The Davis Enterprise Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Page 1

enterprise THE DAVIS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

Yolo County moves to red tier

Lights out

In recent years, between 7,000 and 8,000 UCD students (nearly 20 percent of the undergraduate population) have enrolled in about 200 PE classes held annually, classes which range from archery to aquatics, soccer and racquetball to golf and rock climbing.

More businesses to reopen BY ANNE TERNUS-BELLAMY Enterprise staff writer

Established as an official major at a time in 1958 when the College of Letters and Sciences enrollment was creeping toward 1,000 students (compared to upward of 16,000 today), the PE department paved the way for the creation of Davis’ existing exercise biology and neurobiology, physiology and behavior (NPB) programs. Its graduates include current UCD head football coach Dan Hawkins, Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame coach/administrator Pam Gill-Fisher and philanthropist Bruce Edwards, whose single-largest donation in UCD

Restaurants, gyms, churches and more will reopen in Yolo County as early as Wednesday now that the state has moved the county into the red Tier 2, the county’s interim health officer told the Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning. Capacity limits will be in effect for most indoor activities and social distancing and face coverings will be required. Sectors that previously reopened — including all retail and shopping centers — will be allowed greater capacity. Capacity rules for the red tier include: ■ Restaurants: open indoors with 25 percent maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. ■ All retail, including shopping centers and malls: open indoors with 50 percent maximum capacity. ■ Personal care services (including skin care and cosmetology as well as tattoo and piercing): open indoors. ■ Places of worship: open indoors with 25 percent maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer. ■ Movie theaters: open indoors with 25 percent maximum capacity or 100 people, whichever is fewer ■ Gyms and fitness centers (including at hotels): open indoors with 10 percent maximum capacity. Additionally, K-12 schools in Yolo County can reopen after two weeks in the red tier, provided local school

SEE PHYSICAL, PAGE A3

SEE TIER, PAGE A3

WAYNE TILCOCK/ ENTERPRISE FILE PHOTO

UCD calls time on 100-plus years of physical education program BY OWEN YANCHER Enterprise staff writer It’s a program with origins that date to before World War I. But at the end of this year, the physical education program at UC Davis will cease to exist. Campus officials confirmed Monday that after a multi-year review, the university plans to eliminate its physical education course offerings at the conclusion of the 2020 fall quarter. In recent years, between 7,000-8,000 UCD students (nearly 20 percent of the undergraduate population) have enrolled in about 200 PE classes held annually, classes which range from archery to aquatics, soccer, racquetball to golf and rock climbing. More

of its NCAA coaching staff to both undergraduate and graduate-level students. Nearly 30 lecturers will now lose their teaching positions as a result of the decision, including a handful of former coaches who have remained on staff in the PE department following their retirement from coaching at UCD.

traditional, podium-style lecture courses have included “Sport in American Society” and “Coaching Leadership and Drugs and Society,” among others. “This decision is not related to budget implications brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic,” UCD Director of News and Media Relations Melissa Blouin told The Enterprise. Blouin cited that “most Division I schools no longer offer PE courses.” She pointed to an already existing “selection of campus recreation activities” which students are “more likely to pursue” among the reasons for the program’s cancellation. Unique to most universities with Division I athletic programs, Davis offers for-credit PE classes taught by members

Historically, funding for those lecturer/coach salaries has been divided between the PE program and intercollegiate athletics. However, “contracts will (now) be adjusted so that coaches have a 100-percent appointment as a coach rather than having a split appointment between coaching and teaching,” according to UCD Athletics chief financial officer, Anissa Nachman. And while Nachman says the PE program elimination will shift nearly $1.2 million in salary obligations to the existing ICA budget, “a portion of the

Fortune running for 5th District council seat BY ANNE TERNUS-BELLAMY Enterprise staff writer There is much about Kelsey Fortune that says Davis. The Wisconsin native moved here seven years ago for graduate school and expects to complete her Ph.D. in economics in December, with the focus of her dissertation clean transportation policy, and clean energy vehicle rebates, in particular. There’s the car she doesn’t have and the bike she uses to get everywhere. And her continued service to a local nonprofit, Purple Tree Cafe, which provides employment to individuals with disabilities. She currently serves as executive assistant director. Now she’s added something else to the mix: Fortune is running for Davis City Council, hoping to represent South Davis in

