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DARLING ELK GROVE Beautifully updated and maintained single story home! 1451 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths. Open Àoor plan with laminated Àooring and window shutters. Granite counters and new cabinets in kitchen. Located across from greenbelt in well-established neighborhood. Large back yard. $298,000 SUE LEE 833-5122

ON THE RIVER Amazing 3 bedroom 2½ bath home and property with private access to the Sacramento River. Updates include remodeled kitchen and bath, landscaping, deck, cabinets, granite, bosch/decor appliances, shutters, skylights, French doors, whole house fan. And much more! $570,000 MONA GERGEN 247-9555

DUTRA BEND Ready for you to enjoy! This 4 bedroom 3 bath two-story home features newer paint, carpet and re¿nished hardwood Àoors. The great open Àoor plan is just what you are looking for! Open and spacious, there is plenty of room for everyone $449,000 PAULA SWAYNE 925-9715

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GOLF COURSE TERRACE Beautifully updated four bedroom home located in a nice neighborhood. Re¿nished real hardwood Àoors, painted kitchen cabinets, updated bathrooms and more. Great open Àoor plan. Private yard with patio. Near Bing Maloney Golf Course, downtown, and shopping. $260,000 MONA GERGEN 247-9555

PRIVATE SECLUDED GARDENS Wonderfully unique nearly half acre S Land Park property with lush tranquil gardens and space! Two separate homes, 2 bedroom 2 bath and 2 bedroom 1 bath that share a connecting wall. Bring your imagination! RV access, workshop, carport, detached garage … Peaceful and secluded! $599,000 CHRIS BRIGGS 834-6483

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SOUTH LAND PARK TERRACE Conveniently located on a corner lot in a wonderful South Land Park neighborhood. 3 bedrooms 2 baths, 1453 square feet with open Àoor plan, living room ¿replace and dual pane windows. 2-car garage, bonus room and RV access. $398,000 CHRIS BRIGGS 834-6483

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for current home listings, please visit:

SOUTH LAND PARK HILLS Delightful home is perfect for outdoor living with the large sparkling pool, personal hot tub and outdoor grill. 3 bedrooms 2½ baths, 1725 sf lovingly maintained. Spacious open Àoor plan. Paradise is a personal thing but this might be yours! $519,000 SHEILA VAN NOY 505-5395

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FABULOUS ELK GROVE Amazing home and lot in highly desired Elk Grove neighborhood. 3 or 4 bedrooms 3 full baths. Spectacular 1.25 acre lot. 65 fruit trees all on drip system. Upgrades include interior/exterior paint, re¿nished cabinets, dishwasher, stove, whole house fan. Spacious 3 car garage. $425,000 MONA GERGEN 247-9555

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FOULKS RANCH ELK GROVE Better look at this! Open and bright 3 bedroom 2 bath home that has a big backyard. Pretty laminate Àooring and a newer roof plus... easy walk to Foulks Ranch Elementary School. So close to shopping, parks, greenbelts, freeways and public transportation. Call today! $299,000 SHEILA VAN NOY 505-5395

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COVER ARTIST Madelyn Templeton Madelyn Templeton is a local artist who has showcased her work in more than six different galleries. She's a junior at Sac State working towards receiving her BA degree in art. Contact her at madelynejoantempleton@gmail.com

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LOCAL MAY 16

PUBLISHER Cecily Hastings publisher@insidepublications.com 3104 O St. #120, Sac. CA 95816 (Mail Only) EDITOR PRODUCTION DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHY AD COORDINATOR DISTRIBUTION ACCOUNTING EDITORIAL POLICY

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Marybeth Bizjak mbbizjak@aol.com M.J. McFarland Cindy Fuller Linda Smolek, Aniko Kiezel Michele Mazzera, Julie Foster Lauren Hastings Jim Hastings, Daniel Nardinelli, Adrienne Kerins 916-443-5087 Commentary reflects the views of the writers and does not necessarily reflect those of Inside Publications. Inside Publications is delivered for free to more than 65,000 households in Sacramento. Printing and distribution costs are paid entirely by advertising revenue. We spotlight selected advertisers, but all other stories are determined solely by our editorial staff and are not influenced by advertising. No portion may be reproduced mechanically or electronically without written permission of the publisher. All ad designs & editorial—©

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You’ve told your BFF. Now talk to a GYN. You’re a doer. So when it comes to changes in your own body, why is it that you put it off? It’s time to take action and talk to a professional (no offense to your friends). Attend one of our informational events, where you can meet our gynecology experts and learn more about our treatment options. Register online at dignityhealth.org/women or call 916.851.2444. Wednesday, May 11 The Falls Event Center 8280 Elk Grove Blvd. Elk Grove The event is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Healthy appetizers and beverages will be served.

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Join the Debate INSIDE HOSTS A MAYOR’S DEBATE WITH NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUS

BY CECILY HASTINGS PUBLISHER’S DESK

e at Inside Publications are proud to announce a mayoral forum on Wednesday, May 11, at Clunie Community Center from 7 to 9 p.m. Mayoral candidates Darrell Steinberg, Angelique Ashby, Tony Lopez and Russell Rawlings will participate in the forum, which we organized and are sponsoring. The moderators will be Inside Publications writer Bob Graswich and KFBK radio personalities Kitty O’Neal and John McGinness. For this event, we partnered with East Sacramento Improvement Association, Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Association, Oak Park Neighborhood Association, Land Park Community Association, South Land Park Neighborhood Association, East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce and Eye on Sacramento. These organizations have submitted questions pertaining to their neighborhoods and the city in general. We have incorporated those questions into a challenging format to ask the candidates about neighborhood issues and their plans for the future.

One question we received was whether each candidate, as mayor, would consider neighborhood association advisory councils. From what I understand, this idea has pros and cons. I look forward to learning the candidates’ views. The top two candidates made their way into public service as leaders in their neighborhood associations. Our media partners are KFBK and iHeartRadio. The event will be available via podcast and videocast, both live and after the event. This has been an interesting race so far. However, some people feel the contest lacks the intensity of the 2008 race between Kevin Johnson and incumbent mayor Heather Fargo. This month, Bob Graswich writes a second article about the top two candidates for our city editions. The entire region has a stake in who becomes the next mayor of Sacramento. Unfortunately, voter turnout is typically lower in June than in November in a presidential election year. If one candidate receives 50.1 percent of the vote in June, he or she wins outright. If nobody clears that bar, the top two vote getters will match off again in November. Steinberg and Ashby have raised a lot of money for their campaigns, so look for a flurry of advertising leading up the June 3 election. I believe viewing political ads is the worst way to make an informed decision. I encourage voters to rely on unbiased media coverage as they decide who to vote for. Much is riding on who will lead the city through what I and others hope will be its renaissance years. I think voters will benefit from our mayoral forum. Please join us at

Clunie Community Center on May 11 or watch the debate on kfbk.com that night or later before you vote. To RSVP for the live event visit evite.me/ T858WSshhW.

Much is riding on who will lead the city through what many hope will be its renaissance years. BIG DAY OF GIVING THIS MONTH Sacramento Region Community Foundation and its partners have spent months gearing up for the BIG Day of Giving on Tuesday, May 3. The online giving event starts at midnight at givelocalnow.org. For 24 hours, Sacramentans will be encouraged to donate to local charities. Each gift is tax deductible. Using your credit card, you can donate anywhere from $25 to $10,000 to the organizations of your choice. You will receive email acknowledgement of your gift within an hour. You can also donate using your smartphone. Another benefit is the matching funds that accompany your gifts. Since the event is part of a national day of giving called Give Local America, foundations all over the country participate. Donations are eligible not only for local matching funds but national funds, too. Deciding where to give is the fun part. You may know local nonprofits you want to support. If not, the website allows you to search profiles

of participating organizations. If you have given to nonprofits before, expect them to market to you for this special day. Last year, BIG Day of Giving raised $5,583,619 in donations from 23,216 donors, benefiting 529 local nonprofits. More than 10,000 of the donors were new to the event last year. This year, 570 nonprofits will participate. I recently read an article by Paul Bedard in Washington Examiner about our nation’s giving habits. It gave me another reason to be especially proud to be an American. I wanted to share an excerpt: Americans are a charitable group, in fact the most generous in the world, according to the new Almanac of American Philanthropy. In a first-ofits-kind survey, the almanac found that Americans out-donate Britain and Canada 2 to 1 and nations like Italy and Germany 20 to 1. What’s more, more than half of every single income class except those earning less than $25,000 donate to charity. The much-maligned top 1 percent in the U.S. economy fork over one third of all donations made. Even in death. What’s more, Republicans appear to give bigger gifts, but Democrats pour in the smaller donations in a big number. … Americans also have high hopes for charities, choosing them over government agencies to solve the nation’s social problems, by a margin of 47 percent to 32 percent. And as a result, they want to protect tax deductions for charity, 66 percent to 21 percent. Cecily Hastings can be reached at publisher@insidepublications.com n

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Signs of Progress THE CITY IS BUYING OUT LEVEE HOMEOWNERS

BY R.E. GRASWICH POCKET BEAT

auri Burnham-Massey spoke for thousands of people when she took yellow cardboard and string and attached hand-lettered signs to private fences that block residents from enjoying the Sacramento River levee parkway. One sign said, “SHARE THE LEVEE. Please let children walkers joggers and cyclists travel safely on the levee rather than having to detour onto a busy road. Our taxes support levee maintenance. We are not your enemies but members of your community.” The second sign carried a similar message: “Share the Levee. Recreation + travel on the levee encourage an active + healthy lifestyle. Our taxes support the maintenance of the levee and it therefore belongs to the whole community. All should be allowed ‘to pass,’ not forbidden ‘to trespass.’” Despite their respectful community spirit, the signs didn’t survive. They vanished within a few hours, presumably torn down by residents who live behind the nine gates in the Pocket and Little Pocket.

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“They were gone pretty quickly,” Burnham-Massey says. “They definitely didn’t last 24 hours. I guess whoever lives back there didn’t like them.”

Sadly, the anger and resentment from residents behind the private gates are no surprise. Sadly, the anger and resentment from residents behind the private gates are no surprise. And that’s the worst part in the fight to gain public access to the river parkway: the bitter, selfish attitudes of a few residents who fight to keep the levee private. As Burnham-Massey’s placards noted, those homeowners are not the enemy. But their gates prevent the larger community from enjoying our city’s greatest resource.

It would be easy to characterize fence owners as the stereotypical angry old man who shouts at neighborhood kids to get off his lawn. There’s truth to that—but it’s not the full story. The angry old man once had friends in powerful places. He wouldn’t have shouted at neighborhood kids without tacit support from city officials and state officials. For years, the city and state ignored access issues along the Sacramento River. The city, pressured by influential homeowners who wanted private beaches and docks behind their homes in Pocket and Greenhaven, stayed silent when homeowners asked the state for permission to build fences across the levee. The fences created a private oasis—owned by the public, maintained by the public, untouchable by the public. An objection by the city might have stopped the process—or at least made the state think twice about handing out fence permits like breath mints. But for decades, the city did nothing. The people who could have objected—

the city council, city manager, parks department—said nothing. They didn’t want to ruffle feathers. The state acted no better. The Central Valley Flood Protection Board controls the levees. The board holds easements granted by farmers in the early 20th century. Legally speaking, the easements are unconditional. They make the state owners of the levees. Nobody—not even homeowners behind the fences—can sink a shovel into the levee along the Sacramento River without permission from the flood board. The board can revoke those nine permits any time but chooses not to—because revocation would bring lawsuits from property owners. And while property owners would almost certainly lose, the state doesn’t want to spend money defending its right to control the levees. It’s easier for the state to do nothing, at least for now. The permits will be pulled when the federal government begins its next round of levee repairs in the Pocket. Until then, the state is willing to maintain the status quo. This is where it gets interesting. The state is letting the city take the lead on dealing with homeowners behind the nine fences. And the city is working on buying homeowners off: paying them for secondary (and unnecessary) easement rights, basically paying them not to sue. This upsets many taxpayers, Lauri Burnham-Massey among them. She says, “When I read about your research that the state already had the easements, I couldn’t believe we POCKET page 11

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The Cost of $15 NEW LAW COULD RESULT IN ‘WAGE HIKE TSUNAMI’

BY CRAIG POWELL

INSIDE CITY HALL

conomically, minimum wages may not make sense,” our governor recently said, according to a recent Bee story, but “morally and socially and politically, they make every sense because it binds the community together and makes sure that parents can take care of their kids in a much more satisfactory way”—provided, of course, that parents don’t lose their jobs as a direct result of California’s unprecedented minimum wage hike. In addition to giving short shrift to the basic laws of economics, the governor is ignoring the Rule of Unintended Consequences, as the new wage mandate is poised to hammer the city of Sacramento and other local governments with a “wage hike tsunami,” as one analyst recently put it. In a mere four days, the governor and union backers of a statewide ballot measure to increase the state minimum wage from $10 to $15 an hour announced a deal to enact the wage hike legislatively and passed it through both houses of the Legislature on a largely party-line vote, with Republicans unified against it. Arguably one of the most farreaching pieces of economic legislation

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in decades, the California wage hike sailed into law without meaningful legislative hearings, without public testimony and without the sort of close scrutiny by critics that all laws deserve, let alone one with potentially devastating consequences. (Sound reminiscent of Gray Davis’s hamhanded, disastrous deregulation of the electrical industry?) Politically, the backroom wage deal was a grand slam for political progressives, who won without having to spend millions campaigning for the measure in a November election. The rushed legislation short-circuited a public vote but received largely fawning support from California media outlets, including The Sacramento Bee.

