Arden-Carmichael News by Valley Community Newspapers

September 7, 2018 | www.valcomnews.com January 11, 2019 | www.valcomnews.com

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BEST OF

YEAR IN REVIEW

Best of 2018 Arden-Carmichael News (Editor’s Note: Thanks to the talented team of writers at Valley Community Newspapers, I am proud to present the Best of 2018 for the Arden-Carmichael News. -Monica Stark)

Senior danced in her last Nutcracker for local Sac Civic Ballet

Born here in Sacramento and dancing at Deane Dance Center since she was 3 years old, Ginny has quite the ballet resume. For the past five years, Ginny has been part of the Sac Civic Ballet Company founded by legendary Barbara Crockett and directed by Allyson Deane and Don Schwennesen. The preprofessional company, an honors company of the Regional Dance America, performs By Judy Kent its own one-act, narrated verOn Dec. 15 and 16 at The sion of the “Nutcracker,” along Center at Twenty-Three with its original ballet, “ChristHundred, local dancer Gin- mas Angels” every December. ny Rattan danced in her fi- It also produces a spring ballet nal Christmas performances production each year, with past for East Sacramento bal- shows including such shows as let company, Sac Civic Bal- “Giselle” and “Swan Lake,” and let and the Deane Dance this spring’s new production, Center. based on “The Girl of the Gold-

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en West.” Ginny has had many memorable performances in all of these shows, and many more ballets too numerable to list. She loves the Nutcracker and this year will be performing the role of the “Rose.” In past years she has especially loved dancing the part of “Marie,” known as Clara in some productions. Participation in the local ballet’s productions is a family affair. Ginny’s father, Pat Rattan, has performed several of the adult roles over the years, including Marie’s father in the Nutcracker’s party scene. This year he added the role of Herr Siberhaus, as well. Ginny’s mother, Debbie, has been a vital component to every production. She has been head chaperone, has been in charge of the company’s annual trips to the Regional Dance Festivals, and has played a lead role in coordinating and sewing costumes. Little sister, Meg, also danced at Deane Dance Center for many years. Ginny’s dance training has taken her beyond the local experience. For the past four summers, Ginny has attended several prestigious ballet summer intensive programs, including Houston Ballet, Boston Ballet, and the University of Utah. In addition, Ginny has competed at the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition semi-finals five times. Ginny has also been able to share her love of dance with the younger generation by teaching Kinderballet classes at the Deane Dance Center. In addition to showcases and demonstrations around the community, Ginny has had the privilege of performing several times at the widely popular annual Christmas concert at Fremont Presbyterian Church. Ginny is a well-rounded young lady. In addition to the time she puts into dance and

ry schools. All three schools are in the Arden-Arcade area of the district, which has seen enrollment growth in recent years and has a growing refugee population. All three sites have current facilities that rated poorly in the districts’ Facilities Master Plan and each needed extensive work to be brought up to “next-generation” classroom standards. San Juan Unified’s goal is to provide equitable facilities for all students, and these schools serve socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. “Dyer-Kelly and Del Paso Manor elementary schools will be fully brand new campuses built on the same property as the current school sites,” said Keith Reid, communication specialist of San Juan Unified School District. “The current campuses will be demolished to replace fields. Dyer-Kelly will be San Juan Unified’s first two-story elementary school, designed with a world-theme to reflect the school’s diversity. Del Paso Manor will include two classroom wings, administration, a multipurpose room and a new off-street driving lane to help relieve congestion on the neighborhoods narrow streets during pickup and drop-off times.” At Greer, the project is a blend of new construction and renovation. The school will have a brand new kindergarten building, administration and multi-purpose room. The project also includes full renovation of two existing classroom wings. The front entrance will also be By Alexis Schreiber moved from Hurley Way to Bell Street. San Juan Unified is inAll major construction in vesting in new campus proj- San Juan Unified is funded by ects at Greer, Dyer-Kelly and the district’s bond program. Del Paso Manor elementasee Projects page 3

school, she is very active in her youth group at Fremont Presbyterian. She serves on the leadership team and volunteers her time in children’s ministry. She spent her spring break last year on a mission trip to Mexico serving a local community through construction projects, medical care, and a children’s program. Home-schooled in her younger years, Ginny is currently a senior at Rio Americano High School. An excellent student, she will graduate this coming June. She is planning on attending college to pursue a career in exercise physiology/athletic training, where she hopes to put her dance experience to good use helping other athletes set and achieve goals and stay in top performance condition. No doubt, Ginny Rattan, will share her love of ballet wherever she ends up.

San Juan Unified invests in new campus projects for three elementary schools in the ArdenArcade area

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Projects:

continued from page 2

These specific three projects are funded through Measure N, a $350 million measure approved by voters in 2012, and Measure P, a $750 million measure approved by voters in 2016. As construction continues while school in session, workers try to be as accommodat-

ing as possible to all the teachers and students. “San Juan Unified is committed to minimizing the effect of construction on all projects as much as possible,” Reid said. “Unfortunately, construction always has some measure of effect on the school community. There’s as-

Angela Heinzer

sociated noise and dust. In some cases, teachers are asked to move their classrooms into temporary portables while renovation occurs. The district is fortunate to have an understanding community to tolerate the short-term pain for the long-term gain of improved facilities that all stakeholders can be proud of.” According to Reid, DyerKelly is scheduled to open in Fall 2019 and Del Paso Manor is scheduled to open in Spring 2020. Greer will open in phases over the next 18 months. The first phase is the kindergarten classrooms and administration building and it is expected to be complete this winter. Updates on all projects can found at www.sanjuan.edu/ constructionnews.

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There’s a new dance venue in town for country dancers; Camp Pollock considered to be a perfect spot for the Sacramento Country Dance Society |

By Monica Stark

Common lore among English country dancers is that their favorite pastime began in the 1600s when English society got bored with complicated and difficult-to-learn formal dances, the kind of display dances for couples to show off. So, they started dancing country dances for light relief, explains Chris Ratekin, English dance committee chair for the Sacramento Country Dance Society, a local group that added Camp Pollock as a monthly dance venue. “Country dances were simple dances done by country folk and had to be easy because country folk didn’t go to dance lessons, and couldn’t read dance books or anything else for that matter,” Ratekin said. see Dance page 4

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Dance:

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These country dances proved very popular, Ratekin explains, and soon, professional dancing masters got into the act, and started inventing and publishing more complicated “country dances”. “These were no longer dances of the country folk, but were danced only by the educated classes of English society. If you have seen any of the Jane Austen movies, such as ‘Pride and Prejudice’ or ‘Sense and Sensibility’, you have seen English country dancing.” American Contra dancing, and traditional American square dancing, evolved from these “country dances”, Ratekin explains. “Today, many new dances and tunes are being written in the same style.” At events hosted by The Sacramento Country Dance Society, dancers enjoy a mix of old and newly written dances. Unlike many dance commu-

nities, this group has its own house band whose musicians play many musical styles in a variety of groups; for English Country dancing they come together as “Quite Carried Away” and include Dick Holdstock on octave mandolin and banjo, Susan Jones on concertina, Arlene Jamar on piano, Jane Kostka on whistle, Martin Lodahl on viola da gamba, and David Wright on fiddle and mandolin. “Music is very important. We always feature live music,” Ratekin said. Meanwhile, a rotating list of callers, “some of the very best callers in the United States”, not only to teach each dance, but provide prompts throughout the dance— much like a square dance— so that dancers don’t need to memorize anything. They’ve selected callers with particular skills in working with new dancers for the group’s new Camp Pollock events, which are held on the third Sunday of each month from 2 to 5 p.m., preceded by an

