enterprise THE DAVIS
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022
Lawmakers push for gas rebates Davis own Jeff Likes cleans up at the 2022 Window Cleaning World Cup competition, where contestants must clean three panes of glass as fast as possible.
Bills aim for relief from high fuel prices By Caleb Hampton Enterprise staff writer On Thursday, Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Napa, along with Reps. John Larson, D-Ct., and Lauren Underwood, D-Ill., introduced the Gas Rebate Act of 2022 in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation, which is meant to address high gas prices, would send Americans an energy rebate of $100 per month — plus and additional $100 for each dependent — for each month for the rest of 2022 in which the national average gas price exceeds $4 per gallon. Thompson is running this year to represent California’s new 4th district, which includes Davis and most of Yolo County, in the House of Representatives. The Democratic members of Congress introduced the gas rebate legislation weeks after gas prices, already elevated, surged to their highest in more a decade, topping $6 per gallon in much of California. (According to AAA, today’s national average gas price is $4.27.) According to experts, there are
See GAS, Page A3
Courtesy photo
Championship glass in Davis By Aaron Geerts Enterprise staff writer Jeff Likes of Jeff Likes Clean Windows & Gutters isn’t Davis’ average window washing professional. He is, in fact, an international window washing champion who employs his gold standard of work in every job he does. Suffice to say, Jeff Likes loves what he does. Prior to the competition aspect, the International Window Cleaning Association (IWCA) was formed back in 1989 to bolster the industry’s notoriety, represent its concerns and assist its members in professional development.
Fast-forward to 2018, the IWCA held its first Window Cleaning World Cup competition, where contestants must clean three panes of glass as fast as possible. Likes’ friend told him about the industry’s world cup, and in 2019 he tried his hand in wiping out the competition. “I was nervous and did horribly that first year. I was all over the place and forgetting to clean the ledges,” Likes went on to talk about his redemption. “After that I did a little practicing and the following year in 2020, I ended up winning it and became an international
champion.” With a time of 13.44, Likes won $1,000 — which he donated to charity — and a World Wrestling Entertainment-style championship belt. Per competition tradition, Likes was bidden to flaunt the belt the rest of the day, which had him walking around Savannah, Ga., taking pictures with passersby. Although he’s now retired from individual speed competition, Likes has taken on something of a player-coach role in team medley competition. “I love clean windows, but unfortunately I don’t do it
anymore. I have teams working for me now, and I just guide and teach them how to do it,” said Likes. “It’s funny with that recent team medley competition, my teammate had zero mistakes while I had seven. I guess I trained him well.” Likes hasn’t become complacent after his victory, however. He’s as transparent as a window cleaned by a world-class champion in his ambitions for the future. “I’ve got my name on that cup, so I don’t need it on there again. My next goal is actually
See GLASS, Page A3
UCD: Gardening a pandemic outlet Search firm halfway to
finding new superintendent
By Emily C. Dooley Special to The Enterprise People who turned to gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic did so to relieve stress, connect with others and grow their own food in hopes of avoiding the virus, according to a survey conducted by researchers at UC Davis, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources and international partners. The survey report, “Gardening during COVID-19: experiences from gardeners around the world,” highlights the positive role gardening plays in mental and physical health, said Alessandro Ossola, an assistant professor of plant sciences. “Connection to nature,
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INDEX
Business ���������� A6 DIY ��������������������B1 Obituaries �� A3-A4 Classifieds ������ A5 Forum ��������������B4 Sports ��������������B6 Comics ������������B5 Living ����������������B4 The Wary I �������� A2
By Aaron Geerts Enterprise staff writer
UC Davis/Courtesy photo
UC Davis lead gardener Julia Schreiber picks sunflowers at the Student Farm in 2021. relaxation and stress relief were by far the biggest reasons gardeners cited,” Ossola said. The researchers sent links to online surveys via
WEATHER Today: Warmer and clearer. High 68. Low 46.
targeted emails to gardening groups, in newsletters and on social media between June and August
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The search for Davis’ next superintendent of schools highlighted Thursday’s school board meeting, as the search firm spearheading the effort, McPherson & Jacobson, gave an update to the trustees. McPherson & Jacobson’s representative, Bill Huyett, said the firm is a little over halfway into the process, and that all applicants have been received. Huyett also touched on the community feedback from an open-ended survey asking about things
people liked and disliked about the district, the problems they see as well as the attributes and characteristics they want in their next superintendent. “In generality, it was a very strong response from educational partners that they love what they’re doing, they love what they’ve created and want to make sure they have a leader that invests in that,” said Huyett. “They want somebody who will come to this position knowing the district well, become a part of the
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Briefly Winters fire investigated A mechanical failure may have caused a fire that damaged a haystorage facility last week, according to Winters Fire Department officials. In a news release issued Thursday, Chief Brad Lopez said the Tuesday evening fire broke out at about 5:45 p.m. in the 26000 block of County Road 90 “Units arrived on scene to find a large commercial structure with hay involved in heavy fire,” Lopez said. The incident was elevated to second-alarm status, which brought in assistance from mutualaid agencies including the UC Davis, West Plainfield, Yocha Dehe, Yolo and Vacaville fire departments, along with an ambulance crew as a precaution. “It took firefighters approximately 16 hours to prevent the fire from spreading to other structures,” Lopez said. “Fortunately, no injuries were sustained.” An investigation into the fire’s cause remains underway, with preliminary information indicating “a possible mechanical failure of a forklift, however we have not been able to confirm this,” Lopez added. “Due to the large scale of this fire, part of the investigation will be delayed until the fire subsides.” Anyone with information about this incident can contact the Winters Fire Department at 530-795-4131.
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When doomsday comes, grab a can W
e hear a lot about climate change these days, and in the last few months in our area we’ve seen a whole bunch of wild weather swings right before our eyes. In late October we had that incredible storm that dumped an unheard of five inches of rain in a single day. In the old days, meteorologists would have called that the Pineapple Express. Now it’s the much sexier “atmospheric river.” A few weeks later another storm hit the Sierra with 17 feet of snow and it seemed as if our dreaded drought was finally dead and gone, especially with the rainy months of January, February and March right around the corner. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell those months their role in our plans to let the kids endlessly run through the backyard sprinklers to cool off this summer. At the same time, coincidentally or maybe intentionally, the good folks at CNN decided it was time to prepare Americans for the next disaster around the corner, no matter the source. Advised CNN like a nervous parent dropping an 8-year-old at summer camp, “Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, have extra batteries for radios and flashlights, charge electronics and consider specific needs of everyone in your household, like medication. And ensure you have all the grocery supplies you need.” Thanks. I wouldn’t have thought of any of that. I figured having enough air in the tires of my ’56 Schwinn would pretty
much take care of things. “Have at least three days worth of food and water for everyone in your home.” Talking about preparedness, when I was in junior high school in this fine town, the fear of Russian bombers caused a few folks in Davis to put underground bomb shelters in their backyards. One of my seemingly sane classmates described his family’s shelter and talked about the shelves he had helped his dad put in to store canned goods. He also said they had a rifle in there, a stunning admission that made me wonder if they planned to hunt for food once the all-clear had been sounded. “What’s the gun for?” “To keep people like you out.” Probably best to follow CNN’s advice to stock up on everything you think you might need, but don’t go around the neighborhood bragging about it. “Choose groceries that have a long shelf life,” CNN continues, still one step ahead of the crowd. They shouldn’t “require cooking and be too salty or spicy, because those foods mean you’ll likely drink more water.” Hey, don’t give up flavor, just pack more water. “Remember, the power may be
out, so have with you ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables and canned juices as well as a manual can opener.” “I’m hungry. Can we please open that can of tuna?” “I forgot the can opener.” Furthermore, “Experts recommend you have comfort and stress foods on hand.” Now wait a minute. I know that comfort food derives its name because it’s supposed to comfort you, so does stress food cause stress? Let’s see, comfort food. Kraft Mac ’n’ Cheese, Dennison’s chili con carne, roasted and salted pecans, cream of mushroom soup and canned albacore tuna. As for foods that would cause me stress if I had to eat them, how about canned asparagus, canned peas, frozen spinach and cilantro in any form.
A
n absolute must, no matter what you pack, be sure to include half-a-dozen very large jars of Best Foods Mayonnaise. At 100 calories per level tablespoon, you’ll get more energy per square inch of shelf space than with any other food. Nothing else is even close. “Store at least three days worth of water for each person in your household and for each pet.” The goldfish already has water. “FEMA recommends storing at lest one gallon of water for each person in your household for each day.” For bathing or for drinking? “Unopened, commercially bottled water is the safest and most reliable water supply. If it’s storebought water, make sure you
check the expiration date.” Water has an expiration date? I’m sorry kids, I know you’re thirsty from all that spicy food, but our water is all past its expiration date. Better just pour it out so no one gets sick. “When preparing, don’t forget if there’s a baby in the house.” Oh my gosh, I completely forgot. That baby has done nothing but sleep for the first six months since we brought her home and I totally didn’t include her in our planning. Does she need a gallon of water a day, too? “It’s important that you don’t panic buy and try to fill your fridge,” CNN adds, because you might not have power. Look, rather than assume the worst, I plan to pack the refrigerator with milk and cheese and bacon and chicken and chuck roast and butter and eggs, along with abundant cartons of ice cream in the freezer, and if the power goes out, the power goes out. I mean, wouldn’t you feel incredibly stupid if the power stays on — as it usually does — and every time you open the refrigerator door the little light comes on and shows you shelf after shelf of nothingness? “If you’re out of electricity and water, having paper plates and utensils can help you prepare and eat your meals safely.” Forget about paper plates and plastic forks, if we run out of electricity and water, I’m going to venture out and find my long-ago friend’s bomb shelter. — Reach Bob Dunning at bdunning@davisenterprise.net.
Drug-treatment bill clears committee Special to The Enterprise
By Andy Jones Special to The Enterprise 1. American Cities. The first and third most populous US cities that start with a vowel are found in Texas. What is the second most populous U.S. city that starts with a vowel, one that is one-and-a-half times larger than Atlanta? 2. Oscar-Winners. Previously married to two Oscar-winners, what Oscar-winning actress has recently been highlighting the growing number of refugees displaced from war zone areas across the world? 3. Sports. What NBA basketball team based competes as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division and plays its games at Target Center?
