. The Derfinater  Dog is a gussied-up hot dog, and  despite its seemingly excessive  number of toppings, everything

served a tasteful purpose. The  mayo and garlic sauce helped  moisten a somewhat dry roll,  and the bacon added saltiness,  which balanced the sweetness  of cream cheese and barbecue  sauce. The pretzel disappointed  by being a bit on the flaky and  brittle side. The sausage platter was the best item on the  menu: a pork sausage, chicken  sausage, and a veal-and-pork  sausage—much more plump,  juicy and flavorful than the  frankfurters—served alongside  piles of sauerkraut and German  potato salad.  German. 2332 K  St., (916) 346-4572. Dinner for  one: $5-$10. HHH J.M.

Strings Urban Kitchen This  more upscale version of the  Gold River-based Strings  Italian Cafe chain lands in  the Il Fornaio camp, but  with a lower price point.  Recommended options include  the Bruschetta Rustico, with  chunky toasts layered with  seasoned cheese, grape  tomatoes, basil and balsamic  vinegar. With less garlic than  many versions, it’s a delicious  and date-friendly choice.  Pizzas are offered at 7 or 16  inches, with lots of optional  additions. A small Pomodoro  Mozzarella, with sliced  tomatoes and marinara, was  serviceable with mediumthick crust and plentiful  toppings. A signature frutti di  mare pie with shrimp, scallops, mussels and seafood  sauce is a more unique take  on the category. There are  also quite a few vegetarian  choices, including Vegetale de  las Casa. Eggplant, peppers,

zucchini and other veg are  sautéed in oil and tossed with  Parmesan and Gorgonzola. For  dessert, try the tiramisu, with  sprightly ladyfinger sponge  cake and an airy mascarpone  topped with cocoa and cinnamon. If you’re feeling generous, order the caffè sospeso  (“pending coffee”), in which  you pay for a cup for the next  guest.  Italian. 1500 Seventh St.,  (916) 444-6500. Dinner for one:  $10-$20. HHHH AMR

Tidbit Catering & Gelateria Chef  Eric Lee has crafted an  eclectic, bargain-friendly  menu. Fried calamari are  lightly seasoned with a crispy  exterior and served with a  marinara-ish bland sauce.  A carrot-and-ginger soup  possesses a slow burn, and  a chicken-lettuce wrap is  sophisticated: a modest portion of food of moderate size  that’s highlighted with slivers  of cucumber and a shaking  of vinegar. The frozen bits,  however are the real winners.  Gelato and sorbet are both  available in astounding offthe-cuff flavors that mostly  draw inspiration from Asian  cuisines. A vanilla-and-adzuki-bean gelato tastes sweet  and earthy, with a flavor  reminiscent to Chinese moon  cakes. A nutty soy-based  black-sesame-seed gelato  is as rustic and charming as  your favorite Instagram filter.  American. 1907 Capitol Ave.,  (916) 442-7369. Dinner for one:  $5-$10. HHH1/2 G.M.

East Sacramento Fahrenheit 250 BBQ This barbecue  joint ups the ante with attentive table service and high-end  ingredients.  Chef Jacob  Carriker serves  Southern  staples such  as pulled pork,  brisket and ribs,  plus the very California addition of smoked tri-tip. There’s  also chicken and trout—all  smoked in a 7-foot handforged steel behemoth. All the  meats are dry rubbed and  served without sauce, which  can be added at the table from  a choice of four: house, spicy,  Kentucky mustard-based and  Carolina vinegar-based. The  pulled-pork sandwich is served  on a hefty bun topped with  coleslaw. The meat is moist,  smoky and falling apart with  tenderness. The half-chicken,  from Mary’s Free Range brand,  is a bit dry, but benefits from  a shot of sauce. The tri-tip is  well-smoked, but not as good  as the brisket, although it still  makes for a very nice addition  to the Market salad, with baby  greens, grilled zucchini and  onions, and cornbread croutons. Barbecue. 7042 Folsom  Blvd., (916) 476-4508. Dinner for  one: $10-$15. HHHH AMR

Land Park/ Curtis Park Pangaea Bier Cafe Just as  European wines are made to  be enjoyed with food rather

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T H E WAT E R B O Y

R E S TAU R A N T Spaghetti with Dayboat Scallops, Cauliflower, Brown Butter & Capers “Lemon and brown butter are the perfect compliments to scallops. In this dish, briny capers and chili flake give balance and body. The sweetness of the scallops creates a lovely pairing with the crisp acidity of this Chenin Blanc.” - Rick Mahan, Chef-Owner The Waterboy Restaurant

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South Sac Bodhi Bowl This Vietnamese eatery’s menu is all vegetarian and mostly vegan, with plenty of high notes. The Heavenly Noodle is a can’t-go-wrong salad comprising snow-white vermicelli noodles with cooling mint, cucumber slices, house-roasted peanuts and jagged pieces of faux beef. The “beef” actually is slightly sweet, plenty umami

and pleasantly inoffensive, as far as fake meat goes. Nearly everything here has a faux-meat product or tofu element. So, sorry diners with soy allergies—it can’t even be escaped in the papaya salad. Not an issue? Soldier on with the Hot & Sour soup, a not-too spicy sunsetorange broth that teems with a tomatoey and citrus flavor, chunks of pineapple, semicircles of trumpet mushrooms, cubes of fried tofu and slices of faux crab. Or, try the stir-fried Eight Fold Path. It features al dente celery, red bell pepper and triangles of the most savory, salty, dense tofu perhaps ever. Vietnamese. 6511 Savings Place, Ste. 100; (916) 428-4160. Dinner for one: $10-$15. HHHH S.

sushi. Japanese. 2992 65th St., Ste. 288; (916) 455-0288. Dinner for one: $10-$20. HHH J.M.

Arden/ Carmichael Field House American Sports Pub Launched by the same team that raised Shady Lady Saloon, this spot brings a bit more culinary hope to an often forgotten part of Sacramento. The whiskey burger is a mighty sammich of perfection with smoked Gouda cheese and bacon that serve as excellent counterpoints to the achingly sweet maplebourbon glazed red onions. Fries-slash-chips arrived pencil-thin and fiercely crispy. If you visit for brunch, don’t miss the signature bloody mary: a 32-ounce bloody mary that doesn’t skimp on the horseradish. It’s served with skewers of beet-pickled egg, sausage and bacon, tiger prawn, pickled veggies, and the most amazing slider. American. 1310 Fulton Ave., (916) 487-1045. Dinner for one: $15-$25. HHHH G.M.

Kansai Ramen & Sushi House This place serves its own take on ramen and sushi, with varying degrees of success. The kakuni ramen, which features three thick slices of braised pork belly in lieu of the house ramen’s thin slices of chashu, boasts a nice, sweet marinade; tender consistency; and copious flavor. Be sure to order noodles al dente, and it’ll make for a good option, even with its run-of-the-mill broth. Or amp it up with the spicy tan tan men, which uses a beefy and seafood-tinted soup base that teems with flavor. The sushi rolls here are Western style— a.k.a. loaded with toppings. Try the Mufasa roll. With crab and avocado on the inside and salmon and sauce outside, it’s particularly tasty, seasoned in sesame oil and baked—a somewhat unusual technique for

The Kitchen Diners here don’t receive a menu: They receive a program, divided into seven acts, and, yes, there’s an intermission. Guests all eat together, like a reservationsonly giant dinner party, dining on seasonal dishes such as chilled, minty pea soup, served with creamy pea pudding, cured scallops and Sterling Caviar. The offerings, which include the likes of

$4

IllustratIon by Mark stIvers

than sipped alone, the current tsunami of European-style microbreweries feature drinks often best quaffed alongside a well-crafted meal. Pangaea Bier Cafe recently stepped up its food game to satisfy that need with a revamped menu that includes an ever-changing rotation of seasonal, slightly upscale pub food. Try the Buffalo wings: They’re deeply flavorful fried morsels with a thick glaze of goodness. The mac ’n’ cheese is creamy, with a bit of beer in the sauce and a crunchy topping of herbflecked breadcrumbs. The sliders are gorgeous little mouthfuls with Tillamook cheddar and house-made pickles. They leave you wanting more, which is exactly what you get with the main-course cheeseburger, one of the best we’ve had in ages. Made from a custom blend of brisket and chuck, this is a juicy patty that holds together, yet bursts with flavor. The locally made brioche bun bears up well, and the house pickles and cheddar simply gild the lily. American. 2743 Franklin Blvd., (916) 454-4942. Dinner for one: $10-$15. HHH1/2 AMR

lamb, steak and pasta, change monthly, but the highlights are the chefs’ tasters—small bites scattered throughout the dining area. A recent visit included oyster, faux lasagna bites, citrusy duck, and “kettle corn” cones of puffed wild rice, amaranth and corn with black-truffle caramel, which tasted sweet, salty and positively deadly. American. 2225 Hurley Way, Ste. 101; (916) 568-7171. Dinner for one: $100-$300. HHHH J.B.

Fair Oaks Yui Marlu Yui Marlu serves up California rolls, plus other American-style makizushi, but its mastery lies in Japanesestyle sushi and an assortment of other traditional fare. Here, the omakase was the pièce de résistance—one of those dishes that everyone stares at when it comes out of the kitchen. It looks like a flashy Dali-esque painting, with raw fish piled into small flower patterns atop scallop shells and a bed of microgreens, dollops of sauce, piles of ginger, slender slices of fried plantains sticking out upwards of 6 inches from the plate, and slices of lemon, radish and cucumber. And it tastes as surreal as it looks: The fish is fresh, fleshy and flavorful. The Rainbow roll and the Linda roll are like most American-style rolls served locally, but better. Japanese. 6720 Madison Ave., Ste. 5 in Fair Oaks; (916) 966-5639. Dinner for one: $15-$30. HHHH1/2 J.M.

Sun can cook

I was pretty skeptical about harnessing the power of the sun to cook until last summer. That was when my mother-in-law marinated a bunch of steaks with soy sauce and pepper, and left them out in the hot Sacramento sun all day. Voilà! We had a bunch of ovenless homemade beef jerky that was good to eat for the next two or three months. Sacramento’s Solar Cookers International knows exactly how to harness this same power. On Saturday, July 19, the nonprofit group— whose mission is to spread the use of solar thermal cooking to help people worldwide—is hosting the Sacramento Solar Cooking Festival (www.solarcookers.org/events/festival). The free event, which happens at William Land Park (near the corner of Freeport Boulevard and Sutterville Road) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., will feature solar-cooking demonstrations. Warning: Make sure to bring your own food to cook. Due to health regulations, people can only eat what they cook themselves. —Jonathan Mendick

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Sacratomato Week If you know Latin, this festival sounds like “sacred  tomato week”—which is apt, because it’s a weeklong  celebration of tomatoes. The inaugural Sacratomato  Week happens at various restaurants in the Sutter  District, the part of Midtown bordered by Sutter’s  Fort State Historic Park and Marshall  FOOD Park. For the week, tomatoey food and  drink specials will appear on menus at businesses  throughout the district. Good thing you totally love  tomatoes, right? Monday, July 21, through Sunday,  July 27; (916) 442-1500, www.facebook.com/  thesutterdistrict.  —Jonathan Mendick

Site for Sore Eyes • Sacramento News and Review • Job# 008687 • 2C, 4.9” x 5.67” Runs: 6/19 • EGC Group 516.935.4944

Catnap comfort doggielounge marimekko dog Bed The Doggielounge Marimekko pet bed is designed for  dogs large and small ($179 and $139, respectively),  PETS but would work for discerning cats as  well. Plush and colorful in the Finnish  design house’s signature bold, graphic floral print,  the bed was designed by Fatboy and is available in a  red or black fabric. Of course, the truth is, my cats  would just as soon as sleep in a ratty cardboard box  or laundry basket filled with clean clothes, so, really,  what’s the point? http://shop.fatboyusa.com.

Every day is another opportunity to show arthritis who’s boss. Living with arthritis pain? Time to show it who’s boss. Studies show that moderate physical activity — the kind that gets your heart rate up and keeps it up like walking, biking, or swimming — can actually reduce pain and stiffness, and improve your mood. But it’s more than just keeping busy, you need to get up and get active at least 5 days a week for 30 minutes each day. You can even do it for 10 minutes, 3 times a day. In just 4 to 6 weeks you’ll notice a difference. Get physically active and show arthritis who’s in charge. For more information, call 530-229-8431 916-368-5599 or or visit visit www.arthritis.org/wwe www.arthritis.org/wwe

Physical Activity. The Arthritis Pain Reliever.

