CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Recent easing COVID restrictions enabled the return of a beloved annual Carmichael tradition. After resorting to a virtual gala in 2020, the Effie Yeaw Nature Center last week staged a modified in-person fundraiser, under the stars. The event got a go-ahead from Sacramento County -- provided guests, caterers and volunteers did not exceed 200 people. When purchasing tickets, attendees were asked for proof of vaccination or to supply recent negative COVID test results.

The facility partnered with Sacramento Fine Art Center to offer a juried selection of nature-themed art. Celebrity canvases were big-ticket items. A cluster of aspen trees by famed Carmichael artist Pat Mahony sold for $5500. Deladier Almeida’s aerial portrait of Sacramento Valley brought a bid of $5000.  Experiences and vacations were also up for auction. A bidding war broke out over eight tickets to see the “Hamilton” musical during its Sacramento season. Though the luxury box seats were valued at $800, the hammer fell at $4600. Three days in a Sea Ranch cabin sold for $2000 and a similar vacation deal in Lake Tahoe raised $1750.

Affectionately dubbed the “Wild Things” celebration, Effie Yeaw’s spring art gala is its most important fundraiser. The center is administered by the American River Natural History Association, with educational outreach – and the care of a 100-acre preserve -- funded solely through public generosity. A county-wide destination for nature lovers, its endurance was last year challenged by pandemic cancelations of income-producing programs.

Staff and nature center fans seemed thrilled to have “Wild Things” restored as a community event. At $150 per ticket, the fundraiser quickly sold out and broke records for raise-the-paddle pledges. “When we explored the idea of an in-person Gala this year, we weren’t sure if people would be eager or hesitant,” said Effie Yeaw staffer Heather Gabel. “But our supporters were delighted to gather and raise funds that allow us to continue our mission. The event was a fundraising success and a lovely evening, enjoyed by all.”

Learn about the Effie Yeaw nature center at www.sacnaturecenter.net

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - With Independence Day just around the corner, COVID restrictions rolling back and anticipated parties, please remember to know the risks of fireworks, only use legal fireworks and stay safe when using. If you see or suspect illegal firework usage, please report it!

The County has teamed up with our cities, fire and law enforcement jurisdictions to educate our community members on how to celebrate safely, how to spot a safe and sane firework and how to report illegal fireworks usage. In addition, many jurisdictions are enforcing stricter penalties this year for illegal fireworks usage. 

Calls for service throughout the county increase dramatically on July 4th and emergency response resources are stretched extremely thin. During the holiday weekend, please use 9-1-1 for emergencies only -- like an active fire or injury. Each jurisdiction has provided an alternative method to report illegal fireworks sale and usage. 

Together, we can ensure that Independence Day celebrations are fun, safe and do not cause undue injury or fire in our communities. 

Know the Risks: The unsafe use of fireworks can cause severe burns, amputations, blinding and even death; Damaging fires occur when children use fireworks unsupervised by adults; Parents are responsible for any property damage or injuries caused by all fireworks.

Keep it Legal: All legal fireworks in California are called Safe and Sane Fireworks and must bear the State Fire Marshal’s seal; Safe and Sane Fireworks may only be used and sold from noon June 28 through midnight on July 4; Any firework that goes up in the air or explodes is illegal and dangerous.

Keep It Safe: Always have a bucket of water to dispose of fireworks and leave in the water overnight before disposing; Always have a hose connected to water available in case of fire; Do not use fireworks near dry grass or other flammable materials; Do not use fireworks while under a canopy, covered balcony, covered patio or under a tree or bushes.

How to report illegal sale and usage: Unincorporated – (916) 874-5115 or reportfireworks@saccounty.net; Sacramento: 916-808-5471 or “Nail ‘Em” App; Folsom: 916-355-7231; Elk Grove: fireworks@elkgrovepd.org​ or “Nail ‘Em” App; Rancho Cordova: 916-362-5115; Citrus Heights: 916-727-5500; Galt: 209-366-7000 

Aren’t sure who or how to report? Call 3-1-1 to be connected to the right place!

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) – On the morning of Monday, June 21^st, residents were adviced by media sources to stay away from two scenes of violence in connection to a deadly vehicle rampage in Carmichael. Sacramento Sheriff’s Department and emergency vehicles responded to the fatal incident at the intersection of Fair Oaks Boulevard and Manzanita Avenue which ended at Cypress Avenue and Hackberry Lane near the Elks Lodge.

The first scene of violence began at 9:00 am, according to Sargeant Rod Grassmann, when a black Chevrolet Silverado pickup was spotted driving erratically by security personel near the Safeway at the first intersection. The pickup driver struck an individual who was left for dead near the northeast corner at the bus stop. Moments later someone who was trying to help the runover victim also became the target of the driver as the pickup came back and struck the second victim.

The driver continued on the rampage down Cypress Avenue as the Silverado struck a black four door sedan from the rear and pushed it some 100 yards just past the Elks Lodge near Hackberry Lane. At this point, according to Sargeant Rod Grassmann, the suspect got out of the truck armed with a firearm and a blunt object pursuing the driver of the sedan. That victim was able to escape getting onboard a security vehicle at the scene.

