Predictions For 2017

January 1, 2017 |

With 2017 in front of us, yesterday we reached out to a wide variety or contributors and readers of Elk Grove News asking them for their predictions for the new year. Happily, we received a variety of responses - some serious, some clearly with tongue firmly plant in their cheek, covering a wide variety of topics from different perspectives.

Below are the predictions - Happy New Year!

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The Cleveland Browns will make the [NFL] playoffs. - Luke A., Elk Grove

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1. The outlet mall will not get started due to no leases.

2. No pro soccer team, future 100 -acre "Sport Park" will be sold and rezoned mix use.

3. No projects will be completed In the "Civic Center" area.

4. City Council will continue to push for the "Sphere of Influence" to support their ATM machine developers 💰💰💰💵💵"

5. Old approved apartment project east of Winco will continue to be an "eye sore/trash dump"

6. COUNCIL WILL CONTINUE TO BE CONTROLLED BY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (Region Business/consultants).

7. The City will continue to waste money, but will not let the voters elect the council person to fill the vacant council seat because it costs too much money.

8. 2017 will be the same as all the other "nothing completed" years. Happy New Year🙀- Ed Owen, Elk Grove 

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The United States economy will experience growth under the new leadership of Donald Trump; mainly stemming from tax cuts and the revitalization of the manufacturing of clean coal and utilization of other natural resources such as oil that has been off limits up until now under the current administration.

We will also see the effects, good or bad, of a new relationship with Russia and the deterioration of our relationships with other foreign entities as we begin to divert our attention from providing aid to countries in conflict and contributing to the fight against dramatic climate change and instead focus our energy on domestic interests centered around economic/job growth . - Liam Braddy, Santa Barbara, Calif.

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I predict that due to the unavailable of road funds, Elk Grove will become the noiseless city, where rubber will replace asphalt as street paving.

Also that the well-dressed men and women of 2017 will wear shorts for every occasion except formal events. - an EGN reader, Elk Grove

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I'm not good with predictions as I can only control my own fate but I bet this year the mall and casino remain un-built and get mired in litigation. Elk Grove's Marijuana ordinance will be tested in court as it will be overly restrictive. Open spaces in Elk Grove will continue to disappear and fall victim to residential and commercial development. The economy will grow but at a snails pace as Trump's trade policies will create tension and conflict on the world stage and a trade war will be narrowly averted with China and the Far East. Populism in Europe will take an even stronger foothold and anti immigration sentiments will be exacerbated by additional terrorist attacks including more cyber assaults against the west's infrastructure such as power grids, water supply, and financial systems. This is because the success of Russian hackers will only embolden further attacks.

Trump will successfully nominate not one but two SCOTUS jurists. He will find himself embroiled in controversy over his personal finances and investments once his tax returns get released and his involvement with Russian interests create an untenable atmosphere amongst his own GOP base. 

Lastly there will be an international conflict most likely in the middle east or Asia that will draw American intervention and potentially involve U.S. troops and advisers if not ships and war planes. America's defense budget will grow at a rate not seen since Reagan's administration including nuclear proliferation.

That's all for now. - EGN contributor Atticus Finch, Elk Grove

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Happy New Year!

My prediction for 2017 is it will be a year of protest. We saw it from right when Obama got elected, and we will see it again but from the left. If you’re concerned about the direction of our country, protest. Organize. If we stand up as a single body, we can’t be knocked down. 

Solidarity, - EGN Contributor Amber Enderton, Elk Grove

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• Mello Roos fees go up
• The City places a sales tax measure on the ballot
• Steve Ly attempts to have the Mayor position be full-time salary
• The true motive for Gary Davis leaving Mayor position is revealed
• The City will shelve plans for the soccer field
• NRC Manufacturing will not arrive to the Grove
• Steve Ly will be the subject of at least one ethics complaint from fellow Council members
• The Ghost Mall will be demolished
•  Laura Gill will retire or be terminated

EGN reader 'Outside Looking In,' Elk Grove

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The elections for Democratic Party Assembly District on Jan 7 will have record turnout as people express their dissatisfaction with national election results and demand a new progressive path for the party.  – Amar Shergill, Delegate for Assembly District 9, Elk Grove

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President Drumpf will name Mayor Steve Ly to the U.S. Supreme Court.

When sworn in, Ly will gratefully invoke the name of the late Lorenzo Patino, and will assume yet another seal of office; this time, his face superimposed upon the blind lady of Justice with scales. 

His first law clerk he names will be the Uber driver who alerted EGPD about the two women who kidnapped the 16 year old girl for the sex trade at the Elk Grove Holiday Inn. I heard about the abduction last night on the CBS Evening News; no mention of Elk Grove, just a Los Angeles dateline. 