VOL. 123 NO. 118

the 5th District. She is one of four candidates seeking that seat in the November election. Fortune notes that she’s “a bit of an outsider in Davis politics,” but that she has been closely following several city commissions and their work, particularly the natural resources; utilities; and bicycling, transportation and street safety commissions, all of which, she said, “kind of overlap with the work I’m doing.” A concern she’s had, said Fortune, is a disconnect she sees between those commissions and the City Council. “Since I’ve started paying attention, it seems there is a lack of communication between the public and City Council and commissions and the City Council,” said Fortune. She cites the controversial BrightNight lease option agreement approved

INDEX

Business FocusA10 Dial-A-Pro . . . . A9 Obituaries . . . . A6 Classifieds . . . . A7 Forum . . . . . . . . A4 The Wary I . . . . A2 Comics . . . . . . . A8 Living . . . . . . . . A5 Weather . . . . . . A9

A rich history

Asmundson seeks to finish Pickett’s term BY JEFF HUDSON

by the FORTUNE council as South Davis one examcandidate ple where city commissioners had objections “and then the City Council approves it and we don’t really get to hear enough about how … they came to that decision. It doesn’t seem transparent. “Our commissioners put in so much time and effort and they’re on the commissions because they have so much knowledge and we should take advantage of having this robust commission structure.” Better communication between city officials and members of the public would go a long way as well, Fortune said. Whether it’s the Mace mess, conflict over where to locate affordable housing or homeless services or a

SEE FORTUNE, PAGE A6

WEATHER HAZE

savings from the elimination of PE will be used (by the College of Letters and Sciences) to continue covering these salary costs.”

positions at schools with many low-income students. Enterprise staff writer She said she’s well aware that Candidate Vigdis Asmundson there are dark financial clouds on is seeking the two-year term as a the horizon for many California Davis school board trustee (servschool districts, including Davis, ing on a district-wide at-large because it now appears likely that basis) in the November election. state government will likely cut Asmundson has nearly two ASMUNDSON funding for the public schools in Running for decades of experience as a the next few years as state reveteacher. She began her teaching school board nues dip. “The (state’s) budget career in Davis, working as a long deferrals (for education funding) term substitute and a summer school will be affecting the district for a long teacher in Davis. She subsequently was a time,” adding that the Davis district is teacher in several other California school also facing the likelihood of gradually districts, including jobs at some schools declining enrollment. The combination where the enrollment included a sub- of reductions in state funding per pupil, stantial percentage of students from low- at a time when state funding (on a per income families.. She also taught at pupil basis) is in going down, can be very several schools abroad. difficult for a school district. “We need to And she stressed her experience in be preparing for what things are going to district-level jobs, often relating to cur- look like in 10 years,” she said. riculum. She currently has a job in a She added that “teachers are under a policy-related position at the California lot of stress right now” and feels that the Department of Education (CDE) in Sac- district may need to think about the ramento. social and emotional welfare of teachers Asmundson feels that she can bring a and staff,” in addition to the students that broad perspective to the school board, they work with. since she has experience in education at “I would not be coming in with an several different levels. agenda,” she said, but she is well aware She said she has a local point of view that “(Davis) has a wonderful school dissince she was born here and attended trict, and my education here set me up for local schools. “And I also have the outside a good life. perspective, since I have also taught in SEE ASMUNDSON, PAGE A6 very diverse communities” including

HOW TO REACH US

Thu Thursday: Hot and hazy. Ho High 98. Low 66. Hi

www.davisenterprise.com Main line: 530-756-0800 Circulation: 530-756-0826

WED • FRI • $1

http://facebook.com/ TheDavisEnterpriseNewspaper http://twitter.com/D_Enterprise

Crider Law Group Estate Planning and Elder Law

TM

Love Local. Bank Local.

Personal Injury Civil Litigation 732 THIRD STREET, SUITE B DOWNTOWN DAVIS 530-238-5111

WWW.MICHAELSCHAPS.COM

530.304.4947

The region’s only community bank with a local mortgage division.

MATTHEW CRIDER

kimeichorn.com keichorn@golyon.com CA DRE# 01196250 thatsmybank.com Equal Housing Lender | Member FDIC

Attorney at Law crider law group

530-771-6887


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.