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introductory lesson at 1:30 p.m. “A hidden gem, right in the center of things,” Camp Pollock with its dance floor, good acoustics and not to mention country feel, was chosen as an additional monthly location for those reasons and because the core group of dancers simply wanted to dance more often. “I just find the music and dancing joyful, so much so, that it always makes me smile. Some people come to our dances for the social aspect; dancing is a very social activity, and our group is there to have fun. We laugh a lot,” Ratekin responded when asked about her favorite part of English country dancing. The Sacramento Country Dance Society has been sponsoring American Contra dances for more than 30 years. About 16 years ago, a number of dancers and musicians who had enjoyed English Country Dancers in other communities came together to form a monthly dance in Roseville, under SCDS sponsorship. The dancers love the dancing, and the musicians love another excuse to play beautiful music. Now we’re thrilled to be expanding our offering by adding a second monthly dance in central Sacramento. The group is very informal—no memberships, and the only requirement is interest in the dance. And the snacks at the break are an added draw,” Ratekin said. New Sacramento English Country Dance details: The Sacramento Country Dance Society is adding a second monthly English Country Dance on the third Sunday afternoon of each month at Camp Pollock, 1501 Northgate Blvd. Lovely hall and floor, easy parking, and on the American River Bike Trail. This is in addition to the longrunning dance in Roseville that continues on the first

Sunday afternoon of each month at the Polish-American Hall. Beginners welcome, no partners necessary, always live music. Times for both dances: 2-5 p.m., preceded by an introductory lesson at 1:30 p.m. Details about both dances, including callers, music, locations, and date changes, can be found at sactocds.org/englishcountry-dance/ Cost: $10 for adults; $8 for college students with ID; $5 for dancers under 18; $25 maximum for families (cash or check). All proceeds go to hall rental, the caller, and band members. What to wear: Comfortable, casual clothes are fine. Many women prefer full skirts. Clean, non-marking shoes with no or low heels are best for the dance floor and for your feet!

Mel Ramos, Local Painter of Pop Art, Has Passed Away By Jan Dalske

Melvin John Ramos was an American figurative painter who specialized most often in painting female nudes. His work incorporated elements of both realist and abstract art. Ramos was born on July 14, 1935 in Sacramento, California. He remained in California for the length of his career. He passed away on October 14, 2018 at the age of 83 due to heart failure. Ramos lived in California for most of his career. In 1966, he joined the faculty of what was then the California State College at Hayward, where he was a faculty member until 1997.

He retired as a professor emeritus. Mel Ramos is survived by his wife, Leta. They met in high school and were together for a life time. She was an artist’s model and artist from Oakland, Calif. She began posing for her husband in 1959, becoming his primary model for many of his earlier works, including the well-known Pop images of female superheroes and women with animals, such as “Gorilla”. His paintings of pinup models are important in the history of Pop Art. His models appeared to be partially or fully naked and were set against monochromatic backgrounds. The figures he painted appeared to rise out of candy wrappers. They might be suggestively holding Chiquita bananas. Some might be leaning against Coca-Cola bottles, or peering out from behind oversized cigars. And some of the figures would be painted with larger than life size Tootsie Rolls. The imagery presented a product, but it portrayed easy to see sexual overtones. His paintings met with acclaim in the 1960’s. Critic Elisabeth Stevens wrote about him in the ARTnews in 1964, when he had a show at the Bianchini Gallery in New York. She said that “Mel Ramos brings a carnival spirit from Calisee Painter page 5 Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

Painter:

years, served as president ered on the morning of of the Center for Contem- Oct. 2 to break ground on continued from page 5 porary Art for three years, a brand new campus. and has been the Art CuraBuilt in 1951, the curfornia. The designs are dra- tor for KVIE Public Televi- rent Del Paso Manor cammatic, the color jazzy, and sion since 2009. pus has served students exciting. As a painter, Rafor more than six decades, mos is no playboy, and like but no longer meets San Wayne Thiebaud, with Juan Unified’s 21st-Centuwhom he studied, his realry standards. Flexible furniism is tough, gutsy, and nevture, multiple writing walls er academic.” for teachers and increased Playboy magazine pubcapacity for technology are lished a book of Ramos’s pinall part of the district’s upup paintings. When feminism dated standards. was on the rise in the Amer“We’re looking forward ican art world, toward the to new features and tools end of the 1960’s and into the for learning, with flexi1970’s, critical interest in Rable classrooms and a 21stmos’s work seemed to wane. Century environment,” In an interview that he gave Principal Damon Smith in 2010, Ramos denied the said. sexist content of his work. He The new campus, nestold publisher Hatje Cantz, tled in a tight Arden-Ar“Yes, I have painted male porcade neighborhood with traits, but the main point is narrow streets, will also true, I’m interested in the fefeature larger parking lots male figure.” By San Juan Unified School with more spaces. A dediRamos did not paint pro- District cated driving lane for picklifically like most other Pop up and drop off times will artists. He produced “not Del Paso Manor Ele- also alleviate congestion more than 1,000 works”, ac- mentary School students, on streets. cording to Louis K. Mei- teachers and families gathsee Del Paso page 6 sel, the founder of the New York gallery. Ramos’s work has recently been the subDo you have a passion to work with the Arden Community & ject of a critical revival in foster an environment that encourages youth to make positive Europe. In 2012 the Crockchoices around health, substance use, and violence? er Art Museum in Sacramento staged “Mel Ramos: 50 Years of Superheroes, Nudes, and Other Pop Delights.” Next Coalition Meeting: Wednesday, January 16th at 4:00 PM Mel Ramos showed his art at the Archival GalFor more information contact Jessica Fielding at jfielding@sacscip.org lery in East Sacramento. The gallery was founded in Swanston Community Center, 2350 Northrop Ave, Sac, Ca 95825 1983 as Archival Framing. The shop began as part of the Michael Himovitz Gallery, offering quality framing services to art buyers. SHATTER THE MYTHS Archival Gallery is family owned and operated by Tom and D. Neath, and their niece and frame designer Nicole Oldham. CuJoin our Youth Coalition IN NEED OF A FREE NIGHT OUT? rator D. Oldham Neath is a The youth leadership program is designed to acknowledge the need for COME JOIN US ON JANUARY 24TH FROM 6 – 7:30 PM co-founder of Second Satmore positive activities for teens during out-of school time. This opportunity FOR A “FAMILY DINNGER & GAME NIGHT’ WHILE DIVING INTO THE urday, and has been part of provides teens with a way to get involved with community service projects FACTS ABOUT DRUGS & ALCOHOL the Sacramento arts comand work with community groups that address issues important to teens. munity for over 35 years. This is a great way to gain real world experience or try something new. SWANSTON PARK CONTACT GAO TO RSPV 2350 NORTHROP AVE., SAC., CA 95825 GXIONG@SACSCIP.ORG - (916) 570 2897 She managed the Solomon For more info contact Gao at gxiong@sacscip.org Dubnick Gallery for seven This is not a program of San Juan Unified School District and San Juan accepts no liability or responsibility for this program.

Del Paso Manor Elementary School community broke ground on new campus

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Del Paso: continued from page 5

The groundbreaking ceremony featured student speakers, some of them refugee students who shared their stories of being new to America and finding a home at Del Paso Manor. “The diversity and love we have each other make us strong Mustangs,” said fifth grader Naya Winn. “The new school will make us even stronger.” Parent Stephen McCarthy, accompanied by his son Tate at the podium, shared how he attended Del Paso Manor in the 1980s. He said he is still close friends with classmates from Del Paso Manor and they all feel the school’s Rapid Learner program played a great role in their current success. “Now we need, and our students deserve, a campus that can accommodate the needs of the future,” McCarthy said. Board of Education President Pam Costa also thanked the San Juan Unified community for supporting the district’s bond measures, which make funding for school improvements possible. Check for updates on Del Paso Manor’s project and all district construction projects at www.sanjuan.edu/ constructionnews.

