s-2017-04-06

F r e e

The Obama administration took her father away.

Now she worries that Trump will come for her.

Her

Homeless in suburbia Protest on tHe balance beam alleyway Hangout

illegal

08 20 26

Sacramento’S newS & entertainment weekly

dad14

by Raheem F. hOsseiNi

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Volume 28, iSSue 51

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thurSday, april

6,

2017

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building a

HealtHy S a c r a m e n t o

the Need for affordable Housing in Sacramento County by e d g a r s a n c h e z

W

hen Verna Ekpeduma moved into a bright, one-bedroom apartment in North Sacramento, she knelt, kissed the living room floor and wept. As the tears cascaded, Ekpeduma embraced sweet reality: She no longer was homeless or living with “horrible” roommates.

“I couldn’t believe I had such a beautiful apartment,” the 62-year-old housekeeper says of the place she’s called home since 2012. “I love it here.”

Ekpeduma lives at Mutual Housing at Norwood, an attractive housing complex for families of modest means. While Ekpeduma has found affordable housing, other lowincome Sacramentans find it harder to do so, says Darryl Rutherford, director of the Sacramento Housing Alliance (SHA).

The SHA is at the forefront of the fight for affordable housing, a mission it pursues partly with a grant from The California Endowment.

According to Rutherford, local developers were long required to designate 15 percent of all new homes as affordable units — but that requirement vanished in Sacramento County in 2014 and in Sacramento in 2015.

Instead, the county now requires developers pay $2.69 per square foot of new construction into its housing trust fund.

Developers inside the city pay even less — $2.67 per square foot into the city’s fund.

Developers claimed the housing market was

so weak, they could no longer build homes for the poor. As a result, no affordable homes are currently being built locally at a time when, by one estimate, Sacramento County needs 59,000 more affordable rental homes.

“I couldn’t belIeve I had such a beautIful apartment … I love It here.”

Verna Ekpeduma Resident, Mutual Housing at Norwood

“We had a policy in place that was very successful,” Rutherford says of the former 15 percent mandate.

Between 2000 and mid-2015, the city’s 15 percent rule alone resulted in 1,559 new affordable units, according to the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.

While the City Council and the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors may soon revisit the issue, Rutherford cited other options for affordable-home construction, including a new source of funding that would have to be approved by 66 percent of voters.

“It would be pretty challenging to do,” he says of the funding source, “but other cities have done it.”

Verna Ekpeduma stands in front of her first-floor apartment at mutual Housing at norwood, an affordable housing complex that was built by the nonprofit mutual Housing California.

Photo by Edgar Sanchez

rents and a loss of redevelopment funds, threaten to increase local homelessness.

Recently married, Ekpeduma enjoys living with her husband of nine months, Macauley Ekpeduma, and their chihuahua, Bella. A resident leader, she serves on the board of Mutual Housing California, the nonprofit that built and operates her complex.

Meanwhile a range of factors, including President Donald Trump, skyrocketing local

your zIP code shouldn’t predict how long you’ll live – but it does. Staying healthy requires much more than doctors and diets. Every day, our surroundings and activities affect how long – and how well – we’ll live.

Health Happens in neighborhoods. Health Happens in Schools.

Health Happens with Prevention.

In 2010, The California Endowment launched a 10-year, $1 billion plan to improve the health of 14 challenged communities across the state.

Over the 10 years, residents, communitybased organizations and public institutions will work together to address the socioeconomic and environmental challenges contributing to the poor health of their communities.

For more information, visit www.sachousingalliance.org or call 916-455-4900.

paid with a grant from the california endowment 2 | SN&R | 04.06.17

BuIldIng HEalTHy COmmunITIES

www.SacBHC.org

EditoR’S NotE

apRil 6, 2017 | Vol. 28, iSSuE 51

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Our Mission: To publish great newspapers that are successful and enduring. To create a quality work environment that encourages employees to grow professionally while respecting personal welfare. To have a positive impact on our communities and make them better places to live.

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City Council meetings that last past midnight can cause anyone to lose his cool, even Sacramento’s mellow mayor, Darrell Steinberg. As the SN&R’s Raheem F. Hosseini reported in our March 30 issue (see “Conditional humanity,” Beats), Steinberg became visibly irritated during the council’s March 21 meeting when several residents groused about the city’s ban on sleeping outdoors.

At issue was Councilman Allen Warren’s proposal to create a temporary safe ground for the homeless on city property in his district.

Steinberg said he was willing to support the proposal, but only if people stopped bugging the council about the camping ban. “I’m not doing it.

I’m not doing this every week. I’m not doing it,” he snapped.

Steinberg is a smart man, but that was a dumb thing to say. People have a right to address their elected leaders. Then again, who wouldn’t get snappish after sitting through an after-work meeting for six hours?

Worse than snappish: When people are deeply tired, they make mistakes.

Besides, council meetings that last into the wee hours are anti-democratic. Residents who wish to address the council already are relegated to the butt end of the agenda and have to sit through the entire meeting before speaking. No wonder so few remained in chambers when the time came to discuss Warren’s proposal.

There’s a practical solution to this: Set a meeting time limit, say 10 o’clock. Need more time? Vote on whether to extend the meeting for 30 minutes. Need to go even longer?

Vote again. It works in Chico, where I covered the City Council for many years. Meetings there almost never last past 11, and council members rarely lose their cool.

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“I could see It stoppIng some of the men that I’m WIth.”

aSked at daviS central Park:

Would a metal detector stop you from eating in a restaurant?

Sar ah OrOzcO occupational therapist

Not at all. I wouldn’t even think twice about it. I guess the only thing would be we live in a rural area where a lot of people carry pocketknives, so maybe I could see it stopping some of the men that I’m with.

rObert dickinSOn bouncer

verO GerSalia makeup artist

No. Actually, on the contrary; it would encourage me to go in there because I see that they’re going through the process of trying to protect the customers and protect the environment.

Of course, [I would go into the restaurant] if I was hungry.

chelSe a hubbard state worker

It would freak me out. I mean, if it goes off then it would bother me because then I’d have something on me that’s not OK, but I mean I wouldn’t be bothered [to] not go to a restaurant because of it.

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iron worker

No. It wouldn’t stop me, because if I’m [interested] in the food then I’m going to go eat that food.

No. … There’s a lot of metal stuff in the restaurant, so I mean, I don’t see the bad part about it.

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Note is profound and prescient.

Speer for president.

Evan Jones Sacramento

Overcoming sexism

Nix on rent control

Re “The secret show” by Karlos Rene Ayala (SN&R Feature, March 23): Your piece on the Halloween Show was mildly disturbing to many participants for omitting its lasting achievement: overcoming the punk scene’s intransigent sexism. Since its early male-dominated days in attics, women asserted themselves within its ranks, presided over its decisions and expanded its inclusion.

From a sausage-fest to a pageant of show-stopping female performers; from small spaces where women were harassed to venues where they felt safe—women transformed the show, yet still sadly draw the ridicule of those nostalgic for the old days, a perspective that leads the author to compare women’s agency to death.

Jonah Paul S acr ame nt o

Planetary perspective Re “The Four Horsemen,” by Robert Speer (SN&R Editor’s Note, March 30):

Afflictions may be planetary, but any lasting solutions to the big problems are certainly planetary. Nationalism is so … 19th-century. Your Editor’s

Re “Renters strike back,”

by Scott Thomas Anderson (SN&R News, March 23): Instituting rent controls would return downtown/ Midtown to the rundown place it was 15 years ago, as landlords lose the incentive to provide basic maintenance or renovations. Rents go up because there is adequate demand for the units by people willing and able to pay the higher prices. Renters have a choice: You can pay more or you can move to a cheaper area—simple.

Downtown/Midtown has improved because wealthier renters have moved into the area, allowing the opening of

new entertainment and service businesses. Yes, this means some people get displaced, but you simply do not have a right to live in a house owned by someone else outside the terms of your lease.

This takes me to the ridiculous comment by Jovana Fajardo regarding rents being increased four times in one year. If you don’t want your rent raised four times in one year, sign a one-year lease. If you are on a month-to-month lease, you are taking the risk that your rent can be raised to compensate the landlord for taking the risk that you can move out whenever you want.

If you don’t want to sign a oneyear lease, don’t cry when your rent goes up.

Bill Bixby Sacramento

ONLINE BUZZ

ON MayOr Darrell SteiNberg’S StaNce ON a Safe grOuND fOr the hOMeleSS: Wow. Smug enough? “I’ll only consider this if the people stop articulating their desires.”

Coming from the politician who committed a Brown Act and/or 1st Amendment violation by silencing a citizen who was brave enough to speak up about how police are murdering citizens…

Jake Simon v ia Fa c e b o o k They need to crack down on camping in wildlife corridors like the American River Parkway and provide some designated areas where they can camp without destroying these natural areas.

@SacNewsReview

Facebook.com/ SacNewsReview

@SacNewsReview

online Buzz contributions are not edited for grammar, spelling or clarity.

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Piles of trash float from the edge of homeless camps on Steelhead Creek, near the mouth of the Sacramento River.

Protestors demonstrate for the right to rest on April 2.

Photo by scott thomas anderson

Photo gavin mcintyre

Down and out in suburbia Creek pollution, homeless influx has some South Natomas residents supporting councilman’s tent city

by Scott thomaS anderSon

Julia Richardson pulled her car into a parking lot, hoping to save the life of a man convulsing in her back seat.

He wasn’t a stranger: Nikolai had been homeless in South Natomas for months and often talked to her at the store. On this night, February 17, Richardson spotted Nikolai standing in a cold, hammering rain—the kind of downpour that recently set the stage for three people dying on the streets of 8 | SN&R | 04.06.17

Sacramento. Richardson decided to drive Nikolai to one of the city’s warming centers. Yet as soon as he climbed in the back with his dog, Nikolai started having full-body seizures. His head flung back.

His eyes rolled white. His limbs shook with tremors.

“I thought he was dying,” Richardson recalled.

Richardson is a disabled senior, but that didn’t stop her from taking action.

sc o tta @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

She delivered Nikolai into the hands of firefighters, collected his possessions and then found a place to board his dog. Two days later, after Nikolai was out of the hospital, Richardson tracked him down, returning his belongings and Chihuahua.

Richardson is among a handful of South Natomas residents who have been getting to know the homeless in their neighborhood. The trend started after people living in Sacramento’s greenbelts

were driven out by flooding and pushed onto suburban streets and public avenues. Longtime resident Rowland Reeves acknowledged that when the people of South Natomas first began holding community meetings about the influx, the sentiment was mostly anger about widespread trash, human waste and dog droppings accumulating in their parks. However, as some residents engaged with the homeless one-on-one, their priorities gradually shifted. They learned firsthand about the city’s lack of resources and outreach services. They also noticed that the filth and debris on display in South Natomas’ public space was miniscule compared to the pollution seeping through Steelhead Creek and the Sacramento River from camps on the edge of the water.

These revelations have led some from the community meetings to be in full support of Councilman Allen Warren’s proposal to create a safe, sanitary, outreach-oriented tent encampment in his North Sacramento district, a place that would be an alternative to hiding in the trees.

“When the city and county say they’re not sure if they can have a tent

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beatS

vegan fooD fight city, the truth is they already have an unofficial one,” Reeves said, “and that’s our parkway, meaning all the trash and waste goes into the river. The same city leaders bill that parkway as the ‘jewel of Sacramento,’ but right now it’s the garbage dump and open sewer.”

invisible no more Prior to January, South Natomas residents had never seen hundreds of homeless people wandering their streets.

According to several homeowners, strangers were suddenly turning up asleep under children’s playground equipment and converting the neighborhood’s barn for birthdays and picnics into a scene piled with trash.

“The river went up, and they had to get out of that area,” said Gary Perdew, a member of the South Natomas group that’s been communicating with the homeless.

Perdew organized a public meeting in February. Homelessness became a main topic of discussion for the 80 people who attended. A handful of residents decided to investigate the situation themselves.

One of them was Lisa Lindberg. She started entering the city’s wooded, riparian corners to speak with those living there. Lindberg said she learned there are a lot of intelligent and mentally tough individuals dealing with the outdoors— people she believes could be employable if the city had more affordable housing and better transitional services.

However, Lindberg’s treks through Sacramento’s waterside jungles also showed her the cost of making campers feel like they have to stay out of sight.

She discovered large piles of debris floating down Steelhead Creek, right up to the mouth of the Sacramento River: Hundreds of plastic bottles, garbage bags, aerosol cans, ice chests, broken boxes, six-pack containers and empty syringes. Lindberg even took photos of propane tanks and half-assembled bicycles inside the water.

In an independent survey, SN&R walked the banks of Steelhead Creek from Silver Eagle Road to Gateway Oaks Drive, confirming Lindberg’s claims of pollution in the water. SN&R found one of the largest concentrations of buoyant trash near the confluence where Steelhead Creek meets the Sacramento River. Some of the contamination appears to come from camps being directly on the creek and riverbeds, while other elements were caused by camps being in dry areas that were suddenly flooded during the storms.

SN&R also observed more than

Warren added that his planned triage 72 occupied tents along the banks of center would be vital to making the tent Steelhead Creek. encampment be a pathway into the kind “It is the most toxic emergency enviof long-term, housing-first solutions the ronmental problem I’ve seen in my life,” city is exploring to combat homelessness.

Lindberg said. “Absolutely, under no “We would provide the resources circumstances, do I think Discovery Park where they could heal,” Warren noted. should be open to the public because it’s “Not just physically, but mentally.” so polluted. Even homeless people there Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, have warned not to walk in certain areas who initially called Warren’s idea of it because of the raw sewage.” “provocative,” said he might support the Linberg has filed a complaint about plan now, though only under nebulous the condition of Sacramento’s waterways conditions that he’s yet to clarify. with the U.S. Environmental Warren’s team will present a Protection Agency. specific proposal for the city Meanwhile, she’s hoping council to vote on soon.

Warren’s push to Last week, several create a safe, low“It is the most people camping along barrier-of-entry tent Steelhead Creek encampment with toxic emergency told SN&R that bathrooms, water, environmental problem if Warren’s tent showers, kennels I’ve seen in my life.” encampment were and a triage center created, they would will give those withLisa Lindberg be happy to move out shelter a safer, South Natomas resident into it. more environmentally “I would definitely be sound option. Reeves interested,” said Ramona and Richardson are of the Jasper, who’s been homeless same view. for a year. “That’s what we’ve been “This situation has been going waiting for.” on in the greenbelts for years,” Reeves Jasper lives with Anthony Moss, and observed. “The only thing unusual is that the couple keeps a clean, tidy, trash-free the storms pushed it out into the open for campsite at a distance from the water’s a brief period.” edge. The two were struggling paycheck‘the outDoor to-paycheck at a North Sacramento apartment when the building was red-tagged solution’ by the city for appalling living conditions Warren has advocated for a tent that the landlord refused to fix. The city’s encampment since January. At the March move to protect Moss and Jasper from 21 City Council meeting, Warren and a toxic habitat meant their next living his staff unveiled specifics around their arrangement was a tent top under the proposed “outdoor solution” on an undewind and rain. Moss told SN&R that cided parcel of land in District 2, which some people living outdoors are very encompasses much of Steelhead Creek. careful not to pollute the creek, while South Natomas itself, on the west side of others clearly don’t care. He also pointed the creek, is primarily Councilman Jeff out that on days like March 31—when Harris’ district. Warren described the idea high winds are blasting—even the most as a temporary safe ground for up to 200 conscientious campers have to fight to homeless people, funded as public-private keep items from blowing away. Law partnership that operates on minimal tax enforcement constantly forcing campers dollars. Warren acknowledged that it to move short distances along the water, wasn’t just the homeless death toll—700 but not actually away from it, doesn’t dead on Sacramento’s streets between help the garbage situation, Moss said.

2002 and 2015—but also the problems Jasper, Moss and those camping near that come with camping along the creeks them had not heard of Warren’s planned and rivers. tent encampment, nor were they aware “It would be a facility where people that the SafeGround StakeDown homeless could live without the fear of harassprotest—advocating for their right to ment,” Warren told his fellow council rest—was happening in two days’ time. members, “but it would also do something “We do try to follow the news the best that’s very important for our community, we can,” Moss said. “But, honestly, living which is to take people off of the levees out here, the No. 1 concern each day is and waterways.” just surviving.” Ω

Two Sacramento area nonprofit organizations are butting heads over a policy that apparently never existed.

Kim Sturla claims that sacramento sPCa CEO Kenn Altine reversed a menu policy that ensured meals at events would be entirely vegan shortly after he took over the open-admission animal shelter in 2016.

Sturla is co-founder and executive director of animal Place, a Grass Valley refuge for mistreated farm animals. She and her team started an online petition in hopes of pressuring the SPCA to return to a vegan menu, a move that stunned Altine. The petition was launched February 10 and now has approximately 8,300 signatures.

Altine and his staff reviewed board meeting records with the intention of finding and clarifying the policy that called for a vegan menu, but what they instead found was that the policy never existed. “We did not have an official policy,” Altine said. “My predecessor had a [no-meat] policy at SPCA official events, unless they were sponsored. Well, all of our events are sponsored, so it was just a paper policy that was not board approved.”

Altine clarified that what Animal Place believed to be a formal, board-approved policy was merely former SPCA CEO Rick Johnson’s way of diverting attention from the issue. “Official events” would be those open to the public, excluding volunteer appreciation and staff-only events. However, in reality, all official events are sponsored, and therefore, nothing actually would have been affected by this rule.

Johnson was unavailable for comment.

Sturla insists that eating meat at SPCA events sends mixed messages and asks the SPCA to move toward an “ethically constant mission.” Animal Place also conducts outreach and education on animal farming and veganism, according to its mission statement.

Interactions between members of the SPCA and Animal Place have been cordial, but Altine expressed confusion why this continues to be an issue when the two are already moving forward and collaborating on other projects.

“Animal Place does a lot of phenomenal work,” Altine said.

“Their mission is important, but it’s not our mission. And we don’t all have to have the same mission.” (Faith Lewis)

shots fireD An innocent bystander was caught in the crossfire of two groups shooting at each other Monday afternoon in South Sacramento.

According to an incident summary from the Sacramento Police Department, the preliminary investigation suggests that two distinct groups of people engaged in a firefight on the 6400 block of Stockton Boulevard, along a strip of Asian businesses near the Little Saigon neighborhood. The suspects then fled in separate vehicles. A motive has not been established.

A friend was transporting the victim to a hospital when sheriff’s deputies stopped them a half-mile north of the scene of the crime, police say. Fire department personnel took the victim the rest of the way. The victim is expected to survive. Police say the injured bystander appears to be an unintended victim not connected to either group.

The shooting was one of four police have responded to since Friday. An unsolved shooting Sunday afternoon at the Del Paso heights Park injured an adult and two minors, all of whom are expected to survive. (Raheem F. Hosseini)

04.06.17 | SN&R | 9

New regulations propose taking a cautious approach to allowing recreational marijuana in the unincorporated county.

IllustratIon by Margaret larkIn

Conservative on cannabis Citing Trump uncertainty, Sacramento County looks to take cautious approach to permitting recreational marijuana

by Matt KraMer

Sacramento County planners took a cautious approach to regulating recreational cannabis in their recommendation to the Board of Supervisors last week.

The Planning and Design Commission voted unanimously—with the exception of Commissioner Teresa Stanley, who was absent—last Monday to recommend that the Board of Supervisors amend the county’s zoning code on April 11. The code change would bring the county in line with California’s Proposition 64, approved by voters last November. The new recommendations would essentially apply the current medical cannabis rules in the unincorporated county to recreational cannabis use.

But the regs, if adopted, would fall short of welcoming a recreational marijuana economy.

Legally, the rules would protect cannabis users to a large degree, but remain an obstacle to those in the cannabis industry 10 | SN&R | 04.06.17

hoping to expand business operations outside of Sacramento’s city limits.

