California 7 Day Forecast

Northern California

Today

 Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. North northwest wind around 6 mph.

Tonight 

Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind around 6 mph.

Tuesday

 Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. North northwest wind around 8 mph.

Tuesday Night 

Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Calm wind.

Wednesday

 Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday Night

 A 20 percent chance of showers after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.

Thursday

 A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 55.

Thursday Night 

Mostly clear, with a low around 31.

Friday 

Sunny, with a high near 52.

Friday Night

 Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Saturday 

A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 50.

Saturday Night

 Rain likely. Cloudy, with a low around 38.

Sunday 

Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 53.

Southern California

Today 

A 30 percent chance of snow showers before 10am. Some thunder is also possible. Mostly sunny, with a high near 34. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tonight 

Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. West wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tuesday

 Mostly sunny, with a high near 37. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday Night 

Mostly clear, with a low around 26. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday 

Sunny, with a high near 39. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday Night

 Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.

Thursday

 A 30 percent chance of snow showers after 10am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 34. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Thursday Night

 A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.

Friday 

A chance of snow showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 36. Breezy.

Friday Night 

A slight chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 23. Breezy.

Saturday

 Mostly sunny, with a high near 41.

Saturday Night 

Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.

Sunday

 Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.

California 7 Day Forecast

Northern California 7 Day Forecast

Today
 Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 67. North wind 3 to 7 mph.

Tonight Mostly
 clear, with a low around 38. Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph.

Tuesday
 Mostly sunny, with a high near 65. North northwest wind 3 to 6 mph.

Tuesday Night
 Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday
 Partly sunny, with a high near 62. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday Night
 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Thursday 
Mostly sunny, with a high near 58.

Thursday Night
 Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Friday 
Sunny, with a high near 61.

Friday Night
 Mostly clear, with a low around 42.

Saturday
 Sunny, with a high near 65.

Saturday Night
 Mostly clear, with a low around 42.

Sunday
 Sunny, with a high near 63.

Southern California 7 Day Forecast

Today
 Mostly sunny, with a high near 80. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph decreasing to 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

Tonight 
Partly cloudy, with a low around 58. North wind around 10 mph.

Tuesday 
Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.

Tuesday Night
 Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Calm wind.

Wednesday 
Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the morning.

Wednesday Night
 A 10 percent chance of showers after 4am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Thursday
 A 40 percent chance of showers, mainly after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59.

Thursday Night
 A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday
 A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

Friday Night
 Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Saturday
 Mostly sunny, with a high near 65.

Saturday Night
 Mostly clear, with a low around 48.

Sunday
 Sunny, with a high near 67.

CALIFORNIA 7-DAY FORECAST

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 7-DAY FORECAST

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming south southeast 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight A 20 percent chance of showers after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. South southeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming light south southwest in the evening. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tuesday A 20 percent chance of showers after 11am. Partly sunny, with a high near 69. Light and variable wind.
Tuesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. South southeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.

Wednesday A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. Light and variable wind becoming south southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Thursday A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68.
Thursday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Friday A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 71.
Friday Night A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Saturday A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.
Saturday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Sunday A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 69.


SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 7-DAY FORECAST

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 48. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming south in the evening.

Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 50. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the evening.

Thursday Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming southwest around 5 mph.
Thursday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the evening.

Friday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Friday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming north northeast in the evening.

Saturday A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74. Calm wind.
Saturday Night A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. South wind around 5 mph becoming north northeast in the evening.

Sunday A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

CALIFORNIA 7-DAY FORECAST

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 7-DAY FORECAST

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. North northwest wind around 7 mph becoming east northeast in the afternoon.
Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight.

Tuesday A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 68. Northwest wind 5 to 13 mph becoming south southeast in the morning. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night Rain. Low around 48. South southeast wind around 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday Showers. High near 66. South southeast wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Wednesday Night A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Thursday Sunny, with a high near 72.
Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Friday Sunny, with a high near 74.
Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 45.

Saturday Sunny, with a high near 76.
Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 76.


SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 7-DAY FORECAST

Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming west northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. West northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Tuesday Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming west northwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Wednesday A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. North wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 66. South southeast wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest in the morning.
Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the evening.

Friday Sunny, with a high near 72. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the morning.
Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 48. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming southeast in the evening.