Yolo Healthy Aging hosts fundraiser Special to The Enterprise Get ready for “Stepping Out!” the Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance annual fundraiser and Senior Superstar Award night, from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 3, at the YoloCares Galileo Place Garden, 1901 Galileo Court in Davis. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at https:// www.yolohealthyaging.org/ annual-fundraiser-1 or by sending a check to “Yolo Healthy Aging Alliance” 600 A Street, Suite C, Davis, CA 95616. Proof of COVID vaccination will be required at the event.
4. Notable Frenchmen. How old was Louis Braille when he completed and shared his tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired: 15, 35 or 55? 5. Famous Battles. In what U.S. state did the Battle of Bunker Hill take place? Answers: Indianapolis, Angelina Jolie, Minnesota Timberwolves, 15, Massachusetts. — Dr. Andy Jones is the former quizmaster at de Vere’s Irish Pub and author of the book “Pub Quizzes: Trivia for Smart People.” His pub quiz is now seeking a new home. Meanwhile, Dr. Andy is also sharing his pub quizzes via Patreon. Find out more at www.yourquizmaster.com.
The California Assembly’s Public Safety Committee last week passed a substance-use disorder bill, AB 1928 — also known as the “Hope California” bill — on a 5-0 vote. Hope California is a pilot program offering those who suffer from SUDs and committing repeat felonies the option to choose rehabilitation over serving jail time. Participants who volunteer for the program would be confined and would have their records expunged and sealed once treatment is completed. The program would be offered in Yolo, Santa Clara and San Joaquin counties. AB 1928 mirrors an earlier bill, AB 1542, which targeted only Yolo County
and made its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk before the governor vetoed it last fall. At the time, he said it would lead to “forced treatment” that could hinder participants’ long-term recovery. “Our efforts in California in treating those who suffer from SUDs, some of whom are suffering from mental health issues or are homeless, have been unsuccessful,” said Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, D-Sacramento, who sponsored the legislation. This bill would address gaps in the current criminal justice and rehabilitation system, which have resulted in those suffering from substance abuse cycling in and out of local jails without a clear pathway to treatment.
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GAS: Concerted efforts to provide relief at the pump From Page A1 multiple causes for the surge in gas prices, ranging from the slow resumption of oil production during the pandemic to sanctions placed on Russia, a major oil exporter, following its invasion of Ukraine. With the price of gas closely tied to Russia’s war on Ukraine, industry experts expect prices to remain elevated for weeks if not months. “Americans are feeling the impact at the pump of Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, and right now we must work together on commonsense policy solutions to ease the financial burden that my constituents are feeling,” Thompson said. He added that the rebate is intended “to provide middle-class Americans with monthly payments to ease the financial burden of this global crises.” Similar to federal economic impact payments that were sent to many Americans during the pandemic, the gas rebate is be
targeted to low and middle-income families and individuals. People who filed their taxes single and earned less than $75,000 last year would receive the full $100 per month rebate, as would joint filers who earned less than $150,000. The rebate phases out for those who earned more than $75,000. Meanwhile, California taxpayers could see additional rebate money if state leaders approve a similar proposal announced Wednesday by several state lawmakers. The group of Democratic legislators called for a $400 one-time rebate to be sent to every Californian to soften the blow of surging gas prices. Republican lawmakers in California have pushed for a different form of relief: suspending the state’s 51 cents-per-gallon gas tax, which primarily generates funding for highway maintenance, road repairs and public transit. Due to opposition from Democrats, that proposal appears to be a longshot.
“This proposed $400 rebate would cover the current 51 cents-per-gallon gas tax for one full year, 52 trips to the pump for most vehicles,” the Democratic lawmakers wrote in a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state leaders. “We believe a rebate is a better approach than suspending the gas tax — which would severely impact funding for important transportation projects and offers no guarantee that oil companies would pass on the savings to consumers,” the letter said. The $400 gas rebate proposal came from a group of 10 Democrats, including Cecilia AguiarCurry, D-Winters, and one independent. The lawmakers said it should be considered as part of the state budget negotiations scheduled to begin in late spring. — Reach Caleb Hampton at champton@ davisenterprise.net. Follow him on Twitter at @ calebmhampton.
GARDENING: Green opportunities From Page A1 2020. They were hoping to gauge the significance of gardening as a way to cope with risk, how the pandemic changed gardening and what barriers existed. More than 3,700 surveys were returned by gardeners from Australia, Germany and the United States. More than half of those responding said they felt isolated, anxious and depressed during the early days of the pandemic, and 81% had concerns about food access. During this time, people also had more time to garden, and they saw the activity as a safe haven and a way to connect socially with others. “Not only did gardeners describe a sense of control and security that came from food production, but they also expressed heightened experiences of joy, beauty and freedom in garden spaces,” said the report, which broke up responses by region or states. In California, for instance, 33% of gardeners said their plots generated about
25% of their produce needs. Some gardeners with access to large spots to garden also grew food for their community. Gardening during the pandemic offered a way to socialize safely. “People found new connections in the garden,” said Lucy Diekmann, an urban agriculture and food systems advisor with UCANR who helped write the report. “It became a shared hobby as opposed to an individual one.” Responses were fairly similar across all locations, even though the surveys hit in the summer and winter depending on location. “We see remarkable similarities in terms of what people are saying and the way they are interacting with their gardens,” she said. Many respondents also found it hard to find and buy seeds or plants and locate a spot to grow. The report findings suggest an opportunity for government, community groups, businesses and others to promote community health by providing green spaces.
Obituary June Barcroft Prowell
April 29, 1927 — March 11, 2022 June Marie Barcroft Prowell, the only child of Thelma and Harry Barcroft, died on March 11, 2022. She was born on April 29, 1927, in Los Angeles, and grew up in Southern California. She attended local schools in the area, experiencing a memorable event for her first year when the Long Beach earthquake of 1933 damaged schools so severely that the students had to attend school in tents for a year. June graduated from Montebello High School during World War II. The war accelerated many college programs, so she started at USC the week following graduation from MHS. Her goal was to become an RN and obtain a bachelor’s degree, which she accomplished in 1949, graduating from USC and the California Hospital School of Nursing. Marriage followed that same year, which meant a move to Escondido near San Diego. She started work as a school nurse which she enjoyed very much, and was sad to leave. But her husband, wishing to take advantage of the GI Bill, enrolled at UC Berkeley, so this meant a move to Northern California. There a position was available at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in the Well Baby Clinic in Oakland. Working with seven pediatricians was a wonderful learning source for later raising the four Prowell children, Grover, Susan, Sherie and Laura. In 1972, the family moved
to Merced County, where they settled on an almond ranch in Atwater. When the children were in school, June returned to part time work at the local hospital, and was surprised to be recruited for the director of the Vocational Nursing Program position by Merced High School Adult Education. Since the high school had agreed to turn the program over to the brand-new Merced College, this meant the same schedule the children had. She enjoyed the combination of teaching and working with students in the local hospitals. June and her staff were very gratified to graduate over 500 vocational nursing students in her 20 years at Merced College. Retirement resulted in a move to Davis to help in the care of dearly loved granddaughters Megan and Julia Rodman. She enjoyed living in Davis, volunteering with Sutter Davis Hospital Auxiliary for over 20 years, and ushering at Freeborn Hall and the Mondavi Center. As a member of Davis United Methodist Church, June served on the Board of Trustees at one time, and on the first committee involved in building the new sanctuary. Travel was high on June’s agenda. She enjoyed a sabbatical spent in Denmark studying mental health. Other travels enjoyed were to Japan, and cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean, Australia, and the Panama Canal. She is survived by son
Grover Prowell (Meca); daughters Susan Braden (Dexter), Sherie PROWELL Corley (Mike) and Laura Rodman (Bryan); grandsons Dustin (Megan) and Chris Braden; and granddaughters Megan and Julia Rodmn. A memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 30, at the Davis United Methodist Church. In lieu of gifts or flowers, the family requests donations be made to one of June’s favorite charities: Sutter Davis Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship Program, Yolo Crisis Nursery, Doctors Without Borders, or the American Red Cross.
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SEARCH: Survey offers insights From Page A1 district and be here for a long time.” The survey results also yielded overwhelming praise for the teachers throughout the district. However, Huyett also reported a general feeling that the district’s input process is performative, and that asking for input is simply “going through the motions.” In other actions, associate superintendent of instruction Rody Boonchouy updated the board on the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). The update covered the timeline, components and goals of the LCAP to optimize learning, opportunity and equity for DJUSD students. Boonchouy also covered the results of student focus groups throughout the district. The results gave insight into students’ concerns about racism, harmful interactions and their lamentation of the increasingly competitive culture around them as well as high expectations. “February was an intensive run of focus groups,” Boonchoy said. “We thank the many staff who facilitated these sessions, and we certainly want to express our gratitude to students. Their contributions, reflections and courage remind us that our schools exist for them and that our work must
“February was an intensive run of focus groups.” Roddy Boonchouy Associate superintendent of instruction start with them.” Amari Watkins, associate superintendent of business services, presented a review of the second interim financial report. The review encompassed a comparison with the first interim report, multi-year projections as well as considerations for fiscal sustainability. Watkins reported on the district’s dependency on state funding, future budget cuts and the how the declining enrollment and deficit spending may lead to fiscal distress if not addressed. The board then voted to approve the financial report. Following suit was a brief COVID-19 health and safety report. Fortunately, the numbers show a decline in cases and transmissions across the board. It was also reported that Yolo County provided enough rapid COVID tests for the district to distribute to students and staff, all in an effort to have staff and students test themselves before returning from spring break and
mitigate the spread of coronavirus. The public comment portion of the meeting brought to light various issues within the district. In the forefront was a call for increasing teachers’ wages, the work/life imbalance as well as the difficulty maintaining that balance when they cannot afford to live where they teach. Also making its appearance in the public comments — as it’s done the past many weeks — was the continuing discontent for the new bell schedule to be implemented at Davis Senior High School and DaVinci High School. The board’s announcements were more positive as President, Tom Adams commented on fundraising efforts for Ukraine. “I participated with my city colleagues in a drive to fund-raise in relief to Ukraine,” said Adams. “What we want to do as educators and citizens of Davis is to be able to say when the people of Ukraine needed help, we were there. And we have raised over $12,000 in relief for them.” With that the meeting concluded with the next scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7, at the Community Chambers at 23 Russell Blvd. The meeting will be on cable television at DJUSD Education Channel 17 and streamed online at djusd. davismedia.org.