“It’s really a continuation or status quo of current regulations regarding medical marijuana businesses,” said county Principal Planner Chris Pahule. “This is just a continuation of those policies to bring us in line with Proposition 64.”

While the county looks to maintain the status quo, the city of Sacramento is taking an opposite stance. Earlier this week, on April 3, the city officially began accepting applications for cannabis cultivation, and is in the process of developing ordinances for manufacturing and testing laboratories.

Commercial medical cannabis operations have been officially regulated in the city of Sacramento since 2010, though all commercial medical cannabis operations— dispensaries, deliveries and cultivation— are banned in the unincorporated county.

The recommended zoning amendment that supervisors will consider would also

prohibit commercial recreational cannabis operations in the unincorporated county, while adding an allowance for growing up to nine plants indoors for personal use—three more than the base allowance under Prop. 64.

The fact that local jurisdictions are able to decide what to allow under Prop. 64 will continue to be an industry hurdle. Such a patchwork already exists with the state’s allowance of medical marijuana. For instance, in Rancho Cordova, all outdoor cultivation is prohibited, while limited indoor cultivation is permitted in singlefamily homes and only if applicants can afford prohibitive fees. Elk Grove prohibits dispensaries, not cultivation, while Folsom and Galt ban cultivation of any kind.

The inconsistency of local laws and the uncertainty over how the Trump administration and Attorney General Jeff Sessions will enforce federal marijuana restrictions in states that have legalized it was cited

as a factor in taking a more cautious approach at the county level.

During last week’s meeting, commissioners heard from cannabis industry workers, medical cannabis patients, environmental regulators and law enforcement.

District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert advised against the zoning code expansion. Schubert explained that, while she supports medical cannabis, she does not want to see protections for recreational cannabis users. Schubert cited concern from the sheriff’s department over increased emergency room visits and DUIs where drivers tested positive for THC—one of many active compounds in cannabis—as reasons for her opposition to the amendment. Schubert cited examples in states that have legalized recreational cannabis in her argument.

“In the city of Denver alone, the district attorney there reported that crime was up 44 percent” since Colorado legalized recreational cannabis in 2012, Schubert told commissioners. “In 2015 … crime had gone up in every Denver neighborhood. … In Colorado, they have twice as many pot shops as they have Starbucks, so it becomes somewhat of a blight on the community. In terms of the resources that it’s imposing on law enforcement, in Denver they’ve seen a 900 percent increase in unlawful cultivations.”

Schubert’s claims about Colorado’s crime increase are confirmed by the city of Denver’s website. A Denver police spokesman told The Denver Post that it wasn’t clear whether the increase was directly related to legal cannabis. The other claims Schubert made came from a letter sent by former Colorado District Attorney Mitchell Morrissey to the No on Prop. 64 campaign.

Following public comment, the commission voted unanimously to recommend the county zoning code be amended.

If approved this month by the board of supervisors, the new amendment would “prohibit all commercial marijuana business and activities, and includes provisions allowing for the cultivation of marijuana plants for personal use consistent with the Adult Use of Marijuana Act,” according to a release from the county.

The commission’s recommendation drew mixed reactions from cannabis industry workers in attendance, such as Anthony Vasquez, director of 515 Broadway Collective.

“I think overall they’re supportive of medical marijuana, but they’re just not quite there [with recreational],” Vasquez told SN&R. “Already they have stringent guidelines for cultivation. … Just the hopes of any activity, any future in the county [for commercial cannabis] kind of has been sidelined for awhile.” Ω

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like candy,” Donohue told SN&R. “He sort of The internet is making it easier to legally carry subscribed to this … view that good things will a concealed firearm—sort of. Since November happen if you hand out these permits, but he was 1, 2016, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s not always honest about it.”

Department has been using an online system Donohue referenced a speech Jones gave in to consider applications for permits to carry 2013 telling audience members that no one had concealed weapons, what are known as CCWs. ever “been shot by a holder of a concealed weapons Tested for a month prior to its official adoption, permit issued by this office.” the new PermitDirector system operates through a This was untrue. According to Donohue, and deal with Permitium LLC, which the county board confirmed by court documents, in October 2012, of supervisors retroactively approved funding Jones signed a letter revoking a CCW permit his for earlier this month. PermitDirector is paid for agency granted to Hun Chu Saelee after Saelee shot through October 31, 2019, and the contract can be a college student in the head at a Halloween party extended another two years. The system has been months before Jones’ claim. touted as a way to cut down on paperwork and Further scrutiny of the sheriff’s CCW process speed up the application process. But will it affect will come through a state audit requested by public safety?

According to Sgt. Tony Turnbull, spokesman for Assemblyman Kevin McCarty. The Sacramento Democrat’s request was approved March 30 by the the sheriff’s department, the answer is a resounding California Joint Legislative Audit Committee. The no. Turnbull explained via email that the actual audit will “evaluate the negative fiscal requirements for obtaining a CCW haven’t impacts and public safety questions changed, just the way for county raised by CCW license programs residents to log those requests. in the state,” according to a news “The online system is not “Scott Jones … release from McCarty’s office. to mean that the process is was sort of handing Specifically, the indepensomehow automated, or that the permits out like dent state auditor will inveswe don’t have an interview tigate the CCW practices of and thorough background candy.”

Sacramento, Los Angeles and check,” Turnbull wrote. “The John Donohue San Diego counties, assessing background checks, interview professor, Stanford Law School how many permits are issued, and document reviews are all renewed and revoked annually; the same as they were before compliance with existing laws; going to an internet based applicafactors used to determine who should tion system.” receive a permit; and the fiscal impacts.

Some have questions just how “The dramatic increase of CCW licenses in thorough those background checks really are, as the Sacramento County alone is alarming and presents agency has issued CCWs at a torrid pace ever since a number of important fiscal and public safety quesSheriff Scott Jones took office in 2010. tions that I am confident the State Auditor will be According to Turnbull, between 2011 and 2016, able to answer,” McCarty said in the release.

Jones’ department has issued approximately 8,493 The agenda request from Jones’ department CCW permits to county residents. Turnbull also listed an “increased demand for CCW permits” confirmed that, as of December 2016, Jones had as one of the reasons for adopting the online revoked 236 of those permits.

PermitDirector system.

Stanford Law School Professor John Donohue Turnbull explained that this increased demand has documented his criticisms of the sheriff’s owed to the need for existing applicants to renew department’s lenient approach to dispensing CCW their CCW permits every two years. permits on his own blog and in the op-ed section When asked what reason individuals might have of The Sacramento Bee. Much of that criticism has for requesting concealed-carry permits, Turnbull been aimed directly at Jones, whose stated views said that “each individual has their own reason.” He that more guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens added that the CCW application appointment line is make the public safer Donohue disagrees with. “always full.” Ω “Scott Jones was very enthusiastic about right to carry and was sort of handing the permits out

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These stories inspire action by jeff vonkaenel

“I went to high school with Darrell Steinberg. He … went [on] to the state Capitol, and I went to Folsom Prison.”

That’s how David Husid, Cottage Housing’s development director, recently introduced Sacramento’s mayor. The occasion was the March 29 kickoff of the Regional Coalition to End Homelessness’ new Homeless Speakers Bureau, held at Quinn Cottages. Husid hosted the event.

Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna led off, talking of the “human cost of homelessness” and the efforts of the city and county to work together. As he was speaking, I kept glancing at the large photo of his father, former Mayor Joe Serna, holding a huge pair of scissors and cutting a large ribbon in front of Cottage Housing, founded in 1994.

Were he still alive, nearly 25 years later, Joe Serna would be proud of his son, who has continued Joe’s legacy of service. He would also be proud of the hundreds of people who have turned their lives around at Quinn Cottages and Serna Village, which provide supportive housing for homeless families. But he also would be sad to see so many people still living on Sacramento’s streets.

That’s what Steinberg wants to change. Steinberg is asking the city, county and state, as well as nonprofits and the business community, to contribute more resources to address homelessness in our region. At the Cottage Housing event, Steinberg stressed that we must do more.

He spoke about the importance of stories “that when told can translate into political action.” Then one nervous speaker after another—initial members of the Speakers Bureau— stood and told their stories.

Chantay White was an Air Force vet who was raped in the military, suffered

12 | SN&R | 04.06.17

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from depression and got involved with drugs, but then was helped by Sacramento Women’s Empowerment.

Wesley Colter had a traumatic childhood on and off the streets since he ran away from home at age 12. He got involved with drugs and went to prison. Once he was very angry, but now he is a happily married college graduate.

The stories were powerful. Some speakers were victims of abuse. Some struggled with poverty or bad luck.

Many made a bad situation worse with drugs. But people came into their lives who believed in them and stood by them when they failed.

Now their lives are on track.

They have spouses. They have jobs.

They have housing. And they have confidence. It was an honor to hear their stories and to be in a room with people who have overcome so much more than I could ever imagine.

At the event, the SN&R was awarded the first-annual Russell Bartholow Homeless Justice Award, given to the media in recognition of homelessness coverage. Our associate editor, Raheem F. Hosseini, has written extensively about Sacramento’s homeless, and he edited John Flynn and Matt Kramer’s recent story about Russell Bartholow, a homeless man who, prior to his death, had racked up $100,000 in tickets related to his homelessness. Hosseini and Flynn attended the event.

At the News & Review, we will hang our plaque with pride. But what we really want to see is more photos of our current mayor lifting big scissors and cutting more ribbons in front of new supportive-housing units. Ω Jeff vonKaenel is the president, CEO and majority owner of the News & Review.

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MRAP it uP Yolo County Sheriff Ed Prieto announced on Monday that his department wouldn’t accept a free mine-resistant, ambushprotected vehicle from the fbi after the public expressed fears of a militarized sheriff’s force. “While Sheriff Prieto empathizes and agrees with some of these concerns expressed, ultimately ... the Sheriff believes community confidence and trust are more important than the acquisition of an MRAP vehicle,” a sheriff’s department release stated. The department said it would continue relying on West Sacramento and Woodland police MRAPs. Woodland PD acquired its free rig last year after community outcry prompted Davis police to return its MRAP to the military. An MRAP costs about $200,000, Prieto’s release said.

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internet service providers to sell and share their customers’ browsing history without consent. Congresswoman Doris Matsui slammed the dystopian law’s passage, saying that now “consumers understand who is on the side of their privacy.” If President Donald Trump’s tax returns could generate profits for multinational corporations, best believe those bad boys would have been out months ago.

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had racked up $13 million in settlements with five women alleging sexual abuse. Two complained after the dismissal of Fox News honcho Roger Ailes, who got accused by more than 20 women of sexual harassment, indicating the network’s culture hasn’t changed. According to the Times, O’Reilly had allegedly made unwanted propositions for trysts, phone sex and threesomes, then threatened the career prospects of the women who rebuffed him. Despite some of his advances being recorded, he denies any wrongdoing, a very presidential move.

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Reviving the Right-to-Rest campaign as a weekend block party, the Sacramento Youth Council and Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee co-hosted a safeGround stakeDown on April 1-2 that advocated for affordable housing, “resident driven” encampments and an end to anti-homeless laws. Mixing marches with street theater, the two-day fest at 12th and C streets pointedly coincided with the closure of winterseason shelter across the city and county of Sacramento, and reminded officials that the movement is not going away.

Under current California laws, it is a felony not to disclose one’s HIV status before engaging in prostitution, unprotected sex or donating blood. There are also three-year sentence enhancements for HIV-positive people who commit nonsexual crimes. No other disease is punished this harshly. Health professionals believe these laws counterproductively discourage people from getting tested, disclosing their status and seeking treatment. On March 28, the Senate Public Safety Committee advanced senate bill 239, which would repeal these harsher penalties because there are far more effective treatments for the condition than jail time. The proposed legislation has a few floors to go before it can reach the governor’s pen.

As always, it’s a slow march to progress.

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The deTails: Essays must be no longer than 650 words. Email essays as a Word document or PDF attachment to collegeessay@newsreview.com, with the subject line “College Essay Contest.” Deadline is Friday, April 21, at 5 p.m.

04.06.17 | SN&R | 13

Her illegal dad

by RAheem F. hoSSeini raheemh@newsreview.com

The Obama administration took her father away. Now she worries that Trump will come for her.

“At leASt in the immigRAnt community, none oF uS Feel SAFe.” Angela Velazquez Sacramento reS ident

Angela Velazquez, 27, of Sacramento, holds a picture showing her as a child with her father, Alberto. Alberto Velazquez was deported in 2010 after his lawyer misfiled his residency papers and a court summons went to the wrong address.

Photo by Karlos rene ayala

14 | SN&R | 04.06.17

I

t’s been nine years since Angela Velazquez last saw her dad. In that time, Angela realizes, she’s inherited a trait that neither she nor her old man particularly wanted—fear.

She felt it that day her little sister didn’t come home, and a young Angela hesitated calling 911 because what if the police took her and her mom?

It left her flushed on the side of a street that night a cop discovered she was driving without a license and impounded her car, but left her behind. Six years ago, the fear broke Angela down into panicked sobs when a driver ran a red light and totaled her vehicle.

Not because she was hurt, but because she knew the authorities were on their way and was sure this time her luck had run out.

The 27-year-old is one of about 57,000 immigrants thought to be living in Sacramento County without authorization from the U.S. government. Angela came here from Mexico with her parents on a tourism visa when she was about 5. The plan was for her father Alberto to apply for permanent residency and, ultimately, citizenship, but he trusted the wrong lawyer and ended up flagged for deportation.

Alberto didn’t have a criminal record. He wasn’t in a gang, didn’t sell drugs. He is not one of the “bad dudes” President Donald Trump insists without evidence are surging en masse through porous borders. Alberto was a family man, a churchgoer and a community organizer before the Obama administration deported him. The same administration gradually narrowed its lens onto unauthorized immigrants with criminal records and later exempted immigrants brought here illegally as children, like Angela.

But before Obama’s reforms could fully take hold, Trump swung the pendulum back like a pickax. He’s signed executive orders that prioritize virtually every unauthorized immigrant for removal, that drastically limit the right to appear before an immigration judge and that call for a $21.6 billion border wall that American taxpayers, not Mexican ones, are being asked to finance.

Trump’s proxies, meanwhile, have threatened to withhold funding from any state or local jurisdiction that doesn’t aid or abet federal immigration authorities sweeping into their towns and scouring their neighborhoods and jails.

California is public enemy No. 1 on the president’s list, and the capital city is agitating to be the heart of the state’s bold resistance.

All these forces converged last week in Sacramento, where, in an unprecedented move, county Sheriff Scott Jones brought Trump’s top immigration cop to stand before an angry, convulsive town hall crowd.

Jones said the point of the forum was to separate fact from fiction, but it ended up underscoring his department’s murky relationship with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Since Trump took office, that “passive cooperation,” as Jones describes it, has specialized in rounding up mostly Hispanic men with minimal or nonexistent criminal records, an SN&R investigation has found.

What happened to the Velazquez family is

“We celebrate diversity. We don’t ban it, We don’t Wall it off and We don’t deport it.”

coyote pleaded guilty, triggernothing new. It’s the kind of ing immediate deportations for Kafkaesque calamity that has everyone in the group, Angela quietly demolished legions of says. Alberto eventually went undocumented families living in America. These stories have back to work in El Salvador. He happened under both Republican hasn’t been home since. and Democratic administrations The deportation of people Kevin de León who are trying to reunite with unable to reform a bottlenecked their families and have no aggraimmigration system that spends State Senate leader most of its resources driving vating factors could potentially away the poor, huddled masses explode under the Trump administration, noted Chris Rickerd, a policy counsel for the yearning to be free.

The difference now is that a real estate mogul with American Civil Liberties Union’s National Political a penchant for extemporaneously slandering minoriAdvocacy Department. ties and immigrants is the 45th president of these There are early indications this could already be United States. And where reformers see a bottleneck, happening. he sees something to be broken into a sharp, jagged According to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse data project on weapon and waved at those who used to think this immigration, nine out of 10 removal cases filed was their home.

“At least in the immigrant community, none of us in immigration court during the first weeks of the feel safe,” Angela said.

Trump era are based on illegal entry claims or other immigration charges.

Frightened in the land of the free “In only 2 percent of the cases were persons Alberto Velazquez’s attorney petitioned on her client’s charged with having an aggravated felony, while an behalf for political asylum, which Alberto wasn’t additional 6 percent were charged with participating eligible for. The Department of Homeland Security in other types of criminal behavior,” the TRAC report states. “There were no terrorism charges, and just sent its rejection letter—and a court summons—to a three cases where the individual was charged with a wrong address in Los Angeles. By the time Alberto ‘national security violation.’” found out, it was too late. His attempts to follow the This isn’t entirely different from the Obama adminrules had endangered his family.

“My dad felt under constant threat of deportaistration, and it’s too soon to draw any substantive tion,” Angela said. “Because he was our ticket to conclusions, TRAC is careful to note. But Trump’s residency and he lost his opportunity, we all lost our populist directives have unleashed a wildfire reaction, particularly in California, where immigration sweeps opportunity.” vanished more than 160 people around Los Angeles in Still, that didn’t stop Alberto from trying to help others. Through his church, he began volunteering February, prompting panic of a new, terrible normal with Sacramento Area Congregations Together. That in the state with the most immigrants to lose. turned into a job with PICO, a national network of State Senate leader Kevin de León is pushing faith-based organizations, of which Sacramento ACT legislation to enshrine California as a sanctuary state. is an affiliate.

Before last week’s local immigration forum, de León Angela says her dad also started his own nonprofit, stumped forcefully for Senate Bill 54, which he’s North Valley Sponsoring Committee. Based in titled the California Values Act. Referring to the Sacramento, it assisted mostly undocumented immiresearch that shows undocumented residents commit grants in northern farm counties, men and women fewer crimes than native-born ones, de León told a who had qualified for amnesty under the Reagan crowd that packed in at the edge of a parking lot, “We administration but hadn’t applied for citizenship. celebrate diversity. We don’t ban it, we don’t wall it Alberto offered these farmworkers what he didn’t get: off and we don’t deport it.” free, honest legal assistance. He connected them with Later, de León would make a more measured case law students, who could evaluate whether they were to Sheriff Jones and acting ICE Director Thomas D. eligible for citizenship and help them with the applicaHoman. tion process. And he hosted free citizenship classes Eruption of distrust to prepare them for the tests in English. Alberto’s group sponsored citizenship applications for 300 to Before they stopped letting people in and making 400 people each year, Angela says. them leave their signs at the door, before someone In 2008, Alberto’s work led to an advocacy called the sheriff a “shit stain” and a handful of opportunity in El Salvador. He reluctantly accepted, protesters were escorted out of the gymnasium, before the nation’s top immigration cop admitted he knowing it came with a risk. PICO called him back couldn’t predict the whims of the Trump administrastateside for training two years later. Alberto flew to Mexico, caught a short boat ride to the San Diego tion and a Holocaust survivor brought the house border, and tried to cross using a coyote. His group down, there was this one accidental moment that encapsulated the evening: was arrested and sent to a detention facility. Alberto was initially offered what’s sometimes referred to as a “snitch visa,” if he agreed to testify against “Her illegal dad” the smuggler Alberto and others paid to get them continued on page 16 home. But that offer was rendered moot when the

04.06.17 | SN&R | 15

“Her illegal dad” continued from page 15 It was 40 minutes before the community forum on immigration enforcement started inside the Sacramento County Youth Gym on Branch Center Road, a relocated setting after Sheriff Jones caught wind of the planned protests and moved his event outside of the city. Various elected officials, people from different advocacy groups (many wearing “We don’t trust Scott Jones” stickers), interested individuals and camera-fussing media types idled near a strip of shaded grass rimming the parking lot, waiting for someone to do something worth documenting. Bulky TV cameras balanced on meaty shoulders pointed into an empty semicircle. Someone started strumming “This Land Is Your Land,” picking up voices along the way. At one point, the familiar bellow of Oak Park resident and O.G. rabble-rouser Kevin Carter escaped the scrum: “We didn’t have papers either,” he said of his African ancestry, brought to this country in slave ships. “But God had papers on us.”