Supporters of “Fight for $15” don’t seem to care much at all about the economic impacts and potential unintended consequences of the wage hike. We are now officially in the nevernever Land of economics. No state has ever before adopted such a dramatic increase in its minimum wage. No state has ever imposed a minimum wage that is so far above the prevailing market rate for unskilled

labor. As Brown’s statements reflect, supporters of “Fight for $15” don’t seem to care much at all about the economic impacts and potential unintended consequences of the wage hike. To them, it was a “moral” fight, a blow against income inequality, and such concerns, in their minds, trump all others. If a $15 minimum is moral while a $10 minimum wage is, by implication, “immoral,” then what’s there for us to do but to enact the “moral wage,” pat one another on the back and march off into the warm and balmy climes of progressive paradise? But God gave us both a head and a heart, and I like to believe for good reason. You see, even a progressive morality triumph cannot trump the basic and unchangeable laws of supply and demand. When you are compelled to pay more for something, you end up buying less of it. This iron law of economics applies to labor every bit as much as it applies to bananas, iPhones and Hondas. If an employee now making $10 an hour is not producing $15 an hour of value for his employer, he or she will not remain an employee of that employer at $15 an hour for very long. They will either be laid off, replaced by automation, see their hours cut or, if fortunate, be told that their job is being relocated to a lower-cost state (which would be, well, any other state, except New York, which enacted its own $15 minimum wage at the same time California did). And what’s with the governor’s (and progressives’) moralizing about a $15 minimum wage? If an employer is willing to hire someone at $10 (but not $15) and a prospective worker is

ready, willing and able to go to work for that employer for $10, how is it in any way immoral for them to do so? How is it only moral for them to have an employment relationship at $15 an hour? Is it moral to deprive an unskilled, inexperienced young person the character-building opportunity to work a job at $10 an hour when studies show that those who hold down jobs in their late teens and early 20s develop work and discipline skills that propel them into dramatically higher average lifetime earnings compared to young people who’ve never worked in their critical formative years? The governor’s moral compass is badly out of kilter. If the governor’s complaint is that heads of families working jobs at minimum wage don’t make enough income, then he should consider far more effective (and much less destructive) ways to increase incomes for the poor than raising the minimum wage, such as expanding the earned income tax credit. Increasing the EITC wouldn’t badly undermine the already limited opportunities young people (particularly youngsters of color) have for finding their all-important first job as the $15 minimum wage will. One of the tragic failings of the rushed deal to enact the $15 minimum wage is its one-sizefits-all $15 minimum wage across every region of the state, instead of acknowledging the economic reality that the California’s coastal areas (San Francisco Bay Area, LA and San Diego) already have substantially higher market labor rates than the lower-cost communities of the Central Valley, including Sacramento.

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SINCE 1911 The governor of Oregon signed a new minimum wage bill into law in March after extensive stakeholder input. It smartly sets different wage rates for high-, medium- and lowcost areas of the state. In high-cost Portland, the minimum wage will reach $14.75. In midsize counties, the rate will reach $13.50, while the rate in rural areas will end up at $12.50—a full $2.25 less than the Portland rate. Why is Oregon’s regional approach such an improvement over the blunderbuss approach devised by Jerry Brown and the unions? Because a minimum wage hike will cause less job destruction and damage to the local economy if the wage hike is modest relative to the current market rate for unskilled labor. A $15 minimum wage in San Francisco may not be a huge pill to swallow since few workers in prosperous SF work for the current $10 state minimum wage or even at its higher city minimum wage. But in Sacramento, where labor costs are significantly lower than in San Francisco and many more people work for the current state minimum wage, the 50 percent hike in the

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minimum wage will imperil the jobs of a great many more people and threaten the viability of many more businesses. How did Sacramento and the Central Valley, which has never fully recovered from the Great Recession, end up getting treated so badly under the new $15 minimum wage law? It looks like several factors were at play. First, our Central Valley legislators were caught completely asleep at the switch when the legislation sailed through both houses of the Legislature on a single day. Second, the rush to get the deal enacted within just four days shortcircuited all of the normal channels for legislative review and cheated the public out of the opportunity to offer any input. Finally, state leaders, almost all of whom now represent coastal districts, really don’t care that much about the Central Valley. Can the governor and the Legislature fix this problem by creating different minimum wage rates in different parts of the state based on different local cost levels? Yes, they can. The new law is a

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statute that can be fairly easily amended. But will they amend it? That depends on how big of a stink Central Valley residents, businesses, local government officials and legislators make at the State Capitol over the potential damage this outsized minimum wage hike could do to our jobs, our businesses, our economic growth and the endangered budgets of our local governments. You’re going to start hearing a lot about a particular phase in the next few years: wage compaction. Wage compaction most often occurs when a firm starts increasing the starting salaries of its new employees in response to rising market demand for such workers. Such hikes, however, can often result in starting salaries that are higher than what a firm is paying its existing employees who are at least somewhat more senior to recent hires. That’s wage compaction. Most employers respond to the problem by raising the salaries of its slightly more senior employees until they command a salary above CITY page 13

POCKET FROM page 8 were still offering to pay for them. That’s why my family decided to make the signs.” Curiously, the strategy of buying off homeowners is working. Property owners behind the fences are quietly agreeing to take city money for socalled “recreational” easements along the levee. Every few months, deals get made. You can’t always see progress. Dennis Rogers, who works for City Councilmember Rick Jennings, told me some parcels bought off by the city are surrounded by holdouts. They aren’t readily accessible. And the city typically doesn’t activate properties that aren’t open at both ends. But it’s easy to imagine how relieved those homeowners feel after they settle with the city. The taxpayer dollars are nice, but it’s even better to know, as Burnham-Massey’s signs said, we are not your enemies but members of your community. R.E. Graswich can be reached at reg@graswich.com n

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Custom Cookies LOCAL BAKER HOPES TO EXPAND

This is the first time that the city council has included input from residents in hiring a city manager.

CALLING ALL TROUBADORS St. Francis Catholic High School’s All-Alumnae Reunion Weekend will take place June 24-26. On Friday, June 24, the school will host a reception for all alumnae. Individual classes will meet off campus on Saturday, June 25. On Sunday, June 26, there will be a Mass and family pancake breakfast at the school. The school wants to reconnect with lost alumnae. For more information, go to stfrancishs.org/alumnae or contact Dawn Winston Cullo (class of ’91) at dcullo@stfrancishs.org or 737-5020. St. Francis High School is at 5900 Elvas Ave.

BY SHANE SINGH

POCKET LIFE

ocket resident Nicole Row started I Scream for Icing, a custom cookie business, in January 2015. She makes homemade sugar cookies to order, as well as cookie cakes and edible cookie picture frames. Row started her home-based business by donating to local schools and organizations and participating in local wedding shows. She now has a worldwide following on social media. Row is hoping to raise money through Kickstarter so that she can sell her cookies at the Sunday farmers market. Any money she raises will pay for permits, space, props, signage, insurance and other expenses. To learn more about I Scream for Icing, go to iscreamforicingcookies. com or call (530) 385-8850.

COMMUNITY GARDEN UPDATE Residents recently met with city officials to discuss the proposed Pocket-Greenhaven Community Garden. Under the current proposal, the garden would be located in Sojourner Truth Park just beyond the

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CLASSIC CAR SHOW

Pocket resident Nicole Row makes homemade sugar cookies to order

baseball diamond. There is also talk of a “pop-up” dog park at the site. The parks department is developing plans for the project. There will be a series of community meetings before the city moves forward. To be added to the notification list, contact Will Cannady at willcannady@gmail.com.

HELP PICK NEW CITY MANAGER The city council wants input from local residents in selecting a new city manager to replace John Shirey, who is stepping down in November. To participate, go to ralphandersen. com/sacramentosurvey. There you will take an online survey.

On Saturday, May 14, Elks Lodge #6 will host a pre-1974 classic car show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The entry fee is $25 before May 14, $30 on the day of the show. The fee includes lunch. Elks Lodge #6 is at 6446 Riverside Blvd. For more information, call 4226666.

MOTHER’S DAY SERVICE Riverside Wesleyan Church will host a Mother’s Day service on Sunday, May 8, from 9 to 10:45 a.m. LIFE page 15

CITY FROM page 11 those who are below them in the organizational pecking order. But if not managed carefully, such salary adjustments can have an awfully expensive ripple effect on the salaries of employees all of the way up to the top of a firm’s salary schedule. That’s the challenge that the city of Sacramento will face in dealing with the state’s new $15 minimum wage. The city has many employees receiving the current $10 minimum wage (up from $9 as of Jan. 1), most of whom work in its parks and recreation department. When the city council approved a new city minimum wage of $12.50 late last year, city staff estimated that it would increase city costs by $2.5 million annually once fully implemented. Based on last year’s estimates, it’s likely that a $15 minimum wage will increase the city’s direct costs by $5 million annually, not counting the ripple effect on costs it incurs to address wage compaction and to deal with major new pressures from city bargaining units to increase wages across the entire income spectrum. National labor leaders are insisting that the minimum wage hikes in both California and NY to $15 will affect not just wage floors but wage ceilings as well in future contract negotiations. There’s a recent local example of such a ripple effect. In January, the board of directors of the Arden Manor Recreation and Park District responded to the Jan. 1 increase in the state minimum wage to $10 by raising the pay rates of all of its employees, even though the district has been tapping declining cash reserves to cover its chronic budget deficits for the past two years. With unions egging on elected officials to address wage compaction by raising salaries for its members up and down the salary scale, the risk of municipal budget blowouts is very real. One independent analyst recently predicted that the direct costs and ripple effects of the new law could end up adding as much as 20 to 30 percent to existing salaries in California cities and counties, plus another 7 to 10 percent in pension costs triggered by the salary hikes, driving up overall

labor costs by as much as 30 to 40 percent (David Kersten, “Minimum Wage Aftershocks Will Cause Public Sector ‘Wage Hike Tsunami,’” UnionWatch.org). Cost hikes of such magnitude would almost certainly lead to major city layoffs and substantial cuts to public service levels, apart and aside from the impact of the city’s coming fiscal cliff in 2019 (when pension contribution rates spike and the city’s Measure U temporary half-cent sales tax expires). City officials need to sound the alarm over the potential devastating impact this new law may have on Sacramento. It looks to this observer that the potential impact of this law could be comparable to the destructive impact the Great Recession had on the city’s finances and services. While Sacramento doesn’t have a legal claim for reimbursement against the state for such costs as an unfunded mandate (according to the Sacramento city attorney’s office), the city, as the largest city in the Central Valley, needs to promptly take a leadership role in organizing Valley communities to press the governor and the Legislature to provide statefunded relief for local government to offset the costs of complying with the new $15 minimum wage, as well as to amend the new law to impose a lower minimum wage on lower-cost Valley communities. The new $15 minimum wage will be a much bigger burden on local governments that on state government. Why? Because only a relatively small percentage of the state’s total budget is spent on state employees, while close to 80 percent of the city’s budget is spent on labor costs. A 30 percent increase in labor costs would drive up city costs by $95 million, roughly one-quarter of the city’s entire general fund budget and close to the entire annual budget of the city’s fire department. If the state balks at providing relief to local government for minimum wage costs, the city must implement a very tough negotiating policy with its unions that would restrict raises to

only those hikes specifically mandated by the new state law and to forgo raises to address wage compaction or “equity adjustments” arising from the new law. Sacramento residents will be far better off if city officials learn to deal with wage compaction at the lower end of its wage spectrum for some indefinite period of time rather than have the city start writing checks it cannot cash to solve wage compaction inequities. Craig Powell is a local attorney, businessman, community activist and president of Eye on Sacramento, a civic watchdog and policy group. He can be reached at craig@ eyeonsacramento.org or 718-3030.

LETTERS City Councilmember Jay Schenirer wrote the following in response to Craig Powell’s April column, “RT on the Rocks”: For the past two years, the Sacramento Regional Transit District has been engaged in a systemwide improvement initiative. Catalyzed by the business community around the downtown renaissance and the opening of Golden 1 Center, the RT board clearly understood the need to look at all of the operations of the district, putting quality at the top of the list. RT has focused on ensuring the safety of riders, cleanliness of vehicles, streamlining operations, generating additional revenue and, ultimately, providing a transportation system worthy of our great city. Since I became chair of the RT board in January 2015, I have received an outpouring of support in this effort and RT has welcomed all feedback, positive and negative, including the report from Eye on Sacramento. Clearly, RT has its challenges. The recession brought unprecedented cuts in bus and light rail service, employee furloughs and layoffs. Late-night light rail service was restored in 2012, and RT is still working to bring bus service back to 2010 levels. However, Craig Powell’s portrayal of RT as an overindulgent spendthrift is misleading and inaccurate.

