Comstock's 0817 - August 2017 by Comstock's magazine

LESSONS FROM TBD FEST | CREATIVE EDUCATION SPACES | YOUR BRAIN ON ART | VISIT SAC TURNS 90

BUSINESS INSIGHT FOR THE CAPITAL REGION

AUGUST â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;17 VOL. 29 | NO. 8

the

ART MIND issue

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Rio Americano High School Performing Arts & Academic Center

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FALL 2017 COURSE CATALOG now available! Volume 29 Number 8 PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Winnie Comstock-Carlson, Ext. 101 winnie@comstocksmag.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Allison Joy, Ext. 106 MANAGING EDITOR Sena Christian, Ext. 110 ASSOCIATE EDITOR Robin Epley, Ext. 104 ART DIRECTOR Kelly Barr, Ext. 115 EDITORIAL DESIGNER Sara Bogovich, Ext. 108 AD DESIGNER Jason Balangue, Ext. 105 VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Clayton Blakley, Ext. 109 claytonb@comstocksmag.com REGIONAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Susan Cruz, Ext. 102 susan@comstocksmag.com For more information about advertising, send an email to ads@comstocksmag.com

CSUS.EDU/CCE

BUSINESS MANAGER Sharon Brewer, Ext. 103 MARKETING MANAGER Kiara Reed, Ext. 112 MARKETING ASSISTANT Thomas Hanns, Ext. 111 CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT Tamara Duarte, Ext. 107 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Willie Clark, Rich Ehisen, Dave Kempa, Laurie Lauletta-Boshart, Suzanne Lucas, Jennifer Snyder, Zack Quaintance, Christopher Weare, Jeff Wilser, Allen Young CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Richard Beckermeyer, Joan Cusick, Tia Gemmell, Mike Graff, Ken James, Michelle McDaid, Noel Neuburger PRINTING Commerce Printing Sacramento, Calif. commerceprinting.com Published by Comstock Publishing Inc. 2335 American River Dr., Suite 301 Sacramento, CA 95825 (916) 364-1000 Fax (916) 364-0350 comstocksmag.com

Comstock’s magazine covers commerce and community in the counties of Amador, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba, known as California’s Capital Region. Comstock’s is published monthly by Comstock Publishing Inc, 2335 American River Dr., Ste. 301, Sacramento, CA. 95825. Comstock’s Volume 29, No. 8. A one year subscription to Comstock’s is $25 per year; a single copy is $4.95 plus postage, plus tax (if applicable). All rates are payable in U.S. funds. Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts and artwork. ©2017 by Comstock Publishing Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher.

Comstock’s is a member of the Western Publishing Association.

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

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JOSHUA WOOD CEO, Region Business Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the individual opinions of the members of the editorial board.

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August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

700

Average Average age age

Alumni since 2005

37 38

Global Mindset

Developing Exemplary Leaders

cohorts

n n n n n n n

Average work experience: experience:

13 years 14

n AACSB accreditation- only 5% of business building lifelong partnerships AACSB Re-Accredits Sacramento State schools globally have this accreditation accelerating career advancement The international accrediting body for businessnschools, AACSB,completion has recently extended 15-month time the learning while working accreditation of Sacramento State’s College ofn Business Administration forschedulefive years. Convenient weekend opportunities forged complimentary Friday night for aspirations The AACSB fulfilled accreditation process includes rigorous peer-review and self-evaluation, whichstay ensure qualifying candidates that the accredited business school provides top-quality education with continuous improvement. unparalleled educational experience

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comstocksmag.com | August 2017

cba.csus.edu/emba

CONTENTS n

August 2017

FEATURES

58 66 MANAGEMENT

40 Performance Art

Local businesses know that art in the office is more than just window dressing; it can actually improve employee attitudes and performance — and even the company’s bottom line. by Jeff Wilser

ON THE COVER: DESIGN: SARA BOGOVICH LESSONS FROM TBD FEST | CREATIVE EDUCATION SPACES | YOUR BRAIN ON ART | VISIT SAC TURNS 90

BUSINESS INSIGHT FOR THE CAPITAL REGION

AUGUST ‘17 VOL. 29 | NO. 8

WELLNESS

46 Striking A Chord

Special-needs adults and children find power and autonomy through music therapy, which can assist patients with everything from communication and motor skills, to memory and academics.

the

ART MIND

by Willie Clark

issue

TOURISM

52 The Little Music Festival That Was

The late, great TBD Fest gave Sacramentans a festival oozing with local flavor, but ultimately it fizzled — like many festivals do in their nascent years. Can the city support a festival along the bumpy road to profitability? by Allen Young

EDUCATION

58 School of Thought

The Capital Region is home to a number of accessible and interactive educational art spaces that engage the community and inspire a new generation of artists to create outside the box. by Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

CAREER

66 Make it Work

Working as a full-time artist in Sacramento is possible, but it takes strong communication skills, community building, a business-minded approach and still one thing more: staying positive. by Dave Kempa

Correction: In last month's "Raising The Stakes" feature, we misidentified the owners of Capitol Casino and Parkwest Lotus Casino as Knighted Ventures, of Petaluma. The former is owned by Capitol Casino, Inc. and the latter is owned by The Silver F, Inc. Knighted Ventures is the banker, and is headquartered in Emeryville. We also misidentified the groundbreaking date at Fire Mountain Casino. The correct date was April 2016. We regret the errors.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

n CONTENTS

August 2017

DEPARTMENTS

THE USUAL EVIL HR LADY The employee was inappropriate — but you’re the one liable by Suzanne Lucas

LEADERSHIP

DISCOURSE

103

Sacramento should remain invested in the arts if we want investors to remain in Sacramento

rsvp

worth noting

TASTE by Karen Wilkinson

opinion

Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg discusses economic development, how art can elevate culture and more

Food trucks thrive outside of Sacramento proper

How to be creative and get paid — at the same time

by Christopher Weare

interview by Rich Ehisen

letter from the art director by Kelly Barr

Knowing the difference between leadership and management makes you a better boss by Katie Carr

112

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION

Visit Sacramento 90th anniversary

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Finale Gala/ Center for Fathers and Families 15th Annual Salute to Fatherhood/ Greater Sacramento Economic Council “Extend Your Runway” Campaign Launch/ California YMCA Youth & Government 70th Youth Governor Inaugural Ball

Buzzword of the Month: Bootstrap/ Readers weigh in on the Elk Grove casino and resort/ ICYMI: Sacramento should support DIY art spaces

Comstock's and Visit Sacramento have partnered to bring forward what's best and new in the capital city, from agriculture to art, tourism, history and more

112

snap

CAPITAL REGION CARES

114

the breakdown

The ninth installment of our 22nd annual salute to nonprofits

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

Businessmen by day, rock stars by night

Sacramento values public spaces to create and admire art

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

SMUD means business. SMUD delivers energy saving solutions to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento. Fluctuating indoor temperatures and high bills were the catalysts that led SMUD Strategic Account Advisor, Chantel Hoad to the aid of the Boys & Girls Clubs. Chantel customized an energy strategy with no- and low-cost solutions for long term sustainable savings. To schedule an energy assessment for your business, connect with your strategic account advisor at SMB@smud.org or call 916-732-7290.

smud.org/ WeMeanBusiness Left to right, Kimberly Key Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento and SMUD Strategic Account Advisor, Chantel Hoad.

16 1089-17

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

LETTER FROM THE ART DIRECTOR n

ARTISTS, IS YOUR ‘PERSONAL BRAND’ EATING YOUR PAYCHECK?

’ve lived in the Sacramento area for more than 20 years now, and in that time I’ve worked as a freelance designer, freelance photographer and, more steadily, as the person whose inbox is filled with artists wanting to have their work published in Comstock’s. Many of those years were spent self-employed; I’ve paid all of my bills one month with money to spare, only to wonder where I would find the funds for next month’s mortgage. Or food. I know the plight of the sometimes-starving artist well. Making a career as an artist is rarely easy, sometimes impossible and usually totally worth it. Sometimes we catch a break and get to skip ahead more quickly than anticipated. Other times we have to put in (very) long hours. Here are a few pitfalls I’ve learned to avoid: Sacrificing quality for quantity. This was a hard lesson for me. When I was a photographer, I wanted to photograph everything. Babies! Weddings! Food! The hard truth is, if you are doing everything (and still not getting paid), there’s a good possibility you aren’t doing any of it very well. Just like any other business, the buyer wants to know exactly what they’re getting. Are you a photojournalist who follows ethical standards to a tee? Great. Is your style light and airy studio portraits? Super. I want to work with the best photojournalist, the best studio photographer and the best illustrator ... and they are rarely the same person. If you can create a consistent brand for yourself and your work, you’ll be one step closer to making sure you can afford your avocado toast next month. Not having a plan B. Or C. But I have a dream! I must follow my passion! Look, I’m all for finding your true north and chasing your dream. But if you don’t have a plan for how to get there, and then a backup plan for that plan, the only art you create might be on the cardboard box you’re living in. I’ve diversified my own income in a few different ways over the years, depending on where I was in my career. I’ve worked as a graphic designer doing photography on the side, and as a photographer doing design on the side. Additionally, passive income — anything from an e-book teaching other artists something you’ve mastered to creating stock photography and illustrations for sites like Shutterstock — can be a great way to pay the bills while you create your magnum opus.

Blasting people on social media. I have two very clear memories of checking Facebook, seeing a post by a local artist and thinking to myself, “Wow, I would never want to work with that person.” The first was a freelance photographer who had written a public post on their personal page shaming another local photographer. If you think behavior like this won’t catch up with you professionally — trust me, it will. How you present yourself when you think no one is watching is a part of your brand. The second instance was again a public post from a freelancer (one I had actually been considering working with), airing a grievance against Comstock’s that could have been easily addressed with a quick (and private) email or phone call. Comstock’s, like many local potential employers, is a small business (we are operated by 13 people). It always amazes me when creatives treat us as though we’re the Madoffs and their grandmother just invested her life savings with us. Believe it or not, we’re not out to get you and are happy to hear people out. We really like Sacramento artists and want them to succeed. We have freelancers who have been part of our Comstock’s family for years. They’ve endured our internal changes in leadership, their own moves across the country and back again, crossed wires and even the occasional lackluster output. In addition to regularly producing stellar work, they’re communicative, enjoyable to work with and know how to meet a deadline. But employability hinges on more than the basics. I recently asked one of them how he was able to rebuild his career so quickly after a long stint away from the local community. His response? “It all comes down to reputation.”

Kelly Barr Art Director

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

n OPINION

ARTS ARE GOOD FOR OUR SOUL — AND OUR ECONOMY by Christopher Weare

an Sacramento continue to invest in the arts when public budgets remain tight and the economy continues to underperform? Wrong question. Rather, we need to ask ourselves whether we can afford not to invest in the arts. We need to change the debate away from a competition for dollars and toward building an understanding of the many avenues by which a vibrant arts scene complements and promotes robust economic growth in our region. Sacramento faces numerous economic challenges and remains fettered with its reputation as a cow town. This fact is vividly displayed by Sacramento’s low prominence on the web. Online searches for Sacramento occur less than half as often as Seattle, Austin or Denver. Our tourism economy underperforms the national average in terms of leisure and hospitality employment by a full 7,000 jobs. This fact is disconcerting given Sacramento’s proximity to gold country, Napa, Tahoe and many other regional attractions. On another front, Sacramento is in pitched battle with other major western markets to attract the next wave of innovative industries. Firms want to locate near large pools of young, talented workers. And yet my organization, the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, has found that the city’s reputation hampers its ability to attract the next generation of these highly-educated workers. Savvy investments in the arts can help the region address these woes. Imagine one day walking down K Street regaled by buskers and dropping into art studios lining the street. You stop at the Golden 1 Center to enjoy Jeff Koons’ $8 million sculpture, “Coloring Book," in the public plaza. You continue through an innovative art installation through the tunnel that connects to Old Sacramento and the waterfront. There, further imagine a tangle of pathways and art installations that redefine the city's relationship to the Sacramento River while you hear jangled chords wafting across the water from a music festival on the West Sacramento riverfront. Cities are discovering that arts and music experiences are key to attracting out-of-town visi-

tors and workforce talent — that in turn creates more leisure and hospitality jobs and boosts the prospect of luring innovative firms seeking talented workers. This is not pie-in-the-sky dreaming, but a proven economic development strategy backed by a multitude of successful case studies. Look at San Antonio: The city converted a flood-control project into a charming stretch of shops and restaurants bordering the river. The pathway offers art, food, music and bucolic boat rides. Recently, they have expanded the riverwalk to connect visitors to two museums and a zoo. This rich set of experiences attracts 9.3 million out-of-towners a year and injects an estimated $3 billion into the economy. And look at Miami: The city joined forces with Art Basel — a successful international art show featuring contemporary art in galleries and outdoor exhibits, and which attracts 70,000 annual attendees who spend at least $13 million at the three-day show. Look at Grand Rapids, Michigan and Columbus, Ohio: They join a slew of mid-market cities that are drawing thousands to their cities with music events. Sacramento, moreover, already has great bones onto which it can develop an art- and music-based visitation platform. With the Aftershock Festival, First Fest, Sacramento Music Festival (formerly the Jazz Jubilee) and the now-defunct TBD Fest, Sacramento has already shown that homegrown music festivals catering to the full range of musical tastes can successfully draw tens of thousands of people to the area. The only remaining question is whether one of these festivals or a new concept offers the best prospects for busting into the big leagues. Additionally, the Koons' sculpture in Golden 1 Center's plaza already anchors a revived K Street corridor that connects Midtown galleries and restaurants all the way to the waterfront. Such promenades have been the core of great cities; think of Las Ramblas in Barcelona, 5th Avenue in New York City or the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Infusing this promenade with art and music will transform the vibe of downtown

Cities are discovering that arts and music experiences are key to attracting out-of-town visitors and workforce talent — that in turn creates more leisure and hospitality jobs and boosts the prospect of luring innovative firms seeking talented workers.

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

this month's

CONTRIBUTORS KATIE Katie is a new contributor to ComCARR stock’s, writing for the leadership "Leading May Not Be column. Katie is a principal at Left Easy, but Managing Lane Advisors with over 25 years of is Harder" pg. 30 experience in managing and devel-

Sacramento and vault the successful Second Saturday gallery events to a whole new level. The R Street Corridor is coming alive, and the Crocker Art Museum is cementing these elements together with a major revamp of Crocker Park designed to create a robust, art-centered vibrant civic amenity that connects downtown to the waterfront. If we build this vision of Sacramento, will people come? The growing success of art and music festivals throughout the U.S provides strong reasons to be optimistic. On top of that, ponder these numbers: Each year, 5.3 million people pass through Sacramento traveling between the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Thirty percent of them stop on the way and half express interest in trying out something new. Napa hosted 3.5 million visitors in 2016. Of those who fly to Napa less than 10 percent use the Sacramento Airport. Capturing even a small portion of these tourist markets would have a profound effect on the region's economy and would complement the public investments made in the Golden 1 Center, the convention center and downtown revitalization. Mayor Darrell Steinberg's Destination Sacramento fund, which he recently carved out by limiting the scope of the Convention Center remodel, provides a critical down payment for an arts-based visitation strategy. Sacramento only needs to add imagination and creative energy to make it happen. The arts. They are good for our soul, good for our civic fabric and, most importantly, they are good for our economy.

oping leaders at all levels. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an MBA. Carr has significant experience coaching senior professionals on leadership, developing followership, shaping strategy and succession planning. She actively sits on multiple professional organization advisory boards, is a regular speaker at professional organization meetings and is certified in multiple coaching assessment tools.

WILLIE Originally from upstate New York, CLARK Willie spent three years as music "Striking a Chord" editor at Rochester City Newspaper. pg. 46

Now based in Davis, Clark has written — with a focus on video games and music — for some of the biggest national and local publications, including Vice, Paste, Polygon, Playboy and the Sacramento Bee. "As someone who has almost always been involved with music in some form, it was interesting to learn some of the science behind how music actually works with our brains," Clark says of his feature in this month's issue. On Twitter @_WillieClark.

MIKE A native Northern Californian, GRAFF Mike has been capturing interest"School of Thought" ing angles for two decades, many of pg. 58

Dr. Christopher Weare is the director of research and strategy at the Greater Sacramento Economic Council. He has over 25 years of experience in public policy as a researcher, professor and practitioner. Most recently, he was a research professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy where he led major, grant-funded research projects on citizen engagement, e-government and performance management. Dozens of his research papers have appeared in leading journals. Dr. Weare received a BA in Government from Harvard University and a MPP and Ph.D. in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley.

which have been featured by Comstock's. His specialties encompass architecture, creative portraits and larger productions. "Photography allows me to narrate stories without ever speaking a word. By changing focal points, I am able to entice people with intriguing glimpses into a space, leaving them with a desire to travel the space in person for a deeper understanding; or widen the view to portray a broader scene of light and emotion that inflicts a concept of real life.” He is a traveler at heart. For more information, visit www.mikegraff.co.

August August 20172017 | comstocksmag.com | comstocksmag.com 19

n RSVP

LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY FINALE GALA

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society celebrated its 21st anniversary on June 17 at the Hyatt Regency. Each year, dedicated candidates across the community take part in an exciting competition to earn the LLS’s Man & Woman of the Year titles. By raising funds for LLS blood cancer research, the candidates compete in honor of children who are local blood cancer survivors, who are the Boy and Girl of the Year. Photography: Tia Gemmell

1 Victor Macias, associate governmental program analyst, California State Board of Pharmacy; David Conner, project manager, Headwaters Construction; and Clayton Blakley, LLS Sacramento board chair and vice president, Comstock’s magazine. 2 Stephen Bender, LLS board member and CEO/ president, Warren G. Bender; Nancy Bender, nurse practitioner, Sacramento Heart; Dina Guillen, marketing director, Jimboy’s Tacos; and Roland Guillen, LLS board member and partner, Warren G. Bender. 3 Fritz Stark, 2017 Boy of the Year honoree, with parents Anna and Ben Stark, and big brother Payne. 4 Scott Kirk, realtor/broker, Sierra Pacific Realty; Jim Cornett, owner and general manager, Harlow’s and Momo Lounge; Clay Covington, vice president of sales, Galleher Corporation; and Todd Storm, owner, The Perfect Window. 5 Kim and Sammy Cemo, CEO, Cemo Commercial; Karlee CemoMcIntosh, LLS Woman of the Year and marketing and business development manager, Sacramento365; Eric McIntosh, regional sales manager, Zoom Imaging Solutions; Margaret McIntosh, president, Elite Business Services; and Greg McIntosh, senior vice president of sales, Ascentium Capital.

