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enterprise THE DAVIS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022

UCD fee question goes to student vote Both sides

seek lawyer fees in DiSC dispute

By Caleb Hampton Enterprise staff writer The ASUCD Senate, which serves as the legislative branch of UC Davis’ student government, voted Thursday night to include a high-profile ballot measure on student funding for campus athletics programs in its spring elections, set to begin May 9. Undergraduate students will be asked whether they want to rescind roughly $570 in annual fees each student pays to support UC Davis athletics programs. After a monthslong stalemate with campus administrators over election rules, ASUCD leaders sent the item to the ballot as a non-binding ballot measure, not an official fee initiative or referendum, as was originally proposed. While a fee initiative is advisory to the chancellor, it puts student-led legislation on a track to be potentially implemented. The non-binding measure, if passed, would not activate any administrative process to change student fees. In recent months, the proposal attracted statewide media coverage. Amid rising tuition and living costs, scrapping the fees would lighten the financial burden of college for thousands of UC Davis students. It would also deal a heavy blow to the campus’ sports teams. UC Davis’ NCAA programs “would likely be eliminated or reduced to only a few sports,” a report published by the campus budget office stated.

By Anne Ternus-Bellamy Enterprise staff writer

coach salaries. The other is the Campus Expansion Initiative (CEI), which was approved in 2002 and pays for athletic scholarships. The fees also fund other campus units, but the largest share goes to athletics. Wong’s proposal would eliminate only the athletics portion of the fees, which totaled $344 for SASI and $227 for CEI this year. Wong maintains that his proposal is not meant to defund athletics but only to remove the burden of funding it from the student body.

In the legal dispute over ballot arguments related to Measure H (the Davis Innovation and Sustainability Campus) on the June ballot, each side has claimed victory in court and now each is seeking attorney fees from the other. The six Davis residents who were taken to court by Davis City Councilman Dan Carson over the No on H ballot arguments they had signed filed a motion last week seeking more than $71,000 in attorney fees from Carson. In his response to that motion, filed this week, Carson’s attorneys indicated that he will seek attorney fees from the No on H side. While Carson filed the lawsuit as an individual and honorary chair of the Yes on H campaign, DiSC project manager Dan Ramos told the City Council earlier this month that his team had funded the effort. The No on H team, meanwhile, said the legal fees they had to pay wiped out their campaign fund, and as the election draws closer — with ballots going out to voters May 9 —

See FEE, Back page

See DISC, Back page

Caleb Hampton/Enterprise photo

Members of the ASUCD Senate vote Thursday night on placing a non-binding resolution to cut student fees for the university’s athletics programs. Students who back the proposal see it as an effort to democratize decisions around student fees, some of which have renewed automatically for decades, and to make campus administration accountable to the student body. Calvin Wong, a fourth-year history major, drafted the referendum last summer in response to the termination of UC Davis’ physicaleducation program, the continuation of which was promised to students in the 1990s in exchange for funding athletics. Wong also has questioned the

equity of so much money in student fees being spent in support of a relatively small number of athletes. UC Davis undergraduates were projected to contribute roughly $25 million to athletics this year, the most of any UC campus and more than 10 times the amount students at most campuses in the system pay. The ballot measure — technically two separate items — concerns two fees. One is the Student Activities and Services Initiative (SASI), which was approved in 1994 and pays for things like team travel, equipment and

Prizewinning writer in town Tuesday By Jeff Hudson Enterprise correspondent Bestselling novelist Richard Powers — winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award — will speak in Davis at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, at the Brunelle Performance Hall at Davis High School, 315 W. 14th St. Sponsoring the event is the Avid Reader Bookstore. The April 26 event was moved to the the Davis High theater because Powers will likely draw a bigger crowd than could be accommodated inside the bookstore at 617 Second St. Powers is an American novelist whose books often deal with the impacts of

VOL. 124 NO. 47

INDEX

Classifieds ��B3 Green Page ��B1 Obituary �� A3 Comics ��B4 The Hub �� A5 Sports ��B5 Forum ��B2 Living �� A4 The Wary I �� A2

modern science Powers received the Pulitzer Prize and technology on for Fiction for his contemporary life. 2018 novel “The His novel “The Overstory,” which Echo Maker” won was also shortlisted the 2006 National for the UK’s Booker Book Award and Prize, awarded was a finalist for POWERS annually to the best the Pulitzer Prize Will discuss novel of the year for Fiction. The plot involves a “Bewilderment,” written in English. his latest book “The Overstory” near-fatal accident was praised by Ron on a rural Nebraska Charles of The Washington road, resulting in a trauPost as an “ambitious novel matic brain injury that leads to a variety of delu- (that) soars up through the canopy of American literasions, and also involves an ture and remakes the landresearch who writes popuscape of environmental lar books on neurology (a fiction.” fictional character many The most recent novel by readers regard as loosely based on the neurologist Powers — which he is and bestselling author Dr. See WRITER, Page A3 Oliver Sacks.

WEATHER

Superintendent’s contract on dock for school board By Aaron Geerts Enterprise staff writer The much-anticipated contract approval for the Davis Joint Unified School District’s next superintendent, Matt Best, will highlight Thursday’s meeting of the Davis school board. After a nationwide search, interviews and due diligence, the DJUSD finally selected Best as the new superintendent. The decision will be finalized with the approval of Best’s employment contract, which will be available after the closed session meeting on April 21. There will also be an

update on the district’s Special Education Program. WestEd has been hired by the district and will be presenting the review, which will include a review of district special education compliance data, professional development opportunities, student achievement data, and also include a conduct analysis of staffing, caseloads, programing, services, schedules and processes. The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, at the Community Chambers at 23 Russell Blvd. Watch it on cable Channel 17, or online at djusd.davismedia.org.

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Local

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Briefly Cops bust Yolo car sideshow Law-enforcement officers busted a vehicle “sideshow” that police say drew 200 to 300 cars to the 1800 block of East Main Street on Saturday night. “Vehicles were burning out, speeding, and additional reckless driving behaviors were occurring, along with illegal fireworks being set off,” Sgt. Victoria Danzl said in a Woodland Police Department Facebook post. Yolo County sheriff’s deputies and ground and air units from the California Highway Patrol assisted Woodland police in dispersing the crowd, issuing several citations for expired registration and cell-phone use while driving, Danzl said. “These unsafe sideshow behaviors will not be permitted in our city,” Danzl said. “We continue to work with our partners to discourage and reduce the sideshows in all of Yolo County.”

Aeromodelers host swap meet The public is invited to attend the WoodlandDavis Aeromodelers annual swap meet and open house April 23-24 at its flying site 43295 County Road 29, a halfmile east of County Road 102 in Davis. The event runs Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The swap meet is Saturday only. For more information, visit www.wdarc. org.

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022

Keep gambling (losses) local? S

PORTS BETTING IN CALIFORNIA? ... As California attempts to follow the lead of dozens of other states by legalizing sports gambling, several prominent groups have come out of the woodwork to oppose any such move. One prominent TV ad that is played incessantly day and night argues that legalized sports gambling will, among other things, lead to “addiction, financial ruin and homelessness.” Interestingly, but not surprisingly, one group spending truckloads of money to run these ads is also in the gambling business. Apparently, losing money by gambling with them does not lead to addiction, financial ruin and homelessness. Hypocrisy runs rampant in our beloved Golden State. SPEAKING OF GAMBLING ... Will legal, online sports betting in

sports gambling in California on horse racing for decades, plus dozens and dozens of card rooms and casinos offering all sorts of ways for folks to lose their money. And how about the California Lottery, where people can gamble every day at their local 7-Eleven or favorite liquor store, with the odds stacked heavily against winning. California lead to addiction, financial ruin and homelessness? It’s certainly a fair question. If sports gambling becomes legal in California, there will no doubt be more people participating than there are now. Already there are a number of Californians who bet on sports illegally and others who travel to Nevada to place such bets legally. But there seems to be little doubt that legal and convenient sports gambling will lead to more people taking part. After all, we’ve had legalized

INNERS AND LOSERS ... Sports gambling is a bit different than, say, slot machines, in that the casinos don’t control the outcome. They just reap the profits by stacking the odds in their favor. If you think the Giants will beat the Dodgers in a supposedly evenmoney bet, you can place an $11 bet to win $10. If the Giants win, you will receive $21 back — your original $11, plus the casino’s $10. Those who bet $11 on the Dodgers receive nothing. So, if you do the math, you can

see the casino took in $22 from the two bets and paid out $21, even though it evenly split those two wagers. Multiply this $1 profit times a million bettors and you can see why the smart money is always on the casino. BETTING IN OUR BACKYARD ... Will there be betting on UC Davis games if legalized sports gambling comes to California? Most likely. You can already bet on Aggie men’s basketball games at any one of a number of sports books in Nevada, and you can occasionally find a “line” on a UC Davis football game, especially if the Aggies are playing an FBS school like Cal or Stanford. Ladies and Gentlemen, step right up. — Reach Bob Dunning at bdunning@davisenterprise.net.

League of Women Voters hosts forum on DA race Special to The Enterprise The League of Women Voters Davis Area and the Woodland League of Women Voters will cosponsor a nonpartisan election forum on the county district attorney race on Wednesday, April 27. The event will run from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Woodland Community Center, 2001 East Street in Woodland. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Both candidates — incumbent Jeff Reisig and challenger Cynthia Rodriguez — have agreed to participate. The forum will focus on candidate qualifications and vision for the criminal justice system in Yolo County over the next four years. Questions will be prepared by League representatives and written questions will be accepted from the audience, but no voice questions or statements will be allowed.

