HIIT X Fitness, of East Sacramento, is excited to officially bring back their charity workout event that will help fund the lifesaving efforts of the local dog rescue organization, NorCal Bully Breed Rescue (NorCal BBR).
HIIT X Fitness partners with a local charity annually in an effort to give back to the community it serves, and NorCal BBR is its partner in 2023.
Mike Ortega, owner of HIIT X Fitness, spoke about his business and its rescue dog.
“Everyone needs a little inspiration and a fantastic workout in their life, and I plan to deliver that,” he said. “I’m excited to give everyone who joins us the best workout of their life and introduce them to Bubbles, one of NorCal BBR’s rescue dogs. Bubbles’ story is gut-wrenching, but her recovery is inspiring.”
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The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department found Bubbles abandoned with life-threating injuries, tied to a pole at an intersection.
Local shelters did not have the resources to care for Bubbles, so she was put into the hands of volunteers at NorCal Bully Breed Rescue. She was taken for medical care, and according to her veterinarian, her deep lacerations and overall condition was most likely from spending a lifetime in a hard crate with no bedding, only released to breed.
Leslie Bird, co-founder and executive director of NorCal Bully Breed Rescue, spoke about Bubbles’ struggles.
“(The) sheriff’s (department did not) know how long Bubbles was left out there, but her wounds were deep and she had been bred many times,” he said. “She ultimately had her front leg amputated – a $3,900 surgery.
“This is exactly why we’re here, to help the dogs who would otherwise be considered unadoptable or unable to receive treatment, and it’s only possible with foster homes and
donations.”
Marylin Hermit, a NorCal BBR volunteer and Bubble’s foster mom, spoke about this dog’s emotional recovery.
“Bubbles didn’t know how to be a dog when I first met her,” she said. “She didn’t know creature comforts like blankets, toys or love, but now she is almost fully recovered and loves jumping up on the couch and snuggling.”
On Feb. 25, HIIT X Fitness will offer a high-intensity interval training workout in exchange for a $35 donation. Gym members and non-members are welcome.
There will be a class offered every 10 minutes and 100% of the funds raised will be donated to NorCal Bully Breed Rescue.
Publisher Bonnie Rodriguez
Editor Lance Armstrong
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Bubbles and other adoptable dogs will be present at the event from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and volunteers will be available to answer questions about the adoption application process.
HIIT X Fitness is located at 5141 Folsom Blvd.
For further information, visit the website, www.HiitxFitness.com.
Sacramento Elks Lodge No.
6’s farmers’ market on Riverside Boulevard will open two months ahead of schedule, on Saturday, March 4, at 8 a.m.
The main attraction of all farmers’ markets is farm-fresh fruits and vegetables.
Elk 6’s Vic Cima is really proud that there will be returning vendors, including Moua Farm, on opening day. He is also happy that Dhillon Farm will be back in April.
Starting in March, it will be winter vegetables, but by May they will have a full selection of locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Alpine Blue Farms will be there with their nuts in March, and berries starting in April.
By late April or early May, Tom Gwinn will be back with his freshly picked strawberries from Watsonville, with his helpers Shannon Lewis and Gunner Lester.
Cima got a big smile on his face when he mentioned that Felicità Wine Company and KC Flowers will be there on opening day.
Besides the wine and flowers, and the fruit and veggies, the very popular bread man, Greg Severn, will be back, and so will Uncle Jer’s Traveling Bee Show.
Uncle Jer, aka Jerry Johnson, had a great time visiting with anyone and everyone at Elk 6’s farmers’ market last summer.
At this market, Uncle Jer quickly realized it wasn’t just a morning of shopping, but a “Saturday morning of family fun.”
“Children were playing with Frisbees while parents sat under the trees visiting,” he said.
It was also an educational experience with children and adults learning about bees from Uncle Jer’s Traveling Bee Show.
Some customers recognized him as the fellow from the early 1980s to 2013, when he delivered Uncle Jer’s quarterpound cookies to Sacramento area schools.
There is also a variety of other special vendors.
One of the most interesting questions last year was “What motivates a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation office supervisor
at Folsom Prison to spend her Saturday mornings as a vendor at the Pocket-Greenhaven and Land Park farmers’ market lo-
cated at Elks Lodge No. 6?