—Rachel Leibrock

This will hurt max BrookS’ the extinction Parade, Volume 1 The narrator of Max Brooks’ latest graphic novel is a  vampire. Brooks, who hit universal name recognition  with his books The Zombie Survival Guide and World  War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War, is sticking  with what he knows in Max Brooks’ The Extinction  Parade, Volume 1 (Avatar Press, $19.99). Vampires  have always known of the existence  BOOK of what they call “subdead,” but the  “outbreaks” were small and easily contained. Now,  it’s the zombie apocalypse, and the vampires are so  entrenched in their way of life and so convinced that  the zombies—who won’t eat them—are irrelevant  to them, they miss the obvious: Their food supply  is disappearing. Raulo Caceres provides gloriously  gory art, albeit with comic-book huge-breasted,  wasp-waisted wet dreams instead of actual women.  The Extinction Parade is an original melding of separate horror mythologies that takes advantage of a  terrible truth about a global pandemic: It’s going to  hurt everyone. —Kel Munger

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Joan Jett Farm Sanctuary BeneFit Joan Jett may not give a damn  about her reputation, but she  clearly cares for the critters. The  rock icon and longtime vegan,  who headlines a show with her  backing band the Blackhearts  at the California State Fair, on  Friday, July 18, will first make an  afternoon detour at The Plum  Cafe & Bakery (2315 K Street)  for a special meet and greet to  benefit Farm Sanctuary. Farm Sanctuary, which has  three locations including one in  Orland, works to  EVENT raise awareness  about factory farming and animal  abuse. It also shelters animals and  advocates a vegan lifestyle. Jett, who has previously  worked with the People for the  Ethical Treatment of Animals, is so  committed to the cause she was  once booted from a South Dakota  parade float because local ranchers complained.  The singer became a vegetarian after reading John Robbins’  1987 book Diet for a New America. “It got me thinking about farm  to plate and soon I was thinking about slaughterhouses all  day long,” Jett told The Guardian newspaper in 2010. “I’m not a  preacher, I’m not dogmatic, I let  people come to their own conclusions, but I promote it at a healthy  level ... through small talk.” The event, which includes a  vegan buffet and kombucha samples, starts at 2:30 p.m.; tickets  are $100 and available in advance  at http://plumcafebakery.com. —Rachel Leibrock


L E AV E T H E

The stayover trend A stayover is a staycation at your significant other’s house. You sleep over three or four days in a row, sharing meals, showering, returning after work to watch Netflix, then hitting the sack together. After a few days of intensive “we” time, you separate and go to your own place for several days of respite. You probably don’t even text or talk much during this period. After a few days apart, loneliness stirs, and by Joey ga rcia you miss your partner. So you a skj oey @ ne wsreview.c om begin the stayover cycle again. This is your heart in college Stayovers are a kind of commitment-neutral zone—it’s not cohabitating, and it’s not marrying—it’s playing house. When spending time with your partner gets tiring or irritating, you just go home. It probably sounds like the kind of relationship pattern that college students engage in. And, yes, it’s popular with 18-29 year olds, but it’s also surging in popularity with adults of every age. People long for physical and emotional closeness, but they also want to be able to go home when they’ve had enough.

Joey noshes on barbecue from MoMo’s Meat Market at 5776 Broadway.

Couples that slide into cohabitating tend to have shortterm relationships fraught with tension seeded by the insecurity of an undefined relationship. This seems especially true for divorced adults, or those who have had a long-term commitment end badly. Often, they miss the physical and emotional intimacy of marriage but are afraid something will go wrong in the relationship that they can’t repair. For these individuals, the stayover is a means of conflictand commitment-avoidance that still nourishes their desire for intimacy. For others, the option of maintaining their own space is an act of self-care. Living alone permits restorative solitude. There’s nothing that must be negotiated, no noise to tolerate, no one else’s mess to clean up, and no one insisting that time is being wasted or should be. It’s a delicious kind of freedom when you can build the kind of world you desire within your own four walls.

Got a problem?

Write, email or leave a message for Joey at the News & Review. Give your name, telephone number (for verification purposes only) and question—all correspondence will be kept strictly confidential. Write Joey, 1124 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815; call (916) 498-1234, ext. 3206; or email askjoey@ newsreview.com.

BEFORE

When independence is paramount More adults are choosing to live alone than ever before. In 1950, there were

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NEWS

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4 million single adults in the United States, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Today, more than 50 percent of adults are single, and 5 million adults between the ages of 18 and 34 live alone, according to Eric Klinenberg, a sociologist and author of the 2012 book Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone. Single young adults are delaying marriage and choosing a single lifestyle because it offers the flexibility to focus entirely on their career or to make personal choices that would be risky if another person were depending on their income. A stayover allows these adults to enjoy a measure of emotional and physical satisfaction without making the relationship a priority. Decide, don’t slide Sound good so far? Well, here’s the reality check: Stayovers are emotionally confusing. A stayover encourages vagueness about boundaries and the terms of the relationship (“Are we dating? Are we friends with benefits? Should I introduce you to my friends? Are you seeing anyone else?”). The really prickly problems occur when people slide from stayovers into cohabitating. Maybe your lease is up and you opt to move in temporarily with your partner so you can take your time finding a new home. Or you’ve moved so much of your stuff to your partner’s house anyway (toothbrush, hair products, pillow, subscriptions, clothing, dog toys), that dragging one more carton or two of your stuff seems completely logical. But couples that slide into cohabitating tend to have short-term relationships fraught with tension seeded by the insecurity of an undefined relationship. By contrast, couples that decide to live together have longer and healthier relationships. Entering into a conscious commitment to create a life together makes the difference. The simplest solution is to be honest with yourself and your partner about what you really want. Every relationship is a kind of contract. The human heart likes the fine print spoken out loud. Ω

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Meditation of the Week

“It is the act of forgiveness that opens  up the only possible way to think  creatively about the future at all,”  wrote Desmond Wilson, a Catholic  priest and community builder in  Belfast, Northern Ireland. Who can you  forgive today?

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TICKETS & PARKING General: $12 Seniors (Ages 62+): $10 Youth (Ages 5-12): $8

Child (Ages 0-4): Free Parking: $10

11 Days Left!

Don’t miss your chance to check out the best of California at the State Fair.

bEST bouNTy The Farm presented by Save Mart Supermarkets is a living, growing exhibit that showcases the importance of agriculture in California. Here are some facts about The Farm, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year:

THE FARM WAS FIRST buIlT IN

Best Farm-to-Fork Fair stays close to its roots with agricultural Focus Craig McNamara has farmed organic walnuts in Winters for 34 years. He’s president of the State Board of Food and Agriculture, founder of the Center for Land Based Learning and the 2014 California State Fair Agriculturalist of the Year.

What are some of the major challenges facing agriculture today? Water in California, and water in our world, will be the issue that we will be dealing with for the rest of our lives. Two others that I think are significant, and that I’m very hopeful we can change, are food insecurity and food waste. Almost 50 million of our neighbors in the United States do not know where their next meal

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is coming from. And half of those are children, and that’s just wrong. And we, as a nation and state, need to correct that.

What are some positive things that are happening in California agriculture? The awareness of our “eaters” — our consumers, all of us, is so exciting be-

cause now we’ve embraced healthy foods, we’ve embraced local foods ... And it just gives me, as a farmer, tremendous excitement and joy to see us recognizing our past and being recognized for the bounty and the diversity of foods that we produce.

How is the California State Fair significant for California’s agriculture?

1984

Drought becomes a theme For this year’s Farm

MAKINg EvERY DRop CoUNT We’ve seen the headlines. We all know we’re in the middle of a drought. But the lack of water is impacting our farming industry and our pocketbooks more than you might think. The Farm presented by Save Mart Supermarkets at the State Fair has made water

IT WAS THE

1

st

DEMoNSTRATIoN FARM oN A FAIRGRouNDS IN NoRTH AMERICA THE FARM GRoWS

70

DIFFERENT CRoPS, FRoM WATERMEloNS To AVoCADoS IN 2013, MoRE THAN

7,440

PouNDS oF FooD GRoWN oN THE FARM

conservation a focus this year as part of its mission to connect people to what’s happening in agriculture. “This third year of a drought underscores how important water is for producing the bountiful California food and agriculture products enjoyed by consumers here and around the world,” says Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Farming communities have been hardest hit. Farmers have not planted (fallowed) their fields and ranch families have sold their cattle because of a lack of grazing land. According to preliminary results of a study by the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, the farming industry stands to lose $1.7 billion in revenue this year, with 14,500 workers losing their jobs due to drought conditions. But even those outside the farming community will be impacted.

Drought conditions will have a trickle-down effect for consumers, who will start feeling the impact in the grocery checkout line. According to research from Arizona State University business professor Timothy Richards, shoppers could see increases in the price of produce such as lettuce, avocados, berries, grapes and tomatoes, with costs jumping anywhere from 17 cents to 62 cents per pound or per unit, depending on the crop and how much water it takes to grow.

The California State Fair will include water conservation education and resources, including:

The drought affects us all, and that’s why conservation education is key. “Conservation is critical as we work together to contend with the drought. It is one way we can bolster our water supply right now,” Ross says.

So many counties enjoy their fairs and it brings forward the best of what California has to offer, from its farmers, from its people, from its citizens, from its foods, from its traditions and from its cultures. And I think the State Fair is the emblem, is the pinnacle that brings all of us together.

A PA I D A DV E R T I S E M E N T

b E S T WAT E R - S AV E R S

» Example of a fallow field at The Farm

In addition, Cal Expo and the California State Fair have implemented several water conservation initiatives, including:

» How farmers are being affected by the drought » Sustainable practices in farming, such as rice fields that provide surrogate wetland habitats for the Pacific Flyway » Farm Passport program will feature low-wateruse Mediterranean crops » Master Gardener booth answers questions about drought

» Draining a portion of the Main Lagoon (now home to the Jack in the Box Freestyle Motocross Show presented by One Main Financial) » Limiting water on grass areas around Cal Expo (including the mid-field of the Miller Lite Racetrack Grandstand) » Partnering with Save Our Water to distribute water saving tips to Fair patrons

» Urban farming exhibit will show homeowners how to conserve in their backyards

C A S TAT E FA I R . o r g

A PA I D A DV E R T I S E M E N T B E F O R E   |   F R O N T L I N E S   |   F E A T U R E S T O R Y   |

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TICKETS & PARKING General: $12 Seniors (Ages 62+): $10 Youth (Ages 5-12): $8

Child (Ages 0-4): Free Parking: $10

11 Days Left!

Don’t miss your chance to check out the best of California at the State Fair.

bEST bouNTy The Farm presented by Save Mart Supermarkets is a living, growing exhibit that showcases the importance of agriculture in California. Here are some facts about The Farm, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year:

THE FARM WAS FIRST buIlT IN

Best Farm-to-Fork Fair stays close to its roots with agricultural Focus Craig McNamara has farmed organic walnuts in Winters for 34 years. He’s president of the State Board of Food and Agriculture, founder of the Center for Land Based Learning and the 2014 California State Fair Agriculturalist of the Year.

What are some of the major challenges facing agriculture today? Water in California, and water in our world, will be the issue that we will be dealing with for the rest of our lives. Two others that I think are significant, and that I’m very hopeful we can change, are food insecurity and food waste. Almost 50 million of our neighbors in the United States do not know where their next meal

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is coming from. And half of those are children, and that’s just wrong. And we, as a nation and state, need to correct that.

What are some positive things that are happening in California agriculture? The awareness of our “eaters” — our consumers, all of us, is so exciting be-

cause now we’ve embraced healthy foods, we’ve embraced local foods ... And it just gives me, as a farmer, tremendous excitement and joy to see us recognizing our past and being recognized for the bounty and the diversity of foods that we produce.

How is the California State Fair significant for California’s agriculture?

1984

Drought becomes a theme For this year’s Farm

MAKINg EvERY DRop CoUNT We’ve seen the headlines. We all know we’re in the middle of a drought. But the lack of water is impacting our farming industry and our pocketbooks more than you might think. The Farm presented by Save Mart Supermarkets at the State Fair has made water

IT WAS THE

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conservation a focus this year as part of its mission to connect people to what’s happening in agriculture. “This third year of a drought underscores how important water is for producing the bountiful California food and agriculture products enjoyed by consumers here and around the world,” says Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Farming communities have been hardest hit. Farmers have not planted (fallowed) their fields and ranch families have sold their cattle because of a lack of grazing land. According to preliminary results of a study by the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, the farming industry stands to lose $1.7 billion in revenue this year, with 14,500 workers losing their jobs due to drought conditions. But even those outside the farming community will be impacted.

Drought conditions will have a trickle-down effect for consumers, who will start feeling the impact in the grocery checkout line. According to research from Arizona State University business professor Timothy Richards, shoppers could see increases in the price of produce such as lettuce, avocados, berries, grapes and tomatoes, with costs jumping anywhere from 17 cents to 62 cents per pound or per unit, depending on the crop and how much water it takes to grow.

The California State Fair will include water conservation education and resources, including:

The drought affects us all, and that’s why conservation education is key. “Conservation is critical as we work together to contend with the drought. It is one way we can bolster our water supply right now,” Ross says.

So many counties enjoy their fairs and it brings forward the best of what California has to offer, from its farmers, from its people, from its citizens, from its foods, from its traditions and from its cultures. And I think the State Fair is the emblem, is the pinnacle that brings all of us together.

A PA I D A DV E R T I S E M E N T

b E S T WAT E R - S AV E R S

» Example of a fallow field at The Farm

In addition, Cal Expo and the California State Fair have implemented several water conservation initiatives, including:

» How farmers are being affected by the drought » Sustainable practices in farming, such as rice fields that provide surrogate wetland habitats for the Pacific Flyway » Farm Passport program will feature low-wateruse Mediterranean crops » Master Gardener booth answers questions about drought

» Draining a portion of the Main Lagoon (now home to the Jack in the Box Freestyle Motocross Show presented by One Main Financial) » Limiting water on grass areas around Cal Expo (including the mid-field of the Miller Lite Racetrack Grandstand) » Partnering with Save Our Water to distribute water saving tips to Fair patrons

» Urban farming exhibit will show homeowners how to conserve in their backyards

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Singing from the heart Songs From an Unmade Bed What better way to outline the life of a gay man in New York City than through show tunes? While that might seem stereotypical, by Kel Munger New Helvetia Theatre’s short-run production of Songs From an Unmade Bed, a song cycle performed as a solo show entirely in an exceptionally large and very unmade bed, is anything but. It’s funny, sad, sweet and above all, really, really honest. And that includes numbers like “Exit Right,” a frenetic—and acrobatic—song that explores the nature of a relationship with someone whose primary focus is himself; “Oh, to Be Stupid Again,” a lament about the way that maturity and a dash of cynicism so thoroughly destroys our romantic natures; and the stunning, melancholy “Our Separate Ways,” about a relationship ending in the most final of ways.