Comparing RT’s finances with the household budget of a family of four is an oversimplification, and he ignores the environmental factors as well as the reform efforts currently underway. RT and transit agencies across the nation have consistently advocated for stable, reliable funding for operations and maintenance. Competition for limited funds and uncertainty at the federal level year to year create significant challenges in long-term fiscal planning and budgeting. RT receives one-sixth of a cent from local taxes, unlike other transit agencies that receive a half-cent, full cent or more to fund their operations. In addition, the significant drop in gasoline and diesel prices led directly to decreased tax revenues and RT’s current-year budget deficit, necessitating the increase in fares. Both the 1.1-mile Green Line to the River District, opened in June 2012, and the 4.3-mile Blue Line to Cosumnes River College, opened in August 2015, were built using capital funding, which is money designated for infrastructure and that cannot be used for operations. Fare evasion and security concerns are being addressed with the hiring of 25 additional fare checkers and a new app to report security issues. The “two recent murders” that Powell referred to occurred two years ago. The two incidents were the first since RT’s light rail system opened in 1987 and prompted an extensive security peer review. RT will also be hiring additional “cleaners” to address the challenge of cleanliness. RT is looking to technology and creative solutions to provide convenience for customers, such as the recent implementation of a mobile fare app. Uber and Lyft are also options that complement transit and can serve as the first mile or last mile of a transit trip. Alternative transportation options can help close the gap to better serve the mobility needs of our communities. If RT is to become a transit system worthy of a world-class city, it will need the resources of a world-class city. n

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LIFE FROM page 12 All mothers in attendance will receive a gift. For more information, contact Pastor Mike Higley at pastormike@ rwcsac.org. Riverside Wesleyan Church is at 6449 Riverside Blvd.

WALK OR BIKE TO CHURCH A coalition of local churches called Pocket Area Churches Together will hold its annual Walk and Bike to Church event on Sunday, May 22. Participants are encouraged to walk or bike to church that morning, then meet for lunch at 12:45 p.m. at Faith Presbyterian Church. The church is at 625 Florin Road. For more information, call 4283439.

COLLEGIATE HOOPS NEWS On April 13, Kennedy High School point guard Cole Taira signed a

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national letter of intent to play basketball next season at University of California, Merced. Taira was recruited by Sierra College, Antelope Valley College, California State University, East Bay and several other junior colleges. At Kennedy, he played on the varsity squad, starting at point guard each year. He averaged 15 points, four assists, two steals and four rebounds per game during his senior year. Taira credits his basketball development to his AAU (club) coach, Rich Sondhi, and Kennedy’s varsity coach, Robert Fong. Taira hopes to major in Liberal Studies at UC Merced. He will finance his college education with athletic financial aid and other scholarships. After college, he says, “I plan on becoming a teacher for elementary school students and being able to influence aspiring kids playing basketball.”

CONTEST FOR BEST DROUGHT-TOLERANT LANDSCAPE Kit Carson International Baccalaureate Candidate School’s Design and Technology Class is holding its second annual design

contest to find the best droughttolerant front yards in Sacramento. “Last year’s winners pioneered innovative landscaping designs that represent a rising tide of drought-tolerant beauty throughout Sacramento,” said Jed Larsen, who teaches the class. The contest, called Beauty Without Water, honors pioneering Sacramento residents who have responded to the drought with landscaping creativity and ingenuity. “By replacing grass yards with landscapes that showcase drought-resistant plants, scenic bark/ rocks, and other inspired features, these residents have found a way to beat the drought without sacrificing beauty,” Larsen added.

To enter the competition, send up to four photos of your front yard, plus a short written description, to JedLarsen@scusd.edu. The deadline for submission is Sept. 1. The winners will be featured in an upcoming issue of Inside Publications. The contest is open to Sacramento residents in Inside Publication’s readership areas, which include East Sacramento, Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown, the Pocket, Greenhaven, Arden and Carmichael. Kit Carson is in East Sacramento. For more information, go to kitcarson. scusd.edu. Shane Singh can be reached at shane@shanesingh.com n

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Now You See Him THE DISAPPEARING ACT OF A FAMOUS MAGICIAN

BY R.E. GRASWICH CITY BEAT

acramento does a good job honoring offspring who leave town and conquer the peaks of fame and fortune in arts, letters and law. Names like Joan Didion, Herb Caen, Anthony Kennedy, Wayne Thiebaud and Russ Solomon are proudly anchored to Sacramento. Even Tom Hanks, whose time here was hardly longer than a movie trailer, is claimed with native pride. But in one notable case, Sacramento has blown it. One of history’s greatest magicians, a master artist whose skill and legacy conjure high praise from pros like Penn Jillette, Ricky Jay and Lance Burton, has been forgotten in the city he called home. His name was Channing Pollock. He spent almost 14 years in Sacramento—essential years, between the ages of 10 and 23, when he discovered his talent and set out on magic’s path. When he died of cancer 10 years ago in Las Vegas at age 79, the magic world wept. Genii magazine, the industry bible, published a special edition. Newspapers in London

POC MAY n 16

and New York mourned Pollock with obituaries. In Sacramento, his death was ignored. No obit in The Sacramento Bee. No public nts. acknowledgments. At Grand Illusions magic and costume shop in Carmichael, owner Steve Johnson describes an iconic figure when asked about Pollock. “An elegant, sophisticated practitioner whose skills have never ” been exceeded,” Johnson says. “He was a truee master, and ord that’s not a word n. I use very often. Cards, doves, g, coins, conjuring, you name it. ock Channing Pollock ate was the ultimate professional magician.” k Told Pollock grew up in nd Sacramento and m graduated from gh McClatchy High School, the modern magician goes silent.

“I didn’t realize that,” Johnson says. He’s not alone. Pollock graduated from McClatchy in 1944. Gangly and shy,

he worked in the school cafeteria. Today, it’s easy to imagine Channing

walking to class through Land Park from his parents’ home at 2031 15th St. He knew the neighbo neighborhood. From un 1944, the 1936 until Pollock family—his father, Robert, a clerk She Oil, mom for Shell Marjor and older Marjorie half-br half-brother Bob— bounc from Curtis bounced Park to Midtown. f The family lived 27 4th Ave., at 2730 2424 1st Ave. and 2500 W St. Pollock was accustomed to mov moving, a practice that would suit his vag vagabond craft. T McClatchy The Nu Nugget yearbook fro 1944 from sh shows Pollock’s gr graduation po portrait on page 34 between 34, C Claire Pickrel and M Milton Pond. The f future magician’s p pose is enigmatic as he gazes into the camera. It’s a look he would trademark for performances in movies and TV and appearances Presid for President Eisenhower and Queen Elizabeth. At Grace

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Kelly’s wedding to Prince Rainier, Pollock provided the magic. Pollock was renowned for never smiling or speaking until his act ended. His show focused on doves and card manipulations. His specialty was close-up work. He beckoned a bevy of doves to fly from silk handkerchiefs. His long, slender fingers made cards fan and disappear.

Pollock became an international sensation, but he was no slave to show business. He didn’t mind being photographed. A 1963 French film, “Judex,” stars Pollock as an avenging detective who torments haughty criminals. The movie contains extended close-ups of the dove routine. A YouTube video

from Paris in 1959 reveals his card manipulations in slow motion. Pollock performed in formal attire—black cutaway jacket and tie—and bewitched audiences with his remarkable good looks. The Paris video identifies him as “the handsomest man in Europe—and elsewhere.” The handsome face wasn’t ignored at McClatchy. The 1944 Nugget features a prominent photo of Pollock and Naomi Phelps dancing in Memorial Auditorium at their senior ball. The caption says, “It’s a lovely way to spend an evening.” After high school, Pollock spent two years in the Navy. In 1948, he and Phelps married and moved into her family’s home at 3421 East Curtis Park Drive. Channing worked at Leeds Shoes. He attended Sacramento City College. He wanted to be a forest ranger. A visit to the State Fair on Stockton Boulevard changed everything. Captivated by a hustler’s magic cards, Pollock bought a deck

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May Day Festival & Open House: Saturday, May 7 7450 Pocket Road | 427-5022 camelliawaldorf.org for $3. Two years later, with a baby in diapers, the couple moved to Whipple Street in Hollywood. Pollock enrolled at Chavez College of Magic. From a State Fair card trick, the magician found his magic. Pollock became an international sensation, but he was no slave to show business. In 1970, at the height of his fame, he retired to 1 Reef Point Road in Moss Beach. He was 43. Sacramento forgot Channing Pollock. But Pollock didn’t forget Sacramento.

Bios list Sacramento as his birthplace. He claimed he was born here. But the claim was an illusion. Pollock’s birth certificate shows he was born in Cement, a Solano County village outside Fairfield. Cement was a company town. It closed and vanished when Pollock was a baby, like a dove fluttering from a handkerchief. R.E. Graswich can be reached at reg@graswich.com n

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Taste of Greatness LAND PARK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION’S ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT SET FOR MAY 22

BY JESSICA LASKEY

LIFE IN THE CITY

pring has sprung, which means one tasty thing for Land Park residents: It’s time for the Land Park Community Association’s annual neighborhood extravaganza, A Taste of Land Park, this year taking over 12th Avenue from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 22. Chow down on scrumptious offerings from the area’s best eateries, wineries and breweries, groove to live music, covet the Wall of Wine, shop local art in the Artist’s Corner, and hobnob with your neighbors under the beautiful canopy of trees along 12th Avenue. The entrance to the festivities will be on 17th Street. For more information about the LPCA’s biggest, and only, fundraiser of the year to support its programs, grants and advocacy in Land Park, go to landpark.org.

DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING? You will when you lend your ears to the Young Actors Stage production of “Les Miserables,” one of the most popular musicals of all time based on the Victor Hugo novel of the same name. Check out dozens of talented local youngsters tackling this

POC MAY n 16

California Middle School got a new soccer field

theatrical classic at the 24th Street Theater on May 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29. Directed by troupe founder Liorah Singerman, the production features well-known songs such as “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Master of the House” and “Do You Hear the People Sing,” rousing numbers by composers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg that are sure to get stuck in your head. Up-and-coming youth actors in the cast include Alex Greenlee as Jean Valjean, as well as Ana-Riley Portal, Kate Brugger, Emma May Gordon, Clara McNatt, Alexi Ishida, Tylar Traum, Asa Williams, Milan Williams, Julia Avila, Wyatt Varley and more.

Tickets are $15. Performances will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 20 and 27; at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 and 28; and at at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 22 and 29. For tickets and more information, go to youngactorsstage.com. The 24th Street Theater is at 2791 24th St.

According to an article by student reporter Colby Tell in the school’s paper, “The Californian,” the project included taking down both of the old backstops on the front soccer field, installing portable goals (which means the team can rotate their location, eliminating the muddy pit that often forms in front of permanent goal posts) and widening the playing field by eight yards. Because Teichert was already involved in the installation of new water pipes and mains in the area, the 128-year-old local construction company generously donated time and labor to the project. “We are honored to be working in the Land Park area and felt this would be a way to show our appreciation for the support the community has given us and our crews,” says Mary Rotelli, Teichert’s chief operating officer. “We appreciate the kind words and patient reactions that the students, teachers, families and neighbors of Cal Middle School have had to us making these improvements in your neighborhood.” For more information, go to calmiddle.org. California Middle School is at 1600 Vallejo Way.

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You may have noticed that the California Middle School soccer players have an extra spring in their step these days. That’s probably due to the new and improved soccer field that was just completed on campus thanks to the efforts of Teichert Inc., the Land Park Schools Foundation and the Land Park Soccer Club.

Kit Carson International Baccalaureate Candidate School’s Design and Technology Class is holding its second annual design contest to find the best droughttolerant front yards in Sacramento. “Last year’s winners pioneered innovative landscaping designs that represent a rising tide of

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drought-tolerant beauty throughout Sacramento,” said Jed Larsen, who teaches the class. The contest, called Beauty Without Water, honors pioneering Sacramento residents who have responded to the drought with landscaping creativity and ingenuity. “By replacing grass yards with landscapes that showcase drought-resistant plants, scenic bark/ rocks, and other inspired features, these residents have found a way to beat the drought without sacrificing beauty,” Larsen added. To enter the competition, send up to four photos of your front yard, plus a short written description, to JedLarsen@scusd.edu. The deadline for submission is Sept. 1. The winners will be featured in an upcoming issue of Inside Publications. The contest is open to Sacramento residents in Inside Publication’s readership areas, which include East Sacramento, Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown, the Pocket, Greenhaven, Arden and Carmichael. Kit Carson is in East Sacramento. For more information, go to kitcarson. scusd.edu.

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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKING Hearty congratulations are in order for six stellar students in the Sacramento area who work as junior volunteers for the Mercy General Hospital Guild and received scholarships last month for their commitment to the medical field. Scholarship recipients were Audrey Denny of Rio Americano High School; Nicholas Liberty of Jesuit High School; Isabella Sullivan-Powers of Rio Americano High School; Karla Davila Hernandez of Cristo Rey High School; Esi Adadzewah of John F. Kennedy High School; and Shradha Singh of C. K. McClatchy High School. According to Olivia Lage, scholarship coordinator for the Mercy Guild, the recipients all plan careers in the medical field and are being rewarded for their significant contribution to the community as junior volunteers, which included 1,371 hours of volunteering at Mercy General Hospital. Congratulations

to all and good luck in your future careers! Are you interested in helping the next generation of medical professionals achieve their education and career goals? The Mercy Guild’s major annual fundraiser, the Opportunity Drawing, will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 26, at Casa Garden Restaurant. Enter to win prizes like a trip to the Sonoma wine country, a one-night stay at the prestigious Donatello in San Francisco, River Cats tickets and many more valuable prizes. Proceeds from the event not only go to support scholarships for young hospital volunteers such as those listed above, but also to procure specialized equipment to be used to enhance patient care. For tickets and more information, call the Mercy Guild Office at 7317189 or email event chairperson Karen Suhr at karen.sylvia.suhr@ gmail.com. The Luncheon Social Hour will start at 11 a.m. and lunch, which includes a three-cheese garden lasagna, salad Niçoise and pineapple upside down cake, will be served at

noon. Casa Garden Restaurant is at 2760 Sutterville Road. For more information, visit dignityhealth.org.

