Welcome to the February edition of Fresh News! Learn how to engage in programs for residents, businesses, and veterans. Mark your calendar to attend an event. Visit a new business in town. Something new is always happening in Rancho Cordova.
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TOP 16 FOR 2016
Mayor David Sander kicked off the new year with a presentation at the Rancho Cordova Luncheon on Friday, January 15th. Learn about his top 16 for 2016 in our City by viewing the video below.
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Donald Terry was sworn in as the Vice Mayor of Rancho Cordova at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 19th. He was sworn in by his wife, Angela and their five-year-old son, Keaton.
Donald was elected to the Rancho Cordova City Council in 2012. He currently serves as the Director of Real Estate Development for NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center Sacramento Region where he oversees single-family for sale affordable housing development in an 11 county region in Northern California.
Learn More
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Thursday, March 3rd
Sunrise Event Center
11167 Trade Center Drive, Rancho Cordova
Doors Open at 5:30 p.m.
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Your Rancho Cordova Chamber is celebrating prosperity in Rancho Cordova with a festive Hawaiian style BBQ. An authentic Polynesian dance troop, including a fire knife dance, will perform. The BIBA's (Best In Business Awards) for 2015 will be revealed!
Take a selfie at our "beach", enjoy fabulous appetizers, come in your Hawaiian shirt, grass skirt, and flip flops - we'll provide the lei!
We've got wonderful silent auction items and great raffle gifts. There will be jewelry, wine, art, gift baskets, and so much more!
A wonderful Hawaiian BBQ featuring kalua pulled pork and chicken teriyaki are complimented by wine and local craft beer. And, every year, our community leadership class prepares a special libation.
We hope you will join us! This is your Chamber's annual signature event and we appreciate your support.
Questions? Donations? Sponsorship? Tickets? We'd love to hear from you.
(916) 273-5700
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COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT FUND SUPPORTS YOUTH
Art Ark Sails On
Rancho Cordova elementary students are off on a great art adventure as the Crocker Art Museum Art Ark sails onto local school campuses, thanks to a City Community Enhancement Fund grant to the Cordova Community Council.
The Crocker's Art Ark, a mobile art education center designed for students in pre-K through 8th grade, brings original works of art and activities to schools throughout the region. On the road with different exhibitions since 1980, the Art Ark is distinguished in the nation as one of the first mobile art museums and is one of the few to include hands-on learning.
The current exhibit is "COLOR! in Art, Science, and Nature" and is an interactive exhibition designed for students to explore the many facets of color and its role in their everyday, artistic lives.
Students can look closely at original artwork and through microscopes, and cultivate their curiosity in manipulating digital animation, a light prism, and color wheels. Engaged in active learning and experimentation, students will be empowered to recognize and use this element of art in their creative processes. A "Community Art Night" for parents and school neighbors is held at each site.
So far, the Art Ark has visited Cordova Gardens Elementary School, Rancho Cordova Elementary School, and Navigator Elementary School. The Ark will arrive at Williamson Elementary School on Wednesday, February 17th for a five-day visit. The visits will continue, making a stop at every Rancho Cordova elementary school site during the next two years - a most artful community enhancement.
Ruggers Flock to Renovated Rancho Cordova Fields
More than four dozen high school rugby teams from as far away as Washington and Oregon joined the Rancho Cordova Lancer Rugby Club in a weekend tournament on fields at Cordova High School, newly refurbished by a City Community Enhancement Fund Grant coordinated by the Cordova Community Council (CCC) and Rancho Cordova Athletic Association (RCAA).
The tournament was once in jeopardy because of field conditions. But a unique partnership between the City of Rancho Cordova, CCC, RCAA, and Folsom Cordova Unified School District has undertaken field work to eliminate surface problems caused by burrowing animals, add sand top treatments, and reseed just in time for the annual tournament.
"It appears teams are happy to hear we are renovating the fields and making a safer playing area," said Jerry Ahlin, tournament manager. "We have nipped the excuse in the bud thanks to the City, Rancho Cordova Athletic Association, and Cordova Community Council."
Other sports facility fixes are ahead in the next few months under the $50,000 grant, including field fix-ups for Cordova Girls Softball and Rancho Cordova Little League.
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SUBMIT A BICYCLING PHOTO FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN
Rancho Cordova is happy to call itself a Bicycle Friendly Community. That's why getting a new cycle track on Routier Road, signals along the Stone Creek Trail, and taking old train tracks and converting them to bike trails is so important in the City's Bicycle Master Plan. This document identifies community priorities for future bicycle projects, programs, and grants. We are updating the plan and need your help!
Call for photos! We are looking for great pictures of our bicycle trails or you, your family, and friends bicycling on them. The best photos will be included in our new Bicycle Master Plan, and winners will receive a $10 Starbucks gift card! Email your high resolution photos and a caption to
[email protected]
by Friday, February 5th.