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The Flu Season by playwright Will Eno is neither about the flu nor a season. Or it could be about a season, if winter or spring are seasons. Or it could be about the flu if the flu was about being ill and what happens when you get better. Or you don’t. Or if the script was not about the plot, but rather about a playwright’s script decisions. Or if the play wasn’t about the play, but about a man and a woman and a hospital and a nurse and a doctor and a spoken prologue and epilogue. So goes Eno’s play, a fascinating comedic drama filled with non sequiturs, wandering plotlines, interesting characters, Samuel Beckett-like prose, contortions and experiments in the written word. Once you’re aware that the structure and language of The Flu Season aren’t going to follow the norm, you can let the story, characters and words flow where they will and appreciate the art of a skilled playwright playing with plot and prose. Under the direction of the ever-adept director Maggie Adair Upton, Ovation Stage takes on this quirky play that is both about a mental institution where the staff is just as disturbed as the patients, and about a playwright’s struggle as portrayed by two intruding narrators named Prologue and Epilogue. On the small, stark stage, the six-member talented cast works in skillful sync to present this challenging and ultimately satisfying play. It’s a play about a play about a flu and a season—about all these aspects and none of them at the same time. PHOTO COURTeSy OF New HelveTiA THeATRe

RADICAL THEATRICAL MASTERPIECE

OPENS AT CALIFORNIA STAGE

4 The Flu Season

This bed is where the magic happens.

Songs From an Unmade Bed, 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday; $30. New Helvetia Theatre, 1028 R Street; (916) 469-9850; www.newhelvetia.org. Through July 20.

The pajama-clad role is inhabited by New Helvetia founder and artistic director Connor Mickiewicz, his strong and emotional tenor offset by his skill at turning irony on himself. For a fellow who never gets out of bed, he manages to get around. Musical director Graham Sobelman is in charge of the keyboards, with percussion by Jim Nakayama and cello played by Tim Stanley. Stanley also gets a turn on the bed in a nice performance as the boyfriend in “He Plays the Cello.” Directed by Jouni Kirjola, Songs From an Unmade Bed is a delightful evening of musical theater, offering an insight into gay life that isn’t a call for political or social action; instead, it focuses on matters of the heart, which are indeed at the heart of the matter. Ω

—Patti Roberts

The Flu Season, 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday; $15-$18. Ovation Stage at the Three Penny Theatre in the R25 Arts Complex, 1723 25th Street; (916) 606-5050; www.ovationstage.com. Through August 10.


4

As You Like It

This Shakespeare comedy moves from the stressful, politicized city (in director Edward Morgan’s take, America’s gritty Industrial Age, circa 1900) to an idealized vision of bucolic rural life (an Adirondack campout, replete with venison, campfire singalongs and romance). Morgan works in touches of vaudeville (Touchstone tries tap dancing), the costumes and sets are lovely, the cast is almost entirely professional, and the lakeside venue is beautiful. It’s a stylish, confidently staged show. Tu, W, Th, F, Sa, Su 7:30pm; through 8/24. $15-$85. Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor State Park, 2005 Highway 28 in Incline Village; (800) 741-4697; www.lake tahoeshakespeare.com. J.H.

4

Much Ado About Nothing

This comedy of misperception is set in post-World War I England and benefits from the chemistry and talent of the actors playing Beatrice (Jackie Gailbreath) and Benedick (Russell Dow), as well as the lovely pastoral setting in William Land Park. Directed by Lori Ann DelappeGrondin, Much Ado plays in repertory with The Three Musketeers.

F 7/18 8pm; Su 7/20 6pm; Sa 7/26, Th 7/31 & Sa 8/2 8pm. Through 8/2.

$15-$18, Sacramento Shakespeare Festival in the William A. Carroll Amphitheatre in William Land Park, 3901 Land Park Dr.; www.sacramento shakespeare.net. K.M.

4

Provenance

The B3 Series offers this world-premiere production of Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder’s play about the power of books, reading as necessity and obsession, and the

relationships readers form over their favorite books. With Kristine David in a delightful performance as a beyond-quirky librarian isolated in a mountaintop library and Julia Brothers as the antiquarian in search of a rare volume who won’t leave her alone, this quiet story offers both humor and emotional punch. Directed by David Pierini, Provenance has a gorgeous set that bibliophiles will covet. Tu, W 7pm;

1 FOUL

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Th 2pm & 7pm; F 7pm; Sa 8pm; Su 1pm. Through 7/26. $23-$35. B

FAIR

Street Theatre B2 Space, 2711 B St.; (916) 443-5300; www.bstreet theatre.org. K.M.

3

4

The Three Musketeers

GOOD

The Sacramento Shakespeare Festival adds Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas classic action-adventure tale to the season’s repertory. Brave d’Artagnan, his little sister and the three musketeers keep evil Cardinal Richelieu and his henchwoman Milady from killing the king and taking France to war—using a sword fight approximately every seven minutes. It’s great fun for kids, with humor the adults will enjoy. Directed by Christine Nicholson and in repertory with Much Ado About Nothing, The Three Musketeers is a great way to spend a summer evening with the family.

4 WELL-DONE

5 SUBLIME–DON’T MISS

Th 7/17 8pm; F 7/25 & 8/1 8pm; Sa 7/19 8pm; Su 7/27 & 8/3 6pm. Through 8/3. $15-$18. Sacramento

Shakespeare Festival in the William A. Carroll Amphitheatre in William Land Park, 3901 Land Park Dr.; www.sacramentoshakespeare. net. K.M.

Short reviews by Jeff Hudson and Kel Munger.

John Daly

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Theater of horror Apparently, Sacramento is obsessed with zombies and other horror-related activities. Not only can Sactown residents choose between riding the Zombie Train (www.zombietrain.com) or watching the disturbing John Waters’ film Pink Flamingos at the Trash Film Orgy (http://trashfilmorgy.com) this weekend, but they also have the option to camp in West Sacramento and have live actors torment them for 12-hours straight at the Great Horror Campout. Run by Los Angeles-based Ten Thirty One Productions (winners of a $2 million investment from Mark Cuban on Shark Tank), it describes the event as “a 12-hour, overnight, interactive Horror camping adventure.” The experience includes horror movies, a scavenger hunt and roasting marshmallows. Participants can choose different levels of horror, to tone down (or up) the amount of torment elicited by the live actors. $99-$139, 8 p.m. Friday, July 18; and Saturday, July 19; at Vierra Farms, 3010 Burrows Avenue in West Sacramento; (310) 993-8289; www.greathorrorcampout.com. —Jonathan Mendick

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Your friend with a car

A primate blueprint

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In taking over the rebooted Rise of the Planet of the Apes franchise from Rupert Wyatt, director Matt Reeves performs the same function as when he by Daniel Barnes remade the Swedish vampire movie Let the Right One In. He rehashes the things that worked about the original, while simultaneously reducing the characters to one-note drones, and redrawing all of the shadings into big, fat, broad strokes. It’s a technically adroit but flavorless film, and it trashes the surprising narrative structure of its predecessor in favor of this more factory-tested, post-apocalyptic gloom. All the world-building of Wyatt’s film has resulted in a world that is pretty boring and familiar.

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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes opens 10 years after the end of 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which saw the scientifically enhanced superchimp Caesar lead his superpissed ape brethren into the freedom of Muir Woods. In the decade since, most of humanity has been wiped out by a deadly virus, with only a small band of survivors left in the ruins of San Francisco. Meanwhile, the apes have formed a thriving society, and Caesar and a few other apes have even developed a Mr. Miyagi-like ability to speak English sans indefinite articles. Dawn’s tension comes from the conflict between these two societies in flux—the dwindling humans need access to a dam in order to power the city, but the abused apes still hold a grudge. Caesar is now a father, and while wary of the encroaching humans, he searches for a collaborative road to peace. However, his second-in-command Koba is more deeply wounded and fiercely militant (and the ugliest and therefore the most evil), so he attempts to artificially instigate a conflict with the humans. Naturally, the group of sympathetic humans led by Jason Clarke and Keri Russell (Gary Oldman overenunciates another American accent as the less sympathetic human leader) idiotically aids Koba’s fiendish plan by dragging the same trigger-happy, spiteful, ape-hating loudmouth along on every expedition into the primate village. Whatever the plot hole, it finally leads to the rampaging ape battle scenes that are the main reason this film exists.

As advertised, the motion-captured monkey effects are next-generation stuff, a leap forward from the leap forward of Wyatt’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and the various CGI primates have a tactile presence that is legitimately jawdropping and borderline disturbing. Too bad the megapixels are the only things that matter here, and however photo-realistic the monkey fur, a cardboard character is still a cardboard character. Common decency will not allow me to completely dismiss a film in which a viscerally realistic primate rides a horse down California Avenue with machine guns blasting in both paws, but I never really cared who the ape was blasting or why. Andy Serkis returns to provide the voice and motioncaptured movements of Caesar, and for all the limitations of the screenplay, it’s a fully realized performance. Of course, the hundreds of computer artists who worked tens of thousands of hours to digitally create Caesar deserve their share of the credit, especially since every primate in the cast is brought to such similarly vivid life. The human performances are another issue—few will lament the absence of James Franco’s bland, waxy turn from Rise, but at least his character was written with moral conflicts. Both the human and ape characters in Dawn have no deeper motivations than you would find in your average Hollywood revenge movie: They’re all just trying to protect their families—until someone pushes them too far! As the human lead, Clarke is given a character written for pure expedience, and so he is forced to tread a gray middle ground.

The various CGI primates have a tactile presence thatis legitimately jawdropping and borderline disturbing. Too bad the megapixels are the only things that matter here. Finally, if you thought Freida Pinto’s token female scientist-who-cares from Rise was an afterthought, get a load of Russell’s token female scientist-who-cares. She exists solely to underline a single plot point—the surviving humans are immune to monkey flu —and to act motherly and look concerned. Ape society is no more progressive—its token female is Caesar’s ailing wife, who lies bedridden for 90 percent of the film, before rallying in time to act motherly and look concerned. The only difference is that the ape actually sells it. Ω


by daniel barnes & JiM lane

2

Begin Again

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Begin Again is director John Carney’s blatant attempt to recapture the magic of his 2006 surprise hit Once, and if it seems churlish to hold this shiny new product’s feet to that previous film’s lo-fi flame, blame Carney for continuously rubbing our noses in it. He practically begs for the comparison, but everything fresh and original about Once has been recycled and sanitized, and Begin Again is broad and excessive where Once was charming and concise. The film has an irresistible concept and all the necessary elements to make it work, but instead of trusting that, Carney overloads the film with artifice and plot. Begin Again feels like it should work, but never does, and in that sense, it is a lot like one of those God-awful Rock and Roll Hall of Fame jam bands, where talented entertainers team up to create a tuneless cacophony. D.B.

2

The Fault in Our Stars

Romance blossoms between two teenage cancer patients (Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort). Directed by Josh Boone and adapted by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber from John Green’s wildly successful novel (124 weeks and counting on The New York Times Best Sellers list), the movie is Love Story for the 21st century—though that’s a bit unfair: Love Story— book and movie—was lousy. This one, book and movie, is artfully constructed—a dash of Holden Caulfield without the acid, enough character for good actors to sink their teeth into, yet generic enough to appeal to a maximum teen audience. It’s essentially a two-character show: Elgort is handsome and appealing, while Woodley continues her steady progress to stardom. J.L.

2

How to Train Your Dragon 2

The Viking teenager Hiccup (voice by Jay Baruchel) returns with his dragon pal Toothless, this time forced to deal with a wicked warlord (Djimon Hounsou) who is recruiting an army of dragons to feed his lust for conquest and destruction. The first movie back in 2010 was a delightful surprise; this sequel, not so much. With around 100 minutes of movie strung out over 25 minutes worth of plot, writer-director Dean DeBlois resorts to cribbing elements from other movies—the Harry Potter series, the Star Wars saga, Pirates of the Caribbean, Japanese monster movies and so on. The first movie satisfied itself with cribbing the Aesop fable about Androcles and the lion, and it was more fun that way. J.L.

3

Planes: Fire & Rescue

World-champion racing plane Dusty Crophopper (voice by Dane Cook), learns that his racing days are over due to engine damage, so he goes into training to be a firefighter, under the, er, wing of veteran fire-and-rescue helicopter Blade Ranger (Ed Harris). This sequel to last year’s dismal Planes is better than expected. The characters still aren’t very interesting, getting more of their personality from their celebrity voices (Hal Holbrook, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Cedric the Entertainer, etc.) than from the animation or the script. And again, there’s no reason this couldn’t have gone direct to video. But at least the fire scenes are nicely done. An opening title dedicating the movie to the world’s firefighters (human ones, presumably) was a clever touch, sure to get applause. J.L.

2

THE

The Rover

From the title card that reads “Ten years after the collapse” to the opening images of stark wastelands and Guy Pearce’s weathered face, David Michôd’s The Rover wants you to know that it is really, really dark. It would like to be a cerebral, “slow cinema” take on

BEFORE

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“PAUL HAGGIS’ BEST MOVIE.”

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STARTS FRI., 7/18

FRI-TUES: 11:55AM, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:50PM

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- Todd McCarthy, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

SNOWPIERCER

WED/THUR: 1:30, 4:15, 7:05, 9:45PM FRI-TUES: 4:20, 9:45PM NO THUR 1:30, 4:15PM • ADD’L FRI 11:00AM

“This is as good a place as any for a midlife crisis.”