JOIN THE CASA CREW Have you ever enjoyed a delicious meal at Casa Garden Restaurant and wondered where they find such nice wait staff? The answer is simple: volunteers! The restaurant that has raised funds since 1974 for the Sacramento Children’s Home with its gourmet luncheon fundraisers is fully staffed by the Los Niños Service League, and they need more community-minded locals to join their ranks to work in the dining room, kitchen or garden. For more information on becoming a volunteer, stop by the recruitment coffee at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17 (and be sure to RSVP at 452-2809). Who knew doing good could be so fun? The foodie festivities continue this month with the restaurant’s Second Annual Mother’s Day Brunch LIFE IN THE CITY page 20

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LIFE IN THE CITY FROM page 19

For more information, call 808-5888 or go to saczoo.org. The Sacramento Zoo is at 3930 W. Land Park Drive.

from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 8 (last seating at 1 p.m.). Enjoy bottomless mimosas, a traditional buffet and a carving station and know that you’re helping a great cause while making Mom feel special. Interested in buying handmade items while also enjoying a delectable lunch? Check out Crafters Corner from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 5 and 6. Enjoy free entry to shop for unique craft items made by Casa volunteers and tuck into a luncheon of turkey enchiladas with chef’s choice salad or grilled romaine salad with shrimp and a strawberry margarita torte for dessert. To make a reservation, call 452-2809. For more information, go to casagardenrestaurant.org. Casa Garden Restaurant is at 2760 Sutterville Road.

TEA, TOURS AND TIGERS, OH MY! Did you know that your AARP card can get you a backstage pass to the wild and wondrous life at the Sacramento Zoo? Senior Tea and Tours continue this month from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Mondays, May 2, 9 and 16. If you’re age 55 and over, enjoy a docent-led tour of the zoo designed just for you and then settle in for a tea break featuring lemonade, tea, coffee, finger sandwiches, breads and cookies. But don’t get caught sleeping: This event is immensely popular and requires registration two weeks in

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advance. Eager to get in on the tea and tour action? Call 808-5888 to sign up. Navigate the jungle of estate planning with the free seminar presented by Mark S. Drobny, a California State Bar certified legal specialist in estate planning, trust and probate law, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4. This informative seminar will cover a variety of topics in an entertaining manner and help you design a plan that fits your needs. For more information or to RSVP, call 808-8815. New event alert! Grab your friends, bring your thirst and an empty

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stomach to the new Wine and Brew at the Zoo event from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14. Enjoy samples of local wine and beer from some of your favorite wineries and breweries and conquer your appetite with grub from local food trucks while taking in the luscious landscape of the zoo during this exclusive after-hours event. Do you have a teddy bear in need of some TLC? Bring it to the Stuffed Animal Veterinary Clinic on Saturday, May 28, and a Stuffed Animal Veterinarian will assess the overall health of your fluffy friend and make a diagnosis based on the symptoms. Exams are just $3 per stuffed animal. Repairs with exam are $5, and stuffed animal adoptions with exam are $4. Proceeds benefit the Greater Sacramento chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers. Stick around that same day for Nature Explorers from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and investigate the wilderness in your own backyard. Join the zoo and the Sacramento Library to read stories, play and explore the wonders of the natural world with a new topic each month. (This month’s topic is soil and compost.) Activities are free with paid admission to the zoo.

This gorgeous spring weather is the perfect time to dig out your garden gloves and lend a helping hand to the Land Park Volunteer Corps, now in its seventh season of maintaining and beautifying William Land Park for neighbors to enjoy. Starting at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month (May 7 this month), meet at Base Camp behind Fairytale Town and join your fellow neighbors to help trim, clean, weed, mulch and otherwise spiff up Land Park as the spring growing season continues. Enjoy coffee courtesy of Espresso Metro, tasty pastries from Freeport Bakery and delicious donuts from Marie’s Donuts to get your energy going to tackle the record dozen team projects for this year, all under the supervision of experienced Corps captains. For more information, contact lead coordinator Craig Powell at 718-3030 or via email at ckpinsacto@aol.com. Donations are always welcome and can be sent to: Land Park Volunteer Corps, 3053 Freeport Boulevard #231, Sacramento, CA 95818. Base Camp is behind Fairytale Town at 3901 Land Park Drive.

FUN AT FAIRYTALE TOWN Introduce your little one to the magic of puppet shows with Fairytale Town’s Puppet Art Theater Company production of “Hansel and Gretel,” performing at 12:30, 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, May 7 and 8. You know the story well enough (after being left in the forest to fend for themselves, Hansel and Gretel discover a house made of gingerbread that belongs to a wicked old witch), but seeing it performed with puppets adds an extra entertaining dimension. Tickets are $2 for non-members in addition to park admission and $1 for LIFE IN THE CITY page 22

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KEEP THE KIDS MOVING THIS SUMMER WITH DANCE CAMPS AT THE SCHOOL OF THE SACRAMENTO BALLET Dance Camps Ages 4-7 Fairytale Fun • July 11-15 It’s Raining Cats & Dogs • July 18-22 Under the Sea • August 1-5 Barnyard Boogie • August 8-12 For more information: email: marla@ sacballet.org call: 916-552-5800 x100 www.sacballet.org/the-school

LIFE IN THE CITY FROM page 20 members. Tickets can be purchased at the Fairytale Town main gate or at the entrance to the Children’s Theater 15 minutes prior to show time. Already stressing about what to do with the tykes come summer? Check out Fairytale Town’s Summer FunCamps, 16 exciting and educational themed camps that are sure to keep your kids entertained for hours. Each weeklong camp is designed for a specific age group and features a unique topic, including visual and theater arts, literature, puppetry, animals, gardening and more. Morning sessions are held from 9 a.m. to noon and are offered for children ages 4-6 and 7-9. Afternoon adventures occur from noon to 4 p.m. and include a supervised lunch and recess time followed by curriculumbased, open-ended activities, dramatic play, story time and more for ages 4-9. To sign up or for more information, call 808-7462 or go to fairytaletown. org. Fairytale Town is at 3901 Land Park Drive.

ATTENTION ALUMNAE Calling all St. Francis Catholic High School graduates! The St. Francis High School All-Alumnae Reunion Weekend will be June 24-26 at St. Francis High School, starting with an All-Alumnae reception on Friday, June 24. On Saturday, June 25, classes will meet off campus on their own and Sunday, June 26, will feature a Mass and Family Pancake Breakfast.

POC MAY n 16

Connect with former classmates and rekindle old friendships at an event that’s sure to bring back memories. Is this the first you’re hearing of the reunion? The school might not have your most recent contact information; visit stfrancishs. org/alumnae to reconnect. For more information, contact Dawn Winston Cullo (class of 1991) at 737-5020 or dcullo@stfrancishs.org.

BOOK BUDDIES Looking for a place to spend a few hours doing something fun and informative indoors? Look no further than your local public library branch, including Belle Cooledge Library (5600 S. Land Park Drive), Robbie Waters Pocket-Greenhaven Library (7335 Gloria Drive), Martin Luther King, Jr. Library (7340 24th Street Bypass) and Ella K. McClatchy Library (2112 22nd St.), to name a few. Some event highlights this month include Free Comic Book Day at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 7, at Robbie Waters, which will feature an afternoon full of activities, free comic books, a prize raffle and costume contest. Interested in expanding your book collection? Don’t miss the Friends of the Library Book Sale running May 28 through June 4 at Robbie Waters. Find great deals on a variety of gently used books for all ages, DVDs, audiobooks and much more. All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Pocket-Greenhaven Library.

If Ella K. McClatchy is closer to home, now’s your chance to make Mom an extra-special present at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 7. Get ready for Mother’s Day by making your mother a hand-crafted jewelry box out of cardboard boxes and egg cartons and decorating them with markers, sequins, jewels and other decorative materials. She’ll love it!

Do you have an aspiring wizard in your family? Don’t miss the Harry Potter Party. If you want to take a gander at some beautiful professional artwork, take a peek at “Out of the Box,” a show of new collages and assemblages by local artist Lisa Culjis, starting with a special reception at 2 p.m. on Saturday,

May 21, at the exhibition space at Ella K. McClatchy. Culjis creates unique collages and assemblages using old photographs, ephemera, discarded books and miscellaneous small treasures collected from estate sales, antique stores and items that friends pass along. Culjis will return on June 4 to offer a free workshop on the fundamentals of collage creation. Watch this space! Do you have an aspiring wizard in your family? Don’t miss the Harry Potter Party for school-age children at Ella K. McClatchy at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 28. Put on your wizard robes and get sorted into houses, make your own wands and test your Harry Potter knowledge, then stay to enjoy Harry Potter themed snacks. Accio fun! For more information on all Sacramento Public Library events, go to saclibrary.org. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com n

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Measure Y: Vote Yes TAX ON POT IS A SMART INVESTMENT IN OUR KIDS AND THEIR FUTURE

BY JAY SCHENIRER

ur city’s kids need our help. Lack of access to quality programs and supports has put our young people and our city at a disadvantage. If we want our young people to be successful and if we want to train the next generation of our workforce and build a healthy future, we must ensure that our youth have the resources they need to be successful in education, career and life. Measure Y can do that. The good news is that we know what works. Decades of research have shown that when young people have stable adult mentors, truancy rates go down and that after-school programs keep kids off the streets and out of trouble. The bad news is that services for kids are always the last to be funded and the first to be cut. This is underscored by the fact that the city currently spends less than 1 percent of its discretionary general funds on services for kids. In order to provide the ongoing and dedicated funding our children need and deserve, I have authored Measure Y, which will be on the June ballot. Measure Y will establish the Sacramento Children’s Fund and help thousands of children across the city, including those most in need: our city’s homeless youth. Measure Y is a smart way to invest in our children. It limits administrative costs to 10 percent, requires that every funded program be evaluated for effectiveness and funds only high-quality programs. A citizens’ oversight committee will ensure transparency. Most importantly, funds can be spent only on direct services for kids,

POC MAY n 16

primarily through community-based organizations that compete through a competitive bid process.

Creating the Sacramento Children’s Fund will have a meaningful and positive impact on the lives of thousands of children. Let’s not just tug on heart strings. There are clear examples when Sacramento’s kids have been shortchanged in the traditional budget process. During the recession, the general fund was profoundly impacted. In the fiscal year 2011-2012 city budget, the

parks and recreation department, our major provider of services to youth, was decimated. Some examples: Three city pools were closed, 11 community centers and clubhouses were severely cut, and teen programs served 300 fewer youth. Department staff was reduced by 40 percent. In comparison to the other 11 city departments, only one other (community development) had a higher percentage of staff eliminated. Clearly, our kids do not fare well in difficult economic times. Look at Measure U, which increased the sales tax to restore “essential public safety services … and other essential services including park maintenance, youth/senior services, and libraries.” In February, the city finance director’s report on Measure U expenditures in the last fiscal year showed that, of the $25.44 million spent, 75.2 percent supported the police and fire departments. Kids programs provided by parks and recreation got 17.1 percent. Does this reflect the will of the voters? Who was last in line? And lest we forget, after-

school youth programs focused on prevention can promote public safety and reduce crime. Finally, after my staff’s extensive analysis of the city’s expenditures on children and youth in fiscal year 2014-2015, we learned that less than 1 percent of the general fund is spent on kids services. Not only do the examples above reflect how poorly our kids fare in the traditional budgeting process, but they also illustrate the tacit understanding that Sacramento kids do not have paid lobbyists who can fight for their justified portion of the general fund. For these reasons, youth programs need a dedicated funding source that is protected from politicians. In 2015, the state of California legalized the marijuana industry. Those business activities will be taxed. The question is where tax revenues should go. We could simply allow those revenues to go into the general fund, where all city services will compete for them. Alternatively, we can take this opportunity to invest in our young people and in our own future by focusing this modest amount of revenue on a single, vitally important cause: our children. We need after-school programs for our kids, art and music in schools and job-training programs for our young people. Creating the Sacramento Children’s Fund will have a meaningful and positive impact on the lives of thousands of children in our city. I hope you will join me in supporting our youth by voting yes on Measure Y. Jay Schenirer represents District 5 on the city council. n

Measure Y: Vote No MARIJUANA TAX NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO SUPPORT SACRAMENTO’S YOUTH

