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  • Davis Local Selected One of the Emerging Insurance Leaders In 2021

    Meraz-photo-240x300

    Photo courtesy of CSAA Insurance Group

    (From press release) A local Davis woman, Suzanne Meraz, has been selected as one of the top 123 insurance professionals across the country and globe.

    As Director, External Affairs of CSAA Insurance Group, Suzanne was chosen due to her and her teams' positive impacts on the insurance industry. Suzanne says, "As society's financial first responders, we're making and delivering on a promise to people to be there for people in their time of need. It feels good to be working in an industry that is doing something positive for the economy, for people, and for communities."

    Six leaders from CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, are among the 123 insurance professionals from across the country and overseas named to the 2021 Class of Emerging Leaders. The class will be honored at the 2021 Virtual Emerging Leaders Conference on Feb. 22-23, hosted by the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), the Insurance Careers Movement (ICM) and AM Best.

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  • Letter: Safely re-opening schools in the near future

    The following letter was sent to the Principal of Emerson Junior High School on February 12, 2021

    Dear Ms. Kennedy,

    I am the parent of a 13 year old boy in Emerson J. High School.

    He has been stuck at home or in my law office since March, using Zoom, almost completely isolated from his school and other friends.

    I think the DJUSD has done its best to provide some minimal education to its students and to keep them safe during one of the worst pandemic periods in a hundred years. The fact that Davis' infection and death rates are so low is testimony to how the community has handled the emergency. Thank you for your and the teacher and staff and Board's good efforts. Congratulations to all of you.

    However, have you seen the new CDC Recommendations that came out today as to re-opening schools?

    I think if the DJUSD immediately reviews and adopts those guidelines, our schools can be safely reopened in the very near future, not late spring or even next fall, as it currently looks like the plan is going to be.

    May I ask you to refer this email to the Board, Administrator, General Counsel, and President of the DTA for review and comment?

    I hope our District will immediately and seriously consider an updated plan for safely re-opening our schools as soon as possible, but not later than the end of spring break.

    Thank you,

    Michael J. Harrington
    michael@mikeharringtonlaw.com

  • Community Celebrates Longtime Local Columnist

    Dunning column logo

    Bob Dunning writes “The Wary I” column for The Davis Enterprise. Davis Enterprise/Courtesy photo

    (From press release) He’s spent the past 51 years chronicling life in Davis, sharing his opinions, prompting us to examine ours and reflecting on all that makes this town the special place it is.

    Now, it’s Davis’ turn to show its admiration and respect for Bob Dunning with a springtime celebration in honor of his 51 years at The Davis Enterprise.

    Dunning was hired by The Enterprise on Jan. 27, 1970, as a sports writer, and he remembers being terrified of deadlines as he sat down at his typewriter that first day on the job. Now, tens of thousands of deadlines later, he confesses that he never really wanted to be a journalist but admits that he wouldn’t trade his time in newspapers for anything.

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  • Finance Expert Joins Valley Clean Energy Staff

    Edward Burnham(From press release) Valley Clean Energy announces the hiring of Edward Burnham as Director of Finance and Internal Operations. He will be responsible for oversight of finance and accounting tasks as well as VCE’s treasury, enterprise risk, information technology and audits.

    Prior to joining the local electricity provider, Burnham worked for Yolo County’s Treasury Division, overseeing all revenue, treasury and finance activities, including handling investments for all county pool participants (county, local school districts and special districts), endowments and other investments. The pool was valued at an average of more than $500 million last year.

    Additionally, Burnham spent 12 years abroad, working in finance for private and publicly traded companies in the energy sector. His duties took him to China, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Cyprus, West Africa, and the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

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  • Nuclear weapons are illegal

    By Sarah Pattison

    On Jan. 22, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons enters into force and becomes part of the canon of international law, after it was ratified by the required 50 states. According to Article 1 of the Treaty, states party to the Treaty are prohibited under any circumstances from any of the following activities:

    1. Develop, test, produce, manufacture, otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;
    2. Transfer to any recipient whatsoever nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices or control over such weapons or explosive devices directly or indirectly;
    3. Receive the transfer of or control over nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices directly or indirectly;
    4. Use or threaten to use nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices;
    5. Assist, encourage or induce, in any way, anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty;
    6. Seek or receive any assistance, in any way, from anyone to engage in any activity prohibited to a State Party under this Treaty;
    7. Allow any stationing, installation or deployment of any nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices in its territory or at any place under its jurisdiction or control.

    Because the United States has neither signed nor ratified the treaty, it does not have the force of law in this country. But the treaty was approved by 122 nations in 2017, and has since been signed by 86 nations and ratified by 51. It is a clear reflection of the frustration and impatience of non-nuclear nations with nuclear weapons states that have failed to fulfill the promise they made “in good faith” in the Nonproliferation Treaty in 1970 to negotiate the cessation of the arms race and complete disarmament “at an early date.” While our country and other nuclear weapons states may attempt to sidestep the legal force of the Treaty, we cannot avoid the compelling moral power it carries.