The violent assaults continued as the suspect turned to a nearby RV trailer stationed in the parking lot of the Elks Lodge, where the subject attacked a fourth victim. As the suspect struck the victim just outside the trailer, the two struggled to control the suspect’s firearm. The assault finally came to an end when a fifth person came out of the trailer and shot the suspect in the upper torso.

The Sacramento Sheriff’s Department took the suspect into custody and set perimeters about a block in size to maintain nearby residents safe at both locations. Four victims were attacked in total, leaving one dead and two who were injured to an unknown extent.

At the time of press, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department was not releasing the victim’s name until their next of kin was notified.

For more information visit www.sacsheriff.com/

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - A bag-dinner garden party last week marked a first in-person gathering for Carmichael Kiwanis Club since early in 2020. Members and spouses celebrated at the home of realtors Ron and Cleo Greenwood. “It was great to be reacquainted with special people that we’ve missed so much,” reported host and former club president Greenwood.

“We’ve managed our normal weekly meetings by ZOOM for the past 16 months, but that’s never as good as friends getting together. This was something we’ve all been longing for.” Because of COVID restrictions, the non-profit was also obliged to cancel major fundraisers, including its sell-out Taste of Carmichael festival and winter crab feed. More than $22,000 in Big Day of Giving donations rescued the club’s budget for community programs.

Kiwanians who have breakfasted together for decades have counted the days till members could meet again. “After much discussion, we decided an outdoor function with vaccinated members and social distancing would be a safe way to go,” said Greenwood. “Our box dinners (catered by Bella Bru of Carmichael) minimalized food handling.”

Members raised a champagne toast to thank BDOG sponsors from Lyon Real Estate’s Sierra Oaks office. A second toast was to the club’s reunion – and to many happy returns. For information on Carmichael Kiwanis, visit www.kiwanisclubofcarmichael.com

 

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - As a State Trooper in Indiana, Corporal Jim Valentine was adept at snapping cuffs on wrists. As a minister, he works to unlock them. “Even ordinary people shackle themselves,” says the new pastor of American River Community Church. “I offer a key to freedom.”

The 6ft 4in man of God eschews clerical robes in his new job. “I’ve worn a uniform and I know it can put walls up,” says Valentine (51). “I don’t want walls. I’m comfortable with the authority I have as plain ol’ me. I don’t need a uniform to enforce that.”

One of Carmichael’s longest established congregations, ARCC reached 2700 miles east to Mitchell, Indiana to fill the pulpit vacated in 2019 by Pastor Rich Reimer. COVID restrictions slowed appointment processes but after the candidate’s two trips west -- and many Zoom interviews -- the church decided. Pastor and wife heard the news by telephone. Recalls Valentine’s wife Guyanne: “We thought: holy smokes! We had to get a farm and a house ready to sell. There was a ton of stuff to be given away. We began a flurry of activity. Jim and I loaded up a U-Haul and headed to California. Then we came back and drove the kids out here in a camper.”

For their Carmichael flock, Valentine’s day arrived last month. “What Now” was the title of their Pastor’s first sermon.

On an earlier visit, he’d impressed congregants with an audition sermon on boldness. “I was preaching as much to myself,” he considers. “I was making huge changes. We’re still stepping into those. What really won church members was meeting my family, and seeing how we work as a team. The idea that everybody has a job to do is something I’ve brought from law enforcement.  Being a cop is inseparable from who I am. I know courage is not an absence of fear. Courage is taking the next step knowing you’re well-trained to do what God wants for you.”

A church-goer from childhood, the Indiana native followed his father’s bootsteps into law enforcement and served as an immigration officer, a drug interdiction cop and a road trooper. He got his hip mashed in a barricade accident but it took the 1997 death of a fellow officer to concentrate his faith. “My friend Andy Winzenread left a wife and six-week-old daughter,” he explains. “After his funeral, I learned he’d gone out on a call that was meant for me. His death saved me. It was then I felt the gravity of real-life faith. Six year later, I was taken out of uniform because my old hip injury stopped my leg working right.  I was angry. I thought a police career was my life. Lying face-down on my office floor, I realized God had other plans for me.” Valentine entered Master’s International School of Divinity (Evansville, Ind.) Aged 41, he was ordained in 2011. His first clerical post was at Mount Pleasant Christian Church in Bedford; he was later Head Pastor at Tulip Street Christian Church in Mitchell, Ind.

With his hip worsening, less painful winters became an ambition. The Valentine clan was considering a move to Florida when the ARCC position surfaced. “In Indiana, all we heard about California was on the news,” he reflects. “The news was generally bad. But in Carmichael we found wonderful people -- regular people -- doing regular things. I knew helping them find what I’d found in God would translate from Indiana to California.

ARCC’s mission statement – to see the community changed and followers of Jesus reflected in His love – struck a chord. “It’s not just theoretical,” says Valentine. “I see love played out in tangible ways here. Children are given a solid future in our preschool; meetings here give men and women hope to get out of addiction. People of ethnic diversity work together in our community garden.” The pastor’s bride has begun work beside him. Their teamwork last week helped a large parish family move house.