Earth to Echo

A handful of suburban kids (Teo Halm, Brian “Astro” Bradley, Reese Hartwig, Ella Wahlestedt) try to help an alien from another galaxy who has been stranded on Earth, even as the little fellow becomes the subject of an intense search by shadowy government agents. Sound familiar? Director Dave Green and writers Henry Gayden and Andrew Panay ransack the early career of Steven Spielberg— mostly E.T., of course, but with generous helpings of Close Encounters and The Goonies thrown in—giving it a contrived found-video look. The rip-off is so blatant that it makes any discussion of acting (pretty good), special effects (decent) or editing (fair) beside the point: This is the most shameless act of near-plagiarism since Star Trek cribbed that “The Trouble With Tribbles” episode from Robert A. Heinlein’s 1952 sci-fi novel The Rolling Stones. J.L.

3

“WILL WIN YOUR HEART.”

- Jordan Hoffman, NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

4

Snowpiercer

In the not-too-distant future of Joon-ho Bong’s meditative and thrilling Snowpiercer, a failed global-warming experiment has frozen the entire planet, rendering it uninhabitable. Eighteen years later, the remains of humanity live on a high-speed supertrain where a cruel class divide has developed, with the privileged class living up front, and the most destitute and exploitable people in the caboose. The setup may be high-concept times a thousand, but the obviousness of the symbolism (the train is the world, the passengers are humanity, and we’re done here) is so inextricably interwoven with the forward momentum of the plot and so well complemented by Joonho’s comic-book style and sick humor, you can’t help but buy in. Joon-ho previously made The Host, a monster movie that both satisfied and sabotaged the expectations of the genre, and he does the same thing with futuristic scifi in Snowpiercer. D.B.

Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon

Talent agent Shep Gordon made his name by managing Alice Cooper and others to superstardom, but according to the documentary Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon, his most potent quality is a generous spirit that has endeared him to everyone, including Michael Douglas, Tom Arnold and the Dalai Lama. Actor Mike Myers co-directs Supermensch (along with Beth Aala), but he also appears onscreen to add to the litany of celebrity testimonials. When Myers calls his subject “the nicest person I’ve ever met,” and describes how Gordon nurtured him through a rough patch in his life, it’s a sure sign that we’re in the land of the puff piece. At least it’s a fast-paced and calorie-free puff piece with enough name-dropping to hold your attention, not unlike an Us Weekly magazine cover story, although it would have been more interesting to know how the sausage was made. D.B.

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Third Person

apocalyptic Aussie films like The Road Warrior and Wake in Fright, but The Rover isn’t cerebral, just slow, and feels like the work of a talented and ambitious filmmaker with nothing to say. The Australian native Michôd broke through in 2010 with the excellent crime drama Animal Kingdom, and he still shows a talent for dreamily unsettling images, shocking cuts, efficient storytelling and incoherent soundtrack selections. But when the gasoline-powered pursuit at the film’s center starts to stall, so does the story, and after a tense opening act, The Rover suddenly becomes enamored with its own navel. D.B.

3

“(ITS) QUIET PLEASURES CREEP UP ON YOU.”

GKIDS SUMMER FILM SERIES: THE SECRET OF KELLS 7/17 @ 3:30PM CAT IN PARIS 7/19 @ 11AM & 7/22 @ 11AM • K: MISSING KINGS 7/20 @ 12PM & 7/21@ 7PM

Writer-director Paul Haggis interlaces three stories: A famous novelist and his journalist lover in Paris (Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde), an American businessman and a Romanian refugee in Rome (Adrien Brody, Moran Atias), and an emotionally unstable woman and her vindictive ex-husband in New York (Mila Kunis, James Franco). The stories echo and reflect each other, but they don’t intersect or overlap in the same obvious way as Haggis’ 2005 Oscarwinner Crash. Themes morph and recur—deception, betrayal, children in jeopardy—until we wonder if all (or any) of the stories are happening in “reality.” Haggis teases us, keeps us guessing—and leaves us guessing, for that matter. His movie may well annoy and alienate some, but others will find it fascinating and hard to shake when the lights come up. J.L.

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Need Assistance with Applying for or Appealing Veterans Disability Benefits & Compensation? Contact: (916) 480-9200 Law Office of Steven H. Berniker, APC Veteran Advisor – Sgt Major (Ret) Daniel J. Morales Location: 2424 Arden Way, Suite 360 Sacramento, CA 95825

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Tammy

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A fast-food worker (Melissa McCarthy) gets fired for being an unreliable slob, then comes home to find her husband having a romantic dinner with another woman (Toni Collette, shamefully wasted). At the end of her rope, she sets out with her alcoholic grandmother (Susan Sarandon) on a road trip to Niagara Falls. Co-written by McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone (who also directed), the movie is as disorderly and obnoxious as its title character. Meanwhile, a top-flight supporting cast (Allison Janney, Gary Cole, Kathy Bates, Sandra Oh, Dan Aykroyd) has little to do but stand watching the star thrash around, then line up at the end for an unconvincing group hug. McCarthy often shines as a supporting actress (remember Bridesmaids?), but as a star, her bag of tricks is beginning to look pretty shallow. J.L.

“On the batterfield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a Nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no Veteran behind.” – Dan Lipinski

2

Think Like a Man Too

The couples from 2012’s Think Like a Man (Michael Ealy and Taraji P. Henson, Romany Malco and Meagan Good, Jerry Ferrara and Gabriel Union, Terrence Jenkins and Regina Hall) hit Las Vegas for a wedding, with pal Kevin Hart organizing the bachelor party and Jenkins’ character’s mother (Jenifer Lewis) taking command of the bride and bridesmaids. Writers Keith Merryman and David A. Newman felt the need to write a sequel, but couldn’t come up with a story, so they recycled stale jokes from The Hangover, Last Vegas, etc., only cleaned up and toned down to preserve a PG-13 rating. Results are predictably lame and lamely predictable. Director Tim Story, as usual, is hopelessly lost, and the heavy lifting falls to the appealing cast, who all deserve better material. Here’s one thing that happened in Vegas and should have stayed there. J.L.

2

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Where to start? The American flag. “I just got picked up by Red Bull.” Magic hour on every point of the globe, all of the time, always. “These alien guns kick ass!” Transformium. “What we do here is science.” Monument Valley. “Mission accomplished” and “cut and run.” Action scenes set in slums. King Arthur, high-school football and the Holocaust. “It’s sucking up metal and dropping it!” Creepy, daddy-daughter sex anxiety. “I’m a wicked warrior robot.” Product placement for Bud Light and automatic weaponry. “Don’t bitch out on me! Are you gonna bitch out on me?” Mark Wahlberg wears glasses to pass as a scientist in this world, and it works. “Algorithms! Math!” In short, this fourth installment of Michael Bay’s long-form paean to soullessness is better than some of its predecessors and worse than others, but God only knows which ones or why. D.B.

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HIGHLANDS COMMUNITY CHARTER SCHOOL

A CHARTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

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Right here! Right now! Chk Chk Chk (a.k.a. !!!) reflects on 17 years   of change, challenges and living in the moment Maybe Chk Chk Chk’s Nic Offer is a Wayne’s World fan because his approach to the band lines up perfectly with Garth Algar’s classic “Live in the by Brian Palmer now!” quote. This very notion is largely what has kept the band together for the past 17 years. “We didn’t think too far into the future when we started, so we were pretty in the moment,” the singer said. “I definitely think the reason we’re still a band is because we’ve kept the same attitude the whole time.”

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But seriously, guys, you should at least look into a 401(k) plan or something, OK?

Be present with Chk Chk Chk on Friday, July 18, at the Concerts in the Park at 910 I Street. The show begins at 5 p.m., and there is no cover. Saint Solitaire, Sea Legs and Shaun Slaughter also perform. The band’s website is www.chkchkchk.net.

36   |   SN&R   |   07.17.14

“We were trying to make it like a modern-day ‘Pump Up the Volume,’” Offer said, referring to the 1987 hit song by MARRS. “That song was made in the early days of sampling, where you lifted all the coolest grooves and smacked them next to each other, so we thought, ‘What if tried to make a song that sounds like it was made out of 10 different songs?’ It was exciting to make because, thematically, we could go anywhere.” The resulting track, and Thr!!!er as a whole, stands as a watershed moment in the band’s history because it gave the members a chance to prove they could still make compelling music after so many years together. It was a challenge they relished. “We’d had a tough time with the previous record, so it felt like Thr!!!er was one of those ‘put up or shut up’ moments,” Offer said. “It was one of the first times where we felt our age and felt like, ‘Well, if we’re old and we’re here, there has to be a reason.’ We didn’t want to be some irrelevant band just clinging to its glory days.” The new album, influenced in part by modern trends, gave the band new, relevent perspective, Offer said.

Remaining in the moment has allowed the group to adapt to different situations throughout its history, including lineup changes and moves that saw most of the band departing its original Sacramento base—guitarist Mario Andreoni is the only member who still lives in the 916. Though daunting at times, by finding ways to remain cohesive and creatively compatible, the band has only grown stronger and more interesting as the years have passed. Rather than tearing Chk Chk Chk apart, Offer said such challenges have helped it grow. “‘Evolved’ is definitely the word I would use, because we’ve had to adapt,” he said. “We had to find a new way to write when the band first moved to New York and when members left … but that’s been another key to making it work for so long, is that it’s always remained fresh.” Those who have listened to the band’s last album, 2013’s Thr!!!er, would likely find “fresh” an apt descriptor. Whether it’s the clap-happy dance track “Even When the Water’s Cold,” the infectious funk of “Get That Rhythm Right” or the undeniable discopop number “One Girl/One Boy,” fun, variety and energy abound. It makes for one hell of a dance party, and the guys clearly had a good time making the record. The single “Slyd,” in particular, stands out as especially indicative of the recording experience.

“ We didn’t want to be some irrelevant band just clinging to its glory days.’” Nic Offer Chk Chk Chk “We really felt like we needed a new push, creatively, and we were really excited by a lot of the club music that was happening at that point, so it felt really freeing.” So, what’s next? True to form, Offer said he knows that the only way to approach the band’s future is to keep doing what they have been doing: living in the moment. “Maybe we’ll be able to go another 17 years, and maybe we’ll break up next month,” he said with a laugh. “It’s been that way the whole time, so I imagine it will stay that way until at least next month.” Ω


Wordsmiths, wildlings and wild gifts X, unplugged: Sure, it seems like the seminal Los Angeles punk band X tours a lot, so no big deal that it’s making an appearance in Grass Valley on Thursday, July 24, right? Well, actually, this show is kind of a big deal. The Center for the Arts gig is part of a seven-city acoustic West Coast tour that marks the first time X’s original members—singer-bassist John Doe, singer Exene Cervenka, guitarist Billy Zoom and drummer D.J. Bonebrake— have played entire sets in that format. The trek came about via a push from various club bookers, Doe said. “They were hounding us, ‘If you didn’t play so damn loud, we could do something,’” Doe said. “This was a cool opportunity. We have good songs and real stories.” So, what to expect—besides an unplugged set, that is? “You have to play better, play more specifically [because] you don’t have the volume to gloss over certain notes,” Doe said. The band recently completed a four-evening engagement at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles at which it played its first four albums—Los Angeles, Wild Gift, Under the Big Black Sun, More Fun in the New World—one on each night. Doe added there are plans for a new X album. Eventually, anyway. Someday. Maybe in this lifetime. “There is new material there,” he said. A few years back, Doe, also well-regarded for his music with the country-punk band the Knitters as well as his solo work, participated in What Would John Doe Do?, which invited fans to write for musical advice on the KnowTheMusicBiz.com site. The feature’s been quiet since 2012, but the singer said he wouldn’t mind reviving the concept—perhaps on his own website. Still, Doe added, when it comes down to it, such interaction never really disappeared. “I actually do that quite a bit while I’m touring,” he said. “[Fans ask me questions] while I’m at the merch table, while I’m walking into the club.” Ask Doe your own burning questions: The Center for the Arts show (314 W. Main Street in Grass Valley) starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $45-$50. Folk Uke, a duo comprising Cathy Guthrie and Amy Nelson (Arlo and Willie’s daughters, respectively), open the show. Details are at www.thecenterforthearts.org.

THINK FREE.

Nerd rap and neo-soul: In one song, Milo drops references to thrift-store sweaters, “Spidey senses,” God, vegetarianism, Kurt Vonnegut and being “passively unaggressive.” The 22-year-old rapper—from Maine then Wisconsin and soon moving to Los Angeles—is a wordsmith in every right, and an exciting up-and-comer in the world of artistic, intelligent rap. Milo headlined Witch Room on July 9. He brought a frenetic, eccentric energy, dancing around like a wildling, burping into the mic and anxiously discussing adjustments with the sound engineer all the way through his set. It was captivating. His wordplay, spoken with a mumblecorelike nonchalance, was inspiring. And he had some serious fans in attendance. A group of young guys wore huge grins, occasionally mouthing deadpan, easily digestible lyrics, such as, “I’d like to be a better man. Better at making sandwiches.” The rest of that hook went right over my head, and the boys couldn’t keep up with their mouthing, either, and under his breath, Milo acknowledged it: “Whatever the fuck that means. Fucking nerd rap shit.” Yeah. Nerd rap shit. It’s good shit. Before Milo, the crowd got some sets from his Wisconsin friends—who are also moving to Los Angeles— Safari Al and Nedarb Nagrom. Nagrom showed some insane energy, jumping into a lifeless crowd and thrashing around. The move got a few people dancing for maybe 30 seconds. Safari Al impressed with his silky crooning mixed with smart spoken word. We also got local neo-soul singersongwriter Stevie Nader. Nader took home three Sammies awards last year—New Artist, Singer-Songwriter and Release of the Year—establishing himself as a force. His voice is smooth, sexy, floating over equally sexy synth compositions. He held his mic close with two hands, eyes closed, in the zone, for too short of a set. About a month ago, Nader quietly dropped a second album, Grit. It’s a collaborative project with Boywolf, and it’s a beautiful collection comprising seven ethereal, chill electro-soul tracks. And like his debut 333, Grit also features a song with Sean LaMarr of local hip-hop duo DLRN, who showed up at Witch Room to join Nader onstage. For more artful hip-hop, catch DLRN with a full band at Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub (2708 J Street) on Friday, August 1.

