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

Month: October 2023

  • YoloSol: Acorn traditions workshop on Nov. 4, subscribe to the YoloSol newsletter

    Dear Friends,
    We are thrilled to announce the launch of a new website for the YoloSol Collective. Special thanks to David Abramson for working on this while also caring for an infant!
     
    Please sign up for our newsletter here to keep in touch with our ongoing programming around issues of land and water in the Yolo bioregion: http://eepurl.com/iBVCAg
    More details below.
     
    In community,
    Juliette Beck
     
    Dear Friends,
     
    YoloSol extends a fall season's greeting to all of you!
    We are an intergenerational "artivist" collective dedicated to sharing stories of the pasts, presents, and futures embedded in the landscapes and waterways of the Yolo bioregion.
     
    We center the voices and stories of marginalized communities, especially Patwin-Wintun culture bearers, youth, and the diverse immigrant communities that make up the Yolo cultural tapestry.
     
    We look forward to working with you to cultivate ecological justice, well-being and restorative stewardship of our shared home.  
     
    In community,
    Diana, Marlen, Anuj, Juliette, Adnan and David
    – founding members of YoloSol Collective
    Please join us on Saturday November 4, 2023, 4-6:30pm for
    Presented as the inaugural event of the International House World Tour Series, this is a two-part Welcoming to Wintun Homeland.

    4:00pm – 5:00 pm: A hands-on family-friendly workshop on Wintun acorn preparationwith Diana Almendariz (Patwin/Wintun cultural practitioner/artist)

    5:15 -6:30 pm: A community conversation on the intersection of Indigeneity and Diaspora with Diana Almendariz, Stan Padilla (Yaqui artist), Danny Manning (Maidu/Diné, Fire Chief, Greenville Rancheria)

    Please RSVP here.
    This event is made possible by funding from the City of Davis. Arts and Cultural Affairs Fund.
     
    View original artwork by Diana Almendariz and collective member Adnan Beteha.
     
    Read the inaugural blogpost by Adnan on Putah Creek Futures: 
     
    "I am meant to flood. I am meant to meander. I am meant to be free, and one day I will be all of that again."
    YoloSol is pleased to partner with Davis Rep on HEAR FIRST, a one-of-a-klnd audio piece for outdoor listening featuring songs, stories, and urgent messages about the land beneath our feet.
    Copyright for artwork remains with the artists.
    October 2023 YoloSol Collective

  • Film Common Ground in Davis – One Week Only

    By Scott Steward

    What do you say to a flash mob climate action watch party?   Varsity Theater owner Sinisa Novakovic successfully brought the film Common Ground to DAVIS during the films premiering run (many thanks). The closest theater was San Rafael.  

    What does this mean?  That you can bike to see what Climate Change Solutions looks like.  I’ll be going to one of the two showings today (4:10 and 6:00 Sunday – today). There are 2 other showings Monday and Thursday at 6:00

    Common Ground provides many answers to how we get ourselves out of this climate catastrophe.  

    I will see the Davis showing, 616 Second Street, and I would also like to hear directly from the Common Ground directors at the San Rafael showing on October 22nd.  I already bought a ticket for that show too :).

     

    The Common Ground Trailer is HERE!

     

    May we find inspiration in the film and take action amidst the havoc of desperation caused by those that wield terrible powers of which we must dispatch from them as quickly as possible and find our additional power in that act – and also do that as quickly as possible.

    The living earth demands no less.  Common Ground summary follows.

    Common Ground is the highly anticipated sequel to the juggernaut success documentary, Kiss the Ground, which touched over 1 billion people globally and inspired the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to put $20 billion toward soil health. The film profiles a hopeful and uplifting movement of white, black, and indigenous farmers who are using alternative “regenerative” models of agriculture that could balance the climate, save our health, and stabilize America’s economy – before it’s too late.

  • Caltrans’ data shows 100mph rail upgrade 15x more cost-effective than road widening

    Study: Average speed difference trivial if toll lanes added; HOV lanes don’t work.

