SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The Sacramento Zoo is mourning the loss of one of our most charismatic and iconic animals, an African lion named Kamau. At nearly 17-years-old, Kamau was considered elderly. His longevity here at the Zoo is a testament to the care he received from his dedicated animal care professionals and veterinary team including specialists from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.  

Our staff did everything possible to make Kamau comfortable and gave him the best quality of life in his golden years. Over the last few weeks, Kamau had developed worsening gastrointestinal problems with decreased interest in food, and the difficult decision to proceed with humane euthanasia was made when medical treatment options failed to provide sufficient relief from his condition.   

Kamau came to Sacramento Zoo from the San Diego Zoo in 2008. For the 14 years that he called the Zoo home, visitors (and many Land Park neighbors) enjoyed his impressive roar. He would draw crowds from every corner of the Zoo. In 2014, Kamau sired a litter of cubs and in 2019, his habitat doubled in size and a glass viewing wall allowed our guests to get “nose-to-nose” with both Kamau and his mate, Cleo. 

Cleo, our nearly 18-year-old lioness is doing well. Our carnivore care team will be monitoring Cleo closely to ensure her wellbeing. She enjoys her regular training sessions and one-on-one time with her care team.  

Kamau was adored by many over the years, and we appreciate the love and support of our Zoo family.  

MCCLELLAN, CA (MPG) - The Aerospace Museum of California is honored and deeply grateful it has been selected as a 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year by California State Assembly Member Josh Hoover, District 7. The museum is recognized for its exceptional contributions to STEAM education in the Northern California community.

The Aerospace Museum of California is an inspired place of learning, located in the heart of an underserved community. The museum is deeply committed to engaging the children and families that need it the most, seeking to ignite children’s curiosity and inspire discovery and exploration through hands-on STEAM education.

Linda Martin, the Aerospace Museum of California’s Board President, stated, “The museum is a testament to the generosity of numerous donors, the enthusiasm of over a million visitors, and the unwavering commitment of the Sacramento region over the last 40 years. The collective involvement of thousands of volunteers, staff, and board members exemplifies our community spirit. By preserving and celebrating our diverse history, the museum has positively impacted our community and enriched the lives of countless children and families. The Aerospace Museum’s mission—to honor the past, inspire the future through STEM education, and spark children’s learning—is truly transformative.”

On June 7th, the dedicated Aerospace Museum of California leadership will be presented with the 2023 California Non-Profit of the Year award at an exclusive ceremony held at the California State Capitol. "We are humbled by this award and extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Board of Directors, our remarkable staff, the outstanding museum volunteers, our invaluable aerospace and education partners, and the countless students and families who have embraced STEAM education at the Aerospace Museum," said Tom Jones, Executive Director of the Aerospace Museum of California.

The community’s commitment and support are key to the Aerospace Museum of California's success in igniting a passion for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics among students. This recognition as the California Nonprofit of the Year for 2023 further inspires the Aerospace Museum of California team to keep advancing its mission to deliver impactful STEAM educational experiences to help dreams take flight!

For more information about the Aerospace Museum of California visit aerospaceca.org

About the Aerospace Museum of California (AMC): Explore, discover, and be inspired by aviation and aerospace history. With a 40,000-square-foot exhibit hall, over 40 aircraft and rockets, a 4-acre outdoor Air Park, incredible exhibits, and free parking, families can engage in STEAM activities for all ages and let their imagination soar. As a Smithsonian Affiliate® and member of North American Reciprocal Museum Associate®, the Aerospace Museum is truly a place where dreams take flight!

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Untimely tree-felling led to a recent urgent rescue of three Western screech owlets.

Fair Oaks-based wildlife rescuer Ben Nuckolls saved the chicks; they are now in an Auburn wildlife rehabilitation facility and will be released when they are able to fly.

“These owls are not rare,” says Nuckolls. “But because of their nocturnal activities, they’re seldom seen.”

“Everybody has a soft spot for owls. They’re associated with mystery and wisdom and they’re adorable to look at. But no matter what the species, I always do my best for wildlife in difficulty.”

