JULY 2016 Volume 6, Issue 7 Supervisor Susan Peters electronic newsletter is a cost-effective and efficient method to keep you updated on what is going on in your community and with the County of Sacramento. Because you previously emailed District 3 on a matter of interest, your email address has been added to distribution of this newsletter (If you do not wish to receive it please click to opt out.) IN THIS ISSUE: PARADES, FUN AND FIREWORKS USE ONLY SAFE & SANE FIREWORKS KIDS DON T FLOAT AND NEITHER DO ADULTS SHERIFF S UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY PICNIC FREE MUSICAL FUN IN CARMICHAEL MORE FREE CONCERTS IN FAIR OAKS EPPIE S GREAT RACE FREE MOVIES IN THE PARK HOOVES TO THE PARADES, FUN AND FIREWORKS There will be an abundance of neighborhood activities to celebrate the Fourth of July. Arden Arcade will hold its annual parade celebration that starts at 10 a.m. kicking off at the Sacramento County Building, 2700 Fulton Avenue. The route goes south past El Camino Avenue and turns west on Cottage Way continuing to Bell Street where it will turn north and finish at Howe Park. For more information, visit the Fulton-El Camino Recreation and Park District website. Carmichael s celebration kick-offs with a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Kiwanis Club from 7 to 11 a.m. at Carmichael Park followed by the 57th Annual Elks Club Parade on Fair Oaks Boulevard starting at 10:30 a.m. at Marconi Avenue and continuing to Manzanita and Cypress Avenues. The parade features floats, antique automobiles, marching bands, equestrian entries, and much more. Carmichael also will experience fireworks lighting up the evening at the La Sierra Community Center, 5325 Engle Road. The first sky rocket is expected to go off at approximately 9:30 p.m. And starting at 7 p.m. there will be plenty of activities before the big show including music, food, and children s activities. For Carmichael information, please visit the Carmichael Recreation and Park District website.
RESCUE FAIR OAKS OFFICE HOURS WEST NILE VIRUS UPDATE PARKWAY ALCOHOL BAN ARRIVE EARLY TO SAC INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PROTECT YOUR PETS SUPPORT THE PARKWAY WITH A PARKS PASS Supervisor Susan Peters Third District Sacramento County Board of Supervisors 700 H Street, Suite 2450 Sacramento, CA 95814 susanpeters@saccounty.net PHONE: (916) 874-5471 FAX: (916) 874-7593 USE ONLY SAFE & SANE FIREWORKS Because of the current drought and risk of fire danger, please only use those fireworks that have been certified as safe and sane when celebrating this year s Independence Day. Dangerous illegal fireworks like aerial shells and other flying devices pose a significant fire hazard, potentially allowing sparks to fall onto roofs and dry brush. If you are aware about illegal fireworks being used, please call (916) 859-3775 or if an emergency situation or a fire exists dial 911. Penalties for owning illegal fireworks start with five days in county jail and the sanctions increase if the fireworks were actually used, or if child endangerment occurred. Even safe and sane fireworks can pose a hazard if abused or not exercised with good judgment. Fire officials advise that you should set off fireworks far from dry grass or vegetation, and soak used fireworks in water. KIDS DON T FLOAT AND NEITHER DO ADULTS Summer is here, the weather is warm and the river is calling your name. Visiting Sacramento County s public waterways and rivers is a traditional way to cool off and enjoy the outdoors. But before you take the plunge, remember Life Looks Good on You and so does a Life Vest. Drowning Doesn t. Putting a life vest on before going into the river is the smart and safe thing to do. If you don't have one, there are borrowing stations along Sacramento s waterways and at local fire stations. And remember it s the law for children under 13 to wear a life vest because kids don t float. Wearing one could help save a life including your own. There are 11 life vest borrowing stations in the Sacramento area including on the American River Parkway: at Discovery Park (2
sites -- kids and adults), Ancil Hoffman Park (kids only), Howe Avenue river access (kids only), Watt Avenue river access (kids only), River Bend Park (kids only), and Sunrise river access (kids only). For more information, please visit Sacramento County Regional Parks website. SHERIFF S UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY PICNIC Sunday, July 10, there will be plenty of family fun in Arden Arcade at Howe Park as part of the Sheriff s Department s Unity In The Community picnic consisting of a free barbecue lunch, games for children, and law enforcement demonstrations. Sheriff Scott Jones and other members of the Sheriff s Department will be available to visit with residents at Howe Park, 2201 Cottage Way, between 10 am- 2 pm. There will be demonstrations and displays involving the Sheriff s K9 Unit, Air Operations, SWAT Team, Bomb Squad, and more. The event is open to the entire family with bounce houses and face painting for children plus a free barbecue lunch. Please take advantage of this opportunity to visit with law enforcement in a casual setting and get to know the men and women of the Sacramento Sheriff s Department who protect us. For more information, please visit the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department website. FREE MUSICAL FUN IN CARMICHAEL Enjoy the summer nights by attending free concerts at Carmichael Park during July and continuing into August.
