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by Scott thomaS anderSon sacramento’s news & entertainment weekly

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Volume 31, issue 45

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thursday, february 20, 2020

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contents

february 20, 2020 | Vol. 31, Issue 45

Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna is filled with performers teetering on teeterboards and diving into big bowls of water. There’s more to this story, of course, found in Stage.

editor’s note letters essay streetalK greenlight 15 minutes news feature arts + Culture musiC stage

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dish plaCe Calendar Cannabis asK joey

Cover design by sarah hansel

N&R Publications Editor Debbie Arrington Associate Publications Editors Derek McDow, Thea Rood

N&R Publications Staff Writers/Photographers Anne Stokes, Allen Pierleoni

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.

Editor Foon Rhee News Editor Raheem F. Hosseini Managing Editor Steph Rodriguez Staff Reporter Scott Thomas Anderson Arts Editor Rachel Mayfield Arts Writer Lindsay Oxford Calendar Editor Patrick Hyun Wilson Contributing Editor Rachel Leibrock Contributors Ngaio Bealum, Amy Bee, Rob Brezsny, Aaron Carnes, Jim Carnes, Joey Garcia, Kate Gonzales, Howard Hardee, Ashley Hayes-Stone, Jim Lane, Chris Macias, Ken Magri, Tessa Marguerite Outland, James Raia, Patti Roberts, Dylan Svoboda, Bev Sykes, Jeremy Winslow, Graham Womack Creative Services Manager Elisabeth Bayard-Arthur Art Directors Sarah Hansel, Maria Ratinova Art of Information Director Serene Lusano Publications Designer Katelynn Mitrano Publications and Advertising Designer Nikki Exerjian Ad Designers Naisi Thomas, Cathy Arnold

Sales & Production Coordinator Laura Anthony Senior Advertising Consultants Rosemarie Messina Advertising Consultants Sam Almaguer, Michael Nero, Vincent Marchese, Amy Yang

Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Assistant Lob Dunnica Distribution Drivers Mansour Aghdam, Rosemarie Beseler, Mike Cleary, Tom Downing, Marty Fetterley, Chris Fong, Ron Forsberg, Michael Jackson, Calvin Maxwell, Greg Meyers, Jeremy Meier, Jenny Plummer, Lloyd Rongley, Lolu Sholotan, Viv Tiqui

N&R Publications Editorial Coordinator Nisa Smith Marketing & Publications Lead Consultant Elizabeth Morabito

Development Consultant Greta Beekhuis Marketing & Publications Consultants Julia Ballantyne, Chris Cohen, Joseph Engle, Laura Golino, Sherri Heller, Rod Malloy

President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Publisher Joe Chiodo Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Director of People & Culture David Stogner Director of Dollars & Sense Debbie Mantoan Account Jedi Jessica Kislanka Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Hansen Developer John Bisignano System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins

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competition will be tough.

Some of the funding will come from the Measure U sales tax hike, which was sold to voters in 2018 as a way to generate another $50 million a year for inclusive economic development. At the urging of Mayor Darrell Portland Mercado opened in Steinberg, the city also plans 2015. The Franklin Neighborhood to use some Measure U Development Corp. is seeking money for a $100 million city money to develop a similar marketplace in Sacramento. affordable housing fund.

The 23-member investment committee, appointed by city manager Proposals are rolling into a committee of Howard Chan, includes Amanda Blackwood, experts advising the city of Sacramento on which CEO of the Sacramento Metro Chamber; Fabrizio ideas will best improve neighborhoods and promote Sasso, executive director of the Sacramento Central economic justice.

Labor Council; and other community and business Some of the projects sound great—particularly leaders. The investment committee’s nonbinding those that create jobs while meeting other recommendations go to the city manager. Those community needs. of $100,000 or more also require City Council The Franklin Neighborhood Development approval. Any recommendations that count on Corp. wants $725,000 to buy an undeveloped lot more than $100,000 in Measure U money will also as the future home of The Mercado, a marketplace be reviewed by a 15-member citizens advisory of indoor vending and outdoor food trailers that committee. would provide discounted rent and micro-enterprise That citizens panel is mostly neighborhood training for Latino entrepreneurs. and grassroots activists, including Stevante Clark, Fresher Sacramento wants $84,000 to start brother of Stephon Clark, whose killing by police developing a business that would train catering in 2018 renewed the call for economic justice. crews to produce and distribute low-cost meals to The citizens committee is angling for more needy families. influence. It wants to review all Measure U Working Scholars, a Silicon Valley outfit, wants expenditures, including those funded by the original $1.5 million to help 400-plus Sacramentans finish half-cent sales tax first approved in 2012. It also their college degrees through courses presented in wants to support investments in housing, libraries, five-minute videos on a phone app. The Fruit Ridge parks and youth programs.

Community Collaborative is asking for $85,000 “We are concerned that opportunities to address for a long-term plan to keep it open as a hub and pressing needs in these and other areas will be lost incubator for community services. And Greater without more robust community engagement and Sacramento Urban League is seeking $85,000 for ongoing financial support,” the panel states in a Marysville Grand South, an affordable housing and Jan. 27 letter to the City Council. small business training project in Del Paso Heights.

To that end, it is calling for at least $5 million a While city officials want to invest in projects year to be set aside for projects identified through and programs that will create opportunities for all a “participatory budgeting process in priority Sacramento residents, the priority is on “people neighborhoods.” of color, low-income individuals” and “distressed While both the investment and citizens and disadvantaged neighborhoods that have not committees want to fund ideas that will make benefited from previous economic growth,” the biggest impact, it’s entirely possible they will according to city documents. disagree at times. If that happens, it will put even The city started soliciting applications in more pressure on council members to make the December, and the initial deadline was Jan. 31. The final—and correct—decisions. Ω Photo courtesy of Portland Mercado

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Our bodies, ourselves Re: “Disturbingly ironic” by Arthur Carr (Letters, Jan. 30): I don’t think the News & Review should “scrub the back-pages” for the Women’s Issue. Part of female empowerment is the right to do with our bodies what we please.

Janna Welk S acr am e nt o / v i a e m a i l

Censorship is anti-democratic Re: “A display of hate” by Reuven H. Taff (Essay, Jan. 23): Rabbi Taff wants all organizations to censor any reference to Palestinians as entitled to human and civil rights. He berated the Sacramento Public Library for allowing a small display about Bethlehem and the denial of Palestinian rights. He is oblivious to the fact that in democracy, the response to ideas one does not support or considers erroneous is debate, not censorship. Censorship was, is, and will always be, the response of dictatorial, autocratic systems and personalities. At the very core of the First Amendment is the right to dissent.

Thus, he is within his rights to write an opinion with his opposition to any display that portrays Palestinians as a people. But he is not within his rights to attempt to muzzle others. We all—Israeli citizens included—would be better off if there was a just, peaceful solution for Palestine.

Maria da luz alexandrino Sac rame n to / v i a em ai l

A display of distortion Re: “A display of hate” by Reuven H. Taff (Essay, Jan. 23): Never mind that Rabbi Taff eviscerates the First Amendment, saying Sacramento libraries should violate it by barring non-inciting viewpoints he dislikes. Never mind that he embraces Trump/Netanyahu nonsense conflating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism.

His factual distortions, however, must be exposed: That the West Bank is “under foreign military occupation” and its people “increasingly isolated, suffering land confiscation, obstruction of

their economy, and a diminishing future” is indisputable. Not only are trees “planted in areas threatened with land confiscation by the Israeli military occupation and settler violence,” nearly a million Palestinian olive trees have been uprooted, felled or burned by soldiers or violent settlers.

Thanks to Bethlehem Sister City for its educational display and to library director Rivkah Sass for welcoming it. May there be more such opportunities for public education on the denial of Palestinian rights and the need for equality and justice for all.

david l. Mandel S acr am en t o / v i a e m a i l

Close fossil fuel plants Re: “A powerful agenda” by Rob Kerth (Essay, Jan. 16); I am a Sacramento native. I always valued having a nonprofit that prioritized clean energy and prided itself as a green energy force. I am concerned with the fact SMUD plans to roll back subsides for solar users as well as SMUD’s plan to reduce carbon emissions by supporting electric vehicle consumption rather than closing their fossil fuel burning plants.

To truly bring cleaner energy to our community, SMUD absolutely must shut down its fossil fuel plants and offer full transparency to its constituents. Rob Kerth must be held to the standard he himself promises so that everyone has access to solar and so that we can continue to strive to set the example as having the most ambitious energy provider in the state.

Maggie eStrada S acr am en t o / v i a e m a i l read more letters online at newsreview.com/sacramento.

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The Wong Family Benevolent Association on Broadway at 17th Street has looked about the same for the last 50 years. Like many other buildings in Sacramento, all that is about to change. There will be a total remodel, add-on retail space, renovation of the upper apartments and a very short move for the association. I worked with the developers on the project, but I’m sad to see anything that has stayed James Peyton is a Sacramento instructional assistant the same that long change. and historic preservation advocate.

How does this connect to preservation of Sacramento history?

At least the Wong building will still be around a while longer, unlike two out of the three historic together or not doing enough. These groups are Tower Records buildings on Broadway. Most small, outnumbered and exponentially outfunded developers simply don’t care about our local history, by developers who are biased against Sacramento hell-bent into making Sacramento into another L.A. history by their very nature. or San Francisco. Many residents don’t, either, If you ask almost anyone who’s lived on considering some are part of the massive influx Broadway for 15 years or often much less, they from the Bay area. You don’t hear much about will tell you that the Tower buildings were the many neighborhoods full of natives or among the best-known spots in all of longtime residents who do care about Sacramento. Tower Records was Sacramento’s history. integral enough that it could Most But one of the main reasons easily be argued it was part of why Sacramento is great is that developers what makes this city. And now it was a small town for years, part of Sacramento is gone. simply don’t care that it isn’t completely homogHow is property owner about our local history, enized yet.

Jon Gianulias qualified to Some preservation advohell-bent into making determine if the Tower buildcates were caught off guard ings were historical or not?

Sacramento into when the two red brick Tower Isn’t there an inherent bias as another L.A. or San buildings were suddenly demola developer to try and make ished. Why? I wasn’t surprised.

Francisco. that decision? My bet is that he Sacramento is currently undergoing knew full well it was a landmark a massive change. to most of Sacramento and its citizens.

Every time developers build That makes the demolition even worse. downtown—and all the way south to Broadway Nobody is proud of this or excited about what and beyond—they won’t build anything one story will come next, other than some developers. I anymore. Look around. Across the street from the have talked to plenty of people on Broadway, and demolished Tower buildings is a two-story Chipotle not one expressed excitement about what will be and retail building. Down by 5th and Broadway is put in place of the Tower buildings. a massive storage building higher than the elevated When Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig put freeway. We never had these kind of high-rise Sacramento on the national map, I wonder if she buildings on Broadway in the last 50 years. Look realized that she was not just making a good film, at the giant monolith looming over everything else but making a historical record of a town that will on Folsom Boulevard near the light rail station. All soon cease to exist as we knew it. Ω these were built very recently.

You can’t really blame the changes on Sacramento preservationists not having their act

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greenlight

Bankruptcy at The Bee, but what next?

by Jeff vonKaenel

I was not surprised that Sacramentobased McClatchy, which publishes The Sacramento Bee and 29 other newspapers, filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week.

But it was still a shock to see the announcement that the proud 163-year family-controlled institution that has done so much for Sacramento will be no more.

The family and stockholders’ equity, once valued in the billions, is gone.

The future of The Sacramento Bee and the other McClatchy newspapers now depends on a reorganization plan that includes having the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. take over McClatchy pension obligations to 24,500 former and current employees.

As of March 2019, the pension fund was underfunded by $535 million. McClatchy offered to pay $3.3 million a year for 10 years and give the PBGC a 3% equity stake in the company. But McClatchy President and CEO Craig Forman said that the PBGC has requested “a materially larger stream of cash payments over 10 years and a materially larger percentage of equity ownership.”

However, in a statement, Forman said that “While there is still more work to be done, we are pleased with the progress to date, and are appreciative of our ongoing dialog with our lenders and the PBGC. Moreover, we expect there will be no adverse impact on qualified pension benefits for substantially all of the plan’s participants and beneficiaries.”

Reading Forman’s predictions, I suspect that had the Forman house burned down, he would send out a Christmas letter saying how his family was enjoying the beautiful views previously hidden by the walls and roof.

We will see if there are no adverse impacts to pensioners. One adverse impact that I am concerned about is the change in ownership to Chatham Asset Management. The McClatchy family had 8

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je ffv @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

a real commitment to quality journalism.

The same can not be said about this hedge fund that, under the reorganization plan, will be McClatchy’s controlling owner.

Chatham also has a controlling interest in American Media, which owns National Enquirer. This publication suppressed negative stories about President Donald Trump, has questionable dealings with the Saudis and has been accused by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos of blackmail. Troubling, to say the least. How will Chatham’s ownership impact McClatchy’s excellent investigative reporting? We shall see.

I hope that The Bee continues to provide excellent journalism, even though its editorial staff is only a small fraction of what it used to be. The Bee still has some incredible, hardworking, experienced reporters and editors doing great work. Our community benefits from the work of Cathie Anderson, Tony Bizjak, Marcos Breton, Dale Kasler, Ryan Lillis, Jack Ohman, Sam Stanton and others.

But when McClatchy announced its fourth quarter revenue numbers, they were down $29 million, or 14% compared to a year ago. Even if they are able to shed their pension obligations and their outstanding debts, McClatchy and The Bee will not survive unless they can solve their revenue problem. They have pinned their hopes on digital transformation, but it is doubtful that digital revenues will be enough to support a robust editorial team.

In other communities, wealthy benefactors have stepped up. The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and the Boston Globe were each saved by a wealthy person with a commitment to journalism.

Perhaps that can happen here. Ω

Jeff vonKaenel is the president, CEO and majority owner of the News & Review.

15 minutes

by Allen Pierleoni

a l l e np @ne w s re v i e w . c o m

James Rollins used to be a veterinarian. Now, he writes action-adventure novels.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMES ROLLINS

History’s mysteries “There’s a little bit of Clive Cussler, Michael Crichton and Dan Brown in my novels, and a little Conan the Barbarian in me,” James Rollins is fond of saying. After publishing four novels in the early 2000s, Rollins, 58, left his Sacramento veterinary practice and became a New York Times best-selling author whose 22 books have sold more than 20 million copies in 40 languages. His real thunder is the 15-title action-adventure SIGMA Force series, starring a covert team of ex-special forces officers with expertise in the sciences and black ops. It combines history with the mythical, led by Rollins’ trademark phantasmagoria. Rollins’ latest entry is The Last Odyssey, in which an ancient map is discovered that traces Odysseus’ route home after the Trojan War, as described in Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey.” One of the stops was Tartarus, the Greek version of hell.

Guess where SIGMA Force is headed?

In your research for The Last Odyssey, what was your single most shocking discovery?

How much we underestimate the technology of ancient peoples. I had a chance to study the Antikythera mechanism at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, a Greek device from the first century B.C. Most archaeologists now accept that it was the first known analog computer.

One of your characters reflects that “knowledge is never truly lost.” Which is the foundation of your work.

All my books have explored historical mysteries, but nothing truly remains buried forever. When Greek and Roman civilizations collapsed, the Islamic world picked up the torch of science and

innovation and kept it. And when that Islamic Golden Age faded, Italy and the Renaissance preserved that knowledge and carried it forward yet again. By his own admission, Leonardo da Vinci was influenced—even borrowed—from earlier Muslim inventors.

You juggle both science and history in your thrillers, and there’s always something new to learn.

While there is certainly lots of science in the new novel, I’d say it sheds more light on history— specifically, a mysterious era known as the Greek Dark Ages, a shadowy time during the Bronze Age when three civilizations were laid low during a massive war, which many historians have dubbed “World War Zero.”

Little is truly known about this turbulent period. Even the identity of the force that laid waste to the Greeks, the Egyptians and the Hittites remains unknown and debated. In fact, one of the only accounts of this war-torn time comes from Homer’s “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey.”

A few words about your hunting-gathering process, please.

I always have my antennae up for seeds that might be part of a story. I’m looking for basically three things: an historical mystery, a bit of science to explore and exotic locations in which to set a story.

To accomplish that, I subscribe to over 20 scientific journals, and I journal extensively while I travel. I love walking up to someone in a foreign country and asking them to tell me something about their village that no one knows.

And perhaps because of the anonymity of such a question, they do.

What’s next?

I have an anthology of SIGMA short stories coming in September, and I’m finishing next year’s SIGMA novel, tentatively titled The Savage Zone. But further details are classified. Ω

To pre-order The Last Odyssey, visit jamesrollins.com.

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similar ordinances in the past year, and Washington, D.C., is currently considering a ban.

Who reLies on cash?

California residents with limited resources are far more likely to use cash. While 7.4% of California households do not have banks, the rate among households earning less than $15,000 per year is 27.3%, according to a 2017 survey by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

People of color, immigrants and disabled people are also more likely to be excluded by a cashless economy. In California, 20.5% of black households and 14.5% of Hispanic households do not use banks, according to the survey data. The rate is 24.8% among Burger Patch in Midtown hasn’t taken down the households that speak only Spanish at “No Cash Accepted” sign on its front door, even though it begin accepting cash about a month after home and 20.7% among adults with opening last May. The vegan burger joint is still disabilities. Single mothers lack access “card-preferred,” said employee Zia Simmons. to bank accounts at a rate more than twice that of single fathers.

Photo by Jackie botts for calMatters “When retailers don’t accept cash, they’re effectively locking out workers in low-wage jobs, communities of color and our homeless neighbors,” Andrea Zinder, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council, which has endorsed the bill, said in a statement.

Many low-income Californians don’t use credit cards.

People between the ages of 25 and 44 pay with cash less often than people Should stores be required to accept cash? who are older or younger—about one-fifth of the time, compared with one-third, according to a 2019 study Ca lMa tte r s

by Jackie Botts by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

Under the proposed law, cashless Last May, Burger Patch first opened A small but growing number of That’s why Hill introduced a bill transactions would be legal, but if its doors in Midtown Sacramento with businesses are no longer accepting cash. this month to require that all a business turns away a a sign that said “No Cash Accepted.” The Owners say that accepting only credit brick-and-mortar busicustomer who only has owners of the organic and vegan burger cards, debit cards or digital wallets like nesses in California cash, it could face “When joint were worried that a cash register Apple Pay is more efficient and lowers accept cash. a civil penalty retailers don’t might invite theft. the risk of being robbed. Electronic forms If passed, between $25 and But customers kept showing up with of payments are gaining popularity with California $500. Online accept cash, they’re only cash. Sometimes the cashiers would consumers. would become retailers would effectively locking out accept it, working around the digital But the cash-free trend has raised the third be excluded, as workers in low-wage jobs, system; other times, they’d simply give concerns that such shops exclude customstate, after would car rental the customer a free meal. About a month ers who rely exclusively on cash. Sen. Massachusetts businesses. communities of color and our in, Burger Patch changed course, decidJerry Hill, a Democrat from San Mateo, and New No groups homeless neighbors.” ing to install a cash register after all. says this amounts to discrimination against Jersey, to have filed oppo“We want to be able to have people without credit cards or bank ban cashless andrea Zinder sition against everyone come and eat here no matter accounts, who tend to be low-income. businesses president of United food and the bill yet, but what,” said Zia Simmons, who has “I don’t think it’s intentionally before commercial Workers Western Hill expects that worked at the restaurant since it discrimination. But that’s in fact what they become states council retailers may put up opened. “We don’t want to ever have they’re doing,” Hill said. Cashless widespread. San a fight. to be like, well if you don’t have a stores “may be the thing of the future, Francisco, Philadelphia Around 10% of the card, you can’t eat here.” [but] it’s not there yet.” and New York City passed nearly 100,000 businesses

Going cashless Jackie botts is a reporter at calMatters. this article is part of the california Divide, a collaboration among newsrooms examining income inequity and economic survival in california.

