FIGHT THE FLU
Sacramento County’s Division of Public Health reported last month that influenza had claimed 18 victims so far during the 2013-2014 Flu Season -- and Public Health has received reports of more patients with flu being admitted to Intensive Care Units.
The Flu Season started in the fall and typically peaks in January and February. Three strains of influenza are currently circulating in our area - H1N1 (2009 pandemic strain), Influenza A and Influenza B.
The California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) both recommend annual influenza vaccinations for everyone six months of age and older, including pregnant women. The flu vaccine, which is readily available, covers all three strains of the flu that have been detected.
The flu is a serious respiratory illness caused by a virus that comes on suddenly. Symptoms may include fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, and body aches. Illness typically lasts two to seven days. Influenza may cause severe illness or even death in people such as the very young or very old, or those who have underlying health conditions.
GOOD EATS
Enjoy a selection of gourmet treats when the Carmichael Recreation and Park District holds this month’s food truck event on Thursday, February 6, at Carmichael Park near Grant Avenue and Fair Oaks Boulevard.
Specialty food trucks participating include Krush Burger, Chando’s Tacos, Drewski’s, Slightly Skewed, and Simply Southern. The chow lines open at 5 pm and continue until 8 pm. For more information call the Carmichael Recreation and Park District at 485-5322.
Bon Appetite!
DISCOUNT ANIMAL ADOPTIONS
Without a doubt animals make wonderful companions for people of all ages, bringing friendship and unconditional love into their owners’ lives. For senior citizens whose children have moved out and often live alone, that companionship can be very important and much appreciated.
To help seniors find the companionship that can enrich their lives by having a four-legged friend, the Sacramento County Animal Shelterhas lowered adoption and licensing fees for seniors. Those aged 62 and over only have to pay $10 per year to license a spayed or neutered animal and only $25 for a three-year license.
And there’s a discount for adopting a senior animal, too. Any animal over six years old is just $25, and there can be deeper discounts for animals over the age of eight. The all-inclusive adoption fee covers microchipping, vaccinations and spaying/neutering of the pet.
For more information, visit the Animal Care and Regulation website or visit them at 3839 Bradshaw Road, Sacramento, Wednesday through Friday, 12:30- 5:30 p.m., or weekends, between noon and 4:30 p.m. The shelter is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. 
PLAY POKER AND HELP YOUTH
The Sheriff’s Community Impact Program (SCIP) works to lessen negative influences facing many youth in the Arden Arcade community so as to avoid juvenile delinquency and gang involvement. You can help the cause – and have fun playing poker – by participating in the Arden Arcade Rotary Club’s upcoming Horsepower and Hold’em Poker Tournament on Saturday, March 15.
Here’s a chance to be a winner and have a seat at the table playing poker in the exciting venue of the California Auto Museum. Among the “celebrity” players will be Sheriff Scott Jones.
Various sponsorship also are available ranging from having your company logo on the playing cards to being a table sponsor at the tournament, signage at the table, program listing, etc. For more information visit Zoom Imaging Solutions, Inc.–the event title sponsor.
The big payout goes to the students at Greer Elementary School, Edison Elementary School and Encina 6-12 Prep High School who are involved in SCIP which provides traditional police activities league programs as well as educational opportunities by working hand-in-hand with school administrators and other community based organizations. SCIP members include retired and active law enforcement personnel, school administrators, business and community members.
INPUT NEEDED ON FULTON-EL CAMINO PARKS
The Fulton-El Camino Recreation and Park District is in the process of updating its Master and Strategic Plans. Public input has been solicited at two public meetings to date and the third and final meeting will be held Thursday, February 6, at 6:30 pm at theConzelmann Community Center in Howe Park, 2201 Cottage Way.
Whether or not you can make it to that meeting, residents can still provide the Park District with their thoughts, ideas, and evaluations of the District’s performance by completing an online survey, by the end of February, that is located on the Fulton-El Camino Recreation and Park District website. The survey results will be utilized to update the District’s Master and Strategic Plans that will used to guide the maintenance, operations, and development of Fulton-El Camino’s parks for years to come.
If you reside in the Park District, please make your views known by participating at the upcoming meeting and/or by taking the survey. Hard copies of the survey are available by calling the District office at 927-3802.
CHP OFFERS TEEN DRIVING CLASS
The leading cause of death for American youth15-20 years old is motor vehicle collisions. And according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers.
In an effort to reduce that, the California Highway Patrol’s East Sacramento Area Office, is offering a free driver safety education class, Start Smart, designed for new and future licensed teenage drivers between the age of 15 -19 and their parents/guardians.
The Start Smart class will cover collision avoidance techniques, driver responsibility, collision trends, distracted driving laws, alcohol related driving laws and the provisional license process. The program also offers an opportunity for new drivers and parents/guardians to ask CHP Officers clarifying questions.
