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‘Shop with a cop’ event takes kids on free Walmart spree

Lt. Ryan Kinnan, left, takes a student on a trek through the Citrus Heights Walmart during ‘Shop with a cop’, Wednesday.

Updated Dec. 17, 1:37 p.m.–
Calling it an annual favorite event, more than 20 uniformed police officers grabbed a shopping cart and took 14 local students on a $100 shopping spree through the Citrus Heights Walmart Wednesday morning.

“What’s great about the kids is — more often than not — they’re not here just for themselves; they’re here for practical items,” said Citrus Heights Police Lt. Ryan Kinnan, after taking a student through the store. “They’re not loading up on candy, not loading up on toys, not loading up on video games, but actually for things they need.”

Touring down isles for about an hour, kids from age 5 to 17 could be seen picking out items and loading up shopping carts pushed by police officers. One student picked out items while riding on an officer’s shoulders, while a Walmart employee pushed a cart behind them.

Lt. Kinnan said police coordinate with local schools to select students based on their family situation, school behavior, and other criteria. He said students from Woodside, Mariposa, Grand Oaks, Arlington, Carriage Drive and Kingswood elementary schools participated this year; as well as students from Sylvan Middle School and San Juan and Mesa Verde high schools.

“Most of these kids actually start looking for their brothers or sisters [to] buy them something,” said Kinnan, commenting that one girl ended up buying an outfit for her sister and a small toy for her brother.

[Related: CHPD Holiday Referral Program to benefit in-need Citrus Heights families]

Both Walmart Store Manager Nick Gonnella and Citrus Heights Police Chief Christopher Boyd called the annual event one of their “favorites” to participate in each year — one that brings a noticeable smile to officers, kids, and store employees. The cost of the items at checkout is also donated by Walmart each year.

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Police say the annual “Shop with a cop” event is held to build positive relationships with young people and create positive interactions with the community and police.

“Things like this — this is what we do,” Lt. Kinnan said, commenting that people often don’t see police positively interacting with the public. “We go out, we shop with the kids, we laugh, we have families, we coach — this is why we became cops: to help people.”

*Note: KCRA 3 and Univision 19 also provided video coverage of the event. As of 1 p.m. Thursday, only Univision’s coverage was available online. Click here to watch. Video by the San Juan Unified School District from a prior year’s “Shop with a cop” can also be viewed by clicking here.

A pair of Citrus Heights police officers help a young student pick out items during a ‘Shop with a cop’ event at Walmart, Wednesday. // CH Sentinel

December 16, 2015
Opening date set for new Citrus Heights Applebee’s

A banner on a construction fence along Auburn Boulevard announces a new Applebee’s restaurant coming soon.

Updated Dec. 18, 6:14 p.m.–
Citrus Heights residents will soon be able to dine at a new Applebee’s restaurant on Auburn Boulevard, located on one of the long-empty pads in front of Costco and Walmart.

Although originally planning for a November opening date, and then Dec. 21, Apple NorCal Director of Operations Cas Banaszek told The Sentinel via email that the new Citrus Heights Applebee’s is planning to open on Dec. 23.

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Apple NorCal, a franchise operating several dozen Applebee’s restaurants in Northern California, selected Citrus Heights for a new restaurant due to the city’s “excellent demographics,” according to a company executive in February.

The 5,400-square-feet restaurant will take up one of 10 new commercial pads in the zone along Auburn Boulevard referred to in City plans as the “Auburn Commerce District” or Stock Ranch Plaza. According to Citrus Heights Planning Commission documents, the remaining area in front of Costco and Walmart is designated for eight retail spots and two restaurants — one of which is Applebee’s.

As of Oct. 28, City Senior Planner Casey Kempenaar said no other businesses are confirmed to be locating in the Plaza’s remaining commercial pads — although there has been interest from several “nationally known” restaurant chains and a bank, according to a planning commission report earlier this year.

New construction in the commercial-zoned district is governed by the Stock Ranch Guide for Development, passed by the city council in 2001 and most recently updated in 2015. Development of the area began with Costco in 2003 and Walmart in 2005, followed by city council approval in 2008 for a 14,000 square feet Fresh & Easy store — but those plans fell through when Fresh & Easy’s parent company “announced withdrawal of its development plans in the United States,” according to the City.

