The Mike B Foundation will join the call to “Silence the Violence” to call for an end to gun violence in Sacramento this coming Saturday.

On Saturday, July 24th, The Mike B Foundation will host the “Silence the Violence, National Day of Action in Sacramento to call for an end to the violence that plagues Sacramento streets. The activities will start at 10am at 4124 – 4542 Florin Road at the corner of Franklin Blvd, Sacramento.

One of the objectives is to allow the community to take steps towards healing and come together in an effort to bring peace to our streets. The event is held in honor of those lost to violence and will allow opportunities to work together for a better community.

We all have to come together and take responsibility for the crisis of violence in our streets. We have lost too many of our people to senseless violence. It’s time for us to take action and inspire others to make a change.

This event is being held with support from the following organizations: Urban Peace Movement, Krazy Sac Ladz, Oak Park Outreach Services, BFG Street Team, and Parents of Murdered Children.

WHAT: Silence the Violence National Day of Action
WHERE: 10AM TO 2PM at Florin Road (corner of Franklin Blvd, old Wal- mart parking lot)
WHEN: July 24, 2010
WHO: Shirley Rhodes, The Mike B Foundation
Families who’ve lost loved ones to violence
Soul Hustle
Diplomatz
Blue Diamonds
Restoration Church Praise Team
For additional information please contact Shirley Rhodes at (916) 429-2580 or email at srhodes@themikebfoundation.com. NOTE:  The Mike B Foundation is in need of business attire for males and females so guys if you have some to give me, let them know.

For additional information on the Mike B Foundation visit: www.themikebfoundation.com
For additional information on the Urban Peace Movement visit: http://urbanpeacemovement.org/national-day-of-action . The Urban Peace Movement “helps young people spread the message of urban peace. / http://urbanpeacemovement.org
The Ella Baker Center has divided their time and energy from systematic change to individual transformation. The Ella Baker Center has held many events which include ‘Mother Morning/ Mourning’ to heal the streets http://www.ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=75 and they have now joined the Urban Peace Movement. http://www.ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=1

Ray sits in his office with a small group of people. Suddenly Staffer2 comes crashing into the room, out of breath, his eyes wide and completely out of breath. He is holding his iPhoneand pointing to it.

Staffer2: SIR! BREAKING NEWS!!!

Ray: Gadzooks! You scared the sugar out of me! !

Redacted woman: What is it Lassie!? Did you get the Galston Dart interview!!?

Staffer2:  Better yet!!! [gasping for air] JOE SACRAMENTO is airing a radio show for the next two days to honor you sir for your service to the city!!! I recorded some it so you can hear!!

Sounds of groans throughout the room

Ray [suspicious]: Ol’ bombastic Joe honoring me, Ray Tretheway? Sounds like a double cross. I know his kind.

Redacted woman: Joe Sac launch a radio show? That ninny couldn’t launch a water balloon

Staffer2: Well does everyone want to hear it????

Redacted woman: Well go on sunshine, what are you waiting for? .

Staffer2 presses PLAY on iPhone and puts it on Ray’s desk. Ray stares at the device inquisitively as various clips play…

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Redacted Woman [disgusted]: You call that a radio show? I’d rather listen to mouth farts.

Ray: Do what now?

Staffer2: Would you like to hear more songs from the show sir?

Redacted woman [grabs purse and leaves]: I can’t do this anymore.

Ray: Actually I like the dedications from all my neighbors . Good to know I am appreciated and that people would take the time to send their regards. Let’s play some more!

Staffer2 giddily re-starts  iPhone playback and Ray starts swaying back and forth to the beat and clapping out of rhythm. At that moment KJ sticks his head in the door

KJ: Hey Ohio Players “Fire”! I love that song! Go Ray Ray, it’s your birthday, it’s your birthday!  Ha ha ha nice to see you. No really whatchya guys up to?

Staffer2 turns off music, Ray looks disapprovingly at KJ..

Ray: How can I help you Johnson?

KJ: Hey I thought I’d drop by and see if you have any thoughts to share about my arts initiative, my green shades program, my education program, my kings arena task force, or my strong mayor initiative?

