Rescue workers pull out a victim who was traveling in a car that crashed and submerged in the lake. Photo by Cameron Macdonald.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Laguna Lake rescue
Rescue workers pull out a victim who was traveling in a car that crashed and submerged in the lake. Photo by Cameron Macdonald.
Dramatic Rescue at Laguna lake
Local authorities responded to a call of a vehicle in a lake on Wednesday afternoon. Cosumnes CSD firefighters search for the victims after a car drove into and sunk in an artificial lake at Laguna West. These photos were taken by Citizen Staff Writer Cameron Macdonald.
Man killed in I-5 accident Wednesday
By Cameron Macdonald
Citizen Staff Writer
A 35-year-old man died Wednesday when his jeep crashed into a steel light-pole near the Laguna Boulevard overpass on Interstate-5 on Sept. 5. A passenger in the vehicle was hospitalized for moderate injuries, authorities reported.
The deceased man, who was reportedly from Sacramento, was not identified and Sacramento County coroners could not be reached for information about him, as of press time.
Jasper Begay, spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol, said that the incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. on Sept. 5.
The driver was traveling in a 1991 Jeep Cherokee northbound on Interstate-5’s fast lane when the accident happened, Begay said, adding that it appeared the driver drifted over into the freeway’s center divider and struck a steel guardrail.
The jeep then bounced away from the rail and spun sideways across all four northbound lanes and into the dirt of the roadway’s right shoulder.
“Somehow he avoided hitting the other vehicles,” Begay said.
He said that the driver was wearing a seatbelt at the time, but he died instantly when the vehicle’s driver door struck the light-pole.
The victim’s passenger was taken to the UC Davis Medical Center for medical treatment.
This incident occurred around the same time that a car carrying an elderly couple had crashed into an artificial lake a mile away in Elk Grove’s Laguna West area.
Citizen Staff Writer
A 35-year-old man died Wednesday when his jeep crashed into a steel light-pole near the Laguna Boulevard overpass on Interstate-5 on Sept. 5. A passenger in the vehicle was hospitalized for moderate injuries, authorities reported.
The deceased man, who was reportedly from Sacramento, was not identified and Sacramento County coroners could not be reached for information about him, as of press time.
Jasper Begay, spokesperson for the California Highway Patrol, said that the incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. on Sept. 5.
The driver was traveling in a 1991 Jeep Cherokee northbound on Interstate-5’s fast lane when the accident happened, Begay said, adding that it appeared the driver drifted over into the freeway’s center divider and struck a steel guardrail.
The jeep then bounced away from the rail and spun sideways across all four northbound lanes and into the dirt of the roadway’s right shoulder.
“Somehow he avoided hitting the other vehicles,” Begay said.
He said that the driver was wearing a seatbelt at the time, but he died instantly when the vehicle’s driver door struck the light-pole.
The victim’s passenger was taken to the UC Davis Medical Center for medical treatment.
This incident occurred around the same time that a car carrying an elderly couple had crashed into an artificial lake a mile away in Elk Grove’s Laguna West area.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
City employees get new retirement benefit plan
By Blake Ellington
Citizen Staff Writer
When the Elk Grove Police Department began in 2006 one its main hurdles was hiring new officers because of the current retirement health plan.
Recruitment for law enforcement during the department’s infant stages was no easy task, as identified by every person responsible for its creation, but with a change in policy, so the Elk Grove City Council ushered in a new health benefits program for those who work for city employees at the Aug. 22 meeting.
“Going into our interviews, there were a number of questions about our current retiree medical plan and we did in fact lose candidates because of that,” said Police Chief Robert Simmons. “I can see this (the new plan) as a great recruitment tool but also a retention tool because people are not willing to give up their retirement medical benefits to go on to another agency.”
The new plan offers $800 per month for executive-level employees who have served for five years and regular city employees who have served for 10 years. The money is placed into a “Health Reimbursement Account” HRA and accumulates each month. Employees are eligible, along with their spouse, for both of their lives.
The time accrued by the employee which makes them eligible after the initial grace period is based on “active employment.” This means, someone who takes a large extended amount of leave will not be able to use that time towards their five or 10 year probation period.
City council had a few a problems with the language of these requirements.
“What happens if someone is pregnant and has a child, takes an extended period of time off, it seems that we are going to penalize the woman because it has to be after employment when she took off nine months or a year because of her child and other places don’t really do that,” Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper said.
City Council members Michael Leary and Pat Hume, who were both on the Retiree Healthcare Committee appointed on Jan. 10 to come up with different options for healthcare benefits, explained that the point of mentioning “active employment” in the documentation was to make sure those accrued six months of sick time could not be used towards that five or 10 year increment level.
“They can’t bank accrued leave and then use that and say ‘you know I have nine-and-a-half years in but I’ve got six months of accrued leave I’m out of here pay me,” Hume said.
City Council Member Sophia Scherman also expressed concern however over the treatment of pregnant woman who sometimes can stay in bed for up to seven months and then “after that are home with their newborn.”
Deputy City Manager, Frank Oviedo said staff would draft up the documents to make sure that that issue was addressed including not losing sick time for the birth of a child.
City Council Member Gary Davis made some additional clarifications on sick time.
“A year after the birth of that child, you are allowed to use your sick leave,” Davis said. “So I hope that doesn’t get lost in the mix.”
The plan, which is being funded through a transfer of $1.5 million from the city’s reserve fund, is also only good so as long as the employee does not work for another agency following termination of employment with the city of Elk Grove. So in other words, if someone works for the city of Sacramento after they begin collecting retirement health benefits from Elk Grove, their benefits are suspended or terminated should the new agency (Sacramento) supply its own set of benefits.
The program is similar to the one the Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD), city of Folsom, city of Roseville and the Elk Grove Unified School District uses.
Cooper had additional concerns over the distinction between executive time requirements and regular city employee time requirements laid out in the plan. The city currently has four department heads including the city manger, city attorney and city clerk.
With an extensive background in law enforcement, Cooper questioned why the management officials at the police department (police captains and sergeants) weren’t also included in the language and considered “department heads.”
Hume explained the reasoning of that decision by the Retirement Healthcare Committee over the course of their five meetings since January.
“The reason being is that their jobs are a little more secure because they are not at the will of political whims of change,” Hume said.
The plan was passed 5-0 yet in still to bring in a new retirement health benefits program with the included change to not penalize someone who takes an extended leave of having children of some catastrophic illness.
“We tried to find one that is not fluctuating so that we know what our expenses are, it makes it much easier to come up with that year so that we can project out, these are your employees this is their age range,” Hume said.
Aside from attracting and keeping more employees in the city, the new healthcare plan will also help the general fund’s pocketbook according to Oviedo.
“If you were to fund fully and do it similar to what other agencies have done, our first year payment would be in the million dollar range compared to what we are paying which is more in the $400,000 range,” Oviedo said.
In other news, the 21,000 or so residents in Elk Grove that use either a wood or pellet burning stove could be in jeopardy of losing that privilege in the near future.
In two years or so the federal law against these types of fireplaces may take effect and the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District warned the city council of the health effects of wood particles in the air during the winter at the meeting.
Air Pollution Control Officer Larry Greene presented the issue to council.
“The reason why we are doing this is the two-fold, one is because of the health impacts from smoke that comes from fireplaces on our citizens, secondly, we have an opportunity to get ahead of the power curve on a new federal standard that is coming down the pipe,” Greene said.
Greene went on to say that wood smoke makes up for 45 percent of the pollution in the region during winter and that it can cause lung conditions and heart disease.
In response to such statistics, the Management District is proposing no burning on days with poor air quality, which accounts for about 30 days of the year. The restriction would apply to the burning of any solid fuel including wood, pellets and manufactured logs from November through February.
Council members raised concerns over those who can’t afford SMUD services, like senior citizens, and rely on wood burning stoves for their main source of heat during the winter months.
“We would consider an economic hardship and there would be some things people would have to come and show us,” Greene said. “I would have the option of giving those people a pass.”
The enforcement would need to be in the form of visuals only. Residents who should call and complain that they see smoke coming from a chimney would not be enough. A member of the Management District would have to witness the smoke first hand to issue a citation.
Scherman, as well as other council members, had issues with the ban on pellet-burning stoves which are often credited as being fuel efficient.
“I own a pellet burning stove, I’ve had it for about 10 years and it is a cleaner way of heating the area that you are in,” Scherman said.
Leary shared his comments on the importance of wood-burning stoves.
“My parents use a wood-burning stove to keep their house warm and they are retired so to maintain a gas heater in that house would be and astronomical amount of money,” Leary said.
The city of Fresno currently has a similar program.
Citizen Staff Writer
When the Elk Grove Police Department began in 2006 one its main hurdles was hiring new officers because of the current retirement health plan.
Recruitment for law enforcement during the department’s infant stages was no easy task, as identified by every person responsible for its creation, but with a change in policy, so the Elk Grove City Council ushered in a new health benefits program for those who work for city employees at the Aug. 22 meeting.
“Going into our interviews, there were a number of questions about our current retiree medical plan and we did in fact lose candidates because of that,” said Police Chief Robert Simmons. “I can see this (the new plan) as a great recruitment tool but also a retention tool because people are not willing to give up their retirement medical benefits to go on to another agency.”
The new plan offers $800 per month for executive-level employees who have served for five years and regular city employees who have served for 10 years. The money is placed into a “Health Reimbursement Account” HRA and accumulates each month. Employees are eligible, along with their spouse, for both of their lives.
The time accrued by the employee which makes them eligible after the initial grace period is based on “active employment.” This means, someone who takes a large extended amount of leave will not be able to use that time towards their five or 10 year probation period.
City council had a few a problems with the language of these requirements.
“What happens if someone is pregnant and has a child, takes an extended period of time off, it seems that we are going to penalize the woman because it has to be after employment when she took off nine months or a year because of her child and other places don’t really do that,” Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper said.
City Council members Michael Leary and Pat Hume, who were both on the Retiree Healthcare Committee appointed on Jan. 10 to come up with different options for healthcare benefits, explained that the point of mentioning “active employment” in the documentation was to make sure those accrued six months of sick time could not be used towards that five or 10 year increment level.
“They can’t bank accrued leave and then use that and say ‘you know I have nine-and-a-half years in but I’ve got six months of accrued leave I’m out of here pay me,” Hume said.
City Council Member Sophia Scherman also expressed concern however over the treatment of pregnant woman who sometimes can stay in bed for up to seven months and then “after that are home with their newborn.”
Deputy City Manager, Frank Oviedo said staff would draft up the documents to make sure that that issue was addressed including not losing sick time for the birth of a child.
City Council Member Gary Davis made some additional clarifications on sick time.
“A year after the birth of that child, you are allowed to use your sick leave,” Davis said. “So I hope that doesn’t get lost in the mix.”
The plan, which is being funded through a transfer of $1.5 million from the city’s reserve fund, is also only good so as long as the employee does not work for another agency following termination of employment with the city of Elk Grove. So in other words, if someone works for the city of Sacramento after they begin collecting retirement health benefits from Elk Grove, their benefits are suspended or terminated should the new agency (Sacramento) supply its own set of benefits.
The program is similar to the one the Cosumnes Community Services District (CSD), city of Folsom, city of Roseville and the Elk Grove Unified School District uses.
Cooper had additional concerns over the distinction between executive time requirements and regular city employee time requirements laid out in the plan. The city currently has four department heads including the city manger, city attorney and city clerk.
With an extensive background in law enforcement, Cooper questioned why the management officials at the police department (police captains and sergeants) weren’t also included in the language and considered “department heads.”
Hume explained the reasoning of that decision by the Retirement Healthcare Committee over the course of their five meetings since January.
“The reason being is that their jobs are a little more secure because they are not at the will of political whims of change,” Hume said.
The plan was passed 5-0 yet in still to bring in a new retirement health benefits program with the included change to not penalize someone who takes an extended leave of having children of some catastrophic illness.
“We tried to find one that is not fluctuating so that we know what our expenses are, it makes it much easier to come up with that year so that we can project out, these are your employees this is their age range,” Hume said.
Aside from attracting and keeping more employees in the city, the new healthcare plan will also help the general fund’s pocketbook according to Oviedo.
“If you were to fund fully and do it similar to what other agencies have done, our first year payment would be in the million dollar range compared to what we are paying which is more in the $400,000 range,” Oviedo said.
In other news, the 21,000 or so residents in Elk Grove that use either a wood or pellet burning stove could be in jeopardy of losing that privilege in the near future.
In two years or so the federal law against these types of fireplaces may take effect and the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District warned the city council of the health effects of wood particles in the air during the winter at the meeting.
Air Pollution Control Officer Larry Greene presented the issue to council.
“The reason why we are doing this is the two-fold, one is because of the health impacts from smoke that comes from fireplaces on our citizens, secondly, we have an opportunity to get ahead of the power curve on a new federal standard that is coming down the pipe,” Greene said.
Greene went on to say that wood smoke makes up for 45 percent of the pollution in the region during winter and that it can cause lung conditions and heart disease.
In response to such statistics, the Management District is proposing no burning on days with poor air quality, which accounts for about 30 days of the year. The restriction would apply to the burning of any solid fuel including wood, pellets and manufactured logs from November through February.
Council members raised concerns over those who can’t afford SMUD services, like senior citizens, and rely on wood burning stoves for their main source of heat during the winter months.
