Out & About
November 2022
By Jessica Laskey
Tutors Needed!
Volunteers help students achieve reading success
Reading tutors are needed for United Way California Capital Region’s STARS program and AARP Foundation Experience Corps.
United Way’s Students and Tutors Achieving Reading Success—STARS—runs during the school year in Sacramento and Yolo counties. Using the platform Book Nook, participants build vocabulary, fluency and comprehension skills through games, books and lessons.
STARS needs tutors for the coming school year, including virtual tutors. No prior experience is needed—all training is provided.
Volunteers must commit to at least one hour each week split into two 30-minute sessions for three months. Volunteers are especially needed during the hours of 3–5 p.m. For more information, visit yourlocalunitedway.org/stars.
The Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center is seeking volunteers for AARP Foundation Experience Corps, an intergenerational, community-based program that engages volunteers 50 and older as tutors to help students become proficient readers by the end of third grade.
Tutoring takes place in person during after-school hours. Extensive training is provided. Volunteers must be at least 50 and have earned a high school diploma or GED. There also is a screening process that includes a criminal background check.
Tutoring begins this month with ongoing enrollment through January 2023. For more information, visit sccsc.org/experiencecorps or email volunteers@sccsc.org.
NATURE READING
Calling all young nature lovers! Visit the Effie Yeaw Nature Center every first Saturday of the month at 9:30 a.m. for a special nature-themed story time.
Nature of Reading includes hands-on exploration of biofacts, a nature-themed craft or activity and/or an encounter with one of the Nature Center’s animal ambassadors. The Nov. 5 theme is “migration” and Dec. 3 is “hibernation.”
The program is designed for ages 4–8, though kids 3 and younger are welcome. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Admission is $8 per child for nonmembers, $5 per child for members and free for kids 3 and younger.
Register by calling (916) 489-4918 or in person in the nature center lobby. The Effie Yeaw Nature Center is located inside Ancil Hoffman Park in Carmichael.
LIBRARY TRAIN
The next time you’re riding Sacramento Regional Transit, keep an eye out for the city’s first Rolling Library Train.
This special train car is decorated with a library-themed interior featuring painted bookshelves containing QR codes that allow riders to access free e-books and audiobooks through the Sacramento Library app.
The partnership between SacRT and Sacramento Library gives riders easy access to books and promotes reading and riding. The library train will travel on both the Blue and Gold light rail lines. For information, visit sacrt.com.
ALL ABOARD!
The California State Railroad Museum has brought back All Aboard for Story Time! The interactive program, designed for toddlers and preschoolers, takes place inside the museum every Monday at 11 a.m.
Story Time! features an engaging railroad-themed book reading followed by a related activity. Visitors are encouraged to explore the museum after the program.
All Aboard for Story Time! is included with museum admission: $12 for adults, $6 for youth 6–17, free for children 5 and younger. For information, visit californiarailroad.museum.
FOOD LITERACY
Sutter Health has granted $500,000 to the Food Literacy Center to help build out the farm at the center’s new 4,500-square-foot facility at Leataata Floyd Elementary.
“The Food Literacy Center is creating new pathways to address health equity and provide access to healthy foods for students and families in our community,” says Keri Thomas, vice president of external affairs for Sutter Health in the valley area.
In addition to the farm, the new Food Literacy Center includes a cooking classroom, commercial kitchen, training areas and outdoor space for hands-on educational opportunities for Sacramento City Unified School District students and their families, as well as students throughout the community.
To help Food Literacy Center continue its mission to “inspire kids to eat their vegetables,” visit foodliteracycenter.org.
SAC CITY GIFT
Sacramento City College has received a $1 million gift to establish the Christopher D. and Dana Daubert Endowment for Art Education.
The endowment provides funding for a new gallery lead position, which will manage the Gregory Kondos Gallery, curate shows, steward the college’s multimillion-dollar permanent art collection featuring 1,200 pieces by storied Sac City professors Wayne Thiebaud, Gregory Kondos, Fred Dalkey and Darrell Forney, and develop a team of student assistants.
