s-2017-12-21 by News & Review

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Problems with Police training 08 Doom banD banD chrch gets signeD signe D 21 Forget ’50s Diners iners— —now it’s ’80s 24 Sacramento’S

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Volume 29, iSSue 36

december

21, 2017

newSreView.com

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EditoR’S NotE

dEcEMBER 21, 2017 | Vol. 29, iSSuE 36

24 25 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. Editor Eric Johnson News Editor Raheem F. Hosseini Arts & Culture Editor Rebecca Huval Associate Editor Mozes Zarate Staff Reporter Scott Thomas Anderson Calendar Editor Kate Gonzales Contributors Daniel Barnes, Ngaio Bealum, Alastair Bland, Rob Brezsny, Aaron Carnes, Jim Carnes, Willie Clark, John Flynn, Joey Garcia, Lovelle Harris, Jeff Hudson, Matt Kramer, Jim Lane, Michael Mott, Luis Gael Jimenez, Rachel Leibrock, Kate Paloy, Patti Roberts, Steph Rodriguez, Ann Martin Rolke, Shoka, Bev Sykes

29 Design Manager Christopher Terrazas Creative Director Serene Lusano Art Director Margaret Larkin Designers Kyle Shine, Maria Ratinova Marketing/Publications Designer Sarah Hansel Web Design & Strategy Intern Elisabeth Bayard Arthur Contributing Photographers Lisa Baetz, Scott Duncan, Evan Duran, Adam Emelio, Lucas Fitzgerald, Jon Hermison, Kris Hooks, Jasmine Lazo, Gavin McIntyre, Michael Mott, Shoka, Lauran Fayne Thompson, Kimani Okearah Advertising Manager Michael Gelbman Sales Coordinator Victoria Smedley Senior Advertising Consultants Rosemarie Messina, Kelsi White Advertising Consultants Mayra Diaz, Mark Kates , Matt Kjar, Alyssa Morrisey, Michael Nero, Allen Young Sweetdeals Coordinator Hannah Williams Facilities Coordinator/Sales Assistant David Lindsay Director of First Impressions Skyler Morris Distribution Director Greg Erwin Distribution Assistant Rob Dunnica Distribution Drivers Mansour Aghdam, Beatriz Aguirre, Rosemarie Beseler, Kimberly Bordenkircher,

31 Daniel Bowen, Kathleen Caesar, Gypsy Andrews, Heather Brinkley, Kelly Hopkins, Mike Cleary, Lydia Comer, Tom Downing, Chris Fong, Marty Fetterly, Ron Forsberg, Joanna Gonzalez-Brown, Julian Lang, Lance Medlin, Greg Meyers, Lloyd Rongley, Lolu Sholotan, Viv Tiqui, Eric Umeda, Zang Yang N&R Publications Editor Michelle Carl N&R Associate Editor Laura Hillen N&R Publications Writer Anne Stokes Marketing & Publications Consultants Steve Caruso, Joseph Engle, Elizabeth Morabito, Traci Hukill President/CEO Jeff vonKaenel Director of Nuts & Bolts Deborah Redmond Nuts & Bolts Ninja Leslie Giovanini Executive Coordinator/Publications Media Planner Carlyn Asuncion Director of People & Culture David Stogner Project Coordinator Natasha vonKaenel Director of Dollars & Sense Nicole Jackson Payroll/AP Wizard Miranda Hansen Accounts Receivable Specialist Analie Foland Developer John Bisignano, Jonathan Schultz System Support Specialist Kalin Jenkins

05 07 08 12 13 21 22 25 26 29 30 37 43 51

STREETALK LETTERS NEwS + BeaTs ESSAy FEATuRE SToRy ARTS & CuLTuRE DiSh STAGE FiLm muSiC CALENDAR ASK JoEy ThE 420 15 miNuTES

CovER DESiGN by SERENE LuSANo CovER iLLuSTRATioN by JoNAThAN buCK

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Hearing your truth I’ve been thinking a lot about intention and effect lately. For those who didn’t see it—or actively avoided it—the December 14 feature, “Confessions of a killer cop,” excavated the lives of John Tennis and Joseph Mann. One is a white ex-cop. The other was the black man he killed. For many, seeing Tennis on the cover was a profoundly traumatic ambush. Many interpreted it as SN&R elevating a symbol of white violent oppression while diminishing the black human being this symbol got away with killing. Many read the story as a platform rather than a dissection—of an officer with a pattern of violent confrontations; who was under investigation at the time of the Mann shooting; and who was fired for his actions. If you haven’t guessed, I think this story plainly showed Tennis for who he is. I think it also showed you the real Joseph Mann. When Tennis first reached out to us, I made a decision that I wouldn’t touch his story unless I could tell Joe’s. I wanted to go past headlines that reduced him to little more than a homeless black man. Because that’s not who he was. I did my best to overcome the tragic fact that Joe is no longer around to tell his story himself. Joe’s siblings Robert and Vern gave me chunks of their hearts in bringing Joe back to life. I’m astounded by their courage. While I’ve received warm feedback from the Mann family and others, I’ve also heard anger and heartbreak from people I deeply respect, who feel the story was too easy on Tennis or shouldn’t have been written at all. I’m grateful to those who are sharing their truths. I won’t try to change anyone’s mind. But I will always listen.

—Raheem F. hosseini r a h e e mh @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

See Editor Eric Johnson’s note on this topic at www.newsreview.com

12.21.17 | SN&R | 3

Recreational Cannabis: What Happens Now?

WHAT NEW BUYERS CAN EXPECT AT LOCAL DISPENSARIES COME JANUARY 1 by Ken Magri

acramento is about to become very popular for Central Valley cannabis shoppers. Unlike other local governments still finalizing their licensing process for recreational sales, most of Sacramento’s 30 dispensaries are ready for the surge. “In Colorado on day one, they had a 50 percent increase in their market size,” said Grant Rosenquist of Capitol Compliance Management, which works with nine Sacramento dispensaries. Colorado’s 2017 sales through October reached $1.28 billion. Rosenquist said California’s medical market alone outsizes those of Colorado, Washington and Oregon combined. “Things are about to get crazy for sure,” said Forrest Heise at Green Solutions. “We are expecting to at least double our daily traﬃc but it could be more.” Like other local dispensaries, “we’re doubling our current inventory,” said Heise. Boby Inthavongxay at Florin Wellness Center agrees: “We expect lines as soon as we go recreational, so we’re stocking up on low-dosage edibles and hiring more budtenders.” Kimberly Cargile at A Therapeutic Alternative had a diﬀerent take: “We expected long lines the day after Proposition 64 passed, and only had a few calls with patients asking ‘Do I still need to bring my doctor’s recommendation?’ We have actually decreased our inventory by phasing out products from suppliers that don’t have local permits.”

“ In Colorado on day one, they had a 50% increase in their market size.” Grant Rosenquist, marketing director Capitol Compliance Management

Florin Wellness Center is one of 30 Sacramento dispensaries preparing for recreational sales in January. Photo by Ken Magri

Knoblich-Palmer joked that, as in Colorado, the happiest people in California should be those working at rental car agencies, who retrieve the recreational pot left behind by tourists that bought more than they could consume.

What will change for medical patients in January? “We will have a special line for returning medical patients to make sure they get the excellent service they expect,” said Cargile. “There will be plenty for both medical & recreational,” said Cloud 9’s David Smith. “No major changes, just expansion to meet the new demands.”

COLLECTIVES CARING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

Medical patients will also avoid most of the new taxes. For frequent medical customers, cannabis will cost less throughout the year by keeping that doctor’s recommendation active. But one budtender at Zen Garden Wellness suggested medical patients shop ahead in December, in case things get too hectic through the first weeks of January.

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Child resistant packages will now be required. New labels will list the percentage of THC, CBD and terpenes. For recreational customers only, edibles will be limited to 10 mg doses and a 100 mg maximum. “We’re excited to oﬀer a cost eﬀective, lower potency product,” said Kristi Knoblich-Palmer, President of Kiva Confections.

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THC

“I’d rather get my educatIon done wIthout havIng to worry about how I’m goIng to pay rent.”

asKed at sacramento state uniVersity:

Is rising rent in Sacramento a crisis?

K arina Vill anue Va student

I live in an apartment, so I’ve definitely seen [rent] rising. It’s kind of ridiculous. I do have roommates, so that helps a lot because we split the rent; but if I didn’t have them, I couldn’t afford it on my own.

al an lin student

I’m from San Jose and the rent is horrible over there, so Sacramento really isn’t that bad ... Realistically, it will probably take at least seven years for the rent to get as bad here as it is over there.

elijah arcelona food service worker

I feel like it is becoming a crisis because when I looked at apartment prices last year, they were affordable, at like $800 or $900; but now it’s like $1,200 to $1,300. It’s crazy expensive.

ariana hilger student

I would say, yes, because for people in the Sacramento area going to college, it is definitely a struggle. I live with my parents for that reason. I’d rather get my education done without having to worry about how I’m going to pay rent.

donnie mur ay

Veronica spencer

student

I still live at home, but I know that for a lot of other students it is definitely becoming harder to live on their own. I think if rent were cheaper, I probably would have moved out sooner.

To be entirely honest, my rent has actually gone down recently, so it hasn’t directed affected me like it has others—but I know it is a problem.

12.21.17 | SN&R | 5

6 | SN&R | 12.21.17

Email lEttErs to sactolEttErs@nEwsrEviEw.com

Former Sacramento police Officer John Tennis showed up for a scheduled photo shoot at the scene of his shooting of Joseph Mann wearing a Superman T-shirt.

Free

Confessions of a killer cop by Raheem F. Hosseini

John Tennis breaks his silence about the day he shot Joseph Mann Page 15 Sacramento’S newS & entertainment weekly

Volume 29, iSSue 35

thurSday, december

14, 2017

newSreView.com

Don’t ‘humanize’ John Tennis Re “Confessions of a killer cop” by Raheem F. Hosseini (Feature, December 14): I’m appalled that you’ve given this monster a platform. [John Tennis] can cry about how his murder of Joseph Mann ruined his life in a dark corner by himself. His tears mean nothing compared to the suffering his actions caused the Mann family. He’s upset about

his family canceling Christmas??? Seriously, how do you think the Mann family feels about never having a Christmas with Joseph Mann again? Why are you cosigning for this monster by trying to humanize him? He deserves to rot in jail for his crimes, not a platform to cry about the minimal consequences of his actions. Tennis, to answer your question, “Am I a murderer?” Yes, you are. James Clark V i a n ew s r e v i e w . c o m

Exclude the killer Re “Confessions of a killer cop” by Raheem F. Hosseini (Feature, December 14): This cover is a disgrace. It boggles the mind to imagine what kind of thinking led to this story and cover choice. I forced myself

to read the story and the editor’s reasoning and came out none the wiser. You certainly could have just done a story with Mann’s family and excluded his killer, who appears here in an artsy photo shoot wearing a Superman shirt? In 2017, no less? Tone deaf doesn’t begin to describe this junk. Count me out of any SN&R events from here on out. I will never pick up another issue again. sherman Baker via Facebook

Shock and anger Re “Confessions of a killer cop” by Raheem F. Hosseini (Feature, December 14): I am just as shocked and angry about this cover as everyone else. I agree that it is a newsworthy story, but not a cover story. Maybe it would be OK if he were depicted in an orange jumpsuit, or behind bars. Shackles. katherine silVa stoCkton via Facebook

Article did not glorify Tennis Re “Confessions of a killer cop” by Raheem F. Hosseini (Feature, December 14): Apparently I am the only one who liked this story. I would argue it’s fully possible to write about someone without glorifying them, and I think this story does a good job of showing how a cop with a troubled history came to be in the position to kill Joseph Mann that day without suggesting he was in the right. [Hosseini] clearly made an effort to tell Joseph Mann’s story and convey his family’s suffering, so to just dismiss this as glorification seems a little reductive. Jeremy White v ia Fa c e b o o k

SN&R did its job Re “Confessions of a killer cop” by Raheem F. Hosseini (Feature, December 14):

The facts of the case were presented. Tennis’ history of complaints involving excessive use of force were openly discussed. The details surrounding his termination of employment were printed verbatim. The article acknowledges that footage of the event contradicts Tennis’s statement. This article is not sympathetic toward Tennis. It shows him as what he is and maybe gives a glimpse into how incredibly difficult and unrewarding it can be to work in law enforcement. I ride the light rail every day, and I can tell you that people like Joseph Mann are scary and unpredictable. We expect our police officers to be nice and behave perfectly all the time, but I’m here to tell you that the public they serve are volatile, violent and unpredictable. People who are “disgusted” by this article and vowing to boycott SN&R seem to be asking for a media that lambasts people instead of presenting facts. hannah Goin

read more letters online at www.newsreview .com/sacramento.

@SacNewsReview

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@SacNewsReview

Via Fa c e b o o k

12.21.17 | SN&R | 7

Christine Feenstra resigned in June from the California Peace Officers Association, which she accused of poorly training Sacramento police. Photo by John Flynn

Trained in vain Former program manager says police officers received shoddy training for dealing with mentally ill by John Flynn

As the Sacramento Police Department completes a new training program intended to help officers deescalate crises, one of the former managers has questioned the program’s effectiveness and her organization’s financial motives for taking it on. The California Peace Officers Association, or CPOA, was one of two vendors to split a six-figure contract this past January to provide officers with 40 hours of additional training in how to deal with combative or mentally ill subjects without resorting to deadly force. The 8 | SN&R | 12.21.17

additional training was a response to public backlash over last year’s shooting deaths of two African-American men experiencing mental health episodes—Joseph Mann and Dazion Flenaugh. On December 5, police Chief Daniel Hahn told the City Council that 534 officers had received training from two organizations whose programs’ curriculum were certified by the state Commission on Police Officer Standards and Training, known as POST. But Christine Feenstra, who resigned as CPOA’s training manager in June,

says the association didn’t deliver on its POST-approved curriculum—resulting in a waste of time for roughly 100 officers and a lost opportunity to impart lifesaving lessons. “If something else happens in the city and it was an officer that attended a class that I was responsible for facilitating, I would feel horrible,” Feenstra told SN&R. “I wouldn’t be able to live with that.” In a brief statement, CPOA Deputy Director Shaun Rundle disputed Feenstra’s depiction of the program, but declined to go into detail. “We stand by

our product, as developed and instructed by Dr. Carole McKindley-Alvarez, and the extraordinary work of the Sacramento Police Department,” Rundle wrote in an email. “We have no further comment at this time.” But Feenstra, who says she helped develop the program with McKindleyAlvarez, says it was rushed into production before it was properly betatested—and that her organization may have been more interested in making a buck than saving lives. Feenstra and McKindley-Alvarez, a psychologist at St. Mary’s College, crafted the program that was first pilot-tested with members of the Police Department in February. “The feedback was horrible,” Feenstra said. “There was a lot of feedback that [outside speakers] didn’t know what they were talking about. That they didn’t know their audience. They didn’t realize these were seasoned cops. The officers were just really unhappy.” Despite the negative reviews, Feenstra said CPOA scheduled its

Losing homes to the twin tunneLs see news

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Late advance first class weeks later. With her other responsibilities, she said, she didn’t have time to make the necessary changes to the class. She was supposed to work with retired police Officer Tony Duckworth, who left CPOA’s deputy director post just as the program was being developed. She said his position was vacant for “at least” a month and that she felt pressured by CPOA Executive Director Carol Leveroni to forge ahead so CPOA wouldn’t lose the police contract. As proof of the latter, Feenstra provided SN&R with a text message exchange between her and Leveroni. When Feenstra informed Leveroni that the City Council had approved the crisis intervention training, Leveroni sent a text that read: “:) we are getting some of that cheddah! :)” A December 17 phone call to the number Feenstra provided was answered by Leveroni, who said CPOA planned to respond on Monday. CPOA spokesman John McGinness stopped just short of acknowledging the text’s authenticity. “Carol doesn’t have a copy of that text, but I think it’s consistent with something she may have said,” he said. While McGinness said he wished Leveroni chose a different term, he added that he thought it was consistent with CPOA’s overall mission. “It’s what CPOA does: develop and expand training programs,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything inappropriate about that philosophy or attitude that [message] expresses.” As an example of how the CPOA’s classes didn’t match the POST-approved description, Feenstra said that each of the three classes she oversaw ended at least an hour before they were supposed to, falling short of the 40-hour training requirement. Additionally, on April 20 and May 25, Feenstra said, she had to sub in for McKindley-Alvarez despite her lack of experience as an instructor and no POST approval. Feenstra said she played a series of videos for the officers and brought in guest speakers, including a representative from Heritage Oaks Hospital. Originally, she thought a clinician would come, but instead a communications employee showed up who Feenstra then (somewhat ironically) learned “had never done public speaking before.” Feenstra added that the CPOA classes didn’t feature physical demonstrations on how to handle people in a mental health

crisis, or bring in any speakers with as for the other vendor the police mental illnesses themselves, only their Department contracted with, the feedrelatives. And no tests were administered back has been more positive. Disability to see if officers absorbed the material. Response was founded eight years ago Before she resigned in June, Feenstra by retired Sacramento police Officer said, about a hundred officers went through Michael Summers, who trains numerous CPOA’s program. Feenstra said she left due sheriffs’ and police departments on to a combination of finding it difficult to responding to those with mental health work under Leveroni, being overwhelmed issues. with responsibilities that she felt exceeded Officer Linda Matthew, a department her experience, and feeling dejected that spokeswoman, said she took the course her course wasn’t having the impact she and called it a “great class” that had her wanted. When Feenstra departed, she said, attention the entire time. she was replaced by an administrative Summers said he brings in experts training coordinator with “zero with overlapping experiences in applicable experience.” health care and law enforce“It really fell short,” ment or military service, Feenstra said of which helps them relate “The officers the final product. to the officers. There’s were just really “[McKindleyalso a comprehensive Alvarez] does a overview of mental unhappy.” good job, but she’s illness, followed by just one piece of the panels with people Christine Feenstra puzzle.” afflicted with mental former training manager, McKindleyillnesses and their California Peace Officers Alvarez didn’t family members, who Association respond to SN&R’s have had firsthand interrequests for comment. actions with law enforceCPOA spokesman ment. Toward the end of the McGinness, a former course, officers are put through Sacramento County sheriff who joined hours of role-playing to see if they have the association after Feenstra left, said been listening, Summers said. the program improved as it went along. Summers said his most recent class But he wasn’t able to answer some was “one of the best” he’d ever taught, questions about the actual nature of although he feels officers have unfairly those improvements and acknowledged been relied upon to handle the “social he had no personal interactions with problem” of untreated mental illness. the classes. For instance, he said role“For the amount of people that are seriplaying was added to the curriculum, ously mentally ill, there’s nowhere near but couldn’t describe what kind. the services,” he said. Feenstra originally shared her As of December 4, a Police concerns about the training program with Department spokesman said, $157,000 Sacramento’s Black Lives Matter chapter, of the $650,000 contract has been split which raised them during a November between Disability Response and CPOA. 28 City Council meeting. Mayor Darrell For his part, Summers said that he’s Steinberg acknowledged the activists administered seven of the eight classes who spoke during public comment and he was contracted to do by the city. But expressed a desire to publicly evaluate the he cautioned against viewing the course training after it was completed, although as a panacea. “You have to remember nothing has been formally scheduled. even with all these trainings, occasionWhile still skeptical of the training’s ally, bad things are going to happen,” effectiveness, BLM Sacramento founder Summers said. “There’s absolutely Tanya Faison said something must be nothing that law enforcement can do to done to decrease the likelihood of deadly prevent that. But this goes a long way to police encounters. help.” “This training, I don’t know if it’s On November 24, police officers going to, for sure, make these officers responded to a yelling man in a field, do the right thing when they’re faced who held a pair of knives. Over an with these types of situations,” Faison hourlong negotiation, police calmed the told SN&R after the meeting. “But I feel man down enough to detain him safely. like we need as many efforts as possible Summers said the officers’ conduct was and we need our city government to be “just perfect.” Ω making those efforts.”