Ray [scolding]: Hey Johnson didn’t they ever teach you  there’s no “MY” in team?

Staffer2: I think it’s: there’s no ‘i’ in team” sir

Suddenly RE Graswich pops up behind Johnson with a large book in his hand

RE: Uh excuse me but for the record in some languages the word “i” does in fact appear in the word team

Johnson smiles wide and slaps Graswich on the butt: Atta boy Bob! That’s what I’m talking ’bout baby!

Graswich gets bashful and tries hard not to smile

RE: Hehe. Thank you Mr Mayor

KJ: No no no don’t be shy Bob. Come on baby it’s show time give me a pound. Now break it down. Ok ok ok here we go [starting to dance in a circle with Graswich]

Ray: GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!

KJ: Hey hey hey easy does it old timer.  Just think about what we talked about ok?

Johnson and Graswich saunter away

Ray: But all we talked about was YOU and YOUR ideas Johnson!!

KJ turns around, flashes a smile and winks at Ray: I knew you’d get the hang of it sooner or later !

Fluff and Bluff

Ray and his team of loyal staffers and an unidentified woman (whose name has been redacted from our transcripts) with a scarf on her head sit around a patio table in the backyard of his South Natomas home planning the copy to be displayed in his “Standing Up for Neighborhoods” mailer. On the table is a slew of newspaper clippings, a laptop with YouTube on the screen and numerous legal pads with doodles and scribbles all over them.

Ray: OK first bullet point: DOWNTOWN. How has my leadership benefited downtown?

Staffer: [shrugs] Uhhh.. what about that  water thing?

Ray: Oh goody two shoes the Waterfront Promenade. You betchya. Good one. Put that in there and add that downtown is more…. errr.. what word–

Redacted Woman: Vibrant.

Ray: Yes!!  Boy that was the word I was looking for! Put it down. [Staffer2 taps away on laptop]. And put in there that there is more green stuff.

Staffer: Like what?

Redacted Woman: Gardens.

Ray: Perfect!! Gosh [redacted] you are on a roll! Woo hoot! Is that way they say?

Staffer: Ok next one. Alkali Flat.

Ray: What the doodaddle is that?

Staffer2: Where you approved the park for the Boys and Girls Club.

Ray: The one that burned down again?

Staffer: No sir the– no not that one.

Ray: Yep put all the park stuff in there. People love parks gosh darnit they just love ‘em.

Redacted Woman: And gardens.

Ray: You betchya! Gardens! I have approved oodles of those things. Should we also put in there that I love dogs and have approved dog parks?

Staffer: Probably not sir since many of them are falling apart now and we can’t afford to maintain them.

Ray: Ok next one is River Oaks.

Redacted Woman: Flood insurance. Tell them that you are working with Congresswoman Doris Matsui; paint yourself as their savior. They’ll adore you.

Ray: That is brilliant [redacted] !

Staffer [hesitant]: Well, that might falsely imply Mr. T is willing to take responsibility for flood safety, and as you know your most fervent supporters say you are NOT responsible for flood safety, and shouldn’t be blamed for levee problems.

Ray: No no no we’re just taking credit here for the progress so far, and that’s a-ok right [redacted]?

Redacted Woman: Take the credit, shift the blame. Very simple formula guaranteed to get you a boat load of political miles.. and air miles.

Ray: Sheesh [redacted] you are on fire over there! [offers high five to Redacted Woman, she turns the other way flippantly]

Staffer: Done deal. [with vigor] Next one, your baby South Natomas sir!

Ray: Oh boy this is my favorite part [rubs hands together]. The forts. Burn after burn. Year after year. I was there. I rebuilt that treasure with my own blood, sweat and tears… and huge bundle of South Natomas-only money sitting in city hall coffers.

Staffer: Hey that rhymes. How about we put [with deep passion] “Burn after burn. Year after year. When ashes were blowing, Ray was there”??

Staffer2 [in disbelief]: Dude that is INCREDIBLE!

Ray: HOLY COW!! You just made that up???

Redacted Woman: Calm down boys. That’s the most idiotic thing I’ve  ever heard–well almost. Tell them you got the community center open Ray. Guaranteed votes.