    1 SEGMENT WIDENING

    By Alan Hirsch, Yolo Mobility 

    If you read deeply and critically into Caltrans documents, you will often find a number of things  acknowledged- inconvenient truth not always shared with elected officials.

     City and County elected officials rely on agency staff to give honest and complete presentation of objective findings.  However, the reality is elected official are very vulnerable if an agency’s staff is committed to pursue a pre-ordained solution. Staff can bending their analysis or make strategic omissions of information in their presentation. These are rarely caught by elected official who don’t have time to read, much less understand the reports.

    Then it’s up a rare whistleblower and or nerdy gadflies to protect the public interest by catching this, and making public comments to elected who otherwise don’t have time to read everything.

    But in the end, it up courageous electeds, who are willing to both listen to the outsiders, and are then open to changing their minds, if the agency solution is be questioned if its pre-ordained solution is in the public good.

    This manipulation of data  does come from all Government agencies, or even most, but this Machiavellian approach to public policy can hard backed  into  the culture of some.

    (more…)

  • Zombie Bike Ride Halloweekend Festival

    Zombie Bike RideBy Aaron Wedra of the Davis Odd Fellows

    VISIT DAVIS, CALIFORNIA, HOME OF THE WEST COAST’S ZOMBIE BIKE RIDE HALLOWEEKEND FESTIVAL from Friday, October 27th through Sunday, October 29th. Encounter endless Halloween spectacles, including mad scientists, rotting robots, dancing dead, electrifying e-bikes, karate, fencing, laser marksmanship, and a skydiving grand finale! The Davis Odd Fellows and The Bike Campaign are delighted to partner with more than 150 sponsors, collaborators, and media partners to provide unforgettable Halloweekend experiences!

    Norcal TrykersThe Zombie Bike Ride’s mission has always been to make bicycling available to everyone, including children with disabilities. Over the past four years, event organizers have raised funds (primarily from sponsors) and donated more than $22,000 to Norcal Trykers, an organization that creates custom tricycles for children with special needs. Each tricycle costs about $1,000 to make, and funds from our events have provided 23 children with custom tricycles so far. These children get to experience the freedom of riding on a bicycle and feeling the wind in their hair for the first time. With the help of our generous sponsors, we have been able to raise money for our beneficiary, Norcal Trykers, while keeping our events almost entirely FREE to the public! More opportunities to donate to Norcal Trykers are available along the bike route and by registering at www.posh.vip/e/5th-annual-zombie-bike-parade. Registration is completely optional, but is recommended for saving the date, receiving day-of-event announcements, and being automatically entered into a raffle for a "Greg the Zombie" plushy that lets you pull out his brain, heart, and guts!

    If you’re visiting from out of town, arrive early with your family and friends on Friday and experience all that Davis has to offer: art, culture, a vibrant night life, and wonderful lodging. Book a room in one of our 12 hotels/motels, visit the UC Davis Arboretum & Public Garden, and stroll our downtown. Don’t forget to bring, buy, or rent a bike! Davis boasts a variety bike shops, including our featured partners: Davis Cyclery, Green Bicycle Depot, and the Bike Garage. Additionally, the City of Davis has partnered with SPIN bikes and scooters, and you’ll be able to find rentals throughout town. Download the app with the bright red icon.

    (more…)

  • Sheila Allen, Candidate for Supervisor, Invites the Community to Three Events

    Sheila_Allen(From press release) Sheila Allen, RN, Ph.D., and candidate for Yolo County Supervisor, invites the Davis and surrounding community to three events.

    On Saturday, October 14th, from 1-3 p.m., join special guests Supervisor Jim Provenza
    and Lucas Frerichs, and former State Senator Lois Wolk at a lively kickoff event scheduled at Mace Ranch Park. All are invited to attend. There will be snacks and beverages in a welcoming, family-friendly setting. Attendees are encouraged to bring along their friends, neighbors, and even their beloved furry friends. This is a fantastic opportunity to come together and envision a healthier and brighter future for Yolo County and Davis. This event is free and does not require an RSVP.

