Where There's Fire, There's......

Smoke continues to impact the Sacramento region due to fires burning throughout Northern California.

The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District Quality Management District with Sacramento County Health Officer Glennah Trochet, M.D., advises area residents to take precautions and consider restricting outside activities.

If you smell or see smoke, individuals should consider taking the following actions:

• Everyone should avoid outdoor activities if you can see or smell smoke, even if you’re healthy
• Children, the elderly and people with respiratory or heart conditions should be particularly careful to avoid exposure
• Stay indoors with doors and windows closed as much as possible.
• Asthmatics should follow their asthma management plan
• Contact your doctor if you have symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms you believe to be caused by smoke
• Those with heart disease should especially limit their smoke exposure since PM* can cause heart attacks

“Smoke can affect anyone, but it’s especially harmful to people who have existing breathing problems, like seniors or anyone suffering from asthma or emphysema,” said Glennah Trochet M.D., Sacramento County Health Officer. “The fine particles in smoke can obstruct the airways, making it harder to breathe and reducing oxygen intake."

At 1 p.m., air quality reached UNHEALTHY levels in the Sacramento region due to wildfires in central and northern California.

These levels are expected to continue through tomorrow.

The Air Ain't So Good Out There

Sacramento Regional Air Quality Forecast

Today and Tomorrow:
Sunday, Jun 22:	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Ozone)
Monday, Jun 23:	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Ozone)
Yesterday's regional maximum:
Saturday, Jun 21:	Moderate (Ozone)
Extended Forecast:
Tuesday, Jun 24:	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Ozone)
Wednesday, Jun 25:	Moderate (Ozone)
Thursday, Jun 26:	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Ozone)
Friday, Jun 27:	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Ozone)

Visit www.SpareTheAir.com for forecasts by county, current AQI readings, air quality maps, and additional air quality information.

Bad Air Alert

Sacramento Regional Air Quality Forecast

Extended Forecast:
Wednesday, May 14:	Good (Ozone)
Thursday, May 15:	Moderate (Ozone)
Friday, May 16:	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Ozone)
Saturday, May 17:	Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (Ozone)

Walkin' This Way

Regency Park Elementary School kids came out in force recently when 51% -- 410 students -- celebrated their new Walking Wednesdays program.

Parents, staff and folks from Heritage Park Bike Club helped to "maneuver" the walking school buses, and all arrived on time.

Traffic around the school was minimized, air quality was improved, and kids had a healthy start to their day!

School administration and the North Natomas Transportation Management Association planned events for the remainder of the school year.

Got Info On H. Allen Hight School?

Enrollment is now under way for H. Allen Hight Elementary School -- the Natomas Unified School District's newest school which is set to open Aug. 11, 2008, and serve students in grades K-5.

A parent information meeting is scheduled for May 21 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at Natomas Park Elementary on 4700 Crest Drive.

The new elementary school is the foundation of a $75 million learning center at 3200 North Park Drive in North Natomas that is being built with Measure D bond funds.

H. Allen Hight Elementary will feature a state-of-the-art library media center, spacious classrooms and a campus that is the first to be built in California with specialized funds for eco-friendly schools.

More information on the new school is available by calling an information line at 916.567.5700. School registration forms may be downloaded from the Student Registration page.

• Parent information letter
• Parent request to attend H. Allen Hight Elementary
• View H. Allen Hight website

The new school has been making the news for its "green" roof.

Get Ready To Ride: May Is Bike Month!

Youngsters participate in the MOMS Club of Natomas Park bike parade.

May is Bike Month when Natomas-area businesses, residents and students ride those two wheelers as often as possible!

Join your neighbors and co-workers in bicycling for work, errands or recreation this month during the Sacramento region’s annual May is Bike Month campaign. In addition to the health benefits of bicycling, you can also pedal to beat rising gas prices, help reduce air pollution and enjoy the beautiful weather.

The North Natomas Transportation Management Association says that May is Bike Month is for anyone who uses a bike. No matter how frequently you ride, logging miles at MayIsBikeMonth.com will help the region reach a collective goal of one million miles.

Events will be held throughout the region for the entire month of May, and in North Natomas, several local events are being planned by NNTMA including Bike-to-Work Day on May 15.

North Natomas school kids are also getting in on the action by cycling as much as possible in May. The TMA hosts a challenge between schools and among classrooms with prizes, rallies and awards.

