Local Issues
It’s Easy Being Green
Propagate can help bring a little bit of nature inside BY ANNE STOKES If you look around your home and feel something’s missing, chances are you need a little greenery. “If you’re working on a […]
Community
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Poor People’s Campaign marches on
Dr. King’s legacy behind a new call for a moral revival Monday, our nation celebrates the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On this special day of remembrance, people will recall his […]
Local Issues
These cleaners are a blast
Company specializes in industrial-size pressure washers and other high-powered cleaning tools BY ALLEN PIERLEONI Howard Ditkof was standing inside Steam Cleaners, Inc., his Old North Sacramento business housed in his refurbished 9,500-square-foot warehouse filled with […]
Local Issues
Gilded Age treasures come to Midtown
Collection available for preview before luxury auction BY DEBBIE ARRINGTON Oh, if these furnishings could talk! Once, they graced the greatest houses in the Bay Area. Later, they decorated the sets of motion pictures. Now, […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Stay focused on your North Star
Set your compass for a better tomorrow Every leader needs a North Star, something that guides them through the darkness to where they want to be. With their compass, ancient mariners used the North Star […]
Local Issues
Colo’s spices up neighborhood
Former Oak Park restaurateurs bring popular soul food north BY ALLEN PIERLEONI Things have been somewhat hectic since Kevin and Tamar McCree’s soft opening of Colo’s Soul Food & Seafood on Nov. 1. “We’ve been […]
Local Issues
Working Together
Find your new look at Together Midtown BY ANNE STOKES In the cutthroat world of capitalism, “business is business.” But that’s not what you’ll find at Together Midtown where co-owners Rachel Minyard, Stella Manukyan and […]
Local Issues
Greater Sacramento Urban League Program Welcomes People of Color into Booming Cannabis Industry
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Thirteen people of color made history recently by mastering the skills to enter Sacramento’s legal cannabis industry—with the city’s blessing. The eight men and five women became the first to graduate from […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: A shared vision for 2020
Make these New Year’s resolutions stick Every single day, we have the opportunity to change people’s lives. In fact, we not only have the opportunity, but the responsibility, to make sure that in the fifth […]
Local Issues
Make New Year’s Fitness Resolutions with Confidence
Keep going with the right gear and support from Fleet Feet BY ANNE STOKES New Year resolutions start out with the best of intentions: Exercise, eat healthy, live better! At Fleet Feet, you can find […]
Local Issues
Thrill of discovery fills this building
Schiff Estate Services offers help as well as finds BY ALLEN PIERLEONI Stepping inside the Schiff’s Estate Sale Building is a retro trip into a garage sale multiplied by 1,000; a random yet indicative glimpse […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Time for reflection and connection
Take a few moments during this busy season to look at yourself You may write me down in historyWith your bitter, twisted lies,You may trod me in the very dirtBut still, like dust, I’ll rise. […]
Education
WALKSacramento Strives to Ensure the Safety of Sacramento Students
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Five days a week, thousands of boys and girls throughout Sacramento walk to school and back—putting themselves in peril. At many corners, the children face motorists who might run red lights and […]
Families
Here to help with what families need
North Sacramento Family Resource Center serves as community hub for people with kids BY ALLEN PIERLEONI Rosemary Schapira has been on the job only since October, but there’s no doubt about her mastery of the […]
Local Issues
Check parking off your list
City offers free street parking in Midtown after 4:30 p.m. and all day weekends through Christmas BY DEBBIE ARRINGTON When you’re dashing to find the right last-minute gift or make it on time to a […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Striving to do MORE
This tale of two organizers shows the power of people united This time of year, people reflect on what they’ve accomplished and what they aspire to do in the year ahead. As they celebrate the […]
Local Issues
Fashion for here or to-go!
