Arden-Carmichael News 4-14-2023

A tour of Sacramento County’s last newspaper company-owned, operated printing press

Arden-Carmichael News is among dozens of newspapers printed on the device

By Mitch Barber

In the 1994 movie, “The Paper,” there is an iconic scene in which metro editor Henry Hackett, played by Michael Keaton, yells, “Stop the presses!” Moments later, he pushes a button to shut down a hulking Goss printing press, which was in the middle of a press run for the fictional New York Sun newspaper. The paper had gotten a critical story wrong, and he wanted the truth to be told in print.

Locally in the world of print, The Sacramento Bee’s press

at 21st and Q streets made its final run on Jan. 30, 2021, and its printing operations were relocated to Fremont. During the same year, The Bee moved its headquarters to 1601 Alhambra Boulevard, clearing out the offices and plant that had been in use by this publication since April 1952.

A local Goss press that has continued to publish newspapers is used by Valley Oak Press, Inc., which publishes Valley Community Newspapers: the Arden-Carmichael News, the East Sacramento News, the Land Park News, and the Pocket News. It is located at 604 North Lincoln Way in Galt, and has the notoriety of being the last newspaper company-owned and operated printing press in Sacramento County.

Tony Peterson, Valley Oak’s print sales manager, said in a recent interview that the press also prints The Galt Herald, the Elk Grove Citizen, and the River Valley Times. The press additionally prints 40 to 50 outside commercial jobs, mostly in foreign languages such as Punjabi and Russian.

Peterson started working in The Galt Herald building, where

knows the printing press well.

“We can do 27,000 copies an hour, about 350 a minute,” he said. “We’ve got one press operator, then we(‘ve) got a second pressman. Right now, we(‘ve) got two press assistants. So, we have a four-man crew. The lead pressman and the second (pressman) actually run the press and set the inks and everything involved with that.”

The inks come in four colors: black, cyan, magenta and yellow, and the newsprint runs through the rollers four times to produce any shade needed.

“The joggers, as we call them, they catch the papers as they come off (the press) and spread them out and bundle them, and put them on the palettes, and they get shipped out,” Peterson said.

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Peterson was asked what he felt the press’ importance was in today’s digital society.

“That’s a good question,” he said. “Personally, I still like holding a newspaper and reading it. I know the younger generation, like my kids, they probably haven’t touched a paper since they had to do a report in high school. The older generation, I know my mom still reads hers every day.”

The Galt Herald building has what is called a morgue, carrying back issues of the Elk Grove Citizen back to 1909 and The Galt Herald back to 1935.

Peterson mentioned that the company’s press has been located at its current site since the 1970s.

pretty much just helped whoever needed help.”

Having been a pressman, he

Valley Oak pays close to $25,000 a month in shipping costs to the U.S. Postal Service

“They used to have a shop over by the Galt supermarket,” he said. “I actually remember. I don’t remember what grade, probably first, second, third, going on one of the field trips that they used to take and going through the pressroom. And I remember it was very small and very tight. It was actually one of our press managers (who) said the back room to the pressroom was the back door to the Pizza Palace at the time.”

It does not sound like the

Photos by Mitch Barber

Pressmen are shown with the Goss printing press in operation at Valley Oak Press, Inc.

Car show returns to the Pocket

Event to continue through October

By Lance Armstrong vcneditor@gmail.com

After a one-year absence, the Pocket’s twice-monthly classic car show is making a comeback in the parking lot of the Device Brewing Company in the Promenade Shopping Center.

This four-hour, family-friendly event, which was first held in 2020, features vintage cars ranging from a 1929 Ford Model A to cars from the 1980s, as well as beer and food.

The event will be held most first and third Thursdays, with a few exceptions, from this month through Oct. 26. Each show begins at 4 p.m.

The final date will be a trunk-

or-treat Halloween event for kids, with candy available from the trunks of the exhibitors’ decorated cars.

Andrew Vassallo, general manager of this brewery at 7485 Rush River Drive, Suite 650, told the Pocket News that after a decision was made to discontinue this event, its return was arranged due to its popularity.

“We had a lot of people that would call and (say), ‘Hey, why don’t you guys do the car shows anymore?’” he said. “So, obviously, from a business standpoint, this was something that we (desired to) figure out how to get it going again.