GLASS: Next goal, a world record From Page A1 to get the Guinness world record,” said Likes. “I have to beat a guy named Terry ‘Turbo’ Burrows. He has a record of 9.14 seconds, and now I’m at about 10. So, I have some practice to do and it’s probably going to take a couple years before I’m ready.” Burrows’ record has remained intact for over 20 years, but with Likes closing
in on it, Turbo has ample reason to be nervous. Just because Likes is preparing to snag the record, however, doesn’t mean one can’t hire he and his teams to come out and clean one’s windows and gutters. Simply log onto jefflikescleanwindows.com to book an appointment online or call them 530-203-6704. — Reach Aaron Geerts at aaron. geerts@mcnaughton.media.
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SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022
Obituaries Isao Fujimoto
Sept. 28, 1933 — Feb. 25, 2022 Dr. Isao Fujimoto, Ph.D., professor and community organizer, died peacefully at his home in Davis on Feb. 25, 2022. He was 88 years old. Isao joined UC Davis in 1967 as a founding member of the Community Development program. Throughout his career, he served as primary instructor for over fifty courses and later founded the Asian American Studies department before retiring in 1994. His retirement, however, was in name only. He continued teaching both locally and abroad — spending summers in Kyoto, Japan where he taught his beloved UC Study Abroad course. He also held leadership positions in several grassroots organizations like the Rural Development Leadership Network and the Central Valley Partnership for Citizenship for nearly two decades thereafter. Despite a distinguished academic career and countless accolades, Isao was perhaps best known for his insatiable curiosity and unparalleled commitment to education, social justice, and the empowerment of marginalized communities. Understanding that knowledge equals power, he developed an unconventional approach to teaching and scholarship that centered justice and collaboration, and challenged the hierarchy and culture of traditional academia. In fact, his home in West Davis served as the incubator and origi-
nal headquarters for cherished Davis landmarks like the Davis Food Co-Op and the Farmer’s Market, both of which were FUJIMOTO founded by Isao's students. From an early age, the importance of community was impressed upon Isao. He was born on Sept. 28, 1933, in Wapato, Wash., on the Yakama Indian Reservation, to Ayako and Taichi Fujimoto, farmers from southwestern Japan. Isao was the first of 13 children. The family lived in an ethnic enclave on the reservation, where they worked as tenant farmers. Along with 125 other Japanese immigrant families, they circumvented the racist and restrictive Alien Land Law that otherwise prohibited those of Asian descent from owning or leasing land by instead renting from the Yakama, whose land was not subject to such legislation. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Isao’s father was immediately arrested and imprisoned at Fort Missoula, Mont. As with many Japanese Americans at the time, a period of unimaginable injustice and adversity began. Despite eightyear-old Isao’s best efforts, including writing letters to President Roosevelt at his mother’s urging, his father would not be reunited with the family for almost two years. In 1942, along with his mother and younger siblings, Isao was incarcerated in Heart Mountain,
Edmond Costantini d. Jan. 10, 2022
Edmond (Ed) Costantini, 89, professor emeritus of political science at UC Davis, father, grandfather and longtime Davis community member, passed away on Jan. 10, 2022. His daughter Lisa and devoted caregiver Petero were at his side.
papers of that era. One perk of this job was being able to take home and read a wide variety of papers. This early experience led to his passion for politics and government and a rewarding career teaching, studying, researching and practicing politics.
In addition to Lisa, Ed is survived by his grandson and namesake, Eddie Costantini and Eddie’s partner Ruby; his sister and brother-in-law Nicole and Larry Berman; sister and brother-in-law Diane and Dennis Kintzel and many loving nieces, nephews and cousins. Aggie, his wife of 61 years, predeceased him in 2018.
Ed was an idealist and believed in democracy, the party system and government as tools to be used for the benefit of all people. As a professor at UC Davis, Ed shared his passion for politics with thousands of students, many of whom were inspired by Ed to pursue lives of public service and in academia.
Ed was born in WilkesBarre, Pennsylvania and raised in New York. As a young man, Ed had a paper route in Manhattan delivering the dozen or so daily
Ed received a bachelor’s degree from New York University and a master’s degree from the University of Connecticut, where he met his wife, Agnes. Ed and Aggie married in 1956 and
Donald ‘Dutch’ Martinich d. Monday, Feb. 21, 2022
Donald “Dutch” Martinich left Davis on Monday, Feb. 21, 2022, for the great music hall in the sky. You’ll find him dancing to Count Basie, or Cajun and Balkan tunes, or just sitting at a table with a beer and listening in appreciation to West Coast jazz and bebop. He was 84. Dutch’s father was from the Dalmatian island of Brac and his mother was from Kentucky. His and his sister Toni’s earliest years were in San Pedro, before his family moved to San Francisco and then to the Peninsula. Raised in a Catholic family, Dutch attended St. Joseph’s Military Academy in grade school, along with the Pelosi brothers, but graduated from Menlo-Atherton high school. His love of the sea was inbred and he served in the U.S. Coast Guard on the Mendocino coast and in Hawaii. Following his military service, he returned to Menlo Park, married, had a son, and held various jobs, working as an arborist, a postman, a sports car mechanic and at Ridge Vineyards, where he learned winemaking and viticulture. He was an avid cyclist in the Santa Cruz Mountains and a member of the Pedali Alpini. He particularly enjoyed passing cars on the steep descents on his Cinelli Supercorsa. Dutch arrived in Davis in 1971 to study Environmental Horticulture, and never left. We were all the better for his presence. Dutch folk-danced
Wyo., where his father would later be transferred. After being reunited, the family was sent to Tule Lake, the infamous maximum-security internment camp, where they remained until the end of World War II. It was at Tule Lake that Isao was given a stamp collection book by his father, a gift that would change his life. As he pored over images of foreign people and places, his mind was liberated, his imagination flew “over the barbed wire,” and a lifelong quest to learn and appreciate global diversity began. Upon their release from Tule Lake, the family resettled in California, first in Pleasanton, and then in Morgan Hill, where they worked as sharecroppers and later, as independent strawberry farmers. Although they were forced to rebuild their lives during a time of postwar hostility and threats of deportation, the perseverance of his parents was unshakeable, setting a powerful example for Isao that would serve as his ultimate guide. Isao would go on to lead an adventure-filled life that was often as unpredictable as it was impressive, despite numerous challenges along the way. After receiving his undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley in 1955, where he participated in the Cal Indo project, a collaborative exchange program with student leaders in Indonesia, Isao was drafted and sent to Korea as a U.S. Army correspondent. Upon returning home, Isao reconsidered his original plan of becoming a physician, working
headed west. After receiving his Ph.D. in Political Science from UC Berkeley, COSTANTINI Ed and Aggie settled in Davis when Ed joined the UC Davis political science department in 1964. Ed was an active member of the faculty until his retirement in 1994. After retirement, Ed continued to play a role in university life where he served on many committees and was often called upon as an expert witness, consultant or speaker in his field. In addition to a distinguished career in academia, Ed, an ardent Democrat, was always politically active. He served as assistant to the California campaign manager for the John Kennedy presidential campaign in 1960 and was
and was an early member of the Davis Bike Club, completing the Double Century several times and serving on “sag” wagons once he passed 60 years old. MARTINICH Dutch was a “jack of all trades” (and master of many), holding various jobs during his 50-plus years in the community. Early on he spent several years doing archeology on the Old Town Sacramento “dig.” Later, he was a staff research assistant in the pomology department, collecting data on the effect of drought on almonds. He helped his friend, Frank Alviso, establish the Clockspring Vineyard up in Plymouth and later worked a crush at Cary Gott’s Montevina Winery. He was the founding chef at Maurice’s American Bar and Café on Broadway in Sacramento, where for two years he ground fresh beef each day for the hamburgers, a task much too important to be outsourced, and rendered beef suet for the hand-cut French fries, which were, of course, twice fried (and delicious). Following his time at Maurice’s, Dutch spent several years as an environmental monitoring technician. He later used his photographic and design skills to build and maintain websites for local businesses. An excellent amateur photographer, Dutch specialized in the landscapes of California, with a particular focus on the Central Valley. He knew
briefly as a probation officer and then as a high school chemistry teacher at San Jose High School. It was at San Jose High School that his talent as an educator became impossible to ignore, and he subsequently earned a master’s degree in education from Stanford in 1960. With a career in medicine in the rear view, Isao began to carve a path that was uniquely his own, attending institutes for higher education at the historically Black Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. At Cornell, Isao decided to pursue a Ph.D. in rural sociology. He was conducting field research in the Philippines when three of his siblings were tragically killed by a drunk driver back home in California. In the wake of his family's grief, Isao put his dissertation on hold. Soon, UC Davis came calling and, in the years that followed, Isao dove headfirst into his new role, eager and excited to lead in movements for change. But he refused to give up on the work he began almost 50 years before and in 2010, at the age of 76, he finished and successfully defended his dissertation at Cornell, proudly leading his graduating class in the ceremony's procession. Isao was the proud father of three children, to whom he gave the gifts of curiosity and a healthy appetite for learning. He was generous in his love and wisdom and ensured that his children had every opportunity to explore and engage with those around them. As he did with his siblings, Isao
former education secretary to California Governor Edmund “Pat” Brown. In more recent years, he was the honorary co-chair of the UC Davis Faculty for Barack Obama. Ed cherished his relationships with family, friends and colleagues. He especially enjoyed his role as father and grandfather. One of his favorite places to spend time was on the deck of the family cabin overlooking Lake Tahoe while writing or reading the paper with a strong cup of coffee in hand. He had an incredible mind for numbers and loved beating the odds at blackjack in Tahoe’s many casinos, where he was often greeted by name. With Aggie, Ed enjoyed and generously supported the arts. He would be the first to tell you how fortunate he was to have lived such a full and satisfying life. A memorial service will be held at a future date.
pretty much all of the obscure towns and mining villages in California and had probably photographed them. He loved to cook for large groups of people, and if you were lucky enough to have attended a lamb roast, you will smile at the memory. A convivial man and knowledgeable on diverse and arcane subjects, Dutch was an excellent drinking companion, who always had a new joke and an amusing story to pass on. He often could be found at his Davis bar of choice — the Antique Bizzare or the Wooden Ship in the early years, later at some place a bit closer to home. Prior to COVD, most mornings he was at Mishka’s, enjoying a hot chocolate and conversation. COVID ended that for Dutch, causing this very social man to confine, alone, at home for most of the past two years. Dutch is survived by his son, Anton Martinich, and his ex-wife, Kathy Martinich. His sister, Toni, had passed on six months earlier. The family plans to scatter Toni’s and Dutch’s ashes together at sea, somewhere off the California coast, in a private ceremony. No public memorial is planned. He would probably have approved of a donation in his memory to either the Davis Bike Club or the California Native Plant Society. A less expensive way to remember Dutch is to simply lift a glass of your favorite beverage (a Ridge Zinfandel comes to mind as a possibility) and to drink to his memory. This can be done more than once. RIP, our marvelous friend.