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WhAt A DrAg(net) that use Square, a financial check-out “That seemed almost like they were service, are cashless, according to a discriminating against those who did recent national study from the company. not have the ability to pay an electronic The California Retailers Association transaction, and for me that raised a flag.” has not yet taken a position on the bill, The store was Sweetgreen, a buildsaid president and CEO Rachel your-own salad eatery with a Michelin. sleek tech aesthetic, where An uptick in retail a typical bowl costs theft has spurred upwards of $10. The some smaller chain phased out retailers to turn cash transactions toward electronic in 2017 but payments to reversed course avoid keeping last year. cash behind the “Going counter. She said cashless ... had the bill might the unintended State Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, be “premature” consequence of author of a bill requiring that all brickgiven that she excluding those and-mortar businesses in California hasn’t observed a who prefer to pay accept cash widespread trend in or can only pay with stores going cashless, cash,” the company other than in more techy explained in a blog post areas like Silicon Valley. last April. “To accomplish our Hill said the issue came on his mission, everyone in the community radar when he walked into a restaurant needs to have access to real food.” in San Mateo last year.

Amazon’s cashier-less automated “I saw there’s a sign there that said convenience store, called Amazon Go, ‘we don’t accept cash.’ That kind of also decided to phase in the ability to shocked me and surprised me,” Hill said. take cash after facing backlash.

“I don’t think it’s intentionally discrimination. But that’s in fact what they’re doing.”

To Hill, that’s evidence that companies can transition back “without great difficulty.”

“I don’t know if [this bill] is as big of a deal for [retailers] as those who are now discriminated against because they cannot pay with cash,” Hill said. Ω

Sen. Jerry Hill speaks in the Capitol.

Photo by anne Wernikoff for calMatters

A customer pays with a credit card at Burger Patch, a vegan burger joint in Midtown Sacramento.

Facial recognition technology is in the hands of Sacramento law enforcement—and it isn’t necessarily being used to catch the next Golden State Killer.

On the morning of Nov. 8, 2019, Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies arrested a 26-year-old African-American woman in North Highlands for carrying an open alcoholic beverage and for allegedly lying about her identity when they stopped her.

According to an arrest summary, one of the deputies stopped the woman because she was walking northbound on Stockton Boulevard in North Highlands, “a known prostitution stroll.”

The woman allegedly identified herself to the deputy by another name, but didn’t resemble that woman’s DMV photo, the arrest summary states. “Officers used facial recognition to determine” her real identity, then cited and released her 80 minutes later for the open container infraction and false ID, the summary states.

The Sheriff’s Office contracts with a company called DataWorks Plus to capture and store mugshots, crime scene photos and other digital images. Since late 2017, the Sheriff’s Office has been able to run its growing trove of images through a facial recognition database that DataWorks created for California law enforcement agencies, including some of the state’s largest.

According to an October 2017 staff report to the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, DataWorks created the California Facial Recognition Interconnect system, or CAFRI, to allow participating law enforcement agencies to match photos of an individual against existing photos in the CAFRI system.

At that time, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office was the sixth agency to join CAFRI, which already counted Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin and San Diego counties as subscribers.

According to the letter of agreement that the Sheriff’s Office signed, DataWorks only makes CAFRI available for law enforcement agencies conducting law enforcement business. The company does allow for the possibility of adding out-of-state mugshot customers, but says that no private agencies can access its data or images.

“DataWorks Plus will not sell information or data to private parties that reside on this server,” the agreement letter states.

That lends the company some distinction from Clearview AI, a secretive start-up company whose founder hasn’t sworn off marketing his internet-scraping app to private corporations and foreign governments.

“There’s a fundamental difference between the two,” said Dave Maass of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Where DataWorks stockpiles images of people who have been arrested, Clearview’s dragnet encompasses “basically anybody who’s ever had an image of themselves online,” Maass added.

Hundreds of law enforcement agencies already use the Clearview AI app. The New York Times uncovered the chilling privacy threat in January, prompting some cities and states to swear off the technology. Facebook and YouTube have also ordered Clearview AI to desist from scouring their users’ data, though it’s unclear to what effect.

As for whether facial recognition technology is being used to solve more serious crimes in Sacramento County, a sheriff’s spokeswoman couldn’t be reached before deadline. But Maass said the open beverage arrest wouldn’t be atypical. While law enforcement agencies tell elected officials they need this technology to combat domestic terrorism, human trafficking and violent crimes, “it ends up being used in these very mundane ways,” Maass said.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law prohibiting law enforcement from using facial recognition in body cams and placing a three-year moratorium on handheld devices.

The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office has yet to provide deputies with body-worn cameras, despite recommendations by civil liberties groups and the county’s former inspector general, whom Sheriff Scott Jones forced out in 2018. (Raheem F. Hosseini)

Photo by Jackie botts for calMatters

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Sue Frost Sue FroSt’S Facebook campaign page

Who owns Sue Frost?

Sacramento County supervisor has raised more than $300,000 against a challenger who’s raised nothing

by Graham Womack

Bridget Duffy doesn’t have any great hope that her fifth run for public office will be the charm.

“Winning one of these races would be a sheer miracle,” Duffy admitted.

The 60-year-old housewife has deliberately raised no money and has few endorsements in challenging Sue Frost, the District 4 incumbent on the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors.

As for Frost, the former Citrus Heights councilwoman hasn’t stopped raising money since winning her county seat in 2016. As of Feb. 5, Frost had raised $303,797 in individual contributions, according to online campaign filing data. That’s more than any current board candidate.

What are Frost’s array of donors hoping to get in return for financially 12

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supporting a candidate with no real competition? Good question.

In wide-ranging District 4, which covers much of northeastern Sacramento County, no one person or business has given deeply to Frost, who didn’t respond to an interview request. She’s collected more than 600 donations as of Feb. 5, with the largest topping out at $5,000 from the California Real Estate Political Action Committee. Those who’ve given most represent a slew of powerful development, real estate and law enforcement interests.

Frost’s donors include the political action committee for the California Apartment Association, which has contributed $3,500.

“The stakes are certainly high this year for California’s rental housing

industry,” notes the website for the The political action committee association, which didn’t respond to a for the Sacramento County Probation request for comment. “In 2020, we can Association has given $4,000 to expect a radical rent control measure Frost’s campaign. back on the statewide ballot, an Frost has supported law enforcement, emboldened tenants’ movement at the including when Sheriff Scott Jones state and local level, and the prospects forced out independent oversight of of another blue wave in the California his office in 2018. “I know many law Legislature.” enforcement officers,” Frost wrote in The PAC gave Frost $1,000 in a Sacramento Bee op-ed. “Most are August 2016, another $150 last June dedicated public servants who do heroic, and $2,350 on Jan. 26, less than three dangerous jobs.” months after Frost controversially voted Asked why his union would still against barring no-fault evictions. give money to Frost if she’d already Duffy became inspired to run after raised so much, Mickelson said it’s that vote. not clear who might run against a “I was at a meeting as a citizen, just candidate—even though his group gave doing my duty, and I watched her vote $2,500 one day after the filing deadline not to protect people from eviction,” for candidates to enter the race.

Duffy told SN&R. “I was outraged.”

“My opinion is—and I tell Frost has also received $3,000 everybody that asks me my opinion— from the Sacramento County Deputy you run like your life depends on it,” Sheriffs’ Association as well as a Mickelson said. “The people who get unanimous endorsement from its board, lazy and don’t are the people that lose.” which backed Folsom Councilman Mike Aside from law enforcement and Kozlowski against her in 2016. real estate, developers round out Asked what makes Frost an Frost’s core supporters, with Angelo attractive candidate to law enforcement, Tsakopoulos and groups close to him association president Kevin Mickelson having given at least $4,950. The said Frost supported county law Committee for Home Ownership of enforcement agencies. Then he the North State Building Industry acknowledged another factor.

Association, a highly influential group “Primarily, every budget in local elections, and Easton cycle, the sheriff’s Development LLC have department is the each contributed largest item that $4,000. the board has The five county The former Citrus discretionary supervisors Heights councilwoman powers over,” frequently vote hasn’t stopped raising Mickelson said. on land-use “If there are any decisions. money since winning her other hot button While Duffy is county supervisor seat in topics that people in an uphill fight, 2016. are going to want to she said everyone fund, there’s really in the county would only three places that benefit from her they can take that money leadership. from: the district attorney, “To me, I’m wanting to the probation department or the demonstrate that we do still have a sheriff’s department.” mechanism for democracy in the United The $2.78 billion budget that the States and if we wanted to, maybe we board adopted in September included could overcome the amount of money $276.4 million for the Sheriff’s Office, that I’m facing if we had a people move$66.9 million for probation and $62.5 ment,” she said. Ω million for the DA’s office.

Fight for the right to count every vote

Voting myth vs. reality

From registration to election day, suppression gets creative Cases of voter fraud*

By yVOnnE R. WALkER P r e s i d e n t, s e i U L o c a L 1 0 0 0

W

hy do we celebrate Black history in February?

Thank Frederick Douglass and Carter Woodson.

Douglass, America’s most famous abolitionist, was born a slave sometime in February 1818. President Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, also was born in February. With those dates in mind, February was chosen to commemorate Negro History Week in 1926 by historian and author Woodson, the “father of Black history.”

History of all kinds is important to remember; it helps us understand our present situation in the trajectory of the past, so we can also change the future.

Take voter suppression, for example. Back in 1957, the Justice Department created a Civil Rights Division. Its job was to protect voters from discrimination. Starting in the early 2000s, that emphasis has shifted away from protecting civil rights to searching for voter fraud — and making it harder for people to vote.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who started working against civil rights in the 1980s, was pivotal in the 2013 decision to strike down the Voting Rights Act provision that removed federal oversight of state election procedures.

That opened the door to discrimination against voters.

What has been the impact? I see three main obstacles to voting.

Some states are making it more difficult to register to vote, using everything from poll taxes to voter ID laws to punishment for incorrectly filling out voter registration forms.

They are passing laws to ban on-campus ballot boxes, requiring non-restricted parking at any polling place, demanding out-ofstate students to get in-state driver’s licenses or car registration, or disallowing use of student IDs as voter identification. Texas permits handgun licenses as proof of voter identification, but not college student IDs. Why target students? Voters age 18 to 25 are more likely to vote progressive. The University of Wisconsin system has more than 170,000 students, but that state saw student participation in the 2016 election drop drastically after the adoption of voter ID laws. In 2016, Donald Trump won Wisconsin – a pivotal electoral state – by fewer than 23,000 votes.

Voter ID laws also work against Black and Latino voters.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, eligible Black and Latino voters were about three times less likely than whites to possess an accepted form of state ID required to register.

As a result, 63,085 Milwaukee County eligible voters did not possess an accepted I.D. leading up to the 2016 election. And that was just one county!

In the name of fighting fraud, states also are purging

300 million votes cast 86 convictions

* From 2002-2007, according to Justice department study SEIU Local 1000 member leader Tara Rooks speaking at a recent meeting.

people from voting lists, making them ineligible to vote even after they have registered, or invalidating ballots for minor technicalities after people have voted. In some states, hundreds of thousands of people have been purged unfairly from the rolls. Nationwide, it’s adding up to millions.

Just last week, a federal district judge ruled that the suit accusing Georgia Gov. Kemp of using racially biased methodology to purge up to 700,000 legitimate voters between 2016 and 2018 has merit. Kemp won his governor’s race by fewer than 55,000 votes.

Some states also continue to prohibit ex-prisoners from voting. They’ve served their time and are off parole, but may still not be permitted to vote. These rules vary greatly from state to state. California is among five states that allow ex-felons and probationers to vote, but not inmates or parolees.

So, what is there to do? We realize that voter fraud is being used as a scare tactic, playing on racial bias and our fears.

Spread the word. Support organizations that are helping register voters and fight discrimination. Volunteer to help register people to vote. Our votes matter — and protecting the right to vote is fundamental to our democracy. yvonne R. Walker President SEiu local 1000

Impact of ID requirements on election turnout 10% Hispanic voters

6% Asian American voters

6% African American voters

2.7% All voters

source: ohio state and rutgers universities

SEIU LOCAL 1000 1808 14th Street Sacramento, CA 95811 (866) 471-7348

SPONSORED by SERvicE EmPlOyEES iNtERNatiONal uNiON lOcal 1000 02.20.20

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Sacramento County Board of Education trustee Joanne Ahola is up for reelection against retired security officer Pervez Akhtar.

Photos courtesy of the candidates

Quid pro charter Sacramento County school board member up for reelection gets sizable charter PAC donation after controversial vote

by Raheem F. hosseini

In a highly unusual move, the Sacramento County Board of Education cleared a path for a charter school operation to expand to Citrus Heights over the objections of a local school district.

And the board trustee who represents Citrus Heights received a significant campaign donation from a charter political action committee just two days after her “yes” vote and less than a month before she faces reelection in the only contested race on her board.

Area 4 trustee Joanne Ahola actually got two donations from Charter Public Schools PAC after her Feb. 4 vote supporting the Rocklin Academy Family of Schools’ appeal to open a K-2 campus in Citrus Heights. The first, for $1,000, arrived just two days after Ahola and four other trustees sided with Rocklin Academy and against the San Juan Unified School District, which rejected the $24 million charter nonprofit’s expansion bid over the summer. The next check, for $1,825, arrived a week later.

Ahola is one of four Sacramento County Board of Education trustees up for reelection on March 3, but the only one with competition. She is being challenged by Pervez Akhtar, a retired security officer who has reported no campaign contributions.

Ahola rejected the notion of the charter PAC rewarding her for votes rendered.

“There is no correlation between the timing of the donations and the vote,” 14

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ra h e e m h @ne w s re v i e w . c o m

she told SN&R. “We’re just in an early primary.”

Before Ahola added the $2,825 in charter PAC money to her reelection fund, she had raised only $1,624 through all of 2019 and had more than $3,000 in outstanding debts, campaign filings show.

Getting significant financial support from pro-charter groups isn’t new for the county school board.

In her previous election, Ahola accepted more than $100,000 from the Parent Teacher Alliance to defeat Michael Alcalay, a web marketing firm president and public school supporter who managed only $15,000 in contributions.

Like Charter Public Schools PAC, the Sacramento-based alliance gets its financial backing from the political affiliate of the California Charter Schools Association, which has spent heavily to stock the influential county board with charter-friendly allies.

In 2018, the association contributed more than $19,000 to Area 3 winner Paul A. Keefer. Two years earlier, it gave $156,000 to eventual Area 6 winner Heather Davis and nearly $200,000 in cash and in-kind donations to Roy Grimes, who still lost to Harold Fong in the Area 7 race.

“Our board has been taken over by charter school people,” Fong told SN&R. While Ahola said she’s grateful for the statewide charter association’s

financial support and acknowledged that it “certainly helped get me elected,” she told SN&R that the money doesn’t affect her decisions.

“For me it’s not about being pro-charter. It’s about being pro-kid,” Ahola said.

Still, it’s rare for the Board of Education to overrule another school district, as she voted to do this month.

Sacramento County Office of Education Superintendent Dave Gordon said it’s only happened twice before, in the mid-2000s, and that neither of the charter schools ended up opening after winning their appeals from trustees.

“They both failed to get their act together,” Gordon recalled.

More recently, the Sacramento County Office of Education sided with San Juan Unified in denying the charter for Paramount Collegiate Academy. But the state school board overruled them. That didn’t turn out so well; the charter academy abruptly closed in February 2018.

In all its years, the Sacramento County Office of Education has approved only one charter, for Fortune School, a network of tuition-free public charter schools focused on closing the education gap for students of color.

“That has turned out to be a highfunctioning program,” Gordon said.

Ahola said she believes Rocklin Academy has the potential to be another one, and she isn’t alone.

“I think the school has some pretty intriguing elements to it,” said Board of Education president Bina Lefkovitz, who also voted for its charter.

Lefkovitz and Ahola both said they were impressed with Rocklin Academy’s desire to serve a socioeconomically disadvantaged population.

“Their goal is not to just come in and serve the affluent white community,” Ahola said.

Jillayne Antoon, Rocklin Academy’s director of growth and community engagement, said the charter’s schools in Placer County are currently outperforming public schools in San Juan Unified.

“We have been closing the achievement gap at our schools, and there is no reason to believe we won’t be successful in Citrus Heights, as well,” Antoon said via email.

The 5-2 vote doesn’t necessarily mean Rocklin Academy will open its new campus in August, as it tells visitors to its admissions webpage.

Charter representatives and SCOE officials still need to negotiate a memorandum of understanding that resolves any unanswered questions, Gordon said. For Lefkovitz, that means putting in writing how Rocklin Academy plans to prioritize the admission of lower-income students, as well as agree to quarterly progress reports its first year of operation.

If the Sacramento County Board of Education does approve an MOU with Rocklin Academy, the county Office of Education—not San Juan Unified—will be responsible for oversight. Rocklin Academy currently operates five public charter schools, all of them in Rocklin.

The charter network enrolled nearly 2,600 students last year, according to state education data.

Rocklin Academy’s most recent IRS filings show it collected $23.9 million in tax-exempt revenue in 2017—$19 million of which came in state aid and property taxes. The charter paid $15 million in salaries and other compensation.

Fong said his primary issue with the charter application is that it didn’t show that what worked in upper-middle-class Rocklin can also work in working-class Citrus Heights. Fong said the sample size of students of color and those from lowincome households was too statistically insignificant to make a conclusive case.

“You haven’t shown that you’re successful with low-income people in Rocklin, so how do we know you’d be successful in Citrus Heights?” Fong challenged.

San Juan Unified rejected Rocklin Academy’s charter application in June 2019 for “putting forth an unsound educational program” that “petitioners are demonstrably unlikely to successfully implement.”