Staffer: But that was like seven years ago and we already–

Redacted Woman [perturbed and loud]: MILK IT ALREADY!!!!!!!!

..silence…    Staffer2 typing vigorously..

Ray: Next one is Northgate/Gardenland.

[all three at the same time in harmony] T E E N  C E N T ER!

Redacted Woman: What did you do for it Ray?

Ray: I got the city to do it. So let’s put that “Got the city to build the Teen Center.”

Staffer: Yeah but wasn’t the county and countless other organizations and volunteer donors involved in making that happen??

Ray: This is a political race donkey, not an awards ceremony.

Staffer2: Ok all the rest of the bullet points are high density neighborhoods all over the flood zone.. Witter Ranch, Natomas Park, Sundance Lake, Westlakes, all the little people. Should we even bother?

Ray: shrugs.

Redacted Woman: Fluff and bluff.  Walking access, traffic calming, more officers, dog parks, anything you can think of. Guaranteed votes.

Staffer: Ok but we can’t be dishonest it’s really the residents that begged and pleaded for more cops and opened the neighborhood resource center and all that stuff. They also rallied to get the west side fire station built that was supposed to be built years ago. No offense sir but–

Ray: Now you wait one minute mister!! How dare you–

Redacted Woman: SHUDUP ALREADY AND STOP ARGUING. [to Staffer] What part of FLUFF AND BLUFF do you not understand!!???

Staffer [defeated]” Gosh.. OK

Ray: Ok super! I want to name it RAY TRETHEWAY – STANDING UP FOR NEIGHBORHOODS!

Redacted Woman: I like it.

Staffer: But–

Redacted Woman: FLUFF AND BLUFF !!

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

[Ray sits in Starbucks with his staffers discussing the upcoming election and reviewing various press releases]

Ray [pointing to screen print of a blog on the table in front of him]: What’s this business by this Cosmos feller from News and Review saying someone bought my name? Who are these people? How is this possible?

Staffer2: Yes sir, in a nutshell someone appears to have bought your  name on the web.

Staffer [impatient]: Uhh bought your DOMAIN name sir, not your actual name of course.

Ray: Are you two telling me I have been the victim of identity theft?

Staffer2: Technically yes.

Staffer: Technically NO.

Ray [exasperated]: Yes or no!!?

Staff [glaring at staffer2]: NO!

Ray: That’s it get the chief of police on the phone right this instant.

[Staffer2 dials and hands the phone to Ray.. Staffer glares at his colleague]

Ray: Yellow…. who is this? Oh hi Chief it’s Ray… hey listen I have a code red emergency and I’m going to need you to send a few units–maybe even SWAT– out to Natomas.

Chief: What in the world are you talking about?!

Ray: Someone. People. They stole my good name. It’s all over the news.

Chief: What news? I haven’t seen anything.

Ray: The uhh…  [looks at screen print again] the NEWS..  all the newspapers.. I’m looking at a headline about it RIGHT NOW by the Cosmos feller.

Chief: What do you mean they stole your good name? They pulled YOUR campaign signs now too?

Ray: No no no. They literally went and bought my name on the black market on the internet… probably for thousands of dollars for all I know.. and the SPOA may even been in on it too.

Chief: Yeah maybe the pipefitters too, huh?

Ray: Listen, no offense, but I don’t speak your cop language. Here, talk to my staffer [shoves phone at Staffer]

Staffer: Uh hi Chief well apparently someone bought the raytretheway.com on the internet and Mr. T is hot about it.

Chief: WOW!! That’s amazing!!

Staffer: What, that they bought raytretheway.com?

Chief: No that it was available to begin with!

Staffer: Yeah well…

Chief: What did they put on the site?

Staffer: It’s an empty, blank, white slate with absolutely no substance whatsoever.

Chief: Ironic.

Staffer: Not funny.

Chief: How about this, tell your boss I will send Mayor Johnson’s security detail over. I think they are out on lunch right now. Keep your eye out for a big motorcade of black SUVs with tinted windows ok? Ha ha ha!