After months of delays, the Sacramento City Council signed on the dotted line with an East Bay mentoring program that community members hope will greatly reduce gun violence and save young lives. The primary hiccup in entering into an agreement with the program Advance Peace was its insistence on a minimum four-year contract to do the entrenched work that is credited with reducing Richmond homicides and firearm assaults by 50 percent. The city has agreed to that time table and is putting up $1.5 million in matching funds, adding up to a $3 million investment in youth who are seen as at risk of being the victims or perpetrators of gun violence. For city leaders, a breaking point came in August when one person was killed and four were wounded in a gang-related shooting in meadowview park. Elected officials quickly announced a handshake deal with Advance Peace, but it took another four months for the details to be worked out, as the Sacramento Bee first reported. Over the four-year life of the program, representatives will engage 50 young men deemed most likely to be involved in gun crimes and try to steer them onto a different path as fellows. The fellows will be required to make daily check-ins and receive life coaching, social services, job training and other mentoring. After six months in the program, fellows will also receive a monthly stipend of up to $1,000 to subsidize education, work and family commitments. Michael Lynch, co-founder of Improve Your Tomorrow, a peer-mentoring nonprofit in South Sacramento’s Valley High School, said that local connections will be key. “If it works in Richmond, why can’t it work here?” Lynch added. “One of the best parts is they use folks connected to the streets to meet those needs. It’s a huge amount of respect to talk with someone about changing their lives. … It’s a holistic approach from the community perspective.” (Michael Mott)

abandoning reLief One of the biggest cheerleaders for profit-driven education is now standing in the way of helping victims of that system. At least that’s the gist of a lawsuit recently filed by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. In 2016, Becerra’s predecessor Kamala Harris won a $1.2 billion fine against Corinthian Colleges Inc.—better known around Sacramento as Heald College—for false and illegal advertisements that preyed on low-income communities. Corinthian went bankrupt, closing its numerous subsidiaries, including WyoTech and Western Business College. According to the attorney general’s office, the Higher Education Act entitles student loan-borrowers to financial relief on their debts if they’re the victims of fraud. Becerra’s office noted that more than 50,000 such claims have now come in, at least 13,000 of which are from Californians. After launching its own investigation into Corinthian, the Obama administration worked closely with various states’ officials to streamline the process for affected students. But, Beccera pointed out last week, that process has come to a grinding halt under Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Becerra said DeVos had “inexplicably” stopped processing relief claims from victims of Corinthian. “What Secretary DeVos is doing is unconscionable,” Beccera said in a statement. “After having their American dreams stolen by a so-called higher education institution, Corinthian students are now being denied critical relief by a Secretary of Education hostile to their plight.” (Scott Thomas Anderson)

12.21.17 | SN&R | 9

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10 | SN&R | 12.21.17

Courtland’s marina at sunset. The town’s third- and fourth-generation pear farmers are among the north Delta residents who beliveve their businesses and communities will be ended by the twin tunnels. Photo by Scott thomaS anderSon

Bidding in secret Officials quietly solicit contracts on ‘twin tunnels’ project despite lawsuits, lack of permits by Scott thomaS anderSon

Opponents of the embattled “twin tunnels” project in the Delta were breathing a sigh of relief last fall when a $3 billion hole was suddenly blown into its financing scheme. Nevertheless, on December 7, California officials quietly opened a construction bidding process on the conveyance system—despite the missing funding, the project’s lack of permits, dozens of pending lawsuits, 90 percent of needed design work, a damning state auditor’s analysis, and the fact that environmental impact hearings on the tunnels haven’t taken place yet. California officials didn’t announce they were now soliciting contracts to any media, but rather went with the minimal legal requirement of notification on an obscure state website. Officially known as California WaterFix, the twin tunnels project would take a huge volume of fresh water from the north Delta and divert it primarily

to an arid agricultural industry south of Fresno. Conservationists and independent scientists have predicted catastrophic effects on the Delta if the project is built—the result of salt water incursions moving up the estuary from the Bay. That development alone could put farmers, fishers and marina owners out of business from Freeport to Isleton, and kill much of Sacramento County’s annual $507 million agricultural economy. State scientists deny this will happen. In August, an SN&R analysis of the twin tunnels’ 40,000-page environmental impact report revealed additional impacts from 14 years of nonstop construction, including massive excavation, deep dredging, steel pile-driving, the razing of historic homes, the draining of ground wells, and hundreds of heavy diesel trucks rolling across 90-year-old bridges every day for over a decade. (Read “Why save

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

the Delta?” Feature, August, 31, 2017.) The EIR’s graphics indicate that the north Delta’s bucolic riverbanks and sloughs will become a permanent industrial zone. Tunnel foes saw a ray of hope in September when the Westlands Water District unexpectedly voted not to help fund the project, creating an estimated $3 billion shortfall in its budget. But then, on December 6, the Department of Water Resources held what it called “a California WaterFix Industry Day” at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento—and put the event on in conjunction with Metropolitan Water District, one of the largest beneficiaries of the tunnels. Standing in front of some 250 drilling and construction contractors, DWR Director Grant Davis said the state was now accepting requests for proposals for a project he estimated was about a year from breaking ground.

“That certainly has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?” Grant told the contractors and consultants in the audience. “I see a lot of people nodding—bidding opportunities.” The next presentation came from WaterFix program manager Chuck Gardner, whose PowerPoint presentation hinted at the construction boom by referring to “a mega-tunnel project.” That was echoed by the management team’s John Bednarski, who said the tunnels will equal “massive construction efforts taking place.” Bednarski said the bidding processing was starting the next day. His presentation acknowledged only four of the 11 major state and federal permits for the tunnels have been approved. The design of the tunnels and their Herculean intakes is only 5 percent complete, officials also conceded. During a question and answer session, Department of Water Resources contract specialist Nikki Hatcher admitted her department had not notified or advertised the opening of the bidding process in any media, but rather posted the news on the Cal eProcure website, which is a different website than the state’s official California WaterFix site. “I haven’t heard of the website before,” said Barbara Daly of North Delta CARES, a nonprofit watchdog group that opposes the tunnels. Responding to an inquiry from SN&R, DWR spokesperson Erin Mellon wrote in an email that a general time-line for bidding on the project’s construction is posted on the official WaterFix website. However, the graphic that Mellon referred to only notes that the proposals process is slated for some time within a year. Daly stressed that specific notification about the bidding process to media is important—or at least having it spelled out on the state’s official website—because many Californians think the project is on hold. That’s because of an array of lawsuits over imminent domain, business loss and environmental impact, as well as the missing $3 billion in funds and a recent state auditor’s report decrying the project’s skyrocketing costs. The state Water Resources Control Board also hasn’t yet held hearings on recreational and environmental impacts from the tunnels project. “Now they’re signing all of these contracts, but what will happen if the project doesn’t move forward and the contracts are broken?” Daly said. “Are the California taxpayers going to be liable?” Ω

12.21.17

SN&R

Misrepresenting our mission This Sacramento crisis pregnancy center doesn’t fool women seeking abortions by Marie Leatherby

The peer counselors and advocates at Sac The entire basis for Emily Loen’s opinion piece Valley Pregnancy Clinic say nothing of this about crisis pregnancy centers is inherently nature, and I am surprised that Ms. Loen would flawed. She presumes that all crisis pregnancy presume she knows what is stated in every centers are “designed to look medical … and crisis pregnancy center—and that we somehow advertise to pregnant people looking for an all have a joint script. abortion provider.” She also states that Sac Valley Pregnancy Since she specifically called out Sac Valley Clinic, along with all Sacramento crisis pregPregnancy Clinic, I thought it would be helpful to Ms. Loen to have a few more facts. First, we nancy centers, are members of the Christian organization Care Net. While Care Net may list are an accredited medical clinic with an OB/ our organization as a crisis pregnancy center in GYN as our medical director and a registered Sacramento, we are not an affiliate. Affiliates nurse as our clinic director. Second, the vast pay an annual fee of $225 per year. The strange majority of women who come through our misnomer that my family’s long-respected ice doors specifically state that they want to carry cream business somehow has their pregnancy to term but a policy offering free sodas are fearful of how they will to pro-life protesters is also have the resources or confiinaccurate. dence to raise the child—and While comparing most were told by pregnancy women’s health needs to clinics that provide abortions finding the best “rolled tacos that there was nothing they slathered with guacamole” could do to help. certainly catches people’s Sac Valley Pregnancy attention, it also shows Ms. Clinic fills an important need Loen’s deep misunderstandfor these women. We provide ing of the many needs that the resources they need for pregnant women face, far a healthy pregnancy and a beyond the question of happy child—because that is whether or not to have an what they tell us they want. Marie Leatherby abortion. These are strong They are not looking for women working to find the best multifaceted an abortion provider. We provide pregnancy solution for their families and they should tests, STD tests, nondiagnostic ultrasounds and not be treated as somehow incompetent at prenatal vitamins, and we connect women to low- or no-cost prenatal care. Every woman we understanding how to find the care they need and want. see who decides to carry her pregnancy to term We are impressed that SN&R’s new editor receives one of our Baby Baskets that are overvalues making Sacramento a “happier and flowing with baby clothes, diapers, formula healthier community for everyone,” per the and many other necessities that women cannot article published in July. Certainly helping always afford. Every woman we see can come women who find themselves pregnant with to us whenever they have any needs for their nowhere to turn for help in having a healthy family for the rest of their lives. Ninety-nine pregnancy and happy child would fall under percent of the women who walk through our this umbrella. doors state on their exit surveys that they are Ms. Loen, you ask: “Why the lies?” satisfied or very satisfied with the services they I would ask you the same. Ω received at our clinic—a pretty clear sign that they do not feel duped as Ms. Loen suggests. Ms. Loen also generalizes about all crisis pregnancy centers saying, “Once inside, clients are given a home pregnancy test and Marie Leatherby is executive director of Sacramento Life Center, told abortion leads to breast cancer … and which runs Sac Valley Pregnancy Clinic. that your boyfriend is just using you for sex.” 12 | SN&R | 12.21.17

t rs wo the o here’s t

, s e h c Grin

er,

T r um p s 2 0 1 7 of

by Scott Thomas Anderson, John Flynn, Kate Gonzales, Raheem F. Hosseini, Rebecca Huval, Eric Johnson, Rachel Leibrock, Michael Mott and Mozes Zarate Illustrations by Jonathan Buck

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Capitol pervs, hate-crime bigots, bad cops and mural defacers lead our list of the suckiest things to affect Sacramento

Live entertainment tax of 9

not included in ticket price.

ow bad is Donald Trump? We’re suspending our annual Grinch awards in (dis)honor of the alpha and omega of all things gross and contemptible. This year, every sucky thing that happened felt supercharged by the racist bully in chief. Sexual assaults at the state Capitol and in every professional industry? Look to your naked emperor, Donald Trump. Local residents and merchants vilifying homeless people on Facebook or putting down the Women’s March? Credit your source, Donald Trump. Vandals who targeted mosques, temples and churches with their odious incitements? Every swastika you paint is a hieroglyph spelling the name “Donald Trump.” It’s not like bad things didn’t happen before this idiot wind swept into power. They did. And we called them out. But Trump’s repulsive rhetoric and reckless behavior has exposed and empowered the very worst in what we’ll call humanity for lack of a better term. All the terrible crap this year had Trump’s seal of approval. His greasy, stumpy fingerprints. His bankrupt brand. Like few before him, Trump has inspired a gleefully cruel religion in his image—of rapists and sexual abusers following his boastful example; of public officials who can’t take criticism yet feel emboldened to publicly mock; of a subterranean culture of pervs, trolls and Nazis who feel safe to skitter out into the open like the cockroaches they are. We say good. It’ll make stomping them that much easier. Raheem F. Hosseini r a h e e mh @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

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puBLIC DIssErVICE Perv industrial complex Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Or have they? This is unarguably the Year of Fallen Perv—a trend set in motion by disgraced Hollywood slimeball Harvey Weinstein—and it seems like the floodgates won’t close. The Weinstein-fueled #MeToo movement unleashed a torrent of shared experiences and accusations. Every day brings a new report about a powerful man behaving grossly (Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer, Al Franken, Roy Moore) or an old report about a powerful man who has yet to be held accountable (Donald Trump, this list starts and ends with you). Some of those names hit close to home, too. In October, Sacramento entered the spotlight when more than 140 women signed a letter decrying the state Capitol’s “pervasive” culture of sexual harassment. Last month, David Pacheco, director of Sac State’s Fellows Program, came under fire for not taking the appropriate actions in light of sexual assault allegations against Sen. Tony Mendoza (Pachecho has been placed on leave). Then there’s Assemblyman Matt Dababneh, accused by three women of sexual harassment—including allegedly forcing lobbyist Pamela Lopez into a hotel bathroom and masturbating in front of her. Ugh. Shocking? It really shouldn’t be. Sacramento’s home to the O.G. political perv, after all—former Mayor Kevin Johnson. K.J. was first dogged by allegations of child molestation in 2009 when a former underage St. Hope Hood Corps member accused him of inappropriate actions. Johnson, who founded the program and the affiliated St. Hope Charter High School, denied the allegations even as multiple people formerly associated with the campus claimed witness to his shady behavior. Johnson made it through two mayoral terms without having to pay penance for his alleged (always alleged) actions—even after an accuser from his Phoenix Suns days came forward again in 2015. This time she not only agreed to be publicly identified, but Mandi Koba also subjected herself to a brutal round of scrutiny by conducting national interviews with the likes of Deadspin. And yet Johnson continued as mayor, relatively untouched, politically speaking. He was even invited to join Sacramento’s pitch to be the next Major League Soccer city. Maybe Johnson won’t ever hold another office, but he (along with Trump, the namesake for these very awards) is still proof that powerful men don’t just have a history of getting away with abuse—we have a history of letting them. (R.L.)

Ticket to defraud Sacramento’s revenue-hungry meterreaders have taken the task of paying for the Golden 1 Center to heart, issuing a slew of little envelopes on windshields. All year Sacramento media has been hearing complaints about the city’s parking enforcement, ranging from the ticketing of vehicles that have residential permits, the ticketing of cars parked where no restrictions are clearly posted, and the ticketing of cars just minutes after a meter expired. In July,

James and Rebecca May proved to KCRA News that they’d been issued completely bogus tickets three times in one year. In October, city officials thousands themselves admitted that thousands of faulty tickets had been slapped on of faulty tickets had been slapped on cars within a two-week period. Trump

famously lied about getting Mexico to pay for his wall. Is Sacramento fibbing about its paying for proball? (STA)

Move along Imagine you’re just getting to rest after a long day when light pierces your tarp walls and a loud voice tells you it’s time to get movin’. You quickly pack up your belongings and walk away—with a $1,000 fine and possibly a misdemeanor. Thanks to local anti-camping laws, this is the threat to basic human dignity that Sacramento’s homeless individuals face each time they nap in public or pitch a tent. Attorney Mark Merin and Right to Rest advocates argued in court this fall that the law’s application is discriminatory against the homeless community. The jury disagreed—shitty news for the city’s homeless residents and advocates. But if you’re camping out to score on Christmas swag or to see the latest Star Wars movie, your faithful consumerism will be unimpeded by this law. (K.G.)

“trumps” trumps

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“trumps”

Above the law, below decency Want to see what happens to the noble law enforcement profession when an unhinged president buddies up to tin-star loonies like Joe Arpaio and David Clarke? California sheriffs go wild. As the Sacramento Bee and other media outlets reported, San Joaquin County SheriffCoroner Steve Moore is in a cauldron of hot water after two medical examiners blew the whistle on Moore’s alleged attempts to stymie inquiries into multiple deaths caused by his officers. One of those former employees is none other than Dr. Bennet Omalu—that’s right, the real-life NFL-whistleblower who was played by Will

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Master misleader Rep. Tom McClintock’s congressional district includes some of the most precious public land in the world—Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe and a half-million acres of national forests. So McClintock is in a position to fuck up a lot of real nice places. As chairman of the House Federal Lands Subcommittee, he’s in a position to fuck up similarly lovely places all over the country. A bona fide science denier, McClintock believes unlogged forests suffer from something he calls “excessive tree density.” He believes federal lands should be turned over to counties. And, like his president, he is honesty-challenged. For example: Just last week, the Natural Resources Committee passed a McClintock-authored bill amending the Wilderness Act of 1964 to allow bicycles—a move opposed by the International Mountain Bikers Association because: wilderness. McClintock denies that he is cynically using mountain bikes as an excuse to compromise this crucial law because: liar. Here’s your Trumpie award, congressman. (E.J.)

