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Author: Sara Beth Williams

  • Citrus Heights City Council unanimously approves alcohol license for future Grocery Outlet

    The Citrus Heights City Council on Sept 10 voted 4 to 0 to approve a public letter of convenience and necessity to allow an incoming Grocery Outlet to obtain a Type 21 alcohol license // SB Williams
    The Citrus Heights City Council on Sept 10 voted 4 to 0 to approve a public letter of convenience and necessity to allow an incoming Grocery Outlet to obtain a Type 21 alcohol license // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    The City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a letter of public convenience and necessity which was requested by a future Grocery Outlet. The grocer is planning to open a new location in Sunrise Village at Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue and requested a Type 21 alcohol license for the off-sale of beer, wine and distilled spirits. There were no public comments made during the public hearing.

    The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Control (ABC) requires an applicant to obtain a letter of public convenience and necessity when an area is deemed over concentrated by ABC standards. Over concentration is based on the number of existing licenses within each census tract with a maximum number assigned per tract, the city said.

    ABC determined that only two off-sale establishments are allowed within the census tract without being considered over-concentrated. According to the city, eight off-sale locations currently exist in the tract where Grocery Outlet is to be located.

    Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa said the corner seems to be the “big grocery store corner”, as multiple grocery stores exist on or near the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue. During a presentation from the city to the City Council, the city said the census tract is large and encompasses multiple grocers, which have off-sale alcohol license, including Amazon Fresh, Target, Walmart, and Farmer’s Country Market. Additionally, the Grocery Outlet location sits on the intersection of four other census tracts, the city said, and several other grocery stores exist in those, including Trader Joe’s and Smart and Final.

    Karpinski-Costa also called Grocery Outlet a “great store.”

    Grocery Outlet sells a wide assortment of grocery items including produce, meat, a range of prepared foods and general merchandise items. According to a description provided to the city by Grocery Outlet, alcohol sales are expected to be only four percent of total sales, and its availability will provide the customers a “one-stop shopping experience.”

    All register clerks are trained in alcoholic beverage sales rules, including use of Point-of-Sale required identification age verification. Grocery Outlet also has a minimum 16 camera system which has a view of all parts of the store, including the alcoholic beverage display area. The video system has a 30-day retrieval function that can track previous days’ activity. Additionally, the alcoholic beverage display will only occupy 801 square feet, or six percent of the store’s total square footage.

    A map shared by the city shows other businesses with the same off-sale alcohol license within the census tract, and within 1,000 square feet of the future Grocery Outlet. Aside from grocery stores already mentioned, the list within the census tract includes Mr. Liquor, United Oil, Joe’s Food & Liquor, and World Market. Within 1,000 square feet of Grocery Outlet’s address, the list includes the above, and additionally, Quick Stop and H&S Energy.

    The Citrus Heights Police Department and Sunrise MarketPlace submitted letters of support and recommended the letter of public convenience and necessity be approved. Sunrise MarketPlace in its letter said approving a Type 21 alcohol license will allow customers to enjoy a “one-stop shop” experience and prevent customers from having to drive elsewhere, saving on greenhouse gas emissions.

    The City Council voted 4 to 0 to approve the letter of public convenience and necessity. Councilmember Porsche Middleton was absent. Neither the representative of Grocery Outlet nor members of the public chose to speak during the public hearing.

    An opening date for the future Grocery Outlet was not immediately available.

  • Citrus Heights thrift store closed

    Citrus Heights thrift store closed

    The Family Outpost thrift store closed Sept 7, 2025. // SB Williams
    The Family Outpost thrift store closed Sept 7, 2025. // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    A family-owned thrift store in Citrus Heights has gone out of business, according to an estate sales company that handled the liquidation of the store’s merchandise.

    Sunday, Sept. 7 was the last day of business for the Family Outpost thrift store which had been open for just over a year. The Family Outpost was located at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Old Auburn Road.

    The thrift store posted a liquidation sale sign on the front entrance the week before last, indicating that a liquidation sale would be taking place from Thursday, Sept. 4, through Sunday, Sept. 7. A phone number for the store was no longer operational as of Thursday, Sept. 4.

    The estate sales team marked down merchandise to a dollar for most items on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, Sept. 7 all merchandise was five dollars for one grocery bag or small basket. Several customers could be seen piling bags into small carts and baskets with wheels.

