Sierra Oaks Neighborhood Association

Sierra Oaks School Country Fair

2010-09-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

Sierra Oaks School Country Fair will be held on Saturday, October 2nd from noon until 5 pm. Head on over to the school to enjoy food, games and family fun!

Weed Abatement at Vacant Properties

2010-07-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

If you have vacant properties in your neighborhood where weeds are growing out of control, did you know you can contact the County for assistance? Call 916-875-5656 Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm or report the nuisance online and Code Enforcement will investigate. If the weeds are determined to be a fire hazard, Code Enforcement will work with the Fire Department to ensure a timely removal of the weeds. If it is not a fire hazard, Code Enforcement will respond within six days. The property owner will be billed for the service of weed abatement.

SONA Annual Potluck Picnic

2010-06-07T21:25:00.001-07:00

Join your neighbors at Oak Meadow Park on Sunday, June 13th from 4 pm to 7 pm to enjoy SONA's annual potluck picnic. Hot dogs, burgers and drinks will be provided. Please bring a side salad or dessert to share as well as a blanket or chairs for lounging. This is a great opportunity to get out and meeting some of your fellow Sierra Oaks neighbors and learn more about our community. We hope to see you there!

SPRING GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING

2010-05-05T17:10:00.001-07:00

Please join us for our Annual Spring General Membership meeting on Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at Sierra Oaks School from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Sierra Oaks Soccer 2010 Registration

2010-04-29T20:15:00.001-07:00

Sierra Oaks Soccer will hold in-person Registration at the Sierra Oaks School Multipurpose Room on Thursday May 6th from 1:00 to 7:00 pm and on Wednesday May 12th from 2:30 to 7:00 pm. The Club will also be offering on-line registration on the website starting on May 1st (May 1st to June 1st is the Club's Priority Registration Period). Full registration information, costs and other details (including new League photo requirements) are on the Club website, www.sosoccer.org. If you have any questions, contact Rob Sandman @ robsandman@sosoccer.org.

Sierra Oaks Garden Tour May 1st & 2nd

2010-04-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

Tour six exquisite Crocker Road gardens, including one designed by famous landscape architect Thomas Church, on Saturday, May 1st from 10 am - 5 pm and Sunday, May 2nd from 11 am – 4 pm. Proceeds benefit Sierra Oaks School, where a garden boutique and café dining will be available during tour hours. Tickets are $20 when purchased in advance at Sierra Oaks School, Ivy House, Posh Shoppe, William Glen, Gifted Gardener or Bushnell’s Nursery. Tickets will also be available at the event for $25. For more information contact sierraoaksgardentour@yahoo.com or visit www.sierraoaksgardentour.com.

Sacramento Sheriff’s Department Community Meeting

2010-04-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Sheriff’s Department will be hosting a community meeting at the Marconi Station House (2500 Marconi Avenue, Ste #100) on Tuesday April 27th@ 6:30 p.m. Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputies will be present to address any suspicious or criminal activity occurring in your neighborhoods. California Highway Patrol Officers will be present to address any traffic related concerns. If you live or work in the areas described by these boundaries, we encourage you to become actively involved in the pursuit of making our community a safer place to live and work. For further information call Crime Prevention Specialist Cindy Burdette @ 876-5717.

Sac Sheriff: Public Safety Suffering --McGinness Says Department 'Reactive'

2010-04-21T18:32:00.001-07:00

Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness said in the face of deep budget cuts, public safety in the county is suffering. "We are no longer proactive at all. Our operation is overwhelmingly reactive. We get the call after something horrible has happened. We do the best we can to pick up the pieces," McGinness said. McGinness said department is not throwing up its hands, but said it's a matter of numbers as there were 122 sheriff's deputies laid off last year due to budget cuts. "Well, I certainly don't share this message with the law-offending public, with an encouragement for them to do so. But I've got to be honest with you and everyone else within the sound of our voices … we are experiencing the effects of a unilateral disarmament of criminal justice and law enforcement resources in the county," McGinness said. The sheriff said his department is doing all it can, but unfortunately, what it can do is "insufficient to combat the crime problem." Auburn attorney Nina Salarno worries about the cuts. Her sister was killed years ago, and said as a parent, it's scary to think of children playing outside without proper law enforcement. "And when the criminals know, especially in the impacted areas, in the inner city areas, they know that there's going to be less law enforcement. They're going to take advantage of it," Salarno said. http://www.kcra.com/mostpopular/23130578/detail.html

Closure of Eastbound Hwy 50 on Tuesday, April 20th

2010-04-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

On April 20 from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., all eastbound lanes of U.S. Hwy 50 will be closed for road construction. The closure will be from Watt Avenue to Bradshaw Road with the detour route being Folsom Blvd. Drivers can expect delays of up to 20 minutes. Inclement weather could postpone this closure, check roadside message boards for the latest information. The work is part of a $108 million project by Caltrans, Sacramento County, the City of Rancho Cordova, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, and the Sacramento Transportation Authority that will help unclog traffic congestion and reduce air pollution by adding 15 lane miles of new bus/carpool lanes on U.S. Highway 50 between Watt Avenue in Sacramento and Sunrise Boulevard in Rancho Cordova.

Sacramento Tree Tours

2010-04-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Join the Sacramento Tree Foundation for a walk under Sacramento's tree canopy. Learn about identifying trees by leaf, bark and growth habits and get an idea of the great varieties of trees over our heads. Insect and disease issues will be discussed as well as watering needs for our particular environment of clay soils and hot weather. For additional information, including planting opportunities, please visit www.sactree.com

Sunday April 25th, 10am-12pm
Southside Park, 8th and T Streets 95814
Meet at the amphitheater

Saturday May 1st, 10am-12pm
Capitol Park,
Meet on the West Steps

Saturday, June 19th, 10am-11:30am
CSUS Arboretum,
Meet at the Northeast pathway to the arboretum

Car Theft Alert

2010-04-08T21:13:00.000-07:00

A homeowner who lives on Sierra Oaks Drive reports that her vehicle was stolen from her driveway on Wednesday evening.

Your car alarm: Not just for your car!

2010-02-23T21:32:00.000-08:00

A clever idea, passed along by one of our neighbors.

Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbours, your parents, your doctor's office, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run across: Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator.

Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away, think of this: It's a security alarm system that you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key fob chain.It works if you park in your driveway or garage.

If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house, odds are the person won't stick around. After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see who is out there and sure enough, the criminal won't want that.

And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there.

Would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart attack, where you can't reach a phone. My Mom has suggested to my Dad that he carry his car keys with him in case he falls outside and she doesn't hear him. He can activate the car alarm and then she'll know there's a problem.

Sheriff: Beware door-to-door solicitors

2010-02-12T16:10:00.000-08:00

By Kim Minugh, Sacramento Bee

Responding to an influx of reports from residents concerned about suspicious solicitors, law enforcement officials are warning people to be skeptical of just about anyone at the door.

Except when it comes to U.S. Census workers and maybe cookie-peddling Girl Scouts, legitimate neighborhood salesmen are pretty much a thing of the past, said Sherrie Carhart, a crime prevention specialist for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

"It's past the time. People shouldn't be going door-to-door soliciting," she said. "It's not something that's accepted these days."

Instead, Carhart said, many of the modern-day "solicitors" likely are prospective burglars, looking for empty homes.

Carhart's warning comes after she's received a number of calls from residents asking about aggressive solicitors pushing everything from cleaning supplies to electronics to assistance for veterans.

Some have been so aggressive that the solicitors have walked into homes uninvited, residents report.

Roger Berkenpas, a community activist in Fair Oaks, said some of his neighbors have talked about a "very smooth, pushy" vacuum salesman who promises Wal-Mart gift cards to anyone who will listen to his sales pitch.

The couple of takers have been disappointed to find the gift cards were worthless, Berkanpas said.

Carhart said sales people are required to carry a copy of the county permit they must obtain for door-to-door solicitation, as well as a copy of their business license.

(A small group of folks are exempt from the required county permit, Carhart said, including non-profits, churches and federal government workers, including those carrying out the U.S. Census.)
But before asking for that paperwork, residents should be wary of even opening the door, Carhart said. She suggests making your presence known by talking through the door or a window.

If you notice the person skipping homes on your street, trying doorknobs, looking through windows or going to back fences, call your local law enforcement agency's non-emergency line, Carhart said.

If it looks like someone is in the act of breaking into a home, call 911, she said.

Authorities have tried in recent months to alert residents about tactics sometimes used by prospective burglars, such as knocking on the door and asking for someone who doesn't live there.

An elderly woman in Meadowview opened her front door Monday night to a young man saying his dog was in her backyard - and then was ordered to the ground at gunpoint. Her house was ransacked and three men fled with cash and jewelry.

Carhart said Sacramento's communities are full of people of "good-natured, helpful people" - and, unfortunately, many that want to take advantage of those good Samaritans.

"People are interested in scamming other people," she said. "There are a lot of bad people out there."

Construction begins on new HWY 50 bus/carpool lane

2010-02-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

Caltrans broke ground on a $108 million project that will add 15 miles of new bus/carpool lanes on U.S. Highway 50 between Watt Avenue in Sacramento and Sunrise Boulevard in Rancho Cordova.

Proposition 1B, the $19.9 billion transportation bond championed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and passed by voters in 2006, is providing nearly $55 million in funding for the project. More than $5.2 billion in Proposition 1B funding has been allocated to improve California’s transportation system during the past three years.

"This Proposition 1B funded project will improve safety, help stimulate the economy and decrease traffic congestion in the area," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "The people of California spoke loud and clear when they voted for Proposition 1B because they wanted investment in California's infrastructure and to put people to work immediately."

Sacramento County’s Measure A, a half-cent sales tax dedicated to transportation improvements, contributed $37 million in funding for the project, which is a partnership between Caltrans, Sacramento County, the city of Rancho Cordova, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, and the Sacramento Transportation Authority.

In addition to new bus/carpool lanes, the project also includes:

More than four miles of new sound walls at a dozen locations.

Community enhancements, such as improved lighting and landscaping.

Replacement of two bike/pedestrian overcrossings at Manlove Road and White Rock Park to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

New ramp meters, changeable message signs, and traffic cameras.