—Rachel Leibrock

r achell @ne w s re v i e w . c o m

—Janelle Bitker

jane lleb@ n ew s r ev i ew . com BEFORE

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NEWS

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STORY

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17THURS

17THURS

18FRI

18FRI

Jason Cruz and Howl

Kathleen Grace

Pets

The Polyphonic Spree

The Press Club, 8 p.m., $12

Old Ironsides, 8:30 p.m., $5

Jason Cruz is no longer a teenage skater punk.  These days, he’s much more of a punk-goescountry man. Cruz first gained recognition for  being the frontman of punk band Strung Out.  In 2012, he revealed his Americana-loving side  with his own project, Jason Cruz and Howl,  with the release of an EP. Earlier this year,  it released its debut full-length, Good Man’s  AMERICANA Ruin. Ruin moves through  country rock, blues and  folk, but there’s a clear, heavy layer of darkness over the whole thing. Still, it’s slower— definitely not mosh-pit music (Strung Out fans,  consider yourselves warned). Also on the bill:  alternative-rock band the Darlings, thrash  band the Pullmen and local punk rockers the  Bar Fly Effect. 2030 P Street, www.facebook. com/jasoncruzandhowl.

Taking a break from her role as adjunct  instructor in the jazz studies department  JAZZ at the University of Southern  California’s Thornton School  of Music, Kathleen Grace is stopping in  Sacramento to support her latest album No  Place to Fall. Grace’s formidable vocal and  songwriting talent is on full display on the  album, which features originals and a diverse  selection of covers, including the title track by  Townes Van Zandt, Meat Puppets’ “Plateau”,  Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo” and Tom Waits’  “The Briar and the Rose.” Her originals are  varied as well, displaying her classic country  appeal and moody jazz ballads. Norah Jones  comes to mind when you hear her material.  1901 10th Street, www.kathleengrace.com.

—Mark Hanzlik

—Janelle Bitker

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT EVERY FRI & SAT 9PM

JULY 18

WEDNESDAY JULY 16

VARIETY OF DANCE HITS / $5

KNCI 18 & OVER COLLEGE WEDNESDAYS $2, $3, $4 DRINK SPECIALS

JULY 19

SET IN STONE CLASSIC ROCK / $5

JULY 25

THURSDAY JULY 17

JULY 26

WHISKEY DAWN

GROOVE THANG PARTY DANCE COVER BAND / $5

LIVE BAND:

APPLE Z

FRIDAY JULY 18

ROCK / DANCE / GROOVE // $5

AUGUST 1

$2 PBR & $3 LONG ISLANDS 8 - 9PM

CHEESEBALLS

THE ULTIMATE DANCE PARTY / $10 ADV TICKETS ON SALE NOW

DAILY HAPPY HOUR 3-6PM

MYSTIC ROOTS

Hosted by URBANFIRE Friday, 7/18 - 6pm-10pm

1320 DEL PASO BLVD

STONEYINN.COM | 916.927.6023

LIVE MUSIC IN JULY DELTA CITY RAMBLERS

July 19

DENVER J BAND & ALI K

July 20

“CRAZY FINGERS” JAKE FROM ZUGH UNPLUGGED FROM 2-5PM

July 25

GROUND SCORE WILLIE

3rd Sunday Country

july 26

GOOD SAMARITANS & SEA LEGS

with BRANDED

july 27

DYLAN CRAWFORD OF MASSIVE DELICIOUS UNPLUGGED FROM 2-5PM

BUMP CITY

A Tribute to Tower of Power Saturday, 7/19 - 2pm-6pm

DEPARTURE

A Tribute to Journey Saturday, 7/19 - 7pm-10pm

RACHEL STEELE & ROAD 88 Sunday, 7/20 - 2pm-7pm

TRIVIA MONDAYS @ 6:30PM TACO TUESDAYS $1 TACOS, $2 CORONAS

FREE BBQ 6 - 9PM .50¢ PBR, $2 JACK & COKE 6 - 8PM $5 COVER BEFORE 8PM

07.17.14

—Deena Drewis

July 18

FREE TEXAS SIZED BBQ TO

INSIDE STRIKES UNLIMITED

38   |   SN&R   |

3rd Friday Reggae

CELEBRATE OUR NEW DANCE FLOOR

HALFTIME BAR & GRILL 5681 Lonetree Blvd • Rocklin 916.626.3600 HALFTIMER OCKLIN.COM

One would be hard-pressed to find a band  that occupies as much time and space as  the Polyphonic Spree. Membership numbers  hover around 20 at any given time, the robeclad choral-rock band is a massive spectacle  that seems to have stepped from the 1960s  CHORAL ROCK into the 21st century  with all the flourish  of a whirling dervish. Sonically, it’s psychedelically cheery and upbeat—think the  Beatles on “On All You Need Is Love,” but a  little messier around the edges. The band’s  cover of Nirvana’s “Lithium” sounds almost  celebratory and therefore strange, which is  essentially the Polyphonic Spree’s ethos.   1417 R Street, www.thepolyphonicspree.com.

SATURDAY JULY 19

EVERY THURSDAY

UNLIMITED GLOW-BOWL WITH LIVE DJ! $15 INCLUDES SHOES / 10PM-1AM

Husband-and-wife duo Derek Fieth and  Allison Jones—known around town as  Pets—has been rocking stages for more  than a decade now. Originally sporting  guitars and a drum machine, the pair has  gone through different phases: dance rock,  pop punk—and more recently, fuzzed-out,  noisy garage rock. The duo’s latest record,  Get Turned On, released earlier this year,  sounds psychedelic. It’s strayed from overt  ROCK pop melodies and falls more into  spaced-out shoegaze territory.  And, for this record—as well as the one  prior to it—Pets is backed with a real-life  drummer. Get Turned On is by far their most  out-there record to date—and also a really  good one. 3434 Broadway, www.facebook. com/petstheband.

Ace of Spades, 7 p.m., $18

—Aaron Carnes

KARAOKE NIGHTLY IN OUR FRONT BAR PLUS AWESOME FOOD SPECIALS

A-TRAIN

Old Soul at 40 Acres, 7 p.m., no cover

OPEN MIC WEDNESDAYS SIGN-UPS @ 7:30PM KARAOKE THURSDAYS @ 7:30PM

5871 Garden Highway (916) 920-8088

101 MAIN STREET, ROSEVILLE 916-774-0505 · 9:30PM · 21+ FACEBOOK.COM/BAR101ROSEVILLE


18FRI

19SAT

20SUN

24THURS

Mariee Sioux

Crüella

Rakim

Thom Stockton

Off Center Stage, 8 p.m., $18-$20

Marilyn’s on K, 9 p.m., $8

There must be something in the water in  Nevada City. It’s produced three talented folk  singer-songwriters in Joanna Newsom, Alela  Diane and Mariee Sioux—all of whom have  enjoyed critical acclaim. Though the three  share the same hometown, each has their own  sound. Sioux’s songs are like the sonic equivalent of heavily textured impressionism-era  landscape paintings. Several layers of vocals  float atop a brooding foundation of picked  guitar. Flourishes of sweeping percussion and  echoing electric guitar add lightness to the  FOLK full picture. All these elements, plus  lyrics about often earthy subjects,  give Sioux’s music a very unprocessed, naturally beautiful quality. 315 Richardson Street,  http://marieesioux.tumblr.com.

—Jonathan Mendick

Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub, 10 p.m., $40

Tribute bands come and go, but few leave a  lasting impression. And while the four women  who pay tribute to Mötley Crüe—Cindy Lynne  METAL (vocals), Mary Cary (guitar),  Terilynn Bench (bass) and  Windy Wild (drums)—sometimes sound even  better than the boys ever did, let’s chalk  it up to their spirit and musicianship. What  started in 2012 in San Francisco has morphed  into something much bigger than they ever  imagined. If you’re looking to hear some  vintage cuts along with the band’s biggest  hits, Crüella will deliver. Also joining them  on this fantastic bill are ACA/DACA (a Bon  Scott-era AC/DC tribute) and Motorheader  (a Motörhead tribute). Your Saturday-night  plans have been decided for you. 908 K Street,  www.facebook.com/motleycruella.

Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub, 9 p.m., $10

Rakim’s regarded as one of hip-hop’s finest  emcees, and age hasn’t diminished his skills.  He’s known for rapid, seamless flow, lithe  lyrical turns and tight interior rhymes. He  teamed with DJ Eric B. for the 1987 album  Pain in Full, an enduring rap classic that went  platinum—eight years after its release. The  pair’s partnership ended three years earlier,  but Rakim’s solo career was delayed by legal  disputes and never really took off. He ended  HIP-HOP a 10-year recording hiatus  with his fine third solo disc,  2009’s The Seventh Seal, and has promised  a new album with tracks by DJ Premier and  Pharrell Williams. Nothing’s yet materialized  but a Linkin Park collaboration. 2708 J Street,  www.facebook.com/rakimallah.

—Chris Parker

“On my way to yoga, listenin’ to Tupac” is  a pretty revealing lyric for rapper Thom  Stockton. He’s a mustachioed rapper from  Stockton, and the verse in question comes  from “To Know Him,” an autobiographical  HIP-HOP song from Stockton’s latest  album 27, released in May. The  album (which can be streamed at   http://thomstocktonmusic.bandcamp.com)  features spacey beats from Sacramentonative producer Chase Moore and fastpaced guest verses from Living Legends  emcee Eligh. At this show—which also features emcees Sapient and Illmaculate—he’ll  be performing as part of the Thom Stockton  Trio, featuring Stockton drummer Jesse  Salazar and Sammies hall of famer DJ Epik.  2708 J Street, www.thomstockton.com.

—Eddie Jorgensen

—Jonathan Mendick

2708 J Street Sacramento, CA 916.441.4693 www.harlows.com

Thu 07/17 // 9PM // $8

ThE FAME RIOT ThE BELL BOYS WANTED EXOTIC FRI 07/18 // 8PM

YOu FRONT ThE BAND LIVE KARAOKE SAT 07/19 // 9PM // $8

- July 21 -

PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS

- July 17 -

CRuELLA, ACA/DACA, MOTORhEAD MOTLEY CRuE,

CAVEMAN (WALLY) • 7PM • $12 ADV

GEORGE TANDY JR. ANTHONY DAVID,

9PM • $15 ADV

AC/DC, MOTORhEAD TRuBuTE SuN 07/20

ShOWCASE SuNDAY, OPEN MIC

COMEDY 6-8PM BAND AuDITIONS 8-12AM // FREE TuES 07/22 // 8PM // $5

- July 23 -

- July 18 -

THE HOLD STEADY

MATT SCHOFIELD

CHEAP GIRLS

7:30PM • $22 ADV

LIFE ShIP OF ThE SuN

ALTERNATIVE POP // ROCK

STEEL SAVIOR MOTORIZE DESCENDANT

- July 24 -

- July 19 -

ZUGH

IDEA TEAM, CAPITOL RAIL, ADRIAN BELLUE

WEDS 07/23 // 8PM // $5

7PM • $20 ADV

8PM • $10

|

NEWS

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F E AT U R E

STORY

Julianna Zachariou

8/3

Bad Suns

8/4

Real Estate

8/7

Snarky Puppy

8/8

Catherine Russell

8/9

Mustache Harbor

8/10

Race to the Bottom

8/12

Ottmar Liebert Panmixia Built to Spill

8PM • $10

8/16

Purple Ones

- July 25 -

8/23 Steelin’ Dan 8/23 Mahtie Bush

9PM • $40

|    A R T S & C U L T U R E

8/1

8/14

8/30 Allan Holdsworth

908 K Street • sac 916.446.4361 wwwMarilynsOnK.com

B-Side Players

8/13

07/26 TOD MORGAN AND ThE EMBLEMS, ADRIAN BELLuE

BEFORE

Tainted Love

7/31

SAPIENT & ILLMACULATE

RAKIM

uPCOMING ShOWS:

7/26

THOM STOCKTON TRIO, GOLDINI BAGWELL

- July 20 -

METAL // PROGRESSIVE

COMING SOON

|

9/11

Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars

9/19

Irishpalooza

SEAN LEHE, THE FAMILY PRACTICE

9/23

Sean Hayes

9PM • $15 ADV

9/26

Jack Gallagher

AFTER

|    07.17.14

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SN&R

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39


NIGHTBEAT ASSEMBLY MUSIC HALL 1000 K St., (916) 832-4751

List your event!

Post your free online listing (up to 15 months early), and our editors will consider your submission for the printed calendar as well. Print listings are also free, but subject to space limitations. Online, you can include a full description of your event, a photo, and a link to your website. Go to www.newsreview.com/calendar and start posting events. Deadline for print listings is 10 days prior to the issue in which you wish the listing to appear.

