By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights Police Department wants to remind partygoers attending Super Bowl gatherings to make a “safety plan” if they’re planning on drinking.
As fans are gearing up to celebrate the Super Bowl this weekend, police plan to have additional officers on patrol looking for drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs and alcohol over Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9, according to a news release issued this week.
In the news release, police reminded the public to celebrate responsibly by creating a “Go Safety Game Plan” to prevent driving under the influence.
“Celebrating the big game should never come at the cost of someone’s safety,” said Sgt. Kane Kissam. “By making a plan to get home safely, you’re not just protecting yourself but also your loved ones and everyone else on the road.”
Whether hosting a party or attending a party, revelers can make a safety plan to prevent driving under the influence, starting by designating a sober driver, using ride-sharing services, or public transportation.
Another safety plan tip includes hosting responsibility by including non-alcoholic beverage options. Police suggest keeping an eye on guests and making sure guests, friends, and family members do not drive intoxicated. Lastly, police recommend staying alert while driving on the road and reporting drivers who you suspect are impaired.
“The Citrus Heights Police Department reminds the public that impaired driving is not just from alcohol,” the release said, adding that prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, cannabis products, and other drugs may also cause impairment.
By Sara Beth Williams– New details have emerged in the death of a woman who was involved in a solo-vehicle crash in Rancho Cordova on Saturday afternoon.
The woman who died from her injuries was identified as Maria Lourdes Martinez, 55, of Citrus Heights, according to local news reports. Martinez died after her vehicle veered from the road and struck a concrete divider wall in a canal. The accident occurred around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, at Sunrise Boulevard and Bosphorus Drive in Rancho Cordova, according to the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
Officials with Sac Metro Fire said Saturday evening that the woman was the only occupant in the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene by paramedics. California Highway Patrol of East Sacramento is in charge of the investigation.
Martinez was traveling south on Sunrise Boulevard when, for unknown reasons, she lost control of her vehicle, CHP said. The vehicle reportedly veered right and struck the divider.
Sunrise Boulevard southbound was closed from Chrysanthy Boulevard to Justinian Drive due to the crash for at least two hours, according to CHP.
No other drivers or vehicles were known to have been involved, and it’s unclear whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash.
Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheri Merrick stands with guests during a grand opening ceremony of the Chamber’s new office location, Jan. 30, 2025. // Courtesy Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce
By Sara Beth Williams– The Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce held a grand opening celebration at its new office location last week.
Several city leaders and business owners attended a ribbon cutting for the new Chamber office location at 8091 Greenback Ln. on Thursday, Jan. 30, including Citrus Heights Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa, City Manager Ash Feeney, Vice Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff, and other City council members. Law enforcement officials and regional leaders were also in attendance, including Sacramento County Supervisor Rosario Rodriguez, and representatives from U.S. Rep. Ami Bera’s office, and California State Rep. Josh Hoover’s office.
Chamber Board member and Ambassador Susan Powers said the celebration was “lovely” and that a crowd of people packed the 750-square-foot space and mingled together prior to a ribbon cutting.
“I had a wonderful time at the Citrus Heights Chamber Open House, celebrating their ongoing dedication to our business community and recognizing their incredible impact on economic growth and local engagement,” Rodriguez said in a newsletter to constituents.
The move to a new location was made possible, in part, through a $25,000 grant that was unanimously approved during a September City Council meeting. $8,000 of the funds were allocated for office relocation.
Citrus Heights Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sheri Merrick told the council in September that, within the first two months of becoming Executive Director, everyone who attempted to visit the Chamber’s office location “got lost.”
“This move is essential for enhancing our presence and making it easier for entrepreneurs and business owners to access our services,” the Chamber wrote in the grant proposal to the city, adding that the new location is more visible, offers an increase in foot traffic, and provides a more inviting space for meetings and events.
The $25,000 grant comes from the economic development support fund program, which provides grants and sponsorships to businesses, business associations, and other economic development-related organizations for events, marketing, promotions, and other activities.
Previously the Chamber of Commerce office was located at 7625 Sunrise Blvd. on the city’s northern limits.
Rendering from Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Site Plan approved in 2021. // City of Citrus Heights
By Steve Wilburn–
Dear Citrus Heights Sentinel Editor and Community,
Below you will find my public comment that was provided to the City for the proposed amendment to the Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan. Sometimes these publications can be long, but it’s worth the read to best understand how our community could change. Political views are always volatile, and I normally keep my modest views to myself. But in this particular case, it may be worth sharing.