    Sunday, October 15th at 7 p.m., come enjoy the classic 1925 silent film “The Phantom of the Opera”—accompanied by a live grand pipe organ! Step into the mesmerizing world of early cinema as Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin unveil the enigmatic tale of the disfigured musical genius who haunts the grand Paris Opera House. This timeless masterpiece includes a special vocal appearance by Kerri Scott and will be accompanied live by David Moreno on a full pipe organ—fully reassembled from a theater in San Francisco. VIP tickets are available that include a one-hour preview, hors d’oeuvres, and a walk inside the pipe organ. This event promises to immerse you in the captivating ambiance of the 1920s. The event  is hosted by Cindy and Daisy Jacob. Seating is limited, so purchase your ticket today.

    Saturday, October 28th, from 4-6 p.m., join host Marlene Bell and Yolo County Supervisor Lucas Frerichs on the lovely outskirts of Winters. The beautiful hand-built, hewn log Bell Ranch home sits alongside an orchard. Guests will enjoy an afternoon of good wine, food, pleasant company, and the beauty of a waning fall afternoon in Yolo County.

    Address provided with ticket purchase.

    For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit: Sheila4Supervisor.com/events We hope to see you there!

  • Reminder: Tickets still available for 20th Village Feast

    Village Feast 2019_Ashley Muir Bruhn-58 1

    Diners enjoy wine at The Village Feast in October 2021. (Ashley Muir Bruhn/Courtesy photo)

    (From press release) The 20th anniversary of The Village Feast is Sunday, Oct. 22 in Davis’ Central Park. The community meal that celebrates the region’s harvest is from noon to 4 p.m. under the shade of the Davis Farmers Market Pavilion, 301 C St.

    Presented by Davis Farm to School and the Les Dames d’Escoffier International, Sacramento, The Village Feast is a fundraiser for food and agricultural education in the greater Sacramento area. The meal follows the late-summer feasts of Provence, France, in the grand aïoli tradition, uniting people and food for a long, leisurely alfresco meal.

    As in years past, each meal begins with appetizers of olives, nuts, local wines and fresh baguettes. The meal is served family-style, with passed platters of heirloom tomatoes drizzled with local olive oil, steamed and grilled local vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, and bowls of garlic-scented aïoli. Next comes the grilled lamb and summer white bean salad, then a fruit galette for dessert.

    Tickets are $165 per person until sold out. Attendees may reserve tables of eight for $1,320. Tickets are available at https://thevillagefeast2023.eventbrite.com.

    The silent auction will be online, available to anyone. Bids open on Oct. 8 and close at 6 p.m. on Oct. 22. It includes dozens of items and experiences donated by chefs, restaurants, wineries and community members. Participants bid on items by downloading the free Auctria smartphone app at https://www.auctria.com/blog/auctria-mobile-app/.

    For more information, email Rachael Levine at rachaellevine@hotmail.com

  • Reminder: Help children become upstanders at carnival

    UpstanderPost 1(From press release) Upstander Carnival, a free event for elementary-age children, will return to Davis’ Central Park on Saturday, Oct. 21. As part of National Bullying Prevention Month, the annual fair teaches youngsters to identify and stand up to bullying.

    The Davis Phoenix Coalition launched the carnival in 2015. This year, it’s from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the sycamore grove of Davis’ Central Park, Fourth and C streets. The event runs concurrently with the Davis Farmers Market, which is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in Central Park.

    Participants go through six stations of brief, interactive lessons, where they practice inclusion, deal with cyberbullying and learn helpful skills. After getting a stamp at each station, students get to enter the fun zone, where they may play in a bounce house, get snacks like popcorn or cotton candy, play games, and get their face painted.

