Jamba Juice Opens in Carmichael
Carmichael, CA (MPG) – Good things often come to those who wait, but I was really getting tired of waiting for Jamba Juice to open. It has been a couple of weeks now, but one of the latest foodie locations to come to the area is now open daily and ready to serve all those who love their juice to start the day.
This location was under construction for many months, held up by permitting and some other issues. Many people in the community were beginning to wonder if it was ever going to become a reality.
Jamba Juice offers a fundraising program for local organizations. It sounds like a good way to help raise funds for a good cause and to eat something really good for you. Stop by and ask the staff for more information.
The Carmichael location is in the same shopping center as Noah’s Bagels and the recently opened Wing Stop, right at the split of Fair Oaks Blvd. and Manzanita Ave. The official address is 7423 Fair Oaks Blvd.
When you stop by to visit tell them you are really glad they are now open and welcome them to the Carmichael community.
Yep, Pot Goes Legit, Sort of
Sacramento County, CA (MPG) - In many cities across California, Sacramento included, the cultivation and sale of recreational cannabis becomes legal Jan. 1, opening the flood gates for an industry widely expected to generate a gold mine for municipalities who have said “yes” to the legitimization of the pot business.
However, Sacramento County, as well as the cities of Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova and Folsom, among others in Placer County and points across the map, each have stuck to their guns and have banned what they view as the coming of the wild west of commerce.
Anticipating an uptick in violent crime, robberies, homelessness and headaches, coupled with a complicated process for management of the commercial side of the cannabis industry, these areas have echoed a resounding “NOT” to the cultivation of cannabis in their towns. There are also too many questions, they say, about how to affectively assess pot farmers on their profits from what is currently a cash-and-carry industry, not to mention the offense of the smell from burning weed wafting over their neighborhoods.
So pot is legit as of Jan. 1, and yet it isn’t, depending on where you reside and how you intend to consume or even grow it.
If you’re cloudy on the issues, there’s good reason for it. The medicinal marijuana laws passed several years ago that ushered in the growth of the pot dispensary market made it legal for those with a “prescription” from their physicians to purchase limited amounts of pot.
Proposition 64, passed in November 2016, effectively made it possible for weed growers who are lucky enough to obtain licenses from the state to come out of the shadows and begin cashing in on the commercial recreational pot market, which is expected to generate roughly $1 billion for the state annually. Tax proceeds on pot farmers’ bounties will, in part, support enforcement and oversight of the industry, among other programs.
In addition, Prop. 64 allows for the personal cultivation of up to six living pot plants for non-medical purposes, provided they are grown inside a person's private residence or a green house, but not in a field or backyard, as many cultivators have been doing under the radar for years.
So, where and when will it be legal to grow, sell or possess pot? And are pot dispensaries legal or not?
Because marijuana remains categorized as a controlled substance under federal law, the state has left it up to individual counties and cities to determine if they wanted in on the action or not, giving them a Dec. 31 deadline to say so, in order for the approval process for applications from prospective growers to begin Jan. 1.
The City of Sacramento voted this fall to join the party and is currently cultivating its own guidelines for commercial growing and distribution. Licensees will be taxed 4% of their proceeds, for starters. Applications for conditional use permits are required and renewable annually. Depending on the type of business you want to run, city fees for setting up a grow operation will run you anywhere between $9,000 and $15,000, and between $8,000 and $13,000 to renew the license each year.
But, since it’s a cash flow operation, there are many unanswered questions as to how growers will deposit and move earnings, just one of the headaches fueling the Rancho Cordova City Council’s “no” vote.
“We have been watching all the things the city of Sacramento is going through and we see it as just a headache we do not want to deal with,” said Vice Mayor Linda Budge following her council’s 3-2 vote against lifting the ban on commercial operations Dec. 4.
Sacramento currently has roughly three dozen pot dispensaries, again built out primarily after the medicinal pot laws went into effect, but there is a moratorium on approval of new applications for licenses. Pot cultivation beyond the legal limit of six plants inside a residence, delivery services and pot dispensaries all remain illegal in Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova and countywide.