Wild Poppy & Co. Boutique opens shop in Midtown BY ANNE STOKES Good news for fans of Wild Poppy & Co. mobile boutique: Your favorite shop is open in Midtown! While you can still find […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Be a leader, find the light
Ending poverty in California starts with shared vision The purpose of SEIU Local 1000 is to have the power necessary to give our members — and all Californians — the opportunity to have a good […]
Local Issues
Boys & Men of Color Summit Fosters Brotherhood
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Thirty diverse young men—most of whom had never met—sat in a circle recently in a room at Sacramento State University, during the 8th annual Boys & Men of Color Summit. The circle […]
Local Issues
Everybody’s crazy about a sharp dressed man
Head to Midtown for stylish menswear classics BY ANNE STOKES A good pair of pants can be hard to find. Rather than silently suffering in ill-fitting slacks, Shawn Williams made his own. Now as the […]
Local Issues
Glasses with a difference; making a difference, too
Optician combines fashionable eyewear with outreach to underserved BY ALLEN PIERLEONI Walk through the door of That Guy Eyewear and you might think you’re in the wrong place. That’s because the store’s striking decor and […]
Education
Yvonne R. Walker: How to fix Prop. 13
Large corporations need to pay their fair share Proposition 13 was passed because the legislature at the time couldn’t agree how to help families stay in their homes and keep their property taxes from rising […]
Local Issues
Sammy’s keeps diners happy
Celebrating 75 years, restaurant reflects jovial owner BY ALLEN PIERLEONI Khalid “Kal” Farhoud was telling a joke. “When you get old, three things happen to you,” he said. “You start forgetting things, and then … […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Giving thanks for many people
Being part of a union tops this list What am I thankful for this holiday? I’m thankful for unions, and my union in particular. Up to 45% of all U.S. workers are legally excluded from […]
Local Issues
Iceland rises from the ashes
Beloved skating rink rebounds from arson fire BY ALLEN PIERLEONI Terrie Kerth walked a visitor out the back door of Iceland Ice Skating Rink and pointed to a white, two-story wood house. It was built […]
Local Issues
Decarcerate Sacramento Celebrates Victory Over Stalled Jail Expansion
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Criminal justice reform activists won a huge victory this month, when Sacramento County Supervisors walked away from an $89 million plan to expand Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center (RCCC) in Elk Grove. Opposition […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Nurturing new leaders can bring change
How one Fresno worker helped his community for the better Where will we find tomorrow’s leaders? Look around; you may already know a leader in the making. Leadership is a skill that takes support and […]
Local Issues
Del Paso Boulevard’s History
For 85 years, this fabled street has been important to the region North Sacramento was originally part of a 44,000-acre land grant made by the Spanish government to Eliab Grimes in 1844. Called Rancho Del […]
Local Issues
Associated Sound makes events worth hearing
Family legacy continues at Del Paso business BY ALLEN PIERLEONI One of Sacramento’s oldest thoroughfares is also one of its most dynamic. Each week, join us on a stroll along Del Paso Boulevard, where you’ll […]
Health
Yvonne R. Walker: Union apprenticeships offer leg up
Groundbreaking program creates path to a better career Imagine how difficult it is with kids, working, saving for their education, while also trying to dream of a different professional life for yourself. When do you […]
Local Issues
Decarcerate Sacramento Opposes Costly Prison Expansion Proposal
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors is getting cold feet about proceeding with an $89 million expansion of Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center (RCCC) in Elk Grove. Most of the five-member board came […]
Local Issues
Del Paso Boulevard’s Southpaw Sushi
A well-known local chef is back with a new destination restaurant in a vibrant part of town BY ALLEN PIERLEONI One of Sacramento’s oldest thoroughfares is also one of its most dynamic. Each week, join […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Honoring our veterans
Veterans served our country; now many serve our state Everybody is familiar with the Marine Corps motto, “Semper Fi”; it means “always faithful.” In the Marines, that faith is in God, Country, Corps. The Marines […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Facing fears with a pen
These bills target real-life horror stories Ghosts, vampires, zombies; Halloween is packed with scary things. While trick-or-treating as children, we learned to laugh at our fears. (These monsters lived in our imagination, not under our […]
Education
916 Ink Provides Young Writers Publishing Opportunities
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Three months ago, Molly Seely began a new chapter in her life by attending Amplify — a week-long summer camp for girls and boys in South Sacramento. Like traditional camps that involve […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Worried about your retirement? You are not alone
High earners should pitch in fair share to Social Security How do you feel about your retirement prospects? Are you optimistic that you’ll be able to afford to stop working some day? If you’re anxious […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Retirement security for all
Big difference between a pension and a 401(k) Thinking about retirement? For many Californians, that day will never come. They work hard their whole lives, but never have the means to finally stop worrying, put […]
Local Issues
The Issue of Rent Control
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ As recently as 2017, some Sacramento City Council members ducked the volatile issue of rent control, according to pro-tenant community activists. Amid skyrocketing rents, some of these elected officials privately requested that […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Making changes, one bill at a time
These new laws will help workers This week, Jews around the world are celebrating the end of their New Year period with a day of fasting on Yom Kippur, October 9th. For some, it is […]
Health
Yvonne R. Walker: Taking a stand against high drug prices
Members’ personal stories at the heart of campaign California has the most poverty in the country. We don’t have a resource problem; we have a distribution problem. And one way we are kept from thinking […]
Local Issues
Hmong Activists Set Their Sights on 2020 Census and Elections
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ With 2020 fast approaching, community organizer Cha Vang is preoccupied with the golden opportunities the new year will bring for Sacramento communities to advance politically and economically. But, according to Vang, those […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Affordable housing key to ending poverty
Renters’ rights important part of this fight Sacramento used to be a bargain. People moved here from all over because our city was considered an affordable place to live and work. We were known as […]
