A Singing Valentine Coming Your Way!
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Valentine's Day is almost here! You can give that special someone an unforgettable gift! Candy, cards and flowers are nice, but adding a Singing Valentine will create a lasting memory! Quartets from Sacramento Valley Chorus will deliver Singing Valentines on Thursday, February 14. Your sweetheart, family member or good friend will be surprised and thrilled when a quartet delivers two songs, a rose, candy and a beautiful card to him or her. The package is only $40, and can be delivered to the home or business of your choice in the greater Sacramento area, including Placer, El Dorado and Nevada County. Singing Valentines are popular, so call early to ensure availability. Call 916-761-2998, to arrange for delivery.
The award winning Sacramento Valley Chorus, under the direction of Master Director, Dede Nibler, has approximately 90 members. The Chorus is preparing to compete Internationally in New Orleans in September.
Ladies from the community are invited to attend rehearsals any Wednesday night at 6:30 pm. For more information, visit SacramentoValleyChorus.com.
The Latest Job demand and hiring trends
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Employers are downshifting in the hiring race as 2019 begins. One regional company is reducing workforce by more than fifty percent (50%) as tariff related contract losses impact Sacramento area employment. In direct contacts with regional employers between November 19th and December 17th, Pacific Staffing discovered fifty-six percent (56%) of companies are hiring in the First Quarter of 2019.
Hiring has pulled back from this same time one year ago when sixty-five percent (65%) planned to hire in January, February and March. While the pace of hiring among top Sacramento regional employers has fallen throughout 2018 companies report finding applicants and specific skilled workers remain a top challenge in the new year.
While not a single company surveyed planned first quarter layoffs in 2018, in the first three months of 2019 seven percent (7%) are reducing workforces. Staff reductions are attributed to seasonal change and slower demand for products and services. Forty-four percent (44%) of hiring in the first quarter is for attrition, or replacements, among existing workforces while employers seek just forty-two percent (42%) for growth.
By talking to top regional firms each quarter since 1992, Pacific Staffing has learned there are always hiring challenges for employers, regardless of economic direction. In this first quarter of the new year seventeen percent (17%) of employers also report a continuing challenge with finding enough applicants, despite the slowdown. Others also citing increased minimum wage and hiring specific skilled trades as workplace concerns.
Sales, customer service, accounting/finance, technical, warehouse and shipping experience is in high demand through March. Drivers for route and delivery remain scarce.
The most active sector is Service companies with Manufacturers second, followed by Construction and Retail through January, February and March of 2019.
Sacramento Regional Top Companies Polled by Industry were Service (54%), Manufacturers (25%), Construction (19%) and Retail (2%)
For more information, employment blogs & market surveys go to www.pacificstaffing.com.
Source: Pacific Staffing
Senator Gaines Sworn in as Board of Equalization Member
SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Senator Ted Gaines (R-El Dorado) was sworn in as an elected Member of the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) during a ceremony held at the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building in Downtown Sacramento. The oath of office was administered by Governor Gavin Newsom.
“I am excited to continue serving Californians as a taxpayer advocate,” said Senator Gaines. “My new role as a BOE Member comes with different challenges and opportunities, but my number one priority is to ensure hardworking Californians are allowed fair tax policies that create jobs and grow our economy.”
Senator Gaines will represent more than nine million California residents living in the 1st Equalization District, which spans inland California from San Bernardino County to the Oregon border. The five-member BOE is a publicly elected tax board responsible for administering Property Tax, Alcoholic Beverage Tax, and Tax on Insurers programs.
“Californians should be treated with respect and fairness when it comes to tax administration. They are tired of being over-taxed, and over-regulated. I pledge to fight on their behalf,” said Senator Gaines.
Prior to being elected to the BOE, Senator Gaines served 12 years in the State Legislature as a tireless advocate for California’s taxpayers, ratepayers, businesses and families. He fought to protect citizen privacy and led major efforts to bring thousands of new jobs to the state, as well as support critical legislation to strengthen and expand California’s infrastructure.
In addition to his life in public service, Senator Gaines is a successful small business owner, having owned Gaines Insurance for more than 30 years. He has been married to his wife Beth since 1986 and together they reside in El Dorado County and are blessed with six children and two grandchildren.
As a constitutional officer, Senator Gaines is currently the highest-ranking elected Republican state official in California.
Source: Office of Ted Gaines
Water is Local Rotarian’s Gift for Native Village
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Carmichael resident Richard Olebe’s baby brother died after drinking contaminated water in his Ugandan village 67 years ago.
Today, thanks to efforts by Olebe, plus Ugandan and Sacramento Rotarians, more than 10,000 Ugandans will rejoice in safe water. Spearheading the mission, Olebe (73) is well-versed in his homeland’s needs. “My sisters spent hours every day collecting dirty water,” he recalls. “As a result, they couldn’t go to school. It’s not just a Ugandan problem; 300 million Africans don’t have access to safe drinking water today.”
