The view from Old Sacramento

Visitors to Old Sacramento are treated to this spectacular view of West Sacramento's River Walk when the Ziggurat and Cal-STRS building are lit up. Thank you Keith Slagerman for sharing another of your spectacular photos of West Sacramento. For more of Keith's photography see this website-Slagerman Photo & Design

Fundraising event for Chris Ledesma

Some old friends and some new friends and supporters gathered at the Club Pheasant in West Sacramento for a campaign fundraiser for Chris Ledesma, City Council Candidate. Below photo from left Mike McGowan, (Yolo County Board of Supervisors) Chris Ledesma (Chair, West Sacramento Planning Commission), Oscar Villegas (West Sacramento City Council Member) Christopher Cabaldon (Mayor, West Sacramento). Photos by D'Niece Garcia Hall.

Ann Mendoza-WUSD Employee of the Year

Congratulations to Ann Mendoza for being awarded the Washington Unified School District Employee of the Year for 2009-10. At the award ceremony Anna also received her 15 year service award.

The Tattoo Gals..

These students were in charge of the "Temporary Tattoo" table at the Westmore Oaks School Carnival last weekend. Over 300 students and parents attended the PTA fundraiser.  We especially like the hand painted poster advertising the event...seems like most folks are using computer generated artwork these days..this one is very charming!

Recreation Center Pools Open This Weekend

The Leisure Pool and slides open May 29th. Pools will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday until school gets out. Weekend hours are noon-5pm. Summer Swim Lessons- Online Registration - visit www.westsacfun.org.

Vintage Mustang Convertible

By now you must know we never pass up the opportunity to get a photo of a great vintage car in the neighborhood. We think this beauty is probably a 1966 Ford Mustang..in perfect shape!

A sad statement for the new Westmore Oaks Campus

As most of you know the old James Marshall High/River City High School campus is now home to the K-8 Westmore Oaks School. Here is a picture of what Washington Unified School District has allowed to happened to the gym. Evidently they don't have enough money to repair damage done to the gym from a fire several years ago. The gym smells terrible now...musty.. like an old basement from being used for storage. I did hear from an ex district employee that there might be funds earmarked for repairs to the gym. But right now this campus has a huge student (over 800) population that has no activity area on rainy days. This property is all that is left of my alma mater...and this makes me sad!

Olivia Stanko-Local Girl Does Good!!

Another true story about the amazing people from West Sacramento! Olivia was born and raised in Broderick/West Sacramento and is a River City High School Alumni. Olivia was accepted into University of the Pacific and graduated on May 15, 2010. Her family proudly shares Olivia's announcement that she is starting her Master's Program at UOP this fall. Olivia's parents are Lucille (Espinoza) Stanko and Robert Stanko.

A Mardi Gras Flag Flying High

I had to take a second look when I saw a Mardi Gras flag flying over a home in West Sacramento this week. I think the residents are sending a message of strength and hope to the people in Louisiana and the Gulf States in dealing with the ecological disaster off their shores.

More Rain and Rainbows

Thank you Rosanna Ullrich for sharing this photo of the georgeous rainbow we had overhead last Wednesday after yet another spring rain storm.....what interesting weather we have been having! We can hardly wait to see what next week will bring!

The Tree House

Melanie Dinos shares this photo of one of the most unique homes in West Sacramento (known by some folks as the "Tree House") located in a court near Park Boulevard. Melanie said she enjoyed meeting the owner and hearing stories about the history of the house.

The SS Jeremiah O'Brien at the Port of Sacramento

Thank you Amy Cameron for sending this great photo of The Jeremiah O’Brien docked at the Port in West Sacramento. The SS. Jeremiah O'Brien is one of the two remaining fully functional Liberty Ships of the 2,710 built and launched during WWII. The vessel is here as part of the California Emergency Management Agency’s Golden Guardian Exercise. Emergency Responders from throughout the Sacramento region were at the Port yesterday to participate in various training exercises.

Texas Lone Star

This "Texas Lone Star" decoration is known as a sign of good luck and fortune, and...it could mean these folks have roots in Texas. One of our good friends, Neva May, was born 88 years ago in Sweetwater, Texas, and she can tell you some great stories about the World's Rattlesnake Roundup held there each year. As far as we know she never sang this song in the Miss Snake Charmer Pageant.

When I die I may not go to heaven
I don't know if they let cowboys in
If they don't just let me go to Texas, Boy!
Texas is as close as I've been.

Maureen's Mourning Doves

Thank you Maureen Stewart for sharing these photos of a new family of Doves making their home in a plant hanging from her deck at Valhalla. "Unlike most birds, Doves incubate their eggs continually. Since the male and female look alike, it appears the same bird is incubating the eggs the whole time. Actually, the male does a daytime shift and the female does the night shift. If you are not around during the change, it appears the same bird has been on the nest the whole time." Read more at Wild Bird Watching.