My late husband Jim and I had a simple plan for raising our son Alex. For the first 10 years, our goal was to help him develop a love of learning. Before schooling began, we taught reading and numbers. We learned through play and fun.

The second decade focused on helping Alex develop a love of work. That was easy. We both worked at home and as community volunteers. He watched us run our business. He did simple jobs, sent faxes, opened mail and unloaded newspapers.

Golden 1 Center attracted its share of controversy over the years, but I want to focus on an emotional piece of the story.

Have the Kings finally created real civic pride, or is it just a basketball team? As I thought about this question, a friend posted on social media after the team clinched its first playoff bid since 2006:

“The local sportsball franchise won something important last night, and all over I see statements like ‘Finally, something to be proud of for Sacramento,’ ‘Way to represent!’ ‘Sacramento Proud,’ etc.

The best chefs I worked with never took sole credit for the elaborate meals they served. They emphasized team effort. Every decent kitchen needs a brigade, with many hands making each meal distinct.

The best writers I’ve learned from call on communities of writers for inspiration. They apprentice less experienced writers and encourage them to find their voices. Creativity needs a community.

Les Dames d’Escoffier Sacramento is building a community between our region’s food and beverage leaders and young female professionals in the hospitality industry.

The prey lands. A trap is sprung. The prey struggles but is no match for the enzymes that slowly digest it between vibrant green lobes with tooth-like trichomes.

No, this isn’t a scene out of “Little Shop of Horrors.” It’s the daily eating habit of a Venus flytrap, one of hundreds of carnivorous plant species that capture our imagination.

“Carnivory in plants has arisen at least 12 different times in 12 different areas around the world,” says Ron Nies, president of the Sacramento Bromeliad and Carnivorous Plant Society. “The whole idea of plants absorbing insects makes sense. They grow in areas with nutrient-poor soils, so they catch insects to supplement their needs.”

When Bandera closed five years ago, it was a gut punch to the Arden Arcade dining scene. But here we are, and local restaurateurs Brian and Susan Bennett filled the void at Howe Avenue and Fair Oaks Boulevard.

Their restaurant, Bennett’s American Cooking, stepped into the Bandera location with steaks and seafood, wine and cocktails, and an upscale, casual vibe.

Decades ago, I enjoyed the garish atmosphere of Chinois at the same site. Mirrored walls, a dimly lit room, and 1980s hues of salmon and gray suggested a Euro disco could erupt at any moment. The scene spoke to a place and time. It was contemporary fun compared to its rival across the street, Ming Tree.

Every crisis needs a solution. Every solution needs a plan. Homelessness plagues our city, especially since the pandemic and calamities of methamphetamine and opioid addiction.

Against this background, Sacramento Steps Forward recently held a conference titled “All In” to unveil the Local Homeless Action Plan. It’s a regional blueprint for resources and a collaborative, cohesive approach to the crisis.
The event provided insight into the challenges of moving people off our streets and away from the American River Parkway. How to use limited resources more effectively was also discussed.

The action plan contains targets for numbers of people served, housing production and service provisions. It’s an important acknowledgement that the burdens of homelessness must be shared by the county and city.