"Under the governor’s leadership, Proposition 1B is paying for vital transportation projects that relieve traffic congestion,” said Caltrans Director Randy Iwasaki. “Extending this bus/carpool lane will have an immediate impact for more than 180,000 drivers commuting on the Highway 50 corridor,”

Bus/carpool lanes typically carry 2-3 times more people at peak traffic hours than conventional mixed-flow lanes. There are currently 68 miles of bus/carpool lanes in the Sacramento region on U.S. Highway 50, Interstate 80, and State Route 99. When the bus/carpool lane project between Sunrise Boulevard and Watt Ave is completed in 2013, there will be continuous bus/carpool lanes on U.S. Highway 50 between Bass Lake Road and Watt Avenue, a distance of approximately 21 miles.

Feb. 23: Come to Sheriff's Community Meeting

2010-02-08T16:00:00.000-08:00

Sacramento Sheriff’s Department
North Patrol Division- North Central Area
Zone 41&43 Community Meeting

Tuesday February 23, 2010 @ 6:30 p.m.

Sheriff’s Marconi Station
2500 Marconi Avenue, Ste #100
Marconi Room

The Sacramento Sheriff’s Department will be hosting a community meeting at the Marconi Station House. This meeting is for the neighborhoods encompassed in the North Central Division, Zone’s 41&43.

Zone 1 is bounded to the north by Hwy 80, to the south by Arden Way, to the east by Watt Ave. and to the west by Ethan Way

Zone 3 is bounded to the North by Arden Way, to the South by the American River and the City of Sacramento, to the East by Watt Avenue and to the West by Howe Avenue and Ethan Way.

Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputies will be present to address any suspicious or criminal activity occurring in your neighborhoods.

California Highway Patrol Officers will be present to address any traffic related concerns.

If you live or work in the areas described by these boundaries, we encourage you to become actively involved in the pursuit of making our community a safer place to live and work.

For further information call:

Crime Prevention Specialist, Cindy Burdette @ 876-5717

Sheriff's association backs Arden Arcade cityhood

2010-01-22T08:54:00.000-08:00

By Robert Lewis, Sacramento Bee, Jan. 20, 2010

Proponents of cityhood for Arden Arcade, a 90,000-resident community in Sacramento County, just got an influential supporter in their effort to incorporate: the Sacramento County Deputy Sheriffs' Association.

The association's board of directors voted unanimously today to support cityhood and encourage a new Arden Arcade municipality to contract with the Sheriff's Department for law enforcement service, according to an association statement. Other young cities including Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova and Citrus Heights also contracted with the sheriff's department after breaking away from the county. Elk Grove and Citrus Heights have since formed their own police departments.

"We have had very strong relationships with the residents of Arden Arcade for many years. We know the community and we look forward to many more
years of working with and serving the residents in Arden Arcade," association President Kevin Mickelson said in a prepared statement.

The group pressing for Arden Arcade cityhood is close to raising enough money to complete the studies necessary to bring the issue before the voters, said Joel Archer, Arden Arcade Incorporation Committee chairman. The group has a $25,000 payment due Feb. 1 to the Local Agency Formation Commission. With that money the group will have finished paying for an environmental study and financial feasibility report. Both are necessary before LAFCO will approve putting the issue on the ballot.

Archer said the group still needs to raise about $10,000 for the effort.

Smash & grab near Oak Meadow Park

2010-01-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, January 10 at 9:45am a vehicle stopped alongside a car parked on Kadema (across from the American River access ramp) and a passenger exited the vehicle long enough to smash the back seat window of the parked car and steal and bag from the car before speeding away on Clunie. Remember to never leave personal belongings visible in a parked vehicle. They may not be there when you return to your car, no matter where you are parked. The SONA Off-Duty Patrol officers are on the lookout for the vehicle and perpetrators. Both were carefully identified by a witness who immediately report the crime.

Sierra Oaks Discovery Club Teacher Arrested

2010-01-07T12:50:00.000-08:00

This post was taken directly from the Sierra Oaks School website: Shane Vicars, a child development permit teacher in the Sierra Oaks K-8 Discovery Club program was arrested Jan. 6 on 15 counts of lewd acts with a child and child annoyance. The arrest comes after an investigation by the Sacramento Sheriff's Department of allegations that Vicars had inappropriate contact with multiple victims who were students in the Discovery Club program. The safety of students and staff is the top priority of San Juan Unified and Sierra Oaks K-8 school."We have worked closely with the Sacramento Sheriff's Department during the course of this investigation and will continue to do so," said Trent Allen, director of communication for the District. "We are encouraging parents to talk with their student and report any items of concern." Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact Detective John Linke at (916) 874-5964. Counselors will be available at Sierra Oaks K-8 school on Thursday, Jan. 7 for students to talk to if needed. Additional staff will also be on site to support the school. Vicars previously worked at Gold River Discovery Center's Discovery Club program and as a substitute child development assistant previously. All District employees undergo a background check before working with students.

Fulton Avenue Planning Workshop 1/12/10

2009-12-30T22:03:00.000-08:00

The Board of Supervisors created a Special Planning Area (SPA) for Fulton Avenue between Arden Way and Auburn Boulvevard to allow more flexibiility in land uses, especially to allow for commercial and mixed-uses on properties zoned for auto uses only. To accomplish this, a Special Planning Area Ordinance was drafted on November 4, 2009 from input received from area residents, business owners and property owners for this project. A workshop has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 12, 2010 to hear comments and concerns regarding this draft. For more information about this project or to submit comments please call Rebecca Boschee or Tricia Stevens at 916.874.6141 or email boscheer@saccountynet or stevenst@saccounty.net. The draft SPA can be accessed via the internet at www.planning.saccount.net.

Suspicious Vehicle

2009-12-17T20:19:00.000-08:00

On Monday, 12/16 at around 11:30 am a 1986 older white Jeep Cherokee with wood veneer side paneling, license 1RZU877, pulled into a driveway on White Oak Court. The driver was a caucasian heavy set female with dark hair and the passenger was a caucasian male. When a neighbor drove toward the suspicious vehicle to address the occupants they drove away at a high rate of speed. These folks were clearly up to no good and most likely in Sierra Oaks to commit a crime. Keep your eyes out as they may be back in the neighborhood to do their Christmas shopping.

Package Thefts Continue

2009-12-14T21:37:00.000-08:00

A package was recently stolen from a front porch on Gifford Way. SONA's off-duty patrol officers are on the lookout but we should be too. Pay attention to strange cars and pedestrians. Alert our off-duty patrol officers to anything or anyone suspicious by calling 243-9453 or emailing sona4@sacsheriff.com.

Crime Alert!

2009-12-11T12:17:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, 10/31/2009 , in the afternoon, a dark colored mid sized sedan going south on Royce Way abruptly stopped in the middle of the street next to a parked truck. A young male, perhaps in his twenties, possibly Southeast Asian or Hispanic, jumped out of his car and leaned into the open window of the truck then jumped back in his car and sped away. We contacted the homeowner and the workman that had the truck reported that his cell phone charger had been cut and his cell phone stolen. This was reported to the sheriff and our street's neighborhood watch but is a great reminder to keep your vehicle windows up and doors locked at all time.

Stolen Bike

2009-11-11T17:16:00.000-08:00

The 2-wheel, blue and pink Cinderella bike of a 6 year old girl in our neighborhood was stolen off her front porch on Saratoga Circle on Tuesday. It has large white wheels, a plastic zippered purse on the handle bars, a toy carrier over the back wheel, and a Cinderella motif on the cross bar. If you have any information about this crime please contact Dominique Patrick at 747-7328.

Recent Auto Theft

2009-10-26T15:16:00.000-07:00

At 11:15 am Saturday a dark green/teal colored mid size sedan (possibly a dodge intrepid) driven by one white female and one black female burgled a red pick up truck in a driveway on the corner of Baldwin and Huntington. The two gals walked by the house first at 10:58 am and came back to steal the contents in the car (inc. a wallet). The owners window was open, he was on the side of the house working. The incident was captured on video surveillance from the house across the street. A license plate could not be made. The thieves were charging on the victims credit cards within 15 minutes - gas and sundries at Watt and Fair Oaks and a restaurant in S. Sac. Please be on the lookout for the suspicious car and any suspicious lookey loo pedestrians.

Sierra Oaks School in Lockdown

2009-10-09T13:54:00.000-07:00

Law enforcement officers are searching near Fair Oaks Boulevard and Watt Avenue for two men suspected of robbing and stabbing a jewelry distributer.

Sacramento County Sheriff's Department spokesman Sgt. Tim Curran said that at about 10 a.m. today two men approached a jewelry distributer who was visiting a jewelry business near Fair Oaks Boulevard and Munroe Street. When the distributer was at his vehicle in a parking lot, he was stabbed in the upper chest by one of the robbers.

The victim was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive. The two suspects were seen leaving in a car, which was seen by a California Highway Patrol officer near Fair Oaks Boulevard and Watt Avenue.

The two suspects got out of the vehicle and fled on foot. Two females were riding with the male suspects and have been detained.

Law enforcement officers flooded the area to look for the suspects, described as Hispanic men in their early 20s with short dark hair or shaved heads. One man has been detained, but it is unclear whether he is involved, Curran said.

Deputies and other officers are searching a wide area from Watt Avenue to Munroe Street.

For student safety, Sierra Oaks School near Fair Oaks Boulevard and Watt Avenue was put in lockdown. Students are being kept inside buildings at the San Juan Unified School district kindergarten through eighth-grade campus at 171 Mills Road.

SONA ANNUAL FALL MEETING

2009-10-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

Meet your neighbors and learn about what's happening in your neighborhood!

Wednesday, October 14th
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Sierra Oaks School Multipurpose Room

SCAM ALERT!

