Before we get into a story that involves dams, reservoirs, and irony: A reminder that this edition of The Newsletter includes, as always, a carefully curated news digest that makes it easy for you to quickly find the most important stories happening in your community this week. Also: A brief intro to a nonprofit doing good work AND a seasonal recipe. It's an effortless scroll—but first:
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By Eric Johnson
Published Sep 16, 2024
Loch Lomond, the reservoir that supplies the city of Santa Cruz with a significant portion of its drinking water, is also a beautiful recreational and natural resource.
Dams and Reservoirs: Up and Down
California Dams Get Raised and Razed
As a lifelong sworn environmentalist, I have always felt a little bit guilty about the fact that I love reservoirs—and if I'm honest the dams that create them. As a kid growing up in New Jersey just outside Manhattan, the Oradell Reservoir was my refuge, and the place where I discovered nature. When I moved to the Santa Cruz Mountains soon after high school, the Loch Lomond reservoir was walking distance from my home and became another refuge.
I saw my first eagle at the Oradell Reservoir when I was 16, and my first mountain lion at Loch Lomond when I was 19. I mention this not out of pure nostalgia, but to pont out that beyond their intended benefit of storing water for human use, reservoirs can be inherently good, in that they support rich and healthy ecosystems. And yes: Dams throughout California and the West have massively disrupted fisheries and threaten keystone species such as Chinook salmon with extinction.
So this week, a nuanced look at some dams throughout the state that are going up and coming down.
The Ups and Downs of California Dams
We check in on efforts to raise some dams in the state to store more water, and to raze some dams to to let water run free.
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Sacramento County's Homepage |
| Direct your browser to https://sacramento.californialocal.com/ to catch up on the latest news in California and Sacramento County. Bookmark the link and visit often, there's a lot happening in your community! | |
Recipe of the Week
Our friends at Sacramento Digs Gardening publish a recipe from their gardens every Sunday, which we feature here so you can start your week with some yum.
See more recipes in their Taste Fall! cookbook.
Get to Know a Group
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Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services |
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services is dedicating to assisting those in need by alleviating their immediate problems and moving them toward self-sufficiency and financial independence.
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From Our Media Allies |
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City Hall Agrees to Continue E-Bike Shop in Old Folsom |
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The city of Folsom agreed on a lease with Practical Cycle to continue operating the Pedal Stop bike parking lot near old Sutter Street. |
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Folsom Teen Council Earns Community Achievement Award |
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The Folsom Teen Council has been honored with the Sacramento County District 4 Community Achievement Award for its exceptional contributions during the 2023-24 school year. |
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Nominations Sought for Folsom Arts and Culture Awards |
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The City of Folsom Arts and Culture Commission is now accepting nominations for its prestigious Arts Achievement Recognition Awards, honoring individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the local arts community. |
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15 Years Empowering Women and Girls |
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Soroptimist International of Rancho Cordova and Gold River marked a milestone as it celebrated 15 years of dedicated community service at the Mills Arts & Culture Center. |
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Countdown to Caring: Folsom’s Community Service Day Now Boasts Over 65 Projects |
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It’s the final countdown to the day the community of Folsom will come together as one to make their city a little bit better, brighter, cleaner and safer, to name just a few of the many things that will get … |
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VFW Post 6158 Commemorates National POW/MIA Recognition Day |
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Amid all of today’s drama and controversies, we mustn’t forget those who valiantly served our nation and were prisoners of war (POW) and those who are still missing in action (MIA), as well as their families. |
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Guaranteed Income Pilot Applications Opening |
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Sacramento County’s Department of Child, Family and Adult Services (DCFAS) has partnered with United Way California Capital Region for a new Guaranteed Income Pilot called the Family First Economic Support Pilot. Original article published at Rancho Cordova Independent |
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Night Out Raises $60,000 for Parks |
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The Carmichael Parks Foundation’s “Dinner in the Park” fundraiser garnered more than $60,000 for youth scholarships and park improvement. |