Obituary policy The Enterprise publishes brief death notices free of charge. These include name, age, city of residence, occupation, date of death and funeral/memorial information. Paid-for obituaries allow for controlled content with the option for photos. Obituaries will be edited for style and grammar. Submissions may be made via www.davisenterprise.com/obit-form/. For further information about paid obituaries or free death notices, call 530-756-0800.
took his children on adventures across the country and around the world. He was always teaching; he couldn’t help it. More difficult than summarizing Isao’s rich life is attempting to convey all that will be missed in his absence. In addition to his many accomplishments, there is no doubt Isao will also be remembered for his seemingly limitless energy and enthusiasm, his infectious laugh, and the unbelievable love and loyalty he offered to family, friends and strangers alike. Isao is preceded in death by his parents, Taichi and Ayako Fujimoto; sisters Toyoko, Keiko and Shoko; and his brother Donald. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Christine Fry; their daughter Esumi; sons Caedmon and Basho and their mother, Linda Wilson; grandchildren Bela Buson, Kodo and Ruby Umiko; brother Kazuya (Dorothy); sisters Yoshiko (Tad), Motoko (Masao), Coleen (Ted), Janet (Jack), Annie, Shigeko and Tomiko (Pat); in addition to many nieces, nephews and, of course, students, colleagues, and friends. If you feel moved to donate in Isao’s memory, contributions may be made to the UC Davis Isao Fujimoto Education and Student Support Fund (https://give.ucdavis.edu/CLAS/ASIFGFT). A public memorial service will be held in Davis on April 21. Kindly RSVP to esumifujimoto@ gmail.com for additional details. Masks and social distancing will be required.
Elizabeth E. Bradford
May 20, 1934 — Dec. 22, 2021 Elizabeth E. Bradford of Davis passed peacefully from this life at age 87 on Dec. 22, 2021, with family at her bedside. She was born May 20, 1934 to Walter and Marion (Withey) Engelke in Madison, Wis., and grew up in a strong, loving family with her parents, two younger brothers and a large extended family. In her freshman year at the University of Wisconsin she met Eric Bradford, a Canadian graduate student. They married in 1954 and moved to Quebec when Eric started as an assistant professor at McGill University; two children were born to them in Quebec. In 1957 Eric joined the animal science department at UC Davis, where he served on the faculty for 50 years. Elizabeth and Eric built a full and happy life in Davis centered around family (two more children were born in California), education, friends, music and community involvement. Elizabeth finished her bachelor’s degree in English at UCD in 1965 and later a TESOL Certificate. She helped her friend Jerrie Peek start a language-learning preschool for international children, a precursor to UCD’s Early Childhood Lab School. She also worked as a TESOL teacher’s aide in Davis public schools and volunteered at Davis Community Church: deacon, elder, youth leader and pastoral search consultant for other Northern California Presbyterian congregations. Elizabeth was politically astute and an active member of League of Women Voters, PEO and other organizations supporting women’s education and international students. In addition to singing with the Davis Comic Opera Company, Davis Chorale and her church’s Chancel Choir, she encouraged
her children’s varied musical pursuits. Elizabeth built a strong and loving home BRADFORD where family, friends and newcomers to Davis felt welcomed. She loved to entertain, cook, sew, write poetry and craft beautiful and increasingly complex quilts treasured by all. She and Eric enjoyed their retreat home on the Mendocino Coast, traveling and spending time with friends made around the world. In 2017 Elizabeth moved to Carlton Senior Living (Davis) where she continued to enjoy visits from family and friends, good books and films. She was preceded in death by the love of her life, Eric (to whom she was married for 53 years) and son-inlaw Don Aumann, both in 2007. Elizabeth is survived by brothers Daniel (Jean) Engelke of Flower Mound, Texas, and Robert (Susan) Engelke of Madison, Wis.; children Anne (Harry) Harris of Madison, Ken (Patricia) Bradford of Davis, Margaret Aumann (Bryan Plude) of Chico and Ellen (Phil) Javete of Pleasant Hill; and grandchildren Alexander and Benjamin Harris, Peter and Emily Aumann, and Payton and Fiona Javete. Embracing her chosen roles as wife, mother, grandmother and friend, Elizabeth expressed her love for family and friends to the end of her life. A Memorial Service was on Friday, March 18, at Davis Community Church, livestreamed on the DCC YouTube channel. Elizabeth gave generously to many charitable causes; to honor her memory, gifts may be sent to a charity of the donor’s choice.
Living
THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022 A5
Trying out a different kind of resolution n Editor’s note: This column first ran in slightly different form in 2006.
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f I tell you exactly what I'm doing at this moment, it will sound perfectly normal to you. I'm making coffee. I'm looking at my router, which has been having problems lately. I'm checking email. I'm checking the weather forecast. I'm thinking of calling my Internet provider. I'm working on this column. The word for what I'm doing is multi-tasking, America's way of life. I will continue in this path all day long, cooking to the sound of television, driving to the sound of a podcast, talking on the phone while walking around the house picking up laundry. At any time, a second telephone might ring. Not so many years ago, I didn't have the remote that allows me to change channels from the kitchen, the adapter that makes it easy to listen to a podcast in the car, or the smart phone. But as a parent of small children and a part-time worker, I multitasked constantly, even without these conveniences.
To be honest, I like multi-tasking, but it doesn't bring fulfillment — nor even success at the multiple tasks. Instead, I often feel I've missed something, like the column idea that escaped me while I was checking email, or the expression on my husband's face that disappeared while I was changing the channel. (Don't get me started on what I missed when the woman in front of me at the theatre multi-tasked while watching the movie. She was texting.) Multi-tasking gives the illusion of doing more, but sometimes we're accomplishing less. My resolution is to see if I can uni-task again. I know it's going to be difficult when even the word I invented sounds funny. Uni-tasking? What's that?
Uni-tasking means doing only one thing at a time. It means thinking about that one thing before I work on it and reflecting on it after I'm done. It means devoting all my mental and physical power to one objective, but not in that frantic way we adopt when we're pressed for time. I envision a lot more of what might be called daydreaming, both before and after the task at hand. My friend "Elizabeth" unitasks, and I swear she sees depths of the human psyche that I miss entirely. I'd like to adopt something of her style. When we meet for breakfast (our favorite), I can tell she's been thinking about what to discuss. She has considered which of the dozens of things going on her life might intersect with mine and lead to fruitful conversation. They do. She sometimes calls me a few hours later. She has been thinking about what we discussed. She has new ideas. Meanwhile, I've been on the phone with my Internet provider, I've visited another friend, I've tinkered with three writing projects, and I've shopped at Nugget, where I
got distracted by a new pasta. I'm usually eager to continue our conversation, but I'm always playing catch up because I didn't take time to sit still and think. The tremendous respect she shows me, by considering my words and coming back to them later, is not something I confer on other people. I'm not the only one.
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y husband, another notorious multi-tasker, has eyes that give him away. As we near the end of a conversation, or maybe when he thinks we're nearing the end even though I don't, his eyes start moving and I know he's onto the next task. It doesn't feel good to be Number Two in this situation, and yet I know I do it to other people. Conversation over? I move on. I race through my day like a speedboat, instead of taking time to settle into my kayak, study the current, and dip my paddle in. Uni-tasking means going slowly. It means adding the before (thinking about what I'm going to do) and the after (thinking about what just happened). Frankly, I'm so used to being
speedy that it sounds very difficult. I enjoy the excitement of a fast pace, but I'm learning that good ideas develop slowly. I can only go deep if I bump into things more than once, the way you remember a person's name after two encounters, or three, or get to know a movie star after her second movie, or third, at which point you're developing an understanding of the actress, what roles she likes, where she shines, and you're becoming fond of her one-sided dimple. Multi-tasking is the forest, full of delights, variety, and the feeling of accomplishing something because you're doing a lot. Uni-tasking is the tree. At first you fear you're missing something. Then you start noticing details — bark, grain, placement of branches, nuts the squirrels have stuffed into notches — everything that makes the tree an individual, and you realize that what looks simple is very complex. My new resolution? Trees. — Marion Franck has lived in Davis for more than 40 years. Reach her at marionf2@gmail. com.
