Get The Dirt on local culture

What’s there to do around here? The Dirt is glad you asked.

In recent years, Yolo County has needed a comprehensive source to find entertainment opportunities. Thanks to an Arts & Cultural Affairs grant from the city of Davis, a once-struggling publication is filling that niche.

Founded in March 2010 by four Davis women, The Davis Dirt began as a small monthly paper with a grid calendar of events, trying to meet a need that even The Enterprise couldn’t fill.

Then UC Davis alumna Ashley Muir Bruhn — known for her travel and lifestyle blog Hither and Thither (https://hitherandthither.net) — took it over in October 2019, and published her first online edition that November. The former book editor brought a hip new vibe to the publication.

“I started working on rebranding — The Dirt got a new logo, new print design, updated social handles, and a new website where event hosts can submit their events directly,” she said via email. She removed Davis from its name to include all of Yolo County.

Timed to coincide with its 10-year anniversary, The Dirt launched its redesigned print edition — in March 2020. The all-color, 16-page magazine format now includes stories and a comprehensive event calendar.

It was a beautiful magazine but terrible timing for the launch.

“Unfortunately, that issue was out for just a few days when word came that we would be sheltering in place — and all events would be canceled.”

During the COVID, Bruhn kept The Dirt’s website up to date and shared events and stories online. But it wasn’t until two months ago that the print edition could return, with the support of the city grant and some loyal advertisers.

“I really struggled to keep it going during the pandemic, but I felt strongly about being a resource for the arts community and our local businesses, and The Dirt has been a way for me to lend support.”

So how can you get The Dirt?

It’s at https://thedirt.online/ and the Feb. 1 edition is at local bookstores, City Hall, the Senior Center and the Stephens Branch Library. Readers can subscribe to a free weekly email newsletter too.

Bruhn’s hope is to keep the publication free for the community, as a platform supporting

100% local music, art, food and culture, she said.

Shelley Dunning’s B’twixt & B’tween vending machine recently moved from Dixon to Davis. It’s now inside the new Woodstock’s Pizza at 238 G St.

I mentioned this fun concept in this space last year, when the machine was placed at the Ruhstaller Farm taproom in Dixon.

“This vending machine doesn’t offer Snickers or Cheetos. It sells locally made art, jewelry, crafts, game cards, toys, bakery cookies and more,” I wrote. “Prices ranged from $2 to $50 but the credit card reader allows purchases of up to $99. Each item fits nicely into the 5-inch slots.”

Dunning said she moved the machine because it was too exposed to the weather elements at Ruhstaller. She may add additional machines in other locations in the future.

The ASUCD Aggie Reuse Store reopened on Jan. 17 with a new business model: free everything, for the benefit of all.

The store is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — in a new location. It used to be in the Silo; now it’s at Memorial Union 154, next to the food pantry and information desk.

“Everything is free,” student employee Paloma Casillas told The California Aggie. “We know that with the reopening, Aggie Reuse has become a much more accessible, affordable and

UC Davis establishes Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics

By Andy Fell

Special to The Enterprise

UC Davis has launched the Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics to advance basic knowledge about the mechanisms of psychedelics and translate it into safe and effective treatments for diseases such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, among others. The new institute will bring together scientists across a range of disciplines and partner with the pharmaceutical industry to ensure that key discoveries lead to new medicines for patients.

“Psychedelics have a unique ability to produce long-lasting changes in the brain that are relevant to treating numerous conditions,” said David E. Olson, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at UC Davis. “If we can harness those beneficial properties while engineering molecules that are safer and more scalable, we can help a lot of people.”

Olson will be the founding director of the new institute, with John A. Gray, associate professor in the Department of Neurology, serving as associate director. In 2018, Olson and Gray published an influential study in Cell Reports demonstrating that psychedelics promote neuroplasticity — the growth of new neurons and formation of neural connections.

“Neuronal atrophy is a key factor underlying many diseases,” said Gray, “and the ability of psychedelics to promote the growth of neurons and new connections in the brain could have broad therapeutic implications.”

Historic investment

The UC Davis institute will be funded in part by a contribution of approximately $5 million from the deans of the College of Letters and Science and the School of Medicine, the vice chancellor for Research, and the Office of the Provost. While other psychedelic science centers have been formed across the country with gifts from philanthropists, the UC Davis institute is notable for also being supported by substantial university funds.

“We wanted to put our money where our mouth is and demonstrate our commitment to this space,” said Estella Atekwana, dean of the College of Letters and Science overseeing the new institute. Additionally, philanthropic donations as well as grants and sponsored research agreements from the federal government, private foundations and industry partners will support the mission of the institute.

