Jul 31, 2019
Hitting Back
Melissa Ausilio boxes her way to business success
By R.E. Graswich
August 2019
The thing about getting punched in the face, Melissa Ausilio says, is you either like it or you don’t.
Ausilio realized she liked it when she was 21. She was in a boxing ring, wearing boxing gloves and gear, and circling and throwing jabs at her opponent. The experience was thrilling. But a punch in the face was still a punch in the face.
“There’s no middle ground with boxing,” she says. “You learn pretty quickly whether it’s the sport for you or not.”
Jun 24, 2019
A decade ago, many Sacramento residents were outraged when Mayor Kevin Johnson tried to make himself a “strong mayor.”
Johnson wanted to change the city charter and allow the mayor to serve as City Hall’s chief executive. He would have veto power over City Council decisions. The city manager and staff would answer to him.
Jun 21, 2019
A unanimous Sacramento City Council adopted a $1.2 billion budget for fiscal year 2019-2020 on June 11. While all nine members endorsed the budget, the final document included three significant amendments by Mayor Darrell Steinberg and words of warning from Councilmember Jeff Harris.
May 31, 2019
Fixing the problems at Sacramento City Unified School District will take more than adroit financial moves, prudent spending decisions and shared sacrifice.
While Sac City Unified faces state takeover for insolvency, another problem is the ruined relationship between the district and its teachers’ union, the Sacramento City Teachers Association. The parties can’t even speak to one another. A mediator keeps them in separate rooms during negotiations. The mediator plays shuttle diplomacy between them. I’ve seen high-conflict divorces exhibit less hostility.