Thought leaders will gather for national summit Y C A fter working with 1,000 healthcare and hospice organizations during a three-decade career, Andrew Reed, founder of Multi-View Inc. (a premier hospice teaching company), recently said, “I am convinced that the best hospices see themselves as teaching institutions as much as they are care organizations.” To that end, YoloCares, the Sacramento Valley’s only affiliate of the California Hospice Network, is collaborating with Sacramento State University to host a national care conference on June 24, 2022. The event, titled the “Quintessential Care Summit: Emerging Considerations for Life’s Final Chapter,” will feature Reed along with several other thought-leaders in end-oflife care. Setting the tone for the one-day summit, Dr. B.J. Miller will kick off the morning by discussing his recent book, “A Beginners Guide to the End.” Miller is a hospice and palliative care physician who has worked in all major settings — inpatient, outpatient, hospice facility and home. He is now president of Mettle Health in Mill Valley, where he also counsels terminally ill patients and their caregivers on how to create a dignified, graceful end-of-life experience. An Ivy League-educated physician, Miller completed a palliative care medicine fellowship at Harvard and is known for his founding role at San Francisco’s Zen Caregiver Project. Miller speaks internationally on the themes of living well in the face of illness and death. As a triple amputee, he has developed incredible empathic abilities. His 2015 TED talk, “Not Whether, But How,” ranked among the top-15 most viewed TED talks. Although Miller is an expert in death, he has also learned how people can dramatically improve their own lives, often with very
olo ares
small changes. Because he has guided more than 1,000 individuals and families through the dying process, he frequently shares insights about the patterns he has witnessed and how others can learn from those patterns. Other featured speakers during the June summit include the following: n Teepa Snow, is one of the world’s leading advocates and educators for anyone living with dementia or other forms of brain change. Snow is an occupational therapist with 40 years of clinical and academic experience. Her advocacy efforts led her to the development of the GEMS State Model for understanding the progression of dementia. Snow is the founder of the Positive Approach to Care which provides a wide variety of services to enhance awareness and increase dementia care skills. n Dale Beatty, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, is a senior healthcare executive at Stanford Healthcare, a clinical instructor, coach and professional speaker. Beatty has a doctorate of nursing practice from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and is a board certified nurse executive. Beatty has significant experiences in leading organizations to achieve the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Nursing Magnet designation. n Dr. Steven Pantilat is the Kates-Burnard and Hellman Distinguished Professor in Palliative Care and the inaugural chief of the division of palliative
medicine at UCSF. Pantilat has published over 120 peer-reviewed scientific papers, authored two dozen book chapters, and co-edited with colleagues at UCSF two textbooks on palliative care titled, “Care at the Close of Life” and “Hospital Based Palliative Medicine.” He is also the board chair for the Palliative Care Quality Collaborative, a national organization dedicated to improving the quality of care for seriously ill people and their families. n Margaret Pasquesi is a music thanatologist and founder of the music thanatology program at Journeycare in Chicago. In this subspecialty of palliative care, practitioners use harps to calm patients in their final hours, countering normal feelings of fear and anxiety that come with dying. Pasquesi says, "We use music to address the physical manifestations of the dying process - connecting music with things like breath, pulse and temperature. Our main job is to accompany someone through the dying process, and we tailor the music to what is going on physically for the patient." n Dr. David Steinhorn is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School with post-graduate training in pediatric hepatology and critical care. He was a bioethics consultant under Arthur Caplan, PhD, at the University of Minnesota Hospitals and Clinics where he was also an attending physician in pediatric critical care. Following relocation to the Children’s Hospital of Buffalo in 1991, Steinhorn undertook postdoctoral
clinical training in hospice and palliative care. At that time, he became the first medical director of the Essential Care Program at Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. From 1999 until 2012, he was a professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and served as medical director of the Palliative Care Program at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
geriatric nurse practitioner who specializes in cannabis therapy. For over 20 years, Theisen has worked primarily with cancer, dementia and chronic pain patients. In the last six years, she has focused her efforts on cannabinoid therapies ... working with more than 6,000 patients to help them effectively treat age-related and chronic illness with cannabis.
n Jana Din is a Shamanic healing practitioner and co-founder of the Tao Center for Healing. Since 2013, Din has provided over 100 volunteer shamanic healing services for critically ill and dying children in collaboration with Steinhorn, a former UC Davis Medical Center physician, who serves as professor of pediatrics and medical director of the PANDA Palliative Care Program at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
In 2019, she coauthored “Pain Free with CBD: Everything You Need to Know to Safely and Effectively Use Cannabidiol” with Alice O’Leary Randall. Theisen is also serving as president of the American Cannabis Nurses Association through 2022.
n Eloise Theisen is one of Pacific College’s expert faculty members in the field of medical cannabis. She is a board certified
n Carole Fisher serves as president for the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation (NPHI) in Washington DC. Utilizing her previous experiences and deep familiarity with not-for-profit communitybased hospice and palliative healthcare, she is charged with leading a
wide range of activities for the membership organization. As a seasoned C-suite advisor, innovator and public policy advocate, for the past 35 years, she has successfully led and transformed for-profit and mission driven healthcare operations. She is the former president and CEO of Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas.
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ospice and palliative care agencies have opportunities every day to teach clinicians how to perfect the art and science of their craft. Almost daily, physicians, nurses, nursing aides, social workers, and chaplains are taught how to listen for the needs and values held by each patient. They are also taught how to address all components of care in order to help patients not just feel better, but to be better. For more information on Quintessential Care Summit: Emerging Considerations for Life’s Final Chapter, please visit www. yolocares.org. — Craig Dresang is the CEO of YoloCares.
Business
A6 THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022
Pluto’s space to become a modern food court
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ight restaurants in one place. That’s the plan for the former Pluto’s space in Davis Commons. Local Kitchens calls itself a “micro food hall” that lets you mix and match food brands in one order. It plans to open in midMay, though the company is still waiting on permits to begin construction on the 2,569square-foot space at 500 First St., Suite 13. A Local Kitchens opened in Roseville on Tuesday, in the Highland Reserve Marketplace, 10357 Fairway Drive. It was the sixth one since three friends — two of them former DoorDash employees — launched the company in the summer of 2020. They are CEO Jon Goldsmith, CTO Jordan Bramble and COO Andrew Munday. The company has several in the Bay Area: in Cupertino, Lafayette, Palo Alto, San Jose and Mountain View, with Los Gatos planned. Tracy Chiao, head of real estate for Local Kitchens, said the Davis rollout will come in two phases. First, it will be a pop-up, with about five restaurants. “Once we finish up the remodel, we’ll do a full opening, with about eight partners.” She said they’re still finalizing that list of partners, which will dictate the hours. They hope to name the brands in another week or two. Hours of other stores range, with openings at 8 or 11 a.m. and closings between 9:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. It does not include a liquor license. The list of prospective brands includes The Melt, which had a standalone restaurant in Davis Commons from 2013 to 2015. Back then, it focused on grilled cheese. The new concept has a lot of burger variations, too. Other options are: Asian Box (build-your-own Asian bowls), Curry Up Now (Indian, burritos), Garden of Eat’n (salads, wraps and sandwiches), Humphry Slocombe ice cream, The Lumpia Company (Filipino spring rolls), Nash & Proper chicken sandwiches, Oren’s Hummus (falafel, kabobs), The Plant (organic plantbased bowls), Proposition
Chicken (fried, rotisserie or vegetarian “chicken” entrees, sandwiches and salads), Rooster & Rice (Thai chicken and rice bowls), Sajj (Mediterranean bowls and plates), Señor Sisig (Filipino, Asian fusion), Sushirrito (Asian wraps and bowls), and Wise Sons (sandwiches, soups and sides). The new Roseville Local Kitchens has six brands: Curry Up Now, Nash & Proper, The Melt, Señor Sisig, Garden of Eat’n and Humphry Slocombe. My guess is those with Sacramento area connections — Curry Up Now, Nash & Proper and Garden of Eat’n — are likely for Davis too. Davis Commons already has the following restaurants: Mikuni Japanese, My Burma, Burger Patch and The Halal Guys. Local Kitchens works from one big kitchen, with stations and chefs for each brand. Chefs are cross-trained, to help each other. “We tend to work with the cool local brands,” Chiao said. The concept started during the pandemic, when eateries shut down in downtown San Francisco for lack of patrons. Local Kitchens helps small restaurants expand “when they don’t have the capital to open a bunch of locations themselves.” She cited Señor Sisig, which had a pre-pandemic food truck that drew a cult following, with lines two blocks long. Sushirrito was another restaurant that was popular in the financial district. “We’re focused on helping these locally oriented companies — ones with two to six locations — expand into the suburbs.” She said they’ve done the analytics to bring brands that fill voids in those markets. Food is available for eat-in, pickup, or delivery through DoorDash. Patrons order online or through an app, or in-person using a kiosk. Food is made onsite,
to order, and ready in 15 minutes or less. Patrons may order from multiple restaurants on the same check. “A reason a lot of people come is you can get something different for everyone in your family,” Chiao said. Or you can come multiple times a week and still have variety. In a statement, CEO Goldsmith said the Davis site “marks an interesting entry into the university market for us. We’re excited to be in a storefront accessible to visitors of downtown Davis and to the large student population. … We also like this particular spot because there’s a lot of fun activities that take place just outside our doors, especially during summer.” ———— A plant store is opening downtown as soon as early April. The Growing Groves is coming to 219 E St., Suite A. It’s in the space above the former de Vere’s Irish Pub. Founders Larry Groves and Ricky Barosa signed a lease for the space on Monday. They believe plant ownership should be accessible to everyone, Groves said. “(We want to) create an environment where avid plant enthusiasts and new plant parents can feel comfortable, confident and supported.” It gets its plants and products from local vendors and nurseries, and “strives to support other small businesses that share our progressive culture and values,” it noted in an Instagram post. Groves said, “Ever since I could remember, I have always wanted to open my own plant shop. I have years of experience caring for plants, and have made amazing friends in the plant community.” He said partner Ricky encouraged him by helping with the paperwork. Groves will manage the store. If everything goes smoothly, they plan to open the plant shop in early April. A website is under construction. ———— It may seem odd to give more press coverage to a vending machine, but you must see Shelley Dunning’s B’twixt & B’tween at the Ruhstaller Farm taproom,
Wendy Weitzel/Courtesy photo
Shelley Dunning explains her vending machine at its grand opening Wednesday at Ruhstaller Farm taproom in Dixon. 6686 Sievers Road in Dixon. A crowd showed up to the outdoor venue on Wednesday evening to mark the machine’s debut. This device doesn’t dispense Snickers or Cheetos. It sells locally made art, jewelry, crafts, s’mores kits, sunscreen, game cards, toys, bakery cookies and more. Current prices range from $2 to $50 but Dunning said the credit card reader allows purchases of up to $99. Each item fits nicely into the 5-inch slots. Local makers contributing to the contents include Jen Wendt and her Crystal Witch bracelets, earrings and bobby pins; Danielle Davidson of Pearly Everlasting Organic Botanicals, with natural peppermint lip balm and hand salve; Leslie Lindbo with little acrylic paintings on canvas of farm animals and nature; Toni Rizzo of Artiful World, with acrylic paintings of fruits and veggies on canvas; Harry “H.G.” Greer, who runs an art/music/ game production company called BRAINMELTER, selling tarot cards; Autumn Labbe-Renault of Autumn Light Designs, who contributes earrings and bobby pins made with vintage buttons; June Wood of Felted Friends, who makes felted succulents in ceramic
pots. There are also seasonal cookies from Solano Baking Company, and democracy-themed artistic coasters by students from Lisa Krebs’ English classes at Dixon High School. Proceeds from the coasters and button jewelry go to relief efforts for Ukraine. In addition, you’ll find some Ruhstaller merchandise and other fun kits Dunning created. The vending machine is available when the outdoor brewery taproom is open: 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3 to 9 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and noon to 9 p.m. on weekends. It’s a great venue for music, and has a rotation of food vendors too. Learn more at https://ruhstallerfarm. com/. ———— The Davis Planning Commission on March 9 approved the conditional-use permit for a new express car wash at 480 Mace Blvd. According to Anne Ternus-Bellamy’s March 10 story, Davis Express Car Wash will be the first certified WaterSaver car wash in Yolo County, using about 20 gallons per wash. Gas station and manual car washes use 50 to 75 gallons, said Evan Lyon, whose Davis family owns the property. While traffic was a concern, commissioners noted that it went before the commission because of the zoning change. Planning Commission Chair Greg Rowe said, “When you look at what is allowed under the General Plan and the zoning for auto service center, that includes things like automobile parts stores, drivethru restaurants, a gas station, even a bowling alley. All those things would generate traffic. There doesn’t seem to be anything you can allow there that wouldn’t generate traffic within the confines of the current General Plan and zoning code.” — Wendy Weitzel is a Davis writer and editor. Her column runs on Sundays. Check for frequent updates on her Comings & Goings Facebook and Instagram pages. If you know of a business coming or going in the area, contact her at wendyedit@gmail. com.