The Kenya and Stanford-trained engineer worked for the California Department of Water Resources for 22 years. He joined Carmichael Rotary Club two years ago. “In 2016, Rotarians from Tororo (Uganda) approached me suggesting a project to improve life for thousands of people,” he explains. “They proposed replacing dirty water supplies for my former village of Iyolwa, in south-east Uganda.”
A plan -- to drill five wells; to dig pipelines and to build tanks for communities and schools – was approved. Fundraising for the $200,000 project began last year. Rotarians in Tororo and Carmichael came up with nearly $60,000. This sum was matched by club members in Sacramento, Uganda and Tanzania. Rotary Foundations Global Matching Funds supplied the balance. “Iyolwa people began drinking water from our wells at the beginning of December,” reports Olebe.
“These are poor, poor, people. I’m proud we could do this for them. The villagers now have safe, free water for the first time in their lives. Babies won’t die like my brother did. Girls will go to school instead of trudging miles with jerry cans on their heads. Lack of finances prevented this from happening for many lifetimes.”
“The villagers dug the pipelines,” he says. “We’ve given them spare equipment in case of breakages. They’ll also share the cost of employing someone to maintain wells and pipelines.” Now retired, Olebe self-funded several trips to his homeland as the project progressed. “I’ve seen people’s faces,” he says. “They’re happy and grateful for what we’ve given them. And I’m grateful Carmichael and Tororo could come together like this. Helping a village is one step toward saving the world.”
Learn about Carmichael Rotary at
https://www.facebook.com/carmichaelrotaryfoundation/
Carmichael Confronts Homelessness
Providing Shelter, Counseling, Housing
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - For the second year, hundreds of volunteers from churches, nonprofit organizations, and local businesses are doing something about Carmichael’s homeless people.
Carmichael HART’s (Homeless Assistance Resource Team) Winter Sanctuary provides safe overnight shelter to dozens of people coming in from the cold for nine weeks -- Dec. 30 through March 2.
Guests of HART’s 2nd Winter Sanctuary can get a hot dinner, clean clothes and sometimes showers. They’re given a cot and sleeping bag for the night and are transported back with a breakfast bag to an intake center by 6 a.m. the next morning. Many homeless people are repeat visitors.
“It’s more than a hot meal and a cot,” Carmichael HART President Scott Young said at the charity’s January meeting. “We offer housing leads, help with acquiring IDs, and assist with transportation to help people get to that point where housing is possible for them. Our long-term goal is to get as many people as we can off the streets and into housing. To do that, establishing trust with Winter Sanctuary guests is crucial.”
Barbara Farley, a sanctuary organizer, said hundreds of volunteers are getting to know homeless people on a first-name basis at the local churches that are hosting. 14 people transitioned to housing during and immediately following last year’s Winter Sanctuary. This season, one person already has moved into permanent housing.
Sacramento County’s Department of Public Health trained more than a dozen sanctuary leaders in hygiene measures, which have been implemented. Doctors and nurses from Dignity Health’s Mercy-San Juan Hospital volunteer on Thursday nights to treat wounds, provide non-prescription drugs, and make health referrals.
Financial and other support is coming churches, individuals, and community organizations such as the Carmichael Improvement District (CID), a nonprofit corporation of businesses along the Fair Oaks corridor. The district spends about half of its $310,000 in annual assessments on security measures. It also pays for beautification projects, arranges litter cleanup, graffiti removal, and waste abatement. Gary Hursh, a Carmichael attorney, the district’s past president and current chairman of its Security Committee, says HART and its Winter Sanctuary are good investments.
He said the program last winter took dozens of homeless people off the streets and away from store doorways and other sleeping spots on business property.
“Shuffling people around is not a solution,” he said in an interview. “The next step, in my opinion, is for CID to partner with nonprofits that find and provide housing for the homeless. HART is providing a solution.”
Deputy Kevin Hee of the Sheriff’s Department Homeless Outreach Team (HOT), told HART meeting attendees: “We all agree that we can’t jail and arrest everybody out there. We’re looking at getting services to the homeless. There’s an exponential explosion of homelessness in California. Every community is affected.”
Besides churches, sheriff’s deputies and business leaders, other HART partners are Sacramento Self Help Housing, ATLAS of Carmichael with its thrift store, the local Chamber of Commerce, the San Juan Unified School District, and Sacramento County.
County Supervisor Susan Peters offered this assessment: “Carmichael HART has a proven track record of success, and its Winter Sanctuary program reflects the dedication of the community’s faith-based organizations to help those in need who find themselves homeless.”
