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Sacramento Bee Editorial: Area leaders bend Washington’s earThe Sacramento Bee featured an editorial today regarding this year's Metro Chamber: Cap to Cap trip, which Vice Mayor Ashby is in attendance along with nearly 300 other regional delegates and leaders. Amongst many of the topics discussion, Natomas levee improvements have been at the top of the list.

FOX40: Arena Fallout: What’s Next?See the news story featured on Fox40, where Vice Mayor Ashby provides her comments on the Arena deal fallout.

Capital Public Radio: Sacramento In Final Hours of Pool FundraiserYesterday, Capital Public Radio interviewed Vice Mayor Ashby about the final push to raise funding for the Save Mart Save our Pools Campaign which aims to raise $1 million dollars in order to keep the City’s public pools open this summer.

KCRA 3: Congresswoman Matsui And Senator Feinstein To Tour Natomas LeveesSee the news story featured on KCRA 3, Congresswoman Matsui And Senator Feinstein To Tour Natomas Levees, where Vice Mayor Ashby discusses a tour of the Natomas levees scheduled to take place today.

KCRA 3: Save Mart Helps ‘Save Our Pools’Sacramento Vice Mayor Angelique Ashby discusses the "Save Our Pools" campaign aimed at keeping 6 local swimming pools open this summer.

SAC BEE: Sacramento City Council ‘kayaks’ to raise cash for community poolsThe Sacramento Bee featured a story about the Councilmember's efforts to help fundraise and save City pools for the summer

FOX40: Vice Mayor Ashby talks about the SaveMart Save Our Pools Fundraising CampaignOn Wednesday morning, Vice Mayor Ashby talked about the SaveMart Save Our Pools Fundraising efforts to go on later that day. Councilmembers sat in canoes and "dialed for dollars" to help keep the pools open this summer.

NEWS10: Councilmember Ashby named Woman of the YearNEWS 10 features a story about Vice Mayor Ashby's recent Woman of the Year award.

FOX40: Natomas Levee Improvement ProjectSee the news story featured on FOX40, Natomas Levee Improvement Project, where Vice Mayor Ashby discusses the Natomas levees and covers what is at stake.

Sacramento Bee Editorial: Boehner’s Natomas tour is a good sign

Check out the editorial that ran in the Sacramento Bee regarding Speaker Boehner’s tour of Natomas and its levees:

Published: Friday, Mar. 16, 2012 – 12:00 am | Page 12A

Given the glacial pace of the House in supporting vital public safety projects, flood control advocates in Sacramento need to look hard to find silver

Sacramento Bee Editorial: Focus on Natomas in arena push, too

Check out the editorial that ran in the Sacramento Bee regarding the focus on Natomas during arena discussions:

The conventional wisdom is that Natomas will become an afterthought as Sacramento attempts to finalize plans for a new downtown arena. That doesn’t and shouldn’t need to be the case.

The current Power Balance Pavilion site

Sacramento Bee: Key cog in new Sacramento arena plan is future of current Kings home

See the story featured on the Sacramento Bee regarding the importance of reuse at the current arena site in Natomas:

By Tony Bizjak and Ryan Lillis

Sacramento’s arena project seeks not only to transform downtown but also to redefine the heart of North Natomas.

A key peg of the $391 million plan for a

KCRA 3:Sacramento Lobbies For Levee Repair Funds In Washington D.C.

KCRA 3 featured a story regarding Vice Mayor Ashby’s recent lobbying trip to Washington D.C. to fight for levee repair funding:

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby have finished a three-day lobbying trip, pushing for more levee repair funding.

“(Washington)D.C. is focused on transportation,” Ashby said. “But, as they

NEWS10: Sacramento City Council to Vote on Building ArenaSee the news story featured on NEWS10, where Vice Mayor Ashby joins Councilmember Jay Schenirer and Councilmember Steve Cohn on News10 for a roundtable discussion on the impending vote on the new Entertainment and Sports Complex set for Tuesday evening's City Council Meeting.