“We would consider an economic hardship and there would be some things people would have to come and show us,” Greene said. “I would have the option of giving those people a pass.”
The enforcement would need to be in the form of visuals only. Residents who should call and complain that they see smoke coming from a chimney would not be enough. A member of the Management District would have to witness the smoke first hand to issue a citation.
Scherman, as well as other council members, had issues with the ban on pellet-burning stoves which are often credited as being fuel efficient.
“I own a pellet burning stove, I’ve had it for about 10 years and it is a cleaner way of heating the area that you are in,” Scherman said.
Leary shared his comments on the importance of wood-burning stoves.
“My parents use a wood-burning stove to keep their house warm and they are retired so to maintain a gas heater in that house would be and astronomical amount of money,” Leary said.
The city of Fresno currently has a similar program.
Someone has read this blog....
Well, I met the first person outside of our office who reads the blog - that being Nan Mahon, a local Elk Grove author, columnist for the Bee EG edition, and also a former Citizen staff writer.
That is nice to know, that someone is reading the blog...or, at least knows of its existence.
On a side note, the blog has not had an entry since Aug. 2, for a variety of reasons. Mainly, I am busy at the office working on many aspects of the newspaper. Our summer, college intern - Sarah Kyo - just finished and went back to school. Now, we are beginning yet another school year.
High School Football, here I come.
That is nice to know, that someone is reading the blog...or, at least knows of its existence.
On a side note, the blog has not had an entry since Aug. 2, for a variety of reasons. Mainly, I am busy at the office working on many aspects of the newspaper. Our summer, college intern - Sarah Kyo - just finished and went back to school. Now, we are beginning yet another school year.
High School Football, here I come.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Police investigating possible theft from CSD medicine supply
Authorities are investigating a reported security breach in an inventory space where the Cosumnes Community Services District Fire Department stores their medicinal narcotics.
Steve Foster, fire chief for the Cosumnes CSD, said that the case is an ongoing criminal investigation and is also a personnel matter within the CSD.
“As soon as we discovered the breach, we immediately reported it to the authorities,” he said Wednesday night.
Foster could not comment on the details of the case details since it is still under investigation, but did say that CSD staff is actively working with officials from the Elk Grove police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Sacramento County health officials on the case.
Foster said that, to his knowledge, such an incident has not occurred before within the CSD.
Foster noted that since the incident, the fire department has changed the way they store their medicinal narcotics inventory under the supervision of medical authorities.
CSD staff discovered the breach several weeks ago, Foster said, noting than authorities had made no arrests as of press time.
Brief was compiled by Citizen Staff Writer Cameron Macdonald.
Steve Foster, fire chief for the Cosumnes CSD, said that the case is an ongoing criminal investigation and is also a personnel matter within the CSD.
“As soon as we discovered the breach, we immediately reported it to the authorities,” he said Wednesday night.
Foster could not comment on the details of the case details since it is still under investigation, but did say that CSD staff is actively working with officials from the Elk Grove police, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Sacramento County health officials on the case.
Foster said that, to his knowledge, such an incident has not occurred before within the CSD.
Foster noted that since the incident, the fire department has changed the way they store their medicinal narcotics inventory under the supervision of medical authorities.
CSD staff discovered the breach several weeks ago, Foster said, noting than authorities had made no arrests as of press time.
Brief was compiled by Citizen Staff Writer Cameron Macdonald.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
SACOG: Elk Grove needs more low-income housing
Report says more than 4,800 very-low income housing units are needed; council offers debt relief on utility bills
By Blake Ellington
Citizen Staff Writer
The Elk Grove City Council – short of two members – got a jolt from the Sacramento Area Council of Government (SACOG) at their July 25 meeting when a report was presented to council members stating that Elk Grove should add an additional 16,208 total housing units by the year 2013 - 4,820 of those being “very-low income” housing.
SACOG has allowed for a 60-day comment period for all of the local jurisdictions under their umbrella of influence to come up with comments as to any disagreements or problems that could arise because of their projected numbers.
Council members requested SACOG officials come back with a more realistic number and to take Elk Grove’s past performance in housing development into consideration.
“I think it’s important that we send a message that we value this exercise, it’s important,” said City Council Member Gary Davis.
Davis said Elk Grove does have housing program fees currently in place that helps get “units on the ground, which really is usually the most significant prohibitor often times to get it when it’s built.”
The regional needs assessment by SACOG was calculated with an overall figure by the state and then distributed to various area cities for further determination on how that figure should be allocated throughout their jurisdictions.
Members of the city council expressed their view that the share of the pie is a little high based on the city’s capacity.
“If you look around at the six counties and 22 cities in the region which SACOG is a part of, Elk Grove has done the best job,” said Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper. “You look at Folsom, Roseville they are way behind us in building affordable housing.”
Council members went on to make note that they aren’t pleased with the way to study was done and how the numbers were compiled by SACOG, which initially planned to take the growth projections out to 2035 and then reverted to 2018 because they wished to overlap other efforts and staff work time.
“We felt like that they actually needed to go back to 2013 which is actually the planning period,” said Jim Carney, housing advisor. “I think the current methodology is better than the first one.”
Council members weren’t convinced.
“We definitely don’t like the result of it,” said City Council Member Pat Hume. “In April there were some concerns raised and it says one of those concerns was that some jurisdictions are doing better than others, and I think we are one of those jurisdictions.”
The city has recently identified some low-income sites and approved the rezone process for these sites.
Council members also requested SACOG respond to these current advancements and that the 16,208 figure be looked at more closely in relation to the city’s capacity. The general consensus was to make other jurisdictions come up with their fair share and to not penalize Elk Grove.
“We are collecting data from the other jurisdictions as to how they have actually been producing units in comparison to Elk Grove’s and we will get back to you when have it complete,” Carney said.
In other business in a short meeting, the members of the city council sympathized with late utility bill payments.
The delinquent utility payment report was brought forward to the council, members to be approved and sent to the county of Sacramento for collection. The list of customers in question have not made payments on solid waste and storm water utility charges for 10 months and have liens attached to their properties as a result.
Though it was acknowledged by the council that the majority of those customers have been initially dodging payments, exceptions were made for individuals with certain life circumstances that put them in a tight financial spot.
Kathy Nguyn, a college student in attendance on behalf of her mother and father who speak little English, stood in front of council to voice one such circumstance.
“I am currently not working, I am going to school and so my parents actually have to pay for my college tuition, my school books and my rent, so it’s super hard for them to pay for all these expenses,” Nguyn said. “We are were hoping for an extension if possible.”
Nguyn and her family just moved into their Elk Grove house not that long ago from a studio in a bad neighborhood. Her mother, who stood by her side at the podium while her daughter took it upon herself to explain their hardships, had been seeking a job transfer from Walgreen’s for a full time position but has yet to receive it. Her father is dealing with mental health issues and diabetes.
“Every time we did make a payment we would have to pay our late charges, so instead of paying the bill we were paying our late charges,” Nguyn said.
The family was requesting an extension on the payments due, thus to avoid collection requirements from the county.
The collection process, headed by city Utilities Billing Manager Bonnie Puleo, is in its second year and currently is seeking to collect about $576,000 in past due bills. The customers had received three to five notifications of their late charges up until this point.
Nguyn continued to vouch for her family’s diligence in attempting to make prior payments on time.
“We paid every single bill on time, if you go back in our history,” Nguyn said.
Council members, with a nod of understanding, took the college student’s effort to heart and agreed for Puleo to make arrangements for an extension and payment plan.
“In some cases we have adjusted our late fees as they make those payments depending on the situation, we are always willing to work with them,” Puleo said.
Davis mentioned a similar request from another resident made in person to the city clerk earlier that day.
“I’d just like to ask that we also reach out to this gentlemen,” Davis said.
As for the other customers on the list provided by staff, council members felt that the program is needed for the county to receive the money due.
“A lot of them just ignore the bill, but you have some cases where people just can’t afford it,” Cooper said. “We are also aware of that, too.”
The Elk Grove Municipal Code states that any solid waste and storm water utility charges that remain unpaid for 60 days can be collected as a “special assessment on the residential parcel.”
The collection program received a 100 percent recovery rate last year.
“That’s not bad,” Davis said.
Council voted 3-0 to send the report to the county for collections barring payment plans be coordinated with the requesting parties.
In other action, a General Plan amendment, specific plan amendment, and rezone to the Waterman Park 75 project based on the Elk Grove Planning Commission’s recommendations was also approved in a 3-0. vote
For more information on the meeting visit www.elkgrovecity.org.
By Blake Ellington
Citizen Staff Writer
The Elk Grove City Council – short of two members – got a jolt from the Sacramento Area Council of Government (SACOG) at their July 25 meeting when a report was presented to council members stating that Elk Grove should add an additional 16,208 total housing units by the year 2013 - 4,820 of those being “very-low income” housing.
SACOG has allowed for a 60-day comment period for all of the local jurisdictions under their umbrella of influence to come up with comments as to any disagreements or problems that could arise because of their projected numbers.
Council members requested SACOG officials come back with a more realistic number and to take Elk Grove’s past performance in housing development into consideration.
“I think it’s important that we send a message that we value this exercise, it’s important,” said City Council Member Gary Davis.
Davis said Elk Grove does have housing program fees currently in place that helps get “units on the ground, which really is usually the most significant prohibitor often times to get it when it’s built.”
The regional needs assessment by SACOG was calculated with an overall figure by the state and then distributed to various area cities for further determination on how that figure should be allocated throughout their jurisdictions.
Members of the city council expressed their view that the share of the pie is a little high based on the city’s capacity.
“If you look around at the six counties and 22 cities in the region which SACOG is a part of, Elk Grove has done the best job,” said Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper. “You look at Folsom, Roseville they are way behind us in building affordable housing.”
Council members went on to make note that they aren’t pleased with the way to study was done and how the numbers were compiled by SACOG, which initially planned to take the growth projections out to 2035 and then reverted to 2018 because they wished to overlap other efforts and staff work time.
“We felt like that they actually needed to go back to 2013 which is actually the planning period,” said Jim Carney, housing advisor. “I think the current methodology is better than the first one.”
Council members weren’t convinced.
“We definitely don’t like the result of it,” said City Council Member Pat Hume. “In April there were some concerns raised and it says one of those concerns was that some jurisdictions are doing better than others, and I think we are one of those jurisdictions.”
The city has recently identified some low-income sites and approved the rezone process for these sites.
Council members also requested SACOG respond to these current advancements and that the 16,208 figure be looked at more closely in relation to the city’s capacity. The general consensus was to make other jurisdictions come up with their fair share and to not penalize Elk Grove.
“We are collecting data from the other jurisdictions as to how they have actually been producing units in comparison to Elk Grove’s and we will get back to you when have it complete,” Carney said.
In other business in a short meeting, the members of the city council sympathized with late utility bill payments.
The delinquent utility payment report was brought forward to the council, members to be approved and sent to the county of Sacramento for collection. The list of customers in question have not made payments on solid waste and storm water utility charges for 10 months and have liens attached to their properties as a result.
Though it was acknowledged by the council that the majority of those customers have been initially dodging payments, exceptions were made for individuals with certain life circumstances that put them in a tight financial spot.
Kathy Nguyn, a college student in attendance on behalf of her mother and father who speak little English, stood in front of council to voice one such circumstance.
“I am currently not working, I am going to school and so my parents actually have to pay for my college tuition, my school books and my rent, so it’s super hard for them to pay for all these expenses,” Nguyn said. “We are were hoping for an extension if possible.”
Nguyn and her family just moved into their Elk Grove house not that long ago from a studio in a bad neighborhood. Her mother, who stood by her side at the podium while her daughter took it upon herself to explain their hardships, had been seeking a job transfer from Walgreen’s for a full time position but has yet to receive it. Her father is dealing with mental health issues and diabetes.
“Every time we did make a payment we would have to pay our late charges, so instead of paying the bill we were paying our late charges,” Nguyn said.
The family was requesting an extension on the payments due, thus to avoid collection requirements from the county.
The collection process, headed by city Utilities Billing Manager Bonnie Puleo, is in its second year and currently is seeking to collect about $576,000 in past due bills. The customers had received three to five notifications of their late charges up until this point.
Nguyn continued to vouch for her family’s diligence in attempting to make prior payments on time.
“We paid every single bill on time, if you go back in our history,” Nguyn said.
Council members, with a nod of understanding, took the college student’s effort to heart and agreed for Puleo to make arrangements for an extension and payment plan.
“In some cases we have adjusted our late fees as they make those payments depending on the situation, we are always willing to work with them,” Puleo said.
Davis mentioned a similar request from another resident made in person to the city clerk earlier that day.
“I’d just like to ask that we also reach out to this gentlemen,” Davis said.
As for the other customers on the list provided by staff, council members felt that the program is needed for the county to receive the money due.
“A lot of them just ignore the bill, but you have some cases where people just can’t afford it,” Cooper said. “We are also aware of that, too.”
The Elk Grove Municipal Code states that any solid waste and storm water utility charges that remain unpaid for 60 days can be collected as a “special assessment on the residential parcel.”
The collection program received a 100 percent recovery rate last year.
“That’s not bad,” Davis said.
Council voted 3-0 to send the report to the county for collections barring payment plans be coordinated with the requesting parties.
In other action, a General Plan amendment, specific plan amendment, and rezone to the Waterman Park 75 project based on the Elk Grove Planning Commission’s recommendations was also approved in a 3-0. vote
For more information on the meeting visit www.elkgrovecity.org.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Harry Potter is this generation's Hobbit
I have only one request - don't tell me the ending of the new Harry Potter book.