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County Pens $19.4M for 2 Homeless Shelter Projects, Clarifies Plans |
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The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors approved, at its Sept. 10 meeting, the staff recommendation to spend $19.4 million on two new, innovative projects designed to shelter and house people exiting homelessness directly off the American River Parkway. |
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Murals at Sacramento City College Add Splash of Color to Campus |
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Sacramento City College received a painted array of vibrant colors on the Fischbacher Fine Arts Building during the month of May thanks to art students in a mural class, and from the continued advocacy of its professor. |
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Blasting Halted After Folsom Homes, Clubhouse Damaged by Debris |
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A Folsom neighborhood was literally rocked on Monday when blasting at a construction site south of Highway 50 sent flying rocks and debris into nearby homes, vehicles, and a community clubhouse, causing multiple incidents of damage. |
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New Folsom Ranch Fire Station Slated to Open Before Month End |
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It was just a year a couple months ago that leaders from the City of Folsom and members of the Folsom Fire Department stood on bare dirt to officially break ground on the city;’s first fire station to be built … |
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Graffiti Jam Transforms State Building in Sacramento Due for 2025 Demolition |
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A state-owned abandoned warehouse in downtown Sacramento is getting one final shot at glory before the site becomes a multi-use affordable housing complex next year. |
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Fall in Tahoe Is Delicious |
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Culinary delights abound in Tahoe from farm-to-table festivals celebrating the bounties of the harvest, to craft beer and local wine food pairings to a cornucopia of Bavarian-themed Okotberfests. Tahoe's gastronomic events in the fall will delight even the most discriminating … |
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Recent Local News |
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• Report on Annual Solidarity Summit on Homelessness
A Solving Sacramento report on the September 7 Solidarity Summit on Homelessness.
(09/16/2024) → CapPublicRadio• Applications Open for 40th Metro Chamber Leadership Sacramento Cohort
Applications are open for the Metro Chamber Foundation's 40th annual Leadership Sacramento program to cultivate upcoming civic leaders.
(09/14/2024) → Sacramento Press• Update on Elk Grove Homeless Shelter Plans
The City of Elk Grove held a public meeting on September 12 about plans to open a year-round homeless shelter.
(09/13/2024) → Elk Grove News Net• Affordable Housing Underway on Stockton Blvd.
A 113-unit affordable housing development is under development for the site of the former San Juan Motel 5700 Stockton Boulevard in Sacramento.
(09/13/2024) → The Sacramento Bee• A Look at Elk Grove's Year-Round Homeless Shelter
Elk Grove News takes a look at the facilities provided by the year-round homeless shelter opening in November.
(09/12/2024) → Elk Grove News Net• City of Elk Grove Video About New Homeless Shelter
The City of Elk Grove released a video explaining the year-round homeless shelter opening in November,
(09/11/2024) → Elk Grove News Net• Update on Affordable Housing Projects Underway in Sacramento
The Sacramento Observer has compiled a list of affordable housing projects under construction in Sacramento.
(09/10/2024) → Solving Sacramento|
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Recent Statewide News |
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• Audit of Military Equipment Used By UC Police
In compliance of state law, the University of California Regents will be considering the attached audit of inventory and use of military equipment by UC police and a budget request for additional items.
(09/15/2024) → University of California• Which Growing California Communities Will Get the Hottest?
California’s inland regions are experiencing dangerous heat waves, exacerbated by rapid population growth. As more people move away from the expensive coastal areas to more affordable inland communities, these regions are seeing significant demographic changes and spiking electricity bills.
(09/13/2024) → CalMatters• CA Cities Jump on Homeless Encampment Bans
For five years, California officials responding to the homelessness crisis had to work around one big restriction imposed by the federal courts: Because they didn’t have enough shelter beds, cities generally couldn’t make homeless camps illegal.
(09/13/2024) → CalMatters• No Sleeping Bags, Keep Moving: California Cities Increase Crackdown on Homeless Encampments
More than two-dozen California cities passed, strengthened or are considering ordinances that penalize people for sleeping outside, after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed cities to crack down.
(09/11/2024) → CalMatters• California Schools Face Twin Perils: Chronic Absenteeism and Declining Enrollment
California’s public schools have a numbers problem —and it’s not just that their students don’t score very highly in national tests of mathematics ability.
