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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.

Author: davisite2

  • Post-Election Roundtable with Local Leaders

    Unnamed 5Yolo Democratic Socialists of America is hosting a zoom round-table to discuss how local leaders understand the 2020 election results, as well as how this new landscape will affect the political struggles we wage in our respective communities and workplaces.

    Featuring Sally Mandujabn, a public education teacher hailing from a long line of organized labor, Dillan Horton, who ran for Davis City Council, and Neetha Iyer, a teaching assistant a head steward at UAW 2865.

    There will also be a Q&A portion at the end – we want your input!

    You can register for the event at tinyurl.com/YoloDSAElectionRoundtable

  • Council sub-committee rejects re-appointment of all three No on B Commissioners

    1 - City_of_Davis_logoinverted

    Sub-committee members Carson and Partida were DISC's most strident supporters on Council

    (From press release) On Tuesday, November 24, City of Davis Staff released the Agenda for the December 1 City Council meeting. Item Four concerns recommendations for appointment and re-appointment for City Commissions, with terms starting from January.

    2 - DiscoveryThe recommendations are made by a Council sub-committee, newly composed of Mayor Gloria Partida and City Councilmember Dan Carson. (For a few years the sub-committee was now Former Mayor Brett Lee and now Vice-Mayor Lucas Frerichs.)

    The appointments and re-appointments apply to 12 of the City’s Commissions, composed of sworn-in volunteers who normally complete two full terms of four years each before being termed-out. Earlier in the fall, current Commissioners – whether they termed out or not – were asked if they wanted to continue to serve. 

    Three current Commissioners – Todd Edelman from the Bicycling, Transportation and Street Safety Commission (BTSSC), Alan Pryor from the Natural Resources Commission (NRC), and Matt Williams from the Utilities Commission all expressed a desire to stay. None are recommended for re-appointment by the sub-committee.

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  • Finding ways to work together

    Celebration-of-abraham-logoThe Celebration of Abraham thanks the Davis-Area Interfaith Religious Leaders Network (DAIR-LN) for offering a ZOOM Interfaith Prayer for a More Perfect Union on Monday, November 2. The service, the night before the national election, featured Davis faith leaders offering reflections, music, and readings for our country and our community. The faith leaders focused on three themes: Be kind. Be strong. Stay together. Our community needed to hear the message and we need to hold the service in our heart as we go forward. For those of you who would like to revisit the service, DAIR-LN has posted the service on their Facebook page. 

    To continue efforts to find ways to work together, on behalf of the Celebration of Abraham, I invite you to be part of our interfaith community conversation, as we Celebrate the 18th Annual Celebration of Abraham: “An interfaith perspective on the practice of humility in difficult times.”  on January 31, at 3:00 p.m. With the on-going COVID restrictions, this will be a virtual event, held via Zoom webinar beginning with excellent speakers from the three Abrahamic faiths. We are continuing to work on the format, and we will include a moderated panel where participants can ask questions.

    Let’s continue the dialogue among our faith communities! To sign up for updates on the planning, email hroland2@gmail.com.

    Again thank you to DAIR-LN for providing calm and centering the night before the election,

    Helen Roland, President

    Celebration of Abraham

  • A Discussion with Davis Mayor Gloria Partida

    With a chance to ask questions

    By Matt Williams

    On Friday, November 20th, at noon, Davis Mayor Gloria Partida will discuss the issues of the day and then take questions from the public. The webinar is free and open to the public. Please register in advance. To join us please sign up here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kswA1_FqRoG1VYL6S-FuQw

    Davisite readers can post questions for the Mayor here in this thread that they feel will be good ones to have addressed during the webinar.  The questions posted here will be forwarded to the Mayor.  Presubmitting question(s) will give the Mayor time to consider her answer(s), as well as give webinar attendees an idea about the topics their neighbors are interested in.

    For example, one question might be as follows:  “Gloria, the residents of District 4 voted “No” on Measure B by a 3,591 to 2,328 margin.  That is 60.7% against and only 39.3% for Measure B. What are your thoughts about that outcome?”

    Another question might be “Gloria, 14,341 people voted in the three Council elections on November 3rd, and in those same three districts 15,110 people voted on Measure B … a 5% higher turnout than the Council candidates got.  What are your take-aways from those results?”

    Democracy works best when citizens actively participate.  So, here is a chance for everyone to participate.

  • LWV hosts forum on California health-care reform

    LWV-DavisJoin the League of Women Voters Davis Area on Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. for a free virtual voter-education health-care forum, “The Future of State-Based Health Reform in California.”

    With health-care reform back in the news, the event will consider what California can implement a state-based financing approach to a system that provides universal care, controls costs and improves outcomes.

    Dr. William Hsiao, an internationally known health economist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School Public Health, will give a 25-minute presentation on the health, economic and political background for reform and his views of how to move ahead with a single-payer plan in California.