Demo-brats Want to make McClintock look good? Stand him against Democratic congressional challenger Roza Calderon and Paul Smith, leader of a not-so-impartial political group. A power couple this is not. Calderon was reported to Roseville police for a revenge hack into the Placer Women Democrats’ accounting system, while Smith recently speculated whether SN&R’s four stories detailing the couple’s shadiness were backed by the Russians. Here’s to hoping that this is the last time these two comrades get their names in this paper. (J.F.)

No, a different coverup We always thought it was weird when the University of California Regents hired Dubya’s former Homeland Security secretary to preside over its public institutions of higher learning. Those doubts found justification in November, when it was revealed that two top aides to UC President Janet Napolitano messed with a state audit of her financial dealings. As the Los Angeles Times reported: “The audit, released in April, found that Napolitano’s office paid excessive salaries and benefits to its top executives and did not disclose to the UC Board of Regents, the Legislature and the public $175 million in budget reserve funds that could have helped stave off a 2.5% tuition increase this fall.” Those revelations wouldn’t have been made public if California Auditor Elaine Howle didn’t see past Napolitano’s smokescreen. Reminds us of another investigation involving a redheaded gasbag and a country whose name rhymes with “Shhhussia.” (RFH)

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LAW &

DIsOrDEr Excessive overreactions Law enforcement is a difficult job performed under constant scrutiny. For that, good cops should blame these overkillers: At the California State Fair, cops threw 17-year-old Shanita Minor to the ground for “loitering,” a.k.a. what everybody does at the fair. In North Sacramento, officers yanked aside the pregnant Zityrua Abraham, who fell to the ground while they entered her home—the wrong one—in pursuit of a suspect. And finally, in Del Paso Heights, Nandi Cain Jr. got punched 18 times in the head for not jaywalking. Cain’s assaulting officer, Anthony Figueroa, just got cleared to return to the force. Is it a coincidence that each of the victims is black? (J.F.)

Smith in Concussion. The allegations by Omalu and a former pathologist included a ghastly (and apparently medically unnecessary) detail that Moore ordered corpses’ hands to be chopped off for, he said, identification purposes. In Placer County, meanwhile, it’s SheriffCoroner Devon Bell who made the just decision to out troubling abuses within his jail, something that former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is spending three years in prison for not doing. And then there’s Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones, who bookended his next-to-last year in office by hosting the head of Trump’s deportation gestapo and leaking his responses to a state audit, which the auditor said was illegal. Just more proof that when Trump and his pals use the phrase “law and order,” what they really mean is “bullies go free.” (RFH)

Blue snowflakes In an era where Hair Fürher encourages cops to “rough up” the innocent until proven guilty, some law enforcement officials have felt emboldened to troll in real life. The most prolific example

might be the SPD Underground page on Facebook, where purported members of the Police Department have anonymously criticized groups like Black Lives Matter Sacramento. The Facebook group could have been following the example of Sheriff Jones (him again!), who trolled BLM Sac’s founder with a public letter questioning Tanya Faison’s good to the African-American community. According to the Bee, Faison responded that the white sheriff “doesn’t get to tell black people who their leaders are.” No they don’t. But they sure think they do. Case in point: In May, Jones’ predecessor John McGinness was forced to step down from his Robert Mueller-style investigation into the UC Davis Picnic Day melee after telling his KFBK listeners black people had it “much, much, much, much better than before” the Civil Rights Act. Oy vey. Someone gets these guys library cards. (M.M.)

Victims of the prosecution Just as Trump has desecrated what it means to be a law and order politician— sanctioning excessive force, defending accused child molesters and sex criminals (like himself), while decrying those who quietly kneel—some elected prosecutors seem confused about who they should be putting away. Take Sacramento County

District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, who has continued her office’s tradition of being tough on homeless people, sex workers and activists while displaying endless compassion for those in power

and people accused of abusing it. Under Schubert’s leadership, the DA’s office spent considerable taxpayer resources this year prosecuting Sean Thompson for felony assault because he mushed a pie into the face of former Mayor Kevin Johnson. (K.J., who responded by drilling the guy with numerous face-punches, was an absentee victim during trial.) Schubert is the same DA who absolved officers in 14 suspect shootings or custody deaths last year, which is fitting. Fourteen is the number of times two cops shot Joseph

Mann after first trying to run him over last year. Not to be outdone, the San Joaquin County district attorney’s office is currently prosecuting a 25-year-old mother of two for prostitution—after the woman provided the office with evidence that she was a human trafficking victim. If you’re looking for the Trump effect here, maybe it’s that our so-called protectors now think low-hanging fruit is the ripest for the picking. (RFH)

Brew it somewhere else

Bird shots

Cowards work at night From villainizing Mexicans and Muslims to defending neo-Nazis, our president sure led his xenophobic followers by example. And, oh, what that leadership brought to the Sacramento region. Since at least January 31, the Sacramento region has been the victim of a hate spree

that has left few groups unscathed. That day, a Roseville mosque was tagged with anti-Muslim graffiti and MoMo’s Meat Market in Tahoe Park, along with a neighboring barbershop, was spray-painted with racist messages aimed at its African-American owners. By early summer, three different Islamic centers were vandalized with burnt bacon and desecrated Qurans, sometimes in the same act. Arrests have been scarce, though Sacramento police did nab a suspect for allegedly spray-painting swastikas on St. Francis of Assisi Church on 26th Street, while a judge delivered a slap-on-the-wrist sentence to a woman who vandalized a Davis mosque and shared her homicidal ideations on Twitter. In September, a repugnant note left at the door of a black-run beauty salon in Elk Grove prompted a much-needed town hall discussion on race. The well-attended event also showed that bigots are too cowardly to show their faces in public—maybe because they know there’s way more of us than there are of them. (STA)

Is there anything more Sacramento-like than a whiff of snobbery about anything that gets too popular? (Heh, anti-popular vote? That’s certainly in the Trump playbook). Witness the inevitable Lady Bird backlash. Oh, sure, the Greta Gerwigdirected film is the best-reviewed film on Rotten Tomatoes ever, but leave it to us to smugly Sacsplain why it’s really not that good: There are better coming-of-age films filmed in Sacramento (River’s Edge is more than 30 years old and centers on boys—I dunno, maybe they’re just different films?); it didn’t show the right city landmarks; it’s about the privileged elite (sorry, but have you seen the film?), etc. Haters to the left—which in this case would be, uh, Davis. Fitting, really. (R.L.)

A month into the tweeter-in-chief’s reign of terror, the former owner of Twelve Rounds Brewing Co.

learned there can be actual consequences for putting gross things out onto social media. Daniel Murphy begrudgingly resigned after patrons learned of his Facebook posts degrading Islam, gay marriage and participants in the Women’s March. His former brewery is now under new ownership as Porchlight Brewing Co. Sadly, the craft beer world is apparently more accountable than the White House. (J.F.)

Everyone’s an art critic with a spray can This summer’s mural festival Wide Open Walls was not without controversy. Some argued that the commissioned artworks were like gentrification fairy dust, raising rents in their wake. Regardless, it’s not cool to vandalize painstakingly realized artwork. Artist Waylon Horner said he spent 100 hours painting punchy purples on a wall in Oak Park for the festival. In probably a matter of minutes, a vandal spraypainted atop his mural with these words: “Gentrification 101: Make it hip! Fuck that.” It’s not just anonymous taggers damaging artworks. After mere days, Pipeworks painted over one of the Wide Open Walls

murals on its site because the largescale painting wasn’t to its liking. I guess it’s not OK for an artist to follow their own vision if it’s not precisely on brand—even for a week. Adding to the list of fallen creations, a police shooting memorial was wiped clean by the Guild Theater shortly after its creation in November. Granted, this was not a commissioned artwork, making it fall into the category of illegal graffiti. But the line between street art and graffiti can be as blurry as the edges of an aerosol paint streak. (R.H.)

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Just what Dr. Trump ordered Congress couldn’t kill Obamacare in 2017. But in Sacramento County, low-income patients lost out anyway. Meager Medi-Cal reimbursement rates shuttered Women’s Health Specialists in June. For 30 years, the Ethan Way clinic provided affordable repro-health services to women, including abortions. And this fall, Sutter Medical Group stopped accepting patients under Medi-Cal Anthem Blue Cross. Sutter redirected around 10,000 patients. Women’s

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Health Specialists recorded as many visits last year. Those patients now enter a network of free clinics that are over capacity after Obamacare swelled the number of insurees faster than the industry could react. Worse next year: The final draft of the GOP’s new tax plan ends the ACA’s health insurance requirement. Experts predict premiums could spike as folks opt out, leading to costlier health care for people who couldn’t afford it to begin with. (M.Z.)

Raider deflation

It’s pronounced ‘bar ruse’ Echoing Trump’s shady real estate past, Adrian Watson is said to have a problem paying people what they’re owed. Watson’s former employees at

the now-closed Bar Rouse tell SN&R they’re still owed more than $20,000 in back wages. Watson, who was evicted from the Midtown property, is also fighting Sactown Union Brewing Co. in a lawsuit. According to county court records, the brewery alleges he did a poor job on a remodel, then broke into the business after he was replaced by another contractor. Someone’s been reading Trump: The Art of the Deal. (J.F.)

After being the NFL’s most die-hard, intimidating fan base since 1985, the

Beer bye-bye This year saw the biggest boom in craft breweries in the region. But the extra competition felled a giant, Rubicon Brewing Co., which was in its 30th year when it had

to close its doors. The Midtown institution struggled to stay afloat in the flooded market. Whatever its mistakes may have been, Rubicon consistently brewed no-nonsense beer that was a welcome respite from the show-offy varietals that other breweries have pivoted toward. Capitalism can be cruel. (J.F.)

Passive polluter Tom Steyer fashions himself an environmental defender. Sure, he became a billionaire by investing in oil and coal before divesting from those companies, but the prominent Trump antagonist with rumored political ambitions swears he’s found his way. Well, SN&R discovered that California’s top Democratic donor is still happy to profit from destructive mining practices just 36 miles from the

Capitol. Near the tiny town of Ione, developers funded by Steyer and others plan a 113-acre gravel, concrete and asphalt plant that would emit thousands of tons of emissions—nearly double the healthy level—while having “significant and unavoidable” impacts on wildlife. If and when Steyer announces himself as some sort of green candidate, we’ll know which green he’s really all about. (M.M.)

Raider faithful got dumped by their owner—the short-banged, nepotism-

benefiting Mark Davis—after Oakland declined to deliver millions in public funds for a new stadium. Davis took his balls to Las Vegas, which forked over $750 million. This infidelity hits home for local fans, as well as those who still wake up in a cold sweat at the thought of the Kings playing in Anaheim or Virginia Beach. Yet it’s somehow fitting that the town that embraced a failed casino mogul who only enriches himself is also the place where extortion goes to be rewarded. Sin City, indeed. (J.F.)

Stingers, gone Another year, another round of layoffs at the Sacramento Bee. This award isn’t so much for the layoffs—the newspaper business is brutal—but rather because, once again, top brass decided to target its arts writers (full disclosure, this arts writer was laid off by Team Scoopy in 2009). By dismissing talented writers such as Chris Macias and Marcus Crowder, the Bee has shown that even as the city’s artistic profile rises, it doesn’t want to invest in covering its growth. And, no, hiring a stable of freelance writers, however talented, is just not the same for what should be the paper of record. This unwillingness to commit to seasoned, knowledgeable journalists with benefits and long-term security is journalism at its profit-driven, Trump-like worst. (R.L.)

We’re fired

Brown mark

Trump’s retreat from the Paris climate accord—and his elevation of industry cronies to dismantle environmental protections and open spaces—may not have set the world on fire (yet), but we can’t say the same about California. This year, two massive wildfire events scorched NorCal and SoCal, adding up to the deadliest, costliest, most devastating fire “season” in California history. Just when you thought it was safe to discuss the weather around the dinner table, Mother Nature showed she is most definitely not a Trump supporter. (RFH)

In the wake of Trump yanking America out of the Paris climate agreement, Gov. Jerry Brown has played Earth’s Santa-type savior, flying his sled to Russia, Germany and China as he rallies the international community to fight climate change. If only he’d spare some holiday cheer for the people of the north Delta. That’s where Brown is trying to break ground on his notorious twin tunnels project, which the state’s own environmental impact report says would hit the rural Delta with massive excavations, deep dredging, the razing of historic homes, the draining of ground wells and deployment of hundreds of heavy diesel trucks, nonstop, for 14 years. And that’s not counting the scientific debate about whether the tunnels will destroy the Delta’s ecosystem. Brown is all that’s standing between us and climate Armageddon. Now can he take one more teensy step to the left? (STA)

Dam careless After one of the wettest years on record, the Oroville Dam wasn’t ready to handle the aquatic onslaught, prompting the evacuation

of 188,000 downstream residents after both the main and emergency spillways failed. Investigators found 24 possible causes, as well as prior warnings that fell on mostly deaf ears during drought conditions. Look, we get that we now live in a world where Rick Perry is guarding our nukes, but we can’t afford such infrastructural carelessness in the future—if there’s a future. (J.F.)

This story was made possible by a grant from Tower Cafe.

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Don’t love thy homeless neighbor Sacramento is in the midst of a homeless crisis—one the city has failed to adequately address. It’s not just city officials, however, who were particularly Trumpy this year. While neighborhoods across the 916 have grappled with a rising homeless population and the corresponding uptick in panhandling and petty crimes, Land Park residents have set themselves apart by displaying a sometimes startling lack of basic empathy—at least as evidenced by their online activity. The area’s NextDoor group and its closed Facebook “community watch group,” Land Park Society, exhibit the worst NIMBY tendencies. Homelessness is a serious issue—discarded needles, trash and vandalism are legitimate concerns—but nonstop internet sniping and posting photos of homeless people amount to little more than coldhearted shaming. (R.L.)

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Jesus told the money lovers, “You are the ones who justify yourselves … but God knows your hearts.” That lesson was lost on Sacramento business leaders this October. Concerned with a plan to let houses of worship open as temporary homeless shelters, 11 property-based improvement districts, known as PBIDs, signed a letter opposing the idea. It turns out at least a handful of the groups didn’t convene a vote by their boards—which often include local electeds—with only directors ratifying the message that Sacramento should turn its back on those in need. Undercutting democratic principles while screwing the poor? Reminds us of a certain someone. (M.M.)

Courage to escape justice Remember when we learned that the media darling nonprofit Courage Worldwide operated like a money-hungry Christian cult, performing pseudo-exorcisms on underage trafficking victims while taking in money for care it didn’t provide? So why is the group, which lost its state certification and numerous donors, still a member of the county’s official anti-human trafficking coalition, Sacramento Together? Oh, right, this is Trump’s America, so there is no accountability and nothing matters. (RFH)

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Come as you are to ArtMix I never expected to see someone get tattooed at the Crocker Art Museum. But there it was: Between the

Photo courtesy of chrch

CHRCH signs to Neurot

To each their own ... rock.

to 2015’s brutally brooding Unanswered Hymns. Judging by the split album with Fister, CHRCH—already heavy beyond heavy—is getting darker and heavier. The music is expanding, Rose said. Lemos agreed and said the band is “seeing where we can take it.” “The range seems wider,” Cordtz said. “Dynamic is kind of a shitty word, but the range of each part seems Sac’s titans of doom to release bigger.” Signing to Neurot signals not only the fulfillment second full length of personal dreams for Sacramento’s sludgiest doom band, but heightened interest in the local scene at large, by MATT KrAMer CHRCH’s members said. “The music’s translating correctly to the people we Local titans of funeral doom and sludge metal CHRCH want it to,” Lemos said. “Also it makes it feel like all recently signed with Neurot Recordings, as announced the hard work over the last four years is paying off. on December 5. The band—previously on Battleground Hopefully it’ll bring more eyes to the city and to the Records—now joins the ranks of national and international music scene in general.” legends such as YOB, Isis, UFOMAMMUT and Neurosis. Rose agreed with this sentiment and added that the CHRCH’s current lineup is arguably stronger scene’s location in a relatively small city acts as than ever, with Eva Rose on vocals, Chris both amplifier and hindrance. Lemos and Karl Cordtz both on guitar “There’s so many great bands that and vocals, Ben Cathcart on bass come out of Sacramento, and have for “It’s awesome and Adam Jennings on drums. As a really long time,” Rose said. “But to [be on a label] with the band prepares to release its we are still a small town—and that’s second full-length album Light Will cool—a lot of people like that about people you respect for Consume Us All on April 27, its Sacramento. But for music critics sure; people [we] have members are gushing. or whatever, they kind of shun that respected since all of us “It’s crazy awesome,” Lemos aspect of it. Hopefully [this deal] said. “It’s awesome to [be on a label] will bring more attention to some of were young.” with people you respect for sure; the awesome bands.” Chris Lemos people [we] have respected since all of CHRCH is gearing up for a bass, CHRCH us were young.” European tour supporting Light Will In November, CHRCH released its Consume Us All in May. Then the band (presumably) final record on Battleground—a will tour the Southwest. In the meantime, local split with the band Fister—including the new song fans of all things dark, fuzzy and doom-laden can catch “Temples.” They sold hard copies at a December 5 Blue CHRCH at Cooper’s Ale Works in Nevada City on Lamp show with Monarch! and Bell Witch. CHRCH deliv- March 8, playing with Khemmis and Aequorea. Ω ered a classic performance, all band members building a wall of dark sound both somber and powerful, and Rose commanding the stage with a trance-inducing presence. Though the music and tracks for Light Will Consume Listen to chrch at https://churchdoom.bandcamp.com/releases. for tour Us All are still under wraps, if CHRCH’s sneak preview at dates and announcements, visit www.facebook.com/chrchdoomca. Blue Lamp is any indicator, this will be a fitting follow up

mesmerizing snake charmers, fortune tellers and belly dancers on the Crocker’s main stage, people lined up to get new ink by Grass Valley artist Alycia Harr. In the same room, a small, open-mic stage invited the audience to share their own experiences and become part of this night of power and performance. A slideshow flashed images of old newspaper clippings and photos of the inspiration behind this last Crocker ArtMix party of 2017: the family’s wild child, Aimée Crocker. Crocker, the daughter of the museum’s founders who was born December 5, 1864, was what the kids today would call “extra”—a badass woman pushing the boundaries of her time. A regular appearance in gossip columns, she was known for her globetrotting, a friendship with Oscar Wilde, scandalous affairs and five (although she claimed 12) marriages, all before Liz Taylor made divorcing cool. She even had a rumored Amanda Davidson

“We’re standing up for who we are. It’s absolutely what we need right now.”

sexual connection with her pet boa constrictor.

audience member, ArtMix

Flashy tales aside, Aimée was also socially progressive toward sex, gender norms and race issues of the time. She shared these values in her 1936 memoir with the in-your-face title And I’d Do It Again. ArtMix: Bohemia served as a 154th birthday party for the rebel Crocker, and her passions were matched by the night’s performances. Sacramento jazz group Valo Boheme kept the ArtMixers movin’, and UNMATA’s tribal belly dancers were tantalizing as they swayed in unison. Contortionist Jessica Will approached the main stage wearing her own snake like a scarf while the crowd’s excitement built for her performance. Some folks stood silently in awe and others cheered loudly as she stretched and twisted with the snake wrapped around her body. Amanda Davidson was among them. “Seeing all these badass women getting up there to perform—it’s inspiring,” Davidson said. “We’re standing up for who we are. It’s absolutely what we need right now.” Certain Crocker exhibits were open, allowing folks to take a break from the action and find inspiration from a quieter space. Like many of the themed ArtMix events, guests showed up wearing a range of styles. Some were dressed at the height of early 20th century fashion, while others rocked the came-straight-from-work look. And that may be the best part of every monthly ArtMix: It invites Sacramentans to come as they are. And I think Aimée Crocker would approve of that.

