Author: RonTopofIt

RonTopofIt is a complex personality, as are most of the small breed of modern day renaissance millionaires. He wishes more people were like him and yet believes that it takes all kinds. You've met RonTopofIt many times, you just don't remember him.

Peter Frampton can save your business

Office Space - The Two Bobs
Tell us what it is that you *do* here at Jackson Rancheria

Interesting stories today in the Bee about the status of local casinos. In “Jackson Rancheria Casino cuts 150 jobs“, we learn that Jackson Rancheria Casino laid off 150 workers after consultants determined it was overstaffed. The layoffs eliminated a little more than 10 percent of the casino’s workforce, leaving 1,250 employees.

As part of a recent $100 million remodel of the Jackson complex, a consulting team examined staffing levels and concluded “there were just too many employees for our size operation,” Elmets said. “The number of employees was just too high, in good times or bad.”

We then learn that Thunder Valley in Lincoln is hiring 100 workers to cope with improvements in business. And that Red Hawk Casino in Shingle Springs is doing so poorly that it has halted payments on a $66 million loan from its outside management company. I wonder why one casino is hiring while another is defaulting on a loan? Continue reading “Peter Frampton can save your business”

Slam! Crash! Plow! Summer 2011

In September of 2009, I wrote a post about the types of headlines the media agencies use to report cars crashing into buildings. Two years later, this method of journalism continues with this story about an automobile accident a Roseville DMV office.

The Roseville field office of the Department of Motor Vehicles is expected to be closed for repairs the rest of this week – after a driving school student crashed into the building and put a 5-foot hole in the wall.

What I found interesting was the Google News results for this accident. This wasn’t a case of the same story being spread across the wire.

“Student driver crashes into DMV office” – “Student driver plows into DMV” – “Hit-And-Run Driver Swipes Calif. DMV”

The hit-and-run angle was not widely reported. Adds quite a twist, I’d say. Most of the information gaps are due to the “get it up as soon as possible” aspect of today’s journalism.

Authorities in Roseville learned of the accident from a local news channel following a viewer tip sent by email. By the time police showed up the vehicle was gone. DMV officials believe the car belonged to a driving school and that a student was likely operating the vehicle.

Late last night, a news10.net story even had a little punch line at the end of the story (I didn’t get a chance to screen grab it!) that went something like “…no word on whether the student passed the test or not.”

They’ll be here all week.

It’s not that bad, it’s just fights

Here’s another one of those news stories where the headline is meant more to get people fired up than to summarize what the story is about.

Authorities are discussing the possibility of permanently banning alcohol along the river every day of the year.

And yet I’ve watched the video and read the article and I am not sure I know that “authorities” are really discussing banning alcohol along the river.

“I don’t know that we’ve reached the point where we have to ruin it for everyone” Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna said. “It would require a joint effort between the state of California – who governs the actual water – and the adjacent acreage is under the oversight of the county.”

At any rate, I get it, it’s a law enforcement nightmare to have to keep the drunken yahoos in check.

I wonder if this dude knew his interview would be used heavily in the piece.

“It’s not that bad, it’s just fights” rafter Will Schulze said. “We’re adults. If we want to drink on the river, we should drink on the river.”

Oh, boy, time cue up the Colonel Jessep scene from A Few Good Men.

City of Sacramento launches eNewsletter

The City of Sacramento has launched an online newsletter “to update its citizens about services, accomplishments and plans.” The newsletter is called “City Express” and will be published quarterly.

From what I’ve read so far, it’s rather informative. I was especially interested to learn that the new bike route from Natomas to downtown will be opening in October.

When construction is finished on the bike and ped bridge over the drainage canal and over I-80, Natomas residents will have the first direct bicycle route to downtown. The bridges will link to the bike trail and eliminate about 3.2 miles of travel from north Natomas. The project starts at Peregrine Park, crossing over the canal and over the freeway to hook up with the trail adjacent to Gateway Oaks Drive.

From the project website I learned that in 1995, there were 38 miles of bike and pedestrian trails in Sacramento and that there are 80 today. Pretty cool.

Give it a read and let us know what you think.

Fair-weather River Cats fans miss a thriller

River Cats win, River Cats win!
River Cats win, River Cats win!
I made it out to Raley Field yesterday afternoon to watch the River Cats take on the Fresno Grizzlies. It was Dinger Bobblehead Giveaway day and we were lucky enough to be one of the first 2,500 fans. Plus, kids were allowed to run the bases after the game so all signs pointed to a great day for baseball. It didn’t hurt that Brandon Belt was playing for the Grizzlies.

After seven close innings, the Grizzlies were up 3-2. The weather was great and the River Cats were poised for a comeback. Then the top of the eighth came and the Grizzlies hung four runs on the Cats making the score 7-2. At this point many fans headed for the aisles. So much so it was like being at a Laker game. Then, in the bottom of the eigth, the Cats scored a run, then another, and another, and another, finally tying the game after a Fresno fielding error. The game was tied 7-7 going into the ninth inning. The Cats kept the Grizzlies off the board in the top of the ninth.