As members of the crowd mmm-hmm’ed, sheriff’s employees, in monogrammed polo shirts, cargo khakis and narrow, black sunglasses that the department must buy in bulk, fussed with an interlinked stretch of bike-rack barricades used for crowd control. The employees had successfully sealed off one opening onto the gym grounds, but were struggling to create a new port of entry into the gym.

And Mayor Darrell Steinberg needed to use the restroom.

So picture, if you will, a half-dozen cops and plainclothes detectives with slick hair and starched suits wrestling to pry loose two metal gates as Steinberg stood on the other side of this waist-high wall. On one side, a Democratic mayor who reflects California’s political antipathy to Trump’s deportation agenda. On the other side, the local cops whom Trump wants to help carry it out.

Once inside, these differences became less abstract.

As the hall filled up, factions began disrupting an event that hadn’t even started. One group, dressed in white T-shirts painted to read “ICE OUT” together, was particularly vocal. The chants missed the point for Howard Guy Stork, who found an aisle seat near the front and wore a U.S. Marine Corps ball cap on his sharp-cornered head. “I’m a wall supporter,” he said, explaining it’s because he’s worried about the drug cartels the Mexican military is struggling to contain. “They’re very, very dangerous.”

The event started a few minutes late when Jones

67 percent of Sacramento county’S immigrant detaineeS had committed nonSeriouS offenSeS or no crimeS at all.

16 | SN&R | 04.06.17

began speaking. Immediately, someone in the audience shouted, “Fuck you!” The acoustics were crystal clear. Unlike the ICE chief beside him, Jones appeared unfazed, saying this was a good opportunity to go over some ground rules about decorum. Two men in the bleachers, with the group wearing the painted T-shirts, were responsible for many of the outbursts.

It was while the sheriff espoused the “diversity of ideas” that one of the men called Jones a “racist piece of shit.” (They were eventually escorted out.) Jones plodded through his prepared statement. “This is an unprecedented opportunity. Nowhere before has the director of ICE sat before a town hall forum with a law enforcement executive to provide information,” he said. Jones asked the audience to show acting ICE Director Homan “the best of what Sacramento has to offer.”

If Jones meant the area’s talent for colorful, compound profanity, the crowd did not disappoint.

Homan seemed less at ease facing the public. “I didn’t have to be here tonight,” he told the audience after it booed his introduction.

He stuck to talking points about how ICE is a law enforcement agency like any other, how he doesn’t get to choose which laws he enforces. Judging by the applause, about a quarter of the audience agreed with him. Homan claimed his 20,000 agents don’t conduct immigration “sweeps” and respect a “sensitive locations” policy that’s supposed to keeps ICE off school grounds, out of churches and hospitals. Media reports have contradicted those statements. He said a father who was arrested after dropping off his kid at school was apprehended six blocks away from the campus.

To which someone in the bleachers yelled, “That’s still near the school, you fucking dickhead!”

For two hours, this whole thing felt on the verge of collapse. The air was charged, people were tense, frightened. If this was a snapshot of modern political discourse, it wasn’t a very promising one.

It also wasn’t unprecedented, reminded Bernard Marks, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor from Poland. During the Q&A portion of the forum, Marks revealed that he spent a chunk of his childhood in a Nazi concentration camp. He survived, his family and millions of other people did not. Marks explained that he’d lived the aftermath of events that began with red-faced town hall crowds and men in uniforms defending their orders. He addressed his last point to Jones directly: “History is not on your side,” he said to an explosive ovation.

Angela Velazquez didn’t attend, though a printout photo of her dad and sister circulated outside. She says members of the undocumented immigrant community were warned to stay away, lest the forum double as an enforcement trap.

After the event ended, Homan beat a hasty exit, but Jones stuck around to answer questions.

The sheriff made one concession during the evening. He said he would not allow his cops to act as a de facto immigration force, one of the president’s more controversial strategies for ramping up deportation efforts in the homeland. But Jones said he had no plans to stop subletting space at his jail for ICE to detain male immigrants targeted for removal.

Asked whether the detainees in his jail have been convicted of serious crimes, minor offenses or none at all, Jones replied, “I don’t know. You’d have to ask ICE. Because it’s really kind of their jail inside of our jail.”

Documented lies It was just past 3 a.m. on a Monday last April when Galt police Officer Daniel Callison says he saw the black Honda Accord wobbling along a darkened, two-lane stretch of Highway 99.

According to the police report Callison later filed, the patrolman paced the 2014 sedan going approximately 80 mph, watching its tires bump over the yellow fog line on the left side of the road, then gradually drift back into its original lane before swerving a little more.

The officer made his siren squawk, and the Accord pulled off of the highway, stopping past a roundabout at Twin Cities Road and Stockton Boulevard. Two men sat in the car. The driver was in his early 40s, short and a little heavyset. An identification card from the Mexican consulate’s office said this was Fernando Solorio, a native of Michoacan in Mexico, now living in Natomas, a Sacramento suburb about 30 miles north. He had bloodshot, watery eyes and smelled of alcohol, Callison wrote in his report.

Solorio admitted drinking a few beers, but didn’t think he was intoxicated. Callison noticed the unopened cans of Modelo “strewn” through the cabin and asked the driver to exit. Solorio didn’t speak much English, but Callison thought he understood enough to follow his commands. Even with the language barrier, Callison felt Solorio botched his field sobriety test and wrote that Solorio later refused to submit to a breathalyzer, but only after the officer says he caught Solorio puffing out his cheeks and pretending to blow through the tube a couple of times. An hour later, Solorio was getting his blood drawn at the county jail downtown, which later revealed his blood alcohol content to be 0.11 percent, three ticks over the legal limit.

A criminal complaint for driving under the influence was filed a couple of months later in Sacramento Superior Court, but never went anywhere. Solorio wasn’t arraigned on formal charges. His record remained clean.

On February 28 of this year, Solorio brought that clean record into the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in Elk Grove, where the 42-year-old is being held for deportation.

Since 2000, the sheriff’s department has sublet space at its jail facilities for immigration detainees like Solorio.

While the department’s current five-year contract with the federal government is up for renewal next year, the sheriff has said he has no intent of ending an arrangement that nets his agency an extra $4 million to $6 million each year.

“I do not have any desire to get rid of that contract any time soon. And it’s overly simplistic to say that it’s just a money grab,” Jones told reporters after the forum.

“If I didn’t have that contract, even though advocates might like to think that those [detainees] would just be let out, they would not. ICE would just simply remove them to other facilities around the state.”

Speaking before last week’s immigration forum,

Outsourcing detention As feds seek more beds to lock up deportable immigrants, California may try to thwart them rosie Martinez, center, with her daughters evelia Velazquez Joye, left, and Angela Velazquez, right. Martinez and Velazquez were born in Mexico. Joye, a U.s. citizen, is sponsoring her mother’s request for permanent residency.

Photo by karlos rene ayala

by ben Christopher Trash-strewn cells, moldy showers, broken telephones, excessive use of solitary confinement and “slimy, foul-smelling lunchmeat.”

These are the conditions that detainees face inside one of southern California’s largest immigration detention facilities, according to a report this month by federal inspectors who visited the Theo Lacy Facility, an 11-acre jail complex run by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

For the past seven years, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been renting bed space there. The county sheriff’s office collects roughly $30 million annually for leasing out the high-security real estate, and in exchange, ICE gets bunk space for roughly 480 of the more than 40,000 undocumented immigrants nationwide that the agency has been keeping behind bars on any given day.

The contract is an arrangement of convenience for a county in need of revenue and a federal government in need of jail beds.

The county disputes the critical inspection report from the Homeland Security Department’s Office of Inspector General. Sheriff Sandra Hutchens says that while “some legitimate issues were identified … and were quickly addressed,” many of the inspection’s findings were inaccurate, as was the subsequent “sensational” media coverage which provided “a misleading ‘Shawshank-like’ picture of Orange County jail facilities.”

Regardless, the news comes at a bad time for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department—and for all defenders of business-as-usual across the patchwork of county jails, city lockups, and privately owned facilities across California that make up the state’s immigration detention system.

For state Sen. Ricardo Lara—whose immigration detention reform bill won the Legislature’s approval last year only to be vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown—the inspection report provides a well-timed “I told you so.” And so Lara, a Democrat from Bell Gardens, is back again this session with Senate Bill 29, which would set new rules for immigration detention facilities and would ban local governments from contracting with private prison companies to detain immigrants. On March 28, it cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee.

While the state already regulates all detention facilities in California, Lara and other supporters of the bill argue that the national detention standards articulated in every ICE detention contract are not being followed. This bill would not require the Board of State and Community Corrections, the agency that regulates California prisons and jails, to conduct additional inspections or adopt new rules.

Instead, the bill aims to keep immigration facilities in line by allowing both current and former detainees and the state Attorney General to sue any facilities that violate these standards.

But the bill also has sharp detractors among law enforcement agencies and many Republicans, who believe that claims of mismanaged detention facilities are overblown. They also argue that the state shouldn’t interfere with local law enforcement decisions, and that Lara’s bill could have unintended, harmful consequences for local budgets—and even for the detainees themselves.

“Sacramento thinks it’s so smart and has to mandate things to everybody,” says GOP state Sen. John Moorlach, who represents Orange County and used to chair its board of supervisors. “I don’t think that’s good policy in this case, and I think being uncooperative with a federal agency is arrogance at its highest.”

The ultimate fate of Lara’s bill may rest again on the governor. With his first veto, Brown wrote that although he was troubled by reports of conditions at privately run facilities, he wanted to wait for a “more permanent solution” from the federal government. (The Obama administration had announced plans to phase out contracts between the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and private prison corporations, and to reconsider its use of private immigration detention facilities. The Trump administration is moving in the opposite direction.)

S B2 9 Mayor Steinberg told a scrum of media types he wanted the sheriff to explain the reasoning behind the controversial detention contract.

“Our county jail is overflowing its design capacity,” Steinberg contended. “What is your justification for contracting with the federal government to generate revenue and become immigration enforcement agents when you are so far over capacity and don’t have enough space to adequately accommodate inmates that commit real crime here in Sacramento?”

On Tuesday, county Supervisor Phil Serna told SN&R that he was inclined to reconsider an arrangement that he himself voted in favor of in 2013, the last time the local detention contract was renewed.

“Putting aside the philosophical differences, let’s look at it from a practical standpoint,” he said. “Do we have the space to rent to the U.S. government, and is it the right thing to do? Add to that, is it the right thing to do during a Trump administration that has made it clear it’s going to war with immigrants?”

Serna’s four colleagues on the board didn’t respond to SN&R’s requests for comment.

What neither Serna nor Steinberg asked—and what immigration attorneys and advocates say they haven’t been able to figure out beyond a handful of

troubling news reports—is just who is being rounded up for deportation these days.

If Sacramento County’s main custodial facility is any indication, these are not the “bad hombres” we’ve been promised.

Before and after his election, Trump repeatedly used the term to justify his expanding deportation dragnet. While the president has mostly stopped using xenophobia-laced Spanglish, he has kept insisting that vastly more undocumented immigrants, particularly those from Latin nations, need to be purged from this country, as he did in February, during a meeting with manufacturing industry CEOs. “You see what’s happening at the border. All of a sudden, for the first time, we’re getting gang members out, we’re getting drug lords out. We’re getting really bad dudes out of this country, and at a rate that nobody’s ever seen before, and they’re the bad ones,” Trump said to reporters covering the meeting.

Well, Solorio is no anomaly. According to a

“her illegal dad” continued on page 18

Senate Bill 29 would ban local governments from contracting with private prison companies

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Her illegal dad continued from page 17

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones meets the press after his March 28 immigration forum with acting ICE Director Thomas D. Homan.

A man protests deportations outside last week’s immigration forum at the Sacramento County Youth Gym.

Photo by raheem f. hosseini

three-month review of court and booking records, the vast majority of local immigrants passing through RCCC for deportation proceedings either have minor criminal records or none at all.

SN&R was able to track down criminal and court data for 52 undocumented immigrants who now face deportation.

Of that group, only 14 had committed serious offenses, crimes ranging from felony vehicle theft and burglary to domestic violence, assault and rape.

Back in November, for instance, Dexter Josephcuya Zonio, 34, of Carmichael, was convicted of sexually assaulting someone with a mental or physical disability, according to online court data.

Zonio was sentenced to 364 days in jail and five years on formal probation. Booking logs show that immigration authorities picked Zonio up from local jail custody at the end of February and transported him to an undisclosed detention facility outside of the area.

Fifteen other detainees had been convicted of lower-level misdemeanors, mostly DUIs. These were individuals like Cesar Emmanuel Solis-Garcia, 27, of Sacramento, who was convicted this past December for one misdemeanor count of entering a residential dwelling without permission. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail and three years on informal probation. He has been in RCCC’s detention unit since March 16.

Or Rodrigo Roman-Benitez, 30, of Citrus Heights, another ICE detainee inside RCCC. Roman-Benitez was sentenced to 145 days of community service and five years on informal probation over a misdemeanor DUI conviction on February 10, the same day that immigration authorities picked him up from an ICE holding facility in San Francisco and brought him here.

But the biggest proportion, representing 20 detainees 18 | SN&R | 04.06.17

Photo by karlos rene ayala

who had been living in Sacramento County, had no criminal records. These include four people who were arrested but never convicted. But most had no run-ins with the law, according to records.

That means almost 67 percent of the immigrant detainees that SN&R could find records for had committed nonserious offenses or no crimes at all.

SN&R asked Kevin R. Johnson, dean of the UC Davis School of Law and a recognized immigration expert, to review its findings.

In an email, Johnson said it seemed to him that “many of the immigrant detainees were being held on relatively minor charges,” which he said would have been the case before Trump’s inauguration as well.

And that’s true.

The Obama administration famously notched record deportation numbers while espousing the strategic focus of a “priority enforcement program” meant to target criminal aliens and leave undocumented families and peaceful immigrants alone. But the program, known as PEP, wasn’t introduced until late 2014 and may never have been fully implemented, Johnson suggests.

“I did not see any real changes in enforcement,” Johnson said. “And the administration still pursued removals in some cases involving relatively minor criminal offenses.”

Now there’s a new president with a much lower standard for what constitutes a threat.

A dreamer’s dream Angela Velazquez isn’t exactly sure when she found out she was an undocumented immigrant in Sacramento, but she thinks she must have been a teenager.

This would have been about a decade ago, before California started allowing undocumented immigrants

to obtain driver’s licenses, which happened starting in January 2015. So Angela knew something was up when all her friends started getting their driver’s permits and she couldn’t. Or when they started applying for financial aid for college and she didn’t qualify.

“It kind of hit me in high school,” Angela recalled.

“I remember telling my friends I wanted to be president of the United States and not knowing I wasn’t eligible.”

Angela has her driver’s license now. And she’s ostensibly safe from deportation, as a recipient of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protections that Obama implemented in his first term for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as minors.

DACA grants these “dreamers” two-year deferrals from deportation and work permits if they meet several guidelines, like having been brought to the country before their sweet 16s, and having been physically present in the country on the date DACA was signed. There’s other criteria, too, that touch on education, military service and criminal backgrounds, forms to fill out, fees to pay, documents that applicants need to submit proving their age, residency, all that stuff.

Which is why Angela didn’t apply immediately.

Like other undocumented immigrants, she worried that DACA was too good to be true, that it was a plot disguised as a gift, to build a database of deportables.

She waited a year, saw that DACA seemed to be operating as advertised, and applied.

Now she’s feeling a dreaded sense of déjà vu.

Here’s why: Granting DACA is considered an act of “prosecutorial discretion” on the part of the federal government, specifically the Department of Homeland Security. While Trump’s executive orders expanding

“Outsourcing detention” continued from page 17 Al Rojas, a labor activist and president of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement in Sacramento, addresses protesters outside the immigration forum last week.

Photo By kArLos rene AyALA

immigration enforcement carved out an exception for dreamers like Angela, immigration experts think it’s entirely conceivable that Trump will do an end-run on DACA. He’s tried once already.

An earlier, leaked draft of Trump’s immigration orders initially called for the dismantling of DACA. The order that Trump eventually signed didn’t go that far, but did limit deferred action, Johnson says.

Already, two dreamers have been arrested and face deportation. At last week’s forum, Homan claimed there was more to these stories than he could disclose.

“There is fear that DACA will be dismantled,” Johnson said.

Trump could do so indirectly, by directing Homeland Security to stop issuing renewals to the dreamers who already have them. So even with a DACA exemption in place, it wouldn’t matter in a couple of years, because those deferrals would have all run out.

Angela’s expires in August.

“At the moment, I feel comfortable renewing,” she said. “I hope it stays that way.”

But her status isn’t the only thing on her mind.

Angela’s mother has been waiting five years now to hear back on her application for legal residency. Angela’s middle sister, a U.S. citizen, sponsored their mom when the sister turned 21, a requirement of the law. The sister is 26 now and the family is still waiting.

“Most people don’t even know what it takes,” Angela said of the legal path to citizenship.

Indeed, U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services, the agency responsible for processing visa requests and citizenship applications, receives less than one-fifth the funding than do the agencies that are dedicated to kicking people out, creating a bottlenecked pathway

to legal residency. This is a U.S.-made crisis, in other words. It always has been. And now Trump is looking to exploit the inaction and failures of his predecessors to reform the country’s immigration policies to enact a nationalistic deportation regime that targets everyone.

And then there’s Angela’s dad, whom she hasn’t seen for almost a decade.

Both of Angela’s U.S.-born sisters have been able to visit their father in El Salvador at least once, but Angela doesn’t dare make the trip. It’s not a journey from which she’s confident she’d be able to return.

Instead, Angela talks regularly with her dad on the phone, at least once a month.

“We have a pretty good relationship, actually. I think because he’s not around, our conversations are even more meaningful?” she posited.

The last time she spoke to her father was a couple of weeks ago. Angela says he was sad to have missed his middle daughter’s wedding a couple years ago. But he was also proud of the women his daughters were becoming in his absence. It was a father’s pride, tinged with a father’s regret. Angela feels similar ambivalence, but in a different way, like she’s staring through the other end of a long, dark tunnel the two of them share.

When she looks at the photos from her sister’s last visit a year ago, she sees a man different than the one she remembers. She sees the smiling, familiar eyes, but they’re crosshatched with more lines. There’s less hair and it’s a little grayer. Angela can’t help doing the math. Her dad is in his 60s. Average life expectancy minus her father’s age, divided by the terms of a presidency.

“Sometimes I’m scared I may not see him again,” she said. Ω

Although the U.S. immigration detention program is the largest single incarceration system in the country, its facilities are often leased. Of the 10 long-term immigration detention facilities in California, none are federally owned: five are county jails, one is a city facility and the remaining four are owned and operated by for-profit companies. Using data from public records requests and publicly available documents, interviews and site visits, the immigration rights group Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement estimates that privately run jails make up 75 percent of all the bed space across California’s long-term immigration detention system.

Some of those incarcerated in this system have past criminal records, but immigration violations themselves are civil rather than criminal matters—and so detainees in immigration court are not entitled to court-appointed legal counsel. Awaiting their hearings or deportation, detainees may spend weeks, months or, in rare cases, years in custody.

With Trump making aggressive immigration enforcement a cornerstone of his presidency, ICE will probably need all the beds it can get.

Since his election, the stock prices of GEO Group and CoreCivic, the country’s two largest private prison and immigration detention operators, have increased by 87 percent and 125 percent, respectively.

“If there’s going to be a spike in detention in a relatively short period of time, recent history shows that the only way the government can actually detain those people is if private prisons provide the beds,” says Anita Sinha, an assistant professor of immigration and civil rights law at American University.

Not in California, if SB 29 prevails.

