Oct 28, 2021
A self-described “bratty teenager,” Lori Ann Asmus saved her best attitude for houseplants.
“My mom was an avid gardener, but I really wasn’t interested in working with her,” Asmus says. “I would buy these little indoor plants and then kill them in short order by being uber-responsible, watering them every day, sometimes twice a day. I didn’t have success with houseplants until I went to college, where I didn’t have time to love them to death.”
All grown up, Asmus owns The Emerald City Interior Landscape Services. Chances are you have gazed upon her “interiorscapes” in Sacramento businesses such as The Citizen Hotel, Eskaton Village, and lobbyist, attorney and doctor offices. She designs and maintains indoor plants for mostly business clients
May 28, 2025
Six months into his new job, Phil Pluckebaum confirmed two facts.
“People do not perceive Sacramento as clean and safe,” he says. “Until we address this fundamental issue, the Downtown core, which is our economic engine, will not revitalize.”
The new City Council representative for Downtown, Midtown and East Sacramento continues, “We have failed in terms of addressing the deteriorating conditions of our roads and infrastructure generally. Can we just please start by fixing the (expletive) potholes?”
Pluckebaum already knows it takes money to make improvements. He knows it takes at least five council votes to address even basic needs. In recent years before Pluckebaum’s 2024 election, the City Council ignored many basic improvements.
Nov 28, 2024
Two questions linger from the mayoral election. What challenges face the apparent winner, Kevin McCarty? What improvements do residents want?
For answers, let’s start with the legacy of departing Mayor Darrell Steinberg. He was elected in 2016 on the promise to resolve homelessness. He leaves behind a broken promise.
Soon after arriving, Steinberg alienated the County Board of Supervisors by condemning their response to homelessness and mental health problems.