BADLANDS

2003 K St., (916) 448-8790

THURSDAY 7/17

FRIDAY 7/18

FOREIGN EXCHANGE, 7pm, $20

BLEEDING THROUGH, WINDS OF PLAGUE, The Siren Show presents...Once Upon A Tease, 8pm, $15-$25 SCARS OF TOMORROW; 6pm, $15

VINCE STAPLES, SKEME, AUDIO PUSH; 7pm, $19

Tipsy Thursdays, Top 40 deejay dancing, 9pm, call for cover

Fabulous and Gay Fridays, 9pm, call for cover

Saturday Boom, 9pm, call for cover

Sin Sunday, 8pm, call for cover

DELTA CITY RAMBLERS, 9:30pm, no cover

ALI K, DENVER J. BAND, 9:30pm, no cover

CRAZYFINGERS, 2-5pm, no cover

BAR 101

101 Main St., Roseville; (916) 774-0505

BLUE LAMP

1400 Alhambra, (916) 455-3400

JUNIOR DEMUS, IQULAH, XSAMPLE, HONEY B; 8pm, call for cover

ATTIK DOOR, DOCTOR LUNA, THE DEV- PRESSURE POINT, CITY OF VAIN, ILS TRAIN, FURLOUGH FRIDAYS; 8pm, $7 OLD GLORY, CUSTOM FIT; 8pm, $10

THE BOARDWALK

SHERYL ANN PADRE, ISAIAH JET VALLE-

SAVING ABEL, MONKS OF MELLENWAH,

MAC DRE, J-DIGGS, THIZZ ENT; 8pm, call for cover

CENTER FOR THE ARTS

314 W. Main St., Grass Valley; (530) 274-8384

JEWEL, CAROLINE JONES; 8pm, $58-$68

MARIEE SIOUX, WISEWATER, LAUREN SHERA; 8pm, $18-$20

JEFFERY WANZER DUPRA, LELAND GRAMMER; 8pm, $8-$10

THE COZMIC CAFÉ

Open-mic, 7:30pm, no cover

LOUIS LANDON, 8pm, $12

1016 K St., (916) 737-5770

DJs Cue22, Mitchel Cukr, the Scheme, 10pm, call for cover

DJ Billy Lane, 10pm, call for cover

DIVE BAR

Deuling Pianos, 9pm, no cover

9426 Greenback Ln., Orangevale; (916) 988-9247 JOS, KENNAN GIBSON; 8pm, call for cover ELISIUM, PUSHING THE SUN; 8pm, $18

594 Main St., Placerville; (530) 642-8481

DISTRICT 30

1022 K St., (916) 737-5999

FACES Hey local bands!

Want to be a hot show? Mail photos to Calendar Editor, SN&R, 1124 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815 or email it to sactocalendar@ newsreview.com. Be sure to include date, time, location and cost of upcoming shows.

2000 K St., (916) 448-7798

FOX & GOOSE

THE MIKE JUSTIS BAND, 8pm, no cover

G STREET WUNDERBAR

TOTAL RECALL, 10pm, no cover

THE GOLDEN BEAR

DJ Shaun Slaughter, 10pm, call for cover

1001 R St., (916) 443-8825 228 G St., Davis; (530) 756-9227 2326 K St., (916) 441-2252

HALFTIME BAR & GRILL

5681 Lonetree Blvd., Rocklin; (916) 626-6366

Hip-hop and Top 40 Deejay dancing, 9pm, $5-$10

Hip-hop and Top 40 Deejay dancing, 9pm, $5-$10

KALLY O’MALLY, GENE SMITH, LUCKY LASKOWSKI; 9pm, $5

PUNCH-OUT, 9pm, $5

DJ Crook One, 10pm, call for cover

DJ Whores, 10pm, no cover

A-TRAIN, 9pm-midnight, $5

SET IN STONE, 9pm-midnight, $5

MATT SCHOFIELD, 8:30pm, $22-$25

ZUHG, IDEA TEAM, CAPITAL RAIL, ADRIAN BELLUE; 8:30pm, $10

LUNA’S CAFÉ & JUICE BAR

Joe Montoya’s Poetry Unplugged, 8pm, $2

Comedy w/ Lucas Melandes and Keith Lowell Jensen, 8pm, $10

THE DARYL BLACK BAND, VOICE RECOGNITION, MARTIN PURTILL; 8pm, $5

MARILYN’S ON K

THE FAME RIOT, THE BELL BOYS, WANTED EXOTIC; 9pm, $8

You Front The Band Live Karaoke, 8pm, call for cover

ACA DACA, CRUELLA, MOTORHEADER; 9pm, $8

MIDTOWN BARFLY

Panik: deejay dancing w/ Angels of Kaos, Deejay dancing, 9pm, no cover before 9pm-2am, $5 10pm; $5 after 10pm

908 K St., (916) 446-4361 1119 21st St., (916) 549-2779

1000 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

FOR TICKETS TO ALL SHOWS VISIT AssemblyMusicHall.com For Rentals or Private Parties please contact AssemblyMusicHall@gmail.com

Upcoming ShowS

THE FOREIGN EXCHANGE thurs july 17 @ 7pm

Sun july 20 @ 7pm

potluck fri july 18 @ 6pm

Sat july 19 @ 8pm

special guests Jaime dewolf & laika fox

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sat july 26 @ 7pm

j terrible, gfn & r3d, d-wreck & riot gang

07.17.14

tues july 29 @ 8pm

Chevy Woods, Tree Thomas & Will

DJ Mister Sister, 8pm, no cover

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 7/21-7/23

Mad Mondays, 9pm M

Acoustic open mic, 8pm M, no cover; Naughty Trivia, 8pm W, no cover UNTIL THIS SUNRISE, MERCEDES AVE, IMAGINE THIS, ALTESSA; 7:30pm W

DJ NIck Hogan, 10pm W, call for cover DENVER J. BAND, 9pm, no cover

BILLY MANZIK, 9pm Tu; ZUHG, YOUNG AUNDEE, ERNIE FRESH; 9pm W

Dragalicious, 9pm, $5

Queer Idol, 9pm M, no cover; Latin night, 9pm Tu, $5; DJ Alazzawi, 9pm W, $3 Open-mic, 7:30pm M; Pub Quiz, 7pm Tu; Northern Soul, 8pm W, no cover

CALIFORNIA RIOT ACT, GROOVIN’ HIGH; 10pm, call for cover

GEORGE TANDY JR., ANTHONY DAVID, CHRIS JONES; 10pm, $15-$20

1414 16th St., (916) 441-3931

SUNDAY 7/20

DJ Elements, 10pm, call for cover

HARLOW’S

2708 J St., (916) 441-4693

40

SATURDAY 7/19

Aug 01

fringe

Aug 02

foxy shazam

Aug 05

Ballyhoo

Aug 06

like moths to flames

Aug 07

life in 24 frames

Aug 08

phora

Aug 10

israel ViBration & the roots radic

Aug 11

he is legend/ maylene and the sons of disaster

Aug 12

sir sly

Aug 16

the siren show

Aug 19

chimaira

Aug 23

slaVes

Aug 30

mac hersch

sep 09

mother falcon

sep 13

justin furstenfeld of Blue octoBer

sep 15

the real mckenzies

sep 20

the siren show

sep 21

amity affliction

sep 23

trapt

sep 27

aaron carter

oct 04

eluVeitie

oct 12

turquoise jeep

oct 18

the siren show

Industry Night, 9pm, call for cover

Trivia night, W, call for cover Trivia night, 7:30-9pm Tu, no cover

RAKIM, 10pm, $40

PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS, 8pm M, $14; THE HOLD STEADY, 8pm W, $20-$25 Nebraska Mondays, 7:30pm M, $5-$20; Comedy night, 8pm W, $6

Marilyn’s Talent Showcase, 6pm, no cover

Karaoke, M; LIFE, SHIP OF THE SUN, 8pm Tu; STEEL SAVIOR, MOTORIZE; 8pm W, $5

Goth, darkwave, industrial, electronic deejay dancing, 9pm-3am, call for cover

Swing dancing lessons $6, 7:30pm Tu; Salsa w/ Nicole Lazo, 7:30pm W, $5


THURSDAY 7/17

FRIDAY 7/18

SATURDAY 7/19

NAKED LOUNGE DOWNTOWN

INSTAGON, PETER J. WOODS, KINGSTON FAMILY SINGERS, CHOPSTICK; 8:30pm, $5

THE FOXTAILS, ALL ABOUT ROCKETS, HONEY POWER; 8:30pm, $5

SALT WIZARD, ELI AND THE SOUND CULT, THE NEIGHBORS; 8:30pm, $5

Jazz session, 8pm M; LAKE STOVELL, GARRETT WILDGUST; 8:30pm W, $5

OLD IRONSIDES

1901 10th St., (916) 442-3504

ELECTRIC SNORKEL, ANGELICA ROCKNE, THE POLYMERS, TET HOLIDAY, KATHLEEN GRACE; 8:30pm, $8 ANCIENT ASTRONAUT; 9pm, $5

Fascination: ’80s new-wave dancing, 9pm, $5

Karaoke w/ Sac City Entertainment, 9pm Tu, no cover; Open-mic, 9pm W, no cover

ON THE Y

Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

1111 H St., (916) 443-1927

670 Fulton Ave., (916) 487-3731

HE PARK ULTRA LOUNGE 1116 15th St., (916) 442-7222

SUNDAY 7/20

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 7/21-7/23

AXIOM, TEAR DOWN THE SKY, DARKLINE; 8pm, $5

Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

Open-mic comedy, 9pm, no cover

DJ Eddie Edul, 9pm-2am, $15

DJ Peeti V, 9pm-2am, $15

Asylum Downtown: Gothic, industrial, EBM dancing, 9pm, call for cover

PINS N STRIKES

Karaoke, 9pm Tu, no cover

DELFONICS, SOLSA, INNERSOUL; 6:30pm, $10

3443 Laguna Blvd., Elk Grove; (916) 226-2625

PJ’S ROADHOUSE

ROADHOUSE RATS, 9pm, $5

SIMMS BAND, 9pm, $5

TWO STEPS DOWN, 10pm, call for cover

8 TRACK MASSACRE, 10pm, call for cover

MIDNIGHT PLAYERS, 10pm, call for cover

DELTA WIRES, 3pm, call for cover

2030 P St., (916) 444-7914

JASON CRUZ AND HOWL, DARLINGS, PULLMEN, BARFLY EFFECT; 8pm, $12

Top 40 w/ DJ Rue, 9pm, $5

Top 40 Night w/ DJ Larry Rodriguez, 9pm, $5

Sunday Night Soul Party, 9pm, $5

SHADY LADY SALOON

HOT CITY, 9pm, no cover

CRESCENT KATZ, 9pm, call for cover

ELEMENT BRASS BAND, 9pm, no cover

ALEX JENKINS, 9pm, no cover

Shaun Slaughter, 9pm Tu, no cover; ARLYN ANDERSON, 9pm W, no cover

SOPHIA’S THAI KITCHEN

PANMIXIA, 9:30pm, $5

STONEBURNER, BURIALS, COMPETING, DARLING CHEMICALIA; 9pm

Papasote’s Karaoke Explosion, 9pm W, call for cover Comedy open-mic, 8pm M; Bluebird Lounge open-mic, 5pm Tu, no cover

5461 Mother Lode, Placerville; (530) 626-0336

POWERHOUSE PUB

614 Sutter St., Folsom; (916) 355-8586

THE PRESS CLUB

1409 R St., (916) 231-9121

129 E St., Davis; (530) 758-4333

RYLEY WALKER, OWL PAWS, THE NATIVE SIBLING; 9:30pm, no cover

STARLITE LOUNGE

6 BEERS DEEP, YELLOW JACKET MOTEL, ANOTHER WEEK GONE; 9pm

1517 21st St., (916) 706-0052

STONEY INN/ROCKIN’ RODEO 1320 Del Paso Blvd., (916) 927-6023

WHISKEY DAWN, 8pm, $10-$15

SWABBIES

5871 Garden Hwy, (916) 920-8088

Country dancing, 7:30pm, no cover; $5 after 8pm

Country dancing, 7:30pm, no cover; $5 after 8pm

Country dance party, 8pm, no cover

MYSTIC ROOTS, URBANFIRE; 6pm, $10

DEPARTURE, 7pm, call for cover

RACHEL STEELE AND ROAD 88, BRANDED; 2pm, $8

VOLKER STRIFLER, 9pm, $10

Blues jam, 4pm, no cover

ISLAND OF BLACK & WHITE, Tu, $5; Openmic, 5:30pm W; PETER PETTY, 9pm W, $6

DJs Jon Reyes, Druskee, Epik; noon, call for cover

Bodacious Bombshells Burlesque Revue presents Indecently Indie, 9pm Tu, $10

TORCH CLUB

X TRIO, 5pm, no cover; CANDYE KANE, 9pm, $7

PAILER AND FRATIS, 5:30-7:30pm, no cover; STEVEN ROTH, 9pm, $7

WITCH ROOM

TOUCHEZ, AMATEUR HOUR, CHAT ROOM; 8pm, $5

CRIMINAL HYGIENE, MEAT MARKET, SATAN WRIDERS, GOLDEN DRUGS; 8pm, $5

904 15th St., (916) 443-2797 1815 19th St., www.witchroomsac.com

J. Boog with Hot Rain and Gappy Ranks 6:30pm Thursday, $20. Ace of Spades Reggae and world

THE HIPSIES, JULIE AND THE JUKES; 8pm W, $5

Sheryl Ann Padre with Isaiah Jet Vallejos and Kennan Gibson 8pm Thursday, call for cover. The Boardwalk Acoustic R&B

All ages, all the time ACE OF SPADES

1417 R St., (916) 448-3300

J BOOG, HOT RAIN, GAPPY RANKS; 6:30pm, $20

THE POLYPHONIC SPREE, SARAH JAFFE; BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR, MIL7pm, $18 LIONAIRES, HALEY ROSE; 6pm, $15

RITTZ, TUKI CARTER; 6:30pm Tu, $20; PHILTHY RICH, KID SWAGG; 7pm W, $22

SHINE

True Story, 7pm, call for cover

DRIVE THRU MYSTICS, THE BADDEST BEAMS, BLISS HIPPY; 8pm, $5

Jazz jam w/ Jason Galbraith & Friends, 8pm Tu; Poetry, 7pm W, call for cover

1400 E St., (916) 551-1400

REDGREENBLUE, SNUISE, MATMOG; 8pm, $5

Ace of SpAdeS

1417 R Street, Sacramento, 95814 www.aceofspadessac.com

All Ages Welcome!