2009-09-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

A young caucasion man in his early to mid twenties, about 6' tall with short brown hair, and a muscular/fit build has been visiting homes in our neighborhood the last few weeks soliciting donations for an organization that does not exist. This is an account of what recently took place at a home on Huntington Road:

He was wearing red athletic shorts, fancy Nike tennis shoes and an athletic tank top. He claimed to be a "neighbor" and used this term extensively saying he lived at the other end of the street with his mother--Susan Peters. He also claimed to be a baseball player who was attending Cal. He said that his promising baseball career was interrupted by an injury and so he had to take some time off. He talked about working for the Nike camps and that there would be information coming shortly on possible Nike baseball camps coming to Sacramento in the summer. He rambled and asked questions of the homeowners, then he launched in to the need for money to fund his baseball team's trip to Hawaii to play in some tournament/championship. He indicated this excursion had a linkage to the Nike camp organization. He claimed his father had funded half the money needed for the team to go, and that the team had to raise the remaining funds. He kept reminding the homeowners that his father had pitched in a lot of money and he did not need to be asking for it, but was trying to be a team player. He constantly referred to neighbors up and down the street who had agreed to help him and how he was offering to wash windows or detail cars as part of the deal. He then showed us the ways we could support his team in the form of sponsorships of schools, books for donation to schools, etc. The homeowners noticed that the Nike reference was nowhere to be found on the materials and the school to be sponsored did not have an address. When the young man was asked some questions, he started his downward spiral of anger about the homeowners not giving him any money. He immediately took the materials back, after warning us not to remove any of the materials from the plastic cover they were pre sented in, and concluded we were not going to help him out. Neighbors should help out neighbors, he claimed...this is how we do things on the west coast. He left the home.

IF THIS YOUNG MAN COMES TO YOUR DOOR, DO NOT ENGAGE WITH HIM. PLEASE TRY AND TAKE NOTE OF THE TIME, AND A DETAILED DESCRIPTION, THEN EMAIL THE DETAILS TO sona4@sacsherrif.com

Don't Leave Garage Door Openers in Cars Parked at Home

2009-09-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

A 2008 Honda and new moutain bikes were stolen out of a garage on Huntington Road recently. The thieves got into the garage by getting ahold of the electronic garage opener from the car parked in the driveway. IF YOUR CAR IS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE YOUR GARAGE DOOR OPENER INSIDE.

SONA CRIME PREVENTION AT WORK!

2009-08-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

Several crime attempts have been averted recently:

- A front gate a neighbor's home on Kadema near Moffatt was kicked at 1:30 pm today but barking dogs sent the intruder away. SONA off-duty Sheriff's patrol has been alerted.

- On garbage pick-up day one of our neighbors noticed someone rifling through recycling containers along his street and removing paper documents. This individual was retrieving recycled papers with homeowner identity information to facilitate identity theft. The perpetrator has been apprehended but let this serve as a reminder to shred any paper with personal information before placing it in any waste or recycling container!

SIERRA OAKS SOCCER CAMP

2009-08-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

SIERRA OAKS SOCCER CLUB & CHALLENGER SPORTS PRESENT BRITISH SOCCER CAMP
AUGUST 10-14, 2009 at Sierra Oaks School
A week of quality soccer instruction right in your own neighborhood! Scheduled to help get ready for the fall soccer season! Upgrade your playing skills, or get a great introduction to soccer. All are welcome, but space is limited.Next week's long soccer camp contains Challenger’s own brand of innovative practices; small sided games; camp world cup; cultural education; character building; and FUN!· British Coaching Staff· Individual skill development· Daily World Cup style Tournament· Fantastic cultural experience· Free Soccer Ball & Camp T-Shirt!
Session spots are still available. For signup details visit https://registration.challengersports.com/FindACamp/FindACamp.asp?Method=CampSession&Key=019251&~=

Construction Progressing at Sierra Oaks School

2009-08-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

It is dusty, dirty and noisy at Sierra Oaks School...lots of construction has been going on! There are many upgrades underway, several of which are already complete.

Front of School & Parking Lot:

New wider sidewalks added in front of the school and by Discovery Club.
Parking spaces added directly in front including a new handicapped ramp that will allow much safer access.
Older cement benches were removed and new benches will be added.
Access to the side door of the MP room has been improved.
Parking lot will be resurfaced to eliminate the ruts and potholes.
Grass area in front will have automatic sprinklers and will have fresh sod placed.
Flag pole moved to the front of campus.
Mulberry trees and boxwoods removed. New trees and seating will be added directly in front of the kindergarten wing.
Sidewalk into the campus will be moved and enlarged.
New containment area for garbage cans that will look a bit less ugly.

Courtyard:

All but three large trees have been removed (Mrs. Kenfield argued the case for keeping the large beautiful trees the arborist recommended removing). Area has been graded flat. Two additional trees will be added. Seating will be added around all trees in the form of a planting box.
Grey colored cement will allow the courtyard to be used safely.

Kindergarten:

Asphalt pathways have been removed and cement sidewalks have been added. Grading done to prevent flooding areas.

CALLING FOR SOCCER PLAYERS!

2009-08-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

The Sierra Oaks Soccer League is currently looking for a few more 8-13 year old boys and girls to complete a few of it teams. Registration fees for these teams are 80.00 per player. If you know of friends and family who may be looking to play, visit sosoccer.org or contact Shannon Hall at Shannonhall@sosoccer.org or at 333-4081.

Police Get $9.5 Million in Stimulus Money; Sheriff Shut Out

2009-07-31T16:09:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Police Department will receive $9.5 million in federal stimulus money to help fund the hiring and rehiring of dozens of officers. The money -- part of $1 billion in grants handed out nationwide under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 -- will fund between 30 and 35 Sacramento police officer positions over the next three years, federal and police officials said. The department has 696 officers, down from around 800 two years ago, spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong said. Other area law enforcement agencies that will receive funding include:
• Auburn: $262,225
• Grass Valley: $279,137
• Marysville: $281,833
• Placerville: $320,141
• West Sacramento: $973,356
• Woodland: $836,190
Sheriff John McGinness said he was shocked to see his department wasn't on the list of departments set to receive stimulus funds. "I can't imagine we wouldn't be. Nobody is taking a bigger hit than we are," McGinness said. "I'm stunned." McGinness said he had applied for $32 million in stimulus funds and had guessed that his department would at least get half that much.
"I don't know what may have gone wrong. I still hold hope. We haven't seen the whole list."
Sacramento County faced a massive deficit -- as much as $180 million -- before the Board of Supervisors made significant cuts across departments including the sheriff's. The board passed a $2 billion general fund budget last month.
Throughout the fiscal carnage, officials have regularly said stimulus funds could ease the pain. McGinness said he hadn't budgeted assuming the stimulus money would be there, but he had hoped the funds would minimize the layoffs that are set to take effect this Saturday. The department is scheduled to lay off more than 130 sworn officers.
http://www.sacbee.com/ourregion/story/2064021.html
Published Tuesday, Jul. 28, 2009

Who Will Be There When You Need Help? Maybe No One If You Don't Speak Up!

2009-07-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

Attend the SACRAMENTO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING

When: Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Time: 2:45 Agenda Time for Sheriff Presentation;
Citizen comments allowed at conclusion of Sheriff Presentation

Where: County Administration Center, 700 H Street Room 1450

Why: Tell your Board of Supervisors that your safety matters and help keep Sacramento County…YOUR COMMUNITY… a thriving place to live and work!!

THE FACTS
· The Sac County Sheriff’s Dept currently patrols 844 Square Miles and serves over half a million citizens.
· This fiscal year the Sheriff Dept has taken $57 Million of the County of Sacramento’s $180 Million budget deficit.
· That amount of money has caused the Sheriff’s Dept to cut 209 FULL TIME DEPUTIES, 50 civilian Employees AND OVER 400 ON CALL DEPUTIES come August 1, 2009.
· Although the Sheriffs Department makes up only 7% of the county budget, the department is being held responsible for 31% of the 2009‐2010 total deficit.
· To help ease the deficit, deputies voted to give up the raises they were contracted to receive for the next two years, while the Board of Supervisors allocated $8.6 MILLION TO THE GOLF FUND (a program designed to maintain aging county golf courses, which in 2005 was stated to be a self‐sufficient program) (SACBEE.COM).

BECAUSE OF THE LOOMING STAFFING SHORTAGE

· Proactive Law Enforcement activities will BE SEVERELY DIMINISHED.
· The 38 cars currently patrolling will be reduced to 10 cars, pre-1970 patrol staffing levels (SACBEE.COM).
· Service Centers, Air Operations, and Problem Oriented Policing (POP) will cease to exist.
· If your business or your home has been burglarized, robbed, embezzled, or stolen from, YOU MAY NOT GET A RESPONSE!

River Cats Welcome SONA

2009-06-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

From The President

2009-06-10T00:16:00.001-07:00

Dear Neighbor,

A big thank you to everyone who attended the annual picnic and membership meeting at Oak Meadow park on Sunday. We had another great turnout with family, friends and neighbors enjoying a relaxing and fun afternoon with good eats, live music and plenty of activities for the kids. Special guests from the Sheriff and Fire Departments, as well as Councilmember Steve Cohn, were in attendance. It was a great opportunity for neighbors to come together to get to know one another. Thanks to all who supported the event by volunteering their time.

We also held our bi-annual meeting and elected a new Board of Directors. Returning to the Board are Mike Bowman, Melinda Eppler, Bob Williams, Michelle Espy, Elizabeth Shults, Linda Kuachusri and Ray Barsch. New members include Guy Brown and Eric Milstein. Congratulations to everyone and thank you for your commitment to our neighborhood.

A special thank you to outgoing president Thomas Dodson who has been a huge asset to the Board over the past two years. On behalf of the Board and entire neighborhood I would like to thank Thomas for his tremendous contribution to our neighborhood. Thomas single-handedly established our neighborhood website presence and was instrumental in securing our participation in the Sacramento County Off-Duty Sheriff Patrol Program. His commitment to our community has been invaluable. Thank you!

We still have a few open Board positions. We are in particular need of members with an interest in helping maintain our website and blog, as well as producing our neighborhood newsletters. If you want to get involved and become a part of the Board please contact us via the SONA website or by telephone at 916.557.1427. It's a great opportunity to share your knowledge and experience, and make a difference in our community!

The Board has already started working on our next membership meeting which is traditionally held at Sierra Oaks School in the Fall. Key topics of discussion will include the success of our off-duty patrol program and how it will impact our dues structure to continue providing this valuable service into the future. With our City and County officials facing budget deficits and proposing to cut their public safety budgets, we want to ensure we are continuing to provide the level of service we value despite these tough economic times. The off-duty Sheriff’s patrol guarantees that we have regular law enforcement coverage in our neighborhood. At a cost per member household of less than $15 per month, it is well worth it.