For more information, local activities, events and challenges can be found at NorthNatomasTMA.org.

That's Not Trash, It's Community Building

Garbage collected at this weekend's Creek Week cleanup!

More than 80 volunteers showed up Saturday morning to help with the Creek Week cleanup at Redbud Park and Club Center Drive.

There were so many people, cleanup coordinator Natalie Smith reportedly did not bring enough garbage bags!

Area residents of all ages -- including a group of parents doing their volunteer hours for the charter school -- cleaned North Natomas creek land between Creekside and Natomas Park,and further north.

Creek Week sponsors are expected to pick up garbage bags (and other stuff) along the creek, specifically three sites on North Park Drive, Club Center Drive and Mabry, sometime this week.

"I hope this is something we can do every year," says Rosemarie Ruggieri, member of the Natomas Park Master Association's Parks and Schools Committee. "It really energized my community spirit and I hope other's community spirit, too."

North Natomas creek land after the clean up.

Creek Week Isn't Over Yet!

A second Creek Week event is set for 9 a.m. this Saturday, April 26.

Volunteers will meet at Club Center Drive, just beyond the roundabout at Maybrook Drive.

Event leader Natalie Smith will be handing out trash bags, gloves and other supplies. Safety is the first concern for those bringing children, so keep an eye on little ones and bring kitchen tongs to use instead of their hands when picking up trash.

Those who participate will get a voucher for a free T-shirt, free entrance to the Discovery Museum that day, and free entrance to the BBQ at the museum starting at noon that day.

See www.creekweek.net for more information.

-Submitted by Rosemarie Ruggieri,
Natomas Park Master Association
Parks & Schools Committee member
and Natomas Community Association board member

Creekside Clean Up A Success

The Creekside development had quite a turnout Sunday for its first-ever Creek Week cleanup.

Nearly 40 people showed up to participate. While the majority of participants were Creekside residents, neighbors from Westlake and Natomas Park also joined in.

Councilman Ray Tretheway as well as Sacramento police Capt. Daniel Hahn and his daughter stopped by to help out. Also, Rosemarie Ruggieri, from the Natomas Community Alliance, and her family pitched in.

Seven very full garbage bags of waste were picked up. It was a great morning!

-Submitted by Sean P. Avalos

Reminder: Creekside Clean-Up Sunday!

Join Creekside residents for their first "Earth Day" Creek Week Clean-Up 9 a.m. Sunday at 2921 North Platte.

The morning will start with donuts and coffee and then cleaning up the creek for about an hour.

This is a great way to help care for our environment, meet some neighbors and spend time with your family and friends...

Another Creekside Clean-up In The Works

The Creekside Neighborhood Association would like to invite their neighbors to participate in the first Creekside Creek Week Clean-up.

The Creekside community clean-up after the mini-tornado in January was a HUGE success and the neighborhood wants to continue to keep Creekside safe and clean.

The City of Sacramento celebrates Creek Week from April 18 through April 26. Creekside will join in on Sunday, April 20.

Neighbors are asked to meet at 2921 N Platte Way at 9 a.m. for coffee and donuts.

Participants will then make their way to the linear park and clean up our "creek" for about an hour or so.

This is a great opportunity to meet your neighbors and build community pride.

Don't forget to bring the kids and make this a family event.

Gloves and trash bags will be provided.

If you have any questions, please contact Neighborhood Watch Leader Sean Avalos at 419-8612.

Oh, I Wanna Take You Down To Kokomo

These photographs were taken this afternoon on Kokomo Drive, between North Park Drive and Club Center Drive.

Not quite the tropical oasis the Beach Boys sung about in their hit "Kokomo," is it?

Don't forget illegal dumping is not only a crime, there is reward money ($500, to be exact) for those who turn in and help prosecute the dumpers.

Read this previous post on THE BUZZ for a refresher course!

Help Keep Creeks Clean

A few years ago -- too many -- we participated in a couple beach cleanups here in California.

While the process of picking up trash, sometimes unmentionable and sometimes just plain weird, was tedious it was also amazing.

In a matter of hours, it truly felt like we had helped the environment and ourselves. You never look at garbage quite the same after spending the day picking it up.

Now there's a chance Natomas-area residents can participate in something similar here in our own community. Yeah, we don't have any beaches, but we do have creeks!

There will be a big Creek Week Cleanup on Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to Noon near Natomas Park. This would be a great opportunity to give back to our community with your family.