I know, you Potter fans have probably heard a lot of that request. But, I am in a bit different situaton: I am only on chapter four of the very first Potter tome.
In other words, you reveal the ending and you're ruining the next six books for me!
It's funny how much Harry Potter has fascinated nearly all segments of society - here in the United States and abroad. Harry reaches all ages, all economic classes, and both men and women.
Unlike most of the current generation of youth, I have not read the Harry Potter books....I did see one movie! I am only beginning the first book of the Potter series and I have to admit, it's not too bad. I am turning the pages, slowly, but I am turning them. I began reading the book two weeks ago and have progressed four chapters. Hagrid is rescuing Harry from his aunt and uncle's torment. (Hope I got that right, Potter fans).
The popularity of the Harry Potter series reminds me of my time in junior high school, the fabulous early 1980s, when our class was assigned to read "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien. I plowed through it - as did many of my classmates.
Afterall, my elementary school days had been filled with the reading of tomes about the Battle of the Bulge, the Civil War, the 82nd (All-American) and 101st (Screaming Eagles) Airborne Divisions; the D-Day invasion; Erwin Rommel and the African tank battles between him and Monty; and also the Arnhem airborne operation.
So, delving into a fantasy world of Dwarves, Hobbits, Elves, Goblins, Orcs, and dozens of other fantasmic creatures was a welcome respite from the real-life stories of military engagements.
I loved "The Hobbit" and that Christmas, my grandmother bought me the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy in a boxed set of paperbacks. Again, I read them as fast as possible and then re-read all four novels many times over. By the time I'd had my fill of Hobbits and dragons and the like, I had read "The Hobbit" about nine times and the three books of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy a total of seven times each.
My friends and others in school during those years also became fascinated with the Tolkien tales. Instead of dressing up as the characters in the novels, most of us began playing Dungeons and Dragons to recreate the fastasies of the Hobbit world.
I sense from our college intern - Sarah Kyo - and our staff photographer - Rebecca Maston (Both HUGE Potter fans) - that they have the same connection with Harry that we did with Bilbo and Frodo and Sam.
Although this is supposed to be the final Potter book, you never can say never. Maybe Harry will return for one more battle? Don't despair, Potter fans, you can alway read the books again, and again, and again. They will get better every time.
Jeff Forward is the editor of the Elk Grove Citizen. He welcomes all comments and criticisms - just not the ending or details fo the next six Harry Potter books.
I know, you Potter fans have probably heard a lot of that request. But, I am in a bit different situaton: I am only on chapter four of the very first Potter tome.
In other words, you reveal the ending and you're ruining the next six books for me!
It's funny how much Harry Potter has fascinated nearly all segments of society - here in the United States and abroad. Harry reaches all ages, all economic classes, and both men and women.
Unlike most of the current generation of youth, I have not read the Harry Potter books....I did see one movie! I am only beginning the first book of the Potter series and I have to admit, it's not too bad. I am turning the pages, slowly, but I am turning them. I began reading the book two weeks ago and have progressed four chapters. Hagrid is rescuing Harry from his aunt and uncle's torment. (Hope I got that right, Potter fans).
The popularity of the Harry Potter series reminds me of my time in junior high school, the fabulous early 1980s, when our class was assigned to read "The Hobbit" by J.R.R. Tolkien. I plowed through it - as did many of my classmates.
Afterall, my elementary school days had been filled with the reading of tomes about the Battle of the Bulge, the Civil War, the 82nd (All-American) and 101st (Screaming Eagles) Airborne Divisions; the D-Day invasion; Erwin Rommel and the African tank battles between him and Monty; and also the Arnhem airborne operation.
So, delving into a fantasy world of Dwarves, Hobbits, Elves, Goblins, Orcs, and dozens of other fantasmic creatures was a welcome respite from the real-life stories of military engagements.
I loved "The Hobbit" and that Christmas, my grandmother bought me the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy in a boxed set of paperbacks. Again, I read them as fast as possible and then re-read all four novels many times over. By the time I'd had my fill of Hobbits and dragons and the like, I had read "The Hobbit" about nine times and the three books of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy a total of seven times each.
My friends and others in school during those years also became fascinated with the Tolkien tales. Instead of dressing up as the characters in the novels, most of us began playing Dungeons and Dragons to recreate the fastasies of the Hobbit world.
I sense from our college intern - Sarah Kyo - and our staff photographer - Rebecca Maston (Both HUGE Potter fans) - that they have the same connection with Harry that we did with Bilbo and Frodo and Sam.
Although this is supposed to be the final Potter book, you never can say never. Maybe Harry will return for one more battle? Don't despair, Potter fans, you can alway read the books again, and again, and again. They will get better every time.
Jeff Forward is the editor of the Elk Grove Citizen. He welcomes all comments and criticisms - just not the ending or details fo the next six Harry Potter books.
Under his spell - fans flock for last Harry Potter tome
The interior of the Laguna Boulevard Borders store was crowded with enthusiastic Potter fans who came dressed for the occassion. Photo by Rebecca Maston, Citizen staff photographer.Sarah Kyo
Citizen College Intern
“10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!,” fans yelled out as the witching hour neared on July 20.
At the stroke of midnight, July 21, cheers erupted throughout the Borders store in Elk Grove.
No, this wasn’t a countdown for a new year. Instead, it was a welcome for the newest addition to J.K. Rowling’s best-selling series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
Since this seventh volume marks the end of the boy wizard saga, prior to the event, Borders General Manager Doug Thompson said he expected a larger turnout than what the store witnessed during the release of the previous book. On Friday evening, the store was packed full of people, waiting and anticipating late into the night for the book. Hundreds of people, many wearing Harry Potter-related outfits, had flocked to the store’s Grand Hallows Ball.
Among the activities at the event included the Harry Potter Spelling Bee, in which contestants took turns spelling words from Harry Potter books. To start off the game, a contestant spelled the last name of Harry’s close female friend, Hermione.
“G-R-A-N-G-E-R,” said the contestant.
“Does anyone know if that was correct?” asked Andy Harr, the master of ceremonies.
“Yes!” shouted the crowd.
“Indeed, that was correct!” exclaimed Harr, who wore a cloak and bushy wig.
Later during the bee, Harr. who was standing on a tall ladder that acted as a platform, almost stumbled when climbing down to give a contestant a consolation prize.
“Don’t worry kids,” Harr said. “It’s just magic.”
After six rounds, April Adalim, 15, won the spelling bee, earning a free pen and the first volume from the Pendragon Series. The winning word was “serpensortia,” a spell that causes a large serpent to come from the end of a wand.
Wearing a black robe over her Loretto High School uniform and a red-and-gold scarf, Adalim said she came to her first midnight release celebration because it was the last Harry Potter book.
“I hope that the last book won’t be a disappointment, and it’ll tie-up loose ends,” said Adalim, who had also drawn a lightening bolt-scar on her forehead with a pen and poked out the lenses of her sister’s old glasses in order to resemble Harry.
Another event at the Grand Hallows Ball was the costume contest. Melissa Forsberg, a student from Cosumnes River College, was crowned the queen of the ball in her red-and-white, off-shoulder ball gown. She was dressed as the fat lady from the portrait that hangs outside of the Gryffindor common area.
“She always dresses good,” said Forsberg, who had used her high school senior ball dress for the costume and had some red flowers painted across her face.
However, Harr said his favorite activity was the Great Snape Debate in which people took turn speaking into a microphone, expressing their opinion regarding the loyalties of the character, Severus Snape. Customers could visually show-off their position by wearing a purple sticker with the words “Snape is loyal,” or an orange sticker with the words “Snape will betray.”
“Everyone was really animated,” Harr said on Sunday afternoon.
Harr, who is also the merchandising supervisor at Borders, talked about how passionate people were about the topic and that the amount of people who wanted to participate could have possibly delayed the midnight release of the book.
Ever since the first book was published a decade ago, the series has sold 325 million copies worldwide, according to CNN.
Customers who had preordered the seventh Harry Potter book by July 13 from Borders picked up a certain colored wristband starting at 9 a.m. on Friday. The first block of people who could line up to purchase their books had orange wristbands. The line for the orange wristbands started at the registers and snaked towards the back of the store.
The next group would have silver wristbands, then blue, green and pink. The people who did not preorder the book were in the final group with purple wristbands.
However, Deborah Midas won a raffle, allowing her to move to the front of the line and become the first person to purchase Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows from this location.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Midas said. “I never win anything. I looked at the number twice, and I kept shouting.”
Midas, who had preordered the book in December, had picked up a pink wristband at around 10:30 p.m. That color bracelet would have put her in the second-to-the-last group.
However, even Dumbledore couldn’t receive his book in a timely fashion. That is, Owen Mosburg, the male costume contest winner who dressed as the Hogwarts headmaster, had a purple wristband around his wrist.
Mosburg, who wore a beard, a pointy hat and robe, hadn’t pre-ordered his book nor planned on attending the event initially. He heard the youth group from his church, United Methodist Church, was going to be in attendance.
“I think it’s great that Elk Grove came together,” Mosburg said. “There’s a lot of people interested in Harry Potter.”
After midnight, there were still people waiting outside of the store to get a wristband. At around 12:30 a.m., the line stretched towards the Crazy Sushi restaurant.
Harr said the final customer left at around 3:30 a.m., and overall, about 80 percent of the store’s Deathly Hallows inventory had been unloaded during the weekend.
As of Sunday afternoon, though, Harr said he hadn’t had a chance to read the book, though he looked forward to it.
Harr said, “Just hopefully—hopefully—nobody spoils the end.”
Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry!!!!
April Adalim, 15, dressed in her best Gryffindor attire and attended the Grand Hallows Ball at Borders on the evening of July 20. Adalim won the night's Harry Potter spelling bee and received a pen and book for her Potter prowess. Photograph by Rebecca Maston, Citizen staff photographer.
Potter mania continues....
Daniellesherri Baker, Katie Tam, and Ariel Ryan (left to right) represent the character of Professor Trelawney while they wait for the release of the final Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Photograph by Rebecca Maston Citizenstaff photographer.
Harry Potter Revelry continued...
Employees of Borders were dressed in costume Friday night for the big occassion, characters included this person as Albus Dumbledore. Photograph by Rebecca Maston, Citizen staff photographer.
Harry Potter fans revel in excitement of final book
Christopher Duran dressed in his Harry Potter costume in honor of the midnight release of the seventh and final Harry Potter book. Scores of Potter fans invaded the Borders store on Laguna Boulevard for a night of wizard fun. Photograph by Rebecca Maston, Citizen staff photographer.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Harry Potter Mania hit Elk Grove last night
Scores of wizards, Muggles, and other Harry Potter aficianado's were at Borders Friday night for the release of the latest Harry Potter book. Elk Grove Citizen Photographer Rebecca Maston and College Intern Sarah Kyo were at Borders to catch all the Muggle madness, their full report - along with Shannon Savage's story on Saturday's Potter fun at the Elk Grove Library - will be in the Wednesday, July 25, edition of the Citizen.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Kenneth Jenkins named Eagle Scout
Kenneth Jenkins of Troop 286 received his Eagle Scout rank on April 17 after passing his Board of Review.
For his project, he repaired, sanded and painted all the benches at Emerald Lakes Golf Course just after it was taken over by the Cosumnes Community Services District.
Jenkins is a junior at Elk Grove High School, and the son of Robert and Nancy Jenkins of Elk Grove. He was honored at a Court of Honor June 5 at First Baptist Church of Elk Grove, after which his parents surprised him with a 1966 Ford Mustang.
Made with Love
Volunteers get together on the second Sunday of every month at Knitique the Yarn Boutique to knit caps for chemotherapy patients. Photos by Rebecca Maston, Elk Grove Citizen.
By Shannon Savage
Citizen Staff Writer
In a world where war, famine and disease are running rampant some may wonder what they can do to help. Giving something back to the local community is always a good start.
One Elk Grove knitting shop owner is doing just that.
Danielle Bowen, owner of Knitique, has been encouraging residents to come together and knit caps for cancer patients to help combat the outward effects of chemotherapy.
“I decided to focus on one project that was smaller and meant a lot to me,” Bowen said. “You meet people everyday that are touched by cancer.”
Even since the shop opened Bowen has helped out customers with cancer.
“We’ve seen them through the battle of breast cancer or other types of cancer,” Bowen said.
The shop, located at 8741 Elk Grove Blvd., has been catering to the needs of chemotherapy patients since it opened two years ago.
“It speaks to everyone,” Bowen said. “I’ve had family members who have had cancer who lost their hair and it was just something that I’ve done since I was a child.”
So far the small shop in the Williamson Shopping Center has made 1,979 chemo caps.
“Kind of the theme of our shop is a community based knit shop,” Bowen said. “So we have lots of community based events. Even in our kids classes we’re teaching them caps so they can donate for the process.”
Although Bowen donates most of the hats to Sutter Cancer Center she makes sure there is still a supply in the shop.
“The word is getting around that we have them so people will come in who are going through breast cancer or other cancers and they can pick from the hats that we have,” Bowen said. “So it’s not always in the hospital. They can come here and see who’s making them.”
Women from all around Elk Grove fill the small shop to knit chemo caps and help out the community.
“I learned about it coming in to get my yarn,” said Diane Denman, who has been making caps for about a year. “So when I have some down time I usually have one going.”