In the interim, please visit our website -- www.sierraoaksneighborhood.org -- to get the latest information on SONA. And please share this email with a neighbor as we want to get as many people in the community engaged and talking about the exciting things SONA is accomplishing.

Mike Bowman
President, SONA
www.sierraoaksneighborhood.org

Sunday Sunday Sunday!

2009-06-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

We look forward to seeing everyone Sunday at 4pm! The annual SONA picnic will take place at Oak Meadow park, along Kadema.

6/3/09 Report

2009-06-03T20:04:00.001-07:00

I spoke to numerous citizens today regarding the UPS thefts,,, they seemed to be aware of it and were on the lookout. I waved down the UPS truck on Kadema, he was aware of the problem and said all the drivers were being vigilant. No suspicious characters or vehicles in the neighborhood today, so all is well.Dep Jan Zeboski 215-5672

COUNTING ALL CALIFORNIANS IN 2010

2009-06-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

The Neighborhood Services Department and the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are teaming up and gearing up for Sacramento's Regional Census Outreach. We want to make sure all Californians are counted, that our community has a voice and receives needed resources. This meeting is an opportunity to discuss community outreach and how-to reach the hard-to-count people in our community.

COUNTING ALL CALIFORNIANS IN 2010
Date: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Location: Oak Park Community Center - Multi-Purpose Room
3425 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard, Sacramento
Time: 8:30 AM - Noon
Noon - Community Networking Lunch (Lunch is provided with RSVP)
Training: 1:00 - 3:00 PM by the U. S. Census Bureau
RSVP: June 10, 2009 to http://www.californiacompletecount.org/

Please review and share the attached flyer with your neighbors, friends and family. Thank you!

Vincene R. Jones

June 1 Patrol

2009-06-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

Today was very busy. There were two alarm calls and I did two patrol requests for the vacant homes on Kadema. I then checked the residence on Gifford Way and found the sliding door open, setting off the alarm. I checked the residence and met with the daughter and secured the house.I also checked the parks and stopped to talk with several residents. Four hours never went by so fast...Have a great week!

Leadership Change

2009-06-01T12:27:00.000-07:00

I want to let you all know that after two years as President of the Sierra Oaks Neighborhood Association I am stepping aside. Vice President Mike Bowman will take over as President at the annual picnic on June 7. Mike will do a tremendous job. Please show him the support you have shown me over these past couple of years.

Serving Sierra Oaks has been an immense pleasure for me. I am proud to have played a small role in both the hiring of the Sheriff and the SONA blog - two items that have made our neighborhood a safer and better place to live. I am looking forward to spending some extra time with my family.

Thomas Dodson

UPS Theft

2009-05-26T21:00:00.000-07:00

This comes from a neighbor on Sierra Oaks Drive.
Hi-I am writing to you to report some thefts in the neighborhood today of UPS packages. Today there were 2 packages delivered to my doorstep by UPS. I saw the UPS man deliver both packages but when the doorbell rang I had two babies in my arms and couldn't immediately grab the packages. Within one minute or so we saw a lady come up to the doorstep and take one of the packages. I ran outside and saw a lady in a blue Geo Metro speeding out of our driveway at 3324 Sierra Oaks Drive. When I looked down, I noticed she had left a new package on our doorstep, one addressed to 3394 Sierra Oaks Drive. That package had been opened.

When my husband delivered the package to 3394 Sierra Oaks Drive they discovered that another package delivered by UPS to their doorstep had been opened and stolen.

I tried to contact UPS to report the problem so that the driver could be aware that someone was following him and stealing packages, but was told that I would have to contact the shipper and have them contact UPS directly. I have since also contacted the shipper.

I just thought I'd report the problem to SONA directly so that all neighbors could be aware of the problem of stolen UPS packages.

Suspicious Person

2009-05-24T12:36:00.001-07:00

While walking my dog this (Saturday May 24th ) morning at 6:20 AM, I watched a vehicle coming east on American River Drive turn on to Moffat. That is the route I normally take so I followed. He turned right onto Kadema and then parked under the power lines. By the time I caught up to him he had parked and was walking east on Kadema looking in the windows of some cars parked in front of one home. When he saw me he acted as though he was talking on his cell phone and immediately went back to his car and drove away.

Vehicle license number is CA. 6DVF 205 and was a white Mazda two door with a large dent in the drivers door. The individual was tall, slender build, mid twenties, very short hair, and had a script tattoo on the back of his neck. He was wearing an unbuttoned plaid shirt with a t shirt under it and baggy shorts.

My observing him clearly made him nervous and I thought was worth reporting.

Horseback rider drowns trying to ford American River

2009-05-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

Published Sunday, May. 24, 2009
A horseback rider drowned Saturday evening when he fell off his horse while trying to ford the swift-moving American River near Howe Avenue.
Divers found the body about two hours after witnesses reported the accident at 5:12 p.m.
Sacramento Fire and Sacramento County Sheriff's Drowning Accident Rescue Team members pulled the body from the river at 9:30 p.m.
The victim remained unidentified Saturday night.
The drowning prompted fire officials to issue a stark warning for the Memorial Day weekend. "This is yet another tragic reminder of how strong the rivers currents are," Fire Capt. Jim Doucette said. "No one should assume otherwise."
According to witnesses, two riders on horseback were on the north side of the river. One began to cross the river. His horse lost its footing but righted itself, and the rider took it back to the riverbank.
"We thought, 'Well, he got lucky,' " said one of the witnesses, Jeff Tillery.
The rider tried it again, but this time, he and the horse began spinning in the current, according to witness accounts. The rider fell off his mount about 20 yards out from the bank and began yelling for help and that he couldn't swim.
Two bystanders swam out to him. One of the would-be rescuers, David Benning, said the other swimmer reached the victim who pulled him under. Benning said he tried to swim around behind the victim but the man went down and didn't come back up.
"It was the strangest thing," Benning said. "There was no flailing, nothing. He just didn't come back up. It's like he went into an empty pit."
Benning dove at the spot and reached bottom, but couldn't find the victim in the murky water. Both would-be rescuers made it safely back to the riverbank. The horse also swam back to land.
Sacramento County park rangers said the second rider told them he warned the victim, whom he knew only by first name, not to try to cross the river.
"This is a head-scratcher," said Sacramento County park ranger Steve Ingalls. "I've never seen a drowning like this before."

Mayoral Town Hall, May 21

2009-05-15T08:25:00.000-07:00

Click on the image for complete details.

SASD Service Levels Report Card for 2008

2009-05-15T08:18:00.001-07:00

Neighborhood Association Nights with the River Cats

2009-05-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Through our relationship with the Sacramento River Cats, Neighborhood Association families and friends are able to enjoy premium seating at a reduced rate for the most popular games this season!

Buy Tickets Now
Password: Neighbor
Game Dates:
¨ Saturday, June 13, 7:05 pm – Sutter Health Post Game Fireworks!
¨ Sunday, July 19, 1:05 pm – Dinger’s Birthday and US Bank Kids Day!
¨ Sunday, August 23, 1:05 pm – US Bank Kids Day!
Locations:
¨ Senate Box Seats $18
¨ Gold Rush Seats $16
¨ Delta Box Seats $12
¨ Lawn $7
Benefits and Promotions:
¨ To view up-coming River Cats promotions click here!
¨ No ticket service fees!
¨ Up to $4 off for Neighborhood Association family and friends!
¨ Special welcome message on the matrix board!
Tickets are subject to availability
For groups of 20 or more contact Ashley Auld at 916-376-4778 or aauld@rivercats.com

Parks Cuts

2009-05-12T15:44:00.001-07:00

Dear Fellow Neighborhood/Community Leader:

I am the chair of the Parks Committee of the Land Park Community Association and we are tremendously concerned with the impact that the City’s proposed layoff of 50% of the city’s park maintenance workers will have on city parks. Under the City Manager’s proposed budget, 100 full-time park workers and dozens more seasonal and part-time workers will be dismissed. As you may have read in a Bee article last Thursday, the proposed cuts will:

(1) Reduce now weekly grass mowing to once every two to three weeks;
(2) Result in park trash being emptied only once or twice a week instead of the current daily emptying of cans; and
(3) Close all park restrooms, except for special events.

Park garbage cans will be overflowing much of the time in many of our parks. The lack of regular mowing during summer months will make it unsanitary and unsafe for families to hold picnics or children to play baseball or soccer. The closing of park restrooms will be a public health disaster that will impact not only our parks and park goers, but nearby residents and businesses as well.

As the neighborhood with Sacramento's largest park, Land Park, we did not feel that we could sit idly by and let city parks become ruined. We believe that if the City Council makes intelligent budget choices, even in this bad budget year, our parks can be saved from ruin. Our “Parks Budget Working Group” has been studying the issue in cooperation with City staff and has several sound ideas for spending reforms. We are also certain that others also have excellent ideas to share for dealing with the funding crisis in ways that do not render our parks virtually unusable.

But we are just one neighborhood group among many. To protect our parks from this threat, we firmly believe that we all need to unite into a coalition to make the strongest possible case to the City Council for changing the City’s spending priorities to protect basic, park maintenance funding. It falls to us, as neighborhood and community leaders, to lead this campaign. We have given this joint effort the name “Rescue Sacramento Parks” (e-mail: rescuesacparks@gmail.com).

We are putting out a call to all of Sacramento’s neighborhood and community leaders, concerned citizens, park users and other friends of local parks to join us at an urgent “Community Summit” to help organize efforts to rescue our parks from the coming disaster. The community summit will be this Thursday, May 14th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Eskaton Monroe Lodge at 3225 Freeport Blvd. , Sacramento , CA 95818 . We hope you can come or can send a representative in your place.

We apologize for the short notice, but the City Manager just released his proposed budget last week and the City Council is holding its public hearing on the budget just a week from today, at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19th. For our voices to be heard, we must act swiftly to rescue Sacramento ’s parks. If you have any questions, please e-mail me at ckpinsacto@aol.com or call me at 456-9839. We hope to see you on Thursday night. And we encourage you to bring along fellow board members of yours and others who may have interest in lending support to the effort. Thank you for your support of Sacramento's parks.