The public is encouraged to attend although seating is very limited and free tickets must be obtained ahead of time at: https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/ league-of-women-votersyolo-county-district-attorn ey-candidate-forumtickets-317119110797. The forum will be carried live on Woodland TV (Channel 21) and streamed for viewing on the League’s website at https://www.my.lwv.org/ california/woodland. A recording will be available following the event. Community members may submit questions for candidates in advance at: woodlandleaguenews@ gmail.com from noon Saturday, April 23, until noon Tuesday, April 26. Please submit only one question. If used, it will be directed to both candidates. League rules do not allow any campaign materials in the meeting room, including signs, buttons, T-shirts, or hats.

Candidates may provide campaign literature following the forum. Reisig, 52, has served as Yolo County District Attorney since January 2007, winning re-election in 2010, 2014, and 2018. Rodriguez, 64, has 40 years of criminal legal experience both prosecuting and defending cases. Born in the small farming community of Gilroy, Reisig’s father was a businessman and his mother a public-school teacher. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural and managerial economics at UC Davis and law degree at the University of the Pacific. While a student, he volunteered as a legal intern for the Yolo County Public Defender’s Office. After graduation, Reisig represented farmers and other business owners as a lawyer with the Fresnobased labor and employment firm Jory, Peterson, Watkins, Ross & Woolman.

He returned to Yolo County to start a career as a prosecutor with the District Attorney’s Office in 1997. During his tenure as DA, Reisig has focused on expanding communitybased diversity programs to redirect people out of the criminal justice system and launched a data portal to provide access to information from his office. Reisig currently serves as president of the California Association of District Attorneys. Rodriguez was born in Oakland. Her father grew up as a farmworker in Vacaville and Winters. Her mother grew up homeless near the Sacramento River and in Broderick. Her parents were teachers, her father at high school and junior college and her mother at the junior college and university level. Rodriguez attended UC Berkeley for two years before she transferred to Creighton University in

Omaha, Neb., where she earned both a bachelor’s degree in English literature and a law degree. Rodriguez started her law career in private litigation practice in the Los Angeles area. She then worked as a deputy public defender for Orange County, the State of California, and Solano County before taking a job in the employment law unit at the California State Dept. of Corrections, where she managed complex litigation for the agency and prosecuted misconduct by safety officers. Moving on to the litigation unit at California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), Rodriguez also spent 12 years as general counsel on mental health for the California Department of Mental Health and the California Dept. of State Hospitals. Rodriguez works in private practice out of her home office in Winters.

DUI charges sought Poetry series moves up to the roof in fiery Mace crash Special to The Enterprise

By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer Davis police say they’re seeking impaired-driving charges against the driver involved in a February collision that shut down Mace Boulevard for more than 12 hours. Investigators believe the 23-year-old Sacramento man was under the influence of drugs when the crash occurred around 1 a.m. Feb. 14, Lt. Mike Munoz said Tuesday. The case is being reviewed by the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office. Police said at the time that the driver was traveling southbound on Mace, approaching the I-80 overpass, when his vehicle

struck the raised concrete on the southwest corner of the westbound freeway onramp. “The vehicle veered to the left, crossing six traffic lanes, and then collided with the concrete wall and fence on the east side of the Mace overpass,” Lt. Ilya Bezuglov said. “Several bystanders were able to the pull the driver, who was the only person in the vehicle, out as it was catching fire.” Bezuglov said the collision left the driver with critical injuries for which he was hospitalized at the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. It was not immediately clear when the DA’s Office would complete its review of the case.

Fading films on ‘Davisville’ Special to The Enterprise Watching movies on the big screen is no longer the widely shared cultural experience it used to be, wrote New York Times columnist Ross Douthat in March. Is this due to competition, quality, or something else? And what does it matter, regardless? Longtime local film reviewers Derrick Bang and Matias Bombal talk about all this on the latest edition of the KDRT program “Davisville.” Bang, an author and frequent guest on “Davisville,” writes for the Davis Enterprise and his blog, Derrick Bang on Film. Matias presents reviews at Matias Bombal’s Hollywood and on KAHI radio, hosts movies, and formerly managed the Crest Movie Theatre in

downtown Sacramento. “Davisville,” hosted by Bill Buchanan, is broadcast on KDRT-LP, 95.7 FM Mondays at 5:30 p.m., Tuesdays at 5 p.m., Fridays at 12:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. The current program will be broadcast through April 30, and is available anytime at https://kdrt.org/ davisville or on Apple podcasts.

The Poetry Night Reading Series will feature Tess Taylor and Noah Warren at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 21, on the roof of the John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St. in Davis. Taylor is a poet, editor and critic. Her chapbook, “The Misremembered World,” was selected by Eavan Boland for the Poetry Society of America’s inaugural chapbook competition. Her first book, “The Forage House,” was a finalist for the Believer Poetry Award. Taylor’s second book, “Work & Days,” was named one of the 10 best books of poetry in 2016 by the New York Times. Taylor chaired the poetry

Warren was born in Nova Scotia, Canada, and raised in Charlestown, R.I. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, where he was awarded the Frederick Mortimer Clapp Fellowship. He is a Ph.D. WARREN TAYLOR Coordinates Taught poetry candidate in English at UC Berkeley, where he poetry at Cal at UC Davis coordinates the Lunch committee of the National Poems Reading Series. Book Critics Circle for six years. Taylor has taught at There will be an open mic UC Berkeley, St. Mary’s after the featured performCollege and UC Davis, as ers. Open-mic perforwell as serving as Visiting mances will be limited to Professor at Whittier Col- four minutes or two items, lege and Distinguished whichever is shorter. No Fulbright US Scholar at the matter what the CDC or Seamus Heaney Centre at Yolo County has announced, Queen’s University in Bel- wear your mask inside the fast. She spent a very happy Natsoulas Gallery. This is an semester teaching poetry outdoor rooftop event. here at UC Davis. Dress in layers.

Police investigate West Davis hit-and-run By Lauren Keene Enterprise staff writer A Davis man is facing felony hit-and-run charges after allegedly leaving a crash scene Sunday night. According to Davis police Lt. Mike Munoz, the 21-year-old driver rearended another vehicle that had stopped at a red light on West Covell Boulevard near John Jones Road. Witnesses reported that he then backed up his truck

and fled north on Highway 113. The 8:30 p.m. crash left the other driver with pain to his head, neck and back, Munoz said. Police recovered a license plate left behind by the suspect vehicle and contacted the truck’s registered owners, who confirmed their son had been driving at the time of the crash, Munoz said. The case has been forwarded to the Yolo County

District Attorney’s Office for review of potential criminal charges.

Local

THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022 A3

WRITER: Turnout expected to be too big for downtown book store From Page A1 expect to discuss — is “Bewilderment,” published in September 2021. “Bewilderment” was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and it is set in the near future when the planet’s environment is being degraded by climate change. The story follows a widowed astrobiologist and his 9-year-old son, who has been diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The boy’s father turns to an experimental neurofeedback therapy, hoping to help his son. Powers has said that “Bewilderment” is, in part, “a novel about the anxiety of family life on a damaged planet.” He told The

Enterprise that “Bewilderment” was inspired in part by his experience a few years ago when he was a professor of literature at Stanford, and enjoying walks through the redwood forests in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains. Novelist Kim Stanley Robinson, a longtime resident of Davis, will introduce Powers. Several of Robinson’s novels have dealt with climate change, including the panoramic “New York 2140” (published in 2017), which depicts a transformed landscape in New York in 2140, as rising ocean levels have risen dramatically, turning city streets into urban canals, and skyscrapers into island communities, as the city’s residents figure out ways to adapt to the still-changing environment.

Robinson’s novels in this vein have sometimes been dubbed “cli-fi” (for “climate fiction”). Robinson tends to meticulously research the most recent scientific research when he writes a book. Robinson (born in 1952) and Powers (b. 1957) are nearcontemporaries in terms of their age, and their books reflect a similar fascination with climate change and scientific research. Their paths through the publishing business, on the other hand, have diverged. Go into a bookstore or a library, and you’ll usually find Robinson’s novels in the science-fiction section, and Robinson’s books have received the science fiction fields top honors, the Hugo and Nebula awards. Powers, on the other hand, is generally classed as a

literary novelist, and his books have received mainstream awards like the Pulitzer and the National Book Award. But both novelists told The Enterprise that they feel they have a good deal in common. Powers acknowledged that some of the ideas behind his writing in recent years have developed in part from his ongoing correspondence with Robinson, and acknowledged that this is “a little bit of a testimony to my friendship with Stan.” And Robinson described Powers’ “Bewilderment” as “really skillful science fiction... the machine it describes for taking a brain scan, and overlaying that scan on another person’s brain as a therapy ... (is described) in ways that you’d think it’s already happened.”

Powers, for his part, termed Robinson “the master” when it comes to books involving cli-fi themes. He also acknowledge that as a young man, he read a lot of science fiction. “Ursula K. Le Guin made a huge impression. And I read the classics — books by Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert and Arthur C. Clark.” These days, Powers lives in a remnant of old-growth Eastern hardwood forest in eastern Tennessee, not far from Great Smoky Mountains National Park — he’s visiting Davis as part of a book tour (somewhat delayed because of the pandemic) to promote “Bewilderment.” Robinson, for his part, will soon be marking the May release of his memoir, “The High Sierra: A Love Story.”