Health
Yvonne R. Walker: Health care shouldn’t be a headache
Open enrollment an annual reminder of rising costs BY YVONNE R. WALKER It’s that time of year again when families pull out their calculators, crunch the numbers and keep their fingers crossed. (For this headache, […]
Local Issues
The Fight for Rent Control in Sacramento Rages On
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Jovana Fajardo, a pro-tenant community organizer, agree: Crafting citywide rent control is not easy. “If it were easy, it would have happened a long time ago,” Steinberg […]
Health
Yvonne R. Walker: Keeping our heads above water
Tentative contract helps lift up bottom, close inequality gap Arising tide lifts all boats – but only if there’s enough water to go around. To create a California for All, that rising tide also needs […]
Health
Yvonne R. Walker: Economic Justice
What can you do to end poverty for all? That can be a difficult question to ponder when you may be a paycheck away from poverty yourself. According to the Federal Reserve, one out of […]
Local Issues
Sacramento County Activists Protest Funding Increases for Jail Expansions
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Just this month, in a stunning move, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to scrap a $1.7 billion jail project. Officially, the project was meant to replace the Men’s […]
Labor
Yvonne R. Walker: Finding strength in a united voice
Labor leads way to California for all This weekend, we celebrate Labor Day, a federal holiday for 125 years. It’s not the end of summer; it’s a historic milestone. A salute to the enduring contributions […]
Local Issues
Sacramento Coalition Spearheads Effort to Reclassify or Reduce Cannabis Convictions
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Sherie Drawn’s life derailed after she got pulled over by Sacramento County Sheriff’s deputies in 2006. According to Drawn, officers searched her car and found “maybe ½ an ounce” of medically prescribed […]
Local Issues
Sacramento DHA Works to Dismiss or Reduce Cannabis-related Felonies
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ The Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance (DHA) strives to help people transition from public assistance to financial independence. More than 420,000 county residents receive services from DHA, ranging from Medi-Cal to […]
Local Issues
Sacramento Residents Call for Stronger Tenants’ Rights
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Gina Massey’s South Sacramento apartment has rats and electrical issues —problems, through no fault of her own recently landed her in the ER. So, like any responsible tenant, she reported the issues […]
Environment
Community Leaders Join Together to Restore Morrison Creek
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ In 2017, the Avondale Glen Elder Neighborhood Association (AGENA) wanted to apply for a hefty state grant to help restore Morrison Creek, a storm water drainage canal that stretches from Rancho Cordova […]
Local Issues
Repairing Sacramento’s RT System
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Sarah Kerber attends almost every Sacramento Regional Transit Board meeting. When the Board discusses proposals that might negatively impact public transportation in Sacramento, she protests them during the public comment period. “Our […]
Local Issues
Advance Peace Sacramento Fights to End Gun Violence
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ After doing prison time for non-violent crimes, Clemmie Fields vowed never to be behind bars again. The 54-year-old Sacramentan has upheld that promise since 2003 and urges others do the same through […]
Local Issues
Sol Collective Creates Space for Arts and Activism
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ As a troubled high school senior, Deveon Smith wasn’t sure what to expect when he first visited Sol Collective — a Sacramento nonprofit that uses art and activism to provide programs, promote […]
Environment
City of Sacramento Takes Environmental Focus
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ With temperatures rising everywhere, scientists have sounded an alarm and the community is responding: Global warming endangers the entire planet. When Sacramento residents attended a recent “open house” meeting for the city […]
Local Issues
Form Allows SCUSD Students to Express Gender Identity
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ For students whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex, the name on the attendance sheet may not reflect who that student really is. Youth in the Sacramento City Unified School District […]
Local Issues
Land Trust Aims to be ‘Developer for the People’
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Nine new “luxury homes” located on 34th Street in Oak Park recently went on the market. The listing price? More than $500,000 each. A wiser use for land in Oak Park would […]
Local Issues
CalFresh Recipients Welcome at Farmers Markets
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ The call for artists went out last May: A striking design was needed for two Sacramento billboards announcing that CalFresh — also known as food stamps — are welcome at farmers markets. […]
Local Issues
Sacramento Nonprofits Help Ex-inmates Thrive on the Outside
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ After serving 18 years in prison for manslaughter with a gang enhancement, Henry Ortiz was determined to prove he was a new man. But in November 2017, after only five days of […]
Local Issues
A Voice in Community Planning
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Choices made by city planners affect the health of people in those cities. Consider, for example, that people’s life spans have been linked to their ZIP code. “If you live in Oak […]
Local Issues
Shoppers Double Their CalFresh Benefits at Farmers Market
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Every Saturday, from May through October, smart shoppers look for great deals at Oak Park Farmers Market. They always find them. But besides low prices on fresh fruits, vegetables and other edibles, […]
Local Issues
‘More Days, More Ways’ to Vote in the General Election
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Tamie Dramer treasures her right to vote. The Sacramento resident has voted in every presidential election — and in every mid-term and primary contest — since 1988. “Voting is important for me, […]
Local Issues
Community Creates a Safe Place to Heal After Clark Shooting
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Maybe it was a coincidence, a numerical happenstance. But 20 days after police fired 20 shots at Stephon Clark in his grandmother’s backyard in Meadowview, special healing circles began in Sacramento. The […]
Local Issues
Organizers Urge Community-led Cultural Awareness Training for Police
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ It happened six months ago. But for some Sacramentans, the grief over the slaying of Stephon Clark continues unabated, as if he died yesterday, community activists say. Clark, 22, an African American, […]
Local Issues
From the Ground Up
BY EDGAR SANCHEZ Rubie Simonsen found her calling as a child, in her grandmother’s lush gardens. The little girl spent countless hours playing among miniature roses in front of her grandma’s home, and by herbs […]