—Kate Gonzales k a te g@ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

12.21.17 | SN&R | 21

illustrations By serene lusano

Tasty tongue

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Lengua crispy tacos, chita’s Mexican griLL

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Outside Chita’s Mexican Grill, nail guns cough as fourstory condos rise next to train tracks. Inside, the cozy taqueria serves classic grub at decent prices, such as crispy tacos ($2.95) made with freshly fried shells, pico de gallo and my favorite Mexican meat, lengua—meltin-your-mouth cubes of marinated cow tongue that I, a guilt-ridden carnivore, like to tell myself prevents waste from an already doomed animal. Still, if eating tongue turns your tummy, hot churros ($2.95) are another specialty of the decade-old Midtown spot that’s a comforting constant amid such change. 2019 Q Street, (916) 930-0951, http://chitasmexicangrill.com.

Web headline Web Byline 1 One line summary Wordcount: 375-400

—John FLynn Order the hu tieu beef stew with chewy, curly egg noodles. photo By christine rogers

Mixed bag for Vietnamese eats Saigon Street Eat 1827 Broadway, (916) 443-7888 http://saigonstreeteat.com $$$

Good for: quick servings of Vietnamese favorites West African, East Sacramento Notable dishes: pho, bánh xèo, hu tieu

The Pho Bac Hoa Viet on Broadway was my first introduction to Vietnamese food, and I doubt that I’m alone in that. I lived near there in the late ’90s, and it was part of my meal rotation that leaned heavily on the pho from Pho Bac and the chicken taco plate at Los Jarritos, whose less-than-four-dollar-price fit my Tower Theatre worker budget. I always got the rare steak pho at Pho Bac, trepidatious about the more rubbery or slippery meats, and it was reliably good. Over time, Pho Bac and I drifted apart. My tastes changed as I ventured out to Stockton Boulevard for Vietnamese food more frequently, and eventually all the way to Vietnam. And Pho Bac changed, too. It got dingier and emptier. It closed and reopened and eventually closed for good in spring 2017. In September 2017, new owner Huan Pham opened the spot as Saigon Street Eat. It got a trend-adjacent makeover, with a ceiling lined with colorful umbrellas and a playlist of whispered covers of current radio hits. This conceit starts out amusing (“Is that ‘Black Beatles’ by Rae Sremmurd as an indie-style cover?”) and becomes cloying over time. The menu is unusual in that it contains a mix of standard dishes and oddball fare such as “crabby cream cheese wantons” and Vietnamese tacos. Street Eat is on solid ground with its more traditional meals, such as hu tieu (noodle soup), pho and bánh xèo (crepe). The pho ($9) has broth that’s one-note beefy and 22

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by BEcky GrunEwald

smells strongly of white onion. The rare steak is by no stretch rare, but the well-prepared tendon has a pleasant, gummy texture and is lacking in gamy off-notes. Savory tendon was also abundant in the hu tieu beef stew ($9), which was hearty A.F. and laced with red annatto seed oil. It’s best ordered with chewy, curly egg noodles. The server said the gaminess of the tendon is tempered by cooking it with a secret spice that she wouldn’t reveal. No secret to the bánh xèo ($12), just a good level of crispy crunch and a tangy fish sauce dip with minimal funk. It’s one of the better versions I’ve had around town. The pork bánh mì ($8) does not earn that distinction. It’s loaded with meat that overpowers the palate and sabotages the interplay of spicy jalapeño, crunchy-sweet vegetables and cilantro that makes the bánh mì such a perfect sandwich. This one is twice as big and half as good as those on Stockton Boulevard that cost less than half as much—math that not even the Republicans would be able to spin. Also overloaded with meat are the “Vietnamese tacos” ($6), which were wrapped in raw flour tortillas. Let that last detail sink in. The oily chicken tastes reheated rather than fresh-grilled and is piled high alongside shredded iceberg and a smattering of pickled veggies—an uninspiring dish that needs a healthy slog of sriracha. The most apt comparison for Saigon Street Eat is with Coriander Restaurant, since they are both slightly upscale Vietnamese spots a smidge off the grid. I understand not always wanting to eat on Stockton Boulevard, especially if you live downtown and want a bikeable spot, but if I want close Vietnamese food, Coriander will get my business. It has better pho and I can get a Panic IPA without having to listen to a whispery cover of a Cranberries song. Ω

Pop-up cheer snowbaLL oLd-Fashioned, red rabbit The bartenders at Red Rabbit are obviously psyched that their establishment is one of 50 swank bars in the world to host the “Miracle” global holiday pop-up. From Athens, Greece to Sao Paolo, Brazil, and from Worcester, Mass., to 28th & J, folks will be sipping festive cocktails (recipes by Nico de Soto of New York City’s famed Mace) from ’60s-inspired reindeer tumblers and cuteas-hell Santa-pants cups. This warmer-upper features gingerbread bourbon, muddled clementine and wormwood bitters. 2718 J Street, (916) 706-2275, https://theredrabbit.net.

—eric Johnson

Gluten-free funghi enoki MushrooMs Do you need to cook for a gluten-free relative this season? Consider making enoki saute instead of pasta. Bear with me here: It’s super-easy, customizable and without a speck of wheat. Cut 3 to 4 centimeters of the roots off a bunch of enoki and saute them until tender with butter. Flavor them with (glutenfree) soy sauce, toasted sesame seeds and slivered green onion. Or really impress your cousin by tossing the enoki with marinara and Parmesan for a perfect noodle substitute.

—ann Martin roLke

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by Shoka If we learn anything this holiday season, it’s that hipsters aren’t the only ones who like wearing ironic clothing—we see you, ugly Christmas sweater wearers at the office holiday party—and that vegan eggnog is not just a pipe dream, but easy to find and make. Soy nog by Silk and almond milk nog by Califia Farms are widely available to purchase, but the homemade version will be fresher and healthier without thickeners

or stabilizers. So try this: Blend 1 cup of soaked (for four hours or more) and drained cashews with 2 cups of filtered water until smooth. Add one can of organic coconut milk; five to six pitted Medjool dates; half a vanilla bean; 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; and 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, and blend it, Rudolph. To spice it up even more, throw in a pinch of clove or cinnamon, and to spike it, choose a vegan-friendly rum from www.barnivore.com. Ω

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Just eat it: Diners with ’50s decor

have become cliche, but never had I seen an ’80s diner until walking into the new Back to the 80s Cafe & More in Rancho Cordova. Owner Christopher Knecht says that’s by design. “In the ’70s and ’80s, they wanted to show their kids how it used to be in the ’50s, so they created these ’50s diners,” he says. “Adults now want to be able to show their kids how it was in the ’80s, and so that’s why I created the ’80s cafe.” On its opening day December 2, a line formed outside before the doors at 3084 Sunrise Boulevard had even opened, Knecht says. You might chalk up the restaurant’s early success to its made-for-Instagram concept. The walls and custom-made furniture brim with neon blues, pinks and purples, movie marquees, record covers and tchotchkes that bring back memories in a flash, like Cabbage Patch dolls and Garbage Pail Kids—the ’80s were a strange time when kids longed to cuddle things that smell bad.

What doesn’t smell bad? The cooking of chef Dewayne Browning, whose menu recalls the gleefully unhealthy cafeteria food of those days: monster burgers, french toast strips, chicken tenders and doughnut holes. There’s a long list of milkshakes with fun names—Hubba Bubba, Banana Rama—as well as a Cap’n Crunch shake that tastes like the cereal. A kids’ meal, fittingly named “Kids Just Want to Have Fun,” comes in an era-specific cafeteria tray that has triggered school memories for a few customers, Knecht says. Knecht gathered most of these supplies from his previous venture, an ’80s gift shop in Midtown. His grandfather had owned an antique mall in Iowa. The inventory was then inherited by his father, who was an avid collector in his own right. When Knecht announced his intentions to open up the retail store, his father offered access to his bounty. Knecht drove across the country with two

tractor-trailers full of memorabilia for his store. “It felt like my garage, being able to show everyone all the toys I had as a kid,” Knecht says. “Their eyes would glow and they’d be all ecstatic. I was just like: ‘Man, maybe I have something here.’ … You’d have people crying—they would literally cry and say, ‘I remember this when I was a kid, and I can’t believe you have it.’” Certainly, the decade is back in a big way with the popularity of Netflix’s Stranger Things and a remake of Stephen King’s IT, as well as fashion trends that just won’t die, like bell sleeves. Knecht hopes to capture more of that nostalgia by expanding his restaurant another 1,000 square feet. There, he hopes to add 27 arcade games and a bar—though the space will be all ages. Plus, he’ll sell knick knacks from his former store. “I have 16 storage sheds—about 1,600 square feet—just full of stuff from the ’80s,” he says. Ω

Reviews

Now playiNg

A Christmas Carol

Grit, grace and glamor By Jim Carnes

This is the 30th anniversary of the Sacramento Theatre Company’s musical adaptation. Matt Miller returns as the mean-spirited Scrooge (though he’s being upstaged nightly on TV by grumpy Trump). The songs are holding up well, and Dickens’ parable of compassion for the poor rings particularly true in a city where the homeless are so visible. Wed

7pm, Thu 7pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 2pm. Through 12/24; $40-$20; Sacramento Theatre Company, 1419 H St.; (916) 443-6722; www. sactheatre.org. J.H.

Miss Bennett: Christmas at Pemberly

A Moving Day

Dave Pierini and Buck Busfield’s original holiday play is a fitting finale for the original B Street Theatre. It looks back fondly and looks forward with hope. Thu 8pm,

Ever wonder where those Bennett sisters ended up after all the drama in Pride and Prejudice? In this sweet, sassy sequel we find out what happens to oft-forgotten middle sister Mary—and in true Jane Austen fashion, there is a courtship involved. This new adaptation is a delight and a most welcome reprieve to endless holiday theater retreads. Thu 2pm & 7pm,

Fri 8pm, Sat 5pm & 9pm, Sun 2pm, Tue 6:30pm, Wed 2pm & 6:30pm; through 12/24; $27$39; B Street Theatre, 2711

B St.; (916) 443-5300; www. bstreettheatre.org. J.C.

Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun, 2pm & 7pm, Tue 2pm & 7pm. Through 12/30; $28-$42; Capital Stage, 2215 J St.; (916) 995-5464; http://cap stage.org. P.R.

short reviews by Jeff hudson, Patti roberts and Jim carnes.

They can plié for days.

The Nutcracker

the Nutcracker: fri 7pm, sat 2pm & 7pm. through December 23; $40-$99; community center theater, 1301 L street; (916) 808-5181; www.sacballet.org.

For three decades, the Sacramento Ballet’s performance of Ron Cunningham’s The Nutcracker has been an integral part of Sacramento’s Christmas celebration. The glamorous costuming, the impressive set with a Christmas tree that grows and the “snow” that falls in the ethereal Snowflake Forest never cease to delight. Despite its age, The Nutcracker continues to satisfy. And Cunningham’s casting of kids— about 500 each year—introduces young ones to the beauty and discipline of the dance. The dancers themselves find new challenges each year through their casting in featured roles. The company is blessed with an almost surfeit of talent. So strong is the troupe that such key roles as the Snow Queen and King have four sets of dancers that perform at different shows; there are five ballerinas to dance “The Rose in the Waltz of the Flowers;” and the “Sugar Plum Fairy and Her Cavalier” pairing has 10 dancers in various combinations in the grand pas de deux before the finale. Sunday’s matinee will feature all 10 dancers sharing the roles. Some of the dancers are performing with injuries, including Richard Porter, who nevertheless shone as the Sugar Plum Fairy’s Cavalier at the first performance with live accompaniment. Some shows had recorded music, but all remaining shows will be accompanied by the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra. Ω

Photo courtesy of Keith sutter PhotograPhy

3 Beowulf: a British Panto

The British pantomime (or “panto”) dates back to the Middle Ages and remains a staple of holiday entertainment in Britain. It is often aimed at children and features song, dance, buffoonery, slapstick, cross-dressing, in-jokes, topical references, audience participation, mild sexual innuendo and ... candy. Beowulf: a British Panto by John Savournin is the current offering of Splinter Group Theatre in a coproduction with West Sacramento Community Center. There is a cast of about 13 people (musical director Kathleen Poe is not listed among the actors, though she is the narrator). It is two hours of hilarious mayhem that bear only a slight resemblance to the oldest long poem of English literature. Set in Denmark in the 11th century, Beowulf tells the story of King Hrothgar and the attacks on his castle by monsters. Beowulf is the hero who comes to kill the monsters and, in the process, awakens a dragon (Grendel), which then must be destroyed. The dragon’s mother is not happy. Not much funny in the plot, but in this production, everything becomes a joke (sometimes a very corny, old, familiar joke, the more off-color the better). The children in the audience, especially, loved it. Elliot Herzer, in the cross-dressing role of Grendel’s mother, is worth the price of admission. Breanna Reilly as Hrothmund, the king’s daughter, is also excellent, and Jonathan Plon is the perfect hero. —Bev SykeS Beowulf: a British Panto: thu 7pm, sat 2pm & 7pm, sun 7pm. through 12/23; $10-$15, $5 for children under 6; Black Box theatre at the West sacramento community center, 1075 W. capitol ave in West sacramento; www.splintergrouptheatre.com

fouL

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5 suBLiMe– DoN’t Miss

Photo courtesy of JereMy DaNieL

The townsfolk totally huddle like this on a normal basis.

Bottom on top California Musical Theatre’s new production, Something Rotten, was awarded 10 Tony and 13 Drama Desk nominations when it opened on Broadway in 2015. Set in 1595, Something Rotten follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, two playwrights who desperately want to write a hit play but are always upstaged by the rock star William Shakespeare. When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theater involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first musical.Thu 2pm & 8pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 2pm, Tue 8pm, Wed 8pm. Through 1/7; $25-$97; Community Center Theater, 1301 L Street; (916) 557-1999; californiamusicaltheatre.com

—Bev SykeS

12.21.17

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e cat fi i t Cer

by DAniel BArnes

Duris) swipe the drug-hazed younger Getty (Charlie Plummer, no relation to Christopher) off the sideRidley Scott directs this entertaining but uneven walk and speed away in their minivan to a remote true-life drama about the 1973 kidnapping of John Paul country farm. A famously stingy negotiator, the Getty III, a situation that dragged on for months when elder Getty was known as the world’s first billionthe teenager’s billionaire oil tycoon grandfather refused aire, but he is unmoved by news of his grandson’s to pay his ransom. As is so often the case with Scott’s abduction, and he announces to the press that he movies, All the Money in the World is impeccably has no intention to pay the ransom. mounted but disjointed as drama, a producBehind the scenes, Getty assigns Fletcher tion design triumph with a shortage of Davis to oversee the investigation, but substance, and only strong performances he seems just as interested in gaining keep the film from falling apart. leverage over Gail, his estranged Of course, one of those strong ex-daughter-in-law. Although Only strong performances almost never Williams adds additional layers to performances keep happened. By this point, the the character with her performance, onscreen story of All the Money in Scott and screenwriter David the film from the World has been overshadowed Scarpa (adapting the book by John falling apart. by the offscreen drama, which saw Pearson) largely define Gail by disgraced actor Kevin Spacey’s her disinterest in the Getty fortune. scenes as the elder J. Paul Getty hastily This family-first attitude renders her re-shot with Christopher Plummer. I an unreadable opponent in the eyes of the can’t review a performance I never got to elder Getty, who cares more about artifacts and see, but Spacey sucks, so it’s not hard to imagine him paintings than he cares about bringing his grandson sucking as Getty. At any rate, Spacey never could have home in one piece. captured the vulnerability that Plummer manages to Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski (who also find in this unquestionably venal man. It’s a remarkable shot Alien: Covenant, the other film that the performance that the film doesn’t fully deserve. octogenarian Scott released this year) does excelIf only Plummer could have also replaced Mark lently polished work here, his camera athletically Wahlberg as Fletcher Davis, the ex-CIA agent and following characters through crowded spaces and Getty employee who oversaw the ransom negotiations. down narrow corridors. A cat-and-mouse chase It feels like a functional supporting role got beefed up through narrow cobblestone streets at the end feels to attract a star, as the film becomes overly interested tacked on, but the images are still powerful. Some in Fletcher’s moral “awakening,” which only distracts people simply can’t be replaced by Christopher attention from the characters that really matter. Plummer. Ω Wahlberg makes matters worse by delivering a stiff and monotone performance—he’s the scowling square peg in this otherwise exceptional ensemble. All the Money in the World opens on the decadent Poor Fair Good Very excellent streets of Rome, as outlaws led by Cinquanta (Romain Good

1 2 3 4 5

fiLm CLiPS

BY DANIEL BARNES & JIM LANE

SMOG CHECK

The Disaster Artist

In his 1994 masterpiece Ed Wood, director Tim Burton pulled off an amazing balancing act. His biopic about the director of lowbudget, mid-century schlock somehow laughed around Wood and his ensemble of oddballs without laughing at them. James Franco’s The Disaster Artist, a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Tommy Wisseau’s 2003 disaster turned cultural phenomenon The Room, occasionally executes a similar feat. It follows the evolving friendship between the mysteriously wealthy pseudo-vampire Tommy (James Franco) and struggling actor Greg Sestero (Dave Franco), tracking them from their first improvclass encounter through the process of shooting and screening their infamous magnum opus. The Disaster Artist clearly holds a weird level of affection for The Room, but stacking the cast with a This is the End-style comedy ensemble, only to have them sit around commenting on Wisseau’s follies like they were guests on a podcast, exposes the movie’s smugness. D.B.