Fong said the Feb. 4 meeting grew contentious after his colleagues rejected his amendments without discussion or a vote. “I complained strongly that they silenced my voice on the board,” he said.

Ahola said she hoped Rocklin Academy would win unanimous board approval when its MOU returned in a month or two, because it made an “incredibly compelling” case that it can better educate Citrus Heights underserved students than surrounding public schools.

Lefkovitz acknowledged the board was in somewhat uncharted waters. “I don’t think we’ve yet approved an appeal except for this one,” she said. “So that was a bit unusual.” Ω

. e r a C F l e s s i s s e n t i F , C a C t Here a Join today!

916.442.3927 | www.capitalac.com | conveniently located at the corner of 8th &p 02.20.20

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S

ometimes the words that are never spoken during a big political moment reveal more than the ones that are.

On Jan. 28, elected officials, business leaders and nonprofit groups gathered at City Hall for a major announcement.

Mayor Darrell Steinberg was ready to deliver on a promise he’d made while relentlessly campaigning for the Measure U sales tax increase approved by voters in November 2018. Working with City Councilman Steve Hansen, Steinberg unveiled a plan to use bonds financed with some Measure U revenues to put roughly $100 million into the new Sacramento Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which in turn will help affordable housing developers.

With luck, the mayor added, the fund can be “catalyzed” to nearly $200 million, putting Sacramento in better position to leverage state and federal grants and private sector investment— and spur a new wave of affordable housing projects in the city.

Groups including the Sacramento Housing Alliance and Mutual Housing California praised the mayor for his idea. So did other council members.

But there was an elephant in the room—and virtually everyone seemed to avoid stepping on its tail: The city of Sacramento already has an affordable housing trust fund. That’s literally what it’s

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called, the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. It’s existed for 31 years—and it’s supposed to be funded by developers who are making money by building all the shiny, pricey condos and apartments across Sacramento.

While no one was interested in discussing the original housing trust fund that night, almost every council member present, with the exception of the mayor, had plenty to say about it four-and-a-half years ago. That’s when the council decided to stake the bulk of the city’s affordable housing future on that fund by allowing developers out of their obligation to build low-income units.

Before then, the city compelled developers to build 15% of any residential project as affordable units before moving ahead.

But in September 2015, Hansen, Angelique Ashby, Larry Carr, Eric Guerra, Jeff Harris, Rick Jennings, Jay Schenirer and Allen Warren all voted for the policy shift. Instead of requiring developers to build units for low-income families, they could opt out by paying a fire sale-priced fee against every square-foot unit of their project. The money would then go into the affordable housing trust fund.

Housing advocates, poverty experts and nonprofits representing the disabled all warned council members not to do it. They did it anyway.

by Scott thomaS anderSon

•

Scotta@newSreview.com

With most developers in Sacramento free to focus on creating market-rate and high-income housing, the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency was tasked with finding the few builders specializing in affordable projects and helping them break ground with money from the trust fund. In 2017, with Sacramento experiencing one the highest year-to-year rent increases in the nation, SHRA and the trust fund had contributed to building exactly zero affordable units in the city.

According to SHRA’s latest report in 2019, its trust fund has since only helped build 159 affordable units in the city, at a time when the city and county need an estimated 63,000 combined to address the local housing crisis. Worse yet, a recent analysis by the mayor’s office found that between October 2013 and Dec. 31, 2018, the city only issued building permits for two units of extremely low-income housing from any source, and only 208 permits for units priced for very low-income renters.

Environmental policy director Katie Valenzuela, who is trying unseat Hansen on March 3 to represent the central city, says the costs of the 2015 decision are now undeniable.

“What they did was a mistake,” Valenzuela said.

“And we can spend as much public money as we can, but it’s never going to make up for the fact that developers aren’t paying their share for the impact on the community.”

Shadow of a recent paSt Steinberg was elected in June 2016 after the decision to eliminate the inclusionary housing requirement was made, and he’s been trying to deal with the fallout ever since. The

nonprofits who build affordable housing may all agree his new trust fund is a good idea, and badly needed, but some housing advocates also view it as way of making taxpayers assume the burden for developers who are still passing directly to Go on the Monopoly board.

The road to this developerdominated situation began Sept.

1, 2015, when the council, led by then-Mayor Kevin Johnson, voted to change Sacramento’s housing strategy. The city’s community development department had been considering the move since 2013, when aftershocks from the Great Recession were causing stagnation in the building market. But by the time the proposal came to the council, the economy had experienced five straight years of economic growth. Nevertheless, city staff still wanted to put developers in the driver’s seat to spur construction.

Associate planner Greg Sandlund told the council that while the inclusionary rules accounted for 25% of all affordable housing built in the city since the year 2000—some 1,559 units—his team believed alternative programs were more effective.

Sandlund described the 15% mandate as a “well-intentioned” program that could make housing too expensive for developers. Instead, his department recommended switching over to a flat, per-square-foot fee, which developers would pay into the SHRA-administered affordable housing trust fund.

“This approach gives the city the flexibility to look at these large projects on a case-by-case basis while incentivizing the development of affordable housing,” Sandlund said. The new strategy, he said,

“houSing criSiS” continued on page 18

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between 10/31/13 and 12/31/18, the cIty Issued the followIng buIldIng perMIts: Moderate/high income: 7,984 low income: 427 very low income: 208 extremely low income: 2

between 2012 and 2017

&

the median sale price for a home in sacramento rose

Rents increased

59% 33%

More than half of renters in sacramento are spending more than 30% of their income on housing.

40%

of the trust funds would be targeted to house residents classified as extremely low income* * meaning that they make no more than 30% of the area median income, currently $25,750 or less for a family of four.

“housIng crIsIs” continued on page 18 would create “a context-sensitive ordinance” that could “withstand the cyclical nature of the housing market.”

The Sacramento Housing Alliance did the math and determined that developers would need to pay between $9 and $12 per square foot to keep up with the pace of units built under the inclusionary rules. The city’s development department, however, decided to make that fee $2.58 per square foot—and that’s what the council agreed to.

photos by scott thomas anderson

Seeing the writing on the wall, then-SHA director Darryl Rutherford called it “a sad day for Sacramento.” Representatives from Mutual Housing California, Sacramento Area Congregations Together, the Sacramento Women’s Council and Resources for Independent Living all told the council that the fee was way too low, or that eliminating inclusionary housing was a disaster waiting to happen.

Yet a number of developers and downtown business representatives also showed up that night to assure council members that abandoning the inclusionary housing requirement was the right decision. And their advice was ultimately followed.

“I don’t want to second guess the decIsIons of publIc servants who were tryIng theIr best. and there was a ratIonale behInd what they dId.” sacramento Mayor darrell steinberg

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Asked last week if the council had made the wrong call back in 2015, Steinberg was reluctant to criticize his colleagues.

“I don’t want to second-guess the decisions of public servants who were trying their best,” he told SN&R. “And there was a rationale behind what they did.”

But at least two challengers in the March election are openly criticizing that decision made by their opponents.

Twin Rivers Unified School District trustee Ramona Landeros is running against District 2 Councilman Allen Warren and says that his vote to eliminate inclusionary housing damaged north Sacramento. Landeros, who grew up with a disabled brother, is particularly

Housing advocates muster in front of the City Hall in October, demanding a charter amendment for strong rent control and tenant protections be put on a 2020 ballot.

concerned that several nonprofits that house residents with disabilities are struggling more than ever to keep their clients from being priced out of their apartments.

“When we’re talking about Social Security, that does not even pay for housing anymore,” Landeros said. “And so we’re seeing more and more people with disabilities living on the streets. That’s just wrong. It’s criminal in this country where we have so many resources.”

From Valenzuela’s perspective, the 2015 housing decision fits in with a broader pattern of the City Council listening to large campaign donors and special interest groups over community groups and the advice of other experts.

“They continue to really embrace this theory of trickle-down economics, which hasn’t been working on a lot of fronts,” Valenzuela said.

While Steinberg may not want to undermine the council members he works with, he fully admits that he’s a mayor with a housing crisis on his hands. He says that’s one reason he campaigned so hard for the Measure U tax increase in 2018 and then set his sights on the new affordable housing trust fund.

Asked how he plans to help the public differentiate between this new housing trust fund and the original one, Steinberg’s answer was simple: “Well, the SHRA fund doesn’t have any capital.”

The mayor has also been clear that the new trust fund will be administered directly by the city rather than SHRA, which has traditionally handled building affordable units for both the city and the county.

Asked why City Hall wants total control over the new funds, Steinberg said he wants a multifaceted approach to tackle the housing insecurity that so many are experiencing.

“I’m determined to make it clear that the city has skin in the game,” he told SN&R. “It demonstrates that the city, as an entity, is not just contracting this problem out or outsourcing it to the housing authority. … How we’ll define roles and responsibilities, we’re still working on that.”

Dealing in the present When Steinberg unveiled his plan Jan. 28, the detail that housing advocates praised the most was its spending priorities. The mayor intends for 80% of the new trust fund to be geared toward building low-income and extremely low-income housing, with 40% earmarked for the latter. The Sacramento Housing Alliance has released several reports since 2017 showing that those two categories constitute, by far, the city’s greatest housing need.

“That is the segment of the population who the market does not reach,” said Cathy Creswell, the alliance’s board chairperson.

“What they DiD Was a mistake ... anD We can spenD as much public money as We can, but it’s never going to make up for the fact that Developers aren’t paying their share for the impact on the community.” katie valenzuela candidate for sacramento city council

The new fund is also designed to encourage innovative, nontraditional housing models that involve smaller, cheaper units, which are also faster to build. That could even include projects with tiny homes, pallet homes and refurbished shipping containers, the mayor explained.

Steinberg said it often costs roughly $300,000 of public subsidy for every unit of affordable housing. Those units also tend to have a lengthy permitting process. The mayor said that the new fund can likely bring a lot more units online, and do it a lot sooner, if builders are thinking outside the box. Steinberg is proposing that 30% of all affordable housing that the city helps finance should cost less than $100,000 per unit in public money.

Hansen, who played a significant role in creating the new trust fund, is also optimistic. He called the strategy an absolute necessity.

planning for years, says the council’s stance on inclusionary housing is not just absolving developers of their responsibilities, but is keeping the city segregated by income levels.

“Getting rid of those standards seems really out of touch with working people,” Fish said. “If you study how inclusionary housing has worked in a lot of places, you see it generally prevents creating clusters of only one income group in one area, so you’re not just leaving certain neighborhoods as pockets of poverty.”

Fish also views the new housing trust fund as a “taxpayer-leveraged solution” for what should be a market-based strategy that leverages developers who want to build in Sacramento.

“There are tens of thousands of families in our region—and especially here in our city—that want relief from increasing rents, that want stability, that want to know that they won’t have to pay more than a third of their income on rent, which is the classic threshold for whether it’s a burden or not,” Hansen said during the announcement.

The next step in creating the new trust fund is for the city treasurer to conduct a “stress test” to make sure the general fund is healthy enough to handle the added debt from the bonds.

While some housing advocates are encouraged by these developments, others insist the city needs to focus on corrective action around inclusionary housing. Steinberg told SN&R that while he supports the state developing better affordable housing standards across the board, he doesn’t envision the council revisiting its 2015 decision any time soon.

Nicholas Fish, who is with the Sacramento Tenants Union and has studied urban

The debate over the new affordable housing fund is playing out at the same time as the ongoing fight over rent control in Sacramento. Last August, the mayor led the council in passing the Tenant Protection and Relief Act, which caps annual rent hikes at 10% and bans no-cause evictions in the city for the next five years.

But housing advocates are still pushing for a stronger, permanent measure after collecting 47,000 signatures to qualify it for the ballot. The council refused to place it before voters on March 3, and hasn’t acted to put it on the Nov. 3 ballot, either.

Valenzuela, who’s made the plight of tenants and low-income families a major platform in her campaign, says the conversations she’s had with voters reveal that many Sacramentans aren’t aware the city ditched its inclusionary housing rules.

“A lot of people don’t really know,” she said. “It’s because they did it before the crisis became so acute.” Ω

Struggling tenants crowd into City Hall in September to watch the city pass an anti-gouging measure on local rents.

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a new California law bans discrimination against african-american hair, but the culture shift is still slow

by Destinee Lang

rowing up as an African-American woman, I didn’t like my hair.

The kinks, the curls, the waves— everything that made my hair what it was, I hated.

Often, I was teased because my hair was “different.” I despised the feeling of not being like those with long, silky, straight hair. Because of this, I straightened my hair everyday from seventh grade until my freshman year in college.

I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. Many women of color don’t love their natural hair until later in life, thanks to bullying and cultural cues that tell us it’s not socially acceptable.

And for good reason: Black hair worn naturally—without straightening, wigs or extensions—has long been an issue with people of color, especially women, who may face job discrimination, school punishment and worse.

The culture is slowly evolving, though. Last year, a new California law guaranteed protections for employees against discrimination based on hairstyle. And earlier this month, a film that played tribute to black hair won an Academy Award.

During slavery, many women were forced to shave their hair because it was seen as a way to erase their identity and culture. Today, for many African Americans, wearing natural hair is a way to honor ancestors, something meant to be carried with confidence and elegance.

It’s not always easy. Many people of color have faced discrimination in the workplace because of their hair. While the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guarantees employment regardless of race, sex, color, religion, disability, national origin or age, its protections don’t extend to physical appearance characteristics such as hair.

So in 2019, California lawmakers took action, passing Senate Bill 188, the CROWN Act. CROWN, which stands for Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair, prohibits hair-based discrimination in the workplace and schools. California was the first state to enact such protections.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Holly Mitchell, a Los Angeles Democrat, told CBS News that as a black woman who wears her hair in locks, she wanted to ensure that hairstyles associated with race are protected.

“Every Supreme Court case going back to the ’80s, when black women were trying to wear their hair braided to work in the banking industry or the airline industry, we’ve lost,” Mitchell said.

“Employers have won. That’s why this bill is so critical.”

New York and New Jersey also passed similar laws in 2019, while Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee and Wisconsin have also proposed to ban racebased hair discrimination.

After years of getting teased because she looked “different,” writer Destinee Lang finds pride in her natural black hair.

Photos courtesy of Destinee Lang

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WATERCOLOR TAKES OVER See ARTS & CuLTuRE

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“ Society makes dreadlocks out to be unprofessional or assume if you have dreadlocks, you’re a thug or gangaffiliated, regardless of your sex.”

Jahnai Williams “I wore my hair in a curly fro. I was so excited until I got there and saw that the makeup department was predominantly white girls with blonde straight hair and blue eyes,” she said.

Easter said her interviewer asked her, “If you work here are you going to wear your hair like that?”

See MuSIC

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GET A TASTE FOR HuMAN FLESH See STAGE

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FRANKENWAFFLE GETS FRANKEN-WEIRD See DISH

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Queer punk lives

State Sen. Holly Mitchell sponsored the CROWN Act, which bans discrimination against African-American hair in the workplace. wikimEdia Commons

Easter said “yes” and walked away discouraged. “I didn’t get the job,” she said. “I felt like I was different and not good enough. I felt belittled.”

It’s not just women facing such prejudice.

In January, a high school suspended Texas teenager DeAndre Arnold because he wears his hair in long dreadlocks, part of his culture in Trinidad. The school’s administration also told him he would not be allowed to walk at his high school graduation unless he cut his hair off.

Arnold attended the Academy Awards earlier this month, at the invitation of former NBA star Dwayne Wade and his wife, actress Gabrielle Union. Also at the Oscars was director Matthew Cherry, a former NFL player whose film Hair Love won the award for best animated short. In the film, a dad teaches himself how to care for and style his young daughter’s hair.

In an Instagram post, Cherry said that the country is on the verge of meaningful change.

“We have a real chance here to help make hair discrimination illegal through the CROWN Act and get it passed as a law in all 50 states,” he wrote.

Over the years, I finally realized my hair doesn’t need to be fixed. Instead, society’s view of beauty is the problem. I will continue to wear my natural hair to be the representation that so many women of color seek.

Cherry emphasized that point in his Academy Award acceptance speech, explaining that he made the film as a way to show how the issue is about changing the laws, culture and society’s acceptance.

“We wanted to normalize black hair,” Cherry said. Ω

Normally, I do not truck with anything more than a three-band show. But the Valentine’s Day TransGress Fest at Cafe Colonial kept me on board for the full six-band evening. The festival, highlighting bands with transgender and nonbinary members, is a touring offshoot of a longstanding Los Angeles event.

“The reason why I turned it into a tour was because not everybody can come to Los Angeles to see TransgressFest,” said Drew Arriola-Sands, frontwoman of Trap Girl and the festival’s founder. “I didn’t know what to expect with Sacramento, and seeing all these trans people and queer kids was awesome.”

It was my first time catching opening industrial band Killer Couture, who closed its set with a cover of Nine Inch Nails’ “Closer.” One of the members took a power tool to a trashcan as a kind of percussive accompaniment, creating a makeshift pyrotechnics display, though it was quickly nixed when the club intervened.

Also performing were Missing Pigeons, a jazz-post-punk fusion group, which included TransGress’ Sacramento organizer, Temple Kirk.

“Drew is a legend, and Trap Girl is the most important and vital band in the West Coast transgender music community, and to have the opportunity to help them put on this amazing show as well as to open for them with Missing Pigeons is a great honor,” Kirk said.

The Pigeons were followed by the unapologetically brazen Pussy Tuesday from L.A. Killer Couture’s Seth Draven brought industrial intensity to the stage.

Photos by Cam Evans

Some local African-American women say that until the new law they lived in constant fear of discrimination.

“Nine out of 10 jobs I’ve applied for while I’ve been on my natural journey, I’ve applied with either a wig or box braids in my hair just to feel accepted,” said Jahnai Williams, who has worn her hair in locs since 2018.

She’s hardly alone.

According to a 2019 study conducted by Dove, 80% of black women said they are more likely to change their natural hair to conform to social norms or expectations at work. The survey also found that “hairstyles inherent to Black identity—locs, braids, and natural curls—are perceived as less professional.”

Williams says this has been her experience, too.

“Society makes dreadlocks out to be unprofessional or assume if you have dreadlocks, you’re a thug or gang-affiliated, regardless of your sex,” she said.

Discrimination reached all corners of society. In 2018, the U.S. Navy lifted its ban on dreadlocks, twists and braids for female sailors, something the Army, Air Force and Marines had already done.

Theresa Easter, a Sacramento native who serves in the Navy, says it’s an important change. “It makes me feel like I can be completely me without being afraid of looking unprofessional,” she said. “I will most definitely be rocking my natural hair.”

Easter, who says she’s always dealt with scrutiny and prejudice because of her hair, remembers one particularly upsetting job interview for a makeup counter position at a department store.

A NEW ERA WITH ROCK BAND, ROA

Trap Girl frontwoman and TransGress Fest founder Drew Arriola-Sands with Commando’s Lynn Breedlove.