“Words can’t express the generosity of Chris and Dana Daubert,” says Los Rios Community College District Chancellor Brian King. “As a former faculty member at Sacramento City College, Chris knows better than anyone the impact that arts education can have on our students and our community as a whole.”
SAINT JOHN’S GRANT
The Kelly Foundation has awarded $100,000 to Saint John’s Program for Real Change, which operates a comprehensive residential program for women and children experiencing homelessness.
The grant will help Saint John’s expand its children’s services to address the impact of trauma, homelessness and missed developmental milestones, which Saint John’s CEO Julie Hirota says will “heal lives for generations.”
Founded in 1985, Saint John’s Program for Real Change has helped more than 30,000 women and children transform their lives through mental health therapy, drug and alcohol counseling, life skills classes, a path to a high school diploma and hands-on employment training. For information, visit saintjohnsprogram.org.
CALLING DREAMERS
The Downtown Sacramento Foundation has announced the 10 business concepts that will move forward in this year’s Calling All Dreamers retail business program.
The retailers are +Life Juice Market, a juice bar and wellness space; Burnside Coffee Bar, a coffee cart specializing in hand-crafted coffee and teas; Dipped N Color, a family-friendly creative paint studio; Flora & Fauna Provisions, a farm-to-fork café; Mercado Urbano, a market offering fresh local foods and specialty items; QOOKIESNDREAM, a non-traditional bakery and café serving made-to-order “qookies” with a variety of toppings; Retrospect-Vintage Fashion, an eco-friendly, sustainable fashion and art collective; Smoke N Link, a Sacramento farmers market favorite that specializes in homemade sausages; The Teetotalist, a zero-proof bar concept; and West Coast Taco Bar, a food truck with an award-winning burrito.
The cohort is preparing for the next phase in December with a boot camp and meetings with mentors to refine and prepare their business plans. One business will win a start-up package, including $20,000 and in-kind services valued at more than $120,000.
Other entrepreneurs who complete the program will receive $5,000 when they open their business Downtown. For information, visit callingalldreamers.org.
SECOND COMPANY
The Sacramento Ballet has launched Second Company, 20 aspiring dancers who will regularly perform with the company while training and honing their skills for careers with major dance companies.
Second Company dancers receive elite-level training in ballet technique, pointe, variations and repertoire under the direction of acclaimed dancer and instructor Jill Marlow Krutzkamp.
The program focuses on preparing for the expectations of a professional ballet company. Second Company dancers rehearse and perform with the Sacramento Ballet throughout the season. For information, visit sacballet.org/second-company.
NEW FIRE CHIEF
Chris Costamagna, a 27-year veteran of the Sacramento Fire Department, has been appointed the city of Sacramento’s fire chief. He will oversee more than 700 employees across 115 miles of service area and an annual budget of $173 million.
Costamagna joined SFD in 1995 and has held multiple leadership positions. He grew up around fire service as his father, Gary Costamagna, was chief from 1988 to 1999.
“SFD is made up of brave, courageous people who do everything they can to keep our communities safe and protected, and under my watch, we will continue to build upon this legacy of excellence,” Costamagna says.
BURNETT AWARDS
The Sacramento History Alliance has presented its Burnett Awards to five iconic local businesses.
The 2022 honorees are Arareity Jewelers, historic confections shop and bakery Osaka-Ya, Julius Clothing, architecture firm Lionakis and Tower Theatre, the oldest continuously operating film theater in Sacramento. A special Community Partner Award was presented to the Sacramento Public Library.
The awards are named in honor of the late R. Burnett Miller, former mayor, philanthropist, businessman and history buff. The ceremony raises funds for the Sacramento History Museum and honors local legacy businesses that contribute to the community culture of the region. For information, visit burnettawards.org.
BUSINESS AWARDS
Three environmentally proactive local businesses have been honored by Sacramento County’s Business Environmental Resource Center.
This year’s Sacramento Area Sustainable Business Award recipients are the California Product Stewardship Council for solid waste reduction, architecture firm Lionakis for transportation/air quality, and St. John’s Lutheran Church for SMUD carbon-free transportation.
