Sac State Graduating Seniors: In this economy, know the value of your education; Do what you have to do

Sac State Graduating Seniors: In today's economy, value your education and use your skills that you already know.

From working at a casino to joining the military, California State University, Sacramento’s graduating seniors do not have their heads in the clouds.

Many Sac State seniors are graduating at the end of the fall semester and are preparing themselves for heading into the work force of a declining economy.

Mehti Boostani, an Organizational Communications major and graduating senior says he currently works for Banana Republic and is currently trying to get a job in their corporate office.

Other students like Renee Cristoni, a criminal justice major, are considering military avenues.

"I was thinking about going into the Air Force because with my Bachelor's Degree I can go in as an Officer."

Professors and career counselors are also readily available to students for advice.

Stephanie Jackson changed her major from teaching to something "a little more flexible in the job market."

Eva Gabbe, career center counselor at Sac State says that artistic careers are feeling the crunch more than others such as accounting. "People need a plan and need to do work in their field--even if it's for free!"

Despite economy, Christmas tree farms thrive

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving we decided we wanted to cut our own Christmas tree this year.

The Tahoe and El Dorado national forests were not giving out permits this year due to low funding and could not employ the people it would take to manage the program. Their websites direct people to local Christmas tree farms in the area.

In Alta, California, the hidden, but popular Christmas tree farm was celebrating their 50th anniversary but the farm was also under new ownership.

The location sounded wonderful and they had two little trucks to take people up and down the mountain side.

“It's tradition,” said Paul Somerhausen. “It’s worth it. We like the experience. With gas prices down, it seemed even more feasibile."

By 1pm, a line of cars backed up through the narrow mountain street.

Little Bear Creek Tree Farm is located in the Sierra foothill community of Alta approximately 12 miles East of Colfax, and 40 miles West of Truckee on Interstate 80.

Art and animation in 3-D, Second Life

Artists of all kinds have found Second Life to be a powerful new medium for creative expression.

Dancers; theater artists; painters; graphic designers; photographers; interior designers; fashion designers; and architects use the Second Life platform to develop exciting new work and expand their audience. One can become any of these artists by creating their own objects in Second Life.

Second Life is an internet-based, 3-D virtual world mostly "created by it's residents" or users.

The game was developed by Linden Research, Incorporated in Davis, CA.

Since opening to the public in 2003, Second Life has grown explosively and today has millions of users from around the globe.

Second Life has infinite possibilities using computer art and animation. One could also create a computer-animated movie called Machinima.

Machinima is a word derived from the words machine and cinema. It is the creation of a movie from within a virtual world.

On any given day there could be someone hosting a machinima-movie screening or hundreds of in-world galleries and museums are host to shows by artists from around the world, displaying everything from photography to paintings, the real to surreal.

For an up-to-date list of art galleries in Second Life, see http://sl-artgalleries.blogspot.com.

Groundbreaking Ceremony For Sac State's Recreation and Wellness Center

Groundbreaking ceremonies for Sac State's Recreation and Wellness Center began at 10 a.m., Wednesday, October 1st. The event was free for the campus community to enjoy.

The groundbreaking ceremony was in honor of the new 150,000 square-foot recreation and wellness facility. The ceremony was located where the new facility is being built-- on the north end of the Hornet Stadium and behind Tahoe Hall.

Groundbreaking ceremonies included lunch, live music by “The Pets,” a show by the Taiko Dan Japanese Drumming Ensemble, a rock climbing wall, and a BMX show in the parking lot.

Large, yellow tractors dug at the site while students walked by the festivities. Some stayed to watch the events; others were just passing through.

There were even students catching a view of the BMX show from the parking garage floors.

Students have paid for this new center in their University Union fee each semester since about 2007, along with other donations, such as from Sac State Alumni. The state will not pay for student recreation buildings such as these.

However, Sacramento State is in need of an updated fitness and health facility.

The Recreation and Wellness Center will be part of the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex, which includes the stadium and the newly completed 26,235-square-foot Eli and Edythe L. Broad Fieldhouse located at the south end of the stadium. The fieldhouse is for the football and track and field programs.

The new Recreation and Wellness facility will feature a fitness center, an indoor track, racquetball courts, a rock climbing wall and the student health center. There will also be massage therapy, a baby-sitting center and space for Peak Adventures.

It is estimated that construction should be completed by September 2010. The center will be available to students, staff, faculty and alumni, which is great for those graduating before completion.

Images and other schematics of the Reacreation and Wellness Center, as we as the Alex G. Spanos Complex can be found at
http://www.spanossportscomplex.com/recwellnesscenter.htm.

Service Workers Hit Hard in Our Struggling Economy

Local service workers are in trouble.

Tracy, an African American woman in her late 20’s, and a Beverages and More store employee, has worked for Beverages and More full-time for eight years.