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  • A revolution of values

    Move money to human, environmental needs

    By Nancy Price

    On Jan. 18, we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.’s Jan. 15 birthday. With the long weekend, you could listen to more celebratory radio, T.V. and webinar programs.

    Usually, King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial is the highlight, often with community readings that this year may have been outdoor for safely.

    Now, in the midst of convergent social, economic and environmental crises, programs often talked about King’s most revolutionary “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” speech, given on April 4, 1967, at Riverside Church in New York, when he moved from civil rights to a critique of capitalism and an economic system that left tens of millions struggling in poverty.

    He spoke of the “triplets of evil” — racism, materialism and militarism — and called for a “revolution of values” a shift from a “thing-oriented” society to a “person-oriented” society.” He called for a “worldwide fellowship that lifts neighborly concerns beyond one’s tribe, race, class and nation.” He emphasized that “a nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.”

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  • New Board Leadership at Valley Clean Energy

    Jesse Loren

    Jesse Loren
    Dan Carson

    Dan Carson

    (From press release) As a new year dawns, Valley Clean Energy announces a change in leadership for the not-for-profit local electricity provider.

    Dan Carson, a Davis City Councilmember, was elected to chair the VCE board for 2021, and Winters City Councilmember Jesse Loren was elected to the position of vice chair. Both votes were unanimous.

    The VCE board is composed of two representatives from each of the communities it serves — the cities of Woodland, Davis and Winters and unincorporated Yolo County. Loren’s appointment couldn’t be more timely, as the community of Winters is currently enrolling customers for VCE service.

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  • 2021 Virtual Celebration of Abraham: Practicing Humility in Difficult Times

    Sunday January 31, 2021 3pm-4pm

    Practicing Humility in Difficult times-2(From press release) This past year we all have had our lives changed by COVID19—ZOOM-ing religious services, masks to leave our homes, not spending holidays with loved ones and adapting the Celebration of Abraham. The planners of Abraham considered cancelling this year’s celebration to ensure the safety of our participants, but we realized that Davis needs this year’s celebration as we struggle with the pandemic, environmental destruction, and political unrest. The Celebration of Abraham represents the only interfaith organization guided by the laity.

    We believe that our community needs to come together for mutual support and, therefore we will hold a virtual celebration. This led us to our topic: Practicing Humility in Difficult Times. We have chosen three leaders to offer guidance grounded in their faith traditions on how each of us can go forward to help heal our world: Dr. Travis Lybbert (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), Rabbi Greg Wolfe (Congregation Bet Haverim) and Dr. Mairaj Syed (Religious Studies UCD and the Muslim DEIN).

    Randy Farris will again lead us in singing Children of Abraham. We also will raise donations for the Yolo Food Bank (https://yolofoodbank.org/donate). To sign up for the event that will be hosted both on ZOOM and Facebook please go to our website for more information. www.celebrationofabraham.net.

  • Market expands on Dec. 23, closes on Dec. 30

    ApplePiesUC

    Upper Crust’s apple pies will be among the choices available at the Davis Farmers Market on Dec. 23. (Courtesy photo)

    (From press release) The Davis Farmers Market will offer additional vendors for its Wednesday, Dec. 23 market, with last-minute shopping for holiday meals and gifts.

    That market will have regular Wednesday hours ­– 3 to 6 p.m. – in Central Park, 301 C St., Davis. As is tradition for the Wednesday market between Christmas and New Year’s Day, the Dec. 30 market will be closed. The Saturday markets on Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 will be open with regular hours – 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

    The Davis Farmers is filled with farm-fresh products like citrus and pomegranates, poinsettias, nuts and nut butters, juices and veggies. There’s also table décor, meats, cheeses, olive oil, nuts, dried fruits, honey and wine. Several bakeries will have fresh-baked items like pies, breads, stuffing mixes and cookies.

    There is no Gift Basket Central this year. However, there are pre-packaged gift bags of market merchandise, and baskets shoppers may buy to create their own collections from market goods such as honey, jams, nuts, wine, oils, lotions, soaps, salts, masks, Kettlepop, coffee beans and bakery treats.

    Year-round, rain or shine, the Davis Farmers Market is open from 3 to 6 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, visit https://davisfarmersmarket.org or visit it on Facebook or Instagram.

  • Celebration of Abraham condemns racist attacks

    Celebration-of-abraham-logoPastor William H. Lamar
    Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church
    1518 M Street NW
    Washington DC 20005
    Rev. Dr. Ianther M. Mills
    Asbury United Methodist Church
    926 11th Street
    Washington DC 20001

    Dear Pastor Lamar and Rev. Dr. Mills,

    The Celebration of Abraham is an interfaith group in Davis California. We write to offer our condolences and express our outrage over the December 12th, violent attacks on your congregations. As people of faith, we believe that the religious freedom and free speech rights of your congregations were trampled on by the perpetrators of these attacks. The obvious racism of the actions violates the universal tenet embedded in all our faiths that the dignity of each individual is sacred. Your public statements of hope and healing reminds us that we can get through this and build a better, more loving future.

    We will keep you and your congregants in our prayers and hearts.

    Sincerely,

    Helen Roland Cramer, Chair
    Celebration of Abraham