Since its establishment in 2007, BERC’s sustainable business program has performed more than 600 certifications and awarded 218 businesses.
WATERING RULES
New watering rules in the city of Sacramento go into effect Nov. 1 to comply with the city’s water conservation ordinance.
Watering is permitted once a week on Saturday or Sunday from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28. (Beginning March 1, watering is allowed two days per week.) Water any time of day during the cooler fall and winter months since less water is lost through evaporation. Don’t water for 48 hours after it rains more than one-eighth of an inch.
“We actually encourage people to turn off their sprinklers completely during the wet season, as rainfall can supply most water needs,” says William Granger, a water conservation coordinator with the city’s Department of Utilities. “If you do turn off your sprinklers, keep in mind that trees still need to be watered deeply when it doesn’t rain.”
For Sacramento County customers, the normal water-efficiency schedule is still in effect. Addresses ending in even numbers can run sprinklers or drip systems Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Addresses ending in odd numbers can water Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. All watering must be done between 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
For more city information, visit cityofsacramento.org/utilities/water/conservation/watering-schedule. For more county information, visit waterresources.saccounty.gov.
LAND PARK MARKET
There’s a new farmers market in town at William Land Park every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Organized by produce vendor EcoFriendly Greens, the market features local vendors offering fruit, vegetables, microgreens, meats, eggs, yogurt, baked goods, coffee, smoothies, fresh flowers, jewelry and crafts. Parking is free, as are games for the whole family.
Find the market in the shaded picnic area at Sutterville Road and 17th Street near Funderland. Check the EcoFriendly Greens Facebook page for more information.
DUMMY PICKLEBALL
Local host of the “I Used to be Somebody” podcast and pickleball enthusiast Carl Landau has co-authored a book, “Pickleball for Dummies.”
This comprehensive resource guide teaches all you need to know about the fastest-growing sport in America. Landau reports more than 5 million Americans are playing pickleball today. The book features chapters for beginning, intermediate and advanced play.
Landau’s co-authors are Mo Nard and Reine Steel, certified pickleball teaching pros and co-founders of Positive Dinking, and Diana Landau, Carl’s co-founder in Pickleball Media.
BIENVENIDOS!
Visit Sacramento has launched a Spanish-language website, “Bienvenidos a Sacramento,” to provide individuals and families traveling to Sacramento access to in-language information.
The website includes information on where to stay, eat, play and drink in Sacramento, as well as cultural background on the importance of Hispanic heritage in the greater Sacramento region—all en español. For information, visit visitsacramento.com/bienvenidos.
LACROSSE CLINIC
Have your kids or grandkids been curious about lacrosse? Now is their chance to check out the sport for free.
Pickup & Play for new players ages 6–14 will be held 1–3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, at Encina Preparatory High School as part of National Celebrate Lacrosse Week.
The Sacramento Lacrosse Association clinic will provide an introductory look at this fun, fast-paced sport that was originally invented by Native American Indians in the 1100s. Concepts for sports like ice hockey, football and basketball can all be seen in a single “lax” game. To register, visit sacramentolacrosse.org.
OUR STORIES
Local woman-owned sexual health education company Reframing Our Stories offers several small-group workshops in partnership with Wild Sisters Book Company to discuss topics such as menopause, puberty and gender.
“In my work with Sacramento-area schools and families teaching sexual health education, I am finding that coming out of the pandemic and isolation, kids were exposed more than before to information online, which is not always accurate,” says Kara Haug, sexual health educator and founder of Reframing Our Stories.
“We know there is a need in our community to have more open conversations on topics where kids, parents and caregivers may be uncomfortable. It is our aim to provide a space for questions, discussion and accurate information.”
“Let’s Talk About Gender” will be held Sunday, Nov. 6, from 4:30–6 p.m. at Wild Sisters Book Company in Tahoe Park. To register, visit reframingourstories.com/events-1.
Jessica Laskey can be reached at jessrlaskey@gmail.com. Submissions are due six weeks prior to the publication month. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