Staffer [feigning importance]: Sure thing Chief, we’ll talk to you later, thanks for your help [presses end and puts phone on table]

Ray: Well?????? Are they sending units over here? Maybe we should suggest canine units too? That could make a big impact. Show these  people we have teeth.

Staffer [grabbing coat and helping Ray to his feet gently]: You bet sir, they are sending the units. Lots and lots and lots of units, ok?

Ray: SUPER! So I’m going to get my good name back right??

Staffer2: Technically YES sir.

[staffer sneers at staffer2 behind Ray's back and mouths the words  "shut up!"]

Crime is down in Natomas because of the efforts of Angelique, Keith Sharward, and many many others who work directly with the police department because their councilman won’t. Too little too late, Ray.

For more Ray Tretheway comedy, visit: http://www.angeliqueashby.com/candidate-forum-videos. And yes, Ray does give the wrong URL for his website in one of the videos. Shocker.

As a vehement opponent of drunken driving, I was thrilled when I recently happened across a banner on a web site  that read something like “Sacramento has had its share of blood..” and was linked to an anti DUI web site called every37.com. Upon visiting this site I discovered a very organized group here in Sacramento has banned together (and even secured  grant money!), to attack drunken driving in Sacramento County. Their web site is highly professional, and contains stories, videos, and all kinds of other useful information about their mission, goals, etc.

Brav0 to this group of folks who are actively out in the community helping people find rides, displaying totaled vehicles, and leveraging a myriad of different professionals and media outlets to spread the message!

I’ll repeat what I have been saying for years now: DUI is one of our absolute worst enemies here in California. Drunken drivers are shattering lives and property nightly, and dominating our precious law enforcement resources. DUI offenders must be stopped.

In closing, while the efforts of every37.com and other groups are wonderful, and I support them 110%, sadly I think the only way DUI’s are going to be cut in half or more is if the penalties come on line with other felonious behavior. That is, until we start treating DUI’s like armed robbery .. or rape… people are going to continue to get behind the wheel and with alcohol in their blood. The consequences, as they stand, simply are not enough to sway them.

PS: to every37.com:  STOP BROADCASTING DUI CHECKPOINTS! Don’t tell the drunks where the cops are going to be! Otherwise, thumbs up and keep up the great work! God bless you all for your sacrifices.

Thugs hate ‘em, residents fear ‘em, kids think they’re cool unless they’re outside their bedroom window at midnight, and apparently they are a  necessary evil in the war against  crime. Now you can track them in real time on the Sac PD’s web site.

Sacramento’s finest must have been deluged with calls about its ubiquitous “ghetto bird” (urban slang for police helicopter). In a blog response earlier today on their web site, “Officer Michelle” informed a reader about a new online feature that will allow residents to follow the flipping bird (I know, I know, shudup, I couldn’t resist), across the valley skies.

Check out the Sac PD blog question from a concerned North Natomas citizen earlier today that prompted the PD to spill the beans:

“We live in NW Natomas and for the 2nd time in 1 week we have had helicopters flying over and near our neighborhood with police on loud speakers warning people to stay in doors and lock an shut windows, or stay where you are or we’ll release the dogs. This is very disturbing. We did not move here thinking this would be a high crime area, but it seems to be turning into it. We would like to know how we find out why a PD helicopter was out, what was going on, and what kind of crime warrants a PD helicopter to fly around vs just squad cars?” -lov2swimnrun

I’m sorry but you have to appreciate  the irony of that nick name in a blog about police helicopters… at least if you have a smart ass sense of humor… not that I do…

Seriously though. Welcome to the beautiful place called North Natotalmess, lov2swimnrun!  Yep, we got crime, just like everyone else; we just seem to have a lot more than many other neighborhoods. [Ed: gee I wonder why that is. Scratching his head. Hmmm. Beats me, Joe].

