Month: March 2007

Memo to the fire lookie loos

I shouldn’t have to post this, but Sacramento never ceases to amaze me. From News10.net:

Sacramento Metro Fire spokesman Christian Pebbles said the fire spread rapidly, stretching across the length of a football field within minutes. Fire officials said they have not determined how the fire started, but the creosote-soaked trestle fueled intense black smoke that could be seen from more than 50 miles away.

The fire brought rush-hour traffic to a halt on the Capital City Freeway bordering the state fairgrounds as commuters stopped to look at the blaze. Some even got out of their cars and began walking towards the flames, forcing officials to use megaphones to warn spectators away.

As if the blazing heat wasn’t enough to keep folks from stopping? Gadzooks:

Brief direct contact with large amounts of coal tar creosote may result in a rash or severe irritation of the skin, chemical burns of the surfaces of the eyes, convulsions and mental confusion, kidney or liver problems, unconsciousness, and even death. Longer direct skin contact with low levels of creosote mixtures or their vapors can result in increased light sensitivity, damage to the cornea, and skin damage. Longer exposure to creosote vapors can cause irritation of the respiratory tract.

As always, stay classy Sacramento…

It’s Official, Ken Burns Loves Sacramento

On this morning’s edition of “Fresh Air,” the NPR arts and entertainment interview show, Ken Burns, well-known documentary filmmaker, was interviewed about his upcoming project “The War.” It’s a 15 hour look at WWII done as only Ken Burns can, with serious but enchanting narration, closeups and pans of old photos and interviews with crusty old guys with insanely large eyebrows.  Well, in this morning’s interview, Ken was talking about how this documentary focused specifically on four towns in America and how the war affected the people of those towns.  The four towns he chose were Waterbury, MA, Mobile, AL, Laverne, MN and yes, our fair city of Sacramento.  When asked why he picked Sacramento, he said that it was a true crossroads of the West, combining Asian and especially Japanese communities, political machinations, industry and average Americans.  I love that fact that Ken Burns loves us because, really, I love Ken Burns.

Continue reading “It’s Official, Ken Burns Loves Sacramento”

Foreign invasion

The foreigners are coming.  The foreigners are coming.

The Sac Bee reports today that the Sacramento International Airport is finally becoming worthy of its name:

Sacramento International Airport landed its second foreign carrier Tuesday when Air Canada announced it would begin two daily nonstops between the capital and Vancouver, British Columbia, beginning June 15.

Apparently, this is a coup for the airport, who has been courting Air Canada for years to create more links up the Pacific Coast with Vancouver: 

Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson, who helped lobby Air Canada to start the service, said he expects an enthusiastic response.

“I think there’s a huge interest here in traveling to British Columbia and vice versa,” he said. “That is an area people love to visit. And there are a lot of people up there interested in coming this way.”

Continue reading “Foreign invasion”

News10.net to “engage and inform”

News 10’s Sharon Ito will be leaving “News 10 Good Morning” on March 23. She will be replaced by Kelly Jackson from KSDK in St. Louis.

Kelly is replacing Sharon Ito, who is championing a new initiative on news10.net. Sharon is currently developing a new approach to news that will engage and inform internet news users.

I wonder if part of that “new approach” is to proofread stories before publishing (or after even, I’m flexible). At any rate, I’m all for making the news we receive via the Internet engaging and informative. Trail blaze, Sharon, trail blaze!

Continue reading “News10.net to “engage and inform””

Uncle Vito’s Grand Opening – Tonight!

Sorry about the late notice, but Midtown’s newest pizza place is selling $1 slices and $2 beers. Uncle Vito’s is attached both physically and financially to Pronto, at 16th between O and P. The decor is typical wannabe New York, with black and white photos of Lennon, Times Square, Coney Island, etc etc. My slice was good, but only a rough approximation of a “New York” style slice. Not that it was bad, just not what I would consider authentic, like Georgio’s, which is Sacramento’s closest cousin to a true NY slice. Bonus points for a full bar and Eye of the Hawk on tap. BTW, is there a law that says that pizza in Midtown has to be sold by chicks with full sleeves of tattoos?
Cash only tonight.

Are-eye-gee-ayche-tee aye-double you-enn. Right Awn.

Thought I forgot about this little bit, didn’t ya?

Well, actually, I did.  But late last week, after a tip from sources close to the Sac Rag and the media reports that came out the next day, it seemed appropro to throw up a fist and give a shout out.

Last year, Roseville’s Josephine Kao won the Central Valley Spelling Bee, sending her to the National Championships where she made it to Round 4.  While that was an accomplishment in itself, guess what – she just won the Central Valley Bee again:

The Roseville sixth-grader won the 24th annual Central Valley Spelling Bee on Wednesday for the second consecutive year, cementing her status as the region’s top speller.

On May 30, she will head to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. She competed there last year and finished 45th.

Continue reading “Are-eye-gee-ayche-tee aye-double you-enn. Right Awn.”

“Character education is like, the foundation”

The Bee today reports on several area schools that are taking part in local non-profit group Center for Youth Citizenship’s “Free to Learn” program, that helps little students build traits like “caring, giving and service; justice and fairness; leadership, initiative and teamwork; respect; responsibility; and trustworthiness.”

“Character education is, like, the foundation of my classroom,” said Carly Davenport, who teaches fourth grade at Prairie [Elementary, in Elk Grove].

That is like, a really noble goal. (I kid the Carly Davenport. I am a horrible impromptu public speaker.)

In the abstract, I suppose it is good that educators are concerned with building those skills. What sorts of content do they cover to achieve those goals? Continue reading ““Character education is like, the foundation””

Streetcar history on CPR

Via Sacramento History, a great new blog I just came across:

Today on Capital Public Radio (KXJZ/KXPR) there will be a program about Sacramento’s streetcars, the 20th anniversary of Light Rail, and upcoming plans for a streetcar line between Sacramento and West Sacramento.

I was too late to post about the radio spot but it is available online. I can’t believe it has been 20 years of Light Rail. I remember my first ride on the train and loving the swiveling areas between cars. Check out the radio program and check out that blog.