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.

Soundgarden. Wednesday. Going?

Slanty...
As a huge fan of rock and roll, I feel the need to call out Sacramento on a point of order. Are you going to see Soundgarden on Wednesday? If not, why the hell not?

Sacramento is a rock and roll town. Sure, we have a wide diversity of great local and regional music, a famed jazz scene and a reputation for popular Americana acts. Walk down the streets of our burbs, however, and see the boys in their black T-shirts, the girls in their tight jeans, and the multitudes who respond when you rock the goat.

Sacramento rocks.
Continue reading “Soundgarden. Wednesday. Going?”

Name this raptor UPDATED with photos

A family of 4 or 5 raptors has nested in Tahoe Park above the playground, and I need help identifying them. I’ll have to go back with a better camera, but in the meantime if anyone who has been there recently can shed some light, my kids and I would be grateful. All I know is it is not a red tailed hawk; we see enough of those to spot them. It is a small raptor with a white belly and grey back and hood, and a striped tail. I have concluded that they are Merlins, a small falcon breed that apparently is becoming common in urban areas. Whatever they are, they are neat! Today we found a bird carcass below the nest; I imagine one of them fell and died and stray dogs ate it? Or perhaps they killed and ate a pigeon–would birds do that?

UPDATE Monday 1:00 PM: Mrs Cool and the kids snapped some awesome photos today, including some that add an air of mystery to the proceedings.

Continue reading “Name this raptor UPDATED with photos”

New bus terminal to be vagrant-free?

I wasn’t quite sure how moving the Greyhound bus station was going to suddenly make the Greyhound bus station from an unsavory place into some sort of haven for the weary traveler. I do see that the location will be next to a police outpost, and I guess with the budget woes hitting law enforcement the best way to get police presence is to be next door to one.

Continue reading “New bus terminal to be vagrant-free?”

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?

I didn’t say *bomb* squad…

Suspicious object found in Folsom field

I wasn’t aware that “bong” was commonly known enough to appear in a news article. There’s no euphemism for that? “Tobacco smoking device?” “Tobacco paraphernalia?” Do we not use euphemisms anymore?

The “bomb squad/bong squad” joke is pretty easy but I suppose you would have to call out the bomb techs. That thing could easily be an IED…the kind you put your weed in.

Spun Out: Haines’ burger bar is kaput

16th Street has yet another restaurant casualty (RIP CPK). The Haines Brothers’ cycling themed burger bastion is no more. Spin, the name of the shot-lived and negatively reviewed outpost, originally replaced the Haines’ Bistro 33. We’re not too sure if the Haines boys are going to try a third incarnation at the 16th and K storefront, but if they do, I wish them luck. As I’ve said before, the HBs are hit and miss, but when they hit, they hit big.

In happier news, the defunct IHOP on El Camino and Watt will have a new tenant soon, JR’s Texas Barbecue. Just to be clear, it’s going to be a JR’s, which is good, not a Texas West restaurant, which is the same as vomiting in your own mouth.