I ran a crimemapper report on my street and in the last year and half there have been–get this–over 6,000 crime reports within a 3 miles radius of my home (and I don’t even think that includes the past several months). I ran one for a friend’s house in the Willow Oaks area of Folsom over the same period (which is WAY more populated than Natomas by the way), and there were around 1,000 crime reports. [place here the smiley face  icon whose eyes are popping out of its head]

So yeah, crime is big business in North Natomas, and if you’ve lived here a while you have heard that police helicopter many times (too bad it wasn’t around when punks were spraying this Natomas skate park with graffiti  – thanks Republicrat for this tip).

We have been here since around 2000, and we’ve heard it at least–speculating–60 times. And no less than 10 of those times it has been directly over our house (presumably not looking for anyone in my family), and shining it’s big spotlight all over our property. [Ed: Hey look on the bright side: you get to watch Cops live in your own backyard!]

Is the bird a good or bad thing? On one hand it enables cops to cover a much wider grid when trying to hunt down a thug who  just, e.g., robbed your local dry cleaners at gun point, or snatched your purse in Raley’s, or beat  the $#%@ out of your son in the park, or chucked a handful of rocks into your backyard. On the other hand, when the bird bears down on your house with its blades ripping and its megaphone blaring, it puts a bit of a damper on the evening–especially if you have guests over.

I remember the first time it happened to me. I was living in Regency Park at the time. It was about 11:30pm and I had some friends over and we were recording some vocals in my home studio.  All of  sudden the bird was over my house, and the cops were telling everyone to stay indoors. My kids came running out of their rooms with terrified looks on their faces. I called the non emergency line. The dispatcher said, “we have two in custody and one outstanding. He is considered armed and dangerous. Stay inside sir.”

Cool let’s fire back up the barbecue and sit outside and enjoy a Corona under the stars gang!

It has happened many other times since then. Sadly I have grown accustomed to it.   I even go outside and watch now. Sometimes I take my Easton aluminum bat with me, hoping to knock one out of the park for my team. Shrug.

The other night my son’s friend who lives in Natomas Park said a fugitive ended up running through her backyard as the bird chased him, squawking orders for him to lay down or face the dogs. Fortunately they caught him. At the time, she had no idea what was going on and was scared out of her wits. At least now she can go online and see what the bird is up to the next time it seems like it’s about to land on her rooftop.

Wait…. I can hear the bird outside right now. No, that is my other laptop fan. It’s hard to tell the difference anymore.

Source: http://blog.sacpd.org/?p=1169

PS: I am still waiting for real time RSS feed for ALL Sac PD calls, same as other cities have. Police scanner on PD’s site would be great, too (ask Portland how they set theirs up, Cheif Braziel).

The good news is: Jim’s kids slept through the whole ordeal, AND the cops were there within MINUTES of the call–oh and that Jim didn’t blast both thugs out of their sneakers like the pharmacist in Oklahoma did recently…

Jim said these two kids picked the wrong house. But maybe not. After all, the  news stations picked up on Jim’s non profit work (webuildlives.org)  and commented on the ironic nature of the situation: the Gun-toting Dad who foils would-be home invaders is an advocate for at-risk youth, who–by his own admission–would rather “give them a job” than shoot them.  Could this be the exposure Jim’s amazing program needed?

Yes, this is the same amazing program I have reported on multiple times in this space, and yes it is the same program Kevin Johnson shunned due to an alleged “conflict of interest” (a phantom conflict Kay-to-the-Jay has decided not to reveal or even discuss as I found out firsthand after sending both he and Steve Maviglio an email requesting an explanation, and getting nothing in return).

Maybe someone else will step up to the plate since Johnson won’t. Ray Tretheway? Lisa Kaplan? Angelique Ashby? Rob Fong? Kevin McCarty?  Who is ready to endorse Jim’s idea and get it the exposure it needs? Ray you should be chomping at the bit given the violence in your own neighborhood, dude. South Natomas is getting as bad as South Sac [ed: no way Joe, South Natomas will always have something South Sac does not:  a sweet tree fort for tots!]

Maybe someone with some influence will see this and help Jim and his organization win some of that $30,000,000 federal money Sac received to rehab homes. Maybe I am a complete neophyte when it comes to these matters, but I can’t help but ask: Who better to rebuild our neighborhoods than the misguided thugs who are robbing and terrorizing them????  It seems like our city council would be jumping all over this!