By Alan “Lorax” Hirsch
About 1500 people attended the science rally Friday March 7th at the Sacramento state capitol — 1/3 carrying unique home made signs. Who says scientists are not creative?! Evidence of people from UC Merced, Sac State, government agencies and of course UC Davis.
Davis’s Beth Bourne seemed the only counter protestor. She was escorted off capitol grounds to the street side sidewalk by CHiP officers because of her disruptive chanting.
EB US 50 Closed Friday 3/14 9pm to Tues 3/18 5am
(Weekday Causeway Bike Path closure also)
By Caltrans & Alan Hirsch
Released Wed. 3/5 begin: “Caltrans is alerting motorists that this weekend’s extended connector closure for the ongoing Yolo Interstate 80 (I-80) and U.S. Highway 50 (US-50) Pavement Rehabilitation Project has been postponed (emphasis added) because of the weather forecast for rain and cold temperatures. The work has been rescheduled for the following weekend.”
AH Annotation #1: What Caltrans means to say is US 50 east bound in West Sac from I-80 split to Jefferson Ave will be 100% closed Friday 9pm thru Tuesday 5am 3/14 thu 3/18- a week later than stated in previous press release. Please use local streets in West Sacramento instead. “expect delays”. (see below)
AH Annotation #2: The Yolo Causeway bicycle path also is scheduled to be closed all next week for repair work. Caltrans are not- but should be –providing a bus “bike bridge” for that period. They bury this in press release.
AH Annotation #3: This was announced late last week for this weekend but has been delayed by a decision of Caltrans and contractor. That this will cause a major inconvenience to local residents & Tahoe traffic – who are likely planning their life around closure. This closure will also cause cut-thru traffic on local streets in all three Yolo County cities. Caltrans is even suggesting drivers use local street in West Sac as alternative to the 3 lane freeway. See below.
AH Annotation #4. If you think Caltrans is treating public cavalierly, write “Chair and member, Yolo Transportation District board (YoloTD) and tell them at link below. Public has complained to board in the past about lack of information from Caltrans on I-80 construction. YoloTD gave Caltrans $100million to”fix” i-80 in May of 2024. clerk YoloTD public-comment@Yctd.org
Expect cut thru traffic in Davis, Woodland, West Sac
By Alan “Lorax” Hirsch & Caltrans
The essence of Thursdays Caltrans press release is simple, but its repercussions to hundreds of thousands of people are wider ranging: “I-50 east bound to Sacto in West Sacramento will be 100% closed (after the split) for 3 1/2 days, from Fri. 3/7 9pm to Tues. 3/11 5am.
Its impacts will be felt by hundreds of thousands of travelers- including Sac airport users from Yolo/Solano now facing congestion on I-5 causeway, workers on Monday, and of course Tahoe vacationers on Friday & Saturday. Those dependent on the bus will also be affected:
80,000 cars cross the Yolo causeway– each direction — every day.
There will also be an impact on local travel inside Davis, West Sacramento, and Woodland. Local residents can expect cut thru traffic delays as, traffic is likely to backup over the causeway deep into Davis and traffic will cut up Pole Line and 113 and backup the I-5 Causeway to the airport as has happen on other occasions. And of course south Mace in Davis will likely be effected. West Sac travel on West Capitol and Industrial & Jefferson will be “affected” as they parallel the closed freeway section- as will Yolo buses that use this segment.
(From press release) Are you passionate about the environment and eager to make a difference in your community? The Community Mercantile in Davis, California, is looking for dedicated volunteers like you!
Join Us in Our Mission
At the Community Mercantile, we believe in the power of reuse and recycling. Our goal is to divert items from the waste stream and give them a second life, reducing environmental impact and promoting sustainability. We need community-minded individuals who share our vision and are ready to contribute to this important cause.
How You Can Help
(From press release) On March 7, 2025, scientists, students, advocates, and community members across the country will rally to defend science as a public good and a cornerstone of social progress.
Stand Up For Science 2025 is a national day of action calling for robust, interference-free scientific research and policies that ensure science serves everyone. In Washington, DC, state capitals, and cities around the country, people will gather to advocate for continued government support for science, defend against censorship, and push back on attacks against diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in research and education.
The Sacramento area is participating!
Event Details:
📍 Where: Sacramento capitol building (west side)
📅 When: Friday, March 7, 2025, 12 – 4pm PST
🌍 Who: Scientists, advocates, and anyone whose life is better because of science
For additional information and forthcoming local rally details, visit www.standupforscience2025.org or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stand-up-for-science-2025-sacramento-ca-capitol-mall-west-side-tickets-1250788625449?aff=oddtdtcreator
The following comments were emailed by the Sierra Club Yolano Group to Dara Dungworth, Principal Planner City of Davis Department of Community Development, on Feb 25. 2025, concerning the Village Farms DEIR. (See https://newdavisite.wordpress.com/2025/02/02/draft-eir-for-village-farms-released-for-public-comment/).
(From press release) Soroptimist International of Davis is accepting applications from local nonprofit organizations for a chance to share profits from its next Soup Night & Silent Auction.