I believe the developer, Ethan Conrad, is trying to continue Sunrise Mall, and its relative footprint as a past generation mall. He cited, Marketplace of Merced, Chico Marketplace, and Yuba Sutter Marketplace as locations to show his effort. These locations represent what a mall WAS, but not what it has become. I simply looked up these locations, as clean and in use as they appear, they did not appear to be a premiere location. The Sunrise Tomorrow plan is a very hopeful view of what we could be, but the Amendment is an effort to try for less with what’s there. That being said, below is what I offered to our city leaders.
The Sunrise Tomorrow Specific Plan Amendment has elements that directly conflict with goals and concepts from the Specific Site Plan.
Policy 2.4 directly conflicts with “Light industrial, storage and leased storage are allowed on the lower level of the former Sears and Sears Auto Building in Area 3-A”.
Light industrial, storage, and leased storage does not encourage foot traffic, neighborliness, or sense of belonging. It is counterproductive to establish a business in an area that we need community presence, with a business that is only used for storage. Most of the activity within this zone will be very sporadic. This will position the school in an area surrounded by sporadic business presents. If there is no continued presences in this area, it would not be an improvement on the current situation.
The best way to describe this, is to present a question. How busy would a storage facility be?
Goal 14 cites the need to strengthen retail base. The amendment requests to add light industrial, storage, and leased storage is retail. This is in direct conflict with Goal 14 as storage is not retail.
Furthermore, the storage and leased storage does not support 3.3.3.1 Land Use Plan.
Finally, a change in Open Space or creek restoration should be rejected entirely. Open Space and green is an integral part of the Specific Site Plan and an important part of the City of Citrus Heights.
Steve Wilburn
Overall, the amendments demonstrate that the developer is willing to openly disregard elements of the Specific Site Plan. Further scrutiny is required to determine if the amendment requests are consistent with the Specific Site Plan. There are elements that should be entertained and maybe a viable option, but trustworthiness of the developer is in question.
Steve Wilburn is a California native and an 18-year resident of Citrus Heights. He owns his home with his wife and son.
The Sentinel welcomes letters and guest opinions on local topics. Submit a letter to the editor or opinion column for publication: Click here
An artist’s rendering of a new amphitheater planned for Rusch Park in shown from the Citrus Heights Community Marching Band’s website.
By Sara Beth Williams– Progress on the Kathy Cook Memorial Amphitheater project, which was anticipated to be built at Rusch Community Park, has been slow going, according to the Citrus Heights Community Marching Band.
The marching band initially began raising money for the Kathy Cook Memorial Amphitheater in July 2022 with an anticipated completion date of June 2024, but construction on the project has yet to begin.
Citrus Heights Community Marching Band manager and treasurer Sarah Hendricks said project plans have been “wet stamp” approved by an architect and engineer, and the band is now waiting on Sunrise Recreation and Park District to put out bids for the project.
“Our only frustration has been the length of time it has taken to get this project off of the ground with all of the hoops we’ve had to jump through,” Hendricks said, adding that the project had been “stalled” with the park district for some time.
Publicly available minutes from several Sunrise Recreation and Park District board meetings in 2024 show several community leaders provided public comment during meetings in support of the project in January, February, and March, including Citrus Heights City Manager Ash Feeney, Bill Cook, Kody Tickner, Albert Fox, Hendricks, and Jayna Karpinski-Costa, who now serves as the city’s mayor. Charles Stone and councilmember Tim Schaefer also commented in support of the amphitheater, with Schaefer having been recorded as questioning “why there has not been a decision made” by the board.
At the monthly board meeting in March 2024, then Sacramento County Supervisor Sue Frost and Jack Frost spoke in support, and Cook and Hendricks returned again to voice their support for the project. At the same meeting, the district board unanimously approved a final location for the amphitheater.
In the March 20, 2024 staff report, several proposed uses were listed for the amphitheater. The staff report reads in part, “After meeting with Bill Cook, it has been determined that the Citrus Heights Marching Band would utilize the amphitheater four or five times throughout the year. These events would provide the community with opportunities to enjoy concerts hosted by the Citrus Heights Marching Band.”
Additionally, the staff report indicates that the city would use the amphitheater for Sunday Funday programming, and that the park district would utilize the amphitheater as an “additional amenity” that would allow SPRD to produce “a more robust concert series and additional special events.”