(09/11/2024) → CalMatters• H5N1 Bird Flu Infects California Dairy Cows
H5N1 bird flu has been reported in three California dairy herds.
(09/11/2024) → Los Angeles Times• CA Homeless Count Is Up 8% From 2022
An exclusive CalMatters analysis of the latest California homeless count reveals some good news and bad news: Though the growth rate of homelessness appears to be slowing, the overall number of unhoused Californians increased from two years ago.
(09/10/2024) → CalMatters|
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Government Announcements |
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City of Citrus Heights (09/12/2024) Child Passenger Safety Week |
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Child Passenger Safety Week Highlights the Importance of Making Sure Your Child is in the Right Seat
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City of Sacramento (09/12/2024) City’s Incident Management Team responding to homelessness produces significant results in first year |
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The City of Sacramento launched its Incident Management Team responding to homelessness one year ago, and the results it has produced are significant. Over the past year, the IMT, which focuses providing outreach as well as ensuring compliance with City laws and ordinances, has: Responded to more than 41,000 calls for service. Created more than [...]
The post Citys Incident …
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United States (09/12/2024) Dearborn Sausage Company, Inc. Recalls Wiener Products Due to Misbranding and Undeclared Allergens |
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2024 - Dearborn Sausage Company, Inc., a Dearborn, Mich. establishment, is recalling approximately 1,944 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) wiener products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens, the...
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City of Citrus Heights (09/11/2024) Fatal Motorcycle Collision |
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On 9/11/2024, at approximately 2:50 PM, the Citrus Heights Police Department received multiple 911 calls regarding a collision between a vehicle and motorcycle in the 7700 block of Antelope Road.
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City of Sacramento (09/11/2024) Data Report: How the City responded to homelessness Sept. 2-8 |
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The City of Sacramento has released its weekly progress report for the Citys Incident Management Team responding to homelessness. From Sept. 2-8, the City of Sacramento received 625 calls to 311 customer service related to unsheltered individuals. Through the work of the IMT, 430 calls were closed, meaning that either the issue was remedied, compliance was achieved, [...]
The post …
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City of Sacramento (09/10/2024) Sacramento Police host four active-shooter preparedness and response trainings for the public |
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The Sacramento Police Department is hosting four free active-shooter preparedness and response training courses in in partnership with the Federal Department of Homeland Security. The virtual training courses are open to all members of the public including businesses and local government partners. The training is 90 minutes and will be led by emergency response consulting and [...]
The post Sacramento …
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City of Sacramento (09/10/2024) City, partners break ground on 113 affordable housing units in south Sacramento |
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Sacramento will soon be home to the San Juan Apartments (5700 Stockton Blvd.), a new development providing 113 new affordable housing units for working families. Mutual Housing along with City, County and State officials last Friday held a groundbreaking for the new project located at the former historical San Juan Motel site on Stockton Boulevard [...]
The post City, partners …
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City of Sacramento (09/09/2024) Here’s what attendees learned and saw at City’s ‘Water Discovery Day’ |
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Crowds of families, couples and individuals braved the late-summer heat on Saturday, Sept. 7, to attend the Citys Water Discovery Day, where staff gave tours of the Sacramento River water treatment plant and showed off some of their heavy equipment. Hosted by the Department of Utilities, the event was part of ongoing efforts to make [...]
The post Here's what …
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City of Sacramento (09/09/2024) Front Street Shelter waiving dog adoption fees after large hoarding rescue |
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The Front Street Animal Shelter took in over 30 dogs from a hoarding situation last week, quickly overwhelming its capacity. The shelter will be waiving dog adoption fees through Sept. 15 to assist in clearing space. "We were already very full before this happened, with multiple dogs housed in most kennels," said Ryan Hinderman, communications [...]
The post Front Street …
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City of Citrus Heights (09/05/2024) Habitat for Humanity to Build 26 New Homes for Families in Need on Sayonara Drive |
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Read about the City's recent efforts to bring housing to Sayonara Drive.
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