    Martin Acero with Martin’s Estate Sales said the store owner, Dustin Powell, and his family are “moving on to bigger and better things” and have decided to move out of state to Nevada. Acero said Powell is looking into opening a business in Las Vegas. Powell was not available for comment as he was out of town.

    The family-run thrift store opened at the end of last summer. Powell was optimistic last year during the opening week. The small thrift store opened on Aug. 1, 2024, to friendly and excited customers, many of whom expressed their gratitude for the opening of the store.

    Powell told The Sentinel in a 2024 interview that the business had been years in the making. While going through his grandmother’s estate two years prior to opening, Powell found out that his family had plans to take a truckload of her belongings to the dump. Powell insisted on taking all of the belongings himself and stored them on his own property.

    The Family Outpost was located at 7601 Sunrise Blvd., Suite #11, in the former Dollar N More storefront. Discount retailer Dollar N More closed abruptly roughly a year after having opened in late 2022, according to prior reports.

    Neighboring businesses include Macy’s Nail and Hair, Vanity Fur Pet Spa, Paradise Laundry, Safe Credit Union, Master Donuts, and The Human Bean, a drive-thru coffee shop.

  • New mattress store in Citrus Heights now open

    Mancini's Sleepworld is located in the Citrus Town Center.
    Mancini’s Sleepworld is located in the Citrus Town Center. // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    A new mattress store is now open in the Citrus Town Center after holding its ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday.

    Mancini’s Sleepworld celebrated a grand opening on Sept. 10 at 7975-B Greenback Ln. in the building that formerly held Skechers. The vacant store front which now houses the mattress store is located adjacent to Marshall’s and Half Price Books.

    Bryan Becker who was managing the store Thursday said there was a good turnout of people on Wednesday for the grand opening, and added that the Rocklin Mancini’s store also opened on Wednesday. Another location also opened in Roseville last month, Becker said, also confirming that the Citrus Heights location had a ‘soft opening’ prior to Wednesday.

    “It’s a huge opportunity for expansion,” Becker said, adding that he typically manages a store in Union City and was helping out two other store managers on Thursday The Citrus Heights store is the 54th Mancini’s Sleepworld to open. “We’re excited,” Becker said.

    Skecher’s relocated across the street to the corner of Sunrise and Greenback at the end of 2024. Sunrise MarketPlace Executive Director Kathilynn Carpenter said the store’s lease expired at the end of 2024.

    Related: Vacant Walgreens in Citrus Heights to get new tenant—Citrus Heights Sentinel

    Sacramento Business Journal reported in May that the Bay Area-based mattress company secured leases for four Sacramento area locations, including a location in Roseville, which opened in May, and locations in Citrus Heights, Rocklin, and Folsom.

    Mancini’s Sleepworld was founded in 1969 by Carl and Patsy Mancini, according to the company’s website. The flagship store, still open today, was located in Sunnyvale, California, and was originally a full-line furniture store named Mancini’s Furniture.

  • Circus returning to Sunrise Mall

    Circus returning to Sunrise Mall

    Circus Callebero is returning to Sunrise Mall this September.
    Several other grocery stores with allowed alcohol sales are located nearby, including Trader Joe’s, Smart and Final, and Amazon Fresh, which recently opened last November. // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    Circus Caballero is returning to the Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights this September.

    The circus company announced on social media the return of the Caballero Circus beginning on Thursday, Sept. 11.

    The circus will run through Sept. 21 with shows every day. Company trucks were already parked, and employees were at work setting up the circus early this week.

    Showtimes are listed as Monday through Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 12, 3, and 6 p.m.

    Circus Caballero performs regularly at several malls throughout California, including West Valley Mall in Tracy, Southland Mall in Hayward, the Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley in Manteca, and others.

    Tickets for shows start as low as $15 for general admission matinee shows for both adults and kids, $35 for adults for general admission for regular shows, $45 for priority seating tickets, and $55 for ringside seating. For children 10 and under, tickets start at $25 for general admission, $35 for priority seating, and $45 for ringside seats.

    All tickets can be purchased online at CircusCaballero.com

    Coupons are also available on the company’s website but are not valid at matinee shows on Sundays.

    The circus is located at 6041 Sunrise Blvd in the Sunrise Mall parking lot adjacent to the former Elephant Bar restaurant.

    *This article has been updated to reflect the correct spelling of the name of the circus company.

