Aug 27, 2020
Since I have no school-age children or grandchildren, I’ve watched the debate over school openings from afar. But every American has a stake in the discussion over how, when and if to bring kids back to school. Pandemic-driven closures last spring affected 62 million pre-primary, primary and secondary school students, along with parents and teachers.
Sadly, the debate is taking place at a divisive time—the 2020 presidential election, as our country experiences unprecedented civil and economic unrest and a rise in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
Aug 27, 2020
With each month it becomes more difficult to see even a few weeks into the future when it comes to the restaurant scene. We’ve lost beloved favorites. Local treasures have reopened only to shut down again within weeks. Some landlords have been graciously flexible with rental and lease terms. Others have not.
It’s with confidence, though, that I say the following local institutions will still be plying their wares well after this column comes out. The humble bakery—set up for takeaway business and designed for in-home consumption—is an integral part of the community.
Aug 27, 2020
When COVID-19 shut down businesses, Inside Sacramento created TAKE THE 100% LOCAL PLEDGE, a campaign to encourage Sacramentans to buy from local businesses—be it food, products or services—to help them stay afloat in the tenuous economy.
When Bryce McKernan noticed his favorite farmers markets in Midtown and Oak Park experiencing similar struggles, he decided to make buying local even easier. He created Marketbook, a virtual marketplace that brings locally made products and produce to the Sacramento community via an online platform modeled after e-commerce site Etsy.
Aug 27, 2020
Dirty cops always lie. They know lying is an automatic way to get fired, but they lie anyway. This is where retired Sacramento Police Capt. Kevin Johnson comes in.
Johnson, who runs a business called Command Strategies Consulting, works for police departments across California. He breaks down the blue wall of silence and catches lying cops.
Aug 27, 2020
When COVID-19 forced the closure of local galleries, the Sacramento arts community began a fight for its life. No longer able to welcome visitors to view art in person, galleries had to figure out other ways to keep their clients engaged—and their artists afloat.
“The word ‘pivot’ is used frequently these days to describe how businesses are trying to adjust at this time, but pivot doesn’t quite seem adequate for how rapidly (health protocols) change,” says Nisa Hayden of the Hayden Arts Agency, which represents local artists and galleries. “It feels more like a pirouette to me. We are spinning so fast right now and the only way to stay balanced is to select your spot and hold it. The making and marketing and selling of art demands unblinking focus.”
Aug 27, 2020
Layers. That’s how Renée Carter described her Land Park home when she purchased the mid-century-style abode in 2007.
“Over the years there were layers,” Carter says. “It obviously went through several phases of homeowners trying to make it into something it wasn’t.