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

more images at comstocksmag.com

CENTER FOR FATHERS AND FAMILIES TH 15 ANNUAL SALUTE TO FATHERHOOD The Center for Fathers and Families celebrated its 15th Annual Salute to Fatherhood Banquet by honoring five outstanding fathers and mentors in the community. The event, presented by AT&T, raised $100,000 to support the programs offered in CFFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adult and youth services departments. Photography: Courtesy of Center for Fathers & Families

1 Darrell Teat Sr.; and his son, Darrell Teat, Jr., former president, Nehemiah Companies. 2 TJ Jennings, teacher and basketball coach, Reedley College; with his daughter Layanni Jennings; and Rick Jennings, vice mayor of Sacramento and CEO, Center for Fathers and Families; and his granddaughter, Lila Jennings. 3 Grace Kim Shin, group HR manager, Enterprise Holdings; and Susan Irwin, vice president and general manager, Enterprise Rent-A-Car. 4 John Costa, CFF board member and government relations/public affairs representative, PG&E; and Caroline Stringer, public affairs representative, PG&E. 5 From SAFE Credit Union: Ann Marie Murry, branch manager and assistant vice president of regional sales; Dave Roughton, president and CEO; Amanda Garcia Merz, community advocacy and engagement manager; and Johnny Perez, community banking supervisor.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

n RSVP

GREATER SACRAMENTO ECONOMIC COUNCIL “EXTEND YOUR RUNWAY” CAMPAIGN LAUNCH The Greater Sacramento Economic Council launched its “Extend Your Runway” campaign on June 22, with an event hosted by SAFE Credit Union in Folsom. The event gave an exclusive first look at the campaign and the chance to hear from leaders of featured companies. Sacramento technology CEOs discussed their success starting companies in Sacramento. Photography: Tia Gemmell

1 Mary Ann McAlea, senior vice president, Greater Folsom Partnership; and Keith Parker, vice president of marketing and communications, Greater Sacramento Economic Council. 2 From Porter Co.: Lori Porter, principal; Casey Catlett, creative director; and Shelly James, digital director. 3 David Donnelly, senior director of business development, Sigmaways; and Dave Caldwell, director of missile defense and strategic systems, Aerojet. 4 Joseph Gagliardi, CEO, Folsom Chamber of Commerce and president, Folsom Tourism Bureau and Folsom Economic Development Corporation; Evert Palmer, city manager, Folsom; Lee Harrison, CEO, Apeiron Data Systems; Dave Lucchetti, president & CEO, Pacific Coast Building Products; and Hardeep Gulati, CEO, PowerSchool Group. 5 From Five Star Bank: Jerry Legg, SVP/government banking manager; Jon Gregory, vice president and venture banking manager; and Mike Rizzo, chief banking officer.

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

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A Devilishly Clever Musical DAMN YANKEES · AUGUST 8-13

A Divine Musical Comedy SISTER ACT · AUGUST 22-27

at the WELLS FARGO PAVILION

TICKETS: (916) 557-1999 / SACRAMENTOMUSICCIRCUS.COM August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

n RSVP

CALIFORNIA YMCA YOUTH & GOVERNMENT 70TH YOUTH GOVERNOR INAUGURAL BALL California YMCA Youth & Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 70th Youth Governor Inaugural Ball was on June 6 at the Sutter Club. Youth Governor Cole Cahill was sworn in and special tribute was given to guest speaker, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. The eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s festivities included a VIP Reception, dinner, dancing and an exclusive live auction. Photography: Tia Gemmell

1 Debbie Gabelich, president and CEO, California YMCA Youth & Government; Brian Saenger, board member, California YMCA Youth & Government; and Kim Tucker, board member, California YMCA Youth & Government. 2 Jennifer Prouhet, senior director of marketing and business development, California YMCA Youth & Government; and Summer Pettek, communications and outreach manager, California YMCA Youth & Government. 3 Alex Padilla, Secretary of State, California; Cole Cahill, Youth Governor, California YMCA Youth & Government; Debbie Gabelich, president and CEO, California YMCA Youth & Government; and Patrick Harbison, event emcee and owner, Patrick Harbison Public Relations. 4 Mary Daffin, owner, Mary Daffin Event Designs; Mashariki Lawson, senior consultant, Sjoberg Evashenk Consulting; Rashell Choo, graphic designer; and Jessica Atchison, intern, MeringCarson. 5 Victoria Vera, former youth board member, California YMCA Youth & Government; Delaney Ivey, youth board member, California YMCA Youth & Government; Alex Padilla, Secretary of State, California; Cole Cahill, Youth Governor, California YMCA Youth & Government; Jake Mehari, youth board member, California YMCA Youth & Government; Celine Cuadra, Youth Chief Justice, California YMCA Youth & Government; and Ariana Trujillo, former Youth Governor, California YMCA Youth & Government.

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

You experience. We educate. Continuing a legacy of artistic expression and collaboration.

Art has the power to educate. To move. To transform. At UC Davis, we believe in the power and possibility of the arts. Our tradition of artistic innovation took shape in the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;60s, led by artists like Wayne Thiebaud and Robert Arneson, and continues today in classrooms, museums, performance halls, design studios, and other centers of creativity across our university. Learn more at 21stcentury.ucdavis.edu. August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

n WORTH NOTING

buzzwords

boot strap

READERS RESPOND IN THE COMMENTS PHOTO: MIKE GRAFF

/'bōōt,strap/, adj., v. The process of starting a business on a shoestring budget without external help or capital. Such startups fund the development of their company through internal cash flow. BY Robin Epley ILLUSTRATION: Jason Balangue

often wonder where such idioms as “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” come from. For me, the phrase conjures up images of cowboys and hard work. It means starting with little or nothing, and getting riches or success through your own blood, sweat and tears (another idiom I’m not sure I want to know the province of.) In business, the word has a similar meaning — though not necessarily involving cowboys. Take, for instance, the women’s undergarment company Spanx, which started with the founder’s $5,000 in savings ... and had an estimated $400 million in sales last year.

THE BUZZ But slow down, cowboy: Bootstrapping is a lot harder than it sounds. “I think it means that if you’ve taken any external money, you can’t call it bootstrap,” says Eric Knopf, cofounder of Webconnex, a Sacramento-based event and fundraising software company. The company claims right across the top of their website: “We're small, privately-held, bootstrapped and kicking butt.” Yes, foregoing external money is the first step. But putting in hundreds of thousands of dollars of your own money doesn’t count as bootstrapping either. To earn the title, you have to work for it: stretching a shoestring budget as far as it can go, and often making sacrifices like not renting office space until absolutely necessary. You might have to get creative, like using money gained from customer pre-orders to fund the manufacturing of your product. Webconnex was bootstrapped because its founders put only a small amount of their own capital into launching the startup, and didn’t rely on venture capitalists or significant angel investors. “We had no outside funding,” Knopf says. “We just kind of hustled and got it started.”

Raising the Stakes: Wilton Rancheria Casino could be an economic boon for both Elk Grove and the only Native American tribe in Sacramento County — if it ever gets built

Concerned Citizen: Really? Why can't cities these days create a better economy for their communities without the riff-raff; e.g., criminals and undesirable activities, that another casino would bring to Elk Grove? What did cities in this state do prior to legalized gambling? Seems CA cities had creativity and flourished — right? No more casinos! Paul Finn: Truth is the casino will bring lots of good jobs to the area, and as far as the "riff-raff" goes, have you been to any casino lately? Most of the clientele are middle-aged or retired, and are drawn to the casino as much for the restaurants and entertainment as they are for the gambling. In fact, with all of the monitoring and security around casinos, a casino is probably one of the safest places you could visit. People are already leaving the region to go to Reno, Lake Tahoe, Cache Creek and other venues. Why not keep the people and the money they are spending right here where it can do Elk Grove and Sacramento the most good?

THE WORD Moving a startup from an idea into a minorly profitable state on a tight budget is an accomplishment. Because those founders use sweat equity, ingenuity and hard work to get their business running, using the term comes with a sense of pride. Knopf says his greatest contribution to the company was actually the endless hours and work he put into his product. (The Webconnex platform recently passed $1 billion in sales). “Some people just think it means that you haven't taken any money from VCs,” he says. But at Webconnex, Knopf and co-founder John Russell “started it up from the side, had slow growth, built motion and its growth was fed by its own early profits.” That’s really pulling yourself up by your bootstraps. Bootstrappers may also find that their business does better in the long-run: By not relying on outside investors, bootstrapped business founders have undiluted control and equity over the future of their company. They’ve had to solve problems on their own, and have learned about the careful management of their money — which is valuable over the lifespan of a business, not just the startup phase. Watch the video online! 26

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

A Night at the Ballpark: River Cats public address announcer talks about landing his dream job

David Liebler: Mike Marando is more than just a Public Address Announcer. His love of the game is evident, not only in this piece, but through his voice that echoes throughout Raley Field on those hot Sacramento summer nights. He truly cares about the fans and the players. He is definitely Sacramento's very own Roy Steele.

Have something to say? Email us. editorial@comstocksmag.com.

ON THE WEB ONLY

Read the full stories at comstocksmag.com

get social @syodertweets: Wanted: More spaces like this for face-to-face, non ad hominem policy discussion:

PHOTOS: JOAN CUSICK (TOP); COURTESY OF BRANCH TO BOX (BOTTOM)

Policy Talk Wonk Wednesday event at New Helvetia Brewery pairs beer with in-depth policy discussions

Artists are an Essential Part of Sacramento

@SacAppraiser: Pretty cool. My first article for @comstocksmag is hot off the press in the July issue.

by Maya Wallace

Sacramento should find ways to incentivize property owners to continue supporting DIY art venues. These grungy, out-of-the-way and hidden-in-plain-sight spots are the crucible of any thriving creative community.

@baconandbutters: Congratulations! @SacAppraiser: Thanks. I should celebrate with an epic breakfast... :)

Startup of the Month: Branch to Box by Russell Nichols

Last year, Chiles Wilson Jr. emptied out his savings and launched Branch to Box, an online fruit and healthy snack subscription service. Based in Lodi, the company focuses on cutting out the middlemen (hence the name) to provide the freshest possible fruit to offices.

@comstocksmag On Monday, we celebrated the graduation of Comstock's own @kiarrah_lala, from the @nelp.leaders program! #Congrats

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

n EVIL HR LADY

DILEMMA OF THE MONTH

He Said, She Said by Suzanne Lucas ILLUSTRATION: JOHN CHASE

e have a female employee who reported sexual harassment from a male coworker. The woman didn’t want to come forward, but once the CEO found out, he felt he had an obligation to handle the claim. We currently are without an HR manager, so we contacted our lawyer and have been instructed to issue a final warning to the male employee. What is the proper way to handle this? Should an investigation be made? Should we ask employees questions regarding the accused? Should the company allow the male employee to know who the accuser was, or should we keep that confidential for her sake?

GOODNESS YES, THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION. There should be an investigation immediately. Let's go through how to do that, step by step.

WHO SHOULD CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION? Normally, this is something human resources handles. If you don't have an

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

HR department or if your company is so small that everyone knows everyone else, you’ll want to hire an outside consultant. Why? Because in a small office, knowledge of these two employees can and will influence judgment. An outside investigator won’t have these preconceived opinions. If your office is large enough that the investigator

will not have a personal relationship with any of the people involved, then your internal HR can investigate; but in small companies, this is almost impossible.

ILLUSTRATION: SHUTTERSTOCK

SHOULD YOU TELL THE ACCUSED THE NAME OF THE ACCUSER? Some people will say you shouldn’t, in a misguided effort to protect the accuser. Here's the reality: If the person is guilty, then they already know who they offended. But if they’re not guilty, it's impossible to defend yourself against an unknown — it turns the whole situation into something Kafkaesque. So yes, I think telling this employee the name of who is accusing them (and of what) is appropriate.

HOW SHOULD THE INVESTIGATION PROCEED? The investigator should take a statement from both the accuser and the accused, then ask both for witnesses. They should interview the witnesses and ask if there are other people with whom they should speak. Then they interview and interview and interview some more until everyone has given a statement. Everyone should be cautioned to keep the discussion completely confidential until the investigation concludes.

COMING TO A CONCLUSION After the investigator has spoken with everyone, they can draw up conclusions and make a recommendation. It's then up to the business to decide what to do with the employees involved. If the investigator determines what was accused is exactly what happened, then this male employee should be severely disciplined. A termination is always an option in these cases, although you aren't required to terminate a sexual harasser. If you decide to let him stay, it should be with a huge write-up in his file, and a warning that this puts him at two strikes. One more and he's out the door. This needs to be the case even if he's a star performer. Your female employee should experience no negative consequences because of her complaint. If she, understandably,

does not wish to work with her male colleague anymore, and if it's possible to move one of them, make sure she is in a similar or better role than before. Any hint of punishment or retaliation can come back to bite you legally. But what if the situation isn't quite so clear? This happens more often than you'd think. Perhaps this male employee did say inappropriate things to the female employee, but maybe she said inappropriate things to him as well. Or perhaps he didn't say any such thing, but this woman has a vendetta against him. In either situation, you need to make sure the punishment fits the crime: Whichever party lied gets the consequences, and if they are both guilty, then they both get write-ups and stern warnings.

THE TAKEAWAY The important thing is that you take every charge of harassment seriously. You must investigate every single incident and you must document everything from the investigation — dates, times, people,

conclusions and punishments. There are no exceptions to this “investigate everything” rule. Even if it’s the owner of the company, you’re still obligated. Investigations cost money and take time, but it’s critical to the health of any business that management investigates immediately when someone complains. Ignoring these situations is not only how you end up with a toxic workplace culture, it's how you end up on the losing side of a spectacularly awful lawsuit. n Suzanne Lucas spent 10 years in corporate human resources, where she hired, fired, managed the numbers and doublechecked with the lawyers. On Twitter @RealEvilHRLady.

Have a burning HR question? Email it to: evilhrlady@comstocksmag.com.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

n LEADERSHIP

LEADING MAY NOT BE EASY, BUT MANAGING IS HARDER You need to know the difference between the two, so you can excel at your role BY Katie Carr

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

ILLUSTRATION: ELEMENTS FROM SHUTTERSTOCK

WHAT EXACTLY IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LEADER AND A MANAGER? We often use these terms interchangeably, but the skills necessary to be effective in these roles are quite different. One involves looking beyond day-to-day needs to see the big picture, while the other means focusing on the details. Both require a service toward others. We tend to think of leaders as the ultimate role to aspire to, as the people who truly innovate and sometimes even change society for the better. These are the names we all know. Think: Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg. Yet, I would argue that being a great manager is actually more difficult than being a great leader. It’s true that great leaders build a clear vision and communicate it consistently. Their job is to inspire and motivate their people while being committed to developing staff through mentorship and coaching. Leaders are highly effective at building trust and healthy relationships with and within their teams. That’s a pretty tall order. But great managers must also be great leaders — doing all of the above to some degree while also delving into the nitty gritty of overseeing programs and people to get the job done. And the better you understand, can convey and keep a team focused on the broader vision, the better manager you will be.

Why is it so important to distinguish between the two? Because being one doesn’t automatically make you the other — and whether you’re an entrepreneur running your own startup or a top-level executive in a big corporation, it’s important to understand what you excel at and what role you need to play.

WANT TO BE A GREAT LEADER? Have you ever experienced a truly great leader? If so, you’ll know that building and communicating a vision is a critical aspect of leadership, as doing so aligns teams and creates common goals — the linchpins for success. A leader can see the big picture; broaden perspective and anticipate future trends; and learn from past experiences and take calculated risks. A great leader is curious and open to new ideas, with an eye toward the future. By definition, leaders need followers to join in their quest, and we follow leaders that inspire and motivate us. Inspiration and motivation emerges when we share our passion with others, communicate our hopes and dreams, and help others see their brilliance. It happens when we encourage others, treat them with respect and come from a place of genuine authenticity. To become an effective leader, spend time observing those you find to be inspiring and motivating. What do you hear them say? What energy level are they exuding? How are they communicating their message? What are some emotive words they use that move you toward action? How do they talk about learning from mistakes? Leadership is about the stewardship of others to help individuals reach their full potential. It is not about what the followers will do for the leader. An important aspect for success in this arena is trust. Here’s how to build trust: Trust first. Asking for trust without trusting others will stifle relationships and prevent followership. Be reliable and consistent with behavior and action. Do what you say you

are going to do, and communicate early if things change. Be aware of your reaction to stressors and setbacks, so you don’t act in a manner that causes people to avoid you. Communicate often. Reach out to those you lead, ask about their interests and share your own stories. Be patient. Everyone develops at his or her own pace, so be supportive — not judgmental. Act with integrity and humility. Be willing to own your mistakes, and communicate with honesty and transparency. Address issues directly. When issues are left unaddressed, anxiety ensues and people fill the silence with their own interpretations.

WANT TO BE A GREAT MANAGER? While leaders build vision, great managers execute the strategies needed to achieve that vision. They develop plans for their team, establish clear expectations for success, provide on-going and meaningful feedback, and hold themselves and others accountable. Managers — just like leaders — need to build trust with their staff. But here’s where things get tricky. Managers — unlike leaders — are on the frontlines of handling different personalities among employees, resolving interoffice arguments and guiding staff in their day-to-day efforts. While these tasks aren’t always glamorous and won’t make you a household name (like the Steve Jobs of the world) they are critical to a company’s operations. You’ve likely heard the phrase, “People don’t leave companies, they leave managers.” That’s a lot of pressure, and it’s an important truism to keep in mind. Building effective management skills takes time and effort. Here are some tips to remember: Focus on understanding. Listen to what people need from you to be successful. Unlike leaders, managers do need to maintain some focus on what

employees do for you. However, the best managers can tie those tasks not just to the company’s broader vision, but also to employees’ professional goals. This creates a symbiotic relationship that ultimately boosts productivity. Keep staff implementing the details. Provide clear expectations about who will be held accountable for what, how deadlines will be tracked and what success looks like at the end of the day. Ensure that workflows are executed effectively by remaining connected to your team. Hold people accountable. This requires that you provide consistent constructive feedback, and if it comes from a place of care and support it will be received well. Treat people with respect. If you do, they will go to great lengths to work hard for you. Ensure that your team knows you will have their back, and you are there for support. Immerse yourself in learning. Stay current on best management practices, and strive to improve for your team and the organization as a whole. Seek a mentor or coach. Find someone to help you grow. Your company and your team will appreciate it, as this is ultimately an investment in them. So is your role to serve as a leader or a manager? Both roles are challenging, and understanding what it takes to be one or the other is step one on your road to success. n Katie Carr is a principal at Left Lane Advisors with over 25 years of experience in managing and developing leaders at all levels.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Read Comstock’s leadership column every other month.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

n DISCOURSE

EYE ON THE HORIZON Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg on economic development, wireless infrastructure and elevating the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture INTERVIEW BY Rich Ehisen PHOTOGRAPH: Noel Neuburger

acramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg has a decidedly unique perspective on the role of government borne of experience few can match: he is a former city councilman, California assemblymember and senate president who has come home to local government. We sat down with him to talk about his vision for the city.

