I’m not sure of the relevant legal issues but this just “didn’t feel right.” I believe this was a CHP officer doing a speed trap right in the entrance to my polling place this morning on Broadway near 59th Street.
He was perched about 5 feet away from the big sign that said “VOTE.” I’m sad to say that I’m not “in your face” enough to try to get that shot, but it would have been classic.
Former King and former jazz bassist Wayman Tisdale has died. Most of us probably have few remaining Kings memories from the early ’90s — and probably no good ones — but I thought this called for an open thread for Tisdale recollections. RIP
This is American Craft Brew Week, so wrap it up with the biggest brewfest in the Sac area all year. This Saturday is the 10th Annual West Coast Brew Fest. Several changes will happen this year to make it, are you ready? —-> The Best West Coast Brew Fest yet!!!! (You weren’t ready for that, were you?)
First, the nitty gritty. 60 breweries pouring more than 120 beers from 1-5pm. No tokens, just a glass, you, and beer ’till they run out or you are cut off, baby. $25 for advance tickets, $30 at the gate. Food, music, sun and fun at Miller Park, which will help to fight the hot forecast with heritage oaks and the cool breeze that cuts up the Sacramento River. Of course, carpooling, walking, biking, public transport, taxis or designated driving is highly encouraged.
Next, the improvements and specials for this year:
TONIGHT! 9PM, Shady Lady Saloon: The debut of the Free Badge Serenaders, Sacramento’s only and best novelty banjo/washboard duo. Come on by and tap your feet, clap your hands, and generally shake your money maker. 14th and R streets. Free entrance if appropriately attired in saloon prohibition regalia.
SUNDAY- 5PM, Red Lion’s JB’s Lounge: Shelly Burns, with Bill Dendle and Sacramento’s nicest man Shelley Denny. If you haven’t checked out the new lounge at the Red Lion, it’s really something special — great sound system, beautiful bar, neat vibe — a great place to listen to jazz. Come hear some of the best interpretations of American classics and kick off your Jubilee week right. Red Lion Inn, Arden Blvd and Business 80.
SUNDAY- 7PM, American River College: World renowned vibraphone player Bobby Hutcherson makes a rare Sacramento appearance. Playing with the Capital Jazz Project, Hutcherson will bring his 50 years of playing experience to bear on an exceptionally lucky audience. Tix are $20, $15 with student ID. It’d be worth it at twice the price.
Sacramento will see not one but two milestones achieved this weekend.
Jim Denny’s 75th Anniversary- Saturday May 16- 816 12th Street, Sacramento
Festivities start from 8 to 10 am there will a recession-proof $3.00 buffet style breakfast with a pancake eating contest at 11 am. At noon, there will be another hard-times priced $3.00 buffet style lunch. Come and enjoy local treats and suds. The afternoon will rock with live music provided by The Regulars, Ol’ Cotton Dreary, and Who & The What Now! Stay for the burger eating contest, activities for the kids, and a raffle with great prizes from area businesses. Proceeds from the raffle will go towards expanding the restaurant which is both desirable (if you’re hungry) or a bit of a bummer (if you’re a preservationist).
Sam’s Hof Brau 50th Anniversary- Monday May 18th– Watt and El Camino, Sacramento
Two things will make the 50th anniversary party at Sam’s exceptional. First, 50 cent pastrami sandwiches. Second, the recapturing of the “Sam’s” name. For too many years, the venerable Hof Brau has been languishing under the bland moniker of “Plaza Hof Brau.” But not anymore. With a little scratch and some fierce negotiations the wise new owners of the ‘Brau (same folks that own Mikuni, dontcha know) have reacquired the Sam’s name. From now on, saying “Sam’s Hof Brau” will not only conjure a sense of history, but speak of great things to come. Come on by, raisea pint to the new improved sign, eat some meat, and revel in a piece of Sacramento’s history and future.
May is Bike Month in Sacramento. In honor of the two-wheeled festivities, some restaurants are offering great deals if you ride your bike there and walk in wearing bike shorts that show off your package. (This part might be optional, I can’t really tell by the literature.) So grease up your Schwinn (not a euphemism) and sharpen your chopsticks, May is a great month for eating if you’re on two wheels. Check out these deals:
In doing my homework on the slate of state propositions for the May 19 special election, I am starting to feel like repealing Proposition 13‘s two-thirds restriction on the legislature for tax increases would be a good idea. It’s not because I think taxes should be greatly increased to get our state out of its fiscal woes, and I want to remove all impediments to doing that. It would take something stronger than waterboarding to get me to suppress my anti-tax reflex.
The reason I want to allow the legislature to raise our taxes by itself is because when revenue-raising ballot initiatives fail, the politicians blame it on us voters. Darrell Steinberg warns us that deep spending cuts will be needed if the ballot measures don’t pass. Arnold’s talking about legalizing pot so he can tax it, which he doesn’t think is right but he’ll do it anyway, if other people think it would be good. (I get the feeling his brain does not suffer the same condition as his other muscles, that one.)
Continue reading “Repeal the two-thirds majority component of Prop 13!”
How can the folks at Bonney Plumbing live with themselves, knowing their new radio jingle COMPLETELY rips off the old Sacramento 
Union one?
No long-term Sacramentan could ever forget the Union’s “Four forty-four fifty five five five. That’s the number for the classified!” Fast forward a couple of decades, and now Bonney is singing the “four forty-four” tune. That is SO not cool.
This might go down in the annals as one of the landmark copyright cases. I’m just reminded so much of that Vh1 interview of Vanilla Ice explaining that “Ice Ice Baby” has one more quarter note (actually, I think it’s a hemidemisemiquaver) than Queen’s “Under Pressure.” And I quoth, “See Queen’s is din din din dindindindin, and mine is din din din dindindindin ch.” (The “ch” is the high hat — you know, with the souped up tempo. I’m on a roll; it’s time to go solo.)
Note to Mr. and Mrs. Bonney (who seem like lovely people, by the way): Just don’t touch the old “GET IT NOW! AT FLORIN ROAD TOYOTA” with the entire staff singing along, and we’ll be fine.
A big, brainy Right Awn! to Mira Loma High School students Andrew Chen, Rishi Kulkarni, Edward Lee, Sriram Pendyala and Heather Yee (and Coach James Hill) for taking the championship at the 19th annual National Science Bowl.
They win a trip to the International Science School in Sydney, Australia this summer. If they are named the best high school scientists on Earth, they will compete and surely lose in the Milky Way Science Bowl, where Geminids have won for most of the past millennium.
Item! Yesterday afternoon I spotted CBS13’s Steve Large and CW31’s Julissa Ortiz shopping for groceries together at an East Sacramento grocery store. Can picking out avocados be called ‘canoodling’? It’s the scoop of the century…not.
Oh well, the search for actual gossip continues. As a side note, I can see now that being a paparazzo requires a sharp eye, because when people wear baseball caps you cannot tell who they are.
The Sac Rag 