After having friends who were diagnosed with cancer, Denman said she wanted to help.
“They all say, ‘my head is cold,’” said Denman, who has made five caps. “This is one way I can help. It feels good to know that maybe a child, maybe it makes it a little easier for them.”
Others started doing chemo caps on their own and then got involved with Bowen’s shop.
“Mainly I made them for people that I knew,” said Blythe Myers, who has made three caps.
Getting involved locally was also a big draw for Myers.
“I do a lot of knitting for a shelter that is in Alaska and I thought it would be nice to do something for somebody here,” Myers said. “Someone who I worked with, his wife had cancer. I made (her) a cap and she wore it and liked it. She said she felt she could go out into public and people weren’t staring at her. People asked her where she got the hat from it was like a fashion item, they didn’t know that she didn’t have any hair.”
Even workers in the shop have gotten into the spirit of making chemo caps.
“I think in the long run everything comes back around,” said Joann Delaney, who has been working in the shop for two years. “If you help someone they help someone as a result of that. And sometime when you need help, someone will help you. I think if we all learned that everyone profits.”
People can get involved in many different ways with the chemo caps.
“They can donate yarn,” Bowen said. “That’s something that everyone has to have because we have some older people who can’t afford the yarn. So they actually pick up the yarn and then take it home.”
There are also chemo kits that people can pick up, which include everything needed to make the caps.
“They can bring back the finished ones or they can join one of our community events,” Bowen said.
Interested parties are also encouraged to join knitters at the shop the second Sunday of every month for Knit For A Cause or every Thursday for an open knitting session.
“Anytime the shop’s open people are welcome to come in,” Bowen said.
No matter what kind of hat you make, knitted or crocheted, Bowen said the feeling of helping the community is priceless.
“I just think no matter what business you’re in being able to enrich other people’s lives enriches your own life,” Bowen said. “The more you donate and the more you give to the community the more you get back personally.”
For more information about chemo caps of Knitique call 714-7719.
The editor's booklist - well, a few
Many folks often inquire about my reading habits, books, magazines, or newspapers. I am always unsure what to say because I read so much on a regular basis. Here, though, are some of my current selections from the book side. As far as newspapers go, I try to read on a daily basis papers such as the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and the Sacramento Bee.
On the book front, as you can see from the accompanying photo, I enjoy reading on a wide range of topics. I am currently trying to finish the following four tomes: The Fact Checker's Bible,Oil!, Hamburgers and Fries: an American Story, and We the media.
Upton Sinclair is one of my favorite authors and his book, Oil!, is a classic tale of greed and life during the Southern California oil boom. We the media is a very intriguing book about citizen journalism and the rise of blogging and independent internet information outlets. The Fact Checker's Bible is a no brainer. Hamburgers and Fries is about the classic "American" meal, written by acclaimed food writer John T. Edge.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Re-printing a story for our readers
In the Friday, July 6 edition of the Elk Grove Citizen, readers will find the article "Where the Streets have names" printed a second time.
Now, this is a bit different situation than our accidental re-printing of the same Elk Grove Planning Commission story a few months back. This time, as you can see in the corrections to the left, our reporter - Blake Ellington - had one of those days a reporter sometimes has.
Ellington accidentally misspelled the last name of the main person throughout the article, and then he mistakenly said an incident occurred in Alaska, not China as it should have been.
So, in a sense of community newspapering - which I believe is something only newspapers our size can do - we reprinted the article with appropriate corrections so the family would be able to cut out this article to save for future generations.
As editor, I wanted to offer readers an explanation for the re-printing and also an apology for sloppy reporting. We will do better. On the good side of the issue, the family did really enjoy Blake's article and were thankful their story was told.
Our goal as a community newspaper is to serve the public and our readers, we hope we're doing that.
Thanks,
Jeff Forward
Now, this is a bit different situation than our accidental re-printing of the same Elk Grove Planning Commission story a few months back. This time, as you can see in the corrections to the left, our reporter - Blake Ellington - had one of those days a reporter sometimes has.
Ellington accidentally misspelled the last name of the main person throughout the article, and then he mistakenly said an incident occurred in Alaska, not China as it should have been.
So, in a sense of community newspapering - which I believe is something only newspapers our size can do - we reprinted the article with appropriate corrections so the family would be able to cut out this article to save for future generations.
As editor, I wanted to offer readers an explanation for the re-printing and also an apology for sloppy reporting. We will do better. On the good side of the issue, the family did really enjoy Blake's article and were thankful their story was told.
Our goal as a community newspaper is to serve the public and our readers, we hope we're doing that.
Thanks,
Jeff Forward
Petaluma newspaper offers citizen's blog
The folks at the Petaluma Argus-Courier have started a blog for their readers to post on, and the move is drawing good reviews from Editor & Publisher.
Petaluma is an interesting town and there are more than enough issues and people to have a good, solid community-driven blog. The Argus-Courier blog features the voices of everyday citizens and has a snazzy design and some interesting posts.
I encourage you to check out this regional example of Citizen Journalism. I have a lot of thoughts on Citizen Journalism and hope to incorporate it more on this blog and in the hard-copy editions of the Elk Grove Citizen. If you have any comments, stories, or information you would like to share as a reader and Citizen Journalist, send them to Jeff Forward at the Citizen.
Petaluma is an interesting town and there are more than enough issues and people to have a good, solid community-driven blog. The Argus-Courier blog features the voices of everyday citizens and has a snazzy design and some interesting posts.
I encourage you to check out this regional example of Citizen Journalism. I have a lot of thoughts on Citizen Journalism and hope to incorporate it more on this blog and in the hard-copy editions of the Elk Grove Citizen. If you have any comments, stories, or information you would like to share as a reader and Citizen Journalist, send them to Jeff Forward at the Citizen.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Figuring out HTML
I managed to figure out how to hyperlink phrases on the blog today. I scanned the pre-existing HTML code (I think that's the term for it?) and experimented with it a bit for about 15 minutes before finally getting it right. It's a minor accomplishment most programmers would laugh at, but for me it is a small but significant step forward in the development of this blog and my Web skills. Have a great Fourth!
Jeff Forward, Editor, the Citizen
Jeff Forward, Editor, the Citizen
Happy Fourth of July
The staff of the Elk Grove Citizen would like to wish a Happy Fourth of July to all our readers and citizens of Elk Grove. We hope you have a safe and fun holiday celebrating our nation's birthday.
In next Wednesday's edition of the Citizen, Police & Fire Reporter Cameron Macdonald will bring readers the story of local fireworks investigators who will be on patrol tonight across Elk Grove. Macdonald will be following officials as they look for illegal fireworks and any other illegal celebrations. Look for his story in the July 11 edition of the Citizen.
In next Wednesday's edition of the Citizen, Police & Fire Reporter Cameron Macdonald will bring readers the story of local fireworks investigators who will be on patrol tonight across Elk Grove. Macdonald will be following officials as they look for illegal fireworks and any other illegal celebrations. Look for his story in the July 11 edition of the Citizen.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Tens of thousands expected at Fourth of July celebration
By Cameron Macdonald
Citizen Staff Writer
The Elk Grove Regional Park will have explosions in the sky and an explosion of people on the grass this Fourth of July.
The Elk Grove Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 11th annual Salute to the Red, White and Blue celebration.
“It’s a wonderful event for the family to come out and have a day in the park,” said Paula Schroeder, the chamber’s vice president. “To top it off we have a great fireworks display.”
The half-hour fireworks show by Pyro Spectacular will commence over the heads of onlookers at the park around 9:45 p.m.
As tradition holds, there will be a musical soundtrack and narration about the holiday’s significance that will play during the fireworks display. The fireworks are often lit in the rhythm to the music and previous shows had patriotic symbols like the Liberty Bell and the Declaration of Independence ignited in streaming colors.
Keep an eye out for a large sign that reads, “Elk Grove” that is written in dozens of sparklers.
The 2005 celebration had a moment were nearly 15 veterans, including a navy commander, were walked onto the music stage to a standing ovation
Schroeder said that the celebration in the park begins at 3 p.m., where there will be food and various merchants selling goods. The food court will include standard fair food like pizza, hot dogs, and popcorn.
Early birds who want to secure comfortable spots for their cars and picnic blankets should note that gates to the park open at 6 a.m.
Schroeder said that the event itself is free, but there is a $10 parking fee for drivers on the park grounds. She mentioned that the parking lot has been expanded.
A large crowd is expected, given that 20,000 to 30,000 people came to the park last year, Schroeder said.
“We don’t expect it to decrease,” she said about the crowd.
Music will begin at 5 p.m. where the bands include last year’s hit, Bucho and other acts that will play classic rock covers and salsa.
Schroeder mentioned that there will be a live radio broadcast at the park from 3 to 5 p.m. by oldies station K-Hits 92.1 FM.
There will also be Hawaiian dancers, she said.
The event’s major sponsors include the Cosumnes Community Services District, Wal-Mart, the Methodist Hospital, and the Elk Grove Auto Mall.
“It’s a celebration for the freedoms that we have, that were hard-earned and we continue to work for those freedoms,” Chamber Executive Director Janet Toppenberg previously told the Citizen. “This (event) should be a good reminder of how important they are to stop and think about.”
The Elk Grove Regional Park is located at 9950 Elk Grove-Florin Road and is next door to Elk Grove High School.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published in the Citizen's Red, White, and Blue special section on June 27.
Greek gods find a home in trailer park in comedic work
By Shannon Savage
Citizen Staff Writer
What do Greek gods, Jerry Springer and trailer parks have in common? For one Sacramento author, everything.
Natalia Mercado, 29, has redesigned the classic Greek god tale into a modern day comedy called “Zeus & Hera, The Later Years.”
The screenplay throws Greek gods Zeus and Hera into the 21st century where they live in a trailer park in Bakersfield. The pair continually fight over Zeus’ infidelity and the trials they face with a comedic twist.
“It was just a funny idea,” said Mercado, who grew up in Bakersfield. “All the gods are in it. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, works at the local strip club. Zeus is a welder; you know the whole lightning bolt thing. Hera works at Wal-Mart.”
Mercado, an English and journalism teacher at Luther Burbank High School, thought of the idea years ago while watching a talk show.
“There was this country man with one tooth and these two women were fighting over him,” Mercado said. “And I thought why would women ever do that? Then it came to me, it’s history, it’s epic. Zeus was constantly cheating on Hera but she never did anything to him, she would (hurt) the women he was with.”
After taking a summer short film writing class in Fresno, she had the idea down on paper.
“I’ve always loved to write but I had been focusing on my first few years of teaching,” Mercado said. “Without that summer class I don’t think I could have gotten it out that fast.”
Growing up in Bakersfield helped a lot with writing the screenplay, Mercado said. But so did tapping into her unknown love of country music. Strong female singers like Gretchen Wilson helped her get into the Hera character.
“I just started listening to it and I got really inspired,” Mercado said.
With a degree in English literature and an extensive background in Greek mythology, the story seemed to flow out of Mercado.
“It just all came together in this screenplay,” Mercado said. “A lot of different influences helped me create the idea.”
Although the screenplay was meant to be a short 30-minute film, Mercado said she is planning to readapt it to become a stage play.
“You get to talk a lot more in a stage play,” Mercado said. “But in a movie a lot of the story is told in the action and the pictures. You can just switch from scene to scene. In a play it is harder to change sets and do flashbacks.”
Eventually when she can find the financial backing Mercado said she would still like to make the screenplay into a short film.
But before the screenplay is revamped, Mercado will be holding a reading July 6.
“This is kind of the first step, getting it out into the public and getting some buzz going,” Mercado said.
The staged reading will be performed in an informal setting by actors.
“They’re going to be in character and put on a show but there won’t be any props or settings,” Mercado said. “But other then that they are going to be doing a full blow performance.”
The reading will be at La Raza Galeria Posada, a gallery committed to Latino and Native American art although Mercado’s screenplay is not about Latinos.
“I’m breaking the stereotype that we have to write about ourselves,” Mercado said. “I get to write about anything I want.”
In the past Mercado did a reading in Fresno during her film class.
“I was so nervous,” Mercado said. “I wound up adding something to the script where Hera called Zeus sparky as a pet name. I kept thinking why did I add that, it ruins it. I was over here having a Woody Allen moment. But people laughed the most at that line.”
Although she has already had one successful reading, she is looking toward having another.
“I think it’s just going to be a lot of fun,” Mercado said. “If (people) are interested at all in theatre, film, mythology or even country music they’re going to enjoy the reading. But I wrote it so you can enjoy it no matter what. It’s not high brow or low brow.”
Notes on Newspaper Blogging
Since I began working on this blog for the Elk Grove Citizen newspaper, it's been quite a learning experience. I still have a long way to go, trust me. The endless possibilities - and frailties - of Internet journalism have hit home with the creation and maintenance of this blog.
As the explosion of Internet news sites and steady growth and development of citizen journalism mature and interweave, we in the old-fashioned paper newspaper world must learn to adapt and modernize. If we don't? It's likely a slow, steady relegation in importance and readership for traditional newspapers and news outlets.
Newspaper publishers and editors - reporters, too - must work hard to learn the new skills needed for the Internet while maintaining the same ethics and professionalism that is a hallmark of good, daily journalism. News magazines and television news are both investing in Internet branches and the move online has altered the global journalism landscape.
