SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Annual bills for Sacramento County unsecured personal property taxes for fiscal year 2022-2023 will be mailed on July 22, 2022, and are payable without delinquent penalties through Aug. 31, 2022.
Unsecured property tax bills are mailed to all owners of unsecured property in July of each year. If you owned unsecured property in Sacramento County, such as a boat or aircraft, or if you leased or owned fixtures and equipment related to a business on Jan. 1, 2022, and do not receive a tax bill by Aug. 7, 2022, please contact the Sacramento County Tax Collector’s Unsecured Property Tax Unit at (916) 874-7833, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday excluding holidays.
Nonreceipt of a tax bill does not excuse delinquency or allow the tax collector to cancel penalties or collection costs.
Tax bills become delinquent if not paid in the Tax Collector’s Office by 5 p.m. on Aug. 31, 202, or received by mail bearing a postmark of Aug. 31, 2022.
If the tax bill is not paid by the delinquency date, a 10% penalty and collection cost will be added. DMV registration may be withheld on watercraft if unsecured property taxes are reported delinquent. If a tax bill remains unpaid after Oct. 31, 2022, additional collection costs and monthly penalties at the rate of 1.5% will be added to the base tax.
Payments may be made by mail or in person at the County Tax Collector’s Office located at 700 “H” Street, Room 1710, Sacramento, CA 95814, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excluded. For credit/debit or eCheck payments please visit the Sacramento County Property Tax Bill Information System website.
At-risk Children Imperiled
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Urgent protests of residents, businesspeople and activists fell on deaf ears last week, as Sacramento City Council gave the go ahead to establish a 24-7 homeless sanctuary near the corner of Watt Avenue and Auburn Boulevard.
The center will occupy what looks like a finger on the Sacramento City land map, surrounded by the unincorporated County, just yards from a long-established shelter for vulnerable children. The Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento is located immediately adjacent to a shuttered campus once occupied by a City-run science museum. The repurposed facility will soon house up to 50 homeless men and women.
More than 100 people protested the new shelter location. Less than a day later, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg and his council voted unanimously in its favor.
“This decision is gut-wrenching,” said District 6 Assembly candidate Cathy Cook. “If any child from the Receiving Home gets harmed by this decision, the City Council will have blood on its hands.”
Cook was among community leaders who grabbed signs and joined the protest.
In a speech to protesters, Cook questioned Steinberg’s objectives in placing a homeless facility so close to a children’s safe haven. The location, she suggested, exposes kids to “the exact traumas they are trying to overcome.”
District 3 County Supervisor Rich Desmond voiced objections in a letter to the City Council.
“The negative impacts,” said Desmond, “will not occur within the city’s geographical boundaries. In fact, County law enforcement and municipal services will end up shouldering this burden.”
Desmond underscored the unfairness of causing unincorporated county residents and businesses bear the brunt of the shelter’s impact. These people, he noted, could not vote to hold City decision makers accountable.
Desmond believes the center would also undermine other amenities ‒ such as the nearby safe car camping site ‒ by over-concentrating homeless services in one area.
Another speaker, Arden-Arcade resident and social worker Aimee Williams questioned the city’s “Good Neighbor” policies relating to homeless facilities. She expressed doubts about security, background checks, drug testing and shelter residents leaving at nights.
“I vehemently oppose Mayor Steinberg’s plans,” she said. “The Receiving Home is where children go when first removed from their homes by Child Protective Services. This is one of the most traumatic experiences a foster youth faces. It is our moral and ethical obligation to protect children ‒ above anyone else.”
Mayor Steinberg’s office issued this response, “The City’s Department of Community Response has worked extensively over the past month with representatives of the receiving home. Included in Tuesday’s Council action was a good neighbor policy that includes such items as round-the-clock security, monitoring of crime data, a no-camping zone around the center and the exclusion of registered sex offenders.”
SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - With the National Weather Service forecasting temperatures near 100 degrees on several days this week, the City of Sacramento will activate the Auburn Boulevard Outreach and Engagement Center through Thursday to provide a place for people to escape the heat.
The center, at 3615 Auburn Blvd., will be open from 2 to 10 p.m. Aug. 2-4. It can accommodate up to 50 people at a time and offers space for pets and belongings in addition to water, snacks and device recharging.
