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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

  • Letter from Davis faith leaders opposing the changes in regulations on seeking asylum in the U.S.

    To Whom It May Concern:

    As faith leaders in Davis, CA, we strongly oppose the changes in regulations on seeking asylum in the United States being proposed by the Department of Homeland Security and the Executive Office for Immigration Review of the Department of Justice.   These proposals would effectively end our asylum system, block protection for people and families fleeing from persecution, and reverse decades of U.S. and International Law.  The changes would restrict the number of those admitted to the US, apparently on the unfair basis of wealth and status.  Thus, those with the means to fly into the US would not be affected if their flight was non-stop or only had one stop in another country.  However, those who have passed by land through two countries would automatically be barred.

    The new proposed rule is long and complicated; however, a few of its new restrictions are particularly disturbing.  It would eliminate gender-based claims for asylum.  Women and LGBTQ asylum seekers would be disproportionately affected by this change. Not only would women be unable to seek asylum based on their experiences of extreme domestic violence, but even women fleeing sex slavery at the hands of terrorist groups could be denied.

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  • Soroptimists working hard for women and girls

    SoroptimistInstallation2020

    This Zoom screenshot shows Soroptimist International of Davis 2020-2021 officers wearing starry-eyed glasses for their installation. From top left are Heather Carpenter, Lynn Fowler, Wendy Weitzel, Maggie Memmott, Evie Wright, Kacie Woodward, Emily Ziser, Elaine Barratt, Katherine Hess, Karen Westphalen, Lori Hansen and Carol MacDonald.

    (From press release) Soroptimist International of Davis isn’t letting the pandemic impede its work to improve the lives of women and girls.

    The service club wrapped up its 2020-2021 year with its installation of officers on June 23. Also this spring, members stewarded a City Council resolution on women’s rights, gave grants to single moms, and awarded local scholarships. Below are a few highlights:

    Resolution for women’s rights

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  • Valley Clean Energy makes new hire

    R_Boyles(From press release) Valley Clean Energy is pleased to announce the hiring of Rebecca Boyles as its new director of customer care and marketing. In this position, she is responsible for all customer touch points, including outreach, marketing, programs, key accounts and customer policy development.

    Boyles joins Valley Clean Energy after spending four years in progressively responsible positions in customer care and billing operations at MCE (formerly Marin Clean Energy). Her additional leadership experience includes chairing the Billing Operations and Customer Care Committee for CalCCA, the statewide community choice energy association, as well as directing social media for the communications team at the Women's Environmental Network.

    Prior to working in the utilities sector, Boyles focused on stakeholder engagement at Future 500, a nonprofit that advises Fortune 500 companies on sustainable business practices and community relations.

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  • Davis Farmers Market open on July 4

    July4IGpost(From press release) While the Fourth of July won’t have the traditional fireworks, the Davis Farmers will be open, featuring all of the flavors that make the holiday memorable.

    On July 4, the market is open for its regular Saturday hours – 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. – in Central Park, 301 C St., in Davis.

    Vendors will have all of the components for the perfect household barbecue, including farm-fresh corn, watermelon, tomatoes, meats, fish, breads and cookies and cheeses. Come stock up on produce, eggs, beans, rice, nuts, dried fruits and flowers. Fruit in season includes berries, melons and stone fruit. There are tons of veggies at the market, like cucumbers, summer squash, eggplants, Brussels sprouts and avocados.

    There are also tortillas, pizza crust, pita breads and dips, baked goods, olive oil, jams, honey, kettle corn, almond milk and almond butter, fresh apple juice, juice pops, coffee, tamales, hot dogs and Indian food.

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  • Family-Friendly Father’s Day Walk in Davis to Protest Racial Injustice

    (From press release) On Sunday, June 21, 2020, Parents of African-American Children – Davis (PAACD) is hosting a family -friendly walk in Davis to honor the victims of racial injustice and police brutality and highlight the importance of talking to children early about race and racial prejudice.

    The walk will begin at 9 am at Playfields Park (2500 Research Park Drive) in Davis and continue on the bike path to John Barovetto Park (about 2.6 miles). At 11 am, at John Barovetto Park (4400 Alhambra Drive), the group will stand in silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds to remember George Floyd and all the victims of police brutality.

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  • Is the Proposed Davis Innovation and Sustainability Campus a Land-Use Dinosaur Before It is Even Approved to be Put on the Ballot?

    Is it a "Field of Schemes"?