Obituary Michael Leon Carl

July 20, 1954 — April 9, 2022 Michael Leon Carl was blessed with 67 years of life. He passed away at his home in Davis, with family and friends by his side, on his mother’s birthday, April 9, 2022. Mike was born July 20, 1954, in Brawley. His family moved to San Diego, where Mike grew up playing guitar, listening to music, surfing and scuba diving. At age 16 at a high school party, he met the love of his life, Susan, whom he later married in 1975. Following high school, Mike accepted a part-time job with a plumbing company and eventually started his own plumbing business, Dependable Plumbing.

Mike and Susan welcomed the birth of their son, David, in 1977. When his daughter Christy was born in 1980 with congenital heart defects, he became a fierce advocate for his baby girl. He was so inspired by the doctors who cared for Christy that he felt called to become a physician. At the age of 33, he was accepted to UC Davis School of Medicine and the family moved to Davis in the fall of 1987. Mike graduated from medical school in 1992 and completed his residency in emergency medicine at UC Davis Medical Center. Mike then joined Kaiser as an emergency physician, helping countless people

during the most challenging moments of life. He eventually became chief of the CARL Emergency Department and assistant physician in chief of the South Sacramento Kaiser Medical Center. He was instrumental in helping the hospital become a Level II Trauma Center before retiring in 2013. Mike and Susan loved to travel to many different places around the world. Mike was a proud descendent of the Cherokee nation with his great-greatgrandmother a survivor of the “trail of tears.” Mike survived cancer four times in his life and relied on his faith and his

family to carry him through. He felt blessed to be alive to witness the weddings of his children and the birth of his three grandsons. Mike will be remembered for his deep faith that he modeled through his actions and words. He gave generously of his heart and treated people from all walks of life the same. One of his proudest achievements was writing and publishing a book about his life, “Blessings of a Faithful Man,” in 2011. Mike is preceded in death by his father, Paul Carl, and mother, Shirley Carl. He is survived by his wife of 46 years Susan, his children David (Michelle) and Christy (Steve), and his grandchildren Noah, Wesley and Elliott. He is also survived by his sister, his

aunt, and numerous lifelong friends. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to YoloCares or a GoFundMe site established to help complete his final wishes (https://gofund.me/

830a81f9). Services will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 26, at St. James Catholic Church in Davis. The Mass will also be live steamed and available for viewing on the Church’s YouTube channel.

Living

A4 THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022

When life gives you lemongrass, grow more

ather shockingly, not every question can be answered by the interwebs. Or it can be answered, but with several startlingly different answers, some very wrong answers or some answers that don’t make any sense. What’s a body to do? In many cases, the answer seems to be “ask Julie.” Since I really like answering questions (not math questions, mind you) that’s just fine with me. Q: What’s the best method to get the most flavor out of fresh lemongrass? A: Fresh lemongrass essentially a really delicious stick, so it’s a little intimidating to prepare if you’re not familiar with it. Start by buying the good stuff – stalks that look fresh and lively, not brown and dried out. Peel off the tough outer leaves until you get to the more tender yellowgreen stalk. Cut off the bulb end (which you can pop into a little glass of water on the windowsill — it may grow roots, in which case you can pot it and grow your own lemongrass.) Slice the tender part of the stalk until you hit the tough upper part. Run the slices through the food processor or bash with a mortar and pestle until you have a nice pile of shreds. Cook as dictated by your recipe, or freeze until needed. The tops, tails and outer leaves can all go into a bag in the freezer until you want to flavor a batch of stock – steep the lemongrass bits in hot stock for an hour or so, or cook with the other vegetable bits and/or bones if you’re making stock from scratch. Q: What’s your best tip for making mac and cheese that is luscious, not dry — particularly if you need to make and reheat it? A: A good cheese sauce made with a generous hand is a marvelous thing! If I’m making mac & cheese ahead of time, I make sure there’s extra sauce, and that it’s a little looser than if I were serving it right away. If we want a big batch for leftovers, say as a side to the Easter Ham, I’ll often split it into two dishes. I bake one right away and leave the other in the fridge to bake when wanted. It’s no more work than reheating and tastes better. (We do the same thing at Thanksgiving with That Green Bean Casserole.)

3 cups milk 4 slices toast, buttered salt Putting it together: Peel and slice eggs. Over medium low heat, melt butter and stir in all or part of curry powder and a pinch of salt. When fragrant, add flour and stir well. Cook 1 minute. Stir in milk 1 cup at a time, blending carefully to avoid lumps. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Turn off heat and add sliced eggs. Make toast and butter it. Divide curry between toast slices and serve. Nice with sliced avocado and tomato.

Cheese Sauce You can use any cheese you like in this. I usually include a slice of American cheese because process cheese helps keep the sauce from splitting. This is enough to sauce about 6 ounces of cooked pasta. Makes 3½ cups. Ingredients: 1.5 tablespoons butter 1 small shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1.5 tablespoons flour 1.5 cups whole milk or half & half ½ teaspoon dry mustard 4 ounces (2 cups) shredded cheese Salt and pepper to taste Putting it together: Melt butter in a saucepan. Add shallot and garlic and cook on medium until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Whisk in milk and bring to a gentle boil over medium high. Whisk in mustard. Remove from heat and add cheese without stirring. Let stand 1 minute, then stir gently until blended. ———— Q: Isn’t it about time for a spring-themed simple cocktail? A: After considerable debate amongst my far-flung friends, we determined we needed two cocktails, one for the people who have rhubarb and one for Team Strawberry.

Rhubarb Cosmo Ingredients: 1.5 ounces vodka 0.25 ounces fresh lemon juice 0.25 ounces Triple Sec 1 ounces rhubarb syrup Putting it together: Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. To make rhubarb syrup: Place ¼ cup sugar, ½ cup water and 1 cup thinly sliced rhubarb in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 2-3 minutes. Let cool and strain,

A rhubarb cosmo is a great spring refreshment. Julie Cross/Courtesy photo

pressing gently on solids to extract the syrup. Rhubarb syrup keeps in the fridge for several weeks. Rhubarb solids are delicious stirred into your yogurt.

Strawberry Mule Ingredients: 3-4 ripe strawberries mint 1.5 ounces vodka 6 ounces ginger beer ice Putting it together: Smash strawberries and a couple of mint leaves in the bottom of a tall glass. (This is called muddling.) Add vodka and ice and stir. Top with ginger beer. ———— Q: How do you keep brown sugar from getting hard in its original package? A: Air is your enemy here! Take the original packaging (a plastic bag or the inner waxed paper bag if you bought the box) and press out all the air, then seal tightly — you may have to roll the top down and use a rubber band to wrap the whole package. Put that bag inside a zip bag and repeat. If you have a vacuum sealer and reusable bags, use that for the outer bag. Q: Yummy things to make with all your Easter leftovers? A: I’m just going to assume you have a ham, because that’s what I like for Easter! You can make scalloped potatoes with ham, a nice omelet filled with ham and cheddar, and a lovely meat pie. Wrap the bone up in foil and then a plastic bag, then

freeze until you want my Dad’s White Beans with Ham Bone.

Pat’s Navy Beans & Ham Ingredients: 1 pound small white navy beans 1 ham bone 1 onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped Putting together: Soak the navy beans overnight in water to cover by 2”. Drain and place in a large pot with the other ingredients. Add water to cover. Do not salt because ham. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat until it’s just simmering. After 2 hours, test to see if beans are tender, and adjust salt as needed. Remove ham bone and let beans continue to cook if needed, or to stand off heat. Remove any remaining meat from pot and return to beans. Discard the bone. Best served over cornbread. ———— Q: Got any new hard-boiled egg uses? A: Deviled eggs, egg salad, potato salad. If you still have eggs left, I do like them in a curry sauce over toast:

Curried Eggs on Toast Ingredients: 4 hard-boiled eggs 3 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons curry powder or to taste 3 tablespoons flour

———— Q: Asparagus? How do you do it? A: I like my asparagus cooked tender but not mushy, which means 3 minutes in rapidly boiling salted water. If the oven is on for something else, I’ll do it in a foil packet — lay them out on a sheet of foil and dot with a couple tablespoons of butter, a squeeze of lemon juice and a little chopped shallot, then seal with another sheet of foil and bake for 20 minutes (if your oven is at 350 degrees, which is usually is.) Let stand for about 5 minutes before opening. Q: I was planning on sending half a batch of brownies to my mother-in-law for Mother’s Day. The problem is, I want brownies now. Do you think they’d suffer from spending three weeks in the freezer? If that would work, how should I wrap them to keep them fresh? A: High-fat baked goods freeze very well. Wrap them in parchment, then in foil, and they’ll freeze nicely for up to a month. Thaw them in their wrapping on the counter. ———— The first strawberries of the season mean I make a jar of strawberry vermouth. Fill a mason jar with washed trimmed strawberries cut into quarters, then add as much dry vermouth as fits in. Seal well and refrigerate for two weeks, turning the jar every time you notice it. Stop by Don Saylor’s Soup’s On Thursday, April 21, and say hey — I’ll be pouring beer to benefit Davis Media Access. Details at https://www.donsaylor.org/ soups-on — Email Julie at jacross@ dcn.org or visit her on Facebook at The New Home Ec