The non-profit contractor that operates the Auburn Boulevard site for the City of Sacramento is continuing to hire more staff, but the site is not yet open for overnight guests. The City anticipates being able to open the facility as a full-time outreach and engagement center that also offers overnight respite within the next 30 days.
The Sacramento City Council recently voted unanimously to allow the center to open for respite regardless of weather conditions. Previously this summer, the site was only activated when the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory.
In addition to this heat respite center, public libraries and City of Sacramento community centers are open during their regular business hours, and people can also use these buildings to escape the heat. Their hours will vary.
5 Sacramento-area locals selected in 2022 MLB Draft
LOS ANGELES, CA (MPG) – Five Sacramento-area baseball players were recently selected in the 2022 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft that was held over three days at L.A. Live in Southern California from July 17-19.
Daniel Susac, a 6-foot-4, 218-pound catcher, was the first Sacramentan taken off the board with the No. 19 overall pick in the first round by the Oakland Athletics. Susac played collegiately at the University of Arizona for two seasons from 2021-22 where he was the starting backstop.
Prior to Arizona, Susac played at Jesuit High School in Carmichael before graduating in 2020. His senior season with the Marauders was drastically cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Susac isn’t the first catcher in his family to be drafted to an MLB team in the Bay Area. In 2011, Daniel’s older brother Andrew was selected in the second round of the MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants. Andrew played six MLB seasons for four teams and won a World Series with the Giants in 2014.
Cooper Hjerpe, a 6-foot-3, 200-pound left-handed pitcher, was the second Sacramentan taken off the board with the No. 22 overall pick in the first round by the St. Louis Cardinals. Hjerpe played collegiately at Oregon State University for three years from 2020-22 where he was one of the Beavers’ best arms. Hjerepe came out of the bullpen in his shortened freshman season before becoming a starter in 2021.
Prior to Oregon State, Hjerpe attended Woodland High School where he pitched and played first base before graduating in 2019. He threw a perfect game for the Wolves against Mira Loma on March 26, 2019, striking out all 15 batters he faced in a dominant 11-0 win in five innings.
Hjerpe now joins the Cardinals organization which is noted as having one of the best fan bases in MLB according to some. One player who recently attested to the greatness of the St. Louis fan base is current Sacramento River Cat, Austin Dean.
“They have probably one of the best fan bases in baseball,” Dean told the Messenger Publishing Group on June 22. “That’s the epitome of baseball right there, (with) amazing fans and an amazing atmosphere as well.”
Nick Vogt, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound outfielder, was the third Sacramentan taken off the board with the 210th overall pick in the seventh round by the San Diego Padres. Vogt played collegiately at the University of California, Santa Barbara for three seasons from 2020-22 as an outfielder.
Prior to UC Santa Barbara, Vogt attended Davis High School until 2019 where he was not only an impressive athlete on the baseball and football fields, but also a “model student” in the classroom according to Davis Athletic Director Jeff Lorenson.
“Nick was an amazing baseball player for us, but more importantly a model student athlete with the highest degree of character,” Lorenson told MPG via email. “He always put his team first and made his school community a better place!”
RELATED: Meet San Francisco’s newest Giant: The Yermínator
In addition to his time at Davis, Vogt also spent time playing for another local team, the Yuba-Sutter Gold Sox, who are based in Marysville. Vogt is the grandson of Gold Sox Managing Partner, Al Montna.
According to Gold Sox General Manager Tommy Lininger, over 75 collegiate athletes have moved on to the pros from the Yuba-Sutter-based program. Vogt most recently played for the Gold Sox in 2020, where he played alongside Ryan Harvey.
“It is great to watch these college ball players develop and move forward in their careers,” Lininger said in a recent news release. “We had a solid roster in 2020 and it is no surprise both Vogt and Harvey went so high in this year’s draft.”
Harvey, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound right-handed pitcher, was the fourth Sacramentan taken off the board with the 340th overall pick in the 11th round by the New York Yankees. Harvey played collegiately with Vogt at UC Santa Barbara for three seasons from 2020-22.
Prior to UC Santa Barbara, Harvey attended Woodcreek High School in Roseville where he pitched and played the outfield before graduating in 2019. Harvey played varsity baseball for the Timberwolves for three seasons, reaching the playoffs each year and winning the Capital Valley Conference League Championship once.