Valentine was a 25-year-old State Trooper when he met physical therapy student Guyanne. They fell blindly in love on a blind date in January 1996; she accepted his proposal in February, complaining only that he didn’t wait a week and propose on Valentine’s Day. “I was in love,” her husband explains 25 years later. “I didn’t want to wait a week.”

Guyanne has since home-schooled three little Valentines, managed a goat farm and worked in women’s fitness. Diversity is part of pastoral life’s tapestry.  “I married a cop and ended up a preacher’s wife,” she muses. “There are similarities in the jobs. Jim has always worked long hours trying to help damaged people find faith that things would get better. I’m thankful I don’t have to worry much about his safety, now. But we’re ready to roll up our sleeves here, to do the hard stuff together.”

American River Community Church is located at 3300 Walnut Avenue, Carmichael.

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - More than a village, it takes hundreds of green fingers and around 1800 cloven hooves to maintain Sutter Jensen Community Park. During second-Saturday workdays, Friends of Jensen Botanical Garden volunteers groom flower beds in the park’s three-acre botanical section. The 20 stalwarts are up to most toil, but they don’t tackle the park’s 10 undeveloped acres.

For that herculean task, Carmichael Recreation and Park District last week imported 450 workers who labored for food alone. Lincoln-based, the Gregory Livestock Company herd surged from transport trucks and immediately got chomping. While temporary fences contained the goats, no rock, ravine or creek bed slowed them. Acre by acre, tinder-dry vegetation was cropped to ground level in ten days.

“The goats get in everywhere,” approved CRPD Services Manager James Perry. “They’re not a cheap solution – we can only afford them in one of our parks each season -- but they free our staff for other work. They also do a much more thorough job of brush clearance than any mechanical method.”

In seasons of fire risk, ruminants forage on rocky terrain without causing blade sparks; they’re also quieter than mowers. They don’t bother ground-dwelling birds and are environmentally friendly. The herd is tended by shepherds and dogs who sleep with their charges at night. Coyotes, mountain lions and bobcats are occasional threats; hydration is another concern. Herdsman Steve Gregory delivered water to the Carmichael worksite daily. Though the animals work at casual pace, they are cost-effective. Goat teeth grind seeds to pulp, so weed regrowth is limited. Goat droppings return nitrogen to the soil.

In Carmichael, the visitors were an attraction. Families flocked to view their pastoral presence. “Apart from a few bleats, you hardly know they’re here,” noted a Sutter Avenue neighbor. “I was surprised by how many people came out to watch them every day. These animals are a peaceful sight and it’s good for kids to see what rural Carmichael must have been like 100 years ago.”

Friends of Jensen Botanical Garden volunteers also welcomed their efficient co-workers. “Goats and gardens are both part of the nature we all enjoy,” said coordinator Beverley Scott. “We love how they beautify areas of the park that aren’t so attractive. When the goats get done -- and all the brush is cleared -- the beauty of our efforts is highlighted. Together we’re great team.”

To volunteer for second-Saturday work days in Jensen Botanical Gardens, visit www.carmichaelpark.com

 

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Carmichael Recreation and Park District’s newest program has launched with a big splash. Partnering with DART Swimming Sacramento – and with funding from Carmichael Parks Foundation -- the District is supplying subsidized swimming lessons for children aged 3 to 17.

Carmichael kids can apply for reductions of 50 percent from the cost of lessons. Learners from outside the area may qualify for discounts of 30 percent. (Subsidies are geared to help low-income families; otherwise, two weeks of lessons cost $75 per child). The Parks Foundation has allocated $4000 for scholarships and will consider further sponsorship to continue the program beyond July.

The courses aim to prevent drownings. “Our Past president Ken Hall lives on the American River Bluffs,” explains Foundation board member Sue Boucher.  “He’s seen the danger for swimmers. Following the success of our 2019 Dinner in Park fundraiser, he and the Foundation presented the idea of children’s water safety lessons to CRPD.”  Though COVID nixed 2020 plans, a connection forged with DART Swimming School fast-stroked plans for this summer. “We’ve formed a great partnership to make this work,” predicts Boucher.  “If these lessons save the life of one child, it will all be worth it.”

Organizers are overwhelmed by community response. Within a week of first enrollments, more than 100 children were registered; applications—from as far away as Elk Grove -- are still churning in.  “This response shows the need for affordable swimming lessons in our entire region,” says CRPD staffer Alaina Loftus. “I’m thankful we can help.”

Eight-session courses kick off June 14, June 28 and June 12 at the El Camino High School pool. Tuition will be provided by adult coaches, at a ratio of one teacher per four children. Instructors are qualified by the DART Swimming School – a long-established agency that ranks nationally for aquatic programs. “We’re excited about the partnership,” says DART CEO Brian Nabeta.  “El Camino High School has made a wonderful facility available, and we hope to continue teaching there next summer.”

Families must pay their contribution for children’s lessons in advance and provide swimsuits, towels and transport. The pool is located at 4300 El Camino Avenue.

For information on this CRPD program, visit www.carmichaelpark.com