Very truly yours,

Craig Powell, Chair
Parks Committee
Land Park Community Association

P.S. If you are unable to attend the “community summit,” but your group would like to join the effort to rescue Sacramento parks, you can do so in two ways: (1) let us know that your group would like to be counted as a supporter of “Rescue Sacramento Parks;” and (2) send e-mail alerts to your group’s members alerting them to the peril posed by these cuts and encouraging them to contact members of the City Council, as well as attend the City Council hearing on May 19th. We have attached a template of such an alert that you might find helpful.

If your group is unable to join the “Rescue Sacramento Parks,” you may still wish to offer your individual name and title to the effort and help send the signal to the City Council that community leaders are standing up to protect the health and vitality of their parks and neighborhoods. Thank you, again.

A Neighbor's View

2009-05-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

This comes from a resident on University. They also sent along this article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/01/AR2009050101657.html?hpid=smartliving

We love our home and neighborhood, but it absolutely kills us that we don't know our neighbors, or even know anyone in the neighborhood with kids for our child to play with (the people we meet at neighborhood parks either 1) don't talk to us even though we say hi, 2) talk to us and note that they're from outside the neighborhood, or 3) talk to me and ask if I'm "the nanny" -- we don't know how else to meet neighborhood people with kids besides knocking on doors, but that would probably get us in trouble.

We consider moving from Sierra Oaks on a daily basis because of feelings of isolation. Anything more we should be doing to be neighborly? Appreciate SONA's services and any insights.

Sacramento Area Sewer District Service Levels Report Card

2009-05-07T14:39:00.001-07:00

At the District, we continually ask ourselves, "How do we measure up?" to get a sense for how well we are serving our customers, meeting their expectations, and fulfilling our mission.

In talking with our customers and stakeholders, we have identified a core set of seven service levels that are particularly important to (and clearly affect) our customers. Simply put, these levels measure the aspects of our service that customers care about most.

Drawing on the feedback that customers and stakeholders provided during a series of focus groups, phone interviews and surveys, we have worked hard to develop and refine appropriate categories for measuring how well we deliver our services and meet our mission. View the Service Levels Report Card website at http://www.sacsewer.com/reportcard.html.

For more information about this program, or to provide your feedback about the service levels, please contact Erin Harper, Asset Manager, at (916) 876-6958 or via e-mail at harpere@sacsewer.com.

Sheriff's K9 Volunteer Program

2009-05-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

This comes from Deputy Brian Amos.

We are recruiting volunteers for the SSD K9 program. Sally Giancanelli, a resident of Arden Park, is our volunteers coordinator. The volunteers would help us promote our fundraising events and assist in building our K9 association. We really could use the help. We had our first meeting Saturday. It would be great if we could add a few more volunteers. Our K9 office and training field is located off American River Drive at the Sheriff's academy so the meetings are not far. Interested parties can contact me by phone or email 916 606-0733 bamos@sacsheriff.com.

Thanks!

Deputy Brian Amos & K9 Jesse

Sacramento County Sheriff's Department

http://www.ssdk9.com/

Bamboo Classic

2009-05-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

Get a jumpstart on the golf tournament season! The Sacramento Asian Chamber of Commerce (SACC) is holding its’ 15th Annual Bamboo Golf Classic on Friday, May 8th, 2009 at the BEAUTIFUL AND CHALLENGING Yocha-De-He Golf Club at Cache Creek Casino Resort. If you or anyone else would like to sign up for a foursome, please fill out the attached form and send, along with a check payable to the Sacramento Asian Chamber of Commerce to:

ATTN: Karen Nelson
Sacramento Asian Chamber of Commerce
2012 H Street, Suite 202
Sacramento, CA 95811

Picnic Activities

2009-04-30T16:37:00.000-07:00

We plan to get a band, clown, etc. for this year's SONA picnic just like last year. But is there anything YOU want to contribute? Do you want to perform? Paint faces? We are open to all ideas! Thanks.

SONA Picnic Is Just 5 Weeks Away!

2009-04-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

The annual SONA picnic will be held the afternoon of Sunday, June 7th at Oak Meadow Park. This year's picnic will be bigger and better than ever before. We hope to see you there!

Golf Tournament

2009-04-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

This comes from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department. (click on images for complete details)

We are striving for 36 foursomes and sponsors on every hole. We had 18 foursomes last year. The tournament is on Monday June 29th at Morgan Creek Golf and Country Club near Roseville. I have attached our tournament flyer with all of the information.The money goes to our non-profit K9 Association that covers vet bills for our retired K9 partners. Our website explains much more about our association (www.ssdk9.com)Hopefully the neighborhood could get a couple foursomes together.

Theft Alert

2009-04-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

This comes from a neighbor on ARD.

I wanted to pass along some information I recently acquired which will be of interest to our neighbors and off-duty sheriff. It concerns a different, though less noticed aspect of crime in our neighborhood. It's well known that a large proportion of our neighbors utilize gardening services for their lawn maintenance, and consequently we see a number of gardeners working in Sierra Oaks throughout the day and early evening. I, too, have employed a gardener, and he services a number of lawns in Sierra Oaks. He reported to me that a few weeks ago, on a Thursday evening at around 6 pm, his pickup truck with his equipment loaded in the back was parked in front of my house on the 3000 block of American River Drive, and while returning to the front yard from the back yard he noticed that a black Ford Expedition had pulled up next to his truck. Four African-American youths (described as being in their late teens to early twenties) were reaching into the back of his pickup truck and tried to remove the edger and blower machines, though they were unsuccessful because the equipment was locked down with a cable. The gardener then ran toward the young men, one of whom grabbed a loose container with several gallons of gasoline for the lawn movers. They jumped back in their vehicle and sped off with the gasoline container. The gardener also informed me that his gasoline container was stolen from the back of his pickup truck while he was working in the back yard of a home on Hathaway Court. He has spoken with other gardeners in the area who report similar experiences. It has now become almost standard practice for gardeners to lock their equipment to the truck floor with security cables, and most gardeners who work in pairs split up so that one is always in the front yard while the other works in the back yard. Occasionally, however, a piece of equipment will be left unlocked on the back of the truck and thieves will quickly run away with a blower machine, edger, or even a lawn mower when they pull up with a large truck of their own. These expensive items are now apparently highly coveted by thieves, so everyone should be alert and instruct their service people to do the same.

Armed Robbery Alert

2009-04-24T11:21:00.000-07:00

A woman was robbed at gunpoint, in her own garage on Thor (near Fair Oaks & Walnut). She was apparently followed home from Arden Hills Country Club at 9p on Monday eve.

When she pulled into her garage, she was trapped in by a car with 2 men. It was a 2-door white car, no plates. One man was white, one was darker complexioned, both wearing hooded sweatshirts. One held a gun to her stomach, both shouting demanding money. Her 6 year old daughter was in the car with her and witnessed the whole thing. She gave them all her cash plus her diamond wedding ring, and they fled.

Please watch your mirrors – the sheriff said it can happen anytime of day, so if someone follows you for more than 2 or 3 turns, do not go home or anywhere else you could be trapped.

Pancake Breakfast

2009-04-23T08:05:00.001-07:00

Sierra Oaks school will be hosting their first annual Pancake Breakfast this Saturday April 25 from 8-10am in the Sierra Oaks MP room. Tickets are $5 at the door and include pancakes, sausage, juice , milk or coffee. All proceeds benefit the Sierra Oaks PTA. We would be thrilled to see lots of neighbors!

Thank you so much, Cheryl Chamness (283-6234)

April 21 Patrol Report

2009-04-21T21:50:00.000-07:00

We took a burglary report from the 2900 block of Latham today. The woman stated she had left her garage door open on Saturday. Sometime during the day someone stole a mountain bike out of the garage. No suspect was seen. We also contacted the UPS driver in the area of Westcott and I advised her of the package theft issue. She told me she was not aware it was a problem in our area, but would pass the info on to the other drivers in the area. We contacted a female resident on Crocker who said her husband's 1902 steam car had caught on fire Saturday, after a short drive in the neighborhood. The fire was only on part of the seat and a side panel. It was pretty amazing to see that car. We did all the vacation checks and checked on the vacant residences. A very beautiful day in the neighborhood, with all the flowers blooming.

Zig-zag lines being painted on purpose

2009-04-21T11:37:00.001-07:00

LOUDOUN -- Behind the wheel, you want the least amount of distraction possible. So why is a local transportation agency painting crooked lines on the road on purpose?
The Virginia Department of Transportation says it's part of a safety campaign to get drivers to slow down in a high pedestrian and bicycle area. The 500 feet of zig-zagging lines are painted on the ground on Belmont Ridge Road, where it intersects with the Washington and Old Dominion trail in Loudoun County.
"It is a low cost strategy to get motorists to slow down as they approach the bike trail and pedestrian path," says VDOT's Mike Salmon. "While at first motorists may be a little disoriented, the main point is to get them to pay attention and slow down through that area."
There are plans to also paint the crooked lines on Sterling Boulevard where it intersects with the W&OD trail.
VDOT says similar programs have been successful in the United Kingdom and Australia. The transportation agency will study the zig-zagging lines for a year and see if they actually reduce speeds.
If the lines prove effective, you can expect to see more of them on the ground.

Suspicious Car

2009-04-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

If you see a Black Acura TL (license plate #4LVY500) driving slowly through Sierra Oaks, call the police immediately and report it as a suspicious vehicle. This car was spotted cruising the neighborhood last night.

For non-emergencies, call the Sierra Oaks off-duty deputy at (916) 243-9452. The email address is sona4@sacsheriff.com. You can also call Sacramento County Sheriff Non-Emergency at 874-5115 and Sacramento City Police Non-Emergency at 264-5471.

Book Fair

2009-04-15T11:54:00.001-07:00

SPRING SIERRA OAKS BOOK FAIR!
Special neighborhood hours!
Books for all ages at great prices!
Open to all on Saturday, April 25th, 8am – 10am
At the Sierra Oaks School Library
All proceeds benefit the Sierra Oaks PTA

Little White Birds?

2009-04-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know what the little white birds are that hang out near Oak Meadow Park and Breckenwood? I have seen about 20 of them. They look like miniature egrets.

