Category: Uncategorized

21^st Annual Request for Proposals

Proposals due October 20, 2023

(From press release) Nonprofit organizations are invited to submit applications to the Biberstein Social Action Fund for grants in support of projects addressing poverty, discrimination, abuse and neglect, and the promotion of social justice in Yolo County.

The Biberstein Social Action Fund was established in 2002 by the Board of Directors of Congregation Bet Haverim to honor Ernie and Hannah Biberstein, who are among the founding members of CBH, and who devoted much of their lives to community service and social justice. Hannah passed away in April 2011. This is the 21st Anniversary of the Fund.

The goal of the annual awards made from the Biberstein Social Action Fund is to help Yolo County organizations in their efforts to meet unfulfilled needs. “In light of all the budget cuts in social services, we hope that grants like ours can make a difference,” Hannah Biberstein had said. “It means a lot to us that real individuals benefit from our grants.” Special consideration is given to new and/or innovative projects.

An annual Call for Proposals is released each Fall. Grants ranging from $500 to $2,000 are awarded in December. The Biberstein Fund members review the proposals. Current Biberstein Fund members include Congregation Bet Haverim partners Ernie Biberstein, Amy Abramson, Anne Gieseke, Sandy Jones, Joan Sublett, Shoshana Zatz, and Rabbis Bess Wohlner and Jeremy Simons.

Information about the Biberstein Award, including a link to the application, is available on the CBH website: https://www.bethaverim.org/engage/committees/biberstein-social-action-fund/

Grant proposals must be submitted no later than October 20, 2023. Questions may be directed to the Biberstein Social Action Fund at: cbhbibersteinfund@gmail.com. Awards will be announced in December 2023.

(more…)

NOT "REAL" – PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING PRESS RELEASE IS – "NOT REAL"  (It is my "duty" to tell you that 😉 )

This was produced in about 3 seconds by ChatGPT.  The input to ChatGPT to produce this fake press release follows below.  At the Davis Vanguard they give you a real press releases produced by real people using real quotes.  Here at Al's Corner, we give you a false press release produced by artificial intelligence!  Because we care.

[Joint Statement]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A Joint Statement From The Davis Joint Unified School District, Davis City, and Yolo County, Regarding and Condemning The Bomb Threats of September 20, 2023

[Davis, CA, September 21, 2023] – The Davis Joint Unified School District (DJUSD), the City of Davis, and Yolo County stand united in condemning the series of bomb threats that occurred on September 20, 2023, targeting educational institutions and public spaces within our community. Such acts of terror have no place in our society, and we are committed to working collaboratively to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents, especially our students and educators.

This shocking incident has not only disrupted our peaceful community but has also instilled fear and anxiety among our residents. We want to assure everyone that we take these threats seriously, and our law enforcement agencies are actively investigating the matter to identify those responsible. The safety and security of our community remain our utmost priority.

We call upon our community members to remain vigilant, report any suspicious activity promptly, and support one another during these trying times. Together, we will stand strong and resilient against such threats to our cherished community.

Statement by DJUSD Board of Education President Lea Darrah

"As President of the DJUSD Board of Education, I am deeply saddened by the events that unfolded on September 20th. Our schools are meant to be safe havens for learning and growth. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the security of our students and staff, and we stand with our community against acts of violence."

Statement by Yolo County Supervisor Jim Provenza

"Yolo County condemns these despicable acts in the strongest possible terms. Our community is founded on principles of peace, unity, and compassion. We are committed to supporting law enforcement in bringing those responsible to justice and will provide resources to help our community heal."

Statement by Yolo County Supervisor Lucas Frerichs

"As a representative of Yolo County, I am appalled by the threat to our community's safety. We must remember that unity and resilience are our strengths. We will emerge from this challenge stronger than ever, determined to protect our residents and maintain the harmony we hold dear."

Statement by City of Davis Mayor Will Arnold

"Davis is a community that values education, inclusivity, and peace. The recent bomb threats are an affront to these principles. Our city stands shoulder to shoulder with DJUSD and Yolo County, committed to ensuring the safety of our citizens and the preservation of our shared values."

#####

INPUT:  "ChatGPT, please write me a one page press release that is A Joint Statement From The Davis Joint Unified School District, Davis City, and Yolo County, Regarding and Condemning The Bomb Threats of September 20, 2023. Include a joint statement for about half the page, and then individual, 2-3 sentence statements from four persons: DJUSD Board of Education President Lea Darrah, Yolo County Supervisor Jim Provenza, Yolo County Supervisor Lucas Frerichs, City of Davis Mayor Will Arnold. Make each individual statement unique and in their style of making statements. Have each individual statement in a paragraph under a title in bold that includes each of the four people’s name and title. Place each of the individual statements within the bounds of quotation marks."

(From press release) This past Friday, September 15, Davis joined groups across the world in the Global Climate Strike. After grabbing signs and getting ready, the defiant group of all ages slowly marched down 14th Street, leading chants to alert the Davis public of the climate emergency. At Central Park, some of the youth activists gave speeches, and held a die-in, where the audience helped embody the severity of our future, and the hopes they have for a better one.