Proponents of Prop. 64 and the decriminalization of the marijuana industry site the stigma of pot and previous felony-level charges for minor offenses that, they say, often stood between offenders’ abilities to find a job or, in some cases, obtain approval for adequate housing.
Opponents of the law, however, including city officials, law enforcement agencies and county prosecutors have repeatedly pointed to what they see as a direct through-line between cannabis cultivation and pot dispensaries and serious crime, including murder, which they expect will continue, despite the changes in the law.
“I’ve been a prosecutor for 30 years, and as long as I’ve been involved with cases involving crimes related to marijuana, it has always been a very high-risk, dangerous activity,” said Robert Gold, assistant chief deputy district attorney. “It is always going to be a dangerous activity whether legal or not, because so many of the growers are less sophisticated. The bad guys are going to believe that they have a lot of product, a lot of money and probably guns. And the other thing is, they won’t often report crimes against themselves, which makes them vulnerable victims.”
Gold also cautioned that it remains illegal, regardless of where you live, to carry more than an ounce of marijuana, but conceded the misdemeanor charges that now accompany most minor pot infractions, make it difficult to justify the costs of prosecuting such cases.
“The law certainly has resulted in changing the laws in favor of those who want to make this a business,” said Gold. “Whether you grow 25 plants illegally or 250,000 plants, it’s a misdemeanor and 180 days in the county Jail. So even for a convicted felon, it’s now like a speeding ticket.”
POT OR NOT:
Sacramento Region:
The City of Sacramento: YES
Sacramento County: NO
Citrus Heights NO
Folsom: NO
Rancho Cordova: NO
Elk Grove: NO
Galt: NO
Placer County: NO
Roseville: NO
Rocklin: NO
Proposed South County Ag Program Would Reduce Groundwater Pumping
Elk Grove, CA (MPG) - The Sacramento County Farm Bureau (SCFB) testified in support of an ambitious recycled water project before the California Water Commission this week in downtown Sacramento. The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District's (Regional SAN) plan would provide a safe and reliable supply of tertiary treated water for agricultural irrigation uses, which would reduce groundwater pumping and cause ground water tables to rise in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region.
Regional SAN is attempting to obtain funding for the project through the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP) contained in Proposition 1, the water bond that California voters approved in 2014. The WSIP set aside $2.7 billion in funding for water storage projects that improve the operation of the state water system, are cost effective and provide a net improvement in ecosystem and water quality conditions.
"Sacramento County farmers and ranchers smashed crop production records last year by producing a record high $507 million worth of wine grapes, milk, pears, nursery crops and other agricultural commodities," said SCFB Executive Director Bill Bird during testimony before the CWC. "Our members broke that record because they had access to clean and reliable irrigation water supplies. Any project that would increase the reliability and quality of irrigation water supplies for Sacramento County growers has the Farm Bureau's support."
Modeling presented to the CWC showed that the groundwater recharge facilitated by the project would lead to a 20-30-foot increase in the groundwater elevation in the South American Sub-basin, plus increase flows in the Cosumnes River, a tributary to the Delta.
According to testimony provided by Regional SAN during the CWC hearing, the project is consistent with the objectives and intent of Proposition 1, and provides substantial agricultural, ecological, and regional water supply benefits at a low cost, particularly when compared to surface storage projects.
"This project is an example of the type of innovative multi-benefit groundwater projects California needs to implement to ensure our state has a more sustainable and reliable water supply," said Bird. "If Sacramento County growers are not forced to pump ground water for irrigation purposes because they can receive a reliable supply of water from another source at roughly the same price, they won't use those pumps."
The CWC is expected to start allocating grant funding for water storage projects early next year.
Sacramento County farmers put food on your fork. Our agricultural operations and products are as diverse as the lands we carefully manage. We are proud to provide healthy, fresh food for your family and ours. We invite you to join our efforts to protect Sacramento County's agriculture, rural character, and our ability to produce local, high-quality food for your table.
