FIESTA DAYS OFFICE HOURS
On Saturday, May 4, I will be holding “Office Hours” during the Fiesta Days celebration in Fair Oaks Village which is being held during the weekend of May 4-5. Activities include a parade, a popular Children's Play in the Amphitheatre, one-of-a-kind Toilet Bowl Race, bounce houses and games for children, a pancake breakfast and a huge classic car show (250 cars participated in 2012).
My “Office Hours” will occur on Saturday morning and I’ll be available at a table in front of Dianda’s Italian Bakery and Café after the parade until approximately noon. Residents are welcome to drop by and chat. No appointment is necessary but visits will be handled on a “first come, first served basis.”
Since 2005 I have been holding “no appointment necessary” sessions throughout the area where residents can come by and chat in conjunction with family fun type community events.
CARMICHAEL PUBLIC SAFETY FORUM
Last month State Senator Jim Nielsen hosted a special community public safety forum at the Carmichael Clubhouse that was well attended. I participated and other speakers included District Attorney Jan Scully, Sheriff Scott Jones, and Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan.
Under the current realignment scheme proposed by Governor Brown and approved by the legislature in 2011, certain prisoners are now being sentenced to County Jail rather than be required to do time in state prison. Senator Nielsen, a former Chairman of the State Parole Board, has been a vocal skeptic of this so-called realignment process and the forum provided a good opportunity to discuss the impact of sending state prisoners to County Jail.
Photo courtesy of Susan Maxwell Skinner
SHERIFF SCOTT JONES TO SPEAK
Please join me 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, May 15, at my Fair Oaks Community Coffee Meeting featuring Sheriff Scott Jones as the guest speaker.
This meeting will be held at the Fair Oaks Water District’s conference room, 10326 Fair Oaks Blvd. near Winding Way, which is a different location than our usual gathering spot at Dianda’s Italian Bakery and Café.
The meeting starts sharply at 7:30 a.m. and I will give a brief update on what is going on with Sacramento County then introduce Sheriff Jones followed by questions and answers.
OUT AND ABOUT
April was a busy month.
My schedule started with a visit to North Highlands to speak to the Lunch Bunch that meets regularly on the first Thursday of every month at Pancake Palace on Watt Avenue. I provided an update on county initiatives, including the recent changes made by the Department of Transportation at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Hillsdale Boulevard (earlier in January I was contacted by residents expressing safety concerns about the turning radius from Hillsdale onto southbound Madison and that led to SACDOT examining the intersection and the resulting improvements).
Later I traveled to Washington DC as a participant in the 43rd annual Capitol-to-Capitol Program sponsored by the Sacramento Metro Chamber. My involvement dates back to when I was in private business and now the effort has grown to be the largest lobbying effort of its kind in the nation.
Cap-to-Cap, as it’s commonly known, provides a unique opportunity for business and community leaders to align around issues concerning our region and to work directly with congressional delegates and federal officials to organize broad-base support for critical initiatives. This year, 14 policy teams developed in excess of 45 position papers including tax reform to incentivize business, flood control, and implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act.
I concluded the month by visiting with Carmichael Stake Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who volunteered to help clean up and improve several middle and K-8 schools in the San Juan Unified School District during Saturday, April 27, as part of their Helping Hands Day of Service. Last year the Mormon congregation directed their energy to improving the Effie Yeaw Nature Center.
The photo below captures the camaraderie of the Cap-to-Cap experience.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY APPRECIATION BREAKFAST
District Attorney Jan Scully is sponsoring the Annual Public Safety & Community Appreciation Breakfast on Friday, May 10, at 7 am at the Doubletree Hotel. The event is supported by Sheriff Scott Jones and all of the area’s municipal police chiefs. The keynote speaker Bobby Smith, a Louisiana State Trooper who was shot in the face at point blank range, will be providing an inspirational message helping those who have suffered trauma to overcome adversity which is so fitting as this year’s event pays special tribute to local public safety colleagues and their families for the sacrifices they have made in the line of duty. The honorees that morning include the family members of slain Sacramento County Animal Control Officer Roy Marcum and Galt Police Officer Kevin Tonn. Ticket information and details are available in the news release.
FAMILY FUN AT THE COUNTY FAIR
The 2013 Sacramento County Fair will be held May 23 - 27 at Cal Expo. Activities include a carnival, food, barn animals, music, and shopping.
General Admission is only $5. Children age 12 and under are admitted free.
Separate special entertainment includes a demolition derby on Friday night, May 24, and the Stars and Stripes Invitational Bull Riding Event on Saturday night, May 25.
For more information about hours, general admission entertainment schedules, tickets to the demolition derby and bull riding competition, etc., please visit the Sacramento County Fair website.
KIDS DON'T FLOAT
As the warm weather quickly approaches the Department of Regional Parks is anticipating a great summer of recreation on the American River. To help insure youngsters enjoy the water safely, the American River Parkway Foundation has agreed to generously support the Department once again by funding the life vests which are available at 7 sites along the American River for the 2013 Kids Don’t Float Program.