BY JEFF HARRIS AND ANGELIQUE ASHBY

easure Y proposes to take tax funds generated by marijuana cultivation and manufacturing, currently allocated to the general fund, and dedicates that money, in perpetuity, to programs for children and youth. At issue here is how do we support our youth while promoting sound fiscal policy decision making? The Great Recession necessitated many tough decisions to keep our city solvent. We had to make drastic cuts in all areas, and the parks and recreation department was hit especially hard. Many of our youth programs were cut. Now is the time to rebuild those programs through direction of city council using general fund dollars. Measure Y would not fund this process. It would dedicate 70 percent of the revenue to private nonprofits for new programs; it could not be used to rebuild the youth services division of our parks department. Although Measure Y proponents say that only 1 percent of our general fund is spent on youth, the truth is that we spend far more than that. We currently fund many youth initiatives through parks, pools, libraries and community centers. The council recently approved $620,000 for youth programs (from the general fund) through the gang prevention and intervention task force. We also allocated $3 million to B Street Theatre and $600,000 to St. John’s Program for Real Change. When we built a new crosswalk at Theodore Judah School or resurface

the McKinley pool, all of these expenditures directly benefit children and youth but would not qualify for Measure Y funding. When viewed in this light, we spend more than 6 percent of our general fund on kids. Can we do more? Yes we can, and the fiscally sound way to do it is by depositing all new tax revenue to the general fund and using that resource to balance all of the many diverse needs of the city like public safety, parks, youth services, infrastructure, economic development, affordable housing and addressing homelessness, to name a few. All of these things in aggregate create a more functional city that benefits our youth and all of our citizens. This measure would lock millions of dollars of new revenue away for a sole purpose: to pay for youth programs principally through private nonprofit organizations. It also allocates up to 15 percent of that revenue for a new and unnecessary bureaucracy. This is “ballot-box budgeting,” plain and simple. It would limit the ability of this council (and all future councils) to make balanced decisions in rebuilding our city departments and in allocating money where it is most needed. Considering that the council has already demonstrated a will to fund new youth programs, and that almost everything we approve benefits kids in some way, there is no compelling reason to circumvent our working system and sequester money for the special passion of one councilmember while decimating broader community needs. Adopting Measure Y would set a precedent whereby any

councilmember could try to “lock up” new revenue streams, leading to a very dysfunctional city process. As we enter the next five years of projected budget deficits, approving Measure Y means making drastic cuts in areas other than youth programs. It violates our adopted budget principles, which state that we “maintain a fiscally balanced, sustainable budget and look for ways to proactively grow revenues” and “do not make spending decisions in isolation.”

We need to exercise fiscal responsibility and sound policy to achieve our goals. Promoting the health, safety and sound development of our children is prominent amongst them. Let’s support youth the right way. Vote NO on Measure Y! (Editor’s note: On April 3, The Sacramento Bee’s editorial board urged voters to reject Measure Y.) Jeff Harris represents District 3 on the city council. Angelique Ashby represents District 1. n

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Take a Shot A LESSON IN GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHY FROM A MASTER

BY ANITA CLEVENGER

GARDEN JABBER

e all know the early bird gets the worm. According to garden photographer Saxon Holt, the early photographer gets the sweet light. That’s why we met at the gates of Sacramento Historic City Cemetery just before 7 a.m. and started hurrying through the Historic Rose Garden as soon as the gates swung open. Holt was at the cemetery to shoot garden photos for American Rose magazine, the quarterly publication of American Rose Society. Two companions were there to assist and get a photography lesson. I was along to help decide what photos to take, to trim off dead flowers and to learn whatever I could in the process. The Novato-based photographer advocates shooting garden photos in the first and last two hours of the day. Given a choice, he’ll shoot as the sun comes up. He loves the crisp light, the touches of dew and the freshness of flowers when the day begins. “There’s something lively about the morning,” he said. We were certainly lively, racing against the sun. It’s amazing how fast the light changes. One moment, the sun was “kissing” across the tops of

POC MAY n 16

Garden photographer Saxon Holt. Photo by Robin Gee.

trees. Just a bit later, the light was flat and hot. “There is time later to take close-up pictures of flowers,” he said. “Now we want the long shots.” We rushed to find the best vantage points for shots that established the sense of place, but then Holt took his time deciding what he wanted to say with his photographs. He carefully composed each shot, using a tripod, moving the camera up and down and side to side. “Sometimes a few inches make a difference,” he observed. “The tripod really helps to exact the composition.” The viewfinder shows without flinching what a photo will look like. “Too often we focus on what we see,” Holt said. “Focus instead on what’s going into the shot.” Your eye might not notice a dead flower or a telephone pole in the background. The camera sees and records everything. Holt likes to show the complexity of a garden, considering it a tapestry. For that, a photo needs sharp detail

both near and far, what is known in photography terms as “deep depth of field.” That’s achieved by combining a small lens opening (aperture) with a long shutter speed. A tripod is essential because it holds the camera steady so that the photos are sharp. You don’t see much sky in a Saxon Holt photograph. He prefers to fill the frame. “The closer you get, the better it looks,” he said. You can observe what’s in a snapshot in a moment. In a carefully composed photograph, you look longer. Holt knows what draws the eye. He said that we look at the brightest area in a photograph. He uses leading lines, such as a pathway, to direct the eye where to go. He also “stacks up” items of interest throughout the image, so that the eye will look at first one thing and then another. Once you’ve captured the essence of a garden in the landscape shots, it’s time to focus on plants. Holt gives workshops on taking plant portraits.

“They aren’t mug shots,” he quips. Plants don’t have to look drunk and disheveled. Holt is ready to improve their appearance. He studies how they look in the viewfinder and pulls out clippers to remove spent flowers or some leaves that are in the way. Once the plants are ready, he adjusts the lighting. Full direct sun washes out details. A portable sun shade blocks light, and a reflector will bounce it back in if needed. If Holt were shooting alone, he would use a stand to hold a shade or reflector. With three shooting assistants, we held them as he directed, often using blocking and reflecting light at the same time. Before digital photography, film was expensive and photographers carefully chose their shots. In this age of digital cameras, it costs nothing to snap with abandon. We tend to take too many pictures and hope that something good will emerge. Holt uses modern equipment but advocates oldschool restraint. The primary point of his lesson: “Take fewer, better composed shots.” Hurry to get the best light. Slow down and concentrate to get the best photographs. Anita Clevenger is a Sacramento County UC Master Gardener. For answers to gardening questions, call the Master Gardeners at 876-3558, visit their website at ucanr.edu/sites/ sacmg or attend the open garden at Fair Oaks Horticulture Center on Saturday, May 21, from 9 a.m. to noon. The center is at 11549 Fair Oaks Blvd. For more information about Saxon Holt’s photography, workshops and books, go to photobotanic.com n

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Urban Delight PALO ALTO TRANSPLANTS TAKE ROOT IN SOUTHSIDE PARK

BY JULIE FOSTER HOME INSIGHT

ollowing their move to Sacramento from Palo Alto in 2010, Anthony Montanino and Catherine O’Brien began searching for a home in East Sacramento. “We looked at a few homes, but everything we made offers on needed so much work,” says Montanino. “Rooms would have to have been knocked down.” When their real estate agent suggested they look at a new house in the Southside Park neighborhood, they were skeptical. They’d

POC MAY n 16

“We love the location, right in the heart of the art scene.”

both lived in Sacramento before, and Southside Park wasn’t their first choice for a neighborhood. But once they saw the 1,100-squarefoot, twobedroom Mediterraneanstyle house, they changed their minds. It wasn’t just the home’s two balconies, front courtyard and backyard that swayed them. The house, tucked into Uptown Alley, is just steps from Southside Park’s swimming

pool and children’s play area—perfect for their visiting grandchildren. O’Brien enthusiastically lists her neighborhood’s perks: “Southside Park has a great neighborhood association,” she says. “We can walk to the farmers market and the Crocker and Old Town. And Anthony can walk to his studio above the Fox & Goose.” Montanino is an award-winning artist who studied under Gregory Kondos, Jack Ogden, Larry Weldon and Oliver Jackson. The couple’s house is like his paintings: filled with bright color. Because the house had been built just before they moved in, they needed to make only a few changes. “The first thing we tried to do was get some light in here,” says O’Brien. In the kitchen, they added glass inserts to two cabinet doors and removed the doors on another cabinet altogether. They replaced the drab brown granite countertops with sleek white Corian. Knocking out a wall between the kitchen and the staircase opened up the space. New mercury glass

light fixtures created a brighter spot for casual meals. They swapped out the heavy wood front door for one with a large glass panel, bringing in more natural light. In the living room, they installed a large skylight and a gas fireplace. “I hated the idea of a house without a hearth,” says O’Brien. O’Brien, who helps people declutter their homes, says the couple strives for a zerowaste home in all they do. “To that end, we sold everything we replaced or gave it to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore,” she says. In Palo Alto, their refrigerator had been painted with a portrait of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The couple called it their “Frida fridge.” Leaving that appliance behind, O’Brien received a consolation prize: Montanino painted a replacement Frida on a wall near the staircase. Two balconies provide treehouse views of the neighborhood, and the front courtyard gives them a spot for relaxed Sunday-morning people HOME page 30

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HOME FROM page 29 watching as folks head to the farmers market under the freeway. “We had a patio in Palo Alto and could hardly ever use it except for a couple times a year,” Montanino says. “It was just too cold.” Their Sacramento backyard needed a bit of work. “It was just a patch of green grass with some DG (decomposed granite) around the edges,” says O’Brien. They initially installed pavers and planted baby’s tears between the cracks. After the drought killed the plantings, they opted for a concrete patio. To transform the barren space into a cozy spot with abundant greenery, O’Brien transplanted house plants along the fence, and friends stopped

POC MAY n 16

by with more plants. They planted a fastgrowing morning glory above the fence and let it drape along a wire, creating a flower-laden privacy wall. “We are so happy with what is happening in Sacramento,” says O’Brien, who now writes a blog about life in Southside Park. “And we love the location, right in the heart of the art scene, which is perfect for Anthony.” To read Catherine O’Brien’s blog, Southside Park: Forty-Six City Blocks of Surprise, go to southsidepark.blogspot.com. To view Anthony Montanino’s art, go to anthonymontanino.com. If you know if a home you think should be featured in Inside Publications, contact Julie Foster at foster.julie91@yahoo.com n

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Study in Contrasts CANDIDATES FOR MAYOR PRESENT STARK CHOICE FOR VOTERS

BY R.E. GRASWICH

very political campaign needs a narrative. Without one, a campaign drowns in a river

of rhetoric. The narrative is the campaign’s story, the fundamental connection between candidate and voter. In the race for Sacramento mayor, Darrell Steinberg and Angelique Ashby present narratives in contrast, like ice and fire. Steinberg boasts about his political reach: his ability to draw upon 20 years of experience in elected

Angelique Ashby

office and six years as president of the California State Senate. He’s a professional politician who can “connect the dots,” he says, with unprecedented access and knowledge, benefiting the city with gravitas never seen before in the mayor’s office. Ashby has a different story: about a girl who loved to dance and whose life was upended by her parents’ divorce. Pregnant and alone at 19, she worked her way through college and law school and ran for city council because the city failed to build a promised park in her neighborhood. “They had empty lots with signs that said ‘Future Park.’ Nothing was

POC MAY n 16

Darrell Steinberg

being done,” she says. She beat an

political enemies and habitually cozy

areas are pretty much what matters

incumbent when few people figured

with the city’s most politically astute

most now.”

she had a chance.

public employee union, Sacramento

Those two narratives are essential as voters decide which candidate

Area Firefighters Local 522. Ashby is a bundle of energy, always

A similar platform belongs to Steinberg, whose years away from municipal governance didn’t make

should move to the center office on

thinking about her next move. Her

him forget the fundamentals. He

the fifth floor at city hall and replace

narrative—“against all odds” could be

speaks in soft, professorial tones. He

Kevin Johnson.

the subtitle—is woven with intuitive

answers questions before they can be

calculation, extreme confidence and

asked.

There’s Steinberg, the political insider whose proudly liberal

capacity for risk.

“We love our state employees, but

“My platform is pretty simple,” she

Sacramento’s economic base has to

from earning respect and support

says. “As mayor, I’m going to focus on

be expanded,” he says. “We have to

from conservatives across the state.

economic development, public safety

diversify beyond our reliance on the

And there’s Ashby, outspoken and

and the continued growth of arts and

public sector. There’s nothing more

business friendly, willing to make

culture in Sacramento. Those three

important than managing the budget.

philosophy didn’t prevent him

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I know, because as president of the

new firehouse became Ashby’s first

Yee (racketeering), Ron Calderon

Senate I had to cut $42 billion.”

victory.

(corruption), Rod Wright (residency

The city’s entire budget hovers

“We got the new fire station

around $952 million, crumbs

built despite the recession and the

compared to the numbers that poured

moratorium,” she says. “That was a

across Steinberg’s desk at the Capitol.

huge win for the community.”

About $404 million supports the city’s

The new mayor will lead a city

fraud) and Ben Hueso (drunk driving). period,” Steinberg says. “I went out and met with the public. I faced

in economic recovery, thanks to

the tough questions. And we passed

pays for police and fire services and

temporary tax dollars from Measure

reforms.”

parks. The rest involves enterprise

U and investment stimulated by the

funds, such as water, sewer and

new arena. The city must deal with

Steinberg has never been directly hit

garbage, with users billed for services.

inadequate funding for city employee

by scandal. He’s a family man with

Mayor and council have little to say

pensions and health care, but neither

two children. After two decades in a

about that.

candidate is eager to drill into public

nasty game, his personal reputation is

worker retirement issues. Measure U

spotless. For narrative purposes, that

expires in 2019.

may be Steinberg’s best story.