Tracy has a brand new daughter to take care of and when asked about how far her dollar is stretching lately, she said, “I have noticed that the price of basic food necessities such as milk and eggs has seemed to double, or no, even triple. Everything’s gone up!”

Tracy said she hasn't received a raise in the past year, but gas prices and other expenses have gone up.

Tracy was transferred from another Beverages and More store, recently. The new Roseville location is at 2030 Douglas Boulevard.

She usually works in receiving, checking in the inventory. However, on this day, a Monday morning, Tracy and the store manager are the only two employees in the expansive new store and therefore, she was assigned to be the cashier.

Tracy does not own a home. In fact, she mentions there are a lot of foreclosed homes in her neighborhood.

Trish, a hair stylist and employee of the Sport Clips hair salon in the same Roseville shopping center said business was slow and that she could see it’s slow for all the businesses in the shopping center.

Trish said her hours have been cut back, so she may only work up to 30 hours a week. She will have to get a second job.

In a MSNBC online article entitled, A Family Banks on its Human Capital (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21888203/) it includes a father from Alabama saying, “We live in a society today where you can work a full-time job and not put food on your table,” says Hamaker, leaning forward in his chair. “That’s sick!”

(The Beverages and More store manager in Roseville, California could not allow a video camera to be operated in the store or a store employee to be interviewed on tape without corporate office approval, however, filming was allowed at Sport Clips below).

Love in a sometimes cynical world for cops

On Sunday, September 21, 2008, Deputy Jennifer Kelly and Detective Ryan Cleveringa, both from the Sacramento Police Department, exchanged wedding vows.

The ceremony was held at the Monte Verde Inn in Foresthill, California. Short, but sweet, the ceremony began at roughly 4pm. White roses and red gerbera daisies draped across the arbor, under which, the couple first kissed as husbansd and wife.

The reception followed in the garden as a cool breeze blew gently and the stars came out. Some people noticed and whispered, "you can tell [that] the area is filled with fellow police officers." Others said they couldn't necessarily tell at all. All attendants were dressed to impress and none were in police uniform.

The Maid of Honor, Tara, dressed in a sleeveless, body-hugging, ruby-red gown. She raised her glass and exclaimed, “In the cynical world they often see as police officers, it is refreshing to see two of their fellow officers so deeply in love.”

Everyone raised their champagne glasses to toast, "to love!"

The Monte Verde Inn in Foresthill, California is a beautiful place for a wedding ceremony and reception. http://www.monteverdeinn.net/weddings.html.

For a funny cop wedding story from San Diego--link below to Guns and Roses:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/bell/20080719-9999-1m19bell.html.

Great theme for any party: Vegas, Baby!

Mrs. Melanie Foster of Sacramento had a 30th birthday party that will not be forgotten.

The theme was "Las Vegas" and the decorations fit the theme perfectly.

Ribbons with paper dice hung from the ceiling; a silver tiered fountain poured a blue liquor concoction; a roulette wheel game adorned one outside table, while a felt craps board with dice adorned another. Last but not least, there was an official black jack table with a live blackjack dealer!

The food was displayed liberally on the table in her kitchen with delectable appetizers such as bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers; won-ton served along side a sweet and sour sauce; an array of chips; different flavored dip; and of course, a large birthday cake cleverly decorated with dice and poker chips.

The birthday girl, Melanie, wore a knee-length, flowing hem, brilliant-blue halter style dress. The disk jockey was DJ Willie B of Sacramento, a good friend of ours.

The DJ played some 1990's hip hop and dance music because it "reminded her of her high school days," the birthday girl said.

About 30 people attended to celebrate the special night and they danced the night away.

Unsigned California budget affects Sac State disabled students

Disabled students who receive money from the California State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to buy their textbooks and school supplies will not be getting checks this semester.

The California Vocational Rehabilitation Department is responsible for distributing money to disabled college students with little resources, however the state's budget remains unsigned.

Instead of a check made out to the college bookstore this semester, students are told they must submit an itemized list of what they need for school and then submit it via e-mail to their assigned counselor for approval.

This information was given late--the week before school started, therefore, there was little time to gather the information.

When trying to communicate with Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the counselors didn’t return student calls and the e-mails were brief.

An unsigned California budget creates more work for the counselors; having to write out an itemized list for each student and then relay the information to their manager who must then, approve the requests. If something should get missed, another few days must pass for approval of the item.

Finally, during the beginning of the semester, the students are called to pick up a Purchasing Authority Purchase Order--paperwork that shows their individual, itemized list which is a promise-to-pay order made out to the Hornet Bookstore.

I finally received my purchase order yesterday, at the end of the first week of school. I sighed in disappointment because my rehabilitation counselor missed the FlipVideo camera I need in lieu of books for one of my classes.

It's now the end of the second week of school and I still haven't heard back from the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, nor has the Governor signed the budget.

It is not only affecting Sac State students; the entire state's population of disabled students are waiting.