Last summer, Paula Gardner, who is a Folsom Prison employee, was at the Elks
farmers’ market, which is located where Florin Road dead
See ELKS MARKET on page 4
ends into Riverside Boulevard. Gardner was there in memory of her 30-year-old niece, Michelle Benavidez, who was killed just 4.6 miles down Florin at 3000 Florin Road, near the light rail station.
Gardner’s tribute to her departed niece was not to throw money at a problem, but to take a hands-on approach to a problem. She brought passion, commitment and empathy for her young teenage employees at the Farmer’s Market.
Gardner’s company, Bumble Bear Cafe, was named in memory of Benavidez. As a child, Benavidez loved to dance to the “Bumble Bear” song, and her family gave her the nickname, Bumble Bear.
At the Bumble Bear Café, one can buy a cup of coffee and a croissant from a teenager who is trying to deal with the hazards of appearing and resembling a stumbling, bum-
bling bear who is trying to talk, think and count money all at the same time in their awkward years as a young teenager.
Gardner is not trying to
make extra money as a vendor on Saturday mornings, but she is trying to teach teenagers to plow a straight row. She is back this year with a small trailer housing the Bumble Bear Cafe.
Elks 6 is a friendly neighborhood market with plenty of off-street, free parking. A number of shoppers come on their bikes or walk to the market.
One of the fun benefits of the Elks 6 farmers’ market is getting to see the wonderful
variety of dogs that live in the neighborhood. It is like attending a dog show and finding yourself in awe of the beautifully groomed and well trained pedigree dogs of the PocketGreenhaven neighborhood.
Are you tired of the same old routine on Sundays? Do you want to break out of your comfort zone and experience something new in your community? If so, the Land Park Farmers Market is the perfect solution for you.
This market is a local, small, community farmers’ market that began last July.
The market was originally
located behind Funderland children’s amusement park in William Land Park, but due to a storm early this year, was upgraded at a new location in the heart of the Land Park area. This new location, on the concrete floor of the park’s Village Green area at Sutterville Road and Freeport Boulevard,
last December
By Lance Armstrong vcneditor@gmail.comEditor’s note: This is the first article in a series related to William Land Park’s Charles Swanston Memorial Fountain, which was vandalized in December 2022.
Although it is in its preliminary stages, a plan to restore a recently vandalized, nearly century-old statue in William Land Park is being formalized.
The statue, which is located on a knoll just north of the Sacramento Zoo, pays tribute to an early area resident: the rancher and meat packing magnate Charles Swanston (1833-1911).
Known as the Charles Swanston Memorial Fountain, it was designed and sculpted by the famous sculptor, painter, muralist, etcher and art educator Ralph Stackpole (18851973). The fountain was officially accepted by the city on June 18, 1926.
The statue bears the inscriptions: “To the pioneers” and “Erected by George Swanston in memory of his father Charles Swanston.” George Swanston donated $10,000 for
the creation of the statue.
During the early morning of Dec. 27, 2022, the Land Park News – a sister newspaper of the Pocket News – was informed by one of its readers that the statue had become the victim of an act of vandalism.
“I wanted to let the Land Park News know that the Swanston fountain has been significantly damaged/beheaded,” she wrote in an email message.
The reader added that she had learned about the incident through a social media posting by a Land Park resident who discovered the damaged statue at about 10 a.m. the previous morning while she was jogging in the park.
In their response to receiving a report about this vandalism on Dec. 26, the Sacramento Police Department announced that the incident was being investigated and that the department is seeking any information that may help in their investigation.
Using their Twitter account, the department noted: “Any witnesses with information regarding this investigation are encouraged to contact the Sacramento PD dispatch center at (916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357). Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000. Anonymous tips can also be submitted using the free “P3 Tips” smartphone
app.”
While there have been no announcements regarding any suspects or leads pertaining to this crime, efforts to have this memorial fountain – which includes the statue – restored have been occurring behind the scenes.
Land Park resident Rick Stevenson told this paper that those efforts emerged through his work with the Land Park Volunteer Corps, which was founded by neighbors in that
Continued from page 6
area in 2010 to assist with the maintenance and care of William Land Park.
Stevenson, who is also a board member of the Land Park Community Association, mentioned that he has been dedicated to an ongoing project to preserve and enhance the memorial and improve its landscaping.
He mentioned that this work, which began about a decade ago, includes getting the fountain’s stream operating again, performing a complete cleaning and sealing of the statue, and installing a 1926 drinking fountain, which is similar to a drinking fountain that was originally part of the memorial.