“For-profit facilities are inherently problematic because they are incentivized to hold as many people as possible with the lowest standards in the cheapest manner allowed by law in order to maximize profits,” Lara said.

The bill would not interfere with existing contracts—nor with arrangements like the one between ICE and CoreCivic, which owns and operates Sen. Ricardo Lara the Otay Mesa facility in San Diego. But for the handful of California towns that act as middlemen between ICE and private detention companies, SB 29 would mean the end of a potentially important source of revenue.

More than any other locality in the state, this describes Adelanto.

Straddling a two-lane freight route 45 miles north of San Bernardino, the town used to be known for orchards and an Air Force base. Now the local industry is incarceration. Adelanto hosts three jails and prisons, with two more in the works.

Among the existing lockups is the privately operated Adelanto Detention Facility, which exclusively houses ICE detainees and is the largest immigration detention center in the state. Though it’s owned by GEO Group, which purchased the facility from the city for $28 million in 2011, the City of Adelanto still holds the ICE contract and receives $1 per day per bed in “mitigation fees.” That puts a little under $1 million per year toward a $40 million budget. Between that facility and a nearby private jail, GEO Group hires roughly 100 locals in a city with a population of roughly 30,000 and a poverty rate of 40 percent.

But the facility has been a focal point of protest for immigrant rights activists. Since the Adelanto facility reopened under GEO ownership in 2011, four ICE detainees in its custody have died, including a Nicaraguan immigrant who died this week in what authorities said was a suicide.

After the death of Raul Ernesto Morales-Ramos in 2015, who died after surgery for colon cancer that went undiagnosed for much of his time behind bars, a federal investigatiotn censured the facility for shoddy record keeping, months-long delays in medical care and medical personnel with minimal expertise and unsuitable training.

“For-profit facilities are inherently problematic because they are incentivized to hold as many people as possible with the lowest standards in the cheapest manner allowed by law in order to maximize profits”

Ben Christopher is a contributing writer to CALmatters.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

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A plAtform

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Top college gymnasT alexis Brown uses her sporT To proTesT police BruTaliTy

change story and photos by Bert Johnson

20 | SN&R | 04.06.17

EVENTS FOR YOUR INNER CHILD See NIGHT&DAY

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tudent athletes talked and laughed with their teammates and coaches as they assembled on the large mat inside the UC Davis Pavilion for their final meet of the season on March 10. Standing in a line, the UC Davis women gymnasts held hands and prepared for the national anthem.

But when the song started, junior Alexis Brown dropped her right knee to the floor and lowered her head in protest.

S

UC Davis’ Women’s Gymnastics is the top-rated team in its conference, and Brown is among the best on the roster. She had a highly successful season that led Head Coach John Lavallee to describe her as “one of the highestlevel performers within our conference.”

Meanwhile, Brown has also emerged as a voice for social engagement in collegiate sports. Since the season’s first meet on January 9, she has been kneeling during the national anthem that kicks off every competition. By the fifth meet, she had started raising a fist when her name was announced for awards at the end of competitions.

Brown said she was inspired by Colin Kaepernick, the NFL quarterback who began taking a knee during the national anthem last year and who was met with vociferous criticism. His protest was echoed widely, including by some members of the football team at Laguna Creek High School in Elk Grove who took a knee before a game in September.

But for Kaepernick, political dissent has come at a steep cost—none of the teams in the league have offered him a contract for the coming season despite his respectable performance on the field. According to Washington Post columnist Kevin B. Blackistone, Kaepernick has been effectively “blackballed” for speaking out about sensitive issues.

For her part, Brown and her supporters say she has experienced backlash for her statement, even though Brown doesn’t have the same level of visibility as a professional athlete like Kaepernick.

“I’m here advocating in every way I know how to, using my platform to spread awareness and knowledge about police brutality,” she said.

Bowing to juStice Brown, like most collegiate gymnasts, has been in the game for a long time. Having started training at 3 years old, she’s approaching her 18th anniversary as a competitive athlete—and the end of her career.

“Not many gymnasts go [on] to be professional after college,” she explained. “Our bodies degrade pretty quickly.”

As an activist, Brown is less experienced.

She admits that before protesting the national anthem, her political involvement had been on a much smaller scale, but added that she

ADVENTUROUS ALLEY See OFF MENU

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always wanted to “get involved and use my gymnastics as a platform for protest.” A supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement, Brown decided that using her career in gymnastics as a medium for activism would be an effective way to bring attention to racial disparities in the justice system.

“We shouldn’t really necessarily stand up for [a] country that doesn’t stand up for us anymore,” she asserted.

But she also clarified her beliefs, explaining that, “Taking a knee does not mean that you are disrespecting a country, that you don’t want to be part of this country.”

Instead, she hopes that by protesting during meets she can make more people aware of the issues she’s concerned with, including police brutality. In 2015, unarmed black people were more than twice as likely to be killed by police than whites, The Guardian reported, a disparity that Black Lives Matter activists have decried.

“Making people more aware is the mission,” Brown emphasized.

Vaulting higher Collegiate gymnastics is an overwhelmingly white sport.

According to the NCAA data for the 2015-16 academic year, the last year for which data are available, 71.4 percent of female athletes were white, while only 7.9 percent were black.

These figures seem surprising given the recent victories by Olympians Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas, who are both black, but their visibility in the sport reflects the extreme talent of both athletes rather than a shift in demographics. Gymnastics is an expensive sport for athletes’ families, Brown explained, which in her view has the effect of excluding people from many backgrounds.

Coach Lavallee admitted that he hadn’t thought about the ethnic composition of the sport, but did note that Brown is not the only person of color on the UC Davis team—compared to national averages, the squad is unusually diverse, although more than half of its members are white.

Lavallee explained that while political protests are uncommon in collegiate gymnastics, the coaching staff has fully supported her, calling it “perfectly natural” given the politicized tone of public discourse in the nation. And Brown described meeting with Director of Athletics Kevin Blue, saying it was “exciting to know that people in higher positions do take notice and look out for us athletes.”

CHEERS TO GRILLED CHEESE See FOODSTUFF

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Brown said that teammates and coaches have been mostly respectful, but some have questioned her political activism. She said that once she announced her plans to the team, she was met with concern and

We shouldn’t really necessarily stand up for [a] country that doesn’t stand up for us anymore.

ALExIS BROwN UC Davis gymnast

THE LIES 14-YEAR-OLDS TELL See ASK JOEY

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warnings. Brown recalled being asked, “Are you sure?” by teammates who predicted that the response from spectators would be unpleasant.

And, to some degree, they were right, Brown added, saying that she was “met with lot of ignorance” from some audience members during an earlier meet at the Air Force Academy. She overheard gymnasts’ parents mocking her with “cruel words,” she said. After the meet, she spoke with them carefully, putting on a calm face.

But in the end, she described the team as a family and said that her protests have been “a learning experience for all of us.”

“There will always remain a couple of people not ready for change,” Brown said.

She hopes that in the future, those who disagree will see her point of view: “I will always have love for them in my heart.”

team Spirit Generally speaking, the on-campus response to Brown’s protest has been positive: The Office of Advocacy and Student Representation issued a letter of support and called for students in other organizations to attend meets in solidarity, while individual student athletes from other teams have also backed her.

Two of Brown’s roommates, Rochelle Nadreau and Emma Redick, are on the track and field team and attend every meet to show support. Along with a third roommate, Dani Kroll, they sit during the national anthem in solidarity with Brown’s protest.

At the March 10 meet, all three were in attendance and cheering for their friend raucously, making a loud statement in favor of her stance.

“There has been backlash, there have been tough times,” Kroll admitted, but the three friends are always ready to lend support from the stands.

“Even if she feels alone,” Redick explained, “[she can] find us in the crowd and we’ll be there.”

As for political activism in the future, Brown said she thinks she will continue to be involved, but plans to approach it cautiously.

“I want to make this a positive experience for myself,” she explained, and added that she has other priorities, too. An animal science major, Brown is busy with a challenging course load and the looming process of grad school applications: A proud Davis student, she said she wants to study at the university’s top-rated School of Veterinary Medicine.

Meanwhile, her performance on the mat continues to be impressive: At the March 10 meet, she scored 9.9 out of 10 on the beam, her best event. It was the third time she had achieved such a high score, matching a school record. Ω

04.06.17 | SN&R | 21

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t e e w s t a h t Feel nostalgia S

ometimes, I just want to go back in time, watch cartoons, finger paint and let my imagination run wild. I think we all have those days, when we ache for the simple and carefree.

This week, Sacramento seems to agree, offering up a bunch of fun events that tap into our childhood nostalgia.

Head to Pioneer Park (5800 Walnut Avenue) on Friday, April 7, for a free and family-friendly movie night in the park. Games and activities start at 6:30 p.m., and Finding Dory will screen at dusk. Bring blankets and money for ice cream from Cowtown Creamery. More at www.facebook.com/SunriseParks.

The next morning at 10, the fourth annual sacramento indie arcade returns to the West Sacramento Community Center (1075 West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento). Come play more than 40 video and board games created by more than 30 game developers.

There will also be live video game music, tournaments—any Street Fighter fans in the house?—and panel discussions. The time for presale tickets has ended, but you

can grab $15 tickets at the door.

Students get in for $5, kids under 12 for free. For more details, visit www.indiearcade.org.

On Wednesday, April 12, the Creation District (4625 44th Street) kicks off a new monthly event for the summer: the Village underground, an evening of art- and music-making on an old elementary school playground starting at 7 p.m. This edition will feature a drum circle and open-mic, and best of all, it’s free to attend.

Learn more at www.facebook.com /thecreationdistrict.

Perhaps the ultimate in nostalgia goes down the following night at Press Club (2030 P Street), where TUBE Magazine will present Dope, a Lisa Frank-themed art show and dance party with DJ Larry at 7 p.m.

You must remember Lisa Frank products, with those over-the-top rainbows, magic unicorns and baby tigers? It’s sure to spark some pretty amazing, glittery works from local artists. Costumes are encouraged, and there’s no cover. More at www.facebook.com/tubemag.

—JAneLLe BItKeR

Bring the little ones to Funderland along with some games or art supplies to donate to the River Oak Center for Children and receive free ride tickets in exchange. There will be Family plenty of family-friendly arts and crafts.

Keep any eye out for the Easter Bunny and Happy the Squirrel throughout the day. Free; 11 a.m. at Funderland Amusement Park, 1350 17th Avenue; (916) 456-0131; http://funderlandpark .com/event_post/easter-eggstravaganza.

—LoRY GIL

Forms in Flux FRIDAY, APRIL 7 Creep on down to Beatnik Studios this First Friday and enjoy a pop-up art show by local artist Shaun Burner. You may not know him by name, but Sacramentans can thank Burner as the big man behind M5 Arts, the group aRT responsible for two of the most impressive creative events in the city’s history—Art Hotel and Art Street. Free; 6 p.m. at Beatnik Studios, 723 S Street; www.beatnik-studios.com.

—DAve KemPA

moustache and Beard Competition FRIDAY, APRIL 7 If you’ve ever walked into a brewery and thought, “Man, there just aren’t enough hairy men here,” then this gathering of the unshaven is for you. The sixth annual competition, held by Sacramento’s Moustache and Beard Social Club, will pit business beard against goatee—and 15 other CompETiTion facial hair categories—before a panel of judges. Get your whiskerina ready for its closeup. $15-$25; 6 p.m. at California Automobile Museum, 2200 Front Street; www.mbscsac.com.

—JAneLLe BItKeR

acquire an audience SAtURDAY, APRIL 8 If you’re talented, people will hand you giant bags of money. Wait, that’s not how it works. YoloArts presents a critically important workshop designed to teach artists how to target an WoRkshop audience, network and accomplish goals. You know, all that nonartsy stuff that artists need to know. $35; 10 a.m. at Sacramento City College’s West Sacramento Center, 1115 West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento; www.eventbrite.com/e/ acquire-an-audience-tickets-30231277565.

—AARon CARneS

kids Expo California SAtURDAY, APRIL 8 Kids getting restless? As luck would have it, this expo offers something for everyone. Activities include (but are most certainly not limited puBliC GaThERinG to) dance classes, exercises geared at the youth and toddler set, arts and crafts and much more. $12-$22; 11 a.m., at Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Boulevard; http://kidsexpoca.com.

IllustratIon by Margaret larkIn

—eDDIe JoRGenSen

04.06.17 | SN&R | 23

APRIL PIcks by shokA

And more, and more The list of artists that John Stuart Berger selected to be in Fe Gallery’s Fauna Anomaly is long. It’s more than 40 names deep and ends with “and more,” so we’ll only list a few of them here, such as Christine Benjamin (bold paintings), Dan Herrera (surreal photographs) and Angela Tannehill (mystical collage mixed-media). Many of the artists in this animal-themed group show fit GroUp SHoW snugly and adjacently into the lowbrow category, and some will be recognized from the Toyroom Gallery’s heyday—such as Robert Bowen, Kim Scott, Carrie Cottini and Stephanie Skalisky.

Plus, there will be work from some students of Short Center North, where Stuart Berger is a program director. So expect to see loads of vibrant color, the grotesquely beautiful and more, of course.

Where: Fe Gallery, 1100 65th Street; (916) 456-4455; www.fegallery.com.

Second Saturday reception: April 8, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Through June 1.

Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; most third and fourth Saturdays, noon to 2 p.m.; or by appointment.

“Blue Bunnies” by Susan J. Silvester, digital drawing on archival paper, 2016.

Go Uptown for rabbits There’s a new stop on the Second Saturday route: Uptown Studios. The marketing and design firm has been around since the 1990s and recently moved to 23rd and X streets. For April, it is hosting Sacramento-based artist Susan J. Silvester’s Looking Forward, Looking Back. Silvester is known for creating the critter Mixed MediA sculptures and cartoons on the iconic ’80s children’s show Pee-wee’s Playhouse, among other projects. In her current exhibition, expect to see her signature motifs of innocence and melancholy via children, rabbits and forests in digital drawings, cyanotype and encaustic.

Where: Uptown Studios, 2415 23rd Street; (916) 446-1082; www.uptownstudios.net.

Second Saturday reception: April 8, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Through April 28.

Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Secret Creature” by Christine Benjamin, acrylic.

Fragile ceramic organisms To look at Dana Bilello-Barrow’s ceramic vessels is like peering through a high-powered telescope at planets: round surfaces covered with reddish swirls of gas clouds. But some of her twodimensional wall-hangings resemble what one sees through a microscope: groupings CerAMiC of round, cell-like forms bunching together, forming her fragile ceramic organisms.

See her work along with Maureen Gilli’s in Inner Echoes at ACAI Gallery & Studios through May 13.

Where: ACAI Gallery & Studios, 7425 Winding Way, Fair Oaks; (916) 966-2453; http://acaistudios.com.

Artists’ reception: Saturday, April 15; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Through May 13.

Hours: Wednesday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; or by appointment.

“A Thousand Silent Screams” by Dana Bilello-Barrow, porcelain wall installation.

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32

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2734

21ST ST.

19TH ST.

16TH ST.

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10TH ST.

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BUS

80 18

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50 BROADWAY

www.the-insideout.org

10 INTEGRATE SACRAMENTO 2220 J St., (916) 541-4294, http://integrateservices sacramento.blogspot.com

11 THE IRON MONKEY TATTOO STUDIO AND FINE ART GALLERY 1723 I St., (916) 476-5701, www.facebook.com/ theironmonkeytattooandartgallery

12 KENNEDY GALLERY 1931 L St., (916) 716-7050, www.kennedygallerysac.com

13 LITTLE RELICS 908 21st St.,

Midtown 1 ART OF TOYS 1126 18th St., (916) 446-0673, www.artoftoys.com

2 ART STUDIOS 1727 I St., behind Easy on I; (916) 444-2233

3 ARTFOX GALLERY 2213 N St., Ste. B; (916) 835-1718; www.artfox.us

4 B. SAKATA GARO 923 20th St., (916) 447-4276, www.bsakatagaro.com

5 CAPITAL ARTWORKS 1215 21st St., Ste. B; (916) 207-3787; www.capital-artworks.com

6 CUFFS 2523 J St., (916) 443-2881, www.shopcuffs.com

7 ELLIOTT FOUTS GALLERY 1831 P St.,

(916) 716-2319, www.littlerelics.com

14 MIDTOWN FRAMING & GALLERY 1005 22nd St., (916) 447-7558, www.midtownframing.com

15 MY STUDIO 2325 J St., (916) 476-4121, www.mystudiosacramento.com

16 SACRAMENTO ART COMPLEX 2110 K St., Ste. 4; (916) 476-5500; www.sacramentoartcomplex.com

17 SACRAMENTO GAY & LESBIAN CENTER 1927 L St., (916) 442-0185, http://saccenter.org

18 SHIMO CENTER FOR THE ARTS 2117 28th St., (916) 706-1162, www.shimogallery.com

19 SPARROW GALLERY 2418 K St., (916) 382-4894, www.sparrowgallery .squarespace.com

(916) 247-8048, www.timcollomgallery.com

21 UNION HALL GALLERY 2126 K St., (916) 448-2452

22 University Art 2601 J St., www.universityart.com

23 THE URBAN HIVE 1931 H St., (916) 585-4483, www.theurbanhive.com

24 VIEWPOINT PHOTOGRAPHIC ART CENTER 2015 J St., (916) 441-2341, www.viewpointgallery.org

25 WKI 2 STUDIO GALLERY 1614 K St., Ste. 2; (916) 955-6986; www.weskosimages.com

downtown/old Sac 26 ARTHOUSE ON R 1021 R St., second floor; (916) 455-4988; www.arthouseonr.com

27 ARTISTS’ COLLABORATIVE GALLERY 129 K St., (916) 444-7125, www.artcollab.com

28 AXIS GALLERY 625 S St., (916) 443-9900, www.axisgallery.org

29 CROCKER ART MUSEUM 216 O St., (916) 808-7000, www.crockerartmuseum.org

30 E STREET GALLERY AND STUDIOS 1115 E St., (916) 505-7264

31 LATINO CENTER OF ART AND CULTURE 2700 Front St., (916) 446-5133, www.lrpg.org

32 NIDO 1409 R St., Ste. 102;

.

BLVD

9 THE INSIDEOUT 21st and I sts.,

20 TIM COLLOM GALLERY 915 20th St.,

OA DW AY

KLIN

2031 J St., (916) 446-3475, www.floppysdigital.com

FRAN

8 FLOPPY’S DIGITAL COPIES AND PRINTING

FREEPORT BLVD.

31

BR

33 SMITH GALLERY 1020 11th St., Ste. 100;

III BLUE LINE GALLERY 405 Vernon St.,

(916) 446-4444; www.smithgallery.com

Ste. 100 in Roseville; (916) 783-4117; www.bluelinearts.org

34 VERGE CENTER FOR THE ARTS 625 S St.,

IV BON VIDA ART GALLERY

(916) 448-2985, www.vergeart.com

4429 Franklin Blvd., (916) 400-3008

35 WAL PUBLIC MARKET 1108 R St.,

V THE BRICKHOUSE ART GALLERY

(916) 498-9033, www.rstreetwal.com

2837 36th St., (916) 457-1240, www.thebrickhouseartgallery.com

EaSt Sac

VI CG GALLERY 2900 Franklin Blvd., (916) 912-5058, www.facebook.com/CgGallery

36 ARCHIVAL FRAMING 3223 Folsom Blvd., (916) 923-6204, www.archivalframe.com

37 CAPITAL PUBLIC RADIO 7055 Folsom Blvd., (916) 278-8900, www.capradio.org

1001 Del Paso Blvd.

VIII GALLERY 625 625 Court St. in Woodland, (530) 406-4844, www.yoloarts.org

38 CAPITOL FOLK GALLERY 887 57th St.,

IX GALLERY 2110 1023 Del Paso Blvd.,

Ste. 1; (916) 996-8411

39 FE GALLERY & IRON ART STUDIO 1100 65th St., (916) 456-4455, www.fegallery.com

40 JAYJAY 5520 Elvas Ave., (916) 453-2999, www.jayjayart.com

41 WHITE BUFFALO GALLERY 3671 J St., (916) 752-3014, www.white-buffalo-gallery.com

off Map

VII DEL PASO WORKS BUILDING GALLERIES

(916) 476-5500, www.gallery2110.com

X PANAMA ART FACTORY 4421 24th St., http://panamaartfactory.com

XI PATRIS STUDIO AND FINE ART GALLERY 3460 Second Ave., (916) 397-8958, www.artist-patris.com.

