Yoga Spreads Unconditional Laughter Santa's PAGE 2 on His Way! VOLUME 41 • ISSUE 51 Serving Carmichael & Sacramento County since 1981 DECEMBER 18, 2020 SEE Greater Sac in INSIDE Farmers Market to Return Regional Stay DISTRICT 3 Home Order Sacramento County THANKS Public Information Office SUSAN PETERS SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - The State of California announced that the Greater Sacramento region has met the ICU availability criteria of 15 percent or less to trigger the State’s Regional Stay at Home Order. Once trig- gered, the Thursday, Dec. 10, order will remain in PAGE 4 effect for at least three weeks. In alignment with the DOES MEDICARE Regional Stay At Home Order, Sacramento County COVER ALZHEIMER residents are required to stay at home as much as FACILITY CARE? possible and minimize mixing with other house- holds in order to slow the surge in cases and hospi- Above: A popular community destination, Carmichael Park’s talizations to help prevent Sunday fruit and vegetable market is slated to reopen soon. Right: overwhelming regional The fruit and vegetable market is a great social hub for couples, ICU capacity. families and community figures such as Julie Hubbs. The following sectors PAGE 5 Story and photos to submit proposals for must close all operations by Susan Maxwell Skinner a long-term contract. until further notice: Living Smart's Amusements CALIFORNIA IS CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Absent from administrators last parks; Bars, brewer- Carmichael Park for two weeks, the week explained ies, distilleries, and NO 1 IN ROUGH Sunday Farmers Market will be back in via Facebook that wineries; Cardrooms and business soon. The community’s cele- their relocation was satellite wagering; Family HIGHWAYS brated veggie source recently “vexited” prompted by the Entertainment Centers to Sunrise Mall, Citrus Heights. unavailability of a (e.g. arcades, batting This abrupt decampment blind- year-long agreement. cages, bowling alleys, and sided local supporters and Carmichael Park District adminis- kart racing); Hair salons Recreation and Park administrators. trator Mike Blondino and barbershops; Indoor Living Smart Markets organization noted that Living playgrounds; Live audi- began the weekend tradition as farm- Smart was welcome ence sports; Museums, to-fork pioneers in 2008; hundreds of to seek such a deal; zoos, and aquariums; vendors have since offered locally- the contract would Personal care services sourced produce and crafts every week. nevertheless not be (e.g. body piercing, body Since summer, CRPD and Living awarded until all RFQ waxing, estheticians, mas- sage therapy, nail salons, PAGE 5 Smart have coexisted month-to- applicants were considered – probably The market will continue with a month. The arrangement kept the by early 2021. temporary operator. Reopening and tattoo) outlet open while CRPD worked with “We love the farmers market and could be as soon as this Sunday – In alignment with the on a recently-posted Request For what it provides for the community and but certainly within weeks. Regional Stay At Home Qualifications process. This course vendors,” said Blondino. “We’re work- For information updates, visit Order, the following sec- allows other licensed market operators ing to bring it back as soon as possible.” www.carmichaelpark.com H tors are permitted for OUTDOOR operations only until further notice. These sectors must still maintain mitigation mea- sures (social distancing, face coverings, and san- Scan our QR Code for a Restaurants Challenge Shutdowns itization) and specific direct link to our online edition! modifications in parenthe- sis below: PRESORTED STD. US POSTAGE Drive-in movie theaters PAID (maximum 25% capacity PERMIT 350 or 100 people, whichever Carmichael, CA is fewer); Gyms and fit- ness centers; Places of Change Service Requested worship (maximum 25% capacity or 100 peo- ple, whichever is fewer); Recreational facilities (e.g. athletic fields, play- grounds, tennis courts, golf courses, skate parks, etc.; onsite sales or con- sumption of food or beverages is prohibited) In alignment with the Regional Stay At Home Order, the following sec- tors are permitted for INDOOR operations. These sectors must still Forum convenors and supporters faced a gathering of suffering merchants. maintain mitigation mea- sures (social distancing, Story and photos COVID shutdown orders. Many felt their businesses “Businesses need to stand face coverings, and san- by Susan Maxwell Food Industry veterans were targeted without good strong and we need to stand itization) and specific Skinner were among more than 60 reason. beside them,” said Fulton. modifications in parenthe- supporters who shivered in Arcade realtor Lillian “COVID closures should sis below: CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) the parking lot after their Fulton convened the rebel stop. Let’s let everyone All retail (maximum - Carmichael’s Milagro use of Milagro’s interior forum. Her activism was have a Christmas. America 20% capacity); Standalone Centre last weekend pro- was nixed for safety rea- inspired by a restaurant was founded on rebellion. Grocery Stores (maxi- vided a forum for restaurant, sons. Attendees’ overriding employee who was forced So let’s rebel.” mum 35% capacity; the salon and small business wish was to maintain safe to file for unemploy- Several restaurant sale of food or beverages owners proposing to defy protocols and doors open. ment for the second time. Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3 www.CarmichaelTimes.com 2 • Carmichael Times DECEMBER 18, 2020 Yoga Spreads Unconditional Laughter By Thomas J. Sullivan eyes and urges all not to worry if their laughter at the beginning SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - feels forced. In time, genuine Take a deep breath. Hold it, hold laughter will come, and soon it, hold it... and exhale with a all are laughing along with one giant, joyful belly laugh! You are another. about to experience the world- Laughter yoga teaches its par- wide health phenomenon known ticipants how to "laugh for no as Laughter Yoga! reason," without relying on jokes Linda Kalb Hamm, a certi- or humor or the critical mind. fied laughter yoga instructor, Its playful, child-like exercises offers an hour of exercises on allow the participant to chuckle Zoom on Tuesdays from 6 to long enough to reap the health, 7 p.m. designed to encourage emotional and social benefits of its participants to laugh for no spontaneous laughter. apparent reason. No mats or Kalb Hamm said not only poses are involved, and each ses- do many of us need to learn sion involves a variety of playful this new way to laugh, which laughter exercises, spontaneous emphasizes yogic breathing, giggle meditation, and guided acupressure clapping and hearty relaxation techniques. Laughter Yoga is gaining popularity from participants and endorsements from the medical community with annual belly-bursting guffaws, but we Laughter yoga offers one a events such as California Worldfest happening near the Sacramento area. Photo courtesy of Linda Kalb Hamm also need to practice this form helpful way to laugh away the of uninterrupted laughter for at worries and stresses of the day, of her former students to become Weil), media (Time Magazine, least 15 minutes to fully reap the literally an opportunity to “laugh certified laughter yoga instructors Wall Street Journal, Psychology benefits. their angst off”, she whimsically themselves. Today, CNN, BBC) and celeb- “The psychological rewards believes. Kalb Hamm had hosted in-per- rities (Oprah Winfrey, John can be a reduction of stress, anx- Kalb Hamm completed her son laughter yoga sessions in Fair Cleese, and Ellen DeGeneres). iety, tension and symptoms of undergraduate studies in soci- Oaks and the greater Sacramento Kalb Hamm begins each depression,” she said. “Laughter ology and psychology at U.C. area through the social media Tuesday laughter yoga Zoom gives us hope and optimism to Berkeley and went on to earn her app, “Meet Up” on the sec- session with a series of standard deal with difficult and negative Master’s Degree in Education. ond and fourth Monday of each warm-ups. She starts by hav- situations that may challenge us. Whether she is working with month from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m. ing people clap rhythmically and When we laugh together, we see children, teens, adults, seniors at Meridian Veterinarian Care at chant, "Ho, ho, ha, ha, ha" sev- the best in ourselves and none of or Alzheimer’s memory care 9712 Fair Oaks Boulevard before eral times. She then tells her our differences really matter,” patients, as she did prior to the shifting her sessions to Zoom in Zoom participants to take a series she said. onset of the pandemic, Kalb mid-spring due to the pandemic Linda relishes in the spirit of of deep breaths, filling their Her free weekly Laughter laughing for no reason. Photo courtesy Hamm says she experiences that shelter in place orders. of Linda Kalb Hamm lungs fully with air and then each Yoga group is open to all who same contagious delight of child- “Laughter has two sources, releasing a hearty laugh. want to learn to laugh for no rea- hood as her new and continuing one from the body, one from the a little harder to let go of that How do you laugh when noth- son. Join allies and members of students discover the relaxation mind. Adults tend to laugh from mindfulness and laugh playfully. ing is funny? Just open your Sacramento LGBTQ Center to and joy of unconditional laughter the mind,” she said, and all of Dr. Mandan Kataria, a phy- mouth into a wide smile and see how the universal language where all are welcome to learn. us “have a child inside us who sician from Mumbai, India, is force the breath out. You may of laughter can help enhance She discovered laughter yoga is wanting to laugh and want- considered the founder of and feel silly at first, she said, but physical and mental well-being in 2012 as a participant in the ing to play.” Laughter yoga is chief proselytizer for laugh- when you're enjoying the expe- and add more joy and sparkle to University of San Francisco’s based on the concept of cultivat- ter yoga, a movement that since rience with a group of people your life.