Oct 27, 2020
The big problem with the Kings isn’t their history of failure, their dumb trades, mystifying draft choices, chronic mismanagement, clueless owners or inability to hire and retain people with the brains and talent to compete in the NBA.
The big problem is their potential to drag the city of Sacramento toward bankruptcy.
Can the Kings hurt the city’s fiscal stability? For decades, that’s been a mostly abstract question. Now the threat is real. The city’s vulnerability began 23 years ago, grew slowly and gained speed in 2015. Today, in an economy convulsed by pandemic, warning signs flash red.
Oct 27, 2020
We are, as a city, spoiled when it comes to pizza. From the beautifully precise Neapolitan pies of Masullo to the old-fashioned beauties at Luigi’s, the New York-style grease-gorgeous slices at Giovanni’s Old World Pizzeria, the California cuisine pizzas of Zinfandel Grille, the new American masterpieces of OneSpeed Pizza and the perfect family pies of Roma II Pizzeria, all make Sacramento a pizza-pie wonderland.
Is there room, then, for newcomers to the pizza landscape? Is there space in our stomachs and hearts for new slices and squares? Of course! Why would we even ask such silly questions!
Oct 27, 2020
The next time you’re on the American River bike trail and you see someone ride by in a red Bike Patrol jersey, make sure you wave and say hi. That rider might just be Brandon Cheng, one of the friendly volunteer trail ambassadors for the newly formed American River Bike Patrol.
“If you need anything, let any of us know—we’re always happy to help,” says Cheng, a senior at Del Oro High School in Loomis who started volunteering as a junior patroller after learning about the program from his dad Jim, a veteran of the National Ski Patrol (which oversees the local Bike Patrol). “Whether you’re lost, injured or need a repair, pull us over, chase us down, get our attention. Never be nervous to ask for help. We never say no.”
Sep 28, 2020
In Sacramento, COVID-19 restrictions have pounded small businesses, sinking consumer demand and sales revenue. One entrepreneur who knows about that experience is Roshaun Davis, co-owner of Unseen Heroes, an events planning firm in Sacramento he began in 2012 with his wife, Maritza.
Unseen Heroes closed in mid-March after Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed stay-at-home orders that shut down large parts of the state’s $2 trillion economy. Small businesses operating on razor-thin margins still feel the pain.
Sep 27, 2020
Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers to you and me) was a constant source of inspiration for generations. He rarely looked away when there was strife or difficult conversations to be had, especially with children. During the Civil Rights Movement, Rogers filmed an episode featuring his African American mailman sharing a cool dip of feet with him in a wading pool. The simple gesture was a strong message during those times of unity, compassion and, of course, neighborliness.
Rogers learned a lot about dealing with difficult situations from his mother. He said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
