Week in Review, July 3: Global Weirding, Tragic Losses and Inspirational Comebacks, More

Elk Grove is gearing up for Independence Day, the city is popping with fireworks stands and finally there’s enough heat to put some color in those tomatoes. Summer has arrived. But lest we forget, it was just this past Tuesday when a freak thunderstorm hit the valley.

In a call that was too close for comfort, an Elk Grove man was identified as the assistant conductor on the Amtrak train that was struck by a truck in Nevada. He survived the fiery wreck that claimed six lives.

Strikes Family Entertainment Center management met with concerned residents about incidents of fights and attacks at the Elk Grove bowling alley to outline its new security measures. The business added a veteran cop to its security team, beefed up patrols on weekend nights and is cracking down on underage drinking. The bowling alley has been the site of violent crime, including the high-profile beating of a homosexual man.

Friends and family are reeling from the death of a 19-year-old Valley Springs man on Thursday morning, after his car struck a tree on Twin Cities Road near Elk Grove. But we also learned of another young person who turned his life around. Don Jackson, a Laguna Creek High School senior, was shaping up to be a high school dropout and gang member, when he decided to hit the books, stay out of trouble and concentrate on football.

Sliding into a three-day weekend, we got some tips for a day getaway to cooler weather at a historic Gold rush town. And the city is gearing up to host its 15th annual fireworks display with live music on Fourth of July.