We were all set for extra innings when Jai Miller hit the first pitch out for a walk-off home run. Pretty exciting stuff. Sure, more times than not, your team will not come back after being down big late, but you have to hang in there because you never know what is going to happen.

Fair food to be inspected this year

mc-hammer
Creative Commons License photo credit: no-frills marilyn.
MC Hammer takes the stage on July 18th

The California State Fair opens for business today and you should be aware that *this* year, inspectors will start state fair food inspections.

The Sacramento County Environmental Management Department will start inspecting the fair’s more than 150 food vendors when it opens Thursday. And as a cue to customers, vendors get signs to display saying they’ve passed inspection.

What? Does this mean that food vendors have previously been serving their concoctions sans government review? I do like the idea of displaying the signs though. It could be the difference for me in trying the raccoon on a stick, maggot melt or deep-fried scorpions.

Stickie, what say you?

Free Slurpee on 7/11

Today, July 11, 2011, 7-11 is offering up free slurpees to celebrate their birthday.

Our Birthday, Your Bash Stop by for a FREE 7.11 oz Slurpee drink, general merriment and a one-man dance party should you choose to start it. (“Running Man” and “Raising the Roof” welcome. “Macarena” NOT welcome. Ever.) RSVP today and Facebook will remind you to claim your free-ness on 7/11/11. They’ll also tell you who else is celebrating a birthday, but let’s focus on us, okay?

Notice how along with the growth of social media in marketing there has also been an increase in this hipster, cutesy style of writing? At any rate, free stuff.

Miniburger truck delivers

Miniburger Truck stops in Sacramento, CA
Burgers the size of schnauzers, but they're cattle.

I finally had a chance to catch up with the very popular Miniburger truck yesterday as it came to my neck of the woods during lunch time. I had been following them on Twitter for a while, but it was never worth hopping in the car and chasing them down to wait in line for a burger.

For those of you not in the know, the Miniburger truck (or is it Mini Burger? Their website is all over the place) is a food truck that hops around town serving up burgers and fries to those that follow them via Twitter, Facebook, and their website. It’s a clever concept and seems to be paying off.

The Miniburger OG' and Cowbell with fries
The Miniburger OG' and Cowbell with fries
You can check their menu online, but I went with the Cowbell and The OG’ combo (they are mini burgers remember, you buy them in packs of two or three) and the hand-cut fries. I got there within a few minutes of receiving the location tweet and was already 10th in line (this grew to 30 rather quickly). They served up the food rather quickly considering I only say three dudes working inside and one takes orders and money. The burgers were really good while the fries were just okay. I am no sac-eats, so I can’t really dissect the subtle nuances of each, but my general opinion of the food was that is was pretty darn good. It’s a bit pricey ($8 for two minis and fries, no drink) and I am not sure I would scramble to find this truck again if it wasn’t close to me, but it’s worth checking out for sure.

Are you into the corporate chains?

I was reading this story on sacbee.com about the pending closure of California Pizza Kitchen’s downtown Sacramento location (bummer, the CPK site still says “NOW OPEN”) when I came across this interesting quote.

“I think what we learned is that the downtown-midtown Sacramento crowd is not into the corporate chains (like CPK),” he says. “They’re more into locally owned businesses that are more aware of the city.”

The restaurant will be replaced by a sports bar called Firestone Public House which will feature pizza, “fun” appetizers and 30 to 40 different kinds of beer. So, are the appetizers not fun? At any rate, do you think this is true about the downtown-midtown Sacramento crowd? Could they just not like gourmet pizza?

Weekend planner: July 2-4, 2011


Creative Commons License photo credit: Duncan H

Years ago when CoolDMZ and I started this here web log, we didn’t have all of these fancy, integrated web sites to talk about where we lived. Now, there are plenty to choose from. I think my favorite lately is patch.com. You can browse pages devoted to individual cities like Carmichael, Roseville, and Davis. Give them a visit.

Now, back to my point. The Carmichael patch offers up a nice little weekend planner for the holiday weekend. Most of the events pertain to that side of the world, but does include information about the Independence Day event at the California State Military Museum.

Where/When: California State Military Museum, 1119 Second Street, Sacramento, Monday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Why Go: Find out all about California’s military history on the most patriotic day for those of us in the USA. View flags, weapons and exhibits, including memorabilia from the Persian Gulf War, California Cavalry, Spanish and Mexican California and much more—a pitstop at the Major General Walter Story Memorial Library and Research Center on the way out is a must.

Pricing: Free.

Good stuff, worth adding to your favorites. What’s going on in your neck of the woods?