Happened to be watching the CBS 13 newscast at 10 pm last night, and heard Sam and Pallas announce some big changes on the newscast coming soon, mostly schedule related but also regarding their coverage of local news. No word on whether the big blue set is going away, but I couldn’t help but have a moment of self-centeredness and think that this here Website might have made some people think.
Oh, and Kurtis Ming has to go. Like, far away.
Thanks FauxPaws for helping me beat the drum! Got busy making widgets yesterday and neglected to point out that Daniel Weintraub now says what I said last week, that the Maloofs’ rent should not be considered as a contribution to the building costs. Further, he went on to demonstrate that under a conservative estimate (assuming the low end for things like parking fees and naming rights) the Maloofs’ spending and income for using the arena are a wash, meaning that their only contribution to the entire project is the $20 capital repair fund. Assuming the higher end they come out ahead. We taxpayers, on the other hand, are out $1.2 billion.
Here’s a question: If the arena would be publicly owned, wouldn’t it make sense for it to be open several times a year for free events? I don’t think I’ve heard that proposed in this deal.
Regal Cinemas, operators of Natomas Marketplace 16 and Laguna Village 12, has free G and PG rated movies at 10:00 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this summer. So if the heat comes back and you need something cool to do with the kiddies they’ve got “Rugrats In Paris The Movie” and “Charlie & The Chocolate Factory” (I think this is the Burton one, because the Gene Wilder one is a G and it’s actually titled “Willy Wonka and…” according to IMDB) this week, and “Muppets From Space” and “Two Brothers” (I assume it’s this one) next week.
Continue reading “Free family movies!”
Apparently the City’s push to “revitalize” by marginalizing lower income folks extends beyond the arena deal. The city is attempting to push out Joe Sun, a longtime fixture of the K Street mall, so that the entire block can be sold to Joe Zeiden, owner of Z Gallerie, for redevelopment into high-end retail. (Note for the literal-minded: the patrons are “lower income,” not the owners: “Joe Sun & Co. has sold blue-collar work clothes to Sacramentans for 88 years”)
Now, I have no clue what commercial real estate is worth, so to me $15 million for that plot does seem ridiculously high. But I think it’s more ridiculous that the city, which has let K street stagnate for years, suddenly wants to force out a 30-year old family business to bring in a high end chain store. With blocks and blocks of empty storefronts down the street. It’s just really sad, is what it is.
Also, this must mean that Zeiden already owns “Records,” the used record store next door to Joe Sun. How sad!
Just because it seems like a good time to do so, I wanted to take a second to state that while I do think increasing the sales tax to pay for the arena is the wrong thing to do, I believe that those who disagree with me do so because they are likewise trying to do the right thing. I do not, as it might be tempting to interpret, think that they are in favor of taxing the poor or kicking puppies to raise money.
However, I think it is worthwhile to try to convince everybody that two No votes in November are the only right thing to do. I’ll start by reminding everyone that this whole thing is premised on two notable lies by our local politicians.
Continue reading “Clearing the air”
Local right-wing morning talk show host Eric Hogue has come out in favor of the arena tax measures. Clearly, though, this is one homer who doesn’t watch his “Simpsons,” because Hogue is also further suggesting the construction of a monorail for downtown Sac. Even before I heard this actually suggested was hard not to think about the great “Marge vs. The Monorail” episode, written by Conan O’Brien.
Quimby: Now wait just a minute! We’re twice as smart as the people of Shelbyville! Just tell us your idea and we’ll vote for it!
Lyle Lanley: All right, I tell you what I’ll do. I’ll show you my idea! I give you the Springfield Monorail! [audience gasps] I’ve sold monorails to Brockway, Ogdenville, and North Haverbrook, and by gum, it put them on the map! [cue Monorail Song]
But I kid. I think a monorail is a stupid suggestion, but I’m not trying to make a point here, just crackin wise.
The starring role at yesterday’s Board of Supervisors meeting was played by Margaret Williams of Tahoe Park (what up TP!!) who trotted her two young boys to the County building to ask her county supe, Roger Dickinson, if he could explain to her sons why “mommy should invest in an arena instead of their milk.”
Before you jump up and down at your keyboard because milk is a non-taxable grocery item, consider that when your budget is necessarily tight, the extra tax burden has to come out of somewhere. Consider the much-talked about impending $5 gallon of gas. They roll the sales tax into the pump price so you never really get to consider it, but that’s a major hit we’d take. (And not to spread the snark too thin, but I’d suggest that the kids milk should be very low on the list of things that get cut back.)
Continue reading “Mrs. Williams Goes to Washington”
The votes have been cast and as of this afternoon the arena tax ballot measures are going forward, the ordinance having passed 4-1 in the Board of Supervisors. The one nay vote came from District 4 supervisor Robert MacGlashan. (District 4 includes Antelope, Orangevale and Citrus Heights.)
Continue reading “Arena tax measures survive MacGlashan head-butt”
According to a friend of the Rag who is involved in Runaway Stage‘s fall production of the musical version of “The Full Monty” the theater troupe is still looking to fill 5 roles: two guys (one must be a black guy), a female, and a 10-12 year old boy.
My source is pretty sure that the male character is a semi-lead and at some point would need to be willing to bare it all (or, due to the use of trick costumes) bare it “most.” Runaway Stage is also looking for tech folks, so if you look good in black sweats and are free September 1-24 this is a great opportunity to get involved in community theater. The production will be located at the 24th Street Theater at the Sierra 2 (a nostalgic spot for the Rag).
Interested parties should contact Bob Baxter, director/producer at 206-2466 or Anne-Marie Trout, Asistant Dir. at 202-4788.
The Sac Rag 