“I think doing it on a Thursday – which isn’t typically our busiest night of the week – helps us, but at the same time, that

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See CAR SHOW on page 8

Photos by Jeanette Valencia Shown from left are Pocket resident Tony Antonucci, with his 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Coupe; Elk Grove resident Dave Cox, with his 1934 Ford; and Pocket resident Ben Valencia, with his 1955 Chevrolet Delray.

As need for mental health resources grows, schools search for cost-effective support

By Samantha Rickards St. Francis High School student

Editor’s note: This article was made available through the Sacramento Student Reporter Program.

As the mental health challenges faced by teens seem to be growing worse, schools around the country – including St. Francis all-girls Catholic High School – have pursued new strategies to help students cope.

A Feb. 13 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report found 57% of U.S. teen girls felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021. That was double the rate among boys, a nearly 60% increase from 2011, and the highest level in the past decade.

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The rise in mental health challenges is not attributable to

one culprit alone. Experts say it has many origins, including the pandemic, social media toxicity, racial and gender inequality and school shootings.

“Young people are experiencing a level of distress that calls on us to act with urgency and compassion,” CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health Director Kathleen Ethier wrote for a press release accompanying the report. “With the right programs and services in place, schools have the unique ability to help our youth flourish.”

At the same time, the need for mental health services has increased, schools confront the problem of how to sustain wellness programs after September 2024, when COVID-19 relief funds earmarked for mental health services disappear.

Funding is sorely needed in California, where there re-

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mains a severe need for access to counselors.

A national ranking released by the American School Counselor Association put California near the bottom in student-tocounselor ratio for the 2021-22 school year. California schools had 509 students for every counselor, higher than the national average of 408 to 1, and more than double the association’s recommended ratio of 250 to 1. Only six states had higher ratios than California.

As one of the many schools focusing on student mental health, St. Francis High School has explored various options to provide support, even turning to the practice of peer counseling – better known on campus as the Guardian Angels Peer Team. This group of girls are selected to receive special training to help them offer support to their fellow students.

“The Peer Team uses their empathy and compassion to connect with students who need support navigating through the difficulties that happen to them and around them,” St. Francis Dean of Students Cynthia Cost said.

The Peer Team was established in 2017 with the intent of facilitating a positive sisterhood in which mental health resources are more accessible.

“Our young women were already helping their peers, so we wanted to create a formalized program where they could gain extra training and assistance,” Cost said.

The program is overseen by Kym Weinandy, head of the wellness department at St. Francis. Weinandy meets regularly with the Peer Team to check in and offer her assistance and guidance.

“My role in the Guardian Angels Peer Team is to train

The classic story by Kenneth Grahame with his beloved characters Ratty, Badger, Mole and Mr. Toad.

Photo by Samantha Rickards St. Francis High School student Elise Blomquist serves as the junior leader of this school’s Guardian Angels Peer Team.

Dozens of dinosaurs descend on Sacramento Zoo

The Sacramento Zoo is thrilled to announce the opening of an exhibit 65 million years in the making. Dinosaur Safari is currently open and will run through March 2024.

Gather the family, take a journey back through time and experience awe and wonder as more than 20 life-size, animatronic dinosaurs have migrated from the Mesozoic Era to the Sacramento Zoo.

Hold your ground against a 65-foot-long Brachiosaurus as she cares for her young. Beware of the towering Tyrannosaurus rex. Stare up in awe at the Quetzalcoatlus as you enter the zoo, and avoid getting head butted by a Pachycephalosaurus.

The zoo’s Dinosaur Safari exhibit is included with the price of admission, and is free for Sacramento Zoo members.

Dinosaur Safari was created by Dino Don, Inc., a leading supplier of animatronic dinosaurs to zoos and museums across the

globe, and the only creator of fullsized robot dinosaurs. These dinos were designed and created under scientific supervision. Don Lessem, aka “Dino Don,” advised Steven Spielberg on the 1993 film, “Jurassic Park,” and he has advised both the Uni-

versal and Disney theme parks, as well. This exhibit is generously presented by First 5 California. Plan your visit today. Don’t miss this DINO-mite exhibit. For additional information, visit the website, www.SacZoo. org.

Photos courtesy of the Sacramento Zoo

Above: The dinosaur exhibit at the Sacramento Zoo will be open through March 2024. Right: This life-size, animatronic Tyrannosaurus rex dinosaur is among the exhibit’s attractions.