But what Stevenson and other members of the volunteer corps were not anticipating was the vandalism that occurred last December.
In his attempt to find any
sort of association with the vandalization of monuments and memorials associated with racial injustice in America following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, Stevenson noted that he was unsuccessful.
“I keep asking and nobody knows anything that was controversial about (Charles Swanston),” he said.
With his desire to have the statue restored, Stevenson did not have to search for someone with such expertise.
Three years prior to the vandalism, Stevenson had been in contact with Molly Lambert, who he described as “the best known conservator of Stackpole statuary, from Berkeley.”
“(Lambert) had done some work for the Crocker (Art Museum in) years back, and that’s why they put me in touch with her, because they were very impressed with her work,” he said. “And then when I originally called her, I learned
that she had previously done Stackpole works and was very familiar with the sculptor.
“And she will be coming up (to Sacramento to evaluate the statue), and we hope she will be doing the restoration job on it.”
During Lambert’s visit to the capital city, she will also spend time at downtown Sacramento’s Cesar Chavez Plaza, observing the Coleman Memorial Fountain, which was also designed and created by Stackpole. That fountain was officially accepted by the city on Feb. 26, 1927.
Although Stevenson is involved with the formation of the Swanston statue restoration plan, which includes working with the Center for Sacramento History, he envisions a greater version of that plan.
“Well, that whole Swanston stream, statue and garden area,
With about a month gone by since the 2023 calendar became effective, Valley Community Newspapers toured parts of Sacramento to find out how locals have fared with their New Year’s resolutions, or if they even made any resolutions for this new year.
While in the Arden area, Reggie Thompson said he is not one to make New Year’s resolutions.
“To me, it shouldn’t have to take a whole year for you to make a resolution,” he said. “You should be able to change on the fly. So, I’m not really big on a whole new year trying to ‘Oh, new year, new me.’ You should be able to change when you need to and want to.”
Carmichael resident Tracy Schauberger also described herself as someone who does not make New Year’s resolutions.
“Every year is a reminder that time is fleeting and we need to be focusing on our goals and what’s important,” she said. “But I really don’t believe in resolutions, excluding trying to remember what’s important at the end of the year, beginning of the year.”
Noah, who chose to not provide his last name, spoke about his New Year’s resolution.
“To stay off the internet as much as I can,” he said. “I try not to make that my whole life, (doing) gaming, social media, stuff like that. (This year), I only go on it for (things) like keeping in contact with friends, seeing how they’re doing.”
Valley Community Newspapers next met Ani Naihg,
who mentioned that although he had not made a resolution for 2023, he made New Year’s resolutions in past years.
“I’ve done gym ones for muscle gain,” he said. “I went about eight months through the year. I did meet (a) partial goal. I tried to gain 15 pounds. I probably gained 10 to 12. So, I did succeed a little bit, but I did not finish it for sure.”
Despite not having a resolution this year, Naihg noted that he made a general improvement goal.
“I kind of just internally said to myself, I’m just going to do better this year kind of thing,” he said. “Yeah, I didn’t make any solidified goals.”
Hanna, who opted not to share her last name, is seeking to have more money in 2023. Her resolution is to acquire employment.
“To get a job to make money and move out (of her current residence),” she said.
Hanna added that among her dream jobs are a mortician or a crime scene investigator.
Lore na Long mentioned that she desires to be a better mother in 2023.
This mother of two children was brief in her response after being asked how her resolution was going.
“Great,” she said.
In another part of the Sacramento area, Arnold Zuniga took time out from his yardwork to address the topic of New Year’s resolutions.
Zuniga mentioned that he had not made a resolution for 2023.
“I seem to be doing OK the way I am,” he said. “(His resolutions in the past have been) weight loss and whatnot. But I think I’ve accomplished that, so I don’t have to make that
again.”
Zuniga shared his approach to keeping a thin waistline.
“I don’t push away (from more caloric and sugary foods) that much. I just use it. Well, I mean, if you eat it, you’ve got to work it out. You’ve got to be out here doing this kind of stuff (like yardwork).”
A short distance from Zuniga’s home was a woman who was in the act of working on her New Year’s resolution.
While taking a walk, the woman, who requested not to be identified by name, spoke about her goal of losing weight in the new year.
“Last year, I wanted to lose weight and then I didn’t do it, so this year I promised myself this time I will,” she said.
To accomplish her goal, she takes an hourlong walk with her dog every day, and eats less each day than she generally did on a daily basis last year.