Downsizing

Director Alexander Payne’s well-earned reputation for sharp satire and keen observation takes a bad beating with Downsizing, a thoroughly disjointed and misguided collaboration with longtime writing partner Jim Taylor. Matt Damon stars as Paul Safranek (an early sign of trouble: mispronouncing the protagonist’s name becomes a recurring joke), a Nebraska working stiff who dreams of a more luxurious life. Paul’s prayers are answered when Norwegian scientists develop technology that shrinks humans to five inches in height. Originally developed to minimize environmental impact and save the planet, miniaturization grows into a trendy lifestyle choice, and Paul and his wife (Kristen Wiig) decide to take the plunge. He undergoes the invasive process, but she backs out at the last minute, leaving Paul stranded in the small world and leaving the audience stranded one-third of the way through a film that has effectively concluded. In no time, Downsizing descends into tonal and thematic chaos. D.B.

Just Getting Started

The resident manager of a retirement community (Morgan Freeman), long accustomed to being cock of the walk (in every sense), gets unwelcome competition from the newest resident (Tommy Lee Jones)—then the two must put aside their squabbling when Freeman’s former mob associates show up to try to rub him out. With this cast (also Rene Russo, Elizabeth Ashley, Jane Seymour, Joe Pantoliano, George Wallace and the late Glenne Headley), and with Ron Shelton writing and directing, we might have expected more than the standard geezer-fest out to snag seniors’ spending money—but as it happens, we don’t even get that much. The movie is a ghastly, ramshackle mess, lurching from gag to clunking gag and exacerbated by Barry Peterson’s harsh cinematography, making everyone look considerably older than they are. J.L.

The Man Who Invented Christmas

The story of how Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) came to write A Christmas Carol in 1843 gets a terrible mangling at the hands of writer Susan Coyne and director Bharat Narulli. Dickens’ tale did indeed play a major role in shaping how the English-speaking world celebrates the holiday, and Dickens often spoke of his characters crowding him in his study, badgering him to tell their stories (hence the presence here of Christopher Plummer as Ebenezer Scrooge himself). But Coyne and Narulli strike a false note virtually every minute, beginning with a ridiculous portrayal of the author’s 1842 American tour and running through the climactic Christmas tree in his parlor. The impression, despite Paki Smith’s sumptuous Victorian production design, is one of constant, cheesy falsehood and wasted opportunity. J.L.

Roman J. Israel, Esq.

One of the last true movie stars, Denzel Washington is so casually great that he often obliterates co-stars and overwhelms

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We’re just as surprised, Jack Black, that this sequel turned out well.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Four high-schoolers on detention (Alex Wolff, Morgan Turner, Ser’Darius Blain, Madison Iseman) find an old video game in the school storeroom and begin to play—only to be yanked into it, morphing into their chosen avatars (Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black) and forced to play for life-or-death stakes. Joe Johnston’s underrated 1995 Jumanji (from Chris Van Allsburg’s book) had wild adventures encasing a warmly sweet heart, and director Jake Kasdan manages to nicely duplicate the formula, albeit at somewhat greater length—a result, perhaps, of too many writers (Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Scott Rosenberg, Jeff Pinkner). Still, the kicks keep coming and the stars have a lot of fun channeling their teenage alter egos. A final cameo from an unbilled Colin Hanks wraps things up well. J.L.

plots, and the lion’s share of his starring vehicles succeed as character studies first and as movies second, if at all. Case in point: Roman J. Israel, Esq., the latest film from Nightcrawler writer-director David Gilroy, and an only slightly less seedy look at the Los Angeles underbelly. Playing the title character, Washington simultaneously anchors and elevates this solid if obvious legal drama, showily disappearing into the title role of a sad-sack civil rights-era relic getting his first taste of temptation. Washington gets ample opportunity to layer his performance with subtly scene-stealing mannerisms, and as a character, Roman J. Israel, Esq. is a non-stop thrill ride of actor choices. As for Roman J. Israel, Esq., the film: It’s a decent morality play, although a step down from Nightcrawler. D.B.

The Shape of Water

Guillermo del Toro directs this beautifully designed but clumsily arranged sci-fi love story about a mute janitor (Sally Hawkins) who falls for a magical creature (a motion-captured Doug Jones). Hawkins’ plucky Eliza pushes a mop at a mysterious research laboratory overseen by a teeth-gnashing sadist (Michael Shannon, of course), but the arrival of a strange, glowing, fishlike humanoid from the Amazon sparks something inside her soul. Eliza enlists the help of her kindly coworker (Octavia Spencer) and her closeted gay neighbor (Richard Jenkins) to free the beast, with Russian spies in pursuit while an unlikely romance blooms. Although set in an unofficially segregated 1960s Baltimore, The Shape of Water drips with Amelie-like whimsy, right down to Alexandre Desplat’s concertina-heavy score. The film has great pieces that rarely fit together, and the binary connections that del Toro makes between civil rights struggles and merman love are fairly insulting. D.B.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

The galactic civil war goes on, with the Resistance on the run under Gen. Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher, who finished shooting shortly before her death last year) and the Force-savant Rey (Daisy Ridley) seeking to recruit the reclusive Luke Skywalker (Mark

Hamill) back into the struggle. Writer-director Rian Johnson falters a bit, missing the gee-whiz thrill J.J. Abrams gave The Force Awakens—and where Abrams left us eager for more, Johnson leaves us sated and willing to wait a couple of years for the next episode. Still, there’s plenty of fun to be had, and seriesfaithful won’t be disappointed. J.L.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Writer-director Martin McDonagh previously gave us two smart and self-aware genre films with In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths, but this feels more like the work of someone who spent his entire life locked in a dark room, only learning about human nature through the movies. Frances McDormand leads the cast as Mildred Hayes, a grieving mother still burning mad about her daughter’s unsolved murder. Mildred directs her righteous rage at the racist police force led by Chief Willoughby (Woody Harrelson), purchasing three billboards along the same stretch of road where her daughter was raped and killed. From the hate-speech shock value of the dialogue to the insertion of a rapist ex machina, Three Billboards … is genuinely loathsome. D.B.

Wonder Wheel

In 1950s Coney Island, a young woman (Juno Temple) shows up on the doorstep of her estranged father (Jim Belushi) and his second wife (Kate Winslet), fleeing from her mobster ex-husband after turning state’s evidence. Writer/director Woody Allen is near the top of his game in terms of the performances he draws from his cast, especially Temple (someone to watch) and Winslet (never sharper or braver), and including Justin Timberlake as a lifeguard attracted to Temple while having an affair with Winslet. But the acting and Vittorio Storaro’s sun-splashed photography can’t compensate for Allen’s tiresome return to his most distasteful theme: having inconvenient people murdered and getting away with it—Crimes and Misdemeanors, Match Point and now this. It’s well done, but unpleasant and unsatisfying. J.L.

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You should be

getting it

Road warriors Con Brio brings its onstage bravado to Sac by Caroline Minasian

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Photo courtesy of con Brio

This vibrant energy translates to shows as well. McCarter nailed a backflip onstage at Austin City Limits, and it was no fluke: “I started taking gymnastics because [a backflip] seemed like a gesture to get the crowd amped up.” Con Brio knows its strength is in live performances. The band has been touring a lot the past couple of years, which means living in close quarters most of the time. (We’re talking Con Brio has a thing for bandanas. seven musicians in two-or-threebeds close, so it’s a good thing their chemistry is solid.) Bandanas and socks that separate the big toe And Con Brio has nailed it down: “We wake from the rest—these are some of the presents Con up, drive wherever, sound check, play the show, Brio received from a fan in a crowded train station enjoy the nightlife and repeat,” McCarter explains. in Tokyo, Japan. Lead vocalist Ziek McCarter With aggressive tour schedules come missed describes it as bizarre. birthdays and births back home, but McCarter says “She found us in a train station with a rolling the crew is grateful to do what they love. They’ve backpack full of presents,” he says. “How did she recently started cutting back on touring to focus on even know where we were?!” writing songs. Most recently, the band collaborated Toe socks aside, Con Brio is a seven-member with songwriters in Los Angeles on a new album band that formed in 2013 and grew organically from scheduled to be released spring 2018. the Bay Area’s music scene. Multiple jam sessions “We’ve learned to get out of our own way [with] between members resulted in an undeniable chemregards to making decisions, taking chances istry, and they thought, “Hey, why not?” and creating and collaborating in Their instincts were right. Con certain ways,” McCarter says. “It is Brio’s music is a rare blend of funk all new right now and completely “We have a and happiness woven into a soulful eye-opening since we’ve all lot of cooks in the package by McCarter, Brendan learned how to just flow.” Liu (trumpet), Marcus Stephens kitchen, and seven He says Con Brio is (tenor sax), Benjamin Andrews excited to return to Harlow’s cooks equals a lot of (guitar), Patrick Glynn (keyboard), stage December 27 with new flavor.” Jonathan Kirchner (bass) and songs to share. Andrew Laubacher (drums). In “We rehearse and have a Ziek McCarter the band’s newest single “All Over bit of a blueprint but treat every lead singer, Con Brio Me,” the instrumentals create a sultry night fresh,” he says. edge that begs listeners to dance—or at It’s likely they’ll enact their preleast sway—to the uplifting lyrics. show rituals: huddling before taking the Offstage, they embody the same affirmative, stage, McCarter chewing gum (a second-nature chilled-out vibes. necessity) and Stephens punching a clock as they “I’m not a car horn user,” McCarter says. “I’ve all scream, “Let’s work!” never honked to express frustration with someone McCarter says Con Brio will play the because it just doesn’t get anything done.” Sacramento show like it’s the last show of 2017— Their positive songs focus on love and in other words, expect a lot of sweat and laughter. passion, inspired by young artists such as The Perhaps Con Brio will even get a few more toe Weeknd and Khalid. socks to add to its collection. Ω “To see Khalid, a young black male out of Texas hitting the pop charts … it is a beautiful thing,” McCarter says. Their creative process is simple: “We have a lot check out con Brio at harlow’s restaurant & nightclub 7 p.m. Wednesday, of cooks in the kitchen, and seven cooks equals a lot December 27. tickets are $15. of flavor.”

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12.21.17 | SN&R | 29

for the week of december 21

by kate gonzales

POsT eVeNTs ONlINe FOr Free AT

www.newsreview.com/sacramento

THe FONTAINe ClAssIC: Devin Ferren and Mark Larson. 8pm, $5. Luna’s Cafe & Juice Bar, 1414 16th St.

luCID: With Fate Under Fire, Roman Pilot. 5:30pm, $12-$15. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.

NATHAN PACHeCO: The tenor performs music from his upcoming Christmas album.

7:30pm, $18.75-$49. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

NON GrATA: See event highlight on page 32. 7pm, $12-$15. Red Museum, 212 15th St.

rOCKIN rYAN AND THe reAl GONers: Los Angeles rockabilly band performs with Frankie and the Defenders. 8pm, $8. The Hideaway Bar & Grill, 2565 Franklin Blvd.

TIDINGs OF JAZZ & JOY: Keiko Matsui with Euge Groove, featuring Lindsey Webster and Adam Hawley. 6:30pm, $45-$80. McClellan Conference Center, 5411 Luce Ave.

SATURDAY, 12/23 ANXIOus ArMs: With Videotape, The Seafloor Cinema, Damper, Orinda. 6pm, $5. The Silver Orange, 922 57th St.

weD

PHOTO COURTESY OF COLBY KEATON

The Darling Clementines.

The Darling Clementines Kinky Christmas Holy Diver, 8 p.m., $15 The holidays can be stressful. After all the awkward family dinners, finding enough scratch for presents Burlesque and answering annoying questions about resolutions, you deserve a treat. Enter: The Darling Clementines’ Kinky Christmas, a variety show with

spoken word artist Duke the Bossman out of Oakland, live music by SpaceWalker and Ray Moulin and, of course, sexy burlesque dancers who will deliver the gift of kink with shakes and shimmies. www.holydiversac.com, 1517 21st St.

AsHleY BArrON: Sacramento country singer.

7:30pm, $5. Goldfield Trading Post, 1630 J St.

THe GrOOVe lINe: An all-vinyl tribute to James Brown. 10pm, $5-$10. Momo Lounge, 2708 J St.

AN IrIsH CHrIsTMAs: A celebration of Christmas in Ireland with live music, carol singing and award-winning Irish dancers. A tradition on PBS and in Folsom. 11pm, $23-$48. Harris Center, 10 College Parkway in Folsom.

leFT COAsT lOVe—A NOrCAl wIlDFIre BeNeFIT: Sacramento punk duo Dog Party performs with Destroy Boys, Hi Mom! and Fonty to benefit the North Bay Fire Relief. 7pm, $13. Ace Of Spades, 1417 R St.

THe sACTOwN THrOwDOwN 2017: Featuring City of Trees Brass Band, Paul Nicholas Slater, MLEO, Animals In The Attic. 7pm, $10-$15. Holy Diver, 1517 21st St.

WEDNESDAY, 12/27 BIT CrusHer: A benefit show for Cafe Colonial. With Floral Jacket, Sloome, Fonty, Meet Cute, Lucky/You, Sam Peter and the Village. 8pm, call for cover. Cafe Colonial, 3520 Stockton Blvd.

CON BrIO: With Tracorum. 8pm, $15-$18. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.

New OrleANs seCOND lINe eXTrAVAGANZA: See

MUSIC

sOulFul sATurDAYs (ON A THursDAY): With

The Philharmonik and BluPrynt. 7pm, $15. Harlow’s, 2708 J St.

THURSDAY, 12/21

sTATe CAPITOl HOlIDAY MusIC PrOGrAM: Free musical performances in the Capitol rotunda. Welty Strings performs at 11am, Vocal Art Ensemble at noon and Mellodika Harp Duo at 1pm. 11am, no cover. California State Capitol, 1315 10th St.

AuDIO Muse: Crocker Art Museum’s new monthly music and visual arts series features funk group Joy and Madness. 6:30pm, $8-$14. Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St.

JOCelYN MeDINA: New York vocalist Jocelyn

TODD ruNDGreN: Rock artist and songwriter

Medina. Local saxophonist Byron Colborn will open. 7pm, $5-$10. Gold Lion Arts, 2733 Riverside Blvd.

SN&r

12.21.17

who has performed with the Band and the Psychedelic Furs performs. 7:30pm, $39.50$59.50. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

FRIDAY, 12/22 A rOCKIN’ HOlIDAY: DJs play hip-hop sets and performances by Rage Against the Machine tribute band Revolver and ThroBaq: a hip-hop and R&B cover band. 9pm, $7. Old Ironsides, 1901 10th St.

BIllY lAwler: With Chris Cotta. 8pm, $7. Shine, 1400 E St.

CeMeTerY suN: With NERV, Demon in Me, Our People. 6:30pm, $10-$12. Holy Diver, 1517 21st St.

event highlight on page 32. 8pm, no cover. Shady Lady, 1409 R St.

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS THURSDAY, 12/21 HOlIDAY DONATION sTATION: Toys, clothes, art supplies and other donations for children accepted from 10am to 7pm. 10am. Shriners Hospital for Children—Northern California, 2425 Stockton Blvd.

MACY’s THeATre OF lIGHTs: Old Sacramento lights up for the holidays with juggling,

snr c a le nd a r @ ne wsr e v ie w.c o m

Online listings will be considered for print. Print listings are edited for space and accuracy. Deadline for print listings is 5 p.m. Wednesday. Deadline for NightLife listings is midnight Sunday. Send photos and reference materials to Calendar Editor Kate Gonzales at snrcalendar@newsreview.com.

musical and dance performances. 4:30pm, no cover. Delta King, 1000 Front St.

rON AND sAM’s uGlY sweATer PArTY: An ugly sweater Christmas party with prize giveaways, a chicken-and-waffle snack bar, complimentary cookies and drink specials. 9pm. Alley Katz, 2019 O St.

sANTA PHOTO DAY: Bring your wish list and join Santa for poolside pictures and enjoy a swim in the indoor heated pool. Share a photo online to be entered to win a month of free swim lessons. Noon, no cover. Downtown Sacramento Ice Rink, 701 K St.

FRIDAY, 12/22 DOwNTOwN rOseVIlle PHOTOs wITH sANTA: Family photos with Santa at various businesses in Downtown Roseville through the end of December. Bring a donation of dog or cat food and other SPCA donations for $5 off the cost of photos. 11:30am, $5$10. Blue Line Arts, 405 Vernon St., Suite 100 in Roseville.

GlOBAl wINTer wONDerlAND: Illuminated landscapes celebrating holidays around the world. Food, photos with Santa and holiday shopping. 5pm. $16-$18. Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd.

MACY’s THeATre OF lIGHTs: See event listing

on 12/21. 4:30pm, no cover. Delta King, 1000 Front St.

THe NuTCrACKer IN OAK PArK: A classical, soulful and modern version of The Nutcracker ballet. Classical ballet mixed with hip-hopping rats and an updated, localized version of this story. Benefits the National Girls Self-Esteem Project. 7pm, $10. Fruitridge Community Center, 4000 Fruitridge Road.

SATURDAY, 12/23 11TH ANNuAl POsADAs: A traditional Christmas Posadas for the community with a posole dinner, piñatas, mariachi music and more. Donations like toys, blankets, pajamas or gift cards will be accepted for older children. 6pm, no cover. Robertson Community Center, 3525 Norwood Ave.