XII SACRAMENTO FINE ARTS CENTER 5330 Gibbons Blvd., Ste. B, in Carmichael; (916) 971-3713; www.sacfinearts.org

39

XIII SOL COLLECTIVE 2574 21st St.,

I ACAI GALLERY & STUDIOS 7425 Winding Way in Fair Oaks; (916) 966-2453, www.acaistudios.com

(916) 905.7651, www.solcollective.org

XIV UPTOWN STUDIOS 2415 23rd St., (916) 446-1082, https://uptownstudios.net

II ARTSPACE1616 1616 Del Paso Blvd., (916) 849-1127, www.facebook.com/artspace1616

(916) 668-7594; www.hellonido.com

(916) 446-1786, www.efgallery.com

04.06.17 | SN&R | 25

IllustratIons by saraH Hansel

Take comfort pad Se ew, CoConut on t When the day calls for comfort food—and lately, don’t they all?—skip the usual mac ’n’ cheese route and go for a different type of noodle. Pad se ew is a popular Thai dish made with stir-fried wide flat noodles that serve as a hearty base for assorted veggies.

At Coconut on T, order it vegan ($8.95) and get generous chunks of tofu, carrots and broccoli—all doused in a soy-sauce-based gravy. Often sold on the streets of Thailand, it’s savory, slightly nutty and worthy of extra helpings. In other words, order enough to take home for leftover comfort. 1110 T Street, www.coconutmidtown.com.

—RaChel leibRoCk

Smooth for citrus Company buCk, magpie Cafe IllustratIon by Mark stIvers

Jazzy cantina

by John Flynn

Alley makers: Midtown’s Cantina Alley (2320 Jazz Alley) strives to recreate the laid-back vibe of a Mexican hole-in-the-wall. So much so, they’ll even take pesos. With decades of restaurant and nightlife experience between them, owners Art Aguilar and Max Archuleta drew inspiration from our southern neighbor for their addition to Sacramento’s growing alley scene.

“A lot of alleys might be considered blight,” Archuleta said. “But the next step that I would love to see Sacramento do is—in Mexico, you’ll go down an alley, you won’t think there’s anything there, [but] then you have different types of 26

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SN&R

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businesses, not just a cantina.”

The mural-laden Jazz Alley seems ripe for further development after the Cantina’s soft but wellreceived opening on March 16.

They’ve made a splash with their small menu, featuring Baja fish tacos ($3.75) and green pozole made with chicken ($8), a twist based on Aguilar’s grandmother’s recipe.

To offer something new to suds connoisseurs, they’ve sourced their drafts from Mexican craft breweries like Agua Mala and Border Psycho.

At the moment, Archuleta wants to let the business “grow on its own,” letting demand dictate if there will be weekend brunches or “3 a.m.”

04.06.17

late-night eats. In the coming months, they plan to spotlight street food from different regions of Mexico, like Puebla during Cinco de Mayo and Oaxaca during Dia de los Muertos.

But ambiance-wise, they’ve got it down. The cantina’s weathered doors might as well be a portal. Around the bar, knickknacks surround a photo by local artist Ruben Reveles of a skull-faced woman wearing a bottle-cap-covered sombrero. The sun-drenched patio walls have murals depicting Mexican beer brands. And the intricately carved wooden tables and chairs seem like they’ve been there forever.

“For two hours out of their week, people can come here and get lost,” Archuleta said. “And hopefully, they feel like they got lost in Mexico.”

Spring sweets: Temple Coffee just released its spring dessertand-coffee-pairing menu, available exclusively at its 2200 K Street location. All desserts are $7.

The tempting options include a chocolate-ganache cherry white cake with a Zambia Kateshi pour-over and a “mojito cake” with Kyoto slow-drip coffee. Ω

I prefer drinks that kick me in the teeth, be it with harsh alcohol or intense flavors. The Company Buck ($8) is a change of pace, then, considering that it’s not blatantly aggressive in how it lands on the palate (and it’s based on rum, not whiskey, seemingly the only alcohol SN&R staff drinks). A mix of pineapple gum and ginger lemongrass syrups, bitters and a hit of lime juice, it’s a full-bodied cocktail that won’t body you with sticky sweetness. 1601 16th Street, www.magpiecafe.com.

—anthony Siino

Richer yolks eggS Why buy eggs at the farmers market when you can get them anywhere? Pastured chickens are more likely to be raised in humane environments, and their yolks are often a deep yellow. That can indicate higher omega-3s in the hens’ diets.

Plus, they come in lovely pastel shades of blue, green and tan. Or you can try duck eggs, which are larger, richer in flavor and more nutrient dense with protein and B12. Some bakers prefer them for making cakes. Another option is quail eggs, those tiny speckled beauties. Poach them briefly for a cute addition to salads.

—ann maRtin Rolke

Cheesy party Steel your stomach and your stamina to wait in long lines: The first Sacramento Grilled Cheese Festival adds much fanfare to this humble, melted meal with a full weekend of partying, including family-friendly activities from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 8, in Southside Park. Several local restaurants and food trucks, including The Rind, Pushkin’s Bakery and Drewski’s Hot Rod Kitchen, will grill their very best sandwiches or try new recipes—including grilled cheeses styled as brunch and dessert.

Groove Thang Band is headlining to get the family dancing, and a “kids zone” will feature face-painting and inflatables. For the young at heart, an “adult zone” has giant Jenga and cornhole, and vendors will sell crafts and noncheese desserts. The Saturday 21-and-older event pairing the sandwiches with beer sold out months ago, but you can still buy alcohol at the wholesome shindig on Sunday. Nab $10 presale tickets online at www.sacgrilledcheese.com or at the door for $15—but line up early.

—Rebecca Huval

Let Persian grandmas in

by SHoka Salsa is amazing, but what’s the equivalent in Persian cuisine? That would be torshi, pickled vegetables and herbs. A tablespoon or two is generally eaten with rice dishes as a tangy enhancer. Torshi, which means sour in Farsi, typically contains chunks of cauliflower, carrot, cabbage, celery, parsley, tarragon and mint in vinegar. Torshi liteh is smooth-textured, luxurious version: Its main vegetable is eggplant. For serious flavor, the sweet, sour, creamy experience of

fermented garlic, or torshi seer, is a massive treat. The best version is a homemade jarful from a Persian grandmother. But until the government stops restricting the travel of elderly Iranian women (among others), we’re on our own.

A Rancho Cordova-based company called Sima’s makes torshi, liteh and a jalapeño torshi, available at www.simasfoods.com and Folsom Quality Meat Market (640 East Bidwell Street in Folsom). It’s not quite like grandma’s, but it’s damn good.

Meat skewers in for a skewering

by Ann MArtin rOlke

Osaka Yakitori

portion of thinly sliced and seared tuna. Garnished with green onion, sesame seeds and dots of chili sauce, it’s simple and perfect.

Another seafood standout is the Hawaiian poke 6023 Florin Road, Suite 600; (916) 823-5525 ($11), recommended by the server over the sea steak poke for “more meat.” While it’s nothing http://osakayakitori.com like Fish Face’s bowl full of pristine seafood, the Meal for one: $15 - $20 maguro (tuna) and shiro maguro (albacore tuna) Good for: family dining with lots of choices taste fresh and complement the sesame oil-dressed Notable dishes: tuna tataki, long bean kushiyaki, Hawaiian poke seafood and cucumber.

Cheered by those successes, my dining mate and I tried the croquettes ($3), usually a comfortfood bomb of fried mashed potatoes. The two thin Japanese food in Sacramento used to be dominated oval patties tasted fine with tonkatsu sauce when by sushi; now we have shabu, izakaya and ramen they were hot, but revealed a lack of any seasonhouses galore. Even poke—technically Hawaiian— ing once they cooled. gets its influences from Japan.

Since we were there to try the yakitori, we The area also boasts several options for kushideciphered some very tiny type offering an eightyaki, or grilled skewered meats and vegetables, piece combo ($18) after we overheard another more commonly known by its most popular table order it. The samples are chef’s choice, so variety: yakitori (chicken). It’s a classic late-night we were surprised by skewers of butabara (pork snack cooked streetside over charcoal grills, belly), mi (chicken thigh), nankotsu (chicken and it’s perfect with a side of beer. knee cartilage), hatsu (chicken heart), Osaka Sushi owner Kevin Ho, sunagimo (gizzard), boneless beef and who has restaurants in Midtown and shiitake mushroom.

Woodland, recently opened a sister Yakitori usually comes simply shop called Osaka Yakitori in Elk salted or brushed with tare, a “For now, the Grove. With the term “yakitori” in thickened sweet soy sauce. None yakitori isn’t their the name, you might expect that to of Osaka’s skewers featured best work.” be their focus. Sadly, it’s not. sauce, although some tasted Instead, it’s a Japanese marinated, as with the beef. Most version of a midlevel family eatery of the meats suffered from dryness, like Applebee’s, which is good though—whether from overcooking at some things—and not so much at or lack of marinade. others. It excels at friendly service, a lively I conducted a mini yakitori taste compariatmosphere (think: multiple TVs) and a few wellson ending at Binchoyaki Izakaya Dining while chosen menu items. reviewing Osaka, and the latter does not stand out.

Set in the shopping center that replaced the Admittedly, Binchoyaki is a hard act to follow, but Florin Mall, the restaurant takes up an expansive even the chicken thigh skewers at Ryujin Ramen space with a huge open kitchen. It blasts danceHouse showed better grilling than Osaka’s. able pop music that makes you feel like you’re Ultimately, one of the best deals on the menu back in the food court. is the kid’s ramen ($3.50), a perfectly reasonable The setting isn’t the only thing that’s bowl of soup with chewy noodles, corn and enormous: The menu covers everything from ground beef. The broth looks and tastes a bit jalapeño poppers to ramen to sushi. Not until cloudy, but it’s a good option to have. you reach the third page or so do you see a short Osaka Yakitori probably fills a niche in Elk listing for yakitori.

Grove for a family-friendly place with a lot of Things start well, with two of the best dishes in choices. There may well be other excellent items the appetizer section. The tuna tataki ($11) shows like the tataki, but for now, the yakitori isn’t their off the kitchen’s skill with seafood and a generous best work. Ω 04.06.17 | SN&R | 27

HH

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TAP MAP

Where to find the region’s best craft breWs

Fountainhead Brewing Co. 7 AUBURN

15

13

65

Oak Park Brewing Co. 16

49

ROCKLIN 99

27 ROSEVILLE

1

8

PLACERVILLE

11

29

OakParkBrewCo

CITRUS HEIGHTS

6

5

80

18

14

SACRAMENTO

22

80

23

9 30

20

28

16 17

DAVIS

Track 7 Brewing Co.

5

FOLSOM

17

24

50

18 2

19 12

3 10 21

RANCHO CORDOVA

Twelve Rounds Brewing

99

26

19 5

25

1

101 Main St., Roseville 916-774-0505, Mon-Tue 11:30 a.m.9 p.m., Wed-Thu 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-12:30 a.m., Sun 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

Capitol Beer and Tap Room 2

2222 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento 916-922-1745, www.capitolbeer.com Mon-Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-midnight, Sun 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Curtis Park Market 20

Father Paddy’s Local Irish Public House 6

7

CAP’s Pizza & Tap House 8760 La Riviera Drive, Ste. A, Sacramento 916-399-4217, Sun-Thurs 11 a.m.11 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

916-983-8277 www.doylespubandtap.com Tue-Thurs 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Fri-Sat 11:30 a.m.-midnight, Sun 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.

DoylesPubandTap

28 | SN&R | 04.06.17

1850 Grass Valley Hwy., Ste. C-300, Auburn 530-889-2175 www.finalgravitybeer.com Tue-Fri 3-10 p.m., Sat noon-10 p.m.

10

Placerville Public House 11

8

9205 Sierra College Blvd., Ste. 100, Roseville 916-782-1166 Mon-Wed noon-11 p.m., Thurs-Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-10 p.m.

FG Roseville

FinalGravityRoseville

FinalGravityCA

9

KuprosCraftHouse

KuprosSacto

6601 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento 916-330-3973, Mon-Thurs 11:30 a.m.10 p.m., Fri 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m., Sat noon-11 p.m., Sun noon-9 p.m.

La Riviera Market & Spirits 21

22 23 24 25 26

Crooked Lane Brewing Co.

28

536 Grass Valley Hwy., Auburn 530-878-5232 www.crookedlanebrewing.com Mon/Wed/Thu 3-9 p.m., Fri 3-10 p.m., Sat noon-10 p.m., Sun 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

CrookedLaneBrewing

CrookedLaneBrew

Fair Oaks Brew Pub 14

7988 California Ave., Fair Oaks 916-241-3108 Mon 3-10 p.m., Wed 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Thurs-Fri 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat 9:30 a.m.11 p.m., Sun 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

9331 La Riviera Drive, Sacramento 916-364-8701

Nugget Markets

27

13

2703 24th St., Sacramento 916-456-6488 Sun-Mon 8 a.m.-11 p.m.

CurtisParkMarket

BREWERIES

Kupros Craft House 1217 21st St., Sacramento 916-440-0401 www.kuproscrafthouse.com Mon-Thurs 11 a.m.-midnight, Fri 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Sat 10 a.m.2 a.m., Sun 10 a.m.-midnight

414 Main St., Placerville 530-303-3792, Tue-Thurs 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-midnight, Sun 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

zpizza and Tap Room 12

FInalGravityAuburn

8704 La Riviera Drive, Sacramento 916-573-4782 www.pitchandfiddle.com PitchandFiddle

FinalGravityCA

7040 Sunrise Blvd., Citrus Heights 916-560-3196, Sun-Thurs 4–9p.m., Fri-Sat 4–10:30 p.m.

Doyle’s Pub and Taproom 5 312 E. Bidwell St., Folsom

435 Main St., Woodland 530-668-1044, Mon-Thurs 11 a.m.10 p.m., Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

FinalGravity2.AuburnCA

Cattle Rustlers Steakhouse 4

Pitch and Fiddle

Final Gravity Taproom & Bottleshop

CapitolBeer

3

866 57th St., Sacramento 916-476-5384, Mon 5-8:30 p.m., Wed 5-9 p.m., Thurs 4-9 p.m., Fri 4-10 p.m., Sat 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

BOTTLE SHOPS

ELK GROVE

TAP ROOMS Bar 101

3747 W. Pacific Ave., Ste. F, Sacramento (Curtis Park) 826 Professor Lane, Ste. 100, Sacramento (Natomas) 916-520-4677(HOPS) www.track7brewing.com Mon-Thurs 3-9 p.m.; Fri-Sun noon-9 p.m.

Track7Brewing

16

15

3514 Broadway, Sacramento 916-660-2723 www.opbrewco.com Tue-Fri 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sat-Sun 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

OakParkBrewingCompany

4

WOODLAND

4621 24th St., Sacramento 916-228-4610 Mon 5–9 p.m., Thurs 5–9 p.m., Fri 3– 10 p.m., Sat 12–10 p.m., Sun 12–9 p.m.

29

1414 E. Covell Blvd., Davis 530-750-3800, Sun-Sat 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

409 Mace Blvd., Davis 530-753-6690, Sun-Sat 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

4500 Post St., El Dorado Hills 916-933-1433, Sun-Sat 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

7101 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove 916-226-2626, Sun-Sat 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

1040 Florin Road, Sacramento 916-395-2875, Sun-Sat 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

771 Pleasant Grove Blvd., Roseville 916-746-7799, Sun-Sat 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

2000 Town Center Plaza, West Sacramento 916-375-8700, Sun-Sat 6 a.m.-11 p.m.

157 Main St., Woodland 530-662-5479, Sun-Sat 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

RoCo Wine & Spirits 30

2220 Lake Washington Blvd., West Sacramento 916-760-8135 Sun-Thurs 10 a.m.-midnight, Fri-Sat 10 a.m.-2 a.m.

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Melanie Ottersen and Patrick Doyle are the couple behind Doyle’s Pub and Taproom in Folsom.

PhOTO by Anne STOkeS

Taking The Leap

GOOD PEOPLE, GOOD TIMES, GREAT BEER

Restaurant owners bring more than beer to Folsom

Sacramento, CA • 916.228.4610

4621 24TH STREET

b y Kat e G o n z a l e s

W

take trips to the Bay Area and throughout Northern hen Patrick Doyle and Melanie Ottersen California to find uncommon brews to bring back and decided to open a restaurant, they had no experience as business owners. What share with their customers.

“That’s something we pride ourselves in — having they did have was a combined 30 plus years in the the opportunity to educate new craft beer drinkers restaurant industry and a vision for bringing beer on the different styles,” Doyle says. “It’s a great lovers something new in Folsom. time to be a beer drinker.”

The couple, who met while working together at a The bar features 18 taps — 17 rotating and one Roseville restaurant, have two years under their belts permanent House Golden Ale. With so many taps, running Doyle’s Pub and Taproom in Folsom. The pub they’re able to incorporate offers fresh-made American food local favorites like Bike Dog, like burgers, salads and wings, Moonraker, Mraz and Track 7 a full bar and beers on tap and a brewing companies. bottle shop that boasts dozens Since opening Doyle’s, Doyle of local beers and uncommon and Ottersen have learned a lot imports. about what it takes to create “A few years ago we started and maintain a successful eatery to see the rise in popularity of — things like stocking supplies craft-style beers, and it felt like Patrick Doyle of food and alcohol, deciding on it was the perfect time to get Co-owner, Doyle’s Pub and Taproom a menu and paying the bills. into it,” Doyle says. They chose “It’s honestly a sink or swim Folsom, he says, because it is a thing,” Doyle says. “We started tight-knit community with resiswimming, but there was a lot of dog paddling.” dents who enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, biking But when they see a couple on their first date, or and going out on the lake. a large celebration on a Friday night in the restaurant “In Folsom, the demographic takes pride in qualthey created, it’s worth the effort. ity of life,” he says. “That can reach to every part of “We built something that people can come and life — including beer.” escape to,” he says. “People need a release and He points out that with the craft beer boom in we’re happy to provide. … Those are the most recent years, there’s a greater diversity of beer rewarding moments for sure.” and trends are always changing. He and Ottersen

“ It’s a great time to be a beer drinker.”

• Hand Tossed Artisan Pizzas • Self Pour Craft Beer & Wine • Big Screen/Sports 6601 Folsom Blvd.

916.330.3973 • www.ZPIZZA.com 04.06.17 | SN&R | 29

Come for the Pizza

STAY FOR THE BEER

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craft happenings wood fired pizza

FROM SCRATCH

Family Friendly • Billiards • Darts • Games Sun-Thurs 11a-11p • Fri-Sat 11a-1a 916-399-4217 • 8760 La Riviera Dr. A • www.CapsPizza.com

Friday, april 7

Saturday, april 15

• The Stummies, 9:30 p.m.-midnight Kupros Craft House, 1217 21st St. Sacramento

• Lucky Laskowski and the Liars Choir, 9:30 p.m.-midnight Kupros Craft House, 1217 21st St. Sacramento • Can release Saturday, noon-9 p.m.

Track 7 releases Left Eye Right Eye Left Eye, Bad Habit and Armarillo Adoration Track 7, both locations

Saturday, a pril 8 • Sactown Playboys, 9:30 p.m.midnight Kupros Craft House, 1217 21st St. Sacramento • Fieldwork 2nd Anniversary Tap Attack! 11 a.m.-close Features rare and one-off kegs Capitol Beer and Tap Room, 2222 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento

thurSday, april 20 • 4/20 Day of the Dank! 11a.m.midnight Featuring the stickiest, ickiest and dankest beers around.