Steinberg helped cut billions as

Despite the company he kept,

Steinberg is willing to risk political

Ashby settled into suburban

Ashby had a crash course in

currency on homelessness, a problem

normalcy after college. She and

budgetary panic when she joined the

he regards as a priority. He says, “It’s

her husband have three children.

council in 2010. Her North Natomas

unacceptable. We have to expand

The youngest is 3. The “Mom from

constituents were devastated by the

our capacity to provide housing for

Natomas” narrative is superficial but

recession.

people.”

accurate.

The state’s budget was unsustainable.

The state’s big problems played out

Ashby pointedly refers to herself as

Experienced leadership and

in Natomas. Home values dropped 45

the future of Sacramento, implying

statewide reach or passion for the

percent. The community was under

Steinberg reflects the past. While

neighborhood: That’s the option

a federal construction moratorium

15 years separate the candidates,

between Steinberg and Ashby.

prompted by inadequate flood

Steinberg carries baggage. Under

protection. Fire response was slow. A

his leadership, four senators faced criminal charges: Leland

Select a Scharosch!

“I didn’t hide out during that

general fund, which is negotiable and

Senate leader during the recession.

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Body Art GALLERY SPOTLIGHTS INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED PERFORMANCE/SCULPTURAL ARTIST

Adding to the Latin lasciviousness will be a glimpse into the Cuban heritage of Septime Webre, the artistic director of the Washington Ballet, in his captivating piece of prerevolution Cuba, “Juanita y Alicia.” Craving still more spice? Local artists will take part in select performances to add extra zest to a program that is sure to set you aflame. For tickets and more information, call the ballet box office at 552-5800 or go to sacballet.org. The E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts is at 2420 N St.

BY JESSICA LASKEY RIVER CITY PREVIEWS

xplore the world between light and dark, life and death in the fascinating exhibition of “Mysterious Theater Forms: The Work of Sha Sha Higby” on display at ARTHOUSE on R from May 14 through June 3. International performance/ sculptural artist Sha Sha Higby is known for her evocative and haunting performances using the exquisite and ephemeral body sculpture she meticulously creates and moves within. Elaborate sculptural costume, dance and puppetry explore magic and emotion, creating an atmospheric world within the borders between death and life. Higby started making dolls and pursued the art of puppetry and sculpture in her early years, which evolved into the “moving sculpture” medium she now performs throughout the United States and in Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Singapore, Australia, Switzerland, England, Belgium, Germany and Holland. She’s also the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including the National Endowment for the Arts Solo Theater Artist

POC MAY n 16

SING FOR SPRING

International performance/sculptural artist Sha Sha Higby is on display at the ARTHOUSE

Fellowship and the California Arts Council New Genre Individual Artist Fellowship. A selection of Higby’s costumes, sculptures, jewelry, working drawings and masks will be on display, and there may even be a surprise performance. Meet Higby in person at the opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 14. Interested in learning from the master herself? Higby will host workshops on Masks and Movement from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 4, and on Casting a Moving Archetypal Image the same day from 2 to 5 p.m. For more information on Higby, go to shashahigby.com. For more information on the show, go to arthouseonr.com.

ARTHOUSE on R is at 1021 R St.

HOT TO TROT Get ready for some sizzle: The Sacramento Ballet performs its highly anticipated and scintillating program “Latin Nights” on May 5-25 at the E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts. Co-artistic director Carinne Binda, former ballet mistress for the legendary Rudolf Nureyev, will bring the first act of Russian choreographer Marius Petipa’s “Don Quixote” to life like you’ve never seen before. (Petipa, considered the father of classical ballet, is also the creator of “Swan Lake,” “The Sleeping Beauty” and “The Nutcracker,” among others.)

Spring has sprung, which means the strings will strum at the Sacramento Youth Symphony’s Spring Concerts at Sacramento City College, featuring the Premier Orchestra and the Academy of Music ensembles on Sunday, May 1, as part of the venerable organization’s 60th anniversary season. The concerts will include Vivace and Classic Orchestra at 2 p.m., followed by a performance of the Academic String Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Ensemble at 4 p.m. Stick around for the 7 p.m. performance of the Premier Orchestra under the tutelage and able baton of SYS artistic director and conductor Michael Neumann. The Premier Orchestra program will include Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Gioachino Rossini’s overture to “William Tell” and selections from John Williams’ score of “Star Wars.” For tickets and more information, go to sacramentoyouthsymphony.org.

The Sacramento City College Performing Arts Center is at 3835 Freeport Blvd.

But be sure to bring a change of clothes, since the name doesn’t lie: You will get filthy! To register or for more information, go to fleetfeetsacramento.com.

RIGHT HERE IN RIVER CITY

THREE CHEERS FOR THE CHANDELIER

Looking for a fun way to spend the day with the family on Second Saturday this month before heading off to gallery-hop in the evening? Check out the River City Marketplace from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 14 in Fremont Park and get your hands on some fantastic original finds. This free, family-friendly afternoon will showcase our region’s most talented “makers”: artists, clothing designers such as Ana Apple, and small-batch food creators. While you shop, enjoy live music from local bands, refuel with fare from local food trucks, enter the raffle giveaway for a chance to win cool prizes, and let the little ones blow off steam in the Kids’ Zone with activities for all ages. For more information, go to rivercitymarketplace.squarespace. com. Fremont Park is at 1515 Q St.

NINTH TIME’S THE CHARM Surely you know the famous strains of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. (Now it’s in your head, isn’t it?). But did you know he also wrote an opera? Listen up at the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera’s concert at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 7, at the Community Center Theater and learn a thing or two. Grammy Award-winning conductor David Alan Miller will join the SPO to conduct its season finale allBeethoven concert, beginning with dramatic movements from his only opera, “Fidelio,” and concluding joyously with the magnificent Symphony No. 9, “Ode to Joy.” For tickets and more information, call 808-5181 or go to sacphilopera. org. The Community Center Theater is at 1301 L St.

Artwork by Robert-Jean Ray will be on display at DaDas Art Gallery Boutique

SMALL BUT MIGHTY The adage “good things come in small packages” will be proven oh-so-right this month at the microARTCollection show in collaboration with DaDas Art Gallery Boutique. Representing the most extensive selection of contemporary micro art in the Sacramento region, microARTCollection is composed of artwork by established and emerging artists who specialize in drawing, printmaking, collage, painting, mixed media, ceramic and/or sculpture. The kicker? The majority of the pieces showcased in the collection are no larger than a matchbox. Although some of the artwork on view will not be available for purchase (certain pieces are part of microARTCollection’s inventory that dates back to 1987), there will be a significant number of exceptional

pieces that can join your personal collection. Artists represented include RobertJean Ray, Willie Marlowe, Linda Welch, Lou Bermingham, Maureen Hood, Marbo Barnard, Joseph Mele, Pablo Galvan, Carol Dalton, Lisa Neal, Barbetta Lockart, Ken Waterstreet and Ronald Peetz. For more information, call 5381082. DaDas Art Gallery Boutique is at 3655 J St.

GET DOWN AND DIRTY Do you have a dirty secret? Fleet Feet does, and it wants to let you in on it during its Dirty Secret Trail Run on Saturday, May 7, in Cool. The wildly popular annual trail run, now in its sixth season, sells out every year. And it’s no wonder. After tackling a course of either 5.8 miles or 10.3 miles, runners will be treated to a pancake breakfast.

If you have walked into the lobby of the Teel Family Pavilion at the Crocker Art Museum lately, you may have noticed a stunning addition to the museum’s collection. If you looked up, that is. Celebrated glass artist Dale Chihuly’s 8-by-6-foot “Golden Teal Chandelier” has now joined the Crocker’s permanent collection. The subtle tones of bluegreen, blue-gray and gold suit the contemporary look of the Teel Family Pavilion (which opened in 2010) and complement the hues of the museum’s historic building. The aqua and gold tones further allude to Sacramento’s rivers and the gold found therein, referencing both regional history and the artwork for which the Crocker is most famous. “We have long believed that the Crocker should have a statement piece in the museum’s foyer and have wanted a Chihuly chandelier in this location for many years,” says Scott A. Shields, the Crocker’s associate director and chief curator. “We have been looking for the right one: the right shape, the right height, the right color. ‘Golden Teal Chandelier’ is perfect.” The chandelier is a fitting prelude to the Crocker’s three summer glass exhibitions, the first of which, “Little Dreams in Glass and Metal: Enameling in America, 1920 to the Present,” opens June 19. “Glass for the New Millennium: Masterworks from the Kaplan-Ostergaard Collection” (featuring works by Chihuly) opens July 10, and “The Luster of Ages: Ancient Glass from the Marcy Friedman Collection” opens July 17. Watch this space for more information! If you have little ones, you probably know that with beautiful weather comes extra energy, so why not PREVIEWS page 36

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PREVIEWS FROM page 35 channel those toddler heebie-jeebies into an exciting Artful Tot class, held the first Tuesday of every month at the museum (this month from 10:30 a.m. to noon on May 3)? During each class, toddlers explore art-making with different materials in new ways, from printmaking and color mixing to clay and fabric. Adults learn how to encourage experimentation and self-expression while nurturing their child’s creativity. Families are welcome to arrive any time during this drop-in program, and be sure to dress for mess. The program is for children from 19 to 36 months old and their caregivers. Classes are $7 for museum members, $10 for nonmembers (includes one child and one adult) and $5 per additional person. Fun will be had by all family members at the Crocker’s Classical Concert at 3 p.m. on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8. The Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera Brass will perform a program designed to inspire music appreciation and practice in children and let their parents bop along to some beautiful tunes. A question-and-answer session will follow for children to ask the musicians questions about their instruments and experiences. Space is limited and this concert is expected to sell out. Tickets are $6 for museum members, $10 for students, youths and Capital Public Radio members, and $12 for nonmembers. Celebrate Sacramento’s Bike Month in funky fashion with Art Mix: Bike Funk-o-Rama from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 12. Create pedalpowered art, check out customized rides and be wowed by a Marcel Duchamp-inspired, bike-propelled movie by Kelly O’Connell. Spoketacular bike experts will be on hand to keep you riding right. This event is for guests 21 and over and it’s free for museum members and free with general admission for nonmembers. Enjoy food and drink discounts during happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. and $5 drink specials all night. It’s time for Familypalooza, the Crocker’s free annual family festival for all ages from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on

POC MAY n 16

Don't miss the Sacramento Children's Chorus performance on May 1

Sunday, May 29. Inspired this year by Dr. Seuss’ Whoville, the museum will become an enchanting, colorful land designed to excite and delight. Enjoy games of skill and thrill while the Vegetable Circus gets you singing and dancing. Check out the Mad Science lab where you can learn the how and why of things. “Who” wouldn’t love that? For tickets and more information for all Crocker events, call 808-1182 or go to crockerartmuseum.org.

The Crocker Art Museum is at 216 O St.

YOU SAY YOU WANT A REVOLUTION It’s the best kind of revolution: the singing kind! Join the Sacramento Children’s Chorus at 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 1, at the Carmichael Seventh Day Adventist Church for its spring concert, “The Singing Revolution.”

Four choirs featuring more than 150 children will sing under the direction of Lynn Stevens and Melanie Huber. The concert will include works associated with Frank Sinatra, The Beatles and Pete Seeger, as well as songs of freedom and peace including the Finlandia theme by Jean Sibelius. Concertgoers will also be treated to a preview of songs scheduled to be performed this summer during the touring choir’s international travel to Helsinki, Finland, as well as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. In fact, the title, “The Singing Revolution,” refers to a time in the late 1980s when song helped restore the independence of these Baltic states. For tickets and more information, call 646-1141 or go to sacramentochildrenschorus.org. Carmichael Seventh Day Adventist Church is at 4600 Winding Way.

TOUR DE FORCE Rarely do you get to see a oneperson musical, and rarely do you get to see a performer tackle such complex material as you will when you see Analise Langford-Clark in “Arlington,” a new chamber musical by Victor Lodato and Polly Pen, presented by California Stage through May 1 at the Three Penny Theater. Fair Oaks Theatre Festival regular Langford-Clark wrestles with our tempestuous times as a contemporary incarnation of Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” heroine Nora Helmer. Musician Jonathon Blum accompanies and Bob Irvin directs this stirring show that has mesmerized audiences in San Francisco and New York. Performances are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays, through May 1. For tickets and more information, go to calstage.org. The Three Penny Theater is in the R25 Arts Complex at 1721 25th St.

GO WEST Saddle up, pardner, for the best auction of the year from Witherell’s auction house: the Western Design Auction runs through May 11 at Faith Sponsler's artwork will be featured at Beatnik Studios

PREVIEWS page 38

Art Preview GALLERY ART SHOWS IN MAY

Windows to the Soul: The Evolution of Paintings by Jennifer Laurel Kelleris at the University Union Gallery through May 19. Shown: Tenderness in oil and mixed media. University Union, 2nd Floor, Sac State, 6000 J St. jenniferlaurelkeller.com

ARTHOUSE on R presents Mysterious Theater Forms featuring works by Sha Sha Higby. The exhibit runs through June 10. 1021 R Street, arthouseonr.com

A show called Blended Vision will be shown the Special Events gallery at the 33rd Street Bistro in May with works by photographer Aniko Kiezel and painter Michael Bolton. (Bolton won the East Sac Art Contest this past fall.) Shown is a giclee by Kiezel. The 33rd Street Bistro is at 3301 Folsom Blvd.