Saturday Sunny, with a high near 76. East wind around 5 mph becoming west northwest in the morning.
Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 49. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east southeast in the evening.

Sunday Sunny, with a high near 79. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning.

Yosemite Today

Half Dome at 8:30 today as the sun explodes overhead.  This view of Yosemite Valley from just east of Yosemite Village

Yosemite Weather Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning.
Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. East northeast wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the evening.

Rotary Club Honors Rancho Cordova Employee

Vanessa Martinez, a part-time office aide in the Rancho Cordova City Manager’s Office, has been named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rancho Cordova Rotary Club.  The award is Rotary’s most prestigious honor and is presented in appreciation of significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among people of the world.    A $1,000 donation was sent to Rotary International in honor of Martinez.

            The award was established in memory of Paul Harris, a Rotary founder, to recognize outstanding contributions to the ideals of organization.  The Rancho Cordova Rotary Club honored Martinez for her considerable service to the community, school, and international causes.

            Martinez, a sophomore at California State University at Sacramento, is president of the University’s Rotaract Club, a Rotary-sponsored service club for young men and women.  She says she has been part of the Rotary Family since she was a sophomore at Cordova High School.

            “The whole experience has changed my life and I don’t think I could have met better people than the ones I’ve had the honor to work with,” she commented.  “A small act of kindness can really go a long way and with Rotary, the possibilities are endless.”

            Martinez is majoring in business and plans to attend law school with a focus on immigration.

            “I hope to one day own a law firm and continue to help people,” she said.

Big Idea Theatre

Big Idea Theatre has become synonymous with high quality, entertaining, and inventive adaptations of Shakespeare's greatest works. Our latest incarnation, opening Friday, March 1, brings a favorite pastoral comedy out of the countryside and into our own backyard...literally. This spring, our production of As You Like It will pay homage to Sacramento by celebrating and examining the many facets of the capital city that we call home.

The story’s heroine, Rosalind, must flee in a desperate attempt to save her life after a coup deposes her father.  Homeless and in disguise, she wanders through Sacramento’s urban wilderness, encountering an unemployed section of the population who have reached the end of the journey she now finds herself on. Despite losing all that she has ever known, Rosalind discovers love, laughter, and unexpected compassion along the way. With everything including "Arden Park", the homeless, and even a soundtrack made up of local bands, director Benjamin T Ismail has designed a genuine love letter to our hometown that is not to be missed.

The cast includes the talents of Steven Adkins, Kirk Blackinton, Joseph Boyette, Mary Katherine Cobb, Renee DeGarmo, Matthew Donaldson, Lindsay Grimes, Jamie Kale, Sean O’Brien, Michael O’Sullivan, Jay Patrick, Ryan Snyder, and Casey Worthington.

What: Big Idea Theatre’s As You Like It
Where: Big Idea Theatre: 1616 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815
When: March 1 through March 30, 2013
Performance Dates: March 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30
Time: Thursday, Friday, Saturday 8:00 p.m. (no Sunday shows, no matinees)
Tickets: General Admission tickets $16 online; $20 at the door
SARTA/Senior/Student tickets $14 online; $18 at the door
All “Thrifty Thursday” show tickets $10 (March 7, 14, 21, 28 only)
Season Tickets on sale! Only $60 for 6 plays remaining in our 2013 Season.
Flex Passes & gift certificates also available
Box office: (916) 960-3036
Web site: www.bigideatheatre.com

CALIFORNIA 7-DAY FORECAST

Yosemite Valley photo by Amadscientist

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 7-DAY FORECAST

Today Areas of frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 60. Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph.
Tonight Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 34. Light north northeast wind.

Tuesday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 60. Calm wind becoming west southwest around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 38. Light and variable wind.

Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 63. Light and variable wind.
Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Thursday Sunny, with a high near 67.
Thursday Night Clear, with a low around 41.

Friday Sunny, with a high near 65.
Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 41.

Saturday Sunny, with a high near 65.
Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.

Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.


SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 7-DAY FORECAST

Today Widespread frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 58. East wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning.
Tonight Areas of frost after midnight. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 31. East southeast wind around 5 mph.

Tuesday Areas of frost before 9am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 61. East wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning.
Tuesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 34. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east in the evening.

Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 61. East southeast wind around 5 mph becoming northwest in the morning.
Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 36. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east in the evening.

Thursday Sunny, with a high near 64. East wind around 5 mph becoming west southwest in the morning.
Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 39. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east in the evening.

Friday Sunny, with a high near 69. East wind around 5 mph becoming west in the morning.
Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 39. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming east in the evening.

Saturday Sunny, with a high near 70. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west northwest in the morning.
Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 40. North wind around 5 mph becoming east in the evening.

Sunday Sunny, with a high near 65. East wind around 5 mph becoming southwest in the morning.

Yosemite Today

 Half Dome and the surrounding high country taken at 7:39 this morning.

Yosemite Today Weather: Mostly sunny, with a high near 32. North wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -6. East northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

BATTLESHIP IOWA TO CELEBRATE 70th BIRTHDAY

BATTLESHIP IOWA TO CELEBRATE 70th BIRTHDAY

BY OFFERING FREE BIRTHDAY ADMISSIONS FOR 2013



Public birthday celebration Feb. 17 from 11 am to 4 pm with cake, music

and other entertainment. First 70 guests receive FREE challenge coin.

 

L.A. WATERFRONT, CA (February 5, 2013)  The Battleship IOWA's public 70th birthday celebration is planned for February 17 from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m, with a special birthday cake, FDR impersonator, music and other entertainment. The first 70 paid guests will receive a FREE challenge coin courtesy of the IOWA's on-board store.
Challenge coins are traditionally presented by commanders in recognition of special achievement by a member of the unit. Beginning at 10:00 am, when IOWA opens for tours, will be the first opportunity to earn FREE coin.

Additionally, in honor of this momentous occasion and Celebrating of the American Spirit, the Pacific Battleship Center will begin offering FREE admission to guests celebrating their birthdays on board throughout 2013.

Any guest showing proof of their birthday, with either a valid ID or copy of birth certificate, will get a free Tour Alpha ticket. This special promotion will run through February 21, 2014.

The USS IOWA is the West Coasts only Battleship open to the public. Considered one of the Best Cool Exhibits to See with Your Kids, the tour takes guests on a journey through World War II, the Korean War, and the Cold War to experience the life of a sailor on the lead ship of the last class of gunships. Guests will walk the wood decks of a battleship and see areas such as the 16 guns, 5 guns, missile decks, bridge, mess areas, and the world famous Captain's Cabin with the only bathtub installed on a battleship for a President.

The USS IOWA BB-61 was first commissioned February 22, 1943 becoming the first ship of her class to be commissioned by the United States. Later known as The Battleship of Presidents, IOWA has hosted three Presidents - Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush - and numerous dignitaries during almost 70 years of service.

The Battleship IOWA is operated by the nonprofit Pacific Battleship Center (PBC). Opened on July 7, 2012 as an interactive naval museum at the L.A. Waterfront dedicated to Celebrating the American Spirit through the preservation and interpretation of the Battleship IOWA. To share the accomplishments and sacrifices of American patriots and to engage visitors in unique and exciting ways that bring the ship to life by connecting the past with the future is the goal of the PBC.

The Battleship IOWA is open to the public from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (September through May); 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (June through August). For more information on the attraction, go to www.pacificbattleship.com.

FLASHDANCE – THE MUSICAL

U.S. National Tour Makes Its Orange County Premiere at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
May 7 – 19, 2013
Tickets go on sale March 24

FLASHDANCE – THE MUSICAL, the stage adaptation of the 1983 hit film that defined a generation, will make its Segerstrom Center premiere May 7 – 19, 2013. The musical features a score that includes the hit songs from the movie, that became Top Ten hits on the radio around the world, including the Academy Award®-winning title song “Flashdance – What a Feeling,” “Maniac,” “Manhunt” and “I Love Rock & Roll.” In addition to these, 16 brand new songs have been written for the stage with music by Robbie Roth and lyrics by Robert Cary and Robbie Roth.

Art of the Line

Art of the Line -- New Exhibition
February 20 - September 1, 2013
The Mastery Behind Peanuts

Charles Schulz in his studio with an array of his drawing tools.

 Photo taken by Tom Vano, circa 1969.