Paul Keefer, a trustee of the Sacramento County Board of Education who is working on a HART plan to help homeless students, stated “As a volunteer for the Carmichael HART Winter Sanctuary I was impressed by the training and guidance that our team received from Sacramento County.”
“Wonderful people are coming with a willingness to help, saying, ‘We want to be part of this,” Farley said at the HART meeting. She reported that 78 different guests participated in last year’s Winter Sanctuary, whereas more than 30 different homeless people have come in the first three weeks of the program this year. Young said volunteers are winning the trust of their guests and are seeing dramatic changes in attitudes and a willingness to accept assistance.
“We should all have the same goal,” he said. “Whatever our reasons for getting people off the streets, our goal should be the same -- getting people housed. Ultimately, we all want our communities to thrive. As long as we have people camped on our sidewalks, next to our businesses and on our back lots – it remains a distant goal. The only way we’ll see effective change is to get people housed. It’s all about getting people housed.”
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - On Jan. 15, the Board of Supervisors approved a collaborative partnership between Sacramento County and UC Davis Health to deliver primary care, behavioral health, and some specialty services to 5,000 Medi-Cal enrollees at the County-run Federally Qualified Health Center at Broadway and Stockton Boulevard.
“Sacramento County is thrilled for this relationship with UC Davis Health,” said Supervisor Patrick Kennedy. “Together we are committed to ensuring greater access to high-quality health care in our region. UC Davis Health already provides health care services at the Sacramento County Health Center and the expansion will allow for more access to primary care and high-quality health care to Medi-Cal patients.”
Starting Feb. 1, the partnership will bring together a hospital system and Sacramento County health care providers to give coordinated, high-quality care to patients. The unique structure of the agreement is based on that of an Accountable Care Organization, where UC Davis Health provides all care for primary care and behavioral health services for enrollees at the Paul F. Hom Primary Care Facility in the Sacramento County Health Center as well as at UC Davis facilities.
“Patients will be phased in over a period of six months to the Paul F. Hom Primary Care Facility in the Sacramento County Health Center,” said Peter Beilenson, Director of the Department of Health Services. “These enrollees will be provided with comprehensive primary care and behavioral health services, but will also have opportunities to connect with on-site social service organizations that provide housing assistance, job placement, legal services, Medi-Cal system navigation and eligibility, and care coordination.”
This collaborative initiative has great potential for all involved:
- For patients and community members - primary and preventive care to Medi-Cal recipients who currently have limited access to care in the County will be increased and more coordinated
- For the Sacramento County Health Center and Sacramento County - the Health Center will be fully utilized and serve the ultimate vision of a person-centered medical and social service home for an underserved community with increased reimbursement for services provided.
Source: Sacramento County Media
Optimist’s Serve Up a Great Volleyball Tournament
SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The 35th Annual Optimist High School Girls’ Volleyball All Star games were held on December 8, 2018 at El Camino High School. The Small Schools match was won by the North Team. The scores were 25 (South) – 23 (North), 25 (North) – 21 (South), 30 (North) - 28 (South), and 25 (North) – 17 (South). All of these sets were so exciting that they brought the fans to their feet and yelling for more.
The Outstanding Player for the North was Amy Hiatt from Placer High School and for the South Team was Jillian Petnicki from Vacaville Christian High School. The Large Schools match was swept by the South Team 25 – 21, 25 – 18, and 25 – 16, and as like the Small Schools match, the fans were super excited.
The Outstanding Player for the South Team was Sam Chavez from St. Francis High School and for the North Team was Kaylie Honberger from Whitney High School.
During the intermission, Mike Yates from Ponderosa High School was inducted into the Optimist Hall of Fame for his tremendous dedication and commitment to encourage and train our youth to take their volleyball to the next level.
Mike has been the Girls’ Volleyball Coach at Ponderosa High School for the past 5 seasons. Within that time, he has won three (3) league championships, two (2) SacJoaquin Section championships, and Ponderosa’s first State appearance in the past 30 years….to include having an undefeated season last year. Prior to his coaching at Ponderosa, he coached at Union Mine High School for five (5) years. In his last season, he won Union Mine’s very first Section championship and subsequently went on to win the State championship.
Club Volleyball has also played an important part in Coach Yates’ activities. Within his involvement in the Precision Volleyball Club, he has been the driving influence for the boys and girls to take their volleyball game to the next level to include beach volleyball. Last year, he created the first ever high school volleyball sand league and continues to be the leading force in its development.
His involvement in volleyball would have never taken place was it not for being burned out from playing baseball. He started playing volleyball, loved the sport, and his achievements took off from there. He played volleyball at Ponderosa High School and subsequently had a successful collegiate career at California State University-Sacramento. Thereafter, he transferred these indoor volleyball skills to beach volleyball which has made him one of the best known beach players in the Sacramento area.