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Davisite Banner. Left side the bicycle obelisk at 3rd and University. Right side the trellis at the entrance to the Arboretum.

Month: September 2022

  • Zip trackby Janet and Joe Krovoza

    By now pretty much everyone following city matters knows of the public follies of the Arroyo Park Sky Track.

    That it was installed in Arroyo Park in May 2019, steps from neighbors’ homes, with no public demand, no notice and no Rec and Park Commission review; that the city was forced to restrict hours of use and lock and unlock it daily (using city firefighters at first) to prevent nighttime use, when the Sky Track’s abrasive banging and scraping were especially disruptive (but which led to repeat vandalism); that a noise report commissioned later that summer was doctored to show the city’s noise limits as “averages” not “maximums” but never retracted; that, out of the blue, on the eve of Memorial Day weekend 2021, staff asked city council to overhaul the city’s noise regulations so that the Sky Track would comply with the new standards (ignominiously removing the request from the agenda four days later due to community outcry); that the city ordered a subsequent noise study that showed the Sky Track had been breaking both night and day noise limits since its installation (this study, too, deliberately misrepresenting the municipal code); and that the city has, at the urging of its paid consultants – sound engineers, not lawyers – reinterpreted the noise ordinance (recall they failed in May 2021 to legitimately amend it) to justify the Sky Track remaining in Arroyo Park.

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  • Biberstein Social Action Fund Grants Available

    20th Annual Request for Proposals; proposals due October 28, 2022

    (From press release) Nonprofit organizations are invited to submit applications to the Biberstein Social Action Fund for grants in support of projects addressing poverty, discrimination, abuse and neglect issues in Yolo County.

    The Biberstein Social Action Fund was established in 2002 by the Board of Directors of Congregation Bet Haverim to honor Ernie and Hannah Biberstein, who are among the founding members of CBH, and who devoted much of their lives to community service and social justice. Hannah passed away in April 2011. 2022 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Fund, and, even more importantly, Ernie’s 100th birthday in November.

    The goal of the annual awards made from the Biberstein Social Action Fund is to help Yolo County organizations in their efforts to meet unfulfilled needs. “In light of all the budget cuts in social services, we hope that grants like ours can make a difference,” Hannah Biberstein had said. “It means a lot to us that real individuals benefit from our grants.” Special consideration is given to new and/or innovative projects.

    An annual Request for Proposals is released in the fall every year. Grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 are awarded each November. A committee of Bet Haverim congregants reviews grant applications.  Current Biberstein Fund committee members are congregants Ernie Biberstein, Anne Gieseke, Amy Abramson, Sandy Jones, Joan Sublett, and Shoshana Zatz.

    Information about the Biberstein Award, including a link to the application, is available on the CBH website: https://www.bethaverim.org/engage/committees/biberstein-social-action-fund/

    Grant proposals must be submitted no later than October 28, 2022. Questions may be directed to the Biberstein Social Action Fund at: cbhbibersteinfund@gmail.com. Awards will be announced in December, 2022.

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  • Donate to the Biberstein Social Action Fund

    In Honor of its 20th Anniversary and Ernie’s 100th Birthday!

    Biberstein donations(From press release) The Biberstein Social Action Fund was established in 2002 by the Board of Directors of Congregation Bet Haverim to honor Ernie and Hannah Biberstein, who are among the founding members of CBH, and who devoted much of their lives to community service and social justice. The goal of the Biberstein Fund is to recognize and support the work of organizations dedicated to the alleviation of poverty, discrimination, abuse and neglect in our local area (Yolo County). An annual Call for Proposals is released each September*. Grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 are awarded in December. Since 2002, the Biberstein Social Action Fund has contributed close to $200,000 to local social action organizations. (https://www.bethaverim.org/engage/committees/biberstein-social-action-fund/)

    2022 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Fund, and, even more importantly, Ernie’s 100th birthday in November. In honor of this momentous occasion, we invite special contributions to be made to the Fund. Using the link below, please check the “Donations to Specialized Funds” box and make a contribution in any amount to the “Biberstein Social Action Fund”. (https://www.bethaverim.org/donate/).

    If you prefer to mail a check, pay by cash or use a credit card over the phone, please contact the CBH office for further instructions at office@bethaverim.org or 530-758-0842.

    Join us in wishing Ernie a very happy 100th Birthday and in celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Fund created to support the Bibersteins’ lifetime dedication to Tikkun Olam.

    *A group of Bet Haverim Partners reviews grant applications.  Current Biberstein Fund members are congregants Ernie Biberstein, Amy Abramson, Anne Gieseke, Sandy Jones, Joan Sublett, and Shoshana Zatz. Ex-officio: Rabbi Bess Wohlner and Rabbi Jeremy Simons.

  • Why DiSC matters for the City Council election

    Some of DiSC’s proponents called it a tiny city. That suggests it is a microcosm of Davis as a whole and all of the issues it faces.