Here in Elk Grove, more and more readers and residents are looking online for their news and information. Blogs such as Eyes of Argus and Elk Grove News provide readers with local news mixed in with a healthy dose of opinion and examination of what's going on in their communities. Thousands of locals get their information on Elk Grove Online, a popular forum. The Sacramento Bee also provides localized coverage on their Web site.
We at the Elk Grove Citizen currently have a Web site - egcitizen.com in addition to our two weekly hard-copy issues. The site is outdated by modern Internet standards, but a modern, thorough replacement site is currently being worked on by our computer and tech staff. The new site will link in with this blog, as well as the blog of Blake Ellington, who will cover the Kings from the standpoint of a lifelong fan. We hope it will be online within four to six weeks.
Our goal is to provide our readers with as much news coverage about Elk Grove as our staff can report on - in print or online. We will continue to add to this site and our new Web site with podcasts and we hope at a later date, video podcasts.
While the Internet seems to be the way of the future - one of the realities of maintaining a site is that it requires a lot more time and vigilance added on to your normal newspaper duties.
In essence, you join the 24-hour news world, reacting and posting as much as possible on the blog - seven days a week if necessary. At large newspapers, there are often many shifts and a large number of editorial staff so the maintenance of a blog can be nearly constant.
These large newspapers hire Web designers and information specialists to add alternate views of the news in addition to the hard-copy edition that's tossed on your doorstep in the morning.
At smaller, community newspapers such as the Citizen, we are somewhat limited by the having a newsroom of nine people. Maintaining the site means being constantly connected and able to access news.
If you go camping on the weekend, there's no Internet in the back woods and the site won't get updated.
With no Internet connection in my home, I utilize Mishka's Cafe in Davis, which has free wireless access. Thats means a few hours out of a Saturday or Sunday depending on what's happening. I am strongly considering a home connection in order to stay more connected when not in the office.
Another stumbling block has been Web site development skills, as I am learning on the job. It is easy to utilize the Blogger.com site this blog is hosted on, but when it comes to professionally developed sites, there is a lot of skill and hard work involved.
Today, I spent maybe 30 minutes trying to locate all the instances where titles needed to be italicized. It was frustrating as well as time consuming - all to italicize what needed to be. I'm sure I missed a few.
But, in the end, it does feel good to be online and providing more thorough news for our readers and anyone who stumbles upon our blog. If you have any tips, we're listening.
Jeff Forward
Editor, the Elk Grove Citizen
As the explosion of Internet news sites and steady growth and development of citizen journalism mature and interweave, we in the old-fashioned paper newspaper world must learn to adapt and modernize. If we don't? It's likely a slow, steady relegation in importance and readership for traditional newspapers and news outlets.
Newspaper publishers and editors - reporters, too - must work hard to learn the new skills needed for the Internet while maintaining the same ethics and professionalism that is a hallmark of good, daily journalism. News magazines and television news are both investing in Internet branches and the move online has altered the global journalism landscape.
Here in Elk Grove, more and more readers and residents are looking online for their news and information. Blogs such as Eyes of Argus and Elk Grove News provide readers with local news mixed in with a healthy dose of opinion and examination of what's going on in their communities. Thousands of locals get their information on Elk Grove Online, a popular forum. The Sacramento Bee also provides localized coverage on their Web site.
We at the Elk Grove Citizen currently have a Web site - egcitizen.com in addition to our two weekly hard-copy issues. The site is outdated by modern Internet standards, but a modern, thorough replacement site is currently being worked on by our computer and tech staff. The new site will link in with this blog, as well as the blog of Blake Ellington, who will cover the Kings from the standpoint of a lifelong fan. We hope it will be online within four to six weeks.
Our goal is to provide our readers with as much news coverage about Elk Grove as our staff can report on - in print or online. We will continue to add to this site and our new Web site with podcasts and we hope at a later date, video podcasts.
While the Internet seems to be the way of the future - one of the realities of maintaining a site is that it requires a lot more time and vigilance added on to your normal newspaper duties.
In essence, you join the 24-hour news world, reacting and posting as much as possible on the blog - seven days a week if necessary. At large newspapers, there are often many shifts and a large number of editorial staff so the maintenance of a blog can be nearly constant.
These large newspapers hire Web designers and information specialists to add alternate views of the news in addition to the hard-copy edition that's tossed on your doorstep in the morning.
At smaller, community newspapers such as the Citizen, we are somewhat limited by the having a newsroom of nine people. Maintaining the site means being constantly connected and able to access news.
If you go camping on the weekend, there's no Internet in the back woods and the site won't get updated.
With no Internet connection in my home, I utilize Mishka's Cafe in Davis, which has free wireless access. Thats means a few hours out of a Saturday or Sunday depending on what's happening. I am strongly considering a home connection in order to stay more connected when not in the office.
Another stumbling block has been Web site development skills, as I am learning on the job. It is easy to utilize the Blogger.com site this blog is hosted on, but when it comes to professionally developed sites, there is a lot of skill and hard work involved.
Today, I spent maybe 30 minutes trying to locate all the instances where titles needed to be italicized. It was frustrating as well as time consuming - all to italicize what needed to be. I'm sure I missed a few.
But, in the end, it does feel good to be online and providing more thorough news for our readers and anyone who stumbles upon our blog. If you have any tips, we're listening.
Jeff Forward
Editor, the Elk Grove Citizen
Teen killed in car crash
A memorial in memory of Dyeshaia Richardson who died in a car crash over the weekend. Photos by Rebecca Maston, Elk Grove Citizen.
Story By Cameron Macdonald: Citizen Staff Writer
A 15-year-old girl died after her vehicle crashed into a tree in East Franklin on June 30. Sacramento County coroners identified the victim as Dyeshaia Richardson of Sacramento.
Richardson, a rear passenger, was among five teenage girls in the vehicle during the crash on the 9900 block of Bruceville Road near Terrazzo Drive, Elk Grove police spokesperson Christopher Trim said.
The rest of the occupants suffered serious, but non-life threatening injuries and were hospitalized, he reported.
A full report on the accident from Macdonald with more photographs from Maston will be published in the July 6 edition of the Elk Grove Citizen.
Meet the Staff: Blake Ellington
Blake Ellington is the newest member of the staff here at the Elk Grove Citizen. Ellington is a graduate of Lodi High School and CSU-Sacramento. He currently covers all aspects of the Elk Grove political beat - including the Elk Grove City Council, the Elk Grove Planning Commission and anything related to those two entities.
Blake is also an avid Kings fan and will be covering the Kings on his blog, www.egcitizenking.blogspot.com.
Feel free to contact Blake via telephone or e-mail. (916) 685-3945; e-mail is elkgroveinfo@gmail.com
Letter to the Editor of the Week
Dear Editor:
As I visit my daughter who lives in the older section of Elk Grove I am bewildered by some the things I see in your city.
First, Elk Grove has a lot of history and Old Town should be preserved. The city fathers saw fit to take Elk Grove Boulevard, which is a very busy road and narrow it to one lane in each direction. It appears that this makes Old Town more congested. Parking is somewhat awkward. As Elk Grove Boulevard going out toward Bradshaw Road is in terrible condition, it seems the money to narrow a main street could have been used more wisely to improve conditions of the road all the way through town.
Second, Elk Grove city fathers apparently approved the plans to construct a building on the southeast corner of Elk Grove-Florin Road and Elk Grove Boulevard. I have been told it was to be a library but the second floor is not sturdy enough to hold the weight of the books. Is this correct? If this is correct, shame on your planning commission that approved the plans.
My last comment, is why was it allowed to be placed so close to the intersection and not set back a distance?
As a frequent visitor in your growing city, I have been curious for some time and thought I would write and ask.
Mel Mehlhaff
Winston, Ore.
This is one of several letters to the editor that will be published in the Wednesday, July 4 edition of the Citizen.
As I visit my daughter who lives in the older section of Elk Grove I am bewildered by some the things I see in your city.
First, Elk Grove has a lot of history and Old Town should be preserved. The city fathers saw fit to take Elk Grove Boulevard, which is a very busy road and narrow it to one lane in each direction. It appears that this makes Old Town more congested. Parking is somewhat awkward. As Elk Grove Boulevard going out toward Bradshaw Road is in terrible condition, it seems the money to narrow a main street could have been used more wisely to improve conditions of the road all the way through town.
Second, Elk Grove city fathers apparently approved the plans to construct a building on the southeast corner of Elk Grove-Florin Road and Elk Grove Boulevard. I have been told it was to be a library but the second floor is not sturdy enough to hold the weight of the books. Is this correct? If this is correct, shame on your planning commission that approved the plans.
My last comment, is why was it allowed to be placed so close to the intersection and not set back a distance?
As a frequent visitor in your growing city, I have been curious for some time and thought I would write and ask.
Mel Mehlhaff
Winston, Ore.
This is one of several letters to the editor that will be published in the Wednesday, July 4 edition of the Citizen.
Saluting the Red, White, and Blue
By Keith Gebers
Citizen Staff Writer
Officially it’s called Independence Day. But most people refer to it as July Fourth or the Fourth of July. It is the biggest national holiday of the year, although there are several times during the year when a patriotic theme highlights a special occasion, such as Veterans Day and even Memorial Day.
The day marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence from Britain on July 4, 1776. However the United States didn’t officially became independent until Sept. 3, 1783 when King George III and leaders of the United States signed The Treaty of Paris.
The first official anniversary celebration occurred July 4, 1777 in Philadelphia with speeches by members of the Continental Congress along with military parades, toasts and a 13-gun salute. On July 4, 1778 George Washington celebrated Independence Day by giving his troops a double ration of rum.
North Carolina, in 1781, was the first state to officially recognize Independence Day. However, it wasn’t until 99-years later that the United States Congress made July 4 a national holiday. And strangely enough, federal employees didn’t get that day off in 1880 with pay.
An overall feeling of celebration marks the Fourth of July. Many cities have large parades and in Elk Grove we have the Red, White and Blue Celebration, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. It is a tradition held yearly in Elk Grove Regional Park and features a gigantic fireworks display, preceded by day long activities, such as popular live music, family picnics and displays put on by community organizations and vendors.
Songs play a big part in Independence Day tradition. “The Star Spangled Banner is the national anthem, which commemorates a critical battle with the British during the War of 1812. With a melody based on a British drinking song and words written by Francis Scott Key, “The Star Spangled Banner” wasn’t adopted by Congress as the National Anthem until 1931. Even then, it was controversial with many leaders saying “My Country, Tis of Thee” was more traditional.
Some years later a short-lived effort got underway when some popular musicians suggested making “America the Beautiful” the national anthem. Others say “God Bless America,” written by Irving Berlin and made popular in 1938 by singer Kate Smith, was - and is - the best choice. However it ran into problems when some secular critics said mention of the deity favored union between church and state. Still, “God Bless America” is often regarded as the unofficial national anthem.
Other songs receive a lot of play on July 4 including “This Land Is Your Land, “Stars and Stripes Forever,” along with “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” which was written by George M. Cohen, who was born on July 4, 1878.
This year July 4 takes on special meaning because thousands of Americans are in harm’s way in the mid east. Many of the celebrations will commemorate the efforts and sacrifices of these young people who are serving their nation in times of need.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Child dies after being hit by SUV
The driver of an SUV hit and fatally injured a 4-year-old girl on June 23 after she got out of a parked car. Police said the driver stopped after the accident and was completely cooperative with officers.
Elk Grove police say that the victim, identified as Viang Many Savengsueksa, was on her way to a family wedding that day.
Sgt. James Fuller, spokesperson for the Elk Grove police, said that the incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. when the victim’s family parked their vehicle near the corner of Spring Flower Drive and Sand Hollow Way in the East Franklin area.
Savengsueksa’s family parked on a north curb line of Spring Flower Drive, Fuller reported. The victim stepped into the street’s eastbound traffic lane and the driver of the SUV, heading east, could not avoid hitting the girl, Fuller added.
The driver then stopped to check on the victim.
Cosumnes Community Service District paramedics transported Savengsueksa to the UC Davis Medical Center where she was later pronounced dead.
Fuller said that driver did not show signs of intoxication, but she still allowed police to test her blood alcohol level. He noted that speed might not have been a factor in the collision but he said that it causes many collisions in the city.
This brief was compiled by Citizen Staff Writer Cameron Macdonald.
Elk Grove police say that the victim, identified as Viang Many Savengsueksa, was on her way to a family wedding that day.
Sgt. James Fuller, spokesperson for the Elk Grove police, said that the incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. when the victim’s family parked their vehicle near the corner of Spring Flower Drive and Sand Hollow Way in the East Franklin area.
Savengsueksa’s family parked on a north curb line of Spring Flower Drive, Fuller reported. The victim stepped into the street’s eastbound traffic lane and the driver of the SUV, heading east, could not avoid hitting the girl, Fuller added.
The driver then stopped to check on the victim.
Cosumnes Community Service District paramedics transported Savengsueksa to the UC Davis Medical Center where she was later pronounced dead.
Fuller said that driver did not show signs of intoxication, but she still allowed police to test her blood alcohol level. He noted that speed might not have been a factor in the collision but he said that it causes many collisions in the city.
This brief was compiled by Citizen Staff Writer Cameron Macdonald.
Paris Hilton will not be interviewed by the Citizen staff
The Elk Grove Citizen has announced that it will not be interviewing Paris Hilton after she is released from jail this week. We apologize to our readers.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
2 shot, 1 beaten at birthday party altercation
The Elk Grove police reported that two men suffered gunshot wounds and another was beaten after a birthday party turned violent early Sunday morning. All three were transported to area hospitals for treatment.