The strikers then painted a mural on the sidewalk, to engrave the message “END FOSSIL FUELS” into the public eye. Nico Novick, in their speech today, said, “…Climate doomism, or the belief that everything is fundamentally hopeless, wastes time, it is giving up without trying, and we must try. We must have hope!”

More information at https://sites.google.com/view/fridaysforfuturedavis/home?authuser=0

I typed a 150 word description of the library incident into ChatGPT.  I then asked ChatGPT to write a country song about the incident.  With no further prompting, and in about five seconds, this is what ChatGPT wrote:

(more…)

Late to the Race but Right on Time: NJ Mvondo Joins the Race for Yolo County Supervisor District 4 Seat

+++ From Press Release +++

NJ Mvondo is announcing her candidacy for the Yolo County Board of Supervisors’ District 4 seat in the March 2024 primary election. A social entrepreneur and grassroots organizer, it is Mvondo’s love for her community and desire to address the pressing environmental concerns that have driven her to run for local office. Mvondo looks forward to tackling three major issues if elected: achieving sustainability via the implementation of an environmental justice framework in the decision-making in Yolo County, building a resilient economy, and reducing housing insecurity. With record breaking heat across the globe this summer, this is a wakeup call for everyone as to the urgency of the climate crisis. People need to be housed, our economy needs resiliency, and we need to combat climate change.

As the Chair of the City of Davis Human Relations Commission, NJ Mvondo works to create bridges and understanding in the community in an era of deep political divides and racial tensions. As a leader in the Davis environmental and civic realm, Mvondo encourages dialogue and collaboration across sectors to find ways to address the issues at hand, including in her work as Chair of the Yolo County Climate Action Commission. Mvondo would be honored to continue uplifting the community’s voice through the work of Yolo County Supervisor for District 4.

Sandy Holman, Davis’ Citizen of the Year 2023 and founder of the Culture C.O.-O.P., is excited to support Mvondo in this race. She shares that “NJ Mvondo is one of those rare, exceptional political candidates who has personally experienced many of the issues we are trying to address in our communities. This fact, along with her incredible professional experiences, outstanding leadership, and committed and endless service to our communities, in a variety of capacities, makes her an extraordinary choice for the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.”

Mvondo shares, “Davis and Yolo County are my home and the first places I felt I belonged in the United States. Davis is one of the few places I know to have extraordinary standards for the well-being of its residents and its environment. We have set ambitious and necessary goals for our city and county, and we can achieve them if we work together.”

One of these extraordinary goals is to ensure that Yolo County meets its promise to be carbon negative by 2030. And with the recent bomb threats towards the LGBTQ+ community at the public library in Davis, she condemns any attempts to create fear and hostility in our city, and any threats to the safety of our residents. Buildings like the public library are not just public spaces, but a home for many, especially historically marginalized groups. Mvondo champions equity, inclusion and transparency in all she does. She looks forward to bringing this care and determination to the Board of Supervisors to uplift safe communities in all of Yolo County.

To learn more about NJ Mvondo, her priorities, and her run for Yolo County’s District 4 Board of Supervisor, visit her website at  https://www.nj4supervisor.com/. You can also follow her social media platforms on Facebook and Instagram @nj4supervisor for the latest updates.

By Janet and Joe Krovoza

On Tuesday, August 27, 2023, Yolo County Superior Court judge Timothy Fall ruled that the City of Davis is not required to complete any additional environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) before proceeding with relocation of the Sky Track from its original location. The ruling isn’t final yet. A formal order will be issued in a few weeks.

The case turned on Judge Fall accepting the city’s use of the “small accessory structures” categorical exemption of CEQA. The CEQA guidelines provide examples for this category of exemption as “garages, carports, patios, swimming pools, and fences.”  The guidelines describe accessory uses as: “(a) On-premise signs; (b) small parking lots; and (c) Placement of seasonal or temporary use items such as lifeguard towers, mobile food units, portable restrooms, or similar items in generally the same locations from time to time in publicly owned parks, stadiums, or other facilities designed for public use.”

We disagree that such an exemption is appropriate. Unlike the CEQA guidelines’ examples, the Sky Track is permanent, not “temporary or seasonal,” and creates an inescapable abrasive industrial sound that ports sound directly into homes whenever it is in use, interrupting sleep, rest, and concentration, and impacting physical and mental health. Accessory structures aren’t known to have moving mechanical parts proven to violate a noise ordinance standard.

(more…)

How the Son of Robert McNamara Coped with Vietnam War; Wrote Painful, Revealing Book About His Father

By David L. Johnson

Craig McNamara in his office overlooking his 450-acre organic walnut tree farm in Winters. Craig is sitting in the chair his father, Robert McNamara, used at the Pentagon when he was Secretary of Defense under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Behind Craig are historical photos of his father and other mementos.

“My father loved me to the end of the earth and I loved him. But in any relationship, there are huge caverns, crevices and dysfunctions. I had so desperately wanted to learn about Vietnam from my father, but it never happened.”