    DCC with DiSC in background-2By Roberta Millstein

    In a recent interview with the Davis Enterprise, Gloria Partida said that “I know that people right now are very focused on what happened with Measure H” but that being a member of Council is “not a one-issue job.”

    However, Measure H represents a large number of central and key issues that future Davis City Councils will have to weigh in on.  It would have been bad for Davis in variety of ways, as Davis citizens widely recognized when they rejected the project by an almost 2-1 margin. 

    Thus, a candidate’s stance on Measure H speaks volumes about their values and how they would govern.  Gloria Partida (District 4), Dan Carson (District 1), and Bapu Vaitla (District 1)  were strongly in favor of Measure H.  In contrast, Kelsey Fortune (District 1) and Adam Morrill (District 4) strongly opposed Measure H.

    As the No on Measure H campaign emphasized in its ballot arguments and campaign literature, each of the following issues was relevant to the proposed project. In no particular order:

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  • Davis Deserves Better than Carson

    Carson-doesnt-work-for-DavisBy Scott Steward

    I hope District 1 voters agree that Dan Carson has not earned a second term on the City Council.

    If you were for a Davis Innovation and Sustainability Center (Measure H), then you should know Dan Carson's lawsuit, against fellow Davis residents opposed to Measure H, (a lawsuit which Carson technically lost), was such an obvious attack on Davis civil engagement that the lawsuit alone sunk Measure H.

    If you were for Davis energy independence, then you should know that Dan Carson led the closed door effort to allow BrightNight to control Davis land rights for $50,000 dollars a year, when the solar project lifetime electricity value for the site was estimated to be $120 million. No one, including Dan Carson, Brett Lee or any city employee examining deal had commercial solar development experience.

    The Davis Utility Commission voted (5 to 2) to have the City walk away from the BrightNight deal. Davis solar and energy experts condemned the decision. Public pleas to rescind were ignored and publicly rebuked by Dan Carson. (Davis Enterprise April 21, 2020)

    The solar BrightNight fiasco and the Measure H lawsuit have caused much spilled ink, lawyer fees, and lost opportunity. Dan Carson's actions invoked the unprecedented condemnation of seven former Mayors: Krovoza, Davis, Corbett, Greenwald, Wagstaff, Evans, and Kopper. (Davis Enterprise April 27, 2020 and May 18, 2022)

    Carson continues to insist that his experience, as a former Budget Analyst for the State of California, should pave the way for all to accept his good judgement. Except the record shows, Dan Carson does not have good judgement and does not respect shared decision making.

    It's time for District 1 to have a different representative. Candidates Kelsey Fortune and Bapu Vaitla are excellent candidates. Please don't vote for Carson.

  • Davis youth strike to protest lack of climate emergency planning by city

    (From press release) Youth leaders from Yolo County led a colorful all-ages march today in central Davis to protest the city’s failure to address the climate emergency. The marchers made their way from the library to central park and the city hall, mirroring thousands of actions across the world on September 23 organized by the #FridaysforFuture movement.

    The young marchers denounced the city council and administration for their failure to listen to the demands of young people and for not giving them a seat at the table in the planning and delivery of the city’s new Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.

    “We young people are the most impacted by climate change and yet our demands for action and change have consistently fallen on deaf ears in the City of Davis,” said Eliot Larson, coordinator of Fridays for Future Davis.

    Protect-our-earth

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  • Letter: Fortune is the only progressive-environmentalist running for Council in District 1

    Fortune-for-davis

    Kelsey Fortune

    There is only one progressive and environmentalist running for Davis City Council in District 1.  That person is Kelsey Fortune. I had the opportunity to speak privately with Kelsey for more than an hour on a Zoom call. I was impressed with her intellect and her planned approach to city-wide issues. Kelsey believes in diversity, honesty and transparency, the last of which has been missing in our current council. Kelsey will also be a strong advocate for affordable housing and in-fill development projects.

    But let’s look at the other two candidates. Dan Carson and Bapu Vaitla supported the Davis Innovation Sustainability Campus, Measure H.  Davis citizens disapproved this project 64% to 36%, which political scientists define as a landslide defeat. Carson was the honorary chair of the Measure H campaign which had lawn signs that implausibly read “combat climate change” – for a project that predicted 12,000 daily vehicle trips. What do these facts tell us? Carson and Vaitla are out of touch with the Davis electorate.

    In a recent Sierra Club questionnaire to city council candidates, Bapu Vaitla stated that he would consider overturning the City’s phase-out of glyphosate, which is the primary ingredient in Roundup, an herbicide made by Monsanto and now Bayer. Here’s Vaitla’s quote: “If no effective organic herbicides exist for our context, we should reconsider the glyphosate question.” None of the other four candidates made this risky claim. In 2020, Bayer agreed to settle over 100,000 Roundup lawsuits, agreeing to pay $8.8 to $9.6 billion to settle those claims.