Elk Grove police Sgt. James Fuller said at about 1:39 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to a call of multiple gunshots in the 9900 block of West Taron Drive. Dispatchers then received a call of a man suffering from two gunshot wounds at the AM/PM gas station at 9590 Harbour Point Drive.
At about the same time, Fuller reported, other Elk Grove officers stopped a suspected vehicle seen speeding away from the area of West Taron Drive. Inside that vehicle was another person who had been shot. He was taken to Kaiser South for treatment. A third person - who was beaten at the party - was also transported separately to Kaiser South in Sacramento.
Fuller said preliminary investigations have revealed what appears to be a gang-related dispute at the party. Fuller added that several people tried to enter the party and were denied entrance. The situation developed into a verbal argument before the shooting erupted. The incident is still under investigation.
A more detailed story on this incident will be in the Wednesday edition of the Citizen.
Elk Grove police Sgt. James Fuller said at about 1:39 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to a call of multiple gunshots in the 9900 block of West Taron Drive. Dispatchers then received a call of a man suffering from two gunshot wounds at the AM/PM gas station at 9590 Harbour Point Drive.
At about the same time, Fuller reported, other Elk Grove officers stopped a suspected vehicle seen speeding away from the area of West Taron Drive. Inside that vehicle was another person who had been shot. He was taken to Kaiser South for treatment. A third person - who was beaten at the party - was also transported separately to Kaiser South in Sacramento.
Fuller said preliminary investigations have revealed what appears to be a gang-related dispute at the party. Fuller added that several people tried to enter the party and were denied entrance. The situation developed into a verbal argument before the shooting erupted. The incident is still under investigation.
A more detailed story on this incident will be in the Wednesday edition of the Citizen.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Changing of Beats at the Citizen
The Elk Grove Citizen staff will be switching beats in the coming weeks in an effort to cover the community as best possible.
The politics and local government beat - which includes the Elk Grove City Council and Elk Grove Planning Commission - will now be covered by Reporter Blake Ellington. He replaces Shannon Savage, who was on the beat for more than one year.
Savage will be taking over the Lifestyles beat/section and will cover all aspects of Elk Grove's art and culture scene, as well as movie reviews, play previews, coverage of regional entertainment events and much more.
Cameron Macdonald will stay with his usual beats - police and public safety; the Cosumnes Community Services District; the Elk Grove Unified School District; and other random assignments.
The Citizen's Summer College Intern - Sarah Kyo of San Jose State Univ. - will be helping with all sorts of assignments, including question of the week, our special sections during the summer, and as many news stories as we can find for her.
We hope our readers and the citizens of Elk Grove enjoy our newspaper. Feel free to leave a comment or send an e-mail to the editor, Jeff Forward.
The politics and local government beat - which includes the Elk Grove City Council and Elk Grove Planning Commission - will now be covered by Reporter Blake Ellington. He replaces Shannon Savage, who was on the beat for more than one year.
Savage will be taking over the Lifestyles beat/section and will cover all aspects of Elk Grove's art and culture scene, as well as movie reviews, play previews, coverage of regional entertainment events and much more.
Cameron Macdonald will stay with his usual beats - police and public safety; the Cosumnes Community Services District; the Elk Grove Unified School District; and other random assignments.
The Citizen's Summer College Intern - Sarah Kyo of San Jose State Univ. - will be helping with all sorts of assignments, including question of the week, our special sections during the summer, and as many news stories as we can find for her.
We hope our readers and the citizens of Elk Grove enjoy our newspaper. Feel free to leave a comment or send an e-mail to the editor, Jeff Forward.
Police invite community to discuss crime at meeting
The Elk Grove police are hosting a community meeting at City Hall on June 26 to address residents' questions and concerns about crime in their neighborhoods.
Last year, the police organized their patrol coverage of the city into "beats" or areas where officers are assigned to focus their attention there and better connect with residents.
The upcoming meeting will address all of the neighborhoods west of Highway 99 – including the Laguna, East Franklin and Laguna West areas.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. inside the city council chambers at City Hall on 8400 Laguna Palms Way.
For more information, contact Officer Andrea Luckenbach at (916) 478-8110.
Brief was compiled by Citizen Staff Writer Cameron Macdonald.
Last year, the police organized their patrol coverage of the city into "beats" or areas where officers are assigned to focus their attention there and better connect with residents.
The upcoming meeting will address all of the neighborhoods west of Highway 99 – including the Laguna, East Franklin and Laguna West areas.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. inside the city council chambers at City Hall on 8400 Laguna Palms Way.
For more information, contact Officer Andrea Luckenbach at (916) 478-8110.
Brief was compiled by Citizen Staff Writer Cameron Macdonald.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
"Citizen soldier" staff profiles to make comeback
In 1998, the staff of the Elk Grove Citizen put together a series of small biographical profiles on the staff and published them in the Citizen.
We like that idea, and will be re-starting this feature in order to introduce our staff to our readers. Over the next two months, the bios and photos of our staff will be uploaded on a once-a-week basis.
Council awards $211,000 in grants, Hume abstains from all votes
By Shannon Savage
Citizen Staff Writer
The Elk Grove City Council gave away $211,000 in community grants at their June 13 meeting, slightly more than a third of the $600,000 in funding that community groups had requested.
Despite the generosity, not all of the city council members were not in the giving spirit.
“I’m going to abstain from all of them,” said Elk Grove City Council Member Pat Hume, who had disagreed with the idea of government funded community grants at a prior meeting.
“I don’t believe that it is government’s role to act as Robin Hood and redistribute wealth,” Hume said during the May 23 council meeting. “Even when we were in high cotton I kind of had a problem philosophically with the idea of community services grants.”
Other council members, though, saw the worth of the programs requesting help at the June 13 council meeting.
“This is an organization that has been serving the community for a long time,” said Elk Grove City Council Member Gary Davis about the Animal Rescue League. “They work their tails off.”
Some council members were more concerned with giving money to groups that helped people.
“There are a lot of human needs,” said Elk Grove City Council Member Mike Leary. “Perhaps we should prioritize.”
Members of the council also argued that they could either fund the Animal Rescue League or give more money to the Elk Grove Rotary Foundation Youth Incentive Mentor Program, “where you can keep an at risk kid out of prison,” said Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper. “So it’s either Fi Fi the cat or a kid.”
In the end the Rotary Foundation received $10,000, $5,000 less then they requested and the Animal Rescue League received $10,000 of their $50,000 request.
But all of the money didn’t just go to furry little four legged friends. The Elk Grove Community Food Bank Services received $60,000.
“This is an organization that’s operating lean and mean,” Davis said. “Any assistance we give is going to Elk Grove families. We don’t have a big homeless population but we have a lot of people that are barely making it.”
Other groups like Project R.I.D.E. also received their full request.
“We’re ecstatic it’s definitely a step that we needed to take to not have to continually ask the city for money every year,” said Tina Calanchini, director of operations for Project R.I.D.E.
The group requested $11,900 to develop marketing packets to promote the organization to help get bigger donors.
“We want to garner support in other places of the city,” Calanchini said. “This will help us help ourselves.”
The council also gave $25,000 to the Elk Grove Adult Community Training.
“We’re looking at folks who are disabled, they need everything they can get,” Davis said. “This will give them a good shot in the arm so to speak.”
Even the arts didn’t get left out of the donations.
Elk Grove Artists and the Elk Grove Concert Band received a total of almost $7,000.
“They are young kids out there,” said Elk Grove City Council Member Sophia Scherman, about the concert band. “They really do entertain a lot of folks out in the community.”
There were also a slew of events requesting funding.
Although the Elk Grove Veteran’s Day Parade received $3,000, the Elk Grove Western Festival received $2,000 and the Strauss Festival of Elk Grove received $15,000 Davis continued to mention that events might be better funded by other areas of the budget.
“I think we’ve got funds from other sources to fund events,” Davis said.
The Fine Arts Festival of Elk Grove was also funded at $5,000, which was less then the group’s request of $14,350.
“Were just really grateful that they thought to help us out,” said Nan Mahon, member of the fine arts festival committee. “We’re a new (so) it shows that they have some faith in us.”
Although they did not receive the full amount requested, Mahon said the it would still be useful.
“The money means that we can continue to make this a free event so that all of the community can come and enjoy the arts,” Mahon said. “That’s our goal is art for everybody.”
But not all organizations walked away happy.
The Elk Grove Youth Achievement Foundation requested $30,000 and received nothing.
“I’ve never been aware of them funding any sports for girls,” said Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper. “I’ve got a problem with that.”
Other groups like the Elk Grove Historical Society were also left out in the cold.
The historical society requested $42,326 for handicap improvements to Rhoads School and research library equipment.
“You’re disappointed when you don’t get a grant but its understandable, the city doesn’t have a lot of money to give to everybody,” said Anita Peters, president of the Elk Grove Historical Society. “It’s kind of the luck of the draw.”
But the historical society will still need to find the money to at least do the handicap improvements.
“Of course (Rhoads School is) an old building but we do school programs there and we have in recent years had a couple of children who were in wheelchairs and it was very difficult thing for them,” said Frances Fite, director of the Rhoads School. “Also we are not in compliance with the (American’s With Disabilities Act) requirements.”
Even though many groups did receive funding this year the council sent out a warning to all that planned to apply again next year.
“They may not get any funding to free up the money for someone else,” Leary said.
This year the council had $1,000 leftover after giving out community grants.
Citizen Staff Writer
The Elk Grove City Council gave away $211,000 in community grants at their June 13 meeting, slightly more than a third of the $600,000 in funding that community groups had requested.
Despite the generosity, not all of the city council members were not in the giving spirit.
“I’m going to abstain from all of them,” said Elk Grove City Council Member Pat Hume, who had disagreed with the idea of government funded community grants at a prior meeting.
“I don’t believe that it is government’s role to act as Robin Hood and redistribute wealth,” Hume said during the May 23 council meeting. “Even when we were in high cotton I kind of had a problem philosophically with the idea of community services grants.”
Other council members, though, saw the worth of the programs requesting help at the June 13 council meeting.
“This is an organization that has been serving the community for a long time,” said Elk Grove City Council Member Gary Davis about the Animal Rescue League. “They work their tails off.”
Some council members were more concerned with giving money to groups that helped people.
“There are a lot of human needs,” said Elk Grove City Council Member Mike Leary. “Perhaps we should prioritize.”
Members of the council also argued that they could either fund the Animal Rescue League or give more money to the Elk Grove Rotary Foundation Youth Incentive Mentor Program, “where you can keep an at risk kid out of prison,” said Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper. “So it’s either Fi Fi the cat or a kid.”
In the end the Rotary Foundation received $10,000, $5,000 less then they requested and the Animal Rescue League received $10,000 of their $50,000 request.
But all of the money didn’t just go to furry little four legged friends. The Elk Grove Community Food Bank Services received $60,000.
“This is an organization that’s operating lean and mean,” Davis said. “Any assistance we give is going to Elk Grove families. We don’t have a big homeless population but we have a lot of people that are barely making it.”
Other groups like Project R.I.D.E. also received their full request.
“We’re ecstatic it’s definitely a step that we needed to take to not have to continually ask the city for money every year,” said Tina Calanchini, director of operations for Project R.I.D.E.
The group requested $11,900 to develop marketing packets to promote the organization to help get bigger donors.
“We want to garner support in other places of the city,” Calanchini said. “This will help us help ourselves.”
The council also gave $25,000 to the Elk Grove Adult Community Training.
“We’re looking at folks who are disabled, they need everything they can get,” Davis said. “This will give them a good shot in the arm so to speak.”
Even the arts didn’t get left out of the donations.
Elk Grove Artists and the Elk Grove Concert Band received a total of almost $7,000.
“They are young kids out there,” said Elk Grove City Council Member Sophia Scherman, about the concert band. “They really do entertain a lot of folks out in the community.”
There were also a slew of events requesting funding.
Although the Elk Grove Veteran’s Day Parade received $3,000, the Elk Grove Western Festival received $2,000 and the Strauss Festival of Elk Grove received $15,000 Davis continued to mention that events might be better funded by other areas of the budget.
“I think we’ve got funds from other sources to fund events,” Davis said.
The Fine Arts Festival of Elk Grove was also funded at $5,000, which was less then the group’s request of $14,350.
“Were just really grateful that they thought to help us out,” said Nan Mahon, member of the fine arts festival committee. “We’re a new (so) it shows that they have some faith in us.”
Although they did not receive the full amount requested, Mahon said the it would still be useful.
“The money means that we can continue to make this a free event so that all of the community can come and enjoy the arts,” Mahon said. “That’s our goal is art for everybody.”
But not all organizations walked away happy.
The Elk Grove Youth Achievement Foundation requested $30,000 and received nothing.
“I’ve never been aware of them funding any sports for girls,” said Elk Grove Mayor Jim Cooper. “I’ve got a problem with that.”
Other groups like the Elk Grove Historical Society were also left out in the cold.
The historical society requested $42,326 for handicap improvements to Rhoads School and research library equipment.
“You’re disappointed when you don’t get a grant but its understandable, the city doesn’t have a lot of money to give to everybody,” said Anita Peters, president of the Elk Grove Historical Society. “It’s kind of the luck of the draw.”
But the historical society will still need to find the money to at least do the handicap improvements.