  • Off-sale alcohol license requested by incoming Grocery Outlet in Citrus Heights

    Off-sale alcohol license requested by incoming Grocery Outlet in Citrus Heights

    Grocery Outlet is coming to 5409 Sunrise Blvd.
    Grocery Outlet is coming to 5409 Sunrise Blvd. // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    The City Council on Wednesday is expected to discuss the approval of a letter of public convenience and necessity which has been requested by a future Grocery Outlet. The grocer is planning to open a new location in Sunrise Village at Sunrise Boulevard and Madison Avenue and has requested a Type 21 alcohol license. This will be a public hearing.

    The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage and Control (ABC) requires an applicant to obtain a letter of public convenience and necessity when an area is deemed over concentrated by ABC standards. Over concentration is based on the number of existing licenses within each census tract with a maximum number assigned per tract, the city said.

    ABC has determined that only two off-sale establishments are allowed within the census tract without being considered over-concentrated. According to the city, eight off-sale locations currently exist in the tract where Grocery Outlet is to be located. Although there are eight off-sale locations, most locations are supermarkets, or drug stores where a variety of other products are sold in addition to alcohol, the city stated in the agenda packet.

    Grocery Outlet sells a wide assortment of grocery items including produce, meat, a range of
    prepared foods and general merchandise items. The store is requesting a Type 21 alcohol license to allow beer, wine and distilled spirits to be sold alongside it’s other products. According to a description provided to the city by Grocery Outlet, alcohol sales are expected to be only four percent of total sales, and its availability will provide the customers a “one-stop shopping experience.”

    All register clerks are trained in alcoholic beverage sales rules, including use of Point-of-Sale required identification age verification. Grocery Outlet also has a minimum 16 camera system which has a view of all parts of the store, including the alcoholic beverage display area. The video system has a 30-day retrieval function that can track previous days’ activity. Additionally, the alcoholic beverage display will only occupy 801 square feet, or six percent of the store’s total square footage.

    Several other grocery stores with allowed alcohol sales are located nearby, including Trader Joe’s, Smart and Final, and Amazon Fresh, which recently opened last November.

    A map shared by the city shows other businesses with the same off-sale alcohol license within the census tract, and within 1,000 square feet of the future Grocery Outlet. Aside from grocery stores, the list within the census tract includes Mr. Liquor, United Oil, Joe’s Food & Liquor, Farmer’s Country Market, Target, Walmart, and World Market. Within 1,000 square feet of Grocery Outlet’s address, the list includes the above, and additionally, Quick Stop and H&S Energy.

    The Citrus Heights Police Department and Sunrise MarketPlace submitted letters of approval and recommended the letter of public convenience and necessity be approved.

    Those wishing to make a public comment during the meeting can do so by attending the council meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at City Hall, at 6 p.m., or by submitting a written comment beforehand using the city’s website. The deadline to submit comments online is 4 p.m. on the day of the meeting. City Hall is located at 6360 Fountain Square Drive.

  • Citrus Heights Water District offering free leak-detecting tablets for testing toilets

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    Citrus Heights Water District is offering customers free dye tablets that can be used to help detect leaks in toilets.

    The district announced on its Facebook page that dye tablets are available for its customesr to pick up for free at their office located on Sylvan Road.

    Leaky toilets can waste hundreds of gallons a day, and can result in high increases in your water bill, the district said in a video shared along with the post. In the video, a plumber with Sheilds Plumbing shares how to use dye tablets to help detect a leak.

    To check for a leak, carefully remove the toilet tank lid and drop two dye tablets into the tank. If there is a leak within, the water inside the toilet bowl will turn blue.

    If a leak is detected, there are a couple of things to try before calling a plumber, according to the video. Adjust the float by twisting the top knob is one way to try and solve a leak, as well as checking to see if the flapper or gasket at the bottom of the tank needs to be replaced. The seals wear out over time and won’t seal properly. Anyone still having leaks in their toilet is encouraged to call a plumber or handyman who can help resolve the issue.

    Watch the video here,

    Citrus Heights Water District is located at 6230 Sylvan Rd. For more information or questions about toilet leaks or other leaks, visit the district’s website.

  • Motorcyclist dies following police pursuit in Citrus Heights

    By Sara Beth Williams—
    A police pursuit in Citrus Heights ended in tragedy Monday night after a motorcyclist collided with another vehicle and died at the scene, police announced Tuesday.