County ordinance makes it unlawful for parents or guardians to allow a child under the age of thirteen to enter the river in the unincorporated area as well as other public waterways without wearing a life jacket. A similar ordinance is in effect for natural waterways within the City of Sacramento.
REDUCING SPEEDING ON LOCAL STREETS
Slowing down speeders on County roadways is a top priority of the Board of Supervisors and recently we approved installing traffic control devices on several residential streets in Carmichael and the Arden Arcade area to make those neighborhoods safer.
Under the Department of Transportation’s Neighborhood Traffic Management Program, residents submit a petition request which the department evaluates using objective criteria like volume, speed and collision history. Each request is ranked by SACDOT and the Board of Supervisors authorizes which streets to include.
Once authorized, residents on each street come up with a traffic management plan that can include calming devices like speed bumps, traffic circles, raised traffic islands, etc. Such devices add restrictions to maneuverability of motorists that should result in slowing vehicle speed. After a plan is developed the neighbors are surveyed on the proposed devices. To move forward, majority approval is required with at least 50 percent of the households participating in the survey. The most recent participation level per street was in the 53-77% range and lowest approval vote was 67% with the highest being 100%.
In Carmichael, California Avenue between Palm Drive and Van Alstine will be getting speed tables. Receiving speed bumps will be Arden Park’s San Ramon Way between La Sierra Drive and Fair Oaks Boulevard plus the intersection of Castec Drive and El Sur Way will be having an all-way stop installed.
Other locations receiving devices will be Montclair Street between Whitney and Marconi Avenues; Morse Avenue between El Camino Avenue and Ellington Circle; Mission Avenue between El Camino and Marconi Avenues; Robertson Avenue between Eastern and Mission Avenues; and McClaren Drive between Arden Way and Gary Way, which also is getting a speed bump near Shelley Way.
EFFIE YEAW NATURE CENTER GALA
Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming Annual Gala and Art Auction benefitting the Effie Yeaw Nature Center that will be held on Saturday, June 8.
This special event will feature delicious food, wine, music, and art depicting the American River Parkway and its “wild things." Proceeds benefit the nature center and the American River Natural History Association, a nonprofit organization that supports educational and interpretive activities in the American River Parkway.
Your support is especially welcomed since the operation of the nature center has been assumed by the American River Natural History Association as the result of a cooperative public-private partnership with Sacramento County’s Department of Regional Parks.
ALCOHOL BAN KEEPS PARKWAY FAMILY FRIENDLY
This Memorial Day weekend there will be a complete ban on alcohol consumption and possession both on land and in the water within the American River Parkway between Hazel and Watt avenues. An exception exists for Ancil Hoffman Golf Course.
In past years summer holiday weekends had become major problems along the American River making the parkway less of a family friendly outing because of fights, public nudity, profanity and littering. The problem was very apparent Fourth of July in 2006 when hundreds of rafters and partygoers consuming excessive amounts of alcohol created what one observer called a “chaotic scene” along a portion of the parkway -- one person filmed the goings-on and posted a video on myspace.com depicting half naked women and men wrestling in the mud.
The Board of Supervisors restored decorum beginning with the 2006 Labor Day weekend and the ban is also applicable for the holiday weekends of Independence Day as well as Memorial Day. In addition, the Board last year delegated authority to the Director of Regional Parks in consultation with the County Executive the ability to prohibit alcohol in the Parkway on any additional days between Memorial Day and Labor Day when such a ban is needed to maintain order to address excessive alcohol consumption encouraged by social media.
Since the restriction has taken effect, families I have talked to have expressed appreciation for making these holiday weekends once again a time for everyone to enjoy the American River Parkway.
NORTH HIGHLANDS OFFICE HOURS
Later in May I will hold another round of “Office Hours” in North Highlands and be available on Saturday, May 18, during the “Kick off to Summer Celebration” at Freedom Park, which is being sponsored by the North Highlands Recreation and Park District. The fun at Freedom Park will start at 11 am featuring the splash park, carnival games, and a bounce house continuing to 2 pm. I’ll be holding Office Hours” there from 10:30 to Noon. For more information about the “Kick off to Summer Celebration” please visit the North Highlands Recreation and Park District website.
CELEBRATE BIKE MONTH ON SCOTT ROAD
Between 8 am to 4 pm, Sunday, May 5, a 12-mile scenic section of Scott Road will be closed so that bicyclists and pedestrians can enjoy the rolling hills, lush vegetation and impressive views of the Sierra Nevada unhindered by traffic. It’s a very popular and fun event. Details and map are in the flyer.
FREE BAND FESTIVAL
The annual Carmichael Park Community Band Festival will be held during the weekend of June 1-2 at Carmichael Park’s amphitheater featuring 14 performances.
Sponsored by the Sacramento Valley Symphonic Band Association and the Carmichael Recreation and Parks District, this year’s event is expected to be one of the largest community band festivals in California in more than 20 years. There will be a community band playing on the hour every hour starting at 12 noon through to 7 pm. both Saturday and Sunday.
This free event is perfect for the entire family so pack a picnic, bring a blanket and some lawn chairs -- and enjoy two lovely afternoons of music!
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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