For more information call the Farm Bureau at 916-685-6958
Still Too Early To Draw Conclusions from Season’s First Snow Survey
Sacramento Region, CA (MPG) - Department of Water Resources (DWR) manual snow survey, held January 3rd, east of Sacramento in the Sierra Nevada found little snowpack, which was predictable after a dry December throughout California. Measurements at Phillips Station revealed a snow water equivalent (SWE) of 0.4 inches, 3 percent of the average SWE of 11.3 inches in early January at Phillips as measured there since 1964. SWE is the depth of water that theoretically would result if the entire snowpack melted instantaneously.
“As we’re only a third of the way through California’s three wettest months, it’s far too early to draw any conclusions about what kind of season we’ll have this year,” DWR Director Grant Davis said. “California’s great weather variability means we can go straight from a dry year to a wet year and back again to dry. That’s why California is focusing on adopting water conservation as a way of life, investing in above- and below- ground storage, and improving our infrastructure to protect our clean water supplies against disruptions.”
More telling than a survey at a single location, however, are DWR’s electronic readings today from103 stations scattered throughout the Sierra Nevada. Measurements indicate the SWE of the northern Sierra snowpack is 2.3 inches, 21 percent of the multi-decade average for the date. The central and southern Sierra readings are 3.3 inches (29 percent of average) and 1.8 inches 20 percent of average) respectively. Statewide, the snowpack’s SWE is 2.6 inches, or 24 percent of the Jan. 3 average.
“The survey is a disappointing start of the year, but it’s far too early to draw conclusions about what kind of a wet season we’ll have this year,” said Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program who conducted today’s survey at Phillips. “There’s plenty of time left in the traditional wet season to reverse the dry trend we’ve been experiencing.”
California traditionally receives about half of its annual precipitation during December, January, and February, with the bulk of this precipitation coming from atmospheric rivers (ARs). So far this winter, an atmospheric high-pressure zone spanning the western United States has persistently blocked ARs from reaching the state. If that zone were to move or break up, storms could deliver considerable rainfall and snow this winter.
Davis noted that forecasting accuracy falls off dramatically after just a week or 10 days into the future. “Current technology and computer modeling can tell us what our weather might be weeks into the future, but we’re essentially blind to what the weather will be beyond the two-week mark,” he said. “That’s why we are putting in so much effort to improving medium- and long-range modeling.”
The Phillips snow course, near the intersection of Highway 50 and Sierra-at-Tahoe Road, is one of hundreds that will be surveyed manually throughout the winter. Manual measurements augment the electronic readings from the snow pillows in the Sierra Nevada that provide a current snapshot of the water content in the snowpack.
California’s exceptionally high precipitation last winter and spring has resulted in above-average storage in 154 reservoirs tracked by the Department. DWR estimates total storage in those reservoirs at the end of December amounted to 24.1 million acre feet (MAF), or 110 percent of the 21.9 MAF average for the end of the year. One year ago, those reservoirs held 21.2 million acre-feet (MAF), 97 percent of average. End-of-year storage is now the highest since December 2012 (24.3 MAF), which was early in the first of five consecutive water years of drought in California.
DWR conducts five snow surveys each winter near the first of January, February, March, April, and May. On average, the snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs as it melts in the spring and early summer. The greater the snowpack water content, the greater the likelihood California’s reservoirs will receive ample runoff as the snowpack melts to meet the state’s water demand in the summer and fall.
Sacramento, CA (MPG) - Re-imagining transit service is a top priority for the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT). The SacRT Board of Directors took a major step toward that goal this week by unanimously voting to award a $400,000 contract to Jarrett Walker + Associates (JWA ) to conduct a Route Optimization Study (ROS).
JWA has an excellent reputation in the transit industry for being innovative in its approach to planning and redesigning transit systems. Under the guidance of Jarrett Walker, JWA was responsible for successfully re-imagining the Houston Transit System and for leading a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of the public transit network in Indianapolis. Closer to home, JWA is credited with developing “Next Network” a Transit Ridership Improvement Program that was rolled out for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), which operates in the Silicon Valley.