The drama occurred when an Arcade family decided to remove an old tree on their property. The hoary maple was rotting and deemed dangerous. As contractors felled its limbs, they saw several creatures hit the ground. Examination revealed three owlets, each about two weeks old. The mother was seen escaping the worksite.

“The homeowners were terribly upset,” noted Nuckolls. “It is actually a Federal and State offence to knowingly disturb an active nest but because these owls are crevice dwellers, no one knew they were there.

“The result of this innocent mistake shows why major tree trimming is best avoided during spring and early summer. That’s baby season for most wildlife families.”

The property owners gathered the raptor chicks in a box and called California Wildlife Encounters founder Nuckolls. “They knew these creatures needed help,” says Nuckolls. “I came at once. I could see they were very young indeed – each smaller than a dollar bill.

“I only remove animals from the wild as a last resort. We knew the parents were nearby, so my goal was to reunite them. I first took the owlets to Gold Country Wildlife Rescue (Auburn), where they were examined for injury and fed cut-up mice. Then I returned them to the Arcade location.

“Following my instructions, the property owner built a re-nesting box. I secured it in a tree just feet from his original maple. Then we carefully laid the babies in it.”

Nuckolls mounted cameras to monitor the site. These recorded the mom’s nighttime arrival. She fed the babies in their surrogate nest but did not return. “Unfortunately, not all re-nesting efforts succeed,” he concedes. “For the safety of the owlets, I decided to remove them for rehabilitation. I did this with a heavy heart: I always hate to separate babies from moms. But they would not have survived another night in the open.”

Nuckolls returned the trio to the rehab sanctuary, where they are still receiving care. “They were placed with another Western screech orphan of same age,” he reports. “Individuals always rehab better as part of a group. When they’re ready for release, they’ll be taken back to the neighborhood they came from.

“This was an unfortunate incident. But we still hope for a happy ending – that they’ll return to their home range and find their family.”

Footnote: Ben Nuckolls has 30 years of wildlife rescue experience and performs more than 700 rescues per year. To assist his work, donations may be made to California Wildlife Encounters or to Gold Country Wildlife Rescue. Felling or heavy trimming of trees should wait for autumn or fall.

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - On the evening of June 15, every seat was filled at the Carmichael Water District (CWD) as the public was invited to hear updates and weigh in on what they believed was best for the future of local water. With many concerns and opinions from the community shared, it became clear the current executive board, hoping to move forward with combining CWD with Sacramento Suburban Water District (SSWD) has an uphill battle ahead of them.

Cathy Lee, the General Manager of CWD, opened the meeting with a presentation of a five-step strategy to determine whether it will be beneficial for Carmichael to combine with other water agencies. The plan to merge was presented with a variety of pros and cons, including information on rates, revenue, capital improvements. The presenting team erred on the side of optimism, assuring those in attendance that customer rates were likely to remain the same while taking advantage of upgraded water collection systems. Lee also noted a projected benefit to both the employees of CWD and Carmichael residents.

“With a larger district, employees will have upward mobility,” stated Lee. “A larger organization that covers a bigger area will also allow for political advocacy.”

The need for political leverage was mentioned several times throughout the evening, as presenters explained the possibility of a future where the State of California will place heavier restrictions and regulations on small water districts if faced with another drought.

Despite presenting the potential of combining the water districts, few in attendance agreed. Joel Levine, a Carmichael Colony resident whose family has lived in the area for over 100 years, expressed concern over the possibility of Carmichael residents’ pocketbooks filling any gaps SSWD causes.

“If SSWD infrastructure is crumbling, would CWD be fixing that at our expense? Has there been quality research done to ensure that SSWD has the same or similar infrastructure?” Levine asked.

SSWD General Manager Dan York responded that SSWD has spent over $100 million in infrastructure and the merge intends to keep operations on both sides running smoothly.

In favor of the combined districts, Greg Zlotnick, who stated he’s worked in the water business for 25 years said, “I started this process as a skeptic... but I think it’s important to remember that if you don’t do this, what does your future look like?”