Red Dot Gallery features works by Kathy Dana through May. Dana’s “Expressive Sole ©”series captures personality through the language of shoes. Works by Diane Ruhkala Bell, Lisa Neal, and Laura Caron are also featured. Red Dot Gallery; 2231 J St., Suite 101

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Gala To Aid Nature Center PARKWAY GEM TO HOST FUNDRAISER WORDS AND PICTURES

BY SUSAN SKINNER

ffie Yeaw Nature Center will hold its spring fundraiser—an art show, art auction and gala called Where the Wild Things Are— on Saturday, May 21. The honorary chairpersons are art collectors Estelle Saltzman and Russ Solomon of Tower Records fame. In the past, the event has been chaired by Marcy Friedman, Congresswoman Doris Matsui and artist Greg Kondos. A portion of the proceeds from the event will provide free natural science enrichment programs to schools. Sacramento Fine Arts Center partnered with Effie Yeaw for the art show and live and silent auctions featuring work by Sacramento artists. The show was juried by Shelly Willis, executive PREVIEWS FROM page 36 Witherell’s showroom on C Street. Giddy-up: You don’t want to miss it! The catalogue features several significant historical stunners, including an Edward Bohlin saddle encrusted in silver, an “Indian Maiden on Buffalo” image from 1901 (a version of which, incidentally, Witherell’s CEO Brian Witherell and his father, Brad, used on the cover of their 1999 book, “California’s Best: Old West Art and Antiques”), a rare life-size zinc Cigar Store Indian, and a study for the recently restored Sacramento Train Station mural from between 1909 and 1941, one of nine studies for murals that were painted in Southern Pacific railroad depots across the West. “We hold back items all year long for this auction,” says Witherell, who is also a featured appraiser on “Antiques Roadshow.” “This is the

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Twilight sightings of wildlife are likely at Effie Yeaw’s outdoor gala

director of Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, and Jon Stevenson, owner of Trumpette. Celebrity artists Jian Wang, David Peterson, Gregory Kondos, Maria Winkler and the late

Earl Boley donated works to the live auction. David Sobon will serve as auctioneer, and Fox40 news anchor Bethany Crouch will emcee.

highlight of our auction year, the one that’s always the most fun and exciting.” The Western Design Auction will be on display at Witherell’s showroom through May 1, and highlights from the show will also be exhibited in the entrance-way showroom to Witherell’s annual Old West Show in Grass Valley on May 6 and 7. For more information, call 446-6490 or go to witherells.com. Witherell’s is at 300 20th St. The annual Old West Show will be hosted at the Nevada County Fairgrounds at 11228 McCourtney Road in Grass Valley.

5 p.m. on Sunday, May 15, at Raley Field. The festival will feature fun for the whole family with a performance by Mikey Pauker, Israeli food, cool stuff for little ones in the Raley Field Kids Corner, shopping, crafts and more. Pre-register and find more information at jewishsac.org or call 486-0906. Raley Field is at 400 Ballpark Drive in West Sacramento.

OY, YAY! Celebrate your Jewish family heritage with the aptly named 2016 Jewish Heritage Festival from 1 to

MASTERS OF ART Find out what the future art world will look like at “Rudiment Ground,” an exhibition of work from eight artists currently enrolled in the UC Davis Art Studio MFA program on display at Beatnik Studios from May 3-26. The featured artists include Henry Bell, Yuan Chen, Mike Cole, Benjamin Ehrmann, Vincent

The fundraiser takes place from 5 to 8 p.m. at Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Ancil Hoffman Park. Tickets are $75. Valet parking is free. Table sponsors are welcome. For more information, go to sacnaturecenter.net. Art in the silent auction can be viewed before May 21 at Sacramento Fine Arts Center at 5330 Gibbons Drive, Carmichael. For more information, go to sacfinearts.org. Administered by the American River Natural History Association, Effie Yeaw gets more than 90,000 visitors per year. “The center has a special history in this community,” says Effie Yeaw fund developer Betty Cooper. “Caring supporters keep us open and available for future generations.” Susan Maxwell Skinner can be reached at Sknrband@aol.com n Pachecho, Arielle Rebek, Muzi Rowe and Faith Sponsler. The Art Studio MFA Program is a two-year, critically engaged studio program that provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary study in the visual arts. As part of a small tight-knit community, students explore a wide range of media and approaches to studio practice, which culminates in an exhibition at the end of their first year prior to working on their theses. Congratulate the candidates in person at the opening reception on Friday, May 6 from 6-9 p.m. For more information, call 400-4281 or visit beatnik-studios.com. Beatnik Studios is located at 723 S Street. Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Please email items for consideration at least six weeks before the event. n

SPRING GALA & ART AUCTION

Benefiting the American River Natural History Association and Effie Yeaw Nature Center

“Art Where Wild Things Are”

Join Artists, Nature Lovers and Philanthropists to Raise Funds for the Nature Center

On the beautiful grounds of the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, guests will enjoy a live & silent auction, delicious food, wine and art of the American River Parkway and its wild things.

Art Show Judges David Sobon Jon Stevenson Shelly Willis

Honorary Gala Chairs

Auctioneer

Estelle Saltzman and Russ Solomon

David Sobon

Tickets $75 per person. Pre-registration required. Purchase tickets by calling 916-489-4918 or at www.SacNatureCenter.net

May 21, 2016 5pm to 8pm

EYNC (detail) by Jian Wang

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In the ER GIDGET LOVES HER MOONDOGGIE

BY NORRIS BURKES SPIRIT MATTERS

n a fall day in 2003, I’d worked an exhausting afternoon of uninterrupted trauma and drama in the Emergency Department of Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento. Just as I was getting ready to go home, the nurse manager directed me toward our trauma room, where an elderly woman had just lost her boyfriend. I presented myself to the woman, disrupting a one-way conversation she was having with the deceased figure of a 92-year-old man on the gurney. She introduced herself as Gidget, a

nickname from a 1959 surfing movie staring Sandra Dee, and later a 1965 TV series with Sally Field. If you don’t know the fictional Gidget, imagine someone who babbles nonstop like a tweenager. Combine that with the image of a pretty girl surfing in a pair of Spanx. Like the Gidget of Hollywood fame, she was chatting a mile a minute about her beloved boyfriend, whom she called Moondoggie, after the boyfriend in the Gidget movie. With a roaring rush of words, she maintained the busy sound of loneliness, alternating her questions between “Is he really dead?” and “What am I going to do?” Without giving me a chance to respond, she kept talking. “I was just with him a few minutes ago,” she said, all the while rubbing the man’s hand. “I lay down to sleep for about 20 minutes and he was gone when I woke.” It felt like Gidget was trying to resuscitate her Moondoggie with her incessant stream of uninterrupted consciousness.

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At some point, the ER supervisor signaled me to help Gidget find an ending because the hospital needed the room for an incoming trauma patient. Unfortunately, we couldn’t let the grief go on all night. “Did a taxi bring you here tonight?” I asked. “Yes.” Gidget got the hint. “Is it time to leave?” I answered indirectly. “You have a lot to do tomorrow.” A few minutes later, we stood in the Emergency bay, waiting for another taxi. Gidget continued her pinging monologue, like a submarine trying to echolocate an ally. Sadly, she wasn’t pinging on much—not even me.

I’d almost let the exhaustion of the day distract me from my purpose. I was swapping thoughts between caring for her and the incoming emergency. But somewhere in the fog of my mental meandering, I finally heard the echoes of her stories and her pings located me. I placed the back of my hand gently on her cheek. Both her hands sprung up to enclose mine and caress my hand as if it were Moondoggie’s. She whispered into our joined hands, “Your hand’s so warm.”

I smiled. Suddenly, the incoming ambulance was pulling into the driveway. “I guess other people need you, too.” I nodded. “Like me.” “Probably,” I said. “Thank you,” she said. Just then, her taxi driver appeared at the curb. We said quick goodbyes and Gidget abruptly disappeared safely inside his car. I can’t tell you what happened to Gidget after that. That’s because working as a hospital chaplain is like trying to pastor a parade. I’m not always blessed with knowing patient outcomes or the impact I made. But I did feel the impact Gidget had on me that night. I’d almost let the exhaustion of the day distract me from my purpose. But something brought me back to Gidget. I was there for her. I’d heard her words; I’d heard her heart. I took her hand and was taken by the exhaustive love she had for her Moondoggie. On my way back into the ER, I paused a moment outside Moondoggie’s room and leaned inside, giving him a nod, as if to say, “That’s quite a gal you have there!” Norris Burkes is a chaplain, syndicated columnist, national speaker and author. This story is excerpted from his book “No Small Miracles.” If you would like him to speak at your church, community event or veteran or healthcare organization, contact him at norris@ thechaplain.net. n

THEATRE GUIDE HELLO, DOLLY

TREE

Hello, Dolly is an ebullient and irresistible story of the joy of living. It glitters with happy songs, shines with loving scenes, and showcases the personality of one of the most fabulous characters on the musical stage, Dolly Gallagher Levi.

A white woman from Louisiana knocks at the door of a modest home in Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s South Side, where an African-American family resides. The womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s father has died, and she has discovered some letters revealing another love, a black woman, and maybe another set of kin. This is a story of beginnings and endings, betrayal and love, three generations twist and grow in astonishing ways and a surprising place where the roots of the characters meet.

Thru May 15 Harris Center for the Arts 10 College Parkway, Folsom 608-6888

MUD BLUE SKY

Thru June 6 B Street Theatre-Family Series 2711 B St, Sac 443-5300

Air travel was once considered glamorous. But when three seasoned flight attendants are reunited at a motel near Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hare Airport, the grungy accommodations and looming morning flight make them question their lives in the friendly skies. Joined by an unlikely fourth companion, a teenage boy adrift on prom night, their typical layover is turned upside down. Mud Blue Sky offers a heartwarming yet comic look at work, motherhood, and missed connections.

THE ROVER

Thru May 28 Big Idea Theatre 1618 Del Paso Blvd, Sac 960-3036

Two sisters, Florinda, betrothed to a rich merchant she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t love, and Hellena, bound for life in the convent are determined to experience life and love. They escape to Naples during Carnival, where they encounter the dashing Belvile and his band of rambunctious exiles. In this proto-feminist comedy of manners by Aphra Behn, the first professional female playwright in the English language, the madcap misadventures of the banished Cavaliers clash with the ladiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rebellion against patriarchal authority in a ribald subversion of societal norms filled with disguises, duels, and all manner of debauchery.

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

Thru May 15 Sacramento Theatre Company 1419 H St, Sac 443-6722

Legend has it that the Baskerville family has been cursed since Hugo Baskerville offered his soul to the devil and was killed by a spectral hound. The recently-deceased Sir Charles Baskerville believed in the curse and was apparently running from some foe when he died. Intrigued, the crime-solving duo Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson investigate. Expect laughs and suspense as these two old friends return to Sacramento Theatre Company for another adventure in this new adaptation of the classic Victorian who-dun-it.

Thru May 22 Celebration Arts Theatre 4469 D St, Sac 455-2787

12 ANGRY JURORS

May 5 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 15 Three Penny Theater 1721 25th St, Sac 501-6014 or 996-8115

The Actorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre of Sacramento presents 12 Angry Jurors by Reginald Rose. This story has been adapted and directed by Christine Lovette.

THE DRESSER BY RONALD HARWOOD Thru May 21 California Stage Theatre 2509 R St, Sac 491-0940

Based on the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own experiences as a dresser to Sir Donald Wolfit, this bracing, this heartbreaking drama is an elegy to a bygone era. Backstage at a theatre in the English provinces during WWII, Sir, the last of the great breed of English actor/managers, is in a bad way tonight, as his dresser Norman tries valiantly to prepare him to go on stage as King Lear. Unsure of his lines as well as who and where he is supposed to be, Sir is adamantly determined to roar his last. Back in his dressing room after the performance, the worn out old trouper dies, leaving alone his company and the loyal dresser after one final bow.

Sunday â&#x20AC;˘ May 15 â&#x20AC;˘ 10am - 3pm Classes & Workshops Farm Tours & Nature Walks Kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Garden Activities Face Painting & Entertainment Community Education Tables Live Music & Dancing Fun for Babies & Toddlers Morning Food, Snacks & Lunch

THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE

May 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 15 Sacramento Theatre Company 1419 H St, Sac 443-6722

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is performed by students of Sacramento Theatre Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (STC) School of the Arts enrolled in the Ensemble Musical Workshop. The Ensemble program serves students (ages 6-12) and culminates in a full-length production on STCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Main Stage. These workshops, taught by professional directors and actors offer students the experience of participating in a fully-produced musical with sets, costumes and lighting.

