Author: CoolDMZ

"X-ray vision to see in between / Where's my kimono and my time machine?"

Sac City Unified background check fails students

Disciplinary action has been taken against Vernon Proctor, an assistant principal in charge of discipline at Hiram Johnson High School, after he was arrested Friday on suspicion of being under the influence of narcotics, according to the Sac Bee. This story goes beyond the irony of the disciplinarian being disciplined. Sure, you say, if he has a drug problem he should not be in the classroom.

Proctor — who had taken Friday off from work — was placed on paid administrative [leave] (sic) when he arrived on campus Monday morning

A slap on the wrist. Well, I suppose if it was just one incident, I can understand giving him the benefit of the doubt. He has worked for Sac City Unified for a number of years, teaching at Burbank and New Technology High before taking this administrative job with Johnson. I’m sure he is historically the kind of man who deserves to be in a position of authority with our kids and this is just a fall from grace…
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Sactown Mag comes out punchin’

So Sactown magazine, the new lifestyle magazine, hits newsstands this week. Based on Sam McManis’ review in today’s Bee, I can’t wait to see it. (RonTopofIt says he got a free copy in the mail, lucky!)

“Opening Shots,” an eight-page spread of dazzling photos. Magazines from Newsweek to Sports Illustrated do this, and it’s nice to see a local publication make a commitment to photojournalism, not just product shots.

Sounds great. I can’t tell whether or not I agree with McManis that the cover is too busy; that might just be too nitpicky for my taste. Seems about average for a glossy magazine like that. McManis also takes a jab at Sactown for using “premier” as in “premier issue” on the cover. That’s where this gets a little funny.

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The Big A

If you find yourself in Grass Valley and with dangerously clean arteries, there is only one place to go: Big A Root Beer Drive-In. A perennial favorite, Big A is one of those places with a menu that you need to take home and study, or get on tape and play on headphones while you sleep, if you don’t want to take an hour and a half to order. Dozens of burger choices, fried fare, great big salads and other specialties, all prepared magically from a pretty small kitchen. I went simple on my last visit and ordered a Deluxe Steak-lover’s Burger–1/2 lb. Angus on French roll with classic “works” toppings. Our party was undecided on the fries–I think they are pretty good, but they are definitely nothing unique. I’ve never had a salad there (go figure) but I hear great things about all the selections on that quadrant of the menu.

And that’s not even the best part: They make their own root beer. It is nice and sweet, with (to me, anyway) a hint of maple syrup (I know, you’re out the door already!). CoolDMZ sez check it out.

Big-A Rootbeer Drive-in
810 E. Main St
Grass Valley
530-273-3243

(Go up Hwy 49, take the Central Grass Valley exit, take a right on East Main and go up the hill until you see the sign.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkeys teeing it upKnocked off early at the widget factory yesterday and took the family (or they took me) to Ancil Hoffman for some non-lethal turkey hunting (using our minds). The deers are so thick there that you start to wonder if they aren’t over populated. Also you start to wonder if maybe they aren’t supposed to be more standoffish toward us humans. We saw two young bucks banging heads and had to hightail it. Turkeys were out in force as well, as were giant salmon in the river. We saw a massive salmon head/skull on the riverbank that had teeth the size of a dog’s. As usual the only wildlife thankfully not present were rattlers and mountain lions.

Maybe it was the company, or the early widget dismissal, but if you’ll permit a timely hiatus from the snark, this was one of those days where I counted myself among the luckiest people on earth to be living in Northern California.

Sacramentans in the news

Why does it take me like a week to find out that the UCLA taser student was from Sacramento? Is it because I don’t pay any attention to anything going on outside Nor Cal anymore, even when it has a local angle? Yes, it’s definitely because of that. And because of my YouTube non-participation.

Young mister Tabatabainejad is probably not going to have the same kind of winter as the other Sacramentan I wanted to mention, Demarcus Nelson, who seems poised for a breakout year for some school called Duke. (I think it’s a junior college in the midwest or something.) This is the sort of thing that gets me excited to watch some college hoops.

City settles with Joe Sun

This made the news last week but it looks like the City has finally agreed on a price with Joe Sun and now can proceed with developing the 700 block of K Street. For the building and the business itself the City will be shelling out almost $6 million. This made for steamy debate here when it first made headlines. The settling price ended up somewhere between what the City was originally offering and what Joe Sun was asking, closer to the City’s original offer. I have yet to be enlightened on why this is how redevelopment has to be done; I have no idea why Joe Sun couldn’t have stayed right there on that block. Wouldn’t a few hundred grand for some new signage and rehabbing on the building have been money well spent? If the city allows developers to buy up blocks won’t we just end up with a ton of big modern looking buildings suited only to being shared by big retailers like Z Gallerie? Also how exactly is this just not going to happen again in 30 years?

Lost in the zoo

Zoo on-site veterinary hospitalI haven’t seen the Zoo’s new veterinary hospital yet, but my wife and daughters saw it yesterday, the day after its grand opening. As you can see from the thumbnail image (all I could find), it is a rustic building in the middle of a jungle-like setting. Mrs Cool caught a glimpse inside the open door, though, and spied a fully stocked operating room with an empty operating table, which put her immediately in mind of a certain TV show about people who are Lost on an island. That tall shaggy-haired orangutan better watch out, because Pickett has got that gleam in his eye…

Spending RT’s money is a “Tall Order”

I’m not really sure why they called it that, but the Metropolitan Transportation Plan is holding “Tall Order: Moving the Region Forward,” a one-night, eight-venue simulcast town hall to hear from the public on how MTP might invest $36 billion over the next few decades. The event is being held tomorrow night in locations from Freeborn Hall to the El Dorado Office of Education and offers free food. It looks like you have to register to attend. Might I suggest that free food on the bus be priority #1?