“UC Davis has been leading the development of new medicines based on psychedelic research, and together with philanthropists, granting agencies and industrial partners, I’m confident that we can produce major benefits for society,” Atekwana said.

Leveraging strengths

The institute will leverage the extraordinary breadth of expertise in the neuroscience community at UC Davis, which includes nearly 300 faculty members in centers, institutes and departments across the Davis and Sacramento campuses. Researchers will be able to work on every aspect of psychedelic science, from molecules and cells through to human clinical trials.

“Combining the considerable expertise of UC Davis’ pioneering basic research teams, worldclass neuroscientists and our nationally recognized medical center is a formula for success that we trust will result in groundbreaking discoveries that will help patients regionally and worldwide,” said Susan Murin, dean of the School of Medicine who partnered with Atekwana to support the new institute.

— UC Davis News sustainable resource for everybody and anybody. We are here for you, and it’s a completely free resource on campus, so why not take it?”

The wine bar Wines in Tandem opened Jan. 24 at 222 D St. I wrote about this a few weeks ago, before it opened. The soft opening features tastings only. They are still finishing up additional rooms in the back, which have large windows facing the courtyard. In a few months, once that phase is complete, owner Ryan Crosbie plans to add small bites that pair well with that day’s wine flights.

The wine bar offers flights of three to five wines, with themes such as California Chardonnays or Old Vine Zinfandels. The focus is on small, independent, family-owned wineries, from the U.S. and Europe.

Initial hours are noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays. After a grand opening (sometime in mid-February), Crosbie plans to keep it open from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdays, and noon to 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.

Learn more at its new website, https://www.winesintandem. com/.

Ikeda’s Country Market reopened on Tuesday, four days after a customer tried to turn the farm stand into a drive-thru.

Owner Steve Ikeda told Enterprise reporter Lauren Keene he was glad no one was hurt. In the incident, a man attempting to park his red sedan ended up plowing into two produce tables and pushing them through Ikeda’s front doors. From appearances, it looks like he thought it was in reverse.

The farm stand is at 26295 Mace Blvd.

I wrote last week about the restaurant MT BBQ House, which was closed by county health inspectors on Jan. 20 for “insect/rodent infestation.”

It remains closed but now there’s a sign in the window saying it’s “Closed due to reconstruction. See U guys soon. (Est. 1 month).” The restaurant is at 229 G St.

A request: Before you message me about the status of an ongoing project, check my paywallfree Google spreadsheet, which includes more than 325 Davis businesses coming or going. It’s at https://bit.ly/DavisBusinesses. Look for the tabs for Restaurants Open, Restaurants Closed, Coming Soon and more.

— Wendy Weitzel is a Davis writer and editor. Her column runs on Sundays. Check for frequent updates on her Comings & Goings Facebook and Instagram pages. If you know of a business coming or going in the area, email news tips to wendyedit@ gmail.com

Thompson, Newhouse reconstitute Congressional Wine Caucus

Special to The Enterprise

WASHINGTON — On Feb. 3, the co-chairs of the Congressional Wine Caucus, Reps. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Dan Newhouse, R-Wash. announced the reconstitution of the Wine Caucus for the 118th Congress.

“Agriculture is important to our district and to every state across our country,” Thompson said.

“Wine grapes are grown in all 50 states and generate $276 billion for our economy while creating nearly 2 million jobs. I founded the Congressional Wine Caucus to develop a line of communication between winegrape growers and vintners and Congress. During the 118th Congress, Rep. Newhouse and I — and the entire Wine Caucus — will continue this work to support our wine community.”

The Congressional Wine Caucus was founded in 1999 by Congressmen and wine-grape growers Thompson and California Republican George Radanovich to provide a connection between winegrape growers and Congress. Today, the Caucus brings together a bipartisan, bicameral group of Members of Congress and is chaired by Thompson and Congressman Dan Newhouse.

“As a proud grape grower, I know firsthand the strong economic contributions made by the grape and wine producers and the issues our industry faces,” Newhouse said.

“I am honored to represent the flourishing, highquality wine region of Central Washington. I look forward to continue working with Rep. Thompson to ensure that our nation’s wine industry – from wine grape growers to winemakers and sellers – can continue to thrive and grow.”

Wine is produced in all 50 states and generates jobs and revenue in rural and urban communities. The wine community contributes an estimated $276 billion to the U.S. economy annually and creates the equivalent of almost two million fulltime jobs. The more than 10,000 predominantly family-owned wineries in the U.S. attract more than 49 million tourists each year who enjoy the wines, cultural activities, and scenic pastoral landscapes in wine country. In 2022, the California wine community created a direct economic impact of $88.38 billion with over 25 million tourism visits, 513,000 jobs, and nearly 4,800 wineries.