Census Takers in Sacramento

2009-04-14T15:28:00.001-07:00

Who’s that unknown person walking around, knocking on doors, and calling on you? It could be a U.S. Census worker as they begin to canvas neighborhoods in Sacramento.
The Census Bureau has launched a massive address canvassing operation to verify and update more than 145 million addresses as it prepares to conduct the 2010 Census. The Address canvassing began on April 6 and will run until June 12. In most cases, census workers will knock on residents’ doors to verify addresses, and to determine if there are additional living quarters on the properties.
The U.S. Constitution requires that everyone living in the United States be counted every 10 years. "The goal of the census is to count everyone once, only once, and in the right place," said Ralph Lee, Seattle Regional Director from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Census workers can be identified by the official blue and white Census Bureau badge, and carrying an electronic hand held computer and a black canvas bag with the Census Bureau written on it. Census workers will never ask for bank or social security information, and will not ask to come into your home. Census workers will be out during daylight hours, seven days a week. Residents can contact the Census Office at (209) 235-3471 if they want the identity of the worker verified.

2009-04-12T03:05:00.000-07:00

Package Theft Alert

2009-04-09T07:40:00.000-07:00

This comes from one of our regular deputies.

Dear Mr. Dodson, Today I came across a suspicious cardboard box on Mertice Ct, it turned out to be a stolen package from ____ American River Dr and also inclosed was a plastic mail bag from ___ El Chorro. I made contact at both residences and advised the peolpe to make a report with out service center. Both packages were UPS parcels. So I think we all need to watch the area when the UPS truck is around in case they are being followed by a suspicious package thief! Thefts occurred during the morning. Other than that it was a beautiful day in the Sierra Oaks neighborhood.

Children's Art Festival

2009-04-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

Both Country Day School and Sierra Oaks School are participating in a Children's Art Festival at St. Michael's Episcopal Day School on April 26. For complete details, click on the image below.

Tent City Perspective

2009-04-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

The following information is from the spring newsletter of the American River Parkway Preservation Society.

The Tent City & Parkway Advocacy
The entire incident of the tent city that has been allowed to form on open private land
adjacent to the American River Parkway.which in terms of preserving the Parkway.s
natural resources is .in. the Parkway.the international publicity arising from it, the
reaction and non-reaction of homeless advocates, public leadership, and Parkway
advocates, has provided important lessons for us all.
We saw, in the sudden outpouring of help that made its way to the tent city, the great
compassion Sacramento residents feel for those who are without the basics any decent life
requires food and shelter.and that says something very good about our community.

What we didn.t see is much of a call to protect the Parkway from the obvious stress being
placed on it by unrestricted camping, even though technically on private land, but so close
to it that the environmental damage impact of a large campground without any facilities
normally available, can only be imagined, but one can assume it will be significant.
From our perspective, the event is a pointed reminder.with the emergence of the tent city
as a public policy tool, and the Parkway as the de facto location (as it has been for many
years in the North Sacramento area of the Parkway) for camping by the homeless.that we
need a governing entity whose sole dedication and public advocacy is focused on protecting
the Parkway.

Looking at the development of this media/public policy event shows how misinformed all
of us were by the tsunami effect of its sudden bursting into prominence through exposure
on the major daytime television program, the Oprah show.

That initial exposure led to media reports from around the world.many of the reporters
traveling to Sacramento for first-hand stories.which then continued to feed the media
coverage with information, some of which was inaccurate.

The initial story on the Oprah show was primarily presented as being symbolic of the
housing crisis, with the focus being that the tent city was a direct result of people being
evicted from homes and having nowhere to go but Sacramento.s tent city and the other tent
cities around the nation.

As it turned out, local homelessness experts later noted that fully 90% of the residents of
Sacramento.s tent city were the chronic homeless, those folks who have been homeless for
years and are resistant to any offers of help.

It was also initially reported, and picked up by the media, that the population of the tent
city was over 1,200, which later turned out to be the total of the homeless population
currently in all local shelters, including the tent city. (Sacramento Bee excerpts on p. 3)
It is our contention that had a governing entity been in existence whose sole priority was
the American River Parkway, the results may have been quite different.

We have called for a Joint Power Authority (JPA) to be created to govern the Parkway and,
had a JPA been in place, the permanent management staff would have surely been on top
of this situation from the beginning, considering the direct and destructive environmental
impact it was.and is.having on the Parkway.

It is crucial that we give the Parkway a voice that has more public resonance than that of
the relatively small and inadequately staffed resources that the Parkway advocate groups
are able to bring to bear, when events of this magnitude arise that have the potential to
cause great harm to the Parkway.
____________________________________________________________________
(From the Sacramento Bee 3/14/09)
Across the country and around the world, newspaper readers and television viewers are
being introduced to the sprawling campground where 100 to 200 homeless men and
women sleep each night.
.The huge wave of media attention that followed a recent Oprah Winfrey program
featuring the tent city has spurred donations, ideas and volunteers. But it also has
complicated things for officials who suddenly have found themselves in the spotlight for all
the wrong reasons.
.But even advocates acknowledge that some of the reporting has been misleading or
downright inaccurate. Various media outlets have reported that 1,200 people live at the
camp, four to five times higher than the actual population of the tent city on any given
night, they said. The larger number represents the total number of homeless people living
in shelters, camps and other places in the Sacramento area.
.Some news organizations are erroneously portraying the tent city "as a refugee camp" for
formerly middle-class people who have been hit by the recession, said Tim Brown of the
Sacramento Ending Chronic Homeless Initiative.
"While it’s very true that we are seeing increasing numbers of middle-class families hitting
the streets, it’s still a very small percentage," Brown said. "At tent city, 90 percent of the
people are chronically homeless." (Some feel burned as media spotlight falls on
capital.s homeless camp, Cynthia Hubert, Sacramento Bee, March 14, 2009, p. 1A)
(Retrieved March 14, 2009 from http://www.sacbee.com/topstories/story/1698796.html
____________________________________________________________________

Friday Night Stop

2009-04-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

This is from one of our off duty deputies.
I stopped a man in his thirties riding a bike at around 10pm. I stopped him at Huntington & Mills. He was wearing all black clothes and a black beanie cap. He was not wanted nor was he on probation or parole. My senses told me he was up to no good because he lived in the Rancho Cordova area and his story was that he was out riding his bike for exercise. I ID'd him and sent him out of the area.

Daytime Theft

2009-04-02T07:52:00.001-07:00

This comes from one of our SONA members.

My address is 2690 Morley Way and on Thursday,March 26, at 4:30 P.M., daylight, someone driving a white van stole my ivy topiary in a very nice black pot from my front porch, right next to my doorway. Just thought SONA should know.

Sacramento Burglaries Rise At Alarming Rate

2009-04-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Burglaries jump in Sacramento's south area
blindelof@sacbee.com
Published Wednesday, Apr. 01, 2009
Sacramento's south area has seen a big spike in home burglaries -- a 59 percent increase since February.
Most of the burglaries happen during the day when homeowners are at work. Burglars first knock at the front door, and when they get no response, they go to the back of the house and break in through a window or door.
In response, the Sacramento Police Department is using special units to target the neighborhood crime. However, officers said the best defense are neighbors who spot suspicious activity and telephone the department.
In the past month, 17 burglars or prowlers have been arrested in the South Area with some of the suspects linked to several break-ins, police say. Some suspects -- many of them minors -- have been arrested for breaking into residences.
Police offer these tips to prevent burglaries and help recover stolen items:
• Keep a list of serial numbers for electronic devices.
• Install a burglar alarm
• Lock the gate to the back yard.
• Make sure all windows and doors are locked.
• Join a Neighborhood Watch group.
• Get to know your neighbors.
• Keep landscape bushes trimmed to reduce cover for possible burglars.
• Close blinds or curtains so prowlers can't see inside.
The Sacramento Police Department asks anyone with information about the recent burglary spree in South Sacramento to call Crime Alert at (916) 443-4357.

Watt @ 50 Open House

2009-03-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

There will be an open house tomorrow evening at Sierra Oaks School regarding the proposed Watt @ 50 construction project. Please click on the image for complete details.

New Look Sacramento PD Website

2009-03-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento Police Department has a new website. Check it out here.

Save The Date: Annual SONA Picnic

2009-03-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

The annual SONA picnic will be held the afternoon of Sunday, June 7th at Oak Meadow Park. Please mark your calendars now. More details to come...

Office Burglary Bust

2009-03-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

Deputies busted two burglars at the John Waddell & Co. office at 3416 American River Dr. early Sunday morning. The criminals triggered the silent alarm. One of the bad guys tried to hide in the attic. It didn't work.

Suspicious Activity

2009-03-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

This comes from a SONA member on Royce Way.

On March 14, 2009 at about 6:30 AM, I observed a white male late 20’s early 30’s sleeping in his car at the American River access on Kadema at Moffat. The vehicle was a white Chevy Cavalier with California license plates of 5SSR 561 and had an oval RB sticker (Redondo Beach) in the rear window.

This morning, March 15th at approximately 6:25AM, while leaving my home on Royce Way I noticed a man leaving the front porch of the home across the street at ____ Royce. He was wearing a black hooded long jacket and was approx 6’ to 6’ 3” 185 to 210 pounds and had a light complexion. When I walked out to the street he walked away from me toward Latham Dr . I followed about 25 yards behind him – he nervously turned to look at me a couple of times. When he got to Hobart Ct. off of Latham Dr. he turned and walked into the court. I could see a vehicle parked in the court - a dark colored early to mid 80’s Camaro or Firebird convertible. I kept walking but stopped on Latham beyond where he could see me. I heard the car door shut and he waited a minute or so before starting it and drove off turning right onto Sierra Oaks Drive then left (east) on American River Drive toward Watt Ave. I was unable to get a plate as the plate light was out. I returned to my house and reported this very suspicious activity to the Sac. Co. Sheriff non emergency number.

Fire Prevention Summit

2009-03-13T15:45:00.001-07:00

The Sacramento County Department of Regional Parks, the Sacramento City Fire Department and the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District will be hosting a fire prevention summit on March 28 at the Coloma Community Center, 4623 T Street. Click on the image for more details.