Stalking the wine shelves for asparagus pairings

astEd, a group trying to educate children in England about food, recently reported some of their experiences: the 10-yearold who had never tasted a carrot or a raw tomato; the 5-year-old who, given a peach, said he’d never touched one before “but I’ve had peach-flavored medicine.” The many kids who, asked where food comes from, used to say “from the supermarket” and now say “from mummy’s iPad.” And there are the kids who could name every soccer star in the Premier League but didn’t know that cherries had pits because “they have never seen anyone eating one, nevermind trying one for themselves.” Reading the article brought to mind a fourteenyear-old I once taught (who, unlike the above-mentioned kids, came from a wealthy Bay Area family). When I mentioned making a loaf of bread, she said indignantly “you can’t make bread. It comes from the grocery store.” I thought of all these fresh-food deprived kids when I (with a thrill) saw, at the Farmers Market, the first-of-the-year bunches of local asparagus. Sure, you can buy imported asparagus all year long, but to my mind, the in-season local is the only asparagus worth eating. I don’t even like to save my Farmers Market bunch for mid-week, so in the late spring every Saturday night’s dinner features these green spears in some

form or another. I’m partial to roasting it — maybe seven minutes at high heat — with olive oil and garlic and serving it over fettuccine with more oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest and lots of grated Parmesan. A spring feast that takes less than a half-hour to make and could easily be done by children. And wouldn’t these kids have fun handling the beautiful stalks that look and taste like nothing else? If they helped prepare them, they might even be enthusiastic about eating them. So, asparagus season upon us, what wine do we non-children open on Saturday night to accompany this seasonal treat? The tried and true favorite of wine critics is a crisp sauvignon blanc, but in spite of asparagus’ hard-to-pair reputation, many other wines work, too, a local dry chenin blanc, for example, like Margins, Folk Machine, or Haarmeyer (Co-op). This year, though, I’ve noticed a trend among critics to recommend rosé, a trend I like, in part because the rose and green color scheme is so alluring in the springtime. My first rosé-asparagus pairing was Fiddlers Green asparagus, roasted, with Brassfield Serenity — a rosé of early-picked pinot noir from High Valley AVA (Lake County.). Dry, floral, fruity, and zesty, it tasted like Spring and looked fabulous on the table. And at $15 (Co-op) not a budgetbreaker. My conclusion from this experience:

bring on the rosé! So I bought, also at the Co-op ($19), a bottle of the 2021 Delinquente Pretty Boy Nero d’Avola Rosato. It comes not from Sicily, the grape’s native ground, but from Riverland in Australia, which boasts a similar climate. 2021 was, according to Delinquente, “the kindest vintage we have experienced in our nine years.” The grapes are from a family-owned biodynamic vineyard, and this herbaceous beauty is a testament to “kind” weather and minimal-intervention wine-making. Delinquente has, to my mind, the ugliest labels imaginable, so ugly they’re hilarious — and perhaps indicate a rebellion against the pretty labels that now proliferate on wine bottles everywhere. But don’t be fooled or dissuaded — Delinquente makes serious (but fun) and seriously delicious wines, low in alcohol, food-friendly creatures that seem to me better every year. So don’t hesitate to pick up a bottle of this dry raspberrystrawberry (and, yes, roses) wine that nonetheless has a wonderful herbaceous-savory quality that beautifully supports the complex flavors of

asparagus. Then my asparagus-rosé luck ran out. I bought a bottle (in Berkeley) of a highly praised French rosé, made by a highly regarded independent winemaker. A lovely salmon color, it looked perfect with my steelhead trout fillet. And it was an entirely enjoyable and refreshing, if not exciting, wine with the fish. But the asparagus side dish totally overpowered it. Clearly, this delicious vegetable asks for a more assertive wine, rosé or otherwise.

nstead of reverting to white, I decided to experiment with light red — a suggestion made by one of the Solano Cellars staff, who steered me to the 2021 Passionate Via Revolucionaria La Criolla Grande from Mendoza — a small-production, natural wine, 11.5% alcohol, that I loved. Quirky and funky, its pomegranate

and cranberry middle made me want to stock up early for Thanksgiving dinner, but it also went well with the goat-cheeseand-spinach tamales I picked up at the Berkeley Farmers Market. The next night a friend and I paired asparagus and wild mushroom linguine with this criolla and with her rosé contribution: AlegreValgañón, a 2020 of mostly granache — a bit of white viura added. It’s from Rioja and made by Oscar Alegre and Eva Valgañón. Fruity, charming, and fairly assertive, the rosé easily won this little contest. All the things I loved about the Passionate got obscured by the asparagus and didn’t emerge again until the meal was over. The rosé, on the other hand, danced happily with the pasta and vegetable dish. Thanks, Mary. These rosés also have the advantage of looking like spring and being extremely amenable to pairing with other

seasonal vegetables and herbs. Lately, I’ve been eating a lot of fennel, green garlic, basil, spring escarole, fresh peas and pea shoots, and the glorious greens that some people discard after pulling them off a bunch of beets or radishes. The kids in your life won’t need wine pairing recommendations (though a sip of whatever beautiful rosé you’re drinking would be educational, too), but please do introduce them in some hands-on way to spring’s bounty. And extend that introduction to kids elsewhere. Farm-to-table and farmto-school programs like TastEd are popping up all over the world and deserve our generous support — for the future of the Earth and for the health and zest-for-life of all our children. — Susana Leonardi is a Davis resident; reach her at vinosusana@gmail. com. Comment on this column at www.davisenter prise.com.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022

Senior assembly on sexual assault sparks controversy By Genna Olavarri and Shira Kalish HUB Staff

Cole Wittkop/hub photos

Students at the April 14 demonstration held posters advocating for better sexual assault awareness and education. Student speakers, including Wren Arellano-Calderon (right) and Hailey Ridgway, spoke out calling for change.

The senior class floods into the theater, chattering and laughing. As a woman takes the stage, students continue talking, phones illuminating rows of faces. As the assembly topic becomes evident, the volume in the theater quiets down. The phones disappear. Davis High presented a sexual assault awareness assembly to seniors on Monday, April 11. The assembly featured the hour-long version of the 2015 documentary “The Hunting Ground” — a startling exposé on the prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses. The assembly prompted a firestorm of reactions from students online and the school administration issued an apology to seniors the following day. Students organized a demonstration on April 14 calling for the school to more aptly address sexual assault awareness and allegations in the future. Most students were unaware of the assembly topic going into it, and there was no trigger warning, or notice that there would be topics discussed that may remind students of traumatic events, prior to the presentation. One senior, who has requested to remain anonymous because of her own experience with sexual assault, had heard that they were watching a movie. “I walked in and they were like, ‘Oh, by the way, this is a sexual assault film,’” the senior said. The documentary graphically describes several instances of sexual assault. “The documentary was interesting to watch, if we were trying to uncover the problems within educational systems,” the senior said. “In terms of sexual assault awareness, I do not think it was that helpful because the whole documentary was just primarily of people retelling their stories of them being assaulted and then proceeding to talk about how they received no help from the institutions that they went to.” Some students felt that the film did not offer resources or

solutions for sexual assault survivors. “I think that the documentary just really reinforced the idea to me that no one’s there, no one’s going to help you,” the senior said. While this senior was able to seek out mental-health support after she was sexually assaulted, she felt that “if someone who had just gotten assaulted and was planning to do something about it watched that documentary, I don’t think they would have gone out and decided to do it.” However, for some other students, the presentation achieved its goal: awareness. “The assembly and the student response to it has really forced boys to think more about the trauma of sexual assault, something that many boys, including me, don’t think about a lot,” senior Luca Maes said. After the film, a sexual assault survivor and UC Davis alumna, Yee Xiong, shared her story. She was assaulted in 2012, but her case was not brought to court until 2014 and she was dealing with the legal fallout through 2018. Some students felt that this also reinforced the idea that there are few opportunities for survivors to seek justice. The senior was concerned that the “presentation might encourage people to commit acts of assault” since the assembly discussed how rarely sexual assault perpetrators are held responsible for their actions. After Xiong concluded her story, she opened the floor for a questions and answer session. One of the seniors who spoke up addressed her question not to the speaker, but to the school. She called out DHS for holding the presentation while the school had not supported a student who recently reported an instance of sexual assault on campus. The student she was referring to, a sophomore at DHS, did not give the senior explicit permission for her name to be used. She was planning on addressing a letter to the school, but found out that her name was used during the senior assembly from her brother. “She didn’t really ask (to use my name), but, I mean, it’s OK. I was

going to come out and speak against the school either way,” the sophomore said. After the assembly, students began speaking up on social media, speaking out against the presentation and sharing their own stories about sexual assault. According to Davis High principal Tom McHale, the school began presenting “The Hunting Ground” every year at senior assemblies in 2016 because it had “favorable reviews.” Due to COVID, this was the first time it was presented since 2019. McHale said that this was the first time the film received this sort of reaction from the student body. The DHS administration sent out a statement to seniors on Tuesday, April 12, the day after the assembly. The email said “the film was not received by some students as we intended, and we have spent time reflecting on what unfolded during and after the film.” “No one ever intended to harm anyone,” said Director of Student Services Cara Messmore. The following Thursday, seniors gathered in the Brunelle Theater to collect their caps and gowns. Before the event began, McHale spoke to the crowd briefly about the response to Monday’s assembly. “We are truly sorry for any harm or hurt that was caused,” McHale told the audience. “Cap,” a student in the back retorted, using a slang word that means “liar.” The administration has decided that they will no longer host large assemblies on such sensitive issues. The administration is making plans for school nurse Abby Serin to give a presentation to classes this year about sexual assault awareness, which will include additional resources for students who need support. McHale said he has met with every student who has contacted him regarding the assembly. “I really encourage students to reach out to me,” McHale told the HUB. “Our administration and DHS staff are here to listen and work closely with (students) to make our school a better place.”