Despite CWD representatives sounding the alarm over Carmichael’s potential loss of autonomy due to anticipated state mandates, Zlotnick seemed to be one of very few voices in favor of the merge. Some in the room were seen shaking their heads in disappointment and calling out from the audience when they felt a question was being dodged. The planning board furthered their attempt to win approval by noting the larger the organization, the better resources there would be to serve customers well.

Joan Kline has been through a similar merge before and shared her experience with the group.

“I have a house in Truckee. Our water was delicious. Then we combined with Donner, and now the water just doesn’t taste as good,” Kline stated. “And as for combining and having better customer service from a larger company, when in the history of the United States has this been true?”

Her feedback was met by applause by the crowd, while another resident spoke up to share some of her own research. “This report was written like something a high school student could’ve thrown together,” stated Cynthia Campbell, “This is garbage.”

The report in question was distributed to each person in attendance, and is also available online at both carmichael.org and sswd.org. It covers both the presented advantages and disadvantages of combining. The report was written by two independent firms Raftelis and Zanjero.

Campbell went on to note that the writers of the report were not local to the Sacramento region, and argued that distance made them unfit to represent the voices of Carmichael. After asking how much was paid to the third-party consultants, Lee ballparked the fee at around $150,000, paid by CWD and SSWD.

As CWD and SSWD move forward to the next step of their strategic plan, Martin Ross, a longtime Crestview resident asked the question weighing on many locals’ minds.

“Carmichael has some older water rights. Would we lose those? Carmichael has a 100-year-old water agreement. Does SSWD? If there is a shortage, will we lose our rights?”

CWD Board of Director representative Jeff Nelson replied, “Carmichael is only 17% of the population [being served under the merge]. Combining is not a threat. We have been curtailed by the state. Combining actually helps us to keep our rights. We want to develop infrastructure to meet the demand of supply.”

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, at 6:30 PM. It will be hosted by Sacramento Suburban Water District at the SSWD Boardroom located at 3701 Marconi Ave, Sacramento, CA 95821.

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Carmichael will this year parade its patriotism on July 1 and July 4.  

Carmichael and Mission Oaks Park Districts will fanfare the nation’s 250^th birthday on July 1 (Saturday) with a $20,000-plus fireworks show at La Sierra Community Center. A concert by rock band Fast Times will herald the “Red, White and Blue” celebration. Music starts at 6:30 pm.

Ten food trucks and a beer garden will offer sustenance; a free kids zone will feature inflatables and face-painting. Fireworks and the 1812 Overture will thunder at 9:30 pm. Organizers recommend dogs should stay home. No private fireworks are permitted.

On Tuesday, July 4, Carmichael’s famous parade will cover two miles of hot tar between Marconi and Cypress Avenues. The Carmichael Elks Lodge has orchestrated this tradition since 1959.

Carmichael Chamber of Commerce President Izzy Delancey will be Grand Marshal. According to Elks member Jim Warrick, the VIP personifies a 2023 “Community Spirit in America” theme. “Izzy’s been working for Carmichael since she was a little girl,” Warrick explains. “She’s been Honorary Mayor; she sits on the Carmichael Improvement District Board. It’s wonderful what this lady has done for her community.”

The 1974 La Sierra High homecoming Queen has loved her hometown’s pageant since childhood. “I remember waving to important people in the parade and never dreaming I’d be part of it,” says DeLancey. “It’s an honor to represent Carmichael in this way.” Transported by a red ’66 Mustang, the Grand Marshal will roll at 10:30 am. A Sons of the American Revolution color guard marches in advance; up to 100 more units – Go-Karts, Boy Scouts, belly dancers, classic cars, floats, bicycles, Keystone Kops, politicians and clowns – will follow the siren whoop of fire trucks.

Bringing up the rear, Del Campo High School student body fields a mighty vanguard of athletes and flag-bearers.

Fair Oaks Boulevard closes from 10 am till noon for the cavalcade. Thousands of spectators applaud from sidewalks (the biggest crowds accumulate in shade near Carmichael Park corner) and street medians. At the park clubhouse, Carmichael Kiwanis fortify celebrations with a $5 pancake breakfast.

