Nov 28, 2022
The downy-feathered bird was almost lifeless, alone in the grass with no mom in sight. A small nest rested in the branches of a crepe myrtle a few feet away.
He was younger than a fledging, who would have hopped and fluttered in an attempt to fly. With no protection, the chick would not survive a roaming cat or the afternoon heat.
I returned the youngster to his nest. After an hour of waiting and watching, no mom or dad returning to the scene, I placed the chick in a box and drove to Sacramento’s Wildlife Care Association.
Nov 28, 2022
As CEO of To The Bay and Back Gourmet Cheesecakes, Lambert Davis sleeps and breathes cheesecake. He eats his product too, but only “in moderation.”
“Lemon is my favorite,” Davis says. “You have to taste it to believe it.”
For more than 20 years, Davis has headed up one of Sacramento’s tastiest enterprises, a family-owned company with more than 70 cheesecake flavors. The name comes from Bodega Bay, the family’s favorite vacation site.
Nov 28, 2022
Stacey Johnson has lived with bipolar disorder for close to 30 years. She self-medicated until she received a diagnosis. After recovery and years of working in substance-abuse treatment, she hopes to help others with her life coaching business, Come As You Are, which focuses on substance abuse and mental health recovery.
“I believe that addiction and mental illness are gifts when they’re transformed,” Johnson says. “We experience life in a very different way than the average person. I truly believe it’s a calling. We’re resilient people who’ve overcome a lot. To me, there’s a real strength in that.”
Oct 28, 2022
Talking about mental health is Nefertiti Khemet Goudjayi’s mission.
As a licensed clinical social worker, mental health therapist and member of the Stop Stigma Sacramento Speakers Bureau, Khemet Goudjayi wants to normalize conversations about mental health.
“I joined the speakers bureau because I was looking for something to do with my time that also gives back in a more personal way,” the North Sacramento resident says. “As a therapist, you’re there to support people, but you’re removed. You provide expertise, but not your own experience. This volunteer space allows me to use my lived experience to help and support people.”
Oct 28, 2022
The Dante Club, an Italian social and gathering organization, has thrived and survived for almost 100 years. That’s 100 years of family, food and fraternity.
The Dante Club was established in 1926 “to help Italian immigrants adapt to life in America among people who spoke their language and had similar customs.” It has been a comfort to its members, particularly to new arrivals and through some challenging times. Today it has an even broader reach.
Seventy-eight presidents have served the group since its inception. “The warmth of the place and its people are just part of our heritage. We wrap our arms around our culture and community,” says Tom Novi, current president.
Oct 28, 2022
A dog with no microchip, no ID tag. A door left open or a hole in the fence. Someone willing to do the right thing—get the dog off the street.
Now what? Is taking the lost canine to a local animal shelter the best way to reunite him with his owner? Is that where he will be safe? Is that where his parents will look first?
Or is it better to hold onto the dog, place signs around the neighborhood, post photos on social media, walk door to door?
Phillip Zimmerman, manager of the city’s Front Street Animal Shelter, likes the second option. So much so that he has instituted a “managed intake” policy at Front Street.
