Guest opinion submitted by David Warren– The primary safeguard of a democracy is the requirement that officials act only under the light of public scrutiny, and the Brown Act requires placing all matters for which action is taken by the City Council on a meeting agenda with adequate notice to the public to allow community members to attend and voice their support or opposition to any action under consideration.

Latest police logs include reports of a transient woman exposing herself at Van Maren Park, a man being threatened by someone with a power drill, and a furious fast food customer.

By Alec Pronk-- Mosquito control officials are warning local residents of intensifying West Nile Virus activity, with aerial spraying under consideration for the areas of Citrus Heights, Orangevale and North Highlands. “All residents must take these warning signs very seriously because the risk for West Nile virus is very high,” Gary Goodman, manager for the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District, said in a news release on Friday. The district reported 182 mosquito samples and 133 dead birds have tested positive for the virus, to date. Residents are advised to use an effective mosquito repellent and avoid outdoor activity during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes tend to be more active.

By Stacey Hanks-- Think street tacos, fresh salsa and Coca-Cola in a glass bottle. If the idea of bringing the tasty fare of an authentic Mexican taco truck to a sit-down diner sounds appealing, then you may want to check out Guacamole Grill. Opened just this past Saturday in the Grand Oaks Shopping Plaza at 7697 Auburn Blvd., the new eatery is the hard work of owner Arnulfo Quiroz and Manager Maria Rosas, who together say they put in more than seven months of planning and preparation to bring the restaurant to realization. With everything being made from scratch, even the homemade fresh flour tortillas that come served with meals, Quiroz gives credit for the food to Rosas, who says she's helped to open nearly a dozen other restaurants. "All of the recipes are my family's," Rosas told The Sentinel in an interview this week. “I learned to cook when I think I was about 13 -- my grandmother taught me.” Familiar items such as tacos, fajitas, burritos and chili rellanos are featured on the menu, along with...

Latest local news briefs include three upcoming events this weekend, more spraying in the Citrus Heights area to combat the growing risk of West Nile Virus activity, two more residents pulling papers to run for city council, and results from a weekend DUI checkpoint operation.