    Cindy Young, a leader in the California single-payer movement with more than 30 years of experience as a policy analyst for organized labor, will comment on Dr. Hsiao’s views and offer her own perspective.

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  • Valley Clean Energy Completes Repayment to Smud

    VCE(From press release) Valley Clean Energy (VCE), Yolo County’s local public electric generation service provider, continues to make significant fiscal strides just 2½ years after its founding.

    In October, VCE made its final installment payment to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), reimbursing the utility for its assistance with operating services during VCE’s launch in 2018. The $1.5 million in deferred charges and interest were paid off on schedule, which demonstrates VCE’s financial discipline while continuing to offer clean electricity at competitive rates.

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  • Pre-Thanksgiving Market has early hours

    JumbleberryPieSM

    Real Pie Company’s Jumbleberry Pie is among the many pie choices available at the Pre-Thanksgiving Davis Farmers Market on Nov. 25. Pre-orders are encouraged. (Wendy Weitzel/Courtesy photo)

    (From press release) The Davis Farmers Market’s annual Pre-Thanksgiving Market is changing to early hours this year. The annual extended-hour market, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Central Park, 301 C St., Davis.

    On Nov. 25, the market will have a bounty of seasonal produce, table décor, meats, cheeses, olive oil, honey and wine. Several bakeries will be there with fresh-baked items like pumpkin, apple, pecan and berry pies; breads, stuffing mixes and cookies.

    The rest of the year, visit the market from 3 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, visit https://davisfarmersmarket.org or visit it on Facebook or Instagram.

  • Picnic in the Park makes changes

    Wednesday music and beer to move downtown

    PIPlogo(From press release) The Davis Farmers Market is returning to its roots, putting the focus of its Wednesday market back on the farmers.

    COVID-19 health guidelines halted concerts and alcohol consumption at the market. There haven’t been the usual crowds filling Central Park for Picnic in the Park, yet farm-fresh produce sales are up.

    Since 1995, the Wednesday market has extended its hours into the early evenings. While not abandoning the Picnic in the Park name, the Davis Farmers Market plans to discontinue the music and beer garden.

    Meanwhile, the Davis Downtown Business Association is eager to pick up the music and alcohol portion of the event, and incorporate it into Open Air Davis, as early as next spring.

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  • Order now for Soroptimist Soup Night and Silent Auction Nov. 19

    Pretzel soup salad option

    Kabocha squash soup with a giant beer garden pretzel and green salad are one of three dinner options available Nov. 19 for the Soroptimist Soup Night and Silent Auction. Preorders are required by Nov. 15. (Courtesy photo)

    (From press release) Every year, Soroptimist International of Davis hosts a Soup Night and Silent Auction one week before Thanksgiving. This year, the (virtual) event is more important than ever, as the service club’s primary fundraiser of 25 years – the beer booth at the Davis Farmers Market – was permanently canceled.

    Community members are invited to pre-purchase a meal to pick up at Sudwerk Brewing Co., bid in an online auction, and learn about the club by watching a live YouTube broadcast on Thursday, Nov. 19. The auction and program are open to anyone in the U.S.

    Orders are open through Nov. 15 for the meals, available for curbside pickup at Sudwerk, 2001 Second St., between 4 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 19. Selections include kabocha squash soup with a giant beer garden pretzel and green salad; Märzen bratwurst and slaw on a Village Bakery brioche bun with mixed-green and potato salads; and Linguica sausage with grilled peppers and onions, on a bun with mixed-green and potato salads. Each meal has the option to add an apple tartlet from Upper Crust Baking, and/or a selection of Sudwerk beers. Prices are $30 to $32 per meal, without add-ons. For an additional $20 donation, Soroptimists will offer contact-less delivery to Davis addresses.

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  • Vote Yes for Measure D, to Renew Measure J

    Yes on Measure D graphic-1 jpg which can be re-sizedD is for “Democracy in action”

    By Ken Wagstaff, Eileen M. Samitz, Mark Spencer, and Desmond Jolly

    Background

    Measure D is on the November ballot to renew Measure J, which was originally passed by Davis voters in 2000 and renewed overwhelmingly in 2010 as Measure R. Measure J requires voter approval for development of open space or agricultural land within or adjacent to the city. Historically, the city’s borders have been where growth pressure is greatest. Measure J acknowledges the importance of incorporating citizen review into the planning process and is offered for renewal to the public every ten years.

    Measure J was originally drafted by Davis citizens, with the help of environmental and legal counsel, as a response to the unbridled growth in the 1990’s. At the time, Davis was growing at more than double the rate of other California cities resulting in serious budgetary shortfalls, circulation issues, overwhelmed city services and inadequate school capacity for children.

    Measure J provisions

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