Yolo DIY
THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022 B1
YOLOdiy Cut f lower gardening By Don Shor
Special to The Enterprise
Flowers with purpose
“I want to plant a bunch of flowers, cheap. Whaddya got?” Or, as another person put it: “what’s the most economical way to get a good supply of flowers for cutting? I want to have flowers all the time.” Despite significant increases in the price of seed over several years now, planting from seed remains the most economical way to grow a garden – if you happen to be good at it. This is a good time to start seeds for summer flowers. Growing seedlings indoors isn’t the easiest thing to do, but here are the key elements: • Use a fast-draining mix of peat or coir with perlite or vermiculite. No garden soil or compost. • Place the seed pots in the brightest natural light in your house. A window facing south is ideal. If you use grow lights, they need to be close to the plants. • Water gently. A small spray bottle is effective. Don’t let them dry out. • As soon as they sprout, move them outside during day and back in at night. • Once they have a set of true leaves (the leaves that form second, after the cotyledon leaves), transplant them to larger pots. For this next stage, any good potting soil will do. They will likely need water daily. They can be left outside on warmer nights without harm. Why move them in and out? Air movement causes plants to vibrate and release an internal hormone (ethylene) that thickens the stem. Natural sunlight is better for plant growth than indoor light. But when the night temperatures are below about 45 it can injure the seedlings, so that daily shuttle in and out, hassle that it may be, is the key to getting sturdy seedlings. You may find it easier to just buy seedlings. So perhaps a better way to look at value is in terms of what you get from a plant.
Sunflowers and zinnias
From that perspective, you really can’t beat sunflowers and zinnias in the summer here, whether you start with seeds or transplants that you purchase. They produce flowers quickly and abundantly in hot weather, and they grow together just fine, with lots of varieties in all sorts of colors and sizes. Sunflowers and zinnias are American species. Zinnias come from dry grasslands of the southwest, especially Mexico. They love dry heat. Sunflowers were domesticated in Mexico and the southeastern U.S. about 5,000 years ago.
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Sunflowers are very easy to grow and make great planting projects for kids.
What you need
Full sun, a couple of feet of space per plant, a simple way to water. Soil enriched with manure, compost or fertilizer will grow bigger plants. Both are fast-growing plants when young, like plenty of water in the early growth stages and can take more drought as the season goes along. A key difference is that most sunflowers are one and done: they grow quickly, flower spectacularly, make seed and die. For a succession of flowers, you plant new seedlings every couple of weeks. Zinnias are just getting going with that first big bloom, branching and
The Benary Giant zinnias give more bang for the buck than almost anything else you can grow from seed. They provide great long stems for cutting, strong colors, and a very long season of bloom with reasonable drought tolerance. Courtesy photo
continuing to flower well into the fall. You only need to plant one batch to get flowers all season. Sunflowers can be planted anytime in spring or early summer. Zinnias need very warm soil, shouldn’t be planted out until May, and can be planted into July. Both are very vulnerable to snails and slugs, earwigs and birds in the early seedling stage, and meadow mice, tree rats and squirrels like to eat the seeds. If you plant the seed directly into the ground, protect them from birds and mammals with an inverted strawberry basket until they have their second set of leaves. The other pests feed at night, so if you see damage a quick inspection after dark with a flashlight will reveal the culprits. Seedlings that you transplant are mostly vulnerable for the first few nights after planting. I recommend midnight flashlight patrols.
of your vegetable garden to draw pollinators and other beneficial insects. With sunflowers you have choices from one-foot dwarf types to varieties that grow more than ten feet tall (Guinness World Records tells us that the tallest sunflower was over 30 feet tall, grown in Germany in 2014). For fun and for seeds, you may wish to grow, at least once in your life, the 1880’s variety usually sold as Russian Mammoth which easily grows to 12 to 15 feet and can produce heads up to two feet across. But that’s not exactly a cut flower. Breeders have come up with many new types that grow quickly to 3 to 4
See CUT, Page B2
Which kinds are best?
State Fair zinnias are very impressive. Benary Giant zinnias are awesome. My last Benary Giant was still flowering in December and was about six feet tall. Each flower lasts a long time, opening more fully over a couple of weeks, while the plant branches around it with more flower buds. Zinnias are very attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. There are dwarf types of zinnias that make great garden flowers, though their stems are too short for cutting. Plant these at the sunny edge
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Bees of all types love daisies such as zinnias and sunflowers. What we call the flower is actually an inflorescence, a collection of tiny flowers (shown here). Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds move from one flower to the next for the nectar.
Yolo DIY
B2 THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE
CUT: Mix varieties From Page B1
feet, each plant producing a single long-stemmed bloom. Some branch and make multiple flowers. Some are pollenless, which is an advantage in flower arrangements. Colors range from the familiar bright yellow to orange, red, redblack, bicolor striped, white and more. You can plant these among the zinnias, then just cut each sunflower to the ground as it finishes its bloom and allow the zinnias to fill in the spaces. As you’ve probably noticed, a lot of sunflowers are grown around here, hybrids being produced for seed to be grown elsewhere. Yolo and Solano counties are a hub of sunflower breeding. Sunflowerselections.com in Woodland has introduced dozens of sunflower varieties, including many especially for cut flowers. They sell seed to the public.
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There are perennial and annual scabiosas (pincushion flowers). The perennial types (shown here) bloom spring through fall and come in blue and pink. Annual scabiosas have longer stems and come in a wider range of colors.
I like to peruse the back of seed catalogues to find some of those older types of flowers that were grown more widely in the past and other oddities. I was surprised to find one vendor selling seed of Spring madia (Madia elegans), a wildflower native to the western U.S. and Baja California. Calscape.org, the incredibly useful native plant resource of the California Native Plant Society, informs us that Madia elegans “tends to grow in open, grassy places.” Well, that’s our natural plant community here. The foliage exudes “a pleasantly aromatic oil which led to the common name Tarweed.” More notable are the very sweetly scented flowers, and the
curious fact that they curl up their petals during the daytime. Madia bloomed for me through mid-summer and appears to have re-seeded happily. The flowers are extremely attractive to beneficial insects such as syrphid flies (their larvae eat aphids), and several types of bees. Scabiosa (pincushion flower) is a plant that comes in annual and perennial forms. The most common perennial scabiosas, which are Mediterranean in origin, come in pink and blue. They have the benefits of tight growth habit and a very long bloom season. It’s simplest to buy starts of these. They bloom nearly all year. The annual scabiosa are taller, somewhat sprawling, bloom very freely all summer in a wider range of colors and are quite easy from seed. In fact, they’ll self-sow in your garden. Honeybees, butterflies and hummingbirds love scabiosas.
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Courtesy photo
Madia elegans is a native wildflower that loves full sun. The petals curl during the day, then open out flat at night. The flowers have a sweet, honey-like fragrance.
English lavender with native digger bees, settled in for the evening. The male bees hang out on flowers overnight. The females dig into open soil areas nearby.
Others good for cutting
Solano County Home & Garden Show returns Special to The Enterprise
The Solano County Home & Garden Show returns at the Dixon Fairgrounds March 26-27. The show is open Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit the beautiful Dixon May Fairground, located at 655 S 1st St. in Dixon, and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere, family-friendly activities, Kids Korner, Bingo Scavenger Hunt, food and shopping. Meet with home improvement specialists who will share their expertise on the latest products and services to find those finishing touches for unfinished projects. Enjoy a unique shopping experience with our local artisans who create unique gifts and home decor items. Vendors offer a wide range of products and services on upgrades, repairs for heating & air, solar, kitchen and bathroom, doors
and windows, screen, garage flooring, alarms, electrical and more. Make your home more efficient and visit Greiner Heating & Air Conditioning and Ambrose Solar. Learn about the bees at the Mike & Niki’s Honey Co. Talk succulent gardening tips with local expert Yesenia at Bloomed with Love Outdoors. Seasons are changing. Show vendors include home decor, custom wood products, yard decor, hand paintings, dishes, carpet cleaning, custom jewelry, pens and pet supplies. Visit handmade arts like Massaro’s Market, Collective a Treasure, artist Allison Walker, Mathews Designs, Vanderhoof Creations and DC Barrels. Tickets are $8 ($5 with “$3 off”online coupon, or on opposite page); seniors and military $5. Kids 12 and under are free. Parking is free. Visit www.SolanoHomeShow.com for more information and updates.