Come prepared to get a little muddy. Use the checklist below so that you come protected against the natural and man-made elements:

1. Comfortable, washable clothes
2. Long pants and Long sleeves
3. Hat and sunscreen
4. Gloves (Work or gardening type)
5. Shoes that can get wet and muddy
6. Waterproof boots (optional)
7. Grabbing tool or rake (optional)

All children who participate must be with a responsible adult. There can be hidden hazards in the debris, plus water and slippery stream banks can be hazards.

If you volunteer for the Creek Week Cleanup, you will get free admission to the Discovery Museum from Noon to 2 p.m. for a barbecue with live music, games and contests. Environmentally-minded organizations and related city and county programs will have booths, free exhibits, and fun activities.

There are lots of opportunities to get involved in Creek Week 2008. Check out the official website for more information!

The Weather Warms, The Mosquitos Swarm

The risk of infection from West Nile Virus greatly increases as the weather warms up.

To find out more visit the Sacramento- Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District website.

At FIGHTtheBIGHT.net You can sign up to receive spray notifications, report a dead bird, check weekly mosquito trap counts, and more.

Here are the District's mosquito prevention tips:

• DRAIN any standing water that may produce mosquitoes.
• DAWN and DUSK are times to avoid. These are the times when mosquitoes are most active.
• DRESS appropriately by wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors.
• DEFEND yourself against mosquitoes by using an effective insect repellent, such as DEET, Picaridin or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Make sure you follow all label directions!
• DOOR and window screens should be in good working condition. This will prevent mosquitoes from entering your home.
• DISTRICT personnel are available to address any mosquito problem you may be experiencing by calling 1-800-429-1022.

Use Water Wisely

The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities provides FREE water wise house calls to help area residents save water.

During the house call, a water conservation specialist will come to your home and provide free tips and tools to saving water. The visit includes:

1. Indoor water efficiency assessment
2. Irrigation system check
3. Water leak check
   

For your free Water Wise House Call, call 808-5454 or visit this website.

Props For Those Who Recycled E-Waste Today

So THE BUZZ took our own advice and participated in the e-waste recycling fund raiser today at the Charter School.

It felt good to drop off the monitor, old DVD drives and a couple video cards knowing they would be disposed of correctly.

Everyone who made a drop off received an e-waste postcard designed by the school's students to show their appreciation. Here's the one we got.

If you happened to miss today's event and you, like a lot of people, have some old computers, monitors, TVs, etc. you want to get rid of the RIGHT way, THE BUZZ tracked down some information on how to do so in Sactown.

This information comes from the County of Sacramento Waste Management & Recycling website.

Looks like there are a number of local electronic waste recycling companies that accept this material from the public, businesses, school districts and government agencies.

Advanced Computer Recycling Inc. 8535 Morrison Creek Drive, Suite B Sacramento, CA 95828 Phone: 916-387-9988 Fax: 916-387-6886 Email: Jeannie@acrinc.biz http://www.acrinc.biz/ California Electronic Asset Recovery, Inc (CEAR) 3678 LeMay Street Mather, CA 95655 Phone: 916-388-1777 http://www.cearinc.com/ Computer Recycling Center Sacramento, CA Phone: 916-452-5177 http://www.recyclecomputers.biz/ Email: recyclecomputers@msn.com

Hewlett Packard Product Returns & Recycling www.hp.com/recycle HMR Group, Sacramento Central Processing Facility 8301 Belvedere Avenue Sacramento, CA 95826 Phone: 916-381-5504 http://www.hmrgroup.com/ Sims Recycling Solutions 8855 Washington Blvd. Roseville, CA 95678 Phone: 916-772-5600 http://www.simsrecyclingsolutions.com/ Y Not Recycle Old Army Depot 8310 Luzon Ave Suite 500 Sacramento CA 95828 Phone: 916-383-2922 http://www.ynotrecycle.com/

Some types of electronic equipment that are in working, reusable condition may be donated at no charge to:

The Salvation Army Locate donation centers at: http://www.satruck.com/ or 1-800-95TRUCK

You may also check Earth 911 for additional information about electronics recycling.

Earth 911
http://www.earth911.org/
Instructions: Enter your zip code (top left side of page), and then click on Electronics Recycling (left side of page).