A HePCAT’s HOllA’DAY—PeTer PeTTY’s swINGIN’ YuleTIDe reVue: Emcee and bandleader Mr. Peter Petty hosts a Christmas music variety extravaganza with plenty of music, comedy, a bit of striptease and surprises. 7pm, $25. CLARA Auditorium, 1425 24th St.

AlTerNATIVe MeDICAl CeNTer HOlIDAY APPreCIATION DAY: A day of music, cannabis vendors, food from Drewski’s and more with a minimum donation. 9am, no cover. Alternative Medical Center, 1220 Blumenfeld Drive.

BAD sANTA PArTY: A Christmas party. 8:30pm, no cover. Blue Lamp, 1400 Alhambra Blvd.

CHrIsTMAs FesTIVAl AND MeXICAN POsADA: A Christmas Festival Posada for the Fruitridge Road corridor community. Free with the donation of one unwrapped gift for Shriners Hospital for Children. 4pm, no cover. Fruitridge Community & Aquatic Center, 4000 Fruitridge Road.

DDsO HOlIDAY POP-uP: Verge Center for the Arts and Developmental Disabilities Service Organization partner to offer a shopping

FRIDAY, 12/22

Posada Navideña HArris center, 7:30 p.m., $19-$39

sales benefit the Actors Workshop of Sacramento. Through 12/31. $20. 1721 25th St.

Whether or not you were raised with the Mexican Christmas traditions like large tamale dinners, Ballet Folklórico’s annual Posada Navideña will bring a unique joy to you and your family. The Mexican ON STAGE folk dance company will take the audience through Mexico’s region’s with songs, a procession, a visit from the Three Wise Men and more. Celebrate Christmas with this Sacramento tradition. 10 College Parkway in Folsom, www.harriscenter.net.

Sacramento’s Mexican folk dance company, entertain for the holidays. 7:30pm Friday, 12/22. $20-$39. 10 College Parkway in Folsom.

CAPITAL STAGE: Miss Bennet Christmas at Pemberley. A sequel to Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice shows Mary Bennet growing tired of her role as a dutiful middle sister in the face of her siblings’ romantic escapades. Through 12/30. $33-$42. 2215 J St.

ART ARTHOUSE ON R: Big Show of Small Treasures. An exhibit of little works by local artists. Through 1/8. No cover. 1021 R St.

CHAUTAUQUA PLAYHOUSE: The Regifters. A holiday comedy about a couple who re-gift a not-so-great present, only to discover it’s worth a fortune. Through 1/14. $19-$22. 5325 Engle Road in Carmichael.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RObERTO RObLES jR.

HOLY DIVER: Kinky Christmas. See event experience with original artworks, pillows, clothing, jewelry and more. 11am, no cover. Verge Center for the Arts, 625 S St.

DOWNTOWN ROSEVILLE PHOTOS WITH SANTA: See event listing on 12/21. 11:30am. Blue Line Arts, 405 Vernon St., Suite 100 in Roseville.

GLOBAL LOCAL MERCADO: Handmade gift items, art and cultural goods by local and global vendors. Rolas y Ritmos by the Raza Vinyl Collective will spin tunes. time, no cover. Sol Collective, 2574 21st St.

GLOBAL WINTER WONDERLAND: See event listing on 12/22. 4:30pm, $16-$18. Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd.

MACY’S THEATRE OF LIGHTS: See event listing

on 12/21. 4:30pm, no cover. Delta King, 1000 Front St.

MANZANITA & HOLIDAY CHEER: Celebrate Christmas with live country and bluegrass music, holiday cocktails and more. 2pm, no cover. Country Club Saloon, 4007 Taylor Road in Loomis.

HOLIDAY DINNER OF HOPE: Join Sacramento Kindness Campaign for food, art, entertainment and the chance to help your neighbors. 6pm, no cover-$25. Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, 2425 Sierra Blvd.

MONDAY, 12/25 CHRISTMAS AT CAP: Kick back and let Capitol Garage take care of your Christmas Day meal. 8am, 4:30pm, no cover. Capitol Garage, 1500 K St.

TUESDAY, 12/26 PUNK ROCK PIZZA PARTY: Make room, taco Tuesdays, for this weekly gathering of punks who love pizza. Pizza Cult provides the pies, along with music, movies and concert clips playing in the background. 9pm, no cover. Holy Diver, 1517 21st St.

FILM

THE NUTCRACKER IN OAK PARK: See event listing on 12/22. 2pm and 7pm, $10. Fruitridge Community Center, 4000 Fruitridge Road.

SUNDAY, 12/24 CHRISTMAS FEED: Donate what you can to help make sure everyone gets a warm meal this Christmas. Accepted items include paper goods, side dishes, desserts or an online monetary donation. 10am, no cover. Corner of 47th Ave & Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

FREE ADMISSION DAY & CANNED FOOD DRIVE: Enjoy the magic of Fairytale Town for free when you donate a canned good for the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. 10am, no cover. Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Dr.

GLOBAL WINTER WONDERLAND: See event listing on 12/22. 4:30pm, $16-$18. Cal Expo, 1600 Exposition Blvd.

THURSDAY, 12/21 LOVE ACTUALLY: Love it or hate it, it’s the time of year when folks screen this romantic comedy following the lives of eight couples with interweaving stories. 7pm, $8. State Theatre Auburn, 985 Lincoln Way in Auburn.

SATURDAY, 12/23 WHITE CHRISTMAS: The classic Christmas musical starring Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. 3pm, $7.50-$9.50. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

THE NUTCRACKER IN OAK PARK: See event listing on 12/22. 2pm, $10. Fruitridge Community Center, 4000 Fruitridge Road.

FOOD & DRINK THURSDAY, 12/21 WINTER SOLSTICE RITUAL AND FEAST: A potluck feast in celebration of Winter Solstice. Bring food or drink to share. 7:30pm, no cover. 418 Lodge, 1723 25th St., Loft E.

FRIDAY, 12/22 CHRISTMAS PAJAMA PARTY: Drink and be merry in your jammies. Crispin Hard Cider will be on site with drink specials. 5:30pm, no cover. Firestone Public House, 1132 16th St.

SACRAMENTO COMEDY SPOT: Sydney Stigerts’ Ugly Sweater Comedy Show. Wear your favorite ugly sweater for this one-of-a-kind comedy show featuring Daniel Marotte, David Shapiro, Nicole Eichenberg and Chelsea Bearce. 8pm Friday, 12/22. $8. AntiCooperation League. A high-energy improv show inspired by live, on-stage interviews. 9pm. Through 12/23. $12. 1050 20th St., Suite 130.

highlight on page 30. 8pm Wednesday, 12/27. $15. 1517 21st St.

CROCKER ART MUSEUM: Richard Diebenkorn: Beginnings, 1942-1955. An exhibit of the artist’s evolution through 100 paintings and drawings that precede his shift to figuration. Through 1/7. $5-$10. 216 O St.

SACRAMENTO COMMUNITY CENTER THEATER: The Nutcracker. Follow Clara’s Christmas Eve journey through the Snowflake Forest and the Kingdom of Sweets. Through 12/23. $25$89. 1301 L St.

E STREET GALLEY: Small Works of Art. Holiday

SACRAMENTO THEATRE COMPANY: A Christmas

gifts that are handmade by artists and easy on your budget. Through 1/28. No cover. 1115 E St.

Carol. Returning after a five-year hiatus, this adaptation of the classic Dickens novel shows Scrooge’s greed-filled past, his void of forgiveness and his fate if he doesn’t change his ways. Through 12/24. $20$40. 1419 H St.

ELK GROVE FINE ARTS CENTER: Small Treasures Show. Works by artists who created themed series of small treasures on 5-by-7 inch wood panels. Through 12/27. No cover. 9080 Elk Grove Blvd. in Elk Grove.

SUTTER STREET THEATRE: Holiday in the Hills. The 12th year of the popular holiday musical will be filled with skits, music and dance, in a unique story that takes place in Folsom during the 19th century. Through 12/23. $15$23. Madeline’s Christmas. The Madeline book series comes alive in this musical set in the Paris girls’ school. Through 12/30. $13-$17. 717 Sutter St. in Folsom.

TOMMY T’S COMEDY CLUB: Comedian Mike E. Winfield. The Sacramento-raised, Baltimore-born comedian who was on The Office and other series performs. Through 12/23. $20-$30. 12401 Folsom Blvd. in Rancho Cordova.

THE COLONIAL THEATRE: Erotic Hypnosex Live. A master hypnotist will thrill the crowd with sexual hypnotism. Get naughty without removing any clothes, get drunk without booze and get high without any weed—see for yourself if the hypnotist can enter your mind. 8:45pm Friday, 12/22. $8-$24. 3522 Stockton Blvd.

ON STAGE BLACK BOX THEATRE AT WEST SACRAMENTO COMMUNITY CENTER: Beowulf. King Hrothgar and Beowulf fight to save their kingdom from the dreadful dragon, Grendel, and his even more dreadful Mum. Through 12/23. $15. 1075 West Capitol Ave. in West Sacramento.

THEATRE IN THE HEIGHTS: The Game’s Afoot (Or ... Holmes for the Holidays). A holiday whodunit starring Sherlock Holmes. Through 12/29. $15. 8215 Auburn Boulevard, Suite G in Citrus Heights.

CALIFORNIA STAGE COMPLEX: Someone Else’s Home for the Holidays. A Christmas comedy written by Dave Pierini. Ticket

THREE STAGES AT FOLSOM LAKE COLLEGE: Ballet

Intersection. The two-person show features the collaborative and individual works by Kathy Dana and Donald Satterlee—artists and longtime friends. Through 1/25. No cover. 723 S St.

KENNEDY ART GALLERY: Expose In Photography & Postcards on The Edge. A display of photography and postcards. Through 1/7. No

cover. 1931 L St.

MAIDU MUSEUM & HISTORIC SITE: Voice Exhibit. An exhibit highlighting the work of indigenous women artists. Through 12/23. $2-$5. 1970 Johnson Ranch Dr. in Roseville.

PENCE GALLERY: Kurt Fishback: Portraits of Women Artists. An exhibit of photographs of 71 artists, including Ruth Rippon and Hung Liu, in their Sacramento studios. Through 1/14. No cover. 212 D St. in Davis.

WAREHOUSE ARTIST LOFTS (WAL): Creativity+ Storytelling. See event highlight below. 5:30pm Thursday, 12/21. No cover. 1108 R St.

CALENDAR LISTINGS CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Folklórico. Thirty dancers and musicians of

SUNDAY, 12/24 IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: George Bailey looks past life’s limits and finds his way with the guidance of his guardian angel. 3pm, 7:30pm, $7.50-$9.50. Crest Theatre, 1013 K St.

MACY’S THEATRE OF LIGHTS: See event listing

on 12/21. 4:30pm, no cover. Delta King, 1000 Front St.

comedian performs. 8pm Friday, 12/22. $20. Holiday Comedy Competition with Mike E. Winfield. The Sacramento comedian affiliated with Netflix and Comedy Central hosts this comedy competition. 8pm. Through 12/27. $15. 2100 Arden Way, Suite 225.

BEATNIK STUDIOS: Dana & Satterlee’s

COMEDY BLACKTOP COMEDY: Game Night Improv for Everyone. Play games like those you remember from Whose Line Is It Anyway? All levels of experience welcome. 7pm Thursday, 12/21. $10. Your F#$&! Up Relationship. Relationship stories from audience members are the inspiration for improv. 8pm Saturday, 12/23. $5-$10. 3101 Sunset Blvd., Suite 6A in Rocklin.

CSZ SACRAMENTO: Shower Thoughts—Improv Comedy. Long-form improv presented by a super group of performers from Sacramento theaters and schools. 10pm Saturday, 12/23. $8. 2230 Arden Way, Suite B.

PUNCH LINE: Christmas With Leaf. Comedian Anthony K and guests Mike Betancourt, Tom Bomb and Budman and Booger perform. 8pm Thursday, 12/21. $15. Comedy Allstars with Dennis Gaxiola. California

THURSDAY, 12/21

Creativity + Storytelling WAL, 5:30 p.m., no cover

Two creatives + two different storytelling platforms = a night of insight and inspiration. Through Creativity+, an ongoing speaker series at Warehouse Artist Lofts, journalist Frances Wang of ABC10 and clothing designer Samuel Rose will TALK share their unique experiences as storytellers. The Creativity+ sessions, which include two 15-minute talks and a 30-minute Q&A, are meant to show and share the talents of the region’s diverse creative thinkers—and they’re always free! 1108 R Street, www.facebook.com/ creativityplussacramento.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAvID MONTGOMERY

12.21.17 | SN&R | 31

See mOre eveNtS ANd Submit yOur OwN At NEwSrEviEw.COm/SaCramENTO/CalENdar

The group will carol, sign special Christmas cards and protest Gov. Jerry Brown’s support of the fossil fuel industry. Bring instruments, bells and candles. 7pm, no cover. Governor’s Mansion, 1526 H Street.

wEdNESday, 12/27

iNterFAitH HOmeLeSS memOriAL Service:

New Orleans Second Line extravaganza shady Lady, 8 p.M., no coveR

The Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness commemorates National Homeless Memorial Day. The names and ages of the 112 people who died in the region in 2017 will be read. 7pm, no cover. Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 2620 Capitol Ave.

tHe decOLONiZAtiON PrOJect ceLebrAtiNg tHe wiNter SOLStice: The launch of The

Throw on your dancing shoes and a handful of beads and welcome the newest NewOrleans style group to town: Dirty Chops Brass Band. The party will kick off muSic PHOTO COUrTESy OF STEPHaNiE bOUzard at Shady Lady, a bar known for hosting big brass bands. Dirty Chops, along with City of Tress Brass Band and Element Brass Band, will take to the street with music and revelry in true New Orleans fashion. You might not be able to carry around a hurricane like you can down South, but this mashup is as close to the real thing as a California city can get. 1409 R Street, www.facebook.com/dirtychopsbrassband.

Decolonization: A Year of Unlearning and Creating. This program will be based on nature’s seasonal cycle and activities will be related to an overarching theme each season. The first meeting will include vegan chili (bring your own utensils and drinks to be eco-friendly); a community discussion about goals; brainstorming; and a short activity. 5:30pm, no cover. The Washington Neighborhood Center, 400 16th St.

SAc ceNtrAL LAbOr cOuNciL vOter regiStrAtiON cOmmittee meetiNg: Organize around making working family values and issues a priority for our elected officials. 6pm, no cover. Organize Sacramento, 1714 Broadway.

mONday, 12/25 breAKFASt FOr SAcrAmeNtO’S HOmeLeSS: cALeNdAr LiStiNgS cONtiNued FrOm PAge 31

mUSEUmS

Sacramento-Hagginwood Library, 2109 Del Paso Blvd.

NOrtH SAcrAmeNtO reSOurce ceNter LibrAry reveAL: The opening of the center’s new borrowing library, which helps get a book into every child’s home. 10am, no cover. North Sacramento Family Resource Center, 1217 Del Paso Blvd.

AerOSPAce muSeum OF cALiFOrNiA: Take Flight. This exhibit shows the evolution and history of flight and helps guests understand how lift, thrust, drag and gravity are important to achieve flight. through 1/9. $8-$10. 3200 Freedom Park Drive.

cALiFOrNiA AutOmObiLe muSeum: NorCal’s Fastest: Racing from the Grassroots to the Professional. An exhibit focused on the locals involved with the racing scene, and showing the cars and memorabilia accenting their legendary stories. through 3/12. 2200 Front St.

TUESday, 12/26 phase calendar and star finder. 12:30pm, $7-$8. Powerhouse Science Center, 3615 Auburn Blvd.

wEdNESday, 12/27 JuNiOr ZOOKeePer HOLidAy cAmP: Kids can learn what it’s like to be a zookeeper through hands-on activities. They’ll meet ferrets, skunks, tortoises and more. 10am, $174-$198. Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, 403 Stafford St. in Folsom.

all aGES

create three-dimensional art inspired by abstract ideas and artists like Joan Miro. Activities will include paper maché, creating figurines and more. 9am, $30-$100. Verge Center for the Arts, 625 S St.

SPOrTS & OUTdOOrS THUrSday, 12/21 9ruN6 FAb 40S HOLidAy LigHtS ruN: Take a jog through the Fabulous 40s to check out the light displays. 6:30pm, no cover. McKinley Park, 601 Alhambra Blvd.

HOLidAy LigHtS wALK Or ruN: Join the run (or walk) around the Fabulous 40s neighborhood to see the festive lights. Ugly (or pretty) Christmas attire encouraged. 6:30pm, no cover. Peet’s Coffee, 3711 J St., Suite A.

THUrSday, 12/21 AFterNOON Art FOr KidS: A drop-in program for kids to experiment with various materials to create art. Intended for children ages three and older. 2pm, no cover. Sacramento Public Library — North

yOgA Seed HOLidAy FLOw: A holiday yoga session that covers breathing techniques and core awareness and gently heating the body. Restore your body so you can spend quality time with loved ones. 11am, $15-$20. Yoga Seed, 1400 E St., Suite B.

JOb cOAcH: Get help in your job search in a one-on-one meeting with a trained job coach who can help you spruce up your resume, build better job searching techniques and practice the interview. Reservation required. 4pm, no cover. Sacramento Public Library, 6700 Auburn Blvd. in Citrus Heights.

reiKi circLeS: Learn how Reiki works and experience both giving and receiving Reiki. All experience levels welcome. 4:30pm, $10. Positive Practice Metaphysical Store, 2721 Fulton Ave.

SaTUrday, 12/23 PAiNt PArty: Sip wine and paint a picture, with step-by-step guidance from an artist. Noon, $45. La Huaca, 9213 Sierra College Blvd., Suite 140 in Roseville.

SUNday, 12/24 PerSONAL deFeNSe cLASS: Learn how to access your primal instincts for survival and respond to a threat. Noon, $15. The Firehouse 5, 2014 9th St.

SKetcH it: Visitors ages 5 and older can sketch at their own pace while receiving drawing instruction. No experience necessary, and all supplies are provided. 11am, no cover-$10. Crocker Art Museum, 216 O St.

wEdNESday, 12/27 tASte teSt—drOP-iN imPrOv cLASS: Play improv games, make friends and learn basic improv skills in this drop-in improv class suited for any skill level. 7pm, $6. Comedy Spot Training Center, 915 T St.