“From a very early age, Ryan loved baseball. If something was round, he would throw it. If something was long, he would swing it,” Ryan’s mom, Keri Harvey, told MPG via email. “Ryan grew up playing recreational sports but chose to focus only on baseball after his freshman year of high school. Endless hours of wiffle ball turned into hours of studying his favorite professional players as he looked to gain velocity as a pitcher in high school. He also changed his diet and spent a lot of time in the gym getting stronger.
“These habits led to his success at UC Santa Barbara where he was the closer for the team because of his pitching velocity. While we were always there to support him, and he was blessed with some great coaches, Ryan's dedication, commitment and love for the game got him to where he is today, and we are incredibly proud of him.”
RELATED: ‘The greatest Del Campo team in history’
Eli Saul, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound right-handed pitcher, was the fifth and final Sacramentan taken off the board with the 378th overall pick in the 13th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Saul played collegiately at Sacramento State for three seasons from 2020-22.
Prior to Sac State, Saul attended Prince of Wales Secondary School in Vancouver, British Columbia. According to Sac State Athletics, Saul is the seventh Hornet pitcher taken in the MLB Draft over the last four years. Additionally, this is the second consecutive year that Arizona has selected a Sac State pitcher joining Scott Randall who was taken in the seventh round by the Diamondbacks in 2021 and is currently at High-A Hillsboro.
Saul and Randall join Chris Kinsey in 2003 as the three Hornets drafted by Arizona. According to Sac State Athletics, the Hornets have now had at least one player selected in 10 of the last 11 MLB Drafts, with a player chosen every year except for the pandemic-shortened 2020 draft. Additionally, at least one Sac State player has been drafted or signed as a free agent in each of the last 15 years and in 19 of the last 20 seasons.
One Sacramentan who anticipated hearing his name called and never did is McClatchy High School alumnus, Malcolm Moore. The highly touted 6-foot-2, 210-pound catcher, is committed to play collegiately at Stanford. Due to his strong commitment, MLB teams shied away from risking a draft pick on the 18-year-old who was likely going to Palo Alto regardless of where he may have been selected.
Celebrate National Night Out 2022!
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Tuesday, August 2nd is National Night Out for 2022. This summer’s event, which is held nationwide on the first Tuesday of the month of August, is celebrated to promote solidarity between neighborhoods and local law enforcement for which community members are invited for some good, family-friendly fun.
The Carmichael Chamber of Commerce and the Carmichael Improvement District are hosting this year’s National Night Out at Carmichael Park on 5750 Grant Ave. Join your neighbors and friends on Tuesday, August 2nd, from 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm as the community celebrates National Night Out!
According to National Night Out’s website, “This nationwide event builds relationships between residents and businesses and promotes law enforcement community partnerships along with a myriad of local organizations that promote community safety. In addition, the event will offer an evening of summer fun that will include food, educational and interactive safety booths, and entertainment for all.”
In California, alone, there are hundreds of communities celebrating with 38 million neighbors in 16,000 vicinities across the nation, including Carmichael, who are joining law enforcement groups.
According to the national website, you can also hold your own National Night Out in your neighborhood by hosting block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and much more.
Supporting police, sheriffs’ departments and other law enforcement agencies not only helps weave the torn social fabric in our communities but can also provide an important perspective for those seeking new careers or friendships.
For more information on National Night Out visit natw.org.
‘We deserve to be here, and we know it’s a big match’
Sac Republic FC prepares for biggest match in club history
SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – It’s just another match. At least that’s what Sacramento Republic FC head coach Mark Briggs is telling his team in the lead up to what is arguably the biggest soccer match in Sacramento history.
“Normal preparation for a normal midweek game,” Briggs said Monday, July 25, in the team’s news conference leading up the match. “Treating it like we would treat any other game. There’s no getting away from the occasion and what it is. But we’ve got to be able to handle that and we’ve got to be able to perform in those constraints.”
The Republic will be hosting Sporting Kansas City, from Major League Soccer (MLS), at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday evening at Heart Health Park in the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (USOC). Sacramento plays in the United Soccer League Championship (USL), which is a professional league one tier below MLS.
The USOC is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the country, dating back to 1913. The tournament has returned for the 107th time after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Republic have won four USOC games in 2022 to earn this massive opportunity.
