The Abridged version:
- Marina Texeira and Mark Mitchell, owner and manager of Torch Club, were arrested outside of their business last month, police said.
- Texeira publicly criticized the city of Sacramento on social media this week for regulations she says “make it difficult” to operate downtown. She was met with an outpouring of community support. The city did not comment on whether the arrests will affect the Torch Club’s entertainment permit.
- A meeting this Friday, coordinated by Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum, is expected to bring together code enforcement and Torch Club operators to discuss compliance issues and challenges for the business.
The owner and manager of Torch Club, a storied Downtown Sacramento nightclub, were arrested following an alleged altercation with a police officer in front of their business last month, Sacramento police told Abridged Thursday.
The arrests came weeks before the owner, Marina Texeira, posted on Facebook about ongoing code enforcement challenges that were straining the 15th Street venue’s business operations. Her post was met with an outpouring of community support from musicians and patrons.
Texeira was arrested with Mark Mitchell after police were called to the 900 block of 15th Street because of reports of an intoxicated person, said Allison Smith, a spokesperson for the Sacramento Police Department. When officers arrived just after 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 29, they were met by Texeira and Mitchell and an altercation followed, police said. The intoxicated person the call was regarding was a third individual.
Police said Texeira was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanors, including resisting, delaying and obstructing a peace officer, battery on a peace officer and disorderly conduct under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Mitchell was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor disorderly conduct under the influence of drugs or alcohol, resisting, delaying and obstructing a peace officer and felony resisting or obstructing a peace officer with injury involved.
Both were released around 1 p.m. that same day.
Texeira could not be reached for comment. Mitchell declined to comment when reached by phone.
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Code enforcement concerns
This week, Texeira posted on Facebook about ongoing code enforcement pressure from the city related to Torch Club.
“Although the city wants to have a vibrant downtown, they make it difficult,” she wrote. “They don’t understand all the things we go through to try to run our small business and it’s exhausting. We are trying to get through all the hoops to continue to provide daily music, contribute to our community and support the artists who play here.”
The disputes related to security guard requirements and whether the club’s front window can remain open during shows.
Kelli Trapani, a spokesperson for the Sacramento city manager’s office, said the city cannot comment on whether the arrests will affect the entertainment permit for Torch Club.
To address some of these concerns, Sacramento City Councilmember Phil Pluckebaum had arranged a meeting for Friday between representatives from the city and Torch Club.
Pluckebaum could not be reached for comment. He arranged the meeting before Abridged reported the arrests.
Daniel Hennessy joins Abridged from the California Local News Fellowship.