Each concert will be held at Carmichael Park, 5750 Grant Avenue. This month s fun starts on Saturday, July 10, with the band Cherry Bomb playing songs of heartland rocker John Mellencamp. You can return the next night, Sunday, July 10, to hear the Carmichael Kiwanis Swing Band. The concert series features a different group each time this month and continuing through August 28. A variety of music will be offered including classic rock, rhythm and blues, zydeco, and dance band tunes. Saturday concerts start at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday shows begin at 5 p.m. The summer concert series sponsors include both the Carmichael and Mission Oaks Recreation and Park Districts. More music will be performed next month (for fans of the John Skinner Band, that group will perform on Sunday, August 7). A list of all the bands and dates can be obtained by going online to the Carmichael Recreation and Park District website. And remember the best way to enjoy any of these outdoor concerts is to bring a picnic, blanket and lawn chairs. MORE FREE CONCERTS IN FAIR OAKS The annual free Thursday night concert series in Fair Oaks Village continues during July and into August. The popular program is held in Village Park and the first performance for this month, July 7, features the classic rock band Amboy Rambler. The concert series continues through August 25 with each show beginning at 6:30 pm. The concerts are hosted by the Fair Oaks Chamber of Commerce, Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District and the Fair Oaks Foundation for Leisure and the Arts. For a complete listing of all the bands, please visit the Fair Oaks Chamber of Commerce website.
EPPIE S GREAT RACE Eppie s Great Race (otherwise known as the world s oldest no swim triathlon) will be celebrating its 43nd year this Saturday, July 16. Founded by the late Sacramento-area restaurateur/entrepreneur Eppie Johnson in 1974, the race has become an annual summertime tradition for elite athletes, fitness enthusiasts and families. The race features a 5.82-mile run, a 12.5- mile bike route and a 6.35-mile kayak paddle held along the scenic American River Parkway. It starts and finishes at the William B. Pond Recreation Area located at the end of Arden Way. The race is organized by the Eppie's Great Race Foundation and the primary beneficiary is the Therapeutic Recreation Services Division within the Department of Regional Parks which provides therapeutic recreation opportunities for individuals with disabilities residing in Sacramento County. To date more than one million dollars have been raised for therapeutic recreation services since the race s inception. Come out and cheer for the athletes, help by volunteering or consider signing up to be a Great Race participant! For more information, visit Eppie s Great Race website. FREE MOVIES IN THE PARK Enjoy two free viewings of family-friendly movies under the stars this month in Carmichael. The first showing will be at Carmichael Park, 5750 Grant Avenue, on Friday, July 22 featuring the Disney film Inside Out. The second show will be at Mission North Park, 3344 Mission Avenue, on Friday, July 29, which will be another Disney movie Zootopia. Both screenings will begin at sunset. The movie in the park series is sponsored by both the Carmichael and Mission Oaks Recreation and Park Districts as well as by The Church on Cypress. For more information, please visit either the
Carmichael Recreation and Park District or the Mission Oaks Recreation and Park District websites. HOOVES TO THE RESCUE Last month you may have spotted an unusual sight along Arcade Creek as well as at the Wilhaggin Detention Basin off American River Drive goats and sheep. Why? Because the Department of Water Resources used the animals as a natural way to remove vegetation in the floodplain and thereby increased stormwater conveyance. Goats will eat almost any vegetation including blackberry, star thistle, and other invasive species. With continued use they can remove thousands of pounds of vegetation as opposed to mowing. This helps relieve clogging and debris accumulating in our creeks during storm season. Star Creek Land Stewards was the contractor for the project and approximately 300 head of goat and sheep grazed at each location 5-10 days. A herder and two professionally trained border collies also were onsite at all times. Besides providing a picturesque setting and successfully munching away unwanted vegetation, the critters were relatively quiet a plus for neighbors. FAIR OAKS OFFICE HOURS In 2005 I started holding Office Hours at various venues around the Third District and it is now an annual tradition with me setting up a table at selected community events where residents can drop by and talk about items of interest with no appointment necessary.