COMING

thursday, july 24

thursday, july 17

moonShine bAnditS

j boog hot rain

SOON

dry country drinkers the good samaritans

friday, july 18

08/15 Against Me!

friday, july 25

the polyphonic Spree

SouljA boy

08/16 Puddle Of Mudd

yung von - bobby hooper - r dot carter aye tee - k hawk

sarah jaffe

saturday, july 19

08/22 Common King 08/23 Y & T

sunday, july 27

blood on the dAnce floor

08/28 Dustin Lynch

Soulfly

millionaires - haley rose - lonely avenue internet friends - zach van dyck

08/30 George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic

damage over time

tuesday, july 22

09/06 Tribal Seeds

wednesday, july 30

rittz

Swon brotherS

tuki carter - raz simone - penny no mutiny cliq - cali bear gang the empyreans

presents

09/27 Amon Amarth 09/28 Parachute

cripple creek

10/03 Jimmy Eat World 10/04 Katchafire

wednesday, july 23

d-lo, kidd SwAgg souljah snoop loc - i-80 playaz

presents

friday, august 1

10/28 Airborne Toxic Event

jon pArdi

10/29 Colt Ford

joey hyde

Tickets available at all Dimple Records Locations, The Beat Records, and Armadillo Records, or purchase by phone @ 916.443.9202 BEFORE

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FRONTLINES

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FEATURE STORY

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5 GRAMS

$

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3600 Power Inn Rd Ste 1A | Sac, CA 95826 | 916.455.1931 42

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OPEN 10AM - 7PM 7 DAYS A WEEK


Where is that CBD?

Bring in any competitor’s coupon and we’ll beat it by $5 Must present competitor’s ad. Some restrictions apply.

I am looking for a dispensary somewhere in Sacramento or close by that might have marijuana that is high CBD and very low THC. I know you can find it in Colorado, however, I am hoping it is possible to find it locally. —Nanette Pretty much everyone carries a good high-CBD strain these days. Cannabidiol—or CBD for short—is a chemical found in cannabis that has shown promise as a treatLUM A E B IO A G by N ment for many different ailments. CBD isn’t psychoactive like THC—or tetrahydrocannabinol for long—is. In fact, CBD almost went extinct, because growers were aiming for higher and higher THC levels in their a s k420@ ne wsreview.c om ’13 plants, and no one realized how good CBD is as a medicine. But once the scientists realized that CBD is a good thing, the growers figured out a way to get their CBD percentages up to medicinal levels. Some strains that are known for having high CBD content are Harlequin, Cannatonic and Charlotte’s Web. Just call the clubs in your area and ask them if they have any high-CBD strains. I am sure they will be able to help you. Washington has legal weed now. Thoughts? —Pat Norwest Recreational cannabis stores just opened in Washington state. In Seattle, the city attorney, Pete Holmes, even paid a visit to one store and bought 2 grams. Good for him. That’s awesome! I would love to smoke a bowl with an elected official and really talk about some things, you know? Washington does have a few problems, though: There This should serve as a are not enough shops, and the learning moment for us prices are a little high. The rate right now is 20 here in California. going bucks per gram after taxes. That’s not outrageous; it’s about $70 an eighth, which is comparable to what someone in a California medical-cannabis dispensary would pay for an eighth of top-shelf cannabis. But it is much more expensive than Washington’s medical clubs, which charge about $10 per gram, or the “black market,” which is also about 10-12 bucks a gram, or $40-$45 an eighth. So while the tourists and people that aren’t everyday pot smokers will definitely go to the pot store, more than a few folks will continue to call their friendly neighborhood weed man (I use “weed man” as a generic term. No gender bias is intended. Womyn also sell Ngaio Bealum is a Sacramento weed). Also, the growers are really behind in production, comedian, activist and the supply of “legal” marijuana is limited right now. and marijuana expert. This will most likely change as more growers are given Email him questions permits and more pot shops open. Most likely, prices will at ask420@ newsreview.com. come down as production ramps up. This should serve as a learning moment for us here in California. Legalization is coming. I expect 2016 to be the year we finally get it together. But we are going to need regulations that ensure an abundant supply and good prices. Like I’ve said before: Weed doesn’t need the money. California needs the money. So let’s hope that whoever is behind the 2016 legalization effort (Drug Policy Alliance, I’m looking at you) takes these factors into account when writing their initiative. In the meantime, I am headed up to Washington for the Seattle Hempfest this August, and I will buy the expensive pot to show my support. Ω B BE EF FO OR RE E

||

N NE EW WS S

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VOted 3rd best ’13 420 physician in sac! ’13

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2100 Watt Ave, Unit 190 | Sacramento, CA 95825 | Mon–Sat 11am–7pm 2633 Telegraph Ave. 109 | Oakland, CA 94612 | 510-832-5000 | Mon–Sat 10am–5pm recommendations are valid for 1 year for qualifying patients Walk-ins Welcome all day everyday

Your information is 100% private and confidential Visit our website to book your appointment online 24/7 at

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F FE EA AT TU UR RE E S ST TO OR RY Y    | |    A AR RT TS S& &C CU UL LT TU UR RE E     | |    A AF FT TE ER R    | |    07.17.14 07.17.14

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SN&R   |  07.17.14

50 99

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8671 ELDER CREEK RD., #600 SACRAMENTO, CA 95828 916-383–3366

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4020 DUROCK RD, STE 1 • SHINGLE SPRINGS, CA • (916) 757–0980 OPEN MONDAY – FRIDAY 10AM TO 8PM • SATURDAY 10AM TO 8PM • SUNDAY 10AM TO 6PM


VOTE US BEST

MEDICALCANNABIS DISPENSARY

BEFORE

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DISPENSARY SELECTION

NEWS

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F E AT U R E

DISPENSARY CUSTOMER SERVICE

STORY

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free gram with purchase of $35 or more

*FREE GRAM IS HOUSE CHOICE.

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OFFER NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFERS OR DISCOUNTS EXP 7.31.14

TOP-SHELF OUTDOOR: $ 35 PER 1/8TH

2416 17TH STREET 916.231.9934 | deltahealthwellness@gmail.com SACRAMENTO, CA 95818 | 9AM-9PM DAILY

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You Can Feel The Love “I initially went to this place for the exceptionally potent medicine, which I knew I could trust because it was tested at Sequoia Labs (Super Legit), but I will be returning for the Love! I know it sounds funny but these folks are really open and just very humanly - I like that feeling much more than the business/hurryminded places. All in all, A Therapeutic Alternative is true to their name!” FOR MORE REVIEWS & OUR MENU, VISIT WWW.WEEDMAPS.com

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BEFORE

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NEWS

Norwood

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135 Main Avenue • Sacramento CA, 95838 Open Mon thru Sat 10AM–7PM // Closed Sun

F E AT U R E

STORY

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Has Medical Marijuana iMproved Your life?

Capital Cannabis Guide is looking for stories of people whose lives have been positively impacted by the use of medical marijuana. Contact editor Michelle Carl at michellec@newsreview.com to share your story.

35

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8125 36th Ave. Sacramento, CA. 95824 | 916.386.9840 Compliant with California Prop 215, S.B. 420 & Attorney General Guidelines. Must have doctor’s recommendation and California ID. Must be 18+ to join.

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Potency testing Sat., July 12th with Greenstyle Consulting MEDICAL MARIJUANA CAREGIVERS ASSOCIATION OF EL DORADO COUNTY 3031 ALHAMBRA, STE 102 • CAMERON PARK, CA 530.677.5362 • Open: 12-7pm Mon-Fri • 10am-4pm Sat • 12-4pm Sun

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CANN-MEDICAL BEFORE

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NEWS

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F E AT U R E

STORY

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9719A Folsom Blvd. Sacramento, CA 916-822-5690 • www.cannmedical.org 07.17.14

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FREE HALF 1/8 WHEN YOU BRING A FRIEND*

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Large selection of waxes, shatters & cold water hash CBD EDIBLES, FLOWERS & EXTRACTS DAILY SPECIALS MONDAY: 20% OFF EXTRACTS TUESDAY: 10% 0FF $10 & OVER WEDNESDAY: 10% OFF CLONES THURSDAY: 20% OFF EXTRACTS FRIDAY: 20% OFF EDIBLES SATURDAY: RECEIVE A MINI HI-FI WITH $25 DONATION

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114A Otto Circle Sacto, 95822 916-393-1820 Must have full-size Dr. Recommendation letter & Valid CA ID

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A L L - N AT U R A L M E D S

How Does Your Garden Grow?

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BEFORE

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NEWS

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F E AT U R E

STORY

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AFTER

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07.17.14

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SN&R

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B e st o f s ac r a m e n to n o m i n e e s

continued from page

Best film festival

Sacramento Film and Music Festival Sacramento Food Film Festival Sacramento French Film Festival Sacramento Horror Film Festival Sacramento International Film Festival Sacramento Japanese Film Festival Sacramento Jewish Film Festival Trash Film Orgy

Best open-mic night

Capitol Garage Country Club Saloon Fox & Goose Kupros Bistro Luna’s Café & Juice Bar Marilyn’s on K Old Ironsides Pine Cove Tavern Pour House Shine Sophia’s Thai Kitchen Torch Club

Best reading or lecture series

CRC Literary Series, Cosumnes River College Crossroads Reading Series; Center for Contemporary Art, Sacramento Literary Lectures, Sacramento Poetry Center Sacramento’s Living Library, Time Tested Books Stories on Stage, Pence Gallery Stories on Stage, Sacramento Poetry Center The Bob & Dorrie Moon Lecture Series, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church

People & Places

Best radio voice

Ben Adler, Capital Public Radio Bre, KSFM 102.5 FM Nick Brunner, Capital Public Radio Dave “Deuce” Mason, KHTK 1140 AM Pat Martin, KRXQ 98.5 FM Derek Moore, 96.9 The Eagle Kitty O’Neal, KFBK 1530 AM Alan Ray, Capital Public Radio Beth Ruyak, Capital Public Radio Devin Yamanaka, Capital Public Radio

19

Best person to follow on twitter

Kayte Christensen, @kayte_c Carmichael Dave, @ carmichaeldave Christopher Cabaldon, @ mayorcabaldon Thomas Dodson, @shockthomas Julie Gallaher, @juliegallaher Laura Good, @goodlaura Ryan Lillis, @Ryan_Lillis Norm Lopez, @norm_lopez Natalie Paulsen, @nataliedaily Swellyn, @swellyn

Best place to people watch Capitol Park Carol Miller Justice Center MARRS building R Street Corridor Central Farmers Market on Sunday

Best place for a power meeting

Block Butcher Bar Back Door Lounge Fox & Goose Frank Fat’s Grange Restaurant & Bar upstairs Jamie’s Broadway Grille Mulvaney’s B&L bar Nopalitos Southwestern Cafe Ruhstaller taproom Uptown Cafe

Sports & Recreation

Best place to work up a sweat

American River Crossfit BodyTribe Fitness Capital Athletic Club Figure 8 Women’s Workout Fliptastic Natomas Racquet Club Results the 24 Hour Gym Rocklin Crossfit Sacramento Pipeworks Climbing and Fitness YMCA

Best team

Lady Salamanders Sac City Rollergirls Sacred City Derby Girls Sacramento Kings Sacramento Republic FC Sacramento River Cats

Best place to kick some Butt

Broadway Boxing Courage Martial Arts & Gym Joslin’s Martial Arts Center Kovar’s Satori Academy Moore’s Martial Arts Prime Time Boxing Club Robinson Taekwondo Self Defense & Personal Safety Academy Warrior MMA

Best yoga studio

Aha Yoga Arden Hot Yoga Asha Yoga Fusion Yoga Studio It’s All Yoga One Flow Yoga Studio Padme Yoga Center Sacramento Bikram Yoga Sacramento Pipeworks Yoga Loka The Yoga Seed Collective Zuda Yoga

Best recreational center

Effie Yeaw Nature Center Oak Park Community Center Sam & Bonnie Pannell Community Center Sierra II Center for the Arts and Community West Sacramento Recreation Center

Capital Cannabis Best dispensary

515 Broadway Abatin Wellness Center All About Wellness Alpine Alternative AMC (Alternative Medical Center) Canna Care CC101 Cloud 9 Collective Efforts Delta Health & Wellness Florin Wellness Center Golden Health and Wellness Green Solutions Highlands Health and Wellness Horizon Non-Profit Collective House of Organics Hugs Alternative Care MMCA Northstar Holistic Collective River City Phoenix SAS (Safe Accessible Solutions) Safe Capitol Compassion Coop South Sacramento Care Center THC A Therapeutic Alternative Two Rivers Wellness Valley Health Options

Best dispensary selection

515 Broadway Abatin Wellness Center All About Wellness Alpine Alternative AMC (Alternative Medical Center) Canna Care CC101 Cloud 9 Collective Efforts Delta Health & Wellness Florin Wellness Center Golden Health and Wellness Green Solutions Highlands Health and Wellness Horizon Non-Profit Collective House of Organics Hugs Alternative Care MMCA

Northstar Holistic Collective River City Phoenix SAS (Safe Accessible Solutions) Safe Capitol Compassion Coop South Sacramento Care Center THC A Therapeutic Alternative Two Rivers Wellness Valley Health Options

Best dispensary customer service

515 Broadway Abatin Wellness Center All About Wellness Alpine Alternative AMC (Alternative Medical Center) Canna Care CC101 Cloud 9 Collective Efforts Delta Health & Wellness Florin Wellness Center Golden Health and Wellness Green Solutions Highlands Health and Wellness Horizon Non-Profit Collective House of Organics Hugs Alternative Care MMCA Northstar Holistic Collective River City Phoenix SAS (Safe Accessible Solutions) Safe Capitol Compassion Coop South Sacramento Care Center THC A Therapeutic Alternative Two Rivers Wellness Valley Health Options

Best medical-cannaBis physician

420 Med Evaluation Cann-Medical Sacramento 420 Doc United Health and Wellness

Best place for a pick-up game

28th and B Street Skate Park California Middle School McKinley Park Roosevelt Park Southside Park Sutter Middle School

If you receIve a communIcatIon from a fIrm representIng Itself as beIng assocIated wIth best  of sacramento and attemptIng to sell you plaques, please be warned: these companIes are not  assocIated wIth the sacramento news & revIew, or the best of sacramento contest.