Printing Press

press is going to stop anytime soon, but keeping the press going requires care, Peterson noted.

“We do maintenance weekly,” he said. “The water system, we do the oil and lube, and set rollers and just general maintenance like you would on a car.”

Peterson was asked how much life the press had left in it.

“A lot,” he responded. “I’d say, they’re (the press units) from the 1970s, so they’re already 50 years old. So, if you maintain them and take care of them they should go another 50 (years), hopefully.”

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Shown above is the vacant Sacramento Bee building at 21st and Q streets.

Rolls of newsprint wait to be used on the Valley Oak Press printing press.

Pictured are magenta and yellow rollers on the Goss printing press at Valley Oak Press, Inc.

The Galt Herald building is the home of Valley Oak Press, Inc. The printing press is located in the back portion of this building.

Mental Health

Continued from page 4

and mentor a selected group of students to become social and e motional supporters for their peers,” Weinandy said.

Along with choosing and training each year’s team of angels, Weinandy is entrusted to assign Peer Team members to students.

“Peer Team members are assigned to students based on their availability, as well as what unique skill set they will offer to the student,” Weinandy said.

What sets this team apart from other forms of counseling is its easy accessibility and emphasis on students supporting each other.

“Peer counseling is such a safe outlet for so many students,” Cost said. “A lot of the time, especially with young people, there is a lack of knowledge of where to get help and, more still, young people would

rather listen to young people.”

Peer Team members never lecture or advise their peers. They simply listen, offer suggestions, establish a connection and provide support.

“We want to make anyone reaching out to us feel safe and secure when being vulnerable,”

Peer Team member and junior Elise Blomquist said. “Anything a peer says to us stays confidential, unless it falls under one of the three exceptions: if someone is physically hurting them, if they are planning to physically hurt someone else, or if they are seriously injuring or planning to kill themself.”

While the Peer Team is known for providing support through individual counseling, they also run programs that promote team building and mental health awareness.

“We lead a variety of different activities on campus, such as support groups, assemblies, a podcast, and many group

bonding activities,” the Peer Team’s senior leader, Isabella Martin, said.

The role of a Guardian Angel is not a job taken lightly by the team. They see it as a responsibility and a way to better their community.

“Being a Guardian Angel is truly a fulfilling job. I love supporting my peers and it allows me to make a positive impact on my community,” Martin said.

Blomquist added, “Being a part of the Peer Team is a privilege for me. Asking for help is incredibly difficult for many people, so I feel honored to be entrusted with their vulnerability and be able to provide comfort and support.”

The Peer Team members say the program has benefited the St. Francis community at large by defusing the stigma around mental health and creating a better environment for wellness.

“The Peer Team has provided students with an added layer of support,” Martin said. “Being in high school can come with a lot of challenges, so having a Peer Team has really allowed mental health to be a priority on our campus.”

Team members were unanimous in saying the program should be recommended to other schools.

“Definitely,” Weinandy said. “In fact, other Catholic schools in the area are already looking into modeling programs after the Peer Team.”

As mental health challenges continue to grow even more prevalent, the Guardian Angels Peer Team hopes to become a more prominent resource and advocate for their community.

“They don’t know how many lives they have actually changed and helped, and I don’t think they’ll ever know,” Cost said.

Celebrate National Superhero Day at Fairytale Town

Calling all superheroes. Come dressed in your capes and masks for a day of fun at Fairytale Town from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 29: National Superhero Day.

Have your child wear their superhero costume when you visit Fairytale Town and receive half off one child admission with one paid adult admission.

Meet your favorite superheroes and complete a superhero craft activity.

Weekend admission is $8 for adults and children, ages 2 years old and older. Members and children, ages 1 and younger, will be admitted for free.

Adults must be accompanied by children, and children must be accompanied by adults in order to gain admittance to the park at 3901 Land Park Drive. For additional information, visit the website, www.FairytaleTown.org.

Car Show

Continued from page 3 was part of the issue was Friday nights are already busy. And then you add 200 to 300 people for the car show, and things just kind of went a little sideways. So, I think (Thursdays are) going to be kind of better for everyone.”

Vassallo noted that the car

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show adds to the family-friendly approach to this business, which is owned by Pocket residents Ken and Melissa Anthony.

“It just kind of aligns with our vision that we opened this place up (three years ago) to be a community asset,” he said. “We’re super family-friendly. We’ve got games in here for the kids, we’ve got pinball and Skee-

Ball, (various events) and things like that.”