Commando—co-fronted by Juba Kalamka of Deep Dickollective and Lynn Breedlove— holds a special place in my heart. Breedlove’s past queercore band, Tribe 8, was included on record label Outpunk’s 1992 There’s a Dyke in the Pit compilation, one of the first punk records in my own teen-era collection.

Toward the end of their slot, Breedlove broke up an otherwise punk-heavy set with a spoken-word piece, which touched on the act of discarding records—specifically Prince records.

“It’s not that I ever stopped loving you.

I just thought you’d always be there,” Breedlove said during the piece. It was a sock to the gut, whether you’re a record collector, a Prince fan or none of the above.

Trap Girl’s lyrics can be intense. Rape and assault come up frequently, and that intensity came through in the band’s performance.

It’s a challenge to be both entertaining and empowering, but Arriola-Sands and Trap Girl pulled it off, and then some. The night rounded off with the always excellent closers, ¡Las Pulgas!.

TransGress Fest’s lineup wasn’t entirely cohesive: Killer Couture’s industrial vibe made for excellent performance art, but it was out of step with the rest of the punk and hardcore bands that night.

As a gathering though, TransGress Fest Sacramento provided a space where, as ArriolaSands put it, “trans people and queer kids … all kind of united [with] a sense of community.”

—Lindsay OxfOrd lind sa y o @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

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“[This painting] is one that just knocked my socks off,” Delehanty said. “It was so creative.”

It takes more than a couple seconds to realize what you’re looking at, and a couple more to take in all the extra details. The bold colors were achieved using a combination of watercolor and gouache, which gives everything a more opaque quality. In the car’s headlights, you can make out the warped reflection of a cityscape, suggesting there’s a whole world out there, just out of frame.

Delehanty has a painting of her own as part of the exhibit, too. Titled “Notre Dame,” the scene gives the impression that you’re standing right up against the historical building, and leads your eye up along the arches to Sue Steele Thomas’ “Red Alfa Among the Shasta Daisies” hides settle on the underside of a gargoyle shapes within other shapes. perched high up in the distance. It has a dizzying effect.

PHOTO BY RACHEL MAYFIELD Delehanty has been painting fulltime since the ’80s, and she shows no signs of stopping. She’s painted with oils and acrylics, but watercolor is what she enjoys the most. What is it about the medium that keeps her coming back? Delehanty cites two main reasons.

Dive into watercolor at Pence Gallery “First of all, you can’t really control it very well. It controls you as much as ra c h e lm@ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m you control it,” Delehanty said. “Number

by Rachel Mayfield two, there are so many, many different techniques that you can use to paint a painting with watercolor. In fact, most “There are so many different submissions, Delehanty narrowed the It seems like it was only yesterday Water + Color National paintings have many different techniques Juried Exhibit runs subject matters and so many exhibit down to 28 artists, for a total when humans first started watercolorwithin them. And consequently, through Mar. 31. Pence different ways that of 38 paintings. The result is a wide ing on cave walls. Things sure have it’s a medium that I don’t get Gallery, 212 D St., Davis. people painted the variety of works that show off just changed since the Paleolithic Age. For more info, visit bored with, because there’s subject matter,” what watercolor is capable of.

For one thing, rocks were a lot pencegallery.org. so many different ways said Delehanty.

There are craggy seascapes, moody less absorbent than today’s modern of creating.”

“You can’t really “There’s different portraits and busy scenes of people in watercolor canvas, paper.

Delehanty will be control it very well. It techniques, action. In Steve Walters’ “Chain Saw And while it’s no cave wall, you giving a talk on Mar. different styles, Blues,” three men are hard at work, can see some pretty fantastic paintings controls you as much as 1 to discuss more and that’s what I cutting down a tree in the forest. Small at the Pence Gallery in its latest show, about the exhibit and you control it.” always hope for as Water + Color National Juried Exhibit. flecks of brown fly off one man’s the judging process. a juror.” chainsaw, creating a spray of sawdust.

It features works by artists across the Sandy Delehanty Until then, she’s got Out of all of It’s the smallest of details, but it really country, all judged by professional exhibit juror some sage words of them, Delehanty ties everything together to give the watercolorist Sandy Delehanty. advice to those looking found herself scene a sense of motion.

“I always find that there’s that to master the medium: especially drawn to “Red Delehanty—who has achieved one painting, or sometimes more than “You have to keep learning, Alfa Among the Shasta Signature status in American Women one, that draws me like a magnet,” you have to keep growing. I take Daisies,” by Sue Steele Thomas.

Artists, the California Watercolor Delehanty said. “When you first see it, a workshop every year, because if you The painting, which depicts an Alfa Association and most recently, the your first impression is, ‘Wow!’ It just don’t, you’re just going to become Romeo hidden within the shapes of American Watercolor Society—judged kind of blows you away.” mechanical and stuck in a rut.” Ω several bright red flowers, won first each of the paintings based on For this show, more than one place. composition, technique and creativity. painting accomplished that. Out of 364 22 | SN&R | 02.20.20

A fluid medium

Roas, incorporated New name, new wave, ROA sound

by Maxfield Morris

Photo by maria ratinova

“There’s a lot of punk music, the Gilman Street sound, that’s still pretty alive and kicking,” Eddie said. “I get the sense that we wouldn’t fit in with those bands.”

ROA has the new wave flavor, mixed into old rock sensibilities—a Crock-Pot of sonic ingredients.

“We’ve just always listened Goodbye roa Brothers Band, hello roa. to a wide variety of music,” Rita said. “I think when we make music, we’re drawing from everything that we’ve listened to for a long time. … We absorb a lot The Roa Brothers Band as you know it—by name, through listening.” at least—is dead. It’s just ROA now.

David Bowie, Velvet Underground, Patti Smith The band dropped an article and two modifiers, are among ROA’s influences, and while they take but kept its members: four Roas, one by marriage. lessons on style, Eddie said the band’s journey has Since the band started playing shows a couple of been unconventional. years ago, its lineup has been Eddie Roa on vocals “I feel like the modus operandi is to record and guitar, Ramon Roa on bass, Michael Roa on something, and then have a pretty good idea of what drums and Rita Roa, the only non-brother, on vocals your sound is before you go out and gig,” Eddie said, and keyboards. but that’s not the path ROA has taken. “We’re in the Why the name change, though? process of inventing our sound, refining our sound, “That was another thing that made us stick while we’re playing shows.” out like a sore thumb,” Eddie said, the Music has been a part of their lives other being the band’s unique sound. since Eddie and Rita were in high “When we first conceived of it, school and when Mchael was we were thinking about The “I think when probably 10 years old, Eddie Allman Brothers Band, the said. As far as what it’s like we make music, Isley Brothers, things like being in a band with his that. There’s a tradition we’re drawing from brothers, Eddie turns the of bands with brothers question around. everything that we’ve in the name, but then I “Do you have any think people were starting listened to for a brothers?” Eddie asked. to get the idea that we “Can you imagine doing long time.” were a country band or something like that with something.”

Rita Roa them? … We’re just like any They’re not country— musician other brothers, we have our own they’re solidly rock, with some conflicts. … In a way, it makes it new wave and popular influences easier, because you’re used to yelling that place their sound in a bygone era. at each other.”

The country misunderstanding, coupled Between the familial yelling, the Roas with persistent audience questions about Rita’s are constantly writing new songs. They’ve been non-brother status, ushered in the ROA era. The approaching their new album non-traditionally as band had a debut EP release late last year—The well, recording outside the studio and feeling more Roa Brothers and Rita EP—and has been gigging comfortable in their sound—and more confident around Sacramento, putting in the rounds and about their future. making music that sometimes feels like it’s caught “I’m excited just that now that we do have a between niches. professional, recorded EP, we can start to branch out “It’s not that there isn’t a scene—there’s definitely a bit further,” Rita said. “We can try to widen our a scene,” Eddie said. “Sometimes it can feel like an circle and see what else is out there.” Ω uphill battle.”

There’s more playing for other local musicians— roa is a SammiES nominee in the “rock” category. Check out the band’s Mondo Deco, Jesus and the Dinosaurs, anyone new EP, the roa brothers and rita EP, available on all streaming services. oriented toward rock ’n’ roll, he said.

for the best music-makers in sacramento SN&R

Diamond Dez SAMMIES 2020 Nominee Hip-Hop/Rap

voting ends 03.11.20

sammies.com 02.20.20

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Hookah for Two Only $22!

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Yasmine, left, and Maggie Kafati, co-owners of Vintage YSJ, have cultivated a high-fashion collection of wearable vintage looks at their Midtown boutique.

Photo by Melissa Uroff

Everything Old is New Again Vintage YSJ can help breathe new life into your old wardrobe

by Anne S tokes

V

You could get featured in our

Shop Local Midtown weekly section

Contact us for more details at

916.498.1234

intage shopping can have its highs and lows: Finding an amazing one-of-a-kind piece that’s not in your size, or it fits like a glove, but it looks like something you’d wear for Halloween.

At Vintage YSJ, however, you won’t find the typical mish-mash of styles and sizes.

Over the past 12 years, mother-daughter duo Maggie and Yasmine Kafati have cultivated a high-fashion blend of vintage styles and modern trends.

“Normally when you go to a vintage shop, it … can come off as very ‘costume,’ but ours is curated for wearable fashion, [rather] than looking like period pieces,” said daughter Yasmine. “It’s vintage but interpreted for modern fashion.”

According to Maggie, the trick to looking put-together is incorporating pieces into your existing style, rather than going head to toe vintage.

“Most people have their specific style and they need to be true to themselves,” she said. “If they were to be true to their style and add pieces — like ‘I like the high-waist style, but I’m not sure about it’ — they can pair it with a modern top or whatever they like to wear.”

Another vintage shopping issue is finding your size, something that Vintage YSJ has designed their boutique around.

“We’ll pick a few trends and we’ll offer a range of sizes in that trend,” Maggie said. “You can come in and find, for example, high-rise trousers or high-rise vintage denim, and we’ll have it in a range of sizes.”

If you’re in need of an expert’s eye, Vintage YSJ is now offering styling services. Whether you’d like to introduce more vintage into your wardrobe or have an upcoming event and need a new look, staff can help you put together something fabulous.

Visit Vintage YSJ at 1812 J St., Sacramento, or online at shopysj.com. For more information on styling services, call 916-442-4882. Follow them on Instagram at @shop_ ysj to see what’s in store.

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Kasbah Now opeN for LuNch! Tues-Fri 11:30-2:30pm | $15 Three-Course Lunch

Events

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Thursday, Feb. 20

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Thursday Karaoke Get Down

Call the shop for an appointment 916.346.4615

Bring your friends and your singing pipes to the Cider House for Thursday night karaoke! 7:30 p.m., free.

Cider house 1111 24th St., Sacramento

Thursday, Feb. 20 Whitney Lofrano: What Goes Around Enjoy nearly 50 new works in oil and watercolor by Whitney Lofrano — on view through Saturday, Feb. 29. Gallery hours are 12-6 p.m., Tuesday-Friday and 1-6 p.m. on Saturdays.

Tim Collom Gallery 915 20th St., Sacramento

little relics 1111 24th St., #103 Sacramento

shoe shine For more information, go online at www.shawnreginald.com or call 916-400-4060. shawn reginald 1729 L St., Sacramento

GluTen Free dininG Visit Sacramento’s first gluten-free cider taphouse. The establishment features a completely gluten-free kitchen, so everyone can sip and nibble in peace.

happy hour Everyday 4-6pm Late Night DiNiNg Tues-Thurs & Sun until 12am | Fri & Sat until 1am 2115 J Street, Saramento | 916.442.4388 @Kasbah916 kasbahlounge.com |

Cider house 1111 24th St., Sacramento

Tuesday, Feb. 25 7th Annual Mardi Gras Second Line with Element Brass Band Gather with other Sacramento residents and visitors in celebration of Fat Tuesday! The parade begins at Mulvaney’s Building and Loan, stops at Kasbah and Easy on I, and ends with live music and drink specials at the Torch Club. All ages are welcome to the second line; Torch Club after party is 21+. 4:30 p.m., free.

The Torch Club 904 15th St., Sacramento Want your event in Midtown to be featured here? Submit it to our online calendar at https://www.newsreview.com/ sacramento/calendar#!/ and click “Add Event”

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Now playiNg

ReviewS

4

Alabaster

A close shave

by Tessa MargueriTe OuTland

Photo courtesy of green valley theatre comPany

The use of darkness in the show sets a spine-chilling mood, as does Stephen Sondheim’s intentional musical dissonance.

Although the live orchestra reflects the company’s high quality, the overall sound quality could be improved. This show is not suitable for young children due to violence, sexual content and adult language.

Overall, Sweeney Todd is a lively nightmarish comedy that may give viewers a taste for blood and appetite for fresh—or flesh— meat pies. Ω

Sweeney Todd

4

fri 8pm, sat 8pm, sun 7pm; through 3/8; $20; tower theater, 417 vernon st., roseville, (916) 837-7469, greenvalleytheatre.com.

Green Valley Theatre Company’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a gruesome and disturbing tale.

The story begins when Sweeney Todd (Anthony Tavianini) returns to London after being wrongfully convicted by Judge Turpin (Nathan Lacy). When Mrs. Lovett (Lauren Ettensohn), a pie shop owner, tells Todd his wife poisoned herself, he swears vengeance on the world. Todd begins to slash customers’ throats in his barber chair, which inspires the grisly secret ingredient in Mrs. Lovett’s “meat” pies. His obsession with murdering Londoners grows as he hopes to one day cut the judge’s throat and find his beautiful daughter, Johanna (Carling Witt).

Ettensohn carries the show with her haunting voice and beguiling expressions, and Owen Jones (Tobias Ragg) is a notable young performer with plenty of potential.

Francis Banks (Anthony) and Witt’s vocals are intense and enthralling during their eerie duets.

The rest of the cast and ensemble move through the shadows singing “Worst Pies in London,” “City on Fire!” and “Not While I’m Around” with quick, unsettling movements.

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Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 2pm; Through 2/23; $27-$44; Capital Stage,

2215 J St.; (916) 995-5464; capstage.org. P.R.

4

Almost, Maine

A collection of love stories colored by moments of joy, laughter and devastation, all taking place underneath the shifting hues of the Northern Lights, the

play is sweet but not saccharine, cute but not cloying. If you take a trip to see Almost, Maine, you may fall in love too. Fri 8pm, Sat

8pm, Sun 2pm; Through 3/1; $21-$25; Chautauqua Playhouse, 5325 Engle Rd., Carmichael; (916)4897529; cplayhouse.org. O.R.

5

Dorothea Puente Tells All

From the very start, actress Janis Stevens totally and convincingly transforms herself into Puente, always juggling an unassuming, manipulative manner that veiled a damaged, evil spirit. She’s aided by a carefully orchestrated script by playwright Mark Loewenstern, who skillfully tap dances through the many conflicting layers of

1 2 3 4 5

3 Wedding bell hell We all need someone to look at us the way sweeney Todd looks at his razors.

When a tough-talking, wise-assing goat bounds onstage at the start of Capital Stage’s Alabaster, it’s a clear sign that a quirky play lies ahead. But the story is also deeply moving and raw, with a four-member cast that slowly reels us into this unexpectedly sensitive and captivating story. Wed 7pm, Thu 7pm,

foul

As much as they’d like you to think otherwise, there is never any doubt as to how Confirmation will end. The script tries to keep you guessing and the cast is intent upon acting as if the climax is in doubt, but it never is.

That doesn’t mean the trip can’t be enjoyable, however.

Mariah Palestri and Alex Riley (Elise Hodge and Ryan Boyd, respectively) are about to be wed on the morning of Dec. 31, 1999, but when they arrive with family witness Gil Riley (Rick Grant-Coons) in tow, the minister is missing. How could Alex not have confirmed the ceremony in person instead of by telephone messages? How could Mariah have left details to anyone other than herself?

Another friend—steakhouse owner Reba Childress (BJ Nash)—and convenience store owner Dimitri Gregorin (Philip Pittman) are drawn into the effort to find the missing minister. And then … well, you know.

Lonon Smith wrote and directed the romantic comedy and solicits generally good performances from the cast. Grant-Coons and Nash are especially fine in their supporting roles, as is Hodge as the bride-to-be. Pittman has a light comic touch in a small role, but Boyd seems to have taken the reticent groom description a little too literally.

—Jim Carnes

confirmation: fri 8pm, sat 8pm, sun 2pm; through 2/23; $12-$15; unitarian universalist society of sacramento, 2425 sierra Blvd.; (916) 333-4498; theaterone.org.

faIr

gooD

Well-Done

suBlIme Don’t mIss

Puente. Fri 8pm, Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm; Through 2/23; Tickets are sold out; The Wilkerson Theatre, 1725 25th St.; (916) 451-5822; calstage.org. P.R.

5

Ride Sally Ride

B Street’s latest celebrates women who literally reached for the stars.

What makes the B Street Family Series so engaging is how their productions usually involve the young audience members. Amelia and Sally both would be mighty impressed with the young audience’s instinctive recognition of inequality. Sat 1pm,

Sun 1pm & 4pm; Through 2/29; $19-$24; B Street

Theatre, 2700 Capitol Ave.; (916) 443-5300; bstreettheatre.org. P.R.

short reviews by Patti roberts and odin rasco.

Photo courtesy of cIrque Du soleIl

Stage pick don’t get any crazy ideas, kids—this big bowl is for swimming only.

Eye of the storm Shakespeare’s The Tempest gets an acrobatic retelling in the form of Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna. The story opens with the goddess Prospera, celebrating her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony. Afterward, Prospera summons a literal storm, in which several young men wash up on shore. From there, a love story between Prospera’s daughter and one of the soggy young men unfolds, and that’s when things really take off. Be prepared to watch performers teetering on teeterboards, spinning around on aerial straps and swimming in a big bowl of water. Wed, 2/19, 8pm; Thu, 2/20, 8pm; Fri, 2/21, 4:30pm & 8pm; Sat, 2/22, 4:30pm & 8pm; Sun, 2/23, 1pm & 5:30pm; Through 3/1; $54-$300; Sutter Health Park, 400 Ballpark Drive, West Sacramento; (916) 376-4676; cirquedusoleil.com/amaluna.

—raChel mayfield

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illusTrATiOn BY kATElYnn MiTrAnO

When torta met Philly PePiTO de arraChera, CieliTO lindO It’s possibly a faux pas to visit a Mexican eatery— especially one as fantastic as Cielito Lindo—and order something as uninspiring as a sandwich, but its Pepito de Arrachera (steak sandwich, $11.95) proved to be irresistible—and it did not disappoint. Refried pinto beans are spread on a buttered baguette and stacked with juicy grilled flank steak. A creamy chipotle sauce is slathered on top, along with super fresh pico de gallo and avocado slices. It’s like the torta, Philly cheesesteak and hoagie had a secret love child and we all benefit from the illicit affair. 3672 J St., cielitolindomg.com.