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

You’ve talked of making Sacramento a more attractive destination to visitors. What are your priorities in this regard? The people of Sacramento are hungry for this city to elevate. They know they already live in a great city, but we want it to be more. We want more art, we want more culture, we want more street activity, we want more of the positive urban experience and we want more music festivals. My view of Sacramento is that it is a city on fire, and my job is to help create the condition and the public capacity to be able to do more around art, innovation, technology, food and “Destination Sacramento” [a $22 million fund the City would use to pay for city improvement projects]. The old theory in this city has been that you do one big thing at a time and hope that generates enough revenue so five years later you can consider doing another big thing. I want us to continue to evolve our mindset, and to back up that we can do more than one big thing at a time, we can be creative and we must diversif y our approach to building a modern economy.

You were the driver of a significantly slimmed-down renovation plan for the Convention Center. How does that position Sacramento to compete with other cities in the high-dollar convention trade? No. 1, we’re going to be able to accommodate more than one convention at a time. Second, we have also lacked cohesive and efficient meeting space, which is what conventioneers really want. We’re not building as much additional exhibit space, which was never proven to be the driver of conventions or the predicate to building more hotels. Instead we’re going to dramatically increase the meeting space, we’re going to fix the logistic issues around the existing center that prevents multiple conferences to occur at one time, and we’re partnering with [commercial real estate developer] David Taylor and

“

The old theory in this city has been that you do one big thing at a time and hope that generates enough revenue so five years later you can consider doing another big thing. I want us to continue to evolve our mindset …”

others to build a 350-room hotel on the east end, which is part of the reason to expand the Convention Center in the first place. To have a hotel that is continuous and connected to the Convention Center for additional meeting space is going to make us even more attractive. We’ve also got plans for a second phase, but I want to make sure we are diversifying our investments in this tourism destination area because it’s not just about conventions — it’s about arts, culture, festival and branding this city as the place to be.

How prepared is Sacramento to deal with a potential economic downturn? We are in pretty good shape but we have more work to do. CalPERS dropping its investment rate from 7.5 to 7 percent translates into a nearly $30 million increase in the City’s employer contribution. While we do have a surplus, we have to address that issue and we also have to renew our Measure U — the house and sales tax — which expires in 2019. If we do that we’ve got two upsides that offset the pension issue. But No. 1 is the issue of marijuana. The voters said yes and so we’re adopting the philosophy that, so long as it is regulated and taxed, it is appropriate for us to allow the cultivation, distribution, manufacturing and testing [within city limits] of what would become a legal drug. Regulation is key because it’s already going on underground and we’re not getting a penny of it. We will have to use a significant amount of the money from permitting fees to in-

crease law enforcement to shut down the illegal parts of the industry, but there is a significant upside in terms of revenue. We’ve [also] got to grow the economy. That’s the only way we’re going to grow a tax base that is going to allow us to have relative stability over a long period of time and to increase our investments in youth and in public safety.

Verizon is planning to invest over $100 million in wireless infrastructure around the city. What does this mean for our economic environment? The usual government way of procuring anything is to put out a standard request for proposal, allow everybody to compete and then pick one and let’s hope it works out. But we are doing something very different here: What we did is ask Verizon to make us an offer about how they wanted to work with us to procure technology in our city. As long as it was fair to the taxpayers, and has the potential to make Sacramento the lead demonstration city for these new technologies, we said we will work with you. Verizon said, ‘Let us put up 103 small cell units. Let us have a break on permitting fees as we go for 5G technology, and we will invest tens of millions of dollars in your fiber optic networks for the exclusive use of the city. We’ll put Wi-Fi in 27 lower-income areas. We’ll allow you to use our technology to help fix problems in your most congested intersections in the city and we’ll have a partnership.’ We

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

CHAMBER VIEW

Fueling Organic Job Growth Recognizing small business drives our regional economy, the Sacramento Metro Chamber began managing the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program in 2014. The goal was to make an investment in entrepreneurs and business owners that were intent on growing their business in our Capital Region. We’ve been hard at work and the results are in. Over the past two and a half years, the SBDC has assisted over 1,500 entrepreneurs with business formation, business plan development, access to capital, marketing initiatives and more. These efforts have resulted in 97 new business starts, 638 jobs created/retained and $31,403,510 in new capital infused into these companies. These results, particularly the job creation numbers, are not lost on our local, state and federal partners. Members from both sides of the aisle have expressed strong support for the program with federal funding from the SBA increasing 5% in 2017. As a “matching” program, the other 50% must come from state and local sources. In all other 49 states, the program is fully matched by the State, but that is not the case in California. Last year, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GO-Biz) funded $1.5 million of the over $12 million in required matching funds. Given the success of the program locally, our local legislators decided to get involved. Thanks to the leadership of Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D – Elk Grove) the legislature increased GO-Biz’s commitment to the program to $3 million. With very little overhead, these additional funds will directly translate to more services for small businesses and organic job growth here in our economy. This will only improve the impressive ROI for the state. Currently, over $787 million in capital is generated from the 42 centers around the state. There is tremendous job growth coming from small businesses. While the Metro Chamber is a strong advocate on the importance of attracting and supporting new companies to the region, the reality is that two-thirds of all new job growth will take place organically, through new and existing local firms. The Metro Chamber is proud to be an economic development leader in providing organic job growth throughout the Capital Region. Please check us out: capitalregionsbdc.com.

Scott Leslie

DIRECTOR, CAPITAL REGION SBDC

n DISCOURSE said yes. And it’s not an exclusive agreement. Our message to everybody else is to come on in and do the same kinds of things with us. We’re trying to think differently about the traditional government way of interacting with technology and with the private sector.

Sacramento is one of numerous U.S. cities banding together to continue with the tenets of the Paris Climate Agreement. Why is this important? California is on its way to becoming the fifth largest economy in the world. You better believe it’s important that the capital city take a strong stand when it comes to the future of the planet, because California is so central to that future. We’ve also demonstrated that you can have a better environment, a healthier climate, and also forge ahead to invest in and create a renewable energy industry and create a new economy. You’re either looking backward at part of the past and nostalgic about what was, or you’re looking forward. That’s an easy choice for me.

Sacramento has struggled to be seen as something more than just a government town. How do you see this city’s identity now and going forward? Opportunity cannot be had by government alone ... because we’re too subject to the ups and downs of a state budget. Yes, we have an advantage here in terms of our physical proximity to the Silicon Valley, to the Bay Area and to UC Davis, Berkeley, Stanford, Sacramento State, as well as a great community college system. Shame on us if we don’t take greater advantage of all of those attributes to build a modern, high-wage, private sector economy that focuses on our natural strengths, whether it’s food, agriculture, tourism or technology. We have announced a new arts leader as well as a large increase in funding ($500,000 over the next two years) for the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission. We’re also changing what I call the anti-busking ordinance that prohibits live entertainment out in our urban corridor. We’re going to seed creative economy projects in each of the City Council districts, and the city is hungry for more. n Rich Ehisen is the managing editor of State Net Capitol Journal. His work has appeared in Sunset, San Francisco Magazine, California Journal, Sacramento Magazine and the Lexis Legal Network. On Twitter @WordsmithRich.

What issues should the City of Sacramento prioritize? TWEET US @COMSTOCKSMAG.

Join Us (916) 552- 6 800 www.metrochamber.org 34

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

University of San Francisco

S AC R A M E N TO

LEARN TODAY. LEAD TOMORROW. Find your future at the Jesuit university that inspires students to lead, to succeed, to make a difference. Programs in Counseling | Teaching | Nursing usfca.edu/sacramento CHAN G E TH E WO R LD FROM H E R E | 1 Capitol Mall, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

n TASTE

TRUCKIN’ TO THE SUBURBS Food truck events find acceptance and easy rules to operate in cities on the outskirts of Sacramento BY Blake Gillespie PHOTOGRAPHY: Joan Cusick

Alexa Zajic of Cowtown Creamery at Roseville’s Food Truck Mania in July.

n April 29, SactoMoFo, which had held regular events over the years that opened the door for food trucks in Sacramento, hosted its 10th and final central city gathering at the Railyards. The event that activated an industry in 2011 with a dozen trucks — back then the only food trucks in town — held its swan song in a downtown sector the city is trying to activate. Was the irony lost? Now an estimated 60-plus trucks in the greater Sacramento region serve the gamut of on-the-go meals: from boba to burgers, pizza to papaya, curry to cupcakes. Sacto-

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

MoFo isn’t shuttering, but making a financial decision to focus on events in cities that don’t require redundant permitting and fees to operate: cities like Elk Grove, Roseville, West Sacramento, Rancho Murieta, Folsom and Rancho Cordova — basically anywhere but Sacramento. Founder Paul Somerhausen’s outlook is that the city now has enough cultural cache that it simply doesn’t need to clear a path for food trucks. “The barrier of entry is a lot higher here than it is in other cities,” Somerhausen says. “The smaller communities will try harder because they want the

culture, they want the trends. The City of Sacramento has so many choices and options already that they don’t have to worry about one more project. Stuff will happen anyway.” This has led to two trends in the region. The first is SactoMoFo — still the big tuna in the regional food truck scene — focusing its outreach in smaller communities where city officials are encouraging and helpful. The second is interest in the Sacramento market from the Bay Area. Just across the Tower Bridge along the West Sacramento river walk promenade, San Francisco-based Off The Grid at The Barn is in its second

year, holding a weekly food truck event with interactive art and live music. “We’re literally off the grid,” says Off The Grid Vice President of Operations Stephanie Kuo of this location. Founded in 2010, the events group organizes street food vendor experiences around Northern California, and is staking out territory around the region, seemingly dodging Sacramento except for Thursday appearances at the Sacramento Zoo. They also hold events at Prospect Park in Rancho Cordova, the Folsom Outlets and downtown Roseville. “Sacramento has a lot of stuff to keep you guys busy,” Kuo says. “We’re trying to figure out how we fit in that.” For Off The Grid, it’s been about turning the isolated structure known as The Barn into a destination that services their target demographic, which Kuo says are young families and people with dogs. “We’re placing an emphasis on entertainment this year at The Barn,” she says. “Throughout the season we’re going to bring different types of activations. The art scene in Sacramento is really booming and we want to be able to showcase some of that.” West Sacramento’s accommodating practices extend beyond the encouragement of creative events and activations. Yolo County is one of the few counties that allows reciprocity, in which they honor the Sacramento County permit for food trucks, provided the business has no major violations, and reduce the permit cost to $250. Again, this clears a path for emerging culture and small business. “Food trucks have thrived regardless of the government road bumps,” Somerhausen says. “There’s been so much public demand. Could it be better? Of course it could be better.” To Somerhausen, better looks like fewer permits and fees. In order for a food truck to operate it must obtain a permit with the county to confirm it meets health codes. The permits typically cost around $600. Becoming a successful mobile business means holding permits for several counties beyond Sacramento, like Placer and Amador or Bay Area counties like San Francisco and Alameda. The permits make operators

eligible for major events and pods of small two-to-five truck congregations that are more financially alluring than solo parking in high-population density districts for lunch rushes or late night pop-ups.

Burgers from GameDay at Food Truck Mania.

“Food trucks have thrived regardless of the government road bumps. There’s been so much public demand. Could it be better? Of course it could be better.” - Paul Somerhausen, founder, SactoMoFo

Keith Breedlove, owner of the Culinerdy Cruzer food truck based in Elk Grove, says events like Off The Grid and partnerships with wineries and breweries in suburban areas carry greater financial appeal than being downtown as the bars let out — which may be contrary to popular belief. “There’s no business downtown,” Breedlove says. “We do better business on the outskirts. Better business at breweries in West Sacramento or the wineries in Clarksburg. The places where there’s not a density of services to provide.”

Who needs food trucks more — the suburbs or the central city? TWEET US @COMSTOCKSMAG.

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n TASTE

Stephanie and Mike Carr give 2-year-old Michael a taste of strawberry lemonade at Food Truck Mania in Roseville.

However Somerhausen’s opinion contrasts with Breedlove’s when it comes to nightlife districts. “I think nightlife is a huge gap for food trucks,” he says. “There’s not a lot of restaurants that are open after hours and yet they’ve made it practically impossible to operate in the nightlife districts.” Both men worked on the updates to the mobile food ordinance with the Sacramento City Council in 2015 as part of a committee. Breedlove’s Culinerdy Cruzer truck is celebrating its five-year anniversary in September. He’s been here since the boom and witnessed the dust settle. While the ordinance lifted absurd regulations like 30-minute parking limits and allows trucks to be at a 50-feet distance from restaurants with outdoor seating areas, the regulations around additional fees still continue to harm mobile vendors. According to the vendors, City of Sacramento is one of the few cities in the U.S. that requires a second permit to operate a food truck, one they describe as “re-

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

dundant” and a “nuisance.” It’s a special business permit that requests brake and light inspections by the City and the police department. Once completed it totals an additional $600 over the county permit fee. The City is not done though. If trucks want to establish a pod, it requires more paperwork and more fees. Two trucks may assemble for $2,500 — any more than two and the cost doubles. Somerhausen also says that in his experience the permits take roughly six months to process, which is the sort of timeline that could bankrupt a truck before it ever has an opportunity to light the grill. “To just put five trucks together you don’t need a permit in most places outside of the city of Sacramento,” he says. “If it’s an ongoing thing, there’s fees for every time you’re at a certain place. Most cities there’s no such requirements.” Currently SactoMoFo limits its downtown pods to two trucks outside of Sutter Hospital at 15th Street and Capitol Avenue for lunch. Both are run with weekday regularity. The resentment from truck owners

over excessive fees and permits means Sacramento continues to miss the boat with food trucks, while the evolution of the scene continues to grow on the outskirts of the city with more events and Bay Area interest. Take SactoMoFo’s partnership with the City of Roseville, which shuts down Grant and Vernon Streets twice a month for Food Truck Mania. The event is promoted and embraced by the City as a way to establish the downtown as a stronger community focal point. Roseville Public Information Officer Brian Jacobson writes in an email that the popularity of the food truck events impacted more downtown events like concerts and family festivals. “The food trucks continue to be a staple,” Jacobson writes. “Even when our food truck events are held in the rain or heat, people are still lined up.” n Blake Gillespie is a freelance journalist. His work can be found in the Sacramento Bee, Sacramento News & Review, Submerge Magazine and Vice.com.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

MANAGEMENT

PERFORMANCE

ART Artistic offices lead to more productive and engaged teams BY Jeff Wilser PHOTOGR APH: Ken James

comstocksmag.com | August 201 2017 7

This sculpture by Davis-based artist Cindy Wilson was dubbed "Dotty" as part of a teambuilding activity at Runyon Saltzman.

August August 2017 2017 | comstocksmag.com

MANAGEMENT

hen you walk into the offices of Sacramento-based communications firm Runyon Saltzman, you’ll see a small model of an antique red tricycle. Matching red swivel chairs. A ceramic sculpture of a woman sitting atop a car with big red lips and a glass hat. And then there’s the statue. The firm’s co-founder, Estelle Saltzman, bought the concrete, 6-foot-tall sculpture of a woman standing on a beach ball with hands on her hips from Davisbased artist Cindy Wilson. “It’s a fantastic piece, and it’s got a good sense of humor,” Saltzman says. When she brought the piece into the office, Saltzman says she told employees there would be a naming contest for the beach-ball lady, and she would take the winner to lunch at Ella Dining Room. Five employees came up with the exact same name: Dotty. “That created lots of conversation — although I did have to take five people to lunch,” Saltzman says, laughing. Dotty is a prominent fixture of the workspace, and it’s not uncommon for people to pose with her for pictures. This boosts morale. This builds teamwork. “She’s become kind of a mascot.” Such is the power of art. Art in the workplace is more than cosmetic; it can actually improve employee attitudes, performance, and even the company’s bottom line. This feels almost blasphemous. By definition, we think of “art” and “profit” as two distinct and

even clashing concepts, with the unspoken assumption that chasing profits will corrupt art, and that art drags down profits. Conventional wisdom says “art for art’s sake”: Art is not a means to an end, art is the end. Perhaps. Yet researchers have found that art confers a quantifiable benefit to job performance — and could make us happier, healthier and more likely to impress a client. An indulgence or a savvy business tool? Maybe both…

ART AND PRODUCTIVITY Sarah Redeen, an interior designer and Sacramento director of the International Interior Design Association, frequently sees her clients skimp on artwork. "People think it’s just a ‘nicety,’ and they don’t realize that it adds so much value,” Redeen says. “But art sparks creativity. It sparks imagination. And it gives your employees a sense of pride.” This is not some touchy-feely mumbo-jumbo. “Just as ergonomic studies have shown that you should get up from your desk every hour and walk around, the same is true for your mind,” she continues. “When you have something interesting on the wall, it gives employees something to think about when they need a break.” Research backs up the theory. Dr. Craig Knight, from the UK’s University of Exeter, has dedicated his career to studying

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the impact of workplace design on job performance. In trial after trial, his team has found a link between a pleasant environment and improved output. Art is central to this. “If you own a zoo, the least you can do for a zoo animal is to make his enclosure more interesting,” he says, “And office workers are the same way.” In one 2010 study, Knight and his co-author S. Alexander Haslam split workers into four different groups to then work in four different office environments: Lean: Your typical Office Space-type setting, this environment consisted of a sea of gray desks and cubicles free of distractions. No clutter, no plants and no artwork. Enriched: The space was decorated with art and plants, including “several large, bright Georgia O’Keeffe-style pictures.” Empowered: Workers were given art and plants, and then allowed to rearrange to their hearts’ content. Disempowered: This sounds something like a cruel joke. Workers were given the opportunity to arrange their art, but then, when they were finished, the office was restored to its original condition. The scientists gave the workers tasks that were timed, tracked and studied. They found that employees in the Georgia O’Keeffe-infused offices worked 15 percent faster — without a higher frequency of errors — than those in the “lean” environment. They also said they felt healthier and happier. Workers

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allowed to redecorate their workspace were 30 percent more productive than the “lean” group. They reported higher job satisfaction. (“When can I move in?” one worker asked.) The “disempowered” employees performed at the same levels as those in the "lean" group, but, predictably, were upset. (“I felt really undermined,” one worker reported. Another simply said to the scientists, “I wanted to hit you.”) So what caused the difference in productivity? “We think that when people feel uncomfortable in their surroundings, they are less engaged — not only with the space but with the work they perform in that space,” theorize Knight and Haslam. And Knight stresses that employee choice matters. “Enrichment is good. But empowerment is still better.” (Remember what happened when Saltzman asked employees to name the statue?)

