since 1991 East Sacramento News August 6, 2009 Your News in Your Hands www.valcomnews.com Marty Relles presents The Italian Connection: Dante Club links Old World to new age ‘Janey Way Memories’ Dante Club has rich tradition in East Sacramento area, capital region See page 6 See page 7 COMMUNITY CALENDAR, PAGES 23–24 • KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR, PAGE 5 • FACES AND PLACES, PAGE 10 Inside This Edition Jim Kozimor cozy in East Sacramento See page 5 American River Parkway: ‘Turn’ to the future A jewel of the region East Sacramento’s Turn Verein in its 83rd year See page 22 See page 8 East Sacramento News WWW.VALCOMNEWS.COM E-mail stories & photos to: [email protected] Vol. XVIII • No. 15 The Power of . We Deliver East Sacramento News is published on the first and third Thursday 2709 Riverside Blvd. of the month and delivered by mail and home delivery in the area Sacramento, bounded by Business 80 on the west, the American River on the CA 95818 north and east and Highway 50 on the south. t: (916) 429-9901 Reputation . Knowledge . Honesty . Communication . Results f: (916) 429-9906 Publisher ...................................................................... George Macko General Manager ........................................................ Kathleen Egan Editor ................................................................................... Ryan Rose Production Manager ......................................................John Ochoa Graphic Artist ................................................................. Ryan Vuong Sales Manager ................................................................Patty Colmer Advertising Executives .....................................................Linda Pohl Marc Harris Desiléts, Melissa Andrews Distribution/Subscriptions ...................................... George Macko $30 a year subscription 2 East Sacramento News • August 6, 2009 • www.valcomnews.com Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. www.valcomnews.com • August 6, 2009 • East Sacramento News 3 4 East Sacramento News • August 6, 2009 • www.valcomnews.com Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. Know your neighbor ‘Koz’ gets cozy in East Sacramento By KELLY DAVIS East Sacramento News Columnist “If you let good things happen, [email protected] good things will happen to you.” The name Jim Kozimor is well known in Sacra- - Jim Kozimor mento. For 11 years, he worked for the Sacramen- to Kings basketball team in several capacities, most notably as a television and radio personality. He has since landed a full-time job. As of Mon- Jim was originally hired to do the radio pre- and day, July 20, Jim hosts his own radio talk show on post-game show. Over the years, his responsibili- KHTK Sports 1140 AM. The program, “The Jim ties evolved to include House Party Live on Com- Kozimor Show,” airs from noon to 3 p.m. and he cast Sportsnet; a sideline report on News10; a post covers all things sports and more. game radio show; some radio play-by-play; and the “I’m doing the show with a smile, and when you’re Kings radio talk show every week. listening to me, you’d better have a smile, too. I just All that changed May 12 when the Kings can- have fun,” he said. celled House Party Live and eliminated Jim’s posi- Keep in mind that when Jim moved from Hous- tion. ton to take the job in Sacramento, he intended to “It was a complete and utter shock, I never saw it stay for only 2 years. Within a year, however, Jim coming,” he told the East Sacramento News in a re- met Sandra Furlong and his thoughts of leaving cent interview. “But I’ve got to say, I’ve been pretty were forgotten. Three years later they were married blessed since then. Every day something good has and started a family. happened… people calling with support and people wanting me to work for them.” Staying in Sacramento Everyone assumed that when the Kings laid him East Sacramento News Photo/Ryan Rose A new chapter off, that he would have to leave Sacramento to take Jim Kozimor, his wife Sandra, and daughters Sasha and Ava (in Since being laid off, Jim has been busier and hap- a new job elsewhere. Although he entertained the wagon in background) at East Sacramento’s popular 41st Street pier than ever. He was surprised to learn that his idea if the opportunity presented itself, Jim said Fourth of July parade. name was known outside of Sacramento. He re- that he and his family really wanted to stay in Sac- ceived numerous calls of support and job offers. ramento. and what’s to come. He’s excited to move on in his Jim said he’s never worked harder than the past two Jim, Sandra and their three