    Davis Phoenix Coalition founder Gloria Partida, who serves on the Davis City Council, said, “The main focus is to give kids and families resources for what to do if they experience or witness bullying.” Children leave with four concrete responses that work in various situations.

    Parents or guardians must sign a waiver for their child to participate. Partida encourages parents to walk the stations with their kids.

    The Upstander Carnival is coordinated by an all-volunteer community formed by the Davis Phoenix Coalition, a nonprofit that works to foster diversity, eliminate intolerance, prevent hate-motivated violence, and support LGBTQ+ youths in Davis and surrounding communities.

    Learn more at https://davisphoenixco.org/

  • Sheila Allen, Deputy to Supervisor Jim Provenza Has Officially Launched Her Campaign for Yolo County Supervisor

    Sheila_Allen(From press release) Sheila Allen, RN, Ph.D., currently serving as Deputy to Supervisor Jim Provenza, has officially announced her campaign for Yolo County Supervisor (District 4). The Primary Election will be held in March 2024. Supervisor Provenza, who was first elected to the Davis Joint Unified School Board in 2003, announced in late April that after 45 years in public service; he will not seek re-election.

    Sheila and her husband, Mitch, moved to Davis to raise their family. Sheila immediately became active in the community and has been an energetic and effective advocate over the years. Sheila’s enthusiasm is clear when she says, “I am excited to bring my nearly three decades of successful local experience supporting Davis families, a rich understanding of the community I love, and a tenacious optimism to county-level decision-making. My passion and life’s work are to bring people together to address local problems and needs. I care about and have served the youngest to the oldest in our community. As we plan for our future, we always have to remember that our choices impact residents' day-to-day lives, and that is really what matters. I thank Supervisor Provenza for his 4 terms of service to Yolo County, his endorsement, and the opportunity to serve as Deputy Supervisor for District 4.”

    (more…)

  • Police Department Statement Uses Davis-Vanguard-Like Illogic to Conflate Doxxing and Bomb Threats

    Stated during general public comment at the City Council Meeting 2023-10-04

    The Davis Police Department issued a statement on recent events (https://www.davisvanguard.org/2023/09/police-chief-responds-to-bomb-threats-warns-of-criminal-prosecution/)  I agree with much of the statement, but a few things disturbed me:

    (more…)

  • Council to Remove Downtown Tree Protections

    Wrap banding

    Trees damaged by light strings

    City Staff Ask City Council to Remove Protections for Downtown Trees Tonight

    by Colin Walsh

    Please let City Council know Davis wants its downtown trees protected. Email  CityCouncilMembers@cityofdavis.org, or call and leave a comment between noon and 4pm today (530) 757-5693. You can also attend the City council meeting tonight – it is expected to be heard at 8pm.

    For 20 years Davis staff have put lights in Downtown Davis Trees, often damaging the trees, even though it is a violation of Davis City Code.  Over the summer the City went to do regular trimming and maintenance for downtown trees and had to remove all of the lights because the situation had gotten so bad, damaging trees and causing unsafe conditions with exposed electrical outlets and wires. Now the City wants to put the lights back up and are proposing to change the law to do so – but are including no protections for the trees to assure no more trees are damaged by the lights.

    It is possible to have a tree lights program for downtown trees, but there needs to be best practices for how to install them and funding to maintain them or take them down before they harm trees. The proposed Davis plan does not include any of that. They are just changing city law to eliminate tree protections.

    Many other cities ban tree lights completely. Some cities limit lights to 1 or 2 month a year because wires wrapped around trees inevitably interfere with three growth and can even kill trees. Still other cities have permit processes that assure inspection and a revenue stream for maintenance. Davis is opting for none of those, and just eliminating the law that protects trees.

    Please let council know hurting Davis trees is not OK!

    For more information the City staff report is available here:

    https://documents.cityofdavis.org/Media/Default/Documents/PDF/CityCouncil/CouncilMeetings/Agendas/2023/2023-10-03/06-Modification-of-Municipal-Code-Chapter-37.pdf