TaKE aCTiON THUrSday, 12/21 creAtive cArOLiNg FOr A cLeAN cALiFOrNiA!: Join the Indigenous Women of the Americas Defending Mother Earth Treaty signers and members of Idle No More SF Bay as they protest in a unique way: through caroling.

POSt eveNtS ONLiNe FOr Free At

www.newsreview.com/sacramento

LittLe ArtiStS wiNter cAmP: Campers will

cALiFOrNiA StAte rAiLrOAd muSeum: Off The Clock. An exhibit focused on the wide variety of sports clubs, teams, and athletic competitions that many Southern Pacific employees participated in during evenings and on weekends in the early to mid1900s. through 6/1. $10-$15. 111 I St.

SUNday, 12/24

Share your blessings with those who have less than you on Christmas morning. Donate your time or your money by contacting breakfastprogramsac@gmail.com. 8:45am, no cover. Friendship Park at Sacramento Loaves & Fishes, 1321 N C St.

THUrSday, 12/21

diy ObServAtOry: Construct your own moon

cALiFOrNiA muSeum: Arte y Almas: Dia de los Muertos 2017. Contemporary installations by artists’ collectives from Mexico and California artists Luis Campos-Garcia and Oscar Magallanes. through 12/30. $9. Beauty and the Beast: California Wildflowers and Climate Change. A display of images by San Francisco Bay Area-based photographers Rob Badger and Nita Winter that illustrate the impacts of climate change on a universal symbol of beauty: the wildflower. through 1/28. $9. 1020 O St.

Effie Nature Center, 2850 San Lorenzo Way in Carmichael.

ClaSSES

SaTUrday, 12/23 wiNter wONderS: Stroll with a naturalist in

32 | SN&R | 12.21.17

our own winter wonderland and discover the magic of the season. 10:30am, no cover.

Friday, 12/22

A Night of Performance Art The Red MuseuM, 7 p.M., $12

Step into a world that challenges conventions in art, sound and sight, as international performance artists join ON StAge homegrown creatives at The Red Museum. See the work of the provocative group Non Grata, an Estonia-based performance group with edgy messages. Steve Vanoni, an artist whose work ranges from steel cutting and clay sculpting to spoken word, will share his creative work, alongside experimental Sac musicians UBERKUNST and Sac artists Danae Davis and NOT. 1500 K Street, www.facebook.com/theredmuseum.

PHOTO COUrTESy OF NON GraTa

submit your calendar listings for free at newsreview.com/sacramento/calendar thursday 12/21

Friday 12/22

saturday 12/23

Erin Jarvis, Brian Lee Bender, 7pm, call for cover

Anthony Pfluke, 7pm, $15

Fierce Fridays, 7pm, call for cover

Spectacular Saturdays, 8pm, call for cover

BaR 101

Todd Morgan, 9:30pm, no cover

QuarterHorse Drive, 9:30pm, no cover

Blue lamp

Dru Down, 8:30pm, call for cover

Bad Santa Christmas Party, 8:30pm, call for cover

Scarface, Georgeous George and more, 8:30pm, $25

A Christmas of Sorts with DJ SwitchBlade and more, 8pm, $10

1500 k st. (916) 444-3633

Capitol Fridays (Reggae Party), 10pm, no cover before 10:30pm

Dinner and a Drag Show, 7:30pm, $5-$25

coRneR pockeT

Riff/Raff Christmas Bash, 9pm, $8

Houses of the Holy, 9:30pm, $5

The acousTic den cafe

10271 Fairway driVE, rosEVillE, (916) 412-8739

Badlands

PopRockz ’90s Night, 9pm, no cover

2003 k st., (916) 448-8790 101 Main st., rosEVillE, (916) 774-0505 1400 alhaMbra blVd., (916) 455-3400

The BoaRdwalk

9426 GrEEnback ln., oranGEValE, (916) 358-9116

Christmas Party with Raycity, Davey Dee and more, 8pm, $5-$15

capiTol GaRaGe Photo courtEsy oF kEnny trEy

the Philharmonik with Bluprynt 7pm Thursday, $15 Harlow’s R&B

7777 sunrisE blVd., citrus hEiGhts

counTRy cluB saloon

Acoustic Country with Stone Rose Band, 8pm, call for cover

Ugly Christmas Sweater Party with The Golden Cadillacs, 9pm, call for cover

Xmas with Kenny Frye, 9pm, $5 or Christmas donation

faces

Dragon, 10pm, $10

Absolut Fridays, 9pm, call for cover

Decades, 7pm, call for cover

faTheR paddy’s iRish puBlic house

Andrew Little, 6pm, no cover

Salvage Covers, 7pm, no cover

Chris Cruz, 7pm, no cover

fox & Goose

Chicken & Dumpling, 8pm, no cover

Coyote Reverie, Trevor McCord, 9pm, $5

Mango Jennings, Santa Elvis and more, 9pm, $5

2000 k st., (916) 448-7798

1001 r st., (916) 443-8825

Goldfield

Monday-wEdnEsday 12/25-27 Open-Mic, 6:30pm, W, no cover

4007 taylor road, looMis, (916) 652-4007

435 Main st., woodland, (530) 668-1044

Sunday Beer Bust, 4pm, no cover

Trapacana, 10pm, W, no cover

Christmas at Cap (Brunch and Dinner), 8am, 4:30pm, M, no cover

Sunday Funday, 3pm, call for cover

Noche Latina, 9pm, T, no cover

All-Vinyl Wednesdays, 8pm, W, no cover

Ashley Barron, 7:30pm, $5

1630 j st., (916) 476-5076

halfTime BaR & GRill

College Night, 9pm, no cover

Elevation, 9pm, $5

Essex, 9pm, $5

Let’s Get Quizzical Trivia Game Show, 7pm, T, no cover

2708 j st., (916) 441-4693

Soulful Saturdays (on a Thursday) with the Philharmonik, 7pm, $15

Lucid, Fate Under Fire, Roman Pilot, 5:30pm, $12-$15

The Funky Sixteens, 8pm, $10

Con Brio, Tracorum, 7pm, W, $15-$18

hiGhwaTeR

On the Low, 9pm, no cover

DJ Deleo & Record Club, 10pm, no cover

5681 lonEtrEE blVd., rocklin, (916) 626-3600

haRlow’s Photo courtEsy oF EnriQuE chaVEz

sunday 12/24

1910 Q st., (916) 706-2465

mleo

holy diVeR

with Animals in the Attic 7pm Saturday, $10-$15 Holy Diver Alternative rock

kupRos

1517 21st st.

Dylan Crawford, 9:30pm, no cover

1217 21st st., (916) 440-0401

luna’s cafe & Juice BaR

Tussle, 10pm, T, no cover; Only the Good Stuff, 10pm, W, no cover

Cemetery Sun, NERV and more, 6:30pm, $10-$12

The Sactown Throwdown 2017, 8pm, $10-$15

Kinky Christmas: A Naughty List Variety Show, 8pm, W, $15

Alex Jenkins Trio, 9:30pm, no cover

Michael Ray, 9:30pm, no cover

Open-Mic, 7pm, T, no cover; Ross Hammond, 7:30pm, W, no cover

Tyler Fountaine Classic, 8pm, call for cover

1414 16th st., (916) 737-5770

Christmas Eve w/ Kevin and Allyson Seconds and more, 8pm, call for cover

2708 J Street Sacramento, CA 916.441.4693 www.harlows.com

2708 J Street www.momosacramento.com

12/23 10PM $5ADV

THE GROOVE LINE – ALL VINYL PARTY: TRIBUTE TO JAMES BROWN 12/30 6 PM $15ADV

HERSTORY WITH TIA FERRERA 12/31 9PM $15ADV

NYE WITH DJ JB

SOULFUL SATURDAYS

(OAKLAND, CA) 1/11 8PM FREE

DISCOVER THURSDAY: THE MINDFUL, IN THE KNOW TRIO 1/13 9PM $10ADV

IDEATEAM

SACRAMENTO’S FAVORITE DJS EVERY FRI AT 10PM

For booking inquiries, email Robert@momosacramento.com

12/27 7PM $15ADV

CON BRIO TRACORUM

(ON A THURSDAY) FEAT. PHILHARMONIK 12/22 5:30PM $12ADV

LUCID

FATE UNDER FIRE, ROMAN PILOT (ALL AGES)

1/4 8PM FREE

1/10 5:30PM $8

COMING SOON

12/21 7PM $15

DISCOVER THURSDAYS: HAYEZ, DAVID MCKISSICK QUARTET BOURBON & BLUES: STEVE FREUND TRIO

Comedy Open-Mic, 7:30pm, W, no cover; Caleb Duffy’s Wino Christmas, 8pm, W, $5

12/22 9:30PM $12ADV

NIGHT MOVES

12/28 7PM $8ADV

JR HALLIDAY BIRTHDAY BASH FEAT. ZUHG AND MANY MORE 12/29-30 9PM $25ADV

THE MOTHER HIPS

(BOB SEGER TRIBUTE), CREEDENCE CLASSIC REVIVAL FEAT. RANDY SCOLES FROM ROGUE

12/31 9PM $30ADV 12/23 8PM $10

THE FUNKY SIXTEENS HOUSE OF MARY, PETTY PARTY

NYE WITH MUSTACHE HARBOR

01/05 Joy & Madness 01/12 Captain Coop 01/13 Irishpalooza 01/13 Suzanne Santo 01/14 Mod Sun 01/18 Jocelyn & Chris Arndt 01/19 Dustbowl Revival 01/20 Flesheaters 01/22 Alex Skolnick Trio 01/23 Mild High Club 01/25 Lee Scratch Perry 01/26 W. Kamau Bell 01/30 Howard Jones (SOLD OUT) 01/31 Johnny A. 02/03 New Kingston 02/9-10 Tainted Love 02/11 Ghostemane 02/15 The Main Squeeze 02/20 The Blasters 02/23 ALO 02/25 Noah Gundersen 12.21.17 | SN&R | 33

submit your cAlendAr listings for free At newsreview.com/sAcrAmento/cAlendAr thurSDaY 12/21

friDaY 12/22

SaturDaY 12/23

momo sacramento 2708 J St., (916) 441-4693

old IronsIdes

Open Acoustic Jam, 7pm, no cover

DJ Nocturnal, Vox Society Revolver and more, 9pm, $7

on tHe Y

Open-Mic Comedy, 8pm, no cover

Straight Through, Atombomb, Red Pills, 9pm, call for cover

Pint and Flight with Altamont Brewing Co., 6pm, no cover

Ranell Carpenter Band, 8pm, no cover

Non-Fiction, 8pm, no cover

Arden Park Roots, 10pm, $10

Grooveline, 10pm, $10

1901 10th St., (916) 442-3504 670 fulton ave., (916) 487-3731

PlacervIlle PublIc House

414 Main St., Placerville, (530) 303-3792

PowerHouse Pub

614 Sutter St., folSoM, (916) 355-8586

tHe Press club

Karaoke, 9pm, T, no cover; Open-Mic Night, 8pm, W, no cover Open 8-Ball Pool Tournament, 7:30pm, $5 buy-in

sHadY ladY

Harley White, 9pm, no cover

1409 r St., (916) 231-9121

socIal nIgHtclub

1000 K St., (916) 947-0434

stoneY’s rockIn rodeo

Open Christmas, 10am, M, no cover; Karaoke, 9pm, T, no cover

Brodie Stewart Band, 9pm, no cover

Trivia, 7pm, T, no cover; Bingo, 6:30pm, W, no cover

The Bumptet, 9pm, no cover

Shawn Thwaites Rebel Quartet, 9pm, no cover

Dirty Chops Brass Band (Second Line Event), 8pm, W, no cover

Bad Santa, 10pm, no cover with Santa costume

Louie Giovanni, 10pm, $5 after 10:30pm

1028 7th St., (916) 400-4341

with Destroy Boys 7pm Saturday, $13 Ace of Spades Punk

The Stockings, Jazzbo’s Paradox, 9pm, $5

Reggae Night, 9pm, T, no cover; Emo Night Christmas Vacation, 8pm, W, $5

sauced bbQ & sPIrIts

dog Party

MonDaY-WeDneSDaY 12/25-27

Trash Rock Christmas, 8pm, no cover

2030 P St., (916) 444-7914

Photo courteSY of Dog PartY

SunDaY 12/24

All-Vinyl Groove Party (Tribute to James Brown), 10pm, $5-$10

1320 Del PaSo BlvD., (916) 927-6023

Country Thunder Thursdays, 8pm, no cover for 21+, $5 for 18-21

Country Dancing and Karaoke, 6pm, call for cover

Hot Country Saturdays, 7pm, $5

Sunday Funday, 9pm, $2-$10 after 10pm

tHe torcH club

Elvis Cantu, 9pm, $6

Dana Moret, Mr. December, 9pm, $8

The Nibbers, 9pm, $12

You Front the Band Karaoke, 8pm, no cover

Sactown Playboys, 9pm, W, $5

Open Christmas Eve, all day, no cover

Open Christmas, 3pm, M, no cover; Whiskey on the Wood w/ The Macallan, 6pm, W, $60

904 15th St., (916) 443-2797

wIldwood kItcHen & bar 904 15th St., (916) 922-2858

Yolo brewIng co.

Extra Innings, 6pm, no cover

1520 terMinal St., (916) 379-7585

College Wednesdays, 9pm, W, call for cover

Julie and the Jukes, 6pm, no cover

All ages, all the time ace of sPades

Left Coast Love with Dog Party, Destroy Boys and more, 7pm, $13

1417 r St., (916) 930-0220

sHIne

Shine Jazz Jam, 8pm, no cover

cafe colonIal

Open-Mic Night, 8pm, no cover

1400 e St., (916) 551-1400 3520 StocKton BlvD., (916) 718-7055

tHe colonY

3512 StocKton BlvD., (916) 718-7055

Billy Lawler, Chris Cotta, Cloud Hats, 8pm, $7

Questionable Trivia, 8pm, T, no cover Cafe Colonial Benefit w/Lucky You and more, 8pm, W, call for cover

Godstomper, JKKFO and more, 8pm, call for cover

40 BEERS ON TAP

IT'S THE LAST HURAH!

KILL THE KEG SPECIALS • $3 DRAFT BEERS ALL NIGHT 25th:

21st • 8p: STONE ROSE country acoustic • free show 22nd • 9P: GOLDEN CADILLACS $5 outlaw country straight outta Texas + UGLY SWEATER CONTEST! 23rd • 9p: KENNY FRYE BAND $5 new country with a great high energy show + UGLY SWEATER CONTEST! 24th: ALL DAY CHRISTMAS PARTY 6-12 noon. Breakfast burritos & mimosas

CHRISTMAS DAY absolutely bloody mary bar

26th : BOXING DAY PARTY BBQ wear your country gear & eat for free! smoked ribs, tri-tip & more. starts at 4:20 until it's gone 27th • 8p: HANS ANDERSON 90’S ALT. $5 90's cover show 28th • 8p: ISLAND OF BLACK AND WHITE $5 best local band around

DRINK SPECIALS EVERY NIGHT! $1 Buck Night Tuesdays! $4 Craft Drafts, Mon-Wed $3 Jamo Mon-Wed

21+ Venue 4007 Taylor Road • Loomis, CA {EXIT I-80 TO SIERRA COLLEGE}

916-652-4007 • countryclubsaloon.com

MUSTARD SEED SCHOOL TOY DRIVE THRU DECEMBER!!

When you bring an unwrapped toy for kids up to 15 years old, no cover charge!

NOMINATED BEST DANCE CLUB 2017

STONEYS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BASH FREE TURKEY DINNER, .50 CENT PBR & $2 JACK DANIELS 7-9PM! PBR WEEKEND AFTER PARTIES FRI JAN 26 BOBBY ZOPPI BAND SAT JAN 27TH CRIPPLE CREEK BAND SUNDAY FUN DAY DJ AFTER PARTY!

STONEYS 11TH ANNUAL NYE BASH PRESENTED BY 92.5 THE BULL SUNDAY DEC 31ST!! GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!!

1320 DEL PASO BLVD IN OLD NORTH SAC

STONEYINN.COM 34 | SN&R | 12.21.17

916.402.2407

LIVE MUSIC DEC 23 - SPARE PARTS DEC 24 - CLOSED DEC 30 - SCOTTY VOX DEC 31 - NYE: DRUNKEN KUNG FU JAN 06 - 6 - DENVER SAUNDERS JAN 07 - AARON SNOOK JAN 20 - TWO PEACE

33 BEERS ON DRAFT

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+

/BAR101ROSEVILLE

ALL AGES WELCOME!

1417 R Street, Sacramento, 95811 • www.aceofspadessac.com SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23

LEFT COAST LOVE

ARNIE STATES

DOG PARTY, DESTROY BOYS, HI MOM!, FONTY FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29

COMING

FRIDAY, JANAURY 12

SATURDAY, JANUARY 13

SAVED BY THE 90’S

THE ENGLISH BEAT

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30

FRIDAY, JANUARY 19

NEF THE PHARAOH

V101’S OLD SCHOOL HOUSE PARTY OUT SOLD SATURDAY, JANUARY 20 SUNDAY, JANUARY 21

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31

IRATION

BUCKETHEAD

THE MOMENT, TYRONES JACKET

SATURDAY, JANUARY 6

LONG BEACH DUB ALLSTARS

TUESDAY, JANUARY 23

AUGUST BURNS RED OCEAN GROVE, BORN OF OSIRIS, ERRA

SOON

01/25 The King and AVATAR 01/26 MESHUGGAH 01/27 Chris Robinson Brotherhood 01/30 Silverstein & Tonight Alive 02/03 Alex Aiono 02/09 LP 02/10 Elysium Live 02/11 Jeezy 02/12 J Boog 02/14 Judah & the Lion 02/15 Tune-Yards 02/16 Mo & Chshmere Cat 02/17 Kali Uchis 02/18 Ron Pope 02/20 Motionless in White 02/21 Black Label Society 02/22 Theory of a Deadman 02/23 Ty Dolla $ign 02/28 Pop Evil 03/02 STARSET 03/03 NOTHING MORE 03/05 BROCKHAMPTION SOLD OUT! 03/06 ZZ Ward 03/07 Iced Earth 03/09 New Politics 03/10 NF SHOW ADDED 03/11 NF SOLD OUT! 03/13 Stone Temple Pilots 03/21 Flogging Molly

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT ALL DIMPLE RECORDS LOCATIONS AND WWW.ACEOFSPADESSAC.COM

S u p p O RT

S AC R A M E N TO ’ S N E MuSIC SCE

For more than 25 years, SN&R’s

Sacramento Area Music Awards Show (SAMMIES) celebrates the best in local music by recognizing emerging and popular Sacramento bands and solo performers that illuminate the region’s vibrant music and art scene. The SAMMIES has helped launch and develop national break-out artists such as Tesla, Cake, Deftones, Oleander and Autumn Sky. Sponsorship opportunities are available now so that you, too, can be part of the celebration happening on March 15, 2018 at Ace of Spades in Sacramento.