daughters, Addison, new job and start the next phase of his life. months because he’s been trying to generate busi- Ava and Sasha, have established roots in East Sac- “If you let good things happen, good things will ness and let people know he’s available. ramento. In fact, the day he was laid off, they broke happen to you,” he said. “Every job you get is like a job interview,” Jim ground on a new house on 38th Street that will be said. finished sometime next year. They love the area and Editor’s Note: A graphic designer by trade, Kelly Davis He has been hired for a variety of side jobs all are very excited about their new home. They have has a long history of reporting on the Sacramento Kings over the country, including Comcast Sportsnet Bay faced some challenges to build it, but they say it was for the Sacramento Union. The East Sacramento News Area, Universal Sports in LA, KHTK Sports 1140 worth it. welcomes her contributions to our regular coverage. Con- AM and even NBC Sports in New York. He has “We’ve done everything right, we overcame sever- tact Kelly via e-mail at [email protected]. done it all: report, guest, host and anchor. al hurdles, and we are so excited to move in. It’s go- “It’s been a wonderful opportunity to show that ing to be a spectacular place… a house where you Listen to “The Jim Kozimor Show” I’m versatile and to prove that I can work in this can raise a family,” Jim said. “It’s not just a house, it’s business,” he said. a home. We can’t wait for that thing to be done.” radio program on KHTK Sports 1140 The highlight of his career was broadcasting the Although the past three months have been chal- AM from noon to 3 p.m. Hy-Vee Triathlon in Iowa for NBC Sports. lenging, Jim feels great about what he’s been through Valley Community Newspapers, Inc. www.valcomnews.com • August 6, 2009 • East Sacramento News 5 Local Italian roots run deep Dante Club has rich tradition in East Sacramento area, capital region By LANCE ARMSTRONG East Sacramento News Writer And it was because of the [email protected] fact that Italian-Americans first made their way to work Known for their love of and live in Sacramento in family, culture and com- the downtown area that the munity, Italians have a very Dante Club was first located rich tradition and histo- in the same area. ry in the Sacramento area. A 1922 article in The Sac- And one of their most rec- ramento Bee shows the ex- ognized local social centers istence of the Dante Club at is undoubtedly the Dante least four years prior to the Club. establishment of its first per- Located at 2330 Fair Oaks manent home. Blvd., the Dante Club, which The article announced that was named in honor of the the club, which was said to be great Italian writer and poet “composed of Italian residents of the Middle Ages, Dante of Sacramento,” would be pre- Alighieri, earlier met at its senting a program of music first permanent location at and play at the Tuesday club- 1511 P St. in downtown Sac- house at 2722 L St., across ramento. from Sutter’s Fort. The pro- Photo courtesy of the Dante Club Dante Club General Man- gram served as a benefit for The Dante Club is located on 2330 Fair Oaks Blvd. in Sacramento. ager Jeff Roseman, who grew St. Mary’s Italian Church. up in East Sacramento’s his- Another pre-permanent toric Little Italy, described the club home event was the club’s was held on the weekend of – about two months fol- One of the earliest plays purpose of the formation of annual picnic, which began in June 19-20, 1926. lowing the venue’s official held on the stage was a 1932 the club. 1925. The event included opening. production of “Empress Fla- “The club, which today The event, which includ- speaking, entertainment, R. Giorgi served as the via.” is limited to 380 mem- ed dancing, was originally refreshments served by chairman of the dance’s The play, which was writ- bers, was founded (in Sac- chaired by Roger Giorgi, who girls in Italian attire, and committee and Fred Boi- ten in verse in the Tuscan ramento) to acclimate the was assisted by A.L. Bon- games, including the tradi- tano worked as the event’s vernacular, was acquired by Italian-Americans com- di, D. Cordano, F. Consiglieri tional Italian game of boc- floor manager. the Dante Club from a li- ing in off of Ellis Island and others. ce. By December 1927, con- brary of a convent in Italy. (in the 1920s) and mov- According to a 1976 Dante Speakers at the event in- struction of the club’s own Although the club spon- ing out west to a new life- Club program, the purpose cluded Superior Judge Pe- banquet and ballroom was sored a variety of events dur- style in the United States,” of the Dante Club is to en- ter J.