14-year-old boy involved in fatal hitand-run accident By Alexis Schreiber

A 14-year-old was in a hitand-run collision while on his bike Wednesday, Sept. 19 at approximately 5:20 a.m. in the Arden Arcade area. De’Sean Rowe-Manns was a freshman at Mira Loma High School, California Highway Patrol news releases confirmed. “When we heard about De’Sean, it was a shock and overall puzzlement of thinking, why didn’t I see this on the news too much? Why isn’t there this public outrage?” said Danielle Lawrence, program director for the Arden-Arcade community and the Black Child Legacy Campaign. The Black Child Legacy Campaign is a community-driven movement making stronger efforts of the Steering Committee on Reduction of African American Child Deaths to reduce the number of black child mortalities. As stated by the Sacramento County Child Death Review Team, they found that African-American children died at a rate two times

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higher than children of other races. Members of the Arden-Arcade community held a candlelight vigil to honor the life of De’Sean Rowe-Manns on Friday, Sept. 28. “This was a perfect time to just honor De’Sean and then also bring awareness to his death and hopefully create a cry for help or cry for just someone to come out,” Lawrence said. “Just as his mom says, someone knows something and to ask that you turn yourself in. This was a safe place for his friends to come and connect and to honor his memory, to share memories about him, and then to light candles and to just kinda pray together. It was very organic and light. Lots of youth showed up, which was very great. His mom made a comment around. I knew he was loved but just seeing all this love and support for De’Sean is amazing. It’s just those times in tragedy where you connect with people.” Heather Gonzalez, who is also with the Black Child Legacy Campaign, said it was a “beautiful” and “emotional” gathering. The 14-year-old was hit on Watt Avenue near Whitney Avenue. Witnesses have said the “vehicle was possibly a dark colored minivan or SUV type vehicle” but were unable to provide a license plate for the vehicle said CHP North

Sacramento spokesman Mike Zerfas. According to the CHP North Sacramento press release, “The vehicle was last seen turning into a neighborhood on the west side of Watt Ave near Harmony Lane towards E. Country Club Lane. Officers searched the area and located the [boy] laying in the front yard of a residence unconscious and unresponsive. Officers administered CPR until EMS/Fire personnel arrived on scene and transported the [boy] to a hospital where he later died from his injuries.”

First Christian Church Planned a “Blues for a Cause Concert” to Benefit Puerto Rico By Jan Dalske

First Christian Church, which is located at 3901

Folsom Blvd in Sacramento, sponsored a Blues Concert with local group, Red’s Blues, who performed on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. All proceeds will benefited Puerto Rico Hurricane Maria relief efforts. Hurricane Maria was described as a “50 mile –wide tornado that made a direct hit on the Island”. “It was as if a 50 to 60 milewide tornado raged across Puerto Rico like a buzz saw,” Jeff Weber, a meteorologist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research, say. “It’s almost as strong as a hurricane can get in a direct hit.” The record books indicate that it was the fifth strongest storm ever to hit the United States. This storm was the strongest storm to hit the island in eighty years. “ The devastation is vast.” Governor Rossello said in a statement. “Our infrastructure and energy distribution systems suffered great damages.” Exact figures on the extent of the damage and the costs of repairs on the island are not yet known. This is due to the fact that communications on the island were non-existent. Many of the roads are damaged, which makes travel difficult. Moody’s Analytics, a financial services firm, estimated that the storm could cost Puerto Rico $45 to $90 Billion. The hurricane knocked out 80 percent of the island’s power transmission lines, according to the Associated Press. Close to one million electricity customers had been without power. Some residents have generators, but many more still need them. Even without hurricanes, power outages are frequent on the island. When there is no electricity, there is no power to pump water into see Blues page 7 Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

Blues:

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the homes. Water is needed for bathing and to flush toilets. And, many people have been drinking from contaminated streams. Members of the First Christian Church will be going as guests of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Puerto Rico. They will be working with local families to help with repairs, construction, and rebuilding of homes and community buildings that were damaged in last year’s hurricane. The majority of the fifteen church members that are planning to go on the trip have prior experience. They traveled to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit that area of our country in 2005. The First Christian Church is in need of financial donations as well as prayers for their efforts to be successful. They are encouraging you to join their parishioners and their families for a great night of “feel Good Blues” on Saturday, October 6th. Performing will be the well-known band, Red’s Blues. You can check out the group on their Facebook

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page, www.facebook.com/ redsbluessac, for lots of info, music, photos and more. Red’s Blues are a blues revue, keeping the blues alive with lots of traditional, Chicago shuffles, New Orleans-delta, West Coast blues, acoustic and electric, as well as original Americana/roots music. They perform as a trio, four or five-piece band. Beth, and her husband, Richard (RW) Grigsby, an award winning bass player started Red’s Blues in 2012. Red’s Blues’ focus is on original and traditional blues. The group was aptly named because Beth is a redhead and she is the lead singer. The couple wanted a project to work on together. RW is also bass player for touring group Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue, and Mark Hummel and the Blues Harmonica Blowouts. RW was inducted into the Sacramento Blues Hall of Fame on September 30th at Harlow’s. Check out the Sacramento Blues Society website: http://www. sacblues.com/portfolio/ reds-blues/ Pastor Ted Firch wants all of you to know this: “When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, I was greatly saddened, as I

have many friends from the island. We, the mainland citizens of the United States, have fallen way short of our responsibility to help them to rebuild. This mission trip will be a people to people mission to help restore hope to the people there. It will be our way to say ‘we are with you, you are not forgotten’. For we human beings, despair can be the worst disaster, and hope can be the most powerful remedy.”

Shooting Lasers and Solving Crime: Jesuit students look to grow competitive cybersecurity club

tions, but more importantly, how to use research skills and forensic tools to thwart them. In between games of laser tag, the teens hoped to recruit current and incoming Jesuit students to their (mock) cybercrime-fighting team. During the 2017-2018 school year, 18 Jesuit students participated in yearround Air Force Association CyberPatriot competitions that simulate real-life cy-

see Lasers page 8

By Laura I. Winn

On any given Saturday night at arcades across the country, you will find groups of gawky teens racking up points on the latest games, eating junk food and laughing with friends. On July 14, 2018 at Laser Tag of Carmichael, the young men from Jesuit High School were there to do all the above, while also sprinkling in discussion of a topic especially relevant to current events: cybersecurity. As members of Jesuit’s award-winning Cybersecurity Team, formally the CyberPatriot Club, the teens not only understand the gravity of cyber attacks threatening everything from emails to elec-

ber attacks. After finishing in the top 10 percent nationwide at the CyberPatriot Semifinal Round in February, the teens received an invitation to the California Mayors Cyber Cup, placing first in the Sacramento Region and advancing to the prestigious California Cyber Innovation Challenge. At the June 23 to 25 competition held at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, the teens

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Lasers:

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worked together to stop a mock ransomware attack that threatened lives on a military hospital. Much to their surprise, they took second-place, finishing ahead of schools with more established cybersecurity programs. In comparison to some of the top Southern California schools, Jesuit’s program is small and young, only in its fourth year. To entice students already carrying a rigorous academic load to join the club, which meets during lunch and after school, math teacher and team coach, Mr. Justin Tsai, promises snacks and a good time. “As an educator, I say Algebra 2 is important. But I say, Cybersecurity Team is really fun,” he said. Tsai said he stresses the team aspect of the cybersecurity challenges, which bring together students with different computer specialties. The Jesuit team has specialists in Windows, Linux and Cisco operating systems. The computer whizzes come to him with no background in cybersecurity, but through a drive to solve puzzles and win competitions, they push themselves to acquire the skills needed to stop cyber attacks. This often means turning to Google and YouTube–research tools that are second-nature to a generation that has never known life before the Internet. “ These kids, their eyes light up when you say computers and competition,” explained Tsai. Class of 2018 valedictorian, Peter Sutarjo, 18, said he first joined the cyber club for the extra credit in algebra, plus the free food and travel perks. But it was the challenges that really piqued his interest. “I like finding creative solutions for problems. 8