FOX40: Vice Mayor Ashby Talks about Arena VoteCouncilwoman Ashby Talks About Arena Vote, where Vice Mayor Ashby comments on the latest announcement that a preliminary agreement has been reached between the Maloofs, the NBA and the City of Sacramento, on a new sports and entertainment complex...

FOX40: Sacramento Police Fear More Cuts

See the news story featured on FOX40, Sacramento Police Fear More Cuts, where Vice Mayor Ashby comments on the concerns with the upcoming budget and possible cuts to the Police Department.

“There will definitely be some big conversations in the city of Sacramento this year because we have a budget gap and we

NEWS10: Natomas Fire Victim Has Cash but Can’t Fix His HouseSee the news story featured on News10, where Vice Mayor Ashby expresses her distress over a Natomas homeowner's inability to repair his fire damaged home due a federal ban on local earmarks. Currently, the Natomas Levee Improvement Project awaits federal authorization of the Army Corps of Engineer's Report and subsequent appropriations, which would bring the Natomas Basin out of the building moratorium.

Update on the Search for Sergio JimenezA candlelight vigil for Sergio Jimenez (17 year old Natomas student missing since Wednesday of last week), scheduled for this evening has been called off. The Sacramento Police Department has received information that the young man was seen in a Wal-Mart shopping center in Yuba City late Wednesday night. His family has reviewed video surveillance and confirmed that it is in fact Sergio. He appears to be in good health.

District One: A Look Back at the First 365 Days (2011 Annual Report)

Council District 1 Annual Report

It has been my absolute honor and privilege to represent District One and the City of Sacramento over the first year of my four year term. It is difficult to believe that eleven months have already come and gone and that we are rounding the corner on our first year in office.

Have you seen Sergio?

Sergio Jimenez, age 17, was last seen around 3 p.m. afternoon on Wednesday November 2nd at Natomas Pacific Pathways Prep located at 3700 Del Paso Road.

Sergio never arrived home. There are no indications of foul play at this time and investigations are underway. Crime Alert is offering a $1,000 reward for information.

Good News for the City of Sacramento!

You probably already know that Sacramento is a great place to live, but according to Bloomberg Businessweek, as featured on MSN this morning, Downtown Sacramento is ranked 6th of the 10 most fun, affordable U.S. cities. We wanted to share this with all of you who help make Sacramento great!

10 most fun, affordable U.S.

Natomas Buzz: Ashby Balances Natomas Service CutsPlease check out the story featured on the Natomas Buzz discussing the delicate balancing act I’m faced with in determining how to respond to the needs and wants of constituents while recognizing the limits of our current city budget.

FOX40: Natomas Park and Rec Program Saved from the AxIn the midst of an extremely challenging fiscal crisis, I am pleased to report that I was able to save a very important Parks & Recreation program from the budget-balancing ax using a special fund that I can use especially for our community...

Sacramento Bee: Marcos Breton: Angelique Ashby brings fresh voice to Sacramento councilSacramento Bee features a column today by Marcos Breton about the tough choices I must make as a councilmember facing a $39 million budget deficit we need to resolve by July 1. The budget season really is tough and it was encouraging to see this article today...

Sacramento Bee: Will Newbies Shake Up City Council?This week the Sacramento City Council will welcome two more new faces. The Sacramento Bee wrote this story posing questions about the impact of three new members. Everyone on the council has been gracious and welcoming. This is a great City and I am honored to be a part of the team working towards our bright future...

Sacramento Press: Angelique Ashby Sworn Into OfficeLast night I had the honor of being sworn into office by my dad who was permitted to read me the Oath of Office...

Sacramento Bee: A Fresh Face, A Tough LadyThe Sacramento Bee ran an article in today's Forum section that talked about my journey to City Hall and the potential outcomes that a newcomer like me will face while in office. It has been a long wait since we won in June, but I have spent the past five months preparing and I am ready to go. Thank you all for your continuing support, partnership and commitment to our communities and to this great city...

Sacramento Parent Magazine: The Mom Next DoorI am honored to be featured in this month's Parent magazine as "The Mom Next Door." Being a Mom is my greatest joy in life and it was fun to take some time to talk about my kids. They are good boys and I am eternally proud to be their Mom...