(Santa Rosa, CA)  During a Good Housekeeping interview novelist Laurie Colwin asked Charles Schulz the magic question, “What sort of things do you always hope people ask you in an interview?” Schulz answered quickly and eagerly, “I always hope they will ask more about the drawing ...”

The new exhibition Art of the Line, on display February 20 through September 1, 2013, at the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, takes you behind the scenes of the making of one of the world's most beloved comic strips. Learn more about Schulz's process in his own voice as he describes honing his artistic skill and the tools he used in this exhibition of original comic strips and photographs.

Schulz took great pride in producing an aesthetically pleasing and well-designed comic strip. He knew exactly what he was looking for in the design of a Peanuts comic strip but found the explanation of the process elusive.“It’s as difficult as explaining what a poem is about,” he said.

ABOUT THE CHARLES M. SCHULZ MUSEUM & RESEARCH CENTER
The Charles M. Schulz Museum opened in August 2002 to fulfill its mission of preserving, displaying, and interpreting the art of Charles M. Schulz. The museum carries out this mission through changing exhibitions and programming that: build an understanding of cartoonists and cartoon art; illustrate the scope of Schulz’s multi-faceted career; communicate the stories, inspirations and influences of Charles Schulz; and celebrate the life of Charles Schulz and the Peanuts characters.

Charles Schulz examining a strip featuring Lucy in his studio. Photo taken by Tom Vano, circa 1969.

LOCATION
The Charles M. Schulz Museum is located 50 minutes north of San Francisco by car on Highway 101. The Museum is located at 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa, California, 95403.

HOURS
Weekdays Monday thru Friday (except Tuesdays*) 11am – 5pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am – 5pm
Closed Tuesdays*
*Open every day throughout the summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day)

40th Anniversary Sacramento Music Festival!

Get ready to dance in the streets of Old Sacramento morning, noon and night when the Sacramento Music Festival celebrates 40 amazing years of world-class musical entertainment! Sure to delight music lovers of all ages, headliners for the 40th anniversary event include Los Lobos, The Blasters, John Lee Hooker Jr., Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks, Terry Hanck and Wanda Jackson, to name a few.   In addition to lively street entertainment, the event offers 19 musical venues ranging from cozy club settings and inside luxury hotels to large-scale outdoor stages and even aboard the Delta King river boat.  This community celebration showcases world-class music that has evolved over the years to include a wide variety of styles like Rockabilly, soulful blues, rockin’ blues, country, zydeco, rock, bluegrass, ragtime, jazz, swing, street beat, cajun, Latin music, big band, orchestras, dance bands and more.  Plus, a high-energy “Next Generation Band” performance site features talented youth jazz bands from near and far that always draw a young and spirited crowd.   The musical festivities also include a vibrant Saturday morning parade, a popular Swing Dance Competition, specialty concerts and a Memorial Day Salute to Service.  Along with a variety of public transit options, ample parking is available and free shuttle buses run between venues all weekend long on a first-come, first-served basis.   The Sacramento Music Festival is proudly presented by the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society with support from the Sacramento Convention & Visitors Bureau.   Don’t miss Sacramento’s musical event of the year!  For more information, call 916-444-2004 or www.sacmusicfest.com.

Yosemite Today

Yosemite Falls, taken at 8:48 AM, a combination of Upper Yosemite Fall, Middle Cascades, and Lower Yosemite Fall, has a total height of 2,425 feet. In May, you may see Pacific dogwood in bloom just below the waterfall.

Yosemite Today Weather: Snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 18. Wind chill values as low as zero. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.

Tonight A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. Wind chill values as low as -2. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.


Winter Weather Advisory
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HANFORD CA
427 AM PST FRI FEB 8 2013

CAZ096-097-082030-
/O.CON.KHNX.WW.Y.0003.000000T0000Z-130209T0600Z/
SIERRA NEVADA FROM YOSEMITE TO KINGS CANYON-
TULARE COUNTY MOUNTAINS-
427 AM PST FRI FEB 8 2013

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST THIS
EVENING FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 3 TO 5 INCHES.

* TIMING: THE THREAT OF HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE FROM THIS MORNING
  THROUGH THE EVENING...DIMINISHING AFTER MIDNIGHT.