Office Hours for 2016 began in March at the annual trout fishing derby held in Howe Park followed in April at the Carmichael Egg Hun and in May at various parks in Arden Arcade, Carmichael, Foothill Farms, and the La Riviera -Larchmont area. Next month my office will be open prior to the free Fair Oaks Thursday Night Concert in the Park on August 11. The concert begins at 6:30 pm at Village Park, 4238 Main Street, and the band that night will be Group Therapy featuring classic rock tunes. I will be available to meet with residents an hour before 5:30-6:30 pm on a first come basis. For more information about the concert series, please visit the Fair Oaks Chamber of Commerce website. WEST NILE VIRUS UPDATE Last month in June the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District started aerial treatment spraying north of the American River for mosquitoes that carry the potentially fatal West Nile virus. The targeted area was Arden Arcade and Carmichael. Vector Control determined that aerial spraying was necessary to reduce the risk of human infection following the positive test results from a number of new mosquito samples and dead birds. Residents can sign up for urban aerial spraying updates by texting "sprayupdate" to 31996. Messages will only be sent to subscribers when aerial spraying is scheduled, the morning of the first scheduled day, and a live notification when spraying begins and ends each day. You can also sign up to receive email notifications by zip code. To sign up, visit the Vector Control District's website (the website also will provide more information about the treatment process and steps individuals can do to reduce their risk). To report a neglected swimming pool or other mosquito problems, please call 1-800-429-1022 or fill out a service request online at Vector Control s website. The Mosquito and Vector Control District is an independent special district separate from the operations of Sacramento County.
PARKWAY ALCOHOL BAN This Fourth of July weekend there will be a complete ban on alcohol consumption and possession both on land and in the water within the American River Parkway between Hazel and Watt avenues. An exception exists for Ancil Hoffman Golf Course. In past years summer holiday weekends had become major problems along the American River making the parkway less of a family friendly outing because of fights, public nudity, profanity and littering. The Board of Supervisors restored decorum beginning with the 2006 Labor Day weekend and the ban is also applicable for Independence Day as well as Memorial Day. Since the restriction has taken effect, families I have talked to have expressed appreciation for making these holiday weekends once again a time for everyone to enjoy the American River Parkway. ARRIVE EARLY TO SAC INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Like many U.S. airports, Sacramento International Airport has been experiencing longer-than-usual wait times at the security checkpoints for passenger screening. These delays are attributed to the increase in passenger traffic at Sacramento International Airport while Federal Transportation Security Administration staffing has remained static. During the busy summer travel season, Sacramento International Airport recommends passengers try to arrive two hours in-advance of flight departure for domestic flights, especially for flights departing during the peak hours of 5-7 a.m., 12 noon 2 p.m.,
and 6-8 p.m. (the previous recommendation was an hour and a half). The TSA security checkpoints at Sacramento International Airport open at 4 a.m. daily. For flights leaving at 5:00 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., arriving when the checkpoint opens should leave enough time to clear security. TSA staffing is an issue affecting airports nationwide. Passengers can improve their travel experience knowing and following current airline and security policies. For tips from TSA on making your travel experience as smooth as possible, please visit the TSA website. PROTECT YOUR PETS The County Animal Shelter reminds you that a pet left in a vehicle can quickly turn deadly on warm days. Even with the windows cracked, the temperature inside a parked car can jump 20 degrees in just 10 minutes. Being outdoors in temperatures over 90 degrees can also be dangerous. It s important to provide your pet with shade and plenty of water if you can t bring your furry four-legged friend inside. For more hot weather pet tips, visit the Department of Animal Care and Regulation website. And remember fireworks can be very stressful for your pet possibly causing fear and anxiety. Sadly, the volume of missing pets significantly increases during the Fourth of July holiday. Leaving a pet outside unattended even in a fenced yard or on a chain can lead to disastrous consequences. In their fear, pets who normally would not leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death. Also please make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so if they become lost, they can be returned home promptly.
SUPPORT THE PARKWAY WITH A PARKS PASS The American River Parkway is a unique 23-mile long natural resource that provides a quick escape from the stress of urban life and offers plenty of outdoor recreational amenities. It is a public asset worth protecting and preserving and your support is needed. Please show your support by purchasing a yearlong unlimited Parks Pass. This convenient annual parking/day use pass is great for joggers, bicyclists as well as outdoor and nature enthusiasts who frequent the Parkway. The pass costs only $50 per year and pays for itself after ten trips. Parks Passes are sold at The American River Parkway Foundation Office in the William B. Pound Recreation Area or online at the American River Parkway Foundation website.