    According to the Citrus Heights Police Department, the incident began Sept. 8 at 8:22 p.m. An officer conducting traffic enforcement near Antelope Road and Wonder Street attempted to stop a motorcyclist for vehicle code violations. The rider refused to yield and fled, prompting a pursuit.

    During the chase, police said the motorcyclist drove with “wanton disregard for safety,” speeding, running red lights and stop signs, and turning off his headlights. A Sacramento Police Department helicopter assisted in tracking the suspect from above as the pursuit continued through city streets according to a media release.

    Scanner radio traffic indicates the rider drove through multiple neighborhoods, beginning from Wonder Street, with speeds ranging from 50 to up to 100 miles per hour, depending on the level of encountered traffic. At one point, the rider drove into oncoming traffic crossing out of Citrus Heights and into unincorporated Sacramento County.

    After several minutes the rider turned around and headed back into Citrus Heights down Auburn Boulevard.

    The chase ended at the intersection of Antelope Road and Mariposa Avenue, where the motorcyclist collided with another vehicle. The impact ejected the rider from the motorcycle. Officers immediately began life-saving measures, but the 28-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. His name has not yet been released, pending notification of next of kin by the coroner.

    The driver of the other vehicle was not injured.

    Police closed all lanes of Antelope Road at Mariposa Avenue for several hours while investigators examined the site and cleared the wreckage.

    California Highway Patrol’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) responded to the scene to conduct a collision investigation.

    Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident to contact the Citrus Heights Police Department at 916-727-5500.

  • When will the new Korean BBQ open in Citrus Heights?

    Must Be Cow Korean BBQ and Sushi is coming to 5511 Sunrise Blvd.
    Must Be Cow Korean BBQ and Sushi is coming to 5511 Sunrise Blvd. // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    Amid the demolition of the iconic Marie Callender’s building across the parking lot, a new Korean BBQ and Sushi restaurant is preparing to open its doors within the next few months.

    Active construction could be seen on the inside of the Korean BBQ restaurant on Sunrise Boulevard early this week. One of the owners, Jason Duan, told The Sentinel he anticipates the restaurant will be open for business sometime in October or November.

    The new restaurant, called Must Be Cow, will offer Korean barbeque and sushi, Duan said. The restaurant will include over 40 tables equipped with grilling stations, a sushi bar, and a bar that will serve beer and wine, according to previous reports.

    Duan said he landed on opening a restaurant in Citrus Heights after he had been searching for a place in Sacramento County and felt like the area was “missing some Asian food.”

    Signage for the restaurant can be seen on the front facade of the building in two different locations, with a circular logo sporting a cow holding sushi with a pair of chopsticks and the restaurant name, “Must Be Cow, Korean BBQ & Sushi” affixed to the center of the building. Lettering of the restaurant’s name was also installed on the southern side of the front of the building.

    Duan is also a partner in Bay Area-based Japanese fusion restaurant chain Sizzling Lunch.

    Plans were initially submitted to the city in 2024 and were undergoing revisions with the Building Division, Citrus Heights city spokesperson Marisa Brown said in January. 

    The restaurant was once the location of the Peppermill Restaurant and Lounge, a Logan’s Roadhouse, before becoming Boston’s Pizza. A proposal to demolish and then remodel the former Marie Callender’s Restaurant and Bakery located next door on Sunrise Boulevard is also under review.

  • Long-vacant Citrus Heights home from 1939 sold, now under major remodel

    A home built in 1939 is in the midst of being remodeled.
    A home built in 1939 is in the midst of being remodeled. // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    Construction has been active on a long-vacant house on the corner of Watson Way and Mariposa Avenue in Citrus Heights for several weeks, according to construction workers on site.

    The 1,800-square-foot home was originally constructed in 1939, according to its online listing, and sat boarded up and vacant for years before it sold in June for $550,000. The home was originally listed for $595,000 in April of this year.

    The listing described the home as a “charming fixer-upper” with multiple possibilities, including subdivision. The two-story home is still listed as having four bedrooms and one bath and includes a fireplace and bonus room, the listing showed. After a building permit was acquired, work began a month ago, construction workers on site said.

    Currently the home has been taken down to studs inside. Stairs for a staircase inside appear complete, and the outside still needs siding. Work is ongoing, with an unknown date for completion.