* LOCATIONS INCLUDE: CAMP NELSON...GIANT FOREST...JOHNSONDALE...
  LODGEPOLE...SHAVER LAKE...YOSEMITE VALLEY.

* WINDS: 25 TO 30 MPH ALONG THE CREST WITH LOCAL GUSTS UP TO 50
  MPH.

* IMPACTS: SNOW MAY MAKE ROADS IMPASSABLE AND WILL LOWER
  VISIBILITIES. WINDS WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING
  SNOW...AND COULD MAKE TRAVEL DIFFICULT.

* FOR A DETAILED VIEW OF THE HAZARD AREA...VISIT
  HTTP://WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/WRH/WHV/?WFO=HNX.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE
TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED
VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

EXCEPTIONAL SANTA MONICA TEEN

EXCEPTIONAL SANTA MONICA TEEN WINS 2012 YOUTH OF THE YEAR TITLE

FOR THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SANTA MONICA

L.A. County Youth of the Year Competition is Next for Winner Gretchen Galanis

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 28, 2013 – Gretchen Galanis was named the 2012 Youth of the Year (YOY) for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica (SMBGC) before more than 320 guests at the 45th Annual Youth of the Year Awards Celebration & Banquet. The event took place at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica on Saturday, January 26th. The 17-year-old Club member was selected among four extraordinary local youth in recognition of her outstanding contribution of service to the Club, her community, and her exceptional leadership among her peers. As our 2012 Youth of the Year, Gretchen will serve as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica’s youth spokesperson in the community and will move on to the county, state, regional and national competitions, each of which includes scholarships for post-secondary education.

As Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier youth recognition program, YOY recognizes Club members who have demonstrated exceptional service to Club, community and family; academic success; strong moral character; life goals; poise and public speaking ability. The program is used at Boys & Girls Clubs across our nation as a year-round tool for fostering young people’s character, personal growth and leadership qualities. The program, which was established in 1947, highlights the impact that mentoring from caring adults can have on young people’s lives, celebrating their character & personal progress.



 “The annual YOY banquet is truly a very special occasion for us to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of each of our nominees, their commitment to serve the community and their ability to overcome difficult circumstances,” said Aaron Young, President and CEO of SMBGC. “We congratulate Gretchen Galanis – and her fellow nominees – on their achievements. Gretchen is a shining example of a young person who has made outstanding contributions to the Club and her community and has overcome extremely challenging obstacles to become the leader she is today. She is a living proof that great futures start here, at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica.”



The Santa Monica Chief of Police and Club Board Member Jacqueline Seabrooks hosted the celebratory event.  Many guest speakers such as Stan Choo of the Kiwanis Club offered words of encouragement and inspiration.  Sponsors including the Kiwanis Club of Santa Monica, the Pacific Youth Foundation, White & Company Insurance Inc., and Frank & Gwen Schwengel, provided scholarships for many of the youth recognized at the banquet.


Gretchen will compete in March for the title of YOY for L.A. County – and potentially beyond – and will be eligible to receive scholarships along the way.

Gretchen is motivated by the need to pave a smoother path for young people like herself, who grew up in strict military homes, with minimal access to emotional support which made it difficult to deal with the obstacles she faced. Gretchen overcame a number of challenges – including abuse, low self-esteem and a lack of academic focus to name a few – in large part because of the support she found in her Club mentors and peers. Gretchen’s involvement in her community, school, and the Club proved to be the most significant step in helping her overcome her obstacles and evolve into the independent and strong young woman she is today.

At the Club, Gretchen found mentors, friends, and ultimately – a family she could rely on. She used community service as an outlet for dealing with stress, because it helped her forget the abuse and the struggles she was dealing with and refocus her energy on bettering the lives of others. Gretchen took advantage of any and all service opportunities which the Club offered to her. In the summer of 2012, she traveled to Liverpool, England where she worked with Habitat for Humanity and helped to build homes for low-income families. Gretchen’s capacity to give back is remarkable – even with her first real paycheck she received after she began working at the Club, she elected to donate half of it back to charity. This is a quality that is often hard to find in youth today.