Save the date! Join us on Wednesday, March 2nd at 6:30 p.m. to tell us what
new connections, improved facilities, or programs you want to see in Rancho Cordova. The meeting will be held at Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive. Refreshments will be served.
For questions or comments, please contact Travis Evans at (916) 851-8906 or
[email protected]
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BUSINESS NEWS
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Bases Loaded opened on January 2nd in Rancho Cordova. The business sells baseball and softball products in a 20,000 square foot building at 11455 Folsom Boulevard. Bases Loaded was also recognized on Inc. Magazine's annual list of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies in America. |
Specialty's Café and Bakery opened on January 14th in Rancho Cordova. From iPad kiosks to made-from-scratch baked goods to the modern feel, the new café is sure to impress. Stop by 3075 Prospect Park Drive for breakfast or lunch Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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Ready to get wacky? Wacky Tacky opened on January 16th in Rancho Cordova. Bring your kiddos ages 0 to 18 to adventure in three playground areas, or celebrate a birthday by booking a party package. Get in on the fun at 11327 Folsom Boulevard. |
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VOLUNTEER AWARD NOMINATIONS SOUGHT
Do you know an outstanding Rancho Cordova volunteer?
The Cordova Community Council (CCC) is riding a magic carpet in search of nominations for the 2016 Community Volunteer Awards event - "Rock the Kasbah" - slated for Friday, March 11th at Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive.
Each year, the CCC recognizes outstanding volunteer contributions to the community in various categories ranging from business to faith leadership. The prestigious "Rancho Cordovan of the Year" award can honor an exceptional contribution to the community during the year or over a lifetime.
The inspiring event is a chance to shine the spotlight on the most amazing individuals and organizations in Rancho Cordova - volunteers. Nominations often dig behind the headlines to find extraordinary acts of volunteerism that otherwise get overlooked.
Persons wishing to make a nomination may do so by filling out an online nomination form here. Nominations are ongoing and will close at 5 p.m. on Friday, February 5th.
View past winners and their accomplishments here.
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YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM COMES TO CHILDREN'S MUSEUM
Are you someone who likes to inspire, create, and explore? The Sacramento Children's Museum in Rancho Cordova is starting a new program that lets local teenagers engage with their community while developing skills to teach and lead others.
The Youth Leadership Program provides high school students a playful and educational environment for community service with other like-minded volunteers. The commitment is 40 hours of volunteer time in four months, with many chances to exceed the minimum requirement of 10 hours per month. Upon completion, participants will receive an official certificate to commemorate their community service with the program.
"Community service is an ever increasing requirement for high school students," said Sharon Stone Smith, Executive Director of the Sacramento Children's Museum. "Providing a place where they can not only fulfill those hours, but gain a deeper understanding of responsibility, creativity, and follow through will benefit them in their future professional life."
Students must be 15-18 years old or a sophomore, junior, or senior in high school. Students interested in the program are invited to attend an information session on Wednesday, February 3rd from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sacramento Children's Museum, 2701 Prospect Park Drive, Rancho Cordova.
Applications are available online
or at the Sacramento Children's Museum and must be submitted by Sunday, February 7th. Learn how you can inspire, create, and explore with the Museum!
Learn More
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CORK & FORK RAISES MONEY TO SUPPORT LOCAL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Rancho Cordova's premier wine tasting fundraiser
Cork & Fork will be on Friday, March 11th from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Sacramento Marriott Rancho Cordova,
11211 Point East Drive.
Cork & Fork is an evening of wine tasting from wineries around the region, along with gourmet food sampling from many of the area's best-known restaurants and caterers. The event also features live music and a spectacular silent auction showcasing a variety of items ranging from fine art, exotic getaways, unique home décor, and much more.
Cork & Fork is a key fundraiser for the vital work of the
Folsom Cordova Community Partnership that provides a wide variety of programs targeted at reducing the risk of child abuse and neglect as well as impacting generational cycles of poverty. Each year, the Folsom Cordova Community Partnership provides parent education and support, safe youth activities, employment services, and safety-net services to over 5,000 children, youth, and adults in our local community. They offer a wide range of services in one place to best serve families through a Family Resource Center environment.
You may partner with Cork & Fork in supporting and empowering children and families in our local community by
purchasing tickets, and enjoying an evening of delightful food, wine, and entertainment. Tickets are $25 online or $40 at the door.
Event sponsorships are also available. Please contact Chris Clark at
[email protected] or (916) 361-8684 x281 for sponsorship details.
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EVENT CALENDAR
Truckin' Tuesday - First Tuesday of the Month, 5 - 8 p.m.