Further development in the Stock Ranch Plaza remained dormant until April 2015, when the City gave approval for Applebee’s to begin construction.

Applebee’s “neighborhood bar & grill” markets itself as a casual-dining, family-friendly restaurant, and has grown to almost 2,000 locations since launching nearly 30 years ago.

October 28, 2015
New Citrus Heights retail, restaurants planned for Auburn Blvd

A conceptual view of the Auburn Commerce District, as shown in Citrus Heights Planning Commission documents.

Updated August 3, 9:17 a.m.–
Wondering what’s coming to those long-vacant lots in front of the Auburn Boulevard Costco and Walmart?

After many years of vacancy, development is finally underway on the 10-pad, 12-acre zone along Auburn Boulevard, with Citrus Heights Planning Commission documents showing plans for two new restaurants and a number of smaller retail stores to complete the area known as the “Auburn Commerce District.”

New construction in the commercial-zoned district is governed by the Stock Ranch Guide for Development, passed by the city council in 2001 and most recently updated in 2015. Development of the area began with Costco in 2003 and Walmart in 2005, followed by city council approval in 2008 for a 14,000 square feet Fresh & Easy store — but those plans fell through when Fresh & Easy’s parent company “announced withdrawal of its development plans in the United States,” according to the City.

Further development in the Auburn Commerce District remained dormant until April 2015, when Applebee’s received approval to construct a new restaurant. The company expects the new location to open by November.

[Related: New Applebee’s bar & grill to open in Citrus Heights]

Although official announcements have not been made regarding which retail and restaurant establishments will take up the remaining pads available, Citrus Heights City Manager Henry Tingle said at least three businesses were in “negotiation” for spots at the beginning of this year. An April staff report to the city council also indicates a bank has expressed interest in opening a branch at the location, and recent amendments to the Stock Ranch Guide stated an intent to attract a drive-thru restaurant.

*Update, August 3, 2015: Since publishing this story, The Sentinel was informed by Citrus Heights Senior Planner Casey Kampenaar that Applebee’s is still the only business confirmed to be taking up one of the new pads alongside Auburn Boulevard.
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June 14, 2015
New Applebee’s bar & grill to open in Citrus Heights

Applebee’s, stock photo. By Anthony92931 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Ever wonder when those empty lots in front of the Auburn Boulevard Costco and Walmart would be filled?

Plans to bring a new 5,400 square feet Applebee’s restaurant to the Stock Ranch Plaza in Citrus Heights are currently under way, with a company executive saying the new location should open by the end of this year.

[See updated story: Opening date set for new Citrus Heights Applebee’s]

“We are excited to open our Applebee’s in Citrus Heights as it offers excellent demographics for our brand,” said Monty Davis, the market president for Apple NorCal which operates 37 Applebee’s locations in Northern California.

City Manager Henry Tingle told a group of residents at an Area 11 neighborhood meeting last month he was glad to see development in the works for the spot in front of Costco. Asked about the other empty lots in front of Walmart, he said there are several current offers for the other pads available on the Stock Ranch Plaza, but was unable to disclose their names as “they are in negotiation with the owners of the property.”

Davis said applications for managers at the new location are currently being accepted, and the hiring process for staff will begin in October.

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Applebee’s “neighborhood bar & grill” markets itself as a casual-dining, family-friendly restaurant, and has grown to almost 2,000 locations since launching nearly 30 years ago.

February 7, 2015
Citrus Heights Marching Band ‘Flash Mobs’ Walmart

With trumpets blaring and drums rolling, about 30 members of the Citrus Heights Community Marching Band filled the Auburn Boulevard Walmart with sounds of Christmas for about half an hour, Saturday, as surprised shoppers looked on.

“I think it’s great that we have a community marching band,” said Walmart shopper Rita Fox, highlighting the diverse ages of band members. “It gives the older people a chance to mingle with the younger people.”

Parading through the isles in a circle inside the store shortly after 11 a.m., band members assembled near the entrance to play several more songs, while many onlookers took video on cellphones.

