The Pocket Newssince 1991
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since 1991 The Pocket News March 7, 2013 Community News in Your Hands www.valcomnews.com Bike for Mike: Event memorializes the late Deacon Mike Crowley ‘Spring Fling’ Irish ball See page 5 See page 12 LANCE ARMSTRONG HISTORY FEATURE, PAGE 6 • SCHOOL NEWS, PAGE 10 • COMMUNITY CALENDAR, PAGES 24–27 Inside This Edition Reptile Day at Robbie Waters Pocket/Greenhaven Library See page 19 Miss Sacramento County Cultural event held at Outstanding teen Mackenzie Starnes the library See page 2 See page 20 Presenting Miss Sacramento County Outstanding Teen: Mackenzie Starnes of Pocket Got Mackenzie Starnes lives in the Pocket area, attends Christian Brothers High School and is the daughter of David and Tracy Starnes. News? During this year of reign as Miss Sacramen- e-mail [email protected] to County, Mackenzie will use her title, Miss Sacramento County Outstanding Teen, and Autism, pit bulls and a her platform, Positive Self Image for Teenage Girls, to empower girls and female adolescents through mentoring, public speaking engage- Sacramento teacher’s ments, and self-esteem building activities. April Smith, program director of Miss Sac- ramento County described Mackenzie as a plan to change lives very talented young woman, who is very driv- en to succeed. “You can tell that by her straight By VALERIE HEIMERICH when he has to do it in school. A report card and how she turned in every- His something makes him thing that was asked for on time. Sarah Kesty is many things feels angry; he starts to hate “Unfortunately, it is sometimes hard – a special education teacher, school and books and de- to find that in young people today and an animal rescue volunteer, an cides the others must be right it is wonderful when you find someone artist and a funny, goofy out- about him. like Mackenzie who is exceptional. This going young woman. Kes- Sarah Kesty realized how program is not all about the ‘prettiest girl’ ty knows that everyone has much of an impact those feel- but the contestant who is the most well something that is challenging, ing are to the personal, emo- rounded and talented in all areas of her scary or confusing for them, tional and academic develop- life. Mackenzie is amazing in every as- and she is helping children ment of her students and to pect of her life and that is why she stood understand and deal with adults as well. The way a per- out to the judges.” theirs. son reacts or acts out because When some people look at of his or her something be- a pit bull, they immediately comes the focus, and the root assume the dog will be mean; of the problems may never be the pit bull’s “something” is addressed. the skin he was born in. He Instead of letting their may be yelled at or even hurt something define them, Kes- because of that assumption, ty helps students view their which in turn could cause him challenges “like speed bumps to growl when approached. that can be gotten over”. See? Pit bulls are mean. “I tell them it is okay to have A woman whose “some- feelings and to get mad” says thing” is spatial relationships Kesty, “but slow down, take a looks at a street map and sees minute and then we’ll find a nothing that makes sense. She way to deal with it”. can’t tell north from south, The positive impact on her and cries when she gets lost students has been tremen- even in familiar places. Peo- dous and Kesty realized that ple think she just isn’t try- others could benefit from the ing and her whole life shrinks approach. She has written a down to the 5-mile radius of book for eight to twelve year her house. olds called “Everyone Has A boy with dyslexia has Something” and wants to self- difficulty reading aloud, and is teased and called “stupid” See Volunteer, page 5 The Pocket News WWW.VALCOMNEWS.COM Pocket News is published on the first and third Thursdays of Vol. XXII • No. 5 the month and delivered by mail and home delivery in the area Help Wanted: bounded by Interstate 5 on the east and the Sacramento River 2709 Riverside Blvd. on the north, west, and south. Sacramento, CA 95818 Gossip Columnist Publisher ...................................................................... George Macko t: (916) 429-9901 General Manager ........................................................ Kathleen Egan f: (916) 429-9906 To our readers: Editor .............................................................................. Monica Stark Do you like to gossip and know everything that’s Art Director......................................................................John Ochoa Cover photo by: going on in your neighborhood? If so, you may be Courtesy who I am looking for. If you think you have what it Graphic Designer ....................................................... Serene Lusano takes to put out a regular gossip column, email me a Advertising Executives .....................................................Linda Pohl Other photos by: sample at [email protected]. Besides your by- Patty Colmer, Melissa Andrews, Jen Henry Steve Crowley line and photograph, you’ll have the added bonus of Distribution/Subscriptions ...................................... George Macko John Cooper earning some extra spending money each month. E-mail stories & photos to: [email protected] Sincerely, Monica Stark 2 The Pocket News • March 7, 2013 • www.valcomnews.com Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. www.valcomnews.com • March 7, 2013 • The Pocket News 3 Volunteer: Your help is needed Tony Lutfi’s goal: Bike for Mike to be held in Continued from page 3 publish the book for use by thank-you gifts to certain lev- schools and parents. els of donors on Kickstarter. To own 50 restaurants memory of Deacon Mike Crowley Kesty is using Kickstarter. To purchase bracelets or com, a fundraising platform, to request more information, Bicycle ride set for to raise the $9,300 needed to email everyonehassomething@ before turning 50 Saturday, March 16 publish the book; supporters gmail.com. can pledge to make a dona- Supporter and rescue vol- By MONica StarK tion of $1 or more. unteer RuEtta Gray says that [email protected] The Social Justice Ministry If $9,300 is pledged by while major pledges are great, at St. Anthony Catholic Par- March 16, the publishing even small ones make a dif- ish is sponsoring an easy, fami- project will be funded and the ference. “If you can skip one ly oriented bike ride (less than pledged donations will be col- run to Starbucks, pledge it. For much of his life, Tony Far surpassing his goals, Lutfi immigrated to the Unit- 10 miles) around the Pocket in lected. No pledged amounts If there is loose change un- Lutfi has had the goal of Lutfi, whose corporate head- ed States in 1976 with hopes memory of Deacon Mike Crow- will be collected or used for der the cushions of your sofa owning 50 restaurants be- quarters are in the Pocket area, to pursue higher education ley, an avid cyclist who died on publishing unless the total or car seat – pledge it. If you fore turning 50 years old. He is among the top 55 multi-unit in the medical field. He at- March 18, 2012. The ride will amount is reached. have $10, $100 or more for was recently on the cover of franchises in the nation. tended high school in Lodi also be a fundraiser for the SSIP Kesty is also selling silicone something you believe in – Multi-Unit Franchisee maga- Born in 1960 in Amman and graduated in 1977, then (South Sacramento Interfaith “Everyone Has Something” pledge it”, Gray suggests. zine with the headline: Mega Jordan as the youngest child quickly moved to Stockton Partnership) Food Locker. The wristband bracelets for $5 to To see a video about Kesty’s 99: Tony Lutfi soars from 52 for a refugee Palestinian fam- and attended Delta College bike ride will begin at 9 a.m. and raise funds for publishing; program, visit Kickstarter or to 134 units in three years. ily who then lived in Jordan, while sharing an apartment start and end at St. Anthony these can also be included as sarahkesty.com. with his cousin. Parish, 660 Florin Rd. “I did not want to be a bur- Deacon Mike served the St. den to my family that strug- Anthony Parish communi- gled financially and I knew ty from his ordination in 1996 that I needed to work and until his death last March. He make it on my own at age cared deeply about those who 16,” he said. He worked at suffered hunger and volunteered a 7-11 for a short period of many hours at the food locker. time and then was offered a He also loved biking and almost position with Jack in the Box never used a car to move around for the graveyard shift, which Sacramento. worked out well allowing me The ride will not only hon- to attend classes in the day or Mike’s life, it will raise money for SSIP Food Locker and work at night. the SSIP Food Locker. To contribute, Bethany Presbyterian Church Life quickly took its course. bring a check made out to SSIP when 5625 24th Street Lutfi quit college and decided you come to the ride. If you cannot Sacramento, CA 95822 to accept a shift manager po- ride, but would like to donate, you can sition with Jack in the Box. In bring a check by to the parish or send Please indicate on the check that it is in memo- the check to: ry of Deacon Mike Crowley See Success, page 21 4 The Pocket News • March 7, 2013 • www.valcomnews.com Valley Community Newspapers, Inc.