Students gather to speak out against sexual assault By Declan Fee HUB Staff More than 200 students gathered outside the Davis High administrative buildings on Thursday, April 14, to demand change from DHS. Donning shirts with powerful messages and posters that echoed those same feelings, the message was clear: The student body is outraged and fed up with the administration’s handling of sexual assault cases and education surrounding sexual assault awareness. After an assembly presented to the senior class on April 11 showed a video

covering the topic of sexual assault and violence on college campuses, students took to the hallways and social media to express their frustration. “(At the assembly) we watched a 60 minute video about college campuses and how they don’t support sexual assault victims. The poor taste video ... only outlined victimblaming,” senior Wren ArellanoCalderon said. Many students were particularly upset that no trigger warning was provided prior to the assembly, and that there was no option to opt-out. “Some of the audi-

ence members were survivors of sexual assault and harassment. They were forced to relive their worst nightmares,”

Students stood in front of Thursday’s crowd to speak about their experiences with sexual assault and their

Scan here to watch video coverage of the April 14 demonstation senior Andy Brosnan said. This has ignited a school-wide conversation regarding sexual assault.

perspectives on the school’s handling of sexual assault awareness education. “We urge the school to dedicate

time and energy to ongoing cases and stories of survivors in our district. All cases need to be addressed, and the district must assert a no tolerance policy,” junior Halla Sorenson said. After every call for help and demand for action, cheers rang throughout the crowd. Flyers were distributed with a list of goals for the district that included a public apology regarding the assembly, conversations about consent beginning in elementary schools and more accessible ways to report sexual assault. Though many students spoke about

the trauma the past week has brought, some feel that the activism born from Monday’s assembly will be incredibly beneficial in the long run. “I am really glad that we can have change come from this and have the school board actually do something about this,” ArellanoCalderon said. The student group Davis Student Union says they will continue to push for change, and will be holding a second demonstration on April 21 in hopes of reaching the whole community.

Rachel Wong/hub graphic

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FEE: Resolution is non-binding to get into spring ballot From Page A1 From the outset, campus leaders have been critical of the proposal, warning that it undervalues athletics and fails to appreciate the consequences of rescinding the fees that support it. “The referendum appears to be framed from the notion that Intercollegiate Athletics benefits only the 700 or so students who participate,” UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May said last year in a meeting with The California Aggie’s editorial board. “I don’t think that’s true at all.” In addition to the intangible impact sports have on the campus community and school spirit, UC Davis’ NCAA teams play a significant role in marketing, student recruitment and fundraising, administrators told The Enterprise. “When our women’s basketball team reaches the NCAA tournament, or one of our wide receiver alums lands a spot in the NFL, it lets the outside world know we’ve got something good here in Davis,” May wrote in a 2019 Enterprise column. If the student fees that support athletics were eliminated, UC Davis would lose about half of its $40 million athletics budget. “The campus would need to replace funds on an ongoing basis,” UC Davis chief communications officer Dana Topousis told The Enterprise last year. Doing so would require

raising more than $400 million to establish an endowment. “The campus would not be able to raise those funds,” Topousis said. As a result, UC Davis would likely need to eliminate sports teams or dismantle other campus programs to replenish the athletics budget. Both options would involve laying off staff and student employees. Since the proposal was drafted last summer, it has opened a rift between UC Davis’ student government and campus administrators, with ASUCD leaders accusing the administration of obstructing Wong’s proposal from being brought to a vote. Central to the dispute is the campus’ “Guide to Creating a Student Fee Initiative,” a one-page document that outlines several steps a fee referendum must go through before it is brought to a vote. Last summer, a section was added to the guide stipulating that student-fee initiatives can only be voted on in the fall, a requirement meant to give campus administration ample time to implement fee changes before a new school year begins. (Wong’s referendum had an 18-month transition period written into it.) Wong and ASUCD leaders, having spent the better part of a year working on the referendum, wanted students to vote on it this spring. For the initiative to pass, voter turnout would need to exceed 20%, with at least 60%

voting to approve the referendum. By the fall, the buzz surrounding the referendum may have faded and a quarter of the student body, including Wong, will have graduated and been replaced by freshmen less familiar with the issue. When ASUCD leaders asked campus administrators for the flexibility to call the vote this spring, their request was denied. “We tried to work with them in good faith,” ASUCD Senator Radhika Gawde told The Enterprise. “They blocked this every step of the way.” Administrators said they needed to enforce university policy for the benefit of the student body as a whole. “Students have diverse backgrounds and viewpoints, and the university administration has a responsibility to be sure that all viewpoints on this issue are heard,” UC Davis media relations director Melissa Blouin told The Enterprise. “The policies and procedures in place are designed to ensure that happens.” During the review, administrators found that Wong’s ballot language largely omitted the consequences the referendum could have for UCD’s athletics programs. Administrative staff at UC Davis and the UC Office of the President changed the language to make students aware of the damage the referendum could do to campus athletics. They also removed nearly all of Wong’s

language — he framed the referendum as an opportunity for students to have more say over how the university used their money — and told him he could not make further changes. (Multiple drafts of the ballot language and emails between Wong and campus administrators were provided to The Enterprise.) On March 31, frustrated by administrative hurdles, the ASUCD Senate passed a resolution declaring the campus’ fee initiative guide invalid. According to the resolution, student leadership never agreed to the document, which purports to be an “agreed upon procedure” between student leadership and campus administration but contradicts a portion of ASUCD’s Constitution allowing students to bring a fee initiative to a vote at any time. On Thursday, UCD vice chancellor for Student Affairs Pablo Reguerín responded to the resolution, saying that UC policy gives campus administrations authority over student governments. Even though the ASUCD Constitution predated the campus’ new fallquarter rule for fee initiatives, “the burden of aligning student government and bylaws with campus policy falls on ASUCD, not the other way around,” Reguerín said in an email to student government leaders. “ASUCD does not have the authority to invalidate UC Davis policies.”

When May learned earlier this month that ASUCD planned to include Wong’s referendum on its spring elections ballot — without it having met all of the criteria on the guide — he withdrew an offer to help the student government promote its elections. “I have generally used my social channels to encourage students to vote,” May said Thursday in a statement to The Enterprise. “However, this year I let ASUCD know I couldn’t promote voting when there is a ballot item that violates university policy.” With the elections approaching, ASUCD leaders decided to put Wong’s referendum on the ballot as a non-binding ballot measure in order to bypass the constraints pertaining to fee initiatives. They also wanted to make it clear to the student body that their vote on the measure will not bring about immediate change. “We don’t want to mislead the student body into thinking this vote will have a material outcome,” ASUCD internal vice president Juliana Martinez told The Enterprise. The ballot measure will serve as a “temperature-check” of student opinion on the issue, said Gawde, the ASUCD senator. “If the ASUCD Constitution allows a ballot measure like this, we leave a survey to the students,” UC Davis media relations specialist Julia Ann Easley said in a statement Friday.

DISC: No on H left drained by original suit; group seeks money back From Page A1 that depleted fund is hampering their efforts. This all began in late March when Carson filed a motion seeking five changes to the ballot argument opposing Measure H, which, if approved by Davis voters in June, would allow for development of DiSC in East Davis. Carson claimed the No on H ballot arguments were false and misleading.

Named as real parties in interest in Carson’s suit were six Davis residents who signed No on H ballot argument — Alan Pryor, Michael Corbett, Stephen Wheeler, Darell Dickey, Juliette Beck and Roberta Millstein. Yolo Superior Court Judge Daniel Maguire ultimately ordered two changes to the No on H ballot arguments related to the impact DiSC could have on traffic and greenhouse

gas emissions. But the judge declined to make the majority of changes sought by Carson, saying there was not clear and convincing evidence the statements were false or misleading. Shortly after the ruling, DiSC opponents filed a motion seeking attorney fees from Carson. “Real parties prevailed in an action enforcing important public rights to the benefit of all citizens of

Davis,” their court filing stated. “Real parties therefore respectfully request that this court award real parties reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs in the amount of $71,488.85.” The motion argued that case law holds that “a party need not prevail on every claim to be entitled to an award of attorney fees.” “Here, the overwhelming result of the litigation was to reject petitioner’s efforts at censorship and vindicate

real parties’ rights to present, and the public’s right to receive, information and argument concerning Measure H,” the motion argued. “In defending the action, they achieved a victory that was substantial and which qualifies real parties as prevailing parties…” But Carson’s attorneys contended that the changes suggested by the No on H team, and which the judge ordered, were only suggested after his suit was filed.

“Real parties’ purportedly voluntary amendments to the two statements … were the result of the petitioner’s legal action and were consistent with petitioner’s requested relief,” Carson’s filing states. Case law, his attorney’s argue, makes it clear “that ‘voluntary’ corrective action induced by litigation may properly be considered a ‘benefit’ of the litigation in determining the propriety of an attorney fee award.”