A BETTER WATER COOLER Paulette Trainor runs an interior design firm in Sacramento, and she’s a big believer in the power of art to do more than just add style. It breaks the ice and elevates the conversation. “You can be standing next to somebody you’ve never met before and make a simple comment, like ‘Oh, that’s an interesting piece,’ and that opens up avenues of discussion,” Trainor says. The ensuing conversation tends to rise above water cooler talk. Unlike more ho-hum topics, a discussion of art can cre-

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MANAGEMENT

ate what Trainor calls a “safe space” to tease out differences of opinion. Maybe you think the blood-red painting of a snowflake is achingly beautiful, yet your coworker thinks it makes no sense. This provides a sneaky way for the two of you to playfully debate, swap ideas and get to know each other better. No one’s feelings get hurt (unlike, say, a discussion about politics or someone’s job performance.) At Runyon Saltzman, for example, Saltzman installed a piece by renowned Sacramento-based ceramic artist Peter VandenBerge, with a different face on the front and the back. You can see one face from inside the conference room and the other face from outside the room. “This gets everyone talking,” she says. Talking, speculating, debating, thinking. It sparks ideas. Trainor considers art to be an employee-magnet. “Art encourages a desire for people to be in the office, rather than working remotely,” she says. “If you have this beautiful environment, that’s an inspiration to actually be at work.” Bonus? Art is a smart branding move. “Just as our homes represent who we are, art in the workplace speaks volumes about a company’s values,” says Trainor, who sourced the art in her husband’s law firm, Trainor Fairbrook. “Art improves the company’s public image; it communicates integrity to the outside world. It says a lot about the business.”

Sacramento Chapter

Hospitals are also believers in the hidden power of art. A 2009 survey (the most recent available, from Americans for the Arts) found that nearly half of the nation’s health care institutions have invested in art: 70 percent said they did so because it contributes to a healing environment, 58 percent to help patients and families cope with a serious illness, and 42 percent to benefit the staff. Many respondents saw the benefits as more than psychological, as 41 percent of hospitals said they purchased art for help with physical recovery, and 27 percent bought the art to help with neurological recovery. So it’s no surprise that the Sutter Capitol Pavilion in Sacramento has invested in hundreds of pieces of art, prominently displaying them in hallways, waiting areas and exam rooms. Scientists have found that the mere act of looking at a painting confers benefits to the brain. A 2014 study found that when researchers scanned people’s brains while they stared at paintings, the artwork “engages not only systems involved in visual representation and object recognition, but also structures underlying emotions and internalized cognitions.” We already knew that art makes us feel, and the MRIs suggest it also makes us think.

WHERE TO START Let’s say your workplace has no art, and you’re curious, but you don’t want to break the bank. It’s a tough hobby to crack,

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so where to begin? Talking with Trainor, I confess that when a gallery owner — or, even scarier, the artist — approaches me, I stumble for words. “A lot of people are intimidated by galleries,” Trainor says with a chuckle, assuring me that this is normal. “But there’s no need to feel that way. The gallery owner is eager to tell you all about it.” To get started — whether for your firm or your home — her advice is to visit lots of studios and museums to find what you like. Specifically, she recommends the art studios on Second Saturday, as well as ArtHouse on R Street. The Verge Center for the Arts has open studios for the first two weekends of September. “That’s a great, great thing to get involved in, and artists will sell you their art at very good prices,” Trainor says. Or at BNSA (Big Names, Small Art), for example, the Crocker Gallery art auction has pieces that start at $25. “And you’ll never forget the first piece you buy,” she says “Even 20 years from now, you won’t forget it.” Don’t worry about making sure everyone in the office loves it. They won’t, and that’s OK. “Art is a very personal thing,” Saltzman says. “A lot of the employees tease us, saying ‘Oh, that’s a piece of crap,’” she says. “Of course they never use those actual words. But it does prompt a discussion of why you don’t like a piece.” There are two caveats to all of this. First, art is not a panacea. “You can’t just tell your employees, we’re going to take

away your holiday, and your pension is going to go away, but here’s a nice picture to make up for it!” Knight says. Second, while he says that almost all art confers benefits, Knight has found one notable exception: those cheesy motivational posters, like the image of a mountain climber reaching the summit, emblazoned with the words Success! or Teamwork! “That type of corporate art doesn’t really do a lot,” he says. Happily, the benefits can be found in any industry, any demographic. “It makes no difference on the type of job,” Knight says. “Everybody, every type of person, has the same improvement. We’ve studied this with people in their 70s and 80s — there’s still an improvement. It’s true whether you’re an accountant or a coal miner.” Besides, as Trainor reminds us, we spend most of our waking lives at work. “Art brings beauty and joy to your life, every day,” she says. “So why wouldn’t you want that in your workplace?” n Jeff Wilser is the author of Alexander Hamilton’s Guide to Life. His work has appeared in print or online in GQ, New York Magazine, Esquire and Mental Floss, among others. On Twitter @Jeff Wilser.

Congratulations Clayton Blakley on your leadership of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Sacramento Chapter, and particularly the success of its recent event, which raised a record $770,000. We’re proud of you,

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August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

WELLNESS

STRIKING A

CHORD Music isn’t just good for the soul — it’s good for the heart, mind and body BY Willie Clark PHOTOGR APHY: Ken James & Michelle McDaid

comstocksmag.com | August 201 2017 7

Bessie Barth (right), director of Music to Grow On, works with Nathan (left) during a music therapy session. PHOTO: KEN JAMES

August August 2017 2017 | comstocksmag.com

WELLNESS

n a Wednesday morning in May, Bessie Barth, director of Music to Grow On Music Therapy Services, and her intern sit down with Nathan, a 10-year-old student with autism and Down syndrome. Over the course of the 50-minute session, Barth and Nathan travel through several songs that challenge Nathan’s brain in different ways. In one song, Barth sings a math problem to Nathan, prompting him to answer. After the math lesson is a movement song. Everyone is up on their feet to kick, march and jump, while Barth sings along to the strum of her guitar. The lessons continue: Barth sings another song, and Nathan responds with the time displayed on a yellow clock with one blue and one red hand that sits in front of him. For his letters, his hand rests on Barth’s as he traces various letters of the alphabet, Barth singing along with oral cues. Sometimes, he joins in the singing. Nathan, who was diagnosed at birth, is “very musically motivated,” according to Kalista Hickman, his mother, and has been in music therapy for most of his life. “I think it’s one of the most helpful therapies that he’s had,” she says.

DEFINING THE BEAT Founded in 2000, Music to Grow On focuses on special-needs children and works in 20 school districts throughout the

greater Sacramento region. Barth describes music therapy as “the use of music to reach non-musical goals,” which can include everything from communication and motor skills to memory and academics. The method isn’t new. According to the American Music Therapy Association, the modern practice can be traced back to the World Wars, where musicians would travel to veteran hospitals to play for those suffering emotional or physical trauma. The association defines music therapy as “the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” Per the AMTA, music therapists must have at least a bachelor’s degree in music therapy, which includes 1,200 hours of clinical training. Students must then pass a national board exam to receive the MT-BC (Music Therapist - Board Certified) designation. While some states require state certification, California does not. Barth, who in addition to having an MT-BC is certified in neurologic music therapy, explains that imaging scans of the brain with and without music look very different. While an individual is talking, for example, one area of the brain will show activity. During movement, it’s somewhere else. But throw music into the mix? “The most of your brain” gets involved, she says.

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SENSORY-FRIENDLY DANCE PERFORMANCE • WHERE: Crest Theatre, 1013 K St., Sacramento • WHEN: 6-7 p.m., Friday Aug. 25 • COST: $5; tickets can also be purchased for donation • INFO: Kings.com/CapitalDance

The Capital Dance Project recently announced a partnership with the Sacramento Kings and the Kings Foundation to produce their inaugural Sensory-Friendly Dance Performance on Friday, Aug. 25 at Crest Theatre. The performance is designed to create an inclusive environment for people living with autism and sensory, social and learning disabilities and their loved ones to feel comfortable while enjoying the work of some of Sacramento’s most-accomplished dancers. Old-school theater rules, like sitting and watching quietly, will be ignored. Members of the audience are encouraged to engage with the performance and express themselves by dancing, talking, singing and moving around the space. “It will open up a whole new and magical world to people who have never been able to experience a live dance performance before,” says Alexandra

Dr. Eric Waldon, associate professor of music therapy at University of the Pacific, says music is processed by both hemispheres of the brain. “We can harness that power, more or less, therapeutically,” Waldon says. If the language or motor function areas of the brain are damaged, music can be used to work around those areas to access those skills. On a psychological level, music is processed in the same area as emotion regulation. “It’s almost as if the music therapist using music is able to occasion emotional responses more readily in patients than maybe a psychotherapist would be able to,” Waldon says. Music therapy yields results both in outpatient settings, like Barth’s sessions, as well as in hospitals. Locally, Kaiser Permanente, UC Davis, Sutter and Dignity Health all have music therapy programs. UC Davis has employed music therapy at its Children’s Hospital for roughly three decades, while Dignity’s program is much newer and got started in 2014. For Dignity, music therapy is used at Mercy Hospital of Folsom and Mercy San Juan. Even early on in life, music can have benefits. The FDA-approved Pacifier Activated Lullaby device can help premature babies that aren’t nursing by providing them with an auditory response. Here in Sacramento, music therapy takes many forms, from outpatient treatment to its role in schools and

Cunningham, a dancer and co-founder of CDP, adding, “Dance is for everyone — not just those who can afford it, or who can sit quietly, or who can tolerate loud music and lighting effects. Dance, at its core, is an expression of the human condition, our hopes and dreams, and everyone should have the opportunity to experience it.” Cunningham says this performance exemplifies just one of the ways the CDP dancers are committed to making dance accessible to all. The dance company also offers affordable ticket prices and non-traditional programming to attract a broader audience with hip and contemporary pieces. CPD, for instance, isn’t likely to do a version of the classic “Swan Lake.” They are, however, likely to partner with local musicians and artists for performances that “open the public’s eye to what dance actually is,” Cunningham says.

hospitals, with different patients and different conditions receiving varied approaches. “There are so many components within music that lead to kids being able to memorize information that maybe they wouldn’t be able to recall otherwise,” Barth says. While music therapy isn't the ultimate cure for every illenss, Barth thinks that “it may be a link that connects everything.”

MANY CHORDS In addition to autism and Down syndrome, music therapy is used to treat myriad medical conditions including cerebral palsy, brain injury, stroke, genetic disorders, global developmental delays, memory, dementia, Parkinson’s — and other physical, emotional and psychological ailments. But just picking up a guitar and plucking some strings or blowing hot air through the brass piping of a tuba isn’t the same as using music in a research-backed medical setting. “Anybody can do physical exercise, that doesn’t make them a physical therapist,” Waldon says. Celeste Keith, MT-BC, is the owner and director of The Music Works Music Therapy Services. She has been at this awhile — 38 years, actually. Keith says her company was the first in California to use music therapy in special education as a related service, and currently works with 4-5 school districts per

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

WELLNESS

With the help of his music therapist Celeste Keith (right), Forrest Evans (left) has written over 50 songs. PHOTO: MICHELLE MCDAID

year, including Elk Grove and Sacramento City unified school districts. The for-profit organization also works with hospitals and other care providers including Dignity Health, Family Soup (a Yuba County program for parents with children with disabilities), Sutter Senior Care and CareMeridian. For one of Keith’s patients, music therapy has offered a way to communicate with the world. Forrest Evans, 24, contracted viral encephalitis as a newborn, which led to cerebral palsy and seizure disorder. Evans communicates primarily through eye movement. With Keith’s assistance, he’s written over 50 songs and produced five recorded songs. For one song, Keith worked with Evans to craft lyrics based on novels he enjoyed, drawing inspiration from The Odyssey, To Kill a Mockingbird and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Evans has even been on stage twice with his band, In a Tizzy, for a K-8 school fundraiser. The band — a production of The Music Works Music Therapy Services — was put together by Keith and another music therapist. During one therapy session, Keith plays the keyboard with Evans beside her in his wheelchair, and she asks him to weigh in on compositional decisions. Keith says she has seen

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

significant improvement in the five years she’s been working with Evans: “Forrest has … progressed in his ability to communicate his moment-to-moment state of affairs, share his ideas and concerns, explore academic and cultural material through the centuries, lengthen and manage his physical endurance,” she explains. But music can be powerful, both for better and for worse, Keith cautions. It can have varying effects on people, and thus should be wielded appropriately. “If you don’t put the right music together for an individual, it actually could be detrimental to them and stress them out,” she says. She likens the therapy to a sort of container designed to help patients “hold” whatever it is they are contending with. “It is therapy,” Keith says. “We’re moving people and we’re provoking people with music and you can get into some pretty dangerous zones.”

MEETING OF THE MINDS Music therapy literally brings the brain’s two “worlds” together. Some of Barth’s patients at Music to Grow On suffer

from agenesis of the corpus callosum, meaning the two hemispheres of the brain aren’t connected properly. The condition can lead to, among other things, poor motor control, vision impairment and low muscle tone. “When those kids are engaged in musical intervention, those hemispheres actually connect,” Barth says. “So, it allows for those synapses that couldn’t happen in other places to actually happen.” Music therapy can help stroke patients with rehabilitation, as well. The brain’s primary auditory cortex and primary motor cortex aren’t that far apart, and rhythmic auditory stimulation, or RAS, can be used to improve gait, where music’s tempo — such as a therapist playing guitar while a patient walks — helps the motor centers in the brain work together better. McConnell Music Therapy in Auburn has been around for 15 years. Currently, the business’ work includes local school districts and private clients, as well as an intergenerational music therapy group in Grass Valley connecting preschoolers and seniors in a residential care facility. Its therapists also conduct inpatient treatment with Sutter Hospital in areas such as psychiatry, oncology and the children’s hospital. “The fields of neuroscience, medicine and education are all catching up to what we really know as human beings, and

that is that music affects us,” says Tara McConnell, a boardcertified music therapist and owner of McConnell Music Therapy. She adds that, in her experience, patients suffering from pain require less medication with music therapy. But she stresses the importance of meeting patients “where they are” without judgment. A hard focus on soothing melodies, particularly if patients are creating music as a method of coping, can actually backfire and cause adverse reactions in those already in pain. “It’s not always nice and lovely sounding — it can be angry and totally without rhythm, but also, in those cases, imitates what’s going on in the thoughts and minds and hearts of these people,” McConnell says. “And through that process they find something, they experience something that replicates their thinking patterns or behaviours and through that process they feel validated. And once they feel validated then they can start to connect with others. And when you connect with others, that’s the beginning of starting to heal.” n Willie Clark is a writer, editor, photographer and co-host of the 8 Bit Awesome gaming podcast. On Twitter @WillieClark or willieclark.contently.com.

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TOURISM

Justice, a French electronic act, performs at TBD Fest in 2014. 52

comstocksmag.com | August 201 2017 7

THE LITTLE

MUSIC

FESTIVAL THAT WAS

What happened to TBD Fest â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and what happens next? BY Allen Young PHOTOGR APH: Richard Beckermeyer

August August 2017 2017 | comstocksmag.com

TOURISM

t about noon on the second day of TBD Fest 2015, as the first of some 20,000 fans entered West Sacramento’s dusty waterfront to watch the local DJ crew Sleepwalkers, a staggering panic fell over the festival’s founders. Booking agents representing Porter Robinson and Cut Copy demanded an up-front cash payment before the musicians took the stage. Without the advance, representatives for the bands threatened to cancel the performance. TBD Fest co-founder Michael Hargis, who had spent the last few years investing everything he had in the event, frantically sought an explanation for why a $300,000 wire payment from a festival investor hadn’t yet materialized, leaving Hargis unable to pay the talent. As word spread of the missing payment, Hargis’ phone erupted with concerned calls from agents representing every major act on the lineup. If the money didn’t appear soon, Hargis worried the entire three-day festival would shut down. “All hell is breaking loose,” Hargis recalls in an interview nearly two years afterward. “All the artists were going to walk out. My controller is in the fetal position crying … I’m trying to calm everyone down.’” In the eleventh hour, Hargis says, the payment cleared and the show went on. But the episode only marked the beginning of TBD Fest’s financial trouble: Complaints from unpaid vendors and artists grew into lawsuits, and once news of the litigation hit the Sacramento Bee, investors pulled out. Hargis realized that TBD Fest wouldn’t return the following year. In the dark, winter months following the September festival, Hargis says the bad publicity and finger-pointing literally made him sick: The promoter was hospitalized three times for stress-related illness. The first episode occurred at Lowbrau, the Midtown beer hall owned by Hargis. “My left side of my body went numb twice and I thought I was having a heart-attack or a stroke,” he says. After losing an undisclosed sum both years, TBD Fest (otherwise known as The Bridge District Festival) has incurred blame from investors and rival music promoters for being underfunded. General consensus is that if a festival can’t pay for its talent before selling a single ticket, it’s under-capitalized. The Sacramento festival was a gamble for sure. TBD Fest started as Launch Festival in 2009, an avant-garde art party and fashion show that brought about 750 people to the Greens Hotel on Del Paso Boulevard. The event expanded each year, ultimately culminating in a day-long music festival drawing several thousand fans to Cesar Chavez Park. But the ambitious growth also triggered annual losses. The conversion to the three-day TBD Fest was a Hail Mary by Hargis to magnetize fans from outside California and investors who could stomach some initial debt. Over its two-year run, the concert was also a valentine to Sacramento. With its genre-stretching musical lineup,

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

artisan chef competitions, octopus tacos, acroyoga sessions and laser cube art installations, TBD Fest marked a cultural homecoming for the California region that had suffered the hardest economic hit during the Great Recession. Memories of its aftermath still trigger in Hargis a lowgrade post-traumatic stress. The promoter’s email inbox remains an albatross of unresolved concert-related issues, and Hargis says he’s still paying debts from his personal banking account. The festival’s other co-founder, Clay Nutting, has cut all business ties with Hargis and declines to speak publicly about the festival. Hargis also abstains from any mention of Nutting.

‘THE PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY’ Yet the beat goes on. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg has marshalled conversations with executives from the Sacramento Kings and Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, about hosting more concerts and festivals in the city. The Sacramento City Council recently cobbled over $20 million into a “Destination Sacramento” tourism fund that otherwise would have been spent on upgrades to the Sacramento Convention Center — but could help subsidize another festival. “The people are hungry,” Steinberg says. “Music festivals are a key piece of our Destination Sacramento strategy.” The City’s job is to hone expectations for the kind of festival that would work in Sacramento and the potential economic benefits. TBD Fest cost $3 million for each of its two years, and though it lost money, the concert sold 13,000 tickets the first year and 20,500 the second. Hargis says the event was on course for a three-year plan to profitability before its investors soured. To be clear, TBD Fest also suffered from underperforming ticket and concession sales, and a dearth of sponsors. But what may get lost in the local lore of West Sacramento’s departed riverbank party is the chronic frequency of other music festivals slipping into the red during their startup years. A festival that loses money before going dark is common and different from the borderline scam that was Fyre Festival (the notorious Bahamas disaster that sold wealthy millennials on a lavish island rave but ended like Jurassic Park without the dinosaurs). Consider that the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival — the world’s top-grossing annual music festival — also faced a rough start, losing nearly $1 million its first year.

