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since 1991 Arden-Carmichael News November 12, 2009 Your News in Your Hands www.valcomnews.com Honoring those who Through word of mouth, Matteo’s Pizza & Bistro thrives served their country New Carmichael restaurant picks up traction in recovering economy See page 8 See page 14 COMMUNITY CALENDAR, PAGES 16–17 • KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR, PAGE 6 • FACES AND PLACES, PAGE 10 Inside This Edition The great gig in the sky Music memories of Carmichael’s El Dorado Saloon See page 6 Local volunteers are cats’ best friend See page 4 Sacramentans recall Woodstock memories See page 10 Arden-Carmichael News Warmly welcoming the holidays WWW.V A LCO M N E W S .CO M With Halloween over, eyes move E-mail stories & photos to: [email protected] Vol. XVIII • No. 21 Arden-Carmichael News is published on the second and fourth 2709 Riverside Blvd. to gift-getting, holiday shopping Thursdays of the month and is delivered by mail and home delivery. Sacramento, Newspapers are also available in stands throughout the area. CA 95818 t: (916) 429-9901 By RYAN ROSE Publisher ...................................................................... George Macko f: (916) 429-9906 Arden-Carmichael News Editor “From all of us on General Manager ........................................................ Kathleen Egan [email protected] Editor ................................................................................... Ryan Rose Production Manager ......................................................John Ochoa this side of the page, Graphic Artist ................................................................. Ryan Vuong Sales Manager ................................................................Patty Colmer It seems to get here earlier and ear- let me issue an early Advertising Executives .....................................................Linda Pohl lier each year – heralded by omnipres- Marc Harris Desiléts, Melissa Andrews Distribution/Subscriptions ...................................... George Macko ent muzak versions of seasonal songs, Happy Holidays.” Christmas isn’t just “coming to town,” $30 a year subscription it’s running us over. Not long after Halloween ends, the catalogues come out, the wish lists are made, the on- low Sacramento area residents avoid line shopping begins and the long foot the confusion caused by lists of lame race to Christmas morning begins with and tired gift ideas, has issued our own the first of what often becomes many Holiday Gift Guide – a little over one expensive steps. And, for those us of month before Christmas and but a few caught in this whirlwind, the gift-get- weeks before holiday gift-getting begins ting, tree-buying, secret-Santa-shop- in full fire. ping season can make for more pres- So, dear readers, take this gift guide sure than pleasure. and let it help you identify those things So, here’s the fix: that might bring joy to another. More- planning. over, when spending and shopping, keep The staff in mind the reason why you and thou- at the Ar- sands of others venture out into cold win- den-Carmi- ter nights: an obligation of love. And that chael News, feeling can bring warmth to even the chill- in an at- iest night. And from all of us on this tempt to side of the page, let me issue an early help our fel- Happy Holidays. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, we pause to remember the sacrifices of our Veterans. Happy Veterans Day 2 Arden-Carmichael News • November 12, 2009 • www.valcomnews.com Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. www.valcomnews.com • November 12, 2009 • Arden-Carmichael News 3 From the grassroots on up Local resident group pioneers incredible effort to save 140 felines By SUSAN LAIRD Arden-Carmichael News Writer The large cat colony was the re- [email protected] sult of a pair of well meaning pet owners who failed to spay and neuter their original pets, and who His yellow eyes following a clus- then took on stray cats as well. A ter of moving feathers, the sleek, few cats became a few dozen cats in black cat crouches, patiently. Sud- short time, and eventually 140 fe- denly, he leaps up, his young paws lines in just a couple years. When grasping wildly for the elusive the economy took a downturn, the prize. Toby lands on the floor, alert family found itself unable to con- and contemplating his next move, tinue to support what had become as the “fishing pole” of bird feath- an overwhelming situation... They ers “flies” over to a nearby group appealed to the media for help of cats. It’s playtime with humans find homes for the cats, but results on a feline adoption day, and this were poor. group of young cats is having a It looked like the county would wonderful time. have to step in, with a “Final So- Toby is one of the lucky ones. lution” that no