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THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022

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What’s nesting in your neighborhood? N

esting is going on all over town. Hawks are flying overhead as they forage and add materials to their nests. You might hear the long scream of a Swainson’s hawk kweeaaaaah or sometimes a pi tip, pi tip pi tip. Canada geese are parading the first two fluffy yellow goslings at the Northstar Pond. Thankfully, we now have nestbox trails in Davis. For 20 plus years, UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology’s Putah Creek Nestbox Highway have maintained and monitored over 200 nest boxes along Putah Creek. Those nest boxes have resulted in over 14,000 fledglings. And some of those come looking for homes in Davis. We first spotted a Western bluebird at the North Davis ponds and since it had a band, we knew her name, who her mother was, where she was born. It had been hatched the year before on Old Davis Road. Now, we have nest boxes all along the Covell Park greenbelt from the Vet Memorial building to the Northstar Pond, more boxes along the Davis Ditch, and five boxes on the Uplands Open Space Habitat on F and Anderson and boxes in West Pond. And they are once again gaining occupancy. Why nestboxes? It’s because some birds nest in hollows in old trees. However, we no long have those forests and old trees. So, the nestboxes, with entrance holes geared to specific species, provide safe alternatives. The boxes are inspected, managed, and cleaned out at the end of the year. As a result, we see many new species in Davis. I regularly see Western bluebirds as I bike along the greenbelt to the Davis library. I’ve spotted Western bluebirds in Central Park. And we always spot them at the North Davis Ponds. Last year,

one pair nested near the Northstar Pond and produced three clutches. Joshua Greenfield surveyed just the three acres of the North Davis Uplands Habitat (F and Anderson) along with Kelli O’Neill and Lina Wood and recorded 42 species on April 13. You can view the checklist at https://ebird.org/checklist/ 5106992337. This year, Dr. Melanie Truan, who begin putting up nestboxes along Putah Creek when she was a graduate student over 20 years ago, was putting up a new nestbox and had her David Attenborough experience. She said, “As a funny side-note, a couple weeks ago I put up a new box on the Covell Greenbelt trail. I heard bluebirds chattering in the area as I approached the tree with my lifter and brand-new box. The chattering intensified as I selected a branch and began lifting the box into place. I had no sooner lowered the lifter pole when a gang of bluebirds swooped in and began excitedly flying about, sparring, dodging and feinting in their attempts to be the first to perch on top and peer into the hole. It was the greatest thing and something I had never experienced before! Our nestbox trails are truly important to these birds, enabling them to recolonize their former habitats and move into the new habitats of our parks and greenbelts. And they are getting very tame! I’m not

At left, a Canada goose parents her two goslings in the Northstar Pond. Below, soras hang out in the cattails and you must be patient to see them at the Northstar Pond. Roger Smith/ Courtesy photos

sure that is a good thing but it sure is fun!”

et outside and see the birds and blooming. Drive the auto tour at the Yolo Basin. Feeling a little stir crazy with the big winds one Sunday, we drove out to Yolo Basin for the auto tour. There was less water than usual, fewer birds, but I saw things I don’t regularly see — three ring-necked pheasants, a jackrabbit posed for me on the road, a great-horned owl sat on a nest in a tree along the east side of the auto tour. I spotted a mute swan and there were many greater yellow legs. California Duck Days will be happening out there on April 30, a good time for all ages to learn about the area. Live wildlife ambassadors will be there. Go to yolobasin.org to learn details. So, there is good news but also sobering news. We have lost 3 billion birds in American since 1970. And two-thirds of American bird species are at risk of

extinction due to climate change. U.S. Fish and Wildlife added 11 new species now extinct. But you make a difference. Ask your congressperson to support the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act to help wildlife species. On April 7, 22, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee passed the bill on a 15-5 vote and now the Senate must vote, along with the U.S. House of Representatives. Cornell Bird lists seven simple action you can do to help birds. ■ Make windows safer, day and night with screens to break up reflections, stickers. See: https:// abcbirds.org/lass-collisions/ stop-birds-hitting-windows ■ Keep cats indoors. They are the No. 1 loss of birds other than habitat loss. ■ Reduce lawn, use native plants. ■ Avoid pesticides ■ Drink shade-gown coffee

■ Reduce plastic use ■ Do citizen science by watching birds and sharing what you see with ebird or help spot birds on bird strolls. Expert-led bird strolls are on first Saturdays led by Friends of North Davis Ponds, 8 a.m., first Wednesdays, Friends of West Pond. Check out their Facebook pages. Be well and kiss each day. — Jean Jackman is a Davis resident. Her columns appear monthly. Got at story, comment, correction? Contact her at JeanJackman@gmail.com.

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Inactivity will steal your mind, independence

on’t put off exercise. Stop thinking there’s always time to get moving later. The longer you wait, chances are the more damage you are doing to your brain and body. I have a very personal reason for giving this advice. In my mom’s last years, I was her primary caregiver. Nine years after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the degenerative brain disease took her life a few months before she would have turned 94. Although she had adequate physical health into her early 90s, the hunger signal that runs from the brain to the stomach began to fail. By then she was barely eating and she had no short- or long-term memory. Mom could communicate with me, but no one else. Her words were all gone. Alzheimer’s is not just memory loss. In most cases, that is just the first sign — trouble recalling people’s names, an inability to know what you had done earlier that day or week. Eventually the disease destroys every brain function, including involuntary feelings, like hunger. Several months before her organs failed and she gasped her last breath, I took her to her doctor in Davis, and he recognized the end was near. He advised we call in Yolo Hospice, and, as needed, they came to our house and provided whatever I requested.

Largely because my mom was an incredibly kind and pleasant woman, she was not difficult to be around, even as her disease progressed. I could see value in her life. She always loved to go for a walk and she enjoyed seeing children playing and flowers in bloom. She never held a grudge when I did things — like make her take a shower — that made no sense to her atrophied mind. Yet in most cases, Alzheimer’s is much worse. As the ailment advances, many patients become angry, violent and intolerant. Some scream senseless babble. Others lose all physical capacities and never leave home or must go into convalescent care. Recently, the PBS show, Nova — in an episode called, “Determined: Fighting Alzheimer’s” — highlighted the efforts of women in their 60s who were managing the lives and ministration of their parents suffering from this challenging disease and taking part in a study to see what they could do to avoid being stricken with it. One of the patients featured was a 74-year-old lady named Ada Irene Daniels. While her husband and three daughters helped her, Ada was clearly in a deteriorated state. Her hands and arms were perpetually clenched. She rocked back and forth in a sofa chair. She had lost her language. She made indecipherable noises and looked miserable.

Based on what Nova showed, Ada did not appear to have any joy in her life. She was homebound and alive only to the extent that she was still breathing, still had a heartbeat. Twothirds the way through the documentary, having stopped eating, she passed away. Everyone who isn’t doing what they can to fight this terrible affliction needs to see Ada Daniels at the end of her life. It’s not pretty. It’s harsh reality. One point made in the study of the caregivers is that exercise may prevent or at least delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Here is what the Mayo Clinic reports: “Studies show that people who are physically active are less likely to experience a decline in their mental function and have a lowered risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. “Physical activity is one of the known modifiable risk factors for dementia. Plus, regular exercise helps combat other Alzheimer’s disease risk factors,

such as depression and obesity.” Working out regularly is not a guarantee you’ll never lose your mental faculties. But being inert heightens your risk for Alzheimer’s and a host of other chronic maladies, including obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, high LDL cholesterol and cancer. Staying still will take years off your life and will greatly reduce your quality of life.

n a peer-reviewed scientific article published in Comprehensive Physiology, Prof. Frank Booth and two academic colleagues make this point. The “evidence establishes that lack of physical activity affects almost every cell, organ and system in the body causing sedentary dysfunction and accelerated death. “The massive multifactorial nature of dysfunction caused by sedentarism means that just as food and reproduction remain as requirements for long-term continued human existence, physical activity is also a requirement to maximize health span and lifespan. The only valid scientific therapeutic approach to completely counter sedentary dysfunction is primary prevention with physical activity itself.” There are two main types of exercise: cardiovascular and muscle-building. They are not mutually exclusive. If you run up a hill, you’ll improve your lung, heart and circulatory function

and build strength in your legs and core. Whatever exercises you do are better than being sedentary. But, if you want to improve your mental and physical function, you should do resistance activities that strengthen your muscles and aerobic activities that elevate your heart rate. The CDC recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise (such as a brisk walk) five times a week and “musclestrengthening activities two or more days a week that work all major muscle groups — legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms.” Alternatively, you could vigorously run or dance or ride your bike fast for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week, while still getting in muscular fitness exercise twice a week. I like to ride my bike 30-60 miles, five days a week. But on days when I’m too busy, I will do short, fast, high intensity intervals for as little as 30-40 minutes. A day without a workout is a wasted day. Don’t make excuses, saying you don’t have the time. You do. Exercise needs to be your priority. If it’s not, you’ll likely wind up in dire physical and mental pain, unable to care for yourself. — Rich Rifkin is a Davis resident; his column is published every other week. Reach him at Lxartist@yahoo.com.

Letters Beck for supervisor As this decade begins, we walk briskly towards utter climate catastrophe. Before 2030 our planet will warm beyond 1.5 degrees and the worst of climate change will no longer be avoidable. Those aged 29 and younger, down to the child born as I write, will suffer the first cataclysmic effects of this disaster. But those over thirty will experience less and leave behind a world plummeting ever faster towards a fate that they hadn’t the courage to change. But all is not yet lost. A new people are rising. Youth in communities across the Earth are standing up for a livable future … not a beautiful one, that has been taken from us. We ask only for a chance at life. Too often we are told by adults our ideas are impossible. Yet those very adults in power have kept us on the road to disaster. Obviously, what is politically “possible” isn’t enough. But a broken system gives the youth little power of our own. Carrying signs, chanting, protesting, praying are acts of strength but they alone cannot save the world. We need our elders to begin listening and using their power to implement our ideas and solutions. Have they forgotten this was always their job? To follow the will of the people? We must elect adults who fulfill their promises. Juliette Beck, running for Yolo County Supervisor D2, is a voice of hope in a time of fear. She is dedicated to climate justice and pledges to make the imperative changes now, and to give youth a place in decision making. I’m confident Juliette will be true to her word. She is heartfelt, loving and inclusive. Juliette Beck will invite in every perspective to ensure that decisions which affect us all are made by everyone. She is firm in the belief that this is not a campaign of one, but of all. I give my strong support to this candidate and strongly urge others to do the same. The time for idle politics is over, the time for immediate action is upon us. Emma Larson Davis