I like the self-studying and self-learning of it,” he said. Now headed to UCLA where he will continue his studies in computer science, Sutarjo said cybersecurity is an important for a host of reasons. “It’s politically relevant. Look at the (2016) election. It affects nations. We have to enforce security as a culture. As humans become more hands-off and artificial intelligence increases, you have to have protections. Threats are exponentially growing.” Sutarjo served as a cyber club team leader, along with fellow 2018 graduates, William Heisinger and Michael Honaker. Like Sutarjo, Honaker, 18, said the cyber club gave him an introduction to a growing field he would like to pursue professionally. Honaker, who specializes in Linux, will study computer science and engineering at the renowned Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York. In addition to meeting other students who share a passion for cybersecurity, Honaker said his favorite part of the competitions was learning more at each one. At the California Cyber Innovation Challenge, Honaker was able to dive deeper into the forensic aspect of cybsersecurity. “It was a blast!” he said. That kind of enthusiastic response is exactly what the hosts of the competitions hope for. According to Cal Poly Communications Specialist, Cynthia Lambert, the goal of the Innovation Challenge is to introduce students to cybersecurity as a career in an field with a global shortage of qualified professionals. More than 70 percent of cyber attacks target small businesses, and recovery costs can put the organizations out of business, cites the National Cyber Security Alliance, a nonprofit that works with

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the Department of Homeland Security. Despite the growing need for cybersecurity experts, “It hasn’t sunk into parents that this is a career field for their children,” said Tsai. “ Three years ago, you wouldn’t find a cybersecurity major, it would only be a specialty under computer science. Now it is more and more common as a major.” Jesuit receives grants to cover the cost of competition registration fees. Mr. Tsai provides the snacks– but has not given into his students’ request for Red Bull–and all that interested students need to do is show up to a club meeting and try their best. “You’ll make mistakes. It’s part of the fun the learning processes. The kids who put in the time, reap the reward of a successful year at competition,” said Tsai.

King Cong Brewing opened in Old North Sacramento By Joe Perfecto

As microbreweries go, King Cong Brewing Co. on Del Paso Blvd. is the “800-pound gorilla” in Old North Sacramento. That’s partly because it’s the first and, so far, the only microbrewery in Old North Sacramento. Still, given that it’s broken a century-long dry spell north of the river, and all that it’s brought to the area’s nine member neighborhoods and beyond since its Dec. 2017 opening, it’s a safe bet that locals will regard this taproom/eatery as the “king of beers” for some

Photo by Joe Perfecto

Brewmaster Cong Nguyen

time to come. But far from the result of a grand vision or a master plan, or even the simple desire to cash in on the latest microbrewing bull market, the brewery is the product of serendipity and a few life-changing decisions that took founder/ brewmaster Cong Nguyen on a wild ride along an uncharted and unexpected course. King Cong is, in a sense, a success that sprang from failure. The youngest of three sons, Nguyen came into the world three years after his parents’ 1981 arrival in California as part of the second wave of immigration from Vietnam. His father, a math teacher, went into landscaping, and his mother became a manicurist. They raised the boys with what Nguyen characterized as traditional values. “It was important to my parents that [we] went to med school, dental school, law school—professional-type careers,” he said. One brother trained as a commercial baker and worked at Long Sandwich, the South Sacramento restaurant the family opened in 2004. The second became a successful dentist, and Cong spent years striving to follow his lead; he earned a bachelor’s at UOP but was not admitted to dental school, even after two more years of study to

better his score on the Dental Admission Test. “After all the denial letters I realized I wasn’t going to get in,” he recalled. “At that point I felt like a failure; man, what am I gonna do now?” He settled for the role of office manager for his brother’s two dental practices, and while he learned a great deal about business, and there was job security, his life had stagnated. It was a fateful day when his brother decided to open a third practice in a building owned by the family. “[When] in 2011 my brother wanted me to manage the office that was going to be in Old North Sacramento, I told him, you know, if you open this office I’m done—I don’t want to do this anymore.” It was then that the idea of attending the Master Brewers Program at UC Davis emerged. “I heard that the craft beer scene [had] started growing— this was before the boom— and it intrigued me,” Nguyen said, despite the fact that he had little knowledge about craft brewing, his exposure to beer mostly limited to the traditional major labels such as Budweiser. “I just took a leap of faith that this is something that I can do and enjoy.” As the program is limited to 40 stuSee Brewing page 9 Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

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dents, there’s a long waiting list; nearly three years would pass before he was finally admitted in 2014. During that long wait his parents suggested another try at professional school, but he was resolved to pursue what felt like a course correction. “At some point I realized that there’s more to life than being a dentist or a doctor,” he said. “So I said no, I tried to do that for you; I want to do something for myself, and I’m waiting for brewing school. This is something I think is going to be good for me and that I want to do.” Nguyen recalls that with his enrollment in the brewing program, family members saw an immediate transformation. “Not too long ago my brother [the dentist] told me, ‘the day that you joined the brewing program, I saw something different in you,’” he said. “It’s one of the best decisions I ever made. It brought out in me something that I didn’t know that I had.” Highly demanding of both time and effort, the program essentially amounted to a second full-time job; each weekday Nguyen drove from Elk Grove to Davis, attended class from 8 to 4, then drove to Rancho Cordova to pull an evening shift in the dental office, finally returning to Elk Grove. And then, weeks into the program he realized that even all that wasn’t enough, when he discovered that little of the course curriculum involves actually making beer. To his surprise, the bulk of the UCD program comprises reading and lecture, with very little time dedicated to applied brewing practicum. “It didn’t revolve around hands-on as much as I thought it would,” he Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

said. “It was basically learning everything biologically and chemically about the ingredients, the process, the equipment used, and engineering like water flow and heat exchange. When they went through the brewing process they showed us the steps…but there wasn’t a lot of brewing.” Nguyen needed to find a way to do some dry (-hopped) runs. The program does help students obtain brewing operations experience via placement in internships, but that opportunity can be difficult or impossible to manage for students like Nguyen who have full-time jobs. Although he might have juggled his job with a position at a local brewery, such were scarce, so an internship would probably have taken him outside the area, which wasn’t possible. Besides, he wanted the ability to daily apply the craft’s principles as soon as they were covered in class. So halfway through the program he bought a pilot system and small fermenters and installed them at the would-be dental office, using what little time was left outside of work and school to practice. (Had the Del Paso Blvd. space not been available, he would have set up the operation in his garage—which in fact is how many breweries start out.) “I felt really comfortable jumping in, and I wanted to make sure I got off to a good start,” he said. This investment, combined with tuition and other class-related costs, consumed a huge portion of the funds he had earmarked for a house purchase. After completing the program, Nguyen resumed his regular work schedule and continued to refine his brewing skills; a selfdescribed perfectionist, he spent every available hour at the brew kettle tweaking his recipes. Yet starting a

brewery was but one of several possible career paths, each with its own set of risks. “When I went into it, I didn’t know what [my] direction would be. I was just focused on doing something that I would enjoy doing for a living,” he said. “I wanted to start a business, and the goal was to open a brewery, but you gotta think about the alternatives. So if it didn’t work out and the brewery wasn’t built, then I would have been able to at least enjoy doing something different from what I was already doing.” On the face of it, founding his own brewery might seem the financially riskiest of Nguyen’s options, but many who’ve taken that gamble in the current market climate have found that it really is “good to be the king”—plus, employment with an existing brewer has its own issues. “A lot of my classmates thought the same thing—they’re going to go to brewing school, they’re going to get a job at a brewery,” he said. “A lot of them don’t work at breweries anymore, because they weren’t getting paid enough.” Having the pilot system, the drive and the knowledge that working for someone else could prove a dead end, combined with his business savvy and people skills, made opening his own brewery the logical move. “I realized that with the assets I have, this was right for me—it really fits,” he explained. “My brother taught me a lot about business and management, [and] I learned from working the dental offices that I’m a big people person, that that’s one of my strengths—being able to relate to people, making them comfortable, having this personality that people gravitated towards. [W]ith the brewery, it complements it, because it’s natural for me to engage with people.”

