SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) – It wasn’t just a tour of an upcoming entertainment center for the region, it was the tour of a new entertainment universe. You could see in these construction stages just how fantastic this venue will be, from the closeness to the stars on stage to the orbit of the VIP skyboxes over every event.

The venue at Hard Rock Live, named Kumi Event Center, is in Wheatland, just a short drive from almost any population center in the region.

Mark Birtha, President of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain, led a tour of local media on March 22, 2022 through the build-out construction area of the concert stage and surrounding support areas. He explained the layout, concessions, and how the bands and performers would access the main stage. “We are excited to provide our guests with authentic experiences that rock in a venue that is filling a great void in the Sacramento region,” Birtha said.

Birtha expressed his enthusiasm for the project saying, “This entertainment center will help revitalize the community.” He later commented, “Upcoming events include MMA, and additional concerts will soon be announced. Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce has scheduled a major event for next year.”

The 65,000-square-foot facility has state-of-the-art in-house sound and lighting, unrivaled sightlines, a second-floor mezzanine level, VIP skyboxes, and mobile-stage technology, creating intimate experiences for events of varying sizes.

The big announcement was of the opening performers. With a live television audience watching, Birtha had the construction crew drop the banner showing which band is coming to the stage in June.  “Maroon 5 is the perfect band to help us celebrate Hard Rock Live’s grand opening. They are incredible live performers and live music is fundamental to the Hard Rock brand. This new venue will become the place for entertainment and world class amenities for the city of Sacramento.”

Grammy® Award-winning, multi-platinum band Maroon 5 are set to headline the grand opening of the brand-new Hard Rock Live in Sacramento on June 3, 2022. The band will launch the opening of the 2,500-seat entertainment venue. The opening celebrations are part of the building’s $75 million property expansion, to be completed spring 2022.

Tickets went on sale Friday, March 25 at Ticketmaster.com. starting at $99.50. VIP skyboxes will seat approximately 20 people each.

Maroon 5’s performance is only one of the many shows coming to Hard Rock Live this summer and fall, as the new venue continues to add a variety of acts and a diverse calendar for the remainder of 2022 and into 2023. 

The center is also designed to be converted for use during a local emergency, such as the region experienced during the recent fires. “We will be able to provide shelter and food in case of an emergency,” Birtha said.

The building crew currently employs about 250 construction workers. The venue, when opened, will have approximately 100 employees for shows. They expect to have between 50 and 60 shows per year.

Jodi Goodman, representative from Live Nation said, “This was a natural fit. It is truly more state of the art in Northern California. For Live Nation events it is a really, really great asset. We can see an enormous future together for us.”  Live Nation, the world’s leading live entertainment company, will be the exclusive talent booking agency for the venue.

Visit hardrockhotelsacramento.com/entertainment for more upcoming shows and events.

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) – The District 6 Little League will be holding a free Umpire Clinic for men, women and teenagers on April 10 from 8 A.M. to 1 P.M.

The clinic will be hosted by the Rio Linda Little League and will take place at Babe Best Park, located at 7525 10th Street. This clinic is for beginning and current umpires. 

You will be taught a variety of techniques and there will be experienced umpires there to answer any questions. If you already have gear, be sure to bring it. If you don’t have gear, talk to the D6 representative, or your fellow umpires to see who has equipment to get you started. It is also suggested that you bring a lunch with you.

Being an umpire is a great way to spend your weekends. You make your own schedule, so you can work as much or as little as you want. In addition, you can choose whether you umpire baseball, softball, or both. There is an umpire shortage all around the Sacramento Valley, so there really is good money to be made out there. Training is free.

Reserve your spot online at the following link: https://riolindall.com/Layouts/evolved/EntryForm.aspx?d=szsDZfAzCU%2bNtTcL0wRAKpoMOp68inr5e9nJ3dTXiJ8%3d

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – The 2019 Triple-A champion Sacramento River Cats begin the 2022 season on Tuesday evening at Sutter Health Park against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.

The River Cats come into the new campaign seeking redemption after a 2021 season that concluded with a disappointing 56-71 record to follow up the previous season’s championship run. The 2020 Minor League Baseball season was completely canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sacramento is the Triple-A affiliate of the 2021 National League West champions, the San Francisco Giants. Therefore, Giants players will be coming in and out of Sacramento on assignment all season long.

One player already set for a Sacramento rehabilitation stint sometime in 2022 is Giants third baseman Evan Longoria, who has an injured right index finger. The veteran infielder had surgery Tuesday, March 29, to repair a ligament in the finger. Longoria’s timeline for a return is currently unclear until he is reevaluated, but you can expect an early season appearance in River Cats’ maroon from the man known to many as “Longo.”

Another player to watch this season is Mauricio Dubón. The 27-year-old shortstop played baseball at Capital Christian High School in Sacramento before being drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2013.

Dubón played in 74 games for San Francisco last season and displayed his versatility by splitting time at four different positions. With the River Cats, Dubón batted .332/.410/.498 with 41 runs scored, 31 RBI, nine steals and eight home runs in 247 at bats.

Sacramento begins a six-game series with Sugar Land on Tuesday night. First pitch against the Space Cowboys is scheduled for 6:35 P.M.

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - “Grow big, grow strong, outlive us all” was the invocation last week as 20 saplings were planted in North Highlands. The urban-forest additions take root in Larchmont Park (near McClellan Airport).

Sponsored by the Sacramento Tree Foundation, each new planting was accompanied by a naming ceremony, applause and bag-loads of mulch.