Soup Night & Silent Auction is one of Soroptimist International of Davis’ largest fundraisers. It includes popular soups from local restaurants, salads, breads, desserts, local beer and wine, live music, and a silent auction. This year’s event is Thursday, Oct. 23 at Veterans Memorial Center in Davis. Last year, about 150 attended, and the club anticipates that number to grow.
Each year, the club offers one local nonprofit the opportunity to partner with it in this endeavor. This organization should align with the Soroptimist mission, and must agree to support the event by:
The partner organization will receive:
The applications are available at https://www.sidavis.org/community-partnerships/partnership-application/. To apply, submit the completed application by April 15 to SI Davis, PO Box 472, Davis, CA 95617 or email to fundraising@sidavis.org.
There are many immigrants throughout the country who have become frightened for their future due to recent changes in immigration policies. Many of us are concerned about the impact of Trump’s new policies on our immigrant neighbors. We share Yolo County with a large number of immigrants and their families, and their contributions to our economy, agriculture, labor force, and rich diverse cultures are significant.
Please join us for “Immigrants at Risk-What You Can Do” to learn about the current immigration enforcement, how it is affecting our immigrant neighbors and how we can assist them during this stressful time. The program will be on Monday, February 24 from 7-8:30 pm and is open to the public. The evening will include a multi-speaker panel discussion covering the legal landscape, hearing firsthand from local immigrants and the director of a refugee center in Sacramento. The program is sponsored by the Social Justice Committee at Congregation of Bet Haverim along with support from Yolo Interfaith Immigration Network (YIIN). Please register in advance here. The event will be at Congregation Bet Haverim at 1715 Anderson Road in Davis. The program is free, and donations are helpful to cover the costs. Any questions can be directed to John Katonah at jckatonah@icloud.com.
By Alan “Lorax” Hirsch
On February 23, 2021, a mother, Jennipher Comey, was struck, pinned down and killed by a failed city tree that stood beside the sandbox in Slide Hill Park in east Davis. As also reported in the Enterprise Sunday, the event occurred in front of her 3 year old daughter Marjory. Two weeks ago, after four years, the city admitted its inadequate tree care, and thus liability. This admission only seems to have occurred after an under-oath deposition by the former city arborist of the time. Robb Cain. He stated there was no city record of this tree ever being pruned in past, no current plan to ever inspect it for safety- or any future schedule to even do any routine tree maintenance pruning in the Slide Hill Park. This according to Davey Resource Group lawyer, a codependent in the case and the company the city hired to do the city’s $250,000 urban forest master plan (UFMP) later in 2021.
In contrast, professional arboriculture “standard of care” practice calls for paying heighten attention to trees that overhang a children’s play area or picnic tables- as the fallen one did. Slide Hill Park’s trees were ignored, not even on the city’s minimal 7 year “block pruning” cycle street trees get according to Davey.
The delay in admission meant the city seems to have made no payment to support the family over the last four years since the incident. During that period the now orphan girl and her surviving father left Davis and moved to Ohio to be near family for support not received in Davis.
The following was emailed to Stephanie.Cormier@yolocounty.gov and clerkoftheboard@yolocounty.gov on Feb 7, 2025 with a request that the memo be forwarded to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors
From: Alan Pryor, Chair – Sierra Club Yolano Group
To: Yolo County Planning Commissioners
Date: February 7, 2025
Re: The Gravel Mining Companies Operating Adjacent to Cache Creek are Continually Violating Numerous Provisions of the Yolo County Surface Mine Reclamation Ordinance
On behalf on the Sierra Club Yolano Group, attached please find a report in which numerous violations of Yolo County’s Surface Mining Reclamation Ordinance are disclosed and documented. Download Yolo County Gravel Mining C
Further, these violations were not disclosed last year to the Planning Commission when it was charged with certifying the 2023 Annual Compliance Report regarding off-channel gravel mining as required by County Code.
Instead, as explained in the attached report, false representations that all of the mining companies were in compliance with the provisions of all applicable mining ordinances in the State and Yolo County were made to the Planning Commission in Findings of Fact statements.
The ongoing failure by the County to enforce the provisions of the applicable mining ordinances in Yolo County has resulted in continued production and bioaccumulation of methyl mercury to excessive levels in fish in most of the impoundment pits on the mining sites and required Lake Management Plans to remediate the problems have not been implemented. These compliance shortcomings have also resulted in the ongoing failure by the mining companies to fully restore formerly mined farmland back to its pre-existing soil quality and crop productivity.
This is fully explained in the attached report entitled, “Yolo County Gravel Mining Companies are Continually Violating Numerous Provisions of the Surface Mining Reclamation Ordinance_2-7-25”.
We request that the Planning Commission refrain from wrongfully certifying that mining companies are in compliance with Yolo County mining ordinances in the future. We additionally request that the Planning Commission not permit or entitle any future new mines or extensions or expansions of existing mines in Yolo County until such mining companies are in full compliance with all existing ordinances.
Toward that end, we ask that the following questions be addressed with detailed written answers.