    FieldofschemesBy Alan Pryor

    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    The COVID-pandemic has accelerated and likely made permanent huge increases in home-based, work-related remote telecommuting. This trend would dramatically decrease office space needs in sprawling business parks like the proposed Davis Innovation and Sustainability Center (DISC) (formerly known as the Aggie Research Campus (ARC), and before that, as Mace Ranch Innovation Center (MRIC)).

    In turn, this reduced demand for office space will drastically decrease rental income from such large office developments. Because property valuations are strongly based on rental income, reduced rents will reduce property valuations which will, in turn, reduce property tax income to the City. And if such property tax income is sufficiently depressed in the future and exceeds the costs to the City of providing essential services to residents and business park tenants, the DISC project could turn into a net drain on City coffers.

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  • Sutter Davis Hospital Farmers Market returns

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    Riffat Ahmad from Ahmad Farm sets up at the June 11 soft opening of the Sutter Davis Hospital Farmers Market. Debbie Ramming/Courtesy photo

    (From press release) The Sutter Davis Hospital Farmers Market is back – with precautions in place to protect the health and safety of its vendors and shoppers. The market is open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. 29.

    Since 2010, the Sutter Davis Hospital Farmers Market has brought farm-fresh, local foods and produce to the hospital’s main entrance, 2000 Sutter Place in West Davis. Its soft opening was June 11. 

    Hospital and farmers market leaders worked together to develop a plan that accommodates about seven vendors and includes the same precautions that have worked for the Wednesday and Saturday markets in downtown Davis: requiring face coverings to attend the market, social distancing of vendors, sidewalk markings to help with social distancing of shoppers, and hand hygiene stations. Sellers wear gloves and masks, and typically select the produce for the customer.

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  • Valley Clean Energy – 2 Years Strong

    VCE(From press release) During these trying times, it’s more important than ever to take note of the good news that’s worth celebrating.

    “Please join us as we mark the anniversary of Valley Clean Energy,” said Don Saylor, chairman of the board of directors of the not-for-profit public agency and a Yolo County supervisor. “We’re two years strong as of June 1, and it’s all because of you, the VCE customers who support us in taking charge of our clean energy future.”

    People who suffer from asthma and other lung-related conditions have been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, so cleaning up the air in California has become even more important for everyone.

    “That’s just what VCE has been doing these past two years, by offering people cleaner, greener electricity and an option for 100% carbon-free power,” added Dan Carson, VCE’s board vice-chair and a member of the Davis City Council. “And we’ve only just begun.”

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  • The Planning Commission is being “played” by staff in order to ram through the DISC project under artificially imposed deadlines

    01249638-444B-40A8-B2FD-E9FF09231DFBThe following was emailed to the Planning Commission today; it is reprinted by permission of the author.
     
    Dear Commissioners –

    Tonight you have before you a 1,000-page Final EIR for which you are being asked to recommend certification but you have had only a little over a week to review it. You have had a 600-page Staff Report before you for less than a week but you are being asked to approve Baseline Features for a project that is 4 times larger than anything the City has ever seen before.

    So if you feel like you are being railroaded by the Staff to bum rush this project through without being given the time to carefully deliberate and properly consider the huge implications of this massive undertaking, you're exactly right!

    But this is not accidental or due to the pandemic as Staff would have you believe. Staff and the Developer have intentionally planned (a less polite term to use would be "schemed") to get this matter to you at the last possible date to give you as little time as possible to review this project.

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  • BTSSC’s Transportation Baseline Features for ARC/DISC

    Sub-Committee will bring draft to full Commission meeting this week

    MRICARCDISCfinalProposed Transportation Baseline Features for Davis Innovation Sustainability Campus:

    Parking Lots and Internal Streets, Housing, Transportation Demand Management, Site Access and Traffic Mitigation Features and general Mitigation Features

    The City of Davis (City) Bicycling, Transportation and Street Safety Commission (BTSSC) met on May 8, 2020 and formed a sub-committee on transportation baseline features for the proposed Davis Innovation Sustainability Campus (DISC; formerly known as the Aggie Research Campus) Project (Project). These draft features will be reviewed with the full BTSSC on June 11, 2020 with any resulting vote submitted to the appropriate city bodies, with a recommendation for the revised features to be included in “Baseline Project Features” submitted for voter approval of the Project pursuant to a Measure R vote. The draft of this sub-committee discussion is below.

    Information on the June 11 meeting, including how you can comments, can be found here.

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