Mar 28, 2026
Pity the pedestrian, lowest creature on Sacramento’s evolutionary ladder. Cars are king. Bicycles come next. Then homeless people, who have more agency than a resident who wants to take a walk.
I learned this by accident, never thinking it was true until I realized there’s no other explanation.
Pedestrians need to face facts. The city has no love for us.
I made this discovery while researching a column last month about my friend who stands his ground when bicycles barrel toward him on city sidewalks.
Mar 28, 2026
Given the mayhem and dysfunction in Washington, congressional midterm elections take on extra significance.
In Sacramento County, the California 7th Congressional District finds incumbent Doris Matsui challenged by City Council Member Mai Vang. It’s the first time in 21 years Matsui meets a serious opponent.
I worked with both candidates during my time on City Council. The contrast between Matsui and Vang is stark. Voters get to choose between a dynastic, legendary figure in city politics or a relative newcomer from the Meadowview suburbs.
Mar 1, 2026
Sacramento spends astonishing sums trying to address homelessness—more than $120 million in five years. Yet the crisis continues to dominate our streets, parks, business districts and neighborhoods.
A recent investigation by the Bee lays out where the money went and why the results were so limited. The findings deserve close attention from residents who wonder how so much public investment produces so little improvement.
The Bee’s reporting shows local strategy centered on building and operating shelters—large sites, tiny home villages, motel conversions and sanctioned camping areas. These projects consume enormous financial and administrative resources.
Feb 28, 2026
My friend has a habit that makes me proud to know him and fear for his safety. On the sidewalks of Midtown and Downtown, he stands his ground when a bicycle barrels toward him.
His courage should inspire all pedestrians. He earns dirty looks and obscenities from sidewalk cyclists, but so far no broken bones or concussions. He’s never been hit.
My friend doesn’t yell at sidewalk cyclists. He says, “Hey, this is a sidewalk.”
Feb 28, 2026
Do you know how your local government works? If you have questions about city services, can you find the answers?
The city tries to be transparent and help residents find information and provide feedback. The city’s website, cityofsacramento.org, contains a wealth of information. But it takes the patience of an elephant to navigate.
The city’s IT department recently introduced an AI tool to help search. I kicked the tires and found the new system makes the website easier to navigate.
Jan 28, 2026
Thirty years ago, when we printed the first issue of Inside, I had no grand plan. I had an idea, a belief and the drive to create something that didn’t exist, a publication that celebrated the city neighborhood by neighborhood, story by story, in a way that felt authentic.
We started small and grew organically. Today we’re the largest circulation print publication in Northern California.
What I didn’t know was how this work would shape my life.
When people ask why I’m still committed to print, I think back to the time someone told me print would soon be obsolete. It was the mid-1990s. The internet was barely a toddler. Smartphones were a decade away. “Everything will be online,” they said. “Print is old news.”
The prediction felt shortsighted. Sacramento is a city of neighborhoods, relationships, families, parks, small businesses, porch conversations and traditions. To me, print was—and is—the ideal medium for capturing the city’s spirit.