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022
Benefits of flowers We may be planting for own pleasure, but it’s worth noting the tangential benefits of planting flowers for each season. Thanks to media coverage of declining bee populations, there’s been strong interest in flowers to encourage pollinators. Native bees and European honeybees visit sunflowers, zinnias and other daisies such as the madia, as well as scabiosa. Providing a long season of bloom helps to draw beneficial insects into the garden: ladybird beetles, leatherwing beetles, lacewings and more. Everyone, it seems, wants to feed butterflies and caterpillars, and it’s always fun to attract hummingbirds. Butterflies and hummingbirds are very attracted to these flowers.
Low-care perennials
For simpler gardening, plant perennial flowers that bloom year after year, choosing types that are good for cutting. A few notable garden perennials that make good cut flowers include: Friendship sage (Salvia ‘Amistad’). This robust ornamental sage grows quickly to four to five feet tall and wide, producing long wands of blue-purple flowers all summer and fall. Like nearly all salvias, the flowers are very attractive to hummingbirds and the large Xylocopa bees. It’s a hybrid that originated in Argentina. Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria). The old-fashioned types make some of the best long-lasting cut flowers. The plants can grow in sun or a fair bit of shade, like plenty of water but tolerate drought. They spread very steadily; don’t say I didn’t warn you! Alstroemeria bloom from spring to about July. Nurseries like to sell very dwarf types, which are great garden plants, but the stems aren’t long enough for cutting. Better to look for plants of the many new hybrids that grow to 2 to 3 feet tall. Wear
Courtesy photo
The Friendship sage is vigorous and blooms from spring through fall, with flower spikes long enough for cutting. gloves: the foliage of Peruvian lily can cause skin irritation. Lavender (Lavandula). These Mediterranean shrubs are very well-adapted here, especially if given gradually decreasing frequency of watering as they establish in the landscape. They are very drought tolerant. English lavenders and lavandins are the best ones for fragrance, but Spanish lavenders bloom as early as winter. Very attractive to many types of bees. Pinks (Dianthus). Carnations are the best-known species in Dianthus, but they’re kind of floppy to grow. Other pinks have sturdier stems and also have flowers with varying levels of that familiar spicy, clove scent. Dianthus bloom most heavily in late spring. Flowering plants are an integral and crucial part of a healthy garden ecosystem, providing food via nectar and pollen and helping to encourage the presence of insects and birds that provide natural pest control, pollinate our food crops, and improve our own health and wellbeing. That may be asking for a lot from any one flower! The key is abundance, succession, diversity and habitat. Succession means planning for plants that bloom in each season.
Sports
THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022 B3
JOIN: Chump change for selling your soul NETTERS: Elk Grove next From Page B6 I mean, it’s the complete Game Day experience. Whether this arrangement allows you to bet against the Spartans remains to be seen. “Caesars Sportsbook becomes the official and exclusive sports betting and iGaming partner of Michigan State and will receive significant exposure at venues,” the story goes on. Hopefully the point spread will be prominently displayed on the Jumbotron so even folks in the cheap seats will know exactly what they’re betting on. “The new Caesars seating space inside Spartan Stadium, as well as an outside tailgating area, are expected to debut during the 2022 football season. Spartan fans also
should expect to see Caesars content infused into the broadcast and digital platforms throughout Michigan State athletics.” I just so love that word “infused,” as if it will be woven into the fan experience so seamlessly that fans will hardly even notice. I presume the pregame show on the Spartan Radio Network will be devoted exclusively to gambling advice on that day’s game. According to Alan Haller, Michigan State’s Director of Athletics and Wagering, “We are excited to be on the cutting edge of this innovative opportunity, while recognizing the importance of Caesars’ commitment to responsible sports gaming education both for the student-athletes and the university
community as a whole.” Talk about letting the fox guard the henhouse, do we really want a gambling outfit that makes money off people losing their shirt to be teaching college students how to bet responsibly? “Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but similar partnerships between sports betting companies and Division I FBS universities have been estimated at $1 million.” Chump change for selling your soul. “As part of the deal, Caesars will provide annual funds to studentathlete responsiblegaming education programs, scholarships and opportunities for
internships and professional development for students pursuing careers in the sports industry.” And remember, whatever money the university makes off this deal and whatever “responsible gaming” programs Caesars institutes will, of course, be funded by Michigan State students and fans who made bad bets. Coming soon to a campus near you. Bob Dunning’s sports column appear every Sunday in the Enterprise. — Contact Bob Dunning at bdunning@ davisenterprise.net.
From Page B6
“We are all looking forward to our March 30 match versus Jesuit,” Hersch said. “Both teams could very well meet again in the section finals.”
Davis 9, Rio Americano 0 The Blue Devils won
all of their matches against the Raiders in straight sets on Friday. Davis returns to action on Tuesday, March 29 when it hosts Elk Grove. After its match against Jesuit, Davis host Pleasant Grove on March 31. — Contact Mike Bush at mike@davisenterprise.net. Follow on Twitter: @MBDavisSports.
Forum
B4 THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE
Commentary
YCF helps county’s neediest kids
It’s still the F missing piece in Davis’ food scene
Special to The Enterprise
Commentary
oster children are among the most underprivileged youngsters in Yolo County. On the average, foster children change residences every six months and seldom have an opportunity to experience the benefits of a stable home environment. Most foster parents cannot afford to pay for swim lessons, soccer fees, gymnastics, art classes, summer camp, and a variety of educational opportunities that are available to most children in Yolo County. Some foster families cannot afford to purchase even the school clothes that their foster children need. Often the Yolo Children’s Fund comes to the rescue. The mission of the Yolo Children’s Fund is to enhance the quality of life for underserved, abused, or disadvantaged children and teens by
providing funding for a need, a special project, or enrichment service that would otherwise be unavailable. The Fund serves Yolo County youth from birth to age 21 who have become involved in the Juvenile Court dependency system because of being orphaned, parental abuse or neglect, violence, or drugs. Youths who have become delinquents are also eligible for Yolo Children’s Fund grants. The Yolo Children’s Fund has provided grants to Yolo County’s neediest children since the Fund’s founding more than twenty years ago. Requests for grants are submitted by CASA volunteers, social workers, or the children’s attorneys. Children’s Fund grants include money for music lessons and art classes, bicycles, computers, clothes, school supplies, bal-
By Bill Kopper
By Catherine Brinkley and Ann Evans Special to The Enterprise
W
e are writing this on the 5-year anniversary of the first call to legalize street food vending in the city of Davis with an op-ed in The Enterprise in March 2017. In the past five years, we have held numerous community meetings to talk about food security and all of the many food assets in the City of Davis — from the farmers’ market as our central gathering spot, the heart of Davis to UC Davis, the nation’s leading agricultural research institute. Perhaps you attended the ‘Let’s Talk About Food’ series, or the ‘Davis Futures Forum’ discussion with Los Angeles Food Policy Council founder Paula Daniels. Maybe you went to the night market hosted by the Davis Food Cooperative in 2019. The reason we focused on food trucks is because the city of Davis has a municipal ordinance from the 1960s that only allows street food vendors to stop for more than ten minutes. This ordinance has effectively banned street food vending. When we started this effort, the city of Davis had the opportunity to continue its legacy of leading-edge efforts to foster inclusive, fun, local economic food scene. Now, the city of Davis must. In 2018, the State of California passed a mandate that street food vendors could only be regulated for public health reasons. In part, this state mandate was aimed at ending racist, classist practices where vendors were subject to regulation that brick-and-mortar stores were not, such as being fingerprinted by the sheriff ’s office or not allowed access the city by virtue of ordinances like the one the City of Davis currently operates under. The concern raised is that many restaurants do not want competition. A new study published last month by the Institute for Justice reviewed uses 12 years of county-level census data on food trucks and restaurants across the nation. They found that even with a growth in food trucks, there was no decline in restaurants. What’s more, they found that the addition of food trucks helped boost the number of restaurants as well, generating a food scene. This study confirms a prior Los Angeles study that also showed street food more generally has a protective effect on local businesses by generating more foot traffic and commercial activity.
D
avis hardly needed studies to demonstrate the power of a food scene to bring the community together. The Farmers’ Market does this weekly. Yet, the same concerns about street food vending were raised when the farmers’ market was proposed. Nearby businesses feared the market would steal clientele. They were proponents of the plan to turn the space into a commercial mall. Thank goodness Davis picked a different path! We’ve presented at numerous city council meetings. The community has met, discussed and agreed on the Davis Food and Economic Development plan. We are asking that city council move this item to the agenda and vote to come into compliance with California State Law now. The beauty of this action would that it is simple. City Council need only strike the 10 minute limit from municipal code. Do you find yourself driving out of town to find a taco truck or enjoy a night market? Would you like to bring those opportunities home to Davis? If so, please sign our informational petition at: bit.ly/ foodtrucks4Davis. — Catherine Brinkley is a professor of community and regional development at UC Davis. Her research focuses on food security. Ann M. Evans is a former mayor of Davis, co-founder of the Davis Food Co-op and Davis Farmers Market, and author of “The Davis Farmers Market Cookbook.”
Letters French class I am the parent of two DJUSD students (an eighth-grader and a student of French 2, and a fourth-grader). In early March 2022, DJUSD has distributed junior-high catalogs to all students listing French as an elective for 7th and 8th graders (pages 11-12). However, last week we were informed that DJUSD will only allow French 1 for ninth-graders in 2022-23. French is a language spoken by 300 millions around the world, the official language of 29 countries, spoken in every single continent (there is a research station in Antarctica). French is the second most taught language in the world, and one of the official languages for international relations (UN, NATO, EU, the International Red Cross and international courts). In Europe (where I am from), 92% of students learn at least one foreign language starting at ages 6-9. This is also my experience, I started learning French at age 8 and I speak four languages. By comparison, 20% of U.S. students knows one foreign language (2018 study by Pew Research Center). We DJUSD parents were told that the decision of slashing French was made back in 2018, yet the hundreds of printed 202223 junior high catalogs show otherwise. The World Languages Task Force of 2017-18 recommended broadening and deepening the language instruction for all students. It did not recommend
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Official legal newspaper of general circulation for the city of Davis and county of Yolo. Published in The Davis Enterprise building, 315 G St., Davis, CA. Mailing address: P.O. Box 1470, Davis, CA 95617. Phone: 530-756-0800. An award-winning newspaper of the California Newspaper Publishers Association.
let lessons, horseback riding, tutoring, summer camp, and many other needs. The Children’s Fund has three categories of grants. Educational Fund grants, which provide help with school supplies, school fees, and the expenses of extracurricular activities. Help Fund grants that fund a special project, need, or opportunity that would otherwise be unavailable to the child. Summer Fund grants provide money for summer camps, swim lessons, music lessons, and similar activities.