“Of course (Rhoads School is) an old building but we do school programs there and we have in recent years had a couple of children who were in wheelchairs and it was very difficult thing for them,” said Frances Fite, director of the Rhoads School. “Also we are not in compliance with the (American’s With Disabilities Act) requirements.”
Even though many groups did receive funding this year the council sent out a warning to all that planned to apply again next year.
“They may not get any funding to free up the money for someone else,” Leary said.
This year the council had $1,000 leftover after giving out community grants.
Back from Quantico: Kelly graduates from FBI academy
By Cameron Macdonald
Citizen Staff Writer
A city police administrator recently returned from Virginia with a broader knowledge of policing and new connections with law enforcement authorities from around the world.
Ed Kelly, assistant chief of the Elk Grove Police Department, graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA a few weeks ago.
Kelly and a few hundred law enforcement officers from across the country and world spent 10 weeks studying police subjects including management and forensics.
“It was a long 10 weeks but the benefits I’ve gained are well worth the time I’ve spent,” he said.
Kelly does not have his academy diploma hanging on his office wall yet, but he keeps a yellow brick on his desk – an award from running the “Yellow Brick Road,” a six-mile, U.S. Marine endurance course in the humid Virginia sun.
“The most challenging thing is taking yourself out of your norm and opening yourself to all the new things,” he said. “I think I got quite a bit out of that.”
The assistant police chief helped lead the creation of the city of Elk Grove’s police force last year.
Kelly said that he applied to the FBI academy two years ago and gained his nomination to the school from the FBI’s Sacramento branch.
Less than one percent of American police officers that apply to the academy are accepted, according to the FBI.
Kelly compared his academy experience to that of going to a college for semester. He said that the school is meant to strengthen cooperation between the FBI and local law enforcement agencies and now matters more given the large national interest in Homeland Security.
“I think that this is a good way to make sure that we’re all looking at things the same way and knowing each other’s resources,” he said.
Kelly took courses in legal issues, labor law, organizational behavior, leadership ethics and forensics. He also wrote papers and conducted class presentations on subjects like an unsolved homicide case where prostitutes were killed in New York.
He spoke highly of the advances in forensic investigations such as DNA inspections where they can be easily done on minor crimes like burglary and auto theft
“We’re probably going to look at some changes that make sure we’re up to speed,” he said about his police department.
Kelly also mentioned that he learned more about how a FBI evidence team can assist in local police cases.
Kelly had classmates from Japan and Switzerland as well as other developing countries.
Kelly also spoke of a classmate from Israel where bombings and terrorist attacks are commonplace.
“We don’t realize how things are working so well in this country,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of the problems that they have.”
Kelly said that his best academy experience was making new friends and connections.
“I now have the ability to contact (law enforcement officials) anywhere in United States or outside in the world,” he said. “And, have the ability to find out information or get things done.”
Monday, June 18, 2007
Blogging can be time consuming
I have been working on this site for a few weeks now, and it is coming along slowly but better than I had envisioned.
We at the Citizen decided to get into blogging because it is another way to communicate with our readers - allowing us to update the public on breaking news or big events that occur in between our two print editions (Wednesday and Friday.)
It also allows us to put more of our print content online so more Internet-savvy readers can locate it and find stories.
Our current Web site -www.egcitizen.com - is very archaic and close to being shut down. We have a new Web site that is being prepared for unveiling soon. I expect this to occur within the next four-six weeks. When that new Web site is up and running, we will continue to maintain this blog.
Two of the biggest difficulties I've encountered so far with blogging - aside from my base knowledge of computers - are time and access to the Internet.
I regularly work 50 hours a week - that was before the blog. Now, with the instantaneous nature of Internet news, I am trying to keep up on the blog by putting pertinent news stories on the site as much as possible. (Read seven days a week.)
It's not always easy. My main focus and duties are as editor of the print edition of the Citizen. I must focus on each and every task each day to make sure the newspaper runs smoothly. I also answer phones when needed, work with our staff writers, write stories on my own, and deal with each and every complaint or concern with the Citizen.
Now, after adding on blogging to the list of duties, I have found myself working more hours merely trying to keep the blog timely and relevant. What that means is it is eating away at more of my free time outside of work.
The blog is difficult to do with the time limitations, but when you add in my second problem - no Internet access - it makes it even harder to maintain the site on a regular basis.
I may be one of the last people in the U.S. that does NOT have Internet access at home. Not only did I never own a computer until February, 2007, I have never had Internet access in my home.
One issue is cost. I simply cannot afford to have Internet access in my home. Even if I could afford it, I doubt I would get it because there are other things I need to spend money on - like bills and trying to save for the day I retire when I am 90.
A second problem is that my girlfriend does not even want Internet access in our home. I tend to agree. The Internet is nice, but it has a habit of turning people into mouse-potatoes: people who sit online all day and surf the net for "entertainment."
The third issue with the Internet is where can I access it? For me, it means driving to Davis from Woodland to access a free Internet cafe. However, free is a bit misleading. I have to pay for gas - 25 miles round-trip - and the coffee shop with Internet access demands users buy something - a basic coffee is $2. Because I have to drive to Davis, it takes at minimum two hours to do even the most basic blog update. That's two hours out of my weekend and time away from my hobbies and friends and most importantly, my significant other.
I often wonder why our society is obsessed with having news available on an instantaneous basis. It seems as if more and more people in our society cannot detach themselves from the world around them for even a few hours.
We arm ourselves with cell phones, BlackBerry devices, and all sorts of other technological gadgets for what? To be able to be reached anywhere at anytime? Is it worth it? Only you can answer that question for yourself.
I just had my cell phone turned off. I really didn't like it. It was $30 a month out of my pocket and nothing but a hassle. I highly doubt that Internet access will find a home in our house - too much money and too much time inside away from life outside with friends and family.
The world of journalism is changing, with all these tech gadgets and gizmos speeding up what we do and making news a more than 24-hour-a-day business. Whether that is better than the old days or worse, only time will tell.
In the meantime, we will do our best to keep you updated on news and happenings in the best manner we can.
We at the Citizen decided to get into blogging because it is another way to communicate with our readers - allowing us to update the public on breaking news or big events that occur in between our two print editions (Wednesday and Friday.)
It also allows us to put more of our print content online so more Internet-savvy readers can locate it and find stories.
Our current Web site -www.egcitizen.com - is very archaic and close to being shut down. We have a new Web site that is being prepared for unveiling soon. I expect this to occur within the next four-six weeks. When that new Web site is up and running, we will continue to maintain this blog.
Two of the biggest difficulties I've encountered so far with blogging - aside from my base knowledge of computers - are time and access to the Internet.
I regularly work 50 hours a week - that was before the blog. Now, with the instantaneous nature of Internet news, I am trying to keep up on the blog by putting pertinent news stories on the site as much as possible. (Read seven days a week.)
It's not always easy. My main focus and duties are as editor of the print edition of the Citizen. I must focus on each and every task each day to make sure the newspaper runs smoothly. I also answer phones when needed, work with our staff writers, write stories on my own, and deal with each and every complaint or concern with the Citizen.
Now, after adding on blogging to the list of duties, I have found myself working more hours merely trying to keep the blog timely and relevant. What that means is it is eating away at more of my free time outside of work.
The blog is difficult to do with the time limitations, but when you add in my second problem - no Internet access - it makes it even harder to maintain the site on a regular basis.
I may be one of the last people in the U.S. that does NOT have Internet access at home. Not only did I never own a computer until February, 2007, I have never had Internet access in my home.
One issue is cost. I simply cannot afford to have Internet access in my home. Even if I could afford it, I doubt I would get it because there are other things I need to spend money on - like bills and trying to save for the day I retire when I am 90.
A second problem is that my girlfriend does not even want Internet access in our home. I tend to agree. The Internet is nice, but it has a habit of turning people into mouse-potatoes: people who sit online all day and surf the net for "entertainment."
The third issue with the Internet is where can I access it? For me, it means driving to Davis from Woodland to access a free Internet cafe. However, free is a bit misleading. I have to pay for gas - 25 miles round-trip - and the coffee shop with Internet access demands users buy something - a basic coffee is $2. Because I have to drive to Davis, it takes at minimum two hours to do even the most basic blog update. That's two hours out of my weekend and time away from my hobbies and friends and most importantly, my significant other.
I often wonder why our society is obsessed with having news available on an instantaneous basis. It seems as if more and more people in our society cannot detach themselves from the world around them for even a few hours.
We arm ourselves with cell phones, BlackBerry devices, and all sorts of other technological gadgets for what? To be able to be reached anywhere at anytime? Is it worth it? Only you can answer that question for yourself.
I just had my cell phone turned off. I really didn't like it. It was $30 a month out of my pocket and nothing but a hassle. I highly doubt that Internet access will find a home in our house - too much money and too much time inside away from life outside with friends and family.
The world of journalism is changing, with all these tech gadgets and gizmos speeding up what we do and making news a more than 24-hour-a-day business. Whether that is better than the old days or worse, only time will tell.
In the meantime, we will do our best to keep you updated on news and happenings in the best manner we can.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
3 Robbery suspects arrested
By Cameron Macdonald
Citizen Staff Writer
Authorities arrested three suspects who allegedly robbed an Elk Grove credit union on Jun. 7.
Elk Grove police say that a Sacramento County deputy located and followed a vehicle containing the suspects on Interstate-80 near Fairfield later that day.
The suspects were stopped and arrested in the Bay Area city of Hercules, Elk Grove police spokesperson Christopher Trim said.
“We did recover some money from the bank robbery,” he said.
The suspects arrested are Christopher Estes, Gary Henry and Wineka Runnell. Trim said that police believe there is a fourth suspect still at large.
The robbery occurred before noon when two men reportedly entered the California Community Credit Union store on the 4800 block of Laguna Boulevard near Franklin Boulevard.
Police said one of the robbers jumped over the teller counter and told a 47-year-old employee to get on the ground. He then stole money from the teller drawers and later entered an employee’s office. The suspects stole an unknown amount of money and fled through the front doors.
No weapons were reportedly seen and the two employees were uninjured during the incident.
Trim said that the suspects had abandoned their getaway vehicle, a silver pickup truck, near the robbery site and then got into a different vehicle.
Police explained that a deputy, who was a K-9 officer, heard about the incident through a police radio and found a vehicle used by people he believed were involved in the robbery.
Elk Grove detectives later arrived to the scene and took the suspects into custody.
Citizen Staff Writer
Authorities arrested three suspects who allegedly robbed an Elk Grove credit union on Jun. 7.
Elk Grove police say that a Sacramento County deputy located and followed a vehicle containing the suspects on Interstate-80 near Fairfield later that day.
The suspects were stopped and arrested in the Bay Area city of Hercules, Elk Grove police spokesperson Christopher Trim said.
“We did recover some money from the bank robbery,” he said.
The suspects arrested are Christopher Estes, Gary Henry and Wineka Runnell. Trim said that police believe there is a fourth suspect still at large.
The robbery occurred before noon when two men reportedly entered the California Community Credit Union store on the 4800 block of Laguna Boulevard near Franklin Boulevard.
Police said one of the robbers jumped over the teller counter and told a 47-year-old employee to get on the ground. He then stole money from the teller drawers and later entered an employee’s office. The suspects stole an unknown amount of money and fled through the front doors.
No weapons were reportedly seen and the two employees were uninjured during the incident.
Trim said that the suspects had abandoned their getaway vehicle, a silver pickup truck, near the robbery site and then got into a different vehicle.
Police explained that a deputy, who was a K-9 officer, heard about the incident through a police radio and found a vehicle used by people he believed were involved in the robbery.
Elk Grove detectives later arrived to the scene and took the suspects into custody.
Asst. Police Chief graduates from FBI academy
Ed Kelly, the assistant police chief of the Elk Grove Police Department, has graduated from the FBI National Academy. He was among 300 law enforcement officials from 25 countries who completed the academy’s 229th session.
The Elk Grove police announced his graduation on Jun. 12.
At the academy in Quantico, Va., Kelly spent 10 weeks studying subjects such as law, communication, forensic science, leadership, and behavioral science.
Students must be nominated by their agencies before being accepted, they must also have at least the rank of lieutenant.
In a press statement, Elk Grove Police Chief Robert Simmons noted that less than one percent of the United States’s police officers are accepted into the FBI academy.
“The individuals who are selected are the cream of the crop in their respective law enforcement fields,” Simmons said in a pres statement.
Citizen Police Reporter Cameron Macdonald will have a full report on Kelly's time at the Academy in the Wednesday edition of the Citizen.
The Elk Grove police announced his graduation on Jun. 12.
At the academy in Quantico, Va., Kelly spent 10 weeks studying subjects such as law, communication, forensic science, leadership, and behavioral science.
Students must be nominated by their agencies before being accepted, they must also have at least the rank of lieutenant.
In a press statement, Elk Grove Police Chief Robert Simmons noted that less than one percent of the United States’s police officers are accepted into the FBI academy.
“The individuals who are selected are the cream of the crop in their respective law enforcement fields,” Simmons said in a pres statement.
Citizen Police Reporter Cameron Macdonald will have a full report on Kelly's time at the Academy in the Wednesday edition of the Citizen.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Elk Grove Book clubs turns 70
By Blake Ellington
Citizen Staff Writer
Written into the original constitution and bylaws of their club, there is a restriction on bringing children and doing any type of handwork such as knitting at the monthly meetings; and this from a group of 1937 women in the small town of Elk Grove.