There followed the painstaking, time-consuming process of perfecting the recipes for his inaugural beer lineup—which for Nguyen was truly a labor of love. “I’m a perfectionist— I spend a lot of time on details,” he said. “So brewing just came naturally to me. I’m obsessed with it; I practically live in the brewery.” It was during this repeated tweaking that he realized his venture had a real potential for success, and on a larger scale than he had imagined. “Before we opened, I would brew for endless hours; I had this drive to keep improving a recipe until I felt it was done, and then I’d move on to the next one,” he said. “I would have friends and family—and friends of friends—come in so I could get feedback. I was getting so many different types of people through the door—beer drinkers and non-beer drinkers. And people started believing in the product. The original idea was that I go work for someone else or start something as small as I could; I really wanted to be able to build my own brewery, but to start small—a little taproom, a little brewpub, make it simple. But because of the feedback I was getting and the quality of the beers, people saw that there was potential and they wanted to invest in what I was doing.” By that point, the glass shop that occupied half of the building closed down, enabling Nguyen to utilize the entire space, which after a two-year construction period now houses a 15-bbl, three-vessel system from Premier Stainless: a mash lauter tun, kettle, whirlpool, 30-bbl fermenters, 45-bbl hot liquor tank and 30-bbl cold liquor tank. Upon entry, patrons see the brewing area to the left of the entryway hall as they make their

way to the cozy bar/eatery seating area and outdoor patio in the rear. The operation could just as easily have been located in one of his family’s other commercial real estate holdings, all of which are miles away. In fact, his brother only acquired the North Sacramento site to use as a satellite dental practice due to the area’s large number of residents enrolled in DentiCal, as such patients comprise the bulk of his practice. Any other use wasn’t on the radar. But Nguyen saw the site’s potential for his venture. “People ask me, why didn’t you open up in South Sacramento? That’s where our family’s restaurant is,” he said. “I could have built right next to the sandwich shop; we have that plaza. There’s 5000 square feet available that I could have easily used. But there’s something about this space that I just loved. [T]his area has character. I think this is a beautiful location, and a great retail location because [of all the traffic]. [It’s on Hwy. 160] and there’s downtown right there. This is a central location that people can easily drive to.” Although Del Paso Blvd. isn’t exactly top of mind for most beer-minded locals, Nguyen is confident that will change. “ Think about where [many of ] the breweries are now. Bike Dog and Yolo Brewing are in the middle of nowhere,” he said. “ Think about Device--[it’s] in an industrial area. [They’ve] become destination locations. Customers are willing to drive to those locations. This is a great location in that this is a developing area; the City is working toward gentrifying this place just like with Oak Park. Oak Park Brewing came in there during that time of change and it’s worked out for them. I see Cong page 10

www.valcomnews.com • January 11, 2019 • Arden-Carmichael News

Cong:

Despite the recent explosive growth of the micontinued from page 9 crobrewing market, Nguyen asserts there’s still room wanted to be one of the pi- for expansion. “ There are a oneers in rejuvenating [the lot of beer drinkers, and as area]. I think there’s a lot of much as people believe it’s potential here. It’s also re- a saturated market, Budwarding to hear a lot of peo- weiser and Coors still make ple coming in from the neigh- up over 80% of the market borhood say, ‘I can’t believe with their lagers,” he said. there’s finally somewhere Still, with new brewpubs that I can walk to, something appearing seemingly evnear me that I can enjoy.’ And ery day, gaining and mainwhy not fill that void?” taining a foothold in an in-

Arden-Carmichael News • January 11, 2019 • www.valcomnews.com

creasingly crowded market is a daily challenge. One key to this problem is product innovation. While the major labels still account for the bulk of beer sales, Americans are much more sophisticated consumers than they were 30 years ago, which for microbrewers makes radical experimentation not only possible but necessary. “With the number of breweries that are opening, that makes it more of a push to innovate

with new types of hops and malts and things like that,” he said. “Every year there’s a new strain of hops coming out that you can try, to bring something new to the table.” “People now are so open to innovations that [they previously wouldn’t appreciate],” he said. “I mean, before—sour beers, that was a no-no. But now [that style] has its own category. So it’s really revolutionized. Generally the main sellers are the staple beers that are very simple. But if you create something that really catches on.... You have to try to find things that are unique. Usually those are the one-offs. Things like the [Belching Beaver] peanut butter stout are a one-off, but everybody loved it, so it became a staple beer. So you might find that gem that takes you to a whole other level. The crazy thing about making beer is that every little thing that you change can change the entire profile of the beer— from the water to yeast to the malts, to the temperature and time that you cook the malts, [and] the different ratios of the malts.” The product of Nguyen’s long process of experimentation was an initial lineup of three offerings—an inaugural pale ale, an experimental pale ale and a red ale; a milk stout shortly followed. Since the grand opening, the selection has expanded to include three IPAs—one filtered, one hazy and one that incorporates hot peppers—and a double IPA. While the taps are weighted toward IPAs, the style is probably the most popular on the west coast— so although this selection is arguably unbalanced, it’s clearly catering to market demand. One way King Cong bucks the current trend among microbrewpubs, though, is by featuring a kitchen. Most newer venues simply offer a food truck schedule for a number of reasons—

fewer permits, less cost, less work, smaller staff. But for Nguyen, whose family has owned and operated Long Sandwich since 2004, offering an in-house food option was a foregone conclusion. Plus, there were other considerations, such as reliability and customer demand. “One of the most important things that I’d heard from everybody is, ‘we get hungry, and we want to be able to eat something while we’re drinking,’” he said. “And with food trucks, you’re relying on a different business; what if they’re sick that day, or whatever? And it generates revenue; why not monopolize on that opportunity?” Initially the menu comprised just four thin-crust pizzas, based on family recipes that Nguyen tweaked by adding beer and adjusting ingredients.“Long Sandwich used to have a wholesale [division]; for years my brother, Long, was doing all of the pastries and breads for places like the Marriott hotel and Fry’s Electronics,” he said. “He helped me develop the dough and sauce recipes.” Now there are six varieties; also available are the banh mi (a classic Vietnamese sandwich), six calzones, four salads and cheese bread. Nguyen designed his taproom with a casual, low-key atmosphere, plainly appointed with simple furnishings; nothing fancy or flashy. Its most striking feature is an enormous pentaptych that occupies much of the back wall, bearing an image of the mighty King Kong himself, whose unblinking watchful gaze oversees all. Kong’s steely stare might give some people the willies, but it’s a simple matter to take refuge in the patio, where they can safely escape the surly simian’s notice. Nguyen hopes to soon offer 12 taps, and possibly see King page 11 Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

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18 eventually, but the latter will require expanding the cold box into the staff parking area in the rear, potentially involving a refrigerated shipping container. For now, though, the available capacity seems sufficient to meet the demand. And there’s been plenty of that; the brewery’s weekly events draw healthy crowds. An especially popular happening is the Tue. evening “Paint & Pint Nite” Art Party by Mike Tate; for $25 participants get a pint of suds and all supplies needed to help channel their inner Picasso. Other regular events include Thu. Trivia Night, live music on Sat. and an afternoon cornhole tournament on Sun. The brewery also hosts special events such as the Apr. 15 “Pints, Pups and Pawdicures” fundraiser benefiting Recycled Pets NorCal. In the course of a few short months, King Cong has established itself as a neighborhood fixture, found a welcoming home. And Cong Nguyen, the man behind it all, seems to have found his destiny. “It doesn’t feel like a job; it feels like this is who I am,” he said. “ There’s a lot of hard work…but I feel that I’ve found a calling.” Located at 1709 Del Paso Blvd. just above Arden Way, the brewery is easy to miss but worth the search. For the latest info visit https:// www.facebook.com/kingcongbrewing/ or https:// kingcongbrewing.com or call 916-514-8041. Better still, just stop in and discover why everybody’s going ape over this little spot on the old Boulevard. But please—no monkey business. OK—maybe just a little…but keep it in the patio. Remember, Mighty Kong is watching. Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