T
he Yolo Children’s Fund was originally established in 2001 by Yolo County Judges Donna Petre and Kathleen White and was administered by John Cron. Since its founding, the Children’s Fund has distributed more than $165,000 in grants to needy children. The current Board of Directors includes Mary Patricia Whelan-Miille,
removing yet another language from junior high (after German, Japanese and Chinese). We have started a petition for DJUSD parents (https://chng.it/dKZpzSHx49). One of the comments on the petition states: “the community was not given adequate notice under the state of California Brown Act, governing Open Meetings.” Indeed, there was no notice and no discussion with us in the community. Emerson/Da Vinci students prepared a petition on their own, with 78 signatures. Students are supposed to finalize their elective list by Match 31, and spring break is next week. We must continue to support and fund strong language programs (including French), to equip all our students with the ability to “thrive and contribute to an evolving and increasingly connected world” (quoted from DJUSD mission). Valeria La Saponara Davis
City sidewalks, pathways Not so many years ago I was proud to respond “Davis!” when someone asked where I was from. Not so any longer. These days I am embarrassed, frustrated, and angry. I am embarrassed that our parks, greenbelts and walkways are overcome with weeds and rutted pathways. I am frustrated that our city streets and roads have maintenance covers above grade and are riddled with potholes and gaping cracks. I am angry that trash and graffiti have won the war against routine maintenance. Yes, I have contacted MyDavis and
Speak out President The Hon. Joe Biden, The White House, Washington, D.C., 20500; 202-456-1111 (comments), 202-456-1414 (switchboard); email: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
U.S. Senate Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 331 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-3841; email: http://feinstein. senate.gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me Sen. Alex Padilla, B03 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510;
Linda Boutin, Mike Pesola, Kristen Shepard, Marty Ewing, Matt Price, Carol MacDonald, Karen Boyd, and Bill Kopper. Marty Ewing serves as the Yolo Children’s Fund administrator. The Children’s Fund has no paid staff and ninety-five percent of contributions go directly to grants for needy children. The Yolo Children’s Fund welcomes donations from the community. The Yolo Children’s Fund is an IRS 501(c) (3) organization, and all donations are tax deductible. If you would like more information about the Children’s Fund, contact a member of the Board of Directors or visit our website at http://www. yolochildrensfund.org. Our website includes a list of some of our donors. The children we serve very much appreciate your support. — Bill Kopper, on behalf of the board of directors of the Yolo Children’s Fund.
have received lip service. If it is a staffing issue, the taxes we pay would pay the salaries of new, qualified staff, because the workers, engineers, and supervisors currently in charge of the above issues are under-qualified, underworked and overpaid. Please Mr. City Manager and Ms. Mayor, take a walk with me so I can point our what needs to be done to restore this once lovely city of ours. Anne Hawke Davis
Look beyond In Athens, young adults spent two years in public service. Many over 30 formed a huge city council to make laws for the population. In Rome, citizens had extensive and regular civic duties. Elected officials served only one-year terms, so many would have the opportunity of being leaders. Today, Americans shirk even jury duty and can’t be bothered to vote in local elections. We have withdrawn from charitable causes, and civic, electoral, and church participation. We are too busy with social media, video gaming, Netflix binging, on-line shopping, porno, and the new sports gambling craze to be of service to our country and our fellow human beings. The shame falls squarely on business, political and even church leaders, who regularly invite us to lead highly privatized lives dedicated to their products, services and causes. Can’t we do better? Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross, Utah
202-224-3553; email: padilla.senate. gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me
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House of Representatives
Addresses and phone numbers should be included for verification purposes; they will not be published. Limit letters to 350 words. Anonymous letters will not be accepted. We reserve the right to edit all letters for brevity or clarity. Mail letters to The Davis Enterprise, P.O. Box 1470, Davis, CA 95617; bring them to 315 G St.; fax them to 530-756-1668; or email them to newsroom@davis enterprise.net.
Rep. John Garamendi (3rd District), 2368 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515; 202-225-1880. District office: 412 G St., Davis, CA 95616; 530-753-5301; email: visit https://garamendi.house.gov/contact/ email
Governor Gov. Gavin Newsom, State Capitol, Suite 1173, Sacramento, CA 95814; 916-4452841; email: visit https://govapps.gov. ca.gov/gov40mail/
THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE
YOLOlaughs
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022 B5
sports
B Section
Yolo DIY Sports Forum Comics
THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE — SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2022
B1 B3 B4 B5
If you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em
A
few weeks ago, I noted in this space that “The University of Maryland announced a new multiyear deal with sportsbook PointsBet, the latest partnership between an NCAA program and a bookmaker and the first for a Big Ten School.” I further noted, “For those who don’t follow this stuff, a sportsbook is not a place where kids go to read inspiring stories about athletes in their favorite sports. No, it’s where people go to gamble.” I realize that betting on college sports, specifically football and basketball, has been going on for a long time, but until recently the NCAA and individual colleges and universities did everything in their power to discourage this sometimes destructive activity. Now, however, university administrators have become part of the “if you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em” crowd, helped along with significant financial incentives from various high-stakes gambling organizations across the country. Trust me, these folks are not in the business for love of the game. Maryland may have been the first Big Ten school to join hands with the gambling industry, but it’s no longer the last. “Michigan State and Caesars Entertainment announced a multiyear sports betting partnership that includes a new premium seating space at Spartan Stadium” said the headline at espn.com. Wow, imagine that. Premium seating where you can enjoy catered snacks and a cold beverage while betting that the Spartans will cover the spread without ever leaving your seat.
See JOIN, Page B3
Mike Bush/Enterprise photo
Davis High No. 1 singles player Gabriel Lopez in Friday’s non-league match against Rio Americano at the Blue Devils’ tennis courts. To view more photos from Friday’s match, visit www.davisenterprise.com and click on the Sports tab.
Blue Devil netters beat Raiders By Mike Bush Enterprise sports editor Davis High boys tennis head coach Dale Hersch knows how to serve winning teams. Since 2003, when Hersch took over the program, the Blue Devils have been to 16 consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section Division I team finals and won eight section championships. From 2009 to 2012, Davis won four consecutive team titles, facing Delta League rival Jesuit in the 2011 and 2012 championship finals. “Fortunate enough to have talented student-athletes to take me to (finals and winning section titles),” Hersch said. Davis won its last team title in 2016. That was on the back end of back-to-back section titles, as the Blue Devils beat Jesuit and Granite Bay in 2015. The Blue Devils are making more noise this season. Entering Friday’s non-league home match against Rio Americano, the Davis
netters are 6-1 overall and 4-0 in the Delta League. “We only graduated one senior last season, and one player decided not to play,” Hersch said. “With two new players in our top three spots, we have the strongest team we’ve had in over six seasons.” Gabriel Lopez, a sophomore, is the Blue Devils’ top player. According to Hersch, Lopez is on track to play collegiate Division-1 tennis. Freshman Mathias Rendon is currently Davis’ No. 3 singles player. Returning Blue Devil players this season are seniors Itai Kalman, Julian Dunn, Maddux Madayag, Joshua Xu and Nikhil Chander. In addition, returning juniors are Alan Cao, Owen Sheppard, Jared Umphress, Adam Wu, Ian Hwang, Ayden Morgan and Nico Perez. Elisa Toy is the lone sophomore returning on the team. Hersch has new players on the court this
season. They are juniors Adhi Ajith and Lukas Voss and sophomore Lorenz Angermann. The coach was hoping that the 2021 Davis squad would have a shot of another deep run in the section team playoffs. But postseason was canceled because of the pandemic. “We felt that we had a strong chance to win sections last season,” Hersch said. But this season, the Blue Devils are playing a full schedule. The section playoffs are also on their minds as well. “Being able to play a full schedule is something the team has been looking forward to,” Hersch said. “This season’s team depth is as strong as I’ve ever seen. We should be tough to beat at the 4-6 singles and all of the doubles’ positions.” Davis has March 30 circled on the calendar. That is when the Blue Devils will host league rival Jesuit.
See NETTERS, Page B3
UCD Roundup
Kyla Kessler named gymnast of the year Enterprise staff UC Davis gymnast Kyla Kessler was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Year, the conference office announced on Thursday. The Aggies garnered 17 allconference honors, including seven first-team accolades. Kessler, a senior, represents the conference-high 10th MPSF Gymnast of the Year award for UC Davis and hauls in first-team honors on the vault, beam, floor and all-around. The Fremont native competed in the all-around in nine of the 10 regular season meets, in which she accumulated three MPSF all-time top-10 totals. At Sacramento State on March 5, Kessler posted the MPSF's highest all-around (39.425) and floor score (9.95) in the regular season. Her all-
around that day ranked fifth in the MPSF record book, while her floor routine was the third-best in the history of the conference. Kessler also recorded a pair of 39.375 all-arounds in February to share the No. 10 all-time conference ranking. In her national qualifying scores, Kessler finished second in the MPSF in the all-around (39.270), tied for third on the balance beam (9.840), third on floor (9.875), tied for fourth on vault (9.845) and 11th on bars (9.780). She has the highest conference all-around average on the year of 39.119, surpassing the 39-point threshold eight times. Kessler was recognized as a 2022 MPSF Gymnast of the Week four times and earned a conference-high four first-team All-MPSF awards in the vault, beam, floor and allaround.
The UC Davis freshmen trio of Keanna Abraham, Emily Pires and Megan Ray also were named to the first team. Abraham and Pires joined Kessler with first-team honors on the vault as Ray paced the conference on the floor with an NQS of 9.895. Abraham and Pires posted their highest score of the season on the vault against San Jose State with a 9.90 while Ray was 9.90 or above five times on the floor, including a 9.925 against the Spartans. — To view how the Davis High boys and girls swimming teams did in a recent Delta League meet against Jesuit/St. Francis and the DHS girls badminton team, visit www.davisenterprise.com, click on the Sports tab and go to the Local Roundup story.
Mark Honbo/Courtesy photo
UC Davis gymnast Kyla Kessler leaps her way to a strong performance during a recent home meet.