Month: September 2009

Woodland’s Top Model candidate makes doe eyes at Tyra

Rachel, a native of Woodland, CA, made the cut on the 13th season (I just can’t type “cycle,” I can’t do it!) of “America’s Next Top Model” last night, continuing Norcal’s dominance of the show. (We can also claim blonde-turned brunette Brittany, who hails from from Livermore.) Doe-eyed 19-year old Rachel is one of 13 finalists all under 5′ 7″ ready to claw their way into the industry. Apparently, if you wish to be a model but you are under 67″ tall you may as well also have scaly skin or a prehensile tail.

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Sacramento brewers best in state, again

28 beers and ciders from Sacramento were recognized at the 2009 California State Fair Commercial Craft Brew Competition.

Sac Brew Master Brewer Peter Hoey is proud of his creations! (photo courtesy of Rick Sellers & Tracy Bethune, Pacific Brew News)
Sac Brew Master Brewer Peter Hoey is proud of his creations! (photo courtesy of Rick Sellers & Tracy Bethune, Pacific Brew News)

The 2009 California State Fair has faded off into fond memory, but you can still enjoy many of the beers that were honored at this year’s Commercial Craft Brew competition. In case you are confused by the judging results, beers (and ciders and meads) are entered into one of 28 categories (and 93 styles), are awarded both a designation of overall quality (gold, silver, bronze) and and an overall ranking in their beer style (1st, 2nd, 3rd). Congrats to our local brewers and thanks for all the great beer!
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Radio contest death trial starts today

Jury selection begins today in the trial to determine whether Entercom, the radio giant who owns 107.9 The End (and 98 Rock, and 96.9 The Eagle, and KSSJ, and 106.5, and AM 1320…) is responsible for the death of Jennifer Strange during a radio contest in 2007, which of course I blogged about back then. Since I really haven’t thought about it much since then, I still feel pretty much the same as I did back then: I still maintain that “personal responsibility” doesn’t protect a company asking people to abandon their common sense. I’d rather err on the side of protecting people who should know better than protecting organizations without a discernible conscience.

I also hope as a side effect of this trial that somehow NBC will be forced to stop airing “America’s Got Talent” — hey, I’m no expert, it’s up to the lawyers to figure out how to make that happen.

Slam! Crash! Plow!

The aftermath
The crime scene, er, aftermath, er, ground zero!

If you live here (this is mainly for you new readers), you know that cars find their way into buildings. Home, businesses, you name it. Young drivers, old drivers, and elevated drivers alike, we have it all in the 916. What is fascinating to me, however, is how we report these incidents and what information we reveal.

For example, on Sunday morning in Natomas an off-duty sheriff’s deputy “crashed” her sport utility vehicle into a Starbucks.

Police charged an off-duty Sacramento Sheriff’s deputy with felony DUI Sunday after she plowed into an open Starbucks coffee shop in Natomas, injuring an elderly woman … Brown said the driver of the car continued to push on the accelerator even after the car had come to a stop … Authorities believe Gargano, 37, was taking prescription medication, Leong said. He declined to name the specific medication, citing health confidentiality.

Sorry, the officer “plowed” into the coffee shop. What, no “continued to gun it!” And we are OK with her name but not her medical condition?

More details surface and the Sac Bee offers up a new article, SUV slams into Starbucks; deputy charged. We learn the deputy’s name and of course her personal tidbits in the comments section.

Then, two more crashes occur … Continue reading “Slam! Crash! Plow!”

Start the Presses! Local Publication Celebrates One Year Anniversary

Heidi Komlofske and Ross Rojek in final edits of their anniversary issue of Sacramento Book Review
Heidi Komlofske and Ross Rojek in final edits of their anniversary issue of Sacramento Book Review

One year ago, as newspapers across the country were stopping the presses, one brave couple dove in head-first. That’s when Heidi Komlofske and Ross Rojek started a little publication called Sacramento Book Review. Just as the LA Times was closing their book review, this Sacramento couple was starting theirs.

Crazy? Perhaps. As Rojek reached out to publishing companies in search of books to review, one publicist bellowed, “What idiot starts a book review in this economy?” The idiot savants went on to publish 115 reviews in that first September 2008 issue. Today, the company boasts 100 book reviewers, and this month they started their second publication, San Francisco Book Review.

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Spare me the labor

Labor Day is one of the few holidays I can think of where you celebrate something by not doing it.

Rancho Murieta Online has a few suggestions on things to do on this upcoming Labor Day weekend, in case you were becoming overwhelmed with all the options for the holiday.

In case you would like to spend Labor Day by walking down streets and randomly explaining the history of Labor Day to passers by, check out the Department of Labor website on this very topic. If you could do this in a mailman’s uniform sitting at a bar, you’d be my hero. Cheers.

Big week for music at The Fair

A preview of the mainstage musical acts during the last week of the California State Fair.

This is it, folks, the week that the California State Fair brings out the big guns on the Golden 1 Stage. Well, more like medium range artillery. I can’t say that I am thrilled about any of these acts, but am curious to see what kind of show they will deliver and they should each please their target audience. Hey, I was pleasantly surprised last week by the Hullabaloo Music Festival and I didn’t hate Salvador, so I am going in with an open mind.
Continue reading “Big week for music at The Fair”