Are arena proposals juicy?

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association thinks so:

The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association accuses the City of Sacramento of refusing to release arena proposal details despite a court order.

This morning a Sacramento Superior Court judge ruled the City of Sacramento must immediately release details about an arena proposal made to the Maloofs.

The Howard Jarvis Taxspayers Association filed a lawsuit to force the city to release the information.

The group said its attorney went to City Hall to request a copy of the proposal but was told the city was not yet ready to release it.

“There must be something really juicy in that proposal,” said association president Jon Coupal. …

Superior Court Judge Jack Sapunour’s ruling reads, in part, “Unlike the city the court does not believe it is necessary to keep the public in the dark for its own good.” Ohh, snap!!

Updated at 10:25 pm: Not so fast, Justice, says the appeals court (click that link again for the updated News10 story)…

Sing it with me now…

(CBS 13) SACRAMENTO The California Voter Foundation released “The Proposition Song”, a sing-along song designed to introduce voters to the thirteen propositions on California’s November 7 ballot. Each proposition is reviewed in the song, which runs just under three minutes and is set to a traditional folk melody.

Oh, there once was a proposition, its number was One-A
The first of thirteen measures to decide by Election Day. (November 7th!)
Arnold and the lawmakers want the first five props to pass
One-A would mandate road funding from the sales taxes on gas.

One-B is a bond act with billions for highways
One-C would build shelters for folks who need a place to stay.
Next we have Prop One-D, a school improvement bond
There’s nine more measures in this song

Pay attention and sing along
It’s the Proposition Song
‘Cause the ballot is too darn long!

One-E protects the rivers, repairs the levees too
One-E’s followed by 83? Confusing, but it’s true.
Sex offender laws will change if we pass Prop 83
84 protects our state from floods. It’s a lot like Prop One-E.

85 requires aborting teens to first inform their folks
Prop 86 funds health programs with another tax on smokes.
There’s just a few more measures to sing of in this song
So hang on friends, we’re near the end, you should all be singing along
It’s the Proposition Song
‘Cause the ballot is too darn long!

If we pass Prop 87, the oil companies
Will pay a tax to fund alternative energy.
Prop 88 would raise taxes to help fund public schools
Prop 89 would rearrange state campaign funding rules.
This lesson’s almost over, just one more prop remains
Prop 90 curbs your city’s use of eminent domain.
It’s the Proposition Song
Let’s all be singing along
‘Cause the ballot is too darn long!

View the video here.  Personally, I think it’s better as a crunk rap than a traditional folk song.  But hey, that’s just me.

Angelides press conference in Sacramento

My wife reports that gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides is making a speech right now in front of the fire station near Stockton & Broadway. It’s a charming Spanish style building but I can’t find a picture of it right now; I’ll add a screen grab from one of the news stations when it makes the Web. (The FCC probably appreciates when copyright violators give plenty of warning!)

But more importantly, in her research she uncovered a Phil Angelides MySpace page! (I can’t view it from work but she says it does not disappoint…)

More local nostalgia on KVIE

Via Heckasac, a heads’ up from musician/producer J Greenberg:

Wednesday at 7pm, KVIE will air a program that I produced, and that I’m very proud of. If you have an interest in Sacramento History– particularly the strange stuff that doesn’t make it into the history books — then I hope you’ll tune in to Channel 6 for HIDDEN HISTORY…

In this program, hosted by comedian Jack Gallagher, we visit sites like the Old City Cemetery and the Sacramento Archives to unearth strange tales of Sacramento history. Things like…an airship hovering over the Capitol dome seven years before the Wright Brothers made their famous flight. Or an amateur filmmakers’ club that saved the American River Parkway…

Sounds fun!

David Sedaris @ the Crest, bookstore events

David SedarisNot that I, you know, go out and do stuff or anything, but I noted that The Crest added a second show of humorist David Sedaris on October 29 because the previous night had sold out.

Which reminds me that it’s always important to check on the calendars of the various Borders and Barnes & Noble outlets because although most of the time it’s Hawaiian music (nothing against slack key, but it’s true) sometimes you get something out of the ordinary, such as the David Sedaris live reading/book signing I recall missing out on a few years ago.

So here are a couple of links for bookstore event information:

Continue reading “David Sedaris @ the Crest, bookstore events”

Run for the Foothills, It’s Country French Cuisine

(NOTE:  The Eats clan will be moving from our current digs in a few months to a new family abode off the greater Eastern & El Camino corridor.  So, gone are the days of long, detail filled ramblings about all the eateries in the Fair Oaks Blvd sphere of influence.  You can now look forward to long, intricate musings on the joy that is the Plaza Hof Brau.)

 Anyway, back to our story.  Mike Dunne over at the Bee has spent plenty of words praising a little French joint up in the foothills called “Zachary Jacques.” I won’t spend much time, therefore, totally agreeing with him and talking about the wonderful food, great service and charming atmosphere that make the hour long drive totally and completely worth it. I’ll instead talk about how to use Zachary Jacques in a recipe to create a perfect birthday in the foothills.
Continue reading “Run for the Foothills, It’s Country French Cuisine”

Creepy dystopian news of the day

I’m really conflicted about this. There are very few organizations, local or otherwise, whose missions I respect more than Kevin Johnson’s St. HOPE. But the educational org’s newest project has me a little weirded out:

Imagine taking your child to a preschool that could scan each little brain, take blood samples, administer psychological tests or do genetic testing to help decide which teaching techniques best suit each youngster.

I don’t know, I mean it’s a little derivative…I think there was a newer episode of Twilight Zone like that… Oh wait, you’re not describing a horrifying dystopian future setting for a sci-fi movie, that’s an actual plan for a school.

Continue reading “Creepy dystopian news of the day”