—aMy bee The Waffle Dog Duo is two dogs on a stick, encased in crisp waffle batter and served with warm maple syrup. Try it with “hot honey.”

Haunted eats Frankenwaffle 1119 Alhambra Boulevard; (916) 917-5108 Good for: Hangout, trivia night, craft beer and snacks.

Notable dishes: Chicago style Polish, Bacon Cheddar Waffle,

Cornmeal Chili Waffle

$$$

American, Midtown

Several horror posters populate Frankenwaffle, the divey, hole-in-the-wall (in this case, black painted walls) that’s small and dark enough to feel like a coffin. Tiny animal skeletons decorate the few tables. A big screen TV plays the original Pet Semetary while three middle-aged men sit at the bar, snacking on plates of whipped cream-covered waffles and discussing their “better halves” as they drink craft beers and watch young Gage get run over by a semi.

OK, I get it: Frankenwaffle = franks + waffles with a horror twist. Except, aside from the Halloween décor, the theme doesn’t follow through. The menu has a simple list of locally-sourced sausages and another list of pretty conventional waffles. There are no dastardly monster waffle/frank creations and none of the beers have scary horror names.

It’s like owner Justin Lehr came up with the name and stopped there. In fact, I overheard him explain to the guys at the bar that he just happens to really like waffles and sausages. He also likes the horror genre, spinning vinyl and beer—nothing more to it.

I try the Chicago Style Polish ($7), which is juicy and rich, just the way one hopes, and the Habanero and Mango ($7), which sets my mouth aflame until a nice sweet kick puts out the fire. The sausage menu rotates monthly, and they come on a bun with chips (sub out for a waffle for a bit more). The buns are superfluous. I recommend just 28 | SN&R | 02.20.20

PHOTO BY AMY BEE

by Amy Bee

ordering the sausages naked and then experimenting with the myriad of mustards available.

The only truly unique sausage item is the Waffle Dog Duo ($6), two dogs on a stick, encased in a waffle and served with maple syrup. Lehr also brought out some “hot honey,” which is incredibly sweet but has a slow, intense jalapeño heat. The waffle casing’s slight sweetness creates a curious mix of sweet and sour, which is only better drenched in honey or syrup.

Diving into the waffle menu, I try the Fantasy Island ($8), which offers a thin drizzle of Nutella over a heap of pineapples, bananas and coconut syrup. The fruit’s fresh and the decadence of the Nutella doesn’t overpower the waffle. It feels like breakfast and not a secret dessert. The same goes for the Bubba Ho Tep ($8), a waffle slathered in peanut butter and bananas and served with copious syrup.

There are a few savory waffles, including the Bacon Cheddar ($7). Lehr drops cheddar cheese and large strips of smokey bacon into the batter, producing a tasty snack that strikes me as a better pairing to his extensive craft brewery collection than the Bubba Ho Tep. I didn’t get to try the Cornmeal Chili Waffle ($9, available on Thursdays), as it was sold out, but a cornmeal waffle smothered in tri-tip chili sounds delicious.

Nothing about the food is remarkable or bad; each component accomplishes what it intends. Lehr’s not breaking culinary ground, although it’s a fun place to hang out, for sure.

But I still find myself searching for the connecting theme. Waffles? Sausages? Horror movies? Vinyl records?

Craft beer? How do they all work together? Finally, it hits me. Lehr has taken all his disparate passions and patchworked them together into a new creation.

Frankenwaffle is Lehr’s monster, and it’s alive! Ω

Smooth and spicy Mandarin Masaya, Old sOul CO. In a spicy and sweet explosion from Old Soul Co., the Mandarin Masaya ($6.50) is an eruption of flavor. The steamy concoction begins with a shot of espresso gently blended with steamed milk and a house-made mandarin, cayenne and cascara syrup.

The syrup adds just the right amount of tangy, spicy sweetness to be thoroughly savored with each sip. The beverage is dusted with a light sprinkling of Ginger Elizabeth Chocolate, cayenne powder and mandarin zest with actual tiny pieces of fruit. Don’t miss this delicious and interesting seasonal drink offering from one of Sacramento’s beloved specialty coffee shops. Various locations, oldsoulco.com.

—Tessa MargueriTe OuTland

PlANET V

What’s a stroopwafel?

Have you seen the Dutchman’s Stroopwafels bike around downtown and wondered, “What on Earth is a stroopwafel?” Well, a stroopwafel is a sweet caramel-filled cookie, sandwiched between two crispy waffle pieces made from cookie dough. This delicacy has roots in the Netherlands and was created by Johan and Koreen Van Ravenhorst. Recently, they reworked their recipe to also be vegan friendly. “We started doing vegan because a lot of people asked for it. We find it is great at vegan events and everyone is excited and lined up saying they can’t wait to get one,” says co-owner Koreen Van Ravenhost.

Dutchman’s Stroopwafel will pop up with its vegan sweets on Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. at vegan-owned KC Kombucha in Oak Park. There will be kombucha pairings offered to compliment this sweet Dutch creation. Dutchman’s Stroopwafel also offers the vegan option on the first Tuesday and third Saturday at pop-ups throughout downtown. 3326 Broadway, dutchmanstroopwafels.com.

—CarOline sOTO

illustration by Mark stivers

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Did someone say

fried chicken? dRiNk

Serious about ciders

(and bahn mi, and ramen)

Common Cider’s crisp brews also support efforts like Leaving No Trace, Black Rock City

4801 Folsom Blvd | Sacramento | 916.400.3075 | origamiasiangrill.com

by Natalie MartiNez

In the quiet hills of Auburn, a new contender in craft beverages has been brewing—only this time crisp, local apples and organic, allnatural fruit extracts are the stars of the show.

Common Cider Company started as the passion project of Fran Toves in 2012 when she entered a home brew competition in Reno against her son.

“It started off as a bet just for fun because her son is also passionate about craft brew,” explained Toves’ sister Vanessa Toves, who also works for Common Cider along with her wife Abbey. “Fran wanted to prove she could make a better cider, and managed to not only beat him, but also have three of her ciders place in the top 10.”

That was the catalyst that sparked the creation of Common Cider, which is now building a tasting room that is planned to open in April with tours, samplings and foodie events.

With a background in food science and culinary arts, Fran

set out to change the way cider fans experience the beverage by experimenting with a plethora of flavors to accentuate the taste of locally sourced apples.

Combinations such as Blackberry Sangria, Ginger Pear, Pineapple Guava and Blood Orange Tangerine offer a fresh change to the abundant sugary and dry ciders available throughout the region.

Plus, Common Cider’s flavors are all gluten-free and have considerably less sugar than more popular brands such as Angry Orchard.

There is one variety that has locals searching, an extremely limited, one-batch only release per year: The Black Rock Apple Saison.

Inspired by Burning Man, and the important principle of Leaving No Trace, proceeds from the purchase of this crisp cider go to the nonprofit group Friends of Black Rock High Rock, which helps educate the citizens of Black Rock City about the importance of environmental preservation before,

during and after the annual weeklong celebration.

Leaving No Trace is just as important outside the festival, with the number of attendees who pass through Reno and neighboring towns on the way to the desert.

This is not limited to leftover trash. Leaks from vehicles, improper water dumping and chemicals that pollute the playa ecosystem are also some of the worst offenders. Friends of Black Rock High Rock is committed to preserving the natural landscape year round, not just during Burning Man. “Our vision for this company is to transcend the idea of what a cider is supposed to be, and what a company should stand for,” Abbey says. “Flavor is everything to Fran, as is cultivating the spirit of togetherness, and the common ground we all share being human.” Ω

3/15 4:00 PM & 7:30 PM

e.t. the extra-terreStrial

3/19 • 7:30 PM a League of their own 3/21 • 1:00 PM the sandLot with Pre-Movie card Show 3/22 • 4:00 PM fieLd of dreams 3/22 • 7:30 PM BuLL durham 3/24 • 7:30 PM the Bad news Bears 3/25 • 7:30 PM major League

visit Common Cider for its craft-made brews, 12852 earhart ave #106, auburn; commoncider.com.

1013 K street downtown sacramento • (916) 476-3356 • crestsacramento.com

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Drought worries February has been bone dry, but it’s too early to turn on the sprinklers

by Debbie Arrington

Photo by Debbie Arrington

It’s her job to help local residents save water year round. “We just did another round of focus groups, and as before, found that people really do make decisions about when and how much to water their landscape based upon the weather and how [their landscape] looks,” Talbot said.

February’s heat wave If the weather is warm and the ground brought out the daffodils. looks dry, people turn on the sprinklers.

“With the weather recently being unseasonably warm, we urge people to How about this weather? actually check soil moisture with a moisture Unusually warm and dry temperatures may make meter, screwdriver or by using a hand shovel to dig it feel like spring, but they also bring notes of caution down six inches to feel the soil,” Talbot said. “It from Sacramento weather watchers. might be warmer than usual and the soil might look High temperatures in the mid 70s twice tied drier on the surface, but the days are still shorter and Sacramento records last week. By contrast, our the nights very cool with moisture in the air. It’s “normal” for early February daytime likely your landscape does not need to be highs is 60 degrees. watered, but the only way to know What’s more alarming is “If your for sure is to check. the lack of moisture. So far, “If your landscape does landscape February—usually among need water, we recommend does need water, we the rainiest months—has hand watering,” she added, been bone dry. Historically recommend hand watering “so that you deliver water in Sacramento, this month only to the plants that really so that you deliver water averages more than 3.5 need it.” only to the plants that really inches of precipitation.

As for prospects of With such dry weather, need it.” another drought? It’s more forecasters have become complicated.

Amy Talbot mentioning the dreaded “D” Warm, dry weather Regional Water word—drought. brings more use, but so far, Authority After tracking almost normally, just a little spike. the rainy season has fallen far off “Typically it’s not just one factor pace. According to the National Weather like a single hot month that causes a Service, Sacramento Executive Airport reports 6.14 spike, but rather a combination of factors like above inches total since Oct. 1, compared to 10.48 inches average temperatures matched with below average through Feb. 10 last year and the average to date of precipitation,” Talbot said. “It’s the layered effect.”

11.19 inches.

And we have water in the bank. Folsom reservoir What’s worse is that 6 inches is only a third of is 92% full compared to its historical average; the 18-inch “normal” rain year total. According to that’s good. the NWS, the driest Sacramento February on record “One dry month or even one dry year doesn’t was way back in 1899 with only 0.04 inches. More really concern water suppliers as much as multiple recently, February 1995 saw only 0.19 inches, but dry years back to back,” she said. “It’s a marathon that followed widespread flooding the prior month. not a sprint when it comes to water supply. It is People tend not to think about saving water until still too early to say whether 2020 will be a wet summer, or when their garden starts getting thirsty. or dry year.” Ω But they should be thinking about saving now, says Amy Talbot, water efficiency program manager Debbie Arrington, an award-winning garden writer and lifelong for Sacramento’s Regional Water Authority, the gardener, is co-creator of the Sacramento Digs gardening blog umbrella organization that represents two dozen local and website. water districts and providers.

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It’s a wrap (and a delivery) Box Brothers has thrived on Del Paso for 11 years by the best advertising ever – word of mouth

By Allen Pierleoni

“Exciting, interesting things come through the door every day,” said Jay Roth, co-owner with his wife, Lisa, of the Box Brothers packaging-shipping store.

“Interesting” like that gorgeous painting over there, propped carefully in a corner.

Someone had bought it at the renowned Witherell’s auction house on 20th Street and arranged for Box Brothers to package it and have it shipped to London, a trip of nearly 5,300 miles. That’s what you call trust.

But let’s back up: The Roths opened Box Brothers on Del Paso Boulevard nearly 11 years ago. Along with offering office and moving supplies and a full menu of business services (faxing, laminating, copying, scanning, notarizing, post-office box rentals and the like), they specialize in the customized packaging and safe shipping of items ranging from the everyday to high-value fine art.

“The arts community knows us,” said Lisa Roth. “If they sell something that needs to be shipped out of town, they come to us.”

“We handle anything large and/ or fragile that needs to be shipped internationally,” Jay Roth said. And not only artwork; it can include everything from a taxidermied bison’s head and a rare grapevine cutting to high-value musical instruments.

“There aren’t any places in town I know of that have our expertise in packaging fine art,” Jay Roth said. “We work with Witherells, Verge Center for the Arts, the Crocker Art Museum and GOS Art Gallery Studio [among other businesses and artists]. The artwork can be challenging, but we keep things safe.”

For instance? There was that $10,000 Tiffany lamp they shipped to New York, and the massive yet fragile sculpture of two dancers. “It was on a base bigger than this tabletop,” Jay Roth said. “It took

Box Brothers owners Lisa and Jay Roth found success, one package at a time.

Photo by Anne StokeS

three of us to move it. We built a crate for it and sent to to the U.K.” The actual shipping is done by their “trusted shipping partners,” which includes German giant DHL, acknowledged as the world’s most efficient international delivery service.

Why did the Roths choose Old North Sacramento for their store?

“We wanted to be part of the growth of this neighborhood, a place where we could make a difference,” Jay Roth said.

“This community has provided us growth,” Lisa Roth said. “It just needed [a business] to stay and be a place where people could come to again and again.”

“We’re a true mom-and-pop shop,” Jay Roth said. “We raised our kids here when they weren’t in school, and we’re proud to have minority employees who live in the community.”

The Roths rely on word of mouth for customer expansion. “Just people finding us, liking what we do and telling [others],” Jay Roth said. “That’s how we’ve been here for 11 years.”

Box Brothers 2213 Del Paso Blvd.

916-333-2732

come discover the Boulevard or visit us online at delpasoboulevard.com

UpcomIng events FriDay, FeB. 21 North Sac Business Walk 9 a.m. | Free The Sacramento Inclusive Economic Development Collaboration, in partnership with North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and the Del Paso Blvd Partnership, is recruiting volunteers for a business walk. Help is needed to ensure they speak with as many business owners as possible about what their needs are

and how the City of Sacramento and its partners can help them prosper.

Lunch included.

Renaissance Square Community Room 1217 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento

FriDay, FeB. 21 Fashion in the City 6 p.m. | 60-$500 Marvel at stylish creations at this 21+ designer showcase where art

and technology combine. Proceeds from the bar will go towards the local non-profit organization L For Lupus Foundation. Purchase tickets on eventbrite.com.

$5 hurricanes at this all you can eat feast with Louisiana roots!

Woodlake Tavern 1431 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento

The Rink Studios 1031 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento

SaturDay, FeB. 22 Mardi Gras Crawfish Boil 3 p.m. | $40 per person Crack open some crawfish and sip

Want your event on Del Paso Blvd to be featured here? Submit it to our online calendar at https:// www.newsreview.com/sacramento/ calendar#!/ and click “Add Event”

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foR R the week of feb febRuaRy R Rua Ry 20 R

By Patrick hyun wilson

POst eveNts ONliNe FOR FRee at newsreview.com/sacramento

Music thursDay, 2/20 aC slateR: AC SLATER brings his Hi8 Tour to Sacramento. 9:30pm, $12. The Park Ultra Lounge, 1116 15th St.

OveRCOats: ALT 94.7 welcomes Overcoats to the Music Discovery Series 2020 lineup.

Overcoats perform a free show along with SAMMIES nominee Band of Coyotes and ALT 94.7’s own DJ Zephyr. 7:30pm, no cover. Goldfield Trading Post, 1630 J St.

BeethOveN sePtet: The “Shinkoseky Noon

thu

Walk the second line with element Mulvaney’s B&l, 4:30pM, no cover Kasbah, Easy on I and finally ending the night at Shady Lady for a no cover night of brass music. You probably shouldn’t flash for your beads this time around; the parade will be for all ages. But bring the feather boas that have been patiently waiting all year long for this day and march along to some traditional brass music on the day before Lent. 1215 19th St., torchclub.net.

Break out your beads, Mardi Gras is back.

It’s time to get fat on a Tuesday with Element Brass Band. Did you know Festivals that Mardi Gras used to be a pagan celebration for spring and fertility?

If there’s one thing the pagans knew how to do well, it’s party hard. Element Brass Band will parade as a traditional second line through the streets of Midtown starting at Mulvaney’s B&L and making its way to

photo courtesy of jason pierce

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Get fat with Element Brass Band.

Concert” series presents Beethoven Septet in E Flat Major, op. 2. 12:05pm, no cover. UC Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis.

sCOtt JOss, ChRis GaNtRY, JeNNiFeR Belle: Scott Joss of Merle Haggard Strangers and Chris Gantry perform with special guest Jennifer Belle from Sacramento. 7pm, $15$17. The Boardwalk, 9426 Greenback Lane, Orangevale.

JOe MONtOYa’s POetRY uNPluGGeD: Joe Montoya’s Poetry Unplugged with guest hosts Sho’nuff & Jenny Ynn, Geoffrey Neill, Arturo Mantecon, Nsaa & Ike Torres, features spoken word, poetry and music. 8pm, no cover. Luna’s Cafe & Juice Bar, 1414 16th St.

MaRCia Ball & sONNY laNDReth’s MaRDi GRas PaRtY: Marcia Ball and Sonny Landreth come to Sacramento to celebrate Mardi Gras. 7pm, $50. B Street Theatre, 2700 Capitol Ave.

ROYal thuRsDaYs: Spinning Afrobeats, dancehall, hip-hop/R&B. Enjoy music from a different angle of the Afro music genre. 9:30pm, no cover. Chaise Lounge, 1330 H St.

iMaNi WiNDs: Imani Winds caps off the national tour of “Beauty of Strife.” They’ll perform the South African national anthem, Ravel’s Le tombeau de Couperin and works by Shostakovich and Paquito D’Rivera. 7:30pm, $25. Sacramento State, 6000 J St.

sKillet: Christian rock band Skillet performs

with From Ashes to New. 6pm, $34.50. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St.

steve POltZ: Canadian singer-songwriter

tiCKet WiNDOW fetty Wap Rapper Fetty Wap is coming to Sacramento on his The King Zoo Tour. ace of spades 4/27 8pm $29.50 on sale now aceofspadessac.com.

now that’s what i call a spicy ticket.

justin BieBer Justin Bieber

cher Cher is bringing her Here We Go

Again 2020 Tour to Sacramento this summer. Golden 1 Center 5/5 7:30pm $55$495 on sale now golden1center.com.

is back, baby. He’ll be playing a show in Sacramento singing his yummy jams. Golden 1 Center 5/19 7pm $89.50-$1000 On sale now golden1center.com.

haLsey Halsey is coming

insane cLoWn posse They’re

insane, they wear clown makeup and you juggalos better know they’re a posse.

The Insane Clown Posse is coming to Sacramento for their Clowns From Outer Space 2 Tour. ace of spades 5/8 8pm $27.50 on sale now aceofspadessac.com.