54   |   SN&R   |   07.17.14

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FREE!*

*Nominal fee for adult entertainment. All advertising is subject to the newspaper’s Standards of Acceptance. Further, the News & Review specifically reserves the right to edit, decline or properly classify any ad. Errors will be rectified by re-publication upon notification. The N&R is not responsible for error after the first publication. The N&R assumes no financial liability for errors or omission of copy. In any event, liability shall not exceed the cost of the space occupied by such an error or omission. The advertiser and not the newspaper assumes full responsibility for the truthful content of their advertising message.

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FEATURE

STORY

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ARTS&CULTURE

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Shop local and Save

Gift certificateS to local reStaurantS, retail ShopS and boutiqueS for up to 50% off Aji Japanese Bistro $50.00 for $25.00 Sacramento River Wakeboarding $100.00 for $50.00 Arena Softball $20.00 for $10.00 Beers Books $20.00 for $10.00 Blue Lamp $20.00 for $10.00 Cork It Again Wine Seller $10.00 for $5.00 Esquire Grill $25.00 for $18.75 El Jardin Mexican Restaurant $20.00 for $10.00 Harv’s Car Wash $26.00 for $13.00 The Melting Pot $50.00 for $35.00 Crocker Art Museum $10.00 tix for $5.00 The Vapor Spot $20.00 for $10.00 Kupros Craft House $25.00 for $12.50 River City Comics & Games $20.00 for $10.00 La Terraza – Old Sacramento $20.00 for $10.00 Moser Brothers Carpet Care $200.00 for $120.00

SN&R

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SN&R   |  07.17.14

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SN&R

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by Raheem F. hOsseini

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “I have

complete faith in the continued absurdity of whatever’s going on,” says satirical news commentator Jon Stewart. That’s a healthy attitude. To do his work, he needs a never-ending supply of stories about people doing crazy, corrupt and hypocritical things. I’m sure this subject matter makes him sad and angry. But it also stimulates him to come up with funny ideas that entertain and educate his audience—and earns him a very good income. I invite you to try his approach, Aries. Have faith that the absurdity you experience can be used to your advantage.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Bananas

grow in Iceland, a country that borders the Arctic Ocean. About 700 of the plants thrive in a large greenhouse heated by geothermal energy. They don’t mature as fast as the bananas in Ecuador or Costa Rica. The low amounts of sunlight mean they require two years to ripen instead of a few months. To me, this entire scenario is a symbol for the work you have ahead of you. You’ve got to encourage and oversee growth in a place that doesn’t seem hospitable in the usual ways, although it is actually just fine. And you must be patient, knowing that the process might take a while longer than it would in other circumstances.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): While at a

cafe, I overheard two people at the next table talking about astrology. “I think the problem solvers of the zodiac are Cancers and Capricorns,” said a young, moon-faced woman. “Agreed,” said her companion, an older woman with chiseled features. “And the problem creators are Scorpios and Geminis.” I couldn’t help myself: I had to insert myself into their conversation so as to defend you. Leaning over toward their table, I said, “Speaking as a professional astrologer, I’ve got to say that right now Geminis are at least temporarily the zodiac’s best problem solvers. Give them a chance to change your minds.” The women laughed, and moon-face said, “You must be a Gemini.” “No,” I replied. “But I’m on a crusade to help Geminis shift their reputations.”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Mozart

debuted his now-famous opera Don Giovanni in Prague on October 29, 1787. It was a major production, featuring an orchestra, a chorus and eight main singers. Yet the composer didn’t finish writing the opera’s overture until less than 24 hours before the show. Are you cooking up a similar scenario, Cancerian? I suspect that sometime in the next two weeks you will complete a breakthrough with an inspired, last-minute effort. And the final part of your work may well be its “overture”; the first part will arrive last. (P.S.: Mozart’s Don Giovanni was well-received, and I expect your offering will be, too.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “We must learn to

bear the pleasures as we have borne the pains,” says writer Nikki Giovanni. That will be apt advice for you to keep in mind during the coming months, Leo. You may think I’m perverse for suggesting such a thing. Compared to how demanding it was to manage the suffering you experienced in late 2013 and earlier this year, you might assume it will be simple to deal with the ease and awakening that are heading your way. But I’d like you to consider the possibility that these blessings will bring their own challenges. For example, you may need to surrender inconveniences and hardships you have gotten used to, almost comfortable with. It’s conceivable you will have to divest yourself of habits that made sense when you were struggling but are now becoming counterproductive.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I would hate

for your fine mind to become a liability. As much as I admire your native skepticism and analytical intelligence, it would be a shame if they prevented you from getting the full benefit of the wonders and marvels that are brewing in your vicinity. Your operative motto in the coming days comes from Virgo storyteller Roald Dahl: “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” Suspend your disbelief, my beautiful friend. Make yourself receptive to the possibility of being amazed.

BEFORE

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NEWS

bRezsny

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Kris

Kristofferson is in the Country Music Hall of Fame now, but it took a while for him to launch his career. One of his big breaks came at age 29 when he was sweeping floors at a recording studio in Nashville. He managed to meet superstar Johnny Cash, who was working there on an album. A few years later, Kristofferson boldly landed a helicopter in Cash’s yard to deliver his demo tape. That prompted Cash to get him a breakthrough gig performing at the Newport Folk Festival. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were able to further your goals with a similar sequence, Libra: luck that puts you in the right place at the right time, followed by some brazen yet charming acts of self-promotion.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In her

poem “Looking Back,” Sarah Brown Weitzman writes that she keeps “trying to understand / how I fell / so short of what I intended / to do with my life.” Is there a chance that 30 years from now you might say something similar, Scorpio? If so, take action to ensure that outcome doesn’t come to pass. Judging from the astrological omens, I conclude that the next 10 months will be a favorable time to get yourself on track to fulfill your life’s most important goals. Take full advantage!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

“There is no such thing as a failed experiment,” said author and inventor Buckminster Fuller, “only experiments with unexpected outcomes.” That’s the spirit I advise you to bring to your own explorations in the coming weeks, Sagittarius. Your task is to try out different possibilities to see where they might lead. Don’t be attached to one conclusion or another. Be free of the drive to be proven right. Instead, seek the truth in whatever strange shape it reveals itself. Be eager to learn what you didn’t even realize you needed to know.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Architects in ancient Rome used concrete to create many durable structures, some of which are still standing. But the recipe for how to make concrete was forgotten for more than a thousand years after the Roman Empire collapsed in the fifth century. A British engineer finally rediscovered the formula in 1756, and today concrete is a prime component in many highways, dams, bridges and buildings. I foresee a similar story unfolding in your life, Capricorn. A valuable secret that you once knew but then lost is on the verge of resurfacing. Be alert for it.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

Beginning in 1798, European cartographers who drew maps of West Africa included the Mountains of Kong, a range of peaks that extended more than 1,000 miles east and west. It was 90 years before the French explorer Louis Gustave Binger realized that there were no such mountains. All the maps had been wrong, based on faulty information. Binger is known to history as the man who undiscovered the Mountains of Kong. I’m appointing him to be your role model in the coming weeks, Aquarius. May he inspire you to expose long-running delusions, strip away entrenched falsehoods, and restore the simple, shining truths.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the

simplest, calmest of times, there are two sides to every story. On some occasions, however, the bare minimum is three or more sides. Like now. And that can generate quite a ruckus. Even people who are normally pretty harmonious may slip into conflict. Fortunately for all concerned, you are currently at the peak of your power to be a unifying force at the hub of the bubbling hubbub. You can be a weaver who takes threads from each of the tales and spins them into a narrative with which everyone can abide. I love it when that happens! For now, your emotional intelligence is the key to collaborative creativity and group solidarity.

You can call Rob Brezsny for your Expanded Weekly Horoscope: (900) 950-7700. $1.99 per minute. Must be 18+. Touchtone phone required. Customer service (612) 373-9785. And don’t forget to check out Rob’s website at www.realastrology.com. |

F E AT U R E

PHOTO BY STEVEN CHEA

by ROb

For the week of July 17, 2014

STORY

Iraqi girl, interrupted A teenager flees her war-torn country and ends up in Sacramento, where she’s faced with learning English and fulfilling her father’s dream—all while navigating the high-school shark tank. What sounds like next summer’s young adult hit is actually the life of Mouj Al-Azzawi, a 17-year-old Natomas student driven out of her native Iraq in 2006 due to post-invasion violence that overtook much of the country. Aided by a $500 scholarship from the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance, Al-Azzawi started her first semester at American River College this summer. With her fractured nation mired in a second wave of sectarian bloodshed, the acclimating refugee reflected on why her family left, why they chose Sacramento and the trick to making friends when you don’t speak “mean girl.”

Let’s talk about where you grew up. I grew up in Iraq. Baghdad.

Right in the capital. Yeah, it was really dangerous to stay there. Because we were kids and then seeing … dead bodies and all this.

What do you remember? I do remember there was one time I was going to my grandma’s house, and my mom was driving. It was like 7 p.m. We seen soldiers. They start shooting each other in front of us. My mom … was like, “Just close your eyes. We’re going back.” She was pretty strong. So we drove back. We were screaming. We seen the blood and everything.

How old were you? I think 9. We went home, and then we never went outside again. We were like, “No.” (Laughs.)

Did your family move out of Baghdad then? Yes. After that happened, my mom was like, “I don’t want you guys to stay here, because you’re still young and we’re looking to your future.” Because if we stayed there, we wouldn’t be able to go to school no more. We didn’t even go to our neighbors no more. We moved to a couple of countries. We moved from Iraq to Syria, and then from Syria to Jordan. … We stayed there a couple of months. After that, we moved to Egypt. We stayed there like five years.

Are your uncles still in Iraq? Two uncles died there. And then one [went missing]. He just went outside and didn’t come back. We don’t know if he’s alive or not. My dad has a lot of brothers. One … just moved. Another is still there with my grandma.

What made your folks choose Sacramento? My dad had a friend here, so he called him, and he was like, “If you want to come to |

A RT S & C U LT U R E

Sacramento, it’s not real expensive, and people are nice.”

Did you speak any English at the time? No, we didn’t. My dad went to Google translator and Googled words.

Where did you go to high school? I went to Encina [Preparatory] High School. Encina has many different languages, students there. There was an Arabic girl. She helped me at first. And then I tried to help myself.

How? Like, OK, the first day was horrible. (Laughs.) The [students were] speaking to me, but I don’t know what they are saying, so I’m just ignoring them, not answering. When I went home, I was thinking about it. I was like, “If I stay like this, I’m not going to succeed. How am I going to overcome this challenge?” I started studying vocabulary words at first, like, “Hi, how are you?” and all this. Then the next day, I start practicing it with my teacher.

What about making friends? Was that tough with the language barrier? Classmates, they were making fun of me, but I was not getting mad at them because I understand.

High school can be brutal. I tried to be nice. I bring them Arabic food. They start liking me because I tell them about Arabic gum, Arabic candy, Arabic this. I was really trying with my heart to become friends |

AFTER

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because, by communicating with them, I learned. I still text my high-school friends, because it was hard to make them my friends, and I don’t want to lose them.

And now you’re hoping to go into dentistry? Yeah, I chose this because of my dad. He wants that. He was like, “I try my hardest to bring you guys here because education is better. You can make everything you want become true and reality. I couldn’t be that, so can you?”

Are there other things you would like to do as well? Yeah, I would like to be a counselor. I’m involved in many activities and programs in my school. One of them was sitting with someone who has hard feelings, hard times, and you just talk to them.

How are your folks doing? They are happy in seeing us succeeding. They don’t even want to go back.

I wonder how long it takes to create a home. It was very hard to get used to here. The first few months, we don’t want to make friends, we don’t want to go outside, we’re fine here. Parents, daughters, that’s it. To be honest, for the first few months, I just want to go back to Egypt. I don’t want to continue here. But now, when my parents ask me the same question, “Do you still want to go back there?” I’m like, “No, I’m fine here.” Ω

07.17.14

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SN&R

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