Capitol Beer and Tap Room, 2222 Fair Oaks Blvd., Sacramento

Sunday, april 9 • Track 7 Trivia at Curtis Park, 5-7 p.m.

Track 7, 3747 West Pacific Ave., Ste. F Sacramento

Friday, april 21

Friday, april 14

• Alex Jenkins Trio, 9:30 p.m.-midnight Kupros Craft House, 1217 21st St. Sacramento

• Drunken Kung Fu, 9:30 p.m.- midnight Kupros Craft House, 1217 21st St. Sacramento

best steakhouse 2015 &

2016

Happy Hour 4-7pm: CoCktails • Craft Beer • apps | 916.560.3196 | MyCattleRustlers.com

7040 Sunrise Blvd, Citrus Heights, CA

Keeping Beer re a l awarD winnEr

GREG’S EXCELLENT RED ALE!

traDitional ingrEDiEnts for livE musiC & EvEnts /ElDoraDoBrEwingCo

6051 EntErprisE Dr. #102, DiamonD springs, Ca • www.ElDoBrEw.Com • 530-558-4188 30 | SN&R | 04.06.17

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Sunday, april 23 • Track 7 Trivia at Curtis Park, 5-7 p.m.

Track 7, 3747 West Pacific Ave, Ste. F Sacramento

Saturday, april 29 • Can release Saturday, noon-9 p.m.

Track 7 releases Contact Low and Sukahop Northeast-inspired IPAs Track 7, both locations

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Concussed: Four Days in the Dark

Drama alfresco PhOTO cOURTESy OF ART ThEATER OF DAvIS

by Jeff Hudson

“Let the things that happen onstage be just as complex and yet just as simple as they are in life,” Chekhov wrote of his dramatic technique.

Admission is free but donations will be accepted. The production is co-sponsored by the Davis Cemetery, which hosts a variety of artistic events, and supported by a city grant.

Those interested in a different take on the iconic play, take note: Purely by coincidence, Sacramento’s Capital Stage is set to produce a new comedy billed as a “21st Century remix” of The Seagull. Playwright Aaron Posner’s Stupid F##ing Bird drew praise during its Off Broadway run in 2016, and the Capital Stage production will mark its local premiere. Look for it May 3 though June 4. Ω

Jack Gallagher is, first and foremost, a storyteller who can tell a sad story or a funny one and keep audiences enthralled.

It’s no surprise then that his new one-man show is funny and touching—and always entertaining. The premise derives from a concussion the comedian suffered after riding his bike when he collided with a car and hit his head. Out of this experience came a stream of reflections on life, love, growing older and parenting. Th, F 8pm;

Sa 5pm and 9pm; Su 2pm; Tu 2pm; W 6:30pm. Through 4/16.

B Street Theatre, 2711 B Street; (916) 443-5300; www .bstreettheatre.org. B.S.

1 FOUL

3

The Glass Menagerie

The beauty of this loosely autobiographical Tennessee Williams 1944 classic lies both in the playwright’s powerful, poetic prose and in Williams’ understated portrayal of his relationship with his histrionic mother and mentally and emotionally delicate sister. This production makes a curious diversion in the typical portrayal of a more reticent Tom, with actor David Crane presenting an angry, explosively charged character who rants and rages throughout. Unfortunately, while Crane gives it his all, this portrayal undermines what usually makes for such a heart-tugging journey.

There are still wonderful moments, most notably

from actress Janis Stevens, who was born to play the part of the highly theatrical and emotional Amanda Wingfield. Th 6:30 pm; F 8pm;

Sa 2pm and 8pm Su 2pm; W 6:30pm. Through 4/30. $15-38.

Sacramento Theatre Company, 1419 H Street; (916) 443-6722; www.sactheatre .org. Through April 30. P.R.

4

Guards at the Taj

Two guards find their worlds shaken at the opening of the Taj Mahal in 1648 and the unthinkable tasks they are asked to perform, which will change them forever. Th 7pm, F 8pm;

Sa 2pm and 8pm; Su 2pm, W

7pm. Through 4/16. $28-$38.

Capital Stage, 2215 J Street; (916) 995-5464; http://cap stage.org. B.S.

Short reviews by Patti Roberts and Bev Sykes.

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All the world on a stage

Anthropologie’s new spring wedding collection.

The Art Theater of Davis stages The Seagull at a cemetery The Seagull; 7 p.m. April 7-April 9 and May 6-9; no cover, but donations are accepted. Davis cemetery Arboretum, 820 Pole Line Road in Davis; http://arttheater.org.

Talk about a novel concept. The ambitious Art Theater of Davis will stage five performances Anton Chekhov’s classic play The Seagull this week—outdoors, under the full moon, in the Davis Cemetery’s arboretum. The unusual setting should make for a unique experience, says Tim Nutter, the theater’s artistic director.

“We think the cemetery can be a great venue,” Nutter said. “We’re arranging to set up seating risers and theater chairs out on the lawn so that people will have a comfortable place from which to watch the play.”

This 1896 Russian classic notably mixes comedy and drama, bringing to life a dozen contrasting, conflicted characters on a country estate. The degree to which the play is ultimately “funny” and/or “sad” has been debated from the very first, which was the playwright’s intention.

The Mondavi Center announced its 2017-18 season Sunday. This will be its 15th anniversary year, and, as usual, the lineup celebrates artistic diversity. The latest season includes touring European orchestras (the Mariinsky Orchestra from Russia, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra from London); big name jazz acts (Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, for this visit fronted by pianist Chick Corea, subbing for bandleader Wynton Marsalis); a public radio star (semiretired Garrison Keillor); the Compañía Nacional de Danza from Spain, etc.

But there are will be some surprises as well. The season opens September 21 with Los Tigres del Norte, the venerable MexicanAmerican norteño band that formed in San Jose in 1968. These guys sing corridos and favor cowboy hats. Decades ago, you’d find them playing county fairs (they still do), but nowadays they also work the arts circuit at universities.

It wasn’t necessarily by design, but the upcoming Mondavi season also features an abundance of acts incorporating that much maligned instrument—the accordion. The main attraction will be the Accordion Virtuosi of Russia, a small orchestra of button-pushing squeeze-box players. Other acts include the Spanish gaita player Cristina Pato, the Irish band Danú, the jazz outfit Hot Sardines, and a Bosnian folk duo. For more information on dates and prices visit https://mondavi.ucdavis.edu.

Mamma Mia! The Farewell Tour pops through Folsom for five performances this weekend. The show’s fans will be out in force (though nonfans may also throw a thankful party). This fizzy mix of ABBA pop tunes from the ’70s (decked out with colorful costumes and a slight, retro love story) originated in London in 1999, and touring productions have been on the road for years. 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 7, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 8, 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 9; $49-$89. Harris Center, 10 College Parkway in Folsom; www.harriscenter.net; (916) 608-6888.

—Jeff Hudson

—Jeff Hudson

Retiring dancing queens.

PhOTO cOURTESy OF ThE hARRIS cENTER

Pop and fizz

04.06.17 | SN&R | 31

Master class

Going in Style The film doubles as an anthropological study of old dude hat choices.

4

In Going in Style, director Zach Braff’s remake of the 1979 caper comedy, Michael Caine plays Joe, a retired steel worker. His pension has dried up, his mortgage is in default and he’s received a foreclosure notice from his bank. He gets no sympathy from his banker, who hardly remembers Joe or the usurious refi he (the banker) talked him into three years ago.

Joe’s best friends, Willie (Morgan Freeman) and Albert (Alan Arkin), are in the same boat: Their pensions are gone too. At a meeting of former employees, they all learn why. It seems their old company has been gobbled up by a conglomerate that moved offshore and liquidated the pension fund, leaving retirees high and dry. And Joe’s bank brokered the deal.

It so happens that on that fruitless visit to his oily banker, Joe had one of those life-changing experiences that you don’t recognize until after the fact—the bank was robbed by a trio of masked gunmen. Joe noticed with admiration the robbers’ efficiency, storming in, grabbing the money and making their getaway with the precision of a well-oiled Swiss watch. Like Fred Astaire dancing, they made it look so easy that now Joe, looking back, thinks, “Hey, I could do that.” It takes a while to talk Willie and Al into it, but we know he will; if he didn’t, there wouldn’t be a movie.

Up to this point, Going in Style looks to be just another shambling vehicle for over-the-hill stars, like Last Vegas or Grumpy Old Men—a lightweight comedy that skates by on the pleasure of old pros in action. Then about midway there’s

by Jim Lane

a scene involving Joe’s ex-son-in-law Murphy (Peter Serafinowicz), a ne’er-do-well pot dealer peripherally involved in Joe’s planned heist, and Joe’s granddaughter (Joey King), to whom Joe has been surrogate father since Murphy flaked out. There’s nothing plot-related or mechanical in the scene, and it begins to hint at something more under the movie’s formulaic surface.

Then the formula itself really perks up.

Writer Theodore Melfi shows that his Oscar nomination for Hidden Figures was no fluke, as he takes the story places it never went in 1979 (when the stars were George Burns, Art Carney and Lee Strasberg). It becomes more complex, with more surprises and higher stakes—about $2 million more than the paltry $35,000 George Burns and company were after—and works itself out with the satisfying symmetry of, yes, a well-oiled Swiss watch. Director Braff keeps things moving with his usual sprightly charm (though he and Melfi do hit us over the head a bit with the climactic Big Reveal), and there’s a pleasant bonus in the form of Ann-Margret as a romantic match for the curmudgeonly Al. And one last thought: Keep your eye on a girl named Annabelle Chow; she’s going places, and you heard it here first. She has barely five minutes of screen time, but Academy members take note—that supporting actress category was created for performances like hers. For your consideration. Ω

The formula itself really perks up.

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1

The Belko Experiment

The employees of an American corporation in Colombia find themselves locked in their high-rise building, where an unseen voice orders them to start killing each other; if they don’t, the voice will start killing them itself by means of explosive tracking devices in their brains. Jeez, who comes up with this crap?

Well, in this case, it was James Gunn (writer) and Greg McLean (director), and whatever else you may say, they certainly jump into their assignment with alarming enthusiasm. This soulless bloodbath isn’t badly made for what it is—but as always with trash like this (Saw, The Purge), what it is is the problem. The cast is mainly hungry unknowns (John Gallagher Jr., Adria Arjona, etc.), with a couple of “names” thrown in (Tony Goldwyn, John C. McGinley) who apparently needed a quick paycheck. J.L.

The Boss Baby

A family’s new baby (voiced by Alec Baldwin) is a Type A executive who shows his true nature only to his 7-year-old brother (Miles Christopher Bakshi); not only that, but he’s on a secret mission from Baby Corp. to foil a plot by archrival Puppy Co. Directed by Tom McGrath and adapted by Michael McCullers from Marla Frazee’s book, the movie is clever and diverting—but also a missed opportunity. It cries out to be a musical; it bristles with obvious cues for plot and character songs and production numbers, but even when the story expressly demands a song, McGrath & Co. have to go all the way back to the Beatles to come up with one. Walt Disney or Howard Ashman would have known what to do with this material, but that kind of talent is in short supply among today’s animators. Still, there’s fun to be had. J.L.

1

CHIPS

A rookie California Highway Patrol officer (writer-director Dax Shepard) is teamed with a supposed veteran (Michael Peña)—but his new partner is really an undercover FBI agent seeking to ferret out corruption in the CHP. The hit 1970s-’80s TV series hasn’t aged well; its popularity feels like a long-ago thing. Shepard seems set on giving it the Brady Bunch or 21 Jump Street spoof treatment, but he doesn’t have the wit to pull it off. It’s just another buddy-cop comedy, the crudest and sloppiest yet; think Ride Along, only less subtle and realistic. And much less funny. Shepard’s script is missing several key scenes that he refers to but never got around to writing, and he doesn’t know how to put a movie—or even individual scenes—together.

He seldom knows where to put the camera or what to focus on. J.L.

3

Life

Set aboard an international space station orbiting around the earth, Daniel Espinosa’s Life opens with an extended pretitle

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Beauty and the Beast

Remakes present a challenge for critics, especially remakes of widely seen films, since the obvious urge is to make insipid apples-to-apples comparisons between the two, rather than judge each movie on its own merits. Bill Condon’s ghastly live-action remake Beauty and the Beast, on the other hand, practically pleads for comparisons to the 1991 Disney animated feature. Rather than reimagining or recontextualizing a Disney chestnut, this new Beauty and the Beast is essentially a scene-for-scene, note-for-note recreation of the cartoon, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken songs and everything. It’s a highgloss recycle job, designed to do nothing more than massage your nostalgia sensors for two interminable hours. The problem for Condon and company is that every single scene in their remake pales in comparison to the animated feature—in every place that Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise’s enchanting animated feature is nimble and magical, this remake is bloated and clumsy. D.B.

3

BY DANIEL BARNES & JIM LANE

What a tasteful crotch X-ray.

3

Ghost in the Shell

In a future megacity that makes Blade Runner’s Los Angeles look like a ramshackle frontier town, a weaponized cyborg (Scarlett Johansson) pursues an elusive terrorist (Michael Carmen Pitt)—while being haunted by flashes of her forgotten life before she was repurposed by a sinister robotics corporation. Director Rupert Sanders and writers Jamie Moss, William Wheeler and Ehren Kruger remake Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 anime cult classic, shamelessly currying Asian audiences even as they recast many of the characters with Caucasians (Johansson, Pitt, Pilou Asbæk, Juliette Binoche, Peter Ferdinando), and needlessly complicating a straightforward story by gussying it up with dazzling CGI. It’s slick and entertaining, but time will tell if it stays in the mind the way Oshii’s original did; personally, I’m dubious. J.L.

sequence in which the astronaut crew discovers a new life form floating through the void.

They bring the life form, nicknamed Calvin, on board for study, but the seemingly harmless substance quickly reveals a fierce survival instinct, as well as a lethal intelligence. The surprisingly persistent and diabolical Calvin grows at a rapid pace, eventually escaping the laboratory and threatening the entire crew, and possibly the entire world. For all of its chin-stroking pretension, Life is almost endearingly dim-witted, frequently pausing for monosyllabic ruminations on life itself, even as it turns CGI space bacteria into a traditional horror movie antagonist. Considering the Zmovie premise, the film looks shockingly good, but ultimately I was more entertained by the low-rent crud that Life is than the Interstellar highbrow hogwash that it wishes it was. D.B.

3

Power Rangers

In this reboot of yet another toy franchise, five high-school students (Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Ludi Lin, Becky G.) are recruited by the disembodied Zordon (Bryan Cranston) to carry on the eons-old struggle against the evil Rita Repulsa (Elizabeth Banks). Misfit teenagers become superheroes and save the universe; The Breakfast Club meets The Avengers. This movie certainly knows its target audience, and, actually, it’s not bad; the cast is attractive, director Dean Israelite keeps things popping and Cranston and Banks (both barely recognizable behind their CGI disguises) add a dash of grown-up gravitas. It’s cheesy but endearing; there are worse things for teenagers to spend their allowance on. J.L.

2

Smurfs: The Lost Village

Smurfette (voiced by Demi Lovato) goes questing for her place in Smurf life; her search leads her and friends Hefty (Joe Manganiello), Clumsy (Jack McBrayer) and Brainy (Danny Pudi) to a hidden village populated entirely by she-Smurfs, presided over by Smurfwillow (Julia Roberts) as a female version of Papa Smurf (Mandy Patinkin)—with the wizard Gargamel (Rainn Wilson) hot on their trail.

When director Kelly Asbury and writers Stacy Harman and Pamela Ribon aren’t banging us over the head with their Girl Power message, this thing is harmless enough, even if sitting

through it is like being force-fed 10 pounds of Gummi Bears. Fans of the franchise and small toddlers will be entertained—but if they were all that hard to please, these wretched little blue creatures would have gone extinct decades ago. J.L.

4

Table 19

A former maid of honor (Anna Kendrick), who withdrew from the wedding party when the bride’s brother (Wyatt Russell) dumped her, winds up sitting at the table reserved for the losers who didn’t have the sense to RSVP their regrets. Writer-director Jeffrey Blitz, working from a story by Mark and Jay Duplass, turns all the overworked wedding-comedy clichés inside out; just when we think we know where a gag will lead, the movie surprises us with a subversive twist we should have seen coming but didn’t. Blitz instills a lurching sweetness to the action that might look amateurish in a different movie, but it works here; like the hapless denizens of that table (Lisa Kudrow, Craig Robinson, June Squibb, Stephen Merchant, Tony Revolori), we squirm through some awkward moments but in the end we’re glad we came. J.L

3

Wilson

A cranky middle-aged curmudgeon (Woody Harrelson) reconnects with his ex-wife (Laura Dern) and learns that he has a biological daughter who was given up for adoption (Isabella Amara); his efforts to cobble together some sort of family with them lead, like just about everything he’s ever done, to disaster. Adapting his own graphic novel, writer Daniel Clowes leaves in the comic-book clumps of the original—setup-punchline, setup-punchline—and director Craig Johnson fails to smooth them out or to instill the liberating unpredictability that Terry Zwigoff gave another Clowes adaptation, Ghost World, in 2001. But there’s still some cranky fun along the way, what with Harrelson’s slovenly charm and Dern’s attitude of bedraggled exasperation (both of them show a refreshing lack of moviestar vanity). J.L.

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Movement, music and Mitski

by Karlos rene ayala

kar lo sa@ new sr ev iew . co m

“There’s this misconception that [touring is] very glamorous,” Mitski says. “I’ve been on the road for five years.

“You spend eight hours in a car, load in, sound check, eat a quick dinner—and dinner is usually the first meal you eat that day—play the show … load out and then you just want to go to sleep,” Mitski details in a voice that does not betray her exhaustion. “It would be nice to have some kind of regularity and some kind of routine so that it’s not so hard to lead a normal, The darkness hugs Mitski like an old friend. healthy life.”

But that life may have to wait; Mitski has fully merged with her art.

“I am the person in all the songs. It’s not an “I really do have love to give, I just don’t know where act or anything,” Mitski asserts. to put it,” William H. Macy’s character tearfully Her first two albums, 2012’s Lush and 2013’s professes in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 Retired from Sad, New Career in Business, are ensemble drama, Magnolia. The quote perfectly orchestral outings; horns, woodwinds, strings, summarizes the music of indie singer-songwriter vibes, piano occupy the spaces surrounding her Mitski Miyawaki, known mononymously as voice. On her latest release, all of this has been Mitski. siphoned into a more streamlined sound.

Her music carries a similar yearning for romanBut one key aspect has not changed. tic stability at whatever cost. The stability The drums in Mitski’s oeuvre carry a sought is not only romantic, but also heavy symbolism. Whether played geographic. on a drum set or programmed That should come as no on a drum machine, the surprise; Mitski and her family minimal thuds call to mind moved frequently. She was the movement of a train or born in Japan, but soon a heart. That, coupled with found herself taking in the her intimate lyrical content, cultures of Malaysia, Turkey, makes for a confessional the Democratic Republic body of work. of Congo and more as her Mitski’s lyrical family moved around. As themes predominantly Mitski an adult in New York, she probe failed or failing singer-songwriter attended the State University relationships, depression, of New York at Purchase, where distance, searching for happishe studied film before switching to ness and love; she never finds composition. stability, only aches for it.

Now she’s a successful “When I say I want happiness or am musician with four albums to her name. Recently, looking for happiness, I mean I look for contentshe made an appearance on The Late Show with ment, and a lot of contentment has to do with Stephen Colbert. Her song “Your Best American knowing—knowing what’s going on, knowing Girl,” off her most recent, critically acclaimed who you are, knowing where you are. And it’s album Puberty2, was selected by The New York hard to maintain that when you’re on the road.”

