Week in Review, April 17: Charter Schools, Celery, Conservatives, More

At Strikes bowling alley Saturday night, we were talking to a friend of a friend about this website and the events we've been covering here. "Elk Grove has 150,000 people now," he said. "We're kind of a real city. There's a lot going on."

It's a theme that's come up a lot since the city officially passed that magic population threshold earlier this year. Elk Grove is now apparently important enough to merit not only a civic center and elected mayor, but more subtle distinctions like its own Tea Party movement (strong opinions about that one from our readers) and, some residents hope, its own charter schools. Readers, what do you think about Elk Grove's newfound clout?

Elk Grove Patch would also like to take a virtual moment of silence in rememberance of grandfather and Elk Grove resident Gurmej Atwal, the second victim in March's tragic shooting on East Stockton Blvd.  Anyone with information about the crime can leave an anonymous tip at 916-443-4357. Here are some other stories you might have missed this week:

E-Tran Bus Collides With Car, Ends Up in Field With a bus full of school-bound students crashing into a small sedan, this dramatic vehicle accident could have been a lot worse than it was. Luckily, no one was seriously injured.

Momentum Builds for Elk Grove Charter School We reported on Councilmember Gary Davis's drive to create a school focused on community service—and the reaction from our local school district.

The Goldilocks Option of Farmers' Markets Our columnist took us on a tour of Elk Grove's weekly produce fair, complete with recipe.

Jail Inmates' Work Turns Up in Unexpected Places, From Trophies to Squad Cars At Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center, inmates donate their labor to create products for police deparments and park districts, Jennifer Morita reported.

Tea Party Patriots Launch Elk Grove Chapter The country's most high-profile conservative movement now has an outpost in Elk Grove, we learned this week.

Sikh Shooting Claims Second Victim The city mourned once again as Gurmej Atwal, 78, passed away due to injuries from the March 4 shooting that also killed his friend, 65-year-old Surinder Singh.