Davisite logo
Davisite Banner. Left side the bicycle obelisk at 3rd and University. Right side the trellis at the entrance to the Arboretum.

  • Valley Clean Energy Joins California Community Power

    VCE(From press release) Valley Clean Energy is pleased to announce that it has joined nine other Community Choice Aggregation programs (CCAs) across California in a new Joint Powers Authority (JPA), California Community Power. Membership in this JPA enables CCAs to achieve their ambitious climate and resilience goals in a cost-effective manner by combining their purchasing power.

    The new JPA serves more than 2 million customers in more than 140 municipalities from Humboldt to Santa Barbara. Member CCAs include Valley Clean Energy, Central Coast Community Energy, East Bay Community Energy, MCE, Peninsula Clean Energy, Redwood Coast Energy Authority, San Jose Clean Energy, Silicon Valley Clean Energy, Sonoma Clean Power and CleanPowerSF.

    (more…)

    Posted by

    davisite2

    on

    in

    |

    No comments on Valley Clean Energy Joins California Community Power
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.

  • Senator Portantino Champions Ratepayer Equity Legislation

    SB 612 creates fair system for managing legacy energy resources and reducing costs for all ratepayers

    (From press release) State Senator Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada-Flintridge) has introduced SB 612 which requires that California electric ratepayers have fair and equal access to benefits associated with investor-owned utility (IOU) legacy energy resources and that the resources are actively managed to maximize their value. The bill, sponsored by the California Community Choice Association (CalCCA), will have its first hearing on April 26 before the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee.  The bill would benefit community choice aggregators such as Valley Clean Energy, which serves electricity customers in Woodland, Davis, Winters and the unincorporated areas of Yolo County.

    Legacy energy resources are a major concern because they account for billions of dollars in above-market costs in IOU energy portfolios, and the utilities rely on California ratepayers to pay the costs. They include capital-intensive utility-owned generation facilities and expensive long-term renewable energy contracts with third parties.

    Under SB 612, legacy energy resources would be handled in more prudent ways that reflect new market realities and that reasonable steps are taken to minimize above-market costs that accrue to ratepayers.

    (more…)

    Posted by

    Roberta Millstein

    on

    in

    ,

    |

    No comments on Senator Portantino Champions Ratepayer Equity Legislation
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.

  • Irregularity infests Commission appointment process

    Staff Report ManipulationThe following public comment by Matt Williams was delivered last night to the City Council regarding the Commission Appointments agenda item.

    Madam Mayor, members of Council and City Staff, it has come to my attention from multiple disparate sources that the published Report for Item 7 on tonight's agenda was tampered with so that it does not reflect the actual results of the Subcommittee deliberations by Mayor Partida and Councilmember Carson. It is not clear from the information I have received whether the tampering was malicious or not, but it is crystal clear that Mayor Partida's views on the appointments were edited out of the document and Council member Carson's views were provided instead.

    The Commission appointment process is supposed to be non-partisan, and free of personal political agenda. Unfortunately, all three of the Commission appointment processes since Dan Carson has been involved have been anything but non-partisan and have consistently advanced his own personal political agenda and higher office ambitions.

    Some will say that Carson's actions in each of the last two appointment cycles was simply political infighting, but tampering with an Item Report, as has been done this evening, is much more sinister, and dare I say immoral. Council should insist on Councilmember Carson recusing himself from tonight's vote on Item 7, and the tampering should be openly and publicly investigated.

    In case anyone might think that I am personally butt-hurt by Dan's conspiring to not have me reappointed to the Utilities Commission last cycle, he actually did me a huge favor by doing so, because today I began a 12-week course of hormone and radiation therapy treatment for cancer, Not having the responsibility of Utilities Commission duties has made my life simpler as I move forward with that course of treatment. Sometimes less is more. Thank you, Dan for making my life easier in that currently very important way.

    In closing, the decision not to appoint Kelsey Fortune to the Utilities Commission needs to be addressed. Kelsey's credentials are a PhD in the Economics of Electric Energy. Those are skills and experience that perfectly matches what Davis needs on its Utilities Commission. Please take the wise step of appointing Kelsey to the Utilities Commission tonight.

    Posted by

    davisite2

    on

    in

    |

    1 comment on Irregularity infests Commission appointment process
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.

  • Let’s have a parade!

    Bob Dunning Parade Map(From press release) The popular Picnic Day Parade and the Davis Children’s Christmas Parade were canceled by the pandemic. But the community is invited to enjoy a do-it-yourself parade Saturday, April 24, to honor Davis Enterprise columnist and sportswriter Bob Dunning on his 51-plus years with the newspaper.

    All types of vehicles — cars, trucks, bikes and other wheeled contraptions — are welcome, and decorations are encouraged. Participants (no registration is required) are asked to gather before 11 a.m. Saturday in the Veterans Memorial Center parking lot, 203 E. 14th St.