Communication and Media Office, Municipal Services Agency

Office: 916-875-1257
Fax: 916-875-4771

www.msa.saccounty.net

Car Break-In

2009-03-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

Good morning, I wanted to let you know that someone broke into my car last night. I live at ___ Gifford Way and my car was parked in the driveway. Someone broke the drivers side door but it does not look like they went any further then that, nothing was taken from the vehicle.

County DA Taking Sign-Ups For Citizen's Academy

2009-03-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office is now taking applications for its ninth annual Citizens Academy, a 10-week course designed to promote a better understanding of the local criminal justice system.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department and the Sacramento Police Department also participate in the program formed in 2002 by District Attorney Jan Scully and sponsored by her office.
Applications will be taken through March 27 for the course that begins April 14. The classes begin at 6 p.m. and run through 8:30 p.m. Sheriff John McGinness and Police Chief Rick Braziel will join Scully on the opening night of the course.
Defense attorneys and community groups also participate in the program.
To enroll, call Kelley Wilson at the DA's office at (916) 874-6722. For more information go to http://www.sacda.org/citizensacademy.

Popular American River Parkway parking area will require residential permit

2009-03-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

By Robert Lewis rlewis@sacbee.com
Published: Tuesday, Mar. 10, 2009 - 11:26 am

A popular parking spot for visitors to the American River Parkway will be restricted to residential permits.
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved making Bannister Road south of Fair Oaks Boulevard a residential permit parking area, the first such area in an unincorporated neighborhood. That area is popular for people who visit the north side of the San Juan rapids, said Steve Flannery, park ranger manager.
"It has that combination of being a beautiful spot and (having) free parking available," Flannery said.
The problem is the high traffic brings with it not just congestion but also fistfights, public drunkenness and other nuisances, Flannery said.
The county has had a residential parking permit program in place since October 2006 and four neighborhoods had initially applied for the program but there wasn't enough support from residents so the county never implemented the program, said Lu Li, a senior transportation engineer.
The Bannister Road area will be the first such zone in unincorporated Sacramento County.
"The residents and the school need some relief here," Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan said.

Maveric Is Home

2009-03-09T07:49:00.000-07:00

It seems Maveric ended up at the animal shelter. He is getting sprung this morning and will be home shortly. The Haynes family thanks everyone for their time.

MISSING DOG ALERT!

2009-03-08T19:10:00.000-07:00

We live on Latham. Our yellow lab got out on Sunday, March 8 around 1pm and several people said a man took him home. His name is Maveic. He is a 3-year-old yellow lab. He is about 100lbs and is very gentle. If anyone has any information please call 530-524-2977 or email me at e.haynes@hotmail.com. My wife and I greatly appreciate any assistance you can offer as he is our world!
-Eric and Lisa Haynes

Watt @ 50 Improvement Plan

2009-03-05T15:08:00.000-08:00

Sacramento County DOT is proposing a 4-year, $40 million improvement project for Watt Avenue at Highway 50. The attached documents illustrate some of the work. You can also click here to read more.

Please note: there will be an open house the evening of March 31 at Sierra Oaks School to discuss the plan. More details to come...

Annexation Options

2009-03-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

This comes from a November document produced by the City. The talk is heating up again. We are tracking this as it relates to Sierra Oaks. I have the complete document if anyone wants to see it.

The unincorporated Arden Arcade area is located northeast of the City of Sacramento at the convergence of several major freeways and thoroughfares. The area encompasses over 10,000 acres (15.6 square miles) and is bounded on the north by Auburn Boulevard and Winding Way, on the south by the American River and the Sacramento city limits, on the east by Walnut Avenue and the southeasterly extension of Arden Way, and on the west by the Sacramento city limits.

According to the 2000 Census there were 96,025 residents, 42,987 households, and 23,427 families residing in Arden Arcade in 2000. Total employment in Arden Arcade was estimated at 52,407.

Arden-Arcade is shown in the City’s draft 2030 General Plan as a "Special Study Area", as directed by Council. Council has expressed interest in considering whether annexation of such areas might be in the City's interest and whether the communities themselves would support annexation.

On February 27, 2007, the Arden-Arcade Incorporation Committee filed an application at the Sacramento Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) requesting incorporation. The proposed City boundary (excluding the area south of Fair Oaks Boulevard) encompasses an area of about 13 square miles and a population of about 90,000 people. LAFCo is responsible for determining whether incorporation is a viable option and whether the question of incorporation should proceed to ballot.

LAFCo has entered into a new contract with MuniFinancial to complete the required Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis (CFA). The CFA includes an alternative of annexation to the City of Sacramento. In support of that analysis, there are several policy issues to resolve if the City of Sacramento were to pursue annexation of the Arden-Arcade community.

These include:
• County revenue neutrality;
• Differing local tax structure and rates;
• Conveyance of Deficient Infrastructure
• Special districts;
• Employees and unions; and
• Elected officials /

Governance Prior to initiating an annexation, the City’s Sphere of Influence would need to be amended to include the Arden-Arcade area. The City of Sacramento would need to file an application to LAFCo for a Sphere Amendment. As part of this application, the City would need to prepare a Municipal Services Review, which LAFCo would analyze for infrastructure, service delivery, and cost issues.

If the Sphere of Influence amendment is amended to include Arden-Arcade, then the City of Sacramento could file an application with LAFCo for initiation of the annexation process. The City would be required to prepare a Plan for Services and reach accord with the County of Sacramento regarding a tax sharing agreement.

Following public hearings, if LAFCo approves the annexation, then the residents of Arden-Arcade could file a protest and LAFCo could order an election by all registered voters within Arden- Arcade area proposed for annexation. To date, Council has neither initiated a Sphere of Influence Amendment nor annexation of Arden Arcade, nor has the Council discussed the key policy issues. As discussed above, the City of Sacramento is only at a very early step in this complex process.

Rev. Jesse Jackson, Mayor Johnson launch 'Volunteer Sacramento'

2009-03-02T13:24:00.001-08:00

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, one of America's leading civil rights icons, today helped Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson launch "Volunteer Sacramento" - a campaign to recruit 350,000 to 500,000 volunteers to each give at least 10 hours of their time this year.
Jackson - a two-time candidate for president - captivated several hundred people at the downtown Boys & Girls Club with his trade-mark maxims and rhymes :
He got the crowd to "Repeat after me: Children remember more where you took them than what you bought them"
"The best of us who help the rest of us are the most blessed of us," Jackson declared. "We can't all be well-known but we can all be great because we can serve..,you never know when the seeds you plant are going to germinate."
Jackson, a community organizer in Chicago for 40 years who was at the Rev. Martin Luther King's side when he was assassinated in Memphis, called volunteering "the divine rule of reciprocity... you cannot give without receiving, you cannot take without losing."
Volunteerism can take many forms, Jackson said, mentoring, organizing, rebuilding, teaching and giving hope to those coming out of prison, those struggling with gangs and drugs, those who can't read and write.
One of those was Jackson's own grandmother, who was not going to vote for him for president "because she could neither read nor write. To go mark an X was embarrassing to her. She had so much wisdom and advice and she was not going to give it. And somebody volunteered to help mark that X."
Jackson noted that Rosa Parks and Cesar Chavez were both volunteers, along with the freedom riders who helped desegregate voting in the American south.
Johnson said he learned volunteerism from his grandfather, who would always stop to help drivers whose cars had flat tires or ran out of gas.
Two days before Christmas one year, Johnson remembers his grandather dragging him out of bed in the middle of the night, drving from Oak Park to the projects on Broadway and 5th Street, and telling him to ring a particular doorbell and give them $20, "which seemed like to $200" back then.
"A lady opened the door and I handed her the $20 and she starts crying," he said.
It wasn't until a few days later that Johnson's grandfather told him that the mother of eight had had all their Christmas presents stolen, Johnson said. "It's not a bout what you say, it's about what you do."
Joining Jackson and Johnson was state Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento who remembered there were always coaches, drama teachers, parents and other adults helping out in his San Francisco neighborhood.
"In these difficult times we must make sure that everything that's good in our communities continues," Steinberg said. "The greatest joy in life is volunteering, doing something, anything to help others. The beauty of volunteerism is that nobody tells you what you have to do - you choose what to do. "
Volunteers can sign up at www.handsonsacramento.org, or by calling 916/447-7063.

Walk to the Theater in the Neighborhood!

2009-02-26T14:55:00.000-08:00

The Sacramento Country Day High School production of Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” will be performed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 6, 7 & 8 in the school’s multi-purpose room at 2636 Latham Drive. The Friday and Saturday performances are at 7 p.m. and the Sunday performance is at 2 p.m. Students read the classic last year in their AP English class and decided to produce the play, a true American tragedy set during World War II. Tickets are $5, payable at the door.

American River Levee Improvements

2009-02-25T15:42:00.001-08:00

Congresswoman Matsui's office informed me that $13.5million in federal funds will be spent to improve the levee between Watt and Howe Avenues. Crews will spend the next 18 months raising both sides of the levee two additional feet.

There will be a lot more to come on this in the weeks and months ahead. I expect to hear from the Army Corps of Engineers as they plan their work.

Stay tuned...

Soccer Camp

2009-02-18T23:12:00.000-08:00

SIERRA OAKS SOCCER CLUB & CHALLENGER SPORTS PRESENT BRITISH SOCCER CAMP AUGUST 10-14, 2009 at Sierra Oaks School

A week of quality soccer instruction right in your own neighborhood! Scheduled to help get ready for the fall soccer season! Upgrade your playing skills, or get a great introduction to soccer. All are welcome, but space is limited.
This week long soccer camp contains Challenger’s own brand of innovative practices; small sided games; camp world cup; cultural education; character building; and FUN!
· British Coaching Staff
· Individual skill development
· Daily World Cup style Tournament
· Fantastic cultural experience
· Free Soccer Ball & Camp T-Shirt, plus receive this great looking Challenger jersey value $39 for free if you register on line by July 1st!

SIERRA OAKS SOCCER CLUB
AUGUST 10-14, 2009
Select from one of these sessions!
Ages 4-5 9:00 - 10:30am $85

Ages 4-5 10:40 – 12:10pm $85

Ages 6-14 9:00 – 12:00pm $110
Ages 6-14 1:00 – 4:00pm $110
Ages 8-14 9:00 - 4:00pm $157

Register on line https://registration.challengersports.com/FindACamp/FindACamp.asp?Method=CampSession&Key=019251&~=

Parks Patrol

2009-02-13T09:20:00.000-08:00

The Mission Oaks Park and Recreation District also has an off duty Sheriff's patrol. If the problem is in the park or involves the park, you can call the non-emergency dispatch number for the Sheriff's Dept. (874-5115) and ask for the "Mission Oaks Park Patrol Off Duty Officer". That may bring a quick response.