In support of DISC I applaud the developer for returning with a much needed, but pared down version of a business innovation park, calling it the Davis Innovation & Sustainability Center (DISC). DISC will be on the June ballot for voter consideration as Measure H. The reality is the city’s need for a high tech innovation park has not gone away. Davis should diversify where it derives its taxes from, not relying on just the University and the downtown for tax revenues, as

we have witnessed from the COVID pandemic. When students were absent from campus because of COVID, small businesses and the university suffered tremendously. We lost many smaller businesses in the downtown area. An innovation park has the potential to generate substantial new tax revenues for Davis — $3.9 million a year — so that we do not put all the city’s tax eggs in one or two baskets. And that tax revenue is very much needed for road repairs, city building maintenance/repairs (e.g. the Senior Center), city swimming pool maintenance/ repairs, among other things. Our streets, bike/pedestrian pathways are riddled with gigantic cracks and potholes from years of neglect. The schools will receive a much needed infusion of $700,000 in annual funding. And this project has the potential to provide not only huge new tax revenues for the city and schools, but much needed employment, especially for new UCD graduates, as well as much needed traffic improvements. If we fail to vote in favor of this project, you can depend on nearby towns inviting the developer to come into their municipality - which has already happened with one of the proposed innovation parks slated for Davis that moved to Woodland. Once innovation parks are erected in other locales, this city will suffer the impacts of the innovation parks built just outside our

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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.

city limits, without gaining any of the benefits, which makes little sense. Let’s get our city back on the right track to fiscal sustainability, so we can fix/ improve our roads, repair/maintain city buildings and improve our schools. Vote a resounding YES on Measure H! Elaine Roberts Musser Davis

Public comment at council Thank you, Councilman Frerichs. At the April 5 City Council meeting, public comment had a surprising departure from council practice of listening, but not responding to comments on topics not on that meeting’s agenda. Lucas attempted to point out the inappropriateness of the rare (unheard-of?) occurrence of a council member feeling the need to defend himself as part of public comment — especially from actions taken as an individual. The inappropriateness increases on a topic so controversial, and which the council was so intimately involved with. The consequence was that Councilman Carson (as private citizen? As one of five council members?) publicly got in the “last licks.” Stopping this from occurring seems to be the very purpose of decades of Davis

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;

City Council practice of not challenging public comments at that time. Regarding the DiSC issue itself, I live near the project area, but unfortunately am still undecided on the Measure H issue at hand. But I hope the council — already with a black eye due to one member (albeit as a citizen) filing suit against a citizen group — will reaffirm its desire to evenhandedly welcome public comment. Andy Faletti Davis

Failed park maintenance My wife and I were walking our dog as usual in the Mace Ranch park area and we were commenting on the infestation of barbed tail and sticker weeds that have cost us plenty in Vet bills. Weeds are just one eye sore, but the number of dead trees and vegetation is truly impressive. Sprinkler systems which seem to water nothing are plenty. L Like loyal Davisites, we voted for Measure H, but we are wondering what we are getting for our money. Is measure H paying more for pensions than park maintenance? Where is all the money going, because it’s surely not going to park maintenance? Next time Measure H comes up, I will be looking for results before voting yes. Mike Clegg Davis

202-224-3553; email: padilla.senate. gov/public/index.cfm/e-mail-me

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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/

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022 B3

THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE

Keeping in touch is worth the effort Dear Annie: Staying close to family is not easy, but it is really important. When my mom was younger, I was busy with work, kids, their extracurricular activities, and keeping up with housework and yard work. My spouse worked graveyard shifts for many, many years. And I lived quite far away from my mom, when long-distance bills were a thing we had to budget for. Now Mom is in her ninth decade and not in the best health. To my dismay, she rarely answers the phone. I make a point of emailing her every week or so, to send her news of our branch of the family. We recently moved to a warmer, less expensive community as retirees, and I won’t be seeing my adult children and the grandchildren every day. I do try to stay in touch, but I also know they have obligations and responsibilities and very busy lives. They don’t often initiate a call. So, I’m learning to be OK with that as well.

I email the adults letters to share with their children, and I send “snail mail” to the children, too. I’m the one who has the time and energy to maintain connection at this point in our lives, whether it is with my mom or my offspring. It’s good to tell people you miss them, but it’s

To SUBSCRIBE to The Davis Enterprise, please visit davisenterprise.com/ subscribe For LEGAL NOTICES, email legals@davisenterprise.net

critical to cultivate relationships, within the family and within your community, to find ways to be less dependent and more socially self-sufficient. — Sandwiched Dear Sandwiched: Thank you for sharing your experience. You are trying hard to stay in touch with family, and I’m sure your

mom and your children appreciate it, even if they are too preoccupied to say so. ——— Dear Annie: This is in response to the letter from someone who said there is no tipping in Europe. I can categorically say that there is tipping in Europe — if we accept that

Britain is in Europe. I am a 43-year-old Brit, and I tip almost every time I eat at a restaurant, unless the service has been bad. Family and friends do the same. There are various things like a “service charge” that the restaurant might add, but leaving some cash on the table (say, 10%) is a very common occurrence. Some coffee shops even

have tip jars to encourage tipping. Ride-sharing and food delivery apps invite you to leave a tip. We tip the wait staff to help increase their takehome pay, which is low relative to living costs, and to thank them for good service, as has been customary for time immemorial. — Local From Manchester, England

B4 THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE

YOLOlaughs

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022

sports THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE — WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022

Softball

Water polo

Aggies swept by Matadors

UC Davis women beat Gauchos in home finale

By Rebecca Wasik Enterprise correspondent In a close contest, one run was the difference for the UC Davis softball team. Looking to avoid a sweep on Saturday, the Aggies put Kenedi Brown in the circle against CSU Northridge. Although Brown pitched a complete game, the Aggies were unable to outscore the Matadors in the Big West Conference matchup finale. A home run in the fifth inning proved to be the difference, as the visiting Matadors sealed a 4-3 victory over the Aggies at LaRue Field. “We came out and played a lot better than we did (Friday) for sure,” said UCD head coach, Erin Thorpe, whose Aggies lost to CSUN in a doubleheader on Friday. “Our offense attacked a little bit more today. It was a much harder fought game; it just didn’t fall in our favor.” After a 35-minute weather delay due to field conditions, CSUN’s Alexis Lemus led off the first inning with a home run to right field. The Matadors added two more runs in the second inning. After Alexa Landeas led off with a triple, Vinessa Nunez and Aaliyah Swan each drew walks. Mikayla Carman then hit a bases loaded single, which scored Landeas and Nunez. Going to the bottom of the second frame, CSUN led UC Davis (6-9 in the BWC, 18-21 overall) 3-0. In the bottom of that inning, Aggie Anna Dethlefson led off with a single to left field. Sarah Starks then singled as well, moving Dethlefson to third base. Reese Mattley followed with UC Davis’ third single in a row to score Dethlefson, cutting the Matadors’ lead to 3-1. At the top of the third inning, Aggies’ right fielder, Alyssa Ito made a fantastic diving catch to end the half inning. In the bottom of that frame, CSUN (6-9 in the BWC, 16-26) made back-to-back errors. But the Aggies were unable to capitalize on the mistakes, despite loading the bases. However, UCD offense sparked in the fourth frame, which tied the game at 3-3. After two quick flyouts, Ito singled to center field. Then Aggie teammate Sommer Kisling drew a walk, followed by a double down the left field line from Libbie McMahan. That plated Ito and advanced Kisling to third for a CSUN score at 3-2. After the Matadors made a pitching change, UCD batter Delaney Diaz singled to center field that scored Kisling for a 3-3 tie. McMahan moved to third base. Brown recorded two easy outs in the top of the fifth, CSUN’s Mia

See SWEPT, Page B6

By Mark DeVaughn Enterprise correspondent UC Davis women’s water polo won its final home game Saturday, before something memorable and monumental arose at Schaal Aquatics Center. Senior captain Julia Hartmann and classmate Emily Aikema combined for five goals in an 11-8 win over UC Santa Barbara. They were among the six departing seniors honored in a postgame ceremony. They were awarded sunflower bouquets and laurel wreaths during the festivities, which celebrated Aggies head coach Jamey Wright. Wright’s position is officially endowed, UC Davis water polo benefactor David Hodgens announced to the crowd. The news drew gasps of appreciation from spectators — athletic director Rocko DeLuca among them — and tears of joy from UCD players. Endowed coaching positions are funded separately from the UCD athletic department’s yearly operating

budgets. Both the men’s and women’s water polo coaching positions are now endowed. Wright is the only coach in the program’s history. He began coaching it while still in law school in the mid1980s. “I can’t even put into words how much this means to me,” Wright said. “Endowment provides a sort of stability for the coaching position. But personally, I cannot express the gratitude I’m feeling right now.” Fittingly, his seniors led UCD (3-3 in the Big West Conference, 16-11 overall) to victory. Hartmann scored three goals. Aikema fired a pair. Each classmate scored goals while UC Davis built a 4-0 edge late in the first period. Davis High alumnae Alyssa Lengtat scored a goal and led a stalwart defensive effort. Goalkeeper Nellie McAdams made three saves in the last five minutes to preserve the victory. UC Santa Barbara (1-4 in the BWC,

See BEAT, Page B6

Arya Lalvani/Enterprise photo

UC Davis’ Julia Hartmann (11) passes the ball in Saturday’s BWC home game against UC Santa Barbara.