This group of nine educated women, who were for the most part married to local farmers at this time, started the Elk Grove Book Club which is celebrating its’ 70th anniversary this year.
The last remaining founder, Stanford University-educated Edna Sperry, passed away this February at the age of 101. Second in line, behind Sperry, in terms of tenure is chairman Olga Batey, who joined the book club in 1949.
“It is a very tolerant, well-educated group of women,” Batey said. “There is no gossip or small talk.”
The 20-member club, no more no less, meets once a month for 10 months out of the year. The meetings typically include a dessert luncheon and a business meeting where one member presents a 45-minute synopsis of a book they have read and enjoyed.
“There is usually someone waiting to grab the book after they hear about it,” said Mary Williams, a Book Club member.
Williams and Batey help sort books at the Elk Grove Library every Tuesday afternoon.
Each book club meeting is held at a different members’ house and every June, a local author is brought in to discuss one of their books or writing styles.
“It is such a pleasant afternoon, you like the people and what you talk about, you don’t want to miss one,” Batey said.
Books that are reviewed range in style and topics from biographies and social satire to politics. Batey’s favorite books are usually political; and when asked what some of her favorites are, she referred to biographies on past leaders such as Harry Truman and Eleanor Roosevelt.
“You find out Eleanor never wanted to be a president’s wife,” Batey said.
Other books that have been reviewed include: “Lazy B” by Sandra Day O’Conner; “Blind Man’s Bluff” by Sherry Santag and Christopher Drew; “An Isolated Incident” by Susan R. Sloan and “The Right Words at the Right Time” by Marlo Thomas.
The group is planning a 70th anniversary party for Thursday, June 21 at the Valley High Country Club. Though the general public is not allowed to attend, members will be inviting several family members and friends.
Since joining in 1949, Batey said very little has changed at the Book Club. The only major change since the early days of Edna and the founders is that they reduced the number of book reviews from two to one due to time constraints.
“Through the years we changed that because it became too long,” Batey said.
The anniversary party on June 21 will be a time to reminisce on the history and culture that the Book Club has provided to the women of Elk Grove.
Wanted: Photos of the Laguna High School graduation ceremonies
Do you have photos of the Laguna Creek High School graduation? If so, the Citizen is interested in looking at your photos and possibly publishing them in the print issue of the Elk Grove Citizen.
If you have photos you may want to share, contact Jeff Forward, editor of the Citizen, at the Citizen office or via e-mail.
(916) 685-3945 or via e-mail: editor_egcitizen@yahoo.com
Thanks!!
If you have photos you may want to share, contact Jeff Forward, editor of the Citizen, at the Citizen office or via e-mail.
(916) 685-3945 or via e-mail: editor_egcitizen@yahoo.com
Thanks!!
Monday, June 11, 2007
Monterey Trail fetes first graduates
Flip the tassel - First class graduates from Monterey Trail High
By Cameron Macdonald
Citizen Staff Writer
Students transferred from five high schools, and worlds, found themselves at a brand-new campus in August 2004.
They came from schools with solid traditions and rich histories such as Elk Grove, Laguna Creek and Florin. They ended up in a north Elk Grove campus near their homes on Power Inn Road with baby trees and dirt leftover from construction.
Monterey Trail High School was a blank canvas when it opened.
Student Waleed Abed had transferred to the school all the way from Galt High. He became a member of the school’s first graduating class.
“It was our job to basically build the school,” Abed said. “To set traditions and basically be the founders.”
On June. 7, Abed joined his fellow seniors at Sacramento’s Memorial Auditorium during the school’s first graduation ceremony.
As the school’s first class valedictorian, with a 4.8 GPA, he wore four medals and a near-rainbow of ribbons and sashes for his academic and athletic achievements.
The seniors knew they were making history that Thursday night.
Many of them could not stop from cheering even during the ceremony’s quiet moments when student Matt Payne sang the national anthem.
After their principal Terry Chapman declared that they were graduates, many of the students in their green gowns danced to a funky beat performed by their school band.
“I affirm that you have a foundation,” Chapman told the graduates. “What is built upon it is your choice.”
Chapman opened the campus as principal and is retiring from his career in education this month.
The theme throughout the ceremony was “Finding Our Way,” where speeches and music performances addressed the fact that many of Monterey Trail’s students were first strangers from different schools.
An ensemble of graduates sang and spoke humorous lines about the school’s early days. Some of them mentioned the students’ disappointment of attending a new school with no lockers, no pool, and small trees.
“No one was ready to accept Monterey Trail as their home…we had no sense of community,” one student said.
The ensemble later mentioned the student unity that eventually followed.
“We learned to let go of our pasts and slowly began to see that there was only us and only this,” an ensemble member said.
Read the rest of the story about the Monterey Trail graduation in Wednesday's Elk Grove Citizen.
By Cameron Macdonald
Citizen Staff Writer
Students transferred from five high schools, and worlds, found themselves at a brand-new campus in August 2004.
They came from schools with solid traditions and rich histories such as Elk Grove, Laguna Creek and Florin. They ended up in a north Elk Grove campus near their homes on Power Inn Road with baby trees and dirt leftover from construction.
Monterey Trail High School was a blank canvas when it opened.
Student Waleed Abed had transferred to the school all the way from Galt High. He became a member of the school’s first graduating class.
“It was our job to basically build the school,” Abed said. “To set traditions and basically be the founders.”
On June. 7, Abed joined his fellow seniors at Sacramento’s Memorial Auditorium during the school’s first graduation ceremony.
As the school’s first class valedictorian, with a 4.8 GPA, he wore four medals and a near-rainbow of ribbons and sashes for his academic and athletic achievements.
The seniors knew they were making history that Thursday night.
Many of them could not stop from cheering even during the ceremony’s quiet moments when student Matt Payne sang the national anthem.
After their principal Terry Chapman declared that they were graduates, many of the students in their green gowns danced to a funky beat performed by their school band.
“I affirm that you have a foundation,” Chapman told the graduates. “What is built upon it is your choice.”
Chapman opened the campus as principal and is retiring from his career in education this month.
The theme throughout the ceremony was “Finding Our Way,” where speeches and music performances addressed the fact that many of Monterey Trail’s students were first strangers from different schools.
An ensemble of graduates sang and spoke humorous lines about the school’s early days. Some of them mentioned the students’ disappointment of attending a new school with no lockers, no pool, and small trees.
“No one was ready to accept Monterey Trail as their home…we had no sense of community,” one student said.
The ensemble later mentioned the student unity that eventually followed.
“We learned to let go of our pasts and slowly began to see that there was only us and only this,” an ensemble member said.
Read the rest of the story about the Monterey Trail graduation in Wednesday's Elk Grove Citizen.
Macdonald to have follow-up on grad party shooting
In the Wednesday Citizen, police reporter Cameron Macdonald will have a full report on the wild graduation party that morphed into a massive street brawl on June 8. Cameron was on the street at Tarbert Way on Monday talking to witnesses and getting information to add to what he has learned from the Elk Grove Police Department. A teen shot during the melee is reportedly in stable condition.
Kyo to keep blog over summer
The Citizen's summer intern, Sarah Kyo, will be writing and maintaining a blog while here at the Citizen.
A link to her blog - Citizen College Intern - has been added to the left Citizen News Links bar. Check out her blog and bookmark it for regular reading. Kyo, majoring in journalism at San Jose State University, has studied both blogging and vlogging - video blogging - and will use her skills to help enhance the Citizen's news coverage and add a personal side to our staff.
We hope you will enjoy reading Kyo's blog and will pass on any information, tips, story ideas, or comments to her. With Kyo's blog in addition to this one being maintained by me, we are trying to reach our readers in as many ways as possible. Herburger Publications, Inc. - owner of the Citizen - is working on a new Web site for the Citizen and when it is complete, we will be able to serve our readers even better.
A link to her blog - Citizen College Intern - has been added to the left Citizen News Links bar. Check out her blog and bookmark it for regular reading. Kyo, majoring in journalism at San Jose State University, has studied both blogging and vlogging - video blogging - and will use her skills to help enhance the Citizen's news coverage and add a personal side to our staff.
We hope you will enjoy reading Kyo's blog and will pass on any information, tips, story ideas, or comments to her. With Kyo's blog in addition to this one being maintained by me, we are trying to reach our readers in as many ways as possible. Herburger Publications, Inc. - owner of the Citizen - is working on a new Web site for the Citizen and when it is complete, we will be able to serve our readers even better.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
EG Police investigating graduation party shooting
Elk Grove police Spokesman Christopher Trim reported Saturday that detectives were investigating the shooting of a 15-year-old at a June 8 graduation party in the 9500 block of Tarbert Way.
Trim said the teenager is in stable condition as of Saturday.
According to a press release from Trim, police were called to the party around 11:51 p.m. and while en route, dispatchers received more phone calls about shots being fired.
When officers arrived on scene, a 15-year-old male was found suffering from several gunshot wounds to the upper torso. He was transorted to an unnamed area hospital where Trim said he was in stable condition.
Witnesses at the scene told officers that a verbal altercation developed between groups at the party. The incident escalated to a physical fight, soon after a suspect shot the victim, Trim said.
A more detailed article on the incident will be in Wednesday's print edition of the Citizen.
Trim said the teenager is in stable condition as of Saturday.
According to a press release from Trim, police were called to the party around 11:51 p.m. and while en route, dispatchers received more phone calls about shots being fired.
When officers arrived on scene, a 15-year-old male was found suffering from several gunshot wounds to the upper torso. He was transorted to an unnamed area hospital where Trim said he was in stable condition.
Witnesses at the scene told officers that a verbal altercation developed between groups at the party. The incident escalated to a physical fight, soon after a suspect shot the victim, Trim said.
A more detailed article on the incident will be in Wednesday's print edition of the Citizen.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Scherman to seek re-election
By Shannon Savage
Citizen Staff Writer
Posted to blog Friday, 6:05 p.m. PST By Editor Jeff Forward
With seven years of service to Elk Grove under her belt, district five City Council Member Sophia Scherman has officially announced that she plans to seek re-election.
“We built this city from the ground up,” Scherman said. “It was very exciting and very stressful. (But) now that we’re there, there are some things that I’d like to see through and be a part of. I have no reason other then that.”
Scherman has lived in Elk Grove for almost 36 years.
“I’ve been here for so long and I’ve got so much history,” Scherman said. “I can remember when something was tried and it didn’t work and then something else was tried and it didn’t work.”
Scherman remarried in 1968 and moved to Elk Grove to be closer to her husband’s family.
“His mother lived here,” Scherman said. “He was born and raised here. I just thought that my girls needed family ties.”
At the time, politics were the last thing on Scherman’s mind.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I’d be where I am today - in politics,” Scherman said. “(I had) no college education. That was probably my greatest fear that someone would say something.”
But Scherman pushed through those fears when she decided to run for a seat on the then Elk Grove Community Services District Board in 1997.
“I would get my tax bill and I would look at everything that was coming out and I didn’t understand some of the stuff,” Scherman said of her reason for seeking office. “I just happened to go to a meeting. I went to meetings for two years before I decided I wanted to run for election. I just thought that I wanted to be part of that decision making body and be the voice of the people.”
Although Scherman had experience running for a seat on the CSD board, she said city council elections are much more tense.
“It was a little easier in the past but because our city has grown I have to reach so many more people,” Scherman said.
Even after campaigning twice for city council there are always surprises, but dirty politics don’t scare her, Scherman said.
“I have nothing to hide,” Scherman said. “My life is an open book.”
Once someone is finally on the council it is still isn’t all gumdrops and roses though. Receiving threatening e-mails about beavers or constant criticism about certain problems in the city is also par for the course. To handle the good with the bad Scherman said she just thinks about the big picture.
“I have pride after a project is completed when I think who it is benefiting,” Scherman said. “Of course you those criticisms. There’s so many decisions to be made it’s very difficult for people to (always) be happy. It gets stressful at times but I try to think of it always in a positive way.”
To wade through the rhetoric and focus in on the pros and cons of an issue Scherman said she draws two columns on a piece of paper and notes resident’s comments.
“I see this is why they don’t want it,” Scherman said. “And then I look over here and see this is why they do want it. Whichever column comes out that is the most pessimist, I go to the pessimist side.”
But Scherman said it is in her nature to be able to make hard decisions.
“I was the oldest of four children,” Scherman said. “My mom was a single mom and then I became a single parent.”
Since Elk Grove is still a fairly new city, there are a number of different platforms a candidate could take. Scherman said she plans to focus on establishing better grounds for growth and getting the CSD and city parks agreement settled.
But just having a strong platform might not win the race. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were raised in the 2006 election to help secure votes. Scherman said that figure might only rise for the 2008 election.
In previous elections, the Building Industry Association has played a big role in donating money to candidates. No matter how much anyone donates to Scherman’s campaign, she said she cannot be bought.
“My record speaks for itself,” Scherman said. “I play no favorites.”
To those who say seven years on the council is too long and the city is ready for new blood, Scherman said she welcomes the competition.
“I encourage people to run for office like I did,” Scherman said.
Although Scherman encourages the competition, currently no other candidates have announced their candidacy for the district five seat.
Even with unknown opponents, Scherman said her chances of winning are outstanding.
“I will be re-elected,” Scherman said. “I’ll be re-elected if that’s the wish of the people. They are the ones that will make that (retirement) decision for me in the end.”
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