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friDay, 2/21 alBeRt CuMMiNGs: Blues musician Albert Cummings will perform on the Crest Theatre stage. 7:30pm, $28-$48. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

BaRRY ZitO: Barry Zito had a 15-year career in Major League Baseball. He has begun a career as a songwriter and will be coming to Sacramento. 7pm, $45. B Street Theatre, 2700 Capitol Ave.

to Sacramento joined by Chvrches and Omar Apollo.

Get entrenched in the indie world style of these not-sopop bands. Golden 1 Center 6/7 7pm $39-$129 on sale now golden1center.com.

BOCa DO RiO: Boca do Rio Big Band will be swinging the night away. 9pm, call for cover. Shady Lady, 1409 R St.

online listings will be considered for print. print listings are edited for space and accuracy. Deadline for print listings is 5 p.m. Wednesday. Deadline for nightLife listings is midnight sunday. send photos and reference materials to calendar editor patrick hyun Wilson at snrcalendar@newsreview.com.

wave of Latin trap and hip-hop. 7:30pm, no cover. Ace of Spades, 1417 R St.

the Guess WhO: Canadian classic rock band

The Guess Who will play their hits. 7:30pm, $52.95. Thunder Valley Casino, 1200 Athens

Ave., Lincoln.

the halCONes, the MaChetes, WaRP: Local rock band The Halcones will be rocking out with The Machetes and Warp. 7:30pm,

$10 Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St.

alBeRt CuMMiNGs: Blues musician Albert Cummings will be performing his blues rock with The Zach Waters Band. 6:30pm, $28$48. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

sheRMaN aPPleGate: Singer-songwriter Sherman Applegate will be coming to Knee Deep Brewing for this duet concert with Ken Peterson. 6pm, call for cover. Knee Deep Brewing, 13395 New Airport Road, Suite H, Auburn.

MOllY’s ReveNGe: Celtic band Molly’s Revenge is bringing its classic combination of bagpipes, whistle, fiddle, guitar, mandola and bodhran to perform traditional Irish and Scottish jigs. 8pm, $28-$30. Auburn State Theatre, 985 Lincoln Way, Auburn.

MYlaR’s hiPPie hOuR FRiDaYs: SAMMIES nominated singer-songwriter William Mylar has been performing free live music events since 2012. 5:30pm, no cover. Louie’s Cocktail Lounge, 3030 Mather Field Road, Rancho Cordova.

PRessuRe lOuNGe, the DePths,aND suGaRBeast: SAMMIES nominated funk band Pressure Lounge is performing with progressive rock band The Depths and lyrical band Sugarbeast. 9pm, $5. Fox & Goose, 1001 R St.

RaiNeR ROse: Acoustic singer-songwriter and Nevada City native Rainer Rose performs. 6:30pm, no cover. The Pour Choice, 177 Sacramento St., Auburn.

saturDay, 2/22 a CeleBRatiON OF aFRiCaN & aFRiCaN-aMeRiCaN MusiC: Join Afro-Caribbean Funk, The FLC Commercial Music Ensemble and The FLC Jazz Choir as they tribute Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Ray Charles, Fela Kuti and other musical greats in honor of Black History Month. 7:30pm, $5-$25. Harris Center, 10 College Pkwy, Folsom.

aNDY shauF: Andy Shauf will perform live with Molly Sarle. 8pm, $22-$25. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.

BaCKBaR satuRDaY’s W/ MiKe DiaMOND: Backbar Saturdays is every week with DJ Mike Diamond spinning house, bass, rap and Electronica. 10pm, no cover. Golden Bear, 2326 K St.

BlaKe sheltON: Country musician Blake Shelton will be coming to Sacramento for his Friends and Heroes 2020 Tour with The Bellamy Brothers, John Anderson, Trace Adkins and Lauren Alaina. 7pm, $45. Golden 1 Center, 500 David J. Stern Walk.

GasOliNa PaRtY Feat. FvMe: Gasolina is a

Sing it, Halsey.

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Steve Poltz performs live. 6:30pm, $15$25. The Auburn Odd Fellows Lodge, 1226 Lincoln Way, Auburn.

snr c a le nd a r @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

party playing old school reggaeton classics with a taste of the new school reggaeton

CaleNDaR listiNGs CONtiNueD ON PaGe 34

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SEE MORE EVENTS AND SUBMIT YOUR OWN AT NEWSREVIEW.COM/SACRAMENTO/CALENDAR

LUNA LUNA: Texas indie band Luna Luna will

FRIDAY, 02/21

be coming to Sacramento to perform with helladusty. 6pm, $12-$15. The Starlet Room, 2708 J St.

SAMMIES funk nominee Pressure Lounge play their hometown FOx & gOOse, 9Pm, $5

NO MIRRORS A BLACK HISTORY MONTH CHORAL CELEBRATION: The choirs of Cosumnes River College perform No Mirrors: A Black History Month Choral Celebration. 7pm, $5-$10. Cosumnes River College Recital Hall, 8401 Center Pkwy.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PRESSURE LOUNGE

Get your groove on with 2020 SAMMIES Funk nominee The Pressure Lounge. They describe their sound as a blend of funk, pop, hip-hop, lollipops and metalshop. Front man Joshua Krage has been a part of the Sacramento music SAMMIES scene for nearly 18 years after being raised on classic rock oldies, but also Michael Jackson and Tribe Called Quest. His varied musical interests found their home in Pressure Lounge. The sevenpiece groove machine is bringing their sound to Fox & Goose to headline alongside, progressive rock band The Depths and lyrical positive vibe toting band Sugarbeast. 1001 R St., foxandgoose.com.

WEDNESDAY, 2/26 COMBO CHIMBITA: Noise Pop Festival 2020 presents Combo Chimbita with Y La Bamba in Sacramento. 7pm, $15-$18. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.

OLIVIA O’BRIEN: Singer-songwriter Olivia

O’Brien will be coming to Sacramento. 7pm,

$22. Holy Diver, 1517 21st St.

TOM PAXTON & THE DONJUANS: Songwriter Tom Paxton and The DonJuans will perform live at The Sofia. 7pm, $30. B Street Theatre, 2700 Capitol Ave.

JONEMERY & THE UNCONVENTIONALS: SAMMIES

CALENDAR LISTINGS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

ZACH DEPUTY: Multi-instrumentalist songwriter Zach Deputy will be coming from Georgia to Sacramento on his Red Moon Tour. 7:30pm, $15. Goldfield Trading Post, 1630 J St.

EARLES OF NEWTOWN: Earles of Newtown return to Sacramento to perform their electric gypsy jazz. 9pm, $8. Torch Club, 904 15th St.

THE GET SETS, KNOCK KNOCK, PONY HOLIDAY: Garage rock trio The Get Sets will perform with Knock Knock and Pony Holiday. 8pm, $10. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St.

MONDAY, 2/24 BYRON COLBORN: Birth of the Cool is a compilation album by American jazz musician Miles Davis, released in 1957 on Capitol Records. Local saxophonist Byron Colborn has previously performed this compilation of music with his quintet and will be performing again in his hometown. 7pm, $25. Dante Club, 2330 Fair Oaks Blvd.

JOE MAZZAFERO: Local trumpeter Joe Mazzafero brings his be-bop swinging jazz to town. 9pm, call for cover. Shady Lady, 1409 R St.

JOURNEYS EDGE: Journey cover band Journeys Edge will perform live. 9pm, $10. Strikes Unlimited, 5681 Lonetree Blvd., Rocklin.

HEATH WILLIAMSON & FRIENDS: Sacramento’s Heath Williamson will be performing live every week. 5:30pm, no cover. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St.

LOVE MISCHIEF: NorCal up-and-coming jam band Love Mischief will be jamming away. 7pm, call for cover. Crooked Lane Brewing Company, 536 Grass Valley Hwy, Auburn.

MIDNIGHT PLAYERS: Come to the Opera House Saloon for a night with R&B band Midnight Players. 9:30pm, $10-$15. Opera House Saloon, 108 Main St., Roseville.

PETRICHOR: U.K.-based doom metal band Petrichor will perform songs from their latest album, Narisshu. 6pm, $27-$37. UC Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis.

MIKE & THE MOONPIES: Country band Mike & The Moonpies will perform with Quaker City Night Hawks in Sacramento. 7:30pm, $12. Goldfield Trading Post, 1630 J St.

SUNDAY, 2/23 BADFISH: Sublime tribute band Badfish is

coming to Sacramento to perform live. 7pm, $15. Holy Diver, 1517 21st St.

RIO BAND WITH SAMMY MILLER AND THE CONGREGATION: The Rio Americano High School Jazz Band will play alongside Sammy Miller and the Congregation. 7pm, $8.58$13.34. Rio Americano Performing Arts Center, 4540 American River Drive.

TUESDAY, 2/25 MARDI GRAS SECOND LINE W/ ELEMENT BRASS BAND: In its seventh year, the traditional New Orleans celebration is returning with a traditional second line with Element Brass Band. It begins at Mulvaney’s B&L and finishes with a free concert at Torch Club. 4:30pm, no cover. Torch Club, 904 15th St.

bringing their Under the Sun Tour to Sacramento. 7pm, $17-$20. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.

GRATEFUL SUNDAY: Sacramento’s Todd Gardner of Saints of Circumstance continues a new monthly series paying tribute to The Grateful Dead. 5pm, no cover. Two Rivers Cider, 4311 Attawa Ave., Suite 300.

FOUR BARREL: Live music every weekend at Laughs Unlimited, this week presenting local rock Four Barrel. 3pm, no cover. Laughs Unlimited Comedy Club, 1207 Front St.

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FESTIVALS THURSDAY, 2/20 SACRAMENTO SHELTER PETS ALIVE INAUGURAL CRAB FEED: The Sacramento Shelter Pets Alive, a nonprofit associated with the Bradshaw Animal Shelter, is hosting its inaugural crab feed fundraiser. 6pm, sold out. Sacramento Auto Museum, 2200 Front St.

SUNDAY, 2/23 BLACK HISTORY MONTH REFLECTIONS FROM THE PAST: The House of Prayer Holy Reformation Church will host its 20th annual Black History Month celebration titled, Reflections from the Past. 3pm, $10. 2450 Meadowview Road, Sam and Bonnie Pannell Meadowview Community Center.

PODCASTERS MEETING: A relaxed meeting for podcasters of all levels, from beginners to experts to discuss podcasting equipment, growth strategies and common mistakes to avoid. 6pm, no cover. Oak Park Brewing Co., 3514 Broadway.

FOOD & DRINK THURSDAY, 2/20 FAT TUESDAY AT REVOLUTION: Party with Revolution Wine this Mardi Gras with a custom menu. 11am, call for cover. Revolution, 2831 S St.

FRIDAY, 2/21

vintage mannequins by day and stalks the streets at night. Presented almost entirely from the killer’s POV, this film forces you to take part in Frank’s violent exploits. 8pm, no cover. The Red Museum, 212 15th St.

MONDAY, 2/24 GOODFELLAS: Eight of your favorite directors are going head to head in the Director’s Cup! Follow Tower Theatre on social media to vote on who will move forward throughout the series. Martin Scorsese explores the life of organized crime with his gritty, kinetic adaptation of Nicolas Pileggi’s best-selling Wiseguy, the true life account of mobster and FBI informant Henry Hill. 7:30pm, $11.50. Tower Theatre, 2508 Land Park Drive.

WEDNESDAY, 2/26 DO THE RIGHT THING: On the hottest day of the

MARDI GRAS DINNER AT PROPAGATE X NOMAD: Propagate is serving their guests a New Orleans-style dinner in honor of Fat Tuesday. 7pm, $60. Propagate, 1700 I St.

WEDNESDAY, 2/26 WINE MAKER TASTING SERIES: The first installment of Three Wine Company’s Wine Maker Series. 6pm, $10-$20. Platinum Wine Lounge, 9050 Fairway Drive, Roseville.

FILM THURSDAY, 2/20 2020 SACRAMENTO JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL: Four days and nights filled with today’s best Jewish cinema, through Sunday at Crest Theatre. Various times, $27-$150. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

SUNDAY, 2/23 RAM DASS BECOMING NOBODY: Watch guru Ram Dass in this film screening at the Auburn State Theatre. 1pm & 4pm, $7. Auburn State Theatre, 985 Lincoln Way, Auburn.

MANIAC (2012): In this remake of the 1980 film of the same name, Elijah Wood stars as Frank, an introverted loner who restores

year on a street in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, everyone’s hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence. 7:30pm, $11.50. Tower Theatre, 2508 Land Park Drive.

CITIZEN KANE (1941): Following the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance, “Rosebud.” The 1941 drama by Orson Welles was his first feature film. 7:30pm, $10-$22. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

COMEDY CLASSY HIPPIE TEA CO.: Not So Classy Comedy.

Not So Classy Comedy is a night of comedy hosted by Katy Karns as part of a laugh therapy, Mental Health series. 7pm. Through 5/23. $5-$10. 3226 Broadway.

LAUGHS UNLIMITED COMEDY CLUB: Say It Loud Comedy. The monthly Say It Loud showcase features comedians and new faces from all over Sacramento, the Bay area and beyond.

The showcase is a networking opportunity for new comics looking to break into Laughs Unlimited. 8pm. Thursday 3/19. Connor McSpadden featuring Nick Larson.

McSpadden has been featured in comedy festivals such as Riot LA, The Windsor Comedy Festival and the Ventura Comedy

RAMIREZ: Croatian rock band Ramirez will be

THE VINTAGE FIND: The Vintage Find will be performing Americana music in a folksy style. 9pm, $5. Fox & Goose, 1001 R St.

nominated country band JonEmery & The Unconventionals will be performing in their hometown. 9pm, $5. Torch Club, 904 15th St.

TUESDAY, 2/25

JD SOUTHER: Grammy-nominated JD Souther brings his songwriting prowess. 7:30pm, $33-$65. Harris Center, 10 College Pkwy, Folsom.

JOSHUA RADIN & FRIENDS: Joshua Radin &

02.20.20

Friends perform with Ben Kweller and William Fitzsimmons in Sacramento. 8pm,

$30-$50. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

TUESDAY, 02/25

Bring your podcast to the next level Oak Park Brewing CO., 6Pm, nO COver

My favorite part of any party I go to is when people come up to me telling me all about their totally unique podcast. A bunch of friends hanging out shooting the FESTIVALS breeze? What fun. You start with a topic then go off on comedic tangents?

Sign me up. There are editing mistakes and poor audio quality? Now hold on a second there, sounds like you could use some advice from seasoned podcasters and podcast PHOTO COURTESY OF ASHLEY HAYES-STONE consultant Johnny Flores. The California Podcast Association is hosting a Sacramento meet-up where podcast novices and experts can share their secrets to success. 3514 Broadway, meetup.com/california-podcast-association.

Wednesday, 02/26

Orson Welles’ directorial debut at Crest Theatre Crest theatre, 7:30pm, $10-$22

Rosebud. Is it just a sled? Is it a symbolic representation of a lost childhood? Who even heard Charles Foster Kane say it?

Film Is the entire premise of this classic film based on a lie? Why did Orson Welles make this film and then end up doing Paul Masson wine commercials? We may never get answers to these questions, but one thing is certain; Crest Theatre is going to show the 1941 cinema classic Citizen Kane for one night only.

1013 K St., crestsacramento.com.

KENNEDY GAllERY: Surrealism, featuring Tomte, Hill & Tiesler. Surrealist works from more than 20 artists are on display. Various times. 2/8-3/1. No cover. 1931 L St.

mACC: 1968 A Folsom Redemption. In 1968 Johnny Cash performed two concerts at the Folsom State Prison that rekindled his career. More than 30 photographs of that time with Cash and his family and other county music legends were made. Various times. 2/5-2/22. No cover. 10191 Mills Station Road, Rancho Cordova.

PHOTO COURTesy OF WIKI COMMOns

Competition. He’ll be performing with Nick Larson for three days. Various times. 2/2123. 1207 Front St.

PUNCH liNE: Pauly Shore. The ’90s comedian will be coming to Sacramento to perform two days of stand-up. Various times. 2/21-22. $25. Liz Grant “It’s Not Them, It’s Us”. If you’ve dated or been in a relationship, this is the comedy show for you. Liz Grant returns to The Punch Line Sacramento with the best material from all of her highly acclaimed shows. 7:30pm. Sunday 2/23. $17. Stone Cold & the Jackal Tour Steve Burton & Bradford Anderson from GH. Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson play the roles of Jason Morgan and Damian Spinelli on ABC’s soap opera General Hospital. Fans love their unique friendship onscreen, but their real-life dynamic is perhaps even more entertaining. 2pm. Sunday 2/23. $49.50. Matt Ritter Presents The Comedians at Law. Because of their passion for comedy and their desperate desire not to practice law, the Comedians at Law joined together to travel the country, deliver their diverse and intelligent brand of humor and entertain audiences at law schools, bar associations, law firms, comedy clubs and anywhere else willing to cut a check that can be used to pay their student loans. 8pm. Wednesday 2/26. $18.50. 2100 Arden Way, Suite 225.

STAB! COmEDY THEATER: Willie Listen. Willie Listen is a monthly blend of comedy, nostalgia, and music, where we hope you leave with that earwig you never knew you wanted. Willie and sidekick Nicole listen and discuss personal music choices with guests. 8pm. Through 2/21. $7. Late Week Leftovers Open Mic. Late Week Leftovers wraps up your weekend nice and tidy with an open mic bow. 8pm. Through 12/27. $5. 1710 Broadway.

ViNCE’S RiSTORANTE: Oliver Graves ‘The Goth Comic’ of America’s Got Talent. As seen on America’s Got Talent, Oliver Graves headlines a night of comedy at Vince’s Ristorante in West Sacramento. 9pm. Saturday 2/22. $15. 840 Harbor Blvd., West Sacramento.

On sTaGe BEAR RiVER COmmUNiTY THEATER: Bear River 14th Annual Bear River’s Got Talent 02.20.

Come see a variety of performances featuring Bear River students. All proceeds will go to benefit nonprofits SYRCL, Child Advocates of Nevada County, KVMR and the Hospitality House. 7pm. Friday 2/21. 11130 Magnolia Road, Grass Valley.

CAPiTAl STAGE: Alabaster. An all-female darkly comic Southern drama about women on the verge, art and the power of human connection. After a tornado barrels through a North Alabama town leaving nothing but death and destruction, only June and her

wisecracking pet goat Weezy live to tell the tale. Various times. Through 2/23. $25$49. 2215 J St.

FAiTH EPiSCOPAl CHURCH: 2020 Ponderosa High School Cabaret! Feb 21 & 22. Join the Ponderosa High School Vocal Music Program in celebration of show-stopping music and to help raise program funds. 6pm. Through 2/21. $35-$325. 2200 Country Club Drive, Cameron Park.