Times Magazine as one of its “25 Songs That Tell Meanwhile, the wheels keep turning. Ω Us Where Music is Going.”

But that commercial success entails soak in the sounds of Mitski at harlow’s restaurant & Nightclub on being trapped in a van in a perpetual state of tuesday, April 11. the show starts at 8 p.m. tickets are $15. are-we-there-yet.

Photo courtesy of ebru yildiz

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Wild woman blues

“I am the person in all the songs. It’s not an act or anything.”

SouNd advice

Too many acts to count Rushed beats: The Blue Lamp was packed Saturday night for local hip-hop artists T-Nutty and Liq’s record release party, and the crowd was treated to some of the hardest, slickest rhymes that Sacramento has to offer. It’s just a shame that the show didn’t last long.

Doors opened up at 9 p.m., but music didn’t start until 11:30 p.m., and everything was over by 1 a.m. There were six different sets that, aside from the headliners, lasted only one or two songs. The short set lists made it so the crowd couldn’t get into what an artist was doing on stage.

Karasi, the only female rapper of the night, was one of the show’s major highlights, but she just didn’t get enough time to connect with the audience. After she put out her crafted flow and rhymes, she had to quickly take her exit.

Just as T-Nutty and Liq were set to partner up on the mic, there was a small fight in the crowd that delayed their set even more. But the wait was worth it: Their performance was the longest and most enthralling of the night.

Everything seemed to click for the duo as they ran through their own solo work and new songs from the album of the night, Slangin and Bangin Part 2. The Blue Lamp lit up as T-Nutty and Liq traded rhymes and the bass rattled the walls. The two know how to engage a crowd; everyone wanted to join them on stage. At one point, more people were dancing up there with them than were in front of them.

T-Nutty and Liq were obviously proud of their new record. You could hear it in their confident voices. The audience was ready to get wild with some of their local favorites, but it all ended too soon.

—Daniel RomanDia Dance up a sweat: The summer Concerts in the Park lineup has been announced, and it’s a doozy. Local electronic duo Rituals of Mine, fresh off a record deal with Warner Bros.

Records, will kick things off on May 5 in Cesar Chavez Plaza.

Also on the docket? (Takes a deep breath.) Grizfolk on May 12; Cemetery Sun on May 19; HONEYHONEY on May 26;

Secret Band on June 2; Del The Funky Homosapien on June 9; ZuhG on June 16; Mad Caddies on June 23; Vista Kicks on June 30; Arden Park Roots on July 7; R.LUM.R on July 14; and Joy and Madness with a funky, soulful sendoff on July 21. (Faints.)

Groovy family: Singer Tatiana LaTour

curled a finger toward the audience and slithered her hips, never breaking her gaze drilled into the back of the room. Her fragile voice brought the Red Museum into a dreamy trance as the fog machine kicked in.

And then, the time machine.

The family band LaTour recalled sounds from the ’70s and more specifically from Sacramento in the early 2000s. The group represents the latest project of Tatiana and her husband Brian LaTour, both members of the longtime local favorite Daisy Spot, a band that’s “always on hiatus,” Tatiana writes.

Now, the artists have turned up the funk and soul with bouncy beats. LaTour still calls to mind the party-like chill of Os Mutantes, with its flavors of bossa nova and psychedelia. But the famjam has added the dainty and tight drum playing of Patrick Shelley and the fun-loving bass slapping of their daughter, Sitsa LaTour. At the Red Museum, Brian nimbly played two layers of electric pianos and the guitar and sang harmonies like a sexy angel.

All the while, the singer-guitarist of the next act, Natalie Gordon, bopped around in the audience, mouthing the words to LaTour. Her band Tele Novella had traveled back to Sacramento for a homecoming of sorts. Years ago, the group left the area to seek their fame in Austin, Texas, which they rightfully achieved, with press in USA Today, Paste and SPIN. When she took the stage, Gordon crooned out coiled melodies, twisted into something darker by her eerie lyrics. She widened her blue eyes as if sharing scary stories beside a campfire. Her psych-pop band punched up the drama with galloping drums and chunky chords, crescendoing into an epic dissonance that reverberated into the warm night.

—Rebecca Huval r eb ecc a h @ne w s re v i e w . c o m

04.06.17 | SN&R | 35

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Honey B & the Cultivation

UnderRage MusicFest

Electric Baby Jesus

Thieves These Days

Blue lamp, 8 p.m., $10

saCramento rehearsal studios, noon, no Cover

When you watch Honey B spit heavy Jamaican patois singsong verses over the laid-back reggae sounds of her group the Cultivation, it might leave you confused. How is she, this blond-haired California girl, so good at it? Incidentally, she spent REggAE a decade in the West Indies, and soaked up the culture like a sponge. Her music is a hybrid of her time in the Caribbean and her earlier life listening to ’90s hip-hop.

Does it matter that she’s white? See her for yourself and decide. 1400 Alhambra Boulevard, www.therealhoneyb.com.

There are a lot of things to dig about this fest: Its lineup of 17 acts is almost entirely local; it’s free to attend; youngsters are welcome; and all the bands have RoCk performers who are underage, and therefore typically barred from the vast majority of Sacramento’s music venues. UnderRage MusicFest’s sonic palette will cover metal, alternative, punk and other subgenres of rock with acts such as Heat of Damage, URD-OM (pictured), Control, Lightupsuperheroes and Tens Upon Thousands. The music winds down at 8 p.m. and, yes, there’s even an all-ages afterparty that goes on until midnight. 5749 88th Street, www.facebook.com/underRAGEmf.

—aaron Carnes

saCramento BiCyCle kitChen, 7 p.m., no Cover

old ironsides, 8 p.m., $10

Electric Baby Jesus doesn’t want to be pinned down by labels, but if one must know what genre of music it plays, the answer would probably be electro-goth psychedelia combined with dreary, doom-circus sensibilities. The singer’s voice SHoEgAzE adheres to a bell-tolling type monotone while the rest of the band drone their instruments into oblivion, nodding their heads slowly as if their minds have found a dark, watery tomb in which to rest.

A visually compelling stage presence (think backstage at a haunted carnival) only confirms that Electric Baby Jesus prefers the mysterious over the concrete. 1915 I Street, www.facebook.com/electricbabyjesus.

—Janelle Bitker

Sacramento’s Thieves These Days celebrates the release of its debut album, Silouhettes, with a packed showcase featuring Vinnie Guidera & the Dead Birds, Odame Sucks and Streetlight Fire. TTD are catchy as hell and stir up a mixed bag of emotions throughout their album. The opening track “Imposter” is pop-driven with clean vocals and fast-paced, ambient guitar work that creates an ethereal soundscape. This band is for fans of Pinback or Saves the RoCk Day, and the album is good listening for when you’re down in the gutter or looking to liven up a long drive. 1901 10th Street, www.facebook.com/thievesthesedays.

—steph rodriguez

—amy Bee

2708 J Street Sacramento, CA 916.441.4693 www.harlows.com COMING SOON 4/11 7PM $15

4/6 $25 ADV 5:30PM

MITSKI

ANDY MC KEE

KADHJA BONET, STEADY HOLIDAY

JOE KYE

4/7 $8 ADV 8PM

THE SEXTONES

CD RELEASE JELLY BREAD, HANS! AND THE HOT MESS

4/12 7PM $15ADV

MARCO BENEVENTO DRUNKEN KUNG FU

4/13 6PM $15ADV

4/8 $15 ADV 5:30PM

CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR!

B. DOLAN, DJ ABILITIES, CAS ONE VS. FIGURE (ALL AGES)

4/9 7PM $12ADV

SCOTT PEMBERTON BAND 36 | SN&R | 04.06.17

4/14 5:30PM $20ADV

RUTABAGA BOOGIE BAND

04/14 Wonderbread 5 04/15 Bilal 04/16 Dave B 04/17 Ab-Soul 04/19 Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers 04/20 Goldlink 04/21 Petty Theft 04/23 Mike Love 04/24 Robert Ellis 04/25 Reverend Horton Heat (solo) 04/26 Big Freedia 04/28 Micky and the Motorcars 04/29 Okilly Dokilly 04/30 Betty Who 05/02 Anthony David 05/04 Lil Peep 05/05 Futurebirds 05/09 Cashmere Cat 05/12 The Dustbowl Revival 05/14 Stevie Wonder Tribute

LIVE MUSIC APR 07 CHRISTIAN DEWILD APR 08 THE CLAY DOGS APR 14 JACOB WESTFALL APR 15 ORION BAND APR 21 BROKEN & MENDED APR 22 STEPHEN YERKEY APR 28 GYASI ROSS APR 29 THE BONGO FURYS MAY 06 ZACH WATERS BAND MAY 13 FACEDOWN

stage coach ticket giveaways

at stoney’s every friday night valued at $300 each with b92.5 the bull. horns up!

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MONDAY PINT NIGHT 5-8 PM, TRIVIA @ 6:30 PM TACO TUESDAY $1.25 TACOS NOON - CLOSE WEDNESDAY OPEN MIC – SIGN-UPS @ 7:30 PM 101 MAIN STREET, ROSEVILLE 916-774-0505 · LUNCH/DINNER 7 DAYS A WEEK FRI & SAT 9:30PM - CLOSE 21+

voted best dance club in sacramento! Kcra

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Bleached

Marco Benevento

Tacocat

B. Dolan

Ace of SpAdeS, 6:30 p.m., $27

hARlow’S ReStAuRAnt & nightclub, 8 p.m., $15-$18

Bleached bashes out near-perfect bubblegum punk songs laden with killer hooks and subversive lyrics. But being musically crafty and lyrically smart isn’t enough when you’re a quote-unquote “female-fronted band.” During press tours the band says it faced an onslaught of “sexist” and PUnk “insulting” questions about what it means to be women in music. In response, it released a new zine and EP called Can You Deal?—as in “can you deal with women playing rock ’n’ roll yet?” Well, can you? Find out when the band opens for The Damned, the legendary all-male punk group. 1417 R Street, http://hellobleached.com.

For those who have never witnessed Marco Benevento live, expect a set riddled with keyboard calisthenics and some jam-based rock that lights up the dance floor. Already known from touring and playing countless festivals, Benevento also has a history in the New York jazz scene even at the young age of 39. This Wednesday’s show will feature songs from his latest concept album, The Story Of Fred Short. One looking ExPEriMEnTal rock for inspiration need not look any further than his musical exercises staged in a live setting. 2708 J Street, http://marcobenevento.com.

—eddie JoRgenSen

blue lAmp, 8 p.m., $10-$12

hARlow’S ReStAuRAnt & nightclub, 6:30 p.m., $15-$18

With songs that are structured around crazy catchy melodies and grungy riffs, Tacocat’s music is rich with modern feminism. Songs such “Crimson Wave” tackle PoP-PUnk a topic such as getting your period into a sweet candy crush of a ditty that recalls the best of ’90s-era bands such as the Muffs and Bratmobile. The band’s latest album, 2016’s Lost Time, exudes a less polished garage vibe that’s just as hummable with tracks such as “I Hate the Weekend,” “You Can’t Fire Me, I Quit,” and “Men Explain Things to Me” that are at once breezy, relatable and topical. 1400 Alhambra Boulevard, http://tacocatdotcom.com.

—RAchel leibRock

Rapper B. Dolan is a harbinger of neck snapping. His alcove of stress rap forms through sludge riff production that muddles the Run DMC “Rock Box” template.

This ain’t your uncle’s crossover raprock. B. Dolan’s metabolizes metal raP and punk much like his friend and collaborator POS of Doomtree, while the anti-capitalist “Bleed Your Customer” and auteur activism of “Film The Police” leave no question of B. Dolan’s politics. If anger and disillusionment in this political climate are weighing you down, this is the show to exercise your right to put a fist up. 2708 J Street, https://www.bdolan.net.

—RAchel leibRock

—blAke gilleSpie

All Ages Welcome!

1417 R Street, Sacramento, 95811 • www.aceofspadessac.com Thursday, april 6

Friday, april 14

REBEL SOULJAHZ

BEATS ANTIQUE

Eli Mac - rioTMakEr

Friday, april 7

sunday, april 16

THE WHITE BUFFALO

EL HARAGAN Y CIA Mr JhoMBa – MaruJah - la BEsTia

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Tech N9ne SOLD OUT! Oh Wonder SOLD OUT! Katchafire Jimmy Eat World SOLD OUT! LANY Kehlani SOLD OUT! Moonshine Bandits D.R.I. Mod Sun Real Friends Enanitos Verdes Blue October Never Shout Never Dirty Heads Gnash JJ Grey & Mofro Jack Russell’s Great White Twiztid T.I. Somo Poptone Hellyeah Kehlani - 2nD ShOw ADDeD Dokken Tiger Army/Murder By Death Fat Tire Presents Tour de Fat David Allan Coe Taking Back Sunday SOLD OUT! Firehouse Girls Rock Sacramento Show Y&T

TickeTs available aT all Dimple RecoRDs locaTions anD www.aceofspaDessac.com 04.06.17 | SN&R | 37

thURSday 4/06

FRiday 4/07

SatURday 4/08

SUnday 4/09

Monday-WedneSday 4/10-4/12

#TURNTUP THURSDAYS, 8pm, no cover

Fridays on the floor, 10pm, no cover

Spectacular Saturdays, 10pm, no cover

FARRAH MOAN, 9pm, call for cover

Half off, 8pm M, no cover; Karaoke, 8pm Tu, no cover; Trapicana, 9pm W, no cover

CHRISTIAN DEWILD, call for time and cover

THE CLAY DOGS, call for time and cover

HONEY B & THE CULTIVATION, PAUL WILLIS; 8pm, $10

AP.9, 8:30pm, $22.09

THE ELLUSIVE FURS, ROYAL THUNDER; 8pm, $20

The spotlight, 9pm M, call for cover; TACOCAT, 8pm W, $10-$12

The Boardwalk

SKINLAB, KYNG; 8pm, $10

THE BAND AT HAND, 7pm, $10

CenTer for The arTs

STARZ dance showcase, 7pm, $14-$17

STARZ dance showcase, 1pm & 7pm, $14-$17

THE BETTER ODDS, CURSE OF THE CRETINS; $5, 9pm

MAJOR POWERS AND THE LO-FI SYMPHONY, $7, 10pm

Dance party, 9pm, call for cover

OLD TOWN BOYS, 9pm, call for cover

Karaoke, 9 pm, no cover

Karaoke, 9 pm, no cover

Badlands

2003 K St., (916) 448-8790

CheCk ouT sn&r’s Brand new online Calendar newsreview.Com/ saCramenTo/Calendar

List your event!

Post a free listing on our website, and our editors will consider your event for the print edition of the nightbeat calendar as well. Print listings are also free, but subject to space limitations. online, you may include a full description of your event, a photo and a web link.

Simply go to www.newsreview.com/ sacramento/calendar and click on +Add Event.

Bar 101

101 Main St., RoSeville, (916) 774-0505

Blue lamp

1400 alhaMbRa, (916) 455-3400

LIL SLUGG, 9pm, call for cover

9426 GReenbacK ln., oRanGevale, (916) 988-9247 314 Main St., GRaSS valley, (530) 274-8384

Cooper’s ale works

235 coMMeRcial St., nevada city, (530) 265-0116

Karaoke, call for time and cover

CounTry CluB saloon

2007 tayloR Rd., looMiS, (916) 652-4007

The disTillery

2107 l St., (916) 443-8815

Karaoke, 9 pm, no cover

faCes

2000 K St., (916) 448-7798

FEM DOM COM, 9pm, $5

OPEN-MIC, 7:30pm M, no cover; DJ AAKNUFF, 8pm W, no cover

KEVIN & ALLYSON SECONDS, DINO THE GIRL; 9pm, $5

Goldfield TradinG posT

LARRY AND HIS FLASK, 7pm, $13

JACKYL, 7pm, $18

halfTime Bar & Grill

Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

BLACKWATER, 9pm, $5

RASH, 9pm, $7

ANDY MCKEE, JOE KYE; 7pm, $25-$30

THE SEXTONES, JELLY BREAD; 9pm, $8-$12

CHOIR! CHOIR! CHOIR!, 7pm, $15

5681 lonetRee blvd., RocKlin, (916) 626-6366

harlow’s

2708 J St., (916) 441-4693

CARTER WINTER, 7:30 pm, $10

The hideaway Bar & Grill

Comedy burger, 7pm, $10; SCOTT PEMBERTON BAND, 8pm, $12-$14

MITSKI, 8pm Tu, $15; MARCO BENEVENTO, 8pm W, $15 - $18

Open jam, 4pm, no cover

2565 FRanKlin blvd., (916) 455-1331

hiGhwaTer

Karaoke, 9 pm M, Tu, W, no cover Every damn Monday, 7pm M, no cover; Purgatory, 7pm W, no cover

ALEX WALKER, 8pm, no cover

1603 J St., (916) 476-5076

Karaoke, 9 pm, no cover

Country dancin’, 7pm, no cover

fox & Goose

1001 R St., (916) 443-8825

Karaoke, Tu, call for time and cover; Open mic, W, call for time and cover

1910 Q St., (916) 706-2465

On the low, 10pm, no cover; Loveless, 10pm, no cover

TOTAL RECALL, FUNK IN THE TRUNK; 10pm, no cover

Rhythm section, 9pm, no cover; Salty Saturday, 9pm, no cover

Heavy, 10pm M, no cover; Tussle, 10pm Tu, no cover; Good stuff, 10pm, W, no cover

luna’s Cafe & JuiCe Bar

Poetry unplugged, 8pm, $2

0NATE BIEIR, DEVIN FARREN; 8pm, $5

THE BOTTOM FEEDERS, LOFILAKE; 8pm, $5

Nebraska, 7:30pm M, call for cover; Open mic, 8pm Tu, no cover; Comedy, 8pm W, no cover

Salsa & bachata. 8:30pm, $8

SIAN, LISA ROSE; 9pm, $10

1414 16th St., (916) 441-3931

midTown Barfly

1119 21St St., (916) 549-2779

Come to your

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38 | SN&R | 04.06.17

ARCHITECT, 9pm, $10

Salsa & bachata, 7:30pm, W, $5

tHurSDAY 4/06

FriDAY 4/07

SAturDAY 4/08

1111 H St., (916) 443-1927

FRANKY FICTITIOS, THE PACIFIC, WORTHY GOAT; 8:30pm, $5

FRONTIER FAMILY, STREETLIGHT FIRE’ 8:30pm, $5

FLIGHT MONGOOSE, PUSH TO FEEL; 8:30pm, $5

CHI MCCLEAN, AJ JOHNSON; 8:30pm, W, $5;

oLd IroNsIdes

Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

GHOST TOWN REBELLION, FOGLINE; 8pm, $10

VINNY GUIDERA &THE DEAD BIRDS, THIEVES THESE DAYS; 8pm, $10

Karaoke, 9pm, Tu, no cover; Open mic, 8pm, no cover

oN The Y

Open mic, 8:30pm, no cover

RESONANCE, STRAP ON HALO; 9pm, $6

Karaoke, 9pm, no cover

13 MAin St., WinterS, (530) 795-1825

BILL EVANS, JOHN REISCHMAN, KENNY SMITH; 8pm, $20

FRONT COUNTRY, 8pm, $17

PLacervILLe PubLIc house

JUST BILL, 6pm, call for cover

RED DIRT RUKUS, 7:30pm, call for cover

BILL & WAYNE, 7:30pm, call for cover

OUT OF THE BLUE, 1:30pm, call for cover

BREAKFAST KLUB, 10pm, $10

WIZ KID, 10pm, $10

THE GUITARONIST, 3pm, $10

Pop 40 w/DJ LARRY, 9pm, $5

Sunday night dance party w/ DJ LARRY, 9pm, no cover

ELEMENT BRASS BAND, 9pm, no cover

REGGIE GRAHAM, 9pm, no cover

Herstory: resistance, healing and empowerment, 8pm, no cover

Kid’s day, 2pm, $5; Open mic, 8:08pm, $5

Activist school: book club, 6pm, W, no cover

The Naked LouNge 1901 10tH St., (916) 442-3504 670 Fulton Ave., (916) 487-3731

PaLms PLaYhouse

414 MAin St., PlAcerville, (530) 303-3792

Powerhouse Pub

614 Sutter St., FolSoM, (916) 355-8586 2030 P St., (916) 444-7914 TESSA MARIE, 9pm, no cover

1409 r St., (916) 231-9121

MonDAY-WeDneSDAY 4/10-4/12

RICK ESTRIN & THE NIGHTCATS, 8pm, $20

The Press cLub

shadY LadY saLooN

SunDAY 4/09

CRESCENT KATS, 9pm, no cover

soL coLLecTIve 2574 21St St.,

GOST 8pm Friday, $10-$12.