“Walker is a dynamic presenter, known for building Board consensus along with community support for study recommendations,” said SacRT Chair Andy Morin. “This is an extremely important factor, if this study is to be a useful model to govern redesign efforts.”
The ROS will evaluate SacRT’s existing service conditions, as well as current travel patterns, to determine the type of design changes to recommend. The goal is to provide frequent service on bus routes that are traveling to destinations where people want to go. New transit trends, such as on-demand bus service using a smartphone app and zero-emission bus deployment, will be evaluated for possible inclusion into SacRT’s service design.
“Our number one priority is to significantly improve mobility and connectivity in the Sacramento region for years to come,” said General Manager/CEO Henry Li. “Improving accessibility and convenience is essential, if we are to become a world-class transit system in the Sacramento region.”
JWA, a Portland, Oregon based company, will rely on AIM Consulting, a Sacramento public relations firm, to manage local community outreach for the ROS. AIM intends to outreach to passengers and non-transit users alike during two intense cycles that will be defined through a Public Engagement Plan. Community input will be a major component of the study, and JWA has committed to creating compelling visuals to effectively engage the public. Virtual workshops and online surveys will be major components of the outreach effort.
“Transit planning requires some tough choices, but we know how to lead conversations that will help stakeholders and officials understand their options fully,” said Jarrett Walker, Principal-in-Charge. “We build the understanding so that when a final plan is adopted, everyone understands the rationale behind the new network.”
JWA will begin work on the ROS in January with SacRT’s team, and it’s expected to take approximately 12 months to complete. Visit sacrt.com and click on the Route Optimization Study to learn more about the upcoming route redesign.
SacRT operates approximately 69 bus routes and 43 miles of light rail throughout Sacramento County, including the cities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova and Elk Grove. Sacramento buses and light rail trains operate 365 days a year. SacRT's entire bus and light rail system is accessible to the disabled community. ADA services are provided under contract with Paratransit, Inc.
Much Needed Warm Wishes from Meals on Wheels
Sacramento County, CA (MPG) - To have food to eat is one thing. To be warm and remembered may possibly be the other top two most requested “gifts” on the list of many seniors this year, and Sacramento’s Meals on Wheels is hoping for your help in making those wishes possible.
If Meals on Wheels doesn’t ring a bell it should. The non-profit provides roughly 500,000 meals and safety checks to roughly1,500 home-bound seniors annually. The Sacramento operation is part of a network of more than 5,000 local Meals on Wheels chapters across country. Meals on Wheels was established under the Older Americans Act created by congress in 1965 to ensure seniors 60 and over have food. It is funded through a combination of public-private partnerships, state and federal grants, private donations and an army of volunteers.
This year, the agency has introduced a new program giving you another option for supporting: Project Warm Wishes, says Michelle Bustamante, program specialist for Meals on Wheels, Sacramento, has a goal to give each of its participants the gift of warmth, as in fuzzy slippers, blankets, throws, hats, gloves and socks, anything to help participants stave off the cold.
“The goal of this new part of our services is to provide a simple Christmas gift to let people know they are remembered and they are not alone, because so many are isolated and don’t have anybody to share the holidays with,” said Bustamante. “So our goal is to get a gift to all of those individuals who are registered for our home delivery program and we are thinking about ways to keep them warm and comfortable.”
Scarves, warm sweat suits, even tea and tea kettles are also potential gifts you can donate through Project Warm Wishes, and you can add to the list things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, coloring books for adults, jigsaw puzzles and word search books.
“In addition to a meal, this holiday season we also want to give the gift of warmth and let our participants know that, even though they may be alone, they are not forgotten,” Bustamante said.
If you want to go deeper, consider becoming a driver for Meals on Wheels. While the job is 100% volunteer base and requires you to use your own car and pass a DMV and background check, the relationships formed with participants and the warmth you get in return are unsurpassed.