SACRAMENTO.

b ec o m e a S p o n S o r o f th e

This is our city. DS M US IC AWAR SACRAM EN TO

for more information, contact (916) 498-1234 or SammieS@ne wSre vie w.com

This is your paper.

piCk iT up TOdAy. 12.21.17 | SN&R | 35

Print ads start at $6/wk. (916) 498-1234 ext. 2 Phone hours: M-F 9am-5pm. Deadlines for print: Line ad deadline: Monday 4pm Display ad deadline: Friday 2pm

Online ads are

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My relationship began as a booty call. After we began dating, she accused me of ongoing alliances with past girlfriends. Her accusations intensified whenever we planned our future. She hacked my emails, texts and social media, sending wild, harassing accusations to my exes, female neighbors and business associates. She even attacked my adult children for their relationships with my former girlfriends. She also behaved this way during her marriage. Apparently, her father was a philanderer. My friends say her issue is deep and not likely to change. I’m hung up on her and can’t move on. Maybe I’m in love or addicted to her?

exhibit the depth necessary for your relationship to mature into love. What’s odd is this: Why haven’t you protected yourself? If a male associate hacked into your email and social media and sent harassing messages to your fam and friends, would you shrug it off? If not, why haven’t you protected them from her? How can you imagine a future with a woman who doesn’t trust you and who you cannot possibly trust? Real love begins with attraction and honest conversation. Over time, those convos allow trust to grow until a commitment is possible. Please stop trying to justify your girlfriend’s paranoia by telling yourself her father had affairs and that’s why she spied on her ex-husband and Romanticizing dysfunctional behavior doesn’t trust you. Redirect your works beautifully in novels, energy to figure out why you films, theatre and poetry, pursued a woman with because our immersion Sex whom you cannot build a into experiencing the bonds us stable, loving, commitcrazy is limited. We ted relationship. Boom. can put the book to each other. That’s right, this is down for a while. about you, not her. You’ve confused The theatre perforSharing an incredible mance will end in 90 that connection sexual connection with minutes or so. Film someone does not mean credits will roll in two with love. that you are meant for one hours. We can tolerate another. Some people enjoy any emotional discomfort the thrill of sex with a partner that might arise because there’s who will abandon them, emotionally an implicit trust in the limited time and otherwise. So, yeah, let’s talk about frame. your childhood. And if you’re making In daily life, tolerating unbalanced a holiday gift list, be sure to add behavior normalizes and sustains it. psychotherapy or personal coaching for So while a film character might try to yourself. Ω prove her interest by eliminating her sweetheart’s previous loves, viewers can tell that that the character needs MedItAtIon of tHe Week serious psychological counseling. We twist in our seats hoping the male “No one is busy in this world. character has enough sense to escape It’s all about priorities,” despite their passionate sex scenes. We according to an anonymous know she is dangerous and can’t figure source. Have you bought into out why he’s blind to her abuse. the lie that busy is a sign of He—ahem, you—need to redefine success? what true love is. Let’s drop a pin on your life map so you can find a way back to your common sense. Begin here: You don’t love your girlfriend. Write, email or leave a message for You’re not addicted to her, either. Joey at the News & Review. Give your name, telephone number What’s left? Attachment. Sex bonds (for verification purposes only) and question—all us to each other. You’ve confused that correspondence will be kept strictly confidential. connection with love. Relationships that begin with sex can thrive if the couple Write Joey, 1124 Del Paso Boulevard, Sacramento, CA also develops emotional intimacy, affec95815; call (916) 498-1234, ext. 1360; or email tion and trust. Your girlfriend didn’t askjoey@newsreview.com.

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SN&R’s

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Best strain you’ve found for movie watching? Why?

—Kiefer Dabberman Live resin (hash made with a heat press from a fairly fresh cannabis plant) is delicious, but it has a short shelf life. I like the classics, like a good cold water hash. Frenchy Cannoli and Dank Duchess make really good concentrates. Look for a clean pesticide test—cannabis concentrates are in fact concentrated cannabis, so if the cannabis used to make the hash is full of pesticides, the hash will have elevated pesticide levels. Follow your nose and make sure you have some snacks on hand. Hash gives me crazy munchies. Ω Ngaio Bealum is a Sacramento comedian, activist and marijuana expert. Email him questions at ask420@newsreview.com.

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—Cyn E. Phile Weed and movies go together like weed and movies. I don’t know why. I prefer a good hybrid for the movies. You don’t want to be all amped up on sativas while you are trying to sit still and pay attention, but you don’t want to to fall asleep under a heavy indica. Blue Making Dream is a good choice. Delicious, and it has a great balance, so you can sit still cannabis more very comfortably, but you probably available to adults won’t pass out. If you are looking doesn’t make it easier for a list of good movies to watch while stoned, check out Reefer Movie (or more desirable) for Madness: The Ultimate Stoner Film teenagers. In fact, Guide by Shirley Halperin and Steve it removes the Bloom. It’s awesome. By the way, I called Steve to ask what his favorite allure. movie watching strain is, and he also said Blue Dream, so now I feel like a genius. Enjoy your movie.

—Hap E. Berf-Day One time in the eighth grade, Alex Studer (who had just gotten back from boarding school) and I snuck off to smoke a joint during lunch. That was probably my first time. I forgot I had a math test after lunch, and I failed miserably. My teacher and I were both very disappointed. I tried it one other time in eighth grade, but my mom busted me. I wasn’t grounded. She just explained that weed, like drinking and other drugs, is for adults. Then she called my dad. He said the same thing. If my parents agree on something, it must be true, so I didn’t smoke again until college. I didn’t smoke every day until I joined the workforce. Good question, because it leads me to this point: Legalizing marijuana and treating it like any other social drug (alcohol, caffeine, sugar) doesn’t lead to increased use by children. In fact, a report from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that marijuana use among Colorado teenagers has decreased since pot legalization. Duh. Making cannabis more available to adults doesn’t make it easier (or more desirable) for teenagers. In fact, it removes the allure. Education, not prohibition, is always the best way to deal with drugs and drug use. Don’t do drugs until you get to college. Have a good day.

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ost vape cartridges are labeled as strain-specific, in that the extracts inside are derived from specific strains of cannabis rather than a hodgepodge. Obviously, different cannabis strains offer different effects, as well as different sensory experiences, and vape cartridges aim to replicate those specifics in a healthier and highly potent form. But when a green flower gets turned into an amber oil and plugged into a glass/metal/plastic tube with triple the THC percentage, how much of the original aroma, flavor and effect carries over? A lot of vapes taste the same on our palate, as opposed to the rich spectrum of cannabis flower flavors, so perhaps the difference rests in the skill and artistry of the extractors. For their part, the Sacramento-area cannabis delivery company Herbish offers some strain-specific vape cartridges that bear striking resemblances to their flower counterparts. The indiciaheavy hybrid Strawberry Banana smells and tastes like a bubblegum-drizzled

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12.21.17 | SN&R | 49

SN&R’s

50 | SN&R | 12.21.17

FRee will aStRology

by Michael Mott

by Rob bRezsny

FOR THE WEEk OF DECEMBER 21, 2017 ARIES (March 21-April 19): Your life in the first

half of 2018 will be like a psychological boot camp that’s designed to beef up your emotional intelligence. Here’s another way to visualize your oncoming adventures: They will constitute a friendly nudge from the cosmos, pushing you to be energetic and ingenious in creating the kind of partnerships you want for the rest of your long life. As you go through your interesting tests and riddles, be on the lookout for glimpses of what your daily experience could be like in five years if you begin now to deepen your commitment to love and collaboration.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’ll soon have a

chance to glide out into the frontier. I suggest you pack your bag of tricks. Bring gifts with you, too, just in case you must curry favor in the frontiers where the rules are a bit loose. How are your improvisational instincts? Be sure they’re in top shape. How willing are you to summon spontaneity and deal with unpredictability and try impromptu experiments? I hope you’re very willing. This may sound like a lot of work, but I swear it’ll be in a good cause. If you’re well-prepared as you wander in the borderlands, you’ll score sweet secrets and magic cookies. Here’s more good news: Your explorations will position you well to take advantage of the opportunities that’ll become available throughout 2018.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): These days, it’s not

unusual to see male celebrities who shave their heads. Bruce Willis, Dwayne Johnson, Seal, Tyrese Gibson and Vin Diesel are among them. But in the 20th century, the bare-headed style was rare. One famous case was actor Yul Brynner. By age 30, he’d begun to go bald. In 1951, for his role as the King of Siam in the Broadway play The King and I, he decided to shave off all his hair. From then on, the naked-headed look became his trademark as he plied a successful acting career. So he capitalized on what many in his profession considered a liability. He built his power and success by embracing an apparent disadvantage. I recommend you practice your own version of this strategy in 2018. The coming weeks will be an excellent time to begin.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): In the Northern

Hemisphere, where 88 percent of the world’s population resides, this is a quiescent time for the natural world. Less sunlight is available, and plants’ metabolisms slow down as photosynthesis diminishes. Deciduous trees lose their leaves, and even many evergreens approach dormancy. And yet in the midst of this stasis, Cancerian, you are beginning to flourish. Gradually at first, but with increasing urgency, you’re embarking on an unprecedented phase of growth. I foresee that 2018 will be your Year of Blossoming.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): If you’ve had an unfulfilled

curiosity about genealogy or your ancestors or the riddles of your past, 2018 will be a favorable time to investigate. Out-of-touch relatives will be easier to locate than usual. Lost heirlooms, too. You may be able to track down and make use of a neglected legacy. Even family secrets could leak into view—both the awkward and the charming kinds. If you think you have everything figured out about the people you grew up with and the history of where you came from, you’re in for surprises.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Most of us regard our

ring fingers as the least important of our digits. What are they good for? Is there any activity for which they’re useful? But our ancestors had a stronger relationship with their fourth fingers. There was a folk belief that a special vein connected the fourth finger on the left hand directly to the heart. That’s why a tradition arose around the wedding ring being worn there. It may have also been a reason why pharmacists regarded their fourth fingers as having an aptitude for discerning useful blends of herbs. I bring this up, Virgo, because I think it’s an apt metaphor for one of 2018’s important themes: A resource you have underestimated or neglected will be especially valuable—and may even redefine your understanding of what’s truly valuable.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In fairy tales,

characters are often rewarded for their acts of kindness. They may be given magical objects that serve as protection, like cloaks of invisibility or

shoes that enable them to flee trouble. Or the blessings they receive may be life-enhancing, like enchanted cauldrons that provide a never-ending supply of delicious food or musical instruments that have the power to summon delightful playmates. I bring this up, Libra, because I suspect that a similar principle will be very active in your life during 2018. You’ll find it easier and more natural than usual to express kindness, empathy, and compassion. If you consistently capitalize on this predilection, life will readily provide you with the resources you need.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Like all of us, you

go through mediocre phases when you’re not functioning at peak efficiency. But I suspect that in 2018 you will experience fewer of these blah times. We will see a lot of you at your best. Even more than usual, you’ll be an interesting catalyst who energizes and ripens collaborative projects. You’ll demonstrate why the sweet bracing brightness needs the deep dark depths, and vice versa. You’ll help allies open doors that they can’t open by themselves. The rest of us thank you in advance!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The blunt

fact is that you can’t be delivered from the old demoralizing pattern that has repeated and repeated itself—until you forgive yourself completely. For that matter, you probably can’t move on to the next chapter of your life story until you compensate yourself for at least some of the unnecessary torment you’ve inflicted on yourself. Now here’s the good news: 2018 will be an excellent time to accomplish these healings.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 2018, one of

your primary missions will be to practice what you preach; to walk your talk; to be ambitious and masterful in all the ways a soulful human can and should be ambitious and masterful. Live up to your hype in the coming months, Capricorn! Do what you have promised! Stop postponing your dreams! Fulfill the noble expectations you have for yourself! Don’t be shy about using exclamation points to express your visions of what’s right and good and just!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Years ago, when

I started my career as a horoscope writer, my editor counseled me, “Always give priority to the Big Three. Romance, money, and power are what people care about most.” After a few months, he was disgruntled to realize that I wrote about how to cultivate psychological health and nourish spiritual aspirations as much as his Big Three. He would have replaced me if he could have found another astrology writer whose spelling and grammar were as good as mine. But his edict traumatized me a bit. Even today, I worry that I don’t provide you with enough help concerning the Big Three. Fortunately, that’s not relevant now, since I can sincerely declare that 2018 will bring you chances to become more powerful by working hard on your psychological health ... and to grow wealthier by cultivating your spiritual aspirations ... and to generate more love by being wise and ethical in your quest for money and power.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): What binds you?

What keeps you closed down and locked up? I urge you to ponder those questions, Pisces. Once you get useful answers, the next step will be to meditate on how you can undo the binds. Fantasize and brainstorm about the specific actions you can take to unlock and unclose yourself. This project will be excellent preparation for the opportunities that the coming months will make available to you. I’m happy to announce that 2018 will be your personal Year of Liberation.

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.

Survivor In 2012, Lisa Ann (L.A.) Dubay, now a Sacramento State senior, was offered help in her darkest moments as a homeless veteran. She took it. Today, she heads outdoors for the light. Dubay says she entered the military to escape abuse in a Detroit biker gang. After she and her husband were discharged for smoking marijuana, they got into drugs, and he committed suicide. Now, she’s pursuing her bachelor’s in recreation therapy. Treatment, she says, involves outdoor activities to help people experiencing mental illness and substance abuse become whole again. She plans to give the therapy on a ranch for veterans. For now, she wants more vets’ voices to be heard.

So, what is recreation therapy? We start with an assessment of a client’s needs. We then come up with a treatment plan, a specific recreational activity to meet their needs, as well as goals and objectives. After that, we do an evaluation. The thing that makes it different from recreation is we do assessments, questionnaires—we actually follow up to see if the recreation is helping. If you rode your bike everyday, you could test yourself a month later to see how you’re feeling. We gather evidence and show those outdoor adventures do help veterans. My first semester here, a professor recommended I go with 14 other disabled female vets to Idaho for a five-day snow sport trip. They taught us about military recreation therapy with counselors. The camaraderie ... gave me something to live for. They taught me I was worthy.

What has helped you? Being around other vets. Talking with a therapist and a group. That helped me with my “cognitive distortions,” when you minimize things or just have negative thoughts.

Why is it so difficult leaving trauma? It’s a deep pit. To quit that, like drugs, you have to be at the bottom. Some may be on the verge of suicide. Most can’t pull themselves out of that without help. The gist of getting out of trauma or depression is: Ask for help. Men—especially veterans—don’t ask. Many don’t go to the V.A. since they don’t trust it or can’t. I was a homeless vet living in my truck in 2012 and started having mental-health and substance-abuse issues. A friend told me about the Sacramento Veteran Resource Center, and I went for a whole year. It saved my life. But it wouldn’t have happened if she hadn’t reached out.

What can we do better for vets? Many homeless vets don’t get benefits because of their discharge status. ... I was discharged from the Navy for drug abuse.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL MOTT

I smoked pot in the hospital with my soonto-be husband. He had a broken leg; I had a broken neck. We went to the bar and got in trouble. After a drug test the next week, we got 45 days shining brass. Now, the whole world’s going to be high in three weeks. After I was homeless, decades later, I found an advocate who helps with veteran military claims who got me my benefits. She helped me file my claims and appeal. If vets with [post-traumatic stress disorder] can get [an] upgrade like I did—now I have education, housing, medical, burial … I have everything. It’s a frickin’ miracle. ... Later, I helped a couple other vets do the same.

How did you reinvent yourself? I changed my name. I’m single now. I’m still a widow, but I’m out there as single. Changing it back to my real name, my maiden name, helped me find my identity. I was discharged in 1990. In 2011, my husband committed suicide. That was trauma. Now, I talk about it with Stop Stigma Sacramento, a county program with a speakers’ bureau who talk about their issues with schools, the Sheriff’s Department, hospitals. I talk about how my husband’s suicide affected me, which helps.

What other issues do vets face? Most female veterans experience abuse or harassment in the military. Seven percent of men do. One of my papers talks about how the V.A. will treat abuse for six sessions, free, no matter the discharge. But they’re not doing anything about the problem itself. They’re not fixing the real issue. Housing is another one. Landlords won’t take our

housing vouchers since they say Section 8 people come with problems. They pay a $10,000 discrimination fine because they can make that in a month with people moving here. ... People with disabilities don’t deserve to live in substandard housing. ... But that’s all we’re afforded in Sacramento.

How did you overcome the suicide? My husband was working as a plumber during [Hurricane] Katrina. He drove drunk, lost control and broke his neck. He became a paraplegic and a few years later, shot himself. He couldn’t get services he needed. We never knew we could [go to the V.A.]. I was in California, working. After his accident, we lost our house and vehicles. My job fired me, with good reason. ... He called me two days before he did it. He sounded happy and didn’t need anything. Two days later, I learned. That’s how they do it. But his suicide saved my life. It made me realize that life’s too short—that’s why I went to recreation therapy. To help people like me.

What was your addiction experience? We used to laugh at the guys in treatment for marijuana addiction. It is real and it’s going to become a big problem. My friend was on 28 medications and now all he does is smoke pot—play video games, watch TV. ... A lot of people are addicted to wine and Xanax and they think they’re different, because it’s prescribed. When I was having substance abuse and mental health issues, I turned my gun into the police. It feels like a demon. I had my gun out and loaded. Now, I’m 18 months clean and sober. Ω

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