Arden area residents celebrate 15 years as State Fair food vendors By LANCE ARMSTRONG

Arden area residents Charn and Say Fuller told the Arden-Carmichael News last week that they are celebrating a milestone as food vendors at the California State Fair. They said they are in their 15th year of offering Thai food at the fair. As they have in previous years, the Fullers have been operating the Thai Spice food stand in the fair’s Promenade area. The Fullers food stand features a variety of popular dishes, including garlic chicken with steamed rice, spring rolls with peanut sauce, and pad Thai noodles with fried rice. Say said that her experience offering Thai food to the public predates her fair years, since she previously owned the popular Thai Spice restaurant in Sacramento. Before opening that business, she operated another Thai cuisine eatery, Pattaya Café, on Watt Avenue in North Highlands. Charn mentioned that Thai Spice restaurant was sold to a

friend of his family about 12 years ago. The Fullers now concentrate solely on providing food at various shows at Cal Expo. Charn noted that this is a much better schedule than the schedule that accompanies running a restaurant. “At (the restaurant), you had to be there every day,” he said. “At the fair, you can work for (two) weeks, then you get (time) off to rest, and then you can do a different show.” Charn said that although he met Say in Sacramento, their life stories both began in Thailand. He immigrated to America from Thailand with his father, mother and brother in 1974, while Say arrived as a refugee from Thailand in 1981. They were married in 1990. Say said that she learned a lot about Thai food while growing up in her native country. “I came from Thailand and I love to cook,” she said with a smile. Having his own roots in Thai cooking, Charn is the son of the operator of a restaurant at an Air Force base in Thailand. Charn said that he and his wife are currently living their American dream as business owners. “That’s what it is; this is the land of opportunity,” he said. “If you work hard, anything is possible.”

Carmichael student competed on ‘Jeopardy!’ By Laura I. Winn

Jessica Rea has been watching “Jeopardy!” for as long as she can remember, but that doesn’t mean she always liked it. For the 25-year-old Carmichael student who competed on the June 19, 2018 episode, her earliest memories of the trivia show are of hating it. “I didn’t know any of the answers, but my parents did. It was boring,” she said. For years, Rea watched “Jeopardy!” with her parents, but she was really just waiting for it to end, so she could watch “Wheel of Fortune,” a show “where I actually had a chance,” she said. But by the time she was a student at Winston Churchill Middle School in Carmichael, Rea found that she could answer some of Alex Trebek’s clues, and the voracious reader started to enjoy the show. During her freshman year of high school at Mira Loma, Rea tested for the Teen Tournament and made it to the auditions round. After graduating from St. Francis High School in Sacramento, Rea tried again to get on the show, this time representing UCLA as a classics and history double major for the College Championship. She made it to the live Los Angeles auditions, but wasn’t selected for the tournament. Rea continued to watch the show while finishing up her degree programs, including a post-baccalaureate in classics. From the comfort of her couch, Rea said she would think, “Hey,

I’m pretty good at this. I should be on the show!” So Rea tested once more, this time for regular competition. And finally she made it through every step. “ Third time’s the charm, I guess,” laughed Rea. To prepare for her game, Rea practiced buzzing in with a clicky pen, but didn’t bother brushing up on any specific trivia because the show covers too many topics to zero in on any one, she said. Like most contestants, however, she knew which categories she did not want to appear at the top of the game board: The Bible and what “Jeopardy!” itself sometimes calls, “ The Dreaded Opera Category.” When game day came, neither opera nor The Bible popped up, but Rea was unprepared for one that did–Frank Sinatra. She also quickly realized that practicing ringing in with a clicky pen is not the same as the electronic buzzer, which she had to mash hard to beat the triggers of her competitors. Rea said she was also surprised by how quickly the entire day went. Before she knew it, the game was back from its first commercial break and she was talking to Trebek about the dolls she has collected from around the world. Rea has traveled to over 30 countries with her family, who own Pacific Flooring Supply Company, a Sacramento-based business since 1952. By the end of the first round, Rea only had $1,200 and was in third place. “I knew so many answers, but I couldn’t ring in fast enough. But that’s how it is. Everyone knows all of the answers,” she said, echoing what past contestants have said. During the Double Jeopardy round, Rea got a better handle on button mashing and landed in second place see Jeopardy page 12

www.valcomnews.com • January 11, 2019 • Arden-Carmichael News

What’s

happening

CHAUTAUQUA PLAYHOUSE PRESENTS COMEDY “BLACK TIE”: Chautauqua Playhouse presents the comedy “Black Tie” by A R Gurney, now playing at the Playhouse. The show will run on Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm through January 13 (no shows the week after Christmas). The performances are held at the Chautauqua Playhouse, 5325 Engle Road in the La Sierra Community Center in Carmichael. Admission is $21 General, $19 Seniors/Students and SARTA members. Premium seating is an additional dollar. Tickets at the door are general pricing. This brand new comedy offers a sharply humorous look at a family in distress trying to organize a destination wedding in the Adirondacks. The father of the groom

simply wants to make a memorable toast, but instead must defend the time-honored ways of his WASP heritage to his son and the bride-to-be. Cultures clash when a surprise guest threatens to throw convention out the window, and we see that balancing the old way with the new may prove too messy for a black tie affair. The generation gap has never been funnier.The direction is by Vincent Keene, set and light design by Andrew Fiffick. Costumes are by Linda Taylor. The cast features Walt and Julie Thompson, Paul Fearn, Kaitlin Richards and Marley Bauer Information and tickets are available through the Chautauqua Playhouse website: www.cplayhouse.org or call the box office at (916) 489-7529, during business hours.

Jeopardy:

Heroes Never Die: Eastern Oak Park opens with dedication to fallen officer

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with $10,200. Only $800 separated first from third. When Trebek announced “20th Century American History” as the final category, Rea felt confident and and bet $8,500. But the clue “On Nov. 3, 1948 he sent a congratulatory telegram, then told reporters: I was just as surprised as you” tricked Rea and the returning champion, who both guessed Truman. Thomas E. Dewey, the surprise loser of the presidential race, was the correct choice. Despite feeling the final was a bit of a trick question and that the game had questions that were tougher than usual–a feeling many have shared with the classics scholar–Rea said she is proud of what she accomplished. “In the grand scheme of things, not many people have been on ‘Jeopardy!’ And I have.” As for her $2,000 secondplace winnings, Rea, who would like to teach Latin, said while most of it will stay in savings, she might indulge in an impulse buy. When the mood strikes, she’ll buy “something special,” just because she can. 12

Laura I. Winn

On Saturday, Feb. 24, a special dedication to a fallen Sacramento sheriff ’s deputy highlighted the grand reopening of Eastern Oak Park in Arden-Arcade. Standing behind a curtained sign in the park’s plaza entrance, local law enforcement and community leaders remembered Danny Oliver, who served in the Arden area as part of the Problem Oriented Policing (POP) unit for the North Area Division. In 2014, Oliver was killed while in the line of duty; Luis Bracamontes was convicted of the murder just two weeks prior to the day’s ceremony. “We all hope that Danny Oliver’s service to our community will never be forgotten, and that everyone who enjoys this park and special plaza knows that the fun that occurs here in safety is not without sacrifice,” stat-

Arden-Carmichael News • January 11, 2019 • www.valcomnews.com

Arden-Carmichael?

NEW SACRAMENTO AREA ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE: Great news for those who live relatively close to central Sacramento! The Sacramento Country Dance Society is adding a second monthly English Country Dance, on the third Sunday afternoon of each month beginning October 21. Lovely hall and floor, easy parking, and on the American River Bike Trail. Come join to Camp Pollock, just 5 minutes from downtown/midtown Sacramento, from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. Each dance is preceded at 1:30 pm by an Introductory Workshop for newcomers. This is in addition to our long-running dance in Roseville that continues on the first Sunday afternoon of each month. Beginners welcome, no partners necessary, always live music. Details about both dances, including callers, music, locations, and date changes,

can be found on our Web site: sactocds.org/ english-country-dance/

Arden Way. 10:30 a.m. to noon. Event is free of charge.