Gretchen’s service went beyond the boundaries of opportunities at the Club; she found herself starting food drives and backpack drives at school to help homeless youth get on a better path. Soon enough, she was elected as Vice President in her school’s Associated Student Body and continued planning drives and school events which served the students and the community. Gretchen, however, is most proud of the diversification of her school’s student population which she sought to change after recognizing the demographics of her community were not represented appropriately in school; she did all of this while maintaining a 3.8 cumulative GPA. Gretchen is not a person that sits idly by when there is a chance for potential change, especially if that change can benefit the people that she serves. As a citizen of this country and the world, she figures that she has an obligation to serve everyone.

If Gretchen Galanis wins at the County competition, she will receive a scholarship and can move on to State, regional and national Youth of the Year competitions. Five regional winners will advance to Washington, D.C., to compete for the title of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National YOY. The national winner will receive an additional scholarship of up to $50,000 and will meet the President of the United States in an Oval Office ceremony.

Music organization honors Sac State professors

The California Music Educators Association (CMEA) has tapped two Sacramento State professors for special awards to be handed out at the organization’s annual conference Feb. 21-24 in Fresno.

Don Kendrick, director of choral activities, will receive the John Swain College/University Educator award for shaping music education in a meaningful way and making an impact on students and fellow music educators.

Sue Metz, music education, will get the Peripole General Music Educator award for excellence in general classroom music education.

Metz came to Sacramento State in 1999. She teaches general music for music education students, preparing them for instruction jobs in the K-12 level. Metz also teaches the music requirement for all liberal studies majors.

In addition to her teaching duties at Sacramento State, Metz works extensively with the CMEA and is an active consultant and clinician for general music, advising instructors who do not have music backgrounds about teaching music to their young charges. “You want them to do more than put the CD in the player,” she says. “You want them to be able to talk intelligently about music and light some sparks for these kids to go further in their music education.”

Kendrick has been teaching and leading the University’s choirs for 28 years. He too volunteers with CMEA, annually producing the regional section’s high school and middle school honor choir. He gathers students from dozens of high schools and middle schools in the region to form a large choir that receives instruction from master teachers. “The singers and their teachers gain new insights and techniques from guest conductors who inspire and motivate us all toward excellence in the choral art,” Kendrick says.

He also serves as music director for Sacred Heart Church and the Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra.

Both professors were inspired to enter music at early ages. Metz learned the piano so quickly she was accompanist for middle school choirs while still in elementary school. Kendrick’s father had him playing piano and drawing notes when he was 7 years old.

Metz and Kendrick also note the struggles of music programs the last few years in the face of dwindling budgets, and how important it is to retain music instruction at the primary and secondary levels. For some students, it’s their best hope of launching themselves on a career in music.

“A high school teacher is often the last person to put a thumbprint on the students before they go out into the world when they have no idea what to do,” Kendrick says.

“You do not become a music educator and not believe in advocacy,” Metz says, adding that instructors need to do what they can until the budget situation improves. “It will build up again. There’s a cycle it follows. You just have to be consistent and persistent.”

Sac State grad’s credits include work on the super collider

Physics major Alexandra “Sasha” Asghari made quite a name for herself at Sacramento State, graduating with honors in 2012 and spending a summer working on the CERN super collider in Geneva. Currently at UC Berkeley pursuing a doctorate in nuclear engineering, she recently returned to the Sacramento campus to become part of the ever-growing “Made at Sac State” roster.

“The Ph.D. program will take me five years,” says Sasha, a native of Kyrgyzstan whose maiden name was Moskaleva. “I’m taking courses and teaching the first two years, and then will be researching and writing my dissertation for the last three.”

Her professional goal is to parlay her skills into the research field, focusing on nuclear nonproliferation and stockpiling issues. If the past is prologue, her chances of flourishing in this field look especially good.

Two summers ago, Sasha was directly involved with the ATLAS experiment in Geneva. ATLAS is a several-stories-high, 7,000-ton particle detector situated within the Large Hadron Collider (LHC); it is the world’s largest particle detector. Her team was responsible for investigating a possible candidate for replacing a portion of the detector that finds muons produced in a particle collision in the LHC. One of just five CSU students who participated in the summer program, Sasha credits her mother, a biochemist, with cultivating her fascination with science and math.

Working on this project was a great learning experience, she says, because it enabled her to interact with renowned international scientists. The laboratory work was complemented with graduate-level lectures by specialists in particle physics, providing a global perspective.