    The parade will make a huge loop featuring 1.4 miles of right turns only. Coming out of the parking lot, vehicles will head west on 14th Street, pass Dunning and his family in front of Davis High School on the corner of 14th and Oak Avenue, turn north on Oak, then east on Covell Boulevard, south on F Street and west on 14th. Vehicles wishing to depart the parade may go straight or left at any point.

    (more…)

    Posted by

    davisite2

    on

    in

    |

    2 comments on Let’s have a parade!
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.

  • Save KDVS

    (From press release) The University is placing KDVS in a space 1/3 of its current size in a windowless bunker behind the row of ATM's next to the East Entrance of the MU. There is no access to the MU during the late night hours, weekends or holidays…and this means that the programmers at those times, and late night trainees, will have no toilet access. Clearly this is NOT a well-thought out plan. Indeed the University has provided no statements as to what rooms/services and materials will have to be eliminated at KDVS.

    In addition several studios, staff office space, KDVS volunteer work space, a public reception area, listening rooms, and a substantial portion of the legendary ~300,000 record/CD/recording tape library will have to be warehoused. A solution to save space through a crank-style archiving system is not practical for DJ's with a limited amount of time to prepare a show (as they are students and/or workers on a schedule) and when several people are in the same space. In addition it is unlikely to be ADA compliant.

    The major slashing of space is necessitated by the UC Davis' decision to raze Freeborn Hall and place an "exemplary product" there. This plan was in place during the Katehi era and has been disclosed publicly only recently. Since they have not suggested a referendum paced before the students to raise registration fees to pay for the bond debt, it is clear that this will NOT be a building that will replace the Student space lost in Lower Freeborn.

    To read more…and how UC Davis has failed to follow the procedures and policies that constituted due diligence go to www.Savekdvs.org

    Posted by

    davisite2

    on

    in

    |

    1 comment on Save KDVS
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.

  • Forthcoming book features women innovators in agtech in Davis

    From Farms to Incubators Cover Award-winning journalist and filmmaker Amy Wu has written a forthcoming book “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food Is Grown,” that profiles dozens of women innovators and leaders in the growing sector of agtech. Agtech encompasses innovations including drones, sensors, artificial intelligence and blockchain that help growers with the challenges they are facing including severe labor shortage and loss of arable land. The book features a number of women in the Davis area including Thuy-Le Vuong, Pam Marrone and Fatma Kaplan.

    • Vuong is the CEO and founder of The Redmelon Company that extracts oil from Gac, a tropical fruit known to be rich in nutrition packed carotenoids.
    • Marrone is the founder of Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI) a bio-based pest management company that produces herbicides, fungicides and insecticides with plant-based or using naturally-occurring microorganisms with the goal of replacing chemicals in agriculture.
    • Kaplan is the founder of Pheronym a company creates biopesticides that use pheromones (chemicals capable of acting like hormones to impact the behavior of the receiving individuals) to control a wide range of agricultural pests.

    The book will be published on May 4, 2021 by Linden Publishing (based out of Fresno) and is available for pre-sales through various outlets including Barnes & Noble and Amazon. This past February Amy was named one of Food Tank’s 15 Leading Women at the Intersection of Food and Technology. In 2020 Amy was named one of Worth magazine’s “50 Women Changing the World.” To learn more about From Farms to Incubators go to www.farmstoincubators.com.

    Amy Wu is an award-winning writer for women’s ag and agtech movement who is bicoastal and splits her time between New York and California.

    Posted by

    davisite2

    on

    in

    , ,

    |

    No comments on Forthcoming book features women innovators in agtech in Davis
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.

  • Connections increase impact of Davis arts sector

    CentennialSeal
    Supporter Bill Roe, left, artist Susan Shelton, Shelton’s husband John Mott-Smith and supporter Nancy Roe surround the Davis Centennial Seal as it neared completion on March 25 at the Frostad Atelier foundry in Sacramento. Rachel Hartsough/Courtesy photo

    By Wendy Weitzel

    Local artists continue connecting and sharing their craft, knowing their voice is amplified when they work together. That was the message April 8 at a virtual meeting of Arts Alliance Davis.

    The 18 attendees heard first about the newly formed Sacramento Alliance for Regional Arts. The nonprofit promotes and advocates for arts, art education and cultural equity in the greater Sacramento region. Bill Blake of AMS Planning and Research, a Sacramento consulting firm specializing in the arts, said SARA “came about because of COVID and all of the things that have happened,” in the arts community.

    While there are state and national arts organizations, artists and related groups needed a regional voice with organized, sustained advocacy. If a concert hall closes in Folsom, he said, the impact is felt far beyond that city’s borders. Musicians or employees may live in Davis or Roseville, for example.