SATURDAY, JAN. 12

THURSDAY, JAN. 17

CREATE A VISION BOARD FOR SUCCESS: Progress Not Perfection and Woodworker Life Coaching/Counseling Services invites you to create a Vision Board for Success: A vision board is a collection of images and notes attached to a board and placed somewhere that you can see it every day. At its core, it’s a visual representation of all the things that you want to do, be, and have in your life. It’s a daily reminder of those things. Something you can look at every single day to remind you of your deepest desires. Arden Church of the Nazarene, 3337

NEED CASH FOR COLLEGE? Attend a FREE Cash for College workshop to get hands-on assistance completing and submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act (CADAA) and Chafee Grant for Foster Youth applications by the March 2, 2019 deadline. Each student and parent will need to create a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) at fsaid.ed.gov and bring it with you to the workshop (note: FSA ID is not necessary for Dream Act applicants). For a complete list of information and materials you’ll need to bring to complete the FAFSA or

ed Susan Peters of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Sacramento Sheriff Scott Jones also spoke about Oliver’s ultimate sacrifice, stating,“There must be brave men and women that are willing to step forward and step into the fire so that those of us that are running away from the danger may do so safely.” On the other side of the plaza’s entrance, Peters, along with Oliver’s wife, Susan Oliver, pulled cords to lift the curtain and unveil the towering new sign. Facing Eastern Avenue, it reads: Danny Oliver Plaza. A plaque inside the plaza commemorates Oliver’s commitment to the golden rule and reads, “Heroes never die.” Following the somber ceremony, members of Mission Oaks Recreation & Parks District cut the ceremonial ribbon and officially opened the park. To celebrate the $2 million expansion and renovation, which broke ground in May 2017 after the parks district acquired the land from the closed YMCA, visitors were treated to a block party with music, food and kids activities, including games and an inflatable jump house and castle slide. Sitting in the Danny Oliver Plaza where the smell of the

hot dogs on grill filled the air, Bill Fanning, a 60-year resident of the area and also a friend of Danny Oliver’s sister, said he was glad that the park’s opening turned such a tragic loss into something positive for the community. Although he normally plays pickleball at Del Norte Club, he added that he was pleased with the park’s new courts. The six pickleball courts were one one the most popular spots in the park. Craig Fraser of Courtside Pickleball Center was on hand with free demo paddles, as well as paddles for sale. The demo paddles stayed in regular rotation as people tried the country’s fastest growing sport. “People see it, have no clue what it is, but want to play it,” Fraser said of the sport, which has elements of tennis, table tennis and badminton. The new playground equipment attracted kids of all ages to the swinging, teetering, climbing and sliding apparatuses. Eleven-year-old Anabelle Braun said she especially liked the large, climbing rope structure. Braun said she looks forward to coming back and riding her bike on the extended path around the park. Restrooms, basketball courts, futsal court for small

court soccer, and an offleash dog park rounded out the park’s new construction. The dog park attracted visitors with and without dogs, including Greater Arden Chamber of Commerce Vice President, Danielle Gourley, who said she and her 3-year-old son Jackson had eagerly been awaiting the park’s opening. Jackson was most excited about seeing all the dogs play. “I think this is going to be our new favorite park,” Gourley said. Ray Klinefelter, who brought his dog Buddy to the park, said he was impressed with all of the new construction but was most appreciative of the plaza dedication to Danny Oliver because of the work POP does in the neighborhood. “I see a big difference in the area. I am really supportive of their efforts.” The Danny Oliver Foundation, which works to rebuild community trust in law enforcement agencies, announced it will hold future events in Eastern Oak Park (3127 Eastern Avenue, Sacramento). For more information on the Danny Oliver Foundation, visit facebook.com/ thedannyoliverfoundation. Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.

What’s Dream Act application at the workshop, please go to saclibrary.org/events. Open to seniors in high school. Thursday, January 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento 95864.

SATURDAY, FEB. 2 DREAM VARIATIONS: A SYMPHONIC CELEBRATION OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: The Sacramento Youth Symphony presents a major community concert event celebrating the ongoing contributions by African-Americans to our country’s artistic landscape. Musical selections will include celebrated works by Duke Ellington, William Grant Still, Emmy Award-winning composer John Wineglass, and much more. An impressive roster of special guests will join the orchestra on-stage for this special event. Some of our guests include: EmceeOmari Tau; Speaker-Courtney Dempsey; Guest Artists-Jay Mason, Chase Spruill 4th, Indigo Moore, Julian Dixon, Leslie Sandefur, & Sheryl Counter. Tickets: General $25, Students/Children/Seniors $20. For more information, visit www. sacramentoyouthsymphony.org AUTHOR PANEL OF LOCAL WRITERS – Connect with a trio of writers to hear readings from their books and chat with them about their writing careers. Join Tim Brown, Squatter’s Gold; Andy Furillo, The First Year; and Bob Sylva, The King of Karaoke and Other Stories for this moderated conversation. Tim is the former director of Loaves & Fishes; Andy and Bob are both former writers/ reporters for the Sacramento Bee. Authors will have their books on hand and signed copies will be available for purchase. Saturday, February 2 from 2 to 3 p.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento.

MONDAY, FEB. 4 EDUCATE WOMEN?!! WHAT NEXT?!! -RENAISSANCE SOCIETY MINI-SEMINAR – Learn about the resistance to women getting a college education including weird theories about tiny female brains and limited energy circuits. Early female academies and A & M schools helped break these barriers as did Title IX. It was not easy! Monday, February 4 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento.

FRIDAY, FEB. 8, SATURDAY, FEB. 9 and SUNDAY, FEB. 10 FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY BOOK SALE – Join us for a three-day Community Book Sale. Hundreds of books will be available at low, low prices, including a nice selection of children’s books. Friends of the Library receive a 20% disValley Community Newspapers, Inc.

happening

count (except during bag sale on Sunday) and membership information will be available at the sale. Proceeds go toward programs and materials at the Arden-Dimick branch of the Sacramento Public Library. Friday, February 8 from 12-5 p.m.; Saturday, February 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, February 10 from 12 to 3 p.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 13 MOROCCO: BEAUTY IN DIVERSITY - SLIDE PRESENTATION – Learn about the rich culture and diversity of Morocco in this presentation by Abdelilah El Alaoui, a Teachers of Critical Languages Program exchange teacher spending the current academic year teaching Arabic at Thomas Edison Language Institute. This program is for all ages. Wednesday, February 13 from 4 to 5 p.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento.

SUNDAY, FEB. 17 GET HEALTHY SACRAMENTO SPEAKER SERIES 2019 - Sunday, February 17, 2019 at 11:30 AM – 5:30 PM Carmichael Seventh-day Adventist Church 4600 Winding Way, Sacramento, California 95841 Tickets by Eventbrite. Sales end on Dec 31 at 10:30 a.m. $49.00 There’s a wonderful line-up of top people to help us along our path to optimal health, including: Anthony Lim, M.D, Steve Lawenda, M.D. Chef Aj, James Bennie, M.D. and Bettina Baiduc, M.D. We will have delicious muffins, glelato, cheeses, hummus, crackers and more to snack on...! CHECK IN: Please be prompt by 11:30 am to collect your name badges and muffin. The introduction and speakers will start promptly at noon. There will be two 15 minute breaks.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 20 ASHEBA: CARIBBEAN MUSIC – Asheba is a musical storyteller who specializes in calypso, the musical & folkloric oral tradition of Trinidad, Asheba’s homeland. His music is for all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Wednesday, February 20 from 4 to 5 p.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento.