My Live Interview at KCRA Studios This Morning

New Endorsement: Sacramento News & Review

Another outstanding endorsement…

This week the Sacramento News & Review issued endorsements in key races and had this to say about District One:

Angelique Ashby stands out as the best candidate for representing this district, which includes downtown Sacramento and Natomas. . . She is smart and promises to be an independent vote on

I Am Honored to Have Earned Mayor Kevin Johnson’s Endorsement

Yesterday afternoon, I received a call from Mayor Kevin Johnson letting me know that he supports and endorses me as the next City Council member for District One. He believes my energy and enthusiasm will make a difference.

I am honored and look forward to the opportunity to represent District One.

Update: On May 25, Mayor Johnson published

Sacramento Press: City Council Candidates Use Facebook to Connect With Community

The Sacramento Press published an article this evening about the use of Facebook in various Sacramento City Council campaigns and highlighted the strength of my campaign’s online presence in connecting with District One voters:

Angelique Ashby is running for the City Council’s District 1 seat against incumbent Ray Tretheway, and she has tried to use

I Am Honored to Have Earned Sacramento Bee Editorial Board Endorsement

In today’s Sacramento Bee, the Editorial Board issues their endorsements for all four Sacramento City Council races, and I am very pleased to have earned their support in my campaign to bring “fresh ideas and energy” to City Hall as our next councilperson for District One. They recognize me as the candidate for this district

Sacramento Bee: Marcos Breton: Novice candidate collides with Sacramento political clique

Sacramento Bee features an illuminating column today by Marcos Breton about Sacramento’s District One city council race:

Corin Choppin was spied removing the campaign signs of Angelique Ashby, who is running for a City Council seat in Natomas. Choppin’s employer – Capitol Campaigns – represents Ray Tretheway, the Natomas incumbent.

Like a naughty child, Choppin

Sacramento Press: Natomas public safety activist runs for City Council

The Sacramento Press published an article about my candidacy last night.

The article covers a lot of ground, including my work on programs involving at-risk youth and parolees, my education, my key focus on public safety (flood, fire, and police), economic development, volunteerism, solving problems by building partnerships and not spending a lot of money, and

Sacramento Bee: Sacramento City Council races attract cash from outside town

The Sacramento Bee published an enlightening investigative article today about all of the money Sacramento City Council candidates have raised and how much of that money came from individuals and special interest groups based outside the districts in which the candidates are running.

Sacramento City Council races attract cash from outside town

Excerpt:

. .

Natomas Virtual Neighborhood Watch was News10′s Top Story Yesterday

News10′s top story yesterday demonstrates how connected we are in Natomas as a community when it comes to partnering with Sacramento Police Department and each other in fighting crime in our neighborhoods.

Having this story covered in the media shows that we have a lot to be proud of. As the creator of one

Sacramento Bee: Inside City Hall: Police union supports challenger to (Ray) Tretheway

The Sacramento Bee published an article today about my endorsement from the Sacramento Police Officers Association.

Police union supports challenger to Tretheway

Excerpt:

A big endorsement was rolled out Monday in the Sacramento City Council race for District 1, the Natomas area.

The Sacramento Police Officers Association – the union representing city cops – threw

I Was This Week’s Special Guest on CBS13 Morning News

I was the week’s special guest on CBS-13 Morning News with Ron Hyde on National Day of Service, September 11, 2009.

I was selected because of the tremendous amounts of volunteerism and community activism we have generated here in District One. It was a pleasure and an honor to reflect on how this community

National Night Out: Partnering with Police & Each Other

Tonight I will attend several Natomas area “National Night Out” events. The purpose of these celebrations is to bring the neighbors out to meet one another.

Check out this piece on Capital Public Radio’s Web site about tonight’s “National Night Out” events in Sacramento:

Capital Public Radio: “Night Out” to Fight Crimeby Steve

Update on School District Budget Issues: School Resource Officers & Community Efforts to Save Them

Eliminating officers is not a wise decision because it creates a major safety risk that is unacceptable in our schools. . . Somewhere along the line, the NUSD leadership lost sight of their priorities – the kids: keep them safe and give them educational opportunities.