    “You don’t need to follow the jurisdictional boundaries for it to have an impact in the area,” Blake said, calling it “a cultural ecosystem.” By creating a regional coalition, “if something’s happening in Placer County, those elected leaders are hearing from other surrounding counties that it impacts. … Elected officials can easily dismiss the arts if we don’t speak with one voice.”

    He urged Alliance attendees to become involved in SARA as it’s being built. “We need more representation from your community,” he said, referring to Yolo County. Visit https://www.artsforsac.org/.

    (more…)

    Posted by

    davisite2

    on

    in

    |

    No comments on Connections increase impact of Davis arts sector
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.

  • Another Letter to Planning Commission – serious flaws with Davis-Connected Buyers Program

    Dear Planning Commissioners –

    At the upcoming Planning Commission meeting this Wednesday you will be presented with the newly proposed "Davis-Connected Buyers Program" for the Bretton Woods Project. This new proposal has serious flaws and is essentially gutless in terms of ensuring that a large percentage of new homes are sold to existing Davis homeowners thus freeing up current local housing stock for new families as promised by the developer in the actual language on the ballot in the Measure J/R vote in 2018.

    I have written a detailed article published in the Davisite about the new program and its shortcomings that are so severe that it renders the program practically non-existent. To see the article click on the following title, Bretton Woods Attempts Another Bait and Switch with Its Davis Based Buyers Program.

    In summary, the new Davis-Connected Buyers Program states that it will have prospective buyers sign a disclosure form identifying their link to Davis but that it also allows ANYONE to refuse to sign the disclosure form because they are a member of a protected class based on any race, gender or gender identity, ethnicity, religion, etc. I myself could refuse to sign the disclosure form simply because I am a straight married white agnostic male and the developer's new proposal says that would allow me to buy a new home even if I otherwise had no links at all to Davis. The developer also claims that they will not investigate or demand proof of any "protected status" claims because he does not want to intrude on the prospective buyers privacy. In other words, the developer will take any and all buyers thus opening the floodgates to anyone who wants to buy there and has the wherewithal to engage in bidding wars.

    (more…)

    Posted by

    davisite2

    on

    in

    , , ,

    |

    No comments on Another Letter to Planning Commission – serious flaws with Davis-Connected Buyers Program
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.

  • Letter to Planning Commission Expresses Concerns with Bretton Woods Davis-Connected Buyers Program

    Below is the text of a letter submitted to the Davis Planning Commission for its April 14th meeting expressing issues and concerns with the Bretton Woods Davis-Connected Buyers Program.

    Commissioners:

    I write to express concerns with the Davis-Connected Buyers Program (DCBP), which is scheduled to be presented at the Planning Commission’s April 14, 2021 meeting. I am disappointed that this agenda item is an informational update only rather than an action item. That suggests that the City Council is not interested in further commission input or recommendations on the DCBP and that its approval by the Council as submitted by the developer is a fait accompli.

    I am now retired but have nearly four decades experience with state and federal fair housing laws. I was an attorney with Disability Rights California, California’s designated non-profit disability protection and advocacy organization, for 26 years and subsequently held positions as Chief Consultant for the Assembly Human Services Committee and as legislative director for the California Department of Developmental Services. I am also a former member of the Davis Social Services Commission.

    Provisions of the DCBP do not make sense and the program will almost certainly not achieve its purported purpose. Most importantly, as has been alleged—including in a lawsuit challenging the DCBP that was subsequently dismissed without prejudice on procedural grounds—the DCBP is likely to perpetuate, and possibly exacerbate, existing racial disparities in Davis as compared to the region.

    (more…)

    Posted by

    davisite2

    on

    in

    , , ,

    |

    No comments on Letter to Planning Commission Expresses Concerns with Bretton Woods Davis-Connected Buyers Program
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.

  • More concerns about Putah Creek restoration proposal

    April 5, 2021

    Davis Open Space and Habitat Commission

    Re: Proposal for habitat restoration/public access project along the South Fork of Putah Creek east of the City’s South Fork Preserve

    Dear Commissioners:

    I recommend that you approach the proposal with great caution and offer these questions and comments. There is no objection to weed control, riparian planting, and modification of water diversion methods. But the largest part of this proposal is to modify channel form, and that is of great concern. It’s been tried before on Putah Creek in Winters at great cost and great loss to fish and wildlife and riparian forest resources.

    The stream channel filling and alteration part of this proposal is premised on these erroneous ideas about the existing stream condition:

    (more…)

    Posted by

    davisite2

    on

    in

    ,

    |

    No comments on More concerns about Putah Creek restoration proposal
    Davisite logo

    Did you enjoy reading this article? Then subscribe to the Davisite for free and never miss a post again.