An Update On The North Area Transfer Station

For those North Natomas residents wondering "whatever happened to plans for a north-area recycling and garbage transfer station" here is an update per Sherill Huun with the city's Department of Utilities:

"The comment period for the Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Sacramento Recycling and Transfer Station North Project (State Clearinghouse No. 2006082041) closed on October 29, 2007."

"The City is in the process of completing the Final Environmental Impact Report including preparing responses to all written Draft EIR comments."

"The City is also continuing to negotiate with the County of Sacramento to utilize the County's North Area Recovery Station (NARS). The next City-County negotiation meeting is being scheduled for mid-March."

What is a Transfer Station, you ask?

A transfer station is a facility designed to process and transfer waste materials from collection vehicles, such as garbage trucks.

These materials, which include everything thrown away, such as solid waste, recyclables and compost materials, are then sorted and transported to a disposal site.

The recirculated Draft EIR - and other helpful information - is available to view here.

The Skies May Look Clear, But Natomas Residents Take Note

Sunday, Feb 17
Monday, Feb 18

		Burning is prohibited in any device when air quality is forecast to exceed 40 micrograms per cubic meter. The rule prohibits burning any solid fuel, including wood, manufactured logs and pellets.
		Burning is prohibited when air quality is forecast to be 36-40 micrograms per cubic meter unless EPA certified fireplace inserts or stoves, or pellet stoves are used.
		Burning is discouraged when air quality is forecast to be 26-35 micrograms per cubic meter. If you choose to burn, burn cleanly by using an EPA certified fireplace insert or wood stove, or pellet-fueled device.
		When the forecast is 25 micrograms per cubic meter or lower, the public is urged to burn cleanly.

Sacramento Regional Air Quality Forecast

Today and Tomorrow:
Sunday, Feb 17: 99 AQI	Moderate (PM2.5)
Monday, Feb 18: 99 AQI	Moderate (PM2.5)
Yesterday's regional maximum:
Saturday, Feb 16: 72 AQI	Moderate (PM2.5)
Extended Forecast:
Tuesday, Feb 19:	Moderate (PM2.5)
Wednesday, Feb 20:	Moderate (PM2.5)
Thursday, Feb 21:	Good (PM2.5)
Friday, Feb 22:	Good (PM2.5)

Visit www.SpareTheAir.com for forecasts by county, current AQI readings, air quality maps, and additional air quality information.

Sac County Offers High Efficiency Washing Machine Rebate

The Sacramento County Water Agency along with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is offering customers a rebate, worth up to $100, to replace their old washing machine with a new, more efficient clothes washer.

Most old-style clothes washing machines use on average 45 gallons of water per load. High efficiency models cut that number by more than 60 percent by using only 15 gallons per load, which translates into lower water and energy bills. While these washers save a lot in water and energy, they are also gentler on your clothes.

The new models come in several configurations: top, front and slant loading. Qualifying efficient clothes washers cost typically between $600 and $1100 compared to conventional machines which typically cost around $400 - $500. But when thinking about costs you need to consider the purchase and the operating costs. These two elements combine to make what we call the Life-Cycle Cost, or the amount you would expect to pay to buy the machine and to run it over the life of the unit, typically between 10 and 15 years. The high efficiency clothes washers initially cost more, but they cost considerably less to operate.

Typical users can expect to save between $50 and $90 a year on electricity, water and sewer charges. When you figure in operating cost savings alone, you will recover your cost in as little as 3 years.

Benefits to Using High Efficient Washing Machines:

• Wash clothes cleaner
• Use less detergent
• Wash more gently
• Handle large and bulky items with ease
• Friendlier to the environment
• Shorten dryer time
• Save you money
  

To be eligible to receive this rebate you must have purchased a new, high efficiency qualifying clothes washer between Dec. 12, 2007 – June 30, 2008 and the purchase must be installed at a site served by Sacramento County Water Agency.

To take advantage of this opportunity, residents must submit a rebate application form within 30 days of installing your clothes washer. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2008.

For more information and to obtain a copy of the rebate form, visit the Water Agency’s website.

It’s BAAACK! Bike and Accessory Rebate Program

As the weather gets warmer – it’s time to start thinking about using a bicycle a lot more often!

The North Natomas Transportation Management Agency's bike rebate program is back for 2008 – and improved!

The application can be found in the bike section of the transportation agency's website.

The rebates are available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

All applications must be postmarked by April 30th - just in time to enjoy the spring!