COACHELLA NEARLY DIED In the early years of Coachella, headlining bands and festival employees had to accept IOUs. The festival was postponed after its inaugural year in 1999 and didn’t turn a profit until its third year.

The sun-baked concert in Indio now sells out in hours, before even announcing its lineup. Coachella brought in revenue of $94 million last year, up $10 million from 2015, according to Billboard Boxscore. Closer to home, Napa’s 2017 Bottlerock sold all its threeday passes in a single day. But the event’s grand opening in 2013 was far rockier: In its first year, Bottlerock missed a deadline on its payment to the City of Napa for municipal services, and unpaid vendors went public with their grievances. The concert left Napa’s city officials with mixed emotions, however, because hotel taxes — a city’s primary indicator for tourism health — rose by 13.7 percent that year. Bottlerock’s second year saw hotel taxes spike another 28 percent, says Robin Klingbeil, a senior staffer with the City of Napa. Bottlerock promoter Latitude 38 signed a decade-long deal with Napa Valley Expo, in downtown Napa where the festival is housed, last year. “It seems like it has a long-term home here, which would be great,” Klingbeil says. When Botterock’s headliner ends at 10 p.m. each night, revelers spill out into the streets. The local food and entertainment industry has gradually built up an entire festivity week around Bottlerock, with hotels and concert halls featuring pre-shows and after-parties.

THREE DAYS OF PEACE AND PROFITS While civilization’s earliest music festivals trace back to ancient Greek competitions in sixth century B.C., the Newport Jazz Festival of 1954 is credited with launching the modern festival movement in the U.S. Billie Holiday and Dizzy Gillespie topped the ticket. In the late 1960s, subdued jazz crowds were replaced by longhairs at the Monterey Pop Festival and Woodstock. Some 400,000 people showed up for the “Three Days of Peace and Music” in 1969. Contrast that with Coachella’s total attendance this year of 125,000. But it was perhaps the glitterati of Coachella that launched festivals into a prevailing millennial pastime, as the event incrementally transitioned from, in the words of the Indio Police Department, a “very well-behaved crowd” of about 20,000 indie fans gathering in 1999, into the world’s most sought-after selfie background, featuring global pop talent and a sponsored H&M clothing line. One in 10 Americans attend at least one music festival each year, according to Nielsen’s Audience Insight Report. About 15 million, or half, of those attendees are millennials, the most targeted demographic for marketers. While promoters warn the festival bubble will inevitably pop and whittle down the number of festivals, they also argue that

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TOURISM

quality attractions — those that showcase local flavor and offer other amenities to keep outsiders flocking back — shall endure. “A lot of new festivals in recent years have been brought into the marketplace — there is an impact of that. You will see lots of shifting sand,” says Rick Farman, co-founder of Superfly, a promotion company that jointly produces Outside Lands in San Francisco with Another Planet Entertainment. “At the same time, I think there is more awareness of the value of a fun and engaging entertainment experience,” he says. “You have to be smart and calculated and careful about where the festivals are.” It’s no wonder that U.S. cities are racing to bring a slice home. Economic impact reports for major music festivals dissect things like attendee spending and travel patterns, but to sum up the long-term value for any city: “It’s exposure,” explains Mike Testa of Visit Sacramento, the City’s tourism bureau. Festivals bump “the cool factor” of cities like Austin or Portland, Testa argues. When people see The Weeknd and Muse headlining a festival in Dover, Del. (that actually happened in June, at Firefly Music Festival) they presume the city has more to offer.

Here’s how it works: A festival might draw 10,000 people from outside California. One guy in the crowd lives in Kentucky and also sits on the board of his regional bird watcher’s association. Years later, when Sacramento is floated to host the annual convention of the American Birding Association, the Kentucky guy jumps out of his seat and shouts, Let’s do Sacramento. That place is cool! “There are lots of reasons to visit a city, and the more you know about a city the more inclined you are to use one of those reasons to visit it,” Testa says. Speaking directly about Sacramento, Testa has reached the same conclusion as music promoters: A sustainable festival needs a venue and committed investors. If the Destination Sacramento fund is partnered with big talent drawn in by the Kings and Live Nation, then finding festival grounds remains the only missing piece. Mark Friedman, the wealthy developer who owns The Barn in West Sacramento and helped bankroll TBD Fest, says he would be willing to once again commit his bridge district acreage following “assurances [the concert] was well-managed and well-financed,” he says. But Hargis of TBD Fest argues the dirt lot was not ideal for its propensity to radiate heat and kick up dust. A

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NEW & IMPROVED

20,000-seat soccer stadium at the historic railyard is one possibility, but that project is uncertain until Major League Soccer makes a decision on its league expansion. The recently approved infrastructural renovations to Sacramento’s downtown theater district at K and 13th streets are set to include an outdoor amphitheater, but the space couldn’t easily accommodate 20,000 or more attendees, Testa says. Each year, over 20,000 metal-heads descend on Sacramento’s Discovery Park for the Aftershock hard rock festival. Danny Hayes, CEO of Danny Wimmer Presents, the promotion company behind Aftershock, believes he can grow the event from the current 23,000 daily attendees over two-days to 40,000 dailies over three days, as well as introduce a new country or indie festival in Sacramento. But due to noise concerns from nearby residents, “There is no way the Discovery Park community would let us do that right now. It’s a shame,” Hayes says. “We told the City we are more than happy to replace TBD.” Danny Wimmer Presents boasts that it is “the largest independent producer of destination festivals in the country.” The company has taken a measured path to growth, partnering with global entertainment company AEG for years before breaking out on its own, meaning the company can access the sturdy corporate cushion needed to sustain a festival. But Danny Wimmer Presents is based in Los Angeles. While the company has worked to cater its festivals around local tastes — Aftershock promotes farm-to-fork concessionaires and aspires to add an onsite farmers market with help from Visit Sacramento — there is a distinction with TBD Fest that Hargis hopes isn’t lost on Sacramento music fans.

It’s the perennial conundrum of rock ‘n’ roll: Is the art betrayed or the experience diluted when the dominant producers are well-heeled outsiders decoding “the cool factor” to ensure profitability? Hargis did not perform market research for TBD Fest or Launch. He says his small production team “bit off more than they could chew” each year before crossing their fingers that enough fans would back them. Though Hargis owns and operates a busy bar in a swanky neighborhood, as an art and music promoter he has repeatedly demonstrated a willingness to put passion before anything else. In 2011, for example, he sold his couch to pay a band that played at Launch. He also recognizes that purism has its limits. “A Live Nation or AEG can throw a festival, but it won’t have the same cultural impact as Launch or TBD,” he says. But speaking about outside investment, he adds, “We learned along the way that we needed that help.” To brighten his mood, Hargis occasionally plays the video of Cut Copy playing that second night of TBD Fest 2015. The promoter relishes watching a sea of smiles in the colorful mini-city he spent years composing. “In that small moment, the despair, the discouragement, the hurt is wiped away and I get to see what is possible for this city,” he says. “There is no better high. There is no better enjoyment.” n Allen Young is a journalist living in Sacramento. On Twitter @allenmyoung.

B STREET

THEATRE In 1986, the B Street Theatre opened as a simple touring theater for children. Since then, it has grown to be one of the West Coast’s premier children’s theaters, producing 19 shows per year and serving 300,000 people annually. But the two-theater playhouse had outgrown its original space and sought options. In April 2015, a task force put together by former-Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson published its findings and recommendations regarding a potential world-class performing arts center in downtown Sacramento. It found room for growth in Sacramento’s performing arts markets, particularly for high-quality facilities in the 150-300, 500-800 and 2,200-2,500 seating capacity range. With the findings, the timing for a new and improved B Street Theatre was ideal. The theater launched a capital campaign to raise the needed funds to build California’s first year-round, fullyprofessional theater for children. In May 2016, construction began on the new $25 million complex on 27th Street and Capitol Avenue. The new 48,000-square-foot facility is expected to open in February 2018 and will include two theaters — a 365-seat children’s theater and a 250-seat mainstage theater, as well as rehearsal space, an expansive lobby, an on-site, full-service restaurant and a rooftop deck. Sutter Medical Center donated the land to build the complex. A generous donation from Angelo K. and Sofia Tsakopoulos and matched by Sutter Health Community Benefit brought in total contributions of $3 million. The new theater will be named the Sofia Tsakopoulos Center for the Arts, in honor of its largest donor. — Laurie Lauletta-Boshart

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EDUCATION

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SCHOOL OF

thought These educational spaces bring creative inspiration to the masses while preparing the next generation of artists

BY Laurie Lauletta-Boshart PHOTOGR APHY: Mike Graff

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EDUCATION

raditional museums and old-school performance centers — with silent hallways and auditoriums where photography is forbidden — are being rethought in favor of interactive educational spaces. The Capital Region boasts a number of vital, enriching educational institutions that intentionally link the arts and education communities to create welcoming spaces that are both inspiring and accessible. Many of these architecturally significant museums and performing arts centers are housed on our local high school and college campuses, where the next generation of artists are groomed.

JAN SHREM AND MARIA MANETTI SHREM MUSEUM OF ART UC DAVIS

PHOTO: SEAN JOHNSON

PHOTO: KARIN HIGGINS

1) Visitors view artwork on display at the Manetti Shrem Museum; 2) The interior lobby looks out onto an outdoor plaza; 3) The inaugural exhibit "Out Our Way" featured 240 pieces exploring the development of the UC Davis Department of Art, founded in 1958. PHOTO: IWAN BAAN

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“We like to say that everyone who steps in here becomes a student,” says Randy Roberts, deputy director of the Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis. “We knew from the beginning that education would be at the core of the work that we’re doing.” Born of first-generation artists that include the likes of legendary painter Wayne Thiebaud and famed ceramicist Robert Arneson — two of the most prolific and talented arts faculty in the country during the 1960s — the Manetti Shrem has its roots in the university’s long legacy of art-making. It is the first university museum in the U.S. to house a working art studio visible to all patrons of the museum. The $30 million, 30,000-square-foot site was completed in November 2016. The building is designed with education spaces out front, with a third of the floor space devoted to instruction. “A lot of times with art museums, the real estate is so expensive that the education spaces will literally be in the basement or in the back of the museum,” Roberts says. “We have three education spaces that are in the education pavilion right up front as you enter the building.” The pavilion includes a community education room, the Carol and Gerry Parker Art Studio and the Paul Lebaron Thiebaud Collections Classroom. The community education room was designed with reconfigurability in mind and can be used as a classroom, for large lectures or as a reception space with a versatile glass garage-style door that recedes into the ceiling. University classes of all stripes meet in the space. The working art studio has programming every weekend with a free drop-in studio for visitors and the community. The collections classroom is meant for close viewing, and even handling, of some

KB: photo of Forrest with his therapist

The Harris Center opened to a packed house for the national tour of "A Chorus Line" in 2011. Below: Architecture firm LPAS designed most of the buildings on the Folsom Lake College campus, including the Harris Center. PHOTO: JOHN SWAIN

of the university’s teaching collections. “It’s an experience that straddles what you do in a museum and what you do in a classroom,” Roberts says. Designed in collaboration with contractor Whiting-Turner, New York-based architects SO-IL and San Francisco-based architects Bohlin Cywinski Jackson proposed an unconventional, one-story solution to meet the accessibility and openness mandate for the new museum. The ambitious design called for a dramatic canopy that extends well beyond the footprint of the building and includes 50,000 square feet of perforated aluminum triangular beams supported by 40 steel columns. “The idea of this grand canopy and this outdoor space as an introduction to an arts environment not only provides shade coverage, but was also meant to be an armature for exhibiting art,” says BCJ Principal Karl Backus. Apart from the infrastructure, light is also an important element of the design. “We did not want to just of-

fer shade in the fastest way, but really wanted to use the light to activate the place underneath,” explains Florian Idenburg, founding partner of SO-IL. Alternating the orientation and spacing of triangulated, perforated beams gives every infill space a different type of light and shadow. The undulating canopy also takes its cues from the surrounding farmland.

HARRIS CENTER FOR THE ARTS FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE Located on the campus of Folsom Lake College, the Harris Center for the Arts functions as a world-class teaching laboratory for students and faculty, while also serving as a regional performing arts center for the public. Opened in February 2011, the $50 million, 80,000-square-foot facility was named for longtime Los Rios Community College District chancellor and arts patron, Brice Harris, and has three different performance venues called

PHOTO: JACOB CANTU

the Three Stages. The stages vary in size from an intimate recital hall that seats 100, to an 850-seat theater with a full f ly tower and orchestra pit to accommodate a variety of performances. On average, the Harris Center hosts 400 events each year and welcomes 150,000 visitors. The Center houses instructional programs for the college’s visual arts, theater, dance and music programs with facilities for teaching, rehearsals and performances. The site includes classroom space, a visual arts gallery and room for 60 faculty. It also includes

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

EDUCATION

a scene shop for building sets and props, a theater lab where students learn how to use theatrical lighting, space for warm-up and rehearsal, and one of the largest recording studios in the region. “The entire facility is like a real-world learning laboratory,” says Executive Director David Pier. The Harris Center draws artists from all over the world, but also partners with local organizations to use the facility. The site hosts the Folsom Lake Symphony, the Sacramento Ballet and El Dorado Music Theatre and other local arts organizations. To quantify the Center’s economic impact, Pier generated a ripple effect report using a program created by Americans for the Arts, which shows how each dollar spent on a ticket generates additional dollars put into the community through meals, hotel stays and services. Using the organization’s parameters and metrics, Pier estimates that the Harris Center’s ripple effect in the first five years has been approximately $45 million. “The report helps demonstrate in monetary terms how arts organizations and arts facilities impact the community for the better,” he says. The Harris Center was designed by architecture firm LPAS, which started with a master plan for the college’s facilities nearly 20 years ago, and since then, has designed every building on campus except one, giving them the opportunity to create a unifying theme for both the design and the materials. The Harris Center sits at the top of a hill with a panoramic view of Folsom. “The building was designed to be a destination for the community,” says LPAS Vice President and Principal Curtis Owyang, “and had to express an open and welcoming attitude to draw people into the facility and the campus.”

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BENVENUTI PERFORMING ARTS CENTER NATOMAS CHARTER SCHOOL PERFORMING AND FINE ARTS ACADEMY When Charlie Leo co-founded Natomas Charter School 25 years ago, he launched the Performing and Fine Arts Academy on campus, which was designed to enhance the learning experience for student artists. The academy was opened with the intent to also build a professionallydesigned theater, but there was a shortage of funds. Leo opted to make room for the future building anyway and left a parking-lot-sized space in the middle of campus. In 2002, the Natomas Arts and Education Foundation was formed to support the school and help raise the necessary funds. Leo was a founding member and board president of the NAEF and, along with other committee members, spent four years planning and generating revenue for the theater. “We wanted a full-f ledged theater with a f ly system and large seating capacity for the full professional experience by our students,” Leo says. “We did not want a high school auditorium.” The planning committee interviewed several architects for the project, but ultimately selected Williams+Paddon. The Roseville firm had a background in designing theaters and was well-grounded in school architecture. Groundbreaking for the 364-seat theater took place in November 2005, and the facility was completed in June 2007. The new theater, named the Benvenuti Performing Arts Center after the late Sacramento developer Joe Benvenuti and his wife, Nancy, is utilized for a number of different kinds of academy student performances, both for the public and for on-site productions. The students’ marquee performances are geared toward the public and include large mainstage musicals, dance compa-

ny performances, music ensemble performances, orchestras and jazz bands. To offer students a professional performing arts experience, the Performing and Fine Arts Academy provides as many master’s classes as possible, which can range from bringing in professional musicians and dancers, to working with aspiring artists and filmmakers. For example, the academy and NAEF made contact with Heather Hach-Hearne, who wrote the narrative structure for “Legally Blonde: The Musical.” The students were putting on the musical performance and Hach-Hearne held a class to talk about the nuances of professional writing and acting. That night, Hach-Hearne stayed to watch the students perform and provide feedback. “Having a professional environment where that kind of interacting can take place really raises the level of experience, for both the students as well as the visiting artist,” says Matthew DeMeritt, program coordinator of the Natomas Charter School Performing and Fine Arts Academy. Another recent master’s class from professional sculptor Elisabeth Higgins O’Connor taught students how to create large animalistic sculptures out of strips of cardboard, and then invited community members to see the art during a Second Saturday event. “What makes 'the Ben’ so unique is the level of professionalism that is inspired by the state-of-the-art environment,” says NAEF Director Sierra Hersek. “Many schools are working out of multipurpose rooms that are a cafeteria by day and a performance space by night. The students that get to perform at ‘the Ben’ have an opportunity to work in a very professional environment.”

The Benvenuti Performing Arts Center, known as "The Ben," is located next to Natomas Charter School's Performing and Fine Arts Academy. The 364-seat theater includes advanced lighting, a wired and wireless microphone system, a permanent sprung floor for dance, and rigging for a full fly system. Events at Ben Arts range from student productions to professional performances, symphonies, and concerts — at right, Natomas Charter School’s production of “Grease” played at the center for nine days in the fall of 2013. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NATOMAS CHARTER SCHOOLS

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

EDUCATION

CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC With over 125 performances, activities and lectures, the Conservatory of Music on the campus of the University of the Pacific is the single largest arts presenter in San Joaquin County. The Conservatory functions in five different buildings, but the Spanos Concert Hall is the most iconic and widelyrecognized space. Built in the 1920s, the three-story, 872-seat performance venue serves as the primary rehearsal space for Pacific’s orchestra and fullystaged spring opera, and is one of the original buildings on the Stockton campus. The facility is getting a muchneeded facelift by the architecture firm LPAS, who will be renovating the bottom floor to include new storage facilities for the students’ musical instruments. The firm is also improving the university’s music practice rooms, music study rooms and musical instruction rooms. “What we are doing is not a large project, but it’s a very important project,” says LPAS Vice President and Principal Curtis Owyang. Pacific offers nine music degree programs to 200 students in a variety of disciplines. “When you look at the size of our Conservatory and the number of our students, coupled with the breadth of degree plans we offer, it is unmatched,” says Assistant Dean Jonathan Latta. The Conservatory also offers a robust, professional advising program that covers counseling on everything from grad programs, summer internships, contacts in the professional music business, and launching a private studio or music therapy career. Pacific’s professional advising is an active part of the program and according to Latta, one that is often missing at larger institutions due to a lack of time, space and bandwidth. In their junior year, Pacific’s music education students serve as music teachers for four months with Stockton

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Unified School District, which lacks a designated music program. Internships and field work are also required of most of the programs. To connect to the community, the Conservatory frequently hosts music festivals on campus with up to 600 students for a full day of learning, and is home to the Central Valley Youth Symphony. A number of faculty also play in the Stockton Symphony, and Pacific provides a significant number of artistic and musical activities that bring an audience onto campus, including professional faculty recitals, faculty ensembles, gala orchestra recitals, opera performances, jazz performances and others. Another unique program on campus is the Brubeck Institute’s Fellowship Program, named after renowned jazz musician and Pacific alum, Dave Brubeck. Each year, five students at the top of their instruments in jazz are selected from across the U.S. to receive a one-year scholarship to study jazz performance at the Institute. The students take a Brubeck seminar class each day and are mentored by guest artists, using the time to practice and develop as a band. “The students come in as five individuals from around the country and we put them in a group and expect them to discover their voice,” says Interim Director Patrick Langham. Fellows perform both locally and abroad in universities, high schools, clubs, concert series and jazz festivals. Students and faculty from Pacific, as well as visiting artists, also perform weekly for the community as the Take 5 Jazz Club at Valley Brewing Company in Stockton. n Laurie Lauletta-Boshart is a contributing writer for consumer publications and Fortune 500 companies, including Dwell, ESPN, the Wall Street Journal and the Sacramento Business Journal. Read more at www.wordplaycommunications.com.