“It sounds very nice, just a little loud — you know, marching bands in the store,” said Liz Rohan of Citrus Heights, who stopped by to watch the group play tunes like “Silent Night,” and “Jolly ol’ Saint Nicholas.”

<<Read about the Band’s recent performance at another community event: “18th annual Christmas tree lighting draws hundreds”>>

A Walmart manager said most customers “seemed to enjoy it,” adding the flash mob “definitely spreads the holiday joy.”

Similar events have taken place across the country in recent years after videos of different groups surprising shoppers have gone viral online, with others following with their own versions of the seasonal singing-surprise.

The Citrus Heights Community Marching Band is an all-volunteer group sponsored by the City of Citrus Heights and the Sunrise Recreation & Park District.

December 7, 2014
Walmart Market opens January 7 in Citrus Heights

<<Update: The new Walmart Market opened as scheduled on January 7, and is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.>>

A new Walmart Neighborhood Market on Sunrise Boulevard is scheduled to open just after New Year’s, bringing 95 jobs and a 39,000 square feet grocery store to Citrus Heights, according to a construction superintendent in charge of remodeling the location.

Construction on Citrus Heights’ new Walmart market is expected to be “substantially completed” by November 14, according to SD Deacon.

“I’m proud to welcome this new Walmart Neighborhood Market to Citrus Heights,” said Mayor Mel Turner. “The store’s emphasis on quick, convenient grocery shopping is important to our community.”

Neighborhood Markets were launched by Walmart in 1998 as a smaller alternative to their supercenters, typically being about a third the size and focusing on grocery, pharmacy and pet supplies.

Local construction workers with Citrus Heights-based SD Deacon Corp of California are handling the remodel of the new store, as they have for other local businesses like Stein Mart and HD Supply, according to General Superintendent Don Yount. He said they are on schedule to have work “substantially complete” by November 14, with the grand opening planned for January 7, 2015.

The new store is located at 6197 Sunrise Blvd. between Lowe’s and Barnes & Noble bookstore. Those interested in applying for a position at the new location are invited to visit Walmart’s hiring center at 8065 Madison Ave., between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., any day except Sunday.

October 28, 2014
Controversial plastic bag ban stirs up local Walmart shoppers

Updated Oct. 24, 11:20 a.m. —
Drawing signatures of support as well as angry remarks, a paid petition-gatherer set up outside the Citrus Heights Walmart for several hours Thursday, hoping to gather signatures for an effort to overturn a recently passed law that would ban stores from offering plastic bags beginning July 1, 2015 — if opponents don’t gather enough signatures to put the issue before voters.

Citrus Heights residents Kathleen Ring and daughter Randi sign a plastic bag petition outside Walmart, Thursday.

“I need these plastic bags,” said Kathleen Ring as she walked out of Walmart with a cart full of items bagged in plastic. “What else are you gonna pick up dog crap with?”

Others like shopper Tricia Wallen didn’t hold the same view, muttering “I’m not signing it — I want ’em gone,” as she passed by the petition table.

Preferring not to be identified due to privacy concerns, the petition-gatherer said about 90 percent of shoppers didn’t care, but the remainder were split about “50-50” on the issue. Shoppers in support of the ban tended to cite environmental concerns, while those opposed to the ban said they’d miss being able to reuse the bags for things like lining garbage cans or holding dirty diapers.

“I hate ’em,” said shopper and Citrus Heights resident Joel Sirugo as he loaded up his car with reusable Walmart bags. “You seen what they do to the oceans?”

In September, California became the first state to sign a plastic bag ban into law, but opponents with the American Progressive Bag Alliance quickly filed a referendum to overturn the law. The law allows for reusable bags, recycled paper and compostable plastic bags — but requires stores to charge a minimum 10 cent fee per bag.

Opponents of the plastic bag ban need to collect 504,760 valid signatures by December 29 in order to put the issue before voters. If successful, the ban would go on the ballot in 2016, and would legally halt implementation of the ban until voters decide the issue.

The full text of the law, SB 270, can be read here: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB270.

October 24, 2014