“We deserve to be here, and we know it’s a big match for the club, for the players,” Republic FC captain and midfielder Rodrigo Lopez said Monday. “But we’re also preparing like coach said as a normal match, like we take every other game.”
Sacramento won emphatically 6-0 at home over the Portland Timbers U23 team on April 7 in the second round of the USOC. Nearly two weeks later on April 20, the Republic narrowly defeated Central Valley Fuego FC 2-1 in a third-round thriller at Heart Health Park.
Then over a month later on May 25 in the USOC Round of 16, Sacramento shocked the U.S. soccer scene by upsetting the San Jose Earthquakes from MLS, winning at home 2-0. At that point, most thought the Republic’s magical run had reached its end, but it didn’t.
RELATED: Knocking down Barriers and Beer Cans
Sacramento and its passionate fan base traveled down to Southern California for a midweek matchup against the LA Galaxy on June 21, and we aren’t talking about LA Galaxy II that plays in the USL with Republic FC, we’re talking about the MLS team. In the USOC Quarterfinals match played in Carson, Sacramento shocked the soccer world once again, defeating the Galaxy 2-1 to earn its first trip to the semifinal round of the USOC in club history.
“The reaction of Sacramento, the city, the fans, you could see how excited we were to host the semifinal,” Lopez said. “Obviously it’s a historic match. We love playing in front of our fans. I think we have the best fans in the USL so the boys love playing in front of our home crowd, and we’ve done fairly well for ourselves at home. The boys are excited to play in front of a sold-out Heart Health Park and they’re going to see what Sacramento fans are all about.”
The Republic’s opponent on Wednesday evening, Sporting KC, has won the USOC four times in club history in 2004, 2012, 2015 and 2017. The Wizards’ head coach Peter Vermes has coached the squad to three of those titles after beginning his tenure with the club in 2009.
“It’s a great stadium that they have put together. When you see it, it’s a really good environment,” Vermes said about Sacramento on Tuesday in his team’s news conference before the match. “You can tell even on video (about) the environment (and) their fans the way they’re into it. You could even see when they played the Galaxy, the fans traveled to that game, and they were incredibly boisterous.”
RELATED: Kings find needed sharpshooters in Huerter and Monk
K.C. is led on the field by captain and forward Johnny Russell, who has big-game experience playing on the road not only in the USOC, but also in Scottish Cup matches back home in his native land.
“I’m excited, it’s a new place for us to go out and play in and a new atmosphere,” Russell said about Sacramento on Tuesday. “I enjoy playing on the road. The more time’s went on in (MLS), I seem to be getting more stuck on the road as well so hopefully that’s not the case tomorrow.”
The loudest group of fans consistently at Republic games is the Tower Bridge Battalion, who are “an independent supporters union for Sacramento Republic FC,” according to the group’s website. Briggs knows the fans will do their part on Wednesday night, and now it’s time for his team to do theirs.
“If you look around our group, I think there’s a number of players that can score goals,” Briggs said. “It’s all about the collective, it’s all about the team. That’s the beauty of this group, they’re not worried about who puts the ball in the back of the net or who gets the assist. They’re worried about the collective and getting the result that they want.
“That gives you a good opportunity no matter what game you’re going into. If the collective is more important than the individual, then you always have an opportunity.”
Hot Rockers Sizzle Park
CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - The Sacramento-based Groove Thang band added to the heatwave as the Carmichael concert summer season continued last Saturday.
In temperatures close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, musicians Eric Khamis, Nick Felczer, Joe Montalbo, Carol “Diva G” Garcia, John Espinoza and Ed Simental played rock for a Carmichael Park audience of almost 1500.
Carmichael’s park entertainment season continues until September.
Remaining artists are:
July 30: Maya Band (Latin).
August 6: Todd Morgan Band (classic rock).
August 13: Fryed Brothers (country rock).
August 20: Ticket to Ride (Beatles tribute).
August 27: On Air (classic rock).
September 25: Gibbons Park. On Air (rock). 5 pm.
All concerts are free and dancing is encouraged. Carmichael Park is located at 5750 Grant Avenue. La Sierra Center is at 5325 Engle Road. Gibbons Park is at 4701 Gibbons Drive.