On Wednesday, May 13th, several community members and all of

CBS13: Budget Cuts Leave (Natomas) Schools in Worst Case Scenario

It is not about football or golf or dollars and cents – it is about finding a way to create a safe environment for kids to learn and have opportunities to grow and achieve.

Natomas Unified School District (NUSD) is in the spotlight again, this time on channel 13:

CBS13: Budget Cuts Leave (Natomas)

Sacramento Bee: Marcos Breton: Natomas schools drop their guard

Marcos Breton wrote the following article in Wednesday’s Sacramento Bee about the Natomas Unified School District (NUSD) and the situation they find themselves in after so many poor decisions in the middle of a budget time where we need to be the most cautious with our decisions and be careful not to stray from our

Sacramento Bee: Inside City Hall: Natomas activist, trustee vie for Tretheway’s seatApparently the Sacramento Bee picked up on the fact that I quietly filed paperwork to officially run for the District 1 seat...

Sacramento Bee: Obituary: [Natomas Journal Publisher] Will Craig found his calling in Natomas

We will miss you, Will. Rest in peace. Natomas has lost a leader and a friend.

Obituary: Newsman Will Craig found his calling in Natomas

Sacramento Bee: Lack of second N. Natomas fire station imperils livesFront page of The Sacramento Bee, above the fold, Sunday edition: ten years after development started taking off in North Natomas west of Interstate-5, we still have no fire station there, and that fact very well may have contributed to conditions at the Stilt Court house fire in the Park View neighborhood last August that sent four firefighters to the hospital.

KCRA-TV: Area Car Break-Ins Skyrocket: Police Want Any Reports Of Suspicious Activity"Just in my apartment complex alone there were seven [vehicle burglaries], and unfortunately, my neighbors didn't want to report it," [North Natomas resident Vanita] Morris said. Morris said she is getting involved with the Natomas Crime and Safety Leadership Team. The organization works closely with police to make [sure] their residents are less of a target. "The difference is between just sitting back and letting things happen or looking out the window and saying, 'That doesn't look right. I am going to call police,'" said Angelique Ashby, a community activist. . .

Sacramento Bee: Plan to furlough city fire engines is drawing heatThe Sacramento Fire Department is scheduled to increase the number of fire engines it takes out of service . . . the cost-cutting strategy would lead to increased response times to emergencies in many neighborhoods – and that could contribute to greater property loss. [The topic] will be discussed at tonight's City Council meeting. . . The news was also troubling to Angelique Ashby, a community activist in North Natomas, where Station 30's engine is in the brownout rotation. "Anything that diminishes our ability to get fire protection and public safety is a bad thing because we're inadequately covered by the Fire Department as it is," said Ashby, co-founder of a local public safety committee. . .

Sacramento Bee: Reflections from the region: Learning to work together in NatomasThe Sacramento Bee asked me to write an op-ed column answering the question: "What is the most important lesson Sacramento or the region should take from 2008, and how can it be applied next year?" I discuss what I learned from the chaos and pursuant uprising of 2008 -- that a community can rise to the occasion and that a group of neighbors can accomplish monumental tasks.

KCRA-TV: School Turns Tide On Violent Fight VideosNatomas High School Fights Back Against Violent YouTube Clips. Principal Eick is being proactive and assigning students video projects to redirect their energy in a positive way.

Sacramento Bee: Sacramento Mayor’s Race: Poll Maps Pattern of Voter PreferencesNorth Natomas has a relatively low violent crime rate, but a string of home invasion robberies earlier this year put residents on edge. They complain they don't have enough police coverage and that promised police and fire stations haven't materialized. . . "I would predict North Natomas will go to Kevin Johnson," said Angelique Ashby, president of the Creekside Neighborhood Association and co-founder of a local public safety committee. Ashby hasn't taken sides in the mayor's race. "People in North Natomas are disappointed in the city," Ashby said. "It may or may not be fair to blame it on Heather, but when you're the mayor, sometimes you take the blame for things you have no control over."