“Usually, I wouldn’t be doing this (walking),” she said. “I would just be ordering (food through the online food ordering and food delivery platform), DoorDash, and eating a lot. But I don’t want to do that anymore, because it’s hard for me to do things and stuff. I’m trying to make
better choices this year and not be as tired and miserable.” Valley Community Newspapers next encountered Cathy Horiuchi, who was heading home by foot with a bag full of groceries.
Horiuchi noted that she enjoys trying to improve herself by making New Year’s resolutions.
She added that her resolutions are not of the typical variety, and that her resolution for this year is not an exception.
“(Her 2023 resolution is)
to not give any unsolicited advice,” she said. “I get a lot of it and I’ve decided I don’t really like it. I think people, as they get more experience, they think they have something to say to everybody. I’ve decided I’m not going to tell anybody anything unless they ask for it.”
Horiuchi noted that her resolution extends to her home life.
“I have some young adults at home, and I don’t want to tell them how to live their (lives),” she said. “The world is different now than when I was a kid, and I’m just going to let them figure it out. And if they want to know, they have to ask.”
Sacramento area resident Casey Reeve mentioned that he has two resolutions for 2023.
“I want to get out and exercise more and also travel around and visit more friends and family around (the) U.S.,” he said.
Reeve, who was on a walk with his dog, Halen, spoke about the status of his health-oriented resolution thus far.
“So far, I’ve been able to get out and exercise, but with the rain lately, it’s been a hard thing to do,” he said. “Hopefully, I can start getting to the gym more and start getting out and exercising more. But days like today really help, because, you know, walking. And it’s just good to get exercise and feel like normal and better.”
Reeve added that making New Year’s resolutions for himself is not something that has been a tradition in his life.
“I’ve really never been big into resolutions,” he said. “It’s just something kind of recent for the new year, and makes you kind of like think what do I really want to focus on this year. So, this year, I want to focus on my health and just getting out and exploring more.”
After spending time in residential neighborhoods of Land Park, this paper next headed to William Land Park.
While walking just north of the Sacramento Zoo with her dog, Big Boy, Velda Gibson mentioned that she did not make a resolution for 2023.
“Why make a resolution?” she asked. “You might not keep it. People say they want to lose weight, but they don’t want to stick with it. That’s the main thing that people say they’re going to do.”
During Gibson’s interview with this paper, another walker stopped to spea k about her New Year’s resolution.
“It’s the same every year – just trying to improve our health, because that is the foundation of anything that we do,” said this person, who requested that her identity remain anonymous. “And (it is important to be) building upon that every year. I’m constantly working on it.”
While standing in his front yard, near the park, Robert Share noted that he is currently working on his goal of
not eating late at night and refraining from eating a lot of unhealthy, sugary snacks.
“I’m a big sugar snack (eater),” he said. “What I do is almost every meal, except
breakfast, I want something sweet. Yeah, and it’s a habit. It’s not like, ‘Oh, I’m so hungry.’ I’m just so used to doing it. So, it’s like, ‘Put the bag of Oreos back, or don’t buy them
next time.’
“I kind of eat whatever I want to eat. It doesn’t mean that it’s healthy by any means. So, (while) I really didn’t make a resolution this year, I am decreasing the sugar.”
Tom Bishop, a native of New Zealand, was also asked to speak about the topic of New Year’s resolutions.
Bishop, who did not make a resolution for 2023, provided the following advice.
“Make (resolutions) when you want to make them,” he said. “Don’t make them just for New Year’s.”
Grace Freitas, a charter bus driver, spent time with Valley Community Newspapers after traveling with her passengers from Bakersfield to Sacramento.
Freitas mentioned that she made a New Year’s resolution.
“It has to do with losing weight, my health and trying to make the world a better place for my grandkids and greatgrandkids for when I’m not here,” she said. “I’ve done a lot of community service, like with Kiwanis and the women’s club.
Continued from page 9
And, you know, you do volunteer work and you get money to help with scholarships, and you talk to the children.
“You try to show them the difference, because there’s a lot of children. They only know what they’re taught, so you’ve got to give them positive. You know what I mean? You’ve got to tell them when you fall down, get back up.”
While taking a walk with her husband and children, Ariele Rodriguez shared one of her memories regarding New Year’s resolutions.
“The Chinese fortune cookie, on a paper that size, you write down your wish for the new year and you tape it to a big bowl of water, so that the wishes are facing inward,” she said.