According to an email received in mid-January 2025 from Sunrise Recreation and Park District Administrator Kevin Huntzinger, the district’s legal team is developing an agreement outlining the terms and conditions of the use of the amphitheater. District staff are also currently working with Sacramento County staff to determine California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements for the proposed amphitheater.
An ad hoc committee was formed in May 2024, Hendricks confirmed, but it has only met two times since then, once in May 2024 and once in July 2024. The committee consists of Hendricks, Cook, and two Sunrise Recreation and Park District board members. Huntzinger also attended the meetings, Hendricks said.
“Our goal is to have the grand opening on June 25th, 2025, which is Kathy Cook’s birthday. We thought it was the perfect date to have the unveiling ceremony of the amphitheater to honor Kathy’s legacy,” Hendricks said.
Currently, the band has raised $100,000 for the project and needs $200,000 more, Hendricks said, adding that the band will be hosting another major fundraiser in April to help raise funds for the project.
Bill Cook originated the idea of building an amphitheater at Rusch Park in honor of his late wife Kathy Cook, who founded the marching band in 2005. She passed away in August of 2021.
The band’s original goal was to raise money and begin construction in 2023. However, then Interim District Administrator Wayne Edmundson said the park district board must first review and discuss feasibility study results before they can move on to construction.
Previously, Cook told The Sentinel he anticipates the project to include the construction of a large outdoor band shell with commemorative bricks purchased by community members and business donors, as well as the resurfacing and repaving of the parking lot off Rusch Drive in front of the Historic Rusch Home and the remodeling of the restroom building nearest to the parking lot.
To raise funds, the band is selling commemorative, personalized bricks that start at $100 each. Bricks can be purchased through the band’s webpage, chcmb.org/stage.
“This amphitheater will be a wonderful tribute to her, and the community will be able to enjoy it for generations to come,” Hendricks said.
Volunteers serve food to the unhoused during the Winter Sanctuary program, Jan. 30, 2025 // Ade Zulfikar, Alfred Sanchez
By Sara Beth Williams– Homeless advocates and volunteers came together in Citrus Heights on Thursday night to serve dinner to a dozen unhoused residents, as part of a rotating annual Winter Sanctuary program.
Local homeless advocate Alfred Sanchez, who many refer to as “Snack Man,” brought together a handful of volunteers to help serve dinner for one night during the Winter Sanctuary, an annual tradition he says he has done for six years.
Sanchez, along with several volunteers recruited by him and several volunteers from Foundation Christian Church, served hot dogs, chips, potato salad, and pasta salad to 12 unsheltered individuals.
Sanchez also provided an array of snacks, including tangerines, Rice Krispies, M&Ms, prepackaged pastries, and plenty of water bottles, along with to-go bags for folks to carry any extra food in. Sanchez called adding the to-go bags “genius,” as in past years, folks didn’t have a way to carry any extra snacks with them after the evening meal.
Once a year, Sanchez purchases all the food himself for one meal, but food prices have increased significantly in the last two years, he says, and the cost of buying food for so many people may prohibit him from continuing his annual tradition after this year.
“I love these people,” Sanchez said when asked why he chooses to donate an entire meal every year. Generally, Sanchez said he has an “army” of volunteers. Sanchez said more homeless individuals will come to the winter sanctuary when it starts raining.
During the evening, Sanchez’s instructions to his volunteers were to “give the best service they’ve ever seen” to the homeless individuals who come to eat. After everyone grabbed a plate of food and settled in to eat, volunteers circulated the room and offered other snacks and drinks. Some sat with individuals at round tables just to have a conversation with them.
Unsheltered individuals must first register for the winter sanctuary program each night at Messiah Lutheran Church on Ross Drive in Citrus Heights. A bus then transports those registered to a local church for the night. Several churches are participating this year, each offering one week of sanctuary, where unhoused individuals receive a meal, a hot shower, new undergarments, a cot to sleep on, and a to-go bag of food to take with them in the morning.
Citrus Heights Homeless Assistance Resource Team President Irene Hronicek said Foundation Christian Church has a shower on the premises, which allows individuals the option to shower every night if they want. When a church doesn’t have a shower on campus, a mobile shower is brought to the location of the participating church on Mondays and Fridays. Hronicek also said the program provides free laundering services, and the Sunrise Christian Food Ministry provides all the necessary supplies for breakfast-to-go bags each morning.