Football

Mike Bush/Enterprise photos

At left, AJ Hasson gets ready to bench press 255-pounds during the Davis High football team’s lift-a-thon at the school’s weight room inside South Gym. Spotting Hasson is Damean Osborne. At right, Davis football head coach Steve Smyte fist pumps Hasson after his lift. To view more photos, visit www.davisenterprise.com and click on the Sports tab.

Blue Devils are building muscles, character in off-season workouts By Mike Bush Enterprise sports editor Steve Smyte is happy to be back in the saddle. The fiery Davis High football head coach has returned and upcoming players are working hard this offseason to get ready for the upcoming season. The enthusiasm was displayed on Saturday morning, when the Blue Devil players had their lift-a-thon inside the school’s weight room inside South Gym. The players were encouraging each other when each were trying to reach their max in the bench press. “I want kids to have a great experience,” Smyte said. Of more than the 35 players taking part in off-season workouts during zero period on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, some are playing spring sports. Smyte is fine with that. “What bothers me when coaches try to get their players just to play one sport all yearround,” Smyte said. “We have a bunch of guys who are playing lacrosse ... we’ve got guys doing track (and field). We’re the only ones training at 6:30 in the morning. It gives us free access to the weight room without having to share it.” There’s another reason why Smyte is a firm believer in early-morning workouts. “It develops a toughness to get up early,” Smyte said. “It’s a bonding experience for our kids.” In addition to work outs in the weight room, Smyte conducts “character meetings” for the players. “It was all about what are our values as a team,” Smyte noted. “We talked about responsibility to our teammates. We didn’t set goals of winning (the Sac-Joaquin) Section or winning state. What our goals is

let’s get 95-percent attendance at our zero period. Let’s make sure our athletes get a 3.0 or better (grade point average). Let’s make sure that we’re giving maximum effort, finishing every rep. All of the things that we control. We can control what kind of effort and the commitment that we put into what we’re doing.”

‘Great leader’ Smyte, 62, has been “impressed” with the players’ efforts since he returned as the head coach in January. “They have bought into that,” said Smyte, who still works as a substitute teacher at Davis High after he retired from teaching last year. Clearly, Smyte is building a good foundation in the Blue Devils’ off-season workouts. “Coach Smyte is a great leader for the football program,” said Davis High Athletic Director Jeff Lorenson. “Coach develops an environment for student-athletes that focuses on character, academics and athletic success. Students gravitate to this focus and the program continues to grow under his leadership and the support of assistant coaches.” Numbers speak highly in the Blue Devils’ favor during Smyte’s first tenure. In his three seasons in charge of the program, Smyte compiled an overall record of 17-10. That included a 10-2 record in the 2019 season where Davis won the Delta League title for the first time since the 1994 season. The Blue Devils beat Gregori of Modesto in the first round of the section Division I playoffs, 41-7, then Inderkum ended Davis’ season with a 43-21 win. The 2018 season saw Davis finish with a 6-5 record that included a section playoff game.

“It was only a couple of years ago, man, we were winning the Delta League title, we’re ranked in the top 25 in all of Northern California,” Smyte said. “We’re ranked in the top 75 in the whole state, with 1,700 hundred schools. My goal is to get us back to that point.”

New opportunity Smyte stepped down after the spring 2021 season in which the Blue Devils posted a 1-2 record in the Delta League and 1-3 overall. He became the offensive coordinator at Lincoln University in Oakland for what was his only season last fall. He had coached at UC Davis and Boise State during his football coaching career. “I thought it was going to be a good opportunity,” Smyte said. Mark Johnson replaced Smyte last season. Davis finished last fall season with a 1-8 record, including a 1-5 mark in league. Johnson resigned shortly after the end of the season last November for a new full-time job opportunity. Symte spoke highly of Johnson. “First off, Mark Johnson is a heck of a coach,” said Smyte of Johnson. “I coached with him at UC Davis for a few years.” Smyte feels that pandemic may have impacted players wanting to work out in the weight room last year. “They were worried about the pandemic and we’re worried about the situation,” Smyte said. Now Smyte is ready to turn the Blue Devils’ fortunes around. But hard work leads to success, which doesn’t happen overnight. “Davis is a unique place to coach,” Smyte said. “I’ve been blessed in having a lot of support here, and the backers have been

See WORKOUTS, Page B6

Sports

B6 THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2022

Swimmers take second at league championships Enterprise staff Fifty-five points. That was the difference between the Davis High boys swimming team and Jesuit High’s squad for first place in the Delta League championships, which concluded at American River College in Sacramento on Thursday. Jesuit won the league title with 568 points and Davis second at 513. “We competed very well,” said Davis head coach Tracy Stapleton. “We gave up 53 points to diving as we do not have any boy divers. Thus, we were right there.” Jesuit and Davis ran away from the rest of their league foes. Franklin of Elk Grove was third at 214 points. Cosumnes Oaks was fourth at 195, Pleasant Grove fifth at 166, Elk Grove sixth at 133 and Sheldon seventh at 49.

Brennan Fuchslin was a doublewinner for the Blue Devils. He won the 200 IM at 1 minute, 56.30 seconds and the 500 freestyle at 4:48.74. Tater Cutler was also a doublewinner for Davis. He captured first in the 100 butterfly at 49.93 seconds and the 100 backstroke at 50.36. Harry Ross won the 100 freestyle at 46.39. The 400-freestyle team of Ross, Ryan Pfeifer, Fuchslin and Tate Cutler took first place at 3:09.56. Now the Blue Devils shift their focus toward the Sac-Joaquin Section trials and finals, which will be held at Tokay High of Lodi. The boys’ trials will be on Friday, May 6 and finals on Saturday, May 7. “We are now very much looking forward to the section champion-

WORKOUTS: Develop of student-athletes From Page B5 incredible. You really have to fight to get kids out, have to really provide, I think, a program that is just not about football. You have to make sure that you’re showing addressing the development of our student-athletes, which we are. “I want to teach them about life. We want to teach (players) a good son, how to be a good community member, how to be a good student and how to be a good football player.” One goal Smyte talked about is having a Blue Devils freshman football team for the 2023

season. Current eighth graders who are going to be freshmen at Davis High for the 2022-23 school year will be playing on this fall’s junior varsity football team. Davis will open this season at home against Vacaville on Friday, Aug. 19.

The Blue Devils’ remaining three preseason games are at Granite Bay, hosting Oakmont of Roseville and at Fairfield. — Contact Mike Bush at mike@davisenterprise.net. Follow on Twitter: @MBDavisSports.

SWEPT: Aggies hit 8 vs. CSU Northridge From Page B5 Stankiewicz took the softball deep to left center for a home run, giving the Matadors a 4-3 lead. In the top of the sixth inning, Matador Jaymi Steward lined out to shortstop McMahan, who made an excellent diving play. The Aggies had eight hits in the game. Mattley and Dethlefson each had two hits. McMahan, Diaz, Starks and Ito each had one. UCD stranded 10 runners, while the Matadors left eight runners on the

base paths. The Aggies also stranded multiple runners in the nightcap of Friday’s doubleheader. In Brown’s outing, she allowed five hits, six walks, four earned runs, and struck out five. “She battled,” said Thorpe of Brown. “Not a lot of people hit Kenedi, so it’s kind of a surprise when they do. I think she did a really nice job adjusting and working to determine what the strike zone was gonna be. She did a really nice job.” — Follow Rebecca Wasik on Twitter: @BeccaFromTheBay.

BEAT: Lengtat is a Davis High graduate From Page B5 11-11) arrived boasting two of the conference’s top 10 goal-scorers. But Leigh Lyter and Caitlyn Syder combined for only one goal between them. Lengtat competed in the triple jump on the UC Davis track team, after playing basketball and track throughout her time at Davis High. While in high school, classmate Cameron Wright — Jamey’s Wright son — convinced her to try out for water polo. “He said, ‘you should try water polo. It’s this fun game that has a bunch of sports all in one,” Lengtat said. “I was like, ‘heck yeah, I’m going to try that.’ It all worked out.” The victory allowed Hartmann to recall changing her mind about her eventual college home. “I don’t want to go to Davis, it’s too hot,” Hartmann remembered thinking while playing soccer at St. Francis

High of Mountain View. “But then I started getting recruited for water polo and realizing; I loved Davis. It was way more of my vibe. It’s a special place.” UCSB trimmed the Aggies’ lead to 5-3 by halftime. But UCD regained control behind three goals — from Hartmann, Aikema and Allyson Clague — in the first 2:16 of the third period. The UC Davis advantage never fell below three goals thereafter.

The Aggies will now travel to the Big West Conference tournament at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex in Honolulu, Hawaii. UCD faces UC San Diego on Friday at 1 p.m. The Aggies won the clubs’ regular-season meeting. — Follow Mark DeVaughn on Twitter: @OrangeMarkD.

ships,” Stapleton said. “We have solidified our team and have 25 athletes advan ing in two divisions — varsity and frosh-soph. “We will refocus our training efforts these next few weeks and will be ready for peak performance at (the California Interscholastic Federation Swimming and Diving State) Championships.” The Davis High girls swimming team won the Delta Leaggue title with 636 points. St. Francis took second place at 566 points, Pleasant Grove third at 269, Franklin of Elk Grove fourth at 192, Cosumnes Oaks fifth at 164, Sheldon sixth at 87 and Elk Grove seventh at 1. The girls’ section championship trials will also be held at Tokay High’s swimming pool on Thursday, May 5.

Mike Bush/Enterprise file photo

Davis High boys swimmer Tate Cutler comes up for air in the middle of the 100-butterfly race aginst Franklin at Arroyo Comunity Pool on April 6.