Sacramento Bee: Sacramento Police to Use Fewer Patrol Cars[Sacramento Police] began pairing patrol officers as part of a monthlong experiment in cutting fuel and vehicle maintenance costs. The move means 35 percent to 40 percent cuts in patrol cars out at a given time. But police officials stress the change is not a reduction in force. . . "As we all know, where police are present, it cuts back on opportunities for crime," said Angelique Ashby, president of the Creekside Neighborhood Association in North Natomas.

An Enlightened Approach to Low-income HousingAn editor of housing industry magazines picked up on the Bee article about the recent crime wave in North Natomas.

Sacramento Bee: Natomas Crime Wave Raises Question About Low-Income HousingProperty crime in North Natomas has been on the rise, and it recently took a violent turn. In a three-week period in June, robbers pulled off 15 home invasions and 14 street holdups in . . . Natomas. Handguns were used in all the home invasions and most of the street robberies . . . Some residents, looking for answers, have focused on affordable housing complexes. They say such a concentration of poverty creates a fertile environment for criminal activity. "Being poor doesn't mean you're a criminal, but we all know there are many correlations between poverty and criminal behavior," said Angelique Ashby, president of the Creekside Neighborhood Association in North Natomas. "You can't have it overwhelm the community, which is what it's starting to do in Natomas."

Sacramento Bee: Cop Staffing Varies Across the CapitalThe city's Police Department puts a high number of patrol officers in Oak Park, downtown and some neighborhoods in south Sacramento – areas with high rates of violent crime . . . But in many of the neighborhoods where a high proportion of the crime involves car break-ins and home burglaries, police staffing levels tend to be lower. The issue of who gets the cops has come up again with a recent wave of home invasion robberies in Natomas [where residents have] long complained about a lack of adequate police protection. And, they note, it's taken a series of violent crimes to get more cops into the area. "While it's easy to logically say that stolen cars and property damage is a lower priority than violence, these are the types of things that if you don't do anything about them, it can escalate," said Angelique Ashby, a North Natomas resident who is president of the Creekside Neighborhood Association and co-founder of a local public safety committee. "And that's what we're seeing right now."

Sacramento Bee: Marcos Bretón: A big city needs a big police forceIt's time to wake up, drop the denial, look around. . . Sacramento is a big city with an alarming crime rate, second highest of all major cities in California. Sacramento's Police Department is too small . . . The residents of Natomas are engaged. With almost no notice, more than 400 people turned out for a community meeting Monday night where police and civic leaders addressed the home invasion spree. "Going door to door is not popular in Natomas," said Angelique Ashby, a 33-year-old consultant and Natomas resident. "It's a connectivity community. … With e-mails, you can plaster all of Natomas in eight minutes. . ."

Sacramento Bee: As robberies spike, Natomas residents demand actionA rash of robberies across Natomas has residents and cops on alert, while many in the area are attacking city officials for not devoting enough resources to help keep the neighborhoods safe. . . "What's obvious is that people are scared," said Angelique Ashby, a North Natomas resident and the president of the Creekside Neighborhood Association. "What isn't so obvious is that people are mad. . ." From a lack of an organized community center and police substation to poorly designed parks, streets and schools, city officials have "not represented our interests enough and we haven't gotten the resources we need," she said. "When you talk about the money raised by (development in) Natomas, that's where it gets frustrating," said Ashby, who is also the co-founder of the North Natomas Crime and Safety Committee. "Not enough money generated by this community came back to this community."

CBS13: Natomas Residents Suffer Nearly 30 Robberies"This is a very significant spike in home invasions and robberies," said Capt. Daniel Hahn from the Sacramento Police Department. . . The crimes have taken place all over the map, not confined to any one area of Natomas. . . "Now you're talking about very brazen acts of individuals with guns," said Angelique Ashby, a local resident, "maybe even no mask, just coming in and saying, 'Give me your stuff or I'm gonna shoot you.'" Angelique is heading up the Creekside Community Association, and she's now on a first-name basis with Sacramento's top cops.