Starlite Lounge Synthwave BOSS’ DAUGHTER, SLUTZVILLE; 8pm M, call for cover; Trash rock, 9pm, W, no cover

sTarLITe LouNge

SUN VALLEY GUN CLUB, COUCHES; 8pm, call for cover

GOST, 8pm, $10-$12

CHROME GHOST, MAD TANTRA; 8pm, $6

ZETA, CAPTAIN CUTIEPIE; 8pm, $6-$10

DOOMSTRESS, CHIEFS; 8pm, M, $10

sToNeY’s rockIN rodeo

Karaoke & country dancing, 9pm, no cover

Karaoke & country dancing, 9pm, $5-$10

Karaoke, 9 pm, $5

Karaoke & country dancing, 9pm, no cover

Karaoke & country dancing, 9pm W, $5

Torch cLub

X-TRIO, 5pm, no cover; MASSIVE DELICIOUS, 9pm, 46

JIMMY PAILER & LEWS FRATIS, 5:30pm, no NECKFEST, 5pm, $15 cover; AFROFUNK EXPERIENCE, 9pm, $8

NECKFEST, 3pm, $10

BILL MYLAR, 5:30pm Tu, no cover; JONNY MOJO BAND, 9pm, W, $5

1517 21St St., (916) 704-0711 1320 Del PASo BlvD., (916) 927-6023 904 15tH St., (916) 443-2797

All ages, all the time ace of sPades

REBEL SOULJAHZ, ELI MAC; 7pm, $22

1417 r St., (916) 448-3300

Vivian Lee Quartet

MAYDAY PARADE, KNUCKLE PUCK; 7 YURIDIA, ENZO ANCHIETTA; 7 pm, $41.50 pm, $25

THE WHITE BUFFALO, 7 pm, $20

cafe coLoNIaL

DEMON IN ME, ANXIOUS ARMS; 8pm, call for cover

3520 Stockton BlvD., (916) 736-3520

The coLoNY shINe

VIVIAN LEE QUARTET, 8pm, $10

1400 e St., (916) 551-1400

Print ads start at $6/wk. www.newsreview.com or (916) 498-1234 ext. 5

Online ads are

STILL FREE!*

*Nominal fee for adult entertainment. All advertising is subject to the newspaper’s Standards of Acceptance. Further, the News & Review specifically reserves the right to edit, decline or properly classify any ad. Errors will be rectified by re-publication upon notification. The N&R is not responsible for error after the first publication.

The N&R assumes no financial liability for errors or omission of copy. In any event, liability shall not exceed the cost of the space occupied by such an error or omission.

The advertiser and not the newspaper assumes full responsibility for the truthful content of their advertising message.

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Deadlines for print: Line ad deadline: Monday 4pm Adult line ad deadline: Monday 4pm Display ad deadline: Friday 2pm

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40 | SN&R | 04.06.17

by JOEY GARCIA

ADVER

@AskJoeyGarcia

REAL PEOPLE, REAL DESIRE, REAL FUN.

Seeking clarity I’m 14 and my parents don’t think I’m old enough to date. They don’t know that I have a boyfriend. We’ve been dating for six months. I was with my previous boyfriend for three months. They didn’t know about him, either. I can’t talk to my parents about stuff but I have some questions.

My boyfriend wants to take it to the next level. How do I know if I’m ready?

Where’s the elevator headed? Are you talking about making a commitment to one another? About holding hands? French kissing? Getting undressed? Oral sex?

Intercourse? A lot of questions, I know, but it’s important that you get very clear.

If you are uncomfortable naming what you’re considering, you’re not ready. If you can easily state what your next relationship level is, you still might not be ready. If it’s sex, give yourself lots of time to make a decision about your body. Respect yourself enough to honor that promise of no or yes or only this far. Deciding in the moment—like in the middle of a make-out session—puts you at risk for regret.

Most adults prefer to believe that teens are not sexually active. Most teens prefer to allow adults to maintain that denial.

Of course, teen denial persists, too.

Here’s how: Some teens decline to admit that having oral sex is being sexually active. It is. Warnings about the physical consequences of sex (sexually transmitted diseases) are common. But the emotional consequences cause as much, if not more, crises. So ask yourself: Can you handle rejection? Getting dumped? Cheated on? Could you manage the fall-out of your parents finding out the details of your relationship? A lot of high school students who break up after dating two or three months exhibit the same level of depression, anxiety, anger and hopelessness as adults divorcing after 20 years of marriage. So before you make changes in your relationship, be certain you are emotionally prepared for the possibility of a breakup.

You must also be honest with yourself about your boyfriend. Does he treat you with respect, kindness, generosity? Does

he treat other people well? Do you feel safe with him? These might seem like no-brainers, but you would be surprised how many teens date someone who threatens them or hits them.

I also noticed that you didn’t mention your boyfriend’s age. Sometimes high school seniors who are too emotionally immature to attract girls their own age will date freshman girls. The freshman girl is flattered, but shouldn’t be. If you’re in that situation, proceed with caution. And, since you can’t talk to your parents, befriend a teacher or another caring adult with whom you can talk about your relationship. You deserve to have a sensible sounding board to confide in.

Finally, a note to parents: Please reconsider your age-based rules around dating.

Your awareness of your teen’s levels of maturity and necessary areas of growth are more important than adhering to what your parents set in stone for you or even what most experts say. Those old rules may still apply, but by holding them lightly, you can keep the lines of communication open between you and your teen. Ω

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NOTICE TO CONSUMERS: The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 ensures that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use cannabis for medical purposes where medical use is deemed appropriate and has been recommended by a physician who has determined that the person’s health would benefit from the use of medical cannabis. Recommendations must come from an attending physician as defined in Section 11362.7 of the Health and Safety Code. Cannabis is a Schedule I drug ’14 according to the federal Controlled Substances Act. Activity related to cannabis use is subject to federal prosecution, regardless of the protections provided by state law.

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My garden keeps getting bigger and bigger, and trimming is becoming a hassle. Should I buy a machine?

—Carp L. Toonelle Congratulations on your success! Trimming lots and lots of cannabis can be a drag and a huge time suck, but you do have a few options.

Option one: Suck it up. You don’t have to trim everything all at once. Store your untrimmed cannabis in an airtight container in a cool, dark spot and trim as you smoke. Option two: Hire trimmers.

Some trimmers work for hourly wages (usually around 20 bucks an hour), but the best ones charge $200 per pound and are very efficient and will make your pot look like a centerfold model for a high-end cannabis magazine. If money is an issue, invite your deadbeat stoner friends over and offer them something like an ounce per pound trimmed. Option three: Buy a machine. The initial outlay is steep (a good trimming machine will run you $4,000 or more), but machines work fast and won’t drink all of your beer or snore on your couch.

Machines do have drawbacks: They are a drag to clean, and it’s hard for a machine to trim weed without smashing and bruising the THC glands on your beautiful marijuana plants. The newer machines are better at keeping the glands intact, but I have definitely seen machine trimmed cannabis that looked horrible. If you do decide to automate your facility, I’m sure your local hydro store can point you to a few good machines.

You don’t have to trim everything all at once.

Have you ever heard of making cannabutter successfully with a pressure cooker? Asking for a friend.

—A. Friend Only if you’re making cannabis-infused chitlins. Seriously, just use a crockpot. Slow and low. Easy peasy. If you are in a hurry, you can make a “quick and dirty” cannabis infused oil on your stovetop in about 20 minutes.

How do you shop for the best deals?

—C.B.D. Trump Um, the internet? Weedmaps and Leafly are usually good bets. If you are talking about how to find good cannabis, I would suggest using your nose. Look for weed that smells good, and don’t be fooled into thinking that expensive cannabis is always the way to go. And when I say “use your nose,” I mean it. Terpenes are the chemical compounds that give different marijuana strains their unique aromas, flavors and “feels.” Different terpenes have different effects (here’s a handy chart: http://bit.ly/2ozLwLq) and it is my opinion that terpenes have more to do with a good buzz than THC. A high THC count doesn’t always mean high quality bud. Most of the recent winners in the various cups I have attending all had THC counts below 20 percent, but they all had incredible flavor and great feels. I have found plenty of great cannabis on the mid-range shelf and even a few hidden gems in the “low-quality” pile. Ω Ngaio Bealum is a Sacramento comedian, activist and marijuana expert.

Email him questions at ask420@newsreview.com.

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Ten years ago, the typical patient was male (77%) and white (68%) with a median age of 31, according to a 2007 study of 4,117 patients. Construction workers were the biggest single occupational group at 18.36 percent.

The occupational groups least likely to use were legal workers, farmers, forest workers and scientists, each at less than 1 percent. This study published in Bio-Med Central never asked patients why they used cannabis.

However, a 2011 study published by the state’s Department of Health and Human Services did ask why they used: The most commonly listed reason was pain (83%), followed by sleep (71%), then relaxation, spasms, anxiety and headaches, in that order. This study, which surveyed 1,655 Californian patients, also noted that female use grew by 5 percent, and the median age rose from 31 to 34.

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by Hillary Knouse

by rob brezsny

FOR THE WEEk OF APRIL 6, 2017 ARIES (March 21-April 19): Be interested in

first things, Aries. Cultivate your attraction to beginnings. Align yourself with uprisings and breakthroughs. Find out what’s about to hatch, and lend your support. Give your generous attention to potent innocence and novel sources of light. Marvel at people who are rediscovering the sparks that animated them when they first came into their power. Fantasize about being a curious seeker who is devoted to reinventing yourself over and over again. Gravitate toward influences that draw their vitality directly from primal wellsprings. Be excited about first things.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Are you weary of

lugging around decayed guilt and regret? Is it increasingly difficult to keep forbidden feelings concealed? Have your friends been wondering about the whip marks from your self-flagellation sessions? Do you ache for redemption? If you answered yes to any of those questions, listen up.

The empathetic and earthy saints of the Confession Catharsis Corps are ready to receive your blubbering disclosures. They are clairvoyant, they’re nonjudgmental and, best of all, they’re free. Within seconds after you telepathically communicate with our earthy saints, they will psychically beam you 11 minutes of unconditional love, no strings attached. Do it! You’ll be amazed at how much lighter and smarter you feel. Transmit your sad stories to the Confession Catharsis Corps now!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Now is an excellent

time to free your memories. What comes to mind when I suggest that? Here are my thoughts on the subject. To free your memories, you could change the way you talk and feel about your past. Re-examine your assumptions about your old stories, and dream up fresh interpretations to explain how and why they happened. Here’s another way to free your memories: If you’re holding on to an insult someone hurled at you once upon a time, let it go. In fact, declare a general amnesty for everyone who ever did you wrong. By the way, the coming weeks will also be a favorable phase to free yourself of memories that hold you back. Are there any tales you tell yourself about the past that undermine your dreams about the future? Stop telling yourself those tales.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): How big is your

vocabulary? Twenty-thousand words? Thirtythousand? Whatever size it is, the coming weeks will be prime time to expand it. Life will be conspiring to enhance your creative use of language … to deepen your enjoyment of the verbal flow … to help you become more articulate in rendering the mysterious feelings and complex thoughts that rumble around inside you. If you pay attention to the signals coming from your unconscious mind, you will be shown how to speak and write more effectively. You may not turn into a silver-tongued persuader, but you could become a more eloquent spokesperson for your own interests.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): We all need more breaks

from the routine—more holidays, more vacations, more days off from work. We should all play and dance and sing more, and guiltlessly practice the arts of leisure and relaxation, and celebrate freedom in regular boisterous rituals.

And I’m nominating you to show us the way in the coming weeks, Leo. Be a cheerleader who exemplifies how it’s done. Be a ringleader who springs all of us inmates out of our mental prisons. Be the imaginative escape artist who demonstrates how to relieve tension and lose inhibitions.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): People in your vicinity

may be preoccupied with trivial questions.

What’s more nutritious, corn chips or potato chips? Could Godzilla kick King Kong’s ass? Is it harder to hop forward on one foot or backward with both feet? I suspect you will also encounter folks who are embroiled in meaningless decisions and petty emotions. So how should you navigate your way through this energy-draining muddle?

Here’s my advice: Identify the issues that are most worthy of your attention. Stay focused on them with disciplined devotion. Be selfish in your rapt determination to serve your clearest and noblest and holiest agendas.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I hope that by mid-May

you will be qualified to teach a workshop called “Sweet Secrets of Tender Intimacy” or “Dirty Secrets of Raw Intimacy” or maybe even “Sweet and Dirty Secrets of Raw and Tender Intimacy.” In other words, Libra, I suspect that you will be adding substantially to your understanding of the art of togetherness. Along the way, you may also have experiences that would enable you to write an essay entitled “How to Act Like You Have Nothing to Lose When You Have Everything to Gain.”

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): If you have a dream

of eating soup with a fork, it might mean that in your waking life you’re using the wrong approach to getting nourished. If you have a dream of entering through an exit, it might mean that in your waking life you’re trying to start at the end rather than the beginning. And if you dream of singing nursery rhymes at a karaoke bar with unlikable people from high school, it might mean that in your waking life you should seek more fulfilling ways to express your wild side and your creative energies. (P.S. You’ll be wise to do these things even if you don’t have the dreams I described.)

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you’re a

Quixotic lover, you’re more in love with love itself than with any person. If you’re a Cryptic lover, the best way to stay in love with a particular partner is to keep him or her guessing. If you’re a Harlequin, your steady lover must provide as much variety as three lovers. If you’re a Buddy, your specialties are having friendly sex and having sex with friends. If you’re a Histrionic, you’re addicted to confounding, disorienting love. It’s also possible that you’re none of the above. I hope so, because now is an excellent time to have a beginner’s mind about what kind of love you really need and want to cultivate in the future.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Your new

vocabulary word is “adytum.” It refers to the most sacred place within a sacred place—the inner shrine at the heart of a sublime sanctuary.

Is there such a spot in your world? A location that embodies all you hold precious about your journey on planet Earth? It might be in a church or temple or synagogue or mosque, or it could be a magic zone in nature or a corner of your bedroom. Here you feel an intimate connection with the divine, or a sense of awe and reverence for the privilege of being alive. If you don’t have a personal adytum, Capricorn, find or create one. You need the refreshment that comes from dwelling in the midst of the numinous.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You could defy

gravity a little, but not a lot. You can’t move a mountain, but you may be able to budge a hill.

Luck won’t miraculously enable you to win a contest, but it might help you seize a hard-earned perk or privilege. A bit of voraciousness may be good for your soul, but a big blast of greed would be bad for both your soul and your ego. Being savvy and feisty will energize your collaborators and attract new allies; being a smart-ass showoff would alienate and repel people.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Here are activities

that will be especially favorable for you to initiate in the near future: (1) Pay someone to perform a service for you that will ease your suffering.

(2) Question one of your fixed opinions if that will lead to you receiving a fun invitation you wouldn’t get otherwise. (3) Dole out sincere praise or practical help to a person who could help you overcome one of your limitations. (4) Get clear about how one of your collaborations would need to change in order to serve both of you better.

Then tell your collaborator about the proposed improvement with lighthearted compassion.

you can call Rob brezsny for your expanded Weekly Horoscope: (900) 950-7700. $1.99 per minute. must be 18+. Touchtone phone required. Customer service (612) 373-9785. and don’t forget to check out Rob’s website at www.realastrology.com.

Mix it up The first things you notice about Stephanie Longoria are her earrings.

They are striking, dangly and made by a local artist or purchased from the Crocker Art Museum, depending on the day. Like Longoria, they are charming, quirky and very much connected to the local art scene. A longtime Sacramento resident with a degree in fine arts and a job history that includes a 10-year stint at Dimple Records, Longoria is pretty much the ideal candidate for her position as the ArtMix coordinator at the Crocker. More than all of that, though, what makes Longoria great at her job is her sincere vision of the Crocker as a place that every member of the Sacramento community should be able to call home.

What’s the hardest thing about your job?

Just yesterday I saw a kid caress a sculpture. And I’m like “Ugh, you’re killing me here, kid. What are you doing?” I’ve seen kids do crazy stuff in this museum, like take pieces of art. We had this sculpture that was like a giant Moon Pie and it had a fork stuck in it. I watched a kid remove the fork and walk off with it. I was like, “What is happening?”

Has anything ever gone horribly wrong at an Art Mix? We did have fire dancers once. Years ago. And they caught one of our stages on fire, so I can’t talk anybody back into it at this point. That wasn’t me. I wasn’t in charge of that event. I’ve had stilt walkers walk into the museum, which they were told not to do and then they did anyway.

I’ve had burlesque dancers that have lost their pasties. Or performers that suddenly decided that they were going to throw things into the crowd. Like, they’re facing art. And you’re like “What is happening?”

Why have you made this decision at an art museum, suddenly?” Or materials that people have brought in when you’ve told them no. Like glitter. We’re not supposed to have glitter here, but it’s hard when you have a troupe of drag queens and they all come and there’s glitter. There’s nothing I can do about it. And then there’s glitter in the museum, which is not supposed to happen.

Are there issues with so many performers vying for spots at an ArtMix? Yeah. You know, you just have all these different groups, and they want you to use them all the time, and I can’t because I try to use everybody a little bit. I mean, I can’t use everybody, and people have to fit into the theme. I get a lot of messages

PHOTO by adam emiliO

from people I’ve had before who are like, “When are you going to have me back?” and I’m like, “I don’t know, but you’re on my radar.”

have switched over slowly to digital stuff.

Who has room for thousands of CDs?

Do performers ever get jealous of each other?

This morning I listened to Echo & the Bunnymen and Bauhaus, which does not sound like good workout music, but if you grew up going to goth clubs, it makes you feel like you’re in a dance club when you’re working out. … Who knew that “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” could be a workout song?

But I found that out this morning.

Well then, what’s playing on your Spotify right now?

Yeah. And I try to spread it around so that I have one group this time and another group this time and another group this time. … [But] you know, there’s battling fairies. There’s groups of children’s performers that are competing with each other.

Tell us more about the battling fairies!

No! They really are battling, so I don’t want to advertise that.

Do you have any advice for artists who would like to perform at future ArtMixes?

Have a web page and answer your emails or your phone calls or your whatever. Just communicate. Because the bands and the performers that hustle, they’re the ones that are getting the gigs.

After 10 years at Dimple Records, you must have quite the vinyl collection.

No, I don’t! My husband also worked at Dimple and we are horrible. We have sold most everything, except neither of us ever had vinyl. … When we first got married, we had a huge collection of music and we

Do you have any guilty musical pleasures?

Oh, I’m sure I do. Well, it’s things like Aha. I have named pets after A-ha. Morten, Mags and Paul. It’s kind of a guilty pleasure.

They were lizards and cattle. I used to show cattle and I named steers after the members of A-ha. … I [also] listen to a lot of jazz and so does [my husband] Aaron.

And we’re like, “now we’re old, we’ve converted to jazz.”

That’s how it happens?

It is! You start listening to NPR and jazz and then it’s all over with. You are definitely in your 40s.

Ω

Check out Stephanie longoria’s handiwork at the Japanese-themed artmix, Sakuramento, on Thursday, april 19. learn more at www.crockerart.org.

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