Joe Botsch, a volunteer from Foundation Christian Church, said he has helped volunteer during the winter sanctuary program for five years.
“It’s something that changes your heart; it really does,” Botsch said, adding that everyone needs someone to talk to and a warm place to sleep.
So far, the program has been successful. Hronicek said there have been family reunions and at least one individual who was able to get a job through the help of resources provided during the program.
Two individuals had to be asked to not return to the program due to not following set expectations. Hronicek said this happens every year, and there are 18 different rules listed that individuals must follow. During registration, each individual signs an agreement in order to participate in the program.
One unhoused individual, who was very sick according to Hronicek, passed away overnight during the first weeks of the Winter Sanctuary. Hronicek said she was grateful he did not die in a park.
The Winter Sanctuary program, hosted by Citrus Heights HART, is an annual volunteer-run event that provides housing for those who are unsheltered for several weeks at the beginning of each year. This year, the program will last six weeks total and run until Feb. 22.
*This article has been updated to reflect the correct end date of the Winter Sanctuary
Former Rite Aid building located at 5409 Sunrise Blvd. // SB Williams
By Sara Beth Williams– A well-known grocery store has filed plans to fill a vacant building in the Sunrise Village shopping center in Citrus Heights.
According to city documents, Grocery Outlet submitted a design review permit for the vacant space at 5409 Sunrise Blvd. as of Jan 30. The application, which is under review, calls for exterior updates and site accessibility updates for the existing commercial buildings.
Grocery Outlet has filed plans to open two locations in the Sacramento area, including the one in Citrus Heights on Sunrise Boulevard, according to the Sacramento Business Journal. Both vacant buildings were previously occupied by Rite Aid, a drug store chain, which announced the closure of multiple locations after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2023.
Leasing documents for the Sunrise Village shopping center do not indicate the name of any future grocer, but the vacant building Grocery Outlet reportedly intends to occupy is no longer listed as “Available.”
Since the shopping center’s revitalization in 2021 and 2022, the plaza has seen multiple new tenants, including Club Studio Fitness, which opened in September 2024, and Amazon Fresh, which opened in November 2024.
The former Rite Aid was the last of three Citrus Heights locations to close. The Rite Aid at 5409 Sunrise Blvd. closed in November 2023. The Sentinel previously reported the Rite Aid at 6661 Auburn Blvd. closed in May of 2023, and a location at Citrus Town Center closed in 2018.
Grocery Outlet currently has another store in Citrus Heights, located at 6059 Greenback Ln. Grocery Outlets are all locally owned stores, which allows the grocer to deliver “superior customer service,” according to the company’s website.
Firefighters collect donations during the 2018 ‘Fill the Boot for Burns’ fundraiser at Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane. // CH Sentinel
By Sara Beth Williams– Whether you’re looking for entertainment, community engagement, or professional growth, there’s something happening for everyone this February.
Fill the boots for burns: The Firefighters Burn Institute is hosing their 31st annual Fill the Boots for Burns Boot Drive beginning Wednesday, Feb. 5. The fundraising event will run from 9 a.m. from Feb. 5 through Feb. 8 with a safety fair scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The fundraising event will take place at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights. For more information visit the event page here.
Circus family fun night: Royal Stage Visual and Performing Arts is hosting a Circus family fun night on Friday, Feb. 7, at the Royal Stage theater inside Sunrise Mall. The event will feature “old school” carnival games, raffle prizes, food, and the reveal of the Fall 2025 through Summer 2026 production lineup. Admission tickets are available for purchase at royalstage.org. Additional game tickets and food are available for purchase at the door. For more information, visit Royal Stage’s website or the event page here.
Crab feed fundraiser: The Citrus Heights Rotary Club is holding its annual crab feed on Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Citrus Heights Event Center. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and feature dinner, entertainment, silent and live auctions, and more. Proceeds from this year’s event will support the Citrus Heights Rotary Club’s year-round community projects. For more information, visit the event page on Facebook. The Citrus Heights Event Center is located at 6300 Fountain Square Drive.
20 years in business: Rocky’s 7440 club is celebrating 20 years of ownership on Feb. 8 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. at 7440 Auburn Blvd. The event will feature live music, and karaoke will take place at 8 p.m., with drink specials occurring all night. There is a $10 cover charge. For more information, visit the event page here.