one wanted. That’s He will live to chase another kit- when Friends of the Sacramento ty toy, to rub up against a human’s City Shelter Animals, Inc. stepped legs, to purr his love of life on a in to try to rescue not a few ani- human lap. mals, but the entire colony. It was It almost wasn’t so. a bold, courageous move that had Photo courtesy Dia Goode Thanks to the extraordinary ef- never been attempted before on so These cats were rescued by local Sacramento area residents after county officials informed the public forts of a dedicated group of local large a scale. that the pets would be euthanized. citizens, community groups, re- “These are some of the friendli- gional shelters and an area pet re- est, most beautiful cats,” said Dia kill them would be so unjust. We looking at you. The majority were sort, a group of 140 felines will all Goode, cofounder of Friends of couldn’t just stand there. We had so friendly. The others, cautious, be adopted out to loving homes, the Sacramento City Shelter An- to do something.” but eventually warming up to us. instead of facing the death sen- imals, Inc. “When we heard about “It was overwhelming,” said El- They knew we were there to help. tence of “euthanasia” – translated them, we went over to the house len Nakata-Harper, an East Sac- And they were all healthy. The from the Latin: “good death” – at a to assess the situation. The cats ramento resident and Friends county animal shelter. would come right over to you. To volunteer. “Seeing so many eyes See Cats, page 5 4 Arden-Carmichael News • November 12, 2009 • www.valcomnews.com Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. Upcoming adoption days: November 15 There is one more adoption day planned at the Wag Hotel in West Sacramento. Those interested in adopting a cat are encouraged to visit the pet resort on Nov. 15 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Each cat has already been altered, had all its vaccina- tions and has been micro chipped. The price for adoption is a bargain: $30 for one cat, $40 for a pair. If, for any reason, an adoption doesn’t “work out,” the Friends of the Sacramento City Shelter Animals, Inc. will accept animals back. The purpose is to find homes where both felines and families can thrive. The Wag Hotel is located at 1759 Enterprise Blvd. in West Sacramento, just off Highway 50. For more information about the Friends of the Sacramento City Shelter Animals, Inc., or to make a donation to support their animal rescue efforts, visit www.sacci- tyshelter.com. - Susan Laird Cats: ‘They are just as “There are tabbies, cali- imals are often killed imme- and organizations is bearing sweet and friendly as the coes, seal points, tortoiseshell diately, and never make it to fruit: of the original 140 kit- cats…and a large number of the public for adoption. We ties, there are just 22 who still first ones to be rescued’ beautiful black cats,” Goode want to show everyone that need homes. Continued from page 4 said. “What many people are – not only can a large popu- “These aren’t cats that not aware of is that there is lation of animals be adopted were ‘passed over,’” Goode previous owners obvious- port them to vet appoint- a bias in county shelters na- out – it is also unnecessary to said. “These are simply ly took good care of them, ments, shelters, fostering tionwide against black cats kill black cats and dogs. They the last ones to come out aside from their failure to and more. and dogs. They believe that make wonderful, beautiful of the house. They are spay and neuter.” “The plan was: we (the these animals are unadopt- pets. Don’t write them off.” just as sweet and friend- “It was a truly bizarre Friends) pulled the cats out, able, simply because of the The amazing effort of this ly as the first ones to be situation,” said Moira Mo- took them to the Sacramento color of their fur. These an- united group of animal lovers rescued.” nahan, a Friend volunteer SPCA for spaying, neutering, who lives in Land Park. testing for leukemia and fe- “The smell of the cats at line AIDS, and had them vac- the house was overwhelm- cinated and micro chipped,” ing. But you got used to it Goode said. “Others devot- each time you came to res- ed time to making sure the cue a few more cats. I work cats were socialized. This on the spay/neuter and way, every animal in the col- foster care projects. The ony would be adoptable, and cats range in age from six there would be absolutely no months to about two or need to kill any of them.” three years of age. There The Friends employed really aren’t any old ones or two rescue strategies: one really young ones, which is group of cats was altered, unusual.” processed and sent out to The Friends put out a other groups, the other plea for help to local and was altered, processed and regional “no kill” shelters sheltered at the Wag Hotel and rescue groups.