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Pool Pioneer
At age 91, Tak Iseri is an unlikely celebrity. But there he goes, making public appearances and talking about his accomplishments from eight decades ago, when he was a champion swimmer and an early practitioner of a new stroke called the butterfly.
The Pocket resident’s move from retirement into the spotlight comes from his prominence in a new book about a remarkable piece of Sacramento history.
In “Victory in the Pool,” author Bill George examines the unmatched Olympic success by area swimmers from 1968 to 1984, under the leadership of coach Sherm Chavoor, who died in 1992 at age 73.
Pocket Life July 2023
Find out what is going on in Pocket during the month of July!
Offensive Fences
Temporary chain-link fences showed up overnight. Stretched across the Sacramento River levee, blocking the gravel path, disheveled and lurching like drunks after a party. One fence ran into the water, breaking federal and state laws.
Somehow, the fences were approved by state officials from the Central Valley Flood Protection Board.
In May, a staff member at Central Valley Flood issued temporary permits for two private, cross-levee fences and gates in Pocket. The new barricades went up fast.
They were erected by property owners near the river, the small, loud group that spent years fighting to keep the public away from the levee.
Jail Brake
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors endured a controversial hearing last December about overcrowding and the quality of inmate care at the Downtown Main Jail and Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in Elk Grove.
Testimony pitted law enforcement supporters against social justice advocates. Supporters urged financial investment to improve jail conditions. Advocates argued against more money for incarceration.
In the background, warnings from a federal judge about constitutional rights violations at the jails drove concerns about a potential court-ordered mass release of prisoners.
Tensions flared. Supervisor Phil Serna said support for jail enhancements came from “fear mongering.” By a 3-2 vote, the supervisors compromised. They agreed to consider capital improvements and work toward incarceration alternatives.
Action At Last
Every crisis needs a solution. Every solution needs a plan. Homelessness plagues our city, especially since the pandemic and calamities of methamphetamine and opioid addiction.
Against this background, Sacramento Steps Forward recently held a conference titled “All In” to unveil the Local Homeless Action Plan. It’s a regional blueprint for resources and a collaborative, cohesive approach to the crisis.
The event provided insight into the challenges of moving people off our streets and away from the American River Parkway. How to use limited resources more effectively was also discussed.
The action plan contains targets for numbers of people served, housing production and service provisions. It’s an important acknowledgement that the burdens of homelessness must be shared by the county and city.