This is applicable for all the District's parks in our neighborhood (Sierra Oaks & Oak Meadow). While this is certainly another resource it is important to know that the District's parks extend almost up to Auburn Blvd. and the patrol officer may be on the other side of the District.

As always, if in doubt - 911 may be the best alternative.

Sierra Oaks School 50th Anniversary

2009-02-09T09:15:00.000-08:00

Sierra Oaks School is looking for graduates, former teachers and neighbors to help gather the school's history in preparation for its 50th anniversary next fall. Middle school students are working on a project to collect stories, recollections and photographs that show the history of the school, as well as the development of the surrounding Sierra Oaks neighborhood. Please contact Helen Diepenbrock, project coordinator, if you can share a story, provide photos, or know of anyone who attended the school in its early years. E-mail Helen at helendiep@sbcglobal.net

Wine Tasting Opportunity

2009-02-07T14:25:00.000-08:00

Each Wednesday I walk from my house at 2900 Kadema Dr. to David Berkely at the Pavillions for a phenomenal wine tasting and pairing with great food. It goes from 4-6pm every week and is put on by JeffreyDeVore, who knows more about wine and pairing food and wine than anyone I have ever met. He features a different winemaker each week who is there to answer questions about how the wines are made. If anyone wants to walk over with me or join me there and say hello, you will not be disappointed. Seasoned wine veterans and beginners alike will enjoy this event. The $5 tasting fee is refunded if you purchase a bottle of wine. If you want to walk over with me, I leave around 3:30pm every Wednesday. Feel free to meet me in front of my house. Jaimie Scott 916.971.1392 jaimie.scott@gmail.com

University Village Time Extension

2009-02-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

Hello,

I am the assigned Planner for Z08-328 at 2244 Fair Oaks Blvd. Attached is the project early notification packet.

Routing Date: 2/4/09
Respond By: 2/25/09
File: Z08-328
Title: University Village Time Extension
Project Location: 2244 Fair Oaks Blvd
APN: 295-0381-003

Description/Entitlements:
A request for a Zoning Administrator Tentative Map Time Extension to subdivide one parcel for condominium purposes on approximately 0.84 acres in the Shopping Center (SC-PUD) zone within the Campus Commons Planned Unit Development. The request also includes a Special Permit Time Extension for condominium units and a Variance Time Extension to exceed the maximum allowed height.

BACKGROUND:
The site is currently developed as a shopping center. On April 13, 2006, the applicant was approved for the above listed entitlements to demolish the existing restaurant and rebuild with a six-story mixed use building consisting of retail and residential uses. The entitlements were ready to expire, thus the applicant is requesting an extension to all the entitlements. There are no modifications to the previously approved project. The previous staff report has been attached for your information. The applicant will also be submitting a separate Design Review file.

Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,

Jamie Broker, Assistant Planner

Development Services Department

300 Richards Boulevard, 3rd Floor

Sacramento, CA 95811
(916) 808-1928

Couple shot, robbed on American River bike trail in Fair Oaks

2009-02-02T06:09:00.000-08:00

Authorities are asking for help in locating two men who shot and robbed an elderly man who was on the American River bike trail in Fair Oaks.
A man and his wife were on the trail near Sunrise and Fair Oaks boulevards at 8 a.m. Saturday when two men approached them, said Sgt. Tim Curran, spokesman for the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.
One of the men shot the husband in the leg. He had non-life threatening injuries, Curran said.
The two suspects demanded the couple's car keys. One drove off in the victims' silver Infiniti I30, while the other man left in a green pickup truck., he said.
Deputies said Sunday morning didn't release much description about the suspects or the clothing they were wearing.
Anyone who has information is asked to call the sheriff's department at (916) 874-5115.

Be On The Lookout

2009-01-29T12:28:00.000-08:00

This posting comes from a neighbor on Huntington.

Last night from 10p-12 midnight, a root beer colored '80's Chevy Pick up Truck was parked in front of Sierra Oaks Park on Huntington Rd. The occupants appeared to be smoking crack. Closer to midnight, the truck was slowly driving around the neighborhood. Be aware of this sighting.

We did call the Sheriff, not the SONA number, but the North Central #. It took them 27 minutes to arrive, and by then, the truck was gone. Again, be on alert for this vehicle.

Rummage Sale Outcome

2009-01-29T12:27:00.001-08:00

Dear Neighbors, Parents, Teachers, and Students of the Sierra Oaks School/Neighborhood Community,

Thank you for making the 1st Annual "Rummage for the Arts" fundraiser a big success. By Friday evening, January 23rd, we had loads and loads of rummage to sort through- wonderful stuff like purses, and vases, and kid's clothing, and sporting goods, and tables, and paintings, and furniture, and ....and....and! It was fabulous. We were blessed with enough sturdy souls willing to donate time to sorting, organizing, pricing and selling. We had a steady stream of customers, drifting through on what turned out to be a nice winter Saturday in Sacramento. We had a nice handful of our middle- schoolers helping and selling and even socializing. And finally, we had a strong and focused group of men and women haul the unsold goods to the Goodwill and then come back and make sure the MP room was ready for school on Monday. It was smooth and enjoyable.

Although we grossed over $931.00, the profit came to just under $800 (for we had a district-mandated $135.00 to pay for Heating and Air). With a goal of $900.00, I feel we came close and it certainly seems like every one went home happy and holding a new find or two. Bottom line is we made money for the Sierra Oaks School Art Docent Program- now we can start an inventory of supplies- middle schoolers earned some community service hours, our neighborhood cleaned out their closets and many of us found cool things to bring home. Success.

I want to thank every one who donated to the event, without your stuff we would not have had a sale.

I want to thank the middle-schoolers who helped at the event or in set up the day before. ( Please see Mr. Caplan for a Community Service form, write the hours you worked and I will sign those forms and leave them with him. )

I want to thank the following parents who put in time to make it happen:
Jamie Price
Cheryl Noack
Kira Christiansen
Nora keenan
Aulaina Hansen
Sally Petree
Kim Frame
Lisa Chizmar
Alison Sandman
Maria Manning
Diane Ewing
Carolyne/Mark Moreno
Jayanthi Kasiraj
Gail Bailey
Beth Strausser
Denise Jones
Einat Vechter
Carole Lyle
Clyde Berthold
Janine Romney
and any one else I might have forgotten.

Lastly, I would like to Thank Brenda Lampela, Nancy Dyer, and Kyria Petuskey whom each worked to organize and lead this fundraiser.(You were an awesome group of leaders-thanks). And, Margarite Crown, who donated her entire Saturday to release us of the district-mandated $400.00 fee.

Thanks to all and mark your calendars for next years "January Rummage event".

Sincerely, Dominique Patrick

Car Burglary

2009-01-24T15:31:00.001-08:00

This post comes from Deputy Charles Price. It is from Thursday, the 22nd.

I took a vehicle burglary report at ____ American River.

A car owner parked in the office complex there, had the window smashed out and his dash mounted GPS stolen. There was a minimal loss other than that. This might be a good subject for your newsletter/update to the homeowners of Sierra Oaks.

Items such as cell phones, GPS, radar detectors and other dash or cigarette lighter powered electronic items are easily grabbed via window smashes if they are prominently displayed on the dash. It only takes less than a minute to smash out a window, grab and run.

Deputy Charles Price

Yard Sale

2009-01-16T10:04:00.001-08:00

Sierra Oaks Burglary

2009-01-15T22:35:00.000-08:00

Please read the following email from one our Sierra Oaks neighbors.

My name is _____ ______and I am a Sierra Oaks resident living at ---- American River Drive. I'd like to join SONA and participate, as well as to report the following news which I'm hoping you'll include in your SONA newsletter as well as any websites or blogs providing crime alerts for our neighborhood.

On Monday evening, January 12th, at approximately 6:30 P.M., my home was burglarized. It was just about two minutes before I arrived home from work. What makes this case interesting is that the thief or thieves were definitely professionals; not only were they wearing cloth gloves so as not to leave fingerprints, but they didn't seem the least bit daunted by the "Protected by ADT Security System" signs I had posted in the front and back yard, as well as the ADT stickers on each and every window of the house. They systematically cut the screens over each of the windows facing the back and side yards, searching for a window which might have been left unlocked by accident. Not finding one, they broke off a screen and forced open a window, entering the house while setting off the alarm. Strangely, they thought they could disarm the alarm system, and accordingly ripped the alarm system keypad from the wall. Moving around the house, they found the alarm siren and smashed it with what the sherriffs deputies think was a crowbar so it would stop ringing. After searching the house, all they could find to take was my laptop computer and a few books of checks from the bank. Perhaps sensing that the police were on their way, or having heard me open the garage door, the culprits fled through the alley and over a relatively low fence on the right side of my house. There are all kinds of bushes as well as some hedges on the side of the house, and we think the culprits hid for a few minutes on their way out. The sheriff deputies dusted for fingerprints the following day but found only a glove print. They told me that they have no information with which to work in order to attempt to catch the thieves.

All of this is disturbing news, but it does illustrate the points that burglaries in our neighborhood are indeed taking place, and that the professional thieves committing the crimes are "casing" the neighborhood, trying to identify homes showing no signs of present residents. It also shows us that the conventional security systems such as ADT apparently don't deter the thieves, who will still enter the house and stick around despite an alarm blazing and knowledge that the police are on the way. Please report this information to SONA so that everyone will be aware and take the proper precautions.

Where Can Sex Offenders Live?

2009-01-14T10:10:00.001-08:00

Ever wonder where sex offenders can and cannot live? Sacramento City PD addresses this issue here.

429 And Counting!

2009-01-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

Thanks to an overwhelming show of support, we now have 429 verified email addresses for Sierra Oaks residents. That is an amazing number!

We have had more than 115 families already send in their 2009 membership forms. Thank you! We will be sending out an email shortly listing those names and thanking those residents for their support.