Eagles Nest Park, 11810 Chrysanthy Boulevard in Anatolia
The Anatolia Homeowners Association and SactoMoFo present Truckin' Tuesday.
Join them for music, fun, and delicious food from some of Sacramento's best food trucks! For a food truck lineup, click here.
Food Truck Friday - Every Friday, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
3180 Kilgore Road
SactoMoFo presents a food truck lunch every Friday in Rancho Cordova. Enjoy a weekly rotation of lunch options from 8+ of your favorite food trucks.
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Sweethearts Trivia Night - Thursday, February 4th, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Sacramento Children's Museum, 2701 Prospect Park Drive
In honor of Valentine's Day, it's time for the adults-only Sweethearts Trivia Night at the Museum! Enjoy a rousing, brain-teasing trivia game after hours in a pub-like setting. The event features fun prizes for the winners, pub style snacks, and an awesome raffle including several elegant pieces of jewelry for your Valentine, wine tasting packages, and more! Drinks and raffle tickets will be available for purchase. Guests will also have an opportunity to tour the Museum and engage with our exhibits.
Cost to attend is free, but
register here
as space is limited.
Free Composting Workshop - Saturday, February 6th, 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Soil Born Farms, American River Ranch,
2140 Chase Drive
Want to learn how to turn waste into healthy nutrient-rich matter that can be added to your garden or yard? Join Brit Schneider of Soil Born Farms in partnership with Republic Services and the City of Rancho Cordova in this informative and hands-on class where you will learn how to build, maintain, harvest, and troubleshoot a compost pile. Part of the workshop will be held outside, so please bring appropriate clothing and footwear. All Rancho Cordova residents who attend will be entered to win one of many raffle prizes! To register, please call (916) 502-2096 or email [email protected].
Community Neighborhood Watch Meeting - Tuesday, February 9th, 6 p.m.
Rancho Cordova Police Department, 2897 Kilgore Road
Join the Police Department for its first Community Neighborhood Watch meeting of 2016. The meeting will provide neighborhood updates with the Problem Oriented Policing (POP) team.
Sacramento Children's Museum Closed - February 9 - 13th
The Sacramento Children's Museum will be closed for lobby renovations and to make room for Raceways, one of its most popular exhibits.
City Hall Closed - Monday, February 15th
Rancho Cordova City Hall is closed in recognition of Presidents' Day.
Volunteer Training for Veterans Resource Station - Thursday, February 18th, 1 - 4 p.m.
Rancho Cordova Library, 9845 Folsom Boulevard
The Library provides training for adult volunteers so they can learn to effectively staff the Veterans Resource Station. A commitment of 2-3 hours per week is required. Learn more in the article below.
Rancho Cordova Luncheon - Friday, February 19th, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive
Join us in welcoming Sacramento State University President Robert Nelsen to the Rancho Cordova Luncheon in February.
Nelsen became Sacramento State University's eighth permanent president on July 1st, 2015. Come hear his plans for leading Sacramento State students and faculty into the future. Tickets are $12 for members with reservations, and $20 for non-members and members without reservations.
Reserve your spot by February 18th.
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WORK BY PREMIERE ARTIST UNVEILED
A stunning depiction of the banks of the American River at Rancho Cordova created by renowned artist Greg Kondos was unveiled at Rancho Cordova City Hall on Thursday, January 28th.
The piece, an abstract view of the riverbank of Rancho Cordova as seen from the north side of the river, was produced by Kondos, a Sacramento artist considered to be one of the foremost landscape painters in California. His subjects include Yosemite, the Sacramento River Delta, beaches, the Southwest, Aix en Provence, and the islands of Greece, the home of his parents.
An art professor for 30 years, Kondos has been honored many times, and the art gallery at Sacramento City College is named after him. Among his many other honors are Winter Invitationals at the California Palace of the Legion of Honor, the Dillard Collection Prize, and a lifetime achievement award from Florence Binnale. He has also been elected into the National Academy of Art in New York.
The work was unveiled during a ceremony celebrating the opening of "Unreal and Imagined," a collection of fantasy works by Rancho Cordova artists. Both the Kondos work and "Unreal and Imagined" can be viewed free of charge at City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays or anytime City Hall is open. The Kondos work will be a permanent piece at City Hall for generations to come.
"Unreal and Imagined," juried by fantasy artist Tracy Lewis, will be on display through Friday, April 1st.
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VETERANS RESOURCE STATION UNVEILED
Veterans have a new place in Rancho Cordova to get assistance with benefits and other resources.
On Friday, January 29th, the Rancho Cordova Library opened their new Veterans Resource Station. Local veterans attended the kick-off event, which included a color guard, pledge of allegiance, Star Spangled Banner, and a speaking program.
The Veterans Resource Station is a place where veterans can talk privately with a volunteer about the benefits they are entitled to, as well as get free access to a computer, printer, and telephone. Children and spouses of veterans who have passed away are also welcome, as they are entitled to benefits.