But DG at EGN broke the story earlier. - EGN Contributor Michael Monasky, Elk Grove

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One of my concerns is that while things are going relatively well but there are a few indicators that 2017 is going to be rough in terms of economics, infrastructure and public safety for Elk Grove.

Casino in Elk Grove (Proposed Site F) will fail

• Casino has another challenge.
• If it doesn't get a decision prior to Inauguration... Trump.
• Tribe defaults back to the original Rancheria.

Of course, it is just my humble, uninformed opinion that The Mall ain't gonna happen in 2017, if ever.

• I think The Mall is a red herring to scare residents into approving the casino
• I'm of the opinion that HHC has no intent to build the mall - they just want to sell the property.

Pappas will get the city to pony up $1M to subsidize Costco.

• Hearing from credible source that Ly is asking for support for the subsidy
• Pappas has donated rather heavily to most every city councilperson.
• Subsidies aren't inherently bad but 1) it is an instance of government picking winners and losers and 2) it is a symptom of a larger problem - that being that the cost of doing business in Elk Grove and California, for that matter, is too high.

And while $1M isn't anywhere close enough to solve our road maintenance issue, "the optics" are bad because...

Roads will get worse

• Measure B fails
• Ain't no money
• City is already doing a "just gonna get worse" tour.

Prop 57 add to the AB109 and Prop 47 misery.

• Elk Grove has a "relatively" low crime rate - as compared to many California cities.
• But, I expect we'll see the swing upward when 2016 UCRR is reported
• There isn't any money to put more cops on the street
• More felons will get parole
• Expect to see a further upward swing for 2017 crime reports.

And, of course, I'm not going to claim any ability to forecast a recession with any authority but it has been roughly seven years since the end of the Great Recession (June 2009) - So, we got that going for us.

Did Gary Davis get out because he was tired?  Did he get out because someone had dirt on him?  Did he get out because he wanted to go out on top?  Maybe one or all three... We'll find out this year. 

But, the Elk Grove Bliss Bubble, inflated by political spin and slight of hand, is due to break in 2017. - An EGN Reader, Elk Grove. 

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1. An area school (or schools) will be sanctioned by CIF for recruiting.

There have been several questionable transfers of student/athletes and the question is who is attracting these young people and why? Surely, not because of the school’s campus or pretty exterior. It’s because the administration has an affinity for Section championships/CIF Championships and won’t stop at anything to accomplish it, even if it’s scouring other area schools for talent.

2. A EGUSD alumnus will play this season on the Major League baseball level.

The best candidate is Elk Grove’s Rowdy Tellez now that the Toronto Blue Jays lost its designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion to free agency. Don’t be surprised if the Braves try another former Herd slugger, David Freitas, at catcher this spring or summer. And, the next best candidate at the big dance is former Sheldon pitcher Matt Manning. Though he’ll be 19 years old, word is he is really growing as a professional pitcher in his brief career.

3. Sheldon boys basketball will win the Section Division 1 championship.

This holiday they’ve been mowing over the competition.And, they lost by just nine points Friday to the defending state champions, Chino Hills, 91-82, Sheldon’s first loss of the young season. Chico Hills was scoring over 100 points in just about all of their games coming into the championship game of the Rancho Mirage Tournament this past week. Sheldon had won all four games at the coveted Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas the previous week. This may be the Huskies best team, perhaps ever. 

- Jim Nasium, Elk Grove

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Here's a few:

1.  California will start the process of implementing its own single-payer, universal health care system.

2.  Governor Brown will not consider running for the senate seat now held by Diane Feinstein.

3.  2017 will be another year of drought despite the plentiful rainfall so far this autumn/winter season.

4.  The sun will rise from the east each morning during the entire 2017 year.

5.  The sun will set in the west each evening during the entire 2017 year.

6.  Beer will continue to be my "hooch of choice" in 2017.

EGN Contributor Dan Schmitt, Wilton

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Finally, here is our favorite prediction of 2017 - we can only hope this one is correct!

The Detroit Lions will plow their way into the 2017 Super Bowl. That will be followed by the Detroit Tigers beating the Chicago Cubs four games sweep in the World Series‎. It's gonna be a great year! - Russ Tillman, Vicksburg, Miss.

Finally, here is our favorite prediction of 2017 - we can only hope this one is correct!

The Detroit Lions will plow their way into the 2017 Super Bowl. That will be followed by the Detroit Tigers beating the Chicago Cubs four games sweep in the World Series‎. It's gonna be a great year! - Russ Tillman, Vicksburg, Miss.