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

Author: davisite2

  • From Earth Day to the New Poor People’s Campaign: Honoring Carson, Nelson, and King

    PoorPeoplesCampaign

    By Nancy Price

    On this Earth Day, let’s honor Rachel Carson. Let’s remember her great masterpiece, Silent Spring, published in September, 1962.  After decades of drenching the environment with DDT and other chemicals and the atomic bomb and later nuclear bomb testing, she documented and raised concerns about the massive harms to the environment and the “balance of nature” by the indiscriminate use of pesticides and to public health, emphasizing the potential for accumulating body burden and disease at any time from prenatal development throughout an individual’s life.

    She questioned whether humans could obtain mastery over harmful pests by chemicals. And she accused the chemical industry of spreading disinformation and public officials of accepting industry funding. The public relations campaign launched then against her and Silent Spring by the chemical industry has never let up, only now more massively funded than ever.  

    (more…)

  • Join me in voting for Dean Johansson – a candidate who represents the values of today

    DeanJohanssonBy Nancy Price

    District Attorneys are public servants. Is there any more powerful “servant” than one who wields the power of life and death?

    What troubles me is that in California, there are no term limits for District Attorneys. That’s right – California District Attorneys can stay in office as long as they want unless they’re voted out. I didn’t know this, and I bet some of you didn’t either. Jeff Reisig has been Yolo DA for 12 years already, and wants to make that 16!

    What concerns me is this: if communities change over time, shouldn’t we also change who is in this most important county office? Shouldn’t we need someone who will come in with a fresh perspective and range of experience to meet the changed and changing needs of our community?

    (more…)

  • Environmental Injustice is Health Injustice

    785px-Doctors_stethoscope_1

    by Nancy Price

    Let’s Implement the Human Right to Health in Davis!

    Recently, Roberta Millstein’s “Nishi 2.0 is an environmental injustice” article in the Davis Enterprise emphasized once again the problems of air quality at the Nishi site, and reminded us of the EPA definition of environmental justice – “the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin or income, with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies.”   

    It’s worth noting that the EPA began operation in late December 1970, right after the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970. Clearly, their definition embraces the Human Right to Health set forth in the United Nation foundational 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights that states: “The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”  In this country, the National Economic & Social Rights Initiative (nesri.org) and the US Human Rights Network (ushrnetwork.org) also work to implement the Human Right to Health.

    (more…)

  • Ezra & Larry for City Council: Preserving Measure R, the Citizen’s Right to Vote

    Beeman_family Guenthers-croppedBy Robert Milbrodt

    The single most important issue in this city council election is The Citizens Right to Vote, Measure J/R. This measure was approved by voters in June 2000 as Measure J; and renewed in June 2010 as Measure R with about 77% of the vote. Essentially it requires voter approval for projects that would convert our open space or agricultural land to urban use.

    A 10-year renewal of this measure will automatically appear on the ballot in June 2020. We deserve council members who will support its renewal, and who will incorporate its democratic and community-oriented values into the city’s decision making. We are better served by council members who share these core values. Either the candidates believe in community-based governance, or they don’t.

    Of the nine candidates for city council: one has consistently opposed the Citizen’s Right to Vote, four stated their early opposition to this measure and are now waffling, two are willing to entertain “amendments” without being specific, and two are steadfastly supportive of the measure in principle and in practice. These two supportive candidates are Ezra Beeman and Larry Guenther.

    They have made my decision easy, and I urge you to join me in voting for Ezra Beeman and Larry Guenther for City Council.

  • Why is our Democratic Assembly Member endorsing a non-Democratic Yolo County District Attorney?

    DeanJohanssonBy M E Gladis

    To Voters in California Assembly District 4.

    One wonders what the Democratic Assembly Member, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry intends by endorsing the present non-Democratic Yolo County District Attorney since he doesn’t follow democratic values. This District Attorney remains neutral on Prop 39 ( 3 Strikes Reform ) but opposes Prop 47 (Sentencing Reform ), Prop 57 ( Reduce Mass Incarceration ), and Prop 64 (Legal Adult Marijuana Use).These four Propositions Yolo County voters overwhelmingly approved. Cecilia Aguiar-Curry appears to oppose Yolo County voters.