The father is Robert McNamara, the Secretary of Defense under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s. McNamara is known as one of the chief architects and defenders of the Vietnam War.  The quote is from McNamara’s son, Craig McNamara, an organic walnut farmer in Winters, who in 2022 wrote the book “Because Our Fathers Lied, A Memoir of Truth and Family, from Vietnam to Today,” a heart wrenching indictment of his father’s integrity and actions on the Vietnam War.

The following article is based on a June 2023 interview with Craig McNamara in his office overlooking his 450-acre farm.

*****

(more…)

Dear Council Members,

We are very appreciative of Council Member Partida's pulling of item B, the “Arroyo Park Picnic Area Shade Structure Project,'' from the consent calendar July 18. Given the magnitude of the proposed financial commitment, and the fact that the final cost differed so greatly from what the Recreation and Park Commission had been asked to consider, it was certainly appropriate to do so. We continue to hope that even at this point one of the four council members who voted in favor of the project will ask for reconsideration and that the council will vote to send this item back to the RPC.

As you know, at the July 18 meeting, the council, in a four to one vote, approved funding in the amount of $407,675 for an open-air structure that would house six new picnic tables and two barbecues. No plumbing. No wiring. No funds set aside for future maintenance. At the cost of not replacing a tree that had died and of removing precious green space from a well-used and aesthetically pleasing, shady expanse of lawn — an unwelcome departure from the original park plans. A project as staff-driven as any we’ve seen. And this vote was based on grossly misleading testimony from Davis city staff.

(more…)

UC Irvine's Mesa Court part of their Middle Earth complex of student housing including three 6-story building of beautiful student housing that the are hugely popular with the students. https://educationsnapshots.com/projects/4672/uc-irvine-mesa-court-towers/

By Eileen M. Samitz

While a recent article by UCD Chancellor May opened with his goal for UCD to be a good neighbor to Davis, there’s much more UCD can, and needs to do to reach that goal.

Historically, in 1989 UCD signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Davis, in which UCD promised to not have “sharp” enrollment increases to avoid impacting the City,  that it would provide more on-campus housing to accommodate its student’s needs, and that it would not exceed 26,000 students by 2006.

None of these promises were kept. UCD enrollment continued to accelerate, but for the next two decades production of on-campus student housing did not keep pace with the expanding student population. Instead, UCD executed “master leases” with the owners of local multi-family housing complexes, which reserved those apartments exclusively for UCD students. Because UCD is tax-exempt, this practice allowed the owners of those properties to then claim a property tax exemption, thereby depriving the City and County of much needed tax revenue. 

UCD has a long history of missing on-campus student housing targets. In November 2000, the UC Board of Regents  released a report titled “UC Housing for the 21^st Century,” which assigned  UCD a  goal of 11,143 on-campus beds by 2012, but UCD missed that goal by 1,835 beds, Then, UCD’s 2003 Long Range Development Plan (LRDP) anticipated that UCD would house 10,800 students on-campus by 2016, but missed that target by 1,400 beds.

(more…)

Periodically confusions arise about the nature of the Davisite.  This is an attempt to further clarify what sort of platform it is. 

First and foremost, as noted in “About the Davisite,” the Davisite is a multi-authored community blog by and for Davisites; it seeks to provide a space where Davisites can discuss issues freely without fear of personal attack, promoting community, fostering participatory democracy, and seeking accountability from public officials.

In addition, some organizations use the Davisite to post press releases and event announcements. The Davisite doesn’t endorse  these events, but these announcements often foster democracy and build community.

And really, that’s it. 

The rest of the clarifications are about what the Davisite is not.

The Davisite is not an organization.  It is run by unpaid volunteers who operate as individuals and who choose to donate their time.  It is literally just a blog, nothing more.

The Davisite is not a newspaper (even a virtual newspaper) or a media outlet.  Some authors may choose to write articles that are intended to be factual and/or in the style of a reported article.  Nonetheless, each author remains responsible for their own content.  In May 2023, the Supreme Court “passed up a closely watched opportunity to clarify the scope of the federal liability shield known as Section 230 that protects internet companies from most legal claims over content posted by users” (https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/18/twitter-google-supreme-court-win-00097643).  The volunteers who run this blog operate under this understanding.  Volunteers do not have the expertise or the time to fact-check authors.  As with any source of potential information, readers are encouraged to do their own fact-checking.

That being said, the Davisite’s volunteers do reserve the right not to post any article that is sent to them that they know to be patently false or which contains personal attacks.  In most cases the volunteers will try to work with authors to find a solution that is acceptable to all, but that is not always possible.  With regard to personal attacks, there is an understanding that elected officials traditionally undergo greater scrutiny than other individuals, but the rule against personal attacks still pertains.

The Davisite does not accept any money, whether in the form of donations or advertisement.  It is self-funded by its volunteers.

The Davisite does not have “guest authors,” only authors (members of the community) who may have one article, several articles, or many articles.  Some authors post their own work whereas others have volunteers post on their behalf; this is just a technical convenience as not everyone is comfortable using blogging software.