Above: The 872-seat Faye Spanos Concert Hall, housed inside the University of Pacific's Conservatory of Music, regularly hosts the Conservatory's Concert Series, Friends of Chamber Music concerts, Stockton Opera and more. Right: In 1878, the Conservatory of Music became the first conservatory west of the Mississippi. This building was built in 1927 and holds not only the Spanos Concert Hall, but also faculty offices, practice rooms and administration offices.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

CAREER

MAKE IT

W O R K

To build a successful creative career, entrepreneurship is as important as aesthetics BY Dave Kempa

PHOTOGR APHY: Joan Cusick

comstocksmag.com | August 201 2017 7

Sacramento artist Gale Hart with her unfinished bronze sculpture "Missing the Mark" in 2016 before its installation at the Golden 1 Center.

August August 2017 2017 | comstocksmag.com

CAREER

y most accounts, the ArtStreet installation — a collection of works by over 100 Sacramento-area artists — was a success. Some 32,000 visitors passed through the old warehouse off Broadway that played home to the art project for its three-week run last February. ArtSteet was the largest free art exhibit in the region’s history. But just before the showcase opened, local artist Heston Hurley took to social media to vent his frustration that organizers rejected his piece: a red, white and blue park bench in the shape of a swastika he’d created last minute as a statement against the Dakota Access Pipeline. Word of the work’s removal spread, and ArtStreet’s launch was in danger of being overshadowed by controversy. M5 Arts, the group who put on the event, moved fast to make their case that Hurley’s piece was different than the concept he’d originally submitted. Hurley, for his part, told his followers to continue to support the show. But the brief tiff rattled the region’s tight-knit artist community. And it provided a glimpse of the difficult terrain — best navigated with skills both hard and soft — one must traverse in order to succeed as a full-time creator in the business of art. Believe it or not, it’s possible to make a living as an artist in Sacramento. All it takes, according to those who’ve succeeded, is a base of communication, community, willingness to treat your work as a business and a good share of bullheaded persistence. Visual artists spend a great deal of time alone, in their studios and in their heads. But the ones who practice their craft for a living say that interacting with the outside world is vital to success. One thing Sacramento artist Bryan Valenzuela wishes he’d known in his early years is just how much work goes into the job outside of the studio. Attending events. Shaking hands. Traveling across the country to art shows. “No one’s gonna all of a sudden discover you,” Valenzuela says. “You have to put yourself in those positions, in as many opportunities as possible.”

HUSTLE NEVER STOPS Valenzuela’s most recognizable work may be his public installation "Multitudes Converge," suspended over an entrance inside the Golden 1 Center. He was commissioned $350,000 by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission for this piece. But he’s long been known in the region for intricate, surrealist drawings of human-like subjects that mix rich reds, blues and golds with stoic grays. He even created a series of these images to be wrapped around utility boxes on downtown Sacramento street corners. Valenzuela has built a career crafting detailed drawings that, upon closer look, are a collection of strings of impossibly

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

small handwritten text. His work tends to explore how a large body is in fact an intricate collection of its smallest elements. Similar to Valenzuela’s drawings, his attention to the little, daily tasks of putting himself out there — as essentially an entrepreneur — has made it work for this artist in the big picture. Sacramento painter Kathrine Lemke Waste agrees. “If you can’t get out and tell people about yourself and what makes you unique and different, you’re not going to do as well as the artist that can do that,” she says. Lemke Waste moved to the art world from academia mid-career and has built her community by joining American Women Artists, a national network for female artists of which she now serves as president. Her contemporary realist paintings — studies on light, pop culture and classic still-life imagery — appear in galleries and exhibitions throughout the western United States. An artist needs to be a part of the community, but that’s not to say they can’t ask tough questions or challenge norms. This is, after all, one of the main points of art. Valenzuela’s ArtStreet piece, "Autumn of the Insider," laments the downside of a city on the rise with a quote asking: “Will they silence the artists, the poets and the poor, throw them to the ditch, on the road to building their playground for the rich?” Gale Hart’s publicly-funded sculpture "Missing the Mark," located outside the Golden 1 Center, is a winking critique of the western world’s obsession with point-oriented competition, like basketball. Dubbed “Sacramento’s Godmother of Contemporary Art” in the Sacramento Bee, the 61-year-old skateboarder ran almost a dozen ideas by the former head of SMAC before landing on the installation that now stands on the southern end of the arena — a smattering of 12-foot-

Bryan Valenzuela installs his sculpture "Multitudes Converge" at the Golden 1 Center in September 2016.

darts, giant bronze hands and a dart board with wandering numbers that seem to melt and bend like the clocks in Dali’s "The Persistence of Memory." Hart, a sculptor and painter, was commissioned $300,000 for this piece. There is power in art and, according to Hart, sometimes the act of creating can elevate the artist in his or her own mind. “I think creative people are all kinds of narcissistic,” she says. “It’s part of being creative, it’s not something you can get rid of and it’s good to have.”

But this personality trait can complicate things when disagreements come up with potential patrons or business partners. “Sometimes in those conf licts, it’s because that gets out of check,” Hart says. The outspoken artist has had her share of disagreements over the years, but she can’t recall anything amounting to a burned bridge. It does help to keep work and personal relationships separate, she adds. In such times of conf lict, having a community of artists helping to navigate your way to resolution also proves

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

CAREER

useful. The day after Hurley’s pained post caught regional media’s attention, he took to Facebook with a more conciliatory tone. “I fully support ArtStreet, and M5 Arts,” he wrote. “What happened to me was the result of individual/individuals that in no way represent the amazing job done by ArtStreet or M5 Arts. Go support your local artist.” (Hurley did not respond to Comstock's request for comment.) Hart was among the first to comment. “Understandably emotions sometimes rule but you are taking the high road,” she wrote. “Good on all of you for working it out and being supportive.” Looking back, Valenzuela chalks the ArtStreet dust-up up to miscommunication. Neither he nor Hart are eager to talk about this uncomfortable ripple in the Sacramento art scene’s otherwise strong history of collaboration and support, but they do stress the sense of community shared by local creators. “I think probably one of the most important things about being in any creative field is being able to create a network of like-minded people, of friends,” Valenzuela says, “and [to] learn from other artists in what they’re doing, whether it be business-like or in the actual creative pursuit.”

“I was driven, more than making my art, to make sure I could survive off of it. I think that helped make it a business.” — Gale Hart, Sacramento artist

TREAT ART LIKE A BUSINESS Here’s something else artists don’t learn early on that can get them into trouble: bookkeeping. “There isn’t a lot of business taught in art school,” says Alan Bamberger, author and creator of ArtBusiness.com, a website dedicated to helping artists navigate the business side of their craft. “You have to do everything. Nobody’s gonna do it for you from the start.” Paperwork takes time out of the studio, so artists don’t like to do it. Yet maintaining one’s craft as a business is im-

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portant to success. Valenzuela carves out Monday mornings to straighten out his books, check inventory and respond to emails. “I just developed that mindset that I have to do it if I want to keep this train rolling,” Valenzuela says. “The earlier people do that, the better. But it took me a long time, unfortunately.” Ever since Hart started her career living in a van four decades ago, it was the business of art that kept her out of the 9-to-5 workweek. “I was driven, more than making my art, to make sure I could survive off of it,” Hart says. “I think that helped make it a business.” In the outset, she says, a young artist doesn’t have the luxury of delegating work. “You’re everything. You have to wear all those hats.” It is a lot of work. More than most young artists might expect. But the ones who can stick with it are the ones most likely to succeed. “It’s tenacity,” says Lennee Eller, interim executive director of SMAC. “It’s when you have a passion and you’re tenacious about learning your skill very, very well and then knowing what’s important to you.” Making it in the world of art also involves knowing where to look for patrons and sources of funding. Hart’s installation at the Golden 1 Center was her first foray into public art — and local creatives are seeing more public funding going up for grabs. In June, Mayor Darrell Steinberg committed $250,000 per year over two years to SMAC, and announced the Creative Economy Pilot Project, which has one-time funding of $500,000 available in small grants for arts and cultural events. The same rules apply for success in the public art world as when working with private collectors: strong communication, community building, a business-minded approach. And staying positive. Hart says negativity is the killer for some artists. That’s not going to fly in such a demanding field. “I don’t know a job that’s harder,’ Hart says. “It’s crazy hours that I keep and it’s really demanding physically.” Artists pursue their line of work out of love and passion — and, like all tough careers, the successful ones battle through the tough times. Valenzuela recently had the chance to talk with celebrated San Francisco sculptor Al Farrow, whose work creating religious buildings using guns and ammunition was showcased at the Crocker Art Museum at the end of 2016. Now in his 70’s, Farrow told him he didn’t really start getting recognized until about 10 years ago. “He basically said you already shot yourself in the foot if you give up,” Valenzuela says. “You’ve already taken yourself out of the game.” n Dave Kempa is a freelance reporter and adjunct journalism professor at American River College.

5 TIPS

FOR ARTISTS IN SACRAMENTO Comstock’s reached out to Lennee Eller, interim director of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, for her advice on how artists can improve their chances of success. Here’s what she had to say. 1 Be in the know. View opportunities offered by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission for public art commissions, exhibition calls, workshops and jobs by visiting www.sacmetroarts.org and www.arts.ca.gov. With the City of Sacramento investing additional funds into public art, there will be more and more opportunities available. 2 Build a great website. This serves as your resume and portfolio. Put up your best work, and make sure your site looks professional and polished. Also, join artists registries to get your name out there. 3 Research, research, research. Get out of your comfort zone; visit galleries and museums throughout the region. Apply to galleries that show work similar in sensibility to your own. Become knowledgeable about artist rights, copyright law and artist-gallery relationships. 4 Join a collective. Becoming a member of a collective is a great way to network with other professional artists and share resources. Combining all the participants’ contact lists will broaden your audience. Collectives are also an opportunity to trade talents and services: web-design for photography, photography for artwork, artwork for materials and supplies. 5 Embrace your community. For inspiration and support, surround yourself with other artists, visual artists, poets and performing artists who share your passion.

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welcome Since 1927, Visit Sacramento has been selling and promoting the region as a destination for conventions, meetings and tour groups. Over those years, Visit Sacramento has evolved into a family of brands that includes the Sacramento Sports Commission, America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital, Sacramento365 and the Sacramento Film Commission, among others. Visit Sacramento is what’s known as a destination marketing organization, which markets a destination to attract outside dollars. Think of all the things you spend money on when you’re out of town — nearly 15 million people annually do the same when they visit Sacramento. In 2016, our local government collected more than $31 million through the transient occupancy tax from visitors staying in hotels. That feeds into the City and County’s general funds, which pay for fire and police services, arts organizations, park maintenance, street repairs and more. The more visitors that come to our community, the more our residents benefit.

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Delegates, athletes, spectators and tour groups all fly into our city via the Sacramento International Airport, take transportation to a hotel and eat at restaurants. Before they even go to the event they came here for, they put money into our economy. Convention business is booming: Since 2012, hotel room nights generated from conventions and meetings have increased by 44 percent and overall tourism-related hotel bookings grew by 86 percent. Visit Sacramento set a record last year in hotel room nights booked — securing more than 300,000 rooms. Today, we continue to expand beyond traditional, convention-generated hotel room bookings by developing, bidding on, securing and managing events like the Amgen Tour of California. Through our America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital initiative, we differentiate ourselves against the thousands of other destinations competing for visitors. We’re excited about what’s happening in Sacramento, and hope you are too.

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cultivation Visit Sacramento has taken the city’s food identity to new heights BY Jennifer Snyder

acramento’s identity has long been synonymous with state government, ever since officially becoming California’s permanent state capital in 1879. The city is also one of many in California nicknamed the “City of Trees.” The city identifies as a bustling river town, due to the confluence of the Sacramento and American rivers. And thanks to the nearby discovery of gold in 1849 and the boom that followed, Sacramento has always been connected to the state’s famous Gold Rush history. But sadly, over the years, the region was too often pigeonholed as nothing more than

a quick stop between two nearby destinations — San Francisco and Lake Tahoe. Yet, what often gets missed by residents and visitors alike, is just how important Sacramento’s agricultural history and bounty remains to this day. Since 2012, Visit Sacramento has been working to rebrand the region as “America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital.” An event-filled September now includes the 10-day Farm-to-Fork Restaurant Week, mid-month Legends of Wine event, Farmto-Fork Festival on Capitol Mall, Tower Bridge Dinner, and dozens of other community and business-run celebrations

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The Farm-to-Fork Festival and related events celebrate the region’s agricultural industry.

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held throughout the region. It’s become much easier to celebrate the region’s agricultural contributions these days. According to Visit Sacramento CEO Mike Testa, the initiative to come up with a way to celebrate Sacramento’s agricultural history wasn’t decided on lightly. The first step was to make sure Sacramento could stand by the bold claim of being the national Farm-to-Fork Capital without giving up the city’s other identities. “There are a lot of different things that are part of our heritage and none of those go away,” Testa says. “All of those are still relevant and appropriate to describe Sacramento. But from our view, leading with what you do better and bigger than everybody else in the country is valuable.” According to Visit Sacramento’s Farm-to-Fork website, the city is sur-

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rounded by 1.5 million acres of farms and ranches that grow more than 160 crops for both domestic and global markets. While those numbers are impressive, Testa is quick to note that food production is just one part of Sacramento’s much more complex food system and the community that surrounds it.

FOOD LITERACY AND ACCESS Amber Stott, founder of Sacramento’s Food Literacy Center and occasional Comstock’s columnist, had been attempting to designate September as Food Literacy Month in California around the same time that the Farm-to-Fork movement was beginning to take shape. “One of the very cool things about Farm-to-Fork is that it gives nonprofits like Food Literacy Center a much bigger platform to talk about the kinds of work that we do,” she

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says. In 2012, the Food Literacy Month resolution, which officially made September Food Literacy Month, passed at the state level, with Yolo County, Sacramento County and City of Sacramento also passing resolutions in 2013. Stott says the rise of the Farm-to-Fork movement helped bring the message of food literacy into the spotlight. The Food Literacy Center’s work fills a critical gap surrounding the educational side of the larger food system, Stott says. According to her, local food sources — like farmers markets, food banks and grocery stores — have been largely successful in providing access to seasonal, healthy food, but the basic understanding of how to prepare those foods was lacking. Her organization’s mission is to go into low-income elementary schools and walk the students through simple recipes for preparing food with fresh fruits and

vegetables, and give them the opportunity to try healthy foods they may have never experienced before — foods that, in general, taste better when eaten in

“WE’RE CHANGING THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARDS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ...” - Amber Stott, founder, Food Literacy Center season. “In this way, we’re changing their attitudes towards fruits and vegetables so that when they see something new, they’re interested and they’re excited to try it.” Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services has leveraged the momentum of the

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SIP, SWIRL, share Capital Region wineries offer unique summer events to entice vineyard visitors EL DORADO COUNTY: WINEDERLUST RENEGADE WINE FESTIVAL The El Dorado Winery Association is bringing the inaugural WINEderlust Renegade Wine Festival to Henningsen Lotus Park on Aug. 26. The event includes wineries, craft breweries, food vendors, artists, craftspeople and live music. The event takes place from 2-9 p.m; tickets cost $28. EDWA president Carey Skinner says, “We really want to bring greater awareness to our region as a legitimate region for people to come and experience recreation with their family.” For more info: www.eldoradowines.org/winederlust CLARKSBURG: WINES OF CLARKSBURG The annual Wines of Clarksburg event returns Sept. 17, from 1-5 p.m at the Heringer Ranch and includes a silent art auction, food pairings and wine tastings. According to Rina DiMare, Clarksburg Wine Growers and Vintners Association board president, the event is an opportunity for people to make the short drive from Sacramento to Clarksburg and enjoy local wines while supporting a good cause — the proceeds benefit the Clarksburg Library. “It’s 20 minutes from downtown so it’s just a perfect little day getaway,” DiMare says. Tickets for the event are $40 in advance or $60 at the door. For more info: www.clarksburglibraryfriends.org/wine-tasting LODI: GOAT YOGA AT SPENKER WINERY While the Lodi Winegrape Commission produces wine events in the spring, Executive Director Wendy Brannen notes that visitors can expect to see traditional and not-so-traditional events at wineries year-round. “We really do stay up with trends and what’s on-point across the country,” she says. “And right now we’re seeing wineries who are doing everything from wine painting classes to goat yoga.” The yoga classes are $35 and include 45 minutes of guided yoga while baby and small-breed goats play around those in attendance. According to Sarah Spenker, of Spenker Winery, goat yoga classes will be available through August. For more info: www.spenkerwinery.com

—Jennifer Snyder

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Farm-to-Fork festivities in a significant way. For the last two years, they have teamed up with Visit Sacramento for the Fresh Food Drive, aimed at gathering large amounts of fresh produce to then distribute to food-insecure people across the region. In 2016, the food drive defied expectations by raising 493,977 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, going well beyond the Guinness World Record set by the event in 2015.

