Public artwork at the Light Rail Station on Franklin Boulevard is no longer a death trap for birds.
Sculptor David Best made permanent modifications to his rusted steel archway in late February that will prevent birds, including pigeons and birds of prey, from entering the structure with no way out.
“This was an accident that birds were trapped in the sculpture and died,” Best says. “This was not intentional.”
If your organization needs public support, you need Edith Thacher.
The Natomas resident has decades of experience bringing people together. She’s been in the Peace Corps, a community development specialist working on women’s issues in Sudan, Niger, Mauritania and Singapore, and a project consultant for public agencies.
Now, Thacher is a citizen lobbyist for the Sacramento-Roseville chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, which she co-leads with Lisa Howard.
Roo was 11 months old with a broken femur. X-rays showed the break was not a first for the yellow Labrador. His owners wanted him euthanized.
Instead, their veterinarian reached out to Central California Labrador Retriever Rescue.
While attention is focused on mayoral and City Council races, there’s another bruising election battle underway in town, this one is for state Assembly.
The 6th District includes the city of Sacramento, Rio Linda, Antelope, Elverta, parts of North Highlands and Carmichael. It’s solid blue. Democrats enjoy a 51% to 21% registration advantage.
Yet because of the top two primary system, where the first two finishers advance to the November election regardless of party, a Republican could reach the general election if the flock of Democratic candidates split the vote March 5.
Kristy Venrick-Mardon brings bunnies and goats from Only Sunshine Sanctuary, her Elverta animal rescue, to interact with students at Meristem. But it’s not just playtime.
It’s a way for Meristem’s young adults with autism and other neurodiversity to master new skills.
“The students learn how to interact calmly and not stress out the animals,” says Venrick-Mardon, who founded her animal sanctuary in 2018. “At first, every student wanted to touch every animal. Now, they’re more patient and check in with the animal to make sure it’s comfortable.”
Venrick-Mardon didn’t intend to start a sanctuary. When she bought her house 11 years ago, she just wanted it filled with animals.
Front Street Animal Shelter killed 1,132 animals in 2023. This year, more than 150 dogs and cats have lost their lives.
These numbers are important. Hayden’s Law, enacted in 1998 to move California toward a no-kill state, says “no adoptable animal should be euthanized if it can be adopted into a suitable home.” This includes animals who “could become adoptable with reasonable efforts.”
“Killing adoptable animals is easier than putting in the effort to save them,” says Julie Virga, a local animal advocate who campaigns against what she calls Front Street’s mismanagement. “This is a complete failure of leadership.”