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Seeing Into the Future THIS ARTIST SPINS CRAZY IDEAS—AND SOME OF THEM COME TRUE

BY DEBRA BELT ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

teven M. Johnson’s business card reads “Artist, Whimsicalist, Possibilitist.” It’s an apt

description of a man who’s spent the better part of six decades drawing what he describes as “cleverly conceived nonsense”: contraptions like the Chaise Lawn (a lawn mower that doubles as outdoor furniture), the Closet Car (“Every girl wants one of these”) and the Portable Fallout Shelter (dreamed up during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962). “My temperament has always been future-oriented,” Johnson explains over lemonade at Bella Bru near his Carmichael home. “I love the idea that you can think into the future—and to what degree you can predict it.” Johnson’s artwork has proven to be fairly prescient over the years. He predicted the trend of pre-torn clothing in a drawing in 1975, as well as computer screens inside a pair of glasses in 1992—long before Google Glass came to be. Johnson even offered up some of his kooky creations—flippers with fish hooks attached, a helmet with a hairstyle, loafers with flashlights in the toes, among others—for a naming contest in 2010 and 2011 as part of his “Museum

Steven M. Johnson

of Possibilities” feature on Neatorama. and a witty website called Patent

it wasn’t until 1973, when Johnson

“An editor for Sierra Club asked me

“Drawing is a format that lets me

Depending, he’s also worked as an

was 35, that he truly tapped into his

to invent future recreation vehicles.

run with my imagination,” Johnson

urban planner, a newspaper artist

creative potential.

One of those drawings got published in

explains. “Artists don’t mind wasting

for The Sacramento Bee and a future

time thinking things up.”

trends analyst for Honda.

com.

Johnson has hardly been wasting

The Bay Area native studied

“Before I began to think of myself as an inventor, I was doing cartoons

Harper’s when I was 37.” That first foray into predicting

with an environmental theme for Cry

the unpredictable proved fruitful for

his time. While keeping up a steady

architecture and journalism at UC

California, The Sierra Club Bulletin

Johnson. Since then, his work has

side business of inventive illustrations

Berkeley and Yale University. But

and Wilderness,” Johnson recalls.

been featured in publications like Road

POC MAY n 16

JOIN US!

SACRAMENTO NEIGHBORHOOD MAYORAL FORUM-DEBATE

Wed. May 11

7 - 9 p.m. Clunie Community Center Candidates Tony Lopez and Russell Rawlings are also joining the forum Co-Sponsors: East Sacramento Improvement Assn., Land Park Community Assn., South Land Park Neighborhood Assn., Sierra Curtis Neighborhood Assn., Oak Park Neighborhood Assn., East Sac Chamber of Commerce, Eye on Sacramento

Moderated by Bob Graswich & NewsRadio KFBK’s Kitty O’Neal and John McGinness Attend live in person or watch/listen streaming live and later on kfbk.com

Angelique Ashby

Darrell Steinberg

& Track, Utne Reader, Whole Earth

calendarlike precision. “I love meeting

Review, Esquire, The Futurist, Design

all these different people and artists I

Mind, Good and Fast Company, as

admire. I even shared a booth at the

well as Japanese magazines Box and

Maker Faire in San Mateo with a UC

Brutus. Ten Speed Press published

Berkeley astronomer. I fell into doing

three editions of his book “What

fairs, but it’s becoming a lifestyle.”

the World Needs Now: A Resource

All that travel means lots of long

Book for Daydreamers, Frustrated

drives, but Johnson is not one to be

Inventors, Cranks, Efficiency Experts,

deterred from working wherever he

Utopians, Gadgeteers, Tinkerers and

can. To wit, he invented an automobile

Just About Everybody Else” in 1984,

drafting board that sits at an angle

2001 and 2012, and St. Martin’s Press

against the dashboard and is outfitted

published his book “Public Therapy

in black Naugahyde to match the car’s

Buses, Information Specialty Bums,

interior. (He points out he’s not aware

Solar Cook-A-Mats and Other Visions

of any laws prohibiting drawing while

of the 21st Century” in 1991. Johnson

driving.) With his sketch pad at hand,

self-published an expanded second and

his head full of ideas and the open road

third edition of “Public Therapy” and

ahead, the 77-year-old isn’t planning

a new book, “Have Fun Inventing,”

on slowing down anytime soon.

in 2012, as well as his most recent

“It’s not like I’ve had this master

tome, “Patent Depending: Vehicles,”

plan at all,” Johnson admits. But if his

this year. Johnson travels to comic

artwork is any indication, this artist,

conventions, expos and fairs to hawk

whimsicalist and possibilitist has the

his wares and meet other like-minded

future pretty much figured out.

creatives. “I started getting into expos in 2009,” says Johnson, who has an uncanny ability to recall dates with

To see the inner workings of Johnson’s creative cranium, visit patentdepending.com n

POC n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

All Greek to Me TIME FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

BY GREG SABIN RESTAURANT INSIDER

hen the hot days of May approach, I invariably find myself leaning toward a Mediterranean diet. Gone are the soups and stews of winter, replaced by the bright, vegetable-rich dishes of the sunny shores of the Aegean. So if you’re in the mood for less pork roast and more pita in your diet, check out this trio of Greek eateries.

OPA! OPA! The variety platter at Opa! Opa! is a great deal and a fantastic way to waltz your way through the most popular dishes of Greek dining. It comes with spanakopita (phyllo triangles filled with spinach and feta) and dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), along with feta cheese, olives, pita, gyro (thinly sliced, seasoned meat) and falafel. One word about falafel: Eat it fast. The deep-fried chickpea fritter is an amazing delicacy, but never have I experienced a food with shorter staying power. Wait 10 minutes to consume your falafel, and instead of a warm, crispy, heartily spiced ball of goodness, you get a dull, sometimes greasy, rock-hard lump not worth digesting. No matter what, never, never eat a falafel that you don’t see come straight out of the fryer and onto your plate. The highlight of the variety platter is the gyro, wonderfully spiced, tender and absolutely fantastic with a little dip of tzatziki. The meat is fantastic. If you go to Opa! Opa!, save room for something sweet from Sweeties, the dessert shop next door. With petite carrot cakes, lemon bars and

POC MAY n 16

A salad from Opa! Opa!

cheesecakes, along with baklava, cupcakes and cappuccinos, Sweeties is the perfect ruination of your otherwise healthy Mediterranean diet. Opa! Opa! offers a limited number of beers in the bottle and wines by the glass, and the service is decidedly doit-yourself, with ordering and pickup at the counter and no table service. But if you’re looking for fast, casual, well-priced (most entrees are under $10), and relatively healthy dining, Opa! Opa! is just what the doctor ordered.

Opa! Opa! is at 5644 J St.; 4514000; eatatopa.com

CAFE EUROPA Tucked away in a strip mall near the corner of Howe and Arden, Cafe Europa is an unprepossessing little gem. Focusing on traditional Greek fare, the menu reads like many other Hellenic hangouts in the area: kabobs, spanakopita, dolmades and all the usual sides. Where Europa really stands out, though, is its gyros. The ubiquitous Mediterranean treat of

seasoned meat and toppings wrapped in a pita becomes more than the sum of its parts in the cafe’s family-run kitchen. The “supreme gyros” packs beef or chicken in a pita with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, fried potatoes, feta and tzatziki sauce. It’s not fancy or clever, but it’s probably the best gyro in town. The meat, tender and flavorful, packs a well-seasoned punch, and the cool tzatziki (yogurt sauce) brings the hearty combo together well. RESTAURANT page 46

2016 SEASON WELLS FARGO PAVILION AT THE

SINGLE-SHOW TICKETS ON SALE NOW! SEASON SPONSORED BY:

LEGALLY BLONDE · JUNE 14-19

The hilarious Reese Witherspoon ﬁlm is now the smash hit musical comedy that turned Broadway and MTV hot pink. Sorority star Elle Woods is an underestimated blonde who doesn’t take “no” for an answer. When her boyfriend dumps her for someone more “serious,” she hits the books and, with her dog Bruiser, sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law School. Along the way, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style. With “Omigod You Guys,” “So Much Better.”

HELLO, DOLLY! · JUNE 28-JULY 3

This ebullient and irresistible musical theatre classic glitters with happy songs, high-energy choreography and elaborate costumes. The indomitable matchmaker Dolly Levi rediscovers love for herself as she introduces romance into the lives of wealthy shopkeeper Horace Vandergelder, his niece and two sheltered clerks. Features “It Only Takes a Moment,” “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” and the title number, one of the most beloved songs in American musical comedy.

SEUSSICAL · JULY 12-17

Explore the witty, wild and whimsical world of Dr. Seuss as you’ve never seen it before. Travel back to your childhood to the land of the Whos and the Jungle of Nool, and rediscover the delightfully zany characters imagined by one of the most beloved storytellers of all time. Created by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island), this is one visit to the doctor that neither kids nor parents will mind, a delightful musical where anything’s possible.

CABARET · JULY 26-31

Welcome to Berlin’s infamous Kit Kat Klub, where the Emcee, Sally Bowles and a raucous ensemble take the stage nightly to tantalize the crowd into leaving their troubles outside. But as life in pre-WWII Germany grows more and more troubled, how long can the show and the decadence surrounding it go on? This Tony®-winning Kander and Ebb classic has some of the most memorable songs in theatre history, including “Cabaret” and “Willkommen.”

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT · AUGUST 9-14

May 8th

JOIN US FOR...

MOTHER’S DAY

Matthew Broderick and Kelli O’Hara starred in this smash hit on Broadway in 2012. The new song-and-dance spectacular features the music of George and Ira Gershwin in a sparkling, spirited, high-stepping musical comedy. To a songbook of the greatest American standards ever sung, a cast of bootleggers, chorus girls, playboys and politicians creates hilarity in a glorious Long Island mansion in the rip-roaring 1920s. With “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” “I’ve Got a Crush on You” and “Someone to Watch Over Me.”

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME · AUGUST 23-28

OPTION TO THE SEASON: This brand new musical is the only stage collaboration from two masters of American musical theatre, Alan Menken (Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast) and Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Pippin). With a lush, emotionally rich score and beautiful choral arrangements, it’s a dramatic retelling of the epic but tragic Victor Hugo novel. Darker than the Disney ﬁlm, closer in plot to the novel, the musical showcases the ﬁlm’s Oscar®-nominated score and introduces stunning new songs.

TICKETS STARTING AT $45!

W E L L S FA R G O P AV I L I O N B O X O F F I C E : 1419 H S T . | R E Q U E S T A G R O U P N O W , C A L L (916) 557-1198

(916) 557-1999 | SacramentoMusicCircus.com

Frank Fat’s | CHAMPAGNE BUFFET BRUNCH Downtown 916-442-7092 Fat’s Asia Bistro | CHAMPAGNE BUFFET BRUNCH Roseville 916-787-3287 Folsom 916-983-1133 Fat City Bar & Cafe | BRUNCH Old Sacramento 916-446-6768

WWW.FATSRESTAURANTS.COM

CALL FOR INFORMATION & RESERVATIONS.

POC n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

Make Mother’s Day Reservations Now

Sacramento’s Oldest Restaurant

ESPAÑOL Since 1923

Couch potato no more.

ITALIAN

RESTAURANT

$10 OFF Total DINNER food order of $40 or more

With coupon. Cannot be combined with other discounts. Expires 5/31/16.

$5 OFF

Total LUNCH or DINNER food order of $25 or more With coupon. Cannot be combined with other discounts. Expires 5/31/16.

5723 Folsom Boulevard 457-1936 Dine In & Take Out • Cocktail Lounge • Banquet Room Seats 35

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Lunch 11-4 pm • Dinner 4-9 pm Sundays • 11:30-9 pm • Closed Mondays

Brought to you by the animal lovers at

www.espanolitalian.com

INSIDE PUBLICATIONS

POC MAY n 16

Finish off your meal at Opa! Opa! with a sweet treat from Sweeties

RESTAURANT FROM page 44 If you haven’t had gyro, you’re missing out on one of the finer things in life. Typically served at Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants, gyro is a mixture of ground meat (lamb, beef or chicken) and spices, packed on a rotating spit and cooked slowly, each exterior layer getting shaved off as it’s needed, hot and crispy. Think of it as Mediterranean meatloaf. Cafe Europa has the best baklava I think I’ve ever had. Dense with honey and nuts and uncountable layers of phyllo, this ridiculous treat will sweeten the sourest of days. Cafe Europa is at 1537 Howe Ave.; 779-0737; cafeeuropasac.com

PETRA GREEK This casual, order-at-the-counter place on 16th Street combines the informal nature of a street-side grab-n-go with the cooking chops of a sit-down restaurant.

Sure, this isn’t fine dining. They put French fries in their gyros, which, unless I’m mistaken, isn’t canon. But the chicken souvlaki (chunks of chicken, well seasoned and grilled on skewers) is spot on, with plenty of flavor and no lack of punch. The variety of dishes is impressive. Gyros can be packed with chicken, pork or a mixture of beef and lamb. Plenty of vegetarian dishes are available as well, including grilled halloumi cheese, salads and grilled veggie pita. Petra, which stays open until 3 a.m. Wednesday to Saturday, is a perfect place to end a night of imbibing. Petra caters to the late-night clientele with smothered French fries and burgers guaranteed to soften the next morning’s inevitable hangover. Petra Greek is at 1122 16th St.; 443-1993; petragreek.com Greg Sabin can be reached at gregsabin@hotmail.com n

join us for UÊ

Mother’s Day U

BRUNCH

DINNER

accepting reservations for brunch & dinner

>VVi«Ì }ÊÀiÃiÀÛ>Ì ÃÊv ÀÊ` iÀÊUÊ «i Ê>ÌÊ{«

open regular business hours WWW.PARAGARYS.COM

POC n INSIDEPUBLICATIONS.COM

www.bhhsdunnigan.com

916-422-3756