She also credits Sac State for giving her a firm grounding in physics. Professor Vassili Sergan and others challenged her to make the most of her potential.

She’s no less grateful for the support of the Honors Program and its former director, Professor Roberto Pomo. This program provided a rigorous academic regimen that reinforced the discipline she needed to excel in her major.

Sasha’s professional horizons continue to expand in direct proportion to her steely determination to succeed. She personifies Sacramento State’s tagline: “Redefine the Possible.”

Lighthouses of California: FORT POINT LIGHT

Fort Point Light amidst naval artillery rifles – U.S. Coast Guard Archive

FORT POINT LIGHT

State: CALIFORNIA

Fort Point Light was a lighthouse on Fort Point,
 directly beneath the south anchorage of
 the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

Location: SAN FRANCISCO HARBOR ENTRANCE
Nearest City: SAN FRANCISCO
County: SAN FRANCISCO
U.S.C.G. District: 11
Year Station Established: 1853


Existing Historic Tower:
Year Light First Lit: 1864
Is the Light Operational? NO
Date Deactivated: 1934
Automated:
Foundation Materials: BRICK AND GRANITE FORTRESS
Construction Materials: IRON
Markings/Patterns: WHITE W/BLACK LANTERN
Shape: NINE-SIDED ON FORT'S STAIRWAY TOWER
Relationship to Other Structures: INTEGRAL
Tower Height: 27
Original Optic: FOURTH ORDER, FRESNEL
Year Original Lens Installed:
Present Optic: REMOVED
Year Present Lens Installed:
Height of Focal Plane: 110
Fresnel Lens Disposition:
Has tower been moved? NO
Previous Tower(s):
1. Construction Date: 1853
Description: CAPE COD STRUCTURE WITH INTEGRAL TOWER (NEVER LIGHTED)
Fate/Disposition: DEMOLISHED AFTER ONLY 3 MONTHS TO MAKE WAY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF FORT POINT
2. Construction Date: 1855
Description: 2-STORY TRUNCATED WOOD STRUCTURE BETWEEN FORT AND SEAWALL
Fate/Disposition: DEMOLISHED AFTER 8 YEARS WHEN ARMY NEEDED TO MAKE CORRECTIONS TO GRANITE SEAWALL
Modern Tower? NO

Yosemite Today

El Capitan and the Yosemite Valley taken at 9:59 AM this morning.

Yosemite weather today: Sunny, with a temperature falling to around 39 by 5pm.
             Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tonight Clear, with a low around 25. East northeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.

Coast Guard warns of hazards to boaters during surf contest near Pillar Point, Calif.

2010 Mavericks surfing competition. The image was taken from a boat. Here's Shalom's description of his experience: "The boat was very rocky. Many people got sea sick though. One guy (photog) never even got any pictures he was so sick." Photo By Shalom Jacobovitz

SAN FRANCISCO ­­— The Coast Guard will be conducting safety patrols during the Mavericks Invitational Surf Contest off the coast of Pillar Point, Calif., Jan. 20, 2013.

The Coast Guard discourages spectators from observing the event on the water due to the nature of the breaking surf and the hazardous waters surrounding Pillar Point during the surfing competition.  The Coast Guard will not be establishing a safety zone for the event as it is impossible to reliably predetermine safe water in the immediate vicinity of the contest.   Coast Guard and San Mateo County Harbor District assets will be in the event area and ready to respond in case of an emergency.

Spectators choosing to view the event from the water do so at their own risk, and should exercise extreme caution, remain aware of changing surf conditions, and ensure their vessel is of appropriate design and construction and outfitted with the proper safety equipment for operation in an offshore environment.  

The Mavericks Surf Contest is only held when 15-20 foot waves are sustained for over 24 hours and are combined with mild easterly winds.  These surf conditions coupled with strong currents and shallow reefs in the area create a dangerous situation for both spectators and rescuers.    

“The surf conditions during this competition can be extremely dangerous for boaters,” said Capt. Cynthia Stowe, commander of Coast Guard Sector San Francisco.  “Those attempting to watch the event from the water do so at significant risk to themselves and rescue personnel. I strongly encourage spectators to remain ashore and enjoy the competition from an appropriate venue on land.”