    Consider, then, this same District Attorney has filed more felony trials in Yolo County ( Pop. 213,000 ) than has the district attorney in Alameda County ( pop. 1,683,000 ) Felony trials are expensive ordeals. Yolo County 41% to CA average 19% Felony non-conviction rate. Cecilia seems to support this effort.

    (more…)

  • The Nishi Project (Together with Other Projects) Will Hurt Air Quality Downtown

    Nishi-picBy Dan Cornford

    Thanks to Roberta for posting her excellent comments on Nishi and the air quality issue. The attempts to brush off or ignore Dr. Cahill's findings or to investigate them further indicate just how developer-driven some factions in this town are. I would like to make an additional related comment (s).

    On May 26, 2016 I published an Op-Ed in the Davis Enterprise, shortly before the vote on Nishi 1.0 entitled "Downtown traffic also will be worse with Nishi." It can be read in full at: https://www.davisenterprise.com/forum/opinion-columns/downtown-traffic-also-will-be-worse-with-nishi/

    To summarize briefly I argued that the traffic studies for the EIR for Nishi (on which Nishi 2.0 still relies) were outdated, inadequate, and bordering on fiction.

    (more…)

  • A few more specific questions to ask City Council candidates

    Screen Shot 2018-04-05 at 5.40.46 PMBy Dan Cornford

    I totally agree with Roberta’s criticism about the candidates for city council refusing to be more specific and with specific reference as to how they stand on Measure J/R and if they want to amend it, how precisely would they amend it.

    However, I would like to broaden this discussion to make observations about the ways in which almost all candidates for city council have campaigned since I moved here in 2000. A trend that was apparent when I arrived here has become more and more pronounced.

    To put it bluntly and simply, almost all candidates are reluctant to, or more accurately often refuse, to discuss specifics especially when it comes to some of the most important and controversial issues. Their reasons for doing this are obvious. They think by appealing to as broad a constituency as possible, and not alienating any one constituency, they are maximizing their appeal and their chances of election. I could cite endless examples from the campaigns of several of our incumbent council members.

    (more…)

  • Dean Johansson Supports the Just Announced ‘Use of Force’ Legislation to Curb Killings of Civilians by Law Enforcement

    DeanJohansson(Press release) Yolo County Deputy Public Defender Dean Johansson, a candidate for Yolo County District Attorney, Tuesday was among the first candidates for public office in the region to support state legislation introduced today to restrict when law enforcement officers could shoot suspects.

    The measure would modify the standard officers use to fire their weapons to "necessary force" from the current "reasonable force," which has led to 162 killings by California peace officers in 2017 – more than half of those killed were unarmed.

    (more…)

  • On Nishi 2.0: A simple question about fair housing in Davis

    Housing-clipart-_9667858236By Michael Harrington

    Dear City Leaders:
    May I ask a simple question?

    If I want to advertise a rental unit on Craig’s List, and I list if for $1,000 to anyone, but $850 to a full time, card carrying student, everyone knows that as a private owner and lessor, I cannot do this. I cannot do this even if the City thinks it’s fine and gives a City Council 5-0 vote blessing and passing an ordinance.

    This question is not anti-student or anti-student affordable housing. It’s a basic fair housing question.

    So, how is Nishi 2.0 any different than my renting a house to students and non-students, with a 15% discount for being a fulltime student?

    (more…)

  • How can we measure Davis as a healthy, sustainable bio-social economic organism confronted with perpetual UCD Disruptions?

    Bw-bicyclestatue

    Source: Davis Wiki

    By Jon Li

    The city staff has a status quo approach to the state requirement that the out of date Davis general plan be updated. Staff has imposed a rigid process where the Downtown Plan Advisory Committee is only allowed to listen. Everything is subject exclusively to city council ratification; staff does not want any changes from either the Advisory Committee or the City Council. Staff only wants the right to claim they are acting on the authority of the city council. The city council has no control over the city staff.

    Davis’ economy is so pathetic that it cannot afford the government we have, let alone the amenities most people in Davis take for granted.

    (more…)