Classic car owners Ben Valencia and Tony Antonucci, who also live in the Pocket, founded the car show three years ago as a way to bring more entertainment to their neighborhood. Both men were already accustomed to exhibiting their cars at car shows, including a Tuesday

night car show at Original Mike’s Diner in Elk Grove.

Antonucci is the owner of a red, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Coupe, a photograph of which is currently featured on a flier for the Pocket’s upcoming car show. He bought the car about 10 years ago.

Valencia owns a 1955 Chevrolet Delray, which he pur -

chased in 1972 and regularly drove until 1990.

After his retirement in 2009, Valencia spent about two and a half years restoring that car.

He shared his approach to that restoration.

“When I bought the car, everything was original except the tires and rims,” Valencia said. “I mean, the Delrays had the checkered interior and stuff and I was going to just restore it stock. (However), me and my wife decided, well, we want to have (air conditioning) in the car and stuff, and so I decided to modify it.”

Valencia and Antonucci share similar stories, having grown up in car-centric eras in Sacramento.

A Sacramento native and a 1968 graduate of C.K. McClatchy High School, Valencia recalled his early automotive adventures.

“We used to cruise downtown, J and K (streets),” he said. “I had a ’56 Chevy back then, with a Corvette engine. Yeah, and we used to do a little racing.”

Antonucci, who moved from Pittsburgh to Sacramento dur-

See CAR SHOW on page 9

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Car Show

Continued from page 8

ing his childhood, spoke about some of his memorable cars.

“I had a ‘53 Chevy when I was in high school,” he said. “And then later I got a ‘59 Impala, then I had a ‘62 Corvette. So, I’ve had a lot of cars. And yeah, we did a little drag racing in between.”

Also popular in that era were drive-in restaurants, recalled Antonucci, who graduated from C.K. McClatchy High School in 1958.

“There was one (drive-in restaurant at 2995 Freeport Blvd.), over by (C.K.) McClatchy High School, called Ed’s (Drive-In),” he said. “Then there was another one downtown, a big Mel’s (Drive-In at 1901 J St.), which would have been across now from where The (Old) Spaghetti Factory is, which used to be the (Western Pacific) train station. So, yeah, that was a great era. I don’t think there will ever be another era like that.”

Antonucci hopes that more younger people become involved with classic cars.

“We encourage it,” he said. “Like at our cruise nights, we always tell them – the older guys – we’re not going to be here forever. Try to get younger guys to come on out. Get a car, you know, whatever.”

In addition to classic cars, all of the shows at the Device Brewing Company, with the exception of the final show, will include raffles for prizes.

Valencia mentioned that little kids always win a certain

raffle prize.

“When little kids come and stuff, they’re going to win a free Hot Wheels car,” he said. “And we say it’s a raffle prize. Well, you know, they don’t know if they’re going to win one or not, but they’re going to win one.”

Also co-organizing this event with Valencia and Antonucci is Elk Grove resident Dave Cox, who serves as the show’s master of ceremonies.

Cox, 78, has another connection with Antonucci: He is also a native of Pittsburgh.

As a hot rod fan, Cox owns a 1934 Ford with a 540-cubicinch, big block engine in it, and a 1947 Ford Coupe with a 383cubic-inch stroker engine in it.

He mentioned that the first car he ever owned was a 1949 Chrysler Fluid Drive hearse.

In addition to their involve-

ment with the Pocket’s car show, Cox and Antonucci have been operating the Tuesday night car show at Original Mike’s Diner in Elk Grove for the past six years.

Cox commended the site for the car show in the Pocket.

“I think it’s really a good spot for the community as a whole there,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of good vibes from the two years before that we did it, that the people really liked it, they supported it.”

The classic car show’s upcoming dates at the Device Brewing Company are April 20, May 4 and 18, June 1 and 15, July 6 and 20, Aug. 10 and 24, Sept. 7 and 21, and Oct. 5, 19 and 26.

For additional information about this show, call (916) 594-9043.

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Shown above is the engine of Pocket resident Ben Valencia’s 1955 Chevrolet Delray.

On display is the engine of Pocket resident Tony Antonucci’s 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Coupe. Pictured is the 540-cubic-inch, big block engine of the 1934 Ford owned by Elk Grove resident Dave Cox.