THURSDAY, FEB. 21 CODE.KIDS – Come learn and create free programming websites. Feel free to bring your own laptop. Please register if you need to borrow one so we know how many to provide. This program is for “tweens” ages 8-12. Thursday, February 21 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento.

Arden-Carmichael?

FRIDAY, FEB. 22

SUNDAY, MAY 5

TEENS ONLY NIGHT – Come for free pizza, video games (Wii U, Nintendo Switch), activities and crafts for this Teens Only After Hours Night. Open to teens in 6th-12th grades. Friday, February 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento.

SACRAMENTO SYMPHONIC WINDS, A 60-PIECE SYMPHONIC BAND, PRESENTS “… AND THE HEART REPLIES”: Bring the entire family to this extraordinary concert season entitled “… and the heart replies” at the new Rio Americano High School Center for the Arts. The Sacramento Symphonic Winds is a 60-piece adult symphonic band conducted by Music and Artistic Director Timothy M. Smith. The season will include James Sochinski’s epic Legend of Alcobaca, Frank Ticheli’s setting of Amazing Grace, Robert Jager’s inventive Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann (The Happy Farmer) plus clarinet soloist Robert Mitchell performing Black Dog by Scott McAllister, lyric baritone vocal soloist Omari Tau performing selections from Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs, and our own trombone soloist Thomas Eckert performing Carnival of Venice by Herbert L. Clarke. Visit our <http://www.sacwinds.org> Date/Time: Sunday May 5 (2019), 2:30 pm. at Rio Americano High School Center for the Arts, 4540 American River Drive. Tickets sold at the door: Children 10 and under Free; Student/ Senior (65+) $10; General $15. For more information, call 916-489-2576 or visit www. sacwinds.org https://www.google.com/ maps/place/4540+American+River+D r+95864

MONDAY, FEB. 25 IRELAND TODAY-RENAISSANCE SOCIETY MINI-SEMINAR – The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland’s relationship has changed. What is the political situation today? What will the impact of Brexit be? We’ll also explore the status of Catholicism and the Church in the Republic. Monday, February 25 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27 CHAIR YOGA AND MEDITATION – Join us for simple chair yoga for beginners, easy meditation for relaxation, and a short talk on a health and wellness topic. Facilitated by Marilyn Buehler, M.Div. Wednesday, February 27 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Arden-Dimick Library, 891 Watt Ave., Sacramento.

SUNDAY, MARCH 10 SACRAMENTO SYMPHONIC WINDS, A 60-PIECE SYMPHONIC BAND, PRESENTS “… AND THE HEART REPLIES”: Bring the entire family to this extraordinary concert season entitled “… and the heart replies” at the new Rio Americano High School Center for the Arts. The Sacramento Symphonic Winds is a 60-piece adult symphonic band conducted by Music and Artistic Director Timothy M. Smith. The season will include James Sochinski’s epic Legend of Alcobaca, Frank Ticheli’s setting of Amazing Grace, Robert Jager’s inventive Variations on a Theme of Robert Schumann (The Happy Farmer) plus clarinet soloist Robert Mitchell performing Black Dog by Scott McAllister, lyric baritone vocal soloist Omari Tau performing selections from Aaron Copland’s Old American Songs, and our own trombone soloist Thomas Eckert performing Carnival of Venice by Herbert L. Clarke. Visit our <http:// www.sacwinds.org> Date/Time: Sundays, March 10 & May 5 (2019), 2:30 pm. at Rio Americano High School Center for the Arts, 4540 American River Drive. Tickets sold at the door: Children 10 and under Free; Student/ Senior (65+) $10; General $15. For more information, call 916-489-2576 or visit www.sacwinds.org https://www. google.com/maps/place/4540+America n+River+Dr+95864

ONGOING LITERACY LITTLE LEAGUE IN NEED OF READING TUTORS: Reading tutors are needed for 40 minutes per week on either Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays from 1:55 to 2:35 p.m. starting in mid-September, continuing through May, 2019 (with the same child for the entire academic year, if you wish ). Training/scheduling coffee occurs in late August. Literacy Little League, an

award winning tutoring program, lets you get to know a third grade student in need of help with reading comprehension. Tutors work together in the Resource Room with a credentialed teacher present and all materials provided. Substitutes are available if you can’t make it, or you can sign up as a substitute. Tutoring takes place at the Edison Language Institute (at the site of the former Jonas Salk Middle School) at 2950 Hurley Way near Morse Avenue. Contact Dorothy Marshall, retired psychologist, San Juan Unified School District, at 916-488-2578., dorothymarshall@ comcast.net for date/time of training session. FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF SURVIVORS SUPPORT GROUP: Every first Monday of the month from 6 to 7 p.m. Location: Sacramento. Call 916-4283271 for exact location. Description: Is your friend or family member in a domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking situation? This free, drop-in group is for you. Learn how to support your loved one, and receive some support yourself among people who are in the same situation. Feel free to call My Sister’s House for more information: 916428-3271. #METOO SUPPORT GROUP: Every third Monday of the month from 6 to 7 p.m. Location: Sacramento. Call 916-428-3271 for exact location. Description: This drop-in support group is free, confidential, open to all genders, and available to sexual assault survivors at any point in their healing. Feel free to call My Sister’s House for more information: 916-428-3271. FAMILIES LEARN ENGLISH – ESL students and their children are welcome at this weekly program. Designed for beginning learners. Tuesdays from 9 a.m. 11 a.m. at Arcade Library, 2443 Marconi Ave., Sacramento.

www.valcomnews.com • January 11, 2019 • Arden-Carmichael News

HANDYMAN

TAX PREPARER #1 CONCIERGE TAX PREPARER

36 yrs. exp. We specialize in Business Tax returns including Corp & Partnerships. FREE Pick-up & Delivery to those who qualify. We prepare expertly all past tax returns including all State returns. Get the most deductions allowed to you by law. CTEC + IRS Registered & Bonded. Please call for your appt. today. Irene Senst (916) 640-3820 CA, (775) 410-3422 NV. Same low 1990 rates. www.taxirene.info • taxireneinfo@gmail.com

No job too small. Make your “to-do” list and give me a call. Electrical, Plumbing, Tile, Sheetrock,Plaster, Stucco, Repairs and Remodeling, you name it! Lic# 908942. Call Steven at 230-2114.

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BUSINESS SERVICES #1 CONCIERGE BUSINESS SERVICES

Put our 36 years in Concierge Business Support Service to work for your business. We provide support in: Licensing, Business & Corp Startups or Closures, Basic web design, Set-up social media. Business Concierge Shopping, Marketing and much more. Please contact Irene Senst (916) 640-3820 CA, (775) 410-3422 NV. www.taxirene.info • taxireneinfo@gmail.com

www.valcom news.com

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Arden-Carmichael News • January 11, 2019 • www.valcomnews.com

TILE WORK

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LANDSCAPING

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www.valcomnews.com • January 11, 2019 • Arden-Carmichael News

“SAVE THE * TAX is on Now!“

Brooklynn, CPO

(Chief Persuasion Officer)

5th Generation, Naturwood Family

Hurry in!

Sale Ends January 21st!

“Tell ‘em Brooklynn sent you.” Office

Dining

Bedroom

Living Room

Choose the furniture you’ve dreamed of from the region’s best selection of styles, brands and prices. Then – Save The Sales Tax!

Mon – Fri 10am – 8pm 12125 Folsom Blvd. Sat 10am – 6pm Rancho Cordova Sun 11am – 6pm 916-351-0227 www.naturwood.com 16

Arden-Carmichael News • January 11, 2019 • www.valcomnews.com

*Save the Tax. Since the State of California requires sales tax be paid on all retail sales, Naturwood will reduce your purchase price by an amount equal to the tax on the reduced purchase price. Discount not available on Special Buys, Floor Sample Clearance, Factory Specials, Stickley Winter Sale, and Serta icomfort mattresses. Discount cannot be combined with any other offer, discount or promotion. Sale ends 1/21/19.

Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.