“My grandma would take half of a walnut shell and then feed a little like birthday candle in it, and then set it on the water. And then it would light fire to the wishes, sort of like putting it out into the universe.”
Oak Park resident Guphy Gustafson, an avid reader, explained that she made an unusual New Year’s resolution for 2023.
“This is so weird, but it was to
read less books,” she said. “I love reading, but sometimes I (feel) like I don’t get as much done with my life, and I get stressed out towards the end of the year about like trying to finish 50 books.
“And it takes up a lot of my time. So, maybe I even finish reading books I don’t want to. So, now I’m just trying to make it more pleasurable and less stress around reading.”
Gustafson’s friend, Gina Disney, who also lives in Oak Park, mentioned that she has not yet gained the confidence to make a New Year’s resolution.
“I never really make resolutions, because I feel like I’m setting myself up for failure, because I have no faith in myself (to follow through with those resolutions),” she said.
However, Disney added that her statement should not be an indication that she does not accomplish goals in her life.
“We did a vertical mile climbing,” she said. “That’s what we did last year.”
Continued from page 5
was built specifically for events, making it the perfect spot for a farmers’ market.
Not only does the new location offer live music for some weeks, but it also eliminates the worry of muddy grounds for shoppers.
The Land Park Community Farmers Market is a weekly event that presents a diverse array of vendors for all to enjoy.
From coffee and bread to soaps and dog treats, there is something for everyone. And, of course, the market offers a variety of fresh produce, microgreens, mushrooms, meat and more.
But this farmers’ market is more than just a shopping experience. The market aims to provide a weekly event for the Land Park community to participate in and have fun.
The market offers free yoga in the park and free games for kids and adults to join in, build connections and get to know their neighbors.
Bicyclists in the community will also be accommodated with free bike parking, provided so they can relax and
explore the market.
Last week, the market had a small opening in its new location due to inclement weather. Despite the rain, a small group of vendors still showed up to serve the community, including Baklava and Coffee, Naan Tikka, Esquivel Farm, Ya -
Congregation Beth Shalom is offering a concert for all ages. Michael Neumann, artistic director emeritus of the Sacramento Youth Symphony and music director emeritus of the Folsom Lake Symphony, is the host of this concert.
Come and see world-class musicians perform live works from Mozart, Philip Glass, opera and Broadway.
The event will be held at Con-
ñez Farms, and EcoFriendly Greens.
These vendors are committed to the Land Park Farmers Market and are a testament to the strong sense of community that exists here.
For its second day of ope ration in 2023, this market
is expecting no rain and will have even more vendors and activities.
Whether you are looking to stock up on fresh produce or simply want to spend some time with your neighbors, this market is the place to be, and more than just a shopping
destination.
With shopping, socializing, and fun all in one place, it’s the perfect way to start your Sunday. So, be sure to stop by between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sundays, and experience the Land Park Farmers Market for yourself.
gregation Beth Shalom at 4746
El Camino Ave. in Carmichael on March 12, from 4 to 5 p.m.
Ticket prices are $18 for families, $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Tickets can be purchased through the website, www.cbshalom.org.
For more information, call (916) 485-4478 or write to the email address, lorinalangan@ yahoo.com.
Upcoming films at the Italian Center
NIGHT FILM, “THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS”
TRAVEL FILM, “THE GREAT LAKES OF ITALY”
Sunday, Feb. 26, 2 p.m.
The Italian Center is located at 6821 Fair Oaks Blvd. in Carmichael. For more information, call the Italian Center at (916) 482-5900 or visit website, www. ItalianCenter.net.
Continued from page 7
personally, I would like for it to, the way I put it, be back (to) the way it was born,” he said. “You know, so it looks like it’s 1940, (and) everything is just the way it was.”
The project would also include the installation of a camera surveillance system.
But Stevenson does not expect progress on the Swanston project to occur quickly.
“The problem is right now, we have a lot of unknowns,” he said. “(It is) doubtless we’ll know more in a month.”
As for the financing for the project to restore the Swanston statue, Stevenson mentioned that the Land Park Volunteer Corps may eventually decide to create a GoFundMe account to solicit donations.
Stevenson is currently seeking photographs of the statue that were taken prior to the vandalism.
His greatest interest are photographs that show the statue’s nose, which was broken off many years ago.
Photographs of the statue can be sent directly to Stevenson at the email address, stevenson-richard@sbcglobal. net.