In this celebration, all roads lead to Carmichael Elks Lodge. Here dancing, barbecue lunches and swimming are offered. The Lodge is located at 5631 Cypress Avenue. La Sierra Center is at 5325 Engle Road. Carmichael Park Clubhouse is at 5750 Grant Avenue.

Parade supporters include: Kovar’s Karate, El Rancho School, Carmichael Kiwanis, the Carmichael Times, the American Legion and VFW, Carmichael Chamber of Commerce, Blain Stumpf Fencing, Carmichael Improvement District and Carmichael Elks. Fireworks sponsors include Mission Oaks and Carmichael Park Districts, GCC Virtual Academy, Food in the Hood, Carmichael Parks Foundation, Buck Family Automotive and K-ZAP.org

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Eighteen people were nominated for Sacramento County’s 5 Over 50 Award, which recognizes volunteers in the County who are over the age of 50. During the Tuesday, May 23 Board of Supervisors meeting, Sacramento County’s Adult and Aging Commission honored all of them.

Some of the award recipients wanted to share why they volunteer. They also wanted to highlight what they do to help others in Sacramento County.

One of the volunteers who was honored is John Seigal. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Rancho Murieta. He also volunteers at the Elk Grove Food Bank and the California State Railroad Museum. John has volunteered over 28,000 hours at the State Railroad Museum since 1999. John says he enjoys staying busy.

“I'm enjoying my life. I get up every morning and I have something to do," he explained.

John says being retired doesn’t mean you have to lose your sense of purpose. He encourages older adults to get out and find ways to stay involved in their community.

“When you get to retirement age, what's the purpose in life? To sit around the house all day? No. Choose to volunteer, do what you want to do, and bloom where you’re planted. Find out about all of the new things happening. Share your wisdom now that you are older,” said John.

Howard Hatch is another award recipient who loves history. He volunteers at the Sacramento History Museum. During the pandemic, he became a TikTok celebrity. Videos of Howard running the old printing press went viral. 

Now, he uses the videos to teach people around the world about his volunteer work and Sacramento's history. His fellow volunteer at the museum, Jared Jones, makes the videos. People love watching Howard so much, viewers have donated thousands of dollars to the museum. But Howard says he doesn't volunteer or star in the videos for the fame. He loves running the printing press and teaching younger generations about history.

“I always figure, if you want to know something about what you’re doing right now, you need to see where it came from and how it developed,” said Howard.

Howard started volunteering at the Sacramento History Museum more than 20 years ago. Right now, he has no intention of slowing down. He plans on creating more videos to continue educating people. Those who have volunteered with Howard say they are thankful for his dedication to the museum and want to recognize Howard for bringing so much attention to the museum.

Award recipient Marilyn Lewis was recognized for her dedication to keeping her community safe. She serves as Neighborhood Watch Coordinator in her Old Foothill Farms neighborhood. She's helped coordinate the community watch efforts for more than 11 years. She also goes out of her way to make new neighbors feel welcome by sending them letters.

“Marilyn is reliable, trustworthy, honest, and extremely loyal to our neighborhood. Our safe community is a testament to her dedication,” said Susan Holtgrave, who nominated Marilyn for the 5 Over 50 Award.

Award recipient Ed Stone was a math teacher before he retired. Now, he uses some of those skills to build handrails to help older adults and people with mobility issues. Ed Stone has volunteered at Rebuilding Together Sacramento for 20 years. Rebuilding Together helps vulnerable residents live in safe, healthy, efficient homes and neighborhoods. Fellow volunteers wanted to recognize Ed not just for his work but also for his personality. He is known for being a jokester and cheering up those around him.

Other award recipients include:

Daniel Aderholt, Mark Baker, Mark Harrington, Dr. Ali Tucker Lichtenstein, Jayasri Mechineni, Nancy Woo, Sharon Ruffner, Carol Stirnaman, Maggie Roehm, Jeanmarie Willbee, Corecia Davis, Wayne Harmer, David Ishikawa, and Teresa Kahl.

Sacramento County’s Adult and Aging Commission thanks all of the 5 Over 50 Award recipients for their dedication to making Sacramento County a great place to live.