GREEN VAllEY THEATRE COmPANY: Sweeney Todd. Sweeney Todd, whose real name is Benjamin Barker, uses his new alias to resume work in his barber shop above Mrs. Lovett’s struggling pie shop after being wrongfully sentenced to life imprisonment by the corrupt Judge Turpin. Sweeney swears vengeance on the entire human race, murdering as many people as he can, inspiring the integration of a new ingredient into Mrs. Lovett’s meat pies. Various times.

Through 3/7. 3823 V St.

HARRiS CENTER: Robert Dubac’s The Male Intellect An Oxymoron? When the show opens, we meet “Bobby” in a very confused state, having been dumped by the girl of his dreams. Unable to understand why, he channels some not-so-wise but hilarious advice from his five chauvinistic mentors.

With a shrug of his shoulders or a crook of his neck, Dubac seamlessly transforms himself into five alter egos: the honest Colonel, the grand communicator Jean Michel, the passionate Fast Eddie, Old Mr. Linger and the ever-so-sensitive Ronnie Cabrezzi. Various times. Through 4/25. 10 College Pkwy, Folsom.

HOUSE OF OliVER: Little Shop of Horrors. The meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant he names “Audrey II” after his coworker crush.

This foul-mouthed, R&B-singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to the down-and-out Krelborn as long as he keeps feeding it blood. 6:30pm. Through 3/29. $35. 3992 Douglas Blvd. Suite 140, Roseville.

THEATER ONE: Confirmation-A Play. A couple plus friends arrive at a church to get married, but there is no minister or staff available. Discussion leads to quarrel, which leads the couple to wonder if they really know each other. Various times. Through 2/23. $10. 2526 Sierra Blvd.

UC DAViS: Shanghai Ballet. The Shanghai Ballet makes a return to North America and the Mondavi Center with a production of Giselle, a romantic ballet masterwork replete with supernatural spirits and heartbreak. 7pm.

Sunday 2/23. 1 Shields Ave., Davis.

WJ GEERY THEATER: Once More, with Feeling.

WJ Geery’s fourth annual presentation of the live staged version of Once More, with Feeling, the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Various times. 2/21-29. $15. 2130 L St.

aRT AmEN ART GAllERY: 365 Project A Study in iPhoneography. John Liddicoat, an accomplished Sacramento-based DSLR photographer, explores the limitations and the surprisingly freeing capabilities of his aging iPhone 6 in a project that spanned each day of 2019. Various times. Through 2/28. No cover. 3257 Folsom Blvd.

BlUE liNE ARTS: Expressive Self-Portraits for Veterans. Led by regional artist Deidre Trudeau, you will enjoy learning basic art making skills before diving in to create your own expressive portrait. Open to all veterans, this workshop will offer an overview of drawing and painting techniques to design your own portrait on paper and canvas. 11:30am. Saturday 2/22. No cover. 405 Vernon St. Suite 100, Roseville.

GENERAl GOmEZ ARTS AND EVENTS CENTER: Sacred Arts of Tibet Tour- Sand Mandala.

The Tibetan monks from Gaden Shartse Monastery in India will create a sand mandala, offer teachings, public talks and healing empowerment. Various times. 2/24-3/4. No cover. Lincoln Way, Auburn.

JAYJAY: Critical Matters 2.0, New work by Robin Hill. Robin Hill’s work focuses on the intersection between drawing, photography and sculpture. Her underlying conceptual thread is her interest in collection, extraction and representation and in transforming seemingly inconsequential matter into meaningful statements, which ultimately become a mediation on time. Various times.

2/14-3/1. No cover. 5524 B Elvas Ave.

PENCE GAllERY: The Printed Realm. In this group exhibit, local and regional printmakers create an imaginative world built on bold textures, rich surfaces and colorful abstraction. Various times. 2/4-2/23. No cover. Water + Color National Juried Exhibit.

Come see Pence Gallery’s watercolor show that exhibits artwork by more than 30 artists, juried by Sandy Delehanty. This show includes a variety of styles, subjects, colors and compositions. Various times. 2/14-3/31.

No cover. 212 D St., Davis.

Art Installation. This exhibit uses dozens of Apple computers combined with powerful imagery and mesmerizing music to create an immersive space. The installation was made as a celebration of women, with representations from various cultures and throughout all stages of life from infancy to elderly. 7pm.

Every Thursday 2/20 4/30. No cover. 1930 5th St., Suite C, Davis.

THE BRiCKHOUSE GAllERY & ART COmPlEX: Movie Night “Cornbread Earl & Me” w/ Aliyah Sidqe. Artist Aliyah Sidqe hosts a movie night showing Cornbread Earl & Me at her exhibition And The Beat Goes On. 7pm.

Friday 2/21. No cover. 2837 37th St.

Tim COllOm GAllERY: Whitney Lofrano What Goes Around. Whitney Lofrano returns to the Tim Collom Gallery with What Goes Around, 45 powerful new works in oil and watercolor. Lofrano has been painting since childhood, but her work really took off about four years ago with her first solo show at TCG. Various times. 2/4-2/29. No cover. 915 20th St. Homage to Global Textiles. The exhibition features traditional textiles from Africa, Asia and South America that have inspired contemporary design works by UC Davis students, which are also showcased,

VERGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS: January Artists’ Salon. The Artist’s Salon is a group open to all artists and art enthusiasts to discuss various themes, artists, or topics in contemporary art. It takes place every third Thursday of the month at Axis Gallery. 5:30pm. Thursdays through 3/19. 625 S St.

ARTSPACE1616: Robin Hill -There’s only one sky. A site-specific project, which continues Robin Hill’s investigation of materials and situations that resonate as self-made art works. She has extracted 416 phrases from the New York Times over the course of the past three years. Various times. Through 2/29. No cover. 1616 Del Paso Blvd.

MUseUMs CAliFORNiA mUSEUm: Small as a Giant. A

SECOND BiTE: Second Bite Techno Feminist

UC DAViS: Appreciation and Adaptation

highlighting the continuing relevance of traditional cultures. Various times. Through 4/18.

No cover. 1 Shields Ave., Davis.

photography exhibit that tells both the individual and societal stories of teens sentenced to life in prison. The artist has spent the last two years visiting inmates in prison and formerly incarcerated people on location throughout the state. Various times. Through 3/15. $0-$9. Toyo Miyatake Behind the Glass Eye. This temporary exhibition chronicles the life and work of Los Angeles-based photographer Toyo Miyatake who was incarcerated at Manzanar, where he documented iconic images of life for Japanese Americans during World War II behind barbed wire. Various times. Through 4/19. $0-$9. 1020 O St.

CAliFORNiA STATE RAilROAD mUSEUm: “White Out!” Exhibit at Railroad Museum. For a limited time, visitors to the California State Railroad Museum have a special opportunity to see a 251,000-pound rotary snowplow along with a compelling new exhibit titled White Out! A Collision Course with Nature. Various times. Through 4/1. $6-$12. 111 I St.

CROCKER ART mUSEUm: In Conversation with Akinsanya Kambon. Akinsanya Kambon makes a special appearance in celebration of the opening of his exhibition American

CAlENDAR liSTiNGS CONTiNUED ON PAGE 36

Wednesday, 02/26

SAmmiES Alt-Country band JonEmery & The Unconventionals play in their hometown torCh Club, 9pm, $5

Sacramento-based alt-country band JonEmery & The Unconventionals will be bringing their blend of country, blues, folk and cowpunk to the Torch Club. For three years running, JonEmery has been a SAMMIES nominee and 2020 is SAmmiES no different. The three-piece band made up of JonEmery, JD Vargas and Mike Bacon Jr. are showing off their personal brand of American Roots music to their hometown. 904 15th St., torchclub.net.

PHOTO By MaRIa RaTInOVa

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sEE MORE EVENTs AND suBMiT YOuR OWN AT newsreview.coM/sacraMenTo/caLendar

CALENDAR LisTiNGs CONTiNuED FROM PAGE 35 Expressions /African Roots. Hear from the artist in a rare public conversation with Director of Education Stacey ShelnutHendrick. 6:30pm. Thursday 2/20. $12. 216 O St.

goal to provide support for patients and families, caregivers and survivors. Dogs are welcome. 7:30am, $0-$40. William Land Park, 421 Freeport Blvd.

GOLFLAND ROsEViLLE FuRsuiT FRiENDLY OuTiNG: Play miniature golf in your fursuit at this outing. 2pm, no cover. 1893 Taylor Road, Roseville.

BooKs THursday, 2/20 BLACK AuTHORs GROuP-MONTHLY MEET & GREET: Join this group to share your written work, hear from other people who have been in your authorly shoes and get on track to publish your work. 6:30pm, no cover. Capsity Coworking, 2572 21st St.

BOOK CLuB ON THE GO: This group is a nopressure lunchtime book club designed to encourage exercise and reading. There is no required reading for this book club. Noon, no cover. Sacramento Public Library-Central, 828 I St.

sunday, 2/23 ED AsNER BOOK siGNiNG: Emmy Award-winning

LGBTQ THursday, 2/20 MiXER AND OPEN-MiC FEAT. QuEER VOiCEs: The 20-Somethings group will be hosting a mixer for folks interested in learning more about the group. There will also be an openmic portion with members from Queer Voices. 7pm, no cover. The Sacramento LGBT Community Center, 1927 L St.

TaKe acTion friday, 2/21 LEAGuE OF WOMEN VOTERs CANDiDATE FORuM:

actor Ed Asner recounts tales from his life in his memoir Son of a Junkman. 2:30pm, no cover. CalCap Film Office, 9845 Horn Road, Suite 100, Rancho Cordova.

Candidates for state Assembly District 9 talk to voters. They are incumbent Jim Cooper, Eric Rigard, Tracie Stafford and Mushtaq Tahirkheli. 6pm, no cover. Mack Road Partnership Offices, 75 Quinta Court.

sPorTs & ouTdoors

cLasses

friday, 2/21

friday, 2/21

12 HOuR PEDAL FOR THE Y RELAY: Pedal for the

CREATiVE ART CLAss: Join staff to create

Y is part of a larger community-wide effort to raise funds for the YMCA’s Y-Assist Program. The 12-hour bike-a-thon event is hosted by Sacramento YMCA Advisory Council Member Isaac Gonzalez. 6am, no cover. Sacramento Central YMCA, 2021 W St.

a themed art project. All materials are provided and the class is included with admission to the museum. 3:30pm, $5. Sacramento Children’s Museum, 2701 Prospect Park Drive, Suite 120, Rancho Cordova.

saTurday, 2/22 2020 sACRAMENTO uNDY RuNWALK: The National Undy RunWalk is not just an opportunity to run or walk in your underwear. It is a family friendly undy-themed run created by the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, with the

Monday, 2/24

Byron Colborn is keeping the cool alive Dante Club, 7pm, $25

There’s a sentiment that jazz is a dead genre. It had its time from the 1920s through the ’60s, but nowadays people just don’t listen to jazz MusiC anymore. Well, there are at least nine people who would disagree. In fact they are all in Byron Colborn’s nonet, and comprise some of the best jazz musicians Sacramento has to offer: Byron Colborn, Levi Saelua, Brandon Au, Stephen Binger Jr., Benwar Shepard Sterling Cozza, Benjamin Kopf and Jim Frink. They’ll be showing up at Dante Club to perform a compilation of jazz from Miles Davis’ Birth of the Cool. 2330 Fair Oaks Blvd., sacramentojazzcoop.org.

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PHoTo courTesy of reijo KosKinen

Diamond Dez SAMMIES 2020 Nominee Hip-Hop/Rap

for the best music-makers in sacramento

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voting ends 03.11.20

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THURSDAY 2/20

FRIDAY 2/21

SATURDAY 2/22

ArmAdillo music

Raqia, 7pm, no cover

Busy Lighthouse, 8pm, no cover

Frank Barter, 8pm, no cover

BAdlAnds

PopRockz 90s Night, 10pm, no cover

Fierce Friday’s, 7pm, call for cover

Spectacular Saturdays, 6pm, call for cover

207 F ST., DAvIS, (530) 758-8058 2003 k ST., (916) 448-8790

BAr 101

1013 k ST., (916) 476-3356

2020 Sacramento Jewish Film Festival, Various times, $13-$150

Albert Cummings, 7:30pm, $28-$48

2020 Sacramento Jewish Film Festival, Various times, $13-$150

FAces

Karaoke Night, 9pm, call for cover

Absolut Fridays, 3pm, $6

Sequin Saturday, 9:30pm, call for cover Pool Party, no cover

Every Damn Monday, M, no cover; Noche Latina, 10pm, T, no cover

Pressure Lounge, The Depths, Sugarbeast, 9pm, $5

The Vintage Find, 9pm, $5

Whilt Spiskey, Dive Bar Bombers, 9pm, W, $5

2000 k ST., (916) 448-7798

Fox & Goose

500 DAvID J STERN WAlk, (888) 915-4647

GoldField TrAdinG posT

Sleep/Speak, Smack’d Up, The Measure, Kind Eyes, Shorelines, 7pm, $10

Overcoats, Band of Coyotes, 7:30pm, no cover

Guild TheATre

When We Were Colored, 7pm, $20-$30

When We Were Colored, 8pm, $20-$30

hAlFTime BAr & Grill hArlow’s

Fenix Flexin, 7pm, $17

Terror, The Warriors, Creeping Death, Dare, These Streets, 7pm, $19

Horseneck, Kill The Precedent, Ghost Mesa, Dustin Burke, 7pm, $10

Silent Planet, Currents, Invent, Animate, Greyhaven, 6pm, $16

Ramirez, 7pm, M, $15; Local Showcase, 7pm, $5; Olivia O’Brien, 7pm, sold out

JAckrABBiT BrewinG co.

Cornhole Tournament, 6:30pm, call for cover

Karaoke, 7pm, no cover

Beermosas & Brunch, 11am, call for cover

Beermosas & Brunch, 11am, call for cover

Yoga Trivia, 3pm, W, $5-$10

kupros

1217 21ST ST., (916) 440-0401

Singer/Songwriter Live, 7pm, call for cover

Ross Hammond, 5pm, call for cover

Trivia, 7:30pm, call for cover

Open-mic, 5pm, T, call for cover

old ironsides

Open acoustic jam, 8pm, no cover

The Halcones, The Machetes, Warp, 7:30pm, $10

on The Y

Open-mic, 8pm, no cover

DORIS, Fornis, Mechanizm, 8pm, $10

1901 10TH ST., (916) 443-9751 670 FUlTON AvE., (916) 487-3731

operA house sAloon

411 lINcOlN ST., ROSEvIllE, (916) 970-9777

Journey Revisited, 9:30pm, $10-$15

Sacramento’S #1 UndergroUnd metal VenUe

upComing sHows $10 coVer | doorS at 7Pm | 21+

live MuSic

february 21st dorIS | FornIS | mechanIzm february 22th droP dead comedy Show ozzy mcnazz | marS johnSon dylan Stradder | dj gIngamatt february 28th Solar haze | chIck habIt | more tba february 29th the haley Show | mlar trUStee aPeS

2/21 madeline mcarthur 2/22 neon moon 2/28 todd morgan 2/29 banjo bones

3/20 3/21 3/27 3/28

Zach waters duo folk & funk spare parts watermelon & whirl band Zach waters duo part robot todd morgan banjo bones

101 Main Street, roSeville 916-774-0505 · lunch/dinner 7 days a week fri & sat 9:30pm - close 21+

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Cornhole, 6pm, W, $10 Combo Chimbita, Y La Bamba, San Cha, 8pm, W, $15-$18

1323 TERMINAl ST., WEST SAc, (916) 873-8659

3/14

When We Were Colored, 2pm, W, $20-$30

Badfish, Tropidelic, LAW, 8pm, $17-$20

1517 21ST ST.

3/13

When We Were Colored, 2pm, $20-$30

The Jimmy Dore Show, 3pm, sold out; Andy Shauf, Molly Sarle, 9pm, $22-$25

holY diVer

3/7

When We Were Colored, 2pm, 8pm, $20-$30

Mike & The Moonpies, 7:30pm, M, $12; Delta Bombers, 7:30pm, W, $12

The Jimmy Dore Show, 7:30pm, sold out; Wyclef Jean, 11pm, sold out

2708 J ST., (916) 441-4693

3/6

Joshua Radin, 8pm, T, $30-$50; Citizen Kane 7:30pm, W, $10-$22

Zach Deputy, 7:30pm, $15

Journeys Edge, 9pm, $10

5681 lONETREE blvD., ROcklIN, (916) 626-6366

with Band of Coyotes 7:30pm Thursday, no cover Goldfield Trading Post Pop

2020 Sacramento Jewish Film Festival, Various times, $13-$150

Blake Shelton’s Friends and Heroes 2020, 7pm, $65-$125

Grizzlies vs Kings, 7pm, $12-$95

1630 J ST., (916) 476-5076

2828 35TH ST., (916) 905-7024

Overcoats

Open-mic, 8pm, W, call for cover

cresT TheATre

Golden 1 cenTer

PHOTO cOURTESY OF DUSTIN cONDREN

After Hours with Apple, 9pm, M, no cover; Trapicana, 11pm, W, no cover

Scott Joss, Chris Gentry, Jennifer Belle,

1001 R ST., (916) 443-8825

with The Bellamy Brothers 7pm Saturday, $65-$125 Golden 1 Center Country

Industry Sunday’s, 9pm, call for cover

The BoArdwAlk

9426 GREENbAck lANE, ORANGEvAlE, (916) 358-9116 8pm, $15

Blake Shelton

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 2/24-26

Neon Moon, 9:30pm, call for cover

101 MAIN ST., ROSEvIllE, (916) 774-0505

PHOTO cOURTESY OF WIkIcOMMONS

SUNDAY 2/23

HappY Hour 12Pm - 7Pm karaoke tue 9Pm - 2am, thu 10Pm - 2am

Eat. Drink.

Be Merry. Repeat.

ComedY open miC thu 8Pm - 10Pm

1217 21st St • 916.440.0401 www.KuprosCrafthouse.com

670 Fulton avenue, Sacramento, ca open daily 12Pm – 2am | (916) 487-3731

02.20.20

Visit for eVent updates & booking information

The Get Sets, Knock Knock, Holiday, 8pm, $10

Heath Williamson, 5:30pm, M, no cover; Open-mic, 7:45pm, W, no cover Karaoke, 9pm, T, no cover

Midnight Players, 9:30pm, $10-$15

Voted sacramento’s

best dance club 2017/2018 Amazing Food and Specials Nightly Karaoke up Front WedNeSdAy-SAturdAy Country dancing in Back Wed, Fri, SAt Salsa/West Coast Swing thurSdAyS

GranD remoDel cominG soon! don’t miss Mardi gras weekend at Stoney’s w/Free beads, masks & Free late night Cajun jambalaya Stoney’s will have Karaoke up front & country dancing in back both Fri FeB. 21St & SAt FeB. 22Nd Best Mardi gras outfit wins a Stoneys gold Card SAturdAy Night WiN Stage coach tickets SAturdAy FeB 29th Stagecoach dance Contests SAturdAy MArCh 7th Stoneys St Particks day Bash on SAturdAy MArCh 14th

1320 Del paso blvD in olD north sac

2 steps from downtown | 916.402.2407 stoneyinn.com for more info & calendar

submit your CalenDar listings for free at newsreview.Com/saCramento/CalenDar Palms Playhouse

13 Main st., Winters, (530) 795-1825

thursday 2/20

Friday 2/21

saturday 2/22

Michael Doucat Trio, 7:30pm, $24-$28

Led Kaapana, Fran Guidry, 7:30pm, $22-$26

Mardi Gras, Mambofest, 8pm, $20-$24

Jessica Malone, Jonny Mojo, 8pm, call for cover

Jackson Whale, 8pm, call for cover

Placerville Public house

414 Main st., Placerville, (530) 303-3792

The Pour choice

Matthew Foley, 6:30pm, call for cover

Rainer Rose, 6:30pm, call for cover

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C a n n a b i S

started by her father when she went off to college.