    The one-acre lot has a spacious unpaved driveway facing Watson Way, along with many trees, a detached garage, and a brick patio in the back of the home, according to photos from real estate site Zillow.

    Citrus Heights Historical Society President Larry Fritz said the property was owned by William Berry, who owned a 160-acre ranch in the 1880s. The ranch was bordered by Watson Way in the north, Auburn Boulevard to the west, and Mariposa Avenue on the east. Mariposa Avenue did not exist at that time. A street named Citrus Avenue on a 1912 map has since become Mariposa Avenue, according to Fritz.

    The old home on Watson Way sits on the northeast corner of what was the Berry Ranch, which was purchased by Walt Trainor, of the Trainor and Desmond Real Estate Company, in 1912. The real estate company subdivided the 160 acres into parcels of about 10 acres according to a 1912 map of the area. Trainor and Desmond are the ones who coined the name “Citrus Heights” for their developments, Fritz explained. In all, they purchased about 20 large ranches, calling them all “Citrus Heights” followed by a numerical designation. Parcel number 118 is the one that the home now sits on.

    Another map from 1939 shows the same parcel was further subdivided, with a 2-acre lot belonging to James and Gertrude Millette. The property appears to have stayed in the Millette family. No sales history is listed online before June 2025.

    Real estate appraiser and housing analyst Ryan Lundquist previously confirmed that the property was in a trust and had no sales history before 1998, when Metro List was first implemented.

  • Citrus Heights Fellowship closes, will re-open as Edify Church under new leadership

    Edify Church, formerly known as Citrus Heights Fellowship, is located at 7405 Mariposa Ave.
    Edify Church, formerly known as Citrus Heights Fellowship, is located at 7405 Mariposa Ave. // SB Williams

    By Sara Beth Williams–
    A church on Mariposa Avenue has officially closed as “Citrus Heights Fellowship” and will relaunch as Edify Church, according to an announcement on Edify Church’s website and Facebook page.

    The website formerly home to Citrus Heights Fellowship has since been removed, and all former links now lead to Edify Church’s new website. Citrus Heights Fellowship still operates a YouTube channel, where livestream services were posted, with the most recent post dated two months ago.

    An announcement on Edify Church’s Facebook page indicates that the church has “gone dark” as of Aug. 6 while they prepare for upgrades and a relaunch on Sunday, Sept. 14, at a 9:30 a.m. service.

    On a visit to the church site last week, workers could be seen inside the building resurfacing the pews.

    In another announcement on Facebook, Pastor Sive Nogada said he officially resigned on Aug. 10 as the Citrus Heights Fellowship pastor after serving in the position since 2022.

    “I’m deeply thankful and still delightfully surprised at how my life has unfolded—from growing up in a township (ghetto) in Cape Town to doing ministry in Sacramento. Thank you, CHF family, for allowing us to be part of your story,” Nogada said, adding that the church will be relaunching as Edify Church. Nogada and his family moved to the U.S. in 2018.

    The church also announced on social media that a core group meeting is to be held this week prior to the relaunch, which is scheduled for mid-September.

    The relaunched church will be characterized by “Biblical Discernment, Spirit-Filled Living, Kingdom-Mindedness, and Christ-Centered Community,” the church said on its website, adding that more information on the relaunch will be coming soon. For questions or to find out more information, visit the church’s website.

    A post from Doxa Church’s website shows that Doxa Church was assisting Citrus Heights Fellowship with the relaunch in what is called a “replant.”

    “A replant is an existing church that has been in decline for several years, now reforming and deciding to relaunch as a new church with new leadership, governance, and mission,” according to Doxa. The new church’s pastor of the replant will be John Gomez, one of Doxa’s 6:4 interns,

    Citrus Heights Fellowship has not been the first church to be replanted and relaunch under a new name. Heights Church, formerly known as Bayside of Citrus Heights, was also a replant. At the time, Bayside took over a small church in the same building called Sylvan Oaks, that was on the brink of foreclosure, according to a video posted by Heights Church pastor Craig Sweeney in 2020. The church relaunched in 2008 under the name Bayside of Citrus Heights. The second name change to Heights Church occurred later in 2020.

    Edify Church, formerly known as Citrus Heights Fellowship, is located at 7405 Mariposa Ave. The building was constructed in 1975.