Carmichael Kiwanis Club members were among volunteers digging in to augment the Larchmont canopy. Chosen for beauty, drought-tolerance, shade and wildlife benefit, species included: gingko, live oak, olive, Chinese Pistache, maple and zelkova. The Kiwanians’ first planting was a three-year-old valley oak‒ceremonially named “Vallejo.”

In recent months, Sacramento’s urban forest has increased by 1000 trees via the Tree Foundation’s NeighborWoods program. The Foundation supplies trees, tools, materials and instructors; volunteers donate labor. “Having community involvement creates ownership,” explains NeighborWoods Program Manager Rachel Patten. “Trees have a great chance to survive if people feel connection to them.”

Larchmont Park project sponsors included SMUD, Cal Fire and North Highlands Recreation and Park District. Learn about the Tree Foundation at www.sactree.org

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - At last. The final phase of Fair Oaks Boulevard’s facelift wrapped up last week. A nine-year bugbear for motorists, corridor construction ended with a ribbon-cutting and applause. The bill for this last stage topped $7.8 million.  

Formulated 20 years before with community and County input, plans for the ugly-duckling central zone envisioned a main-street feel. Execution began in 2013. Initial work revamped Marconi Avenue and Palm Drive corners; the stretch from Landis Avenue to Engle Road was addressed in 2016. Phase Three construction began in 2020 and tied in blocks between Marconi and Landis. 

Upgrades for all phases included new sidewalks, bike lanes, street lighting, road surfaces, landscaping, signal modifications and utility burial. Some storm drains were rebuilt. Traffic lights were erected at the Landis corner; another set now flashes at Robertson Avenue (the signal allows intersection control for Metro Firefighters stationed on this street). Within the project, Carmichael Park got new sidewalks on Grant Avenue and an expanded mural garden.

County Supervisor Rich Desmond last week declared a near-decade of impeded traffic officially over. The Carmichael resident also promised synchronized signals, geared to improve vehicle flow and divert traffic from Garfield and California Avenues.

“It feels good being in office in time to take credit for what my predecessor Susan Peters worked so hard on,” he acknowledged. “Look what we have here now‒together we’ve created a sense of place for pedestrians, motorists, cyclists and businesses. As a community, we’ll all reap the benefit.”

Scheduled to finish last summer, Phase Three finished many months late. Principal County Engineer Melissa Wright noted that while early stages of the pandemic thinned traffic and helped progress, slow-downs were inevitable. “As in most projects of this nature,” she explained, “We encountered undocumented underground utilities. Dealing with these challenged the schedule.”

SMUD Vice President Heidi Sandborn lauded her utility company’s role in clearing the boulevard horizon. A mile of electric and telephone wires are now buried. “It’s been a lot of work with much partnering,” she said. “Undergrounding makes sense not just for beautification. With more extreme weather events, wires are protected from damage. This means utilities are more reliable in emergencies and the community is safer.”

Road surfaces are at last crater-free and ADA-compliant sidewalks are much in use. New trees will increase shade; flowering shrubs color the corridor with spring color. Finishing touches included the last of four obelisks, installed at Angelina Avenue. Paint stripes were daubed days before the ribbon-cutting.

Rancho-Cordova-based B & M builders undertook much of the work. All three phases – including planning, construction and right-of-way acquisitions – ran up a bill of more than $31 million. Federal, State and County funding covered costs. For more information, visit www.sacdot.com

NORTH SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Captain Mike Sedam has been assigned as the new commander for the California Highway Patrol (CHP), North Sacramento Area.

Captain Sedam reported to the North Sacramento Area from the Sacramento Communications Center. He has been the interim commander since August 2021. Regarding his new assignment, Captain Sedam stated, “I am extremely proud to be given the opportunity to work with the high performing professionals at the North Sacramento Area who truly care about the public we serve. I look forward to working with the community and our allied agency partners.” In addition to serving as the North Sacramento Area commander, Captain Sedam is also a board member for the Law Enforcement Chaplaincy Sacramento. Captain Sedam grew up in Northern California and has served with the CHP for over 26 years. Captain Sedam holds two master’s degrees: one in security studies from the Naval Postgraduate School and the other in public administration from California State University, Fresno.

The North Sacramento Area provides safety, service, and security to residents, commuters, and tourists using the 62 miles of state highways and 1,200 miles of country roads within its area of responsibility. This includes Interstate 5, Interstate 80, State Route 51 (Business 80), State Route 160, and State Route 99. The North Sacramento Area is focused on preventing injuries and deaths on roadways, serving the public, and assisting allied agencies. In addition to officers and professional staff, the North Sacramento Area has an active Senior Volunteer Program and Explorer Program.

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Sacramento musicians will honor jazz giant Ron Cunha with a concert on April 5. After an eminent career performing and teaching, the bandleader/trombonist died in January. He was 64.

His legacy includes a long tradition of first-Tuesday blowouts at the Clubhouse Bar and Grill in Carmichael. The same venue will host the upcoming show.

Cunha’s 16 players plan to continue monthly big band concerts under his name. “These days, there are too few jazz events of this caliber,” explains trumpeter Tony Marvelli. “Ron’s legacy is too important to let the tradition die.”

Susan Skinner will contribute vocals on April 5. Admission is free; donations supporting the band are welcome.

Downbeat is 7 pm and food and drinks are available. The Clubhouse is located at 5150 Fair Oaks Blvd, Carmichael. For information call (916) 979-1422.