    If elected, Kelsey Fortune will focus on our climate emergency, work on the city’s budget to make it sustainable and will help ensure that every decision the city makes is fiscally responsible.

    For decades, the Davis City Council has had a progressive-environmental majority. Unfortunately, the current council has swung to the center-right. We need to get back on track. Please join me on November 8, or earlier, and vote for Kelsey Fortune for Davis City Council, District 1.

    David L. Johnson

  • Leadership change for Arts Alliance Davis

    AutumnShelly092022

    Autumn Labbé-Renault of Davis Media Access, left, ended her four-year term as Arts Alliance Davis chair on Sept. 20. Shelly Gilbride of International House Davis took the reins. (Wendy Weitzel/Courtesy photo)

    By Wendy Weitzel

    Members of the arts community met on Sept. 20 for the first in-person gathering of Arts Alliance Davis since the pandemic started. They shared details on how their organizations are regrouping, and the work they are doing to help Davis and Yolo County community members recover.

    It was an occasion of transition for the group’s leadership as well. Shelly Gilbride, executive director of International House Davis is the new chair, filling a role held for four years by Autumn Labbé-Renault, executive director of Davis Media Access.

    Arts Alliance Davis was formed a few years ago as a grassroots effort to give artists and their supporters the opportunity to gather, share ideas and create meaningful impact. Meetings, held at least quarterly at local arts-related establishments, are open to anyone. Gilbride plans to survey members about meeting times, then set a schedule for the next year.

    Rachel Hartsough, the City of Davis’ arts and culture manager, said she was grateful for Labbé-Renault’s leadership during the pandemic. She helped orchestrate an Arts Alliance advocacy effort that ultimately led the City Council to allocate federal recovery funds to the local nonprofit arts and culture sector.

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  • Morrill Has the Davis Values and Skill Set our Council Needs Now

    6a017d3c4588ca970c02a308d936d2200c-600wiAdam Morrill is perfect for our city council, and the time we need him is now. The core task of serving on city council is overseeing the efficient and principled running of our city. This means making sure our roads and parks are maintained, that we fund the level of police and fire service we need (not more, not less), and that we approve development projects that match our values. Adam is a professional in city services, 25-year resident as a student (service as a Unitrans driver and OA raft guide even), husband and father — and fully understands the responsibility of making our dollars last. He wants fewer costly consultants and better pay to retain our staff. He's open, thoughtful, analytical and caring. Solutions, not platitudes, make up his DNA.

    To The Davis Enterprise, Adam observed that our
    urrent council is “detached from the public.” That’s spot on. Our current council is out of touch, doesn't lead, nor does it provide meaningful oversight of senior staff. Staff propose actions, and the council almost always goes along. Cases in point: every council member loved the peripheral DiSC development, but it went down in flames when we voted. The council even put DiSC on the ballot before mapping out the revenue sharing; by then, of course, the county had the lion's share of leverage and the resulting finances were completely skewed against us. That’s unthinkable — knowing the finances before putting anything on the ballot is a simple issue no council member should miss. Then there was the 2020 BrightNight decision where we gave a no-bid, long-term sweetheart lease of city land to untested solar speculators (U.S. headquarters a residence in El Dorado Hills!). Zero oversight there. No neighborhood notice whatsoever before putting the obnoxious Sky Track in Arroyo Park — council didn't care and they are still throwing good money after bad to defend poor staff work. Adam’s opponent voted yes for all of these travesties and was our mayor for the first two mentioned.

    Adam has the experience, perspectives and conviction to serve the city he, his wife, Nicole (UC Davis staff), and children (Davis High and St. James) love. He’ll serve us well. Heck, being an AYSO referee might even be the best training ever for council – know the rules, apply them fairly, and give back! Without a single reservation, I endorse Adam Morrill for the District 4 (Central/East Davis) city council seat. Change will be good.

    Joe Krovoza

    Mayor, 2011-2014

  • Not Just Rain Falling – Campaign Signs Too!

    IMG-6749

    >>from press release<<

    You may have seen some No on H signs popping up around town over the past few days. The No on H campaign, rather than throw away or recycle their campaign signs, provided those signs for Kelsey Fortune’s reuse, since she was the only candidate in District 1 to oppose Measure H. This is a candidate who is walking the walk with her campaign. Her care for the environment isn’t just a talking point, but actually influences her choices during the process. Instead of creating additional plastic waste, this campaign for city council is simply covering old signs with compostable posters. The much appreciated rain has hastened the breakdown process and revealed the signs beneath. Please excuse the surprise change in signage!

    We’ll be replacing signs this week. If your sign didn’t stand up to the rain or otherwise needs replacing, please reach Kelsey by text at 530-220-2001 or email at fortunefordavis@gmail.com, and we’ll make sure to bring you a new one! You can also contact her if you don’t yet have a sign and would like one, and further information is available at http://www.fortunefordavis.com!