OUTSIDE PARTICIPATION Institutions of higher education have also taken note of the movement: UC Davis has been integral in the region’s agricultural heritage through their agricultural degree programs. Both UC Davis and Sacramento State have created their own farm-to-fork events. For the second year, Sac State will host a day-long festival on Sept. 13 that concludes with dinner on the Guy West Bridge — a nod to Visit Sacramento’s Tower Bridge Dinner — but students design the menu, procure and prepare the food, and staff the event. According to Jennifer Campbell, a registered dietitian and nutritionist at Sac State, the goal is to provide a learning experience for the students and the general public around the entire food system — from sustainability and business, to food equity and nutritional health. The events have also offered validation for local businesses that have been operating with farm-to-fork in mind for years by keeping much of their growing, processing and distribution activities in the area. “We have our own acreage just down the river in Clarksburg and we’ve been farming for six generations,” says Jody Bogle, director of public relations for Bogle Vineyards and Winery. “For us telling the story of our family, where we are, what we do and how quality is so important to us — the fact that it’s still made by our family — we’re still involved on a daily basis and the passion and the pride that goes into that.” Casey Shideler, executive chef at Taylor’s Kitchen in Sacramento and one

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of five lead chefs for this year’s Tower Bridge Dinner, also notes the importance of everyone in the restaurant — customers included — understanding where their food comes from. “Even with all of the reading I had done, the cookbooks I had read, and what I learned in school, I saw so many things I had never even seen before — some things I had never even heard of before,” Shideler says of her initial reaction to working with a farm-to-fork menu that featured locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. Shideler says she also sees less food waste now. “We can use every part of it, we can use the tops of the carrots, we can yield as much as possible, where a lot of times that stuff is processed out and thrown away when it can actually be used.” While there is no doubt that the Farm-to-Fork movement has become — and will likely continue to be — an economic driver for the Sacramento region, there is also a sense of community being cultivated beyond the simplistic concept of branding Sacramento as a foodtourism destination. “The point with Farm-to-Fork is that it impacts every demographic,” Testa adds. “This is about celebrating the life that we have in the Sacramento region because it’s unparalleled in this country.” n Jennifer Snyder is a writer, editor and podcast host. Catch her weekly show, Creating Your Own Path, wherever podcasts are available. For more, visit www.jenniferesnyder.com. LOOKING FOR WAYS FOR YOUR BUSINESS TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE FARM-TO-FORK PROGRAM?

Contact Visit Sacramento’s Business Development Manager Alex Burt at arburt@visitsacramento.com

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paint the

TOWN

For the Wide Open Walls festival, more than 50 muralists will bathe Sacramento in kaleidoscopic visions of art BY Robin Epley

ever underestimate the power of art. After all, it was the power of art that saved the Sacramento Mural Festival from being a one-off event last year, and transformed it into Wide Open Walls. The annual mural and street art event puts Sacramento in the same category as Montreal, Istanbul, Lima and Mexico City, which are famous for their own mural festivals. After last year’s sponsors, Friends of Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, declined to reinstate the Sacramento Mural Festival for another year — but

gave organizer David Sobon the rights to continue the concept under a different name. Sobon decided he couldn’t just let the event go quietly. So he approached Visit Sacramento, the city’s destination marketing organizers, who saw the potential of an annual art event. “Visit Sacramento, they jumped on board and helped this become a big event,” Sobon says. “Mike Testa [Visit Sacramento’s CEO] took a leap of faith and helped us.” Sobon says watching the creation of art is an intimate and rare experience, and calls the mural festival a unique

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1) Wide Open Walls organizer David Sobon stands in front of work from last year’s festival, by artist Irubiel Moreno. 2) A mural, painted by Drew Merritt last year during the festival, adorns the side of the Sacramento Native American Health Center. 3) Nate Frizzell, works on K Street for the Sacramento Mural Festival in 2016.

opportunity to observe both local and international artists on the same stage. There will be 10,000 printed programs available at every mural, and spectators can book a running, walking or biking tour of some of the locations. “We’re really creating new landmarks in Sacramento,” Sobon says. There will be 50 artists from a dozen countries at 40 locations in downtown and Midtown as Wide Open Walls 2017 kicks off Aug. 10 and runs through Aug. 20. You can see the full list of participating artists at the event website, but here, get to know five local artists who will bring a splash of color to Sacramento:

will obviously be textured, so it’s a little nerve-wracking,” Conrad says. She usually works with oil, acrylic and metal leaf to create layers and dimensions between resin, so working on a large, textured surface that’s open to outdoor conditions presents a challenge. Conrad says she’d like to do a “series of koi fish coming up from the ground, up the wall, and flying up.” Unlike other artists who generally trace a projection onto the wall first, Conrad says she’s going to try to do it all freehand. “Street art in general tends to be gritty, and I think it’s really fun to add gold leaf to the side of a building,” she says.

Maren Conrad says she’s very excit-

aerosol muralist for nearly 22 years, says he is happy to be included in this year’s group of artists. He says he really wanted to be a part of the project last year but

ed to translate her work for Wide Open Walls — this is the first time she’s done a mural on an external wall. “The wall

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Anthony Padilla who has been an

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wasn’t selected. His mural will reflect the same theme as much of his art — “renewable energy, and technology and nature,” Padilla says, “mixing them all together.” Though he has done large murals before, he says his work for WoW this summer will be among the largest projects he’s ever done. Padilla is known for his art installations as well as his mural work — in particular, a giant metal sculpture of a solarpowered “poppy,” with ports to charge various technology devices and petals that provide shade. He hopes to temporarily install it nearby the new mural.

Demetris Washington, known as BAMR, volunteered last year at the Sacramento Mural Festival, but this year he’ll be up on his own scaffold. He plans to pick a simple subject for his mural, “something powerful that won’t fly over

people’s heads,” he says. One of his favorite things about last year, Washington says, was watching the crowds that would form while the artists worked. “I’m looking forward to people being able to see [me work],” he says. “People respond to that, they bring good vibes.” Washington will use a mixture of latex paint and spray paint to create his mural. “I’ve never done anything this big,” he says. “It’s tall and long with full creative freedom. I can have fun with it.” Washington says he hopes visitors and viewers walk away thinking about how creative they can be in their own lives. “They don’t have to be an artist” he says, to be a creative person.

Anthony Padilla works on his recent mural installment at University River Village in Sacramento.

Jose DiGregorio says right now, he has “the plans in my head.” DiGregorio says he thinks he’ll create a “celestial” piece with a rich color gradient for his

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“THEY SEE THE PROCESS. IT’S MORE ACCESSIBLE THAN THEY MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT.” - Jose DiGregorio, 17SCAS553_ComstockVisitSacAd_4.625x7.375_070917F_PRINT.pdf 1 7/10/17

muralist 8:27 AM

wall. Just getting the dimensions for the wall is very important, he says. “Those things dictate what the aesthetics will be.” (His assigned wall this year is tall and vertical.) Perhaps it will include five or six overlapping mandalas, which he plans to draw freehand, he says. DiGregorio has participated in many mural festivals across the world, most recently in Montreal, and he says having an audience never gets old. “It sounds like it could be cliche where you’re ‘engaging with the public,’ but the accessibility to art that is outside, where people can admire your art — whatever their takeaway is, that’s great.” If the audience can put a face behind an a piece of art, it “peels a layer of mystery off,” he says. “They see the process. It’s more accessible than they might have thought.”

Raphael Delgado says that when he returned from Montreal Mural Festival this year, he truly realized how important major street art festivals are to burgeoning art scenes in major cities. “Street art is so ingrained in these cities,” he says. “It’s becoming the language of the younger demographic.” Delgado says he sees murals as being “a big billboard” for his work. “People that walk down the street notice it; it’s a way to deliver your message on a daily basis to the city.” Delgado says he’s still “chiseling ideas down, looking at my options,” but may do a picture of a large, human/animal hybrid with surrounding symbology. “I had to get rid of this phobia of working super large and in front of an audience,” says the artist, who has a private studio and gallery near the busy R Street corridor. “This will be a fun way to show people that I’m out here.” For more information on participating artists and where their work can be found, visit www.wow916.com. n Robin Epley is the associate editor for Comstock’s. She is also the founder of Millennials in Media, a Sacramento-based program for young journalists. On Twitter @robin_epley.

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BRUNCH, POLITICS and Stars General Manager Scott VandenBerg navigates running a 24-hour business at the Sacramento Hyatt Regency BY Zack Quaintance

s the general manager of the Hyatt Regency in Sacramento, Scott VandenBerg spent three nights in June hosting the singer and rapper Pitbull, plus his large entourage, in one of his hotel’s governor suites. Pitbull was playing a show at the Golden 1 Center downtown, co-headlining with Enrique Iglesias. In fact, Iglesias’ people had tried to book him the Hyatt Regency’s presidential suite two days before the concert, but were forced to look elsewhere for accommodations because it had already been taken.

The morning after the concert, as Pitbull and his people checked out of the hotel, VandenBerg had an entourage of his own. A class of local fifth grade students from Genevieve Didion Elementary School, from the Pocket neighborhood, were spending the morning at the Hyatt, dressed in adorably-oversized suit coats and adult chef’s jackets, shadowing VandenBerg and his staff as they learned about the tourism and hospitality business. This dichotomy of superstars and community outreach, of international glamour and daily workload, is one that defines

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VandenBerg’s days as general manager of one of the leading hotels in Sacramento. With 505 rooms, the Hyatt Regency is the largest hotel in the city, located prominently at the intersections of 12th and L streets — only a few lanes of traffic and a hedge of artfully trimmed bushes separate it from the State Capitol building. The Hyatt Regency opened in 1988, making it the second major hotel brand to come to Sacramento. (The first was the Holiday Inn near Old Sacramento). VandenBerg and his staff of 340 employees, including 37 managers, have long accommodated guests who had business at the Capitol, such as visiting dignitaries and lobbyists, as well as daily meetings over meals and drinks in the hotel bar and restaurants. They even used to host former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who would smoke cigars in peace on their patio, in front of the outdoor fireplace. In recent years, however, the number of tourists staying in the building has steadily

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With the help of a local legislator, you can book an event inside the Capitol

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increased, and guest feedback indicates an appreciation of the imminent revitalization of the city center. The streets are more walkable, there are expanded options for cuisine and drinks, and there’s now a wider breadth of entertainment selections. All of this has enticed new visitors to Sacramento, visitors who once may have driven home to the Bay Area after spending a Saturday in the city, or only briefly stopped while en route to Lake Tahoe. “People used to comment that they ‘rolled up the sidewalks’ here at 5 o’clock,” VandenBerg says. “That’s changed now.” More world-class performers are staying in the Sacramento Hyatt Regency too, thanks to the increase of tourists and the glittering presence of the Golden 1 Arena, nearby. But just as many school visits and community events take place there too. VandenBerg fondly describes the sweet old couple who come every May from far-off New Zealand to attend the Sacramento Jazz Festival. He also says

There is a secret at the California State Capitol. There’s a space in the Capitol available for event hosting, complete with access to a caterer and the scenic backdrop of the building itself. To book this space, Californians need only reach out to their representative, and then pay a small fee. Most people, however, don’t know about this option, says Jenn Crabbé, one of the partners developing The Statehouse Restaurant, a new eatery in the basement level of the building, which serves as the official caterer for the Capitol event space. Crabbé’s restaurant features food by Dan Watterson, formerly of Le Diplomat in Washington D.C., and it has right of first refusal for all events hosted in the Capitol. “It’s kind of a hidden secret,” Crabbé says of the Capitol’s public venue. “That’s what’s really cool about it. People don’t usually know it’s there, and once they do, they tend to book it.” The main space for events is the Eureka Room and surrounding areas, includ-

it is an honor to serve the generations of locals who maintain a tradition of holiday brunches at the Hyatt, as well as the couples who choose to celebrate their weddings there. This local clientele, VandenBerg says, is as central to the nature of hospitality and tourism as is catering to the out-of-town guests. It’s a lesson VandenBerg learned at his first job back in his hometown of Holland, Mich., where he washed dishes at the Holiday Inn to buy his first car. VandenBerg watched as the hotel owner hosted live bands on the weekends, as well as Sunday brunches and other events vital to the fabric of life in his small town. The owner knew everyone, he says, and relished in giving as much to the city as he got in return. For VandenBerg, it left an indelible impression. He went from dishwasher to busboy, then on to waiter, front desk and night auditor — all the way up to general manager of the most prominent hotel in the capital of America’s most populous

ing a section that during the day is used for public dining. In the evening, however, it is available for events, with a standing room capacity of 250 and a seated count of about 200. The Statehouse Restaurant, which also has a grab-and-go cafe version currently open on the building’s sixth floor, will open sometime in October for more elaborate dining options — including New York-style pizza, burgers and daily specials. For now, however, the partners behind it say they are honored to be where they are. “We can do really cool things there,” says Chris Jarosz, another partner at The Statehouse, “and at the end of the day, it’s the most majestic building in town.” The Statehouse is located within the State Capitol, currently with a cafe section on the 6th floor with an eatery still to come in the basement. For more information about The Statehouse, which also does catering for events off-site, call (916) 862-3155.

—Zack Quaintance

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state. Along the way he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and hospitality management from Michigan State University. “The business just got in my blood,” VandenBerg says. “I liked what I was doing, meeting new people every day.” In addition to hosting the fifth grade class each year, VandenBerg also welcomes graduating seniors from the hospitality program at Chico State to learn at the Hyatt Regency. He tells these older students the key to the business is staying flexible, and that “the cool thing about the hotel business is that every day is different.” He also tells them that while the business can be glamorous — like walking through the hallway past Pitbull and Lebron James — the backbone of the work is the same as any successful business: There are necessities like managing people, bookkeeping and staying knowledgeable about the industry. It requires staying humble and remembering you are there to serve guests and create experiences, he says. VandenBerg says there has never been a better time for Sacramento. The unique characters of the many diverse neighborhoods are starting to manifest, and the area’s strengths — like its natural beauty, farm-fresh produce and its own personality — have positioned Sacramento a short step away from joining the ranks of Austin and Portland: Both quirky cities that have begun to attract visitors and residents from all over the world. He’s not alone in this optimism. Other local tourism stakeholders express similar sentiments, such as Liz Tavernese, the general manager of the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown, and Doug Warren, regional director of operations for Marriott Courtyard Cal Expo, Marriott Fairfield Inn Cal Expo and Visalia Marriott. Tavernese says that “Old Sacramento, the new arena, concerts, sports, festivals, [the] craft beer industry, local wine tasting, the Capitol, arts and culture venues, rivers and trails, water craft activities and weather,” are all major tourism draws to the city. Warren says that hoteliers such

as VandenBerg have been vital in driving local tourism growth, particularly in the way they have provided funding for initiatives like Visit Sacramento. Warren says this is one of the main reasons the city is now hosting new festivals, events and conventions. “There is a certain cool factor now about being in Sacramento,” VandenBerg says. “Our neighborhoods are diverse and

interesting to explore. Sacramento is a very walkable city for visitors, and people love what we have to offer.” n Zack Quaintance has more than a decade of experience working in the media. His writing has appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Dallas Morning News and the Austin American-Statesman. He lives in Northern California. On Twitter @zackquaintance.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

VISIT SACRAMENTO

Las Alcobas Napa Valley, a 5-star resort and spa, is adjacent to the Beringer winery, vineyards and mansion in St. Helena. The project comprises 68 luxury guest rooms, full service spa, meeting room, show kitchen, restaurant, event lawn, swimming pool and fitness center.

The centerpiece of the project is the historic 100 year old Acacia House. The newly renovated building includes a restaurant, guest suites and board room. Jason Dewey Photography

Jason Dewey Photography

Tricorp Construction assembled an experienced design/build team which designed the resort to the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exacting standards, coordinating with the City of St. Helena and the local Historic Committee. Preconstruction on the complex project spanned two years and the design team maintained involvement throughout construction.

EXECUTED BY

PETERS

engineering

Your First Resource

In collaboration with Yabu Pushelberg, an international, award winning design firm.

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

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FLIGHTS OF

fancy

The proposed construction of what would become the Sacramento International Airport in 1957 was considered risky, the site poorly-located and the size based on unrealistic expectations. But when SMF opened its gates in 1967, the enterprise surpassed 1 million passengers served in just its first year of operation. It has continued to grow ever since. This year, the airport will turn 50 years old, and we’re taking a look back at the outstanding success of the Sacramento International Airport — our connection to the rest of the world.

OPENED OCT. 21, 1967 AND INITIALLY SERVED BY FIVE AIRLINES:

PACIFIC, PSA, UNITED, WESTERN AND WEST COAST

TRAVELERS CAN FLY nonstop TO SACRAMENTO FROM 29 CITIES THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND MEXICO INCLUDING:

IN ITS FIRST YEAR, IT SERVED MORE THAN 1 million PASSENGERS. NEW YORK CITY, NY CHICAGO, IL

PHILADELPHIA, PA WASHINGTON, DC

DENVER, CO

ATLANTA, GA

TODAY, SMF HOSTS 14 AIRLINES AND IN 2016,

DALLAS, TX

SERVED 10,118,794 PASSENGERS IN 2006, SACRAMENTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST AIRPORTS IN THE U.S. TO OFFER

free WI-FI

TOP FIVE DESTINATIONS FROM SACRAMENTO INCLUDE: (MARCH 2016 - FEBRUARY 2017)

545,000 PASSENGERS Los Angeles, California 450,000 PASSENGERS Seattle/Tacoma, Washington

AND EVERY CHAIR AT TERMINAL B GATES HAS INDIVIDUAL ELECTRICAL AND USB OUTLETS

THE

TERMINAL B

complex is three times the size of the original Terminal

B and cost $1.03 billion when it was built in 2012

415,000 PASSENGERS Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona 350,000 PASSENGERS San Diego, California 325,000 PASSENGERS Denver, Colorado

SOURCES: WWW.SACRAMENTO.AERO/SMF, WWW.TRANSTATS.BTS.GOV

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

VISIT SACRAMENTO

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

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down by the

BOARDWALK Old Sacramento gets a new look BY Robin Epley

n a hot summer afternoon in Old Sacramento, with temperatures reaching near 105 degrees Fahrenheit, you have the streets to yourself. Most people have retreated indoors and those that are outside take refuge beneath what awnings they can find. Everyone moves slowly and with as little effort as possible. On the Embarcadero boardwalk — the strip of thick, wooden planks that separate the river and riverfront businesses from the main drag of Old Sacramento, Front Street — the heat is nearly unbearable.

That’s because there’s no shade — just hundreds of hot boards with giant, clumsy lug nuts at odd intervals and the occasional gaping hole to avoid. The wood is more than 30 years old now, and some planks are splintered and starting to disintegrate at the edges. By standing on the Embarcadero, you can see the golden Tower Bridge standing over the bustling restaurant buildings, and below, the cool river flowing while the Delta King gently bobs against the dock. But to see those views, you first have to stand on those shadeless, hot, unforgiving boards.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

VISIT SACRAMENTO

Earlier this year, and just days after Sacramento sizzled through an early summer heat wave, the City of Sacramento finally began to rebuild the Embarcadero. The wood will be replaced with a stamped and colored concrete, that is safe for people of all abilities to walk on and will resemble the historic planks. The affected area is between J Street and Neasham Circle, west of Front Street. Construction started in June and is expected to cost $7.7 million before finishing in late fall 2017, according to the City’s website. “This is going to give us beautiful access to the riverfront,” says Downtown Sacramento Partnership’s Old Sacramento District Director, Brooksie Hughes. “It will attract and draw more people to the riverfront so they can enjoy the shops and dining.” In order to avoid adversely affecting the businesses who rely on access

PHOTO: COURTESY OF CITY OF SACRAMENTO

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activities and Golden 1 Center events!