Chen suspects a touch of empty nest syndrome may have partially inspired her dad’s new hobby.

“I’m an only child, so I felt a little like I was being replaced,” she jokes.

Part of his motivation for setting up beehives was also in hopes that local honey might benefit his wife, who suffers from asthma, by helping to build her tolerance to regional pollen. His efforts were rewarded with some delicious honey. During the 2016 Thanksgiving holiday, Yi recalls being given her first taste of what Chen’s father had been collecting.

“It was like, ‘This is the first real honey I’ve ever tasted,’” she says.

At the time, the now wildly popular cannabinoid CBD was also just coming into vogue, presenting Potli’s co-founders with further inspiration.

Potli’s hemp- and cannabis-infused “It basically started with us tasting pantry products are carried at STC that honey and thinking, ‘We should Sacramento, Dixon Wellness and really put some weed in this,’” Chen Safe Capitol Compassionate Co-Op. says, laughing. “Initially the concept was that there are people like my mom Photos courtesy of Potli who have asthma, which means they can’t smoke, but we wanted to be able to consume with her.”

The result was Poti’s flagship product: jars of infused honey available either with THC or featuring Meet the women behind San Francisco edible company Potli, solely CBD. The company also spicing up kitchens up and down the West Coast offers olive oil, apple cider vinegar and a chile oil in both variations,

by Zack Ruskin with the latter product inspired by a generations’ old recipe from Yi’s family.

The newest product is an infused When christine yi and Felicity chen first dance group,” recalls Chen, 26. “We “These are all just ingredients, and Sriracha sauce, which Chen and Yi Want to spice up met, they weren’t entirely sure they’d somehow found some weed. First, we that way, you can dose yourself as launched at a Lunar New Year’s your pantry with be friends, let alone business partners. tried to smoke it with an apple, then opposed to eating one full Potli’s hemp-derived party last month. In addition It was 2011 at Boston University, where honey, chile oil or we tried with a Coke can. It tasted cookie or whatever the to believing that hot sauce apple cider vinegar? the two freshmen discovered they’d been terrible.” predetermined dosage goes with pretty much Visit getpotli.com. randomly paired together as roommates.

Now, nearly a decade later, making may be,” Yi says. “I everything, they want “It basically “It was a pretty big coincidence,” pot taste good is the pair’s full-time think empowering to see more diversity started with us tasting says Yi, 26. “We were both Asian profession. customers to dose in dispensary Americans, daughters of immigrants Founded in 2016, Potli is a San themselves is that honey and thinking, offerings. and we were both from the East Bay, Francisco company that bills itself as a something that “You don’t see ‘We should really put some yet we met across the country in purveyor of cannabis-infused pantry items, we’re bringing many cannabis weed in this.’”

Boston.” including honey, chile oil and apple cider to the table with products that Initially, the topic of cannabis vinegar. The products created by Yi and Potli” pull from ethnic Felicity Chen didn’t come up very often between Chen are notable for being locally sourced In addition, heritage,” Yi says. co-owner, Potli them. That’s because Yi, who grew and impressively versatile. the co-founders “I think it’s really up in Pleasanton, and Chen, raised in The two say their vision is to give take pride in the important that we ensure Hayward, confess their experience with consumers the freedom to control premium they place on the industry becomes more pot was all but nonexistent before they their dosage by creating products that local ingredients. Among inclusive and more accurately each left for college. aren’t constrained by portions and other sources, they rely on an olive mirrors the population overall. That’s “The one time that I tried to smoke that are easily incorporated into what orchard in Carmel run by two brothers weed in high school I was with my customers are already eating. and Chen’s own family beehives,

pantry essentials

“pantry essentials” continued on page 42

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Add a little elevated heat to your meals with Potli’s Sriracha-like hot sauce.

Much to her and Yi’s chagrin, the other type of feedback they get the most is from people expressing surprise that Potli’s products actually taste good. what we’re trying to do by offering “I don’t think consumers realize that Sriracha and chile oil. We’re excited to we’ve been trained to think that if an celebrate our culture by creating these edible doesn’t taste bad, that means it’s elevated versions of things that we grew very good,” Yi says. “No one thinks that up eating.” way about anything else, especially in Potli’s products are available for California. We care about food delivery from Harborside here. No one thinks ‘not locations in San Jose and bad’ is a big compliment Oakland as well as at for any other category select dispensaries across except for cannabis San Francisco. Beyond “I love that with Potli we edibles. That’s not the difficulties of can share our culture and good enough for us.” obtaining necessary what we love and put it out When permits, Yi and executives at many Chen also had there in a way that hopefully of the cannabis to find properly helps people.” market’s biggest zoned space. They players are older, set up shop in San Christine Yi white and male, Francisco’s Bayview co-owner, Potli the success of two District, where they young Asian-American currently share space with women creating an edibles two other female cannabis company is no small feat. business owners.

As they look ahead to the For Chen, it’s the stories from future, Yi and Chen both express customers who use Potli’s products to help immense pride in what they’ve with severe medical conditions that always accomplished thus far. move her the most.

“I love that with Potli we can share “Our honey is often used in times of our culture,” Yi says, “and what we need,” she says. “There are people who can’t love and put it out there in a way that swallow whole food or who don’t have an hopefully helps people.” Ω appetite, but need large doses of THC. They can’t eat a whole cookie so instead they sip a cup of tea with our honey in it.” “pantry essentials” continued from page 40

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C

aSk 420

c an n a b i s

Inhale knowledge young grasshopper

By Ngaio Bealum

How do I become a “marijuana expert”?

a s k 4 2 0 @ne w s re v i e w . c o m

one should be sent to jail for cannabis.

Ever. Call your reps and remind them to support legalization. And don’t forget to vote. The California primary is March 3 and the presidential election is nine months away. Get involved.

How does anyone become an expert at anything? Education and practice. I will assume that you have already practiced smoking weed. But what have you learned? My first suggestion would be: Read books. Start with The Emperor Wears No Clothes by Jack Herer. Then maybe some books about how to grow weed. Ed Rosenthal and Jorge Cervantes I am doing my best to avoid gloating are two good growers who or cackling with glee. People happen to be good writers. are losing jobs and I feel Find a grower in your for all of the employees area and politely pester that have been let go, They say it them with questions. but most of these takes 10,000 hours You can even take multimillion-dollar classes. Oaksterdam to truly master weed start-ups had University has no clue about how something. It probably schools in the Bay to thrive in the takes longer when Area and Michigan. cannabis industry.

Leafly.com has a you’re stoned.

Recklessly spending bunch of “cannabis gobs of money in an 101” educational videos attempt to monopolize one online. Learn everything you of the greatest decentralized can about cannabis, then relearn industries of all time is not a recipe a bunch of stuff as new knowledge is for success. Thumbing your nose at the discovered. When I first started, no one very people that made it possible is never knew what a terpene was and CBD a good business move. Looking at you, didn’t exist. I mean, it did, but no one MedMen, with your $2 million “not a really knew about it. Just keep learning. stoner” ad campaign. It was the “stoners” They say it takes 10,000 hours to truly who legalized weed and made it so you master something. It probably takes could burn through all of your investor longer when you’re stoned. Good luck. money and not pay your suppliers. OK, stoners did the first part. The rest is on you. But all is not lost. According to the recently released cannabis jobs report from Leafly, there are about 243,000 jobs Yeah. But it’s not good. President Donald in the cannabis industry, and that number is growing every day. Ω Trump just released his 2021 budget

What’s with all the cannabis companies going out of business?

Any news about federal legalization efforts?

proposal. In addition to cutting billions from Medicare and other social safety net programs, this proposal would remove the provisions that protect state regulated cannabis businesses from federal interference. If this budget is allowed to pass (it probably won’t since House Democrats and millionaires trying to monopolize the cannabis industry will most likely stop it.), the DEA would once again be able to raid and arrest perfectly legal cannabis growers and storefront operators. No

Ngaio Bealum is a Sacramento comedian, activist and marijuana expert. Email him questions at ask420@newsreview.com.

@Ngaio420

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Free will astrology

ask joey

For the week oF February 20, 2020.

Great expectations

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Do you feel ready to

by JOey GARCIA

@AskJoeyGarcia

My sister has outrageous expectations of of their discipline and a dilettante. A success, and when things don’t happen, dilettante craves attention. An artist does she gets depressed and won’t leave her the work as a channel through which apartment. She’s an artist. honestly, I the divine moves, seeking expression. think her work is basic and overpriced.

I’m not saying that all art is beautiful or My mother pays my sister’s rent and perfect, but rather that a true artist does bought her a car even though my sister is the work humbly, recognizing the honor nearly 40 years old. She has a master’s of awakening the world, and submits to degree but refuses to work, except at the ego-deflating experience of learning her art. recently, she asked me what I from a master (or dozens of masters) to thought of her art. I told her the truth, improve their craft. Does that sound like and now she won’t talk to me. advice? your sister?

Your sister may have fallen under the Before reaching out to her, ask influence of an influencer who makes yourself whether you intended to hurt her selling art (or whatever) appear easy. when you shared your opinion.

Or you could be the sibling of Your words may have felt a woman whose personality honest, but you’re also A lot of edges toward narcissism. angry that your mom While any one of us creative people coddles her. It would might dream big and be better to say: “I’m struggle to hit the imagine leaping pissed that mom right vibe with their toward a higher pays your rent and income or status, we work. The problem occurs, bought you a car. don’t expect magic.

That might affect in part, because many Common sense says my opinion about are ahead of the it takes determination, your art, which is commitment, talent, curve. this: I think you need marketing mojo and more training in art and personal connections for a in marketing art.” By being career to soar. transparent with your sister you It’s one thing to head to bed will at least know that you have been because we realize we’ve been overdoing honest about what holds each of you and need rest. But your sister’s habit of back. Ω pouting reveals a deeper problem. She might not be mature enough to understand that low sales are not a rejection of her.

MedItatIon oF the week It’s the outcome of marketing or not marketing herself and her work. She just “It’s not your job to like me, hasn’t found her vibe or tribe. it’s mine,” says author Byron A lot of creative people struggle to Katie. Who do you love? hit the right vibe with their work. The problem occurs, in part, because many are ahead of the curve. They step into a mode Join the conversation about this and other Ask Joey of expression, long before the mainstream columns on the Ask Joey Facebook page. Or connect with culture does. Creative people are often Joey on Instagram and Twitter @AskJoeyGarcia. speaking truth to power when everyone else is in denial.

It’s challenging to find a tribe when the world hasn’t yet caught up to one’s Write, email or leave a message for art. Creative people suffer from greater Joey at the News & Review. Give feelings of alienation than others—and your name, telephone number that makes sense. They are outsiders. If (for verification purposes only) and question—all they fit in, it would be less likely that correspondence will be kept strictly confidential. they could see, speak or understand Write Joey, 1124 Del Paso Boulevard, Sacramento, CA what others cannot. That said, there is a 95815; call (916) 498-1234, ext. 1360; or email askjoey@newsreview.com. chasm between the artist who is a disciple 46

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by ROb bRezsny

change your mind about an idea or belief or theory that has been losing its usefulness?

Would you consider changing your relationship with a once-powerful influence that is becoming less crucial to your life-long goals? Is it possible you have outgrown one of your heroes or teachers? Do you wonder if maybe it’s time for you to put less faith in a certain sacred cow or overvalued idol? According to my analysis of your astrological omens, you’ll benefit from meditating on these questions during the coming weeks.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When she was alive more than 2,500 years ago, the Greek poet Sappho was so famous for her lyrical creations that people referred to her as “The Poetess” and the “Tenth Muse.” (In Greek mythology, there were nine muses, all goddesses.) She was a prolific writer who produced more than 10,000 lines of verse, and even today she remains one of the world’s most celebrated poets. I propose that we make her your inspirational role model for the coming months. In my view, you’re poised to generate a wealth of enduring beauty in your own chosen sphere.

Proposed experiment: Regard your daily life as an art project.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Have you ever dropped out of the daily grind for a few hours or even a few days so as to compose a master plan for your life? The coming weeks will be an excellent time to give yourself that necessary luxury. According to my analysis, you’re entering a phase when you’ll generate good fortune for yourself if you think deep thoughts about how to create your future. What would you like the story of your life to be on March 1, 2025? How about March 1, 2030? And March 1, 2035? I encourage you to consult your soul’s code and formulate an inspired, invigorating blueprint for the coming years. Write it down!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian novelist William Makepeace Thackeray (1819–1875) is famous for Vanity Fair, a satirical panorama of 19th century British society. The phrase “Vanity Fair” had been previously used, though with different meanings, in the Bible’s book of Ecclesiastes, as well as in works by John Bunyan and St. Augustine. Thackeray was lying in bed near sleep one night when the idea flew into his head to use it for his own story. He was so thrilled, he leaped up and ran around his room chanting, “Vanity Fair! Vanity Fair!” I’m foreseeing at least one epiphany like this for you in the coming weeks. What area of your life needs a burst of delicious inspiration?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Who loves you best? Which of your allies and loved ones come closest to seeing you and appreciating you for who you really are? Of all the people in your life, which have done most to help you become the soulful star you want to be? Are there gem-like characters on the peripheries of your world that you would like to draw nearer? Are there energy drains that you’ve allowed to play too prominent a role? I hope you’ll meditate on questions like these in the coming weeks. You’re in a phase when you can access a wealth of useful insights and revelations about how to skillfully manage your relationships. It’s also a good time to reward and nurture those allies who have given you so much.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Doom and gloom dominate the forecasts made by many prophets. They experience perverse glee in predicting, for example, that all the rain forests and rivers will be owned by greedy corporations by 2050, or that extraterrestrial invaders who resemble crocodiles will take control of the U.S. government “for the good of the American people,” or that climate change will eventually render chocolate and bananas obsolete. That’s not how I operate. I deplore the idea that it’s only the nasty prognostications that are interesting. In that spirit, I make the following forecasts: The number of homeless Virgos will

decrease dramatically in the near future, as will the number of dreamhome-less Virgos. In fact, I expect you will experience extra amounts of domestic bliss in the coming months. You may feel more at home in the world than ever before.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I don’t require everyone I learn from to be an impeccable saint. If I vowed to draw inspiration only from those people who flawlessly embody every one of my ethical principles, there’d be no one to be inspired by. Even one of my greatest heroes, Martin Luther King Jr., cheated on his wife and plagiarized parts of his doctoral dissertation. Where do you stand on this issue? I bet you will soon be tested. How much imperfection is acceptable to you?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio comedian John Cleese co-founded the troupe Monty Python more than 50 years ago, and he has been generating imaginative humor ever since. I suggest we call on his counsel as you enter the most creative phase of your astrological cycle. “This is the extraordinary thing about creativity,” he says. “If you just keep your mind resting against the subject in a friendly but persistent way, sooner or later you will get a reward from your unconscious.”

Here’s another one of Cleese’s insights that will serve you well: “The most creative people have learned to tolerate the slight discomfort of indecision for much longer, and so, just because they put in more pondering time, their solutions are more creative.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632–1677) developed a vigorous and expansive vision.

That’s why he became a leading intellectual influence in the era known as the Enlightenment.

But because of his inventive, sometimes controversial ideas, he was shunned by his fellow Jews and had his books listed on the Catholic Church’s Index of Forbidden Books.

Understandably, he sometimes felt isolated. To compensate, he spent lots of time alone taking wide-ranging journeys in his imagination. Even if you have all the friends and social stimulation you need, I hope you will follow his lead in the coming weeks—by taking wide-ranging journeys in your imagination. It’s time to roam and ramble in inner realms.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “Absolute reason expired at eleven o’clock last night,” one character tells another in Henrik Ibsen’s play Peer Gynt. I’m happy to report that a different development is on the verge of occurring for you. In recent days, there may have been less than an ideal amount of reason and logic circulating in your world. But that situation will soon change. The imminent outbreak of good sense, rigorous sanity and practical wisdom will be quite tonic. Take advantage of this upcoming grace period. Initiate bold actions that are wellgrounded in objective rather than subjective truth.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Renowned Aquarian composer Franz Schubert (1797–1828) created more than 700 compositions, some of which are still played by modern musicians. Many of his works were written on and for the piano—and yet he was so poor that he never owned a piano. If there has been a similar situation in your life—a lack of some crucial tool or support due to financial issues—I see the coming weeks as being an excellent time to set in motion the plans that will enable you to overcome and cure that problem.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In 1908, British playwright W. Somerset Maugham reached the height of success. Four of his plays were being performed concurrently in four different London theaters. If you were ever in your life going to achieve anything near this level of overflowing popularity or attention, I suspect it would be this year. And if that’s a development you would enjoy and thrive on, I think the coming weeks will be an excellent time to set your intention and take audacious measures.

Join the Sexual health, wellness, and satisfaction shouldn’t be taboo. Here’s why you should explore new ways to enjoy masturbation and sex.

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The more you know, the better.

By masturbating or experimenting in the bedroom with your partner more often, you will learn through trial and error what feels pleasurable, what does not, and how to get there faster.

Knowing your body confidently leads to higher self image, body-positivity, and overall better mental health. Body shame is an intensely painful emotion; it often causes us to neglect our personal health. Using a sex toy can help you get to know your body on a very intimate level, which allows us to properly care for our bodies.

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Sex-Positive

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There are known benefits to your physical well being that are tied to sexual health as well. More orgasms lead to less risk of prostate cancer for men, increased fertility in women, plus better sleep, stronger immune systems, and much more. Masturbating and orgasming also increases dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin in the brain all while decreasing cortisol levels. Put those together and you have a great way of creating a relaxing evening.

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Most significant others wouldn’t know what shoes you want paired with your jacket, so why do we expect our partners to know what we enjoy? Open communication about sexual desires and fantasies can greatly deepen our romantic relationships. By being open and honest about sexual wants and desires, you will strengthen your bonds and have better sex as a result. The better we open up and communicate what is best for us, the better our relationship with our significant other will be, both physically and emotionally.

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