“I will tell you that, in addition to providing nutritional meals for our participants, one of our main areas of focus is the relationships that are formed between the drivers and our participants,” said Bustamante. “We provide a safety check with every visit and the bonds formed between our drivers and the participants is unbelievable. They are so reliant on seeing that friendly face and the elimination of isolation is so important.”
Not all seniors are homebound. For those who are more mobile, Meals on Wheels has 20 All Seasons cafes set up across the Sacramento County region where more than 1,000 receive a free lunch and a place to socialize with others —a critical component of fighting off isolation.
There is an All Season Café set up at Rusch Park Community Center in Citrus Heights, Mission Oaks Community Center in Carmichael, and the Orangevale Community Center. Transportation to and from the café’s is available for some participants.
“The café population is a bit more mobile, and they love the idea of having a place to go each day during the week for a meal and contact with others,” Bustamante said. “Those folks are also forming relationships with the volunteers and some of these centers where the cafes are, is like a second home to them. They’ll celebrate birthdays there together, the birth of grandchildren, and really make connections that are so important when you are elderly and perhaps on your own.”
There has never been a more critical time to support Meals on Wheels, including becoming a volunteer. Congressional budget cuts could impact the future of the public-private partnership for the agency, Bustamante said. Having a solid core of rotating volunteers (there are currently about 500 in the region) who spend their time either preparing the packing of the meals for the drivers, delivering the meals and providing safety checks, or working in one of the cafes, lays a foundation for longevity.
“We are always in need of new volunteers to help us out,” Bustamante said. “We are not really clear on what the future holds. As we all know there are future budget cuts that could affect us and the senior population is skyrocketing, so we need to be able to keep up.”
Humans are not the only ones who benefit. The aniMeals on Wheels program also provides pet food for the critters who provide vital companionship for many Meals on Wheels program participants.
“Seniors’ pets are often the only family member they have,” said Bustamante. “And we found out that many of our participants were feeding their pets part of the meals we deliver, so we always need donations to help make it possible for them to keep their pets and enjoy their meals.”
Meals On Wheels, Sacramento/Project Warm Wishes
7375 Park City Dr., Sacramento
To Donate or Inquire about Volunteering:
Call (916) 444-9533
www.mowsac.gov
Sacramento, CA (MPG) - How often do you see prices go down in today’s economy? Well, that’s exactly what going to happen at the Sacramento Regional Transit District (SacRT). The Board of Directors unanimously voted last night to roll back SacRT’s student monthly pass from $55 to just $20 (65% reduction). The fare reduction is being proposed as a six month pilot and is expected to cost the District approximately $100,000.
“The reduction in price is part of SacRT’s effort to encourage young people to learn about the region’s public transportation system and travel without restriction,” said SacRT Board Chair Andy Morin. “It’s our hope that students in grades K-12 will adopt this mode of travel as they become adults, so providing them affordable transit access in their youth seems to be an excellent approach.”
It’s all part of SacRT’s Ridership Building Initiative. A recent analysis of ridership data identified K-12 students as the least subsidized category of passengers with the highest sensitivity to rate increases.
A ridership committee recently spent several months evaluating ridership trends, and determined that this fare reduction would have the greatest number of positive impacts, including increased ridership.
“In addition to ridership building, we believe the discounted student monthly fare will help many Sacramento families by reducing the financial burden of transportation,” said Henry Li, SacRT General Manager/CEO. “Attracting more students to transit would also have the residual effect of reducing traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, because fewer parents would need to shuttling their children from place to place in a car.”
The $20 student monthly pass and $10 student semi-monthly pass will go into effect on Monday, January 1, 2018, and will remain in effect through June 30, 2018. Advance sales of the January monthly pass will begin on December 20, at the reduced price.
SacRT operates approximately 69 bus routes and 43 miles of light rail throughout Sacramento County, including the cities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova and Elk Grove. Sacramento buses and light rail trains operate 365 days a year. SacRT's entire bus and light rail system is accessible to the disabled community. ADA services are provided under contract with Paratransit, Inc.