"It avoids confusion because there's a lot of confusion trying to sort stuff out," said Veteran Don Woodroma. "Where do you go, what do you do. To me, that's the biggest benefit."
On the fourth Friday of every month, the VA Hospital is offering a free shuttle service to the library, which will open during the morning hours they are usually closed. Veterans will be able to access the library and resource center, as well as their health records with the help of a representative from the VA.
The library is also offering free copies of the California Veterans Resource Book, which outlines the benefits that are available, for veterans to take home if they prefer. Fun programs are coming to the library every month for veterans as well, including a writing class aimed to offer a creative outlet to help veterans acclimate to society after their service. The workshops will be held on Wednesdays, March 16th, March 30th, April 20th, and May 18th from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
"It seemed natural that the Rancho Cordova Library would have this [station]," said Jill Stockinger, Rancho Cordova Library Branch Supervisor. "We developed around Mather Air Force Base, so lots of people here have ties to the military or are veterans themselves."
The Veterans Resource Station was created with the help of a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Veterans Affairs.
The library is looking for volunteers to work in the Veterans Resource Station. They ask that volunteers can commit to a few hours every week. If you are part of a group or organization with upcoming events for veterans, the library is also looking for ways to get the word out about the new resource center. If you would like to volunteer or have any information, visit the Rancho Cordova Library at 9845 Folsom Boulevard or send an email to
[email protected].
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OFF 'TIL SPRING
You did a great job conserving water this year by limiting landscape watering, fixing leaks, taking shorter showers, and other actions that made a big difference. Keep up the great work this winter by turning your sprinklers off and leaving them off until spring. With winter's shorter and rainy days, your landscape typically doesn't need any extra water.
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TAKE YOUR HOME (AND WATER SAVINGS) FROM DRAB TO FAB
One of the best way to save water indoors is to replace older, water-wasting fixtures with high-efficiency models. The bathroom is a great place to start, since it's the largest water hog in your home, accounting for more than half of indoor water use.
To find water-wise fixtures that don't compromise on function or style, look for the WaterSense label. WaterSense products are third-party certified to make sure they meet water efficiency and performance standards. These products include toilets, urinals, showerheads, and faucets, and can be found at local home improvement stores.
Many local water providers offer money back for replacing older fixtures with more efficient models. These include rebates for toilets and clothes washers, as well as for upgrading water-wasting sprinklers and irrigation equipment.
Learn More
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CONSIDERING A RAIN GARDEN
In light of the ongoing California drought, many homeowners have installed landscaping alternatives that emphasize native and drought-tolerant plant species. Another option homeowners can consider are rain gardens, which are shallow landscaped depressions that capture rainwater.
What are the benefits to installing a rain garden?
- When it rains, a rain garden will function to collect and store rainwater, allowing it to slowly soak into the ground. An average sized rain garden in Sacramento can potentially retain thousands of gallons of water every year.
- A rain garden will capture water that would ordinarily run off pavement and impact the storm drain system. In this way, rain gardens reduce pollutants in our waterways by decreasing the volume of storm water runoff and the pollutants that often get carried with it.
- Rain gardens are visually appealing and can be landscaped with beautiful and colorful plants and shrubs.
- They provide habitat for birds and butterflies.
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PUBLIC MEETINGS ON HOW TO SPEND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS
The City of Rancho Cordova needs your help in determining priorities for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. In the next five years, we anticipate $2.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development towards the program.
We have been asking residents and people who work in our community to take a 15-20 minute survey to help us understand where you would like the money to be spent. The funding is limited to supporting public projects and services for youth, seniors, and principally low- and moderate-income persons in Rancho Cordova, whereas other funding opportunities like the Community Enhancement Fund can support a wider range of community priorities.
As part of this effort, the City is holding a public meeting to help answer questions and gather feedback about priorities for the CDBG program. Refreshments will be provided. Residents are invited to attend on Wednesday, February 10th at 6 p.m. at Cordova Meadows Elementary School, 2550 La Loma Drive.
Individuals who can't attend the meetings are encouraged to take the survey before Friday, February 5th.
The City is also accepting applications from non-profit service providers for CDBG services and capital funding for Fiscal Year 2016-17. The deadline to apply is on Monday, February 15th at 5 p.m. Apply Now
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WE WILL PAY UP TO $1,000 FOR YOUR OLD CHAIN LINK FENCE
Attention Rancho Cordova homeowners! Do you have a chain link fence? You may be eligible for the City of Rancho Cordova's Pilot Rebate Program. This program has been developed to promote neigborhood beautification, enhance appearance of neighborhoods, and increase property values. Funding for the program is supported by the Community Enhancement Fund (Measure H).
Learn More
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