Paint night: Art Shock is hosting a guided painting event called “Take a Hike.” The event will be held at Galaxy Game Café on Wednesday, Feb. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. and feature guided painting. This is a “bring your own beverages” event according to the event page. Food and drinks can be ordered from nearby restaurants. For tickets and event information, visit the event page here. Galaxy Game Café is located at 7700 Sunrise Boulevard.
Dutch Luv Day: On Feb 14, Dutch Bros will donate $1 from any drink sold to local charities. Six local Dutch Bros stores will be raising donations for the Sunrise Christian Food Ministry food closet for the 7th year during their Dutch Luv event on Valentine’s Day, Sunrise Christian Food Ministry director of operations April Jacek confirmed, adding that over the last several years, the Dutch Bros. owner has donated $40,000 from this event. For more information on Dutch Luv fundraising, visit the company’s website here.
Love Your Life: Single Mom Strong is holding a Valentine’s Day event called “Love Your Life,” a celebration of self-love. The event will be held on Feb. 14 from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. at Wyndham Sacramento. The event will feature dinner for both adults and children, a walk down the red carpet, and photo opportunities, so dressing up is encouraged. The event is open to all women, not just single moms, and children are welcome, and childcare is available for ages 2-and-a-half and older. Limit three children per household. For ticket prices and more information, visit the event page here. Wyndham Sacramento is located at 5321 Date Ave. in Sacramento.
Career hub: Pride Industries is hosting a “career hub” event at the Sylvan Oaks Library on Feb. 28 where Pride Industries representatives will help attendees prepare for employment and develop their career path. Services will include career counseling, resume writing, interview skills, job search, workshops, training, and computer and internet access. The event lasts from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information, visit the event page here. The Sylvan Oaks Library is located at 6700 Auburn Blvd.
Sentinel Staff Report– Latest police logs show an increase in vehicle violations, while showing a drop in reports of violence and threats. Below is a summary of activity logs from Jan. 23 through Jan. 29, 2025.
Animal control: 7 (down from 11)
911 hangups: 41 (up from 22)
Code enforcement: 35 (up from 29)
Traffic accidents: 26 (down from 27)
Vehicle violations: 388 (up from 296)
Theft: 36 (down from 41)
Homeless-related: 25 (up from 20)
Vandalism: 6 (down from 7)
Violent/threats: 19 (down from 28)
Disturbance: 84 (down from 88)
Suspicious circumstances: 162 (down from 166)
All incidents: 1,360 (up from 1,119)
Arrest logs can be viewed on the city’s website here. Full police activity logs can be viewed by date here:
The Citrus Heights Police Department notes that its logs “are not intended as a full and complete list of all police activity,” with some information not displayed for legal reasons, such as arrests of minors. As such, police advise that summary totals based on public logs may differ from weekly incident and arrest totals posted by police on social media.
The department notes on its website that: “All arrested suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty. Additionally, the original crimes, nature of offenses, and charges may be amended or dismissed as further information is made available.”
Editor’s Note: police log summaries are published with assistance from AI, but edited by humans. Please contact us if you spot an error.
A firefighter accepts a donation at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane during a “Fill the Boots for Burns” fundraiser. // Courtesy, Sac FD
By Sara Beth Williams– Firefighters are slated to kick off the 31st annual “Fill the Boots for Burns” fundraising event on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the corner of Sunrise Boulevard and Greenback Lane in Citrus Heights.
The annual event is the Firefighters Burn Institute’s largest annual fundraiser and is scheduled to last from Wednesday through Saturday, with an accompanying safety fair scheduled Saturday, Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., weather permitting. Drivers should anticipate some traffic delays in the area due to firefighters walking in and out of traffic to accept donations from motorists during the boot drive.
Thousands of firefighters volunteer every year to collect money in their boots during the annual Boot Drive fundraisers for the Firefighters Burn Institute, according to the Sunrise MarketPlace business improvement district. Donations are used to improve burn treatment and to fund life-altering burn recovery programs, including Firefighters Kids Camp for young burn survivors and the Little Heroes Preschool Burn Camp.
The local four-day “Boot Drive” is one of several dozen similar events held across the state, according to the Firefighter’s Burn Institute. The burn institute was founded by firefighters in 1973 after a Sacramento plane crash killed 22 people and burned many others. The organization also gave $2 million toward the new UC Davis Firefighters Burn Institute Regional Burn Center, which was named in recognition of the Institute’s contributions.
The Boot Drive will be held in Citrus Heights from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Feb. 5-8, 2025.