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comstocksmag.com | August 2017

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Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg speaks at the “board breaking” ceremony on June 26.

via the boardwalk, the City has commenced the construction in six phases, moving from the northernmost area of the Embarcadero to the southern. Then, in summer 2018, repairs will begin on the K Street barge, including elevator modernization and improvements to the gangways leading to the barge and Delta King. An official “board breaking” ceremony — instead of groundbreaking — was held on June 26, where Mayor Darrell Steinberg and local business owners broke off the first boards. “All of the businesses will remain open during construction, Hughes says, including Rio City Cafe, Hornblower Cruises and Events, Joe’s Crab Shack and access to the Delta King Hotel and its restaurant. Rio City Cafe co-owner Stephanie Miller says that she and her staff are excited to see a new Embarcadero outside their front door, and plan on moving the entrance of the restaurant to the side door for a few weeks while the planks outside are being replaced. The boardwalk will be replaced just on the strip between Front Street and the floodwall, says project manager Kirk

A Sacramento tradition since 1939

806 L Street • frankfats.com

Photo credit: Rachel Valley

There are restaurants that make dinner. And there are restaurants that make history. We do both.

CONGRATULATIONS ON 90 YEARS!

Comstock’s is proud to partner with Visit Sacramento, supporting 90 years of civic and cultural amenities that make our region shine.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

VISIT SACRAMENTO

SERVING SACRAMENTO FOR 31 YEARS

Biba-Restaurant.com

2801 Capital Avenue Sacramento, CA 95816 916-455-2422

1 Winery of th7e Ye ar

17343 N. Cherry Rd., Lodi • (209) 333-9291 • www.bergholdvineyards.com

GREAT SHOWS. UP CLOSE! The Harris Center presents intimate performance by touring artists, regional favorites, and talented community groups. Visit our website to learn more about the premier live theatre experience in the Sacramento Region.

comstocksmag.com | August 2017

Robin Epley is the associate editor for Comstock’s. She is also the founder of Millennials in Media, a Sacramento-based program for young journalists. On Twitter @robin_epley.

DID YOU KNOW? Old Sacramento is registered as a National and California Historic Landmark, and has more than 50 buildings that date back to the 1850s and 1860s, built after disastrous floods and fires razed the burgeoning city.

916-608-6888 HarrisCenter.net 100

Thompson, an architect with the City of Sacramento; the rest of the wooden walks in Old Sacramento are safe and will remain where they are. The stamped concrete is extremely durable and will comply with current ADA laws, which the previous boardwalk no longer met. Thompson also says there will be landscaping, light fixtures and shade structures built, including period-accurate lamp posts with long-lasting LED lights and a metal railing along both the train track side of the boardwalk and the river side. Hughes, with DSP, says she made sure the City included access to plenty of electrical outlets for big events and live music. “We’re really excited to be working with the City on these projects,” Hughes says. She hopes that not only will the updated Embarcadero bring events to Old Sacramento, but also bring people out for the events they already offer, including family scavenger hunts, bar crawls, car shows and history-based programs like tours and walks. According to DSP’s website, the Old Sacramento area attracts more than 3 million visitors on an annual basis, so it’s likely that many millions of people will enjoy the Embarcadero boardwalk for years to come. n

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Locally owned. Locally produced. Nationally recognized.

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a e ne rg lifornia re ma y p oli in fe de ral a c y now a a leade r dmin by R istra t o dds wit with an u ss el tion? han l N ic ew h o ls

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BUSINESS INSIGHT FOR CALIFORNIA’S CAPITAL REGION

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29 | NO. 2

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2017 PART 9

Capital Region cares

omstock’s magazine is proud to present the ninth installment of our 22nd annual Capital Region Cares salute to nonprofits. At Comstock’s, we seek to drive community engagement and the support of the business community by introducing our readers to the many charitable organizations making an impact in communities across Northern California. These charities — from food banks and animal shelters to museums and hospitals — are changing lives 365 days a year. You’ll read about some of them in this issue of Comstock’s and online at comstocksmag.com as we build content for what will become our flagship Capital Region Cares annual publication. In September, business leaders, philanthropists, volunteers and nonprofit organizers across the region will receive the final product, Capital Region Cares 2017, filled with moving stories, informative resources and contact information for over 500 local nonprofits that need your help.

August March 2017 | comstocksmag.com

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• success story

Sayyes LOCAL NONPROFIT YES 2 KOLLEGE HELPS AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS FIND AN EDUCATION AND A CAREER

BY Robin Epley PHOTOGRAPHY: Larry Dalton

ee Lucien is waiting patiently. She’s on the shortlist for a spot in the prestigious doctoral program at UC Davis’ Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, thanks to a full-ride scholarship she says she never would have known about if it hadn’t been for one local nonprofit.

Yes 2 Kollege helps African-Americans in the greater Sacramento region achieve their educational goals and realize a path into the health care industry, says Executive Director Sharon Chandler. One way the nonprofit does this is through an annual conference held at the UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. The nonprofit partners with the university to assist

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attendees in applying for UC Davis scholarships. “We’re like the middle man,” Chandler says. “We get the resources to the people and the people to the resources.” Lucien, who hopes to enter the nursing doctoral program this fall, received her scholarship at last year’s conference. A second scholarship went to a young woman pursuing her master’s degree in nursing at UC Davis. Lucien currently teaches nursing at Sacramento City College, where she serves as faculty adviser for the school’s National Student Nurses Association chapter. She says the conference helps students navigate a career path in nursing. “They get to learn what a nurse is, how you get in,

Left: A panel of retired and current nurses discuss the obstacles they have faced as African-Americans in nursing careers at Yes 2 Kollege’s inaugural nursing conference last year. Above: Conference participants hear from nurses and health care professionals about what their career path could look like.

the salaries and what motivates someone to do nursing,” she says. “They hear testimonies they can relate to, that build confidence, and take that home.” In 2015, the California State Senate designated August as African-American Women’s Health Legacy month, Chandler says, which is why she decided to hold the annual conference during that time. This year’s conference, to be held on Aug. 26, will include discussions on nursing technology, a panel on the need for African-American nurses, free healthcare screenings and a job fair. There will also be another round of scholarship application assistance and mentorship pairings, Chandler says. The nonprofit also offers a mentorship program to middle and high school

students, as well as a job shadowing program each July. To date, Chandler says, they’ve helped find mentors for nearly 300 students in the Sacramento area, or about 70 students annually. “We want to help people wherever they are in their career and show them a path to whatever level they want to get to,” Chandler says. n Robin Epley is the associate editor for Comstock’s. She is also the founder of Millennials in Media, a Sacramento-based program for young journalists. On Twitter @robin_epley.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

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Bloodsource B

BLOOD DONORS FUEL HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

obby Karratti perfectly illustrates the reality that blood donors truly do save lives and that all types of blood donation are critically needed to help patients. As new and inexperienced parents, Alexandra and Mike Karratti lovingly called infant Bobby their “blueberry” baby, blissfully unaware they were seeing the manifestations of a serious blood clotting malfunction. Bobby’s pediatrician quickly referred the family for further testing, thinking Bobby likely had leukemia. Thus began a long journey; one with endless education and endless challenges that the Karritti family embraced fully with all their strength, their hearts, their hopes. BloodSource donors were by their side.

a diagnosis of Wiskott- Aldrich syndrome (WAS) – a rare, primary immunodeficiency disease with abnormal bleeding. The only known cure is a bone marrow transplant. Bobby needed all types of blood components - red cells, plasma and platelets. Platelets - viable for a mere five days after donation – were transfused every day for over six months. Infusions of a plasma-based medicine, called immunoglobulin, would be on the schedule for four years. “Every day, Bobby needed blood transfusions of all types,” shares Alexandra. “ I want to let blood donors know that although they have no idea who is desperately holding onto hope at the other end of what they give, that those people are grateful.”

GIVING WHAT’S NEEDED It took more than a year and countless blood transfusions to confirm

DONATING BLOOD AND HOPE Bobby was near death at many times during his ordeal. Today, he is healthy,

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ready to start first grade and is an avid sports fan! Alexandra reminds blood donors that their precious gifts allow patients to live today and fuel hope for memorable tomorrows. Together, we do save lives. To learn how you can support the critical public health need of a safe and plentiful blood supply, please contact BloodSource at bloodsource.org or 866.822.5663.

BLOODSOURCE.ORG / 866.822.5663

“I want to let blood donors know that although they have no idea who is desperately holding onto hope at the other end of what they give, that those people are grateful.” — Alexandra Karratti

Sacramento ballet O

utstanding repertory, renowned dancers, successful dance school, launch pad for talent, and delighted audiences – all facets of the Sacramento Ballet thanks to the skills and passion of co-artistic directors, Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda. Ron and Carinne brought worldclass credentials to the Sacramento Ballet in the late 1980s. Ron had been a principal dancer and resident choreographer for the Boston Ballet and Carinne a soloist and ballet mistress. A prolific choreographer, Ron’s work has been acclaimed throughout America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Carinne was the personal assistant to artistic director and legendary ballerina, Violette Verdy, and ballet mistress for Rudolf Nureyev’s Don Quixote and Swan Lake. Sharing a common vision, the husband and wife team have built a company of national recognition. Their

extensive repertory, which includes 18 masterworks from George Balanchine and cutting edge works from the most sought-after choreographers today, attracts dancers from all over the world. Ron has created or re-staged more than 50 of his works such as Carmina Burana, Romeo & Juliet, The Great Gatsby, Peter Pan, Etosha, The Rite of Spring and many others that regularly command standing ovations. Highly regarded as a master teacher and coach, Carinne’s brilliant eye brings excellence and vibrancy to every production. Boasting more than 400 students, the School of the Sacramento Ballet was founded and developed under her watchful eye. Ron Cunningham's Nutcracker, the “Crown Jewel of Holiday Tradition,” boasts more than 500 children from a wide diversity of backgrounds throughout the greater Sacramento area. The pair’s savvy creation of Beer & Ballet – informal, experimental SACBALLET.ORG

THREE DECADES OF ARTISTIC SUCCESS performances in their studio – helped demystify ballet for uninitiated audiences. The duo’s passion for community engagement, outreach, and a constant reinvention of itself through innovative programing and community inclusion is a tribute to their phenomenal success over the past three decades.

PROFILE SPONSORED BY

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

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California Coalition for youth T

he California Coalition for Youth (CCY) is a 35-yearold grassroots non-profit organization located in Sacramento that, as a statewide coalition, takes positions on and advocates for public policies, programs, and services that empower and improve the lives of California’s youth, ages 12 to 24. CCY represents several hundred youth and community agencies throughout California that focus on disconnected, homeless, and runaway youth. More than 260,000 youth up to the age of 18 and many thousands more between the ages of 18 and 24 experience homelessness and lack the services they need each

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year in our state, and CCY is the leader on this issue and their voice at the statewide level. In addition, CCY operates the California Youth Crisis Line (CYCL), a statewide, toll-free, 24-hour, confidential hotline available to teens and young adults from age 12 to 24 and/or adults supporting youth. If someone you know is in crisis, they can call 1-800-843-5200. CYCL is also an immediate, reliable and free link between youth and local services, and can help callers find homeless youth shelters, youth-serving medical clinics, ongoing counseling services and much more throughout California.

CALYOUTH.ORG

IMPROVING & EMPOWERING THE LIVES OF CALIFORNIA’S YOUTH

CCY is committed to improving and empowering the lives of California’s youth by advocating for the programs, support, and resources they need to have successful lives.

Leukemia & lymphoma Society W

PROVIDING HOPE, FINDING CURES

ith a mission of curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma and improving the quality of life for patients and their families, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Greater Sacramento Area chapter serves 37 counties throughout Northern California and Northern Nevada. More than 2,300 patients are diagnosed annually with blood cancers within this territory, and this year LLS has helped 118 patients with $296,000 in co-pay assistance, and has helped 266 patients and healthcare professionals with educational programs and materials. “It’s still unknown what causes blood cancers, so rather than focus on prevention we focus on research to find cures, access to treatments, and patient support,” says Jenaye Shepherd, Executive Director. LLS also lobbies on behalf of blood cancer patients. “Our public

policy team is heavily involved in trying to remove barriers for patients seeking treatment and to keep treatment affordable in today’s unpredictable healthcare climate,” notes Shepherd. LLS is co-hosting the new Beat AML Master Trial with a couple of academic institutions. “Non-profits typically don’t host trials – it’s usually universities, or pharmaceutical companies,” Shepherd points out. “Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a complex cancer with poor survival rates and unfortunately there have been no advances in treatment for the last 40 years. LLS has committed to investing $125 million in this trial to support AML patients and fund new treatments." "Our chapter has had an exceptional fundraising year, raising more than $3 million for the mission to support patients and find cures, said Shepherd. “Many of our programs went beyond exLLS.ORG

pectations – more than 600 area schools raised more than $700,000 collecting pennies, and we had more than 200 Team In Training participants and more than 3,500 walkers for our Light the Night fundraising event in 2016.” Capping off the stellar year, the chapter’s 2017 Man of the Year, Clay Covington, and Woman of the Year, Karlee Cemo-McIntosh, both set records for fundraising, with Clay raising more than $179,000 and Karlee raising more than $225,000, a tremendous impact towards a world without blood cancer.

August 2017 | comstocksmag.com

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Mutual Assistance network

25 YEARS OF REVITALIZING NORTH SACRAMENTO NEIGHBORHOODS

aunched in 1992 to rebuild Del Paso Heights, Mutual Assistance Network (MAN) socially and economically revitalizes struggling north Sacramento neighborhoods. Rooted in the belief that residents have the power to create economic change within their neighborhoods, MAN provides opportunities for individual and community growth that allow residents to act as guides. Now expanded into other North Sacramento neighborhoods, today MAN sees a much stronger Del Paso Heights where youth look forward to attending college, home ownership rates are increasing and crime is decreasing. “We develop paths for neighborhoods to become economically self-sustaining,” says Richard Dana, Executive Director. “We first stabilize a neighborhood through crisis intervention and then foster social networking opportunities.” MAN operates four community centers, all with parent edu-

cation, family support, and recreational activities that create loving, healthy environments for families. MAN also creates paths to leadership for residents. “Involvement in community activities and the neighborhood’s future enables residents take ownership,” explains Dana. “They volunteer, coach sports, do outreach, and lead groups.” “Ultimately, neighborhoods need a thriving economic environment to perpetuate success,” notes Dana, “we also focus on financial education, business development, and home ownership.” In partnership with neighborhood leaders, MAN helped launch the College & Sports Academy to cultivate leaders though education, athletics and character development. “This program enables youth to participate in multiple sports, after-school and recreation programs designed to promote academic achievement,” says Dana. “Sports build character and combined MUTUALASSISTANCE.ORG

with education is their avenue to college.” Programs like this are possible with sponsorships from SMUD, Kaiser, Sierra Health Foundation and others. MAN is also working with the City of Sacramento to build the Del Paso Heights Sports Complex. “Hosting regional sports and tournaments will bring people into the neighborhood and boost the local economy. Revenue from the sports complex will sustain the College & Sports Academy.”

PROFILE SPONSORED BY

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n SNAP

PHOTOS: KEN JAMES, CAPTION: SENA CHRISTIAN

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THE BAND PLAYS ON The Nickel Slots, from left: lead singer Tony Brusca, producer and recording engineer Joe Johnston, drummer Chris Amaral, bassist Paul Zinn and guitarist Steve Amaral (pictured in bottom photos) work on their fourth full-length studio album at Pus Cavern Recording Studio in Sacramento. “We’re really happy with this record. It’s probably one of the least rushed

records,” says Steve Amaral. They record as their schedules allow — the men also have families and jobs. Brusca is a kindergarten teacher, Zinn works for a software company, Chris Amaral is a pharmacist and his brother Steve is a graphic designer and stay-at-home dad. The Americana rock ‘n’ roll band went to Belgium for two weeks this summer for its third European tour, play-

ing 11 straight shows. Closer to home, the band performed at Sacramento’s Concert in the Park in May, and will play at Woodland’s Yolo County Fair in August. Also earlier this year, the band filmed two music videos, shooting one at the Lion’s Club in Woodland, the hometown of the Amaral brothers, and the other at the Torch Club in Sacramento (pictured bottom right).

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n THE BREAKDOWN

we care about

CIVIC AMENITIES THE Valley Vision report shows Sacramento region residents value our public spaces and cultural facilities

WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT CIVIC AMENITY TO QUALITY OF LIFE? Total Sample Size

Parks & trails

748 RESIDENTS

Spectator sports venues

Recreational sports facilities Music venues

Geographic region included: Sacramento, Yolo, Placer and El Dorado counties

Live theater

Events & festivals

Art galleries & museums

Science & history museums 4%

6% 6% 7%

HOW IMPORTANT ARE CIVIC AND CULTURAL AMENITIES TO PERSONAL WELL-BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE?

54% 8%

Not at all important 1% 53%

37%

Very Important

Moderately Important Slightly Important

WHAT IS THE LEAST IMPORTANT TYPE OF AMENITY TO QUALITY OF LIFE?

HOW IMPORTANT ARE CIVIC AMENITIES FOR ATTRACTING VISITORS TO THE REGION?

1% 7%

1% 68%

25%

6% 9%

HOW IMPORTANT ARE CIVIC AMENITIES FOR ATTRACTING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO THE REGION?

40%

2% 50%

37%

WHO FEELS STRONGER ABOUT THE ROLE OF CIVIC AMENITIES?

75%

11%

11% 16%

PLANNED CIVIC AMENITIES IN THE REGION LIVE THEATER B Street Theatre Performing Arts Complex (expansion, new venue) Community Center Theater (renovation)

77%

SPORTS VENUES Placer Valley Sports Complex SCIENCE, HISTORY & EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES California Indian Heritage Center, Powerhouse Science Center, Railroad Technology Museum, Sacramento Zoo (renovation), California Automobile Museum (expansion)

60%

50%

PARKS & TRAILS American River Parkway (improvements) COMMUNITY EVENTS & FESTIVALS Cal Expo State Fairgrounds (renovation)

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SOURCE: VALLEY VISIONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S REGIONAL ATTITUDES ABOUT CIVIL AMENITIES REPORT RELEASED JUNE 2017, METRO CHAMBER CIVIC AMENITIES STRATEGIC PLAN 2014-2015

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