Four evening classes (6:30 to 8:30 pm) are scheduled with the first starting in February and continuing into May. Each class will be at the CHP’s East Sacramento Area Office, 11336 Trade Center Drive, in Rancho Cordova. Space is limited. Parents/guardians can call 464-1450 to register.
BICYCLE FIXIT ON THE PARKWAY
Three new DERO Fixit Bicycle Service Stations are now available along the American River Parkway thanks to fundraising done by an Eagle Scout from Troop 53.
The Fixit’s are freestanding repair stations where cyclists can perform basic maintenance. They feature an air pump and tools including flathead and Philips screw drivers, open ended wrenches, hex key set, and a tire tool. The station includes a stand made of galvanized steel that is designed to hold a bike so that it is off the ground and the wheels can spin freely while the rider makes repairs.
These public use stations are located at William B. Pond Recreation Area, Sunrise Recreation Area and West of the Guy West Bridge, near CSU Sacramento. Their addition should help lessen the angst any cyclist dreads when out in the Parkway in need to make minor repairs.
Eagle Scout Scott McCuen not only raised money to fund the entire project, he conceived the idea, secured the appropriate approvals, poured the concrete pads, and installed the stands. Raising just over $4,000, he purchased the Fixits and had money left over to donate to the Regional Parks Department for future repairs.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE
It has not been easy for motorists driving on Watt Avenue at the Highway 50 interchange as the Sacramento County Department of Transportation continues to work to make that interchange safer. SACDOT appreciates your patience since the area remains an active construction zone with 90,000 cars per day driving through the site.
To help improve the situation, SACDOT opened up additional lanes on Watt Avenue as well as made timing adjustments to the traffic signals – and will continue to monitor traffic flow and respond as needed. It is important to note that the configuration of the interchange today is not the final result and as the project nears completion motorists may experience delays as lanes shift.
Once completed, the improved interchange should result in a significant reduction in overall delay through the Watt Avenue corridor and much easier and safer access on and off the freeway for everyone.
VISITING WITH NEIGHBORS
Last month I kicked off my first Community Coffee Meeting for the 2014 featuring a very informative presentation by the San Juan Water District that was extremely timely since last year was one of the driest years for our area – continues to be that way this year. There were questions about Folsom Lake being at such a low level not to mention concern about our future water supply if Governor Brown’s proposed tunnels are built to divert water from the Delta.
The next Community Coffee Meeting will be on Wednesday, March 19, at 7:30 am at the Fair Oaks Water District’s conference room, 10326 Fair Oaks Blvd. near Winding Way. The guest speaker will be Captain Matt Morgan, the commander of the Sheriff’s North Division that services the unincorporated areas of Arden Arcade Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Foothill Farms, and North Highlands. I hope you can attend. The complete schedule for 2014 is available on my webpage.
I also will be starting next month a new series of “Office Hours”continuing a tradition started in 2005, which involves me setting up a table at various community events throughout the year where residents can drop by and talk about items of interest with no appointment necessary. The first outing will be at the annual Trout Fishing Derby at Howe Park being sponsored by the Fulton-El Camino Recreation and Park District on Saturday, March 1. I will setup my “office” there to meet with residents from 10 to 11:30 am that morning on a “first come basis.” Please be sure to check my webpage or follow me on Facebook for dates, times and locations for future events as they become scheduled.
Dr. SEUSS PARTY
The Mission Oaks Recreation and Park District along with theSacramento Area Reading Association is holding a free birthday celebration of one of America’s most beloved authors, Dr. Seuss. The celebration will be at the Mission Oaks Community Center, 4701 Gibbons Drive, on Thursday, February 27 from 5 to 7 pm.
The event is designed for children grades K-3 with supervising adults and it should be a magical night of stories and fun topped off with birthday cake. Reserve a spot by contacting Rodney at 488-7276 ext. 3017 or email Dahlberg@morpd.com
KEY CLUB SERVICE
During December’s school vacation a member of the Mira Loma High School’s Key Club, performed a public service by canvassing the nearby neighborhood helping the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District in its outreach efforts. Club Vice President Steven Li distributed to residents the “Check Before You Burn” brochure about AQMD’s wood burning restrictions now in effect through February.
These restrictions are applicable to the unincorporated area as well as in the cities of Citrus Heights, Elk Grove, Folsom, Galt, Isleton, Rancho Cordova and Sacramento and have helped reduce pollution and allowed our area to stay in compliance with federal air quality standards. Before you burn, please check the daily status by calling 1-877-No Burn-5 or visit the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District website. 
FACEBOOK FAN PAGE
For all of you that have a Facebook account please feel free to check out my Facebook fan page and I invite you to like my page so you can be notified of my postings. I will be putting information about events, activities and constituents within the Third District on the page periodically. Also please be sure to check out the pictures posted that commemorate events or accomplishments by citizens in the district. The page can be found by searching for Supervisor Susan Peters within the facebook site or you can access my page by clicking the link.
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